[Call to Order]
[00:00:03]
HI, IT'S A GOOD, JUST SAY HERE, HERE, BEN HERE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE MISSING JIM AND COMMISSIONER LAYMAN COMMISSIONER LAYMAN.
AND THEN THE, AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMISSIONERS FROM THE OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONS THAT ARE ALSO NOT CORRECT.
A COMMISSIONER ROLE BALLOON AND COMMISSIONER GARS HAVE RUN IT.
[Item 1]
HOW DO YOU WANT TO HANDLE THE CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS? GOOD MORNING CHAIR.UM, WE CAN JUMP RIGHT IN TO THEM IF YOU'RE READY TO HANDLE IT.
SAMMY FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO JUMP INTO THE SPEAKERS? OKAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? THIS IS SAMIA AT CITY HALL.
THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TO GET A BETTER EATING USE.
SORRY, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFICULTY.
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO JUMP INTO SPEAKERS? FIRST STEP ON THE LINE IS EMILY EISENHART.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES PLEASE, UH, MUTE YOUR UNMUTE YOURSELF AND THEN MUTE YOURSELF WHENEVER YOU ARE FINISHED SPEAKING, YOU WILL HEAR A BUZZER AT THE END OF YOUR TIME.
I'VE LIVED HERE IN AUSTIN FOR FIVE YEARS.
UM, I LIKE MANY PEOPLE I'M SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR HORRIFIC TREATMENT OF BLACK INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND CURRENTLY PEOPLE IN PROTEST BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
IN AUSTIN, SPECIFICALLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE.
SEEING AS RECENTLY AS A FEW DAYS AGO, WHERE POLICE WERE KNEELING ON A TEENAGER'S NEXT DURING AN ARREST, THIS HAPPENED AFTER IT HAD BEEN STATED THEY WOULD BE REVISIONED TO POLICY AND THE BANNING OF CHOKE HOLES AND NECK RESTRAINTS.
THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF EXCESSIVE FORCE VIOLENCE AND UNDUE TREATMENT BEYOND THIS AS A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN AND A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY, I'M APPALLED BY SOME OF THIS BEHAVIOR.
I WOULD WANT BETTER FROM APD OR I'D WANT TO SEE SOLUTIONS TOWARDS THIS.
UM, I'M NOT OKAY WITH THE DISREGARD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I'M CURIOUS TODAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS? WHERE'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY.
HOW WILL THIS MULTITUDE OF INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES GET SOLVED, MAYBE IT'S ALTERNATIVES TO POLICING OR EFFORTS.
IN ADDITION TO POLICING, CAN WE FIND PARTS OF THE POLICE OFFICER'S JOB THAT COULD BE PERFORMED BY ANOTHER EXPERT IN THE AREAS OF MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE, AND PHYSICAL ABUSE OR MORE IN DEFUNDING? CAN WE REINVEST THOSE FUNDS AND PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND SAFETY? WHEN ADLER WAS RECENTLY ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFUNDING APD, I BELIEVE YESTERDAY, UM, YOU SAID HE WAS NOT READY TO SUPPORT IT.
HE DEFLECTED A BIT AND WAS VAGUE IN HIS ANSWERS.
AND I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET SOME MORE ACTIONABLE STEPS FORWARD AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING CHANGES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN A SERIES OF MEETINGS OVER THE NEXT MONTH, BUT WE'RE WANTING ANSWERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE APD COME AT THIS WITH MORE COMPASSION.
THIS IS ONE OF THE WORDS USED BY ANTHONY EVANS, THE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS SHOT IN THE JOB, WHAT PEACEFULLY PROTESTING TO DESCRIBE HIS MINDSET WHEN HE SHOWED UP THAT DATA PROTESTS, COMPASSION.
CAN WE SEE AND INSTILL MORE OF THIS IN THIS DEPARTMENT? I BELIEVE THAT IT'S THERE, BUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS SUSPICION EXCESSIVE FORCE
[00:05:01]
AND DISREGARD, AND A GLARING LACK OF EMPATHY.I BELIEVE THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE MORE KIND AND EMPATHETIC WAYS TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC AND A DEEP NEED AT THIS TIME TO INSTILL GOODWILL AND DEMONSTRATE ACTION IN A PRODUCTIVE DIRECTION TOWARDS RECONCILIATION.
IT'S ALL OF OUR BURDENS AS A SOCIETY.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
UH, CALLER NUMBER TWO, OR I'M SORRY, SPEAKER NUMBER TWO WILL BE KELSEY ROSS.
KELSEY, IF YOU'LL UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN FOR FIVE YEARS AND I WORK DOWNTOWN.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
AND TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY DOING TO ADDRESS POLICE BRUTALITY IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN LATER IN THIS MEETING, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'LL HEAR FROM APD DIRECTLY, BUT FRANKLY, ACTIONS SPEAK A LOT LOUDER THAN WORDS.
REMEMBER THIS IS THE SAME DEPARTMENT THAT SHOT AND GASSED PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.
UH, AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THIS INCLUDES SHOOTING 20 SOMETHING, JUSTIN HOWELL, AND 16 YEAR OLD BRADLEY I ELLA CHILD, HIS 16 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE HEAD LEAVING BOTH OF THEM WITH PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE.
THIS INCLUDES SHOOTING, UH, SHANEEKA MARTIN, A PREGNANT WOMAN, MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE TORSO AND BELLY.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE MANY MORE NAMES AND INJURIES THAT I WON'T LIFT HERE.
UM, ALL OF WHICH HAPPENED IN YOUR PURVIEW IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, UH, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, THEREFORE, TO KEEP BLACK AND BROWN OFF TONIGHT, SAFE IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT CONCRETE ACTIONS THE COMMISSION IS PLANNING TO TAKE TO STOP THE VIOLENCE COMING FROM APD.
THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS ISSUE.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO MUTE YOURSELF.
WE'D HAVE KEVIN HOWARD, KEVIN, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, REITERATE WHAT EMILY AND KELSEY JUST ARTICULATED REALLY WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REALLY NEEDS TO SEE THEIR ROLE IN THIS AS, AS CRITICAL BECAUSE OF THE ROLE OF DOWNTOWN WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN REPRESENTS ALL OF US AND THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, CITYWIDE.
IT IS A GATHERING PLACE FOR ALL OF US, WHETHER WE'RE PROTESTING, LISTENING TO MUSIC, GOING TO BARS, WHATEVER, UH, WORKING IN SOME CASES, LIVING, UM, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SHOULD BE RECOMMENDING TO CITY COUNCIL TO DEFUND APD.
UH, THEY REPRESENT A MASSIVE LIABILITY TO THE CITY, AS WELL AS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SHOWING THEM THAT, UH, DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIVES AND SAFETY, UH, ON, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR PRACTICES DOWNTOWN, AMONGST THEM ALONGSIDE SYDNEY CITYWIDE PRACTICES.
UM, SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO RECOMMEND A COUNCIL TO DEFUND ABD AND REPLACE THEM WITH A INSTITUTION THAT TRULY PROTECTS THEM, SERVES THE COMMUNITY.
HEY LISA, IF YOU'LL UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HEY, I'M A DISTRICT OF A DISTRICT ONE IN AUSTIN AND I WORKED DOWNTOWN.
UM, I'M CALLING IN TODAY TO URGE HIS COMMISSION TO SUPPORT EFFORTS, TO BE FUN.
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, IF THE GOAL OF APD IS PUBLIC SAFETY'S AND APD IS A BROKEN INSTITUTION.
WE DO NOT NEED AN ARMY OF WEAPONIZED PEOPLE.
THE MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE WHITE MEN HARASSING AND SUBJECTIVELY PUTTING PEOPLE UNDER ARREST FOR PETTY VIOLATIONS.
IN FACT, THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF SAFETY.
MIKE RAMOS, JUSTIN HOWL, LEVI YALA NIMO MARTIN WORRIES TO SILVA TO NAME A FEW OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE RECENTLY BEEN VICTIMS OF APE VIOLENCE.
COPS ARE COMMITTING CRIMES VIOLENTLY DISRUPTING OUR COMMUNITY, TAKING LIFE AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES FROM PEOPLE.
THIS IS TERRORISM AND IT'S INDISPUTABLY RACIST.
ALL OF THE PEOPLE I JUST LISTED ARE BACK OR PEOPLE OF COLOR BLACK PEOPLE MAKE UP ROUGHLY 7.5% OF OUR POPULATION IN AUSTIN.
YET OVER 60% OF OUR CURRENT JAIL BOOKINGS
[00:10:01]
ARE BLACK PEOPLE.OKAY? APD HAS A BUDGET OF ROUGHLY $435 MILLION YET THE DEPARTMENT AT THE DA'S OFFICE, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT.
AND WHEN AN OFFICER USES EXCESSIVE FORCE IS UNDER RESOURCED, THIS IS EVIDENCE OF RACISM, DEEPLY INGRAINED IN THE SYSTEM.
WE CANNOT SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER AND IN THE SAME BREATH, GIVE THE POLICE THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF OUR CITY'S BUDGET.
WE NEEDED THE POWER AWAY FROM APD.
THEY'VE HAD THEIR DAY IN THE SUN AND THEY'VE PROVED TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST INEFFECTIVE, BUT HARMFUL.
THERE IS A STUDY BY ENDING COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS COALITION THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW $35 MILLION WOULD END HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN.
THAT'S ONLY 8% OF APDS BUDGET.
LET'S REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS AND SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN RESEARCH PHASE MODELS OF SAFETY, SUPPORT AND PREVENTION.
IF WE WANT SAFETY, WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS A WELL FUNDED SPACE WHERE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED A LOT, A LOT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND ACCESS TO HIGHER PAYING JOBS.
ALL OF THIS CAN BE FUNDED FROM THE APD BUDGET.
POLICE REFORM WILL NOT GET TO THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE.
WE HAVE HALF A CENTURY OF DATA THAT SHOWS THIS, THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND IT MUST BE DISEMPOWERED BLACK.
THAT IS ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE THAT CALLED IN PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU THAT, UM, HAVE, UH, VOICE YOUR OPINION HERE TODAY.
AND, UM, WE HEAR YOU FOR SURE.
[Item 2]
FOR THE AGENDA IS, UM, WE NEED TO PASS AND APPROVE THE, UH, MINUTES FROM WHEN WE MET BACK IN FEBRUARY.DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT? SO MOVED AUGUST 2ND.
AND THE SECOND TIME YOU'VE BEEN MUTED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, PRESS STAR.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UM, WE'LL GO WITH
[Item 3]
PROJECT CONNECT, UM, FIRST, UM, AND THEN AP, UH, WE'LL FOLLOW THAT IN OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.SO AGAIN, SINCE WE ARE, UM, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, JUST REMEMBER EVERYBODY HAS 10 MINUTES, ONE PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE HAVE 10 MINUTES FOR DISCUSSION AFTERWARDS.
UM, SO MY NAME IS JACOB CALHOUN.
I WILL BE GIVING A PRESENTATION ON PROJECT CONNECT TODAY.
UH, I AM THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER FOR PROJECT CONNECT AT CAP METRO, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROJECT FOR, UH, PRETTY MUCH MY WHOLE TIME WHILE I'VE BEEN AT CAP METRO.
UH, SO I'LL GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROGRAM AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE GOING OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS, IF YOU COULD ADVANCE TO SLIDE TWO.
OKAY, I'LL START OFF BY KIND OF GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS VERY MUCH A COMMUNITY LED PROCESS, AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING A SYSTEM THE COMMUNITY WILL USE AND ENDORSES AND LOVES AND WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
THIS IS THE AB TECH AT CITY HALL.
IS THIS THE RIGHT PRESENTATION THAT I'M SHARING ON THE SCREEN? CAN YOU SEE IT ON THE BROADCAST? CAUSE THAT THREE LOOKS LIKE A TIMELINE.
CAN LET ME GO CHECK AND SEE, UH, SHOULD IT BE ON THE TIMELINE SIDE? YES.
AND IT'S A POWERPOINT, CORRECT? YES.
SO, UM, AS I WAS SAYING, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, TRANSIT AND MAJOR TRANSIT OPTIONS IN AUSTIN, MANY DECADES NOW.
SO THIS IS NOT A, A NEW SUBJECT, BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN MAKING A LOT OF HUGE, UH,
[00:15:01]
STEPS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.SO BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2018, WE ADOPTED THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION PLAN THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER A LOT OF WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE OVER A FEW, A COUPLE OF YEARS PRIOR TO THAT OF KIND OF GATHERING UP ALL THE PREVIOUS TRANSIT STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE AUSTIN AREA OVER THE PAST 20 PLUS YEARS.
AND THEN COMING UP WITH A SYSTEM THAT, UH, IS ABLE TO REACH OUT TO A LOT OF THE MAJOR CORRIDORS AND ALSO CONTINUE AND CONTINUE TO GROW AND ADAPT OVER TIME.
UH, WE HELPED WITH, UH, WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AS THEY GOT THEIR PLAN ADOPTED AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE SINKED UP.
UH, WE'VE HELD NUMEROUS JOINT WORK SESSIONS UP TO SEVEN.
NOW, UM, THE, SOME OF THE FIRST ONES WERE COVERING THINGS LIKE THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM OR THE FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE THAT MIGHT COME INTO PLAY.
UH, WE HELD VIRTUAL MEETINGS OVER THE MONTH OF MAY, UH, KIND OF ADAPTING TO THE NEW ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO GET THEIR INPUT IN.
AND THEN, AND JUST, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, TODAY, UH, WE ADOPTED THE, UH, SYSTEM PLAN AND IT WAS ADOPTED BY CAP METRO'S BOARD AND ENDORSED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO NOW WHERE WE'RE GOING IS WE'LL BE HAVING ANOTHER JOINT WORK SESSION IN JULY TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF THE FUNDING AND BUDGET DIRECTION OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, IN AUGUST, WE WILL BE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH WHAT WE CALL THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS KIND OF A NEW AGENCY ENTITY THAT COMBINES RESOURCES OF THE CITY LAWSON AND CAP METRO, AND ALSO KIND OF ESTABLISHED THE LANGUAGE FOR A POTENTIAL TRANSIT REFERENDUM.
AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, WE LOOK TO HAVE THAT POTENTIAL TRANSIT REFERENDUM UP FOR VOTES BY THE PUBLIC, AND THEN, UH, BAR AND APPROVAL.
WE ARE ABLE TO THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROGRAM AND IT'S GO TIME AS WE BUILD OUT THE PROGRAM.
AND OF COURSE THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE EFFORT, WE WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WITH US ALONG WITH THE PROCESS.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, FOR MANY YEARS NOW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A LOT OF HUGE STRIDES THROUGH THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
SO BACK IN FALL OF 2018, WE MADE SURE TO INFORM ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE KIND OF THE FEDERAL PROCESS, HOW WOULD WE BE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GETTING THE VISION PLAN ADOPTED BY OUR METROS BOARD? AND THEN OVER THE NEXT SEASON, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A QUARTER PROGRAM TO HELP INCORPORATE THE VISION PLAN INTO THEIR EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS ALIGNING AND, UM, WAS ABLE TO CONNECT TOGETHER OVER THE SUMMER AND SPRING TO SPRING OF 2020, WE DEVELOPED MORE OF THE CONCEPTUAL ENGINEERING AND THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS FOR EACH OF THE DIFFERENT PORTERS AND EFFORTS IN THE SYSTEM PLAN.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET LOTS OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON LPAS, WHICH THE LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES AND THE SYSTEM PLAN ITSELF.
AND THEN OVER THE NEXT FEW SEASONS THROUGH SUMMER AND INTO THIS WINTER, WE WILL BE, UM, REPORT ADOPTED THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN AND THE LPAS, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE DEVELOPING THIS JOINT VENTURE WITH THE CAP METRO AND THE CITY NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING AND LISTENING AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS NOW, JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING ACTUALLY, IT'S MORE THAN 60,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS SO FAR THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD LOTS OF COORDINATION WITH THE CITY AS THEY DID THEIR AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW ALL THESE EFFORTS START TO TIE TOGETHER.
UH, WE'VE USED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CHANNELS IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THAT'S GOING OUT WITH STREET TEAMS OR OUTREACH EVENTS, AND REALLY ALSO LOTS OF ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THESE, UH, VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES THAT WE HAD.
UM, OVER THE PAST MONTH, WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF PIVOT AND PROVIDE A NEW AVENUE FOR US TO REACH A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND PREVIOUSLY.
WE ALSO HAVE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT WERE ENGAGED WITH A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND ALSO WHAT WE'VE LOVINGLY REFERRED TO AS OUR P CANNON, WHICH IS THE PROJECT CONNECT AMBASSADOR NETWORK, A COLLECTION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE, WE INFORM THEM ON THE PROCESS.
AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THE COURTHOUSE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THIS, AND ALSO HAVE HAD NUMEROUS JOINT WORK SESSIONS WITH MORE TO COME AS WE ADVANCED THE PROGRAM.
SO AS PART OF THESE VIRTUAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS, UH, ON THE PROGRAM AND HEAR LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRENDS THAT WERE COMING UP FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAD A PRETTY LARGE SUPPORT, UH, COMING FROM THE PROGRAM AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS, UH, RELATED
[00:20:01]
TO KIND OF HOW THESE THINGS WOULD BE PUT IN WHETHER IT'S THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN DETAILS AND KIND OF WHAT OPPORTUNITIES MAY BE COMING OUT OF THAT.AND JUST PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW IT WILL AFFECT THEM.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT EQUITY, ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY AND KIND OF HOW DOES PROJECT CONNECT TIE INTO THESE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AS COMMUNITY AND HOW CAN WE FIND WAYS TO HELP IMPROVE THESE ASPECTS FOR EVERYONE? UH, THERE WAS ALSO SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE AND KIND OF HOW THIS IS FUNDED, HOW IT'S RUN.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOME, UH, PEOPLE WHO DID NOT SUPPORT OR SHOWED SOME UNFAVORABILITY TOWARDS THE PROGRAM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHART, IT'S ONE OF THE SMALLEST PERCENTAGES.
SO, UH, BUT DID HAVE LOTS OF PARTICIPATION THROUGH THESE SORTS OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, WITH VARIOUS, WITH OVER 13,000 PEOPLE, VIEWING IT THROUGH EITHER ZOOM, FACEBOOK LIVE OR YOUTUBE NEXT SLIDE.
SO NOW WE'LL GET INTO KIND OF HOW WE CAME TO DEVELOP THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN AND, UH, WHY IT'S SUCH A NEEDED ASPECT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE TEAM WE PUT TOGETHER IS REALLY WHAT'S HELPED DRIVE THIS PROGRAM FORWARD.
UH, WE'VE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE CAP METRO, AND, UH, WE AT THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE AT KENT METRO HAVE HAD A HUGE SUPPORT FROM OUR CONSULTING STAFF.
UH, THEY HAVE BEEN A BLESSING ABLE TO GET US TO COVER A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL DETAILS, POTENTIAL FINANCIAL ASPECTS, UH, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, THE GOVERNANCE RELATED ITEMS. THEY ARE A HUGE HELP TO US AND, UH, THEY HELP DRIVE THIS PROGRAM FORWARD.
SO HOW WE GOT HERE, UH, WE INITIALLY PUT OUT THE VISION PLAN WAY BACK IN, UH, OCTOBER, 2018.
AND I GUESS IT FEELS WAY BACK CONSIDERING ALL THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, SO WE INITIALLY ROLLED OUT THE VISION PLAN BACK THEN, AND THEN, UH, HAD SOME PUBLIC INPUT THAT CAME IN AND MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE VISION PLAN BEFORE IT WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER OF 2018.
AND THEN AS WE CONTINUED TO GAIN FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE HELPED, UH, ESTABLISH WHAT BECAME THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN, WHICH WAS PRESENTED, UH, MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
SO THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN IS ALL ABOUT KIND OF LIVING UP TO PROJECT AND X NAME OF MAKING CONNECTIONS.
AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING EACH OF THESE VARIOUS COMPONENTS UNTIL THEY BECOME KIND OF A COMPLETE SYSTEM.
UH, THERE'S MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE IN HERE, WHETHER IT'S LIGHT RAIL, COMMUTER RAIL, UH, METRO RAPIDS, METRO EXPRESS, UM, CIRCULATORS, EVEN THINGS LIKE THAT.
AREN'T NECESSARILY TRANSIT SERVICES SUCH AS, UH, FAIR CARDS AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT, UM, REALLY HELP MAKE THIS PROGRAM KIND OF THE FUTURE OF TRANSIT AND AUSTIN.
UH, WE ARE EXPECTING THAT THROUGH THIS SYSTEM, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO NEARLY TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF RIDERSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CURRENT, UH, CAP METRO SERVICES.
SO THAT REALLY PROVIDES A LOT OF CAPACITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO USE TRANSIT AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AS A REGION.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS, UM, THAT WILL HELP MAKE PROJECT CONNECT A WAY TO HELP IMPROVE OUR CITY AND ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE TO GROW INTO THE FUTURE.
SO WHETHER THAT IS KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS OF HOW HELPS THE ENTIRE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, YOU'RE ALLOWING A LOT MORE AVENUES FOR PEOPLE TO USE BESIDES JUST DRIVING IN THEIR CAR.
AND SO YOU OPEN UP A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WAY I WILL HAVE FASTER SERVICES FOR TRANSIT THAN WE'VE HAD BEFORE, AND ALSO MORE FREQUENT AS WELL.
IT'LL HELP WITH OUR KIND OF GOALS OF TRYING TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE AND IMPROVING OUR AIR QUALITY.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT IT PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO JOBS, HEALTHCARE, AND EDUCATION.
UM, WHEN YOU IMPLEMENT TRANSIT SERVICES, IT IMMEDIATELY PROVIDES A, UM, AFFORDABLE MOBILITY OPTION FOR PEOPLE THAT IN THAT COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY AFFORDABLE SERVICE.
IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LOWEST, UH, FAIRS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO IT ALLOWS PEOPLE THAT MAYBE ARE LIVING MORE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, TO HAVE MORE OPTIONS, MORE MONEY, AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO USE THAT MONEY, TO TRY AND HELP OTHER WAYS IN THEIR LIFE.
UH, BESIDES HAVING TO FOCUS SO MUCH FUNDING ON HAVING TO OWN A CAR OR MAINTAIN A CAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, OF COURSE WE'LL BE TYPES OF TRANSIT SERVICES.
I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ABOUT THREE MINUTES LEFT.
[00:25:01]
OKAY.I CAN ALSO, UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S REALLY THIS, AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE AND TRYING TO HELP US MAKE US CONTINUE TO GROW AS A REGION AND GROW AND SUCCESSFULLY.
SO NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN.
I MENTIONED ABOUT HAVING LIGHT RAIL, WE'LL HAVE 36 MILES WITHOUT 40 STATIONS AND A DOWNTOWN TUNNEL.
UH, WE'LL HAVE SEVEN METRO RAPID ROUTES THAT'LL BE INTRODUCED, WE'LL HAVE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR EXISTING COMMUTER RAIL RED LINE.
PLUS THE BRAND NEW COMMUTER RAIL HEADING FROM DOWNTOWN TO CONNIE PARK WITH EXTENSIONS, DEMEANOR, AND ELGIN, WE'LL HAVE MORE METRO EXPRESS SERVICES COVERING MORE AREAS OF THE REGION WITH MORE AND MORE PARKING RIDES IMPLEMENTED INTO THE SYSTEM.
WE'LL HAVE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR METRO BUS METRO ACCESS SERVICES.
UH, PLUS WE'LL DO ALL OF THIS WITH ZERO EMISSION FLEET, IMPROVING THE CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY THAT WHERE IT'S MORE CONTACTLESS, FARE, PAYMENTS, MORE CIRCULATORS INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND IMPROVING THE MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, UH, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE ORANGE LINE IS AND WHERE THAT LIGHT RAIL LINE IS GOING FROM.
SO IT'S FROM TECH BRIDGE DOWN TO SLAUGHTER ABOUT 21 MILES AND PLAINTIFF'S STATIONS, AND REALLY PROVIDES A HUGE TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS FOR PEOPLE THAT, UH, THAT WAY THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A CONSISTENT COMMUTE, NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS, WHETHER IT'S RUSH HOUR OR NOT, UH, NEXT SLIME.
UH, THIS IS ON THE BLUE LINE CORRIDOR.
THIS IS ALSO GOING, UH, FROM THE AIRPORT AND WE WILL BE INTERLINING IT UP, UH, THE NORTH DAMAR CORRIDOR AS IT GOES TO, UH, NORTH OUR TRANSIT CENTER.
SO REALLY PROVIDING KIND OF THE HEART OF THE CITY, UH, WITH MUCH FREQUENT SERVICE AND ALSO THAT CONNECTION TO THE AIRPORT THAT HAS BEEN, UH, VERY SOUGHT AFTER FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS SLIDE GOES OVER THE GOLD LINE LIGHT RAIL.
THIS IS A LINE THAT HAS KIND OF ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE PLAN, BUT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AS MORE OF POSSIBLY A METRO RAPID OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SERVICE.
UH, WE RAN SOME ADDITIONAL RIDERSHIP MODELING.
WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR RIDERSHIP ALONG THIS CORRIDOR DOES JUSTIFY THE INVESTMENT OF A LIGHT RAIL LINE.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN ALSO DO AN INTERLINING THAT ALLOWS US TO GO FROM ACC HIGHLAND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.
SO THAT CORE OF THE CITY FROM BASICALLY NORTH MARA TRANSIT CENTER TO SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER IS GETTING FIVE MINUTE FREQUENCIES THROUGH MULTIPLE LINES.
UH, THIS SLIDE GOES OVER KIND OF THE DOWNTOWN TRANSIT TUNNEL AND THE BENEFITS THAT IT CAN PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY VERY IMPORTANT FOR Y'ALL AS A DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT HELPS IS THE TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS.
SO BEING ABLE TO GO UNDERGROUND THROUGH DOWNTOWN DOES REMOVE A LOT OF CONFLICTS, WHETHER IT'S PEDESTRIANS OR BICYCLES OR CARS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND ALLOWS US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE A SMOOTH AND STRAIGHTFORWARD SURFACE THROUGH DOWNTOWN.
AGAIN, THERE'S A SAFETY AND, UH, ROAD CONFLICT IMPACTS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON IN THE STREET.
UH, IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR, UM, THE ABILITY TO CREATE THESE KIND OF GREAT PLACES.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE HERE OF SHOWING HOW THE DOWNTOWN STATION ITSELF CAN BE THIS ICONIC, UH, AREA FOR PEOPLE'S DIDN'T COME INTO AND REALLY GET A FEEL FOR WHAT AUSTIN HAS TO OFFER.
AND OF COURSE I HAVE TO BE THE TASK MASTER.
WHY DON'T YOU TAKE ONE MORE MINUTE TO KIND OF WRAP THINGS UP IF YOU WILL.
UM, IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND SKIP OVER TO SLIDE 26.
AND SO, UH, ON THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE GOING OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UH, SO WE HAVE, UH, OF COURSE ADOPTED THE, UH, SYSTEM PLAN BACK IN JUNE OF 2020, AND THEN IN JULY, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE CITY AS THEY DO THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS, AND ALSO WORKING ON OUR BUDGET.
I KEPT METRO TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING CAN SYNC TOGETHER.
UH, THEN IN AUGUST, WE'LL HAVE POTENTIAL ACTION TO FORM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD, WHICH WILL BE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT COALITION OR CORPORATION THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER AND APPROVE ANY REFERENDUM AND BUDGET LANGUAGE, UH, AS PART OF THAT, AND ALSO KEPT METRO WILL BE ABLE TO PROVE ANY CAPITAL AND ONM FUNDING.
AND THEN IT'S THE TRANSIT REFERENDUM AND NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND I'M SORRY TO KIND OF HUSTLE YOU THROUGH THAT.
I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED HARD ON THIS AND, AND HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE, BUT HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THOSE SLIDES IN ADVANCE AND CAN SEE THEM THEMSELVES.
UM, SO LET'S, IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, UM, OR RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU CAN EITHER JUST RAISE YOUR HAND OR UNMUTE
[00:30:01]
YOURSELF, Y'ALL ARE SURPRISINGLY QUIET.UM, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED FROM US AS FAR AS RECOMMENDATIONS? IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL HAVE QUITE A BIT MORE TO MOVE THROUGH AS FAR AS THE, UM, GETTING THE BUDGET SIDE, UH, APPROVED AND, UM, SEVERAL MORE, UM, ACTIONS THERE, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
THERE'S STILL A FEW MORE ACTIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, IT IS KIND OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECT OF THE GOVERNANCE AND BUDGETING.
UM, BUT I MEAN, I GUESS IF THERE IS AN ACTION THAT Y'ALL ARE TAKING ON THIS, UH, IF THERE'S KIND OF, UH, ENDORSEMENTS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY APPROPRIATE.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN YOU ALL SWITCHED OVER TO THE ONLINE, UM, VERSION, UH, YOU HAD A LOT MORE PARTICIPATION, UM, FROM ACROSS THE CITY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK YOU'LL CONTINUE, UM, IN THE FUTURE? I THINK THERE'S A VERY GOOD POSSIBILITY OF THAT.
UH, WE WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNT OF ENGAGEMENT AND I THINK IT SHOWS THAT THAT IS KIND OF A UNTAPPED RESOURCE.
WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO REALLY KIND OF TAP INTO YET.
SO I DO THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY.
I THINK IT DOES PROVIDE A LOT OF, UH, FLEXIBILITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, TRAFFIC IN THE CITY GENERALLY IS PRETTY BAD WHEN IT'S NOT, UM, UNDER DOWN.
SO I THINK THAT THIS DEFINITELY PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO GET TO MEETINGS ON TIME, UH, DUE TO TRAFFIC, THE OPPORTUNITY TO STILL PARTICIPATE AND ENGAGE WITH US.
UM, ARE THERE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE GIVEN THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY VOTED ON IT AND APPROVED IT GOING FORWARD? I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK TO KEEP US CONNECTED.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MONA, I THINK WE'LL MOVE TO
[Item 4]
APD.CAUSE SHE'S BEEN HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH? OH, WERE YOU GOING TO, UM, HELP WITH CONNECTING APD INTO THE MEETING? I KNOW I SENT THEM INSTRUCTION, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOUR OFFICE WAS ASSISTING WITH THAT.
THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BRIDGED.
I HAVE A COMMANDER ADAM AND, UH, CHIEF JACOME.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
MONA, DO THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING OR IS IT JUST A DISCUSSION DISCUSSION? OKAY.
I'M GLAD TO BE HERE IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO JUST GO AHEAD AND, UH, MAKE A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN I CAN REALLY TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
IS THAT SOUND GOOD? THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
SO MY NAME IS JOSEPH CHUCK ON I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEFS WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND.
AND ALSO ON THE LINE WITH ME IS COMMANDER RYAN, ADAM, WHO IS THE NEWLY INSTALLED, UM, COMMANDER OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UM, COMMANDER ADAM HAS BEEN, UH, IN THE WORKING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER AND IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, I THINK THAT JUST, UH, LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN AUSTIN TODAY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, I THINK MOST OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TODAY ARE REGARDING THE PROTEST ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, AND HOW APD HAS RESPONDED TO THOSE.
UH, I WANT TO START BY REALLY SAYING THAT AS A DEPARTMENT, UM, AS OFFICERS AND MYSELF PERSONALLY, WE DECRIED AND CONDEMNED THE ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN IN MILWAUKEE, UH, WITH MR. FLOYD.
AND WHAT HAS REALLY KIND OF SPARKED OFF THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW AND ACROSS THE GLOBE.
[00:35:01]
SAW MANY PROTESTS THAT POPPED UP HERE IN THE, IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.AND, UM, AS WE RESPONDED TO THOSE, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SAW THAT SOME OF OUR OWN, UH, TACTICS THAT WE WERE USING, UM, COULD WERE, WERE NOT EFFECTIVE.
AND WE, WE MADE CHANGES AS, UH, WE SAW THAT WE NEEDED TO, UM, PRIOR TO EVEN, UM, MANY OF THOSE CHANGES BEING CALLED FOR, UM, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO MUCH INTO THE DETAILS REGARDING THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE PASSED BY COUNCIL, UM, BECAUSE, UH, CHIEF MANLEY AND, AND CHIEF OF STAFF, TROY GAY WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, FORMALLY THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE TOMORROW ON THE ACTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN BY APD TO, UH, ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND MAKE SOME CHANGES.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE US AVAILABLE TODAY TO, UH, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION TO GO AHEAD AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UM, AND ANYTHING THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER.
UM, AND BEFORE WE GET TO QUESTIONS, I DO WANT TO REFLECT, UM, SOME OF THE CITIZENS, UM, UH, COMMENTS THAT WE HAD EARLIER, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE MEETING IS STRUCTURED.
UM, YOU MIGHT NOT BEEN ABLE TO, UM, HEAR THOSE, UM, AND I'LL JUST WANT TO REALLY BRIEFLY RECAP THOSE SO THAT YOU HEAR THEIR VOICES, UM, AS, AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
SO WE HAD, UM, FOUR DIFFERENT SPEAKERS, UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, THEY WERE ALL VERY ELOQUENT, UM, IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AND THEY'RE CONCERNED, UH, AROUND, UM, EXCESSIVE FORCE AROUND CHOKEHOLD AROUND, UM, WHAT KIND OF TRAINING COMES NEXT.
UH, THEY'RE INTERESTED OBVIOUSLY TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE AS A COMMISSION, UM, WILL, UH, TRY TO DO IN THAT.
AND, UH, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, IN DEFUNDING AND REPURPOSING, UM, THE FUNDS FROM APD INTO OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, AND MOVING AWAY FROM MILITARY, UH, TERRORISM IN THEIR WORDS MMM.
AND REALLOCATING, UM, A LOT OF THOSE FUNDS, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH.
AND I CAN'T READ WHAT I WROTE ON MY LAST ONE THERE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO, I'M SORRY.
UH, I JUST, I WANT TO READ THOSE SO THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WERE SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, UM, EARLIER IN THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHARING THAT.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD MANY CITIZENS IN AUSTIN THAT HAVE EXPRESSED SIMILAR CONCERNS AND, UH, WE'RE CERTAINLY WORKING TO, TO RESOLVE THOSE WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR'S DIRECTION, SO THAT WE'RE SERVING CITIZENS THE WAY THAT THEY FEEL THEY SHOULD BE SERVED.
AND, UM, IF Y'ALL WANNA JUST KIND OF RAISE YOUR HANDS FOR WHO YOU WANT TO CONNECT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND BEING AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, LIKE MANY OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY, I AM DEEPLY, DEEPLY UPSET AND UNNERVED BY, UM, THE BEHAVIOR OF YOUR OFFICERS DURING THE PROTEST.
UM, OVERALL REALLY UPSET WITH THE BEHAVIOR POLICE NATIONWIDE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT GEORGE FLOOD WAS ACTUALLY KILLED IN MINNEAPOLIS, THEN WE'LL WALKIE, UM, OR GIRL I'M JUST INCREDIBLY UNNERVED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS ARVIN PLANNER IN MY WORK AND ALSO AS A MEMBER OF THIS MISSION, UM, I REALLY HAVE A NEW RENEWED RESOLVE TO KIND OF DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO NECESSARILY GO OVER ALL THE INJURIES THAT HAPPENED TO BLACK AND PEOPLE OF COLOR DURING THE PROTESTS.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC INCIDENT LAST FRIDAY, UM, WHERE YOU ALL WERE KNEELING ON THE NECK OF A YOUNG PERSON OF COLOR AFTER YOU ALL IN MANLY HAD SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE CHOKE HOLDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I REALIZED RIGHT NOW YOU ALL ARE FIGHTING FOR FUNDING FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT, UM, AND PROBABLY PRETTY SCARED, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT, THAT INCIDENT AFTER YOU HAD SAID THAT, THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN HAS STRENGTHENED MY RESOLVE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO DEFUND AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I'M PRIVILEGED AND I HAVE A VOICE AND I WILL BE USING IT.
[00:40:01]
QUESTION IS RELATED TO LAST FRIDAY'S INCIDENT WITH THE KNEELING OF THE NECK.COULD YOU, UM, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY THAT INCIDENT WENT DOWN? SO THE INCIDENT THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, WE ARE AWARE OF IT.
UM, WE'RE CONDUCTING AN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT POLICIES WERE VIOLATED.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF VIDEO THAT WE HAVE FROM THE VARIOUS BODY WORN CAMERAS.
WE HAVE OUR, UM, THE DOWNTOWN AREA, PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERA SYSTEM.
UM, THERE'S, UH, VIDEOS THAT IF WE HAD ANY, UH, UM, VIDEOS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT HAVE CAPTURED THE INCIDENT TO LOOK AT ALL THE ANGLES THAT WE CAN ON THAT, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE POLICY WAS VIOLATED, A POLICY WAS VIOLATED.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S A LITTLE PREMATURE RIGHT NOW TO, TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON THAT.
AND I WANT TO LET THAT PROCESS PLAY ITSELF OUT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE MAKE A COMMENT.
I GUESS I JUST, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WAS THE, WAS THE MESSAGE ABOUT NO MORE CHOKE HOLDS AND DEFINITELY NO KNEELING ON THE NECK? WAS THAT RELATED TO OFFICERS THAT WERE ON THE STREET, DID THEY NOT GET THE EMAIL I'M JUST REALLY UNDER TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNICATION? OR DO YOU THINK THAT OFFICER, YOU KNOW, WAS A ROAD OFFICER? LIKE HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THAT? UH, AGAIN, UNTIL I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE, AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE, UM, REGARDING OUR, HOW WE INTERVIEW AND, UM, ALL OF THE RIGHTS THAT ARE, UH, THAT GO WITH THAT FOR THE OFFICER, WE WANT TO, WE HAVE TO, UH, BY LAW, BY CONTRACT, AFFORD THOSE RIGHTS TO THE OFFICER TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND UNTIL I HEAR THAT EXPLANATION, IT'S REALLY NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO TELL IF THIS WAS, UH, HE DIDN'T KNOW THE POLICY OR, UM, HAD NOT, UH, IT HAD NOT BEEN RELATED TO HIM FOR WHATEVER REASON, OR LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS A ROGUE OFFICER.
UM, BUT IT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF WE FIND THAT THAT IS THE CASE, AND IT WAS A ROGUE OFFICER AND SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE POLICY AND HAD NOT, UM, HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH IT THAT, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES WILL TAKE PLACE.
ANYONE ELSE? QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS.
THE ASSISTANT CHIEF, UM, IS THERE A POLICY AROUND, BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR, UH, BUSINESSES IN ANY OTHER VIDEO THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TOO, SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE DETERMINATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, UM, BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND THE REQUESTS FOR VIDEO AND, UH, ANY KIND OF RECORDINGS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
IS THERE A, UH, A PROCESS PROCEDURE OR PROTOCOL AS TO HOW, HOW DETAILED YOUR SEARCH IS FOR OUTSTANDING VIDEO? IS THERE A TIMELINE THAT YOU GUYS FOLLOW AND PERHAPS THIS IS MORE, UH, INVESTIGATORS OVER THE VA? MMM.
BUT I, I JUST WAS WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT DOES WHICH, UM, ENTITY OF THE CITY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT AS MUCH EVIDENCE FOR MMM, VIDEO OR INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN PASS, UH, CAN LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED AND MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHAT DID OR DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOKED AT A WHILE BACK WITH THE PREVALENCE OF SECURITY CAMERAS OF PEOPLE HAVING, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO HAS A SMARTPHONE BASICALLY HAS A CAMERA.
UM, AND IN OUR POLICY, WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THAT FROM THE FIRST OFFICER ON SCENE, WHO IS RESPONDING, THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO, AS YOU SECURE THAT SCENE, AS YOU MAKE THE SAINTS, THE SCENE SAFE AND ASSIST ANYBODY THAT MIGHT, UM, NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION THAT YOU THEN LOOK AROUND TO SEE, IS THERE VIDEO, IS THERE A NEARBY BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN, THAT WE CAN SEND OFFICERS TO IMMEDIATELY TO SECURE ANY VIDEO THAT MIGHT BE THERE? UM, A LOT OF TIMES, FOR INSTANCE, WITH CONVENIENCE STORES, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS IMMEDIATELY.
UM, WE WILL DOCUMENT IT IN A REPORT AND THAT THE INVESTIGATOR THE NEXT MORNING IS NOTIFIED SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE A TRIP OR MAKE A PHONE CALL TO THAT BUSINESS TO SECURE THE VIDEO, OUR VIDEO, WHICH IS WE HAVE VIDEO IN OUR CAMERA, IN OUR CARS, AS WELL AS ON THE BODY WORN CAMERAS AT THE OFFICERS CARRY, UM, IS
[00:45:01]
DOWNLOADED AND STORED FOR MINIMUM AMOUNTS OF TIME, DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF CASE THAT WE'RE INVESTIGATING.BUT THE VERY MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME IS SIX MONTHS, 181 DAYS.
AND, UM, SO WE HAVE ACCESS OBVIOUSLY TO THAT VIDEO.
UM, AND SO WE'LL BE, LIKE I SAID, ON THAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOURCES TO DETERMINE, TO GET THE BEST ANGLE AND TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
AND I, I, UM, AS A FOLLOWUP, I REMEMBER WHERE THERE USED TO BE.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT STILL HAPPENS WHERE THERE'S A REWARD THAT'S, UH, UH, MADE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY THAT MIGHT HAVE INFORMATION REGARDING A CRIME OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED.
IS, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT SOMETHING IT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT, UH, BUT WE BROUGHT FORWARD SO THAT THE CITIZENS AND THE PUBLIC, MY, UH, FEEL MORE, I'M INVITED TO BRING THEIR STUFF, THEIR, THEIR VIDEOS FROM THEIR CELL PHONES FORWARD, AS OPPOSED TO BEING AFRAID.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WITH REGARD TO THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, WHEN ASKED ABOUT IT, UM, WE RELEASED A STATEMENT ASKING ANYBODY THAT HAD VIDEO OR HAD INFORMATION ON THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT TO GO AHEAD AND STEP FORWARD, CONTACT THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT.
UM, AND, AND GO AHEAD AND TURN THAT VIDEO OVER WHATEVER INFORMATION THEY HAD.
MY LAST QUESTION IS HOW MUCH OF TOMORROW'S PRESENTATION CAN YOU SHARE WITH THAT, WITH THIS COMMISSION? UM, I HAVE NOT SEEN THE PRESENTATION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CHIEF MANLEY IS WORKING ON PERSONALLY.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE PREMATURE FOR ME TO SHARE THAT FORWARD.
I KNOW THAT, UM, RESOLUTIONS 50 93, 95 AND 96, ALL HAD ITEMS THAT RELATE TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MANY MOVING PARTS WITHIN EACH RESOLUTION.
I KNOW THAT THE CHIEF IS, IS WORKING TOWARDS, UM, SEEING HOW MANY OF THOSE WE, WE CAN MEET HOW MANY WE'VE ALREADY MET.
THERE'S SEVERAL IN THERE THAT ASKS FOR THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY INSTITUTIONALIZED IN POLICY, UM, OR WERE ALREADY COMPLYING WITH, AND THEN HOW MANY, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT.
SO, UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS TIME, I, LIKE I SAID, IT'D JUST BE A LITTLE PREMATURE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE.
UM, AND I, I WANT YOU TO TAKE YOUR HATS OFF FOR A MOMENT.
UH, BOTH OF YOU, UM, YOU'RE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THEY ARE A SIGNIFICANT PLAYER IN ANY POLICY DIRECTION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WE SEE, OR THIS AROUND THE COUNTRY TAKE IN REFORMS, UH, AS MEMBERS OF THE UNION, WHAT INTERNAL DISCO, OR WHAT DISCUSSIONS AMONG THE MEMBERSHIP DO YOU HAVE ABOUT MOVING FOR AND SUPPORTING, UH, THE, UH, ACTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL IS TAKING AT LEAST IN SOME REGARD
SO WE WILL ALWAYS, UM, I MEAN, WE SIT WITH THEM, UH, ACROSS THE TABLE FROM THEM AT THE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT, WHERE MANY OF THE, UM, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE, ARE MEMORIALIZED IN THAT AGREEMENT.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL, UH, SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND W YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'LL PUSH THINGS OUT, UM, WHETHER THAT'S A TRAINING MEMORANDUM, OR IT IS A NEW POLICY.
AND FOR THE AVERAGE OFFICER, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THAT POLICY WAS CHANGED OR WHY WE'RE TELLING THEM TO DO THINGS A CERTAIN WAY.
WE PASS THAT INFORMATION DOWN THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, SO THAT SUPERVISORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN IT TO THE OFFICERS, BUT THE UNION HAS A VERY STRONG VOICE IN THAT AS WELL.
AND WE'LL SOMETIMES CHARACTERIZE THINGS INCORRECTLY.
SO WE, UM, WE WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY POLICIES WERE CHANGED.
THEY DO NOT DICTATE POLICY TO US.
HOWEVER, SO THAT, THAT IS IN THE SOLE PURVIEW OF CHIEF MANLEY.
HE DOES WHAT HE THINKS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN
[00:50:01]
AND, AND KEEPING THEM SAFE AND MOVING THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FORWARD IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL MANNER.UM, SO, UH, THAT, THAT IS, THAT'S NOT A FAIR CHARACTERIZATION TO SAY THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU SAID THAT I'M JUST SAYING THAT, THAT THEY DO NOT DICTATE POLICY TO US, BUT WE DO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY POLICY WAS CHANGED, BECAUSE THEY THEN COMMUNICATE AS WELL AS THOSE SUPERVISORS TO THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS.
AND, UM, SO THAT, SO THAT THERE'S UNDERSTANDING ALL THE WAY AROUND.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
CAN I I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, GOING BACK TO THE KNEELING, WHY MORE VIDEO, I GET IT.
A BULK OF YOUR ANSWER WAS FOCUSED AROUND FINDING MORE VIDEOS.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A CERTAIN DEGREE OF INVESTIGATION GOING ON, BUT IT SEEMS FAIRLY BLACK AND WHITE.
LIKE THERE IS AT LEAST A VIDEO, IF NOT MULTIPLE, ALREADY OF AN OFFICER KNEELING ON SOMEBODY'S NECK A DAY AFTER MANLEY SAID THAT THAT WAS BANNED.
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I DON'T, I JUST, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS NECESSARILY LIKE IT, AND MAYBE I, I JUST I'M MISSING SOMETHING, BUT IT, IT, UH,
THE QUESTION, IT JUST, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALL FAIRLY CUT AND DRY AT THIS POINT.
I DON'T, CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN MAYBE WHY WE NEED 15 VIDEOS OF AN INCIDENT? ARE WE TRYING TO JUSTIFY THIS ACTION? LIKE, AND THEN WHAT ACTION IS JUSTIFIABLE AND THEN NEAL ON HIS NECK GOING FORWARD AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE ALREADY, ALREADY GONE DOWN AND ESPECIALLY AFTER CHIEF MANLEY BANDIT? WELL, LET ME START MY ANSWER BY, BY MAKING ONE THING, VERY CLEAR OUR INSTRUCTION TO THE OFFICER AND OUR CHANGE IN POLICY WITH REGARD TO CHOKE HOLES IS THAT THEY ARE PROHIBITED EXCEPT IN THOSE CASES WHERE AN OFFICER FEELS THAT THEIR LIFE IS HANGING IN THE BALANCE.
UM, THEN TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE VIDEO, UM, WE HAVE SEEN AND HAVE EVIDENCE OF, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOK AT A LOT OF VIDEO ALL THE TIME.
UM, ALL WE HAVE JUST TERABYTES AND TERABYTES THAT ARE BEING RECORDED ANNUALLY BY OUR OFFICERS, UH, VIDEO FOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR VIDEOS RUNNING.
ANYTIME THEY'RE HAVING INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN IS THAT ONE ANGLE GIVE YOU THE EXACT, UM, TRUE PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED.
YOU HAVE TO, THE, THE VIDEO IS VERY, VERY GOOD EVIDENCE, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER ANGLES.
AND, AND PERSONALLY, I HAVE SEEN VIDEOS THAT THAT LOOKED REALLY BAD, BUT WHEN YOU SEE IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE, YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT'S OFF SCREEN THAT YOU DON'T, THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE BEFORE YOU SEE A DIFFERENT ANGLE THAT GIVES A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY CONCENTRATING ON MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT'S AVAILABLE SO THAT IT CAN BE ANALYZED.
VIDEO IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT WE LOOK AT.
OBVIOUSLY WE TAKE WITNESS TESTIMONY.
UM, IF THERE'S A SUBJECT OFFICER INVOLVED, THEY'RE GIVEN THE ABILITY TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, AND THEN ULTIMATELY ALL OF THAT IS LOOKED AT AS A WHOLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT POLICY WAS VIOLATED OR NOT.
SO THIS, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS, I WOULD SAY THAT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS ARE EVEN MORE, UM, MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, AND MANY TIMES, UH, A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS GATHERED IS USED IN BOTH INVESTIGATIONS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE, UM, BEFORE I SAY WHETHER OR NOT THAT OFFICER VIOLATED POLICY AT THIS MOMENT.
I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WITHOUT HAVING SEEN EVERYTHING.
I GUESS, ON A SLIGHT FOLLOWUP TO THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE VIDEO, UM, AS MANLY SAYS, PACKAGE REGARDING THE MICRO MOST KELLING.
UM, I'M JUST LITERALLY CURIOUS, LIKE HE SAYS, HE'S MAKING A VIDEO PACKAGE, THAT'S GOING TO SHOW ALL THE ANGLES AND EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MY, MY 12 YEAR OLD COUSIN CAN COLLABORATE
[00:55:01]
TOGETHER VIDEO.I JUST, I REALLY DON'T SEE THIS AS ANYTHING, BUT A STALLING TACTIC.
AND I REALLY AM REALLY STRUGGLING TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHOSE FAMILIES AND LIVES WERE AFFECTED, WHO ARE GRAVELY INJURED IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW, OR IN THE CASE OF MICRO MOST WHO'S PASSED AWAY, NOT HAVING ANSWERS TO THIS.
UM, AND, AND I HAVE A LOT OF ANGER ABOUT THIS AND, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT THE HOLDUP IS ON THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
SO THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED BEFORE WE HAVE LOTS OF VIDEO SOURCES ON THAT PARTICULAR CALL WITH THE, UH, WITH MICHAEL RAMOS.
WE HAD MANY OFFICERS ON SCENE.
ALL OF THEM WERE RUNNING AT LEAST TWO SOURCES.
WELL, WE WERE RUNNING TWO SOURCES OF VIDEO, THEIR BODY WORN CAMERA, AS WELL AS THEIR, UM, THEIR IN CAR CAMERA.
UM, THEN THERE'S THE PUTTING TOGETHER OF THE ACTUAL VIDEO.
UH, I HAVE TO THANK ATX N WHICH ACTUALLY ASSISTED WITH THAT.
WE MADE A COMMITMENT AT THE BEGINNING AND ACTUALLY, UM, WELL BEFORE, UM, THE MICHAEL RAMOS SHOOTING ACTUALLY OCCURRED THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING THIS MOVING FORWARD, AND THAT'S, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS GOING TO BE OUR FIRST ONE.
WE'RE STILL WITHIN THAT 60 DAY WINDOW.
AND, UM, AND DO PLAN ON RELEASING THAT.
AND I THINK THAT IT WILL PROVIDE A LOT OF ANSWERS TO FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF TIME AND, UM, I DO WANT TO REDIRECT US, UM, A LITTLE BIT HERE, UM, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE AS A COMMISSION, UM, CAN DO.
UM, AND SO, UM, IF THERE'S ANY FINAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, TO APD, UM, WE CAN, LET'S TAKE ABOUT THREE MORE MINUTES FOR THAT IF WE NEED IT, MEGAN.
UM, I WONDERED, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH.
WHAT OFFICERS UNIFORMED OFFICERS WERE ON SCENE DURING THE PROTEST? I KNOW THAT THERE WERE THE CAPITOL HAD DIFFERENT OFFICERS, BUT ON THE STREET ON SIXTH STREET, ARE THERE, WERE THERE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FORCES, UNIFORMED OFFICERS BESIDES APD? UM, OH, I SEE WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS.
YOU'RE ASKING BESIDES APD OR OTHER UNIFORMED OFFICERS ASSISTING DURING THE TIME OF THE PROTEST.
SO DPS HAS HELPED US OUT QUITE A BIT.
UM, TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALSO, UM, PROVIDED, UH, DEPUTIES TO ASSIST US AT VARIOUS STAGES.
UM, AND JUST OFF THE TOP FROM MY HEAD, I THINK THAT ARE, THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO AGENCIES THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDED, UM, PEOPLE TO US.
AND I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND OR IF ANYBODY, I DON'T WANT TO STEP IN FRONT OF ANYBODY IF YOU HAVE OTHER I SHOULDN'T.
UM, CAN YOU, UH, EXPLAIN TO US AND HELP US UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND, AND HOW DO THEY ADVISE YOU? UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, HOW WERE THEY INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS, UM, OR ARE THEY NOT INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS? WELL, THE CITIZEN'S OVERSIGHT PANEL, UM, AND I'M, I'M STEPPING OUTSIDE MY LANE A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S NOT MY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THE DIFFERENT ASSISTANT CHIEF.
I DO HAVE SOME, SOME KIND OF BROAD KNOWLEDGE, UM, PRIOR TO, UM, THE, THE NEW CONTRACT AND FAIR MUSKET IN THE, UH, THE POLICE MONITOR TAKEN OVER, AS YOU KNOW, OVER, OVER THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT.
WE HAD A CITIZENS REVIEW PANEL THAT WAS INVOLVED, UH, TO A LARGE DEGREE IN, BUT THEY REALLY LOOKING AT JUST THOSE CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, AND BY THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGS, OR IF WE HAD AN CUSTODY DEATH, UH, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE OPO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, WITH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, UH, AND THE CHIEFS OVER THAT AREA ON DEVELOPING THE NEW CITIZEN REVIEW PROCESS.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, HOW, HOW THAT BOARD IS GOING TO BE COMPRISED, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL SIT ON IT, THE TERMS AND EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION THAT THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT IS GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR AT THE LEAST THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF INFORMATION AS THE LAST, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT OTHER, OTHER TYPES OF CASES AS
[01:00:01]
WELL.UM, SO I, I APOLOGIZE, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALLY MY AREA, BUT I, I HOPE THAT AT LEAST PARTIALLY ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
AND, AND WILL THAT BE PART OF, UM, WHAT MANLY IS PRESENTING ABOUT TOMORROW, OR, UM, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING KIND OF TALKED ABOUT ON DOWN THE LINE, DO YOU THINK? WELL, THE CITIZENS REVIEW PROCESS, UH, I BELIEVE WAS, UM, PUT IN PLACE THROUGH THE CONTRACT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A LONG TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE'S GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT IT TOMORROW OR NOT.
UH, HE MAY, IF HE'S ASKED ABOUT IT, I'M SURE, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A PROCESS THAT I KNOW THAT THAT FARRAH AND HER, HER DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SOME TIME.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, UM, ONE LAST QUESTION, PLEASE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE COUNCIL'S PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WHAT DATA DO YOU PROVIDE OR DOES APD PROVIDE TO THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IS THAT DATA AVAILABLE FOR THE DOWNTOWN SECTOR? UM, I AM NOT SURE SIR, WHICH DATA WE PROVIDE TO THEM.
UM, I KNOW THAT OUR RESEARCH AND PLANNING DIVISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT, UM, AUTHORS A NUMBER OF REPORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON EVERYTHING FROM OUR USE OF FORCE OR RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR STOPS ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ACTUALLY PROVIDED TO, UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UH, CERTAINLY ANYTHING THAT, THAT WE PUBLISH, UH, WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW.
AND WE COULD PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY AS WELL, IF YOU HAVE SPECIALIZED REQUESTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THAT, UH, BREAKING THAT OUT, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND, AND, UM, AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A WHOLE, UM, DIVISION REALLY THAT'S, UH, ASSIGNED TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE, WE GET, UH, MORE REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION THAN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY.
AND, UM, AND SO WE CAN PROVIDE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT KIND OF METRICS OR THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I JUST ASK THAT YOU PLEASE, UH, SEND THOSE OVER TO US AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A TIMELINE ON HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO PUT IT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
SO IF THE PUBLIC WANTED TO GO TO LOOK AT THE EXISTING FORMATS OF THE REPORTS THAT ARE PROVIDED IN THE RESEARCH AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT GENERATES, UM, WHERE WOULD THEY GO TO FIND THOSE? UM, WE PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF THEM ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, WITHOUT GETTING JUMPING ON THERE AND SEE WHICH ONES ARE ON THERE.
I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHICH ONES ARE, ARE THERE, HOWEVER, UM, THROUGH ANY, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, ANYBODY HAS ACCESS TO THOSE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALWAYS LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHICH OF THE ONES THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THE MOST INTEREST IN, AND WE TRY TO PROACTIVELY PUBLISH THOSE OUT.
AND AUGUST, UM, I DID SEND OUR, UM, UH, MONA CENTER, UM, LINKS OUT THAT ARE IN THE EMAIL THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN.
IF YOU CLICKED ON THOSE LINKS, THAT'LL TAKE YOU TO A LOT OF THOSE REPORTS.
IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT, BUT I, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD WHEN YOU WERE RESPONDING TO, UM, THE POLICE OVERSIGHT, UM, PROCESS WAS THAT YOU'RE NOT THE ASSISTANT CHIEF IN CHARGE OF THAT.
AND WHAT IT REMINDED ME OF IS THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS A BIG ORGANIZATION.
IT'S A BIG DEPARTMENT AND SOMETIMES DATA OR INFORMATION OR MANDATES THAT COME FROM THE CHIEF MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO EVERY POLICE OFFICER.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THE, UH, CHIEF MAKES A RETINA, NOT A RECOMMENDATION, BUT AN ORDER THAT SAY MEETING ON PEOPLE'S NECK IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANYMORE, THAT PEOPLE RESPONDING TO THAT EMAIL MMM.
KIND OF THE INSURERS THAT THEY HEARD AND THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS CHANGE IN POLICY, UM, BECAUSE MY FEAR WITH MMM, WHERE THIS GOES USUALLY IS THAT THEN THE BLAME GOES TO THE SUPERVISOR SAYING THAT THE SUPERVISOR DIDN'T TELL THE POLICE OFFICER WHAT TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHEN IT GETS INVOLVED IN ALL KINDS OF, OF STUFF GETS, UH HUH.
COMP IT GETS COMPLICATED AND, AND LAW AND ORDER, AND, UM, PROTECTING THE PUBLIC IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE SUPERBLY TOO COMPLICATED.
[01:05:01]
WONDERING IF, UH, IF THAT TECHNOLOGY, OR THAT IS USED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM MOVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.SO WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS IN PLACE.
WE, TO MAKE SURE THAT, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE SENDING OUT SOMETHING THAT IS VERY CRITICAL, THAT ALL OF OUR OFFICERS HAVE SEEN IT, UM, AND THAT WE HAVE SOME WAY OF TRACKING IT.
SO THE DEPARTMENT ISSUES AS PART OF ITS BODY WORN CAMERA PROGRAM, UH, CELL PHONES, AND EVERY OFFICER ON HER DEPARTMENT CARRIES A DEPARTMENT OWNED CELL PHONE IN WHICH THEY HAVE THEIR EMAIL IN WHICH THEY HAVE, UM, THE APPLICATIONS RELATED TO THE BODY WORN CAMERA USE AND, AND SO FORTH.
UM, SO WE'LL PUSH THINGS OUT VIA EMAIL AND, UH, RECEIVE, READ, RE READ RECEIPTS WHEN THOSE HAVE HAPPENED, UM, ON THE, ON THE POLICY ADJUSTMENTS, UM, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAT THEY LOG INTO AND THAT THEY MUST, UM, THEY MUST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, OF LOOKING AT WHAT THE POLICY CHANGE WAS, UM, WITHIN THE PROGRAM, WE TEST AT THE END ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE POLICY CHANGE WAS.
AND THEN THAT IS RECORDED AND KEPT WITH THEIR TRAINING RECORDS, THAT OUR TRAINING ACADEMY.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, LIKE I SAID, DIFFERENT PIECES AND PARTS OF TECHNOLOGY THAT WE USE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN AND UNDERSTAND, UH, THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE DEPARTMENT.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CUT US OFF FROM QUESTIONS THERE AND, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND, AND LISTENING TO OUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS, UM, AND, AND, UH, GIVING US MORE INFORMATION.
UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO PUT THIS OUT TO YOU.
UM, WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUT FORWARD THAT WE CAN MAKE TO COUNCIL? ARE THERE ANY STRATEGIES WITHIN OUR MISSION THAT WE CAN TAKE, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ABBREVIATE THIS DISCUSSION TO MAYBE SEVEN MINUTES TOPS, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER PIECES OF BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY.
SO, UM, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE SOME ACTION THAT I'M HOPING, UM, WE CAN DISCUSS, IT HAS TWO MAIN ITEMS. UM, ONE IS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES US A SAFETY AND POLICING REPORT RELATED TO, UM, INCIDENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, MONTHLY AT OUR MEETING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF THOSE.
UM, AND I THINK IT REALLY KNOWLEDGES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STEWARDS OF THIS PUBLIC SPACE THAT BELONGS IN SOME WAYS TO ALL TEXANS.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS CREATE ONE, UM, ONE RECOMMENDATION AT A TIME.
AND SO IF YOU WANT TO PHRASE THAT RECOMMENDATION EXACTLY HOW YOU WANT IT, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION.
UM, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES A MONTHLY SAFETY AND POLICING REPORT AT EVERY DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. UM, THERE ARE FOUR OF THEM, THE SOP, THE STATISTICS ON THE DOWNTOWN USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS BY RACE, DOWNTOWN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGS BY RACE, DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC STOPS BY RACE AND DOWNTOWN LORD WATERING CITATIONS BY RACE.
AND YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE THIS IN YOUR EMAIL WRITTEN OUT DISCUSSION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
IT, I THINK WHAT, UH, WHAT THEY INDICATED WAS THE RESEARCH AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT CAN GENERATE CUSTOM REPORTS.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, IF WE CAN GET THE FORMAT OF THE REPORT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SPECIFIC FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THEY CAN GENERATE IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND PROVIDE IT AS A MATTER OF FORM FOR THE, UH, FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
I DON'T THINK IT CREATES AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN, UH, SINCE IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FORMATTED ONCE AND THEY CAN REPLICATE IT EVERY MONTH FOR US.
AND IT IS, MEGAN SAYS IT, WE ARE STEWARDS OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, AND THIS IS PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR NOT, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC TO MONITOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE PLACE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF WORKING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? UM, I, THIS IS CHRIS.
CAN I, I LIKE THIS, MY ONLY CONCERN IS KIND OF DROWNING IN DATA IS, UM, THERE ARE ANY, ANY CONCERN THAT THIS IS KIND OF TOO MUCH, AND I'M
[01:10:01]
MORE, MORE LOOKING AT MAYBE TRAFFIC STOPS, MAYBE LOITERING.I MEAN, DEFINITELY USE OF FORCE IN ANYTHING MAJOR I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT.
UM, I'D BE OPEN TO DROPPING TRAFFIC STOPS.
LOITERING IS PRETTY IMPORTANT TO ME, JUST WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS OF WHO GETS LOITERING TICKETS, UM, OVERWHELMINGLY BLACK AND PEOPLE OF COLOR LOITERING TICKETS, SELF ARE KIND OF QUESTIONABLE.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING I LIKE TO SEE, BUT I DEFINITELY SEE YOUR POINT ABOUT PROPERTY.
WELL, CAN I, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
SO WE HAVE, UM, UH, AN AMENDMENT THEN TO REMOVE TRAFFIC SOGS.
AND MEGAN, I WAS LIKE, YOU'RE FAVORABLE TO THAT.
I DON'T, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I DON'T WANT TO BE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ADD MORE THINGS TO THE THING WE WANT COMING IN.
I THINK THAT WAS REFERENCED THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REQUEST.
THERE ARE PIECES OF DATA THAT WE WANT.
SAYING THAT WE WANT, AT LEAST THIS TO GET STARTED WITH IS, IS A GOOD BEGINNING.
I DON'T WANT US TO GET STUCK IN WE, UM, OUR BIG PROCESS THAT WE'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO SAY, NO, NO, NO, WE WANT, WE ALSO WANT THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? CAUSE JAYWALKING IS ANOTHER THING THAT, THAT, THAT TICKETS GET AND, UH, UH, AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING AND ANY NUMBER OF OTHER CITATIONS THAT BE GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS, BUT NOT TO TOURISTS AND TO PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT NOT THE TOURISTS THEN.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT WILL GIVE US TRENDS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW.
CAN I, I'M JUST WONDERING IF JUST PUTTING THESE THINGS ON THERE IS, IS GOING TO LIMIT THE INFORMATION THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET.
DO WE WANT TO ADD THOSE? DO YOU THINK? I MEAN, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, BE MINDFUL OF THE TIME BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY ONLY ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT UP AT THE MEETING.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING PERHAPS WE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, ADD TO, WAS WE MOVED FORWARD, UM, TO GET A MORE ROBUST PICTURE OF KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I THINK MEGHAN'S AMENDMENT IS A GOOD START FOR US TO START UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
MAY I ADD SOMETHING? IF WE CREATED THE SAFETY POLICE AND WORK LESS, HAVE THE FORMAT, THE DATA, THE REPORTS, THERE WAS AN URGENCY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT IF WE CREATE THE WORK GROUP, THEY CAN ADDRESS ALL OF THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT AS A CONDITION NOW.
SO LET'S DISCUSS THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, SO, UM, WE DO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THIS RECOMMENDATION, UM, AS IT, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND DAVID, I CAN'T SEE YOU.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A LITTLE ROLL CALL.
FAVOR PROMOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO I HAVE MEGAN, AUGUST DAVID, CHRIS, AND MEGAN, AND MYSELF IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
MEGAN WANTS YOU, RIGHT? WE JUST, UM, YOUR, YOUR NEXT ONE THERE AND YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS THE COMMISSION CREATES A SAFETY POLICING WORKING GROUP TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REVIEW DATA ON POLICE BRUTALITY SPECIFIC TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, THIS GROUP WILL DO THREE THINGS.
ONE WORK WITH APD ON INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE MONTHLY SAFETY AND SAFETY AND POLICING REPORT.
UM, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING APD LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING APD FUNDING.
AND I'M SORRY, WHO WAS THE SECOND? DAVID.
ANY COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION? WE HAVE ONE MINUTE, SORRY TO HUSTLE IT.
[01:15:04]
ALL RIGHT.UM, AND NO DISCUSSION, UM, TO FORM THE WORK GROUP.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, MEGAN, AUGUST DAVID, MEGAN, AND CHRIS.
I LOST YOU, CHRIS IT'S CAPTURED.
Y'ALL, I'M SO SORRY THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE TOOLS TO REALLY DISCUSS SOME, BUT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AND CERTAINLY WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION MOVING FORWARD AS WELL.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE USEFUL WHAT WE CAN DO COLLECTIVELY.
[Item 7]
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SORELY OUT OF DATE ON, UM, WE'RE SEVERAL MONTHS PAST IT IS ELECTING A NEW CHAIR.UM, MOST OF Y'ALL WERE ON THE PHONE OR ON THE CALL EARLIER WHEN I SAID THAT, UM, JOEL WAS VERY SORRY THAT HE COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT HE, UH, IS, HAS MET HIS TERM LIMIT.
HE CAN NO LONGER SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY.
UM, AND SO, UH, IF WE HAVE, UM, ANY NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR, WE'LL DO THAT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL DO VICE-CHAIR AFTER THAT.
AND IF NOBODY'S JUMPING IN THERE, I RECOMMEND AUGUST AS CHAIR.
JENNIFER, COULD YOU GO OVER THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT? SO DO YOU, DO WE VOTE OR, YEAH.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE, UH, WE WOULD VOTE ON MULTIPLE PEOPLE IF WE JUST HAVE ONE PERSON, UH, WE JUST ALL SAY IN FAVOR, UM, OR ABSTAIN, UM, OR, UM, OBJECT, UM, IT'S PRETTY EASY PROBLEM.
WILL YOU VOTE? DO YOU NEED A SECOND? WE'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH BEING ONSCREEN WHEN YOU VOTE.
YOU CAN ALSO, UM, JUST LET MONA KNOW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IS THERE ANYBODY, DO YOU WANT TO VOTE THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THIS LIVE MEETING? OR LIKE JEN SAID, YOU'VE BEEN SENT YOUR VOTE TO ME AS WELL, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE TODAY.
JUST PROCEEDING IF WE CAN, DO YOU NEED A SECOND? OKAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE MEGAN, UM, IS SECOND YEAR.
UM, AND SO DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT IS INTERESTED OR WANTS TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY ELSE? IF NOT, WE WILL ALL VOTE.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE.
WE HAVE, UM, MEGAN, UM, DAVID HARRIS, MEGAN, CHRIS LAYMAN.
ARE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND? YES, I AM SAM SERGEANT.
UM, AND SO LAST YEAR, UM, I, UH, I AM ABLE TO SERVE, UH, CONTINUING TO SERVING.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO DO SO, UM, IN THIS ROLE, BUT I CERTAINLY WILL TURN IT OVER IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS, UM, TO BE VICE CHAIR.
OH, NOMINATE JENNIFER FROM LAST YEAR SECOND AND MEGAN IS SECONDING.
AWKWARD TO CALL A VOTE ON YOURSELF, BUT ALL IN FAVOR OF JEN.
SO MEGAN DAVID, UM, AUGUST PRESS MEGAN.
WELL, WE, UH, WE HAVE OUR NEW OFFICERS CHAIR IS, UM, AUGUST PARIS AND JENNIFER BRISTOL IS VICE CHAIR.
UM, AND CERTAINLY WHEN WE SEE, UH, JOEL, UM, NEXT TIME I HOPE WE CAN ALL GIVE HIM A WARM, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR, UM, HIS YEARS OF SERVICE IN THAT ROLE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN, BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN APPROXIMATELY 15 YEARS STUDYING FENCING.
THE TERM LIMITS WILL BE APPROPRIATE.
IS HE ON THE COMMISSION? YEAH, HE IS STILL ON THE COMMISSION AS POINTED BY THE MAYOR.
[01:20:01]
UM, SO HE'LL, HE'LL REMAIN ON THE COMMISSION.UM, WE HAVE THREE MINUTES, UM, WORKING GROUP.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT FROM THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN? ARE WE OUT OF TIME? WE CAN DEFER.
I'M GOING TO SKIP SINCE, UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, BEN, AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE, UM, TO HEAR FROM, UH, UPDATES FROM THEIRS, WE'LL DEFER THOSE UNTIL NEXT MEETING AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE ELECTED THE OFFICERS, UM, STAFF, ANY
[Item 8]
UPDATES, UH, IT'S TIME, JULY 31ST IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT AND DISCUSSION.UM, IN THE PAST I'VE WORKED WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TO DRAFT THAT, AND THEN IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION BY THE OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS.
AND IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, WE CAN PROCEED THAT WAY.
IN THE PAST, YOU'VE ALWAYS SENT OUT A PRETTY GOOD REPORT AND THEN WE JUST ADD TO IT AND RESHAPE IT.
SO I THINK THAT PROCESS SOUNDS GOOD.
[Item 9]
TWO MINUTES TILL IF ANY OTHER, UM, POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED ONE IN PARTICULAR MMM.UM, BUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE ON HERE? I DON'T SEE ANYTHING CIRCLING BACK TO GETTING A KIND OF UPDATE ON HOMELESSNESS.
IS THAT, DO WE NEED ANYTHING ON THAT? IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GET AN UP THERE ON THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S BEEN A, UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE, SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT ONE.
WELL, UM, I THINK WE HAVE 30 SECONDS.
THANKS FOR TAKING TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR DAY.
AND MONA WILL KEEP US POSTED ON THE JULY DATE AND TIME.
UM, I, I ASSUME WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A SIMILAR FORMAT FOR THAT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SUMMER.
SO IMAGINE WE WENT AUGUST, SO, HMM.
THE MEGAN'S CORNEAS AMENDMENTS.