[00:00:35]
[Citizen Communication]
SO IS THAT PERSON ABLE TO HEAR US AND RESPOND RIGHT NOW? YES.CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
I COULD SPEAK IN THE BEGINNING.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD RIGHT NOW, THEN.
I SENT ALL OF YOU AN EMAIL WITH MY COMMENTS, UM, AND MY COMMENTS WERE ABOUT THE CLIMATE PLAN.
SO MY FIRST COMMENT IS THAT THE CITY IS PLANNING A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE AIRPORT DOUBLING IN SIZE, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN AIRCRAFT THAT HAS A CONSIDERABLE IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE EMISSIONS, BUT IT'S NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION OF THE CLIMATE PLAN.
AND I REALLY THINK IT SHOULD BE, I THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION OF THE CLIMATE PLAN.
AND I DON'T THINK THE AIRPORT EXPANSION IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR CLIMATE GOALS.
I THINK THAT THE PLAN ONLY INCLUDES THE AIR EMISSIONS DIRECTLY OVER AUSTIN.
CAUSE IT SAYS THE AIRPORT EMISSIONS ARE LIKE 1% OF TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT ALL THE TRAVEL TO AND FROM DIFFERENT CITIES IS NOT BEING INCLUDED.
AND IF EVERY CITY DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL THOSE AIR TRAVEL IN BETWEEN CITIES, THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF EMISSIONS THAT ARE NOT BEING COUNTED.
CURRENTLY THE AIRPORT EXPANSION IS ON HOLD BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHETHER WE SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AIRPORT EXPANSION.
MY SECOND COMMENT IS THAT I REALLY THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE 120 VOLUNTEERS AND THAT'S GREAT.
250 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED, BUT THERE'S CLOSE TO A MILLION PEOPLE IN AUSTIN.
MANY, MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE ARE INTERESTED.
AND I REALLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF SURVEY THAT GOES OUT TO THE BROADER PUBLIC SO THAT PEOPLE BOTH CAN BE EDUCATED ABOUT.
THE PLAN CAN PROVIDE INPUT TO THE PLAN AND ALSO CAN PROVIDE BUY-IN, YOU KNOW, SO THAT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY PLAN.
BUT LAST TIME THEY DID THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN.
THERE ALSO WAS NOT ADEQUATE OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I KNEW THAT THEY WERE STARTING TO WORK ON IT.
AND THEN THE NEXT THING I KNEW IT WAS DONE AND I WAS LIKE, THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND I APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OUTREACH THEY HAVE DONE, UM, MR. BOMBER SAID, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPEAK UP IN AUGUST.
THERE'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT PARTICIPATES IN IT.
AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE REALLY USE THE FEEDBACK.
I REALLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE LIKE A QUESTION HERE AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY, YES, I STRONGLY SUPPORT OR NO, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE SOME CHANGES.
UM, SO THAT, UM, THERE'S MEANINGFUL INPUT.
UH, MY LAST COMMENT IS JUST THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE STRONGER MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION GOALS.
UM, THE CITY HAS REALLY LAGGED BEHIND IN, IN, UM, TRANSIT BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN MEASURES.
IT'S, IT'S BETTER RECENTLY, BUT WE HAVE A LOT TO DO.
AND LIKE, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND FINISH YOUR THOUGHT AND THE END OF MY THOUGHT WAS JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ASPIRATIONAL GOALS AND REALLY TRY TO PUSH BOTH THE STAFF AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO MORE IN THE AREA OF MULTIMODAL.
AND I'LL JUST FINISH BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS TO
I JUST FOUND OUT WHEN YOU SAID YOU HAD THE BABY, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT IT, THANKS, SUZANNE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I GUESS A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, FIRST YOU, YOU SUGGESTED THAT THERE'D BE A SURVEY, BUT THAT YOU DON'T LIKE THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN FORMAT.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AND HOW IT DIFFERS FROM THAT FORMAT?
[00:05:02]
THANKS.YEAH, I THINK THE ASM P IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE.
THEY DID A LOT OF OUTREACH TO THE EQUITY COMMUNITY, BUT THEY ALSO HAD SEVERAL SURVEYS THAT SPECIFICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE SCENARIOS IN THAT CASE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU SUPPORT THE WEAK SUPPORT? UM, SO THEY WERE THERE.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SOFTWARE.
THAT'S USED TO DEVELOP SURVEYS, BUT IT WASN'T SPEAK UP.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SURVEYS THAT THEY SENT OUT OR THAT YOU COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, CLICK A LINK AND, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY.
UM, AND THEN THEY USE THAT INFORMATION.
THEY COULD GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, 80% OF PEOPLE WANT MORE TRANSIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT W I THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL IN SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR SUSAN? OKAY.
MY OTHER QUESTION IS THEN YOU MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
I'M JUST WONDERING, HAVE YOU, UH, BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THE, UM,
I LOOKED AT THAT INITIALLY, BUT THE TIME COMMITMENT WAS TOO LARGE FOR ME, SO NO, NOT, NOT, UH, NOT SHAMING OR ANYTHING, BUT I THINK THERE WILL PROBABLY BE STILL A FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S ALL OR NOTHING.
SO, UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUMP IN ON THOSE MEETINGS.
IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY OPEN ENDED FORMAT.
SO IF YOU CALL IN AND HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO WANT TO HEAR IT.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT AND NOT TO SAY THAT THIS IS ALSO A GOOD PLACE TO BE GIVEN YOUR FEEDBACK, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, UM, I THINK IS, IS WELCOMED.
SO I SHOULD CONTACT MR. BARBER AND HE CAN TELL ME HOW, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE MEETINGS.
SO, UM, IF YOU ACTUALLY JUST GOOGLE AUSTIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN UPDATE, YOU WILL COME TO A WEBPAGE THAT HAS ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPDATE PROCESS.
AND THAT INCLUDES A LINK TO A GOOGLE CALENDAR, WHICH I BELIEVE IS STILL BEING UPDATED WITH THE CURRENT SCHEDULE OF BOTH STEERING COMMITTEE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
IS THAT ACCURATE? ZACK? YEAH, THAT'S ACCURATE, BUT THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS, SO, YEAH.
UNLESS THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS LET'S, UH, MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA, EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? ALRIGHT.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UP IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR MAY 27TH MEETING.EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ADOPTING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED FOR OUR MAIN MEETINGS? OKAY.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE RULE AND CALL NAMES ONE BY ONE.
HOPEFULLY BE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, ALBERTA, YOU CAN JUST SAY YAY OR NAY OR ABSTAIN IF YOU NEED TO.
UH, YEAH, ALBERTO, WE'RE JUST, UH, WE'RE VOTING ON, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MAIN MEETING MINUTES, IF YOU CAN SAY YAY.
[00:10:02]
THANK YOU.I SHOULD'VE SAID I MADE THAT MOTION.
UM, AND YAY FOR PAY, BUT AS WELL, SO UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE MAY MEETING MINUTES.
EVERYBODY WENT BACK BY KEN TO THEIR AGENDA.
SO I THINK THE NEXT ITEM UP, YES.
[a) COVID-19 Food System Recommendation (Discussion and/or possible action)]
THE NEXT ITEM UP IS, UH, AN ITEM FROM KAREN MEGHAN AND THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.UH, THERE IS A FOOD SYSTEM RECOMMENDATION THAT I BELIEVE THAT BOARD ALREADY, UH, ADOPTED AND KAREN IS BRINGING FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO KAREN, DO YOU WANT TO, UH, BRIEFLY LAY THIS OUT FOR US? SURE.
AND YOU DEFINITELY THAT, THAT HIGH LEVEL, RIGHT.
THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY IN JUNE BY THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.
UM, I'LL BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT SINCE MAY, ESSENTIALLY, SINCE SHELTER IN PLACE WENT INTO A FIT OF FACT, WE CONVENED A NEW WORKING GROUP, WHICH WAS A COVIN FOOD SYSTEM RESPONSE WORKING GROUP.
AND, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF, YOU KNOW, THOSE MONTHS BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE, THE GROUP HAS BEEN MEETING AND DEVELOPING THE POLICY RESPONSE THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE IN THIS.
UH, YOU'LL SEE, THE RECOMMENDATION ACTUALLY STARTS OUT WITH A LENGTHY NARRATIVE STATEMENT, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE WERE USING, UM, A LOT OF LIKE BEST PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, FROM OTHER FOOD POLICY BOARDS AND COUNCILS.
AND GIVEN WHEN WE STARTED THIS, WHAT WAS ALREADY GOING ON WITH THE PANDEMIC, BUT THEN ALSO WHAT'S EMERGED, UM, AND JUST HIGHLIGHTING RACIAL INJUSTICE.
THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S SHAPED LARGELY THIS NARRATIVE STATEMENT.
UM, BUT, AND I'LL DO WHAT I SAY.
SO A LOT OF THIS WORK THAT GOES INTO THEM, THE SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FOLLOWS THAT NARRATIVE STATEMENT, UM, A LOT OF THEM ARE BASED ON WORK THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING AND ONGOING.
UM, AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE REALLY NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE NECESSITY FOR ALL OF THESE EFFORTS.
WE WERE NOT GOING TO GO HALF MEASURES.
WE WANTED TO PUT EVERYTHING IN THERE THAT WE FELT WAS NECESSARY FOR A STRONG LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.
UM, SO WE JUST DID ALL OF THAT.
AND IF WE LOOK AT, I CAN JUST PULL OUT, WE HAVE A SUMMARY DOCUMENT, WHICH I DIDN'T GET SENT OVER IN TIME FOR YOU TO HAVE, BUT THE FISCAL YEAR 21 ASKS THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW DURING THE CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS, TIMING IS ADDITIONAL FULL TIME.
EMPLOYEES ARE ASKING FOR AT LEAST TWO FTES, UM, TO WORK ON THE FOOD SYSTEM.
AND THOSE ARE, WE DID NOT SPECIFY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THERE'S FOUR DEPARTMENTS BASICALLY WHERE THE FOOD SYSTEM EMPLOYEES GO AND HE WANTED THE STAFF, THE FANTASTIC STAFF IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF THOSE ADDITIONAL STAFF, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S NEED FOR MORE PEOPLE FOCUSED ON THE FOOD SYSTEM, GIVEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE MARCH.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE FUNDING OF A, OF A, OF A, OF A SECOND RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS PASSED ACTUALLY THE MONTH PREVIOUSLY, UM, WHICH ASKS FOR FUNDING FOR, UM, A REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, THIS IS WORK THAT'S BEEN STARTED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND IT TO REALLY HAVE IT FULLY DEVELOPED.
AND A LOT OF THE IDEAS THAN A LOT OF THE LONGTERM RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD REALLY COME OUT OF THAT.
UM, WE HAVE ID, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE PUT SOME OF OUR THOUGHTS INTO THIS RECOMMENDATION, BUT THAT INTENTION IS ALSO THAT, THAT REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS WOULD BE AN EQUITY FOCUSED, YOU KNOW, EFFORT THAT CONSIDERS THE BEST WAY TO DEVELOP OUR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM.
UM, SO THAT IS, UH, THAT'S A LOT, I THINK THAT'S THE VERY HIGH LEVEL IF THERE'S DEFINITELY HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS CAUSE IT'S A LOT.
THANKS KAREN, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, UM, THE SUMMARY, I GUESS I I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH HOW YOU WILL ENHANCE WHAT'S THERE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE PERRIN, IS THERE SOME WAY OF KIND OF WALKING US THROUGH A FEW LITTLE BASICS? UM, WHEN YOU SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG ASK AND THIS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
HAPPY TO TRY TO WALK THROUGH AND PROVIDE MORE DETAIL.
[00:15:01]
UM, IT'S A BIT BIG ASK IN TERMS OF THE MONEY THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING SPENT ON THE FOOD SYSTEM.REALLY SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE THERE'S STAFF AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WHO ARE, ARE ON THE FOOD POLICY BOARD, OUR STAFF LIAISONS, OR EDWIN MARTY'S, OUR FOOD POLICY MANAGER AND AMANDA ROELLICH.
UM, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN, UM, A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE, SAMANTHA KNIGHT, WHO IS HER POSITION IS ENDING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SO THEY'RE DOWN FROM THREE PEOPLE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOWN TO TWO.
UM, SO THAT THAT'S, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE FOOD SYSTEM PLAN.
SO WE WERE, I'M SORRY, I GOT A LITTLE BIT OFF MYSELF OFF TRACK THERE.
I'M ASKING FOR MORE, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON FOOD SYSTEM, ADDITIONAL STAFF, OR AN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD SYSTEM, PEOPLE THAT ARE CLEARLY, UH, UNIQUELY IDENTIFIED FOR FOOD SYSTEM REALLY ARE, ARE, ARE OVER IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY PARKS AND REC HAS COMMUNITY GARDENS.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE RIGHT NOW OVER IN, UM, THE AUSTIN WATER WORKING ON AGRICULTURE ON, UM, FLOODPLAIN LAND AND THEN ECONOMIC IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
SO ASKING FOR A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, OBVIOUSLY CREATION OF STAFF POSITIONS, IT IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ASK.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS A BIG ASK AND THEN THE FUNDING REALLY, I MEAN, SO FUNDING THE FOOD REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING ITSELF IS NOT A TREMENDOUS ASK, BUT REALLY THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE GET INTO, LIKE THE CREATION WE WE'VE ASKED FOR THE CREATION OF A FOOD SYSTEM DEPARTMENT, ESSENTIALLY.
UM, SO WE RECOGNIZE W WE'VE DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, STEP THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, MORE SPECIFIC FUNDING MECHANISMS. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF ONES WE CALL OUT THE, OH, LIKE A GOOD FOOD FUND.
THERE'S SOME MODELS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING, ADDITIONAL FOOD SYSTEM WORK.
AND IT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, RIGHT ACROSS ECONOMICS HEALTH, THE, UM, INCREMENTAL A LOT OF THESE, A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING ALIGNS WITH WHAT IS ALSO GOING INTO THE CLIMATE PLAN REVISION FROM THE FOOD AND CLIMATE WORKING GROUP OF THE CONSUMPTION ADVISORY GROUP.
SO HOW DOES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND IN TERMS OF, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, HOW, HOW, TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS WITH THAT PLACE.
IT'S A LOT OF IT IS, IS HOW WE ARE ASKING FOR COMMITMENTS TO BE DONE.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF THAT IS IN THIS DOCUMENT AND SORT OF THE NEEDS JUSTIFICATION THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE, I WOULD, I THINK YOUR POINT YOU'RE GETTING AT IS RIGHT.
JUST HAVING THOSE ASKING FOR THOSE THINGS DOES NOT ENSURE EQUITY AND THEY WOULD ABSOLUTELY AGREE.
AND, UM, SO IT'S, IT'S THE SPECIFICS OF ASKING FOR HOW THOSE ARE TO BE DONE, I THINK IS WHERE WE ARE NEVER LOSING THAT EQUITY LENS AND FOCUS AND STARTING POINT.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S, I'M TRYING TO BALANCE HOW MUCH I'M TALKING RIGHT NOW, VERSUS THE DETAIL REALLY IN THE RECOMMENDATION, ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND YOU ARE A, YOU BRING IN THIS TO US FOR ACTION, RIGHT? CORRECT.
I WOULD LOVE AS, AS WITH PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS HAVING, IF JC WAS, WOULD BE WILLING TO ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION, BUT WITH JSC, UM, YOU KNOW, HEADING THEN IT WOULD BE JUST MORE, IT STRENGTHENS OUR POSITION AS WE'RE TAKING THIS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAKING THESE BUDGET ASKS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, THIS IS KAREN HEADON.
CAN YOU HEAR, I WANTED TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS WORK.
I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EQUITY AS THIS MOVES FORWARD, AND I WANT TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM KAREN HADDON TO APPROVE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AS PRESENTED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THE MOTION.
SO I DO WANT TO HEAR IT FROM FOLKS BEFORE WE JUST LAUNCH INTO A VOTE.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF THIS SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WELL IN LINE WITH OUR WORK, FROM
[00:20:01]
WHERE I SAID, UH, I'M JUST, I HAVE AN UNREADINESS TO VOTE AT THIS POINT.UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE EQUITY PIECE.
UM, WE THROW THESE WORDS AROUND A LOT AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN.
SO I, I AM UNREADY FOR ABOUT, I'M NOT AGAINST WHAT IS LAID OUT HERE, BUT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND MORE BEFORE I CAST A VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT.
I WILL JUST SAY THE SUMMARY DOCUMENT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO PROVIDE, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY MORE INFORMATION, CAUSE IT'S REALLY MEANT JUST TO BE A ONE PAGER FOR PEOPLE TO QUICKLY GLANCE AT, TO ASSIST WITH THE BUDGET REQUESTS, THE FULL, THIS FULL RECOMMENDATION REALLY IS GOING TO CONTAIN.
I HOPEFULLY THE PIECES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELL RECEIVED.
I APPRECIATE THOSE AS WELL THAT, UM, YES.
ANYBODY ELSE ON THE CALL HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THOSE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER PEOPLE READ IT? UM, I BRIEFLY READ IT, UH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE MEETING, BUT I, I SORT OF FEEL IN A LOT OF WAYS THE SAME WAY.
I MEAN, THIS IS A, A TON OF INFORMATION THAT I REALLY KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT, UM, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY I WOULDN'T SUPPORT ANY OF IT, BUT IF I'M BEING PERFECTLY HONEST, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I'M VOTING ON.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE PROBABLY MORE TIME TO DIGEST ALL OF THIS TOO.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS A LARGE MONETARY ASK.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY STRATEGY WAS, WAS THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, AS FAR AS IF IT'S JUST ALL OR NOTHING.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE A SHORTFALL, UM, AND MONEY, UH, NEXT YEAR AND IT'S, EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE FIGHTING FOR THE SMALL PILE OF WHAT'S LEFT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THERE'S CERTAIN PRIORITIES, SOME ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS OR IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANT ALL OF THIS AND WE WANT IT NOW.
I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S BEYOND MY CURRENT KNOWLEDGE OF, OF, UH, THE SUBJECT MATTER.
I CAN ANSWER IT DEFINITELY PART OF THAT AND THAT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE AN ALL OR NOTHING.
AND I THINK TRYING TO FRAME IT IN TERMS OF RIGHT, SOME OF THE LONGER TERM RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DEFINITELY NOT INTENDED TO BE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IMMEDIATELY.
AND IN FACT, THEY REALLY DO DEPEND ON THIS REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE ENVISIONING THAT AND RECOMMENDING THAT TO BE A PROCESS IN SOME WAYS, PARALLEL TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE REVISION PROCESS, YOU KNOW, IT INVOLVES MAKING SURE IT INVOLVES.
AND IN FACT, THAT'S WHERE WE SAY LIKE INTEGRATE FOOD WORKERS, SMALL FOOD BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCED UNBALANCED, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF DIET RELATED DISEASES, DISEASES LIKE INTO THAT PROCESS.
LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS A PLAN THAT HAS THE VOICES INVOLVED THAT NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
IT ISN'T JUST AN ANOTHER PLAN.
THAT'S NOT COMMUNITY FOCUSED AND INITIATED AND INVOLVED.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY, YEAH, IT IS NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING, BUT WE, WE WANTED TO PUT EVERYTHING IN THERE AND IT WOULD, THIS WAS, UH, YEAH, TRYING.
AND THERE WAS PROBABLY, THERE WAS STILL MORE LIKE THIS WAS HUGE TRYING TO EVEN GET IT DOWN TO THIS LEVEL.
UM, BUT WANTING TO JUST GO AHEAD AND DOCUMENT SORT OF EVERYTHING AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT WE COULD TO SAY LIKE, YEAH, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS, THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED.
BUT ALSO ANY PIECE THAT GETS DONE IS AL IS GOING TO BE GETTING INTO A BETTER IT GOING TO BE WORKING TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE JUST A COUPLE OF FOLKS WITH LIKE SOME MORE TIME WITH THIS.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S STILL BE TREMBLING TO TAKE IT UP NEXT MONTH AND MAYBE, UM, PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AND INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION IN THE MEANTIME.
AND I, YEAH, I THINK I'VE GOTTEN A SENSE OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT PLEASE, IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT ME TO COME BACK AND ANSWER, UM, I'M YEAH, I WILL DEFINITELY DO.
UM, I WOULD ALSO WANT TO ADD TOO, IT'S MORE OF A PROCEDURAL THING THAT I HONESTLY JUST LEARNED
[00:25:01]
ABOUT.AND, UM, I, AND I DON'T HAVE A LONG HISTORY, UH, ON THIS COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RECOMMENDATION AND A COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUESTS, UM, AND WHAT I'VE BEEN, I'M BEING TOLD BY THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OFFICE IS THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY.
UM, AND SO FOR INSTANCE, IF I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COULD BE TIED INTO THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, AND IF IT IS THEN IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IF IT IS IN FACT SOMETHING NEW THAT COUNCIL IS NOT CURRENTLY DISCUSSING, IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE THE COMMITTEE GENDER REQUEST.
AND WE WOULD SPECIFICALLY HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT AND NOT JUST VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'M NOT ENTIRELY FOLLOWING THAT.
THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT, HOW WE FROM THE FOOD POLICY BOARD GENERALLY PROCEEDED IN TERMS OF LIKE, WE'LL PASS A RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF GETTING A RESOLUTION PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL, THERE'S GENERALLY TWO PATHS AND ONE OF THEM IS GOING THROUGH AS A COUNCIL COMMISSIONER.
ONE OF THEM IS GOING DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL AND JUST LOOKING FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SIGN ON.
SO YEAH, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE.
AND IT WAS NEW INFORMATION FOR ME, FOR THE DESIGN COMMISSION AS WELL, BECAUSE WE HAD, WE HAD A PAST SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THAT, UH, I RECENTLY NEVER MADE IT TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T COME IN THE FORM OF COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUESTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AND THAT'S COMING FROM THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OFFICE, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, IF WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THIS COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M BEING TOLD BY THEIR OFFICE.
AND EVEN IF YOU VOTED ON A RECOMMENDATION AND PASSED IT, YOU STILL THEN HAVE TO GO BACK AND VOTE AGAIN ON A COMMITTEE, UH, AGENDA REQUEST.
WELL, DAVID, I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE, I'M SURE THAT ABSOLUTELY IS NEW TO ME.
UM, ZACH, CAN YOU MAYBE JUST TELL US LIKE OUR PAST RECOMMENDATIONS? I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE EVER TAKEN THAT FORMAT IF THEY'VE BEEN MAKING THEIR WAY TO CONSOLE OFFICES TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
I THINK THEY HAVE, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP.
I MEAN, I'LL FOLLOW UP RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH THEM ABOUT, ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUEST.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT THAT, I MEAN, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT A RECOMMENDATION WAS JUST DELIVERED BY PAPER BY POSTING AN EMAIL OR A DOCUMENT, BUT A COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUEST WAS THE WAY TO GET IT ACTUALLY AS PART OF A DISCUSSION AT ONE OF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES, WHICH RIGHT.
VERSUS VERSUS JUST, UH, BEING AT THE BOTTOM OF A PILE ON SOMEONE'S DESK.
I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, DAVID, IS THAT IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE IN THE PILE AT ALL.
THERE'S SOME SYSTEM, SOME, UM, I THINK, UH, ELECTRONIC ONLINE BOARD AND MAYBE ZACH KNOWS ABOUT IT THAT YOU SUBMIT MAYBE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TOO.
UM, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT DOESN'T REALLY GO ANYWHERE UNLESS A SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, PICKS THAT UP ON THEIR OWN AND DECIDES THEY WANT TO RUN WITH IT AND PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AND GO FROM THERE, UM, VERSUS VERSUS REQUESTING A COUNCIL COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT IT AND, AND THEN POSSIBLY PUT IT ON THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO, WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS I'M IN ONE OTHER TIME.
SO I DO WANT US TO MOVE FORWARD ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
UM, WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE, UM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, KA KAREN MEGA IS AMENABLE TO HOLDING OFF ON THIS.
UH, KAREN HAD THE SO'S YOUR MOTION.
SO I'LL TURN TO YOU TO SEE HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED HERE? I'M OKAY WITH WAITING UNTIL NEXT TIME, AS LONG AS IT WORKS IN TERMS OF BUDGET.
OKAY, IT'S GOING TO MISS, IT'S GOING TO MISS SOME OF THE BUDGET STUFF, BUT WORK FROM THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.
[00:30:01]
LIKE WE'RE ADDING, I'M DOING A TON OF ADVOCACY RIGHT NOW DIRECTLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.LIKE WE HAVE THE SUMMARY, THE ADDITION, THAT INFORMATION THAT THE SUMMARY DOCUMENT HAS IS COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SIGNED ON.
AND I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT SENT AROUND JUST SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT ADDITIONAL PIECE OF INFORMATION.
THIS IS ALSO LIKE YOU SAY THIS BECAUSE THERE'S MORE INTO THIS THAN JUST THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO BRING IT BACK AND DISCUSS.
I WITHDRAW MY MOTION UNTIL NEXT TIME.
UM, KAREN, I'M SURE WE'LL, HOPEFULLY I'LL, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT WHATEVER ELSE YOU SEND AROUND AND DEFINITELY IF ANYBODY HAS SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO KAREN, UM, SO THAT SHE CAN BE RESPONSIVE AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY ADDRESS THEM AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
[b) CapMetro Project Connect Update (Discussion and/or possible action)]
UH, AND, UM, TO BE THE CAPTAIN CAPITAL METRO PROJECT CONNECT UPDATE, UM, I REQUESTED THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WILL BE MAKING A DECISION I BELIEVE IN, IN AUGUST ON WHAT, UH, SHOULD GO ON THE, UH, BALLOT IN TERMS OF BOND ELECTION FOR PROJECT CONNECT.SO ZACH, DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM CAP METRO TO PRESENT ON THIS ITEM? YES, WE HAVE YONIS BANKS FROM
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM THE METRO AND ROB
ROBIN, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF WHILE YOU STARTED SPEAKING? BECAUSE I CAN SORT OF HEAR SOME QUIET MUMBLING, BUT I CAN'T HEAR A LOUD TALKER.
I'M THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER FOR CAPITAL METRO.
AND I'M JUST ON HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS DANIEL AT CITY, OR THERE WE GO.
I WAS GOING TO SAY IT WAS NOT SHOWING UP, BUT NOW I'M SEEING IT.
EVERYONE CAN SEE PROJECT CONNECT OVERVIEW.
WELL, UH, WE'RE ON SLIDE ONE NEXT SLIDE.
AND I WILL I'LL I'LL TRACK ALONG WITH YOU.
THIS IS JUST A QUICK AGENDA SHOWING WHAT WE'LL BE.
UM, TALKING ABOUT OVERVIEW OF THE TIMELINE SYSTEM PLAN, JUST TO PLAN FEATURES THAT WHOLE REVIEW BY MODE SEQUENCING, RENDERINGS, COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
AND, UH, WE'LL TALK SOMEWHAT ABOUT FUNDING, BUT THERE'S A, UH, ANOTHER VIRTUAL TOWN HALL HAPPENING TODAY AT 5:00 PM.
IF HE GOES TO THE PROJECT CONNECT WEBSITE, UM, THERE'LL BE EVEN MORE INFORMATION THAN I HAVE AS THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN ONGOING.
UH, AND SO YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE FUNDING OF THIS PLAN IS LOOKING LIKE IT MAY SHAPE.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, UH, THERE WILL BE THAT JOINT MEETING IN AUGUST WITH AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND OUR BOARD TO FLUSH OUT THOSE DETAILS OF WHAT WILL BE ON, UH, NOVEMBER ABOUT IT.
THAT'S WHAT GOES TO THE CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING NOW ABOUT IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THERE.
THE WHOLE THING IS IT, SOME OF IT IS A WAITING LATER ON.
UM, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NOW.
WHAT'S GOING TO BE BEST, UM, DURING THIS TIME OF COVID OF COURSE, OF WHAT TO DO NEXT SLIDE AND THE SLIDE AFTER THAT AS WELL.
UH, AND SO YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS JUST A OUTLINE OF WHAT THE SYSTEM PLAN WILL LOOK LIKE THE PURPLE OR RAPID LINES.
UH, THE GREEN WOULD BE A TRAIN LINE GOING OUT TO CONNIE PARK WITH PLANS TO GET IT OUT TO MAINER, BUT EVENTUALLY A MUCH LIKE A RED LINE THAT WE HAVE BLOCKS TOWARDS, UM, UH, AT LEANDER, UM, THE GREEN WILL BE A COMMUTER TRAIN IN THAT FASHION.
THE ORANGE AND BLUE WOULD BE LIGHT RAIL, AND THE GOAL WOULD EVENTUALLY BE A LIGHT RAIL LINE STARTING OFF AS A BUS, RAPID TRANSIT, SIMILAR TO OUR METRO EXPRESS.
SO OUR METRO RAPIDS VERSUS I'M SORRY, OH, THAT WE HAVE NOW WITH KNOWING THAT RIDERSHIP WOULD SHIT FOR IT TO BE A, UM, NEED TO BE LIGHT RAIL.
[00:35:01]
I THINK IT WAS IN THE NEXT SLIDE.AND THAT'S JUST SHOWING THE TIMELINE OF WHERE, WHAT WE'RE HAVING, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO FOR PROJECT CONNECT IS TO MOST AS GENERATIONAL THINGS.
UH, AND SO WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS AUGUST TO ESTABLISHING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UH, CORPORATIONS, WHICH IS A JOINT, UH, BODY BETWEEN CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WILL HELP WITH THE FUNDING.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'LL HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POSSIBLE TRANSIT REFERENDUM MOVING TO NOVEMBER FOR POTENTIAL TRANSIT REFERENDUM.
AND WE STARTED DOING THE WORK TO GET THIS PROJECT GOING, UH, WITH SOME ENGINEERING STUDIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN.
WE'LL GO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED ABOUT THAT.
SO HERE, ONCE AGAIN, THE LIGHT RAIL WILL BE ORANGE AND BLUE AND GOLD.
UM, THE LIGHT RAIL WOULD GO BASICALLY, WHAT IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR EIGHT OH ONE SERVICE, IT WOULD DO THAT.
GOING FROM TECH RIDGE DOWN TO SOUTH PARK MEADOWS, UM, STOPS ARE STILL BEING DETERMINED OF WHERE THEY WOULD NEED TO BE.
WE HAVEN'T DECIDED WHERE STOPS WOULD BE.
THERE'LL BE EXACTLY WHERE THE STOPS CURRENTLY ARE ON THE METRO RAPID, BUT IT'D PROBABLY BE SOMEWHERE CLOSE.
UM, AND SO THEY'LL STOP FOR ALL THE LINES OF STILL TO BE DETERMINED BLUE LINE.
UH, IT WILL GO FROM THE AIRPORTS INTO TOWN AND THEN UP TO, UM, UH, CRESTVIEW STATIONS.
ONCE AGAIN, WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
UT I GO INTO THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.
UH, IT'LL BE THIS LADY TO BE LIGHT RAIL.
WE KNOW WE WILL HAVE TO GO TO POPULATION, BUT WE KNOW THAT POPULATION GO QUICKLY GROW QUICKLY.
I SHOULD SAY, UH, WITH HOW IT'S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES.
SO IT WOULDN'T NEED TO BE A LIGHT RAIL AS WELL.
A METRO WRAPPING ON THE NAPS, EVERYTHING PURPLE WE'LL BE ADDING SEVEN NEW ROUTES, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT 74 MILES AND 193 STATIONS.
AND AS WORKING WITH THE CITY TO GET SOME PRIORITY TREATMENTS AND SO THAT THE BUSES CAN MOVE BETTER, UH, FASTER, UH, BE MORE RELIABLE, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU KIND OF SEE DOWNTOWN.
WHEN WE SAY TREATMENTS, THE TREATMENTS AND STUFF THAT YOU SEE DOWNTOWN ALREADY, WHERE WE HAVE JUMPED LIGHTS AND THE SHERATON LANE, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO OUR BUSES CAN'T MOVE TO GET IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC AND METRO RAIL AND, YOU KNOW, SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RED LINE, BUT DEFINITELY GETTING THE GREEN LINE GOING, UH, WITH OUT TO COLONY PARK.
ONCE AGAIN, WITH THE GOAL TO GET TO MAYNARD ELVIN EVENTUALLY, BUT STARTING FROM DOWNTOWN AND DOWNTOWN STATION, WE'RE BUILDING, UM, AND GOING OUT TO NORTHEAST AUSTIN TO HELP MOVE PEOPLE.
AND THEN HAVING MORE METRO EXPRESS ROUTES, WHICH IS OUR COMMUTER SERVICE THAT YOU'LL SEE THOSE GREYHOUND STYLE BUSES ADDING EIGHT NEW ROUTES, UH, FIVE OUTSIDE THE SERVICE AREA IN 24, NEW PARKING RIGHTS, UH, 10 OUTSIDE THE SERVICE AREA AND DOING SOME BETTER BUSED AMENITIES AS WELL AND IMPROVING OUR METRO ACCESS SERVICE AS WELL AS IMPROVE CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR APP AND PAYING, UH, BONUSES THAT THEY WILL BE ALL ELECTRIC FLEET.
UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO ZERO EMISSIONS AND INCLUDING US DOING SOME NEW PICKUP ROUTES.
IF YOU'VE SEEN THOSE LITTLE BLUE BUSES WE HAVE AROUND TOWN, THOSE ARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS CIRCULATORS PICK UP ZONES.
THOSE ARE ON DEMAND SERVICE WE HAVE FOR DIFFERENT AREAS AND THE MATH AND SHOW YOU WHERE KIND OF IDEAL, WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME NEW CIRCULATORS TO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE INTO THE SERVICE.
I WAS A LOCAL ROUTE OR ONE OF THESE EXPRESS ROUTES, THE HIGH CAPACITY ROUTES, BUT ALSO JUST TO HELP YOU GET AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOCATIONS.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD NEW MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A TRAIN YARD AND, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY HAS ADDITIONAL BUS YARD BECAUSE WE ARE AT CAPACITY AT OUR BUS YARD.
AND YOU WILL SEE A PICTURE OF, UH, THE, IT'S JUST A RENDERING OF WHAT THE VEHICLES COULD LOOK LIKE.
ROB, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES, UM, PROPOSAL, OR EVEN SOME OF THE ONES WE HAVE NOW IT'S HELPING TO BUILD THE PROGRAM JUST A LITTLE BIT AND I CAN COME BACK AT A LATER TIME TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION, BUT A COUPLE OF UPDATES.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, SIX ELECTRIC BUSES IN THE YARD.
UM, OUR NEW FLYER, ELECTRIC BUSES ARE JUST ARRIVING NOW GETTING KIND OF COMMISSIONED AND CHECKED IN.
UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF 60 FOOT BUSES COMING LATER IN THE EARLY IN THE FALL.
AND THEN AT OUR BOARD MEETING THIS WEEK, WE JUST BROUGHT ON BOARD OUR, UM, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, BUT NOW OFFICIALLY KIND OF, UH, BROUGHT HIM ON TO HELP US WITH, UH, TRANSITION TO THE LARGER FLEET IN THAT CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND, UM, JUST OVERALL ON THE PLAN.
UM, OUR INTENTION IS TO, UM, TO ANY NEW VEHICLES WILL BE, UH, ELECTRIC FIRST POLICY.
UM, YOU NEED THAT IF THE VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE AND AN ELECTRIC VERSION THAT
[00:40:01]
MEETS ALL OUR NEEDS, UH, THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST FIRST VEHICLES THAT WE PUT IN.UM, AND THE OTHER COMPONENT IS OUR NORTH OP UM, BUS DEPOT.
UM, WE'LL BE TURNING ON ELECT THE FIRST ARRAY OF ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS ALSO IN SEPTEMBER.
UH, NEXT FRIDAY, PLEASE, UH, USE JUST A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE HAVING THE LIKE REAL RUN THERE SOON RUNNING, UM, WITH HAVING CROSS WALKS AND DIFFERENT TREATMENT TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO IT, UM, TO THE PLATFORM, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THIS IS, WHERE YOU WILL BUY YOUR TICKETS, AUDIT TICKETS PASSES.
UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THEM ON YOUR PHONE AND DIGITALLY, IT CAN BE BOUGHT AND VALIDATED BEFORE YOU GET ONTO THE VEHICLES THAT WILL HELP WITH THE LOADING A LOT FASTER TO, TO HELP THEM, UH, VEHICLES MOVE FASTER, UH, BE ON TIME AND EFFICIENT.
UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, AS JUST A LOOK, ONCE AGAIN, THE BLUE LINE GOING FROM, UM, THE AIRPORT UP TO NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, UM, I WAS QUITE POSSIBLY, UH, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL, BUT THE SHOWING THE ROUTE OF WHERE COULD BE GOING AND SOME POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS IS WHAT THOSE CIRCLES ARE SHOWING WITH THE DIFFERENT COLORS OR DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS YOU CAN HAVE, UH, ON THE BLUE LINE, UH, WHETHER IT'S CONNECTING WITH METRO RAPIDS OR THE ORANGE, AS WELL AS, UM, ONCE IT GETS THE MORE METRO RAPPERS AND EVEN SOME LOCAL SERVICE, THAT'S JUST SHOWING YOU KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF COST AND TRAVEL TIME.
YOU CAN GET THE AIRPORT FROM THE AIRPORT INTO REPUBLIC SQUARE IN 21 MINUTES, WHICH IS IN HOUR, WHICH WE KNOW NOW AND NOW IN AUSTIN, YOU PROBABLY COULD WITH COVERT HAPPENING, BUT DURING NORMAL TIMES, UM, THAT WOULD BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT INTO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN OR EVEN RIVERSIDE, THE DOWNTOWN AT EIGHT MINUTES DURING RUSH HOUR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN IMPROVE HOW PEOPLE ARE MOVING.
THAT'S LIVELY IS THE GOLD LINE OVERVIEW SHOWING THE GOLD LINE GOING FROM ACC HIGHLAND DOWN TO SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT WILL HAVE TO BE BUILT OUT.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS WILL START OFF AS A METRO RAPID, UM, BEFORE WE GET TO THE LIGHT RAIL LEVEL, BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS POPULATION, THIS RIDERSHIP WILL PROBABLY GO VERY QUICKLY AND YOU CAN SEE ONCE AGAIN HOW IT WILL INTERACT WITH BUTTERFLIES.
I OTHER LINES THAT WE HAVE, UH, AND JUST SHOWING THE HIGHLIGHTS THE TRAVEL TIME.
IT'S THE ORANGE LINE OVERVIEW ONCE AGAIN, IT'S BASICALLY APPARENTLY THE, UM, EIGHT OH ONE IS RUNNING PRETTY MUCH THE SAME ROUTE AND THAT'S WHAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE.
ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WILL BE HOW IT'S GOING TO CROSS THE RIVER ON IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT.
UM, BUT THIS WILL INCLUDE THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A FEW, UH, WE'RE SHOWING 21 MILES 22 STATIONS, UM, AND YOU JUST EVEN TRAVELED TIME, HOW YOU CAN GET FROM TECHBRIDGE TO SLAUGHTER AND RUSH HOUR AND 54 MINUTES, WHICH OF COURSE WE KNOW NORMAL AUSTIN TRAFFIC, THAT'S NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.
AND SO WE KNOW WE CAN DEAL WITH ADMISSIONS, UH, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE PEOPLE, UM, FAST, EFFICIENT, AND GREATLY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, UM, IS WHAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXCITED ABOUT SINCE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT IS THE GREEN LINE.
UH, WELL, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND THIS IS A TRAIN THAT WE'RE GOING TO NORTH EAST TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, RIGHT NOW THAT WHEN IT'S HARD TO STOP AND CALL IN THE PARK WITH EVENTUALLY IS GETTING DEMEANOR AND ELVIN, UH, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE FOR THE EXPANSION, THIS WILL BE COMMUTER SERVICE, UH, SIMILAR ONCE AGAIN TO THE RED LINE AND THOSE, THOSE STATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT, UH, THE ONES YOU SEE ON THIS MAP CROWD IN THE PARK, JOHNNY MORRIS, UH, THERE'S A PARKING RIDE WE WANT TO BUILD ON
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE WORTH IT.
THE FACT THAT METRO ALREADY OWNS IT, WOULDN'T HAVE TO BUY ANY NEW TRACK.
WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME UPGRADES TO THAT RAIL, UH, TO THAT TRACK SO THEY CAN HANDLE COMMUTER RAIL.
OF COURSE, DO SOME PTC, BUY SOME, SOME OF THE TRAINS FOR THIS TRACK AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE, BUILD UP THE STATIONS.
AND SO DOES THAT WORK? WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP MOVE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY AND TESTED NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
HERE'S THE METRO RAPID OVERVIEW.
ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU WRITTEN ANY OF OUR SERVICES, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, AT LEAST WITH TWO OF OUR METRO RAPIDS, 81 83, WE WANT TO DO MORE OF THESE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AS YOU CAN SEE UP THERE ON PALMER, I'M GOING FROM LAKE LINE OUT TO, YOU KNOW, WILD HORSE OR WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE, UM, SAMSUNG AND, AND THE APPLE, UM, LOCATION WITHIN THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS OTHER HOUSES AND THINGS UP THERE, PUTTING THAT METRO RAPID OUT THERE.
WE HAVE A METAL RECORD COMING FROM TECH RICH, UH, DOWN DESA CAMERON ROAD, GETTING YOU CONNECTED TO HIGHLAND MALL.
NOW WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING GOING THERE, HAVING A RAPID COMING OUT FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER AND BASICALLY DOING SIMILAR TO WHAT THE 20 IS DOING CURRENTLY AND COMING INTO TOWN.
SO WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, GET INTO TOWN A LITTLE FASTER, A LITTLE BETTER.
WE CAN GET THAT GOING FASTER THAN
[00:45:01]
WE COULD, UH, OF COURSE THE TRAIN LINE HAPPENING.AND SO THIS IS STUFF THAT WE CAN DO FAIRLY QUICK.
OUR RAPID SERVICE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TURN OVER FAST COMPARED TO TRYING TO DO THE ORANGE LINE ON THE BLUE LINE.
UH, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ALL THESE RAPPERS ALL AT ONE TIME, BUT WE CAN DO, WE'LL BE DOING THE PHASES OF THEM AND LOOKING TO SEE WHICH ONES CAN WE GET TO COME ON.
I KNOW CROSS TOWN, ONE DOWNTOWN WORKING SEVENTH STREET, UH, WE HAVE THE RAPID IS GOING ALL THE WAY TO SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, GOING TO THE DOVE SPRINGS AREA, UH, AND EVEN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, UH, AT THE Y EXTENDING THE EIGHT OR THREE W ONCE AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO COVER AS MUCH AREA AS IN CAMP, INCLUDING STILL HAVING OUR LOCAL REP, OUR LOCAL SURFACE, A LOCAL BUSES WOULD STILL BE GOING, THIS IS HELPING US TO IMPROVE ON THAT SERVICE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE TRANSIT TIME WILL, UM, IT WILL IMPROVE GREATLY FOR A LOT OF, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THESE WILL BE ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UH, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO JUST IMPROVE THOSE AREAS.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YOUR SYSTEM RENDERINGS OF A METRO EXPRESS AND OUR PARKING RISE OF WITNESS PARKERIZED SHOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT NUMBER ONE TO CONNECT TO FREQUENT, RELIABLE TRANSIT, 16 EXISTING PARKING RIDES AND PROJECT CONNECT WILL ADD ADDITIONAL 24, 10 OF THEM WILL BE OUTSIDE OF THE SURFACE AREA.
WE WOULD INCREASE TRANSIT ACCESS TO TRANSIT, UH, PROVIDING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT AND MORE TRANSIT OPTIONS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE DIFFERENT AMENITIES OUT THERE WITH US ELECTRIC BIKES, UH, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET CONNECTED TO PARKING FOR THEM, CHARGING STATIONS FOR THEIR CARS, UH, EVEN COULD BE SOME FOOD AND COFFEE OUT THERE AS WELL.
PEOPLE CAN BUY AND WAITING, BUT HAVING COVERED WON'T NECESSARILY LOOK LIKE THAT COVER.
THIS IS JUST ONCE AGAIN, AN ARTIST RENDERING.
AND SO THE DESIGN IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
AND NOW FOR SOME OF THESE POCKET RISING OUTSIDE AREAS, I WANT TO HAVE YOU MORE DIRECT CONNECTIONS, UH, HAVE EVEN MAJOR EMPLOYMENT HUBS TIED INTO THESE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET TO.
SO IF YOU'RE LIVING AWAY FROM THERE, YOU CAN RIDE THE EXPRESS BUS IN THERE AND YOU'RE AT WORK, GET OFF WORK, BOOM, YOU'RE ON THE BUS.
YOU'RE GOING BACK HOME, A METRO EXPRESS SERVICE.
WE WANT TO EXTEND THE EXPANDS.
THE REASON WE ARE ALWAYS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH PLACES OUTSIDE OF OUR COVERAGE AREA TO GET THEM TO COME IN, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT PLAYS A ROLE WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC IN AUSTIN.
AND SO WE WANT TO DO SOME SERVICE OUT TO HUDDLE, BASTROP, LOCKUP, LOCKHART, BUDA, AND OAK HILL AMONGST OTHERS IS WE WANT TO GET THEM BROUGHT INTO THE SYSTEM.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE WILL BE DOING SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR METRO BUS, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL SERVICE AND METRO ACCESS, WHICH IS THE PAIR OF TRANSIT.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT, WE WENT THROUGH IT TO BE ZERO EMISSIONS, ALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS WELL.
WE WANT TO DO IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR SHELTERS AND BENCHES AT BUS STOPS.
AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THESE GREAT CONNECTIONS TO THE NEW LAW AS WE'RE BRINGING ON, UH, AND JUST DOING THESE, UH, TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO A FIRST AND LAST MILE ONCE HE AND HIS PROJECT CONNECT.
IT'S PICKUP AT, YOU'VE SEEN SOME PICKUP MOVING AROUND.
UM, IF YOU STINK, WHICH SLIDE SHOULD I BE ON? I THINK I GOT OFF TRACK.
WHICH SLIDE NOW? NO, THESE ARE JUST SOME NOTES.
IT SAYS RECOMMENDED PROGRAM SEQUENCE.
I THINK YOU ARE NOW, RIGHT? 15.
UH, AND ONE MORE THING WE'RE ADDING TO, THIS IS WANT TO HAVE A CONTACT WITH THIS CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE ADDING THIS TOOL, UM, OUR FLEET, IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A NEED OF IT FROM COVID OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING PEOPLE IN THAT HAVING TO PAY WITH THE FAREBOXES BOXES AND HAVING THE INTERACTION.
WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE THROUGH A SMART CONTACT, THIS CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY, AND WE HAVE TO UPGRADE OUR SYSTEM.
THIS PAST BOARD MEETING, I WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS I'VE STARTED.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THE ACCOUNT BASED SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWS FOR FARE CAPPING A PAY AS YOU GO SOLUTION.
THEY GIVE CUSTOMERS MORE CONTROL OVER THEIR TRANSIT EXPERIENCES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE CARS WHERE YOU CAN JUST TAP SEMINARS, WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON OUR 800 ONES.
UM, WELL, YOU CAN JUST TAP WHEN YOU GET ON BOARD AND THESE ARE LOADED ONE REUSABLE.
UM, THIS IS SMART CITY OPTIONS.
AND THE BEAUTIFUL PART ABOUT THIS NEW SYSTEM WE WANT TO GET TO IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO BUY PASSES AT PHOTO LIKE THE MONTH, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T MAKE ENOUGH WITH THIS NEW SYSTEM, YOU DON'T GET THAT DISCOUNT DOLT SYSTEM THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THIS NEW SYSTEM, UH, YOU CAN PAY AS YOU GO.
AND ONCE YOU HIT THAT PRICE POINT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYMORE FOR THE REST OF THAT MONTH.
IF YOU'RE DOING A MONTH OR A WEEK, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, ONCE YOU HIT THAT PRICE POINT, YOU WILL BE GOOD TO GO.
SO THE RECOMMENDED PROGRAM SEQUENCE IS SHOWING HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE PHASED OUT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T BUILD THIS ALL AT ONE TIME.
I THINK EVEN IF WE HAD ALL THE MONEY FROM THE JUMP, THAT JUST WOULD NOT BE THE LABOR FORCE, THE WORKFORCE TO BUILD EVERYTHING OUT AT ONE
[00:50:01]
TIME.SO WE HAVE TO DO IT IN PIECES.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE, WE WANT TO DO THE NEPA ENGINEERING WHEN IT COMES TO THE ORANGE LINE, FINAL DESIGN, PROCUREMENT, AND CONSTRUCTION, HOW THAT'S IN PHASE OUT, I CAN TAKE UP TO NINE YEARS TO DO THIS, THE ORANGE, THE BLUE, AND EVEN THE GOAL.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EXTENSIONS, THAT CAN BE FURTHER OUT ALONG THE LINES, UM, AND DISTINCTIONS WHERE THE ORANGE LINE WOULD BE NORTH OF, UM, AS ENOUGH OF MY TRANSIT CENTER AND SOUTH OF SOUTH CONGRESS, UNITED METRO RAIL, YOU CAN SEE WHAT, HOW WE WANT TO PHASE THAT OUT.
AS FAR AS WHAT, AS METRO RAPID, WE'LL BE BUILDING THEM OUT IN STAGES.
I, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FOUND OUT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE TO HAVE THE BUS BUILT.
THERE'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, AFFORD BUS YARD WHERE WE CAN GO AND JUST PICK A BUS AND WE HAVE IT.
WE GIVE THEM THE SPECS AND THEY CAN TAKE A, I THINK LAST I, I SEEN LIKE I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, NINE MONTHS A YEAR TO GO TO THE BUS.
SO IT TAKES TIME TO HAVE THE BUSES BUILT AND YOU CAN SEE THE SEQUENCE FOR BUILDING A PREPPING RIGHTS, AS WELL AS DOING SOME, SOME TEXTS AND STUFF.
CAUSE THAT STUFF IS GOING TO TAKE THE TIME.
THIS IS JUST SHOWING HOW AUSTIN IS GROWING AND THE NEED FOR, UM, IMPROVING OUR TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AND FRAMING IT.
SO NEXT SLIDE YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS JUST KIND OF A VISION OF WHAT THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL CAN LOOK LIKE.
UH, UM, SIMILAR, LIKE WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN AIRPORTS, IF YOU'VE DONE ANY TRAVELING, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE TROLLEYS, THOSE TRAMS, I CAN GET YOU AROUND THOSE LARGER AIRPORTS, SIMILAR TO THAT WITH THE GLASS DOORS THAT SLIDE OPEN AND CLOSE THE AIR CONDITIONED, THERE'LL BE BENCHES, RESTROOMS SIZE AND LET YOU KNOW WHICH STRAINS OR WHICH LIGHT RAIL I WILL BE GOING.
THERE'S JUST ANOTHER DRAWING RENDERING OF WHAT THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL CAN LOOK LIKE.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE PLACES YOU CAN SHOP OR GIFTS, FLOWERS, FOOD, RESTROOM, OR WAYFINDING SIGNS.
AND SO IT CAN BE A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT.
IT SAYS YOU WOULDN'T BE OUT IN THE SUN.
THAT'S ANOTHER RENDERING OF WHAT THE PARKING RIGHTS STATIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
NEXT SLIDE IS STILL ANOTHER RENDERING OF WHAT THE PARKING RIDE STATIONS CAN LOOK LIKE AND I'LL HIT NEXT SLIDE.
AND THE SLIDE AFTER THAT, UM, SYSTEM BENEFITS.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THE PLAN FOR THIS IS THE EAST TRAFFIC IN OUR CITY AND OUR REGION.
WE KNOW WE CAN NEVER DO AWAY WITH TRAFFIC, BUT WE CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER.
PEOPLE LIVES WHO HAVE TO RIDE, BUT ALSO WANT TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS AND GET THEM ONTO THE SYSTEM TO HELP GET PEOPLE OUT OF TRAFFIC.
SO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO RIDE OUR SYSTEM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE CAN STILL MAKE IT A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR YOU.
IF YOU DO HAVE TO DRIVE BY REDUCING SOME OF THAT TRAFFIC, WE WANT TO GIVE THEM ONCE AGAIN, MORE TRANSIT OFFERS, OPTIONS, IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO YOUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS FASTER, FASTER, GET TO CHILDCARE FASTER, GET TO THE GROCERY STORE FASTER.
I JUST HELPING YOU MOVE AROUND AND MAYBE EVEN GET YOU ACCESS TO A BETTER JOB.
UH, MAYBE YOU, YOU, YOU DO THE JOB YOU'RE DOING NOW BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD A CAR AND YOU CAN'T GET ACROSS DOWN.
WE CAN NOW GET YOU ACROSS TOWN, IDEALLY, UH, FASTER, BETTER CONNECTED WITH THE SYSTEM AND CLEANER AIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE RUNNING CLEAN DIESEL BUSES, UH, BUT WE CAN TAKE SOME OF THOSE DIESEL BUSES OFF THE ROAD WITH EVERYTHING BEING ELECTRIC.
SO WE CAN ELIMINATE OUR POLLUTION THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP THERE WITH ELECTRIC BUSES, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND INCREASE THEIR FREQUENT FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY RELIABILITY.
RIGHT NOW, OUR BUSES ARE SUBJECT TO AUSTIN TRAFFIC LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO GET OUR BUSES THERE AS FREQUENT AND ON TIME AS, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WHEN TRAFFIC STOPS, EVERYBODY STOPS.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO LET BUSES IN WHEN THEY NEED TO PULL OFF OF THE BUS STOP, YOU KNOW, THIS CAN HELP WITH THAT AND WE'LL MAKE A BETTER TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.
WE'LL CREATE MORE ACCESS TO JOBS ONCE AGAIN, HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION.
AND ISN'T JUST AN INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE.
AND FOR TODAY, UM, WE CAN'T KEEP KICKING THIS ROAD.
THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD, WE'VE DONE THAT.
WE'RE AT THE END OF THE ROAD AS BOYS TO MEN SAY IT, I WON'T TORTURE Y'ALL BY TRYING TO SING IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEN ENROLLED IS HERE.
THIS CAN, AS FAR AS GETTING TICKETS, UH, WE HAVE TO START INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
THAT'S WHAT PROJECT CONNECT DOES IS FUTURE PROOFING.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE THESE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIGHT RAILS, WE HAVE, WE'LL HAVE THOSE THAT RIGHT AWAY SO THAT IF THE TIME COMES WHERE SOMETHING ELSE IS, NEW TECHNOLOGY IS OUT THERE.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING NOW, WE'RE IN A BETTER POSITION.
I WAS GOING TO BE INVESTING IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE TIME OF BUILDING THIS PROJECT, THERE'LL BE APPROXIMATELY 21,800 JOBS THAT WILL BE SUPPORTED FOR EACH BILLION DOLLAR SPENT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A LOT OF CHECKS, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCLUDING DBE, UH, IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, SO IT'D BE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, HOW THE MONEY IS
[00:55:01]
BEING SPENT.ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS.
I THINK SOMEBODY WAS MENTIONING ABOUT THAT.
UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN QUARTER PROGRAM IS INVESTING $137 MILLION IN SIDEWALK, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS, URBAN TRAILS AND BIKE SPLITS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT, THAT, THAT SOLUTION, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT IN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS WITH CONNECTIVITY, UH, THE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, SAFETY LIGHTS, OR WHAT HAVE YOU JUST HELPING PEOPLE TO MOVE AROUND THIS.
WOULDN'T JUST, JUST BE ABOUT MOVING OUR VEHICLES, BUT IT ALSO, WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO OUR BUS STOPS AT FRANK STOPS, UH, AND JOINING UP WITH THAT LAST MILE.
AND SO WHAT WE WORKING TO HELP FIX THESE, THESE ISSUES ARE HAVING IN THE CITY.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I'VE COME INTO DECISION POINTS.
UH, THE BUDGET PROCESS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, HAS BEGUN, UH, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THEY'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I THINK I WOULD, ONCE AGAIN, RECOMMEND YOU GO TO THE PROJECT CONNECT WEBSITE AND SIGN UP FOR, UM, THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING IS BEING DONE ON, ON VIA ZOOM.
I THINK YOU CAN ALSO SEE TO ALSO HAVE IT ON FACEBOOK AS WELL, BUT YOU, IT, AND HERE, OUR CEO WILL BE THERE.
UH, THE MAYOR ADLER WOULD BE THERE AS WELL.
SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, UH, BOARD CHAIR WILL BE PARTICIPATING AS WELL.
UM, AND PRESENTING ON THIS AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PUT ALSO QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FINANCING AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, THE FUNDING OF WHAT THAT COULD POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, AND YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT WILL BE ON NOVEMBER.
UM, AND IF YOU END UP COMING WEEKS, THANK YOU, YANA.
IT'S REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I GUESS THE ONE THAT I'LL START WITH IS CAN YOU MAYBE ADDRESS, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE DIFFERENT, UH, LEVELS OF FUNDING THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED AND HOW THEY WOULD CORRESPOND TO THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS BEING BUILT OUT IN VARIOUS TIMELINES.
YOU SHOWED US THAT ONE, A GRAPH OR A SCHEMATIC THAT KIND OF SHOWED THE DIFFERENT TIMELINES FOR THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO STICK TO THAT TIMELINE? UH, ELABORATE ON THAT.
I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT ONE, UNFORTUNATELY, ABOUT THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WOULD NEED IT TO JUST, I MEAN, I GUESS IT'S JUST BUILDS THE WHOLE THING OUT AS THAT'S SHOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I IMAGINE THEY DON'T NEED THE WHOLE FUNDING FOR IT TO HAVE THAT ALL PLANNED OUT FOR THAT TIME.
I USED TO FUND THE WHOLE PROJECT AND I THINK ONCE YOU START BREAKING IT DOWN TO DIFFERENT PIECES, YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE BUILDING TO SEE.
SO THIS TIMELINE COULD STILL BE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NINE YEARS, NINE YEARS THIS GETS GOING, BUT IT COULD BE LONGER NOW BEFORE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T DO SOME FUNDING FOR IT.
SO, UM, BUT I THINK THEY'LL HAVE MORE ANSWERS TO THAT PROBABLY, UH, TONIGHT ON THAT, UH, VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT WILL BE WHEN IT COMES TO THE FUNDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S BEING DECIDED BY THE CITY.
UH, WE'RE NOT PLAYING A ROLE IN THAT AS FAR AS HOW THEY'RE LOOKING TO WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO FUND, UH, WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL DO OUR PART ON THE CAP METRO SIDE TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, 40% FROM THE FEDS IS WHAT OUR GOAL IS.
AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT PART PLUS SOME THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE SAVED UP ALREADY FOR THIS WE'LL COME TO THE TABLE OF WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, BUT A LOT OF IT WILL BE BASED ON WHAT THE CITY IS PREPARED TO, TO PUT UP FORWARD OF WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S UP TO COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION, I GUESS.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT IS AMOUNT? AND THEN ZACH, COULD YOU MAYBE TAKE US BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT I'M REFERENCING? IS THERE A RECOMMENDED PROGRAM SEQUENCE SLIDE? IT'S THE ONE SHE'S REPRESENTED? UM, WELL, SO LIKE THE LIGHT RAIL, THE ORANGE, SO IT'S STILL WILL BREAK DOWN.
UM, THE BLUE LINES, UM, THE COST OF BUILDING IS 1.8 BILLION BILLION TO, TO, TO BUILD IT OUT A 1.5 TO 1.8 BILLION TO BUILD IT OUT.
AND THEN I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.
[01:00:01]
I'M NOT SURE WHO THAT WAS.THE BLUE LINE WOULD BE BETWEEN 1.5 AND 1.8 BILLION TO BUILD OUT.
UM, AND SO THAT WOULD NEED TO BE THERE.
IF WE WERE GOING TO DO THE BLUE LINE, THE ORANGE LINE IS, YOU KNOW, 3.8 TO 5.1 BILLION, UH, TO BUILD OUT.
AND THAT WOULD DEPEND ON, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO GO OVER SOME THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE YOU.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR IT TOO.
AND SO, UH, THE GOAL LINE WOULD BE 1.2, 1 BILLION TO 1.2 BILLION TO BUILD OUT.
UH, AND SO IT WOULD REALLY, UM, AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT REALLY TRYING TO AVOID ANSWERING THE QUESTION, BUT IF WE REALLY WOULD JUST DEPEND ON WHAT COUNCIL DECIDES OF HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO WANT TO CONTRIBUTE AND WHAT WE CAN GET, UH, TO SAY, HOW CAN THAT IMPACT THAT TIMELINE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY STILL WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN I CAN, UM, AT THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING TODAY AT FIVE.
BUT A LOT OF THAT W THAT TIMELINE WOULD BE IMPACTED BASED ON HOW MUCH FUNDING THERE IS.
AND SO I COULDN'T EVEN SAY WHAT WOULD GET SHIFTED.
THEY MAY SAY, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON ONE OR TWO LIGHT RAIL LINES, SAY FOR INSTANCE.
AND SO THAT COULD BE WHAT THEY GET THE FUNDING FOR, AND THAT TIME THAT'S PROGRAM SEQUENCE FOR THOSE COULD STILL HAPPEN, I GUESS, IN THAT TIME PERIOD.
UM, BUT THE OTHER STUFF TIME PERIOD WOULD THEN BE PUSHED BACK INTO WORLD.
IT STILL COULD TAKE THAT MANY YEARS TO BUILD IT OUT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE STARTING THE SAME TIME AS, UH, FROM THE STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING NOW, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT I SEE ON THIS GRAPH? YOU KNOW, THE METRO RAIL, THE METRO RAPID, AND THEN THESE VARIOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ITEMS AT THE, AT THE BOTTOM HERE.
I THINK THEY WILL BE A PART OF THIS PLAN, BUT SOME OF THE FUNDING, SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALREADY HAPPY.
THE IMPROVE CUSTOMER TECH IS ALREADY HAPPENING NOW, UH, THIS PAST BOARD MEETING, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT STARTED THE CONVERSATION THEY WERE HAVING ABOUT APPROVING A CONTRACT TO HELP IMPROVE, UM, SOME OF THE CUSTOMER CHECK WHEN IT COMES TO THE TAP CARDS OR IMPROVING OUR, OUR PAY SYSTEM.
CAUSE IT'S, IT'S COMING TO THE END OF LIFE.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO MORE, UH, CONTACT LIST, UM, PAYMENTS.
AND SO THAT'S SOME STUFF THAT COULD STILL HAPPEN, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, LIKE PICK UP ZONES, WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND SOME PICKUP ZONES, UM, AS WE SPEAK AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING.
I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO AS MANY AS WE HAD ONE OR TWO AS PROJECT CONNECT HAPPENED, BUT WE COULD DO SOME OF THAT STILL.
UH, AND THERE'S A METRO ACCESS UPGRADES THAT ARE BEING DONE WHEN IT COMES TO VEHICLE AND SECUREMENT.
UH, AND SO HE WAS A METRO BUS IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE TRYING TO DO SO THERE'S SOME THINGS WE COULD STILL DO.
UM, BUT YEAH, FOR A LOT OF WHAT'S ENVISIONED IT WOULD NEED TO BE THE PACKAGE.
WHAT ABOUT THE METRO RAPID LINES? DO THEY NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM A BOND TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE TIMELINE PUT FORTH HERE? SURE.
I, I HAVE NOT BEEN PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS OF IF THOSE RAPIDS ALONE COULD HAPPEN.
I THINK THAT THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE GET VOLUME OR BUSES AND EVEN HAVING A PLACE TO PUT THOSE BUSES.
UM, AND, AND SO I THINK THERE WILL STILL BE SOME NEED THAT VENTURE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT TO SEE WHAT THAT COULD DO TO HELP WITH THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YEAH, I THINK SOME OF THAT, THERE'S SOME THINGS WE CAN DO AND THERE'LL BE SOME THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY DID FUNDING FOR.
UM, BOTH OUR BUS YARDS AT THE MOMENT ARE AT CAPACITY.
UH, AND I KNOW WE'RE COMING TO END OF LIFE OR SOME OF THE BUSES WE HAVE NOW.
SO THE ELECTRIC BUSES THAT ROB TALKS ABOUT, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THOSE, I THINK ALL, BUT MAYBE TWO OF THEM ARE REPLACEMENT BUS.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REPLACING BUSES, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE BUSES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO WORK THOSE YARD, THOSE, THOSE ROUTES THAT WE WOULD WANT A PLACE TO PUT THEM IN A PLACE TO CHARGE HIM.
SO, UH, I, I THINK IT WOULD NEED TO BE THERE, BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN THE CONVERSATION THAT THEY HAVE TODAY, UH, MOVING FORWARD AND THEN WHATEVER IS DECIDED FROM THE FUNDING.
I THINK THE PROJECT, THE NEXT TEAM THAT WE HAVE, THEY'LL LOOK TO SEE, OKAY, THIS IS THE FINDING, THIS IS WHAT RECOMMENDED HERE IS WHAT WE WILL DO FROM WHATEVER FUNDING IS BEING PROPOSED.
AND IT COULD BE A MIXTURE OF THINGS.
IT MIGHT BE LIGHT RAIL AND X AMOUNT OF METRO RAPID, MAYBE MISREPRESENTATION ONE OR PHASE TWO, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, BUT YEAH, THEY WILL LOOK TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, ARE THERE QUESTIONS A CHAIR? I, UM, SO I KNOW WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT ON TIME TODAY.
[01:05:01]
I, I'VE BEEN AT SEVERAL OF THESE PRESENTATIONS, PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE AND, UH, UM, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF PROJECT CONNECT AND, UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR, UH, THE CENTRAL QUARTER SORT OF THAT AUSTIN NEEDS TO MAKE IN ORDER TO MEET THAT STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN IN ORDER TO MEET THE CLIMATE PLAN.I GUESS MY QUESTION IS REALLY FOR YOU CHAIR, ARE WE BEING ASKED OR OUGHT? WE PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL AND DO WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, UM, BEFORE THE COUNCIL MAKES SOME DECISIONS ON THIS? I OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE.
AND I GUESS THE MORE DETAILED QUESTION IS WHETHER WE WOULD WANT TO OPINE ABOUT THE FINANCING.
I DON'T REALLY FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD A FULL ENOUGH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FINANCING OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SURFACE THAT AS THAT QUESTION.
UM, SO I MEAN, THAT IS WHY I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IS IT SEEMS LIKE THIS, UH, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL IS LIKELY OUR LAST, UH, MEETING BEFORE COUNCIL MAKES SOME SORT OF DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON HOW MUCH, UH, YOU KNOW, FUNDING TO REQUEST FROM THE VOTERS.
UM, I AM ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN, AND I THINK IT IS, YOU KNOW, JUST ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT, UH, CRITICAL TO, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY'S GOALS, UH, IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION, CARBON EMISSIONS, AIR QUALITY, UH, EQUITABLE ACCESS TO MOBILITY, UH, THAT THIS BE FUNDED FULLY FUNDED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO I WAS HOPING THAT WE WOULD MAYBE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DETAIL ON DIFFERENT FUNDING SCENARIOS, BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT BLAMING YOU YANA.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE.
UM, THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN LACKING THAT, I THINK I FEEL COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, WITH US MAYBE MAKING SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION THAT IS JUST BROAD SUPPORT FOR FULLY FUNDING, THE PLAN, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW IT TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, ON THIS RECOMMENDED PROGRAM SEQUENCE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THIS GRAPH.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A, AN A, I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T DO THIS IN ADVANCE, JUST SEND AROUND, BUT I THINK HOPEFULLY WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A FEW PRESENTATIONS ON THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF TYPED UP VERY SHORT KIND OF SENTENCE OF SUPPORT BASICALLY FOR, FOR THAT, IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO, BUT, UM, WANT TO HEAR FROM OTHERS AS WELL.
AND I THINK, UH, IF I MAY, UH, WOULD ALSO, I HATE TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT ALSO IF, IF AVAILABLE I'D STRONGLY RECOMMEND ATTENDING THE VIRTUAL COMMITTEE MEETING IS FROM LIKE FIVE TO SIX TODAY, IT SHOULD BE ABOUT AN HOUR, MAYBE HOUR AND A HALF TOPS WHERE THEY CAN GO, MAYBE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE PARTICIPATING ADVOCACY WITH THE MAYOR AND A FEW OTHER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHERE THEY CAN, THEY BE ABLE TO ANSWER MORE DETAILED FOR YOU ON THE FUNDING.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, UM, WHAT THE, WHAT MAY SOUND I'VE BEEN LEANING TOWARDS? I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OF HOW THIS MAY BE GONE.
UH, AND SO THERE'LL BE THAT ABILITY ABILITY ALSO.
COMMISSIONER, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION OR WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS CONVERSATION? UH, THIS IS ALBERTA.
TIANA'S UH, AND, UM, SO MY QUESTION IS THE, THE FUNDING, AND I KNOW THAT I JUST WANT TO WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WHAT THE CITY, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE FUNDING HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE AND A 40% IS GOING TO COME FROM THE FEDS.
DOES THE OTHER 60% THEN FALL ON TAXPAYERS? UH, AND IN WHAT FORM WOULD THAT TAKE NOW? YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN TOSSING AROUND, CAN YOU TELL US THE KINDS OF THINGS PUBLICLY THEY HAVE BEEN TOSSING AROUND? SURE.
UM, SO YES, THEY ANSWER YOUR FIRST PART.
UM, FUNDING WOULD TAKE PLACE THE OTHER 60, UH, WOULD COME FROM THE TAXPAYERS.
UM, THERE IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW SOME WAY WHEN IT COMES TO TAXES AND I CAN BREAK DOWN EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE DOING IT.
UM, IT WOULD BE SOME KIND OF TAX INCREASE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S THE CONVERSATION AND SEEING WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND
[01:10:01]
HOW, HOW IT WOULD BE, UM, AND HOW IT WILL BE DONE.I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WE'RE BEING RESPECTFUL TO PEOPLE'S POCKETS, ESPECIALLY NOW I'M GOING TO DIAGNOSE COVID OF HOW THAT CAN IMPACT YOUR, YOUR TAX BILL THAT YOU GET.
AND SO I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT THEY COULD HAVE TO ATTACK THAT.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT AVENUES AND MENUS THAT GAVE THEM TO LOOK INTO IF THEY HAVEN'T TALKED TO ME ABOUT THAT.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THE DUES YET.
UM, AND SO THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT DEBT, UH, AND SEEING WHERE WOULD THIS MONEY COME FROM? AND THEN IT'LL BE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
WE COULD JUST ALL BE AT, AT ONCE.
UM, BUT SEEING OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME, BUT WHAT IS INCREASED COULD BE, AND, YOU KNOW, I'D IMAGINE THAT NEARLY THE LEAST PAINFUL FOR PEOPLE.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME STORIES ABOUT ALEX.
IT COULD BE REALLY GOOD, REALLY HIGH NUMBER, AND I'M NOT SEEN THAT.
I THINK THAT THE NUMBERS OF RECENT, THE STUFF THAT I'VE SEEN, THE SHOULDERS THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE, WOULDN'T JUST BE OLD, THE LITTLE, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR TAXES.
I DIDN'T REMEMBER OF THE THINGS THAT 75% ARE SELFISH.
UH, AND SO IT'S LOOKING TO HOW CAN THIS BE, YOU KNOW, AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A INVESTMENT, RIGHT? AND I DO THINK AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN A CORRIDOR THAT THERE WERE PUBLIC TRANSIT WAS THE WAY MOST PEOPLE GOT AROUND.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I DIDN'T OWN A CAR UNTIL I MOVED TO OHIO AND THEN TO TEXAS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF MASS TRANSIT.
UH, SO, UH, I THINK THOUGH HOW THEY DO THAT WITH MAYBE PHASING IN A BOND PACKAGE OR TAX INCREASES, OR, YOU KNOW, I THINK, AND I THINK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN PRETTY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
SO YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT I, I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF, FOR ALL OF THE REASONS HAVE, HAVE THE, UM, HAVE, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A WAYS OUT, BUT EVEN NOW, ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING AT, LIKE, I KNOW THAT NEW YORK IS LOOKING AT SANITIZING, YOU KNOW, THEY SHUT DOWN EVERY NIGHT TO SANITIZE THE SYSTEM.
ARE YOU GUYS DOING THAT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF COKE, COVID ALBERTA.
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD TOPIC FOR CONVERSATION, BUT WE ARE ABOUT AT TIME.
SO, UM, DO YOU MIND IF MAYBE WE HOLD THAT PARTICULAR LINE OF QUESTIONING AND I'M JUST MAYBE FOCUS ON TRYING TO WRAP UP IF WE WANT TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION AND FUNDING.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON, UH, MAKING A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION ON FUNDING THAT WOULD ALLOW, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN ON THE TIMELINE ON THAT WE WERE JUST PRESENTED WITH, I GUESS THIS IS COMMISSIONER LACKEY, AND I GUESS I HAVE QUESTIONS JUST ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
I MEAN, IT, IT STRIKES ME AS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IN ORDINARY TIMES AND ON ORDINARY TIMELINE, I'D BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS KIND OF VERY OFF IN THE MOMENT IN TERMS OF, UH, PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE WANTING TO, UH, RIDE PUBLIC TRANSIT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
TRAFFIC IS NOT PARTICULARLY AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE TO THE EXTENT THEY'RE LEAVING THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I JUST WONDER IF IT COMES ACROSS JUST THE TIMING OF IT COMES ACROSS AS A LITTLE BIT, UH, TONE DEAF OR OUT OF RHYTHM WITH, YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF URGENT CHALLENGES OF, YOU KNOW, LOCAL BUSINESSES, UH, MUSIC MENUS, YOU KNOW, ANY NUMBER OF, OF, OF IMPORTANT EMERGENT WAYS TO SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WONDER IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THIS NOVEMBER IS GOING TO BE A TIME WHERE TAXPAYERS ARE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE VOTING FOR FOR THIS PROJECT AND, AND WHAT THE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT IS THERE? UM, SO YEAH, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO.
OF COURSE, WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, WE WERE DONE AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ONLY TRIPS THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE.
HE WAS UPSET AND I HAVE NUMBERS BIG GO THROW DOWN BEFORE THAT WE WERE, YOU KNOW, INCREASING EVERY MONTH, SINCE, UH, LAST YEAR WE HAD BEEN INCREASING OUR RIDERSHIP BY NUMBERS WENT DOWN, BUT THAT'S STILL PRETTY GOOD NUMBERS.
UH, AND THERE'S FOLKS WHO STILL DEFINITELY NEED THE SERVICE.
UH, AND, AND EVEN NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE STILL GET SOME, SOME COMMENTS ABOUT SOME BUSES ARE STILL KIND OF FOOLED AND WE'RE WORKING TO HELP ALLEVIATE
[01:15:01]
THAT PROBLEM OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION DISTANCE ON THAT BUS.UH, BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS NOT JUST ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT ACROSS THE WORLD, UH, AND SEEING HOW THEIR RIDERSHIP HAS COME BACK AS, AS THE ECONOMY IS OPENING BACK UP.
UH, AND SO WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT AND TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE AS WELL, YOU KNOW, TO THAT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PEOPLE WE KNOW THERE MAY BE SOME APPREHENSIONS OF GETTING BACK ON, BUT THERE'S SOME DATA TO SHOW THAT FANS, IT WASN'T, UM, PUSHING THE DISEASE OUT.
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, AS MUCH AS WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT, AND THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE PERCEPTION, UH, BUT WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO KEEP THE BUSES AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE, WHETHER IT'S BEEN IN THE STATION CLEANINGS OUT OR TO DO A DEEP CLEAN EVERY NIGHT.
UM, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, W WAIT, THE QUESTION BECOMES, HOW LONG DO WE WAIT ALSO? UM, BECAUSE THE LONGER WE WAIT TO HAVE THIS VOTE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THIS VOTE HAPPENS.
AND SO THE NEXT TIME YOU DO THIS, YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT.
THE BABY MAY HAVE MENTIONED, THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER NOVEMBER.
UH, AND THEN THIS JUST KEEPS PUSHING BACK OF WHEN THINGS CAN GET STARTED AND TRAFFIC WILL BE BACK SOON.
TRAFFIC IS ALREADY KIND OF BAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN, UH, AT 35, UM, THEN IN THE AFTERNOON LATELY, EVEN YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS OUT THERE, TRAFFIC WAS BACKING UP ALREADY.
AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE CLIMATE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, BUT ALSO REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN HAS A HISTORY OF WAITING AND KICKING THE CAN AND IT'S TOO LATE AND TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING TO DO.
WE'RE FIGURING OUT WHAT TO ASK THEM TO PAY FOR, UH, IS TO FIND THAT BALANCE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN'T BE TOO TIMID AS WELL, AND DON'T DO ANYTHING AND WE GET BACK TO BEING BAD AGAIN, AND IT COULD BE EVEN LONGER BEFORE WE CAN FIX IT.
THIS IS KAREN HATTON WITH A BRIEF COMMENT.
THANK YOU, YANNIS FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION IN YOUR WORK.
UM, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT ORANGE LINE GO FURTHER SOUTH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 16, 26.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IT MIGHT NOT BE THIS BUILD OUT, BUT MAYBE OVER TIME.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT, CAUSE I THINK WE NEED THIS MASS TRANSIT.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE GOING FURTHER EAST.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY THAT MAYBE THE DESIGNERS MIGHT WANT TO, WE EXAMINE, I THINK THE DESIGNS LOOK BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEY MIGHT WANT TO RE EXAMINE WHETHER THEY WANT CLOSED IN SPACES VERSUS COVERED, UM, SPACES THAT ARE SHADED, UM, THAT ARE OUTDOORS WITH AIR FLOW, JUST IN TERMS OF HEALTH, UM, ON AN ONGOING BASIS, NOT JUST RIGHT NOW WITH COVID, BUT, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED.
UM, I DO SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF A RESOLUTION, BUT I DON'T HAVE LANGUAGE HANDY.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY DOES.
UM, I DID, UH, WRITE SOMETHING REAL QUICK HERE.
UM, I CAN TRY TO SHARE MY SCREEN.
UM, JUST SO WE CAN HAVE, LIKE, WHAT IS SOMETHING PEOPLE WILL SEE IN MY SCREEN? YES, I CAN SEE IT.
SO HOPEFULLY IS THAT BIG ENOUGH THAT THAT FOLKS CAN READ? OKAY.
I CAN SEE THE FIRST PARAGRAPH.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF DETAILED TO REALLY GET INTO THE DETAILS, BUT I FIGURED MAYBE JUST A GENERAL NOTE OF SUPPORT WOULD BE, I MEAN, CAN WE SUPPORT THE PLAN WITHOUT COMMENTING ON THE FUNDING PORTION? BECAUSE I PERSONALLY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE BOND TO BOND IS, IS, YOU KNOW, ONE TIME AND THIS MORE FUNDING OVER THE LONG HAUL THAN A SINGLE BOND, UH, FOR MAINTENANCE, IF NOTHING ELSE.
[01:20:01]
JUST REMOVE THE WORD BOND, IT WOULD PROBABLY SOLVE THAT CONCERN.JUST PLACE A REQUEST ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS GENERAL IN NATURE, BUT DOES EXPRESS THAT SUPPORT FOR A PLAN AND FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH FUNDING REQUESTS? YES.
WELL, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING LOW ON TIME, SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO, FOR US TO ADOPT THIS, UH, STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE CAP METRO PROJECT CONNECT FUNDING.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE, I THINK ROB IS SECOND IN THAT ALL.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? OKAY.
UM, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET BACK TO MY LIST SO THAT I CAN DO A ROLL VOTE.
IF THIS IS POSSIBLE, MAYBE I HAVE TO STOP SHARING.
SO JUST SAY YAY, NAY OR ABSTAIN AS I CALL YOUR NAME PLEASE.
AND I SEE THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER CALL IN THE FILE.
AND I WILL ALSO VOTE ALBERTA ALBERTA ON ONLINE.
THAT ONE DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP.
ABETA WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE? I CAN'T HEAR.
IT'S LIKE WE MIGHT'VE LOST HER.
WELL I THINK WE STILL HAVE SEVEN OF US THERE, RIGHT? YES.
I'M A LITTLE FUZZY ON WHERE WE ARE, BUT OKAY.
SO ZACH, WERE YOU SAYING SOMETHING? OKAY, SO
[c) Update on the Austin Community Climate Plan Revision (Discussion and/or possible action)]
WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME AND WE DIDN'T GET TO ZACH'S PRESENTATION.UM, I THINK WE ALL KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, THE UPDATE FOR THE CLIMATE PLAN IS MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO WE'RE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU'VE LOOKED THROUGH THE DRAFT AND THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION IN EACH OF OUR COMMISSIONS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP, UH, MOVE THIS FORWARD IS EACH OF US TO BE PREPARED WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE PLAN, UH, WHEN THAT COMES TO YOUR COMMISSION.
SO, UH, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE READ THE PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT IS A, A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD RECOMMENDATION, I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOMETHING READY TO GO FOR YOUR COMMISSIONERS.
UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE ONE WHO'S PROBABLY MOST PREPARED TO DO THAT.
SO YEAH, ANY THAT, CAUSE THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT TO SAY ON THAT? ROB, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I THOUGHT YOU, I THINK YOU WANTED TO, UH, I JUST, JUST, UH, IS IT GONNA COME BEFORE, UH, OUR JOINT SUSTAINABILITY BEFORE IT GOES TO THOSE COMMISSIONS OR IS THE ORDER THAT IT GOES TO THE COMMISSIONS FIRST AND THEN TO JOINT SUSTAINABILITY? UM, THERE WILL THE NEXT JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND MEETING IS AUGUST 6TH.
SO THERE WILL, YEAH, THERE WILL BE SOME COMMITTEES, SOME COMMISSIONS THAT WILL SEE IT BEFORE THEY DON'T SUSTAINABILITY.
BUT SO, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE 20 COMMISSIONS THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO.
SO SOME ARE PRESENTING KIND OF LIKE IN LATE AUGUST, BUT THEN SOME IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AN URBAN SEPTEMBER.
SO SOME WILL ACTUALLY WILL COME AFTER.
AND IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN JUST REACH OUT TO YOU DIRECTLY SACK.
[01:25:01]
YES, ABSOLUTELY.IN HEAVEN, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE, UH, OUR PREMIERE, THE PDF PRESENTATION THAT ZACH WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH TODAY.
SO, UM, IT AT LEAST GIVES ME, YEAH.
IN THE END, THE PLAN WILL BE TO, YOU KNOW, TO RELEASE THE FULL PUBLIC DRAFT BEFORE THESE.
SO YOU'LL, EVERYONE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE THIS WHOLE THING.
ZACH IS, DOES EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS TO THE DRUG? UM, I DON'T THINK THEY PROBABLY DO.
UM, BECAUSE THAT WAS KIND OF FOR THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THE OTHER GROUPS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC DRAFT WITH, UM, ALL THE COMMISSIONS, BUT BEFORE IT GOES TO ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONS, THAT WILL BE A DRAFT.
SO YEAH, DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO ZACH AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THAT.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT IS, THAT YOU SEE THAT IS MISSING OR A MESS OR WHATEVER.
[Future Agenda Items]
ANYBODY HAS AGENDA ITEMS, UH, FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME AND ZACH AND KATIE, I'M DOING MY BEST TO KEEP UP, BUT DON'T RELY JUST ON CONTACTING ME, TRY TO HIT ALL THREE OF US SO THAT WE MAKE SURE TO ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE.