Mar 28, 2022 Public Safety Committee

THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.

IT'S AN HONOR, AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.

I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE JOINING YOU FOR MY FIRST STEP PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.

AND AFTER THE FIRST TWO WEEKS HERE, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN LEARNING ABOUT THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS SYSTEM IN THE TWO WEEKS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE THUS FAR, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY REALM AND IN THE HEALTHCARE SPHERE WITH DR S SCOTT AND OFFICER, THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER WITH THE AUSTIN EMS ASSOCIATION, OUR UNION, AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING CHIEF BAKER AND A FEW OTHERS IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY REALM.

ALL IN ALL I CAN SAY TO YOU THAT THE SYSTEM THAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A PHENOMENAL SYSTEM.

THERE'S A REASON WHY I SOUGHT OUT THIS POSITION HERE AT AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. IT TRULY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST EMS SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY.

IF NOT THE GREATEST EMS SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY, THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU FACE HERE ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE FACE ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO BE AHEAD FOR US AS WE LOOK TOWARDS WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE FACING IN EMS RIGHT NOW, IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE GREATEST CRISIS WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS OUR STAFFING ISSUES.

UH, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

YOU'RE SEEING INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LEAVING THE EMS PROFESSION.

RECRUITMENT IS BECOMING AN INCREASING CONCERN FOR US AS WE TRY TO GET INDIVIDUALS TO WANT TO JOIN THE EMS PROFESSION SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR RANKS WHERE WE NEED THEM TO BE.

YOU TACK ONTO THAT THE GROWTH OF AUSTIN, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AND AS A BOOM TOWN, WE'RE NOT ONLY TRYING TO FILL OUR VACANCIES, WE'RE TRYING TO GROW OURSELVES.

WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND INTO OTHER SPHERES.

AND SO I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THAT WITH YOU.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME AGENDA, SOME ITEMS THAT ARE DUE TO YOU IN THE COMING WEEKS WITH THE STAFFING PLAN, FOR WHAT WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THAT OVERALL STAFFING HERE AT THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, UH, I'M EXCITED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DISPATCH EQUITY AND OPTIMIZATION STUDY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE RIGHT THINGS IN OUR EMS COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, OVER THE NEXT COMING WEEKS.

I CONTINUE TO PLAN TO CONTINUE TO MEET WITH VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS TO WORK ON THOSE DIFFERENT PLANS THAT WE, UH, ARE WORKING ON FOR STAFFING, FOR DISPATCH, PROPERTY OPTIMIZATION AND EQUITY, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS TRULY CONTINUE TO BE A TOP NOTCH EMS SYSTEM THAT IT ALREADY IS AND TAKE IT TO ALL NEW LEVELS.

SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, PERSONALLY, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR GREAT CITY.

IT WOULD APPEAR, WE MAY HAVE A MUTUAL FRIEND IN COMMON SCOTT PHELPS FROM NEW JERSEY, WHO I MET WHEN I TOOK HIS YEAR LONG DISASTER SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

AND HE SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF YOU.

AND WITH THAT, I TRUST THAT WE WILL HAVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN GOOD HANDS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY, OH, THE CHAIR HAS HER HAND UP.

YES, MA'AM.

THINGS THAT YOU COULD IMPART ON US? UM, I HAVE GENUINE CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF, UH, EMS PROFESSIONALS.

CO-CHAIR I APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, ARE THERE

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ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU COULD IMPART ON US DURING THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING THAT YOU THINK WE NEED TO KNOW? SURE.

UM, THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND THE RESILIENCE OF EMS PROVIDERS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

UM, WE'VE SEEN THAT OVER THE PAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, UM, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, FOLKS THAT HAVE PTSD AND OTHER THINGS, AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR PROFESSION.

UM, IT IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS TOWARDS OUR STAFFING PRICES THAT WE'RE IN TODAY, PARTICULARLY WITH THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND, AND WHAT IT DID TO ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS.

UM, AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE, IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

UM, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES ARE CRITICAL FOR US AS WE LOOK AT, UH, WHAT CAN WE PROVIDE TO OUR PROVIDERS? UM, WHAT RESOURCES DO WE HAVE INTERNALLY AS A, AS AN ORGANIZATION, AS A CITY? UM, AND WHAT CAN WE WORK TO BUILD COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY? UM, WE'RE SEEING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, UH, A HUGE GROWTH OF ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LOOKING TO DEVELOP DIFFERENT PROCESSES, UM, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PEER TO PEER COUNSELING THAT HAS DONE SO WELL HERE WITH AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, UM, OR OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN BUILD, UM, TRAINING PROGRAMS TO ALLOW FOR BETTER RECOGNITION OF OUR PROVIDERS THAT MIGHT BE, UH, EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES.

UM, IN GENERAL, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AS AN INDUSTRY OF FOCUSING ON THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR PROVIDERS.

I THINK WE SAW THAT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, UM, THE AVAILABILITY OF PPE AND HOW IT WAS PRIORITIZED IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND THE ACCESSIBILITY TO IT.

UM, IT'S TIME FOR US TO REALLY SPEAK UP AS A, AS AN INDUSTRY AND FOCUS ON, UM, BUILDING PROGRAMS THAT WILL NOT ONLY HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTH RESILIENCY, BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO STAY SAFE, UH, AND THE RESOURCES THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO STAY FIT.

UM, AND WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S HOW FOLKS ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY IN THIS INDUSTRY.

SO I THINK MORE OR LESS YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US AS A BODY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN HERE JUST A FEW WEEKS, AND I'M STILL STARTING TO GET TO KNOW INDIVIDUALS, I HAVE MET WITH DR.

CRUZ WHO RUNS THE WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR, UM, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP TOWARDS ENSURING THAT, UM, AS FOR SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT WE COULD TAKE OR THAT I COULD DIRECTLY TAKE, I THINK IT WOULD BE TOO EARLY FOR ME TO GIVE YOU SPECIFICS AS TO WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS FROM A, FROM A HEALTH AND WELLNESS PERSPECTIVE.

UM, AS I'VE SAID PREVIOUSLY, THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS, THIS, UM, DEPARTMENT IS, IS LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF MANY OTHERS IN THIS COUNTRY.

UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT GIVES US THE SPRINGING BOARD, THE SPRINGBOARD THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

UM, WE HAVE RESOURCES IN EMS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO SAFETY AND WELLBEING, UM, AS TWO SEPARATE DIVISIONS, ONE FOCUSING ON THE WELLNESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT ALSO ON SAFETY.

AND HOW DO WE REDUCE ON THE JOB INJURIES? HOW DO WE REDUCE ACCIDENTS? HOW DO WE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED? UM, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO REALLY INVENTORY THAT AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT ARE WE, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW? WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT ARE THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM COVID-19, UM, AND THEN BUILD A, UH, TAKE THAT PROGRAM AND GROW IT AND BUILD IT IN A WAY THAT, THAT ADDRESSES THOSE GAPS.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER OF LA.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY WELCOME ABOARD.

I KNOW WE MET BRIEFLY VIA VIDEO, UM, MANY WEEKS AGO NOW, UH, BUT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE IN PERSON AND JUST WISH THE BEST.

AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A, AGAIN, GLAD TO HEAR YOUR OPINION, THAT IT'S ONE OF THE BEST EMS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NATION, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, TO, UH, TO CONTINUING THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR, OF OUR EMS SYSTEM.

THANK YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY WELCOME TO AUSTIN.

UH, THERE'S TONS OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE IN THIS CITY.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU WANT TO LEND YOUR SERVICE TO US AND BE A PART OF OUR GREAT PUBLIC SAFETY HERE IN AUSTIN.

UM, I AM WORKING ON AN INITIATIVE TO TRY TO RECRUIT MORE LIFEGUARDS, AND I'VE ALWAYS TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SEE IF THEY ARE MOTIVATED BY PUBLIC SERVICE, IF THEY WANT TO BE A FIRST RESPONDER.

DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A LIFEGUARD OR SOMEONE WHO MAY BE WANTING TO GO THROUGH THE TRAINING THAT IT TAKES TO WORK FOR OUR EMS DEPARTMENT? SURE.

I, YOU KNOW WHAT I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF THIS, GETTING THIS WORD OUT.

UM, IT'S A CALLING.

IT REALLY IS A GREAT INDUSTRY.

AND THE REWARD THAT THE SELF FULFILLMENT THAT YOU GET IN THIS INDUSTRY, UM, IS

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UNPARALLELED, UM, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE SOME OF OUR OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS AND HEALTHCARE PARTNERS.

UM, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M PREVIEWED TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IN THE COMING WEEKS IN TERMS OF OUR STAFFING VACANCIES, UM, AND HOW IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE.

WE AS A CITY NEED TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE RECRUIT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE FACING WITH LIFEGUARDS AND OTHERS AND, UM, BUILDING PROGRAMS THAT ENTICE INDIVIDUALS TO EXPERIENCE THE EMS PROFESSION TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE MMS PROFESSION.

LIKE I, AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES DID AND THEN TRAIN THEM IN A WAY THAT, UH, THE TEASE THEM UP SO THAT THEY CAN BE GOOD STRONG EMS PROFESSIONALS HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING FOR US, UM, THINKING DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE RECRUIT, UM, AND PROVIDING MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, EMPOWERING THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HAVE ALREADY BECOME AN EMT, UM, AND FINDING WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, FROM A RECRUITING STANDPOINT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE BETTER OUTREACH FOR US.

AND I THINK VERY SIMILAR AS YOU'RE DISCUSSING THE LIFEGUARD SIDE, BUT FROM A MESSAGING STANDPOINT, I THINK WE'D LOVE TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY TO EXPRESS TO INDIVIDUALS.

UM, JUST HOW FULFILLING IT IS TO, TO BE IN A ROLE, WHETHER IT'S A LIFEGUARD OR EMS OR, OR ANY OF THE OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES WHERE INDIVIDUALS REALLY DO SAVE LIVES EVERY DAY.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS.

UM, AND YOU ARE JOINING US AT A VERY INTERESTING TIME WHERE WE'RE GOING THROUGH CONTRACT AND LABOR NEGOTIATIONS FOR ALL OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.

AND SO, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE EITHER COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC OR TRYING TO PREVENT THE NEXT WAVE FROM COMING, UM, IT'S, IT'S A BIG MOMENT FOR US AND I WELCOME YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM.

I TOO WANTED TO JOIN IN WELCOMING YOU TO AUSTIN, CHIEF LUCK GRITS.

UM, WE HAVE SOME AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN AUSTIN TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE.

AND OBVIOUSLY EMS IS CENTRAL TO THAT.

UM, AS CHIEF, YOU WILL HAVE MANY CHALLENGES, MANY OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN SURFACED, UM, JUST IN THIS SHORT CONVERSATION, UM, WHETHER IT IS, UM, STAFFING AND RETENTION AND SAFETY.

UM, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME REAL BASIC NUTS AND BOLTS OF MANAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM, UM, WITH RESPECT TO BILLING, FOR INSTANCE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMING TO AUDIT AND FINANCE TO REPORT BACK ON THE BILLING SYSTEM, WHICH CHANGES, WHICH I HOPE WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, HIRE THE ADDITIONAL, UM, MEDICS THAT WE NEED TO FILL OUT OUR SYSTEM AND PROVIDE THE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, UM, THAT WE CAN, UM, I HOPE THAT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR TIME HERE, THAT YOU CONTINUE TO APPROACH THINGS WITH A FRESH EYE, UM, AN EYE TOWARDS INNOVATION AND I TOWARDS COLLABORATION AND TRYING TO BRING IN, UM, THE MANY PARTNERS THAT CAN HELP US, UM, WITH OUR SHARED GOALS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST MEDICAL CARE THROUGH OUR EMS, UM, AS POSSIBLE, UM, AND TAKING GOOD CARE OF OUR PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.

UM, SO I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ON ME AND MY OFFICE IF WE CAN ASSIST IN ANY WAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT WILL COME FROM EMS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.

ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, A REPORT ON USE OF THC BY FIRST RESPONDERS STAFF AVAILABLE.

AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.

ABSOLUTELY.

OUR NEXT

[3. Report on use of THC by first responders. Sponsors: Council Member Natasha Haiper-Madison, and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly]

UH, FOR THE PATIENT, IT SAYS NOTHING REALLY, OR IT'S SILENT ON WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, A PATIENT THAT'S USING A CANNABIS LOW THC CANNABIS MAY OR MAY NOT DO IN THEIR WORK SETTING STAFF.

VICE CHAIR, UH, KELLY, UH, RAY ARIANO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER THE SAFETY OUTCOME OF DEPARTMENT'S CHAIR, NATASHA HOPPER MEDICINE, AS WELL AS A MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, AS THE COMMITTEE WILL RECALL BACK IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, YOU HAD A CONVERSATION AROUND, UH, THE USE OF THE POTENTIAL USE OF LOW THC LEVEL, UH, AS A PRESCRIPTION, UH, WHICH WAS RECENTLY PASSED BY HB 1535.

UH, AND AT THAT, IN THAT DISCUSSION, YOU EXPRESSED FURTHER QUESTIONS AND THEN INTEREST AGAIN, AS TO HOW MIGHT EMPLOYEES, CITY EMPLOYEES, AND MORE PARTICULARLY PUBLIC SAFETY SWORN EMPLOYEES BE ABLE TO USE, UM, LOW THC LEVEL CANNABIS, UH, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND.

SO IF I MIGHT, UH, , UH, 1535 AMENDED STATE LAW TO ALLOW CERTAIN PHYSICIANS WHO REGISTER WITH THE STATE TO PRESCRIBE LOW THC CANNABIS TO PATIENTS, UH, WHO MEET CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS OF NOTE, UH, SECTION A SECTION IN OCCUPATIONS CODE WAS AMENDED TO ADD CANCER.

AND THIS IS ALL FORMS OF CANCER, NOT JUST TERMINAL CANCER, UH, AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, UH, TO THE LIST OF ELIGIBLE FOR TREATMENT, UH, WITH LOW THC CANNABIS.

WHILE THAT OCCUPATION CODE STATES, THAT THE PHYSICIAN DETERMINES THE RISK OF MEDICAL USE OF LOW THC,

[00:15:01]

AS A RESULT OF THAT MEETING ON SEPTEMBER, THEN WENT BACK TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES DOING IN THIS REGARD? UH, SO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HEMP PRODUCTS THAT HAVE A THC LEVEL OF 0.3% OR LOWER MARIJUANA CANNABIS IN SUBSTANCES, DERIVED FROM MARIJUANA OR CANNABIS ARE SCHEDULED ONE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND ARE UNLAWFUL FOR ALL PURPOSES UNDER A FEDERAL LAW, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I'D LIKE TO COVER IN TERMS OF REGULATION.

THE FIRST IS A SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR FIREARMS. SO THERE IS A US CODE AS WELL AS ATF, UH, POLICY DOCUMENTS THAT STATE IT'S UNLAWFUL FOR ANYONE TO POSSESS OR RECEIVE A FIREARM UNDER FEDERAL LAW, WHO IS UNLAWFUL, WHO IS AN UNLAWFUL USER OF ANY FEDERAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, REGARDLESS OF STATE LAW.

SO IN THAT REGARD, APD OFFICERS, AS WELL AS, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, ARSON INVESTIGATORS, ALL OF WHICH CARRY FIREARMS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE OR TO, UH, BE ISSUED A PRESCRIPTION UNDER HB 1535, THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING, UH, PROVISIONS, UH, PREVENT, UH, OR HAVE DRUG TESTING FOR CERTAIN TRANSPORTATION-RELATED EMPLOYEES AND SPECIFICALLY, UH, THOSE THAT ARE OPERATING COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES.

SO CITY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE, UM, WHO ARE ENGAGED IN SAFETY, SENSITIVE WORK CANNOT BE PERMITTED TO USE LOW THC CANNABIS.

AND THEN FINALLY, THERE'S THE FEDERAL DRUG FREE WORKPLACE ACT, WHICH AGAIN REQUIRES FEDERAL GRANTEES TO MAINTAIN AND ENFORCE POLICIES THAT PROHIBIT ILLEGAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES IN THE WORKPLACE STAFF THEN WENT AND DID SOME RESEARCH, UH, IN TERMS OF CITIES THAT WITH, UH, THAT, UM, TO, TO ASK, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY ACCOMMODATING OR ADDRESSING THE USE OF A PRESCRIPTION, UH, CANNABIS OR THC.

WE LOOKED AT, UH, BOTH CITIES WITHIN TEXAS, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THAT MAY BE ALSO, UM, HAVE STATE LAWS THAT ALLOW FOR THE USE OF PRESCRIPTION, UH, THC, AS WELL AS RECREATIONAL USE OF CANNABIS.

SO OF THE 20 CITIES THAT PROVIDED A RESPONSE, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS INDICATED THE USE OF PRESCRIPTION MARIJUANA IS THE ONLY CITY THAT ALLOWS WHERE THE USE OF IT.

UH, THE 29 CITIES INDICATED PRESCRIPTION PRESCRIPTION MARIJUANA WAS NOT ALLOWED.

AND THEN REMAINDER OF THE CITIES, UH, PROVIDED RESPONSE ON THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION.

SO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHOULD WE DO, UM, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE USE OF LOW LEVEL, LOW THC LEVEL, UH, CANNABIS IT'S, UH, THE MANAGEMENT'S PERSPECTIVE THAT, UH, IN ORDER TO BETTER MAINE, UH, EVALUATE AND ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS COMPLY WITH REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED ABOVE MANAGEMENT WILL KEEP THE SUBJECT OF THE USE OF LOW THC CANNABIS AS DESCRIBED IN HB 1535 WITHIN THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION PROCESS.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

I FOUND THAT MEMO TO BE VERY FULL OF INFORMATION THAT WAS HELPFUL BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING, UM, COLLEAGUES.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, CHAIR.

THIS IS MAYBE MORE OF A STATEMENT THAN A QUESTION, BUT IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT WE HAVE SO MANY INSTANCES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SUBSTANCES THAT ARE NOT DETECTED BY WAY OF THE TESTING THAT WE DO, BUT WE'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SUBSTANCE THAT'S THAT REMAINS, UH, I JUST THINK IT'S INCONSISTENT.

BYE SHARE.

I APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.

UM, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO OTHER CITIES WHERE LEGALIZATION HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.

IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT WE, AS A STATE FINALLY FIGURE IT OUT.

MAYBE ONE MORE, TWO MORE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.

BUT, UM, WHAT I ASKED THE QUESTION, THE RESPONSE WAS WE JUST DON'T TEST PEOPLE.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR RESPONSE IS TO THAT ACM ARIANA.

I MEAN, ISN'T AN OPTION TO JUST NOT TEST PEOPLE.

SO IT, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'VE ASKED OTHER CITIES, THEN CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME CITIES THAT DON'T TEST AS WELL AS THOSE CITIES THAT IDENTIFIED IN THE TABLE WHERE THEY DO TEST, AND IT MIGHT EVEN, THEY VARY BETWEEN WHETHER OR NOT THEY TEST LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE OR FIRE EMS HERE IN THE CITY.

AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS LEAVING, UH, THE DECISION OR THE QUESTION AROUND WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL DO RANDOM TESTING OR FOR THAT MATTER TESTING, UH, WHEN THERE'S REASONABLE SUSPICION TO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT WILL, THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS, OR THAT WILL BE IN PROGRESS, UH, WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.

[00:20:06]

SO AGAIN, IT WASN'T A QUESTION, JUST, I JUST, I THINK IT'S INCONSISTENT.

THANK YOU CHAIR FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

WHAT'S OUR CURRENT POLICY TESTING, DRUG TESTING POLICY FOR OUR SWORN SERVICES.

SO I'LL GENERALLY SAY THAT, UH, WE DO RANDOM DRUG TESTING FOR THE THREE DEPARTMENTS, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, UH, TESTING, UH, IF THERE'S REASONABLE SUSPICION AND, OR, UH, SOME SORT OF ACCIDENT THAT OCCURS, UH, BEYOND THAT, UM, PERHAPS I CAN DEFER TO DR.

S SCOTCH.

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE THREE DEPARTMENTS.

AND I CERTAINLY HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE THREE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS WHO CAN GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL IF YOU'D LIKE, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION TO LOW THC PRODUCTS.

WHAT ARE THOSE, WHAT ARE THE USE FOR A LITTLE CONTEXT, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU COULD, WELL, SO I DON'T FEEL, UM, PREPARED OR I'M AN EXPERT IN THAT REGARD.

UH, SO CERTAINLY THERE'S MEDICAL USE THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT HERE, POTENTIAL MEDICAL USE.

AND SO I CAN I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND I, AND I JUST TALKING STRICTLY ANECDOTALLY, UH, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE OILS FOR LIKE SLEEP BASICALLY FOR SLEEP AID AND ALSO FOR KIND OF AN ANXIETY, ALMOST THE SAME WAY THAT YOU WOULD DRINK LIKE A CAMOMILE TEA OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING KIND OF THAT EFFECT A VERY MILD, UH, EFFECT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THE SUBSTANCES CORRECTLY IN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BASICALLY.

UM, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS HERE.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M HAPPY TO, TO RESPOND TO THOSE QUESTIONS THAT RE DEFERRED OVER.

UH, SO THERE IS SOME VARIATION IN EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, REGARDING THE, THE PROCESS FOR TESTING.

UH, THERE'S SOME ELEMENT OF RANDOM TESTING INVOLVED, AND THERE'S ALSO AS, UH, ACA MARIANA SAID, UH, TESTING FOR CAUSE.

SO IF A SUPERVISOR SUSPECTS THAT SOMEBODY MAY BE IMPAIRED, THAT'S A FOR CAUSE EPISODE, UH, ALSO FOR, UH, ACCIDENTS INVOLVING CITY VEHICLES, UH, OR OTHER, UH, SERIOUS INCIDENTS, UH, THERE MAY BE DRUG TESTING FOR THAT PARTICULAR CAUSE AS WELL.

UH, THEY ALL VARY SOMEWHAT, UH, IN, IN THEIR LANGUAGE, BUT THEY'RE RELATIVELY CONSISTENT.

UH, THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY WELLNESS CENTER, WHICH IS, IS, UH, UH, PROVIDE SERVICES, OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE, THE THREE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, UM, HAS, HAS LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE ALONG WITH MY OFFICE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE AGREE WITH, WITH WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT THE ISSUE IS, IS BROADER THAN JUST THC.

THC IS, IS REALLY AN ISSUE AT THIS STAGE BECAUSE OF ITS FEDERAL, UH, THE PHYSICIAN OF THE FEDERAL, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHERE IT'S STILL AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE VERSUS THE STATE GOVERNMENT, WHERE IT IS ALLOWED IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS, BUT ULTIMATELY FOR THE CITY.

AND CERTAINLY FOR ME AS, AS THE SUPERVISOR OF THE CLINICAL PRACTICE FOR EMS AND FIRE, THE CONCERN FOR US IS MORE RELATED TO IMPAIRMENT AND IMPAIRMENT COULD POTENTIALLY COME FROM THC, BUT ALSO FROM OTHER MEDICATIONS, WHICH ARE ALREADY PRESCRIBED INSIGNIFICANT NUMBERS TO, UH, TO OUR PERSONNEL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD THINGS LIKE AMPHETAMINES, UH, UH, NARCOTICS FOR PAIN MEDICATION, AND MANY, MANY OTHER CLASSES OF MEDICATIONS, BASICALLY ANY MEDICATION THAT SAYS ON THE LABEL DO NOT OPERATE HEAVY MACHINERY MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS.

ANY OF THOSE THINGS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE IMPAIRMENT.

SO I AGREE WITH THE ASSERTION THAT, SHOULD WE NOT LUMP THIS IN INTO OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT HAVE THAT POTENTIAL CAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.

BUT AS, AS ACM ARYANA SAID, THERE'S CONFLICTS WITH FEDERAL LAW.

NOW THAT IS HARD FOR US TO GET AROUND AT THIS STAGE, EVEN IF WE WANTED TO.

UM, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UH,

[00:25:01]

AND REALLY INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, WITH LABOR RELATIONS AND THE, UH, THE EMPLOYMENT UNIONS SO THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES AND, AND DO WHAT'S REASONABLE AND LEGAL FOR US TO DO, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS IT USED FOR, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PRESCRIPTION THC LOW-DOSE THC, UH, IT IT'S FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS, UH, INCLUDING CANCER, UH, MUSCLE SPASTICITY THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE PROBABLY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THOUGH, IS FOR PTSD.

UH, AND IT DOES HAVE TO BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN INVESTIGATIONAL, UH, PROGRAM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL COLLECTING DATA ON ITS EFFICACY.

UH, BUT THAT'S THE ONE THAT IS CAUSING THE MOST ANXIOUS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE AS CHIEF, UH, ELECTORATE SAID EARLIER, WE'VE GOT SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF FOLKS WHO ARE IMPACTED BY TRAUMA, THAT THEY SEE, UM, EMS, FIRE POLICE, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT WANT TO HAVE THIS AS AN OPTION.

YEAH.

AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, AND, AND JUST, UH, APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS IN PARTICULAR, UH, PUTTING IT IN CONTEXT WITH SO MANY OTHER DRUGS OUT THERE THAT HAVE SUBSTANTIAL SIDE EFFECTS THAT PEOPLE TAKE ALL THE TIME THAT ARE PERFECTLY LEGAL AND DO NOT SHOW UP ON ANY KIND OF DRUG TESTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, WHEN PEOPLE SEE PEOPLE, SOLDIER ON ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATIONS, PHYSICAL MEDICATIONS, UH, I JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF TREATING, UH, THC MARIJUANA, THE WAY WE TREAT SO MANY OTHER SUBSTANCES.

UH, I AGREE WITH THE FEDERAL LAWS IS DEFINITELY PROBLEMATIC.

I'M IMPRESSED WITH BOSTON, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THAT HAS CAUSED ANY KIND OF CONFLICT OR ANY KIND OF ISSUES, UH, YOU KNOW, BE THE, BE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

COUNCIL MEMBER, VELA AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

I MOSTLY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LET THE OPPORTUNITY GO BY WITHOUT HEARING FROM DR.

S SCOTT.

I KNOW WE USED TO SEE YOU ON THE CAMERA EVERY WEEK.

AND SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHILE FOR A COUPLE OF US.

UM, ONE THING THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IS I APPRECIATED THIS MEMO, UM, KIND OF LAYING OUT WHICH CITIES ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WAY THAT THEY DO TESTING.

IS THERE READILY ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THC IN STATES WHERE MARIJUANA IS LEGAL VERSUS NOT LEGAL? I SEE COLORADO IS ON THIS LIST, BUT I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER STATES THAT WHERE IT MAY BE LEGAL.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS OR, UM, ON THE JOB, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS THAT WERE CAUSING CONFLICTS IN STATES THAT HAD FULLY LEGALIZED MARIJUANA OR THC.

SO, UH, WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION.

UM, I KNOW COLORADO GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHICH STATES, AND I CAN GO BACK AND ANNOTATE, PERHAPS THIS, OR INDICATE, UH, IN A RESPONSE BACK TO THE COMMITTEE, WHICH STATES ON HERE DO ALLOW FOR EITHER PRESCRIPTION OR RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA AND ARIZONA, I THINK IS ONE OF THEM AS WELL.

UH, BUT WE DID NOT LOOK INTO THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT HAS BEEN THE EFFECT OR IMPLICATION OF LEGALIZATION.

I'D BE CURIOUS IF MAYBE WE CAN JUST CHECK IN OFFLINE.

I'D JUST BE CURIOUS IF THAT INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE AND IT MAY NOT BE BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE A MATTER OF, OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.

UM, BUT I ALSO, COULD I ASK THAT THE MEMO BE ADDED INTO OUR BACKUP FOR TODAY? I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION BEING GIVEN TO US.

IT WILL BE ADDED TO BACK UP.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A QUESTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR EMS WORKERS RELATED TO CANNABIS USE WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS AND THE ASSOCIATED DISQUALIFIER WAS REMOVED FROM BOTH THE APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AND THE WEBSITE.

IS THAT CORRECT? ON THE APPLICATION? YES.

UM, AND THEN SUCH A QUESTION, DOES IT STILL REMAIN ON APPLICATIONS FOR FIRE AND POLICE? I BELIEVE IT CURRENTLY DOES.

COULD YOU CHECK BACK WITH ME ON THAT WHEN YOU FIND OUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT REPORT.

I REALLY APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION IN IT AND LEARNED QUITE A BIT.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING COUNCIL MEMBER FELLA, ONE MORE QUESTION, PULLING BACK THE LENS A LITTLE BIT IS, AND LET'S PUT ALCOHOL TO THE SIDE FOR NOW IS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ABUSE, A MAJOR ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING AMONG, YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTERS, EMS POLICE, I WOULD SAY NOT, BUT I, I, BUT AGAIN, I WOULD DEFER TO THE, UM, THE THREE INDIVIDUAL CHIEFS TO RESPOND TO THAT.

IF I MIGHT JUST ADD SOME CONTEXT TO THAT, AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIND A SOLUTION THAT KEEPS US A SQUARE WITH ALL OF THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SIGNIFICANT, UM, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS THAT RESULT IN A SUSPENSION OF ONE DAY OR MORE RE RELATED TO, UH, ABUSE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.

I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF SEARCHING FOR A PROBLEM TO SOLVE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO EXIST.

IT'D BE THE VR AR SWORN EMPLOYEES, MAN,

[00:30:01]

AND, AND I MIGHT ADD TO, UM, WHAT YOUR SAYING A LOT OF TIMES FROM WHAT I, I DID NOT MEAN TO HIT THAT MICROPHONE FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IS, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE HAVE PTSD OR SOME OTHER MENTAL CONDITION THAT ARISES OUT OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO, THEY COULD BE RELUCTANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SO THE PROBLEM EXISTS, WE JUST MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF HOW PREVALENT IT IS OR NOT.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE OUR CHAIR HAS A QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WE POSED, UH, THIS AFTERNOON, UM, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON DUTY, BUT NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY'RE OFF DUTY.

SO THERE ARE THINGS THERE WERE SUBSTANCES THAT REMAIN IN YOUR SYSTEM FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND WEEKS, UM, WHEN YOU'RE OFF DUTY, BUT THE ONE UNSET DON'T REMAIN IN YOUR SYSTEM.

UM, I JUST, WE'RE A PROHIBITIONIST PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, BOOZE IS A THING THAT PEOPLE DO.

WE JUST DO IT, BUT THAT SAID, I, I, TO THE POINT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WAS MAKING THAT, UM, UH, OUR MR. S SCOTT MADE AND TO THE POINT I MADE EARLIER, WE ARE JUST BEING VERY INCONSISTENT HERE.

AND SO I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO SEE US FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE MORE CONSISTENT.

THANK YOU CHAIR FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.

THANK YOU ACM FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

UM, THAT WRAPS UP OUR DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, ITEM NUMBER FOUR

[4. Report on City infrastructure resiliency protocols and processes related to winterization. Sponsors: Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison. and Council Member Paige Ellis]

IS OUR NEXT ITEM.

IT IS A REPORT ON CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, RESILIENCY PROTOCOLS, AND PROCESSES RELATED TO WINTERIZATION.

I HAVE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM STAFF TO POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER FOUR UNTIL THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING.

DO WE HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO POSTPONING THIS UNTIL OUR MAY 23RD MEETING? NO.

OKAY, GREAT HEARING.

NO.

OBJECTION.

ITEM FOUR IS POSTPONED UNTIL THE MAY 23RD COUNCIL MEETING.

THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM

[5. Report on discharge from the Austin Samsung Semiconductor facility and follow up actions. Sponsors: Council Member Natasha Haiper-Madison, and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly]

NUMBER FIVE, A REPORT ON DISCHARGE FROM THE AUSTIN SAMSUNG SEMICONDUCTOR FACILITY AND FOLLOW UP ACTIONS.

STAFF.

ARE YOU READY TO DO THE PRESENTATION? PERFECT.

OH, AND IT LOOKS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO HAS JOINED US VIRTUALLY WELCOME.

THANKS STAFF.

HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS KATIE COHEN.

I'M YOUR CITY OF AUSTIN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF WATERSHED PROTECTION OVER PLANNING, MONITORING, AND COMPLIANCE FOR INSURANCE DIVISIONS.

UH, I JUST WANTED TO OPEN, OPEN THINGS UP TODAY.

WE'RE HERE TO REPORT ON DISCHARGE FROM THE AUSTIN SAMSUNG SEMICONDUCTOR FACILITY.

I KNOW, UH, OUR IT FOLKS ARE PULLING UP, UH, OUR PRESENTATION TODAY.

WE INITIALLY NOTIFIED YOU OF THIS EVENT, UH, THROUGH MEMO ON JANUARY 27TH, 2022, UH, WITH A FOLLOW-UP UPDATE MEMO ON FEBRUARY 10TH, 2022.

I'M GOING TO HAND THINGS OFF TO RYAN , WHO'S JOINING YOU IN PERSON, AND HE WILL INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND STAFF TO WALK YOU THROUGH.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY, UH, AFD AS WELL, WHO HAS A SEPARATE PRESENTATION THAT WILL FOLLOW OURS.

GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, LIKE TO THINK CHAIR HARPER, MADISON, AND VICE-CHAIR KELLY FOR SPONSORING THIS ITEM AND INVITING US TO BRIEF THE COMMITTEE ON THE SPILL FROM THE SAMSUNG AUSTIN SEMICONDUCTOR FACILITY.

MY NAME IS RYAN .

I'M THE INTERIM DIVISION MANAGER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE AT THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO FIRST DELIVER THE BRIEFING FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION AND THEN HEAR FROM OUR PARTNERS AT AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE THEIR BRIEFING, UH, BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, DOES THAT MEET WITH YOUR ALL SATISFACTION? GREAT.

UH, LOCATED AT 1, 2, 1 0 0 SAMSUNG BOULEVARD.

WE ALSO, WITH US TODAY HAVE HERE THANE MAUER FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

HE SUPERVISES THE DEPARTMENT'S SPILL RESPONSE PROGRAM AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

I WANTED TO START WITH SHOWING WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN AUSTIN.

THE SAMSUNG SITE IS ON THE NORTHEAST BOUNDARY OF CITY LIMITS.

IT'S IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE.

YOU CAN SEE IT SHOWN HERE BY THE PIN ON THE MAP,

[00:35:01]

THAT'S JUST SOUTH OF EAST PARMER LANE BETWEEN AND TOLL ONE 30.

AND WHEN WE OVERLAY THE MAP WITH WATERSHED BOUNDARIES, WE SEE THE SITE IS IN THE WEST LOWER PART OF HARRIS BRANCH CREEK WATERSHED.

THAT'S SHOWN AS A LIGHT SHADE OF PINK ON THIS SLIDE.

THANKS.

LOOKING AT THE SEQUENCE EVENTS FOR THIS INCIDENT, WE'LL START WITH JANUARY 14TH OF THIS YEAR.

SAMSUNG NOTIFIED THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER OF A LARGE DISCHARGE OF DILUTE ACIDIC WASTEWATER THAT ORIGINATED FROM THERE, SAMSUNG AUSTIN SEMICONDUCTOR FACILITY.

THEN ON JANUARY 18TH, TCQ CONTACTED WATERSHED PROTECTION TO NOTIFY US OF THE INCIDENT.

THEY REPORTED A SPILL OF UP TO 763,000 GALLONS THAT WAS OCCURRING UP TO 106 DAYS.

THIS WASTEWATER IS A BY-PRODUCT FROM SAMSUNG'S INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES.

IT CONTAINS SULFURIC ACID, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE, AND AIR CONDITIONING.

CONDENSATE IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION HERE THAT THE SAMSUNG SITE HOLDS NUMEROUS PERMITS WITH THE TCEQ, INCLUDING A STORMWATER PERMIT FOR INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES EARLY ON IN THE INCIDENT.

FOLLOWING NOTIFICATION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S TCQ IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS THE LEAD AGENCY AND STATED THAT THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WAS OVERSEEING THE TCQ PROCESS.

THAT SAME DAY ON JANUARY 18TH, WATERSHED PROTECTION VISITED THE SITE, INTERVIEWED SAMSUNG STAFF AND VERIFIED THAT THE STORMWATER POND THAT CONTAINED MUCH OF THE SPILL WAS VALVED SHUT TO FURTHER ISOLATE THE SPILL FROM MIGRATING, UH, OFF, OFF THE PROPERTY, ANY FURTHER.

DURING THE FOLLOWING DAYS, WE WORKED TO COLLECT ACCURATE INFORMATION THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE WITH SAMSUNG AND TCEQ.

WE COORDINATED WITH PARTNERING AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH AND TRAVIS COUNTY.

AND WE CONDUCTED CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE RECEIVING WATERWAY TO EVALUATE IMPACTS.

LASTLY, WE SEE JANUARY 31ST THROUGH FEBRUARY 3RD, DURING REMEDIATION, SAMSUNG WAS PUMPING THE SPILL OUT OF THE POND AND INTO THE SANITARY SEWER THAT WAS WITH APPROVAL FROM AUSTIN WATER BETWEEN THESE DATES.

THERE WERE TWO SIGNIFICANT STORMS THAT HIT THE SITE AND INTRODUCED A LARGE VOLUME OF STORM WATER TO THE POND WHERE THE SPILL WAS BEING CONTAINED AND MANAGED THE AMOUNT OF STORMWATER OVERWHELMED, THE POND'S ABILITY TO CONTAIN IT AND RESULTED IN TWO ADDITIONAL RELEASES THIS TIME, IT WAS TO A DIFFERENT TRIBUTARY THAT SITS NORTH OF THE SITE.

IN THESE INSTANCES, THE DISCHARGES WERE PRIMARILY STORMWATER THAT WAS MIXED WITH SOME OF THE RESIDUAL WASTE THAT HAD BEEN CONTAINED IN THE POND SAMPLE RESORT SAMPLE RESULTS REPORTED BY SAMSUNG FOR THESE TWO DISCHARGES INDICATED THAT THE LEVELS OF THE DISCHARGE WERE WITHIN REGULATORY LIMITS.

SO PUT THIS IN A BIT OF A SPATIAL CONTEXT FOR YOU.

THIS IS AN AERIAL IMAGE OF THE AREA.

WE CAN SEE THE SAMSUNG FACILITY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE IMAGE, THE INITIAL WASTEWATER SPILL MIGRATED FROM THE BUILDINGS TO SAMSUNG'S STORMWATER POND, WHICH IS OUTLINED IN PURPLE.

THIS IS A WET POND, WHICH IS A TYPE OF STORMWATER CONTROL MEASURE.

THAT'S DESIGNED TO HOLD WATER DURING JUST NORMAL OPERATIONS.

DURING THAT PERIOD OF UP TO 106 DAYS BEFORE THE SPILL WAS DETECTED AN UNKNOWN VOLUME OF THE SPILL IMPACTED AN UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF HARRIS BRANCH CREEK, WHICH IS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE FACILITY OUTLINED IN RED HERE, THAT STRETCH THAT'S OUTLINED IN RED IS APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF MILES.

AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF IT, THAT IS THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE MAIN STEM OF HARRIS BRANCH CREEK.

AND LASTLY, UH, AT THE TOP OF THE IMAGE, WE SEE ANOTHER TRIBUTARY OUTLINED IN GREEN, AND THAT WAS THE DRAINAGE PATHWAY FOR THE, UH, DURING THE TWO LARGE STORM EVENTS THAT OVERWHELMED THE POND AND RESULTED IN THOSE DISCHARGES.

RECOGNIZING THAT TCQ IS THE LEAD AGENCY ON THIS INCIDENT, INCLUDING COMPONENTS RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNICATIONS.

SO AGAIN,

[00:40:01]

HERE'S SOME INFORMATION WE HAVE REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION CAN PROVIDE.

FIRST, THERE'VE BEEN NO DOCUMENTED IMPACTS TO HUMAN HEALTH FROM THIS INCIDENT.

AND BY JANUARY 19TH, ONE DAY AFTER WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION WATERSHED PROTECTION FOUND THAT PH LEVELS IN THE IMPACTED TRIBUTARY HAD RETURNED CLOSE TO NORMAL LEVELS, PRESENTING NO APPARENT, FURTHER RISKS, PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS TRIBUTARY IS LIMITED.

THERE'S NO NEARBY PARKS AND WHILE SERVING THE AREA WATERSHED PROTECTION DID NOT OBSERVE INDICATIONS OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ALONG THE TRIBUTARY.

THERE ALSO NO DRINKING WATER WELLS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE SPILL.

THERE IS ONE APARTMENT COMPLEX NORTH OF THE TRIBUTARY NEAR HARRIS BRANCH PARKWAY, AS WELL AS AN AREA WITH SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING SOUTH OF THE TRIBUTARY, ALSO NEAR HARRIS BRANCH PARKWAY.

BUT AGAIN, ACCESS TO THE IMPACT OF TRIBUTARY FROM THESE POPULATION CENTERS IS VERY LIMITED AND THE CITY CONTINUES TO YIELD THE TCQ TO PERFORM AND REPORT ON ANY ASSESSMENTS TO HUMAN HEALTH.

AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH TCQ ABOUT THESE ELEMENTS OF THE INCIDENT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE LOOKING AT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT WE DOCUMENTED FROM THIS, THE EXTENT OF THESE IMPACTS ARE LIMITED TO THE SOUTHEAST TRIBUTARY.

THAT WAS THE AREA THAT WAS OUTLINED IN RED TCEQ REPORTED THAT SOME SAMSUNG MEASURED PH LEVELS, AND THAT YOU'LL BE TERRY BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR EARLY ON DURING THE INCIDENT THAT'S FAR BELOW NORMAL LEVELS FOR SURFACE WATER.

WHILE WE SURVEYED WATERSHED PROTECTION FOUND REMAINS OF DEAD AQUATIC SPECIES AND VIRTUALLY NO SURVIVING AQUATIC LIFE WITHIN THE ONE AND A HALF MILE STRETCH OF THE TRIBUTARY BETWEEN THE SAMSUNG STORMWATER POND AND THE MAIN STEM OF HARRIS BRANCH CREEK.

THIS INDICATES TO US THAT THE DISCHARGE HAD A SIGNIFICANT SHORT-TERM IMPACT ON THE AQUATIC COMMUNITY AND ECOLOGY IN THE TRIBUTARY.

AFTER THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE MAIN STEM OF HARRIS BRANCH CREEK, NO IMPACTS WERE OBSERVED AND HEALTHY AQUATIC LIFE IS PRESENT.

SAMSUNG RECENTLY PROVIDED ANALYTICAL RESULTS FROM AN EXTERNAL CERTIFIED LABORATORY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS FROM THE POND AND AT VARIOUS POINTS WITHIN THE TRIBUTARY, THE RESULTS SUPPORT REPORTS THAT HAZARDOUS METALS WERE NOT SPILLED.

LONG-TERM IT'S STILL TOO EARLY TO KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE RANGE OF IMPACTS WILL BE FOR THIS IMPACT.

THAT TRIBUTARY IT'S LIKELY THAT ALL ALLERGY AND BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES ARE GONE AND WATERSHED PROTECTION SCIENTISTS BELIEVE IT WILL TAKE ON THE SCALE OF SIX MONTHS TO TWO YEARS FOR THE ECOSYSTEM NETWORKS TO REBUILD AND THE STREAM TO FULLY RECOVER TO A PRE SPILL CONDITION BACK TO THAT, UH, NORTHEAST TRIBUTARY THAT WAS OUTLINED IN GREEN, OUR SURVEY, FOLLOWING THOSE RAIN EVENTS FOUND NO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH OUR EXPECTATION BASED ON THE, UH, SAMPLE RESULTS THAT SAMSUNG HAD REPORTED TO US.

SINCE JANUARY 19TH, WATERSHED PROTECTION IS CONDUCTING WEEKLY MONITORING OF THE RECEIVING TRIBUTARY FOR BASIC WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS AND VISUAL OBSERVATIONS.

THIS ALLOWS US TO VERIFY THAT NO FURTHER POLLUTANT DISCHARGES ARE OCCURRING AND THAT THE STREAM IS TRENDING TOWARD RECOVERY.

OKAY, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UH, THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS ARE ON ONSITE EMPLOYEES THAT RESPOND TO INCIDENTS AND, UM, ARE TRAINED TO DO SO, AND THEY'RE AT ALL THE FABRICATION FACILITIES.

SO FOR NEXT STEPS, SAMSUNG IS CONTINUING REMEDIATION AND MONITORING EFFORTS AND COORDINATING WITH BOTH TCQ AND WATERSHED PROTECTION ON THOSE SAMSUNG IS ALSO WORKING WITH A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT AND NEARBY PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONDUCT ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS WITHIN THE OFFSITE TRIBUTARY.

THIS INCLUDES ENHANCING THE EXISTING HABITAT TO PROMOTE AQUATIC AND WILDLIFE GROWTH IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE TRIBUTARY REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES, REPLANTING NATIVE SPECIES, AND CONSTRUCTING A RIFFLE POOL GLIDE SYSTEM WITHIN THE STREAM.

MULTIPLE ENGINEERING CONTROLS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE ANOTHER RELEASE EVENT LIKE THIS DOES NOT OCCUR.

THIS INCLUDES UPGRADED ENGINEERING CONTROLS FOR THE SUMPS AND WASTEWATER TRANSFER SYSTEMS, ADDITIONAL FIELD INSPECTIONS BY SAMSUNG STAFF AND CONTINUOUS PH MONITORING AT THEIR DISCHARGE OUTFALLS.

WE ANTICIPATE THE FINAL INVESTIGATION REPORT FROM TCQ WILL BE ISSUED SOON, AND THIS REPORT WILL CONTAIN TCQ FINDINGS AND MAY INCLUDE ADDITIONAL DIRECTIVES AND ANY NOTICE OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

[00:45:04]

FROM HERE.

I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR BRIEFING.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF REPORT ABOUT, UM, AUSTIN FIRES, UM, UM, INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED ABOUT THE EMPHASIS EVENT.

UM, I AM YVONNE ESPINOSA ON THE SUPERVISING ENGINEER OVER THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ENGINEERING GROUP.

AND I HAVE WITH ME SCOTT STICKY, WHO IS A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EXPERT WITHIN OUR GROUP.

AND WE WORKED FOR THE FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE.

NEXT SLIDE.

BEFORE I GIVE ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THE WASTEWATER INCIDENT, I WANTED TO EXPLAIN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH SAMSUNG.

UH, WE PERFORMED PLAN REVIEW AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS OF SAMSUNG PROJECTS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND ANNUAL PERMIT PROGRAM.

AND WE ALSO PERFORM MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS THROUGH THE ABOVE-GROUND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PERMIT PROGRAM.

UH, SO WE HAVE A LONGSTANDING WELL ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAMSUNG.

UH, WE HAVE, UH, FIVE FABRICATION FACILITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND SAMSUNG IS THE LARGEST, BUT WE HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THEM.

UH, WE PERFORM MANDATORY INSPECTIONS OF NEW EQUIPMENT, UH, FOR VIRGIN AND WASTE CHEMICALS.

UM, WE ARE ONSITE MONTHLY, UM, EITHER OUR ENGINEERING GROUP, OUR TECHNICAL INSPECTIONS GROUP DOING, UM, FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTIONS.

AND WE ALSO, UH, DO AN ENTIRE INSPECTION OF THE SITE, UH, THROUGH THE ABOVE-GROUND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DEPARTMENT PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE LEARNED ABOUT THE, UH, WASTEWATER INCIDENT FROM WATER SHED PROTECTION ON JANUARY 25TH.

UM, AND WE WERE ALSO AT THAT TIME HEARING, UM, THE MEDIA REPORTS.

AND SO WE, SINCE WE ARE THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, UH, WE DECIDED TO SET UP A MEETING WITH SAMSUNG TO GET SOME DIRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

UH, WE MET WITH THE DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AND SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM HIS GROUP AT SAMSUNG.

AND THESE ARE THE FACTS THAT WE WALKED AWAY WITH.

UH, SO I BELIEVED IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THE ACID WASTEWATER STREAM CONSISTED OF AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE.

SO FERRIC ACID AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, WHICH WERE ALL HEAVILY DILUTED WITH WATER.

UH, THE WASTEWATER STREAM IS GRAVITY.

FRED FED, EXCUSE ME, INTO ONE OF APPROXIMATELY 160, UH, ACID WATER SUMPS LOCATED BETWEEN THE BOTH, BOTH FABS.

UM, AND IT ISN'T A CONFINED SPACE UNDERNEATH THE FABRICATION FACILITY.

AND FROM THERE, THE LIQUID IS PUMP FROM THE WASTEWATER SUMP INTO THE, UM, INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT.

THE RELEASE OCCURRED, UH, AT ONE OF THE SUMPS AND, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE RELEASE OCCURRED AT ONE OF THE SUBSTANCE.

SO WHAT OCCURRED IS THAT A CHECK VALVE FAILED ON THE PUMPING SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWED BACKFLOW INTO THIS.

UM, AND THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER FAILURE WHICH WAS, UM, LOSS OF CONTAINMENT IN THE SUP.

SO THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE SUMP JUST BELOW, UM, THE PASSIVE OVERFLOW SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD HAVE KEPT THE SUMP FROM OVERFLOWING, UH, BECAUSE OF THE LEAK, IT, IT OVERFLOWED.

UM, AND AT THAT TIME WE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE LEAK DID NOT INVOLVE A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL AS DEFINED BY THE, UH, 2021 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE.

SO MY GROUP ONLY DEALS WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, UM, AS THEY ARE DEFINED BY THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE, UH, NETFLIX AND SO A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, WE WALKED AWAY FROM, UM, WITH, AT THAT MEETING WHERE THAT SAMSUNG WAS CONSIDERING SOME ADDITIONAL CONTROLS.

UM, THIS WAS VERY EARLY ON, SO THIS IS JUST THE TWO THAT WE HEARD IN THE MEETING, AND ONE WAS A WASTEWATER PUMP MONITORING.

SO IF THEY HAD BEEN AWARE THAT THE PUMP WAS CONTINUOUSLY PUMPING, THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG IN THE SUMP.

UM, ALSO THEY, UH, UH, WERE CONSIDERING A SUMP INSPECTION PROGRAM FOR ALL OF THE APPROXIMATELY 160 STUMPS.

AND THEN AT THAT TIME WE WERE ALSO, AND WE STILL ARE LOOKING AT EVALUATING IF ADDITIONAL CONTROLS ARE NEEDED AND CONFINED SPACES WHERE THE EQUIPMENT'S NOT READILY VISIBLE.

UH, WE ALSO SPENT, UH, WE ALSO MET WITH OUR, UH, AFD SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP, WHICH RESPONDS TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS AND DISCUSSED, UH, THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS.

[00:50:01]

UM, AND SO WE WANTED AT A MINIMUM FOR SAMSUNG TO NOTIFY US AS A COURTESY WHEN THERE ARE WASTEWATER INCIDENTS THAT OCCUR.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAD.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS, UM, COLLEAGUES, I GUESS WE'LL GET INTO THE DISCUSSION HERE, BUT BEFORE I CALL ON ANYONE ELSE, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, SORRY, I'M TRYING TO FIND IT, UM, ON SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, THE FIRST PRESENTATION, IT SAID THAT SAMSUNG NOTIFIED TCEQ AND THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER OF THE SPILL ON THE 14TH OF JANUARY, BUT THEN NOTIFIED US ON THE 18TH OF JANUARY.

UM, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS A DELAY AND THEM LETTING US KNOW THAT THERE WAS A SPILL? I CAN DO MY BEST WITH THAT.

YES.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT SAMSUNG, SO YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHY THIS DIDN'T GET TO US SOONER.

SURE.

THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE AREAS OF OUR CONCERN AS WELL.

WAS THAT A FOUR OR FIVE DAY DELAY BETWEEN NOTIFICATION TO THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER AND NOTIFICATION TO THE CITY? IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FELT LIKE AFD DID A GOOD JOB TOUCHING ON THEIR LAST SLIDE THERE WITH THE NEED FOR, UM, IMPROVED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN, UH, SITES LIKE SAMSUNG AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL SITES IN THE CITY WHEN THESE RELEASES DO OCCUR.

UH, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE REGULATIONS, THERE WAS, UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF INTERPRETATION OF THESE REGULATIONS WITH THE, THERE WAS NO TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT FOR THEM TO NOTIFY US.

HOWEVER, UH, AS A COURTESY, WE DO FEEL LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE APPROPRIATE RIGHT THING TO DO IN THIS CASE.

THE NOTIFICATION THAT THE CITY RECEIVED ON JANUARY 18TH DID COME FROM TCQ.

UM, AND THEN THAT ALERTED US TO THIS INCIDENT, TO WHERE WE COULD ENGAGE WITH SAMSUNG STAFF DIRECTLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COLLEAGUES.

VICE CHAIR, KELLY.

UM, THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS, IS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE THE MOST TENURE? SURE.

I COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE THAT ON INITIALLY KATIE COHEN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, AND, AND JUST TO SPEAK TO THE LAST QUESTION AS WELL, IT'S SOMETHING ALSO THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY IS, YOU KNOW, ARE BEING NOTIFIED BY TCEQ ON THE 18TH AND GETTING YOU A MEMO BY THE, UH, UH, 27TH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE TO PASS THAT INFORMATION ALONG TO Y'ALL AS WELL.

AND PART OF THAT IS ALSO JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THE DATA WE WERE RECEIVING WAS COMING DIRECTLY FROM TCQ AND SAMSUNG, AND THAT WE FELT A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE VERIFIED THAT DATA.

WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND, AND THAT WE NEED TO HONOR THAT WITH SCIENTIFICALLY RIGOROUS COMMUNICATION.

UM, AND, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL.

UM, IN TERMS OF, HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE? UH, THAT WAS THE QUESTION I ASKED, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT I'M YOUR NEW ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOTHING I'VE SEEN SINCE DECEMBER.

UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, RYAN MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THIS, BUT I KNOW IN HIS TENURE, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER THAN, THAN MINE.

UH, I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT AN EVENT THAT WE FEEL THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECENT PRECEDENT FOR.

UM, SO IT'S CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO LOOK AT IN HINDSIGHT, UH, WHAT REPORTING COULD LOOK LIKE, HOW COMMUNICATION COULD BE IMPROVED TO THE POWER THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GOVERN THAT KNOWING THAT TCQ IS THE LEAD AGENCY.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT, KATIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH, BUT I, I REALLY WANTED AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, HAS THIS HAPPENED? SO, UM, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, THE NOTIFICATIONS THAT WERE MADE, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY POINT OUT THAT I DON'T MEAN TO BE A BERKSHIRE.

HAS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE, IN MY 10 YEARS WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SPILL FROM AN INDUSTRIAL SITE THAT WAS THIS SIGNIFICANT.

UM, AND I HAVE THANE MAUER HERE AS WELL.

HE HAS BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UH, EVEN LONGER THAN I HAVE.

AND, UH, I BELIEVE THEY WOULD REPORT THE SAME TO YOU AS WELL, BUT THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FROM AN INDUSTRIAL SITE IN AUSTIN THAT, THAT WE'VE SEEN IN OUR TIME, BUT SAYING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THOUGH.

SO WHEN I HAVE TO ANSWER TO MY CONSTITUENTS, WHEN THEY'RE ASKING ME QUESTIONS, SO FOR DISTRICT ONE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FORGIVE ME FOR BEING PARTICULAR TO MY DISTRICT FOR DISTRICT ONE.

WE HAVE THREE SEMICONDUCTOR SITES, HAS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE? AND IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER RIGHT NOW, THAT'S

[00:55:01]

FINE.

BUT I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD.

HOW DO WE, SO THIS ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS ONE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REMEDIATE WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EASILY ACCESSIBLE, UM, PRODUCTS, BUT MOVING FORWARD, LET'S SAY IT'S THE BAD STUFF.

LIKE I, I REALLY, REALLY WANT, I WAS HOPING THAT DURING THE COURSE OF THIS CONVERSATION, WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, IF IT GOES BAD AGAIN, THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND THEN IF IT GOES REALLY BAD, LIKE IF SOMETHING THAT'S, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER TO MY CONSTITUENTS WHEN THEY'RE ASKING ME QUESTIONS, LET ME ANSWER VERY CLEARLY TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AND EVENT OF THE SCALE HAS NOT OCCURRED IN THE PAST THROUGH OUR KNOWLEDGE.

AND I'LL HAND IT TO RYAN TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO KIND OF A FUTURE FUTURE FAIL SAFES, AND ALSO SPEAKING TO POTENTIALLY OTHER, OTHER PARTNERS IN THE REGION WHO MIGHT BE OPERATING SOME SIMILAR FACILITIES AND WHAT IS IN, IS IN OUR PURVIEW TO BE ABLE TO DO AND WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER.

THANK YOU, KATIE.

I'LL, I'LL ECHO THAT AND SAY THAT, UH, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ALERTED TO, OR RESPONDED TO ANY SPILL INCIDENT LIKE THIS BEFORE.

AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, FORTUNATELY A TESTAMENT TO SOME OF THE LAYERS OF CONTROLS THAT ARE IN PLACE FROM A MONITORING COMPLIANCE, UM, PERSPECTIVE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, OF LAYERS OF MEASURES IN PLACE, MANY OF THEM, WHICH HAPPEN UNDER SAMSUNG'S PERMIT WITH THE TCEQ BY SAMSUNG STAFF, ENGINEERING CONTROLS, UH, ROUTINE FREQUENT INSPECTIONS OF THE SITE, ADDITIONALLY CITY OF AUSTIN AND TCEQ, UH, INSPECT THAT SITE FOR COMPLIANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS, IS, IS LOOKING AT ORDER ON A ROUTINE BASIS.

I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION A PROGRAM THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION HAS NAMED THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY INDEX.

IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL SITES, BUT WE, UH, ROUTINELY MONITOR THE SAME, UH, LOCATIONS, UH, IN CREEKS ACROSS AUSTIN TO IDENTIFY TRENDS AND, AND WATER QUALITY, BOTH, UM, FROM A CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE.

UM, THERE ARE DOZENS OF THESE SITES ACROSS THE CITY, AND WE HAVE THIS VERY ROBUST MONITORING PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR DECADES NOW.

UM, WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE ABLE TO DETECT A SPILL LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING.

UH, IT WOULD VARY DEPENDING ON, UH, WHAT TYPE OF SPILL AND THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SOURCE AND, AND THOSE, UM, SAMPLE SITES.

BUT, UH, I DID WANT TO CALL THAT TO ATTENTION AS ANOTHER MONITORING PROGRAM THAT THAT COULD BE EFFECTIVE IN DETECTING THESE INCIDENTS, UM, AND PREVENTING THEM FROM HAVING GREATER IMPACTS MONITORING OCCURS AT THOSE SITES QUARTERLY.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I CAN, I CAN POSE THOSE OFFLINE.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA IS NEXT AND ICU COUNCIL MEMBER TOPO.

OH, MY HAND UP TOO.

W THE S THE SUMP, UH, WHAT IS, UH, ASSUMP? UH, IT'S IT'S, UH, A COLLECTION TANK BASICALLY.

SO IT'S JUST A, A TANK THAT IS GRAB, UH, GRAVITY.

THE PRODUCT COMES IN GRAVITY FED.

SO AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, THEN IT WILL START PUMPING OUT INTO WASTE TREATMENT.

UM, SO IT'S BASICALLY JUST A COLLECTION TANK.

JUST FOR THE RESIDENTIAL VERSION, THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE LITTLE CONTAINER THAT, THAT SITS THERE AND PUSH IT, THE WASTE UPHILL INTO THE WASTE SYSTEM.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE RESIDENTIAL VERSION OF THAT, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CORRECT THEM? WE CALL THEM SINKS IN SOUTH AUSTIN.

AND HOW DID IT END UP, HOW DID THE, THE MATERIAL, THE ACID END UP IN THE STORAGE, UH, UH, POND RIGHT THERE? THAT'S, I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.

SO IT, IT BASICALLY, IT OVERFILLED THE SUMP, I GUESS, BECAUSE THE SAMPLE IS NOT PUMPING IT OUT THEN THE, SOME OVERFLOWS.

AND THEN I GUESS I'M, I'M UNCLEAR AS TO HOW IT GOT INTO THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE TANK, THEIR ONSITE.

DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT? I CAN TRY.

FLOOR, CONCRETE FLOOR, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, UM, THAT HAS A, UH, STORMWATER DRAIN.

WELL, I CAN ANSWER IF YOU WANT TO.

UM, SO ONCE, UH, THE, SO THE, UM, AREA UNDERNEATH THE FAB ACTUALLY HAS A PARTIAL

[01:00:01]

SO WHEN IT, UH, LEFT THE SUMP, IT BEGAN TO PULL IN THIS AREA AND EVENTUALLY MADE ITS WAY INTO A STORMWATER DRAIN.

THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

AND THEN IT SAT IN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, CAUGHT A POND THERE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NEXT TO THE FACILITY FOR ABOUT LIKE 10 TO 11 DAYS OR SO, WE CAN RELATIVELY SAFELY, I GUESS, SITTING IN THAT KIND OF THE STORAGE POND UNTIL WE HAD THE STORM, AND THEN IT W IT FLOW, FLEW OUT INTO THE, UH, SO FROM THE DATA THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM SAMSUNG, UH, IT WAS A FAIRLY SLOWLY PERHAPS IF A GALLON OR TWO, A MINUTE, THAT WAS LEAKING FOR A HUNDRED AND UP TO 106 DAYS BASED ON THE PUMP RUNTIME.

AND SO IT WAS COLLECTING IN THAT POND, UM, PRESUMABLY MAKE ACIDIFYING THE POND.

AND THEN SOME WAS GETTING INTO THE, UH, SOME THEN GOT INTO THE TRIBUTARY AS WELL.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT AMOUNT GOT IN THE TRIBUTARY.

IT WAS THE PH AND THE TRIBUTARY WAS NOT AS LOW AS THE PH IN THE POND, WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE, UH, ABOUT 2.1 PH, WHICH IS QUITE ACIDIC.

THE TRIBUTARY WAS BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR WAS THE LOWEST, IT WAS MEASURED.

AND THEN IT REBOUNDED PRETTY QUICKLY ONCE THE, UM, POND WAS VALVED OFF AND IT DIDN'T HAVE AN INFLOW OF ACIDIC WATER INTO THE TRIBUTARY.

AND THEN THE, THAT LATER 11 DAYS, UM, WAS THERE WAS NO MORE DISCHARGES INTO THE IMPACTED TRIBUTARY.

UM, AND THEN THAT THOSE RAIN EVENTS WENT TO A DIFFERENT TRIBUTARY.

UM, BUT THE, THE, UH, WASTE HAD BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY TREATED BY THAT POINT.

THE PH HAD COME UP SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE POND.

AND, UM, THE, THE MEASUREMENTS AT THE, UM, TRIBUTARY OR THE NORTH TRIBUTARY WERE WITHIN REGULATORY LIMITS.

SO IT WAS STILL A RELEASE, BUT IT'S THE SAME, IT'S THE SAME VOLUME OF WATER.

THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL ACID THAT CAME OUT.

IT JUST WENT FROM THE POND INTO A DIFFERENT TRIBUTARY AT THAT POINT.

AND SO WHEN WE HAD THE STORM WATER EVENT ON THE 31ST, THE CONTENTS, THE POND HAD BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY TREATED TO REDUCE THE DAMAGE TO ONE.

UH, THERE WAS, UH, A LYME TREATMENT.

UM, SO USING A BASE TO NEUTRALIZE THE ACID, AND I'D BEEN GETTING DAILY REPORTS FROM SAMSUNG AND THE PH HAD BEEN TRENDING UPWARDS IN THE POND FROM, UM, UH, 2.1, WHICH WAS THE LOWEST DATA THEY MEASURED TO.

I BELIEVE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY A PH OF FIVE BEFORE THE RAIN EVENT.

AND THEN THE RAIN EVENT RAISED EVEN HIGHER BECAUSE IT WAS SO DILUTED BY THE RAIN.

AND THEN THE RAIN EVENT CAUSED THE SPILLAGE INTO THE GREEN HIGHLIGHTED CHARACTER.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY AN OVERT, THAT'S THE OVERFLOW TRIBUTARY FOR LARGE RAIN EVENTS.

AND SO THEN THE SLOW LEAKS THAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING IN THE PRIOR 106 DAYS OR SO, YES, THOSE WERE ACTUALLY LEAKING INTO THE IT'S ALIGNED INTO THE WET POND.

AND THEN THAT ALL CONSTANTLY DISCHARGES INTO THE, UM, RED TRIBUTARY, THE ONE TO THE EAST AND SOUTH.

ONE IS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS EVENT IS DIFFERENT, BUT ARE THERE LINKS BACK TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 2018? AND IF SO, HELP, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THOSE AND WHAT THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE BETWEEN, UM, BETWEEN THOSE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT STRIKES ME THAT WE'RE, WE'RE OVERDUE FOR A REPORT BACK ON ONE, WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT, UM, SAMSUNG HAS BEEN ABLE TO INSTALL IN THEIR PLANT MECHANISMS FOR REMOVING SULFATE BEFORE IT GETS RELEASED INTO OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

SO NEXT WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO WHO IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

AND THEN I MAYOR PRO TEM.

DID YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL? YOU'LL BE AFTER.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TOPO.

GO AHEAD.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THIS EVENT HAS ANYTHING IS AT ALL SIMILAR TO WHAT WE EXPERIENCED BACK IN 2018.

AND I WAS JUST LOOKING, I THINK, IN, IN, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON ASKED HER A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER ANYTHING OF THIS SORT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.

UM, I THINK MOST OF YOU WERE ON THE DAYAS WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SURCHARGE AND, AND AUSTIN WATER HAD ASKED US TO KIND OF PHASE IN A SURCHARGE.

AND WHEN, WHEN I AND OTHERS, MS. DYAS LEARNED THE REASON FOR THE DISCHARGE, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO PHASE IT IN RIGHT AWAY, UM, BECAUSE WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS, UM, THAT SAMSUNG HAD CHANGED THE WAY THAT THEY MET CHANGED SOME OF THEIR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.

AND ONE OF THE RESULTS IS THAT AMMONIA WAS BEING RELEASED INTO OUR WASTEWATER, UM, AND NEEDED TO BE TREATED.

I MAY NOT BE EXPLAINING THIS QUITE RIGHT, BUT WE, WE NEEDED TO INCREASE HOW WE, THE TREATMENT OF, OF THEIR WASTEWATER TO REMOVE AMMONIA AND IT, AND IT AMOUNTED TO, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND OUT LATER MORE THAN $8 MILLION OF COSTS THAT, UM, FRANKLY RATE PAYERS PAID TO REMOVE THE AMMONIA FROM THE WATER.

THEY WERE ALSO RELEASING HIGH RATES OF, I MEAN, HIGH LEVELS OF SULFATE AND THAT, THAT, UM, AFTER A LOT OF EXPLANATION AND REVIEW, INCLUDING WHAT SAMSUNG, UM, IT, IT TURNED OUT, HAD TO BE REALLY MANAGED AT THE PLANT IT'S AT SAMSUNG ITSELF.

AND SO I GUESS I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

[01:05:01]

AND THEN TWO IS THE SURCHARGE THAT WE'RE WHERE ASSESSING SAMSUNG STILL SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COST OF TREATING THAT WATER, OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND I THINK WE GAVE THIS DIRECTION BACK IN 2018, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE SURCHARGE WAS KEEPING UP WITH THE ACTUAL COST.

SO THAT RATE PAYERS ARE NOT HELPING ABSORB SOME OF THAT COST.

SO I GUESS THAT'S THREE QUESTIONS.

ONE IS, IS THIS, DOES THIS BEAR ANY RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 2018 TOO? HAS SAMSUNG IMPLEMENTED THAT SULFATE, UM, SCREENING PROCESS AND THREE, UM, IF WE COULD GET AN ANSWER BACK AT SOME POINT, IF NOT TODAY ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SURCHARGE THAT AUSTIN WATER IS ASSESSING IS KEEPING UP WITH THAT.

AND THANKS, THANKS FOR THE EXPLANATION HERE TODAY.

I CAN DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THAT.

UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

UH, SO WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS HERE.

UH, THE ONE IN 2018 IS SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT WASTEWATER.

UM, SO THAT IS NOT A DISCHARGED THE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DISCHARGED TO THE, UH, PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS POTW THAT AUSTIN WATER RUNS.

AND SO I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC DATA ON THAT.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE WE, UM, FOR THIS INCIDENT WE HAD TO RELEASE TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO REMEDIATE.

I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY LINKAGE BETWEEN THESE AT ALL.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO CONSULT WITH AUSTIN WATER ABOUT IT.

WE'VE HAD SOME BRIEF DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT, UH, SAMSUNG HAS BEEN MEETING THEIR PERMIT REQUIREMENTS, UM, FROM THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL WASTE SPECIAL SERVICES GROUP WITH AUSTIN WATER, BUT I DON'T HAVE DATA ON HAND FOR THAT.

SO I'D BE HAPPY TO REACH OUT WITH THEM AND, UH, AND TRY AND COLLECT SOME INFORMATION FOR THAT.

THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

I UNDERSTAND THE RELEASE WAS DIFFERENT TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF THEY'RE TREATED WELL, I THINK I'LL NEED TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THIS MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING, I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF WHAT WAS, IF ANY OF THEIR, UM, STRATEGIES THAT THEY TOLD US THEY WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT TO, TO REDUCE, UM, THE RELEASE OF AMMONIA INTO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

IF YOU COULD, I'M NOT ARTICULATING THIS WELL, KATIE COIN, MAYBE YOU CAN TAKE THIS OUT AFTERWARD, BUT I GUESS I DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND IT, IT DIDN'T RESULT IN THE SAME OUTCOME.

UM, BUT I THINK IT BEARS DISCUSSING ABSOLUTELY COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA.

LET ME, LET ME JUST TRY TO, TO BREAK IT DOWN.

I THINK IT'S JUST, IT'S TWO SEPARATE ISSUES ALTOGETHER.

PERMITTED WASTE WASTEWATER DISCHARGE THAT AUSTIN WATER, UH, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLABORATING WITH THEM ON AND COMING TO AGREEMENTS ON VERSUS THIS WAS A FAILURE OF THE SUMP, UH, THAT, SO IT WAS A ACCIDENT.

IT IS NOT A PERMITTED DISCHARGE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

THIS MATERIAL SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT INTO THE POND THAT FAILURE ALLOWED IT TO MAKE IT INTO THE POND.

AND THEN TO THE TRIBUTARY.

UM, SO TWO SEPARATE ISSUES ALTOGETHER, TWO SEPARATE SYSTEMS. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, RYAN ARE SAYING, IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN AND JUST CONFIRM, UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, IS THAT HELPFUL? YEAH, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.

THANK, YOU KNOW, ONE, MAYBE ONE WAY TO VISUALIZE IT IS, UH, THIS LEAK WAS ONE OF THE 160 SUMPS.

AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 160TH OF THE VOLUME THAT WAS PERHAPS IN THEIR SYSTEM THAT IS GOING TO THE WASTEWATER GOING TO BE TREATED.

AND SO IT'S A SMALL PORTION OF THAT.

UH, THERE WAS A FAILURE AND IT LEAKED ELSEWHERE RATHER THAN BEING TREATED APPROPRIATELY.

SO, UM, IT, IT WAS A PORTION OF THE WASTE STREAM THAT ESCAPED, BUT I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY REASON WHY THE WASTE PROCESS, THE WASTE STREAM PROCESS WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TO OCCUR.

AND SO THEN I THINK MY OTHER TWO QUESTIONS, MAYBE AREN'T RELEVANT AND CAN'T BE ANSWERED HERE TODAY, UM, SINCE THEY ARE KIND OF SEPARATE, BUT I DO THINK, I THINK THEY BEAR, UM, CIRCLING BACK AROUND TO, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE KNOW, UM, KIND OF WHERE WE'RE KEEPING UP, WHETHER THE SURCHARGE IS KEEPING UP WITH THAT ACTUAL COST AND WHETHER, AND JUST GET AN UPDATE BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE THAT SAMSUNG HAS IMPLEMENTED

[01:10:01]

NEW PROCEDURES AT THEIR PLANT TO PREVENT THAT, TO PRESENT, TO KIND OF PRE-SCREEN FOR SULFATES AND MAYBE FOR A MENU TOO.

AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT AND COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE TOO, JUST FOR EVERYONE THAT IT IS CLEAR, UH, WHAT IS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW TO ENFORCE VERSUS WHAT IS WITHIN TCEQ PURVIEW.

SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS ALSO TO, UM, TO THE CHAIR'S QUESTION EARLIER TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER.

MADISON'S QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT HOW DO WE KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT IS IN THE PURVIEW OF TCEQ VERSUS WHAT IS IN, UH, THE PURVIEW OF OUR CITY STAFF IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

UH, FOR INSTANCE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THAT SEEMS DUNG HAS OFFERED TO DO RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF SPILL DETECTION THAT, THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT FORTH, UM, AND, AND THE RESTORATION AND MITIGATION THAT THEY'RE OFFERING TO DO, THAT'S NOT EVEN IN RELATION TO WHAT TCEQ HAS SAID, THEY HAVE TO DO.

THEY'RE DOING THAT VOLUNTARILY.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY STICK TO BE ABLE TO USE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW, UH, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT TCQ INVESTIGATION REPORT COMING OUT.

UM, RYAN, DO YOU, CAN YOU OFFER A LITTLE MORE CLARITY ON THAT IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S HELPFUL, UM, THE, THE COMMITTEE, YEAH, SURE.

UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT I HAVE MUCH ELSE TO ADD THERE, UM, THAT, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU, INCLUDING THE INFORMATION THAT THE, UH, MA MANY OF THE ACTIONS THAT SAMSUNG HAS TAKEN TO THIS POINT ARE, ARE VOLUNTARY AND, UH, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE THAT INCIDENTS LIKE THIS AREN'T ALLOWED TO OCCUR AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

AND TO TRY TO CORRECT THE IMPACTS THAT HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF THIS SPILL COUNCIL MEMBER TOFU.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T.

I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THOSE OTHER QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF HERE, BUT THANKS VERY MUCH.

UM, NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR INSPECTION PROCESS IS LIKE? AND I REALIZE WE'RE HERE ASKING OUR CITY DEPARTMENTAL STAFF TO ASK WHAT IS PROBABLY A BUSINESS PROCEDURAL QUESTION.

UM, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYONE HERE FROM SAMSUNG TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THIS.

I SEE SHAKING HEAD.

I CAN SPEAK TO A, UH, A PORTION OF THEIR INSPECTION PROCESSES.

I, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT SAMSUNG HAS MANY INSPECTION, UH, REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT ARE INTERNAL TO THEIR DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR, UH, THEIR PERMITS WITH THE STATES AND, AND WITH THE CITY AS WELL.

UH, ONE I AM ABLE TO SPEAK TO IS THE ROUTINE INSPECTIONS THAT FALL UNDER THEIR STORMWATER PERMIT WITH THE TCEQ.

THAT'S A TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM OR TBDS PERMIT.

THEY HAVE THE MULTI-SECTOR GENERAL PERMIT WITH TCQ, SOME OF THE, UH, INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS THAT FALL UNDER THAT PERMIT.

UH, I BELIEVE THERE ARE WEEKLY INSPECTIONS THAT WOULD HAVE SAMSUNG STAFF FILLING OUT A CHECKLIST, WALKING AROUND THE SITE, LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL SOURCES OF POLLUTION THAT WOULD BE EXPOSED TO STORMWATER AND THE EVENTS OF A, UH, UH, PRECIPITATION EVENT THAT COULD BE CARRIED AWAY TRANSPORTED AND STORM WATER RUNOFF TO RECEIVING WATERWAYS.

SO THAT THAT'S REALLY THE KEY OF WHAT THEY'RE OUT LOOKING FOR IN THOSE TYPES OF INSPECTIONS.

THERE'S, UM, EXPOSED POLLUTANTS THAT WOULD BE TRANSPORTED DURING A RAIN EVENT.

UM, THEN ONCE A YEAR, THEY DO A VERY IN-DEPTH, UM, HEAVY DUTY, UM, FULL INSPECTION OF, UH, THEIR, THEIR STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN, UM, REVIEWING THE STAFF ON THEIR STORMWATER TEAM.

UM, AND IT'S JUST A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH INSPECTION PROCESS, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S JUST ONE OF MANY INSPECTIONS THAT I IMAGINE ARE AT PLAY AT SAMSUNG.

FOR MOST SITES UNDER THIS MULTI-SECTOR GENERAL PERMIT IN MOST CASES.

I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE A HUNDRED DAYS OF SOMETHING BEING DISCHARGED AND NOT BEING NOTICED.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS SUCH A SLOW LEAK, ESSENTIALLY THAT IT WASN'T NO NOTICEABLE, BUT I JUST, I CAN'T IMAGINE A CITY DEPARTMENT HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND NOT HAVING THE ANSWERS THAT WE NEED ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

I CAN ALSO MENTION ONE OTHER REQUIREMENT UNDER THIS PERMIT THAT I THINK WOULD BE RELEVANT HERE.

AND, UH, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A SAMSUNG TO SAMPLE A STORMWATER RUNOFF WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES.

I BELIEVE IT'S THE FIRST 60 MINUTES OF A RAIN EVENT.

SO TO CATCH THAT FIRST FLUSH OFF OF THEIR SITE, THAT REQUIREMENT IS IN PLACE, UH, QUARTERLY WHERE, UH, W WHEN THERE IS RAIN.

UM, SO, UM, THAT IS A QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT PARAMETERS SUCH AS THE COLOR, THE CLARITY, IF THERE'S ANY DETECTABLE ODOR.

UM, SO THEY ARE VISUALLY LOOKING AT THAT STORMWATER RUNOFF, UM, QUARTERLY UNDER THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

UM, ADDITIONALLY THERE ARE, UM, QUANTITATIVE, UH, SAM, UH, ANALYSIS THAT ARE RUN ON STORMWATER RUNOFF SAMPLES, UM, ANNUALLY, UM,

[01:15:01]

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND, AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR THEM TO NOTIFY TCEQ.

IS THERE ANY PROHIBITION ON THE CITY? UM, ESSENTIALLY MAKING PEOPLE SUBMIT THAT NOTICE TO US SOONER, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S VERY VOLUNTARY.

SO THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN A FEW DAYS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANTED TO COMMUNICATE TO US AND HOW WAS BEST TO COMMUNICATE THAT.

BUT COULD WE SAY IF YOU'RE WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION, WE NEED TO KNOW SOONER.

IT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THAT THERE, THERE ISN'T SOMETHING FOR THAT, FOR THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT IN CODE RIGHT NOW UNDER TEXAS FULL RULES, UM, SPILLS ARE REQUIRED TO BE NOTIFIED TO, OR SORRY, THE TCQ IS REQUIRED TO BE NOTIFIED UNDER TEXAS FIELD RULES, AND THEN THIS EVENT, OR THE VOLUME WAS LARGE ENOUGH THAT THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER, UM, WAS REQUIRED AS WELL UNDER THE EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMUNITY, RIGHT.

TO KNOW ACT, WHICH IS EPIC.

CRA.

UM, IF THIS, ALL, IF THE SPILL HAD HAPPENED IN A SINGLE 24 HOUR PERIOD, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO NOTIFY TO A MUCH LARGER GROUP OF PERSONS, INCLUDING, UH, UM, LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING, COMMISSION, STATE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMISSION, AND SO FORTH.

UM, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR NOTIFICATION EXCEPT FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, WHICH THIS DID NOT TECHNICALLY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR.

IT WAS SLIGHTLY LESS ACIDIC THAN, UM, WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS.

UM, AND SO THOSE ARE NOT CURRENTLY REQUIRED UNDER CITY CODES.

WE ARE CERTAINLY, UM, ENCOURAGING SAMSUNG TO BE AND OTHER, UM, OTHER, UH, AGENCIES OR ENTITIES TO BE NOTIFYING US.

MANY OF THEM, WE HAVE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND WE GET NOTIFIED FOR EVENTS CONSTANTLY, BUT, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR EVENT, THERE WAS NOT A REQUIRED NOTIFICATION AND THE TCQ, UM, LOOPED US IN WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TRIBUTARY HAD BEEN IMPACTED IN ADDITION TO THE STORMWATER PONDS.

SO INITIALLY IT WAS THE STORMWATER POND THAT WAS IMPACTED.

AND, AND THEN FOUR DAYS LATER THEY DISCOVERED THAT TRIBUTARY AS WELL, HAD BEEN IMPACTED.

SO TCQ NOTIFIED US THE DAY AFTER THAT, WHICH WOULD BE THE TUESDAY, THE, UH, 1818.

YES.

SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

IT DOES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I KNOW THIS, THIS IS A CONVERSATION.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS, ISN'T THE END OF DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS HAPPENED, WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW, HOW CAN WE BE GOOD NEIGHBORS BECAUSE THERE'S MANUFACTURING IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL.

AND WE ALL HAVE A COMMITMENT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF, OF THE RESIDENTS NEARBY.

UM, SO I'M GLAD THAT THEY HAD NOTIFIED US.

I'M GLAD THAT IT DIDN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, BUT IF I WERE LIVING IN THIS AREA, I WOULD BE GRAVELY CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, I WOULD WANT ANSWERS TO, AND I THINK OUR D ONE NEIGHBORS DESERVE THAT OUT OF US AND DESERVE THAT OUT OF SAMSUNG AS WELL, BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS.

IT'S PART OF BEING A TECH HUB IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS AS, AS THEY ARISE AND LEARN WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE RESIDENTS NEARBY ARE, ARE HEALTHY AND SAFE.

SO I'M GLAD I KNOW IT WAS IN ONE OF YOUR SLIDES THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO REPORTS OF, OF ANYONE GETTING SICK BECAUSE OF THIS.

UM, HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A QUICK RECOVERY FOR THAT TRIBUTARY.

UM, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SORT THROUGH THESE PIECES AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO HELP ENSURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND IF THERE IS WE'RE LEARNING WHAT STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO ENSURE SAFETY.

ABSOLUTELY.

COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR PRO TIM.

IMPACT TO THE TRIBUTARY ONLY OCCURRED WITHIN THAT DAY PERIOD.

UM, APPRECIATE THE LAST ANSWER THAT WAS HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A SHIFT AFTER THE FOUR DAYS, UM, WHERE WE WENT, WHERE IT WENT INTO THE WATERSHED FROM THE POND.

UM, CAUSE I I'M, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THIS PROCESS AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DIFFERENCE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE IF WE HAD KNOWN FOUR DAYS EARLIER.

SO, SO IF WE'D BEEN TOLD FOUR DAYS EARLIER, WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN STEPS THAT WE COULD HAVE TAKEN THAT WOULD HAVE, I DON'T KNOW, DILUTED THE WATER FASTER AND SO THAT WHEN IT DID OVERFLOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS, I MEAN, WOULD SOMETHING HAVE, HAVE MATERIALLY BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE IF WE HAD KNOWN SOONER AND TAKING ACTIONS, SOONER COUNCIL MEMBER CITY, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

NOW I CAN HAND IT TO THIN OR RYAN.

IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE IMPACTS TO THAT TRIBUTARY WERE OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE DISCHARGE PERIOD AND THAT THE NOTIFICATION THAT HAPPENED FOUR DAYS AFTER TCEQ WAS INITIALLY NOTIFIED BY SAMSUNG ONLY BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THE IMPACTS TO THE TRIBUTARY, WHICH IS IN OUR PURVIEW.

UH, SO THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE

[01:20:01]

SO PRESUMABLY, BUT EVEN IF YOU'D BEEN NOTIFIED FOUR DAYS EARLIER THAT THIS WAS GOING ON, WOULD THE CITY HAVE IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE TRIBUTARY OR WHAT, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE? DEFINITELY WE WOULD HAVE, UH, IT'S MY OPINION THAT LIKELY THOSE IMPACTS WERE ALREADY, UH, HAD ALREADY OCCURRED.

UM, SO IT WOULD HAVE CHANGED OUR RESPONSE TIME AND WE WOULD HAVE RESPONDED SOONER, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S MY OPINION THAT IT WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED THE OUTCOME, UH, IN TERMS OF, OKAY, SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED THE OUTCOME, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE REVISIT THE REPORTING BECAUSE AT FIRST I WAS THINKING, THIS IS ONLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT TCQ DOES, BUT NOW I'M HEARING THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY WITH RESPECT TO, UM, THE REPORTING TO REQUIRE SOMETHING ADDITIONAL ABOVE AND BEYOND TCQ ON THE REPORTING SIDE.

IS THAT CORRECT? CURRENTLY, THAT'S NOT A PART OF ANY REQUIREMENT I'M CERTAINLY WILLING AND WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF EXPLORING, ADDING THAT AS A REQUIREMENT OF REPORTING, UM, FOR PROJECTS OR FOR FACILITIES, I'M SORRY.

THAT ARE WITHIN OUR, OUR JURISDICTION.

UM, OKAY.

WELL, IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, MEETING ON THAT, LET ME KNOW.

I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE ANY OF THESE FACILITIES IN MY DISTRICT AND STUFF.

IF SOMEBODY ELSE MAY HAVE A BETTER, BETTER FEEL FOR, FOR THE, FOR SOME OF THE ISSUES, ACCORDING TO ME, SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN SUPPORT THAT.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK AND GOING BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTION ABOUT THE SURCHARGE.

UM, I THINK THE, THE, THE CONNECTION IS THAT THERE'S THESE CHEMICALS IN THE WATER THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THAT'S BEING DISCHARGED FROM THESE FACILITIES, UM, AND THAT, THAT HAS AN IMPACT, UM, ON OUR WATER SYSTEMS. UM, AND WHILE ONE WAS GOING IN, IT'S GOING INTO OUR WASTEWATER ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THE OTHER WAS, UH, UH, DISCHARGED INTO THE WATERSHED.

AND SO THEY'RE QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT.

UM, BUT I THINK WITH THE SURCHARGE, UM, WE DO NEED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION AS COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO SUGGESTED ON WHERE THAT IS AT, WHETHER THAT'S COVERING THE COSTS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THESE, THESE COMPANIES HAVE FURTHER ACCELERATED THE AMOUNT OF PRODUCTION, UM, WHICH MIGHT EQUATE TO FURTHER AMMONIA AND WHETHER IT'S A LINEAR OR LOGARITHMIC OR WHATEVER TYPE OF DISCHARGE, I HAVE NO IDEA.

SO, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THE CLEANUP OF THEIR AMMONIA, DISCHARGES THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY ALLOWED TO DO UNDER, UM, STATE REGULATIONS.

UM, SO MS. COYNE AND THE CITY MANAGERS, I, I, I'M NOT IN THE CHAMBER, SO I CAN'T SEE WHO'S THERE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

UM, BUT WE WOULD NEED AUSTIN WATER AS OPPOSED TO WATERSHED TO PROVIDE, UH, AN UPDATED MEMO TO US ABOUT, UM, THOSE SURCHARGES AND THEIR STATUS AND WHAT WE'VE COLLECTED AND WHAT THE COSTS HAVE BEEN TO REMOVE THE AMMONIA ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT HAD NORMAL EXPECTATION FOR, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER THINGS INTERVIEW AMMONIA IN AN APPRECIABLE WAY.

UM, SO CAN YOU OR SOMEBODY WHO'S IN THE CHAMBER, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN WATER GETS US THAT FOLLOW UP INFORMATION.

BASIC MAYOR PRO TEM.

I JUST SIGNALED TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WHO'S IN THE ROOM AND HE DOES UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST.

YEAH, APPRECIATE IT.

THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

REPORT FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY THAT WE ANTICIPATE SOON.

I, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA AND JUST LET ME REITERATE, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM.

I WAS ACTUALLY DRAFTING AN EMAIL TO YOU, KATIE.

I'M ASKING IF YOU WOULD FARE IT OUT THAT INFORMATION, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO DO IT TOO.

JUST THE SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION IS IF WE COULD ALSO GET UPDATED ON WHAT, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, IT WAS BOTH AMMONIA AND SULFATE.

AND IF WE COULD GET UPDATED ON WHAT PROCESSES, UM, SAMSUNG HAS NO IMPLEMENTED TO PRETREAT, UM, THEIR WASTEWATER BEFORE THE FORK DISPERSING IT, UH, TO DEAL WITH THE SULFATE ISSUE.

SO IF, IF WE CAN COVER BOTH OF THOSE, UM, THEN I WILL, I WILL LEAVE OFF DRAFTING THIS EMAIL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CONTRIBUTION IT HAS BEEN RECEIVED.

UM, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP REAL QUICKLY.

UM, DOES STAFF KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY PENALTIES, UM, FROM ANY REGULATORY AGENCY ASSESSED TO SAMSUNG? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

THAT'S STILL PENDING THE FINAL INVESTIGATION

[01:25:01]

CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT SOON MIGHT MEAN A MONTH, THREE MONTHS, LESS THAN A MONTH IS MY EXPECTATION.

AND THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO REVIEW AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.

CORRECT? I WOULD NEED TO CONFIRM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE PUBLIC INFORMATION.

YEAH.

UM, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT HERE.

AS WE WRAP THINGS UP AND RECOGNIZE BOTH SAMSUNG AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE TO THIS INCIDENT.

I LEARNED TODAY THAT DURING THE CLEANUP, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CREEK HAD BECOME AN ILLEGAL, ILLEGAL DUMPING GROUND OF SORTS.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S REALLY NO PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS CREEK AREA, GET IT WAS FULL OF LITTER.

AND SO THANKFULLY IT WAS OBSERVED AND CLEARED.

SO I'M GLAD THAT SAMSUNG, DESPITE THIS INCIDENT IS COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CITY STAFF COLLEAGUES.

DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO FOLLOW UP WITH? NO.

DISCUSS CANDIDATES FOR JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURTS.

WELL, THANK YOU.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.

UM, WE WILL BE TAKING UP ITEM NUMBER SIX, AFTER WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN,

[7. Discuss candidates for judicial appointments to the City of Austin Municipal Court. (Personnel matters - Section 551.074 of the Government Code). Sponsors: Council Member Jose 'Chito' Vela, and Council Member Natasha Ha1per-Madison]

SO OUR COMMITTEE WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP ONE ITEM PURSUANT TO SECTION 5, 5 1 0 7 4 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE.

THE COMMITTEE WILL DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSSING CANDIDATES FOR JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE ITEM ANNOUNCED, OH, OKAY.

HEARING NONE.

THE COMMITTEE WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND I WILL SEE YOU AMBULATORY.

UM, WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AND CLOSED SESSION.

WE DISCUSS PERSONNEL ITEMS OR PERSONAL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN OR NUMBER SIX.

I'M SORRY.

WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AND CLOSED SESSION.

WE DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

AND OUR NEXT ITEM

[6. Discuss and recommend judicial appointments to the City of Austin Municipal Comt. Sponsors: Council Member Jose 'Clute' Vela, and Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison ]

IS NUMBER SIX IN CLOSE SESSION.

WE DISCUSS PERSONNEL ITEMS RELATED TO NUMBER SIX.

AS A RESULT OF THAT DISCUSSION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JUDICIAL REVIEW PANEL TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS THAT SUBSTITUTE JUDGE JUDGES TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

UM, THOSE ARE RICHARD OLIVER, RAY ANNE, ALONG AND GORDON KARSHMER.

AND I, I FEEL BAD IF I SAID THEIR NAMES INCORRECTLY, BUT I'M GETTING THE SIGNAL THAT, THAT WAS CORRECT.

DO I HAVE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VAILA AND WE WILL ALL TAKE A VOTE AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS UNANIMOUS ON THE DAY.

WE WILL TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND THEY WERE APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

UM, THE FINAL ITEM HERE ON

[Future Items]

OUR AGENDA TODAY IS FOR THE BODY TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FUTURE ITEMS FOR THIS COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES.

ARE THERE ANY FUTURE ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS CHAIR? YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT IDEAS.

WELL, OH, YOU WERE MUTED.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU CAUSE YOU'RE MUTED CHAIR AND NOW YOU'RE FROZEN.

OH, YOU'RE NOT FROZEN ANYMORE.

UH, I HAVE SOME IDEAS, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH THEM, UM, BY SHARE, UH, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT, UH, THESE ARE APPROPRIATE ITEMS TO BRING FORWARD.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THOUGH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER DAY, MY UNCLE, HE LIVES IN ROUND ROCK AND HIS NEIGHBORHOOD GOT HIT BY THE TORNADO.

AND SO WE WERE THINKING WHY DOESN'T AUSTIN HAVE TORNADO SIRENS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT, BUT I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MORE ARTICULATELY THINK THROUGH, UH, WHAT'S THE MOST APPROPRIATE PATH FORWARD FOR THINGS AROUND THAT.

AND THEN THERE'S ONE OF THE THINGS, BUT AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL HIT YOU UP.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

YOU'VE GOT MY DIGITS.

SO, UM, I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT THAT'S A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION TO DISCUSS.

I KNOW THAT WHEN I WORKED IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT WILLIAMSON COUNTY, WE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT HOW THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN HAD TORNADO SIRENS, BUT ROUNDROCK DOESN'T, WE DON'T HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONE OF THOSE REASONS IS BECAUSE THERE STILL HAS TO BE A PERSON THAT PRESSES THE BUTTON TO MAKE THE SIRENS GO OFF.

AND SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO UTILIZE WARREN CENTRAL, TEXAS.ORG, FOR EXAMPLE, TO SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT PRIMARY MODE OF CONTACT INFORMATION, BUT IT MIGHT BE GREAT TO HEAR THE REASONING FROM OUR HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE AS TO WHY WE DON'T HAVE THEM IN AUSTIN.

I'M SURE THERE'S A HISTORY THERE AND, AND REASONING FOR THAT.

UM, SO WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY AND ONE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS

[01:30:01]

THAT STILL HAS MOON TOWERS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A FOREIGN ANCIENT, YOU KNOW, OLD SCHOOL THING, BUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS MOON TOWERS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TORNADO SIRENS.

RIGHT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

IT JUST MAKES YOU GO, OKAY.

WHY IS THAT A THING LET'S TALK THROUGH? SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, I KNOW THAT I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CURL REPORT THAT WAS RELEASED TO COUNCIL.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT UP FOR A FUTURE MEETING, BUT DO ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY, ANY SUGGESTIONS COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS? I, I DON'T, I HAD ONE EARLIER TODAY AND I AM NOT ABLE TO RECALL WHAT IT WAS, SO I WILL TAKE IT OFFLINE.

THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

IT HAPPENS TO US.

WE'RE SO BUSY AS COUNCIL.

THAT IT WAS BRILLIANT THOUGH.

I SWEAR.