[Call to Order]
[00:00:02]
WELL WITH EVERYBODY.AND THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED, UH, CALL THIS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION TO ORDER.
UH, TODAY'S DATE IS JUNE THE THIRD AND WE ARE MEETING REMOTELY.
[Citizen Communication]
WITH THAT, WE'LL START WITH CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.FIRST UP, I'D LIKE TO CALL JULIANNE BANKS.
HELLO? I DO I BUY, DO I GO AHEAD AND START? YEAH, YOU'RE ON.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THE RELIEF FUND.
I'M A PROFESSIONAL MUSIC IN AUSTIN, A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN IN AUSTIN.
SINCE 91, I HAVE TWO ISSUES WITH ELIGIBILITY ITEMS FOR THE FUND ONE.
I OBJECT TO APPLICANT BEING AN ELIGIBLE.
IF THEY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A MUSIC CARE COVID-19 GRANT, WHY JUST MUSIC CARES AND NOT OTHER GRANTS.
IF MUSIC CARES BEING REIMBURSED FOR WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY PAID OUT, AUSTIN ARTISTS IN EXCHANGE FOR OVERSEEING, AND THIS PERSON IS FUN.
IF SO PREVIOUS GRANTEES ARE PAYING FOR FUTURE DISBURSEMENTS, WHICH IS NOT TRANSPARENT OR FAIR.
I ASKED THAT THE CITY OF REMOVE THIS BARRIER TO ELIGIBILITY TO I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH MUSICIANS BEING INELIGIBLE.
IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN TWO MONTHS LIVING EXPENSES IN THEIR ACCOUNT, WHEN I'M HIRED TO PLAY BASS, THE BAND LEADER PAYS ME WHEN I'M DONE.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR HER TEXT FROM THE CLIENT AND CLAIRE, BECAUSE SHE KEEPS AN OPERATING BALANCE IN HER BANK ACCOUNT.
WHEN I HIRED MUSICIANS TO COMPANY MEETINGS, I CLAIM ALL MY INCOME, SOME SIDE MEN SOLO AND BAND WORK GIG ON MY TAXES.
I PAY THOSE TAXES QUARTERLY WITH FUNDS IN MY BANK ACCOUNT.
ALL THESE PERFORMANCES TAKE A TOLL ON MY INSTRUMENTS, VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT.
I PAY FOR UPKEEP AND NEW PURCHASES WITH FUNDS IN MY BANK ACCOUNT.
I CAN DO ALL THIS BECAUSE I HAVE MONEY TO SAVE.
AND THAT ACCOUNT HAS OPERATING FUNDS FOR BUSINESS EXPENSES.
CONSEQUENTLY, I BELIEVE A GOOD PORTION OF OUR BALANCES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS OPERATING FUNDS HELD FOR WHEN OUR GIGS RESUME AND EXEMPT FROM BEING CONSIDERED FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR LIVING EXPENSES.
OFTEN MUSICIANS SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR LOANS AND GRANTS WITH THE SAME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES, AND WITHOUT BEING REQUIRED TO SPEND THOSE OPERATING FUNDS ON PERSONAL LIVING EXPENSES BEFORE THEY CAN BE ELIGIBLE TO GET HELP.
I PROPOSE THESE CHANGES TO THE INELIGIBLE SECTION ONE, PREVIOUS MUSIC HERE'S COVID-19 GRANTS.
SO AUSTIN'S PREVIOUS MUSIC CARES GRANTEES AREN'T PAYING FOR DISBURSEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF FUTURE AUSTIN GRANT OR DISQUALIFY ALL WHO DID RECEIVE A GRANT OF ANY KIND WITHOUT CONSIDERATION FOR RELIEF FUND OVERSIGHT, ENTITY, OR LEAVE RECEIPT OF ANY GRANTS OUT OF THE QUALIFYING PROCESS ALTOGETHER, TOO.
AS FAR AS REQUIREMENT OF LESS THAN TWO MONTHS LIVING EXPENSES IN OUR ACCOUNT, PLEASE REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT TO SEE THANK YOU, COUNT OR CONSTRUCT A FORMULA THAT USES 29 NEW TAXES TO SUBTRACT AN EXEMPT OPERATING FUNDS AND THE CURRENT BANK ACCOUNT BALANCES OF MUSICIANS, SOLE PROPRIETORS, OR QUICKLY RELEASE MORE FUNDING FOR A SECOND TYPE OF GRANT OR LOAN THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO TARGET OUR PERFORMING MUSICIANS WITH VULNERABLE MUSIC BUSINESSES.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME TODAY AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE PATRICK BUTOH.
UM, IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE WE ALL GOT TO SEE EACH OTHER IN PERSON, SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER TODAY.
UH, SO I'LL BE BRIEF, UH, BUT AS MUSICIANS ARE NOW BEING ASKED, UH, TO PLAY GIGS ONCE AGAIN, AND CERTAINLY THE, UH, COBIT SITUATION IS FAR FROM BEING OVER.
UH, WE DECIDED AT AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS THAT WE WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, UH, TO COME UP WITH A DIG SAFETY GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I BELIEVE KIM HAS, UH, PROBABLY DISTRIBUTED, UH, THAT DOCUMENT TO ALL OF YOU FOR REVIEW.
UH, THIS DOCUMENT WAS PUT TOGETHER, UH, WITH CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR VENUES AND FOR MUSICIANS.
UH, AND WE DID MANAGE TO GET SOME INPUT FROM, UH, RACHEL BLAIR, UH, CEO OF HAM.
UH, SO REAL QUICKLY I'LL GO THROUGH THESE, UM, GUIDELINES.
UH, WAS EVERYONE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT DOCUMENT? FIRST OF ALL? YES.
UM, SO REAL QUICKLY HERE, UH, WE COVER, ARE YOU BEING PAID FAIRLY? IS IT A FAIR DEAL? DO YOU HAVE A CONTRACT? UH,
[00:05:01]
NUMBER TWO, IS IT SAFE FOR THE BAND UNDERNEATH THAT IS THE STAGE LARGE ENOUGH TO SOCIAL DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER, A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE AUDIENCE OR STANDS AND SURFACES BEING SANITIZED.CAN YOU BRING YOUR OWN MIC? IS THERE A STAFF SOUND ENGINEER TO KEEP YOU FROM HAVING TO TOUCH ANY GEAR THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU? NUMBER THREE, IS THE VENUE SAFE FOR THE STAFF AND FAN A ARE MASS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IS STAFF REQUIRED TO WEAR MASK? IS THE OCCUPANCY WHEN THEY'RE BEING ENFORCED, IS SOCIAL DISTANCING BEING A FORCE AMONG FANS AND HIS HANDSY AND ATTIRE READILY AVAILABLE TO USE A BELOW THAT YOU'LL SEE A, UH, SOME LITTLE GRAPHIC THAT WE CREATED AND PUBLISHED, UH, THIS MORNING AT AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND NOW, UH, THAT THESE, UH, GUIDELINES ARE ADOPTED AND RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL, SO THAT MUSICIANS AND VENUES AT LEAST HAVE SOME SORT OF A FRAMEWORK THAT THEY CAN AGREE UPON, UH, WHEN THEY'RE STARTING TO GET OUT THERE AND PLAY GAMES.
SO I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTION MARKS SURROUNDING, UH, SAFETY OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IF WE CAN HAVE SOME TYPE OF OFFICIAL GUIDELINE IN PLACE, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP, UH, OUR ENTIRE MUSIC COMMUNITY.
[Item 1]
UH, WE CAN GO TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.UH, KIM SENT THOSE OUT TO EVERYONE.
SO GIVE EVERYBODY A MINUTE TO REVIEW.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
AND MR. LAMPTON SECONDS WITH THAT, UM, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[Item 2A]
TO BUSINESS, UH, TO A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, FOLLOWING UPDATE FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WORKING GROUP.UM, AM I CORRECT IN THE FACT THAT THE LIVE MUSIC WORKING GROUP IS NOT MET SINCE OUR LAST MEETING? OR HAVE THEY MET? YEAH, YEAH, WE'VE MET
CAN YOU GIVE US A, AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S GOING ON? YEAH.
HAPPY TO, UM, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UH, ARE SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS FOR MUSICIAN AND VENUE OR VENUE WE'RE LOOKING AT USING THE SEESAW DEFINITION FOR VENUE.
BASICALLY WE DISCUSSED THAT THAT ONE WORKS REALLY WELL.
THERE'S NO NEED REALLY, TO VEER AWAY FROM THAT OR A DEFINITION OF MUSICIAN.
UM, WE MODIFIED, UM, THE AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, SO I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THOSE SUPER QUICK.
UM, SO I PRESENTED INCOME FOR MUSIC RELATED BUSINESSES, 40% OR HIGHER.
UM, ONE OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK, UM, NUMBER OF LIVE MUSIC GIGS, MINIMUM 25, NUMBER OF MUSIC LESSONS TAUGHT MINIMUM 300, UH, OR NUMBER OF STUDIO GIGS 25, UH, REGISTERED THEIR BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY OR STATE LIKE A DBA OR LLC, ET CETERA.
I LIVED IN AUSTIN ONE YEAR LONGER, UM, HAVING, UH, HAVING AN ONLINE PRESENCE, UM, BUT AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING YOUTUBE, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, ET CETERA.
MMM PATRION, UH, AND A MINIMUM OF FIVE COMMERCIAL RELEASES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND SO THEY BASICALLY WOULD BE, UH, THE TRACE IS THIS RIGHT? THREE, THREE OF THE SIX OF THOSE QUALIFICATIONS, NOT ALL SIX.
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET, I THINK, HALF OF THOSE, I THINK IT WAS THREE, BUT ADMITTEDLY I HAD TO MISS THE MEETING.
AND THEN, UH, WE'VE UM, THEN WE ALSO HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND FUND ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BEING THE FUND ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REP FROM THEM COME TO THE, HOPEFULLY TO THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH SHOULD BE TOMORROW OR THE MEETING IS TOMORROW.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE AN ACF PREP ATTENDING.
THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT
[00:10:01]
WHETHER OR NOT, UM, WE MAY PAY, USE A PORTION OF THE FUNDING TO PAY AS A SMALL, AS POSSIBLE SALARY TO SOMEONE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE FINANCIAL TASKS, LIKE IF THAT'S NEEDED TO WORK WITH ACF.FRANK RODRIGUEZ HAS GIVEN US A LOT OF GUIDANCE ON THAT.
HE'S A MEMBER OF THE, OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WORKING GROUP, AS YOU KNOW.
UH, REBECCA POINTED OUT THAT, UM, AT ONE POINT I THINK THIS WAS, HAS BEEN SOME TIME HAS PASSED, BUT ACF HAD QUOTED A 4% FEE MMM.
WHAT WAS FELT TO BE THE REASONABLE.
UM, AND, BUT WE JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WITH THEM, IF THAT'S STILL STILL OFFER.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER BIG PIECE OF THIS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IS HAVING, UM, A BOARD AFTER THE LIVE MUSIC KIND OF SETS UP THIS FRAMEWORK, UH, APPOINTING A BOARD TO OVERSEE THE FUND, UM, AND, UH, HAVING AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THAT THAT'S THAT'S OPEN SO THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST OUR BOARD, JUST CHOOSING PEOPLE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD APPLICATIONS COME IN.
AND THAT WAY WE HAVE A WIDER REACH, A MORE TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR THAT.
AND THAT FORWARD, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT THEY WOULD SERVE TWO YEAR TERMS. MMM.
AND IT WOULD BE BROKEN INTO COMMITTEES, UH, PROPOSED SOME SUB COMMITTEES OR EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENT, UH, CRITERIA, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW AND PROPOSAL ROOM VIEW.
AND WHAT PART OF THAT TEST IS WHETHER OR NOT HOW TO DEAL WITH CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IT, HOW LONG OF A TIME SHOULD, SHOULD ELAPSE BEFORE SOMEONE THAT SERVED ON THIS BOARD AND THEN APPLY FOR A GRANT.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT TWO YEARS AND WE ARE, WE TALKED ABOUT ONE YEAR THAT THAT WAS A BIG FINE OF DISCUSSION.
AND AGAIN, GAVIN AND PORTRAYS CAN JUMP IN ON THIS IF THEY WANT TO ELABORATE.
BUT, UM, YEAH, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S, THAT'S A SORT OF A CHALLENGING PART OF THIS BECAUSE
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AT EVERYTHING.
UM, IF ANYBODY'S GOT QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER.
ARE YOU GUYS STILL ON TRACK FOR SOME TIME? I THINK, I BELIEVE HE SAID SOMETIME IN THIS, IN JUNE, YOU GUYS WOULD WRAP UP.
IS THAT STILL, PROBABLY MORE LIKE JULY.
THERE'S STILL, I THINK A FAIR NUMBER OF DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE HAMMERED OUT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT WON'T DRAG ON INTO THE FALL.
I, I THINK WE'RE IN, WE'RE MEETING EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, I'M GETTING A LOT DONE, SO YEAH, HOPEFULLY THIS ALL NAILED DOWN, UM, A FEW MORE WEEKS.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS
[Item 3A]
WITH THAT WE CAN MOVE ON TO, TO BE, UM, ON THE AGENDA DOCUMENT IT'S ACTUALLY LISTED UNDER NEW BUSINESS, BUT IT SHOULD BE, UM, TO BE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE DIGITAL LIVE MUSIC.I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING REALLY
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SEE IF STAFF COULD ARRANGE FOR, I BELIEVE THAT'S IT.
AUSTIN HAS TAKEN THE LEAD ON THIS, UH, ON THE PORTAL TO GIVE A PRESENTATION.
I BELIEVE THEY GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE ARTS COMMISSION.
UM, IF WE COULD ARRANGE THAT FOR OUR COMMISSION AS WELL, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION AROUND THAT THAT ANYONE OR QUESTIONS THEY HAVE FOR THAT TODAY?
IS THERE ANY COMPENSATION OKAY.
FOR THE MUSICIANS SUBMITTING CONTENT? YEAH.
I HAVE NO IDEA, UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT PLAN IS.
SO, UM, THIS IS PROBABLY SLIGHTLY PREMATURE FOR US TO
[00:15:01]
HAVE THE DISCUSSION IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY REAL INFORMATION ON IT, BUT THAT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION.I'LL JUST ON THAT NOTE THAT WE DO KNOW FROM FEEDBACK AND PAST CONVERSATIONS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, THAT THERE WAS A STRONG SHOWING OF A DESIRE FOR THAT TO BE CLARIFIED AND ALSO FOR THAT TO BE MORE THAN A POSSIBILITY, BUT THAT WOULD BE HOW IT WOULD MOVE FORWARD.
BUT WE'VE NOT GOTTEN ANY CLARIFICATION OF ANY PROGRESS TOWARD THAT NEEDS.
AND WE HAVE AT THE AIRPORT, A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WHERE LIVE AUSTIN MUSICIANS COME AND PERFORMING.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAKES THE AUSTIN AIRPORT STAND OUT ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, ARE THE PRINCIPLES THAT MAKE THE, HOW, HOW PARALLEL CAN THE TWO OF THEM BE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT SOME CITY RESOURCES, WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, THE, UH, I GUESS, A MONOPOLY ON WE'LL MAKE THAT PUBLIC SPACES THAT WE CAN PUT THIS INFORMATION OUT.
CAN WE ADAPT SOME OF THE SUCCESS OF THE AIRPORT MUSIC PROGRAM TO THE, TO THIS LATIN MUSIC PORTAL?
UM, DOES A LOT OF GOOD POSITIONS GIVES THEM A STEADY GIG.
UM, DURING LOOSELY OFF HOURS, DOES IT COMPETE WITH THEIR REGULAR GIGS? UM, SO I MEAN THE POOL CALL, OBVIOUSLY IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S 24 HOURS IN AND HAVE TO BE TIED DOWN TO A TIME.
SO
I, UH, UH, PUBLIC INPUT FORM OF SOME SORT WOULD BE IN ORDER, I THINK, FOR THIS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF A WIDE SWATH OF GENRES AND, UH, COMMUNITIES.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA THAT WE COULD LEAD IN IS DIRECTING THROUGH OUR COMMISSION, POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, SOME THROUGH THE SUMMER, UH, ENGAGEMENT, WHICH EACH OF THE, UH, 10 CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE PORTAL FOR RIGHT NOW?
[Item 3B]
WE HAVE WHAT'S LISTED AS NEW BUSINESS, THREE, THREE B.UM, ALTHOUGH ACTUALLY WOULD PROBABLY BE A, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FOLLOWING, UH, RAINY COLLINS REGARDING THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HAND AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
SO WE HAVE RAINY COLLINS FROM HIM, UH, TO PRESENT, UH, ABOUT, ABOUT HAMMERING RAINY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP.
I KNOW THAT ALL THE MUSIC COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY DURING THIS CRISIS, AND I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO OUR NATION MUSIC COMMUNITY.
UH, TODAY I WANTED TO PAINT A PICTURE FOR YOU THAT I HOPE WILL BOTH INSPIRE YOU TO UNDERSTAND HAM'S VALUE, BUT ALSO TO ALLOW YOU TO FEEL THE PRESSURE THAT I FEEL BECAUSE HAM IS AT RISK DUE TO COVID RELATED CHALLENGES OF ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS IN LOSS FUNDING.
THIS MEANS THAT STARTING IN AS SOON AS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, HAM WILL BE FACED WITH SOME CHALLENGING CHOICES OF EITHER CUTTING SERVICES AND OR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WE ARE ABLE TO SERVE BY A LARGE MARGIN, PERHAPS AS MANY AS 1000 MUSICIANS, LESS DEPENDING ON HOW INSURANCE PREMIUMS RISE DUE TO COVID, UH, ISSUES.
UM, I WANTED TO FRAME MY WORDS TODAY, UH, WITH A FRAME OF URGENCY AROUND THE CHALLENGES THAT HAM IS FACING AND ASK THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UM, TO PARTNER WITH ME AND PROBLEM SOLVING AND, UM, PARTNERING WITH US TO ENSURE THAT, UM, HAMS CULTURAL TRUST AND HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET THAT WE PROVIDE FOR AUSTIN DOESN'T GO AWAY.
UM, BUT WITHIN THIS FRAME OF URGENCY, I ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU, I WANT TO FILL IN THE PICTURE OF JUST HOW IMPORTANT
[00:20:01]
HAM IS NOT ONLY TO OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY, UM, AND TO OUR CITY'S CULTURAL IDENTITY AND ECONOMIC, BUT ALSO TO OUR CITY'S CULTURAL IDENTITY AND ECONOMIC ENGINE.HAM ENABLES MUSIC MUSICIANS TO CONTINUE LIVING IN AUSTIN, BUT BY PROVIDING THEM WITH LIFE SAVING HEALTH CARE SERVICES THAT THEY JUST DON'T GET IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, FOR 15 YEARS, WE PROVIDED A BACKBONE TO AUSTIN MUSICIANS AND WE'VE KEPT THEM LIVING AND WORKING IN OUR CITY.
UM, NOW THIS PAST YEAR, THE VALUE OF OUR HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE 2,600 MUSICIANS THAT WE SERVE WAS VALUED AT ABOUT $12 MILLION WITH ONLY YET.
HAM ONLY HAS A $3 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR HEALTHCARE PARTNERS AND OUR DONORS, BUT WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT THIS $1 MILLION GAP.
AND I AM COMING TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO ASK US TO HELP FIND SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I'M SO WORRIED THAT MUSICIANS ARE GOING TO LOSE LIFE SAVING HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
UM, WHEN I TALK ABOUT HAM, I TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE WIDE VARIETY OF HEALTH SERVICES RANGING FROM PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE, HOSPITALIZATION, EMERGENCY SERVICES, SPECIALTY SERVICES, DENTAL SERVICES, TO HEARING VISION WELLNESS, HEALTHCARE NAVIGATION.
WHAT DOES THAT LONG LIST REALLY MEAN? LET ME ADD SOME COLOR TO THE PICTURE OF WHAT, WHAT REALLY HAND MEANS.
IT MEANS IF YOU HAVE CANCER, YOU HAVE RESOURCES TO GO GET THE TREATMENT YOU NEED, RATHER THAN TRY TO DO, GO FUND ME TO GET TREATMENTS COVERED BECAUSE NO TREATMENT WE'LL SEND HER.
IF YOU NEED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION FOR A CHRONIC CONDITION THAT COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR, YOU CAN GET THE MEDICATION THAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU NEED IT.
IT MEANS THAT YOUR CHILDREN AND FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO WELLNESS AND PREVENTION RESOURCES, SO THEY CAN GET TESTED FOR THINGS LIKE COVID AND GET A VACCINE.
WHEN IT FINALLY BECOMES AVAILABLE.
IT MEANS THAT IF YOU'RE HAVING CHEST PAINS, BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD AFFORD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL IN CASE IT REALLY ISN'T SERIOUS THAT YOU DO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND FIND OUT YOU'RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND YOUR LIFE IS SUDDENLY SAVED.
IT MEANS THAT IF YOU HAVE A BABY THAT HAS NEONATAL OR INTENSIVE CARE NEEDS, THAT YOU HAVE A HOSPITAL WHO WILL TAKE YOU, IT MEANS THAT IF YOU'RE AN AUSTIN MUSICIAN AND YOU GO DOWNTOWN TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST AND BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR CITY, AND YOU GET HIT IN THE FACE WITH RUBBER BULLETS AND BEAN BAGS, BREAKING YOUR JAW AND TEETH THAT YOU CAN CALL HAM, AND THAT WE WILL SHOW UP IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HELP YOU FIND EMERGENCY DENTAL SERVICES BEYOND THE MORAL IMPERATIVE OF PROTECTING OUR MUSICIANS AND JUST KEEPING AUSTIN, AUSTIN.
THERE'S ALSO THE PRACTICALITY OF JUST HOW MUCH LOSING HAM SERVICES WOULD COST THE AUSTIN TAXPAYERS AND THE CITY'S HEALTH HEALTH SERVICES.
IF THOSE MUSICIANS WERE NOT SUPPORTED BY HAM, THE COST WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL TO THE CITY.
PLUS IF WE DON'T, AREN'T ABLE WERE A BIG PART OF WHAT KEEPS MUSICIANS HERE.
UM, I'M BOLDLY ASKING YOU TO HELP US.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY GIVING YOU A VERY DIRECT AND, AND SINCERE REQUEST.
THAT IS NOT THE WAY I USUALLY LIKE TO DO THINGS, BUT I'M HONESTLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HAMS BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE THE KIND OF SERVICES THAT WE DO TO OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
UM, I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT LIKE MUSIC AND OXYGEN IS AT STAKE.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM LOTS AND LOTS OF MUSICIANS, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY STAY HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT SERVICES, UM, THAT AUSTIN HAS HAM AND SIMS AND ALL, A LOT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
WELL, BUT, UM, I KINDA JUST WANTED TO LEAVE YOU WITH A REQUEST THAT WHETHER IT'S THIS BOARD HELPING ME FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CARES ACT AND APPROACHING COUNCIL TO REQUEST, UM, THAT THEY HELP FUND HIM.
OR IF WE LOOK AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY BUDGET, I JUST REALLY WANT TO MAKE THE APPEAL THAT IF HAM IS NOT, IF HAM HAS TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE ITS FUNDING, IT'S GOING TO HAVE A DISASTROUS EFFECT ON AUSTIN.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UH, WE WILL SEE LOSS OF MUSICIANS' LIVES, BUT WE WILL ALSO SEE LOSS OF THE MUSIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE MUSIC MUSICIANS ARE GOING TO LEAVE.
UM, I WANT TO END WITH A STORY THAT A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME ABOUT NEW ORLEANS, UM, DURING HURRICANE KATRINA 10 YEARS AGO, THEY, UH, OR MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO, SORRY, BUT THEY LOST, UM, KATRINA CAUSED NEW ORLEANS TO LOSE MOST OF THEIR MUSIC COMMUNITY, WHICH DRASTICALLY AFFECTED BOTH THEIR TOURISM AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.
AND, UM, A LOT OF THEIR ECONOMIC, UH, VIABILITY FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS.
[00:25:01]
IT TOOK THEM THAT LONG TO GET THEIR MUSIC COMMUNITY BACK TO NEW ORLEANS.AND I FEEL LIKE THIS TIME IS AUSTIN HURRICANE KATRINA, AND WE HAVE AN ALREADY FRAGILE AND ENDANGERED MUSIC SYSTEM.
AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE HAM HAVE TO PULL OUT FROM SERVICES.
I MEAN, I REALLY REQUESTING SUPPORT IDEAS.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO KNOW HOW DIRE THE SITUATION IS.
I PROMISED SOME OF YOU WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, THAT I WOULDN'T, THAT I WOULDN'T GONNA TO RAISE ALARM BELLS UNLESS WE NEEDED TO, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, THE LOSSES IN FUNDRAISING AND REVENUES AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
AND WE ARE, UM, GOING TO BE DOWN ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN, IN, IN, UH, SERVICES.
WHAT, UM, I KNOW THIS IS HARD TO, TO FORECAST, BUT WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THIS NEED? WHEN, WHEN WOULD YOU NEED FUNDING TO REMAIN AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE? WELL, WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FUNDING, UM, BY SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE START PLANNING FOR THE ACTUAL FOLLOWING YEARS WORTH OF HEALTH INSURANCE, PREMIUMS, AND PLANS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
SO WHEN OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS IN NOVEMBER, WE'VE ALREADY DETERMINED HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE, HOW MANY MUSICIANS WE CAN HELP.
AND THEN AS THEY COME IN, IF YOU REMEMBER HOW IT GOES, YOU KNOW, HAM HAS ROLLING FUNDING UNTIL IT RUNS OUT.
AND, UM, WE ARE ALREADY LOOKING AT, AND I'M PRETTY SOLID ON THIS BASED ON FUNDING THAT WE'VE LOST ON, ON, UM, ALREADY.
AND ALSO BASED ON THE EXPECTED COBIT, UH, THE INCREASE IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS DUE TO COVID AND HEALTHCARE USAGE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY A MILLION DOLLAR LOSS NEXT YEAR.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO KNOW IN OCTOBER AND SEPTEMBER, IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE IT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PLAN ON OPEN ENROLLMENT AND HOW WE COULD SERVE PEOPLE.
AND MY FEAR IS HAM HAS, AND I THINK I'VE TOLD YOU GUYS THIS BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A HEALTHY ORGANIZATION FINANCIALLY, WE'VE DONE WELL.
WE HAVE LOTS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND HOSPITAL SUPPORT, AND WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME CASH RESERVE AND SOME CUSHIONS, SO THAT THE EMERGENCY IS NOT LIKE RIGHT NOW, IT'S, IT'S COMING BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DIPPING INTO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING OUR, UM, FUNDING SOURCES CHANGE.
AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING AN INCREASED, UH, NEED AMONG MEMBERS HAS ADDED A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE RECENTLY GOT FROM SOME OF THE EMERGENCY FUNDING HAS REALLY BEEN MORE COVID RELATED, NOT, UM, LIKE FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, LIKE FOOD AND PRESCRIPTION AND THINGS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY PROVIDE.
SO IT'S NOT EVEN ADDRESSING OUR NORMAL SERVICES THAT PEOPLE ARE CONTINUING TO DO TO NEED TO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OH, WE NEED, THIS IS GAVIN.
AND TO APPROACH CITY HALL AT THIS POINT.
SO I SAID, PARDON, HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR ANYTHING THROUGH THE FEDERAL OR THE CITY GOVERNMENT OR AID? SO, UM, I AM HOPING THAT WE WILL BE, UH, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR SOME ANCHOR FUNDS, BUT I DON'T KNOW, WE ARE PLANNING TO DO THAT.
WE WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RISE FUNDS BECAUSE, UM, THOSE NEED TO GO DIRECTLY TO, UH, THE PERSON IN NEED, NOT TO THE ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PASS THROUGH.
UM, AND WE ARE, UH, PLANNING ON SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO COUNCIL AND TO, AND TO, UM, HOPEFULLY THE CITY MANAGER AND HAVE SOME IDEAS AND SOME THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK FOR.
AND WE JUST WANT YOUR SUPPORT.
I MEAN, WE WANT TO BE CREATIVE.
WE'RE NOT EXPECTING, UM, ANYBODY TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEM FOR US, BUT WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST TO NOT ONLY FOR OUR MUSICIANS AND OUR LIVE MUSIC CULTURE, BUT REALLY ECONOMICALLY IF WE LOSE, UM, COVERAGE FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND MUSICIANS, THAT WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE BACK, UM, ON THE TAXPAYERS ROLE USING, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING INSURED AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND HAVING A MORE EXPENSIVE NEEDS AND SICKER NEEDS.
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE, IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL ISSUES THAT THE CITY WILL FACE ECONOMICALLY AS WELL TO MENTION GAVIN, I THINK IF WE START LOSING HAM, HOW, AND, AND MUSICIANS ARE FACED WITH LOTS OF CHALLENGES IN AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT
[00:30:01]
THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE REASONS THEY HANG AROUND, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO IF THEY, YOU KNOW, IF THAT DOESN'T KEEP THEM HERE?SO THE ISSUE OF THE ANCHOR PHONES COULD BE POINTED.
THE ISSUE WOULD EITHER BE ANCHOR FUNDS, GAVIN, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING AND IT MAY BE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR SOME OTHER FUNDING.
UM, THAT'S EXISTING WITHIN, UH, IN A BUDGET.
I'VE JUST, I'M LEARNING ABOUT THIS.
AND HAM HAS NEVER HAD TO ASK FOR THIS BEFORE.
SO I'M, I MEAN, YOU MAY KNOW MORE THAN I DO BECAUSE THIS IS, I MEAN, I'M ASKING FOR HELP REALLY, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE.
SO THIS ISN'T SO MUCH OF A QUESTION, CAUSE I THINK IT'LL BE PRETTY EASY TO GET OUR, UH, AT LEAST VOCAL SUPPORT OR WRITTEN SUPPORT ON SUPPORTING THE ESSENTIAL SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE.
UM, THIS IS MORE OF AN IDEA THROUGH YOU, BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMISSION, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE $1,200 CHECKS THAT WENT OUT AND THE PAYROLL PROTECTION PLAN LIKE CONGRESS IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT A SECOND PHASE OF A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.
I WONDER IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT PROPOSING A SECOND PHASE OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CITY'S, UH, CAPACITY IS FOR CONTINUED HELP, BUT, UM, THE FIRST ONE FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUAL MUSICIANS AND PERHAPS THIS SECOND PHASE, NOT JUST ON HAM, BUT COULD FOCUS ON ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HELPS SUSTAIN THE INDUSTRY HERE, UM, WITH HIM BEING ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS.
BUT, UH, ALSO AS WE SAY AGAIN,
I KNOW I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT HAM'S NEED, BUT I KNOW THERE'S MANY OTHERS THAT YOU KNOW, MEAN EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
RATHER THAN JUST AN ADDRESSED HAM, LIKE THINKING ABOUT THIS IN A BIGGER WAY.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED.
AND SO NOT ONLY HAM, BUT TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, ORGANIZATIONS LED AND SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN ADDITION TO HAM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, JUST AN IDEA I'M THROWING OUT AS LIKE, STARTING TO LOOK TOWARD THE SECOND PHASE OF AUSTIN MUSIC, DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
AND RINI HERSELF SAID THAT, UH, HAM WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THAT FIRST ROUND, SO, UH, CORRECT.
SO WHATEVER THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, I'M SURE IF YOU CAN PROPOSE IT AND BRING IN THE, THE LIKELY OTHER RECIPIENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST HIM, BUT ALL OF THE OTHER ESSENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, SIMMONS, ET CETERA, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY ADVOCATE FOR IT.
SO, SO IF YOU ASK FOR IT, WE WILL SUPPORT YOU IN, DIDN'T ASK HIM FOR WHAT YOU NEED.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GET THE WORD OUT TO OUR COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE YOU ARE ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF HAM AND OF ALL OF US.
AND I JUST THINK WE'RE IN A REALLY PRETTY DIRE PLACE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND, UM, WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU AS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING NEXT.
WE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE ALL THE HYMNS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY I WAS DONE FOR AUSTIN AND THE MUSICIANS.
AND WE'LL DEFINITELY TRY TO SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
I WANT TO ADD, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS TO THINK AND HEAL, BUT I'M JUST, I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR THING AMONG OTHER THINGS.
AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT IT, HAVING SEEN IT ON OUR AGENDA, UM, AND WHETHER IT'S IN ANOTHER PHASE OF, UM, WHAT, HOWEVER IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.
UM, HAM HAS PROVIDED SOME OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
OUR COMMUNITY OF MUSICIANS HAS BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN FLUID IN THEIR EFFORTS.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ECHO THAT RAINEY HAS BEEN INVOLVED
[00:35:01]
IN HELPING IN THE EMERGENCY, UH, PERIOD RIGHT NOW WITH THINGS OUTSIDE OF PROVIDING HEALTHCARE, UM, AND HER AND THE ORGANIZATION HAM THAT THEY, THEY PIVOTED IN ORDER TO HELP, UM, DURING, UH, THE WAIT FOR THE MUSICIAN FUND TO BE PUT INTO ACTION AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PUT AT RISK, NOT IN A BAD WAY THERE, UM, VERY VULNERABLE SUSTAINABILITY AT THIS TIME.AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, WE'VE, I'VE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS REGARDING HIM.
UM, AND WHAT I THINK BASED ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS, REALLY WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT HAM NEEDS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND IT SERVICES AS EQUITABLY AS POSSIBLE, AND TO BE MADE WHOLE SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO THAT WILL NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE COMMISSION, BUT I ALSO WILL REACH OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO WHO, UM, IS OF COURSE OF THE DISTRICT THAT I'M REPRESENTING.
SO THANKS FOR COMING ON TODAY.
AND REALLY, I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
UH, CERTAINLY THE CITY HAS COME THROUGH WITH THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FOR THE, FOR MUSICIANS.
HAVE YOU LOOKED AT TRAVIS COUNTY BECAUSE THAT COULD BE ANOTHER SOURCE OF FUNDS TO HELP MEET UP THIS EXTREME SHORTFALL.
AND OF COURSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY OFFICIAL ROLE, UH, FOR THE COUNTY.
WE'RE ONLY A CITY COMMISSION, BUT, UH, ANY, UH, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ANYBODY AT TRAVIS COUNTY? YEAH, ACTUALLY WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL ANGLES AND TRAVIS COUNTY ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH CENTRAL HEALTH AND, UH, UH, UH, SENDERO AND SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, THEY ALREADY PROVIDE CLOSE TO THREE OR $4 MILLION WORTH OF, UM, SERVICES.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE HEALTHCARE, UH, ENTITIES AS WELL.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HAM HAS ALWAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL ARE, OUR BUDGET IS $3 MILLION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY VERY SMALL FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE DO AND THE VALUE THAT WE PROVIDE, BUT THE GAPS ARE COMING FROM FUNDRAISERS AND, UM, DONORS, YOU KNOW, DONOR CHANGES, BUT WE ARE REACHING OUT TO TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO EVERYBODY AND WE'RE BRINGING IN THE SAME MESSAGE BECAUSE I THINK, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MESSAGE IS NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT THE WORK THAT HAM DOES, BUT ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S REALLY GONNA AFFECT OUR CITY ECONOMICALLY OVER THE LONG RUN IF, IF WE LOSE SERVICES TO OUR MUSICIANS.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN, READING, UM, WE DEFINITELY KNOW SUPPORT HIM AND, AND SEE THE VALUE OF THAT PROGRAM AND ALL IT'S DONE FOR AUSTIN.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO SUPPORT YOUR NEEDS.
[Item 3C]
ITEM.UM, THIS WOULD BE NEW BUSINESS, BE LISTED AS C DISCUSS POSSIBLE ACTION FOLLOWING PRESENTATION BY NIKIA REYNOSO REGARDING THE A M D R F AUSTIN MUSIC, DISASTER RELIEF, PHONE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
ARE YOU THERE IN NICAEA? WOW, I AM HERE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON ALL OF THIS, UH, AND FOR SHOWING UP TODAY, UM, ON FRIDAY, UH, I, UH, AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, I SAID EACH OF YOU, AS WELL AS EACH MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF, UM, THE ATX MUSIC OFFICE, UH, AN EMAIL WITH, UM, UH, FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING ABOUT THE AUSTIN MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
AND I WANTED, UH, TO, UH, TO SPEAK MORE ABOUT THAT, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT TODAY.
UM, I JUST BASICALLY WANTS TO SPEND A FEW MOMENTS, UM, GOING THROUGH THAT, BUT BEFORE I DO, UH, I WANT TO START, I SAY THAT I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION CONSIDER, UH, AN ADDITIONAL NEW BUSINESS ITEM TO BEGIN DISCUSSING, UH, SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMUNITY AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST, UH, WEEK THAT, UM, THE, UH, THE TENSIONS ARE RIGHTFULLY
[00:40:01]
HIGH ABOUT ALL THIS, UH, PEOPLE ARE IN THE STREETS ABOUT IT.MANY MUSICIANS INCLUDED, MANY MUSIC PEOPLE INCLUDED FROM RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND WHEN YOU'RE SEEING LOTS OF OUR, UH, BLACK MUSICIANS, MANY OF WHICH ARE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION SPEAKING OUT PUBLICLY SOME FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT, UM, THESE ISSUES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT OUR MUSIC COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO, UH, MEETING THOSE CONCERNS HEAD ON AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS WILL BE, UM, UH, TONIGHT INSTEAD OF HAVING A REALLY NICE SHIFT, WE WILL BE STREAMING, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, HOW TO SUPPORT, UM, THE BLACK LIVES MATTERS MOVEMENT, AS WELL AS, UM, HOW TO SUPPORT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN, UM, THESE ISSUES.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH, UH, COMMISSIONER TO PLEASE SPEAK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT HOW, UM, YOU CAN BE INTO, UH, ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS THAT OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL ALSO, UH, AS AN ORGANIZATION BE WORKING WITH OTHER NONPROFITS AS WELL AS HOPEFULLY, UH, THE, THE, OUR LOCAL MUSIC OFFICE AND THE TEXAS MUSIC OFFICE TO, UM, ALSO BEGIN HAVING SOME PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS AND FORUMS ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE, UH, AS OF COURSE I HAD SIGNED UP FOR THIS BEFORE A LOT OF THIS HAPPENED AND, UH, AND I APPRECIATE LETTING ME HAVE EXTRA TIME TO ADDRESS THAT, UM, REGARDING THE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
UM, AS I MENTIONED IN MY EMAIL, WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR MEMBERS, AND UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THAT HAS SO FAR BEEN ALL NEGATIVE.
THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE IS THAT INTENT TO BE ULTRA INCLUSIVE, MANY MUSICIANS ARE ACTUALLY BEING EXCLUDED.
AND WE HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CALL, JULIAN BANKS, UM, CALLING FOR SOME SPECIFIC ACTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ALSO GIVE YOU SOME SPECIFIC COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, WE'VE HAD SHARED WITH US, UM, THINGS LIKE, UH, I RECEIVED THE MUSIC CARES GRANT IN MARCH, AND THAT MONEY WAS SPENT BEFORE IT ARRIVED, BUT NOW I CAN'T APPLY FOR THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY, UM, OR I'M BEING PENALIZED BECAUSE I HAVE MONEY AND SAY, HOW IS THAT A REQUIREMENT? UM, I PLAYED AUSTIN MUSIC IN AUSTIN FOR FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK FOR OVER 10 YEARS, BUT NOW, BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, I CAN'T APPLY FOR THIS MONEY.
UM, THE, UM, A BIG, UH, BIG CONCERN IS THE, UH, THE FACT THAT A BANK STATEMENT IS REQUIRED, UM, BOTH, UH, NEITHER HIM NOR MUSICARES REQUIRE BANK STATEMENTS.
IT'S A FAIRLY INVASIVE, UM, REQUIREMENT.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT THAT WE RECEIVED WAS I'M NOT EVEN GONNA BOTHER TO APPLY BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS I WON'T QUALIFY.
AND WHOEVER WROTE THESE REQUIREMENTS, DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC BUSINESS.
UM, AND AS WE WERE COMPILING THESE RESPONSES, UM, YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO STAFF AND WAS GIVEN, UH, THE EMAIL THAT WAS, UH, CREATED AND ASKED TO HAVE, UH, FOLKS SEND EMAILS IN.
AND THAT'S, THAT IS CERTAINLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH FOLKS, UM, LIKE A HAMMOND SIMS AROUND THESE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IS THAT MANY TIMES PEOPLE WHO, UM, ARE IN A VERY VULNERABLE STATE WHEN THEY SEE THESE TYPES OF, UM, SO THEY HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH IN ORDER TO QUALIFY, NOT ONLY DON'T BOTHER TO APPLY, BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY GONNA FEEL DEFEATED ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO, TO DO THE WORK, TO SEND SOMEBODY SOME, SOME KIND OF FEEDBACK ON IT BECAUSE THEY FEEL LEFT OUT AND MARGINALIZED IN THE PROCESS.
WHEN I PERSONALLY CONNECTED THE CITY STAFF WITH MUSICARES, I DID.
SO I'M UNDER THE BELIEF THAT, UH, KNOWING THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY RECEIVED MUSIC CARES GRANT AND THE EASE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS I DID.
SO KNOWING THOSE THINGS AND HOPING THAT THAT WOULD TRANSLATE THIS SAYING, UM, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR GRANT AND WHAT WE'VE SEE NOW IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE.
AND, UM, THE, THE FACT THAT TODAY, A WEEK AFTER THE PLAN WAS ANNOUNCED, AN ADDITIONAL 17 MINUTE VIDEO
[00:45:01]
HAD TO BE CREATED TO EXPLAIN THE ELIGIBILITY AND THE, THE APPLICATION ITSELF, AND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS PAYING AUSTIN MUSIC FOUNDATION MONEY TO ESSENTIALLY HELP PEOPLE GATHER DOCUMENTS TOGETHER, TO CREATE WHAT THEY NEED TO APPLY FOR THIS MONEY SPEAKS VOLUMES TO HOW, HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS.IF I NEED TO WATCH A 17 MINUTE VIDEO AND STILL GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH SOMEONE TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW TO APPLY FOR A GRANT THAT ONLY HAS BY THE WAY, ONE OR TWO REAL REQUIREMENTS, BUT A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS TO SELL IT, TO PROVE IT.
AND WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TODAY, WHAT WAS THE SAME THING THAT I ASKED YOU IN THE EMAIL THAT I SENT YOU, WHO AUTHORED THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF IN ANY MUSIC COMMISSIONER OFFER SPECIFIC INPUT ON THAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA? AND IF SO, WHERE'S THE RECORD OF THAT INPUT HAPPENING EITHER AT A COMMISSION MEETING OR VIA EMAIL, WAS THERE ANY OTHER OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION OR THIRD PARTY, NOT CITY STAFF OR COMMISSIONERS COUNCIL OR COUNCIL STAFF WHO HELPED TO WRITE OR INFORMED THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
SO THAT WAS ASKED TO REALLY SIGN BY ADVISING ANY OF YOU.
WAS THERE EVER A CALL FOR PUBLIC INPUT ABOUT THIS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA? AND IT'S NOT WHY, WHY ARE BANK STATEMENTS BEING REQUIRED? MUSIC IS CONSIDERED THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN DISPERSING EMERGENCY GRANTS, AND THEY DON'T REQUIRE THAT INFORMATION.
WHEN THE MUSIC CARES CONTRACTS WAS POSTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE, IT REFERENCED THE CRITERIA AS EXHIBITS A AND B, BUT THOSE EXHIBITS WERE NEVER MADE PUBLIC.
COMMISSIONER, YOU GET TO REVIEW THESE EXHIBITS.
DO WE EVEN KNOW IF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTED TO RATIFY THAT CONTRACT ACTUALLY REVIEWED THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS? WHY CAN'T MUSICIANS WHO RECEIVED THE MUSIC HERE SCRIPT, WHICH IS A SEPARATE BUCKET OF MONEY, NOT TIED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR NEW, ANY OF US WAS DISPERSE WEEKS AND WEEKS AGO.
I GOT MONEY AS A CARES GRANT IN MARCH.
IT'S JUNE, THAT MONEY WAS SPENT BEFORE IT EVER ARRIVED.
SO WHY WAS THAT REQUIREMENT PUT INTO PLACE AND WHO PUT IT THERE? CITY STAFF COMMISSIONERS MUSICARES THEMSELVES FINALLY, TO, TO SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER BY COMMISSIONER REYNOLDS, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD THE MUSIC COMMISSION SUPPORT ADDITIONAL MONEY BEING ADDED TO THE AMD R S AS A SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING, AND ABSOLUTELY SHOULD SHOULDN'T THAT MONEY ALSO INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO SOUND ENGINEERS AND PRODUCTION PEOPLE.
UM, SHOULDN'T, IT ALSO INCLUDE ASSISTING FOLKS LIKE HAND AND SINCE, YOU KNOW, HANDS AT THE TIME TO COME TODAY AND TELL US THEIR TRUTH.
IT'S IT HAND THAT HAS THAT $3 MILLION BUDGET WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE EMPLOYED TO WORK FOR THEM, IF THEY'RE IN DANGER AND YOU BETTER FUCKING BELIEVE THAT SIMS IS IN DANGER WOULD USE IT COMMISSION SUPPORT ALTERING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THIS PARTICULAR ROUND OF FUNDING, OR AT LEAST THE SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING, IF IT'S MADE AVAILABLE.
AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING.
I WATCHED THAT 17 MINUTE VIDEO, AND I HEARD HER SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THAT THIS MONEY WAS ALWAYS MEANT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY ARE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME MEETING ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, GOING THROUGH ALL OF THESE HOOPS, JUST TO GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS HAPPENING.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC COMMISSIONERS TO KNOW IF YOU DON'T ALREADY THAT YESTERDAY IN A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE WORK SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL, USUALLY COMMISSIONERS ALREADY.
I MEAN, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ALREADY CONSIDERING DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS SET ASIDE FOR OUR CREATIVES, DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY HAD AGREED TO PUT TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WOULD INCLUDE OUR MUSIC MAJORS.
[00:50:01]
YET TO ACTUALLY DEDICATE REAL, STRAIGHT UP MONEY FOR OUR MUSIC VENUES.AND SO, AS WE'RE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS, IT IS SO IMPERATIVE THAT OUR MUSIC COMMISSION, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO REPRESENT AUSTIN MUSIC, REACH OUT TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ASK THEM, WHY WOULD YOU PULL THE MONEY BACK? WE DON'T NEED LESS MONEY.
YES, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED MONEY FOR THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT MUSICIANS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY THE MUSIC VENUES.
AND IF THEY'RE GONE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.
AND IF HAM IS GONE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.
UM, I ALSO ATTACHED TO THE ELIGIBILITY, UM, REVIEW OF THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, UM, AND THE FAQ THAT WERE POSTED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE.
UM, AND EVEN THAT INDICATED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL STATEMENTS THAT SEE THE CONTRADICTING EACH OTHER TODAY IN THAT 17 MINUTE VIDEO, THERE WERE ACTUAL STATEMENTS SAYING, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PENALIZE PEOPLE FOR HAVING TWO MONTHS OF SAVINGS, BUT IT'S STILL SAYS THAT ON THE WEBSITE, NEW MUSICIANS MAY NOT EVER GO BACK TO THAT WEBSITE AGAIN.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.
I ADVOCATED FOR MUSICARES TO BE THE PROVIDER.
IN THIS INSTANCE, I WAS NEVER GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW ANY OF THE FINAL, UM, GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY ABOUT THIS.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE CERTAINLY WASN'T A PUBLIC INPUT, UH, PROCESS SET UP FOR IT.
THE ONLY TIME THAT I WAS EVER ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THESE ARE SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS.
THE ONLY OTHER TIME THAT WE GOT A CHANCE WAS WHEN IT WAS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING AND THE, WE KNEW IT WAS ONLY AGENDA BECAUSE COMMISSIONERS TOLD US, BUT EVEN IN THE PUBLIC ATTENDANT, WHICH WAS VERY BROAD, JUST A RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND, AND I GET IT, I GET IT, BUT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE, AS OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW STAND TOGETHER AND LOOK TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED BY AND ARE SUPPORTED BY EMPLOYED BY VENUES, SUPPORTED BY HIM.
WE BRING THE TOURIST TO THIS TOWN.
AND IF ALL OF THAT GOES AWAY, WHAT ELSE? YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE DO WE GO AT THAT POINT? AND THEREMIN'S POINT IF THOSE THINGS GO AWAY, IF THE VENUES GO AWAY, IF, IF, IF HAND GOES AWAY, THEN WHERE ARE THOSE MUSICIANS GOING TO GET THEIR SERVICES FROM? THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO THE CITY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE COUNTY THAT COMES OUT OF TAXPAYER STONERS.
IF THE VENUES CLOSE AND THE, THE, THE, THE TAX REVENUE DOESN'T KEEP COMING IN, THEN WHERE IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN GOING TO GET THAT TAX REVENUE FOR IT? THEY'RE GOING TO START LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAX, LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAXES.
SO I REALLY IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER, ASK FOR SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
IF NOT FOR THIS ROUND, CREATE A SECOND ONE, I'M MAKE IT MORE INCLUSIVE, MAKE, MAKE THE BARRIERS, UH, A LOT LOWER, UM, TO, TO APPLY.
UM, AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO END BY SAYING THAT I TRULY DO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR THIS WORK.
UM, IT, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME TO SEE EACH OF YOU SHOW UP.
I DON'T, I DON'T GET ANY MONEY FOR THIS.
I DO THIS BECAUSE I LOVE OUR COMMUNITY AND I, AND I, AND I BELIEVE IN OUR, IN WHAT WE DO.
AND, UM, I HOPE THAT, UH, YOU WILL TAKE THESE THINGS VERY SERIOUSLY AND, AND THESE CONCERNS VERY SERIOUSLY, UM, AND, AND, UH, AND CONSIDER SOME CHANGES WELL, VICKI TO KIM FOR, UH, FOR SHARING THAT.
AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HEARTFELT AND I APPRECIATE, UM, THE PASSION THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE DISCUSSION.
I WILL, UM, STATE A COUPLE THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, THE MUSIC COMMISSION, I CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY AND WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL VOTE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT ANY OTHER RELIEF ASS FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
UM, AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY TRIED TO BACK EVERY, EVERY ONE OF THOSE
[00:55:01]
THAT HAVE COME ACROSS OUR DESK.UH, THE SECOND PART I WILL ADDRESS IS THE MUSIC COMMISSION DID NOT CRAFT THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND LIKE YOU DID NOT SEE THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ON ATTACHMENTS A AND B TO, UM, THE MUSIC HERE CONTRACT.
UM, WE DID NOT SEE THOSE AS WELL.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, STAFF HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS MONEY OUT QUICKLY, UM, AND FOR X, YOU KNOW, TO GET IT OUT THERE, FAST THINGS, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS WENT VERY FAST.
UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK ALSO THE THING TO KEEP IN MIND AND ABOUT ASKING FOR NON-MUSICIANS FOR THIS FUND SPECIFICALLY, IS THAT WE KNOW RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MUSICIANS ALONE.
AND THAT IF WE OPEN IT UP TO OTHER MUSIC PROFESSIONALS, THAT FEWER MUSICIANS WOULD RECEIVE AID.
AND IT'S ALSO THE IDEA THAT THAT AID IS IN THE FORM OF A THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT VERSUS, YOU KNOW, $200, $300, $400.
UM, AND SO I REALIZED, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS IS NOT PERFECT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE GOOD WORK WAS DONE GETTING THIS TOGETHER.
NOW, THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS WHETHER IT'S TOO LATE TO AMEND ANY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, OR IF THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE TO GO, UM, AS, AS DIRECTED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD, WOULD ANSWER BACK FOR, UM, THE COMMISSION STANDPOINT ON THIS, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HEAR WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS YEAH.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE, UH, THE, THE, I AGREE WITH YOU AND I AGREE WITH THE PROBLEMS WITH THE REQUIREMENTS LIKE THEY WERE DONE QUICKLY.
AND, UH, AND I ADMIRE THAT HOW I'VE NEVER SEEN A CITY THING COME AROUND SO QUICKLY THAT IT, THAT IT HAS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR THAT I ABSOLUTELY APPLAUD THE CITY STAFF.
THEY ARE KICKING MAJOR ASS AND I LOVE EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I JUST, I JUST WISH WE COULD HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE PUBLIC INPUT ON THE, AND THE REQUIREMENT.
I THINK THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS NOT WHO, WHO AUTHORED OR WHY WE KNOW WHY IT WAS DONE QUICKLY.
THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS CAN WE MAKE IT EASIER AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR THIS NEXT ROUND, BUT FOR THIS.
AND I DON'T KNOW ANY REASON WHY WE COULDN'T, THESE ARE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
THEY'RE NOT WRITTEN IN ANY SORT OF LAW THAT PASSED.
THEY WERE CREATED BY THE STAFF AS FAR AS I KNOW.
AND SO I, I WOULD, I DON'T HAVE A FOREIGN PATIENT EXACTLY, BUT I WOULD SPECIFICALLY GET RID OF THE MUSIC CARES, UH, ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT WHERE, UH, THE, WHEREVER YOU GOT THE PREVIOUS FUNDING, YOU COULDN'T GET THIS FUNDING BECAUSE THAT FUNDING IS ALL LENS AND IT, AND THEN TO SIMPLIFY IT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM THE, NOW SHE'S GLANCING OVER AT THE DID SEEM LIKE A, QUITE A NUMBER OF HOOPS OR SOMETHING THAT WE WERE HOPING WOULD GET OUT QUICKLY AND SMOOTHLY.
AND JUST LIKE THE NATIONAL FEDERAL EFFORT PUT A LOWER BAR ON A LOWER SIZED, UH, PAYROLL PROTECTION GRANTS, UH, A LEVEL OF FAITH, REALLY IN THE APPLICANTS.
UM, UH, I HAVE NOTHING HOPE OF GETTING OUT QUICKLY.
I WOULD PUT MORE, SOME FAITH IN THE MUSICIANS TOO, IF THEY DON'T REALLY NEED THE THOUSAND DOLLARS, LEAVE IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO APPLY.
I DON'T NEED THE MONEY RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULDN'T BE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION THAT THESE AND REQUEST THAT THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS CHANGE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FROM THE COMMISSION? YES.
UM, SO I THINK THAT REALLY WHAT I WANT TO SAY PRIMARILY, AND IS VERY AWARE OF THIS.
WE HAD PHONE CONVERSATIONS, TEXT CONVERSATIONS.
NIKIA THAT YOU WERE PRESENT ON COMMISSION MEETING, SPEAKING, AND ALSO LISTENING.
UM, MANY OF US HAD IDEAS, UH, ABOUT WHAT TO DO.
AND I CAN SAY OVERWHELMINGLY THAT THOSE IDEAS WERE NOT ABOUT EXCLUDING PEOPLE, BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS FUND WAS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER ALL OF THE MUSICIANS THAT LIVE IN TOWN
[01:00:01]
OR IN AN RM CRISIS.UM, I'LL ADD THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN REGARD TO TWO GRANTS AND ANY AID THAT PEOPLE WERE RECEIVING, THERE WAS A STRONG RECOGNITION RECOMMENDATION TO NOT EXPECT EVERYONE TO THINK OF THESE THINGS WHO'S IN CRISIS AND APPLYING, BUT TO BE TRANSPARENT IF THEY'VE RECEIVED AID AND FROM MULTIPLE POSSIBLY EVEN MULTIPLE PLACES, IF THEY, THERE WERE IDEAS FLOATED AROUND ABOUT, HEY, YOU KNOW, SOME MUSICIANS HAVE A SPOUSE THAT HAS A SALARY.
HOPEFULLY THEY'LL THINK ABOUT THAT BEFORE THEY APPLY FOR THIS.
AND JUST, HE CONSCIOUS A LOT OF THIS WAS ABOUT ASKING MUSICIANS AND I AM A MUSICIAN, A WORKING MUSICIAN.
I'LL JUST DISCLOSE HERE IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW ME OUT THERE, I HAD ZERO, NOT A PENNY IN SAVINGS.
WHEN THIS CRISIS STARTED, I HAD TAKEN A LOAN OUT FOR MY MUSIC BUSINESS, UH, AND NOT TO MAKE THIS ALL ABOUT ME, BUT TO SAY WHERE I WAS COMING FROM AND MY OWN IDEAS THAT I SHARED PUBLICLY IN THE COMMISSION MEETINGS, THAT MUSICIANS SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES THEY HAVE.
AND KEEP IN MIND THAT WE LIVE IN A CITY FULL OF THOUSANDS OF MUSICIANS WHO NEED HELP RIGHT NOW, AND TO HAVE A CONSCIOUSNESS AROUND OTHER PEOPLE.
I THINK WHAT DISAPPOINTED ME OR MADE ME SAD WAS READING THE TWO ONLY, THE TWO EXAMPLES OR NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AS YOU PUT IT, NICAEA THAT WAS SENT IN WERE NEITHER ONE OF THOSE EMAILS SAID ANYTHING OF CONCERN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE UPSET.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE, THERE HAS BEEN SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS WITH MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, ACCESS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, UH, ENGLISH THAT ARE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, ET CETERA.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF CREATING AID FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO APPLY WAS TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE, NOT TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT.
AND ALSO, AND YOU KNOW, THAT NIKIA YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO SIT DOWN A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A DEBATE WITH YOU.
I JUST WANT TO FINISH BECAUSE I WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO NOT SAY THESE THINGS AND I WOULD BE BEING SILENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR MUSICIANS TO BE TRANSPARENT IN THEIR SITUATION.
AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NEED RIGHT NOW, WE ALL AGREE BASED ON MY MEMORY OF CONVERSATIONS, BOTH WITH YOU AND WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBERS, AIDES, INCLUDING CITY STAFF AND INCLUDING COMMISSION THAT WE MA WE KNOW THAT THERE, THIS ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY.
BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU TO KIA IS WHAT WOULD YOU DO ABOUT THE NUMBER OF MUSICIANS LIVING HERE WHO ARE IN CRISIS TO DECIDE, BECAUSE IT IS THE ONUS HAS BEEN PUT ON US TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE DON'T CONTROL, AND WE DON'T AUTHOR THE POLICY, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU DO? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IN THIS PROCESS TO BE AS EXPEDITIOUS AND AGILE AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO UNFORTUNATELY, TO MAKE DECISIONS ON WHO NEEDS THE MONEY THE MOST AND MAKE SURE THEY GET IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER RIGHT NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU SHOULD KNOW RIGHT NOW THAT HAVING TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THEM AS YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, BUT ALSO EVERYONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO THESE COMMENTS ON THE FLY AND THAT WE DO THIS OUT OF SERVICE AND AN ATTEMPT TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES, UM, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND TO ACT AS RESPONSIBLY AS WE CAN.
AND, AND I, AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AS I, AS I DID EARLIER THAT, YOU KNOW, I ABSOLUTELY HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS FROM THE GET GO.
AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, CARNEY WITH GRAHAM WITH, WITH, WITH
[01:05:01]
ALL OF THEM AND A LOT OF YOU, AS WELL AS STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR STAFF AROUND THESE ISSUES.AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT I SAID AT THE BEGINNING WAS MY, MY HOPE WAS ALWAYS THAT WE WOULD UTILIZE THE BASIC, UH, SETUP THAT WA THAT MUSICARES HAD THAT, UM, THAT IT WAS A VERY LOW BARRIER TO ACCESS.
AND WAS, HE WAS, THE PROCESS WAS EASY.
THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
UM, PATRICE, YOU IN PARTICULAR, UH, PUBLICLY HAD STATED THAT YOU HAD ISSUES TRYING TO ACCESS THAT.
AND, UM, AND WE KNEW THAT, AND WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOME, SOME CONCERN ABOUT THAT, BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE THOSE HAD BEEN ADDRESSED.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU ASKED ME, WHAT WOULD I DO, I, I PERSONALLY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT A WHOLE LOT MORE PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE I SENT A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO ASK FOR A SPECIFIC FUND TO BE CREATED, OR I WOULD'VE.
AND I WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR MORE MONEY FROM THE GET GO, UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT IT, THAT IT WASN'T ENOUGH.
UM, AND AS FAR AS WHAT WE DO NOW, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE SIMPLEST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IS EITHER ADOPT THE, THE, THE CRITERIA THAT, THAT HAM HAS IN PLACE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FIRST COME FIRST SERVE HERE ARE THESE THINGS, OR LOOK AT THE CRITERIA, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, C-SAT THE SISEP APPLICATION.
THEY ARE NOW USING TO IDENTIFY A VENUE.
THEY ARE USING THE DEFINITION THAT THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WORKING GROUP ADOPTED OF A LIVE MUSIC VENUE.
SO IT COULD JUST AS EASILY BE ADOPTED THAT THE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, UM, DEFINITIONS THAT WE CREATE ADOPTED IN THE, UM, IN THE LATIN MUSIC FUND WORKING GROUP COULD BE USED HERE AS WELL.
BUT ABSOLUTELY THERE, THERE SHOULD BE SOME DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND CHANGES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I SENT THESE EMAILS TO EACH OF YOU ON FRIDAY TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND, AND, AND REPLY IF NEEDED IN ADVANCE.
I'M SORRY, IF IT FEELS LIKE IT'S COMING OUT OF LEFT FIELD AND IT'S NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, AND I REALLY CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO CITY STAFF FOR HOW ACCOMMODATING THEY'VE BEEN IN THIS PROCESS AND HOW QUICKLY THEY'VE WORKED.
I JUST BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE IT'S A NEW THING THAT SOME MISTAKES WERE MADE AND THE EASIEST WAY TO FIX THAT IS TO INVOLVE OUR, OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY AND OUR MUSICIANS, UM, IN THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD IN A MORE PUBLIC WAY.
WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THE KIA, UM, AND THE INTEREST OF TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE REST OF OUR AGENDA IN THE REMAINING 15 MINUTES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYONE.
[Item 3D]
POSSIBLE ACTION AND GUARDIAN PRESENTATION BY REBECCA REYNOLDS REGARDING THE CREATIVE SPACE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM.REBECCA, ARE YOU THERE? I'M HERE.
ANY INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE ACUTELY AWARE OF THE DIRE OUTLOOK FOR OUR VENUE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND ALSO THANKS STAFF AND COMMISSION AND COUNCIL FOR LAUNCHING THE SEATS OUT PROGRAM AS QUICKLY AS THEY HAVE.
UH, THE REASON I'M ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS TO, TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO A MUSIC VENUE ALLIANCE AND TO OUR VENUE COMMUNITY, THAT THE PROGRAM IS SEEN AS A SUCCESS.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE HOPING WE GET ALL THE MONEY IT'S BECAUSE WE REALLY DO WANT TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP OF CONFIDENCE AND TRUST BETWEEN, UM, CITY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND THE MUSIC COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT FEDERAL FUNDING COMING ONLINE SOON.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HELP MAKE SURE WE GET AHEAD OF THAT PROCESS AND JUST SHAPE THIS IN A WAY THAT EVERYBODY CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT, UH, WHEN, WHEN THE GRANTS AND THE MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED.
UM, LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT, UH, COMMERCIAL SPACES WERE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN A TWO STEP PROGRAM MUSIC VENUE ALLIANCE DONATED THE USE OF OUR VENUE DEFINITION FOR THAT PROGRAM, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN ADOPTED, UM, FOR THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM.
AND AS YOU HEARD FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AS WELL, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IS THAT IT'S ONLY BEEN APPLIED IN A LEGAL
[01:10:01]
SENSE ONE TIME, AND THAT WAS LAST SUMMER.UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF APPLYING THAT DEFINITION FOR THE SECOND TIME ONLY.
AND WE WANT TO BE HERE TO HELP WITH THAT.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT WE WOULD ASK IS MAYBE A STAFF BRIEFING ON SOME OF THE PARTICULARS OF HOW THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE, UM, ADMINISTERED.
I KNOW THAT IT WENT LIVE LAST WEEK AND THE LATE LAST WEEK, I GOT SEVERAL FRENZIED CALLS FROM VENUES, UH, AFRAID THAT THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN DISQUALIFIED.
UM, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING OR THERE WAS JUST SOME THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE SMOOTHED OUT.
AND WHAT THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE IS THAT, UH, A LOT OF US OUT HERE ARE KIND OF IN THE DARK ABOUT THE PROCESS OF, OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE APPLIED.
AND I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS TO, UH, LEAVE THAT, THAT FEELING OF BEING IN THE DARK.
UM, I WANT TO LET THE COMMISSION AND, AND STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY JUST KIND OF KNOW THE SENTIMENT AND THE VENUE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW IS THAT THEY ARE REALLY GASPING FOR AIR.
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR MONTHS FOR SOME KIND OF RELEASE.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN TOLD, JUST WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER, A LITTLE BIT LONGER, THE MONEY'S GONNA COME AND SEE THAT WAS THE FIRST THING TO COME ONLINE THAT THEY, THAT THEY CAN APPLY FOR.
SO THEY'VE BEEN WAITING AND WAITING AND I'VE BEEN, HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY ME AND, AND STAFF AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE VERY CAREFUL WITH THOSE APPLICATIONS AND WITH THE FEEDBACK, BECAUSE THE REJECTION LETTER THIS EARLY IS ABSOLUTELY DEVOTEES SAVING.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO OFFER THE SERVICES OF MUSIC VENUE ALLIANCE TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, NOT SO THAT WE CAN INFLUENCE IT, BUT JUST TO CREATE A SENSE OF, OF CONFIDENCE TRUST IN THE PROCESS LAST YEAR, WE WEREN'T INVOLVED, OR WE WEREN'T EVEN ALLOWED TO KNOW WHO WAS ON THE DECISION MAKING PANEL UNTIL AFTER THE MONIES HAD BEEN SENT OUT.
UM, WHEN I ASKED FOR THAT INFORMATION, I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T HAVE IT, AND THAT'S FINE.
I UNDERSTAND THIS YEAR, I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME APPOINTMENTS MADE TO A WORKING GROUP FOR PROCESSING FEW STAFF APPLICATIONS.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THE $800,000 WILL GO TO CREATIVE SPACES, HOW MUCH WILL GO TO MUSIC, THE NEEDS, AND HOW MUCH WILL GO TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS WITH CREATIVE COMMERCIAL SPACES SINCE THAT'S A NEW CATEGORY THIS YEAR, UM, AND HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
WILL IT BE AN EQUAL ALLOCATION BECAUSE LAST YEAR IT WASN'T, AND WE JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW THOSE DECISIONS WERE MADE.
IN ADDITION AFTER THE MONIES WERE SPENT LAST YEAR, I ASKED FOR SPECIFICS ON HOW EACH RECIPIENT SCORED, UH, PER THE RUBRIC THAT WAS MADE PUBLIC.
AND I WAS ONLY GIVEN THE RUBRIC AGAIN.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS, IS SCORING SHEETS PER RECIPIENT, SO THAT WE CAN HELP, UM, APPLICANTS BECOME MORE ELIGIBLE.
UM, THAT'S REALLY, THE GOAL IS TRANSPARENCY ON HOW TO GET PEOPLE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BE ELIGIBLE.
THESE FUNDS MEAN MORE NOW THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR.
UM, I JUST CAN'T, I CAN'T, UH, UM, OVERSTATE HOW CRITICAL, UM, GETTING IT RIGHT THIS TIME IS, AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THAT PROCESS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS WORKING GROUP FOR SISEP APPLICATIONS IS TASKED WITH.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS NOT GOING TO BE THE PANEL WHO PROCESSES APPLICATIONS, BUT, UH, I, I KNOW THAT SOME APPLICATIONS HAVE THEIR ELIGIBILITY IS ALREADY BEING, UM, DETERMINED.
UM, I ASSUME THAT THE PANEL OR THE WORKING GROUP WILL MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, I GUESS, DISPERSING THE, THE AMOUNTS AMONGST THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN DETERMINED, ELIGIBLE.
UM, BUT WE COULD USE SOME STAFF BRIEFING ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN IS THE WORKING GROUP GOING TO MEET, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THEY TASKED WITH, WHO'S MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND WHAT ARE THOSE CRITERIA? UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER MAYBE ONCE AFTER WE GET THAT STAFF BRIEFING, THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OPTICS, UH, FROM THE VENUE COMMUNITY TO HAVE SOMEBODY ON THAT PANEL WHO IS FROM THE VENUE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE FAITH THAT OUR COMMISSIONERS KNOW US AND CARE ABOUT US AND ARE CONCERNED ABOUT US.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE DECISIONS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY ON OUR BEHALF, BUT IT, IT MATTERS FOR A CENSUS FEELING REPRESENTED TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE VENUE COMMUNITY, UH, ON THE INSIDE DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WORKING GROUP,
[01:15:01]
UM, HAS NOT DECIDED WHETHER THEY WOULD BE THE PANEL OR WHETHER THEY WOULD, UH, CREATE A PANEL.SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO NEED SOME, SOME CLARITY AROUND.
UM, AND I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE VENUE COMMUNITY WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, TO HELP SHAPE THAT PROCESS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO, YES, COMMISSIONER MILLS, I'M ON THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE SEESAW THING, AND WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING HAVING BEING ANOTHER MEANING HIGH LEAN TOWARDS CREATING, UH, NOT BEING THE DECIDERS OURSELVES, BUT CREATING A GROUP INVOLVEMENT COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD TOTALLY SUPPORT HAVING THE VENUE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES IN INVOLVED IN THAT PART.
UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY GO ONTO THE NEXT ONE, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, REBECCA.
UM, UH, LET ME MAKE A QUICK MOTION.
CAN I DO TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, CONCLUDE A STAFF BRIEFING ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WHERE WE COULD ALSO VOTE ANOTHER MEMBER NEEDED FROM THE VENUE COMMUNITY TO BE PART OF THE, THE WORKING GROUP AND DISCUSS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN THAT MEETING WHEN WE HAVE TIME FOR THAT PARTICULAR ONE.
SO WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
SAY NO MOTION CARRIES TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UM, WITH BRIEFINGS TO DISCUSS THE PROGRAM.
[Item 3E]
NEXT WE HAVE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE ACTION ON PRESENTATION BY CODY KAOLIN REGARDING DEPLOYMENT OF CLEAR FUNDS FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE MUSIC NONPROFITS FOR ANCHOR ELIGIBILITY.CODY, ARE YOU THERE? THANK YOU.
AND THANK ALL OF Y'ALL THROUGH YOUR ALL'S PUBLIC SURFACE, AS WELL AS STAFF AND ALL THE HARD, LONG NIGHTS EVERYONE IS WORKING RIGHT NOW, TRYING TO DO PUBLIC GOOD, UNDER PRETTY EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES.
I'M TEDDY TOWN, UH, REPRESENTING THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, I GUESS I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME, BUT I REALLY WHAT I'M SAYING, WE'LL JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME REENIE NICAEA AND REBECCA, I PUT FORWARD THAT THERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD PROGRAMS ON THE TABLE IN TERMS OF THE CREATIVE SECTOR, CREATIVE SECTOR, ASSISTANCE, MUSIC, DISASTER RELIEF FUND, AND AUSTIN CREATIVE SPACE, DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
AND THAT, UH, I SUPPORT THAT WORK GOING FORWARD TO MAKE THOSE MORE ROBUST AND BEST INFORMED AS WELL AS I SUPPORT THE BUDGETS THAT WERE INITIALLY PRESENTED BY STAFF REGARDING WHAT SORT OF SUPPORT LEVELS SHOULD BE IN PLACE.
AND I THINK AS WE SEE MUCH LIKE WITH NEEDS OF OTHER FOLKS IN THE COMING DAYS, THAT THE NEED WILL OUTSTRIP THE FUNDING AND THAT I THINK EVERYONE IS GOING TO NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE AND NIMBLE AND BE ABLE TO MOVE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE TO HELP FOLKS IN NEED AS THAT PRESENTS ITSELF.
I MEAN, I REALLY BELIEVE WE'RE AT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, ALSO WANTING TO LOOK AT, UH, CLEAR AND ANCHOR FIND AGAIN, IT WAS A PORT WAS REALLY WAS SAYING THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK TO, TO BRIDGE SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITIES, BOTH IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS IN OTHER NEEDS.
AND, UH, I JUST STRONGLY SUPPORT THOSE FOLKS THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED IN THE, UH, POLICY RECOMMENDATION THAT I SENT OUT FOR THAT SUPPORT THOSE MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS WHO NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED.
THAT WAS JUST A FIRST ATTEMPT AT THAT.
SO PLEASE INCLUDE MUSIC, NONPROFITS AND ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES FOR ANCHOR SUPPORT.
AND OF COURSE CLEAR THIS POINTS BACK TO WHAT REBECCA AND NIKIA WERE SAYING ABOUT EMPLOYMENT AND THE NEED FOR THERE TO BE EMPLOYMENT IN THE FUTURE.
AGAIN IN USE WHERE THE FIRST TWO CLOSE UNDER A COVID AND WILL BE THE LAST TO REOPEN SAFELY, PARTICULARLY FOR LARGER SPACES AND LARGER CROWDS, WHICH IS HOW THOSE SPACES PAY RENT.
UM, NO ONE HAS HAD INCOME FOR OVER 60 DAYS NOW, AND WE'RE NOW SEEING MANY PEOPLE, UH, UH, ANNOUNCING CLOSURE OR ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE CLOSURE.
AGAIN, THERE'S NO PATHWAY TO INCOME AND COSTS LIKE RENT HAVE REMAINED THE SAME.
SO JUST WANTED TO AFFIRM HOW ABSOLUTELY VITAL IT IS FOR CLEAR DOLLARS TO BE APPLICABLE FOR MUSIC VENUES AND OTHER CREATIVE SPACES.
UH, SINCE AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT KEEPS OUR ENTIRE WORKING CREATIVE ECONOMY EMPLOYED AND KEEPS DOLLARS COMING IN ONGOING.
UM, IF THESE GO AWAY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
[01:20:01]
COME BACK ANYTIME SOON.AND LASTLY, I THINK IT WOULD BE REAL REMISS IF WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF EQUITY.
UH, I THINK ONCE WE MOVED PAST THESE INITIAL FUNDING PIECES AND, AND REALLY KIND OF GET INTO THE WEEDS WITH THEM, AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE ONGOING SUPPORT.
WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE FROM THE AS MUSIC COMMUNITY, AS EMPLOYERS AND AS EMPLOYEES AND, UH, DISMANTLING THE INEQUALITY THAT HAS BEEN BUILT INTO OUR SYSTEM.
SO I ENCOURAGE THAT DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT ECONOMICS IS KEY TO THAT.
IT'S A KEY LOVER, UH, AND HELPING SOLVE FOR THAT INEQUALITY AND PREVENTING IT IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UH, LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT HAM IS ABLE TO BRIDGE FOR A CERTAIN GROUP.
AND, UH, AND, AND THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES TO MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS LIKE WITH THE WORK SEVEN'S DOING AND LOOKING AT PAID SICK TIME AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT, THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY WILL HAVE HIGH IMPACT FOR WORKING CLASS FOLKS AND FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
I THINK AS A MUSIC COMMUNITY, IT'S TIME TO COWBOY UP AND REALLY LOOK AT WHAT THIS MEANS, WHAT EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AND PRACTICES ARE AND HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE AS A COMMUNITY LEAN INTO IT AND DO THE WORK EARLY, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE CALORIE ISN'T COMING, UH, WE NEED TO BE THE ONES TO PROVIDE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THOSE PLANS AND START DOING THE WORK NOW.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS QUICKLY FOR CODY? NOT A QUESTION, BUT ONE A NONPROFIT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST TO MAYBE ADD TO HIS LIST WAS DIVERSE ARTS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE DIVERSE OUT OF OUR CENTER OUTREACH AND WE THINK WE'VE TOUCHED BASE WITH HAROLD.
I MEANT FOR CODY CODY'S LIST OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HE RECOMMENDED BEING ELIGIBLE.
BUT HE HAS, YOU KNOW, THE AMF AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, ET CETERA.
UH, UH, AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, DIVERSE ARTS, UH, WAS ONE I THOUGHT OF, UH, FOR YOU TO THAT'S ALL IN REGARDS TO THE ANCHOR ELIGIBILITY, CORRECT? EXACTLY.
IN REGARDS TO THE ELIGIBILITY FOR ANCHOR FUNDING, AND AGAIN, I'M A STUDENT, SO THAT WAS JUST THE FIRST ATTEMPT I WILL.
CAROL HAS BEEN DOING GREAT WORK AND CORE PART OF THE COMMUNITY FOR DECADES.
AND, UH, I'M NOT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP THERE, I THINK THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET ALONG REALLY WELL, ABSOLUTELY OLD SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN WATCHING HIM MY WHOLE LIFE AND LEARNING.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CODY.
[Item 3F]
UM, OUR LAST ITEM OF DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CITY'S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IS RELATES TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY BE BEST SERVED BY MAKING THAT, UM, CARRYING THAT OVER TO OUR NEXT SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SISEP PROGRAM AS WELL, OR THE RE THE REBRANDED C-SAT PROGRAM, UM, AS WE ARE COMING UP ON OUR TIME LIMIT.
UH, DOES THAT SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA TO EVERYBODY TO GO THAT WAY? YEAH.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF AGENDA ITEMS FOR THAT THING THAT'S SUGGESTED FOR MOVING ON TO THAT.
[Future Agenda Items]
GO AHEAD AND THEN ADD FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO, UH, THE, THE MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF FUND, UH, BOTH PHASE PROBABLY IS TWO DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS, PHASE ONE, UH, THE CONTINUING DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OR, OR, OR JUST THE CURRENT STATE OF FUND.NOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE APPLY GETTING A STAFF UPDATE, ALL THAT, UM, UH, SECOND, UH, WHETHER A PROPOSED CON CONSIDER A PHASE TWO.
AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? THE NECK, UH, SHOULD I MAKE THESE ONE AT A TIME OR FOUR, OR WE'RE TRYING TO GO FAST? SO THE OTHER ONE IS JUST, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE AN ONGOING, UH, GROUP, UH, WORK FROM US WORKING ON SYSTEMIC RACISM.
UM, A TOUGH THING TO KEEP BRINGING UP WAS A GREAT IDEA AND APPS TO JUST ANOTHER PROPOSED.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE A WORKING GROUP OR A TASK OR WHICH THING, BUT
[01:25:01]
SOMETHING TO PUT IT ON OUR AGENDA ITEM, UH, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE TOPIC OF SYSTEMIC RACISM, BUT THEN FOR ME, AN ONGOING EXACTLY FORM A GROUP TO SUGGEST ACTIONS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE OR RECOMMEND BE TAKEN.SO WE WOULD NEED TO PUT THESE FEATURE AGENDA ITEMS TO A VOTE.
I WOULD ADD THAT WE HAVE, WE DO BRING HAROLD MCMILLAN INTO THE DISCUSSION OF THE EQUITY.
HE HAS A SIGNIFICANT, UH, DOCUMENT OUT TODAY THAT I RECEIVED ON THE EQUITY AUDIT THAT THE CITY PUT ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS REGARDING RESOURCE ALLOCATION FUNDING AND HIRING.
SO, UH, A COPY, UH, GRAHAM ON THAT, BRINGING HAROLD INTO THE DISCUSSION IN THAT MEETING.
THAT'S IT? DO WE KNOW? OKAY, WELL, AFTER WE VOTE ON THIS, OR IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS, WHETHER OR NOT CAPPED IN TERMS OF TIME, OR IS THIS BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THE STAFF FIND THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A LONGER MEETING IT'S MANAGED AT THEIR CAP DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF COMMISSION MEETINGS AND THE STAFF AND HOW IT'S SCHEDULED.
THAT WAS WHAT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TOLD ME LAST WEEK.
CAUSE I RAISED THAT OBJECTION AS WELL.
UM, IT'S JUST REALLY HARD TO DO THESE IN 90 MINUTES.
SO I GUESS THEN WE NEED TO VOTE ON THOSE AGENDA ITEMS. CORRECT.
SO ACTUALLY ARE THOSE, WE NEED SECONDS FOR EACH OF THOSE.
SO IT'S, CAN YOU REPHRASE THOSE FOREST GRAHAM? YEAH.
BOSTON MUSIC, DISASTER RELIEF FUND PHASE ONE IS NUMBER ONE, THE AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF FUND PHASE TWO.
THERE'S A THIRD SYSTEMIC RACISM WORK.
CORPORATE TASK ASHES IS NUMBER THREE.
UH, WAS THAT ALL OF THEM? AND OF COURSE C-SAT YEP.
SO DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THOSE? DO IT ALL IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
I THINK GAVIN GAVE YOU A SECOND PROBLEM.
AND WITH THAT WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS, AS WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN, I'LL MOTION TO ADJOURN.
AND THE SECOND, SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR.
MOTION CARRIES MEETING IS ADJOURNED.