Apr 20, 2026 Arts Commission

I APPRECIATE YOU REPEATING THOSE.

I WAS GONNA ASK YOU TO REPEAT THOSE, SO

[00:05:01]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

RAEL RIVERA, AND THEN HECTOR .

HELLO.

MY NAME IS DR. RIVERA.

I AM FOUNDER OF PSEUDO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SANJA.

UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO COME TODAY TO ASK, UH, REQUEST THAT, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, COMMISSION LAST MONTH, BE MOVED IN THIS COMMISSION'S AGENDA, UH, FOR POSSIBLE DISCUSSION AND ACTION FOR NEXT MONTH.

UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE REST OF MY TIME TO HECTOR TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT.

HELLO.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, MY NAME IS HECTOR , UH, WITH, UH, TRO.

AND, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE HERE JUST MENTIONED, UH, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK THAT, UM, I GUESS OUR, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS, THESE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS BE INCLUDED IN, UM, NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA, UM, AND, UH, FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UH, FROM, FROM FROM THIS COMMISSION.

UH, THESE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PREVIOUSLY ALREADY APPROVED, UH, BY THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND THEY'RE ALL HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, THE, UH, CULTURAL ARTS, UH, FUNDING PROGRAMS, UH, AND SUPPORT FOR THE LATINO AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS, UM, THE, UH, CULTURAL CENTERS.

UM, AND WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION ON WHAT THOSE, UH, WHAT THESE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, IN CASE YOU GUYS DON'T ALREADY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THEM.

UM, AND, UM, ASIDE FROM THAT, UH, REQUEST, UM, ALSO LIKE TO, UM, I GUESS, UH, SECOND, UH, WHAT LUIS ORES JUST MENTIONED, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CREATING AN ENTITY, UM, THAT WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH A CITY, UM, TO ENSURE, YOU KNOW, THAT ALL OF THESE ASKS AND, UM, I GUESS GREAT EFFORTS THAT WE ARE, UH, ACCOMPLISHING THAT THEY'RE SEEN TO FRUITION.

UM, NOT JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THE WHOLE ARTS, UM, ECOSYSTEM IN, IN, IN GENERAL.

UH, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, HERE IN A MONTH OR TWO, ACTUALLY, I THINK IT'S JULY, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A NEW CYCLE OF CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS ROLLED OUT.

UM, AND SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAPPEN TO FALL UNDER OR OVER THE SAME OBSTACLES THAT WE'VE SEEN, UM, LATELY.

AND THAT IS ALL.

AND HAVE YOU SENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US, TO THE COMMISSION? TO BE HONEST, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT.

I DON'T KNOW, I'M PRETTY SURE YOU GUYS RECEIVED IT, IF NOT, BECAUSE I THINK WE, WE BROUGHT 'EM TO THE TABLE LAST MEETING.

BUT IF NOT, WE CAN CERTAINLY RESEND THEM, UM, TO YOU GUYS MYSELF.

SO ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED, JESUS, WILL YOU DISTRIBUTE TO THE FULL COMMISSION.

THAT BEING ALL WE HAVE FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION CHAIR, A QUICK CHAIR.

UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

CHAIR HOUSTON.

COULD, WOULD YOU CONSIDER ALLOWING, UM, THE PERSON WHO'S THERE TO SPEAK ON THE A IPP AGENDA ITEM TO SPEAK NOW SO THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO WAIT AROUND BECAUSE OUR MEETINGS CAN GET REALLY, REALLY LONG.

CAN YOU, I, I'M PRETTY SURE YOU CAN ALLOW FOR THAT AS LONG AS YES, I WAS, YOU SAY IT'S OKAY.

I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA, UH, PULL YOU YOUR, YOUR, UM, YOUR UPDATE AND THE A IPP RECOMMENDATION UP TOGETHER AFTER WE DO MINUTES.

UM, SO, SO MO MOVING ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS UP, YOU MEAN INCLUDING THE TOP? JUST THOSE TWO.

TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 23RD MEETING? THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

I WAS JUST GONNA SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UM, IS RELATED TO WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO MOVE THAT UP TOO, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A SPEAKER.

YES, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER ON ITEM NUMBER

[00:10:01]

FIVE.

UM, SO FIRST LET'S DO, UH, FIRST I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT COMMISSIONER KEYS AND COMMISSIONER CINI ARE ON THE DAAS.

AND THEN HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE

[ APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

ALL DO NOT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SCO I CAN SECOND THAT.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SKODA TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED FOR THE MARCH 23RD MEETING.

ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NO DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MIN THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 23RD, PLEASE SIGNAL BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.

ANY OPPOSED? COMMISSIONER KEYS? ARE YOU ABSTAINING? I, I AM.

UM, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT 'EM, AND I DID ASK A QUESTION RECENTLY I DIDN'T GET CLARITY ON, SO, YEAH.

I'M ABSTAINING THIS TIME.

WELL, WELL, SO BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, IF WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES AND WE NEED, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT, IS IT ABOUT THE MINUTES THAT YOU HAD A QUESTION? WELL, LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM, AND I DID HAVE A QUESTION WHEN I LOOKED AT THE AGENDA THIS TIME.

I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE CULTURAL FACILITIES, AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS GONNA BE A PRESENTATION BY, I THINK IT WAS CANDACE COOPER.

I THINK THAT WAS WHO MORGAN, UM, SAID THAT WOULD BE PRESENTING.

AND SO I DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

AND SO I, I JUST, WHEN I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO CHECK THE MINUTES, I ASKED ABOUT IT, IT, AND THERE WASN'T ANY CLARITY.

SO I JUST, I WAS ABSTAINING FROM ACCEPTING THE MINUTES THIS TIME.

ITEM TWO, COMMISSIONER SMALL, YOUR UPDATE.

UM, COMMISSIONER ME IS ON THE DAAS, SO, UM, I SAW NONE OPPOSED TO APPROVING THE MINUTES.

I WANNA CLARIFY, IS ANYONE OPPOSED TO APPROVING THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE OPPOSED? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER TWO, UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE APRIL 6TH ART AND PUBLIC PLACES COMMISSION PANEL BY COMMISSIONER SMBA.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE THAT UP ALONG WITH, UM, ITEM 10 AND ITEM 12.

THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL IN REGARDS TO ART AND PUBLIC ART AND PUBLIC PLACES.

SO I JUST WANNA BRING THOSE ALL TOGETHER.

SO, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

SMALL.

SO WE'LL START WITH

[2. Update on actions taken at the April 6th Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach ]

ENSURE THAT THE A A PP PROGRAM IS FUNDED AT A TRUE 2% LEVEL IN A MANNER THAT IS TRANSPARENT, CONSISTENT, AND ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES.

UM, YOU WANT ME TO GO FIRST? THAT'S COOL.

UM, YES, WE, I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD TWO MEETINGS BECAUSE WE HAD OUR REGULAR A A PP PANEL MEETING, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD OUR RETREAT LAST WEDNESDAY.

UM, THE, WE DIS AT THE REGULAR MEETING WE DISCUSSED, UH, CONCEPT DESIGN FROM, UH, ARTIST RUDY HERRERA, WHICH IS FOR ONE OF THE, THE CANYON CREEK A FD STATION.

UM, GAVE SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT AND WE'LL CERTAINLY SEE IT AGAIN.

UM, THAT WAS DISCUSSION, NOT ACTION.

AND THEN WE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY THE WESTGATE AIRPORT, UM, REALLY AWESOME SCULPTURAL SEATING, WHICH IS RENADO CORREA.

THAT'S WHAT'S IN OUR BACKUP FOR TONIGHT.

UM, MOST OF THE TIME ON BOTH OF THESE MEETINGS WERE AGAIN SPENT WITH THE, UM, ORDINANCE UPDATES, UM, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY.

AND I'M GONNA READ, WE DID, UH, UNANIMOUSLY VOTE NOT TO RECOMMEND, UM, MOVING FORWARD RIGHT NOW WITH THE ORDINANCE UPDATES.

AND WE WROTE A LETTER, UM, THE A A P PANEL TO GO ALONG WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT I'M GONNA READ INTO THE RECORD, IF THAT'S OKAY.

UM, THE A IPP PANEL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED NOT TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE A IPP ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME, PENDING GREATER CLARITY ON HOW REDEFINING CAPITAL PROJECT COSTS WILL IMPACT THE A IPP BUDGET.

WE APPRECIATE THE EXTENSIVE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS PROCESS OVER THE PAST YEAR.

IN RESPONSE TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE, THIS EFFORT WAS INTENDED TO STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM, BRING GREATER TRANSPARENCY TO ELEMENTS OF THE PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONING PROCESS AND BETTER SUPPORT ARTISTS.

WE ARE ALIGNED WITH THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE UPDATES WITH ONE EXCEPTION, THE REDEFINITION OF CAPITAL PROJECT COSTS.

THE PANEL'S PRIORITY IS TO

[00:15:01]

THE A IPP PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE IN 1985, BORN FROM THE DEDICATED ADVOCACY OF LOCAL ARTISTS, INSTITUTIONAL LEADERS, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS WHO WANTED TO SEE THE CREATIVITY OF AUSTIN REFLECTED IN OUR SHARED BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

IN 2002, THE ORDINANCE WAS REVISITED AGAIN THROUGH LOCAL ADVOCACY TO INCREASE THE ALLOCATION FROM ONE TO 2% AND TO REMOVE CERTAIN DEDUCTIONS INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL FRAMEWORK.

WE CAN SEE THIS INTENT NOT ONLY IN THE LANGUAGE IN THE 2002 ORDINANCE, BUT IN ARCHIVAL RECORDS OF PAST A IPP AND ARTS COMMISSION MEETINGS.

THIS INTENT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SERVED ON THESE BOARDS AT THAT TIME, AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED.

HOWEVER, THE REVISED DEFINITION OF CAPITAL PROJECT COSTS MAY RESULT IN A NET REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR A IPP.

THE PANEL HAS REQUESTED TRANSPARENT ACCOUNTING OF HOW SPONSORING DEPARTMENTS HAVE CALCULATED A IPP ALLOCATIONS OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.

BUT THIS DATA HAS NOT YET BEEN PROVIDED BASED ON OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING, DEPARTMENTS HAVE LARGELY CALCULATED A IPP CONTRIBUTIONS BASED ON HARD CONSTRUCTION COSTS, DESPITE THE ORDINANCE OUTLINING ALLOWABLE DEDUCTIONS FROM TOTAL PROJECT COSTS.

IF SO, THE EFFECTIVE PERCENTAGE ALLOCATED TO A IPP HAS BEEN MEANINGFULLY BELOW 2%.

MOVING FORWARD, WITHOUT CLARIFICATION, RISKS CODIFYING A SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO UNDERFUND THE PROGRAM FOR THE PANEL, THE CENTRAL QUESTION IS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CAPITAL PROJECT SPENDING HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN ALLOCATED TO A IPP AND WHAT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE ALLOCATED UNDER THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK? WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE CHANGES ADVANCE OR UNDERMINE THE ORDINANCES ORIGINAL INTENT.

THIS IS NOT SOLELY A TECHNICAL MATTER.

IT IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC TRUST, TRANSPARENCY, AND ALIGNMENT WITH VOTER AND COUNSEL EXPECTATIONS THAT THE 2% FOR ART PROGRAM BE FUNDED AS INTENDED.

THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE MUST THEREFORE REFLECT, MUST THEREFORE REFLECT THE FULL SCOPE OF PROJECT COSTS IN A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS, RESULT IN A TWO TRUE 2% INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC ART, AND BE SUPPORTED BY CLEAR ACCESSIBLE REPORTING SO THAT THE CALCULATION CAN BE TRACKED OVER TIME.

WE URGE THE ARTS COMMISSION NOT TO ADOPT THESE CHANGES BEFORE WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF REDEFINING PROJECT COSTS IN THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES BUDGET.

A IPP REMAINS ONE OF THE CITY'S PRIMARY MECHANISMS FOR DIRECTLY SUPPORTING LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS.

AND ITS INTEGRITY IS CRITICAL TO THE BROADER CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM, AND THAT IS SIGNED BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE A A PP PANEL.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

ANY QUESTIONS? I SEE NO QUESTIONS.

I DID WANNA BRING UP THAT ONE OTHER THING THAT I DIDN'T HEAR MENTIONED IN THE LETTER, UM, BUT COMMISSIONER MALDONADO BROUGHT UP AT A PREVIOUS MEETING IS THAT WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, PROVISION FOR MAINTENANCE OF A IPP COLLECTION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES DID SHOW THAT THEY WERE DOING.

SO THAT ACTUALLY IS COVERED IN THE OTHER UPDATES WITHIN THE ORDINANCE.

UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT, GREAT WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

MOST OF THEM ARE REALLY GREAT AND ARE, YOU KNOW, WERE, WERE CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A-I-P-P-A-I-P-P PANEL, UM, AS WELL AS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, TALKING WITH ARTISTS, UM, AND WITH STAFF FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.

BUT THIS IS THE ONE STICKING POINT.

SO THAT IS ACTUALLY ADDRESSED IN THE LARGER PACKAGE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE.

THIS IS JUST THE THING THAT WE'RE NOT COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD UNTIL WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE LONG-TERM IMPACT IS GONNA BE ON THE BUDGET FOR A A PP.

BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, ASKED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.

COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE, THE DOCUMENT IS ACCEPTED BY THE A IPP PANEL.

IT'S, IT'S THIS VERY LIMITED SCOPE OF THE 2% DEFINITION OF 2% OF WHAT IS REALLY THE QUESTION.

AND, UM, HAVE THE ENTITIES THAT NEED TO, TO SUPPLY INFORMATION TO YOU AGREED TO SUPPLY THAT INFORMATION, OR IS THIS GONNA TURN INTO KIND OF A, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

SO, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING ASKED, OF COURSE, TO MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION UP OR DOWN, UM, WITH ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, NOTES THAT WE WANNA SEND WITH THAT.

AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS WITH COUNSEL? BECAUSE I THINK COUNSEL IS IS EXPECTING TO TALK ABOUT THIS THIS WEEK, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TONIGHT,

[00:20:01]

AND THEN I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A COUNCIL WORK SESSION TOMORROW.

I HAVE A MEMO.

MY COUNCIL STAFF PERSON SENT ME, UM, THE MEMO FROM ACME TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL THAT KIND OF GOES OVER ALL OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

UM, I COULD REFERENCE THAT AT POINTS, UM, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT IF IT'S NOT IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.

SO THAT, THAT I BELIEVE GETS POSTED PUBLICLY TOMORROW MORNING.

THEN THEY HAVE THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION, AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT STILL GOES FORWARD ON THURSDAY TO COUNCIL, THEN COUNCIL WILL VOTE WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA ADOPT THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE OR NOT.

AND THEN THEY WOULD DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY GO ALONG WITH A IPP AND ARTS COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS OR NOT.

SO TONIGHT WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, BEING ASKED TO MAKE, TO REINFORCE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE A IPP.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SMOCK.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH,

[10. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. ]

ITEM NUMBER 10, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING UPDATE ON ART AND PUBLIC PLACES ABOUT HE CASTILLO ART AND PUBLIC PLACES MANAGER, AND HE CAN MAYBE ANSWER SOME OF THOSE LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS FOR US.

I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A STAFF BRIEFING, BUT I THINK PROCEDURALLY YOU DIDN'T VOTE TO MOVE ITEMS 10 AND 12 TO IMMEDIATELY AFTER ITEM FIVE.

OH, SORRY.

UH, I GOT A SECOND.

DIDN'T VOTE.

SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING ITEM 10 AND ITEM 12.

AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO ITEM 13 IS ALSO ART IN PUBLIC PLACES TO TAKE THOSE ALL TOGETHER.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? SEEING NO OPPOSITION.

SO MOVED.

BETWEEN SHOAL CREEK AND UH, BURNETT ROAD.

HI, ME CASTILLO MANAGER FOR ART IN PUBLIC PLACES.

UM, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK LOOK THROUGH OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS.

UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WITH THE CREATION OF ACME LAST YEAR, A IPP ADDED, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO OUR PORTFOLIO.

AND THAT IS THE P UH, I GUESS I HAVE THE CLICKER NOW.

UM, CAN, CAN WE PULL UP THE OTHER, THE OTHER PRESENTATION? UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING AS, AS PART OF THE CREATION OF ACME A IVP ADDED TO THEIR PORTFOLIO OR OUR PORTFOLIO, UH, THE PEOPLE'S GALLERY, AS WELL AS THE CHANGING EXHIBITS AT THE AIRPORT AT A US.

AND SO WITH THAT EXCITING DEVELOPMENT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE, UM, OPEN CALLS, WHICH WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THOSE OPEN CALLS ARE, THEY'RE OPEN AND, UH, SO EVERYONE'S AWARENESS, THEY CAN GO TO AUSTIN TEXAS GOV SLASH A IPP, AND THERE'LL BE A BUTTON TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE SCREEN WHERE YOU CAN GO INTO, UM, THE OPEN CALLS PAGE.

UH, I ADDED THE QR CODE THAT SHOULD GO DIRECTLY TO THAT WEBPAGE.

I THOUGHT THE A IPP, UM, ADDRESS WAS A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO DESCRIBE ON THE SLIDE AND, UH, VERBALLY.

UM, SO THIS CALL FOR PEOPLE'S GALLERY HERE AT CITY HALL IS, IS AS THIS, IT'S THE SAME PROGRAM AS IT ALWAYS WAS.

AND, UM, WE'LL BE ACCEPTING CALL, UH, APPLICATIONS THROUGH MAY 31ST AND RUN THE SELECTION PANEL THROUGH THE SUMMER AND BE READY TO OPEN THE EXHIBITION IN IN OCTOBER.

THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, NOT CONSTRUCTION WORK, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE ADDING SOME TRACKING SYSTEMS INTO SOME OF THE ROOMS AND HALLWAYS, UH, DURING THE SUMMER.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, WE'LL BE DE INSTALLING THE CURRENT SHOW, AND WE'LL BE MOVING, UH, A A MAJORITY OF THE WORKS DOWN TO THE FIRST FLOOR SO PEOPLE CAN STILL VISIT WHILE THOSE, THAT TRACK SYSTEM IS BEING ADDED.

UM, AND THEN COME OCTOBER WE'LL BE ABLE TO IN INSTALL THE NEW SHOW COMPLETELY IN ALL THREE, THREE FLOORS AS AS USUAL.

UM, AND THAT IS A TWO YEAR, UH, EXHIBITION RUN.

AND THEN FOR THE CHANGING EXHIBITS AT THE A AT THE AIRPORT, I WANTED EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY 12 DIFFERENT, UH, DISTINCT GALLERY OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, SOME ARE, UH, DIGITAL SCREENS, SOME ARE SMALLER ROOMS, SOME ARE LARGER ROOMS. UM, SO PLEASE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, IN SHOWING AT THE AIRPORT, CLICK ON THE LINK AND, AND LOOK AT ALL THE, THE DIFFERENT GALLERY OPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

UM, AND WE'LL BE DO, AGAIN, DOING THAT SELECTION PROCESS THIS SUMMER SO THAT WE CAN LAUNCH, UH, IN THE FALL.

THERE ARE NO SUBMISSION FEES FOR EITHER OF THESE APPLICATIONS.

AND AGAIN, THE, IT CLOSES MAY 31ST.

UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE THESE CALLS, YOU CAN EMAIL US AT ACME@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.

UM, AND I HAVE A CLICKER.

ALSO WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE SOME EVENTS, SOME DE ARTWORK DEDICATIONS, UH, COMING UP ON APRIL, THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH AT SHEFFIELD POOL.

UM, THAT'S OVER AT THE SHEFFIELD, UH, NORTHWEST POOL, UM,

[00:25:03]

UH, WE ARE UNVEILING SHIMMER BY ARTIST SON OLGAN.

AND, UH, THAT'S IN THE AFTERNOON, TWO 30.

PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU CAN.

THAT'S THE, THAT'S ACT ALSO THE POOL'S GRAND REOPENING.

SO THERE'S EXPECTED TO BE SOME, A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE HAVING FUN.

UH, THEN WE'RE ALSO HAVING AN ARTWORK EDUCATION AT THE DOVE SPRINGS HEALTH FACILITY.

UH, WE'RE DEDICATING THE, THE MURAL BY AMAL CASTILE THIRD AND THE, UH, PAVILION BY ARTIST, UH, MY GUTIERREZ.

AND, UH, THIS IS ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH IN THE EVENING AT STARTING AT FOUR O'CLOCK.

UH, THERE'S ALSO A PHOTO EXHIBIT THAT, THAT WAS, UH, SELECTED THAT'S, UH, EXHIBITING IN, IN THE FACILITY ITSELF.

WE'LL ALSO BE CELEBRATING THOSE ARTISTS AS WELL, WAS NOT AN A PB PROJECT, BUT WE DID ASSIST WITH THAT SELECTION PROCESS.

UH, SO THAT'S MY UPDATE FOR STAFF BRIEFINGS.

AND I ASSUME THAT PRIOR TO JUMPING INTO THE OTHER PRESENTATION, YOU'LL WANT TO TAKE, UH, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.

GONNA CALL UP JANE HERY FROM FUTURE FRONT TEXAS.

'CAUSE WE'RE ON ITEM 12.

WE'RE

[12. Approve a recommendation for updates to the Art in Public Places Ordinance, Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Program Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. ]

HEY, Y'ALL.

HI.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

HI.

OKAY, HERE WE GO.

SO, I AM, LET ME JUST A SECOND AND PULL THIS UP.

ALSO, I'M NOT CRYING BECAUSE OF THIS ORDINANCE.

MY ALLERGIES JUST KICKED OFF AS I STARTED TO SPEAK CRAZY, HUH.

UM, BUT MY NAME IS JANE HERY.

I'M THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF FUTURE FRONT OF COMMUNITY ARTS AND CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE ORGANIZATION, UH, RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THAT, UM, HAS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS TO DIVERSE AUSTIN ARTISTS, FILMMAKERS, AND MUSICIANS SINCE 2016.

WE'RE HOMEGROWN IN AUSTIN, AND WE PRESENT THREE SEASONS OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, WORKING WITH HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, AND CRAFTSPEOPLE, WELCOMING 25,000 PLUS AUSTIN RESIDENTS AND VISITORS A YEAR.

TODAY, I AM APPROACHING THE COMMISSION AS AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC ART, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND PUBLIC MEMORY.

IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION OVER THE LAST WEEK THAT DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CURRENT A IPP ORDINANCE, WE'RE DISCUSSING A REDEFINITION OF TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD LIMIT AUSTIN'S PUBLIC ART BUDGET AS, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHACH MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS ORDINANCE WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TO ALLOCATE 2% OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO AUSTIN'S ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM IN 2002.

I STRONGLY SUGGEST THIS DEFINITION WITHIN THE ORDINANCE SHOULD NOT ONLY REMAIN INTERPRETED BY ITS ORIGINAL INTENTION, BUT BE BETTER UPHELD AND CHAMPIONED ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS.

THIS 2% PROGRAM HAS HAD AN IMMEASURABLE IMPACT ON AUSTIN'S BRAND IDENTITY AND GROWTH.

IN FACT, WE JUST CONVENED A GROUP OF NATIONAL LEADERS ON APRIL 12TH TO DISCUSS AND CELEBRATE THIS ELEMENT OF THE ORDINANCES IMPACT ON AUSTIN'S PUBLIC EXPERIENCE IN CREATIVE COMMUNITIES.

A FEW THINGS FOR US ALL TO CONSIDER.

THE 2% PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE FEW PUBLIC BENEFITS TO EMERGE FROM THE STRAIN OF DEVELOPMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION THAT HAS DEFINED OUR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES.

OUR 2% PROGRAM HAS HELPED OUR CITY STAND OUT IN GLOBAL MARKETS FOR TOURISTS, TURNING OUR CITY INTO A WORLD RECOGNIZED TRAVEL DESTINATION WITH A UNIQUE AND DISTINCT VISUAL LANGUAGE THAT SETS US APART.

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DECREASE OUR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC ART.

A VITAL ASPECT OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCORDING TO THE A DC, LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS AND CONTINUES TO BE THE LARGEST SHARE OF PUBLIC FUNDING OF THE ARTS, EXCEEDING STATE AND FEDERAL COMMITMENTS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC WORKS OF PHILANTHROPISTS.

THIS WAS TRUE IN 2002, AND IT IS EVEN TRUER NOW IN 2006 WITH CHANGES IN THE FEDERAL LANDSCAPE.

WITHOUT CITY GUARDRAILS, WE WILL NOT HAVE BUDGETS FOR PUBLIC ART OR PUBLIC WORKS.

AND THIS PERCENT PROGRAM KEEPS AUSTIN COMPETITIVE.

AND ON THE MAP, AS YOU ALL DISCUSS ITEM 12 TODAY, I KNOW WE SHARE SIMILAR PRIORITIES.

WE DO NOT WANT TO BECOME A CITY DEFINED IN THE HEADLINES BY THE LOSS OF PUBLIC ART.

WE NEED NEW LANDMARKS AND NEW MEMORIES TO NOT ONLY ATTRACT TOURISTS, BUT TO RETAIN RESIDENTS WHEN THEY LOOK AROUND, THEY SEE THEMSELVES ON THE WALLS AND ON THIS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE, ON THESE NEW BUILDINGS.

SO OUR CURRENT AP I-A-I-P-P PROGRAM, THE 2% DEFINITION WITH THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS, IT NOT ONLY ENSURES THAT FUTURE, BUT IT CLEARLY COMMUNICATES OUR VALUES.

AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S ATTENTION AS THIS ITEM IS DISCUSSED OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

THANK YOU, MS. HARVEY.

WE LOOK AT THOSE AND WE CATEGORIZE THEM INTO THREE TYPES OF UPDATES, UH, POLICY UPDATES WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO UPDATE THE LANGUAGE AROUND, UH, OUR POLICIES, PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES, WORK THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CHANGE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY NEED, NEEDED POLICY CHANGES IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THEM.

ALL RIGHT, SO OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT, UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE READY.

EXCELLENT.

AS A REMINDER, UH, LAST YEAR COUNCIL PASSED RESOLUTION, UH, ASKING US TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT REALLY DOING A PROGRAM ASSESSMENT FOR, UH, THE IVP PROGRAM, UH, IN THE RESOLUTION.

THEY ASKED US TO, TO LOOK AT SPECIFIC THINGS.

AND, AND

[00:30:01]

AND THEN COMMUNICATION UPDATES.

UH, UNDER THE POLICY UPDATES, THEY ASKED US TO LOOK AT, UH, P THREES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE OR APPLY THE A IPP ORDINANCE TO THOSE PRO THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO, TO GET LANGUAGE INTO THE ORDINANCE THAT THAT OPENS THAT UP AND ALLOWS US TO DO THAT.

UH, THEY ALSO ASKED US TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC ART.

AND SO USING THE EXISTING, UM, ZONING APPLICATION FOR, FOR PUDS FOR PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, UM, WE WANTED TO STRENGTHEN THAT LANGUAGE.

AND SO WE, UH, EXPANDED THAT LANGUAGE TO ENCOURAGE OTHER, OTHER APPLICATION TYPES OR INCENTIVE TYPES, UM, SUCH AS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS TO ENCOURAGE, UH, DEVELOPERS TO INCLUDE PUBLIC ART.

AND FOR US, THAT MEANT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE CLEAR CRITERIA OF WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN THEY PURSUE THOSE INCENTIVES.

UH, THE, THE RESOLUTION ALSO ASKED US TO LOOK AT, UM, THE ALLOWING THE FLEXIBLE USE OF FUNDS FOR, FOR ARTWORK CARE, RELOCATION AND REINSTALLATION.

UH, I THINK WE FOUND A SOLUTION THAT, THAT ADDRESSES THAT, AND I'LL ADDRESS THAT IN, IN A SLIDE OR TWO.

UH, THEY ALSO ASKED US TO LOOK AT ART PLACEMENT FLEXIBILITY, SEE IF WE CAN PLACE ARTWORK, UH, IN, IN OTHER CITY OWNED PROPERTY, UM, INCLUDING, UH, WORK THAT, THAT'S A LONG TERM LOAN, SUCH AS, UH, I'M FORGETTING THE ACRONYMS, BUT, UH, PROPERTY THAT, THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, WHY AM I FORGETTING? THE AUSTIN FACILITY CORPORATION, THAT'S NOT THE FULL AC THAT'S NOT THE FULL TITLE, BUT, UH, OTHER CITY PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE.

UH, THEY ALSO ASKED US TO LOOK AT CURATORIAL SERVICES FOR MAJOR PROJECTS, UM, WHICH WE FELT CONFIDENT WE ALREADY DO.

WE APPLY THAT IN TERMS OF AN IN, IN, IN TERMS OF MASTER PLANS, SUCH AS AT THE AIRPORT, OUR PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES TO ADDRESS OBSTACLES TO LOCAL PARTICIPATION.

UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE, UH, WE, WE HAVE MORE SLIDES TO LOOK AT THAT CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT IN, UH, MORE DETAIL.

UH, ASKED US TO LOOK AT, UH, CLEARLY EXPLAIN THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ARTISTS AS THEY SIGN THEIR CONTRACTS AND UNDERSTAND THAT ARTWORKS BECOME PROPERTY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND TO SUPPORT ARTISTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, AS ARTISTS ARE, UH, EXPERIENCING OR, OR THEY'RE CREATING ART AND, AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

BUT IT IS IN THE PUBLIC VIEW AND THEREFORE, UH, PUBLIC ART.

UH, WHICH LEAD LEADS INTO THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS THE RESOLUTION ASSETS TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS, SPECIFICALLY ARTISTS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE REMOVAL OF THEIR ART.

AND THIS WAS BOTH ARTISTS THAT EXPERIENCED DEACCESSION, SO REMOVAL OF THEIR ART FROM OUR PUBLIC ART COLLECTION AS, AND ARTISTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE REMOVAL OF THEIR WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

AND SO THAT'S HOW THOSE TWO, UH, TOPICS ARE, ARE LINKED 'CAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO, TO ASSIST IN THAT BECAUSE OF THAT CON THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD.

AND THEN FINALLY ASKED US TO LOOK AT CHAPTER SEVEN TWO, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE A PP ORDINANCE IN OUR CITY CODE, AND ANY OTHER ASSOCIATED POLICIES, UH, SO THAT WE GET A FULL PROGRAM ASSESSMENT.

AS I MENTIONED, WE DID HAVE SOME STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

UH, WE STARTED OUT WITH, UH, WORKING WITH THE A IPP PANEL WORKING GROUP, UH, AND THE ARTS COMMISSION YOURSELVES, UH, WHERE WE, THE, THE A IPP PANEL IS A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, OF THE ARTS COMMISSION, UH, COMPOSED OF ARTS PROFESSIONALS AND DESIGN, UH, AND VISUAL ARTS FIELDS.

AND WE WENT THROUGH AND REVIEWED ALL THE POLICIES, AND, AND THEN THEY MADE THE INITIAL, UH, TOGETHER, WE MADE THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TO THE POLICIES.

WE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH TARGETED FOCUS GROUPS AND ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, AS I MENTIONED, ARTISTS WHO EXPERIENCED THE REMOVAL OF THEIR ARTWORK.

UH, BUT THEN WE ALSO MET WITH CURATORS, FABRICATORS AND DEVELOPERS, UM, THOSE, THOSE OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT RING OF SUPPORT THAT, UH, WORKS IN PUBLIC ART INDUSTRY.

WE THEN HAD INTERNAL ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE, WE, UH, CONVENED 17 DEPARTMENT, UH, WORKING GROUP, UH, TO PREVENT TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES THAT WE HAD BACK THEN IN, UH, IN, IN THE EARLY SUMMER.

AND, AND THEN WE ALSO KEPT THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICES UP TO DATE AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

UM, AND SO YOU'LL SEE, UH, THE MAYOR AND THEN A COUPLE OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE THAT WE, WE DISCUSSED, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH, UH, THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM, FROM THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THAT WE CONDUCTED WAS, UH, KIND OF, KIND OF EVERYONE WAS SAYING THAT IMPROVED PROGRAM CLARITY AND COMMUNICATIONS CLARITY AROUND WHAT THE A IPP PROGRAM IS AND DOES, UM, DEFINING THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, WHERE ARTISTS COULD FIND RESOURCES, UH, EXPRESSING A, A DESIRE FOR A SIMPLIFIED VISUAL FLOW CHART AND, AND HOLDING INFORMATION SESSIONS, UH, FOR ARTISTS.

AS I MENTIONED, P THREES WAS, WAS ONE OF THE DIRECTIVES IN THE RESOLUTION THAT WE ADDRESSED AS A,

[00:35:01]

AS WE ENTERED CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, WE, YOU KNOW, WE CLARIFIED THAT P THREE WAS KIND OF A GENERIC TERM AND, AND ALTERNATE DELIVERY MODEL THAT UTILIZES A PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION WAS, WAS MORE ACCURATE TO THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING.

THE EXAMPLES BEING, UH, THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS, BOTH P THREE PROJECTS THAT ENDED UP WITH PUBLIC ART, UM, AT THE END, UM, WITH THE TYPE OF TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO.

AND SO THIS DEFINITION ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, BUT ALSO LEAVES IT OPEN SO THAT IF, IF THE DELIVERY METHOD, THE, THE DELIVERY SERVICE CHANGES A LITTLE BIT, LIKE WE WE'RE STILL ABLE TO APPLY IT.

UM, SO I MENTIONED IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST BASICALLY APPLYING A IPP ORDINANCE TO, TO P THREE PROJECTS, EXEMPTING, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UH, AND THEN REALLY THE, THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR P THREES.

THE NEXT THING IS THE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS.

AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S EXISTING LANGUAGE IN, IN THE ZONING APPLICATION, AND WE JUST WANTED TO EXPAND IT TO OTHER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY HAS.

UH, BUT DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH PLANNING IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A, A TEXAS, UM, UH, SENATE BILL THAT, THAT, UH, ADDRESSES OR, OR IMPACTS OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.

AND I THINK THE CITY RECENTLY RELEASED AN UPDATED DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.

SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP THAT CONVERSATION TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE, WHERE WE CAN UPDATE OUR POLICIES TO ADDRESS THIS.

BUT AGAIN, IN TERMS OF ENCOURAGING PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS, IT'S REALLY IN, IN, UM, IN THEIR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, PROVIDING CLEAR LANGUAGE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ENGAGE WITH A IPP AND WHETHER THEY'RE PROVIDING A PUBLIC ART, UH, PUBLIC ARTWORK, UM, OR IF THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PUBLIC ART FUND FOR FUNDS AND FOR, UH, FOR MAINTENANCE IN TERMS OF, UH, RELOCATION, STORAGE, REINSTALLATION, ET CETERA.

UH, WE'VE EXPANDED THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR, UH, PROJECT ALLOCATIONS, UNUSED PROJECT ALLOCATIONS WITHOUT LEGAL RESTRICTIONS TO BE POOLED.

SO IF THERE, IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT HAS A, A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS LEFT, UH, ACROSS, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF THEM, COUPLE OF THEM THAT WE CAN'T PULL THAT SO THAT WE, AND USE THAT WITHIN, UH, OUR PROGRAMMATIC EFFORTS, UM, AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS.

UM, WE ALSO INTRODUCED LANGUAGE TO EXPAND, UH, TO ALLOW FOR 5% TO GO TO TOWARDS REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS OF EXISTING PUBLIC ART.

SO IF THE, IF THE CIP IS FOR A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, BUT WE CAN ALLOW FOR, UM, 5% OF THAT 2% TO GO TOWARDS, UH, IMPROVEMENTS OF, OF ARTWORKS THAT'S ALREADY IN OUR COLLECTION.

UM, AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, ASTERISK THERE, MAINTENANCE IS NOT AN ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE.

SO, UM, THAT'S THE CONVERSATION AROUND MAINTENANCE IS RESTRICTED BY THAT.

UM, SO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, TO ADDRESS THE, THE NEEDS WITHOUT, UM, USING, UH, BOND DOLLARS INAPPROPRIATELY.

UH, WE'RE ALSO CLARIFYING THE ROLES OF, OF MAINTENANCE.

I THINK THAT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER BY THE, BY THE COMMISSION, UH, CLARIFYING THAT, UH, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS THE SPONSORED DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT, UM, SPECIALIZED MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A IPP AND, AND THE PUBLIC ART FUND.

FLEXIBILITY FOR ART PLACEMENT.

UH, AGAIN, EXPANDING LANGUAGE TO ALLOW US TO PLACE ARTWORK ACROSS THE CITY ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY, INCLUDING LONG TERM EASEMENTS.

THIS IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY EARLIER.

UH, LONG TERM EASEMENTS ARE CONTROLLED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.

UH, WE ALSO EXPANDED SOME LANGUAGE TO, OR CLARIFIED POLICY TO ALLOW THE POOL, UH, POOLING OF FUNDS TO ALLOW SHARED DISTRIBUTION OF ART ACROSS AUSTIN.

AND SO THAT'S, UM, I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.

WE LOOKED AT SAN ANTONIO, THE WAY THAT THEY DO, LIKE THEY, IN, IN THE BOND PROPOSITION, THEY'LL IDENTIFY PUBLIC ART AS A SEPARATE PROJECT, BUT CLEARLY IDENTIFY THAT THE FUNDS CAME FROM THE CIPS.

UM, SO WE WERE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT AS WELL, OR HAVING THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

UH, AND THEN THE REMOVAL OF THE CAP ON AUSTIN WATER, WA WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES.

UM, AND THAT OPENED UP A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, TRANSFER FUNDS THAT ALLOWS US, UH, OR GIVE, UH, ALLOWS A, A SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS BOND FUNDING.

UH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE, UH, TO GIVE, UH, UH, IT'S HERE, IT SAYS NEXUS OF PLACE OR THEME, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH AUSTIN WATER TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE, THE SOURCE OF FUNDS IS, IS IDENTIFIED IN TERMS OF CURATORIAL SERVICES, AS I MENTIONED, IS, IS A TOOL THAT WE ALREADY USE.

AND WE TYPICALLY USE IT ON LARGER SCALE PROJECTS.

SO, UH, LIKE THE PUBLIC ART PLAN AT THE AIRPORT, UH, SORT OF THE, UH, INFORMAL PUBLIC ART PLAN THAT WE HAVE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE WE'VE PHASED OUT OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, BUT WHAT WE DO WANNA DO IN TERMS OF ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAN DEFINE MAJOR PROJECTS SO THAT IT'S EASIER FOR US TO IMPLEMENT, UM, OR IDENTIFY WHEN WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT, UH, CURATORIAL SERVICES.

UM, AND ALSO INTRODUCING THE, THE DEFINITION OF MAJOR PROJECT INTO OUR TIERED APPROACH IN

[00:40:01]

TERMS OF CAP CAPACITY BUILDING, UM, FOR ARTISTS.

AND SO, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF OUR PROGRAMMATIC AND COMMUNICATION IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA ENCOURAGE LOCAL PARTICIPATION BY RELAUNCHING OUR PRE-QUALIFIED ARTIST POOL LATER THE SPRING.

UH, AND THAT, THAT TOOL IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'LL USE, UH, WITH P THREE.

SO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESS RUNS, UH, QUICKLY AS WELL AS OFFER IT UP TO, UH, PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AS THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING, UH, APPLYING FOR PUBLIC ART IN THEIR INCENTIVE APPLICATIONS, UH, BUT ALSO OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM.

ALLOW THEM TO USE THE, THE PRE-QUAL LIST SO THAT, UM, WE CAN GET ARTISTS ON BOARD A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.

CAPACITY BUILDING IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ART PROJECTS AND MENTORSHIP WORKSHOPS, JUST REALLY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO, OR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR ARTISTS TO, TO GAIN A BETTER, A LITTLE BIT MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO DO PUBLIC ART AND BE A PUBLIC ARTIST.

UH, AND WE'RE EVALUATING LAUNCHPAD AND TEMPO.

UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT TEMPO IS AN ENTRYWAY TO THE PUBLIC ART FIELD.

UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO ADD MORE STEPS BETWEEN TEMPO AND A FULL PUBLIC ART COMMISSION, UH, IN TERMS OF CLARITY AND COMMUNICATION, STANDARDIZING OUR, UH, PRE-EX EXECUTION ARTIST NOTICE OUR, OUR A KAR CONTRACTS OUTLINING RESPON RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE PROCESSES FOR DEES AND RELOCATION.

UM, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING A NEW CONTRACT EXHIBIT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ARTIST UNDERSTANDS WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT WE JUST REVIEWED.

AND, UH, STANDARDIZING THAT REVIEW AND, UH, INCLUDING THAT CON THOSE CONTRACT EXPECTATIONS IN OUR ART CALL OUTREACH.

SO, MAKING SURE THAT ARTISTS ARE AWARE THAT THAT IS PART OF THE PROCESS, AND, AND THEY'RE AWARE AS THEY'RE ENTERING AND CONSIDERATION OF APPLYING FOR PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS.

UH, SO DIRECTLY RESPONDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL, IDENTIFY BARRIERS, THE, THE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACT COMPLEXITY AND RISK EXPOSURE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS.

SO WE'RE DOING ALL THESE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO ADDRESS THE RESOLUTION OR BE RESPONSIVE TO THE RESOLUTION.

I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE, UH, THE ADDITIONAL THINGS HERE.

SO THAT, UH, REMOVING THAT CAP FROM THE WATER WASTEWATER FACILITIES, UM, OPENED UP A CONVERSATION WITH AUSTIN WATER, WHERE THEY PROPOSED AN ALTERNATE FUNDING APPROACH, AND, AND THAT WE WOULD, UM, DOCUMENT WITH AN, UH, AN MOUA MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING.

UM, AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A PILOT TO SEE WHAT ALTERNATE COMPLIANCE MODELS MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHERE AUSTIN WATER WOULD TRANSFER FUNDS.

AGAIN, NOT FUNDS THAT ARE NOT AS RESTRICTIVE AS BOND FUNDS.

AND SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THOSE FUNDS.

UH, GOVERNANCE CLARIFICATION, UM, KNOW THAT, UH, ANY, THERE IS CURRENT LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE SAYING THAT IF THERE'S AN EXCEPTION, IT HAS TO GO TO COUNCIL.

UM, SO WE'RE JUST CLARIFYING THE STEPS THAT YOU KNOW IT.

IN TURN, WE WOULD DO THAT, UH, EXEMPTION REQUEST INTERNALLY FIRST.

SO DEPARTMENTS WOULD WORK WITH ACME AND THEN WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO, TO GET THAT APPROVAL OF, OF AN EXEMPTION OF MORE OR LESS, UH, THAN 2% PRIOR TO US BRINGING IT TO THE A IP PANEL AND YOURSELVES, THE ARTS COMMISSION BEFORE IT GOES UP TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, FINAL APPROVAL, UH, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR CLARIFICATION.

AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THE, UH, MAIN ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS A SPONSORED DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE'RE, WE'VE DEFINED OR IDENTIFIED WHAT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS, RIGHT, UH, RINSING OR DUSTING OR LANDSCAPING, UH, IMMEDIATELY AROUND ARTWORKS, THAT'S ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS HAVE CREWS ALREADY DOING THAT OUT IN FIELD.

UM, BUT REPAIRS AND SPECIALTY MAINTENANCE SUCH AS BRONZE WAXING, OR ANY SORT OF LIKE LIGHTING OR ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS THAT, THAT WILL THEN FALL, UH, ON A IPP TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

AND THESE SPECIALTY ITEMS WILL BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS, UM, AGREED UPON BY BOTH SPONSOR DEPARTMENT AND A IPP THROUGH THE USER AUTHORIZATION FORM, AND THEN FULLY DOCUMENTED IN THE ARTWORK MAINTENANCE PLAN, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S AWARE OF, OF THOSE, UM, SPECIALTY MAINTENANCE, UH, REQUIREMENTS.

AND THEN AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER, IT'S NOT ON THE SCREEN HERE, BUT THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY SAYS THAT WE CANNOT APPROVE ANY ARTWORK THAT HAS, LIKE AN STRENUOUS AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE.

LIKE THE SPONSOR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE TO AGREE TO THAT.

AND SO WE, WE NEVER BRING THAT FORWARD TO THE SPONSOR DEPARTMENT.

UM, SO THAT WILL CONTINUE, UM, AS WE AGREE THROUGH THE USER AUTHORIZATION FORM AND THE MAINTENANCE PLANS.

UH, WE DID ADD A PARKLAND CLARIFICATION IN CALCULATING THE COST OF A PROJECT TO ACQUIRE OR DEVELOP DEDICATED PARKLAND, UH, REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS NOT DEDUCTED.

AND THEN IN OUR 2% ALLOCATION CLARIFICATION, WE DID, UM, CLARIFY THE CURRENT PRACTICE BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ALIGN WITH THE INDUSTRY DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTION COST.

UM, AND THE LANGUAGE DOES GET UPDATED FROM CONSTRUCTION.

COST MEANS THE PROJECT, THE COST OF A PROJECT TO CITY UPDATED.

NOW TO SAY CAPITAL PROJECT COST MEANS THE COST OF

[00:45:01]

A PROJECT TO CITY.

AND THIS IS JUST THE, THAT EXCEPTION EXEMPTION REQUEST THAT I, THAT I DESCRIBED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DO TAKE CARE OF IT INTERNALLY FIRST AND THEN PRESENT IT TO Y'ALL AND, AND COUNSEL.

UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THE FLOW CHART ON THE RIGHT, MAY MIGHT BE TEXT A LITTLE BIT TOO SMALL, BUT IT SAYS SPONSORS DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIES THE NEED WORKS WITH ACME AS THE SECOND BOX.

AND THEN THE THIRD BOX DOWN SAYS WE PRESENT THAT RECOMMENDATION TO CITY MANAGER.

FOURTH BOX DOWN SAYS, CITY MANAGER APPROVES RECOMMENDATION, AND IT GOES TO THE A IPV PANEL FOR CONSIDERATION.

NEXT BOX SAYS, RECOMMENDATION PRESENTED TO ARTS COMMISSION.

AND THEN THE LAST BOX SAYS, RECOMMENDATION GOES FORWARD TO COUNCIL.

AND THIS IS JUST A QUICK TABLE.

UM, I THINK WE'VE PRESENTED THIS BEFORE, BUT JUST NOTING THE CHANGES FROM THE 1985 ORDINANCE TO THE UPDATE IN 2002 TO THE PROPOSED UPDATES THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR 2026.

AND THE RED LINES WOULD, UH, IDENTIFY THE CHANGES.

AND SO HERE ARE OUR NEXT STEPS.

WE ANTICIPATE, UH, TAKING THAT ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL THIS WEEK.

UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE PRESENTING OUR GUIDELINES AND THE OTHER POLICIES.

UM, SO IT'S THE GUIDELINES, THE ACQUISITION, DEES POLICY, THE DONATIONS AND LOAN POLICY, AND THE A IPP PANEL BYLAWS, UM, THAT WE'LL BE RE BRINGING BACK IN MAY.

UH, WE, WE WILL HAVE CONTINUED PROCESS AND IMPROVEMENT PLANNING WITH, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND OTHER SPONSORED DEPARTMENTS.

AND WE WILL, UH, BRING FORWARD A STANDARDIZED CALCULATION FORMULA WITH TEMPLATES SO THAT, UM, WE HAVE BETTER TRANSPARENCY.

AND AT THIS MOMENT, I THINK WE'LL HAVE PRESENTATION.

WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION, UM, BY CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.

THAT'S THE SAME PRESENTATION.

SORRY, IT WAS JUST THE NEXT SLIDE.

IS THIS PRESENTATION ON THE AGENDA? IT'S PART OF THIS, IT'S PART OF MY PRESENTATION, SO IT SHOULD BE THE NEXT SLIDE.

CHAIR.

MAY I ASK A QUESTION? UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

UM, HEIDI OR JAIME OR WHOEVER, UM, JUST CURIOUS IF, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS IN YOUR PRESENTATION, JAIME, IT WENT PRETTY FAST.

UM, CAN I JUST GET SOME CLARITY IF THERE'S A, ANY KIND OF SPENDING CEILING ON THE A IPP PROGRAM, OR IS IT JUST 2% AND THAT'S IT, AND THERE'S NO CEILING OF HOW HIGH THAT CAN GO.

AND IF THERE IS A CEILING OR IF THERE'S A THRESHOLD THAT COUNSEL HAS TO APPROVE, WHAT IS THAT THRESHOLD? THANK YOU.

THANKS.

UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, UH, NO.

THERE WAS NO CEILING IN THE 1985 ORDINANCE.

THERE WAS A, A CEILING, A CAP, UM, BUT IN 2002 ORDINANCE UPDATE, THAT CAP WAS REMOVED.

AND THEREFORE, ALL THANK YOU.

ALL PROJECTS ARE 2%.

THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE REFINED AND A PREFERRED SOLUTION IS IDENTIFIED.

ARE WE TAKING QUESTIONS NOW? ARE WE ROLLING THROUGH? WE'RE ROLLING THROUGH AT, OKAY.

I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM AND HOW THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO ART IN THE CITY.

SO FIRST OFF, WHAT IS CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES CDS CREATED IN 2023 WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING PROJECT DELIVERY TIME? WE ARE ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, PROJECT MANAGERS, INSPECTORS, AND WE PARTNER WITH, UM, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DELIVER THE CITY'S CIP PROGRAM, BOTH BOND AND NON BOND FUNDED PROJECTS.

UH, WE CURRENTLY MANAGE NEARLY 500 ACTIVE PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 145 OF THOSE ARE IN CONSTRUCTION, REPRESENTING A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF $11 BILLION.

SO THIS SLIDE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE WHOLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LIFECYCLE.

UH, PROJECT STARTS IN THE STRATEGIC PHASE, IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIZING PROJECTS, MOVING THEN TO CONCEPT WHERE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS ARE DEVELOPED AND EVALUATED.

NEXT, THE PROJECT MOVES INTO A PRELIMINARY DESIGN WHERE

[00:50:01]

THEN COMES THE DESIGN PHASE WHERE THE DETAILS OF THE PROJECTS ARE PUT ON PAPER, THE PROJECT'S ADVERTISED FOR BID.

AND FINALLY, YOU GET INTO CONSTRUCTION.

DURING THIS PROCESS, THE CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE FOR A PROJECT IS REFINED AND THE ACCURACY IS INCREASED, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE TWO, UH, PARABOLIC LINES THAT APPROACH THE CONSTRUCTION LINE THERE.

AT THE STRATEGIC PHASE, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE INITIAL PHASES, YOU'RE PLUS OR MINUS 50% OR MORE.

WHEN IT COMES TO COST ESTIMATING.

WHEN YOU GET TO THE END OF DESIGN AND INTO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, YOU'RE GENERALLY PLUS 5% MINUS 10% IN TERMS OF YOUR ESTIMATE.

ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT DETERMINING THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST FOR A PROJECT OR THE TOTAL PROJECT COST FOR THAT MATTER, ISN'T FULLY KNOWN UNTIL THE PROJECT IS ACTUALLY COMPLETE.

NOW, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE A IPP PROGRAM THAT THE ARTISTS ARE SELECTED AND ONBOARD DURING THE DESIGN PHASE, SO THAT THE ARTWORK CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE PROJECT.

IT'S A CHALLENGE TO SET UP THE A IPP BUDGET AT 2% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST AT THE ONSET OF THE A IPP WORK, BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SIGNIFICANT VARIABILITY IN THE SCOPE AND THE COST OF THE PROJECT.

CDS DEVELOPED THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE FOR THE, THE A IPP PROCESS THAT WE RUN HERE IN CDS WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE A IPP STAFF, IDENTIFYING FUNDING BASED ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WORKING WITH THE A IPP STAFF ON ARTIST, UH, SELECTION, MAKING SURE THEY'RE INTEGRATED INTO THE DESIGN TEAM, AND ULTIMATELY DELIVERING THE ART AND THE PROJECT TOGETHER.

UH, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT, UM, THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO BUILDING A PROJECT, INCLUDING BOTH DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

DESIGN IS APPROXIMATELY, UH, 20 TO 30% OF THAT COST WITH CONSTRUCTION BEING APPROXIMATELY 70 TO 80%.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SUBCATEGORIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION COST.

SO, UM, THE PROCEDURE CALCULATES THE 2% FOR ART BASED ON THE CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE, REMOVING THE ALLOWABLE DEDUCTIONS.

THIS IS THE WAY THAT, UM, THAT PERCENTAGE HAS BEEN CALCULATED.

UM, AS LONG AS CDS HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE, AND AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY AS A PROJECT MANAGER, UM, WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH, UM, USED TO BE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF NOW WITH THE ACME STAFF ON WHAT THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE.

SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, UM, OF THE DATA FROM THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER PHASE TWO PROJECT.

UH, THE PROJECT, UH, MANAGER AND A IPP ADMINISTRATOR AT THE TIME CALCULATED THE A IPP CONTRIBUTION AT $348,400.

UH, DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS, THE PROJECT MANAGER WORKED WITH THE A IPP ADMINISTRATOR ON THE CALL FOR PROJECTS AND DEVELOPING THE DESIGN THAT WAS ABLE TO INCORPORATE THE ARTWORK.

NOW, THE SNAPSHOT THAT YOU SEE AT THE LEFT IS THE BUDGET FORM, WHICH IDENTIFIES THE READ UPON TOTAL CONTRIBUTION.

THE INFORMATION ON THE RIGHT IS THE FUND DEPARTMENT UNIT OR FDU INFORMATION, WHICH SHOWS THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE A IPP ACCOUNTS.

ALL THIS DATA IS FROM THE CITY'S SYSTEM OF RECORD E CAPRI, WHERE FINANCIAL COSTS AND PROJECT DATA ARE STORED.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE CONTRACTS AND EXPENSES THAT WERE ALLOCATED TO THE A IPP FUNDING FOR THE MAC PROJECT.

YOU'LL SEE THE TASK ORDER THAT THE CITY A IPP CHARGES THEIR TIME TO, AS WELL AS THE ARTIST CON CONTRACTS AND EVALUATION PANEL PAYMENTS FOR SELECTING THE ARTIST.

YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL FOR THE ARTWORK INSTALLATION WAS ABOUT 17,000 SHORT OF THE CONTRIBUTION.

BUT THESE REMAINING FUNDS STAY IN THE A IPP ACCOUNT IN THIS FDU, UH, FOR THE A IPP PROGRAM.

TO USE ANOTHER EXAMPLE, THE LONGHORN DAM MULTIMODAL, UH, IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE WAS AROUND $13 MILLION, WHICH THE 2% WAS CALCULATED AT 257, 1 53.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING PROJECT BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS IN THE BID PHASE, THE BID CAME IN SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE WAS, WHICH IS WHY THERE ARE TWO A IPP ENTRIES FOR THE FDU HERE, ONE FOR 250,000 AND ANOTHER FOR 190 FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $440,000, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO 2% OF THE BID PRICE MINUS THE ALLOWABLE DEDUCTIONS.

AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE A IPP TASK ORDER AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS CONTRACTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ART AND ARTIST SELECTION.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS AROUND $10,000.

UH, THERE'S AROUND $10,000 LEFT OVER.

AND AS WITH THE MAC EXAMPLE, THESE FUNDS REMAIN IN THE A IPP ACCOUNT TO BE USED AS THE A IPP PROGRAM, UH, C FIT IN THE FUTURE.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? I NEED YOU.

YEAH, COMMISSIONER SMALL.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE ADD ADDITIONS FROM CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, BUT I DON'T, I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

HOW IS THE PERCENT FOR OUR BUDGET FOR EACH PROJECT CALCULATED?

[00:55:02]

SURE.

IF YOU, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT COMPARISON.

AND I, I THINK WHAT YOU WERE SHOWING WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOWED THE SPLIT OF TOTAL PROJECT COSTS, WHICH WAS THE INTENT OF THE 2002 ORDINANCE.

THE TERM SAID CONSTRUCTION COSTS, BUT THE DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS IN THE 2002 ORDINANCE INCLUDES IN THE SENSE THAT IT DOES NOT DEDUCT DESIGN COSTS.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IN PRACTICE, YOU'RE TELLING US THAT IT HAS BEEN BASED ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WHICH IS NOT WHAT WAS IN THE ORDINANCE.

SO IF IT'S NOT BASED ON WHAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE, WHAT IS IT BASED ON? IT'S BASED ON CONSTRUCTION COST, WHICH IS WHAT IS SAID IN THE ORDINANCE.

THE ORDINANCE VERY ALLY SAYS IT'S NOT WHAT IS SAID IN THE ORDINANCE.

THE TERM IS CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

AND THEN IT IS VERY CLEARLY DEFINED WHAT CONSTRUCTION COSTS MEANS IN THE ORDINANCE.

AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE UNDERSTOOD TO BE.

AND, AND I AGREE THAT, THAT, THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF DOING THIS WAS TO, WHAT WE ASKED TO DO WAS TO CHANGE THE TERM TO PROJECT COSTS, TOTAL CAPITAL PROJECT COSTS, AND KEEP THE DEFINITION THAT IS IN THE 2002 ORDINANCE.

AND INSTEAD, WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN IS CHANGING THE TERM, BUT DEFINING IT THE WAY THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN CALCULATING IT IN PRACTICE.

SO WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME IS THAT THERE'S BEEN EITHER AN INTENTIONAL OR PROBABLY UNINTENTIONAL, YOU KNOW, LACK OF ADHERENCE TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE NOW.

AND NOW THAT LACK OF ADHERENCE IS BEING USED AS THE RATIONALE TO CHANGE THE POLICY.

AND IT DOES FEEL LIKE CDS HAS A STRANGE AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE OVER, IN MY OPINION, OVER A POLICY THAT IS FOR PUBLIC ART.

LIKE THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC ART PROGRAM.

CDS DOES NOT HAVE ANY INFLUENCE OVER ANY POLICY.

I'M HERE TO, UH, DIVE INTO THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THE EXISTING PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED.

IF THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT IT'S ADMINISTERED, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.

HISTORICALLY, UH, THE WAY THAT THE PROCESS HAS WORKED IS THAT THE 2% WAS CALCULATED BASED ON CONSTRUCTION COST.

AND THAT'S THE INTERPRETATION.

EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SAYS, THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE, THAT'S THE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS, AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN INTERPRET INTERPRETED HISTORICALLY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD WITH.

WELL, I DO APPRECIATE THAT, UM, CLARIFICATION BECAUSE IT, IT'S WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE.

IT IS WHAT WE SAID, WHICH IS THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN WITH THE VERY CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT IS MEANT, WHAT IS INTENDED TO BE DEDUCTED, AND THAT YOU HAVE 'EM RIGHT THERE.

THE ALLOWABLE DEDUCTIONS ARE THE ONES, THE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

BUT IN PRACTICE, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE DEDUCTIONS, CORRECT, BECAUSE IT HASN'T INCLUDED DESIGN COSTS.

NO.

THE DEDUCTIONS ARE PORTIONS OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST.

SO THOSE DEDUCTIONS ARE ALLOWABLE DEDUCTIONS FROM CONSTRUCTION.

UM, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, AGAIN, AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, IT'S BEEN A 2% CALCULATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST.

UM, WE WORK THROUGH IN THE INITIAL PHASES WITH THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE AND DEVELOP THAT AND REFINE IT AS IT MOVES ALONG.

BUT THE TOTAL PROJECT COST HAS NEVER BEEN THE BASIS FOR THE 2%, UH, CALCULATION.

BUT THAT'S BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING IT INCORRECTLY, NOT FOLLOWING WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE.

I, I DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK COULD, I MEAN, I'D BE HAPPY TO PULL UP WHAT IT SAYS IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.

IT'S VERY, I I DON'T, IT FEELS INSANE TO ME THAT WE'RE ARGUING ABOUT WHAT CLEARLY SAYS THE TOTAL COSTS OF A PROJECT, NOT CON, IT SAYS CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE THE TOTAL COSTS OF A PROJECT MINUS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

WELL, IT SAYS, AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE INTERPRETED IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SAYS.

I MEAN, I HAVE IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND I CAN, I CAN READ IT.

IT SAYS ACCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED ME TOO.

IN THIS SECTION, THE COUNCILS SHALL APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO AT LEAST 2% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF A PROJECT TO SELECT, ACQUIRE AND DISPLAY ART.

D CONSTRUCTION COST IS THE COST OF A PROJECT TO THE CITY AFTER DEDUCTING THE DEDUCTIONS THAT ARE OF THEIR DEBT ISSUANCE, DEMOLITION EQUIPMENT PERMIT, AND REAL ESTATE COST.

AND THEN READ THE DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD WHICH SECTION THAT IS? I'M LOOKING AT THE, OKAY, I CAN FIND IT.

CAPITAL PROJECT COST CALCULATION, WHICH FORMERLY SAID PART IN THE NEW ORDINANCE, IT'S PART SIX, DEFINED IN CITY CODE SECTION 7 2 6 7 2 6 IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE IS BUDGET ESTIMATE.

SO I THINK 7 2 4 IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE SAYS ACCEPTANCE PROVIDED, SUB SUBSECTIONS, C AND

[01:00:01]

SO WE'VE ALWAYS TAKEN CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO MEAN WHAT THE INDUSTRY TERM OF CONSTRUCTION COST IS, WHICH IS THE COST.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

TO BUILD SOMETHING MM-HMM .

BUT THAT IS WHY WE WANTED TO CHANGE AND CLARIFY, BECAUSE THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS CLEAR IN WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE IN BLACK AND WHITE, AS WELL AS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ARCHIVAL RECORD OF WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS AMENDED IN 2002, IT IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST CONSTRUCTION CAUSE.

SO WHILE THAT HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE LEARNED THAT.

AND SO WE SAID, COULD WE MAKE THIS CLEARER? AND THE, WHAT WE ASKED TO DO WAS TO, AND THAT THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE MEMO, GOING TO COUNCIL TOMORROW.

IT SAYS LIKE, WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FROM A IPP AND THE ARTS COMMISSION WAS TO CHANGE THE TERMINOLOGY SO THAT IT WAS CLEARER BECAUSE IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT Y'ALL HAVE INTERPRETED THE WAY IT ME, WHAT IT MEANS IN YOUR, IN YOUR INDUSTRY.

BUT THIS IS NOT THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IN PUBLIC ART ADMINISTRATION.

AND I THINK THAT IS ALSO CLEAR IN THE BENCHMARKING THAT THE A A PP PROGRAM DID, WHICH SAID THAT 70% OF OUR PEER CITIES DON'T ALLOW ANY DEDUCTIONS.

AND THEN WE'RE SAYING WE DID BENCHMARKING.

WE SAW THAT MOST CITIES DON'T DO DEDUCTIONS.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS ADD DEDUCTIONS.

WE'RE GOING IN THE EXACT OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE INTENT OF BOTH THE 2002 ORDINANCE AND THIS COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO, YOU KNOW, STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM AND MAKE IT MORE CLEAR.

AND I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE A A PP SAID, AND I, I HOPE THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AGREE, LIKE, WE SHOULD NOT BE CHANGING DEFINITIONS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY HOW IT WILL IMPACT YOU.

YOU'RE, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO US IS CHANGING.

THIS WON'T MATTER TO THE BUDGET FOR A IPP BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT, WHAT WE CAN READ IS IN THE ORDINANCE.

SO IT ARE, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THERE WON'T BE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT CHANGING THIS DEFINITION? YOU DON'T THINK CD S'S OPINION IS THAT IT WILL NOT CHANGE THE BUDGET FOR A IPP, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE CALCULATING THAT BUDGET.

THE 2%, UH, CALCULATION UNDER THE EXISTING DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS IS 2% OF THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECT.

IF WE CHANGE, I, I AGREE WITH YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, I'LL SAY THAT IT, THE DEFINITION NEEDS CLARITY.

UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD, UH, THIS LEVEL OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.

UM, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT NEEDS CLARIFICATION.

UM, IF THE A IPP, IF THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL, UH, DECIDES TO, UH, APPROVE THE PROPOSED DEFINITION, CHANGING THE, THE CALCULATION TO TOTAL PROJECT COST, AND THEN HAVE THE DEDUCTIONS THAT WILL RESULT IN THE SAME POSITION THAT WE'RE IN NOW, MORE OR LESS, UH, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COST CALCULATION.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE DEDUCTIONS DO.

THE PROPOSED DEDUCTIONS.

WELL, I THINK IT WOULD, NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OR HAVE AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION WITH MATH, HOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, AND WE HAVE SEEN THESE IN PREVIOUS, UH, IN PREVIOUS, UH, PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN AT ARTS COMMISSION, WE'VE SEEN THIS IS WHAT A, AN ACTUAL 2% OF TOTAL PROJECT COSTS WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND THIS IS WHAT 2% OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS LOOKS LIKE.

AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, A PRETTY LARGE DIFFERENCE.

DEPENDING ON THE, THE PROJECT COST.

THERE, THERE IS, AUSTIN LIKES TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A 2% FOR ART PROGRAM, BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T.

IF WHAT IT'S BEING CALCULATED ON IS A, IS A SUBSET OF THE ACTUAL PROJECT OR OF THE ACTUAL CAPITAL COST.

AND I KNOW FROM OTHER CITIES THAT THAT IS NOT, THAT IS NOT STANDARD.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S STANDARD IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BUT IN PUBLIC ART ADMINISTRATION, THAT IS NOT STANDARD OR BEST PRACTICE.

UNDERSTOOD.

THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 20 TO 30% IN THE FUNDING FOR THE ARTS AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE DOING THE CALCULATION BASED ON THIS, AND WE'RE COUNTING, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION COST IS 70 TO 80% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST.

BY INCREASING THAT TO INCLUDE, UH, THE DESIGN COST AND OTHER SOFT COSTS IN THERE THAT ARE NOT CONSTRUCTION COSTS, IT WOULD INHERENTLY INCREASE THE, UH, A IPP ALLOCATION BY APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30%.

WELL, IT'S 2% OF 20 TO 30% OF A PROJECT.

I GUESS WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.

THE 2%, THE 2% WOULD INCREASE BY 20 TO 30%.

SO INSTEAD OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IT'D BE, YOU KNOW, $120,000

[01:05:01]

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AGAIN, IT'S JUST HEART WITHOUT A SIDE BY SIDE AND UNDERSTANDING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, BULLET POINT HERE PROVIDES BUDGET ESTIMATE.

STEP ONE, LIKE PROVIDE THE PROJECT MANAGER PROVIDES A BUDGET ESTIMATE TO THE A IPP PROJECT MANAGER.

HOW DO THEY COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER? THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THAT NUMBER IS RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE LONGHORN DAM PROJECT.

THE 2% I BELIEVE IS 2% OF THE 12 MILLION 857, 6 59 70 IN NEW CONSTRUCTION.

UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE TOTAL PROJECT COST FOR THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT 22 MILLION.

UM, SO THAT WOULD BE A VERY, THAT'D BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO THINGS IN HERE, UM, SUCH AS CONTINGENCIES AND PERMIT FEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE EXCLUDED AS WELL.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE A INCREASE TO THE A IPP FUNDING, UH, IF THE NEW DEFINITION WITHOUT THE EXCEPTIONS WAS IMPLEMENTED.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR A MOTION REGARDING THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR UPDATES TO THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES ORDINANCE.

I WOULD MOTION AND ASK THAT WE FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE A A PP PANEL AND NOT APPROVE THESE CHANGES UNTIL THERE'S MORE CLARITY ABOUT THEIR IMPACT.

I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WANNA ADD THAT, THAT I AGREE THAT IT'S DISINGENUOUS FOR US TO SAY THAT WE'RE USING A TRUE 2% IF WE'RE NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT THE MAJORITY OF OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE AN ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, UH, PROGRAM, HOW THEY'RE CALCULATING THEIR, UM, THEIR PERCENTAGE.

IF WE'RE GONNA SAY WE'RE A PREMIER PROGRAM, THEN WE HAVE TO FUND OURSELVES LIKE A PREMIER PROGRAM.

THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION.

WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT WE FOLLOW THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL RECOMMENDATION TO NOT APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE PUBLIC ART AND PUBLIC PLACES ORDINANCE UNTIL THERE'S MORE GREATER CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE CALCULATION.

ARE WE READY FOR THE VOTE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? I SEE NONE OPPOSED.

SO ARTS COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY STATES THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL RECOMMENDATION TO NOT APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO UPDATE THE ORDINANCE AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN.

COMMISSIONER MAL.

SO, SO HEIDI, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS.

I JUST, UM, JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH SAYING, SO I KNOW A IPP DRAFTED, UH, THAT LETTER.

SO SHOULD WE DRAFT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO SEND TO, UM, TO COUNSEL BEFORE THIS GETS IN FRONT OF THEM? I THINK THAT WE COULD EVEN, OH, SORRY.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

WE COULD EITHER LIKE CO-SIGN ON WHAT A IPP ALREADY WROTE AND OR ADD ANY ADDITIONAL POINTS, UM, I THINK THAT FOLKS HAVE AFTER HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.

PUBLIC ART PROGRAM, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THE INTENT OF 2002.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT? WOULD YOU TAKE THAT? SURE.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU? HEIDI? HEIDI, YOU GONNA DO IT? SO IF YOU'LL SURE.

I MEAN, ARE, ARE, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS TO ADD? IF ANYBODY WANTS TO JUST THROW OUT THINGS THAT THEY WANNA AMEND? I WOULD BASE IT ON WHAT, WHAT THEY A IPP PANEL WROTE, BUT THEN IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, 'CAUSE I THINK MOST OF THIS IS COVERED IN THERE, BUT IF, IF FOLKS HAVE LIKE ADDITIONAL POINTS THAT THEY WANT, UM, COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, WE CAN ADD THAT ANY ADDITIONAL POINTS? A IPP BASICALLY WAS SAYING LIKE, UNTIL WE HAVE MORE CLARITY, I THINK I WOULD, I PERSONALLY WOULD ADD LIKE A MORE AFFIRMATIVE RED REDEFINITION OF CLARIFICATION OF PROJECT COSTS TO BE CAPITAL PROJECT COSTS WITH THE EXISTING DEDUCTIONS AS WRITTEN, NOT AS BEEN INTERPRETED BY CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND OTHERS.

SO THAT WE INDEED HAVE A 2% FOR

[01:10:01]

YEAH, CORRECT.

SO IF WE'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, I WOULD ADD THAT TO THE, THE BACKUP, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SEND TO COUNSEL.

SO IF YOU'LL WRITE THAT UP, SEND IT TO JESUS, UM, PANTO AND IF YOU'LL SEND IT OUT TO THE FULL COMMISSION AND TO COUNSEL.

TO ITEM NUMBER 13 SINCE THAT'S ALSO, UH, MR. CASTILLO, COULD I MOVE THAT WE TAKE THIS ONE ON CONSENT? I KNOW PEOPLE MIGHT WANNA SEE IT, BUT I, I, THERE'S ALSO FOLKS, UH, OTHER GUESTS THAT WE SKIPPED IN FRONT OF, UM, WHO ARE HERE TO PRESENT TO US.

UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE

[13. Approve a recommendation for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport West Gate Expansion Sculptural Seating (formerly Playscape) Art in Public Places Project Final Design.]

AND SO THERE'S A MOTION, THERE'S A MOTION TO TAKE THIS ONE ON CONSENT.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? I SEE NONE OPPOSED.

SO ITEM 13 IS APPROVED ON CONSENT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

ITEM NUMBER THREE, UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE APRIL 15TH DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING BY COMMISSIONER HOUSTON.

NOW WE'RE BACK UP AT

[3. Update on actions taken at the April 15th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston]

THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION APPROVED A RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, STRIP CAESAR CHAVEZ OF THAT NAME DUE TO THE RECENT INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN REVEALED ABOUT HIS BEHAVIOR AND TO CONVENE A, A COMMUNITY GROUP TO CONSIDER WHAT THE REPLACEMENT NAME SHOULD BE.

AND SO THEY'RE SENDING THAT TO COUNCIL THIS, THIS WEEK, AND THEN THEY'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET MORE RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN.

ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO

[4. Update on the Downtown Austin Space Activation (DASA) Artist Residency Program, presentation by Cat Carter, DASA Artist Resident ]

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, SPACE ACTIVATION.

DASA ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM BY KAT CARTER, DASA ARTIST RESIDENT.

HELLO EVERYONE.

I AM KAT CARTER.

I AM FOUNDER AND CEO OF SUPERWOMAN RECORDS.

WE ARE A NONPROFIT RECORD LABEL FOR, UH, BLACK WOMEN ARTISTS HERE IN AUSTIN, LAUNCHED IN 2023.

OUR MISSION IS TO, UH, PROMOTE, DEVELOP AND, UM, EMPOWER BLACK WOMEN ARTISTS.

WE HAVE A BIG EVENT COMING UP ON MAY 2ND, AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THAT PROJECT AND HOW EVERYTHING'S BEEN GOING.

UH, THE PROJECT IS CALLED CANDY CODE 35.

DO I OPERATE TO GO NEXT? THERE WE GO.

UM, WHAT IS CANDY CODE 35? OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT URGENT.

WE'RE RECLAIMING THE SPACE THAT SPLIT THE CITY INTO TWO.

WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE CULTURE THAT SURVIVED THE CONCRETE, AND WE'RE TURNING EVERYDAY RESIDENTS INTO ARCHIVISTS OF SOUND RHYTHM AND IDENTITY, UH, FROM MUSIC AND ORAL HISTORIES TO LIVE PERFORMANCE AND VISUAL ART.

THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE THE MIC, THE LENS, AND THE LIGHT, BECAUSE THE STORIES OF EAST AUSTIN AREN'T GONE.

THEY'VE BEEN WAITING TO BE HEARD.

UM, AND THROUGH THIS PROJECT WE ARE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS.

WE LAUNCHED IT OFF.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE LAUNCHED IT AT, ACTUALLY CAN YOU PLAY THAT VIDEO? GO BACK.

THAT'S A VIDEO.

MM-HMM .

YEAH, IT'S NOT DOING IT.

NEVERMIND.

I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT IT.

SO WE KICKED OFF THE PROJECT, IT WAS WORKING A FEW MINUTES AGO.

WE KICKED OFF THE PROJECT AT, UH, KZI 88.7, WHICH IS A HISTORICAL BLACK RADIO STATION NONPROFIT, UH, RADIO STATION IN AUSTIN WITH THREE WOMEN DJS.

UH, THEY SPEND TEXAS BASED MUSIC.

THAT IS THE POINT OF THE PROJECT.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, OUR SECOND STOP WAS AT RICH'S ART GALLERY, WHICH IS AUSTIN'S ONLY BLACK OWNED GALLERY WHERE OUR ARTIST, THAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS PROJECT SHE PERFORMED.

HER NAME IS GIO.

SHE HAS A SONG, THE NAME OF THE SONG IS 35.

IT'S A O TO 35.

AND IT HAS, UM, GRAMMY NOMINATED GRAMMY WINNING ARTIST CHARLIE BOY ON IT, WHICH WILL ALSO BE JOINING US FOR THAT SHOW ON MAY 2ND.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND SO YEAH, THIS VIDEO WOULD BE TELLING YOU ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING AT, UH, ON MAY 2ND AT WATERLOO.

BUT WE ARE TAKING OVER WATERLOO GREENWAY.

WE ARE, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A ODE TO TEXAS.

SO IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, ICONIC CARS THAT WE CALL SLABS.

THAT'LL BE TRICKED OUT.

AND THERE IT WILL BE A SLAB GALLERY OF SORTS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AROUND AND VOTE ON WHICH CAR WILL, UM, GET THE COMPETITION PRIZE OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

IT'S KID FRIENDLY.

THERE

[01:15:01]

WILL BE A KID ZONE.

WE WILL HAVE OUR ARTISTS FROM SUPER FORMER RECORDS PERFORMING TEXAS BASED MUSIC.

AND IT'S JUST BE A DAY OF FUN.

MAY 2ND FROM FOUR TO 8:00 PM THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

YOU CAN GO TO THE LAST SLIDE.

IT HAS THE, THE THINGS THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S FUN.

AND BEFORE YOU ALL ASK ANY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT HERE FOR YOU ALL.

UM, SO AS A REMINDER, THIS IS ACTUALLY, UM, POSTED INCORRECTLY IN THE AGENDA.

UM, THIS IS THE, OUR FUTURE 35 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM THAT ACME BACK WHEN WE WERE, UM, WITH EDD APPLIED TO A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS GRANT, UM, WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

WE HAD AN ARTIST SELECTION.

UM, KAT WAS ONE OF OUR WONDERFUL ARTISTS THAT WAS SELECTED THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

UM, SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS PART OF AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROJECT THAT ACME IS DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A TPW.

UM, AND SO KAT JUST SHARED HER ACTIVITY THAT'S ON, UM, MAY 2ND, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ACTIVITY, UM, FROM THE OTHER ARTIST IN RESIDENCE LATER THIS SUMMER.

UM, SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT.

BUT IT WAS PART OF, UM, THE CITY'S ONGOING EFFORT TO DEEPEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE 35, OUR FUTURE 35, UM, INITIATIVE.

SO, UM, AS KE MENTIONED, DESIGNED TO UPLIFT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED FROM CITY PLANNING PROCESSES, UM, AND USE ART AS A WAY TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND CELEBRATE AUSTIN'S CULTURE AND HISTORY.

SO, SUPER EXCITED THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE MOMENT, UH, FOR THE ACTIVITIES TO BE TAKING PLACE.

I HOPE YOU ALL, UH, CAN JOIN US.

AND NOW I'LL LET YOU ASK QUESTIONS TO KAT .

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR ARTISTS? SHE MAY HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS.

, IS IT A FREE VENT TO THE IT IS FREE.

COMMISSIONER MACH.

UM, I JUST THINK THIS IS AWESOME AND I WANNA THANK KAT, BUT ALSO FOR WADING THROUGH ALL THAT BUSINESS THAT WE HAD TO DO.

I KNOW WE CUT IN FRONT OF YOU AND JUST APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

UM, AND THIS JUST, THIS IS NEA WE, WE GOT AN NEA GRANT FOR THIS, RIGHT? NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

CORRECT.

WE DID GET A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS GRANT, AND THEN IT WAS TAKEN AWAY, UM, LAST YEAR.

SO WE FOUND, UM, OTHER FUNDING TO HELP COVER THE PROJECT.

WELL, I'M REALLY GLAD WE DID THAT BECAUSE THIS IS AWESOME.

AND I, I KNOW THAT THE OTHER ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE WORK'S GONNA BE GREAT TOO.

AND JUST GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE FOR ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE LISTENING.

LIKE, THIS IS WHY YOU WANNA INVOLVE ARTISTS IN YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO BY ORDINANCE, IS BECAUSE WE GET AMAZING, UM, CULTURALLY RELEVANT ENGAGEMENT THAT BRINGS PEOPLE OUT WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, CITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

SO I JUST APPLAUD KAT AND, UM, IT'S SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS ALL THE TIME.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD.

OH, COMMISSIONER MEYER.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M, IS THIS THE GRAND FINALE? THIS IS THE GRAND FINALE.

JUST MAKING SURE .

SO YOU MUST COME .

I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? UH, JUST REALLY QUICK.

IT LOOKS AMAZING.

AND, UH, LAURA, I JUST WANTED TO POKE A LITTLE FURTHER AND UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU FOUND THE MONEY.

IT'S SO GREAT.

WE ENDED UP USING HOT FUNDS FOR THIS, I BELIEVE WHEN, UM, I WAS OUT LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE.

UM, MORGAN AND ANGELA PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, UM, AND PROBABLY YOU ALL AS WELL, THAT WE WERE, UM, FINDING OTHER FUNDS THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DOLLARS FROM LAST YEAR TO FUND THIS PROJECT.

AND FROM TECH DOT, UM, COMMISSIONER MORONO.

YEAH, I, I WOULD REALLY, I, I BELIEVE THIS, REALLY BELIEVE THIS PROJECT IS REALLY AMAZING.

UM, I WOULD'VE REALLY LOVED TO SEE A RECAP AT THE END OF LIKE, THE IMPACT THAT IT'S MADE AS FAR AS LIKE HOW MANY ARTISTS, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE HAD VISUAL ARTISTS MM-HMM .

UM, MUSICIANS, UH, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS, OBVIOUSLY.

UM, THAT KAT AND CLAUDIA WILL BOTH BE DOING.

UM, AND JUST WITH THE PRODUCTION ASPECT OF IT, I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE THE OVERALL IMPACT THAT A PROJECT OF THIS LEVEL HAS MADE, UH, TO THE CITY.

I THINK THAT'S, I THINK WE NEED TO START SEEING MORE OF THAT, RIGHT? WHAT IS THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING WHEN THIS MONEY'S AWARDED? MM-HMM .

SOUNDS GOOD.

AND TO THE, TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER, THERE WILL BE FINAL REPORTS,

[01:20:01]

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL PROBABLY LATER THIS SUMMER, UM, JUST TO KIND OF DO A FULL RECAP OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.

NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER

[5. Presentation on possible collaboration for expansion of the Latino Artist Access Program by Ivan Davila ]

FIVE, PRESENTATION ON POSSIBLE COLLABORATION FOR EXPANSION OF THE LATINO ARTISTS ACCESS PROGRAM.

THIS WOULD BE AT THE EMMA BARTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER BY YVONNE DALLA.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

IS, UH, SO THE, THE LEVEL OF HANDS-ON SUPPORT CAN VARY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM BY PROJECT AND TIMING DUE TO LIMITED STAFFING.

MY NAME IS YVONNE DAVILA AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF CASTE, THE COALITION FOR AUSTIN'S ARTS AND SPANISH LANGUAGE THEATER.

I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, ACTUALLY A LITTLE MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN ACTING SINCE THE THIRD GRADE.

THEN I TOOK A LONG BREAK AND CAME BACK TO ACTING ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO ACTING SPECIFICALLY, UM, INTO THE LATINO THEATER HERE IN AUSTIN, I NOTICED, UH, A LOT OF, UM, CHALLENGES THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS DEALING WITH.

UM, AND SO YEAH, DIRECTORS AND ACTORS WERE STRUGGLING A LOT MORE THAN I THOUGHT WAS NECESSARY.

UM, THAT STRUGGLE IS AND WAS AND STILL IS STRUCTURAL.

UH, SO IN 2023, UH, TOGETHER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EQUITY OFFICE AND THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, I HELPED CO-HOST A PUBLIC MEETING.

UH, WE HAD ABOUT MORE THAN 30, UM, MORE THAN 30 SPANISH SPEAKING ARTISTS SHOW UP.

AND, UH, WHAT WE SAW WAS FRUSTRATION.

A LOT OF REAL SHARED FRUSTRATION.

UH, AT THE TOP OF THOSE CONCERNS WERE INFRASTRUCTURE, LACK OF SPACES, LACK OF SUPPORT, LACK OF FUNDING, AND MANY OTHER THINGS.

HAPPY TO SHARE THE REPORT THAT THE CITY OF, OF AUSTIN'S EQUITY OFFICE PUT TOGETHER WITH THE COMMISSION.

UM, SO CAS WAS BORN OUT OF THAT MOMENT, UM, OUT OF LISTENING TO ARTISTS WHO LOVE THIS WORK, UH, BUT ARE TRYING TO SUSTAIN IT WITHOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO SO.

SO, YES.

UM, OH, AND BY THE WAY, UH, SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, ARE INVOLVED IN THEATRO VIVOS NEW LATINX PLAYWRIGHT FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND.

SO THEY COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT TO JOIN ME.

UH, BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH PART OF THIS WORK.

SO WHO ARE WE? WE ARE A COALITION FOCUSED ON THE SPANISH LANGUAGE AND LATINO THEATER ECOSYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN.

UH, THIS INCLUDES ARTISTS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

UM, OUR FOCUS IS AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE, PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND SUSTAINABILITY.

UH, WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY INSTITUTIONS, UH, THIS YEAR, PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON A CLOSED PARTNERSHIP WITH A MAC, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN, UH, CULTURAL CENTER.

AND THIS WORK BUILDS ON, UH, DECADES OF ADVOCACY FROM THE CHICANO MOVEMENT TO THE CREATION OF THE MAC.

UM, THE MAC ITSELF EXISTS BECAUSE OF THAT LONG PUSH FOR CULTURAL SPACE.

MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HELP PUSH FOR THAT SPACE.

UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, UM, IS THE NEXT PHASE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT ARTISTS CAN ACTUALLY SUSTAIN CAREERS WITHIN THAT SPACE.

SO WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS THAT WE SEE A MAJOR DISPARITY.

UH, LATINO ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENT ABOUT A THIRD OF AUSTIN'S POPULATION, YET ONLY RECEIVE ABOUT 9%, UH, OF FUNDING.

THIS IS THE SOURCE OF, THIS IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

UM, SO THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ALSO ABOUT, UH, ACCESS TO SPACE, CONSISTENCY OF PRODUCTION PRODUCTIONS, LONG-TERM VIABILITY.

UH, SO THIS RESULTS IN, UH, ARTISTS WERE CONSTANTLY STARTING OVER, UH, PROJECT TO PROJECT WITH STABILITY OF GROWTH PATHWAYS.

YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, THE DISPARITY MORE EVIDENT ON THE SCREEN.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THIS, UH, DATA IS, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, YEARS, FISCAL YEARS, UH, 15 TO 21.

UM, AND IT ESSENTIALLY PAINTS A PICTURE OF, UM, WHITE LETTER ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING APPROXIMATELY 37 MILLION, UM, 57% OF FUNDING OVER SIX TIMES THE $6 MILLION, UM, AWARDED TO THE LATINX LED GROUPS, UM, WHICH IS A HUGE DISPARITY COMPARED TO THE 33%, UM, THAT LATINOS MAKE UP IN THE CITY.

UM, SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS YEAR IS, UM, EXPANDING, UH, OR POSITIONING THE LA UH, MEXICAN AMERICANS, UM, CULTURAL CENTER, LATINO ARTIST ACCESS PROGRAM, UM, AS A CIVIC LAUNCHPAD FOR LATINO THEATER IN AUSTIN.

UM, SO THE, THE LAB PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT IS WORKING.

IT PROVIDES SPACE SUPPORT AND A STARTING POINT.

IT'S NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT IT IS A GOOD STARTING POINT.

UH, ARTISTS HAVE GONE ON TO CONTRACTS, FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS BECAUSE OF IT.

UH, THE FOUNDATION IS STRONG, BUT IT'S STILL A LAUNCHPAD, UH, LAUNCHPAD WITHOUT A RUNWAY.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, THE GAP, THE GAP THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING

[01:25:01]

UM, CAP CAPACITY OUTCOMES VARY FROM COHORT TO COHORT.

THEY'RE INCONSISTENT.

UM, ARTISTS ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY LEAVING WITH SUSTAINABLE INCOME STRATEGIES.

SO THE ISSUE ISN'T TALENT.

WE HAVE REALLY GOOD TALENT HERE IN AUSTIN THAT SOMETIMES ENDS UP LEAVING, HAVING TO LEAVE THE CITY, GOING, UH, TO LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF TALENT, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS.

IT'S, IT'S CONSISTENCY.

THE ISSUE IS CONSISTENCY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO MOVE FROM ACCESS TO INCUBATION.

AND IT TAKES THREE, THREE THINGS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

PEOPLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROGRAM CAPACITY.

UM, OUR PROPOSAL IS ABOUT TURNING LAB INTO A TRUE INC INCUBATOR.

AND BY THE WAY, THE TERM INCUBATOR COMES OUT OF THE MAC, UH, BOARD ITSELF, AND THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.

UM, THEY JUST CREATED A STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK GROUP, UH, TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.

UM, SO THIS, THIS, UM, INCUBATOR WOULD BE GROUNDED IN PRODUCTION READINESS, ARTIST SUSTAINABILITY AND LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL, UM, EQUITY.

SO YES, OUR PROPOSAL CALLS FOR AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL $515,000 INVESTMENT.

AND I'M GONNA GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES FOR A TRUE INC.

INCUBATOR, PRODUCTION READINESS, ARTIST EMPOWERMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND THEN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL EQUITY.

SO WHAT DOES PRODUCTION READINESS LOOK, UH, LOOK LIKE? DEDICATED TECHNICAL AND MARKETING SUPPORT, LIGHTING AND SOUND UPGRADES, AUDIENCE AND REVENUE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT.

UH, AND SO LEMME JUST TAKE A SECOND HERE SO THAT Y'ALL CAN READ THIS, BUT A DEDICATED TECHNICAL SUPPORT IS, THAT'S A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, UM, MARKETING AND AUDIENCE REVENUE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT.

THAT'S ANOTHER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.

THE INVESTMENT IS AT THE BOTTOM.

SO 87,000 FOR ONE FTE, 78,000 FOR ANOTHER FT FTE LIGHTING AND SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES IS A $300,000.

SO ON THIS, THIS SLIDE, UM, ADDS TO $465,000.

I BELIEVE THAT THE MAC ADVISORY BOARD ALREADY INCLUDED THE $300,000 OF THE LIGHTING AND SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THEIR, UH, BUDGET PROPO PROPOSAL TO, UH, UM, TO CITY COUNCIL.

UH, BUT IT WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF OUR PROPOSAL.

SO, UH, WE'RE LEAVING IT HERE.

ALL OF THIS, UM, HAS COME OUT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MAC STAFF AND THE MAC ADVISORY REPORT HAS AGREED TO, UM, SHARE THIS OR HAS ALREADY SHARED THIS PROPOSAL IN THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, UH, WHICH INCLUDES THIS AS WELL.

UM, AND THIS IS ALSO, UM, $90,000 PROGRAM.

UM, SO CURRENTLY THE LAB PROGRAM, UM, ALLOWS FOR 11 TO 15 ARTISTS OR, UH, GROUPS TO ACCESS THE SPACE.

UM, AND, UM, THAT'S THE BUDGET FOR THE EXISTING, UH, SCOPE OF THE PROJECT OR OF THE PROGRAM IS $90,000.

WE ARE ALSO, UH, RECOMMENDING THAT WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL $50,000, UH, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GROUPS THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE PROGRAM.

UM, AND SO THAT WOULD, WE'RE ADDING THAT 15 THOU $50,000.

IF YOU SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE 4 65 FROM THE SLIDE BEFORE, PLUS 50,000, THAT ADDS UP TO THE 550,000, $15,000.

SO YEAH, BE, UM, CAPACITY BEYOND THE STAGE.

UH, THIS INCLUDES CONTRACTS AND LABOR, UH, PROTECTIONS, REVENUE AND DIVERSIFICATION, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BRANDING, AND DIGITAL STRATEGY.

UM, THESE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WOULD, OR WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE SUPPORT TO, UM, ARTISTS THAT ARE ACCESSING THE PROGRAM.

UM, SO SOME, SOME OF THIS ARE ALREADY PART OF THE PROGRAM, OTHERS ARE NOT.

SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS TO BE, UM, HEAVILY EMBEDDED IN THE PROGRAM.

UH, AND SO THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THAT, UH, OF FTES, UH, WOULD ALSO ALLOW THEM TO BE DELIVERED MORE CONSISTENTLY AND MORE INTENTIONALLY.

AND WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT WE MAKE LANGUAGE EQUITY, STRUCTURAL, UH, LANGUAGE.

WE BELIEVE THAT LANGUAGE IS CULTURE.

SPANISH SPEAKING ARTISTS HAVE BEEN HISTORIC HISTORICALLY.

UNDERINVESTED, UH, THIS PROPOSAL ENSURES DEDICATED OUTREACH, FAIR ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, EVALUATION THAT REFLECTS CULTURAL CONTEXT.

AND SO CAST ROLE IN SUPPORTING LAB, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT RUNNING LAB AND WE'RE NOT ASKING TO RUN LAB, WE'RE ASKING TO STRENGTHEN IT.

UH, WE WOULD HELP BY CONNECTING ARTISTS TO OPPORTUNITIES ALIGNING THE ECO ECOSYSTEM.

THIS IS JUST THE, THE FIRST FOCUS, UM, OF THE COALITION.

BUT WE, UH, WE DO ENVISION, UM, A, A TIME WHEN THE ENTIRE, UH, THERE WOULD BE AN ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM SUPPORTING LATINO THEATER.

[01:30:01]

SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE ARTS COMMISSION IS TO RECOMMEND A $515,000 INCREASE TO THE LAB BUDGET, UH, TO FUND TECHNICAL AND MARKETING STAFF INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AND, UH, EXPANDED COHORT AND CAPACITY.

UH, THIS WOULD POSITION THE MAC AS A TRUE CIVIC LAUNCHPAD WITHIN A SUSTAINABLE LATINO THEATER ECOSYSTEM.

SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT CREATING SOMETHING NEW, IT'S ABOUT STRENGTHENING SOMETHING THAT ALREADY EXISTS, UH, SO WE CAN, SO IT CAN ACTUALLY SUSTAIN THE ARTISTS THAT IT WAS MEANT FOR.

AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU, MR. ADA.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? COMMISS ANDERSON, I JUST WANNA SAY, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY WELL, UH, THOUGHT OUT PRESENTATION.

AND I, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE KIND OF ACTION WE NEED FROM EACH OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITY ARTS, UM, CULTURAL CENTERS, UH, TO HAVE INVOLVED CITIZENS STAND UP AND GO, HERE'S WHAT WE NEED.

HERE'S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

SO I'M, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING, YVONNE AND I, I HOPE THAT OTHERS FOLLOW SUIT, UM, FOR ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER AND THE CARVER.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET KIND OF MORE CIVIC INVOLVEMENT AND MORE COLLABORATION GOING WITH LARGE GROUPS OF CITIZENS, UH, RATHER THAN IT BEING DICTATED FROM THE TOP DOWN.

AND I HOPE THAT ACME IS, IS PAYING ATTENTION HERE AND LISTENING AND, UM, REALIZING THAT YOU HAVE COMPETENT, INVOLVED, CARING PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO WANNA STEP UP AND HELP THESE, UH, STRUCTURES, THESE BUILDINGS DO BETTER WORK.

SO I HOPE EVERYONE WILL TAKE NOTE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER NEY? YEAH, I JUST WANNA ECHO, UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER ANDERSON JUST SAID.

I THINK IT IS REALLY LIKE CRITICAL IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST SAYING THESE ARE ALL THE ISSUES.

YOU'RE SAYING THESE ARE THE ISSUES AND THIS IS, THIS IS HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY SOLVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE REALLY CRITICAL PITFALLS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I DO WANNA DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

UM, ARTISTS ARE LEAVING AUSTIN, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY AREN'T TALENTED, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S AN INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE AND IT, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET ON THE SOAPBOX ALL DAY AND TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT ALSO INVOLVES AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, YOU KNOW, AND BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR EVERYBODY'S GONNA KEEP, UH, LEAVING, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING THESE STRUCTURES THAT ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THAT ARE NOT BEING EFFICIENTLY RUN.

AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE, HUGE OVERSIGHT FOR LIKE OVER A DECADE NOW.

UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SAY LIKE YOU TOOK THE TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A SOLUTION.

AND SO I HOPE THAT IT IS LIKE THOUGHTFULLY RECEIVED BY ACME.

UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU PUT TOGETHER AN ACTION, LIKE AN ACTION LIST.

UM, AND I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY GREAT.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S TIME CONSUMING.

THANKS COMMISSIONER.

AND YOU'RE WELCOME.

ANYONE ELSE? AN EMAIL WAS, WAS MISSED.

UM, SO WE WE'RE NOT UNDER ACTION ITEMS, SO WE CAN'T SEND A RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT, BUT WE ARE BEING REQUESTED A RECOMMENDATION.

DO I HAVE ANYONE THAT'S WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON? COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, WILL YOU PREPARE A RECOMMENDATION FOR US FOR OUR NEXT MEETING? YES, I'LL PREPARE A RECOMMENDATION.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I THINK THIS IS A TYPE OF CULTURAL INVESTMENT WE SHOULD BE MAKING INTO OUR CITY.

YOU KNOW HOW I CAN HELP COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, SO Y'ALL REACH OUT IS TO EACH OTHER.

I'LL, I'LL GET Y'ALL'S EMAILS TOGETHER.

IS COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, IS THERE A TIMELINE ISSUE THAT THIS NEEDS TO GO TO COUNCIL BY A CERTAIN MOMENT OR IS CAN WE WAIT TILL NEXT MONTH? I THINK WE'RE TOO LATE FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.

SO IT'S, IT'S JUST A, A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE NEED THIS X AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THIS PROGRAM.

BY THE END OF MARCH, MARCH 30TH.

MAYBE WE CAN FIND IT IN HA HA LIKE THE NEA DID.

DON'T GIVE SHARON ANY INFORMATION.

SHE'LL TAKE IT AND RUN.

UM, MORGAN MESSICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, CHAIR HOUSTON IS CORRECT.

SO WE, THE BUDGET CYCLE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WAS DUE UP TO COUNCIL

[01:35:01]

UM, BUT THEY ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO TAKING NEW RECOMMENDATIONS AND I BELIEVE THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS ALREADY PUSHED FORWARD BY, UM, THE MAC, THE MAC BOARD.

SO IT'S GOOD FOR THEM TO HEAR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY GONNA BE ROLLING UP TO ACME IN GENERAL, ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS GO UP TO, IT'S FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT THEY PUT 'EM IN A SPREADSHEET AND SEND 'EM TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY ASK US TO KIND OF WEIGH IN ON THEM LIKE FEASIBILITY, UM, AND LIKE COMPARE THEM AND SEE WHERE THERE'S OVERLAP AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO DEFINITELY SEND YOUR SUPPORT.

UM, IT'S A VALUABLE EFFORT AND IT'S ALREADY COME FORWARD FORMALLY.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

THANKS MORGAN.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU MR. .

WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN TONIGHT.

MORGAN MESSICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ACME.

NOW WE'LL BE GOING TO STAFF

[6. Staff briefing on ACME-Long Center contract review by Morgan Messick, Assistant Director, ACME.]

BRIEFINGS.

UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, STAFF BRIEFING ON ACME LONG CENTER CONTRACT REVIEW BY MORGAN MESSICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ACME.

HELLO, I'M BACK.

UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TUNE INTO THE MUSIC COMMISSION OR FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ALSO SIT ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION, YOU WILL HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT A PROCESS, AN INTERNAL PROCESS THAT OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, REVIEWING OUR GRANT ADMINISTRATION PROCESSES, UM, AND OVERSEEING ANY POTENTIAL UPDATES TO THE LONG CENTER CONTRACT, WHICH WE MANAGE AS OUR THIRD PARTY PARTNERS HELPING DELIVER ALL THE GRANT FUNDS OUT TO OUR AWARDEES AND MANAGING THAT PROCESS WITH US.

SO WE'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

UM, EVERYBODY HASN'T BEEN WITH US THROUGHOUT THE SEASON THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN.

SO WE'LL START WITH THE CURRENT STATE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO JUST LOOKING AT OUR GRANT ADMINISTRATION PROCESS, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT PAST ISSUES WITH GRANT ADMIN PROCESSES RELIEF AND RECOVERY FUNDING, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP DURING COVID-19.

WE HAD TO PIVOT FROM DELIVERING HOT FUNDS AND WE PIVOTED TO DELIVERING, UM, FEDERAL DOLLARS THROUGH EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING THAT CAME DOWN FOR ART ARTISTS AND ARTS COMMUNITIES.

UM, WE ENDED UP HAVING A CALL FOR A THIRD PARTY AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE AND WE CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, HOW WE SELECTED THE LONG CENTER AND HOW WE WORK WITH THEM AND THEN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE WORK INTERNALLY.

AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO PHASE TWO, WHAT WE LEARNED DURING OUR REVIEW PROCESS.

JUST TAKING AN OVERALL LOOK AT THE ROLES FOR CONTRACT MANAGEMENT WITHIN ACME, WHICH IS OUR NEW DEPARTMENT, UH, WHICH WAS FORMED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO.

THE TOOLS THAT WE USE TO REVIEW THE CONTRACT, INCLUDING CITY OF AUSTIN BEST PRACTICES, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT WE CONSULTED DURING THIS WORK AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT.

AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE PLANNING TO GO WITH THE INFORMATION WE'VE LEARNED, KIND OF WHAT'S NEXT ON THE TABLE FOR US AND WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR CONTRACT AND WITH OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES.

SO FOR ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE IN THE CULTURAL FUNDING ECOSYSTEM, UM, YOU WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS A REALLY HIGH VOLUME OF CONTRACTS THAT HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS AS THE AWARD NUMBERS HAVE ALSO GROWN.

SO WE'VE HAD OUR STAFF EACH INDIVIDUALLY MANAGING OVER A HUNDRED CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AT ONE TIME, UM, WHILE JUGGLING FINAL REPORTS AND LAUNCHING NEW CONTRACTS AT THE SAME TIME FOR AWARDS THAT ARE GOING OUT THE DOOR, THEY ALSO MANAGE ALL THE REQUIRED PRE-CONTRACT MATERIALS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

THEN THERE'S A PROCESS TO WAIT FOR DO NUMBERS, WHICH IS PART OF THE INVOICING PROCESS TO GET MONEY OUT THE DOOR.

AND AFTER THAT'S CREATED THERE COULD BE UP TO 30 DAYS FOR THE INVOICE TO PROCESS AND THE CITY WOULD ONLY ISSUE CHECKS.

THERE WERE NO OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE, UM, THROUGH THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF WORKING THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS AND A REALLY BIG PART OF THE TIME FOR OUR TEAM WAS SPENT WORKING AS ENFORCERS OF THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS TO JUST DELIVER THE FUNDS OUT THE DOOR VERSUS FOCUSING ON BEING SUBJECT MATTER MATTER EXPERTS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMUNITIES, THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY HIRED THEM TO DO.

MANAGING INSURANCE, UM, AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE NEED AS CITY REQUIREMENTS BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE MONEY TO PEOPLE.

IN REVIEWING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT MATERIALS TOOK A LOT OF TIME.

UM, IT'S A REALLY BIG TIME SUCK TO MANAGE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND SO KIND OF THE CONTINUUM OF TIME STARTS WITH WHEN AN APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED.

AND THEN OF COURSE THOSE ARE WORKED UP THROUGH A PEER PANEL REVIEW FOR MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS. THEN WE DO THE AWARD NOTIFICATIONS AND THERE'S A LOT OF PRE-CONTRACT STEPS, WHICH IS WHERE THE BULK OF THE TIME IS SPENT THAT CAN, THAT IN THE PAST WOULD TAKE ANYWHERE FROM TWO WEEKS TO 10 MONTHS.

AND IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE, UM,

[01:40:01]

UH, ADDITIONALLY WE WOULD WORK THROUGH OUR CONTRACTED ACTIVITIES WHILE THE GRANT WAS OPEN AND AT THE VERY END OF THE GRANT CYCLE WE WOULD GET A FINAL REPORT THAT THEN HAS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE STAFF, UM, FOR ACCURACY AND TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE ACCOUNTING WAS IN PLACE.

SO THAT TOOK A REALLY LONG TIME.

SO 80 DAYS, UM, WOULD COVER THE PRE-CONTRACT STEP, UM, WHICH IS A LONG TIME.

AND THEN ADDITIONAL 40 DAYS COULD BE SPENT WORKING THROUGH THE FINAL REPORT PHASE.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY CUMBERSOME AND WE HEARD A LOT OVER THE YEARS FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT REALLY DOESN'T WORK FOR US.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET THE MONEY OUT.

EVERYTHING JUST TOOK TOO LONG.

AND DURING A RELIEF AND RECOVERY TIME WAS THE ONE ASSET WE DID NOT HAVE.

UM, PEOPLE WERE REALLY IN A CRISIS, FOLKS WERE STRUGGLING AND GRANTORS ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES WERE WORKING TO GET MONEY OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT PUT FORWARD RELIEF DOLLARS.

AND SO WE FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO SEE A NEW VISION FOR WHAT GRANTS COULD BE BECAUSE DURING THAT TIME WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH REALLY SPED UP THE PROCESS TO DO THE APPLICATIONS, TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND TO GET THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR.

AND SO, UM, WE HAD A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE TO PROGRAM DESIGN AND DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.

AND WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT.

AND SO THE WAY THAT WE DID THESE PROGRAMS, THERE WAS TWO AVENUES OF HOW THE WORK GOT DONE.

THERE WERE CITY OF AUSTIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND THIRD PARTY RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND THAT BREAK IN THE WORK REALLY HELPED STREAMLINE AND SPEED UP WHAT WE WERE DOING.

UM, I DO WANNA NOTE STAFF WORKED CRAZY HOURS TO GET THIS WORK DONE.

SO THIS IS NOT TO TO SAY THAT THEY DID NOT DO AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK DURING THAT TIME, BUT IT DID SHOW US A NEW MODEL THAT WE COULD LOOK TOWARDS NEXT SLIDE.

AND SO AT THE END OF THAT, THE EXPECTATIONS WERE MUCH HIGHER IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR THIS QUICKLY DURING THIS CRISIS, WHY COULD WE NOT TAKE THIS AND MAKE IT AN ACTIONABLE THING MOVING FORWARD? SO THESE HIGH EXPECTATIONS PAIRED WITH NEW HOT FUNDED GRANTS THAT WERE JUST COMING ONLINE, UM, LIVE MUSIC FUND HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANTS IN COMBINATION WITH OUR RELAUNCH OF ELEVATE, THRIVE AND NEXUS AS PROGRAMS PLUS LIMITED STAFFING THAT WE HAD AFTER THE PANDEMIC, UH, REALLY LED US TO WORK TOWARDS THIS PROCUREMENT PROCESS WITH THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.

SO WE WORKED WITH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY TO PUT OUT A CALL FOR A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR TO SUPPORT THE WORK WITH THE GOAL TO MAKE IT QUICKER, CLEANER, UM, AND TO DISTRIBUTE THE WORKLOAD.

THIS IS A LOT OF WORDS ON THE SLIDE, UH, TO JUST SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW ACME WORKS WITH THE LONG CENTER, WHO IS THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT WE PROCURED EVERYTHING IN GREEN IS THE TASK THAT OUR ACME STAFF TAKES ON.

UM, ALL THE WAYS FROM THE CREATION OF THE APPLICATION, ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF FINAL REPORTS AND EVERYTHING IN THAT BLUE BONNET BLUE THAT YOU CAN SEE IS EVERYTHING THAT OUR PARTNERS TAKE CARE OF.

SO YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT THIS CONTINUUM WE HAVE TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY TOGETHER TO KEEP THE STEPS MOVING AND TO JUST PUSH ALL THE PROGRAMS FORWARD.

SO WHILE WE HAVE SUPPORT, IT IS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP.

UM, AND LIKE ANYTHING, WHEN WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER IN PARALLEL THERE CAN BE HICCUPS, THERE CAN BE DELAYS, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH TO MAKE SURE IT KEEPS MOVING.

THERE ARE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A THIRD PARTY PARTNER.

UM, AND A LOT OF BENEFITS OF US WORKING WITH THE LONG CENTER WHO'S A REALLY WELL, UM, LOVED ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THESE ARE JUST A FEW THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

THERE HAS BEEN A DECREASED BURDEN ON THE AWARDEES DURING THE PRE-CONTRACT MATERIALS PORTION.

SO, UM, IF YOU ARE CONTRACTING DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE, THERE ARE A LOT MORE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET.

WHEREAS IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH, UM, OUR THIRD PARTY PARTNERS TO CONTRACT DIRECTLY, THE REQUIREMENTS ARE LOOSER THAN WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE ELIMINATED THE CITY PURCHASING PROCESS, WHICH HELPS STREAMLINE THE FUNDING DISTRIBUTION.

WE HAVE INCREASED THE SPEED OF THOSE PAYMENTS GOING OUT THE DOOR.

WE HAVE INCREASED THE TYPES OF PAYMENTS.

SO BEFORE WE COULD ONLY ISSUE PAPER CHECKS IN THE MAIL.

NOW WE HAVE A WHOLE RANGE OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE BASED ON THE PREFERENCE OF THE AWARDEE.

UM, STAFF CAPACITY IS INCREASED TO HELP SCORE THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, WHICH IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT HAS COME ON BOARD IN RECENT YEARS.

AND WE HAVE SUPPORT WITH TROUBLESHOOTING TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH OUR PLATFORM.

SUBMITTABLE.

SOFTWARE, UM, WHICH IS CURRENTLY SUBMITTABLE.

SO GOING BACK TO THE DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES.

UM, SO WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AS CITY STAFF AND THEN OUR PARTNERS HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO THE LONG CENTER HELPS US DO THINGS LIKE ADMINISTER OUR APPLICATION

[01:45:01]

THEY DO THE AGREEMENT EXECUTIONS WITH, UH, THE AWARDEES.

THEY PROCESS THE PAYMENTS, THEY DO THE FINANCIAL TRACKING AND QUARTERLY REPORTING, AND THEY ALSO HOLD THEIR RECORDS FOR RETENTION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS INSURANCE VERIFICATION FOR THE CITY.

WE DO A LOT OF THINGS, BUT TO DISTILL IT A LITTLE BIT, WE CONTINUE PROVIDING OPERATIONAL DIRECTIONS EVERY YEAR TO OUR THIRD PARTY PARTNERS THROUGH A SERIES OF AMENDMENTS AND ALSO THROUGH WEEKLY ONE-ON-ONE CHECK-INS THAT WE DO WITH THEM.

UM, WE PROVIDE CHECKLIST TEMPLATES FOR AWARDEES.

WE PROVIDE, UM, ANY NEEDED TRAININGS THAT ARE REQUIRED.

WE CONFIRM THE FINAL REPORTS, UM, FROM THE AWARDEES WHO TURN IN TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEIR EFFORTS WERE AND TO LOOK AT THEIR PAYMENTS AND WE PAY INVOICES DIRECTLY TO THE LONG CENTER TO KEEP THIS MOVING.

UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE.

THE WAY THAT WE DO, UM, OUR FUNDING IS THAT WE, UM, HAVE AWARD BUDGETS PER PROGRAM.

SO YOU'VE SEEN US TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

WE HAVE A WHOLE HIERARCHY OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IN THE CITY AND WE COME TO YOU AND SHOW YOU HOW WE BREAK THAT DOWN INTO THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM BUDGETS.

SO ELEVATE HAS AN ANNUAL AWARD AMOUNT, THRIVE NEXUS, ET CETERA.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE CAP STRUCTURE TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP OUR ADMIN COSTS WITH THE LONG CENTER BELOW A CERTAIN THRESHOLD.

WE HAVE QUARTERLY INVOICING WHERE WE, UM, PAY THE LONG CENTER DIRECTLY AND EVERYTHING IS ITEMIZED BY THE TASKS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN OUR ORIGINAL CONTRACT.

AND WE DID WANNA NOTE THAT OUR ADMIN FEES ARE TIED TO TASKS AND NOT OUTCOMES.

SO THEY HAVE A SERIES OF TASKS TO COMPLETE, SUCH AS DEVELOPING THE APPLICATION, LAUNCHING THE APPLICATION, MAKING IT LIVE, PROCESSING THE PAYMENT, THINGS LIKE THIS.

UM, PAYMENT WILL BE MONTHLY OUT, UH, TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RECEIVING FUNDS REGARDLESS OF PERFORMANCE METRICS.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED AND KIND OF HOW WE APPROACHED OUR INTERNAL REVIEW.

UM, SO WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST WHO JOINED ACME WHEN WE WERE FORMED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.

UM, SOMEBODY FROM THE FINANCE TEAM WHO WAS ORIGINALLY AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO WE WORKED WITH THIS PERSON TO PULL ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, TOOLS THAT THE CITY HAD AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO LOOK AT A CONTRACT AND SEE IS IT FUNCTIONING, WHAT ARE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, ARE THERE ANY RED FLAGS? AND SO THE FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT WERE WHAT WE CALL A RISK ASSESSMENT.

AND WE DID A DESK REVIEW, WHICH IS UH, REALLY HAVING A BRIEF LOOK INTO EVERY PART OF THE CONTRACT TO SEE IF THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IS HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY OPERATING.

UM, WE DID AN INVOICE REVIEW OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OF FUNDS THAT HAVE TRANSFERRED BETWEEN OUR, OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND WE DID A CONTRACT DELIVERABLE REVIEW TO LOOK OVERALL AT WHAT WE HAD GOTTEN.

AND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE HERE YOU CAN SEE UM, I THINK IT'S A SCREENSHOT OF THE DESK REVIEW.

SO, UM, THESE ARE LIKE FORMS THAT THE CITY USES ACROSS ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS TO LOOK AT THEM.

SO SOME OF THE HIGH LEVEL FINDINGS THAT WE FOUND, UM, WE FOUND SOME STRENGTHS AND WE FOUND SOME AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

SO THE STRENGTHS CONTINUED TO BE THAT RAPID DEPLOYMENT CAPABILITY THAT YOU JUST WON'T SEE INSIDE THE CITY.

UM, WE HAVE A STRONG FINANCIAL TEAM.

WE HAVE A GREAT SYSTEM THAT HAS FAMILIARITY, UH, WITH OUR STAFF, WITH MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ALSO WITH THE LONG CENTER STAFF THAT IS SUBMITTABLE.

WE HAVE PAYMENT PROCESSING EFFICIENCIES AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROCURE SERVICES MORE QUICKLY WITH LESS RED TAPE.

AND AN EXAMPLE OF THIS COULD BE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKSHOP SERVICES, TRANSLATIONS, OTHER THINGS THAT REQUIRE, UM, A LOT MORE STEPS AND BUREAUCRACY INSIDE THE CITY.

SOME OF THE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT THAT WERE IDENTIFIED DURING OUR REVIEW WAS A LACK OF PERFORMANCE METRICS TIED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.

BLURRED LINES BETWEEN CITY OVERSIGHT AND CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE.

IF YOU GO BACK TO THE GREEN AND BLUE SQUARES, UM, SHOWCASING WHERE THE DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY IS LIKE CAN GET A LITTLE MURKY, LIMITED BENCHMARKING OF COST EFFECTIVENESS, UM, NO BUILT IN EXTERNAL EVALUATION AND THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE AN ANNUAL, UM, THIRD PARTY AUDIT.

AND OTHER AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE COST VISIBILITY BY PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER SITE LINES ON WHICH PROGRAMS COST MORE TO ADMINISTER.

TO JUST WORK THROUGH AND CLARIFY WHO IS DOING WHAT WE ESTABLISHED QUARTERLY CONTRACTING MEETINGS AND WE DEFINE BASELINE OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE METRICS.

SO WE UH, PUT TOGETHER A, UM, SIX MONTH OUTLOOK TO HELP US WORK TOWARDS IMPROVING SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE MANAGE THIS CONTRACT AND THE WAY WE WORK WITH THE LONG CENTER.

UM, IN THE FIRST PHASE, WE IMMEDIATELY DOVE INTO GOVERNANCE IMPROVEMENTS AND SO WE KIND OF ARE STILL AT THE TAIL END OF THAT.

SO IN THE FIRST 90 DAYS OF OUR REVIEW, WE IMMEDIATELY, UM, WORKED ON A ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES MATRIX

[01:50:01]

UM, SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT WE TALK ABOUT REALLY FREQUENTLY WITH THE TEAM WHEN WE MEET EVERY WEEK AND THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE FROM THE THREE TO SIX MONTH OUTLOOK, UH, LOOKING TOWARDS CONTRACT AMENDMENTS TO HELP US, UM, INTRODUCE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE CLEAR REPORTING STANDARDS ON SUCCESS AS WELL AS REQUIRING GREATER TRANSPARENCY OF ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND PROGRAM EXPENSES.

PHASE THREE WILL BE ONGOING, IMPROVING MONITORING AND REPORTING.

UM, SO LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT THOSE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE METRICS AND USING THOSE FINDINGS TO HELP US IMPROVE OVER TIME, UM, FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, BUT ALSO TO INFORM FUTURE PROCUREMENT PROCESS WHEN WE GO BACK OUT FOR ANOTHER THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR INCREASED FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY.

SO DIVING IN A LITTLE DEEPER ON WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, THOSE QUARTERLY REVIEWS ARE REALLY HELPFUL AND WE'RE FORMALIZING THEM.

UM, AND AS WE DOCUMENT AND CLARIFY THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT'S REALLY HELPING US HAVE A BETTER SIGHT LINE ON ANY GAPS THAT WE HAVE, WHICH WILL HELP US AS WE RESTRUCTURE OUR TEAM AND AS WE DO REQUESTS FOR NEW FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

THE DEPARTMENT IS FAIRLY NEW STILL, SO WE WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS TO GET OUR FOOTING ON THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE THE PROGRAMS HERE.

SO WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING ON IMPROVED INVOICING PRACTICES TO JUST BETTER DOCUMENT, UM, AND LINE ITEM ON EVERY INVOICE, WHAT THE PAYMENTS ARE GOING TOWARDS.

WE ARE STANDARDIZING THOSE, UH, PROGRAM REPORTINGS FOR THE GRANT AWARDS PAYMENTS ISSUED AND THE PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND STRENGTHENING ALL OF THE TRACKING FOR THESE DELIVERABLES.

AND OF COURSE WE'RE CAPTURING LESSONS LEARNED.

SO WE'RE DOCUMENTING MEETING MINUTES FOR EVERY MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE TEAM SO THAT WE HAVE HISTORICAL RECORD SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO AND WHAT THE DEADLINES WERE.

SO WE CAN ALWAYS REVISIT THAT MOVING FORWARD.

SO WHERE WE PLAN TO GO WITH OUR STRATEGIC PATHS FORWARD? NEXT SLIDE.

SO RIGHT NOW THE CONSIDERATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS CONTINUING THE CONTRACT AND IMPROVING THE PRACTICES.

SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOING.

UM, STRENGTHENING THAT CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THIS.

IT HELPS US MAINTAIN PROGRAM CONTINUITY.

UM, IT KEEPS PROGRAM STABLE AS WE MOVE TOWARDS OUR NEXT GRANT LAUNCH AND PLANNING BEYOND.

AND IT HAS THE LOWEST OPERATIONAL DISRUPTION, UM, AND WON'T DELAY ANY PROGRAMS. SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ARE RETAINING THE EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE COULD CREATE THAT WOULD FOCUS ON OVERSIGHT INSTEAD OF STRUCTURAL CHANGE.

SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HIRING AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR, UM, TO REVIEW THE DESK REVIEW AND THE PROGRAM REVIEW THAT WE HAVE DONE IN HOUSE TO KIND OF HAVE A SECOND EXTERNAL SET OF EYES.

SO WE HAVE COSTED THIS OUT CURRENTLY.

UM, WE HAVE PUT UP THE INVOICE TO OUR DIRECTOR FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTERNALLY TO THE CITY TO SEE IF ANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE AUDITORS ON STAFF, IF THEY WOULD MAYBE BE AVAILABLE TO ADD THIS PROJECT TO THEIR CASELOAD.

UM, WHICH WOULD BE A LESSER COST THAN HIRING AN EXTERNAL COMPANY.

UM, BENEFITS OF THIS WOULD BE JUST TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT VALIDATION ON THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE CONTRACT.

UM, WE WANNA BE REALLY SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS TRUSTING OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS IS THAT IT WOULD ALLOW THE PROGRAMS TO PROCEED WITH NO INTERRUPTION AS WELL.

ANOTHER OPTION THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND ARE LOOKING AT IS LAUNCHING THE PROCESS FOR A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AN RFQ TO PROCURE THE NEXT THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

SO THIS IS A VERY STANDARD PROCESS AS CONTRACTS COME UP, UM, THEY ALL HAVE A LIFE CYCLE.

SO AS THEY COME TO THE END OF THEIR CONTRACT CYCLE, THE CITY HAS TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO SUNSET USING A CONTRACT OR IF THEY WANNA GO BACK OUT TO, TO DO A COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS.

AND SO WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE IS OPENING UP A NEW APPLICATION, UM, WHERE WE WOULD SCOPE OUT WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT IS OUR BUDGET TO COVER THAT AND HOW MANY YEARS WOULD IT BE.

AND JUST GO BACK OUT AND LET FOLKS UH, COME TO THE TABLE AND SHOW US THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND THEN WE CAN VET THEM.

THIS IS THE PROCESS WE DID, UH, PREVIOUSLY AND WE WOULD DO THAT AGAIN.

AND WE HAVE TO DO THIS ANYWAYS AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT IF WE PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

SO WE ARE EXPLORING GOING AHEAD TO LAUNCH THIS PROCESS.

IT CAN TAKE 12 TO 18 MONTHS TO GET LAUNCHED, UM, BECAUSE OF ALL THE CITY PROCESS.

SO WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THIS AND IF WE DECIDE TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE, WE WILL JUST SET

[01:55:01]

THAT WORK ASIDE.

UM, NO HARM, NO FOUL ON OUR SIDE.

BENEFITS INCLUDE CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BENCHMARK PRICING AND SERVICES ACROSS THE MARKET, RIGHT? SO WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT THINGS COST OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH OUR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

WE WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO COMPARE THAT WITH OTHER BITS.

UM, IT CAN ALSO INTRODUCE NEW OPERATIONAL APPROACHES.

SO SOMETIMES FRESH EYES CAN HELP US SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

AND I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST, UH, CONCEPT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AROSE THROUGH, UH, A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND ALSO CONVERSATIONS IS THE CONCEPT OF WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO BRING THIS WORK FULLY IN-HOUSE AND HAVE NO THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

AND SO WE DID QUITE A BIT OF WORK LOOKING INTO THIS.

UM, THIS APPROACH WOULD HELP US MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE WORK WE'RE DOING, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO PHASE IN THIS CONCEPT.

IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING WE COULD TACKLE IN ONE FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE IT WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF PLANNING AND FEASIBILITY, INCLUDING REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FTES, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES TO HELP PICK UP THE WORK.

THIS DID MAKE IT INTO OUR ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS AS A DEPARTMENT.

ONE OF THE ITEMS WE PUT FORWARD, UM, WAS A REQUEST FOR 10 ADDITIONAL FTES TO POTENTIALLY START THIS TRANSITION.

WE'LL FIND OUT IF WE GET ANY OF OUR ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS LATER IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

I THINK CLOSER TO JUNE, JULY AS THEY MOVE THROUGH, UM, ALL THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS AT COUNCIL.

BUT 10 FTES WOULD JUST BE THE START.

OF COURSE, IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO HIRE FOLKS IN THE CITY.

UM, AND THEN TO TRAIN THEM AND ONBOARD THEM.

THEN WE ALSO NEED SYSTEMS AND WE HAVE TO TRANSITION ALL THE DATA SO IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING FIXED IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS OR SOMETHING TRANSITIONED THAT QUICKLY.

IT WOULD BE OVER A FEW YEARS.

UM, SO THE BUDGET WOULD REQUEST WOULD CONTINUE.

AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR 28 TO 29, WE WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FTES LOOKING TOWARDS THIS PHASE APPROACH.

AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GRADUALLY TRANSITION THE ADMIN RESPONSIBILITIES BACK TO CITY STAFF IF THIS WERE TO BE THE DIRECTION WE DECIDED TO GO AS A CITY.

SO WE'RE IN THE EXPLORATION PHASE, SO WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS CONSIDERING OUR POTENTIAL FOR A THIRD PARTY AUDIT TO BETTER DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING CONSIDERING RELAUNCHING THE PROCESS FOR THE RFQ.

THAT'S THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PROCESS AND WE'RE CONSIDERING THE ABILITY TO BRING THE PROGRAM BACK IN HOUSE.

UM, A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE GO DEPENDS ON THE BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

SO WE KIND OF HAVE TO SEE WHERE THE NUMBERS FALL AND WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL PLACES THEIR PRIORITIES SO WE CAN BETTER KNOW HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT WHAT WE CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE IS THAT WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE NEXT LAUNCH, NEXT MAJOR PROGRAM LAUNCH IN JULY WHERE YOU WILL SEE US PARTNERING WITH THE LONG CENTER AGAIN TO OPEN THRIVE, ELEVATE LIVE MUSIC, FUN AND HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT NEXT SLIDE.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP.

I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTERNAL REVIEW WE DID AND THE OPTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST REALLY QUICK.

WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ATTENTION IT TAKES.

JUST REALLY QUICK, WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE LONG CENTER CONTRACT? THE TOTAL FOR THE ADMIN, LIKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE CAP? UM, I'M GONNA LOOK TO LAURA AND SEE IF SHE CAN PULL THAT UP.

OKAY, MAYBE, MAYBE WE CAN FALL INTO A NEW QUESTION AND THEN COME BACK TO IT.

SURE, SURE.

ANY COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? UH, ANDERSON? YEP.

AND JUST IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE YEARLY OUTLAY HAS BEEN SINCE, SINCE THE LONG CENTER WAS BROUGHT ON.

COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN OUTLAY, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? YEAH, THE, SO WHAT GINA WAS ASKING WAS THE, WAS IF THERE'S A CAP OR YES, IF THERE'S, AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHAT HAS BEEN PAID.

OH, OKAY.

WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN'T EACH YEAR, IF WE CAN'T PULL THE MATH UP RIGHT NOW, I PROMISE WE CAN FOLLOW IT VIA EMAIL, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE THAT INFO TO SHARE.

COMMISSIONER CINI? YES, SO I'M, I'M, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I JUST WANNA MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE THAT ARE ON THE COMMISSION THAT MAYBE ARE NOT FAMILIAR HISTORICALLY.

AND I'M GONNA ACTUALLY LET LAURA TALK FIRST.

, SINCE YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER.

SO THE QUESTION WAS THE TO, SORRY, I PULLED UP THE, THE EXCEL SHEET AND I FORGOT THE QUESTION.

THE TOTAL ADMIN COST THAT HAS BEEN, HAVE BEEN PAID OUT ALREADY.

WAS THAT THE QUESTION? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? YES, I BELIEVE SO.

THE, THE PAYMENTS TO THE LONG CENTER YEARLY SINCE THE CONTRACT BEGAN IN TOTAL, TOTAL PAYMENTS.

TOTAL PAYMENTS FOR EVERYTHING.

SO GRANT FUNDS, ADMIN COSTS, AND ONE TIME COSTS ARE $45,442,209

[02:00:02]

AND 37 CENTS.

THAT INCLUDES 92.63% OF THOSE FUNDS, WHICH IS JUST OVER 42 MILLION THAT GOES TO OUR GRANT FUNDS.

UM, 6.91%, WHICH IS JUST OVER 3 MILLION, HAS GONE TO ADMIN COSTS AND JUST UNDER HALF A PERCENT, $212,000 HAS GONE TO ONE TIME COSTS, SUCH AS SETTING UP SUBMITTABLE.

SO IT'S A LITTLE UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR SO FAR.

IF, IF WE'RE IN OUR FOURTH YEAR ROUGHLY.

ARE WE ON OUR FOURTH YEAR OR THIRD YEAR? WE'RE IN OUR THIRD YEAR RIGHT NOW.

I'M SAYING THAT, BUT I'M LIKE ACTUALLY BECAUSE WE HAD THREE YEARS OF PILOT, SO WE HAD 2023 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF GRANTS THAT WE DID WITH THE LONG CENTER.

2024 WAS LIKE THE BIGGEST, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE WERE DOING.

THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE LAUNCHING ALL OF THE PROGRAMS. UM, 2025.

THAT WAS A SHORTER, UM, PROGRAM LAUNCH.

'CAUSE WE JUST HAD, UM, OUR HERITAGE AND NEXUS PROGRAMS IN 2025.

AND THEN WE HAD OUR BIG LAUNCH THIS PAST FALL IN FY 26.

GOING ON FOUR YEARS? CORRECT.

COMMISSIONER NEY AND THEN COMMISSIONER SCHOCK.

SO THIS IS JUST SOME CONTEXT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE MAYBE NEW TO FUNDING IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, AND, UH, ADORE THE STAFF MEMBERS OVER THE PAST DECADE, BUT IT WAS AWFUL.

UM, THE OLD SYSTEM, IT WAS TERRIBLE.

UH, ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME TO GET FUNDING BECAUSE IT HAD TO GO THROUGH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND THEN YOU WOULD GET CHECKS AND CHECKS WOULD GET LOST IN THE MAIL, CHECKS WOULD GET WET, AND THEN IT WAS LIKE A WHOLE THING TO GET YOUR CHECK REISSUED.

SO I WANT TO JUST PUBLICLY SAY THAT I AM A FAN OF THIS AND I'M A FAN OF THIS FOR THE REGIONS OF EFFICIENCY.

AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHEN A PROGRAM IS IN ITS INFANCY OF BEING OUT IN A CONTRACT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE REVISIONS TO THAT CONTRACT.

LIKE MAYBE YOU START OUT AND IT IS AN HOURLY THING AND THEN YOU REALIZE THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT A GREAT WAY TO STRUCTURE THIS CONTRACT.

NOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT A FLAT FEE.

AND THOSE ARE JUST THINGS THAT HAPPEN OVER TIME WHEN YOU ARE IN LIKE A CONTRACTUAL PERIOD.

AND I SAW A LOT OF, UM, PRESS THAT WAS JUST LIKE REALLY HARPING ON THESE THINGS THAT WEREN'T REALLY SHOWING THE WHOLE STORY, RIGHT? IT WAS LIKE A VERY DISTORTED VIEW OF, OF WHAT ACTUALLY WAS HAPPENING.

AND I THINK ANOTHER, UM, THING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WAS LIKE CONTRACT OVERSIGHT AND THINGS OF THAT MATTER.

AND AS A PERSON THAT HAS GOTTEN A GRANT FOR MY ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE LONG CENTER, UM, IT IS VERY WELL MANAGED ON THE CITY SIDE.

THE CITY, BASICALLY THE STAFF OF ACME PULLS THE LEVER AND UNTIL THE, UNTIL ACME SIGNS OFF AND SAYS, YES, YOU CAN NOW ACTUALLY PAY THIS PERSON.

AND IT DOES TAKE KIND OF A LONG TIME, THEN THAT IS WHEN THE LONG CENTER STEPS IN AND MAKES PAYMENT.

AND, AND THE REASON I WANTED TO SAY THIS FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF WEIRD INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT IS NOT ACCURATE FROM THE USER EXPERIENCE.

SO PLEASE TAKE MY LIVED EXPERIENCE AS AS FEEDBACK AS A COMM.

WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE? COMMISSIONER MALACH AND THEN COMMISSIONER MALDONADO.

AND THEN COMMISSIONER NAVAL.

CHARLA.

SORRY.

LAURA, COULD YOU, , COULD YOU, UM, THE, THE TOTAL, LIKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PERCENTAGE THAT HAS GONE TO LONG CENTER FOR MANAGEMENT OF THESE GRANTS IS SOMETHING LIKE 8%, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? SO THE TOTAL FOR ALL PROGRAMS IS JUST UNDER 7%.

IT'S 6.91.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ALSO HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN BY PROGRAM.

SO FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, IT'S A MUCH HIGHER ADMIN COST BECAUSE THE LONG CENTER STAFF, THEY'RE DOING THE SCORING AND THE VERIFYING ALL EVIDENCE FOR THE LMF APPLICATION.

UM, SO THAT ADMIN FEE IS CLOSER TO 17%, WHEREAS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR PICK ANOTHER ONE, UM, ELEVATE IS AT 4.3%

[02:05:02]

FOR THE ADMIN FEE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

EVEN, EVEN A 17%.

AND THIS IS JUST, I'M NOT WEIGHING IN ON WHETHER LUNG CENTERS THE RIGHT PARTNER TO DO THIS WITH, BUT YOU KNOW, I RAN AN, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IN NEW ORLEANS THAT DID THIS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

LIKE WE WERE PAID AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACT FEE TO MANAGE THE GRANT MAKING AND THE PUBLIC ART PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

AND THAT'S NOT, LIKE, PARTICULARLY UNDER 10% IS AN EXTREMELY LOW ADMINISTRATIVE COST.

WHEN I THINK PEOPLE HEAR ADMINISTRATIVE AND THEY, THEY MAYBE THINK IT'S LIKE OVERHEAD WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT LIKE THE COST OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO DO ALL OF THE WORK, THAT GOES INTO MAKING THESE DECISIONS.

SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE AND I WONDER IF WE HAVE, OR IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THIS LIKE, BROADER CONVERSATION TO KNOW, LIKE, I THINK HOUSTON DOES THEIR GRANT MAKING SIMILARLY, LIKE THEY PARTNER WITH A NONPROFIT, UM, THE ARTS ALLIANCE OR SOMETHING THAT, THAT MAKES GRANTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

SO I WONDER WHAT THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE JUST TO HAVE LIKE AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I JUST WANNA SAY IS LIKE WHEN WE, BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, WE'RE EVENTUALLY GONNA BE RETHINKING THIS, WE'RE THAT THIS CONTRACT WILL COME UP FOR RENEWAL IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF WE BROUGHT BACK IN-HOUSE GRANT MAKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS WHERE ACME IS MAKING GRANTS TO OUR NON, LIKE OUR ANCHOR NONPROFIT, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN CONSIDER LIKE A RADICALLY DIFFERENT MODEL FOR, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY-BASED GRANT MAKING, SIMILAR, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT DO THIS.

THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION MAKES, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST RE-GRANTING PROGRAMS WHERE THEY HAVE REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATIONS.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S DIFFERENT ONE FOR MUSIC, THERE'S A DIFFERENT ONE FOR THEATER, THERE'S A DIFFERENT ONE FOR VISUAL ARTS.

AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY LIKE PAYING AN ON THE GROUND ORGANIZATION AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE TO MANAGE THE GRANT MAKING PROCESS FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.

AND I THINK THAT, I JUST THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT.

LIKE WE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, EQUIPPING SOME OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT AND THEY JUST KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S LIKE A MOVEMENT TOWARDS, UM, OBJECTIVE MEASURES, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT, BUT FOR SOME OF THIS, WE ACTUALLY WANT, WE ALSO GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT PANELISTS DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AUSTIN WHEN THEY'RE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF, OF AUSTIN.

SO LIKE, WHAT IF WE PILOTED SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING, WE'RE RELYING ON THE ARTS COMMUNITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND EQUIPPING SOME OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE TRUSTED LEADERS IN THOSE SPACES TO DESIGN PROCESSES THAT MAKE SENSE FOR THOSE SECTIONS OF OUR ECOSYSTEM.

AND I KNOW THAT'S A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT SINCE WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, WHAT IF WE JUST DID THIS RADICALLY DIFFERENT COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, UM, I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

WHEN, WHEN THEY DID ROLL ROLLOUT, UM, THE THIRD PARTY WITH THE LONG CENTER, WHAT PERIOD OF TIME WAS THAT WHEN IT WENT FROM IT BEING, UH, HANDLED BY THE CITY STAFF? WHAT DID THAT ROLLOUT? HOW LONG DID THAT ROLLOUT TAKE? 'CAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WERE MENTIONING IS YOU WERE RECAPPING IF WE WENT TO RFQ, IF WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE CITY, HOW MANY MONTHS THAT WOULD TAKE AND HOW IT COULD DELAY JUST WHERE WE'RE AT , WHERE, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA SEE IF LAURA, LAURA WORKED ON THE PROGRAMS AT THAT TIME.

SO I'M HOPING SHE HAS SOME HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE SHE CAN SHARE.

BUT I WILL SAY, UM, THE EFFORT FOR US TO LAUNCH IT NOW, IT IS LIKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO LAPSE IN IN PROGRAMS. SO OUR GOAL IS TO LIKE, HAVE A CLEAR CADENCE OF GRANT LAUNCHES REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION LOOKS LIKE.

LIKE WHATEVER'S BEHIND THE SCENES MM-HMM.

IS LIKE, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT.

GIVE US OUR MONEY.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STAYS ON TRACK AND THAT WE GET AHEAD OF IT.

BUT I'LL SEE IF LAURA HAS A, AN IDEA OF WHAT HAPPENED.

I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN I KNOW THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, LIKE THIRD PARTY AUDIT, UM, AND YOU MENTIONED JUST OVERSIGHT.

SO OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, Y'ALL KNOW THERE'S SOME ISSUES.

YOU MENTIONED SOME OF 'EM, BUT WHAT IS A THIRD PARTY AUDIT? WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT KIND, WHAT COST DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IS WOULD BE MY OTHER QUESTION.

AND YOU DID MENTION LIKE, OH, WE CAN REACH OUT TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND SEE IF THERE'S AN AUDITOR.

AND I THINK WHERE I'M GOING HERE IS LIKE, THIS IS ALL PUBLIC.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WHY WE'RE HERE NOW HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THE PUBLIC IS HIGH AND ALERT AS TO WHY WE'RE PAYING SO MUCH, UM, COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.

YOU KNOW, MONEY.

AND SO YES, PEOPLE WHEN THEY SEE THESE ARTICLES AND THEY SAY IT'S, YOU KNOW, $250 AN HOUR FOR THEM TO DO A TASK WHERE WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO CONTRACTS IN OTHER CITIES AND THERE'S EITHER A CAP OR THERE'S A PERCENTAGE OR WHATNOT,

[02:10:01]

SO, UH, AND THEN HEARING THIRD THAT THERE'S A THIRD PARTY AUDIT THAT MAY BE NECESSARY PUTS ME LIKE EVEN ON MORE HIGH ALERT.

'CAUSE I'M LIKE, OH WOW, IS IT LIKE THAT BAD THAT WE NEED TO GET A THIRD PARTY AUDITOR? I WOULDN'T SAY WE THINK IT'S NECESSARY.

WE THINK THAT THAT IS A TOOL THE CITY USES OFTEN TO JUST BUILD AN ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY TO SHOW WE'RE WILLING TO HAVE IT AUDITED BECAUSE WE, WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.

UM, WE BELIEVE THERE'S CONFUSION AROUND HOW THINGS ARE PRICED, UH, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE $250 PER TASK, BUT AS LAURA REFERENCED, WE HAVE LESS THAN 7% TOTAL OVERHEAD, WHICH IS FANTASTIC FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE COST OVERHEAD FOR A CONTRACT.

UM, THIS ONE'S A, THIS ONE'S UNIQUE.

LIKE I KNOW THERE WAS OTHER, OTHER CITIES WERE LIKE COLLOQUIALLY REFERENCED IN ARTICLES AND AROUND, BUT LIKE THE MODEL THAT WE'RE USING IS FAIRLY UNIQUE.

UM, WE DON'T SEE IT IN OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS.

UM, IT'S UNIQUE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO APPLES TO APPLES TO OTHER MM-HMM .

OTHER CONTRACTS.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THE LESS THAN 7% OVERHEAD THAT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT.

WE HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO THE PARTNER DEPARTMENTS TO, UM, ENGAGE WITH THEM AND SEE IF THEY HAVE AUDITOR AVAILABILITY.

THAT WOULD BE OUR PREFERENCE OF, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A MUCH LOWER OF TO FREE COST.

UH, WE HOPE IT'S FREE, BUT THE CITY, CITY DEPARTMENTS CAN BACK CHARGE YOU FOR THINGS ALL THE TIME.

SO IT MIGHT COME WITH A COST.

WE DID GET A QUOTE FROM AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR THAT THE CITY HAS, UM, OPEN MASTER AGREEMENTS WITH THAT WE COULD TAP INTO.

AND I BELIEVE THE COST CAME IN AT JUST UNDER $70,000.

WHICH IS QUITE HIGH.

UM, BUT, BUT EXPECTED FOR AN AUDIT OF THAT SIZE.

UM, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO HAVE ALL THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE FOR OUR LEADERSHIP TO CONSIDER AND ALSO TO JUST, YOU KNOW, DEMONSTRATE FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT IT THAT WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS AND WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING OTHER PEOPLE SUPPORT WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS COULD LOOK LIKE.

I, I GUESS TOO, IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL ALREADY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALREADY HAVING MEETINGS, THERE'S ALREADY SOME OVERSIGHT AND YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, ARE IN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS OR WHATNOT.

SO I GUESS, UM, WITH, IF WE CONTINUED THIS CONTRACT RIGHT, OR RENEWED THE CONTRACT, THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT AS IT'S BEEN REFINED AND YOU GET ALL THESE THINGS IMPLEMENTED FROM AN AUDITOR, WHAT THAT THE COST WOULD COME DOWN, RIGHT? OR LIKE, LIKE WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THE CITY STAFF HAS INVESTED A LOT OF TIME IN, IN THE OVERSIGHT AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE LONG CENTER.

SO, AND, AND I'M JUST SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE, LIKE I'VE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY GIVING FEEDBACK AND TRYING TO REFINE A PROGRAM, BUT THEN YOU'RE ALSO NOW, I MEAN, YOU'RE PAYING SOMEONE ON YOUR STAFF TO DO THAT .

AND SO THERE HAS TO BE A, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT TO THAT.

AND WHAT IS THAT AS FAR AS FROM A MONEY STANDPOINT, RIGHT? , SO I'M GONNA GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION FIRST.

SO HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THE RFQ THE FIRST TIME AROUND? SO WE WERE COMING, AS MORGAN MENTIONED, WE WERE COMING OUT OF COVID.

SO OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS AT THAT TIME WAS MUCH DIFFERENT.

SO WE ONLY WENT TO VENDORS THAT HAD PROVIDED THAT TYPE OF WORK TO THE CITY AT THAT POINT.

UM, SO IT WAS A MUCH SHORTER RFQ PROCESS THAN NORMAL.

IT WAS MAYBE SIX MONTHS FROM START TO FINISH.

UM, FROM WHEN IT GOES OUT TO WHEN WE GET THE BIDS TO THE REVIEW PROCESS, THE PURCHASING LEAD.

SO I WOULD SAY VERY, VERY FAST.

OUR NORMAL NON COVID TIME IS 12 TO 18 MONTHS TO GO THROUGH AN RFQ PROCESS.

THEN THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITHIN THAT.

WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW.

UM, SO THAT WAS YOUR FIRST QUESTION.

UM, YOU HAD ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE, THE ADMIN FEES GOING DOWN OVER TIME.

AND I THINK RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE, WE APPROVED THE GUIDELINES LAST YEAR FOR THESE PROGRAMS TO NOT CHANGE TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

SO THAT LEVEL OF STABILITY AFFECTS ALL LEVELS OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF THE LONG CENTER TO DO.

SO THAT WILL STABILIZE, I'LL SAY THE, THE BUILDUP TO OUR PROGRAM LAUNCH IN OCTOBER.

THERE WERE A LOT MORE FEES REGARDING SUBMITTABLE THAN WE HAD HAD PREVIOUSLY.

'CAUSE THERE WAS A LOT MORE BUILD OUT, UM, FOR THE PROGRAMS BEING DEVELOPED UNDER THAT ONE UMBRELLA OF ACME ALL ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS AND

[02:15:01]

UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE SURVEYS, THROUGH STAFF EXPERIENCE, THROUGH THE LONG CENTER EXPERIENCE TO SEE IF THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

DO WE NEED TO KEEP DOING THAT? DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM AGAIN? AND THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE FEE GOES.

IF WE NEED TO BUILD OUT A NEW SYSTEM, WE NEED TO PAY FOR THAT.

SO THE LONG CENTER HAS BEEN DOING WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING OF THEM.

UM, BUT I, I HOPE, AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT AS WE STABILIZE WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE MM-HMM .

AS WE LOOK TO OTHER ENHANCEMENTS AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS A COMMUNITY, UM, I THINK IT, IT WILL PROBABLY GO DOWN, BUT TO ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONER'S POINTS UNDER 7%, UM, IS, IS KIND OF UNHEARD OF IN THIS TYPE OF WORK.

NO, I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

I ALSO THINK EVEN CONSIDERING, UH, WHAT PARTS MAYBE THE CITY WAS HISTORICALLY REALLY GOOD AT, RIGHT? BASED ON LIKE THESE SURVEYS OR WHATNOT, AND MAYBE NOT ALL OF IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY, BUT THE PARTS THAT, THAT MAYBE YOU'VE GOTTEN THE MOST FEEDBACK ON, UH, BECAUSE IT IS, IT DOES SEEM LIKE, AT LEAST WITH THE CITY, I MEAN, YOU SEE THE SAME FACES HERE ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? .

SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF JUST THAT TRUST AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, UM, THAT MAYBE YOU JUST TAKE PARTS OF IT, UM, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN AND ALSO WHERE YOU COULD MAYBE CREATE NEW POSITION AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT IS WORKING VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LONG CENTER AND ALSO WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S MY 2 CENTS.

, COMMISSIONER CHARLA, AND THEN COMMISSIONER CHENEY.

HI.

HI EVERYONE.

UM, THANK YOU CHAIR.

UM, I, I HAVE SEEN THIS PRESENTATION AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION.

UM, I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID, UM, VERY DIRECTLY ASK AT THE COMMISSION BECAUSE OF, UH, UM, THE KIND OF THE LEVEL OF ATTENTION THAT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM HAS HAD RECENTLY INCLUDING, UH, WITH ARTICLES IN AUSTIN CURRENT.

AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE JOURNALIST, UH, AS WELL AS THE CITY, UH, AND LONG SEND PARTICIPATION IN DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE IN REVIEWING THIS CONTRACT AT THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL.

AND FOR WHAT IS REALLY A FANTASTIC, UH, PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION HERE.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, BUT WITH ALL OF THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DIRECTLY ASKED AT THE COMMISSION WAS, UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY WRONGDOING OR MAL ESSENCE? AND THE CLEAR ANSWER TO THAT HAS BEEN NO.

UH, IF ANY OF THAT HAS CHANGED, PLEASE DO, UM, ADVISE ME, BUT LET'S, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME KIND OF ALL, NOT AT THIS COMMISSION NECESSARILY, BUT IN GENERAL, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME WRONGDOING OR SOME KIND OF, AND THAT DOESN'T EXIST AS FAR AS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED ABOUT.

UM, GIVEN THAT, I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN JUST VERY IMPRESSIVE WITH ENGAGING, UH, THE LONG CENT AS A THIRD PARTY IS HOW QUICKLY THEY HAVE DELIVERED ON SUBMITTABLE WHEN THE FIRST, UH, APPLICATION THAT WAS BUILT IN-HOUSE WAS NOT WORKING, PROCUREMENT IN THE CITY IS GONNA TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.

UH, HOW QUICKLY THEY WERE ABLE TO BRING SUBMITTABLE UP, THAT AGAIN, CAME INTO PICTURE WHEN WE HAD THE CREATIVE RESET AND THEY HAD A SHORT TIME TO REBUILD THE ENTIRE APPLICATION.

AND THE ONLY ISSUE I SAW THERE WAS THAT ONE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP IN BETWEEN THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

AND THAT WAS QUICKLY, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, RECTIFIED, UH, WHICH IS IN LAUNCHING SOMETHING THAT QUICKLY.

UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S BEEN, AGAIN, TO ME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THAT THAT'S THE ISSUE.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE RUN INTO AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE SOFTWARE OR THE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION GOES.

UM, THE OTHER THING WHICH IS, UM, VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT THIS, THIS, THIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING MONEY INTO, UH, A AWARDEE'S HANDS BETWEEN WHAT A CITY, UH, CAN DO ON THAT FRONT VERSUS LONG CENTER, LIKE 90 PLUS DAYS VERSUS 10 DAYS, THAT IS NOT ANY MARGINAL CHANGE.

THAT IS, THAT IS SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION THAT IS VERY HUGE, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, AND THEN I LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE, UH, THAT IS BEING SPENT ON, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE AROUND SIX TO 7%.

THE 17% OF LMF DOESN'T SURPRISE ME AT ALL.

UH, I'VE SEEN THAT APPLICATION.

IT IS, IT IS, UH, VERY DETAILED, UH, A LOT OF ATTACHMENTS.

UH, I THINK THE ONLY WAY THAT CAN BE REDUCED IS BY SIMPLIFYING THAT APPLICATION A BIT MORE THAT, UH, THAT I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PUSHING FOR, UH, UH,

[02:20:01]

THE COMMISSION.

BUT, BUT REALLY AGAIN, THAT, THAT PHASE JUST SEEMS EITHER ON PAR OR, YOU KNOW, BELOW, BELOW WHAT, WHAT AT LEAST I UNDERSTAND IS, IS MARKET, BUT YOU KNOW, UM, UH, THAT, THAT I CAN BE DEFINITELY BE ADVISED MORE ON.

UM, SO OVERALL TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A SYSTEM THAT IS WORKING VERY WELL FOR THE COMMUNITY.

UH, WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AS, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, IS ESSENTIALLY AROUND TIGHTENING UP THE CONTRACT.

UH, THAT'S, UH, BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, PRESENTED, I THINK THE LINE ITEMS OF THE CONTRACT, WHAT IS EXPECTED IN TERMS OF, UH, ITEMIZED INVOICING, WHAT ARE THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, UH, SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS AROUND DIFFERENT, UH, PIECES OF, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION, UM, TURNING AROUND, UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS, UH, AND METRICS AND HOW WE ARE DOING AGAINST THAT AND HAVING CLAUSES IN PLACE, WHAT THE TOLERABLE LEVELS ARE, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO FOR THE AWARDEES THAT DO GET IMPACTED IF THEY GET IMPACTED SOMETIMES.

AND, UH, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE THOSE? AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE THOSE, THIS, UM, LOOKS LIKE MORE OF A CONTRACT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND MUCH OF A GOVERNANCE ISSUE, UH, UH, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

UM, I THINK WE ARE FINDING STABILITY IN THE PROCESS.

UH, ANYTHING THAT THIS MASSIVE, UH, IS NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT YEAR AFTER YEAR EVEN.

WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO SOME AREA OR THE OTHER THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.

AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HOW THAT IS INTENTIONALLY WORKED ON, UM, IS I THINK IS WHAT'S GOING TO MATTER.

AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE REINVENTING THE WHEEL OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, UM, AND LET THIS, LET THIS PROCESS OF WORK , YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND LET'S MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS PROCESS.

AND, AND, AND, UH, I KNOW AN R FT IS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK DUE IN FIVE YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I GUESS THE CITY HAS TO DO WHATEVER DUE PROCESS THEY HAVE TO, UH, FOLLOW.

BUT WITH THE CREATIVE RESET, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN CONTINUE THIS WITH THE LONG CENTER THE WAY IT IS, WITH THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED AND CONTINUOUSLY TWEAKING IT BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND METRICS, UM, I WOULD EVEN SUGGEST THAT WE, UH, CONSIDER STAYING WITH THE LONG CENTER FOR THE NEXT, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

UM, AND YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK I WOULD LEAVE IT AT THAT.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PROCESS THAT'S WORKING, UH, QUITE WELL, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WE JUST NEED TO IMPROVE ON IT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER NEY.

I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.

I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP WHAT HAPPENED THREE YEARS AGO WHEN, AGAIN, JUST REITERATING THIS FOR PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION THAT WERE NOT ON THE COMMISSION, THEN THREE YEARS AGO, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO CREATE THEIR OWN, UM, LIKE PORTAL FOR GRANTS.

AND THAT PORTAL DID NOT EVEN SAVE YOUR GRANT APPLICATION AND IT WASN'T LIKE PROPERLY TESTED.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T LIKE SYSTEM ARCHITECTS OR ENGINEERS THAT ARE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE PORTALS FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO RUN THROUGH, IT'S, IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THAT THE LONG CENTER OR ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY THAT HAS LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE STAFF TO BUILD OUT THESE MECHANISMS, THESE LEVERS THAT YOU PULLED THAT ARE TESTED AND THAT YOU HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM THAT IS BEHIND THEM.

SO IF THERE ARE TECHNICAL ISSUES, AND I THINK, AGAIN, JUST REITERATING THAT A LOT OF THOSE ARTICLES ONLINE, UM, THAT I CAME ACROSS, UM, WERE KIND OF MISCONSTRUING WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS WITH THE LONG CENTER, WHICH I LOOK AT THEM AS LIKE A MECHANIC, LIKE AS PART OF LIKE THE GRANTING SYSTEM THAT'S JUST LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THE BUTTONS ARE PUSHED PROPERLY AND THING, IT'S VERY LIKE DATA-DRIVEN, I FEEL.

UM, AND IT'S NOT LIKE THEY DON'T DECIDE WHO GETS THE GRANTS.

UM, SO THANKS AND SORRY Y'ALL ARE GETTING SO MUCH HEAT, BUT THAT WAS A HOT MESS THREE YEARS AGO, SO I'M REALLY GLAD WE ARE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THE, THE LANGUAGE ACCESS DIVISION HAD DECIDED ON A SPANISH LANGUAGE WORD SUBSID, AND IT WASN'T COMMUNICATED TO THE LONG CENTER SOMEHOW TO GET IN THE APPLICATION.

I'M GONNA GO TO, UH, COMMISSIONER KEYS AND THEN COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

UH, JUST BE, I, I JUST NEED TO PUT MY TWO POINTS IN RIGHT QUICK.

UM, MY CONCERN IS ABOUT THE AMOUNT PER TASK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CHARGING, SPECIFICALLY THE, IN THE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST THAT WAS DENIED BECAUSE IT WAS GONNA COST TOO MUCH.

AND THE, THE FEE THAT THE LONG CENTER WAS CHARGING WAS EXORBITANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT TCA CHARGES AND WHAT THAT DISCREPANCY IS.

AND THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION OF CITY STANDARDS, SPECIFICALLY FROM THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, WE,

[02:25:01]

SO THOSE ARE MY TWO ISSUES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO PUT ON THE TABLE.

COMMISSIONER KEYS, UM, YEAH, THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS AS WELL.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS HONESTLY, JUST TO BE HONEST, LIKE A LACK OF OVERSIGHT OR METRICS THAT WERE MAINTAINED OR MANAGED.

UM, I THINK THAT COULD IMPACT, UM, THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED FOR PS, UM, WHEN THERE'S ADEQUATE INFORMATION THAT IS MAINTAINED AND MANAGED, UM, AND NOT NECESSARILY IN REAL TIME, BUT JUST, UM, INADEQUATE TIME.

I JUST ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I HOPE THAT THIS GRACE IS EXTENDED, UM, TO THE GRANTEES AND THE AWARDEES BECAUSE I MEAN, FOR US TO BE A CITY WITH PROFESSIONALS THAT SHOULD BE MANAGING THE OVERSIGHT OF MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS AND IMPACT AND ALL OF THAT, I JUST, AND WE ARE EXTENDING GRACE.

I HOPE THAT SAME GRACE IS EXTENDED TO, UM, ARTISTS WHO ARE NOT ADMIN PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE STILL LEARNING, WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WE ARE EXTENDING THE GRACE TO, AND THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE PERCENTAGE IS THAT IS GONE UNACCOUNTED FOR, THAT CAN'T REALLY, ISN'T NECESSARILY ATTACHED TO, UM, A TASK OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT FUNDING IS RELATED TO.

SO I JUST HOPE THAT AGAIN, THAT THAT GRACE IS EXTENDED AS WE CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS PROCESS IS WITH THE LONG CENTER AS WELL AS THE AWARDEES AND THE GRANTEES, UM, IN FUTURE, IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY ALL OF THE MONEY IS ACCOUNTED FOR.

I THINK WHAT HAS BEEN CONFUSING IN THE REPORT OUT IS THE WAY THAT WE LIST IT.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN RELYING ON, ON LANGUAGE FOR TASKS THAT ARE IN THE CONTRACTS AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD BY ITEMIZING EVERY SINGLE THING JUST SO IT'S MORE CLEAR.

BUT ALL OF ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR.

I JUST FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UM, GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER CHARLA'S COMMENT OF, UH, FINANCIAL MALFEASANCE, WE, UM, WE HAVE FOUND NONE OF THAT AND WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION ON THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE'RE TAKING NOTES ON ALL THE GREAT FEEDBACK YOU ALL ARE SHARING, SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SWOOP BACK TO, UM, HEIDI'S, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHALL BOX, A GREAT IDEA ABOUT GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE KIND OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE GRANTING SYSTEM.

I LOVE THOSE IDEAS.

HEIDI, LET'S GO TO COFFEE.

'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

UM, AND I THINK IT SORT OF ALSO POINTS BACK TO PART OF THE CONCERN.

UM, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE LONG CENTER DOES NOT EXIST AS A THIRD PARTY GRANT ENTITY ONLY, RIGHT? THERE'S ALSO A LONG HISTORY OF, UH, WITH AND WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY AT THE LONG CENTER.

SO, UH, THE ROLLINS THEATER, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMMUNITY, UH, FOCUSED PLACE.

AND AS, UH, REGIME CHANGE HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AT THE LONG CENTER, ALL OF THAT HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE IS NOW GONE.

BUT IT WAS, IT IS, IT IS UNAFFORDABLE, IT IS UNACCESSIBLE.

THE DOORS ARE LOCKED TO THE COMMUNITY MOST OF THE TIME.

SO I KNOW THAT THEY RENT TO PEOPLE.

IT'S JUST SO EXPENSIVE THAT VERY FEW CAN AFFORD IT.

SO THAT WAS NOT SORT OF THE PROMISE OF THE LONG CENTER TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO OUR COMMUNITY HAS A VERY LONG MEMORY AND REMEMBERS THAT.

SO WHEN THE, WHEN THE THIRD PARTY CONTRACT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS WITH THE LONG CENTER, PEOPLE WERE LIKE, WHAT? THERE WAS A DISTRUST THERE, RIGHT? AND I THINK THE LONG CENTER'S REALLY AWARE OF THAT DISTRUST.

UM, IT, AND IT, IT, UH, PART OF A, A LARGER SET OF PROBLEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BUSINESS MODEL AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH, WHICH I APPRECIATE IS NOT EASY.

HUGE CAMPUS, HUGE JOB.

AND, UM, I'M ALL FOR, I'D LIKE TO SAY IF THE CITY WANTS TO FUND THE LONG CENTER, I THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD PROUDLY FUND THE LONG CENTER.

UM, IF THE CITY WANTS TO HIRE THE LONG CENTER AS A GRANT ADMINISTRATOR.

FOR US ALL TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HELP EACH OTHER AND FOR THE BIG GUYS TO HELP THE LITTLE GUYS AND THE LITTLE GUYS TO BRING THE BIG GUYS DOWN TO EARTH.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE, UM, THE NEW OVERSIGHT THAT IS PROMISED HERE AND THE, THE CLARIFICATION OF THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP EYES ON ALL OF THAT, UM, TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS, UM, STAYS TIDY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, DESK AUDIT.

BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT COMMUNITY MISTRUST OF AN ENTITY IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO JUST BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT'S REAL.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR SHOWING US HOW IT'S GOING.

WELL, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU DID THAT.

AND I'M NOT HERE TO BASH THE LONG CENTER AT ALL.

I WOULD LIKE

[02:30:01]

SO I'M ALL FOR MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE GRANTS.

I'M ALL FOR GETTING THE OUT OF TOWN PEOPLE, MAYBE OUT OF THE, UH, THE MIX.

AND, UM, I'M ALL FOR COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY FROM EVERYBODY IN EVERY PROCESS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? THANK YOU LADIES SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.

NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

UM, ACTUALLY CAN WE, CAN WE DO, UH, CAN I DO A REQUEST TO MOVE THE CON THE OFFICER ELECTION FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR UP? I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MACH SECONDS.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOVING ITEM 11 TO RIGHT NOW.

ANY OPPOSED? SEEING NO OPPOSITION? WE'RE GONNA MOVE, UH,

[11. Conduct officer elections for Chair and Vice Chair. ]

OFFICER ELECTIONS.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE NEED TO, WE NEED A CHAIR AND WE NEED A VICE CHAIR.

THE, THE CHAIR'S TERM IS OVER, SO IT NEEDS TO BE REELECTED.

AND WE DON'T HAVE A VICE CHAIR, SO WE NEED A VICE CHAIR.

SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS TO, FOR VICE CHAIR.

I DON'T, I DIDN'T SEE WHOSE HAND WAS UP FIRST.

I'M GONNA SAY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

AND THEN COMMISSIONER SMALL OCK, AND THEN COMMISSIONER, UM, CHARLA.

SORRY, I, I JUMPED THE GUN.

I WANTED TO RENOMINATE GINA HOUSTON FOR CHAIR .

OKAY, THEN LET'S TAKE CHAIR.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND COMMAND.

SECOND INVITE.

COMMISSIONER CARLA, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON REMAINING AS CHAIR, PLEASE SAY SO BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR SAYING AYE.

THANK YOU .

ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NO OPPOSITION, THAT MOTION PASSES.

JEANNIE HOUSTON WILL REMAIN AS CHAIR.

HAPPY TO SERVE Y'ALL.

SHE EXPRESSED INTEREST PREVIOUS.

NOW I'D LIKE TO OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR.

I MEAN, I'LL NOMINATE HEIDI .

HEIDI IS SHAKING HER HEAD.

SHE WILL NOT, SHE WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT NOMINATION.

COMMISSIONER KEYS, I NOMINATE UNA, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT HER BEING HERE, BUT I SHE DID, WE DID ASK LIKE SHE WAS OPEN.

SO I DON'T WANT TO, I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL SHE IS HERE.

BUT YEAH.

CAN WE NOMINATE MEAN YOU WERE HERE? CAN WE NOMINATE AND ELECT SOMEONE WHO'S NOT PRESENT AND THEN RE-VOTE NEXT MEETING IF SHE DECLINES THE ELECTION AND IT WOULD BE AWESOME.

SHE DID.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A NOMINATION TO ELECT UNA HUSSEINI AS VICE CHAIR.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHARLA.

ANY DISCUSSION? SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY, WE'LL, WE, IF WE ELECT HER, WE WILL APPROACH HER AND SAY, HEY, WE ELECTED YOU.

WILL YOU ACCEPT THE POSITION IF SHE DOES NOT ACCEPT, AND WE WILL HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN NEXT, NEXT MONTH.

SO PLEASE BE CONSIDERING WORKING AS CHAIR, VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

SAYING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FOR ALEX MINA HUSSEI AS VICE CHAIR FOR THE NEXT TERM.

PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OR RAISING YOUR HAND.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ON HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BY JESUS PANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.

ANY OPPOSED? I SEE NO OPPOSITION.

SO COMMISSIONER HUSSEI IS ELECTED AS VICE CHAIR.

YAY, .

NOW WE'RE MOVING TO

[7. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor.]

JESUS PANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.

UH, MY PRONOUNS ARE HE HIS, I'M A LATINO WITH LONG GRAY HAIR AND A SALT AND PEPPER BEARD, UH, WEARING A BLACK SHIRT AND A BLACK SPORTS COAT.

TODAY, UH, WITH THIS PRESENTATION I'LL BE SHARING OUR LATEST HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION NUMBERS FOR WHICH WE HAVE DATA.

UH, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION IN MARCH WAS $2,145,989.

[02:35:04]

UM, THIS MEANS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND COLLECTION NUMBERS.

UH, IN MARCH WERE $204,942.

WITH THESE MARCH NUMBERS, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 49% TOWARDS OUR FI 26 APPROVED BUDGET, UM, MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.

UM, AS A REMINDER, THERE IS A DELAY IN HOW HOT REPORTING HAPPENS.

THIS APRIL PRESENTATION SHOWS FUNDS, EXCUSE ME, COLLECTED IN MARCH FOR HOTEL STAYS IN FEBRUARY.

UM, LET'S SEE.

AS PART OF OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN ANALYSIS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS, SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN FEBRUARY, 2026 ARE LISTED ON THE SLIDE.

UM, WHILE THIS LIST DOES NOT CAPTURE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF TOURISM DRIVING EVENTS, IT DOES HELP ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HIGH REVENUE TRENDS.

AND THEN ACCORDING TO AUSTIN STROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTS, TOTAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN FEBRUARY, 2026 WAS 1,482,483, WHICH REPRESENTED A 7.75% INCREASE, UH, COMPARED TO FEBRUARY, 2025.

UM, AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE JANUARY NUMBERS.

I DO HAVE THOSE AS WELL.

SO, UM, I'LL REPORT THOSE HERE.

ALSO, TOTAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN JANUARY, 2026 WAS, UH, VERY SIMILAR.

1,435,466, WHICH WAS A 2.77% INCREASE COMPARED TO THE SAME RATE IN JANUARY, 2025.

UH, LET'S SEE.

ALRIGHT, NEXT SLIDE IS THE UM, CHART HERE.

UH, THIS GRAPH SHOWS OUR MONTHLY PROGRESS TOWARDS THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR FY 26 OF JUST UNDER $16 MILLION.

UH, OUR HOT ARTS, OUR HOT CULTURAL ARTS FUND ACTUALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO DATE IS $7,758,794.

UM, AND AS A REMINDER, THE FUNDS COLLECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 26 WILL BE USED TO FUND PROGRAMS IN FISCAL YEAR 27.

UH, THIS GRAPH SHOWS A FIVE YEAR QUARTERLY AND TOTAL COMPARISON OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND.

UH, THE $3,361,392 IN QUARTER ONE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WAS, UH, $300,000 HIGHER THAN QUARTER ONE IN FISCAL YEAR 25.

AND THEN FOR QUARTER TWO, THE $4,397,401 COLLECTED IN FY 26 QUARTER TWO IS THE HIGHEST, UH, QUARTER TWO COLLECTION, UM, GOING BACK FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION.

SO I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS I NEED TO SEE? GREAT TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS UP EVEN WITHOUT A CONVENTION CENTER.

OH, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER FOR .

COMMISSIONER NEY.

UH, YEAH, I THINK I ASKED THIS LAST TIME AND NO WORRIES IF IT WAS FORGOTTEN, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE NUMBERS FROM BEFORE COVID TO SEE, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST MEETING TO SEE IF WE'RE AT THE LEVEL THAT WE WERE PRE COVID.

SO IT WOULD BE COOL TO SEE LIKE THE LAST 10 YEARS BECAUSE WE GOT FIVE COVID TIMES OR PO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY? YEAH, I'LL SEE IF WE, UM, HAVE THE DATA GOING BACK THAT FAR.

WE HAVE SOME OF THE DATA, SO I'LL SEE WHAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE ALL THE DATA.

COMMISSIONER MBO.

UM, YES, I AGREE THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HIGHEST, WAS IT QUARTER ONE COLLECTIONS IS THAT'S WHAT IT'S QUARTER TWO COLLECTIONS.

HIGHEST QUARTER TWO.

MM-HMM .

UM, IN SPITE OF THE CLOSURE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND I'LL JUST REPEAT WHAT I SAY, ALMOST EVERY MEETING, WHICH IS SOME OF THAT IS PROBABLY EXPLAINED BY THE UNIFORM COLLECTION OF HOT FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT WE CAN'T KNOW WITHOUT BREAKING IT OUT, EVEN IF THAT ONLY HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A YEAR.

I JUST WILL REITERATE THAT KEEPING TRACK OF THOSE TRENDS IS SUPER, SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT.

A IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING A BIG DIP IN HA BECAUSE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER CLOSURE.

'CAUSE THAT WOULD SUCK SINCE THIS IS HOW WE FUND ALL OF OUR CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS. THAT'S GREAT.

BUT WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THIS AS ADVOCATES GOING FORWARD IS LIKE WE, WE CAN, WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IN THE DATA AND HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THIS MONEY IS ALLOCATED PROPORTIONALLY AND WE WILL NOT GET THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.

SO WE HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF IT AND SEE WHAT

[02:40:01]

IS ACCOUNTING.

WE, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE NUMBERS, BUT WE NEED SOME ANALYSIS OF WHY THE NUMBERS LOOK THAT WAY.

AND SO I'LL KEEP ASKING FOR THAT.

COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

UM, DO WE HAVE TO KEEP ASKING FOR IT? WHO HAS THE NUMBERS? WE HAVE PUT IN A REQUEST, UH, FOR THE NUMBERS.

IT'S NOT ANALYZED, UM, VERY OFTEN, SO, UM, WE HAVE PUT IN A REQUEST.

SO WHENEVER WE HAVE THAT, WE WILL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.

WHO DOES THE ANALYSIS? JESUS, WHICH DEPARTMENT? I BELIEVE IT'S A CONVENTION CENTER, BUT I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE ON THAT.

HMM.

I'M GETTING A THUMBS UP THAT YES, THAT WAS THE CORRECT ANSWER.

, THE CONVENTION CENTER COLLECTS THE INFORMATION ABOUT SHORT, SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

I MEAN FOR YES, THEY COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION FOR ALL THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IN GENERAL FOR US, FOR THE CITY.

INTERESTING.

UM, COULD, COULD SOMEONE ON STAFF COME UP WITH A NAME OF SOMEONE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER OFFICE THAT WE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

MORGAN IS COMING.

UM, WE, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THEIR FINANCE TEAM, SO I, I FEEL LIKE IT SEEMED WEIRD TO SAY THE CONVENTION CENTER, SO THEY HAVE A REALLY ROBUST FINANCE STAFF AND THE BULK OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX GOES TOWARDS THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THAT'S, THAT'S LIKE HOW THE STATUTE IS BUILT FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND SO THEY ARE THE PURVEYOR OF LIKE, HERE'S THE INFORMATION AND THEY LIKE GIVE US THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE EVERY MONTH FROM JESUS PANTEL, THEIR FINANCE TEAM SENDS OUT A MONTHLY REPORT.

WE'VE ASKED FOR AN ENHANCEMENT ON THAT REPORT TO INCLUDE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND WE JUST, WE HAVE A GROUP CHAT FOR OUR STAFF AND WE, WE JUST DROPPED A FOLLOW UP TO SAY, LET'S FOLLOW UP ON THIS.

AND I THINK SOMETHING WE CAN DO MOVING FORWARD IS JUST HAVING A SLIDE ON EVERY PRESENTATION THAT ADDRESSES IT.

EVEN IF WHAT WE ADDRESS IS, THIS ISN'T AVAILABLE THIS MONTH, IT'S REPORTED QUARTERLY OR LIKE WHATEVER IT IS.

JUST SO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP ASKING BECAUSE WE KNOW YOU WANNA SEE IT AND WE CAN DEFINITELY ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND WE WILL, UM, SHARE THE INFO AS THEY HAVE IT.

I THINK THAT THE REPORTING IS JUST NEW AND LIKE NEW THINGS ARE HARD FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT MORE OF.

I'LL JUST ADD THAT I HAVE GOTTEN THE NUMBERS BEFORE, NOT FOR THIS QUARTER, BUT I HAVE SEEN THE BREAKOUT FROM, UH, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS FIRM THAT REPRESENTS AIRBNB.

UM, SO THE NUMBERS EX, THEY CERTAINLY EXIST.

LIKE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE WOULD, IT JUST FEELS ESPECIALLY FOR ACME, BUT, BUT FOR OTHERS AS WELL WHO ARE INVESTED IN LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE SPEND THIS MONEY AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S STATE STATUTE, BUT THOSE THINGS CAN ALSO CHANGE.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S ADEQUATE FOR US TO JUST SAY LIKE, WELL THIS IS HOW IT'S MANDATED BY THE STATE.

LIKE WE NEED THE INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE IT TO THE GREATER AUSTIN COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHOM BELIEVE THAT WE NEED MORE INVESTMENT IN ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC, HERITAGE, ALL THE THINGS THAT HOT CURRENTLY SUPPORTS WITH LIKE A 80 BITTY TEENY TINY FRACTION OF THE TOTAL.

AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AND SAYING, YO CONVENTION CENTER'S CLOSED AND WE'RE DOING RECORD NUMBERS, IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE CONVENTIONS THAT ARE BRINGING IN THE HOT.

SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

LIKE I JUST CAN'T, AS A DATA PERSON RESEARCHER, LIKE I JUST CAN'T REITERATE ENOUGH LIKE HOW RARE IT IS TO HAVE THIS EXPERIMENT.

LIKE WE HAVE A CONTROL, LIKE A NATURAL EXPERIMENT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CREATE IN A LAB AND WE CANNOT BLOW IT.

SO I KNOW THAT IT'S ANNOYING THAT I KEEP BEATING THIS TO DEATH, BUT IT'S JUST THAT IMPORTANT.

UNDERSTOOD.

FOR SURE.

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US COMMISSIONER SMOCK.

IT IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SEE WHETHER THE CONVENTION CENTER JUSTIFIES HAVING SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF HOT TALKS GOING TO ITS RUNNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CHANGED OVERNIGHT, BUT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT'S GENERATING THE INCOME AND REWARDING THOSE ENTITIES RATHER THAN JUST SAYING FLAT THAT IT ALL GOES, MAJORITY GOES TO THE CONVENTION DINNER.

COMMISSIONER ANDERSON ALSO.

YEAH, I ALSO WONDER IF THERE'S MAYBE A MIDDLEMAN BEING ADDED HERE THAT'S NOT NECESSARY.

I JUST GOOGLED IT AND THE, THE OPERATORS OF THE AIRBNB COMPANIES, UM, SUBMIT DIRECTLY THEIR TAXES TO AUSTIN FINANCE

[02:45:01]

ONLINE ACCOUNTS.

SO IT, IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THE AUSTIN FINANCE ONLINE PEOPLE ARE THEN GIVING INFORMATION TO THE, TO THE CONVENTION CENTER PEOPLE THEN YOU'RE ASKING THE CONVENTION CENTER PEOPLE, BUT YOU HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE AUSTIN FINANCE ONLINE PEOPLE AND MAYBE SO DO WE? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THE CONVENTION CENTER PEOPLE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW BESIDES BUILDING A GIANT PROJECT.

SO MAYBE THEY'RE BUSY.

BUT, UH, I JUST THINK MAYBE WE COULD, UH, STREAMLINE THIS REQUEST A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE SOMEHOW.

WE WILL INQUIRE ABOUT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS FOR FINANCE REPORTS.

UM, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

UM, WE'LL SEE.

WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN DO IT DIFFERENTLY.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU.

REGARDING UPDATE ON CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS BACK AT PENTEL CONSTABLE FUNDING SUPERVISOR.

UM, JESUS, YOU GOTTA STAY THERE.

STAFF BRIEFING

[8. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor.]

OKAY, AND I AM BACK FOR THE NEXT PRESENTATION.

COMMISSIONER, OH, LET ME PULL MY NOTES UP HERE.

HOLD ON A MINUTE.

CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING UPDATE.

OKAY, UM, YEAH, SO I'M UP HERE FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING UPDATE NOW.

UM, SO WITH THIS UPDATE I'LL BE GIVING A PRESENTATION SHARING UPDATES ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS. UM, SO TODAY I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UM, CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, AND GRANT FUND AND ACTIVITIES.

UH, SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS NOT HERE ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, THE APPEALS.

THAT IS A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM.

SO WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT, UH, LATER IN THE MEETING THIS EVENING.

UM, BUT FOR CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, WE ARE, UM, GETTING CLOSE, UM, UM, CLOSED OUT SOME MORE IN OUR FY 24 ELEVATE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE TO GO TILL WE ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED.

OUT OF THOSE, UM, 190, UH, FINAL REPORTS HAVE BEEN CLOSED OR 83%.

SO, UH, SO GETTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THOSE, UM, FY 25 NEXUS, UH, THE LAST ACTIVITIES OCCUR, UM, AT THE END OF APRIL 30TH, UH, OR AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

UH, SO FINAL REPORTS WILL BE CLOSING OUT, UM, ON THOSE.

WE'VE ALREADY CLOSED OUT A FEW OF THOSE.

UH, THEY'RE AROUND 38%, UM, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY WILL BE CLOSING, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS.

AND WITH THAT THRIVE, WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING OUR PAYMENTS OUT.

THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROGRAM, SO, UH, 2026 IS SECOND YEAR OF THE THRIVE PROGRAM.

AND THEN FOR OUR CONTRACTED ACTIVITIES, UM, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M GONNA DO, LIKE, I'VE KIND OF DONE IT BEFORE, I'M NOT GONNA READ EVERYTHING HERE, BUT, UH, THE APPLICANTS, UH, DO HAVE EVENTS COMING UP BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT ARTS COMMISSION MEETING ARE THEATRO VIVO, UH, DANCE AFRICA FEST, OR EXCUSE ME, THOSE ARE THE YES, THEATRO VIVO DANCE, AFRICA FEST AND BEETHOVEN, UM, AS WELL AS SOCO WOMEN'S CHORUS, THE GALLERY, A TX AND AGNI FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS.

AND THAT IS MY CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAM PRESENTATION.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.

UM, JUST FOR, FOR CLARITY, WHEN WERE THE FINAL REPORTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 DUE FOR ELEVATE? UH, FOR ELEVATE THE FISCAL YEAR 2024, UH, FINAL REPORTS WERE DUE OF, UM, LAST ACTIVITIES WERE DECEMBER 31ST.

THEY WERE DUE JANUARY 31ST.

SO WE HAVE 40 OUTSTANDING AS OF APRIL 20TH ROUGHLY.

UM, YES, 40.

OUTSTANDING.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER, SMALL BOT.

I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

IS THERE A WAY, UH, IS THERE A PROCESS WHERE FOLKS LIKE REQUEST AN EXTENSION TO THEIR FINAL REPORT AND SO ARE SOME OF THOSE ACCOUNTED FOR? LIKE, I I JUST, SOMETIMES THIS GETS PRESENTED LIKE THERE'S A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LIKE NOT DOING THEIR REPORTS, BUT I KNOW IT'S VERY, LIKE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT A LOT OF FOLKS LIKE IN AT UT ARE REQUESTING, YOU KNOW, TO FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE EXTENSIONS TO THEIR FINAL REPORTS.

VERY COMMON.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF LIKE, THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

THERE ARE, UM, THERE, UH, THERE'S A, A TWO PART RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION.

OR, AND THEY HAVE, UH, CORRECTIONS AND THAT STAFF JUST HASN'T HAD A, A CHANCE TO, UH, LOOK AT THOSE CORRECTIONS.

UH, SO THE FIRST PART IS YES, THERE IS A, UM, A PROCEDURE OR A, YOU KNOW, A PROCESS IN PLACE IF PEOPLE WANT TO, UH, REQUEST EXTENSIONS.

SO, UM, BUT THE SECOND PART IS, UH, THERE'S A FEW, WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY, SO THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE EITHER, UM, AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR REVIEW PANELS IN FEBRUARY, SO, YOU KNOW, FINAL REPORTS WERE DUE JANUARY 31ST.

AND THEN JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY OF FEBRUARY WE WENT INTO THAT AND WE'VE BEEN GETTING OUR APPLICATIONS OUT.

SO A LOT OF IT IS JUST, UM, THEY'VE BEEN TURNED IN, UM,

[02:50:01]

SO I'LL SEE IF I CAN GIVE SOME MORE NUANCED NUMBERS.

'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT IS JUST SHOWING LIKE, HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE AND WHERE THE PAYMENTS ARE GOING, WHICH IS I THINK WHAT THE INITIAL, UM, IMPETUS OF, UH, THIS CHART WAS.

Y'ALL WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE PAYMENTS WERE, HOW THOSE WERE GOING, BUT IF WE CAN PROVIDE SOME MORE NUANCE BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, OH, THEY HAVEN'T TURNED IN THEIR FINAL REPORTS.

IT'S MAYBE THEY'VE TURNED THEM IN AND STAFF HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW 'EM.

MAYBE THEY HAVE TURNED THEM IN, STAFF HAS REVIEWED 'EM AND ASKED FOR CLARIFICATIONS.

UM, AND THEN WE'RE STILL WAITING TO GET THE CLARIFICATIONS.

UM, SO, UM, THAT COULD BE, UM, UH, THE REASON, UH, REASON FOR THAT.

THAT'S SUPER HELPFUL.

AND YEAH, I THINK THAT LIKE, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WOULD BE HELPFUL.

SO IT JUST DOESN'T APPEAR IF WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IS NOT, IT, IT CAN APPEAR THAT LIKE THERE'S JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T DONE THEIR REPORTS AND THAT'S ALARMING, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO JUST ANY WAY TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE LIKE, TEXTURE TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GENERALLY WANNA GIVE PEOPLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

UM, AND IT'S, I JUST KNOW IT'S REALLY COMMON TO HAVE VARIOUS THINGS HAPPEN, WHY THAT MIGHT BE EXTENDED PAST THE DATE, BUT WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT LIKE, ON THE RECORD, THAT THAT'S CLEAR.

SO THERE'S NOT THIS IMPRESSION THAT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ARE JUST LIKE SLACKING OFF ON THEIR REPORTING.

NINE, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS BY LAURA ODEGAARD, ACTING DIVISION MANAGER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DISCUSSION? THANK YOU, JESUS, APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK.

MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER

[9. Staff briefing regarding an update on the AACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, AACME]

ACME.

GOOD EVENING Y'ALL.

UM, AS CHAIR JUST MENTIONED, I'M LAURA ODEGAARD, ACTING DIVISION MANAGER FOR, UM, ART AUSTIN ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.

UH, DEPARTMENT REPORTING TO YOU ALL TONIGHT ON OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS. I THINK I HAVE CONTROL.

OKAY, COOL.

SO FIRST I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATED AWARD NUMBERS SLIDE.

SO THIS IS DIFFERENT SLIGHTLY FROM THE NUMBERS THAT I GAVE YOU AND SHARED WITH YOU ALL LAST MONTH.

SO THIS IS AFTER FOLKS HAD TO DECLINE AWARDS IF THEY RECEIVED MULTIPLE AWARDS.

SO THESE ARE UPDATED NUMBERS FROM THAT.

SO WE WENT FROM 731 TOTAL AWARDS TO WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY, WHICH IS 717 TOTAL AWARDS.

UM, WE ARE STILL AT 24 MILLION IN GRANT AMOUNTS.

YOU'LL SEE THE BREAKDOWN FOR EACH OF OUR FOUR PROGRAMS HERE.

SO AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND NOW HAS 395 AWARDS.

CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS STAYED THE SAME AT 22 AWARDS.

HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT STAYED THE SAME AT 22 AWARDS AND ELEVATE HAS 278 AWARDS NOW.

JUST WANT TO, TO SAY THAT THESE MIGHT CHANGE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE FUTURE BASED ON SOME, SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE REVIEWING WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.

SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT.

I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THE AWARDEE STATUS.

SO THIS IS BROKEN DOWN BY EVERY PROGRAM.

SO WE HAVE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, ELEVATE CSAP, AND HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT.

SO ON THE FAR LEFT SIDE WE HAVE OUR TOTAL AWARDEES FOR EACH PROGRAM.

AND EACH OF THE COLUMNS BASICALLY REPRESENTS THE DIFFERENT PHASES THAT AWARDEES ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW TO GET TO THE PART WHERE THEY'RE READY FOR THEIR FIRST PAYMENT.

SO IN THE PRE-CONTRACT PHASE ONE, THAT MEANS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY ATTENDED PRE-CONTRACT MEETINGS, SO WHETHER IT WAS THE IN-PERSON VIRTUAL MEETING OR WATCHED A RECORDING, UM, AND THEY HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEIR PRE AGREEMENT FORM YET.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE FIRST STEP OF ENTERING INTO CONTRACT.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE 41 FOLKS THAT HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEIR PRE AGREEMENT FORMS YET.

AFTER THEY'VE DONE THAT, THEN THEY GO INTO WHAT WE'RE CALLING PRE-CONTRACT PHASE TWO.

AND SO THIS MEANS THAT THEIR PRE AGREEMENT FORM HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AND IT NEEDS CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF REVIEW AND APPROVAL OR THAT HAS, THAT IT HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND THEY NEED TO MAKE UPDATES TO THEIR PRE AGREEMENT FORM OR THEY'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR PREVIOUS CONTRACT TO BE CLOSED OUT.

AND AS JESUS MENTIONED, SOME OF MOST OF THEM HAVE TURNED IN THEIR FINAL REPORTS AND WE'RE JUST WAITING ON STAFF TO REVIEW THE FINAL REPORT AND HELP CLOSE THAT OUT.

UM, SO WE HAVE 212 GRANTEES THAT ARE IN THIS PHASE TWO OF THE PRE-CONTRACT PHASE.

UM, THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE FINANCE FORM PHASE.

SO WE HAVE, THIS IS WHERE

[02:55:01]

THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO IT MEANS THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PRE AGREEMENT FORM, THEY'VE DONE ALL THE OTHER STEPS, THEY'VE ATTENDED THE MEETING, THEIR FORM HAS BEEN APPROVED BY CITY STAFF AND THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED TO RECEIVE THEIR FINANCE FORM.

SO WHEN THEY'RE IN THIS PHASE, THEY GET THEIR FINANCE FORM AND SO THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE WAITING TO ACTUALLY FILL IT OUT OR THEY'RE WAITING ON, UM, A VERIFICATION.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS PHASE IS THE LONG CENTER SENDS OUT TEST PAYMENTS TO AWARDEES AND THEN THE GRANTEE HAS TO VERIFY THAT THEY DID INDEED RECEIVE 2 CENTS OR 3 CENTS OR WHATEVER IT WAS.

UM, SO THE LONG CENTER FINANCE TEAM CAN DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, ACCOUNTING IS ALL LINED UP.

SO THAT IS THE NEXT PHASE GOING THROUGH THAT FINANCIAL CHECK.

AND THEN AFTER THAT HAPPENS, WE MOVE ON TO THE CONTRACTING PHASE.

AND THE CONTRACTING PHASE IS BASICALLY ALL OF THE PRE-CONTRACT STAGES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY'RE READY TO SIGN THEIR AGREEMENT.

UM, I'LL SAY THAT THE SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT, THAT IS THEN WHEN THEY RECEIVE THEIR FIRST PAYMENT.

SO THEIR FIRST 50% PAYMENT HAPPENS AFTER THEY SIGN THEIR AGREEMENT.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM OVER THE PAST MONTH AND A BIT TO REVIEW THE AGREEMENTS AS PART OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE WITH OUR LONG CENTER CONTRACT.

THEY'VE BEEN, THE LEGAL TEAM HAS WANTED TO LOOK AT THE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE LONG CENTER AND THE AWARDEES TO MAKE ANY POTENTIAL EDITS TO THOSE.

UM, SO WE ARE SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE THOSE BACK FROM THE LONG CENTER OR FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.

UM, HE WAS WORKING ON THEM BEFORE I CAME OVER HERE TO THE MICROPHONE.

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THOSE FINALIZED AND GIVEN TO THE LONG CENTER TOMORROW TO BUILD THOSE OUT IN THE SUBMITTABLE SYSTEM SO WE CAN GET THESE 100 PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THAT CONTRACTING PHASE SIGNED, UH, AND THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD FOR PAYMENTS.

AND SO POTENTIALLY AS EARLY AS THIS FRIDAY, WE WILL HAVE FIRST PAYMENTS GOING OUT FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS COMPLETED THAT.

UM, THAT ALL OF THE STEPS BASICALLY.

UM, BUT WE'LL KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

AND APOLOGIES THAT THERE IS A MISTAKE IN MY READY FOR PAYMENT 9% TOO, WHICH CLEARLY MAKES NO SENSE .

SO APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

UM, BUT THE NUMBER, THE 14% IS CORRECT, SO WE'LL JUST LOOK AT THAT ONE FOR RIGHT NOW.

AND A HALF STAFF HOURS OF ASSISTANCE THROUGH WORKSHOPS, OFFICE HOURS, AND ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS.

UM, I KNOW YOU ALL WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE APPEALS PROCESS LATER ON IN YOUR AGENDA, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SUMMARY FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP.

UM, SO THE DEADLINE FOR FOLKS TO FILL OUT THE APPEALS REQUEST FORM WAS MARCH 30TH.

UM, AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, THERE ARE ONLY THREE REASONS FOR AN ELIGIBLE APPEAL PANEL ADMINISTRATION ERROR, CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR REVIEWER OR STAFF ERROR.

SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY THREE POSSIBLE ELIGIBLE APPEAL REASONS.

WE HAD 88 APPEALS SUBMITTED BY THE DEADLINE.

FOUR OF THOSE WERE IN SPANISH.

STAFF THEN COMPILED ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF IF THAT WAS A VALID APPEAL REASON OR NOT A VALID APPEAL REASON.

AND THEN THEY SENT THOSE THAT ANALYSIS TO THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP.

SO THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP CONSISTED OF TWO ARTS COMMISSIONERS AND TWO MUSIC COMMISSIONERS.

IT WAS A JOINT WORKING GROUP.

UM, SIX APPEALS WERE DEEMED ELIGIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP.

UH, WE HAD ONE IN THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, ONE IN THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, AND FOUR IN ELEVATE.

THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP MET LAST FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH.

AND IT IS ACTION FOR YOU ALL THIS EVENING.

HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE BACKUP FOR THAT.

SO I WON'T GO INTO MORE DETAILS, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE APPEALS PROCESS WAS.

NEXT, I WANTED TO SHARE AN UPDATE ABOUT OUR NEXUS PROGRAM.

SO NEXUS JUST CLOSED LAST THURSDAY.

ON APRIL 17TH.

WE HAD 452 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED, EIGHT WERE IN SPANISH.

UH, AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE $500,000 AVAILABLE FOR 75 AWARDS.

SO THAT MEANS WE'LL ONLY BE ABLE TO FUND 17% OF THE APPLICATIONS TO NEXUS AT THIS TIME.

UH, AND THE, THE AWARDS ARE AT THE 5,000 AND $10,000 LEVEL.

UH, WANTED TO SHARE SOME OUTREACH NUMBERS.

SO WE HAD JUST OVER 220,000 PEOPLE REACHED THROUGH DIFFERENT MULTILINGUAL POSTCARDS, VARIOUS NEWSLETTERS, COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT STAFF ATTENDED, AS WELL AS RADIO PLACEMENTS ON KUTX AND CO-OP.

UM, WE HAD 166

[03:00:01]

AND 84 APPLICANTS RECEIVED DIRECT APPLICATION ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROGRAM.

UH, SO NEXT STEPS FOR NEXUS.

UH, RIGHT NOW THE 15 REVIEWERS ARE BEING TRAINED NEXT WEEK AND THEN THEY'RE, THEY WILL RECEIVE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY.

AS A REMINDER, THERE IS NOT A PANEL MEETING FOR THE NEXUS PROGRAM.

IT IS AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW FROM THE REVIEWERS.

UM, AND AT LEAST TWO REVIEWERS REVIEW EVERY APPLICATION.

UH, AND THEN THE SCORES ARE AVERAGE.

SO THE REVIEWERS ARE TRAINED ON THE RUBRIC AND, AND HOW TO SCORE, UH, IN THE SUBMITTABLE PROCESS AND THE SCORES ARE AVERAGED.

AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS IN MID-JUNE.

AND THEN NEXT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME RECENT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH.

UM, I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE RETROSPECTIVE MEETING STAGE OF THINGS.

UM, WHETHER THAT'S MEETINGS INTERNALLY WITH CITY STAFF, UM, AND LEADERSHIP WITH THE LONG CENTER WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

UM, I THINK AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THIS MEETING, WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE LANGUAGE ACCESS MEETING LAST WEEK WITH SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SOME JOINT, UM, REPRESENTATION FROM VARIOUS COMMISSIONS.

UM, SO SHARING SOME THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THAT.

UH, AS WE MOVE TOWARD OUR JULY LAUNCH, ALL AGREEMENTS WILL BE TRANSLATED INTO THE PREFERRED LANGUAGE OF THE AWARDEE, UM, AS A REFERENCE DOCUMENT.

SO IT WON'T BE THE OFFICIAL SIGNED COPY, BUT IT WILL BE PROVIDED AS A REFERENCE DOCUMENT, WHETHER THAT'S SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, WHATEVER THE PREFERRED LANGUAGE IS, WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT.

UM, I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UM, THIS COMMISSION AND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS PUT FORWARD IN THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS.

UM, MOVING FORWARD, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 2027, WHICH IS AFTER WE LAUNCHED THE NEXT ROUND OF PROGRAMS IN JULY.

BUT, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO PUT SOME MONEY ASIDE TO HAVE $40,000 FOR COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS FOR OUR JULY LAUNCHES.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WHAT THAT PROCESS, UM, AND APPLICATION CAN BE CURRENTLY.

UM, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS OUR GOAL.

UM, AS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE ON THIS COMMISSION, UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY WAS THERE IS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO BOTH APPLY FOR THE FUNDING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS SERVE AS A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH INTERNALLY, BUT THAT WAS A CONCERN PREVIOUSLY.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING, UM, THAT STAFF DISCUSSED AFTERWARDS WAS HAVING A SHARED WORD BANK.

UM, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT EXISTS LIKE THAT ON THE CITY SIDE, UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE MANY MORE NUANCED WORDS RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO OUR PROGRAM.

SO THE GOAL IS TO MAYBE HAVE A, I DON'T WANNA SAY A CHEAT SHEET, BUT A SHORTER VERSION OF THAT THAT WE CAN SHARE TO BOTH OUR PARTNERS AT THE LONG CENTER, BUT ALSO TO DIFFERENT INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATION GROUPS THAT WE WORK WITH.

SO EVERYONE IS USING THE SAME LANGUAGE.

UM, 'CAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE MEETING LAST WEEK WAS SOME OF OUR PANELISTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE RESPONDING, BUT MAYBE THE INTERPRETER DID NOT CAPTURE THAT COMMENT AS WELL AS THEY COULD HAVE OR DIDN'T USE THE WORDS THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SHARED WORD BANK THAT WE CAN RUN PAST MULTIPLE FOLKS, UM, AND KIND OF GET A SIGN OFF ON THAT.

EVERYONE IS IN AGREEMENT THAT THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT WE'LL BE USING FOR OUR PROGRAMS. UM, ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT IS WE'RE, WE'RE FIGURING OUT WHAT OUR PROCESS CAN LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS HAVING A SECONDARY REVIEW OF ALL TRANSLATIONS.

UM, THAT'S TYPICALLY, WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALREADY, BUT I THINK, UM, KIND OF FORMALIZING THAT AND IDENTIFYING WHAT THAT ACTUAL SOP LOOKS LIKE, UH, FOR QUICK COMMUNICATION I THINK IS, UM, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO MOVING FORWARD AS A DEPARTMENT.

UM, ADDITIONALLY I JUST WANTED TO, TO SHARE THAT WE'RE ALSO AS, AS ACME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUR DIFFERENT WRAPAROUND SERVICES CAN BE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY BEYOND OUR GRANTS.

UM, AND SO WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT'S KIND OF TALKING THROUGH WHAT THIS CAN BE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NEXT YEAR, NOT JUST LEADING UP TO A GRANT LAUNCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, SO WE'RE WORKING ON FIGURING OUT MAYBE PARTNERS, WHAT CAN CITY STAFF DO, WHAT CAN OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO, UM, TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT SUPPORT SERVICES, WORKSHOPS, CLASSES, THINGS LIKE THAT AROUND FINANCIAL LITERACY OR TAX HELP OR IP PRODUCTION PROTECTION.

UM, BUT ALSO MAYBE WE HAVE OUR

[03:05:01]

ACME, UM, PERMITTING STAFF.

THEY CAN PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE ABOUT PERMITTING, UM, OR OUR FACILITIES, HOW TO ACCESS THE FACILITIES BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, MAYBE THAT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM US, BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO TAP INTO SOME OF THESE OTHER CITY SERVICES THAT SUPPORT CREATIVES.

UM, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY HAVE, UM, A MORE, UH, ROBUST CALENDAR AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS A DEPARTMENT.

THIS NEXT THESE NEXT 12 MONTHS, UM, WE ARE REVIEWING THE SURVEY DATA STILL.

WE'VE HAD 68 RESPONSES SO FAR FROM THE PANELIST, UM, REVIEWER EXPERIENCE.

UM, I MENTIONED BEFORE WE HAD 152 RESPONSES FROM THE APPLICATION EXPERIENCE SURVEY.

WE HAVE STILL ONLY RECEIVED FOUR RESPONSES TO THE COMMISSIONER PERSPECTIVE SURVEY, AND THEY ARE ALL FOUR FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION, SO NO PRESSURE, BUT, UH, I HAVE NOT CLOSED IT YET.

ON THE OFF CHANCE THAT YOU ALL MIGHT STILL ONCE YOU PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND SOME FEEDBACK, SO IT IS THERE LINKED FOR, UM, FOR YOUR, HOPEFULLY FOR YOU TO CLICK ON IT AND, UH, AND PROVIDE US SOME OF YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

UM, BUT AGAIN, GONNA SHARE MORE DETAILED UPDATES, UM, IN MAY, SO NEXT MONTH BEFORE WE START THE BUILD OUT FOR OUR JULY LAUNCH.

AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER.

SHE HAS GRATEFULLY LEFT THAT SURVEY OPEN FOR US.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TRY TO GO IN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND GET THAT SURVEY DONE.

I AM ULL C AS WELL.

, PLEASE GET THAT SURVEY DONE.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

HI THERE.

MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, BRING UP ITEM 17 AND 14 TOGETHER SO THAT THE NOT 17 YES.

UH, LAURA, YOU'RE DOING A, A, AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TEST AND APPRECIATE YOU.

UM, I WANTED TO, UH, NOTE ABOUT THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES ISSUE.

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL, AGAIN, THINK IN A MORE, UM, UPON DRAWING FROM COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.

YOU HAVE AT LEAST SIX OR SEVEN ARTS SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN TOWN THAT DO THIS WORK EVERY DAY, ALL DAY.

AND, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO MEET THE ART SERVICES GROUPS BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THERE SOMETIMES ISN'T A, A, A PLACE FOR US IN IONS TO THE CITY.

AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT GETS FIXED.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO EXPAND ITS REACH TO THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY, AND WE CAN HELP DO THAT.

AND I SAY WE, 'CAUSE I RUN AN ART SERVICES ORGANIZATION.

I DON'T MEAN ME IN PARTICULAR, BUT THERE ARE ARE MANY, UH, SERVICES PROVIDED BY, BY MANY SUPER COMPETENT, SUPER CONNECTED BOOTS ON THE GROUND PEOPLE.

SO, UM, I HOPE YOU'LL ENGAGE WITH THE, THE GROUP THAT IS FORMING, UM, THE ASSOCIATION OF ART SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS OF AUSTIN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH A HOST, UH, WITH A VARIETY OF ART SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT REASON.

UM, BECAUSE WE DO NOT, WE AREN'T THE EXPERTS IN THAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE EXPERTS IN THAT.

WE WANNA WORK WITH PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK, UM, AND WE CAN BETTER LEVERAGE CITY FUNDING AND COMMUNITY REACH, UM, FOR THAT PURPOSE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR A VERY, VERY GOOD OVERVIEW AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S A HARD LIFT.

I WOULD LIKE TO

[17.Update from Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (AACME) Funding Appeals Working Group with Commissioners Anderson and Hussaini ]

17.

SO THAT THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP CAN GIVE THEIR REPORT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PULLING 17 UP BEFORE 14, PLEASE SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

ANY OPPOSED? SAYING NO OPPOSITION.

WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO ITEM 17, UPDATE FROM AUSTIN CULTURES MUSIC EDUCATION, FUNDING APPEALS, WORKING GROUP COMMISSIONERS ANDERSON IN HUSSEI.

SO IT'S ON YOU, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

UM, I DON'T THINK, UM, JESUS, PENTEL, ARE YOU THERE? I DON'T THINK THAT THE RESULTS OF THE WORKING GROUP HAVE BEEN REVEALED YET.

IS THAT CORRECT? JESUS.

I DON'T WANNA SAY ANYTHING I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY.

SORRY.

I'M HERE NOW.

BACKUP FOLDER THERE WAS, UM, AN ITEM 14 FOLDER.

UM, UH, YES, I DID.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO, UH, PLACE THOSE IN THE BACKUP.

I CAN SPEAK.

UM, AND SO IN YOUR

[03:10:01]

AND SO THAT WILL HAVE, UM, SOME INFORMATION.

THERE'S A WORD DOCUMENT AND WE CAN BRING THAT, I THINK WE HAVE THAT AS THE BACKUP, SO WE CAN BRING THAT UP EITHER WHILE YOU'RE TALKING, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, IF YOU WANT ME TO, OR, UM, WE CAN, UH, DISCUSS THAT LATER.

BUT IT IS IN YOUR BACKUP WITH THE, UM, WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, YES, I MEAN, THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS THAT, FIRST OF ALL IS THE ONE THING THAT WAS, UH, TABLED JESUS, HAS THAT BEEN RESOLVED OR WE NEED A, A FURTHER WAITING PERIOD ON THAT.

THE ONE A, UM, I HAVE AN ANALYSIS, UM, FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO THERE WAS, UM, A RECOMMENDATION WITH A FURTHER RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WE'LL GET TO OKAY.

JUST FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, UH, FOR Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND.

BUT I HAVE AN ANALYSIS ON THAT AS WELL.

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.

SO YES, WE ONLY LOOKED AT SIX CASES AND IN MOST OF THE CASES, UH, EVEN IF THE APPEAL WAS, UH, APPROVED OR AGREED WITH THE DIFFERENCE, THE DIFFERENTIAL IN SCORE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO, UM, CHANGE THE DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE APPLICANT RECEIVED A GRANT OR NOT IN MOST OF THOSE CASES.

I AM OPENING UP YOUR BACKUP RIGHT NOW, OR CAN SOMEONE PULL IT UP THERE OR THE WORLD TO SEE, OR IS THAT NOT WHAT WE DO? YES, I THINK IT SHOULD BE COMING UP ON THE SCREEN SHORTLY IF IT'S NOT UP ON THERE FOR YOU ALREADY.

OH, THERE, IT'S APPEALS.

UH, REVIEWERS IN CHARGES, UM, UH, SCORING TO SEE IF THEY WERE AN OUTLIER.

SO, UM, THE SCOTT BA'S A APPEAL WAS APPROVED, UM, FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND FOR $20,000.

UM, AND, UH, ART LEE WORLD, ALYSSA TAYLOR WENT AND, AND BEN RAND, UH, THEIR APPEAL WAS APPROVED, BUT THE FUNDING OUTCOME WAS UNCHANGED.

SO THERE IS NO AWARD, UM, SCRIPT SCHOOL, DAVID POPE, UH, THE APPEAL WAS APPROVED, THE FUNDING OUTCOME WAS UNCHANGED, NO AWARD, BUT THERE WAS A FURTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR STAFF TO REVIEW, UH, IF BIAS AFFECTED, UH, WAS IT WAS IN EFFECT, UM, AMONG THE PANEL IF ONE OF THE PANEL PANELISTS ATTEMPTED TO, UH, INFLUENCE THE OTHERS.

UM, SO THAT WILL NEED FURTHER REVIEW.

UM, ESTHER'S FOLEY'S, THEIR APPROVAL WAS APPEALED AND THE FUNDING OUTCOME WAS UNCHANGED BECAUSE THE SCORE DIFFERENTIAL WAS, WAS TOO SMALL.

SO, AND I CAN SPEAK A BIT MORE ON, UH, DAVID POPE AND SCRIPT SCHOOL, OR I CAN IF COMMISSIONER THANK ANDERSON.

SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO NO, PLEASE DO.

PLEASE GO, GO.

UM, AND SO, UM, I, I HAD THAT AS A FURTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR STAFF TO INVESTIGATE BECAUSE AS PART OF THE WORKING GROUPS, UM, DISCUSSION, UM, AS WAS KIND OF MENTIONED EARLIER, BOTH, UM, UM, LAURA MENTIONED IT EARLIER AND COMMISSIONER ANDERSON WAS MENTIONING IT JUST NOW.

THERE WERE 88, UM, INITIAL APPEALS, UM, BUT ONLY SIX OF THOSE WERE FOUND EVEN, UH, TO POTENTIALLY BE ELIGIBLE.

AND AS COMMISSIONER ANDERSON WAS JUST STATING, UM, ONLY FIVE OF THOSE, EVEN THOUGH ALL SIX OF THEM WERE, UH, FOUND TO BE TECHNICALLY ELIGIBLE FOR APPEAL, ONLY ONE THE APPEAL WOULD STILL.

AND SO WHAT WE DID IS, UM, BASICALLY WE TOOK THAT, UM, REVIEWER SCORE, UH, COMPLETELY AWAY.

UM, WE AVERAGED THE REMAINING SCORES TOGETHER, UM, IF THEY AND USE THE OLYMPIC SCORING METHOD, UM, WHICH IS WHERE WE TAKE OUT THE HIGHEST AND THE LOWEST SCORING.

AND SO BY DOING ALL OF THAT, WE WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR THEIR APPEAL TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE SECOND FRONT WHERE IT ACTUALLY RESULTS IN AN AWARD BEING, UM, UM, AWARDED, UM, THEY HAVE TO SCORE AT LEAST WHAT THE MINIMUM WAS AMOUNT IN THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.

AND SO, UH, SCOTT MCINTOSH AND THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, UH, WAS THE ONLY ONE WHOSE, UH, SUCCESSFUL APPEAL RESULTED IN A SCORE HIGH ENOUGH FOR HIM TO RECEIVE FUNDING, UM, FOR DAVID POPE AND SCRIPP SCHOOL.

THE UM, UH, WORKING GROUP WANTED, UM, STAFF TO DO A FURTHER ANALYSIS TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY, UH, BIAS, UM, THAT, UH, THE REVIEWER, UM, IN THE APPEAL, THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT COULD BE APPEALED.

UM, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WITH 88 APPEALS, ONLY SIX WERE FOUND TO BE ELIGIBLE.

UM, SO THERE WAS, UH, SOMETHING IN SCRIPT SCHOOL'S APPEAL, UH, THAT WAS NOT FOUND ELIGIBLE BY STAFF, BUT, UM, THE WORKING GROUP WANTED, UM, STAFF TO LOOK, UH, CLOSER INTO IT.

UM, AND SO, UH, WHAT WE DID, WHAT I DID IS, UM, I LOOKED, UM, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORKING GROUP, UM, LOOKED AT THE,

[03:15:01]

LIKE IN OTHER APPLICATIONS.

THEY WERE NOT THE LOWEST SCORING, UM, UM, REVIEWER LIKE THEY WERE IN THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION IN ALL OF THE OTHER ONES.

UM, AND IN MANY OF THEM THEY WERE, UM, A HIGHER REVIEWER AND SO THEY WERE NOT ALWAYS THE LOWEST SCORE.

SO THERE WAS NO BIAS THAT WE COULD FIND THAT WAY.

UH, THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE LOOKED AT IS, UM, THE REVIEWER MADE A COMMENT.

UM, AND SO THERE WAS, UH, DISCUSSION, COULD THAT COMMENT, UM, UM, ASKING THE OTHER, UH, REVIEWERS TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LOOK AT SOME OF THE BACKUP MATERIAL, COULD THAT HAVE, UH, CHANGED THEIR, UM, UM, INFORMATION.

UM, BECAUSE A THING THAT WAS APPEALED WAS, UH, THAT THERE WAS, UM, INCORRECT INFORMATION IN THERE.

SO WE FOUND THAT THE CORRECT AD INFORMATION WAS ACTUALLY IN THERE.

UM, BUT THEN LOOKING AT THE OTHER REVIEWER SCORES, THEIR WRITTEN COMMENTS SEEMED TO MATCH WHAT WAS, UH, WITH THEIR, UH, THEIR SCORES AS WELL.

SO IT DID NOT SEEM THAT THE COMMENT THAT THE, UH, REVIEWER IN QUESTION MADE, UM, ADVERSELY AFFECTED OR MADE THE, UM, OTHER REVIEWERS CHANGE THEIR SCORES.

WE LOOKED INTO THAT BECAUSE VERBALLY WE WATCHED THE RECORDING AS WELL.

UM, SOME OF THE REVIEWERS DID SEEM TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT MADE THEM, UM, KIND OF, UH, THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.

UH, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE DO DO WITH ALL OF THE REVIEW PANELS, UM, WE, UH, LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT SCORING ON CONSENSUS.

THEY CAN HAVE DIFFERENT TAKES.

THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ALL COME TO THE SAME SCORE.

A DIFFERENT REVIEWER CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT TAKE.

AND THEN BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT APPLICATION, WE FINALIZE EACH SCORE ON THE FINAL APPLICATION.

SO WE GIVE THE PANELISTS A TIME TO, UM, THINK ABOUT THEIR SCORES AND THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO, BUT THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR SCORE, UH, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THEY RECEIVED FROM THEIR OTHER, UH, FROM THEIR FELLOW PANELISTS.

SO, UH, WITH THAT ANALYSIS BEING FOUND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD REVERT TO THE, UH, UM, WORKING GROUPS, UM, ORIGINAL APPEAL, UM, OR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION, EXCUSE ME, WHICH IS, UH, JUST LIKE, UM, ALL THE OTHER ELEVATE, UH, FOR ARTLEY WORLD.

ALYSSA TAYLOR WENT AND BEN RANDALL, AS WELL AS THE HERITAGE PRESSERS SPIES THAT, UH, THE APPEAL BE APPROVED.

UM, BUT IT DOES NOT RESULT IN A FUNDING OUTCOME, UM, CHANGE, UM, TO CHANGE THE AWARD, UM, BECAUSE UPON THE FURTHER REVIEW THAT WAS NOT FOUND TO BE ELIGIBLE.

SO IT'S JUST THE INITIAL, UH, WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION.

SO, UM, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONER ANDERSON OR TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS IF THERE ARE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.

WHEN WE UPDATED THE NUMBERS, SO FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AS THE EXAMPLE IN THIS CASE, SO EVERYONE THAT DECLINED LIVE MUSIC FUND BECAUSE THEY WERE ACCEPTING THEIR ELEVATE AWARD, INSTEAD WE TOOK THOSE OFF THE LIST AND THE MONEY THEN INCREASES IN, UM, IN OUR LMF POT.

I HAVE, UH, JUST A, A ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP, BUT ALSO A QUESTION.

SO MY COMMENT IS, UM, THAT IT, THE 82 APPEALS THAT THE WORKING GROUP WAS NOT ABLE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT OR ARGUE OR DIVE INTO, UH, THEY WERE NOT AT ALL DISCUSSED IN IN OUR MEETING.

UM, ONLY THE SIX WERE DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETING.

AND SO THE 82 WERE STRICTLY DECIDED BY STAFF.

SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, IF THAT WAS UNCLEAR.

SECONDLY, UM, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT $20,000 THAT'S NOW GOING TO BE GIVEN OVER.

AND IN THE PREVIOUS, UH, IN LAURA'S PRESENTATION, THERE WERE 730 SOMETHING, I THINK 33 MAYBE INITIAL AWARDS, BUT THEN THERE WERE DOUBLE UPS, AND SO IT GOT BROUGHT DOWN TO 717.

SO I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY IN THE BUCKETS MOVES.

DOES THE MONEY, LIKE, LET'S SAY IF THERE WERE 10 LIVE MUSIC AWARD GRANTS THAT WERE NOT USED BECAUSE THAT THOSE PEOPLE ALSO GOT ELEVATOR AWARDS OR SOMETHING AND THEY CHOSE THE ELEVATE ONE, DOES THE LIVE MUSIC MONEY STAY IN LIVE MUSIC FOR THE NEXT ROUND? OR CAN IT BE RE AWARDED? WAS SOME OF THAT USED FOR THE $20,000 APPEAL? HOW DOES THE MONEY ACTUALLY WORK? THANKS LAURA.

GREAT QUESTIONS.

COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

UM, AND HAPPY TO PROVIDE KIND OF A, A, A DEEPER DIVE ON THIS, UM, MAYBE FOR YOU ALL NEXT MONTH.

IN CASE YOU'RE CURIOUS.

UM, MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THE FUND IS AND WHERE IT COMES FROM.

SO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND MONEY HAS TO GO TO LIVE MUSIC FUND AWARDS.

UM, THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, THAT MONEY HAS TO GO TO HERITAGE AWARDS, THE ELEVATE THRIVE NEXUS FUNDS, THOSE ARE ALL PART OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND, WHICH HAS, I'D SAY, A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN THE OTHER TWO.

UM, SO WHEN WE SAY,

[03:20:01]

AND THEN WE'LL BE USING THAT $20,000 FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND TO GO TO THIS SUCCESSFUL APPEAL IF YOU ALL APPROVE THE, THE APPEALS, UM, PROCESS.

SO I THINK I'M LIKE, WAS THAT YOUR ACTUAL QUESTION? I'M QUESTIONING MYSELF RIGHT NOW.

WELL, YES, YES.

BUT LIKE, IF THERE WERE MORE, WOULD THE MONEY HOLD OVER FOR NEXT YEAR OR WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT THIS YEAR? SO OUT OF EACH POT, I GET THAT THERE ARE SEPARATE POTS.

YES, I'M TRACKING NOW.

UM, SO FOR ELEVATE SPECIFICALLY, WE HAD, WE EXPECTED A LOT OF APPEALS THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT WAS A NEW, UM, STRUCTURE WITH EVERYONE BEING UNDER ACME.

SO WE HAD A BUFFER OF CLOSE TO $200,000 IN CASE WE HAD A LOT OF APPEALS.

I WILL SAY THAT I THINK JESUS MENTIONED THIS, UM, WHEN WE FIRST FORMED THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE APPEALS, UM, PROCESS, BUT IN THE GUIDELINES IT SAYS THAT IF A SUCCESSFUL APPEAL IS MADE, FUNDING WILL DEPEND ON AVAILABLE MONIES LEFT.

UM, SO WE DIDN'T WANNA BE IN, YOU KNOW, THE OPPOSITE SITUATION WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY IN CASE THERE WERE SUCCESSFUL APPEALS.

SO WE HAD MONEY, WE HAD SUCCESSFUL APPEALS, BUT IT DIDN'T IMPACT THEIR SCORE IN A WAY THAT THEN RAISED THEM TO THE LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE GONNA RECEIVE THE FUNDS.

SO I THINK THE, THE HEART OF THE QUESTION IS WHERE DOES THE EXTRA MONEY GO? IF WE HAVEN'T SPENT ALL 13 MILLION IN ELEVATE, WE ARE ONLY GONNA BE SPENT ONLY, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE SPENDING, LET ME SCROLL DOWN.

WHAT WAS IT? UM, $12.6 MILLION, NOT ALL $13 MILLION.

THAT'S WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.

SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT FUNDS? THE SHORT ANSWER IS IT WILL ROLL OVER TO THE NEXT CYCLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T, IT'S, IT'S TRICKY TO SPREAD THINGS OUT AMONGST, UM, LIKE THE NEXT TIER OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY TIES THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO, SO WE, WE CAN'T JUST SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE AN EXTRA 20,000, LET'S GIVE IT TO THIS PERSON BECAUSE THEY GOT THE NEXT HIGHEST SCORE WHEN THERE WERE ACTUALLY 15 PEOPLE TIED AT THAT LEVEL, AND WE CAN'T GIVE FUNDING TO ALL OF THEM.

SO THAT'S WHERE IT GETS REALLY TRICKY, WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE THE EASIEST ANSWER WOULD BE LIKE, OH, THE MONEY GOES TO THE NEXT PERSON ON THE LIST.

UM, BUT THE, THE REALITIES OF THAT AREN'T, UM, AREN'T SO SIMPLE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S REALLY TOO BAD.

I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, IF SOME OF THESE FUNDS CAN GO TO WRAPAROUND SERVICES.

WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA FUNDING BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF THE TIES IN CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND THOSE ARE GENERAL FUNDS.

SO WE WANT TO USE THOSE DOLLARS TO MAYBE HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH DIFFERENT PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE PROVIDING SOME OF THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.

UM, SO, SO THAT'S WHERE MAYBE SOME OF THE EXTRA CSEP MONEY COULDN'T GO TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT MOVING FORWARD.

UM, I WILL SAY TOO, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK AND WE'LL LOOK AT ALL OF THIS.

AFTER THE APPEALS HAS HAPPENED, AFTER WE'VE SORTED OUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, WE'VE HAD TO RESCIND A FEW AWARDS.

SO AFTER EVERYTHING KIND OF SETTLES, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND WE WILL SEE IF, IF THERE IS AN INSTANCE WHERE MAYBE THERE WERE ONLY FIVE PEOPLE TIED IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

UM, SO WE, WE DO DO THAT.

UM, AFTER, AFTER WE GET THROUGH THIS, UM, KIND OF INITIAL STAGE OF THINGS.

I REALLY HOPE YOU WILL DO THAT.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE, UH, VERY MEANINGFUL TO THOSE FIVE PEOPLE FOR SURE.

I HAVE A, A QUESTION REALLY, REALLY QUICK.

WHAT WAS THE HIGH SCORE ON THE MUSIC? THE LIVE MUSIC FUND? THE HIGH SCORE ON ELEVATE NEXUS IS A HUNDRED, RIGHT? WHAT IS THE HIGH SCORE ON LIVE MUSIC? I'M SORTING RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WAS A HUNDRED AS WELL.

UM, THE, THE TOTAL POSSIBLE WAS A HUNDRED, BUT THE HIGHEST SCORE WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED IN LIVE MUSIC WAS A 99.

ONE PERSON GOT A 99.

UH, 14 TO, UH, DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE THAT'S ON ITEM 14? OH, MOVING ITEM 14.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

SO LET'S MOVE TO ITEM,

[03:25:01]

OKAY, I SEE.

MOVE TO ITEM

[14. Approve the recommendations by the Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (AACME) Funding Appeals Working Group]

14, APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT FUNDING APPEALS WORKING GROUP.

THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR, UH, MOTION.

COMMISSIONER CHENEY, I MOTION TO APPROVE.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION OF THE ARTS AND PUBLIC PLACES? I MEAN, UH, ACME FUNDING APPEALS WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION.

ANY DISCUSSION? SAYING NONE? I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATION PUT FORTH BY THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP SIGNIFY BY SAYING, I ARE RAISING YOUR HAND.

NOTATING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, SKODA IS OFF THE DAAS.

ANYONE OPPOSED? SEEING NO OPPOSITION? THE RECOMMENDATION PASSES.

PLEASE SEND THE RECOMMENDATION.

NOW MOVING INTO ITEM 15, UPDATE FROM ARTS AND PUBLIC ARTS MUSIC COMMISSION WORKING GROUP ON URBAN COURT ISSUES WITH COMMISSIONER, SMALL BLOCK CHAIR.

I HAVE NO UPDATES 'CAUSE WE HAVE NOT MET THIS MONTH.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

UPDATE ITEM

[16. Update from Arts Commission Bylaws Working Group with Commissioners Houston, Garza, Keys, and Anderson (Chair) ]

16, UPDATE FROM COMMISSION BYLAWS, WORKING GROUP COMMISSIONERS, HOUSTON GARZA, KEYS AND ANDERSON CHAIR.

NO UPDATE.

SEE YOU IN MAY.

I DO WANT TO, UH, SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN, THE IDEA HAS BEEN FLOATED THAT ARTS COMMISSION AND MUSIC COMMISSION BE COMBINED INTO A LARGER COMMISSION.

I'M JUST PUTTING THAT INTO THE UNIVERSE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED SUGGESTED BY WHOM.

IT'S JUST, IT'S IN THE ETHOS OF THE WORLD THAT THAT ARTS COMMISSION AND MUSIC COMMISSION SHOULD BE, COULD BE A LARGER BODY THAT COMBINED THE WORK INSTEAD OF HAVING THE TWO SEPARATE COMMISSIONS.

CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THOSE AGENDAS WOULD LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND IT CONCEPTUALLY.

LIKE THAT'S NOT, I I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE THAT WE SILO OURSELVES SO MUCH, BUT I MEAN, WE DO HAVE SEPARATE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE POTS OF FUNDING, SEPARATE GRANT MAKING PROCESSES, AND JUST LIKE 30, WELL, THE GRANT PROCESSES, NINE 30 IS THE SAME FOR LIVE MUSIC AS ELEVATE AND HERITAGE.

SO IT'S THE SAME FUNDING PROCESS, IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT BUCKET OF MONEY, BUT ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT GET THAT BUCKET OF MONEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CULTURAL FUNDING BUCKET OF MONEY.

SO I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE.

NO, I, I AGREE WITH YOU.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GREAT RATIONALE FOR COMBINING THE TWO COMMISSIONS THOUGH PERSONALLY AND ALSO JUST PRACTICALLY LIKE, OH MY GOD, IMAGINE WHAT THE AGENDA WOULD LOOK LIKE.

SO FOR

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]

FUTURE ITEM AGENDA, UH, WE NEED TO PUT ON SOMETHING TO CREATE THAT WORKING GROUP THAT WAS SUGGESTED FROM PUBLIC COMMENT BETWEEN ARTS COMMISSION, ACME LATINO, HISPANIC COMMISSION, QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, AND THE MS. ZOMM ADVISORY GROUP.

DO I HAVE A SECOND TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA? MALDONADO SECOND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE COMMISSIONER MALDONADO CREATING A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE, UH, CAST RECOMMENDATION, THE COALITION FOR AUSTIN ART, SPANISH LANGUAGE THEATER FOR THE EXPANSION OF LATINO ARTISTS ACCESS PROGRAM.

TO HAVE A SECOND TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.

ALSO, NOTICE NOTE, WANT TO NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER KEYS HAS BROUGHT UP THAT WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD GET A PRESENTATION ON THE CULTURAL RESET AND THE CULTURAL FACILITIES.

IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE GET THAT? YES, WE PUT THAT REQUEST AND JUST, YEAH, JUST FOR CONTEXT, I HAD SPOKEN ABOUT IT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS ABOUT THE UTILIZATION OF THE CULTURAL FACILITIES.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED OR MONITORED OR, OR ANY RESEARCH DONE ON THAT.

I ASKED ABOUT THE, UM, DORY MILLER AUDITORIUM AND THEIR STUDIO THERE AND THE UTILIZATION OF THAT, OR THE CURRENT STATUS OF THAT AS WELL.

I ASKED ABOUT THE, I DON'T KNOW, 20 TO 30 DIFFERENT IDEAS I SENT ABOUT UTILIZING THE CARVER, THE MILLENNIUM AS WELL AS DORY MILLER.

UM, SO ANY STATUS ON THAT AS WELL AS WHILE I DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL ABOUT,

[03:30:01]

UM, WHERE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS FROM THE CARVER, I GUESS THEY, AFTER SIX, IT HASN'T BEEN SIX MONTHS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER ROLE.

UM, BUT THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE PUBLICLY COMMUNICATED.

I JUST RECEIVED THE EMAIL, UM, THAT WAS SENT TO THE, UH, CARVER STAKEHOLDERS.

BUT I DO THINK ADDRESSING THAT BECAUSE I HAD INITIALLY ADDRESSED THE HIRING PROCESS BEFORE IN THE CULTURE AT THE, AT THE CARVER AND THEN FOR US TO HAVE A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AFTER A SEARCH AND THEY NOT LAST FIVE MONTHS AND NO ONE REALLY ADDRESSED IT OR ANYTHING.

I THINK THAT ALSO IMPACTS OR FALLS UNDER CULTURAL CENTERS AS WELL.

WE PUT A REQUEST UP TO HAVE, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE, BE IT FUTURE MEETINGS.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THAT.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CREATIVE RESET PHASE TWO, WHICH FOCUSES ON THESE ISSUES.

AND WE GOT A COMMITMENT, UH, FOR OUR TEAM TO COME IN MAY.

SO THEY WILL BE HERE IN MAY WHERE, UH, THERE WAS SOME PREP WORK HAPPENING.

SO THEY HAVE ACTUAL PROGRESS TO BRING TO THE TABLE SINCE THEY WERE EARLY IN THE PHASE TWO WORK, BUT YES.

GOTCHA.

THEY'LL BE HERE IN MAY AND I THINK, UM, INTERIM, UH, CAO CANDACE COOPER, UH, JUST SENT AN EMAIL OUT.

SHE, SHE'S BEEN LISTING, SHE COULDN'T BE HERE IN PERSON TONIGHT, BUT SHE'S WATCHING THE MEETING SO SHE'S HEARING ALL THE FEEDBACK.

GOTCHA.

AND I DO WANNA ADD AS WELL THAT SURVEY BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECENT SURVEY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO, UM, I GUESS COMMUNICATE OR INFORM WHERE FUNDING WOULD BE AS IT RELATED TO THE CREATIVE RESET TOO.

SO JUST THE RESULTS OF THE, THOSE SURVEYS AS WELL.

WE'LL MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE AGENDA AND WE'LL WORK ON THOSE.

THAT PRESENTATION.

COMMISSIONER MADLA.

HI CHAIR.

UM, I, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO PROPOSE, UH, UH, MAYBE, UH, CONSIDERING ANOTHER DATE FOR A JOINT MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSION MEETING SEE, SO TO, TO LIKE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING.

UH, YEAH, YEAH, WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, GREAT TO HAVE ONE EITHER THIS QUARTER, NEXT QUARTER.

I THINK THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY SPECIAL MEETINGS THAT CAN BE DONE AND UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO UH, SHARE NOTES, UH, IN THAT CONTEXT AND ANY JOINT RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE.

THAT WOULD BE A GREAT FORUM.

UM, YOU KNOW, PRO AND CONS AROUND MINING COMMISSIONS AND ALL, BUT THAT'S NOT STILL REALLY OFFICIALLY ON THE AGENDA.

SO THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY.

I DO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SCH ON WHAT THAT AGENDA MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

ALSO, I THINK, UM, UH, NUANCES BETWEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, MUSIC AND ARTS AND HOW THEY ARE COMMON AND HOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT ALSO NEED TO BE WELL UNDERSTOOD.

UH, BUT ANYWAY, I'M, I'M DIAGNOSING BUT I WOULD LOVE TO ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING IF POSSIBLE.

I SECOND THAT.

SO ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE, WOULD BE SCHEDULING THE CALLED MEETING? YEAH, WE COULD DISCUSS WHAT WOULD BE A, A GOOD, UH, DATE AND TIME FOR THAT AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BOUNCE IT OFF BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONS AND COME TO SOME CONCLUSION.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF ART IN AUSTIN, PLEASE DO THE ACME SURVEY.

PLEASE DO THE ACME SURVEY.

IT LOOKS REALLY BAD THAT NOBODY IN THE RS Q HAS DONE THE SURVEY.

I'M SORRY.

I WILL GET IT DONE.

COMMISSIONER KEYS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAD THE MEETING ABOUT THE BYLAWS AND SO I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS BEING FLOATED AROUND AS FAR AS MERGING HIM.

BUT I KNOW IT ALSO WAS DISCUSSED AS FAR AS, UM, NOT, UH, AS FAR AS HAVING, UM, ONE PERSON SIT ON TWO COMMISSIONS AS WELL.

I KNOW WE HAD STARTED DISCUSSING THAT IN THE BYLAWS, SO I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO JUST START DISCUSSING WHAT ALL OF THE BYLAWS AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE INFORMING IT, THEN WE JUST NEED TO, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER EVERYTHING ACROSS THE BOARD.

THERE'S BEEN SOME, SOME COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ABOUT, ABOUT YOU NAGA VALLEY, NOT CHARLA, UH, UH, JUST TO, TO POTENTIALLY UH, POINT OUT THE FACT THAT UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSOLIDATION OF OF CROSSOVER THERE.

BUT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING, WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT, GINO? LIKE THE WAY YOU'RE ON THE DOWNTOWN EX EX YEAH, THANK YOU EXOFFICIO MEMBERS.

THE IDEA THAT THERE COULD BE AN ARTS COMMISSIONER DOING THAT TO MUSIC AND A MUSIC COMMISSIONER DOING THAT TO ARTS.

THAT HAVE BEEN ONE OF MY DISCUSSIONS TODAY AS WELL.

NOT I AM, I AM AS I UNDERSTAND THE FIRST APPOINTING BETWEEN THE TWO COMMISSIONS.