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[CALL TO ORDER]
SCHEDULED MEETING TODAY, WEDNESDAY WHERE I'LL NAME THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE PRESENT, THE ONES WHO ARE NOT PRESENT IN THE BEGINNING.WHAT MYSELF COMMISSIONERS ARE OUR OFFENSE SIDE COMMISSIONER MALCOLM MEETS COMMISSIONER DAVID ALEXANDER, VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER DAY, FLOYD AND COMMISSIONER SUMIT NOT SCOOPED UP, NOT PRESENT AT THIS TIME.
OUR COMMISSIONERS, NICOLE THOMPSON, BEAVERS COMMISSIONER, MICHELLE REINHART AND COMMISSIONER SOPHIE YARROW.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – October 9, 2020]
ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM OUR OCTOBER 9TH SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.UH, THOSE WERE SENT OUT, UH, FAIRLY RECENTLY AS, UH, THEY TOOK SOME TIME TO BE UPDATED AS YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT PARTICIPATE IN THAT MEETING WAS A VERY ROBUST MEETING AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT IN THE MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THOSE, AND THEN I'LL BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM AS PRESENTED IN A SECOND.
I WANT TO MENTION BEFORE, UH, THERE'S ANY RESPONSE OR FEEDBACK, UH, THAT IT WOULD BE AN UNREASONABLE EXPECTATION FOR US TO HAVE, UH, JESSE BE ABLE TO DICTATE THE FULL MEETING.
UH, AND SO THEREFORE THESE MINUTES ARE NOT MEANT TO SERVE THE TRANSCRIPT, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES ESTIMATED BY VICE CHAIR, DAVID ALEXANDER, AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER
ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, FAIR ENOUGH.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ABSTAINING? OKAY.
THEN WE HAVE A APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES BY THE VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO WITH ONE ABSTENTION BY COMMISSIONER DAVID FLOYD, JUST A CLARIFICATION FROM THE CITY HERE.
A QUORUM HAS TO VOTE TO APPROVE.
SO IF WE HAVE AN ABSTENTION, THEN THE MINUTES ARE NOT APPROVED AND WE CAN REVISIT THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AT THE NEXT MEETING, IF THAT IS NECESSARY.
YES, WELL, IT COULD BE WELL-SERVED, UH, I PERSONALLY WON'T PUSH TO HAVE THESE MINUTES APPROVED IMMEDIATELY, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT, UH, THERE'S NO INCLUSION OF ANY OF THE POLICY MAKER RESPONSES WHATSOEVER ALL THESE MINUTES.
AND THERE WERE SOME CLEAR RESPONSES AND QUESTIONS RAISED BY POLICYMAKERS.
SO I PERSONALLY PLAN ON GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE, AT THE EVENT OVER AGAIN
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AND UPDATING THESE MINUTES.SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE ON IN THE AGENDA AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO READDRESS THESE, UH, THESE MINUTES AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT POINT OF THE AGENDA.
AND BEFORE I DO, I WANT TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION, UH, ABOUT THE PROCESS, UH, AS
[2a. Presentation on the City of Austin Communications and Technology Management Department (CTM), digital equity and infrastructure (Chris Stewart, Interim Chief Information Officer)]
WE WERE WORKING TOWARD HAVING AN AGGREGATE LIST OF QUESTIONS SUBMITTED FOR OUR NMC IO, CHRISTOPHER STEWART, OR CHRIS STEWART, TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO.UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T GET THAT LIST FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER EATS UNTIL LATE FRIDAY EVENING.
AND WITH THE BUSINESS OF THIS WEEK, I'VE ONLY JUST RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO CREATE THE AGGREGATE, WHICH OF COURSE MEANS THAT MR. STEWART HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REPLY DIRECTLY TO THESE QUESTIONS.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THAT WITH THE QUESTIONS BEING THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY ARE, UH, WE SHOULD ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE, HOPEFULLY RAISING QUESTIONS, UH, AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, LIKE WOULD, ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DISTRIBUTE THE LIST TO JESSE, TO SEND OUT TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT WE'VE GOT THE LIST AND SOME FEEL FREE TO ADD TO IT FOR YOUR OWN REFERENCE.
AND YOU'LL KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO BE ASKED THE BULK OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY A COMMISSIONER, UH, NOT COMMITTEE.
SO THAT IS WAITING FOR YOU JESSE, TO COULD PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THAT TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
AT LEAST THEY CAN HAVE THAT AS A WORKING DOCUMENT DURING THIS PRESENTATION AND ADD QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE TO IT.
SO WITH THAT, WE'D NOW LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND WELCOME THE PRESENTATION ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, CTM EQUITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE BY CHRIS STEWART, THE INTERIM CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
AND JESSE, ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE THE SLIDE I ASSUME? AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN TO MOVE FORWARD.
CHRIS, IF, IF YOU WANTED TO SHARE YOUR SCREEN, UH, THAT SO THAT YOU CAN RETAIN CONTROL THAT THAT IS OKAY WITH US, OR IF YOU WOULD PREFER FOR ME TO SHARE MY SCREEN, I CAN DO THAT.
AND YOU WOULD JUST PROMPT ME ONE TO MOVE AHEAD ALREADY.
GIVE ME A MOMENT TO PULL THE PRESENTATION UP THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WAS AWARE THAT THERE WOULD BE, UM, SO YOU'VE REALLY QUESTIONS I'LL ADJUST.
YOU KNOW, MY INTENT IS IF I CAN'T ANSWER ANYTHING THIS EVENING, UM, THAT YOU WILL GET ME THAT LIST OF QUESTIONS, I WILL, UM, GO GET THE ANSWERS FOR YOU AND PROVIDE THOSE, UM, THE EMAIL.
IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN'T ANSWER? I, MY, MY INTENT IS TO GO AND FIND THOSE FOR YOU.
WE'RE HAVING TO PROMOTE ME TO MY, EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE PRESENTATION, DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS SENT IN AN EMAIL.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE LESS CUMBERSOME.
I'M AFRAID IF THERE'S A PRESENTATION THAT'S BEING MADE.
UH, AND THERE'S A VISUAL AS PART OF IT, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT AS PART OF THE FEED.
SO IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO READ IT.
WE'RE HAVING TO TRANSFER IT TO THE IT, UH, STATION, JUST TO DO, WANT ME TO TRY TO SHARE FROM MINE.
YOU CAN TRY CERTAINLY IN THE INTERIM, IT'LL TAKE
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US MAYBE A, YOU KNOW, A MINUTE OR TWO TO PULL THIS UP.OH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A GREAT OUT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SHARE.
IF THERE'S ANY COMMISSION THAT'S BOUND TO HAVE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, IT'S GOING TO BE THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION.
AND THAT JUST GOES WITHOUT SAYING, ISN'T THAT A FACT, ALL THESE TECHNOLOGISTS, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
THIS IS DESIGNED TO EMBARRASS THIS COLLECTION.
WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE INTERPRETATION.
JESSE CAN MOVE ON TO THE FIRST SLIDE I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE MY BUDDY PRESENT TODAY WAS AT A YEAR AGO, I PRESENTED TO YOU ALL, UM, AS THE AUSTIN WATER CIO AMI PROJECT.
UM, SO I BELIEVE I'VE MET ALL OF YOU, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A QUICK BACKGROUND OF MYSELF.
SO THIS IS A COMMUNITY COMMISSION.
I AM A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND I GRADUATED CRACK IN HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
I'M STILL A DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT, UM, THAT MY ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS WENT TO SCHOOL HERE AT SAINT EDWARDS FOR MY BACHELOR'S UT RIO GRANDE FOR MY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DEGREE.
I HAVE A US US AIR FORCE VETERAN THIS PAST MONTH WAS MY 20TH YEAR WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO A LOT OF, A LOT OF TIME IN THE CITY.
UM, AND ALL THOSE YEARS WERE AT AUSTIN ENERGY CTM FOR MOST OF IT.
AND THEN MOST RECENTLY AUSTIN WATER AS THEIR CIO.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, FOR THE PAST ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF WEEKS, I'VE BEEN THE INTERIM CEO FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I TALKED TO JESSE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE.
I'VE GOT PRETTY QUICK PRESENTATION ON JUST SOME THINGS THAT, UM, I TAKE A NOTICE TO THAT SEE TIM'S DOING, AND THEN I WANTED TO LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AS I'VE BEEN KIND OF DIGGING INTO SORT OF CGM THE AUSTIN HEALTH FORCE IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT.
UH, WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S THE SALESFORCE APPLICATION PLATFORM, FRANKLY, THAT HAS TO PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN USING TO MANAGE THROUGH THE COVID CRISIS.
THAT'S HOW THEY'RE DOING THEIR TESTING TRACKING.
IT'S HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING VACCINE TRACKING.
UM, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE AN OPERATIONAL TOOL FOR THEM ONGOING.
IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT, A GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH, WITH THAT SOLUTION.
AND IT'S BEEN PRETTY INTEGRAL FOR THEM TO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AMANDA, OUR PERMITTING SYSTEM IS GETTING INTO A MAJOR UPGRADE AND THAT WILL BE DONE HERE IN A FEW MONTHS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT TOUCHES SO MANY DEPARTMENTS AND OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
IT'S QUITE AN IMPORTANT APPLICATION FOR US.
TODD, ARCHITECTURE'S A BIG MOVE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE ARCHITECT THE CLOUD, SUCH THAT WE HAVE VISIBILITY AND SECURITY.
UM, WE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FROM THE CLOUD INSTEAD OF ONESY TWOSY DEPARTMENTS, WHERE THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS.
WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE READY TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
UH, WE RECENTLY INTRODUCED OUR SECOND CHAT BOT.
UM, COVID IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A POLICE RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, OUR CAD, WHICH IS OUR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH SYSTEM.
WE ARE GOING OUT FOR RFS ON BOTH.
UM, SO WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO US.
AND THOSE PLATFORMS ARE VERY, VERY CRITICAL OBVIOUSLY TO, TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, OFFICE THREE 65, YOU ALL KNOW I'M SURE VERY WELL.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ONBOARDING NEW TOOLS FOR THREE 65.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MODERNIZATION OF IT AND ARE IN THE USE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
OBVIOUSLY WITH STAYED HOME, EVERYBODY, UH, WORKING FROM HOME OFFICE SIX 65 HAS BEEN CRITICAL.
THE ADOPTION OF THOSE TOOLS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, REMAIN PRODUCTIVE, UH, WHILE SAFE WORKING AT HOME.
UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SECURITY FEATURES OF THREE 65 AND WHICH ONES WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT MORE OF WHICH ONES WE NEED FURTHER EXPLORATORY LOOK INTO, BUT WE REALLY ARE
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RELYING ON THAT HEAVILY NETWORK MODERNIZATION.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M, I DID GET A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THIS ENCOMPASSES OUR, UH, CWDM DWDM INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT ENCOMPASSES OUR RPR UPGRADES AND REFRESH ON THE, ON THE COTTON RINGS.
BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY MAY, JUNE OF 2021.
SO WE'RE ABOUT 60% OF THE WAY THERE RIGHT NOW IS WHAT I'M BEING TOLD.
UM, BUT THAT'S, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE IT DONE BY JUNE OF 2021 AND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY.
WE HAVE RECENTLY MOVED TO OUR DATA CENTER TO A BACKUP DATA CENTER.
SO WE NOW HAVE OUR COLO, WE HAVE TWO INTERNET PIPES THERE.
UM, WE HAVE OUR, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY INTERNET PIPE AT OUR BACKUP DATA CENTER AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE LOOKED AT CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR WAY ON WORK FROM HOME AND PUBLIC ACCESS.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE HITTING ABOUT 20 TO 30% OF OUR INTERNET CAPACITY.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING GOOD THERE.
UH, WE HAVE NOT REACHED ANYTHING WHERE WE'RE WORRIED WITH BEGAN CONNECTIVITY AND ALL THE, UM, EXTRA ACCESS PEOPLE ARE USING TO GET IN AND OUT OF OUR NETWORKS.
WE ARE, UM, CAPABLE OF MANAGING THAT LOAD, UM, QUITE WELL.
AND WE HAVE SOME, SOME ROOM TO GROW.
SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
OUR PUBLIC ACCESS, OUR LIBRARIES ARE 100%, UM, FULL GIG ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES, OUR REC CENTERS.
UM, THAT'S TIED MORE TO THE, UM, NETWORK REFRESHES THAT WERE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, UM, AND FOR REC CENTERS, WE'RE ALSO IMPLEMENTING OUR WIFI SO THAT WE CAN HAVE PUBLIC WIRELESS ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR RECORDS.
NEXT SLIDE SECURITY IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR FOCUS.
I KNOW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO TALK TO OUR NEW CISSO.
SO SURELY HERB CAME TO US A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AS OUR NEW CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER.
UM, SHE'S ACTUALLY TAKEN THE, UH, THE ISO, WHICH IS THE INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE.
IT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM CTM AND NO LONGER REPORTS TO THE CIO.
UM, THE, THE NEW CISCO REPORTS DIRECTLY TO RAY ARIANO, BUT IT'S JUST THE CITY MANAGER OVER SAFETY.
SO THAT'S NO LONGER AN IT FUNCTION.
UM, TWO OF US HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE SINCE HER ARRIVAL WHERE SHE'S DOING GREAT THINGS OVER THERE.
SHE'S REALLY GETTING THAT TEAM, UM, FORMED IN THE WAY THAT SHE FEELS IS GOING TO BEST PROTECT THE CITY.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT, UH, GREAT THING FOR THE CITY TO HAVE, HAVE THAT TEAM, UM, TO HAVE THAT ASSIST.
SO REALLY FOCUSING ON, UM, WHAT, HOW TO SECURE US AS A ORGANIZATION.
THE FOUNDATIONS TO BEING SECURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU LOOK AT WHEN YOU TALK, AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO KNOW, WE HAVE, THAT'S QUITE A LARGE PROJECT.
UM, WE ARE ROLLING WITH IT RIGHT NOW.
OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE HARDWARE.
SO PARTICULARLY ENDPOINTS, MAKING SURE WE KNOW WHAT COMPUTERS ARE OUT THERE, THINGS LIKE THAT, NETWORK DEVICES, UM, WE EVENTUALLY WANT TO ROLL INTO APPLICATION MANAGEMENT, DATA MANAGEMENT, UM, AND EVEN ON PREM AND CLOUD.
SO NO MATTER WHERE OUR DATA IS, NO MATTER WHERE APPLICATIONS ARE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEM AND BE ABLE TO TRACK THEM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CISCO HAS ACCESS TO.
SO THAT, THAT GROUP ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, ENDPOINT MANAGEMENT IS A BIG, UM, TOPIC RIGHT NOW.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, THAT OUR END POINTS ARE MANAGED WELL, THAT IT'S TYPICALLY THE, THE POINT OF VIEW OF INGRESS FOR A LOT OF OUR ATTACKS IS THOSE END POINTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT IS WE HAVE, AND THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED AT ALL TIMES, REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD IN WHICH THEY'RE CONNECTING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THEN I'LL THE SERVICE PROTECTIONS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY DENIAL OF SERVICE AS A, A TOOL THAT, UM, THE FOLKS ARE OUT THERE USING TO DISRUPT PRIMARILY.
UM, THEY LIKE TO DISRUPT THE PUBLIC ENTITIES LIKE STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
UM, SCHOOL SYSTEMS IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE THEY JUST OVERLOAD AND OVERWHELM YOUR, UH, CAPACITY.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING, WE, WE HAVE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, WHEN WE ARE HIT WITH THOSE TYPES OF ATTACKS, THAT WE CAN EASILY RECOVER, UH, ALONG THE SAME LINE AS RANSOMWARE, RANSOMWARE IS SOMETHING WE LOOK TO PROTECT FROM.
UM, BUT MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE TIME RANSOMWARE PROTECTION IS END USER, UM, KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION, AND JUST BEING CAREFUL AND CAUTIOUS.
SO WE LOOK AT RANSOMWARE RECOVERY, VERY CAREFULLY, MAKING SURE THAT IF ANYTHING DID HAPPEN, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER QUICKLY, OUR PERIMETER PROTECTION.
SO AS WE TALK ABOUT SENDING PEOPLE HOME AND SENDING
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PEOPLE AWAY FROM A PRIMARY SITE WHERE IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO, UH, DEFEND AGAINST SECURITY RISKS, AND YOU CAN REALLY KIND OF CONTROL A PHYSICAL BUILDING, UM, OUR PERIMETERS MOVING AROUND.SO WE'RE DEFINING WHAT WHAT'S A PERIMETER IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE WORK FROM ANYWHERE AND HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE PROTECT THAT? SO WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT PROTECTION FOR THE CITY, UM, AS FAR AS SECURITY AND PRIVACY AND THEN END USER TRAINING.
SO THIS IS A GOAL OF, FROM THE, UM, SO, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN PUTTING OUT A LITTLE BIT, FIVE MINUTE CLIPS EVERY MONTH FOR TRAINING VIDEOS FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES, UM, FOR US TO, TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT A PHISHING EMAIL LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IS A VIRUS AND IS A VIRUS AND JUST BASIC SKILLS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, TO BE ABLE TO BE AWARE WHEN THEY'RE ON A CITY RESOURCE, HOW TO PROTECT THAT RESOURCE DIGITAL EQUITY IS A BIG TOPIC.
I KNOW THAT'S ONE THAT, UM, THERE WAS A ROUND TABLE ON RECENTLY WITH YOUR TEAM.
UM, A LOT OF WORK IS HAPPENING AROUND THE CITY AND A LOT OF WORK AT CTM.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR AWHILE NOW, YOU WILL KNOW IS THAT TARA WORKING WITH DEVICE DEPLOYMENTS.
SO AS WE, AS A CITY MOVE TO, UM, UPGRADE OUR ENDPOINTS, WE TAKE THOSE DEVICES, GIVE THEM OVER TO TERRORISTS SO THAT THEY CAN THEN GIVE THEM BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, ASSESSABLE IMPORTANT, STEPPING, GIVING, UM, GIVING COMMUNITY DEVICES SO THAT THEY CAN CONNECT.
UM, CTM IN PARTICULAR HAS A HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE, WE REALLY TRY TO LOOK OUT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN OUR DIVERSITY, GETTING, GETTING YOUNG, UM, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INTO IT, GETTING THEM INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT WE WANT PEOPLE STRIVING TOWARDS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A COLLABORATION WITH DELL VALLEY ISD AND UT, UM, THAT IS, UH, SOME HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DEDICATED TO, UM, SORRY, THAT'S NOT SORRY.
THERE'S NO MONEY ATTACHED TO THAT.
THAT IS CREATING AN ALIGNING A CURRICULUM, UM, FOR AUTONOMY, DIGITAL AI, FOR THOSE FUTURE JOBS FOR THESE STUDENTS.
AND YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW THAT DELL VALLEY ISD HAS A GREAT PROGRAM WITH, UM, COLLABORATING WITH GETTING THESE STUDENTS TO GRADUATE WITH AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE RIDER SCHOOL.
THEY'VE GOT SOME ROBOTICS STUFF.
IT'S PRETTY WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING THERE.
SO THAT COLLABORATION WITH UT AND THE VALLEY IS, IS PRETTY WONDERFUL.
THE UT AUSTIN SOCIAL GOOD PROJECT IS A $700,000 AI PROJECT THAT THEY'VE DEEMED THEY'VE CALLED SOCIAL GOOD.
THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN PROJECTS THERE THAT CTM IS FACILITATING TO WORK ON, MAKING SURE AGAIN WHAT AI IS AND HOW IT CAN BE USED FOR GOOD.
CAUSE WE HAVE HEARD SOME, UH, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT AI AND ITS ABILITY TO EXACERBATE, UM, SOME ISSUES THAT WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT DON'T HAPPEN.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE UT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, LOOKING AT POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY, UH, RESEARCH ON USING AI THAT INTENTIONALLY, UM, CONSIDERS EQUITY IN THE ALGORITHMS IN WHAT IT'S DOING, UM, IN ITS DESIGN, UM, AND THE USAGE OF, OF AI.
THE IN PARTICULAR, THE COVID-19 CHAT BOT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS ONE THAT'S BEING TESTED FOR BIAS RIGHT NOW, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ASD DIGITAL EQUITY, UH, ROOSEVELT, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
HE IS, UM, THE, A MEMBER OF A BOARD MEMBER OF THE URBAN LIBRARIES COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE BOARD.
HE IS PULLING TOGETHER MYSELF, UM, RON DELLA HAWKINS WITH TARA, UM, AND ABUTS THE DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS WITH ASD TO TALK ABOUT DIGITAL EQUITY.
UM, IN, IN THE URBAN LIBRARIES COUNCIL, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW LIBRARIES CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS.
AND I KNOW IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEY'RE ALSO DOING SOME OF THE SAME TALKS.
SO THIS IS THE WAY FOR US ALL TO GET IN THE SAME ROOM AND THAT'S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK, UM, TO SEE WHERE, WHERE ARE THE POINTS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS? WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT? UM, SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT MEETING TO SEE WHAT OTHER FOLKS ARE THINKING.
AUTONOMOUS INFRASTRUCTURE IS, UM, THAT REACHES OUT INTO DIGITAL EQUITY.
AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT A, YOU KNOW, A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE USED FOR MANY, MANY PURPOSES.
UM, I'VE ALSO, I'VE GIVEN JESSE A, UM, PDF TO SEND TO YOU ALL THAT TALKS MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, IT'S QUITE A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT, UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY EXCITING.
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EDGE NEW STUFF THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.UM, BUT AGAIN, PROVIDING MORE OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE FOR MANY PURPOSES.
AND THEN OF COURSE OUR PEER CITY NETWORKING.
UM, WE WANT TO MEET WITH SAN ANTONIO, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF PROJECTS RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY'RE FOCUSING ON THEIR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET.
UM, THEY'RE DOING A, AN LTE PROJECT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SOUTHWEST DISTRICT.
UM, THAT'S A STOP GAP THAT THEY'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW IT'S NOT A LONGTERM SOLUTION, UH, BUT THEY ARE DOING SOME THINGS OUT THERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT TO SEE IF WE CAN BRING THEM BACK TO AUSTIN AND SEE IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT, THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT TO HELP OUT, UM, AISD OR SCHOOLS OR ANY SCHOOLS AROUND AUSTIN.
UM, OR AGAIN, JUST THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN GENERAL GRADUATING.
SO THAT WAS THE PRESENTATION GUY.
I DID LEAVE IT PRETTY SHORT SO THAT I KNEW THERE WAS A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, JESSE, IF THEY'RE ONES THAT I CAN'T ANSWER RIGHT NOW, OR I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO, IF YOU COULD DOCUMENT SO THAT I COULD BRING THEM BACK TO YOU SO YOU CAN ADDRESS, UM, THE COMMISSIONER.
I'LL BE TAKING NOTES IN IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU CAN'T ANSWER, I'LL DOCUMENT THEM.
AND AS TIRPITZ MENTIONED, WE'RE ALSO COLLECTING SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THE BACK END THAT WE WILL SHARE AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, CATCHING A MOVING SHIP AND YOU TAKING THE HELM AS SANDRA AND CIO.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UH, SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE COMMISSIONER MALCOLM UTES HAS, HAS RAISED.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE HIM A FLOOR, GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO GO AHEAD AND JUMP INTO SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND THEN OPEN IT UP TO OTHER KINDS OF COMMISSIONERS.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION ON A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED IN THAT PRESENTATION.
MAINLY I WAS INTERESTED IN THE NETWORK ROLL OUT AND HOW THAT WAS GOING ALONG.
SO I THINK YOU'VE MAINLY ANSWERED THAT AND ALSO ABOUT THE INTERNET.
THE ONLY OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD, UH, PERTAIN TO THE BLUE LEAKS THAT'S BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER AND WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT THAT, BUT MAYBE THAT SHOULD BE A SEPARATE TOPIC.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INITIAL REACTION TO THAT, UH, CHRIS AT THIS TIME? SURE.
I MEAN, I THINK EVERYBODY, YOU ALL KNOW MORE THAN THE MOST, THE SENSITIVITY TO THAT TOPIC.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT IN GENERAL, I CAN SPEAK TO THINGS THAT WOULD ALSO HELP, UM, INCIDENTS LIKE THAT FROM HAPPENING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR VENDOR MANAGEMENT CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIRD PARTY MONITORING, CAUSE THOSE ARE ALL THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS A SAS SOLUTION.
THERE WERE, I BELIEVE OVER 200 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WERE AFFECTED.
UM, SO THIS WASN'T AN INTERNAL SYSTEM.
THIS WAS, UH, A USE CASE WHERE THIS WAS A PRODUCT THAT CLOUD BASE KNOW SAS PRODUCT, UM, THAT WAS ATTACKED IN, IN WHOLE AND AUSTIN WAS AFFECTED.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD, WE NEED TO BE DOING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, PROBABLY SURELY THE SYSTEM IS A BETTER PERSON TO SPEAK TO THE SECURITY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT, UM, HOW DETAILED WE GET IN DESCRIBING THOSE IN A PUBLIC FORUM THOUGH, RIGHT? THAT'S ENTIRELY UNDERSTANDABLE, UH, AND APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR AND RELAYING THAT.
UH, I'VE GOT, UH, ONE THAT LIKES TO GET TO, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE AT THIS TIME.
WELL, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, SHARE WITH YOU.
I RECENTLY RECEIVED A CALL AND A VOICE MESSAGE.
ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO RESPOND, UH, FROM A REPORTER AT KX AM REGARDING A TIP THEY CLAIM TO HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT CONCERNS FOR, UH, THE MONEY.
I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE THEM, BUT THEY ESSENTIALLY
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IN THEIR VOICE MESSAGE ALLUDED TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE 3.18 MILLION THAT WAS SPENT ON THE WEBSITE AND, UH, REFERRED TO THERE BEING SOME KIND OF TIPS.UH, THIS IS JUST WHAT THEY RELATE IN THE VOICE MESSAGE, UH, ABOUT WASTEFUL PROCESSES TO BE IN PARTICULAR.
THAT WAS, UH, THE SPECIFIC QUOTE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS IN LIGHT OF THAT INQUIRY, WHICH I'VE YET TO RESPOND TO.
UM, IF CTM WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, AN OFFICIAL RESPONSE AND FIFTH, AT SOME POINT YOU COULD PROVIDE DETAIL ABOUT THE COLLABORATION THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN, UH, THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE AND CTM IN RELATION TO THE WEBSITE REDESIGN AND LAUNCH.
SO I CAN DEFINITELY GET YOU MORE ON THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CPI AND CTM.
I KNOW WE WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN APPROVING, UH, ACCESSIBILITY FUNDING, UH, FUNDING THAT WAS FOCUSED REALLY ON IMPROVING THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE SITE, MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS ACCESSIBLE TO MORE RESIDENTS, UH, WITH CHALLENGES AND WHETHER THE VISUAL OR HEARING IMPAIRMENT AND OTHER, OTHER THINGS THAT THEY STRUGGLE WITH.
UM, AND WE FELT VERY VALIDATED IN THAT RECOMMENDATION AS A COMMISSION.
UH, HAVING SAID THAT THAT WAS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF OUR OVERSIGHT.
AND THEN WE WERE BASICALLY WAITING TO SEE THE ROLLOUT THAT TOOK PLACE A COURT SOMETIME AFTER, UM, THIS PAST FALL.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT WILL DO.
UH, YOU, UH, THAT INVITATION STILL FANS APPRECIATE YOU, UH, HAVE BEEN TIMELY WITH THOSE.
I REALIZED I WAS, I WAS NEUTERED, SO THAT'S WHY NOBODY HEARD ME.
ONE IS AMANDA UPGRADE WILL MAKE FORMATTING SMOOTHER, FASTER.
WE KEEP HEARING FROM THE VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS THAT AUSTIN IS GLOBAL TO MARGARET.
SO WILL IT MAKE IT SMOOTHER, FASTER? I BELIEVE THE UPGRADE IS GOING TO PROVIDE US THE ABILITIES TO DO THAT.
UM, YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW AMANDA IS VERY COMPLEX.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PROCESSES THAT HAPPEN.
A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.
UM, AND THE NEW, THE NEW FUNCTIONALITY IN AMANDA HOPEFULLY ALLOWS DEPARTMENTS TO CREATE BETTER DIGITAL PROCESSES.
AND THAT'S BEEN AN ONGOING EFFORT WITH AMANDA IS ALL DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I KNOW WHEN I WAS AT WATER, A BIG, BIG PORTION OF WHAT WE WERE DOING IN AMANDA WAS DIGITIZING AND TRYING TO MAKE THINGS WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO COME IN WITH BIG REAMS OF PAPER.
UM, AND I REMEMBER THE, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON OUR JAZZ FOLKS HAD WORKED ON HOW DO WE GET MUCH, MUCH LESS PAPER? AND THEY DON'T JUST BRING IN LIKE A PIECE OF NOTEBOOK PAPER.
THERE ARE THESE HUGE REAMS, UM, THAT WERE MANY INCHES THICK, THESE ROLES OF, YOU KNOW, THREE FOOT PAPER.
AND THEY WERE CARRYING THEM AROUND ALL THE TIME AND NOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND THEY HAD TO DO IT IN DUPLICATE OFTEN.
UM, SO IT IS, IT'S A LOT OF STEPS IN THOSE PROCESSES AND WE ARE DIGITIZING THOSE AND THIS SHOULD HELP US GET THERE.
THEN DO YOU MENTION THE CAD AND RMS? WHAT ARE THESE ACRONYMS? I NOTICE QUITE A NUMBER OF ACRONYMS. IT IS W DROPPED OR NOT.
I KNOW WHAT GAD IS, BUT THAT'S MY BUSINESS.
COULD WE DESIGN? SO RMS IS A RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN PARTICULAR.
THIS IS THE APE RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
UM, APN USES IT TO WHENEVER YOU COULD CALL THREE ONE, OR WHEN YOU CALLED NINE 11, SORRY.
UM, AND YOU HAVE A RECORD THAT'S CREATED THAT.
ANYTHING THEY DO AS A POLICE OFFICER ENDS UP BACK IN THE RMS SYSTEM.
UH, RIGHT NOW THAT SYSTEM IS CALLED VERSADEX AND ALSO THE FIRE ARSON INVESTIGATOR.
THE PAD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IS COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH.
THAT'S THE NINE ONE ONE SYSTEM.
ALSO YOU DO ACRONYMS, YOU'RE LEADING TO A NETWORK MODERNIZATION AND THAT COMPLETELY THREW ME OFF.
SO SPECIFIC TO NETFORM CLEVER PHYSICIANS.
[00:35:01]
ACRONYMS AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN WDM DWDM.AND I BET MALCOLM WOULD KNOW THE HECK A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I DO.
THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR, HER LAYER ONE, OUR, OUR AD, UH, UM, THIS IS HOW WE GET OUR FIBER INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S HOW WE GET OUR BASE LEADER COMMUNICATIONS AROUND THE CITY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REFRESHING UPGRADING OUR CORE FOUNDATIONAL NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, MY LAST QUESTION ACTUALLY IS, UH, IS ANY SORT OF LIKE A DOUBLE QUESTION.
THERE ARE, WHO ARE IN COMMISSIONS.
SOME OF US HAVE
SO THAT IS THE CHALLENGE WITH ALL THESE PIPES COMING IN RIGHT NOW, IF YOU USE FROM HOME WITH, UH, SOMETIMES PASSWORDS THAT CAN BE BROKEN, HOW DO YOU HANDLE SECURITY UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES? AND THE SECOND PART OF IT IS THAT IF YOU'RE DEVELOPING ALL OF THESE KEY CAPABILITIES, HOW MUCH OF IT IS BASED ON OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE, UH, SHARING WITH OTHER CITIES, ET CETERA, THAT COULD CREATE EXPOSURES OF THEIR OWN.
SO HOW ARE YOU BALANCING ALL OF THOSE FROM A SECURITY POINT OF VIEW? THE FIRST THING WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRYING TO GET CONTROL.
UM, SO WE'VE HAD A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, AUDITS AND ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE LOOKING AT, UM, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY, AND IT'S IDENTIFYING THAT MOST TECHNOLOGY IS IT MANAGED BY CTM.
SO THE MOST TECHNOLOGY SPEND IS IT MANAGED BY CTM.
SO MOST PROCUREMENTS AREN'T, DON'T GO THROUGH CTM.
UM, THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS UNITS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THE BUSINESS NEEDS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT, UM, THEIR FUNCTIONS.
THAT'S NOT INHERENTLY INSECURE OR ANY EFFECTIVE, BUT WE NEED BETTER WAYS TO MANAGE THEM CENTRALLY AND AT LEAST HAVE A VIEW CENTRALLY.
SO THAT IS AN EFFORT THAT BOTH SHIRLEY AND I, THE CISSO ARE LOOKING AT FROM IT.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROCUREMENT PROCESSES RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE AN EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT THAT WE'RE DOING ON SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING CTM.
THAT'S LOOKING AT OUR PROCUREMENT.
UH, THERE IS A PROCUREMENT AUDIT FROM THE CITY AUDITOR THEY'RE DOING, THAT'S DEDICATED TO TECHNOLOGY PURCHASING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT GOOD VIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, UM, FROM THEM ON HOW DO WE GET A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE? CAUSE, CAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, IT, IT EXISTS IN MANY FORMS AND FACTORS AND DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS.
AND WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE REALLY DO NEED TO GET A BETTER GRASP OF EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADMINISTER IT, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST CENTRALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FINDING EFFICIENCIES WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND.
AND WE ARE SECURING THINGS FROM DAY ONE, NOT AFTER WE FIND OUT THE EXIST AND THEN RETROACTIVELY GOING OUT AND FINDING WAYS TO SECURE THEM.
WELL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ALLENTOWN? YES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE AMPLIFICATION ON WHAT COMMISSIONER
AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOU DO NOT HAVE A HANDLE ON THAT YET, AND THAT ANY ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT CAN GO OUT AND PRETTY MUCH BUY WHATEVER THEY WANT.
AND IT SEEMS THAT NOW IN THE AGE, WHEN EVERYONE'S GOING TO THE CLOUD, ANYONE CAN GO TO ANY CLOUD SERVICE.
IT SEEMS LIKE A REAL DANGER TO ME.
SO WHERE ARE WE ON THE, UH, THE ISSUE OF ID GOVERNANCE IS THERE'S NOW SOME KIND OF A CITY BOARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THAT.
SO THE IT STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL THERE, THERE, THERE WAS SOME GOVERNANCE PUT IN PLACE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UM, THERE WAS THE THING CALLED THE D DECK, WHICH DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, UM, COMMITTEE THAT LOOKED AT THE TOP PROJECTS THAT C TIM WOULD BE FUNDING AND SUPPORTING.
THAT'S HOW THEY WORKED ON CAPITOL PROJECT.
UM, TYPICALLY AROUND BUDGET APPROVALS THAT I'VE NOTICED HAS FALLEN TO THE SIDE THAT GOVERNANCE IN PARTICULAR, IT GOVERNANCE IN THE CITY REALLY DOESN'T EXIST IN ITS FORM THAT WE NEEDED TO.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO WORK ON.
UM, AND THAT IS FROM, UM, THE CITY AUDITOR CAME THROUGH SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THEY, THEY DID DEEM THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CIO
[00:40:01]
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT GOVERNANCE AND THAT INCLUDES PURCHASING.SO THAT IS AN AREA THAT I WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD GET REGULAR UPDATES ON SO THAT THEY CAN ACT AS A CITIZEN ADVOCATE FOR OUR NEW CIO, UM, TO HELP WITH THIS, UH, WHOLE PROCESS OF IT GOVERNANCE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THAT COMMISSIONER NEEDS.
I AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENT AND YOUR SENTIMENT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
WITH THAT WE REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, CHRIS, FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE AND WORKING WITH YOU.
[2b. Presentation on Affordable Internet Options in Austin and Lived Experience with the Digital Divide (Catherine Crago - Head of Strategic Initiatives - Housing Authority of the City of Austin & Austin Pathways and Alexis Henderson, Rosewood Council Head)]
CONTINUE WITH OUR AGENDA NOW TO AGENDA ITEM TWO B A, WHICH WILL BE A PRESENTATION ON AFFORDABLE INTERNET OPTIONS IN AUSTIN AND LIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE BY CATHERINE CRAIGO, THE HEAD OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN PATHWAYS, AS WELL AS, UH, WITH ALEXIS HENDERSON, ROSEWOOD COUNCIL HEAD.
AND, UH, THERE MAY BE ANOTHER PERSON JOINING AS WELL THIS EVENING.
UH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE, UH, BUT I KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE.
UM, AND IF SO, THEN I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I SAY HER NAME CORRECTLY.
WE DO NOT HAVE KIMBERLY ON THE LINE AT THE MOMENT.
THAT WOULD BE A KIMBERLIN ACTUALLY, UH, BUT KIPP KIMBERLIN, BUT FOR KIMBERLYN WILL NOT BE JOINING US, UH, AT THE MOMENT.
UH, BUT WITH THAT THOUGH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO KATHERINE AND TO, UH, EXCUSE ME TO MS. CREGO AND TO MS. HENDERSON.
THANK YOU, CHAIR PITS AND GOOD EVENING.
I'M KATHERINE CREGO AND I HEAD UP STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR NONPROFIT SUBSIDIARY, AUSTIN PATHWAYS.
AND I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE TODAY, ALEXIS HENDERSON, WHO IS A DISTINGUISHED, UH, COMMUNITY LEADER.
AND I WILL SHARE MORE WITH YOU ABOUT HER, HER BACKGROUND AND, UM, HER HER WORK, UH, IN A BIT, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE SERVE ABOUT 20,000 OF AUSTIN'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN PUBLIC AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHO EARNED BETWEEN 10 AND $14,000 PER YEAR ON AVERAGE PER HOUSEHOLD.
AND SO DIGITAL INCLUSION, ESPECIALLY IN THIS POST COVID WORLD IS, IS NOT JUST A PILLAR OF A FAMILY.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY IT IS A PLATFORM THAT ENABLES, UH, OUR RESIDENTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, TO LOCATION OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EVEN TO WORK REMOTELY, UM, TO, TO BASICALLY ACHIEVE CERTAIN BASIC SERVICES LIKE, YOU KNOW, OBTAINING A TIMELY AND COST EFFECTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND OF COURSE, HEALTHCARE.
UM, SO DURING OUR COVID RESPONSE DURING THE SUMMER, WE WERE COLLABORATING WITH ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS WHO WORK IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS.
AND WE LEARNED THAT OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS PLAN TO SPEND ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND, UM, IN THE EARLY FALL ON, UM, INTERNET SERVICE.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE ALL SERVING MANY OF THE SAME CLIENTS.
AND SO, UM, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, LOW INCOME PEOPLE DON'T OFTEN HAVE ACCESS TO AN AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION, UH, WHETHER IT'S A WIRELINE OR WIRELESS.
AND SO WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CITY, UH, THE TARA OFFICE AND, UH, UM, AND, AND OTHERS, WE CONVENED A PORTION OF OUR HOCKEY ECOSYSTEM, UM, 16 NONPROFITS TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, UM, TO NATIONAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS AND SIX INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UH, THERE WERE TWO CONVENINGS AND THE FIRST CONVENING WE WANTED TO PROVIDE NONPROFITS WITH SIMPLY I SHARED OF, UH, OF WHAT AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS IS.
UM, AND, UH, AS SHARED, UH, WE WANTED TO DEVELOP A SHARED SET OF NEEDS, UM, IDENTIFY OUR CONCERNS, UM, RISKS AND, UM, COLLECTIVE ACTIONS THAT WE COULD TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CLIENTS HAD ACCESS TO THAT AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION.
UM, THAT WAS ON A THURSDAY, AUGUST 27TH.
UM, THE NEXT DAY ON FRIDAY, WE CONVENED SIX INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO
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AGREED TO SHARE WITH US NOT ONLY WHAT THEIR OFFERS WERE AND TO CLARIFY HOW FOLKS CAN ACCESS, UH, THEIR LOW COST OFFERS, UH, OR DISCOUNTED COVID OFFERS, BUT ALSO TO SHARE WITH US THEIR APPROACH TO SERVING LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND THEIR APPROACH TO, UM, EQUITY AND SERVING LOW INCOME CONSUMERS.UH, SO WE LEFT THOSE CONVENINGS WITH A COUPLE OF CHARGES THAT CAME UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
ONE WAS, UH, AROUND THE QUESTION OF, COULD WE AGGREGATE DEMAND IN SOME WAY, COULD WE AGGREGATE OUR PURCHASING POWER, OR COULD WE WORK COLLECTIVELY TO ENSURE THAT THESE LOW COST OFFERS WERE MORE REGULARLY AVAILABLE TO, UM, TO THESE COMMUNITIES? UM, THE SECOND ONE, THE THEME THAT EMERGED WAS EXPLORING HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET SERVICE, THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE, AND, UM, SEVERAL OF THE PARTICIPANTS, UH, THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS, UH, KIND OF COALESCED AROUND THE IDEA OF CREATING A DIGITAL EQUITY SCORECARD FOR, UH, FOLKS THAT SELL, UH, YOU KNOW, INTERNET SERVICE, UM, COMPUTERS AND DIGITAL LITERACY, EVEN, UH, CLASSES.
UM, THE LAST THOUGHT, UH, KIND OF THEME WAS AROUND, UH, TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP, UM, FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF OFFERS IN SPECIFIC USE CASES FOR VARIOUS NONPROFITS, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIMENSIONS, UM, OR FACTORS INVOLVED IN SELECTING, UH, AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED BROADBAND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME USE CASES THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR SOME TYPES OF NONPROFITS AND OTHERS THAT THAT WILL, THAT WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR OTHER TYPES.
UM, SO IN SHORT, UM, WE, WE LEFT THAT CONVENING AND IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS HAD IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH AND, UM, OTHER VENUES, ADDITIONALLY, UH, PROBABLY ANOTHER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN SPEND FROM A COUPLE OF NONPROFITS WHO HAD JUST RECEIVED GRANTS.
AND THOSE GRANT MAKING ACTIVITIES ARE STILL GOING ON AROUND DIGITAL INCLUSION.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ADDITIONAL FINDINGS.
I THINK I JUST LIKE TO, TO, TO LEAVE IT THERE AND SEE WHAT QUESTIONS THERE MAY BE.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SHARE OUT WITH YOU ON WHAT WE LEARNED, UM, MORE DETAILED ON THE ACTION STEPS THAT WE AGREED TO TAKE IN AND WHAT WE'RE DOING NEXT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE, UH, YOUR, UH, DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER, UH, JOIN US NOW? YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO SPEAK FAST BECAUSE MY CHILDREN ARE IN UP I'M GUESS I'M HERE WITH MS. CATHERINE.
SHE SAID EVERYTHING VERY WELL.
I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE.
I DO STAY IN THE AREA CODE OF SEVEN, EIGHT, SEVEN OH TWO.
I DO DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY WORK, AND I MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN BE CONNECTED TO A LOT OF PROBLEMS. WHERE AM I RECEIVING HOTSPOTS THAT ARE NOT WORKING AND THEY CAN'T GET INTO CLASS? YOU KNOW, I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH.
I AM A STUDENT IN AN ACC, SO I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I NEED WIFI.
A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE EDUCATED ON THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I LIKE TO JUST STAND UP AND SAY, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE SEVEN, EIGHT, SEVEN OH TWO, BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN ARE HERE, YOU KNOW, AND ALL AT LEAST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE HAVING THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS OTHER CHILDREN AROUND THE CITY.
AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT AUSTIN IS STRONG, BUT WE'RE ONLY AS STRONG AS OUR WEAKEST LINK.
AND I FEEL LIKE I MAYBE COULD HAVE INTRODUCED YOU, BUT, UM, MORE FULLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ALEXIS IS THE RESIDENT COUNCIL LEADER AT QUARTZ.
UM, SHE IS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH BLACK MAMA'S, ATX, UH, FOCUSED ON MATERNAL HEALTH CARE.
UM, SHE'S ALSO VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATION, AS YOU CAN HEAR.
UM, SHE, UH, ALEXIS, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THROUGH THE QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT SHARE ABOUT IN WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING ABOUT UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD SPEEDS UP AT ROSEWOOD, BUT, UM, SHE'S CERTAINLY A REALLY ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBER AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HER SERVING AS A SMART CITY AMBASSADOR REPRESENTING OUR AGENCY.
YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
[00:50:01]
I KNOW THAT, UH, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO TAKE THIS NEXT STEP OF THE CONVERSATION, UH, BUT REALLY CENTERING IT AROUND YOU TWO AS OUR GUESTS, UH, FOR THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION, I WOULD LIKE TO, IF I COULD GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO EXPOUND ON THAT FROM OUR INITIAL CONVERSATION LAST WEEK, UH, THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU WERE HAVING WITH UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD SPEEDS, UH, BASED ON, ON, ON BOTH FACILITIES AND LOCATION.SO, SO, UM, I GUESS DURING OUR NONPROFIT CONVENING, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CLIENTS REALLY JUST WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT SOME, SOME BASIC THINGS.
LIKE WHAT ARE THE KEY PARTS OF AN INTERNET SERVICE AGREEMENT, UM, UH, NONPROFITS, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, WHAT ARE REASONABLE SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS.
AND SO AS A PART OF THAT EDUCATION OF NONPROFITS, WE INVITED THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE AND TO, UM, SHARE ABOUT THEIR RESEARCH ON, UH, SERVICE OFFERINGS OF MAJOR PROVIDERS, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE U S.
AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN YOU BUY A GALLON OF MILK, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY FOUR BUCKS, MAYBE FIVE, AND, AND THEN, AND YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MILK YOU GOT, YOU GOT A GALLON OF MILK, UM, WITH INTERNET SERVICE, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, THE INDUSTRY IS, UM, SOME FOLKS WOULD SAY IN THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SPACE WOULD SAY IS LIGHTLY REGULATED, UH, IN TERMS OF, UM, THE, WHO DOES THE REPORTING ABOUT WHAT SPEEDS ARE PROVIDED AND, UM, AND, AND WHERE THAT IS IS, IS INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND.
AND SO, UM, ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT WE USE OFTEN IS, UH, A TOOL LIKE, UM, OOP, PLUS THE SPEED TEST NET, NO MOST FOLKS DON'T KNOW WHAT SPEED TEST.NET IS.
UM, BUT IT'S A TOOL THAT YOU CAN USE IF YOU GO TO A WEBSITE, IF YOU'RE ON A, ON A CONNECTION THAT YOU CAN USE TO TEST THE SPEED OF YOUR CONNECTION, AND IT WILL TELL YOU HOW FAST YOU CAN DOWNLOAD, UH, INFORMATION, UH, FROM INTERNET AND HOW FAST YOU CAN UPLOAD THAT INFORMATION, UM, WHEN YOU'RE BUYING BROADBAND OR YOU'RE PAYING $60 A MONTH FOR BROADBAND, AND YOU'RE BEING PROMISED A 50 MEG DOWNLOAD SPEED, AND A 10 MEG UPLOAD SPEED.
YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU GOT WHAT YOU PAID FOR, AND COURSE AFTER COVID, UM, IT'S NOT A NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE FOR THE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SERVE SUDDENLY A LOT MORE TRAFFIC, BUT EVEN BEFORE COVID, UM, SOMETIMES OUR RESIDENTS WOULD TELL US THAT THEY HAD PURCHASED A, UM, A BROADBAND, UH, AFFORDABLE BROADBAND CONNECTION, AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OPERATING AT A PARTICULAR SPEED, AND THEY WERE GETTING SOMETIMES 10% OF THAT UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD SPEEDS.
SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TASKS THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, WITH THE CONNECTION THAT THEY PURCHASED.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, SOME LOW INCOME OFFERS ARE WIRELESS ON PROVIDERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN.
UM, SO, UH, AND THERE ARE MAPS AND TOOLS THAT THE PROVIDERS, UH, HAVE, THEN THAT CAN HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WELL THEIR HOTSPOT WILL WORK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE WHAT WE'RE REALLY STRIVING FOR.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING ALEXIS AND I WERE LOOKING AT THE OTHER DAY, WE WERE LOOKING AT A MAP OF ALL THE, UH, OF, OF, OF, UH, PROVIDERS, UM, TOWERS, WIRELESS TOWERS, OR CELLULAR TOWERS.
AND WE NOTICED THAT, UM, FOR TWO OF THE WIRELESS COMPETITORS, THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A TOWER IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE HOTSPOTS, UM, THAT ALEXIS HAS BEEN HELPING HER NEIGHBORS THAT ARE PROVIDED, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SCHOOL, WHY THEY MAY NOT BE FUNCTIONING SO WELL, JUST ON THAT SMALL PROPERTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK FROM 10,000 FEET, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE COVERAGE, YOU SEE BEAUTIFUL COVERAGE, BUT WHEN YOU GET DOWN AND YOU LOOK AT MAYBE A 10 BY 10 BLOCK AREA, YOU MAY SEE THAT IT'S CHALLENGING FOR SOME FOLKS TO USE HOTSPOTS.
AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT ROSEWOOD COURTS IS IN A, IS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OF A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE, UM, WHERE THERE'S REALLY NO, UM, WIRELESS, UH, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE CAN SEE.
SO, UM, I THINK THEY'RE GETTING A THIRD OF DIAL UP BOTH WAYS ON THE HOTSPOTS.
SO THAT'S IN THE, YOU KNOW, HUNDRED K 150 K RANGE, UM, TAKE YOU RIGHT BACK
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TO 1980, WELL, 93 OR SOMETHING THAT, UM, AND SO, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN IS THAT IDEA OF ACCOUNTABILITY.IF I'M A NONPROFIT, UM, I'M SERVING FOLKS, MAYBE I'M PROVIDING FOOD TO FOLKS OR I'M PROVIDING HEALTHCARE SERVICES OR TELEHEALTH OR TELEMEDICINE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE CASE OF TELE-HEALTH, I MIGHT NOT NEED A VERY FAST CONNECTION, BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW IF I'M USING, YOU KNOW, DONATED FUNDS OR GRANT FUNDS TO PURCHASE INTERNET, THAT I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT VIDEO SERVICE TO THAT CLIENT.
IN THE CASE OF TELEMEDICINE, I THINK A 300 MEG CONNECTION IS REQUIRED.
AND THERE ARE PROVIDERS THAT OFFER A 300 MEG, UM, WIRELINE CONNECTION.
THEY STILL WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT VISITS I'M USING THAT SERVICE, UH, ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, SAVING THE CITY MONEY AND OTHERS MONEY AS WELL.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE ISSUE OF UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD SPEEDS.
AND, UM, PROBABLY THE REASON THAT SOME OF THE NONPROFITS THAT WE'RE ON ARE INTERRUPTING OUR CONVENING.
UM, AND IT CONVENING WITH THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
WE'RE REALLY ASKING ABOUT HOW DO I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO GET WHAT I PAID FOR.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THE, THE FOCUS AROUND SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE ANALOGY PROVIDED ABOUT GETTING WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAYING FOR IS VERY PROFOUND BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY DEALING WITH EFFECTED POPULATIONS THAT HAVE LESS DIGITAL LITERACY, UH, AND THEREFORE CAN BE MUCH MORE EASILY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PLANS AND PROGRAMS. UH, SO I COULDN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO ELEVATE THAT.
AND AS YOU COULD TELL FROM OUR CONVENING ON FRIDAY, WE'RE COMMITTED AS A COMMISSION TO ELEVATING THIS DISCUSSION AND TO MAINTAINING THAT LEVEL OF ELEVATION UNTIL THERE'S IMPACTFUL CHANGE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, I COULD OPEN IT UP TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
TIRPITZ I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, KATHERINE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR JOINT VISITS.
THIS IS SOMEONE'S VOICE FROM THE PAST.
ONE IS WHAT DO YOU DEEM AS MEN MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE BROADBAND SERVICE? I KEEP HEARING THE NUMBER 25, THREE BEING TURNED AROUND.
DO YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE ADEQUATE IN TODAY'S, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DATA VOLUMES FOR DOWNLOADABLE FUNCTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS THAT WE USE, IS THAT A SUFFICIENT LEVEL, MINIMUM LEVEL, OR DO WE NEED SOMETHING WITH GREATER THAN THAT? WELL, IT DEPENDS, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT DECIDES WHAT WE CALL HIGH SPEED AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS GOING UP A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE INCHING UP, UM, BUT AT 25 BY THREE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS FAR AS WHAT AISD REQUIRES STUDENTS TO HAVE, UM, AND MANY FOLKS WILL SAY THAT, UM, MANY IN THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SPACE, WE'LL SAY A FIVE BY FIVE CONNECTION IS SUFFICIENT TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO, TO, FOR THREE KIDS TO BE ON ZOOM.
AND, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THESE TOOLS, LIKE THE ONE THAT WE'RE USING HAVE SPECIAL WAYS OF SENDING DATA SO THAT IT DOESN'T, UM, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, CLOG THE SYSTEM.
UM, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S ANOTHER ISSUE, UM, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH, AM I CONSUMER, OR AM I A PRODUCER? YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BUYING AND DOWNLOADING MOVIES ALL DAY, THEN THE 25 MEG DOWNLOAD CONNECTION IS GREAT.
IF YOU ARE MAKING MOVIES AND UPLOADING THINGS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE MAKING AND PRODUCING, THEN AT THREE MEG UPLOAD CONNECTION IS TERRIBLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS HEARKENS BACK TO THIS ISSUE THAT IN MANY COUNTRIES, YOU KNOW, IN MOST OF THE OECD COUNTRIES THAT, YOU KNOW, BROADBAND IS SOLD ONLY IN SYMMETRICAL, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTAINERS IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S NOT A, A LOWER DOWN UPLOAD SPEED THAN A DOWNLOAD SPEEDS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I, I, YOU KNOW, WHEN ALEXIS IS, IS, IS WORKING WITH RESIDENTS ON, UM, PRENATAL HEALTH, UM, IT'S NOT JUST IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE ABLE TO, TO DOWNLOAD INFORMATION IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY CAN UPLOAD INFORMATION AS WELL.
SO I, I THINK THAT, UM, IT CERTAINLY DEPENDS, BUT I WOULD ARGUE FOR A SYMMETRICAL UPLOAD DOWNLOADS AND, UM, EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, IF ALL HAS 25,
[01:00:01]
25 CONNECTION.UM, SO WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO THROUGH A DOOR, BUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE DOOR AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE'S ONLY ONE DOOR AND A HUNDRED PEOPLE CAN'T GET THROUGH THAT DOOR AT THE SAME TIME, THEN I'M GOING TO BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
SO THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS THAT, IS THERE SOME KIND OF A SPACE FOR A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM TO MANY BROADBAND ACCESS IS PERVASIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF STATE LIMITS AND REGULATIONS IN THE STATE HAS PUT A LOT OF LINUX.
SO IS THERE SOME GOING TO PUBLIC PRIVATE ARRANGEMENT THAT COULD CREATE WHERE BROADBAND ACCESS IS A GIVEN LIKE IN SINGAPORE, EVERYBODY GETS IT, IT'S WIRED INTO THE HOME BEFORE YOU WALK IN, IT'S THERE GUARANTEED.
SOME CITIES ARE ABLE TO MOVE MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TOO WITH OUR SMART CITY AMBASSADOR TEAM, UM, ALEXIS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS BROADBAND AND, AND, AND THEY FEEL STRONGLY THAT BROADBAND ARE SMART CITY AMBASSADORS WHO ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THESE TOPICS.
THEY FEEL STRONGLY THAT BROADBAND IS A UTILITY.
UM, AND SO, UM, SO WE'RE EXPLORING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
WE'RE EXPLORING A NUMBER OF, OF WAYS TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS CAN GET INTERNET, INCLUDING SOME PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE AS, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE GOOGLE FIBER, UM, IN, IN 10 OF OUR PROPERTIES NOW, UH, CONNECTING ABOUT 55% OF OUR SUBSIDIZED PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S BEEN LIFE CHANGING.
I MEAN, THEY ALMOST, YOU KNOW, FOLKS HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION TO ONLINE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING FROM HOME BECAUSE THEY HAVE HOME INTERNET FOLKS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THE CITY'S DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM.
UM, AUSTIN ENERGY'S DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FREE INTERNET CONNECTION, BUT THESE THINGS ARE FOR THE SOCIAL.
SO, UM, I'M SURE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS THAT BE CURIOUS TO HEAR WHICH ONES THE COMMISSION IS IS, IS VIEWING FAVORABLY RIGHT NOW, ALMOST LIKE A PACKAGE DEAL.
WELL, HEAD HAD PASSED A RULE IN 2018, WHICH WE WERE ACTIVE IN ADVOCATING FOR THAT REQUIRES ALL NEW DEVELOPMENT AND ANY REDEVELOPMENT TO, UM, TO HAVE, UH, UH, A HIGH SPEED CONNECTION.
AND THEY USE THE FCC DEFINITION OF HIGH-SPEED.
SO WHEN THE WALLS ARE OPEN, YOU HAVE TO PUT A, YOU HAVE TO PUT INTERNET SERVICE IN, UM, WE DO MULTIFAMILY, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS CAN PURCHASE BULK INTERNET AND IT JUST COUNTS FIDDLY.
UH, WE'RE WE'RE HUD DOES NOT SEE INTERNET AS A UTILITY.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE PROPERTIES, UH, WHERE RESIDENTS CAN PURCHASE, UM, AT A BULK RATE CABLE AND INTERNET WHEN THEY MOVE IN.
SO AT A VERY LOW RATE, UH, ACTUALLY TWO OF OUR SENIOR PROPERTIES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, FOR VERY LOW, LESS THAN 20 BUCKS ON CABLE AND, AND HIGH SPEED INTERNET SERVICE, UM, BUT THE, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY HOW IT SHOULD BE.
IT IS A PLATFORM AND, YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS BUILT ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S, OUR OLDEST PROPERTIES WERE BUILT IN THE LATE THIRTIES.
AND, UM, SOME OF THE, UM, THE INFOSET STRUCTURE ACCESS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE NOW, IT'S, IT'S ROOTED IN DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
UM, SO I'M ALL IN FAVOR WITH YOU, UH, OF ENSURING THAT A HOME HAS ENTERED EVERY HOME HAS INTERNET IN IT.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONED A SCOOP TO, UH, I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, BUT I DO WANT TO INTERJECT FOR A MOMENT AND SAY, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE FACT THAT, AND IN SERVICE OF YOUR RESIDENTS, THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SO MANY, UH, CONVERSATIONS AND, AND, UH, IDEATIONS AND, AND COLLABORATIONS FOR SOLUTIONS.
HAVING SAID THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR MISSION IS AND, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE, WE REALIZED THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE AND TO THEN BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU,
[01:05:01]
UH, AND OR TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN TRYING TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS, THE CRISES, IF YOU WILL.UH, SO I'M FAN AT TO SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE YOU UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'VE BECOME CLEARLY A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON THIS, AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE INSIGHTS AND RESEARCH FROM OTHER CITIES AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO THEN HELP TO SHED LIGHT ON HOW WE CAN BETTER PERFORM OUR ACTIVITIES HERE, UH, AND, AND THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. CRAIG OR FOR MS. HENDERSON? YEAH.
IF I HAD A QUESTION DURING YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU HAD SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE CONTRACTUAL NETWORK SPEEDS.
AND REALLY THIS IS A QUESTION FOR US IS THAT IF THIS WAS DOCUMENTED, IS THIS AN AREA WHERE TARA COULD HAVE SOME REGULATORY AUTHORITY, IF THE, IF IT WERE WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE NOT GETTING THE BANDWIDTH THAT THEY'VE PAID FOR CONTRACTUALLY, CAN TARA INTERVENE IN THIS CASE WITH CARRIERS? SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT IS LIKE THAT INTERNAL QUESTION.
UM, IT'S A QUESTION THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS WITH TARA STAFF, AND THAT WOULD BE BEST SUITED FOR THE WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION.
THAT'LL TAKE PLACE DURING OUR AGENDA, RIGHT? SO WE CAN BRING THIS UP DURING THE WORKING GROUP SESSION, BUT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THIS GROUP THAT IS DOING ALL OF THIS COLLECTIVE PURCHASING POWER AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF PREPARERS, UM, IF THEY COULD ALSO COME UP WITH SOME DOCUMENTATION THAT WE COULD PAY VIEWS.
SO WHILE WE'RE RESEARCHING THE AUTHORITY, THEY COULD BE ACTUALLY COMING UP WITH SOME ACTUAL, UM, DOCUMENTED INSTANCES OF CONTRACTUAL NONCOMPLIANCE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? CERTAINLY ONE OF OUR SMART CITY AMBASSADORS, UM, IS, UH, IS, IS, UM, KIMBERLYN WHO, WHO WHO'S WAS NOT ON THE CALL TODAY, BARTON RAYEZ AND, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY TALENTED, UH, PERSON WHO HAS RECENTLY, UH, WON A, AN AWARD FROM CASA FOR HER WORK, UH, ADVOCATING FOR KIDS.
AND, UM, SHE, SHE IS, UH, WORK.
SHE HAS WORKED WITH SEVERAL RESIDENTS AND DOCUMENT.
SHE WAS FEATURED IN A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE IN JULY ABOUT, UM, THE DIFFICULTIES THAT, UH, LOW INCOME PEOPLE HAVE, UH, GETTING AFFORDABLE, UH, LOW COST OFFERS.
UM, AND SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL SEND, UH, IF I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE RIGHT WAY IS TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU, IF MAYBE I SHOULD GET THAT TO JESSE, UM, FOR THE TEAM TO REVIEW, BUT WE CERTAINLY, UM, CAN, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION DEPARTMENT IS, IS COMMITTED TO HELPING, UH, DOCUMENT THOSE, THOSE RESIDENT, UH, STORIES AS WELL.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE SIMPLY JUST ISSUES LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, LANGUAGE THAT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, OR NOT SUPER CLEAR, UM, RELATED TO BILLING OR, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, UH, BILLING MISTAKES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, NEED TO BE RECTIFIED AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, YES, WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT, YES, MYSELF, CERTAINLY AS CHAIR OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION WORKING GROUP, AND THEN JESSE WOULD BE GREAT THAT RECIPIENTS OF THAT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CATHERINE
WELL, I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION AND THAT WAS, YOU HAVE THIS PROGRAM WITH YOUR GROUP OF
AND WAS, THIS SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS A KIND OF A PROCESS TO TRY AND CHAIN CHARACTERS INTO, UH, PROVIDING CORRECT SERVICE.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WELL THAT WORKED OUT WELL, WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.
UM, SO WE HELD THE FIRST TWO CONVENINGS THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST.
WE'LL HOLD SOME ADDITIONAL CONVENINGS TO BENEFITS, NONPROFIT PARTNERS WHO HAVE
[01:10:01]
AN URGENT, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF NEED OR A DEADLINE TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON INTERNET SERVICE.UM, SO WE'LL BE HERE, UH, CONDUCTING SOME CASE STUDY REVIEWS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND REALLY NOW THE DIGITAL INCLUSION DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY, UM, IS, IS, IS REALLY GOING TO EXPAND THIS GROUP.
UM, AND, UM, AND, AND WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THEM AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WE'LL HOLD A DIGITAL EQUITY SCORECARD WORKSHOP AT THE SUGGESTION OF A COUPLE OF THE NONPROFITS ON THE CALL AND THEN, UM, EXPLORE COLLECTIVE BUYING OPTIONS IN MID NOVEMBER.
UM, REACH OUT TO A COUPLE OF OTHER CITIES WHO'VE ON SETUP YOU TO BASICALLY, UH, INTERNET SERVICE ASSISTANCE FUNDS THAT ACT LIKE UTILITY ASSISTANCE FUNDS.
UH, KANSAS CITY HAS DONE THIS AND THEN A COUPLE OF CITIES ON THE EAST COAST.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL INVITE THEM TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT THEIR APPROACHES, UH, TO COLLECTIVE BUYING OR TO, UM, PROVIDING ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, BRAINSTORM AS A GROUP AND, AND SEE WHAT BUBBLES UP.
LET'S KEEP YOU, PLEASE DO, PLEASE DO.
I KNOW THAT, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, THE DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION OFFICE MEANS THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY BE INVOLVED AS WELL.
UH, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT WITH, FROM THE WORKING GROUP SESSION AND THEN FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, UH, AS TIME CONTINUES AND MANY THANKS TO THE DIGITAL INCLUSION OFFICE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PLATFORM, UH, ESTABLISHED YEARS AGO, AND THE FACT THAT OUR CITY HAS A DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN HAS KIND OF CATAPULTED US IN MANY WAYS TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, TO SUCCESS OTHER SUCCESSFUL VENTURES.
SO IT REALLY TAKES A VILLAGE AND THE DATES.
IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. CREGO OKAY WITH THAT? THANK YOU SO MUCH, CATHERINE.
THAT IS CRAIG FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT FRIEND AND A COMMUNITY PARTNER REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA.
UH, AND WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER A TWO C CERTAINLY ONE INVITES YOU TO STICK AROUND AND JOIN THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS WILL BE A PRESENTATION ON ACHIEVING DIGITAL EQUITY IN AUSTIN AND TEXAS BY MICHAEL WARD JR.
UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE AUSTIN URBAN TECHNOLOGY MOVEMENT.
HOW YOU DOING MICHAEL? DOING WELL, DOING WELL.
HEY, JESSE, CAN YOU GIVE ME PERMISSION TO SHARE MY SCREEN, PLEASE? I, UH, HOLD ON FOR A MOMENT, WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH GRANTING PERMISSIONS FOR MACHINE SCREEN-SHARING EARLIER.
UM, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OR WOULD IT HELP IF YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO ME REAL QUICK? OKAY.
I HAVE THE EMAIL, UH, STANDBY.
[01:15:02]
WELL, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A QUICK BATHROOM BREAK OR DRINK SOME WATER, NO, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT REAL QUICK.UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, BUT I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT.
YEAH, WE'RE TRYING TO OPEN UP THE SLIDES ON THIS END.
UM, YEAH, IN THE FUTURE, IF WE GET ANYTHING AHEAD OF THE MEETING, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED, BUT, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THIS UP.
UH, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE ASKED HER THAT, UH, IS FOR ALL THE PRESENTERS SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY HAVE A CHANCE TO EVALUATE THE CONTENT AND THEN HAVE INFORMED QUESTIONS, UH, AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO COME UP WITH THOSE RIGHT THERE ON THE FLY.
AND THIS OF COURSE ALSO HELPS WITH THE PROCESS HERE, APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
WE'RE HAVING TO TRANSFER THIS TO THE IT STATION.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT ICE STATE, THAT STATION IS LOCKING UP A LITTLE BIT.
IT TAKES, AND IF YOU'RE LISTENING, CAN YOU PLEASE PUT THIS IN RECESS? UH, MR. WARD, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, WE COULD GO AHEAD AND RESUME OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING HERE AFTER THAT BRIEF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY, UH,
[2c. Presentation on achieving digital equity in Austin and Texas (Michael Ward Jr., Austin Urban Technology Movement)]
MR. WARD IS READY TO PROCEED WITHOUT, UH, THE PRESENTATION HE'S READING ALONG.UH, IS THAT OK? UH, THAT, THAT'S FINE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION AVAILABLE NOW, IF WE WOULD LIKE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO SHARE IT.
IF YOU CAN, UH, GO RIGHT AHEAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL BE SHARING THE SCREEN MOMENTARILY.
SO YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE STILL HAVING CHALLENGES.
SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO PROCEED, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST.
SO MICHAEL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, WORK BROADCASTS THERE FOR THOSE FEW MINUTES, IF YOU COULD PLEASE START OVER AGAIN.
SO I'M INTRODUCING A PRESIDENT AND CEO, MICHAEL WARD JR.
OF THE AUSTIN URBAN TECHNOLOGY MOVEMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAEL, AND FOR SURE, THANKS FOR PITS.
UM, AS TIRPITZ SAID, MY NAME IS MICHAEL WOOD JR.
AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AUSTIN, URBAN TECHNOLOGY MOVEMENTS, AND ALSO KNOWN AS AUTUMN AND AUTUMN CONNECTS TO BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES WITH THE TECH INDUSTRY.
SO TODAY I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT ACHIEVING DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TIME THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH FOCUS AROUND SOCIAL DISTANCING, VIRTUAL LEARNING, AND VIRTUAL WORKING.
SO THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO ADJUST IS THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S LACK OF DIVERSITY WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE U S POPULATION BREAKDOWN, THE CHANGE AGENDA AND ETHNICITY, IT BREAKS DOWN AND SHOWS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER TECH COMPANIES, THEY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AS FAR AS ACTUALLY MEETING JUST WHERE WE ARE FROM A U S POPULATION STANDPOINT.
UM, SO ON THE SCREEN HERE, WHICH ARE HOPEFULLY TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, LATER ON, BUT IS LOOKING AT THE HISPANIC AND BLACK, UM, BREAKDOWN IS 18% OF THE U S POPULATION.
AND THIS IS DATA POINTS IN 2017.
SO IT IS A LITTLE OUTDATED, UH, BUT FROM 2017, HISPANICS WERE REPRESENTING AT 18% AND BLACKS WERE REPRESENTED AT 13%.
WHEN WE LOOK AT COMPANIES AS SUCH AS AMAZON DOE UBER, APPLE GROUPON VENDOR, MADORA MAJORITY OF THESE TECH COMPANIES DON'T EVEN HAVE DOUBLE DIGITS REPRESENTATION WITH INSIDE THEIR COMPANIES.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE HISPANIC AND BLACK COMMUNITY, UM, SOME OF THESE COMPANIES LOOKING AT FACEBOOK, LOOKING AT LINKEDIN, THEY HAVE SIX.
[01:20:01]
HISPANIC AND 3% BLACK, EVEN THOUGH THE OVERALL US POPULATION OF THOSE GROUPS ARE IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS.UM, SO JUST LOOKING AT THE POPULATION, LOOKING AT THE REPRESENTATION, THERE IS A LACK OF DIVERSITY WITHIN THIS SPACE FAST FORWARD.
AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S STILL WAGE EQUITY ISSUES THAT THINGS WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE, WHITE MEN REMAIN AT THE TOP TODAY.
MANY WORKERS ARE SEPARATED INTO VARIOUS JOBS, WHICH ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERPAID BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER OR THEIR RACE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WAGE EQUITY, UM, BLACK WOMEN ARE MAKING 79 CENTS TO THE DOLLAR I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW IS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 62%.
UM, DON'T QUOTE VANDALS DOLL ON THE EXACT PERCENTAGE.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW WE KNOW IS NOWHERE NEAR THE DOLLAR FOR, TOWARDS WHITE MEN.
WHEN WE LOOK AT LATIN WOMEN, THAT'S AT 83%.
WHEN WE LOOK AT BLACK MEN, 88 CENTS, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT HISPANIC MEN, 92 CENTS.
SO OVERALL, WHETHER YOU ARE, UM, WHETHER YOU'RE MALE OR FEMALE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL WAGE EQUITY, UM, THOSE GROUPS WITHIN THE GLOBAL MAJORITY ARE MAKING LESS THAN THEIR WHITE MALE COUNTERPARTS.
LET WE LOOK AT THE TEXAS POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS FROM 2000, 2010 TO 2017, THE WHITE MAJORITY IS NO LONGER THE STANDARD.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING AS A, AS A SOCIETY, AS A STATE TOWARDS A MAJORITY THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY NONWHITE.
UM, SO IF WE'RE MOVING IN A DIRECTION WHERE MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION, MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT IN WHITE, HOWEVER, THEY ARE STILL MAKING LESS THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
THEY ARE LESLEY, THERE ARE LESS REPRESENTED INSIDE THE TECH SPACE.
WE ARE SETTING UP OUR SOCIETY TO FAIL.
WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT PRODUCING THE FOUND WORK AND FRAMEWORK THAT I NEEDED FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WHEN WE COMBINE THAT WITH THE ASPECT OF BROADBAND, UM, CAPTAIN CRAIG DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING IT EARLIER, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OKAY, WHAT, WHERE ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE INDIVIDUALS HAVING AT LEAST A HUNDRED AND HUNDRED UP ON THAT SIDE, A HUNDRED DOWN AND 10 UP.
AND THE REASON WHY I SAY A HUNDRED IS BECAUSE AT MY HOUSE, I USE A HUNDRED, I'VE BEEN ON 50, AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO USE TWO COMPUTERS, UH, MIND YOU, I'M DEFINITELY DOING MORE, MORE RUNNING, MORE APPS AND MORE CONNECTIVITY THAN OTHERS INDIVIDUALS ARE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MORE COMPUTERS YOU HAVE TO THE NETWORK, IT'S GOING TO LIMIT YOUR CONNECTIVITY.
AND WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, LESS THAN 88, LESS THAN 89% OF THE INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR QUALITY SERVICE AND QUALITY BROADBAND IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE NOW MORE AND MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE HOME, MORE AND MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE USING BROADBAND.
SO ALL THE DATA POINTS THAT WE HAD BEFORE, 2020 WE'RE ACTING AS IF WE WERE, YOU KNOW, AS NORMAL, BUT NOW WITH 2020 AND WITH COVID-19, THERE IS AN INCREASE OF INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY STAYING AT HOME, BEING ONLINE.
SO THEREFORE BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY AND QUALITY CONNECTIVITY IS A HUGE ISSUE.
SO WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTERS? WELL, ALL OF THIS MATTERS BECAUSE HERE IN AUSTIN, THE TOP 10 JOBS ARE WITH INSIDE THE STEM RELATED INDUSTRIES.
UM, WHETHER THAT'S SCIENCE, WHETHER THAT'S ENGINEERING, WHETHER THAT'S, WHETHER THAT'S TECH INDUSTRY AND EVEN MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THAT MATTER, WHICH ALL CAN BE DONE WITH LIKE THE TECH SPACE.
UM, SO A LOT OF TIMES INDIVIDUALS BELIEVE THAT A, A JOB WITHIN INSIDE THE TECH SPACE HALF HAS TO BE TECHNICAL.
THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE.
UM, THEIR SALE THERE'S MANAGEMENT IS MARKETING, THERE'S FINANCE, ALL THE JOBS CAN ALSO BE WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE, IN ADDITION TO THE TECHNICAL ROLES.
SO JUST HERE IN AUSTIN, MAJORITY OF THE TOP 10 JOBS CAN EITHER BE DONE WITHIN INSIDE THE TECH SPACE, OR THEY'RE VERY TECHNICAL DONE LEADING THEM TO WORK WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TOP 25 SKILLS AND DEMAND FOR AUSTIN AND MIND YOU, I'M USING AUSTIN AS AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE GROWING TO, TO BE A TECH HUB, WHERE WE WERE LOOKING TO PUSH TO BE A TECH HUB.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DON'T HAVE, WE ARE NOT DOING THE NECESSARY STEPS IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS, UM, THE DEMAND THAT'S NEEDED.
UM, BECAUSE HERE IN AUSTIN, THE TOP 25 SKILLS IN DEMAND, MAJORITY OF THEM ARE IN TECHNOLOGY.
UM, SO IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SALES AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE TOP THREE WITH THE MOST OPENINGS, CLOSE TO (660) 500-6650 700, AS FAR AS THE JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SALES BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I GOT MY START INSIDE THE TECH INDUSTRY.
HOWEVER, OVER TIME I BECAME TECHNICAL BY SELLING A TECHNICAL PRODUCT.
SO CUSTOMER SURVEY SALES AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, THESE ARE ALL JOBS THAT THE TECH INDUSTRY ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO HIRE, BUT OUTSIDE OF THOSE JOBS, THE OTHER SEVEN OTHER 23 JOBS WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE ARE ALL TECHNICAL.
WE HAVE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE SQL, WE HAVE JAVA, WE HAVE PYTHON, WE HAVE SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, WE HAVE JAVASCRIPT, WE HAVE LINUX.
[01:25:01]
SO IN AUSTIN ALONE, YOU KNOW, MAJORITY OF THOSE OPENINGS ARE WITH INSIDE THE TECH SPACE.MAJORITY OF THE TOP 25 SKILLS ARE ALL TECHNICAL, BUT YET IT'S WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR INSTITUTIONS, UT H T ACC AND SAINT EDWARDS, THEY ARE PRODUCING LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF THE ACTUAL TALENT THAT IS NEEDED FOR HOW MANY JOBS THAT ARE INSIDE AUSTIN.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TESLA COMING HERE AT BELIEVED, THEY'RE BRINGING ABOUT 150,000 JOBS.
IF MY NUMBER IS CORRECT, WE DON'T HAVE THE TALENT TO ACTUALLY MEET THAT.
WE HAVE TO DEVELOP AND CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND STOP THINKING AS IF EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ARE STANDALONE.
THEY DON'T CONNECT WHEN YOU DO A BETTER JOB EDUCATING OUR YOUTH COMING IN, BUT THEN WE ALSO NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB RESCALING.
THOSE THAT ARE EITHER NOT INSIDE THE TECH INDUSTRY OR THAT ARE COMING BACK TO REENTRY INTO THE WORKFORCE IN ANY CAPACITY WE NEED TO BE RETHINKING.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON TO PREPARE OUR FUTURE GENERATION AND TO FILL JOBS THAT ARE COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE? WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TOP 10 TECH JOBS THAT ARE IN A WAGES THAT ARE WITH INSIDE THE AUSTIN, THERE IS ONLY ONE JOB INSIDE THE TECH INDUSTRY THAT THEIR INDIVIDUALS ARE MAKING LESS THAN $50,000.
AND THAT'S INSIDE COMPUTER USER SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
WHEN WE LOOK AS SOFTWARE ENGINEERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WEB DEVELOPERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DATABASE ADMINISTRATION, ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE MAKING MORE THAN 75,000 IN SALARY.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN I HEAR INDIVIDUALS TALK ABOUT HOW CAN WE ELIMINATE POVERTY? HOW CAN WE MOVE PEOPLE? UM, YOU KNOW, UM, HOW CAN WE MOVE PEOPLE UP WITHIN OUR SOCIETY? HOW CAN WE ACCOMPLISH AUSTIN'S MASTER WORKFORCE PLAN, WHERE THEY WANT TO MOVE 10,000 INDIVIDUALS OUT OF POVERTY? MY RESPONSES LET'S TRY AND DEVELOP THEM INSIGHTS TECHNOLOGY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEEDS WE HAVE IN OUR SOCIETY.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE USING TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY AND, OR WORKING IN TECHNOLOGY.
VERY SIMPLE BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT AN INDUSTRY BY ITSELF, BUT TECHNOLOGY IS AN INDUSTRY THAT IS TOUCHING EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY.
UM, SO WHEN WE'RE THROUGH OUR WORK, IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE OUR, WHERE OUR FOCUS IS, IS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH A PATHWAY FORWARD.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO LOOK BACK.
AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK BEING DONE, BUT WE'RE NOT WORKING AS, AS COHESIVE AS WE CAN'T RUN, NOT AMPLIFYING EACH OTHER'S WORK.
WE'RE NOT LEVERAGING RESOURCES.
INSTEAD, WE'RE FIGHTING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDS WE'RE FIGHTING FOR THE SAME STUDENTS, OR WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE OFFERING AS A ONE SOLUTION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT IS IT THAT AUTUMN IS ACTUALLY DOING? UM, SO FROM AN AUDIT PERSPECTIVE, AS I SAID EARLIER, OUR MISSION IS TO CONNECT THE BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY WITH THE TECH INDUSTRY.
AND OUR VISION IS TO INCREASE THE REPRESENTATION OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY INSIDE THAT SPACE WHILE ALSO LEADING DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION PRACTICES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? IT'S VERY SIMPLE.
WE WORK WITH K THROUGH ADULTHOOD, THAT'S IT K THROUGH ADULTS, WHEREVER YOU FALL INTO AUTUMN, THAT'S IT.
THAT'S, WHAT'S GOING TO DICTATE HOW WE WORK WITH YOU.
SO IF YOU DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, FINE, WE'RE GOING TO EXPOSE YOU TO THE INDUSTRY.
WE HAVE AUTUMN HORIZONS IS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS OR ADULTS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER BLACK AND HISPANIC TYPE PROFESSIONALS.
NOW THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR WHAT THEIR JOURNEY WAS LIKE.
THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ME ABOUT HOW I'VE GOT, HOW I WENT TO SCHOOL FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE AND GLOBAL STUDIES GOT RECRUITED FROM AN IT FIRM, GOT RECRUITED BY AN ORACLE RECRUITER, MY LAST SEMESTER IN COLLEGE.
AND THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE.
I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY FROM THE WAY I'M THINKING ABOUT IT.
I KNEW ABOUT, I KNEW ABOUT THE GAME BOY, AND I KNEW ABOUT SMARTPHONES, BUT I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS.
UM, SO OUR AUTUMN HORIZON PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SEE THEMSELVES INSIDE THE INDUSTRY, BECAUSE I NEVER SAW A BLACK TECH PROFESSIONAL GROWING UP LIKE THAT.
THAT IS NOT AT ALL WHAT I SAW, BUT I GREW UP WELL, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY WAS NOT WEALTHY.
I, I DEFINITELY WAS NOT LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.
AND, AND I WAS LIVING A LIFE THAT WAS ON A NEEDS BASED ON WHAT I NEEDED AND NOT WHAT I WANTED.
UM, BUT AS I THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I THINK ABOUT WHAT I LEARNED, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE.
UM, SO AUTUMN HORIZONS PROVIDE THAT PATHWAY FORWARD.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR AUTUMN DAYNA LIFE.
SO INSTEAD OF BRINGING PROFESSIONALS TO STUDENTS OR ADULTS, WE'RE BRINGING STUDENTS AND ADULTS TO THESE COMPANIES, HEY, LET'S SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK AT ORACLE.
LET'S SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK AT GOOGLE MIND.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL EXPLORING HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT VIRTUALLY.
BUT THIS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GET A SNEAK PEEK ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK THERE, TO ACTUALLY HAVE A LUNCH AND LEARN, TALK WITH LEADERSHIP, TALK WITH EMPLOYEES AND SEE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVEN ONCE YOU PURSUE, BEFORE YOU GO DOWN A WHOLE TRACK AND STARTED LEARNING AND GETTING EDUCATED, AT LEAST JUST GET EXPOSED TO IT AND SEE WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR YOU IN THE MIDDLE.
WE HAVE OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IF YOU HAVE THE SKILL SETS, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, IF YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE SKILLS PERFECT.
WE HAVE OUR JOB BOARD ON OUR JOB BOARD.
WE SHOW DIFFERENT DIFFERENT POSITIONS ACROSS
[01:30:01]
VARIOUS TECH COMPANIES.BECAUSE THE NUMBER ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT A LOT OF THE BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE RESOURCES.
THEY JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO AUTO MAKES IT VERY EASY BY HAVING A JOB BOARD DEDICATED FOR THE BLACKNESS SPANISH COMMUNITY TO GO AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT LET'S SAY YOU DON'T HAVE THIS SKILLS.
LET'S SAY YOU NEED TO BE TRAINED.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE INTERNSHIPS.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BOOTCAMPS.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE APPRENTICESHIPS.
SO WHEREVER YOU FALL WITHIN SIGHT AUTUMN'S COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THIS SKILL SETS YOU NEED THAT FITS YOUR SCHEDULE.
THAT FITS YOUR PARAMETERS BECAUSE SOME INDIVIDUALS CAN'T TRAIN, YOU KNOW, 24 HOURS OR EXTEND CAN'T TRAIN NINE TO FIVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES.
SOME INDIVIDUALS NEED NINE CLASSES.
SOME INDIVIDUALS NEEDS PART TIME.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT A ONE SIZE FIT ALL.
AND THAT'S WHERE AUTUMN COMES INTO PLAY TO CURE, RATE OUR PROGRAMMING FOR THE END USER TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE OUR EVENTS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR BREAD AND BUTTER.
WE STARTED HOSTING A LOT OF EVENTS BECAUSE LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES WAS A LACK OF EXPOSURE WITH A LACK OF ACCESS TO, TO THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND TO THESE RESOURCES.
SO OUR CURATED EVENTS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACKS AND HISPANICS THAT ARE EITHER, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, WELL-EXPERIENCED AT THE TECH SPACE, MAYBE JUST STARTED OR LOOKING TO GET INTO IT, BUT NOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO HEAR TECHNOLOGY TRENDS.
THEY'RE ABLE TO HEAR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, TRANS, AND GET IMMERSED INSIDE THE TECH INDUSTRY.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE GETTING CERTIFICATIONS, DON'T FINISH OR DON'T GRADUATE OR LEAVE THE INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THEY GET IN, BECAUSE THERE'S NO SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY'RE NOT INSPIRED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OF TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR THEM.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE HAVE OTHER INDIVIDUALS AROUND THEM THAT LOOK LIKE THEM.
THAT EITHER JUST STARTED ON THE SAME TRACK WITH THEM, OR MAYBE THEY'RE MILES AHEAD.
AND NOW THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THAT SOCIAL EXCHANGE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR RETHINK AUSTIN EVENT.
UM, SO WE'RE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
WE DO AN ANNUAL EVENT CALLED RETHINK AUSTIN AND RETHINK AUSTIN IS RETHINKING THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CITY.
UM, IT'S VERY SIMPLE BECAUSE WE CONTINUE AS WE ARE.
WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO DIVIDE OURSELVES BETWEEN THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS BETWEEN THE EDUCATED UNEDUCATED BETWEEN THE EXPERIENCE UNEXPERIENCED AND IT'S LIKE TIMEOUT.
UM, I, I'M GOING TO BE HERE IN AUSTIN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, THIS IS NOT THE SOCIETY THAT I WANT US TO LIVE IN AND BASED ON THEIR CURRENT PRACTICES RIGHT NOW, THIS IS WHAT ACTUALLY CREATED THE PROBLEMS. SO WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THINGS.
WE NEED TO CREATE A PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU ARE AS FAR AS AGE.
IF YOU ARE IN K THROUGH 12, WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO FOCUS ON EXPOSURE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE SKILL SETS, TEACH YOU DIGITAL SKILLS.
SO WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO WORK INSIDE THE WORKFORCE, YOU HAVE THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
AND MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T WORK FOR A TECH COMPANY.
MAYBE YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR OWN TECH COMPANY.
MAYBE YOU WANT TO BUILD PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, BUT WE CAN'T EVEN START TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AROUND INNOVATION AND REAL AND REAL SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE ISSUES.
WE STILL HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.
WE STILL HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE DEVICES.
SO WE CAN EVEN START TO GET TO LEVEL 10 OR LEVEL 20, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL ON LEVEL ONE AND WE NEED, WE NEED TO MAKE UP GROUND AND WORK BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY MOVING FORWARD.
I MEAN, COVID-19 HAS SHOWED THAT RIGHT NOW, MAJORITY OF THE RESOURCES ARE ONLINE, BUT SOME OF OUR POPULATIONS AREN'T ONLINE.
SO I BROUGHT THIS QUESTION UP ONE TIME.
AND IF WE WERE TO GO TO WAR TODAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE IN OUR POPULATION WOULD ACTUALLY NOT KNOW WE'RE ACTUALLY AT WAR? SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE RADIOS.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE INTERNET.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE SMARTPHONES.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE POPULATION? IF IT WAS A NATURAL DISASTER, IF REALLY ON THE BRINK OF WAR, W WHAT DID WE DO? SO NOW NOT HAVING INTERNET ACCESS, NOT HAVING DIGITAL SKILLS IS NOW BECOMING A SAFETY HAZARD AS BECOMING AN ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH AUTUMN? I MEAN, YOU COULD GO ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS AUTM TX AT, OR, I MEAN, YOU COULD ALSO DOWNLOAD OUR AUTUMN LEARN APPLICATION, WHICH IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
OUR AUTUMN LEARN APPLICATION HAS FREE RESOURCES AROUND TECHNOLOGY.
SO IF YOU HAVE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT YOU WANT TO, YOU KIND OF PIQUED YOUR INTEREST, GO TO OUR WEBSITE, CLICK ON OUR EXPOSURE TAB ON THE BOTTOM, AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE, SEE EXACTLY WHAT THOSE, UM, WHAT THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES LOOK LIKE.
WE HAVE RUBBED DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE CYBER SECURITY.
WE HAVE TO START THERE TO THEN MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY, YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP FOR A NEWSLETTER ON OUR WEBSITE AND WHERE ALL OF OUR PROMOTING THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, THE EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING ON.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ANOTHER ISSUE OF EXPOSURE, THEY, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
SO WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SHOWING INDIVIDUALS ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPLEXITIES OF THE TECH INDUSTRY, BECAUSE THE TECH INDUSTRY
[01:35:01]
IS SO BROAD.EVERYONE'S NOT GOING TO BE IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING.
EVERYONE'S NOT GOING TO WANT TO BE, IS IT GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON COMPUTER SCIENCE, CODING? IN SOME DEGREE, WE WANT TO EXPOSE PEOPLE TO THE INDUSTRY AND ACTUALLY CREATE MULTIPLE PATHWAYS INSIDE THIS SPACE, BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY GOING TO GET MORE ADVANCED BESIDES TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AI, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FINTECH, WHICH IS FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH TECH, WHICH HAS HELPED TECHNOLOGY.
LIKE WE HAVEN'T EVEN REALLY FOCUSED AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND POLITICS.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN REALLY FOCUSED AROUND TECHNOLOGY AROUND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
WE JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE.
ONCE WE, I ACTUALLY OPEN UP THEIR DOORS AND TEACH PEOPLE.
THESE SKILLSETS, NEW INNOVATION IS GOING TO COME NATURALLY BASED OFF THEIR EXPERIENCES BASED OFF THEIR BACKGROUND.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO TAP INTO.
BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS SKILL SETS SO THEY COULD BE SELF SUSTAINING.
SO WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING? I MENTIONED GENDER APPLICATION.
I MENTIONED OUR PROGRAMS. I MENTIONED OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COHORTS.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19.
WE LAUNCHED OUR TEXAS TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL PETITION.
WE WANT TO ELIMINATE INDIVIDUAL.
WE WANT TO ELIMINATE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE BY PROVIDING INTERNET ACCESS, TECHNOLOGY DEVICES, AND UPSKILLING OPPORTUNITIES AND TECHNOLOGY.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE LOW INCOME UNDER SEPARATE UNDERREPRESENTED.
A HUGE POPULATION OF THOSE ARE BLACKS AND HISPANICS, BUT THOSE ARE ALSO RURAL COMMUNITIES.
THOSE THAT ARE ELDERLY, THOSE THAT ARE WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE THAT ARE REENTRY.
SO THIS IS A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE THIS ISSUE IS NOT JUST IMPACTING, YOU KNOW, A SMALL PERCENTAGE.
THIS IS IMPACTING A HUGE POPULATION WITHIN, WITHIN TEXAS FOR THAT MATTER.
BUT IF I TAKE IT OUT OF AUSTIN, WHERE NOW ONE OUT OF THREE HOUSEHOLDS DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, 4.3 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN POVERTY.
I'M INDIFFERENT, REALLY LOOKING TO MOVE PEOPLE FORWARD.
THIS PETITION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY, PROVIDING DIGITAL SKILLS, GIVING THEM ACCESS TO DEVICES WILL ONLY BE A BENEFIT TO THE ECONOMY BECAUSE NOW THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL NOT BE, BE DEPENDENT ON WELFARE WOULD NOT BE DEPENDENT ON FEDERAL GRANTS OR ASSISTANCE, BUT THEY COULD ACTUALLY DO GENERATE THEIR OWN INCOME, WHICH THEY NOW THEY WILL FEED BACK INTO THE ECONOMY, WHICH THEN ALLOWS OUR ECONOMY TO GROW AND EXPAND.
UM, SO, SO AS I SEE THIS, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY PUSH THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD SO WE CAN CREATE LONGTERM CHANGE.
THE RESOURCES OR NOT AT RESOURCES.
A LOT OF THE INITIATIVES THAT I SEE OR SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, THEREFORE SHORT TERM, UM, THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY CREATING A PROCESS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE FUNDING OR ERIN OR PUTTING MONEY TOWARDS THIS BUCKET, BUT BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY SWITCH OUR GEARS.
AND ONCE WE ACCOMPLISH THIS TO FOCUS ON FOOD INSECURE, SO FOCUS ON HEALTH INSECURITIES TO FOCUS ON OTHER ISSUES, BUT WE HAVE TO FIRST ALLOW PEOPLE TO BECOME SELF SUSTAINING.
AND ONE WAY WE COULD DO THAT IS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I INVITE YOU ALL TO HELP US ACHIEVE DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION INSIDE THIS SPACE.
I'M LIKE I SAID EARLIER, YOU COULD GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS AUTM T X.ORG.
YOU PUT AN AUTUMN ON, YOU PUT AN AUTUMN, AUSTIN YOU'LL FIND US.
I MEAN, WHEREVER ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE HAVE PLENTY OF VIDEOS AND CONTENT OUT THERE.
AND, BUT OVERALL, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO DO THIS FOR THEIR SHORT TERM.
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS UNTIL WE ELIMINATE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT JOBS THAT ARE OUT THERE TONIGHT AT TECH SPACE THAT ARE JUST WAITING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SKILL SETS, WITH THE EXPERIENCE TO FILL THEM, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE, BUT TO GET THERE TO BEGIN WITH.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION, MICHAEL.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN A PARTNER IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE, UH, AWARDED
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING, UH, AS A MATTER OF CONTEXT.
AND, AND THEN, UH, REALLY JUST SPEAKING TO THE ONGOING OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION, UH, WHAT, WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IS EFFECTIVELY A CAPACITY CHALLENGE, UH, THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BASED UPON ITS ONGOING CHALLENGES WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, UH, AND YET PERSISTENT GROWTH.
AND, UH, AND THE BOOM THAT'S TAKING PLACE HERE IS FACING AN INCREASING CAPACITY CHALLENGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE ROLES THAT ARE IN A BEST PAYING AND, AND, UH, REWARDING IN THE TECH SPACE.
AND WE, AT THE SAME TIME, OF COURSE, ARE TRYING TO, TO MANAGE THE DIVIDE
[01:40:01]
CHALLENGES OF ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, TO DEVICES AND VISUAL LITERACY AS A WHOLE, AND IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19, WHICH MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE URGENT AND IMPORTANT TO DO THINGS THAT WOULD PROVIDE STOP GAPS AND HELP TO ADDRESS SHORT TERM CRISIS A CRISIS.IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THOUGH, AS YOU SUGGESTED THAT IT'S BOTH IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THE SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS THAT THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND LONGTERM STRATEGY AND PLANNING AND COLLABORATION, UH, TH I WOULD DEFINITELY BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T CONSIDER OUR ONGOING EFFORTS, UH, WITH THE DIGITAL INCLUSION OFFICE AND THE COMMISSION, UH, WITH G TOPS AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, TO SPEAK TO THAT ONGOING LONGTERM EFFORT, UH, THAT INCLUDES GETTING THE G TOPS GRANT DOUBLED WITHIN THE PAST FEW YEARS, UH, THAT INCLUDED YOUR MOST RECENT APPLICATIONS AND BEING ABLE TO SERVE MORE, UH, PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE AUTUMN.
UH, SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO SAY THAT THE COMMISSION IS A DEDICATED PARTNER IN THAT, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO REMAINING A PARTNER IN THAT SPACE, UH, AND REALLY FINDING A WAY TO ADVANCE THE CONVERSATION AND TO KEEP THINGS GOING AT A LEVEL WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPACTING CHANGE THROUGH THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT CATHERINE MENTIONED.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE DIGITAL EQUITY SCORECARDING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE RECENTLY DISCUSSED AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL WAYS TO LEVERAGE THE SAME TYPE OF, UH, METHODOLOGY TO SCORECARD, UH, CARRIERS, UH, TO, UH, SCORECARD, UH, OUR MUNICIPALITY FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, UH, RIGHT WITH EQUITABLE INFRASTRUCTURE BEING THE GOAL.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, AND IF I COULD OPEN IT UP TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, UH, FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR MR. WARD THAT BE BUTTON CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY TO FIND, BUT, UH, ONCE YOU PRESS YOUR, YOUR BUTTON, THEN THE RED ONE POPS UP AND YOU CAN PRESS IT TO GREEN IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
SO, UM, THE DETOX AWARDS FOR YOUR GROUP, UH, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING, UH, FUNDING? CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE SYNOPSIS OF WHAT THE DETOX FUNDING WAS FOR CAPACITY? IT ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE WITH OUR PARTITION, ALLOWED US TO BE ABLE TO DONATE 140 COMPUTERS.
UM, THUS FAR SINCE THE LAUNCH OF OUR, UH, PETITION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 150 INDIVIDUALS ON OUR ONLINE APPLICATION.
WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COHORTS DOING, GOING THROUGH SOFTWARE TESTING, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, AND WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S GOING THROUGH CYBERSECURITY.
UH, SO THE
THAT SCOOP THAT I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABOUT THIS TO ASK QUESTION, MR. DASGUPTA.
UM, THIS WAS A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION, UH, REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING TO YOU.
YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, TRAINING PEOPLE IN IT IS A TECHNOLOGY IS MORE THAN JUST GETTING A JOB IN IT OR TECHNOLOGY.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE CHOOSING TO BE ALMOST AS SLICK WITH THE USE OF THAT TOOL AS THE ONE WHO'S DEVELOPING IT.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A WORLD OUT THERE THAT IS AVAILABLE ONCE YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW TO, HOW TO USE, HOW TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS, HOW ONE POINT YOU SAID, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU IS THAT THE NUMBER OF MENTORS AVAILABLE IN THE TECH INDUSTRY IS LESS THAN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU'D LIKE TO EMPOWER AND TRAIN SO THAT THEY CAN BE PART OF THE PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE TAPESTRY OF TOPOLOGY.
WILL YOU FIND THAT CHALLENGE? WHAT, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY OF COURSE, LIKE YOU SAID, ALIGNING A HISPANIC GENTLEMAN WHO'S SUCCESSFUL IN THAT INDUSTRY TO BE MENTORING SOMEBODY WHO'S ALSO HISPANIC IS, YOU KNOW, IS THE IDEAL SOLUTION, BUT SHORT OF THAT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER EXTENDING THE HORIZON WHERE YOU SAY, IF I CAN FIND A PERSON OF COLOR, I WILL ASSIGN HIM TO MENTOR ANOTHER PERSON OF COLOR, NO MATTER WHETHER IT'S A HISPANIC MENTORING AND AFRICAN AMERICAN OR AN INDIAN AMERICAN, OR AN ASIAN AMERICAN MENTORING AND OTHER
[01:45:01]
HISPANIC, DOES IT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE, IS, IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE TO EXPANDING THE POOL OF RESOURCES? YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE IN THE AREA OF MENTORING.SO THE FIRST IS OUR AUTUMN HORIZONS AREN'T MENTORS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST GUEST SPEAKERS.
SO GUEST SPEAKERS THAT ARE INSIDE THE TECH SPACE, THERE ARE GOING TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS AND ADULTS TO SHARE THEIR JOURNEY ABOUT HOW THEY STARTED WHAT THEY WENT TO SCHOOL, WHAT JOB THEY HAD, WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T WORK AND WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW.
AS FAR AS OUR MENTORS, OUR MENTORS ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH OUR COHORTS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ACTUALLY PAIR INDIVIDUALS TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT MENTORS.
THEY GET TO GET THAT DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE PAIR INDIVIDUALS WITH, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS MENTOR REPRESENTS YOUR COMMUNITY.
THIS, THIS MENTOR REPRESENTS YOUR CAREER PATH WHERE YOU WANT TO GO ON, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO PUTTING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL TO MENTORS THAT IS COMPLETELY OUTSIDE THE TECH INDUSTRY TO GIVE THEM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT GIVING INDIVIDUALS THAT TEAM, THEY HAVE THEIR MENTOR, THEY HAVE THEIR ALLY, THEY HAVE THEIR SPONSOR, THEY HAVE THEIR ADVOCATES.
WE ARE PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS A, A SUPPORT SYSTEM OF INDIVIDUALS TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THIS JOURNEY.
WHAT I WOULD SAY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF MENTORS AND SPONSORS AND ET CETERA, WE DO NOT DO ONE TO ONE.
MENTORING IS MORE SO ONE TO FIVE MENTORING.
SO INDIVIDUALS ARE MOVING THROUGH THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER.
SO NOW I, AND I'VE ACTUALLY LEARNED THIS FROM FII.
SO SHOUT OUT TO IVANA, UM, BUT IT'S ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO MOVE COLLECTIVELY AND HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
SO NOW I'M IN A COHORT AND I DON'T KNOW SOMETHING, OR I FEEL LIKE I'M FALLING BEHIND.
I COULD AT LEAST GO TO THE SAME INDIVIDUAL THROUGH THAT COHORT WITH ME THAT WE MAY HAVE SIMILAR MENTORS.
MAYBE WE HAVE SOME OTHER MENTORS THAT ARE DIFFERENT, BUT NOW WE'RE MOVING IN THIS COLLECTIVELY.
SO YES, OUR FOCUS IS DEFINITELY ON THE BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY, BUT WE WORK WITH WHITES.
WE WORK WITH AGENTS, WE WORK WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS SITE, THIS SPACE, IT'S ALL ABOUT PAIRING INDIVIDUALLY, THE BEST WAY WE CAN AND CURATING THAT PATHWAY FOR THEM.
SO YOUR PATHWAY MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN SOMEONE ELSE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME SIMILARITIES FOR SURE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL EITHER WAY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WARD? THOSE ARE THE ONE THAT'S COMING OUT, WHAT WAS GOING TO MAKE, AS I JUST KNEW IT WAS THINKING ABOUT IT.
UM, AS I SEE THE, THE CHALLENGE GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF JOBS THAT ARE OUT THERE, GIVEN HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE STILL LIVING IN POVERTY, I SEE IT AS DEBT, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE A DEBT AND YOU DON'T PAY OFF YOUR ABILITY TO THE MONKEY OCCUR INTEREST.
SO I SEE IT HERE NOW THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH DEBT, THAT WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY PAYING ENOUGH BACK TO GET OUT OF DEBT.
LIKE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, AND MIND YOU, THERE'S PLENTY OF RESOURCES OUT THERE.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THERE'S NOT RESOURCES OR ANY OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S JUST ABOUT USING THEIR RESOURCES TO, TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THEIR PROBLEM IN THE WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GET OUT OF DEBT INSTEAD OF DAYS, INSTEAD OF STAYING WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOR THE X AMOUNT OF YEARS, AS FAR AS PERCENTAGE OF PROGRESS, RIGHT? SO IF YOU ARE JUST GETTING 10% OF PROGRESS ALL THE TIME, WELL THEN YOU NEVER GOING TO GET TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, RIGHT? SO YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE WHAT YOUR PROGRESS IS, SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY MOVE FOOT MOVE CLOSER.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I DEFINITELY VALUED THE RELATIONSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE JUNIOR INCLUSION OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE ALSO PART OF DECA AND REALLY TRYING TO GALVANIZE NONPROFITS AND EMPLOYERS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS TO SAYING, HEY, HOW CAN WE AMPLIFY EACH OTHER'S WORK SO WE CAN HAVE A DEEPER IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY GREAT WAY TO END, UH, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MICHAEL.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, MICHAEL, FOR JOINING US FOR BEING A DEDICATED PARTNER IN THE COMMUNITY IN THIS SPACE, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON AN ONGOING BASIS AND CONTINUING TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. FOR SURE.
IF YOU COULD SEND ME THAT EQUITY SCORECARD THAT YOU WERE REFERENCING, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
CAUSE SOME THINGS CAME UP AS WELL.
IN FACT, I BELIEVE IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A MEMO THAT REFERENCES IT, UH, THAT THE VISUAL INCLUSION PROGRAM DIRECTOR CREATED, UH, THAT WILL BECOME PART OF THE RECORD THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE.
WELL WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL GO AND CONTINUE WITH OUR AGENDA.
[3a. Digital Inclusion, Civic Engagement, and Strategic Technology and Telecom Policy Working Group]
THIS BRINGS US TO JEN, THE ITEM NUMBER THREE, COMMISSION UPDATES FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION, UH, BEGINNING WITH DIGITAL INCLUSION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND THE STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOM POLICY WORKING GROUP.[01:50:01]
WAS THE SPECIAL CONVENING THAT WE HAD THAT TOOK PLACE ON FRIDAY.UH, IT WAS A BEAR ROBUST CONVERSATION THAT INCLUDED STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE COMMUNITY ON VISIBLE INCLUSION, AS WELL AS POLICY MAKERS, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM, UH, SEVERAL ORGANIZATION THAT'S REPRESENTED IN THE MEN AS REPRESENTED IN THE MINUTES, BUT WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO, UH, TO LISTEN TO, AND THEN TO HEAR FROM WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, WHAT'S NEXT.
AND IN PARTICULAR, WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL INCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO DIRECTLY REFERENCE, UH, A MEMO, WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR, A SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, JOHN SPHERES.
AND WE'LL PROVIDE THAT TO THE COMMISSIONERS LATER.
HE SPEAKS TO SEVERAL OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THIS CALL, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE WONDERFUL CONVENINGS THAT WERE HELD BY, UH, HAKA AND CAPTAIN CRAIG'S ORGANIZATION, UH, WITH AUSTIN PATHWAYS AND ADDRESSING WHAT IS NEXT, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, AND THIS IS NOW ME QUOTING IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE QUESTION OF WHAT OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE MADE BY INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS TO REACH LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE UMBRELLA ABOUT REACH OUR ADVERTISING AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS MADE BOTH BEFORE AND DURING COVID-19.
WHEN DOOR TO DOOR OUTREACH HAS BEEN COMPROMISED AND OPEN CONVERSATION ON THIS TOPIC WILL IDENTIFY MEANINGFUL AREAS FOR EXPANSION OR NEW OUTREACH AREA, NEW OUTREACH TACTICS TO REACH LOW INCOME RESIDENTS IN AUSTIN, TO WHAT WOULD DIGITAL EQUITY, DIGITAL EQUITY SCORECARD LOOK LIKE? AND HOW CAN WE DEVELOP ONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMUNITY? THE PURPOSE OF IT, DIGITAL EQUITY SCORE CARD WOULD BE TO EXAMINE SERVICE PROVIDERS, INSTITUTIONAL GOALS AND EFFORTS THUS FAR PROVIDE LOW COST INTERNET OFFERS TO TARGET COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN.
THE SCORECARD WOULD DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK THROUGH WHICH
THE THIRD QUESTION, HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY FACILITATE A DIRECT DIALOGUE? ISP IS TO ENSURE THE NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE DIRECT CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES IS CRITICAL AND WORKING TOWARDS VISUAL INCLUSION, A BEST WAY FOR ISP TO ENSURE THAT THEIR SERVICES ARE SERVING LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IS TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH THEM AND LISTEN TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES FROM THIS VOTE.
PARTIES CAN COME AWAY WITH A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THE SERVICES ARE AND HOW TO FORWARD TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT, I FELT FREE TO CONVENE THAT CONVERSATION ON FRIDAY WITH DIRECT VOICES AND EXPERIENCES FROM THE COUNTY IMMUNITY.
AND TO CONTINUE THAT EFFORT TONIGHT, UH, WITH THE, UH, THE SHARING FROM, UH, OUR, OUR DISTINGUISHED VISITOR FROM THE ROSEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, UH, ALEXIS HENDERSON.
NOW, AS FAR AS WHAT COMES NEXT AND ADDRESSING THESE QUESTIONS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HAKA WILL BE HOSTING A SERIES OF EVENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW ACTORS SUCH AS IPS, LEGISLATORS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN COLLABORATE AND SET CLEAR GOALS TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN AUSTIN.
THESE LITTLE ATX HOSTS, THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR WITH UPCOMING EVENTS RELATED TO DIGITAL INCLUSION, AND WE'VE MADE THAT A CALENDAR AVAILABLE.
IT'S LITERALLY DIGITAL ATX.COM WHEN IT COMES TO LEVERAGE COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON OUR COMMUNITY'S POPULATION ELEVATED CRITICAL OF A CRITICALITY OF AFFORDABLE AND ADEQUATE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY.
SO AUSTIN RESIDENTS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING FOR HEALTHCARE ACCESS, WELL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AS EVIDENCED BY THE PRESENTATION FROM MR. WARD, UH, TELEWORKING ACCESS TO SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND TO HELP PREVENT SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE AND LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.
AND COVID-19 HOLLERED AT THE DIGITAL, BUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, MANY ONGOING EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY.
ACCORDING TO AUSTIN'S VISIBLE, INCLUSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE APPLICATION OF A CODE, HE SUPPLANTS DIGITAL INCLUSION THAT UNITES ALL ACTORS IN A STRATEGY CAN TACKLE, WHICH IS WHAT APPLIES FROM EVERY ANGLE ACROSS SECTORS.
LOCAL COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS HELPED DEFINE HOW PARTNERS CAN MATCH AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO NEEDS AND COLLABORATE TO PUSH THOSE RESOURCES.
THE SCOPE OF WORK IS BOTH TACTICAL STRATEGIC EFFORT TO BUILD AN EQUITABLE LONGTERM APPROACH TO SOLVING CONNECTIVITY.
PIECE OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THE GOAL TO HELP DEVELOP A GOAL, TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE RESEARCH, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES.
THEIR POSTS WILL ESTABLISH BENCHMARKS TO ELEVATE THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT, INCLUDING EVALUATION OF BROADBAND INTERNET ADOPTION.
THE SPEND WILL ALSO DETAIL WHETHER THE PROPOSED
[01:55:01]
PROGRAMS CONTAIN COMPONENTS, THE COMPONENTS AND ELEMENTS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE RESULTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA.THIS WORK WILL INVOLVE A STEERING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SUPPORT OF PROVIDING EXISTING DATA IN CONTEXT OF CURRENT EFFORTS AND WHATEVER ELSE IS NEEDED TO HELP THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT PROPOSED PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AN ACTION ORIENTED PLAN, FEASIBLE AND REALISTIC STEPS FOR THE MUTATION AND PROS AND CONS OF EACH OPTION, EVALUATING SOMEONE PROGRAMS AT SIMILAR CAPACITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH.
SO WE'RE A STATE REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS COULD GENERATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS PROGRAMS AND MODELS.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK MR. SPEARS FOR WRITING THIS, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS GET A COPY OF IT.
IT SPEAKS TO THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING AND TALKING ABOUT AND ELEVATING THE CONVERSATION.
AND THAT INDEED IS THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL BEFORE WE LEAVE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR COMPONENT ALSO WANT TO SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE NEWS, UH, SOME MAY HAVE READ REPORTS ABOUT, UH, DISPARITIES AND BROADBAND ACCESS BEING VALIDATED BY REPORTING.
UH, I WON'T NAMELY PROVIDE US RIGHT NOW IN PARTICULAR, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THOSE PROVIDERS AND, AND LOOK FOR SOME WAY FOR THEM TO, UH, SPEAK TO THIS REPORTING AND TO EITHER SUBSTANTIATE OR HOPEFULLY, UH, PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE HISTORICALLY WITH CONNECTIVITY IN AUSTIN, IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, AS PART OF THE ONGOING EFFORT AS DESCRIBED BY JOHN, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS COMMISSION PROVIDING FINDINGS OF ITS OWN BEGINNING WITH A REPORT REFLECTED FROM OUR SPECIAL, UH, COMMISSION MEETING ON FRIDAY THAT WILL SPEAK TO THE SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES OF RESIDENTS THAT THEY'VE RAISED AS WELL AS TO THE QUESTIONS OF THE POLICYMAKERS AND SOLUTIONS AND IDEAS.
UH, THE ONGOING EFFORT IS REALLY ABOUT A DATA COLLECTION EXERCISE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CATALOGING THESE CHALLENGES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
SO WE CAN THEN METHODICALLY WORK THROUGH THEM TO SEE WHAT'S WORKING.
WHAT'S NOT, AND TRULY MOVE THE BALL FORWARD.
A BIG AND IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WILL BE MANAGING EFFECTIVELY, BUT NARRATIVE BEHIND, UH, THE EVOLUTION OF ACCESS AND BROADBAND HERE IN THE, IN THE CITY.
I THINK AS WE CAN ALL AGREE, UH, OFTEN, AND, UH, IT'S UNIQUE PLACE IN THE STATE LEAVES US OFTENTIMES, UH, HAVING TO FOLLOW BEHIND POLICY AT THE LEGISLATURE LEVEL.
BUT I KNOW FROM DIRECT COMMITMENT FROM PROGRAM MANAGER, JOHN SPEARS, AS WELL AS FROM TARA DIRECTOR, UH, UH, RENDELL HAWKINS, UH, THAT A DIRECT FOCUS ON LEGISLATIVE OUTCOMES IS BEING ELEVATED.
AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE CREATED A STRATEGIC TELECOM POLICY WORKING GROUP TO FOCUS ON WAYS TO AUGMENT THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TO HELP, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH ELSE TO COVER ON THIS SPACE HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE, UH, JESSE AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING RELATED TO GTF UPDATES THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AT THIS TIME.
UH, OTHERWISE WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TRANSITION TO THE NEXT WORKING GROUP ITEM.
YEAH, TIRPITZ WE DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES FROM THE G TUFTS LENS AT THIS TIME, BUT, UM, UH, WHERE THE PROCESS, THE LETTERS OF INTEREST OR THE WINDOW IS GOING TO OPEN UP ON NOVEMBER 1ST, UM, AND THE WEBSITE FOR G TOPS IS GOING TO GO LIVE HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
SO MAYBE BY THE NEXT MEETING, WE'LL HAVE, UH, A MORE SUBSTANTIVE UPDATE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY DISCUSSION NEEDED AT THIS TIME FOR OUR WORKING GROUP? OKAY.
[3b. Knowledge, Information, and Data Stewardship Working Group]
THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TRANSITION TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, B THE KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP.AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO THE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP, UH, VICE CHAIR, ALEXANDER, AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IF YOU'D LIKE, UH, WITH ANY SUBSTANTIVE UPDATES.
UM, SO, UM, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH TO, UH, TO REPORT AS FAR AS UPDATES GO.
UM, I, I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO, TO FOCUS ON, AND WE WERE STILL TRYING TO ORGANIZE A MEETING, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE CHALLENGING TRYING TO COORDINATE
[02:00:01]
SOME SCHEDULES, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, IN, IN KIND OF HEARING ALL OF THESE UPDATES FROM THIS MEETING AND THE LAST MEETING THAT, UH, I THINK ONE AREA OF FOCUS GOING ON THERE BASED ON OUR INTERNAL REVIEW AND LOOKING, UM, I GUESS FOR THE 20, 20, 20, 21, UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK THE, UM, THE WORKING GROUP COULD FOCUS ON IS THE, UH, THE RESIDENTIAL TECHNOLOGY SURVEY.UM, I THINK THAT SEEMS TO MESH PRETTY WELL WITH, UM, THE THINGS WE'RE LEARNING, UM, ABOUT DIGITAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND THE TESTIMONIES THAT WE HEARD IN OUR LAST MEETING.
SO I THINK, UM, THAT'S ONE AREA OF FOCUS THAT I, I THINK THE WORKING GROUP CAN, UM, CAN TACKLE FOR OUR NEXT PROJECT.
SO I, I GUESS I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
UM, UH, I GUESS IT'S, MAYBE YOU COULD, UM, FILL IN A LITTLE MORE JESSIE, UM, AS FAR AS THE STATUS OF THAT AND HOW WE CAN ACCESS THAT TO GAIN A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION.
COMMISSIONER ALEXANDRA, JUST A QUICK CLARIFIER, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE UPDATE ON THE CURRENT, UH, RECENTLY PUBLISHED RESIDENTIAL TECHNOLOGY STUDY OR THE, UH, EFFORT TO, UH, BEGIN THE NEXT VERSION OF THE STUDY? OH, I GUESS THE MOST RECENTLY PUBLISHED ONE END TO THAT POINT.
WHEN IS, UM, THE NEW ONE SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED? IT'S IT TAKES PLACE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, RIGHT? YES.
THE RESIDENTIAL TECHNOLOGY STUDY IS RUN EVERY THREE YEARS OR THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
IT'S NOT A PART OF TERRORISTS FORMAL BUDGET.
SO EVERY TIME THE CYCLE COMES AROUND, WE HAVE TO GO TO BAT FOR FUNDING, THE, UH, VERSION THAT BEGAN THE STUDY THAT BEGAN IN 2017.
AND, UH, THE DATA WAS GATHERED IN 2018 WAS JUST PUBLISHED AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE DIGITAL INCLUSION WEBSITE NOW.
UH, SO IF, IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE ME TO CIRCULATE ANY LINKS, UH, RELATING TO THAT STUDY, I'M HAPPY TO SEND THOSE TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, BECAUSE THAT PROCESS WAS, UM, A RELATIVELY DRAWN OUT SURVEY.
UH, WE, AND THE RECENT CHANGES ON THE GROUND WITH COVID, UH, WE ARE THINKING THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GO TO BAT FOR FUNDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL, OR FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF THE STUDY.
UM, THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES AT, AT THIS TIME, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THAT IS A NEED.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, HAVING PARALLEL DISCUSSIONS ON IF WE CAN ADD DIGITAL INCLUSION RELATED QUESTIONS TO OTHER SURVEYS THAT ARE GOING OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, SO THESE ARE, UH, ALL OF COURSE, VERY TENTATIVE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING RIGHT NOW.
AND I DON'T HAVE A FORMAL UPDATE ON THOSE INITIATIVES, BUT I'LL BE SURE TO KEEP THE COMMISSION UP TO DATE, UH, AS MORE INFORMATION COMES IN.
UM, YES, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, DISTRIBUTE SOME OF THOSE LINKS, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO JUST ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE WORKING GROUP AND, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, ONCE WE, UM, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THAT, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD KIND OF JUMPING OFF POINT TO ALSO CONNECT WITH THE DIGITAL INCLUSION GROUP.
SO THAT'S, I THINK ONE THING THAT, I GUESS, ONE AREA OF FOCUS THAT I THINK IT MAKES SENSE SOMETHING ELSE TOO.
UM, UM, THIS IS, I GUESS JUST AN IDEA, BUT AH, YEAH, AS FAR AS, UM, TECHNOLOGY PILOTS, I KNOW THAT, UM, UM, CAP METRO AND ASD, UM, AND TALK, I GUESS, IS, WAS INVOLVED IN WA AS WELL WITH THE, UM, YOU, I GUESS, USING THE, UM, THE BUSES AS HOTSPOTS.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE IF, UM, THEY'VE GATHERED ANY DATA ANALYZING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT.
UM, BUT PERHAPS THAT COULD BE OF USE TO US.
I'M NOT SURE WHO, UM, TO GO TO, TO FOR THAT INFORMATION, BUT JUST, JUST KIND OF A, A FAULT ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS IN KIND OF OUR, OR PURVIEW AS THE KIDS WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF ANOTHER THING THAT WE MIGHT EXPLORE NEXT.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT
[02:05:01]
WHERE WE ARE.SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA TO BE GREAT, BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A GREAT JUMPING OFF POINT, LIKE YOU SUGGESTED.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE, AS THE HAKA, UH, COLLABORATION, UM, THAT WE COULD GET A FOLLOWUP, UH, FROM EITHER FROM AISD AND OR HAKA.
UH, BUT I BELIEVE WE'LL BE WELL SERVED TO ALLOW, UH, JOHN SPEARS TO INFORM US ON WHAT HE'S GATHERED ALREADY FROM INSIGHTS AND INSIGHTS STANDPOINT.
I THINK THIS MEMO FOR ONE MAY ACTUALLY SPEAK TO AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY THOROUGH.
UH, I, I, SINCE I DIDN'T WRITE IT, I DID FEEL OBLIGED TO READ CERTAIN PORTIONS OF IT AND THE QUOTE THAT TO YOU.
UH, BUT I THINK, UH, THIS WILL SERVE US ALL, UH, IN TERMS OF PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON ONGOING EFFORTS IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19, UH, WHICH DOES INCLUDE, UH, THAT COLLABORATION, UH, UH, I SEE RIGHT.
AND IF IT'S NOT HERE, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES THAT, UH, MR. SPHERES WILL BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE TO INFORM US WITH ON A STATUS UPDATE THERE.
WELL, UH, WITH THAT THEN, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TRANSITION TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
I HAVE A QUESTION FIRST, PLEASE.
I DON'T MEAN THE REST OF THE AGENDA, SO I'M NOT SURE WHICH GROUP, I BELIEVE IT'S A, THIS GROUP HAS GOT A PROJECT FOR THE ROWBOAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETINGS, AND WE NEEDED AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY CLERK ON THE STATUS OF WHERE THAT IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN ACTION ITEM.
MAYBE WE CAN GET, UH, UM, JESSE OR SOMEONE TO, UH, ASK THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, ASK THE CITY, UH, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, WHERE THAT IS WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BECAUSE MY FEAR IS THAT, UM, QUITE SOON, ABBOTT IS GOING TO GET CLEAR WITH THE EMERGENCY OVER, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO START BEATING IN, UH, PHYSICALLY, UH, UNLESS WE CAN DO SOMETHING SO, RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO CIRCLE BACK, UH, AGENDA ITEM THREE EIGHT BECAUSE, UH, THE ISSUE OF REMOTE PARTICIPATION IS ACTUALLY A CROSS CUTTING ONE THAT AFFECTS CERTAINLY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND OBVIOUSLY KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP AS WELL.
UM, AFTER SPEAKING WITH JESSIE ABOUT THIS, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UH, WE AGREED THE NEXT STEP THAT WOULD MAKE THE MOST SENSE WOULD BE TO INVITE, UH, STEPHANIE HALL AND OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN AN OPEN MEETING ABOUT THE TOPIC REALLY, SO THAT WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE, UH, BECAUSE THE ONE THING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO OBVIOUSLY IS TO, UH, UH, PUSH AHEAD WITH A PLAN OF OUR OWN AND THEN PRESENT IT TO THEM WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS A POSSIBILITY.
BECAUSE ONE THING THAT'S CLEAR IS THAT THEY ARE TRANSITIONING TOWARDS AN ALL IN PERSON MODEL.
AND SO, UH, THIS MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT BE THE CASE THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY BRINGING THIS TO THEIR ATTENTION AS AN IMPORTANT NEED, BUT BASED UPON THE MAKEUP OF OUR COMMISSION, I THINK REALLY BEING, UM, DEMONSTRATIVE OR EMBLEMATIC OF OTHERS AS WELL, UH, THAT THE SAME TYPES OF CONCERNS WOULD PROLIFERATE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND COMMISSIONS.
AND I THINK THE, THE IMPORTANCE THEN OF BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN BOTH AND IN-PERSON PRESENCE AND POTENTIALLY A REMOTE PRESENCE AT FUTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS UNTIL WE HAVE A VACCINE UNTIL THINGS ARE REALLY COMFORTABLE FOR SOME OF OUR MOST, UH, UH, AT RISK POPULATIONS WILL BE IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE WE DO IS TO HAVE A SPECIAL, UH, WORKING GROUP CONVENED OF AT LEAST THE CHAIRS OF THE EXISTING WORKING GROUPS, UH, IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID A WALKING QUORUM, TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT MEETING.
UH, SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT, UH, WE WOULD HAVE NO MORE THAN FIVE OF US, UH, PRESENT ALONG WITH, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY COURTS OFFICE AND THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM AND WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY IS AGREEING ON THAT
[02:10:01]
STRATEGY AND WANTING TO RAISE THAT THIS MEETING, I THINK IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, UH, AND THEN SETTING THAT, THAT MEETING IN MOTION WITH AN INVITATION.
WE JUST NEED SOME KIND OF STATUS UPDATE TO KNOW IF THIS PROJECT IS KIND OF ASLEEP OR THERE, BECAUSE AS I REMEMBER THE LAST WE LEFT IT IS THAT, UH, UM, IT WAS UP TO THE CITIES POST OFFICE TO ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER ANY RESOLUTION AND GET IT ON THE AGENDA OF COUNCIL.
AND THEN THEY'VE CLEARLY BEEN POOLED AND IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, UH, SINCE THAT TIME.
AND SO I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, PART OF IT IS A REVISITATION, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WILL REVISITING, UH, AND ANOTHER PART OF IT IS, UH, BEING DECLARATIVE ABOUT HOW WE FEEL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO ESTABLISH TODAY IN OUR BODY IS A CONSENSUS.
UH, I FEEL AS THOUGH BASED UPON, UH, MY VIBE FOR ALL OF YOU, THAT YOU WOULD ALL LOVE TO SEE REMOTE PARTICIPATION CONTINUE, UH, FOR REASONS OF POTENTIAL SAFETY AND OR CONVENIENCE IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THAT, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT, UH, AND THIS WORK GROUP SESSION OF THE AGENDA, WE CAN TALK ABOUT LOOSELY AND ESTABLISHED, BUT WE CANNOT FORMALLY, UH, VOTE ON, WE COULD BASICALLY, UH, AGREE IN OUR CONSENSUS FORMAT TO THE ACTION OF INVITING THEM TO THE TABLE FOR THE MEETING.
UH, AND, AND IF Y'ALL ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT ABOUT, UH, FIVE OF US BEING PRESENT AT AT LEAST THE WORKING GROUP CHAIRS THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A DIVERSE ENOUGH BODY REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING TO THEN SPEAK TO A VARIETY OF CONCERNS AND, AND, AND, UH, AND, UH, ALLOW US TO DA AND, AND REALLY FRANKLY, TO ADVANCE THAT FORWARD SHEPHERDS, YOU KNOW, NEVER GOING TO BENCHMARK THIS WHOLE IDEA WHERE TWO OF US WILL BE CALLING FOR BOTH THE REST OF THE OFFICE, ET CETERA, JUST TO PROVE THAT WE CAN ALL BE SITTING IN OUR HOMES AND HAVE A VERY EFFECTIVE REVIEW.
YEAH, WE HAVE OUR HICCUPS, LIKE THE PRESENTATION COULD BE SHOWN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE AWKWARD CONNECTIONS, ET CETERA.
IT HAS HELPED US PROVE IT IN A VERY CONVINCING RUN OF IT.
ALL OF US ARE CONNECTED FROM OUR HOMES.
WHAT PROOF DO WE NEED OF, OF VIABILITY OF THEIR IDEA? NOW, IF YOU GET THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE A FEW CHANGES TO THE STATE LAW, BE REBUILD, SET, I CAN LAY OUT THE STATE GOVERNOR, AND IT'S ACTUALLY OUR OWN COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT MAKES IT OUR, OUR HAND IS EVEN STRONGER THAT WE CAN NOW APPEAL TO THIS CITY COUNCIL SAYING, LOOK, WE WERE GOING TO TAKE STEPS.
WE TOOK THIS GIANT LEAP FORWARD, RIGHT? SO THE RUB, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE TO REMIND EVERYONE, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO MANAGE IS, UH, OUR OWN, UH, OUR OWN INTERNAL CAPACITY CHALLENGES.
AND WE'RE HAVING TO THEN GO TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND, AND THEIR TECH TEAM WITH AN IDEA BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW TO BE, UH, EFFECTIVE.
AND, AND, AND BASED ON OUR RESEARCH THAT WE THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO GO IN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE POTENTIALLY GOING TO INCREASE THE STRAIN ON THEIR CAPACITY, UH, AND, AND SO DOING.
UH, SO I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE POLITICALLY ASTUTE WHEN WE DO THAT, THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE MEETING, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, CONVENE THAT, UH, WITH OUR, OUR EYES AND OUR, IN OUR, OUR MINDS OPEN, UH, TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GONNA FACE, THAT THEY WOULD FACE IN DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ONLY PILOTING IT BEFORE AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT WE WERE TO DO AND BE PART OF, THEY WOULD HAVE TO ROLL OUT CITYWIDE, RIGHT? SO ALL 60 OR 70, SO COMMISSIONS, HEY, WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE SAME, THE SAME THING.
AND FRANKLY, IN THE INTEREST OF COVID, UH, REDUCING THE SPREAD AND, AND MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF OUR, UH, LET'S JUST FACE IT, OUR VOLUNTEER, UH,
[02:15:01]
UH, UH, VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONERS WERE NOT PAID, BUT YET CLEARLY GIVING OUR TIME, ENERGY AND OUR HEARTS TO THIS EFFORT.I THINK THERE'S AMPLE REASON FOR US TO BE SAFE AND TO FEEL SAFE AS WE'RE DOING THESE THINGS.
BUT, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK SOMETHING FROM THEM.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DO IT.
SO I THINK WE JUST BASICALLY ASKED FOR A MEETING TO BRING THEM TO THE TABLE FIRST, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE SIT AROUND AND TALK ABOUT IT, OR WE DO IT REMOTELY, UH, THROUGH TEENS OR WHATEVER.
UH, THEN WE CAN START TO REALLY ADVANCE THAT BALL AGAIN, THINK OF IT AS A SOLUTION, BROUGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, WHAT A GOOD IDEA.
BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR SOME VOLUNTEERS, UH, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE WORKING GROUP CHAIRS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, IF BOTH CO-CHAIRS THAT KUTA AND FLOYD FROM THE TECHNICAL STRUCTURE, INNOVATION WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, BUT YOU, YOU WANT TO BE WELCOMED, UH, THE COMMISSIONER VICE CHAIR, ALEXANDER, UH, YOU'D BE WELCOME.
OBVIOUSLY I CHAIR THE DIGITAL INCLUSION WORKING GROUP THAT'S FOR, SO THAT LEAVES SPACE FOR ONE MORE.
UH, AND THERE'S, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE COMMISSIONER YATES HAS BEEN EXTREMELY VOCAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE, RIGHT.
SO I THINK IN FAIRNESS, HE WOULD DESERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TOO.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND BEING LEFT OUT A COMMISSIONER'S SIDE.
YEAH, NO, NO OBJECTIONS ON MY END.
WELL, COMMISSIONER NEEDS THAT SOUND GOOD TO YOU.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, I'M GOING TO SIGN YOU UP FOR SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT YOU'D WANT TO DO, RIGHT? YES.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.
WELL, WITH THAT SAID, I THINK WE HAVE A PLAN, UM, AND IT'S A GOOD TRANSITION, I THINK, SEGUE INTO OUR LAST, UH,
[3c. Technology, Infrastructure, and Innovation Working Group]
WORKING GROUP ITEM, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION WORKING GROUP.UM, AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT ON TO THE COACH HERE.
SO DECIDE HOW THEY'D LIKE TO, UH, CONVEY THE, UH, THE DISCUSSION.
SO I HAVEN'T SENT OUT THE NOTES, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE NOTES AND I WILL SEND THAT OUT TO THE MEMBERS.
SO I'M GOING TO READ OUT FROM THE NOTES.
THERE ARE TWO TOPICS THAT WE FOCUSED ON.
UH, ONE WAS THE NEW AUSTIN, UH, MOBILE, UH, PARKING APP.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS WHAT SHOULD THE PRIORITIES BE, UH, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE FORESEE IN THE NEW LEGISLATURE DO ANY JOURNEY.
ONE THAT WE IN THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP AND THE COMMISSION ITSELF SHOULD BE WATCHING OUT FOR.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WAS A VERY FOCUSED DISCUSSION BECAUSE OF THIS SMARTPHONE APP.
AND THE SECOND WAS MORE, ONE WAS MORE, UH, UH, SORT OF, WE SORT OF RAMBLED AROUND BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY DIFFERENT TOUCH POINTS.
SO LET ME TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE ADX MOBILE PARKING AIR TO THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS IT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER FLOYD, UH, HAD HEARD ONE DESCRIPTION AND HIRED, HEARD, HEARD SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, WHICH WE SORT OF TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE THE ACTUAL MEETING.
SO IS IT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED YOU TO HAVE THE CITY COME AND TELL US ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IS THAT, HOW DID THEY PROTECT THE OWNER'S INFORMATION? UH, HEARD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE KIOSKS.
IS THAT TRUE? I HAD HEARD THAT THEN I'M GOING TO MOVE THE KIOSKS.
IT'S JUST THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY THE ABILITY TO PUT COINS IN CASHIN.
SO THERE IS A DISCREPANCY IN WHAT I HEARD ABOUT WHAT COMMISSIONER PRIDE HEARD, UH, IF IT IS BASED ON A SMARTPHONE APP, UH, IT REQUIRES EVERYONE WHO PARKS.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SMARTPHONE.
WELL, RIGHT THERE, WE TALK ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
THEY'RE NOT, EVERYBODY'S OWNS A SMARTPHONE.
UH, IF THE CITY IS GOING TO KEEP THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE OUR CAR IS, UH, HOW DO THEY PROTECT THAT INFORMATION? UH, THERE'S BEEN, UH, THERE'S BEEN INCIDENTS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRACKING CARS WHEN THEY SEE THE CAR IS NO LONGER IN THE HOUSE.
THEY COME AND GREET THE HOUSE.
THEY'VE BEEN THINGS HAPPENING IN THAT IN WAY.
UH, IT DOES HARM IF YOU, IF THIS, A NEW APP AUTHORIZE THEM TO CHARGE A CREDIT CARD, HOW DO THEY PROTECT IT AND PREVENT ABUSE? SO THESE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO GET ANSWERS TO THIS IS TO HEAR IT, GET IT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH, GET THE CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO COME AND TELL US, WHAT THE HECK IS IT? WHAT IS IT, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO USE IT? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PUT IT, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE INFORMATION FROM US AND PROTECT IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S NOT ABUSED.
[02:20:01]
JESSE, FOR YOU, UH, WE WILL SEND YOU, I WILL SEND YOU A NOTE TO SCHEDULE IT AT A FUTURE DATE FOR THE, YOU KNOW, REGULATORIES FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO COME AND TELL US ABOUT IT.THIS WAS ACTUALLY TO BRING, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T TAKE THAT MUCH TIME, MAYBE 10, 15 MINUTES, THE OTHER ONE, WHAT SHOULD THE PRIORITIES BE THAT WE SHOULD FORESEE IN THE NEXT LEGISLATURE IN 2021, THAT WE IN THE WORKING GROUP AND IN THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE WATCHING OUT FOR IT.
SO, UM, RON NELLA BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THERE IS A BILL FOCUSED ON INCREASING RURAL BROADBAND ACCESS.
THAT'S IT? THE CITIES DON'T NEED ANY MORE ELSE.
BUT WHAT COVID-19 HAS SHOWED IS THAT THERE ARE FAULT LINES THROUGH THE CITY.
IT'S LIKE ME LIVING IN CALIFORNIA STUDENT.
UH, THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT CAME UP IS THAT PERMITTING IS A KEY ELEMENT.
THAT EXPLAINS WHY A BROAD BRAND PROGRESS IS SLOW.
THE BROADBAND PROVIDERS ARE ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT IT.
SO THE QUESTION THAT'S BEGS THE QUESTION, I REALLY, THAT A DECADE EFFICIENT, UH, IS AUSTRIAN THAT DIFFICULT TO DO TO, TO WORK WITH.
AND THE GENERAL FEELING IS THAT IT'S A STANDARD PUSHBACK.
SO WE SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYBE THERE'S THE TIME IS DOWN.
JUST LIKE WE ARE HEARING KNOW A VERBAL REPORT CARD COMING FROM THE PROVIDERS TO THE CITY, MAYBE THE CITIZENS AND THE CITY SHOULD BE PREPARING A REPORT CARD ON THE SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN IMPLIED SLA SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT.
I AM PAYING FOR 200 MEGABITS, 200, 200 SLASH 50 SERVICE.
I'VE GONE TO SPECTRUM'S WEBSITE AND DONE SOME CHECKS NOW AGREED, IT'S A MULTIPLE MULTI DROP NETWORK, RIGHT? THERE'S NO WAY I'M GOING TO GET 200 YEAR.
IF THERE IS A, THERE ARE 50 PEOPLE SIGNED ON TO THE SAME PIPE, BUT I DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHECK.
AND GUESS WHAT I CAN TELL WHEN MY NEIGHBORS GO TO SLEEP AROUND MIDNIGHT, MY SERVICE JUST JUMPED STRAIGHT UP, LIKE BY 40%.
SO I AM PRETTY TECH SAVVY, SO I KNOW HOW TO MONITOR IT, BUT OTHERS DON'T, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT THAT APPLIES TO ALL THE CITIZENS WHEN THEY GET SERVICED.
WHAT KIND OF SERVICE ARE THEY SIGNING UP FOR PAYING FOR AND GETTING? SO THERE WAS AGREEMENT THAT, YEAH, WE SHOULD GET STARTED WITH COMING UP WITH SOME KIND OF A REPORT CARD THAT MAY BE A BENEFIT TO THE PROVIDERS.
MAYBE THEY'LL BE GLAD TO KNOW SO THEY CAN IMPROVE THEIR PROCESSES, JUST LIKE THEY'RE EXPECTING US TO IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES.
SO WE LEFT IT AT THAT NOVELIS THAT SHE WAS GOING TO LOOK INTO, UH, INTO DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND BY THE WAY, IN THIS AREA IN SAN ANTONIO HAS DONE SOME WORK.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A REPEAT CONVERSATION WITH SARAH AND JULIE AS TO WHAT THEY'VE DONE SO WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM AND NOT REPEAT THE PROCESS.
DID YOU HAVE ONE ADD ANYTHING? I DON'T, UM, I'LL NEED TO DO MORE, UH, RESEARCH ON, UH, LEGISLATIVE ISSUES, BUT WITH THE PARKING SITUATION.
I THINK WE'VE COVERED EVERYTHING AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM COME IN AND TALK ABOUT IT IN ONE OF OUR FUTURE MEETINGS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION A YEAR.
SO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE, UM, WHAT YOU COULD DO ABOUT THE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BANDWIDTH.
AND THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT WE NEEDED TO BOUNCE BACK TO TOWER OUT WAS WHAT ARE THE LEGAL LIMITATIONS? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF AUTHORITY DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE CARRIERS COMPLY WITH THEIR CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BANDWIDTH? SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DEFINITELY ANSWER THE QUESTION.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S KIND OF AN ACTION ITEM FOR THEM.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF THIS LEGISLATION FOR RURAL ACCESS, THIS SEEMS LIKE A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOME KIND OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS, UM, WHORE THAT WOULD COVER NOT ONLY RURAL AREAS, BUT CITIES ALSO.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, WE COULD PROBABLY KEEP ON MONITORING.
[02:25:01]
SO THAT, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE OR THE CITY IS ALSO YEP.AND THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS A NEED FOR US TO CONFIRM IT, JUST TO REITERATE, I MEAN, FOR US TO CONFIRM A FEW OF THESE MORE THINGS WITH THE TERROR OFFICE AND, AND CONFIRM THE BEST, THE BEST NEXT STEP.
UH, I DO ALSO AGREE ABOUT, UH, THERE BEING REAL VALUE IN HAVING ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF DIGITAL INCLUSION MATTERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IS REALLY PROFOUND BECAUSE WHAT THEY'VE SHOWN IN SOME OF OUR MEETINGS, UH, RELATED TO DIGITAL INCLUSION IS HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAP OUT, UH, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THEIR CITY, THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A GOOD MODEL.
I THINK OF WHAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO OR WORK TOWARD, UH, BY BEING ABLE TO DOCUMENT AND CATALOG, UH, DOWNLOAD SPEEDS AND BROADBAND ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE, WHAT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS BARE COUNTY.
BASICALLY WE COULD POTENTIALLY EMULATE FOR, UH, AT LEAST OFTEN AND OR OFTEN AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF AUSTIN, UH, THAT ARE PART OF OUR MUNICIPALITY HERE.
UH, SO, UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO, UH, UH, AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT AND SAY THAT THERE'S THIS REAL OPPORTUNITIES.
IN FACT, UH, I AM GOING TO PASS ALONG TO JESSE, A COUPLE OF LINKS THAT I'VE RECEIVED THAT I THINK YOU ALL WOULD APPRECIATE LOOKING AT AS EXAMPLES, PARTICULARLY THE, UH, THE ONE THAT I HAD SHARED WITH ME DURING THE GREATER STEM ECOSYSTEM MEETING THAT REFLECTED THAT MAPPING EXERCISE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR, UH, OR THOUGHTS HERE, I THINK AS YOU SUGGESTED, WE'VE GOT A POTENTIAL ACTION ITEM THERE.
UH, JESSE, I THINK IT WAS CLEAR CONSENSUS HERE, UH, THAT WE WOULD APPRECIATE AN UPDATE ON MOBILITY.
AND, AND THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO SPEAK TO BECAUSE I RECALL NOW MORE OF OUR CONVERSATION, UH, AND WHEREAS I CAN APPRECIATE ENTIRELY THE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PARKING APP, UH, BY THE SAME TOKEN, UH, WE COULD APPRECIATE AN UPDATE ON, UH, BASICALLY MOBILITY IN GENERAL.
AND, UH, AND, AND HOW ANY OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE NOW TAKING PLACE EITHER AHEAD OF, UH, THE PROPOSED BOND, UH, AND OR, UH, WITH, UH, THE, THE PLAN PERHAPS TO INITIATE A BOND IF IT'S ACTUALLY APPROVED IN THIS ELECTION.
SO BY THE TIME WE HAVE OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, WE COULD BEAR, WE'LL BE, UH, AWARE OF A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY HAS COMMITTED TO OVER, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL DECADES, UH, THAT WILL AFFECT SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO I THINK PART OF IT WILL ALLOW, YOU KNOW, BE IMPORTANT TO LET TIME, UH, UNFOLD AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT AS WE DO THAT, I THINK IT'D BE NICE TO GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT, UH, PERHAPS, AND TO GET THEM TEED UP FOR EITHER A NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER MEETING.
AND THAT WAS UP FOR YOU, JESSE, IF THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
TIRPITZ YES, THAT WORKS FOR US.
WELL, UH, WITH FAT THEN, UH, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION HERE FOR THIS WORKING GROUP, I THINK WE'RE ABOUT TO, UH, ADVANCE IN OUR AGENDA.
SO WITH THAT, THEN WE INDEED DO ADVANCED TO A POINT.
OUR AGENDA HERE LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ONLY JUST A LITTLE BIT PAST NINE O'CLOCK, BUT IT'S NOW TIME TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
IF THERE'S A NEED, A MOTION AND A SECOND, I MOTION TO ADJOURN.
WELL, WELL, YOU WERE ABOUT THE SAME TIME, BUT AS I THINK THIS MIGHT BE I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET THE COMMISSIONER FIAT TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT LAST SECOND.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COMMISSIONER FLOYD AND A MOTION SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SLEDS.
SO WE CAN ALL HAVE A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF A GERMAN, PLEASE SAY, AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
[02:30:02]
VOTED TO ADJOURN, NO VOTES, UH, IN DISSENT.WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, GENTLEMEN, DEDICATION.