* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:05]
          HI EVERYONE. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          UH, WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE JULY 8TH, 2026, UH, MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION. 
          AND, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I I'M SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM HERE. 
          WE HAVE ANYBODY ON VIRTUAL? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT. 
          ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE MOST EVERYONE IN PERSON HERE. 
          DO WE? I KNOW THAT WE HEARD THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER PIERCE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT. 
          DO WE HEAR ANYTHING FROM COMMISSIONER CHAPEL? WE HAVE NOT. 
          OKAY. 
          WE'LL ASSUME HE'S GONNA BE WITH JOINING US SHORTLY, BUT THAT BEING THE CASE, I'M BRINGING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND I JUST WANNA ASK RIGHT OFF THE TOP, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY? THERE IS NONE, NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THAT HELPS US MOVE THE MEETING ALONG. 
          I'M, I'M GRATEFUL. 
          GREAT. 
          [APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WITH THAT, I GUESS THEN, UM, LET'S START WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE. 
          THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR, OUR JUNE, UH, 10TH MEETING, HOPE EVERY HAD. 
          THEY, THEY ARE PRETTY STREAMLINED, MAINLY REPRESENTING THE, SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE REVIEWED AND, UH, OUR QUICK CONVERSATION WE HAD AROUND OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS FURTHER IN THIS MEETING. 
          BUT, UM, PLEASE REVIEW AND I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER CHANIN HAS GIVEN ME A MOTION. 
          DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. 
          THANK YOU VICE CHAIR, MASTERS. 
          UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM JUNE. 
          PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          LOOKS UNANIMOUS. 
          WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, EVERYONE. 
          OH, YOU'RE READY? OKAY. 
          THIS GUY . 
          [2. Presentation by Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment, regarding an overview of the Hotel Occupancy Tax Grants. Presentation by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager.]
SO WE ARE, WE ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER TWO. 
          AND, UH, FIRST OFF, LET ME JUST SAY WE'RE WELCOMING THE AUSTIN OR THE ACME DEPARTMENT WHO IS VISITED WITH US BEFORE. 
          AND THE PRESENTATION WE'RE RECEIVING TODAY WAS A REQUEST FROM, UH, THE, UH, DIVISION ON THE LAST TO DELAY AND TO DO THIS AT A LATER DATE. 
          WE'RE MAKING GOOD TODAY. 
          IT IS A LATER DATE, BUT I ALSO WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON GETTING THE FIR THE ROUND OF APPLICATIONS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS GRANTS. 
          THAT'S EXCITING. 
          WE CARE ABOUT ALL OF THIS. 
          SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU COULD COME AND, AND HELP US TODAY GET CAUGHT UP ON THE HERITAGE SIDE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM. 
          BUT, UH, SO, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL INTRODUCE LAURA ODEGAARD. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, THE ACTING DIVISION MANAGER WHO WILL, WHO WILL WALK US THROUGH, UM, THE PROCESS AND INFORMATION. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AROUND THE, UH, HOT TAXES AND HERITAGE GRANTS. 
          TAKE IT AWAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. 
          SO, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS LAURA ODEGAARD, ACTING DIVISION MANAGER FOR AUSTIN'S ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT. 
          UH, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, I, I WANT TO KIND OF STEP BACK AND KIND OF FRAME THINGS A LITTLE BIT AND SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT WE WERE, UH, JUST ABOUT READY TO MAKE PUBLIC BACK IN MARCH. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO HAVE US, UH, BACK WITH YOU ALL TODAY. 
          UH, I'M NOT SURE IF MORGAN MENTIONED THIS, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MESSICK, BUT ACME IS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OLD AT THIS TIME. 
          UM, AND ADDITIONALLY WE ALSO DID A REALIGNMENT IN NOVEMBER. 
          AND SO PART OF THAT REALIGNMENT WAS THE CREATION OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND INVESTMENTS DIVISION. 
          AND SO THIS IS THE DIVISION THAT I OVERSEE, AND IT'S ALL OF THE GRANTS THAT WE DO. 
          SO THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND GRANTS, THOSE ARE HOT DOLLARS. 
          THE LIVE MUSIC FUND GRANTS, HOT DOLLARS, HERITAGE PRESERVATION FUND, GRANTS, HOT DOLLARS, AND THEN A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT HOT DOLLARS ARE ALSO KIND OF WRAPPED UP INTO OUR BODY OF WORK. 
          SO THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO GO OVER WITH YOU ALL WAS OUR 2026 ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS. AND SO THIS WAS THE ONE WHERE THE APPLICATION WINDOW WAS LAST OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER. 
          AND THE CONTRACT WINDOW FOR THESE AWARDS WAS JANUARY OF 26 THROUGH EITHER DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR OR DECEMBER OF NEXT YEAR, DEPENDING ON IF IT WAS A ONE OR TWO YEAR AWARD. 
          SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID BACK IN THE FALL, WE HAD OVER 493 HOURS OF ASSISTANCE. 
          UM, OVER 2000 FOLKS WERE ASSISTED BY MY STAFF MEMBERS THROUGH WORKSHOPS, OPEN HOUR, OPEN OFFICE HOURS, ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST TO GIVE YOU A TEASER OF THE TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT WE OFFER TO COMMUNITY. 
          AND THEN IN MARCH, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
          SO WE HAD 717 AWARDS ANNOUNCED IN MID-MARCH, AND THIS WAS FROM OVER 1,600 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED. 
          SO THIS REPRESENTED AN INVESTMENT OF $24 MILLION, JUST OVER $24 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS. 
          UM, AND OF NOTE WE HAD OVER 67 MILLION IN REQUESTS. 
          [00:05:01]
SO AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR THIS, THESE FUNDS. 
          UM, SO I ALSO HAVE A BREAKDOWN BY EACH PROGRAM. 
          SO AGAIN, BECAUSE ALL OF THE GRANTS ARE UNDER ONE DIVISION NOW, I'M TRYING TO SHARE ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WITH COMMUNITY, UM, WHETHER IT'S THE ARTS COMMISSION PRESENTATION, MUSIC COMMISSION, TOURISM COMMISSION, JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE WITH ACME. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, I KNOW SPECIFICALLY HERITAGE YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. 
          WE HAD 22 AWARDS IN THAT PROGRAM AND WE HAD 46 APPLICANTS. 
          AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE LARGEST NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THIS PROGRAM HAD EVER RECEIVED. 
          I THINK IT WAS, UM, AROUND A 400% INCREASE OF NUMBER OF APPLICANTS FOR THAT PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR. 
          UM, BUT YOU'LL SEE THE BREAKDOWN HERE ON THIS SLIDE OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AS WELL AS THE AWARD AMOUNT FOR EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND THEN ALSO WANTED TO NOTE HOW FAR WE ARE ALONG IN DISTRIBUTING THESE DOLLARS TO THOSE AWARDEES. 
          SO IN, YOU KNOW, WE MADE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MARCH 16TH, WE HAVE THEN GOTTEN INTO CONTRACT WITH ALL OF THESE FOLKS AND WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED AND DISPERSED OVER $14 MILLION IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. 
          UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THROUGH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS LISTED HERE, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, ELEVATE CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, HERITAGE PRESERVATION, UM, THE THRIVE YEAR TWO AWARDS. 
          AND THEN NEXUS, WE JUST MADE THESE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. 
          ACTUALLY. 
          THIS IS A SMALL DOLLAR INVESTMENT OF 5,000 AND $10,000, UM, GRANTS. 
          AND SO WE HAD OVER 400 FOLKS APPLY FOR THAT NEXUS POT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE 75 AWARDS JUST RECENTLY. 
          SO AGAIN, JUST KIND OF WANTING TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE WITH THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE 2020 $6 THUS FAR. 
          SO WE'RE ABOUT 50% DONE WITH THE DISBURSEMENT. 
          WHILE THAT WAS ALL HAPPENING, WE ALSO DID A LOT OF SURVEYS WITH COMMUNITY. 
          SO WE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WAS THE APPLICATION DESIGN ACCESSIBLE, WAS IT CLEAR? DID THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS ACTUALLY WORK? BECAUSE THIS PAST FALL, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT OUR NEW DEPARTMENT, ACME WAS LAUNCHING THESE GRANT PROGRAMS. AND AFTER THE DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED, WE HAD A BIG CREATIVE RESET. 
          WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DEVELOP THE GRANT TO GUIDELINES TO BEGIN WITH. 
          SO FROM THERE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY EVERY ROUND OF THE PROCESS. 
          SO WE DID SURVEYS FOR THE PANELIST, REVIEWERS, WE DID SURVEYS FOR THE APPLICANT EXPERIENCE, AND WE ALSO DID SURVEYS FOR COMMISSIONERS. 
          SO THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION. 
          BUT MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO ALSO HAVE YOU ALL'S FEEDBACK AS WELL, UM, SINCE YOU'RE A KEY PART OF, OF THESE DOLLARS. 
          UM, SO AGAIN, WE BASICALLY WANTED TO SEE WHAT IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED BETWEEN THE OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER LAST YEAR LAUNCH AND THE LAUNCH THAT WE JUST STARTED YESTERDAY. 
          SO OUR NEW PROGRAMS JUST LAUNCHED YESTERDAY, SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, DID A LOT OF SURVEYS, THE FULL, UM, DETAILS OF THE SURVEYS. 
          I PRESENTED TO, AGAIN, TO ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE DETAILS WITH YOU ALL. 
          UM, BUT THE OVERALL KIND OF SUMMARY OF THINGS WAS THAT THE CONTENT WAS GOOD, BUT NAVIGATING THE EXPERIENCE NEEDED SOME WORK. 
          UM, AND THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME BETTER TOOLS, UM, TO HELP SUPPORT APPLICANTS ALONG THAT JOURNEY. 
          SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, OF THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE SINCE RECEIVING THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. 
          SO WE ONLY HAVE A SINGLE DEADLINE THIS TIME AROUND. 
          SO THE APPLICATION WINDOW, LIKE I MENTIONED JULY 7TH, AND IT GOES THROUGH AUGUST 18TH, WE GOT RID OF THE INTAKE FORM AND WE HAVE A CLEAR PROCESS, WHICH I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH IN JUST A MOMENT. 
          UM, WHICH INCLUDES AN AUTOMATIC TENTATIVE ELIGIBILITY APPROVAL. 
          UM, AGAIN, BECAUSE ALL THREE OF THESE TYPES OF FUNDS ARE UNDER ME NOW, WE WANTED TO HAVE CONSISTENCY ACROSS ALL OF THE PROGRAMS. SO THIS MEANT THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE USING IN THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS, THE DEFINITIONS WE'RE USING THE REPORTING CRITERIA, WE JUST WANNA BE MORE, UH, ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          UH, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, WE ALSO ARE HAVING, UM, A STRONGER CAMPAIGN FOR AWARENESS AND ACCESS TO COMMUNITY. 
          SO THIS INCLUDES A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR THAT'S GONNA BE FOCUSED ON SPANISH LANGUAGE SUPPORT, AS WELL AS AROUND 15, WHAT WE'RE CALLING ACME AMBASSADORS. 
          AND SO THESE FOLKS ARE HELPING TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAMS WITH US AS WELL AS CO-HOSTING A WORKSHOP WITH STAFF. 
          AND I'LL SHOW YOU MORE ABOUT HOW TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THAT TOWARD THE END. 
          BUT AS AN EXAMPLE, THIS IS WHAT THE APPLICATION STEPS WERE THE LAST CYCLE. 
          THERE WAS AN INTAKE FORM. 
          YOU HAD TO WAIT FOR AN ELIGIBILITY FORM, THEN YOU WOULD RECEIVE THE ELIGIBILITY FORM, FILL THAT OUT, SUBMIT IT, 
          [00:10:01]
AND THEN WAIT FOR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION. 
          AND THEN YOU WOULD RECEIVE THE ACCESS TO THE ACTUAL APPLICATION. 
          YOU COMPLETE THAT, THERE WERE SEVERAL PARTS AND THEN SUBMIT IT. 
          THIS WAS A BIT PAINFUL FOR APPLICANTS, IT WAS A BIT PAINFUL FOR STAFF. 
          SO WE HAVE STREAMLINED THAT PROCESS. 
          AND SO NOW THERE ARE NO DELAYS FOR ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE FULL APPLICATION. 
          SO RIGHT AWAY YOU GO INTO THE SYSTEM, YOU DO THE ACME ELIGIBILITY, AND THEN YOU ARE RIGHT INTO THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS AND ATTESTATIONS AND THEN SUBMITTING. 
          SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO CLEAN UP THAT PROCESS, UH, WITHIN THE SYSTEM. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO MADE SEVERAL GUIDELINE ENHANCEMENTS. 
          SO IN ADDITION TO THE PROCESS, UM, AND KIND OF OVERARCHING THINGS, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. SO THIS INCLUDED THINGS LIKE HAVING A MINIMUM AWARD AMOUNT FOR SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS. IT ALSO INCLUDED HAVING EXPANDED SCORING RUBRICS, AND ALL OF THESE RUBRICS ARE ON OUR WEBSITE RIGHT NOW. 
          SO YOU CAN ACCESS THE RUBRICS IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN JUST A MOMENT. 
          WE STRENGTHENED DEFINITIONS, CLARIFIED SOME OF THE ANTI DUPLICATION RULES. 
          WE STILL HAVE THE SAME VERY HEAVY TOURISM AND MARKETING REQUIREMENTS. 
          UM, BUT ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE ALIGNED ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY IT MIGHT HAVE LOOKED STRONG IN ONE PROGRAM, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THE OTHER. 
          SO TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THAT. 
          UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE READING LEVEL OF THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS WAS ALL AT AN EIGHTH GRADE READING LEVEL, WHICH IS WHAT IS UM, STANDARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          AND THIS HELPS TREMENDOUSLY WITH TRANSLATION INTO LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH AS WELL. 
          UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I DIDN'T MENTION WAS STRENGTHENING THE PRESERVATION OUTCOMES AND THE DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS FOR THE HERITAGE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I MEAN BY HAVING, UM, VERY SPECIFIC RANGES FOR OUR PROGRAMS, THESE ARE OUR THRIVE AND OUR ELEVATE AWARD AMOUNTS. 
          AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING PREVIOUSLY IS WE DIDN'T HAVE A FLOOR AND A CEILING IN THIS SENSE. 
          UH, AND SO WE WOULD HAVE MAYBE OF OUR 250 SOME ELEVATE AWARDEES, WE HAD 200 DIFFERENT AWARD AMOUNTS. 
          WE HAD SOME AWARDS THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN $16,502 AND WE MIGHT'VE HAD ONE THAT WAS $31,002, WHICH IS NOT GREAT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO BE, UM, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY AWARDS WE CAN MAKE AND TRYING TO REALLY MAXIMIZE THESE DOLLARS. 
          AND SO HAVING THIS RANGE WHERE IF YOUR ANNUAL EXPENSES ARE BETWEEN 101 OR $100,000 TO $299,000, YOUR AWARD IS JUST A FLAT $60,000. 
          SO JUST CREATING SOME CONSISTENCY IN THE AWARD AMOUNTS HERE. 
          AND THEN I ALSO GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL WITH, IN THE ARTS COMMISSION PRESENTATION I GAVE LAST MONTH ABOUT PROGRAM SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY OR ENHANCEMENTS. 
          UM, I KNOW Y'ALL WERE FOCUSED ON HERITAGE THIS MONTH, SO I WANTED TO JUST AT LEAST PUT UP THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE WERE MAKING. 
          UM, SO THIS INCLUDED THINGS LIKE ADDING A DEFINITION FOR HERITAGE. 
          IT WASN'T THERE BEFORE. 
          HAVING A STRONGER EMPHASIS ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PROJECT AND THE HERITAGE DISTRICT OR THE SITE. 
          I THINK BEING REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT NEEDED TO BE, UM, WAS AN IMPORTANT ENHANCEMENT. 
          UH, ADDITIONALLY, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, UM, BUT BASICALLY CLARIFYING INELIGIBILITY THINGS, REQUIRING A SITE MAP FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, THINGS LIKE THIS THAT THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE. 
          UM, IT JUST MAKES IT A LOT STRONGER OF AN APPLICATION AND WE WANTED TO FOCUS MORE ON, ON BEING PLACE-BASED. 
          UM, SO IT WAS EASIER FOR THE APPLICANT AND EASIER FOR THE REVIEWERS TO INTERPRET WHAT THESE QUESTIONS WERE ASKING. 
          SO THEN I CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT WE JUST LAUNCHED. 
          SO WE HAVE $23 MILLION IN FUNDS AVAILABLE THIS CYCLE. 
          SO WE HAVE 6 MILLION IN THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, 11 MILLION IN THE ELEVATE FUND, 3 MILLION IN THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION FUND, AND 3 MILLION IN THE THRIVE FUND. 
          AND SO YOU CAN SEE ROUGHLY HOW MANY AWARDS WE ANTICIPATE FOR EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS AND WHAT THOSE AWARD AMOUNTS ARE GOING TO BE. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE THAT ACROSS THE BOARD THE RANGE IS FROM $5,000 FOR ONE YEAR UP TO $250,000 FOR A TWO YEAR CAPITAL PROJECT WITH HERITAGE PRESERVATION. 
          SO STILL THIS HAS NOT CHANGED, BUT ALL APPLICANTS THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL APPLICANTS. 
          UM, THINGS LIKE THEY HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD, THEY HAVE TO LIVE OR BE BASED IN THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA. 
          UM, THESE HAVE NOT CHANGED THESE REQUIREMENTS. 
          THERE ARE ALSO PROGRAM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, 
          [00:15:01]
BUT THESE ARE JUST THE GENERAL ACME FUNDING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC CULTURAL TOURISM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL AWARDEES. 
          AND SO ALL AWARDEES MUST PROMOTE THEIR ACTIVITIES TO ATTRACT TOURIST CONVENTION DELEGATES, LOCAL AUDIENCES THROUGH MARKETING AND PROMOTION PLANS. 
          AND THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE THE CITY BRANDING ON THINGS. 
          THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE THE PUBLICITY STATEMENT ON ALL MARKETING MATERIALS. 
          I BELIEVE ONE OF OUR AWARDEES HAS PROVIDED SOME OF THEIR MATERIALS FOR YOU ALL. 
          SHE'S GONNA BE PRESENTING LATER. 
          AND YOU WILL NOTE THE CITY OF AUSTIN ACME LOGO ON THE BACK AS WELL AS THE PUBLICITY STATEMENT. 
          UM, FOLKS ALSO HAVE TO COMPLETE TWO TOURISM AND MARKETING TRAINING WORKSHOPS. 
          WE OFFER UP TO SIX, AND THIS IS, UM, A PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT AUSTIN AND THE MILES PARTNERSHIP, UM, ORGANIZATION. 
          AND SO WE HAVE SIX MARKETING TOURISM MARKETING TRAININGS, UM, AND FOLKS CAN TAKE ALL SIX IF THEY WANT. 
          THEY'RE VIRTUAL, UM, BUT THEY HAVE TO AT LEAST DO TWO. 
          UH, AND THEN FINALLY, ALL AWARDEES HAVE TO PROMOTE THEIR ACTIVITIES AND THEIR EVENTS ON VISIT AUSTIN.ORG. 
          AND THAT HAPPENS IN DIFFERENT WAYS BASED ON IF IT IS A PLACE OR IF IT IS AN EVENT. 
          BUT EVERYONE HAS TO PUT SOMETHING ON VISIT AUSTIN. 
          AND THEN JUST GOING THROUGH KIND OF REALLY HIGH LEVEL ABOUT THE FOUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WE HAVE OPEN NOW, WE HAVE THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND. 
          THIS ONE IS FOR, UM, FOR MUSIC INDUSTRY FOLKS. 
          OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE MUSIC, LIVE MUSIC VENUES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $70,000 WITH A 12 MONTH GRANT AGREEMENT TERM. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS. 
          AND THIS CAN EITHER BE A $5,000 AWARD, THIS IS KIND OF MORE EMERGING, NEWER MUSICIANS AND NEWER INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS, OR IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A MORE ESTABLISHED MUSICIAN OR INDEPENDENT PROMOTER, THEY CAN APPLY FOR THE $20,000 LEVEL. 
          AND THERE'S AN EXTRA SET OF QUESTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          UM, FOR THIS PROGRAM, UNLIKE THE OTHER FOUR I'M GONNA MENTION, THIS ONE HAS AN AUTO SCORED MULTIPLE CHOICE RESPONSES. 
          AND THEN FOR EVERY QUESTION THAT THEY ANSWER, THEY HAVE TO UPLOAD EVIDENCE TO DOCUMENT WHY THEY SHOULD RECEIVE POINTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION. 
          AND THEN AFTER THE AUTO SCORING, THEN OUR PARTNERS AT THE LONG CENTER, THEY GO THROUGH AND VERIFY EVERY SINGLE ELIGIBILITY UPLOAD TO MAKE SURE FOLKS AREN'T SAYING, YES, I HAVE PERFORMED AT A FESTIVAL WITH OVER 300 PEOPLE AND THEY PUT A PICTURE OF THEIR SIDEWALK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO THERE IS, UH, A HUMAN VERIFICATION, UH, USUALLY TWO HUMAN VERIFICATIONS THAT HAPPEN AFTER THE AUTO SCORE. 
          THEN WE HAVE OUR ELEVATE GRANT. 
          SO THIS COMES FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND THAT I MENTIONED. 
          UM, THESE ARE ONE YEAR AGREEMENTS THAT SUPPORT ARTS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ARTS GROUPS, INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS. 
          UH, AND THE BIGGEST THING WITH THIS IS THEY HAVE TO PRODUCE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE ARTS AND CULTURE ACTIVITIES. 
          THERE'S A WHOLE HOST, UM, OF THINGS THAT CAN FALL UNDER THIS. 
          THIS IS OUR LARGEST BUCKET OF FUNDING. 
          UM, BUT ALL FOLKS THAT APPLY, THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF CREATIVE PRODUCTION HISTORY IN AUSTIN. 
          SO WE DON'T WANT SOMEONE THAT JUST, UH, MOVED TO TOWN YESTERDAY AND APPLIED FOR THESE FUNDS. 
          THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT CULTURAL CREATIVE PRODUCTION HISTORY IN AUSTIN. 
          UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO BE HEADQUARTERED HERE AS WELL. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S BROKEN OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS AS FAR AS THE TYPE OF APPLICANT AS WELL AS THE DISCIPLINE. 
          BUT THIS PROGRAM, IT HAS A PANEL SCORING. 
          SO WE'RE, WE HAVE PANELISTS THAT REVIEW THESE APPLICATIONS BASED ON A RUBRIC, UH, AND THEN IT IS OLYMPIC SCORED. 
          THEN WE HAVE OUR HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, UM, THAT WE HAVE SOME FOLKS I THINK THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA TODAY THAT WE'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ALL. 
          UM, AGAIN, VERY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR THIS PROGRAM. 
          THEY CAN EITHER BE A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT OR THEY CAN BE A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, THERE HAS TO BE THAT HISTORY OF OPERATION IN AUSTIN. 
          UM, THIS PROGRAM ALSO HAS A PANEL REVIEW PROCESS, BUT THE THING THAT DISTINGUISHES THIS PROGRAM IS BEFORE THE APPLICATIONS GO TO PANEL, THERE'S AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL REVIEW FIRST. 
          AND THIS HAPPENS BETWEEN ACME AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, WHERE THEY REVIEW, UM, THE APPLICATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BEFORE IT MOVES TO PANEL. 
          AND THE PANEL HERE ARE DEFINITELY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, UM, FOLKS LIKE PRESERVATION ARCHITECTS, MUSEUM EDUCATORS, AND, AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT. 
          ALSO OLYMPIC SCORING. 
          UH, AND SO THIS PROGRAM, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT, UM, TRACKS FOR IT. 
          THERE'S THE HERITAGE EVENTS AND THEN THERE'S THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. 
          FOR HERITAGE EVENTS, YOU CAN APPLY EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT HISTORIC DESIGNATION. 
          AND SO THAT COULD BE LOCAL, STATE OR NATIONAL DESIGNATION OR A COUNCIL APPROVED HERITAGE DISTRICT. 
          [00:20:01]
UM, AND SO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE HISTORIC DESIGNATION, YOU CAN APPLY UP TO 50,000. 
          IF YOU DO HAVE DESIGNATION, YOU CAN APPLY FOR UP TO $150,000 THIS YEAR AND YOU CAN TAKE UP TO 24 MONTHS FOR YOUR CONTRACT TERMS HERE. 
          UM, AND SO THESE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES ARE THINGS LIKE TOUR DEVELOPMENT, SO HISTORIC OR LEGACY TOURS. 
          UM, IT COULD BE HERITAGE, HISTORIC OR INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITIONS, HERITAGE EVENTS, FESTIVALS, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND THEN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. 
          IT CAN BE UP TO $250,000 AWARDS. 
          UM, YOU MUST HAVE HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR THIS CATEGORY AND YOU MUST HAVE, HOPEFULLY THIS IS OBVIOUS OWNER AUTHORIZATION, UH, TO BE APPLYING FOR THIS PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND SO THIS CAN BE A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS. 
          IT CAN BE, UM, A DA EXTERIOR ACCESS, IT CAN BE INTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS, IT CAN BE, UH, PROFESSIONAL PRESERVATION SERVICES AND CONSULTANTS. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM. 
          AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE OUR THRIVE GRANT. 
          AND SO THESE ARE TWO YEAR AGREEMENTS, UM, FOR LOCAL 5 0 1 C3 ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN, UM, AND REFLECTIVE OF AUSTIN'S DIVERSE CULTURES, UM, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT MEAN TO THAT ORGANIZATION. 
          UM, SO THE DIFFERENCE WITH THIS ORGANIZATION BE, OR THIS GRANT TYPE, BECAUSE IT IS A TWO YEAR AGREEMENT, THE APPLICANTS MUST HAVE AT LEAST A FIVE YEAR HISTORY OF CREATIVE PRODUCTION IN AUSTIN. 
          UM, AGAIN, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, EXHIBITIONS, LIVE PERFORMANCES, ALL THINGS THAT CULMINATE IN PUBLIC EVENTS BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THESE ARE TOURISM DOLLARS, WE NEED TO HAVE PUBLIC EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL OF THIS. 
          UM, THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO A PANEL REVIEW. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S BROKEN DOWN BY ORGANIZATIONS WITH OR WITHOUT CREATIVE SPACE, AND THEN BY DISCIPLINE AND THEN BY BUDGET SIZE, UM, ALSO WITH OLYMPIC SCORING. 
          SO HOW DO YOU APPLY? I THINK THIS WAS ONE OF Y'ALL'S QUESTIONS. 
          UM, SO I WOULD SAY, AS WITH ALL GRANTS, PLEASE FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE ACTUAL PROGRAM GUIDELINES BEFORE YOU BEGIN. 
          UM, THESE ARE LOCATED ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          YOU CAN FIND THE GUIDELINES IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH. 
          UM, YOU CAN ALSO PREVIEW ALL OF THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL AS SEE THE SCORING RUBRICS, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THE PROGRAMS LIKE THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT OR FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND. 
          PREPARE YOUR EVIDENCE AHEAD OF TIME, SPEND SOME TIME LOOKING AT WHAT THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION IS, UM, BEFORE YOU BEGIN. 
          UM, WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND WORKSHOPS. 
          AND I'LL, I'LL SHARE A LINK ABOUT THOSE. 
          AND THEN ONCE YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN HIT THE APPLY BUTTON. 
          SO THERE IS AN APPLY BUTTON ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM PAGES, AS WELL AS OUR ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS HOMEPAGE. 
          SO ONCE YOU CLICK THE APPLY NOW BUTTON, THEN IT TAKES YOU TO THE SUBMITTABLE SITE LANDING PAGE THAT BASICALLY SAYS, WELCOME TO THE APPLICATION PORTAL. 
          YOU SCROLL DOWN, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO ALL OF THE PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, HERITAGE PRESERVATION, THEY'RE ALL LISTED AND THERE IS AN ENGLISH VERSION OF THE APPLICATION AND A SPANISH VERSION OF THE APPLICATION. 
          AND SO DEPENDING ON WHICH YOU CHOOSE, YOU CLICK THAT BUTTON TO APPLY AND IT TAKES YOU TO THE WHOLE APPLICATION. 
          SO AS I MENTIONED, UM, IN AN EARLIER SLIDE, YOU HAVE TO FIRST MEET THE ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS ELIGIBILITY. 
          SO THIS IS LIKE YOU ARE OVER 18 YEARS OLD, YOU LIVE HERE, YOU ARE NOT NON-COMPLIANT. 
          AND THEN ONCE YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU BASICALLY HAVE THE ENTIRE APPLICATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. 
          UM, IT'S A WATERFALL TYPE APPLICATION FORM. 
          SO YOU FILL OUT SECTION ONE AND THEN IT OPENS TO SECTION TWO. 
          YOU START FILLING OUT SECTION TWO, WHICH IS THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM. 
          AND DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, YOU'LL EITHER GET A NOTICE THAT SAYS, SORRY, YOU WERE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY, OR THE NEXT QUESTION WILL POP UP FOR YOU. 
          UM, ONCE YOU COMPLETE ALL OF THOSE, YOU'LL GET A NOTICE THAT SAYS YOU'RE TENTATIVELY ELIGIBLE TO APPLY BASED ON YOUR ANSWERS. 
          AND AS A REMINDER, THERE WILL BE A HUMAN THAT IS GOING BACK AND VERIFYING ALL OF THESE THINGS TO MAKE SURE IT IS IN FACT TRUE. 
          UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO ATTEST THAT THE THINGS ARE TRUE. 
          AND THEN THE THIRD SECTION OPENS, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL APPLICATION. 
          SO ONCE YOU DO THAT, YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY SAVE IT AS YOU GO ALONG, UM, AND THEN HIT APPLY WHEN YOU'RE FINALLY READY. 
          AS I MENTIONED, UH, THE SCORING DETAILS ARE ALSO ALL ON THE WEBSITE, SO THE RUBRICS ARE POSTED ONLINE. 
          SO WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THE WEBSITE, THERE'S KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL TABLE THAT SAYS, OKAY, THIS IS THE CATEGORY, HERE ARE THE CRITERIA. 
          HERE ARE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF POINTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY. 
          BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO A PDF, AND AGAIN, IN ENGLISH OR IN SPANISH WHERE IT SHOWS VERY 
          [00:25:01]
SPECIFICALLY AND VERY DETAILED WHAT THE PANEL REVIEWERS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. 
          SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, OKAY, FOR QUESTION ONE, A FIVE POINT ANSWER IS THIS, WHEREAS A ONE POINT ANSWER IS THIS. 
          SO AGAIN, WOULD ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS TO KIND OF LOOK AT THIS WELL IN ADVANCE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY SHOULD BE ANSWERING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, UM, AND TO BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE IN ALL OF THEM SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE PANEL IS LOOKING FOR. 
          AND THEN ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL HOW WE MAKE SURE AWARDEES ARE BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOT USAGE. 
          SO AS I MENTIONED, ALL GRANTEES MUST COMPLETE REQUIRED MARKETING TRAINING. 
          ALL EVENTS MUST BE POSTED ON VISIT AUSTIN FOR VISITOR VISIBILITY. 
          THE ACME BRANDING AND PUBLICITY STATEMENTS HAVE TO BE ON ALL MARKETING MATERIALS. 
          GRANTEES ALSO SUBMIT PROGRESS REPORTS AND FINAL REPORTS, AND IN THESE REPORTS IT SHOWS ATTENDANCE, IT SHOWS DEMOGRAPHICS, IT SHOWS JOBS, IT SHOWS TOURISM IMPACT. 
          SO THAT IS ALL PART OF THEIR INTERIM. 
          AND THEN THEIR FINAL REPORTS. 
          AND WE USE THESE FINAL REPORTS TO THEN REPORT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AS A DEPARTMENT. 
          AND IT ALSO GOES IN OUR ANNUAL REPORTS. 
          UH, ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S AN EXPENSE DOCUMENTATION FORM REQUIRED OF ALL AWARDEES. 
          AND THIS IS AGAIN REQUIRED AND IT IS LOOKED AT IN DETAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY EXPENSE IS INDEED HOT ELIGIBLE. 
          UM, AND FINAL PAYMENTS ARE HELD. 
          SO FOLKS DO NOT RECEIVE A FINAL PAYMENT UNTIL ALL OF THOSE DELIVERABLES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND APPROVED. 
          AND SO ONCE ALL THAT DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND STAFF REVIEWS IT, THEN THE FINAL PAYMENT WILL BE RELEASED. 
          UM, A LOT OF TIMES THIS IS, UH, I DON'T WANNA SAY THIS SLOWS THINGS DOWN, BUT STAFF WILL GO BACK TO THE APPLICANT OR THE AWARDEE AND SAY, ACTUALLY, NO, I NEED TO SEE MORE DOCUMENTATION ABOUT X, Y AND Z. 
          TELL ME WHAT THIS EXPENSE IS. 
          AND SO WE HAVE A PRETTY ITERATIVE PROCESS WITH THOSE REPORTS TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE, UM, LEGALLY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE BEFORE WE WILL RELEASE THOSE FINAL PAYMENTS. 
          UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE LAST BULLET HERE, IS THAT MY TEAM PROVIDES ONGOING CONTRACT MONITORING AND WE SHARE THAT PUBLIC, UM, WE SHARE THAT PROGRAM DATA PUBLICLY. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, SOME OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOU ALL. 
          UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, THREE OF OUR PROGRAMS DO HAVE PANEL, UM, REVIEWING. 
          AND SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING WE WILL NEED, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE OVER 1000 APPLICATIONS THAT WILL REQUIRE A PANEL PROCESS, WHICH MEANS WE WILL JUST ON THIS, THIS ROUGH FIGURE, WE WILL NEED, UH, AROUND 322 PANELISTS FOR THE PROCESS. 
          AND SO THIS IS, IF WE HAVE AROUND SEVEN PANELISTS, UH, SEVEN REVIEWERS PER PANEL, AND EACH PANELIST WILL HAVE AROUND 25 APPLICATIONS TO REVIEW. 
          SO THAT BEING SAID, RECRUITMENT IS NOW OPEN. 
          WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL SHARING THIS INFORMATION. 
          UM, FOLKS RECEIVE $500 COMPENSATION FOR THE WORK. 
          UM, THERE'S TRAINING, UM, A LOT OF CONFLICTS, UM, MAKE, WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. 
          UM, THEY RECEIVE SUPPORT MATERIALS TO HELP WORK THROUGH THINGS, UM, AND THEN IF THEY DO A TERRIBLE JOB, THEY ARE NOT ASKED BACK. 
          BUT, UM, WE ARE LOOKING FOR PANELISTS. 
          NOW, THE INTEREST FORM IS OPEN YEAR ROUND, BUT RIGHT NOW WE, IT'S A, IT'S A HEAVY PUSH RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO GET THOSE 322 PANELISTS ON BOARD. 
          UM, AND THEN THE TIMELINE FOR THAT IS AT THE END, BUT JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW WHILE WE'RE ON THIS SLIDE, UM, THE REVIEW BASICALLY WOULD HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER. 
          SO THAT'S WHEN FOLKS WOULD HAVE AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW TO REVIEW ALL OF THE APPLICATION MATERIALS AND THEN THE PANEL MEETINGS THEMSELVES HAPPEN IN OCTOBER. 
          AND THEN HOW CAN PEOPLE GET ASSISTANCE TO APPLY FOR OUR PROGRAMS? SO WE HAVE A BOOKINGS LINK. 
          AND SO THE BOOKINGS LINK, WHICH IS THE IMAGE, UH, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE UP HERE, BUT IT'S BASICALLY YOU CAN JUST SET UP A ONE-ON-ONE MEETING WITH STAFF. 
          UM, IT PUTS IT DIRECTLY ONTO THEIR CALENDAR AND IT IMMEDIATELY SENDS YOU, UM, A TEAMS LINK TO, TO TALK TO STAFF. 
          AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE EASIEST WAY IF YOU WANT JUST A ONE-ON-ONE WITH A STAFF MEMBER TO TALK ABOUT QUESTIONS RELATED TO YOUR SPECIFIC APPLICATION. 
          UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS EVERY WEEK. 
          UM, AND SO THIS IS EVERY TUESDAY FROM 10 TO NOON THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE APPLICATION, UH, OPEN WINDOW. 
          AND THEN ON THAT FINAL DAY THAT THE APPLICATION CLOSES ON TUESDAY THE 18TH OF AUGUST, THE OPEN OFFICE HOURS ARE FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 6:00 PM UH, SO THE PROGRAM WILL CLOSE AT I THINK 6 59 ON AUGUST 18TH. 
          UM, BUT 
          [00:30:01]
STAFF WILL BE AVAILABLE UP UNTIL 6:00 PM TO HELP FOLKS WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE MANY, MANY WORKSHOPS. 
          I DIDN'T LIST THEM ALL HERE, BUT THE EVENTBRITE COLLECTION IS HYPERLINKED, UH, IN THE BACKUP FOR YOU ALL. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S A GREAT STARTING POINT AND WE'RE STILL ADDING THEM AS WE GO ALONG. 
          SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORKSHOPS THAT ARE BEING CO-HOSTED BY OUR ACME AMBASSADORS AND WE WANTED TO TRY TO FOCUS ON, UM, MAYBE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, DIFFERENT, UH, GROUPS THAT FELT UNDERREPRESENTED PREVIOUSLY. 
          SO WE WANTED TO HAVE AS MANY WORKSHOPS AS POSSIBLE, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY TO HAVE THE OPTIONS FOR FOLKS. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE SOME WORKSHOPS THAT ARE MAYBE JUST FOCUSED ON HERITAGE PRESERVATION. 
          UH, SO WE HAVE ONE THAT OUR ACME AMBASSADOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN IS DOING AT THEIR BEAUTIFUL LOCATION ON JULY 15TH. 
          UM, WE HAVE ONE NEXT WEEK AT STUBBS, UM, THAT'S BEING CO-HOSTED BY THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT. 
          SO THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY, UM, OF WORKSHOPS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE THIS CYCLE. 
          SO KEEP AN EYE ON THE EVENTBRITE COLLECTION, SEE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, SIGN UP FOR THEM. 
          EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST CURIOUS AS COMMISSIONERS, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU, UH, LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS. AND THEN FINALLY, AND I WILL STOP TALKING AFTER THIS, OUR OVERARCHING PROGRAMS TIMELINE. 
          SO JULY 7TH, YESTERDAY, APPLICATIONS OPENED. 
          IT'S VERY EXCITING. 
          AUGUST 18TH IS WHEN THEY CLOSE. 
          ALSO IN AUGUST, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL BE TRAINING THE PANELISTS. 
          AND THEN AS I MENTIONED SEPTEMBER, THAT'S WHEN THE PROGRAM EVALUATION AND SCORING BEGINS, AND THE PANELIST REVIEW PERIOD STARTS. 
          WE'LL ALSO BE OPENING THE SECOND ROUND OF NEXUS IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. 
          AND SO AGAIN, THESE ARE THE FIVE TO $10,000 SMALL GRANT AWARDS. 
          AND THOSE ARE SIX MONTH CONTRACTS. 
          SO WE JUST, UH, HAD ONE CYCLE, AND THEN THE NEXT WILL OPEN IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER IS WHEN THE PANEL MEETINGS HAPPEN, SCORES ARE FINALIZED. 
          AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THE END OF NOVEMBER OF 2026 IN DECEMBER. 
          THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE THE APPEALS PROCESS. 
          UM, FOLKS WILL BE CLOSING OUT THEIR 2026 AWARDS, AND THEN JANUARY, 2027, THAT'S WHEN THIS ROUND OF AWARDS WILL START ENTERING INTO CONTRACT AND FIRST PAYMENTS WILL GO OUT. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE. 
          WELL, YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU ASKED IF WE COULD JUST HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO COMPLETE OUR PROCESS, WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE DATA DETAILED INFORMATION TO PROVIDE. 
          AND YOU DID. 
          SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS I THINK WE'VE SEEN. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND THE EFFORT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          UM, I'M GONNA JUST KICK IT OPEN TO THE FLOOR TO THE REST OF OUR COMMISSIONERS TO SEE WHO HAS QUESTIONS. 
          OH, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAN. 
          HI. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          UM, SO IN THE FOUR TYPES OF GRANTS, MUSIC, ELEVATE HERITAGE, AND I FORGOT WHAT THE NAME OF THE LAST ONE WAS, THRIVE, UM, ARE DO HOT TAXES FUND ARE PART OF THE FUNDING FOR EACH OF THOSE? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          SO THE HOT TAX FUNDS, ALL FOUR OF THOSE PROGRAMS, TWO OF THEM ARE FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND, ONE OF THEM IS FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND ONE OF THEM IS FROM THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION FUND. 
          SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW THE, THE FLOW OF FUNDS. 
          SO THIS HOT TAXES GO INTO EACH OF THOSE FUNDS AND THEN GO TO THESE FOUR TYPES OF GRANTS. 
          AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER TYPES OF SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR THESE GRANTS OTHER THAN HOT TAXES? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          SO THE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THIS, SO WE ALSO PRESENT THE HOT COLLECTIONS FOR EACH OF THESE FUNDS TO THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THE MUSIC COMMISSION EVERY MONTH. 
          AND SO THERE'S, FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND IN PARTICULAR, SO WE HAVE, THIS IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF HOT DOLLARS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THIS MONTH. 
          AND THEN WE RECEIVE WHAT THAT CALCULATION IS OF CULTURAL ARTS FUND, THAT PERCENT THAT'S GOING IN THERE, AND I WANNA SAY IT'S 2% OF THE 15% FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND. 
          IT IS THE, THE EXTRA CONVENTION CENTER PIECE OF HOT DOLLARS. 
          AND THEN IT IS 15% OF THAT EXTRA 2% THAT IS WHERE THE LIVE MUSIC FUND COMES FROM. 
          SO IT'S KIND OF A SEPARATE LINE ITEM THAT IT GETS CALCULATED OFF OF. 
          AND THEN THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION, THAT'S A STANDALONE ITEM, JUST LIKE THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND IS. 
          AND SO IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THAT TOTAL FUND. 
          BUT THEN WITHIN THAT FUND, OBVIOUSLY THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION FUND, IT HAS DIFFERENT, UM, BREAKDOWNS. 
          AND SO THERE'S A BIG CHUNK THAT GOES TO INTERNAL CITY PROJECTS AND I DO NOT MANAGE THAT PIECE OF THINGS. 
          AND THEN I DO MANAGE THE SMALLER PERCENTAGE THAT'S FOR 
          [00:35:01]
EXTERNAL FACING GRANTS. 
          SO THEY'RE ALL 100% FUNDED THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX WITHIN DIFFERENT FUNDS AS PER COUNCIL DIRECTIVE. 
          SO THERE'S NO, NO OTHER SOURCE OF FUNDING OTHER THAN THAN HOT TAXES. 
          CORRECT. 
          FOR THESE FOUR? NO, FOR ONE OF THE OTHER ONES THAT I MENTIONED, THE CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THAT ONE IS GENERAL FUNDS NOT HOT FUNDS. 
          I UNDERSTAND. 
          I WAS PLEASED THAT IN YOUR MATERIALS, YOU MENTIONED TOURISM, I THINK, UM, IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE, THE CONCEPT OF TOURISM IS, IS OVERLOOKED IN SPENDING THIS MONEY. 
          SO I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOUR MATERIALS HAVE THAT IN THERE. 
          UM, CAN YOU GO INTO THE CRITERIA THAT IN SCORING, HOW, HOW, HOW IS THAT ACCOMPLISHED TO DECIDE WHO ACTUALLY GETS THE GRANT AND WHO DOESN'T? HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE COMMISSIONER ? WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THE, THE OVERALL, 'CAUSE WE, WE HAVE IN THE PAST RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO GET FUNDING, NOW WE DON'T GET FUNDING AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE FUNDING. 
          UM, AND WE HA YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SPECIAL COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TASKED WITH, WITH LOOKING INTO ALL OF THAT. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW THESE GRANTS ARE ACTUALLY, UM, GRANT, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTERED, UM, SO GIVEN A LOT OF MATERIALS ON, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR THE GRANT AND, BUT THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW, UM, THE FUND, HOW THE GRANTS ARE ACTUALLY DETERMINED, WHO GETS WHAT AND WHAT'S THE CRITERIA ARE SCORING, ET CETERA. 
          FOR SURE. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          I'LL TRY TO ANSWER SOME HIGH LEVEL AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO SEND YOU MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. 
          SURE. 
          UM, AS A FOLLOW UP, SO AGAIN, FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST THAT TWO YEAR HISTORY OF DOING WORK IN AUSTIN. 
          YOU HAVE TO LIVE OR BE BASED IN THE ETJ AND THEN AFTER KIND OF THE BASIC GENERAL STUFF, IT DEPENDS ON THE PROGRAM. 
          SO FOR THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE THREE CATEGORIES. 
          WE HAVE THE LIVE MUSIC VENUE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, AND THEN WE HAVE THE INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS. 
          AND SO EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LIVE MUSIC VENUES, AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A LIST OF EIGHT CRITERIA THAT SERVE AS THE DEFINITION FOR THE CITY, THAT THIS IS WHAT DETERMINES A LIVE MUSIC VENUE. 
          AND SO OF THOSE EIGHT THINGS, FOLKS HAVE TO MEET AT LEAST FIVE OF THEM, FIVE OF THE EIGHT, TO TO BE AN OFFICIAL LIVE MUSIC VENUE. 
          UM, AND THE STATE ACTUALLY ADOPTED THE SAME DEFINITION OF LIVE MUSIC VENUE AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          SO, SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE. 
          AND THESE ARE THINGS LIKE, THERE'S LIVE MUSIC FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK, THERE IS A SPECIFIC AREA FOR A STAGE AND A BACK LINE AND PA MATERIALS, UM, OR EQUIPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA OF WHAT DETERMINES A LIVE MUSIC VENUE, UM, THAT HAS TO BE EVIDENCED. 
          SO THEY HAVE TO UPLOAD MATERIAL THAT SAY, OKAY, I'M CHOOSING THING ONE OF THESE EIGHT CRITERIA, HERE'S THE EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS I HAVE LIVE MUSIC FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK. 
          MY SECOND THING THAT I'M GONNA BE DOING, I HAVE PA EQUIPMENT AND A STAGE AREA THAT'S SPECIFIC FOR, THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF MY SPACE. 
          HERE'S THE EVIDENCE FOR THAT. 
          AND SO EACH OF THOSE THINGS GETS EVIDENCED, UM, AND APPROVED FOR ELIGIBILITY. 
          SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE. 
          UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE COULD BE FOR ELEVATE. 
          SO THESE ARE, UM, YOU HAVE TO BE A 5 0 1 C3 ARTS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO APPLY FOR THE HIGHEST BUCKET OF FUNDING THERE. 
          SO I'M, I'M LESS INTERESTED IN THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M MORE TRYING TO FOCUS ON HOW'S, HOW ARE THE DECISIONS ACTUALLY MADE AS TO OKAY, AS WHAT, OKAY, APOLOGIES IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION. 
          UM, SO AFTER EVERYONE GETS THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEY APPLY, UM, FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, IT'S AUTO SCORED, AND THEN A HUMAN BEING GOES BACK AND SAYS, OKAY, THESE ARE ACCEPTABLE POINTS, OR YOU PUT A PICTURE OF YOUR DRIVEWAY, YOU DON'T GET 10 POINTS FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          AND THEN WE LOOK AT A GIANT LIST OF THE 750 MUSICIANS THAT APPLIED, AND WE LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE AND WE SAY WE CAN FUND UP TO THIS NUMBER OF PEOPLE. 
          AND SO IT'S JUST THE HIGHEST SCORE TO HOWEVER MANY WE CAN FUND. 
          SO THAT'S HOW THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WORKS. 
          IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FOR OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. BUT INSTEAD OF, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, IS IT THE SAME AMOUNT FOR EACH MUSICIAN THEN? JUST IT'S A FLAT 20,000 IF THEY APPLIED IN THAT CATEGORY, OR IT'S A FLAT 5,000 IF THEY APPLIED IN THAT CATEGORY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THE AWARDS ARE, ARE, ARE PRETTY, UM, SET 
          [00:40:01]
FOR THAT PROGRAM FOR ELEVATE. 
          IT'S THE SAME THING. 
          THE TABLE THAT I SHARED WITH YOU ALL, IF THE ORGANIZATIONAL BUDGET IS BETWEEN 50,000 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IT IS A FLAT AWARD OF $30,000. 
          NO. 
          LIKE, THERE'S NO, NO OTHER THING RIGHT IN THAT IT'S JUST IF YOU HAVE A HIGH ENOUGH SCORE FROM THE PANEL PROCESS IN THE OLYMPIC SCORING, THEN YOU'LL RECEIVE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND SO I GUESS I, I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT THE, WHAT THE ITEMS ARE THAT ARE SCORED FOR EACH, FOR EACH OF THE, FOR EACH OF THE CATEGORIES. 
          SURE. 
          AND THAT'S ALL ON OUR WEBSITE ACTUALLY, SO THAT'S ALL THE RUBRICS. 
          UM, AND IT, IT BASICALLY SAYS THIS QUESTION IS WORTH THIS MANY POINTS. 
          HERE'S HOW YOU GET FIVE POINTS, THREE POINTS, TWO POINT, ONE POINT FOR EACH OF THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE A HANDOUT OR ANYTHING THAT HAS THAT INFORMATION, DO YOU? I DO. 
          NOT ON ME, NO. 
          MM-HMM . 
          OKAY. 
          THAT, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER HAN. 
          I SEE TWO HANDS DOWN THERE. 
          BOTH I THINK COMMISSIONER PRUITT, YOU HAD FIRST. 
          YES. 
          I JUST HAD A A, A QUICK NOTE. 
          AND THEN, UM, A QUICK QUESTION AS WELL. 
          UM, AS FAR AS, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAN'S QUESTION, HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE DO HAVE A, A WORKING GROUP, UM, IN RE IN REGARDS TO HOT GRANTS. 
          UM, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THIS INFORMATION. 
          THAT GIVES US A REALLY GOOD JUMPING OFF POINT BECAUSE I THINK THIS WAS KIND OF OUR FIRST BIG QUESTION. 
          UM, AND I THINK ALSO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND WE WILL PUT LOOKING UP THE RUBRIC ON OUR LIST AND ALSO SHARE KIND OF WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IN CONTACT AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN ASK THOSE, THOSE SPECIFIC TYPES OF QUESTIONS. 
          YES, PLEASE. 
          YEAH, HAPPY TO COME BACK ANYTIME OR, OR TALK TO THE WORKING GROUP, WHATEVER, UM, WHATEVER CAN GIVE YOU ALL MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE I'M LIKE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 
          SO ANY OF THOSE THAT DON'T GET ANSWERED TODAY, FEEL FREE TO FORWARD TO THE WORKING GROUP AND WE CAN, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THOSE. 
          UM, BUT THEN ONE, MY ONE QUICK QUESTION WAS, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE HERITAGE GRANTS, WITH THAT 400% INCREASE THIS LAST YEAR, DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT WAS? OR WAS IT 'CAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, MARKETING INTERESTS NEED? GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I THINK PART OF IT WAS BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT ACME WAS MANAGING THESE GRANTS AND WE WERE LAUNCHING EVERYTHING AT ONCE. 
          IT WAS INTERNALLY, WE WERE CALLING IT OUR FIRST MEGA LAUNCH, AND WE'VE NEVER HAD ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS LAUNCH AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THE ELEVATE AND THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND, BUT NOT EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT. 
          SO IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SPREAD THE AWARENESS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT HISTORICALLY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT SAME, UH, LEVEL OF MARKETING BEHIND IT. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON, I'M SURE FROM FOLKS, SO I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT, BUT THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER PRUITT. 
          COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, I, I, I ACTUALLY NOTED THAT COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD HAD ASKED YEAH. 
          SO I'M GONNA CUT BACK. 
          SO I'M, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD, THEN WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD, PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO GO THROUGH HERE. 
          UM, RELATED TO COMMISSIONER TAN'S QUESTION, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. 
          SO THE, OF THE 23 MILLION IN FUNDS AVAILABLE, UM, THERE IS THE 6 MILLION FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, 11 MILLION FOR ELEVATE, AND THE OTHER TWO FUNDS HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE AMOUNTS. 
          HOW ARE THOSE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS CALCULATED FOR EACH GRANT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 
          SO ESSENTIALLY IT'S THE HOT COLLECTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT DETERMINE OUR BUDGET. 
          WHEN CITY COUNCIL GOES THROUGH THEIR BUDGET PROCESS AND THEY SAY, OKAY, YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF DOLLARS FOR EACH OF THESE FUNDS. 
          AND THEN FROM THAT WE SAY, OKAY, WELL WE'RE GONNA DIVIDE THIS UP AND WE KNOW WE HAVE TO PAY FOR STAFF, BUT ALSO HOW CAN WE DIVIDE THIS TO HAVE THE MOST AMOUNT OF FUNDING IN OUR GRANT POOL? I WILL SAY THAT BECAUSE WE DID NOT LAUNCH LAST SUMMER LIKE WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATE, WHICH IS THE NORMAL CYCLE WE WANNA BE LAUNCHING IN THE SUMMER MAKING AWARDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          SO FOLKS HAVE THE FUNDING AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY. 
          THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN LAST YEAR BECAUSE ACME WAS NEWLY CREATED AND WE WENT THROUGH THE CREATIVE RESET PROCESS SO THINGS GOT PUSHED BACK. 
          SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS WE USED OUR FY $25 AND PART OF OUR FY $26 FOR THIS LAST FUNDING ROUND. 
          AND THEN WE'RE USING THE REMAINING BIT OF THAT FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW AND A LITTLE BIT OF OUR 27 MONEY. 
          AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE IT BE MORE OF A SLOPE THAN A CLIFF BECAUSE OTHERWISE THAT SETS US UP IN FY 28 FOR A LOT OF ANGRY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          I THINK. 
          SO, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT 
          [00:45:01]
FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, UM, FOR AN EXAMPLE I JUST PRESENTED TO MUSIC COMMISSION, SO THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE FRESHER IN MY HEAD. 
          UM, BUT LAST YEAR WE HAD $7 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND. 
          THIS YEAR WE HAVE SIX AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE FIVE. 
          AND THAT WAS TO AVOID A 7, 7 4 BREAKDOWN. 
          SO THAT'S HOW, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY PART OF THE FUNDING DECISION THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER WHITE, UH, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. 
          UH, YEAH, I SECOND EVERYBODY'S OPINION. 
          THIS IS SO THOROUGH AND REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL TO GO THROUGH. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION. 
          UM, I GUESS I, TWO QUESTIONS. 
          THE FIRST QUESTION IS FOR ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PANELIST, UM, IS THAT $500 COMPENSATION, JUST A ONE TIME COMPENSATION FOR THAT DURATION OF, I THINK IT WAS AUGUST TO OCTOBER? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          SO ONE ROUND OF SERVICE IS $500. 
          I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN WE WILL HAVE PANELISTS THAT DROP OUT MM-HMM . 
          AND WE NEED TO, TO FILL SLOTS. 
          AND SO I THINK WE HAD A FEW OF THESE LAST CYCLE WHERE WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A REALLY GOOD PANEL MEMBER THAT HAD SERVED IN THE PAST AND WE SAID, WOULD YOU ACTUALLY LIKE TO DO TWO ROUNDS OF SERVICE? AND SO THEY GET PAID AN ADDITIONAL $500 IF THEY'RE DOING AN ADDITIONAL SET OF WORK. 
          GOT IT. 
          AND THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD IS IF OUR PEOPLE ELIGIBLE TO BE ON MORE THAN ONE PANEL. 
          SO WE TRY NOT TO, WE WANNA TRY TO SPREAD IT OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 
          I THINK WE HAVE CLOSE TO 400 FOLKS THAT ARE, HAVE FILLED OUT THE INTAKE FORM AND MAYBE 200 SOME SERVED LAST ROUND. 
          SO WE GET A LOT OF INTEREST. 
          UM, AND WE WANT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO SERVE AS PANELISTS. 
          UM, IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WE, WE TRY NOT TO HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE SERVING ON MULTIPLE PANELS. 
          . 
          GOT IT. 
          AND THOSE PANELISTS ARE DECIDED BY, OR I GUESS CHOSEN BY YOUR STAFF? CORRECT. 
          SO THERE'S A, THERE'S ESSENTIALLY A RUBRIC OF WHAT THE NEED IS, UM MM-HMM . 
          BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY APPLICANTS WE GET FOR CERTAIN DISCIPLINES, FOR AN EXAMPLE. 
          UM, SO MAYBE WE NEED A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE LITERATURE EXPERTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO IT, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE APPLICANT POOL LOOKS LIKE. 
          GOT IT. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          UM, MOVING ON TO THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE, UH, SPECIFICALLY ON THE ELEVATE GRANT. 
          I'M JUST A LITTLE CURIOUS ABOUT THIS LANGUAGE HERE. 
          UM, SO IF I OR ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR AN ELEVATE GRANT, DO I HAVE TO BE OF A NONPROFIT STATUS? I SEE THE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, UM, BUT I'M MOSTLY CURIOUS ABOUT THE TERM ARTS GROUPS. 
          'CAUSE I SEE THAT IN ANOTHER PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT'S, UM, I GUESS DESIGNATED AS A STATE OF TEXAS NONPROFIT. 
          UM, BUT ARTS GROUPS IS A DIFFERENT TERM THAN A STATE OF TEXAS NONPROFIT. 
          SO JUST CLARITY SURROUNDING THAT TERMINOLOGY WOULD BE HELPFUL. 
          SPECIFIC TO THE ELEVATE GRANT, I UNDERSTAND THRIVE IS NON-PROFIT FOCUS ELEVATE IS WHAT I'M FOCUSING ON. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CORRECT. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          SO ELEVATE, THERE ARE THREE CATEGORIES. 
          THERE'S THE 5 0 1 C3 ARTS NONPROFIT, THERE IS INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, AND THEN THERE'S THAT MIDDLE ONE THAT'S ARTS GROUP. 
          AND SO THE ARTS GROUP CAN BE A NUMBER OF THINGS. 
          IT COULD BE, UM, IT COULD BE A STATE OF TEXAS NONPROFIT STATUS. 
          IT COULD BE A COLLECTIVE, IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF BUSINESS STRUCTURES IN THAT ARTS GROUP CATEGORY. 
          UM, THEY DO HAVE TO HAVE A, A BUDGET OF LESS THAN $500,000 IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          SO IT CAN'T BE, YOU KNOW, A $10 MILLION GALLERY THAT'S APPLYING AS AN ARTS GROUP THAT IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 
          UM, THIS YEAR ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID INTRODUCE IS THAT ARTS GROUPS HAVE TO INCLUDE AN EIN AS PART OF THE APPLICATION. 
          UM, JUST AGAIN TO TRY TO AVOID, UM, I DUNNO, ANYONE ACTING UNTOWARD. 
          THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I GOT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. 
          ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, I OH, YOU DO. 
          OKAY. 
          COMMISSIONER PENOC. 
          HI THERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          IT WAS ON THE NEXUS. 
          I, I LIKE THAT SLIDE. 
          I THINK IT WAS PAGE TWO OR THREE WHERE YOU SHOWED WHAT, UH, FUNDS FROM THE TOTAL HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UH, AWARDED AND THIS DISPERSED AND ON NEXUS YOU SAID THERE WAS 45 OUTTA 75 THAT JUST GOT APPROVAL, BUT I DIDN'T SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT, SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IS THAT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN DISPERSED YET? YEAH, SO FOR THE NEXUS, THE AWARDS WERE JUST ANNOUNCED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IN JUNE. 
          AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING THROUGH THE, THE PRE-CONTRACT AGREEMENT PROCESS. 
          SO FOLKS HAVE TO HAVE A TRAINING, THEY HAVE TO SIGN THE CONTRACT, THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR FINANCIAL STUFF SET UP, AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THEN THE DISBURSEMENT FOR THEIR FIRST PAYMENT CAN BEGIN. 
          AND SO APOLOGIES IF I, UM, IF I SAID SOMETHING CONFUSING, BUT WE HAD OVER 400 APPLICANTS OH, OKAY. 
          FOR THAT PROGRAM AND 
          [00:50:01]
WE HAD $500,000 AVAILABLE AND WERE ABLE TO MAKE 75 AWARDS WITH THAT. 
          AND SO WE EXPECT THAT THE FIRST FUNDING DISBURSEMENTS FOR THOSE AWARDEES WILL BE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. 
          AND IS THAT 75 AWARDS AT 5,000 EACH? SOMETHING LIKE THAT? SO SOME OF THEM ARE AT 5,000 AND SOME OF THEM ARE AT 10,000 DEPENDING ON THEIR SCORE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO YOU CAN, YOU'RE PROBABLY ALMOST AT MAX ON THE NEXUS FUND, I'M ASSUMING. 
          SO THERE WAS A, THERE WAS AN APPLICATION AND A SELECTION PROCESS, A REVIEW PROCESS. 
          SO OF THE 400 SOME APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED, IT GOT NARROWED DOWN TO JUST 75 WERE AWARDED. 
          AND SO WHAT WAS SEEN ON THAT SLIDE WAS THE 75 AWARDED FOR THE AVAILABLE $500,000. 
          THE ASK WAS OVER 6 MILLION I THINK FOR THAT FUNDING. 
          I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE 75 ALREADY MAXING AT YOUR 500,000. 
          LIKE YOU, YOU HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT CYCLE OF NEXUS TO AWARD MORE FUNDS. 
          SO THERE WILL BE A NEW APPLICATION PERIOD THAT OPENS IN SEPTEMBER FOR NEXUS AGAIN. 
          BUT THE 75 THAT WERE ON THERE, THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR THAT WILL TAKE UP THE ENTIRE $500,000. 
          YES, PER PERFECT. 
          THAT WAS MY QUESTION. 
          YES, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BON. 
          SO MY AREA OF INQUIRY IS, UH, I, I NOTED THAT, UM, MOST OF THE RES THE RECIPIENTS HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AND, UM, YOU NOTED THAT TOURISM MARKETING TRAINING IS IN THERE. 
          WE THINK THAT'S AWESOME. 
          I'M GUESSING THAT VISIT AUSTIN IS THE TRAINING GROUP FOR THIS. 
          IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. 
          SO IT'S THE ORGANIZATION CALLED MILES PARTNERSHIP THAT IS UNDER VISIT AUSTIN. 
          AND THEY DO THE TRAINING. 
          THEY DO SOMETHING SIMILAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY ACTUALLY, BUT IT'S THROUGH VISIT AUSTIN THAT WE WORK WITH. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I NOTED THAT, UH, IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY LIST OR MARKET THEIR, THEIR ORGANIZATION THE DESTINATION IN A VISIT AUSTIN SITE IN SOME WAY. 
          AND I ASSUME THAT THERE'S A PROCESS FOR HOW THAT WORKS. 
          MY, MY PRIMARY AREA OF, OF INTEREST IS, AND I THINK IT'S THIS COMMISSIONS AS WELL, AND I THINK IT, IT'S WHY WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP. 
          UM, I I I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT A PANEL REVIEW PROCESS. 
          I HEAR YOU MENTION THAT WE BRING IN MUSEUM EXPERTS, WE BRING PRESERVATION EXPERTS IN. 
          WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE REQUESTS, LOOK AT THE PROJECT AND MAKE, ASK EDUCATED QUESTIONS ABOUT, SO THAT A DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE FROM A, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM ALL QUADRANTS. 
          WHAT, WHAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT IN THE WAITING PROCESS. 
          IN WAITING AS IN YOU'RE WAITING, LIKE THIS THING GIVES YOU A FIVE TIMES PLUS WHAT THE DEFINITION OF TOURISM, WHAT ARE YOUR REQUIREMENT? YOU MENTIONED THAT WE GET ATTENDANCE NUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          I MEAN, ALL OF US, THE ONES OF US THAT ARE LIVING THE HOSPITALITY TOURISM, THAT'S OUR DAY JOBS. 
          WE HAVE PROBABLY MORE SPECIFIC PERSPECTIVES ON YEAH, THAT'S A TOURIST DESTINATION, EH, MAYBE THAT'S NOT, OR IT ISN'T FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL OR I NEED MORE INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT CALL. 
          I'M WONDERING, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE GOT THESE OTHER AREAS PRETTY WELL FLESHED OUT HOW TO GET A PRESERVATION NEED CLEARLY DEFINED AND THAT'S YES, THAT'S ONE FOR SURE. 
          HOW, WITHIN YOUR MATRIX, WITHIN YOUR EXPERTS, WITHIN YOUR PANELS, WITHIN THE WAITING CYCLES, WHO'S DETERMINING WHAT IS REALLY TOURISM AND WHAT'S A REAL DESTINATION AND WHAT'S THE, HOW, HOW IS THAT BEING CLARIFIED THROUGH THIS PROCESS? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          SO I WILL SAY THAT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUIDELINES THEMSELVES, UM, AND OVER THE YEARS WE'VE WORKED WITH THE, WITH TEXANS FOR THE ARTS, BUT ALSO THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION TO GET FEEDBACK ON THESE THINGS. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK I PUT IT ON THE SLIDE, BUT WE ALSO TRY TO GET TOURISM EXPERTS ON THE PANEL AS WELL. 
          SO I THINK I WAS, I HAD CALLED OUT THE PRESERVATION ARCHITECTS FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR PANELISTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, TRY TO GET A VOICE ON THE PANEL THAT IS A TOURISM EXPERT. 
          UM, AND HOPEFULLY THIS IS PART OF ME COMING BACK AND TALKING TO YOU ALL MORE. 
          UM, AND SO AS FAR AS THE DEFINITION OF WHAT COUNTS AS TOURISM OR NOT, WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM, UM, AND EVERYTHING HAS TO GO THROUGH THEM AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE DEFINING THINGS AND WHAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO THOSE ARE HOW THOSE DEFINITIONS ARE CREATED. 
          BUT MORE THAN OPEN TO FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AND YOUR WORKING GROUP AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS WORK. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND I, I DO THINK, AGAIN, UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION, UH, AND WE WERE GRATEFUL WHEN THE DIVISION WAS FORMED BECAUSE IT GAVE US A REAL PLACE, MORE FOCUSED PLACE FOR US TO ASK 
          [00:55:01]
THESE QUESTIONS. 
          BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE FROM THE WORKING GROUPS CONVERSATIONS, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT. 
          BUT I, I DO THINK THAT MANY OF US WOULD LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IS TOURISM GETTING EQUAL WEIGHTING IN THESE DECISIONS? IS IT A THIRD OF THE DECISION OR IS IT SOMETHING MUCH LESS? IS IT IF SOMETHING'S BEING WEIGHTED, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SINCE YOU, AS YOU CONFIRMED, A HUNDRED PERCENT IS HOT TAX. 
          SO WE'RE, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT AS THE TOURISM COMMISSION, THAT WE WE'RE ALIGNED IN THE THINKING OF HOW THOSE HOT TAX DOLLARS ARE GIVING BACK TO THE TOURISM ECONOMY. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOME OF OUR EXPLORATION WILL GO. 
          AND, AND I, I'M SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS YOU PROVIDED TODAY, BUT I DO THINK THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE WANNA GET CLEAR ON AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT IN THIS FORM TO GET THAT. 
          SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK WE'RE GONNA RELEASE YOU. 
          AND, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION THAT WAS AN HOUR LONG. 
          WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING TO GIVE BACK AND HOW YOU ARE LIFTING THE COMMUNITY UP, BUT, AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER AS TOURISM INDUSTRY. 
          SO THANKS SO MUCH, UH, MS. ODEGAARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT COMMISSIONERS AND LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING MORE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I WANNA TAKE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE OR POINT, WE, WE HAVE AN AGENDA, BUT WE HAVE A, A SPECIAL GUEST HERE TODAY THAT WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TAKE A BREAK FROM THE, THE AGENDA DIRECTION FOR A MOMENT TO, TO RECOGNIZE, UH, FELICIA BURLESON WHO HAS EXITED OUR TEAM. 
          AND, UH, WE HAVE, I, I THINK AN AWARD WE, OR AT LEAST A COMMENDATION, BUT REALLY WE ALL WANNA SAY THANK YOU IN A VERY FORMAL AND PUBLIC WAY FOR ALL THE WORK. 
          AND I'LL JUST GIVE EVERYONE HERE WHO HASN'T WORKED FOR FELICIA FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS AS I THINK I HAVE, THAT WE'VE HAD FOUR COMMISSION, FOUR CHAIRS TO THIS COMMISSION. 
          AND SHE WAS THE FOUNDATION LIFTOFF. 
          SHE TRAINED EVERY, EVERY ONE OF US AND TOLD US THIS IS HOW THESE THINGS OPERATE. 
          AND, AND, UH, SHE'S BEEN NOTHING BUT RESPONSIVE AND HELPFUL AND PLEASANT AND TRULY A PRO AND PROFESSIONAL. 
          AND I THINK PART OF THE REASON WE'RE LOSING HER IS BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN SNATCHED BY OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY FROM SOME OF THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING WITH THE CONVENTION SERVICES AND THIS COMMISSION. 
          AND SO, UM, WE HAVE A, A CERTIFICATE AND A COM, YOU KNOW, COMMENDATION. 
          I KNOW, I DUNNO WHAT YOU CALL THIS EXACTLY, BUT IT'S, IT'S AN AWARD. 
          IT'S AN AWARD, BUT IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A SHOW OF APPRECIATION OF ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE. 
          OH, THAT'S A VERY NICE AWARD. 
          BEAUTIFUL CHAIR. 
          AND VICE CHAIR. 
          MAYBE IF WE COULD JUST AS OUR, OUR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. 
          COULD Y'ALL COME DOWN REAL QUICK JUST SO WE COULD TAKE A PICTURE OF Y'ALL WITH HER AND THE AWARD? WE WOULD LOVE THAT. 
          CAN WE DO IT ALL OF US OR JUST YEAH, ALL OF Y'ALL. 
          YEAH. 
          WHOEVER. 
          EVERYONE. 
          . 
          [01:00:53]
ALL RIGHT. 
          BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING, . 
          YOU GOT THAT RIGHT? OKAY. 
          [3. Presentation by Austin Woman’s Club, 2026 Heritage Preservation Capital Grant recipient, regarding an overview of the organization, its role in the tourism industry and plans for their heritage grant. Presentation by Mary Ann Golden, President.]
UM, I SEE THAT WE ARE NOW, UH, READY TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE IN OUR AGENDA TODAY. 
          AND WE HAVE, UH, MARY ANN GOLDEN, WHO'S PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN WOMEN'S CLUB, WHO IS A 2026 HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT RECIPIENT. 
          AND, UH, WE'RE VERY CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, SOME OF US, I THINK, HAVE BEEN THERE AND SOME OF US HAVEN'T. 
          SO WE'RE CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR GOOD WORKS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND, UH, WE'RE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW OUR HOT TAXES HAVE HELPED, UH, BUILD UP YOUR, UH, YOUR FACILITY AND I'M SURE, AND YOU ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO, FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MY NAME IS MARY ANN GOLDEN. 
          I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN WOMEN'S CLUB, AND, UH, WE HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED THE AUSTIN WOMEN'S CLUB, WHICH IS AT 7 0 8 SAN ANTONIO FOR ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS. 
          A GROUP OF WOMEN BOUGHT THIS BUILDING IN 1929. 
          IF YOU REMEMBER OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR, WHICH IS THE YEAR WE BOUGHT IT. 
          IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME FOR THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. 
          SO LET ME START WITH THAT BRIEF INTRODUCTION AND THEN EXPRESS TO YOU THAT I KNOW WHAT KIND OF DEDICATION AND WORK IT TAKES TO SERVE ON A COMMISSION SUCH AS THIS. 
          UH, MY HUSBAND SERVED AS THE INITIAL CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN ARTS COMMISSION, WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL MUCH AS IT IS TO, FOR YOU TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL ON FUNDING FOR THE ARTS AND YOU ON FUNDING WITH THE HOT TAX MONEY. 
          BEFORE I TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE GIVEN ME, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS THING WORK. 
          OKAY? OKAY. 
          I THINK I TURNED IT OFF. 
          I'M TRYING TO GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          YEAH, THERE YOU GO. 
          THIS ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU . 
          THANK YOU FOR MY INEPTITUDE WITH TECHNOLOGY. 
          UH, UH, I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT CHATEAU BELLEVUE, FIRST OF ALL, BUT I WANNA POINT OUT HOW THE STATUE YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING TREATS HISTORIC PRESERVATION WHILE THE STATUE DIRECTS THAT THE HOT TAX CAN ONLY BE USED TO PROMOTE TOURISM PRESERVATION PROJECTS EXIST TO ENCOURAGE TOURISTS AND CONVENTION DELEGATES TO VISIT PRESERVED HISTORIC SITES AND MUSEUMS. IN OTHER WORDS, CHATEAU BELLEVUE'S MISSION IN REGARD TO TOURISM IS TO PROVIDE AN EXPERIENCE FOR TOURISTS TO VISIT ONCE THEY ARE HERE. 
          MORE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO PROMOTE TOURISTS TO VISIT LATER. 
          HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER VISITED THE CHATEAU OR BEEN TO AN EVENT THERE? WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS. 
          LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUILDING, UH, AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO AUSTIN. 
          IT WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS BELLEVUE PLACE, OR THE NORTH EVANS CHATEAU IN HONOR OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS. 
          IT IS THE ONLY ONE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, SURVIVING LARGE SCALE VICTORIAN HOUSES. 
          IT IS CELEBRATED FOR ITS UNIQUE FRENCH ROMANESQUE REVIVAL CASTLE TYPE ARCHITECTURE. 
          AS I'VE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. 
          IT'S LOCATED AT 7 0 8 SAN ANTONIO, SAN ANTONIO STREET, AND IT HAS SERVED AS A PROMINENT SOCIAL CIVIC, AND CULTURAL HUB FOR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 150 AND A HUNDRED YEARS. 
          THE BUILDING IS THE ONLY VENUE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN THE HISTORIC NATIONAL DISTRICT KNOWN AS THE RAMON BLOCK. 
          THE CHATEAU IS ALSO 
          [01:05:01]
A TEXAS AND CITY LANDMARK. 
          IT IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING VICTORIAN HOUSES IN TEXAS THAT IS FURNISHED WITH PERIOD APPROPRIATE FURNISHINGS. 
          IT'S NOT AN OFFICE SPACE, IT'S A HOME. 
          AND AS SUCH, IT ATTRACTS A WIDE VARIETY OF VISITORS. 
          CONVENTION DELEGATES USE ITS BALLROOM FOR EVENTS SUCH AS THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF TRUST AND ESTATE LAWYERS THAT ATTENDED HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          UH, BRIDES AND GROOMS NOT ONLY USE AUSTIN LOCALLY, THEY USE IT AS A DESTINATION SITE. 
          SO WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND BRING IN THEIR GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. 
          NOW, HERE IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT I FOUND MOST INTERESTING TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND WORLD ALIKE COME HERE IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH. 
          I HAD THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF LEADING GROUPS OF RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN TOURISTS THROUGHOUT OUR BUILDING. 
          WE HAVE A SPEAKER'S BUREAU AND ART AND MUSIC SHOWS HAPPEN. 
          A CLASSIC CAR SHOW IS PLANNED FOR OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR. 
          WE HAVE GIVEN A PRESS RELEASE TO OVER 35 GROUPS REGARDING OUR RECEIVING OF THE HOT TAX MONEY. 
          SO DO KNOW THAT IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND ALSO APPRECIATED ARE THE DOWNTOWN AREA HILTON HOTELS, THE FOUR SEASONS, THE COLTON HOUSE AND CLUB WYNDHAM FOR ACCEPTING THE BROCHURES YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          NOW, GUYS, BEAR WITH ME FOR A MINUTE. 
          WOMEN'S CLUBS EXISTED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES IN MANY MAJOR CITIES. 
          DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA, THEY WERE TO FUNCTION AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR WOMEN TO LEARN AND SOCIALIZE. 
          WHEN THIS ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1929, IT UNITED A COALITION OF 200 INFLUENTIAL MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          THESE LADIES, IN MANY CASES, WERE INVOLVED IN THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT, CITY IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS THE MOONLIGHT TOWERS. 
          AND ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS WHEN THEY TALKED TO TOM MILLER ABOUT COVERING THE TRASH TUCKS THAT RAN THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO THAT THE FLIES THEY USED TARPS SO THAT THE FLIES WOULD NOT SPREAD THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. 
          FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE CLUB INCLUDED MANY NAMES OF WOMEN WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING THE HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THEY INCLUDE GOVERNOR MA FERGUSON, THE FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, MRS. CAIS, MRS. SLAUGHTER, MRS. PENNYBACK, MRS. MOODY, MISS JANE MCCALLUM, AND MRS. ET SCOTT. 
          BUT TIME IS NOT ALWAYS KIND TO OLD STRUCTURES. 
          AND THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF CHATEAU BELLEVUE. 
          I BELIEVE THAT ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MORE THAN ONE PICTURE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU A THOUSAND WORDS. 
          BALLROOM DOORS CAN NO LONGER KEEP OUT. 
          THE RADISHES OF RAIN WATER SEEPS UNSEEN INTO THE SUBFLOORING, CREATING MILDEW AND MOLD, AND MOST SIGNIFICANTLY ROCKED. 
          THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT THIS GRANT WILL HELP REPAIR. 
          ONE OF THE THREE DOORS ON THE THIRD LEVEL MUST BE TOTALLY REPLACED. 
          WE TRY VERY, VERY HARD TO KEEP AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL MATERIALS AS POSSIBLE WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF OUR BUILDING. 
          IN SOME CASES, IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE. 
          WE WANNA SHOW OUR VISITORS THE THIRD LEVEL OF THIS VICTORIAN HOME. 
          IT WAS BASICALLY THE LEVEL WHERE ALL THE BEDROOMS WERE AT. 
          YOU CAN PUT YOUR FINGER THROUGH THIS STORE, YOU SEE THAT, YOU CAN SEE OUTSIDE AND PAINT DOES NOT ALWAYS STAY ATTACHED TO SURFACES, AND THEY ARE PEELING AND FLAKING, BUT EVEN WORSE THAN THAT, MANY OF 
          [01:10:01]
THEM CONTAIN LEAD. 
          SO WE HAVE HAD A GROUP COME IN THAT DOES LEAD TESTING TO TEST THE SPECIFIC LEVELS WHERE THERE IS LEAD ON THE THIRD FLOOR WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS. 
          UH, THIS IS PART OF WHAT YOUR GRANT DID. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AS WE SPEAK, EVEN RIGHT NOW, THE GRANT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED. 
          WE HAVE PEOPLE UP THERE AND, AND, AND THEY'VE COVERED. 
          AND HERE IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED THAT I DID NOT KNOW, IS THAT WE ARE NOT USING CHEMICALS TO TAKE OFF THE LEAD BASED PAINT. 
          WE ARE DOING IT BY HAND, WHICH IS A MUCH SAFER, A MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL WAY TO GET TO THE BASE. 
          THIS IS A CEILING YOU'RE LOOKING AT. 
          IT IS LOADED WITH LEAD PAINT, AND IT IS METAL. 
          IT IS NOT WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT IN A CEILING. 
          WE ARE DELIGHTED TO TELL YOU THAT THE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS BUILDING ARE AUSTIN CONTRACTORS. 
          WE ARE USING OUR CITIZENS TO DO THIS. 
          THIS GRANT WILL ALLOW US TO RE REMEDIATE PROBLEMS FROM THE PAST, AND THIS BUILDING CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE GUESTS IN THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT. 
          YOU ARE PART OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, MS. GOLDEN. 
          I WHAT A TREASURE. 
          UM, WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE BEAUTY OF IT AND, UM, I, I COMMIT TO YOU, I'LL GET OVER THERE. 
          I DIDN'T REALIZE I GO TO RANCH 6 1 6 LIKE TWICE A WEEK. 
          I'VE BEEN BY YOU FOR YEARS AND WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION, SO I'LL, I'LL FIX THAT PLEASE THIS WEEK. 
          UM, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS CAN JUMP ON IN. 
          SO, WHO, COMMISSIONER PRUITT, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          I ALSO HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND THIS IS NOT A PLACE THAT I HAVE COME TO VISIT, SO I WILL PUT IT ON MY LIST. 
          ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE DO. 
          WE WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL. 
          AND YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT AS A TOURISM COMMISSION, WE REALLY DO REACH OUT TO THE TOURISTS THAT COME TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          I MEAN, I, I I WILL TELL YOU, THE RUSSIAN TOURISTS WERE ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDED THAT ANYTHING LIKE THIS STILL EXISTED. 
          SO BE BE AWARE WE'RE WITH YOU GUYS. 
          WELL, AND THAT IN PART IS, YOU KNOW, UH, HERE WHERE MY QUESTION COMES FROM IS HAVING NOT BEEN TO THE SPACE THEN YOU SPOKE A LOT ABOUT RESTORING THE THIRD FLOOR. 
          ONCE THAT RESTORA, WELL, ONE, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT RESTORATION WILL TAKE? AND THEN TWO, WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH IT ONCE YOU CAN DO TOURS THAT, OTHER THAN TOURS, WHAT ARE YOUR BIG PLANS FOR THE THIRD FLOOR? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE THIRD FLOOR WILL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR TOURS. 
          WE, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT THOSE BEDROOMS OUT THERE AND THROW PEOPLE IN THEM. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR US. 
          UH, WHAT I CAN ALSO TELL YOU IS YEAH, WE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF TOURS, UH, OF PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH. 
          UH, AND WE SOMETIMES GET, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RUSSIANS BOOK AHEAD. 
          UH, WE MAY GET SOMEONE WHO HAS COME TO AN EVENT AND IF WE HAVE AN EVENT AT THE PLACE, WE OFFER TOURS BEFORE WE START. 
          UM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF TEXAS WOMEN THAT ARE COMING IN TO DO NEEDLE WORK, I THINK IN AUGUST. 
          AND SO THEY WILL BE OFFERED A TOUR. 
          THIS THESE ARE YOUR PEOPLE, FOLKS. 
          UH, I DON'T NEED, I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. 
          I APOLOGIZE. 
          UH, BUT YOU ALSO ASK, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION, AND I'M SORRY, I KIND OF LOST TRACK OF IT. 
          UH, ABOUT HOW LONG THE YEAH, HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE. 
          THIS IS, WE ARE REALLY IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW. 
          I HAVE, UH, I HAVE PICTURES IN MY PHONE CURRENTLY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. 
          EVERYTHING IS COVERED. 
          UH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE THROUGH THE THIRD FLOOR LEVEL. 
          SHOULD BE FINISHED IN AUGUST. 
          THE DOORS WILL BE A DIFFERENT ISSUE BECAUSE WE CAN'T TAKE ALL THE DOORS OUT AT ONCE AND SEND 
          [01:15:01]
THEM OFF AND THEN BRING THEM BACK IN. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THEM TWO AT A TIME. 
          WE HOPE. 
          ACTUALLY, I HAVE AN ANSWER. 
          BELIEVE IT AF AFTER ALL OF THAT, UH, WE HOPE TO BE FINISHED IN JANUARY WITH THE DOORS. 
          THAT'S GREAT NEWS. 
          AND I KNOW THAT ONCE YOU GET STARTED ON, UM, THOSE HERITAGE PROJECTS, IT'S LIKE YOU OPEN THE CAN OF WORMS AND THEY JUST OH, YES. 
          ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER. 
          SO LIKE AUGUST, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR IS, UM, SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT TIMELINE. 
          SO, WELL, WHAT IS, SO YOU, YOU ARE SO RIGHT. 
          UH, WE HAD, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE, THE, WE DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE WATER WAS SEEPING IN THROUGH THE FLOORS TO THE SUBFLOOR, AND WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE DAMAGING TO THE STRUCTURE ITSELF. 
          SO THAT'S PART OF WHY WE'VE GOTTA GET THAT WATER TAKEN AWAY FROM THOSE DOORS. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. 
          YEAH, THANK YOU. 
          AND, AND GOOD LUCK WITH ALL OF THE RESTORATION. 
          OH, THANK YOU. 
          WE'LL NEED IT. 
          UH, THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER PRUITT, WHO, WHO OH, WELL, I'M GOOD. 
          . 
          I'LL GO WITH COMMISSIONER MATHIS. 
          SORRY. 
          HI, I'M STEPHANIE MATHIS AND I'M A DIRECTOR OF SALES AT A HOTEL DOWNTOWN. 
          SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING TODAY. 
          UM, YOUR PRESENTATION, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S SOME DEFINITE NEED AND SOME WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY. 
          AND HOW GREAT, UM, IS THAT, TO SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S, UH, GOING AS PLANNED? IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, THE QUESTION I'M SORT OF DOVETAILING. 
          SO THE THIRD FLOOR THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR TOURISTS, THERE'S, ARE THEY GONNA BE ACTUAL BEDROOMS WITH LIKE FURNITURE FOR, I JUST HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR THAT BECAUSE I LOVE ANY MUSEUM OF ARTS OR WITH HISTORY OR WITH SCIENCE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THE HOMES THAT YOU CAN TOUR IN TEXAS, LIKE IN GALVESTON, WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THESE ROOMS, THE BEDROOMS, IT REALLY, SINCE WE CAN'T GET IN A TIME MACHINE, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF ALL, ALL, YOU GET TO HAVE THE FEELING OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE THEN. 
          SO, UM, YOU WERE MAKING ME FEEL SO GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OF COURSE. 
          WELL, YOU, I DON'T HAVE TO TO TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT WEDDINGS ARE TO THE, UH, HOTEL ECONOMY IN, IN AUSTIN. 
          AND, UM, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A CITY THAT IS A DESTINATION FOR WEDDINGS BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE AND OUR GREAT MUSIC. 
          PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF THEY GET MARRIED IN, IN AUSTIN, PEOPLE WILL COME. 
          UM, AND IT'S JUST A, A REALLY SPECIAL THING ALSO FOR ANY EVENT TO HAVE. 
          LOOK, I LOVE A HOTEL MEETING ROOM. 
          I HAVE A COUPLE, BUT TO HAVE SOME MEETING SPACES JUST THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT SORT OF FEEL WHERE AN EVENT CAN BE AN ONLY AN AUSTIN MOMENT. 
          UM, SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE, REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS JEWEL BOX IS, IS TAKEN CARE OF FOR US. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, YOU ARE, YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR . 
          I, I, I SO ADVOCATE AND, AND ADMIRE AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU JUST SAID. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE GETTING YOUR, YOUR MATERIALS TO HOTELS. 
          UM, I THINK THAT ANY HOTEL SELLS AND MARKETING TEAM WOULD LOVE TO BE CON CONNECTED WITH YOU. 
          UM, BECAUSE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE WHEN THEY SPEAK TO A HOTEL ABOUT LODGING. 
          UM, MAYBE A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE THE PHONE CALL THAT'S AFTER WHERE THE VENUE IS GOING TO BE, BUT NOT ALWAYS. 
          AND, UM, WE LOVE TO BE ABLE TO REFER PEOPLE ONTO, WE WOULD, AND AND THIS IS AN, AN ISSUE THAT, THAT HAS EXISTED FOR US, AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING AROUND IT BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THAT CERTAIN HOTEL CHAINS HAVE REGULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO APPLY THROUGHOUT THEIR, THEIR BUSINESS. 
          AND SO THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT OUR BROCHURES AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GIVE TO THEIR TOURISTS. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA STOP TRYING . 
          WELL, I THINK THAT, THAT ONE WAY AROUND THAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE LIKE SOME, UH, NO SOLICITATION, UM, UH, GUIDELINES THAT BRANDS OR MANAGEMENT COMPANIES HAVE FOR THEIR PROPERTY, SO THAT WHEN A GUEST DOESN'T WALK INTO A ROOM, THAT IT ISN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, AN ADVERTISING ZONE. 
          BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, A HOTEL IS, UM, HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS THAT HAVE RELATIONSHIPS AND INSIGHT TO A COMMUNITY ON HOW SOMEONE CAN HAVE A GREAT STAY. 
          AND SO CONNECTIONS WITH THE ACTUAL FRONT OFFICE TEAMS, WITH CONCIERGE OR WITH SALES DEPARTMENTS, THOSE CONNECTIONS WILL ENSURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU STAY 
          [01:20:01]
TOP OF MIND IN THESE MOMENTS WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE SOMEONE THE VERY BEST OF AUSTIN BECAUSE WE'RE IN THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE WE JUST LOVE TO DELIGHT PEOPLE SO WELL. 
          AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT A BIG PLACE. 
          I MEAN, WE ARE NOT THE PARAMOUNT, WE ARE NOT THE STATE. 
          WE CANNOT ACCOMMODATE THAT MANY PEOPLE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE FIRE MARSHAL SAYS THAT WE COULD HAVE SIT DOWN FOR LIKE A HUNDRED AND, UH, I THINK IT'S 190. 
          BUT, UM, WE, WE ARE VERY GLAD FOR EVERYONE WE HAVE. 
          AND, UH, WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THIS GRANT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP US IN MANY, MANY WAYS JUST TO LOOK BETTER TO THE PUBLIC AND TO ALSO MAKE FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. 
          OF COURSE, OF CARE IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER MATHIS. 
          COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          I AM A VICTORIAN FANATIC, SO I LOVED HEARING ABOUT IT. 
          AND I'M, UH, ALSO AN AUSTINITE, SO I'M ASHAMED THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE. 
          I HONESTLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN. 
          AND AS A CHILD, I HAVE BIG MEMORIES OF THE FOYER. 
          UM, BUT I USED TO WORK AT HOTEL SAINT CECILIA AT THE FRONT DESK, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE FIVE REMAINING, UH, VICTORIAN, I THINK OUT OF THE 12 ORIGINALLY BUILT ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER. 
          I'M JUST CURIOUS OUTTA CURIOSITY, IS THERE POTENTIALLY LIKE A VICTORIAN HOME TOUR, LIKE, LIKE THE SCAVENGER HUNT MORE OR LESS AROUND THE CITY? BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT HAS A HISTORIC DESIGNATION AS THE MILLER CROCKETT HOUSE, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS, LIKE, IS THERE ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VICTORIAN HOMES IN AUSTIN? ARE Y'ALL FRIENDS? HOW DOES THAT WORK? OF COURSE, WE'RE FRIENDS. 
          , ABSOLUTELY. 
          I MEAN, COME ON NOW. 
          YES, , IF YOU DON'T HAVE FRIENDS, YOU DON'T SURVIVE. 
          UH, THERE IS, THERE'S SUCH A, A VAST DIFFERENCE IN WHAT EACH OF THE VICTORIAN HOMES DOES. 
          I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, VERMONT BLOCK, THE VERMONT HOUSE, IT WAS TAKEN OVER, I BELIEVE AT ONE TIME, UH, WITH A AND M. 
          UH, THE A AND M HAD SOME OFFICES THERE IN THEIR SPACE. 
          AND SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED A LOT, AND THERE'S, I THINK LIKE, UH, FLOWER, FLOWER HILL, THE NEIL COCHRAN, THE WOMAN'S CLUB, CHATEAU BELLEVUE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF STILL THE LAST VESTIGES OF THAT ERA. 
          UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE MOST PROUD OF IS THAT THE GENTLEMAN WHO BASICALLY REMODELED THIS HOUSE IN 1894, UH, WAS THE YOUNGEST SPEAKER OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 
          HE WAS A MOVER AND SHAKER AND THE BELIEF THAT EVEN THOUGH HE WON THE MEDAL OF HONOR BY FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF THE NORTH, HE WAS STILL ACCEPTED IN TEXAS, EVEN THOUGH, UM, I'M SURE THAT THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE NOT SO KIND TO HIM. 
          UH, HE BECAME VERY INVOLVED WITH, UH, A COLLEGE AS KIND OF UP ON THE HILL OVER THERE CALLED TILLSON COLLEGE, WHICH IS NOW HOUSTON TILLSON. 
          AND BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IRA HOBART EVANS HAD WITH HOUSTON TILLSON, WE FORMED A RELATIONSHIP, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT THAT BRINGS EAST AND WEST AUSTIN TOGETHER INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DIVIDE THEM. 
          SO, UM, I'VE GONE A LONG WAY AROUND YOUR QUESTION, BUT HEY, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I GOTTA BRING UP A POINT. 
          , I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND ALL YOU'RE DOING, AND IF WE CAN HELP YOU IN ANY WAY, PLEASE DO CALL ON US. 
          AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO OUR PLACE, PLEASE COME, IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME, I WILL LEAVE YOU TO YOUR CONTINUING BUSINESS. 
          WE DO. 
          UM, THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, COMMISSIONER WHITE, COMMISSIONER WHITE HAS A QUESTION. 
          I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH CONSISTENT STEWARDS OF, UM, ONE OF OUR, OUR LONGEST LIVED BUILDINGS HERE IN THE CITY. 
          UM, FOR THE HERITAGE GRANT, DID Y'ALL RECEIVE ENOUGH MONEY, UM, TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS THAT YOU WERE HOPING TO? WE BELIEVE SO. 
          UH, WE RECEIVED $217,000. 
          AND THE, DO YOU, DO, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE ARE TWO REPAIRS THAT ARE BASICALLY EATING US ALIVE. 
          THE MAJOR ONE IS THE DOORS. 
          MM-HMM 
          [01:25:01]
. 
          UH, WE HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH, ARE COPPER PANS REALLY BETTER OR IS COPPER FLASHING REALLY BETTER? I MEAN, COME ON. 
          THAT'S REALLY KIND OF AN AREA THAT WE, WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH. 
          UH, THE OTHER AREA THAT WE STRUGGLED WITH IS CONTINUING TO HAVE TOURIST GUESTS IN OUR BUILDING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR BALLROOM AREA, WHICH IS WHERE MIL, I WOULD SAY OUT OF THE, THERE'RE SETS OF DOORS. 
          THEY'RE NOT INDIVIDUAL DOORS, THEY'RE KIND OF ROUNDED SETS OF DOORS. 
          SO IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE TO, TO REPAIR THEM AND GET THEM IN THE SHAPE THEY NEED TO BE IN. 
          AND WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH PUTTING UP SOMETHING TO KEEP THE WEATHER OUT DURING THE TIME PERIOD THAT THEY'RE GONE. 
          UH, I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NEED THAT IS TERRIFYING THAT WHENEVER I SAY THE NUMBERS I SHAKE IN MY SHOES. 
          AND THAT IS THE FACT THAT THIS BUILDING HAS AIR CONDITIONING, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE A UNIFIED AIR CONDITIONING HVAC SYSTEM. 
          UM, AND STOP AND THINK ABOUT TRYING TO PUT DUCT WORK THROUGH LIMESTONE WALLS. 
          IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN. 
          AND I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK OUR TOURIST WOULD BE A LOT MORE PHYSICALLY COMFORTABLE IF THEY COULD GO FROM THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE BUILDING ALL THE WAY UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR AND NOT HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH TEXAS HEAT. 
          UH, WE HAVE WINDOW UNITS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY DOING NASTY THINGS TO THE WOODWORK SURROUNDS OF OUR WINDOWS. 
          UH, SO DON'T THINK THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU'LL SEE US TALKING ABOUT GRANTS. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, AND SO THAT 217,000, IS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT Y'ALL APPLIED FOR OR DID YOU APPLY FOR MORE? WE APPLIED FOR THE AMOUNT AND RECEIVED THE AMOUNT. 
          OKAY. 
          I WILL TELL YOU, AS I WILL BET EVERYONE ON THIS PANEL KNOWS BIDS CHANGE OVER THE LAST WHAT YEAR WITH TARIFFS AND WITH THE DISRUPTION IN OIL BIDS CHANGE. 
          AND YOU CAN'T SAY TO A, A CONTRACTOR, THAT'S WHAT YOU TOLD ME IT WAS GONNA COST A YEAR AGO. 
          BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT BY THE TIME YOU GET THE GRANT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THE MONEY ACTUALLY CHANGES. 
          AND UH, THAT'S, SO YOUR QUESTION IS, AT THE TIME WE APPLIED FOR THAT AMOUNT, WE APPLIED FOR THE AMOUNT WE WERE INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THIS. 
          IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE MORE NOW MM-HMM . 
          UH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE GET THAT WATER OUT OF THAT BUILDING. 
          OF COURSE. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. 
          YES. 
          I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME WITH HISTORIC HOUSES. 
          YOU DO THE BEST WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. 
          UM, I'LL SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSION. 
          I WAS KIND OF STRUCK AT OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATION HOW THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT IS ONE OF THE SMALLEST GRANTS THAT WE OFFER. 
          JUST KNOWING THE COSTS THAT GO INTO, UM, MAINTAINING AND UPDATING OLDER BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY IN THIS CLIMATE. 
          UM, SO JUST SOMETHING ABOUT FOR THIS COMMISSION TO THINK ABOUT, AND I HAD ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION. 
          QUESTION. 
          UM, SO PRIMARILY THE CHATEAU IS OPEN FOR WEDDINGS AND PRIVATE EVENTS. 
          I DO KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE WONDERFUL PARTICIPANTS IN THE AUSTIN MUSEUM PARTNERSHIP AND ARE OPEN FOR AUSTIN MUSEUM DAY TO THE PUBLIC. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHER DAYS THAT Y'ALL ARE OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, ASIDE FROM BOOKING A TOUR IN ADVANCE? OH, YES AND NO. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAVE WEEKLY LUNCHEONS AT THE CLUB, AND WE DESIGNATE SPECIFIC LUNCHEONS WITH SPECIFIC SPEAKERS FOR OUR LUNCH AND LEARN PROGRAM THAT ARE OP THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. 
          UH, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT EVERY SPEAKER WE HAVE HAD AT OUR BUILDING, WHEN THEY FINISH SPEAKING, THE WORD IS, WOULD YOU LIKE A TOUR? AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS IS PART OF HOW WE HAVE SPREAD THE WORD. 
          UM, OUR, OUR LUNCH AND LEARN PROGRAMS HAVE DONE EVERYTHING FROM, 
          [01:30:01]
UH, ROY SPENCE TO UH, OH, THE GENTLEMAN WHO REDID THE CAPITAL PROJECT. 
          UH, WE ARE DOING A PROGRAM WITH A AUTOIMMUNE SPECIALISTS COMING UP, AND THESE ARE ALL AVAILABLE AND THEY'RE ON VISIT AUSTIN. 
          UH, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH. 
          OKAY, GUYS, I'M SAYING SOMETHING FOR YOU HERE. 
          UH, WE HAVE COMING, I DO HAVE YOUR ATTENTION. 
          WE HAVE COMING UP IN FEBRUARY 12TH, A GENTLEMAN WHO'S COMING IN AND DOING A WHISKEY TASTING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT AMERICAN OR SCOTCH WHISKEY IS BETTER. 
          SO I WOULD INVITE YOU TO PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR. 
          THAT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. 
          THAT IS GREAT INFORMATION. 
          I FEEL LIKE I SEE SOME COMMISSIONERS WRITING THAT DATE DOWN. 
          UM, , THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK, UM, SUPPORTING THE CHATEAU BELLEVUE. 
          IT REALLY IS A LOVELY BUILDING. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD. 
          I, WE, I KNOW THAT WE COULD SIT HERE AND PEPPER YOU'S QUESTIONS 'CAUSE YOUR STORIES ARE FASCINATING AND YOUR GET IT DONE MENTALITY IS A REASON WHY THIS PLACE STANDS AND WHY YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT. 
          WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HOST YOU TODAY, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER AND WE, UH, HAVE SOME ITEMS OF BUSINESS WE HAVE TO VOTE ON. 
          SO I WANNA REMIND THE COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE TO APPROVE OUR ANNUAL REPORT TODAY, AND THE MEETING ENDS AT FOUR 30. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND WE'RE GONNA INVITE 
          [4. Presentation by Preservation Austin, 2026 Heritage Event Grant recipient, regarding an overview of the organization, its role in the tourism industry and plans for their heritage grant. Presentation by Bridget Gayle Ground, Learning and Engagement Manager.]
UP OUR LAST PRESENTER, ITEM NUMBER FOUR. 
          AND BRIDGET GAY GROUND IS THE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FROM PRESERVATION AUSTIN, PERFECT SEGUE FROM THIS CONVERSATION. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN MS. GOLDEN, FOR BEING WITH US. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MY PLEASURE. 
          , WELCOME. 
          THE, UM, SORRY FOR THE QUICK INTRODUCTION, BUT WE ARE, UM, I KNOW, AND YOU'VE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING AND ENJOYING THIS, THIS MEETING, SO THANK YOU. 
          UM, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          UH, THERE YOU GO. 
          SORRY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MY PLEASURE. 
          UM, SO I'LL JUST REPEAT, UM, MY NAME IS BRIDGET GALE GROUND. 
          I'M LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN. 
          AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION TODAY. 
          UM, PRESERVATION AUSTIN WAS FOUNDED AS THE HERITAGE SOCIETY OF AUSTIN IN 1953. 
          WE'RE ONE OF THE OLDER PRESERVATION NONPROFITS IN THE COUNTRY ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO AUSTIN'S RAPID CHANGE AND GROWTH FOLLOWING WORLD WAR I, I'M SORRY, WORLD WAR II. 
          UM, IN THE 1970S, THE HERITAGE SOCIETY'S REVOLVING FUND AND MAJOR LOAN PROGRAMS SUPPORTED MANY OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT WE TREASURE TODAY LISTED HERE. 
          UM, SO WE TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE LANDMARKS, BUT AT ONE POINT THEY WERE EXTREMELY THREATENED. 
          UM, BY THE 1990S, OUR ORGANIZATION HAD CONTRACTED A BIT, BUT 2019 MARKED A NEW PHASE OF STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND OUR EXPANDED ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, UM, WITH THE AIM TO BETTER SERVE OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING CITY. 
          UM, WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMS, ADVOCACY AND GRANTS FOR PRESERVATION PROJECTS CITYWIDE, UM, WITH AWARDS OF UP TO 10,000 DO, I'M SORRY, $10,000 FOR COMMUNITY GRANTS AND THOSE TOTAL, UM, 50,000 ANNUALLY. 
          UM, SO SHOWN HERE IS, UM, OUR TEAM WITH THE MCFARLAND MCBEE HOUSE, WHICH IS A CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK THAT IS ALSO LISTED IN THE NA NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. 
          UM, THANKS TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR RECENT CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, WE HAVE REHABILITATED THIS 1947 STREAMLINED MODERN BUILDING AS OUR HEADQUARTERS. 
          UM, SO IT SERVES AS A HOME BASE, NOT ONLY FOR OUR NONPROFIT, BUT FOR OUR ADVOCACY AND PROGRAMMING, AS WELL AS SERVING AS A SYMBOL OF OUR WORK. 
          UM, PRESERVATION AUSTIN HAS APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED THREE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANTS. 
          OUR 2022 GRANT SUPPORTED CRITICAL STRUCTURAL REPAIRS TO THE MCFARLAND MCBEE HOUSE, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, INCLUDING A ROOF REPLACEMENT, NEW FLASHING ALONG THE EAVES, STRUCTURAL STEEL REINFORCEMENT OF THE CANT LEVERED, UM, ROOF AND BALCONY. 
          UM, AND IT WAS PART OF A LARGER REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECT FOR THIS BUILDING, THIS WORK, UM, THE SCOPE OF WORK FUNDED BY THE HERITAGE GRANT TOOK PLACE FROM LATE 2023 TO MID 2024. 
          UM, AND THAT WORK LED TO THIS INCREDIBLE NEW CENTER FOR THE PRESERVATION PROGRAMMING, UM, HERE IN AUSTIN, A 2023 GRANT SUPPORTED MARKETING EXPENSES FOR OUR 2024 HOME TOUR. 
          THIS TOUR HIGHLIGHTED 10 HISTORIC RESIDENCES ACROSS THE CITY, UM, DRAWING SOME 2000 
          [01:35:01]
VISITORS, INCLUDING TOURISTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY. 
          EACH YEAR THIS EVENT GROWS AND WE WELCOMED AN ESTIMATED 2,500 ATTENDEES TO THIS, UH, TO THE 2026 EDITION OF THIS TOUR. 
          UM, AND THEN THE 2026 HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED IS SUPPORTING OUR UPCOMING LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PROGRAM. 
          UM, I WILL SAY MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM TOWARD THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. 
          UM, BUT FIRST WANTED TO SPEAK A BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR THESE GRANTS. 
          UM, I'LL POINT OUT THAT WE'RE A SMALL TEAM WEARING MANY HATS. 
          UM, AS I THINK I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE A STAFF OF, UM, FIVE FULL-TIME AND ONE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. 
          UM, WITHOUT A DEDICATED GRANT MANAGER. 
          DIFFERENT TEAM MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN ON THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR AND MANAGING THESE GRANTS AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE. 
          UM, AND SO I AM THE POINT PERSON FOR THIS MOST RECENT AWARD. 
          UM, THESE GRANTS, OH, ACTUALLY I'M GONNA BACK UP BEFORE I GO ONTO THAT SLIDE. 
          SO THESE GRANTS ARE REALLY ESSENTIAL NOT ONLY TO THE WORK THAT WE DO, BUT TO EXPANDING OUR REACH. 
          UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MARKETING SUPPORT PROVIDED BY OUR 2023 AND CURRENT 20 20 20 26 GRANTS. 
          UM, WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY OFFERED FOR ADMINISTRATION OF PAST GRANTS. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE HAD SOME UNUSED FUNDS FOR OUR 2024 HOMES TOUR THAT WERE ALLOWED TO BE ROLLED OVER TO THE 2025 EVENT, WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL. 
          UM, CHALLENGES INCLUDE JUST THE INHERENT ISSUE OF MANAGING APPLICATIONS AND REPORTING AS A SMALL TEAM. 
          UM, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS EXTENSIVE. 
          UM, I THINK THAT LAURA ODEGAARD MENTIONED THE, UM, EVIDENCE UPLOADS THAT ARE REQUIRED. 
          SO WE GATHERED AROUND 30 DOCUMENTS AS EVIDENCE OF OUR EXPERIENCE IN EACH APPLICATION AREA ON TOP OF PREPARING PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS AND DESIGNING OUR PROGRAM BUDGET. 
          UM, SIMILARLY, LIKE WHILE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TO BE EXPECTED, UM, BUT OF COURSE EACH TIME, EACH STEP TAKES TIME, UM, ALONGSIDE THE PROGRAMMING WORK THAT THE GRANT ENABLES. 
          UM, I SHOULD ALSO ADD THAT THE ACME TEAM IS INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE. 
          THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TO US IN, UM, HELPING US KIND OF NAVIGATE THROUGH THE DIFFERENT, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE, UM, BOTH APPLICATION AND REPORTING PROCESS. 
          UM, THERE HAVE BEEN, I UNDERSTAND SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS. 
          ONE EXAMPLE, UM, IS THAT THE GRANT ADMINISTRATION PLATFORM CHANGED WHILE WE HAD AN ACTIVE GRANT IN 2024, UM, CAUSING SOME CONFUSION ON OUR END RELATING TO WHERE TO UPLOAD DOCUMENTATION. 
          SO AGAIN, I JUST WANNA KIND OF HIGHLIGHT LIKE THESE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS ARE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT JUST AS A LEAN STAFF KEEPING UP WITH ANY CHANGE, UM, CAN SOMETIMES BE A CHALLENGE FOR US. 
          UM, SO I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING, UM, WITH THIS CURRENT 2026 GRANT. 
          UM, AS I MENTIONED, THAT IS SUPPORTING OUR UPCOMING LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH, UM, PROGRAM. 
          THIS IS A PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE HOST ANNUALLY. 
          UM, WE LAUNCHED IT IN 2023 AS AN EXTENSION OF OUR ADVOCACY PRIORITY TO SUPPORT THESE ESSENTIAL PLACES THAT SHAPE OUR CITY'S IDENTITY. 
          THE PROGRAM CENTERS ON FREE PASSPORTS THAT HIGHLIGHT 10 LEGACY BUSINESSES. 
          EACH OCTOBER PARTICIPANTS VISIT EACH FEATURED BUSINESS, LEARN ABOUT THEIR HISTORY, AND MAKE A PURCHASE IN EXCHANGE FOR A PASSPORT STAMP, UM, AND THE CHANCE TO WIN RAFFLE PRIZES. 
          EACH YEAR'S PROGRAM INCLUDES BUSINESSES OPERATING FROM BUILDINGS NEW AND OLD, UM, REPRESENTING THE RICH LOCAL HISTORY REGARDLESS OF FORMAL HISTORIC DESIGNATION. 
          UM, CITY COUNCIL PROCLAIMED OCTOBER TO BE LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH AS PART OF THE INAUGURAL 2023 PROGRAM. 
          2026 WILL MARK THE FOURTH YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND AS OF THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE PARTNERED WITH 43 BUSINESSES THROUGH THIS EVENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF. 
          WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE 2026 BUSINESS LINEUP IN SEPTEMBER, BUT FOR NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WILL REPRESENT SIMILARLY DIVERSE CULTURAL DESTINATIONS AS PAST PARTICIPANTS LIKE, UM, THE PARAMOUNT THEATER, ANTON'S NIGHTCLUB, PETER PAN, MINI GOLF, AND SAM'S BARBECUE. 
          UM, THE GRANT ALSO ALLOWS US TO EXPAND OUR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING EFFORTS TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES. 
          SO IT SUPPORTS THINGS LIKE GRAPHIC DESIGN, AD PLACEMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY. 
          AND, UM, THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE AN EXPANDED PRINT RUN OF THE PASSPORT. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO INCORPORATE SOME NEW STRATEGIES TO REACH TOURISTS THIS YEAR, LIKE, UM, NEW ADS PLACED IN REGIONAL PUBLICATIONS. 
          WE ARE DESIGNING NEW RACK CARDS THAT WE PLAN TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE, UM, AUSTIN VISITOR CENTER AS WELL AS AREA HOTELS. 
          UM, AND WE'RE JUST IN GENERAL REALLY EXCITED TO ELEVATE THIS BELOVED PROGRAM AS A HERITAGE TOURISM EVENT THAT IS NOT JUST FOR AUSTIN RESIDENTS, BUT FOR THOSE DRAWN TO OUR CITY. 
          AND WE'RE ALSO QUITE AWARE THAT, UM, THIS EVENT DOES TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE REALLY BUSY MONTH OF OCTOBER WHEN 
          [01:40:01]
WE DO HAVE VISITORS IN TOWN FOR ACL AND FOR F1. 
          AND SO WE'RE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE, UM, THOSE AUDIENCES BY ENGAGING THEM WITH THESE, UM, ICONIC BUSINESSES THAT HELP TO MAKE AUSTIN THE, UM, APPEALING A CITY THAT IT IS. 
          UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE ALSO REALLY EXCITED TO INCORPORATE THE NEWLY REHABILITATED MCFARLAND MCBEE HOUSE INTO THE PROGRAM. 
          UM, SO IN THE PAST, IN PAST ITERATIONS OF THIS LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PROGRAM, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH, UM, BUSINESSES LIKE BOOK PEOPLE, AND WE STILL CO-OP TO SERVE AS A PASSPORT DISTRIBUTION POINT WHERE PEOPLE CAN PICK UP THOSE FREE PASSPORTS THAT I MENTIONED. 
          NOW THAT WE HAVE A HOME IN OUR CENTRALLY LOCATED MCFARLAND MCBEE HOUSE, IT'S AT THE CORNER OF 38TH AND A HALF IN RED RIVER. 
          UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO INVITE PARTICIPANTS TO PICK UP THEIR PASSPORTS THERE. 
          UM, THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT FUNDS HAVE HELPED TO SUPPORT THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW, UM, INTERPRETIVE SIGN THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE. 
          UM, WE WILL BE PRINTING A NEW, UM, SELF-GUIDED TOUR BOOKLET THAT RELATES TO THIS HISTORIC LANDMARK HOME AS WELL AS THIS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          UM, AND WE'VE, WE WILL BE PURCHASING A STAND WHERE WE CAN, UM, DISTRIBUTE THESE NEW INTERPRETIVE MATERIALS AS WELL AS THE LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PASSPORTS, UM, TO OUR VISITORS. 
          UM, SO THIS REALLY HELPS TO CREATE A HUB FOR A COMPREHENSIVE HERITAGE TOURISM EXPERIENCE THAT IS AMPLIFYING BOTH THE MCFARLAND MCBEE HOUSE, BUT ALSO THE MANY LEGACY BUSINESSES THAT DEFINE AUSTIN'S LOCAL HISTORY AND CHARACTER. 
          UM, AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT WE ARE, UM, PRESERVATION AUSTIN IS SERVING AS ONE OF THE, UM, AMBASSADORS THAT LAURA ODEGAARD MENTIONED. 
          UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE OF COURSE, AS I, YOU KNOW, HAVE SHOWN WE'VE BENEFITED THROUGH THESE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANTS, BUT WE'RE ALSO THRILLED TO SEE THEM SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, LIKE-MINDED ALIGNED ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY BECAUSE THAT REALLY IS HELPING TO FORWARD THE MISSION THAT, UM, WE ALL SHARE TO, UM, PRESERVE THESE PLACES THAT MAKE AUSTIN SO SPECIAL. 
          UM, SO IN CLOSING, UM, WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT AND FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO. 
          UM, THESE FUNDS ARE SO CENTRAL TO OUR MISSION, THEY'RE REALLY ESSENTIAL TO WHAT WE DO, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS BEST AS I CAN. 
          UH, THANK YOU MS. BROWN. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE INTERSECTION OF YOUR, THE ROLE THAT PRESERVATION AUSTIN IS PLAYING WITH THE PROCESS. 
          AND I, I LIKE THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE EXPERTS IN HELPING US DETERMINE THE BEST INVESTMENTS AND IN, IN HELPING KEEP OUR CITY HOLDING ONTO THE ART. 
          SOME OF THESE ICONS, I REALLY APPRECIATED LOOKING AT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES YOU POINTED OUT. 
          CERTAINLY, I LOVE THE HOUSE WHERE YOU ARE AND I LOVE DR. 
          WE DRIVE BY, WE GO TO JULIO'S ALL THE TIME, AND WE DRIVE BY THAT PLACE AND WE SAW THE SIGN GO UP AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, THIS IS AWESOME. 
          SO THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          UM, I WANT TO MIND MY OWN WORDS AND FLIP IT. 
          IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS, LET'S DO IT. 
          WE HAVE A, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS WE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH. 
          SO COMMISSIONER, WHY DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. 
          SORRY, I'M A LITTLE TALKING TODAY. 
          GET IT? NO, YOU'RE GOOD, . 
          THANKS. 
          UM, SO YES, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO. 
          UM, I PARTICIPATED IN LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH, UH, THIS PAST YEAR. 
          IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. 
          UM, HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          I AM INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, OLDER CITYWIDE PRESERVATION NONPROFITS IN THE US AND THAT, AND YET AUSTIN IS NOT NECESSARILY KNOWN AS A HUB OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION LIKE SAN ANTONIO, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE A, UH, MONETARY IMPACT REPORT ON LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH? I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT THE LEGACY BUSINESSES GET OUT OF PARTICIPATING. 
          DO THEY RECEIVE SOME KIND OF PAYMENT FROM Y'ALL? I KNOW IN ORDER FOR FOLKS TO GET THEIR STAMPS, THEY HAD TO BUY SOMETHING AT THE, AT THE BUSINESS, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO THOSE BUSINESSES. 
          YEAH, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, UM, TO THAT EXACT QUESTION. 
          I MEAN, THE, THE IDEA AROUND LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH AND THE PASSPORT IS THAT WE'RE DRIVING SUPPORT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES. 
          SO WE SEE IT AS A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TO HELP DRIVE BUSINESS TO THOSE, UM, TO THOSE FEATURED BUSINESSES. 
          UM, THE PASSPORT STAMP IS ONLY TO BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO ARE PATRONIZING THEIR BUSINESS. 
          UM, AND WHILE WE ARE TRACKING PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM THROUGH, UM, THERE'S AN ONLINE LINK TO REGISTER YOUR PASSPORT, WHICH IS A PREREQUISITE TO RECEIVE THESE RAFFLE PRIZES THAT WE GIVE OUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH AS PART OF A WRAP PARTY. 
          UM, SO WE COLLECT DEMOGRAPHICS AND, YOU KNOW, IMPACT STATISTICS THROUGH THAT PASSPORT REGISTRATION PROCESS, BUT IT DOES NOT, WE DON'T HAVE A WAY YET OF, UM, REPORTING ON THAT INCOME IMPACT TO THE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES. 
          WE DO NOT PAY THEM A FEE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION. 
          SO THERE IS AN AGREEMENT AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS THAT WE'RE HELPING TO DRIVE AWARENESS 
          [01:45:01]
OF THEIR BUSINESS, THEIR HISTORY, AND ENCOURAGE, UM, FOLKS TO PATRONIZE THEM. 
          AND WE ALSO TRY TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO, UM, PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES. 
          UM, ONE WAY IS THAT WE HAVE A MAP THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE, UM, PREVIOUSLY FEATURED BUSINESSES ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          AND, UM, I THINK THERE IS, UM, THERE A SHOP LOCAL DAY EACH YEAR AROUND THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UM, AT THE START OF THE SUMMER THIS YEAR. 
          LIKE WE WILL FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF PLUG AND REMIND FOLKS THAT THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HERE AND THAT THEY ARE HERE IF WE AUSTINITES AND VISITORS SUPPORT THEM. 
          SO WE TRY TO PLANT REMINDERS OF THAT, UM, THROUGH OUR, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATIONS YEAR ROUND. 
          WE ALSO, UM, THIS YEAR HOSTED SEPARATE FROM THE LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PROGRAM, BUT A SEPARATE LEGACY BUSINESS WORKSHOP THAT WE PLAN TO HOST ANNUALLY. 
          AND THAT'S INTENDED TO PROVIDE, UM, RESOURCES, UM, STRATEGY PRESENTATIONS ABOUT TAX CREDITS, LIKE TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPORTS FOR THESE LEGACY BUSINESSES. 
          UM, SUCCESSION PLANNING IS A TOPIC THAT WE'LL COVER IN THIS YEAR'S WORKSHOP. 
          SO TRYING TO PROVIDE A RESOURCE FOR THESE LEGACY BUSINESSES BEYOND JUST THOSE WHO ARE FEATURED IN THE PASSPORT EACH YEAR, UM, TO REALLY HELP THESE, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, ICONIC, UM, BUSINESSES THRIVE. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD. 
          COMMISSIONER GONZALES. 
          DID I SEE YOUR HAND UP? NO, NO. 
          ANYONE, ANYONE? I KNOW, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU. 
          I DID KIND OF RUSH THESE GUYS, SO I THINK THEY'RE STANDING DOWN, NOT 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT CURIOUS, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GET DONE AND THEY, THEY'RE PRETTY STRICT ABOUT OUR TIMING, SO. 
          YEP, THAT'S FINE. 
          WE APOLOGIZE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, PUSHING YOU TO THE END, BUT, UM, FASCINATING. 
          AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE THE HUB OF MUCH, SO WE MAY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. 
          YEAH. 
          PART OF THE PROCESS. 
          YOU HEARD US TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'RE DOING SOME DEEPER DIVES INTO THE ACME AND THE GRANT PROCESS AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE PRETTY, I THINK, FUNDAMENTAL IN THAT PROCESS. 
          SO I WON'T BE SURPRISED IF WE'RE TALKING MORE. 
          DO YOU, I I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE GRANT PROCESS, SO I'LL PROBABLY FOLLOWING UP SINCE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT, THAT'S ALSO PART OF OUR PRIORITIES FOR THE WORKING GROUP. 
          SO I'LL BE IN TOUCH. 
          THAT SOUNDS GREAT. 
          AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS DOWN THE LINE. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          COMMISSIONER PRUITT. 
          AND, AND THANK YOU THAT, THAT, THAT'S YOUR THAT'S RIGHT. 
          WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING, SO THANKS FOR MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE FOR THIS SPECIAL SESSION. 
          WE, WE LEARNED A LOT. 
          WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          YES, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WE'LL SEE YOU SOON. 
          TAKE CARE. 
          ALRIGHT, UM, 
          [5. Discuss and approve the annual report of the Tourism Commission.]
TEAM, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. 
          I JUST WANNA, UH, AND THIS IS ABOUT OUR ANNUAL REPORT, OUR IMPACT REPORT. 
          I WANNA, WE, I KNOW WE TALKED AT LENGTH IN THE LAST MEETING, I WILL SAY WE TALKED THROUGH WHAT WE WERE GOING TO PRESENT AND WE THEN SAID THAT WE WOULD POST IT AND SEND IT OUT TO YOU FOR REVIEW PRIOR TO THIS MEETING SO THAT IF THERE WERE ANY COMMENTS OR IDEAS OR JUST WORD TWEAKS, THAT WE WOULD HAVE THOSE IN ADVANCE SO THAT WE DIDN'T DO A WORDSMITHING EXERCISE UP HERE TODAY. 
          SO SINCE WE DID RECEIVE ANY FEEDBACK AND WE WERE CHECKING, UH, WITH OUR TEAM LIAISON TEAM AND WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BACK, WE'RE ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY FEELS PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          REMINDING YOU AGAIN THAT THIS REPORT COME SPANS TWO DIFFERENT, UM, OP OR I GUESS I'D SAY CALENDAR YEARS FOR OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS. 
          SO THESE TWO ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE ANNUAL REPORT HAPPENED IN THE BACK HALF OF LAST YEAR'S MEETING CYCLE. 
          AND THE, THE, THAT'S JUST HOW THIS PROCESS TIMES, IT DOESN'T DO A CALENDAR YEAR. 
          THEY HAVE IT, WHAT IS IT JUNE TO, OR, OR IS IT UH, JUNE TO JULY OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. 
          SO WE'RE ALWAYS USING TWO DIFFERENT MEETING YEARS TO DO THE, TO PULL FROM TO DO THE REPORT. 
          SO WE'RE ACTIVELY DOING THINGS IN THIS CYCLE THAT WILL GO IN THE NEXT ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE PRODUCE AND PRESENT NEXT YEAR. 
          SO SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH THE HOT TAX GROUP AND OTHER THINGS. 
          SO WE WILL JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU. 
          SO, UM, DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY REAL QUICKLY WHAT THE TWO THINGS WERE? I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT. 
          JUST SO YOU'RE REALLY CLEAR, THESE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT WE, THIS BODY RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SAYING THAT ARE REPORTS. 
          YES, CERTAINLY. 
          YES. 
          COMMISSIONER JANET, I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY AN ERROR. 
          CAN YOU PUT YOUR SPEAKER ON? SORRY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY AN ERROR ON THIS. 
          UH, THE, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITY INVESTMENTS RELATED TOURISM, THAT WAS ACTUALLY A RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE, UM, CONTINUATION OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION 
          [01:50:01]
CENTER CORRECT. 
          CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S INFERRED HERE. 
          WE JUST USE THE TERM, WE USE THE TERM FACILITIES WHERE WE COULD HAVE SAID O IN CONVENTION CENTER. 
          I'M LOOKING AT THE, I'M LOOKING AT THE MINUTES AND IT TALKS ABOUT, OKAY, BUT I'M OKAY, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA TURN THE FLORIDA COMMISSIONER OR VICE CHAIR MASTERS. 
          UM, SO ACTUALLY WHEN I'M LOOKING AT, UM, THE COPY THAT WAS PROVIDED, THIS IS NOT THE COPY THAT WENT AROUND. 
          THIS WAS, UM, A PRE DRAFTED VERSION, BUT THIS IS NOT THE COPY THAT WE SENT AROUND. 
          THIS IS OLD. 
          UM, SO IT WENT IN YOUR EMAILS AT LEAST THREE WEEKS AGO. 
          UM, WE'VE GOT A COPY DOWN THERE, UM, FOR FEEDBACK. 
          SO IF, I'M GLAD THAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF IT. 
          UM, BUT IF YOU WANNA DOUBLE CHECK THAT TO SEE IF THE ORDER WAS CHANGED. 
          UM, THIS IS A, ESSENTIALLY THE WAY THAT THEY'RE, UH, ACCEPTING THE SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS, IT'S A COPY PASTE JOB. 
          SO IF THERE IS ANY, UH, TYPOS OR ANYTHING IN THAT VERSION, UM, YOU CAN LET ED KNOW. 
          AND AGAIN, WHEN HE COPIES AND PASTES THIS INTO THE FORM, IF THERE'S A TYPO, HE CAN CORRECT THAT. 
          THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE GROUP. 
          I THINK. 
          DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY? YOU JUST THINK THAT MAYBE THE, THE TERM INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITY INVESTMENTS IS TOO VAGUE AND YOU'D LIKE IT TO BE MORE SPECIFIC TO THE, I THINK THE ACTUAL CONVENTION CENTER LANGUAGE, IS THAT WHAT IT IS? I THINK THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION WAS TO CONTINUE THE UM, AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER CONSTRUCTION. 
          YES, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND SO RATHER THAN JUST FACILITIES THAT REFLECTED, SO VERSION I WAS LOOKING AT THIS VERSION, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT. 
          IT STILL SAYS THE SAME HAS THE SAME LANGUAGE IN IT. 
          YOU RIGHT HERE. 
          YEAH, I SEE IT. 
          DO WE HAVE A COPY OF THE I'M SORRY. 
          DO YOU WANT, MAY I SPEAK? I'M SORRY. 
          IT'S RIGHT, PLEASE. 
          COMMISSIONER PENOC. 
          UM, IS THERE A COPY OF THE LATEST VERSION IS WHAT WE SENT? YEAH, SHE'S GOT IT THERE. 
          THAT'S WHAT OUT? NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE LATEST VERSION THOUGH. 
          'CAUSE IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T HAVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE THAN WHAT'S IN HERE. 
          I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I, ALRIGHT, SO, ALRIGHT. 
          SO IF WE ARE NOW WORDSMITHING SO THAT WE CAN APPROVE THIS, WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE LANGUAGE THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO THIS DOCUMENT. 
          RIGHT NOW WE, IF I'M CORRECT, WE ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY DO NOT NEED TO DO THAT. 
          IT IS ADVISED THAT WE DO IT. 
          WE TECHNICALLY DO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. 
          NO. 
          DO WHAT? DO WHAT? HAVE THE GROUP APPROVE WHAT IS IN THE ANNUAL REPORT. 
          SO WHO WOULD SUBMIT IT? THE CHAIR. 
          THE CHAIR SUBMITS IT. 
          IT'S TECHNICALLY THE CHAIR'S DISCRETION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. 
          UM, SO I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE VERSION THAT I, THAT WAS SENT TO BE DISTRIBUTED. 
          I I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT YES, UH, THE BOARD RECOMMENDS SUBMISSION OF THIS, UH, PROPOSAL AND THAT WITH YOUR, IN YOUR DISCRETION TO MODIFY WHAT THE ON THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO WHAT IT, WHAT TO, TO, TO, TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THE EXACT WORDS THAT WERE RELATED TO OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE CONTINUATION OF THE FUNDING AND A BUILD OUT OF THE SO WE, I WILL, I WILL, I COMMIT THAT I WILL FIND THAT EXACT LANGUAGE WILL REPLACE WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN HERE THAT JUST RELATES TO INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY INVESTMENTS. 
          I WILL OMIT THAT AND INSERT THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE WITHOUT DELAY, WHICH WAS WHAT OUR PURPOSE WAS TO NOT DELAY IT ANY FURTHER. 
          THAT'S FUNNY. 
          AND CHAIR AS LIAISONS, WE'LL GO BACK AND FIND THE EXACT DIRECTION, RIGHT. 
          Y'ALL GAVE RIGHT COUNSEL AND MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE MATCHES PERFECT. 
          AND, AND WE HAVE TIME. 
          WE DON'T HAVE, WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO SUBMIT THIS. 
          WE JUST, IT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH. 
          WHICH PRECLUDED? WE HAD TO COMPLETE OUR DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM AT THE JULY MEETING. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE OFF IN AUGUST. 
          SO WE WILL WORK WE'LL, WE'LL YOU AND WE WILL GET TOGETHER. 
          WE'LL GET THIS SCRUBBED AND, UH, FIXED AND WE WILL THEN SUBMIT IT. 
          WOULD IT BE HELPFUL AT ALL? I, I HAVE IT UP THE RECOMMENDATION. 
          DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THAT? BE IT RESOLVED REAL QUICK FOR EVERYTHING? YES, PLEASE. 
          THEY HAVE IT. 
          I WOULD THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          'CAUSE I CAN DO THAT. 
          SO THIS IS FROM NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025. 
          ITEM SEVEN, THE BE IT RESOLVED IS THAT THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION STRONGLY SUPPORTS AND URGES THE CITY COUNCIL TO AFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT'S TIMELY CONTINUATION AND RECOGNIZING THAT PAUSING OR DELAYING CONSTRUCTION WOULD IMMEDIATELY JEOPARDIZE THIS CRITICAL REVENUE STREAM AND CAUSE UNNECESSARY AND DETRIMENTAL SETBACKS IN OUR CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC VITALITY. 
          THAT WAS THE BE IT RESOLVED BLURB. 
          SO YEAH, WE CAN HONE IN ON THAT LANGUAGE FOR SURE. 
          WITH THE CHAIR. 
          [01:55:01]
ANY QUESTIONS TO THAT? EVERYBODY'S, UH, AGAIN, I I DIDN'T HEAR THE WORDS. 
          AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER IN WHAT SHE READ. 
          I, I'M ASSUMING WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT IS THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER. 
          WHAT DID YOU SAY? THE US CONVENTION CENTER. 
          SO IT'S FUNNY, IT IS NOT IN THE BE IT RESOLVED, BUT IT IS IN THE WHERE AS IS ABOVE. 
          OKAY. 
          IT IS. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          YES, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          YEAH, , THANK YOU. 
          IT TAKES A VILLAGE. 
          IT TAKES A VILLAGE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          REALLY, COMMISSIONER CHAN, APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE ON THIS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I WE DON'T NEED A MOTION OR ANYTHING, RIGHT? YOU DON'T. 
          NO MOTION. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED. 
          WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ALL GET CREDIT AND KNOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THIS COMMUNITY WITH THIS BODY. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          [6. Update from Hotel Occupancy Tax (H.O.T.) Grant Programs Working Group.]
UH, THAT LEADS US TO STAFF BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER SIX. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? NO, I'M SORRY. 
          ITEM NUMBER SIX IS A REPORT FROM THE HOTEL ADVOCACY GRANTS WORKING GROUP COMMISSIONER PUR, DO YOU HAVE SOME NEWS? THAT'S VERY BRIEF. 
          UM, BEEN HAVING MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, UM, WITH THE WORKING GROUP AND WITH CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. 
          SO, UM, WE HAVE KIND OF FOCUSED ON OUR PRIORITIES. 
          WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE HEADED. 
          UM, AND NOW WE'VE JUST BEEN, THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS WILL BE FOCUSING ON IDENTIFYING OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, SPECIFICALLY GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS AND STARTING TO DO THOSE REACH OUTS AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. 
          COMMISSIONER PRUITT, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS WHO ARE, WHO HAVE RAISED THEIR HAND AND ARE, ARE WORKING ON THIS TOPIC. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PREPARED TO DOVETAIL THIS INTO THE PRESENTATION, UH, THEME TODAY. 
          AND HAVING ACME BACK. 
          AND I WANNA PARTICULARLY, UH, THANK VICE CHAIR MASTERS WHO WAS VERY DEEPLY INVOLVED IN, UH, HELPING GET THIS, THIS WHOLE THEME FIGURED OUT. 
          AND SHE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THE ANNUAL REPORT AS WELL. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF DETAILS. 
          SHE'S SPENT A LOT OF TIME REVIEWING THE HOT TAX DISBURSEMENTS AND THERE'S A LOT OF BACK CHANNEL CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING WITH THE HOT TEAM. 
          BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, SHE'S DEFINITELY EMBRACED THE VICE CHAIR ROLE AND WE'RE, WE'RE BEN, WE'RE SEEING THE BENEFIT IN HOW THESE MEETINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER. 
          I THINK THIS IS A MUCH STRONGER SITUATION, HAVING A CHAIR, VICE CHAIR THAT ARE BOTH ACTIVELY WORKING, UM, FOR OUTCOMES. 
          AND, AND THE REST OF YOU WHO ARE SIGNING UP, EACH OF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN SOME OF THE TOPICS. 
          SO I'M SEEING ON, WE'RE LEANING INTO EACH OF OUR COMMISSIONERS TO HELP US, YOU KNOW, BRING FULL LIFE EACH OF THESE THEMES REMINDING EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE OFF NEXT MONTH IN AUGUST. 
          BUT I, I, I HAVE A FEELING THAT I JUST STOLE ONE OF APRIL'S, UM,  BRIEFING. 
          [7. Briefing on commission deadlines and resources by April Thedford, Commission Liaison.]
SORRY. 
          SO PLEASE, ANY OTHER BRIEFING INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PROVIDE US? WE'RE OFF NEXT MONTH. 
          YOUR NOVEMBER 11TH MEETING HAS BEEN MOVED TO NOVEMBER 16TH, SO PLEASE NOTE THAT. 
          [FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AND WE'RE ONTO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IF YOU, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF YOUR EMAIL. 
          UH, SO YEAH, I WAS MENTIONING, I KNOW THAT ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS HAD TROUBLE GETTING INTO EMAIL, SO SHE MAY NOT HAVE ACTUALLY KNOWN THAT WE HAD TO MOVE A MEETING. 
          SO WE'VE MOVED THE NOVEMBER MEETING DATE. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          SO IT'S MOVED TILL MONDAY, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. 
          RIGHT? MM-HMM . 
          16TH. 
          YEP. 
          YES. 
          NOVEMBER 16TH IS A MONDAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SAME PLACE, SAME TIME. 
          COMMISSIONER PENOC HAS A QUESTION BEFORE WE ADJOURN. 
          WILL WE BE GETTING THAT LINK TO THE EMAIL? YES, WE WILL GET WITH YOU AFTERWARDS. 
          OKAY. 
          TO PROVIDE YOU THAT THANK YOU INFORMATION. 
          UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE POST THE ANNUAL REPORT, WE CAN GO AHEAD. 
          ONCE I, ONCE I'VE, I FIND IT AND WE'VE POSTED IT, WE CAN PUT IT, WE CAN SEND AN EMAIL OUT TO COMMISSIONER AND SAY, THIS WAS THE FINAL, JUST IN CASE THERE'S, YOU WANNA SEE IT SINCE WE'RE NOT MEETING NEXT MONTH AND IT'LL BE NOVEMBER AND WE WILL LONG HAVE FORGOTTEN THIS CONVERSATION. 
          WE'LL BE APPROVING MEETING MINUTES AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID HERE TWO MONTHS BEFORE. 
          ALRIGHT, EVERYONE. 
          UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANYONE ELSE? OH, COMMISSIONER PRUITT. 
          YES. 
          SORRY. 
          I JUST TOOK A REALLY QUICK NOTE TO THANK APRIL AND SILVA FOR THE TRANSITION. 
          AND I'VE HAD A HANDFUL OF EMAILS, UM, FROM THEM FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND CALENDAR INVITES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND TAKING ON THAT TASK. 
          SO JUST, JUST A QUICK THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. 
          AMEN. 
          ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YOU'RE LOOKING AT 'EM RIGHT DOWN THERE. 
          . 
          OKAY. 
          I HAVE SUCH, WE GOT 
          [02:00:01]
NEW PRINTERS AND SO WE'RE GONNA PRINT THE SLIDESHOW LARGER NEXT TIME. 
          I DO KNOW. 
          SO YOU HAVE THOSE. 
          UM, THAT'S OKAY. 
          I WAS LIKE, WE KNOW I SAW IT. 
          I WAS LIKE, OH NO, IT'S OKAY. 
          WE'LL MAKE SURE TO GET 'EM BIGGER. 
          AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR LOVELY LITTLE NAME TAGS, JUST TUCK THEM IN THE FRONT AND WE'LL COLLECT THOSE. 
          SO WE'LL TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR RECORDS FOR YOU TILL THE NEXT MEETING. 
          . 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          DON'T, ALMOST GUILTY. 
          DON'T RUN YET. 
          I, I'M GLAD YOU'RE STANDING FOR IMPACT, BUT DON'T RUN YET 'CAUSE I NEED A MOTION TO, TO END THE MEETING. 
          COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? YEAH. 
          SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SHANNON. 
          ALL IN FAVOR. 
          WE END THIS MEETING. 
          SAY, AYE. 
          MEETING IS ADJOURNED. 
          THANK YOU.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.