Dec 18, 2025 Special City Council

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GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

IT'S

[Call to Order]

WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, AND WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

IT'S LOCATED IN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET.

UH, MEMBERS, YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

UH, THE WAY WE'LL GO FORWARD TODAY IS WE WILL FIRST HAVE A, UH, PRESENTATION BY OUR STAFF.

THEN WE WILL GO TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.

WE, WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL CALL THE SPEAKERS UP BY THE ITEM.

UH, WE'LL CALL 'EM UP THE WAY WE, THE WAY WE TYPICALLY DO AT MEETINGS, UH, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.

AND, UH, WE WILL THEN OPEN IT UP FOR, UH, I'LL, I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND WE WILL THEN OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.

AND ACTUALLY, RIGHT AFTER THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION, UH, AFTER A MOTION IF ANYBODY HAS ANY DISCUSSION.

SO, WITH THAT,

[1. Approve execution of a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Austin Firefighters Association relating to wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment for certain employees of the Austin Fire Department. Funding: $5,913,706 is available in the General Fund Operating Budget. This item is related to Items #2 and #3.]

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.

I'M PLEASED TO BRING FORWARD TODAY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, A FOUR YEAR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION.

AFTER RETURNING, UH, TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED, UH, IN THEIR PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT, I BELIEVE WE HAVE ARRIVED AT A TRUE AND COMPLETE AGREEMENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, CONTAINED WITHIN THE CITY'S AGREES TO MAINTAIN THE MANDATORY FOUR PERSON STAFFING ORDINANCE THROUGH MUTUAL AGREEMENT WITH THE FAA, THE A FA, IN EXCHANGE THE A FA AGREES TO NO LONGER PURSUE ITS CHARTER PETITION, AS HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR STATED GOAL.

UH, THIS AGREEMENT ENSURES THE CITY CONTINUES TO DEPLOY RESOURCES TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE MANNER, AVOIDS EXCESSIVE OVERTIME TO ENSURE OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TIME TO REST AND PROVIDES RE A REDUCED WORK WEEK HOURS, UH, TO IMPROVE FIREFIGHTER WORK LIFE BALANCE SO THAT THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM THE MUCH NEEDED REST.

WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ROXY PEREZ, STEVENS DEPUTY LABOR RELATIONS OFFICER TO EXPLAIN, UH, THE AGREEMENT IN MORE DETAIL.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, BROAD NEXTS ROXY STEVENS, A DEPUTY LABOR RELATIONS OFFICER.

I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE, UH, BECAUSE THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK TO THE TABLE AND RESOLVE THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT WE ALREADY HAD.

AS YOU RECALL, WE ALREADY HAD A TA WITH RESOLVED ISSUES.

WE WERE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE TABLE WITH THE A FA ON THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES RAISED BY THE PETITION FOR THE CHARTER AMENDMENT, AND WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH THE CITY AND THE A FA, UM, AFTER NEGOTIATIONS.

UH, SO AFTER RETURNING TO THE TABLE, WE NEGOTIATED THIS AGREEMENT.

UH, THIS IS THE FIRST FIRE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY NEGOTIATED AND BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANOTHER PROCESS SUCH AS ARBITRATION SINCE 2017.

SO THIS IS A, THIS, THIS IS A GOOD THING.

WE ARE FORGING A NEW, UH, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IN WORKING WITH THE A FA TO ACHIEVE, UM, RESOLUTION TO DIFFICULT ISSUES SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THEM, DISCUSS THE REAL ISSUES, AND COME UP WITH REASONABLE, EFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS.

SO THE AGREEMENT THAT, UH, I'M BRINGING FORTH TODAY BEFORE THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL RESOLVES ALL THE ISSUES WE'VE, AND, AND IN RESOLVING ALL THE ISSUES WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE A LOT, UM, IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STATE, MAYBE, UH, MAYBE THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE WAGE INCREASES OR MAYBE THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE A REDUCED WORK WEEK IN JUST THAT, OR A NEW SHIFT SCHEDULE.

AND THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORTH TODAY, WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THOSE.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FI TO ACHIEVE INCREASED WAGES FOR ALL OUR FI OUR HARDWORKING FIREFIGHTERS REDUCE WORK WEEK HOURS TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS THEMSELVES.

UH, WE'VE COMMITTED TO FOUR PERSON STAFFING LEVELS AND SOLIDIFYING THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, AND WE ALSO DISCUSS WHEN HARD ISSUES COME UP, HOW ARE WE GONNA DEAL WITH THEM.

WE HAVE FORMED COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE A FA AND WHICH MAY AT TIMES, UM, ALLOW THE CITY TO CONSIDER, UH, TAKING APPARATUS AND FIRE STATIONS OUT OF SERVICE, BUT ONLY IN CRITICAL MOMENTS AND ONLY IN CERTAIN, UM, CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE AGREEMENT THAT I'M BRINGING FORTH TODAY, UH, HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE A FA BY 72% OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP.

THEY VOTED IN FAVOR, AND THAT'S A STRONG VOTE.

UH, THERE IS A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION INCLUDED IN

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IF I WENT THROUGH ALL THE DE THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS.

UM, AS YOU SEE, THE, THE AGREEMENT ITSELF IS ABOUT 110 PAGES.

IT IS VERY, UH, COMPLEX AND THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS.

SO I'VE INCLUDED THAT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT OUTLINES ALL OF THOSE FOR EVERYONE'S REFERENCE.

THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO LOOK AT IT.

UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EACH SLIDE THERE, BUT I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT THE MAJOR KEY POINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN THIS AGREEMENT.

THIS AGREEMENT IS A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT, UH, BEING, BECOMING EFFECTIVE TODAY, IN ENDING IN SEPTEMBER, 2029.

IT INCLUDES AN AN ENHANCED HIRING PROCESS WHERE THE CHIEF GETS TO SET THE HIRING STANDARDS AND HAS MORE FLEXIBILITY TO HOLD CONTINUOUS HIRING PROCESSES AND BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON CERTAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS, MEANING THAT, UH, WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE TESTS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS RATHER THAN JUST ONE TEST.

IT OPENS IT UP TO A LOT MORE APPLICANTS THAN WE HAVE HAD BEFORE.

UH, THE CHIEF WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE MODIFIED HIRING TO HIRE QUICKLY, UH, AND HIRE ALREADY CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTERS, UH, FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

IT ALSO OFFERS A STREAMLINED PROMOTIONAL PROCESS, UH, FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE WITHIN THE RANK AND FILE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE UP WITHIN AND PROMOTE WITHIN THEIR RANKS.

THE, UH, CONTRACT THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY ALLOWS A CHIEF TO UTILIZE NON-SWORN EMPLOYEES IN CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING RECRUITING PUBLIC INFORMATION AND AIR SHOP.

AND IT CONTINUES TO ALLOW, UH, THE USE OF CIVILIAN ENGINEERS AND FIRE PREVENTION.

A BIG COMPONENT OF THIS, WHICH IS VERY TRANSFORMATIVE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEGOTIATED CALLED THE AUSTIN SCHEDULE, BEGINNING THE THIRD YEAR OF THE CONTRACT.

AND THE REASON THAT IT'S IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE CONTRACT IS BECAUSE THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, OR THE A FA MEMBERSHIP HAS COLLABORATED WITH US TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME WORK TO GET TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT, UH, SCHEDULE THAT THERE'S TWO DISTINCT ITEMS IN THE AUSTIN SCHEDULE.

ONE IS THE ACTUAL SHIFT SCHEDULE ITSELF, WHICH, WHICH GOES FROM A 24 48, UH, AND TRANSFORMS INTO A 1 3, 2, 3, MEANING THERE'S A THREE DAYS IN BETWEEN EACH SHIFT.

SO A FIREFIGHTER WILL HAVE TIME TO REST AND SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILY.

UH, AND THAT WOULD BE ONE DAY ON, THREE DAYS OFF, TWO DAYS ON, THREE DAYS OFF, AND CONTINUOUS SUCH AS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE NEW SHIFT SCHEDULE.

OH, AND BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THAT, THERE WILL BE A, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE SHIFT SCHEDULE OF THE 24 48 THAT WOULD BE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WITH HARDSHIPS, SUCH AS TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN OR FAMILY MEMBERS OR OTHER HARDSHIPS.

AND THAT WOULD BE ON AN AS REQUEST BASIS AND AS APPROVED BY THE FIRE CHIEF.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THE NEW SHIFT SCHEDULE, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE REDUCED WORK WEEK HOURS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS CONTRACT, THE REDUCED WORK WEEK WILL GO FROM AN AVERAGE OF 52, UH, DOWN TO 49.8 THERE, UH, IN YEAR THREE OF THE CONTRACT.

THERE IS A, A POINT IN THE CONTRACT IN MARCH OF 2026, UH, WHERE THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE AGREED AS A COST SHARING MEASURE TO GIVE BACK THE TWO KELLY DAYS THAT THEY, THEY WERE AWARDED IN THE LAST CONTRACT AWARD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE SAVINGS TO FUND ADDITIONAL FTES TO IMPLEMENT THE REDUCED WORK WORK WEEK SCHEDULE.

UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY DO IMPLEMENT THE 49.8 HOUR WORK SCHEDULE IN THE 30 YEAR OF THE CONTRACT, THAT ACTUALLY, UH, INCREASES THE HOURLY WAGE BY 6.43%, MEANING THEY'RE GONNA BE MAKING MORE HOURLY, BUT MAKING THE SAME ANNUAL RATE.

AND THEN THE RAISES THAT WE DID NEGOTIATE GO ON TOP OF THAT, THE 54 OH PART OF THE COST SHARING, UH, PRO THAT THE A FA HAS AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN IS TO ADD 54 ADDITIONAL FTES INTO THE AUTHORIZED STRENGTH OF FIREFIGHTERS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE REDUCED WORK SCHEDULE.

THAT WOULD BE, UH, THE CITY WOULD INCREASE AUTHORIZED STRENGTH IN YEAR ONE BY 22 FIREFIGHTERS AND YEAR TWO BY 32 FIREFIGHTERS THAT WAY.

IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE CONTRACT, WE HAVE HIRED, UH, OR WE ARE, WE HAVE INCREASED, UH, AUTHORIZED STRENGTH UP TO 54 ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS.

PART OF THE COST SHARING.

ALSO, THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE ALSO AGREED TO GIVE UP THE SICK LEAVE BUYBACK PROGRAM, AND THAT SAVINGS WAS ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO THE, UM, SHARING IN THE COST OF, OF HIRING THOSE ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS.

NOW FOR WAGE INCREASES, WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO, UH, ADJUST THE PAY SCALE IN YEAR ONE.

WE HAD NOTICED IN OUR COMPENSATION

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SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK THE PAY SCALE AND WE ADJUSTED IT ACCORDINGLY THROUGHOUT THE, UH, DIFFERENT STEPS IN THE RANKS.

SO THERE IS A GRADUATED, UH, INCREASE, UH, AS THE STEPS GO FORWARD, THE ENTRY LEVEL STEP OF ZERO OR THE, WHICH IS THE STEP IN WHICH FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE COMING IN FROM PROBATION AND WHAT ATTRACTS FIREFIGHTERS TO APPLY TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS BEING RAISED BY 6.21%.

THE STEP ONE, WHICH IS ONE YEAR EXPERIENCE IS INCREASED BY 5.5 PER 5.55%.

AND THE STEP TWO, WHICH IS TWO YEARS EXPERIENCE, IS INCREASED BY 5.06%.

ALL OTHER, UH, FIREFIGHTERS WILL EXPERIENCE A NINE, A 3.96% INCREASE IN THE FIRST YEAR, AND THE BATTALION CHIEFS AND DIVISION CHIEFS WILL, WILL GET A 3% INCREASE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO DID WAS WE, UM, MADE ALL RANK RANK DIFFERENTIALS, MEANING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE RANKS, UH, AND WE MADE 'EM A STABLE 8% FOR YEARS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR OF THE CONTRACT.

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO ACHIEVE INCREASES.

YEAR TWO WOULD BE AN ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE OF 3%, YEAR THREE WOULD BE 3.5%, AND YEAR FOUR WOULD BE 4%.

THE PROJECTED COST OF THE AGREEMENT OVER THE FOUR YEARS IS $63 MILLION WITH A YEAR, ONE COST OF $5,913,706.

THE CONTRACT ALSO INCLUDES GUARDRAIL PROVISIONS REGARDING FUNDING AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING.

NOW, THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT WE ADDED TO THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT HERE IN THE LAST, UM, MONTH THAT WE, UH, TOOK TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT OR THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES OF, WITH THE ISSUES BEING RAISED BY THE PETITION FOR THE CHARTER AMENDMENT ARE THE FOREPERSON STAFFING.

THE REASON THAT GAVE RISE WAS BECAUSE THE A FA HAD FILED A PETITION TO SEEK TO HAVE THE FOUR-PERSON STAFFING SOLIDIFIED IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT BY INCLUDING IT IN THE CONTRACT.

THE A FA HAS AGREED NOT TO PURSUE OR SUPPORT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ANY CHARTER AMENDMENT AND OR LAW THAT ADDRESSES, UM, THE FOUR-PERSON STAFFING ORDINANCE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING LEVELS, MINIMUM STAFFING FOR APPARATUSES OR, UM, APPARATUSES IN SERVICE AND OUT OF SERVICE OR FIRE STATIONS IN SERVICE OR OUT OF SERVICE IN RETURN, THE CITY HAS AGREED IN THE CONTRACT THAT IT WILL NOT AMEND, REVISED, OR RESCIND THE FOUR-PERSON STAFFING ORDINANCE REQUIRING FOUR-PERSON STAFFING.

UH, THERE IS ALSO AN ADDITIONAL PROVISION, UH, THAT IF ANY OUTSIDE PARTY OR ANY LAW OR CHARTER AMENDMENT IS ENACTED DURING THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY VOTE TO EXPIRE THE CONTRACT IF IT IMPACTS THE ABILITY TO FUND OR, OR MANAGE OR OP OR ADMINISTER THE CONTRACT.

AND THEN THE CONTRACT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE RENEGOTIATED WITH FOREPERSON STAFFING.

IT MIRRORS THE ORDINANCE, IT REFERENCES THE ORDINANCE, BUT THERE WERE SOME CLARIFICATIONS AND MISUNDERSTANDING, UH, RATHER CLARIFICATIONS AND UNDER MUTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS THAT WE HAD TO INCLUDE IN THE CONTRACT.

THAT WAY WE MADE SURE WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT AND WE INCLUDED THOSE IN THE CONTRACT.

SOME OF THOSE THINGS WERE UNFORESEEN STAFFING SHORTAGES.

WHEN WHAT CAN WE DO AND WHAT CAN THE CITY DO THEN AND FLEXIBILITIES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE FOREPERSON STAFFING ORDINANCE AND THE ABILITY TO, UM, TO REVISE AND MODIFY, FOR INSTANCE, A GENERAL ORDER THAT IS REFERENCED IN THE, IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, BEING ABLE TO MODIFY AND UPDATE IT AS NEEDED AS THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED.

WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROC IN THE CONTRACT COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES THAT INCLUDE, UM, CONSIDERATIONS TO REVISIONS OF THE FOREPERSON STAFFING ORDINANCE IF, IF BROUGHT UP BY EITHER THE CITY OR THE A FA AND TAKING APPARATUS OR FIRE STATIONS OUT OF SERVICE DURING CITYWIDE SEVERE FINANCIAL CRISIS OR DEPARTMENT LEVEL UNFORESEEN BUDGET ISSUES.

THERE IS SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT IN WHICH THESE ITEMS CAN OCCUR, BUT THERE IS A, A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN SET UP AND HAVE BEEN AGREED TO BY THE CITY AND THE A FA THAT WOULD RESULT IN A, IN A, A SOLUTION OR A RESOLUTION TO THOSE ISSUES, THOSE DIFFICULT ISSUES SHOULD THEY OCCUR.

IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, THIS ITEM, THERE'S TWO COMPANION AGENDA ITEMS, UH, RELATED TO THE AGREEMENT.

IF THE AGREEMENT IS APPROVED, ONE WOULD BE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT TO MOVE THE FUNDING FROM ONE FUND, FROM ONE FUND TO THE DEPARTMENT FUND.

AND THE SET.

THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM, WHICH THAT WOULD BE AGENDA ITEM TWO, AGENDA

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THIS AGREEMENT IMPROVES, UM, IMPROVES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT ACHIEVES STABILITY AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, AND IT ADDRESSES THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AND SOLIDIFIES HIGH QUALITY FIRE SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS A TRAILBLAZING CONTRACT AND VERY TRANSFORMATIVE, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO PRESENT IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

A AS A TRUE AND COMPLETE AGREEMENT OF ALL OF THE ISSUES.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THIS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, AND I STAND BY FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, MS. STEVENS.

UM, MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, IF YOU'LL LET ME KNOW, UM, BY HITTING YOUR LIGHT, UH, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, BEFORE I, I CALL ON ANYBODY, UH, I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY WHEN WE SAY HOW PLEASED WE ARE AND WITH YOUR, YOUR EXCELLENT WORK AND YOUR TEAM AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS, UH, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF, OF THE EFFORT AND, AND CREATIVITY AND WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO IT WITH THAT MEMBER'S QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND, UH, YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO, UH, MS. STEVENS AND STAFF FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.

ALSO, THANK YOU TO THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

UM, FOR ALL OF YOU BRINGING US THIS PROPOSED AGREEMENT, UH, THAT WILL BRING THE CITY LONG-TERM STABILITY WHERE ALL OF THE ISSUES ARE DECIDED TOGETHER, WHERE WE ARE IMPROVING COMPENSATION, UH, PAY EQUITY ACROSS A FIREFIGHTER'S CAREER, WE'RE IMPROVING THE SCHEDULE ADDRESSING FIREFIGHTER WELLNESS.

UM, WE'RE ADDRESSING JOB SAFETY THROUGH FOREPERSON STAFFING, AND WE'RE ALSO AVOIDING A PROTRACTED STRUGGLE, RIGHT? AND A BALLOT MEASURE CAMPAIGN.

SO THIS IS AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BRING US LABOR PEACE AND PROMOTE STABILITY IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS AND HOPEFULLY BUILD GOODWILL, UH, AMONG THE RANKS.

UM, I GUESS BEFORE WE GET TO THE VOTE A LITTLE BIT LATER, I WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

UM, I GUESS FIRST, AND I SEE OUR CFO IS ONLINE VIRTUALLY, UM, BUT I GUESS IF, UH, CITY STAFF COULD EXPLAIN, UM, HOW WE WOULD PAY FOR OVERTIME, UH, RELATED TO MAINTAINING FOREPERSON STAFFING IN THE WAY IT'S ENSHRINED IN THIS AGREEMENT.

MS. LANG, YOU WANNA DO THAT? OR MR. VINO? PERRY, I'LL LET YOU GO.

THANKS, ED .

GOOD MORNING.

.

CARRIE LANG, UH, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

AND, UM, TO SPEAK TO THE OVERTIME COST, UM, FOR THIS YEAR WITH THIS AGREEMENT, I THINK IT IS, UM, THE PLAN, AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON HOW WE WOULD MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THERE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENTS THAT THE, THE CHIEF WILL MAKE.

UM, AS WE LOOK AT THIS, THIS, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, I THINK WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO, UM, SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

AND SO AS WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT FROM A BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE PERSPECTIVE, WE'LL DO MONTHLY CHECK-INS TO SEE HOW THEIR OVER OVERTIME IS TRENDING, AS WELL AS LOOK AT WHAT ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES WE CAN MAKE.

UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THE YEAR, IT'S GONNA BE, UM, A ONGOING CONVERSATION, UM, AND LOOKING THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL FUND AS A WHOLE TO SEE WHAT SAVINGS IS GENERATED JUST ON NATURAL, UM, WORK.

AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT HOW WE NEED TO ADJUST THIS FISCAL YEAR AS WE, AND THEN BEGIN TO PLAN FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.

UM, MY NEXT QUESTION RELATES TO, UM, I GUESS, UH, ARTICLE 34, SECTION THREE A, UM, AND THIS IS THE SUBSECTION OF THE AGREEMENT THAT, UM, ALLOWS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF THE CITY TO DEFINE TERMS LIKE SEVERE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND, UH, THAT WOULD IMPACT, I GUESS, SOME OF THE ABILITY TO MAYBE ADJUST SOMETHING LIKE FOUR PERSON STAFFING.

AND SO I WANTED TO ASK THE CFO, UM, IF HE COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS, UH, PROVISION WILL BE TRIGGERED AND IT WILL BE UP TO THE CFO AT THE POINT IT WOULD BE TRIGGERED TO, TO MAKE THIS CERTIFICATION.

SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A, A KIND OF A BINDING RULING.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, IF MR. VAN YEU COULD EXPLAIN HOW HE WOULD APPROACH, UH, DEFINING A TERM LIKE SEVERE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CBA.

UM, SURE.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER, ED VINO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY.

AND YOU MAY RECALL WE HAD, UM, A SIMILAR DISCUSSION AROUND THE, UM, THE, THE CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THE INTERPRETATION OF LANGUAGE IN THAT CONTRACT.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MY, MY MY POINT AT THAT TIME IS I THINK IT'S REALLY GONNA DEPEND UPON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE, THE TIME OF THE FINANCIAL SITUATION WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT.

SO, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE EXAMPLES I CAN TELL YOU, I WAS HERE IN, UH, FISCAL YEARS, 2008, 2009 WHEN WE HAD THE FINANCIAL CRISIS.

AND, UM, WE HAD A VERY STEEP REDUCTION IN PROP OR SALES TAX

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I BELIEVE WE HAD, UM, PROJECTED A 5% INCREASE, AND WE ENDED UP HAVING A 10% DECREASE.

SO AT THE TIME, THAT WAS ABOUT A $30 MILLION SHIFT IN REVENUE, AND WE HAD TO MAKE RAPID ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR BUDGET, UH, IN ORDER TO REACT TO THAT.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A SITUATION THAT CERTAINLY WAS A FINANCIAL CRISIS THAT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ACTION.

MAYBE SOMEWHAT SURPRISINGLY THOUGH, YOU LOOK AT THE 2020 COVID SITUATION, AND AS DRAMATIC AS THAT EVENT WAS, AND AS IMPACTFUL AS THAT EVENT WAS ON, UM, THE CITY'S ECONOMY WITH THE STRONG FEDERAL RESPONSE AND FEDERAL STIMULUS, FINANCIALLY, THAT WAS NOT A CRISIS ON THE SAME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE AS WHAT WE EXPERIENCED, UM, DURING THE FINANCIAL, UM, ISSUES WE, THE, THE COUNTRY HAD BACK IN 2009.

UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER EXAMPLES MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH A BUDGET THAT BACK IN APRIL WE FORECASTED A $33 MILLION DEFICIT.

AND, UM, WITH A LOT OF BELT TIGHTENING AND SOME TOUGH DECISIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT.

UM, I CERTAINLY THINK IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT A BUDGET THAT MAY BE BECAUSE OF A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP WHERE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, BUDGET GAPS IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE YEARS IN A ROW THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH A 20, $30 MILLION DEFICIT, UM, THE MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT THAT'S GOING TO BE.

SO JUST, JUST TO SAY PERHAPS A 10 OR $20 MILLION DEFICIT ONE YEAR MIGHT NOT BE A CRISIS, BUT TWO, THREE YEARS CONSECUTIVELY, UM, IT COULD BECOME A CRISIS.

SO I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF EXAMPLES LIKE THAT I COULD GO THROUGH.

BUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY UNTIL WE SEE THE SITUATION IN FRONT OF US, AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, IT'S, UH, FOR A PROSPECTIVE FUTURE CFO IS GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THESE DETERMINATIONS.

AND I THINK FOR ALL THOSE FACTORS, THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT DEFINED IN THE CONTRACT MORE, UH, TANGIBLY SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, A 2% REDUCTION IN REVENUE WOULD TRIGGER THIS PROVISION.

UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT SIMPLISTIC.

IT DOES REQUIRE SOME INTERPRETATION AND SOME JUDGMENT, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT THE CONTRACT ALLOWS THE CFO TO DO.

UH, THANKS SIR.

YEAH, AND OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE ALL HOPE WE CAN AVOID THIS EVENTUALITY, UH, THROUGH OUR DILIGENT EFFORTS.

UM, AND I GUESS THE LAST QUESTION, NOT SO MUCH FOR THE CFO, UM, IS JUST AN ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY OFFICE ABOUT PARENTAL LEAVE FOR FIREFIGHTERS.

UM, MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, PAGE 32, SECTION 22 OF THE CBA, UM, SAYS THAT ENTITLEMENTS, UH, PREEMPT THE, THE ENTITLEMENTS IN THIS AGREEMENT PREEMPT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PERSONNEL POLICIES REGARDING PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFITS.

AND SO, UM, IF ONE OF Y'ALL COULD EXPLAIN WHAT PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFITS ARE STILL MAINTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT, I WOULD HAVE TO, IF YOU GIMME A MOMENT, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK, UM, IN THE CONTRACT TO, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE PARENTAL LEAVE ON THAT IS.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE.

I CAN IF YOU GIMME A MOMENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON AND MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, EXCUSE ME.

EXCEEDINGLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE GONNA, UM, BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF THE FOREPERSON STAFFING, YOU KNOW, BUT BEST PRACTICES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED, UM, AND WITH NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TO BE ERODED.

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING I'M HAPPY TO SEE AND GLAD TO SEE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AND, AND OFFER SOME CONTINUITY OF SERVICE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OPERATIONAL STABILITY.

I THINK THE TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE, ONE IS ABOUT RECRUITMENT, UM, BUT I THINK AS YOU'RE FEVERISHLY SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER TO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL'S QUESTION, I CAN MOVE TO ONE THAT, UH, MS. LANG MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER.

I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, UM, IF APPROVING THIS CONTRACT, UH, PROVIDES, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY, OR I'M SORRY IF LOOKING AHEAD AT APPROVING THE CONTRACT, WHAT METRICS SHOULD COUNCIL SHOULD BE, UH, SHOULD WE BE TRACKING OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE CONTRACT TO, UM, ENSURE SURE.

UM, OR UNDERSTAND RATHER, UH, ITS IMPACT ON SERVICE LEVELS AND RESPONSE TIMES? UM, ACTUALLY I THINK I, THAT'S A, THAT'S NOT A YOU QUESTION AT ALL, IS IT? IS, MR. MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO JUST HOLD THAT, THAT PROBABLY UNTIL OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, AND FOLLOWED BY THE MAYOR PRO.

TIM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF I'M ASKING QUESTIONS.

YEAH, WHY DON'T I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BUDGET.

OKAY.

UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM, THANK YOU.

UM, IF, CAN WE PUT UP THE SLIDE, IT'S THE LAST SLIDE ON YOUR SLIDE DECK, MS. STEVENS ON THE FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AND PART OF WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE OF THIS CONTRACT IS AROUND 62 MILLION, 66 MILLION OVER THE NEXT OF, OVER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.

CORRECT.

OKAY.

[00:25:01]

SO JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT THAT WE'LL BE FACING WITH THE CITY BUDGET IN THE, IN THE INCOMING YEARS.

YES.

UM, AS WE, AS, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THROUGH OUR, OUR FORECAST AND OUR BUDGET PROCESSES, UM, THE CITY, AGAIN, WITH THE THREE POINT A PERCENT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE CAP, WE RELY HEAVILY ON SALES TAX REVENUE TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND AS WE'VE SEEN OUR SALES TAX REVENUE DECLINE, UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR EXPENDITURE GROWTH AS A WHOLE, UM, IS GROWING FASTER THAN WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING OUR REVENUE GROWTH TO COME IN AT.

WE WATCH OUR SALES TAX REVENUE CLOSELY TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GIVEN THE BEST PROJECTIONS, UM, WITH STILL BEING A LITTLE BIT CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE OF HOW VOLATILE THE, THE, UM, THAT REVENUE SOURCE IS.

BUT I'LL SAY THAT WHEN WE, IN THIS FORECAST, UM, EVEN GOING BACK TO OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST IN, UM, APRIL, WE ANTICIPATED THE COST OF THIS CONTRACT.

UM, IT WAS INCLUDED IN, UM, ALL OF OUR PROJECTIONS AND THE TEAM, UM, ROXY AND HER TEAM, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE ASSOCIATION HAVE COME UP WITH A CONTRACT THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE PLANNED FOR AND BUDGETED FOR.

I DO THINK THAT, UM, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS DEFICIT, IT DOES INCLUDE US MOVING FORWARD TO GETTING THE RESERVES BACK TO A 17% BY FISCAL YEAR 30.

AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SEE IN THIS 30 34 AND $38 MILLION DEFICIT US ANTICIPATING DOING THE WORK TO GET THERE.

AND SO THAT INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF THE DEFICIT GIVEN WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR SALES TAX REVENUE PROJECTIONS RIGHT NOW.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU.

THANKS, MAYOR.

TIM, UM, I'M GOING TO SEE IF YOU CAN ANSWER COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL'S QUESTION AND THEN WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT MAD.

UH, YES, MAYOR, UM, THE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFIT AND ASPECT IS ACTUALLY NOT CODIFIED IN THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT, AND THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T RECALL IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE AGREEMENT, BUT THE CHIEF HAS THE ABILITY TO, UM, MANAGE THAT ACCORDINGLY.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CHIEF HAS ME MEMORANDUMS OUT TO THE MEMBER, TO THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT REGARDING AND, UH, THE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFIT IN ADDRESSING THAT.

OKAY.

THANKS SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, NOW, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARBOR MADISON, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, AND IF I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT OVERTIME SAVINGS, UM, BY WAY OF THE 53 HOUR WORK WEEK, WOULD THAT BE MS. LANG OR WOULD THAT BE FIRE? I'LL TAKE A STAB.

OKAY.

I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, UM, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE QUANTIFY THE OVERTIME SAVINGS, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE INCREASE OR WITH THE CHANGE IN THE, UH, THE 53 HOUR WORK WEEK? SO I, AS WE'RE, UM, LOOKING AT THE OVERTIME COSTS AND IT'S, UH, AN ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO MM-HMM .

EVEN AS WE, BECAUSE OF THE NUANCES OF IT, THERE ARE VARIABLES SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT ARE IN PLACE, UM, THE, THE AVERAGE, UM, PAY FOR THOSE STAFF.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VARIABLES THAT WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO ANTICIPATE, UM, TO, TO FINISH ANALYZING.

BUT, UM, I THINK AS WE LOOK AT THEIR OVERTIME COSTS, WE WILL MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS IN, IN THE COMING BUDGETS FOR ADJUSTING BASED ON THEIR REDUCED WORK WEEK, UM, AND WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY INCREASE THEIR HOURLY RATE.

CORRECT.

AND SO WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

UM, I DO NOT ANTICIPATE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED POSITION, SO THERE ARE 22 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT WOULD BE ADDED THAT WOULD OFFSET THE NEED FOR SOME OF THAT OVERTIME BECAUSE THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL BODIES WOULD BE USED, UM, FOR, FOR LEAVE USAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S SOME WORK THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO AS THIS IS IMPLEMENTED, BUT I, MY MY GUESS IS THAT, UM, THE IMPACT WOULD NOT BE, UM, A, A MAJOR IMPACT.

I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED THE SECOND QUESTION, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH OF THE COST IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO PAY ADJUSTMENTS VERSUS THE ADDITION OF THE 22 POSITIONS.

SO I THINK YOU ANSWERED THAT QUESTION.

I THINK THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I WOULD HAVE THAT'S, UM, BUDGET RELATED IS CAN WE CONFIRM THAT THESE FUNDS ARE FULLY OFFSET WITHIN THE EXISTING GENERAL FUND, UM, OR, UM, AND DON'T RATHER CREATE ANY NEW STRUCTURAL PRESSURES? YES.

UM, THE TEAM DID AN AMAZING JOB.

UM, WE AND THE TEAM BEING ROXY AND HER TEAM,

[00:30:01]

AND SO THERE ARE NO ADDED COST, UM, BEYOND WHAT WE, WHAT WE, UH, ASSUMED FOR THIS, FOR THIS CONTRACT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND, UM, UH, LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT SHOULD COUNCIL BE TRACKING TO ENSURE THAT THE STAFFING ADDITIONS ARE REALLY TRANSLATING INTO MEASURABLE SERVICE AND RESPONSE BENEFITS? IS THAT A FIRE QUESTION? I THINK I WOULD RELY ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THAT DETAIL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.

UM, BUT WE PLAN, WE BEING THE, UH, BUDGET ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE PLAN TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO REALLY LOOK AT THEIR EXPENDITURES, UM, AND, AND HOW THEY'RE TRENDING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

MM-HMM .

THAT'S GOING TO, WE'RE STARTING THAT NOW, BUT THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUSTIN SCHEDULE AND, AND THE CONTRACT.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK TO THAT POINT YOU WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE ANALYSIS IS ONGOING, IT'S SORT OF A FLUID PROCESS.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT AS THE PROCESS GOES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT TO TRACK MORE CLOSELY.

CORRECT.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO BACK UP TO MY FIRE QUESTION.

UM, ONE OF THEM WAS, YOU KNOW, FROM A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STANDPOINT, IS THAT CHIEF EY? OKAY.

UM, I WANNA KNOW, HOW DOES THIS AGREEMENT POSITION AUSTIN RELATIVE TO OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES PEER CITIES? UM, FROM A RECRUITMENT PERSPECTIVE, TOM BOKEY, ASSISTANT CHIEF AUSTIN FIRE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT THIS DOES IS PUTTING THAT NEW SCHEDULE IN PLACE MM-HMM .

THAT SEPARATES US FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A BIG DEAL, AND I THINK THAT'LL BE VERY HELPFUL IN OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS.

UM, WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO FILL THREE CADET CLASSES PRIOR TO THE OCTOBER 1ST 20, 27 DATE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SCHEDULE.

AND SO, UH, WE HOPE TO BE FULLY STAFFED AND, UH, HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE READY TO GO.

AND I DO THINK THAT THE, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE PAY RAISES ARE, ARE SUBSTANTIAL AND, YOU KNOW, THE NEW SCHEDULE GIVES US SOMETHING TO OFFER THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS DON'T OFFER.

MM-HMM .

UH, THERE'S NOT ANY BIG CITIES IN TEXAS THAT HAVE A SCHEDULE LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW.

SO I THINK IT'S, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE BIGGEST WIN FOR US FROM A RECRUITING STANDPOINT.

IT'S INTERESTING.

I, I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS DRIVE IN, UM, TO AUSTIN, DON'T NECESSARILY LIVE IN AUSTIN PROPER.

SO THAT 1, 3, 2, 3, I THINK WILL DEFINITELY BENEFIT THE ONES WHO ARE COMMUTING INTO TOWN, UH, A GREAT DEAL.

ABSOLUTELY.

JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT OF AFFORDABILITY IN THE CITY, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT MORE AND MORE OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SERVANTS RATHER, ARE NOT GONNA LIVE IN AUSTIN PROPER.

SO I THINK THAT 1, 3, 2 3 WILL HELP A TON.

AND THEN JUST WITH, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THERE IS SOME DEGREE OF PRESSURE ON FAMILIES WHEN YOU'RE 24 48.

UM, THE ONE QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THE EXCEPTIONS BY REQUEST FOR THE 24 48 DUE TO HARDSHIP, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU ANTICIPATE ANY SORT OF DELAY.

YOU KNOW, WILL PEOPLE BE STUCK WITH THE 1 3, 2 3 UNTIL THE APPROVAL OF THE 24 48? I, I DON'T THINK SO.

I'M SORRY.

IF YOU DON'T MIND.

I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE WE HAVE TIME, WE HAVE TIME TO GET THAT IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT SCHEDULE.

AWESOME.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN, UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN ALL OF MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS.

AND WELL ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID SOMETHING WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, UH, FILLING THREE CADET CLASSES.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THERE WAS A, A TEST FOR A FD AND THERE WERE LIKE 6,000 APPLICANTS.

I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, HAS THERE BEEN AN INCREASE OR A DECREASE IN SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS? UH, THINGS HAVE CHANGED, HAVE STAYED CONSISTENT OVER THE PAST THREE PROCESSES.

WE'VE HAD BETWEEN SIX AND 800 APPLICANTS WHEN WE'VE, UH, TAKEN APPLICATIONS.

UM, I DO ANTICIPATE THAT OUR NEXT ROUND OF, OF APPLICATIONS, WHEN WE TAKE 'EM AGAIN IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS, WE WILL, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE THE BENEFITS OF THIS CONTRACT AND, AND HOPE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, US BEING STABLE WITH THE CONTRACT AND HAVING THIS NEW SCHEDULED OFFER SHOULD INCREASE OUR RECRUITING NUMBERS.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THOSE UPDATES AND, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, WHEN WE GET OUR PRESENTATIONS, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF UPDATES I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO, TO HEAR ABOUT.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE BLACKOUT AND BROWNOUT, UM, RISK FOR SOME STATIONS.

SO IN 2018, THE CITY COUNCIL CODIFIED STAFFING ON THE TRUCKS AROUND THAT SAME TIME, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED FUNDING TO BUILD FIVE NEW FIRE AND EMS STATIONS.

CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE PROCESS OF IF THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE HAD,

[00:35:01]

AND THAT IS A CITYWIDE FINANCIAL CRISIS, WHEREBY IT HAS TO BE DECLARED AND DEFINED BY THE CFO, UM, AS, AND THAT IS, IF THE CFO DECLARES THAT THERE'S A SEVERE FINANCIAL CRISIS THAT IMPAIRS THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE, UH, ESSENTIAL POLICE, FIRE AND EMS SERVICES.

UH, SO IN THAT CONTEXT, WHEN THERE IS A, A CONSIDERATION OF A BROWNOUT, SO TO SAY, YOU'RE TAKING APPARATUS OR FIRE STATIONS OUT OF SERVICE, THEN THERE'S A JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THAT WILL CONVENE COMPRISED OF, UH, THREE MEMBERS OF THE CITY AND THREE MEMBERS OF THE A FA TO DISCUSS OPTIONS, LENGTH OF CLOSURE, WHERE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN, HOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN, SO THAT WE MAKE SURE TO MITIGATE ANY EFFECT THAT SUCH A CLOSURE OR TAKING OUT OF SERVICE WOULD HAVE.

UH, AND THEN ONCE THAT RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN EITHER APPROVED, HAS BEEN APPROVED, AND THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, THEN THERE IS A PUBLIC ADVISORY AGENDA ITEM THAT THE CITY WILL NOTIFY NOT ONLY THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT ALSO THE A FA OF THE CLOSURES, THE REASONS FOR THE CLOSURES AND WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS AND HOW THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONSIDER THAT AS ONE OF THE OPTIONS IF THERE IS A DEPARTMENT LEVEL BUDGET, SIGNIFICANT BUDGET REDUCTION NECESSARY FOR UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE NOT CONSIDERED AT THE TIME OF A BUDGET ADOPTION.

AGAIN, THAT IS ANOTHER VERY SIGNIFICANT EVENT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME.

SO THEN THAT'S ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED, ALONG WITH ALL, A LOT OF OTHER KIND OF BUDGET REDUCTIONS TO KEEP THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WITHIN WHAT IT IS APPROVED.

UH, AND IN THAT CASE, AGAIN, THE SAME KIND OF JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE DOES CONVENE, IT'S A SHALL CONVENE IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THOSE BUDGET REDUCTIONS.

AND IF IT IS, IF ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSIDERS TAKING AN APPARATUS OR FIRE STATION OUTTA SERVICE, THEN WE DO THE SAME THING.

UH, THAT DECISION IS MADE AND THEN THE NOTIFICATION IS MADE IN A PUBLIC MEETING AS AN ADVISORY AGENDA ITEM TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND WE ALSO GIVE NOTICE TO THE A FA, UH, ONE, THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, WE WERE CONCERNED WITH AND WANTED TO ADDRESS IN THE CONTRACT WERE NUMBER ONE, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE CITY WILL NEED TO CONSIDER THAT IN TIMES OF DIRE NEED.

UH, AND THEN NUMBER TWO, THAT THE CITY REMAINS ACCOUNTABLE, UH, WHEN THOSE CLOSURES OR TAKING THEM OUT OF SERVICE HAS TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN THERE IT'S TRANSPARENT THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT, UH, AND KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHY.

SO WE WILL KNOW WHEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE BEGINNING AT LEAST.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A SURPRISE THAT A MEETING HAPPENED AND THERE WAS A DECISION MADE IN THAT MEETING.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES BY WHICH THESE ARE OPTIONS ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT DON'T, DON'T, UH, COME TO FRUITION OVERNIGHT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY GONNA BE A SURPRISE.

OKAY.

I'D CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE COULD BE KEPT APPRISED IF THOSE CONVERSATIONS BEGIN, JUST BECAUSE WE'LL GET QUESTIONS AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER THEM RESPONSIBLY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.

I'LL JUST MAKE MY POSITION KNOWN ON, ON SOME OF THE BLACKOUT BROWNOUT CONVERSATIONS IS A LOT OF THE NEW FIRE STATIONS THAT WERE BUILT OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS ARE IN HIGH WILDFIRE AREAS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD SLOW, SLOWER RESPONSE TIMES.

SO I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THOSE NEW ONES OUT OF ROTATION.

UM, THERE WAS ONE IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN THAT IS FANTASTIC, AND IT IS NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD ONE OF THE SLOWEST RESPONSE TIMES IN THE CITY IN THAT MOMENT.

AND IT HAS VERY LIMITED INGRESS, EGRESS, AND BACKS UP TO THE GREEN BELT.

SO I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THE, THE NEW ONES OUT BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A VERY GOOD REASON THAT THOSE STATIONS WERE BUILT AND I THINK THEY'RE PROVIDING A GREAT SERVICE TO, TO THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO ASSIST WITH.

MY OTHER QUESTION IS GOING TO BE ABOUT, UH, THE PAY INCREASES SPECIFICALLY, WHEN EXACTLY DO THOSE TAKE EFFECT AND IS THERE ANY RETROACTIVITY TO SOME OF THE PAY INCREASES? NO.

TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DELAY OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS CONTRACT, UH, WE HAVE AGREED TO A LUMP SUM PAYMENT THAT IS CALCULATED, TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

UH, WHEN CALCULATED UP TO JANUARY 10TH OF, UH, 2026, ALL OF THE EFFECTIVE PAY RAISES AND ALL OTHER MONETARY ITEMS, UH, AND LEAVE ACCRUALS THAT ARE AGREED TO AND INCREASED IN THE CONTRACT BECOME EFFECTIVE.

THE PAY PERIOD BEGINNING JANUARY 11TH, 2026, BUT THE, THE PERIOD BEFORE WE

[00:40:01]

OKAY.

UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, I KNOW THERE WAS ONE ABOUT PARENTAL LEAVE EARLIER.

I KNOW THERE IS SOME SPECIFIC ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE MADE FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PREGNANT OR HAVE HAD A BABY THAT MAY BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN PARENTAL LEAVE FOR EITHER PARENT.

THOSE ARE STILL OUTSIDE OF THIS CONTRACT, RIGHT? THOSE ARE STILL UP TO THE CHIEF'S DIRECTION, THAT IF THEY HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS DELIVERED A BABY, THAT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY BACK ON A TRUCK IN 12 WEEKS, FOR INSTANCE.

YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

OKAY.

THEY HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME AND THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY ON AN APPARATUS.

THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND, AND TO START OFF, JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU TO, UH, ALL INVOLVED, UH, THE, THE, UH, FIRE ASSOCIATION, UH, AND TO THE LABOR, UH, NEGOTIATING TEAM AND STAFF FOR COMING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

I, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD AGREEMENT AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO VOTING FOR IT HERE, UH, SOON.

UM, JUST A, A COUPLE OF, UH, QUICK QUESTIONS.

YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, THE POLICE, WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO TAKE AN APPROACH WHERE WE ARE, UM, TRYING TO KEEP POLICE IN THE CORE KIND OF FUNCTIONS OF WHAT THEIR WORK DOES AND TRYING TO, ANYTHING WE CAN SHIFT TO KIND OF A, A CIVILIAN, UH, UH, EMPLOYEE OR A NON KIND OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, EMPLOYEE.

UH, WE'VE BEEN KIND OF MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AND, AND, AND THINKING ABOUT THE, THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT AGAIN WITH, UH, THE, UH, OVERTIME COSTS AND, AND, UM, THE, THE STAFFING, UH, UH, ISSUES AND CONCERNS.

UH, THE INSPECTIONS, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND INSPECTIONS, UH, HAVE BEEN, UH, AN ONGOING CONCERN THAT THE CONTRACTORS AND, AND OTHERS KIND OF IN THE, IN THE BUILDING, UH, TRADES HAVE, UH, HAVE RAISED.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ASK WHAT THE, HOW THE CONTRACT IN TERMS OF THE PROVIDING INSPECTIONS, WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF WHO'S RESPONSIBILITY IS IT, WHO IS ALLOWED TO DO THOSE INSPECTIONS? WHAT, WHAT, HOW IS, HOW DOES THAT LOOK UNDER THE CONTRACT? SO UNDER THE CONTRACT FOR THE USE OF CIVILIANS FOR FIRE PREVENTION, THE LANGUAGE, IT STAYS THE SAME AS IT HAS BEEN, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF CONTRACTS.

AND THAT IS THAT PRIOR FIRE PREVENTION DUTY SHALL BE PERFORMED BY FIREFIGHTERS, EXCEPT THAT DEGREED ENGINEERS WHO ARE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES MAY BE ASSIGNED FIRE PREVENTION DUTIES.

AND THE REASON THAT IS IN THERE IS BECAUSE CHAPTER 1 43, WHEN IT DEFINES FIREFIGHTER ALSO DEFINES THAT, UH, FIREFIGHTERS WHO PERFORM FIRE PREVENTION SHOULD BE SWORN.

AND THAT'S WHY WE INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT TO ALLOW THE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE DEGREED ENGINEERS WHO ARE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, UH, WITH REGARD TO WHAT THE DEGREED ENGINEERS OR THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES DO, IS I THINK THAT, I BELIEVE THAT THEY DO TECHNICAL REVIEWS OF, UH, PLANS AND THAT THE REST OF THE FIRE INSPECTION IS DONE BY SWORN EMPLOYEES.

YEAH, AND I, I COMPLETELY AGREE AND UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL KIND OF FIRE EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, THE SPRINKLER TESTING AND, AND THE WATER, UH, PRESSURE, UH, CONTROLS THOSE KINDS OF, UH, OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

IN PARTICULAR THOUGH, WITH THE , UH, THAT HAS, UH, CREATED A A LOT OF MUCH MORE KIND OF SMALL SCALE, UH, INSPECTIONS THAT ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAKING SURE THAT THE, THE, THERE'S NOT VEGETATION WITHIN, UH, A CERTAIN, UH, AREA AROUND THE HOUSE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S LIKE MESH, UH, IN ALL THE OPENINGS TO PREVENT ANY EMBERS FROM, FROM ENTERING THE HOME AND, AND, AND STARTING A FIRE.

UM, ARE WE ALLOWED TO, UH, USE ANY KIND OF, UH, CIVILIAN, UH, EMPLOYEES? 'CAUSE I, I UNDERSTAND IN THAT, THAT THERE ARE, THERE IS A PROVISION IN THERE THAT, UH, CIVILIANS ARE ALLOWED TO ASSIST, UH, WITH, UH, THE, THE WWE INSPECTIONS.

UH, DO, WHAT'S THE, THE SITUATION WITH THAT? UH, TOM BOKEY, ASSISTANT CHIEF OFFICER FIRE, UM, SO RIGHT NOW THE, THE ACTUAL WE INSPECTIONS ON NEW CONSTRUCTION ARE STILL CONDUCTED BY FIREFIGHTERS.

THERE ARE SIZE, UH, EVALUATIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DONE THAT ARE NON-FORMAL INSPECTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY DONE BY CIVILIANS.