[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO ORDER.COMMISSIONER HUSSEI SAID SHE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER KEYS, I THOUGHT WAS GONNA BE HERE.
COMMISSIONER MALDONADO IS PRESIDENT.
COMMISSIONER GARZA SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SCOTA IS PRESENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATION.DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? THANK YOU.
WE HAVE SOMEONE SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 13 AND THEN PIPER LAMORE FROM RANCHO ALLEGRE.
TAKE ANY OF THOSE MICROPHONES, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND IF YOU LIKE, WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE IN.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M FROM RANCHO LERAY, AS YOU CAN SEE IN MY JERSEY.
UM, WE'RE A HOMEGROWN GRASSROOTS 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PRESERVING, PROMOTING JUNTA MUSIC.
WE HAVE FINALLY RECOVERED FROM OUR THREE DAY WHIRLWIND CELEBRATION OF JUNTA MUSIC AT THE ICONIC DORIS MILLER AUDITORIUM, WHICH WAS FUNDED BY AN ELEVATE GRANT THAT WAS LAST WEEKEND.
UM, I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN TO ANYBODY WITH AN EARSHOT, BEING ABLE TO PRESENT JUNTA MUSIC ON THE SAME STAGE THAT HOSTED LITTLE RICHARD CHUCK BERRY, COUNT BASSY, EDIT JAMES'.
SO MANY MORE IS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR US, UH, EVERY DAY.
I'M THANKFUL THAT THE CITY OWNS THAT BUILDING BECAUSE ITS HISTORY IS UNMATCHED IN A TOWN THAT JUST CAN'T HELP ITSELF WHEN IT COMES TO BULLDOZING, UM, HISTORIC MUSIC VENUES.
SO, UM, BUT I COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH A PROPOSAL, UM, SINCE ACME WAS FORMED LAST YEAR AND INCLUDED VARIOUS PARKS AND REC STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS.
I HAVE A SUGGESTION THAT WE'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS CONSOLIDATION OF CITY FUNCTIONS.
UH, SIMPLY PUT INCREASE THE RESERVATION TIME PERIOD FOR CITY FUNDED PROJECTS OCCURRING AT CITY OWNED FACILITIES AND PROPERTIES FROM SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.
I SUGGESTED THIS DURING THE LISTENING SESSIONS WHEN ACME WAS BEING FORMED, BUT I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IF IT WAS DEPRIORITIZED OR PUT IN A PARKING LOT AS THE DEPARTMENT FOUND ITS FOOTING AND ROLLED OUT NEW GRANT PROGRAMS. AS A SOFTWARE ENGINEER MYSELF, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME IN THAT, THAT THERE'S A RESERVATION SYSTEM THAT MAY NEED SOME KIND OF CODE CHANGE OR SOMETHING TO ACCOMMODATE THIS.
BUT THIS SIMPLE CHANGE CAN REALLY HELP THE STABILITY OF ANNUAL EVENTS PRESENTED BY GRASSROOTS GROUPS LIKE US.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH A LONGER RESERVATION PERIOD AND A DATE MUCH FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, IT GIVES US TIME TO FIND CORPORATE SPONSORS AND OTHER FUNDING TO SUPPLEMENT CITY OF AUSTIN AWARDS.
MOST CORPORATE SPONSORS, FOR EXAMPLE, WON AT LEAST SIX MONTHS ADVANCE FOR SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS.
UM, IT GIVES TICKETED EVENTS MORE TIME TO SELL ADVANCE TICKETS.
PROMOTION CAN BEGIN MUCH SOONER, ALLOWING TOURISTS TO MAKE THEIR TRAVEL PLANS AND SPECIFICALLY HOTEL ROOMS, WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE GAME, RIGHT? UM, IT GIVES EVENTS THAT BOOK NATIONALLY.
TOURING ARTISTS EVEN MORE OF A SELECTION SIX MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME IS USUALLY TOO SHORT OF A TIMEFRAME FOR ARTISTS OF THAT CALIBER WHOSE CALENDARS ARE ALREADY BOOKED UP BY THEN.
IT GIVES SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS WITH ANNUAL EVENTS LIKE OURS.
WE'VE DONE 11 OF THESE THINGS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, AND WE'RE THE ONLY LARGE SCALE EXCLUSIVELY TEJANO OR CONJUNTO EVENT IN TOWN.
IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO BE INCLUDED ALONGSIDE THE BIG EVENTS IN CITY PUBLIC RELATIONS AND OTHER TOURISTY COMMUNICATIONS LIKE THE FREE EVENTS CALENDAR, UH, AND EVEN PERHAPS TO ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY GROW IN WHATEVER WAY IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND LASTLY, IT ENCOURAGES GRANT FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS TO USE CITY FACILITIES FOR THEIR EVENTS.
UM, WHILE THE SUGGESTION SEEMS MODEST ON THE SURFACE, IT COULD HAVE MAJOR IMPACT TO A LOT OF GRANTEES.
UM, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
AND THEN WE'LL CALL THE NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER UP FOR ITEM 13.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
[00:05:01]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 15TH MEETING? I'M GONNA ASSUME THAT'S YESES FOR EVERYBODY.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
OH, I, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, JOHN REESE'S NAME IS MISSPELLED.
HOW IS JOHN REED'S NAME SPELLED? I DUNNO.
HE AS IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
IEIE AT THE END, BUT I DUNNO WHAT IT'S AT THE BEGINNING, IE.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTION.
DID YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK FOR ITEM 13? UM, YES.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO NOTATE IT.
OH, SO YOU DON'T, OKAY, OKAY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY.
LET ME FINISH THIS MOTION RIGHT QUICK AND THEN I'LL, I'LL CALL YOU UP.
UM, SO I NEED A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTION.
THE WHAT? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WHO, WHO MOVED THAT? I'M SORRY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR SAYING, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, ARE YOU ABSTAINING? YEAH, I'M ABSTAINING.
I WAS NOT HERE AT THE LAST MEETING.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 EYES.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACKWARDS TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UM, FOR HECTOR, OR IS ACTUALLY SPEAKING FROM ITEM 13 FROM THE JUNE MEETING, WHICH WAS TRYING TO FIND THE JUNE 15TH AGENDA.
ITEM 13 WAS A COL COALITION FOR AUSTIN ARTS AND LANGUAGE THEATER FOR THE EXPANSION OF LATINO ARTISTS ACCESS PROGRAM.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE? UH, THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, MY NAME IS
UH, BECAUSE AS IT STATES A, IT'S, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ITEM, A DISCUSSION ITEM TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A POSSIBLE COLLABORATION WITH, UH, THIS GROUP.
BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS THAT YOU GUYS APPROVED A RECOM A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT THEY WERE PRESENTING THAT THE, THE GROUP WAS PRESENTING.
AND SO BECAUSE IT WAS MISLABELED AND MISIDENTIFIED, UM, MYSELF AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS DID NOT SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WHEN THIS ITEM CAME TO DISCUSSION, UH, SINCE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK ON THE ITEM, IF WE HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY COMMENT.
AND FURTHERMORE, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED DURING THIS ITEM WAS INCORRECT.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU GUYS ALSO ASKED THE, UM, MEXICAN AMERICAN, UH, MANAGER FOR SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS FALSE.
UH, AND SHE PROVIDED FALSE INFORMATION AS WELL.
SO BASED ON ALL OF THAT, ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO RECANT THE VOTE.
'CAUSE YOU GUYS VOTED FOR THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
AND I GUESS WITHIN THAT NOTES, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL COURSE OF ACTION OR ANYTHING THAT I NEED TO DO OR THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT.
[00:10:01]
THAT.WE WILL, I WILL MAKE A NOTATION TO LOOK INTO THAT.
UH, WE CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION DURING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, BUT I WILL LOOK INTO IT AND SEND AN EMAIL TO YOU.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I NEED TO DO ON MY END, I'M NOT SURE LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PROCEEDING, WHAT THE, WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS SITUATION.
WE CAN'T HAVE, CAN I JUST ASK, WE CAN'T HAVE DISCUSSION COMMENT, SO RIGHT.
NOT A DISCUSSION, BUT A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
COULD WE GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN WRITING? I, UM, MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION TO CHAIR ABOUT THE SPECIFICS THAT MR. OZ IS REFERENCING SO THAT WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SPECIFICALLY LIKE FALSE INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED.
COULD WE GET CLARITY ON WHAT YES, THAT'S WHAT, WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT? THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING.
I WAS GONNA LOOK INTO IT AND I'LL SEND HIM AN EMAIL AND, AND HAVE HIM TELL ME WHAT THE SPECIFICS ARE OF THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN LOOK FURTHER INTO IT.
[2. Update on actions taken at the July 6th Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach. ]
OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE JULY 6TH, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL BY COMMISSIONER SCHACH.YES, THAT IS, I, UM, LET ME CONSULT MY NOTES.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO MEETINGS SINCE WE LAST MET, WHICH WAS THE REGULAR MEETING ON THE SIXTH, JULY 6TH, AND THEN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON THE 13TH.
AND THAT WAS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF NOT ACTION ITEMS, BUT DISCUSSION ITEMS AROUND SEEING ALL OF THE, UM, CONCEPT DESIGNS FOR THE AIRPORT, WHICH ARE ALL VERY EXCITING.
AND FOLKS WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT PROJECT, UM, SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE RECORDING, UM, OF THAT MEETING.
'CAUSE WE SAW A LOT OF GREAT WORK AND HAD SUPER DISCUSSIONS.
UM, BUT THOSE WERE NOT ACTION ITEMS. UM, WE NEEDED THE SPECIAL CALLED SESSION TO, UM, CONVENE A IPP AS THE DEES JURY FOR CROSSWALK ON THE LAKE, WHICH, UM, WE DID MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE 13TH ABOUT THAT, WHICH IS IN THE BACKUP.
UM, AND WE'LL DISCUSS IT WHEN WE GET TO THAT ITEM LATER.
UM, WE ALSO APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SPICEWOOD SPRINGS QUARTER PROJECT FINAL DESIGN, WHICH IS IN THE BACKUP.
AND WE VOTE ON HOPEFULLY TO APPROVE TONIGHT.
I WAS GOING TO MOTION THAT WE MOVE 13 UP TO BE IMMEDIATELY AFTER JAIME CASTILLO'S PRESENTATION, WHICH IS ITEM NINE.
UM, JUST SO THAT WE TAKE THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER AND LIKE HAVE THE CONTEXT FOR, UH, THE DEES, UM, RECOMMENDATION RIGHT AFTER JAIME'S, UM, PRESENTATION.
SO MAKING A MOTION TO MOVE 13 UP TO ITEM 10.
AND ALSO CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE OR AFTER THAT.
MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES RIGHT ABOVE.
UH, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO MOVE ITEM 13 AFTER ITEM NINE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
ANY DISCUSSION SAYING THAT I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING ITEM NUMBER 13 AFTER ITEM NINE SHOW BY SAYING I ARE RAISING YOUR HAND.
NONE OPPOSED, COMMISSIONER ALDER.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL, UH, UNANIMOUSLY UNANIMOUS, UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
ITEM 13 WILL BE TAKEN UP AFTER ITEM NINE.
ANYTHING ELSE? NOPE, NOT TILL LATER.
[3. Update on actions taken at the July 15th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston. ]
THREE, UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE JULY 15TH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONER BY COMMISSIONER HOUSTON.UH, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION CANCELED THEIR MEETING BECAUSE THEY HAD LACK OF AGENDA ITEMS. I SAID, WHAT
IT MUST BE NICE TO NOT HAVE ANY WORK TO DO.
IT'S JUST JULY, JULY DOWNTOWN.
SO NO REPORT FROM DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONER, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
[4. Staff briefing on Fiscal Sponsorships and ACME Staff Conflict of Interest policy by Morgan Messick, ACME Assistant Director, and Laura Odegaard, ACME Acting Division Manager. ]
NUMBER FOUR, STAFF BRIEFINGS.[00:15:01]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE STAFF BRIEFING ON FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS AND ACME STAFF CONTRACT OF INTEREST POLICY BY LORD MESSICK MORGAN, MESSICK, ACME ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AND LAURA ODEGAARD, ACNE ACTING DIVISION MANAGER.I DON'T, I YOU HAVE TO PUSH SOMETHING RIGHT HERE.
I AM ACTUALLY NOW THE DIVISION MANAGER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND INVESTMENTS WITH ACME.
VERY EXCITED TO SEE THOSE POSITIONS GETTING FILLED.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND KICK OFF, UH, THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN I WILL HAND IT OVER TO MORGAN FOR THE SECOND HALF OF IT.
SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S BRIEFING IS TO TALK ABOUT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IN ACME GRANT FUNDING REVIEW STAFF LAW AND AUDITOR FINDINGS, TALK ABOUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST RULES AND THEN APPROPRIATE REPORTING PROCESSES.
SO FIRST WANTED TO POINT OUT, UH, THE DEFINITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN OUR ACME GRANT GUIDELINES.
UH, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, A FISCAL SPONSOR IS A NON-PROFIT 5 0 1 C TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION.
UH, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A FISCAL SPONSOR IN THIS SETTING IS TO MANAGE THE FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AND REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE SPONSORED PROJECT.
UH, SO AS A NOTE, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE READ THIS, BUT ALL FISCAL SPONSORS MUST BE HEADQUARTERED IN AUSTIN AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL FUNDING IS USED FOR TAX EXEMPT CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS DEFINED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.
AND THEN THE DEFINITION FOR A SPONSORED PROJECT IS AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP THAT IS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF A FISCAL SPONSOR, WHICH AS JUST DEFINED IS A 5 0 1 C ORGANIZATION.
AND SO, AS A REMINDER, ONLY ELEVATE AND NEXUS FUNDING PROGRAMS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
SO ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE ALSO HAVE RESOURCES.
THE LONG CENTER HAS RESOURCES ON THEIR CREATE AUSTIN WEBSITE.
UM, SIMILARLY, IT POINTS OUT THAT THE FISCAL SPONSOR HAS TO BE A 5 0 1 C ORGANIZATION, UH, AND AGAIN REPEATS THAT THE FISCAL SPONSOR HANDLES FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AND SUPPORTS THE REPORTING DUTIES.
AND, AND AS A REMINDER, A SINGLE FISCAL SPONSOR MAY SPONSOR MULTIPLE SPONSORED PROJECTS DURING EACH GRANT CYCLE.
SO AGAIN, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF RESOURCES ON THE CREATE AUSTIN RESOURCES PAGE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE GUIDE TO USING FISCAL SPONSORS HAS BEEN USED, UM, AS A REFERENCE POINT.
AND AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A NON EXHAUSTIVE, UH, INFORMATION RESOURCE.
UM, IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO FOLLOW, BUT IT REFERENCES SOME FORMS, SOME FISCAL SPONSORSHIP BEST PRACTICES, THINGS TO CONSIDER AND WHATNOT.
ONE OF THE RESOURCES THAT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT'S POSTED ON THE CREATE AUSTIN RESOURCE SITE IS THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT.
AND THIS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL SPONSORED PROJECTS TO HAVE BEFORE THEY HIT THAT SUBMIT APPLICATION BUTTON.
AND SO THIS IS BASICALLY THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SPONSORED PROJECT AND THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
AND SOME KEY PIECES OF INFORMATION ARE, UM, ARE FIGURED OUT IN THIS DOCUMENT.
UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT, I THINK BEING OUR DESCRIBING HOW AND WHEN THE FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED FROM THE FISCAL SPONSOR TO THE SPONSORED PROJECT.
UM, IT ALSO LAYS OUT THE FEES THAT ARE, UM, REQUIRED AND MAY NOT EXCEED 10% OF THEIR AWARDED FUNDS.
UH, IT ALSO POINTS OUT THAT THE FISCAL SPONSOR WILL BE UPLOADING THINGS LIKE THE FINAL REPORTS, THE EXPENSE DOCUMENTATION FORM WITHIN 30 DAYS OF COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
AND SO THIS HAS TO BE SORTED OUT BETWEEN THE SPONSORED PROJECT AND THE FISCAL SPONSOR SIGNED.
AND THEN IT IS AN UPLOAD THAT GOES INTO THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
SO WE DID A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT AFTER THE LAST, UH, GRANT CYCLE, GRANT APPLICATION CYCLE, AND THERE WAS SOME CONFUSIONS ABOUT WHO STARTS AS, WHO STARTS THE APPLICATION, WHO IS THE LEAD APPLICANT.
SO JUST TO ALLEVIATE ANY CONFUSION, THE SPONSORED PROJECT STARTS AND COMPLETES THE APPLICATION AS THE LEAD APPLICANT.
[00:20:01]
TO CLARIFY, THE AWARD TYPE AND REQUEST AMOUNT IS WHAT THE SPONSORED PROJECT IS ELIGIBLE FOR.SO IN ELEVATE, FOR EXAMPLE, $15,000, IT IS NOT WHAT THE FISCAL SPONSOR MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SO A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR $50,000.
AND THEN IF THE SPONSORED PROJECT IS AWARDED, THEN THE FISCAL SPONSOR BECOMES OWNER OF THE SPONSORED PROJECT ACCOUNT WITHIN SUBMITTABLE.
AND THEN JUST AS A REMINDER, THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR ACME GRANTS ARE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE A 5 0 1 C STATUS LOCATED IN AUSTIN OR THE ETJ.
THERE HAS TO BE A SALARIED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THEY HAVE TO BE IN EXISTENCE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR IF THEY HAVE AN OPERATING BUDGET OF $50,000.
AND IF THEY HAVE A SMALLER OPERATING BUDGET OF AT LEAST $35,000, THEY HAVE TO BE IN EXISTENCE FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
SO HOW DOES THE ELIGIBILITY REVIEW ACTUALLY HAPPEN? SO WITHIN SUBMITTABLE ITSELF, THERE'S AN ELIGIBILITY REVIEW FORM.
AND SO THIS IS FILLED OUT BY STAFF OR THE LONG CENTER TEAM FOR EVERY APPLICATION THAT WE RECEIVE.
THE FORM INCLUDES VERIFYING THINGS LIKE THE APPLICATION ANSWERS AND THE UPLOADS.
SO UPLOADS LIKE THE IRS DETERMINATION LETTER, THE MOST RECENT NINE 90, AND THAT SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT THAT I POINTED OUT.
AND SO THESE DOCUMENTS, THE FISCAL SPONSOR GIVES TO THE SPONSORED PROJECT AND THE SPONSORED PROJECT APPLICANT UPLOADS THEM BEFORE SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATION.
AND THEN IN SUBMITTABLE, IF EVERYTHING IS APPROVED, THE REVIEWER CHECKS THE BUTTON THAT SAYS YES, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE LABELS ARE CHANGED WITHIN SUBMITTABLE.
AND THIS APPLICATION THEN MOVES FORWARD TO THE EVALUATION SCORING REVIEW PROCESS.
SO THINGS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO THIS IS HOW THEY'RE VERIFYING THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, ITEMS THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
THEY HAVE TO CHECK THE DETERMINATION LETTER THAT WAS UPLOADED AS WELL AS THEY LOOK ON IRS.GOV TO MAKE SURE IT IS AN ACTIVE 5 0 1 C ORGANIZATION.
THEY ALSO CHECK THE FFF IEC CENSUS REPORT TO VERIFY LOCATION TO MAKE SURE IT'S WITHIN AUSTIN OR THE ETJ.
AND THEN THEY ALSO CHECK THE NINE NINETIES THEMSELVES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND OPERATING BUDGET.
SO JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE STEPS THAT IS, THAT ARE TAKEN FOR THIS PROCESS.
AND THEN AFTER ALL OF THAT, AFTER THE REVIEW, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE ACTUAL REVIEW FOR, FOR ELEVATE, UM, AND FOR NEXUS IN THE CASE OF SPONSORED PROJECTS, THEN IF AWARDED, THE AGREEMENT THAT GETS SIGNED IS BETWEEN THE LONG CENTER AND THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
AND SO PAYMENTS ARE MADE FROM THE LONG CENTER TO THE FISCAL SPONSOR, AND THEN THE FISCAL SPONSOR PAYS THE SPONSORED PROJECT ACCORDING TO THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT.
AND SO JUST AS A NOTE, UM, WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP HERE, BUT SOME FISCAL SPONSORS TAKE A FEE OFF OF EVERY PAYMENT.
SOME FISCAL SPONSORS USE THE FINAL 10% PAYMENT AS THEIR 10% FEE, AND SOME FISCAL SPONSORS DO NOT TAKE A FEE AT ALL.
AND AS A REMINDER, ACME GRANT GUIDELINES CAP THAT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP FEE AT 10% OF THE AWARD.
AND THEN ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT FINAL REPORTING.
SO THE FISCAL SPONSOR IS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINAL REPORT AND EXPENSE DOCUMENTATION.
AND IF THE FINAL REPORT FOR A SPONSORED PROJECT IS NOT TURNED IN, THE FISCAL SPONSOR WILL THEN BE IN NON-COMPLIANCE STATUS.
SO IF THAT HAPPENS, THE FISCAL SPONSOR MUST REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR ALL SPONSORED PROJECT GRANT FUNDS DISTRIBUTED, OR THE FISCAL SPONSOR ORGANIZATION WILL BE BANNED FROM APPLYING FOR THEIR OWN FUTURE ACME GRANTS AND OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SERVE AS A FISCAL SPONSOR AGAIN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE FISCAL SPONSOR MAY APPLY, BUT IF AWARDED, THEY CANNOT ENTER INTO ANY NEW CONTRACTS UNTIL ALL SPONSORED PROJECT FINAL REPORTS ARE APPROVED AND CLOSED OUT.
ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS OPTIONAL SINCE 2023.
AND SO THIS WAS A DISCOVERY FROM THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH FROM 2018 TO 2022, WHERE REQUIRING FISCAL SPONSORSHIP FOR INDIVIDUALS IN ARTS GROUPS CREATED A SIZABLE REVENUE STREAM FOR FISCAL SPONSORS.
AND SOME FISCAL SPONSORS HAD OVER A DOZEN SPONSORED PROJECTS WOULD TAKE 10% FROM EACH AWARD.
AND TO AVOID THE TEMPTATION OR PERCEPTION OF PREDATORY
[00:25:01]
BEHAVIOR, WE NOW LET THE ARTISTS AND THE ARTS GROUPS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES IF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS THE BEST FIT FOR THEM.AS A REMINDER, ACME STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND ONE FISCAL SPONSOR OVER ANOTHER, UH, ON REQUEST.
WE WILL PROVIDE A LIST OF PREVIOUS FISCAL SPONSORS IN CASE THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL ARTIST THAT IS CURIOUS AND WANTS TO LOOK INTO IT MORE.
UH, ANOTHER REMINDER, THE CITY DOES NOT DICTATE BUSINESS STRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUTSIDE ENTITIES.
SO WE DO NOT TELL A NONPROFIT WHICH SPONSORED PROJECTS THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT ACCEPT.
WE DO NOT TELL THEM WHICH OF THE SIX VARIOUS TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP THEY SHOULD ENGAGE IN.
WE DO NOT TELL THEM WHAT THE REQUIRED FEES, IF ANY, SHOULD BE, OTHER THAN THAT 10% CAP.
UM, AND ANOTHER REMINDER, FEES FOR SERVICE ARE ELIGIBLE COSTS FOR ALL OF OUR AWARDEES.
SO THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SPACE RENTAL INSURANCE, EQUIPMENT RENTAL, ET CETERA.
THERE ARE MANY STYLES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
SO HERE'S JUST A SPLATTERING OF SOME OF OUR FISCAL SPONSORS THAT WE HAVE USED RECENTLY OR THAT SPONSORED PROJECTS HAVE USED RECENTLY.
MOST OF THEM HAVE INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITES, UH, KIND OF EXPLAINING IN THEIR OWN WORDS HOW THEY INTERPRET FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AS FAR AS WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS THEY WANT TO BE A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR, UM, AS WELL AS WHAT THEY PROVIDE BECAUSE DIFFERENT FISCAL SPONSORS PROVIDE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THE SPONSORED PROJECTS THEY TAKE ON.
SO IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN HAVING A FISCAL SPONSOR, IT'S GOOD TO KIND OF SHOP AROUND AND LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT WEBSITES OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY SERVED IN THIS FUNCTION.
SO SOME OF THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE MADE FOR THIS ROUND OF OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS, UM, WE ADDED A QUESTION IN THE APPLICATION.
SO THIS IS ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ABOUT WHO THE KEY DECISION MAKERS ARE.
SO WE'RE REQUIRING A LIST OF KEY DECISION MAKERS, SO NOT JUST THE LEAD APPLICANT, BUT WHO IS IN YOUR ARTS COLLECTIVE, WHO ARE YOUR PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL THEN BE USED.
WE CAN SEE ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IF THERE ARE, I THINK WE SAID THAT IF THERE ARE TWO OR MORE OF THE SAME DECISION MAKERS ACROSS AWARDEES, THEY WILL BE FLAGGED FOR A 100% REVIEW IF AWARDED, OBVIOUSLY MULTIPLE, UH, WITH THE SAME LEAD APPLICANT IS NOT ALLOWED.
SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP OF, UM, OF COMPLIANCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY TAKING OUT THE INTAKE FORM IN THIS CYCLE SIGNIFICANTLY SIMPLIFIES THE ISSUES AROUND WHO STARTS AN APPLICATION.
THAT WAS A BIG ONE THAT WE HEARD IN OUR SURVEYS THAT WE DID EARLIER THIS YEAR, THAT THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT WHO SHOULD START THE APPLICATION, WHICH APPLICANT TYPE THEY SHOULD CHOOSE IF THEY WERE HAVING A FISCAL SPONSOR, ET CETERA.
SO IT IS MUCH SIMPLER NOW THAT WE HAVE TAKEN OUT THAT INTAKE FORM PROCESS.
UM, SO AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, THE SPONSORED PROJECT STARTS THE APPLICATION.
THEY UPLOAD THE FISCAL SPONSOR REQUIREMENTS AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SUBMIT THE APPLICATION AND THEN IF AWARDED, THAT SPONSORED PROJECT ACCOUNT GETS TRANSFERRED TO THE FISCAL SPONSOR DURING THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION COLLECTION PHASE AND AGREEMENT SIGNING.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE NOW INCLUDING THE FISCAL SPONSOR NAMES WITH THE AWARDED SPONSORED PROJECTS ON PUBLISHED AWARDEE LIST.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE JUST STARTED WITH OUR RECENT NEXUS GRANTEES THAT WE, UH, JUST ANNOUNCED.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF PLANNING A FISCAL SPONSOR ROUND TABLE.
UM, THAT WILL HAPPEN THIS FALL, SO EARLY THIS FALL, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER E TIME.
UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A GOOD PROACTIVE DISCUSSION ON FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, UM, HOW IT SERVES AS A SUPPORT STRUCTURE WITHIN THE ARTS ECOSYSTEM.
UM, DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISED ACME GUIDELINES.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST DOCUMENTING THOSE STANDARDS FOR THE SPONSORED PROJECTS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LIST OF THE CURRENT ACME GRANT FISCAL SPONSORS HERE.
UM, SO THIS IS, THESE ARE WHO SERVE AS FISCAL SPONSORS RIGHT NOW FOR OUR DIFFERENT AWARDEES.
AND, AND AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, THE GRANT GUIDELINES, WE ARE IN OUR INITIAL PHASE OF THE ACME GRANT GUIDELINES.
SO THIS CAME OUT OF THE CREATIVE RESET PHASE ONE THAT HAPPENED LAST SUMMER.
AND SO THIS WAS FOR THE 20 26, 27 AND 28 FUNDING CYCLES.
[00:30:01]
OUR PROMISE AS ACME IS ALL ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND STABILITY.AND SO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE FEEDBACK AND HAVE FEEDBACK BETWEEN EACH OF THESE APPLICATION CYCLES.
SO AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE HAD THE APPLICATION WINDOW FROM OCTOBER TO DECEMBER.
WE HAD THREE SURVEYS THAT FOLLOWED THAT APPLICATION WINDOW, SO FROM JANUARY TO APRIL, AND THERE WERE, UM, THERE WAS THE SURVEY FOR THE APPLICANTS, FOR THE PANELISTS, AND FOR THE COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL BE DOING THE SAME THING AFTER THIS APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSES.
SO SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER-ISH TIME, WE WILL HAVE THREE MORE SURVEYS FOR THE APPLICANTS, THE PANELISTS, THE COMMISSIONERS, AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE WILL START THE FOCUS GROUPS AND SURVEYS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE GRANT WINDOW NEXT SUMMER.
SO THE WINDOW WILL BE JULY THROUGH AUGUST OF 2027.
AND THOSE ARE FOR THE 2028 GRANTS PROGRAMS. UH, AND WE NEED TO DO THAT.
SO WE CAN HAVE REVISED ACME GRANT GUIDELINES 2.0 BY MAY OF 2028, WHICH WILL BE PRIOR TO THE 2029 GRANT APPLICATION WINDOW, WHICH WILL BE THE JULY THROUGH AUGUST 20, 28 PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT OVER TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MESSICK.
AS LAURA SAID, I AM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MORGAN MESSICK, AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO LAURA ON HER OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT AS THE DIVISION MANAGER.
UM, SO I'M GONNA TAKE US THROUGH SOME OF THE REVIEW AND FINDINGS OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE.
SO CITY STAFF HAVE RESPONDED TO ETHICS COMPLAINTS.
UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED COMPLAINTS VIA EMAIL ABOUT A FISCAL SPONSOR.
THE DETAILS OF THE CLAIM INCLUDES SPONSORED PROJECTS SERVING AS PROGRAMS OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR, AND THAT THERE WERE OVERLAP OF LEADERSHIP AND CORE PERSONNEL.
SO INITIALLY, ACME STAFF DISCUSSED WITH CITY LEGAL, WHO RECOMMENDED THAT WE INTERNALLY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT DO DUE DILIGENCE AS A FIRST STEP TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AMI STAFF STARTED THE DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS BY EMAILING THE FISCAL SPONSOR DIRECTLY, WHERE WE REQUESTED A SERIES OF QUESTIONS TO HELP WITH DUE DUE DILIGENCE, WHICH INCLUDED HOW EACH PROJECT MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ELEVATE.
WE REQUESTED AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THE PROJECTS DO NOT CONSTITUTE PROGRAMS OR SERVICES OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
WE REQUESTED CLARIFICATION REGARDING LEADERSHIP AND CORE PERSONNEL AND ANY DOCUMENTATION DEMONSTRATING COMPLIANCE SUCH AS GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES, SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS, STAFF ROLES, ET CETERA.
SHORTLY AFTER THE FISCAL SPONSOR RESPONDED WITH IN-DEPTH DOCUMENTATION, INCLUDING AGREEMENTS, FINANCIALS, LEADERSHIP CONTACTLESS, BOARD ROSTERS NINE 90 AND EXPENSE DOCUMENTATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS ACME STAFF REVIEWED THE DOCUMENTS AND DETERMINED THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN LINE WITH THE CITY POLICY AND ACME GRANT GUIDELINES.
ACME STAFF PROVIDED THAT DOCUMENTATION BACK TO LEGAL TO ALSO REVIEW.
ACME STAFF PROVIDED THAT DOCUMENTATION FOR REVIEW TO THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, WHERE WE ALSO REPORTED THE ALLEGATIONS.
UM, THEY HAD RECEIVED A NUMBER OF REPORTS MATCHING OURS, AND THEY REVIEWED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND DETERMINED THAT THE ACCUSATIONS DID NOT WARRANT A FULL AUDIT AND RETURNED IT BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT.
ACME STAFF ALSO NOTIFIED THE LONG CENTER THAT THEY COULD ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AFTER OUR DUE DILIGENCE WAS COMPLETED.
AND THE SPONSOR PROJECTS, UM, ALSO LAUNCH THEIR AGREEMENTS.
THE ARTS COMMISSION CONTINUED TO RAISE QUESTIONS ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, LAST MONTH AT THE JUNE, 2026 ARTS COMMISSION MEETING REQUESTING MORE FOLLOW UP DIRECTOR ANGELA MEANS ASKED THAT THE NEW ACME FINANCIAL MANAGER, WHO ONBOARDED AT THE END OF MAY, I BELIEVE, UM, REQUESTED THAT THEY DO AN ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE MATERIALS.
THE OUTCOME OF THIS REVIEW WAS THAT THE PROJECTS ARE ALL INDEPENDENT AND THAT THEY ARE ALL COMPLIANT, AND THAT FISCAL SPONSOR STRUCTURE, ADDITIONAL SUMMARY OF INDEPENDENT REVIEW FROM OUR FINANCIAL MANAGER INDICATED THAT SPONSORED PROJECTS SEEN HERE OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY.
THEY ARE NOT SUBSIDIARIES OR PART OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
ADDITIONALLY, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE PROVIDED, THEY INDICATED THAT INDEPENDENT DECISION-MAKING WAS TAKING PLACE.
EACH PROJECT HAS ITS OWN PROGRAMMING, GOVERNANCE AND CORE PERSONNEL.
THERE WAS SEE, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE CLEAR SEPARATION OF ROLES, SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS OUTLINED RESPONSIBILITIES AND BOUNDARIES AFFIRMING THAT SPONSORED PROJECTS ARE NOT PROGRAMS OR SERVICES OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
EVIDENCE PROVIDED SHOWED UNIQUE LEADERSHIP DOCUMENTATION SHOWED NO OVERLAP IN CORE PERSONNEL ACROSS SPONSORED PROJECTS, SUPPORTING COMPLIANCE WITH ELEVATE GUIDELINES, WHICH
[00:35:01]
RESTRICTS MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS BY THE SAME LEADERSHIP TEAM.ADDITIONALLY, COMPLIANCE EVIDENCE PROVIDED SHOWED AGREEMENTS, ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS, PROJECT ROSTERS, FINANCIALS, AND PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION COLLECTIVELY DEMONSTRATED INDEPENDENT OPERATIONS AND ADHERENCE TO THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP REQUIREMENTS.
FOR NEXT STEPS ON THESE ALLEGATIONS, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE WORK TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE CITY'S GRANTS PROGRAMS. ACME HAS AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT BOTH PUBLIC TRUST AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE CITY'S GRANT MAKING PROCESS.
ALLEGATIONS REGARDING MISCONDUCT, FAVORITISM, OR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED THROUGH THE CITY'S ESTABLISHED ADMINISTRATIVE LEGAL ETHICS AND AUDIT PROCESSES.
THOSE PROCESSES EXIST TO ENSURE ALLEGATIONS ARE EVALUATED FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND BASED ON EVIDENCE, NOT DEBATED OR INVESTIGATED DURING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AT THIS POINT, ACME HAS REFERRED ALL ALLEGATIONS BROUGHT FORWARD BACK TO THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR AN INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION TO PROTECT THE PROCESS.
THIS MATTER IS CLOSED FOR OUR STAFF UNLESS WE ARE ADVISED OF FINDINGS AND DIRECTIVES FROM THE CITY'S AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
AN ADDITIONAL REMINDER FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE ON CONDUCT DURING COMMISSION MEETINGS, NOTES THAT PUBLIC MEETINGS SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED ON POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND MATTERS PROPERLY BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
CITY ETHICS, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND BOARDS AND COMMISSION TRAININGS EMPHASIZE MAINTAINING DECORUM, AVOIDING PERSONAL ACCUSATIONS AND REFRAINING FROM PRESENTING SPECULATIVE OR UNVERIFIED ALLEGATIONS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS, CITY EMPLOYEES OR ORGANIZATIONS.
DURING COMMISSION MEETINGS, ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT SHOULD BE REFERRED THROUGH THE CITY'S ESTABLISHED REVIEW PROCESS, WHICH WE HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ON AS WE COVER CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THE CITY CODE REFLECTS HOW THE CITY GOVERNS CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
CITY CODE GOVERNS CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE RELEVANT PORTION STATES IN TWO DASH SEVEN DASH SIX THREE B.
A CITY OFFICIAL WHO SERVES AS A CORPORATE OFFICER OR MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF A NONPROFIT ENTITY MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN A VOTE OR DECISION REGARDING FUNDING BUYER THROUGH THE CITY FOR THE ENTITY IT DOES NOT APPLY WHERE THE OFFICIAL SERVES.
UM, A NONPROFIT THAT IS OWNED OR CREATED BY COUNCIL OR WHERE THE SERVICE IS A DUTY OF THE OFFICE THEY HOLD.
A CITY OFFICIAL SHALL DISCLOSE THEIR SERVICE AS A CORPORATE OFFICER OR MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF A NONPROFIT FOR WHICH A VOTE OR DECISION REGARDING FUNDING BUYER THROUGH THE CITY IS BEING CONSIDERED.
DECISION IS DEFINED AND MEANS ANY ORDINANCE RESOLUTION, CONTRACT, FRANCHISE, FORMAL ACTION, OR OTHER MATTER VOTED ON BY THE CITY COUNCIL OR OTHER CITY BORDER COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE DISCUSSIONS OR DELIBERATIONS OF THE COUNCIL BORDER COMMISSION, WHICH CAN OR MAY LEAD TO A VOTE OR FORMAL ACTION BY THAT BODY.
THESE REQUIREMENTS ONLY APPLY IF THE PERSON IS A CORPORATE OFFICER OR A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IT DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY OTHER VOLUNTEER ROLES.
A CITY OFFICIAL, A STAFF OR A COMMISSIONER WHO IS A BOARD MEMBER OR CORPORATE OFFICER OF A NONPROFIT MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY VOTE DECISION OR DELIBERATION INVOLVING CITY FUNDING FOR THAT NONPROFIT.
THEY MUST DISCLOSE BOARD SERVICE PUBLICLY AND STAFF BOARD SERVICE IS ALLOWED WITH DISCLOSURE AND RECUSAL PER CITY POLICY.
ACME STAFF HAVE DISCLOSED THE BOARD SERVICE.
THE ETHICS OFFICE HAS REVIEWED ALL ACME STAFF BOARD AND VOLUNTEER SERVICE ACROSS THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
AND THEY HAVE ADVISED THE FOLLOWING, THE, THE ANALYSIS FOR A COMMISSIONER IS THE SAME AS IT IS FOR AN EMPLOYEE.
YOU HAVE A CONFLICT IF YOU SERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR A CORPORATE OFFICER OF A NONPROFIT, AND THERE IS A DECISION FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO PARTICIPATE, AND THAT INVOLVES FUNDING BY OR THROUGH THE CITY FOR THAT NONPROFIT.
IF THERE'S AN EMPLOYEE WHO FITS THE SCENARIO, THEY MUST NOT BE INVOLVED IN ANY PLANNING, DELIBERATION, EVALUATION, OR DECISION REGARDING THE AWARDING OF THAT FUNDING.
THEY MUST DISCLOSE THE CONFLICT, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ALREADY HAVE AND ABSTAIN FROM ANY RELATED ACTIVITY FOR EVERYBODY'S AWARENESS.
UM, AND FOR BACKUP AND FOR ANYBODY WATCHING AT HOME, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO REPORT VIOLATIONS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
THE THREE THAT WE ARE PUTTING UP ON THE SCREEN HERE FOR EVERYBODY IS THROUGH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, WHICH IS OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROGRAM OVERSIGHT.
AND YOU CAN MAKE COMPLAINTS TO THEM FOR PROCEDURAL ISSUES, MEETING STRUCTURE, DECORUM CONCERNS, AGENDA ITEMS, AND COMPLIANCE WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS.
YOU MAY REACH THEM BY EMAILING BC@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.
YOU MAY ALSO REACH OUT TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE TEAM FOR ETHICS QUESTIONS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST PERMISSIBLE CONDUCT, ROLE BOUNDARIES.
AND PER THE ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE
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TEAM, THEY ADVISE CITY OFFICIALS ON CODE ETHICS AND EXPECTATIONS.THEY DO NOT CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS BUT PROVIDE AUTHORITATIVE GUIDANCE.
YOU MAY EMAIL THEM DIRECTLY AT ETHICS COMPLIANCE@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.
AND FINALLY, THE CITY AUDITOR HAS AN INTEGRITY VIOLATION REPORTING FORM AVAILABLE ONLINE.
THIS DOCUMENT IS HYPER LINKABLE, UM, BUT YOU CAN ALSO FIND IT VIA GOOGLE IF YOU DON'T HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THIS BACKUP.
AND YOU CAN REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO THEM TO REPORT CONCERNS INVOLVING MISUSE OF POSITION, PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR THAT UNDERMINE INTEGRITY OR VIOLATION OF CITY STANDARDS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER ALBA, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, LAURA, YOU SPOKE OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
UM, COULD YOU SPECIFICALLY, UM, COMPARE TYPE A AND TYPE C FOR US TODAY? AND SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND, UH, EXACTLY WHAT TYPE A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS IN TERMS OF WHAT THE, THE STAFF IS THINKING AND IF TYPE A IS IN FACT ALLOWED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF THE LAST GRANTING CYCLE? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.
SO WE ARE NOT GOING INTO THE DETAILS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP OTHER THAN SAYING THAT ACME GRANT GUIDELINES DOES NOT PROHIBIT ONE TYPE OVER ANY OTHER TYPE.
ALL SIX TYPES ARE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED, THAT THEY'RE BASED IN AUSTIN, THAT THEY HAVE A SALARIED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE, THEY'RE A 5 0 1 C UH, ORGANIZATION.
SO WE DO NOT CURRENTLY SAY ANYTHING IN OUR GUIDELINES THAT SAYS ONE TYPE IS ALLOWED AND ANOTHER TYPE IS NOT ALLOWED.
I HYPERLINKED, UM, I THINK THE NATIONAL, UH, NETWORK OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IN THE DECK, UH, IN CASE ANYONE WANTS TO DO MORE RESEARCH ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
AND THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO, UM, SHINE SOME LIGHT ON AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WITH THE DIFFERENT FISCAL SPONSORS THIS FALL AT THE ROUND TABLE.
SO TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT TYPE A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP TODAY.
WE DIDN'T PREPARE LIKE A PRESENTATION ON EACH SIX INDIVIDUAL FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS AS WE DON'T HAVE A RULE PRECLUDING ANY OF THEM.
BUT I THINK YOUR QUESTION WAS ARE THEY BOTH ALLOWABLE AND THEY ARE, MY QUESTION IS IN TERMS OF THE, THE LEGAL DIFFERENCES, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IN TYPE A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, THE SPONSORED PROJECTS ARE INTRINSICALLY PROGRAMS OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
THE, THE, THAT IT, THAT THE, THE, THE MESH IS SO GREAT THAT IN FACT THEY ARE EFFECTIVELY FOR TAX PURPOSES, FOR PUBLIC PERCEPTION PURPOSES, PROGRAMS OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
IS THAT NOT THE CASE? I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER AVAILABLE, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE DON'T ALLOW, AS PER OUR GUIDELINES FOR FISCAL SPONSORS TO SPONSOR THEIR OWN PROJECTS.
THAT IS ONE OF OUR RULES THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO COULD YOU EXPLAIN, UM, WHAT OUT OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM THE PARTICULAR APPLICANT IN QUESTION LED YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THE, I MEAN, I CAN NAME ONE PARTICULAR PROJECT IF YOU'D LIKE.
NO, YOU WOULD NOT LIKE ME TO DO THAT.
UH, WE, SO IF WE CAN GET THE SLIDES PULLED BACK UP, WE LISTED EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE AS EVIDENCE AND THAT IS WHAT THEY PROVIDED RIGHT.
TO JUSTIFY THE DIFFERENTIATION IN FINANCES, RIGHT? HMM.
THE QUESTIONS THAT WE REQUESTED FOR DUE DILIGENCE INCLUDED HOW EACH PROJECT MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ELEVATE, RIGHT.
EACH, EACH PROJECT PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT SHOWED THAT WE REQUESTED AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THE PROJECTS DO NOT CONSTITUTE PROGRAMS. SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE WAS PROVIDED, WE REQUESTED CLARIFICATION REGARDING LEADERSHIP AND CORE PERSONNEL AND SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE WAS PROVIDED.
WE REQUESTED DOCUMENTATION DEMONSTRATING COMPLIANCE INCLUDING GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES, SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS, STAFF ROLES, ET CETERA.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE SAYING WHAT YOU SAW WAS ACCEPTABLE.
MY QUESTION IS, IF THERE IS A CONTINUED CONCERN THAT IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, WOULD YOU SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH
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COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE HERE? THE ONLY REASON WE'RE HERE IS TO THEORETICALLY PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OVER HOW PUBLIC FUNDING IS USED.THAT IS NOT MY UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR BYLAWS.
NO, BUT WE DO SHARE ON THE FINAL SLIDE WHERE YOU MAY REPORT YOUR CONCERNS IF YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT WE HAVE DONE OUR JOB IN REVIEWING.
WELL, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TYPE A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS POSSIBLY ALLOWED WITH THE THIRD BULLET POINT UNDER INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES FROM THE GRANT GUIDELINES, WHICH STATES SPONSORED PROJECTS THAT ARE PROGRAMS OR SERVICES OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR ARE INELIGIBLE? UH, I, I BELIEVE IN THIS CASE, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK THREE OF THE, OF THE CASES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE IN FACT PROGRAMS OF, OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF TYPE A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS THAT A SPONSORED PROJECT OF A FISCAL SPONSOR IN TYPE A IS INTRINSICALLY A PROGRAM OF THAT FISCAL SPONSOR.
SO WE DO NEED TO HAVE A DEEP DIVE INTO ALL THE DEFINITIONS OF ALL THE TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
IF, IF THE GUIDELINES ARE NOT GONNA BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHICH TYPE IS ALLOWED, THEN WE CAN'T HAVE INELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES THAT CONFLICT WITH THE DEFINITION OF CERTAIN TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
I DUNNO IF I FOLLOWED THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT WHAT I CAN CONFIRM IS WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DOING A DEEP DIVE INTO FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AS STATED.
UM, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST MONTH.
WE'LL BE DOING A FISCAL SPONSOR ROUND TABLE AS THE START OF THAT CONVERSATION WITH THOSE IN THAT ECOSYSTEM.
AND WE WILL OF COURSE BE WORKING WITH YOU ALL HERE, UM, AND PROBABLY WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL THROUGH SOME ENGAGEMENT AS WE BUILD THAT OUT.
I SEE THAT COMMISSIONER SMALL BACK HAS A QUESTION.
I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I DON'T WANNA HOG THE TIME.
OH, I'LL GET RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE DID HAVE, I WAS LOOKING BACK, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAD THIS PRESENTATION BY SOCIAL IMPACT COMMONS, UM, ON AUGUST 18TH, 2025 THAT WENT OVER, UM, THE KIND OF NUANCES OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REVISIT IT BECAUSE IT DOES GET INTO THE, LIKE WE'RE GETTING CAUGHT UP ON SOME SEMANTIC STUFF.
THAT PROGRAM PROJECT CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS IN THESE TWO CONTEXTS.
AND I HEAR THAT THAT'S THE CONCERN.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GET PAST THIS WHEN THE CITY HAS SAID THEY'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, THEIR MULTIPLE LEVELS OF DUE DILIGENCE ABOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
COMPLETELY AGREE THAT LOOKING FORWARD, WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, THE ROUND TABLE'S A GREAT, IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND IF WE NEED MORE PRESENTATIONS ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AND HOW THEY ALIGN OR DON'T ALIGN, AND NOW WE KNOW WHERE THERE WILL BE OBVIOUS CONFUSIONS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THAT GOING FORWARD.
BUT WE DID HAVE THAT PRESENTATION, UM, BY SOCIAL IMPACT COMMENTS, WHO, WHO WOULD BE EXPERTS AND CAN ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE ARE TREADING LIGHTLY ON ANSWERING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THE TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE FROM STAFF ARE LIKE THE LEGAL EXPERTS IN FISCAL SPONSORSHIP TYPES.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S A CHARGED ENVIRONMENT AND I DON'T, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUT OF TURN AND SAY SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CORRECT.
UH, FIRST I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COMMISSIONER KEYS IS ON THE DIAZ.
COULD COULD WE GO BACK TO THE CREATE AUSTIN SLIDE AND YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOT BEING AN EXHAUSTIVE DESCRIPTION OR SOMETHING.
I JUST, I I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, I ALMOST THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DON'T HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? SO I WAS SAYING THAT WHAT THE LONG CENTER CREATED THROUGH THEIR CREATE AUSTIN RESOURCE PAGE IS NOT STAFF HAS REVIEWED IT, BUT WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY POSTED AND I THINK USED AS A REFERENCE POINT WAS FROM 2024.
SO THAT HAS SINCE BEEN UPDATED, BUT THE ONLY PART THAT WAS THE CITY PART WAS THAT FINAL PAGE OF THAT DOCUMENT.
SO WHAT I WAS SAYING IS THAT THE LONG CENTER DOES PROVIDE MANY RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
THESE ARE SOME PROS AND CONS, UM, ABOUT WHY SOMEONE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN USING A FISCAL SPONSOR.
UM, BUT OF COURSE IT IS A NON-EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF INFORMATION.
AND THERE IS LANGUAGE WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT THAT SAYS THIS IS INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY USE TO CONSIDER.
IT IS NOT A PART OF OUR GUIDELINE.
SO WHEN YOU SAY, EXCEPT FOR THE
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FINAL PAGE, AND IS THE FINAL PAGE THE PART THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FISCAL SPONSOR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS? I DON'T HAVE THE LAST PAGE PULLED UP, BUT IT'S THE ONE THAT HAD THE CITY OF AUSTIN LOGO ON IT, AND IT WAS BASICALLY SAYING THE SAME THINGS THAT WERE IN OUR GUIDELINES ABOUT WHAT A FISCAL SPONSOR MUST HAVE.SO THE 5 0 1 STATUS, THE EXECUTIVE DI DIRECTOR, SALARIED, UM, IN EXISTENCE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO, SO THE ONE THAT HAS THE FIVE ITEMS ON IT, YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS LONG CENTER LANGUAGE, NOT CITY LANGUAGE, WHERE IT SAYS THE FISCAL SPONSOR SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, ONE OF WHOM IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL FISCAL SPONSORSHIP ACTIVITIES UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE OTHER.
THAT'S, YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S LONG CENTER'S DESCRIPTION, WHICH ISN'T ACTUALLY A GUIDELINE.
SO SORRY, MORGAN PULLED IT UP ON HER LAPTOP.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FISCAL SPONSORS THAT APPLY ON BEHALF OF CREATIVE BUSINESSES OR INDIVIDUALS? THAT PORTION OR NO, PAGE FOUR OF THE DOCUMENT.
I GUESS THAT'S NOT THE FINAL PAGE IS THE ONE I'M RETURNING TO WHERE IT SAYS PAGE SEVEN IS WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO THE, SO THE SPONSOR'S PROJECTS, ARTISTIC LEAD CANNOT BE A STAFF MEMBER OF THE FISCAL SPONSOR.
THAT'S NOT A CITY GUIDELINE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE LONG CENTER MADE UP AND IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE FOLLOWED.
IS THAT THE CASE? THAT'S NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE FOUR.
I WILL SAY THAT THE LONG CENTER DID CREATE THIS DOCUMENT.
I KNOW STAFF HAS LOOKED AT IT.
I, I DON'T KNOW, AND I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU, BUT AS LONG AS THE LEAD APPLICANT IS NOT THE LEAD APPLICANT OF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR OF THAT FISCAL SPONSOR, UM, I'LL HAVE TO, I'LL HAVE TO, I DON'T WANNA SAY THE WRONG THING BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT AN OLD DOCUMENT RIGHT NOW ANYWAY, SO I'M HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU.
BUT ALL OF THIS IS THINGS TO CONSIDER, NOT THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
AGAIN, THE GUIDELINES, THE ACME GUIDELINES ARE THE END ALL BE ALL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS AND IS NOT ALLOWED.
AND I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT IN OUR GUIDELINES AS I CURRENTLY STAND, ALL SIX OPTION ENTITY VARIATIONS OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP ARE ALLOWED IN OUR CURRENT GUIDELINES.
AS COMMISSIONER SCHACH MENTIONS, I AM NOT A LEGAL EXPERT.
I DO NOT HAVE ALL SIX, UM, TYPES IN FRONT OF ME.
I KNOW THAT WE DO NOT SAY ONE TYPE IS OR IS NOT ALLOWED CURRENTLY IN THIS ITERATION OF GUIDELINES.
AGAIN, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WANNA TALK ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO OUR GUIDELINE 2.0, UM, FOR SURE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T CALL OUT.
THIS IS ALLOWED, THIS ISN'T, WE JUST SAY IT HAS TO BE AT LEAST THESE THINGS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER? UH, CHARLA AND THEN COMMISSIONER SCOTA.
COMMISSIONER KEYS HAS HAD THEIR HAND UP, UP FOR QUITE A WHILE.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
I DID NOT SEE I COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU, I CAN GO AFTER.
SO LET'S DO COMMISSIONER KEYS AND THEN META CHARLOTTE AND THEN SCOTA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
UM, I GUESS FOR ME, I'M COMING IN A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE LEGAL EXPERTS HERE, IS THERE LIKE A THIRD PARTY? CAN WE EVEN REFERENCE, UM, UH, WHO, COMMISSIONER SMALL MENTIONED TO KIND OF, I MEAN, LIKE ARE WE BRINGING ANYONE FOR OVERSIGHT OR ANY EXPERTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, SITUATION OR APPEAL OR JUST TO REVIEW, UM, FOR THESE, THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION? I GUESS FOR ME, UM, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING JUST WHERE I CAME IN BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN'T REALLY POINT OUT, UH, ANY NUANCE OR ANY, UM, OR JUST WHERE I HEARD WHERE I CAME IN TODAY.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD POINTED OUT IN THE PAST, LIKE I'M NOT POINTING TO ANY PARTICULAR, UM, CITY EMPLOYEE, BUT THERE WERE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE WERE THINGS POINTED OUT AS FAR AS, UM, EMPLOYEES HANDLING THINGS AT CULTURAL CENTERS WHERE PEOPLE OR AN EMPLOYEE WAS SELF-REPORTING.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE OF COURSE, WANT EVERYTHING TO BE ON THE UP AND UP AND WANT TO TAKE EVERYONE'S WORD FOR IT.
BUT WHEN THERE IS CONFUSION, IS THERE NOT A THIRD PARTY WHO COMES IN AND INVESTIGATES OR PROVIDES SOME INSIGHT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE OUR HANDS ARE TIED WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN POINT TO THE DIFFERENCES IN THE SUBTLE NUANCES.
UM, AND IN EVEN SITUATIONS IN THE PAST YEAR
[00:55:01]
WHERE MAYBE THINGS WEREN'T COMPLETELY HONEST OR INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY.SO IN THESE CASES WHERE THERE IS CONFUSION, IS THERE A THIRD PARTY WHO COMES IN? ARE THERE LEGAL EXPERTS WHO CAN COME IN AND PROVIDE THE INSIGHT OR THE NUANCE TO THESE PARTICULAR SITUATIONS? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO AS OUR SLIDES SHOW IN THE BACKUP, AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, BOTH VIA EMAIL AND DIRECTLY HERE IN THE MEETINGS, UM, THIS HAS BEEN RUN THROUGH THE CITY'S AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND INTEGRITY UNIT AND RETURNED BACK WITH NO FINDINGS.
THIS HAS BEEN RUN THROUGH THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX EXPERTS WHO REVIEW EVERY LEVEL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND INCREDIBLE DETAIL AND ARE INCREDIBLY FAMILIAR WITH THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO AWARD, UM, MONEY AND TO APPROVE PROGRAMS AND CONTRACTS.
THESE HAVE BEEN RUN THROUGH OUR TWO STAFF EXPERTS, MYSELF, LAURA ODEGAARD.
AND THEN FINALLY JUST THIS PAST WEEK, ALL OF THE SAME INFORMATION WAS RUN THROUGH ANOTHER, UH, INDEPENDENT AUDIT REVIEW INTERNALLY BY OUR FINANCE MANAGER WHO RECENTLY ONBOARDED WHO HAS NOT BEEN A PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WAS A FRESH SET OF EYES ALL COMING BACK WITH A DETERMINATION THAT EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE MET ACME'S MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
ALL WITHIN OUR GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION, WE ARE HAPPY TO DIVE DEEPER INTO FISCAL SPONSORSHIP TO LOOK AT THE NUANCES OF THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR PROGRAMS. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT HOW SAN ANTONIO DOES IT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT HOW HOUSTON DOES IT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT HOW SOMEBODY MIGHT DO IT OR INTERPRET IT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR GUIDELINES.
WE MEASURE EVERYTHING AGAINST.
THAT'S HOW WE BUILD OUR APPLICATIONS.
THAT'S HOW WE, UH, YOU KNOW, TRAIN OUR PANEL TO REVIEW.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
UM, AND COMMISSIONER KEYS, I KNOW YOU CAME IN A LITTLE LATER, BUT IF YOU CAN SEE THE SLIDES, WE, WE SHOW YOU ALL THOSE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF REVIEW THAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND IF THE COMMISSION HERE SEES THAT, UM, THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT HAS BEEN EXHAUSTIVE ENOUGH OR THEY'RE NOT TRUSTING IN THE FINDINGS, WE ALSO LISTED A SLIDE AT THE END WHERE YOU CAN INDEPENDENTLY REPORT THAT UP.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IF YOU THINK ANOTHER LEVEL OF REVIEW IS NEEDED.
I JUST THINK THAT IF WE ARE ASKING SOME QUESTIONS FOR A LEVEL OF DETAIL AND Y'ALL ARE DEFERRING TO THE EXPERTS WHO ADVISE YOU ALL, MAYBE THEY COULD BE PRESENT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT NUANCE.
UM, JUST BECAUSE IF WE ARE THE COMMISSIONERS AND IF WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND IT IN THAT CAPACITY, HOW ARE WE ABLE TO ADVOCATE AND FULLY UNDERSTAND IT AS IT RELATES TO, UM, BEING COMPLIANT WITH THE GUIDELINES.
UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S MORE YOU KNOW, OF MY QUESTION BECAUSE EVEN IN THE PAST WITH THE PAST SITUATION THAT I BROUGHT UP, IT WAS LIKE, OH NO, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY.
AND THEN I HAD TO SELF INVESTIGATE AND THEN REPORT THOSE FINDINGS, WHICH THEN TURNED INTO THE AUDITOR TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
AND SO I'M LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE'RE TOLD THAT, OH, WELL, WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, UM, RESOURCES.
AND THEN WHEN WE ASK FOR MORE QUESTIONS, IF WE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND AS A BODY, HOW CAN WE FULLY JUST ADVOCATE AND SUPPORT THE CREATIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY? UH, COMMISSIONER SCHACH, I NEED TO GET TO YOU AFTER COMMISSIONER SKODA.
SO WE HAVE COMMISSIONER CHARLA, COMMISSIONER SKODA, COMMISSIONER SCHACH, AND THEN COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
A QUICK, HI, UH, I JUST HAD A QUICK NOTE THAT, I MEAN, JUST FORWARD LOOKING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD UH, SUGGEST, UH, THE EDIT WORD FORMING A WORKING GROUP SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS AND WHAT KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS THE COMMISSION MIGHT WANT TO PROVIDE.
UH, AND I THINK ALL SCENARIOS CAN BE EXAMINED WITHIN THAT WORKING GROUP AND BROUGHT BACK, UH, TO THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND POSSIBLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AROUND THAT.
AS FAR AS FUTURE, YOU KNOW, GRANTS ROLLOUT GOES, UM, IF THERE ARE CONCERNS AROUND, AND, UM, I, I KNOW THERE'S A PARTICULAR GROUP THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED HERE, UH, THAT'S NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M SUGGESTING IN THE FOCUS EVEN FOR THE FUTURE GROUP.
BUT IF THERE ARE CONCERNS AROUND HOW THE GRANTS ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S CONCENTRATION, ET CETERA, JUST ADD WITH IT BROADLY THROUGH SOME PRAGMATIC, UH, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, SO IT APPLIES TO EVERYBODY.
UH, AND, AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY AS FAR AS MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FUTURE, IS IF WE COULD JUST DO A WORKING GROUP ON THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC.
SO QUESTION, YOU GUYS ALL SAID THAT THE, THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WAS CAPPED AT 10%.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT OR WHATEVER IT IS, 'CAUSE 10% FOR A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS STILL ON THE HIGHER END SIDE? BUT THE QUESTION, MY QUESTION IS,
[01:00:02]
IS IT MORE FLEXIBLE OR IS IT JUST A SOLID FIXED 10%? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.UM, SO IT IS NOT A SOLID, EVERY FISCAL SPONSOR HAS TO CHARGE A 10% FEE.
SO SOME FISCAL SPONSORS DO NOT HAVE A FEE AT ALL.
AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THAT FISCAL SPONSOR IS OFFERING.
THE SPONSORED PROJECT, SOME MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE HANDS-ON WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, SOME MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE HANDS OFF.
SO IT DEPENDS ON THAT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, UM, SPONSORED PROJECTS, UH, AGREEMENTS FOR HOW THAT'S DETERMINED.
AND, AND THAT AGREEMENT IS ATTACHED TO EVERY APPLICATION PROPOSAL.
SO WE SEE EVERY SPONSOR PROJECT AGREEMENT, UM, RELATIONSHIP SO THAT WE CAN EXAMINE THAT.
I'VE GOT COMMISSIONER, SMALL, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, AND THEN COMMISSIONER CHENEY.
UM, I WAS, UH, I I'M ABOUT TO SEND TO JESUS SO HE CAN SHARE JUST A DIRECT LINK TO THAT PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD.
AND I WILL JUST, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAT I, I DO UNDERSTAND PRETTY MUCH THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, BUT BECAUSE THIS IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN SO CHARGED, I'M NOT GONNA EXPLAIN THAT ON THE DAIS BECAUSE I AM AFRAID THAT IF I SAY SOMETHING SLIGHTLY INCORRECT, I WILL BE KIND OF ATTACKED FOR IT.
LIKE PHASES GETTING THREATENING EMAILS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF ARE FEELING, BUT I THINK THAT SETS UP A DYNAMIC WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE STAFF ARE BEING EVASIVE WHEN THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO BE.
THIS HAS BECOME SUCH A CHARGED ENVIRONMENT THAT EVEN PEOPLE WHO DO KNOW MOST OF THE ANSWERS ARE PERHAPS, AND I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, NERVOUS TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE ON THAT BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME SO CHARGED.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S A DYNAMIC THAT'S OCCURRING HERE THAT SHOULD BE NAMED.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF US HERE THAT PROBABLY HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, DIFFERENT TYPES, AND WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST FEELING A LITTLE BIT TOO, UM, I DON'T KNOW, CHARGED IS THE BEST WORD I CAN THINK OF, BUT I AM SENDING TO JESUS NOW.
THE LINK TO THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION WE HAD FROM, UM, 2025 AUGUST, THAT REALLY HAS A REALLY, I JUST LOOKED AT IT, HAS A REALLY NICE GRID THAT BREAKS DOWN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
AND A LOT OF IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP BASED ON THE SPONSORED PROJECT AND THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION.
THAT'S LIKE THE MAIN THING THAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND THEN COMMISSIONER CHENEY.
FIRST, I HAVE A, JUST A CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE, UM, THE AUDITOR'S COMMUNICATION.
THERE WAS NOT A REPORT THAT CAME FROM THE AUDITOR.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, IT WAS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A REPORT THAT FOUND THERE WERE NO ISSUES.
IN FACT, THE LETTER SAID THAT THE AUDITOR INTERVIEWED THE ACME STAFF, AND WE BELIEVE THESE ISSUES ARE BETTER ADDRESSED BY THE ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT, AND DO NOT PLAN ON ISSUING A REPORT ON THIS MATTER.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS TO SAY THE AUDITOR FOUND NOTHING WRONG.
THE AUDITOR SPOKE TO STAFF AND WAS LIKE, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING.
SO THAT'S, UH, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
AND THEN, UM, I I, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, IT, I, I, YOU KNOW, RESEARCHED IT FOR 30 MINUTES OR SOMETHING, UM, AND READ DIFFERENT GRIDS AND READ DIFFERENT WEBSITES TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
AND, UM, I'M, I WAS HAPPY TO DO THAT, BUT I, AS A VOLUNTEER, I'M NOT SURE IT'S OUR JOB TO DO THAT FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE GRANT GUIDELINES ABOUT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, THAT IT BE SUPER CLEAR WHAT IS REQUIRED AND WHAT ISN'T.
AND TO ME, THE, UM, THE IDEA THAT SPONSORED PROJECTS ARE NOT PROGRAMS THAT THEIR FISCAL SPONSOR IS DIRECTLY IN, UH, OPPOSITION TO TYPE A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
SO THAT'S MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IT IS A LIMITED UNDERSTANDING.
I'VE ONLY BEEN IN THE NONPROFIT WORLD FOR SIX YEARS.
MYSELF, I AM LEARNING, I'LL ADMIT TO THAT.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I, I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR JOB TO DETERMINE THAT.
I THINK THAT THE STAFF NEEDS TO FULLY, UH, GRASP AND BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT IS REQUIRED AND WHAT ISN'T BASED ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES IN THE APPLICATION OR IN THE GUIDELINES.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
AND THEN I HAD SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I FORGOT WHAT IT IS.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR SHARING.
I KNOW I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE, UM, QUITE A BIT.
[01:05:01]
UM, JUST FOR NEW PEOPLE ON THE DAIS THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW I'VE BEEN, UM, GOING THROUGH A CANCER TREATMENT DIAGNOSIS, ALL OF THAT, MY HAIR'S GROWING BACK, UM, CHEMOTHERAPY, ALL OF THAT STUFF.UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED WE ARE VOLUNTEERS ON THIS DAIS AND I COME WITH 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION, JUST SOME SMALL THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED, UM, OVER EMAIL AND SOME INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
I HA I, I JUST WANNA LIKE LOOK AT MY NOTES.
SO I SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION AS A VOLUNTEER.
WE'VE, WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT
I ALSO TEACH, UM, AT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN AUSTIN.
I'VE TAUGHT AT THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AT THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL.
UM, I'M ALSO A WORKING MEDIA ARTIST, AND I'VE SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE NAVIGATING NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT FUNDING GRANT MAKING.
WE WERE ONCE FISCAL SPONSORS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE NO LONGER, UM, AND, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC PUBLIC ARTS POLICY.
UM, BUT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS CENTERED ON NONPROFIT FUNDING STRUCTURES, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, CULTURAL DISTRICTS, AND GRANT MAKING DURING THAT TIME, UM, WHICH WE WERE HAVING DISCOURSE ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, AND I, I POINTED OUT JUST SOME, SOME OF MY EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE BUILT OVER THIS YEARS.
UM, I ENDED UP GETTING THREATENING EMAILS THAT WERE SENT AT 2:00 AM FROM, UM, AN ICLOUD EMAIL ADDRESS THAT HAD BEEN BASICALLY SCRAMBLED.
SO JUST EVERYBODY, IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS, ESSENTIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN ICLOUD ACCOUNT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY, UM, FROM YOUR DIRECT EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU CAN SCRAMBLE YOUR A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS AND THEN SEND ANONYMOUS EMAILS TO PEOPLE.
BUT ONCE THEY RESPOND, IT'LL GO BACK TO YOUR INBOX AND YOU CAN'T TRACE IT.
I'VE ALSO RECEIVED, UM, EMAILS FROM A GMAIL ACCOUNT, UM, AS, AS TODAY, UM, THREATENING ME.
UM, AND THEN I'VE ALSO GOTTEN EMAILS FROM A ANOTHER EMAIL ACCOUNT, WHICH YOU CAN'T TRACE.
UM, BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO TRACE A COUPLE OF THEM AND KIND OF SEE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
AND THAT'S NOT REALLY THE POINT OF TODAY OF ME KNOWING WHO'S HARASSING ME.
UM, THE POINT IS, IS THAT A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN DRIVEN BY, UM, ANONYMOUS EMAILS AND ANONYMOUS CLAIMS. AND WHILE I, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE TO SPEAK OUT, AND THERE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, DISCOURSE ABOUT PEOPLE NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE TO SPEAK OUT.
I'M BEING THREATENED VIA EMAIL, LIKE I'M LITERALLY BEING THREATENED VIA EMAIL.
I'VE HAD IN ONE OF THE EMAILS, UM, THEM ASKING WHAT MY BOARD GOVERNANCE WAS SINCE I RECENTLY TOOK OVER AS, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, RIGHT WHEN I GOT DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
AND, UM, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THEN STEPPED DOWN, UM, AND SHE'S NOW THE BOARD PRESIDENT, UM, CALLING MY ORGANIZATION A SCAM.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST LIKE, THIS IS NOT PER A PRODUCTIVE USE OF TIME, IN MY OPINION.
AND WHAT IS A PRODUCTIVE USE OF TIME TO ME PERSONALLY.
SO COMMISSIONER IS GETTING SOME EDUCATION AROUND COMMISSIONER PENNY, I WANNA, I WANNA STOP YOU REALLY QUICK BECAUSE AS A, AS A CITY OFFICIAL, IS THERE SOME, UH, PROCESS THAT WE SHOULD USE TO REPORT INTIMIDATION AND THREATS? OH YEAH, FOR SURE.
AND I WILL, BUT I WANNA FINISH SPEAKING.
I'M ASKING, I'M ASKING, I'M ASKING, I'M ASKING STAFF.
IT WAS THE LAST SLIDE THAT WE SHARED IN THAT DECK.
THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST, THE REPORTING VIOLATIONS.
THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST PLACE THAT I WOULD START TO REPORT ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND ANY, ANY PARTICULAR ONE? THE CLERK, THE LAW DEPARTMENT, OR THE CITY AUDITOR? THAT AN EMAIL.
I'VE ALREADY CONTACTED ALL OF THEM, SO, OKAY.
AND I'VE ALSO CONTACTED MY OWN ATTORNEY AS WELL.
UM, BUT, BUT EITHER WAY, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE HERE ON LIKE, UH, WHAT A FISCAL SPONSOR SHOULD A SHIP IS THE FEE TODAY, LIKE EVEN THE QUESTION ABOUT LIKE THE FEE AND THE 10%, LIKE SOME FISCAL SPONSORS DON'T CHARGE A FEE, SOME DO CHARGE A FEE.
WHAT ARE PROJECTS VERSUS PROGRAMS? KIND OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.
AND I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN PEOPLE MAKE CLAIMS, WHEN THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE GAPS, THAT'S WHEN I HAVE AN ISSUE.
[01:10:01]
IF YOU'RE NOT AN EXPERT ON THAT INFORMATION, BUT THEN YOU'RE MAKING REALLY, REALLY HARSH CLAIMS, THAT'S WHEN I HAVE AN ISSUE.AND THEN I BROUGHT THAT UP ON LIKE, MAYBE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS MORE BROADLY ON LIKE HOW THESE POLICIES CAN DIRECTLY IMPACT THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND EVERY ORGANIZATION AND EVERY FISCAL SPONSOR.
AND THAT'S WHEN I WAS HIT WITH THESE THREATENING EMAILS.
SO EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS GOT A COPY OF THE EMAIL THAT I SENT AFTER THAT EMAIL WAS SENT.
SOMEONE WASN'T HAPPY WITH IT, THAT GOT THAT EMAIL.
I CC'D MY COUNSEL FOR TRANSPARENCY, I CC'D ACME STAFF, AND, UH, EVERY SINGLE COMMISSIONER GOT A COPY OF THAT EMAIL THROUGH ACME, LIKE I SAID, HEY, SEND IT TO EVERYBODY.
SO FROM THAT DISCOURSE, AFTER THAT, I GOT THREATENING EMAILS AND ONE OF THOSE EMAILS WAS SENT AT 2:00 AM I ASKED THE COMMISSIONERS TODAY, DID I SAY ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE? DID I SAY ANYTHING DISRESPECTFUL? I DON'T THINK I DID.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M BEING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING SCARED ABOUT, UH, SPEAKING OUT, LIKE I'M BEING THREATENED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GO ON RECORD SAYING THAT.
AND TODAY I GOT THREATENED TODAY THAT EMAIL THAT EVERYBODY GOT, I GOT THREATENED AND I RESPONDED TO THE CITY MANAGER WITH A MEME, OKAY.
I DON'T LIKE, I TRULY, LIKE I AM BATTLING CANCER.
I LIKE, I COULD HAVE DIED AND I HAVE PEOPLE THREATENING ME BECAUSE I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE, NO.
SO, MR. UH, COMMISSIONER CHENEY, FIRST I WANNA SAY THAT I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION AND ALL THE STAFF WHEN WE SAY IT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR ANY CITY COMMISSIONER, ANY STAFF MEMBER TO BE THREATENED OR TO BE INTIMIDATED IN ANY WAY.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY OF US ON THE COMMISSION ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAME ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL THE CROSS COPIES ARE, BUT I, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S STAFF OR COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE CAUSING THIS.
I I JUST WANNA SAY THAT FRONT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, LIKE, ACTUALLY, LIKE REALLY HILARIOUS PART ABOUT IT IS I KNOW WHO IT IS BECAUSE I'M ABLE TO TRACE THE EMAIL.
WELL, SO I WOULD SUGGEST YOU, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU WHO REPORT THAT INDIVIDUAL SO THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP ISSUE BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT IS THE, THE MAIN CONCERN RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THE MAIN CONCERN IS PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE THREATENED WHEN THEY'RE HAVING, AND I, I JUST COMPLICATIONS JUST, I JUST ITERATE THAT I WILL REITERATE IT.
NO PUBLIC PERSON SERVING IN ANY PUBLIC CAPACITY SHOULD BE INTIMIDATED OR THREATENED.
IT IS WRONG, AND I BELIEVE IT VERGES ON FELONIOUS BEHAVIOR AND IS CHARGEABLE.
SO PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE DOING THAT.
IF YOU DISAGREE, DISAGREE WITH RESPECT FOR HUMANITY, FOR THE HUMANITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING IN THESE POSITIONS.
LAST THING I'M GONNA SAY, WELL, OH, LAST THING I'M GONNA SAY ON IT, NUMBER ONE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO IT IS, LIKE IT TRULY DOESN'T MATTER, BUT I THINK BEFORE WE AS A DAAS ARE GONNA HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE POINTING FINGERS AT ORGANIZATIONS, WE REALLY, TRULY NEED SOME EDUCATION ON ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT POINTS THAT I'VE, I'VE OUTLINED IN MY TIME VIA EMAIL.
AND I THINK UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, I'M PROBABLY GONNA GET ANOTHER EMAIL.
I I, I WILL TELL Y'ALL, AND I WILL LET EVERYBODY ON THE DAIS KNOW, I GUARANTEE YOU, IN TWO WEEKS TIME, I'M GONNA GET ANOTHER THREATENING EMAIL.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS DAIS.
ANYTIME SOMEBODY SHARES SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE DOESN'T AGREE WITH, I WILL GET THREATENING EMAILS FROM ANONYMOUS EMAILS.
AND THEY'VE MORPHED AND CHANGED OVER TIME.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE VERY QUIETLY BEEN CATALOGING ALL OF THEM, ALL OF THEM.
AND, AND I HOPE YOU, YOU FORWARD ALL THAT INFORMATION TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES IN THE CITY.
SO I'M SO SORRY THAT THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A REALLY TERRIBLE THING.
AND I JUST TRULY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE SAID THIS VIA EMAIL AND I KNOW I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE, BUT IT'S,
[01:15:01]
IT'S TRULY UPSETTING, UM, TO BE GOING THROUGH WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH MEDICALLY AND TRYING TO BE AS, UM, NEUTRAL AS POSSIBLE WHEN TALKING ABOUT POLICY AND THEN STILL BEING ATTACKED.SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME OUT.
I KNOW THAT I CAN BE LIKE OVERLY EMOTIONAL, BUT PLEASE TRY TO LIKE, PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES FOR ONE MOMENT.
THIS IS LIKE, NOT HOW I WANNA SPEND MY TIME.
AND I'M REALLY TRYING LIKE TO NOT STRESS MY BODY OUT SO THAT I DON'T, AND, AND PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST.
THIS IS ALL SECONDARY, TERTIARY STUFF.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, FIRST REPORT ANY EMAILS THAT YOU'RE GETTING.
COMMISSIONER MBO, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER WHY I HAD MY HAND RAISED EARLIER, BUT I'LL JUST, UH, THE, THE AON PART OF THE REASON WHY IT'S HARD TO ADDRESS POTENTIALLY LEGITIMATE CONCERNS WHEN THE COMPLAINT COMES FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE IS BECAUSE THIS PATTERN OF THREATENING EMAILS COMING FROM ANONYMOUS SOURCES HAS HAPPENED FOR YEARS.
LIKE IT HAS HAPPENED TO COMMISSIONERS, TO STAFF FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, WHICH HAS BEEN FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO IT DOES MAKE IT REALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, MORE DIFFICULT FOR US, I THINK, TO ASSESS CONCERNS WHEN THEY'RE ONLY COMING OR MANY OF THEM ARE COMING ANONYMOUSLY.
AND I THINK PHASES, EXPLANATION OF GETTING THREATENING EMAILS IS EVIDENCE OF THAT.
AND I, IT'S THE SAME REASON WHY I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS.
I CAN, I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND IF IT WAS ONLY THE EMAIL, THE ANONYMOUS EMAILS THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTING THIS ISSUE, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING.
BUT IT'S NOT COMING JUST FROM ANONYMOUS EMAILS.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE STANDING UP AND SAYING, HEY, THIS IS A PROBLEM WE HAD NOT IN PUBLIC THOUGH, RIGHT? LIKE, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYBODY PUBLICLY.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO, IS THAT TRUE OR NOT? IT'S, IT'S TRUE.
NO ONE, NO ONE HAS COME UP AND NAMED THIS PARTICULAR ENTITY PUBLICLY.
BECAUSE NO, NO, NO, WE HAVEN'T CO WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM DIRECTLY FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE NOT AS A, AS A DIOCESE, REMEMBER, AS A COMMISSION, I HAVE IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, WE HAVE NOT.
COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, I, I, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BACK IN MARCH.
SO BEFORE ANYONE HERE GOT THREATENING EMAILS, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND I SENT AN EMAIL BACK IN MARCH, AND IT TOOK OVER TWO AND A HALF MONTHS FOR ME TO GET AN ANSWER.
SO I TRIED TO GET IN FRONT OF IT, BUT BECAUSE AN ANSWER WAS NOT PROVIDED TO ME BY ACME, IT GAVE THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY TIME TO SIMMER IN IT AND RAISE EVEN MORE CONCERNS.
AND IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, WHAT'S BEING HIDDEN, WHETHER WE'RE EDUCATED OR NOT, IF WE ASK A QUESTION ABOUT, HEY, THIS HAS COME UP, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ORGANIZATION GOT FIVE GRANTS OR HOWEVER MANY? AND THE ANSWER I GOT WAS, WE'RE GONNA LOOK INTO THIS A MONTH LATER.
I WAS LIKE, HEY, HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYBODY.
SO THE, THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED, I COPIED GINA AND SHE CAN ATTEST THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT UP AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS BROUGHT IT UP TO ME AND I TRY TO GET IN FRONT OF IT, DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.
IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN ADDRESSED BACK IN MARCH WHEN I WAS, I HAVE THE EMAIL WHERE I WAS TOLD, OH, WE'RE HAVING LEGAL REVIEW IT.
OH, WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU NEXT WEEK.
SO WHEN THAT TRANSPARENCY DOESN'T HAPPEN, THAT CREATES A RED FLAG.
AND THIS IS A RED FLAG AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT, THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE PEOPLE YOU HEARD FROM AT THE LAST MEETING OR POTENTIALLY PEOPLE YOU'RE GETTING THESE EMAILS FROM.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT I HEARD FROM.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UM, THE STAFF PULL THE SLIDES BACK UP SO WE CAN REFER BACK TO THE INFORMATION AROUND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS, WHICH INVOLVES NOT DISCUSSING SPECULATION ON THE DAIS.
UM, THAT IS WHY YOU DIDN'T SEE US QUOTE UNQUOTE TRANSPARENTLY COMING TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT PART OF BEING A CIVIL SERVANT.
PUBLIC SERVICE REQUIRES DUE DILIGENCE.
I CANNOT MAKE THE LAW DEPARTMENT PRIORITIZE THIS ISSUE ABOVE OTHERS.
I CANNOT MAKE THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE REARRANGE THEIR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO TO MEET THIS QUESTION FIRST.
BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS ENSURE THAT DUE DILIGENCE HAPPENS APPROPRIATELY
[01:20:01]
BEFORE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED, BEFORE CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED.AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE PROVEN THAT WE HAVE DONE.
WE HAVE DONE SEVERAL INDEPENDENT REVIEWS, AND I'M JUST GONNA BRING THIS BACK UP BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT NEEDS TO BE SET AGAIN.
ACME STAFF HAS REVIEWED EVERYTHING.
WE PROVIDED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION FOR REVIEW BY THE LEGAL TEAM, INCLUDING THE MANY NUMBER OF EMAILS STARTING WITH COMMUNICATION FROM COMMISSIONER MALDONADO BACK IN MARCH, OTHER ANONYMOUS, ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATION THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED, MANY PIECES OF COMMUNICATION THAT HAS COMMON SENSE THAT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CONVERSATION IS ONGOING.
AS EARLY AS THE LAST FEW WEEKS SINCE WE LAST SAW YOU IN JUNE, WE HAVE ASKED ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER TO DIVERT TIME AND ATTENTION TO DO AN INDEPENDENT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL OF THE MATERIALS SEPARATE FROM EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
EVERY SINGLE REVIEW COMPARES AGAINST THE ACME FUNDING GUIDELINES, WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL FISCAL SPONSORS WITHIN THESE GUIDELINES.
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN REVIEWED AGAINST THIS AND BEEN FOUND TO BE ALLOWABLE.
WHEN I COLLOQUIAL COLLOQUIALLY SAID REPORT EARLIER, I DID NOT SAY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PUBLISHED A REPORT.
I THINK I SAID THEY REPORTED BACK, THEY SENT AN EMAIL.
IT'S BEEN PEERED FIVE TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.
UM, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN PUSHED FORWARD.
WE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY TRANSPARENT ALONG THE WAY.
WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE AS COMPROMISE THE PROCESS BY COMING HERE TO SPECULATE THAT IS NOT ALLOWABLE.
UM, AS I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL UP TO DATE ON ALL OF YOUR TRAININGS, YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THAT'S NOT ALLOWABLE.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE DON'T DISCUSS THESE ITEMS ON THE DAIS.
THIS IS WHY AUDITORS, UH, INVESTIGATIONS ARE PRIVATE UNTIL REPORTS ARE PUBLISHED.
AND THAT'S WHY THINGS DON'T GO TO THE REPORT STAGE IF THERE ARE NO FINDINGS THAT REQUIRE IT.
SO I, UM, JUST WANT TO SAY WE HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT, AND I APOLOGIZE IF YOUR EXPECTATIONS HAVE BEEN MISMANAGED FOR TIMELINES, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK ONE-ON-ONE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO GO OVER EVERYTHING ANY ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY HAVE SHARED, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE EVIDENCE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE THINGS WE ARE ALLOWED TO SHARE.
WHAT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IS JUST BRING FORWARD EVERY PIECE OF ORGANIZATION DOCUMENTATION AND PUBLISH IT ONLINE.
THAT IS NOT HOW GRANT APPLICATIONS WORK.
THAT IS NOT HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS.
AND THAT IS NOT RESPECTFUL TO THE PEOPLE WHO TRUST US WITH THEIR PER PERSONAL PUBLICLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
MANY OF THESE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN PEERED.
UM, WE HAVE GIVEN OUT EVERYTHING.
WE'RE ABLE TO, WE HAVE SENT EVERYTHING TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR A RULING TO WITHHOLD WHAT IS WITHHOLDABLE.
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN TURNED, TURNED OVER IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UM, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAS BEEN SPENT ON THIS ISSUE BY OUR STAFF IS GREAT AND IN DEPTH, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
UM, IF YOU'LL BRING THE ONLINE COMMISSIONERS BACK ON AND SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AT, AT THIS POINT, I FEEL LIKE, UM, STAFF HAS DONE ITS DUE DILIGENCE AND HAS FOUND THAT THE AWARDING IS IN LINE WITH THE GU THE GUIDELINES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER CHENEY MENTIONED IN HER EMAIL, UM, REGARDING THE OVERALL FUNDING ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT DO WE WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE.
ARE WE GONNA, IF, IF WE CONTINUE THE WAY THAT WE ARE NOW, ARE WE GONNA LOOK LIKE WE LOOKED IN 2018 19 WHEN WE SAID THERE WAS INEQUITY IN THE FUNDING SYSTEM? IF WE CONTINUE ON AS WE ARE CURRENTLY, ARE WE GONNA END UP BACK WHERE WE WERE? THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER CHENEY AND THEN COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? YES, I THINK THAT THAT IS A REALLY GREAT, UM, WAY TO SUMMARIZE KIND OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY VIA EMAIL IS THAT LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE MY BACKGROUND AND, AND RUNNING A NONPROFIT OR BEING A FISCAL SPONSOR.
WHAT I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IS SPECULATION OF INDIVIDUALS, COMMISSIONERS, RIGHT? OR STAFF MEMBERS OR ORGANIZATIONS BASED ON NOT UNDERSTANDING AN ENTIRE CONCEPT.
AND SO IT'S LIKE MAKING THESE ASSUMPTIONS BEFORE YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW THE MECHANISM WORKS.
[01:25:01]
IS THE RED FLAG THAT I SEE.IF SOMEBODY SEES SOMETHING, LIKE, LET'S SAY SOMEBODY SEES ORGANIZATION, GEORGE, LET'S USE THE GEORGE AND FRED OR, OR WHATEVER ANALOGY, AND THEY SEE THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 FISCAL SPONSORS.
IF THEY DON'T TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT MECHANISM WORKS, I CAN SEE HOW SOMEBODY CAN THINK, OH, THIS ORGANIZATION IS GETTING ALL OF THESE GRANTS, RIGHT? I ALSO THINK THAT A PART OF THE CONVERSATION SHOULD BE NOT JUST FOCUSING ON FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, BUT FOCUSING ON WHERE ARE DOLLARS GOING THAT AREN'T EVEN A PART OF THE GRANT PROGRAM.
WHERE ARE GO DOLLARS GOING WITH CITY CONTRACTS, WITH ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS? HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE THAT? HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS INSTEAD OF PITTING ORGANIZATIONS AGAINST EACH OTHER AND PITTING THE CITY VERSUS ORGANIZATIONS? AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF, ALL OF THE NEGATIVITY THAT WE'VE HAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT SOLUTIONS THAT AREN'T, UH, POINTING FINGERS AT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, AN ORGANIZATION THAT MAY HAVE FISCAL SPONSORED PROJECTS THAT GOT GRANT FUNDINGS AND OTHER OTHERS DIDN'T.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTED AT THE CITY AND INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS BEING BROUGHT TO LIGHT DOES NOT STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRUST.
IT UNDERMINES IT AND IT UNDERMINES EACH ONE OF OUR ROLES HERE.
AND IT, AND IT JUST LOOKS REALLY BAD.
LIKE, I THINK IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR ME TO HAVE TO SIT ON THE DAAS AND SAY, I GOT THREATENING EMAILS FROM SOMEBODY BECAUSE I WAS ASKING QUESTIONS.
BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK AND READ THOSE EMAILS, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT I WAS SAYING THAT WAS DISRESPECTFUL OR THAT, YOU KNOW, CONCLUDED ME TO BE, UH, LEGALLY THREATENED BY AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE.
THAT TYPE OF STUFF IS WHAT MAKES THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY NOT HAVE TRUST IN US AS COMMISSIONERS.
IF, IF, LIKE, THAT'S WACKY BEHAVIOR AND IT'S SO UNPROFESSIONAL.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO WELCOME MORE POSITIVE DISCOURSE ON POLICYMAKING AND HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE ARTS.
LIKE CSAP MIGHT BE GOING AWAY.
EVERYBODY LIKE THAT MIGHT HAVE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON ORGANIZATIONS THAT RUN THEIR OWN CREATIVE SPACES.
AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IS NOT GOING DOWN.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS I WOULD LOVE TO BE HAVING.
NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS ORGANIZATION AND BA IS BAD AND THIS ONE'S BETTER, WHICH IS KIND OF HOW IT HAS SEEMED.
SO AGAIN, I RESPECT EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THIS DAAS.
I JUST DON'T WANNA BE THREATENED AND I ALSO WANNA BE ABLE TO SHARE MY OPINION AND A RESPECTFUL WAY AND GET RESPECT BACK.
AND I'M NOT SAYING ANYBODY HAS DISRESPECTED ME, BUT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING BETWEEN THE MEETING AND ME SENDING AN EMAIL AND IT'S GOING TO SOMEBODY.
AND THAT IS HOW THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T, I JUST WANTED TO STOP AND, AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO USE OUR TIME.
I, I JUST WANNA SAY REALLY QUICKLY, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A SITUATION OF, OF GOOD VERSUS BAD ORGANIZATIONS.
I DON'T EVEN THINK IT'S A SITUATION WHERE WE THINK ANYONE IS GETTING RICH OFF OF CULTURAL FUNDING.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE GUIDELINES ARE NOT BEING, UH, ABUSED OR THAT THERE AREN'T LOOPHOLES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING, SO THAT WE DON'T END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WERE PRIOR TO WHEN WE STARTED TO DO ALL THIS, WHERE A LARGE PORTION OF THE FUNDING IS CONSISTENTLY GOING TO THE SAME AREA OF THE ECOSYSTEM.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UH, YES, I AGREE WITH SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, UH, COMMISSIONER CHENEY ESPECIALLY ABOUT, UM, KEEPING OUR CONVERSATIONS, UM, FOCUSED ON POLICY AND, UM, PROFESSIONAL.
UM, I, I ALSO THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT SOMETIMES THE FUNDING MECHANISM HAS PITTED ORGANIZATIONS AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDING AND A WHOLE LOT OF APPLICANTS, IT'S SORT OF NATURALLY GONNA DO THAT.
BUT, UM, I GUESS THE WHOLE, AGAIN, EVERYONE KEEPS SAYING THERE AREN'T ANY, UH, PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC COMING TO TALK HERE.
AND I GUESS MAYBE I NEED TO DO ONE OF THOSE VIDEOS WITH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND GIVE YOU ALL THE DIFFERENT VOICES WHERE THEY'RE IN SILHOUETTE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA BE IDENTIFIED.
BUT BOY, DO THEY HAVE A LOT TO SAY.
AND I, I CAN TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT IF YOU NEED ME TO DO THAT, TO PROVE THAT
UM, I DON'T APPLY FOR CITY FUNDING, SO THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION FOR ME.
[01:30:01]
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IF EVERY NONPROFIT IN AUSTIN WHO'S LARGE ENOUGH TO HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS, UH, IS ALLOWED TO SPIN THOSE PROGRAMS OFF INTO, TO BECOME SPONSORED PROJECTS, AND THOSE SPONSORED PROJECTS ARE ALLOWED TO PR TO APPLY FOR FUNDING, WHAT WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH IS EXACTLY WHAT COMMISSIONER HOUSTON JUST SAID.THE PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK THE SYSTEM THE BEST ARE GONNA END UP WITH MOST OF THE MONEY, RIGHT? IF, IF THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT AND THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE A FISCAL SPONSOR AND THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SIX PLATE SPINNING IN ONE LOCATION WITH SHARED LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE DON'T APPLY THE LONG CENTER'S GUIDELINES ABOUT PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, THEN I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE INSANITY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, LARGE ORGANIZATIONS PUTTING 10 APPLICATIONS IN AND GETTING EIGHT AWARDS.
SO THAT IS, IS NOT GONNA HELP THAT, UM, THAT SENSE OF, UH, SCARCITY UNFORTUNATELY, THAT OUR ORGANIZATIONS FEEL AND THE, THE THE NEED THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPETE.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS WHERE THIS ENTIRE CONVERSATION IS COMING FROM.
PEOPLE WHO DID NOT GET GRANTED LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE NOTICED THAT A PLACE THAT HAD PROGRAMS THAT HAD BEEN LONG-TERM PROGRAMS OF THEIRS THAT HAD, WERE LITERALLY CO-FOUNDED AND CO-OWNED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A NONPROFIT ARE NOW CALLED SOMETHING ELSE AND ARE ALLOWED TO APPLY.
SO THAT IS, THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT THE SPONSORED PROJECTS WERE ORGANIZATIONALLY LINKED AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE THEY BECAME SPONSORED PROJECTS.
AND SO, AND THEY SHARE LEADERSHIP AND AS THESE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS POINT OUT, THEY CAN'T DO THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC IS COMPLAINING ABOUT.
AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO GET YOU GARBLED VOICE SILHOUETTE VIDEO OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO ME PERSONALLY.
IT IS NOT ONE PERSON OR TWO PEOPLE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MISSED OUT ON FUNDING COMPLETELY LAST YEAR WERE FURIOUS.
THAT'S WHY I WAS LIKE, WELL, OKAY, I GUESS I'LL BE AN ARTS COMMISSIONER 'CAUSE I HEARD SO MUCH FEEDBACK ABOUT IT.
THIS IS LITERALLY THE REASON, OKAY, THAT I AM HERE VOLUNTEERING BECAUSE OF WHAT I HEARD ABOUT THIS ISSUE LAST YEAR.
SO THIS IS NOTHING PERSONAL TOWARDS ANYONE.
THIS IS ABOUT POLICY AND ABOUT GETTING POLICY, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY, UH, THIS CONVERSATION HAS GONE ON LONGER THAN ANYONE WANTS IT TO GO ON, INCLUDING ME.
BUT IF IT'S NOT PERSONAL, THEN WHY AM I GETTING THREATENING EMAILS? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND.
THAT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT WE CAN ANSWER, UNFORTUNATELY, MR. KHANI, I I I, I CAN'T IMAGINE SENDING A THREATENING EMAIL TO ANYONE.
THERE'S NOTHING ANYONE COULD DO OR SAY THAT WOULD MAKE ME DO THAT.
SO THAT, THAT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT WE CAN ANSWER.
ALL WE CAN DO IS SAY FORCEFULLY THAT THAT IS WRONG.
ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING, THAT IS WRONG.
YOU ARE WRONG TO SEND A THREATENING INTIMIDATING EMAIL TO SOMEONE WHO IS ONLY TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST FOR THE CITY.
STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMISSIONERS, IT'S WRONG.
TWO, TWO POINTS OF CLARIFICATION.
UM, AS SHOWN IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDES, EVIDENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP BEING DIFFERENT WAS PROVIDED.
AND IF ANY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN SHARING INFORMATION HAVE EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, I DO RECOMMEND THEY REPORT IT THROUGH THE OFFICIAL REPORTING CHANNELS, WHICH I SHARED AT THE END OF THE SLIDES HERE.
WE ARE HAPPY TO CONTINUALLY REVIEW ANY EVIDENCE THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.
AND SO THOSE FORMAL CHANNELS ARE HAPPY TO RECEIVE THAT DOCUMENTATION AND REVIEW IT AGAINST WHAT WE RECEIVED.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I HEARD THE WORD GUIDELINES USED IN REFERENCE TO CREATE AUSTIN'S GUIDE OF, UM, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP BEST PRACTICES.
THERE'S ONLY ONE SET OF GUIDELINES IN OUR PROGRAM, ACME FUNDING GUIDELINES.
THEY'RE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
THEY ARE THE PROGRAMS LITTLE BOOK THAT WE READ TO THAT IS EVERYTHING, ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF PEOPLE WHOSE WORKSHOPS CREATE THEIR OWN THINGS.
OUR PARTNERS AT THE LONG CENTER HAVE CREATED A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION.
WE OURSELVES HAVE CREATED SUPPLEMENTAL THINGS FOR OFFICE HOURS AND THINGS.
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE REVIEWING WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT ELIGIBILITY.
UM, AND THESE OTHER ITEMS, WE ARE LOOKING AT ACME FUNDING GUIDELINES.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY GUIDELINES FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, ACME HAS NOT PLACED ANY RESTRICTION ON THE TYPE OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
[01:35:01]
WE DO HAVE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, BUT WE DON'T DICTATE WHICH TYPE OF ONE OF THE SIX FISCAL SPONSORS YOU MUST IDENTIFY AS.AND THESE REPORTING, UH, UH, UH, RESOURCES THAT YOU GAVE US, THAT CAN BE USED BY THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? WE'LL CLOSE THAT OFF.
WE'LL CIRCLE BACK AROUND, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER CHARLA.
WE'LL CIRCLE BACK AROUND ABOUT THAT WORKING GROUP FOR FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
[5. Staff briefing on ACME Strategic plan by Candice Cooper, ACME Interim Chief Administrative Officer, and Marjorie Flanagan, ACME Division Manager, Cultural Education & Programs.]
BRIEFINGS.AGENDA NUMBER FIVE, ACME STRATEGIC PLAN BY CANDACE COOPER ACME, INTERIM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFER OFFICER.
AND MARJORIE IS MARJORIE HERE.
MARJORIE FLANAGAN ACME, DIVISION MANAGER.
CULTURAL EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS IS ONLINE.
GOOD AFTERNOON ARTS COMMISSIONERS AND TO THOSE THAT ARE HERE WITHIN THE, UM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND ALSO THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING AT HOME.
I SERVE AS THE INTERIM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.
AND JOINING ME TODAY IS MARJORIE FLANAGAN, OUR DIVISION MANAGER.
AND SHE AND I WILL BE PRE PRESENTING TODAY ON THE ACME STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN APRIL OF 2025, I THINK I ACTUALLY APPEARED BEFORE THIS COMMISSION TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AN INITIATIVE THAT WE CALLED THE CREATIVE RESET.
AND THE CREATIVE RESET NOT ONLY WAS A FOUR PHASE INITIATIVE IN ORDER TO, TO ENHANCE OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS, REIMAGINE OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND MUSEUMS, BUT IT WAS ALSO TO DIVE DEEP INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
AND WHEN WE FIRST LAUNCHED THE CREATIVE RESET, WE BEGAN TO EXPLORE WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OUR DEPARTMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO WE BEGAN THAT PROCESS IN APRIL OF 2025, AND THROUGH A SERIES OF FOCUS GROUPS AND, UM, ALL SORTS OF ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCLUDED SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WE EVEN ACTIVATED AND ACME WORKING GROUP, AND ALSO THROUGH INTERNAL, UH, CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE NOW DERIVED AT A VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING.
ACME'S VISION STATEMENT IS STATED BEFORE YOU, AND THIS VISION STATEMENT AGAIN REPRESENTS FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY AND ALSO ACME STAFF.
AND WHAT WE'VE ARRIVED AT IS ACME, WHERE CULTURE, CREATIVITY, AND COMMUNITY THRIVE.
THAT IS THE VISION STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE ARRIVED AT, WELL, THAT YOU'LL SEE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED IN SEPTEMBER ON SEP ACTUALLY BEFORE ON, OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THE MISSION STATEMENT NEXT SLIDE STATEMENT IS WHERE AUSTIN, EXCUSE ME, LEMME START OVER.
ACME'S MISSION STATEMENT IS, WE SERVE AUSTIN BY INVESTING IN CREATIVE PEOPLE, CULTURAL SPACES, PROGRAMS, AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT EXPAND ACCESS, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY, AND CELEBRATE OUR CITY'S DIVERSE CULTURAL IDENTITY.
SO THOSE WERE THE, THE VISION AND THE MISSION STATEMENT THAT WE DERIVED AT BY AGAIN, LISTENING TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK IN VARIOUS WAYS.
IN ADDITION TO, UM, OUR STAFF.
NEXT SLIDE NOW TO DISCUSS THE FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS THAT INCLUDES OUR PRIORITIES AND SOME OF OUR OUTCOMES.
I WILL NOW INTRODUCE MARJORIE FLANAGAN, WHO WILL PROVIDE, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THESE OUTCOMES.
I HAD SOME
YOU'RE SOUNDING A BIT GARBLED, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR, MAYBE IF YOU CAN TO HELP WITH YOUR BANDWIDTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR VIDEO ON
[01:40:01]
MAYBE TAKING THAT OFF.WE CAN HEAR YOUR SAY IT AGAIN.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING IN AND OUT.
I KNOW SHE WAS HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES EARLIER TODAY, SO SHE WAS TRYING TO WORK ON THOSE.
YOU GUYS WERE TOO SHORT FOR THE LAST ITEM.
MAYBE IF WE WENT A TAD BIT LONGER, WE WOULD'VE FIGURED OUT THOSE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. MARJORIE, CAN YOU TRY AGAIN? HEAR, HEAR NOW BETTER? I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BETTER.
YOU WANNA MAYBE START OVER AND START AGAIN FROM STRATEGIC OUTCOMES? NO, NO, IT IS STILL.
CAN YOU, I KNOW YOU WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH YOUR LAPTOP.
WE CAN EITHER TRANSFER MAYBE OVER TO ANOTHER DEVICE OR I CAN TAKE IT FROM HERE.
WITHOUT HEARING ANYTHING, I THINK I WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE,
SO THANK YOU MARJORIE, FOR JOINING.
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE IT ALL YOUR TECHNICAL, UH, DIFFICULTIES ALL WORKED OUT BEFORE THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION.
AND YOU CAN JOIN IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANSWERS.
SO THE STRATEGIC OUTCOME IS BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT THIS REPRESENTS IS THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE BUCKETS OF OUTCOME OF INFORMATION THAT WE HOPE TO RECEIVE.
UM, THAT IN THE, THAT WILL PROVIDE, EXCUSE ME, THE ROADMAP FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
SO BASED ON THE SCREEN, WE HAVE CULTIVATE ACCESS AND BELONGING, INVEST IN CULTURAL SPACES, ADVANCE CREATIVE CAREERS, CELEBRATE VIBRANT CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, CURATE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
THESE BUCKETS WILL PROVIDE OUR OUTCOMES FOR WHAT WE ANTICIPATE IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
AND IN TERMS OF THE OUTCOMES THERE ALSO, WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES THAT WE PLAN TO INVEST IN.
THOSE PRIORITIES INCLUDE CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY ASSETS, DIRECT FUNDING ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, COMMUNITY ACCESS AND EXPERIENCE DELIVERY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, CREATIVE ECOSYSTEM LEADERSHIP.
AGAIN, UNDER THE OUTCOMES, WHICH ARE KIND OF OUR BROAD, UM, BROAD TOPICS OF AREAS THAT WE WILL FOCUS ON THESE SPECIFIC OR INVESTMENT PRIORITIES.
IN TERMS OF THESE, THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS, AND I WILL NOT GO THROUGH EACH BULLET POINT, BUT THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE WILL USE TO MEASURE OUR SUCCESS OF OUR OUTCOMES AND INVESTMENT PRIORITIES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF THE DATA THAT WE PLAN TO COLLECT, TO SEE, TO TEST HOW WE ARE DOING AND TO MEASURE OUR SUCCESS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE OVERARCHING KIND OF OUR VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT, THE OUTCOMES AND INVESTMENT PRIORITIES THAT WE, THAT YOU'LL SEE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AGAIN, WE PLAN TO PUBLISH THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN ITS ENTIRETY ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE CLOSED THE FEEDBACK LOOP FOR VISION AND MISSION, BUT WE ARE STILL OPEN, OF COURSE, TO THIS COMMISSION IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK AS IT RELATES TO OUR OUTCOME AND PRIORITIES.
AND I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO JUST UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF MEAT, RIGHT? WITH THE, THOSE TOPICS.
THOSE ARE JUST KIND OF THE BROAD TOPIC AREAS.
AND I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, UM, WE HAVE DONE A COMPREHENSIVE JOB OF REALLY MEETING WITH COMMUNITY.
THIS DRAFT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH STAFF.
WE'VE ALSO SHARED THE DRAFT IN CERTAIN FOCUS GROUPS, UM, THAT WE HAVE HOSTED.
AND WE DO PLAN TO HOST ONE MORE, UM, THIS MONTH WITH OUR ACME WORKING GROUP TO GET ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ON THE OUTCOMES AND THE, AND THE INVESTMENT PRIORITIES.
AND AT THAT POINT WE WILL CONCLUDE WHAT WRAP UP THE OUTLINE AND TO IN ORDER TO FINALIZE AND SEND THE REPORT FOR PRINTING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU.
[01:45:01]
YOU HEAR ME? COME MARJORIE, MARJORIE IS WITH US AND WE CAN HEAR HER.IS THERE ANYTHING BEFORE I CONCLUDE? I'M SORRY, DID YOU WANT TO ADD? I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MENTION, AND SOMETIMES IT HELPS ME TO THINK ABOUT THE STRATEGIC OUTCOMES AS WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THOSE ARE THE, THE PLACES THAT WE WANT TO END UP AND THE INVESTMENT PRIORITIES ARE REALLY THE KEY THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING OUR, UM, WHERE WE SPEND OUR RESOURCES.
SO THAT KIND OF CAN HELP, UH, FLESH OUT THE FRAMEWORK FOR YOU AS YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE TWO, UM, MAIN UH, PARTS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS I WANTED TO ASK? OH, UH, OR SUE.
COMMISSIONER CRI AND COMMISSIONER.
I JUST COULD YOU BRIEFLY PLEASE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO ELABORATE DETAIL, BUT JUST FOR EVERYBODY REVIEW HOW, UM, COMMUNITY INPUT HAS BEEN PART OF THIS PROCESS AND ALSO WHAT THE, UH, WORKING GROUP IS AND HOW MEMBERS WERE SELECTED, JUST SO EVERYBODY IS CLEAR ON WHAT THOSE, UM, INPUTS ARE.
SO IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AS I, AS I MENTIONED IN APRIL, 2025 WHEN WE KICKED OFF THE CREATIVE RESET PHASE ONE, WE ALSO INCLUDED WITHIN THE SURVEY AND WITHIN THE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU ALL SAW QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND SO THROUGH ALL OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, WE ALSO INCLUDED THAT DATA COLLECTION.
THEN INTERNALLY OUR OFFICE WORKED WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, HAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS A LEAD OFFICE WHO FOCUSES ON STRATEGIC PLANNING DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO IN OCTOBER WE STARTED WORKING VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH THAT TEAM IN ORDER TO HEAR THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY UP UNTIL THAT POINT.
AND ALSO WORK WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND SO THEY WORKED WITH SI SUPERVISORS, UH, PRETTY MUCH SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS, AND UM, EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN CLOSER TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR, WE STARTED TO WORK WITH, UM, WITH ALL STAFF.
AND SO IT WAS A PHASED IN APPROACH.
AND SO BY THIS YEAR WE HAVE CRE WE CREATED A STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH MARJORIE LEADS AND THAT COMMITTEE, UM, IS OF STAFF MEMBERS WITH ACME.
AND SO NOT ONLY DID WE LOOK AT THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS COLLECTED FROM PHASE ONE, BUT WE ALSO STARTED TO LOOK AT THE FEEDBACK COLLECTED THROUGH PHASE TWO OF THE CREATIVE RESET AND THEN ALSO THE LEADERSHIP CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD.
WE DID PEER REVIEWS, BENCHMARKING, ALL OF THE THINGS.
AND THEN THAT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN THE COMMITTEE WHO HAS BEEN ASSIGNED WITH THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD AS FAR AS THE ACME WORKING GROUP.
DO I NEED TO STOP NOW? I WAS GONNA, I WAS GOING TO RESPOND TO, I SAW COMMISSIONER KEER OUR HANDS UP, BUT I WAS GONNA RESPOND TO THE SECOND PART OF THAT AS IN TERMS OF THE ACME WORKING GROUP.
THE ACME WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN WHAT, HOW WE STARTED THE ACME WORKING GROUP.
IT WAS BASED ON INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING, BUT THEN WE ALSO LOOKED INTERNAL, UM, WITHIN OUR ALL OF ACME TO ENSURE WE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM ALL OF THE CULTURAL FACILITIES AND ALSO, UM, THROUGH INDIVIDUALS ON COMMISSIONS.
SO WE LOOKED THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE ACME WORKING GROUP FIRST STARTED, IT IS A LIST OF ABOUT 20 PEOPLE AND THEN IT EVOLVED TO ABOUT 75.
UM, ANYONE WHO WISHES TO PARTICIPATE, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS EMAIL US AND THEY HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE EMAIL CHAIN FOR THOSE.
AND SO THE ACME WORKING GROUP IS OPEN TRULY TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, UM, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN MEETING MONTHLY WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.
THANK YOU FOR GOING OVER THAT.
COMMISSIONER KEYS, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING THAT, UH, CANICE JUST SAID? YES, I DID.
I JUST, I KNOW THAT I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT THE CULTURAL FACILITIES AND I KNOW I HAD POINTED OUT IN THE PAST, UM, SOME OF THE SURVEYS AND THE BIASES WITH THE SURVEYS SURVEY.
I KNOW THAT IS JUST FROM A DIGITAL STANDPOINT.
I KNOW THERE ARE ALSO OTHER WAYS THAT WE ARE GATHERING INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, AND CONVERSATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, IS THERE GOING TO BE AN OFFICIAL REPORT ON HOW THE FEEDBACK AS IT RELATED TO CULTURAL FACILITIES
[01:50:01]
WILL BE, HOW THE RESOURCES WILL BE UTILIZED, HOW THAT FEEDBACK IS REALLY INTERNALIZED TO SPEAK TO WORK THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, REAL IMPACT AND RESULTS AT IMPROVING OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES? ABSOLUTELY.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO, UM, WE WRAPPED UP OUR THIRD SURVEY, UM, FOR THE CULTURAL FACILITIES PROCESS.
WE STARTED, WE INITIATED ONE BACK IN APRIL, BUT WE HAVE GONE NOW THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT SURVEYS AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FEEDBACK CONCLUDED ON JUNE 30TH.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UM, ANALYZING ALL OF THE LAST FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED INTO A REPORT FORM AND BEGINNING.
UM, IN THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE WILL GO, WE WILL START WHAT WE CALLED OUR ROAD SHOW, WHERE WE WILL GO TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND ALSO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS.
THIS TIME WE WILL ALSO INCLUDE OF COURSE, THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, BUT IT WILL LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ALL SAW IN PHASE ONE.
SO WE WILL BECOME, WE WILL COME BEFORE THIS BOARD, THE ARTS COMMISSION, THE MUSIC COMMISSION, WE'VE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION IN ORDER TO GAIN FEEDBACK.
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IS NOT ONLY WHAT WE HEARD, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UM, ADVANCE THE FACILITIES OR HONESTLY REIMAGINE THEM.
THE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, AND I WILL JUST KIND OF BREAKING NEWS, THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IS INFORMATION TO WHERE, WHEREAS IN PHASE ONE WE PROVIDED AN ENHANCEMENT IN PHASE TWO, WE ARE RE-IMAGINING.
AND SO WE WILL GO, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT BASED ON IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
BUT YOU WILL SEE A, THIS BOARD WILL SEE A FULL PRESENTATION, UM, FOR THAT BEGINNING.
THE, UM, YOUR NEXT, HOPEFULLY YOUR NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHENEY? YES.
UM, SO APOLOGIES, I'VE LIKE MISSED A LOT OF MEETINGS DUE TO TREATMENT AND STUFF, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, A YEAR AGO, I THINK
AND THEN ALSO ANYBODY THAT'S WASH OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WAS THERE ANY SORT OF, UM, LIKE DIRECT COMMUNICATION THAT WAS SENT ALL TO LIKE ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, UM, ABOUT A WORKING GROUP WITH ACME LIKE, UH, INVITATION, I GUESS SINCE YOU SAID IT IS KIND OF OPEN FOR EVERYBODY.
I'M NOT AWARE OF A, OF AN APPLICATION THAT WENT TO ANYONE 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO APPLICATION.
UM, IT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH AN ORGANIC KIND OF PROCESS.
UM, AGAIN, IT STARTED WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND THEN ALSO IT, IT STARTED FROM US MEETING THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT, OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ACME WORKING GROUP IS A MONTHLY MEETING AND IT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF TIME.
UM, AND SO WE, WE REALLY KINDA USE IT AS AN ORGANIC KIND OF GRASSROOTS I'M NOT AWARE OF, AND THERE'S NOT AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SORRY, I AM, I THINK I LIKE MISCONSTRUED MY WORDS.
WHAT I MEANT WAS, WAS THERE LIKE, UM, SORRY IT'S LATE AND MY MEDICINE
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK.
SO, NO, SO THE ACME WORKING GROUP IS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T JUST, IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT FUNDING.
AND WE DECIDED OKAY, AS YOU RECALL, TO PAUSE THAT PART OF IT AND WE ACTIVATED THE WORKING GROUP AT A LATER TIME.
AND SO THE ACME WORKING GROUP IS, IS A GROUP THAT OF MADE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE JUST REALLY INTERESTED IN ALL THINGS ACME.
SO IT'S NOT JUST PARTICULAR AT, NOT JUST SPECIFIC TO FUNDING.
SO THIS GROUP HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE CREATE THE CULTURAL FACILITIES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW OVERALL, UM, THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO EXPECT FROM ACME MM-HMM
SO IT'S NOT JUST GEARED TOWARD FUNDING.
IF HOPEFULLY THAT, AND WE DID PAUSE IT AT THAT TIME DUE TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND WE DID NOT WANT TO JEOPARDIZE ANYONE, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS IF
[01:55:01]
THAT'S WHAT THEY SO CHOOSE SO CHOSE TO DO.I WAS MORE SO ASKING JUST SO THAT, I MEAN, I THINK THERE WAS LIKE OVER 400 APPLICATIONS JUST SO EVERYBODY WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS A WORKING GROUP.
LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO I WOULD LOVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO MY COMMUNITY.
LIKE IN CASE THERE ARE ANY PEOPLE THAT ARE STUDENTS OR MEMBERS OF MY ORGANIZATION THAT WANNA KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF LIKE FORMAL COMMUNICATION I COULD FORWARD ON TO PEOPLE? UNDERSTOOD.
WE CAN WORK WITH THIS GROUP IF THERE ARE ANY.
AND SO THAT'S IN THE MAKING TO DO A CAMPAIGN.
YOU KNOW, ACME HAS NOT REALLY HAD A, UM, A PIO MANAGER, BUT WE JUST IN THE LAST MONTH HAVE ACTUALLY RECE DID RECEIVE A TEMPORARY, WE HIRED A TEMPORARY PIO MANAGER.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR HER TO DO, WHICH IS MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE THAT PERMANENT AS A POSITION, BUT WE DO HAVE A, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S SERVING IT TEMPORARY IN THAT CAPACITY TO GET ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS OUT.
AND THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME HAVING A DEDICATED PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
AND THAT INDIVIDUAL JUST CAME ON BOARD WITH A MONTH AGO.
AND SO OF COURSE, ONCE THE INDIVIDUAL CAME ON BOARD, THE FOCUS OF COURSE AT THAT TIME WAS FOR GRANTS AND SOME OF THOSE IMMEDIATE THINGS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
AND NOW WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON DEPARTMENT-WIDE CAMPAIGNS.
SO YOU WILL START TO SEE, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, DEPARTMENT-WIDE INITIATIVES.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, KIND OF REALLY SHARE DEPARTMENT-WIDE.
AND SO NOW IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING HER ACCESS IS READY AND SHE'S READY TO START COMMUNICATING THAT SUCH A GOOD THING THAT THESE POSITIONS ARE GETTING FILLED.
MS. GAN, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES, I DID.
I WANTED TO COMMENT ON HEIDI'S QUESTION ABOUT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION AS TO, BECAUSE THE CREATIVE RESET WASN'T CALLED OFFICIALLY STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT IT GETS A LITTLE MUSHY IN THERE.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT WE COLLECTED FROM THE CREATIVE RESET PHASES ONE AND TWO IS GOING INTO THIS STRATEGIC PLAN.
BECAUSE SO MUCH OF WHAT WE, WE COLLECTED, WE DIDN'T WANNA RE-ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS.
SO MUCH OF WHAT WE HEARD WAS, WELL, AGNI SHOULD DO THIS.
AND IT WASN'T ALWAYS SPECIFICALLY TIED TO FUNDING, AND IT WASN'T ALWAYS SPECIFICALLY TIED TO FACILITIES, BUT IT WAS MORE OVERARCHING THINGS THAT WERE NEEDING TO BE, UM, REVISED AND WORKED ON BY OUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO JUST KIND OF CLARIFYING FOR YOU GUYS, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY GO TO LIKE FUNDING OR FACILITIES, BUT WAS STILL RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN, UM, REVIEWED AND ANALYZED AND WORKED INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THOSE STRATEGIC AND OUTCOMES AND INVESTMENT PRIORITIES COME FROM.
THANK YOU MARJORIE, FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
I THINK THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AT THE CREATIVE RESET IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
IT WAS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO JUST PROVIDE A RESET AND TO ENGAGE AND LI AND REALLY LISTEN.
THE, THE, THE STRATEGY WAS WE COMING IN, WE WANTED TO LISTEN.
AND SO WHILE THERE WAS A FOCUS ON PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO OF GRANTS AND FACILITIES, WE HEARD SO MUCH MORE.
AND IT WAS, IT WOULD NOT, IT WAS FOR US AS OF COURSE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, WHEN WE LISTEN, IT'S NOT JUST PUTTING THAT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, TO THE SIDE AND, AND NOT GOING BACK TO IT.
WHAT WE DID IS, IS THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HEARD, WE, THAT INFORMATION WENT TO THE DESIGN AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I, AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL WILL SEE THAT, UM, EVEN IN THE GRAPHICS AND SO FORTH THAT HAVE BEEN CHOSEN THROUGHOUT THIS LAST YEAR AND A HALF, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT DOCUMENT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, UM, FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, BUT IT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL ASPECTS OF ACNE.
I JUST WANTED, UH, COMMISSIONER SMOG, I'LL COME, I'LL COME RIGHT TO YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF YOU, YOU HAVE ON HERE THAT YOU WANNA, UH, KIND OF TRACK THE PERCENTAGE OF PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE ENGAGING WITH ACNE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR THE FIRST TIME.
[02:00:01]
ARE YOU ALSO TRACKING HOW MUCH REPEAT, UM, EN ENGAGEMENT WE HAVE? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THOSE FIRST TIMERS, BUT WE WANT 'EM TO COME BACK.WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMING BACK.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU TRACK THAT, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
IS THIS JUST FOR C ARE YOU SPEAKING, LET ME JUST CLARIFY.
IS THAT FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ONLY OR IS THIS FOR GRANTS IN IN PARTICULAR? IF YOU CAN JUST ON THE, ON THE, ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE OUR CURRENT TARGETS IS PERCENTAGE OF PARTICIPANTS ENGAGING WITH ACME PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO YES, THESE ARE THE KPIS AND I CAN LET MARJORIE, SHE PROBABLY HAS IT, BUT THESE ARE THE KPIS THAT OF COURSE WE'RE REPORTING OUT.
BUT ABSOLUTELY, WE DO REPORT AND TRACK ATTENDANCE AND EVENTS AND SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE FREQUENT FLYERS, OF COURSE, UM, MARJORIE IF YOU WANNA SPEAK MORE TO IT, BUT WE HAVE SPECIFIC MEASURES THAT WE REPORT AND TRACK WITHIN, LIKE OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES.
THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT ALL OF THE, THE TRACKING.
SO THERE'S SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT FEED UP INTO OUR CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THESE ARE THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE REPORT SPECIFICALLY TO CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE ALLOWED TO TRACK AND COLLECT INFORMATION ON ANYTHING WE WANT.
I MEAN, NOT ANYTHING WE WANT, BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, UM, MANY MORE THINGS.
UH, SO I, THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU JUST ASKED, WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY REPORTING, BUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR AS WE MOVE THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND, AND SOLIDIFY SOME THINGS, WE'RE ABLE TO ADD MORE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
SO, UM, MORE TO COME ON THAT AND WE CAN DEFINITELY START FIGURING OUT A WAY TO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
AND THAT'S FOR RETURN RETURN FOLKS, AND THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK BECAUSE THROUGH THE CREATIVE RESET TOO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REALIZING IS, IS THAT WE DO NEED TO DO MORE IN-DEPTH REPORTING, UM, ESPECIALLY TO, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC AND CREATING A DASHBOARD.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT DATA COLLECTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.
SO IF THOSE ARE SOME IDEAS OR THOUGHTS YOU HAVE, THIS IS THE TIME TO PLEASE SHARE THEM.
AND YOU CAN JUST SHOOT AN EMAIL TO MARJORIE OR MYSELF AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GATHER THIS DATA BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SOME REALLY GREAT STUFF, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T FUND EVERYBODY.
WE ARE FUNDING A LOT AND WE'RE DOING SOME REALLY GREAT STUFF.
SO IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT DATA SO THAT WE CAN PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ACNE GOT IT GOING ON.
THANKS FOR COMING BACK TO ME CHAIR.
I, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA FOLLOW UP.
I DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MS. COOPER OR MS. FLANAGAN? THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR EFFORTS.
[6. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, ACME Cultural Funding Supervisor. ]
SIX, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BY JESUS PANTEL ACME, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
JESUS PANTEL CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.
I WILL BE, UH, PROVIDING, UH, MY FIRST UPDATE, UH, WILL BE ON THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION NUMBERS, UH, THE LATEST FOR WHICH WE HAVE DATA.
UM, SO THE TOTAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION IN JUNE WAS $844,810.
THIS MEANS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX CULTURAL ARTS FUND COLLECTION NUMBERS FOR MAY WERE $80,679.
UH, SO WITH THESE JUNE NUMBERS REPORTED, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 77% TOWARDS OUR FY 26 APPROVED BUDGET.
AND AS A REMINDER, THERE IS A DELAY IN HOW HOT REPORTING HAPPENS.
SO THIS JULY PRESENTATION, UH, SHOWS FUNDS THAT WERE COLLECTED IN JUNE FOR HOTEL STAYS THAT HAPPENED IN MAY, AND SOME SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN MAY THAT, UM, MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE TOURISM HERE ARE LISTED ON THE SLIDE.
AND WHILE THIS LIST DOES NOT CAPTURE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF TOURISM DRYING EVENTS, IT DOES HELP ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOT REVENUE TRENDS.
AND ACCORDING TO AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTS, TOTAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN MAY OF 2026 WAS 1,999,757, WHICH REPRESENTS A 3.3 0.2% INCREASE, 3.32% INCREASE FROM MAY, UH, 2025.
SO SAME NUMBERS, UH, A YEAR LATER.
UM, THIS GRAPH SHOWS OUR MONTHLY PROGRESS TOWARDS THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 OF JUST UNDER $16 MILLION.
[02:05:01]
JUNE COLLECTION, UH, WAS, UH, RELATIVELY SMALL.UH, LOOKS LIKE OUR SMALLEST MONTH SO FAR THIS, UH, YEAR.
UM, SO IT'S A BIT HARD TO SEE, BUT AT THE VERY TOP OF THE BAR CHART THERE, IT'S THE $80,679, UH, JUST UNDERNEATH THE GREEN LINE, WHICH SHOWS THE $12,288,399, UM, THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED TO DATE, UM, IN CULTURAL ARTS FUNDS.
UM, AND AS A REMINDER, THESE FUNDS COLLECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 26 WILL BE USED TO FUND, UH, PROGRAMS IN FISCAL YEAR 27.
UM, AND THIS GRAPH SHOWS A FIVE YEAR QUARTERLY AND TOTAL COMPARISON OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE CURRENTLY ON PACE TO MEET OR EXCEED THE APPROVED FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET OF 15.97 MILLION.
UM, OUR QUARTER THREE COLLECTIONS ARE NOW COMPLETE, AND EVEN WITH A RELATIVELY SMALL COLLECTION OF JUST UNDER $81,000 THIS PAST JUNE.
UH, THE $4,529,604 COLLECTED IN QUARTER THREE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WAS THE LARGEST QUARTER THREE COLLECTION IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
THAT, UH, WE HAVE DATA FOR AS WAS, UH, QUARTER TWO BEFORE IT, UH, WITH QUARTER ONE BEING IN LINE WITH THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS, UH, COLLECTION.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? IT'S LOOKING GOOD IN THE HOT TAX.
EVERYBODY CLEAR FUNDING FOR 2027.
[7. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, ACME Cultural Funding Supervisor. ]
NUMBER SEVEN, STAFF BRIEFING ON CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS. ALSO BY JESUS PANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.I AM BACK JESUS PANTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.
AND WITH THIS PRESENTATION I WILL BE SHARING UPDATES ON THE CULTURAL ARTS, UH, FUNDING PROGRAMS. UH, SO, UH, TODAY WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, AND AS WELL AS GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES.
UH, SO FOR THE CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, THIS SLIDE LOOKS PRETTY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR.
WE'VE HAD, UH, OR LAST YEAR, LAST MONTH, UH, WE'VE HAD A BIT OF MOVEMENT ON CLOSING OUT, UH, FINAL REPORTS.
UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN MAINLY FOCUSING ON AND HAVE LAUNCHED, UH, THE NEXT ROUND OF THE FUNDING PROGRAMS, UM, ON JULY 7TH, SO JUST UNDER TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, BUT WE HAVE THE THREE STEP NON-COMPLIANCE PROCESS HAS BEEN STARTED, UH, FOR DELINQUENT FINAL REPORTS.
I'LL GET A LITTLE BIT, UM, INTO SOME OF THOSE, UH, FINAL REPORTS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND ACTUALLY LET'S GO TO THAT NOW.
SO, UM, THIS, UH, REPORT IS AS OF THIS PAST FRIDAY, UH, JULY 17TH.
UM, SO FOR A REMINDER THAT FISCAL YEAR 2024 ELEVATE ACTIVITIES RAN THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
SO THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT FINAL REPORTS WAS JANUARY 31ST.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT MAY LOOK AND WE DO HAVE 14, UH, FINAL REPORTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CLOSED OUT YET.
UM, BUT OF WHICH REPRESENTS 6% OF THE TOTAL POT.
UM, SIX OF THOSE HAVE ACTUALLY NOT YET BEEN SUBMITTED.
AND SO AGAIN, WE'LL BE IN THE, UM, THREE STEP NON-COMPLIANCE PROCESS, UH, TO GET THEM EITHER, UM, TO, UH, SUBMIT THOSE OR ULTIMATELY IF THEY GO TO THE THIRD STEP, THEN THEY ARE INELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING, UH, FOR FIVE YEARS.
UM, BUT SO THAT'S, UH, JUST UNDER HALF OF, UH, THE WHOLE 14 THAT, UM, ARE, HAVE NOT BEEN SUBMITTED YET, OR NOT BEEN COMPLETED YET.
UH, FIVE OF THOSE HAVE, UM, BEEN SUBMITTED BUT NEED REVISIONS.
SO WE'RE JUST AWAITING, UH, REVISIONS FROM THE, UM, UM, UH, RECIPIENT.
UM, TWO ARE RETURNING UNUSED FUNDS.
SO THEY'RE IN GOOD STANDING ONCE WE GET, UH, THE FUNDS BACK FROM THEM.
UM, AND ONE OF THEM, AGAIN, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH OUR LAW DEPARTMENT FOR, UM, ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT HAD DECEASED, UH, UH, WAS DECEASED, UH, DURING THE GRANT TERM, UM, FOR NEXUS, UH, THOSE, UM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, UM, NEXUS ACTIVITIES RAN THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2026.
SO THIS IS A NEW SLIDE FOR THIS MONTH.
NOW THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO, UM, GET THOSE FINAL REPORTS IN, UH, 20 OF THE 101, UH, NEXUS FINAL REPORTS ARE INCOMPLETE.
UM, SO THAT'S, UH, 20%, 15 OF THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN SUBMITTED YET.
UH, ONE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BUT NOT REVIEWED.
STAFF JUST HAS NOT YET HAD THE CHANCE, UH, TO LOOK AT IT.
SO WE WILL EITHER CLOSE THAT ONE OUT OR, UM, ASK FOR ANY REVISIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO, UM, SUCCESSFULLY CLOSE IT OUT.
I JUST LIKE THE FOUR OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, BUT AGAIN, REVISIONS ARE NEEDED FOR THOSE.
AND NEXT WE WILL MOVE ON TO GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR, UM, ACTIVITIES THAT ARE POSTED ON, UH, VISIT AUSTIN, WHICH IS A CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT.
UM, AND AS I NORMALLY DO WITH THESE MONTH, UM, THESE MONTHLY UPDATES, I WILL NOT READ EVERYTHING ON THE SLIDE, BUT I WILL READ THE GRANTEES THAT DO HAVE
[02:10:01]
EVENTS COMING UP BETWEEN NOW AND YOUR NEXT ARTS COMMISSION MEETING IN AUGUST.UH, SO WE HAVE EAST AUSTIN WRITING PROJECT, REALLY SMALL MUSEUM, AUSTIN BRAZILIAN ZOO AND LOBAR CULTURAL HERITAGE PROJECT AND ONE OUNCE OPERA.
AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE I SCREAM SOCIAL MOHER MANIFESTO, ZINE, VOLUME SIX AND SPEAK NO MORE LOVECRAFT ARE ALL EVENTS COMING UP BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT, UM, ARTS COMMISSION MEETING.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, I DID WANNA ASK, DO WE HAVE A HARD DEADLINE ON, WE NEED YOU TO HAVE YOUR FINAL REPORT SUBMITTED BY X DATE OR YOUR NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE FUNDING? UM, SO THE HARD DEADLINE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
OUR THREE STEP NON-COMPLIANCE PLAN DOES SAY THAT IF IT'S, UH, WITHIN 15 DAYS, UM, OF, UH, DELINQUENCY.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON GETTING THE NEW FUNDING PROGRAMS ROLLED OUT, BUT WE ARE IN THE WAY THE THREE STEP NON-COMPLIANCE PROCESS WORKS IS, I FORGET THE EXACT DAYS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT, UM, UM, THE FIRST LETTER IS EITHER 10 BUSINESS DAYS OR FIVE BUSINESS DAYS TO GET SOMETHING IN.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE DO START GETTING, UM, UH, OUR DEADLINES.
THEY HAVE TO GET THAT INTO US BY, LET'S SAY IT'S, UH, 10 BUSINESS DAYS.
UH, FOR THE FIRST ONE, IF THEY DON'T GET THAT INTO US, THEN THE SECOND LETTER GOES OUT, THEY HAVE FIVE BUSINESS DAYS TO, UM, GET THE CORRECT INFORMATION INTO US OR SUBMIT THE FINAL REPORT, UH, PERIOD IF THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST LETTER, UM, SAYS, AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE INCREASINGLY WARNING LETTERS.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST LETTER SAYS THAT THEY ARE IN NON-COMPLIANCE AND SO ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE.
UM, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF THEY DO, UM, YOU KNOW, SEND SOMETHING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS UNLESS THEY COME BACK INTO COMPLIANCE.
BUT THAT TAKES PLACE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
SO IF THEY WERE TO DO THAT, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS DONE BEFORE THE, UH, GRANT PROGRAMS CLOSE ON, UM, AUGUST 18TH.
UH, SO THAT WAY ANYBODY WHO IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WILL NOT BE APPLYING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 27 ROUND OF FUNDING.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN PUT A, A, A AND THEN MAYBE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION AS COMMISSIONERS THAT WE SAY AT 90 DAYS WE SEND THE 10 DAY LETTER AND THEN WE SEND THE FIVE DAY LETTER, AND THEN BY THAT FOURTH MONTH BY A HUNDRED AND WHAT IS FOUR MONTHS, 120 DAYS? THEY'VE, THEY'VE, THEY'RE LOCKED IN THAT THEY CAN'T APPLY FOR FIVE YEARS.
BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM, HAVING YOUR FINAL REPORT NOT SUBMITTED SEVEN MONTHS INTO WHEN YOU'VE ALREADY HAD THE, HAD THE DEADLINE IS NOT PROFESSIONAL.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE NEED TO SET A, A STANDARD FOR YES, WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU, BUT 90 DAYS SEEMS GENEROUS FOR A PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO.
WE'RE HOPING NOW THAT, UM, WE ARE ON A CONSISTENT LAUNCH SCHEDULE THAT THIS WILL PREVENT, YOU KNOW, STAFF FROM BEING SO, UM, BUSY GETTING READY TO LAUNCH PROGRAMS AND WORKING ON OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO A CONSISTENT SCHEDULE LIKE WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE IN THE PAST ARE TRADITIONALLY, UM, UM, IT WAS USUALLY ABOUT, UM, I GUESS 60 OR 90 DAYS, KIND OF TO, TO THE POINT THAT YOU'RE SAYING, 'CAUSE TRADITIONALLY FINAL REPORTS WERE DUE OCTOBER 31ST AND LATE JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY.
THAT'S WHEN WE RAN ON THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR.
INSTEAD OF THE CALENDAR YEARS WE'RE DOING WITH MOST OF OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS NOW, UH, LATE JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY IS WHEN WE WOULD START THAT PROCESS.
SO CLOSE TO THAT, YOU KNOW, 60, 90 DAY WINDOW THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO DOING THINGS THE WAY ON A MORE CONSISTENT SCHEDULE LIKE WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO, SO THIS IS KIND OF AN OUTLIER SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE FUNDING CYCLES HAVE BEEN SO WONKY.
ANYBODY ELSE? I THINK WE ARE DONE WITH YOU.
JESUS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT AND YOUR WORK.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, STAFF
[8. Staff briefing regarding an update on the ACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, ACME Acting Division Manager. ]
BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS BY LAURA OGAR ACT.NO, WHAT'S YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE NOW? I THINK THE AGENDA WAS POSTED BEFORE MY TITLE WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED
DIVISION MANAGER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
SO LAURA ODEGAARD, DIVISION MANAGER FOR AUSTIN ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT, UH, PRESENTING ON
[02:15:01]
OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR YOU ALL THIS EVENING.UH, SO FIRST I WANTED TO AGAIN SHARE THE FUNDING DISBURSEMENT STATUS, UH, AS OF THIS PAST FRIDAY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE DISPERSED OVER $15 MILLION OF GRANT AWARDS SO FAR.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN BY PROGRAM, UM, NUMBER OF AWARDEES PAID AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FUNDS DISPERSED, UH, AND THE PERCENTAGE OF FUNDS DISPERSED FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. SO JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT NEXUS, WHICH I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT IN A MOMENT.
UM, WE JUST MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND POSTED THAT AWARDEE LIST LAST WEEK, AND SO WE ARE ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS WITH THOSE FOLKS AND THOSE PAYMENTS SHOULD START GOING OUT THIS MONTH, WHICH IS EXCITING.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S 0% FOR THE FINAL LINE THERE.
SO BRINGS ME TO NEXUS GRANT UPDATES.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE APPLICATION WINDOW THIS YEAR WAS MARCH 10TH TO APRIL 16TH.
AND THEN THE CONTRACT PERIOD FOR THESE NEXUS AWARDS IS JULY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027.
SO WE HAD 451 APPLICANTS FOR THE NEXUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS A $4.5 MILLION REQUEST, UH, WHICH MEANT ONLY 17% OF AWARDEES WERE THEN, OR 17% OF APPLICANTS WERE THEN AWARDED.
SO IT WAS VERY COMPETITIVE OF THE 77 AWARDEES AWARD, 76 WERE FROM THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE APPLICATION AND ONE WAS FROM THE SPANISH LANGUAGE APPLICATION.
UH, AND THE AWARD LIST IS POSTED ON THE NEXUS PAGE.
UM, OF THOSE 77, 35 WERE ARTS GROUPS AND 42 WERE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAD ALMOST THREE TIMES AS MANY INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS APPLY, 311 AS OPPOSED TO THE ARTS GROUPS, WHICH WERE 140 APPLICANTS.
ALSO WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE REVIEWER MODEL FOR THE NEXUS PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE TWO REVIEWERS PER APPLICATION.
IT IS SCORED AGAINST A RUBRIC AND THEN THE SCORES ARE AVERAGED.
SO THERE IS NO PANEL MEETING AND NO APPEALS PROCESS FOR THESE NEXUS AWARDS.
UM, THIS IS PARTLY BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM HAPPENS TWICE A YEAR ON THE OFF TIMES OF OUR MAIN FUNDING PROGRAMS AND THE VOLUME, UM, TO DO, AS YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE'RE RECRUITING FOR PANELISTS RIGHT NOW, TO DO A FULL PANEL MEETING PROCESS WOULD MAKE IT A VERY TIMELY PROCESS.
SO THIS IS OUR CURRENT SOLUTION TO HAVE A QUICKER TURNAROUND TIME FOR THE SMALLER AWARD DOLLARS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN ARTS GROUPS.
UM, BUT AS ALWAYS, THIS IS ONGOING.
UM, SO OPEN TO MORE FEEDBACK AND MORE COMMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO OUR NEXT ROUND OF ENHANCEMENTS.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, ALSO WANNA NOTE THAT WE DO EVALUATE THE REVIEWER PERFORMANCE.
SO IF THERE ARE REVIEWERS OR PANELISTS THAT ARE NOT DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THEY WILL NOT BE ASKED TO COME BACK IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE PULLED IN OTHER REVIEWERS TO PROVIDE, UM, A SECONDARY REVIEW IN CERTAIN INSTANCES.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE REVIEW MODEL WAS FOR THIS LAST CYCLE OF NEXUS AWARDS.
ALSO WANTED TO SHARE AND APOLOGIES, THE PDF OF THE DECK IS A LITTLE BIT WONKY, BUT THE NEXUS, UM, BREAKDOWNS.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE WE HAVE THE ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE BREAKDOWNS BY APPLICANT AND THEN AWARDEES.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IT'S BY DISTRICT.
SO AS FAR AS THE ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE, WE HAD, MULTIDISCIPLINARY WAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF AWARDEES WITH 15, FOLLOWED BY MUSIC AT 10.
AND THEN FILM, VIDEO AND TV PRODUCTION NINE.
I WON'T GO INTO ALL OF THEM, BUT JUST AS A, AS A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES AS WELL AS THE DISTRICTS.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE DISTRICT ONE AND DISTRICT THREE WERE OUR HIGHEST NUMBER OF AWARDEES FOR THIS LAST NEXUS CYCLE.
ALSO WANTED TO TALK, AS YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT OUR 2027 ACME GRANT OVERVIEW.
SO OUR APPLICATION WINDOW, IT LAUNCHED JUST OVER OR JUST UNDER TWO WEEKS AGO ON JULY 7TH, AND IT GOES UNTIL AUGUST 18TH AT 6:59 PM AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE CONTRACT PERIOD IS JANUARY 1ST, 2027 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2027.
UNLESS IT IS A TWO YEAR AWARD, WHICH THEN MEANS IT WOULD BE DECEMBER OF 2028.
SO WE HAVE $23 MILLION OF FUNDS AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE 6 MILLION FOR OUR AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, 11 MILLION IN ELEVATE, 3 MILLION IN HERITAGE PRESERVATION,
[02:20:01]
AND 3 MILLION IN THRIVE.I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS TO DATE.
SO IN THE FIRST UNDER TWO WEEKS, WE HAVE HAD OVER 1,113 APPLICATIONS STARTED, AND 286 OF THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED.
ALSO WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF HOW TO APPLY IN CASE THERE'S ANY CONFUSION WITH THAT.
UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS POINT PEOPLE TO AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ACME GRANTS.
WE HAVE A NEW SHORT LINK, SO THAT IS IT.
SO THE APPLICATION PROCESS, AS ALWAYS, WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH PROGRAM GUIDELINES, PREVIEW THE APPLICATIONS ON THE ACME WEBSITE, PREPARE YOUR EVIDENCE, ATTEND A WORKSHOP, ASK STAFF QUESTIONS, AND WHEN YOU'RE READY, CLICK THE APPLY NOW BUTTON AND MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE SUBMIT BUTTON BEFORE 6 59 ON AUGUST 18TH, AND THEN JUST VISUALLY SHOWING YOU HOW THAT WORKS.
SO THE APPLICATION APPLY NOW BUTTON ON THE ACME PAGE WILL THEN TAKE YOU TO THE SUBMITTABLE LANDING PAGE THAT THE LONG CENTER HOLDS FOR US THROUGH CREATE AUSTIN.
YOU SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT TO FIND THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT APPLYING IN.
UM, THERE IS ONE PROGRAM FOR THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE APPLICATION AND A SEPARATE BUTTON FOR THE SPANISH APPLICATION VERSION.
AND THEN THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE FIRST PART OF THE APPLICATION, WHICH IS THE OVERVIEW OF ACME FUNDING ELIGIBILITY.
SO THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS LIKE, ARE YOU OVER 18? WHERE DO YOU LIVE? ARE YOU IN NON-COMPLIANCE STATUS? AFTER YOU COMPLETE THAT, IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR JUST GENERALLY ACME PROGRAMS, YOU'LL FILL OUT YOUR ACTUAL APPLICATION DETAILS, SO YOUR NAME, CONTACT INFORMATION, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN IT WILL ASK YOU FOR THE SPECIFIC PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.
AND SO THIS IS A WATERFALL STYLE APPLICATION.
SO AS YOU ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS, MORE QUESTIONS WILL POP UP DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ANSWER THEM.
AND THEN AT THE END, IF YOU HAVE ANSWERED ALL OF THE QUESTIONS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM CORRECTLY, THEN YOU'LL BE DEEMED TENTATIVELY ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THAT PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, LAST MONTH, I WALKED THROUGH WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS BEFORE AND HOW WE WERE ENHANCING THINGS THIS TIME AROUND.
UM, ALSO WHEN YOU ARE TENTATIVELY ELIGIBLE, YOU HAVE TO ATTEST THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT STAFF WILL BE REVIEWING THIS AT THE END OF THINGS.
AND EVEN THOUGH YOU APPLY, YOU MIGHT STILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE IF YOU HAVE NOT PRODUCED ENOUGH EVIDENCE.
SO YOU HAVE TO ATTEST TO THAT BY A CLICK BUTTON AS WELL AS YOUR INITIALS IN ORDER TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL APPLICATION.
YOU FILL OUT THE WHOLE APPLICATION, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SAVE AS YOU GO ALONG.
AND WHEN YOU'RE READY, YOU HIT SUBMIT.
ALSO WANTED TO JUST REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM EVALUATION AND SCORING HAPPENS.
SO AS I JUST MENTIONED, THERE'S THE ACME ELIGIBILITY QUIZ, WHICH IS THE FIRST FEW QUESTIONS AS YOU START THE APPLICATION.
AND THEN THERE'S THE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY DEPENDING ON WHAT PROGRAM YOU'RE APPLYING IN.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE OPTION THAT THEY'RE SELECTING.
AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE A 5 0 1 C3 ARTS ORGANIZATION WITH A $5 MILLION BUDGET, YOU SHOULD NOT SELECT ARTS GROUP WITH A BUDGET OVER 500,000 BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL GET A NOTIFICATION THAT YOU'RE DEEMED INELIGIBLE.
SO JUST BE CAREFUL THAT YOU CLICK THE RIGHT BUTTON FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, STAFF WILL BE VERIFYING AFTER THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BEFORE THEY MOVE ON TO THE ACTUAL SCORING AND EVALUATION PART OF THINGS.
SO, AND AS A REMINDER FOR HOW THAT SCORING WORKS FOR EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS, THRIVE, HERITAGE PRESERVATION AND ELEVATE ARE ALL PANEL REV REVIEWED AND SCORED USING A RUBRIC.
AND THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND IS AUTO SCORED, AND THEN THE DOCUMENTATION IS VERIFIED BY BY THE LONG CENTER STAFF.
AND THEN THE HIGHEST SCORING APPLICATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED AND NEW THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE TIEBREAKER QUESTIONS AGAIN THAT I MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION LAST MONTH THAT WILL BE USED IF NEEDED BECAUSE WE WANNA HAVE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF AWARDS TO COMMUNITY.
SO WE DO HAVE ALL OF THE DETAILED RUBRICS POSTED ONLINE, SO THEY'RE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
SO YOU CAN GO TO ANY OF THE PROGRAMS, UM, AND LOOK AT WHAT THAT ACTUAL, LIKE THE HIGH LEVEL CATEGORY BREAKDOWN, BUT ALSO THE DETAILED, UH, RUBRICS.
SO IN THIS EXAMPLE HERE, IT'S THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RUBRIC.
[02:25:01]
AND IT SAYS, WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE PROPOSED HISTORIC SITE? UPLOAD HISTORIC DOCUMENTATION AND PHOTOS.AND THEN IT SHOWS WHAT A FIVE POINT ANSWER IS, WHAT A FOUR POINT ANSWER IS, WHAT A TWO POINT ANSWER IS, AND WHAT A ONE POINT ANSWER IS.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN VIEW ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU WANNA PREVIEW THE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM DIRECTLY ON THE ACME WEBSITE.
YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT THE RUBRICS THEMSELVES.
SO THERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF EACH QUESTION IN THE RUBRICS, UH, PDFS THAT ARE DOWNLOADABLE.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD A FILLABLE TEMPLATE, WHICH IS A GREAT THING TO PRACTICE.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE FILLABLE TEMPLATES FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE SUBMITTABLE PLATFORM.
SO PAPER COPIES OR EMAILS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
YOU HAVE TO APPLY THROUGH SUBMITTABLE.
ALSO, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT RESOURCE DOCUMENTS DO EXIST IN CASE FOLKS DIDN'T KNOW.
SO ON THE CREATE AUSTIN.ORG PAGE, THERE'S A RESOURCES TAB.
AND THEN WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO DO IS YOU THEN LOOK AT THE, I'M LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT, AND YOU CAN PICK THE PROGRAM THE FISCAL YEAR THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO IN THIS CASE, YOU WOULD LOOK FOR 2026 DASH 27, AND THEN YOU'D CLICK THE UPDATE BUTTON.
THERE ARE LOTS OF TIPS TEMPLATES AND MORE SO THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
SO IN THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION, UM, APPLICATION, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE AN OWNERSHIP DOCUMENTATION.
SO THE OWNER OF THE HISTORIC SITE HAS TO SAY, YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE APPLYING FOR THESE FUNDS.
UM, SO THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF, OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SIMILARLY, THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT FORM IS THERE AS WELL.
UM, BUT OUR STAFF AND THE LONG CENTER STAFF, THEY'VE DEVELOPED DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR ANNUAL EXPENSES OR HOW YOU SHOULD BEST DO UPLOADS FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
ADDITIONALLY, WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR WORKSHOP RECORDINGS AND SLIDES ARE ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, SO YOU CAN WATCH THE RECORDINGS IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE SLIDES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND THEN SOME OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
SO AS I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE ARE RECRUITING FOR OUR PANEL REVIEWERS BECAUSE THREE PROGRAMS IN THIS CYCLE DO NEED PANELISTS.
SO WE DO NEED, UH, AROUND 322 PANELISTS TO HELP SUPPORT THIS PROCESS IF WE WANNA MAINTAIN A SEVEN PANELISTS MINIMUM PER EACH PANEL.
UM, RECRUITMENT IS OPEN NOW, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO STOP THAT RECRUITMENT PROCESS ON AUGUST 10TH.
SO THEN WE CAN BRING THAT TENTATIVE LIST OF PANEL REVIEWERS TO YOU ALL AT YOUR AUGUST 17TH MEETING.
SO WE CAN THEN TRAIN THE PANELISTS IN THE END OF AUGUST, AND EVERYONE CAN RECEIVE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS BY SEPTEMBER 1ST, SO THEY HAVE A FULL MONTH TO START THAT REVIEW PROCESS BEFORE WE START PANEL MEETINGS IN OCTOBER.
SO ALSO, AGAIN, JUST ANOTHER REMINDER, I'VE SHARED THIS ONE BEFORE TOO, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR COMMUNITY TO TALK TO OUR TEAM.
UM, THERE'S BOOKING LINKS, SO YOU CAN DO ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS.
YOU CAN GO TO VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS THAT WE HAVE EVERY TUESDAY FROM 10 TO NOON.
AND THEN ON THAT FINAL TUESDAY OF THE DEADLINE, THE 18TH FROM 10 UNTIL 6:00 PM WE ALSO HAVE LOTS OF WORKSHOPS COMING UP.
AGAIN, THE EVENTBRITE COLLECTION HAS BEEN LINKED IN PREVIOUS SLIDES, BUT ALSO HERE TONIGHT FOR YOU ALL.
AND JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW COMING UP THIS NEXT, UM, WEEK AND A BIT THAT ARE KIND OF NEW AND EXCITING.
SO WE HAVE ONE TOMORROW SPECIFICALLY ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR OUR HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT.
UM, AND THIS IS A WORKSHOP THAT'S BEING DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN PLANNING AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND ACME STAFF, UM, AT OUR BEN WHITE OFFICES SUITE 400.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, A PRETTY BIG WORKSHOP ON WEDNESDAY THAT'S LESS OF A WORKSHOP AND MORE OF A ASK US ANYTHING.
SO THIS IS AT UNIVERSITY HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY.
SO FEEL FREE TO SEND FOLKS TO OUR TEAM WHO WILL BE HANGING OUT AT UNIVERSITY HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE OTHER WORKSHOPS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR ACME AMBASSADORS.
SO SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE COMING UP ARE THE AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS AT MONK'S JAZZ CLUB, THE TEXAS AUTHORS MUSEUM
[02:30:01]
AT THE CARVER PUBLIC LIBRARY.UH, THE LUNAR FOUNDATION IS GOING TO BE DOING ONE AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
UM, TORCH LITERARY ARTS IS GONNA BE HOSTING ONE AT TORCH CENTER.
AND THEN WE HAVE ONE, UM, THAT WILL BE IN SPANISH, UM, AT THE MAC ON THE 30TH.
SO SOME OF THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR.
WE'VE HAD THREE OPEN OFFICE HOUR SESSIONS, UM, AND WE'VE HAD 40 ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS VIA THE BOOKINGS LINK AND HAVE ALSO ATTENDED THREE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND THEN FINALLY, JUST AS A REMINDER ABOUT WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THIS PROCESS.
SO WE OPENED APPLICATIONS ON THE SEVENTH.
THEY WILL CLOSE ON AUGUST 18TH.
THE PANELISTS WILL BE TRAINED AT THE END OF AUGUST.
UH, NEXUS OPENS ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, AND THAT IS ALSO WHEN WE'LL BE DOING THE PROGRAM EVALUATION AND SCORING FOR OUR PROCESS.
UH, PANEL MEETINGS AND SCORE FINALIZATION WILL HAPPEN IN OCTOBER WITH AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS BEING MADE IN NOVEMBER.
AND THEN DECEMBER WILL BE THE TIME WHEN WE WILL HAVE OUR APPEALS PROCESS CLOSE OUT, OUR 2026 AWARDS AND START CONTRACTS AND FIRST PAYMENTS JANUARY OF 2027.
AND WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
UM, I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
OF THE 322 PANELISTS THAT YOU NEED, HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE SO FAR? SO WE HAVE HAD OVER 800 APPLY SO FAR.
OH, SOME OF THOSE ARE DUPLICATES THOUGH.
SO SOME PANELISTS THAT WE HAD LAST CYCLE REAPPLIED THIS TIME AROUND.
SO THE TEAM IS GOING THROUGH AND KIND OF SEEING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW, BUT AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAD OVER 800 THAT HAVE SUBMITTED.
THAT'S REALLY GOOD, RIGHT? IT IS GOOD.
HOPEFULLY IT'S ENCOURAGING EVERYONE THAT SUBMITTED MEANS TO HAVE SUBMITTED FOR THIS AND NOT FOR A GRANT PROGRAM, AND IT DOESN'T, AND, AND IF YOU HAVE MORE LOCAL PEOPLE SUBMITTING, THEN THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO HIRE LESS OUT OF TOWN REVIEWERS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PANEL REQUIREMENTS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE SELECTING THOSE PANELISTS.
SO THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU ALL IN THE PRESENTATION AROUND THE PANEL PROCESS AND THE SELECTION NEXT MONTH WHEN WE SHARE THAT SLATE OF PEOPLE.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE SCHEDULE IS, IS RUNS YOU A LITTLE RAGGED IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO AND HOW OFTEN YOU HAVE TO DO THEM.
AND MY QUESTION WAS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT DOING NEXUS ONCE A YEAR INSTEAD OF TWICE? I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S GONNA BE TWICE A YEAR, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT IS IN THE GUIDELINES.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT TO TALK ABOUT WHEN WE START HAVING THOSE COMMUNICATIONS AROUND.
WHAT DOES THE ACME GUIDELINE 2.0, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND YOU'LL KEEP US UP TO DATE IF YOU NOTICE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A PANELIST NUMBERS PROBLEM.
GIVE US WARNINGS SO WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR.
NOT QUITE DIRECTOR, NOT DIRECTOR.
[9. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, ACME Art in Public Places Manager. ]
NUMBER NINE, STAFF BRIEFING, UH, REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ART IN PUBLIC PLACES BY JAIME CASTILLO, ACME, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES MANAGER.AND THIS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY ITEM NUMBER 13.
JAIME CASTILLO, ART OF PUBLIC PLACES MANAGER TONIGHT FOR STAFF BRIEFINGS.
I BRING TO YOU A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC ART OPEN CALLS OPEN RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR DIFFERENT CALLS.
WE'LL END UP WITH FIVE ARTISTS UNDER CONTRACT.
THE FOURTH IS THE PRE-QUALIFIED LIST THAT IS, UH, AVAILABLE FOR ARTISTS TEXAS WIDE.
UH, ALL FOUR OF THESE CALLS WILL CLOSE ON AUGUST 3RD.
I WANTED EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER THAT WE DO HAVE VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS EVERY TUESDAY, UH, THROUGH AUGUST 3RD, UM, FROM 10 TO 12.
AND WE DO HAVE OUR, UH, INFORMATION FOR THOSE, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE.
UH, YOU CAN ALSO FIND A LINK TO OUR EVENTBRITE WHERE WE WILL LIST, UH, THE EVENTS THAT WE ARE, THE OUTREACH THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THESE OPEN CALLS.
UH, TONIGHT I HAD STAFF OUT AT PRIZER ARTS AND LETTERS, UH, DOING
[02:35:01]
A PRESENTATION.TOMORROW EVENING, WE'LL BE GOING TO THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, PROVIDE THEM A BRIEFING, UM, ABOUT ALL FOUR CALLS, BUT FOCUSING ON THE OPPORTUNITY AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
UH, WE ARE PLANNING AN INFO SESSION AND WORKSHOP AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE FACILITY, UH, AT THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
AS WELL AS DOING, UH, A TABLE EVENT AT, UH, CANOPY'S FIRST SATURDAY.
MAKE SURE, UH, GET A LOT OF ARTISTS OUT THERE.
AND THEN FOR AUGUST 3RD, WE'RE BASICALLY DOING ALMOST AN ALL DAY VIRTUAL OPEN OFFICE HOURS, SO 10 TO FOUR.
UM, SO LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TOUCH BASE WITH A IPP STAFF.
LEARN ABOUT THE FOUR OPPORTUNITIES IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, EVEN GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF HELP, UM, SETTING UP THEIR PROFILE ON PUBLIC ARTISTS.ORG, WHICH IS THE PLATFORM THAT WE USE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS.
UH, ALSO WANTED TO REMIND YOU OR MAKE YOU AWARE ABOUT SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING THIS MONTH.
UM, SIA WOLF, THE ARTIST THAT WE COMMISSIONED FOR THE, UH, TUNNEL AT THE NEW AT THE AIRPORT EXPANSION, HAS BEEN DOING THIS SERIES OF WORKSHOPS, UH, AT THE CARVER AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
AND AT MEXICAN, UH, THE MEXICAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER HAVE WRAPPED UP, AND WE'RE STILL DOING THE, THE WORKSHOPS AT THE CARVER, WHICH HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, OF THE CAMPS THERE.
SO WHAT WE HAVE ON THE 23RD IS A SHOWCASE OF, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING AT THE CAMPS.
AND SO THIS WORKSHOP SERIES WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE, IN, IN THAT, ON THE 23RD AS WELL AS AUGUST 12TH.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A, A CAVE TRIP AS PART OF THIS, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR, FOR S UH, FOR THIS ART ARTWORK HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT.
UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE CAVE TRIP IS ALREADY SOLD OUT.
UM, BUT FUTURE FRONT IS, IS PARTNERING WITH, WITH THE ARTISTS TO, TO CONDUCT THAT, UH, THAT TRIP AT LONGHORN CAVERNS.
UH, I WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAD OUR EXHIBITION OPEN CALLS, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, GIVING YOU AN UPDATE THAT WE ARE CONDUCTING THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE PEOPLE'S GALLERY THIS MONTH, EXPECTING TO NOTIFY THE ARTISTS THAT WERE SELECTED, UH, EARLY IN AUGUST.
AND THAT, UH, WE WILL OPEN THAT SHOW HERE IN CITY HALL, UH, OCTOBER 2ND, WE'LL BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR, UH, OFFICIAL INVITES FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE AIRPORT, UH, JUST WANTED TO STAGGER BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE OPENING IN OCTOBER FOR, FOR, UH, PEOPLE'S GALLERY, STAGGERING SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE AIRPORT GALLERIES A LITTLE BIT, UH, CONDUCTING THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IN AUGUST AND NOTIFYING THE ARTISTS IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER.
UH, AND THEN INSTALLING THE GALLERIES, UH, OVER THE HOLIDAYS SO THAT THE EXHIBITIONS CAN RUN, UH, JANUARY TO DECEMBER NEXT YEAR.
NOT, NOT A REAL UPDATE HERE, BUT I DID WANT TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT, UH, OUR A IPP RESOLUTION.
OUR NEXT STEPS, UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, UH, TWEAKING THE GUIDELINES THAT INCLUDE THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR CITY PARTNERS AND THE A IPP PANEL AND GIVING AN UPDATE TO, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, LEGAL AND, UH, BUDGET.
AND WE ARE PREPARING BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE DIDN'T MAKE QUORUM AT THE JULY MEETING.
THEY MEET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
SO THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY WILL BE SEPTEMBER 18TH.
SO PRESENTING TO THEM AT THAT MEETING.
AND, UH, THAT'S THE ORDINANCE.
AND THE ORDINANCE GETS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE PRESENTING MAKE SURE THE PANEL'S UP TO DATE WITH WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING, UH, WITH THE ORDINANCE TO EOC AND THEN BRINGING IT BACK TO Y'ALL SO Y'ALL KNOW WHAT WAS PRE PRESENTED AT THE EOC AS WELL AS WHAT'S GOING TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN CITY COUNCIL TAKING IT UP IN SEPTEMBER ON THE, ON THE T AT THEIR 24TH MEETING.
AND THEN ASSUMING THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THE UPDATES TO THE ORDINANCE, THEN WE WOULD BE BRINGING BACK THE GUIDELINES AND OTHER A IPV POLICIES TO THE A IPV PANEL AND TO YOU, THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR FINAL APPROVAL ON DATING THOSE POLICIES.
AND, UH, BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR NEXT ITEM, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS OVERVIEW OF THE A IPB PROCESS.
UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT, WHAT IF I SHARED THIS VERSION WITH Y'ALL? UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY OUR PROCESS CAN BE BROKEN DOWN TO FIVE DIFFERENT PHASES OR STAGES, UH, WHERE, WHERE THE LIFESPAN OF THE ARTWORK IN OUR COLLECTION GOES FROM THE BEGINNING OF SETTING UP A PROJECT AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE MOVED INTO OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS, UH, SELECTING, GOING THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS AS WE HAVE OUR OPEN CALLS RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND THEN AFTER THE ARTIST IS UNDER, UNDER CONTRACT, THEY'RE DOING ALL THE WORK, HITTING THE MILESTONES OF DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DURING THEIR ARTIST RESEARCH PHASE.
UH, PRESENTING A CONCEPT DESIGN TO THE PANEL, AND THEN PRESENTING THE FINAL DESIGN TO THE PANEL AND ARTS COMMISSION.
[02:40:02]
AND THEN GOING INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION OF THE ARTWORK, DEDICATION AT THE CLOSEOUT, MAKING SURE THE TITLE TRANSFER HAS OCCURRED.UM, AND THEN YOU'LL, YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE LAST PART, THE LAST STEP IN OUR PHASES HERE IS THE DEES RELOCATION.
SO WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT OUR COLLECTION FROM START TO END, UH, IN, IN A MORE HOLISTIC MANNER.
I THINK PREVIOUSLY WE MOSTLY TALKED ABOUT IT ONLY PHASES ONE THROUGH FOUR OF THE COMMISSIONING OF NEW ARTWORK.
BUT WE HAVE, UH, DONATIONS AND LOANS AND, AND MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.
AND, AND OF COURSE NOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE A OVER 40-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES OR, OR SITUATIONS WHERE WE NEED TO RELOCATE OR EVEN DSS ARTWORKS FROM THE COLLECTION.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WE, WE DO HAVE A FULL LIFECYCLE TO THE ARTWORKS IN OUR PUBLIC ART COLLECTION.
UM, OUR PROCESS IS COLLABORATIVE THROUGHOUT.
UM, HERE YOU'LL SEE I HIGHLIGHTED THE, THE STAGES WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, BOTH THE SPONSOR AND MANAGING DEPARTMENTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING WITH THEM AND SETTING UP THE, THE, THE OPPORTUNITY DEFINING AN ART CALL, INCLUDING THEM AS ADVISORS DURING THE SELECTION PROCESS, WORKING WITH THEM AS ARTISTS ARE DESIGNING THEIR ARTWORK AND INSTALLING.
AND WE'RE INCLUDING THEM IN, IN THE DEDICATION, AS WELL AS HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS WITH THESE SESSIONS OR RELOCATIONS.
AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC IS ALSO ALSO PARTICIPATES IN OUR PROCESS STAKEHOLDERS THAT MAYBE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, UH, THE PANEL AND AR AND YOURSELVES ARTS COMMISSION, UH, AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTING THE, THE FA THE STEPS AND PHASES WHERE, WHERE Y'ALL REALLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROCESS IN APPROVING THE ART CALL IN.
SO IN PARTICIPATING IN THE SELECTION OF THE ARTISTS AND, AND APPROVING THE RECOMMENDED ARTISTS, WORKING WITH ARTISTS WHEN THEY, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM, UH, DESIGN THEIR ARTWORK AND THEN CELEBRATING WITH US AT THE CLOSEOUT.
AND THEN FINALLY, ARTISTS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR, UH, ELEMENT IN, IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, AND THEY GET TO DO ALL THE WORK IN THE MIDDLE.
UH, THEY GET IN, THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE SELECTION, THEY GET ON THE CONTRACT, THEY DESIGN THE ARTWORK, THEY INSTALL THE ARTWORK, AND THEY CELEBRATE AT THE DEDICATION OF THE ART IN OF THE LATEST VERSION, THE LATEST ARTWORK IN OUR PUBLIC ART COLLECTION.
THAT'S THE END OF MY STAFF BRIEFINGS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, SMALL BOT.
I HAVE TWO THINGS TO ASK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE, UM, REVISIONS, UM, JUST FOR CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
SO ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CHALLENGES GETTING, AS EVERYONE REMEMBERS, THE DATA REQUESTED DATA THAT WE'D ASKED FOR ABOUT PERCENT CALCULATIONS FROM CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.
UM, AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING FROM A A PP PANEL IS THAT STAFF, YOU KNOW, STAFF HAVEN'T BEEN INCLUDED IN THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE UPCOMING BOND PREPARATIONS, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL, MAYBE THE BOND'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A WHOLE BUNCH OF PREPARATION THAT HAS GONE INTO MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT PROJECTS ARE ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND ALL OF THOSE SHOULD HAVE THEORETICALLY AN A IPP COMPONENT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
AND JUST CONFIRMING IF THIS IS CORRECT, HOW PROJECT ELIGIBILITY WAS DETERMINED NOR WHAT PERCENTAGE HAS BEEN USED, IF ANY, FOR CALCULATION ON A IPP PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAYBE POTENTIAL UPCOMING BOND.
UM, SO CAN IS, CAN WE FORMALLY REQUEST THAT INFORMATION? CAN WE GET A PRESENTATION AGAIN, FROM WHOEVER THE RIGHT ENTITY WOULD BE IN THE BOND MIX OR CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, SINCE THIS IS LIKE HAPPENING IN REAL TIME, IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE FOR US OF LIKE HOW THESE DECISIONS ARE OR NOT BEING MADE TRANSPARENTLY.
TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS OR THE, THE GROUPS THAT ARE ORGANIZING, UH, PROJECTS THAT WOULD GO ON THE BOND ELECTION.
UM, BUT YES, WE CAN ALSO FOLLOW UP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE REQUEST A PRESENTATION TO Y'ALL.
UM, YEAH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S, UH, UH, A DIVISION UNDER CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT, UM, OKAY.
UH, AND, AND THE COMMITTEE, THE BTF, I'M FORGETTING IT'S BOND ADVISORY TASK FORCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, THEY OVERSEE THAT BODY AS WELL.
SO YEAH, WE, WE, WE WILL MAKE THE REQUEST
[02:45:01]
TO SEE IF THEY CAN COME AND PRESENT AND, AND PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING A IPP ALLOCATIONS TO THOSE BOND PROJECTS.AND THEN KIND OF A FOLLOW ON TO THAT RELATED, BUT SORT OF SEPARATE IS WHAT, UM, IS TO ASK FOR MORE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT ON THESE ORDINANCE CHANGES.
SO LIKE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT A LOT AT A A PP, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AN ARTS COMMISSION, OF COURSE.
UM, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, LIKE WE, WE'VE SEEN THAT THIS WAS GONNA GO, UH, TO COUNCIL, LIKE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, RIGHT? AND LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S NOW CHANGED.
AND WE, YOU JUST SHOWED US IN THE SLIDE LIKE WHAT THE ORDER IS, BUT I RECALL FROM EARLIER A A PP DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ORDINANCE PROCESS THAT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, A IPP STAFF HAD A SERIES OF PHASES, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDED ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH.
UM, AND SINCE WE'VE GOT SORT OF WAYLAID BY THE DISCREPANCIES ABOUT THE PERCENT CALCULATION WITH CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THAT, THAT HAS NOW KIND OF FALLEN OFF.
SO IS, IS CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES GONNA LIKE, HOST SOME SORT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION OPPORTUNITY OR, I, I JUST REALLY AT LEAST TO HONOR THE SPIRIT OF WHERE THIS ORDINANCE EVEN CAME FROM.
LIKE WE ONLY HAVE IT BECAUSE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND JUST TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES WITHOUT SORT OF ANY REAL PARTICIPATION FROM THE ARTS COMMUNITY DOESN'T FEEL GREAT.
AND CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES JUST SEEMS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE OVER AN ACME PROGRAM.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION.
UH, I HAVE PRESENTED, UH, UPDATES ON THE RESOLUTION AND, AND DID IDENTIFY A PHASE WHERE, WHERE A IPP WOULD BE, UM, YEAH, DO DOING OUTREACH, SHOWING THE, THE CREATIVE, THE ARTIST COMMUNITY, WHAT THE UPDATES TO THE ORDINANCE, UH, WERE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO THE PROGRAM AND HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, BETTER SERVE AND DO, DO BETTER OUTREACH IDEAS THAT I'VE, I'VE MEN, I BELIEVE I MENTIONED HERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE DOING WORKSHOPS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT ARTISTS UNDERSTAND, UM, YEAH, THE INTENT THERE WAS TO DO THAT AFTER THE ORDINANCE HAD BEEN APPROVED.
UH, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? YEAH.
AND JUST LIKE, WELL, THAT'S PART OF IT, BUT IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE, UM, THE ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN NOT APPROVED BY UNANIMOUSLY BY A A PP AND ARTS COMMISSION ARE GONNA GO IN FRONT AND ARE GONNA GO IN FRONT OF COUNCIL.
AND I GUESS IS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THIS AT THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE, OR I MEAN YEAH.
COMMITTEE, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED, RIGHT? OR LIKE, IT JUST FEELS LIKE MAJOR CHANGES WILL BE HAPPENING, UM, KIND OF AGAINST THE ADVICE PROBABLY OF A IPP PANEL AND ARTS COMMISSION ALSO WITH NO REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON IT.
CURRENTLY THE, THE SCHEDULE THAT I JUST SHOWED IN PREVIOUS SLIDE IS, IS OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND SO THEY ARE EACH OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO, TO JOIN THE MEETING.
SO THAT'S
I GUESS IT'S, IT'S IT'SS MORE AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL SINCE, YEAH, I THINK WE CAN SEE THAT IT WAS MOVING FORWARD TO COUNSEL ON THE AGENDA, EVEN THOUGH THE COMMITTEE'S A IPP AND GUARDS COMMISSION ALREADY WERE LIKE, WAIT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE, I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES AND JUST WONDERING LIKE WHAT THE, WHAT THIS CITY IS DOING OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, BUT IT'S, IT'S STILL MOVING FORWARD.
YEAH, I MEAN, AT THIS TIME, LIKE AS I, THOSE ARE THE ONLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE.
SO CAN WE, UH, LIKE MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION TO MORGAN, LIKE, WHO IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK FOR MORE DAYLIGHT ON THIS? 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S ACME.
I THINK THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE WOULD BE A GREAT TIME FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND SHARE.
UM, WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THEM A LOT OF THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WE'VE ALREADY SHARED
[02:50:01]
HERE OR DIRECTLY IN THE A IPP PANEL MEETINGS, UM, FOR THOSE WHO ATTEND OR VIEW THOSE.WE'VE ALSO SHARED A LOT OF IT ONE-ON-ONE AND DISCUSSED SOME OF THE FEEDBACK.
YOU ALL HAVE FUNNELED UP TO COMMISSION OR LETTERS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED UP, EITHER FROM THIS BODY OR FROM THE PANEL.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SPACE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE THAT'LL GIVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY ON THAT COMMITTEE A CHANCE TO, TO ASK OUR STAFF.
DIRECT QUESTIONS RELATED TO YOUR, YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT THERE.
YOU SHOULD SAY THAT WAS ON YOU SEPTEMBER 18TH, IS THAT RIGHT? SEPTEMBER 18TH AND THAT ONE ONLY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THE LAST ONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN IT COMES BACK TO COMMISSION AFTER THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S LIKE A FRIDAY OR SOMETHING, AND THEN IT COMES TO COMMISSION ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER FOR AN UPDATE.
AND THEN IT WOULD GO, IF IT GOES AS SCHEDULED, WOULD GO TO VOTE BY FULL COUNSEL THAT FOLLOWING WEEK.
OUR COMMISSION IS ON THAT MON THAT FOLLOWING MONDAY AND COUNCIL MEETING IS THAT FOLLOWING THURSDAY.
ANY ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONERS.
[13. Approve a recommendation of the Special Meeting of the Art in Public Places Deaccession Review, Art in Public Places artwork, Crosswalk on the LakeI, by Mery Godigna Collet and Luis R. Guiterrez. ]
ITEM 13, APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, DIA SESSION REVIEW, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, ARTWORK, CROSSWALK ON THE LAKE BY MARY GAGNA, COLETTE, AND LOUIS ART GUTIERREZ.JAIME CASTILLO, MANAGER FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, UH, WENT OVER THE, THE PROCESS OR JUST BEFORE, DURING IN MY STAFF BRIEFING, SO THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT AS WE ARE DISCUSSING THE DEES HERE.
THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, AS I POINTED OUT, THE LAST STEP IN OUR PHASE FIVE IS THE DEACCESSION RELOCATION.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE.
UH, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE ARTWORK IN QUESTION CROSSWALK ON THE LAKE BY ARTIST MARY GODINA COLLETTE, AND, UH, LUIS GUTIERREZ.
UH, IT IS LOCATED AT 37 10 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD.
UH, IT WAS, UH, ASSESSED INTO OUR COLLECTION IN 2016.
SO, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS AGO, UH, SUMMARY OF WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
SO IN 2016, THIS ARTWORK WAS DONATED, UM, TO THE ARTS COLLECTION, THE PUBLIC ART COLLECTION, UH, AS IT WAS A PART OF A, A, A PILOT, UH, TO, TO TEST THE, YOU KNOW, A, UM, STREET MURALS OR STREET MARKINGS, UH, ON THE STREET AND SEE THE, THE, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR HAVING MURALS, UH, ON THE STREET.
AND WHEN THAT PILOT WAS SUCCESSFUL, UM, THAT ORGANIZATION LOOKED TO DONATE TO OUR COLLECTION, TO THE CITY'S COLLECTION.
LAST FALL IN OCTOBER, UH, TXDOT ISSUED A DIRECTIVE TO ALL CITIES IN THE STATE TO REMOVE ANY STREET-BASED ARTWORK, UM, SO THAT THE ROADWAYS, UH, ARE COMPLIANT WITH, UM, THE TEXAS UNIVERSAL DESIGN.
I, I FORGETTING THE, THE ACRONYM THERE.
BUT, UM, THERE ARE CODE CRITERIA THAT THE STATE HAS AND THAT THE, UH, THAT THE US HAS.
UM, SO THEY WANTED, UH, EVERY CITY TO, TO ADHERE TO THOSE.
AND, UH, STREET PAINTINGS OR STREET MURALS DO NOT ADHERE TO THOSE, UH, GUIDELINES.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS INCLUDED THIS ARTWORK THAT IS IN OUR COLLECTION.
AND SO WE KEPT AN EYE ON THE CONVERSATIONS, UH, IN NOV AT THE END OF OCTOBER, ACTUALLY, UH, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORK SUBMITTED AN EXEMPTION REQUEST TO TXDOT ON ALL OF THE ABOUT DOZEN OR SO, UH, STREET MU STREET MURALS THAT WE HAD AROUND THE CITY.
UH, THE MAYOR FORMED A TASK FORCE THAT MET, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND, AND INTO THE, THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, UH, THEY HAD, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW TO CELEBRATE TWO MURALS.
IN, IN, UH, SPECIFICALLY THAT WOULD BE THE BLACK ARTIST MATTER ON EAST 11TH, UH, OR FORMERLY ON EAST 11TH AND THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK, FORMERLY AT FOURTH IN COLORADO.
UM, AND THEY HAD THOSE CELEBRATIONS ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UH, AND IN MAY, 2026, TXDOT FINALLY MADE OFFICIAL DENIAL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EXEMPTION REQUEST.
AND WITH THAT INFORMATION WE SET TO, UH, START THE PROCESS OF DESING THIS ARTWORK FROM OUR COLLECTION, OR REMOVING IT FROM OUR ART COLLECTION PRESENTED TO YOU.
LAST AT YOUR MEETING LAST MONTH.
UH, THIS PLAN TO FORMALLY DES THE ARTWORK AND, AND REQUESTED THAT YOU FORM A DEACCESSION JURY, AND YOU FORM THE DEACCESSION JURY MADE UP OF QUORUM OF THE A IPP PANEL.
SO AT THEIR JULY MEETING, UH, WE CALLED A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR THE A
[02:55:01]
IPB PANELS SO THAT THE DEES JURY COULD MEET, REVIEW THE INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT, ON THE ARTWORK, AND, UH, CONSIDER THE DSES REQUEST WITH THE PLAN THAT WE WOULD COME TONIGHT WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR Y'ALL SO THAT Y'ALL CAN, UH, CONSIDER THAT RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE YOUR OWN RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.AND WE EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD PRESENT THE DSES RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL AT THEIR AUGUST, UH, 27TH MEETING, WHICH IS THE FIRST MEETING.
AFTER THEY ARE FINISHED AF AFTER BUDGET CONVERSATIONS HAVE CONCLUDED, AND ASSUMING, UH, APPROVAL OF DSES, THE, OUR WORK WOULD BE, WOULD BE REMOVED BY THE TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, UH, CREWS AS THEY HAVE ALREADY REMOVED ALL OF THE OTHER, UH, STREET MARK MURALS THAT, THAT WERE, THAT REQUESTED THE EXEMPTION.
UH, AT THE JULY 13TH SPECIAL CALLS MEETING OF THE A IPB PANEL, THE PANEL TOOK UP THIS ITEM, UH, HAD CONVERSATIONS AND ULTIMATELY VOTED NOT TO DSS OR NOT TO REMOVE THE ARTWORK FROM OUR COLLECTION.
THEY DID PROVIDE A LETTER OF RATIONALE IN THE BACKUP.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PANEL WAS NOT TO DS.
DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY MORE ABOUT THAT TEAM? YEAH, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL IS DO WE HAVE AN ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION? YEAH.
OR IS IT JUST YES, IT'S, IT'S IN THE BACKUP.
SO I COULD ALSO JUST SUMMARIZE.
DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE CHAIR? UH, YES.
ISN'T IT A FOLDER? I DON'T HAVE MY BACKUP OPEN RIGHT NOW.
I JUST HAVE THE STATEMENT OR THE, UM, ITEM OPEN.
SO I CAN'T SAY WHICH WHERE IT IS IN BACKUP, BUT IT IS THERE.
SO THE BIG TAKEAWAY IS THAT THIS IS GONNA GET REMOVED NO MATTER WHAT.
AND JAIME, IT COULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED WITHOUT OUR INVOLVEMENT AT ALL.
AND JAIME, UM, RIGHTLY ADVOCATED FOR IT TO GO THROUGH A DESES PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE A A PP COLLECTION.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, A IPP IS FOLLOWING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP, BEST PRACTICE FOR PUBLIC ART, UM, THE COMMITTEE, AND WE HAD, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT LAST MONTH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE HERE, THAT WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND THE BROADER CONTEXT.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW FROM RESEARCH THAT STREET MURALS HELP CALM TRAFFIC AND LEAD TO SAFER INTERSECTIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS, ET CETERA, THE STATE SAYS THAT THESE NEED TO BE REMOVED.
UM, AND MANY OF, MANY MUCH REPORTING SUGGEST THAT THAT'S POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BECAUSE THEY WANT TO REMOVE RAINBOW CROSSWALKS AND THE BLACK ARTISTS MATTER CROSSWALK AND OTHER SUCH THINGS, AND THEY HAVE THREATENED TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TO THE CITY IF THE CITY DOESN'T COMPLY.
SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY'S UNDER SIGNIFICANT DURESS, UM, AND THAT THE MURALS ARE GONNA GO NO MATTER WHAT.
BUT IN OUR DISCUSSION, THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT WHAT, WHAT WE PERCEIVE TO BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED PRESSURE FROM THE STATE DOES NOT MEET A'S CRITERIA SURROUNDING DEACCESSION.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF ARTISTIC MERIT CONDITION OR PUBLIC VALUE OF THE ARTWORK.
AND WE FELT THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE A A PP PANEL'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS WOULD BE JEOPARDIZED BY SUPPORTING A DSES WHEN THE WORK ITSELF DOESN'T MEET OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRITERIA.
AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT THIS IS SIMILAR IN SOME WAYS TO THE DEACCESSION WE FACED AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER WHEN IT WAS GOING TO BE TORN DOWN.
BUT I THINK THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY, AND ULTIMATELY, UH, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO REMOVE AND PRESERVE THE WORKS.
BUT THE DEACCESSION NEEDED TO HAPPEN FIRST, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE HERE.
WE CAN'T MOVE THE STREET MURAL.
UM, SO WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY'S IN A DIFFICULT SPOT HERE, AND WE KNOW WE'RE MAKING JAIME'S LIFE MORE DIFFICULT BY NOT APPROVING THE D SESSION, WE AS THE A A PP PANEL AND POTENTIALLY THE ARTS COMMISSION, UH, WITH THIS VOTE, DO NOT WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT OF REMOVING PUBLIC ARTWORK DUE TO EXTERNAL POLITICAL PRESSURE RATHER THAN AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ARTWORK ITSELF.
ANDERSON, UH, I JUST WONDER WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT COULD BE.
HAS ANYONE, UH, DONE THE THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, JAIME WILL HAVE TO ANSWER THE INTERNAL CONSEQUENCES TO THE EXTENT THAT HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
[03:00:01]
ARE CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE THE WORK'S GONNA BE REMOVED.LIKE OUR, OUR STANDING UP AND SAYING, THIS IS NOT ME A'S, AND ARTS COMMISSIONS D SESSION STUFF IS NOT GONNA PREVENT THE WORK FROM BEING, UM, REMOVED.
SO JAIME, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENT ON IF WE UPHOLD THE FACT THAT THE D SESSION GUIDELINES ARE NOT ENCOMPASSED BY THIS REQUEST? WHAT, I MEAN, WE KNOW IT'S GONNA COME UP, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF WE SAY THIS IS NOT INSIDE THE GUIDELINES IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, YOUR RECOMMENDATION WILL BE FORWARDED TO CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, WILL BE PART OF THEIR BACKUP AS THEY TAKE UP THE ITEM AT THEIR MEETING AND THEY WILL, UH, DISCUSS IT JUST AS Y'ALL ARE DISCUSSING IT, AND THEY WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER TO DES THE ARTWORK FROM OUR COLLECTION OR NOT.
UM, I THINK THIS RAISES A GOOD QUESTION.
IF, IF THERE WAS NOT, UH, LANGUAGE IN OUR PO DEES POLICY CURRENTLY THAT WOULD ADDRESS THIS SCENARIO, UH, POTENTIALLY WE WOULD BE ASKED TO TAKE A, ANOTHER LOOK AT THE DEES POLICY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COVERING ALL POSSIBLE SCENARIOS THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO ADEQUATELY REMOVE AN ARTWORK FROM OUR COLLECTION.
COULD COUNCIL DIRECT THE REMOVAL OF THE ARTWORK WITHOUT OUR RECOMMENDATION? I MEAN, I THINK COUNCIL CAN DO WHATEVER COUNCIL WANTS
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CITY ASSET, SO IT IS OWNED BY THE CITY AND WE AS A CITY CAN DO WHAT WE WISH WITH IT.
SO POTENTIALLY, YEAH, COUNCIL CAN JUST DECIDE TO REMOVE THE ARTWORK, UH, AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE RS COMMISSION AND THE PANEL.
UM, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE KEY DIFFERENCE, AND I KNOW THIS IS MOSTLY SEMANTICS, BUT BY REMOVING THE ARTWORK FROM OUR PUBLIC ART COLLECTION, FIRST WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SAYING THAT IT IS NO LONGER OURS.
UM, BY NOT DESING IT, THEN THERE IS A, A PERCEPTION THAT WE ARE IN FACT DESTROYING ARTWORK BECAUSE WE DID NOT, BECAUSE IT IS STILL IN OUR COLLECTION.
AND, BUT IS IT TO SAY THAT WE'RE DESTROYING ARTWORK BECAUSE OF OUTSIDE PRESSURE? NOT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO DESTROY ARTWORK.
BECAUSE EITHER WAY, WORDS BEING WORDS, THE ARTWORK'S GOING TO BE DESTROYED.
BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US SAYING, AS AN ARTS COMMISSION, WE APPROVE OF THIS DESTRUCTION AND SAYING, WE REALLY DON'T APPROVE OF THIS DESTRUCTION.
WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, BUT WE DON'T APPROVE OF THE DESTRUCTION AND TECHNICALLY WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE DESTRUCTION.
JAIME MADE THAT CLEAR TO US AT A A PP.
'CAUSE GINA, WE, I MEAN CHAIR, WE SAID THE EXACTS ALMOST VERBATIM THE SAME THING.
UM, AS JAIME JUST SAID, WE'RE VOTING TO REMOVE IT FROM THE COLLECTION BEFORE IT INEVITABLY GETS DESTROYED.
SO REALLY IS JUST A, THE, THE WAY THE A A PP PANEL CAME DOWN WAS WHAT I JUST SAID, AND, UH, I THINK IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE TO GO EITHER WAY.
I THINK WHAT A A PP IS PRESENTING MAKES SENSE AND IT'S JUST A, NO, IT'S A SUCKY SITUATION THAT'S BASED ON EXTERNAL PRESSURE.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE EXPECTS, UH, SOMEONE TO CHAIN THEMSELVES TO THE MURAL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA CUT TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FOR AUSTIN.
BUT IT IS, IT DID FEEL SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT I THINK ON THE A IPP PANEL, THAT WE PUT UP SOME ROADBLOCKS IN WHATEVER CAPACITY WE HAVE, WHICH ISN'T MUCH TO SAY, LIKE, THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T OKAY, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN ANYWAY.
AND, AND I THINK, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S SOME POWER IN SAYING, THIS IS OUR ARTWORK AND YOU'RE MAKING US DESTROY IT.
NOT WE'RE, WE'RE RELINQUISHING OUR ART SO THAT IT CAN BE DESTROYED.
WE'RE SAYING, THIS IS OURS, AND IF YOU SAY WE HAVE TO DESTROY IT, WE'LL DO IT BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING US, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA JUST GIVE IT UP AND SAY, THIS IS NOT WORTHY OF EXISTING BECAUSE OF OUTSIDE INFLUENCE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON MORGAN, WERE YOU GOING TO A ANSWER ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES?
[03:05:01]
AS A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION FOR THEM TO CONSIDER AS A COUNCIL ON THE DEACCESSION.UM, AND TO YOUR POINT, UH, THERE IS QUITE SOME POLITICAL PRESSURE TO MOVE IT FORWARD, BUT REGARDLESS, IT WILL COME TO THEM AND THEY WILL DECIDE WHAT TO BE DONE.
BUT, UH, ANY OUTCOMES FROM THIS MEETING WILL BE ATTACHED AS BACK UP TO THAT ITEM WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IF YOU SUBMIT YOUR LETTER TO COUNCIL, YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, THAT'LL GET PASSED UP AHEAD OF THE MEETING AS WELL SO THAT THEY CAN REVIEW IT.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, UH, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A, A MIDDLE ROAD WHERE OUR OPINIONS CAN BE EXPRESSED, BUT WE CAN ALSO NOT PUT UP A ROADBLOCK ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ORDINANCE TIMING.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR US TO BE DRAWING ATTENTION TO BOTH A IPP AND THE ARTS COMMISSION AS PEOPLE WHO WANNA GRANDSTAND AND CAUSE TROUBLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE CREATING A, UM, AND I DON'T MEAN IT NECESSARILY PR, BUT I DO MEAN COUNCIL RELATIONSHIPS IF WE NEED TO PLAY NICE IN ORDER.
TO ME, I'M JUST, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AND MAYBE, UM, MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE PATH FORWARD.
MAYBE THE PATH FORWARD IS A STRONGER PATH THAN THAT, BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY TIMING WISE, IT FEELS A LITTLE, IF IT'S NOT, IF WE CAN'T FIX IT ANYWAY, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A POINT IN CAUSING A FIGHT.
COMMISSIONER MBO TWO, TWO TO THREE THINGS.
ONE IS A QUESTION TO JAIME IS DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THE ARTIST, DOES THE ARTIST WANT IT TO BE DE ASSESSED? GENERALLY SPEAKING, I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF ANY ARTIST WOULD WANT THEIR ARTWORK TO BE REMOVED FROM AN A PUBLIC ART COLLECTION.
WHEN, WHEN THEY WERE, THEY WERE FIRST NOTIFIED OF THE POTENTIAL OF THIS LAST OCTOBER, THEY DID EXPRESS THE WISH THAT WE FIND A WAY TO KEEP IT, BUT OKAY.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT, AND JUST TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT TO, AGAIN, TOTALLY UNDERSTAND VALID POINTS ON ALL SIDES, I WOULD NOT CHARACTERIZE THIS AS GRANDSTANDING AS MUCH AS FOLLOWING WHAT THE A A PP PANEL AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND DELIBERATION DECIDED WAS NOT A PRECEDENT THAT WE WANTED TO SET WITH RESPECT TO COMPARING THE DEMAND BEING MADE OR THE ASK BEING MADE TO DEES WITH WHAT OUR CURRENT CRITERIA IS.
AND SOMEONE COULD INTERPRET THAT AS A FIGHT, I GUESS, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE POINT HERE.
AGAIN, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S GONNA CHAIN THEMSELVES TO THE MURAL AND SAY, DON'T, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS A BIGGER DEAL THAN IT, THAN IT ALREADY IS.
BUT WE DECIDED AND COMMISSION CAN GO ALONG WITH IT OR NOT, THAT IT WAS WORTH TAKING THE VERY SMALL BIT OF, UH, OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO SAY LIKE, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT WHAT OUR POLICIES SAY.
WE DON'T AGREE WITH DEES ART FROM A PUBLIC COLLECTION DUE TO POLITICAL PRESSURE.
THAT WAS THE DECISION WE MADE AT A A PP.
WE CAN DECIDE DIFFERENTLY HERE.
I KNOW HOW I'M VOTING, BUT I THINK I WOULDN'T CHARACTERIZE IT AS GRANDSTANDING OR TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT.
IT'S RATHER STANDING BEHIND THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'VE SET.
I'M ALL FOR ENFORCING GUIDELINES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER SKODA, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH THE SIDEWALK OR WITH THE CROSSWALKS, WE, IT WAS KIND OF PAINTED OVERNIGHT WITHIN WEEKS TIME.
HOW LONG IS THIS PROCESS? LIKE, ARE WE LOOKING AT OVERNIGHT AGAIN, OR ARE WE LOOKING AT AT LEAST SEVERAL MONTHS IN THE MAKING? 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MASSIVE MURALS TOO.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL OF THE OTHER, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT 14 OTHER MURAL, 14 MURALS, A TOTAL, ALL OF THE OTHER 13 ARE GONE.
IT'S ONLY THIS ONE THAT STILL EXISTS BECAUSE IT IS IN OUR ART COLLECTION.
AND I INSISTED, OR WE INSISTED THAT IT GO THROUGH THE D SESSION PROCESS.
AND THE EXPECTATION IS THAT ONCE COUNCIL APPROVE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO DESS IT, THAT TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS WILL GO OVER AND, AND PAINT OVER THE, THE, THE MURAL.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY IS LIKE, 'CAUSE BECAUSE THIS CAME UP ON IAPP TWO IS LIKE, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE, IS THAT RIGHT? JAIME IN QUESTION OF THE STREET MURALS, THAT IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE A A PP COLLECTION, WHICH IS WHY IT'S THE SUBJECT OF A DEACCESSION JURY, UNLIKE
[03:10:01]
BLACK ARTISTS MATTER OR THE VARIOUS RAINBOW CROSSWALKS THAT HAVE BEEN PAINTED OVER, IS THERE WASN'T THIS LAYER OF, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PUBLIC ART THAT'S IN, THAT'S LIKE LITERALLY IN THE PUBLIC COLLECTION.JUST, THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN NEEDED.
BUT THAT WAS A CONFUSION ON PANEL.
THIS IS THE ONLY STREET MURAL THAT WAS IN, THAT IS IN OUR COLLECTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL THAT SAYS THE REASON FOR D SESSION DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE A IPP GUIDELINES, AND THEREFORE WE DO NOT RECOMMEND DEES.
HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT POLITICAL PRESSURE MAY CAUSES THE NEED FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE ARTWORK.
ANY DISCUSSION IF I, BEFORE YOU TAKE THE VOTE? UM, MAY I, UH, SUGGEST THAT YOU CALL OUT THE DEES POLICY RATHER THAN THE A IPP GUIDELINES? 'CAUSE IT IS THE DEES POLICY.
AND OF COURSE, I CAN'T SPELL THAT WORD THERE IT IS.
IT'S A TERRIBLE WORD TO SPELL
I BRING IT 7,000 TIMES, TWO LETTERS OF EVERYTHING IN THERE.
SO, UM, AMENDMENT TO THE, TO THE MOTION.
THE MOTION WOULD READ THAT THE D SESSION OF CROSSWALK ON THE LAKE DOES NOT FOLLOW THE A-I-P-P-D SESSION POLICY.
SO WE DO NOT RECOMMEND DIA SESSION.
HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE ARTWORK HAS TO BE DESTROYED BASED ON POLITICAL PRESSURE.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
ANY DISCUSSION? ARE WE READY FOR THE GO AHEAD.
I JUST HAVE A, I TOTALLY SUPPORT, JUST WANNA CLARIFY WITH STAFF THAT THAT'S SUFFICIENT FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND WE WOULD INCLUDE, GINA IS YOUR CHAIR, IS YOUR SUGGESTION TOO THAT WE WE INCLUDE THE RATIONALE FROM THE A A PP PANEL? YES.
THAT'S JUST THE CLARIFICATION.
YOU, ARE YOU UNHAPPY ABOUT THIS OR ARE YOU OKAY WITH IT? UM, YES.
YOU, YOU ARE A ADVISORY BO BODY THAT CAN MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU, YOU SO WISH, BUT WHAT WOULD YOUR PREFERENCE BE? UH, AS COMMISSIONER MACH MENTIONED EARLIER, IT MAKES MY JOB A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S MY JOB.
WE'RE SORRY JAIME, YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, DID YOU WANNA BE ON THE DOCKS TO VOTE? I SEE NONE OPPOSING ALL THOSE PRESENT HAVE VOTED.
AYE WE WILL SEND A RECOMMENDATION, UH, MIRRORING, UH, UH, REFERENCING THE A IPP PANEL RECOMMENDATION AND STATING THAT WE AS THE ARTS COMMISSION DO NOT RECOMMEND DEES OF THE ARTWORK.
HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PIECE MUST BE DESTROYED DUE TO POLITICAL PRESSURE.
[10. Staff briefing regarding an update on ACME Museums and Cultural Facilities by Guiniviere Webb, Culture & Arts Program Manager, Dougherty Arts Center and Zilker Hillside Theater. ]
10.WE'RE IN THE HOME STRETCH GUYS.
STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ACNE MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES BY G GUINEVERE WEB.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING THIS IN AUGUST.
I DON'T SEE A LITTLE CAMERA ICON SO YOU CAN'T SEE ME.
[03:15:01]
YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, UM, LETTING ME PRESENT TONIGHT AND FOR STICKING WITH MEUM, I'M THE MANAGER OF THE DOHERTY ART CENTER.
I'VE BEEN WITH CITI FOR 17 YEARS AND I'VE BEEN THE MANAGER HERE FOR 10 YEARS.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GIVING YOU A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE JACK NEXT SLIDE.
SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR MISSION AS IT'S GONE THROUGH SOME ITERATION SINCE THE LAST TIME I, UM, PRESENTED AT THE ARTS COMMISSION, WHICH WAS SOME TIME AGO.
UM, SO OUR MISSION IS VERY MUCH GEARED TOWARDS THE IDEA THAT OUR IS FOR EVERYONE.
NOT THAT WE EVER HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT THAT, BUT REALLY LEANING INTO THIS IDEA OF PROVIDING SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMERGING THROUGH ESTABLISHED ARTISTS.
WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE COME BACK TO THE DAC THAT INITIALLY STARTED THEIR CAREER HERE.
SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHANGES OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING A MOVEMENT TOWARDS A MORE UNIFIED ARTS CENTER FOR AUSTIN.
WELL USED TO BE KIND OF A SILOED SITUATION.
PEOPLE WILL COME FOR A THEATER PERFORMANCE OR PEOPLE WOULD MAYBE SEE A SHOW AT THE GALLERY OR MAYBE THEIR KIDS WENT TO SUMMER CAMP NOW HAS BECOME A PRETTY ROBUST AND CHAOTIC EXPLOSION OF ART.
UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE ARTS.
UM, AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO SUPPORT AUSTIN ARTS, UM, AT OUR FACILITY.
I SHOULD MENTION THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE DAC IN A WHILE, WE, OR EVER, BUT I'M HOPING THAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN HERE.
WE ACTUALLY OCCUPY A NAVAL RESERVE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1947, UM, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY GIFTED TO THE CITY BY THE DOUGHERTY FAMILY AS A TEMPORARY, A TEMPORARY HOME FOR THE ARTS IN 1978.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE DAK REALLY UNIQUE IS WE ARE ACTUALLY ONE OF AUSTIN'S OLDEST COMMUNITY ART CENTERS, AND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR STAFF ARE ARTISTS OR PERFORMERS OF SOME KIND.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL TO US.
UM, IN TERMS OF BEING A COMMUNITY ART CENTER, UM, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE RUN TWO THEATERS.
SO WE HAVE THE THEATER HERE, WE HAVE THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER, THE BEVERLY S SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER.
UM, WE HAVE GALLERY SPACES, WE HAVE FREE COMMUNITY SPACES FOR AUDITIONS AND REHEARSALS AND BUSINESS MEETINGS.
WE HAVE EVENTS AND WE HAVE GREAT STUDIO CLASSES FOR YOUTH AND FOR ADULTS.
BEING A STAFF COMPRISED OF A HUNDRED PERCENT ARTISTS, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, IT JUST HAPPENS THAT WAY.
UM, MAKES US HAVE A REALLY POWERFUL BLEND OF BEING BOTH GREAT LISTENERS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WE HAVE KIND OF MAD SKILLS AT WHAT ARTISTS AND ENTHUSIASTS WANT AND WHAT THEY NEED.
SO, GREAT LISTENING PLUS, YEAH, WE GET IT 'CAUSE WE'RE ARTISTS TOO.
SO I FEEL LIKE NUMBERS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? AND WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, IT'S THE NUMBERS THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE SNAPSHOT.
SO THIS IS SINCE OCTOBER 1ST, RUNNING THROUGH JULY 1ST OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
SO, SO FAR CLOSE TO 7,500 PEOPLE CAME HERE TO SEE A PERFORMANCE.
WE HAD 20,000 PEOPLE COME TO OUR GALLERY FOR ARTIST RECEPTIONS TO SEE THE ARTWORK, TO SEE ARTIST DEMOS, AND SO FAR WE'VE HAD CLOSE TO 55,000 PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN SOME KIND OF ACTIVITY HERE.
THAT NUMBER'S PROBABLY GONNA LOOK MORE LIKE IN THE SIXTIES, MID SIXTIES BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT'S A GREAT NUMBER FOR US.
UM, HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL NOTEWORTHY STATS.
UM, SO, SO FAR THIS YEAR WE'VE SERVED OVER 1500 YOUTH ARTISTS.
SO THESE ARE OUR YOUNG ARTISTS, 1700 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING.
UM, WE HAD ALMOST 2000 PEOPLE COME TO OUR SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ARE FREE.
WE'VE HAD 500 SPA CREATIVE SPACES THAT WERE USED THAT WERE ALSO FREE, BUT SUPPORTED THE ARTS AND 5,000, ALMOST 800 ADULT STUDIO USES.
THAT'S A LOT OF ART THAT'S HAPPENING.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME GENERAL NUMBERS, SO THAT IN CASE THAT YOU ARE NOT IN THE KNOW, OUR BUDGET FOR THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS ABOUT 1.5.
UM, WE WILL HAVE PRODUCED 281,000, UM, $281,000 IN REVENUE.
THIS BUILDING IS 28,000 SQUARE FEET, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BECOME RELEVANT LATER.
WE HAVE EIGHT AND A HALF FULL-TIME STAFF HERE AT
[03:20:01]
THE DAC, ONE FOR THE ZILKER HILLSIDE.AND WE'RE THESE TWO SITES, THE DOUGHERTY ART CENTER AND BEVERLY SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER.
SO WE'VE STARTED REALLY BRANDING HARD ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO ABOUT THE FOUR SEPARATE AREAS OF THE DECK.
SO WE HAVE OUR GALLERY, THE JULIUS C, BUT RIDGE GALLERY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THREE DIFFERENT SPACES AT THE DECK.
WE HAVE OUR THEATER, WHICH IS ALSO COMPRISED OF OUR EVENTS.
SO WE HAVE FREQUENT EVENTS, UM, OUR ADULT AND YOUTH STUDIO CLASSES ALL TAKING PLACE IN A STUDIO ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE HAVE OUR ARTIST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES, WHICH HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR AND RELEVANT.
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE PROGRAMS FOR EVERYBODY.
WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DO THAT STARTING FROM EARLY AGE.
SO AGE THREE, WE HAVE OUR ART AND CAHOOTS PROGRAM ALL THE WAY THROUGH OUR SENIORS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE OR YOUR INTEREST IS, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM THAT IS VERY SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARDS ARTS IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE OUR AFTERSCHOOL, WE HAVE SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS, UM, WE HAVE OUR WORKS IN PROGRESS TEEN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THAT'S FAIRLY NEW.
WE'VE HAD FOUR CO FOUR, EXCUSE ME, FOUR COHORTS GRADUATE.
THIS IS A PAID TEEN INTERNSHIP.
UM, WE GO TO ALL THE SENIOR CENTERS AND ALL THE RECREATION CENTERS WITH OUR OUTREACH.
WE JUST INTRODUCED LAST YEAR AN ADAPTIVE CERAMICS PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR AT MACBETH RECREATION CENTER.
SO THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT WE DO DO ALL THE, THE ADULT STUDIO CLASSES.
WE RECENTLY ADDED TEXTILES, INCLUDING A DYE GARDEN.
SO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER BASE THAT COMES AND GROWS A GARDEN AND ACTUALLY USES THE, THE STUFF IN THE GARDEN TO DYE THE TEXTILES, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY EXCITING.
WE'VE GOT OUR EXHIBITS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY DAC NIGHTS, WHICH ARE ALWAYS FREE AND HAVE A DIFFERENT THEME IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE'RE DOING THE ART OF DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.
SO THAT ALREADY HAPPENED THIS YEAR.
IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED THIS YEAR.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING PRETTY HARD ON OUR MARKETING STRATEGY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT WE ARE OUT THERE SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND WITH OUTSIDE COLLABORATORS, EXCUSE ME, ORGANIZATIONS TO ATTRACT NEW AUDIENCES, BUT ALSO RETAIN THOSE AUDIENCES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY DEDICATED TO COMING BACK, BUT WE WANNA BE SURE THAT WE'RE OPEN AND THAT WE, PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, THIS IS A PLACE FOR YOU IF EVEN IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, PEOPLE JUST COME HERE AND SAY, OH, I NEVER KNEW THAT YOU WERE HERE.
AND EVERY TIME I'M LIKE, UH, OKAY, I'LL KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
MEANWHILE, OTHER PEOPLE, ONCE THEY DISCOVER IT, KEEP COMING BACK.
UM, SO ULTIMATELY, YES, LIKE THIS SLIDE SAYS, WE THINK CREATIVITY BELONGS TO EVERYBODY.
SO IN THE CREATIVE RESET AND THROUGH A DAK VISIONING PROCESS, WE REALLY LOOKED AT WHAT ARE OUR GOALS, RIGHT? WHAT DO WE WANNA DO IN ONE TO THREE YEARS, IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS? SO OVERALL, AND THIS IS STAFF AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN, WE WANT A STRONGER AND HAPPIER ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WANNA REACH MORE ART, DESERT ARTS DESERTS.
AND THAT'S A TERM THAT, UM, FOLKS HAVE BEEN USING, MYSELF INCLUDED, TO TALK ABOUT PLACES IN AUSTIN THAT DON'T ALREADY HAVE SOME ABILITY TO ACCESS THE ARTS AND OR FOR SOME REASON DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GET TO WHEREVER ARTS ACTIVITIES ARE HAPPENING AND CREATE MORE JOBS.
I'M A HUGE BELIEVER THAT A BIG PART OF MY JOB IS TO PAY ARTISTS AND I DELIGHT IN THAT.
UM, SO WE WANNA INCREASE OUR OFFERINGS FOR UNDERSERVED OFFICE ARTISTS AND HAVE MORE COLLABORATIONS.
AND IN THREE YEARS, THREE YEARS, WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW WE'RE THE THIRD SPACE FOR ARTISTS, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOUR STUDIO, YOU HAVE YOUR PLACE THAT YOU MAKE OUR, AND THEN THE D IS HERE FOR YOU.
UM, WE REALLY ARE WORKING ON HAVING ARTS VISIBILITY BEYOND AUSTIN AND ADDRESSING THIS IDEA OF THE ARTIST'S LIFECYCLE BECAUSE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF STAFF ARE ARTS AND PERFORMERS.
ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE VERY OFTEN IS, HEY, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO BE A PLACE TO SHOWCASE THE ARTS.
WE WANT RESOURCES ABOUT HOW ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF BEING AN ARTIST, RIGHT? LIKE, HOW
[03:25:01]
DO I PAY MY TAXES? HOW DO I FIND A PLACE TO, TO LIVE? WHERE DO, WHERE DO I WORK? HOW DO I BUY, YOU KNOW, GROCERIES? WHAT WHAT AM I DOING TO FOR MY OWN CREATIVE PROCESS OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, THE ART MAKING? AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN BUILDING AT THE DECK.AND OF COURSE WE COULD REALLY USE A NEW BUILDING.
SO THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE THAT I HAVE FOR YOU.
THIS IS A WORD CLOUD THAT, UH, WAS MADE USING A RECENT, UM, COMMUNITY PROCESS AND ALSO A PROCESS WITH STAFF WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE CREATIVE RESET, UM, ABOUT SPECIFICALLY D IDENTITY.
SO I KINDA LIKE DUMPED ALL THE WORDS INTO ONE OF THESE WORD CLOUD THINGS AND THIS IS WHAT CAME OUT AND I, AND I LIKED IT.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE IT BECAUSE I LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE'RE ABOUT AUSTIN AND THE ARTS, THAT IT'S THE DOHERTY, RIGHT? AND WHO WE SERVE ARE ALL THE OTHER WORDS THAT ARE SURROUNDING IT.
UM, I JUST REALLY THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE OR I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW.
WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, THERE WAS A PLAN TO MOVE THE DECK.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT
YES, THERE WAS A VERY EXTENSIVE PLAN.
UM, I DON'T FEEL THAT I CAN COMPLETELY ADDRESS IT OTHER THAN TO SAY I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE NOW THAT THAT IS NOT OCCURRING.
STAFF DO WE, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THE MONEY THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR DAK IS, AND SINCE DAK ISN'T USING IT, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT MONEY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BOND FUNDS? THE BOND FUND.
THE BOND WE WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
YES, I WOULD IN REGARDS TO THAT QUESTION, YES.
YES, I UNDER, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
I I REMEMBER A BOND PASSING AND I REMEMBER US HAVING A PLAN AND THEN THE PLAGUE HAPPENED AND SO NOW, BUT THE BOND PASSED SO THERE SHOULD BE MONEY SOMEWHERE.
PROBABLY ISN'T ENOUGH ANYMORE, BUT THERE SHOULD BE MONEY SOMEWHERE.
SO IF WE COULD GET A FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
I'M HEARING THAT MARJORIE IS ONLINE AND SO IF MARJORIE COULD BE MOVED BACK, SHE MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A RESPONSE FOR US.
YES, THE PROJECT IS ON PAUSE, BUT THERE IS A LITTLE OVER 22 MILLION LEFT, UH, ALLOCATED FOR DECK FOR A BUILDING.
UM, IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF ACTIVE PROCESS, UH, THAT'S ATTEMPTING TO REPURPOSE THAT FUNDING AFTER THE FAILED PROPOSAL, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO, I HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT THAT.
MORGAN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT AND UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO ACTIVATE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT MONEY, BUT DO YOU MEAN REPURPOSE AS IN, I MEAN THE MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE D SO IT CAN'T BE USED ANYWHERE ELSE OTHER THAN FOR THE D CORRECT.
BUT IT COULD BE USED TO MOVE THE D SOMEWHERE ELSE, CORRECT? SURE, YES.
YOU SHOULD TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT THAT.
OH, WHO SUE'S GOT THE HAND UP? COMMISSIONER KEITH, COMMISSIONER KEITH
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. WEBB.
I HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE MEETING YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I DO THINK IT LIKE IT WAS VERY CLEAR CUT ON HOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THIS CULTURAL FACILITY AND HOW YOU PLAN TO SCALE IT AND JUST YOUR GOALS AND EVERYTHING.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS POINTED BACK AT THE CITY STAFF AND IF WE ALREADY HAVE BOND FUNDING FOR THIS CULTURAL FACILITY, DO WE HAVE A LIST OF ANY OF THE BOND FUNDING AND THE EXACT ALLOCATION TO ALL OF THE CULTURAL FACILITIES? AND IS ANY OF THAT GOING TO BE CHANGED OR ALTERED OR IMPACTED BY THE CREATIVE RESET AND THE FEEDBACK THAT CAME FROM THE QUESTIONS ABOUT FUNDING AND SUPPORTING CULTURAL FACILITIES AS A WHOLE IN THE CITY?
[03:30:03]
I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.I MEAN, BOND FUNDS ARE VERY STRICT HOW THEY CAN BE USED.
SO THERE, THERE'S NOT A WAY TO USE BOND FUNDS FOR ANY SORT OF OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO ANY SORT OF FACILITIES.
SO IN THAT WAY, NOTHING THAT CAME FROM THE CREATIVE RESET WE CAN USE BOND FUNDS FOR.
BUT WHAT I MEANT AS FAR AS WHAT IS THE ACTUAL, LIKE EXACT ALLOCATION NOW, IF WE KNOW 22 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THE DOHERTY, IS THERE ANY OTHER, DO WE HAVE THE EXACT AMOUNTS FROM BOND FUNDING THAT IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO CULTURAL FACILITIES? AND ARE THOSE FACILITIES NAMED? SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT ALREADY, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, IF WE HAVE FUNDING FOR THE DOHERTY THAT IS 22 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THEM, THAT IS EARMARKED FOR THEM THAT WE STILL YET DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER EARMARKED FUNDS FOR PARTICULAR SPECIFIC CULTURAL FACILITIES AND WHAT IS THE EARMARKED FUNDS FOR EACH OF THOSE CULTURAL FACILITIES? NO, THERE ARE NO OTHER OUTSTANDING PROJECTS FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SPENT IN THAT SAME WAY.
SO I GUESS THEN WHY IS THERE ONLY FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR THE D AND MAYBE I DON'T UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M LIKE, IS THAT THE ONLY OUTSTANDING FUND FOR A CULTURAL FACILITY THAT'S BOND FUNDING? RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILLION THAT'S ALLOCATED FOR THE CARVER FOR THE DESIGN FOR 75% OF THE DESIGN OF THE EXPANSION OF THE CARVER.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, AN OUTSTANDING BOND FUND THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT ON A CULTURAL FACILITY.
THERE'S, THERE WAS SEVEN MIL MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, OF WHICH THERE'S 4 MILLION UNENCUMBERED FOR THE PAVILION, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF THE PAVILION.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS AS FAR AS BOND FUNDS, NO.
AND IS, IS THERE A REASON WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH ALLOCATED TO THE DOOR AND IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT OTHER FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO O OTHER CULTURAL FACILITIES? OR IS IT JUST THAT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WAS, THAT'S BOND PROCESS.
IT JUST HASN'T BEEN UTILIZED JUST YET.
AND ACTUALLY IT WAS 26 MILLION THAT VOTERS VOTED.
ALL OF EVERYONE WHO VOTED SAID WE WANNA SPEND THIS MONEY TO BUILD A, A NEW DOOR TO YARD CENTER OF THAT 26 MILLION.
SOME WAS SPENT ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE DESIGN OF THE FACILITY AND THEN THERE WAS AN ENTIRE, UH, REQUEST TO ADD A PARKING GARAGE NEXT TO LADY BIRD LAKE UNDERGROUND, WHICH WAS AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION, WHICH COUNCIL DID NOT GIVE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR.
SO THE PROJECT HAD TO GO BACK AND GET REDESIGNED AND THEN IN THAT TIME IT WAS COVID AND PRICES SKYROCKETED AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO BUILD THE BUILDING.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NEXT STEPS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH AN UPTODATE ART FACILITY.
SO IF I CAN JUMP IN, IF I CAN JUMP IN REAL QUICK, THANK YOU MARJORIE AND UH, GUINEVERE FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO, SINCE WE ARE NOT PREPARED FULLY TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE ACTIVE, UH, BOND PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, WE CAN OF COURSE DO THAT FOR ANOTHER COMMISSION MEETING SO THAT WE CAN FULLY BE PREPARED.
IF THAT IS A REQUEST OF THIS COMMISSION, WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK, UM, AS WHEN ACME INHERITED THE FACILITIES, WE OF COURSE INHERITED MULTIPLE BOND PROJECTS THAT WERE SOME HAVE, UM, OR WERE OPEN AND THEY WERE ACTIVE WHILE OTHERS ARE STILL KIND OF ON PAUSE.
AND SO IF, UH, THIS COMMISSION WOULD LIKE, WE COULD CERTAINLY COME BACK SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION.
I, YEAH, I THINK THAT KIND OF JUST FOLDS INTO THE CREATIVE, LIKE, INTO JUST HOW WE'RE PLANNING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THE CULTURAL FACILITIES IN THE FUTURE.
SO I THINK JUST KIND OF KNOWING WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE STAND, WHERE THE CURRENT BOND FUNDING IS FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE MOVING FORWARD AND IF IT IS WHAT PROJECTS ARE ON PAUSE WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
[03:35:01]
KIND OF OPENED THE DOOR FOR THIS QUESTION EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE BIT OFF TOPIC, SO I'M JUST GONNA DO IT REAL QUICK AND MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT NEXT MEETING.UH, THE MASSIVE BUDGET CUT FOR RALLY THAT JUST HAPPENED, THAT'S GONNA AFFECT THE OVERSIGHT OF SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE REALLY CULTURAL ARTS PROJECTS, UM, THOUGH THEY'RE NOT CULTURAL SPACES, CITY SPACES.
BUT ANYWAY, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT EVENTUALLY.
MAYBE WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE NEXT MONTH THING.
WE WOULD NEED TO INVITE RALLY BACK.
I GUESS I WAS GONNA SAY, COULD YOU, UH, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND WHO TO INVITE SO WE MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT, BUT Y'ALL CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS TOO.
SOUNDS LIKE RALLY RIGHT? IS THAT IF I'M, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS TO RALLY AUSTIN, MY QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PROJECTS IF RALLY IS NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THEM ANYMORE? AND I HOPE IT GOES TO YOU GUYS.
JUST SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE ARTS, YOU KNOW.
WAS THAT ALL COMMISSIONER KEYS? YEAH, YOU'RE GOOD.
AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO, HEIDI HAS HER HAND UP.
I THINK, SORRY, I LOST MY TAB OF MY AGENDA, BUT I THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT
[12. Approve a recommendation for the Spicewood Springs Corridor Art in Public Places Project Final Design. ]
WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO TAKE THE, UM, APPROVAL OF THE UH, SPICEWOOD SPRINGS ON CONSENT.WE HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE ITEM 12 APPROVAL RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SPICEWOOD SPRINGS CORRIDOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES FINAL DESIGN ON CONSENT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SKODA.
ANY DISCUSSION THEN? IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE READY FOR THE QUESTION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF TAKING ITEM 12 ON CONSENT.
PLEASE DO SIGNIFY BY SAYING A OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
AYE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR.
SO WE ARE TAKING ITEM 12 ON CONSENT.
SO NOW THE QUESTION IS, DO WE APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SPICEWOOD SPRINGS CORRIDOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES FINAL DESIGN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED COMMISSIONER KEYS? ARE YOU ABSTAINING? I I RAISED MY HAND.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, ALL IN FAVOR.
SO COMMISSIONERS, I BELIEVE YOU MAY NEED TO CALL A VOTE.
YOU CALLED TO MOVE TO CONSENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CALLED TO ACTUALLY VOTE TO APPROVE THE ITEM.
I TOOK THE CONSENT VOTE FIRST AND I SAID THAT'S WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW.
AND THEN NOW I'M TAKING THE VOTE TO APPROVE.
I I DID NOT CATCH WHO THE MADE THE MOTION THEN AND WHO THE SECOND WAS.
SO COMMISSIONER SMALL MADE THE MOTION TO MOVE TO CONSENT AND COMMISSIONER SKODA MADE THE APPROVED.
AND THEN WE JUST VOTED AND EVERYBODY VOTED.
LOOKS LIKE WINGS AND PILLARS ON SPICEWOOD SPRINGS, SO THAT'LL BE LOVELY.
I COULDN'T TELL THAT IT MOVED.
[11. Discussion and possible action to plan an Arts Commission Retreat ]
ON TO ITEM 11.UH, POSSIBLE ACTION TO PLAN AN ARTS COMMISSION RETREAT IF WE CAN GET TOGETHER IN AUGUST AT ALL THE
CAN ANYBODY GET TOGETHER IN AUGUST ON A SATURDAY IN AUGUST? HOW MANY HOURS INCORRECT? NO MORE THAN COMMISSIONER, NO MORE THAN FOUR HOURS.
UM, WE DIRECTOR MEANS ASKED US TO PUT TOGETHER, UM, A LIST OF SOME DAYS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IN A LIST OF LOCATIONS.
MY APOLOGIES THAT WE DIDN'T GET THAT OVER TO YOU BEFORE TONIGHT.
BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE JESUS SEND UP OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE IDENTIFIED A FEW, FEW OPPORTUNITIES IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH WILL STILL MEET THE QUARTERLY TIMEFRAME.
UM, AND WE ALSO IDENTIFIED A COUPLE LOCATIONS, UM, SEVERAL ACME FACILITIES AND THE LONG CENTER AS POTENTIAL FREE LOCATIONS WE COULD HOST THOSE AT.
CAN WE SET THAT UP BY EMAIL WITHOUT A VOTE? ONE MOMENT.
DO AN OFFICIAL DOODLE IT COULD GO THROUGH JESUS, RIGHT? YEAH, WE THINK IT'S YES.
[03:40:01]
RIGHT.I WOULD LIKE, WE CAN BE SCHEDULING, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SCHEDULE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR THE COMMISSIONER RETREAT IN SEPTEMBER BASED ON THE DATES PROVIDED BY JESUS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER NEY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MY ONLY DISCUSSION ITEM WOULD BE TO TELL EVERYBODY TO CHECK THEIR EMAILS SO THAT IF ITS POLL ABOUT AVAILABILITY, THAT THERE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, SWIFT RESPONSE.
WE NEED TO BE ON, I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING 'CAUSE WE ALL HAVE 50 EMAILS.
WE WOULD NEED TO BE ON OUR E OUR COUNCIL, OUR COMMISSIONER EMAILS THIS WEEK.
OH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, EVERY TIME YOU SAY MY LAST NAME, YOU SAY IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I KNOW THAT IN MY BRAIN AND I CAN'T MAKE MY TONGUE DO RIGHT.
OKAY, SO WE, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO SET UP A SPECIAL CALL MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, BUT BASED ON THE DATES JESUS PROVIDES, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY THAT BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR SAYING A I.
SO WE'LL SEND AN EMAIL OUT THIS WEEK.
LET'S TRY TO GET THAT DONE BY THURSDAY.
SO PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS BY THURSDAY AND LET'S GET THIS, UH, UH, RETREAT, UH, SOLIDIFIED.
[14. Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Schmalbach (Chair). ]
WORKING GROUP UPDATES.UPDATE FROM JOINT ARTS MUSIC COMMISSION WORKING GROUP ON URBAN COURT ISSUES WITH COMMISSIONER SCHACH CHAIR.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT? COMMISSIONER MACH.
COMMISSIONER MACH INDICATES THAT SHE HAS NOTHING TO SHARE, SO WE'LL WORK ON
[15. Update from Arts Commission Bylaws Working Group with Commissioners Houston, Garza, Keys, and Anderson (Chair).]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15, UPDATE FROM ARTS COMMISSION BYLAWS WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONER HOUSTON GARZA, KEYS AND ANDERSON ANDERSON CHAIR.AND ANDERSON HAS NOTHING TO REPORT.
WE DO HAVE TO GET THE BYLAWS UPDATED THOUGH.
AUGUST IS THE MONTH FOR BYLAWS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
AGENDA ITEMS. COMMISSIONER CHARLA MENTIONED, UH, POSSIBLY A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS SPECIFICALLY FOR HOW THEY, UH, EXPECT THE GUIDELINES.WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND CREATE A WORKING GROUP? UM, FOR NEXT, IN NEXT MONTH? THAT'S WHEN WE'D HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND CREATE THE WORKING GROUP.
ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S A, A GOOD IDEA.
UM, I WOULD ALSO VOLUNTEER TO BE A PART OF IT JUST 'CAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCE ON BOTH ENDS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE, BUT I HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
THE MOTION IS TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP FOR FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WORKING GROUP.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A THING FOR US THOUGH.
WHO'S GONNA HAVE A THING FOR US? STAFF IS ALREADY SCHEDULING ONE.
MY POINT IS STAFF IS ALREADY SCHEDULING ONE.
SO YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED TO COME UP WITH A LANGUAGE RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE JUST VOTING TO PLACE THIS AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND WE CAN WORK WITH THE DRAFT.
OH, WE'RE JUST ON AGENDA ITEM.
SO YOU HAVE THAT MOVE BY COMMISSIONER MACH.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHENEY.
UM, I ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS THE, UM, HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH FALLS IN LINE WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HAD FROM HECTOR ORDAS EARLIER, UM, REGARDING, UH, POSSIBLE INACCURACIES THAT WE WERE TOLD IN THE LAST MEETING.
DO I HAVE A, A MOTION TO ADD THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE ITEM 13 FROM JUNE 15TH TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER.
I GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF SECONDS.
I'M GONNA HAVE COMMISSIONER KEY SECOND.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ALREADY ADDED FOR AUGUST THE CITY GALLERY SPACES.
UM, WE ALSO PREVIOUSLY HAD A PRESENTATION BY AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED TO AUGUST.
SECOND IT BY COMMISSIONER SKODA PRESENTATION OF AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE OPERATIONS.
IT'S A PRESENTATION ON THE ORGANIZATION.
I DON'T HAVE A NAME OF WHO'S PRESENTED YET.
AND THEN WE HAVE A REQUEST TO HAVE INFORMATION
[03:45:01]
ABOUT BOND PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING.DO YOU THINK WE CAN GET THAT NEXT MONTH OR DO YOU NEED TO PUSH THAT TO SEPTEMBER? INCLUDING RALLY? RIGHT.
THAT WOULD BE THE BOND PRODUCT INC.
UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND WAITING UNTIL AFTER BUDGET PERSONALLY.
'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GONNA GO THROUGH THE PROCESS UP UNTIL AUGUST 17TH ISH.
UM, AND WE ALREADY HAVE KIND OF A STACKED AGENDA.
MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO PUSH IT WHEN WE HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO WE'LL LOOK AT THAT FOR SEPTEMBER.
DO I HAVE A SECOND TO LOOK AT OUTSTANDING BOND PROJECTS, INCLUDING RALLY THAT'S SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? ANY OTHER PRESSING MATTERS FOR ARTS IN AUSTIN? WE ARE GETTING OUT BEFORE 10 AND JAIME, I'M SO SORRY THAT I DIDN'T SEE THAT, THAT FINAL PROJECT.
I WOULD'VE MOVED IT UP AND GOT YOU OUTTA HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS HARD WORK AND WE APPRECIATE IT.