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MAN IS A SPIN OH ONE.[Call to Order]
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.TODAY IS THURSDAY, JULY 29TH, 2020.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, IT'S MY INTENT TO READ THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.
AND THEN WE WILL START RECOGNIZING SPEAKERS, OR WE'RE GOING TO GIVE SPEAKERS TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE'S A LITTLE UNDER 60 THAT HAVE SHOWN UP HOPE.
IS IT BEFORE LUNCH? WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH SPEAKERS.
AND THEN WE CAN START GOING TO, UH, TO, UH, UH, ITEMS ARE WE HAVE A LUNCH BREAK FROM 12 TILL ONE.
UH, AND WE HAVE SOME ITEMS NOW THAT LOOK LIKE, UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE A REQUEST FOR THEM TO BE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE AN ITEM LIKE THAT, IDENTIFY IT OR, AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNSEL, UH, DURING THE TWO HOURS WHILE WE HAVE SPEAKERS SPEAKING, UM, CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS FOR TODAY, ADAM 42 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO AUGUST 27TH AS HAS 43 50 IS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, 60 AND 61 AT FIRST BURN TO THE 27TH OF AUGUST 83 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN REPLACED BY ONE 17 ONE OH SIX HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN ONE OH EIGHT, UH, ASKS FOR NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION AS DOES ONE OH NINE AND ONE 10 AND ITEM ONE 11 ALSO FIRST BUILDING AUGUST 27, 2020.
I'M SHOWING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS AS BEING THE OLD, I HAVE FIVE BEING PULLED BY A FLANAGAN 18 OR BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASAR, UH, 24 FOUR BY COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, THAT IS NOT SHOWING ON THE CHANGES IN CORRECTION FORM, UH, 74 OR BY COSAR 86 BULLET BY FLANAGAN 90 OLD BY FLORIDA.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, REVISIONS TO ORDINANCES, TWO ITEMS ON BOTH THE 89 AND 90, MAYBE OTHERS AS WELL.
UH, ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS AT THIS POINT? COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN ON ITEM FIVE.
UH, I'M JUST WANTING TO POSTPONE TO SEPTEMBER 17TH TO THE COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 17TH.
AND IF, UH, NO ONE OBJECTS TO THAT, WE CAN LEAVE IT ON CONSENT AS A POSTPONEMENT THERE.
ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS STAFF OKAY WITH THAT BEING FORWARD? IS THERE ANY COUNTERVAILING ARGUMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE POSTPONEMENT? LET ME CHECK ON THAT MAYOR AND GET BACK.
WHY DON'T YOU CHECK A COUNSELOR IN POOL JUST TO CONFIRM THE REASON WHY THERE ARE GAPS IN THE NUMBERS ON THE CONSENT ONE TO 96 AND THEN ONE, A 61 17, FOR EXAMPLE, ITEMS BETWEEN 72 AND ONE OH NINE ARE NOT ON A SHEET FOR TODAY'S BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA FOR JULY 30TH.
THERE'S ALSO SOME INTERVENING ITEMS, I THINK THAT ARE NOT CONSENT ITEMS. UH, SO WE HAVE SOME, UH, SETTING OF PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ITEMS. UH, SO THERE ARE THOSE AS WELL, BUT THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEMS ONE 96 AND ITEMS ONE OH SIX, ROUTE ONE 17.
THERE'S STILL THAT GAP BETWEEN 72 AND ONE OH NINE.
JUST CONFIRMING THAT THOSE WILL BE WHAT WE PICK UP TOMORROW.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE ZONING PIECES AND MAYBE SOME STRAY ITEMS THAT ARE, THAT ARE LAND, BUT NOT.
THE ZONING ITEMS ARE ON A SEPARATE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW.
SO WE ARE TAKING UP, UM, 72 THROUGH 96 AND THEN ONE OH SIX THROUGH ONE 17 TODAY ON CAN SAY YOU FADED, YOU FADED OUT 72 THROUGH THREE ARE ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP ON THIS SHEET THAT I PRINTED OUT, BUT I'LL TAKE THAT OFFLINE TOO.
THAT MAYBE I CAN, IT COULD BE THAT MY PRINTER DIDN'T PRINT.
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THANK YOU.UM, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT FIRST PAGE SECOND COLUMN AND YOU SEE THE GAP 72.
COULD YOU JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? I THINK THAT'S, UH, AN ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO, IF THAT IS WHAT THAT SHOWING THEN THAT IS JUST THAT CHEAT SHEET SHOWN BY THE CLERK.
THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY IS ITEMS ONE THROUGH 96 AS POSTED, UH, AND ITEMS ONE OH SIX TO ONE 17.
I THINK THE NUMBERING IS OFF ON THE SHEET.
SO I THINK, YES, I CAN SEE THAT IT JUMPS FROM 36 TO 73 ON THE LEFT COLUMN.
AND THERE'S THAT 72 TO 1.9 GAP ON THE RIGHT COLUMN EXCEPT THE SAME LINE.
SO I THINK, OKAY, WELL IT'S CONFUSING, BUT I THINK WE CAN WORK WITH IT.
AGAIN, THE PULLED ITEMS AT THIS POINT, I'M SHOWING ARE FIVE 1824, 74, 86 AND 92 NUMBER DALLAS.
I WANTED TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF MY COLLEAGUES TO A VERSION TWO OF ITEM 90.
IT INCORPORATES, UM, COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PLAN AGAIN ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL A HEADS UP THAT THAT VERSION TWO IS POSTED.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW IT PRIOR TO DISCUSSION.
AND THERE'S ALSO A VOLUME TO MOVE ITEM.
NUMBER 89 COWS WERE FLAT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT ITEM FIVE NEEDS TO BE PULLED, UM, SINCE WE CAN LEAVE IT ON CONSENT, AS OPPOSED TO, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYONE OBJECT TO THAT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL JUST NOTE THAT THIS IS A DELAY, THE SOLICITATION OF THE RFQ UNTIL THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 5TH AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, WHICH WAS SET FOR SEPTEMBER OR SOMETHING.
UM, AND THIS DELAY WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT ASKS US TO EXPEDITE THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROJECT.
THERE'S NOT AGREEMENT TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SPENCER.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE POSTPONEMENT, HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
UM, I AM STILL FIGURING OUT IF I NEED TO PULL SOME MONEY.
UM, SO FOR NOW WE CAN PULL 29.
UM, AND I'M SORRY IF YOU COULD GO ONE MORE TIME.
I CAME ON A SLIGHTLY LATE, SO I DIDN'T GET ALL OF THE OLD ITEMS, CORRECT? YEAH.
WE'RE PULLING ITEM NUMBER 29 FOR NOW.
AND THE MAYOR, BEFORE YOU READ OUT THAT LIST, I DON'T THINK I NEED 18 IN EXECUTIVE HERE.
I'VE GOT MY QUESTION ANSWERED 18 HAS BEEN ANSWERED NO LONGER NEEDS TO BE POLLED.
THE POLL ITEMS AT THIS POINT ARE FIVE 24, 29, 74, 86 AND NINE.
THOSE ARE THE PULLED ITEMS. OKAY.
AND WHICH ITEMS ARE WE HAVING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON? UH, DON'T KNOW YET THAT'S BEING WORKED.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE, UH, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE 86 AND 98.
YOU, YOU SAID FIVE AGAIN, MAYOR.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR IF WE'RE PULLING IT FOR DISCUSSION OR IF IT CAN REMAIN ON CONSENT AS A BYSTANDER.
NUMBER FIVE IS GOING TO STAY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BEING POSTPONED TILL SEPTEMBER 17TH.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO THEN SPEAKERS.
BEFORE YOU DO THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE'LL NEED TO PULL 33 JUST TO PLUG IN THE SETTLEMENT NUMBER, BUT PERHAPS YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT AFTER THE SPEAKERS.
UH, I WAS, DO YOU HAVE THIS SETTLEMENT NUMBER FOUR 33? YES.
THE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT IN THIS FIBER EMIT DOMAIN LAWSUIT IS $2.2 MILLION AS WE HAD LISTED IN THEN THE SETTLEMENT MEMO THAT WENT TO ALL OF YOU EARLIER THIS WEEK.
SO NUMBER 33, YOU SHOULD REFLECT THAT AT 2.2 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO SPEAKERS,
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HOPEFULLY THEN BREAK FOR LUNCH AT NOON.SO WE'RE NOT DONE AT THAT POINT THEN, UM, THE PROTOTYPE, IF YOU'LL TAKE OVER AT THAT POINT IN THE PAST CONSENT, AND THEN WE'LL, ARE WE GOING TO VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA NOW OR AFTER, AFTER THE SPEAKERS, SOME OF THEM MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO CONSENT ITEMS.
[Public Comment]
OKAY.NOW CLERK, UM, IF YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND RECOGNIZE SPEAKERS AND TAKE US THROUGH THE SPEAKER LIST NOW THAT RIGHT.
SO FOR ALL OF THE SPEAKERS IN QUEUE, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY PRESSED ZERO, PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME, THE FIRST SPEAKER OPPORTUNITIES, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS, HELLO, GO AHEAD.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JUAN BENITEZ, A COMMISSIONER ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I AM ASKING THAT YOU SUPPORT ITEM NUMBER 117, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ST.
SO I GREW UP IN THE GEORGIA ACRES AND ST.
I'M NOW A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT, BUT I REMEMBER LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER THE CITY OF AUSTIN PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY IN 2008.
SO I'VE ASKED HER HAS BEEN THE CITY PERPETUATING THE HISTORIC NEGLECT OF BLACK AND LATIN X RESIDENTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH AN INACTION, MEANWHILE, BLACK AND LATIN X RESIDENTS.
THEY SEE THE EFFECTS OF RAPID GENTRIFICATION LIKE AFTER IS ALSO HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FAMILY ON WHAT USED TO BE AS WE ARE FORCED TO LOOK AT A PROPERTY IN THE CITY THAT IS TELLING US, THIS DOES NOT MATTER TO US.
AND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT MATTER TO US.
SO THIS IS NEGLECT AND LIFE IS AFTER IS ALSO A CITY WITH THE PERCENTAGE DECLINED WITH BLACK POPULATION.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS NOT NEW INFORMATION.
THIS IS WHAT INACTION GETS US WITH YOUR ACTION.
AND I KNOW IN RECENT TIMES YOU'VE BEEN TASKED WITH TAKING A STANCE ON WHO WE ARE AS A CITY, AND YOU'RE SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ST.
JOHN PROPERTY IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES AS THE CITY SHOWS OUR RESIDENTS, THE STATE NATION AND THE WORLD WHO AUSTIN IS CONSIDERING.
IF YOU CAN ASK THE SUPPORT AGENDA ITEM 117, BECAUSE THE OTHER OPTION IS MAKING OUR STANCE KNOWN WITH YOUR INACTION, THE NEGLECT OF AUSTIN BLACK AND LATIN X PRESIDENT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA HEINLEIN.
I'M SPEAKING ON ITEMS 38 AND 39, WHICH ARE TO BUY A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES IN GEORGIA AND ACRES.
UM, TEAR DOWN THE EXISTING DUPLEXES AND MAKE A LITTLE PARK ALONG LITTLE WALNUT CREEK.
I'M ASKING YOU TO ASSURE THAT THE APARTMENT RESIDENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS MOST OF US WILL HAVE REASONABLE ACCESS TO THIS NEW PARK.
UM, BEFORE PART EXECUTES THE PURCHASE, THEY SHOULD HAVE AN ACCESS PLAN IN PLACE.
UM, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES, ALONG THE HIGHWAYS, ALONG 35, ALONG ONE 83, THE
UM, THE ONLY WAY THOSE FOLKS CAN GET IN OR OUT IS ONTO THE ACCESS ROAD.
UM, THE CONNECTION POINTS EXIST, UM, INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PARKS, THE BIKE LANE, THE BUS ROUTE, UM, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN BARRICADED AND FENCE TO PREVENT ACCESS.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR CONNECTION HAS ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL REPORT FOR THE, FOR AS A VERY HIGH COST BENEFIT.
UM, SINCE RIGHT NOW, AISD HAS TO RUN A SCHOOL BUS DOWN THE ACCESS ROAD TO PICK THOSE KIDS UP TO GO LESS THAN A HALF MILE TO THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, AND A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF THE COST HAS BEEN LOW TENS OF THOUSANDS.
SO THAT'S VERY MODEST COMPARED TO THE 600,000 TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY AND WHATEVER THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD COST.
THE ITEM THAT I WAS SPEAKING ON WITH IS POSTPONED.
HI, UM, I'M DIANA HAGGERTY AND I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE AND A BUSINESS OWNER WITH COMMERCIAL SPACE AND NINE.
I ALSO REPRESENT STRONGER TOGETHER.
ATX A NEW GROUP DEVELOPED AROUND HELPING WORKING FAMILIES CONNECT WITH MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS AROUND CHILDCARE
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AND HEALTHCARE.I WANT TO THANK THE DISTRICT OR THE PARDON ME, THE COUNCIL THUS FAR FOR BEING SO WILLING AND OPEN TO HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY ON MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS.
AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CONVERSATION AROUND ITEM 89 TO INCLUDE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND FOCUS ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK AROUND LEARNING PODS AND ALTERNATIVE CARE MODELS, AND WE'RE ALL JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ALL OF IT MEANS AS WE WORK TOGETHER.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIORITIZING OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, THOSE WHO ALREADY ARE EXPERIENCING GAPS, UM, IN SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS THAT WE SEE ARE BROKEN.
UM, AND SO I DO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT SO FAR, AND AS WE WORK TOGETHER, UM, AND THANK THE CONVERSE THE DISTRICT FOR ALSO BEING WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE WITH THIS.
AND, UM, AS WE LOOK FOR MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS, LOOKING TO OUR BUSINESSES AND WAYS THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE BUSINESS SPACE, HELPING TO OFFSET COST FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AND COLLABORATE ON WAYS THAT WE CAN PUT SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE KIDDOS INTO SOME CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE SPACES, UM, TO JUST MAKE IT ALL WORK.
WE'RE ALL HERE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE TABLE AND BRINGING THIS TO LIGHT AGAIN, 89, LET'S FOCUS ON SCHOOL AGED FAMILIES AND OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
I LIVE IN PO RENTER IS DISTRICT OFF SOUTH FIRST.
I REPRESENT A NONPROFIT SAVE THE FOOD.
WE'RE A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT RESCUES WASTED FOOD FROM GROCERY STORES AND DIRECTLY PUTS IT IN THE HANDS OF FOOD INSECURE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
WE ARE CALLING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 87 ON THE AGENDA.
THE RESOLUTION PUT FORTH ON SEVEN 17 DOES AN ADEQUATE JOB IN REDUCING THE BARRIERS FOR DISTRIBUTING FOOD.
FOR OUR MOST NEEDY, WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY MANAGER TO PULL BACK ON ENFORCEMENT AND ENSURE THAT MORE FAMILIES CAN GET FED.
HOWEVER, TO MORE WIDELY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE.
OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE SAYS THAT FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS LIKE GROCERY STORES AND RESTAURANTS CAN COMPOST OR DONATE THIS FOOD.
IF WE PRIORITIZE DONATING FOOD, EITHER THROUGH POLICY OR OTHER INCENTIVES, IT CAN GIVE, IT CAN GIVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIDEN THE REACH OF PEOPLE WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR THAT ARE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.
OUR TEAM WOULD LOVE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS CONVERSATION WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE AGENDA.
OUR FOUNDER, ALAN SCHROEDER HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE GROCERY STORE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAS INVESTED IN THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD FOR 11.
HE WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE GROUP.
WE CAN BE REACHED@SAVETHEFOODAUSTINATGMAIL.COM.
WE HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, AND I'M A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE.
I, UM, WANT TO SPEAK AGAINST ITEM 74.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M STILL ABLE TO, IF IT'S PULLED.
UM, WELL, SO, UH, NEVER DO I FEEL AS IF THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, RIGHT AWAY AS INSTRUCTED BY THE BELONGING OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN AUSTIN? UM, I DON'T THINK SERVICE IS ACTUALLY NEEDED.
I DON'T KNOW WHO IS ASKING FOR IT.
IT'S SOME RICH PERSON WITH THREE PROPERTIES HAS A LOT OF STUFF ON THEIR YARD.
THE CITY DOES NOT SEND CONTRACTS AND PEOPLE IN WE'RE NOT TRAINED OR EQUIPPED AS SOCIAL WORKERS TO CLEAN IT UP.
UH, IN ANY OTHER SITUATION, THAT WOULD BE A HUGE VIOLATION OF RIGHTS.
UM, INSTEAD THE CITY RELIES ON CONTRACTED WORKERS TO COMMUNICATE TO THE IN HOUSE.
THERE'LL BE A CLEANUP, AND IF THEY DON'T PICK UP THEIR STUFF AND GO, THEN THEY COULD HAVE IT TAKEN FROM THEM.
WHEN YOU'RE ON HOUSE, YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO STORE THINGS.
AND YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL HINGE ON YOUR ABILITY TO PROTECT WHAT LITTLE YOU HAVE AT THE COMPANY.
YOU'RE PAYING A MILLION DOLLARS.
THEY SAID, BUT EVERYBODY ALREADY UP AND INTO THE END OF THEIR LIFE AND MOVE THEIR STUFF IN FEAR.
THEN WHAT IS BEING DONE TO ENSURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, HOW'S CITIZENS.
DON'T GET, GET TO MAKE THOSE DEMANDS OF THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BLAME THE WORKERS HERE, BUT GIVING US CONTRACTS BECAUSE SUCH SENSITIVE WORK TO ACCOMPANY THAT IS APPARENTLY UNDER EQUIPPED TO DO SO.
ANY OTHER CITY JOB WITH THIS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SUCH SENSITIVE POVERTY AND HOUSING ISSUES WOULD REQUIRE TREMENDOUS OVERSIGHT AND TRAINING.
IT'S PUTTING BOTH THE UNHOUSED AND THE WORKERS AT RISK.
IT'S ALSO A THIN VEIL FOR POLICING THESE COMMUNITY TOO.
AS THE CITY IS LEAVING IT UP TO THE POOR CONTRACTORS, TO SORT OUT THE INEVITABLE ARGUMENTS THAT OCCUR INEVITABLY INVOLVING THE POLICE, WHO WE ALL KNOW IN THIS CITY ARE GUILTY OF VIOLENCE AND PROTECTING VIOLENT PEOPLE, JUSTICE FOR GARRETT FOSTER AND MIKE RAMOS.
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HAVE THE REPUBLICAN COUNTY CHAIR AND THE POLICE UNION TRYING TO SWINDLE PEOPLE INTO CRIMINALIZING THE UNHOUSED AGAIN, AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY AUTHORIZE.AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HOUSE YOUR OWN HOUSE, THEN AT LEAST GIVE THEM AT COA TRASH BINS.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MEGAL 10 BALA, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS NICOLE CARTER LALA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX, JIMMY FLANNIGAN'S DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AT 63 15 SPICEWOOD SPRINGS THROUGH FOR THE PURPOSE OF RETAINING IT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
AS PART OF CITY'S PARKS SYSTEM, I'M A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN FOR 2040 YEARS.
AND THE BEAUTY OF AUSTIN HAS MADE ME DECIDE TO STAY.
AFTER 24 YEARS, I HAVE WITNESSED THE CITY GROW FOR FAULTS, THE PARKS AND GREEN BELTS.
THE CITY HAS THE BEST FEATURES THAT ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE.
MY PRIMARY CONCERN IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT IS THE SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL NATURE OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH DIRECTLY ABOUT BOTH CREEK.
THE BULL CREEK FEEDS INTO ENTIRE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.
MUCH OF THE PROPERTY IS IN CRITICAL QUALITY ZONE.
THE BULL CREEK IS CONSIDERED ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
WHAT A QUALITY OF BULL CREEK IS COMPROMISED.
SOMETIMES AN ACCESS TO BULL CREEK IS PERIODICALLY LIMITED BY THE CITY.
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEAR THE CREEK WILL WORSEN.
THE PROBLEM INCREASED DEVELOPMENT WILL ALSO RESULT IN INCREASED WATER VOLUME IN BULL CREEK DURING FLOODS INCREASED FLOOD FREQUENCY AND RESULTING DAMAGE.
ALSO, THE CITY HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY FOR MANY YEARS.
ACQUISITION OF THIS PROPERTY WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO CONNECT HIKING TRAILS FROM MULTIPLE PARKS ALONG BULL CREEK AND A CONTINUOUS PATH.
AUSTIN IS WELL KNOWN FOR THIS EXTENSIVE TRAIL SYSTEM.
THIS TRAILS ARE USED BY ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
THE PARKS ALONG BULL CREEK ARE HEAVILY USED BY SWIMMERS, PICNICKERS HIKERS AND VIRTUS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY WERE LIMITED PUBLIC ACCESS TO ONLY A FEW.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT ALONG BULL CREEK, MAKING IT A PART OF CITY PARKS SYSTEM, VIN RETAINED THIS PRECIOUS GEM OF NATURE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN TO ENJOY GABE COLOMBO.
MAYOR ADLER AND CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING OUR COMMENTS TODAY.
I'M FROM DISTRICT SEVEN AND I'M A LOCAL ADVOCATE FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT.
I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPROVE ITEM 90 WITH AMENDMENTS REGARDING FUNDING FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND SAFE STREETS.
ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS FROM EVERY DISTRICT ON OUR PETITION REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
AND I'D LIKE TO READ A SELECTION THAT I HAVE TIME FOR AARON FROM DISTRICT.
ONE SAYS, PLEASE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING AND BIKING AS LOW COST OPTIONS FOR AND TRANSPORTATION.
ESPECIALLY AS MORE OFTEN, I STRUGGLED TO PAY THEIR BILLS.
INVESTING IN PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE MAKES THESE OPTIONS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
CRYSTAL FROM DISTRICT TWO SAYS RIDING A BICYCLE IS MY ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AS A LOCAL BARTENDER.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO HAVE SAFE, WELL LIT, DEDICATED BIKEWAYS FROM EAST AUSTIN TO THE SOUTH SIDE, JEREMY FROM DISTRICT THREE SAYS I PERSONALLY BEEN HIT BY A CAR TWICE WHILE IN AUSTIN ON MY BIKE, WHICH IS MY PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.
THERE ARE AN ABUNDANCE OF ROADS I AVOID BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO DANGEROUS TO RIDE ON.
WHO'S MADE THIS INVESTMENT, OUR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITY JARED FROM DISTRICT SIDE.
SO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY VALUE BICYCLING AND WALKING AS IT MAY BE THEIR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S PROVIDE A SAFER NETWORK OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION TO ASSURE ALL MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FEEL COMFORTABLE NAVIGATING THEIR CITY.
TOM FROM DISTRICT SIX SAYS WE'RE CHANGING TIMES AND LESS DEPENDENT ON FOSSIL FUEL TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE GREAT CARE AND SUPPORTING THE WELFARE OF OUR PLANET.
AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS LED THE WAY IN ECOLOGY CONSCIOUSNESS AND PROGRESSIVE IDEAS.
AND REBECCA FROM DISTRICT NINE SAYS AS A CYCLING FAMILY, WE'VE GREATLY ENJOYED THE SAFER STREETS RESULTING FROM LOWER TRAFFIC VOLUMES.
IN THE LAST MONTH, WE'VE EVEN BEEN, BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT 3.5, THREE AND
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A HALF YEAR OLDS OUT.FIND SOME OF THE QUIETEST STREETS TO START LEARNING THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVEN AS TRAFFIC VOLUMES RISE, WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THEIR STREETS CONSTITUENTS AND OVER 300 3,600 AUSTINITES WHO SIGNED A PETITION, ASK YOU TO PLEASE APPROVE ITEM 90 TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR ADOPTING SPEAKER ON ITEM ONE 17.
UM, I LIKE 60 DAYS WEARING A NUMBER OF YOU HAVE, UM, FIRST AS A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION IN PLANNING OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO ASK FOR EACH OF YOU TO JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE ST JOHN'S REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR, UM, INCLUSIVE OF BERRIES, INCOME LEVELS MIXED USE SO THAT EXISTING RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY THE AMENITIES AND THE USE OF AFFIRMATIVE MARKETING FOR HELPING AND HOPEFULLY ALSO FOR HIRING, UH, TO FULFILL THE RIGHT TO STAY RIGHT TO RETURN POLICY.
UM, THIS PROJECT HAS STAYED TRUE TO BEING COMMUNITY LED AND THAT'S WHERE THE MAGIC IS.
UM, MY LAST HEAD IS JUST AS A ST.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN AUSTIN AND ST.
JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD IS HANDS DOWN.
MY FAVORITE, UH, COMING OUT OF SCHOOL WITH LOOMING STUDENT DEBT, UH, STUDENT LOANS, UH, NEEDED TO FIND THEM A PORTAL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, NOT ONLY DID I FIND THAT HERE, BUT I ALSO DISCOVERED HISTORY AND COMMUNITY, UM, AN ANTIDOTE, THE DOLLAR TO USE FROM THE UT REPORT.
THOSE WHO LEFT, UM, FROM A 63 YEAR OLD MAN SAID THAT, UM, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO REDO EAST AUSTIN WHEN WE WERE LIVING IN IT.
THE CITY WAS TAKING AWAY AND JACKING UP PRICES.
CERTIFICATIONS STARTED SETTLING IN AND RESIDENTS WERE SICK TO THEIR STOMACH, SEEING WHAT THEY SEE, THEY COULD HAVE REVITALIZED, UM, THE CITY OWES AN HISTORIC BET TO THE ST JOHN'S COMMUNITY.
AND ASSUMING ALL THINGS INCLUDED AS RP ARE FULFILLED, THIS IS ONE WAY TO REVITALIZE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CATHARS AND HIS OFFICE FOR ALL THE WORK FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND WE REALLY HOPE THAT YOU SUPPORT, UM, THIS, UM, I AM ONE 17.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, LYNN.
I'M IN DISTRICT FOUR IN A NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED GEORGE AND ACRES.
I'M CALLING OUR AGENDA ITEMS 38 AND 39, WHICH IS CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OF TWO PROPERTIES ON GEORGE AND DRIVE THAT AT LITTLE WALNUT CREEK FOR A POCKET PARKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M REQUESTING THAT YOU CONSIDER PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SOME UPFRONT CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN WORK.
INSTEAD OF US WAITING THE FEW MONTHS OR SEVERAL MONTHS THAT, UM, IT WOULD TAKE, IF WE USE ONLY PARTY EXISTING RESOURCES I'VE SENT, UM, TO COUNCIL A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT WITH SOME DATA BEHIND IT, EXPLAINING WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GET TO THIS IMMEDIATELY ON THIS PROPERLY, AS OPPOSED TO WAITING, THEY HAVE TO DO WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING ENTRENCHMENT OF CRIME THERE.
IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS RIGHT UP FRONT, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE DEAL.
I HOPE YOU'LL READ THE SHEET THAT I SENT AND EXPLAINS THE WHOLE PICTURE.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO MOVE ALONG JUST A PUBLIC SAFETY PORTION OF THIS PROJECT.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE AMENITY DESIGN KIND OF FOLLOW THE USUAL PARD PROCESS.
THIS SHOULD BE A CLOSE LIAISON WITH CARDS SO THAT THEY ARE THE NORMAL PROCESSES AND PROTOCOLS ARE NOT INTERRUPTED.
FOLLOW THE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, PLEASE PRESS ZERO NOW.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOE TRACK COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JOE TRACK AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10.
BLESSED HOA IN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ABOUT 200 HOUSEHOLDS.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ASKING YOU TO APPROVE ITEM 98, AUTHORIZING EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS ON THE SUBJECT.
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT MUST NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THIS PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED ON THREE SIDES BY BULL CREEK.
IT IS IN A CRITICAL IT'S A WATER QUALITY ZONE, AND IT IS SENSITIVE TO POLLUTION FROM DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THE CREEK.
THE CREEK FEEDS INTO THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.
IT IS A VITAL SOURCE, NOT JUST FOR THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT'S ALL AUSTIN RESIDENTS HAS BEEN FLOODED.
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PAST.ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT CAN DRAMATICALLY INCREASED A LOT OF VOLUME IN BULL CREEK DURING FLOODS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
WE URGE YOU NOT TO ALLOW MORE DEVELOPMENT, MORE POLLUTION AND LESS WATER QUALITY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ALSO BEEN INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY FOR MANY YEARS, NOT JUST FOR THE REASONS I'VE ALREADY STATED, BUT ALSO TO CONNECT HIKING TRAILS FROM FIVE DIFFERENT PARTS.
THESE TRAILS ARE HEAVILY USED BY SWIMMERS, PICNICKERS BIKERS AND HIKERS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY, INCLUDING YOUR OWN CONSTITUENTS.
WE URGE YOU TO VOTE YES, TO APPROVE ITEM 98 FOR THE BENEFITS OF ALL CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
AND THANK YOU JUNE HORMEL, JUNE, PLEASE UNMUTE IF YOU'RE MUTED, JAY CROSS-LINK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, MY NAME IS JAY BLAZER CROSLEY.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR AND I WORKED FOR A NONPROFIT CALLED FARM AND CITY.
UH, I CALLED THEM TODAY TO STRONGLY SUPPORT, UM, ITEM 90 AND THE UPDATED VERSION OF ITEM 90, THE PROPOSAL TO PLACE A, A LARGE BOND ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER FOCUSED ON SAFE AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO OFFER THREE POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS PROPOSAL.
ONE AS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR PROJECT CONNECT, I THINK THE SAFE AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION BOND IS A CRUCIAL COMPLIMENT TO THE TRANSIT PACKAGE, UH, TO A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN PROVEN DATA BACK TO SAFETY.
INTERVENTIONS IS DESPERATELY NEEDED AND MUST BE A LARGE PART OF THIS PACKAGE.
AND THEN THREE NOW IS EXACTLY THE TIME TO PROPOSE THIS TRE FOR TRANSIT AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, ALONGSIDE A SAFE AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION BOND TO HELP SUSTAIN OUR ECONOMY AND CREATE GOOD JOBS.
UM, AND SO ON THE FIRST ITEM I HAVE SERVED ON THE, THE, OR THE CONNECT ADVISORY NETWORK FOR, I THINK THREE OR FOUR YEARS NOW, I'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN TRYING TO GET THE END AUSTIN'S TRANSIT AUSTERITY MEASURES, AND TO FINALLY FUND TRANSIT AT A NORMAL LEVEL FOR A GROWING METRO REGION LIKE OURS.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, UM, AND I'M EVEN GOING TO AT NOON TODAY, DEBATE MR. JIM SCAGGS AT THE TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION EVENT TO ADVOCATE FOR PROJECT CONNECT AND OUR DESPERATE NEED FOR THE SEMESTER.
AND I JUST, FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW, I BELIEVE HAVING A SAFE AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION BOND, UH, A LARGE SAFE AND EXTRA TRANSPORTATION BOND ON THE BALLOT WILL HELP, UM, COMPLIMENT AND PASS THE TRANSIT BONDS.
UM, AND THEN TOO, WE, AS I'VE TALKED TO YOU BEFORE CRASHES COSTS THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, MUCH MORE THAN CONGESTION, AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO PUSH, UH, FURTHER ON VISION ZERO.
UH, AND A KEY POINT FOR THIS BOND PROPOSAL IS THAT, UM, EVEN IF WE MEET OUR 50 50 GOAL, UM, MORE PEOPLE WILL BE DRIVING IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO THE SAFETY ELEMENTS WILL BENEFIT ALL ESTIMATES AND, AND IN ALL MODES.
AND SO PLEASE LOOK FOR THIS MEASURE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO AND HER STAFF FOR A YEAR TO GET SOMETHING LIKE ITEM 86 ON THE AGENDA.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO GIVE A VOICE TO THIS AGENDA ITEM.
MY PARTNER AND I PURCHASED OUR HOUSE AT 1301 SOUTH FIFTH STREET AT THE CORNER OF WEST GIBSON STREET IN GOOD FAITH.
AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY INDICATION A LOT WITH UNPLANTED BACK IN 1946, BEFORE CLOSING ON THE HOUSE, I CHECK T RECORDS AND PURCHASE TITLE INSURANCE.
I SAW THE PROPERTY HAS ITS OWN TAX ID.
IT'S CHANGED HANDS 10 TIMES SINCE 1946.
IT HAS IT'S OWN DRIVEWAY AND UTILITIES.
NOTHING SEEMED OUT OF THE NORM.
IT WASN'T UNTIL WE SUBMITTED A BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE NEWS, THE CITY HAD NO RECORD OF A SUBDIVISION APPLICATION FROM 1946.
SO THE CITY CONSIDERS OUR LOT AND THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS AT 1303 SOUTH FIFTH STREET AS ONE LARGE LOT.
I PROVIDED YOU ALL WITH A HANDOUT
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SHOWING MY TWO YEAR TIMELINE OF MY BACK AND FORTH WITH CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS VARIOUS SUPPORT AND APPROVALS THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED.EVERYONE FROM SURROUNDING HOMEOWNERS, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HAVE SUPPORTED US.
I EVEN INCLUDED THE LAND STATUS, DETERMINATION APPROVAL FROM DSD, WHICH WAS REVOKED WITHIN 30 MINUTES.
SO IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN CONFUSED BY THE SMALL CORNER LOT, MYSELF AND DSV INCLUDED.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT EVERYTHING I'VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS MAY FINALLY GET PUT TO GOOD USE BY SUPPORTING AGENDA ITEM 86.
YOU BE PROVIDING A CLEAR RESOLUTION FOR ME AND OTHER UNFORTUNATE CITIZENS TO GET OUT OF THIS STRANGE LIMBO.
UH, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A VERY PLEASED TO BE A NUMBER OF THE AUSTIN OUTSIDE COALITION, UM, CALLING Y'ALL TO URGE PASSAGE OF ITEM 90 AS AMENDED, UH, MANY THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS ITEM.
AND OF COURSE, A COUPLE OF THEM ARE FLANAGAN AND COUNCILMEMBER ALTAR FOR IMPROVING THE RESOLUTION WITH THEIR AMENDMENTS.
UH, A SAFE MOBILITY BOND WILL GO A LONG WAY IN MAKING AUSTIN A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT CITY FOR ALL PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY.
AND IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ASAP.
SO WE URGE PASSAGE AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL ON THIS MORE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I AM CAROL GUTHRIE AND AM WITH THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES.
AND WE ARE IN ALL OF THE DISTRICTS.
AND I AM CALLING TO ASK YOUR SUPPORT ON ITEM 85.
UH, THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON HAS PUT FORWARD, UH, OR REQUESTING, UH, I HOLIDAY BEFORE JUNE.
UM, WE BELIEVE THIS IS LONG OVERDUE AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL SUPPORT ITEM 85.
HI TO MAYOR ADLER, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO, UH, ITEMS 42 TO ACTUALLY 52, UM, WITH 42 I'M 42.
I I'D LIKE TO, UM, PROPOSE, UM, THERE BEING A QUESTION, ALL CALLS TO ADDRESS THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON HAS MENTAL ILLNESS.
UM, AND ALSO I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT, UM, POLICE GOING IN WITH UNIFORMS TO, TO ASSIST IN THE PROTECTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH, UM, WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
UM, MY BACKGROUND IS IN COMMUNITY HEALTH.
I'M A NURSE, A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE WORKED ON ACT TEAMS. AND I THINK ACT THE ACT MODEL WITH AN EMPHASIS ON HOUSING.
FIRST APPROACH IS, IS, UM, IS, IS, IS AN IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL AT THIS TIME.
AND, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH ITEMS, I LIKE TO SEE SUPPORT IN THOSE AND ALSO STRESS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT MONEY ALLOCATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND IN PARTICULAR POLICING, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT SERVICES THAT COULD BE DONE, UM, AND REPLACE THE ROLE OF POLICING, UM, IN REGARDS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND IN PARTICULAR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY THAT I'M IN FULL TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH JUAN AND KENDRA SCOTT AND REGARDING THE ST JOHN'S PROPERTY.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
UH, GOOD MORNING, UH, COUNCIL AND MAYOR ADLER.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON THIS, UH, ITEM NUMBER 17.
MY NAME IS RAY CASTILLO AND, UH, I RESIDE IN THE ST JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I'M ALSO THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE ST.
JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND, UM, I REALLY CAN'T EXPAND ON, UH, WHAT THE FIRST SPEAKER AND MS. GARRETT SPOKE ABOUT IN FAVOR OF THIS ISSUE.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, LAST FALL, THE UT PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS THE UNIVERSITY'S LARGEST SERVICE PROJECT, UM, FOCUSED ON THE ST JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD AND ONE OF THE SPEAKERS OF THE KICKOFF, UM, RALLY SEND IT.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR DECADES, DECADES, AND, UH, THE FIRST SPEAKER ALSO REPEATED THE WORD NEGLECT SEVERAL TIMES.
SO I JUST ASKED THAT THE, UH, THE COUNCIL, UM, CONSIDER APPROVING
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THIS ITEM AND, UH, AND NOT NEGLECT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ANY FURTHER.SO THANK YOU AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE CONSIDERATION TO ALL THE SPEAKERS ON THE LINE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT PRESSED ZERO, PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS RILEY HAMILTON.
MY NAME IS RAY HAMILTON AND I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DISTRICT HEAT.
I'M CALLING TO SHARE MY PROFOUND OPPOSITION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONTOPOLIS, SPECIFICALLY ITEMS 28, 54, 55, 56 AND 57 FOR MONTHS.
I, AS I KNOW, ALL OF YOU HAVE LISTENED TO PLEADING TESTIMONY FROM FELLOW AUSTINITE, BEGGING FOR JUSTICE, BEGGING FOR EQUITY.
THE CITY HAS SUCH A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE IT IS FULLY INCLUSIVE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WILL PERPETUATE THE GENTRIFICATION OF EAST AUSTIN AND WILL CONTINUE THE DISPLACEMENT OF BLACK AND LATIN A RESIDENT IN OUR CITY THAT CONTINUED CITYWIDE EFFORT TO SUPPORT COMMODIFICATION RATHER THAN AFFORDABILITY.
I URGE YOU ALL TO REJECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONTOPOLIS AND TO PROTECT THIS HISTORICALLY LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, WHICH IS HOME TO ALREADY MARGINALIZED POPULATION.
YOU CANNOT OPPOSE INSTITUTIONAL RACISM WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR BLACK LIVES MATTER AND DEFUND APD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
HI, MY NAME IS ANDREA KOPLEWICZ.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK AGAINST ITEM NUMBER 98, WHERE THE CITY IS CONSIDERING CONDEMNING 11 ACRES ON SPICEWOOD TO ADD TO AN EXISTING 5,700 ACRE PARK.
THEY'RE DOING IT ON THE BASIS OF CONTINUITY AND CONNECTIVITY, BUT THE PARK IS VERY FAR AWAY FROM THE EXISTING PARKLANDS.
UM, NEIGHBORS ARE IN FEAR THAT THE LAND IN BETWEEN WILL ALSO BE CONDEMNED OR TAKEN BY THE CITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER HAS PROMISED THAT THERE IS NO INTENT TO DO SO AND NO FUNDS TO DO SO AFTER THIS PURCHASE.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THERE WOULD BE NO CONTINUITY OR CONNECTIVITY.
THIS LAND IS SURROUNDED BY WATER ON THREE SIDES.
UM, IT DOES BRING INTO QUESTION THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
UH, THE WATER QUALITY IS ALREADY BEEN IN DANGER FROM THE EXISTING PARK.
THERE WAS A LOT OF POOP AND THERE HAVE BEEN CLOSING THE PARKS.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO AGENTS TO MANAGE 300 PARKS AND 2000 ACRES OF PARKLAND IN AUSTIN.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO MANAGE AN ADDITIONAL 11 ACRES.
THERE'S ALREADY ILLEGAL CAMPING PROBLEMS AND PARKING PROBLEMS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITH A CAMPING ORDINANCE THAT MAY BECOME WORSE.
THIS IS A NUISANCE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE PURCHASING THIS LAND AND SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY TO MAKE 200 HOUSEHOLD HOA HAPPY.
WE SHOULD TAKE A LESSON FROM BLACK LIVES MATTER.
TAKE A PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE TO SPEND UPWARDS OF $4.5 MILLION.
OR IF THESE FUNDS THAT ARE EARMARKED TOWARDS PARKS COULD BE USED AT 11 ACRES, IF THEY SHOULD BE USED AT 11 ACRES TO 5,700 ACRES, WHEN THE OWNER'S OFFERING A FREE EASEMENT, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT USING THESE PARTS TO ADD GREEN SPACES, TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN THAT ARE OFTEN UNDERPRIVILEGED AND HAPPEN TO HAVE MORE MINORITY RESIDENTS, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE MUCH FEWER GREEN SPACES AND GREEN BELTS.
AND THIS IS JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, KAITLIN.
MCCLUNE HELLO? CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
MY NAME IS CAITLIN MCCLEARY AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR AND I'M CALLING TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM ONE 17.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT ST.
THEY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMBAT, UM, GENTRIFICATION AND COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT AS A WAY TO CONFRONT AND COUNTER A LONG HISTORY OF RACIST HOUSING POLICIES ACROSS THE NATION.
BUT SPECIFICALLY, I'M TALKING ABOUT AN AUSTIN, UM, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN TALKING TO NEIGHBORS, ASKING THEM WHAT THEY WANT AND NEED AND HOLDING MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, GREG SR, IN A TIRELESS EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE VISION AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND MORE BROADLY FOR ALLOWING INCLUSIVITY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A WHOLE,
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WHICH AS WE KNOW IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, THE SPORT, DESPITE HISTORIC NEGLECT, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES BY OTHER SPEAKERS, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO BUILD A COURTHOUSE AND THE POLICE STATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY HAS CONTINUED TO THRIVE.AND NOW ASKS THAT YOU APPROVE THE FINANCING REQUESTS, RELEASE THE RFP FOR THE ST JOHN PROPERTY.
UM, THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL VISION OF PARK SPACE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISPLACED FAMILIES TO RETURN FOR ECONOMICALLY STRUGGLING FAMILIES TO STAY AND FOR JOB CREATION AND, UH, APPROVING ONE 17 WILL DO MUCH TO SHOW THE COUNCIL SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND AUSTIN, AND TO EXPRESS A DESIRE TO CONFRONT AUSTIN'S RACIST.
AND I'M JUST HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY CITY PLANNING AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
WE HOPE THAT YOU SUPPORT ITEM ONE 17 IN RECOGNITION OF THE HOURS OF COMMUNITY WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO BUILDING THIS VISION FOR THE ST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, UM, THANK YOU, UH, MR. MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE STEAM PUBLIC NEIGHBORS AND FELLOW CITIZENS.
I WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, UM, ADAM ONE 17.
IT'S HIGHLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS PROJECT COME TO FRUITION WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF SUPPORTS FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BUILT INTO THIS TO SUPPORT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ST JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I AM SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THE URBAN LEAGUE COULD BE ONE OF THE ANKLE ORGANIZATIONS TOO.
SO THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT IT IS IT HASN'T BEEN SERVED IN THE PATH.
IT'S HIGHLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT BE MADE TO SHOW, UH, THE EASTERN CRESCENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN BUREAUCRACY IS COMMITTED TO INVESTING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES, UH, TO REVITALIZE THE ST JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY SHOULD INCLUDE A RIGHT TO RETURN AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PUBLIC GREEN SPACES THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN, UH, UH, AND TAKE CARE OF AND ACCESS AND UTILIZE.
UH, IT'S HIGHLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS PROJECT COMES TO FRUITION GIVEN ITS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION ALONG HIGHWAY 35.
AND THAT BEING, UH, A PRIME REAL ESTATE, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY WHERE ST JOHN'S IS POSITIONED, HAVE THIS PROJECT, UH, TO PRESENT AN EQUITABLE QUALITY OF LIFE.
OFTEN TIMES BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES OR DISPLACED BECAUSE, UH, HIGH DOLLAR DEVELOPERS WANT TO COME IN AND, AND DEVELOP PROPERTY AND PROJECT, UH, ON PRIME REAL ESTATE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO RIGHT BY THE ST JOHN'S COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD URGE A CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO, TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN.
MY NAME IS SEAN O'BRIEN AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10, AND I DO NOT SUPPORT THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS PROPOSED IN ITEM 98 ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2013, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO PASS THE WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO WAS ON THE DICE FOR THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL SEVEN TO ZERO.
I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO IS SITTING NEXT TO YOU ALL ON THE DAYAS TODAY.
THIS ORDINANCE IS YOUNG, NEW, FRESH, NOT ANTIQUATED, AND IT IS STRICT.
IT IS DESIGNED FOR CURRENT DAY.
THE QUESTION I POSE TO YOU TODAY, AND I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER WHILE I PRESENT AS SIMPLE, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THE UNANIMOUS DECISION IN 2013, IF COUNCIL IN 2020 INTENDS TO IGNORE AND OVERSTEP THIS ORDINANCE IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF AND PARKS AND PROPOSE TAKING HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY CITY STAFF HAS CONNECTIVITY PROJECT FOR BULL CREEK, BUT THE TRUTH IS IT IS TAKING TO PREVENT DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE GUISE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT MAY HURT THE ENVIRONMENT.
IS IT A STATEMENT CLEARLY MADE BY ALISON ALTER AND HER STAFF IN NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS? THEY TELL NEIGHBORS IF THEY ARE STOPPING AN ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT, WHICH IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
WE HAVE THREE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS THAT STATE, WE ARE NOT DAMAGING THE HABITATS OF ANY ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES.
WE ARE RESPECTING THE WETLANDS WHEN WE ARE RESPECTING THE BLUFF SETBACKS, THERE'S EVEN GUIDANCE IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS REGARDING WHEN CONSTRUCTION CAN OCCUR
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IN ORDER TO PREVENT HABITAT AND MATING SEASON IMPACTS.WE INTEND TO FOLLOW ALL OF THESE GUIDELINES.
IF WE ARE AWARE AND VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US AND ASKING FOR ZERO VARIANCES RELATED TO THE RESTRICTIVE WATERSHED PROTECTION PROTECTION ORDINANCE, AND WHY SHOULD OUR PROJECT BE HALTED BY EMINENT DOMAIN? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE.
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, SIMPLY IT IS TAKING TO PREVENT DEVELOPMENT.
THE 2013 WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCE IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL ALREADY IN PLACE.
LET IT DO ITS JOB AND REGULATE DEVELOPMENT IN NEW YORK, CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY MAYOR.
WE'RE GETTING A MESSAGE THAT THE WIFI IS DOWN.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THE NETWORK IS DOWN.
SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE GIVE US A SECOND TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES, JUST TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND LET THEM WORK HARDER.
UH, I SEE FOUR OF US IS ANYBODY ELSE HANGING AROUND? THAT'S FIVE OF US.
WE HAVE A QUORUM, 10 57, THIS PROCEEDING, CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE UNHEALTHY COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN AND WITNESSED FIRSTHAND OVER AND OVER, OVER THE LAST YEAR.
HOW INHUMANE DIGNIFIED REALLY ENTERPRISES.
SO CLEAN UP BAR AT THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT UNDER THE BRIDGE.
I HAVE WATCHED CREWS THROW AWAY ON OPEN JUG, THE TRICKING WATER MATTRESSES, SHELTER STRUCTURES, PATCHES, WALKERS TENTS, AND OTHER GEAR NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL.
DURING THE CLEANUPS ON HOUSE, RESIDENTS ARE FORCED TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO GO TO WORK OR TO STAY BY THEIR TENT TO PROTECT THEIR POSSESSIONS.
ONE, MAN, I TALKED TO LAST WEEK, MISSED HIS FIRST DAY OF WORK BECAUSE HE STAYED BY HIS TENT TO WAIT FOR THE CLEANUP ONLY TO FIND THAT THE CLEANUP CREW NEVER SHOWED UP THAT DAY AS THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO.
HE LOST THAT JOB BECAUSE OF IT NOTICES ABOUT CLEANUPS DURING ENGLISH.
ONLY AN INDICATION THAT THIS OPERATION IS UNPREPARED FOR AND IGNORANT TO THE DIVERSE AND COMPLEX NEEDS OF NON ENGLISH SPEAKERS, THOSE DEALING WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DISABILITIES AND THOSE UNABLE TO GATHER THEIR BELONGINGS FOR OTHER REASONS, OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL.
THIS IS A DISPLACEMENT CAMPAIGN.
WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER FOR WHERE ON HOUSE RATHER THAN SHOULD GO, PLEASE DO NOT PRIORITIZE THE ANTI HOMELESS WISHES OF A SMALL, THEY GET IT MINORITY IN AUSTIN INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE WELLBEING OF ALL AUSTINITES INCLUDING THE UNHOUSED.
THE SO-CALLED CLEANUPS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND AN ADDED LAYER OF DISTRESS TO THOSE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE AND FACING DEEP POVERTY.
AND TRAUMA IS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GOING TO ABUSE OF SUBCONTRACTORS SHOULD GO TO HUMANE, DIGNIFIED, VOLUNTARY TRASH PICKUP, AS WELL AS HOUSING SERVICES AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS LIKE DRINKING WATER.
UM, AND I LIVE AT TWO OH NINE WALNUT
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DRIVE AND I OWN TWO OH SIX ON THAT DRIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR, SPEAKING ON 38 AND 39.UM, UH, IN 2016, I SENT A NOTE TO, UH, WITH THE QSR, UH, ABOUT, UM, THE LATER HALF OF MY PROPERTY UNTIL I WAS 16 FOR A PARK ALONG LITTLE WALNUT CREEK.
AND I GOT A MESSAGE BACK AS THERE WERE NO PLANS FOR MAKING A PARK THERE.
UM, I HAVE TO GIVE A FREE THEN, BUT I CAN GO TO $600,000 ON A, UM, UH, BY, WITH TWO PROPERTIES.
I FEEL LIKE, UH, UH, I NEED TO GET A LITTLE, UH, I WANT TO SELL HALF OF MY PROPERTY, UM, THE, THIS IN THE CREEK BED, UM, TO CONTINUE THE PARK EASTWOOD.
WAS I 35? UM, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A BIG PARK, FURTHER DOWN THE CREEK, CAUSE IT'S ON THE FLOOD ZONE, WHICH I ASSUME YOU CAN DO A CREEK, UH, PARKING.
UM, BUT I JUST HAD A CURVE BALL THROWN THIS MORNING.
I WAS WALKING THROUGH TAKING A LOOK AT IT AND I FOUND THE DEAD BODY, UM, JUST OUTSIDE OF MY PROPERTY ON THE CREEK BED.
AND AS WE SIT HERE, NOW I'M TAKING CARE OF THAT.
THE REASON I WANT TO KEEP PRIOR TO BUY PROPERTY IS TO BE ABLE TO FENCE IT, TO FENCE IT OFF FROM PEOPLE COMING THROUGH BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD BUDDIES HERE.
UM, AND UH, THE CITY GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME TO BUY THE PROPERTY A WHILE AGO, BUT THEY STOPPED TALKING TO ME.
SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT? THAT'S ABOUT ALL, YEAH.
YOU'RE ON MUTE, BUT I SEEM TO RECOGNIZE ME.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR RAISING THIS, SIR.
AND, UH, CIRCLE BACK THAT'S PARK ISSUE FOR A SECOND, ABOUT THE MUCH MORE ALARMING AND SERIOUS ISSUES, FINDING A BODY THIS MORNING THAT SHOULD OBVIOUSLY IMMEDIATELY BE INVESTIGATED AND FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THAT HAPPENED.
THAT'S AWFUL, RIGHT? WELL, WE SHOULD START LOOKING INTO THAT IMMEDIATELY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON.
I WAS GOING TO ASK THE SPEAKER TO REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, BUT, UM, I THINK I'LL, I'LL TAKE THE MORE APPROPRIATE ROUTE AND YEAH, I'VE WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VERY INTERESTED IN THIS SITUATION.
I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR IN D ONE.
THE SPEAKER FOR DAYLIGHTING THAT ISSUE.
HI, THIS IS JULIAN IS, UH, FROM THE CHALLENGER STREET NEWSPAPER.
AUSTIN'S ONLY A HOMELESS NEWSPAPER.
I REPORT THE NEWS ON THE, THE, UH, THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY.
UM, THE CONTINUAL HOMELESS CRIMINALS, HOMELESSNESS CRIMINALIZATION BY THE COUNCIL.
I'LL PROPEL BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, UH, CAUSE VIOLENCE AND DAMAGE TO MYSELF AND OTHERS.
I'VE BEEN ARRESTED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR SIMPLY FILMING AND TRYING TO GET THE PUBLIC, TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING.
UH, THE SUPERVISORS FOR SEVERAL OTHER CREWS, INCLUDING A PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE NAMED JR LOPEZ.
THEY HAVE, UH, HAD THE POLICE ARREST ME FOR STANDING FILMING.
THEY HAVE, UH, THEY, UH, STOLEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY IN FRONT OF US.
THEY DON'T FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE LAND THAT EVERYBODY ELSE FOLLOWS.
AND IT'S CREATING A FELONIOUS ATMOSPHERE.
THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE THE CITY A GREAT LIABILITY AND SUFFERING.
WHEN MY VIDEO COMES OUT, THE FACT THAT THIS, THIS, THAT, UH, MAYOR, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND SPENCER CRONK, HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CURB THE POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS LIKE MYSELF AND FILMERS LIKE ANY CITIZEN.
YOU GUYS ARE IN CONSPIRACY AGAINST ME AND YOU NEED TO STOP YOUR CONSPIRACY OF PARTIES AGAINST OTHERS.
YOU NEED TO PLAN TO CARE FOR PEOPLE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT UP WITH IT ANYMORE.
WHAT WE FIND YOU ILLEGAL, EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY IS INVOLVED IN, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE HOMELESS IS EITHER NEGLECTFUL OR CRIMINAL.
AND YOU SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR THAT.
YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED FOR THAT.
IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT, I'M TEACHING PEOPLE, THEIR RIGHT I'M TEACHING PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE THEY'RE HUMAN.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO COWER AND LET PEOPLE STEAL THEIR STUFF.
LIKE IT'S BEEN TRADITIONALLY DONE BETWEEN CITY FROM CITY COUNCIL.
[01:00:05]
IT IS GOING TO DO A BALL AND I HOPE THAT THEY CONTACT ME CAUSE THIS, THIS ABUSE IS NOT GOING TO STAND ANYMORE.YOU GUYS NEED TO STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ME AND OTHERS OR ELSE.
AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M JEREMY HENDRIX WITH THE LABORERS INTERNATIONAL UNION.
AND I AM A RESIDENT OF COUNSELING IS OURS DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM 90 REGARDING FUNDING FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION STATE STREETS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HEARING MY COMMENTS TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, IN A LOCAL TWO 95 REPRESENTS CONSTRUCTION SERVICE WORKERS WHO BUILD AND MAINTAIN AUSTIN AND OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
AND ADDITION TO, UH, THE ITEM OF THE NOVEMBER BALLOT FUNDING PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH WE STRONGLY SUPPORT.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE BALLOT ITEM FOR A SAFE MOBILITY BOND TO MAKE STREETS SAFER FOR ALL TRANSPORTATION MODES, INCLUDING WALKING, BICYCLING, USING A MOBILITY ASSISTED DEVICE AND DRIVING, EVEN NOW AS, YOU KNOW, LINE MEMBERS AND ALL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE OFTEN WORKING DOWNTOWN OR OTHER PLACES WITH NO AVAILABLE PARKING OR OFTEN VERY EXPENSIVE PARKING, WHICH IS PRECLUSIVE.
AND THIS MEANS THAT THESE WORKERS OFTEN WALKING, THEY'RE TAKING BICYCLES OR SUITORS FOR LONG DISTANCES, OFTEN MILES FROM PARKING TO THEIR JOBS.
THESE WORKERS DESERVE SAFER STREETS TO GET TO WORK OUT OF HARM'S WAY AND TO GET BACK HOME SAFELY TO THEIR FAMILIES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, TEXAS IS ALREADY AN UNSAFE PLACE FOR WORKERS.
AND THE LAST THING WE KNEW NEEDED TO HAVE AS OUR STREETS ALSO BE AN UNSAFE PLACE FOR THEM.
UM, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THIS IS KEY TO KEEPING WORKERS IN AUSTIN CAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE AND WORK IN CITIES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE AND WHERE THEY CAN GET TO THEIR JOB SITE SAFELY.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALTHIER CITIZENS AND A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL OF US.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE, LEADERSHIP AND BASICALLY MAKING AUSTIN A BETTER PLACE FOR WORKERS TO GET AROUND AND PLEASE VOTE YES ON ITEM 90, THANKS AND TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE OUT THERE.
JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, UH, OUR COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TOVO DEALING WITH A PRETTY SERIOUS FAMILY ISSUE IN AND OUT OF THE MEETING TODAY IS, UH, UH, IS, IS LISTENING, UH, CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD, FOLLOW THE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY PLEASE PRESS ZERO.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SAYS THAT ACOSTA.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AURA, THE ST.
JOHN'S REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ITEM ONE 17 IN 2018, UT RELEASED ITS REPORT ON DISPLACEMENT IN AUSTIN, ENTITLED UPROOTED, AND IT LISTED, UH, ST.
JOHN'S AS AN AREA THAT'S HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO GENTRIFICATION.
AND OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED HERE ON MY WAY TO WORK OR WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE SEEN THE TRUTH IN THAT ASSESSMENT.
STAYING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS A CHALLENGE FOR BOTH LONGTERM RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO RENTERS LIKE MYSELF, MY WIFE AND I WANT TO STAY HERE AND WE WANT TO START A FAMILY.
BUT DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE BOTH HAVE MASTER'S DEGREES AND SALARY JOBS TODAY, THERE ARE NO HOMES THAT WE COULD AFFORD IN THE ST JOHN'S AREA.
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH, YOU KNOW, AT THIS PLACEMENT, THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY COME TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE AND THEY'VE LOOKED AT THEIR FUTURE.
AND AS OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, THERE'S BEEN YEARS OF PLANNING, DISCUSSING, AND BUILDING A VISION FOR WHAT THAT HOME DEPOT LOT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE FINALLY SEEING A CHANCE FOR THAT TO COME TO FRUITION.
AND THIS REDEVELOPMENT EFFORT IS A ONCE IN A GENERATION CHANCE TO NOT ONLY INCREASE THE AMENITIES AND HOUSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO FOR THE CITY TO SHOW A PROCESS, TO MOVE FORWARD FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PUT CITY INVESTMENT OF FUNDS AND ALSO COMMUNITY EFFORT AND LEADING HOW THAT DEVELOPMENT OCCURS.
THIS IS A TRUE BENEFIT AND INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS SO MANY OTHERS HAVE SAID, THIS IS A CHANCE TO KIND OF MOVE AWAY FROM THE NEGLECT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SPACE AND SHOW THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO NOT ONLY LISTENING TO OUR VOICES, BUT PUTTING FORTH THE FUNDS THAT WILL HELP FUND THAT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH COMPLIMENT CATHAR FOR ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND GETTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER TO HELP PUT THAT VISION FORWARD AND PLEASE THE REST OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS A BENEFIT, NOT JUST FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
THAT'S WHAT THE PROCESS AND A METHOD FOR HOW MIXED USE AND HIGHER AND HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT CAN BENEFIT ALL RESIDENTS, UH, WITH MY REMAINING TIME.
AND ALSO, UH, I SUPPORT ITEM 90 AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIDE AND I'M THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
[01:05:01]
DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IN TEXAS.ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION.
OFTEN HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING, I'M SORRY, I'M SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
THEY MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A BAD CONNECTION.
CALLER PROBABLY NEEDS TO CALL BACK IN.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS AUSTIN HEAD.
HI, I'M CALLING REGARDING ITEM 74 AND, UH, I'M OPPOSED TO THAT.
I'M POSED TO THE CONTRACT EXTENSION TO FOND RELEASE ENTERPRISES, UH, FOR FURTHER, UH, SOON CALLED CLEANUPS, UH, AND, UH, RELIEF ENTERPRISE AND PUBLIC WORKS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED.
UM, THEY INVOLUNTARILY CONFISCATE PEOPLE.
SO BY SURVIVAL GEAR WITH THE CLEAR GOAL TO PLACING, DISPLACING THEM LIVING OUTDOORS.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, WILL COUNCIL APPROVE THE MEASURE? ASSURING US THAT FLAY PERFORMS ARE ENOUGH TO REIGN THEM IN FROM THERE, UH, WHICH EFFECT TO SOMETHING JUST TO VIOLENT AND CRUEL AS THE CAMPING BAN, JUST WITH SLIGHTLY MORE BUREAUCRACY, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR RELIEF ENTERPRISES ARE ACTIVELY PRO DISPLACEMENT.
THEY EVEN ADMITTED STEVEN BUSH.
THE SUPERVISOR TYPICALLY CHOOSES WHAT TO TAKE, TAKE MORE FROM PEOPLE WHO HE DOESN'T PERCEIVE AS BEING NICE TO HIM, UH, WHO ARE LIVING OUTDOORS.
HE GLOATED MANY, UH, UNHOUSED PEOPLE, AS SOON AS COVID-19 LESSONS, UH, THE RESTRICTIONS HE'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO WHAT HE WAS DOING BEFORE RIPPING THE TENTS OUT OF PEOPLE'S HANDS, SUCH AS SHE DID IN, UH, RIVERSIDE DREAD.
UM, SO HOW CAN YOU APPROVE THIS MEASURE TO GIVE HIM THE POWER, TO MAKE THE DECISIONS ON THE GROUND, ASSURING YOURSELF THAT SOME, UH, THEY ASSURANCES OF, UH, IMPROVED PRACTICES WILL, UH, MAKE THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS FUNDAMENTALLY VIOLENT, SAFER.
UM, IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO WALK MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE IN SOME CASES TO ACCESS A VIOLET BAG, TO KNOW WHAT THE SUITES ARE REALLY ABOUT? LET ME READ FROM A, UM, INTRO EMAIL FROM SOMEONE IN THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CLEANUP ON MARCH 5TH OR SIXTH WHILE YOUR SHED HAS AN EVENT AT A PARK ON MARCH SEVEN, THAT HAS AN ENCAMPMENT RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
THIS AMONG WITH DOZENS OF OTHER INSTANCES, SHE WAS WITH THE SNIPS ARE REALLY ABOUT THE PUBLIC FOR NO REASON, OTHER THAN THEM BEING EYESORES, BASICALLY A CAMPING BAN IN DISGUISE.
THEREFORE YOU MUST VOTE ITEMS, BUT PEOPLE DOWN A NICE CASTILLO AND COUNSEL COUNSELING, AND ALSO CHAIR OF THE SAINT JOHN POCKET PARK COMMITTEE ADVOCATING FOR YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE HOME DEPOT.
AND I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO MORE.
IT'S SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN DO IN PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE SAW FULL FUNDING AND FUNDRAISING.
IT WAS A PATCH WITH A DILAPIDATED EMPTY SWIMMING POOL, AND IT'S BECOME A SAFE PLACE FOR SAINT JOHN RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN TO PLAY ENGAGED WITH THE BE HEALTHY.
IT'S A GLIMMER OF WHAT EXPANDED.
CAN YOU NOT HEAR ME AT ALL? YOU JUST HAVE TO SIT CLOSE TO THEM.
CAN YOU NOT HEAR ME AT ALL? WE CAN HEAR YOU IF YOU STAY CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE.
JOHN PARKING, AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN DO IN PARTNERSHIP.
SO PLEASED RECALL THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, THE CITY, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP MAKE THE POCKET PARK A REALITY.
THE ST JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD IS FULL OF RICH HISTORY, AND WE HAVE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO HONOR THE ORIGINAL BLACK RESIDENTS THAT FOUNDED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPONSIBLY DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY IN EAST AUSTIN.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I WAS IN A CITY THAT CONSIDERS ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS EQUITABLY.
NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIVERSE, VIBRANT, AND BRIGHT LET'S HIGHLIGHT GOOD RESPONSIBLE WORK, LIKE THE KIND THAT HELPED INFORM THE HOME DEPOT REDEVELOPMENT ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, ONE 17 BEFORE YOU TODAY, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD ON HELPING TO INFORM THIS ITEM AS A COMMUNITY WITH INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE VOICES.
SO LET'S DO MORE AND COUNSEL, PLEASE HELP US DO MORE.
[01:10:05]
SHELBY, SHELBY, PLEASE UNMUTE IF NEEDED.MY NAME IS SHELBY MASSEY AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIZE AND THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IN TEXAS.
ON BEHALF OF AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, AUSTIN BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 90, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND MAYOR ADLER AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION.
UM, THE HARDEST DECISION IS PART OF A BROAD COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT PASSING ITEM 90 AND THE RESOLUTION TO SEPARATE THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PORTION AS ITS OWN BOND PROPOSITION.
WE ALSO SUPPORT THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE IT MOVE, UM, BE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY EARLIER THIS WEEK TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT WE THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE ACT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS ARE PRIORITIZED THROUGH A SEPARATE BOND PROPOSITION.
OUR TRAIL SYSTEMS, BIKE LANES, OUTDOOR SPACES ARE NOT ONLY PART OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN A GREAT CITY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO CRITICALLY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
HEART DISEASE CONTINUES TO BE THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U S BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT'S 80% PREVENTABLE.
WHEN WE MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES, OUR ABILITY TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES IS HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AROUND US AND ACCESS TO SAFE AND CONVENIENT PLACES TO BE ACTIVE, PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN WHETHER WE CAN INCORPORATE THIS COLLECTIVITY INTO OUR DAILY ROUTINES.
UNFORTUNATELY, AUSTIN'S OBESITY RATE, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR FOR HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, AND OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES CONTINUES TO CLIMB AND DISPROPORTIONATE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WITH BLACK.
AUSTINITES BEING MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY AS THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS TO BE AT AN UNHEALTHY WEIGHT.
SO WE VIEW THIS AS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN A MEANINGFUL, EQUITABLE WAY TO MAKE AUSTIN A HEALTHIER AND SAFER CITY FOR EVERYONE.
SO WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT ITEM 90 AS AMENDED AND AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION BOND WILL HELP US MOVE ALONG THAT PATH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
IF THERE ARE ANY SPEAKERS ON THE LINE THAT HAVE NOT PRESSED ZERO, PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME.
MY NAME IS RACHEL MCGILL AND I LIVE IN COUNCIL MEMBER ALTARS, DISTRICT 10.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT ITEM 98, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AT 63 15 SPICEWOOD SPRINGS ROAD TO KEEP IT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
AS PART OF THE CITY'S PARK SYSTEM.
I SUPPORT THIS RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED INCREASED ACCESS IN THE BULL CREEK AREA BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF USE THE PARK SEES THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE A KEY COMPONENT IN ACHIEVING THIS INCREASED ACCESS.
I ALSO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE I BELIEVE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE CREEK WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED IS ALREADY STRESSED.
WE'VE HAD RAW SEWAGE LEAKING INTO THE CREEK FROM AGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR YEARS, AS WELL AS POLLUTION CONCERNS FROM COMMERCIAL RUNOFF, MAKING ALGAE BLOOMS THAT NEVER WORSENING PROBLEM.
THE GREENBELT SUFFERS FROM OVERUSE MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR AS AUSTINITES FROM EVERY PART OF THE CITY COMES TO COOL OFF IN ONE OF ONLY THREE ACCESS POINTS ALONG THE CREEKS NEARLY EVERY SUMMER, THE WATER'S DEEMED UNSAFE FOR SWIMMING.
BULL CREEK IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
AS THE CREEK FEEDS DIRECTLY INTO THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY, THE CITY HAS ALREADY MADE A PARTIAL INVESTMENT INTO PROTECTING THIS CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE BY ACQUIRING ADJACENT TRACKS OF LAND TO THE PROPERTY.
IN QUESTION, IF THE 63 15 PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED, MUCH OF THAT INVESTMENT IS WASTED AND THE QUALITY OF WATER THAT OAK CREEK DEPOSITS INTO OUR WATER SUPPLY FURTHER DEGRADED.
THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A REAL EYE OPENER FOR HOW IMPORTANT THE CITY'S GREEN SPACES ARE TO THE COLLECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD PARK USERS FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN COMING TO BULL CREEK TO SAFELY GET OUTSIDE DURING THE LOCKDOWN.
IN FACT, WE'RE IN SUCH NEED OF EXPANDED ACCESS TO THE CREEK THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD TO CLOSE WE'LL CREEK GREENBELT FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JULY, BECAUSE THERE'S SIMPLY NOT ROOM FOR THE NUMBER OF AUSTINITES WHO WANT TO COME OUT AND ENJOY THE PARK.
ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO MAKE A CONTINUOUS GREENBELT TRAIL FROM SAINT EDWARD'S PARK, THE ENTIRE WAY TO THE OLD CREEK DISTRICT PARK.
THIS WOULD BE A SPECTACULAR ADDITION TO THE CITY'S TRAIL SYSTEM ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY WOULD INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS TO ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST TREASURED GREENSPACES AND WOULD FURTHER SAFEGUARD THE WATER QUALITY IN THIS ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, BOBBY LAVINSKY HELLO, MARIN COUNCIL.
THIS IS BOBBY LEVINSKY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 98 AND POINT YOU TO A LETTER THAT I SENT TO YOUR OFFICES ON JULY 21ST, THAT LETTER WAS SIGNED AND SUPPORTED BY THE CLEAN WATER ACTION ENVIRONMENT, TEXAS SAVE BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION
[01:15:01]
AND SIERRA CLUB.AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THIS LOCATION HAS BEEN ON THE RADAR FOR OF ENVIRONMENTALIST FOR OVER A DECADE, GIVING IT A UNIQUE LOCATION ALONG BULL CREEK.
THIS SITE IS ENTIRELY LOCATED WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AND THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONES OF BULL CREEK.
AND IT'S ALMOST ENTIRELY LOCATED WITHIN THE FLOOD PLAIN, UM, AND GIVEN CLIMATE CHANGE THAT SITUATIONS ELAINE, AND GET MORE SEVERE AS TIME GOES ON, UM, FROM AN ENDANGERED SPECIES PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS AN IDEAL LOCATION GIVEN ITS PROXIMITY TO THE VOLCANIC, UH, PRESERVE SYSTEM.
IT WOULD BE A GOOD TRANSITION FROM THE PRESERVE SYSTEM.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO AN IDEAL LOCATION TO PROTECT DOWNSTREAM, UH, STREAMS THAT ARE KNOWN HABITAT FOR THREATENED SPECIES.
I'VE BEEN PERSONALLY TRACKING THIS DEVELOPMENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A PRETTY SCARY MOMENT, UH, DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHEN HB 37 50, UM, THREATENED TO TAKE THE CITY'S CONTROL OF DOING WATER QUALITY REGULATIONS ON THIS SITE.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THE FEW SITES IN OUR CITY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EFFECTED BY THAT BILL.
UM, AND IT WAS ONLY A LAST MINUTE PROCEDURAL MIRACLE BY REPRESENTATIVE, UH, LEANER THAT KILLED THE BILL.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY SOME COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT THE 2013 CWO THAT ORDINANCE ACTUALLY WAS AN EXTENSION OF A WATER QUALITY PROTECTIONS TO PROTECT EAST SIDE CREEKS.
THE CWO IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROTECTING WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONES, A LONGER CREEKS.
IT'S A MINIMAL BAR AND A LOW BAR AT THAT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME SIMILAR SITUATED PROPERTIES ALONG WALNUT AND WILLIAMSON CREEKS, AND HOPEFULLY OTHER CREEKS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE THOSE ACQUISITIONS AS WELL.
WE CAN'T JUST RELY ON ORDINANCES TO PROTECT OUR CREEKS.
WE HAVE TO DO SOME PROACTIVE, UM, ACQUISITIONS AS WELL.
I WANT TO PERSONALLY THINK A PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND, UM, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER USE FOR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER FOUR, MITIGATION FUNDS.
UM, MY NAME ADAM GREENFIELD, I'M A DISTRICT THREE RESIDENT BOARD PRESIDENT OF WALK AUSTIN AND BOARD MEMBER OF BIKE AUSTIN.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE UPDATED VERSION OF ITEM 90 REGARDING FUNDING FACTOR OF TRANSPORTATION IS SAFE STREETS, UH, WILL COST CENTER BY COST IN A PART OF THE AUSTIN OUTSIDE COALITION, WHICH HAS COLLECTED A REMARKABLE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR A SEPARATE SAFE MOBILITY BOND FROM ALMOST 100 ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES FROM EQUITY FOCUS, HEALTH GROUPS TO PARKS AND TRAILS ORGANIZATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND LOW LABOR GROUPS.
IN ADDITION, WELL OVER 3000 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REPRESENTING EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICTS HAVE SIGNED OUT PETITION.
AND JUST THIS WEEK IN AN AUSTIN BASED COMMUNITY SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY MOVE ATX 55% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY'D PREFER TO GET AROUND USING A MODE OTHER THAN A PERSONAL CAR.
THAT'S A 5% INCREASE FROM A SIMILAR SURVEY LAST YEAR.
THIS ALL ADDS UP TO AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THIS BOND, UH, MARIN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE BELIEVE YOU'RE ALSO READY TO SUPPORT A SEPARATE, SAFE MOBILITY BOND.
UH, THIS IS THE MOST TRANSPORTATION PROGRESSIVE CITY COUNCIL IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY.
YOUR VISION AND LEADERSHIP HAS LED TO THE GROUNDBREAKING HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM PROTECTED BY CLAIMS ON CONGRESS AVENUE, LIFESAVING REDUCTIONS IN CITYWIDE SPEED LIMITS AND HISTORIC LEVELS OF PEDESTRIAN BIKE AND SAFE STREETS IMPROVEMENTS AS POSSIBLE.
2016 MOBILITY BOND, UH, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT DO WORK TOGETHER.
THEY, THEY STRONGLY DEPEND ON EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE AND THAT'S WHY THIS NOVEMBER, WE NEED A PUBLIC VOTE FOR BOTH PROJECT CONNECT, A SEPARATE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, SAFE STREETS, BOND ITEM.
UH, AUSTIN IS READY TO TAKE, UH, THIS, UH, UNPRECEDENTED PROGRESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND, UH, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE FOR THE AMENDED ITEM 90.
EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO MAKE US SAFER AND MORE ACCURATE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, MY NAME IS KIM MCCLENNAN AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE ST.
JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT FOR ITEM ONE 17 ON THE AGENDA FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY ON ST.
UM, NOT TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT FOR OVER 12 YEARS, IT'S VACANT.
PROPERTY HAS BEEN A SYMBOL OF NEGLECT AND DESPAIR IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU DRIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IS A DILAPIDATED CITY BUILDING WHERE ONE STORE TO TRASH.
AND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOOR TO DOOR AND SURVEY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
[01:20:02]
AND I'VE SEEN A MIXTURE OF HOPE AND PESSIMISM FOR THE POSSIBILITIES OF THIS PROPERTY.FOR MANY, RATHER THAN THE GENERAL ASSUMPTION WAS ACTUALLY THAT THEIR VOICES WOULD SIMPLY BE IGNORED.
HOWEVER, I'M EXCITED THAT THE VERY VOICES OF THIS COMMUNITY FORMED THE BASIS OF THE RFP USED FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
I'M HOPING THAT APPROVING THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE THE FIRST STEP IN TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF AND THE FUTURE OF THE ST.
THANK YOU, PATTY, HIM, MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PATTY HAM AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10, ALISON ALTERS DISTRICT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT MY SUPPORT AT ITEM 98, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AT 63 15 SPICEWOOD SPRINGS ROAD FOR THE PURPOSE OF RETAINING IT INTO PUBLIC DOMAIN, AS PART OF THE CITY'S PARK SYSTEM, VERY PROUD TO BE A NATIVE AUSTINITE, BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN, UT GRADUATE AND EMPLOYED BY UT FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
I HAVE SEEN THE CITY GROW AND MATURE OVER THE YEARS, BUT ONE CONSTANT DRAW THAT I LOVE AS DO MANY OTHER CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE DRAWN TO AUSTIN ARE THE BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND GREEN SPACES.
WE ALL HAVE ACCESS TO ENJOY THESE ASSETS THAT ARE INVALUABLE TO THE CITY AND TO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN HAVE TWO VERY STRONG CONCERNS IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY PURCHASING THIS PROPERTY FOR PARKLAND.
FIRST, IF THE PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED, THERE'S A RISK TO THE WATER QUALITY.
AS MANY HAVE MENTIONED IN OTHER COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY IN THE CITY OFTEN HAS TO CLOSE THIS AREA DUE TO ECOLAB CONTAMINATION.
CHRIS DEVELOPMENT, UM, WOULD IN THIS AREA WOULD INCREASE THE WATER VOLUME OF OAK CREEK AND AS EVIDENCE FOR THE FREQUENT LOW WATER CROSSING CLOSINGS IN THIS AREA, HEAVY RAINS ARE EVIDENT THAT THERE'S A BIG RISK FOR FLOODING, WHICH WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE RISK TO THE WATER QUALITY OF BULL CREEK, WHICH FEEDS INTO THE CITY'S WATER SYSTEM.
A SECOND CONCERN IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY WOULD INHERENTLY LIMIT THIS BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE TO ONLY A FEW, BUT AT A RISK TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, THE CITY HAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY AND ENABLE THE CITY TO CONNECT SEVERAL HIKING TRAILS AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY AND EXTEND THE WONDERFUL TRAIL SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.
THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ALL ENDURING, UM, BRING HOME NOW MORE THAN EVER THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF THE AVAILABILITY FOR ALL IN THE CITY TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE WITHIN OUR CITY TO ENJOY AND TO REFRESH OUR SPIRITS.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION AND SUPPORT THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT ALONG BULL CREEK AND BEAUTY FOR THE CURRENT AND FUTURE CITIZENS FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS IN QUEUE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY PLEASE PRESS ZERO.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT TOO, AND I AM CALLING IN SUPPORT OF, UM, RESOLUTION 89 FOR THE CHILDCARE THAT IS COMING DOWN ON MANY PARENTS HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT, UM, MINORITY CHILDREN THE MOST, AND ESPECIALLY THE KID THAT TITLE ONE SCHOOL.
I WANT TO ASK THAT COUNCIL, AS YOU GO THROUGH AND PASS THIS RESOLUTION TO NOT FORGET THE OLDER KID OF MOST OF THIS IS IN REGARD TO, UM, YOUNGER KIDS UNDER, UH, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE.
AND SO WE CAN'T FORGET THE TEENS IN THIS.
THEY ALSO NEED SOMEWHERE SAFE TO BE.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND HELPING OUT THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOYCE STEPS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FAVOR OF ITEM 98 ON YOUR AGENDA.
THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AT 63 15 SPICES THINGS ROAD I'M JOYCE.
STOTTS A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10, A MEMBER OF THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OUR PARKS COMMITTEE, AND OUR ZONING COMMITTEE LAST WEEK, ALL THREE OF THESE ENTITIES VOTED TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM WHEN VISITING THE BULL CREEK AREA, WE SEE THAT BOTH THE DISTRICT PARK AND THE GREENBELT ARE REALLY JEWEL'S ENJOYED BY ALL OF AUSTIN.
THE WHOLE AREA IS OVERRUN BY FAMILIES FROM AROUND THE CITY, ENJOYING TIME IN THE WATER, WALKING THROUGH THE GREENVILLE, PICNICKING IN THE PARK AND ALONG THE CREEK, AS PART OF OUR PARKS COMMITTEE, I LEAD OUR MONTHLY CLEANUPS AT BULL CREEK, AND I'M PLEASED TO NOTE THAT WE DRAW VOLUNTEERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO HELP.
AND SINCE WE CAN DO THEM SOCIALLY DISTANCE, WE'VE ACTUALLY RESUMED SOME OF THAT CLEANUP THIS SUMMER, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS, LONG RANGE PLAN, WHICH YOU APPROVED LAST NOVEMBER INCLUDES A LINE ITEM FOR AQUA ACQUIRING LAND ALONG THIS CREEK GREEN BELT.
IT ALSO INCLUDES ITEMS TO DO TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AND REPAIR.
SO WITH THE ACQUISITION, YOU ENABLED TRAIL
[01:25:01]
DEVELOPMENT.THAT COMPLETES A GAP IN THE BULL CREEK GREEN BELT AND SERVES THE WHOLE CITY.
AND THERE'S OTHER SPEAKERS THAT POINTED OUT A VERY IMPORTANT SIDE BENEFIT IS THAT YOU HELP PROTECT THE CREEK AS TRAILS AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE HAZARDS OF DEVELOPMENT THAT MIGHT OCCUR ON THIS LAND.
IF YOU DON'T ACQUIRE IT, AS YOU MAY RECALL FROM PRIOR TESTIMONY BEFORE YOU, ONE OF MY KEY CONCERNS AS WELL FOR OUR MITIGATION, PUTTING THIS PROPERTY INTO THE TRAIL SYSTEM HELPS US ENSURE THAT THE GREEN SPACE WILL BE MANAGED CAREFULLY BY GROUPS, WHICH UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THAT AND ELIMINATE THE WILDFIRE RISK POSED FROM OTHER USES OF THE LAND CITIZENS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THIS ITEM.
THANKS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR HEARING ME, I'M CALLING AN OPPOSITION TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, THE NEVER FAILED TO REMOVE PEOPLE'S HOMES FROM UNDER UNDERPASSES.
AND IT'S JUST A REALLY IN HUMANITARIAN PROCESS THAT I DON'T THINK THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN GET BEHIND.
I'M AMY SLAGLE FROM AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY TOLD THE AUSTIN MONITOR THAT THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IS GETTING TRASH OUT FROM UNDER THE UNDERPASSES, BUT, AND THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REMOVE PEOPLE'S GEAR IF IT HAD BEEN ABANDONED.
BUT, UM, AND AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE, BUT I JUST DID IN SECOND, UM, THE VOICES THAT HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT, UM, PEOPLE DON'T ABANDON THEIR HOMES, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE UNDER A BRIDGE, THEY JUST GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO TO WORK OR TO MOVE AROUND.
UM, SO IT JUST, IT'S JUST A REALLY SIMPLISTIC AND, UH, IGNORANT WAY TO LOOK AT THE BRIDGE CLEANUP PROCESS.
AND I'M USING AIR QUOTES RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, SO I'M, I'M CALLING AN OPPOSITION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, GRACE HANSON.
HI, UM, I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT ITEM ONE 17 AND ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVEN'T ALREADY DECIDED TO SUPPORT THIS AGENDA AND SORRY, ITEM IT SENDS OUT TO DO SO.
UM, I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF HOW DEVASTATING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GENTRIFICATION ARE TO THE FABRIC OF AUSTIN'S COMMUNITIES.
UM, IF ANYONE'S NOT, THEY NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN, UM, JUST AROUND THEM.
ERIC PINGS, RECENT STUDY OF AUSTIN'S DECLINING AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION SHOWED HOW DEVASTATING GENTRIFICATION IS TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN EAST AUSTIN FOR DECADES BETWEEN 2020 10, UM, EAST AUSTIN'S BLACK POPULATION DECREASED BY 66% WHILE THE WHITE POPULATION INCREASED BY 4442% FAMILIES ARE HASSLED BY DEVELOPERS TO SELL THEIR HOMES, LOSING THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND TRAVELING GREAT DISTANCES TO MAINTAIN A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, UM, BY RETURNING TO CHURCHES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AS THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO MOVE FARTHER OUT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE WAYS THAT GENTRIFICATION AND UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPACTS COMMUNITIES HERE.
UM, THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FOUR HAVE MADE IT CLEAR WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE ST JOHN'S PROPERTY, NOT A POLICE STATION, NOT A COURTHOUSE, BUT A REAL AMENITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN, PLEASE SUPPORT ITEM ONE 17.
HI, I'M CALLING AGAINST ITEM 908 CONDEMNATION IN TWO MINUTES.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO CONVINCE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TO ACCEPT THE DONATION OF A BEAUTIFUL NEW ACCESSIBLE GREEN BELT FOR FREE INSTEAD OF USING UNNECESSARY SPENDING MILLIONS OF PUBLIC DOLLARS.
FIRST, THE FACT THAT THE LAND WOULD NOT IN FACT COMPLETE ANY TRAIL, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE FIVE MILES AND WOULD REQUIRE DOZENS OF MORE PROPERTY.
THERE IS NO PRESSING NEED FOR ANOTHER PARK IN THIS AREA, NOR IS THERE AN ENVIRONMENTAL TO FORCIBLY TAKE THIS LANE.
THE AREA NORTH NORTHWEST AUSTIN HAS MORE PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE THAN ANY AREA OF THE CITY.
THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE PROJECT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR FIVE YEARS, A SMALL HOTEL MODEL ON THE BELOVED LOVE-HATE LARGEST IN OUR NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM POSES.
NO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BUILT ON LESS THAN 6% OF THE LAND WITH FULLY COMPLY WITH ALL WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCES.
THIS IS REALLY SPOT ZONING, SPOT GUN NATION TO STOP A PERFECTLY LEGAL ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PROJECT THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T SUPPORT.
THEY'RE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION, BUT IS THIS HOW EMINENT DOMAIN SHOULD BE USED IN A MEETING WITH RANDY SCOTT OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN FRONT OF DOZEN OF WITNESSES? HE STATED, WHY WOULD I TAKE A FREEZE MINT WHEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL YOUR LAND? WHY WOULD I TAKE A FREEZE MAN, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL YOUR LAND? WHY? BECAUSE IT'S NOT HIS MONEY.
BOND, MONEY FROM PARK IS A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE, BUT IT'S NOT INFINITE.
[01:30:01]
DOESN'T COVER THE COST OF BUILDING, MAINTAINING AND SECURING THE TRAIL, WHICH I'VE OFFERED TO PROVIDE FOR FREE.AND THIS YEAR AS A PANDEMIC, HAS EVERY DOLLAR EVER COUNTED MORE THE GOVERNMENT'S RIGHT TO FORCE PEOPLE TO SELL IT.
PROPERTY SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
AND I ARGUE ONLY WHEN THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THAT IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE HERE.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE PROTECT BOTH THE PUBLIC DOLLARS AND THE CITIZENS RIGHTS SPECIFICALLY, I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE DIRECT STAFF, PLEASE DIRECT STAFF TO SERIOUSLY AND IN GOOD FAITH, NEGOTIATE A FREE EASTMAN THAT WILL ACHIEVE THE CITY'S GOAL OF EXTENDING THROUGH GREENVILLE WITHOUT SPENDING MILLIONS OF LIMITED PUBLIC DOLLARS CARE.
CAN YOU GET THAT CALL OR TO STAY ON THE LINE FOR A MOMENT? I'M HERE LIVE.
I KIND OF BROKE UP A LITTLE BIT FOR ME.
UM, THERE'S SOME CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING IN MY BACKYARD.
DID YOU, DID YOU SAY THAT SOMEBODY SAID, WHY WOULD I DO THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL YOUR LAND ANYWAY, I'M SORRY.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT STATEMENT? YES.
IN A MEETING WITH, UM, UH, ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE FROM PARTS ENVIRONMENTAL AND THE CITY'S REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT, RANDY SCOTT, WHO'S AN OFFICER OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I OFFERED TO GIVE THE CITY OF FREE EASTMAN SO THAT THE PEOPLE COULD CONNECT THE TRAIL, WALK ON THE TRAIL, ENJOY THE PARK.
AND IN PRESENT IN FRONT OF DOZEN OF WITNESSES, HE STATED TO ME, WHY WOULD WE TAKE A FREE EASEMENT WHEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL YOUR LAND ANYWAYS? AND I REALLY FEEL THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT HIS MONEY PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF IS NOT BEING FRUITFUL TO COUNCIL.
AND IT'S FRAMING THIS AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE WHEN THEY CAN REALLY GET THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED, THE TRAILER, THEY AND SAVED THE CITY $10 MILLION.
I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THAT FOR ME.
I AM GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 85 AND SUPPORTIVE.
THAT IS AN ASK ME MEMBER, UM, ASKED ME, UH, HAS A LONG HISTORY OF FIGHTING FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
UH, PROBABLY MOST NOTABLY WHEN DR.
WENT TO MEMPHIS BEFORE HE WAS ASSASSINATED.
MARK WAS THE SANITATION WORKERS AND ASKED ME, UM, AND IN THAT SPIRIT, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE ME INTO THE CITY HOLIDAY, PARTICULARLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, WORKING HAS ORIGINATED.
I THINK IT'S HARD FOR THE CITY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE DAY, UH, FOR WHAT IT IS FOR OUR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPEAKERS ON THE LINE, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE.
I'M A HOMEOWNER IN THE AREA AROUND THEM.
THE ITEM NUMBER 98 OR THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION ITEM NUMBER 98, SIX THREE ONE FIVE SPICES THINGS ROAD.
UM, I'VE SENT Y'ALL A MESS, UH, A PIECE OF MAIL THAT, UM, OUR EMAIL THAT SUMS UP A LOT OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE I SAID, TAKE A CHANCE, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS A DOC, MR. KHAN.
UM, SOME OF HIS POINTS, HE SAID THAT HE WOULD OFTEN EASEMENT, UM, AND THAT HE'S ONLY BUILDING IN 6% OF HIS PROPERTY BECAUSE, AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF HIS PROPERTY SITS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN AND HIS, UM, HIS PLANS INCLUDE A SEPTIC SYSTEM BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO, UM, THE CITY'S, UM, SEPTIC OFF, UM, THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.
AND THAT THIS EPIC SYSTEM WILL SAY WITHIN YARDS OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN, AND THOSE RISKS, SEWAGE SOULS, AND, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL CALAMITY, UM, FOR, FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS THAT UTILIZE THAT THE STREAM.
AND I JUST, I HONESTLY THINK THAT A PARK WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER USE OF THIS PROPERTY THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE RISKS THAT HE, UM, HE, HE, HE, HIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD POSE.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE, WELL, THERE ARE PARKS IN THE AREA.
THIS AREA IS A GYM AND IT'S A JUUL.
IT HAS, UM, IT HAS A GORGEOUS CLIFF SAFE THAT MAKES THIS PROPERTY VERY SPECIAL AND UNIQUE.
AND WHILE HE, WHILE HE OFFERS US A TRAIL THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY COME WITH FULL USE OF THAT WHOLE AREA.
AND I JUST, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER SERVED TO BE THE GYM AND THE JUUL THAT, UM, CITIZENS
[01:35:01]
OF AUSTIN COULD APPRECIATE.UM, IF THE CITY OWNED THAT PROPERTY RIGHT OUT AND DIDN'T JUST HAVE LIKE A SMALL LITTLE TRAIL ACCESS THROUGH IT.
AND, UM, I'LL YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.
FRANK NATUR, FRANK, IF YOU ARE ON MUTE, PLEASE UNMUTE.
UH, I AM SIGNATURE I'M ON DISTRICT I'M FROM DISTRICT ONE, CALLING IN FAVOR OF ITEM ONE 17, THE, UH, ST.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT HOUSING.
UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT AFFORDABILITY IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN AUSTIN, AND WE NEED TO MAKE MORE, UH, CAPITALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO CALL AGAINST THE ITEM NUMBER 74.
UH, THIS IS THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE, UH, SWEEPING CONTRACT WITH, UH, VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE REQUESTS THAT HAVE, UH, BROKEN UP AND HURT CAMPS OF PEOPLE.
AND INSTEAD WE SHOULD, UH, BE USING THE PURPLE BAG SYSTEM AND PROVIDING TRASH TAKE OUT SERVICE LIKE WE WOULD ANY OTHER RESIDENTS IN AUSTIN.
IF THERE ARE ANY SEEKERS IN THE QUEUE, PLEASE PRESS ZERO.
NOW, MAYOR, THAT WAS THE LAST SPEAKER.
THERE'S ONE MORE JAMIE CANISTER.
HI, MY NAME IS JAMIE CAN ANSWER AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, I'M CALLING TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 74, THE CONTRACT WITH RELEASE ENTERPRISES.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'VE WITNESSED RELEASE ENTERPRISES, DO A SWEEP OF THE CAMP, AND THIS SWEEPS HAVE NOT BEEN COMPASSIONATE.
THEY TAKE PEOPLE'S STRUCTURES, TARPS, WATER TENTS, SLEEPING PADS, TARPS.
AND IN ONE CASE RECENTLY, THEY TOOK SOMEONE'S BACK WITH THEIR ID IN IT.
AND I'M SURE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
THIS IS JUST A SMALL, UM, PART OF WHAT I'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED.
AND IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT DO NOT HAVE HOUSES, WE NEED TO CHANGE FOCUS, FOCUS ON A VIOLET BAG PROGRAM, A PICKUP PROGRAM SO THAT TRASH CAN BE REMOVED ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
WHEN RELEASE ENTERPRISES COME THROUGH, THEY ARE TAKING PEOPLE'S THINGS.
PEOPLE ARE NOT ARE TELLING THEM NOT TO TAKE CERTAIN THINGS.
THEY HAVE DISMANTLED STRUCTURES THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE A, THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING A TENT AND HAVE BUILT A STRUCTURE FOR THEMSELVES TO SLEEP UNDER.
THEY WILL, THEY HAVE CUT THEM OFF OF HOLES AND TAKEN THEM AND PUT, PUT THEM IN THE TRASH.
SO PLEASE VOTE NO FOR ITEM 74, TREAT OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS WITH THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO PAY SOMEONE, A COMPANY TO SPEND, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND $1,725,000 TO PAY SOMEONE, PAY SOMEONE WHO CAN DO IT WITH COMPASSION AND RESPECT.
MAY I ADD THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS.
UM, COLLEAGUES, UH, WE HAVE 15 MINUTES BEFORE WE TAKE OUR MOON BREAK.
LET'S SEE THE THINGS WE CAN TAKE CARE OF.
[Consent Agenda]
I'M SHOWING THE ST UH, AGENDA IS ITEMS CLEAR 96 ITEMS, ONE OH SIX, TWO ONE 17.UH, AND THAT THE, UH, UH, UH, ITEMS, UH, ARE ITEMS. UM, WE'RE UP HERE? WELL, VITAMINS 24, 29, 74, 86 AND 90.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND MAYOR PRO TEM NEXT THE MOTION IS THERE A SECOND NOVEMBER HARPER, MADISON SECONDS.
I NEED A SECOND TO THE MOTION.
SECOND TO THE MOTION, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FROM
[01:40:01]
THE COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON.UM, I WANT TO, I DIDN'T WANT TO PULL ONE 16, CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AND STUFF.
I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT ONE 16, WHICH IS THE RESOLUTION ASKING THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ADDRESS THE URGENT NEEDS OF THE STATES, CRITICAL CHILDCARE INFRASTRUCTURE RESULTING FROM COVID-19.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE QUALITY CHILDCARE IS A NECESSITY FOR MILLIONS OF FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE.
AND IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR ECONOMY RIGHT NOW.
SO MANY CHILDCARE CENTERS ARE HAVING, UM, TO CLOSE OR LAY OFF SOME OF THEIR WORKERS AND IT'S A LOOMING CRISIS.
BUT AS I'VE SAID BEFORE ABOUT CHILDCARE ISSUES, IT'S OFTEN A QUIET CRISIS BECAUSE FAMILIES JUST STRUGGLED THROUGH THIS ISSUE.
CHILDCARE CENTERS STRUGGLED THROUGH THIS ISSUE AND THEY DON'T GET THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA, COUNCILMEMBER ALTARS ON THIS CHILDCARE ISSUE.
THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WE'VE BEEN SO GREAT ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT IT REALLY IS A CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN CHILDCARE CENTERS.
I'M HEARING FROM PARENTS EVERY DAY ABOUT, UH, LOSING OUR ABILITY TO GO TO WORK, UM, AS CENTRAL WORKERS BECAUSE CHILDCARE CENTERS ARE CLOSING AND THE CITY REALLY NEEDS HELP FROM, AND WE REALLY NEED HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
THE BUCKET THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ALLOCATE WAS CARE'S MONEY, AND UNLESS THERE'S MORE FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THESE CENTERS.
I'M SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMY.
SO THANK YOU FOR MY CO-SPONSORS AND ALSO THE UNITED WAY, ESPECIALLY CATHY, CATHY MCMORRIS, OR CONTINUE TO WORK, TO RAISE THIS ISSUE FOR, UH, FOR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I'M I'M PROBABLY GETTING A SIMILAR, UH, QUANTITY OF CALLS.
UH, FOLKS ARE REALLY STRUGGLING.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DAYLIGHT IN THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS THAT I BROUGHT SEVERAL ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
SO, UM, UH, WELL IT'S BEEN A HECK OF A SUMMER AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL THAT, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY USED TO CALL JULY VACATION, BUT NOBODY TOOK A VACATION THIS YEAR.
UH, WE FOUND OURSELVES LIVING IN A HISTORIC MOMENT HERE.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN TURNS 181 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.
IT WAS FOUNDED BY WHITE MEN TO SERVE AS THE CAPITOL OF A REPUBLIC WHOSE CONSTITUTION PROTECTED SLAVERY AND EXPLICITLY BARRED BLACK AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FROM CITIZEN CITIZENSHIP.
SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD SLAVERY, THE KKK, JIM CROW, SEGREGATION, AND FRANKLY BENIGN NEGLECT, RACIAL VIOLENCE, DISINVESTMENT, DISPLACEMENT, AND THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY FAST GROWING US METROPOLITAN CITY WITH A SHRINKING BLACK POPULATION, THE INEQUITIES ARE COUNTLESS AND THEY AREN'T BECAUSE AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE INHERENTLY INFERIOR.
THEY ARE THE FRUITS OF GENERATIONS WORTH OF EXPLICITLY DISCRIMINATORY AND RACIST POLICIES.
THINGS LIKE HOUSING POLICIES FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL ON DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT KEPT BLACK PRESIDENTS FROM EVEN REACHING THE GROUND FLOOR OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH BUILDING POLICIES THAT SAID YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS PART OF TOWN.
AND IF YOU WANT ACCESS TO GOOD JOBS OR GOOD HEALTH CLINICS, YOU BETTER BE ABLE TO AFFORD RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET THERE POLICIES THAT MAINTAIN THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE AND A LIFETIME CYCLE OF POVERTY FOR PARTAKING IN A DRUG THAT LOCAL HERO, WILLIE NELSON OPENLY CELEBRATES AT THE UNVEILING OF HIS STATUE NEXT TO THE CITY HALL, NO LONGER LIVES OPENLY IN AUSTIN.
MOST OF THE TIME EXPLICIT RACISM IS NO LONGER ACCEPTED IN POLITE SOCIETY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE JOB IS DONE.
IMPLICIT RACISM IS ALL AROUND US.
OUR CITIES INSTITUTIONS WERE BUILT ON A FOUNDATION OF WHITE SUPREMACY, AND WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT BEFORE WE CAN START TO RESOLVE IT, THEY TALK ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL TAKING A SUMMER VACATION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAS HAD NO SUCH PRIVILEGE.
WE WERE HARD AT WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND THE CITY STAFF PUTTING TOGETHER FOUR IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT I KNOW WILL MOVE US A STEP MAYBE TO FORWARD ALONG THE JOURNEY TO ERASING RACISM IN AUSTIN IN AMERICA, WE LOVE TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM AND THERE'S NO PURE WAY TO DO THAT THAN TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM FROM 200 PLUS YEARS OF HUMAN SLAVERY WITH ITEM NUMBER 85, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN
[01:45:01]
HISTORY.AND IT IS IN FACT, AUSTIN HISTORY BY RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH AS A CITY HOLIDAY, WE WILL SIGNAL THAT WE KNOW FREEDOM, AND THIS COUNTRY HAS ONLY BEEN UNLOCKED IN STAGES.
WE'RE STILL MARCHING ON THE WIDER, THE CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH, THE LARGER, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO LEARN RECONCILE AND GROW AS A COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
AND WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, IT'S ALSO TIME TO ASSESS LIVING MEMORIALS TO WHITE SUPREMACY.
PARTICULARLY THOSE LINKED TO THE CONFEDERACY.
THE CONFEDERACY IS THIS SYMBOL OF WHITE SUPREMACY, DOMESTIC TERRORISM, AND THE TYRANNY OF LYNCHING AND A SYSTEM OF RACE, RACE BASED CHATTEL SLAVERY.
IT WOULD BE THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER WHILE NOT ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT IN OUR STREETS, CONFEDERATE AVENUE, PLANTATION ROAD AND DIXIE DRIVE.
THESE EXISTING STREET NAMES HAVE NO PLACE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH ITEM NUMBER 91.
I HOPE WE COULD SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF RE-IMAGINING THE NAMES OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND NOT BY ERASING HISTORY, BUT BY TEACHING HISTORY AND HONORING THE PARTS THAT DON'T ALIENATE, BUT RATHER DIGNIFY ALL AUSTINITES.
AND WHILE WE'RE LEARNING OUR HISTORY, IT'S TIME TO START CORRECTING POLICIES FROM OUR PAST THAT PERPETUATE IMPLICIT RACISM.
OUR OPEN CONSUMPTION REGULATIONS INCLUDE BANDS ON CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, EAST OF
IT'S EASY TO READ THAT AS RACISM PATERNALISM AND THE LEGACY OF ORGANIZED AND INTENTIONAL SEGREGATION.
AND FRANKLY, WE DO NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT NOT TODAY.
IT'LL BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ITEM 88 DOES NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE OPENLY DRUNK IN PUBLIC IT'S FROWNED UPON.
AND FRANKLY, ILLEGAL PUBLIC INTOXICATION IS STILL PROHIBITED.
I AM GLAD WE HAVE COMPASSIONATE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES LIKE THE SOBERING CENTER TO HELP US CONFRONT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN OUR CITY.
WHAT IT DOES THOUGH, IS, AND A DOUBLE STANDARD FOR EAST SIDE RESIDENTS WHO HAVEN'T HAD ACCESS TO THE SAME RIGHTS AS MOST OF THEIR MOSTLY WHITE AND WEALTHIER NEIGHBORS.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, THESE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN, WE ARE TAKING TODAY ARE ABSOLUTELY BY NO MEANS THE SILVER BULLET THAT WILL CURE ALL THAT AILS AUSTIN AND OUR COUNTRY, BUT THEY REPRESENT STEPS FORWARD.
THEY REPRESENT STEPS FORWARD THAT WE CAN BUILD UPON AS WE GO.
THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR ITEM.
NUMBER ONE 13, A BLACK CHILD BORN TODAY CAN EXPECT TO LIVE A SHORTER LIFE THAN A WHITE CHILD BORN.
ONE ROOM OVER A STUDY OUT OF PRINCETON SHOWS THAT MOST OF THE LIFE EXPECTANCY DIVIDE BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICANS AND WHITE AMERICANS IS BASED ON SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS.
THOSE SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS ARE LARGELY THE RESULTS OF GENERATIONS OF EXPLICITLY AND IMPLICITLY RACIST POLICIES, LACK OF ACCESS TO PROPER HEALTHCARE, BEING FORCED TO LIVE IN ENVIRONMENTALLY DANGEROUS AREAS AND SUBPAR ACCOMMODATIONS DYING AT THE HANDS OF POLICE RATES THAT ARE THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN WHITE PEOPLE, JUST PROPORTIONATE DEATHS FROM DISEASES LIKE COVID-19 HIV AND AIDS.
RACISM IS LITERALLY KILLING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND IT IS BEYOND TIME TO TREAT IT AS SUCH, LIKE I SAID, THESE ITEMS ARE JUST TO START.
WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO ADDRESS, UH, ALL OF OUR EXISTING POLICIES.
THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM THAT ARE IN FACT VESTIGES OF JIM CROW.
THAT MEANS EVENTUALLY GRAPPLING WITH OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT HELPS TO UPHOLD OUR CITY STATUS QUO SEGREGATION FOR NOW, WE HAVE THESE ITEMS THOUGH, AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND THE CITY STAFF FOR HELPING ME BRING THESE FORWARD.
IT DID TAKE A LOT OF WORK FOR US TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
SO TRULY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO WAS A PART OF IT.
MY STAFF WORKED SO HARD, SO THANK YOU TO THEM.
THE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING BRIAN REGISTER WITH D CONFEDERATE AUSTIN, WHO ALSO GAVE US EXTREMELY VALUABLE SUPPORT.
ALSO, I LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING THESE ITEMS AND TO MOVING FORWARD AND ONWARD TOGETHER.
PROUD TO BE PARKED AND THEN VOTING FOR THESE THINGS.
UM, COLLEAGUES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER, UH, UH,
[01:50:02]
YES.I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE, I SEE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR HANDS RAISED, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER 89 IS ANOTHER CHILDCARE ITEM, UH, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT COUNTS FROM HARPER, MADISON, AND MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA WITH, UH, HER, UH, EFFORT ON THAT, JUST THE SAME KIND OF THING.
UM, APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ALTAR AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND PROPER MADISON, KATHY TOVO AND SUPPORTING IT.
I WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU THAT THERE'S BEEN A V3 THAT'S BEEN FILED IN BACKUP.
B3 JUST ADDS ONE RESOLVE CLAUSE ON THE SHOULD THE USE OF CITY FACILITIES, SUCH AS LIBRARIES AND RECREATION CENTERS BE HELPFUL TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WORKING FAMILIES FOR THE DURATION OF VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION AND POSSIBLY LONGER DUE TO COVID-19.
THE MANAGER'S DIRECTED TO COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MAKE THOSE FACILITIES AVAILABLE WHEN FEASIBLE.
THIS IS FOR SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR PHYSICAL SPACES FOR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GATHER TOGETHER TO HER.
AND IT JUST MAKES THE SPACE AVAILABLE.
UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE VERSION OF 89, THAT IS ON THE CONSENT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, COUNCIL MEMBER, POLL COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
THANKS FOR POINTING TO THE SPRING ON THE CHILDCARE NUMBER 89, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
AND ON A ONE 16, I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, JACKIE, MY COURSE AND FOLKS WITH UNITED WAY.
AND MY COLLEAGUES HERE, FAMILIES ARE IN AN INTENSE BIND RIGHT NOW WITH, UM, SCHOOLS AND WITH THE COVID CHILDCARE NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE.
AND THIS CITY NEEDS HELP FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND THEY NEED TO HELP US, OR I THINK WE'VE PAVED THE WAY FOR SHOWING HOW, UM, HOW THAT CAN BE DONE.
SO, UH, LET'S HELP OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE IN AN INTENSE BIND.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO SAY ITEM 85, JUNE TEETH AS A HOLIDAY THAT'S LONG OVERDUE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR HELPING WORK ON WHAT I KNOW IS A COMPLICATED MEASURE.
WE WERE RENAMING STATES, I'M STATE STREETS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE CONFEDERATE, UM, NAME NAMES THAT THEY WERE, UH, NAMED AFTER THE, THE CONFEDERATE PEOPLE THEY WERE NAMED AFTER THAT ALSO WAS PRETTY TRICKY.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE JIM HOG STREET TO WILLIAM HOLLAND AND, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN AS A, AS A RESULT OF THAT, UM, DILIGENT WORK.
AND THEN MAYOR, IF YOU WOULD NOTE, UH, AND THE CITY CLERK NOTE MY VOTE, NO ON ITEM 73.
I ALSO LIKE TO, UH, UH, CAP, UH, MENTIONED MY APPRECIATION TO THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE NAME OF MED REC PARK TO WILL AWFUL RUDY MENDEZ.
UH, MR. MR. MATZ WAS, UH, WAS A CONFEDERATE CAPTAIN IN THE, UH, IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY AND HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEY NAMED THAT NAME AFTER, UH, MATS HAMILTON AND MAX.
AND I'M REALLY JUST SO GLAD THAT, UH, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY TO CHANGE IT.
YOU KNOW, RUDY WAS, UH, WAS BORN IN AUSTIN AT 1944.
HE PERFORMED AT MARK AND NEW YORK, SPAIN.
IT ALSO SERVED ON A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER IN CHILE, COSTA RICA TO, UH, EACH, UH, HELLO WAS EACH COUNTRY NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY AND DEVELOPED FOREMAN ARCS THAT CURRICULUM PROGRAM FOR OUR YOUTH.
AND IN 1978, HE RETURNED TO AUSTIN AND FOUNDED THE PALLEY EAST COMPANY TO PROVIDE A PERFORMANCE FOR YOUNG DANCERS AND DEVELOP VARIOUS OUTREACH TO BACK BLACKS AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN EAST AUSTIN.
SO I'M VERY PROUD TO, TO BE ABLE TO NAME METROPARK AFTER RUDY IS SUCH A GREAT GUY.
AND NATASHA, I REALLY AGREE WITH YOU WITH MY COLLIE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INJUSTICE HERE IN THIS CITY, YO AND CLARKSVILLE, WHICH WAS A LAND GRANT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICANS.
UH, THERE WAS A STREET AND I BELIEVE IT'S STILL THERE CONFEDERATE STATE STREET.
I DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WENT TO A RETIREMENT HOME FOR CONFEDERATE
[01:55:01]
SOLDIERS AT THE END OF THAT, IT'S ABOUT THREE BLOCKS LONG AND, UH, WHERE A DEAD SET ON CORRECTING ALL THE INJUSTICE THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO THE CITY.AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON CHANGING THESE NAMES AND CORRECTING, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR HISTORY TO REFLECT WHAT THEY REALLY, THE INJUSTICE THAT REALLY HAS BEEN DONE, YOU KNOW, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M GONNA RETURN TO THE CHAIR CHAIR, THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM VOTING ON THE, ULTIMATELY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THEN BREAKING FOR LUNCH, BUT WITH A CALL TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, AND THEN MAYOR PRO TEM AVERAGE.
UM, MAYOR, UM, FIRST I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, AND HER STAFF FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ON BRINGING THOSE SEVERAL ITEMS IS PROUD TO COSPONSOR.
ONE OF THOSE AND PROUD TO VOTE, UM, IN FAVOR OF THOSE, I THINK, UM, THEY OFFER MANY LONG OVERDUE STEPS FORWARD FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO COMMENT BRIEFLY ON 89 AND ONE 16, UM, WHICH I'M CO-SPONSORING UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR ADLER AND MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA, UM, IN JUST ECHO WHAT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT THE REAL IMPORTANCE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS CHILDCARE.
I WAS PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SET UP THE CHILDCARE SUPPORT FUND AS ONE MECHANISM TO HELP THESE, UM, CHILDCARE CENTERS, UM, MOVE THROUGH THIS TIME, UM, THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT AND WE DEFINITELY DO NEED STATE AND FEDERAL HELP.
UM, I DID NOT, UM, FEEL LIKE IT FELT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF ONE 16, SO I DID NOT ADD IT.
UM, BUT I'M WORKING WITH A GROUP CALLED JUST FUND AT TX AND WE ARE CALLING, UM, FOR THE GOVERNOR TO HOLD HARMLESS, OUR SCHOOLS SO THAT WHATEVER YOUR ENROLLMENT WAS, UM, LAST YEAR WOULD BE THE FUNDING THAT YOU WOULD GET FOR THE YEAR.
UM, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN HELPING TO AMPLIFY THAT, UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THE SCHOOL FUNDING SITUATION IS INTIMATELY LINKED WITH OUR ABILITY, UM, TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE BECAUSE IT'S LINKED TO, UM, HOW WE CAN, UM, PROVIDE SAFE SPACES FOR KIDS IF WE DO NEED TO DO A LOT OF VIRTUAL SCHOOLING.
UM, SO I'D INVITE YOU, UM, TO ENGAGE WITH ME ON THAT.
UM, I ALSO, UM, WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THE ADDITION THAT THE MAYOR ADDED TO 89 ABOUT MAKING OUR SPACES AVAILABLE.
I'VE BEEN HAVING SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH TRUSTEES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR OUTDOOR SCHOOL.
UM, ONCE IT GETS A LITTLE BIT COOLER TO BE A SOLUTION FOR HOW WE GET, UM, OUR KIDS BACK INTO A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SAFELY, UM, THERE'S A NATIONAL MOVEMENT, UM, FOR OUTDOOR SCHOOL COME OCTOBER, OUR WEATHER'S CONDUCIVE TO BEING ABLE TO DO THIS, BUT IT MAY REQUIRE ACTIVATING CITY SPACES, UM, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE AND ALLOWS FOR THE LEARNING TO TAKE PLACE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THAT ADDITION.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FLANIGAN.
UH, ME REPORT TIM, UM, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON, UH, ON CONSENT ON ITEM 59.
I WANT TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO, FROM MY COMMENTS ON TUESDAY ALSO SHOWN NO ON 73.
UH, ALSO NO ON ITEM 12, UM, WE'VE GOT OUR Q AND A RESPONSE BACK AND, UH, WHILE THIS IS A REALLY COOL PROJECT, IT'S C C HOME INTAKE.
UM, IT'S USING PART OF THE PARKS BOND THAT WASN'T A NAMED PROJECT IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
AND SO I THINK THE TIMING OF THAT, UH, DESERVES A LITTLE MORE EXPLORATION, BUT I'LL JUST BE SHOWING NO ON CONSENT ON THAT ITEM.
UM, ITEMS 37, 38 AND 39 ARE BUYING PARKLAND, UH, AS A RESULT OF FEEL NEW PROGRAMS. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THESE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT DO THE FEE IN LIEU PROGRAMS, RESULTS IN THE FEES, DOING THE PROGRAMS. AND HERE WE ARE THREE ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA WHERE IT SHOWS THAT THOSE FEES ACTUALLY DO THE THING WE WANT THEM TO DO.
AND, UH, I'LL JUST, UH, ON ITEM 90.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL IN ORDER TO PUT IT BACK ON CONSENT IF NECESSARY, BUT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE ITEM AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS FOR INCORPORATING MY CHANGES INTO ITEM 90.
AND I'LL JUST FINALLY, FINALLY, UM, CUSTOMER PROPER MEDICINE, UH, KUDOS TO ALL YOUR GREAT WORK THAT SHOWS UP ON THIS AGENDA THIS WEEK, POSSIBLY THE CRAZIEST COUNCIL AGENDA IN RECENT MEMORY WITH HUNDREDS, PLURAL, HUNDREDS
[02:00:01]
OF ITEMS. AND YET, UH, HERE, YOU CAN BRING IN THE FIRE, GETTING, GETTING STUFF DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY IN A, IN A NEW, IN A BIG WAY.AND I'M SO GRATEFUL, UH, TO SHARE THIS COUNCIL DICE WITH YOU.
DID ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO PULL 90 BECAUSE COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLANAGAN JUST YOU WANTED TO PULL, IT COMES FROM HER KITCHEN.
NO, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT IT.
I'M STILL GONNA RECOGNIZE OTHER FOLKS.
I JUST WANT TO, I'M JUST WONDERING, WE'RE GOING TO PUT 90 BACK ON CONSENT UNLESS ANYBODY HAS AN OBJECTION.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, SO I KNOW I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS IN A SECOND.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THINGS OKAY.
SO NEXT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER ELSE.
UM, WELL, FIRST I WANT TO, UM, I WANT TO ADD MY THING TO, UM, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON FOR THE SET OF, UM, RESOLUTIONS.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE BEGUN WITH, UM, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AROUND, UM, RENAMING, PLANTATION, UH, PLANTATION DRIVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT OREGON, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL SAID, UH, WE, WE, UM, WE KIND OF DIPPED OUR TOE IN THE WATERS LAST YEAR, I GUESS IT WAS, UM, AND I WAS PLEASED OR MAYBE IT WAS A YEAR BEFORE WE, WE WERE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO RENAME ROBERT LEE TO AC MARTIN, UM, AFTER A GROUNDBREAKING, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY RELATED TO PLANTATION SEEING WHAT THE COMMUNITY BRINGS FORWARD.
SO, SO FOR THIS AND THE OTHER, ALL THE OTHER RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU BROUGHT A COUNCIL MEMBER, A HOPPER MADISON, I WANTED TO THANK YOU.
AND I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM, UM, ON ITEM NUMBER 90, I'M FINE WITH IT BEING ON CONSENT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE SOME CLARITY AND PERHAPS, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WILL SPEAK TO THIS.
UM, THIS HAS, UM, THIS IS A REQUEST ESSENTIALLY FOR OUR, UM, FOR OUR STAFF TO BRING BACK TO US VARIOUS INFORMATION RELATED TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AND SO, UM, UH, IF WE, IF WE KNOW I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHEN THAT IS SCHEDULED TO COME BACK TO US.
WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING IN THE EXACT TIMELINE, KNOWING THE WAY THAT OUR MEETING SCHEDULES AND OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS ARE TAKING PLACE.
AND SO THAT, UH, INFORMATION AS FAR AS I KNOW IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, BUT I, I DID WANT TO EXTEND TO MY, THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN A GAME OR ALTER FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THEIR AMENDMENTS, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE VERSION.
UM, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE WORK OF THE CO-SPONSORS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION IN HERE.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS FOR DOING, UM, UH, A MEASURE LIKE THIS.
UM, I DO WANT TO ADD INTO MY COMMENTS THAT WE ARE, UM, AWARE THAT SINCE MONDAY, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA, AND SINCE MONDAY THINGS HAVE PROGRESSED WITH THE TRE WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
AND SO WE FINALIZED SOME DOCUMENTATION ON MONDAY WE'LL STAFF DIRECTION.
SO WE WANTED THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE, WE ARE AWARE OF THAT, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIMELINE OR OF LOOKING AT THOSE OPTIONS, UM, THE TRE AND THE BALANCE OF WHAT THE BOND MEASURE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE A HEAVIER LIFT TO DO ANYTHING WITHIN THAT TRE KNOWING HOW THIS TIMELINE HAS PLAYED OUT.
SO WE ARE AWARE OF THAT AND WANTING TO COMMUNICATE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THAT TIMELINE.
UM, AND ALSO WITH THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAMS, THIS IS A, A GOOD PROGRAM.
IT HAS DONE WONDERS FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DISTRICT DATA OF WEST CREEK, WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SOME SWEAT EQUITY AND, UM, TIME AND MONEY DONATIONS TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A GREEN BELT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO HELP KIDS GET SAFELY TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
UM, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES RAISED ABOUT THE EQUITY OF WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE MONEY AND TIME AND LABOR TO DO THESE PROJECTS IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WE WANTED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND THEY ARE STILL VERY DESERVING OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS TO KNOW WITHIN THAT INFORMATION, WHAT KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR EQUITY IN THESE PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, RESIDENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE KNOW MAYBE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TIME AND MONEY AREN'T BEING PRIORITIZED IN, IN LIEU OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT.
[02:05:01]
SO WE WANTED TO CERTAINLY, UM, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY GONE IN WITH STAFF AND TO DO ANY ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS AND THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING MOVING FORWARD TO PREPARE A RESPONSE TO THIS RESOLUTION.SO I HOPE THAT KIND OF CLARIFY SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND SOME OF THE FOCUSES NEEDS LATER AMENDMENTS HAVE HAPPENED, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THE RETURN OF INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS AND SEE WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE MIGHT SUPPORT IN NOVEMBER.
IN ADDITION TO PROJECT THERE, COUNCILOR ALTAR.
I WANTED TO, UM, THINK COUNCIL MEMBER ALICE FOR BRINGING FORWARD ITEM 90, AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO SEE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ACCEPTING MY AMENDMENT TO ADD THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM.
UM, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT THE SMP IDENTIFIES AS ONE THAT SHOULD BE SCALED UP.
IT'S ALSO ONE THAT THE EQUITY OFFICES ASSESSMENT TOOL HIGHLIGHTS AS A STRENGTH IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE LOOKED INTO BEFORE WE MADE THE AMENDMENT, WE LOOKED INTO WHAT THE LEVEL OF FUNDING IS, AND IT COMES UP SHORT, UM, EACH YEAR IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING IN TERMS OF THE DEMAND, UM, FROM, UM, NEIGHBORS AND THAT ALSO, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING ALSO WOULD ALLOW IT TO REACH MORE COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND ADAPT THE PROGRAM TO REACH MORE OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT OPTION.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO JUST ADD IS THAT I'M REALLY PLEASED WHENEVER WE HAVE, UM, PARK, UM, PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, ON THIS AGENDA.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO NOTE THE IMPORTANT ADDITION OF SOME PARKLAND IN DISTRICT FOUR, WHICH IS AMONG THE MOST EFFICIENT IN PARKLAND IN THE CITY.
UM, AND JUST ADD MY SUPPORT, UM, TO ENCOURAGE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, TO FIND WAYS TO DEVELOP THOSE PROPERTIES QUICKLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOTS OF SCHEMES FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT PARKLAND DEFICIENT, AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THIS, THESE ARE LOCATED IN AREAS, UM, THAT DESERVE AND NEED PARK SPACES.
AND SO I WOULD JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO LOOK AT EVERY AVENUE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, MOVE QUICKLY.
I KNOW OUR PRACTICE IS SOMETIMES DO ACQUIRE AND TAKE A LITTLE WHILE.
UM, THESE ARE SMALL PROPERTIES.
IT WILL NOT TAKE A HUGE INVESTMENT, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE MOVING QUICKLY, UM, WITH THOSE, UM, IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS OF NEED NOW THAT WE HAVE THE LAND TO THANK YOU.
UM, WAS ANYBODY A COUNSELOR? SORRY.
UM, WE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE ST JOHN RESOLUTION AT WORK SESSION.
I LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE HERE FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TO EVERYBODY THAT, UH, TESTIFIED.
I THINK REVEREND HORTON PUT IT BEST THAT WE CAN'T REWRITE HISTORY, BUT WE CAN CREATE A BETTER HISTORY THAN IN FORWARD.
AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DO THAT HERE.
SO THINKING EVERYONE, UM, WE ALSO HAVE A RESOLUTION, UH, TO, TO URGE THE US SENATE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE HEROES ACT US.
WE CAN KEEP ON SUPPORTING THOSE FRONTLINE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN SO HEROIC DOING DURING THIS CRISIS AND TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, UH, DON'T GET CUT OUT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO I, UH, NEVER PRO TIME I WOULD WANT TO, UM, UH, TO PULL 38 AND 39, WHICH ARE THOSE TWO PARKS ITEMS, UH, IN DISTRICT FOUR FOR US TO DISCUSS THEM IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, UH, I, I DO WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AS COUNSEL ON GROUNDS OR RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT PUBLIC SPACE, UH, ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE.
UH, AND, UM, BUT I WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, UH, THE, THE LEGAL PROCESS FOR GETTING THERE, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO BOND MONEY AND CONTRACTS WITH VOTERS.
UM, UH, IT SEEMS THAT THE GENTLEMAN WHO CALLED IN, UM, WAS REPORTING SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING ON AT THAT, AT THAT TIME, WE JUST PULLED UP THAT EMS DID, UM, DID FIND A DECEASED PERSON ON THE SAME BLOCK, UM, AS THIS, THIS AGENDA ITEM, UH, THIS MORNING, UH, JUST AFTER 9:00 AM, THAT'S HORRIBLE AND AWFUL.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF WE HAVE SOMETHING ON OUR AGENDA AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS, IS CONCURRENTLY HAPPENING, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO PULL IT, UH, LEARN SOME MORE.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY NOT THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT HAS OCCURRED.
UM, UH, AND, BUT, BUT I THINK GIVEN THAT IT IS JUST IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO WHERE THIS HAPPENED.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PULL IT, UH, AND, AND TALK SOME AND EXECUTIVE SESSION AS WELL.
I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT COUNCILOR COSAR.
[02:10:01]
UM, SO, UH, RIGHT NOW I HAVE, WHAT I HAVE PULLED IS 24, 29, 38, 39, 74 AND 86 ARE THE PULLED ITEMS. I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER HANDS RIGHT NOW.UM, I TOO, JUST WANTED TO ADD MY THANKS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD WORK REPRESENTED ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA, AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER COSARA, AS WE DISCUSSED FOR THE ST.
JOHN'S, UM, REDEVELOPMENT MOVING FORWARD, COUNCIL HARPER, MADISON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON, ON THESE REALLY IMPORTANT RESERVATIONS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD TODAY.
I'M VERY, REALLY VERY HONORED THAT YOU ASKED ME TO BE A PART OF THEM AS A SPONSOR.
AND I'M GONNA TO JUST ADDRESS SOMETHING.
COUNCIL MEMBER INTERVIEWEE HAS SAID, YOU TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, BETTER AT AVENUE, WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT.
AND WE HAD BEGUN SOME OF THE WORK ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER PEPPER MADISON'S OFFICE OF RENAMING AND REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THAT STREET AND ONE OR TWO OTHERS IN DISTRICT NINE, UH, PRIOR TO COVID, WE REACHED OUT TO A SWEET HOME BAPTIST AND SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS NEAR ANOTHER STREET IN HANCOCK.
AND SO OUR REALLY SO, UM, JUST VERY SUPPORTIVE OF SEEING THE RESOLUTION ON TODAY'S AGENDA TO, TO CONTINUE THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, BUT WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND HOPEFULLY, UM, UH, A FASTER TIMELINE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER.
I TOO, I WOULD LIKE TO BE SEEN AS ABSTAINING ON ITEM, UM, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, 73.
UH, I'M CITY MANAGER, CORRECT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE ITEM 90 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EXPRESSING OUR EXPECTATIONS AND MANAGING THOSE WITH THE COUNCIL.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED, UH, WAY OF HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT A BOND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH STAFF AND TRY TO DELIVER AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO YOU IN THE COMING DAYS, BUT WE'LL COME BACK IN A FEW DAYS TO SET UP THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
SO YOU HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, BUT I APPRECIATE THE ENCOURAGEMENT.
AND IF THIS IS GOING TO PASS, THEN IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF STAFF WORK TO MAKE SURE WE CAN RESPOND TO THIS RESOLUTION IN SUCH A SHORT TIMEFRAME.
AND IF YOU'RE TAKING FEEDBACK, I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE A LITTLE RIGHT NOW, UM, ON THAT RESOLUTION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE VIEW ANY, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTED PROJECTS THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF SUBSTANDARD ROADS AND IN PARTS OF DEL VALLEY AND MANY PARTS OF THE OUTER PARTS OF OUR CITY.
AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT'S FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT COME BACK FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, A KEY EYE ON EQUITY AND AN EAST AND THE EASTERN CRESCENT COUNSELOR KITCHEN.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT IN FRONT OF US TODAY TO DEVELOP ON THE AMOUNT, BUT I AM INTERESTED IN THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE DOLLARS REMAINING THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN EXTENDED WITH REGARD TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS THE TYPES OF PROJECTS AND DOLLARS THAT CAN BE SPENT OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF YEARS.
SO, UM, SO THOSE PIECES OF INFORMATION ARE IMPORTANT TO ME, UM, IN DISCUSSING THIS ITEM.
A LOT OF GREAT WORK ON, ON THIS AGENDA.
COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 24 29, 38, 39, 74, 86.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I THINK THAT'S EVERYBODY WITH A MAYOR ADLER OFF THE DIOCESE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO QUICKLY READ THE EXECUTIVE SESSION SCRIPT, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AT, UM, RIGHT AFTER I READ THAT WILL BE A RECESSED.
[Executive Session]
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP TWO ITEMS PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE, FIVE ONE ZERO SEVEN.ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEM 86.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION INTO, UH, INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON YOUR PART, TIM? YES.
NOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASAR WANTS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEMS 38 AND 39, WHICH I'LL DISCUSS WITH HIM DURING THE BREAK.
UM, THEY, IT WILL BE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO, UH, THE ONES YOU ALREADY SAID, 86 AND 98 PLUS 38 AND 39.
WE'RE ALSO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEMS 30 AND 39.
[02:15:01]
UM, ARE THERE ANY, UH, COUNCIL MIXER, IS IT ALSO POSSIBLE? I'D HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS TO ALSO DISCUSS OPEN MEETINGS MATTERS ARE POSTED FOR THAT FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER 100.
WE WILL ALSO BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM NUMBER 100.
ALL RIGHT HERE, WE KNOW OBJECTIONS TO GO INTO, INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL GO STRAIGHT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHEN WE COME BACK AT IS ONE 15.
ARE WE DOING A LUNCH BREAK AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE TAKING A LUNCH BREAK AND THEN WE'RE COMING BACK AFTER AT ONE 15, WE'LL COME INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
SO AT ONE, ONE 15, WE, WE ARE NOT UNLESS SOMEONE CORRECT ME.
IF THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DIFFERENT PLAN, MY UNDERSTANDING WE'RE TAKING A BREAK, WE'RE NOT GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK UNTIL 18.
WHEN YOU COME BACK AT ONE 15, LOG INTO YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
UH, YEAH, IT IS STILL JULY 29TH, 2020.
UH, WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION IN CLOSED SESSION.
WE DISCUSS LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO ITEMS 38 39, 86 AND 98.
WE DID NOT END UP DISCUSSING, UH, ITEMS 100 THAT BRINGS US BACK TO THE COUNCIL MEETING.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN, UH, UH, HANDLE, UH, PRETTY, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY QUICKLY.
UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS I DON'T NUMBER 24,
[24. Authorize execution of an interlocal agreement with Texas Facilities Commission for services provided by the Center for Alternative Financing and Procurement to support the Creative Space Acquisition and Improvements process in an amount not to exceed $500,000.]
COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN.IS THAT READY WITH, UH, RED AGREED.
I THINK I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION PROVIDED THAT THE, UM, THE STAFF HAS, UM, UM, HAS PUT IN BACK UP OR HAS AVAILABLE FOR US THE, UM, THE REVISED, UH, SCOPE OF WORK, LANGUAGE TESTS, 10 POSTED STUFF.
IS THAT BEEN POSTED? I WAS WORKING WITH RODNEY AND SOLACE ON THAT.
UM, I CAN MOVE PASSAGE AND JUST SPEAK TO THE CHANGES FOR FOLKS.
IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO DO THAT, OUR KITCHEN MOVES PASSAGE IS THE ITEM 24 SORT OF SECOND STYLE 24.
THE CHANGES WERE JUST TO THE LANGUAGE IN THE SCOPE OF WORK TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, UH, WHEN, UH, UH, WHEN, AND IF THE COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD WITH CREATING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION THAT THIS, THAT MIGHT BE A ROUTE TO, UM, UH, FOR THIS CONSULTANT AND THE EDD STAFF TO WORK THROUGH.
AND THEN THE SECOND CHANGE WAS JUST AWARDING CHANGE TO, UH, SOME WORDING CHANGES TO, UM, ALIGN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE OF WORK WITH THE STAFF'S INTENT FOR HOW THEY INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS AT FIRST FOR EVERYONE.
THIS IS JUST, UM, THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH, UM, WITH THE FACILITIES COMMISSION TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF, UM, AS THEY PROCEED WITH, UM, THE CREATIVE SPACE BOND, THE 12 MILLION CREATIVE SPACE BOND THAT WAS PASSED BACK IN 20TH, AS I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE CHANGES JUST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE IDEAS THAT ARE BE ACCEPTED, UH, ARE BROAD FOR PEOPLE THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE INTENT OF THAT DIDN'T CHANGE ANYONE'S INTENT MOVING FORWARD, MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IS CLEAR TO THAT EFFECT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE SIDE OF 24, SO YOU CAN VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AS OPPOSED TO UNANIMOUS ON THE DIAS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE WITH US ALL THROUGHOUT THIS CHAT.
JUST A NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER A HARPER MADISON.
THAT'S A REMEMBER HARPER MADISON, NOT WITH US.
UM, LET'S COME BACK TO THE 29TH, CAUSE THAT MIGHT BE JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER, UH, ITEM 38 AND 39
[Items 38 & 39]
ARE PARK PURCHASES AND DISTRICTS FOR, UM, CHAZ, WHERE WE CAN START.DO YOU WANT TO MOVE PASSAGE OF 339? SO MOVE SECOND
[02:20:01]
TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, ELLIS SECONDS THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, SORRY.DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT? UM, I THINK I WILL.
UM, YEAH, I'LL SPEAK TO IT NOW.
UH, AS WELL AS, UM, UM, SPEAK TO, TO HOW IT RELATES TO THE, TO THE UPCOMING ITEMS SUMMIT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WORKED REALLY HARD ON THE, UH, ON THE PARKS BONDS, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER BONDS IN 2018.
UM, IT'S PART AND PARCEL OF ALL OF THE BONDS WAS THAT WE WOULD BE UTILIZED IN THEM BASED ON EQUITY AND NEED, UH, AND YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT WITH THE LEAST PARK SPACE IN THE CITY.
I'VE SEEN HOW THIS COUNCIL AND THE STAFF HAVE WORKED TO TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE NEARLY ENOUGH YET.
AND IT WAS, UM, THE PARK STAFF SAID TO ME, SORT OF HOW THE MONEY MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT IN RECENT YEARS AND WHILE AT FIRST GLANCE, IT SEEMS OKAY.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE UP, UM, MANY OF THE LONGSTANDING HISTORICAL INEQUITIES AND YOU, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WALK UP AND DOWN, UH, GEORGIA AND DRIVE WHERE THIS IS LOCATED TO SEE, UM, UH, JUST HOW THE CITY HISTORICALLY HAS PAVED OVER CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY AND NOT PUT IN, UH, UH, OPEN SPACE AND THE AMENITIES THAT EXIST IN LOTS OF OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY.
SO, UM, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE BUYING THESE PIECES OF PROPERTY.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THAT THOSE HOUSES WILL GET DEMOLISHED AND THAT THERE'LL BE LIGHTING PUT IN.
BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY OF THESE PARKS IN OUR, UM, IN OUR EASTERN CRESCENT THAT WE BUY THAT WE DON'T PROGRAM, THAT WE DON'T PUT ENOUGH.
UM, UH, AND WE DON'T PUT ENOUGH EQUIPMENT IN THAT WE JUST LET SIT FOR TOO LONG.
I KNOW COST NUMBER, HARVARD, MADISON, ISN'T ON THE DICE, BUT I THINK A PAMA LOU PARK IN HER DISTRICT, I THINK OF BROWNIE PARK, JUST NORTH OF THIS ONE, UM, THAT JUST SITS AS AN EMPTY FIELD.
AND I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME, MAYBE SOME SOCCER FIELDS ON IT.
UM, SO MANAGER IN, IN APPROVING THIS AND AN IMPROVING FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN A NOT PARKS DEFICIENT AREA ON THE NEXT ITEM, UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE YOU TO BRING BACK TO US, UH, THIS FALL, WHATEVER IT IS, WHATEVER VOTES OR INSTRUMENTS YOU NEED TO DO THE ACTUAL LEVEL OF PARKLAND DEVELOPMENTS AT THIS PARK AND OTHER PARKS SO THAT THEY WILL BE USED.
AND SO THAT WE'LL FEEL PROUD THAT WE LIVED UP TO THE CONTRACT TO THE VOTERS OF FOCUSING ON EQUITY AND NEED, UM, UH, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, DISTURBING AND HARD TO HEAR SOMEBODY TESTIFY TO US THAT THEY, UM, FOUND SOMEONE WHO HAD DIED AT THIS LOCATION LAST NIGHT.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO IN THIS BUDGET AND AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE, UH, AND THIS PART OF THE CITY FACES MORE FINES, MORE PEOPLE DEAD ON THE STREET THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW THE INSTANCE OF WHAT HAPPENED, UH, TO THE PERSON WHO WAS JUST FOUND DEAD, BUT HE GOT EMAILS WELL BEFORE THIS MORNING ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS AREA IS SAFER.
AND I THINK WE CAN MAKE THIS AREA SAFER.
IF PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING IN THE STREET, IF PEOPLE WANT TO COME TOGETHER AT A PLACE, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS ARE, ARE WALLED OFF FROM THIS LOCATION BY THE CITY'S HISTORIC ZONING AND PLANNING PRACTICES THAT MAKES EVERYBODY FACE NINE 35, AND NOBODY HAS ACCESS IN TO THIS AREA.
AND SO WHAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE IS IN THESE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR PARKS BOND DOLLARS, BRING FORWARD VOTES.
IF WE HAVE TO, TO RESHUFFLE MONEY, TO, TO ADDRESS THE EQUITY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN RAISED.
AND I THINK REALLY IMPORTANTLY, TO LIVE UP TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO ACTUALLY BE A PLACE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL, UM, AS, YOU KNOW, SAFE AND UNIFIED.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY WOULD ENJOY THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT.
AND I HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN ABOUT THE NEXT ITEM VOTING ON FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN A NON PARKS DEFICIENT AREA WHILE VOTING ON SO LITTLE MONEY RELATIVE TO THAT IN THE MOST PARKS, DEFICIENT AREA IN OUR ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO I URGE THE PARK STAFF AND THE MANAGER.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL US THAT THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN COME BACK TO US WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THESE FINAL WEEKS OF, OF SUMMER OR IN THE FALL? YEAH.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR RAISING THAT.
AND I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AND OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT ON ADDRESSING THAT EXACT ISSUE.
CAUSE THAT WILL BE CRITICAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITIES OF OUR PAST.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND INTRO, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[02:25:01]
UNANIMOUS ON THE DAYAS COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON OFF THOSE TWO ITEMS PATHS.[86. Approve a resolution initiating an amendment to City Code Chapter 25-4 (Subdivision) to provide an exception from platting and to waive the requirement for Land Use Commission review if necessary to return the ordinance to City Council on September 3, 2020. Sponsors: Council Member Kathie Tovo, Council Member Ann Kitchen, Council Member Alison Alter, Council Member Leslie Pool, and Council Member Sabino "Pio" Renteria]
NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 86.UH, THIS IS THE, THE, THE TOVO IFC, UH, COUNCILMEMBER TOVO.
YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION PASSAGE OF 86? WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND THEN I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION?
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, MAYOR.
I KNOW THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, ADDRESS THE COUNCIL THIS MORNING, UH, AND DESCRIBE SOME OF THE HISTORY OF THIS ISSUE.
UM, WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED, WE'VE ALL RECEIVED CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PROPERTY ON OUR AS WELL.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, BOUGHT A VERY SMALL HOUSE.
I THINK IT'S AFTER I'VE GOT THE EXACT EXACT FOOTAGE, BUT IT'S UNDER ABOUT 500 SQUARE FEET.
AS I RECALL, IT IS ON A CORNER LOT.
AND, AND THAT PRESENTS CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF DETERMINING DIFFERENT THINGS RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT.
IT WAS, IT WAS NOT, UM, FLAGGED DURING THE PURCHASE BY, BY THE TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY, THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT THEY FACED WHEN THEY WENT TO GET A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, UM, TO DO A SLIGHT RENOVATION AND AN EXPANSION, UM, THEY WOULD RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION, UM, THAT INDICATED THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1940.
UM, IN 1946, THERE WAS A SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE STUFF, FURNITURE AND TO EFFECT.
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS RIGHT AROUND THE FORTIES, UM, THAT IT WAS THAT IT WAS ILLEGALLY SUBDIVIDED IN 1946.
IT WAS ILLEGAL SUBDIVIDED INTO DOING SO CREATED MUCH MORE LOT, UM, AREA IN THE BACK VERSUS THE CAR.
AND SO I HAVE, I HAVE MANY MORE DETAILS ABOUT IT.
I THINK THE CRITICAL PART HERE IS THE CRITICAL PIECE OF INFORMATION IS THAT, UM, WHEN THEY SUBMITTED A BUILDING PERMIT, IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET LAMP STATUS DETERMINATION DUE TO THE ROADWAY, FRONTAGE BEING MEASURED ON THE SIDE OF THEIR LOT.
THEY WERE TOLD IF THEY WENT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THEY COULD RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
THEY WENT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
THEY RECEIVED THE SUPPORT OF THE BOULDER CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I BELIEVE THEIR NEARBY NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
THEY WENT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OR THE ADJUSTMENT, WHICH IS A PLAZA, JUDICIAL BODY APPROVED SEVERAL VARIANCES, UM, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT'S DESCRIBED IN THE RESOLUTION.
IT IS, UM, HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT ALLOWED THEM A VARIANCE THAT WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITH ROAD BREAKS FOR FRONTAGE, OUR SUBDIVISION FOR DOES NOT ALLOW A VARIANCE TO HELP MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SUBDIVISION.
AND I WOULD RELY ON OUR, I WOULD RELY ON OUR LEGAL TEAM AND OUR PLANNING STAFF TO, TO EXPLAIN THAT BETTER THAN I HAVE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE PATHS TO RESOLVE IT.
WELL, THERE ARE REALLY THREE PATHS THAT I'M AWARE OF TO THIS ONE WOULD BE, UM, BY MAKING CHANGES IN OUR LEARNING PURGE.
THAT IS NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.
WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS, IS A VERY, UH, OR VERY NARROW APPROACH THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD IN ESSENCE, SAY IF A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT BRANCH YOUR VARIANCE, THEN YOU HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, WITH REGARD TO FRONTAGE AND YOU HAVE MET FOR ROADWAY FRONTAGE.
THEN YOU HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF CURVE FOR ROADWAY FRONTAGE.
THE THIRD OPTION THAT IS AVAILABLE TO RESOLVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS SWORD IS TO GO THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT'S THE REBINDING PROCESS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT STUDENTS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 15,000 OR MORE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT HERE, THIS IS A VERY, UH, IT IS, IT IS A, UH, AN IFC THAT IS CERTAINLY INSPIRED BY AN INDIVIDUAL CASE AS SOME OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT OTHERS OF YOU ON THE DAYA STUFF BROUGHT FORWARD, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE PARTICULAR CHALLENGES OF A PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, IT WOULD APPLY TO OTHERS THAT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY.
THAT BEING SAID, UM, THE UNIVERSITY PROPERTY MEANS THAT WOULD BE CORN OR MOT THAT WE'D HAVE TROUBLE LEADING RENT, BRIDGE, FRONTAGE ISSUE.
UM, AND THAT WOULD GO TO BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PARTICIPATE.
AND THE C VARIANCES ARE VERY, VERY SMALL.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A, A VERY NARROW SOLUTION TO A SMALL UNIVERSITY THAT WOULD ONLY APPLY IF A PROPERTY MET CERTAIN CRITERIA AND WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS OF RECEIVING ADJUSTMENT VARIANCE.
[02:30:01]
IT IS BY NO MEANS, UM, CHANGING ZONING CODE.IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT CHANGING THE LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS OR, OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
IF IT IS SAYING THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS RECEIVED A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, WE ARE AGAINST THOSE VARIANCES THAT WE USED IN THESE VERY PARTICULAR CASES TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO ROADWAY PERCENTAGE.
CAN WE START FLAT AGAIN? THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO FOR THE EXPLANATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS, THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE SCENARIO FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER.
IT JUST STINKS FOR THEM TO BE IN THIS SITUATION.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I, UH, I, I FEEL THAT WE ARE, WE ARE IN A VERY CHALLENGING POSITION RIGHT NOW, SO NOT TO SPEAK THAN MOVE, UM, MAYOR WITH YOUR CONSENT.
I WOULD MOVE TO POSTPONE TO PROBABLY SEPTEMBER 17TH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A COUNCIL MEETING.
AND IF I HAVE A SECOND, I WILL EXPLAIN MOTION TO POSTPONE TO A SEPARATE SEVENTH 17TH, COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS SECONDS.
THAT MOTION PLANNING TO GO FIRST.
UM, AND I, AND I AGREE THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY REASONABLE ON THE APPLICABILITY OF THE LEGAL CASE TO THE SITUATION AS A COMPLETELY REALISTIC, UM, UH, MATTER OF MATTER OF DISAGREEMENT, BUT I THINK MATTER OF DISAGREEMENT THAT I'M JUST UNCOMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD UNTIL OUR CURRENT REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, MOVES THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND ONCE WE HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION, THEN I'LL FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS SITUATION FOR THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE COUNSEL NUMBER.
UM, WELL, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE CONCERN, UM, BUT, UH, AND, UH, BUT I, I CAN'T, UH, I CAN'T, UH, SUPPORT THE MOTION TO POSTPONE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A, UH, ANOTHER WAY TO, TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS RAISING.
UM, AND THE CONCERN IS I UNDERSTAND IT IS, IS WANTING TO, UH, UNDERSTAND AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE CLARIFICATION, UH, FROM THE LEGAL CASE.
SO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US TODAY IS TO INITIATE A PROCESS THAT HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
IT HAS TO COME BACK TO US BEFORE WE PUT THIS INTO EFFECT.
AND SO, UM, SO BY THE TIME THAT COMES BACK TO US, WE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE CLARIFICATION FROM THE COURT.
AND EVEN IF WE DON'T, WE COULD THEN DELAY THAT COMING BACK TO US AT THIS POINT, GIVEN, GIVEN WHAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER HAS GONE THROUGH, AND THIS INSPIRES A WAY TO ASSIST THEM.
I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO POSTPONE IT AT THIS POINT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UNDERSTANDING FROM OUR ATTORNEYS THAT THIS HAS STARTED.
I MEAN, I'M NOT CERTAIN THAT THIS IS INDICATED AS A PROBLEM UNDER THE LAWSUIT, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE SHOULD INITIATE THE PROCESS AS REQUESTED.
UM, AND THEN IF WE, THEN LATER, IF WE FIND OUT THERE'S A PROBLEM, WE CAN DEAL WITH IT.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO POSTPONE, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT TO THE, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS CASE COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLAN, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER THINKING ABOUT THIS, UM, ENTERED TO DO SO.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IN THIS CASE, IT WILL NOT, IT THAT IS TANTAMOUNT TO, TO JUST DENYING, UH, JUST TURNING IT DOWN BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, UH, APOLOGIES IF THE RESOLUTION WASN'T CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THIS POINT, THE VARIANCES WILL EXPIRE IN AUGUST WHEN THE MAYOR'S ORDER EXPIRES, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN 15.
AND SO IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION TODAY TO AT LEAST INITIATE IT, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIANCES WILL EXPIRE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT WE DO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND SEE WHETHER THERE IS SUPPORT ON THE DIETS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TODAY.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN INDICATED WE'RE INITIATING, INITIATING, WE'RE INITIATING THIS CHANGE, IT WOULD COME BACK TO US, BUT TO KEEP IT MOVING, TO, TO ALLOW US TO AFFORD OURSELVES AND THE PROPERTY OWNER, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER IT WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD THAT'S MEANINGFUL, IT WOULD REALLY HAVE TO BE TODAY, FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNSELOR CONCERN AND MAYOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE, IF THE PUBLIC KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MOTION FOR CLARIFICATION PUBLICLY.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY, UH, HERE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THIS JUDICIAL RULINGS SAYING THAT WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WHERE WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITES, UH, BUT THEN THE WAY
[02:35:01]
THAT THE RULING AND, UH, CITY LEGAL THINGS, I SAID ANYTHING WRONG, PLEASE INTERRUPT.BUT, UH, IN READING THE RULING, UH, ONE COULD INTERPRET IT.
I SAY NOT ONLY IS THE WHOLE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, SUBJECT TO THE RULING, BUT PIECEMEAL, UH, ATTEMPTS TO DO CODE AMENDMENTS.
LIKE WE DO ALL THE TIME, UH, COULD ALSO BE SUBJECT TO IT.
AND SO WE, I, AND I THINK EVERYBODY HERE DOESN'T THINK THAT THAT COULD BE WHAT THE RULING MEDS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT, WHAT WE WERE, UM, ARGUING ABOUT.
UM, AND SO WE SUBMITTED A MOTION AS THE CITY SAYING, BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THESE PIECEMEAL CHANGES, UH, TO OUR RULES, TO, UH, AS NECESSARY.
AND THEN OUR, MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT, THE PLAINTIFFS HAVE FILED SOMETHING IN COURT SAYING THAT IN FACT, THOSE PIECEMEAL, UH, CHANGES TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE SHOULD NOT BE, UM, ALLOWED UNLESS ALL OF THE, UM, ALL OF THE STEPS LIKE NOTICE AND POSITION RIGHTS TO EVERYBODY WITHIN THAT AREA APPLIES.
SO, SO THE QUESTION IN MY MIND IS, IS THIS A, UM, IS THIS A PIECEMEAL FIX, UM, UH, THAT, THAT FALLS UNDER THAT RULING.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I APPRECIATE, I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE LETTER FLIGHT, AGAIN, FRAMED IT, IF IT IS, MIGHT BE IN A GRAY AREA OF WHETHER THIS IS ACTUALLY THAT PIECEMEAL SORT OF A THING.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THE NEW LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE HAD PASSED, THIS ISSUE WOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, I'LL BE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND SO, UM, ON THESE, I FEEL A LOT FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER WISH WE COULD HAVE FIXED IT IN THE PAST, OR IT COULD EASILY FIX IT.
I'M JUST, AT SOME POINT WE'RE GONNA BE FACED WITH LOTS OF THESE, UH, UH, PIECEMEAL OPTIONS.
AND RIGHT NOW I WOULD WANT THE JUDGE TO, TO CLARIFY THAT SHE, UH, OR THAT THE COURT IS NOT, UM, IS NOT, UH, OPPOSED TO US DOING PIECEMEAL CHANGES.
CHEMICAL, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE ORDERS EXPIRE, YOUR ORDER EXPIRES ON THE THIRD OF, UM, AUGUST THE 15TH AUGUST.
UH, AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT ENTITLEMENTS GO FOR LIKE 30 DAYS AFTER THAT.
IT EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER THE 15TH.
UM, DISCUSSION, UM, NOVEMBER, OCTOBER.
I WOULD JUST, UM, INDICATE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AND ALASKA, OUR LOT DEPARTMENT TO VERIFY THIS, IF THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING SO, BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A CHANGE OF AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SORT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT AMENDING THE ZONING CODE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A DISAGREEMENT AMONG OUR COUNCIL OBVIOUS, OBVIOUS TO ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING ABOUT PETITION RIGHTS.
AND WHEN THOSE ARE APPLICABLE, WE ALSO HAD A DISAGREEMENT AMONG SOME OF US ON COUNCIL ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS NECESSARY TO SEEK CLARIFICATION.
UM, I WOULD JUST, AGAIN, EMPHASIZE THOSE ARE ZONING CHANGES.
THERE'S IS NOT AS AN EXCHANGE.
SO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE NOW HAVING ABOUT WHETHER THIS FALLS INTO THIS IS ONE THAT I WOULD ASK AGAIN, IF OUR ATTORNEYS FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING SO, JUST TO AFFIRM THAT IS NOT WHAT WE DOING.
WE WOULD BE MAKING A CHANGE TO THE SUBDIVISION, OR THAT IS CONTINGENT ON A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, VARIANCE AND INTERPRETATION COUNSEL.
OUR READING IS THAT YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ITEM THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU THAT'S REMEMBER KITCHEN.
I THINK YOU CAN SMELL HER TOE.
SHE ASKED THE QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK.
AND SO, UM, I TRUST OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, UM, ON THIS THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
AND SO, UM, AS I SAID BEFORE, I DON'T SEE A REASON TO DELAY.
I APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED AND AGREE.
THEY NEED CLARIFICATION, WHICH WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR HOMEOWNER SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE ALL HAVE ABOUT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND I TRUST OUR TRUST, OUR, UM, OUR, OUR, OUR LEGAL AND, AND, UM, AND DIFFERENTIATING ON ONE, WHAT THINGS THEY THINK NEED TO BE TAKEN BACK TO COURT, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
AND SO IF I CAN'T SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT, UM, VERY PRO-TENANT UM, YEAH, I THINK PEOPLE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONVERSATION
[02:40:01]
THAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE I, IF I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS CASE, IT IS LIKE ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF HOW OUR CODE IS BROKEN IN SO MANY WAYS.AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHY WE HAVE TO FIX IT.
UM, AND I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE BROADER CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT WHOEVER'S RULING MEANT.
UM, BUT I HAVE, I HAVE SAID IF THERE'S ANY PART OF ME THAT LEANS CONSERVATIVE, IT COMES IT'S PROPERTY RIGHTS.
AND, BUT A HOMEOWNER JUST WANTING TO MAKE VERY SIMPLE AND HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
UM, BUT I, I HAVE TO ALSO POINT OUT THE INEQUITIES OF IT IN THAT, UM, NOT EVERY HOMEOWNER HAS THE ABILITY IF THEY WERE TO FACE EVEN THE FIRST HURDLE IN THIS CASE, THEY WOULD HAVE JUST NOT DONE WHAT THEY WANT IT TO DO, OR THEY WOULD HAVE SOLD THE MOVED AWAY.
AND SO, BUT LOOKING AT THE FACTS HERE, I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULD POSTPONE.
AND THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHERE THE VOTES ARE GOING TO LAY OUT, CAUSE MAYBE A FIVE, FIVE VOTE HERE ON THE POSTPONEMENT.
AND IF THAT FAILS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT LAYS OUT ON THE ACTUAL ITEM, BUT I JUST FEEL FOR THIS PERSON, EVEN THOUGH I RECOGNIZE INEQUITIES OF THE PROCESS AND A BROKEN CODE AND WITH THE ISSUE BEFORE ME, I CAN'T, I CAN'T SUPPORT A POSTPONEMENT.
I CAN'T SUPPORT A POSTPONEMENT EITHER.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A VERY SIMPLE, ELEGANT TUITION SITUATION AS A MEMBER ENTITY.
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT POSTPONING.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL, I FEEL FOR THIS FAMILY, THIS FAMILY HERE, THAT'S TRYING TO DO THE SECONDARY UNIT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE CODE AND IT'S BROKEN, I HAD, THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO GO TO A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO DO A BALCONY.
THAT WAS, THAT I FOUND OUT LATER ON, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A LEAK EQUAL TO DO IT, BUT I, HE, THEY SAID THAT THEIR CODE DETECTOR SAID, WE'RE GONNA FIGHT YOU IN THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
AND I'M STUCK WITH A SECONDARY UNIT THAT I'M LIVING IN TO VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE DESIGN, BECAUSE I HAD TO, I COULDN'T, I HAD TO TURN THE HOUSE ALL THE WAY OVER 90 DEGREES.
AND SO I HAD TO, IT ENDED UP COSTING ME A LOT FOR THAT.
SO, UH, AND I DON'T WANT THIS FAMILY TO GO THROUGH THAT.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON, YOU KNOW, I, I SYNCED TO MISS BROKEN PEOPLE, UH, AND WE NEED TO FIX THIS CODE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GROWING UP, THEY'RE SAYING ALL KINDS OF PASSING OUT ALL KINDS OF MISINFORMATION, BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE.
WE BEEN GOING THROUGH SINCE I GOT ON THE COUNCIL WHERE THEY HAD TO GO AND GET A VARIANCE OR WHERE THEY HAVE TO GO GET PERMISSION TO BUILD A SECONDARY UNIT BECAUSE IT'S OWN SINGLE FAMILY TOO.
AND YOU COULD ONLY HAVE A SERVANT'S HOUSE ON YOUR LAP, NO MATTER HOW BIG IT IS.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF INJUSTICE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT.
AND WE GOT GROUPS OUT THERE THEY'RE JUST PASSING OUT, GIVING OUT ALL KINDS OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT IT.
AND NOW WE'RE TAKEN TO COURT, UH, AL IS VERY AFRAID TO, TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID THAT THOSE GUYS, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE US TO COURT AND WHERE THE JUDGE HAS ALREADY VOTED AGAINST US AND SAID, NO, WE CAN'T DO ANY KIND OF SPOT ZONING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE KIND OF PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE FACING.
AND WE SPENT HOURS JUST DISCUSSING THESE LITTLE ITEMS, OR IT WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN PAST ADMINISTRATIVE.
SO WE NEED TO REALLY FIX HER, OUR BROKEN SYSTEM COLLEAGUES.
SO AS I LOOK AT THIS, I MIGHT, IT IS APPARENT TO ME THAT THE VOTES ARE NOT HERE TO BE ABLE TO POSTPONE THIS.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT TRYING TO DO THE THINGS THAT FIX THE CODE IN A PIECEMEAL MANNER.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU, I UNDERSTAND IT'S IN A DIFFERENT SECTION OF THE CODE.
AND IF THAT'S WHAT THE RULE IS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THINGS THAT GET COVERED BY ZONING SO LONG AS THEY'RE IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE CODE, THEN,
[02:45:01]
THEN IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THE, WHAT THE RULE IS.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULE IS.
SO I HOPE THAT, UH, THAT, THAT THE COURT WILL CLARIFY, UH, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT WHAT'S ALLOWED TO MOVE FORWARD.
WHAT'S NOT ALLOWED TO, TO, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND I HOPE THAT THE COURT ARTICULATES THAT.
UM, SO IF THERE'S MOVES, CAUSE I THINK WE NEED A CLARIFICATION
AND SO IT'S IN THAT GRAY AREA, UH, WHICH IS WHY I WOULD POSTPONE IT AS OPPOSED TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
SO I, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ONE IS MUCH MORE GRAY THAN IF WE WERE AMENDING, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION OR, OR A HORRIBLE HOUSING OR SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU TALK, SHOULD I TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BULK AND SIZE AND NUMBER OF BUILDINGS? SO THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE CAN'T POSTPONE THIS ONE, IT DOES SEEM LESS RISKY THAN THE OTHERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME TELLING IF WE'LL STILL VOTE ON THE POSTPONEMENT FIRST, BUT THIS IS A, A VERY TRICKY CASE.
AND I CERTAINLY FEEL COMPELLED TO, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEIR HOME AND REALIZING HOW BROKEN OUR CURRENTLY IS.
BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT'S BROKEN IN THIS 1984 CODE AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT A LOT OF US WANT TO FIX.
SO I WILL LIKELY END UP IN SUSTAINING ON THE FINAL VOTE.
IF THERE'S NOT A POSTCARD PERMIT, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL FOR THIS COUPLE TRULY DO, BUT HIS CODE IS VERY, VERY BROKEN AND THERE'S A LOT MORE THAN THIS, THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE AND MOVE FORWARD.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO POSTPONE THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING.
UH, IT IS FOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, COSAR FLANAGAN, PAIGE, UH, ELLIS AND ME, THOSE OPPOSED TO POSTPONING.
IT'S A BALANCE OF THE DIOCESE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON OFF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE DOES NOT PAST GETS US BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER.
TOVO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COUNCIL MEMBER, COBOS MOTION, AND A SECOND VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF COUNCIL MEMBER, TOPAZ MOTION.
UH, UH, LET'S SAY THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
COUNCILMEMBER FLANAGAN VOTES, NO COUNCIL MEMBER, ALICE ABSTAINS, THE OTHERS THING.
UH, SO THE ORDINANCE WILL BE, UH, INITIATED, UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
UH, CATHERINE AND 12, I STILL HAVE THE CONCERNS AND I HOPE THAT THE COURT CLARIFIES BEFORE THIS GETS BACK TO US.
SO THAT'S THAT THAT'S MADISON IS NOT THE DICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER MAPS, HARBOR MADISON IS OFF THE DICE.
ALRIGHT, THAT GETS, UM, UH, WE'VE NOW TAKEN CARE OF ITEM NUMBER 86.
[97. Approve bylaw changes for the Historic Landmark Commission.]
WE HAVE AN ITEM FROM, UH, AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ITEM NUMBER 97.UH, WE'RE GONNA DO THE ONES THAT, UH, I THINK WE CAN HANDLE HERE QUICKLY AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTER.
YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION? SURE.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT CUSTOMER POOL SECONDS THAT, BECAUSE IT'S AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL.
YOU WANT TO TAKE JUST A SECOND AND IT'D BE JUST A SECOND, BUT EXPLAIN IT TO ME.
I DON'T HAVE MY NOTES, BUT IT IS A, UH, BYLAW CHANGES THAT WE PASSED BACK IN APRIL THAT ARE CORRECTING, UM, SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE HISTORIC LANDMARK.
SOUNDS GOOD TO MOVE IN SECOND, MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR OF 9,000,007, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED UNANIMOUS ON DIETS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER HOPPER MADISON.
[98. Approve a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings for the Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt Project for the fee simple acquisition of two tracts of land being approximately 11.390 acres (496,148 square feet). Tract No. 1: being 5.000 acres of land, more or less, out of the JOSEPH SCOTT SURVEY NO. 27, ABSTRACT NO. 722 (sometimes incorrectly referenced as also being out of the James Coleman Survey No. 25, Abstract No. 169), Travis County, Texas; being that same property conveyed and described in Warranty Deed to Mark T. McAfee and Melanie O. McAfee, recorded in Volume 12604, Page 502, Real Property Records, Travis County, Texas. Tract No. 2: being 6.390 acres of land, more or less, out of the JOSPEH SCOTT SURVEY NO. 27, ABSTRACT NO. 722 and the JAMES COLEMAN SURVEY NO. 25, ABSTRACT NO. 169, Travis County, Texas; being that same property conveyed and described in Warranty Deed to Mark T. McAfee and Melanie D. McAfee, recorded in Volume 12612, Page 643, Real Property Records, Travis County, Texas, in the amount of $4,500,000, for the public use of park and recreation purposes. The owner of the needed property is 6315 Spicewood LP, a Texas Limited Partnership. The property is located entirely in District 10, at 6315 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, Travis County, Texas 78759. The general route of the project is Northwest of loop 360 and South of Spicewood Springs. It will complete the Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt from Loop 360 to Canyon Vista Middle School. Strategic Outcome(s): Health and Environment.]
NUMBER 90 98.UH, IS THERE A MOTION, UH, WITH RESPECT TO ITEM NUMBER 98 BEING A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USES DESCRIBED THERE IN SEVEN.
SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION TO CLARIFY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER X, THAT MOTION.
DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO, UM, I WILL MAKE THAT MENTION AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE ALTERNATE SOURCES OF FUNDING BEYOND PARKS, BONDS, UM, AND TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE, A KEY FINDS OTHER SOURCES AVAILABLE.
HEY, THAT MOTION HAS BEEN MADE COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN SECONDS.
[02:50:02]
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? YES.I JUST, I WANT TO THANK, UM, ALL THE COLORS FOR CALLING IN AND EXPRESSING THE DESIRE TO PRESERVE THIS FOR PARKLAND.
UM, IT, IT IS IMPORTANT ALL THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
I THINK FOR SOME OF US, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AREAS THAT ARE DEFICIENT IN PARKLAND ALSO RECEIVE, UM, FUNDING THAT WAS APPROVED IN THAT BOND.
AND, AND I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD TO SUPPORT WHAT THIS, THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WILL LOOK TO SEE WHAT OTHER BUCKETS CAN BE USED, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF TOWN THAT HAVE, UM, INEQUITIES THAT, UM, DON'T ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN CALL IT.
AND, UM, AND WE NEED BEAUTIFUL SPACES LIKE, LIKE THIS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ANYBODY CAN COME TO A CERTAIN PART OF TOWN.
IT'S, IT'S THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE A VEHICLE, UM, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY OPEN SPACE IN PARKLAND.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO ADD THOSE COMMENTS.
SOUNDS GOOD WITH THE CLERK, PLEASE RECOGNIZE WE HAD TWO SECONDS FOR THAT MOTION COUNSELOR WHO WILL ALSO SET YOU TO A CONTINUING DISCUSSION.
LET'S TAKE A, VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM 98, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED GENETICISTS ON THE DIASPORA COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON Q
[99. The Mayor will recess the City Council meeting to conduct a Board of Directors' Meeting of the Austin Housing Finance Corporation. Following adjournment of the AHFC Board meeting the City Council will reconvene. (The AHFC agenda is temporarily located at http://austintexas.gov/department/city-council/2020/20200729-ahfc.htm).]
A, THAT GETS US THEN TO, UH, AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, STAFF HERE FOR THAT.THEY ARE JUST GIVING ONE SECOND.
I KNOW THAT KIND OF ABRUPT CHANGE MAYOR COUNCIL.
THIS IS MANDATORY FINANCE CORPORATION BANDAID.
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE HERE, BUT THEN I'M NOT GOING TO RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
I'M GOING TO CONVENE THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MEETING TODAY IS JULY 9TH, 2020.
THIS IS MEETING WAS BEING HELD VIRTUALLY FORM OF THE COUNCIL OF PRESENT.
UH, AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND NOISE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.
DO YOU WANT TO TAKE US THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, MANDY MANDY DE MAYO, AUSTIN HEALTH AND FINANCE CORPORATION.
WE'VE GOT FIVE THINGS ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE FIRST IS APPROVING THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 11TH HSE BOARD MEETING.
THE SECOND ITEM IS IN APPROVING AND INDUCEMENT RESOLUTION FOR PRIVATE ACTIVITY, BONDS, OR DEVELOPMENT TO BE KNOWN AS
UM, AND YOU ALL MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THAT IS THE GROUP THAT IS IN DISTRICT FOUR.
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS AUTHORIZING THE AMENDMENT AN AMENDMENT, NO NONPROFIT CORPORATION ITEM NUMBER, IF YOU COULD STAY CLOSER TO THE APARTMENT POCKETS.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, APPROVING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AND HSC INVESTOR, A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, 700 AND SOME DOLLARS FOR THE VILLAGE ON SIX PROJECT THREE.
AND THEN ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PARTNERSHIP TO BE FORMED AT ONSET.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT'S RIGHT.
IS THERE A QUESTION TO SET THE AGENDA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM WRITES THAT SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR AND DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED UNANIMOUS ON THE DIOCESE, UH, WITH, UH, UH, DIRECTOR FOR HARBOR MADISON OFF.
I THINK THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL OF OUR BUSINESS, UH, WITH AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MEETING, UH, AND WITH THAT, THEN THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED HERE AT THREE 23.
[02:55:01]
NOW RECONVENING THE AUSTIN CITY MEETING ON JULY 29TH, 2020.UH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE IN YOUR ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE US WITH THREE MORE THINGS TO, UH, TO, TO HANDLE, UH, THERE'S THE, UH, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT PREJUDICE ISSUE PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER THERE'S THE OVERPASS CLEANUP OPERATION PULLED BY, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
COSARA IN FACT, AND THEN I CAN, I THINK THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO ITEMS THAT WE HAVE.
[29. Approve an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 General Fund Operating Budget (Ordinance No. 20190910-001) to decrease the transfer out of $5,000,000 to the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund; and appropriating $5,000,000 to increase expenditures in the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Austin Fire Department Operating Budget (Ordinance No. 20190910-001) for additional funds to cover personnel expenditures; and amending the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund Operating Budget (Ordinance No. 20190910-001) decreasing the transfer in of $5,000,000 from the General Fund Operating Budget. Strategic Outcome(s): Safety]
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST POLL ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER AUTHOR, YOU PULLED INTO NUMBER 29.UM, YEAH, SO ITEM 29 IS AUTHORIZING A MIDYEAR END OF YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, OPERATING BUDGET TO ADDRESS OVERTIME COSTS, UM, FOR PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES.
UM, I'M BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT OVERTIME COSTS IN AFD AND HOW THEY'RE MANAGED FOR QUITE SOME TIME SINCE, UM, JUST ABOUT WHEN I STARTED ON COUNCIL, UM, I HAVE EXPRESSED IN OTHER FORUMS, MY FRIENDS STATION ABOUT HOW THIS PARTICULAR OVERTIME CHALLENGE HAS BEEN HANDLED AND COMMUNICATED WITH COUNSEL.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN AT LENGTH WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WITH AFD LEADERSHIP, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE LABOR THAT HERE.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND MY CONCERNS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THE NUMBERS AND I THINK THAT ESTIMATING HOW MUCH WE NEED FOR GETTING US THROUGH THIS BUDGET YEAR IS MORE ART THAN SCIENCE.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOME DIRECTION, UM, I'M NOT PREPARED TO MAKE THE MOTION BECAUSE I'M GOING TO VOTE.
NO, BUT I WOULD LIKE THIS DIRECTION INCLUDED.
UM, AND THE DIRECTION IS THAT THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE USED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDRESSING THE GAP IN PERSONNEL COSTS.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT SPEND ANY OF THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS ON NON PERSONNEL COSTS.
UM, AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW, CITY MANAGER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT DIRECTION, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT SURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, I'LL SEE IF I'VE BEEN EMAIL HAS ANYTHING ELSE HE WOULD ADD, BUT THAT WAS THE INTENTION OF THIS AMENDMENT.
AND SO I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUES WITH IT AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND THE REASON THAT WE NEED THAT, UM, DIRECTION IS THAT, UM, IF THE OVERTIME COSTS FALL MORE ON THE SIDE OF ART AND YOU DON'T END UP SPENDING THAT MUCH, UM, THE WAY THE PROCESS WOULD WORK, THEY WOULD BE FREE TO SPEND THAT MONEY DOWN AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT IS REALLY MONEY THAT IS MEANT TO ADDRESS THE OVERTIME NEED.
UM, AND WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY THEY HAVE THE OVERTIME IF WE WANT.
UM, BUT THAT IS WHAT THIS MONEY IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO FUND, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE DO THIS BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO, UM, LARGELY BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY MECHANISM I HAVE TO SIGNAL ONCE AGAIN TO CITY MANAGEMENT, THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HOW WE HANDLE AND MANAGE OVER TIME AND STAFFING AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S MORE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO BE DONE.
UM, THIS IS I THINK THE SECOND TIME, UM, THAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO A MIDYEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR ON COUNCIL.
UM, AND THAT IS A SIGNAL OF A PROBLEM AND IT'S STILL NOT BEING ADDRESSED.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH AFD AND THE CITY STAFF, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE DIRECTION I, I SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE REQUESTS THAT STAFF REVIEW WITH ME ONCE WE HAVE THE FINAL NUMBERS, HOW IT WAS CALCULATED FOR THE OVERTIME, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND, UM, WHERE WE LANDED, UM, IN THE PROCESS AND HOW THAT, UM, MET UP.
UM, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE SOME REASONS THIS IS ART BECAUSE OF COVID, WHICH, UM, I UNDERSTAND, AND THERE'S DIFFERENT TIMING WHEN PEOPLE ARE TAKING VACATIONS.
UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF FISCAL YEARS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER THAT HAVE TO BE FACTORED IN AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT I'D WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WITH HOW WE PROCEED, UM, THAT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPENDING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DOLLARS WISELY.
PEOPLE KEEP TURNING OFF MY, MY SPEAKER FOR ME, I'M LIKE, UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM NUMBER 29? WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE
[03:00:05]
MAYOR PRO TEM MAKES THE MEMBERSHIP THE SECOND BY COUNCILMAN, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM, UH, APRIL TIME, DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT FIRST CHANCE? NO, I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS AN ACCOUNTING ERROR OF SOME SORT OR JUST THE CITY MANAGER SAID HE HAS PUT UP GUARDRAILS TO AVOID THAT BEING DONE AGAIN.AND IF OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE HAVING TO WORK OVERTIME AND STAY PROPERLY STAFFED, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME OF, OF GREAT NEED FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I'VE BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN.
FIRST, I WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN GET THE BUTTON TO MUTE YOU, MAYOR SOMEONE COULD GIVE ME THAT BUTTON.
UM, THE, UH, ON THIS LINE OF, I WANT TO CONCUR WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALTER, I'M GOING TO VOTE.
NO, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT ABOUT SUPPORTING FIREFIGHTERS AND ESPECIALLY THIS TIME, THIS IS MORE ABOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND ERRORS THAT SEEM TO BE PROBLEMATIC ON A CONTINUING BASIS IN THIS WAY.
UM, WE'RE SPENDING MOST OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TIME ON POLICING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR US TO BE.
BUT FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO IN THE COMMITTEE'S PURVIEW AND WE WILL GET TO THAT IN SHORT ORDER.
THANK YOU, CUSTOMER BRAWLS FOR, FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS, UH, THIS ITEM TO, SO MOVED IN SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALTAR AND PLANNING AND VOTING.
NO, THE OTHERS VOTING I ARE FOR MADISON OFF THE DIOCESE, THAT ITEM PASSES, AND THEN THAT GETS US TO THE FINAL ITEM WE HAVE.
I THINK COUNCILOR TOBO IS OXIDIZED AS WELL.
REMEMBER TOVO ALSO, SO THAT PASSES, UH, SEVEN TWO TWO, BUT NO, YES.
[74. Authorize negotiation and execution of a multi-term contract with Relief Enterprise of Texas, Inc., to provide cleanup services for overpasses, under bridges, and in the transportation right of way, for up to three years for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,725,000. (Notes: This procurement was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9C Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program. For the services required for this procurement, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established). Strategic Outcome(s): Health and Environment.]
LAST ITEM, I REMEMBER 74, WELL BY COUNCIL MEMBER COSAR UH, IS THERE A MOTION COUNSEL MEMBER KITCHEN? IT WAS PASSAGE OF ITEM NUMBERS.I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME CLARIFICATIONS AND PERHAPS SOME CHANGES WE WANT TO MAKE, BUT I'LL GET IT.
IS THERE A SECOND ITEM, 74 HALTER SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER CASAR.
SO WE HAD SOME TESTIMONY FROM FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN I'VE HAD PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND MEDICS AND PEOPLE THAT, UM, THAT CARE FOR AND WORK WITH FOLKS, UM, THAT ARE UNHOUSED.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING TO CLEAN UP LITTER AND TRASH THAT WORK.
UH, AND THEN THERE ARE SOME PARTS THAT ARE CAUSING CONTINUED TENSION AND STRAINING RELATIONSHIPS THAT REALLY NEED TO, TO WORK FOR US, TO GET TO THE LONGTERM SOLUTION OF HOUSING PEOPLE, WHICH YOU KNOW, WHICH IS WHERE WE ALL, WHERE EVERYONE AGREES.
AND SO, UM, I'M GLAD THAT IN THIS, UH, CONTRACT WITH STAFF, I'VE WORKED HARD ON A SET OF, UH, PROTECTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT THROWING AWAY PEOPLE'S MEDICINE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THAT VIDEO OF PEOPLE'S WATER, WHICH IS JUST NOT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THOSE PROTECTIONS SEEM TO BE GETTING FURTHER BAKED INTO THIS CONTRACT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, PUTTING SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, UH, FOR THREE YEARS AND NOT SETTING ASIDE SOME MORE DOLLARS THAT COULD GO TOWARDS, UH, PROGRAMS AND, AND LITTER CLEAN UP IN A BATEMAN THAT IS STILL PICKING UP, UH, BULKY ITEMS, STILL GETTING TO OUR CLEANUP GOALS, BUT IT'S MORE COOPERATIVE, UH, THAT WITH PEOPLE IN A MORE PARTICIPATORY WAY AND THAT AVOIDS THOSE LEVELS OF TENSIONS, I THINK IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET TO.
UM, AND SO MY, UM, I I'LL MAKE A FORMAL AMENDMENT, UM, IN A MINUTE, BUT I WANTED YOU TO KIND OF EXPLAIN IT FIRST, UM, TO, TO HAVE THIS BE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT, AS OPPOSED TO THREE.
AND THEN FOR US TO DO, UH, TO REDUCE THE, THIS, UH, THIS CONTRACT BY 250,000 A YEAR.
AND INSTEAD HAVE THE STAFF STILL UTILIZE THAT $250,000 FOR, UM, UH, FOR CLEANING UP LITTER, UH, AROUND, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
BUT FOR THAT TO BE, UH, MANAGED BY THE STAFF, UH, FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONTRACTOR DOING THE WORK IN HOUSE IN A WAY THAT IS MORE COOPERATIVE THAT BRINGS SERVICE PROVIDERS MORE BOARD AND, AND, AND HOPEFULLY PILOTS OUT IN SHOWS THAT WE CAN DO THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE REDUCING THE, THE, THE BUDGET AND THE LEAST FOR, FOR TRASH PICKUP.
[03:05:01]
LET'S USE THIS MONEY.UM, LET'S, LET'S HAVE THE RATIO OF THESE PROGRAMS BE DIFFERENT, FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UH, YES, I, I THINK THAT THAT APPROACH WORKS AS LONG AS WE'RE, UH, AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND WE ARE, UH, STILL, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE, THE FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO, TO UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS KEEP THEIR, UM, THEIR AREAS, UH, CLEAN AND SAFE AND HEALTHY.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER COSARA IS PROPOSING WILL STILL WORK FOR THAT.
I DO WANT TO BE PROVIDED A LITTLE MORE CLARITY ON THE, UM, SPECIFIC PROTECTIONS THAT, UM, ARE IN PLACE ON, ON HOW THESE ARE CARRIED OUT, OR WHEN I SAY PROTECTIONS JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS.
AND SO I WANT TO BRING OUR STAFF UP IF, UM, THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A MEMO THAT IS A WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT OUTLINES THESE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT THEM.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THINGS LIKE, UH, ENGAGED IN SOCIAL SERVICE NOTICES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
UM, WHAT KIND OF NOTICE IS PROVIDED REPORTING BACK TO US ON A REGULAR BASIS, UM, AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND EXPANDING AS COUNCIL MEMBER KOSSAR'S PROPOSING THE VIOLET BAG PROGRAM.
SO COULD I ASK STAFF TO SPEAK TO THAT? WE BOTH HAVE DIRECTORS SNIPES AND DIRECTOR MENDOZA ON THE LINE, AND WE'LL JUST TAKE A SECOND TO GET THEM OVER ON THE SCREEN.
I'M WANTING THESE, THESE KINDS OF SPECIFICITY TO BE IN THE POLICIES, THE WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SO THAT WE CAN CLEAR THAT THEY'RE THERE.
AND I KNOW WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM YET.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, THIS IS RICHARD MENDOTA, THE PORCH DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS THIS COUNCIL TODAY.
AND, UM, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW FOR THOSE LISTENERS.
THIS CONTRACT IS TO PROVIDE CLEANUP SERVICES ONCE PER MONTH AT APPROXIMATELY 60 UNDERPASS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, ALONG 35, 71 TO 90 PACK, AND ONE 83.
BUT THESE, THESE ARE WHERE OUR CITY STREETS CROSS UNDER THESE ELEVATED HIGHLIGHTS.
AND WHILE THIS WORK IS CRITICAL TO OUR ABILITY TO INSPECT, MAINTAIN, AND REPAIR THIS CRITICAL BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE BASED ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY, IN TERMS OF HOW WE CONDUCT THIS WORK WHILE STILL ENSURING WE RESPECT A VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT MAY RESIDE AT THESE LOCATIONS AS WELL AS THEIR PERSONAL EFFECTS.
SO THROUGHOUT THE DAY, I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH MY STAFF, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERING DEPARTMENTS, NAMELY AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS CAN ENTAIL TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE RESPECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THESE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PROPOSE ON THE LINES, UH, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHENS ALREADY POSED ARE.
SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD INCLUDE, OF COURSE, FIRST INCREASED SENSITIVITY TRAINING TO ALL PERSONNEL THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS CLEANUP ACTIVITY, BOTH WITH THE CONTRACT CLEANUPS, AS WELL AS THE VIOLET BAG PROGRAM, UH, EFFECT SOME INCREASED VISITS BY OUR SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, NAMELY, UH, INTEGRAL CARE AND THE HOST TEAMS TO HAVE THEM VISIT THESE LOCATIONS BOTH PRIOR AND POST, UH, CLEANUPS HAVE ALL NOTICES AT LEAST 72 HOURS BEFORE WE ARE TO CONDUCT THIS WORK POSTED IN BILINGUAL, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
AND ADDITIONALLY, UH, ANY INFORMATION ON WHERE WE CAN DIRECT THESE INDIVIDUALS TO CRITICAL CARE SERVICES, PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AND LEAVE UP NO LESS THAN 10 DAYS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF OUR WORK IN BOTH LANGUAGES, UH, ALSO GOING FORWARD, UM, BOTH DIRECTOR SNIPES, AND I BOTH AGREE THAT A MORE EFFECTUAL WAY TO DO THIS WORK WOULD BE ABLE, WOULD BE THE TRANSITION, THIS WORK AWAY FROM THIS CONTRACT, BULKY ITEM AND INTO A MORE SELF OPERATING, UH, VIOLET BAG PROGRAM.
AND AS WE WORK TO TRANSITION THIS ACTIVITY IN THAT MODE, UH, COME BACK TO REPORT
[03:10:01]
ON THAT PROGRESS ON, AT NO LESS THAN A QUARTERLY BASIS TO THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.AND THEN FINALLY, UH, I THINK IT'S ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THIS CONTRACT, UH, ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.
AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK ANNUALLY TO CITY COUNCIL REPORT ON OUR PROGRESS ON THIS ACTIVITY ON HOW WE ARE TRANSITIONING THIS WORK AWAY FROM THE LARGE BULKY PICKUP AND MORE INTO SELF, UH, OPERATING VIOLET BAG PICKUP.
SO I DEFINITELY SHARE CONCERNS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL AROUND THIS.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL DIALOGUE FOR MYSELF AND MY TEAM.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROTECTING, UM, THE HUMANITY OF THIS POPULATION MASS.
WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE IN TO MORE APPROPRIATE SUSTAINABLE, UH, SHELTERING.
I'M NOT HEARING YOU, BUT, UM, SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, CAUSE I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THESE ISSUES.
AND I AGREE, UM, WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT YOU'VE EXPRESSED, COUNSEL NUMBER, KITCHEN, AND, AND, UM, DIRECTOR MENDOZA THAT WE HAVE WORK TO DO TO, UM, TRANSITION THIS TO BE, UM, MORE SELF SUSTAINING AND MORE, UM, FOCUSED.
UM, I AM FINE WITH THE ONE YEAR, BUT I DO WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE REDUCTION MEANS AND WHETHER THERE ARE ANY OTHER OPTIONS TO FUND THE VIOLENT BACK PART OUT OF OTHER PARTS OF THE BUDGET.
SO, UM, MR. MENDOZA, COULD YOU SPEAK TO, UM, THE IMPLICATIONS OF REDUCING THE AMOUNT, UM, IN THE NEGOTIATED CONTRACT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO BE RENDERED AND WHETHER THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR INCREASING THE VIOLET BAG PROGRAM AND SOME OTHER MECHANISM? WELL, CERTAINLY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IN TERMS OF THE FIRST YEAR, WE WOULD REQUIRE THE FULL 575,000, UH, TO CONTINUE, UH, THIS DEBRIS MANAGEMENT AND CLEAN UP AT THESE LOCATIONS.
I WOULD SEE ARREST THROUGH THE YEAR OF THAT WORK DEMAND, REDUCING AS I WORKED TOGETHER WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY TO INCREASE THE VIOLET BAG ON IT AT THESE LOCATIONS, BUT AT PRESENT TIME, THE NATURE OF BREEDING THAT WE'RE COLLECTING AND IT'S ON THE ORDER OF 10 TO 20 TONS PER MONTH, OUR MATERIALS ARE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR COLLECTING, UM, VIOLENT BACKS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, MY COMMITMENT IS WE WILL MONITOR THIS CLOSE, BE AN F WE CAN TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE LARGE BULK ITEM PICKUP, UH, AND I'LL WORK WITH US ON RESOURCE RECOVERY AS WELL.
SEE IF THERE ARE ALTERNATE COLLECTION MODES THAT WE CAN, UM, UM, APPLY RATHER THAN HAVING CONTRACTORS AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO, SO THERE IS OTHER FUNDING THEN THAT, I MEAN, TELL ME UNDERSTAND WHY THE FIVE 70, UM, ALWAYS REQUIRED FOR THE FIRST YEAR, THE FIVE 75 IS WHAT WE ESTIMATE IS REQUIRED TO CONDUCT THE ONCE A MONTH LOCATIONS AND AT THE ONCE A MONTH SERVICE AT 60 LOCATIONS FOR 12 MONTHS.
AND THAT IS FOR THE REMOVAL TRANSPORTATION AND THEN DISPOSAL AT THE LANDFILL SITE BY THIS CONTRACT.
AND THAT'S THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT WE FEEL, UH, NEEDED NOT TO SAY WE WOULD SPEND THE WHOLE AMOUNT IF WE START TO SEE REDUCTION IN BEING ON A DEBRIS, UH, THAT FUNDING COMES, UH, THREE DEPARTMENTS SOURCES, RIGHT? IT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AND THOSE ARE FUNDED BY THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE BECAUSE THIS IS, UM, MAINTENANCE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THEN ALSO AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, THE, UH, WHICH IS MANAGED BY DIRECTOR SNIPES AND FUNDED THROUGH THE AWESOME RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, FEES.
ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL AND COUNSEL.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS NOT, UH, IS NOT MOVING THIS BULKY ITEM MONEY TO SMALL, TO SMALLER, UH, DEBRIS MONEY THAT WOULD GO IN AND FIT IT INTO A BAG.
I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE TAKE THAT.
WE STILL GO TO ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS AND THAT WE STILL PICK UP THE SAME AMOUNT OF LITTER,
[03:15:01]
BUT THAT WE NOT PUT IT ALL IN THIS CONTRACT WHERE WE HAVE HAD FOUR PEOPLE I'VE TESTIFIED AND STATED PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES, BUT INSTEAD TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO GO TO SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS, EITHER IN HOUSE OR WITH A NONPROFIT OR WITH SOMEBODY ELSE TO TRY TO PILOT AND SHOW, CAN WE START TO TRANSITION THIS IN HOUSE OR DO THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY? AND IT WILL HAVE TO THOSE CHALLENGES WE FEEL I DON'T.SO I'M NOT SUGGESTING IF YOU WERE IN LOCATIONS OR PICK UP A SINGLE POUND, LESS OF, OF LITTER.
I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SHIFT THE APPROACH AND WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL TRYING TO SHIFT IN THE SAME DIRECTION, BUT I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE TAKE SOME OF THIS MONEY OUT AND USE IT EITHER IN HOUSE OR WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
UM, AS, AS WE, AS WE TRY TO MAKE THAT CHANGE, THAT WE BASICALLY PILOT THAT MONEY, UH, TO, TO REALLY HAVE A FRESH START AT SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS.
AND YES, THAT TRANSITION FROM THAT OPERATIONAL MODE WOULD ENGAGE MORE OF AWESOME RESOURCE RECOVERY.
AND I THINK DIRECTLY IN THE WAITING ROOM AND HE WOULDN'T BE, UH, BETTER ABLE TO, UH, SHARE WITH COUNCIL AND MAYOR, UH, WHAT THAT BUDGETARY IMPACT WOULD BE.
WHAT I'M UNCLEAR OFF CATHERINE COSARA IS IF IT COSTS FIVE 75 TO MOVE THE BIG BULK STUFF, DO WE, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE NOT DECREASING SERVICE OR ENOUGH TO DECREASE DECREASING LOCATIONS, HOW DO WE TAKE MONEY OUT OF THAT AND NOT DECREASE LOCATIONS OR THOSE SERVICES FOR THE PARKING STUFF.
IT'S NOT FOR THIS CONTRACTOR FOR THEM.
I UNDERSTAND WE'RE PUTTING IN THESE PROTECTIONS AND THESE ROLES TO TRY TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT IT'S WORKING WITH THIS CONTRACTOR.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE TRYING TO PHASE OUT OF BEING WITH THE CONTRACT.
THE STATED GOAL IS TO START PHASING OUT OF BEING WITH A CONTRACTOR AND BRING IT IN HOUSE.
AND THE STATED GOAL IS TO TRY TO DO THIS DIFFERENTLY.
SO I THINK THAT NOT GOING IN WITH THE FULL FIVE 75, BUT INSTEAD ACCELERATING THE PROCESS OF EITHER DOING THIS IN HOUSE OR WITH SOMEONE ELSE MAKES GOOD SENSE WITHOUT, WITHOUT VOTING DOWN THIS CONTRACT ENTIRELY SAYING SOME OF THAT MOVING AND LET'S SAVE SOME OF THE MONEY, LET'S SPEND SOME OF THE MONEY IN A, UM, IN THIS NEW WAY THAT'S BEING DESCRIBED.
SO IS IT IN AN ESSENCE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS KEEP THE CONTRACT AT FIVE 75 FOR YEAR ONE.
NO, I'M SAYING I'M BRINGING THE CONTRACT FROM ON THE FIVE 75 DOWN BY TWO 50 AND USE THAT TWO 50 TO DO PICK UPS, EITHER IN HOUSE OR WITH A NONPROFIT GROUP OR WITH ANOTHER CONTRACTOR WHERE WE GO IN FROM THE START, UM, WITH THE SORT OF SORTS OF PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES THAT THE STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON GIVING FEEDBACK, RATHER THAN PUTTING ALL OF OUR CHIPS IN THE BASKET OF SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO RENEW THIS CONTRACT WITH THE FULL AMOUNT, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY OUR BEST TO HAVE IT CHANGE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR, UM, UM, MR. SNIPES AND MS. MENDOZA TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF REDUCING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IN THE FIRST YEAR, EVEN WHILE WE'RE DOING ALL THE OTHER STUFF, MR. SNIPES, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
THIS IS A DIRECTOR SNIPES FROM AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UM, I THINK IN THE FIRST YEAR IT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, UM, WORKING REALLY HARD RIGHT NOW TO GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL OF THE TRASH, UM, THAT WAS, UH, THAT HAS ACCUMULATED DUE TO STAND DOWN FROM THE CLEANUP ACTIVITIES.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE CATCHING UP TO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO CALL OUT THAT ARR IS IN THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING ITS RESOURCES FOR, UH, LITTER ABATEMENT AROUND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
SO WE ANTICIPATE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS OR SO, UH, IN THE FUTURE THAT WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE ON SOME OF THOSE DUTIES, UH, AND SHIFT SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, BUT THAT'S STILL BUILDING, WE HAVEN'T YET HIRED TO STAFF OR ACQUIRE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THAT ACTIVITY.
I'M HOPEFULLY THE NEXT, I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
THAT'S A MEMBER OF RENTER THAT COUNSELOR KITCHEN.
AND THAT'S MY BIG CONCERN THERE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DRIVING BY THOSE SITES AND IT SAYS CUMULATED A LOT OF TRASH, A LOT OF BULK TRACKS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, WE HAD BOUGHT PICKUP HERE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY CANCELED IT THIS TIME AROUND AND, YOU KNOW, UH, IT, IT JUST GETS, IT'S GETTING REALLY SERIOUS.
AND I, I'M REALLY SCARED THAT IF WE TAKE THAT MONEY OUT AND I GO THROUGH IT FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND MAYBE COME UP WITH
[03:20:01]
A PLAN AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE RESOURCE RECOVERY, UM, IF I COME UP WITH A PLAN ON HOW TO INVERT THAT MONEY OVER TO BACK TO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY.I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GO AROUND THERE IN HOUSE RIGHT NOW TO PICK UP ALL THAT OFF THE TOP.
IT'S REALLY HEAVILY ACCUMULATED.
SO I COULDN'T SUPPORT DOING THAT OR PEOPLE FINDING THE HOBOKEN HOUSE FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
THAT'S WHERE OUR KITCHEN MIKE, MY QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR SNIPES IS WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO HELP ACCELERATE THE PROGRAM? I THINK WE'RE, UH, I THINK WE'RE TALKING, UM, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO DO THE SAME THING, WHICH IS TO, TO MOVE TOWARDS A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
UM, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT SO FAST THAT WE IN EFFECT ARE NOT ABLE TO PICK UP AT THE SAME LOCATIONS IN THE SAME VOLUME, WHICH I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THAT.
SO WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING IT WOULD TAKE, OR DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION ON WHAT IT WOULD TAKE OR DO YOU NEED TO BRING THAT BACK TO US? SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, IF WE WERE TO REDUCE THEM THIS ONE BY SOME NUMBER LESS THAN TWO 50, OR IF WE WERE TO KEEP THIS THE SAME AND, AND ADD SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR THE VIOLET VIOLET BAD PROGRAM, OR I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S EVEN THE RIGHT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, CAUSE VIOLENT, A BAG DOESN'T DO BOOK, BUT, UM, IF, UH, DOING BULK IN HOUSE MIGHT BE A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES IT TAKE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE TO, UM, ACCELERATE THAT SHIFT? IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO USE THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE YEAR TO EVALUATE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACTUALLY GET IN AND REMOVE THOSE RESOURCES.
WE'D BE DOING THAT WORK ON TOP OF THE WORK THAT WE ALREADY DO.
SO WE'D HAVE TO STUDY AND EVALUATE THAT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
I DO KNOW FOR A FACT THAT ONCE WE BRING ON OUR, UM, OUR CREW, THAT WE'RE STANDING UP, UH, WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY AND HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT CAN ACTUALLY MAKE SOME OF THOSE EVALUATIONS FOR US.
COLLEGE HAS THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT'S IN THE RECORD.
WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S THE BEST PETITION HERE? MAY I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT DOING ANYTHING THAT OUR ABILITY TO CLEAN UP THE SITES, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT WE NEED A CULTURE SHIFT WITH RESPECT TO THIS.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF THIS VENDOR'S DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE IT'S A DIFFERENT VENDOR THAN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN HOLDING THIS CONTRACT, IS, IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THIS IS A, A NEW VENDOR MAYOR.
THIS IS THE PRIOR SUBCONTRACTOR TO THE ORIGINAL VENDOR WORK QUESTS WORK-WISE BOWED OUT CAN BE PROBATED.
THIS WAS THE SUB THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTING THIS WORK SINCE SPRING OF 2018.
AND THE ONLY VENDOR TO APPLY, I GUESS.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT YES.
OR HOW WE DO THIS WITHOUT HAVING AN AND, AND INTERRUPTED SERVICE OR ABILITY TO DO THIS, RECOGNIZING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY.
I MEAN, I, I OFFERED JUST STARTING THE TRANSITION IN HOUSE OR TO A NONPROFIT GROUP OR TO AS ANOTHER OPTION.
UM, UM, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY LET'S MOVE ALL FIVE 75 ALL AT ONCE.
SO THAT WAS PART OF WHY IT OFFERED THE SMALLER, NOT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THAT COULD WORK, BUT IF WHAT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY NEEDS IS ALL 575, I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR ANSWER, CATHERINE KITCHEN YOU'RE MUTED.
WELL, IF THE ISSUE IS THAT TRANSITIONING SOME AMOUNT, BUT NOT ALL OF IT TOSSED AND RESOURCE RECOVERY GETS US, PUTS US IN LIMBO, THEN I'D BE INTERESTED IF WE, IF THEY HAD ALL $600,000 AVAILABLE, IF THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THEM TO, TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS FOR IN HOUSE.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO SAY, BUT I WOULD, THAT WOULD PUT THEM IN EVEN WORSE LIMBO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SET UP TO DO IT TODAY.
AND I DON'T WANT, I CAN'T SEE, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO DELAY IN ANY WAY THE CLEANUPS BECAUSE OF THE CON THE HEALTH ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH THE CLEANUPS.
SO I'D SAY IT WAS TO ME, LIKE WE MAY NEED MORE
[03:25:01]
TO FIND SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP DIRECTOR STIPES, UM, ACCELERATE THEIR PROGRAM.UM, INSTEAD OF PULLING IT AWAY FROM THIS CONTRACT, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE KEEPING THIS CONTRACT AT ONE YEAR, BUT THEN PROVIDE MAKING SURE THAT DIRECTOR STIPE'S HAS THE RESOURCES THAT HE NEEDS AND DIRECT TO.
I, I REALLY LIKE YOU TO SPEED UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, THIS WORK, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO DO THAT.
AND IN COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I JUST DON'T WANT US TO INADVERTENTLY CAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO DO THIS.
I DON'T THINK I DON'T WANT US TO END IN BURTON.
LEE ENDED UP WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE HAD TO STOP THE CLEANUPS DUE TO COVID BECAUSE THAT REALLY RAISED A LOT OF CONCERNS FOR OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, UH, AND FOR EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT.
UM, SO, UM, SO I DON'T KNOW, UH, AND, UH, UM, CITY MANAGER, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN WORK WITH DIRECTOR STEINS TO BRING US BACK SOMETHING WE ARE IN OUR BUDGET TIME.
UM, IF THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT DIRECTOR SIPES NEEDS, OR IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND, PERHAPS WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS PART OF PART OF THE BUDGET.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CASSARA THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE AND TRANSITION IN OUR APPROACH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I REALLY JUST CANNOT, I CANNOT RISK, UM, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES RIGHT NOW.
I DO WANT TO MAKE MENTION, AND THAT THIS CONTRACT IS A NOT TO EXCEED CONTRACT.
SO THE MAXIMUM FIVE 75 DIRECTORS NIGHTS, AND I DEFINITELY CAN WORK ON TRANSITIONING THIS OVER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, THAT, OR SUMS UP THIS AUTHORIZATION OR THIS FUNDING COULD THEN BE APPLIED TO THAT AN IN HOUSE RESOURCE.
IF I COULD, WE WOULD, WE WOULD NEED TO STUDY THAT BODY OF WORK.
AND TO BRING THAT IN HOUSE, UH, WOULD BE QUITE A LIFT.
SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL START WORKING ON THAT IMMEDIATELY TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF JUST WHAT THAT BODY OF WORK LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF, UH, STAFFING AND, AND MANAGEMENT OF THAT, UH, TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD LOOK AT IT.
UM, AND SO WE WANT TO USE THE BALANCE OF THE, THE TIME TO KIND OF FIGURE THAT OUT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, GIVE US TIME TO DO A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
WELL, I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST I KIND OF SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I WAS FLUSHED IT OUT REGARDLESS OF HOW WE PROCEED.
I THINK IT WOULD REALLY BE IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST A QUARTERLY REPORT AND MAY MAYBE MORE OFTEN, UM, EVERY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS, UH, AT LEAST A MONTHLY REPORT ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH REGARD TO, UH, CARRYING OUT OUR STRATEGIES, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE GET HOUSED.
AND SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING A REPORTING PROCESS THAT INCLUDES THIS, UH, WOULD PROBABLY HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THIS TRANSITIONING IS WORKING.
WE STILL TRYING TO TRACK THERE WAS IN THE ACT THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED.
IS IT WORK TO TAKE IT FROM THE THREE YEAR CONTRACT DOWN TO A ONE YEAR CONTRACT AND ASKED STAFF TO COME BACK TO US ON AT LEAST A QUARTERLY BASIS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO SHOW HOW THEY'RE TRANSITIONING TO, UH, THE, THE ALTERNATE IN HOUSE OR OTHERWISE PROVIDERS.
I THINK THAT WITHOUT EITHER SOME GUARANTEE, WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION IT THIS YEAR OR WITHOUT TAKING SOME CHUNK OF THAT MONEY AND STARTING TO PILOT SOMETHING NEW, I JUST DON'T THINK IT GETS TO WHERE IT IS THAT I'M TRYING TO GO, BUT WITHOUT HAVING HEARD VERY MUCH SUPPORT FROM OTHERS, I CAN, I'LL JUST VOTE.
NOW, IF THAT'S WHERE, IF, IF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS TRY AND WE MIGHT, BUT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT THIS YEAR.
AND IF WE COULD SAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND WE'LL HAVE TRANSITIONED IT TO THE GOAL BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT I COULD SUPPORT THAT.
THAT WAS A SAD, BUT IF WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHETHER THIS CAN ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN THE COURSE OF THE EASTER, THEN THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SOLVE.
[03:30:02]
JUST TO MENDOZA.YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? AND WHAT'S YOUR EXPECTATION FOR PEOPLE TO TRANSITION? WELL, A LOT OF IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON THE ENVIRONMENT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS YEAR.
UM, THE, THE BULK OF DEMAND THAT THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY IS REALLY A SYMPTOM OF A LARGER ISSUE RIGHT AROUND THE HOMELESSNESS WE CAN, UH, WE CAN CONTROL, AND WE CAN ADDRESS OUR CONTRACTORS AS NEEDED IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR EXPECTED BEHAVIOR AND CODE OF CONDUCT IS AS THEY DO THIS WORK.
UM, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE INROADS, UH, ON, AT, AT AS SOON AS POT OPPORTUNITY, UH, COLLECTING THE WASTE IN A DIFFERENT MODE WITHIN HOUSE, AS THAT WASTE STREAMS STARTS TO, UH, ADJUST THROUGHOUT A YEAR.
BUT, UM, AT THIS POINT, WITHOUT SPEAKING WITH DIRECTORS, AND I'VE SEEN FURTHER IN TERMS OF WHERE WE'LL BE A YEAR FROM NOW ON THE, UH, RATIO OF BOTH OVER LARGE ITEMS, COMPARE LITTER, UM, IT WOULD BE HARD TO ANTICIPATE JUST ACT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THIS CONVERSATION AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING THE TOPIC BEING WAS, UH, WHAT IS OUR APPROACH AS WE ENGAGE WITH THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY? CAN WE DO THAT DIFFERENTLY? ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH A SENSE OF DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND, AND EVERY SINGLE DAY AS THE CONTRACTORS DO THEIR WORK? UM, I WASN'T EXPECTING THE CONVERSATION TO BE ABOUT MOVING THAT BODY OF WORK INTO OUR DEPARTMENTS.
SO, UH, THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT QUESTION AND IT WOULD REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO KIND OF DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND KIND OF FIGURE THAT OUT.
UM, SO DIRECTORS TYPE SITE, YES, I WOULD, I DO WANT, WE WE'VE SAID THIS OFF AND ON THROUGH TO THE CONVERSATION, BUT I DO, I AM ASKING FOR A COMMITMENT IN WRITING, IN WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ENSURE, UH, THE ENSURE THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES, I MEAN, I'LL JUST LIST A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, COORDINATING WITH INTEGRAL CARE OR HOST TEAMS AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TO VISIT EACH LOCATION BEFORE AND AFTER THE DAY OF SERVICES, UH, SERVICE NOTICES TO BE PROVIDED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, UH, AT THE TIME OF POSTING THE SERVICE NOTICE POST INFORMATION ABOUT SOCIAL SERVICES AND CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, PROVIDED BY APH, AGAIN, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, QUARTERLY REPORT TO, UM, THE STATUS OF SERVICES, UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND THE OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS THAT NEED TO BE IN THE WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH I THINK I'VE, I'VE HEARD YOU ALL COMMIT TO, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND, UM, AND THINGS RELATED TO THAT.
SO, UM, AM I CORRECT IN UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WILL REFLECT THOSE KINDS OF PROTECTIONS? THAT IS CORRECT, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE THOSE SHORTLY.
SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT THIS BE AMENDED TO BE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT AND THAT, UH, UH, STAFF WAS DECIDED MR. MENDOZA COME BACK TO US IN THREE MONTHS IN THREE MONTHS AND TELL US WHAT THE TRAJECTORY LOOKS LIKE FOR THE BALANCE OF THE YEAR, IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, UH, AND, AND HOW WE CAN TRANSITION THIS TO A GREATER USE OF, OF THE FOLKS THEMSELVES THAT ARE, THAT ARE OUT THERE TO CREATE A DYKE, AN APP, BUT, UH, UH, HOLD THE BUDGET ABOUT NOT TO EXCEED THAT AMOUNT, RECOGNIZING THAT IN THAT IN THREE MONTHS, NOW, THERE MAY BE REALLOCATION OF THOSE FUNDS BASED ON THE REPORT THAT WE GET.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT AMENDMENT THAT'S MEMBER, AUTHOR SECONDS, EVEN, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT, THAT'S REMEMBER KITCHEN? UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT GETS US WHERE WE NEED TO BE, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE ALLOCATED THE MONEY WE NEED TO ALLOCATE WITH ALLOWED FOR THE FACT THAT WE CAN RE OUT, UH, I MEAN, WE'VE SET ASIDE THE MONEY WE NEED TO SET ASIDE.
WE'VE ALLOWED ON A, NOT TO EXCEED CONTRACT.
WE'VE ALLOWED THEM THE ABILITY TO REALLOCATE IN THREE MONTHS BASED ON INFORMATION, IF, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE AT THAT TIME.
AND WE'VE ASKED OUR, OUR DEPARTMENTS TO, TO, UH, DEVELOP THAT PLAN FOR US TO TRANSITION AND TO REPORT BACK TO US.
SO, SO MAYOR, I THINK THAT, THAT, UM, I THINK THAT THAT GETS US WHERE WE NEED TO BE CITY
[03:35:01]
MANAGER.ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT, UH, RESOLUTION? WE ARE, YES.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON THE AMENDMENT.
ANY DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER CAN START, OH, NO, SORRY.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED AMENDMENT PASSES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, AND TOVO OFF THE DIOCESE.
WE'RE NOT BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED AND DISCUSSION STAY CALIFORNIA.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT FROM TALKING ALMOST EVERY SERVICE PROVIDER IN PERSON THAT WORKS WITH FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MEDICS HAVE JUST BEEN STORIES OF, OF HOW THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE.
I THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR BY THE STAFF.
UM, I I'M HEARTENED TO HEAR FROM DIRECTOR MENDOZA THAT MAYBE THEY CAN START MAKING THE TRANSITION OF THIS PROGRAM THIS YEAR INTO THE VISION OF WHAT I THINK OF WHAT HE'S ARTICULATED, UM, UH, BUT, UH, WITHOUT KNOWING WHETHER THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR, UM, AND WITHOUT THE, THE IDEA OF LET'S, LET'S CHUCK, LIKE NOT PUTTING ALL OF OUR EGGS IN THIS BASKET THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM, FROM THE EXPERTS ON THE GROUND THAT THEY'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH.
I JUST, I, I THINK TO SHOW MY, UM, MY CONCERN WITH THAT, I'M JUST GONNA HAVE TO GO NOW.
FOR THE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM SAKE, A VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, ITEM 74 AS AMENDED, RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED
THIS ITEM AS AMENDED PASSES, ALEX, I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING ON OUR AGENDA OTHER THAN PRED CONGRATULATING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS ON HER NEWS FROM THIS WEEKEND, GRADUATIONS WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE DONE THAT SOMEBODY DOES ANYTHING WE'RE GONNA PICK UP TOMORROW, UH, TOMORROW.
UH, IT'S THE, UH, INTENT TO, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UM, IN THE MORNING, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE EVERYBODY.
THOSE ARE THE BUDGET, SPEAKERS, EVERYTHING EXCEPT ZONING.
WE'RE GOING TO START PROMPTLY.
UH, IT'S GOING TO BE ONE MINUTE, UH, TESTIMONY, UH, IN ORDER TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOME TIME TO ACTUALLY DELIBERATE AN ACT.
UM, WE HAVE ZONING CASES, UH, THAT GROUP, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO BE CALLED AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON TO SPEAK ON ZONING CASES.
WE MAY BE RETURNING AFTER TWO O'CLOCK AFTER THOSE PEOPLE SPEAK TO FINISH THE BUSINESS FROM THE MORNING.
UH, SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEE WE WILL GO FROM ZONING SPEAKERS INTO ZONING CASES, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW WE MOVE THROUGH THE FOLKS THAT ARE TESTIFYING, THE ZONING SPEAKERS AT THIS POINT, I THINK ARE GOING TO BE TWO MINUTES ALSO.
IT'S ONE MINUTE IN THE MORNING OF THE SPEAKERS IN TWO MINUTES IN THE AFTERNOON, SPEAKERS.
UM, HAVE I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? YES.
YOU SAID THE ZONING WOULD BE IT IT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR ALL THE ZONING CASES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO THE MORNING WE'RE STARTING INCLUDES, UM, THE BUDGET.
SO IT'S THE BUDGET HERE IS GOING TO BE MIXED IN WITH SPEAKERS ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. SHOULD THERE BE OTHER ITEMS? CORRECT.
AND HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP? YEAH.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER HANDY AS A CLERK, HAVE THE NUMBERS OF THE SPEAKERS IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOON.
UM, SO MAYOR, WE HAVE OVER 430 SPEAKERS FOR THE MORNING AND OVER 200 SPEAKERS FOR ZONING.
WE CAN'T HEAR YOU 430 SPEAKERS IN THE MORNING.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS IN THE AFTERNOON? ABOUT 218.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN GO TWO MINUTES FOR THIS PICKERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
I HAVE, WE TALKED TO PLANS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS IF WE SEND OVER TO FRIDAY MORNING.
SO BY THE WAY, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT FOUR 30, TWO 20.
AND WE HAVE LIKE SIX 50 PLUS, UH, UH, THAT'S 11 HOURS, ASSUMING EVERYBODY GETS ONE MINUTE TO, UH, TO, TO, TO SPEAK.
PLUS THERE'S ALL THE WORK THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ON THAT DAY.
[03:40:02]
UH, MAYOR WAS MOST CERTAINLY LOOK AT THE OTHER CONTINGENCY PLANS.UH, BILL ALSO TALKED TO IF THERE'S ANY ZONING CASES THAT COULD BE POSTPONE THE DEGREE TO WHICH YOU CAN, THEN IF WE NEED TO SCHEDULE A SPECIAL CALL WHERE WE TAKE ZONING CASES AND WE SET THEM TO A DAY CERTAIN, UH, BY WAY OF POSTPONEMENT, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, JUST TO HANDLE THINGS THAT ARE POSTPONED SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW.
UH, BUT ANYHOW, I WORK CONTINUING TO, TO COCK TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
MY HOPE IS TO BE ABLE TO POST SOMETHING ON THE MESSAGE BOARD HERE, UH, IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO, THAT WOULD GIVE EVERYBODY SOME GREATER DIRECTION, A COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, UM, I'LL TALK TO STAFF, BUT THERE ARE ZONING CASES FROM D FIVE.
ONE OF WHICH I UNDERSTAND WILL GO ON CONSENT, WHICH SHOULD, UH, REDUCE POTENTIALLY THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS.
AND ANOTHER ONE, WHICH I UNDERSTAND REQUESTED TO BE POSTPONED.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE 200, UM, SPEAKERS REFLECT THOSE TWO CASES, BUT THERE COULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THEM.
I THINK THAT JERRY'S INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO IF IT'S STUFF THAT HE KNOWS, THEN IT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE MESSAGE BOARD.
WE'LL KIND OF LET YOU KNOW, UH, AND, UH, BE THINKING ABOUT A FRIDAY MORNING JUST IN CASE IF, IF NOTHING ELSE SEEMS TO WORK.
UH, AND WITH THAT, IT IS FOUR 10 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
MY OFFICE TELLS ME COUNSELOR ELLIS THAT I CUT YOU OFF.
UH, JUST RIGHT AFTER WE ALL CONGRATULATED YOU.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
AND WITH THAT AT FORT 10, UH, TODAY'S MEETING IS A JEW.