* 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.
          [00:00:02]
          THANK YOU EVERYONE. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON. 
          I WASN'T, UH, 
          [CALL TO ORDER]
 QUITE EXPECTING THAT IT WOULD BE ME RUNNING THIS MEETING TODAY, . 
          SO I WOULD, UH, I WOULD WELCOME ALL, UH, SUPPORT HERE, UM, IN, UM, FACILITATING THE MEETING AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF I MAKE ANY MISTAKES, ABSOLUTELY FEEL FREE TO, UH, CORRECT ME AND GET ME BACK IN LINE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UH, IT'S, UH, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, UM, CLOSE TO 6:10 PM AND, UH, WELL, IT IS 6:10 PM AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE ARTS COMMISSION 
          [PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
TO ORDER, UH, WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION. 
          UM, WE HAVE, UM, QUITE A BIT OF PARTICIPATION TODAY. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL, THANK, UH, EVERYONE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE TIME, UH, TO COME SPEAK HERE. 
          UH, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST CALL ON, UH, JESSICA AR FROM HIDEOUT THEATER AND COFFEE HOUSE TO SPEAK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          DO I, IS THERE A, DO WE KNOW WHICH ONE? NO, THAT'S FINE. 
          I THINK THAT SHOULD BE FINE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, HI. 
          AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS JOB, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          UM, MY NAME IS JESSICA ARJAY AND I'M WITH THE HIDEOUT THEATER, WHICH IS AN IMPROV THEATER DOWNTOWN IN ON CONGRESS AVENUE. 
          WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 26 YEARS. 
          WE'RE AN IMPROV THEATER AND COFFEE SHOP. 
          AND A YEAR AGO, A WEALTHY GENTLEMAN BOUGHT OUR BUSINESS AND KICKED US OUT. 
          UM, SO WE, OUR LAST DAY IS MARCH 31ST, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE. 
          HE'S GONNA MAKE US SPEAK EASY IN THE SPACE. 
          UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A NEW PLACE AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD EVERYTHING BUTTONED UP. 
          WE HAVE FOUND A PLACE, WE PUT A CONTRACT ON IT, BUT, UM, THE BUILDING PRICE CONTINUED TO RISE, AND, UM, FUNDING WAS HARDER. 
          LIKE OUR COMMUNITY CAME THROUGH. 
          OUR FUNDRAISER IS GREAT, BUT FINDING LOANS WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. 
          AND SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO BUILD OUT THE SPACE THAT WE FOUND. 
          UM, SO WE'RE CONTRACTING TO A SMALL LITTLE, UH, TWO ROOM, UM, SPACE IN A, UH, THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A WHILE IN A SHOPPING CENTER ON LAMAR AND KIG. 
          UM, AND WE'RE GOING FROM TWO THEATERS WITH 125 SEATS TOTAL TO MAYBE 35 IF WE'RE LUCKY. 
          UM, AND, AND TWO CLASSROOM SPACES. 
          UH, SO, UH, WHAT, AND WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT. 
          WE'VE GOT THIS LITTLE SPACE. 
          UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OUT THIS OTHER SPACE. 
          WE'VE LOOKED AROUND, WE'VE ASKED A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR HELP. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          I GUESS I, I'M NOT SURE WHO TO BE TALKING TO. 
          . 
          UM, WE'VE ASKED A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR HELP. 
          WE'RE GOING KIND OF THROUGH A SECOND ROUND OF ASKING PEOPLE FOR HELP. 
          AND SO THIS IS JUST SORT OF US OR ME. 
          UM, I HAVE A CO-OWNER AS WELL, BUT HE DOESN'T, HE'S NERVOUS IN MEETINGS, UM, BUT IT'S KIND OF US THROWING OUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND BEING LIKE, HEY, IF ANYBODY KNOWS OF ANYTHING, IF ANYBODY CAN HELP US OUT, UM, WE'VE, UH, WE REACHED OUT TO RALLY AUSTIN LAST YEAR, BUT THEY WERE IN A TRANSITION PHASE AND WEREN'T REALLY ABLE TO DO MUCH FOR US. 
          THAT'S, UH, WHAT I HEARD. 
          AND, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA REACH BACK OUT TO THEM AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK TO LIKE DOWNTOWN ARTS ALLIANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          BUT BASICALLY I'M INTRODUCING OURSELVES, THE HIDEOUT, UM, SO THAT YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US. 
          AND, UM, MAYBE AT SOME POINT WE MIGHT COME BACK WITH A MORE, UM, LIKE A FULL PRESENTATION, UM, OR ASK ASK FOR ANYTHING SPECIFIC. 
          BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST SORT OF LIKE, HEY, WE'RE HERE AND WE ARE IN TROUBLE. 
          AND WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR 26 YEARS. 
          ONE OF THE OLDEST COFFEE SHOPS, ONE OF THE OLDEST THEATERS IN TOWN. 
          UM, SO IT'D BE GREAT, UH, IF WE COULD STAY. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. 
          UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, UH, SPEAKING HERE. 
          UM, WE, WE KIND OF, UM, GENERALLY HAVE LIMITED, UM, INTERACTION BACK AND FORTH WITHIN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, BUT, UH, IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUICK COMMENTS, UH, IF THAT'S ALLOWED, WE COULD GO FORWARD. 
          IS THAT OKAY? I KNOW YOU CAN'T DO QUESTIONS. 
          I'M NOT SURE ABOUT COMMENTS. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I THINK, UH, WE'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          AND, UH, BUT DEFINITELY IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, HAVE ANY IDEAS, WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP, UH, SEPARATELY, UH, PLEASE DO. 
          YEAH. 
          OUR, UM, WEBSITE IS JUST THE HIDEOUT THEATER. 
          AND I'M JESSICA@HIDEOUTTHEATER.COM. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, INVITE, UH, NATALIE GROVE TO SPEAK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NATALIE GROVE. 
          OH, SHE'LL WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM NINE. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S BEEN, UH, WRITTEN HERE FOR, UH, THAT'S BEEN WRITTEN HERE FOR, UM, KATIE. 
          [00:05:01]
SO NATALIE'S ALSO ON ITEM NINE. 
          YEAH. 
          CAN YOU PLEASE NOTE THAT? YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, WE HAVE MIRANDA HARRIS NEXT FROM ARTLEY WORLD. 
           THANK YOU. 
          HELLO. 
          HI, MY NAME'S MIRANDA HARRIS. 
          I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ARTLEY WORLD. 
          THIS IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT THAT'S BEEN SERVING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS. 
          SO HERE, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR JOY FOR SENIORS PROGRAM AND CREATE MORE AWARENESS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE. 
          OUR JOY FOR SENIORS PROGRAM BRINGS REAL AUSTIN ARTS EXPERIENCES AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS INTO LOW INCOME NURSING HOMES, PROVIDING ONSITE IN PERSON ARTS CLASSES LED BY PROFESSIONAL LOCAL ARTISTS TO DISABLED SENIOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT AS EASILY ABLE TO GET OUT AND EXPERIENCE THESE THINGS ON THEIR OWN. 
          THIS IS A YEAR ROUND SUSTAINED INITIATIVE THAT CULMINATES IN AN ANNUAL EXHIBITION FEATURING ARTWORK BY PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM WORKING IN LOW INCOME NURSING HOMES. 
          WE'RE SERVING DISABLED OLDER ADULTS WHO NEED EXTENDED LONG-TERM AND OFTEN SPECIALIZED CARE IF THEY'RE LIVING IN A NURSING HOME, THEY DON'T HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE FACILITY WHO CAN CARE FOR THEM. 
          AND IF THEY'RE LIVING IN A LOW INCOME MEDICAID FACILITY, LIKE THE ONES WE WORK IN, IT MEANS THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON THEIR FACILITY FOR EVERY PART OF THEIR LIFE. 
          WHEN THEY EAT, WHEN THEY BATHE, WHEN THEY GET UP, WHEN THEY GET DRESSED, WHEN THEY LEAVE THE ROOM, AND EVEN WHEN THEY LEAVE THE FACILITY. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS NOT TEMPORARY HOUSING. 
          UM, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE MAY BE A HUNDRED TO 200 RESIDENTS LIVING TOGETHER IN THE SAME BUILDING IN SEMI-PRIVATE HOSPITAL STYLE ROOMS, BUT THIS IS THEIR HOME. 
          THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE. 
          SOME FOR YEARS, SOME FOR DECADES, THE NURSING HOME AND ALL THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE OTHER RESIDENTS, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, VISITORS, AND OTHERWISE, THAT'S THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS THEIR LIVING DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCE OF AUSTIN. 
          I'VE GONE INTO A BIT OF DETAIL HERE ABOUT THE SENIORS WE SERVE, BECAUSE I'D LIKE YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU COULD THINK OF THEM AS PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST UNSEEN AND FORGOTTEN COMMUNITIES OF AUSTIN KNIGHTS STILL LIVING IN AUSTIN. 
          AND YES, THE MAJORITY OF THEM WOULD PROUDLY CALL THEMSELVES AUSTINITES. 
          LIKE MS. SOLIS, A VERY LIVELY AND OUTSPOKEN WOMAN WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          SHE'LL PROUDLY TELL YOU SHE'S LIVED HERE HER WHOLE LIFE. 
          THE ONLY TIME SHE LEFT THE CITY WAS TO LIVE IN SAN DIEGO FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS TO STUDY ART AND EXPERIENCE THAT CALIFORNIA LIFESTYLE FIRSTHAND. 
          BUT SHE TOLD ME AS SOON AS THOSE ARTS CLASSES WERE FINISHED, SHE CAME RUNNING BACK TO AUSTIN FASTER THAN A BAT FROM UNDER CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE. 
          EACH WEEK SHE CREATES SOME OF THE MOST IMAGINATIVE PIECES DURING HER CLASSES. 
          AND WHEN WE'RE LUCKY, SHE SHARES HER STORIES ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE GOING BACK TO COLLEGE AS AN ADULT HISPANIC WOMAN IN HER FORTIES TO PURSUE A FINE ARTS DEGREE AT A CC. 
          SHE'S LIVED HERE FOR MORE THAN 66 YEARS. 
          MS. CONNOR, WHO WAS BORN IN RURAL TEXAS, MOVED TO AUSTIN AS A YOUNG TEENAGER IN THE 1960S, AND HAS LIVED HERE EVER SINCE. 
          I'M TALKING MORE THAN 70 YEARS. 
          SHE TOLD ME SHE MOVED HERE BECAUSE HER HOMETOWN, ALONG WITH THE REST OF TEXAS, AND PROBABLY MOST OF THE NATION AT THE TIME, WAS STILL DEALING WITH SERIOUS ISSUES OF PUBLIC SEGREGATION AND DISCRIMINATION. 
          SOMETIMES DURING HER CLASSES, SHE'LL SHARE SOME REAL GEMS ABOUT GROWING UP AS A COLORED PERSON IN RURAL TEXAS PRIOR TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 AND LATER AS A BLACK TEENAGER IN 1960S, AUSTIN, AND I BELIEVE ROSIN HAS GIVEN ME HIS TIME. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          ROHAN IS PASSING. 
          SO I THINK, UH, WELL, THANK YOU FOR, UH, PRESENTING AND, UH, SORRY. 
          WE HAVE A, A NEW COMMISSION MEMBER, UH, THAT HAS JUST JOINED TODAY. 
          SO I WAS TRYING TO POINT TO HER TO COME AND TAKE A SEAT. 
          UM, BUT THANK YOU. 
          AND, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT. 
          UM, UM, SO ROHAN IS, IS GIVING ME HIS TIME AS WELL. 
          PARDON ME? ROHAN IS GIVING ME HIS TIME. 
          OH, I GOT IT. 
          TO CONTINUE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND ALSO, UH, COURTNEY? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO, MS. CONNOR HAS BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 70 YEARS, AND AS I SAID, SHE LIKES TO TELL STORIES ABOUT, UM, WHAT IT WAS LIKE GROWING UP IN RURAL TEXAS PRIOR TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, AND LATER LIVING AS A BLACK TEENAGER IN 1960S, AUSTIN. 
          BUT MOST OF THE TIME SHE LIKES TO TALK ABOUT HER BIGGEST SENSE OF PRIDE AND JOY, HER GREAT, GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WHO SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T GET TO SEE OFTEN ENOUGH BECAUSE THEY LIVE ALL OVER THE PLACE. 
          AND I HAVE ONE MORE. 
          MS. NAHED BORN IN IRAN, MOVED TO AUSTIN ALMOST TWO DECADES AGO TO TEACH AT UT. 
          AS HER PHYSICAL HEALTH DECLINED BEYOND THE CARE HER FAMILY COULD PROVIDE, 
          [00:10:01]
SHE DECIDED TO MOVE INTO A LONG-TERM CARE NURSING FACILITY. 
          HAVING A BACKGROUND IN BIOLOGY, SHE'LL BE THE FIRST PERSON TO TELL YOU THAT SHE NEVER CONSIDERED HERSELF AN ARTIST OR EVEN THOUGHT OF ARTISTS, SOMETHING SHE MIGHT ONE DAY PURSUE. 
          BUT RIGHT NOW, AS WE SPEAK, ONE OF HER PIECES THAT SHE COMPLETED IN OUR PROGRAM IS ON DISPLAY IN THE LOBBY OF AUSTIN CITY HALL AS PART OF ART, THE WORLD'S FEATURED COLLECTION IN THE PEOPLE'S GALLERY EXHIBIT. 
          BY SHARING THESE STORIES, I WANTED TO GIVE A BIT MORE INSIGHT INTO THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE SERVE THESE LONGTIME ELDER AUSTINITES, MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN ALIVE, AND MANY OF WHOM HELPED BUILD THIS CITY, BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY INTO THE CITY WE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY. 
          SO IMAGINE OUR SURPRISE WHEN WATCHING OUR REVIEW FOR THE ELEVATE GRANT EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND HEARING ONE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE PANELISTS FOR OUR JOY FOR SENIORS PROGRAMS. AND I QUOTE, THIS SEEMS LIKE A GREAT COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVE, BUT I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS AUSTIN. 
          SO WE DON'T COME HERE TODAY TO POINT FINGERS OR CALL ANYBODY OUT. 
          WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY OUR CITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE AND ALL VOICES ARE REPRESENTED AND HEARD. 
          IF ANYTHING, WE'RE HERE TO APOLOGIZE AND TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT SPEAKING UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY SOONER. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN SERVING AUSTIN COMMUNITY NOW AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL FOR ALMOST 14 YEARS. 
          AND WE'VE BEEN SO BUSY WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH TIME OR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW UP ON PUBLIC PLATFORMS SUCH AS THIS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE SERVE A COMMUNITY OF AUSTINITES WHO LIVE FEELING ISOLATED, UNSEEN, AND UNHEARD IN A CITY THEY FEEL HAS FORGOTTEN THEM. 
          SO IN LIGHT OF THIS COMMENT REMINDING US OF THE DISCONNECT THAT EXISTS BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND REALITY AND LIVED EXPERIENCE OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, WE AS AN ORGANIZATION MOVING FORWARD, COMMIT TO BEING MORE PRESENT IN PUBLIC FORUMS AND SHARING ABOUT THE WORK WE DO AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. 
          WE WILL BE HERE AS A VOICE OF UNIFICATION, AS AN ORGANIZATION, SERVING AND ELEVATING THOSE AUSTINITES WHO FEEL FORGOTTEN, UNSEEN, AND, AND IGNORED. 
          AND IF THIS MISSION RESONATES WITH YOU, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY. 
          WE ENCOURAGE ARTISTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMISSIONERS, ALL OF YOU LISTENING, WHO ARE READY TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP AND GET INVOLVED IN SOMETHING REALLY MEANINGFUL TO REACH OUT TO US. 
          SO AGAIN, OUR ORGANIZATION IS WORLD THAT'S ART WITH A LY WORLD. 
          OUR WEBSITE IS ARTLEY WORLD.ORG. 
          LOT OF INFORMATION ON THERE. 
          THE PROGRAM I'VE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT IS OUR JOY FOR SENIORS INITIATIVE. 
          AND AS A SIDE NOTE, ANOTHER REASON WE'RE HERE IS WE HAVE A CALL FOR ARTISTS, INSTRUCTORS COMING UP THIS WEEK. 
          SO IF YOU KNOW ANY ARTISTS WHO, WHO WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN MEANINGFUL WORK, UH, HAVE THEM REACH OUT TO US AS WELL. 
          ALL OF THE INFORMATION'S ON OUR WEBSITE@ARTLEYWORLD.ORG. 
          AND MY NAME'S MIRANDA. 
          IF YOU'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY, I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR. 
          MY EMAIL IS MIRANDA, THAT'S MIRANDA WITH A-Y-M-Y-R-A-N-D A@ARTLEYWORLD.ORG. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MIRANDA, COURTNEY, AND, UH, RUSSIAN FOR BEING HERE. 
          MIRANDA, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE TEMPORARY DISTRACTION I HAD THERE. 
          THAT'S OKAY. 
          UM, BUT, UH, THANK YOU. 
          I'M WELL AWARE OF THE ORGANIZATION AS WELL. 
          UM, NEXT UP IS, UM, IT'S NOT SPELLED VERY CLEARLY, IS IT THE SKYLAR? UH, PLEASE COME ON IN. 
          SO THIS IS SKY. 
          SHE IS ALSO PART OF ARTLEY WORLD SKY. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS SKYLAR AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING JOY FOR SENIORS. 
          WE ARE A LOCAL NON-PROFIT NONPROFIT THAT DEDICATED TO BRINGING ART, MUSIC, AND INTERACTIVE CREATIVE PROGRAMS DIRECTLY TO THE SENIOR CITIZEN TO AUSTIN. 
          OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE TO FIGHT ISOLATION BY IN ENSURING OUR ELDERS REMAIN A VIBRANT PART OF OUR CITY'S CULTURAL FABRIC. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ADJUST THE COMMENT WE'VE IN ENCOUNTERED RECENTLY REGARDING OUR WORK, WHICH WAS, I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS AUSTIN. 
          SO THAT, I WOULD SAY AUSTIN IS NOT JUST ABOUT FESTIVALS AND MURALS. 
          WHAT I MIGHT SEE AS THE REAL AUSTIN INCLUDES THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUILT THE CITY, THE TEACHERS, MUSICIANS AND NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NOW IN THEIR SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES. 
          IF WE DON'T SEE THE VALUE IN BRINGING ART TO OUR SENIORS, THEN WE AREN'T SEEING THE PARTS OF WHAT AUSTIN TRULY IS, A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES SOUL HISTORY AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF ITS ARTISTS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY RESIDE. 
          [00:15:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT AUSTIN WAS BEFORE I WAS BORN HERE. 
          SO THIS IS WHY I THINK WHAT AUSTIN IS. 
          I INVITE THE COMMISSIONERS TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING AT, AT JOYFUL SENIORS.ORG. 
          WE HOPE YOU SEE WHAT WE DO THAT'S SUPPORTING THE ARTS FOR OUR ELDERLY NEIGHBORS IS ONE OF THE MOST AUSTIN THINGS WE CAN DO. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SKY FOR COMING AND SPEAKING HERE THAT AT LEAST IN MY TENURE, THAT'S THE YOUNGEST PERSON I'VE SEEN COME AND SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS. 
          UH, THAT'S QUITE WONDERFUL. 
          I YOU HAVE A QUICK COMMENT, BUT NOT YEAH, YEAH. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE COMMENTS, RIGHT? BRIEF. 
          JUST, JUST BE BRIEF. 
          THERE'S NOT JUST SAYING. 
          THANK YOU FOR COMING. 
          YES. 
          LET'S KEEP GOING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, MOVING ON. 
          UH, WE HAVE, UH, CEDRIC SALON FROM AGENCIES AND A TX. 
          WELCOME. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          I'M CEDRIC SLAN OF AGENCIES AND ETX, AND I WANTED TO INVITE EVERYONE TO COME TO OUR LUNAR NEW YEAR, UH, EXHIBITION CLOSING EVENT THIS FRIDAY, UH, UH, FEBRUARY 27TH FROM 6:00 PM TO 10:00 PM AT B ARTS, WE HAVE OVER 30 ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTS SHOWCASING OVER 100 PIECES OF ART. 
          WE WILL HAVE A SMALL NIGHT MARKET ON SITE FEATURING A FILIPINO FOOD TRUCK, DESSERTS AND LOCAL ARTISANS AND PERFORMANCES BY LOCAL MUSICIANS. 
          MORE DETAILS ABOUT OUR ORG IS AVAILABLE@AGENCIESATX.ORG. 
          THAT'S A-I-S-I-A-N-S-E-A-S-O-N-A-T X.ORG. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU, CEDRIC. 
          I THINK, UH, THAT ENDS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION. 
          UM, I THINK KATIE CAM IS FOR, UH, ITEM NUMBER NINE ALSO. 
          WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? YES. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 
          UH, IF EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON DECEMBER 15TH, IF SOMEBODY COULD PLEASE MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          CHAIR. 
          WE NEED TO CALL THE ROLL. 
          UH, IT'S NOT TYPICALLY SOMETHING I DO AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION, BUT, UH, YES, PLEASE. 
          WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON HERE. 
          CHAIR HOUSTON PRESENT. 
          COMMISSIONER SCH MOBA. 
          HERE. 
          COMMISSIONER, I'M LOST. 
          HUSSEI. 
          HUSSEI. 
          SORRY. 
          I'M HERE. 
          COMMISSIONER, UH, CHARLA, OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, SKODA HERE. 
          AND, UH, COMMISSIONER PAOLO HERE. 
          HERE. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN COMMISSIONER AND COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY TAKE A QUICK OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF, UM, THE NEW COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO JUST BRIEFLY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. 
          HI EVERYONE. 
          I AM HERE. 
          HI EVERYONE. 
          AND APOLOGIES FOR MY DELAY. 
          UM, I'M ANA SKODA. 
          I'M A FILMMAKER HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          BEEN LIVING IN AUSTIN FOR 14 YEARS. 
          UM, I'M A FIRST GENERATION NA BALI AMERICAN. 
          AND, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SERVE ON THIS, ON, IN THIS SPACE TO, YOU KNOW, BRING MORE ART AND SERVE MORE PEOPLE. 
          AND BECAUSE ART IS HEALING AND ART IS EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED CURRENTLY IN THIS WORLD. 
          AND I'M HERE TO SERVE HOWEVER I CAN. 
          COMMISSIONER SKODA IS FROM, UH, D SIX. 
          YEP. 
          YES. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER PAOLO . 
          UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. 
          I AM BAILEY OW FROM DISTRICT EIGHT. 
          UH, I'M AN ARTS ADVOCATE AND ADMIN. 
          MY DAY JOB IS DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT TEXANS FOR THE ARTS. 
          I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AUSTIN AND THE ARTS, THE ARTISTS AND THE ART ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHAPE IT. 
          AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          YOU'RE FROM D EIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON 
          [APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 
          UH, ONCE AGAIN, IF EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MEETING MINUTES FROM DECEMBER, UH, IF SOMEBODY COULD PLEASE MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT. 
          IS THAT OKAY? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, ITEM NUMBER FIVE. 
          UH, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MOVE TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS AT THE CULTURAL CENTERS TO I GUESS JANUARY 
          [00:20:01]
AND IT DIDN'T GET ON FEBRUARY, SO CAN WE STICK IT ON MARCH? SO I HAVEN'T HAD THE MEETINGS THAT I NEED TO HAVE WITH THE CULTURAL CENTER DIRECTORS, AND THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T PUT ON FEBRUARY. 
          PERFECT. 
          OKAY. 
          JUST MAKING SURE WE DIDN'T LOSE IT. 
          YEAH, WE HAVEN'T LOST IT. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM ANYBODY TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER? IF YOU HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? DO I HAVE A SECOND? HAVE A SECOND. 
          FROM COMMISSIONER SCH. 
          ALL IN FAVOR. 
          MOTION IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. 
          [2. Update on actions taken at the March 2nd Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach]
MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA HERE IS AN UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE MARCH 2ND ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL BY COMMISSIONER SCHMO. 
          COMMISSIONER AYE. 
          YEP. 
          UM, UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T PRESENT FOR THAT MEETING 'CAUSE I HAD A WORK EVENT, SO I CAN'T GIVE, UH, A LOT OF INSIGHT. 
          BUT I DID LOOK AT THE MINUTES AND, UH, WE'LL SEE THE THINGS THAT WERE APPROVED, WHICH WAS THE PREQUALIFICATION POOL, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. 
          AND I THINK JAIME'S GONNA SPEAK TO IT BRIEFLY. 
          UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T MEET IN FEBRUARY, SO WE ALSO HAVE THE A IPP ITEMS FROM THE JANUARY MEETING. 
          UM, WAIT, YEAH, I'M CONFUSED. 
          BUT YES, WE MISSED OUR JANUARY ARTS COMMISSION MEETING. 
          SO THERE'S, WE'LL SEE. 
          UM, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY SAW THE BACKUP FOR THE COLONY PARK POOL PROJECT AND THE FOLK HISTORY CENTER. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, HAD MEETINGS TO, UM, RECOMMEND A NEW A IPP PANELIST. 
          UM, AND THAT IS, WE LANDED ON FATIMA CARBAJAL, I THINK IS HOW YOU SAY HER LAST NAME. 
          UM, WE DID INTERVIEW ANOTHER FIVE, UM, PERSPECTIVE, REALLY SOLID CANDIDATES AND THAT'S WHO WE ENDED UP LANDING ON. 
          SO WE'LL SEE MOST OF THIS LATER, THE END. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THE 
          [3. Update on actions taken at the February 18th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston]
NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE FEBRUARY 18TH DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING BY COMMISSIONER HOUSTON CHAIR. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION HAS A RECOMMENDATION TO TURN ALL THE DOWNTOWN STREETS FROM ONE WAY TO TWO WAY. 
          WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, UH, ARCS, OH, I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN THE NAME OF THE, THE PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A GROUP THAT'S LOOKING AT THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDORS TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT'S THE BEST ACTION FOR THEM. 
          AND THEY CAME BACK AND SAID THAT IT WOULD BE BEST THEY, THEY HAD THREE ALTERNATIVES FOR SIXTH STREET AND THEY WANNA KEEP SIXTH STREET AND FIFTH STREET AS ONE WAY AND THEN CHANGE SOME OF THE OTHER STREETS TO TWO WAY. 
          BUT THAT'S THE, THE MAIN THING THAT WENT ON AT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION. 
          AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GIVE THEM AN UPDATE 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN FRONT OF US AND THEN WE LOST THE JANUARY MEETING, SO THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH US. 
          , THAT'S ALL I HAVE. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR. 
          UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AGAIN FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I, OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          [4. Report from Mayor’s Public Places Task Force by Commissioner Garza.]
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS A REPORT FROM MAYORS, UH, PUBLIC PLACES TASK FORCE BY COMMISSIONER GARZA. 
          I THINK THIS WE ARE MOVING TO, TO NEXT MONTH. 
          IF COMMISSIONER GARZA SENT, UM, AN EMAIL THAT HE'S, HE'S GONNA TAKE BEREAVEMENT LEAVE. 
          HE HAD TO BURY HIS BROTHER. 
          SO PRAYERS FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY OOPS. 
          ARE WELCOME. 
          SORRY TO HEAR THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE'LL TABLE THAT. 
          NO FURTHER COMMENTS FOR ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC. 
          OKAY. 
          [5. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor.]
MOVING ON TO STAFF BRIEFINGS. 
          WE HAVE STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BY JESUS PANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR. 
          THANK YOU JESUS. 
          AND I'M STEPPING AWAY. 
          UM, I PROBABLY WILL BE BACK BEFORE Y'ALL ARE DONE, BUT I'M STEPPING AWAY FOR A WHILE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          JESUS PANTEL, A CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR. 
          UM, JUST A MOMENT WHILE WE PULL UP THE PRESENTATION. 
          [00:25:22]
OKAY, GREAT. 
          UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS JESUS PANTEL. 
          I'M THE CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR. 
          UM, MY PRONOUNS ARE HE HIS, UM, I AM A LATINO WITH LONG GRAY HAIR, UM, AN SALT AND PEPPER BEARD, UH, WEARING A SUIT AND TIE. 
          TODAY, UH, WITH THIS PRESENTATION I WILL BE SHARING OUR LATEST HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION NUMBERS, UH, FOR WHICH WE HAVE DATA. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION JESUS IS WEARING A REALLY FABULOUS HAT , AND I'M WEARING A HAT AND IT'S A RED SHIRT WITH A REDDISH TIE, MORE PURPLE. 
          AND WE ARE VAMPING WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE, UM, PRESENTATION TO COME BACK ON. 
          I JUST IN THE MEANTIME, DO THE NUMBERS NOW INCLUDE THE SDR COLLECTIONS AS WELL? YES, THE NUMBERS HAVE INCLUDED THE STR RENTAL NUMBERS FOR AT LEAST THE PAST, UH, FEW MONTHS. 
          UM, SO THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THERE. 
          I KNOW THEY PROVIDE, UH, QUARTERLY REPORT, I THINK OF KIND OF LIKE WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE. 
          I KNOW THE COMMISSION HAS ASKED FOR WHAT KIND OF MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THAT. 
          IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET, BUT WHENEVER THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, WE WILL INCLUDE THAT. 
          BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, THESE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE, UM, ABOUT TO SHARE WITH THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DOES INCLUDE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          AND SO WE ARE BACK ON, UH, WITH THE PRESENTATION. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION IN JANUARY WAS $29,271,921. 
          THIS MEANS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND COLLECTION NUMBERS FOR JANUARY WAS $2,975,478. 
          UH, WITH THESE JANUARY NUMBERS, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 39% TOWARDS OUR FY 26 APPROVED BUDGET. 
          AND AS A REMINDER, THERE IS A DELAY IN HOW HOT REPORTING HAPPENS. 
          UM, THE FEBRUARY PRESENTATION SHOWS, OR THIS FEBRUARY PRESENTATION SHOWS FUNDS COLLECTED IN JANUARY FOR HOTEL STAYS IN DECEMBER. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          UM, SO PART OF OUR ONGOING EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN ANALYSIS OF OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS, UM, OR AS PART OF THAT, UM, ONGOING EFFORT, WE DO LIKE TO SHOW SIGNIFICANT EVENTS. 
          UM, SO IN DECEMBER, 2025, THOSE ARE LISTED HERE ON THIS SLIDE. 
          UH, WHILE THIS DOES NOT CAPTURE THE FULL, UH, SPECTRUM OF TOURISM DRIVING EVENTS, IT HELPS ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOT REVENUE TRENDS. 
          AND THEN ACCORDING TO THE AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, UH, TOTAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN DECEMBER, 2025 WAS 1,888,492 PEOPLE, WHICH REPRESENTS A 3.41% INCREASE COMPARED TO DECEMBER OF 2024. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          UM, THIS GRAPH SHOWS OUR MONTHLY PROGRESS TOWARDS THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 OF JUST UNDER $16 MILLION. 
          OUR HOT CULTURAL ARTS FUND ACTUALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO DATE ARE $6.2 MILLION. 
          AND AS A REMINDER, THE FUNDS COLLECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 26 WILL BE USED TO FUND PROGRAMS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2027. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN THIS GRAPH SHOWS A FIVE YEAR QUARTERLY AND TOTAL COMPARISON OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND. 
          UH, WITH THE JANUARY NUMBERS, THE $3,361,392 COLLECTED IN QUARTER ONE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WAS OVER $300,000 HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR'S QUARTER ONE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE. 
          AND I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU JESUS. 
          UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. 
          COMMISSIONER SCHMO. 
          HI, JESUS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COOL HAT DID, UM, THAT DID INCLUDE, I JUST THINK YOU DIDN'T CALL ATTENTION TO IT, BUT THOSE SLIDES HAD DECEMBER AND JANUARY, RIGHT? YES. 
          SO WE DID NOT HAVE THE JANUARY ARTS COMMISSION MEETING, BUT YES, THESE NUMBERS DO INCLUDE BOTH DECEMBER AND JANUARY NUMBERS. 
          AND THE DECEMBER COLLECTIONS FROM NOVEMBER WAS JUST LIKE A PRETTY LITTLE TINY SLIVER THAT WAS KIND OF HARD TO SEE ON THE GRAPH, RIGHT? YES, IT WAS LIKE 63,000 
          [00:30:01]
AND CHANGE, OKAY. 
          FOR DECEMBER $63,826. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I REALLY LOVE THAT. 
          UH, YOU ARE KIND OF SHOWING WHAT ARE THE EVENTS IN AUSTIN THAT ARE BRINGING, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, MAJORITY OF THE HOTEL TAXES PER MONTH. 
          UH, THAT'S A GREAT THING TO SEE. 
          I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND REQUEST THAT AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION AS WELL NOW, . 
          SO WE HAVE, UH, VISIBILITY INTO THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU. 
          [6. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor.]
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS ALSO A PRESENTATION BY JESUS PANTEL ON STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING UPDATE ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS BY JESUS PANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I AM BACK, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UM, LET ME MAKE SURE I HAVE THE CORRECT PRESENTATION. 
          I DO. 
          UM, SO AGAIN, HISTORY PENTEL CULTURAL FUNDING SPECIALIST. 
          UM, WITH THIS PRESENTATION, I WILL BE SHARING UPDATES ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          UH, SO WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS AS WELL AS, UH, GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES, UH, TODAY. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          UH, SO FOR CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UH, NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, THIS REPORT IS AS OF THIS PAST TUESDAY, UH, FEBRUARY 17TH. 
          UM, SO MORE ELEVATE FINAL REPORTS MAY BE CLOSED OUT BY NOW AS, UH, ELEVATE. 
          UM, UH, THE FINAL REPORTING PERIOD WAS JANUARY 31ST, OR DECEMBER 31ST WAS WHEN ACTIVITIES AT THE END. 
          JANUARY 31ST IS WHEN FINAL REPORTS WERE DUE. 
          UM, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, PEER REVIEW PANELS. 
          UM, AND SO, UH, WE ARE REVIEWING FINAL REPORTS AS WE CAN. 
          UM, BUT UH, THE PANELS ARE, UH, TAKING A LOT OF TIME. 
          SO AGAIN, THIS WAS AS OF ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO, WHICH WAS, UH, THE TIME I HAD TO, UM, PUT THIS TOGETHER. 
          SO WE MAY HAVE MORE ELEVATE FINAL REPORTS. 
          UM, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE 159 IS ABOUT 70%. 
          UH, UM, THE OF THE ELEVATE ACTIVITIES ARE CLOSED OUT AND THE REST OF THE NUMBERS ARE SLIGHTLY UPDATED. 
          BUT BASICALLY, UH, THE SAME, THEY'RE, UH, ROLLING IN, UH, FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVEN'T CLOSED YET IN NEXUS AND THRIVE. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN FOR OUR GRANT FUNDED NEXT, UH, SLIDE, WE'RE GETTING, UH, KIND OF NEAR THE END OF OUR, UH, CURRENT ACTIVITY. 
          SO WE ONLY HAVE THREE. 
          UM, WE WILL BE GETTING, UH, MORE AS OUR, UM, PROGRAMS, UH, MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
          UM, BUT WE HAVE, UM, UH, ANGELA THORNTON, AUSTIN, BRAZILIAN, ZUKE AND LAMBDA AND CABRINI GREEN ENTERPRISES WITH ACTIVITIES BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT ARTS COMMISSION MEETING. 
          THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS. 
          I THINK FOR SLIDE FOUR, UM, WHERE YOU HAD YOUR NUMBERS, BECAUSE I'M NEW, I DON'T HAVE A POINT OF REFERENCE. 
          ARE YOU, IS THIS WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING TO SEE? IS THERE ANY ANOMALY OR, YOU KNOW, OH, GREAT. 
          YEAH, SO FOR SLIDE FOUR, THAT WAS THE, UH, CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, IT'S UH, PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH, UH, WHERE WE WANT TO BE. 
          AND IT'S A WAY FOR, UM, YOU AS A COMMISSION TO BE, UM, UM, ABREAST OF, OF WHERE WE ARE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONERS? 
          [7. Staff briefing regarding an update on the AACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, AACME.]
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON. 
          NEXT IS STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS BY LAURA OGAR, ACTING DIVISION MANAGER. 
          ACME. 
          THANK YOU, LAURA. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, I APOLOGIZE THAT I'M WEARING SUNGLASSES. 
          UH, I WAS AT A RETINA SPECIALIST EARLIER AND MY EYES ARE STILL DILATED, BUT WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN. 
          UM, SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. 
          I'M LAURA ODEGAARD, UM, ACTING DIVISION MANAGER FOR ACME. 
          UM, GIVING YOU A FEW UPDATES ON FUNDING PROGRAMS. I FEEL LIKE IT WAS BEEN A WIDE, SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING. 
          LAURA, CAN WE HAVE THE VOLUME GO UP IN THE ROOM PLEASE? THUMBS UP IF, IF YOU GOT THAT S TEST TEST A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          I CRANKED MINE UP ALL THE WAY AND I WILL BE HUNCHING OVER MY KEYBOARD IN CASE IT HELPS. 
          THAT IS GOOD. 
          IT'S BETTER. 
          I THINK WE'VE GOT IT ADJUSTED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, AWESOME. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SPEAK UP IF YOU CANNOT HEAR. 
          UM, CAN I GET THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? UM, SO HOPEFULLY YOU ALL KNOW THIS, BUT SINCE IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I CHATTED WITH YOU ALL, IT WAS DECEMBER THE LAST MEETING. 
          UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND 
          [00:35:01]
EVERYONE OF OUR REVISED FUNDING PROGRAM TIMELINE. 
          THIS IS NOT NEW, UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE, UM, BROUGHT IT UP AGAIN. 
          SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE DECEMBER 19TH WAS OUR REVISED APPLICATION DEADLINE IN JANUARY. 
          WE HAD OUR PANELISTS TRAININGS AND STARTED THE EVALUATION AND SCORING PROCESS WITH OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. AND THEN THIS MONTH HAS BEEN, UM, MANY, MANY PANEL MEETINGS, UM, THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          AND WE, WE DISCUSSED THE PANEL PROCESS ITSELF IN DETAIL AT THE DECEMBER MEETING. 
          UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE PANEL TRAINING AND THE LIST OF PANEL BIOS IS ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, HAPPY TO, UM, SHARE THE LINKS WITH YOU ALL AGAIN. 
          UM, AND WE'RE STILL ON TRACK FOR SHARING FUNDING DECISIONS, UM, ANNOUNCEMENTS IN MARCH, UM, AS WELL AS OPENING NEXUS. 
          AND THEN IN APRIL WE ANTICIPATE THE FIRST DISTRIBUTIONS OF FUNDS. 
          AND THEN IN JULY WE WILL BE BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH OUR NEXT APPLICATION CYCLE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE SHARED WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION, THE PAST FEW MEETINGS. 
          UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL AS WELL. 
          SO THIS IS BY PROGRAM, THE TOTAL BUCKET THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH PROGRAM AND THE NUMBER OF ANTICIPATED AWARDS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO AGAIN, IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG WITH MY PRESENTATIONS FROM MUSIC COMMISSION, HOPEFULLY YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THIS ALREADY. 
          BUT AGAIN, UM, SINCE IT'S BEEN A WHILE FOR YOU ALL, I WANTED TO SHARE IT, UM, FOR YOUR BACKUP. 
          BUT OUR ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS, UM, APPLICATION STATUS, WE HAD OVER 2000 INTAKE FORMS SUBMITTED. 
          AS YOU ALL KNOW, EVERYONE WOULD SUBMIT AN INTAKE FORM, INDICATE WHICH PROGRAMS THEY WERE, UH, MOST INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR. 
          THEY WOULD THEN RECEIVE ELIGIBILITY FORMS. THEY SUBMITTED THE ELIGIBILITY FORMS. SO WE HAD 2,455 ELIGIBILITY FORMS SUBMITTED. 
          STAFF THEN MANUALLY REVIEWED ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL TWO AND A HALF THOUSAND, UM, ELIGIBILITY FORMS. UM, JUST UNDER 2000 OF THOSE WERE DEEMED ELIGIBLE AND THEY WERE SENT APPLICATIONS. 
          AND THEN FROM THE 1,999 ELIGIBLE FOLKS, WE HAD 1,607 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED IN TOTAL. 
          AND SO YOU CAN SEE IT BROKEN DOWN BY BOTH PROGRAM, UM, AND ENGLISH OR SPANISH, UM, APPLICATIONS THERE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          PLEASE ALSO WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL, UM, AND AGAIN, MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT JUST WANTED TO SHOW THE COMPARISON OF PREVIOUS YEARS, UM, SUBMISSIONS VERSUS THE SUBMISSIONS WE SAW FOR OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE JUST CLOSED IN DECEMBER. 
          UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN ELEVATE, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN 2024 WE HAD 554 SUBMISSIONS IN 2024, THIS TIME AROUND WE HAD OVER 1000 ELIGIBILITY FORMS SUBMITTED IN ELEVATE. 
          SO THAT'S A 93 INCREASE FROM THE NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS PREVIOUSLY. 
          AND THEN IN APPLICATION FORMS SUBMITTED, WE HAD 687 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED, WHICH WAS STILL A 24% INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO THESE NEXT FOUR SLIDES, I ALSO WANTED TO SHOW A BREAKDOWN OF WHY FOLKS WERE DEEMED INELIGIBLE. 
          UM, SO I'LL GO PRETTY, I WON'T TALK ABOUT THIS IN TOO MUCH DETAIL, BUT YOU CAN CAN REVIEW IT AFTER THE FACT AND IT'LL BE POSTED ON, UM, THE CLERK'S WEBSITE AS WELL, OBVIOUSLY. 
          UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAD 124 INELIGIBLE FOR THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND. 
          SOME OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR BEING DEEMED INELIGIBLE WERE INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE, UM, WHETHER IT WAS AN INDEPENDENT PROMOTER OR A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, UM, OR IF THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO FOR THE CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE HAD 66 DEEMED INELIGIBLE. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THE REASONS FOR THOSE INELIGIBILITY HERE AS WELL. 
          UM, SOME OF THE REASONS INCLUDED THINGS LIKE INELIGIBLE BUSINESS TYPE OR THE PUBLIC DOES NOT GATHER TO EXPERIENCE ART AT THIS CREATIVE SPACE. 
          UM, OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE A COMMERCIAL LEASE OR LEASE OFFER ATTACHED TO THEIR APPLICATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO FOR ELEVATE BREAKDOWN, UM, WE HAD 210 INELIGIBLE FOR ELEVATE. 
          ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS, UM, THAT FOLKS WERE DEEMED INELIGIBLE IN ELEVATE WAS THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN PRODUCING WORK IN AUSTIN 
          [00:40:01]
FOR TWO YEARS, OR THEY WERE NOT AN ARTIST ARTS GROUP OR ARTS NONPROFIT. 
          AND THAT WAS DETERMINED BY DOCUMENTATION THAT THE APPLICANT HAD TO PROVIDE SHOWING THAT, UM, EXPERIENCE. 
          THERE WERE ALSO, I THINK THERE WAS, UM, I THINK WE HAD ONE FULL-TIME CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE THAT TRIED TO APPLY. 
          UM, AND I THINK WE HAD TWO CONTRACTS WITH NON-COMPLIANCE STATUS. 
          SO THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A FEW DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY, UM, WAS THAT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OR 51% OR MORE ARTS, UM, THAT THEY DID. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, OUR HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM. 
          UM, SO WE HAD 58 INELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM. 
          UM, AGAIN, THE TWO YEARS OF OPERATION WITHIN AUSTIN WAS A PRIMARY, UM, REASON THAT FOLKS WERE DEEMED INELIGIBLE. 
          THERE WERE ALSO THINGS SUCH AS THEY WEREN'T STRUCTURED, UM, AS A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS OR 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT, UM, OR THE PROJECT SITE WAS NOT COMMERCIALLY ZONED. 
          SO THESE WERE SOME, UM, REASONS FOR INELIGIBILITY FOR HERITAGE PRESERVATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE FEEDBACK LOOP IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR NEW DEPARTMENT OF ACME. 
          UM, SO WE'RE DOING THAT IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS FOR THESE FIRST ITERATION OF FUNDING PROGRAMS. THINGS INCLUDE INTERNAL RETROSPECTIVE MEETINGS WITH CITY STAFF AND LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS WITH THE LONG CENTER. 
          UM, STAFF HAS BEEN HAVING ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT FOCUS GROUPS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE. 
          UM, I THINK I SHARED BY EMAIL THAT WE DID AN APPLICATION EXPERIENCE SURVEY AND THAT WAS SENT TO EVERYONE IN THE PIPELINE. 
          SO ANYONE THAT HAD FILLED OUT AT LEAST AN INTAKE FORM RECEIVED THIS SURVEY. 
          IT'S IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND WILL BE OPEN THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH. 
          UM, THERE IS ALSO A SURVEY THAT WE CREATED FOR THE MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSION. 
          AND SO WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO HELP INFORM FUTURE, UM, ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE MIGHT INCLUDE IN OUR PROGRAM. 
          SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR AN EMAIL FROM ME TOMORROW, UM, WITH A LINK TO THAT COMMISSIONER SURVEY. 
          ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, ALTHOUGH I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN DECEMBER TALKING ABOUT THE PANEL PROCESS FOR ELEVATE SPECIFICALLY, I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THE EVALUATION AND SCORING PROCESS IS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS A TAKE AT VISUALIZING IT, IT IS MAYBE NOT THE PERFECT TAKE, BUT IT IS A STAB. 
          SO I AM A VISUAL PERSON AND THIS HELPED ME. 
          UM, SO IT IS COLOR CODED. 
          UM, SO THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED, SO THAT IS THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION. 
          THIS IS FOR ELEVATE, THE PINK AND RED IS WHERE THE LONG CENTER COMES IN. 
          PURPLE IS CITY STAFF AND GREEN IS PANELIST, AND BLUE IS RALLY AUSTIN, BUT THAT'S NOT UNTIL A LATER SLIDE. 
          UM, SO FOR ELEVATE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THE PROGRAM REVIEW PROCESS IS BUILT OUT. 
          WE HAVE PANEL RECRUITMENTS AND PANEL SELECTION HAPPENING AT THAT SAME TIME. 
          UM, ACME STAFF, THEY SORT THE APPLICATIONS, THEY CREATE PANELS BASED ON THE DIFFERENT, UM, TYPE DISCIPLINE, BUDGET SIZE, MAKE THOSE SCHEDULES AND ASSIGNMENTS, UM, TRAIN THE PANELISTS. 
          THEN THE PANELISTS EVALUATE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AND SCORE BY THE RUBRIC. 
          UH, AND THEN THERE'S THE PANEL MEETING THAT THE STAFF FACILITATES. 
          UM, AND THEN THE LONG CENTER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING OUT THE PANELISTS. 
          UM, SO WE HAD 33 PANELS, UH, FOR ELEVATE. 
          AND AGAIN, PLEASE REFERENCE THE DECEMBER MEETING TO SEE THAT BREAKDOWN OF WHAT EACH OF THOSE WERE. 
          UM, AND HOW WE GOT TO THAT WE USED OLYMPIC SCORING. 
          AND THEN FROM THAT, THE HIGHEST SCORES WILL BE RECEIVING AWARDS, UM, WITH ALL OF THESE AWARDS, THE LONG CENTER, THEY MANAGE THE AGREEMENTS AND THE PAYMENTS AND CITY STAFF DOES THE CONTRACT MONITORING, APPROVING THE REPORTS AND APPROVING PAYMENTS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO OUR HERITAGE PRESERVATION IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ELEVATE PROCESS. 
          THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT THE, THE FIRST STEP THAT HAPPENS AFTER THEY'VE SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATION WHILE THE LONG CENTER IS BUILDING OUT THE REVIEW IN SUBMITTABLE IS THAT THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION OFFICE AND ACME STAFF REVIEW ALL PROJECTS. 
          AND SO THERE'S THAT EXTRA STEP TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE INDEED ELIGIBLE HERITAGE PRESERVATION PROJECTS. 
          AND THAT HAPPENS PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULING OF THE ASSIGNMENTS 
          [00:45:01]
WITH THE HERITAGE PANELS. 
          UM, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. 
          SO FOR HERITAGE PRESERVATION, WE HAD ONE PANEL FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND TWO PANELS FOR HERITAGE EVENTS. 
          AND AGAIN, THE SAME THING. 
          OLYMPIC SCORING HIGHEST SCORES ARE GOING TO RECEIVE AWARDS. 
          UM, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE AT THE HIGHER DOLLAR AMOUNT. 
          THESE ARE THE CITY OF AUSTIN CONTRACT PROCESS. 
          SO THE ENTIRE THING HAPPENS WITH THE CITY SIDE OF THINGS. 
          UM, AND CITY STAFF MONITORS AND MANAGES THAT ENTIRE CONTRACT, THE HERITAGE EVENTS. 
          SO THAT IS WITH THE LONG CENTER AGREEMENT PROCESS. 
          AND SO THAT IS, UM, ACME STAFF MONITORS THE ACTIVITIES AND APPROVES REPORTS, BUT THE LONG CENTER HOLDS THE AGREEMENT AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT PROCESS PAYMENTS FOR THE EVENTS SIDE OF THINGS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF OUR PANEL MEETINGS. 
          IN FEBRUARY, TWO PROGRAMS, 724 APPLICATIONS REVIEWED THROUGH 36 PANELS, 229 PANELISTS AND SEVEN OF THOSE PANEL MEETINGS HAD SPANISH INTERPRETERS. 
          UM, ASSISTING. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          OH, THIS ONE IS JUST, UM, IF YOU WANT TO ZOOM IN AND SEE WHICH DISCIPLINE, WHICH PANEL TYPE, WHICH BUDGET SIZE, HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WERE ASSIGNED TO THAT PANEL. 
          UM, THIS IS A, A VERY DETAILED LOOK AT THAT. 
          THE LITTLE BLUE HIGHLIGHTED ROWS ARE THE HERITAGE RESERVATION GRANTS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO THOSE ONES WERE PANEL PROCESS, THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER PROCESS. 
          UM, AND THIS PART IS WHERE I THINK THERE ARE SOMETIMES A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 
          SO WE JUST WANNA BE REALLY, REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY MEANS. 
          UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH ALONG CENTER STAFF TO CREATE A LITTLE VIDEO OF HOW THEIR STAFF REVIEWS AND VERIFIES DOCUMENTATION. 
          UM, SO WE CAN PUT THAT ON OUR WEBSITE JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. 
          UM, SO FOR LIVE MUSIC FUND, ONCE EVERYONE SUBMITS AN APPLICATION, THE APPLICATION IS AUTO SCORED. 
          AND SO THE AUTO SCORING IS CALLED THE FORM SCORE AFTER IT'S AUTO SCORED BASED ON HOW THE APPLICANT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS. 
          THEN THE LONG CENTER REVIEWS AND VERIFIES ALL DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED, THEY THEN ADJUST POINTS BASED ON THAT DOCUMENTATION. 
          SO IF, YOU KNOW MUSICIAN A SAID THEY DID THESE SIX THINGS, BUT THEY ONLY PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION FOR TWO THINGS, THE POINTS WOULD BE DEDUCTED BECAUSE THEY TO TO BALANCE OUT THAT AUTO SCORE. 
          UM, SO WE'LL HAVE A DEEPER DIVE ON THAT ON OUR WEBSITE SOON, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS. 
          SO IT'S THE FORM SCORE, THAT'S THE AUTO SCORE PLUS THE REVIEWER SCORE, WHICH ADJUSTS THE POINTS BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION. 
          AND THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER CREATE THE FINAL SCORE FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND. 
          UM, AND THEN IF THERE ARE EVER ANY QUESTIONS, IF THE REVIEWER HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENTATION, THEY REACH OUT TO CITY STAFF. 
          AND ACME STAFF PROVIDES THAT SECONDARY REVIEW FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE. 
          SO AGAIN, THE HIGHEST FINAL SCORES THEN ARE AWARDED. 
          UM, AND THIS PROGRAM IS THROUGH THE LONG CENTER AGREEMENT PROCESS AND ACNE STAFF APPROVES THE DIFFERENT INTERIM AND FINAL REPORTS FOR PAYMENT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, OUR CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SIMILAR-ISH TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND PROGRAM APPLICATIONS ARE SUBMITTED, THEY'RE AUTO SCORED, WHICH IS CALLED THE FORM SCORE. 
          BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS DIFFERENT. 
          SO ACME STAFF REVIEWS AND VERIFIES ALL DOCUMENTATION AND ADJUSTS POINTS BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY WERE PROVIDED IN THE APPLICATION. 
          SO THE REVIEWER SCORE IS WHAT ACME STAFF DOES, AND THE FORM SCORE IS THE AUTO SCORE. 
          THE DIFFERENT THING IN THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IF ACME STAFF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND THEY DIDN'T NEED A SECONDARY REVIEW, WE PARTNER WITH RALLY AUSTIN AND THEY PROVIDE THE SECONDARY REVIEW FOR THE CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          AND THEY ALSO USUALLY JUST GO IN AND SPOT CHECK A BUNCH AS WELL. 
          UM, SO AGAIN, AUTO SCORE PLUS REVIEWER SCORE EQUALS FINAL SCORE. 
          HIGHEST FINAL SCORES EQUAL THE AWARDS. 
          UM, AND WITH THIS ONE RALLY, AUSTIN ALSO HELPS DETERMINE THE 30% BASE RENT FOR ALL AWARDEES. 
          UM, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR THIS ONE. 
          NEXT SLIDE, 
          [00:50:01]
PLEASE. 
          THAT WAS A LOT. 
          SO NEXT STEPS. 
          SO AWARD NOTIFICATION. 
          WE'RE STILL PLANNING ON HAVING THIS HAPPEN IN MID-MARCH IN THE AWARD NOTIFICATION. 
          IT WILL INCLUDE THE PROGRAM AWARD AMOUNT IF AWARDED. 
          UM, ALL NOTIFICATIONS. 
          SO THIS IS NEW THIS YEAR. 
          ALL NOTIFICATIONS ARE GOING TO INCLUDE THE SCORE THAT THE APPLICANT RECEIVED, THE SCORE THAT WAS NEEDED FOR FUNDING IN THAT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS HOW TO FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF FOR A DEBRIEF SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THINGS THAT MAYBE KNOCKED THEM DOWN OR, UM, THEY CAN IMPROVE ON FOR THE NEXT TIME. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT ACME'S ARTIST ACCESS PROGRAM IN OUR AWARD AND DECLINATION LETTERS. 
          UM, BECAUSE WE ARE ONE DEPARTMENT NOW WITH ALL ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, UM, WORKING ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT SILOS. 
          SO THIS WAS A PREVIOUSLY, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAM AND IT IS NOW WITHIN ACME. 
          UM, AND ESSENTIALLY THIS IS FREE AND REDUCED RATE RENTALS FOR REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE SPACE AT FOUR OF ACME'S CULTURE AND ARTS VENUES. 
          UM, AND SO WE WILL HAVE A LINK TO THIS APPLICATION IN OUR AWARD AND DECLINATION LETTERS. 
          AND THIS WILL BE FOR SPACE FROM OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2027. 
          SO FOLKS CAN APPLY EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T APPLY FOR, FOR, UM, ACME FUNDING, THEY CAN STILL APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM, BUT WE WANTED TO USE THIS AS A PLATFORM, UM, TO SHARE THIS RESOURCE WITH, UM, WITH OUR FOLKS AS WELL. 
          UM, ALSO SPEAKING OF, UH, WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND THINGS WE ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE UPON, WE'LL BE HAVING JUST A GENERAL GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP ON MARCH 2ND. 
          UM, AT LUNCHTIME IT'S VIRTUAL. 
          UM, AND THIS ONE, IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF A PRACTICAL WORKSHOP ABOUT WRITING COMPELLING NARRATIVES, BUILDING A BUDGET THAT SUPPORTS YOUR PROPOSAL. 
          UM, WE'LL BE SHARING SOME WORK SAMPLES AND HELPFUL TIPS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM, SO THE REGISTRATION IS OPEN AND HYPERLINKED HERE, BUT PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. 
          UM, IT'S NOT FOR ANY SPECIFIC PROGRAM. 
          HOPEFULLY IT CAN HELP FOLKS FOR, UM, ALL OUR PROGRAMS AND FUTURE OTHER GRANT APPLICATIONS THAT, UM, FOLKS MIGHT WANT TO DO. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          WHICH THEN SEGUES INTO OUR NEXT UPCOMING LAUNCH. 
          UM, AND I BELIEVE JESUS HAS SOME, UM, POSTCARDS FOR YOU ALL AS WELL IF YOU ARE ON SITE. 
          UM, BUT NEXUS, OUR NEXUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS 5,000 AND $10,000 GRANTS THAT SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS AND ARTS GROUPS, UM, WILL OPEN ON MARCH 10TH, AND THEN THE DEADLINE IS GOING TO BE APRIL 16TH. 
          UM, WE HAVE MADE SOME SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS PROGRAM, UM, AFTER OUR LAST PROGRAM CLOSED. 
          UM, ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING OUT FOR THIS ROUND OF PROGRAMS IS A BUILT-IN AUTOMATIC ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION. 
          SO IT IS NOT A THREE STEP PROCESS FOR NEXUS. 
          UM, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES. 
          THIS WILL BE A GOOD PILOT BEFORE WE GET TO JULY WITH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS OPENING BACK UP AGAIN. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED. 
          THAT WAS ANOTHER THING WE WANTED TO CHANGE, NOT JUST THE INFO SESSION WORKSHOP, BUT HAVING SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORKSHOPS SO PEOPLE CAN GO TO MULTIPLE THINGS. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE OUR REGULAR OPEN OFFICE HOURS, UM, ON TUESDAYS WE HAVE AN ALL DAY OPEN OFFICE HOUR AT THE VERY END, UM, OF THE OPEN WINDOW. 
          BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE INFO SESSIONS, ASK US ANYTHING SESSIONS AND FROM DRAFT TO DONE. 
          AND SO ALL OF THESE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT ITERATIONS THAT WILL BE IN PERSON WITH A SL UM, VIRTUAL. 
          WE'LL HAVE SOME THAT ARE IN SPANISH. 
          THEY'RE NOT ALL, UM, SCHEDULED OUT, BUT AS THEY GET SCHEDULED OUT, UM, THE HYPERLINK FOR WORKSHOPS HERE TAKES YOU TO OUR EVENTBRITE PAGE. 
          UM, YEAH, SO HOPEFULLY YOU WILL SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT NEXUS AND I THINK I'LL STOP TALKING NOW. 
          I THINK THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE, BUT NEXT SLIDE JUST IN CASE. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, LAURA. 
          UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, SAY GO AHEAD. 
          I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, UH, YIELD TO YOUR NEXT, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          I, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS. 
          SO DO I DO THEM ALL AT ONCE? OR IF THEY'RE RELATED, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          YEAH, IF NOT, YOU CAN SEPARATE IT OUT. 
          UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWING ALONG ON THE RECORDING, UM, IF THEY WANTED TO GET THE DECK, THAT'LL BE INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE SEVERAL 
          [00:55:01]
LINKS. 
          AND THEN IS ALL OF THAT INFORMATION ALSO LINKED ON THAT LAST SLIDE WITH QUESTIONS, LAURA? YES. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          SO THIS DECK WILL BE ON THE ARTS COMMISSION PUBLIC FACING PAGE, UM, FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE TOMORROW. 
          SO USUALLY, UM, OUR LIAISON POSTS ALL THE BACKUP THE NEXT MORNING. 
          SO THAT'LL BE THERE. 
          UM, BUT YOU CAN ALSO ALWAYS GO TO AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ACME. 
          UM, AND THEN CLICK FUNDING, UM, OR YOU CAN GO FORWARD SLASH ACME SLASH GRANT SLASH FUNDING. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          THERE ARE MANY WAYS, BUT HAPPY TO SHARE INFORMATION DIRECTLY WITH YOU AS WELL. 
          JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT FOR FOLKS WHO MAY GET THE RECORDING OR AREN'T HERE FOLLOWING ALONG, UM, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS. 
          I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU NECESSARILY NEED TO ANSWER THEM RIGHT NOW, UM, BUT I WANNA ASK THEM, AND MAYBE WHEN YOU COME BACK NEXT TIME, THERE CAN BE AN UPDATE, BUT JUST SOME OBSERVATIONS. 
          SO LIKE ON SLIDE FOUR OR FIVE, YOU HAD ROSE ON EACH OF THE SESSION SECTIONS THAT HAD TO DO WITH LANGUAGE. 
          AND SO AN OBSERVATION I HAVE IS THAT THE SUBMISSIONS FOR SPANISH WERE RELATIVELY SMALL RELATED TO THE SUBMISSIONS FOR ENGLISH. 
          UM, I'D BE CURIOUS, AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T NEED TO ANSWER THESE RIGHT NOW JUST FOR BREVITY, BUT I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE I, I THINK THE SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION OF OUR CITY IS GREATER THAN THAT REPRESENTATION AND THE PERCENTAGES. 
          AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF THE NUMBERS WENT UP OR DOWN BASED ON WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR. 
          AND THEN SECOND. 
          UM, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT NUMBER BE REPRESENTATIVE. 
          AND OF COURSE THERE MAY BE OVERLAP. 
          THERE'S PROBABLY PEOPLE WHO SUBMITTED ENGLISH APPLICATIONS THAT ARE BILINGUAL, BUT THERE WAS JUST A CONSIDERATION FOR THAT. 
          IT FELT OFF TO ME, I COULD BE WRONG. 
          UM, SECOND OBSERVATION, AND THIS GOES TO SLIDE 6, 7, 8, 9, THERE WERE A LOT OF CATEGORIES THAT HAD VERY LARGE NUMBERS OF INELIGIBILITY AND IT MAKES ME WONDER HOW WE LANDED THERE. 
          UM, SO HOW DO WE SUPPORT PEOPLE TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS? BECAUSE I'D LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A BETTER SHOT AT AT THIS THING THAT THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE APPLYING FOR, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MESSAGE BETTER, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER, UM, HOW THOSE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. 
          AND SO TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT, UH, I SAW THAT THERE WAS A VERY LARGE BAR AGAINST PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE LESS THAN TWO YEARS. 
          THAT SEEMS TO BE A, A STICKING POINT, RIGHT? AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT TWO YEARS ELIGIBILITY TO BE HERE. 
          LIKE CAN WE HELP MESSAGE THAT BETTER SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY APPLY? OR CONVERSELY, AGAIN, JUST TO SHOW THE EXAMPLE, IS THERE SOMETHING TO RECONSIDER ON THE TWO YEARS? I DON'T KNOW. 
          BUT FOR THE, FOR THE CATEGORIES THAT HAD VERY LARGE BARS, I'M CURIOUS HOW WE BRING THOSE DOWN, WHETHER IT'S TO ADJUST OUR PROGRAM OR TO ADJUST MESSAGING. 
          AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE OF FEEDBACK I HAVE, LAURA, IS, AND, AND AGAIN, YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY DONE ALL THESE THINGS, I'M JUST, UH, TALKING IT THROUGH FOR, FOR COMPLETENESS AND OVER COMMUNICATING IF THERE'S AN FAQ THAT CAN BE PUT TOGETHER THAT IS NOT ONLY SHARED OUT BECAUSE I HEARD YOU, I THINK ON SLIDE 17 YOU MENTIONED THAT INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE GIVEN TO EVERYBODY ON A DEBRIEF OF HOW TO SET THAT UP. 
          IF THERE ARE GENERAL THEMES OF WHAT TO DO OR NOT TO DO, THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS AN FAQ TO HELP Y'ALL SCALE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND BE PROVIDED. 
          BUT ALSO THE STRUCTURE OF THAT FA Q IS IMPORTANT. 
          SO WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR EACH QUESTION, THE RELEVANT FAQ SHOULD BE WITH THE QUESTION TO PROVIDE THAT INSTRUCTION IN A PLACE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND CAN BE EASILY FOUND SO THAT IF THERE'S A LANDMINE RIGHT THERE, THAT THEY CAN AVOID IT OR WORK THROUGH IT WITHOUT HAVING TO DIG FOR THE INSTRUCTIONS. 
          UH, SO THESE ARE JUST GENERAL THOUGHTS, UM, AROUND HOW WE COMMUNICATE AND ALSO HOW WE MAKE THE OPPORTUNITY MORE EASILY PURSUED. 
          UM, AND UH, I'LL, I'LL JUST STOP THERE 'CAUSE I THINK THAT COVERS MY GENERAL QUESTIONS. 
          I WAS JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT MAKE MY POINTS. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. 
          UH, LAURA, DID YOU HAVE ANY, UH, RESPONSES? NO, I WILL. 
          SURE. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS, UH, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE GEARING UP, UM, TO THIS YEAR AND, AND HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE AS A DEPARTMENT DOING THESE PROGRAMS. UM, SO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YES, A HUNDRED PERCENT. 
          I'LL LOOK AT WHAT OUR NUMBERS WERE FOR SPANISH APPLICANTS IN PREVIOUS YEARS SO WE CAN 
          [01:00:01]
HAVE A BETTER COMPARISON. 
          UM, I WILL SAY THERE'S BEEN, UM, A LOT OF LANGUAGE ACCESS THAT WE, WE DID THIS TIME AROUND AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO EXPAND WHAT THAT CAN BE, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS AND HAVING APPLICATION HELPER GUIDES IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. 
          SO NOT JUST SPANISH, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY APPLICATION THAT WE HAD THAT WAS FULLY IN LANGUAGE AS OPPOSED TO, UM, A FILLABLE PDF IN VIETNAMESE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THEN CAN BE USED TO HELP YOU FILL OUT THE APPLICATION IN ENGLISH. 
          UM, SO THAT IS DEFINITELY PART OF OUR DEBRIEFING, HOW THOSE RESOURCES WERE USED, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE RESOURCES. 
          UM, SO WE'LL BE SURE TO, UM, TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL AS WELL. 
          UM, THE NEXT THING ABOUT THE TWO YEAR ELIGIBILITY, YOU POINTED THAT ONE OUT, UM, AND I WROTE THAT ONE DOWN. 
          BUT YES, ALL OF ALL OF THE, THE REASONS FOR INELIGIBILITY, I THINK IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE ONES THAT WERE PROGRAM SPECIFIC. 
          SO BASED ON LIKE THE GUIDELINES KEPT, LIKE THERE ARE CERTAIN REASONS THAT THE GUIDELINES WERE WRITTEN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE, AND THEY KIND OF ARE LIKE THIS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS WITH MINIMAL CHANGES JUST TO KIND OF GET A FEEL, UM, FOR THESE PROGRAMS. BUT I AGREE THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER EXPLAIN THINGS AND BETTER COMMUNICATE CERTAIN THINGS PROACTIVELY. 
          UM, ESPECIALLY I KNOW FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND THE DOCUMENTATION AND LIKE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO EVIDENCE X, Y, AND Z? UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR US TO DO MORE, WHETHER IT'S WORKSHOPS, WHETHER IT'S HANDOUTS, WHETHER WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE THERE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN IMPROVE UPON, UM, LEADING UP TO THE JULY LAUNCH. 
          UM, AND I THINK THAT GOES INTO YOUR THIRD QUESTION ABOUT THE FAQ AS WELL BECAUSE WE HAVE HELPER TEXT WITHIN THE APPLICATION. 
          UM, BUT MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT THAT HELPER TEXT IS VERSUS A STANDALONE FAQ PAGE. 
          UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THESE THINGS, UM, IN OUR DEBRIEF AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU LAURA. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER POCK, LET ME JUST QUICKLY CHECK WITH COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, IF YOU STILL WANTED TO SPEAK. 
           SURE. 
          QUICKLY. 
          UM, HI LAURA. 
          THANKS FOR THAT, UH, ROBUST REPORT. 
          AND I WANTED TO ASK, UM, JUST CURIOUS, AND MAYBE I MISSED THIS DURING THE, UM, REVIEWING OF THE, UH, DOCUMENTATION THAT WE ALL LOOKED AT BEFORE THE LAUNCH OF THE UM, PROGRAMS, BUT I'M CURIOUS, IS RALLY AUSTIN CONSIDERED A SORT OF A, A THIRD PARTY FACILITATOR, OR ARE, IS IT A, IS IT A PARTNERSHIP THAT, THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR WITH HOT FUNDS OR I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW DID THE RALLY AUSTIN THING COME ABOUT? IT'S INTERESTING. 
          THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 
          UM, SO I AM NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE HOW IT CAME ABOUT IN 2023. 
          I KNOW THEY HELPED SUPPORT US REVIEWING APPLICATIONS THEN, WHICH WAS THE LAST TIME WE DID THE CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          UM, THIS ONE, BECAUSE IT'S FOCUSED SO MUCH ON LEASE AGREEMENTS, THEY ARE THE CITY'S PUBLIC PRIVATE ENTITY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING, UH, CREATIVE SPACE IN THAT WAY. 
          SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S PART OF THEIR AGREEMENT OR IF IT'S A SEPARATE CONTRACT. 
          UM, I'M NOT SURE. 
          MORGAN I THINK IS IN PERSON. 
          I'M NOT SURE IF SHE HAS MORE INSIGHT ABOUT WHAT, UM, THE LEGALITIES OF THE RELATIONSHIP ARE. 
          I JUST KNOW THAT, UM, IT IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEAN ON THEM TO ASSIST WITH, UH, PREVIOUSLY AND THIS TIME AS WELL. 
          BUT THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP. 
          I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU UNLESS MORGAN IS I THINK SITTING, SITTING DOWN. 
          PERFECT. 
          I'M HERE. 
          LAURA. 
          I'M HERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MORGAN MESSICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ACME. 
          UM, TO, TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT LAURA WAS SAYING, I WILL ALSO HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE FUNDING SOURCE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A, A LONGSTANDING AGREEMENT WITH RALLY AUSTIN. 
          ONCE UPON A TIME THAT CONTRACT WAS MANAGED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ALSO THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE, UH, ONCE RESIDED IN. 
          AND SO IT WAS A NATURAL PARTNERSHIP, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH MANAGING THE CONTRACT AND MANAGING THESE APPLICATIONS AND WE NEEDED EXPERTISE TO DO THE LEASE REVIEWS. 
          AND SO THEY WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAD IN HOUSE. 
          AND SO NOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, TRANSITIONED OVER, WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM. 
          BUT I WILL DOUBLE CHECK THE FUNDING SOURCE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. 
          I WANNA SAY IT PROBABLY COMES FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND, WHICH IS WHERE MOST OF THE FUNDING FOR, UM, THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION TAPS INTO. 
          BUT WE WILL DOUBLE CHECK AND WE CAN LET YOU KNOW, DID YOU REALLY HAVE YOUR ADDRESS? ACTUALLY, YEAH, I DID. 
          I, I, I FOUND OUT. 
          SO IT IS PART OF THE, THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH RALLY AUSTIN. 
          SO IT'S BUILT INTO THE ILA, IT IS NOT HOT FUNDED. 
          OKAY. 
          [01:05:02]
I WAS, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? UH, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SCH MOBO. 
          YEAH, THANKS LAURA. 
          UM, SIMILARLY, DON'T NEED TO TO ANSWER NOW, BUT NOTICING THE, LIKE, UH, PRETTY BIG DECREASE IN SEE IN CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS. 
          IT WASN'T, IT LIKE CLOSE TO 60% DECREASE IS LIKE, AND I KNOW YOU'LL, IT'LL SHAKE OUT AND YOU'LL KNOW MORE ONCE, UM, YOU DO SOME OF THE DEBRIEFING, BUT JUST KIND OF SOME ANALYSIS ON THAT. 
          LIKE WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON THERE? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THE ELIGIBILITY CHANGED QUITE A BIT, BUT JUST KIND OF UNDERSTANDING THAT, I THINK IN GENERAL, AND JUST IN GENERAL, WE LOVE THE, THE LIKE, RAW NUMBERS AND DATA, BUT Y'ALL REALLY KNOW, I THINK SO MUCH OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND LIKE WHAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO. 
          SO JUST NOT BEING SHY ABOUT ADDING YOUR ANALYSIS TO, AND LIKE WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AND PAYING ATTENTION. 
          'CAUSE YOU ALL SPEND SO MUCH MORE TIME WITH THIS INFORMATION THAN WE DO. 
          UM, AND SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GET THE, EVEN WHEN YOU REVIEW AHEAD OF TIME, GET THE BRUSH THROUGH. 
          SO ESPECIALLY THE CSAP NUMBERS REALLY STOOD OUT. 
          UM, SO IF WE CAN KIND OF TALK THROUGH WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON THERE, UM, AT A LATER MEETING, THAT WOULD ALSO BE GREAT. 
          SURE THING. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, YEAH, I MEAN THAT, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT ONE TOO. 
          IT'S, IT'S A, BUT PLACES WHERE WE HAVE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE, UM, HAS, HAS LIKE THE ELIGIBILITY AND LIKE CRITERIA AND WHO CAN APPLY JUST FUNDAMENTALLY SHIFTED SO MUCH THAT IT'S NO MORE EVEN AN APPLES TO APPLE COMPARISON. 
          THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF JUST, UH, REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND BETTER ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS. 
          SURE THING. 
          I'M HAPPY TO, UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD, LAURA. 
          I WAS JUST GONNA SAY I'M HAPPY TO, TO DIVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING. 
          I KNOW THAT FOR CSAP, ESPECIALLY, ELIGIBILITY WAS NARROWED QUITE A BIT FROM THE LAST TIME THE PROGRAM WAS OPEN. 
          UM, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU NEXT MONTH. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, SO, AND THEN FROM MINE, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS PUTTING IN, UM, IN, UH, MOVING THESE FUNDS FORWARD. 
          AND ALSO IN, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE HAVE PUBLIC FUNDS, UH, EVEN AS THEY'RE BEING EVOLVED, UH, WHEN THE NEED IS GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS WE HAVE, THERE IS ALSO BOUND TO BE DISAPPOINTMENT AT ONE END. 
          IT'S ALMOST UNAVOIDABLE. 
          UH, SO THAT REALLY INCREASES THE NEED TO HAVE AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE AND AS MUCH, YOU KNOW, UH, PROPER GUARDRAILS AROUND THESE KIND OF PROCESSES. 
          SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORT TO, UH, JUST CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY. 
          I'M, I'M SEEING, YOU KNOW, IN, IN YOU ALL ARE DOING THAT AND JUST EVEN AS AN EXAMPLE, PROVIDING SCORES THIS YEAR. 
          UM, AND, UH, ALSO GENERALLY, UM, THERE STILL SEEM TO BE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE BODY LISTS ARE PUBLIC OR NOT ON LMF AND IN OTHER APP GRANT APPLICATIONS. 
          I THINK THAT SHOULD BE, UM, IN SOME WAY, UH, MORE KNOWN THAT LISTS THESE LISTS ARE AVAILABLE, UH, OF GRANT RECIPIENTS PUBLICLY ONLINE. 
          UH, SO, BUT OVERALL, UM, I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED, UM, IS REALLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 
          UM, FOR LMF, I'M, UH, SINCE I ALSO SIT ON THE COMM MUSIC COMMISSION, I'M SHARING THAT, UM, WE, WE THOUGHT THAT EVERYTHING MOVED REALLY WELL IN TERMS OF CONSIDERING ARTIST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THIS YEAR COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEAR GRANTS. 
          BUT THERE IS THIS CHALLENGE OF HOW DO YOU, UM, KIND OF REALLY, UH, VALUE CORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT INCLUDE THOSE IN GRANTS, BUT ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY KEEP THE GRANT APPLICATIONS SIMPLE ENOUGH, UH, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR STAKEHOLDERS. 
          SO THAT IS, I THINK, UH, IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT NEXT STEP ON THAT FRONT. 
          BUT OVERALL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE. 
          UM, ALSO THANK YOU FOR SHARING, UH, THE FEEDBACK LOOPS THAT YOU'LL BE USING. 
          I KNOW I ASKED THIS QUESTION AT THE OTHER COMMISSION. 
          UM, AND, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, ALONG WITH ALL OF THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A FORUM WHILE WE ARE IN AN ACTIVE MEETING SUCH AS THIS, UM, MAYBE NEXT MONTH OR SO I WOULD REQUEST THE CHAIR TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE AGENDA WHERE, OR USE ONE OF THE EXISTING AGENDA ITEMS TO WHERE, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SHARING FEEDBACK THROUGH A SURVEY, ET CETERA, UM, COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING THAT. 
          WE, BUT WE STILL HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHARE PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING AND HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY RIGHT HERE IN THIS FORUM. 
          UM, AND, UM, SHARE THAT WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY. 
          UM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION AROUND, UH, SCORING. 
          I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE. 
          [01:10:01]
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PANEL SCORING, I CAN SEE THAT WE ARE NOW TRYING TO TAKE THE HIGHEST, LOWEST, LOWEST SCORE OUT. 
          UM, ARE WE, UM, I, I DON'T THINK I HAD AN ANSWER FOR THIS BEFORE, BUT ARE WE NORMALIZING THE SCORES BETWEEN PANELS AGAIN? UH, BECAUSE WHEN, UH, IF THERE ARE, IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE PANELS, UH, WITH DIFFERENT FOLKS SCORING, UH, YOU KNOW, A SIMILAR POOL OF APPLICATIONS WHEN WE COMPARE SCORES FROM ONE PANEL TO ANOTHER AND STACK UP BODIES, UH, WHO'S GONNA RECEIVE THEIR WA ARE WE NORMALIZING THE SCORES? BECAUSE, UM, PANELS I WOULD IMAGINE CAN RANGE QUITE A BIT IN HOW THEY SCORE. 
          YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM CAN USE THE ENTIRE RANGE FROM ONE TO 10. 
          SOME FOLKS WILL MAYBE SCORE ONLY IN, IN, IN THE MIDDLE. 
          UM, SOME WILL SCORE MORE STRICTLY, SOME WILL BE MORE LENIENT IN WHAT THEIR HIGHEST SCORE IS. 
          SO ARE WE NORMALIZING BEFORE WE SAY THAT THIS IS THE CUTOFF AND EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS SCORE GETS, GETS THE AWARDS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          UM, SO WE DO NOT NORMALIZE THE SCORES ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS OR ACROSS ALL ELEVATE, UM, APPLICATIONS AS YOUR EXAMPLE WAS. 
          UM, I WILL SAY THAT IT IS NOT, THERE IS SOME SUBJECTIVITY, BUT THERE IS VERY LITTLE SUBJECTIVITY TO HOW THE PANELISTS ARE ABLE TO SCORE. 
          THEY SCORE AGAINST A RUBRIC. 
          UM, AND SO STAFF DOES, YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK AND SEE IF SOMEBODY GAVE ALL ZEROS FOR ONE APPLICANT, BUT THE REST WERE, YOU KNOW, MID RANGE SCORES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          UM, SO, SO HISTORICALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF LOOKS AT BEFORE ANY AWARDS ARE MADE. 
          IF THERE ARE SOME, UM, STANDOUTS. 
          THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THE OLYMPIC SCORING THIS TIME AROUND. 
          UM, I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE SCORE NORMALIZATION, AND WE HAVE NOT PLANNED ON DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          UM, WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED INTO HOW OTHER, UM, OTHER CITIES DO THINGS, HOW GRANT MAKERS IN THE ARTS RECOMMENDS THINGS HAPPEN. 
          AND NORMALIZING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S TRADITIONALLY DONE ACROSS, UM, THE GRANT MAKING SPACE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO IT. 
          OR IF YOU HAVE EXAMPLES, UM, THAT, THAT YOU'VE SEEN, UM, THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO MORE. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO, UM, TO MAKING THOSE ENHANCEMENTS WHERE, WHERE NEED BE. 
          UM, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A QUASI, QUASI ANSWER, PROBABLY NOT THE ANSWER YOU WANTED, COMMISSIONER. 
          UH, UH, THAT'S TRUE . 
          SO, BUT THANK YOU. 
          I I I, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH MORE COMMISSIONERS AND OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BROADLY DONE IN OTHER PROGRAMS IN OTHER CITIES. 
          WHAT IS, WHAT IS BASICALLY THE BEST, UH, PRACTICE. 
          UM, AND I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY LOOKED INTO THAT AS WELL. 
          UM, JUST FUNDAMENTALLY, I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, I THINK IT'S A VERY FAIR ASSUMPTION TO MAKE, EVEN IF SOMEBODY'S SCORING AGAINST THE SAME RUBRIC THAT ME SITTING IN A SPECIFIC PANEL COULD GIVE THE BEST APPLICANT ON MY PA ON, ON, YOU KNOW, IN, IN MY SET OF APPLICATIONS, A SCORE OF NINE AND SOMEBODY ELSE SITTING IN ANOTHER PANEL WOULD GIVE THEM THE BEST SCORE THEY EVER GIVE IS SEVEN. 
          AND NOW WHEN WE STACK UP THAT SEVEN AGAINST THE NINE AND SAY THAT THE NINE, THE APPLICANT THAT GOT THE NINE IS BETTER, UM, THAN THE APPLICANT THAT GOT THE SEVEN, UM, THEN I THINK THE FAIRNESS THERE IS SOME COMPROMISE AND FAIRNESS THERE. 
          UM, I STUDIED MATH AT THAT LEVEL, BUT I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT CALCULATION, I THINK. 
          BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO NORMALIZE SCORES IN MATHEMATICS AND, UM, UM, I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER SCH SMALLBERG, IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHTS INTO THINGS LIKE THIS, BUT DEFINITELY THERE ARE MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS WHERE YOU CAN NORMALIZE, AND THAT WAY YOU ARE COMPARING, REALLY COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES. 
          AND THERE IS MORE FAIRNESS IN, IN HOW APPLICANTS WITHIN DIFFERENT PANELS ARE GETTING STACKED AGAINST EACH OTHER. 
          SO IT IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY I WOULD, UM, REQUEST I, UH, THE STAFF TO LOOK INTO FOR, UM, HONESTLY, IF WE CAN HELP IT EVEN THIS ROUND. 
          BUT IF NOT, AT LEAST FOR, UH, THE NEXT CYCLE, AGAIN, UH, MAYBE MORE IN DEPTH, UM, I WILL, UH, YIELD THERE TO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS OR, UH, ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING ON THE TOPIC. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          THANK YOU. 
          [01:15:01]
OOPS. 
          HI AGAIN. 
          UM, I, I WAS APPROACHED BY A COUPLE OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO, WHO WERE PART OF PANELS, AND THEY ASKED ME WHAT OTHER FACTORS WENT INTO DECISION-MAKING BESIDES SCORE. 
          AND I SAID, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE SCORE IS SUPPOSED TO DETERMINE IT, AS FAR AS I KNOW. 
          AND THEY, THEY MENTIONED THAT IN THE TRAINING THERE WAS A STATEMENT ABOUT OTHER FACTORS CAN COME INTO A A, A PLAY. 
          SO THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION THAN THAT, AND THE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ABOUT THAT. 
          SO I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK YOU HERE, UH, WHAT ARE THE OTHER FACTORS? THANK YOU. 
          THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          THE OTHER FACTORS, JESUS, I SEE HIM WALKING UP TO THE, TO THE THING. 
          THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES IN MY MIND BECAUSE WE, THE SCORE IS HOW YOU ARE AWARDED. 
          UM, BUT JESUS, GO FOR IT. 
          UM, YES, COMMISSIONERS, UH, JESUS MANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR. 
          UM, UM, SO THE ONLY THING THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON MAY BE REFERENCING THAT I COULD THINK THAT THEY MAY BE TALKING ABOUT IS WE DO ALLOW FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. 
          SO IF APPLICANTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH AN APPLICANT'S WORK, THEY CAN TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. 
          UH, BUT WE STILL TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO SCORE ACCORDING TO THE RUBRIC. 
          SO, UM, EVERYTHING THAT WE TELL THEM, WE DO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, EVERY MORNING AT NINE BEFORE WE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT 10. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE MENTIONED THERE IS THAT, UM, SPECIFICALLY, YES, THEY CAN USE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. 
          THEY CANNOT USE SECONDHAND EXPERIENCE. 
          SO IF A FRIEND OF THEIRS IS FAMILIAR WITH THE APPLICANT'S WORK THAT IS NOT ALLOWABLE, IT HAS TO BE ONLY FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. 
          UM, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO SCORE ACCORDING TO THE RUBRIC IF THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE DOCUMENTATION THAT IS PROVIDED, UH, BY THE APPLICANTS, THERE MAY BE LINKS TO THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA OR TO THEIR WEBSITES. 
          AND SO APP, UH, PANELISTS CAN LOOK AT THAT AS WELL. 
          BUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING, DOING IS SCORING ACCORDING TO THE RUBRIC. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF THEIR FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IS TOO CLOSE, THEY RECUSE THEMSELVES, RIGHT? JESUS. 
          CORRECT. 
          WE DO HAVE, UM, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING WE, UM, GO THROUGH MULTIPLE TIMES. 
          THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY ATTEST THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BEFORE THEY CAN FILL OUT AN APPLICATION. 
          UH, THEY ASK US ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND, WE GO OVER IT AGAIN DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          UM, WE HAVE DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IT IS, AND WE ALSO LEAVE IT UP TO THEM IF, UM, IT'S AN APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, OR IF THEY FEEL THAT, UM, THEY CAN TO MAKE AN UNBIASED, UM, OPINION. 
          UM, SOMETIMES THEY'LL ASK US AND WE'LL SAY, NO, THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT THEY STILL FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. 
          SO IF THEY STILL FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, UH, THEN WE WOULD DEEM THAT A CONFLICT SINCE THEY DON'T FEEL THEY CAN GIVE AN UNBIASED REVIEW. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OH, ACTUALLY, COMMISSIONERS, CAN I JUST ADD ONE QUICK THING BECAUSE I DID NOT MENTION THIS, UM, AT THE END OF MY, MY DECK, UM, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT WE HAD OVER 1,607 APPLICATIONS, AND WE WILL BE MAKING AROUND 680 AWARDS. 
          SO AGAIN, UM, COMMISSIONER NAVAL, WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT LIMITED RESOURCES, SO JUST AGAIN, WANTING EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS, UM, AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY. 
          SO REALLY AND TRULY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS, UM, AND SUGGESTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          UM, AS PART OF THE, THE PRESENTATIONS THAT I'LL BE GIVING NEXT MONTH AFTER AWARDS ARE MADE, WE'LL BE HAVING A DASHBOARD THAT WILL BREAK DOWN VERY HIGH LEVEL FOR ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS A DISTRICT SPECIFIC BREAKDOWN FOR EACH OF YOU AND FOR YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SHOW WHICH PROGRAMS, UM, WHICH APPLICANTS, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A RUNDOWN OF WHO IN YOUR DISTRICT WAS RECEIVING FUNDING FROM ACME. 
          UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN BE MAYBE A LITTLE MORE INVESTED IN SOME OF THOSE GROUPS, UM, ALONG THE NEXT YEAR. 
          SO JUST, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE TEASER ABOUT NEXT STEPS, UM, FOR YOU ALL FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION FOR ME THIS TIME IN LOOKING AT BOTH THE GRANTS WAS, UH, THAT THERE IS A, A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PURE OBJECTIVITY THAT THE MUSIC GRANTS OFFER THAT TAKE AWAY A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE SUBJECTIVITY OR PROBABLY A LOT OF THE SUBJECTIVITY THAT POTENTIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, REAL OR PERCEIVED THAT A PANEL CAN INTRODUCE. 
          RIGHT? AND, UM, UM, SO 
          [01:20:01]
IN THAT WAY, THE MUSIC GRANTS, UM, ARE COMPLETELY OBJECTIVE. 
          HOW IT GETS EVALUATED, PURELY SCORE BASED, AND, UH, UH, THE ELEVATE, UH, THRIVE GRANTS, ET CETERA, ARE MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, SUBJECT TO, YOU KNOW, PANEL INTERPRETATION, SCORING, ET CETERA. 
          UM, AND ONE OF THE IDEAS ALSO FOR THE MUSIC GRANTS WAS TO DO IT THIS WAY, TO KEEP IT OBJECTIVE AND ALSO KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR A COMMUNITY THAT'S NEW TO THOSE GRANTS AND MOSTLY INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS. 
          UM, AND, AND NOT TO, UM, I WANTED TO SAY THIS IN A WAY THAT I'LL PROBABLY MESS UP, BUT I PROBABLY WANNA WANNA SAY THIS IN A WAY AND NOT TO TRIVIALIZE, UM, ANYTHING ON HOW THE ARTS GRANTS ARE DONE. 
          BUT THE BOTH SIDES VALUE ACCOMPLISHMENTS VERY STRONGLY. 
          BUT WITH THE OPEN TEXT, I COULD USE AI TO IMPROVE THE LANGUAGE AND HOW I PUT, UH, INFORMATION IN IT STILL HAS TO BE BACKED UP WITH, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. 
          YOU KNOW, THE PROPOSED PROJECT, EVERYTHING EV IT HAS, THE SUBSTANCE HAS TO BE THERE. 
          BUT JUST IN TRYING TO FILL BOTH THE GRANTS, UH, IT WAS INTERESTING FOR ME TO SEE HOW THE MUSIC GRANTS THOUGH VERY OBJECTIVE, UH, THEY SCORED, UH, KIND OF BECAME HEAVY IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU HAD TO ATTACH TO EVERY SINGLE QUESTION THAT YOU ANSWERED IN AFFIRMATIVE. 
          UH, AND THEN HERE, ONCE YOU, UH, LIKE HAD A SOLID PROJECT AND PLAN TO GO WITH, I COULD WRITE MY TEXT DOWN, TAKE SOME ASSISTANCE FROM AI, IMPROVE MY LANGUAGE, PUT IT BACK, AND, AND, AND I KNOW THAT SEVERAL FOLKS ALSO UTILIZE THAT. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING, UH, JUST AN OBSERVATION I WANTED TO SHARE, UM, IN, IN SOMEHOW, LIKE, IN ONE WAY THE OBJECTIVITY WAS FANTASTIC, UM, AND, BUT IT GOT A LITTLE CUMBERSOME TO DO THE MUSIC GRANTS. 
          AND, UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANNA LOSE THE OBJECTIVITY ON THIS SIDE, BUT STILL WOULD LOVE FOR US TO WORK TOWARDS SIMPLIFYING THE GRANTS AND, UH, KIND OF MAKING THEM A LITTLE ON PAR IN TERMS OF HOW WELL THEY CAN BE DONE. 
          UM, SO ANYWAY, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, SHARE THAT, THAT OBSERVATION AND, UH, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION BEFORE WE MOVE ON? ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU LAURA MORGAN, JESUS. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS TOPIC. 
          UM, MOVING 
          [8. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager.]
ON, WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ART IN PUBLIC PLACES BY JAIME CASTILLO, ART IN PUBLIC PLACES MANAGER. 
          WELCOME JAIME. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          JAIME CASTILLO, MANAGER FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN'S ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT. 
          UH, I'VE GOT THREE THINGS FOR Y'ALL TONIGHT. 
          UPDATE ON RESOLUTION WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, SOME CLARIFYING POINTS ON, UH, AGENDA ITEMS, AND THEN SOME, UH, STAFF BRIEFINGS, OR NOT STAFF BRIEFINGS, BUT, UM, SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING. 
          SO THE FIRST IS THE UPDATE ON THE RESOLUTION. 
          AS A REMINDER, I PRESENTED IT AT THE DECEMBER MEETING, UM, ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAD DONE UP TO THAT POINT, UH, POINTING OUT ALL THE, THE DIFFERENT PHASES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE FOR THE RESOLUTION AND PRESENTING THE LETTER FROM THE A IPP PANEL WHERE THEY WERE SEEKING, OR THEY WERE RECOMMENDING THAT, THAT WE, UH, HAVE CLEAR LANGUAGE ABOUT HOW WE DESCRIBE OR DEFINE, UM, PROJECT COST CONSTRUCTION VERSUS CONSTRUCTION COST. 
          UM, AND Y'ALL MADE A, A RECOMMENDATION TO OR APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO, TO HAVE THAT CLEAR, CLEAR, CLEARER LANGUAGE. 
          UM, SINCE THAT MEETING, WE'VE STILL ARE, ARE WORKING, UM, ACME LEADERSHIP IS WORKING WITH, UH, DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE GONNA PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL. 
          WE HAD, UM, WE WERE EYEBALLING, UH, THE JANUARY 26TH, OR SORRY, THE FEBRUARY 26TH MEETING, WHICH IS THIS THURSDAY. 
          UM, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN CONVERSATIONS, WE ARE NOW TARGETING, UH, THE MARCH 26TH COUNCIL MEETING TO PRESENT, UM, THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE. 
          AND, UH, AS I PRESENTED IT IN DECEMBER, AFTER THAT ORDINANCE GETS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR APPROVAL, THAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH Y'ALL, UH, WITH THE GUIDELINES AND ALL THE OTHER POLICIES BECAUSE THAT THOSE POLICIES CAN GET UPDATED BY THE ARTS COMMISSION. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, NUMBER TWO WAS POINTING OUT SOME CLARIFYING THINGS FOR THE, UH, AGENDA ITEMS. FIRST OFF, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE PRE-QUALIFIED LIST THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER MACH MENTIONED. 
          UH, I WANTED TO REMIND Y'ALL THAT WE DID PRESENT A PRE-QUALIFIED LIST, UH, ART CALL BACK IN MARCH OF 2025. 
          THAT WAS, UH, MAYBE DAYS AFTER THE RESOLUTION 
          [01:25:01]
HAD BEEN PASSED. 
          BUT, UH, WE PRESENTED THAT THE ART CALL IN A FORMAT THAT HAD ALREADY TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE DIRECTION THAT THE RESOLUTION WAS ASKING US TO INVESTIGATE. 
          AND IT'S, IT'S KIND OF THE BASELINE, UH, STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE USING FOR ALL OF OUR CALLS. 
          UM, WE DID TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT. 
          UM, SO, UH, SO THERE WAS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE FROM WHAT WE PRESENTED LAST YEAR TO WHAT'S IN YOUR BACKUP THIS MONTH. 
          AND THERE IS A, A TYPO. 
          UM, AT THE PANEL MEETING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE DID HAVE A, A, A HEAVY CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, THE CRITERIA FOR THE THREE DIFFERENT TIERS OF, OF EXPERIENCE LEVELS, RIGHT? WE HAVE EMERGING EXPERIENCE AND ESTABLISHED, I ALWAYS GET ONE OF THOSE WRONG, BUT THE ESTABLISHED ONE, THE, THE, THE TOP TIER OF WHERE WE'RE ASKING APPLICANTS TO HAVE, UH, THE MOST EXPERIENCED AND, AND MOST EXPERIENCED WITH LARGE BUDGETS. 
          UM, WE HAD PRESENTED IT AS 10 PROJECTS DISCUSSING WITH THE A IB PANEL. 
          THEY SAID FIVE, THEY WOULD PREFER FIVE PROJECTS. 
          WE DID UPDATE THAT, BUT THE VERSION THAT GOT INTO BACKUP IS THE ONE THAT STILL SAID 10. 
          SO I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. 
          IT IT SHOULD BE FIVE PROJECTS WITH, UH, OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BUDGET. 
          SO, UH, AND THEN THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY WAS THAT, UH, FOR THE PANEL MEMBER THAT WE INTERVIEWED AND ARE RECOMMENDING TO JOIN THE A IPP PANEL, UH, I MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR PUTTING BACK UP. 
          SO NOW THERE'S, UH, THE APPLICATION FROM THAT INDIVIDUAL IN THE BACKUP FOR Y'ALL TO, TO LOOK AT. 
          UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO REVIEW IT TONIGHT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SO CHOOSE. 
          AND THEN THE THIRD THING THAT I HAD FOR Y'ALL IS THAT WE'VE GOT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 
          UM, MY TEAM HELPED ME REALIZE THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF, OF ANNOUNCING THOSE THINGS HERE AT THESE MEETINGS. 
          SO, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE THAT THIS SATURDAY, UM, ARTISTS THAT, UH, THAT RECEIVE CONTRACTS AT THE AIRPORT FOR PHASE THREE, UH, THERE WILL BE SEVEN ARTISTS AT THE MONTOPOLIS REC CENTER FROM 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM WE'LL BE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THERE. 
          UM, SO IT'LL BE, UH, NOT CONFERENCE STYLE, BUT ALL SEVEN ARTISTS WILL BE THERE. 
          SO TO BE ABLE TO GATHER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND HELP INFORM THEIR DESIGNS AS THEY WORK TOWARDS THAT. 
          AND THEN NEXT WEEK WE ARE DOING SORT OF AN OPEN HOUSE AT THREE FIRE STATION. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE CALLING THIS THE COHORT, UM, I'M FORGETTING THE NUMBERS OF THE STATIONS, BUT THE DAVENPORT STATION, THE GOODNIGHT RANCH STATION, AND THE CANYON CREEK STATION ON WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY THE FOURTH, THE FIFTH AND THE SIXTH AT THE NOON, THE NOON HOUR. 
          SO 12 TO ONE. 
          EACH OF THOSE WILL BE, UH, DOING, UH, SORT OF OPEN HOUSE. 
          THEY HAVE MID DESIGN, UM, ARTWORKS CONCEPTS ALREADY TO PRESENT. 
          AND SO WE JUST WANT TO DO A LEVEL OF, OF ENGAGEMENT WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING FEEDBACK ON THOSE DESIGNS. 
          UM, SO AT THE DAVENPORT, THAT WOULD BE, UH, ADRIAN AGUILERA AND BETTY, UH, MC HOLLEN KOAN AT THE GOODNIGHT RANCH WOULD BE RECITE STUDIO. 
          AND THEN AT THE CANYON CREEK WOULD BE RUDY HERRERA. 
          UM, AND THEN ON SATURDAY WE'VE GOT, UH, AN OPENING, A DEDICATION, EMS STATION. 
          ONE IS ON SOUTH FIRST, AND, UH, THEY'RE GONNA DO A GRAND REOPENING FOR THAT STATION. 
          ALSO CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EMS, UH, EMERGENCY. 
          WHAT'S THE M STEP? . 
          UM, AND THEN, UH, SO WE HAVE OUR ARTWORK BY ARTIS SEAN SMITH, AND WE'LL BE ALSO DOING ARTWORK, DEDICATION AT THAT TIME. 
          THAT'S, UH, TWO TO FOUR. 
          AND I WILL SEND INFORMATION OUT SO Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS OR WATCH THE RECORDING. 
          I'LL, I'LL HAVE THAT TYPED OUT FOR Y'ALL. 
          SO THOSE WERE THE THREE THINGS THAT I HAD FOR Y'ALL FOR STAFF BRIEFINGS TODAY, TONIGHT. 
          THANK YOU, JAIME. 
          QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS. 
          COMMISSIONER HU? OKAY. 
          SO I KNOW YOU JUST SAID YOU'RE GONNA SEND IT TO US, BUT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE ACCESSING THE RECORDING, IS THAT SOMEWHERE ON A WEBSITE OR WHERE WOULD THEY FIND THAT? YEAH, ALL, ALL THOSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THINGS SH SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY, WHICH IS WHAT I THANK YOU FOR LOOKING IT UP. 
          I JUST, I KNOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE LISTENING, THEY'LL BE LIKE, WHERE, WHAT, HOW? ABSOLUTELY. 
          SO LET'S JUST LIKE READ IT OUT FOR THEM. 
          'CAUSE I KNOW I WOULD DO THAT IF I WAS LISTENING. 
          AND IF THE SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE FOUND ON YOUR WEBSITE, I THINK THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH, RIGHT? POINTING THEM SOMEWHERE TO, THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IT WOULD BE. 
          BUT THE INSTAGRAM HANDLE IS CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          ARTS CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          ARTS, ONE WORD. 
          WORD. 
          THAT'S THE INSTAGRAM HANDLE? CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          AT CITY OF AUSTIN ARTS. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU, JAIME. 
          BLESS YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER MOBA? 
          [01:30:03]
AM I UNMUTED? YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, NO, YOU'RE GOOD. 
          UM, SORRY, THE MUTE BUTTON WAS STILL SHOWING. 
          UM, THANK YOU, JAIME. 
          UM, CAN, CAN YOU REVIEW AGAIN? 'CAUSE IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING. 
          WHAT THIS HAS THE A IPP PANEL LETTER TO COUNSEL. 
          IS THAT WITH COUNSEL NOW? 'CAUSE THERE WAS THAT HOLDUP WITH THE LANGUAGE. 
          YES. 
          SO, UH, OKAY. 
          A LITTLE BIT OF SNAFU AND IN, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THE BACKUP WAS PROPERLY UPLOADED. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          ADMINISTRATIVELY WE TOOK CARE OF THAT. 
          WE MADE SURE THAT, THAT THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL OFFICES AND THAT INCLUDED A COPY OF THAT LETTER. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU. 
          I THANK YOU. 
          THE 
          [9. Staff briefing regarding the Austin Convention Center and Creative Economy Benefits to Austin by Acting Director of Austin Convention Center, Katy Zamesnik and Assistant Director, AACME, Morgan Messick]
NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER AND CREATIVE ECONOMY BENEFITS TO AUSTIN BY ACTING DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER. 
          KATIE ZA, MS. NIK, DID I GET THAT RIGHT? KIND OF. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ACME MORGAN MESSICK, UH, WE HAVE, UH, SPEAKERS ON THIS TOPIC. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND FIRST INVITE, UH, NATALIE CROW TO SPEAK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS NATALIE CROW. 
          I'M A LIFELONG AUSTIN RESIDENT AND I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS COMMISSION HAS THE PLATFORM AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK A QUESTION THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE IN CITY HALL ARE ASKING. 
          WHY ARE WE SPENDING $5.6 BILLION ON A CONVENTION CENTER WHEN WE COULD BE INVESTING IN THINGS THAT TOURISTS AND AUSTINITES ACTUALLY WANT? LET'S START WITH THE FINANCES. 
          UM, I WANT TO KNOW WHY WE ARE ALLOWING A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT TO PROCEED WITHOUT A FINANCIAL PLAN. 
          THE CONVENTION INDUSTRY IS FALTERING. 
          IT'S BEEN FALTERING SINCE THE NINETIES. 
          IT'S A BILLION DOLLAR GAMBLE. 
          THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH WAS TORN DOWN BEFORE IT WAS EVER PAID OFF, NEVER MET. 
          ITS PREDICTED ECONOMIC IMPACTS. 
          SHOULD WE LET $5.6 BILLION AND THIS NUMBER WILL PROBABLY BALLOON FURTHER. 
          SINCE THERE ISN'T A FINANCIAL PLAN, BE DIVERTED FROM ARTS AND MUSIC TO CREATE A BUILDING, WE'LL HAVE TO PAY PEOPLE TO RENT OUT. 
          WHY DO PEOPLE COME TO AUSTIN? I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS PROBABLY MORE EXPERIENCE ANSWERING THAT QUESTION THAN ME, BUT I THINK WE CAN, UM, ALL AGREE THEY COME FOR LIVE MUSIC, OUR LIT, OUR RICH CULTURE AND ARTS, AND OUR PARKS AND NATURAL TOURISM. 
          HOT FUNDS COULD GO TOWARDS INCREASING FILM INCENTIVES TOWARDS ART MARKETING AND TO MORE THE CURRENT CONVENTION SPACE COULD HOUSE A MUSEUM OR AN ARTS DISTRICT. 
          IF YOU COMPARE THE NASHVILLE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME TO THEIR CONVENTION CENTER, THE MUS UH, THE MUSEUM BRINGS IN 1.6 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR. 
          WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS ONLY BROUGHT IN FIVE, UH, 5.1 MILLION IN THE 13 YEARS IT'S BEEN OPEN, THE MUSEUM IS SELF-SUSTAINING. 
          WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER RELIES ON SUBSIDIES. 
          THE MUSEUM IS OPEN YEAR ROUND WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER SITS EMPTY BETWEEN EVENTS. 
          I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO DO TWO THINGS FIRST AND, UM, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A BIG ASK TO DEMAND FULL FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT. 
          AND SECONDLY, TO FIGHT TO REALLOCATE HOT FUNDS FROM THIS PROJECT TO ARTS, MUSIC AND PARKS. 
          THE BONDS FOR THIS PROJECT HAVE NOT BEEN AWARDED YET, AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO FIX A BAD PLAN. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, UH, FROM NATALIE? YOU CAN THANK YOU. 
          I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, KATIE CAM NEXT TO SPEAK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          HELLO, I AM KATIE CAM, A 43 YEAR RESIDENT OF AUSTIN THAT LIVES IN DISTRICT NINE, A CIVIL ENGINEERED URBAN PLANNER THAT HAPPENED TO DO ONE OF MY MASTER'S REPORTS ON CONVENTION CENTERS AS A FORM OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I'M OPPOSED TO THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER. 
          WE DO NOT NEED YET ANOTHER ONE. 
          THE HOT REVENUE WILL BE BETTER SPENT ON SUPPORTING AUSTIN'S CULTURE AND ARTS, WHICH WE WILL HAVE A STRONGER ECONOMIC IMPACT. 
          FIRST, AUSTIN HAS PLENTY OF CONVENTION SPACE. 
          ACCORDING TO THE AUSTIN VISIT, UH, VISIT AUSTIN WEBSITE, THERE ARE OVER 600 LOCAL VENUES, INCLUDING ART, MUSIC, AND THEATER VENUES THAT PROVIDE DAY AND NIGHTTIME MEETING SPACE WITH ROOM CAPACITY TO HOLD OVER 614,000 PEOPLE AT A TIME THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          [01:35:01]
THOSE LOCAL VENUES WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE EVENTS, RENT THEIR SPACE FOR ADDITIONAL INCOME. 
          IN ADDITION, DOWNTOWN HOTELS OFFER ABOUT 740,000 SQUARE FEET OF CONVENTION AND EXHIBIT SPACE. 
          PALMER EVENT CENTER IS 45,000, AND THE NEW CODA CONVENTION CENTER WILL OFFER 460,000. 
          AUSTIN ALREADY HAS A LOT OF EMPTY SPACE TO FILL THE STATE LAW FOR THE HOTEL. 
          TAX REVENUE ALLOWS FOR THE TAX REVENUE TO BE USED FOR CONVENTION SERVICES. 
          SO THE CITY STAFF CAN OFFER CONCIERGE SERVICES TO HELP EVENT PLANNERS SEAMLESSLY BOOK MULTIPLE LOCAL VENUES AND HIRE CRAFTSPEOPLE TO CREATE A UNIQUELY AUSTIN CONVENTION EXPERIENCE. 
          BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, PURPOSELY DID NOT BUILD A CONVENTION CENTER SO THAT CONVENTION ATTENDEES EXPERIENCE AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL VENUES. 
          HOT REVENUE CAN BE USED TO FULLY FUND THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, SUCH AS PETTY CABS, THOSE SPEED VEHICLES, VANS, AND BUSINESSES. 
          BETWEEN THE VENUES, THERE'S MISINFORMATION THAT ONLY 15% OF THE HOT CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT THE CULTURAL ARTS. 
          THAT IS FALSE. 
          THE TEXAS CODE SECTION 35.1, UH, 35.101 OFFERS WAYS TO PROVIDE UNLIMITED TO SUPPORT OF ARTS AND CULTURE. 
          FIRST, HOT REVENUE CAN BE USED TO CONDUCT PROMOTIONAL PROGRAMS TO ATTRACT TOURISTS. 
          MORE FUNDING CAN BE ALLOCATED TO PROMOTING THE MUSIC AND ARTS IN AUSTIN THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS. 
          HIGHLIGHTING THE CREATIVE TALENT IN OUR CITY. 
          LOOK TO NEW YORK CITY AS A CITY THAT DOES THAT WELL. 
          HOT REVENUE CAN ALSO BE USED FOR SIGNAGE TO DIRECT TOURISTS TO LOCAL ART AND MUSIC VENUES. 
          THE HOT REVENUE CAN BE USED TO CREATE CITY AMBASSADOR POSITIONS AND TRAVEL EXPENSES. 
          WE SHOULD HIRE AUSTIN'S ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS AS OUR AMBASSADORS. 
          GIVE 'EM A LIVABLE SALARY, SEND THEM OFF TO DIFFERENT CITIES, HAVE THEM DRIVE A VAN THAT HAS VISIT LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL, THE WORLD. 
          SEE AUSTIN'S ART, OUR AUSTIN CREATIVES, THEY'RE OUR BEST AMBASSADORS, NOT, UH, PEOPLE IN BUSINESS SUIT. 
          SO LASTLY, WE CAN USE HOT REVENUE TO BUILD A VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER THAT HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTIONS IN MUSIC, ART, FILM, WRITING, ARCHITECTURE, GREEN BUILDING, AND FOOD AT THE CENTER. 
          VISITORS WOULD LEARN WHAT VENUES, ARTISTS, AND EVENTS THEY CAN GO TO IN THE CITY TO EXPLORE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS MORE CULTURALLY. 
          SIGNIFICANT VENUES LIKE THIS INFORMATION CENTER ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS AND THEIR MONEY THAN CONVENTION CENTERS. 
          NATALIE ALREADY GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF THE NASHVILLE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME. 
          ANOTHER EXAMPLE. 
          THE DENVER ART MUSEUM ATTRACTS 656,000 VISITORS A YEAR CONVENTION CENTER. 
          LESS THAN HALF OF THAT THE MET. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          STOP THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR KATIE? COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          OF LUCK. 
          DID I ASK THAT WE, CAN YOU, CAN YOU EMAIL THAT TO US, YOUR COMMENTS, Y'ALL? UH, COULD YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD AND EMAIL ME COMMENTS? BUNCH OF GREAT IDEAS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I'LL REQUEST, UH, DIRECTORS SNICK. 
          NO. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, SNICK. 
          AND, UM, DIRECTOR MESSICK TO COME SPEAK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. 
          UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MORGAN MESSICK JOINED HERE BY AND INTERIM DIRECTOR KATIE MENICK. 
          WAS THAT ON PUSH BUTTON? INTERIM DIRECTOR KATIE MENICK. 
          SO WE ARE HERE TO, UM, DO A JOINT PRESENTATION. 
          I'M GONNA GO FIRST TO TEE UP, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACME'S, UM, PERSPECTIVE AND SUPPORT OF THE WORK BEING DONE WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER AND TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SEES AND, UM, WHY WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. 
          SO I WILL GO AHEAD. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX COLLECTIONS FOR CULTURE. 
          I KNOW MANY OF YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS, SO FORGIVE ME IF IT FEELS REDUCTIVE, BUT WE'LL START, UM, KIND OF AT THE BARE BONES FOR OUR NEW FRIENDS AND FOR ANYBODY AT HOME WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO, HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX REVENUE SUPPORTS ARTS AND CULTURE IN AUSTIN. 
          AS YOU KNOW, HOT FUNDS COME FROM VISITORS WHO STAY IN HOTELS AS WELL AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS. 
          FOLKS WHO COME TO VISIT TOWN ARE THOSE CONTRIBUTING THE DOLLARS THAT GIVE US THE MONEY WE NEED. 
          HOT FUNDS DO NOT COME FROM LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES, UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY. 
          SO WE JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON WHERE THAT REVENUE SOURCE COMES FROM. 
          THE STATE LAW ALLOWS FOR UP TO 15% EACH, FOR BOTH CULTURAL ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO BE, UM, SET ASIDE. 
          AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS ALREADY MAXING THAT OUT AT THE 30% TOTAL CAP TO FUND THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE IN ACME AND ACROSS THE CITY FOR ARTS CULTURE, LIVE MUSIC AND HERITAGE. 
          THE ONLY WAY TO GROW THAT POT OF MONEY IS TO GROW THE CULTURAL 
          [01:40:01]
ALLOCATION BY GETTING MORE HOT MONEY THROUGH TOURISM. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO AT THE VERY BASICS, MORE VISITORS IN AUSTIN GENERATE MORE HOTEL STAYS, WHICH GENERATES MORE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS THAT WE OF THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE AT ACME FOR CULTURE, MUSIC, HERITAGE FUNDING ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE ARE USING SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE TODAY. 
          UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A WHILE, EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING ALLOCATION REQUESTS WE RECEIVE JUST IN GRANTS ALONE EXCEEDS $50 MILLION. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE BULLET POINTS HERE FROM 2019, ALL THE WAYS THROUGH THE MOST RECENT FUNDING DISTRIBUTION IN 2024, WE GET NOWHERE CLOSE TO CLOSING THE GAP ON THE REQUESTS AND THE NEEDS THAT WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY HAS. 
          IN 2024, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, SEND OUT $22 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS TO 532 DIFFERENT ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
          THIS YEAR WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY WE'LL BE EXCEEDING THAT NUMBER, BUT AGAIN, NOWHERE CLOSING THE GAP ON THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS THAT LAURA WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER. 
          ALL OF THE MONEY FOR OUR GRANT PROGRAMS GOES OUT, UH, IN SUPPORT OF MUSIC AND THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, HERITAGE PRESERVATION PROJECTS, CULTURAL ARTS GRANTS, SUPPORTING CREATIVE BUSINESSES, FESTIVALS, EVENT PRODUCTIONS, AND PUBLIC ART. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS TO THESE DIFFERENT CREATIVES, WE WANNA LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER BENEFITS. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          SO WE KNOW WE ARE AT RISK OF LOSING SOME OF THAT FUNDING IF THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS NOT TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          SO WE RISK POTENTIALLY LOSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THAT CULTURAL FUNDING, WHICH IS TIED TO THE VISITOR REVENUE. 
          WE ALSO RISK LOSING SALES TAX REVENUE IF WE HAVE A DECREASE IN VISITORS DUE TO LOSS OF CONVENTIONS AND OTHER, UM, THINGS THAT THE CENTER IS USED FOR, LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST. 
          THOUSANDS OF JOBS COULD BE LOST IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, INCLUDING LOCAL RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT VENUES. 
          AND OF COURSE, WE WOULD PUT AT RISK NEARLY $18 MILLION IN PUBLIC ART PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SLATED FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO NOT ONLY DOES THE HOT REVENUE SUPPORT ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT CREATIVES, ARTISTS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT IT ALSO OFFERS A LOT OF OTHER, UM, COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE AND HAPPY TO SEE EXPANDED IN THE NEW VERSION. 
          WE OFFER AFFORDABLE OR SUBSIDIZED EVENT AND MEETING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS, CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS CREATE, UH, CREATIVE PRACTITIONERS. 
          WE ALSO SEE INCREASED PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING FESTIVALS, SHOWCASES, AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY EVENTS. 
          UM, OUR DEPARTMENT PARTNERS WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO PUT ON A LOCAL COMMUNITY SHOWCASE. 
          IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITIES WE SEE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE SEE EXPANDED TOURISM ACTIVITY, WHICH SUPPORTS LOCAL PERFORMERS, VENDORS, HOSPITALITY WORKERS AND CULTURAL VENUES. 
          WE SEE LONG-TERM STABILIZATION FOR OUR CULTURAL FUNDING STREAMS. YOU SAW ON ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDES THE INCREASE IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DISTRIBUTIONS OVER THE YEARS SINCE 2019. 
          UM, WE WOULD BE LUCKY TO SEE THAT NUMBER KEEP GOING UP TO HELP US CLOSE THE GAP. 
          WE SEE LOTS OF GREAT PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CONVENTION CENTER SITE. 
          INCREASED NATIONAL PROFILE FOR OUR CREATIVE SECTOR, AND WE SEE SOME OF THAT SPILLOVER VISITATION, NOT JUST AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE ATTENDING GO TO DIFFERENT EVENTS, MUSEUMS, VENUES AND DISTRICTS ACROSS THE CITY CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, IN SUMMARY, NEXT SLIDE. 
          IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. 
          WE ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE CONVENTION CENTER BECAUSE THE REDEVELOPED CENTER CREATES AN INCREASE IN VISITOR CAPACITY IN OUR CITY, WHICH IN TURN INCREASES VISITOR STAYS TO HOTELS AND SHORT TERM RENTALS, WHICH GENERATES INCREASED HOT REVENUE, WHICH IN TURN INCREASES THIS INVESTMENT INTO THE LOCAL CREATIVES THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT AS A DEPARTMENT. 
          UM, AND ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE ARE A STANDALONE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE REALLY BIG GOALS. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE OF OUR PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER. 
          UM, I THINK MY NEXT SLIDE SAYS QUESTIONS, BUT IF EVERYBODY'S GOOD, I'D BE HAPPY TO HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL KATIE'S HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTUALLY ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT. 
          SO WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO HERS IF WE CAN GET HER SLIDE DECK PULLED UP. 
          JESUS, THANK YOU. 
          LET'S GO AHEAD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          NOW IT'S ON. 
          CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? UM, SO GOOD EVENING. 
          YES, I'M KATIE MENICK. 
          I'M THE INTERIM 
          [01:45:01]
DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER. 
          I'M NEWLY APPOINTED TO THAT ROLE AS OF ABOUT A WEEK AGO. 
          UM, SO I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN IN THE WORK FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO WE ARE THE 13TH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, BUT OUR CONVENTION CENTER IS ONLY THE 61ST LARGEST. 
          AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS FOR US IS, UM, AND MORGAN KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS, IT'S A LOSS OF REVENUE, RIGHT? WE WERE TURNING AWAY NEARLY 50% OF THE BUSINESS LEADS WE WERE RECEIVING AS A DEPARTMENT. 
          AND SO THAT MEANT THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING THOSE CONVENTIONS BOOKED. 
          THEY WEREN'T COMING IN, THEY WEREN'T SPENDING MONEY IN OUR, IN OUR LOCAL SHOPS, IN OUR LOCAL BARS AND RESTAURANTS, THAT KIND OF THING, GENERATING THAT HOTEL TAX THAT, AGAIN, BENEFITS MORE THAN JUST THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UM, AND SO MOST OF THE, THE BIG REASONS WHY THAT BUSINESS WAS TURNED AWAY WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WERE TOO SMALL. 
          UM, OR WE WERE ALREADY BOOKED FOR THE DATE. 
          UM, WE HAD A REALLY HARD TIME LAYERING BUSINESS IN, IN THE CONVENTION CENTER JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE SIZE. 
          UM, SO AS A RESULT, AFTER 10 YEARS OF STUDY, THAT INCLUDED, UM, A COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVE, UM, AS WELL. 
          THERE WAS A PUBLIC VOTE ON IT IN 2019. 
          UM, WE MADE THE DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXPANSION AND COUNSEL AUTHORIZE THAT, UM, EXPANSION, UH, TAX IN, UH, 2019 AS WELL. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO ONCE OUR REDEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE, UH, WE'LL BE ABOUT THE 35TH LARGEST. 
          UM, AND THE WAY WE'VE DESIGNED THIS BUILDING, BECAUSE WE'VE PUT OUR LOADING DOCKS AND OUR EXHIBIT HALLS COMPLETELY UNDERGROUND WHERE THEY WERE AT GROUND LEVEL BEFORE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE ABILITY, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GETTING MUCH LARGER, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANOTHER EXPANSION AS WELL. 
          AND THAT WILL PUSH US UP INTO ABOUT THE TWENTIES. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA BE LARGER THAN THESE CONVENTION CENTERS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. 
          WE ALREADY COMPETE WITH SOME OF THESE FOR BUSINESS. 
          UM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY'RE ALL VERY SCARED OF THE IDEA OF A BRAND NEW CONVENTION CENTER COMING INTO A PLACE AS DESIRABLE AS AUSTIN. 
          UM, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR US. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN WE WILL ALSO BE, UH, COMPETING WITH AN ENTIRELY NEW COMPETITIVE SET. 
          SO WE'RE KIND OF JUMPING UP INTO IN THE NEXT TIER OF CONVENTION CENTERS IN THE BUSINESS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GO AFTER. 
          UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE SAN ANTONIO, UM, HERE IN OUR BACKYARD, UH, SEATTLE AND DENVER, WHO BOTH JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED EXPANSIONS OF THEIR OWN. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, UM, THIS HAS BECOME MY NEW FAVORITE SLIDE BECAUSE IT KIND OF GIVES YOU ALL THE INFORMATION YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW IN ONE PAGE ABOUT THIS PROJECT. 
          UM, SO WE ARE GROWING FROM 365,000 SQUARE FEET, UH, TO 620,000 SQUARE FEET WITH THE ABILITY TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 140,000 SQUARE FEET IN THE FUTURE. 
          OUR TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET IS 1.6 BILLION. 
          UM, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT A $5.6 BILLION NUMBER, BUT THAT IS NOT THE PROJECT BUDGET. 
          UM, IT IS SIMPLY WHAT WE CALL PLEDGED REVENUES. 
          AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WHEN WE GO TO ISSUE OUR DEBT, IT'S THE SAME AS WHEN YOU GO TAKE A MORTGAGE, YOU GO TO THE LENDER AND YOU SAY, I MAKE X AMOUNT, SO THEREFORE I'M ABLE TO AFFORD THIS HOUSE. 
          AND THAT'S, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT $5.6 BILLION NUMBER IS. 
          PROJECT BUDGET IS 1.66. 
          WE HAVE HELD TO THAT. 
          IT WILL NOT CHANGE BECAUSE THERE IS NO MORE MONEY. 
          WE ARE NOT FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES. 
          WE DO NOT GET IT FROM ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          IT COMES SOLELY FROM THOSE FUNDING SOURCES YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM IN THE CORNER THERE. 
          AND THAT'S ALL IT CAN BE. 
          SO 1.6 BILLION. 
          UM, OUR FUNDING SOURCE IS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. 
          SO IT IS THE 2% THAT COUNCIL RAISED IN, UM, 2019. 
          IT'S ALSO THE FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY THAT WE COLLECT, UM, AS WELL AS CONVENTION CENTER REVENUES THAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF SQUIRRELING AWAY FOR THE LAST DECADE WHILE WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR THIS. 
          UM, AND THEN WE ARE ALSO THE RECIPIENT OF WHAT'S KNOWN AS A PROJECT FINANCING ZONE. 
          UM, THIS WAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL THAT WE BECAME ELIGIBLE IN THE LAST SESSION THANKS TO MAYOR WATSON. 
          UM, THAT ALLOWS US TO ESSENTIALLY TAKE THE INCREMENTAL SHARE OF THE STATE'S PORTION OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, SALES TAX AND MIXED BEVERAGE TAX FROM THE HOTELS AND ASSOCIATED BUSINESSES WITHIN A THREE MILE RADIUS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          IT'S A TOOL THAT'S BEING USED BY A LOT OF OTHER CITIES. 
          I KNOW DALLAS IS USING IT AS IS HOUSTON. 
          UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE ELIGIBLE AND, AND GOT THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT 'CAUSE THAT THAT'S REALLY HELPING. 
          SO OUR ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT UPON REOPENING, OUR TOTAL WILL BE ABOUT 750 MILLION. 
          THIS EXPANSION'S GONNA BE AT ABOUT 285. 
          UM, SO PREVIOUSLY WE WERE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 500 MILLION, UH, MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT. 
          IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY OUR SITE, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THAT WE ARE SHUT DOWN. 
          UH, WE SHUT DOWN IN APRIL OF 2025 AND THEY BECAME QUICKLY THEREAFTER TEARING IT DOWN. 
          UM, WE ARE IN FULL EXCAVATION AND CONSTRUCTION MODE, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES. 
          SO I'M GONNA HOLD OFF TALKING ABOUT THAT TILL I GET TO THAT PART OF THE SLIDE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THESE ARE OUR PARTNERS. 
          WE ALWAYS LIKE TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT. 
          UM, CERTAINLY ACME DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, THEY'RE AT THE BOTTOM, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE AT THE TOP OF OUR HEARTS. 
          UM, IT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED, BUT THE JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN JE DUNN AND TURNER, IT'S BEING DESIGNED. 
          UH, ALSO A JOINT VENTURE ELEMENT AND PAGE ELEMENT IS 
          [01:50:01]
OUT OF SEATTLE, AND PAGE IS RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT. 
          UH, WE'RE BEING GUIDED BY CONVENTIONAL WISDOM. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN OUR EXECUTIVE ADVISORS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. 
          UM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CONVENTION CENTER PROBABLY IN THE WORLD. 
          AND THEN OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT, UM, IS BEING LED BY CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES IN-HOUSE AND THEN AUGMENTED WITH PROJECT CONTROL, WHICH IS A FIRM OUT OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED DEMOLITION. 
          THEY'RE REMOVING THE LAST OF THE LITTLE PIERS, SO I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SAY WE'RE OFFICIALLY DONE, BUT, UH, WE'RE 99.99% DONE WITH DEMOLITION . 
          UM, WE ARE EXCAVATING, WE ARE, AS OF LAST I HEARD, WE ARE ABOUT 45% DONE WITH THE EXCAVATION. 
          SO WE'RE DIGGING DOWN ABOUT 50 FEET ALL THE WAY AROUND THE, THE SITE, OUR SIX CITY BLOCKS. 
          UM, WE'VE BOTTOMED OUT ON ONE CORNER OF THE SITE, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. 
          UM, AND THEN WE ARE ALSO IN CONSTRUCTION. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING WHAT'S KNOWN AS A DIAPHRAGM WALL, AND THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT HOLDS BACK THE WATER TABLE. 
          BUT, UH, WE'LL ALSO FORM, UH, OR PART OF IT WILL FORM THE, UM, THE WALLS OF OUR NEW EXHIBIT HALLS UNDERGROUND. 
          SO WE'RE LAYING THE FOUNDATION ALREADY WHILE WE CONTINUE TO EXCAVATE, WHICH IS PRETTY FUN. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO PROJECT GOALS, AND I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. 
          I KNOW MY PRESENTATION'S QUITE LONG. 
          UM, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO WHEN COUNCIL, UM, COUNCIL PASSED THIS RESOLUTION IN 2021, AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE OUT OF A NEW CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UM, AND SO WE KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE BIG PIECES THAT OUR DESIGN TEAM HAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS THEY'VE BEEN DOING THEIR WORK. 
          UM, SO THEY REALLY WANTED A CIVIC BUILDING THAT DRAWS IN AUSTIN EIGHTS AS WELL AS VISITORS. 
          SO A BUILDING THAT ISN'T JUST FOR PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE WANT TO GO AND EXPERIENCE, UM, A WORLD-CLASS DESIGN, A LANDMARK OF GREAT DISTINCTION. 
          UM, AND I THINK OUR DESIGN OF OUR BUILDING HAS REALLY, HAS REALLY REFLECTED THAT AND THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          KIND OF GOING BACK TO THIS IDEA OF UNIQUELY AUSTIN. 
          THESE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT OUR DESIGN TEAM CAME UP WITH WHEN THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT AUSTIN AND ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HOW THEY WANTED IT TO FEEL AND JUST KIND OF THEIR, IT'S THEIR VIEW OF, OF REALLY WHAT AUSTIN IS. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE REALLY PROUD ABOUT. 
          WE ARE, UM, AIMING TO BE THE FIRST ZERO CARBON CERTIFIED CONVENTION CENTER IN THE WORLD, UM, WHICH IS REALLY FANTASTIC. 
          WE ARE CREATING A NEW LOW CARBON CONCRETE FOR THE PROJECT, UM, WHICH WILL THEN HOPEFULLY BE USED IN OTHER BIG BUILDINGS HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          SO WE'RE CREATING A NEW MARKET FOR THAT. 
          WE HAVE A REALLY LARGE MASS TIMBER PROGRAM THAT YOU'LL SEE IN SOME OF THE PICTURES THAT I'M SHOWING, UM, OUR ALL ELECTRIC KITCHEN. 
          UH, SO THEY'VE DONE A REALLY FANTASTIC JOB AND A BIG PIECE OF THAT, UH, IS ALSO DUE TO THE RECYCLING THAT WE'VE DONE ON THE PROJECT AS WELL. 
          I THINK WE'VE RECYCLED ABOUT 75% OF THE BUILDING SO FAR, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, I THINK MORGAN AGAIN TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER. 
          THESE ARE OUR 10 ARTISTS FOR OUR FIRST PHASE, UM, THAT WE ARE DOING. 
          IT'S CALLED ARCHITECTURALLY INTEGRATED ARTWORK. 
          UM, AND SO THEY ARE DOING ART THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE FACILITY WHEN YOU'RE WALKING AROUND IT. 
          UM, WE HAVE TAKEN OUR LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CLOSURE OF THE FACILITY AND ARE ENSURING THAT EACH OF THESE ARTWORKS, IF THEY EVER NEED TO BE, CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE BUILDING. 
          UM, AND SO WE, WE LEARNED A LOT IN THAT PROCESS. 
          UM, IT IS ALMOST $18 MILLION AND IT'S CURRENTLY UNTIL THE AIRPORT TAKES US OVER, WE ARE THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC ART TO DATE. 
          SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT AND WE'RE GONNA HANG ONTO IT AS LONG AS WE CAN , UH, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN SECOND ROUND OF A MORE TRADITIONAL PROCUREMENT, UM, IN PROBABLY IN ABOUT A YEAR. 
          SO I, WE, I MIGHT HAVE HEARD WE'RE STARTING ALREADY, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO A MORE TRADITIONAL ROUND, UM, HERE AS WELL. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THE SITE REALLY FAST. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          JUST TO ORIENT YOU TO WHERE WE ARE. 
          UM, CESAR CHAVEZ, DOWN AT THE SOUTH CORNER, WE'VE GOT THIRD STREET AND THEN FOURTH STREET UP THERE. 
          THAT RED BOX IS OUR BALLROOM. 
          UM, AND THEN THAT TEAL BOX IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS WHERE THE, THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS, IS OUR FLEX HALL, UM, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE AN EXHIBIT HALL. 
          AND THEN WE'VE GOT MEETING ROOMS AND EVERYTHING KIND OF STACKED AROUND IT. 
          WE HAVE AN OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE UP AT THE TOP. 
          UM, AND THEN WE'RE CALLING THAT WHITE, THAT WHITE SQUARE AFFECTIONATELY THE WAREHOUSE. 
          THAT'S WHERE OUR TRUCKS ENTER IN FOR THE LOADING DOCK. 
          BUT, UM, IT WILL BE THE NICEST WAREHOUSE THAT YOU'VE EVER SEEN. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN YOU CAN SEE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING FOR THAT FOR OUR SECOND, FOR THE NEXT EXPANSION AS WELL, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO KIND OF STARTING AT THE TOP AND WORKING OUR WAY SOUTH. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO NOW WE ARE KIND OF IN THE SKY ON FOURTH STREET, LOOKING BACK TOWARD THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UM, THIRD STREET IS GONNA BE THE NEW FRONT DOOR. 
          WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING THIRD STREET ENTIRELY, SO IT'LL BE MULTIMODAL. 
          [01:55:01]
UM, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO GONNA KEEP IT A PRIVATE STREET SO THAT IF WE WANNA SHUT IT DOWN FOR FESTIVALS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN DO THAT VERY EASILY. 
          UM, THERE'LL BE A COVERED WALKWAY FROM NICHES, WHICH WE'VE ALSO RECONSTRUCTED, DIDN'T USED TO EXIST. 
          UM, AND THEN YOU, YOU CAN SEE THE OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE AS WELL. 
          UM, AND I DO WANNA PREFACE THAT THE PICTURE I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU IS A LITTLE OUT OF DATE. 
          WE HAVE, WE'RE WORKING ON NEW RENDERINGS, AND SO WE HOPE TO DROP THOSE SOON. 
          AND ONCE WE HAVE THEM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION GETS THEM AS WELL. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO THIS IS JUST A VIEW FROM THE PLAZA LOOKING IN, LOOKING BACK TOWARD THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING A TENT FOR THIS AND WE'RE SETTING IT UP SO IT CAN BE RENTED. 
          AND THEN ALSO ONE OF THE OTHER EXCITING INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE KIND OF LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND GATHERING FEEDBACK FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, IS WE'RE WORKING ON, WE DON'T HAVE A TITLE FOR IT YET, BUT WHAT OUR, UM, RENTAL PROGRAM WILL BE FOR COMMUNITY. 
          SO WHEN THIS ISN'T BEING RENTED BY OUR CLIENTS, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE? UM, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          WE HAVE A NEW STAFF MEMBER ON BOARD WHO'S, WHO'S GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT FOR US AS WELL. 
          UM, AND I'LL JUST SAY THE SIDE OF THAT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT NOW, BUT ALSO THOSE ARE NOT LEDS, THOSE ARE BANNERS EVEN THOUGH THEY LOOK LIKE LEDS. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          OKAY, SO THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS AGAIN, IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS, IT'S WHERE THE REGISTRATION, IT'S WHERE ALL THE MEETING A LOT OF THE MEETING ROOMS ARE. 
          UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN THAT CUT THAT THE EXHIBIT HALL IS UNDERGROUND COMPLETELY. 
          SO THEY, IT SPANS THE FULL SIX CITY BLOCKS THAT WE HAVE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THIS IS A VIEW FROM, UH, TRINITY IN SECOND. 
          SO WE'VE ALSO RECONSTRUCTED SECOND STREET TO BE A PEDESTRIAN, UM, WALKWAY. 
          UM, AND YOU CAN SEE A BIT OF OUR PUBLIC ART RIGHT THERE. 
          THAT'S JUST A, IT'S, IT'S A RENDERING. 
          IT'S NOT WHAT, WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA LOOK LIKE. 
          IT'S JUST A PLACEHOLDER. 
          YOU CAN SEE OUR MASS TIMBER PROGRAM UP THERE AT THE TOP. 
          AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S GONNA INTERACT ON THE GROUND LEVEL WITH THE NEW PROJECT CONNECT TRAIN. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE GOT SOME RETAIL ON THE, IN THE CORNERS AS WELL. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO NOW WE'VE KIND OF JUMPED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE POEO AND WE ARE OVER ON RED RIVER IN SECOND. 
          KIND OF LOOKING BACK TOWARD THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE THE DESIGN HAS REALLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WATERLOO GREENWAY, WHICH IS JUST BELOW US. 
          SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT SOFTER ON THIS SIDE. 
          UM, A LOT MORE GREENERY. 
          WE'RE JUST TRYING TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THAT, UM, LESS URBAN FEEL TO IT ON, ON THIS SIDE AS WELL. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO THIS IS KIND OF OUR HERO IMAGE. 
          THIS IS OUR BALLROOM HERE AT THE BOTTOM. 
          UM, IT'S THE, IT'S INSPIRED BY A TEXAS DANCE HALL, WHICH WE'RE REALLY PROUD ABOUT. 
          AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS OUR DESIGNERS NOTICED AS THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS THAT WE HAVE THREE CIVIC BUILDINGS ON CESAR CHAVEZ. 
          YOU HAVE THIS NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY, YOU HAVE CITY HALL, AND THEN NOW YOU HAVE THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          AND SO WHEN THEY WERE DESIGNING THE BALLROOM HERE, THEY TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT SO THAT YOU, THEY ALL KIND OF, AND SO THEY, THE MATERIALITY AND EVERYTHING, THE FEEL OF IT COMES FROM THOSE TWO OTHER BUILDINGS, UM, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY COOL FEATURE. 
          YOU CAN SEE OUR WIDE FRONT PORCH THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO WANDER ALL THE WAY THROUGH. 
          YOU SEE THAT MEANDERING PATHWAY THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE SITE AS WELL, THAT WILL ALWAYS BE OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH, UM, IN CASE THE PORCH IS RENTED BY AN EVENT. 
          UM, BUT YOU JUST SEE HOW WE'RE BRINGING BACK A LOT MORE OF THE GREENERY AND THE LUSHNESS THAT, UM, REALLY DIDN'T EXIST WITH THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO CONSTRUCTION UPDATES, THESE ARE THE FUN ONES. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO AS I SAID, DEMOLITION, UH, IS COMPLETE. 
          THEY'RE 99.99999% COMPLETE. 
          UM, THIS IS THE PICTURE FROM WHEN THEY TOOK DOWN THE FINAL TRUSSES. 
          UM, BACK IN OCTOBER. 
          WE GOT TO BE ON SITE FOR IT. 
          IT WAS VERY, VERY COOL. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          I MENTIONED EXCAVATION, SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE. 
          AND IF IT'S HARD TO SEE THE, THE TRUCK IN THE MIDDLE OR THE, UH, GROUND MOVER THERE IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 20 FEET TALL. 
          SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF SCALE OF LIKE HOW DEEP WE ARE ON THE SITE ALREADY, UM, WE'VE REMOVED SOMETHING LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF 20 BARTON SPRINGS OF DIRT FROM THE SITE. 
          UM, AND WE'RE SENDING SOME OF THE DIRT OUT TO DELL VALLEY TO GO HELP BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL OUT THERE, WHICH WAS PRETTY COOL. 
          SO WE'RE KIND OF GIVING BACK TO THE, WE'RE GIVING BACK TO THE, TO THE NEIGHBORS. 
          UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ABOUT 45% COMPLETE WITH THAT RIGHT NOW. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE DIAPHRAGM WALLS HERE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE BUILDING. 
          UM, THE, THAT'S PROBABLY ALSO ABOUT 20 FEET HIGH I WOULD SAY. 
          UM, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING PROCESS OF HOW THEY DO IT. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND SO WE'RE BOOKING, UM, WE ARE, OUR VISIT AUSTIN TEAM IS OUT THERE, UM, WORKING REALLY HARD. 
          WE WERE JUST UP IN PCMA, 
          [02:00:01]
WHICH IS OUR KIND OF INDUSTRY SUPER BOWL. 
          IT'S WHERE ALL THE MEETING PLANNERS GO. 
          IT'S WHERE ALL THE CONVENTION CENTERS GO. 
          AND OUR BOOTH WAS PACKED. 
          EVERYBODY WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT AND THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UM, WE HAVE BOOKED, I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT, UH, 70 SOMETHING EVENTS THAT ARE EITHER DEFINITE OR TENTATIVE FOR THE NEW BUILDING ALREADY BETWEEN 2029 AND 2039, 40% OF THOSE THAT WE'VE BOOKED WOULD NOT HAVE FIT IN THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER, UM, WHICH IS REALLY FANTASTIC AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          AND SEVERAL OF THEM ARE DOING MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS. 
          UM, SO THEY'RE JUST TRUSTING US OUT THE GATE THAT WE'RE GONNA DO A GREAT JOB AND THEY WANT TO KEEP COMING BACK, WHICH WE LOVE. 
          UM, SO THAT'S OUR, THAT'S, THAT MIGHT BE ALL MY SLIDES. 
          UM, BUT THE GOAL OF IT IS THAT WE WILL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE LARGER EVENTS, WE'LL HAVE MULTIPLE EVENTS AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT WE'RE REDUCING SOME OF THOSE DARK DAYS WHERE THE CONVENTION CENTER SITS EMPTY SO THAT WHILE WE'VE GOT AN EVENT MOVING IN EVENT IS GOING ON, AN EVENT MIGHT BE MOVING OUT WHILE AN EVENT'S GOING ON, THAT KIND OF THING. 
          AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF LAYER THAT BUSINESS IN THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO BEFORE. 
          AND THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE MORE SHOTS. 
          I THINK THERE MIGHT BE LIKE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES IN THERE. 
          THIS IS ON YOUR, ON THE EO THERE AND THEN OUR HERO SHOT AS WELL. 
          AND SO I THINK NOW WE'RE GOOD FOR QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU DIRECTORS FOR THE, UH, DETAILED PRESENTATION. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          HI, UM, THAT WAS QUITE A PRESENTATION. 
          UM, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, PARDON ME, HOW YOU ARRIVED AT YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT NUMBER AND ASK YOU TO REPEAT THAT PLEASE. 
          'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE IT ON THE SCREEN. 
          YEP. 
          UH, SO THE ANNUAL ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT, UM, IS 750 MILLION. 
          AND SO THAT'S THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER PLUS THE EXPANSION. 
          AND THAT WAS DONE BY OUR CONSULTANTS HVS. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REPORT THAT KIND OF WALKS THROUGH THE METHODOLOGY OF ALL OF THAT. 
          I'M HAPPY TO GET THAT OVER TO YOU. 
          IT'S A VERY PUBLIC ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT WE CAN GET THE LINK TO YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN, UM, QUICK QUESTION, DO DO YOU KNOW, LIKE IN 2024, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY PEOPLE VISITED AUSTIN VERSUS HOW MANY PEOPLE VISITED THE CONVENTION CENTER? UH, I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. 
          WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS IT THAT IS, UM, WE HEAR A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT 1% OF VISITORS AND ALL THAT KIND OF, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          I, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THE CONVENTION CENTER'S MAIN ROLE IS THAT MIDWEEK BUSINESS, RIGHT? SO LEISURE TRAVEL, PEOPLE ARE COMING IN TO STAY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT STAYING IN HOTELS. 
          CONVENTION CENTERS ARE THERE TO FILL THAT MIDWEEK TO GET PEOPLE INTO THOSE RESTAURANTS DURING MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, WHEN LEISURE TRAVEL ISN'T THERE. 
          UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT OUR BIG MISSION IS. 
          AND SO THAT, THAT'S A BIG FOCUS OF, OF WHAT CONVENTION CENTERS DO AND ARE. 
          UM, SO, BUT I DON'T HAVE THOSE EXACT NUMBERS. 
          WE CAN WORK ON TRYING TO GET THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND, AND JUST ONE MORE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THE, THE, THE CONNECTION I GUESS BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY EARNED. 
          UM, UH, I GOOGLED WHILE YOU WERE TALKING, UH, ON MY COMPUTER. 
          I'M CAN DO THAT. 
          UM, SO IN, IN 20 20, 24, UH, THERE WERE, IT SAID THERE WERE 300,000 PEOPLE THAT CAME THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU? I WENT TO THE FULLEST YEAR BEFORE THINGS STARTED GETTING WHACKED OUT. 
          SO YEAH, I WOULD NEED, I'D NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK. 
          THAT'S THE OTHER, THAT'S THE OTHER REALLY FUN THING ABOUT, UM, RELYING ON SOME OF THESE NUMBERS IS THAT THEY COME FROM THE EVENTS. 
          SO WE DON'T, WE CAN'T REALLY VERIFY AND A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN'T GET THE NUMBERS FROM THE EVENTS. 
          AND SO THEY'RE, IT'S A, IT'S NOT A RELIABLE METRIC FOR US IN TERMS OF OUR SUCCESS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          WE AS OKAY, BUT WHAT, SORRY, WHAT DID YOU, WHAT DID, WHAT DID THE CONVENTION CENTER EARN IN 2024? THAT'S A NUMBER YOU DO KNOW RIGHT? YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT THE REVENUE WAS THAT WAS GENERATED BY THE CONVENTION CENTER? YES. 
          YEAH, WE DO HAVE THAT. 
          I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          I, I WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET, AGAIN, 62 MILLION PEOPLE VISITED AUSTIN IN 2024 AND ONLY 300,000 WENT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH MEANS THAT 61.7 MILLION PEOPLE CAME TO AUSTIN BUT DID NOT GO TO THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED A BIGGER I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING WE CAN GET DIFFERENT THINGS AND MORE MIDWEEK. 
          I GET THAT AND I'M REALLY HOPE THAT YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL, UM, INCREASE THE HOT TAXES. 
          I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THE GIANT COST OF THE CONVENTION CENTER MAY DRAIN HOT MORE THAN HELP IT. 
          THAT'S MY CONCERN. 
          UM, BECAUSE THIS SEEMS GIANTLY FANCY FOR OUR TOWN AND I, WHILE YOU DID STATE THAT WE HAVE THE, WHAT DID YOU SAY? THE 13TH LARGEST, OH NO, WE'RE THE 13TH LARGEST CITY. 
          BUT WE HAVE THE 61ST LARGEST CONVENTION CENTER. 
          [02:05:01]
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LAS VEGAS FALLS ON THERE, BUT I'M SURE THEY HAVE ONE OF THE BIGGER CONVENTION CENTERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT SUCH A BIG CITY. 
          BUT THAT'S LAS VEGAS. 
          LIKE WE'RE NOT LAS VEGAS. 
          SO IN FACT, WE'RE KIND OF THE ANTI LAS VEGAS IN MANY WAYS. 
          AND SO SOME OF US WHO WHO ARE LOOKING TO HOT FUNDS FOR ART ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS BEHEMOTH PROJECT THAT WILL APPARENTLY KEEP THE LOCAL ARTS GROUPS OUTDOORS. 
          IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK I SAID THAT. 
          I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          YOU WERE SHOWING US A PICTURE OF THE PLAZA AND YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A PLAN FOR THERE TO BE A TENT AND THAT THE LOCAL ARTS GROUPS WILL BE ALLOWED TO APPLY TO USE IT. 
          DO YOU JUST MEAN THE OUTDOOR SPACE OR WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE ALLOWED TO USE THE EMPTY INDOOR SPACE AS IT'S AVAILABLE. 
          THAT WOULD BE SUPER, I'M TOTALLY READY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT IF YOU WANNA GIVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE DISCOUNTED OR FREE REHEARSAL SPACE WHEN THE ROOMS ARE EMPTY. 
          SO WE GOOD COFFEE. 
          YEAH. 
          WE'VE SET ASIDE AND DESIGN MEETING ROOMS, UM, THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY, UM, GEARED TOWARD BEING ABLE TO BE RENTED BY THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY ARE NOT, UM, BEING RENTED BY THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          SO WE HAVE THE OUTDOOR SPACE AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SOME MEETING SPACE. 
          I THINK IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF WHAT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY HAS, UM, IN THEIR, IN THEIR MEETING, MAIN MEETING ROOM AREA. 
          I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. 
          SO YES, WE ARE WORKING ON HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR SPACES MORE AVAILABLE BECAUSE THAT WAS FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IN THE PAST THAT IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN. 
          NOW. 
          THERE ARE, YEAH, THERE ARE COMPONENTS AROUND THAT BECAUSE THE LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON HOTEL TAX ARE VERY CLEAR AS TO WHEN WE ARE ISSUING DEBT. 
          IF IT, IF IT'S MORE THAN, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THOSE SPACES ARE NOT RENTED BY EVENTS, BY HOTEL TAX GENERATING EVENTS. 
          HMM. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE STILL IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY ON HOW BEST WE CAN GET THAT AND DEPLOY THAT. 
          'CAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY NECESSARILY IN OUR WHEELHOUSE. 
          COOL. 
          I THINK THAT DEFINITELY, ESPECIALLY, UH, ARTISTS AND ART PROJECTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY FUNDED BY HOT FUNDS WOULD, WOULD DEFINITELY QUALIFY. 
          SO THAT'S SUPER. 
          UM, SO DID YOU SAY THERE'S ONE ROOM AND IT'S THE SIZE OF THE LIBRARY MEETING ROOM? THAT WOULD BE, YEP. 
          THERE'S TWO OF THEM AND THEY CAN BE SUBDIVIDED IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS. 
          OKAY. 
          AND HOW ABOUT THE PRICING OF THOSE? HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED THAT OR IS THAT ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT UNTIL SO EXPENSIVE? WE'RE STILL IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF EVERYTHING. 
          YEP. 
          SO WE NEED TO DO A FULL KIND OF WORK ON IT. 
          OKAY. 
          I'D LOVE TO VOLUNTEER TO BE ON YOUR COMMITTEE FOR THAT. 
          AND I'M SORRY IF I SEEM AGGRESSIVE AND I CAN'T EVEN SEE YOUR FACE AT ALL BECAUSE OUR LITTLE VIEW LOOK LIKE A VERY DISTANT PERSON IN WITH THE BACK TO ME. 
          SO, SORRY IF I SEEM, UH, AGGRESSIVE, BUT THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND, UM, I I JUST WANNA SAY UPFRONT HERE, UM, YOU GUYS WANNA HAVE A BIG WIN WITH OUR AUSTIN ARTISTS OFFER $10 AN HOUR REHEARSAL SPACE AND YOU WILL HAVE US ALL BEHIND YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          SOUNDS GOOD. 
          AND I WANNA REASSURE YOU THAT THE, THE FUNDING THAT IS FOR CULTURAL ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS NOT TIED TO ANYTHING RELATED TO OUR PROJECT. 
          WE ARE NOT DEBT FUNDING. 
          THAT IS NOT A PLEDGE OF REVENUE FOR ANYTHING. 
          THAT MONEY IS COMPLETELY DISCREET AND SEPARATE. 
          AND SO WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER COMES BACK, AND SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, 1.6 BILLION, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. 
          THAT MONEY IS NOT BEING, THE, THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING DOES NOT TOUCH THAT PLEDGED REVENUE. 
          SO AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THAT $5.6 BILLION NUMBER, THAT WAS NOT, THAT DID NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE HOT TAX, IT JUST INCLUDED WHAT WE ARE PLEDGING TO THE DEBT SERVICE TO PAY FOR THIS CONVENTION CENTER. 
          SO THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING WILL BE, IT, IT, IT IS SECURE. 
          IT CANNOT BE TAKEN TO BE USED FOR OUR PROJECT. 
          AND I WANNA JUST MAKE THAT VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT TOUCHING THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING. 
          WE CAN'T LEGALLY DO IT AND IT WILL NOT BE A PLEDGE OF REVENUE. 
          SO I WANT TO JUST REASSURE YOU ON THAT FACT. 
          I WANNA, I WANNA GO TO LUNCH WITH YOU BECAUSE I HAVE SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO ACTIVATE YOUR SPACE WHEN IT'S EMPTY AND, UH, UH, HUGE STRONG IDEAS THAT ARE GIANT TOURIST DRIVERS. 
          SO LET'S GO TO LUNCH. 
          OKAY. 
          SOUNDS GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          COMMISSIONER SCHMO. 
          HI. 
          IS THERE A PROJECTION OF, WELL, HOW LONG IS THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN TO TAKE? HOW LONG WILL THE CONVENTION CENTER BE CLOSED AND ARE THERE PROJECTIONS ON WHAT THE CLOSURE IS EXPECTED TO DO TO THE HO HOTEL OCC OCCUPANCY TAX YEP. 
          WHILE IT IS CLOSED? YEP. 
          SO WE UM, SHOULD RECEIVE OUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IN DECEMBER OF 2028. 
          WHAT WE'RE JUST KIND OF REALLY SAYING IS WE WILL BE OPEN IN TIME FOR SOUTH BY, OR THE SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON IN 2029 AND 
          [02:10:01]
JUST TO GIVE OKAY. 
          GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM. 
          UM, WE DID DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE HOTEL TAX PRIOR TO CLOSURE AND WE WERE ESTIMATING THAT IT WAS JUST GONNA BE A, A BIG SLOWDOWN IN THE GROWTH FOR THOSE, FOR THAT THREE YEAR PERIOD WHILE WE WERE UNDER CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE DO AFFECT IT QUITE A BIT. 
          UM, WE DID NOT KIND OF EXPECT HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT WE'RE HAVING ON THE HOTEL TAX. 
          IT'S BEING MASKED A LITTLE BIT BY THE STR COLLECTIONS, WHICH WERE NOT SOMETHING WE CONTEMPLATED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SOMETHING THAT WERE, THAT WAS, WAS HAPPENING WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S A FAIRLY NEW EFFORT. 
          UM, SO SDR COLLECTIONS HAVE REALLY CREATED A BUMP. 
          UM, SO IT KIND OF, WE'VE REMAINED FLAT FOR THE MOST PART WITH THE HOTEL TAX COLLECTIONS, WHICH IS GREAT AND FANTASTIC. 
          UM, BUT WHEN YOU NET IT OUT, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY, IT'S A DECENT DROP THAT, UM, FROM THE CLOSURE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, BUT YOU KNOW, OUR VISIT AUSTIN TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE HOTELS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO BOOK MINI WIDES. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WAS MENTIONING ALL OF THE UNIQUE SPACES WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE INTERIM, THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF RETHINK AND REIMAGINE THE VENUES THAT WE HAVE. 
          UM, YOU JUST UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT FULLY REPLACE WHAT A CONVENTION CENTER DOES AND WHAT THE ABILITY TO HAVE ALL OF THAT MEETING AND EXI AN EXHIBIT HALL SPACE IN ONE PLACE. 
          UM, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE ASKED FOR. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WAS PROJECTIONS ABOUT HOT, LIKE PROBABLY 15 TIMES HAVE ASKED TO SEE THIS. 
          AND NOW WE'RE IN A MOMENT WHERE THE CONVENTION CENTER'S CLOSED AND WE COULD BE OBSERVING. 
          AND WE'VE SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT IT. 
          IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE UNIFORM COLLECTION OF HOT FROM STR IS MASKING THE DIP. 
          'CAUSE TO US IT JUST, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH OF AN IMPACT. 
          AND SO WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT AND SEE IT SEEMS LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER'S BEEN CLOSE, IT'S APRIL AND THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A REALLY BIG IMPACT ON THE HOT IT CALLS INTO QUESTION LIKE WHY THE CONVENTION CENTER GETS SUCH A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE HOT. 
          AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY, 'CAUSE IT, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR JOB IS TO BE A BOOSTER FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER AND LIKE THE DESIGN LOOKS NICE AND WE CAN ALL ARGUE ABOUT WHETHER CONVENTION CENTERS ARE WORTH A WORTHWHILE PUBLIC INVESTMENT. 
          I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF COMING TO THE ARTS COMMISSION. 
          LIKE I THINK WE CAN GET MORE INTO THE NITTY GRITTY. 
          I FEEL OFFENDED ALMOST AT ACME'S SORT OF TAT SIGNING OFF ON THIS AND THE DIRECTIONALITY OF SOME OF THOSE SLIDES THAT WERE UP ABOUT BASICALLY LIKE WE, THE ARTS AND ARTS AND CULTURE ECOSYSTEM IS LIKE A BENEFICIARY OF THE CONVENTION TOURISM. 
          LIKE I DON'T, LIKE THAT SHOULD NOT BE PRESENTED THAT WAY. 
          I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT ARTS AND CULTURE ARE DRIVING TOURISM IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN FAR ARE MORE THAN CONVENTIONS OF DRIVING TOURISM. 
          AND IT, IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE ADVOCACY FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER ON BEHALF OF ACME TO CO-PRESENT THIS WAY. 
          UM, I I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION SO VERY MANY TIMES ABOUT HOW THE SYSTEM AND YEAH, WE ALL KNOW THE WAY HA IS SET UP AND THE STATE RULES AROUND IT. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SUGGESTED THAT SOME OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, HAS A LITTLE BIT OF MISINFORMATION IN IT. 
          BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THE ACTUAL IMPACT THAT THE CLOSURE OF HOT HAS ON THE TOURISM DOLLARS BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CENTER GETS SUCH A MASSIVE PORTION. 
          AND THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED WAS LIKE, IF THE CONVENTION CENTER GETS SHUT DOWN, WHICH YOU DIDN'T GIVE ANY CONTEXT TO THAT EITHER, IT WOULD BE HORRIBLE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE AND JUST THAT MESSAGING COMING FROM OUR ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT IS, IS A LITTLE SCARY. 
          I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR A BAZILLION TIMES ABOUT THE PROJECTIONS OF HOT AND HOW, AND SPECIFICALLY HOW A DIP IS POTENTIALLY BEING MASKED BY, UM, STRS BECAUSE WE JUST, THAT SEEMS LIKE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR OR CITY STAFF AND FOR ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS THAT DEAL WITH THESE, THESE INDUSTRIES. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. 
          UM, ANY COMMENTS? UM, UH, KIND OF, KIND OF, UM, TAGGING ALONG TO WHAT COMMISSIONER WAS SAYING, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT MODEL, UM, DOES ACME HAVE OR WOULD ACME HAVE WITH THIS CONVENTION CENTER BUILT OUT, UM, IN DEVELOPING SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND AMENITIES FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE AND MUSIC SPACE, UH, IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INTENTIONALITY OF, UH, YES, OF COURSE EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE TIED TO TOURISM WHEN 
          [02:15:01]
WE ARE USING HOT DOLLARS. 
          UH, BUT ALSO I SAW NOTES AROUND HOW, UH, WE WANT ASTRONAUTS TO FEEL LIKE THEY ALSO BELONG AND THEY, UH, IT'S THEIR SPACE. 
          BE PROUD OF THE SPACE. 
          UM, WHAT WILL BE THE ENGAGEMENT MODEL OR WHAT IS ALREADY THE ENGAGEMENT MODEL TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS ON HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE LOCAL ARTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MUSIC COMMUNITIES. 
          YEAH, LIKE I SAID, WE JUST GOT OUR STAFF PERSON ON BOARD WHO'S BEEN THE ONE KIND OF TASKED WITH SETTING ALL OF THAT UP. 
          AND SO I THINK, I DON'T, I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE GETTING HER IN FRONT OF EITHER THE WHOLE GROUP OR A SMALL SUBSECTION OF IT TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SEE. 
          UM, AND YOU KNOW, BUT SHE NEEDS SOME TIME TO KIND OF GET THE LAY OF THE LAND OF WHAT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE BACKGROUND OF ALL OF THIS COULD BE, WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHERE IT'S MAYBE INFECTIVE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, THAT KIND OF THING. 
          SO, BUT I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT HER WITH YOU GUYS TO START TALKING AT, TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          GREAT. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER SCHMO? YEAH, UM, WE DID DO, JUST SPEAKING TO THAT, THERE WAS, UM, THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION JOINT OR ISSUES WORKING GROUP IN LIKE 2024, I THINK PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY EXTENSIVE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WERE ASKED FOR FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER PLANNING FOLKS, UM, ABOUT PUBLIC BENEFIT TO ART AND ARTISTS. 
          SO, UM, JUST CALLING ATTENTION TO THAT ALREADY EXISTING, UM, WHICH HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM, YOU KNOW, BOTH MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSIONERS. 
          GREAT. 
          I THINK I REMEMBER THAT REPORT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY, UM, UH, ACTUALLY, LET ME YIELD TO YOU COMMISSIONER, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND MAKING THIS PRESENTATION. 
          UM, I, I GUESS I JUST WANNA ITERATE THE, THE NEED FOR LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS. 
          UM, I KNOW DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT KEEPING THE COMMUNITY INFORMED EITHER WAY IS, IS GOOD FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BEING ABLE TO TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY BUT WORK TOWARDS IT. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, FROM THE COMMENT, LIKE IF YOU WERE HERE EARLIER WHEN, I THINK IT WAS JESSICA, OUR JET WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE HIDEOUT THEATER, RIGHT? LIKE, HOW CAN WE MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WORK FOR EVERYONE WHERE THEY HAVE LOST THEIR SPACE AND THEIR FUNDING ISN'T WORKING AND WE HAVE A LARGE BEAUTIFUL SPACE. 
          AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU AND SHARON HAVE, RIGHT? AND I KNOW I'M PROBABLY THROWING SOME PIPE DREAM STUFF UP THERE, BUT I, I'D LIKE TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE CAN MAKE THINGS WORK FOR ALL CONSTITUENTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REITERATING AGAIN, LIKE 80% OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX GOES TO TOWARDS THIS. 
          AND I THINK THE POINT THAT THE TWO SPEAKERS THAT GAVE COMMENTS MADE, RIGHT, THAT'S A LOT THAT THAT COULD BE GOING TOWARDS FUNDING OUR ARTISTS. 
          AND, AND OF COURSE YOU'VE COME TO THIS COMMISSION TO SHARE AND WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE ARTISTS AND THE COMMUNITY AS YOU CAN TELL. 
          AND SO, UM, I THINK I'M JUST INVITING THE CONVERSATION WHERE WE CAN DO SOMETHING. 
          UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S THE INTENTION HERE WITH EVERYBODY. 
          AND SO MAYBE JUST SHARING IT WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SPIN, UM, TO, TO LET THAT CON CONVERSATION GO FORWARD. 
          AND SO, UM, REITERATING WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT ALSO I THINK MORGAN, ON YOUR SLIDES, THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT STOPPING THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          I'M CURIOUS WHERE THAT CAME FROM. 
          'CAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING FORWARD, . 
          YEAH. 
          UH, THOSE PHOTOS, IT WAS GONE RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? YEAH. 
          UM, MAY MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN OR MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T, UH, THERE'S BEEN JUST TALK IN THE COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, UM, PRETTY REGULAR CONVERSATION IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE AROUND WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S VALUE TO THIS REBUILD AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO STOP THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          UM, THERE WAS A COURT CASE RECENTLY WHERE, UM, A LOCAL GROUP WAS TRYING TO OVERTURN A DECISION AROUND A PETITION THAT WAS TRYING TO MOVE THE DECISION MAKING POWER TO AN UPCOMING, UH, ELECTION CYCLE MARCH OR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR. 
          UM, BUT ALL THAT TO SAY IT SPARKED A LOT OF INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS AT THE CITY AROUND HOW CAN WE HELP DISPEL, UM, WHAT WE SEE AS MISINFORMATION. 
          AND I THINK I EVEN HEARD YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING THE PERCENTAGE OF FUNDS THAT ARE GOING TO CONVENTION VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO. 
          AND I JUST WANNA REITERATE AGAIN, WE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS AT THE LEGAL CAP OF WHAT CAN POSSIBLY BE MOVED OVER 
          [02:20:01]
AT 30%. 
          YEAH. 
          AND SO, AS KATIE MENTIONED, UM, THE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH IS COMPLETELY DISTINCT FROM ANYTHING WE CAN EVEN POTENTIALLY USE TO FUND ARTS CULTURE, LIVE MUSIC HERITAGE. 
          LIKE, WE CAN'T TAP INTO THAT. 
          EVEN IF SHE WANTED TO GIVE US SOME, LIKE LEGALLY WE COULD NOT, WE ARE AT THE CAP. 
          THE ONLY WAY TO GET MORE MONEY IS TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLARS COMING INTO THE CITY, WHICH, SO WE NEED MORE HOTEL CENTERS. 
          THE CONVENT CENTER WOULD DRIVE BECAUSE IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN. 
          SO WE'RE BRINGING LARGER EVENTS, BIGGER, LIKE MORE EVENTS SO THAT WE'RE HO WE CAN HOST MULTIPLE EVENTS AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'RE STAYING IN THE HOTELS. 
          'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I, I AM HEARING NUMBERS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TRAVELERS TO AUSTIN, AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO REMEMBER HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT FRIENDS AND FAMILY. 
          AND, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE STATISTICS OR THAT DATA. 
          I, I CERTAINLY DON'T OFF THE RIGHT NOW IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE, RIGHT? SO A VISITOR DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN A HOTEL STAY. 
          AND SO WE REALLY WANNA FOCUS, LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER'S BUSINESS IS TO FOCUS ON THE HOTEL STAYS. 
          BECAUSE WHAT THAT DOES IS GROWS THE HOTEL TAX, WHICH THEN FUNDS EVERYBODY ELSE. 
          AND SO, IS IT POSSIBLE TO, TO GET NUMBERS WITH ANY DISTINCTION? AND, AND I, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M JUST ASKING LIKE, IS IT EVEN, I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE WERE PULLING TOGETHER FOR A REPORT BEFORE. 
          LET ME GO BACK AND SEE WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN GET BACK TO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SCH. 
          THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. 
          'CAUSE I OBVIOUSLY MISUNDERSTOOD SOME OF THESE THINGS AS WELL. 
          UM, SO APPRECIATE THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, I DO NOT WANT TO DISCONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, BUT A QUICK TIME CHECK THAT IS 8:30 PM UH, COMMISSIONER SCHMO. 
          OH, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE, LIKE YES, THE STATE LIMITATIONS, BUT DOESN'T THE CITY OF HOUSTON GIVE OR ALLOCATE LIKE 19% TO ARTS BECAUSE THEY GOT AN EXCEPTION YES. 
          AT THE STATE LEVEL. 
          SO JUST, JUST SAYING LIKE, THAT'S NOT JUST A FOREGONE IMPOSSIBLE, COULD NEVER HAPPEN CONCLUSION. 
          IS THAT RIGHT OR WRONG? UM, I MEAN, YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT HOUSTON, THEY, IF THEY ARE GIVING MORE THAN THE 15% CAP, THEN THEY WOULD'VE GOTTEN AN EXCEPTION TO THAT, WHICH THERE ARE LOTS OF, OF CARVE OUTS WITH THE HOTEL TAX IN THE STATUTE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? YEAH. 
          HI. 
          I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, HOTEL ROOMS AND THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          'CAUSE AND AGAIN, I MEAN, I'M NOT DEEP INTO THIS WORLD, SO PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I HAVE A MISUNDERSTANDING, BUT, UH, DON'T WE SOMETIMES PAY CONVENTIONS TO COME HERE BY GIVING THEM FREE HOTEL ROOMS? HAVE WE BEEN DOING THAT? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK WE GIVE THEM FREE HOTEL ROOMS. WHAT WE DO IS WE DISCOUNT OUR SPACE. 
          SO WE DO AN ANALYSIS WHEN EVENT COMES IN AND WE SAY, 'CAUSE AGAIN, OUR BUSINESS MODEL IS TO MAXIMIZE HOTEL TAX. 
          AND SO WHEN AN EVENT COMES IN AND THEY ARE OF SIGNIFICANT SIZE, WE WILL DO A DISCOUNT OCCASIONALLY ON, YOU KNOW, THE FACILITY RENTAL OR PERHAPS A FOOD AND BEVERAGE CREDIT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          AND IT'S IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BRINGING, SAY, FOUR OR 5,000 ROOM NIGHTS INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON A TUESDAY, WHICH AGAIN, . 
          SO. 
          SO HOTEL ROOMS ARE NOT DONATED TO CONVENTION GUESTS EVER. 
          THEY'RE ALWAYS PAID FOR. 
          IS THAT TRUE? I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD OF THE HOTEL ROOMS BEING, I MEAN, YOU'LL GET A GROUP RATE, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS LIKE GETTING A DISCOUNT ON IT? LIKE IF YOU BOOK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO THE HOTEL AND YOU SAY, WE'VE GOT, I DON'T KNOW, 2000 PEOPLE COMING, WE WANT A GROUP RATE. 
          WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU GO TO CONVENTIONS, RIGHT, YOU'LL HAVE A GROUP RATE WITH THAT, BUT YEAH. 
          UM, NO, I, I GET A GROUP RATE, SO WE'RE STILL GONNA GET SOME HOTEL TAX FROM A GROUP RATE. 
          I GET THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT, THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF DEALING BETWEEN THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE HOTELS WHERE ROOMS WERE DONATED. 
          SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT THE CASE, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. 
          I WILL DOUBLE CHECK WITH MY SALES STAFF TO CONFIRM THAT. 
          BUT WE, I MEAN, WE DON'T MANAGE THOSE CONTRACTS FOR THE HOTELS, THE, THE GROUPS MANAGE THOSE WITH THE HOTELS THEMSELVES. 
          GOTCHA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I, I SEE THIS IS A DECISION THAT'S BEEN MADE, UM, OVER TIME, UM, INCLUDING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, THOSE HAVE BEEN, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSED AND, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S MOVING FORWARD. 
          UM, MY INTEREST IS, UM, REALLY IN UNDERSTANDING AGAIN, HOW THIS WILL BE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO OFFERED AS A SPACE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S PROUD OF AND THAT THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMUNITIES CAN LEVERAGE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK SOME, UM, ENGAGEMENT 
          [02:25:01]
FROM MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION IN A MORE FORMAL WAY, UH, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH, UM, THROUGH ACME AND THEN WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER OR DIRECTLY IN SOME FORM OF A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER WOULD BE VERY FRUITFUL. 
          SO ARTS AND MUSIC, UM, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL USE OF THE CONVENTION SPACE ITSELF DOESN'T BECOME AN AFTERTHOUGHT, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY DOESN'T BECOME AN AFTERTHOUGHT THAT, BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY BEING ENGAGED. 
          THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING ENGAGED AND THAT, UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THAT CHANNEL IS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. 
          SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE SOME KIND OF AN OFFICIAL WAY TO ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION. 
          CS COMMISSIONERS CAN GO ON ONE-OFF LUNCHES AS, AS YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, WANT TO FACILITATE. 
          UM, AND, AND THAT'S GREAT. 
          BUT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE A FORMAL CHANNEL, UH, TO FACILITATE THAT ENGAGEMENT. 
          SO, UH, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS PASS AND THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. 
          UM, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS, UH, OR, OR THE, THE CONSTRAINTS, MAYBE NOT CONCERNS, BUT CONSTRAINTS AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOW CERTAIN SPACES CAN BE USED, CANNOT BE USED LEGALLY. 
          UM, BUT I REALLY HOPE THE APPROACH IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OVERCOME THOSE CONSTRAINTS RATHER THAN USE THAT TO SAY WHY SOMETHING CANNOT BE DONE. 
          AND IF THERE'S AN ABSOLUTE CONSTRAINT, WELL UNDERSTOOD. 
          SO I THINK, I THINK THAT WOULD FEEL, MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL, UH, REALLY GOOD IN TERMS OF WHAT TAXES, IF IT TRULY BRINGS IN MORE BUSINESS AS THE CITY GROWS INTO A MORE OF AN INTERNATIONAL CITY. 
          UM, AUSTIN, UH, VERY MUCH I CAN SEE FROM THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS VERY INTERESTED IN BUILDING, UH, MORE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL. 
          SO AS WE GROW AS A AND AS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS DOWN THE LINE OR 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE, WE ARE GOING TO BE VERY PROUD OF. 
          AND, UH, IT'LL TRULY BRING IN THE MORE BUSINESS, UH, YOU KNOW, CONVENTIONS THAT IT PROMISES TO BRING. 
          IT GENERATES MORE HOT TAXES AS WE ASPIRE THAT IT WOULD. 
          UH, AND ALL OF THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE ARTS AND THE MUSIC COMMUNITY. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HONEST REAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WELL. 
          AND, UH, I HOPE ACME PLAYS THE ROLE OF, UH, UH, WITH THE FOCUS ON ARTS AND MUSIC THAT WE ARE PUTTING, UH, THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY NOW FACILITATES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER HUSSEINI, THANK YOU. 
          SO, BECAUSE I'M A OPERATIONS PERSON, I JUST WANNA TAG, SEE, MAKE UP TWO FOLLOW UPS, KEEP ME HONEST COMMISSION PEOPLES, UM, NUMBER ONE, SHARON, IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE YOU AND KATE ARE GOING TO LUNCH. 
          I'D LOVE AN UPDATE ON HOW THAT CONVERSATION GOES ABOUT THE BRAINSTORMING OR, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND IT'S JUST SHARING AND THERE'S NO DECISIONS, YOU'RE EARLY IN THE PROCESS, BUT THAT, THAT SHARING WOULD BE GREAT VISIBILITY. 
          SO IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE AGENDA, WHETHER IT'S NEXT MONTH OR THE MONTH AFTER, NOT TRYING TO MICROMANAGE WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR LUNCH. 
          MUNA, I THINK YOU SHOULD COME WITH US TO KEEP ME CALM. 
          , , UH, IF WE'RE DOING LUNCH, IT HAS TO BE AFTER MARCH 18TH BECAUSE OF RAMADAN. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT HAPPY TO COME ALONG AND ALSO WATCH YOU PEOPLE EAT. 
          UM, NO , MAYBE I WON'T BE CALM. 
          I'LL BE HANGRY. 
          I DON'T KNOW. 
          UM, SO, SO THAT'S MY ASK, UH, IF, IF WE CAN HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE AGENDA WHEN WE DO THAT. 
          UM, SECOND REQUEST IS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A CONFIRMATION OF WHEN YOU MIGHT COME BACK KATE AND MORGAN ON WITH THESE UPDATES ON NUMBERS? IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN ASKED A FEW TIMES, BUT JUST TO NOT KEEP IT OPEN-ENDED. 
          AM I ALLOWED TO ASK FOR A FOLLOW UP? UM, I KNOW I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT HERE, , BUT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I DO AT WORK, I WANNA JUST, YEAH. 
          WHEN, SO WOULD IT BE NEXT MONTH, MONTH AFTER, NEXT MONTH MIGHT BE TOUGH, BUT LET ME MONTH AFTER. 
          OKAY. 
          SO LET'S AIM FOR WHAT IT MARCH, APRIL. 
          AND JUST TO BE SPECIFIC COMMISSION MEMBERS, IF THERE'S LIKE THE, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. 
          I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT STR, WHICH I BELIEVE I'M NEW STANDS FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL. 
          AND SO ANY, UM, DIFFERENCE OR THE, THE WHATEVER THE DIP IS MASKING WAS ONE REQUEST. 
          SECOND REQUEST MAYBE HAD TO DO WITH, UH, UH, NUMBER OF VISITORS. 
          I THINK SHARON, YOU HAD ASKED SOMETHING ABOUT NUMBER OF VISITORS, RIGHT? UM MM-HMM . 
          MM-HMM . 
          REGARDLESS OF WHAT SHARON ASKED, I THINK THE OUTCOME WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS LOOKING AT PROJECTIONS FOR NUMBERS OF VISITORS AND THE DELINEATION BETWEEN WEEKEND FOLKS VERSUS MIDWEEK FOLKS AT SHARON. 
          KEEP ME HONEST ON THAT. 
          AND HEIDI, GINA, YEAH. 
          WHAT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS PROJECTING THE IMPACT OF THEIR CLOSURE IS GOING TO BE ON HOT BETWEEN WHATEVER LAST APRIL WHEN YOU CLOSED AND 
          [02:30:01]
THE, WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING TO REOPEN. 
          OKAY. 
          SO MAYBE A LUNCH UPDATE NEXT MONTH. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THEN, AND THEN I, I, I HAD ASKED WHAT THE, WHAT THE REVENUE WAS FROM 2024. 
          YES. 
          SINCE WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ENTERED THE CONVENTION CENTER, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND LIKE PER PERSON, WHAT'S THE REVENUE? 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING NUMBER. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GET TO $750 MILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT INCLUDES ALL THE HOTEL ROOMS AND ALL THE DINNERS AND ALL THE PLAYS PEOPLE GO SEE. 
          CORRECT. 
          BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. 
          IT INCLUDES ALL OF THAT. 
          SO BEING SPECIFIC, 2024 REVENUE PER PERSON BREAKDOWN, IF POSSIBLE, UH, AND REVENUE AND THE, THE SHORT TERM REVENUE DIFFERENCE. 
          IS THAT, IS THAT A GOOD RECAP? I AM SAYING THINGS I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND. 
          I WAS JUST FOLLOWING THE CONVERSATION. 
          I'M JUST NEW. 
          I THINK, UM, UM, IF I MAY REQUEST, UM, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE JUST ARTICULATE THE QUESTIONS AND MAYBE, UH, DIRECT IT TO, UM, STAFF AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE. 
          THAT'S IT. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU GOOD? I JUST WANTED, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU FOR, UM, RESTATING THOSE, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU DIRECTOR. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          IT'S OKAY. 
          IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. 
          AND DIRECTOR MEK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER SKODA. 
          UM, SO I HAVE ONE QUESTION I THINK TO MICRO FOCUS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT. 
          I WONDER IF THERE IS A WAY, BECAUSE WITH SOUTH BY, I KNOW THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUE. 
          I I PRESUME THAT, OR SOME OF IT, LIKE THERE'S A GOOD PERCENTAGE. 
          YEP. 
          SO IF JUST IN MICRO FOCUS, BECAUSE THIS YEAR SOUTH BY IS NOT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER MM-HMM . 
          A I DON'T KNOW WHERE, WHERE WOULD ACME'S, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, EVENT BE HELD AND SIMULTANEOUSLY BY APRIL WHEN WE MEET NEXT, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A VERY DISTINCT APPLES TO APPLES SPACE TO SHOW US, LIKE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN 2025 SOUTH BY REVENUE VERSUS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS YEAR'S REVENUE WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER. 
          JUST TO KIND OF DO LIKE AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON FOR HOT SOUTH BY, WON'T HAVE THEIR, UM, LIKE AFTER ACTION REPORT AVAILABLE BY APRIL, I WOULD THINK. 
          I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW LONG IT TAKES THEM TO PUT OUT THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT. 
          BUT, UM, WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. 
          AND, BECAUSE I THINK THAT MIGHT JUST BE A GOOD, LIKE, STEP UP, YOU KNOW, ONE STEP FORWARD. 
          UM, YEAH. 
          UM, KEEP IN MIND, UH, SOUTH BY ALSO IN THE, THE NUMBER OF DAYS IT RUNS HAS ALSO CHANGED 10 YEARS. 
          YEAH. 
          SO THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME DELTA BECAUSE OF THAT AS WELL. 
          BUT YEAH. 
          UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, DIRECTORS, UH, FOR COMING AND PRESENTING, UH, AND HAVING THIS, UH, ELABORATE CONVERSATION WITH US. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT AS WELL. 
          OH, HEIDI. 
          HI, COMMISSIONER SCHMO. 
          [Items 10 - 14]
HI. 
          UH, ARE WE GOING INTO THE NEXT AGENDA SECTION? YES. 
          I WAS GONNA MAKE A MOTION FOR CONSENT. 
          UH, YES. 
          UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          OKAY. 
          TO DO IT NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          I MOTION TO APPROVE 10, 11, 12, 13, AND 14 ON CONSENT. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, IS THERE A SECOND? UH, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? SHOULD WE EXPLAIN THAT TO THE NEW FOLKS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD THAT OR ARE THEY GOOD? DO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE JUST THAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AHEAD AND JUST ELABORATE THAT ON THAT QUICKLY? UH, COMMISSIONER SCHMO? YEAH. 
          SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE SHORT ON TIME AND WE DON'T HAVE ARTISTS PRESENT TO PRESENT THEIR DESIGNS, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS AT THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL, WHICH HAPPENS THE WEEK BEFORE A A PP OR SORRY, BEFORE ARTS COMMISSION MEETINGS, A IPP GETS LIKE A DETAILED PRESENTATION, HAS DISCUSSION AND MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE. 
          AND SO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, THE HOPE IS THAT FOLKS HAVE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING IN THE BACKUP. 
          AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, CERTAINLY BRING THEM UP. 
          UM, BUT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ARTISTS HERE AND THE ITEMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY A IPP, WE OFTEN JUST VOTE TO APPROVE ON CONSENT AND FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ART IN PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC PLACES. 
          PANEL COMMISSIONER SMOCK. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          UM, UH, WE WILL HAVE TO RESTATE THAT. 
          UM, APPROVAL ON CONSENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 10, 12, 13, AND 14. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER PAOLO, UH, HAS TO ABSTAIN FROM ITEM NUMBER 11, SO WE WON'T HAVE QUORUM ON THAT. 
          [02:35:03]
IF YOU COULD JUST PLEASE GO AHEAD AND RESTATE THE MOTION. 
          OH, YOU WANT ME? SO, SO NOT 10 12, 10 12, 13, 14. 
          YES. 
          ON CONSENT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          I HAVE A SECOND FROM A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SCH MOBA TO APPROVE ITEMS 10, 12, 13, AND 14 ON CONSENT. 
          WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? A. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UM, MOTION'S APPROVED. 
          UM, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP ON ITEM NUMBER 11 IN THIS CASE? COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE ADVISE? YOU CAN STILL TAKE IT ON CONSENT. 
          IT JUST WON'T PASS. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK WE CAN STILL PASS IT ON CONSENT. 
          WE JUST HAVE ONE PERSON, ABSTI. 
          'CAUSE IT'S AN ABSTENTION. 
          YES. 
          I COULDN'T HEAR WHAT JAIME SAID THOUGH. 
          UH, BUT, UH, DON'T WE NEED SIX VOTES TO ACTUALLY GET IT APPROVED. 
          JAIME CASTILLO, MANAGER FOR A IPP. 
          SORRY, I JUMPED IN HERE. 
          UH, , UH, Y'ALL CAN TAKE IT ON CONSENT. 
          UH, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE QUORUM, IT WOULD NOT PASS. 
          BUT THAT'S OKAY. 
          KNOWING THAT, UM, THE INTENTION WAS FOR Y'ALL TO APPROVE IT. 
          THAT THAT'S, WE WILL DOCUMENT THAT AND MOVE THAT FORWARD. 
          GOT IT. 
          IT'LL, IT'LL MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT, IN OFFICIAL APPROVAL FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION. 
          OKAY. 
          BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE CONSENT. 
          'CAUSE WE ONLY HAVE FIVE. 
          RIGHT. 
          IF, OKAY. 
          COMMISSIONER SMBA, WOULD YOU LIKE CLARIFY TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, MAKE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 11 AS WELL? YES. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALSO PASS 11 ON CONSENT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER SCH MOBA. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          DO I TAKE A SECOND FROM YOU ON THIS, DEAR? ALL ALL IN FAVOR, COMMISSIONER PAUL, YOU'RE ABSTAINING. 
          SO WE HAVE FIVE VOTES IN FAVOR AND, UH, ONE ABSTAIN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MOVING ON. 
          UM, THE 
          [15. Discussion and possible recommendations to Spanish language contracts for Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (AACME) grants.]
NEXT ITEM IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SPANISH LANGUAGE CONTRACTS FOR ACME GRANTS. 
          THIS IS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM. 
          UM, WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO TAKE A LEAD ON THIS? COULD SOMEBODY ADVISE ME IF, UH, WE ALREADY HAVE A RECOMMENDATION WRITTEN ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S UNDER ACTION ITEMS? I, I'D ALSO, THIS IS COMMISSIONER HUSSEI. 
          I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS LIKE. 
          UH, IT'S JUST EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR WHO WOULD HANDLE SPANISH LANGUAGE CONTRACTS FOR ACME OR HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED IS HOW I WOULD SEE IT. 
          UH, BUT IS THERE ALREADY A WRITTEN STATEMENT OR IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE MORE OF A DISCUSSION ITEM AND NOT AN ACTION ITEM TODAY? MAY I PROVIDE NO, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          OH, APOLOGIES. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT, AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT FOR THE LAST FEW MEETINGS. 
          UM, UH, MORGAN MESS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ACME. 
          THIS, UH, CONVERSATION I REMEMBER CAME UP FROM THE COMMISSION AS A PRIORITY BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS NEW INFORMATION, BUT IT BECAME CLEAR TO EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A POLICY TO ADMINISTER ALL CONTRACTS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, REGARDLESS OF THE APPLICATION LANGUAGE THAT WAS SUBMITTED. 
          AND SO THIS IS A LEGAL, UH, PRACTICE. 
          IT'S SOMETHING THE CITY IS NOT FLEXIBLE ON. 
          AND WE ALL KNOW, OR MAYBE WE DON'T, AND MAYBE WE KNOW VAGUELY THAT THE CONTRACTS THAT WE ADMINISTER FOR OUR GRANT PROGRAMS ARE ACTUALLY ADMINISTERED BY OUR THIRD PARTY PARTNER, WHICH IS THE LONG CENTER. 
          AND I BELIEVE THE IDEA CAME UP, UM, THE CONCEPT THAT, OKAY, WELL THE CITY HAS LESS FLEXIBILITY, BUT KNOWING THAT WE ARE ADMINISTERING THESE THROUGH A THIRD PARTY, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE? AND I BELIEVE, UM, EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION SHARES THE SAME GOAL THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, TO BE SUPPORTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE AND TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY, OF COURSE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO. 
          WE, UM, EXPLORED A NUMBER OF OPTIONS TO SUPPORT FOLKS WHO WERE ENTERING INTO ENGLISH CONTRACTS, BUT HAD SPANISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE. 
          AND SO THE IDEA IS HOW CAN WE APPROVE ON THAT AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU ALL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA MAKE THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE LONG CENTER AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENTS. 
          I HOPE THAT WAS HELPFUL. 
          AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER. 
          BUT THIS WAS A COMMISSION LED INITIATIVE AND THAT'S WHY IT, UH, IS ON THE DISCUSSION ITEM HERE. 
          [02:40:02]
THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. 
          I THINK, UM, WAS THERE ANY, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          YEAH, I, I I BELIEVE THAT THE CONVERSATION THAT GINA STARTED AND SHE ACTUALLY WROTE A STATEMENT TO PROVIDE PDF VERSIONS TRANSLATED COMPLETELY OF SPECIFIC PORTIONS OF THE PROCESS. 
          I BELIEVE THAT, THAT SHE DID DO THAT WORK. 
          MM-HMM. 
          AND I'M SORRY SHE HAD TO STEP OFF IN HER REHEARSAL, BUT, UM, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE VOTING FOR TO GET THOSE PDFS GOING. 
          YEAH. 
          IS ANYONE IN THE ROOM AT, AT THERE, AT THE MEETING THERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT? UH, THERE'S NO, NOBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          YEAH, WE HAVE SOMEONE, I'M, I'M, I'M SORRY. 
          WE HAVE TO, UH, SIGN UP ON FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, ON, ON THE TOPIC TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE COMMISSION. 
          YES. 
          YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR THE AGENDA ITEMS, SIR. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER, THERE IS, UM, A COPY OF THE DRAFT THAT WROTE IN YOUR, PERHAPS SOMEBODY COULD READ IT INTO THE RECORD IF YOU WOULD LIKE. 
          WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT RIGHT NOW? LET'S SEE. 
          I THINK ONLY GINA HAS IT. 
          SORRY. 
          YEP. 
          UM, UM, JESUS, UH, ELLA SAYS IT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTATION. 
          UM, HE SENT A LINK FOR THAT AT THE BEFORE THE MEETING CONVENED THIS EVENING. 
          IF YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR BC EMAIL. 
          OH, THANKS JESUS. 
          I HAVE MINE OPEN, BUT WHAT'S IT CALLED? I THINK IT WAS JUST THE REMINDER EMAIL. 
          HE SENT COMMISSION. 
          I HAVE THE BACKUP OPEN. 
          HE SAID ITEMS 15. 
          I TELL HIM 15 ARTS COMMISSION. 
          OH, A FEW SECONDS AGO. 
          GOT IT. 
          JUST ADD IT. 
          I DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? YES, PLEASE. 
          HAPPY TO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HOLD ON. 
          UH, OKAY. 
          SUBJECT RECOMMENDATION THAT LEGAL BE INSTRUCTED TO TRANSLATE CULTURAL CONTRACTS INTO THE LANGUAGE USED ON THE APPLICATION FOR FUNDING MOTION BY HOUSTON. 
          SECONDED BY NEED ONE RECOMMENDATION COUNSEL INSTRUCT CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE CULTURAL CONTRACTS IN THE LANGUAGE MOST FAMILIAR TO THE CONTRACTOR, THE LANGUAGE USED IN THE APPLICATION FOR FUNDING. 
          RATIONALE. 
          AUSTIN ARTISTS MUST BE ABLE TO FULLY AND COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE CITY UNDER ANY CONTRACT. 
          THEY SIGN RECENT EFFORTS BY THIRD PARTIES TO TRANSLATE THE CULTURAL FUNDING CONTRACTS INTO SPANISH HAVE RESULTED IN ERRORS SUCH AS THE USE OF THE WORD, UH, MENTO, SORRY, I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH. 
          WHEN THERE IS NO FINANCING COMPONENT TO ANY OF THE CONTRACTS, THE CITY HAS THE CAPABILITY TO TRANSLATE CONTRACTS TO ENSURE COMPLETE AND THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING. 
          IT IS DISINGENUOUS TO OFFER THE APPLICATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE AND THEN EXPECT THE APPLICANT TO UNDERSTAND A CONTRACT THAT IS NOT TRANSLATED INTO THE SAME LANGUAGE. 
          SO, I WANNA SECOND THE MOTION. 
          IT SOUNDED LIKE WE NEEDED A SECOND . 
          YEAH. 
          UM, CAN THAT, CAN THE MOTION HAPPEN BY CHAIR HOUSTON WHEN SHE'S NOT ATTENDING TODAY? OR WOULD SOMEBODY ELSE LIKE TO MOTION FOR IT? AND THEN I'LL GET A SECOND. 
          I I WILL MOTION FOR IT. 
          YOU HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HUI? DO I HAVE A SECOND? AND WE CAN CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ON THIS, BUT, UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER POLLO. 
          UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR. 
          THE MOTION'S APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR, UM, HELPING ON THIS STUFF. 
          [16. Discussion and possible action to elect new Vice Chair.]
THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ELECT NEW VICE CHAIR. 
          DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS? SO, UM, STAFF, WE DO HAVE ELECTIONS IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS HERE, RIGHT? UH, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN, UH, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS NOMINATION, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT UH, WE CAN JUST, UH, KEEP MOVING TO APRIL? UM, ANY THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC? UH, COMMISSIONERS. 
          I JUST HATE TO NOMINATE PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANNA BE NOMINATED, BUT I HAVE IDEAS. 
          [02:45:03]
ALRIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, SO NO ACTION ON, UH, . 
          ITEM NUMBER 16. 
          [17. Approve at least one member to the Working Group on Urban Core Issues.]
THE NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM IS, UM, APPROVE AT LEAST ONE MEMBER TO THE WORKING GROUP ON URBAN CORE ISSUES. 
          ? YEAH. 
          WHAT'S URBAN CORE ISSUES? SORRY. 
          NEW TO THE COMMISSION. 
          YEAH, ME TOO. 
          YEAH, IT'S ALSO A SILLY, KIND OF A FUNNY NAME. 
          UM, THAT IS THE JOINT WORKING GROUP BETWEEN ARTS AND MUSIC. 
          AND WE L LOOK AT AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COMMISSION ACROSS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS. 
          LIKE I JUST MENTIONED BACK IN 2024, WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE LIKE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. 
          I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF IT. 
          UM, NEXT, LIKE A BUILDING NEXT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ARTISTS. 
          WE DID A LOT OF WORK ON THE UNIFORM COLLECTION OF HOT, UM, DOING RESEARCH ON THAT AND MAKING MULTIPLE RECOMMENDATIONS ALONG WITH THE TOURISM COMMISSION ABOUT THAT COLLECTION. 
          SO IT KIND OF, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT GO INTO IT, BUT IT'S, OR THAT WE TAKE UP. 
          BUT IT'S LARGELY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LARGE SCALE URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE AND MUSIC SECTORS. 
          UM, AND WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS NEED TO BE MADE ABOUT THAT. 
          AND WE REALLY NEED NEW MEMBERS 'CAUSE WE LOST A FEW. 
          I THINK THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE ON IT RIGHT NOW. 
          ARE THERE TWO STAFF? IS SOMEONE ELSE STILL ON IT FROM ARTS? I THINK IT'S ONLY YOU, COMMISSIONER. 
          YEAH, SO REALLY DESPERATELY, I NEED TO STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT. 
          SO WE REALLY NEED OTHER, OTHER MEMBERS, BUT IT'S A REAL, A LOT OF WORK GETS DONE AND IT'S A GOOD ONE TO BE PART OF. 
          IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ACTION HAPPENS. 
          WE, WE MEET ONCE A MONTH USUALLY. 
          DO WE HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS TODAY? OR WOULD ALSO THE NEW COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO THINK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS AND COME BACK NEXT MONTH? UH, SPEAK WITH COMMISSIONER SCHMO. 
          UM, UNLESS I'M HAPPY, UNLESS WE HAVE SOME ALREADY VOLUNTEERS TODAY. 
          COMMISSIONER SCH SMALLBERG. 
          YOU WERE SAYING SOMETHING. 
          SORRY. 
          I WAS JUST, I'M HAPPY TO TALK WITH ANYONE OFFLINE, LIKE ANY OF THE NEW, NEW OR NEW-ISH COMMISSIONERS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. 
          UM, AND I CAN SHARE LIKE, PAST AGENDAS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO YOU CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ANY READY VOLUNTEERS TODAY? . 
          ALRIGHT. 
          HEIDI, PLEASE SHARE THAT INFORMATION OVER EMAIL WITH ALL OF US NEWBIES. 
          ALL RIGHT, SOUNDS GOOD. 
          WE'LL MOVE THAT 
          [18. Establish an Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (AACME) Funding Appeals Working Group]
TO NEXT MONTH. 
          LIKELY. 
          UH, THE LAST AGENDA ITEM IN THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS IS ESTABLISH AN ACME FUNDING APPEALS WORKING GROUP. 
          COULD WE GO AHEAD AND MOTION TO CREATE THIS WORKING GROUP? DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM ANYBODY? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ESTABLISH THE FUNDING APPEALS WORKING GROUP. 
          YOU HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SCH MOBA? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I CAN THAT WE HAVE A SECOND FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER SKODA. 
          UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? COULD, COULD WE JUST, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHMO, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 
          OR ANDERSON. 
          SORRY. 
          COMMISSIONER ANDERSON. 
          I'M JUST ASKING IF SOMEONE COULD JUST DESCRIBE THE, THE, THE COMMITMENT OR WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FIND MEMBERS FOR IT. 
          WE'RE JUST CREATING IT. 
          WE ARE CREATING IT. 
          IF THERE ARE ANY AVAILABLE MEMBERS TODAY, IT'LL BE GREAT TO GET THE MEMBERS ADDED. 
          OKAY. 
          IF NOT, UH, WE CAN TABLE IT. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THERE A MISSION STATEMENT OF THIS WORKING GROUP? LOOKS LIKE JESUS IS COMING. 
          UH, HI COMMISSIONER. 
          JUST WANNA CLARIFY. 
          PANTEL CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR. 
          SO THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP IS, UM, UM, THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS HAVE HAD AN APPEALS PROCESS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. 
          UM, UM, THIS WILL BE FOR ALL ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS. IN OUR GUIDELINES, THEY TALK ABOUT AN APPEALS WORKING GROUP. 
          AND SO WITH ELEVATE, SPECIFICALLY, AS LAURA MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE DOING, UM, THE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF PANELS FOR FEBRUARY. 
          WE'RE EXPECTING IN MID-MARCH TO MAKE AWARD AND DECLINE, UH, NOTIFICATIONS. 
          UM, WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS OF RECEIVING A DECLINE NOTIFICATION, AN APPLICANT CAN APPEAL, UM, THEIR, UM, A DECISION. 
          AND SO THIS APPEALS WORKING GROUP, UM, IT'S TO, UM, HAVING THE, UH, MEMBERS ON IT NOW WOULD BE GREAT. 
          SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A LEG UP ONCE, UM, UM, AWARD DECISIONS ARE MADE. 
          IF ANYBODY DOES WANT TO APPEAL, THESE 
          [02:50:01]
WOULD BE THE COMMISSIONERS WHO WORK ON THAT APPEALS WORKING GROUP TO SEE, UH, WHETHER OR NOT TO GRANT THE APPEAL, UM, FROM SOMEONE WHO DID NOT SCORE HIGH ENOUGH TO RECEIVE FUNDING. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU. 
          SU I CAN JOIN THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          LET'S, UM, I CAN JOIN IT TOO. 
          AH, THE WORK LUNCH GROUP GETS TOGETHER. 
          . 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I'M HAVING MEMORY ISSUES NOW. 
          DID WE TAKE A VOTE ON THIS OR NOT YET? NOT YET. 
          . 
          OH DANG. 
          WE ALREADY STARTED GETTING MEMBERS. 
          UM, ALRIGHT. 
          UM, ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S INTERESTED AS OF TODAY? SO I'LL MOTION, I'LL MOTION FOR, FOR THE GROUP. 
          COULD WE, OKAY. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HUI. 
          DO I HAVE A SECOND? I THINK WE HAD A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SCH SMALLBERG EARLIER, BUT THAT'S OKAY. 
          LET'S, LET'S TAKE THE, THE, THE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HUI. 
          DO I HAVE A SECOND TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP? UM, COMMISSIONER SMBA, YOU'RE NODDING YOUR HEAD. 
          DO I TAKE A SECOND FROM YOU? ALRIGHT. 
          UM, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. 
          MOTIONS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. 
          UH, COULD WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE TWO MEMBERS THAT ARE WILLING TO GET STARTED ON THIS? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND COMMISSIONER SENEY? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION FOR, UH, THE TWO COMMISSIONERS TO BE ON THE GROUP. 
          UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND. 
          FROM COMMISSIONER SKODA. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? MOTIONS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. 
          THANK YOU FOR, UH, VOLUNTEERING. 
          JUST A TIME CHECK. 
          IT IS, UH, NINE O'CLOCK. 
          [19. Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Schmalbach (chair).]
WE HAVE, UM, TWO ITEMS IN THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES. 
          UM, THE FIRST ONE IS UPDATE FROM, UM, JOINT ARTS MUSIC COMMISSION WORKING GROUP ON URBAN CORE ISSUES WITH COMMISSIONER SCH SMALLBERG. 
          WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT IT. 
          I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES TONIGHT BECAUSE WE WON'T MEET UNTIL, UM, THIS FIRST WEEK OF MARCH. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. 
          THE 
          [20. Update from Arts Commission Bylaws Working Group with Commissioners Houston, Garza, Keys, and Anderson (Chair)]
NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS UPDATE FROM ARTS COMMISSION ART, SORRY, UPDATE FROM ARTS COMMISSION BYLAWS, WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS, HOUSTON GARZA, KEYSON ANDERSON. 
          UH, ALSO WE'RE GONNA TABLE THIS UPDATE UNTIL NEXT MONTH, UM, DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF THE MEMBERS WHEN LAST ATTEMPTED. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. 
          THAT TAKES US TO, UH, COMMISSIONER HUI, YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THE STOP? YEAH. 
          ON THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. OH, JUST REITERATING THE UPDATES THAT WE WERE REQUESTED FROM KATE. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL BE FOR MARCH OR APRIL, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE TAGGED. 
          AND ALSO, CAN SOMEONE JUST REMIND ME WHEN THE MARCH MEETING IS? WHAT'S THE DATE PLEASE? IT IS THE 23RD. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IT GOES TO THE FOURTH MONDAY. 
          GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, FOR 
          [FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMS APPROVAL OF MINUTES UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS. UH, LET'S GO. 
          UH, ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD ANY DISCUSSION ITEMS OR ANY OF THESE NEED TO BE CONTINUED? UH, YEAH, WE, WE JUST NEEDED TO MAKE SURE TO ADD THAT ONE. 
          WHERE'S THAT PIECE OF PAPER? UH, THE TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS AT THE CULTURAL CENTERS FROM THREE MEETINGS AGO OR WHATEVER IT WAS. 
          OKAY. 
          STAFF TAKES THESE NOTES. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          JUST CONFIRMING. 
          UM, ALRIGHT. 
          UNDER STAFF BRIEFINGS, WE'LL HAVE STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. 
          WE'LL KEEP THE UPDATE REGARDING, UH, CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS. WE'LL KEEP THE UPDATE ON, UH, ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS. THE FIRST THREE OF THESE, DO WE ALSO CONTINUE WITH STAFF BRIEFING FROM JAIME NEXT MONTH? WOULD THAT REMAIN YES. 
          ON THE AGENDA. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL INQUIRE WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER IF THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN MARCH OR APRIL. 
          UM, ANYTHING OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS, DISCUSSION ACTION ITEMS TODAY TO ADD TO NEXT MONTH? UH, ONE QUICK QUESTION. 
          [02:55:01]
UM, I BELIEVE THERE WAS INTEREST IN ADDING AN ITEM ABOUT THE LONG CENTER CONTRACT REVIEW. 
          AND GIVEN THAT THE NEXUS CONTRACT COMES RIGHT ON THE TAILS OF THIS AND THEN A WHOLE NOTHER ROUND OF, UH, MORE GRANTS COME ON THE TAIL OF THIS, I BELIEVE THAT DISCUSSION WILL BE IN REGARDS TO THE 2027 CONTRACT, BUT I'M NOT SURE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN, UH, STAFF HAS SCHEDULED THAT REVIEW TO HAPPEN, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE A MATTER THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT AND HAVE REQUESTED THAT IT BE AN AGENDA ITEM NEXT MONTH, JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S SCHEDULE. 
          OKAY. 
          GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WE CAN, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD THAT AND, UM, TAKE A VOTE ON THAT AS WELL. 
          UH, ANYTHING ELSE UNDER DISCUSSION? ACT ACTION ITEMS? SO THAT WOULD BE UNDER DISCUSSION ITEM, BASICALLY, UH, THE LONG CENTER UPDATE, UM, PERTAINING TO THE REVIEW THAT THE CITY ACME IS DOING REGARDING THE CONTRACT. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, ANYTHING UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, NEXT MONTH THAT WE WANT TO ADD RIGHT NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, WORKING GROUP UPDATES. 
          WE'LL KEEP BOTH THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES FOR MARCH SINCE, UH, THOSE MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING IN EARLY MARCH. 
          UH, WE'LL KEEP THE UPDATE, UH, ON THE URBAN CORE SHARES GROUP AND ALSO THE UPDATE ON, UH, UH, THE ARTS COMMISSION BYLAWS WORKING GROUP. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, IF NOTHING ELSE, UH, COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE MOTION TO VOTE ON ALL OF THE ABOVE? I CAN MOTION. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SCOTA. 
          ANY SECOND. 
          I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND. 
          SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD, UH, UM, ALL OF THE DISCUSSED AGENDA ITEMS, UH, TO NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA. 
          AND OF COURSE, COMMISSIONERS, AS WE ALL KNOW. 
          UH, PLEASE, UH, I WILL LOOK FOR THE CHAIR TO COMPLETE THE REST OF THE AGENDA WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION. 
          AND, UH, ANYBODY CAN ADD AN AGENDA ITEM AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          MOTION TO ADJOURN. 
          SECOND . 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I'LL TAKE A, TAKE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND A SECOND FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER SCH MOBA. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME SURVIVE THIS EVENING. 
          UH, THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR HELP AS WELL. 
          THANKS FOR DOING IT, NAALI. 
          THANKS NAVA. 
          THANKS FOR STEPPING, STEPPING IN. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU STAFF, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO ATTENDED, SPOKE TODAY, THANK YOU. 
          AND WHO ARE HERE TODAY. 
          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.