[Proclamation – Diversity Contracting Awards Day – To be presented by Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes]
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AUSTIN'S MAYOR PRO TEM AND REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT TWO ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO CITY HALL AS WE CELEBRATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS, SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND HONOR THE WINNERS OF THE CITY'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY.
20TH ANNUAL DIVERSITY AND CONTRACTING AWARDS.
SMALL AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES ARE NOT ONLY VITAL TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, THEY ARE THE DRIVING FORCE OF INNOVATION AND RESILIENCE.
THEY BRING FRESH IDEAS, BOLD LEADERSHIP, AND MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF INDUSTRIES.
THAT IS WHY I AM PROUD THAT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, OUR SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO EXPAND ACCESS AND ADVANCE EQUITY IN CITY CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITY, OPEN DOORS FOR SMALL AND MINORITY OWNED AND WOMEN OWNED AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.
UM, THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE ARE REALLY THRILLED THAT OUR CITY PRIORITIZES AND ENSURES THAT WE HAVE INVESTMENTS IN BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE BUSINESSES STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES BY OFFERING VALUABLE SERVICES, CREATING JOBS, AND SERVING AS ENGINES OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
I'M HONORED TO PRESENT A VERY SPECIAL PROCLAMATION TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, EDWARD CAMPOS, AND TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL OF THE SMALL MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES MAKING A REAL PA IMPACT HERE IN OUR CITY.
WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, I WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE ANNUAL DIVERSITY AND CONTRACTING AWARD CEREMONY HOSTED BY AUSTIN SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY.
AND WHEREAS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE PROGRAM HAS RECOGNIZED MORE THAN 150 CONTRACTORS, CONSULTANTS, AND CERTIFIED MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, ENTERPRISES WHOSE DEDICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS STRENGTHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY.
AND WHEREAS AWARDEES EXEMPLIFY EXCEPTIONAL BUSINESS PRACTICES, OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THROUGH CIVIC AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS, AND DEMONSTRATE CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE CITY'S M-B-E-W-B-E PROCUREMENT PROGRAM, AND WHEREAS THE CITY ACKNOWLEDGES THE STEADFAST SUPPORT OF CITY LEADERSHIP SMBR AND INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR M-B-E-W-B-E PROCUREMENT PROGRAM AND THE ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM BY CELEBRATING AND ADVANCING DIVERSITY IN CONTRACTING.
AND WHEREAS TODAY'S CEREMONY HONORS THIS MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT AND BUSINESSES RECOGNIZED OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES NOW, THEREFORE, I VANESSA FUENTES MAYOR PRO TE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL LANE, MAKING SURE I DIDN'T MISS ANYONE HERE.
ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION IS OUR DIRECTOR EDWARD CAMPOS.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN SMALL MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
TODAY WE CELEBRATE TWO DECADES OF COLLABORATION, EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY IMPACT THAT IS CELEBRATED EACH YEAR AT S'S ANNUAL DIVERSITY AND CONTRACTING AWARD CEREMONY MAR MARKING.
THIS YEAR, OUR 20TH YEAR SINCE INCEPTION, THE A-S-M-B-R RESOURCES HAS RECOGNIZED 150 BUSINESSES FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS, COMMITMENT AND EMBODYING THE SPIRIT OF THE MINORITY ENTERPRISE AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROCUREMENT PROGRAM.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY OUR MAYOR PRO TE VANESSA FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE FOR BEING WITH US HERE.
TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE 2025 AWARDEES.
I WANT ACKNOWLEDGE TRAINING CONSTRUCTION BUILDER, OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN CERTIFIED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, UH, MARIO CARLIN MANAGEMENT, LLC, THE HISPANIC CERTIFIED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, FRANK LAMB AND ASSOCIATES, OUR ASIAN CERTIFIED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, TAYLOR COLLECTIVE SOLUTIONS, OUR WOMEN CERTIFIED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, FREEZE AND NICHOLS, OUR CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR, STR CONSTRUCTION, LLC, OUR CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR.
AND I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ERIC BAILEY, OUR DIRECTOR'S AWARD RECIPIENT.
UH, HE'S THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I WANNA CONGRATULATE ALL OF Y'ALL AND WE SUPPORT THE DIVERSE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE STRENGTHEN AUSTIN'S ECONOMY AND SECURE A MORE VIBRANT FUTURE.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AGAIN AND THANK OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND ALL THE STAFF
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AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, WHO MAKE THIS PROGRAM A SUCCESS.I ESPECIALLY THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR MAYOR PRO TE AND VANESSA FUENTES FOR RESPONDING, SPONSORING TODAY'S PROCLAMATION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND I DO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
[Proclamation – Esquina Tango Day – To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez]
GOOD MORNING, FLIA.I AM COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE JOSE VELASQUEZ OF DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M HONORED TO CELEBRATE ONE OF OUR EAST AUSTIN GEMS ES TANGO.
WHAT STARTED AS A HUMBLE TANGO STUDIO IN THE HEART OF EAST AUSTIN.
OVER THE YEARS, THEY HAVE TRANSFORMED INTO A COMMUNITY CENTERED CULTURAL HUB WHERE FOLKS OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS COME TOGETHER TO LEARN TANGO, SAMBA, AL AND EVEN SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE TANGO HAS PROVIDED OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY WITH OVER 5,000 CLASSES AND HUNDREDS OF CULTURAL EVENTS.
AND AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING THEY DO, KINNA HOPES TO CONTINUE THEIR MISSION TO REACH MORE AUSTINITES AND EXPAND, EXPAND THE KINNA COMMUNITY THROUGH DANCE AND CULTURE, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS ESKIN TANGO IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION NESTLED IN EAST AUSTIN, FOUNDED IN 2006, WHICH WAS BORN FROM THE PASSION AND VISION OF, OF ARGENTINE IMMIGRANTS, MONICA SIANO AND GUSTAVO SIMIS, WHO BROUGHT THEIR HERITAGE FROM BUENOS AIRES TO AUSTIN BY CREATING A VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE, CULTURAL AND DANCE CENTERED CELEBRATING LATINX TRADITIONS.
AND WHEREAS ESKIN TANGO HAS GROWN INTO A BELOVED FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNITY HUB OVER THE PAST TWO DEC DECADES, RECOGNIZED FOR ITS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION THROUGH DANCE, LIVE MUSIC, AND LANGUAGE, WHILE SUPPORTING LOCAL MUSICIANS, ARTISTS AND INSTRUCTORS AND WELCOMING ALL MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS ESKIN TANGO GENEROUSLY GIVES BACK BY OFFERING FREE AND LOW COST INSTRUCTIONS, WHAT I, WHICH I STILL NEED TO MAKE IT FOR, YES,
AND WHEREAS IS TANGO ACTIVELY FOSTERS A WORKPLACE THAT AND COMMUNITY THAT UPLI UPLIFTS DIVERSITY ACROSS ETHNICITY, CULTURE, NATIONALITY AND PERSONAL PERSONAL IDENTITY.
AND WHEREAS KIN TANGO REFLECTS AND REINFORCES AUSTIN'S CORE VALUES, GENEROSITY, CREATIVITY, INCLUSIVITY, CULTURAL EXPRESSION, AND PRESERVATION OF THE RICH VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AND LIVED EXPERIENCES THROUGH MUSIC, DANCE, AND ARTS.
NOW THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE DIOCESE AND MAYOR KIRK WATSON TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 11TH, 2025 AS ES TANGO DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
IF Y'ALL WANNA COME, SAY A FEW WORDS, MONICA.
OH, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, TO THE CITY, CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TODAY, ACTUALLY IN DECEMBER 11TH IS ALSO IN ALSO INTERNATIONAL TANGO DAY, SO NO COINCIDENCE.
IT'S OUR DAY HERE IN AUSTIN TANGO AND WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE.
WANT HERE AND TAKE A PHOTO? YEAH.
[Proclamation – Rolling With the Homies Day– To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez]
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GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN, TEXAS.I AM COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ, AND TODAY I AM HONORED TO RECOGNIZE ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES, AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE FOR TO SHARE EXPERIENCES, STRUGGLES AND VICTORIES.
ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES IS HELPING INDIVIDUALS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND DISABILITIES FIND CONNECTION AND CONFIDENCE THROUGH COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, RESOURCE SHARING AND SPECIAL EVENTS BEHIND EVERY JOURNEY AND STORY IS A NETWORK OF FRIENDS, FAMILIES, AND OTHERS WHO TRULY UNDERSTAND.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS THE MOST INVALUABLE RESOURCE OF THEM ALL, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES, UH, SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUP AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES, SPINAL, SPINAL CORD INJURIES, CEREBRAL PALSY, SPINAL STROKE, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, AND OTHER MOBILITY AND HEALTH CONDITIONS.
AND WHEREAS WE STRIVE TO FOSTER A STRONGER, A STRONG, INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY THAT PROMOTES CONNECTION, BELONGING, AND MUTUAL GROWTH.
AND WHEREAS THE PROGRAMS PROVIDE ACCESS TO VITAL LOCAL RESOURCES, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND PEER SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT NO INDIVIDUAL IS LEFT WITHOUT THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO THRIVE.
AND WHEREAS THEY'RE COMMITTED TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, INDEPENDENCE AND LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITIES OF ITS MEMBERS THROUGH ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
AND WHEREAS ULTIMATELY THEY ENVISION A SOCIETY WHERE ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION ARE NOT PRIVILEGES, BUT FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OFFERED TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL.
NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE DIOCESE AND THE MAYOR, KIRK WATSON OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 11TH, 2025 AS ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES DAY.
MY NAME IS SIERRA CONNO AND I AM THE FOUNDER OF ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES.
THREE YEARS AGO I WAS SHOT THREE TIMES AND THE THIRD BULLET PARALYZED ME FROM THE WAIST DOWN.
MY GOALS FROM THERE FORWARD WERE TO FILL IN THE GAP IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OTHERS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS AS MINE AND TO HAVE SOMEONE TO LEAN ON AND TO FIND NORMALCY.
AND THAT IS MY GOAL WITH THE GROUP IS TO FILL THAT GAP WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK I'M REACHING THAT PRETTY WELL.
EVERYONE BEHIND ME HAS SUPPORTED ME FROM DAY ONE AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS ANTHONY CHASE AND I MET, UH, SIERRA THIS PAST MAY.
UM, WHEN I WAS DOING MY INTERNSHIP AT SPARROW REHAB AND FROM THE DAY WE MET, WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE, UM, SEE, NOTICED THAT WE SAW EYE TO EYE AND MOVING FORWARD AND BEING SOMEONE WITH SUCH A, A POWERFUL, UM, UM, POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND A GO-GETTER MINDSET HAS PUSHED ME TO MOVE FORWARD TOO.
AND ALSO IN SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATING, WE LEARNED THAT WE HAVE MANY INTERSECTING ISSUES AS A BLIND MAN AND AS A WOMAN WHO, UH, USES A WHEELCHAIR, MANY OF OUR, MANY OF OUR VALUES AND OUR GOALS ARE THE SAME.
SO I THINK TOGETHER WE'RE STRONGER AND, UM, ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER.
OH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STEP HERE, THE PODIUM MINISTER.
MY NAME IS PATRICK BOARDMAN AND, UM, I MET SIERRA A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND, UM, WITH 30 YEARS IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, I'VE NOT MET ANYBODY LIKE HER.
HER ORGANIZATION HAS IMPACTED MANY LIVES AND GIVEN THEM SUCH A SENSE OF HOPE AND, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN WITHOUT MEETING HER AND HER GROUP.
SO, YOU KNOW, AFTER COVID THINGS, PEOPLE, THERE'S A LOT OF LONELINESS.
PEOPLE WERE KIND OF OFF TO THEMSELVES AND WITH WHAT SHE'S DONE, SHE'S BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND GIVEN THEM A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND HOPE AND BELONGING.
AND I AM TRULY INSPIRED BY EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, SIERRA.
ALRIGHT, IF YOU WANNA STEP IN FRONT OF HERE, WE CAN TAKE A PHOTO.
Y'ALL WANNA SCOOT UP? WE CAN TAKE A PHOTO.
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GOOD[Proclamation – TreeFolks Day – To be presented by Council Member Marc Duchen]
MORNING EVERYBODY.I'M ENORMOUSLY HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE PROTECTING AND PRESERVING AUSTIN'S TREE CANOPY AND OUR COMMUNITY'S GREEN SPACES IS A PRIORITY THAT NOT ONLY TREE FOLKS, BUT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND ALL OF DISTRICT 10 RESIDENTS SHARE AUSTIN'S BEAUTIFUL HERITAGE TREES AND LIVE OAKS ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE THE CITY AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE.
BUT THAT IS NOT ALL THAT OUR TREES DO THERE.
SHADE AND TREE CANOPY KEEPS US COOL DURING OUR INCREASINGLY WARM AND HOT SUMMERS.
THEY HELP KEEP OUR AIR CLEANER, THEY LOWER OUR UTILITY BILLS, AND THAT'S WHY PARTNERSHIPS WITH EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER BASED GROUPS LIKE TREE FOLKS ARE ESSENTIAL IF YOU WANT THE NEXT GENERATION OF AUSTINITES TO ENJOY THE SAME COMMUNITY AND GREEN SPACES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
I'M ACTUALLY A LITTLE EMBARRASSED TO SHARE THAT BEFORE I STARTED HERE, I DID NOT KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT TREE FOLKS DID.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES AND HAVE PLANTED OVER 3 MILLION TREES IN OUR REGION AND WORKED TO RESTORE AND, AND ENHANCE OUR TREE CANOPY.
AND ONE OF THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE STARTED IS CALLED THE NEIGHBOR WOODS PROGRAM, WHICH ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTES FREE TREES TO LOCAL RESIDENTS.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED, WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE KIND OF PROGRAMS AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR UPCOMING NEWSLETTER.
AND THAT'S TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK THAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES AND CONTINUE TO DO FOR OUR CITY.
I WANNA EXTEND MY PERSONAL THANKS TO TREE FOLKS AND LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH I, MY CONSTITUENTS APPRECIATE THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO, AND I WANNA HAND IT OFF TO TREE FOLKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANDREW SMILEY FOR A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE HAND OFF THE PROCLAMATION.
ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'RE REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, TREE FOLKS, UH, WE HAVE OUR HANDS IN THE DIRT AND OUR, UH, UH, AND OUR EYES ON THE GROUND SO OFTEN THAT, UH, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL TO LOOK UP EVERY NOW AND THEN AND ACTUALLY GET TO CELEBRATE.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION THAT COMES WITH THE, WITH THE PROCLAMATION.
UM, WE HAVE PLANTED OVER 3 MILLION TREES IN AUSTIN AND AT THE HEART OF OUR MISSION IS BUILDING COMMUNITY.
IT'S STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BY PLANTING AND CARING FOR TREES.
AND SO WE HAVE TONS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO GET INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S PLANTING TREES WITH US, ADOPTING ONE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, TREES TO BRING HOME AND PLANT IN YOUR OWN YARD, COMING OUT TO OUR SEEDS TO TREES NATIVE NURSERY, UH, OR EVEN PARTNERING WITH OUR FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION PROGRAM, UH, TO REFOREST FLOODPLAIN LAND IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UH, WE ARE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND ALL OF THE CITY AGENCIES.
UH, THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN IMMEASURABLE, JUST INCREDIBLE, UH, IN TERMS OF ENABLING US TO DO OUR WORK.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE REALLY, UH, WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO SHARE THIS RECOGNITION WITH OUR FRIENDS FROM AUSTIN WATER WHO MAKE A LOT OF OUR WORK POSSIBLE AS WELL AS, UH, OTHER AGENCIES INCLUDING AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, OUR SUSTAINABILITY, OR EXCUSE ME, OUR CLIMATE, UH, AND RESILIENCE, UH, OFFICE, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, OUR URBAN FORESTRY DEPARTMENT, UH, SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, OR AGENCIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT WE GET TO WORK WITH.
SO, UH, WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO SHARE THAT WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION FOR THE WORK.
NOW I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT AND I'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO READ AND PRESENT TO YOU, UH, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS SINCE THE FOUNDING IN AUSTIN IN 1989, TREE FOLKS HAS PLANTED OVER 3 MILLION TREES IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS TREE FOLKS WILL DISTRIBUTE 9,000 FREE TREES TO LOCAL RESIDENTS THIS YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WHEREAS TREE FOLKS SEEDS TO TREES NATIVE NURSERY HAS PRODUCED OVER 33,000 NATIVE TREE SAMPLINGS SAPLINGS FOR LOCAL REFORESTATION EFFORTS IN 2025 ALONE.
AND WHEREAS TREE FOLKS ENGAGES MORE THAN 2,700 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS EVERY YEAR IN TREE PLANTING EFFORTS, AND WHEREAS THROUGH THEIR MISSION TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY BY PLANTING AND CARING FOR TREES, TREE FOLKS IS A
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CRITICAL PARTNER IN REACHING OUR SHARED GOAL OF 50% CITYWIDE TREE CANOPY BY 2050.NOW THEREFORE, I MARK UCHIN ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 11TH, 2025 AS TREE FOLKS DAY IN AUSTIN.
AND I'VE GOT A OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION ALRIGHT, THAT I CAN PRESENT.
DO YOU WANT TO COME UP IN FRONT OF THE, THE PODIUM? OKAY.
[Distinguished Service Award - Robert James Heath - To be presented by City Manager T.C Broadnax]
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO HONOR SOMEONE WHOSE NAME HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH A TXN ITSELF.SOMEONE WHOSE KNOWLEDGE, DEDICATION, AND STEADY PRESENCE HAS HELPED SHAPE THE VERY FOUNDATION OF WHAT OUR STATION IS TODAY.
AFTER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE ARE HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF A TRUE INSTITUTION, ROBERT HEATH.
ROBERT IS THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL TEAM THAT STARTED CHANNEL SIX BY TELEVISING ONE CITY COUNCIL MEETING PER WEEK TO NOW PRODUCING MORE MEETINGS THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS WAS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION ROBERT HELPED CREATE OVER THE DECADES.
ROBERT IS THE PERSON EVERYONE CALLS WHEN THEY NEED AN ANSWER.
HE HAS BEEN THE CONSTANT IN THE AT TXN CONTROL ROOM, STEPPING UP DURING EMERGENCIES, PLANNING THE SCHEDULE, KEEPING THE STATION ON AIR, COVERING MEETINGS AND NEWS CONFERENCES, AND ENSURING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN REMAINED INFORMED, CONNECTED, AND ENGAGED.
THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT IS EXTRAORDINARY TO PUT HIS IMPACT IN PERSPECTIVE, ROBERT HAS BEEN PART OF MORE THAN 1200 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
BUT THE IMPACT HE HAS MADE WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE A TXN LONG AFTER TODAY.
ROBERT, YOUR WORK HAS REACHED EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY.
YOU'VE HELPED MAKE GOVERNMENT ACCESSIBLE FOR MILLIONS OF VIEWERS OVER THE YEARS TO SEE THEIR GOVERNMENT IN ACTION.
AND YOU'VE DONE IT WITH HUMILITY, PRECISION, AND A DEEP SENSE OF PRIDE IN YOUR CRAFT.
30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ISN'T JUST A MILESTONE, IT'S A LEGACY.
WE WILL MISS YOUR EXPERTISE, YOUR HUMOR, AND MOST OF ALL YOUR PRESENCE.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT, A TXN AND EVERY COLLEAGUE WHO'S HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 30 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING BUILD THE BACKBONE OF THIS STATION.
THANK YOU FOR EVERY MEETING, EVERY PRODUCTION, EVERY MOMENT YOU'VE KEPT US GOING.
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US WHAT TRUE COMMITMENT LOOKS LIKE.
WE HOPE RETIREMENT BRINGS YOU REST, JOY, AND NEW ADVENTURES.
AND MAYBE JUST MAYBE THE CHANCE TO ENJOY A MEETING THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BROADCAST
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING AND CELEBRATING THE ONE AND ONLY ROBERT HEATH, YOU HAVE EARNED THIS MOMENT AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AT X N'S FAMILY.
AND SO BEFORE I GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME WORDS, I WANTED TO READ AND PROVIDE YOU WITH A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD AND THE AWARD READS FOR YOUR UNTIRING SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO OUR RESIDENTS
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DURING YOUR 30 YEAR TENURE.AS A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ROBERT J. HEATH IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION.
THIS CER CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF THIS 11TH DAY OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR 2025 TO ROBERT HEATH ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE.
UH, YEAH, I DIDN'T REALIZE, YEAH, IT'S TRUE.
IT WAS OVER 1200 MEETINGS, COUNCIL MEETINGS, LONG MEETINGS TOO
THE STATE CLERK'S OFFICE WORKED WITH, UH, A LOT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYBODY.
AND UH, YEAH, I'M GONNA MISS IT.
IT'S, UH, THIS IS MY SISTER YVONNE AND MY FATHER ROBERT WALTER HEATH, HE'S A TELEVISION MAN, STARTED AT KW C IN THE 59.
I WORKED WITH HIM AS WELL UNTIL THE MID NINETIES.
AND I WAS, I WAS OUR MOM, RAMONA CORPUS AND SHE WAS THE ONE THAT TOLD US OR TOLD ME ABOUT THE JOB POSTING.
IT WAS EITHER EMS, YOU KNOW, TAKING PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF FATALITIES OR CHANNEL SIX
AND I SAID TO MYSELF, WELL, I'D RATHER DO MEETINGS THAN, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID, OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I GOT THE JOB FOR MY THEN BOSS AT THE TIME.
ROBERT, WE HAVE ONE MORE THING.
ONE MORE THING TO SHARE WITH YOU AS IS TRADITION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR 30 YEARS, WE HAVE HONORED YOU WITH NICE A SIGN, ROBERT.
DADDY, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? WE GOT A MIC RIGHT HERE FOR YOU.
ARE YOU SURE? HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ROBERT TODAY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, DAN? I'M REAL PROUD OF YOU SAYING YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.
I'M GLAD THEY GAVE YOU THIS NICE AWARD.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GET A PICTURE, SHALL WE? OH YEAH.