[00:00:02]
UM, I SUPPOSE THAT I WILL, UH, CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT A 100 5:00 PM ON JUNE 17TH.
UM, AND I'M TOLD THAT, UH, TO KICK THIS OFF, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO ROLL CALL, UH, NOT JUST BY VIDEO, BUT, BUT, UM, GOING THROUGH THE COMMISSION ROSTERS.
UM, THIS IS COMMISSIONER HARMON, UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE.
I THINK I HEARD YOU, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER WOZNIAK, I BELIEVE JAMIE SAID WAS NOT JOIN US.
COMMISSIONER AGREEMENT, CORRECT? UH, COMMISSIONER CIAVARELLA, REBECCA YOU'RE MUTED.
HELLO? UH, COMMISSIONER FREELAN AND I BELIEVE JAMIE SAID WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO JOIN, CORRECT? JUST WORK.
WE'RE COUPLING, UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
JAMIE, DID YOU HEAR FROM SHANE? I DID HEAR LAST WEEK THAT HE WOULD BE ON I BELIEVE, BUT WE CAN JUST START OFF.
I'LL SEND HIM A TEXT AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN JOIN US.
AND LAST BIT, OF COURSE, NOT LEAST COMMISSIONER SMITH, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, I AM HERE AND WILLING TO SERVE, HOWEVER I CAN.
I KNOW WE ARE ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE, SO I WILL TRY TO MOVE THROUGH OUR AGENDA EXPEDIENTLY, BUT BEFORE WE OFFICIALLY GET STARTED, UM, I JUST WANNA, I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AS THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING AS CHAIR.
UM, I'LL APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR GRACE AND YOUR GUIDANCE IF I DON'T GET IT ALL COMPLETELY RIGHT.
UM, BUT I TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING MY COMMUNITY IN THIS CAPACITY.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY IN THE MIDST OF AN UNPRECEDENTED TO BE CLICHE, PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CRISIS.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHO IS WORKING TYRUS PILOT TIRELESSLY TO KEEP OUR LIGHTS ON AND OUR WATER RUNNING, UM, AND CONTINUE THE HARD WORK OF KEEPING THE CITY RUNNING.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES CITY LEGAL AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR MAKING THE SPEEDING POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN CONVENE.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES.
UM, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO COMMISSIONER DIELMAN FOR 10 YEARS OF SERVICE, UH, AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK.
UM, I THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE AND I'M HONORED TO NOW BE ABLE TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
UM, AND I THINK ALL OF YOU FOR THE TRUST IN ME TO DO SO.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE ON TO OUR POSTED AGENDA.
UM, FIRST ITEM IS CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND JAMIE, I BELIEVE WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
MADAM CHAIR, NOBODY SIGNED UP FOR COMMUNICATION ON ANY OF THE ITEMS. OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY YOU CALLED TO CALL TO MAKE SURE HE SAW YOU SELFIES? UM, I DID GO BY HIS HOUSE NOW.
[Item 1]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION GOING TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 20TH SPECIAL MEETING THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET THAT JAMIE DISTRIBUTED? DANA I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING.THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN DIELMAN UH, MAKES THE MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
WHITE, I BELIEVE SECONDED ALL IN FAVOR.
CAN, CAN WE DO, CAN WE DO EYES VISUALLY? MMM, YEAH, I SUPPOSE THEY SHOULD SPEAK UP BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT ON VIDEO.
UH, ANY, ANY OPPOSITION? OKAY.
WITH THAT, WE'LL CALL THE MOTION APPROVED.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO JUST ASK IF ANYBODY ABSTAINS.
[00:05:01]
YOU.UM, I'VE READ UP ON ROBERT'S RULES, BUT I'M STILL, IT MIGHT TAKE ME A MINUTE TO MAKE SURE THAT I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.
[Item 2]
TO, UH, DEF REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS, UH, ITEM TWO IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE FIVE-YEAR REVISION TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN, UH, BY THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.UM, THAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT, UM, THAT THIS ITEM IS POSTED FOR BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, IT IS, UH, PROBLEMATIC, UH, FOR US TO POST, UM, ALL THINGS AS POSSIBLE ACTION.
AND, UM, HEATHER IS HERE TO GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT AND WHY THAT IS POSSIBLE.
SO LET'S PLEASE CONSIDER THIS, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, BRIEFING, UH, AT THIS TIME, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, JACK.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU ALL HAVE THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO JUST SHARE SCREENS AND TRY TO WALK THROUGH IT, UH, ON THE SCREEN.
CAN YOU SEE THE SCREEN? NO, I'M NOT ABLE TO SEE IT, BUT I'M ON MY PHONE.
IF YOU'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, I CAN ALSO STREAM IT.
YES, IT DOES SAY THAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SHARE CONTENTS.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND STOP SHARING THE SCREEN AND I'LL PULL IT UP.
JUST TELL ME WHEN TO GO FROM SLIDE TO SLIDE.
WHERE IS IT UP? AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR IT TO COME UP, THIS WAS ALSO IN THE PACKET THAT JAMIE DISTRIBUTED.
SO WE SHOULD ALL HAVE ACCESS TO, TO THE PRESENTATION ITSELF.
IF WE NEED TO FOLLOW ON WITHOUT THE SHARING.
SO, UM, SO THIS IS, UH, SO I'M NOT SHARING, THIS IS, I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SAY NEXT SLIDE.
SO I'M ZACK BOMBER, I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER.
AND JUST HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH REVISING THE OSTIAL COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN.
FIRST COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN WAS, UH, ADOPTED, WAS CREATED IN 2014 AND 15 AND ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2015.
SO WE ARE IN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIVE-YEAR REVISION PROCESS FOR THIS PLAN.
UM, AND I AM NOT GOING TO BE SHOWING YOU THE DRAFT GOALS AND STRATEGIES, OR LIKE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY.
UH, THE IDEA WITH THIS PRESENTATION AND WE CREATED A WEBINAR AND SHARED THIS WITH LIKE 15 OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, THE IDEA IS JUST TO GET YOU UP TO SPEED ON WHAT WE'RE DOING, HOW WE'RE DOING IT, UM, AND INVITE ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS INTO OUR SORT OF PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THEN I WILL BE COMING BACK IN LIKELY IN AUGUST FOR YOUR AUGUST MEETING, UM, WITH THE ACTUAL DRAFT PLAN, UM, WHICH WE WILL BE ASKING FOR SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT PLAN.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.
I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
UH, SO FIRST I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE GOALS OF THE REVISION AND WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS, UM, GO THE PROCESS AND THE SCHEDULE, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY AND HOW EQUITY AND THE ACTUAL EQUITY TOOL THAT WE CREATED FOR THIS PLAN PROCESS, HOW THAT FITS INTO THIS WORK.
UM, AND THEN TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A, NOT A MYSTERY TO ANYONE ON THIS COMMISSION, BUT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING.
WE'RE CHANGING THE EARTH'S CLIMATE.
WE ARE EMITTING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF TONS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AS WE HAVE THEM FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
UM, GLOBAL EMISSIONS HAVE NOT STARTED TO COME DOWN YET.
UM, THIS SLIDE TYPICALLY HAS A ANIMATION, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ANIMATION.
IT BASICALLY JUST SHOWS THAT LIKE CURRENTLY GLOBAL EMISSIONS ARE NOT COMING DOWN.
UH, PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, UH, GOALS ARE TO BRING GLOBAL EMISSIONS DOWN, BUT THE GOALS AS THEY ARE SET UP, EVEN WITH THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, DON'T SORT OF ADD UP TO REACHING TWO DEGREES C OF REDUCTION AND MORE
[00:10:01]
AND MORE ACTION IS NEEDED.UM, AND WHILE EMISSIONS HAVE BEEN COMING DOWN IN AUSTIN, WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE, WE HAVE ALREADY PEAKED OUR LOCAL EMISSIONS AND WE ARE COMING DOWN, UM, THAT HAS NOT YET HAPPENED GLOBAL GLOBALLY.
SO THERE IS THE IMPETUS AND THE DRIVE WITH THIS PLANNING PROCESS TO, UH, TAKE, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS BECAUSE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, WE ARE IN THE HIGH EMITTER CATEGORY AND WE ARE ALSO HIGH INCOME GLOBALLY AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE MORE CHANGES, UM, AND MORE LIKE DRIVE MORE ACTION THAN, UH, THAN SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
SO THERE IS URGENCY FOR CLIMATE ACTION.
THERE'S ALSO, UM, URGENCY AROUND EQUITY.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, FORMED AN EQUITY OFFICE, UH, OVER THREE YEARS AGO NOW, UM, IN MANY DEPARTMENTS HAVE EQUITY ACTION PLANS.
UH, RFS HAS AN EQUITY ACTION PLAN, UM, AND THE EQUITY OFFICE IS REALLY STRUGGLING TO, AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO US, STRIVING FOR ZERO EMISSIONS.
UH, THE EQUITY OFFICE IS STRIVING FOR A PLACE WHERE IN AUSTIN RACE NO LONGER PREDICTS A PERSON'S QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES IN OUR CITY AND IN ALMOST ALL AREAS OF HEALTH INCOME, UM, ACHIEVEMENT ON ALL THESE AREAS, RACE PREDICTS THAT, AND IT IS NOT FAIR AND IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, UM, IN THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
UM, IF WE ARE NOT PROACTIVELY ADDRESSING EQUITY AND STRIVING TO ANTI-RACIST, WE ARE PERPETUATING THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING CREATED RIGHT NOW.
SO WHEN WE GOT INTO THIS PROCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT DRY FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE TO REALLY CENTER EQUITY IN OUR CLIMATE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO THEY MEMBERS OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE KIND OF GAVE US THE INITIAL PUSH.
SO LIKE WE NEED TO REALLY THINK SERIOUS ABOUT EQUITY THIS TIME IN CREATING THIS PLAN.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID WHEN WE CREATED THIS PLAN, UM, BRANDING THE PROCESS FOR THIS PLAN WAS, DID A REALLY DISTINCT JOB OF TRYING TO HAVE A VERY DIVERSE, UM, PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO WE INVITED AND REACHED OUT TO MANY, MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, HAVING TYPICALLY BEEN PART OF PROCESSES LIKE THIS, TRYING TO MOVE BEYOND JUST THE WHITE ENVIRONMENTALIST THAT TYPICALLY SHOW UP WITH THESE KIND OF PROCESSES, THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND STEP IS THAT WE ENGAGED WITH A, UM, A LOCAL SORT OF TRAINER ACTIVISTS, UM, NAMED, UH, DR.
AND HE HELPED US WITH, UM, SOME EQUITY CLIMATE CENTER IN TRAINING.
AND WE HELD FOR ALL, ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PLANNING PROCESS IN DECEMBER.
AND ONE OF THE MAJOR OUTCOMES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT TRAINING OF GETTING 140 PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH A FULL DAY TRAINING AND TALK ABOUT HOW DOES EQUITY INTERSECT WITH CLIMATE.
WE CAME UP WITH THESE VALUES AND THESE VALUES THAT YOU SEE IN THE CENTER HERE, WE FEEL LIKE THESE ARE THE AREAS WHERE, UM, WHEN YOU CONNECT, WHY RACIAL EQUITY AND ACTING, ALIGN THAT AS ESSENTIAL AND WHY ACTING ON CLIMATE IS ESSENTIAL.
UM, THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT IN AUSTIN AND THE ACTUAL LIKE OUTCOMES THAT DRIVE PEOPLE'S DECISION MAKING AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE OR HEALTH AFFORDABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, CULTURAL PRESERVATION, COMMUNITY CAPACITY, JUST TRANSITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE FEEL LIKE THESE TENANTS REALLY START TO BRING THIS TO LIFE.
AND THESE VALUES ARE WHAT WE ENDED UP CREATING AN EQUITY TOOL THAT WE USED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT EQUITY IS BAKED INTO EVERY PART OF THIS PLAN AND IS NOT JUST A THING THAT WE SAY IN THE INTRO.
IT'S NOT JUST WINDOW DRESSING.
IT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHY WE'RE EXCELLENT.
SO EVEN WHEN YOU GET TO GET THROUGH ALL THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, TYPICAL SORT OF LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL THINKING AND SORT OF DRIVEN US DOWN THIS ROAD AND LOTS OF VERY COMPLICATED CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR ADVISORY GROUPS, OUR STEERING COMMITTEE ON WHAT REALLY, HOW DO THESE TWO THINGS FIT TOGETHER? LIKE IF YOU REALLY JUST WANT TO REDUCE EMISSIONS, IS EQUITY REALLY THAT IMPORTANT? AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS YES, CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS EVERYONE, BUT IT DOES NOT AFFECT ALL COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE SEEING THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC.
UM, THE NEXT MORNING IS THAT WE REALLY REALIZED THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UH, THE WHITE SUPREMACY SYSTEMS IN OUR COUNTRY, UM, AND THAT ARE SET UP TO EXPLOIT THE ENVIRONMENT.
[00:15:01]
ANIMALS.UM, AND SO WE HAVE TO SORT OF FUNDAMENTALLY THINK BIGGER THAN JUST LIKE ON THE SMALL ACTION SCALE AND THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SET UP MMM.
THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE DRIVEN BY, OR GOVERNMENT OR SOCIETY.
AND THE NEXT ONE, UM, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT HAVE NOT TYPICALLY BEEN AT THE TABLE DURING THESE PLANNING PROCESSES REALLY HAVE AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT WE FEEL LIKE IS ESSENTIAL.
I KNEW A PLANNING PROCESS LIKE THIS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY WE REALLY FEEL LIKE WE DESIGN THE SOLUTIONS, UM, IN THIS PLAN FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT, THE MOST, IT WILL END UP BENEFITING.
UM, SO A LOT OF TIMES IT'S SORT OF BEEN THE OTHER WAY.
LET'S DO THINGS AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE AND FOCUS ON THE EARLY ADOPTERS.
UM, BUT THIS TIME WE'RE TRYING TO FLIP THAT AND WE'RE TRYING TO SAY, WELL, WE COME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR NEED THE HELP FIRST AND NEED IT NOW.
SO HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE THEM IN THE ACTIONS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION ACTUALLY CENTER THEM IN, UM, IN THE PLAN.
SO THAT ALL KIND OF SUMS UP WITH THIS, UM, TAKEAWAY HERE THAT IF WE'RE NOT PROACTIVELY ADDRESSING EQUITY, AND IF WE JUST IGNORE IT AND WE WANT TO ACT LIKE IT'S NOT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'RE JUST PERPETUATING INJUSTICE AND WE WILL JUST DRIVE MORE OF THOSE UNFAIR OUTCOMES.
SOCIETY HAS BEEN, BEEN CREATED.
SO BACK TO 2015, THE FIRST AUSTIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN THAT WE CREATED, UM, HAD THESE MAJOR, UH, SECTIONS HERE, ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS, TRANSPORTATION LAND USE MATERIALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, INDUSTRIAL PROCESS.
IT DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF QUANT QUANTITATIVE SUB GOALS.
UM, IT WAS 130 LAUNDRY LIST ACTIONS, UM, THAT WERE KIND OF A MIX OF STUDIES AND PLANS.
AND, UM, IT WAS ALL VERY QUALITATIVE.
UM, SO WHILE, UM, MANY PARTS OF THIS PLAN LIKE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND DRIVING CITY ACTION, UM, WE FEEL LIKE WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO LEARN FROM THIS PROCESS AND FOCUS MORE ON, UM, QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS AND ACTUAL LIKE, UM, QUALITATIVE GOALS THAT WE COULD SET AND MEASURE AND, AND REPORT ON PROGRESS.
UM, AND THEN KIND OF EXPAND THE CATEGORIES, UM, BEYOND THESE, THESE INITIAL CATEGORIES.
SO I'LL GET TO THOSE IN A SECOND.
SO BACK IN 2019, KNOW IT WAS KNOWN THAT WE NEEDED TO UPDATE THIS PLAN IN 2019, POINTING ON THIS FIVE-YEAR REVISION PROCESS.
UM, NUMEROUS THINGS HAPPEN IN 2019.
IT SORT OF DROVE US DOWN THIS ROAD OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO THE FIRST THING WE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLOOMBERG AMERICAN CITIES CLIMATE CHALLENGE, UM, THAT WAS EARLY IN, UM, EARLY IN 2019, AND THAT HELPED US GET A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER AND THINK ABOUT PRIORITIES, UM, FOR WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON IN THIS NEXT YEAR.
UM, MAY CITY COUNCIL PASSED TWO DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS, UM, ONE SUPPORTING THE GREEN NEW DEAL AND ONE, UH, SPECIFYING THAT WE NEEDED TO CREATE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED PART OF THE CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN IN AUGUST THERE WAS A CLIMATE EMERGENCY RESOLUTION, WHICH GAVE US MANY MORE SPECIFICS AND, UM, THINGS THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON ON, IN THIS PLANNING.
SO WE'VE SORT OF TAKEN ALL THOSE DIRECTIVES FOR 2019, ROLL THEM INTO THIS PLANNING EFFORT, UM, AND SORT OF HAVE BEEN GOING FROM THERE.
SO A REALLY IMPORTANT THING WITH THIS COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN IS HOW IT FITS WITHIN THE OTHER PLANTS, RIGHT? UM, ALSO RESOURCE RECOVERY IS WORKING ON A ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN RIGHT NOW.
YOU ALL SAW AUSTIN ENERGY JUST WENT THROUGH A RESOURCE, UH, PLAN REVISION, LAND USE CODE REVISION IS A THING THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
UH, TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT HAS STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
METRO HAS THEIR MASSIVE PROJECT CONNECT, AWESOME WATER HAS WATER FORWARD.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE CREATE WITH THIS COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN FITS WITHIN ALL THOSE OTHER PLANS THAT IT CONNECTS AND SUPPORTS THOSE OTHER PLANS, BUT ALSO DOESN'T LIKE OVERSTEP THE BOUNDS INTO THESE OTHER POINTS.
SO WE DISTINCTLY SORT OF SET OUT TO LIKE, WE'RE NOT GONNA ADDRESS SOLAR GOALS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADDRESS LIKE ZERO WASTE TARGETS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADDRESS HOW DOES A PROJECT CONNECT GET IMPLEMENTED.
WE'RE GOING TO SORT OF SUPPORT THE ACTIVITY IN ALL THESE AREAS.
AND SO WE CAME UP WITH THESE FIVE PLAN SECTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING.
SO THE, UH, THE FIVE SECTIONS ARE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND ELECTRIFICATION, THAT'S ELECTRIC VEHICLES, ELECTRIC BUSES ARE CHAIRING EVERYTHING, ELECTRIC THING, TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND LAND USE, WHICH IS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING LAND USE HOW WE INTERACT
[00:20:01]
AND MOVE IN THE CITY, UH, NATURAL SYSTEMS, WHICH IS A BRAND NEW SECTION, WHICH IS LOOKING TO, UH, LAND, PUBLIC, PRIVATE LANDSCAPING, WHAT, EVERYTHING OUT TREES, UM, EVERYTHING OUT IN THE NATURAL WORLD THAT SEQUESTERS CARBON AND STORAGE CARBON IN OUR COMMUNITY, HOW THAT FITS IN WITH US.AND THEN THE LAST YEAR IS CONSUMPTION, CONSUMPTION.
THE IDEA IS THAT WE'RE SORT OF GOING BEYOND JUST WEIGHTS THAT WE'RE THINKING UPSTREAM INTO CIRCULAR ECONOMY, THINKING ABOUT CONSUMPTION BASED EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH, BY CONCRETE, BY STEEL AND BY THE, UM, WHAT ARE THE UPSTREAM EMISSIONS THERE AND HOW COULD WE POTENTIALLY
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE ABOUT 140 PLAN PARTICIPANTS.
UM, ABOUT 20 OF THOSE ARE CITY STAFF, UM, SPRINKLED MONTHS, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN, ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER, UM, WATERSHED PARKS, UH, NUMEROUS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE HAVE STAFF SUPPORTING AND THEN MOST OF THIS IS COMMUNITY LED AND REALLY COMMUNITY THREADS.
UM, SO OUR STEERING COMMITTEE IS ABOUT 25 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, ALL LEADERS IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, SHANE, UM, JANE ON THE RMC IS ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I EVA'S ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE FIVE ADVISORY GROUPS.
SO THERE'S AN ADVISOR GROUP FOR EACH ONE OF THESE PLANNED SECTIONS.
AND ALL OF THESE GROUPS HAVE BEEN MEETING EVERY OTHER WEEK FOR TWO HOURS, UM, ESSENTIALLY SINCE DECEMBER.
UM, SO THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME KIND OF LIKE EXPLORING EACH OF THESE TOPICS, DIVING INTO EQUITY AND HOW IT FIT IN DOING LOTS OF RESEARCH.
AND THEN THE SPRING, THEY KIND OF JUMPED INTO WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL CLINICAL POSES DO OTHER THINGS ON HERE? UM, THERE'S A LARGE INSTITUTION WORKING GROUP, WHICH HAS KIND OF TAKEN SOME TIME TO GET GOING.
UM, AND IT'S NOT REALLY LIKE A TRUE WORKING GROUP.
IT'S MORE OF LIKE A, UM, LARGE BUSINESS AND LARGE INSTITUTION LIKE LEADERS AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE PLAN PROPOSALS IN FRONT OF THEM SO THEY CAN REACT TO THEM AND HOPEFULLY SUPPORT THIS PLANNING PROCESS AS WE COME TO THE FINISH LINE.
LAST THING YOU SEE ON HERE IS COMMUNITY CLIMATE AMBASSADORS AND THAT'S WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE ON THIS LIGHT HERE.
UM, THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE AMBASSADORS ARE A GROUP OF, UM, 12 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WE, UH, REACHED OUT TO.
THIS IS THE PICTURE OF ALL THEM.
UM, THEY ARE PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT UNDERREPRESENTED PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SHOW UP AT CITY HALL.
THEY DON'T TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN A BOARD OF PERMISSION.
LIKE THEY, THEY ARE, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT EQUITY.
THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT CLIMATE.
UM, AND WE REALLY THOUGHT, AND THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO REALLY HEAR FROM THEM.
SO THEY ARE NOT AMBASSADORS OF THE CITY.
THEY'RE NOT AMBASSADORS OF MY MESSAGE TO BRING IT TO THEM.
THIS IS WHAT THE CITY WANTS YOU TO DO.
THEY ARE AMBASSADORS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO WE SET THEM UP WITH QUESTIONS.
WE SET THEM UP WITH TOPICS, AND THEN THEY HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH A PROCESS ALL THROUGH THE SPRING OF HOSTING ZOOM CALLS, HOSTING MEETINGS, UM, BEFORE COVID HAPPENED, THEY WERE HOME HOSTING PARTIES.
THEY WERE HOSTING LIKE, UH, DINNERS AND PIGEONS.
LIKE THEY WERE IN SETTING UP SPACES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO ASK THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM AND THEIR CHURCH GROUPS AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE? WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WAYS AND REALLY GETTING THAT LIKE ON THE GROUND, NON SORT OF DISTURBED, UM, FEEDBACK AND FEEDING THAT BACK INTO OUR PROCESS.
UM, SO ALL OF THESE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN PAID FOR THEIR TIME AS INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS AND THEY ARE JUST NOW FEEDING BACK, UM, REPORTS, SUMMARIZING ALL THEIR ACTIVITIES, SUMMARIZING THEIR INTERVIEWS, AND REALLY PUTTING THEIR COMMUNITY'S VOICE FORWARD IN TERMS OF REALLY WHAT ON THE GROUND AND PEOPLE THINK ABOUT AND CARE ABOUT WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO WE'RE NOW STRIVING TO TAKE THIS INFORMATION AND CHANNEL IT UP TO HER ADVISORY GROUPS AND GET THE ADVISORY GROUPS TO ACTUALLY SEE, THIS IS WHAT, UM, INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACTUALLY SEE AND THINK ABOUT THIS NEXT LINE.
WELL, AS I TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, NEXT TIME, UM, WE CREATED THIS EQUITY TOOL, YOU KNOW, AS IT BE, AS WE WENT THROUGH OUR, UM, EQUITY TRAINING, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT WE NEEDED
[00:25:01]
TO HAVE A REAL ACCOUNTABLE PROCESS, UM, UM, TO ENSURE THAT EQUITY IS ACTUALLY BAKED INTO ALL OF THESE ADVISORY GROUPS AND THE BAKED INTO ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS GOALS THAT CAME FORWARD FROM THIS PLAN.UM, SO THESE ARE THE, UM, EQUITY THEMES THAT WE CAME UP WITH.
WE THEN WORKED WITH A SUBGROUP OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND DEFINED ALL OF THESE AND THE NEXT LINE ACTUALLY DEFINED LIKE QUESTIONS, UM, FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE THEMES.
SO WE BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THIS, THERE'S A SERIES OF LIKE FIVE QUESTIONS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE THEMES.
AND, UM, ALL OF THE GOAL AREAS WITH ALL OUR ADVISORY GROUPS ESSENTIALLY WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON THE SCREEN, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SET A GOAL AROUND ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, THE GROUP THEN SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND HAD THE DISCUSSION.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY AND WHAT ARE THE INEQUITIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION? WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL YOU ABOUT WHO OWNS ELECTRIC VEHICLES? WHERE DO THEY LIVE? WHAT ARE THE ADOPTION RATES, MAN THINKING ABOUT THAT QUESTION IN TERMS OF EQUITY, UM, THEN THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOES THE GOAL HAVE AN EQUITY COMPONENT ALREADY AND, OR SHOULD IT HAVE ONE? AND THEN ESSENTIALLY WE GET INTO THIS PROCESS OF ASKING THIS SERIES OF 30, SOME EQUITY QUESTIONS OF ALL OF OUR PROPOSALS AND STRATEGIES AND HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW CAN THEY BE IMPROVED, HOW CAN THEY CENTER LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, IN THOSE STRATEGIES, UM, TO, TO IMPROVE THAT.
SO THE IDEA ISN'T THAT WE HAVE THE PERFECT, THE IDEA ISN'T THAT WE HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR EQUITY AT THE END OF THIS, THE IDEA IS THAT WE'VE ASKED BETTER QUESTIONS, THAT WE STARTED A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS AND MET, UM, THAT IN ALL WAYS THAT THE GROUP COULD COME UP WITH WE'VE CENTERED, UM, EQUITY AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN OUR GOALS AND IN OUR STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING FORWARD IS AN EXCELLENT, GREAT.
SO, SO AS I SAID, ALL OF THE GROUPS HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO COME UP WITH GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO INSERT, ENSURE THAT THEY INCLUDE EQUITY.
UM, SO NOW WITHIN EACH OF THESE FIVE AREAS, UM, WHAT THE INITIAL DRAFT IS SORT OF COMING FORWARD WITH IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT THREE TO FOUR QUANTITATIVE SUB GOALS WITHIN EACH OF THESE AREAS.
AND THEN FOUR TO FIVE STRATEGIES, EACH ONE BENEATH EACH ONE OF THOSE GOAL AREAS, UM, TO DRIVE ACTION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND THIS TIME AROUND, WE REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON FIVE YEARS IN 10 YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT 2020.
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE FRUIT WHEN WE CREATED THIS PLAN.
THE FIRST TIME AROUND IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE THIS LONG VIEWPOINT OF LOOKING AT 10 AND 20 AND 30 YEARS.
UM, BUT THIS TIME WE HAVE REALLY DIALED IN SETTING QUANTITATIVE TARGETS FOR 2030, AND SETTING OUR STRATEGIES FOCUSED ON WHAT NEEDS TO GET IMPLEMENTED IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THIS STUFF COME FORWARD, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BOOK.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE THIS TIME AROUND IS BUILT OUT, UM, A MUCH MORE ROBUST QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS, UM, TO THIS PLAN.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IN SCREENSHOTS, UM, FROM, UH, A TABLET DASHBOARD TOOL THAT WE'VE CREATED, WHERE YOU CAN ESSENTIALLY, UM, INCREASE IN DECREASE DIFFERENT GOALS AND DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION, YOU KNOW, UH, SWITCHING OUT NATURAL GAS APPLIANCES, UM, GETTING NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT TELEWORK, UM, UM, SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN CHANGE DIFFERENT INPUTS AND THEN YOU CAN ESSENTIALLY MATCH THEM AGAINST THE EMISSIONS AND THE EMISSIONS WILL SORT OF DYNAMIC CHANGE.
AND SO IT'S REALLY EASY FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE STEERING COMMITTEE, UM, TO ESSENTIALLY SEE LIKE WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO REACH OUR TARGETS, UM, AND, UM, AND HOW MUCH IMPACT DO DIFFERENT GOALS AND STRATEGIES.
UM, SO AFTER THIS MEETING, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THAT DASHBOARD USING IT, UM, IT'S COMPLETELY OPEN AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WE CAN SHARE THE LINK, UM, AND YOU CAN GO, GO IN THERE AND MESS AROUND WITH IT.
UM, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT THINGS RELATED TO THIS DASHBOARD IS THAT, UM, YOU SEE A GOAL LINE HERE, THE INITIAL GOAL LINE THAT WAS PUT FORTH IN THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN FOCUSED ON GETTING TO ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050, UM, AND A BIG SORT OF CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS TIME IS THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS NOW, UH, HAS PROPOSED TO TARGET TO GET TO ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2040,
[00:30:02]
UM, WITH A STEEPER DECLINE THAN JUST A STRAIGHT LINE, AND THEN TO STRIVE FOR NEGATIVE EMISSIONS BEYOND 2040.UM, SO IF YOU ACTUALLY GO INTO THAT TOOL AND GO INTO THE, UM, THE DASHBOARD, YOU CAN TWEAK DIFFERENT LINES, YOU CAN COMBINE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SEE HOW THEY ALL STACK UP AGAINST ME.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO ACTUALLY DRIVE, UM, THE REALITY OF WHAT, WHAT KIND OF ACTION AND WHAT KIND OF RESULT IS THAT CREATE IN TERMS OF BIG PICTURE CLIMATE ACTION? EXCELLENT.
SO AS I SAID, UM, RIGHT NOW ALL THE DRAFT GOALS AND STRATEGIES ARE COMING TOGETHER, UM, WE'VE GOT ALREADY GONE THROUGH, OR SORT OF LIKE FIRST INTERNAL REVIEW WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
UM, THE FIRST FULL DRAFT OF, UH, THE CLIMATE PLAN IS GOING TO BE THE VERY, VERY FIRST ROUGH DRAFT IS GOING TO BE DONE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THROUGH JULY.
WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, WITH OUR ADVISORY GROUPS AND WITH OUR STEERING COMMITTEE REVIEWING, REVIEWING, REVIEWING, POLISHING, AND SORT OF LIKE WHO GATING THE INITIAL PLAN.
UM, AND THEN IN AUGUST WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE THE FIRST FULL DRAFT OF THIS PLAN.
THAT'S RELEASED TO THE CLAIMANT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WE WILL COME BACK TO ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, FOR REVIEW OF WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL GOALS AND STRATEGIES AND ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR THIS FINAL PLAN.
AND THEN THE IDEA IS THAT WE GET INTO SEPTEMBER AND, UM, THE DUE DATE THAT WE HAVE FROM A COUNCIL RESOLUTION IS THAT YOUR PLAN SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL BY OCTOBER 1ST.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.
SO, UM, THAT'S IT FOR THE SLIDES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE REAL DETAILS, THE DETAILS ARE KIND OF YET TO COME.
UM, AND I WILL SHARE THIS DASHBOARD TOOL WITH NEW SO EVERYBODY CAN CHECK IT OUT.
UM, BUT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR ABOUT YOUR IDEAS ON THINGS WE SHOULD CONSIDER, LIKE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS BEFORE WE GET TO THE FINISH LINE, UM, YEAH, JUST LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS EFFORT, UM, I KNOW I WAS, UM, THANKFUL FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND JUST FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WHAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE YOU, PHOEBE SALINE, THERE'S A TON, UM, THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS EVIDENCE.
AND I THINK, WELL SUMMARIZED, UM, THERE, AND BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, I DID JUST WANT TO MAKE THE QUICK COMMENT THAT UNDER OUR NEW BUSINESS, WE DO, UM, AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT, UM, JUST COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UM, AND OUR WORK AS A, AS A BODY.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME TIME TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE MAY INCORPORATE SOME OF WHAT YOU DESCRIBED ABOUT YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS AT EQUITY AND INCLUSION INTO THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION ITSELF.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO, TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION FOR ANY QUESTIONS FOR THAT.
I AM SCROLLING THROUGH MY PHONE TO SEE IF I CAN SEE ANYBODY RAISING HANDS, BUT IF I DON'T SEE A HAND, UM, CAN YOU PLEASE THE VIA AUDIO? YOU JUST ANOTHER MOMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND YOUR TIME, JAMIE.
I THINK I JUST SAW YOU TRY TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT I BELIEVE YOU'RE VIEWED IT.
MY APOLOGIES, I PUT SMITTY WAS TRYING TO RAISE HIS HAND.
HE'S KEPT ALSO WANT TO SAY ZACK, THANK YOU.
THIS PRESENTATION AND PLANNING SCORE YOUR EFFORTS FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
AND I THINK MANY OF THE METRICS THAT YOU HAVE DEVELOPED BOTH IN TERMS OF THE CLIMATE REDUCTION, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF INVOLVEMENT ARE REALLY CRITICAL.
AND I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
AT THIS POINT, UM, I MADE THE COMMENT, UM, EARLIER, BEFORE ZACH'S PRESENTATION, UM, THAT THIS ITEM HAD BEEN POSTED FOR UPDATE AND OUR BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S PROBLEMATIC, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DO SO.
AND I'M HEATHER LOCKHART FROM CITY LEGAL HAS GRACIOUSLY JOINED US TO TALK ABOUT, UM, KIND OF WHAT, UH, THAT MEANS ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND WHY, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE POST APPROPRIATELY FOR BRIEFING VERSUS ACTION.
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JAMIE, JUST WANNA TO CHECK AGENDA WISE OR RUBBER JUUL WISE, IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE TIME FOR US TO SIT HERE THAT, THAT, THAT UPDATE FROM HEATHER? YES.HEATHER, MAY I, MAY I TURN IT OVER TO YOU PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
CHAIR HARMON AND JAMIE FOR INVITING ME TO BE A PART OF THE MEETING TODAY.
I'M KIND OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ZACH DISCUSSED ACTUALLY WAS A GOOD LEAD IN TO THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, HE MENTIONED HE, HE DID THE BRIEFING TODAY AND THAT HE'LL BE BACK IN AUGUST TO PROVIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, A COPY OF THAT PLAN, UM, AND ALLOW FOR THIS COMMISSION TO DISCUSS THAT PLAN AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
UM, STAFF BRIEFINGS ARE REALLY DESIGNED FOR MEMBERS OF, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF TO COME TO THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETINGS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO YOU ALL, UM, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO, UM, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO ON AGENDAS BECAUSE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DON'T COMMENT ON BRIEFINGS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR INSIGHT AND COMMENTS ON ANYTHING THAT'S LISTED AS A DISCUSSION ITEM AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS THE NOTICE REQUIREMENT.
AND PART OF THAT NOTICE REQUIREMENT, UM, ARE YOUR DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED, UM, BOTH, UH, AGA OPINIONS AND COURT CASES HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE SPECIFICITY OF THOSE AGENDA ITEMS AND SPECIFICALLY ITEMS THAT ARE OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE AND SPECIAL INTEREST TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BEING SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE, UM, INCLUDING THINGS SPECIFIC ON, UM, POTENTIAL ACTION THAT WILL BE TAKEN.
SO, UM, AT THE CITY, WE, WE DO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE BRIEFINGS WHERE WE'LL JUST BE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING TO YOU FROM STAFF MEMBERS, VERSUS WHEN YOU, AS A BODY WILL BE DISCUSSING THOSE ITEMS AND TAKING ACTION.
SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE AWARE THAT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, UM, ON THOSE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS. UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION ON WHY WE DO THOSE SEPARATELY.
UM, BOTH ACCORDING TO STATE LAW AND CITY CODE AND OUR, UH, OUR CUSTOMS WITH OUR WORDS AND COMMISSIONS AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS KIND OF RELATED TO THAT, UM, OR PROVIDE HAPPY TO PROVIDE.
YOU GUYS CAN CERTAINLY ALWAYS CONTACT ME OFFLINE IF, IF A QUESTION COMES UP AFTER THE MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT EXPLANATION, HEATHER.
AND, UM, I'LL JUST, JUST, UM, I'D LIKE TO MENTIONED, I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HAVING POSTED THE AGENDA THIS WAY FOR THIS MEETING FOR, UH, FOR A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I APPROVED THE AGENDA, UM, AND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF, FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, I THINK PART OF THE DISCUSSION AT OUR LAST MEETING, UM, BECAUSE WE DID WANT TO TAKE ACTION ON A, AN ITEM, AN UPTIME IN THE ITEM THAT WASN'T POSTED TO DO SO.
AND SO WE SORT OF, WE DEFAULTED, WE SWUNG BACK THE OTHER WAY AND SAID, OKAY, WELL, LET'S JUST, JUST IN CASE LET'S LOOK POST IT FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, AND SO I, AGAIN, THAT, THAT WAS MY MISTAKE.
AND HEATHER, I DO APPRECIATE YOU SHARING WITH US WHY IT KIND OF THE OTHER IMPLICATIONS OF DOING SO.
WELL, THAT'S KIND OF YOU TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT I, I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THIS BE POSTED FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
UH, AND I DID SO, SO THAT THESE, THE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF WE WANTED TO, TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED, UH, IF WE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY AS A COMMISSION, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT TO NOT DO THAT IF THERE'S NO CHANCE OF WINNING, BUT IT WAS NOT MY VIEW THAT THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION, UH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I THINK AS A SUBSTANTIAL, UH, EFFORT THAT IS RELATED TO OUR WORK.
SO, UM, IT, I REQUESTED NOT COME FROM A PLACE OF JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, WANTING, WANTING TO ROLL EMILY POST THINGS FOR POSSIBLE ACTION, BUT THAT WE MAY
[00:40:01]
ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS.AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'M, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THAT THAT IS IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT YOU STATED.
AM I MISINTERPRETING SOMEWHERE? NO, NOT AT ALL.
I, FROM, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE AND FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, JUST IN THE SENSE OF WANTING TO HAVE EFFICIENT MEETINGS, WE ASK THAT YOU DON'T POST EVERYTHING AS AN POSSIBLE ACTION, UNLESS AS YOU SAID, YOU INTENDED THAT YOU, YOU MAY TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION ON SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S JUST THE THING AS A, AS A COMMISSION AND AS A CHAIR, HARMON CAN LOOK AT WHETHER THOSE ITEMS ACTUALLY WILL BE FOR POSSIBLE ACTION, OR IF IT IS JUST SOLELY FOR A STAFF MEMBER TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING, JUST PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION AND BEN, I'M SURE THIS IS SMITTY YES, MANY, UM, TO AMPLIFY SOMETHING HEATHER SAID EARLIER, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, AND LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING, I THINK AS A ROUTINE MATTER, WE OUGHT TO ERIK TOWARD SAYING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON POSTINGS, BUT ONE OF THE REALLY TRICKY THINGS, UH, IN THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT ALL OF US, UM, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTION MAY BE.
THERE ARE PROVISIONS THAT I'M PARAPHRASING BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT OPEN IN FRONT OF ME, BUT BASICALLY SAYS, AND DESCRIBE WITH ADEQUATE SPECIFICITY, THE ACTION THAT THE BOARD IS CONTEMPLATING.
SO ONE OF THE DANGERS OR PROTECTIONS IS THAT WOOD GIVES THE READER OF THE MEETING NOTICE INFORMATION THAT THE COMMISSION IS PLANNING ON MODIFYING A CERTAIN PROGRAM IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
AND, UM, SO THE DANGER OF COURSE OF THAT IS THAT IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING, WE MAY NOT POST CORRECTLY OR ADEQUATELY.
UM, SO THERE, THERE IS, THERE IS WIGGLE ROOM LANGUAGE THAT, UH, HAD THERE PERHAPS CAN HELP US WITH THAT ESSENTIALLY SAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO STAFF OR TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FURTHER ADDITIONAL ACTION.
AND HEATHER, IF THERE'S MAGIC WORDS THAT YOU GUYS ROUTINELY SUGGEST IN THESE KINDS OF KINDS OF POSTINGS THAT, UH, SORT OF, UH, ENABLE THE AVERAGE READER LISTENER OR READER TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MIGHT HAVE AN OPINION OR MIGHT MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE USEFUL.
I THINK WHAT REALLY, WHAT YOU TOUCHED ON TOO, IS IF WE WANT TO BALANCE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE COMMISSIONERS WITH THE ABILITY TO HAVE, HAVE DISCUSSIONS OR TAKE ACTION, UM, WITH MAKING SURE THAT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN LOOK AT YOUR AGENDA AND UNDERSTAND, LIKE YOU SAID, WHAT ACTION MAY BE TAKEN AND WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION ON OR CONTACT YOU TO PROVIDE INSIGHT ON.
SO THE, I KNOW THAT IT MAY FEEL, AND WE'RE BAD TO DO THIS IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT THAT WE'RE SAYING, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
UM, PROVIDE THAT BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS IS GETTING YOU GUYS FLEXIBILITY, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING TRANSPARENT, UM, AS FAR AS NOTICING TO THE PUBLIC, WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AND POTENTIALLY VOTED ON.
HEATHER, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I THINK THAT THAT WAS HELPFUL.
AND SMITTY, I THINK YOUR, YOUR SUGGESTION ABOUT ADEQUATE SPECIFICITY SPECIFICITY, UM, CERTAINLY MAKES, MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND ALSO, UM, KAI, I, UM, I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GLOSS OVER IN THIS, YOUR, YOUR SPECIFIC REQUESTS FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION FOR US TO HAVE, UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS, UH, WHEN WE DO POST SOMETHING FOR POSSIBLE ACTION, WHAT MIGHT THAT BE? UM, AND SO FOR ME, IT'S VERY HELPFUL CLARIFICATION.
SO THAT BEING SAID, BECAUSE WE ARE POSTED, UM, I GUESS I, MAYBE I CAN OPEN IT UP TO, UH, TO, TO KIND OF PUT WHERE THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, IS THERE A SPECIFIC, UM, ACTION ITEM WE MAY WANT TO DISCUSS REGARDING THIS ITEM? UH,
[00:45:01]
NOW I GUESS TO SPEAK DIRECTLY, I DON'T HAVE, UH, A, ANY SORT OF RECOMMENDATION PREPARED.UM, BUT I WANTED TO LEAVE SPACE FOR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WERE ANY THOUGHTS, UH, HEARING WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, UH, BE THE SUPPORTIVE OR ADDITIONAL OR ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR THEM AND IF IT'S JUST ALL SOUNDS GOOD, THEN MAYBE WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO DO ANYTHING.
UM, EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR THOUGHTS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY HEAVIER IN THE OTHER DEPARTMENT AND THEN KIND ENOUGH TO OFFER, TO HELD A WORKSHOP OR THIS COMMISSION THAT WE CAN GO OVER THESE ISSUES WHEN WE DON'T HAVE OTHER BUSINESS, UM, TO HAVE TIME TO REALLY GET INTO IT AND ALSO DISCUSS THE, UH, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS COMMISSION AND, AND CLARIFY THINGS, AND EVERYBODY CAN BRING THEIR QUESTIONS.
SO AS I'M BEING, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED TO DO THAT.
UH, HOPE WE COULD TAKE THAT UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF THREE WEEKS, DEPENDING ON PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES, IT WOULD NOT BE ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
AND IN ADDITION TO POSSIBLE ACTION TO FOLLOW UP ON THE CLIMATE PLAN, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST IS THAT WE DO SCHEDULE A WORK SESSION OR BRIEFING WITH ZACH AND HIS TEAM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD AND PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, THE HOLDINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR SOLAR OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND THEN MAKE, AND BE ABLE TO PLAY WITH IT.
AND, UM, DO SOME WHAT IFFING WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY MANIPULATE THE DASHBOARD AND HELP US FIGURE OUT SOME AREAS WHERE WE MIGHT CHOOSE TO TARGET OUR PROGRAMS TO HELP US MEET OR EXCEED THE CLIMATE GOALS.
SO WITHOUT REALLY HAVING STUDIED THE PLAN, THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN TO DEVELOP.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR THEM.
ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FROM, OR THOUGHTS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS ON THAT SUGGESTION? OKAY.
UM, I KNOW ZACH, THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER.
YOU YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE WILLING TO SHARE THE TABLEAU DASHBOARD.
UM, AND I'M MY, MY PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE IS TABLEAU WAS ABOUT THIS MUCH.
UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT IS THERE AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
MIGHT I SUGGEST, UM, ZACK, AS YOU SHARE THAT RESOURCE WITH THE COMMISSION, LET'S COME UP FOR HATS WITH A PLAN, UM, THIS COMMITTEE OF WHAT THAT, UH, WHAT THAT EXERCISE MIGHT LOOK LIKE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN PUT SOME STRUCTURE AROUND THE ACTIVITY FOR THE COMMISSION.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT SOUND OKAY? SURE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO, UM, JAMIE'S SUGGESTION AND, AND THANK YOU HEATHER, FOR, FOR OFFERING FOR THE WORKSHOP.
I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT WORKSHOP AS WELL, BUT I'D LIKE TO GET JUST A QUICK, YOU KNOW, NOT, OR COMES UP FROM THE COMMISSION, IF YOU ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT THAT WOULD BE A WORTHWHILE ACTIVITY FOR US.
WE'LL WE'LL UM, JAMIE, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US GET THAT SCHEDULED AS A NON, UM, NON BUSINESS MEETING, BUT A WORKSHOP MEETING SO THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN EXPLORE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, SOME OF THOSE GUIDELINES GUIDELINES OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
FIND A TIME THAT WORKS FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THANK YOU, HEATHER, FOR THE, UM, THE OFFER.
I THINK THAT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US.
UM, SO NOW I KNOW WE ARE ON A STRICT, A STRICT 90 MINUTE LIMIT.
SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT 35 MINUTES LESS THAN OUR AGENDA.
AND, UM, A FEW OTHER REPORTS TO GET THROUGH ARE JUST ITEMS TO GET THROUGH.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO SO EXPEDIENTLY.
UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA
[Item 3]
IS, UM, UPDATING POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THAT, FROM THE ACCESS TO SOLAR WORKING GROUP, UM, WHICH LED TO SOME OF THE CAPITAL ACTION DISCUSSION WE JUST SAID YES, THEN I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM DISCUSSION AND VOTING ON THIS ITEM.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN.
[00:50:05]
UM, SO, UH, WITH THAT, UM, TEYEBA W WOULD YOU MIND GIVING AN UPDATE FOR THE GROUP FOR THE ACCESS TO SOLAR WORKING GROUP? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.SO SINCE WE HAD OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING, UM, DANA AND I DID CONNECT WITH TIM HARVEY, WHO, I'M NOT SURE IF, IF YOU MIGHT BE ON YES.
SO, UH, FIRST JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR 10 AND FOR THANK YOU TO TIM FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, WORK WITH US.
AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND, UM, I KNOW HE WAS COLLECTING FEEDBACK AT LEAST A COUPLE OTHER FOLKS INTERNALLY AT AUSTIN ENERGY AND, UM, BRINGING, BRINGING THAT FEEDBACK TO US.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK DANA AND I WERE TRYING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT OF THE GROUP AS A WHOLE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINED HIS RECOMMENDATIONS WHILE ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, RESPONDING TO CONCERNS, UH, OR SUGGESTIONS FROM AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT WAS A PRODUCTIVE PROCESS AND EVERYBODY WHO WAS INVOLVED, UH, EVEN IF, IF NOT IN THOSE MEETINGS DIRECTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINE, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS DID GO OUT TO THE FULL, UM, WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO CERTAINLY WE HAVE OTHER WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, UH, HERE ON THE COMMISSION.
AND, UM, I MEAN, I'M VERY EVERYBODY TO, UH, CHIME IN, UH, ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, ITEM BEFORE YOU, BUT CERTAINLY IF THOSE ARE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS FEEL LIKE WE HAVE LOST THE ESSENCE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE GROUP, UH, DEFINITELY SPEAK UP.
UM, I THINK WE ALL WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE WERE CERTAINLY EDITS MADE.
SO DOES FIRST, DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THE DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF YOU? DOES ANYBODY NOT? AND KIND OF, IF I MAY JUST CHIME IN QUICKLY JUST FOR CLARITY, THERE THERE'S A PDF OF THE CLEAN RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND THEN JUST FOR CLARITY SAKE, WE ALSO SENT A TRACKED CHANGES WORD VERSION, SO THAT THOSE YOU CAN SEE WHAT CHANGED BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATION AND THIS SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT PROBABLY SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES, MAKE SENSE FOR US TO JUST REAL QUICK, MAYBE GO THROUGH, UM, AT LEAST THE, THE BIG CHANGES.
UM, I, AND I SHOULD, I SHOULDN'T SAY THE BIG CHANGES, THE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, THE, THE CHANGES IN THIS DOCUMENT I CAN SHARE MY SCREEN, IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO FOLKS, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL IF IT, IF IT WORKS, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HURT.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN DO THAT EVERYBODY.
SO, UM, I GUESS JUST KIND OF STARTING, UH, AT THE TOP, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE USING THE TERM HARD TO REACH INSTEAD OF UNDERSERVED.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.
UH, THERE, UH, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT SHOULD JUST BE LOW INCOME, BUT I THINK WE SETTLED ON THIS BECAUSE THE, THE GROUP HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, RENTERS IN PARTICULAR AS ANOTHER HARD DEGREE REACH GROUP THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY LOWER LIMITED INCOME.
UM, AND I GUESS WE ARE USING THE TERM LIMITED INCOME TO ALIGN WITH, UH, THE AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, RESOURCE PLAN THAT WAS JUST ADOPTED THAT'S THE TERMINOLOGY THERE.
UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS FIRST EDIT, I THINK IS JUST SOME, UH, KIND OF SEMANTICS.
IT'S NO MEANINGFUL CHANGE THERE, AGAIN IN THIS KIND OF PREAMBLE, JUST USING THE TERM HARD TO REACH AND, AND KIND OF SPECIFYING THAT, THAT IS DEFINED AS A LIMITED INCOME RENTERS.
THOSE WHO LIVE IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ARE OTHERWISE UNDERSERVED BREAKS IN PROGRAMS. SO, UH, IT CAN BE SIGNIFICANT UNIVERSITY PEOPLE.
AND THEN JUST CLARIFYING THAT THIS, THIS, UH, PIECE OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, IS, IS ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTED COMMUNITY, SOLAR INSTALLATIONS.
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ABOUT SOLAR PROCUREMENT GENERALLY FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.UM, AND IT'S NOT EVEN REALLY ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE OF WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED COMMUNITY SOLAR.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMMUNITY.
SOLAR COMES IN MANY FLAVORS THAT CAN UTILIZE A LARGE, YOU KNOW, UTILITY SCALE INSTALLATIONS.
THIS SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS IS ABOUT DISTRIBUTED INSTALLATIONS, UM, INSTALLATIONS, DISTRIBUTION GRID THAT WILL BE UTILIZED FOR A COMMUNITY SOLAR, UH, PROGRAM.
SO JUST TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT SOME THINGS ARE CROSSED OUT HERE UNDER MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, UM, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY'RE ENTIRELY GONE FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, OFTENTIMES THEY'RE JUST MOVED INTO EITHER THE PREFERRED CRITERIA OR MOVED INTO A LOWER SECTION THAT IS MORE ABOUT, UH, THE PROGRAM.
SO THE, UH, GROUND MOUNT INSTALLATIONS, UM, THE, WE HAD INITIALLY BEEN USING THE TERM HIGHEST AND BEST USE NEEDS TO BE DEMONSTRATED.
THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT, THAT, UM, WAS MAYBE, UH, NOT VERY WELL DEFINED, UH, AT AUSTIN ENERGY OR THE CITY PROCUREMENT OFFICE FOR, UH, FOR LAND, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION OF HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT UNDER PREFERRED, UM, WELL ACTUALLY, NO, IT IS STILL IN MINIMUM THAT WE HAVE NOW BEEN MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT.
SO THE GROUND MOUNT PROPOSALS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN LIMITS MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE NOT USING LAND SUITABLE FOR AGRICULTURE, AND THEN ANYWHERE ON THE DISTRIBUTION GRID, WHICH AGAIN IS THE UNIVERSE OF INSTALLATIONS.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM WITH DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY'RE NOT USING LANDS GETTABLE FOR HOUSING, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF THE LOGIC BEHIND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, ACCESS TO HOUSING AND ALSO ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DIFFERENT LAND USES CAN, UM, MAKE THAT POTENTIALLY MORE DIFFICULT.
UM, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS, UH, REMOVED FROM THIS REQUIRED SECTION IS THIS, UH, SPECIFIC UTILIZE THE WORKFORCE, UM, LOCAL WORKFORCE, BUT YOU WILL FIND THAT DOWN IN THE PREFERRED SECTION.
UM, AND THEN WE WERE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR ABOUT, UM, RECYCLING SOLAR PANELS, UM, AND ACTUALLY MAKING THAT PART OF THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AS OPPOSED TO PREFERRED.
WE INITIALLY JUST HAD MEETING THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENT AND WE'RE A LITTLE UNCERTAIN WHETHER THAT ACTUALLY REQUIRED RECYCLING, BUT IT IS, UH, I'M TOLD AUSTIN ENERGY'S POLICY THAT THEY ARE NOW, YOU KNOW, REQUIRING A PLAN FOR RECYCLING SOLAR PANELS AT THEIR END OF LIFE.
SO, UM, IT MADE SENSE TO JUST INCLUDE THAT IN THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS HERE, THAT THAT DOES NEED TO BE PART OF THE PROPOSAL.
AND THEN UNDER PREFERRED CRITERIA, YOU'LL SEE RIGHT HERE THAT WE'VE, MMM.
YOU KNOW, MOVE INTO PREFERRED, BUT IT'S, I THINK STILL A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF UTILIZING LOCAL WORKFORCE INSTEAD OF SETTING A SPECIFIC THRESHOLD.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT MORE IS BETTER.
SO HOPEFULLY IT STILL DRIVES COMPANIES TO, UM, HIRE LOCAL WORKERS CONTRACT WITH LOCAL COMPANIES IF THEY'RE DOING SUBCONTRACTING, UM, AND THEN TO INCLUDE AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE IN THEIR PLAN, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE GETTING POINTS TOWARDS, UH, POINTS FOR THAT, FOR THOSE EFFORTS.
AND THEN KIND OF IN LINE WITH THE, UM, TWO ITEMS THAT YOU SAW UP IN THE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS ABOUT GRANDMA SYSTEMS. WE'RE ALSO SAYING IN THE PREFERRED THAT ESSENTIALLY SYSTEMS THAT ARE ON JUST A GROUND MOUNT SOLAR ARRAYS ARE PREFERRED.
BASICALLY, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE EFFICIENT USE OF LAND IN, YOU KNOW, IN CITY AND AROUND THE CITY, BECAUSE LAND IS VERY VALUABLE HERE.
SO LET'S, LET'S DO AT LEAST TWO THINGS WITH IT, WHETHER THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A BUILDING OR A CARPORT OR OTHER SHADE STRUCTURES, LET'S, LET'S USE THAT SPACE AND PUT SOLAR ON TOP OF IT.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL ALSO GET EXTRA POINTS.
AND I THINK LIKELY TO BE THE MAJORITY OF PROPOSALS ANYWAY, BECAUSE LAND IS SO EXPENSIVE.
SO IT DOESN'T PROBABLY, UM, CUT ANYTHING OUT, BUT IT DOES JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT'S A PRIORITY.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT END OF PLAN RECYCLING IS REMOVED CAUSE THAT'S NOW UP IN REQUIRED AND THE TANGIBLE
[01:00:01]
BENEFITS, UH, PIECE IS STILL HERE.IT'S JUST DOWN HERE, UM, IN THIS NEXT SECTION, WHICH IS MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS. SO THESE QUALIFICATIONS THAT ARE JUST KIND OF REVIEWED ARE REALLY ABOUT EVALUATING PROPOSALS FROM, UH, SOLAR DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY ENERGY IT'LL LIKELY BE IN THE FORM OF A PPA, BUT, UM, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, UP TO AUSTIN ENERGY, HOW THEY PUT THAT OUT.
UM, HOW, HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE ACTUAL PROPOSALS FOR THE SOLAR INSTALLATIONS? AND THEN NOW WE HAVE THE SECTION HERE THAT IS ABOUT MORE OF THE PROGRAM, UM, AND HOW IT IS THE PROGRAM AS IT FACES THE CUSTOMER AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, RECOMMENDING THIS SUBSCRIPTION MODEL AND ENSURING THAT, UH, MODERATE AND LIMITED INCOME CUSTOMERS CAN PARTICIPATE WITHOUT A COST PREMIUM.
SO THAT IS, UH, IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING COMMUNITIES, SOLAR PROGRAM IS MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN CONTINUE, UM, SO THAT THERE IS ACCESS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SPECIFYING THAT THERE WILL BE A CARVE OUT AGAIN, SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING PROGRAM FOR THOSE MODERATE AND LIMITED INCOME SUBSCRIBERS.
THE CURRENT PROGRAM HAS ALLOCATED 50%, WE'RE SAYING AT LEAST PROPORTIONAL, UM, MEANING THE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS, LET'S SAY THERE'S 50% OF PEOPLE THAT FALL INTO MODERATE INCOME CATEGORIES AND MODERATE UNLIMITED INCOME CATEGORY IS THAT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, 50% OF A PROGRAM WOULD BE TO BE, UH, ALLOCATED TO THEM.
UH, AND THEN KIND OF THE ONE BELOW IT, UH, WAS REPLACED BY THE NO COST PREMIUM.
SO, WHEREAS THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT THERE IN THE, IT DOESN'T SAY IT HAS TO BE A COST SAVINGS, BUT AT LEAST IT WON'T BE AN ADDITIONAL COST.
AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS A COST SAVINGS, BUT AS A, AS A MINIMUM BAR NEEDS TO BE NOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING.
AND THEN THIS LAST PIECE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, I GUESS IN GENERAL THAN THE TANGIBLE BENEFITS, UH, BUT STILL TRYING TO GET AT THE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE, UH, THAT THERE IS OUTREACH, UM, TO CUSTOMERS THAT ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, HOPEFULLY TO, TO GET THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE IN THE HARD TO REACH CATEGORIES, SUBSCRIBED INTO THE PROGRAM.
SO JUST MADE THAT A LITTLE MORE CLEAR IN HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THAT? OKAY.
THAT WAS A GREAT OVERVIEW OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING AND THIS MEETING.
UM, AND I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I, UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I REALLY APPRECIATED, UM, 10 APPROACH TO THIS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH US.
UM, AND I THINK THE TONE OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS RATHER THAN JUST DEVELOPING A SECOND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE THROW IT OVER THE FENCE AND GO ON THE RECORD WHO HAVE HAD STATED, UM, I THINK THAT THE TONE WOULD STACK WITH VERY MUCH, HEY, LET'S TRY TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT IS ACTIONABLE AND CAN BE IMPLEMENTED GIVEN ALL THE VARIOUS, UH, PROCESSES THAT, UH, THAT OFTEN ENERGY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH IT WITH PROCUREMENT, UM, AND, AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND OTHERWISE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO TIM FOR THAT.
UM, AND, AND OF ALSO TO YOU FOR LEADING THE EFFORTS, UH, TO, TO MAINTAIN THAT THE INTENT OF THE WORKING GROUP REMAINS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, TIM AND DEBBIE, I THINK ARE BOTH ON THE LINE IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED THERE, BUT, UH, YES, PLEASE.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS, UM, FROM THE WORKING GROUP AND I'LL W WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AND THEN THIS ONE IS INTENDED TO BE POSTED FOR, FOR POSSIBLE ACTION BY THIS, BY THIS COMMISSION THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, WITH THAT I WILL, UH, MAKE, UH, OR I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, TO VOTE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE ENGINE.
SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER WHITE.
WHO WAS THAT? THE SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SMITH.
[01:05:03]
MR. DIELMAN.NOW CITY HALL IS NOW THE PRESENTER.
UH, ANY OPPOSED? I DIDN'T KNOW.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER ABSTAINED ABSTAINED, SO WE HAVE ONE EXTENSION, ANY OTHER ATTENTION? OKAY.
WITH THAT, I BELIEVE THE MOTION PASSES.
OH, DANNY, WILL YOU HELP ME WITH MATH? THAT WOULD BE SIX TWO ZERO TWO SIX TO ZERO TO ONE.
BUT FOR THAT, FOR TAKING US THROUGH THAT, NO, THANK YOU, DANA.
AND, UH, EVERYBODY WHO CONTRIBUTED BOTH WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP AND OUTSIDE.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO A NEW BUSINESS.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 MINUTES LEFT, UH, ON OUR, OUR SCRIPTED INTO, UH, FOR TODAY.
UM, SO, UH, OUR ITEM NUMBER FOUR AND
[Item 4]
NEW BUSINESSES UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING UPCOMING RMC TOPICS TO INCLUDE THE CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, BUDGET, UH, PROGRAMS AND PRIORITIES.UM, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, DEBBIE HERE WHO HAS AGREED TO GIVE US AN UPDATE AND TALK ABOUT THE PLAN, UH, FOR THE BUDGET.
UM, AND HEATHER, ADDITIONALLY, IF I CAN BRING YOU UP, I THINK HEATHER WANTED TO, UM, TO, UH, ADVISE US ON THE OFFICIAL POLICY OF THE BUDGET OFFICE IN TERMS OF THE PRESENTATION AND THE PROCESS REGARDING THE BUDGET.
UM, SO HEATHER, I'M TRYING TO PULL MY SCREEN BACK UP.
ARE YOU, UH, COULD YOU GIVE US, PLEASE A BRIEF, A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT POLICY? YEAH, FOR SURE.
WELL, JUST TO PROVIDE SOME, SOME BACKGROUND, UM, COUNCIL IS TASKED WITH, UH, APPROVING THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR, UM, THROUGH, UH, BOTH CHAPTER ONE AND TWO OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, AS WELL AS OUR, OUR CITY CHARTER.
SO THAT, THAT PIECE REST FULLY WITH CITY COUNCIL.
SO AS AN ADVISORY BODY, YOUR DUTIES ARE SPELLED OUT AND, UH, SECTION TWO, ONE, ONE 68 OF CITY CODE, UM, AND THOSE ARE ALSO IN YOUR BYLAWS.
SO WHILE THOSE INCLUDE, UM, PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS ON, ON PROGRAMS, UM, THE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE WHERE YOU'RE DIRECTING, WHERE FUNDS WILL BE SPENT, UM, DOES NOT FALL UNDER THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSION'S DUTIES THAT REST WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
I KNOW THERE WAS MAYBE SOME CONFUSION ON THAT PORTION OF IT.
HI, IF I MAY, OUR DUTY TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
AND I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS GOT A BUDGET PRESENTATION AND MADE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION, YOUR PARTICULAR DUTIES ARE TO PROVIDE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROGRAMS, UM, AND UPPER AREAS THAT, THAT THIS COMMISSION FEELS DOLL SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO.
SO MAKING SPECIFIC BUDGETARY REQUESTS OR DIRECTIONS IS NOT UNDER YOUR DUTIES, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY COUNSEL SOLICIT FEEDBACK.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE CURRENT PROCESS.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THIS COMMISSION DIRECTING SPECIFICALLY WHERE SPECIFIC DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE SPENT, THAT GOES OUTSIDE OF YOUR SPECIFIC BYLAWS.
WELL, THAT'S A NEW READING OF THE BYLAWS, LITERALLY SINCE THE WHOLE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF LEO, MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS AS WELL, BUT YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS EVEN LONGER AND WE'D BEEN MAKING BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIND MY MUTE BUTTON THAT APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ANSWERING, UM, YEAH, KATIE, BUT I THINK, UH, HEATHER, I THINK JUST THERE'S A NUANCE IN IT.
I THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'S INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, BUT WE HAVE, UH, I THINK, UH, I THINK I'VE CAUTIONED US ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT OVERSTEPPING OUR, OUR, UM, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, WE, LIKE WE SAID, WE'RE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL, NOT A FIDUCIARY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION.
AND, AND SO WHILE I THINK OUR, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ADVISE COUNSEL ON WHETHER, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS ARE MEETING, UH HUH.
THE, UH, POLICY CONTENT OF COUNCIL.
AND, AND I THINK I'VE, I'VE CAUTIONED US ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS
[01:10:01]
TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT, UM, UH, DIRECTING SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNTS.UH, AND, AND, UM, UH, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE, WE HAVE, UH, REFRAINED FROM, UH, SPECIFIC PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, I MEAN, WE WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT, UH, SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNTS ON IT.
AND I'M NOT SURE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
UM, IF I MAY JUST ADD ANOTHER LAYER TO THIS CONVERSATION THAT I'VE RECENTLY, UH, I'VE RECENTLY PERSONALLY UNDERSTOOD IS THAT IT'S THE POLICY OF THE BUDGET OFFICE THAT, UM, NO INFORMATION IS SHARED WITH STAKEHOLDERS UNTIL AFTER THE BUDGET HAS BEEN SHARED WITH COUNCIL, UM, WHICH IN THIS CASE I BELIEVE HAS NOT HAPPENED YET.
I THINK THERE'S A COUNCIL BRIEFING SCHEDULED FOR JULY 13TH.
UM, AND IT IS, IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, AND, AND WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO DEBBIE, TO CHINA, CHIME IN ON SOME OF THIS AS WELL, BUT IT IS THE INTENT OF AUSTIN ENERGY, I BELIEVE TO PRESENT THE BUDGET TO THIS COMMISSION AT OUR JULY MEETING, WHICH DOES FALL, UM, FALL AFTER THAT COUNCIL PRESENTATION.
UM, I BELIEVE THE INTENT IS TO PRESENT TO THE RMC AND EUC, UM, AT THAT MEETING.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR US TO HAVE, UM, THE SORT OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT HEATHER JUST SHARED WITH US, UM, AS WE KIND OF THINK, OKAY, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT OUR DUTIES AS A COMMISSION, UM, TO ADVISE ON WHETHER THE, UH, SETTING THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THIS COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON AND WHETHER THERE'S SUFFICIENT BUDGET TO DO SO.
UM, AND I, I DON'T COMPLAIN TO, TO, EXCUSE ME, I DON'T CLAIM TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THAT LINE IS, BUT I DO THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR US TO KIND OF HAVE THIS, THESE GUIDELINES IN TERMS OF, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF THIS COMMISSION? UM, AND SO ON ONE HAND, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT AS HEATHER'S OFFERED TO HOST A WORKSHOP FOR THE COMMISSION ON, WE WERE TALKING TO YOU PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE POSTING FOR POSSIBLE ACTION, PERHAPS WE CAN DIVE INTO EXACTLY HOW, HOW DO WE KNOW WHERE THAT LINE IS COMMISSIONED DURING THAT WORKSHOP.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M OPEN TO THE THOUGHTS ON OTHER OF OTHER COMMISSIONERS ON HOW DOES IT, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FULFILLING OUR DUTIES AND NOT OVERSTEPPING? WELL, WE DO, WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT TWO 30.
WHERE DO WE HAVE SOME GRACE PERIOD? OH, COOL.
IF WE HAVE A HARD STOP, THEN I GUESS I WOULD JUST REQUEST LIKE, CAN, ARE WE GOING TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUDGET OR NOT DEBBIE? YES.
DEBBIE IS PREPARED TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON, ON THE BUDGET, A VERBAL UPDATE ON THE BUDGET.
SO I AGREE, BUT IT PROBABLY DOES MAKE SENSE TO GIVE HER TIME TO DO SO.
AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ITEM.
AND AGAIN, I WON'T, WAS THERE A QUESTION I'M SORRY.
OH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
UM, SO DEBBIE KIMBERLEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, AND YOU ARE CORRECT IN TERMS OF FRAMING.
IT TYPICALLY WE HAVE PRESENTED TO THIS COMMISSION AT LEAST ONCE DURING THE YEAR, AND THAT OCCURS, UM, IN THE JULY TIMEFRAME FOLLOWING THE TIME WHEN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SHARES THE BUDGET WITH THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND YOU WERE CORRECT, IT'S ON, UM, JULY THE 13TH.
UM, WELL, I CAN'T GET INTO THE DETAILS.
I CAN TELL YOU HOWEVER, UH, AND MY BUDGET IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE OFFICE AND BY THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE CES BUDGET, UM, IN AGGREGATE AND THE INCENTIVE BUDGETS REMAIN ROUGHLY EQUAL TO THE FY 20 BUDGETS.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, THE COSTS FROM WITHIN CS GET RECOVERED AND THE EES PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE THE CAP WEATHERIZATION FUND, WHICH HAS RECOVERED VIA THE CAP CHARGE AS WELL AS BASE RATES FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND AGAIN, PROPOSED FOR FYI, UH, 21, WE HAVE PROPOSED AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF $44 MILLION IN ROUGHLY HALF OF THAT, OR $22 MILLION IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS INCENTIVES.
SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A HUGE CHANGE.
YOU MAY SEE CHANGES BETWEEN PROGRAM CATEGORY AND RELATIVE TO THE INCENTIVE BUDGET.
THAT BUDGET IS PRETTY MUCH TYPICALLY ALLOCATED IN FOUR ALMOST EQUAL BUCKETS, AND THEY GO TO LOW INCOME PROGRAMS, OTHER RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, WHICH ALSO
[01:15:01]
INCLUDES PROGRAMS TARGETED TO LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS, SUCH AS THREE, UM, SMART THERMOSTATS AND MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES WHERE AT LEAST 30% OF THE UNITS ARE OCCUPIED BY CUSTOMERS, CUSTOMERS AT LOW MODERATE INCOMES, UM, OR THEIR NONPROFITS, UM, COMMERCIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SOLAR PROGRAMS. SO JUST THINK OF THOSE AS SORT OF FOUR, ROUGHLY EQUAL BUCKETS.SO VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR, MINOR SHIFTS.
UM, AGAIN, ASSUMING THAT OUR BUDGET IS APPROVED, I'M ALSO WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE.
NO, ONE'S REALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE'VE BEEN, UM, PRETTY MUCH SHELTERING IN PLACE WORKING FROM THE HOME SINCE THE MIDDLE OF MARCH.
AND SO I THINK YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED AS YOU LOOK AT OPICS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS TO SEE HOW OUR PROGRAMS ARE DOING.
WE CERTAINLY PUT THAT OUT TO YOU, UM, EVERY MONTH.
AND THE REPORTS THAT WE SEND OUT ARE THREE SEPARATE REPORTS.
WE SEND OUT THIS COMMISSION THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND AS WELL, ORDERLY, THE LAST ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN MARCH.
HE WILL SEE AN EXPANDED REPORT.
AND THIS, I THINK GETS A LITTLE BIT AT WHAT, WHAT COMMISSIONER SMITH, UM, SPOKE TO, WHICH RELATES TO, UH, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
WE'LL SEE A BREAKDOWN OF INCENTIVES BY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THROUGH, UM, UM, MONTH OF MAY, WHICH IS THE MOST RECENT MONTH WE HAVE DATA ON, UM, WE ARE AT 71% OF COMPLETION TO OUR MEGAWATT GOAL.
UM, AND THAT'S BIG, UH, BIGGEST BUMP COMES FROM THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM.
WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO EARLY ON IN THE YEAR RELATIVE TO THE LOW INCOME MULTIFAMILY WEATHERIZATION, WHERE WE PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COSTS ARE GOING IN AND WEATHERIZING MULTIFAMILY UNITS FOREVER A LITTLE OVER 1% IN TERMS OF TOTAL ANNUAL SAVINGS GOAL.
WE'VE SEEN PHENOMENAL ACTIVITY RECORD SETTING ACTIVITY IN BOTH GREEN BUILDING COMMERCIAL, AS WELL AS MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE WELL OVER 80 MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES THAT ARE WORKING WITH OUR GREEN BUILDING STAFF, AND THAT REPRESENTS 18,800 UNITS SPREAD AROUND THE CITY.
WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL ON OUR SOLAR PROGRAM.
WE'RE AT ALMOST SIX MEGAWATTS OUT OF ALL THE MEGAWATTS, UM, UH, OUR BEST TOWARDS OUR SOLAR GOAL.
WE'VE SEEN STRONG, UH, UPTAKE FROM RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND DURING THE SHUTDOWN.
AND IN SPITE OF THE SHAKEDOWN, WE WERE ABLE TO ENERGIZE THE HAKA GOODRICH PROPERTY, AND THAT'S ROUGHLY 120 UNITS THAT ARE NOW RECEIVING SHARED SOLAR.
SO WE HAVE NOT, WE HAVE, I THINK WE HAVE FIVE OR SIX, UM, UH, LOW, UM, PORTABLE HOUSING PROPERTIES THAT NOW HAVE A SOLAR AND WE'VE SPENT $4 MILLION OUT OF OUR FIVE AND HALF MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR PROGRAMS, YOU GENERALLY SEE THE GREATEST UPTAKE IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO SPEND 40% OF OUR BUDGET JUST IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
IN ADDITION TO LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE'VE OVERCOME SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WHERE OUR WORKFORCE HAS BEEN WORKING REMOTELY, AND THAT INCLUDES INSPECTORS, YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN COVERING IN YOUR FUTURE MEETINGS, THE WRAP UP OF THE SHINES PROJECT.
I KNOW WE GAVE SORT OF AN INTERIM REPORT TO THE RESOURCE PLAN WORKING GROUP, BUT, UM, WE CLOSED THAT OUT.
UM, AND SO I THINK YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THAT PERHAPS ABOUT THE WORK WE DID ON THE TCEQ GRANT THROUGH SITE MULTIPLE, UM, UH, DC FAST CHARGING STATIONS AROUND, UM, AUSTIN.
UM, WE ARE DEVELOPING A WEATHERIZATION LIGHT PROGRAM, TARGETING PEOPLE ABOVE 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
WE ARE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN REMOVE BARRIERS WHO ARE LOW INCOME WEATHERIZATION THAT WOULDN'T POTENTIALLY TREND AWAY FROM USING 200% FDG OR FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES TO MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME, WHICH I BELIEVE BETTER ALIGNS WITH THE CITY AND WOULD OPEN UP OUR PROGRAM TO EVEN MORE, UM, MORE INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME OF NEED.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I KNOW THE EMC RECEIVED IT AT THEIR LAST MEETING, BUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AT ALL AT LEARNING ABOUT OUR NEW CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN THE MILLER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ANDY MOORE FROM, UH, THE CITY HAS EXPRESSED TO ME HIS WILLINGNESS TO COME IN AND PRESENT, WHICH WE REALLY LOOK TO MAKE A SHOWCASE OF, OF SUSTAINABILITY.
SO I THOUGHT I'D JUST SORRY FOR THE PAST TALK, BUT THAT TOUCHES A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT WE DO.
I KNOW YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT MAYBE PROGRAM REACH.
WE DO UPDATE PERIODICALLY A MAP THAT SHOWS OUR OUTREACH WITHIN CERTAIN ZIP CODES AND AREAS BOTH AS TO, UM, OUR DISCOUNT PROGRAM, OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, OUR SOLAR PROGRAMS, ET CETERA.
[01:20:01]
THAT IN MY JULY UPDATE TO THIS COMMISSION.UM, AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN, UM, ADD, ADD CONTEXT, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR INCLUSION OF THAT DATA.
AND, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE MAKING SOME GOOD PROGRESS THIS YEAR.
I WILL TELL YOU MR. TEST SMITTY, SORRY.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THE ONE PROGRAM THAT HAS REALLY BEEN STYMIED BECAUSE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC IS THE LOW INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
TYPICALLY WE SEEK TO WEATHERIZE A HUNDRED HOMES A YEAR, AND THIS YEAR PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDABLY NERVOUS ABOUT ALLOWING ANYBODY IN THEIR HOME, EVEN IF THEY'RE WEARING A PE.
UM, AND, UM, SO WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
THOSE FOLKS HAS CONCERN, AND THOSE ARE AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.
SO WE'VE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
UM, OUR CONTRACTORS ARE WILLING TO GO OUT AND DO THAT WORK THAT DOES REQUIRE SOME TIME IN THE HOME, OBVIOUSLY, AND IN THE ATTIC AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR DEALING WITH LIFE SAFETY ISSUES.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL IN THE AIR, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY CONSIDER POSTING THIS FOR THAT WOMAN, AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU MAKE A REPORT.
CAUSE, UM, MANY PEOPLE I SUSPECT IN PREVIOUS YEARS WOULD JUST BE ABSENT FOR THE DAYS THAT YOU GUYS WERE WORKING, UH, IN THE HOME.
AND, UM, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE OF A CERTAIN AGE, UM, AND THOSE WHO HAVE CHILDREN, THAT'S FAR MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT HAS BEEN IN PREVIOUS TIMES TO ARRANGE A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY GO OUT AND BE IN PEOPLE'S HOMES.
I WILL SAY THIS AND WE'VE MADE GREAT USE OF TECHNOLOGY DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME.
IS THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, THANKS FOR THAT UPDATE ON THE WEATHERIZATION.
THAT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, UH, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP WITH THIS.
UM, ONE, UM, SINCE THERE ARE PROBABLY FOLKS WHO MAYBE WOULD HAVE WANTED TO WEATHERIZE, BUT ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR HEALTH REASONS, UM, ARE Y'ALL PLANNING AND TO A LITTLE OVER, BUT I REALIZED THAT IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A ROLE, WHERE ARE YOU PLANNING TO ALLOCATE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UH, TO THAT PROGRAM FOR THE COMING YEAR TO ALLOW FOR MAYBE MORE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMING YEAR? UM, AND THEN A SECOND QUESTION, I'M, I'M WONDERING, UM, PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE TWO, UM, THE J MULTIFAMILY PROGRAMS, BUT PARTICULAR WITH PHYSICIANS REAL QUICK HERE, BECAUSE I THINK I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, WE HAVE INCREASED IN OUR BUDGET, THE FUNDING FOR THE LOW INCOME MULTIFAMILY WEATHERIZATION AND REDUCE SLIGHTLY THE BUDGET OR THE REGULAR MULTIFAMILY WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
UM, THAT WAS THAT'S REALLY, WHAT'S HELPED US, UM, HUGELY, UH, THIS YEAR, UM, IN TERMS OF MEETING OUR NUMBERS IN TERMS OF SPEND AS WELL AS SAVINGS.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT, ON THAT MARKET.
AND WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING HVAC TWO NUTS THAT THE SECOND QUESTION, NO, THERE'S NOT ROLLOVER OF ONM DOLLARS.
SO, UM, WE WILL DEFINITELY, UM, THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 11 THAT ARE, UM, THAT HAVE SAID DON'T COME INTO MY HOME RIGHT NOW.
AND THERE ARE IT'S 70 CUSTOMER THAT ARE WAITING TO BE ASSIGNED.
THEY'VE ALSO SAID DON'T BUY MY MY HOME UNTIL I FEEL COMFORTABLE.
SO, UM, SO ROUGHLY 80 PLUS FOLKS THAT WE REACHED OUT TO, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET A SENSE AS TO, UH, THEIR COMFORT LEVELS WITH HAVING A CONTRACTOR IN THE HOME.
UM, AND GENERALLY THEY WANT TO BE THERE IN THE HOME WHEN THE CONTRACTOR IS THERE.
UM, AS WELL AS HAVING A STAFFER THERE FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF LIFE SAFETY CENTERS, DEBBIE, DEBBIE, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I'M AFRAID BECAUSE OF OUR HUD HARD CUTOFF, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE US ON AND I'LL SAY TO FUTURE
[Item 6]
AGENDA ITEMS, UM, I WILL SAY THERE'S A LOT FROM THIS DISCUSSION.I THINK FOR, FOR US TO CONSIDER A LOT OF IMPORTANT TOPICS, WE'LL MAKE SURE IN OUR JULY AGENDA, WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO DISCUSS, UM, THE, THE TOPICS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE JUST DISCUSSED.
AND I THINK THAT'D BE YOU GAVE US, UM, A STRONG LIST OF SUGGESTIONS, UM, NOT JUST FOR OUR JULY
[01:25:01]
MEETING, BUT FOR UPCOMING, UM, AGENDA, UH, AGENDAS FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS AS WELL.UM, LET ME PLEASE DO A QUICK POLL OF, UH, THE COMMISSION IN TERMS OF REQUESTS FOR COMMISSIONERS, FOR WHAT YOU SEE AS PRIORITIES, UM, FOR OUR JULY MEETING.
UM, AND, UH, KNOWING THAT IN THE INTERIM, WE WILL TRY TO SCHEDULE THIS WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS BOTH THE, UM, BUDGET, UH, OUR ROLE IN THE BUDGET AND THE POSSIBLE ACTION, UH, POSTING LANGUAGE.
SO PLEASE LET ME OPEN IT UP IF WE'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, 90 SECONDS OR TWO MINUTES OF OVERAGE ALLOWED THOUGHTS FROM THE COMMISSION BUDGET BUDGET, AND I'M, I AM LOOKING AT OUR, OUR LAWS AND IT DOES SAY DEVELOP AND REVIEWING CITY PLANS AND PROGRAMS IN THE AREA OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
I DON'T SEE HOW THE BUDGET FOR THOSE PLANS AND PROGRAMS DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THAT.
AND I THINK LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IN THE WORKSHOP AND THEN TAKE WHATEVER OFFICIAL ACTION MAY BE NEEDED AT THE NEXT, AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, UM, ON, ON THAT TOPIC.
BUT I HEAR YOU AND THANK YOU, JAMIE, CAN YOU, UH, GIVE US, UH, UH, ARE THERE OTHER ITEMS ON OUR FUTURE AGENDA LIST THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE TO BRING BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT THIS POINT? UM, THE ONE THING I DO, I DIDN'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER WHITE HAD ASKED BACK IN FEBRUARY FOR AN UPDATE FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT ON THE SOLAR READY REQUIREMENT.
I WAS WONDERING IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THAT TO THE LAST MINUTE AND YOU DID THE KELVIN RESPONSE AND OTHERS, BUT I'LL WORK WITH CODE TO TRY TO GET YOU SOMETHING FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT, UM, WE'VE GOT TO PRIORITIZE, OBVIOUSLY WITH TIME RESTRAINT.
I JUST GOT A NOTE, A TEXT THAT THE SHOTS PRESENTATION FOR OUR STORAGE PROJECT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER IN AUGUST.
THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING TO PRESENT THAT TO, UH, THE ESA.
THAT WOULD BE A BETTER PRESENTATION IN AUGUST, RATHER THAN TRYING TO RUSH IT IN JULY.
THEY'RE JUST NOW FINISHING UP THE GRID REPORTS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE LONG LIST AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
IT IS THANK YOU FOR THAT, JAMIE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, JUST TO, TO MAKE THE COMMISSION AWARE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JAMIE AND I ARE WORKING ON IS, IS LOOKING AT THAT LIST AND SCHEDULING IT FOR FUTURE MEETINGS SO THAT WE DO, UM, ONE GIVES STAFF STAFF AMPLE TIME TO PREPARE, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DISCUSSIONS AND ANY POSSIBLE ACTION FALLS WITHIN A REASONABLE PROCESS CYCLE OF, OF THOSE ACTIONS, UM, OF THOSE PROCESSES OCCURRING.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE COMMISSION ON, ON WHAT THAT CALENDAR MAY LOOK LIKE, UH, FOR, FOR AT LEAST THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMING MONTHS SO THAT YOU CAN ALL KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND INFLUENCE, UM, AS, AS MAYBE NEEDED YEAH.
ONE THING THAT THEY LEAVE OUT THAT I'M CHAIRS, THE ANNUAL REPORT WILL BE AT FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND THEN WILL COME OUT IN AUGUST.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT AND SEEING EVERYBODY'S INPUT AFTER WE HAVE A DRAFT PREPARED.
UM, WITH THAT, I BELIEVE I SHOULD CALL THE MEETING TO A CLOSE, UH, AT TWO 33.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN, IN JULY AND AT OUR UPCOMING WORKSHOP.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME.