[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
HERE, I WILL CALL TO ORDER THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON MONDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2026 AT 6:00 PM WE'RE AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, ROOM 1101 AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS.UM, SO I DID, I DID NOTICE LAST MONTH WHEN I WAS WATCHING THE VIDEO THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE REMOTELY, WE COULD ONLY HEAR, I THINK, WHAT WAS BEING PICKED UP BY THE, BY THE LOCAL MICROPHONES.
THEY CAN ONLY HEAR THROUGH THE LOCAL MICROPHONES, BUT MICROPHONE THEM.
UM, AND WE, THAT'S WHY MICRO, THEY CAN'T HEAR TODAY WHEN THEY'RE JUST TALKING.
UM, AND EVEN THE PEOPLE REMOTELY, IS THAT THE CASE? 'CAUSE THEY, THEY SEEM TO BE HARDER TO BE HEARD.
I KNOW YOU WEREN'T HERE LAST MONTH, BUT, AND WE WILL GET READY FOR OUR FIRST, UM, TAKE THE ROLE.
I, OKAY, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL ROLL.
CAN YOU DO THAT ONE MORE TIME? CAN YOU SAY YOUR NAME ONE MORE TIME? NANCY, CAN I HAVE YOU TRY YOUR MIC? I'LL KEEP GOING WITH THE PEOPLE HERE.
AARON VAN LANDINGHAM NOT HERE.
I THINK SHE'S GONNA TRY TO JOIN REMOTELY LATER IF SHE CAN.
UM, AND THEN CO AHMED HEY, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON, YEAH, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THE PHONE.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER, UM, JULIE MARIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YES, THANK YOU.
I AM PRESENT AND I REMEMBER TO PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE MIC, SO I'M HALFWAY THERE.
UM, YEAH, SO MY NAME IS JULES AND UM, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WILDLIFE RESCUE.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO, UH, BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THE WILDLIFE AND OF COURSE, THE, UH, COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN.
SO, SUPER EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS GROUP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I THINK YOU'LL PROVIDE A REALLY NEEDED PERSPECTIVE ON OUR COMMISSION.
I KNOW HOW MUCH WILDLIFE MATTERS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO LET'S GO BACK, LET'S TRY COMMISSIONER FERGUSON AGAIN.
DID I ALREADY CALLED YOU? OKAY.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
UM, FOUR PEOPLE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY THAT WE'RE WAITING TO, UM, BE ABLE TO HEAR THEM.SHOULD I PROCEED WITH PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH.
SO WITH THE QUORUM OF THE SEVEN PEOPLE PRESENT, ARE WE OKAY WITH PROCEEDING WITH PUBLIC COMMENT WHILE THEY TRY TO WORK ON, OR IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? I, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
IF THEY CAN'T GET THE SOUND FIXED, WOULD WE HAVE TO CANCEL THE MEETING? WE HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE PRESENT BECAUSE THERE'S SEVEN PRESENT, SO WE'RE OKAY.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO PROCEEDING WITH PUBLIC COMMENT WHILE WE TRY TO GET THAT GOING? OKAY.
SO I'LL SKIP THE PERSON WHO'S WAITING TO SPEAK
[00:05:01]
REMOTELY.JUST, AND THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH ROCHELLE VICKERY, YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK NOW? YES, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS ROCHELLE VICKERY, AND I THINK ALL OF Y'ALL KNOW ME.
UM, I WANNA PUT A SHOUT OUT TO KALEEN SUMMERS ON THE CAT PROGRAM.
SHE LIVES IN DRIPPING SPRINGS ON FITZ HUES ROAD.
AND IF SHE'S DOING DELL VALLEY, AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T TRAP, AND THAT'S I A MILE FROM MY HOUSE IS SHE'S IN THIS LITTLE TRAILER PARK.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT'S A LONG WAYS.
SHE'S ON A WALKER BECAUSE SHE HAD HIP SURGERY, SO SHE HAS A LADY DOING IT.
AND YES, AFTER I HAD MY BACK SURGERY, I DID, SIX WEEKS LATER, I WAS OUT THERE TRAPPING.
BUT I WANT TO, I'M GONNA ASK MONICA IF THERE'S SOMEHOW, BECAUSE OF THE FIRST FIVE PEOPLE THAT THEY PUT IN THE NEWSLETTER, 'CAUSE PEOPLE KEEP ME NOTED, KEEP ME UP TO DATE, WHAT'S GOING ON TO IF THEY COULD GIVE THEM A, A GIFT CARD.
'CAUSE I, UM, I FIGURED THEY GET GIFT CARDS.
UH, THE HUMANE SOCIETY GETS GIVEN GIFT CARDS, GIFT CARDS FOR GAS.
'CAUSE YOU UNDERSTAND GAS IS SO HIGH.
SHE'S GOT A, A FULL SIZE, UH, SUVI JUST HAVE A LITTLE HONDA FIT, SO MY GUESS WAS LESS THAN HERS FOR SURE.
AND SEE, I CAN'T DO DE VALLEY AND SHE'S DOING DE VALLEY AND MICHELLE, UH, UH, CHANCY IS REALLY THE TOP TRAPPER.
SHE COMES FROM LAKEWAY AND THE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S MAINLY OLDER PEOPLE THAT'S OUT HERE DOING THIS JOB.
'CAUSE ALLISON AND MELISSA WARD ARE OLDER WOMEN AND IT'S MAINLY ALL WOMEN THAT'S, THAT'S DOING IT.
BUT I, I WOULD JUST LIKE, IF YOU COULD GIVE THEM SOMETHING, SOME MONEY OR GIFT CARD OR SOMETHING TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR GAS BECAUSE IT, IT IS HARD WORK AND IT IS A LONG, YOU KNOW, YOU DO LOTS OF TRAVELING AND, AND, UH, TAKING CARE OF THE CATS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR, FOR OUR, OUR TRAPPERS, IF YOU COULD HELP THEM.
I CAN'T REMEMBER A SINGLE YEAR SINCE I BEGAN VOLUNTEERING AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES IN 2018.
WE WERE NOT STRUGGLING WITH DOG OVERPOPULATION.
SOME YEARS HAVE BEEN WORSE THAN OTHERS, BUT FOR ME THE BREAKING POINT WAS SEPTEMBER 23 WHEN DOGS WERE HOUSED ON THE HOT TRUCK PORT.
AT THAT SAME TIME, OTHERS WERE HOUSED IN THE NPR ROOM AND EVEN IN ADMIN OFFICES.
AND NOW WE'RE RIGHT BACK THERE AGAIN.
DOGS AND CRATES LINE THE BACK HALLWAYS THAT FILL THE NPR ROOM ADMIN OFFICES.
I'M EVEN HEARING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REOPENING THE TRUCK PORT FOR OVERFLOW.
MEANWHILE, THOSE HALLWAY CRATES SIT JUST OUTSIDE.
CAT, UH, CAT ICU WHERE OUR MOST FRAGILE CATS ARE SUBJECTED TO RELENTLESS BARKING, BARKING FOR HOURS ON END, INTENSIFYING THEIR ALREADY CRITICAL STRESS DOGS ARE ALSO BEING HOUSED OUTSIDE CAT HOLDING.
THAT'S THE VERY FIRST STOP FOR INCOMING CATS TURNING AN ALREADY FRIGHTENING INTAKE PROCESS INTO SOMETHING EVEN MORE OVERWHELMING.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S NOT HUMANE.
WE CANNOT ADOPT OUR WAY OUT OF THIS CRISIS.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IT FOR YEARS, REALLY SINCE THE ADOPTION OF NO KILL POLICIES 15 YEARS AGO.
AND THE RESULT IS A SYSTEM THAT OPERATES IN A CONSTANT STATE OF EMERGENCY.
IF WE TRULY WANNA BREAK THIS CYCLE, IN MY OPINION, TWO THINGS MUST HAPPEN.
FIRST, WE MUST SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND OUR INVESTMENT IN SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS, PARTICULARLY HIGH SPEED, HIGH QUALITY CLINICS.
THE ONLY WAY TO MEANINGFULLY, UH, REDUCE INTAKE IS TO ADDRESS THE POPULATION AT ITS SOURCE.
FEWER ANIMALS ENTERING THE SYSTEM MEANS FEWER ANIMALS CONFINED IN CRATES FOR 23 HOURS A DAY.
CONDITIONS WE RECOGNIZE AS UNACCEPTABLE, BUT THIS IS JUST NOT ABOUT FUNDING CLINICS.
IT REQUIRES INTENTIONAL STRATEGIC OUTREACH.
AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES MUST FOCUS ITS MARKETING AND RESOURCES ON THE AREAS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY WITH THE HIGHEST RATE OF STRAYS AND UNALTERED ANIMALS WHERE INTERVENTION WILL HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT.
SECOND, WE MUST CONFRONT THE ONGOING INFLUX OF DOGS BEING TRANSPORTED INTO AUSTIN FROM OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS.
RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, LARGE AND SMALL, CONTINUE TO BRING IN THOUSANDS OF DOGS, EVEN AS WE STRUGGLE TO FIND PLACEMENT FOR THE ANIMALS ALREADY HERE.
DESPITE THE BEST INTENTIONS, THE REALITY IS SIMPLE.
AUSTIN CANNOT CARRY THE BURDEN OF MAKING THE ENTIRE STATE NO KILL.
WE DO NOT HAVE UNLIMITED ADOPTERS.
WE DO NOT HAVE UNLIMITED FOSTERS.
TRANSPORT PROGRAMS INCREASE VISIBILITY, BETTER MARKETING MAY HELP SOME, BUT THEY CAN'T SOLVE A STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE OF THIS SCALE.
WE ALL HEAR THE TERM LIFESAVING USED IN THE CONTEXT OF NO KILL.
TO ME, LIFESAVING MUST INCLUDE HUMANE CONDITIONS FOR ANIMALS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF WE'RE TRULY COMMITTED TO LIFESAVING,
[00:10:01]
OUR FOCUS MUST SHIFT UPSTREAM BEFORE ANIMALS ARE BORN INTO A SYSTEM ALREADY TO CROWDED, TO CARE FOR THEM HUMANELY.AND WE MUST WORK WITH OUR RESCUE PARTNERS TO PRIORITIZE THE ANIMALS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE BEFORE BRINGING IN MORE FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
AGAIN, AUSTIN CANNOT MAKE TEXAS NO KILL.
THIS COMMISSION IS AUSTIN OFTEN ASKED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BEYOND ITS AUTHORITY, BUT EXPANDING SUPPORT FOR SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAMS AND FOSTERING A STRONGER ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND ITS RESCUE PARTNERS FALL SQUARELY WITHIN ITS MISSION.
AND I URGE YOU ALL TO USE YOUR INFLUENCE TO MAKE THESE CHANGES A PRIORITY.
I'M JULIE OLIVER AND WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER MARIN.
UH, I REALLY LOVE THE AUSTIN WILDLIFE UH, REFUGE.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY HERE TO TALK TONIGHT ABOUT DATA.
UM, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT IN, I USUALLY LOOK EVERY DAY AT OUTCOMES TO SEE LIKE WHICH DOG HAS BEEN OUTCOME.
BUT IF YOU GO INTO THE INTAKE AND THE OUTCOME DATASET AND YOU TYPE IN, LET'S SAY AN EXAMPLE, I HAVE A SCREENSHOT OF A, A, A DOG NAMED BLUEY.
UM, HE WAS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, HE'S INTAKE TWICE FOR THE SAME SOURCE DATE, MEANING THE SAME INTAKE DATE AND TIME.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT DOG NAMED BLUEY, SO THERE'S TWO BLUEY, A CO IMPOUND FROM FEBRUARY 23RD, 2026, TWO BLUEY WHO WERE STRAYS FROM JANUARY 2ND, 2026.
THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME ANIMAL ID.
NUMBER TWO BLUEY, WHO WERE RETURNS FROM OCTOBER 30TH, 2025, SAME ANIMAL ID NUMBER.
SO, AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUTCOMES, IT'S VERY, VERY SIMILAR.
SO IF YOU JUST DO A SEARCH ON THE IN INTAKE DATASET OR THE OUTCOMES DATASET, THE DOGS ARE IN THERE TWICE.
IT'S NOT LIKE A DOG WHO WAS ADOPTED AND RETURNED AND THEN ADOPTED AGAIN AND FOUND AS A STRAY.
UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE SAME SOURCE DATE, MEANING THE INTAKE DATE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DATA.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE, THE WEBSITE GOES DARK FOR A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING UPDATES ON THE BACKEND.
I'M NOT SURE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE BACKEND TO MAKE EVERYTHING APPEAR TWICE, BUT I WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE SOMEBODY COULD LOOK INTO THAT.
AND THEN ARE WE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE THE REMOTE SPEAKER, LYNETTE COX? HEY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
MY NAME IS LYNETTE COX AND I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN RESIDENT FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
I'M NOT A LONGTIME CAT ADVOCATE, I'M JUST A NEIGHBOR WHO RECENTLY WENT THROUGH THE TNR PROCESS FOR THE FIRST TIME, START TO FINISH.
AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I THINK MY EXPERIENCE AS AN OUTSIDER TO THE SYSTEM SAID SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
I LEARNED ABOUT AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY CATS PROGRAM VIA INTERNET SEARCH.
I FINALLY REACHED OUT AFTER A GRAY STRAY CAT HAD BEEN ROAMING MY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE TWO YEARS.
I HAD BEEN LIVING THERE, MULTIPLE HOUSEHOLDS HAD NOTICED HIM.
A NEIGHBOR SAID HE HAD BITTEN HER PET.
HE WAS SPRAYING MY WINDOWS, STRESSING MY INDOOR CATS TO THE POINT OF AGGRESSION AND HAD SHREDDED SEVERAL OF MY WINDOW SCREENS.
I WAS WORRIED ABOUT HIM AND I WANTED TO GET HIM TNRI EMAILED THE COMMUNITY CATS PROGRAM AND THE RESPONSE WAS KIND AND INFORMATIVE.
BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A BACKLOG OF APPROXIMATELY 600 REQUESTS WITH ONLY ABOUT 40 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS PER MONTH.
AND IT WAS IN THEIR WORDS, UNKNOWN WHEN A VOLUNTEER WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST.
RATHER THAN WAIT, I DECIDED TO DO IT MYSELF.
I WENT TO AUSTIN, HE MOVED SOCIETY.
I BORROWED A TRAP, BROUGHT IT HOME, SET IT UP, AND WITH A COUPLE OF DAYS I CAUGHT THE CAT AND DROVE HIM TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER WHEN THEY OPENED.
WHEN I ARRIVED, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHERE TO GO.
I WALKED THROUGH THE MANAGEMENTS WHERE MOST PEOPLE GO TO ADOPT, AND A SECURITY GUARD RE DIRECTED ME OUTSIDE TO A SEPARATE ENTRANCE WHERE A VOLUNTEER HELPED ME CHECK IN OUTSIDE.
BUT I LATER LEARNED THAT THE VOLUNTEER CHAIR ISN'T ALWAYS THERE.
AND IF I HAD ARRIVED LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, I WOULD'VE HAD TO FIND MY WAY BACK THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO GET REDIRECTED.
SO IT'S NOT A DEAD END THAT IT ADDS A LAYER OF SECTION IN THE PROCESS THAT ALREADY HAS A LOT OF STEPS.
SO SOME SIGNAGE OUTSIDE WOULD'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ALLEVIATE THIS CONFUSION.
REGARDLESS, THE SHELTER TOOK, THE GRAY CAT RETURNED TO EMPTY TRAP TO ME, TEXTED ME A CASE NUMBER AND NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY WOULD KEEP ME IN THE LOOP.
A FEW DAYS LATER, I WAS ASKED BY TEXT IF I COULD PICK HIM UP POST-SURGERY FROM, UH, HUMANE SOCIETY AND RETURN HIM TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SAID YES, BECAUSE I HAD THE TIME AND I WAS EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN THIS CAT AND I NEEDED TO RETURN THE TRAP TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
ANYWAY, WHEN IT CAME TIME TO PICK UP THE CAT, I WAS ASKED BY TEXT TO BRING MY OWN CARRIER.
I HAVE CARRIERS AT HOME, BUT I WASN'T COMFORTABLE RISKING CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF AN UNFAMILIAR STRAY CAPS.
AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY DOES NOT HAVE LOANER CARRIERS AVAILABLE.
AND I WAS ONLY ABLE TO MANAGE BECAUSE I HAPPENED TO HAVE A CARRIER ON HAND FROM A SEPARATE FOSTERING EXPERIENCE.
IF I HADN'T HAD IT, I WOULD'VE HAD TO DENY THE REQUEST FOR ME TO PICK UP THE CAT.
IF A LOANER LOAN CARRIER COULD HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR
[00:15:01]
POST-SURGERY PICKUP AND RETURNED THE SAME WAY THAT THE TRAP WAS RETURNED, THAT'S ONE LESS BARRIER FOR THE NEXT PERSON WHO TRIES TO DO THIS ON THEIR OWN.I RELEASED THE CAT INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE HE BELONGS AND IT WAS ALL A SUCCESS.
BUT HERE'S WHAT I KEEP THINKING ABOUT.
I WAS ONLY ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE I HAPPENED TO HAVE THE FREE TIME.
I'VE JUST STARTED A NEW JOB AND I COULDN'T DO THIS TODAY.
AND MOST PEOPLE CANNOT EITHER.
THE VOLUNTEERS DOING THIS WORK ARE REMARKABLE, BUT 40 VOLUNTEERS CANNOT SERVE 600 REQUESTS AND GROWING.
I'D ASKED THIS COMMISSION TO CONSIDER REQUESTING DEDICATED FUNDING FROM CITY COUNCIL TO REDUCE THAT BACKLOG IN A MEANINGFUL AND MEASURABLE WAY.
EVEN A GOAL OF JUST CLEARING 50 ADDITIONAL REQUESTS PER MONTH WOULD GIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SOMETHING THEY CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE, WHICH IS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION THAT HELP IS COMING.
THE SYSTEM WORKS AND I SAW IT WORK.
IT JUST NEEDS MORE SUPPORT AND SOME FINE TUNING FOR IT TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, AND THEN PAT VALTRA AND PAT, IS THIS CORRECT THAT YOU ALSO WANNA SPEAK ON THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? NO.
YOU CAN TAKE ME OFF THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
I WAS IN A HURRY AND I JUST PUT EVERYTHING DOWN.
UM, THANK YOU CHAIR NELSON, WOULD YOU CLARIFY FOR ME, WOULD YOU PREFER CHAIR OR DOCTOR? EITHER ONE.
SO THANK YOU CHAIR NELSON AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, FOR BEING HERE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, WELCOME COMMISSIONER MORON.
DID I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY? MARIN.
SO ANYWAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE, UM, PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND TO DISCUSS ANIMAL ISSUES EVERY MONTH.
UM, I HAVE BEEN A PAST MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT REMEMBER ME, WE SPOKE ONCE AT A AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS MEETING.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN VARIOUS BUDGET COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS SINCE I LEFT THE COMMISSION.
I'M STILL VERY INTERESTED IN SPAY NEUTER, VERY INTERESTED IN WILDLIFE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, DOGS ARE VERY WELL REPRESENTED HERE.
UM, I AM INTERESTED IN DOG ISSUES AND CAT ISSUES AS WELL.
UM, I WANNA THANK ROCHELLE VICKERY FOR COMING HERE MONTH AFTER MONTH AND DOING ALL THE TRAPPING THAT SHE DOES.
AND, UM, LAST MONTH I WASN'T ABLE TO STAY HERE.
I HAD TO RUN OVER TO, UH, VOLUNTEER FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND THEN I DIDN'T MAKE IT BACK.
BUT, UM, I DID HEAR HER, UH, THANK ME FOR HELPING HER.
AND NOT ONLY DID I GET APPRECIATED BY ROCHELLE, BUT I WANNA EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO ROCHELLE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK SHE DOES.
AND SHE DOES THE HARDER WORK THAN I DO, BUT I WAS GLAD TO HELP HER OUT.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK LYNETTE COX FOR SPEAKING TODAY.
AND I WANT TO, UM, SUPPORT HER REQUESTS THAT YOU HAVE A GOAL TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF, UH, CATS THAT ARE IN NEED OF BEING TRAPPED FROM 600 DOWN TO ZERO BY MAKING IT A GOAL TO EVERY MONTH REDUCE THE LIST BY 50.
IN OTHER WORDS, THIS LIST IS VERY LONG, IT'S 600 AND YOU CAN'T REDUCE THE LIST TO ZERO OVERNIGHT.
BUT IF YOU MAKE IT A GOAL TO HAVE EITHER STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS GET ON THAT AND GET IT DOWN TO ZERO WITHIN A YEAR, I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE GOAL.
AND IT'S ONE THAT, UM, YOU COULD DISCUSS AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH IS GONNA BE CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
IF THERE ARE ONLY 40 VOLUNTEERS RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S 600 ANIMALS AND IT'S BEEN SIX, 600 CATS AND IT'S BEEN 600 FOR A REAL LONG TIME, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, GIVING A LITTLE BIT OF FINANCIAL HELP, WHICH IS EITHER, YOU KNOW, A GIFT CARD TO HELP WITH GAS WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET MORE VOLUNTEERS INVOLVED.
SO I WANNA ASK YOU TO DO THAT.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO LOOK INTO THE DONATIONS FUND, UM, DIRECTOR DANGLER AND I DISCUSSED THAT FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS IT WITH HER AND WITH YOU AS, AS TIME PERMITS.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO BACK TO FINISHING OUT THE ROLE, UM, WITH THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.
CAN WE HEAR YOU NOW? UM, COMMISSIONER FERGUSON PRESENT, UH, COMMISSIONER EMER PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON PRESENT AND
[00:20:01]
COMMISSIONER? UH, VAN LANDINGHAM PRESENT.OH, CAN WE SEE YOU AS WELL? COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON? JUST TO VERIFY.
SORRY, I'M, I'M WORKING ON THE CAMERA ON THIS ONE.
I MIGHT HAVE TO SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT COMPUTER.
LEMME SEE IF I CAN STOP AND START IT AGAIN.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO,
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON MARCH 9TH, 2026.UM, I READ THROUGH THESE AND I DIDN'T FIND ANY ISSUE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER HOLT? IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER TIES ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MARCH MINUTES AS WRITTEN.
DID YOU SEE HOW COMMISSIONER HUDDLE HUDDLESTON WAS VOTING? YEAH.
[2. Staff briefing regarding monthly reports. Presentation by Monica Dangler, Director, Austin Animal Services and Jason Garza, Assistant Director, Austin Animal Services. ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING MONTHLY REPORTS PRESENTED BY, ACTUALLY, I THINK WE HAVE A PUBLIC, TWO PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN NOW? PAT VAL VALTRA.
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO MACY SHARP.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF LOVABLE.
WE RECENTLY DID A MARKETING PROJECT.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OUR BILLBOARD OFF SLAUGHTER IN 35.
UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY UNBRANDED BY US, BUT IT WAS TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO ADOPT FROM, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, UM, A FEW OTHER SHELTERS IN THE AREA TO GET PEOPLE, UM, TO P INTEREST IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A MARKETING AGENCY AND WE'VE SEEN ABOUT 4,000 PEOPLE FLOW THROUGH THERE TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER WEBSITE.
UM, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA THINGS.
SO THE REASON I'M JUST SPEAKING ON THIS ONE, UM, IS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING METRICS ADDED BACK TO THE REPORT, WHICH TECHNICALLY DIRECTOR DANGLER DID TELL ME SHE WOULD WORK ON, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING IS WHEN I SAW THAT TEXT.
AND SO, UM, BUT YEAH, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THOSE BECAUSE WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN PARTNERING ON MORE MARKETING THINGS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE THINGS BACK ON THE REPORTS.
UM, I DIDN'T WANT TO DOUBLE AGENDA ITEMS, SO I'M NOT GONNA PUT THIS ON THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET WORKING GROUP, BUT IF THAT IS APPROVED AND THERE IS A WORKING GROUP, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, MARKETING BE A MAJOR FOCUS BECAUSE WE SAW SO MUCH SUCCESS WITH THIS PROJECT.
VAL CHASE, DO YOU ALSO WANNA SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM TWO? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND UM, I'M GOING TO MAKE A REQUEST ON THIS AND ALL OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH BRIEFINGS.
AND I MAY NOT GET ANYWHERE WITH THIS, BUT I'LL GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT.
UM, AT CITY COUNCIL, THE STAFF DOES THEIR BRIEFINGS FIRST AND THEN PEOPLE GET TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM AFTER THEY'VE HEARD THE BRIEFING.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S, UM, DOCUMENTS POSTED AND YOU GET TO SEE THE DOCUMENTS BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
UM, OBVIOUSLY FOR THESE MEETINGS, WE DO HAVE DOCUMENTS POSTED.
THEY GET POSTED TOWARDS THE VERY, VERY END AND OFTEN, UM, I DON'T GET TO REVIEW THEM.
SO IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD HEAR THE BRIEFING FIRST AND THEN SPEAK AFTERWARDS.
AND IT'S TOTALLY UP TO THE CHAIR AND THE COMMISSION MEMBERS IF YOU WANNA DO THAT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, UM, NOT HAVING HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS OR HAVE A POSITION ON THOSE.
I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED THIS MONTH IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS THAT, UH, DOGS THAT LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM ME GOT OUT.
THEY ATTACKED A WOMAN WHO WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND THAT WOMAN WAS WALKING IN A PLACE WHERE I VERY, VERY OFTEN WALK.
UM, AND COMMISSIONER NORTON, I THINK I'VE SEEN YOU THERE MYSELF.
I MEAN, I'VE RUN INTO YOU THERE.
UM, OTHER PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WALK THERE.
THIS WOMAN WAS, UH, OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE A DAUGHTER BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
IT WAS HER DAUGHTER THAT POSTED ABOUT IT ON FACEBOOK.UH, THE DAUGHTER WAS VERY UPSET.
THE WOMAN WAS ABLE TO, BUT SHE HAD SERIOUS INJURIES.
SHE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO JUMP ON TOP OF A CAR.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD JUMP ON TOP OF A CAR.
UM, I'M PRETTY HEALTHY, BUT I'M NOT THAT HEALTHY.
AND WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN A KID? WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN SOMEBODY WITH A DISABILITY AND IT WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT WAS DOGS THAT I WAS, HAVE BEEN AFRAID OF? UM, THEY'RE NOT OUT ALL THE TIME WHEN I WALKED PAST THAT GATE.
UM, IF THEY ARE OUT, THEY RUSH THE GATE AND I GO ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, BUT SOMETIMES I FORGET 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT OUT AND I JUST WALK RIGHT BY THEM.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME, BUT EVEN IF IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ME, I STILL AM VERY EMPATHETIC TO SOMEBODY ENDING UP IN THE HOSPITAL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, HEAR THESE BRIEFINGS, HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH, UH, DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU KNOW, I, I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOW IT HAPPENED IN MY NE NEIGHBORHOOD, VERY, VERY CLOSE TO HOME.
AND I AM TOTALLY, TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAVE DOGS AND SAVE CATS.
I HAVE BEEN FOR IT MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE NEED TO JUST BE REALISTIC THAT CERTAIN DOGS NEED TO GO DOWN.
CAN I GET SOMETHING? UM, SORRY.
UM, I JUST WANTED, UM, YOU TO KNOW, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UM, I LIVE TWO DOORS FROM YOU.
UM, THAT, UM, I HAVE BEEN, UM, IN TOUCH WITH THE VICTIM.
UM, I'M WORKING WITH HER AND HER FAMILY.
UM, AND THE DOGS, I BELIEVE ARE STILL AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
THEY'RE IN THE 10 DAY, UM, APPEAL PROCESS IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
UM, THE JUDGE DID ORDER THE DOGS BE, UH, EUTHANIZED, BUT, UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE, UH, APPEAL IN THAT.
PAT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED TO ASK THIS QUESTION NOW.
THIS WAS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU SAID, BUT ARE WE NABA ACTUALLY ABLE TO CHANGE THE ORDER OF I OBJECT.
I, THERE'S, I KNOW THAT THE OTHER COMMISSIONS DON'T NECESSARILY DO IT THAT WAY, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WASN'T A RULE THAT WE WERE BEHOLDEN TO THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
AND THAT WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO DIRECTOR DANGLER AND, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GARZA.
IS THAT OKAY? YOU WANT ME TO GO THIS
JASON GARZA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES.
SO, UH, HERE'S OUR REPORTS AND UPDATES.
FIRST WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU, SEE IF I CAN GET, CLICK IT OVER.
SORRY, JASON AND I HAD A LITTLE, UM, WE DIDN'T PLAN THIS AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, SO YEAH, SO WE'LL FIRST START OFF WITH, UM, A A COUPLE THINGS OUTSIDE OF OUR PACKET INFORMATION.
UH, ONE, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THIS MONTH, APRIL IS, UM, ANIMAL CRUELTY AWARENESS MONTH.
UM, SUPPORT OUR ANIMAL, UM, SORRY, NOT OUR ANIMAL.
OUR AUSTIN, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TUCSON SHERIFF DEPARTMENT WHO LEAD THOSE, UM, ANIMAL CRUELTY, UH, CASES.
AND THEN, UM, OUR ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS HELP SUPPORT THOSE CASES.
SO PLEASE, UM, UH, THANK THEM.
IF YOU SEE ANY OF THOSE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
ALSO THIS WEEK IS ANIMAL PROTECTION, UH, APPRECIATION WEEK.
SO IF YOU SEE ANY OF OUR, OUR OFFICERS OUT THERE, PLEASE SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
I KNOW THEY WORK REALLY HARD EVERY WEEK, AND THEN BECAUSE APRIL, WE JUST WANNA KEEP IT NICE AND FULL AND BUSY.
UH, IT'S ALSO VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK NEXT WEEK, WHICH IS AMAZING.
SO, UM, AGAIN, PLEASE, IF YOU RUN INTO ANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, THERE'S MANY HERE.
UM, PLEASE SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO, WHETHER THEY'RE A VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, UM, OR ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, ANIMAL ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I KNOW WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THEM AND NEITHER COULD THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, UM, PLEASE HELP ME IN RECOGNIZING THEM AS WELL.
UM, ONE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNEW.
OUR ENDURING SERVICE PROGRAM WHERE WE SENT, UH, 12 DOGS TO, UM, THE TRAVIS, THE TRA, TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL, THE TRAVIS COUNTY STATE JAIL.
I'M LIKE, WHERE DID WE SEND THEM AGAIN?
UH, TRAVIS COUNTY STATE JAIL TO WORK WITH, UH, VETERAN INMATES.
UH, THEY ARE GONNA BE GRADUATING, UH, THE WEEK,
[00:30:01]
ENDING MAY 1ST.YOU'LL START SEEING SOME, UH, MARKETING COME OUT ABOUT THEM.
WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE ALL OF THEM PLACED INTO ADOPTIVE HOMES PRIOR TO THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONY.
UM, SO BE LOOKING AT THAT, HELP US PROMOTE THOSE.
UM, DOGS ARE REALLY GREAT AND THE GUYS HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD AT, UM, WORKING WITH THE DOGS, UM, THERE.
AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, WITH THE JAIL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, LAST THING TO TALK ABOUT IS, UM, TO ADDRESS, UH, ONE OF THE COMMENTS EARLIER.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY BASING A CRISIS.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 60 DOGS THAT ARE EITHER IN, UM, NON-PUBLIC KENNELS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, SO PEOPLE CANNOT SEE THEM TO ADOPT THEM, UM, OR THEY'RE IN CRATES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 30 OF THEM ARE IN TEMPORARY CRATES, UM, IN THE NPR ROOM DOWN HALLWAYS.
UM, AND THAT'S, UH, NOT NOT THE WAY WE WANT, UM, THE DOGS IN OUR CARE TO LIVE.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME INTERACTION, UH, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, 'CAUSE WE'RE CURRENTLY IN VIOLATION OF FIRE CODE AND SAFETY.
UM, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE NEED TO MOVE THESE ANIMALS IMMEDIATELY.
UM, SO WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT VISIT AGAIN, UM, WE CAN BE READY AND, UM, IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, FIRE CODE.
UM, SO I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION'S HELP AND THE PUBLIC'S HELP, UH, TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT THAT WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY WORK TOWARDS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE IT.
UM, AND WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY'S HELP MORE THAN EVER.
UM, TOMORROW MORNING, UH, WE'LL BE SENDING OUT NOTICES TO, UH, THE RESCUE FOSTERS VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ASKING FOR THEIR HELP.
UM, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND SUPPORTS NOT JUST US FOR OUR ANIMALS, UM, RIGHT.
WE'RE TARGETING DOGS THAT ARE 30 POUNDS OR LARGER, UM, TO OPEN THOSE BIG DOG CAGES.
BUT OF COURSE, ANY ANIMAL THAT LEAVES HELPS US REALLOCATE OUR STAFFING, UM, TO CARE FOR THOSE BIG DOGS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR ISSUES ARE.
UM, BUT PLEASE HELP US WITH THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, GET THOSE DOGS OUTTA THE KENNEL AND, UH, OUTTA CRATES AND BACK KENNELS AND GET THEM INTO HOMES WHERE THEY DESERVE TO BE.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO, UM, UH, OUR 30, 60, 90 DAYS.
OH, SORRY, I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT $5 FOOT LONG.
CAN I JUST YEAH, YOU MENTION, WANT ME TO SAY THAT, THAT, SORRY.
UH, SO ALSO TO HELP PROMOTE AND GET THE ANIMALS OUT, WE JUST WRAPPED UP OUR NAME, YOUR OWN PRICE ADOPTION EVENT, AND WE SAW A NICE AMOUNT OF ANIMALS LEAVE, BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN MORE COME IN THAN LEFT, SPECIFICALLY WITH LARGE DOGS.
UM, SO TO CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM THIS WEEK, UM, THROUGH SUNDAY, WE'LL BE DOING $5 FOOT LONGS.
SO ANYTHING THAT'S A FOOT LONG OR LONGER, $5.
SO BASICALLY ANY DOG OTHER THAN LITTLE TINY NUGGETS.
UM, AND MOST CATS, UM, ARE GONNA BE $5.
SO PLEASE HELP SHARE, SPREAD THAT WORD FOR US, UM, SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET SOME OF THESE DOGS OUT OF THE ADOPT OUT OF THE SHELTER INTO ADOPTIVE HOMES OR INTO FOSTER HOMES AS WELL.
UM, SO THEN LET'S LOOK AT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UH, FOR THE LAST 30 DAYS, UM, WE'VE BEEN MAKING SOME HEADWIND SLOWLY BUT SURELY.
UM, ONE OF OUR IMPROVEMENT, UM, PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE MET WITH THE BERT TEAM, WHICH I THINK I'VE TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT AT THE LAST, UH, MEETING, UM, ABOUT THEIR FOSTER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
SO NOW WE'RE JUST WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UM, SO THAT WILL HOPEFULLY HELP OUR FOSTER TEAM, UH, BE MORE EFFICIENT AND BE ABLE TO SEND MORE ANIMALS, SPECIFICALLY BIG DOGS OUT TO FOSTER, UM, ON OUR PROGRAMS AND SOCIALS.
UM, WE'VE GOTTEN A MARKET MARKETING PLAN DEVELOPED WITH, UH, KPIS, AND NOW WE'RE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING THAT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE REALLY GETTING, UM, THE COMMUNICATIONS OUT THERE, UM, AND ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO CREATED A QUARTERLY, UH, PROMOTION AND EVENT CALENDAR SO THAT, UM, WE HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON AT ALL TIMES TO HELP A, AGAIN, CREATE THAT EXCITEMENT IN THE SHELTER AND INVITE PEOPLE TO COME IN.
UM, AFTER THIS WEEK, WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF CAT THINGS, UH, SCHEDULED TO DO BECAUSE RIGHT KITTEN SEASON IS, WELL, I THINK WE'VE STARTED GETTING KITTENS IN, SO IT'S NOT TOTALLY IN OUR DOOR YET, BUT IT'S CREEPING IN.
UH, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE OUR MOMENTUM, UM, ON THE ENHANCED STAFFING.
WE JUST DID INTERVIEWS FOR VET TECH POSITIONS ON FRIDAY, AND WE FOUND SEVERAL REALLY GOOD CANDIDATES.
SO WE'LL BE EXTENDING OFFERS AND GO FROM THERE, UM, TO HELP BETTER MEET OUR NEEDS.
[00:35:01]
THE SHELTER PRESENCE.UH, WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING, UM, WITH SOME, WITH A COUPLE KEY VOLUNTEER INFLUENCERS FOR SOCIAL STRATEGY.
UM, WE'VE UPDATED OUR LOST AND FOUND PAGE, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT USING PETCO.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOT SEEN PETCO LOVE LOST, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS OR WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THE TOOLS WE ASK PEOPLE TO USE TO REPORT LOST OR FOUND PETS.
WHEN THE NUMBER OF LOST REPORTS MATCH FOUND REPORTS, IT WORKS MOST EFFICIENTLY.
UM, BUT BASICALLY WHAT IT DOES IS IT USES FACIAL RECOGNITION, UM, TO MATCH LOST REPORTS WITH FOUND REPORTS.
SO AS PEOPLE FILE THOSE, UM, IT'LL MATCH IT AND THEN IT'LL NOTIFY THE OWNER, WHICH IS GREAT.
SO IF THE, UH, PET'S MICROCHIP GREAT, UM, THEY PUT THE MICROCHIP IN, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY NOTIFY THEM, UH, EVEN IF IT'S NOT REGISTERED.
SO IF THERE'S TWO MATCHING REPORTS THAT WORKS, OR JUST SIMILAR LOOKING ANIMALS, UM, IT EVEN WORKS.
I'VE TESTED IT, UM, ON JUST AN ORANGE TABBY 'CAUSE, RIGHT? LIKE THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME, UH, ORANGE TABBY.
AND THAT ORANGE TABBY WOULD EVEN COME UP WITHIN THE FIRST FEW ANIMALS.
UM, AND THEN IT, IT, LIKE I SAID, IT NOTIFIES THE OWNER WHERE IT'S AT.
IF THOSE ANIMALS COME INTO THE SHELTER, OUR ANIMALS ARE REGULARLY UPLOADED INTO PETCO LOVE LOST.
SO IT'LL ALSO NOTIFY, UM, THE OWNER, UM, THAT THEIR PET IS IN THE SHELTER.
AND IT'S, UM, NOT JUST US, IT'S, UM, OTHER, UH, MUNICIPAL SHELTERS THAT ARE TAKING AND LOST PETS ARE ALSO USING IT, SO IT'LL LET THEM KNOW.
SO IF A PET FROM TRAVIS COUNTY GOES TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY OR VICE VERSA, IT'S STILL LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT SHELTER, UM, THAT PET IS AND WHERE THEY CAN FIND IT.
THERE'S ALSO A REALLY GREAT INTERACTIVE MAP FOR THOSE PEOPLE, FOR THOSE PET DETECTIVES OUT THERE.
AND IT'LL SHOW LOST AND OR FOUND DOGS AND CATS, AND YOU CAN FILTER IT BY THE TYPE OF ANIMAL, UM, AND WHERE THEY WERE FOUND SO YOU CAN HELP, UH, MAKE THOSE MATCHES.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY EXCITING.
UM, UM, WHAT, UH, UM, SORRY, PETCO, UH, WE ALSO, UM, BECAME CURRENT WITH SOME OF OUR REPORTING.
WE HADN'T BEEN UP TO DATE ON REPORTING TO BOTH PETCO LOVE, WHICH IS, UM, THE NONPROFIT FOUNDATION ARM OF PETCO, UH, OR BEST FRIENDS, UH, SHELTER DATA ALLIANCE, UM, SHELTER, PET DATA ALLIANCE.
UM, BOTH OF THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS WHEN WE'RE UP TO DATE.
WHEN WE AREN'T UP TO DATE, WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE GRANTS.
UM, AND MADDIE'S FUND AND SOME OF THESE OTHER, UM, FUNDERS, UM, WILL NOT FUND US IF YOU DON'T, DUE TO ALL OF THOSE, UM, LOCATIONS.
SO WE'RE UP TO DATE A HUNDRED PERCENT CURRENT, SO WE CAN, UM, APPLY FOR GRANTS.
AND WE DID JUST APPLY FOR, UH, A PETCO LOVE GRANT.
UM, SO THAT WAS EXCITING AS WELL.
UM, FEEDBACK, WE'VE CONTINUED TO MEET WITH GROUPS JUST THIS LAST WEEK.
I MET WITH, UM, THE CAT VOLUNTEERS AND THEN ALSO WITH THE DOG VOLUNTEERS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO SET UP SOME MONTHLY, UH, MEETINGS WITH BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN ON DEVELOPING A PLAN TO OPEN INTAKE, WE'VE BEEN TRYING OUT SOME DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, PILOTING SOME DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, TO SEE WHAT WORKS.
UM, WE'VE CURRENTLY BEEN IN A SITUATION WITH ALL THE RAIN THAT WE'VE HAD TO PAUSE SOME OF OUR PILOTS.
UM, BUT WE'RE CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT DIRECTION, UM, SO THAT, THAT WE CAN OPEN AND TAKE TO SPECIFICALLY THOSE, UM, STRAY ANIMALS THAT MOST NEED US THAT ARE, UM, POSSIBLY AGGRESSIVE OR SICK OR INJURED.
UM, BUT KEEPING, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IN MIND IS OUR NUMBER ONE, UM, TOPIC.
UM, SO THOSE WERE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THAT MARKETING PLAN THAT WE DEVELOPED.
UM, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON AN EVENT CALENDAR FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT PLACES WE GO.
WE GO A LOT OF PLACES EVERY WEEK.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING ON A CALENDAR THAT WE CAN PUT ONTO THE WEBSITE SO EVERYONE CAN SEE WHERE THAT'S AT.
UM, ENHANCED STAFFING, WE'RE CONTINUING TO INTERVIEW FOR VACANT PHYSICIANS.
UH, ANY VET TECH PHYSICIANS THAT DON'T OP DON'T FILL FROM THIS LAST GROUP.
UM, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OFFICER INVESTIGATOR MM-HMM
AND SUPERVISOR POSITION THAT WE'RE INTERVIEWING FOR.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, ANALYZING OUR KENNEL CLEANING STUDY.
WE DID WRAP THAT UP ALSO, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO WE'LL BE ANALYZING THAT DATA, UM, TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES.
THE ANIMAL CARE TEAM HAS ALREADY MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN HOW THEY SCHEDULE THEIR STAFF AND, UM, HOW THE STAFF WORKED TO HELP WITH INCREASING THAT EFFICIENCY.
[00:40:01]
ANIMAL CARE STAFF WAS DESIGNATED TO SPECIFIC AREAS, SO JUST CLEANING CATS, JUST CLEANING SMALL DOGS, JUST CLEANING LARGE DOGS.BUT THEN THAT LEFT GAPS WHEN PEOPLE WERE, UH, CALLED OUT OR ON VACATION.
SO NOW THEY'RE ROTATING THROUGH AND THAT GIVES EVERYBODY, UM, RIGHT, THE EXPERIENCE THEY NEED FOR HOW TO INTERACT WITH ALL THOSE DIFFERENT ANIMALS SAFELY AND HOW TO CARE FOR THOSE ANIMALS SAFELY.
UM, WHICH HAS, UM, BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS IN PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON, UM, PATHWAYS AND TRANSFER PROTOCOLS TO GET THOSE ANIMALS OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THEY'RE IN THE SHELTER, UM, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, MADDIE'S FUND CLINIC CONSULTATION REGARDING SPAY AND NEUTER THAT I REACHED OUT AND, UH, WAS ABLE TO SCHEDULE WITH THEM OR IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING WITH THEM, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN COME IN, UH, BE CONSULTING, WORKS WITH MADDIE'S FUND AND SPECIALIZES IN HIGH VOLUME, UH, HIGH QUALITY SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES.
UM, AND THEY CAN BOTH WORK WITH DOCTORS, UM, AS WELL AS TECHNICIANS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH ARE PERFORMING, UM, AT HIGH CAPACITY SO THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY SPAY NEUTER DONE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THEY'LL BE COMING IN SHORTLY.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, WE'RE DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR, UM, THE KENNEL SPACE, UM, PROTOCOLS ON SOCIAL.
SO, UM, WORKING ON HOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, FOR THE FOSTER PROGRAM WE'RE STILL WORKING ON RIGHT THOUGH, OUR WEEKLY FOSTER POSTS IDENTIFYING THREE DOGS EVERY WEEK OR EVERY DAY TO HIGHLIGHT, TO FOSTERS, UM, SENDING OUT DAILY EMAILS, UM, AND THE LAUNCH OF OUR DOG DAY OUT.
UM, DO HAPPENING FOR THREE DAY, HAPPENING THREE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, REALLY WE NEEDED TO DEVELOP AN ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN.
WE HAVE SOME STAFF THAT ARE REGULARLY DOING IT, BUT NOT EVERY STAFF EVERY DAY.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA WORK ON, IS MAKING SURE THAT'S CONSISTENT AND THEN WE'LL ADD ON THOSE ADDITIONAL DAYS OR ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, EMAILS OR DOGS THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING FOR THEM.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THE REOPENING PLAN IS JUST ONGOING.
UM, AND WORKING WITH A PA ON SOME COMMUNI COMMUNITY BASED, UM, SOLUTIONS AS WELL, UM, FOR 60 DAYS OUT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, WE'LL BE MOVING THOSE, ALL THOSE FOSTER HIGHLIGHTS TO FIVE DOGS OR TO FIVE DAYS, UM, AND HOPEFULLY IMPLEMENTING THE, UH, FOSTER TOOL, THE BERT, UH, PLATFORM, UM, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL.
UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, UPDATING THE LANGUAGE AND TONE ON SOCIAL, IMPLEMENTING A NEWSLETTER, AND, UM, IMPLEMENTING THOSE PLANS, UH, FOR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, AND THEN FOR SHELTER AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, CONTINUE DEVELOPING THAT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR KENNEL SPACE PROTOCOL AND SOCIALS.
UM, AND, UH, CONTINUE THAT RECRUITMENT FOR VET TECHS.
HOPEFULLY THEY'LL ALL BE FILLED IN 60 DAYS, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, UH, THEN WE'LL CONTINUE THAT.
BUT HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE FILLED.
UM, DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR REOPENING, WE'RE CONTINUING TO JUST WORK ON REDUCING THE WAIT TIMES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT BEFORE THEY CAN BRING IN, UH, ANIMALS TO THE SHELTER.
AND THEN FINALLY, 90 DAYS, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'LL BE OPEN, UH, INTAKE FOR ALL STRAY ANIMALS WITHIN THE NEXT 90 DAYS.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOAL WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, FOSTER PROGRAM.
WE'RE HOPING TO INCREASE THAT TO SEVEN DAY, SEVEN DOGS HIGHLIGHTED EACH DAY.
UM, AND THEN DOG DAY OUT PROGRAM OR OVERNIGHTS.
UM, AVAILABLE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UM, AND THEN FOR SHELTER DATABASE, WE'RE CON CONTINUING TO EVALUATE, UH, THE MODULE FOR EFFECT, THE VOLUNTEER MODULE FOR EFFECTIVENESS AND POTENTIAL ENHANCEMENTS, LIKE, UH, ALLOWING THE VOLUNTEERS TO PUT IN NOTES REGARDING THE DOGS THEMSELVES AS OPPOSED TO HAVING US DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN EXPLORING, UH, OH, I ACTUALLY JUST SAID THAT.
SO HAVING THEM BE ABLE TO ADD THAT DIRECTLY TO THE DATABASE BASE IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE 30, 60, 90.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE TO JASON WITH HIS DATA? YES, WHITNEY, UM, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH SLIDE IT WAS ON.
I THINK YOU SAID CURRENTLY IT'S THREE FOSTER DOGS PER DAY BEING IDENTIFIED MM-HMM
UM, WHAT KIND OF ROI ARE YOU SEEING ON THAT? LIKE, IS IT WORKING, IS THERE, BECAUSE I RECALL, THE REASON I'M ASKING MM-HMM
IS LAST MONTH, I RECALL YOU ALSO SAYING IT WOULD BE 90 DAYS MM-HMM
AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION? SO WE, WE CURRENTLY, WE, IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S NOT CONSISTENT ENOUGH TO BE LOOKING AT THE DATA TO SEE IF IT'S WORKING OR NOT.
UM, WE NEED TO GET TO THAT PLACE WHERE EVERY FOSTER
[00:45:01]
COORDINATOR IS DOING THIS EVERY DAY AND NOT JUST ON OCCASION MM-HMMSO THAT'S, WE'RE HOPING TO GET THEM TO THAT POINT THIS MONTH SO THAT WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY START LOOKING AT DATA AND START BENCHMARKING IT MM-HMM
UM, BUT WE, I HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN ANIMALS GOING TO FOSTER, BUT, UM, I DON'T THINK, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE NEED IT TO BE.
COMMISSIONER LLOYD? I HAVE OH, OH, CAN I SEE? YEAH.
UM, JUST, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY IT IN THE THING ABOUT THE, THE HALLS BEING FILLED, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'M SEEING IT TOO.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF, I MEAN, IS HAVE, HAS INTAKE PARAMETER, HAVE INTAKE PARAMETERS CHANGED? WE, THIS IS KIND OF A SUDDEN FLOOD IN OF, OF DOGS AND CRATES AND KENNELS, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO.
I KNOW IT'S EASY TO TURN ON THIS BIG AND ON THAT END AND VERY, VERY, VERY HARD TO TURN IT ON THE OTHER END.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT, I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ANYTHING DRAMATIC TO ATTRIBUTE IT TO.
UM, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT WE'RE GETTING AN, UM, WE WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING TO HOLD DOGS LONGER FOR, UM, APPEALS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 18 DOGS IN CARE THAT ARE WAITING FOR APPEALS, AND THEY'VE BEEN WAITING IN CARE FOR, FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE MONTHS.
SOME HAVE BEEN UP TO A YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON APPEALS WHILE IT GOES THROUGH THE, THE COURT SYSTEM.
IS THAT JUST PURE HAPPENSTANCE? RANDOM? YEAH.
WELL, IT DEPENDS ON, ON COURT WHAT THE CASE AND, AND THE OWNER HOW FAR THEY WANT TO, THEY, THEY WANT TO TAKE IT UP.
SO THAT'S KIND OF BACKLOGGED US A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE JUST RIGHT.
THE, THE BIG DOGS JUST ARE NOT MOVING AT THE PACE THAT THEY HAVE IN THE PAST, AND IT'S JUST RIGHT EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK THAT, YOU KNOW, TWO LESS BIG DOGS GET MOVED OUT, IT'S JUST ADDING MORE AND MORE.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY JUST THE BIG DOGS AREN'T MOVING, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL COMING IN.
THE DOGS ARE GONNA COME IN REGARDLESS.
UM, IT'S JUST HOW DO WE WANT THEM TO COME IN AND WHAT INFORMATION DO WE WANT ABOUT 'EM? ARE YOU, 'CAUSE I LOOK AT THE, THE NUMBERS ON THE REPORTS MM-HMM
ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING AT A TREND LINE? AND I REALIZE WE'RE AT THE BASE RIGHT NOW,
SO I HAVE LOOKED AT THE TREND LINE MONTH TO MONTH AND RIGHT.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN FOR ADOPTIONS IS, UM, RIGHT, IT STARTED TO DECREASE SLIGHTLY IN DECEMBER WHEN WE RIGHT.
HAD THE VI OUTBREAK, UM, AND THEN IT DRAMATICALLY DROPPED IN JANUARY MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN IT'S CONTINUED, IT, IT, IT'S DROPPED DOWN TO ABOUT 30% THEN LAST YEAR, 30 TO 50% SOMEWHERE, IT KIND OF FLUCTUATES AND IT'S STARTING TO LEVEL OUT.
UM, THE LAST WEEK FELT BUSIER, UH, THAN IN THE PAST.
UM, BUT IT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO MOVE THE DOGS OUT.
WE'RE, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO, UM, REALLY MAKE SURE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, UM, RIGHT.
EVERY TOOL TO TRY TO GET THESE DOGS OUT.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT A CRISIS PLACE THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE THESE DOGS OUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND WE'RE HOPING, AND I'M POSITIVE THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL, UM, COME OUT AND SUPPORT US AND HELP FOSTER ADOPT, AND THEN OUR PARTNERS TRANSFER DOGS OUT.
AND ANECDOTALLY WITHOUT THAT, THIS IS SORT OF WHAT WE SEE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, ESPECIALLY WITHIN AUSTIN, MIDDLE OF MARCH, IT'S SOUTH BY, IT'S HARD TO GET ANYBODY INTO THERE.
THEN TWO WEEKS LATER WE DO, IT'S NOW AN EXTENDED HOLIDAY SEASON WITH, WITH EASTER.
SO, YEAH, SO ONCE WE PUT OUT THE MESSAGING, WE DID, LIKE, WE STARTED THE DAY OFF, I THINK ON FRIDAY AT LIKE NEGATIVE 90 TODAY.
WE WERE LIKE NEGATIVE 65, BUT THINGS STARTED COMING IN HERE AND THERE, ESPECIALLY BIGGER DOGS.
BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH ON THE, ON THE BACKEND.
SO EVEN WITH THE VIRUS AND SORT OF THE, THE LOCKDOWN WE PUT OURSELVES, IT DIDN'T SET US UP FOR, FOR GETTING TO THESE UPCOMING MONTHS.
UM, SO NOW THAT WE ARE HERE, WE WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKLOGGED THAN WHAT WE HAD TO NORMALLY IN THE PAST TO PREPARE FOR THIS SORT OF LIKE SLOW, SLOW, STEADY PERIOD THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE FOR LIKE, YOU KNOW, TWO TO FOUR WEEKS.
THE, THE VIRUS THAT RIGHT, THAT WAS GOING ON FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A MONTH AND A HALF.
AND YOU'LL TYPICALLY SEE WHEN YOU HAVE OUTBREAKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME AND IT'S FRONT AND CENTER, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A, A DROP IN, UM, ADOPTER CONFIDENCE SPECIFICALLY FROM A MUNICIPAL SHELTER.
AND IT'S NOT EVEN JUST ADOPTERS, IT'S FROM TRANSFER TRANSFER PARTNERS TOO, RIGHT.
THEY DON'T WANNA TRANSFER IN POTENTIALLY SICK DOGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND PIMA, UM, JUST ONE MENTION OF A PO OF
[00:50:01]
A POSITIVE, UM, A POSITIVE RESULT IN A UPPER RESPIRATORY ISSUE, UH, WOULD SLOW US DOWN ABOUT A MONTH.SO, BECAUSE THIS WAS TALKED ABOUT A LOT LONGER, IT, I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING IT LAST SO LONG, IN ADDITION TO, RIGHT, IT'S THE SPRING, IT'S TEXAS, EVERYBODY'S HAVING FUN WHILE IT'S NICE, AND THE WEATHER'S GREAT.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN START GETTING THOSE PEOPLE BACK IN THROUGH OUR DIFFERENT EFFORTS, UM, TO ADOPT AND FOSTER MM-HMM
SORRY, I JUST, I HAD ONE LAST ONE, HOPEFULLY A, A POSITIVE, UM, THE MADDIE'S FUND GRANT THAT YOU GUYS APPLIED FOR.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT, WHAT THE YEAH, SO MADDIE'S, UM, THEY, DO THEY PARTNER WITH NO, I'M FAMILIAR WITH MADDIE'S FUND.
JUST WHAT THE GRANT WAS FOR REQUEST.
I WAS LIKE, I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UM, SO FOR THE MADDIE'S GRANT, UH, WE APPLIED FOR SOME MONIES TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE, UM, INCENTIVES FOR, UH, SENDING ANIMALS OUT SPECIFICALLY, UM, LEASHES AND COLLARS TO MAKE SURE EVERY DOG IS LEAVING WITH A LEASH COLLAR, AND THEN WE ALREADY GIVE THEM ID TAGS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO LARGE DOG CRATES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN IS WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, RIGHT, THE ONE THING YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT, IS THE DOG GONNA TO EAT MY PILLOWS? IS IT GONNA PEE ON MY CARPET? IF WE CAN SEND THEM HOME WITH THAT CRATE AND, UM, TO GIVE THEM PEACE OF MIND TO TAKE THAT DOG HOME, WHETHER IT'S AN ADOPTION OR A FOSTER, THEN LET'S DO THAT.
SO I, I'M HOPEFUL, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY NOT MADDIE'S FUND, IT WAS PETCO.
LOVE THAT WE, UM, APPLIED FOR THAT.
I KNOW, I'VE WAS, I, I GOT, I CAUGHT UP WITH YOU TOO.
UM, THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP US DO THAT.
SO I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THEY'LL, UH, UH, AWARD US SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, TYPICALLY THEY DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL AWARD PERIOD, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S LATE IN THE FALL.
BEFORE WE, UM, GET THAT, ANY NOTIFICATION.
UM, COMMISSIONER VANLANDINGHAM.
UM, I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION, AND MY COMMENT IS QUICK.
UM, I HAVE NOT BEEN TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IN A GOOD BIT OF TIME, AND I WENT LAST MONDAY AND HAD A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.
UM, THE VOLUNTEER THAT I WAS WORKING WITH THAT TOOK A DOG INTO A PLAY YARD FOR ME, SPOKE VERY HIGHLY OF YOU, DIRECTOR DANGLER.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, OR DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF INTERESTED COMMISSIONERS COULD ATTEND THE GRADUATION AT THE JAIL CEREMONY TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM? UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
I AM GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO VISIT AND I'M GLAD YOU HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
UM, I AM NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, BUT IF THERE'S ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE INTERESTED, IF YOU WANNA REACH OUT TO ME, UM, I CAN FIND OUT.
I KNOW SPACE IS KIND OF LIMITED AND IT'S RIGHT, IT'S THE PRISON, SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT, UM, PARTICULAR ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE COME IN, BUT I'M HAPPY TO REACH OUT AND, UM, FIND OUT IF THAT'S OKAY.
COMMISSIONER NEER THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO THANK, UH, UH, MONICA, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
YOU HAVE PROVEN TO, AT LEAST I THINK SOME OF US, THAT YOU'VE COME IN WITH AN IDEA OR OBVIOUSLY MANY IDEAS AND THAT YOU ARE POSITIVELY MAKING STRIDES IN THOSE THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT YOU DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TURNED SOME THINGS AROUND THAT LOOK, LOOK LIKE THEY WEREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO BE TURNED AROUND.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALREADY DOING SOME EXTRA STUFF WITH INTAKE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU CAN THINK OF THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU THAT WE CAN TAKE BACK TO EITHER OUR COMMISSIONERS OR I CAN TAKE BACK TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND, AND SEE THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH? YEAH, I WOULD SAY, RIGHT, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE SHELTER IS TO HELP PROMOTE, UM, OUR SOCIALS OR ANY OF OUR SPECIALS THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, AND HAVE, UH, THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS PROMOTE THOSE AS WELL, UM, TO LET THEM GET, SPREAD THE WORD OUT.
WE HAVE OUR REGULAR REACH OF PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK, WHICH IS PRETTY LARGE, BUT IT'S KIND OF THE REGULAR NORMAL PEOPLE.
UM, SO IT'S GREAT WHEN PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER, UM, UH, LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, IN THE, IN THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONAL PARTNERS, UM, CAN HELP US EXTEND THAT REACH IS SUPER HELPFUL AND IMPACTFUL.
I WAS JUST ON YOUR LARGE DOG CRATES.
ARE THERE PARTICULAR LARGE DOG CRATES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? LIKE ARE THEY JUST
[00:55:01]
KIND OF THOSE BLACK WIRE CRATES THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SEND PEOPLE HOME WITH? YEAH.THE, THE, THE BLACK WIRE CRATES TYPICALLY ABOUT A 48 INCH CRATE IS THE BEST FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DOGS.
THE 40 INCH, I THINK IS THE NEXT SMALLEST DOES SOME DOGS, BUT USUALLY THE 48 IS, UM, PERFECT.
AND YEAH, BLACK WIRE CRATES GOOD.
IF PEOPLE HAVE THEM TO DONATE, THEY CAN DROP 'EM BY.
WE DON'T MIND SENDING USED CRATES HOME.
UH, AND THEN WE ALWAYS ASK OUR FOSTERS, UM, OR, OR THE ADOPTERS TO DONATE THEM BACK TO THE SHELTER, UM, WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH THEM.
'CAUSE WE GET ASKED A LOT ABOUT THOSE CRATES AND WE DON'T USE THEM, SO I WILL, I WILL SEND THEM YOUR WAY.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR DANGLER.
UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE MADDIE'S FUND CLINIC CONSULTATION, UM, FOR SPAY AND NEUTER.
THAT SOUNDS, SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM.
UM, IS THAT ALREADY SCHEDULED AND WHAT'S THE KIND OF, WHAT'S THE GOAL FOR, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES WITH THAT? YEAH, IT, IT'S NOT SCHEDULED YET.
I WAS ABLE TO TALK WITH, UM, ONE OF THE MADDIE'S FUND CONSULTANTS THAT WAS LIKE, YES, YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU WITH THAT AS WELL AS A CONSULTATION JUST TO DO A GENERAL OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW, UM, AND GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, THAT'S A SEPARATE APPLICATION THAT I JUST HAVEN'T COMPLETED YET.
UH, HUMANE ANIMAL WORLD HAD THEIR EXPO CONFERENCE THIS LAST WEEK.
UM, SO I AM HOPING TO GET THAT SCHEDULED THIS COMING WEEK NOW THAT, UM, THEY'RE ALL BACK IN THE OFFICE.
UM, I, I WAS TOLD THAT THE SPAY NEW YORK CONSULTATION SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE SCHEDULED RATHER QUICKLY.
THE, UM, VET TECH THAT DOES THE TRAINING FOR TECHS, UH, LIVES HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO SHE HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO COME IN AND THEN, UM, CAN RECOMMEND, UH, IF WE NEED THE DOCTOR, UM, TO COME IN AND IT'S, IT'S DR.
MIKE GREENBERG, UH, IF WE NEED HIM TO COME IN TO HELP WORK WITH THE, UM, VETERINARIANS TOO, OR IS IT MORE JUST THE TECHS NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT AND, AND WORKFLOW? UM, THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT TOO, HOW, HOW THE FLOW GOES.
UM, DEPENDING ON HOW THE, THE CLINIC IS SET UP, IT CAN IMPACT HOW PRODUCTIVE WE ARE AND SOMETIMES REALLY LITTLE CHANGES OR TWEAKS CAN, UM, IMPACT, UM, HOW QUICKLY THEY CAN DO SPAY NEUTER.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY, RIGHT, UH, A HIGH VOLUME, HIGH QUALITY SPAY, NEUTER, VETERINARIAN, UM, IS, OR, OR TEAM, NOT A VETERINARIAN, BUT TEAM, UH, IS EXPECTED TO DO AT, AT A MINIMUM 30 SURGERIES, UM, EACH, EACH SHIFT.
UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY NOT QUITE MAKING THOSE NUMBERS, SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AT LEAST MAKING THE 30 ANIMALS PER SURGERY.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE VETERINARIANS THAT CAN DO HIGHER NUMBERS.
UM, THE VET TEAM, THE TECH TEAM THAT WE HAVE ISN'T QUITE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE NUMBERS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO AND IT, RIGHT.
WE'RE NOT SURE IS IT A TRAINING ISSUE OR IS IT MORE OF A FLOW ISSUE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE, UM, THE CONSULTANTS COME IN AND LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED BY EVERYTHING I'M HEARING, UH, IS A, A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
UM, UM, THERE'S A LOT TO REBUILD, UM, THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE, UH, WE HAVE A LEADER THAT IS, IS VERY INVOLVED AND KNOWS ABOUT THE, THE INDUSTRY AND YOU'RE TRYING STORMING DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO, UH, WE WILL ALL NEED TO BE PATIENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT MAGIC BULLET.
BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT, MY QUESTION IS, UH, I'M JUST VERY CURIOUS.
YOU MET WITH THE DOG AND CAT VOLUNTEERS.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ONE OF THEIR TOP ONE OR TWO FEEDBACK, GOOD OR BAD, OR BOTH
I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, BUT I LEFT MY NOTES AT THE OFFICE, SO I DON'T HAVE THOSE.
UM, BUT MOST OF THE, THE, AND, AND JEN CAN PROBABLY, UH, PROBABLY FILL IN ON THE KATZ.
A LOT OF THE THINGS WERE, YOU KNOW, NOT ANYTHING NEW.
IT'S WHAT WE'VE REGULARLY HEARD, UM, RIGHT WITH THE CATS.
SOME OF IT WAS THE DOGS BEING IN THE HALLWAY AND THEM BEING STRESSED OUT.
UM, AND JUST THE, THE FLOW OF, UM, CATS THROUGH THE SHELTER, BUT THEN ALSO THE, UM, STAFFING DEDICATED TOWARDS CATS.
UM, THAT WAS ALSO A CONCERN, UM,
[01:00:01]
FROM THE CAT VOLUNTEERS, UM, BOTH FROM A CLEANING AND CARE STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO FROM, UM, A MEDICAL TREATMENT STANDPOINT.THE VOL, THE CAT VOLUNTEER GROUP IS A VERY ROBUST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS FOR A MUNICIPAL SHELTER, UM, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE.
THEY'RE ALL VERY LONG TERM AND DEDICATED UH, VOLUNTEERS, BUT THEY DO A LOT OF, UM, RIGHT.
MEDICAL TREATMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THE CATS IN OUR CARE.
UM, SO THAT WAS SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
AND, UM, UH, FOR THE DOGS, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO THAT I MET WITH THE DOG VOLUNTEERS, AND IT WAS JUST LAST TUESDAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF DAVID, YOU REMEMBER ANY, UM, BUT THEY WERE ALL VERY, UM, THE, THE, THE COMMON, UM, CONCERNS.
UM, SO YEAH, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE FOR DOGS.
UM, SO, UH, YEAH, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE.
AND MAY, THIS PROVIDES MY IGNORANCE.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE, THE SPACE IS AN ISSUE.
SO DOGS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BIG.
WHAT ABOUT THE DOG CAT FOSTERING? WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, SO LUCKILY CATS HAVE BEEN MOVING THROUGH THE SHELTER REALLY QUICK.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE MOVING THROUGH VERY QUICKLY, WHICH IS GREAT.
KNOCK ON WOOD, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT INITIAL INFLUX OF KITTENS, RIGHT? EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GET A HUNDRED CATS IN ONE DAY, OR KITTENS IN ONE, NOT EVEN CATS, KITTENS IN ONE DAY.
UM, BUT WHEN WE DO, WE'LL KNOW, THAT'S WHEN RIGHT.
AND REALLY OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN PETS ALIVE FOR TAKING THOSE UNDERAGE KITTENS THAT AREN'T EATING IS GONNA BE INSTRUMENTAL.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING, ELLEN AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING, UM, DIRECTLY ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THAT, UM, THAT THAT PARTNERSHIP SEAMLESS.
UM, SO WE CAN DO THE BEST FOR THE CATS IN OUR CARE AND REALLY MINIMIZE, UM, WHAT WE NEED THE VOLUNTEERS TO DO, UM, TO SUPPORT THE CATS.
AND ALSO, UM, I DID WANNA THANK YOU FOR SAYING THERE'S NO MAGIC BULLET 'CAUSE YEAH, I WISH THERE WAS, BUT THERE'S NOT
UM, SO HISTORICALLY WITH FOSTERS, UM, WHEN YOU'RE AN AS FOSTER TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND SAY, OH, YEAH, I STILL WANNA FOSTER AND LOG INTO THE SYSTEM AND FILL OUT SOMETHING.
AND I'VE BEEN FOSTERING SINCE 2018.
I GOT PER, LIKE, I DON'T GET THE UPDATES ANYMORE.
UM, I HAVE FOSTERS, I HAVE ONE NOW BECAUSE I REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, I COULD TAKE A FOSTER.
I, AND SO, AND THEN IN THIS CASE, CLASSIC CANINE SAYS, OKAY, CAN YOU TAKE THIS ONE? SO, UM, I HAVE A, SO, AND I'VE CON CONTINUALLY DONE THAT, BUT I THINK FOR ME, GETTING THE EMAILS AND SEEING A CERTAIN ANIMAL MAKES ME GO TO MY HUSBAND AND SAY, OH, WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE? AND YOU DON'T GET THOSE ANYMORE.
AND I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF DOING THAT VERSUS SAYING, I'VE GOT THIS BIG GROUP, IT'S JUST AN EMAIL.
WHY NOT JUST SEND THE EMAIL TO PEOPLE? SO IS THERE ANY TALK ABOUT MAYBE GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT WHO WAS DROPPED, MAYBE BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, JUST CIRCUMSTANCES OR LIKE ME, I JUST FORGOT TO LOG INTO THE SYSTEM AND HIT A BUTTON, UM, TO, UM, HAVE THEM START TO FOSTER AGAIN.
AND THESE ARE ALL APPROVED FOSTERS.
YOU JUST GET DROPPED IF YOU DON'T GO BACK AND SAY, I STILL WANNA FOSTER, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS IN THE CAT GROUP OR THE DOG GROUP, BUT THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME ON THAT.
I NEED TO TOUCH BASE WITH THE FOSTER TEAM.
UM, IF, IF I WAS GONNA MAKE A EDUCATED GUESS, UM, THE SYSTEM WE USE CAN ONLY, UH, HAVE SO MANY U USERS IN IT BEFORE IT STARTS CHARGING US MORE MONEY.
BUT, UM, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE, UM, WHAT IF WE CAN GO BACK AND DO THAT? 'CAUSE THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO WRITE, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE'RE REACHING IS BY, UM, ADDING THOSE PEOPLE BACK IN.
AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FOSTER TEAM AS WELL, ONLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S INACTIVITY FROM A FOSTER, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN, LIFE HAPPENED, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SENDING AN EMAIL TO SORT OF JUST REMIND THEM TO JUST STAY ACTIVE IN ORDER TO DO THAT? 'CAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW, SORT OF THAT, THAT THRESHOLD IS LIKE SIX MONTHS.
UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXTENDING IT TO NINE MONTHS, BUT THEN EVEN JUST SOMETHING, JUST A REMINDER TO LOG IN AND, AND SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STAYING UP TO DATE WITH WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ITEMS ARE, WHAT, UH, WHAT ITEMS, WHAT, WHAT ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE.
COMMISSIONER HOLT, UM, SORRY I DIDN'T SAY EARLIER.
THIS IS HARD AND YOU'RE APPRECIATED.
AND I, YOUR INNOVATION AND PARTICULARLY COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS OUTSTANDING.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU SAID THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MM-HMM
UH, HAS THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.
[01:05:01]
SO, AND RULES, UM, WHAT'S THE PLAN?UH, THOSE, THOSE, UH, TRICKY THINGS CALLED LAWS
THE PLAN IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUTTING OUT THAT CALL TO ACTION, UM, AND ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT US.
AND, UM, I, I AM, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL COME OUT ALRIGHT, THE RIGHT WHEN WE SAY WE NEED MORE, MORE FOSTERS, IT'S EASY TO IGNORE THAT WHEN WE'RE LIKE, HEY, FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
UM, THAT USUALLY, UM, UPSET URGENCY.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WILL, UM, HELP US OUT.
UM, AND IF NOT, THEN WE WILL BE TALKING THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS FOR, UM, UH, FINDING PATHWAYS FOR THE ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER.
AND I HAVE A COUPLE, THANKS AGAIN FOR SITTING FOR ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I, I, THIS MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO FOLLOW WHAT ALL YOU'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE, WHAT THE OBSTACLES ARE, WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE, AND THAT MAKES IT, UM, REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, I WANNA THANK, UM, MS. LEBO FOR COMING AND SPEAKING ABOUT THE OVERCROWDING ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S BEEN NOTICING IT AND FEELING IT.
AND I BELIEVE THE STAFF HAS, 'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE EVEN FEWER ANIMAL C CARE STAFF RIGHT NOW THAN WE DID THE LAST TIMES WE WERE THIS, UM, OVERCROWDED.
AND AS A VETERINARIAN, WHENEVER WE GET THIS OVERCROWDED, I'M LIKE, THIS IS A TINDER BOX WAITING FOR DISTEMPER TO COME IN FOR SOMETHING.
AND SO I'M VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE WE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT BEFORE.
UM, AND THEN I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER LOMAN ASKED A QUESTION, HAS SOMETHING BEEN CHANGED ABOUT INTAKE? UM, AND, AND WE SAID, UH, WHAT I WAS HEARING WAS THAT NO, IT'S JUST OUTFLOW AS DROPPED.
BUT THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER, UM, MAYBE HINT THAT INTAKE HAS BEEN CHANGED IN SOME WAY.
SO WE DID PILOT, UM, FOR TWO WEEKS.
WE PILOTED REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF WAIT TIME FOR STRAY ANIMALS.
UM, WE PILOT THAT FOR TWO WEEKS.
AND RIGHT AS WE WERE STARTING TO SEE THE INCREASE OF THOSE ANIMALS COMING IN IS WHEN, UH, THE RAIN HIT AND WE HAD ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE HALLWAY.
SO WE'VE PAUSED THAT, UM, TO, YOU MEAN THE WAIT PRIOR TO INTAKE? YES.
NOT THE STRAY HOLD, BUT HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO WAIT TO BRING AN ANIMAL INTO US.
SO WE'VE CURRENTLY PAUSED THAT AND WE'RE, WE'RE WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, A, A MONTH AGO, UM, UH, TO HOPEFULLY START GETTING THE OUTPUT OF ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER SO THEN WE CAN START INCREASING THAT, UH, FLOW INTO THE SHELTER ONCE WE'RE AT A REASONABLE, UM, CAPACITY.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND THEN I WAS ON THE WEBSITE NOW AND MAYBE I'M NOT SEEING IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, CURRENTLY THE, UH, URGENT PLACEMENT LIST AND RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST ARE PAUSED OR GONE OR UH, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED THAT THIS MORNING TOO AND I WAS WRITING AN EMAIL.
I'M LIKE, WHERE IS THAT URGENT PLACEMENT LIST? SO I HAD UH, OKAY.
MESSAGED OUR, UH, PIO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.
I KNOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPOSED BE MOVED TO A DIFFERENT TAB THAN WHERE IT WAS, BUT I STILL COULDN'T FIND IT.
I'LL MAKE SURE IT'S UP IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TOMORROW MORNING, BUT IT HAS NOT PAUSED.
I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
OH, AND THEN WITH ALL THE TALK OF THE SPAY AND NEUTER CONSULTATION, JUST REMIND ME, YOU MAY, I THINK YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY SAID, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY DO AT NO CHARGE? OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT SHELTER'S PAYING FOR? THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.
I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
MADDIE'S FUND, UH, COVERS THE FEES FOR THE DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS THAT COME IN.
UM, THAT'S PART OF THEIR, UM, MISSION AND GOALS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION AS WELL.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR GETTING ALL THE BACKUP MATERIAL FOR FRIDAY.
'CAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF US WORK ON MONDAYS AND DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT.
UH, GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE APPLYING FOR SOME PETCO, UM, PETCO LOVE GRANTS, I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED.
UM, A HS USED TO GET THEM FOR THE, UM, FVR CP VACCINE TO GIVE THE TNR CATS.
IS THAT SOMETHING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE NOT DOING IT ANYMORE, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT AS COULD PICK UP AND MAYBE GET THOSE CATS, THOSE VACCINES? 'CAUSE I KNOW THE TRAPPERS APPRECIATE IT AND IT MAKES THAT THOSE CATS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTHIER.
SO, UH, SO PETCO LOVE OFFERS HAS A VACCINE GRANT WHERE THEY WILL PROVIDE F ECPS OR D-H-L-P-P OR DPPS, UH, AT NO COST TO SHELTERS.
WHEN YOU APPLY FOR 'EM, YOU CAN GET UP TO A THOUSAND VACCINES AT A TIME AND YOU CAN, THERE'S NO LIMIT TO HOW OFTEN YOU ORDER THEM.
HOWEVER, THE ONE REQUIREMENT IS THAT, UM, THE, THE SHELTER WHO'S APPLYING FOR THAT USES THEM, UH, IS THE ONE DISTRIBUTING THEM.
[01:10:01]
AND, UM, IT HAS TO BE AT NO CHARGE TO THE PERSON USING TO NO CHARGE TO THE PERSON BRINGING IN THE ANIMAL.SO, UM, 'CAUSE I DID ASK ABOUT THAT, COULD WE GET VACCINES TO GIVE, UH, TO GREATER GOOD WHEN WE DO THE GOOD FIX, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND HAVE THEM DO THOSE VACCINES TO LO LOWER THE COST THAT IT'S COSTING US FOR THOSE, UM, THOSE EVENTS.
UM, AND OR EMANCIPATE WHEN WE SEND ANIMALS OVER, UM, ON VOUCHERS.
UM, AND WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
SO AS FAR AS A HS USING THEM, UM, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD WANNA ASK PETCO LOVE, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I, BECAUSE THEY DO CHARGE FOR THE SPAY NEUT, UM, THEY, THAT MIGHT BE WHY THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT ANY LONGER.
UM, IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF THEY, IF THAT'S, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER YEAH.
AND IT MIGHT BE GRANTS THAT THEY HAVE, BUT I JUST THOUGHT IF WE COULD DO IT AND SINCE IT'S TECHNICALLY THE PROGRAM AND RIGHT.
MAYBE THERE'S LIKE A GRAY AREA TO GET THAT DONE, JUST TO PUT IT ON GRAY.
I FIRST REACHED OUT TO THEM FIRST, UM, SO THAT WE SPECIFICALLY GOING INTO JULY 4TH WEEKEND.
UM, SO WE WOULD GET OUR, UM, UH, VACCINES THROUGH PETCO LOVE.
THEY ALSO GIVE A $3 ADMINISTRATION FEE FOR EVERY VACCINE.
SO I USUALLY IN THE PAST JUST USED THAT TO PURCHASE THE RABIES VACCINE.
SO WE CAN DO BOTH, UM, OF THOSE VACCINATIONS.
I LOVE HEARING THAT THE RABIES MICROCHIP CLINICS WOULD BE BACK.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT THOSE WERE REQUIRED BY THE CITY OR SOMETHING, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN YEARS.
AM I RIGHT, JASON? IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE WE'VE SEEN THEM BEEN YEARS.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THOSE BACK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE OTHER THING, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT SAID, BUT SOMETHING YOU'RE WORKING WITH A PA COMMUNITY SOCIAL SOMETHING PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE WORKING WITH A PA, UH, RIGHT? THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS AND SEE HOW THEY CAN BEST SUPPORT US.
UM, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH RIGHT WHERE, WHERE'S THE HIGHEST NEED AT AT, RIGHT.
THAT'S GONNA MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, UM, IS THERE A WAY FOR THEM TO HELP US WITH OWNER SURRENDER? LIKE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT? SO WE'RE STILL IN THOSE DISCUSSION PHASES, UH, HOW THAT WILL LOOK, UM, BOTH WITH THEIR TEAM AND OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL, UH, BUYING INTO THE, THE SOLUTIONS THAT ELLEN AND I COME UP WITH, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BEST HELP THE ANIMALS.
SO, UM, POSSIBLY IT WILL BE WITH OWNER SURRENDERS, POSSIBLY IT'S IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, UM, TO HELP MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING THOSE PETS AND EITHER KEEPING THEM IN THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING THE OWNER, UM, OR BRINGING THOSE PETS INTO THE SHELTER.
UM, AND, UH, MAYBE FORWARDING THOSE TO AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, LIKE WE WE'RE JUST NOT SURE EXACTLY.
SO I DON'T WANNA BE COMMITTING, UM, THEM TO ANYTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T AGREED TO YET.
UM, BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT OUR DATA AND, UM, WE'RE ON THE BEST WAY FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THE PETS THAT ARE MOST IN NEED AT THE SHELTER.
LIKE THOSE DOGS AND THE CRATES, COULD THEY PULL ALL THE DOGS AND THE CRATES? YES, EXACTLY.
UM, NEXT PART? YES, LEMME LOAD UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, GONNA GO WITH THE MONTHLY NUMBERS.
SO FOR, UH, MARCH WE HAD 950 ANIMALS THAT WERE IMPOUNDED THIS MONTH.
UH, WITH THEN THAT 849 OF THOSE WERE, UM, COMPANION ANIMALS.
THAT WAS ABOUT A 7.6% INCREASE FROM, UH, LAST MONTH.
UM, WE DID SEE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF AN INFLUX IN, IN KITTENS AND CATS.
SO, YES, AS MONICA WAS SAYING, THE KITTENS ARE COMING AND, UM, YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO GET THEM, GET US PREPARED AND PREP FOR THEM.
YEAH, I DIDN'T BRING MY GLASSES.
UH, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS EUTHANIZED.
WE HAD 45 ANIMALS THAT ARE EUTHANIZED THIS MONTH WITH 17 OF THOSE BEING WILDLIFE.
UH, ON THE RIGHT IS A BREAKDOWN OF SORT OF THE REASONS FOR EUTHANASIA.
UM, MOST OF 'EM WERE FOR SUFFERING, UH, AGONAL INJURED.
UM, WE DID HAVE THE MAJORITY OF, UH, THE WILDLIFE OBVIOUSLY IS FOR, IS, UM, RABIES WRIST, BUT WE DID GET ONE INJURED AS WELL.
UM, THEN, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE WE HAD THE LIVE RELEASE RATE FOR, UM, NON WILDLIFE ANIMALS.
WE, UH, WERE 96.23% FOR THE YEAR.
[01:15:01]
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, WITH, WITH THE BREAKDOWN OF THE TYPES OF ANIMALS WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING OBVIOUSLY RABBITS, FISH, ANYTHING THAT WE MAY HAVE GET, UH, BIRDS, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADOPT OR TRANSFER TO RESCUE PARTNERS.UM, OUR ADOPTION RATE, UH, SO WE HAD FOUR EIGHT ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTED, UH, LAST MONTH.
UM, ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THAT WE SORT OF ARE, DID SEE AN INCREASE FROM FEBRUARY TO MARCH, BUT IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT OF A DECREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING WITH OUR, OUR PROMOTIONS, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, REALLY BUILDING THAT EXCITEMENT UP.
WE CAN HOPEFULLY SEE SOME POSITIVE OUTCOMES, UH, THIS MONTH AND THEN NEXT MONTH, UM, WE HAD, UH, 292 DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOSTERED FOR US.
UH, AS OF APRIL 2ND, THERE WERE 235 ANIMALS THAT WERE IN FOSTER.
UM, WE HAVE 845 MEMBERS IN THE GIVE POLL SYSTEM AND 49 ANIMALS FROM THIS, THIS, UH, PAST MONTH WERE, UH, ADOPTED DIRECTLY FROM THEIR FOSTERS.
UM, WE HAD A BIG SUPPORT FROM OUR RESCUE PARTNERS.
WE HAD ALMOST, UH, ALMOST 300 ANIMALS WERE, WERE TRANSFERRED TO OUR, UH, 28 DIFFERENT RESCUE PARTNERS.
GRANTED, UH, 62 OF 'EM ARE PART OF THAT SNR PROGRAM, BUT IT'S STILL A, A, A PRETTY GOOD INCREASE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP THAT THEY PROVIDED.
SO, UM, WE HAD 95 ANIMALS THAT WERE RECLAIMED BY THEIR OWNERS.
UM, NO ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED INTACT.
UM, WE DID HAVE SEVEN ANIMALS THAT DID DIE IN THE SHELTER.
UM, OF THOSE FOUR WERE, UH, WERE COMPANION ANIMALS WHILE THE REMAINING WERE WILDLIFE, UM, VACCINATIONS.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, HAD OVER 1900 ADMINISTERED VACCINATIONS TO THE DIFFERENT ANIMALS THAT CAME THROUGH, AND THOSE ANIMALS THAT WERE GETTING BOOSTERS, WHATNOT.
UM, WE HAD 360 ANIMALS THAT WERE SPAYED AND NEUTERED IN THE SHELTER.
UM, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED YET THE INVOICE FOR, UH, UH, FEBRUARY, BUT FOR JANUARY WE HAD SPENT ABOUT 10,000, A LITTLE OVER $10,000, UM, AT, WITH THE EC FOR VARIOUS AREAS THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR US.
AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, OUR VOLUNTEERS HELPED US, UM, UH, AS, UH, AS MUCH AS THE BIRTH THEY CAN WITH OVER 5,700 HOURS.
UM, WE HAD, UH, UH, DIFFERENT EIGHT COMMUNITY RESTITUTION INDIVIDUALS PERFORMED FOUR, THREE HOURS.
AND WE HAD 107 VOLUNTEERS THAT, UM, WERE ONBOARDED FOR TRAINING.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD, UH, OUR COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM, THEY DONATED 600 HOURS OF TRAPPING AND WHATNOT.
AND WITH THAT, WE, I CAN TAKE ON ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, GLAD TO SEE LESS CATS ARE DYING FOR UNASSISTED DEATHS IS STILL A LITTLE CONCERNING, BUT IT HAVE Y'ALL FIGURING OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
ARE THESE LIKE ILLNESSES? ARE THEY INJURIES? I, I JUST KNOW THAT, I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE THAT KEEPS COMING UP MONTH AFTER MONTH.
UM, TALKING DUR ELLIOT, I MEAN, WE SAW A LOT OF DIFFERENT INJURIES.
I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AS THINGS WERE COMING OUTTA THE WORK AND THINGS GOT ONE THAT IT GOT WARMER, EXCUSE ME.
UM, THINGS WERE EITHER GETTING HIT, ATTACKED AND THEN THEY WERE BEING BROUGHT TO US.
UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF WE MAY TAKE IT OR WE PICKED UP SOMETHING FROM THE EC AND ALONG THE RIDE OVER THERE, OR WHEN IT GOT TO THE SHELTER, UNFORTUNATELY IT DID PASS.
SO TO CLARIFY, 'CAUSE WHAT I ENVISION IS HIGH ANXIETY, WORST CASE SCENARIO, CATS DROPPING DEAD IN THE ADOPTION FLOOR.
WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IS THESE ANIMALS ARE RECEIVING MEDICAL ATTENTION AND JUST PASS BEFORE EUTHANASIA THE DECISION.
JUST IF IT, IF IT HELPS AT ALL, I CAN SAY THAT I'VE SEEN LIKE TRAUMA CASES UHHUH, WHERE IT'S LIKE A, WHERE IT'S A HEAD TRAUMA AND YOU'RE LIKE, YOU, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN, IT'S EITHER GONNA LOOK WAY BETTER TOMORROW OR IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT.
IN I, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME IF THEY'RE RECEIVING MEDICAL CARE AND THAT DISCRETION, I'M BOARD WITH ALL THAT WE DO.
I JUST, I'M, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLARIFYING UNASSISTED DEATHS, WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
IN THE PAST WHERE WE'VE SEEN OUTLIER CASES WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN LIKE A HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, JUVENILE KITTEN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YEAH, IT, IT PASSED AND, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE ASKED QUESTIONS LIKE, HEY, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? JUST SO THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE DOCUMENTING IT CORRECTLY.
UM, IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE, WE'VE DONE THAT BECAUSE IF IT, IF IT JUST SEEMED ODD.
COMMISSIONER ES THANK THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, SO JUST LOOKING HERE, IT WAS, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
IN FEBRUARY YOU HAD, UH, 407 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 5,788 HOURS.
SO THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF 14 HOURS PER VOLUNTEER.
IS THAT TYPICAL? I MEAN, IT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
I MEAN, OUR VOLUNTEERS KILL IT.
[01:20:01]
REALLY DO.I MEAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE COMPARING IT WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, SHELTERS LIKE AUSTIN VOLUNTEERS ROCKET, LIKE A 5,700 HOUR MONTH.
I MEAN, THERE'S SOME MUNICIPALITIES THAT CAN'T GET THAT IN A YEAR.
AND I'M NOT EXAGGERATING, LIKE IT'S, IT'S OKAY.
AND, UM, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, ANOTHER STA HERE, THE VACCINATIONS IN THIS, IT'S JUST MARCH.
I KNOW IT'S JUST A MONTH, BUT COMPARED TO THE LAST TWO YEARS IN MARCH YOU HAD 1,908 VACCINATIONS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, 821 AND THE YEAR BEFORE 754.
WHAT, WHAT CHANGE? UM, I THINK WHAT THIS IS ALSO COUNTING IS JUST ALL THE OTHER VACCINATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING, LIKE UPON, UM, YOU KNOW, RABIES VACCINATIONS, NOT JUST VACCINATIONS ON INTAKE.
NOW LOOKING AT THE DATA, I THINK IT WAS REALLY JUST DOING THE VACCINATIONS UPON INTAKE AND NOT ALL THE VACCINATIONS.
ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALSO TRACKING ALL THE VACCINATIONS THAT WERE BEING DONE.
SO IT WAS PREVIOUSLY IT WAS INITIAL VACCINES AND THEN THIS IS ALL VACCINE, ALL VACCINES.
AND I WAS ALSO WONDERING IF PREVIOUSLY IF IT WAS NUMBER OF ANIMALS VACCINATED AND NOW IT'S NOW IT VACCINE VACCINES BECAUSE ANIMALS NEED MORE THAN ONE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[3. Staff briefing regarding deceased animal recovery services. Presentation by Amy Slagle, Assistant Director, Austin Resource Recovery. ]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.PAT, YOU'RE DOWN FOR THIS ONE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
SO FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WE HAVE STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING DECEASED ANIMAL RECOVERY SERVICES PRESENTATION BY AMY SLAGEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE LATE ON THIS EVENING.
THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR THE INVITATION.
SO, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AMY SLAGEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UH, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU, UH, SOME PROGRAM INFORMATION FOR OUR THE DECEASED ANIMAL RECOVERY PROGRAM.
UH, SO, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE BACKGROUND OF IT.
SO, UH, WE PROVIDE THE SERVICE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UH, UM, INCLUDING SOME HOLIDAYS.
THERE ARE THREE HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE, WE DON'T PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE, UH, ANY OPERATIONS GOING ON, ON, UH, THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, OR NEW YEAR'S.
AND SO, UH, ON THOSE DAYS, WE CO WE COLLECT THE ANIMALS, UH, THE VERY NEXT DAY, UH, ALL THE ANIMALS ARE, UH, COLLECTED FROM CITY RIGHTS OF WAY AS WELL AS, UH, FROM THE ANIMAL CENTER, UH, EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE HAVE A LARGE AREA THAT WE HAVE TO COVER FOR, FOR COLLECTIONS.
SO WE, UM, OUR EMPLOYEES TO NORTH ZONES AND SOUTH ZONES.
THAT WAY IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GET, UH, THOSE ANIMALS OFF THE ROADWAY, UH, OR OUT OF THE RIGHTS OF WAY.
OUR GOAL IS 24, WITHIN 24 HOURS.
SO USUALLY WE, WE MEET THAT GOAL, IF NOT BEAT IT.
UH, OUR PROGRAM, UH, DOES NOT ACCEPT LIVESTOCK.
UH, WE, UH, WHEN WE GET THOSE, IT'S RARE THAT WE GET THOSE CALLS.
WHEN WE DO, WE, UH, REFER THEM BACK TO THE COUNTY OR, OR TO A PRIVATE, UH, A PRIVATE, UH, BUSINESS, UH, FOR, FOR THAT, UH, TO HANDLE THAT ANIMAL.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS THAT, THAT, UH, PEOPLE CAN ASK FOR, UH, A, A COLLECTION FOR, FOR AN ANIMAL.
SO, UH, THEY CAN CALL AUSTIN THREE ONE ONE.
UH, THERE'S A FORM ONLINE THEY CAN ALSO, UH, COMPLETE OR THEY CAN CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST THROUGH THE APP.
UM, UH, AND IF A CUSTOMER CALLS INTO AUSTIN 3 1 1, UH, THE, THE STAFF THERE HELP CONFIRM IF IT'S A CITY RIGHT OF WAY OR IF IT'S A FEDERAL RIGHT OF WAY, UH, LIKE, UH, I 35 OR TRAVIS COUNTY ROAD.
AND THEN THEY WOULD REFER THEM AND PROVIDE THEM THE INFORMATION ON, ON HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THOSE AGENCIES FOR, FOR THE ANIMAL.
UH, SO THE REQUESTS ARE COMPLETED WITHIN, UH, 24 HOURS OF BEING CREATED.
UH, ALL DOMESTIC ANIMALS ARE SCANNED FOR MICROCHIPS, AND THEN THAT MICROCHIP INFORMATION IS PROVIDED, UH, TO, TO ANIMAL SERVICES SO THEY CAN NOTIFY THE PET OWNER.
OFTENTIMES, WHEN WE, UH, WE ENCOUNTER, UH, A MICROCHIP, IT IS, IS FREQUENTLY NOT REGISTERED.
SO IN, WHEN WE DO GET, UH, INFORMATION BACK, IT IS, UH, RELAYED TO, TO THE STAFF AT THE ANIMAL CENTER.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 6,000 CALLS FOR, UH, DECEASED ANIMALS.
UH, THE LARGEST PER UH, PORTION OF THAT CATEGORY, UH, WAS, UH, WILDLIFE, UH, YOU KNOW, POSSUMS, A DEER, UH, MADE UP THE LARGEST PORTION OF, OF WHAT WE COLLECTED LAST YEAR WAS AROUND 2000 ANIMALS JUST FOR, UH, JUST FOR NON-DOMESTIC.
SO, UH, THOSE, THOSE ARE, UH, MOST OF OUR CALLS IN IN A YEAR.
UH, WE ALSO GET, UH, REQUESTS, UH, FROM FOLKS OF, UH, TO SEE IF THEIR ANIMAL HAD BEEN COLLECTED.
AND SO IT, THAT REQUIRES DEPARTMENT STA TO CHECK OUR COLLECTION RECORDS.
UH, WE, WE CHECKED FOR, UH, LOCATION AS WELL AS THE TYPE OF ANIMAL.
[01:25:01]
A COLLAR AND WHAT THE COLLAR COLOR WAS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IF, IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COLLECTED.UH, WE RECEIVED 47 REQUESTS, UH, IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT.
AND THEN, AND, UH, IF WE ARE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT WE COLLECTED THE ANIMAL, WE WOULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE ANIMAL CENTER AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE RESIDENT.
I WANNA, UH, POINT OUT, UH, THE PICTURE THERE ON THE LEFT IS ONE OF OUR, UH, OUR OPERATORS, UH, WHO, WHO HELPS PROVIDE THE SERVICE COMMUNITY.
UH, HE'S THERE WITH HIS GRAND DOG IS WHAT HE, UH, HE TOLD ME.
SO, UH, HE DOES A GREAT JOB AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK THAT HE AND THE OTHER, UH, OPERATOR, UH, PROVIDE FOR THE SERVICE.
WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO HELP PROVIDE THIS SERVICE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE, UH, COLLECT ANIMALS FROM THE ANIMAL CENTER.
UH, WE ALSO WORK WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED.
UH, WHEN ANIMALS NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM WATERWAYS, THEY REACH OUT TO, UH, UH, 3 1 1, CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST, AND THEN WE CAN, UH, UH, COLLECT THAT ANIMAL.
UH, SAME FOR PARKS OF RECREATION WHEN THEY, THEY FIND AN ANIMAL IN A, IN A PARK PARK, UH, WILDLIFE, UH, OR WHATEVER.
WE ARE ABLE TO EITHER ALSO CONTACT AUSTIN 3 1 1 AND WE'LL, WE'LL COLLECT THE ANIMAL WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AND THERE ARE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, THAT ALSO, UH, OCCASIONALLY HAVE A REQUEST.
AND SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL, UH, I'LL FOLLOW THAT 3 1 1 PROCESS TO REACH OUT, UH, FOR COLLECTION OF ANIMALS.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
UM, SO WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DECEASED ANIMALS, OF COURSE OVER AT AUSTIN WILDLIFE RESCUE.
SO JUST FOR MY EDUCATION, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT THE, UM, WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS WITHIN CITY OF AUSTIN ONLY OR WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT, UM, YOU'RE ABLE TO PICK UP THE DECEASED ANIMALS AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY'S CALLING BECAUSE THERE'S A DEAD POSSUM IN THEIR YARD, IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN THEM FINDING SOMETHING ON THE ROAD? SO, UH, IT IS WITH ONLY WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, FULL PURPOSE AREA IS WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE.
SO, AND IF A APOSTLE'S IN SOMEONE'S YARD, THEY CAN, THEY CAN CREATE THAT SERVICE REQUEST AND, AND PUT IT IN A BAG OR A BOX AND LEAVE IT AT THE CURB.
AND WE ARE ABLE TO COME AND COLLECT THAT AFTER THEY CREATE THAT SERVICE REQUEST.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DO IT, AND I THINK THE CHANGE OF HAVING, UM, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, UM, FOLLOW UP ON THE MICROCHIPS IS REALLY GOOD.
UM, SO SOMETIMES YOU COULD DO A LITTLE EXTRA WORK.
SO, UM, BUT I REALLY THANK YOU FOR DOING, DOING IT AND THANK YOUR STAFF FOR DOING IT.
IT'S NOT THE MOST GLAMOROUS JOB AT ALL.
AND, AND THESE GUYS DO A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THIS, YOU'RE SAYING, UM, ANY DOMESTIC ANIMAL THAT THEY'VE BEEN CALLED TO PICK UP ANY CAT OR DOG, THEY CHECK FOR A MICROCHIP? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT IT'S A PET OR NOT EXTERNAL EVIDENCE? YEAH.
AND WAS THERE, AND THEN, SO THIS WAS NEWS TO ME THAT, SO PEOPLE CAN CALL YOU AND ASK IF YOU'VE FOUND A PARTICULAR PET.
THERE IS A PET SEARCH REQUEST THROUGH AUSTIN 3 1 1 THROUGH THE APP OR, UH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH CALLING THEM ON THE PHONE.
UH, AND THEN THEY RELAY THAT RELAYED INFORMATION TO US.
AND SO WE, WE, UH, TRY TO FIND OUT LOCATION, UH, DATE THAT THEY SUSPECT THE ANIMAL WENT MISSING, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT MORE DESCRIPTION.
AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO SEARCH THROUGH OUR RECORDS FOR THAT DAY AND CONFIRM IF IT WAS COLLECTED OR NOT.
AND THAT'S EVEN WITHOUT A MICROCHIP, THEY'D BE WILLING, THEY, THEY'D BE ABLE TO ASK IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF YOU PICKED UP THAT ANIMAL? YES.
IT'S NOT, WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THIS LAST YEAR WITH FINDING ANYTHING, BUT WE DO MAKE THE ATTEMPT JUST TO SEE IF WE CAN HELP FIND THAT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR, UM, LETTING OUR COMMUNITY KNOW ALL YOU DO AND, AND HOW YOU HELP.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HOLT? I AM NEVER SURE WHAT I'M ALLOWED TO ASK, SO SOMEBODY STOP ME IF I'M NOT ALLOWED TO ASK THIS.
I THINK THAT THIS IS GONNA PROVIDE CLOSURE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IT'S GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND AND IT MAKES ME PROUD.
UM, AND WE HAVE FOR THE LAST YEAR, MAYBE YEAR AND A HALF AS A COMMISSION KICKED AROUND WANTING TO KNOW DATA AROUND IF WE ARE, IF WE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SAW AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMPANION ANIMALS BEING FOUND DEAD IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE THIS, UH, DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF SHELTER INTAKE FOR A WHILE.
ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT? IS THAT A, A THING THAT YOU HAVE NOTICED A TREND ON? DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT? IF WE WANTED TO ASK
[01:30:01]
FOR DATA ON THAT? ARE YOU AMENABLE TO THAT? I'M JUST CURIOUS.WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE AND NEVER REALLY GOT ANY ANYWHERE WITH THAT REQUEST.
HAVE YOU SEEN OVER THE LAST, LIKE FIVE OR SIX YEARS OR AT ALL, ARE YOU NOTICING A TREND IN A, IN THAT DIRECTION? I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR PAST YEARS.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO COLLECT THREE TIMES PER WEEK.
SO WE DO, I MEAN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, I THINK WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT A THOUSAND ANIMALS OR SO THAT WE COLLECTED LAST YEAR FROM, FROM, I THINK SHE'S REFERRING TO, UM, ANIMALS THAT DIED BECAUSE THEY WERE STRAY APOLOGIES AND COULDN'T BE TAKEN INTO THE SHELTER.
SORRY, THAT'S WHAT I WAS, I I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ANIMALS THAT IN THEORY WOULD BE GOING TO THE SHELTER, BUT BECAUSE SHELTER INTAKE WAS CLOSED THERE INSTEAD JUST DYING ON THE STREETS.
LITERALLY, NO, I CAN'T SAY FROM YEAR OVER YEAR.
I KNOW WE, WE HAD ABOUT MAYBE 170 DOGS THAT WERE, WERE FOUND LAST YEAR, BUT HOW IT COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
ARE ARE WE ALLOWED TO ASK FOR THAT, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M ASKING
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND FOR PUTTING THAT PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND COMING TO SPEAK TO US.
THANK Y ALL FOR LETTING US TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[4. Quarterly report from Animal Pets Alive! Presentation given by Mara Hartsell, Quality of Care Director, Austin Pets Alive!]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS QUARTERLY REPORT FROM ANIMAL PETS ALIVE? I THINK THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AUSTIN PETS ALIVE FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE PRESENTATION.UM, YOU'RE BEARING WITH ME WITH THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES I'VE BEEN HAVING.
UM, I WAS TRYING TO SET IT UP WHERE I COULD WATCH THE MEETING OUTSIDE AND THEN COME IN WHEN I WAS CALLED AND IT'S NOT BEEN WORKING FOR ME, BUT I HEARD IT THIS TIME AND I CAME IN.
UM, I AM PLANNING TO LEAVE AND SEE IF I CAN WATCH THE REST OF THE MEETING ONLINE, BUT I DID WANNA SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND I DID WANT TO SAY THAT I AM EXTREMELY PLEASED THAT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS HERE WITH US AT MEETINGS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
WHEN THEY SPEAK AND THEY PRESENT, UM, JUST LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO, YOU KNOW, REVIEW WHAT IT IS THEY'RE PRESENTING THIS MONTH.
UM, I DO WANNA REITERATE MY REQUEST THAT IN THE FUTURE WE'D BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AFTER THEY'VE MADE THE PRESENTATION SO THAT WE CAN SPEAK TO WHAT WE HEAR.
UM, BUT SINCE I SIGNED UP FOR IT AND I'M STILL HERE, I WILL SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, THE REPORTS THAT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE MAKES BOTH VERBALLY AND ONLINE.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BE SHARED PRETTY BROADLY AND MAYBE INCLUDED IN AN ANNUAL REPORT TO CREATE A FIRMER PAR PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S PRETTY FIRM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AS A COMMUNITY, HAVE A COMMUNITY WIDE REPORT AND HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, AND SHOW THAT.
UM, GOING BACK TO, UM, MS. LIAM'S POINT ABOUT THEM BRINGING IN OTHER ANIMALS, I WANNA GIVE US CREDIT FOR THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE TO GO OUT AND FOSTER AND FIND FOSTERS FOR THE ANIMALS THAT ARE AT THE SHELTER WHEN AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS BRINGING ANIMALS IN FROM ELSEWHERE, AND THAT IS IMPACTING US.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, LIKE A SORT OF AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORT OF ALL THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AND THEN HAVE QUARTERLY REPORTS THAT ARE, UM, CUMULATIVE THAT WAY AND, AND DISCUSS HOW IT IMPACTS US WHEN ANOTHER ANIMAL ORGANIZATION IS BRINGING IN DOGS AND CATS FROM OTHER PLACES.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA BRING BACK IS, YOU KNOW, I MADE THIS, WE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION AS A, UM, SPAY NEUTER COMMITTEE WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING SPAY NEUTER, BUT WE ALSO HAVE EMANCIPATE THAT GETS FUNDING AND WE HAVE GOOD FIX THAT GETS FUNDING AND WE HAVE, UM, AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY THAT GETS FUNDING THROUGH THE CITY, AND YET, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET QUARTERLY REPORTS FROM THEM AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM BE PART OF THIS AS WELL.
I SEE YOU NODDING, SO THANK YOU.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE QUARTERLY REPORT FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, PRESENTED BY, UH, MARA HARTSEL,
[01:35:02]
QUALITY OF CARE DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.MY NAME IS MARA AND I'M THE QUALITY OF CARE DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR LICENSE AGREEMENT REPORT FOR THIS QUARTER.
UM, DURING THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR, A PA CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A CITY'S PRIMARY PARTNER FOR ANIMALS MOST AT RISK WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH MEDICAL AND BEHAVIOR NEEDS BEYOND STANDARD CAPACITY.
FROM JANUARY THROUGH MARCH, A PA TRANSFERRED IN 325 ANIMALS DIRECTLY FROM A A S AND NEARLY 95% OF THOSE WERE AT RISK OF EUTHANASIA WITHOUT INTERVENTION.
IN ADDITION, WE DIVERTED 210 ANIMALS FROM ENTERING THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER SYSTEM ALTOGETHER THROUGH OUR PAST PROGRAM OR DIRECT INTAKE, REDUCING OVERALL SYSTEM BURDEN.
THIS WORK HAS A PROVEN IMPACT ON COMMUNITY OUTCOMES WITHOUT APAS INTAKE.
THE LIVE RELEASE RATE FOR A A S IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN APPROXIMATELY 81.6% FOR THE QUARTER.
WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP IN PLACE, THE CITY CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN NOKI BENCHMARKS.
MANY OF THE ANIMALS WE'RE TAKING IN REPRESENT THE MOST RESOURCE INTENSIVE POPULATIONS, NEONATES, PARVO, POSITIVE DOGS AND ANIMALS REQUIRING ADVANCED MEDICAL OR BEHAVIOR CARE.
DESPITE THAT, OUR SURVIVAL RATE FOR MEDICALLY VULNERABLE ANIMAL ANIMALS AND MARCH WAS 96%.
FINALLY, A PA REMAINS AHEAD OF PACE IN MEETING OUR ANNUAL TRANSFER REQUIREMENT, WHICH IS 1,360 ANIMALS THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHILE CONTINUING TO ABSORB THE MOST COMPLEX ANIMAL CASES.
WE APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND SHARED COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINING NO-KILL OUTCOMES FOR AUSTIN.
UM, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS REPORT, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND I'LL WAIT TILL I CAN SEE THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
AND ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HOLT? HOW MANY MM-HMM
YEAH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE REVAMPED OUR INTAKE STRATEGY FOR THIS YEAR AND WE PRIORITIZE AUSTIN ANIMALS ABOVE ALL ELSE.
UM, A A S IS BY FAR OUR LARGEST INTAKE PARTNER AND WITH OUR SMALL SUBSET OF TARGET SHELTERS, ALL OF THOSE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH VERY LOW SURVIVAL RATES.
UM, AND THESE ARE RURAL COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE NOT HIGH VOLUME.
AND AT THE VERY MOST, WE WILL TAKE IN 100 ANIMALS A MONTH FROM COLLECTIVELY FROM OUTSIDE OF THE IMMEDIATE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THAT'S A HIGH VOLUME MONTH.
BUT, UM, YEAH, A AS REMAINS OUR LARGEST INTAKE PARTNER.
ANYBODY ELSE? UM, SO I, I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE FOR MARCH, UM, YOU TOOK IN 10 LARGE BEHAVIOR DOGS AND THAT THAT WOULD BE, UM, FAR MORE THAN NORMAL.
SO, BUT I, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY RE REPORT ABOUT ON, IN A A'S REPORT THAT SAYS HOW MANY LARGE BEHAVIOR DOGS YOU TOOK.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY, OTHER THAN TAKING YOUR WORD FOR IT, I DON'T HAVE HOW WOULD, UM, LIKE A, LIKE JUST A CO CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBER, LIKE VERIFY THAT THOSE WERE LARGE BEHAVIOR DOGS MM-HMM
AT THE SHELTER THAT THE SHELTER WANTED YOU TO TAKE MM-HMM
SO, UM, AFTER SPEAKING WITH CHELSEA, OUR BEHAVIOR DIRECTOR, I UNDERSTAND THAT IN MARCH AND IN FEBRUARY THAT SHE WAS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE BEHAVIOR TEAM DIRECTLY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, LOCATING BEHAVIOR CASES BEFORE THEY WERE EVEN PUT ON A EUTHANASIA LIST.
UM, TRYING TO BE VERY PROACTIVE, TRYING TO BE VERY FORWARD WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BEHAVIOR DEPARTMENT AT A PA COULD PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT IN THAT WAY.
BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW, LIKE, WHICH FOR A, FOR A CONCERN, CITIZEN, CITIZEN TO KNOW WHICH DOG THESE WERE, OR I CAN, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH THAT DATA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT FORMAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL.
YEAH, BECAUSE BE JUST BECAUSE IT IS A NUMBER THAT'S NOT IN BOTH REPORTS, I CAN'T, AND, UM, JASON AND I WERE JUST LOOKING.
UM, SO IN OUR LAST YEAR, DATA THROUGH CHAMELEON, WE DID BREAK IT DOWN BY WHAT OF THE LARGE DOGS WERE BEING TAKEN THROUGH
[01:40:02]
A PA AND NOW WITH SHELTER BUDDY, IT DOESN'T QUITE BREAK DOWN DOWN, IT, IT JUST, THE, THE COMPREHENSIVE NUMBER I, I'D HAVE TO PLAY AROUND IT TO SEE, TO GIVE THE BREAKDOWNS OF EACH.BUT WE CAN LOOK AND ADD THAT TO REPORT AND TO, TO MA'S.
UM, POINT, UH, WE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REBUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH A PA AND IT'S, I FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL WHERE THEY'RE COMING OUT TO THE SHELTER, UM, WEEKLY TO EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT ANIMALS.
UM, OUR BEHAVIOR SUPERVISOR WILL HAVE OUR TOP FIVE DOGS THAT WE WANT THEM TO LOOK AT THAT WE THINK NEED OUTTA THE SHELTER.
UM, THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME, WE'LL INTRODUCE THEM, LET THEM MEET THEM IF THEY WANNA TAKE THEM OUT TO MEET WITH OTHER DOGS AND DO A PLAYGROUP TO SEE HOW THEY DO.
UM, SO THAT'S BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL.
THE, THE CHALLENGE THAT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE HAS IS, UM, SOME OF OUR TOP, UH, NEED DOGS MAYBE AREN'T ALL THAT GREAT WITH, UH, PLAYGROUP OR OTHER DOGS, AND THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'VE GOT AN, UH, ASSORTMENT AND OF DOGS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AND MOVE THROUGH THEIR SHELTER SYSTEM AS WELL.
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO STAGNATE EITHER.
UM, SO THEY TAKE A LITTLE COMBINATION, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, BUT WE'VE REALLY OPENED UP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH THEM.
UM, SO IT HAS BEEN HELPFUL, UH, ACCORDING TO THE, UM, RIGHT, THE ORDINANCE IS THAT THEY TAKE FIVE BEHAVIOR DOGS A MONTH AND THEY, THEY MEET THAT EACH MONTH.
SO, UM, IF NOT EXCEEDED MM-HMM
AND AS JASON MENTIONED ON FRIDAY, THE LARGER DOGS AT THE SHELTER THAT DIDN'T HAVE APPROPRIATE HOUSING, THE NUMBER WAS 90, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER I'VE EVER SEEN IN 10 YEARS OF WORKING AT THE SHELTER.
SO, SO
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE IT'S HIGHER.
AND I, AND I'D LOVE IF YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO LIKE, SOME WAY TO ADD INTO THE REPORT CONFIRMING THAT OR NOT.
COMMISSIONER NORTON, SORRY, I MAY FOR JASON, WHEN YOU SAID THE 90 DOGS, THAT'S JUST DOGS IN GENERAL, THEY'RE NOT, THAT'S NOT BEHAVIOR DOGS.
SO THE FIVE, IT'S JUST THE LARGE DOGS WHO DON'T HAVE AN APPROPRIATE KENNEL.
THE ASPIRATIONS AGREEMENT REQUIRES FIVE MEDIUM LARGE DOGS PER MONTH, BUT, UM, MINIMUM, BUT REGULAR DOGS CAN BE TAKEN AS PART OF THE INTAKE, SO THERE'S NO REASON THOSE CAN'T GO.
COMMISSIONER LEMAN, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, UM, THE REVAMPING OF THE WAY THAT YOU'RE APPROACHING WORKING WITH THE BEHAVIOR TEAMS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS, THE DECLINE IN, UM, TRAUMA AMONG VOLUNTEERS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY NOTICEABLE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, APPLAUD THAT EFFORT AND THE CHANGE TO THAT DIRECTION.
AND I WILL RELAY THAT TO OUR BEHAVIOR TEAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[5. Approve the reprioritization of the legislative priority list sent to the Austin Government Relations Office in February.]
DIS TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION.ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS PAT FELL TRACE ON THE LINE, SHE NEEDS TO STAY IN HERE.
AND SO THIS WILL BE APPROVE THE REPRIORITIZATION OF, OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY LIST SENT TO THE AUSTIN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE IN FEBRUARY.
I'LL GIVE PUBLIC SPEAKER PAT TRE.
UM, THIS ITEM IS YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN JUST ABOUT EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION SINCE, UM, ACTUALLY 2013 IS WHEN I RETIRED.
SO I BECAME INVOLVED IN LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, UM, NOT NECESSARILY AS A STAFFER BECAUSE I USED TO WORK AT THE LEGISLATURE, BUT AS A, AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
AND LAST SESSION, UM, I WORKED WITH MY, UM, MY STATE REPRESENTATIVE LULU FLORES, UM, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET A HEARING ON A SPAY NEUTER BILL.
AND, UM, WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE FUNDING IN THE,
[01:45:01]
THROUGH THE MECHANISM THAT I HAD BEEN WORKING ON.HOWEVER, UM, DURING THAT SESSION, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, YOU KNOW, $13 MILLION WAS PUT INTO THE STATE BUDGET FOR SPAY NEUTER.
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, $13.5 MILLION FROM THE STATE BUDGET FOR SPAY NEUTER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE GOTTEN THAT MONEY HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY 6 MILLION, MAYBE IT'S 13 MILLION TOTAL, 6.5 MILLION PER YEAR OF THE BIENNIUM.
I WOULD LIKE US TO, UM, HAVE ANOTHER PRIORITY FOR NEXT SESSION TO ALSO ADDRESS SPAY NEUTER, UM, AND TRY TO KEEP THAT MONEY GOING.
UM, AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PLAY A ROLE IN, UM, SETTING UP HOW THAT MONEY GETS DISTRIBUTED SO THAT IN CITIES LIKE OURS AND, AND THIS IS GONNA, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY GOOD FOR US, UM, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAVE SOME FUNDING FOR SPAY NEUTER IN OUR CITY BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN IT IN OUR BUDGET.
I'D LIKE US TO HELP THE COUNTIES THAT AREN'T ABLE TO, UM, GET STARTED WITH SPAY NEUTER FUNDING BECAUSE AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE STATE IS LOOKING TO US, YOU KNOW, TO HELP 'EM OUT AND, YOU KNOW, WE BRING ANIMALS HERE FROM OTHER PLACES, LET'S GET THEM SPAYED AND NEUTERED AND LET'S DO THAT THROUGH A BILL.
SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, AS YOU DISCUSS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE, UM, 70, I DUNNO, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IT IS, IT'S, IT'S A HIGH NUMBER AND I DON'T REMEMBER IT FOR THE NEXT SESSION THAT STARTS IN JANUARY TO PUT IN FUNDING FOR SPAY NEUTER THAT IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT, UM, THE WEALTH OF A, OF, OF A COUNTY LIKE OURS.
AND WE TAKE CARE OF MORE OF OUR OWN THROUGH OUR TAX DOLLARS AND GET HELP FROM THE STATE FOR THE OTHER COUNTIES.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO YES.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE ROOT APPROVE, THE REPRIORITIZATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY LIST SENT TO THE AUSTIN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE IN FEBRUARY.
I TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER HOLT.
YEAH, THIS IS A SIMPLE ONE AND TO PAT'S POINT, JOANNE, AM I HALLUCINATING? I THOUGHT WE DID PUT CONTINUE SUPPORTING, SO THAT WAS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.
JUST MAKING SURE IT'S IN THERE.
UM, AND PLUG THE CENTRAL TEXAS ANIMAL WELFARE THING THAT HAPPENS QUARTERLY.
THAT'D BE GREAT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PILOTING THESE LIKE CROSS COUNTY COLLABORATION THINGS AND TO THE ACTUAL POINT THAT'S ON HERE.
UM, WE HAD ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE LISTED ON THE SLIDE DECK TALKED ABOUT, UM, WANTING TO REPLICATE A SPECIFIC BILL THAT JOANNE AND I, WHEN WE PUT IT TOGETHER WE'RE UNDER THE IMPRESSION WAS LIKE AN ANTIB BREEDED DISCRIMINATION LAW AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WE MISINTERPRETED WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, WHAT WE VOTED ON AS A COMMISSION WAS TO, UM, TRY TO PUT ANTIB BREEDED DISCRIMINATION HOUSING POLICIES IN PLACE.
THAT WAS THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE VOTING FOR.
I'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ALLISON ROSS, WHO IS OUR IGR REPRESENTATIVE.
SO LIKE WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IS THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE VOTING FOR.
BUT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT IF ANYBODY WENT AND LOOKED AT THE BILL THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE COPYING AND PASTING, THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO COPY AND PASTE.
WE JUST MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
UM, REGARDING SPAY NEUTER, IT WAS NOT IN THE LIST BECAUSE IT WAS SORT OF A SEPARATE THING,
AND UM, BUT IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UM, FROM JUST OTHER LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE SPAY NEUTER? YES.
DRIFTING OFF OF WHAT WAS ON THE AGENDA DOES.
I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH PAT VIA EMAIL.
NO, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING ON SOMETHING.
[01:50:01]
PEOPLE KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT LAST MONTH'S PRIORITIES, THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD SEE, AND I WAS JUST CLARIFYING, UM, THERE'S NOTHING BACK IT TWO MONTHS AGO.IT WOULD'VE BEEN TWO MONTHS AGO.
AS LONG AS WE DON'T FEEL WE'RE GOING TOO FAR AFIELD WITH THIS BEING NEUTER ISSUE, DO YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR COMMENT? COMMISSIONER VAN LANDINGHAM? WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, THE TEXAS HUMANE LEGISLATION NETWORK REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS AND HAS, UM, BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THAT POT OF MONEY THAT IS RUN BY THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR SPAY NEUTER.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER WHEN WE ARE MAKING PRIORITIES IN THE FUTURE.
ALRIGHT, SO, WE'LL, I'M SO SORRY EVERYONE.
[6. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding pet friendly housing policies in public funded housing developments.]
UH, DISCUSSION AND ACT.UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER SIX, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING PET FRIENDLY HOUSING POLICIES AND PUBLIC FUNDED HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
AND WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THIS.
UM, WE'LL GO WITH KATE MCCARDLE.
UH, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER.
MY NAME IS, UH, KATE MCCARDLE AND I LIVE IN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE.
I'VE BEEN PART OF THE WORKING GROUP THAT PUT TOGETHER THIS RECOMMENDATION ON PET INCLUSIVE HOUSING, AND I WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR IT AND ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT IT.
I APOLOGIZE THAT I COULDN'T BE THERE IN PERSON TONIGHT.
UM, THROUGH THE RESEARCH THAT THIS WORKING GROUP HAS DONE, IT'S CLEAR HOW PROBLEMATIC PET RESTRICTIONS CAN BE FOR RENTERS, WHETHER THAT'S IN THE FORM OF RESTRICTIONS BY BREED OR BY WEIGHT OR PET DEPOSITS OR MONTHLY PET RENT THAT MAKES HOUSING UNAFFORDABLE, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S ECONOMY WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO MEET BASIC NEEDS AT THE SAME TIME.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OVERCROWDING SITUATION THAT OFTEN ANIMAL SERVICES FACES, RIGHT, IT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE DOGS, UM, ARE THE ONES THAT WOULD FACE THOSE COMMON BREED OR WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS.
SO DOGS OVER 50, 40, SOMETIMES EVEN 30 POUNDS, AS WELL AS DOGS, UM, ESPECIALLY LABELED AS PIT BULLS, WHICH IS FURTHER PROBLEMATIC GIVEN THAT PIT BULL ISN'T ACTUAL BREED.
AND, UM, RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT EVEN INDIVIDUALS IN ANIMAL RELATED PROFESSIONS ARE NOTORIOUSLY POOR AT ESTIMATING DOG BREEDS, UNQUOTE.
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE BREEDS INVOLVED, WHICH IS PROBABLY TRUE OF MOST DOGS IN THE SHELTER.
SO WE'VE GOT A RENTAL HOUSING MARKET IN AUSTIN THAT FREQUENTLY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST RENTERS WITH MEDIUM AND LARGE DOGS, FORCING SOME TO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HOUSING AND THEIR BELOVED PETS.
WE HAVE AN OVERCROWDED SHELTER FULL OF THE SAME TYPE OF DOGS WHO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE WANNA FOSTER OR ADOPT THOSE DOGS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS AT THEIR RENTAL HOUSING.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T CURRENTLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE FULLY PRIVATE HOUSING MARKET, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, WHICH NOT ONLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THIS PRESSURE FOR A SUBSET OF RENTALS, BUT ALSO SET THE CLEAR LEADERSHIP EXAMPLE OF WHAT GOOD HOUSING POLICY CAN LOOK LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PETS.
BUT I URGE THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION AND WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET IT PASSED.
AND THANK FOR, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS WORKING GROUP.
I CAN TELL FROM, UM, THE PRODUCT THAT IT, THAT A LOT OF WORK WAS PUT INTO THIS.
UM, I WAS ALSO PART OF THE WORKING GROUP, BUT AS I SAID EARLIER, UM, I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF LOVABLE.
SO WE ADVOCATE, WE DON'T JUST RESCUE, WE ADVOCATE FOR PIT BULL TYPE DOGS.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WE SEE THAT WE GET EMAILS, MY INBOX IS FULL EVERY DAY, UM, IS ABOUT HOUSING AND ACCESS TO HOUSING.
UM, BUT EVEN PAST THAT, EVEN PAST MY INBOX OR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, UM, WITHOUT EVEN HAVING SPECIFIC DATA, I THINK YOU CAN CHECK THE AUSTIN MUTUAL AID GROUP.
ALL YOU DO IS SCROLL ONCE AND YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING BUT ARE NOT TAKING IT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TAKE THEIR PETS WITH THEM, UM, SPECIFICALLY IF THEY HAVE LARGE DOGS.
SO I'D REALLY ASK YOU GUYS TO PLEASE NOT ONLY APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION, BUT URGE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THAT IF THEY DON'T INCLUDE PET OWNERS IN THEIR HOUSING INITIATIVES, THEN WE'LL NEVER REACH THE GOALS THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UM, THOSE THINGS GO HAND IN HAND.
AUSTIN DOES HAVE SOME BIG GOALS,
[01:55:01]
UM, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR, THEIR CITIZENS THAT THEY REPRESENT.SO PLEASE URGE THEM TO APPROVE IT.
UM, IT'S NOT EVEN THAT RADICAL.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS WORKING GROUP.
AND THEN PAT VALTRA, I'LL JUST SAY I SUPPORT THIS.
SHE, SHE SAID FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT SHE'S IN SUPPORT.
ALRIGHT, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER HOLT, WHO WAS THE CHAIR OF THIS WORKING GROUP.
UM, YEAH, SO SUPER EXCITED TO BRING THIS FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MORE MEANINGFUL THINGS I'VE GOTTEN TO WORK ON SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION.
BIG SHOUT OUT TO KATE MACY AND JULIE OLIVER, WHO, UM, HELPED DO ALL OF THIS.
I'M JUST HERE AS THE FIGUREHEAD.
THEY'VE DONE ALL THE, THE REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF.
UM, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WE LISTED THREE EXAMPLES OF STATES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THESE TYPES OF, OF CONTINGENCIES WITH PUBLICLY FUNDED HOUSING.
UM, BUT THESE WERE THE ONES THAT WE THOUGHT KIND OF GAVE LIKE A GOOD ROADMAP OF THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS, UM, OF HOW SIMILAR POLICIES CAN BE ENACTED.
UM, WE HAD ON THIS WORKING GROUP, UM, ROLANDO, THE FORMER DIRECTOR, PARTICIPATED AS WELL AS, UH, JUANI TORRES, WHO WAS THE, UM, PREVIOUS SHELTER EMPLOYEE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY'S HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, WHO IS A DOG LOVER IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE, BUT ALSO DOES THESE, UH, PUBLICLY FUNDED HOUSING CONTRACTS, UM, IN HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
SO WE, WE TRIED REALLY HARD TO CAST A WIDE NET OF MAKING SURE THAT WE GOT SOME GOOD EXPERTISE IN.
UM, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WE STILL HAVE LIKE 15 OTHER IDEAS OF RECOMMENDATIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD, BUT THIS ONE SEEMED KINDA LIKE THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, UM, SINCE THERE IS SO MANY GOOD MODELS, UM, ALREADY OUT THERE FOR THIS.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, QUESTIONS, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE WHAT, I FORGET HOW TO DO THIS
UH, COMMISSIONER ES, IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER DANIEL.
AND WITH THAT WE'LL HAVE ANY, UM, DISCUSSION.
UH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR GROUP FOR DOING THIS.
UM, I KNOW SOME OF THIS SPILLED OVER INTO OUR PRIORITIES AND, UH, THANK YOU MACY FOR WORKING WITH US ON THAT PRIORITY LIST.
IT WAS, UM, VERY, VERY HELPFUL, UM, TO GET YOUR INFORMATION.
SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S TO COME.
COMMISSIONER MARIN, I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW PEOPLE REALLY LOVE THEIR PET, THEY'RE REALLY SORRY AGAIN,
UM, I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY FOR HOUSING, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, VERY ATTACHED TO THEIR PETS OF COURSE, AND WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THEIR PETS AND THAT'S A HUGE BARRIER, UM, TO MOVING INTO SOME OF THESE PLACES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, DO YOU HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS INITIALLY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ON, YOU KNOW, VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ANIMALS AND THEN IF SO, ARE YOU RETHINKING POSSIBLE FUNDING OR SOME WAY OF HELPING WITH THOSE VACCINES? SO, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, OUR GOAL, WHILE I THINK THAT MAKING SURE THAT VACCINATED ANIMALS ARE PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE.
WE ARE TRYING TO REMOVE RESTRICTIONS, RIGHT? AND REQUIRING VACCINE RECORDS, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING CORRECTLY, WOULD BE ONE MORE RESTRICTION.
I DO SUPPORT THAT
I WOULD SUPPORT YOU IF YOU WERE TO WRITE A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
AND ALSO THIS JUST HAS A DIFFERENT GOAL THAN MINE.
THE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE EXPERTS YOU GATHERED AND FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME THAT THEY PUT INTO THIS.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS EXTREMELY WELL RESEARCHED AND VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
UM, THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS, UM, AND THIS JUST, I GUESS THIS IS ONLY ASKING, AUSTIN SHOULD CONSIDER SUBSIDIZING PET BONDS FOR DOGS OVER 40 POUNDS.
AND SO WOULD THOSE WOULD BE THE REFUNDABLE DEPOSITS.
SO, AND GOSH, IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE WE LAST MET, SO I MIGHT CALL ON, UM, MACY OR JULIE TO CORRECT MY MEMORY HERE.
THIS IS, UM, ATTEMPTING TO MIMIC A POLICY THAT SAN ANTONIO IS CURRENTLY PILOTING.
[02:00:01]
SAN ANTONIO IS CURRENTLY PILOTING, UM, ANY, THIS IS A SPECIFIC DISTRICT, SO IT'S NOT ALL OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT IN A SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER'S DISTRICT.ANY DOGS THAT ARE ADOPTED FROM THE CITY SHELTER RECEIVES A $750 PET BOND, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY THE CITY PAYING THEIR PET RENT.
PET DEPOSIT UPFRONT UM, AS AN INCENTIVE IN THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT TO ADOPT FROM THE SHELTER.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION,
I GUESS YOU WERE, YOU HAD IN MIND A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF HOW A CITY WAS WORKING THROUGH THIS WINNING YEAR.
WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE WE CAN POINT TO, AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY PILOTING IT, SO IT'S NOT LAID OUT COMPLETELY YET.
BUT WE THINK THAT WHATEVER THAT COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE SHELTER ARE WORKING ON TOGETHER IS SOMETHING THAT LIKE WE SHOULD BE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COPY.
BECAUSE I, I WOULD SAY THE ONE THING AS I READ IT WAS LIKE, OH, THIS ALL LOOKS SO FABULOUS.
COULD LANDLORDS STILL SET AN EXORBITANT RENT OR DEPOSIT AND THEN JUST EXPECT THE CITY TO PAY FOR IT AND THAT, AND SO THAT THEY STILL BENEFIT.
I WANT, I WANT RENTERS AND THEIR PETS TO BENEFIT.
I DON'T WANT THE CITY TO BE THE LANDLORDS PAYING THE LANDLORDS NO.
AND, AND THEM GETTING TO SET AND RIDICULOUS.
UM, I, BUT, AND AS I READ IT, IT SAYS, JUST CONSIDER OPTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE, WE WERE PUTTING THIS IN THERE AS, UM, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS WHO WORK FOR COUNCIL PEOPLE, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS HELPFUL THAT THE INGREDIENTS FOR HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS WERE ALL BAKED INTO THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND I SAID, GREAT, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO LEAVE THAT IN THERE.
I DON'T, UM, WANT THEM TO FEEL BEHOLDEN TO USING EVERY SINGLE PART OF THIS.
I WANT THIS TO BE A SUGGESTION FOR IDEAS TO LOOK AT.
UM, AND I THINK IT IS ALSO GOOD TO REMEMBER THAT COUNCIL HAS, HOW DO I NOT GET TOO SPICY HERE? COUNCIL CAN TELL DEVELOPERS ALL SORTS OF THINGS BEFORE THEY GIVE THEM OUR TAXPAYER MONEY, AND THEY SHOULD.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PASSING THIS RECOMMENDATION TO, TO COUNCIL FROM THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REGARDING AUSTIN PET FRIENDLY HOUSING.
AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER HUDDLESON HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO GET HER, UM, CAMERA TO WORK, BUT OTHER THAN BEING UNABLE TO SEE HER, IT APPEARS UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? KEEP IN MIND NOTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THIS ROOM ACTUALLY MEANS ANYTHING
IT'S WHAT HAPPENS AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL THAT MATTERS.
AND SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES, UM, AND PUSH FOR THIS.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT MACY BROUGHT UP, UM, IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CANNOT PROPERLY ADVOCATE FOR PETS WITHOUT ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE AND VICE VERSA.
UM, AND SO THE HOUSING GOALS AND HOW I WOULD LIVE IN MY CAR IF IT MEANT THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TAKE MY DOG, RIGHT? SO I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THAT IN MIND AND, AND TELL THOSE STORIES, EVEN IF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY TYPICALLY ANIMAL ADVOCATES.
AND SO EACH OF US ON THE COMMISSION CAN EMAIL OUR COUNCIL OFFICES AND BRING THEIR ATTENTION TO THIS AND, AND ENCOURAGE THEY, UM, ADVOCATE FOR IT IN THE, IN THE COUNCIL.
[7. Approve the election of Chair. ]
UM, IT'S APRIL ONCE AGAIN.AND SO THAT IS, UM, OFFICE ELECTIONS.
SO THE FIRST ONE WILL BE, UM, ELECTION OF THE CHAIR, AND WE HAVE A PUBLIC SPEAKER ON THIS, WHICH IS JULIE OLIVER.
UM, FIRST WANNA QUICKLY, UH, CLARIFY A PA TOOK IN 10 LARGE BEHAVIOR DOGS AND ANOTHER 96 DOGS IN MARCH, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TALKING ON THIS POINT AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO DEEPLY CARES ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON THIS COMMISSION.
THE ROLE OF THE CHAIR IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THAT IT SETS THE TONE FOR HOW THIS BODY FUNCTIONS AND HOW THE PUBLIC PERCEIVES IT.
THE CHAIR MUST FOSTER TRUST, ENSURE MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED PROFESSIONALLY AND ALLOW ALL VOICES, ESPECIALLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE HEARD RESPECTFULLY.
UNFORTUNATELY, OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND FOR YOU KNEW COMMISSIONERS, YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WITNESS TO THIS.
WE'VE SEEN REPEATED INSTANCES WHERE THOSE STANDARDS HAVE NOT BEEN UPHELD.
THE CURRENT CHAIR HAS ENGAGED IN COMBATIVE EXCHANGES WITH BOTH COMMISSIONERS AND THE PUBLIC
[02:05:01]
CONFRONTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AFTER MEETING MEETINGS AND DEMONSTRATED A CONSISTENT LACK OF IMPARTIALITY BEYOND CONDUCT.THERE ARE SERIOUS QUESTIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST DURING THE AUGUST 11TH, 2025 MEETING, WHEN ASKED IF SHE WAS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, THE DEPARTMENT THAT THIS COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE SOME OVERSIGHT FOR, SHE INITIALLY DENIED HAVING ANY CONTRACT OR CONNECTION.
AND ONLY AFTER REPEATED QUESTIONING BY MULTIPLE COMMISSIONERS THAT SHE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SHE DOES IN FACT WORK AS A PAID CONTRACTOR FOR AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.
THAT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY UNDERMINES PUBLIC TRUST AND RAISES CONFLICT OF INTEREST CONCERNS.
WHEN COMMISSIONER NEHMER SAID, AREN'T YOU CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO THE, TO A A C? AND DON'T YOU HAVE AN ALLEGIANCE TO THEM? DR. NELSON SAID, I HAVE NO CONTRACT WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
I KNOW WHEN ASKED FURTHER BY COMMISSIONER CLINTON TO CLARIFY IF SHE WAS PAID BY THE CITY, I DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT.
I GET, I, I DO GET PAID AS AN HOURLY RELIEF VETERINARIAN WHEN I'M PUT ON THE SCHEDULE.
COMMISSIONER CLINTON FURTHER CLARIFIED, THAT WOULD MAKE YOU A CONTRACTOR RIGHT UNDER THE CITY.
DR. NELSON, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT.
COMMISSIONER CLINTON SAID, NO, I'M JUST ASKING.
I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A CONTRACTOR, DR. NELSON.
GOSH, I WISH I WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE, BUT I'M NOT.
I THINK Y'ALL UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M GOING.
Y'ALL CAN LOOK AT THE AUSTIN 11TH, UH, 2025 MEETING ONLINE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
THE COMMISSION DESERVES A CHAIR WHO IS TRANSPARENT, EVEN TEMPERED, AND TRULY INDEPENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT.
IT HELPS OVERSEE IT'S ABOUT GOOD GOVERNANCE AND RESTORING CREDIBILITY TO A PROCESS THAT SHOULD BE ABOVE REPROACH.
WE ALL WANT A COMMISSION WHERE THE CONVERSATION FOCUSES ON HOW TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CITIES, OR EXCUSE ME, ANIMALS IN OUR CITY AND NOT ON MANAGING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT OR MISTRUST.
SO I ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU CONSIDER A CHAIR TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR COMMISSIONER NORTON? THANK YOU.
UM, BEFORE I START, I JUST WANNA MENTION AS PARLIAMENTARIAN
IT DOES NOT OPEN UP ANY DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER DOES ALLOW THAT.
AND I WILL MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
AND SO IF ANY OF YOU NOMINATE ANYONE, YOU CAN DO THE SAME.
NISSEN HAS SUCCESSFULLY LED OUR COMMISSION SINCE SHE WAS APPOINTED IN 2025.
AMONG HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS CHAMPIONING OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AS REQUIRED BY OUR BYLAWS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN SPITE OF A BUSY LIFE, DR. NIELSEN VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS AT THE SPAY NEUTER CLINICS.
SHE CHAMPIONED OUR BIRD RECOMMENDATIONS HAVING A PERSON FROM THE AN AMERICAN BIRD CON CONSERVANCY SPEAK TO US.
SHE PARTICIPATES IN AND OR CHAIRS WORKING GROUPS.
WHEN THE CITY RECENTLY OFFERED ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER TRAINING TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS, DR.
NISSEN WAS ONE OF TWO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMISSION WHO ATTENDED THE OTHER BEING ME, AS SHE TOLD US.
DR. NIELSEN IS A TEMPORARY CONTRACT, PRN RELIEF VETERINARIAN WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, A POSITION SHE'S HELD FOR 10 YEARS IN MAY.
IT'S A JOB SHE LOVES AND SHE DOES HER BEST TO SERVE THE PETS OF AUSTIN.
WHEN ASKED TO WORK AS A FREQUENT MEDICAL FOSTER, INCLUDING ONE THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE, I APPRECIATE HER DETAILED NOTES AND THE CARE SHE PROVIDES FOR OUR COMMUNITY PETS.
I ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK DR.
NISSEN DOES BEFORE OUR MEETINGS, SUCH AS WASHING THE VIDEO TO ENSURE OUR MEETING MINUTES ARE CORRECT AND READING BACKUP MATERIAL AHEAD OF TIME TO HAVE HER QUESTIONS READY.
I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT DR.
NISSEN BY ELECTING HER TO THIS ROLE.
UM, I WOULD ACCEPT THAT NOMINATION.
THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE MORE WORK THAN I THOUGHT, BUT, UM, I ENJOY IT AND I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO DO IT IF THE COMMISSION VOTES ME FOR CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER NEER? YES, I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER BAYA DEL.
I BELIEVE THAT BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE EMAIL FROM HEATHER MEYERS TO THE DISCUSSION WE JUST HAD WITH JULIE OLIVER, THAT DR. NIELSEN HAS
[02:10:01]
BEEN NOT ONLY, WELL, I DON'T WANNA USE THE WORD LIED, BUT SHE HAS TOLD SOME UNTRUTHS, ESPECIALLY AT THE LAST ELECTION, ABOUT NOT BEING ON OR WORKING FOR THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.THAT IS A HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND IF NOTHING ELSE, WE SHOULD KEEP THIS COMMISSION COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT.
AND BY HER, FIRST OF ALL, DENYING AND TRYING TO DANCE AROUND THE FACT THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
AND SHE DOES NOT WORK WITH THEM.
POINT OF ORDER, POINT OF ORDER.
THERE IS NOT A DISCUSSION OF DR. NIELSEN.
YOU CAN MAKE COMMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION, BUT THAT'S IT.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE IN VIOLATION, YOU'RE IN VIOLATION OF THE RULES.
AND COULD YOU PLEASE POINT ME TO THAT RULE? DO MS. WATSON, BECAUSE I CONFIRMED THIS WITH THE, I CONFIRMED THIS WITH CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO CHAIR, THIS WOULD BE YOUR DECISION IF THE POINT OF ORDER IS SUSTAINED OR NOT.
WELL, I MEAN, I, I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT INTO A DISCUSSION, I THINK I'VE BEEN MISREPRESENTED.
I HAVE, UM,
MS. ER CAN FINISH HER COMMENTS AND THEN YOU CAN OKAY.
WE CAN, 'CAUSE WE CAN MOVE ON.
SO SHOULD I GET A SECOND ON BOTH NOMINATIONS? SO, AND MY RECORDS? YOU SECONDED YOUR NOMINATION BY ACCEPTING, SO COMMISSIONER ES, DO YOU SEC DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR NOMINATION? Y YES, I ACCEPT MY NOMINATION.
OKAY, SO YOU'LL BE THE SECOND.
WE CAN GO INTO DISCUSSION BY COMMISSIONER NEER.
YOU CAN FINISH YOUR, UM, YOUR COMMENT AND THEN, UH, CHAIR NELSON.
UM, COMMISSIONER ES HAS BEEN A STOIC MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SHE IS VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ANIMALS, BOTH DOMESTIC AND SHE HAS GOTTEN INTO ISSUES WITH WILDLIFE.
SHE IS, SHE HAS NO TIES TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SHE HAS NO TIES TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND SHE WOULD RUN THIS MEETING FAIRLY AND ACCURATELY.
ONE THING I DO WANT THIS COMMISSION TO REMEMBER, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY NEW PEOPLE, IS BESIDES THE MOST RECENT, UM, EMAIL THAT YOU ALL GOT FROM HEATHER MYERS PROVING THAT SHE DOES THAT, THAT THAT, THAT, UH, CHAIR NIELSEN DOES WORK FOR AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER OR AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, AND WHAT JULIE OLIVER JUST SAID, THERE WAS ALSO A SITUATION THAT CAME UP WHERE, UH, DR. NIELSEN APPROACHED SOMEBODY AFTER A COMMISSION MEETING, BACKED THEM INTO A CORNER AND STARTED GETTING UPSET WITH THEM BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THAT THEY WERE TALKING TO HER.
THAT IS NOT THE WAY A COMMISSION CHAIR SHOULD FUNCTION.
AND BAYA HAS DONE NOTHING TO SHOW ANY TYPE OF BIAS, PREJUDICE OR ANY TIME BEING DISRESPECTFUL TO ANYBODY AT ANY TIME.
AND I FEEL THAT THIS COMMISSION NEEDS A CHANGE BECAUSE THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO SHOW TRANSPARENCY IN ITS OPERATION.
SO I'LL JUST NOTE THAT I'VE REFERENCED MY WORK AT THE SHELTER AT NEARLY EVERY COMMISSION MEETING I'VE EVER BEEN AT.
I'VE NEVER TRIED TO HIDE THAT FROM ANYBODY.
UM, I, IN FACT, MY COUNCIL OFFICE WAS FULLY AWARE, UH, AND I WAS CLARIFYING THAT I AM IN A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE AND I DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT.
AND IN FACT, WHAT WAS SENT AROUND WAS, UH, A FORM I SIGNED, ACKNOWLEDGING TO THE CITY THAT I UNDERSTAND.
I DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
I HAVE NEVER MISLED ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
I REFERENCE MY WORK AT THE SHELTER IN THESE MEETINGS ALL THE TIME.
MY COUNCIL OFFICE WAS FULLY AWARE OF MY CONTRACT WORK WITH THE SHELTER, AND, AND SO WAS CITY COUNCIL WHEN THEY APPOINTED ME, WHEN THEY APPROVED MY APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMISSION.
I, I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT MY WORK THERE OFTEN BECAUSE IT DOES PROVIDE ME WITH IMPORTANT INSIGHT ABOUT HOW THE SHELTER ACTUALLY WORKS, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY,
[02:15:01]
THE ANIMALS AND THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION.BECAUSE I, I'M THERE AND I SEE HOW IT WORKS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE LAST TIME THAT ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WERE THERE.
AND I, I, I WILL JUST ADD AGAIN, I SHOW UP.
I'VE
I, I'VE BEEN ABSENT, I THINK, TO A TOTAL OF ONE TIME.
AND I'VE, I'VE PARTICIPATED REMOTELY A TOTAL OF TWO TIMES.
UM, WHEN COMMISSIONER TIES ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION FOR CHAIR LAST YEAR, SHE SAID SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO COME IN PERSON MONTHLY AND SHE HASN'T.
AND I, I DO THINK IT, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT.
IT'S A TOUGH TIME TO TRY TO GET DOWNTOWN.
UM, IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE, BUT I DO THINK IT, IT REALLY ADDS A LOT TO BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS IN PERSON AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND WORK WELL AS A COMMISSION.
UM, AND, AND I'M DEDICATED TO THE COMMISSION STILL WORKING VERY WELL AND MEETING, MEETING OUR BYLAWS, UM, WITH OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, WHOEVER THE CHAIR IS.
I HOPE THEY GET, UM, OUR INTERNAL REVIEW IN ON TIME BY JULY THIS YEAR, WHICH WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE, THE ELECTIONS WERE DELAYED.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK COMMISSIONER DOTY SHOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND.
I HAVE SEEN, UH, IN THE COMMISSION DIFFERENT SHARES, AND I, I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT IN TIME THAT WITH THE NEW LEADERSHIP AND THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, WE, WE NEED TO START FRESH.
UM, AND I BRING, I WILL, I BRING TO THE GROUP A CHAIR.
IT'S A PERSON TO FACILITATE THE MEETINGS, MAKE IT EFFICIENT ALSO TO PROVIDE A VOICE TO THE PEOPLE.
EVERYONE THAT IS INVOLVED IS NOT JUST ONE SECTION, IS ALSO FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE ANIMALS, THE COMMUNITY, AND TO SUPPORT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL UH, SERVICES.
AND I'M TRANSPARENT AND I WILL BE HONORED TO BE YOUR NEXT SHARE.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
SO WITH MY NOMINATION FIRST, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF REELECTING ME AS CHAIR FOR ONE MORE YEAR.
OH, AND I WILL, SO AS A TOTAL OF FIVE, THAT'S SARAH.
AND I WILL SAY, AS WITH ALL OF OUR, UM, ELECTION, UH, ALL OF OUR VOTING, NOTHING GETS PASSED WITHOUT SEVEN PEOPLE VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT.
UM, SO IF NEITHER OF US GETS SEVEN VOTES, WE WILL GO TO NEXT MONTH AND NOT HAVE A CHAIR AND, AND REPEAT THE SAME FOUR MONTH DELAY, UM, LAST YEAR.
SO FOR, FOR ANYTHING TO PASS OUR COMMISSION, IT'S NOT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.
IT ALSO HAS, IT ALWAYS HAS TO BE A MINIMUM OF SEVEN VOTES TO PASS ANYTHING REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY COMMISSIONERS SHOW UP.
SO IF NEITHER OF US REACHES THE SEVEN VOTE THRESHOLD TONIGHT, WE WILL NOT HAVE A CHAIR AND WE'LL TRY TO ELECT AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
I WAS, I WAS GONNA ABSTAIN, BUT NOW I, I UNDERSTAND.
AND SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ELECTING COMMISSIONER D AS CHAIR TWO IN THAT ROUND SO WE CAN
[02:20:01]
RECALL THE VOTE FOR BOTH OF THEM.SO WE CAN TRY AGAIN JUST TO SEE IF WE WANT TO AVOID PUSHING IT OUT ANOTHER MONTH.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ELECTING ME AS CHAIR FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND THEN WE HAVE SARAH HUDDLESTON WHO CAN'T BE SEEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE ON THAT.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON, ARE YOU ABLE TO LEAVE THE MEETING AND THEN REJOIN SO THAT YOUR CAMERA I'VE TRIED THAT, I'VE TRIED THAT TWICE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME, UM, I, I THINK I JUST NEED TO DO LIKE A FULL UPDATE OF THE COMPUTER.
ARE YOU ABLE TO JOIN OFF YOUR PHONE? COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON? I, I WASN'T ABLE TO.
NO, I, I CAN, LET ME TRY AGAIN AND MAYBE WE CAN GET THIS.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND ONE.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ELECTING COMMISSIONER TIES AS CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER VAN VANLANDINGHAM, ARE YOU ABSTAINING RECUSING? NOT LIKE I'M ABSTAINING.
YEAH, SO I DO FEEL THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION OF THIS IF WE COULD SEE COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON.
I, IT, IT'S GONNA MAKE ME DOWNLOAD THE WEBEX APP AND I HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING CLEARED TO PUT IT ON MY PHONE FOR A WORK THING.
SO IF ANYBODY TR CHANGED THEIR MIND ABOUT ABSTAINING
DO I HAVE TO BE, I THOUGHT I HAD TO BE PRESENT.
NO, I MEAN, IF YOU MAKE IT KNOWN THAT YOU WANNA RUN FOR OFFICE, YOU CAN RUN FOR OFFICE EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT PRESENT.
[8. Approve the election of Vice Chair. ]
VICE CHAIR THEN? UM, ANY, I HAVE A NOMINATION, BUT I'LL OPEN UP ANY NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER LOMAN? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER HOLT IF SHE'LL ACCEPT.I'LL ACCEPT UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO IT.
I WAS GONNA NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON.
'CAUSE I, I'M TOTALLY COOL WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, YOU DO ACCEPT I'M GONNA VOTE FOR MYSELF.
I WAS DOING THIS JUST SO NOT
IF SOMEONE ELSE IS BEING NOMINATED, I WOULD LIKE TO HOLD OFF.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ELECTING COMMISSIONER NORTON, VICE CHAIR PLEASE.
UM, MOVING ON TO, UH, PARLIAMENTARIAN.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT VOTE, ARE YOU ABSTAINING? ARE YOU VOTING NAY? I'M VOTING NAY.
COMMISSIONER DODI, ARE YOU ABSTAINING OR VOTING NAY.
[02:25:01]
COMMISSIONER DODI.ARE YOU ABSTAINING OR VOTING NAY ON VICE ON THE NOMINATION OF VICE CHAIR? NAY.
[9. Approve the election of Parliamentarian. ]
NOMINATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN? COMMISSIONER? CONSIDER THAT POSITION.I BROUGHT IT WITH
I GAVE ROBERT COMMISSIONER DANIELS.
I'M JUST REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FREQUENTLY HERE IN PERSON.
SHE, YES, I WILL NOMINATE COMMISSIONER DANIEL.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? THEY CAN BE SELF NOMINATIONS IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DO IT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ELECTING COMMISSIONER DANIEL AS, UM, PARLIAMENTARIAN.
THAT IS UNANIMOUS AND UNFORTUNATELY SARAH HUDDLESTON STILL HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A CAMERA TO WORK.
SO UNLESS ANYBODY WANTS TO RECALL ANOTHER VOTE FOR CHAIR TO SEE IF WE COULD GET IT DONE TONIGHT.
SO THAT, THAT COMPLETES TODAY'S CHAIR NOMINATIONS AND OR TODAY'S OFFICE NOMINATIONS AND VOTING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ON THE LIST IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO IT'LL BE CHAIR ELECTION ON THE MAY AGENDA.ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT PEOPLE HAVE NOW, COMMISSIONER NORTON? I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO, UM, I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED UP THE WORDING.
UM, GET, I HAVE THE GROUP VOTE ON ANOTHER OFF-LEASH DOG WORKING GROUP.
UM, I HAD ONE FOR TWO YEARS AND I THINK ESPECIALLY AFTER THE DOG ATTACK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IT'S TIME TO REVISIT IT.
DID ANY OTHERS? SO AGAIN, THIS IS WHY I WON'T BE PARLIAMENTARIAN 'CAUSE I NEVER KNOW HOW THE RULES WORK.
UM, THE REQUEST TO A RR ABOUT THAT DATA, IS THAT A THING THAT WE CAN SAY IT BACK TO? NO.
AND THEN YOU CAN FACILITATE OR LIKE HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO I'LL REACH OUT TO THEM.
I'LL LIKE REVIEW THE FOOTAGE AND REACH OUT WITH THE REQUEST THAT YOU MADE DURING THE MEETING.
UM, THEY'LL MOST LIKELY SEND IT AS A MEMO OR SOMETHING SO IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME BACK.
AND THEN AT, AT ANY TIME PEOPLE CAN EMAIL ME ABOUT ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE ON THE AGENDA.
NEBA, DO YOU KNOW THE DEADLINE FOR THAT? FOR THE MAY MEETING? UH, THE MAY MEETING'S AGENDA WILL NEED TO BE POSTED MAY 5TH.
SO IF YOU ARE ABLE TO GET ME YOUR AGENDA ITEMS AT THE LATEST BY APRIL 28TH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COMMISSIONER TIES? UH, SECOND COMMISSIONER DANIEL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.