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GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR NINTH JOINT MEETING OF THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
WHO'S JOINED US HERE IN OUR VIRTUAL MEETING ROOM TODAY.
YOU ARE WATCHING US ON OUR LIVE STREAM.
[Additional Item 1]
OUR CAP METRO BOARD MEETING.THE TIME IS ONE OH FOUR MIRANDA.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE SAME? I WOULD.
UH, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, THIS IS, UH, UH, AUGUST 7TH, UH, 2020 VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CALL TO CONSIDER THESE ITEMS RELATED TO TRANSIT.
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH US THIS MORNING.
UH, SO WE ARE PREPARED TO CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER AS WELL HERE AT ONE OH FOUR, WHICH JEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BEFORE WE GET STARTED A COUPLE OF THE USUAL LOGISTICAL ITEMS. I KNOW WE'VE ALL GOTTEN, UH, UH, GOOD AT ONLINE MEETINGS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT ONCE AGAIN, LET ME JUST REMIND YOU AND TO EVERYBODY IN OUR MEETING ROOM TODAY, BEST PRACTICE, OF COURSE, KEEP YOUR MICROPHONE ON MUTE MR. SPEAKING, AND THEN REMEMBER TO MUTE YOURSELF AGAIN WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED.
ALSO, UH, AS IN THE PAST, WHEN OUR VOTING ITEMS COME UP, WE'LL BE ASKING BOTH BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR A VERBAL VOTE OF YAY OR NAY ON EACH ITEM INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, SO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAY WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND SOME HAVE JOINED US BY PHONE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU ON THE LINE, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME OR CHEYENNE CALLS YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND A REMINDER WE WILL NOT BE TAKING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT THAT TODAY'S MEETING WILL ONLY BE TAKING COMMENTS ON TOPICS THAT ARE POSTED ON OUR AGENDA.
CHEYENNE ARE WE'RE READY FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, ANTHONY WALKER, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I ALSO THINK AUSTIN DOES ALLOW ME TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
I WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND PROJECT NICK A SPEAKER.
WE NEED TO START AND ADJUST THE VOLUME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? AND WE DIDN'T HEAR YOU INTRODUCE THE NAME EITHER.
MR. CHAIR, WE'RE ADJUSTING IN CITY HALL.
THANK YOU, MR. WALKER, YOUR TIME.
LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN IS WE CAN HEAR YOU CHEYENNE, IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER, WE'LL TRY MR. WALKER.
I'M GLAD TO LITERALLY START IT.
CAUSE I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT I GOT PAID.
THEY ALL HEAR WHAT I GOT TO SAY.
I WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE CALCULATOR BOARD AND BEING A PART OF THIS PRACTICE.
AND LIKE I WAS SAYING EARLIER, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT, UH, IS GOING TO CREATE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY IS GOING TO LAY A FOUNDATION ON, BE ABLE TO MOVE PEOPLE'S AROUND ALSO FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
UH, BEN IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT MY CONCERN WAS JUST THE TIMING.
UH, WHAT HIRE SAID LAST TIME AND YOU KNOW, I'M A STAND STILL BE LIKE, YOU'LL GET ONE OPPORTUNITY WHERE IT SAYS THIS SOMETHING.
AND IF YOU BLOW IT, IT MIGHT NOT COME BACK AROUND FOR MANY YEARS OR DECADES, OR EVEN IF IT COME BACK AROUND AGAIN.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A $7 BILLION PROJECT, YOU CANNOT ROLL LITTLE DICES AND HOPING THAT IT'S GOING TO ROLL OUT YELLOW PAPER.
UH, I JUST THINK THAT THE GEAR THAT YOU'RE TAKING RIGHT NOW, I THINK IN 2022, THAT IS A SLAM DUNK.
THEN THE CHESTER Y'ALL ARE TAKING RIGHT NOW.
I WANT TO GO A LONG WAYS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BLOW IT AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT HOW THEY GOING TO BE ON A RESUME ON A PROJECT CONNECT IN 2020.
AND TO ME, THIS WILL BE MY LAST OPPORTUNITY TO STICKING WITH Y'ALL AS A FOOL, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME.
AND I'M GOING TO WASTE MY TIME.
WHEN LEADERS HAVE ALREADY DICTATED WHAT THE RESTROOM, THEY GOING TO MOVE.
AS FAR AS THEY NOT GOING PAUSE, EDIT, THEY GOING TO MOVE FORWARD OR PROJECT NET, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
THERE WERE THE PURPOSE OF HAVING PUBLIC TONGUE WITH A JOB, GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE, YOU HEAR WHAT THEY SAY, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RESPOND.
SO REALLY IT'S LIKE A GAME OF BE PLAYING.
WE DON'T GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
SO I'M GOING TO CLOSE WITH THIS NOTE AND I WILL TELL HER, REMEMBER WHAT I SAID IS LIKE I SAID,
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I HATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET AWAY.I KNOW WHEN THE PROJECT INITIALLY STARTED, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS ALL GREAT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WAS ON BOARD.
I THINK WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF FOOTWORK AND EDUCATING PEOPLE.
MY SISTER, UH, THOROUGHLY DO A LOT OF FOOTWORK BECAUSE WE ARE TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT ALL THESE DIFFERENT LINES GOING TO DO, SPREAD NORTH AND WEST.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU CAN CHOOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO WHEN PEOPLE GO INTO THE BALLOT BOX CONFUSED, THAT'S JUST LIKE A NO VOTE ON THIS LAST SMOKE.
AND REMEMBER I TOLD YOU THIS ON NOVEMBER THE FOURTH, THIS IS SAYING GOES, THEY SAID IT AIN'T NO FUN.
WHEN THE RABBIT GOT THE GUN, WHICH MEANS FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, PEOPLE WERE SEEING HOW THE UPPER HAND ON YOU RIGHT NOW.
ALSO WE KEPT THE VIRTUAL BOY HAVE THE UPPER HAND BECAUSE WHAT ELSE? WE GOT TO JUST GO ALONG WITH IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT IT TIGHT.
SO I'LL JUST TRY TO EDUCATE Y'ALL TO MY OPINION.
OH, WHAT Y'ALL DOING IS BAD TIMING.
SO ANYWAY, ENJOY YOUR DAY AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE PROJECT AND LET, THANK YOU, MR. WALKER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SUSAN PENTEL.
MISS PENN, TELL YOU MIGHT BE ON ME.
IT'S A REALLY BAD ECHO ON MY PHONE.
IF YOU CAN, IF YOU WANT TO TRY AGAIN, WE CAN HEAR IT ECHO WITH THAT.
CHEYENNE, ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO HELP HER? YES.
WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK ON MUTE.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
I HEARD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY THEY HAD AN ECHO.
WE'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
HOPEFULLY I WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT IN PERSON.
MS. MONICA BREAKER, IF WE CAN HEAR YOU CLEARLY YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE ECHO.
IT'S ONLY EVERYBODY'S CALLED WHEN MR. WALKER WAS SPEAKING.
I CAN HARDLY MAKE OUT WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO TRY TO GO AHEAD.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO AHEAD WITH INKLING TO MYSELF.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CURRENTLY WE'RE WE'RE IN A PANDEMIC AND THE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN FOR ALL OF US AND THIS TYPE OF LONGTERM COMMITMENT.
I LIVE, UH, IN THE AUSTIN COLONIES AREA OFF OF FM NINE 69.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
METRO HAS SHOWN NO DESIRE TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE MY COMMUNITY.
MY NEEDS ARE NOT MET AS A TAX PAYER.
WHY WOULD I COMMIT TO A LONGTERM INVESTMENT INCREASING MY PROPERTY TAXES FOR A PROJECT THAT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 20 YEARS FROM NOW WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL PROVIDE MY COMMUNITY WITH TRANSPORTATION.
I'M SAYING NO TO PROJECT CONNECT BECAUSE CAPITAL METRO HAS MADE A LOT OF PROMISES IN THE PAST AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED FUNDS AND DID SOMETHING ELSE WITH THE MONEY.
SO TODAY I'M SAYING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
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TO CONSIDER THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE, AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO BE FAT DECIDING AT THIS TIME.UH, SO I'M AGREEING WITH SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT SPOKE EARLIER.
UH, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO BE PRESENTING THIS.
UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD WAIT TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND BEING PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC FOR VOTING.
AND THAT'S MY COMMENT FOR TODAY.
MA'AM YOU'RE WELCOME, MS. PENTEL.
THE BOARD AND COUNCIL CAN HEAR YOU CLEARLY, IF YOU CAN SPEAK THROUGH THE ECHO.
PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING ONE OR TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THE ATP BOARD.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE IS THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO RIDE TRANSIT EVERY DAY HAVE A VERY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THEY KNOW IT LIKE THE BACK OF THEIR HAND AND THEY CAN PROVIDE GOOD INPUT ON THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE AN ENGINEERING EXPERT WHO SAYS, LET'S PUT THE STATION HERE, YOU MIGHT HAVE A COMMUNITY EXPERT, A BOTTOM UP EXPERT, AS OPPOSED TO A TOP DOWN EXPERT WHO SAYS, YEAH, BUT IF WE MOVE IT HALF A MILE DOWN, THERE'S A STORE THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO.
OR THERE'S A LIBRARY AROUND THE CORNER, OR THERE'S A VERY STEEP HILL NEAR WHERE YOU WERE GOING TO PUT IT IN.
IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO TRANSFER.
SO THAT TYPE OF EXPERTISE WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
A REASON WHY IT'S A GOOD IDEA IS FOR EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS, BECAUSE IF YOU FOLLOW THE EPA STANDARDS AND THE FTA STANDARDS, MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN STILL FEEL THAT IT'S NOT EQUITABLE.
AND THAT'S JUSTIFIABLE BECAUSE THOSE STANDARDS ARE REALLY MINIMAL AS OPPOSED TO OPTIMAL.
AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS YOU MAKE DECISIONS.
AND THEN THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME LATER AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE DECISIONS BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT EQUITABLE.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED DURING THE PROCESS AND ON THE BOARD DURING THE PROCESS, THEY CAN RAISE THOSE ISSUES AS THEY COME UP AND HOPEFULLY RESOLVED UP RATHER THAN WAITING TILL AFTER.
FINALLY, YOU'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO HELP PAY FOR THIS SYSTEM.
SO I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD APPRECIATE ALSO HAVING A SAY IN HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED AT A MINIMUM, YOU SHOULD INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
THAT'S THE WAX WHO SITS ON THE ATP BOARD.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
YOU COULD HAVE ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SEESAW AT CAPITAL METRO, ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE UTC, AND THEN MAYBE ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DISABILITY ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THEY CAN HELP TO, TO EVALUATE AND SELECT THE MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE ATP BOARD, BUT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE HARD TO GET AHOLD OF.
THEY'RE VERY BUSY AND ALSO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLY REPRESENT ONE DISTRICT.
SO IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO HAVE COMMUNITY DIRECT COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION.
MR. BAKER IS MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. MAXINE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE.
OH, DID OR UNMUTE MYSELF? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
IT APPEARS AS THOUGH I'M MUTED.
SO I WANTED TO ASK, UM, MS. FANTAIL WAS THE ONE THAT I'M REFERRING TO RIGHT NOW, BUT DURING THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PRESENTING, CAN WE ASK THOSE NOW? OR SHOULD WE CONNECT TO MY OFFICE, CONNECT WITH YOU ALL LATER TO GET THAT PERSON'S CONTACT INFORMATION.
THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR MS. PANTO, AND I MIGHT HAVE MORE FOR OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE SHARING THEIR, UM, SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.
I'M GLAD FOR YOU TO INTERRUPT.
AND I SUSPECT OUR FOLKS, CHEYENNE AND OTHERS HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IT'S MORE OF A TECHNICAL QUESTION ABOUT THE ISSUE RELATED TO THE ECHO.
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I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A WAY OF SENDING A PRIVATE MESSAGE OFFLINE THROUGH, THROUGH THIS, UH, THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT I KNOW OF THIS WEB, THIS WEBEX MESSENGER, WHATEVER WE'RE USING HERE, IT'S NOT ZOOM, UH, THAT I KNOW OF TO CITY HALLS AB, BUT A QUESTION FOR THEM.UM, I KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL IS BOTH ON A, ON A TELEPHONE AND ALSO HA IS WATCHING ONLINE, THERE CAN BE THAT FEEDBACK LOOP.
IS IT POSSIBLE MAYBE THAT THE FOLKS ARE GETTING THE DOUBLE FEEDBACK LOOP COULD BE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR AUDIO UP AS THEY'RE WATCHING IT ONLINE AS A CTM HERE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY POSSIBLE, WE HAD AN ECHO IN THE ROOM AS WELL, BUT IF THEY TURNED DOWN THEIR COMPUTER AUDIO, NOT MUTING THEMSELVES, BUT TURNING THEIR COMPUTER AUDIO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZERO, WHEN IT'S THEIR TURN TO TALK, WOULD THAT HELP ELIMINATE THE ECHO? CAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND GET THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS OUT THE WAY THEY SHOULD BECAUSE OF A TECHNOLOGICAL IMPEDIMENT.
NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING NECESSARILY ON THEIR END, PER SE.
IF ANYBODY IS LISTENING TO THIS, WHETHER YOUR TV AND TRY AND LISTEN THROUGH THAT, I WILL SAY YOU JUST HAD AN ECHO RIGHT THERE WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING, BY THE WAY, I'M TRYING TO ENSURE THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME RIGHT NOW.
AM I BEING HEARD BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? CAN I HEAR IT? CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OKAY.
WE HAVE SOLVED THE ECHO WITHIN THE ROOM.
WHAT YOU HAVE SAID IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO REITERATE WHAT
IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, PLEASE, IF YOU'RE ON THE TEAMS, CALL, MUTE YOURSELF.
UM, WE SHOULD HAVE THE FEEDBACK AS YOU CAN ROOM SOLVED.
IF THERE'S A FEEDBACK ISSUE, IT'S ON THE END.
I THINK THEY MAY HAVE MUTED ALL OF US.
I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT THE STAFF SAID.
IT WAS I'M TAKING MY MASK OFF.
Y'ALL I'M SPEAKING WITHOUT A MASK NOW, DO I SOUND BETTER MAYOR? YES.
SO WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS IT'S VERY POSSIBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP THIS MEETING ANY LONGER.
THE FEEDBACK ISSUES IN THE ROOM HAVE BEEN SOLVED, BUT CHEYENNE SAID IT WAS TOTALLY POSSIBLE.
IF YOU ARE NOT SPEAKING, IT'S HARD TO HEAR YOU.
IF YOU COULD GET SPEED A LITTLE MORE SLOWLY AND GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.
I THINK WE MIGHT BE HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH THIS MICROPHONE.
DO I SOUND BETTER ON THIS MICROPHONE, SIR? CAN I, CAN I BE BETTER? OKAY.
WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS WHAT WAS JUST DESCRIBED SOUNDS CORRECT.
WE HAVE SOLVED THE REVERBERATION ISSUE IN THE ROOM.
ANYBODY CALLING IN WHO'S GOT THOSE ISSUES MAY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KEEP EVERYTHING DOWN.
SO WE REALLY CAN'T HEAR YOU REMEMBER KITCHEN.
YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY, WHY DON'T WE TAKE THAT? OH, I, I JUST WAS, UM, GOING TO ECHO WHAT, UH, COUNSELING'S A BAD WORD.
I WAS JUST GOING TO A SECOND POINT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UH, HARPER, MADISON SAID I, AND I KNOW THAT.
SO I JUST ASKED THE STAFF TO SEND TO ALL OF US THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE SPEAKERS SO THAT WE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM AFTERWARDS.
IF I'VE GOT ONE QUICK QUESTION, THOUGH, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A TRANSCRIPT OF THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT WE PROBABLY COULDN'T HAVE FOLLOWED AS WELL.
AND IF WE DO WANT TO TALK TO, TO THE FOLKS THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO CAPTURE THE MAJOR POINTS THAT WERE MADE CHEYENNE, DID YOU HEAR THAT QUESTION? WELL, WE HAVE A TRANSCRIPT.
AND SO TYPICALLY THERE'S A TRANSCRIPT, HOWEVER, AND I SEE THE CLERKS NODDING AT ME.
UM, SO THERE WILL BE A TRANSCRIPT.
HOWEVER, IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR SPEAKERS THAT Y'ALL WANT OTHER BOARD OR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE AWARE OF, YOU CAN EMAIL THOSE TO ME AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THEM.
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NOW WE'VE GOT BACKGROUND NEWS WHERE IF A STAFF IS READY, WE'RE READY FOR OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND BENT.WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE AUDIO TROUBLE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS WAY STANSBURY.
I'M ACTUALLY FROM THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA.
SO, UM, TO TRY TO MOVE MY HOME, MY I'VE BEEN HERE FOR, I SAID THE LAST, UH, ABOUT TWO WEEKS NOW.
UH, HE BROUGHT IN THE PROJECT.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, WHAT I WAS HEARING FROM SOME OF THE SPEAKERS SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO CONSIST OF, UH, BRINGING A NEW BUSINESS, NEW JOBS, THE ONES THAT COME TO AUSTIN.
AND AS I LIVED AT AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES RIGHT NOW, NOT LOOKING AT
SO, UH, WITH THAT SAID, I THINK THE TRANSIT, CAUSE I'VE BEEN RIDING THE BUS SYSTEM, I'M PUBLIC, UH, FUSSING, UH, ON THE PUBLIC BUS TRANSPORTATION.
AND I FEEL THAT, UM, THE CITY, NOT JUST THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT SOME OF THE SURROUNDING, UH, CITIES LIKE NOW GOT, UH, UM, EVEN SAN MARCOS.
I KNOW THE BUS SYSTEM, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION'S YOU HAVE, BUT I THINK AUSTIN WOULD REALLY, UH, BENEFIT IF THEY HAD LIKE A TRAIN SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE DALLAS, JUST LIKE WASHINGTON.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, OUR NEW YORK HAS SUBWAY.
UM, IT JUST MAKES IT HARDER FOR ME TO GET CERTAIN AREAS JUST ON THE BUS SYSTEM.
I MEAN, I GOT UBER, UH, ANYBODY CAN CALL UP A NEW WAY OF LYFT AND SHARE, BUT, UH, WHEN A TRAIN OR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALLOW ONE IS TO EXPAND TO, TO BRANCH OUT, VENTURE OUT, UH, JUST TO FURTHER WEST.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, I TRIED TO GET ON THE BUS WITH NINE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS NINE 45, NINE 47.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST, UH, UH, THEY HAVE THEM OPEN AT A CERTAIN TIME JUST FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, BUT, UH, SOME UT, UM, GOING WEST AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET TO THE LOCATION I WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
UM, I WANT TO SEE AUSTIN TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ADVANCE.
HE WANTED TO SEE CITIES ONCE CAN COME TO, UH, JUST LIKE SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S JUST LIKE, UH, SOME OF THE MAJOR CITIES, LIKE NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES.
UH, SO IF THE PROJECT GOING TO ALLOW ONES TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT AND I'M ALL FOR IT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GONNA BRING JOBS, UH, THIS IS GOING TO HELP WITH, UH, UM, ALLOW ONES TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OPEN UP NEW BUSINESSES AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO EFFECTIVELY GET TO THEIR DESTINATION IN A MORE EFFICIENT TIME.
UM, THEN, UM, THEN I'M FOR IT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T GROW UP HERE.
I GREW UP IN THE FORT WORTH AREA.
SO DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX IS WHAT I KNOW, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A CHANGE FROM DENSITY AND I HEARD AWESOME.
SO, UM, I WANT TO DO A LOT ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION TOO, SO IT'D BE ELIMINATED AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK I PLAYED A LOT OF CITIES WITH THE, WITH THE COVARIATE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY IS HAVING THIS ECHO ISSUE AND WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECESS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE? LET'S UH, TAKE FIVE MINUTES AND, UH, SEE IF YOU CAN, UH, PUT US IN A BETTER SPOT ON THE QUALITY OF THE AUDIO.
UH, 28 AFTER WE'LL, UH, UH, RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES AND RECONVENE, UH, ABOUT 33 AFTER CAP METRO, THE CAP METRO BOARD MEETING IS RECONVENED AT ONE
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43 MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, OFFICER CONVENING, AND ONE 43, I GOT A CHECK SAYING THE STAFF THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD GET THIS DONE.IF THEY HAD A FEW MORE MINUTES, IS THAT TRUE? OR SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD? I'M HEARING TO GO TO THE PRESENTATION FROM THE CLERK, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
SO FOR ALL LISTENING THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO OUR SPEAKERS.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP OUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE, UH, SPEAKER MAYOR.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY OPENING REMARKS BEFORE WE GO INTO THE PRESENTATION? NO, I THINK WE SHOULD GO STRAIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION VERY WELL.
[1. Update on Project Connect.(Part 1 of 2)]
TALK ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, PLANNING, UH, PROCESS RECAP, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP REVIEW CITY OF AUSTIN CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS AND CAP METRO COMMUNITY COMMITMENT.AND THEN FOURTH ITEM WILL BE THE INITIAL INVESTMENT SEQUENCE RECAP.
UH, JACKIE NIERENBERG WILL START US OFF.
ARE YOU READY TO GO? I AM READY TO GO.
MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CHAIRMAN COOPER, BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT CLARK AND FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JACKIE NIERENBERG AND I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FOR CAPITAL METRO.
AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO KICK OFF TODAY'S PRESENTATION BY WALKING US THROUGH THE EVOLUTION OF PROJECT CONNECT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
CAN SOMEONE ADVANCE THE SLIDE PLEASE? THANK YOU.
AND I THINK WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE AGENDA ALREADY.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
SO WE BEGAN OUR WORK ON PROJECT CONNECT WAY BACK IN 2016 AND, UM, WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE CITIES, AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN TEAM TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY ON RETHINKING THE WAY WE MOVE WITH THE HELP OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE PROJECT CONNECT TEAM IDENTIFY THE CORRIDORS WHERE NEW TRANSIT OPTIONS MADE SENSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT EFFORT CULMINATED NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IN THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION PLAN BY CAPITOL METRO'S BOARD IN DECEMBER OF 2018, THE RESULT OF A TWO YEAR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
THE RESULT OF THAT, UH, THOUGH, CAN WE GO BACK? I'M SORRY.
UM, THE RESULT OF THAT WAS BOARD GUIDANCE ON THE INITIAL TECHNICAL PLAN.
UM, WE WERE INSTRUCTED THAT THE VISION COULD BE BOULDER, UM, THAT THE INCLUSION OF THE PROJECT CONNECT CORRIDOR SHOULD BE IN THE ASN PLAN AND THAT WE SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AND RIGHT AWAY.
AND THE BOARD ALSO AUTHORIZED STAFF TO PURSUE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, THE NEPA OR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, AND TO CONTINUE OUR ENGAGEMENT WORK.
THE NEXT IMPORTANT MILESTONE CAME IN APRIL OF 2019 WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND UPDATE OF THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN WITH A GOAL TO REACH A 50, 50 NON SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE MODE SHARE BY 2039 AND A 16% MODE SHARE GOAL FOR TRANSIT, THEIR PLAN READS.
AND I QUOTE, WE SHOULD INVEST IN A COMPLETE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITH HIGH CAPACITY VEHICLES AND DEDICATED TRANSIT PATHWAYS BECAUSE IT HAS THE ABILITY TO MOVE THE MOST PEOPLE IN THE REGION.
FAST FORWARD TO JUNE, 2020 THIS SUMMER, WHEN IN OUR SEVENTH JOINT WORK SESSION, BOTH THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN AT THIS POINT OVER 60,000 PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS WHICH INCLUDED A SERIES OF VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN MAY AND THEN JULY AFTER ONE FINAL VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING THE COUNCIL AND BOARD CONVENED FOR THE EIGHTH TIME.
THANKS FOR THE EIGHTH TIME ON JULY 22ND, 2020, NOT TOO LONG AGO.
UM, AND THE RESULT OF THAT WAS
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A UNANIMOUS APPROVAL BY BOTH BODIES, UM, TO IMPROVE, TO APPROVE THE INVESTMENT DECISION FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO INCLUDE THE PROJECT CONNECT INITIAL INVESTMENT PLAN IN THE CITY TAX RATE AND PREPARE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, CAPITAL METRO BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO FUND PROJECT CONNECT PROJECTS IN THE AGENCY'S FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET AND RETURN WITH A DETAILED FINANCIAL PLAN.AS I MENTIONED, OVER 60,000 PEOPLE HAD BEEN ENGAGED TO THIS POINT AND WE HAD HAD NEARLY 700 COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS THAT LEADS US TO TODAY'S NINTH AND MOST CRITICAL SESSION.
IT HAS BEEN A LONG AND FRUITFUL JOURNEY AND ONE THAT HAS BROUGHT OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO CONTEMPLATE A HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE.
AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE GREG CANALY WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON TO TALK ABOUT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
I APPRECIATE THE INTRODUCTION AND GOING THROUGH, UH, ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OVER THESE LAST YEARS.
AND I AGREE WE'RE AT A MOMENT TODAY, UM, FINALIZING ALL THAT WORK, UM, AND REALLY FORMALIZING THE PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK THAT HAS COME OUT OF ALL OF THAT WORK.
AND I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME WALKING THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP AGAIN, UM, AND HIGHLIGHTING THE ACTION ITEM IN FRONT OF BOTH BODIES TODAY TO FORMALIZE THIS PARTNERSHIP, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AGAIN, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, REALLY GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AS WE LOOKED AT FORMALIZING, THE RELATIONSHIP, UM, THAT HAS OCCURRED AND, UM, THE, ALL THE COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS, AND AGAIN, THE JOINT WORK SESSIONS HELPS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO CAN FORMALIZE MOVING FORWARD VIA THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, WILL BE A, AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY WITH THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO MANAGE THE DAY TO DAY PROJECT CONNECT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EXECUTION AND DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAPITAL METRO HAS HAVE APPROVED ON JULY 27TH, ALONG WITH THE FUNDING AND FINANCING OF ALL OF THAT FROM A STRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE, BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO WILL BE, UM, COMBINING FUNDS INTO THIS NEW JOINT PARTNERSHIP AND THAT NEW JOINT PARTNERSHIP FOCUS ON GOVERNANCE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION KEELY AND VERY FOCUSLY ON THE FINANCING OF ALL ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT CONNECT, UM, PROGRAM, AND THEN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING TO MAKE SURE THAT INTEGRATES WITHIN OUR EXISTING TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN AUSTIN.
AND FINALLY, THE ASSETS THAT ARE BUILT WILL BE OPERATED BY OUR, UH, BY OUR TRANSIT AUTHORITY CAPITAL METRO THAT WE HAVE, I THINK, KEY TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS THIS, UM, GETS FORMED.
AND AGAIN, TODAY, THE, UH, AGREEMENT, THE ACTION ITEM THAT IN FRONT OF OUR FRONT OF BOTH BODIES ARE AN INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT AND THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND THE BYLAWS THAT WILL FORM THE CORPORATION.
AND THE PARTNERSHIP KEY TO THAT IS TRANSPARENCY, UH, WITH MAKING SURE THERE ARE QUARTERLY REPORTS BACK TO THE RESPECTIVE BODIES, CITY COUNCIL AND CAPITAL METRO, UM, ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS, INCLUDING ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORTS BACK TO BOTH BOARDS AND VIA JOINT MEETING.
WE BELIEVE, UM, CONTINUING THE GREAT WORK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AT CAP METRO BOARDS HAVE DONE TOGETHER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INVESTMENT IS CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO FROM A POLICY DIRECTION.
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR IS KEY TO THE CREATION OF THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS IT IS GETTING BUILT OUT THERE AS CLOSE ALIGNMENT CITY AND CAP, METRO CONTINUE TO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS PARTNERSHIP FIRST AND FOREMOST, APPROVING THE PROJECT SYSTEM PLAN THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED WITH THE INITIAL INVESTMENT AND ANY POLICIES SURROUNDING, UM, IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, AND THEN AFTER THE CREATION OF THIS ILA AND THE ARTICLES AND BYLAWS FORMERLY, UM, CREATING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THEN EACH YEAR ALLOCATING THE FUNDING THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, UH, VIA, UH, THE ELECTION AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE COMMUNITY RESOLUTION FROM KEVIN PROMETRIC NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
ONE ELEMENT WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, THAT IS ALSO PART OF THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR YOUR JOINT ACTION IS THE BOARD COMPOSITION.
AS A RECAP, THE BOARD COMPOSITION IS A FIVE MEMBER BOARD.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, A MEMBER OF THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD.
AND THEN WHAT WE BELIEVE IS REALLY A KEY ELEMENT IS HAVING COMMUNITY EXPERTS REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY, UM, BUT BRINGING EXPERTISE, UH, IN THE AREAS OF FINANCE,
[00:35:01]
ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION, AND REALLY A KEY ONE, WE BELIEVE IS THE IDEA OF COMMUNITY PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY ON THIS IMPORTANT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.THERE'S A NOMINATING COMMITTEE PROCESS LAID OUT IN THE ILA THAT IS JOINT OF BOTH THE CAPITAL METRO AND CITY COUNCIL TO BE, TO PUT FORWARD A SLATE OF CANDIDATES SO THAT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP CAN BE FORMED BY JANUARY ONE AND GET UP AND RUNNING AND LIFT ALL THE PROJECTS OFF THE MAP AND START MOVING THEM FORWARD INTO IMPLEMENTATION MODE.
AND AT THAT, UH, THE, WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY SPELLS OUT THE HIGH LEVEL ELEMENTS OF HOW THE PARTNERSHIP WOULD WORK ONCE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS FORMALLY APPROVED HERE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ROUND OF VERY CRITICAL WORK IN THE IDEA OF CREATING AND FORMING A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
AND THIS WOULD BE BETWEEN THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO.
AND IT WILL COVER A VARIETY RANGE OF TOPICS.
WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE TODAY.
UM, THE GENERAL ONES ARE AROUND MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION KEYING ON HOW WE AUDIT KEYING ON SAFETY OVERSIGHT.
THAT WILL BE A KEY ELEMENT TO ALL THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE OCCURRING ALONG THE DIFFERENT PROJECT ELEMENTS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND OUR, THE DB PROGRAM AND PROCUREMENT THAT AGAIN, IS OUTLINED IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS THAT THE CITY HAS, BUT WE'LL ALSO GET EXPANDED AND LOOKED AT IN THE JPA FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND THEN ULTIMATELY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION SOME OF THE DETAILS AROUND HOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UTILITIES AND FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS.
WHEN YOU'RE BEGINNING TO DO COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THAT WOULD ALL GET LAID OUT IN A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT WOULD COME BACK TO ALL THE THREE ENTITIES FOR APPROVAL AND A KEY ELEMENT OF THIS AS WELL WOULD BE A, THAT WOULD, AGAIN, IF THAT IS IF PART OF THE DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, BUT WOULD ALSO BE PART OF THE JOINT PELLET, UH, JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, AGAIN, WOULD BE LOOKING AT MITIGATION PROGRAMS, SUSTAINABILITY AND KEY, AS WELL AS WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE DETAILED JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
SO WITH THAT, WE WANT TO BRING YOU TO TODAY'S ACTIONS.
WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE SPEAKERS TO GO THROUGH, BUT HIGHLIGHT, UH, FOR YOU WHERE WE WILL BE.
SO AGAIN, RECAPPING, I THINK WHAT JACKIE SAID, THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE THE JOINT BODIES HAVE MADE ON JULY 27TH, ABOUT THE INVESTMENT PACKAGE AND THE DIRECTION TO COME BACK WITH THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, UM, THAT OCCURRED.
UH, ONE OF THOSE OCCURRED LAST WEEK WHEN THE CITY, UM, FORMALIZED THE TAX RATE THAT WILL BE ADOPTED, UM, NEXT WEEK.
AND THEN HERE WE ARE TODAY ON AUGUST 7TH, THE FOUR ITEMS IN FRONT OF THE BODIES TO OUR, AGAIN, APPROVING THE INNER LOCAL AND APPROVING THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND THE BYLAWS THAT WERE FORMALIZED, THE CREATION OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THEN ALSO VERY TWO KEY ELEMENTS.
THE RESOLUTIONS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR A CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, THE COMMITMENT TO THE VOTERS ABOUT HOW THE TAX REVENUE WOULD BE SPENT THE SAME SIMILAR, UH, RESOLUTION FROM THE, FROM CAP METRO AROUND THEIR FUNDING, COMMITMENT FOR THEIR ONGOING FUNDING AS A PARTICIPANT, UH, IN EQUAL PARTNER IN, IN FUNDING, THE, UH, OVERALL IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT WEEK AS THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE, UH, FINALIZING ITS BUDGET TAX RATE AND ORDERING THE ELECTION.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO NET MARTIN, MARK, THE CFO WITH CAPITAL METRO WHO CAN TAKE US THROUGH THE REMAINING PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M RENEE
SO LIKE RICK WAS SAYING, THIS IS A SHARED COMMITMENT BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
OH, CAN WE HAVE THE NEXT PAGE PLEASE? SO ON THE AGENDA TODAY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS TO DEDICATE TO THE TAX RATE ELECTION REVENUE, TO AUSTIN TRANSIT OWNERSHIP FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM, IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR A 300 MILLION FOR TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
AND TO ALSO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY ALONG THE CORRIDOR, THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD WILL BE APPROVING A FUNDING AND COMMUNITY COMMITMENT
[00:40:01]
TO FUND ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS FOR OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM.CAPITAL METRO STARTED THE ACCUMULATION OF A CAPITAL EXPANSION FUND IN 2018.
AND THAT FUND WILL NOW BE FULLY DEDICATED TO PROJECT CONNECT CAPITAL.
METRO WILL ALSO SERVE AS THE FTA PROJECT SPONSOR AND WILL TRANSFER FUNDS RECEIVED FROM ANY GRANT AGREEMENTS RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECTS LIKE RANDY MENTIONED EARLIER.
IT'S VERY GOOD NEWS TO SEE THAT THE MTA FINALIZED AND $929 MILLION FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE SOUTHWEST LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT PROJECT IN MINNESOTA, THAT IS A $2 BILLION LIGHT RAIL PROJECT.
AND THIS REPRESENTS AN ALMOST 47% FEDERAL MATCH.
THIS FURTHER VALIDATES OUR 45% FEDERAL MATCH ASSUMPTION IN THE PROJECT CONNECT FINANCIAL MODEL, ALL CONTRACTS AWARDED BY THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WILL ADDRESS A LIVING WAGE AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTIONS IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL FTA REQUIREMENTS.
NEXT PAGE, PLEASE HERE IS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT SEQUENCE PLAN THAT YOU APPROVED LAST WEEK AND WITH THE ACTIONS YOU ARE TAKING TODAY, YOU'RE ALSO COMMITTING TO FUND.
INITIALLY THE ORANGE LIGHT LIGHT RAIL LINE WILL BE BUILT IN THE SEGMENTS WHERE THE CITY CONTROLS THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THE BLUE LINE WILL BE BUILT AS A LIGHT RAIL LINE AS PER THE SYSTEM PLAN INCLUDED IS ALSO THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL THAT WILL PROVIDE FAST AND SAFE WAY TO OPERATE IN THE CONGESTED DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE RED LINE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NEAR TERM TO IMPROVE CAPACITY ON THAT LINE.
AND THE GREEN LINE WILL BE A NEW COMMUTER LINE GOING TO COLONY PARK, MAY TRY AND RAPID PHASE ONE INCLUDES THE FIRST THREE LINES EXPOSED CENTER AND THE PLEASANT VALLEY LINES, AS WELL AS THE SOUTH LAMAR EIGHT OH THREE EXTENSION GOLDLINE WILL INITIALLY START AS A METRO RAPID LINE AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED OUR NEW METRO EXPRESS COMMUTER MINDS WITH ADDITIONAL PARKING RIDES AND WITH METRO BUS, METRO ACCESS AND CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS FUNDING IS ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH 300 MILLION PHASED OVER TIME OR TRANSIT SUPPORTED IN BASEMENTS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENTS ON THE PROJECT CONNECT IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL HAND IT BACK TO THE CHAIR.
THANK YOU ALSO, JACKIE AND GREG, AND LET ME JUST PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND SAY, THANKS ONCE AGAIN, TO STAFF ON BOTH SIDES, CITY STAFF AND CAP, METRO STAFF, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.
SOME OF YOU ARE DEALING WITH FLOODS AT HOME AND ONE YEAR OLDS AND, UH, ALL OF US CALL IN AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND HOPE THAT WITH OUR CONCLUSION OF OUR WORK TODAY, YOU'LL GET A FEW DAYS OFF.
SO THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, FOR OUR PRESENTERS NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR THAT.
AND THEN JUST A HEADS UP FOR EVERYBODY.
WE'LL TRY TO GO BACK TO OUR SPEAKERS UNLESS A IT CONTROL TELLS US OTHERWISE.
AND THEN CITY COUNCIL WILL TAKE UP THE ILA FOLLOWED BY CAP METRO TAKEN UP, UH, THE ILA AND THEN CITY COUNCIL WILL TAKE UP THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
AND THEN, UH, FINALLY CAN'T, METRO WILL TAKE UP A, IT'S A CONTRACT WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS FOR JACKIE, GREG OR RONNETTE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS, BUT I'LL MAKE THOSE LATER.
AND, UH, AS WE GET TO THE DOCUMENTS, THERE'S A, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS, EXPLAIN SOME OF THAT.
I'M HEARING REPORTS THAT THE ATX END FEED IS DOWN.
CAN WE CONFIRM THAT WITH STAFF? YEAH.
LET'S SEEING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN MY OWN INBOX ADD OR CHEYENNE THE FUEL, LET ME KNOW OUR STATUS.
[00:45:05]
ATX 10 IS CHECKING IN WITH THE CLOSED CAPTIONING.THAT IS THE STATUS I HAVEN'T MESSAGED.
I'M NOT ABLE TO PULL IT UP ON MY OWN COMPUTER.
I'M GETTING THE SPINNING WHEEL OF DEATH, FOLLOWED BY SOMETHING WENT MORE.
I'M DOING NICK, SOMETHING WENT WRONG DURING NATIVE PLAYBACK.
I WANT TO MEET IN PERSON AGAIN.
ISN'T GONNA MATTER TOO, TOO MUCH.
YOU'RE JUST GOING TO START PULLING OUT H JOKES AGAIN.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE BUILDING A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND NOT A TRUMP SYSTEM.
ARE WE, IF, IF THIS, IF WE CAN'T GET THIS RESOLVED, ARE WE LOOKING AT A BACKSTOP LIKE TO RECESS AND RECONVENE AND MAYBE ALLOW THE SPEAKERS TO COME TO A PALMER AUDITORIUM LIKE WE'RE DOING FOR BUDGET NEXT WEEK.
SOMEBODY'S KIND OF THINKING IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE SAY, HOW DO WE SAVE THIS MEETING? YEAH, I'M GOING TO TALK TO ED AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON ON CITY HALL REAL QUICK.
WAIT, DO YOU WANT TO JUST TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND LET PEOPLE COME BACK TO MAKE AN EXECUTIVE DECISION AS VICE CHAIR? YES, BUT LET'S SEE IF WADE'S GETTING A CALL HERE, BUT IF HE TAKES TOO LONG, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU.
ARE WE GOING TO TAKE A RECESS? HANG ON A SECOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF WADE IS WITH US.
I JUST TALKED TO THE, I JUST TALKED TO ERIC.
THEY'RE HAVING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.
APPARENTLY I TAKE YOUR BATH, TAKE A QUICK RECESS.
SO LET'S DO THAT CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE AT TWO OH SIX.
UH WE'LL WE'LL WAIT, DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO TAKE A RECESS HERE AND THEN COME BACK? STAFF WOULD LIKE TO, YES.
LET'S TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS JUST BY WAY OF UPDATE.
WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE ABLE TO SEE EACH OTHER, BUT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ATX FEED OUT TO THE ETFS.
SO LET'S, SHOULD WE COME BACK AT TWO 30? WAIT, UH THAT'S ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
DOES THAT MEAN WE SHOULD LOG OUT AND COME BACK IN OR JUST SET THIS ASIDE? I'M JUST GOING TO TURN OFF MY CAMERA MYSELF, BUT YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU OKAY.
ALL THE CAP METRO BOARD MEETING IS RECESSIVE TO DID THE MAYOR RECESS.
AT RECESS TILL TWO 30 CITY COUNCIL, ZERO SEVEN NOW.
I THOUGHT YOU GOT INTERRUPTED.
I'VE GOTTEN CONFIRMATION FROM MYRNA THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START.
UH, UH, WE'LL CALL GAVEL IN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE AT TWO 55.
THIS IS BEING BROADCAST ON, UH, CABLE CHANNEL SIX.
UH, THE INTERNET IS DOWN RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL BE ADDED TO THE INTERNET AND THOSE CAPTIONING WILL BE ADDED TO THE INTERNET JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET THOSE FUNCTIONALITIES EMPLOYED.
[00:50:01]
AT TWO 55 CHEYENNE, IF YOU'RE READY.UM, WE'LL TAKE UP THE SPEC TO COMMENTARY FROM BOARD MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, COUNCIL WILL TAKE UP THE ILA.
SO IF YOU'RE READY WITH SPEAKERS,
[Additional Item 2]
WE'LL GO AHEAD.JUST A REMINDER TO SPEAKERS TO PLEASE STAY ON MUTE UNTIL YOUR NAME IS CALLED.
WE REALLY, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND WORKING WITH US AND WE HOPE WE CAN GET BACK TOGETHER AND AN IN PERSON MEETING SOON.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, ZENOBIA JOSEPH, UM, MAYOR, UH, AND MR. CHAIR.
I'M NOT SURE IF MR. EASTON THAT A CHANCE TO SEND YOU MY UPDATED DOCUMENTS.
I INADVERTENTLY SENT THE WRONG ONE YESTERDAY.
UM, IT'S TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AND I SENT IT TO THE US TREASURY DEPARTMENT AND THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.
I WANTED TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO PAGE 53 OF YOUR DOCUMENT.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE RESOLUTION, IT TALKS ABOUT MAINTAINING THE EXISTING LOCAL BUS NETWORKS AND THAT IT SAYS SPECIFICALLY THAT IT WILL BE EQUITABLE CONNECTIONS TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT IT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED.
AND SO, UM, MR CHAIR, I KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CIRCUIT OF 4702.1 B DATED OCTOBER 1ST, 2012, SECTION FOUR DASH 16 REQUIRES YOU TO REANALYZE AND IMPLEMENT THE LEAST DISCRIMINATORY ALTERNATIVE.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO PAGE 17, THAT'S WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE $300, $300 MILLION DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION.
I JUST WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE MICRO UNITS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED BY PRESIDIUM, THEY CALL IT INNOVATIVE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE WILL MAKE 80 1090 $6,000.
THAT WAS BEFORE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT IN JULY TWICE.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT NO AMOUNT OF MONEY WILL HELP MITIGATE THIS PROBLEM UNLESS YOUR COUNSEL IS WILLING TO REVOKE A RE REPEAL, RATHER THE VOTE THAT THEY TOOK ON RIVERSIDE TO MOVE THE STUDENTS AND THE LOW INCOME RESIDENTS FROM THERE.
I WANT YOU TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ALREADY SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY HELP INDIVIDUALS, LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
THEY COULD REPEAL THAT PROVISION AS WELL.
METRO IS OFF THE HOOK BECAUSE A DEVELOPER CAN ACTUALLY GET A WAIVER FOR THE TRANSIT IN THE SMART HOUSING.
SO TRANSIT ORIENTED IS JUST A FOREST.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT ON KCI IS STILL PLAYING THE UNDERWRITING PROPAGANDA.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO REMOVE THAT.
AND SO IT IS DISINGENUOUS FOR THE MAYOR AND HIS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS TO MENTION GEORGE FLOYD, BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE STILL WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS.
IT'S SIX AND SEVEN MINUTES TO UT AND 15 MINUTES SOUTHWEST.
AND SINCE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN, I WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THERE'S A PICTURE IN THE DOCUMENT THAT I SENT YOU OF A MAN IN HIS WHEELCHAIR, IN THE ROAD ON FM NINE 69.
AND SO IF YOU CARE ABOUT EVERYBODY, NOT JUST BLACK PEOPLE, BUT LOW INCOME WHITE RIDERS, I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT PLEASE STOP PIMPING, POOR PEOPLE AND JUST DO THE RIGHT THING AS IT RELATES TO THE AREA THAT'S NORTH OF US, ONE 83.
I DO WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE RELYING ON THE 2010 CENSUS DATA, POOR PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT AFFORD $1 NOW, RIGHT? EIGHT OH ONE SODA, MR. COUCH, TO JUST GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT SHOWS THE DATA BEFORE AND AFTER THE FAIR WENT DOWN BY $1.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, MS. JOSEPH'S DIANE.
SPEAKER, MR. ANNABELLE AND EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
ANDREY VERY NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL AGAIN, I SEE THAT YOU ALL HAVE, MAY HAVE NEEDED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR PROJECT
[00:55:01]
CONNECT METRO PLAN AS A RESULT, MAINLY AS A RESULT OF THE COVEN WHILE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE NEEDED TO BE MADE.I STILL APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL ARE THINKING VERY STRONGLY ABOUT TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT.
WHEN I SPOKE BEFORE, I MENTIONED THAT I'M VERY ESPECIALLY VERY EXCITED FOR THE BLUE LINE BETWEEN REPUBLIC SQUARE AND ABI.
I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED, RIGHT? THAT OPENED TODAY.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT YOU ALL COLLABORATE WITH TECH TEXDOT IN MAKING SURE THAT THE CAPITOL XPRESS ON IHG 35 IN YOUR CITY INCLUDES XPRESS, EXITS AND ENTRANCES, MORE SPECIFICALLY AN EXPRESS AND PRINCE NORTHBOUND AND EXPRESS AND PRINCE SOUTHBOUND INTO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN FROM THE HIGHWAY, AS WELL AS AN EXPRESS EXIT NORTHBOUND AND AN EXPRESS EXIT SOUTHBOUND FROM THE STAIN.
IF THIS IS DONE, YOUR METRO EXPRESS WILL FUNCTION MUCH STRONGER, CAUSE IT WOULD BE AWESOME TO GET FROM THE EXPRESS LANES INTO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AND ALSO TO THE, INTO THE EXPRESS LANES FROM THE SAME HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING SO WITHOUT NEEDING TO DEAL WITH THE LOCAL LANES OF THE HIGHWAY, YOU GOT THE GOOD WORK.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I'M VERY READY TO SEE THE AUSTIN METRO BECOME STRONGER.
THANK YOU, MR. ANDREY CHINA, OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA WOLF.
CITY COUNCIL AND CAB BOARD METRO, UM, CAP METRO BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JESSICA WOLF, DEPUTY POLICY DIRECTOR AT WORKER'S DEFENSE.
WE AT WORKER'S DEFENSE BELIEVE INCREASING PUBLIC TRANSIT IN OUR CITY AND MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE, ESPECIALLY THE WORKING FAMILIES IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR AUSTIN TOWARDS BECOMING A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE CITY.
THE TRANSCEND BOND PASSES PROJECT CONNECT WILL CREATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, TRANSPORTATION WORKERS, AND MORE AT WORK.
THIS OFFENSE, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PRIORITIES IS TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD, SAFE JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE APPLAUD COUNCIL FOR INCLUDING THE BETTER BUILDER STANDARDS ALONG WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HIRING GOAL, AS IT WILL RAISE WAGE AND SAFETY STANDARDS AND CREATE CONSTRUCTION CAREER PATHWAYS FOR THOUSANDS OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN OUR CITY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE BOARD WHO WILL BE OVERSEEING PROJECT CONNECTS TO HAVE THEIR REPRESENTATION AND INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH EXPERIENCE ADVOCATING AND REPRESENTING WORKING PEOPLE IN TRANSIT USERS ON THE BOARD, WE SUPPORT THE RECENT LANGUAGE INCLUDED THAT ALLOWS FOR ALTERNATE FORMS OF EXPERIENCE OF QUALIFICATIONS FROM THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN THE REVISED INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE A VOICE ON THE BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY.
LOOK, IF YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SHANE JOHNSON.
HELLO? CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
UM, I'LL CHANGE ON SOMETHING EVEN IN FRONT OF THEM.
I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE, UH, RECENTLY MOVED TO DISTRICT FOUR SPECIFICALLY.
UH, SO THANKS FOR HEARING ME OUT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THE MOVEMENT THAT HAS OCCURRED SO FAR ON 15, UH, TO MAKE COMMITMENT TOWARDS EQUITY AND TRYING TO MITIGATE DISPLACEMENT CAUSED BY PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, BUT WE STILL NEED SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR REPRESENTATION AND OVERSIGHT IN THREE AREAS AND ONE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION OVERSIGHT TO THE EQUITY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION, AND THREE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDING AND ALLOCATION, UM, HAVE TO FULLY CENTER EQUITY AND IN ALL ASPECTS OF PROJECT CONNECT, UM, AND THESE AND DOING SO THROUGH THESE THREE STRATEGIES MUST BE DONE FIRST.
UM, OTHERWISE PROJECT CONNECT WILL BE IN VIOLATION OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION.
[01:00:01]
AND PROJECT CONNECTS WILL CONTINUE PART MANY HARMFUL ASPECTS OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM IN AUSTIN.UM, SO I REALLY WANT TO, UH, BRING ATTENTION TO THE WORK REQUIRE THE PROFESSIONAL WORK REQUIREMENTS AND EXPERTISE FOR THE ACP BOARD.
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE NEED ENGINEERING AND FINANCE AND SUSTAINABLE PLANNING EXPERTISE, BUT WE ALSO NEED AS THE EARLIEST SPEAKERS MENTIONED COMMUNITY EXPERTISE AND WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL SEATS THAT HAVE, ARE SPECIFICALLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF EXPERTS IN WHAT THE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE, WOULD BE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT ABOUT THAT EXPERTISE.
UM, THIS PROJECT WILL DISPLACE PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE NEED AT LEAST THREE ADDITIONAL SEATS ON THE, UH, ATP BOARD SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT.
UM, AND TO, TO AS, UH, UH, I HAVEN'T READ THE MOST RECENT PLAN, BUT THE PREVIOUS PLAN WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS SLATED TO HAVE THE ANIMAL PLANNING PERSON ALSO BE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERSON THAT, AND THAT QUITE FRANKLY, IS A FARCE.
YOU CAN'T, UM, SORT OF SHUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO THE SIDE AS A SECONDARY ROLE OF SUSTAINABLE PLANNING EXPERT.
UM, I REALLY WANT TO UPLIFT THAT, UH, IN ADDITION, THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH LEGAL STANDING TO DIRECT, UH, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE, UH, DECISIONS AND, UH, WORK DONE BY THE ECP BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MUST BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
AS I WAS SAYING A MOMENT AGO, PARTICULARLY FOLKS WHO WILL BE MOST IN PEOPLE, LIVING IN AREAS THAT WE MOST IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT AND POTENTIAL DISPLACEMENT WHO ARE LOW INCOME AND BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS.
AND WHEN I LEAVE YOU ALL THAT, IT'S STILL UP TO THE VOTERS AND I DON'T THINK THE VOTERS WILL APPROVE A PROJECT THAT DOESN'T SEND YOUR EQUITY.
THE NEXT, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS IT PIERCE BURNETTE? DR.
WE CAN COME BACK TO HER CHAIR AND MAYOR WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
UH, GREETINGS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CAPITAL MEMBER BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M DAVE DOBBS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TECHS ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND SPEAK TODAY IN FAVOR OF THE AUSTIN FENCES PARTNERSHIP ATP TO FACILITATE AND FUND THE PROJECT, THE NEC VISION FOR BUILDING AND OPERATING A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL RAIL BASED PUBLIC FENCES SYSTEM FOR THE CAPITAL OF TEXAS.
WELL, THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS FOR DOING THIS RANGING FROM SOCIAL JUSTICE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
IT IS THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF URBAN RAIL AND THE INCREASED TAX BASE THAT WE'LL BRING TO THE CITY THAT MAKES THE AUSTIN, THAT PARTNERSHIP THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND IT PIRU PAPER FOR THE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES THAT WE DID LAST YEAR ABOUT NEW UNITED STATES LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS BUILT AFTER 1981, WE FOUND THAT WHERE OUR STUDIES WERE AVAILABLE, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT WAS POSITIVE.
IN OTHER WORDS, NEW DEVELOPMENT, NEW TAX BASE, AROUND LIGHT RAIL STATIONS, MORE THAN OFFSET.
THE COST OF BUILDING THE LIGHT RAIL LINE.
HERE ARE THREE EXAMPLES IN $2,018 THAT CAN BE EASILY FOUND ON THE WEB RIDERSHIP NUMBERS ARE FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF LAST YEAR.
AND THAT THING 96, THE DALLAS AREA, RAPID FENCE SYSTEM OR DARK BEGAN WITH A 20 MILE STARTER LINE THAT IS TODAY A 93 MILE SYSTEM WITH 64 STATIONS AND MORE THAN 92,000 RIDERS DAILY, ACCORDING TO A 2014 DARK STUDY, THEY CAPITAL COSTS FOR THIS WAS 7 BILLION, $34 MILLION, WHICH WAS PRODUCED $10.8 BILLION WORTH OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR A 150% RETURN ON INVESTMENT TWIN CITIES, METRO RAIL
[01:05:01]
RAIL OPERATING IN 2004, AS IT IS NOW A 23 MILE SYSTEM CONNECTING DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS TO THE MALL OF AMERICA AND TO DOWNTOWN ST.PAUL, IT HAS 75,300 DAILY RIDERS AND SEVEN STATIONS.
A 2018 METH COUNCIL STUDY PUT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT AT 2 BILLION IN DOLLARS THAT IT CREATED $8.4 BILLION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAY 400 RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT RETURN ON INVESTMENT VALLEY.
METRO RAIL AND PHOENIX OPENED IN 2008 WITH 19.6 MILES OF LIGHT RAIL TO TEMPE AND NOW HAS EXPANDED TO 28.2 MILES WITH 38 STATIONS AND 47,000 RIDERS DAILY.
THE CAPITAL COST FOR 2.9 BILLION, BUT SHIELDED 11 VISITS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ACCORDING TO THE DASH 379% RETURN ON INVESTMENT CONSUL NUMBERS AND CAPITAL NORTH METRO BOARD MEMBERS.
I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK TO REACH THIS POINT.
I URGE YOU TO PUT THIS BEFORE THE BOATERS OF NOVEMBER 3RD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. THANK YOU.
I BELIEVE A DOCTOR CALL IT PIERCE BURNETT IS BACK ON THE LINE.
MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, PERSON COOPER AND MEMBERS OF THE CAP METRO BOARD.
I'M COMING TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON, WEARING MANY HATS AS AN AUTHOR, RESONANT A PERSON OF COLOR AND EDUCATOR, A UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT AND ACTIVIST, AND SOMEONE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE DEPENDING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN VARIOUS CHAPTERS OF MY LIFE.
AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE HATS ARE TIPS TO BEING A SUPPORTER OF PROJECT CONNECT.
I'M A STAUNCH BELIEVER THAT EDUCATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER THAT IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE OF OUR TIME AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS.
AND WITH RESPECT TO AFFORDABILITY IS ONE OF THOSE BARRIERS.
MANY OF MY STUDENTS LIVE OFF CAMPUS WITH QUITE A BIT OF A COMMUTE BECAUSE OF THE DEPLETION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AROUND THE CAMPUS HERE.
AND HE, AND MANY OF THOSE DO HAVE TO WORK TO PAY FOR COLLEGE WHILE IN COLLEGE, WHETHER THEY LIVE ON CAMPUS OR NOT BEFORE COVID-19 WHEN I WOULD COME TO CAMPUS IN THE MORNING BETWEEN SEVEN 30 AND EIGHT, I WOULD SEE STUDENTS WHO LIVE ON CAMPUS AT THE BUS STOP ON CHECON.
I ONCE ASKED ONE OF THEM WHERE THEY WERE HEADED SO EARLY IN THE MORNING, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS GOING TO WORK.
SHE TOLD ME SHE HAS TO TAKE THREE BUSES TO GET TO HER DESTINATION AND IT TAKES HER TWO HOURS.
SO WE SURVEYED THE CAMPUS AND FOUND THAT ACCESS TO ADEQUATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A BARRIER ON MANY LEVELS.
IN ADDITION TO THE STUDENTS, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF MY STAFF, MY FACULTY AND STAFF LIVE OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN WAS A COMMUTE OF UP TO 90 MINUTES AND MANY WOULD PREFER PUBLIC TRANSIT IN ADDITION TO IMPROVE THAN EFFICIENT ACCESS, WHICH IS PROMISED BY PROJECT CAN NETAPP CONNECT.
I BELIEVE THERE IS ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THIS PROJECT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO AMPLIFY VARIOUS LARGE SCALE TRANSIT PROJECTS OF THIS NATURE ACROSS OUR NATION DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF DISPLACEMENT.
AND THE IMPACT WAS THAT THEY SADLY DESTROYED PROUD, VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS.
I BELIEVE AUSTIN MUST BE INTENTIONAL AND DOG TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO GUARD AGAINST THAT HAPPENING HERE.
THE ICONIC AMERICAN AUTHOR, MY ANGLE, WHO WROTE THAT WHEN WE KNOW BETTER, WE DO BETTER.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DEMONSTRATING THAT WE IN FACT DO NO BETTER HERE IN AUSTIN BY COMMITTING $300 MILLION TO ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FOR THIS WORK.
AND WE WILL DO BETTER THIS TIME.
IT IS OUR DUTY TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE, EFFICIENT, SAFE MODES OF TRANSIT FOR ALL CITIZENS, THE LAW TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO BASIC CIVIL RIGHTS AS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I AM A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR A TRANSIT SYSTEM WITH EQUITY AS A CORE PRINCIPLE.
I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HARD WORK AS PUBLIC SERVANTS.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL EMBRACE ON MY ANKLE AND GLUE TAUGHT US THAT WE'LL BE NO BETTER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LYNDON HENRY.
WELCOME MR. HENRY, MR. HENRY, YOU MIGHT BE ON MUTE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND CIRCLE BACK.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHERINE GONZALEZ.
HELLO? HELLO? IS THIS MR. HENRY? HELLO? YES, HENRY.
GO AHEAD, MR. HENRY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
[01:10:01]
I'M LINDEN HENRY.I'M AN URBAN PLANNER AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING CONSULTANT, A FARMER CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEMBER, AND A FORMER DATA ANALYST FOR CAPITAL METRO, THE PROJECT, THE NEC PLAN CENTERED ON AN URBAN RAIL SYSTEM AND ANCHORED BY A LIGHT RAIL SPINE ALONG THE KEY NORTH LAMAR GUADALUPE SOUTH CONGRESS ORANGE LINE CORRIDOR WOULD BASICALLY IMPLEMENT THE MASS TRANSIT VISION I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE PAST 49 YEARS IN PURSUIT OF THAT VISION.
I PARTICIPATED IN CREATING CAPITAL.
METRO SERVED FOR YEARS ON ITS BOARD AND LATER WORKED FOR THE AGENCY FOR NINE YEARS.
STARTING IN THE 1970S, I INITIATED AN EFFORT TO ACQUIRE FOR RAIL TRANSIT USED THE FORMER SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD RANCH LINE FROM GETTING STOLEN OVER THE WESTERN PART OF WHICH IS IN OPERATION TODAY AS THE METRO RAIL RED LINE, I'VE ALSO BEEN CONTINUOUSLY ACTIVE OVER FOUR DECADES AS A COMMUNITY PARTICIPANT IN THE URBAN RAIL PLANNING PROCESSES, INCLUDING PROJECT IN THAT FROM ITS INCEPTION CAPITAL.
METRO WAS CONCEIVED AS A REGIONAL SYSTEM WITH RAIL TRANSIT TO SERVE BOTH SUBURBAN AND CENTRAL CITY NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THE AUSTIN METRO AREA, THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN WITH ITS THREE LIGHT RAIL LINES CAN A MAJOR STEP TOWARD FULFILLMENT OF THAT ORIGINAL INTENTION TO CONNECT.
AUSTIN'S MORE OUTLYING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THE CENTRAL CITY EXPANDING ELECTRIC LIGHT RAIL IS CRUCIAL TO THAT REGIONAL VISION.
THIS CAN BE DONE RELATIVELY EASILY AND COST EFFECTIVELY.
FIRST, THE METRO RAIL RED LINE AND PROPOSED GREEN LINE CAN BE CONVERTED THE FASTER, MORE COST EFFECTIVE HIGH-CAPACITY ELECTRIC LIGHT RAIL SERVICE FROM THE NORTHWEST AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE METRO AREA.
SECOND, THE FORMER KATY RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY IS A NATURAL ALIGNMENT TO LINK EASTERN AND NORTH EASTERN SUBURBS AND COMMUNITIES INTO CENTRAL AUSTIN.
THIRD IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, THE FARMER BERGSTROM SPUR RIGHT OF WAY OFFERS AN EXCELLENT ROUTE FOR AN ADDITIONAL LIGHT RAIL LINE DIRECTLY LINKING THE ADAA AIRPORT WITH THE UNION PACIFIC RAIL CORRIDOR SOUTH FIRST STREET, THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER IN NEIGHBORHOODS, EAST OF
I STRONGLY SUPPORT APPROVING THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT AND INCORPORATION MEASURE TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSED AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THE FUNDING COMMITMENT TOWARD THE GOAL OF BUILDING THE REGIONAL HIGH SPEED ELECTRIC LIGHT RAIL NETWORK THAT AUSTIN HAS NEEDED FOR SO LONG.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS WINE MARTINELLI.
I'M A RESIDENT OF BEFORE IN THE NORTH LAMAR DROGON ACRES AREA HAPPENINGS REPRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PARTYING CARNEGIE FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS, AND I HOPE THAT MY GIRL ALREADY HAVE THE TETONS AND THESE BEAUTIFUL CITY.
DESPITE HER CURRENT CHALLENGES JOINED ME TO HELP MAKE THIS DREAM OF A MODERN AND SOCIALLY.
IN MY REALITY, I WASN'T APPOINTED TO THE NORTH SECTION OF THE ORANGE LINE FROM THE PROOF PLAN.
GO FARTHER DELAY THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPEECH AND EFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMMUTING TO THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT APARTMENT LANE AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
I HOPE THAT INCREASE IN ROPY ROUTES IS COMPLIMENTED WITH A PROPER SIDEWALK AND BIKING INFRASTRUCTURE TO ALLEVIATE THIS COD TODAY.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO WALK OR BIKE SAFETY ON THAT SECTION OF NARA, AMAR.
I WAS LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE AND IMPROVEMENTS, BUT BY HAVING THE LINE THERE THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLETELY SATISFY EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF THESE PERSONAL DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE INTEREST OF COMMON GOOD I'M ON BOARD TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT IN ITS CURRENT FORM AT THE HOMEOWNER, I AM VERY HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE OF THE CITY AND INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL INCREASE FOSSIL FUEL USAGE, ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC, AND MOVE US TOWARDS ELECTRIFIED TRANSPORTATION.
YOU SHOULD GO LAWS TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION OF THE ENORMOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES WE FACE ON A GLOBAL SCALE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL'S ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW.
PRODUCTIVITY WILL ALLOW MANY TO OPT OUT FROM COSTLY MODEL VEHICLE OWNERSHIP.
I KNOW THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, BUT WE MUST ACT NOW OR CONTINUE TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION.
LASTLY, AS A RECREATIONAL AND URBAN CYCLIST AND REALIZING THIS MIGHT BE A SEPARATE JET CONNECTED ISSUE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE HOW YOU MEASURE INVESTMENT.
THE ONE CITY'S PAST EVOLVES, KEEPING ME ON ALL THE CURRENT AND FUTURE OFTEN CYCLIST IN MIND, DESPITE OUR HOT SUMMERS THAT THE BUTLER FEVER CT, YOU SAID DIO TO CONTINUE BY SEEING SAFE SHADED BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND GIVE OUR CITIZENS THE HEALTHY OPTION TO MOVE AROUND IN THEIR BIKES.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU ON THIS NEWS.HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
IT'D BE JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO SAY EVERYTHING THAT I WANT TO SAY IN THREE MINUTES, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY KIND OF EMBLEMATIC OF THE AMOUNT OF REAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION HAS BEEN ALLOWED OR WELCOMED IN THIS PROCESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA JUST SAY THAT A LITTLE WHILE AGO, UH, THE DUKAKIS CENTER PUBLISHED A VERY FAMOUS REPORT.
THEY LOOKED AT 42 NEIGHBORHOODS AND 12 METROPOLITAN AREAS, UM, CERTIFY RAIL TRANSIT OVER 10 YEARS AND, UH, FOCUSING ON THE TRANSIT RICH NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, WHERE CHANGES WERE MOST PRONOUNCED WERE MORE PRONOUNCED THAN THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING, SORRY, IN THE SURROUNDING METRO AREAS.
UM, BUT THE NEW PACKET CENTER REPORT FOUND WAS THE PREDOMINANT PATTERN OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE THAT COULD BE DISCERNED.
UM, AND I QUOTE, THEY SAID WITH THE ADDITION OF TRANSIT HOUSING STOCK BECAME MORE EXPENSIVE.
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS BECAME WEALTHIER AND VEHICLE OWNERSHIP BECAME MORE COMMON IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE FOUND EVIDENCE OF GENTRIFICATION THAT SAID IN THE MAJORITY OF NEWLY TRANSIT SERVED NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY DEFINE GENTRIFICATION AS A PATTERN OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE MARKED BY RISING HOUSING COSTS AND INCOME.
UM, SO I WONDER IF THAT'S THE KIND OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE THINKING OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RETURNS ON INVESTMENT.
UM, SO, UM, THIS KIND OF INDIRECT DISPLACEMENT WHERE THE PRODUCTION REALLY THE REDUCTION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AN AREA, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.
THE DUKAKIS CENTER GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE RESEARCH PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THE CONCLUSION THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF RENTERS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GENTRIFICATION AROUND TRANSIT.
UH, WE SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT NEIGHBORHOODS MORE LIKELY TO BE DOMINATED BY LOW INCOME RENTER HOUSEHOLDS.
ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE WAS MAGNIFIED BY THESE NEW TRANSIT PROJECTS, RENTS ROADS, FASTER OWNER, OCCUPIED UNITS BECAME MORE PREVALENT.
UM, I THINK THAT IS EXTREMELY WORRISOME WHEN WE LOOK AT WHERE THE LINE FROM PROJECT CONNECT ARE DRAWN.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF CITY WE LIVE IN, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF COVID, UM, I'M NOT AN OPPONENT OF TRANSIT BY ANY MEANS, YOU KNOW, UM, HOW CAN I BE, UM, HOW CAN I BE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE HUMAN BEING AND OPPOSE TRANSIT? UM, YOU KNOW, I ALSO, I WORKED FOR THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION, UM, FOCUSED ON HOUSING POLICY.
AND SO BRINGING IN A REAL RACIAL EQUITY LENS TO THIS PROJECT, IT'S FUNDAMENTAL, BUT IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY HARD TO DO.
UM, I HAVE ANOTHER, UH, REPORT ALSO THAT WAS PUT OUT LAST YEAR BY KAREN CHAPEL.
UM, AND I LOVE THE TITLE OF HER REPORT BECAUSE IT'S CALLED TRANSIT ORIENTED, TRANSIT ORIENTED DISPLACEMENT OR COMMUNITY DIVIDENDS.
AND I THINK THAT QUESTION RIGHT, IS IT TRANSIT ORIENTED DISPLACEMENT OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT RETURNS TO THE COMMUNITY? WHAT IT MEANS THAT QUESTION BOOMS, IT HANGS OVER ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FUTURE TRENDS IN AUSTIN AND KAREN CHAPEL'S STUDY SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDS THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION.
WHY DON'T YOU SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME? I WASN'T ABLE TO GET TO MY CONCLUSION, BUT, UH, THANK YOU.
AND I DO WISH WE HAD MORE REAL COMMUNITY PARTS OF THE PATIENT ENGAGEMENT IN THIS PROCESS.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T.
THANK YOU, MR. CONLIN, IF YOU'LL HANG ON JUST A MINUTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE MAY HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY, THANK YOU FOR THAT CHAIR, BUT I, UH, I KNOW HOW TO GET IN CONTACT WITH, UH, WITH JP.
ACTUALLY, WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK WAS I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE THE PROS AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE IT UNDER CONTROL, BUT TWO CALLERS AGO, UM, THE NAME KATHERINE GONZALEZ WAS CALLED, BUT WAS NEVER REVISITED.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T SKIP OVER SOMEBODY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AND CHAIR.
UM, ACTUALLY I WAS ABOUT TO CALL, UH, KATHERINE GONZALEZ RIGHT NOW.
YOU HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES IF YOU'RE THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE.
MY NAME IS KATHERINE GONZALEZ.
I USE SHE, HER HERS PRONOUNS AND I AM THE OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS DIRECTOR FOR 30 YEARS OUT.
GET HIS SERVE LGBT PLUS YOUTH YOUNG ADULTS IN THEIR FAMILIES ACROSS AUSTIN WITH LIFE CHANGING AND LIFE SAVING PROGRAMS. TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROMISING YOUNG PEOPLE GROW INTO HAPPY, HEALTHY ADULTS AND SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF THAT YOUTH TO EXPRESS OUR ORGANIZATION'S SUPPORT AT PROJECT CONNECT AND THE BUSINESS THAT WE'RE CONDUCTING TODAY IS FAR PAST TIME FOR AUSTIN TO INVEST IN A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT ADDRESSES LONG STANDING SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES ALLOWS FOR TIMELY MOVEMENTS OF AUSTINITES ACROSS OUR CITIES AND HAS THE FORESIGHT TO
[01:20:01]
MEET THE POPULATION GROUP THAT REGION.MANY OF THE YOUTH THAT WE SERVE RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT GET TO AND FROM SCHOOL WORK HOME.
COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN, THERE ISN'T A BUS STOP NEAR MY HOUSE.
SO I HAVE TO WALK 20 MINUTES TO THE NEAREST ONE.
AND THEN I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 30 MINUTES FOR A BUS BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVER RUN ON SCHEDULE OR TO GET TO SCHOOL.
I HAVE TO TAKE MULTIPLE TRANSFERS OR TO GET TO OUT YOUTH.
IT TAKES ALMOST TWO HOURS ON THE BUS AND THEN I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN TO GET HOME THAT YOUTH YOUNG ADULTS AND FAMILIES WE SERVE DESERVE A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME SO THEY CAN ACCESS ALL OF THE FANTASTIC THINGS THAT OFTEN HAS TO OFFER AND ON THE PERSON.
WHOOPS, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSCORE THAT NO TRANSIT PLAN THAT IS EVER DEVELOPED WILL BE PERFECT.
IT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE IN PAPER OF MULTIPLE TRANSIT PLANS.
DURING MY 20 YEARS IN AUSTIN, THESE PROPOSALS HAVE FAILED AGAIN AND AGAIN, BECAUSE OF CONCERNS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THE PROJECTS WHICH ARE EXPENSIVE AND THE PROPOSED PLANS DON'T ADDRESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
AND YET HERE WE ARE, 20 YEARS LATER IN THE COST OF DOING ANYTHING TO IMPROVE OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO GO UP BACK.
I THINK I REMEMBER BACK WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 3 BILLION TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR AND THE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES PERSIST.
SO PROJECT CONNECT AS PROPOSED IS NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION TO DECADES LONG AVOIDANCE, OUR TRANSIT PROBLEMS. I SEE IT AS A NECESSARY BEGINNING AND KNOW FULL WELL THAT THIS ISN'T THE END TO OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE EVERY AUSTIN ACCESS TO A WORLD CLASS PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS NATHAN STEPHENS.
WE WILL CIRCLE BACK CHAIR AND COUNCIL.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS YASMEEN SMITH.
HI ALL, UH, I, UM, THIS IS YASMIN MIS.
I WEAR MANY HATS, ONE BEING THE VICE CHAIR OF PUMA PEOPLE, UNITED VULNERABILITY ACTION.
AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE HATS IS BEING, UH, BORN AND RAISED BLACK AUSTINITES I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE LACK OF TRUE COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE LEGALLY BINDING DOCUMENTS.
AS PRESENTED BEFORE YOU VOTE, YOU MUST ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE HAVE TRUE TEETH, WHETHER IT'S ANY DOCUMENTS BEFORE YOU OR COMMITMENT BY THE STYLIST TO HAVE THAT ARTICULATION DONE IN THE JOINT POWER AGREEMENT, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MUST BE ABLE TO PAUSE THE ATP ACTIVITIES.
IF IT IS FOUND THAT THOSE ACTIVITIES FALL BELOW THE THRESHOLD OF SUCCESS IN REGARDS TO EQUITY, THE COMMUNITY MUST BE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY LET'S LEAD.
THAT IS IF YOU TRULY WANT TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE PITSTOP, WHICH I'M SLOWLY, BEGINNING TO BELIEVE IS NOT THE CASE.
WHY? BECAUSE THE PROCESS AND I'M THINKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY MEMBER, THAT'S ACTUALLY ENGAGED AND QUITE PRIVILEGED THAT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY HORRID.
I HAVE FELT UTTERLY DISRESPECTED DURING THE ENTIRE ENGAGEMENT AND AS A BORN AND RAISED OFF NIGHT, I AM ASHAMED OF HOW THIS HAS UNFOLDED THIS.
ISN'T ABOUT INDIVIDUALS, SHOUT OUT TO CASARA AND KITCHEN FOR BEING VERY PRESENT DURING THIS LEAD, UH, DURING THIS PROCESS, IT ISN'T ABOUT INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S ABOUT THE SYSTEMS IN WHICH THIS PROCESS IS HAPPENING.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, AND YOU TRY TO QUOTE UNQUOTE, PROVIDE EQUITY, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THIS, THAT THE PATRONIZING OF THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE MEMOS THAT CENTERING THE POWER FOR THOSE THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD THAT POWER AND NOT BESTING THAT IN THE COMMUNITY, THE LACK OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY TEXT THE POSTING OF THE, OF THE EDITED LANGUAGE, A MERE HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE I HAD TO GET ON THIS HEARING ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THOSE ARE MANIFESTATION OF MY DEPRESSION AND AN OPPRESSIVE SYSTEM THOSE DAYS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND SO I SAY, YOU MIGHT WANT TO RE ADJUST HOW YOU BELIEVE YOUR BARGAINING POSITION IS BECAUSE AS THE FIRST CALLER SAID, COME NOVEMBER.
ONCE THE RABBIT HAS THE GUN, IT AIN'T GOING TO BE FUN.
AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, JEFFERSON COOPER, AND THE CAPITOL MAKER BOARD.
I'M A GRADUATE OF UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS COCHRANE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF
[01:25:01]
ENKOTEC ENGINEERING.WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO AUSTIN, THE MORE TERMINUS OF MOPAC WAS TECH AVENUE IN THE SOUTHERN END, STOPPED SHORT OF LADY, BIRD LAKE, A LITTLE OVER 200,000 PEOPLE LIVE HERE.
WE ARE IN MAJOR AMERICAN CITY.
WE SHARED THE ROADS WITH TWO WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND ANOTHER 2 MILLION ARE PROJECTED TO ARRIVE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
I SAY THIS AS AN ENGINEER, WE CANNOT APPROACH THE FOLLOWING DECADES.
THE WAY WE ACTED IN THE PAST, WHICH MEANS WE CAN'T USE SOME COOPER'S WORDS, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
OUR CURRENT SYSTEM IS ALREADY STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT AND WE RISK DOING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO OUR ECONOMY, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
CAN I AM IN FAVOR OF PROJECT MAY WELL PRECISELY BUILD OUR ECONOMY, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN MY JUDGMENT, THE PRICE TAG FOR PROJECT TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY A VERY PRUDENT INVESTMENT FOR EVERY 1 BILLION WE SPEND ON TRANSIT SYSTEM RECREATE MORE THAN 9,700 JOBS AT PROJECT CONNECTS PRESENT SIDE.
THAT MEANS WE WILL CREATE THE ELITE 10,000 JOBS.
IT DOESN'T REALLY BRING INTO FULL FORCE.
THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF THAT THAT OCCURS WITH BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION AND MORE MOBILE WORKFORCE.
WE ALSO, WE MUST ALSO CONSIDER THE DEMANDS OF THE NEW GENERATION OF WORKERS.
THEY WILL DEMAND A MODERN, MORE EFFICIENT TRANSIT SYSTEM.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE ON A PERSONAL NOTE.
I HAVE CHILDREN AND I'M VERY CLOSE TO MY FAMILY AND I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT CONTINUING TO LIVE IN AUSTIN IS AN OPTION FOR THEM.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION, I AM TALKING ABOUT MY CHILDREN, THEIR DREAMS, AND THEIR ASPIRATIONS, AND MY HOPE THAT WE CAN BE TOGETHER IN THE YEARS AND DECADES TO COME.
THEY ARE PATIENT AND THEY RECOGNIZE THE PROJECT CONNECT.
WHAT THEY DON'T WANT IS FOR US TO KEEP PUTTING THINGS OFF.
THEY DON'T WANT US TO ABANDON OUR COMMITMENT TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
THEY DON'T WANT US TO KEEP KICKING THAT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MR. KING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING $300 MILLION FOR DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION AND THE PROJECT CONNECT BOND PROPOSAL, MITIGATING DISPLACEMENT, HOWEVER DOES NOT PREVENT THIS PLACEMENT.
MITIGATION IS DEFINED AS THE ACTION OF REDUCING THE SERIOUSNESS OR PAINFULNESS OF SOMETHING.
PREVENTION IS DEFINED AS STOPPING SOMETHING FROM HAPPENING.
WE NEED ROBUST AND SUSTAIN THIS PLACE OF PREVENTION, FUNDING, AND PROJECT CONNECT.
DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION MUST BE PRIORITIZED TO HELP SUSTAIN THOUSANDS OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES, SCORES OF SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO PROJECT CONNECT, TRANSIT CORRIDORS, PLEASE THEIR MARK, AT LEAST $225 MILLION FOR DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION, CASH PAYMENTS DIRECTLY TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
PLEASE PROHIBIT THE USE OF PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS FOR MARKET RATE, NICHE JUICE, DENSITY BONUS DEVELOPMENTS, AMPLE EVIDENCE HERE IN AUSTIN SHOWS THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS FACILITATE INVOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WHILE THEY PRODUCE VERY FEW HOUSING UNITS AND VIRTUALLY NO BUSINESSES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE TO FAMILIES EARNING AT OR BELOW 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME, PLEASE EXPAND THE PROPOSED LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION BOARD TO INCLUDE THREE COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTS FROM LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
THESE COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE FULL VOTING RIGHTS AND AUTHORITY TO OVERSEE AND FACILITATE EQUITABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDING AND PROJECT CONNECT.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL TRANSIT RELATED ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS USE AREA MEDIAN INCOME REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE EQUITABLE TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES OF COLOR.
THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME FOR BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES IN AUSTIN IS ROUGHLY $45,000, WHICH IS LESS THAN HALF OF THE AREA.
MEDIAN INCOME FOR AUSTIN INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING PROGRAMS BASED ON AREA MEDIAN INCOMES AT OR ABOVE 60% DO NOT SERVE OR BENEFIT MOST LOW INCOME BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES IN AUSTIN.
[01:30:01]
IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES EMBEDDED IN OUR INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT ARE OSTENSIBLY DESIGNED TO EQUITABLY SERVE FAMILIES OF COLOR.PLEASE ENSURE THAT AT LEAST 90% OF THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT BOND FUNDING IS DEDICATED TO PROGRAMS THAT SERVE LOW INCOME FAMILIES EARNING AT OR BELOW 50% AREA MEDIAN INCOME, PLEASE REQUIRE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION BOARD TO COMPLY WITH ALL CITY AND STATE OPEN MEETINGS, OPEN RECORDS AND LOBBYIST REGULATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY COMMENTS AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHAVONNE OR TARO.
MY NAME IS SHAVANO SETO CHAIR OF PEOPLE UNITED FOR MOBILITY ACTION.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION AND PLANNING OUR COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS WORK AND LEADERSHIP DURING FINE TIMES.
AS WE WORK TOWARDS RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN OUR CITIES, SPECIFICALLY THE OFFICES OF AMERICA, GAZA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS CASARA AND KITCHEN ON THIS ITEM.
HOWEVER, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PROCESS UPHOLDS WHITE SUPREMACY AND SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC AND CIVIC UNREST, WHILE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE IN SURVIVAL MODE.
THIS PROCESS HAS CONTINUED AT SUCH A RATE THAT IT RISKS FARM.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ADVOCATE FOR BETTER FIGHTING A SYSTEM FROM WITHIN TO REACH TRUE RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE IS EXHAUSTING BY DESIGN.
IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT DIFFICULT TO BUILD EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY INTO PROJECT CONNECTS PROCESS AND PROCEDURES ON THE FIRST LINE OF COMMENTARY ON PASSENGER TRANSPORT PUBLICATION BY RANDY CLARK IS WE MUST ACT NOW TO END RACIAL INJUSTICE AND INEQUITY AND QUOTE.
WE CANNOT DEFINE EQUITY BY MERELY PROJECTING TO INCREASE TRANSIT OPTIONS.
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR CAN BENEFIT FROM IF WE DO NOT FIRST GUARANTEE THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS NOT DISPLACED COMMUNITIES FROM THEIR HOMES, MR. RANDY CLARK, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATIONALIZE YOUR LANGUAGE AND COMMIT YOUR PUBLICIZED WORDS BY ENSURING THAT PROJECT CONNECTS GOVERNANCE INCLUDES THE PARTICIPATION OF DISENFRANCHISED POPULATIONS, MAYOR ADLER AND CITY COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT FORWARD A CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS THAT GIVES DECISION MAKING POWER TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE TRANSIT PROJECTS THAT HAVE DIVIDED COMMUNITIES AND FLORIDA'S ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
THIS JOINT COMMITTEE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE MOVEMENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND MOBILITY JUSTICE ACTING NOW TO END RACIAL INJUSTICE AND INEQUITY IS ABOUT SHIFTING POWER.
IF WE DO NOT MOVE FORWARD UPON THIS PRECEDENT, THEN WE ARE DIGGING UP OUR ROADS AND TEARING UP OUR CITY TO LAY DOWN EMPTY PROMISES UPON THE HISTORIC INJUSTICES AND INEQUITIES BUILT INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR CURRENT SYSTEM.
TRUSTING THAT COMMUNITIES ARE THEIR OWN EXPERTS THROUGH THEIR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE.
AND IT SHOULDN'T TAKE DEMONSTRATING 15 OR 10 YEARS OF HIGHLY TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE DECISION MAKING TABLE.
WE ARE ASKING THAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT INCLUDE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES.
THE ETP BOARD SHOULD WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OR CAC TO DEVELOP AN EQUITY PLAN USING THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL TO PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECT CONNECT, THE ATP BOARD SHOULD CREATE A QUARTERLY REPORT TO PRESENT TO THE CAC ON ACHIEVING THE EQUITY METRICS OUTLINED IN THE EQUITY PLAN IN PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING LOCAL CONDITIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUES FOR THE NEPA PROCESS.
THE TAX SHOULD ALSO BE PART OF THE NEPA DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
IF WE DO NOT ACT NOW TO END RACIAL JUSTICE, INJUSTICE AND INEQUITIES AS MR. RANDY CLARK HAS STATED AND TAKE UP THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO RIGHT BY OUR CITY, THEN WE HAVE FAILED THE SINGLE MOM LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND THE DISPLACED BUS DRIVER WHO WAS TO DRIVE AN HOUR TO HIS JOB.
WE DO NOT WANT TO LOOK BACK NOW ON HOW WE COULD HAVE DONE, RIGHT.
IF ONLY WE HAD PAID MORE ATTENTION ON HOW WE DO IT DIFFERENTLY.
WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR COMMITMENT, TO EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH YOUR VOTE TODAY.
AND SO WILL THE VOTERS COME NOVEMBER? THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MCKAYLA JONES.
HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CHEYENNE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED, UH, TRYING TO GET US CONNECTED TODAY.
SO I'M ACTUALLY CALLING TODAY.
AS IN, I TRIED TO CALL LAST WEEK WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE CALL AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GET BACK ON AFTER SEVERAL EMAILS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MYSELF AND MISS GOODALL.
UM, IT WAS COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL.
I WANTED TO MENTION THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUED LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US, UM, AND THAT WE JUST REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THE REALITY THAT WE'RE IN A VERY PIVOTAL TIME OF CHANGING OUR WORLD FOR OTHERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE NEED TO DECIDE TO BE THE PROGRESSIVE CITY THAT WE'VE ALWAYS CLAIMED THAT WE WERE, UH, MAYOR ALBERT ADLER.
PARDON ME? I THINK IT'S COMPLETELY TONE DEAF THIS, UM, LITTLE GAME YOU HAVE ABOUT GOING AROUND ON THE INTERNET ABOUT DOING, UM, LIKE A BINGO GAME, CONSIDERING THESE ARE WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT AND BEGGING THE CALL FOR ACTION.
UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GUYS REMEMBER THAT JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, A MAN WAS
[01:35:01]
MURDERED IN THE STREETS AND APD RELIEF THAT SAID MURDERER.WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES GOING ON IN OUR SOCIETY.
UM, BOTH IN AND OFF OF THE STREETS, THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING.
I'VE TRIED CALLING, UM, MY CITY MEMBER, UH, AND KITCHENS.
I'VE CALLED YOUR OFFICE TWICE, EMAILED YOU TWICE, AND I'VE HAD NO RESPONSE BACK.
UM, THE ACCOUNTABILITY FALLS MORE THAN JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT FALLS ON THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITY MANAGER, THE MAYOR, ALL OF US ARE INVOLVED IN MAKING THIS WORLD BETTER.
THAT INCLUDES GIVING ACCESS TO, UM, THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
IT NEEDS TONS OF WORK AND WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CITIES, BUT WE FALL SO FAR BEHIND, EVEN DALLAS.
I MEAN, DALLAS HAS A BETTER TRANSIT SYSTEM THAN EVEN US AND IT'S COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, I REALLY HELP YOU GUYS CONSIDER THAT WITH YOUR FUTURE DECISIONS AND ANYTHING YOU PLAN ON TALKING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE CIVIC UNREST HAPPENING EVERY SINGLE DAY IN AUSTIN, DOWNTOWN IN RIGHT AROUND WHERE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO WORK EVERYDAY.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION IN HEARING YOUR, UM, THE CRIES OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND PLEASE JUST REMEMBER THAT WE'RE ALL WANTING TO MAKE US FEEL BETTER.
AND THAT STOPS WITH ENDING THESE SYSTEMIC ISSUES ON RACISM, UM, ON VOTER SUPPRESSION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THESE PERMANENT CHANGES TO OUR SOCIETY.
AND WE'RE AT THAT POINT IN HISTORY WHERE YOU GUYS CAN CHOOSE TO BE THE LEADERS AND CHANGING THE WAY, OR YOU CAN BE STUCK AT THE PAST AND LOOK AT OURSELVES SHAMEFULLY YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
IT'S, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I REALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO HEARING YOU GUYS SPEAK MORE ABOUT THIS AND HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO A CONCLUSION TO WHERE THESE IDEOLOGIES OF RACISM ARE JUST COMPLETELY ERADICATED FROM OUR SOCIETY.
AND I THINK AUSTIN CAN BE THE CITY THAT LEADS THE WAY IN THAT.
AND I HOPE, UM, MAYOR ADLER, SORRY.
AND, UM, SINCE THE CROWN COMPLETES, UM, APPROVED, THIS IS OUR BUDGET.
THANK YOU, MS. JONES, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NATHAN STEPHENS, CIRCLING BACK TO NATHAN STEPHENS.
ARE YOU ON THE LINE? RIGHT? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID EDMONSON.
I TOOK THAT AS THE NATIONAL BIPARTISAN NETWORK OF TECHNOLOGY CEOS AND SENIOR EXECUTIVES, BUT OUR DIVERSITY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES VACANCIES RANGING FROM STARTUPS TO THE MAJOR COMPANIES ON THE PLANET.
AND THEN TWO OF WHICH HAD SIGNIFICANT PREGNANCIES AND SUPPORT FOR PROJECTS.
THIS IS TRULY A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT THAT WILL CREATE A TRANSPORTATION COMMITTED, SAFER, CLEANER, MORE EFFICIENT, AND MORE EQUITABLE WITHIN THE TECH SECTOR.
THERE IS REAL MOMENTUM AND SUPPORT FOR PROJECT CONNECT WITH MEREDITH THAT OFTEN FACES A VERY REAL CHOICE, WHETHER TO DATE FOR THE FUTURE AND CONTINUE TO BE AMONG THE GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD OR TO SHRINK FROM THE CHALLENGES WE FACE.
AND THEN THEY'D LOST OUR CITY.
YOU GAIN FROM ME AND DIMINISH THE QUALITY OF LIFE, PROJECT CONNECT CONNECT, AND A ROBUST TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
THAT'S BECOME ECONOMIC IMPERATIVES.
PART OF THE BB PROJECT CONNECT IS HOW IT LEANS INTO THE POWER OF HAVING OPTIONS.
AUSTIN'S TECH SECTOR INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO WANT TO RIDE THE TRAIN AS WELL AS STAY YOU TO DRIVE OR RIDE ON AN ALL ELECTRIC FLEET.
AND IN MANY CASES, BIKE OR WALK, PROJECT CONNECT WILL ALLOW THEM TO CHOOSE.
AND OF COURSE, TECH EMPLOYEE GET VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER YOU DRINK.
THEY BREATHE IN THE STATE OF OUR CENTRAL TEXAS ENVIRONMENT, A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CARBON EMISSIONS COME FROM TRANSPORTATION, AND WE CAN MAKE A REAL IMPACT ON THOSE EMISSIONS BY SUPPORTING PROJECT COMMANDS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.
CITYWIDE TRANSIT SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES, ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR BOLD ACTION WITH CITY TODAY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO WILL CALL US.
OH, Y'ALL AIN'T THAT THE GRATITUDE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS A WASTE AZHAR.
MAYOR BOARD CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS
HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO TRULY SERVE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND VULNERABLE
[01:40:01]
AUSTINITES THROUGH PROJECT CONNECT, IT WILL BE INTEGRAL TO ENSURE THAT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT DISPLACED BY THE CREATION OF THE SYSTEM ITSELF.I TAXED CITY COUNCIL FOR INCLUDING 200 MILLION BOND FUNDING FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES AS A PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.
IF THIS BOND FASTER, THIS WILL BE THE LARGEST AMOUNT EVER DEVOTED TO SPACE AND MEASURES IN AUSTIN.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND POLICY MEASURES WILL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS ANY TRANSIT INDUCED DISPLACEMENT.
IN ADDITION, IT WILL BE CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT THE 300 MILLION BOND FUNDING FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT IS SPENT USING A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL STRATEGY THAT IS DEVELOPED FOR THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN EQUITY OFFICE AND THE CITY OF BOSTON INNOVATION OFFICE FOR THE MORE APPEALING SUCH AS STRATEGY WILL REQUIRE TWO COMMUNITY INPUT.
I THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, CASARA CARSON KITCHEN FOR WORKING TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION ON THE ADP BOARD.
THE COMMUNITY EXPERTS AS ORIGINALLY DEFINED GOOD NOD AND CANNOT HIGHLIGHT OR ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT INCLUDING THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO WOULD BE MOST IMPACTED BY PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO USE THE NEW SYSTEM.
WE CANNOT DEVELOP ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES AND OTHER POLICIES THAT CAN MAKE THIS LOGIC.
IF SUCCESS, AS A COMMUNITY, WE MUST GO BEYOND MERE WORDS AND BELIEVE THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO HIS PART, THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, AND INCLUDING THEM IN CRITICAL DECISION, MAKING THE CONCERN AND FEAR OF GRANVILLE INDUCED DISPLACEMENT.
HASN'T MENTIONED IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE TODAY AND OTHERWISE THE COMMENTS I'M ABOUT TO READ ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK COLLECTED BY CAP, METRO AND BOASTED ON THE BUDGET CONNECT WEBSITE.
THERE ARE A LOT MORE COMMENTS THAN TIME PERMITS ME TO READ, BUT I WILL CONTINUE READING UNTIL THE BUZZER TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONCERNS ON DISPLACEMENT AND THE NEED TO ALLOW FOR COMMUNITY DECISION MAKING AT ALL LEVELS AND ALL STAGES OF THE PROJECT.
ACCORDING TO ONE RESIDENT, IF THE HIGH CAPACITY LINE IS BUILT, PROPERTY VALUES WILL INCREASE AS THEY HAVE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND UNLESS THERE'S A CONCERTED EFFORT TO BUILD, WHEN WE GAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALONG THE LINE, MANY PEOPLE WILL BE DISPLEASED.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO CONSIDER THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEBT IS LOCATED ALONG THE LINE.
NOW YOU SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER HOW MUCH AFFORDABLE HOUSING DO WILL BE.
ONCE THE PROJECT IS BUILT AND OTHER RESIDENTS SAID THE EAST SIDE IS GENTRIFYING, THE DECAY REALLY QUICKLY.
AND THE BLUE LINE WILL ONLY HASTEN THE GENTRIFICATION DISPLACEMENT POLICIES THAT PROTECT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EXISTING RESIDENTS MUST BE INACTIVE.
IF NOT, THEN THE BLUE LINE WOULD ONLY SERVE THE GENTRIFYING AND STRADDLING POPULATIONS.
ANOTHER COMMENT IN BOOTH TRANSIT WILL INCREASE LAND VALUES ON NEW STATIONS AND SPARK GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT.
WALK THEM THROUGH METHODS TO PREVENT THESE PROCESSES.
THANK YOU, MRS. R THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SYDNEY BUELLER.
IT WAS MR. AZAR THAT I JUST WANTED TO.
APOLOGIES, COUNCIL MEMBER A HARPER MADISON HAD HER HAND UP AS WELL.
MY COLLEAGUE HAS ALREADY MADE IT.
ALRIGHT, MS. BUELLER, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES MS. SYDNEY.
UH, I DO SUPPORT REGARDS TO SIZE PROPOSAL.
I DO WISH IT HAD MORE FUNDING FOR BLACK OR BLACK, BUT I'M ALSO HERE TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AGAINST.
I WAS SNATCHED OF THE CROWD AND TAKE HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHERE FOUR COPS NAILED ON TOP OF MY 130 POUND BODY.
I'M LIKE, NO, I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW I'VE BEEN A PERSON OF COLOR.
I WAS JUST ALL IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY FRIENDS WHEN I WAS IN, I WAS TREATED THAT WAY.
AND THEN I WAS PUT INTO AN AIR CONDITIONED CAR FOR OVER AN HOUR.
AND THEN FINALLY, WHENEVER THEY SWITCHED DRIVERS, THE COP WAS LIKE, OH, IT'S HOT BACK HERE.
AND OPENED THE EARBUDS FOR ME.
I WAS IN TRANSPORTATION FOR HOURS AND WE MADE IT TO THE JAIL.
EIGHT FEMALES WHO HAD A DRESS ON COVER UP BEFORE ENTERING THE JAIL BECAUSE THEY SAID SHE WAS IN DECENT WITH PROGENY AND DIDN'T GET SEGREGATED.
AND THEY SAID, NO, THAT WAS OVER THERE.
I WAS WITH THE CLIENT, WITH THE WHITE WOMEN, THE BLACK WOMEN WILL PUT WITH WHERE THE LOUD WITH, SO THAT WAS FREQUENT.
AND THEN I GOT, WHEN I FINALLY GOT BREAKFAST, THEY FORGOT MY BREAKFAST.
WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT, MY BAG WAS SOAKED AND TORN.
WHENEVER I FINALLY GOT BREAKFAST AND WHENEVER THEY ARRESTED ME, THEY SAID THERE WAS A FEMALE KNEELING ON TOP OF ME.
AND THEY SAID, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A FEMALE.
THERE WAS A FEMALE IN THE VIDEO.
IT SHOWS THERE'S A FEMALE RIGHT THERE.
WE NEEDED TO TAKE, LIKE THE PRINCIPAL TOLD
[01:45:01]
ME I PROBABLY WAS GOING TO DIE.SO WE, I, I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF THIS.
AND I'M ASKING TO WHAT'S GOING ON OR ON IN YOUR PLANS, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ACTION.
AND YESTERDAY THERE WAS A MAN PASSED OUT IN THE PAST.
SO IN THE GROUND RUNNING, AND THEN THE, I CALLED THE EMS CAME AND THE POLICE, THEY WOULD NOT LET ME GET HIM WATER.
HE REFUSED TO LET ME GIVE HIM WATER ANYWAYS.
THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING ON AND WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE AN IMMEDIATE ACTION THAT NEEDS IT.
CAUSE WE WERE PEOPLE WE WERE EVEN MESSING WITH MY PHONE CALLS.
SO MY ATTORNEY EVEN SAID THEY WERE MESSING WITH MY PHONE CALLS.
SO THEY'RE LITERALLY, THEY LOOK AT THE PROTESTORS AS ANIMALS AND WE ARE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING IT.
LOOK AT THE ANIMALS AND TREAT US LIKE THEY WOULDN'T TREAT ANYONE ELSE.
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE SAT IN AN AIR CONDITIONED CAR FOR OVER AN HOUR IN THE A HUNDRED DEGREE WEATHER.
I EVEN AT MY TIME, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JEREMY HENDRIX.
JEREMY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHEYENNE.
I'M JEREMY HENDRIX WITH THE LABORERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA, LOCAL 10 95 BASED HERE IN AUSTIN AND THEN PROFIT REPRESENT WORKERS WHO BUILD, MAINTAIN AND SERVICE CENTRAL TEXAS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M HERE NOT ONLY TO REPRESENT WHY WE'RE HERE, BUT ALSO THE CENTRAL TEXAS BUILDING AND TRADES, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF OVER A DOZEN LOCAL UNIONS.
AND WE'RE ALL A SUPPORTIVE PROJECT CONNECT AND THE ITEMS BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND WITH NEARLY 3 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN AUSTIN, THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION NIGHTMARE.
AND WE KNOW IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.
I DON'T, I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR THERE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE NEGLECTED TO MAKE SMART INVESTMENTS IN THE PAST.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAS MOSTLY LED TO PEOPLE OF COLOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HURT.
THE MOST LIONEL WORKS EVERY DAY TO GIVE PEOPLE THEIR FIRST STEP OUT OF POVERTY BY PROVIDING REAL CAREERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE, THESE WORKERS, I KNOW THEY ARE FORCED TO BUILD OUR 21ST CENTURY CITY WHILE RELYING ON AN AGING TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T MEET THEIR NEEDS.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR HIGH COST OF LIVING FORCES OUR WORKERS TO LIVE FAR FROM THEIR JOBS, MEANING HOURS, SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND WAITING AT BUS STOPS, AND THOSE ARE HOURS MISSED WITH THEIR FAMILY AND CHILDREN.
SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO PROJECT CONNECT AND ADVANCING THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS.
IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE CITIZENS.
UM, WE'RE ALSO PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT BECAUSE WE CAN DO ALL THESE GREAT THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHILE ALSO CREATING THOUSANDS OF GOOD FAMILIES, SUPPORTING NEW JOBS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, BY GUARANTEEING THE WORKER SAFETY WAGE AND OTHER PROTECTIONS YOU'VE INCLUDED TODAY, THESE PROTECTIONS ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE TEXAS REMAINS THE MOST DANGEROUS STATE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WITH SOME OF THE LOWEST WAGES IN AMERICA.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH WORKERS.
LASTLY, WE BELIEVE IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ALLOW FOR MORE DIVORCED, DIVERSE REPRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ON THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERS.
IF SO, PLEASE APPROVE THOSE CHANGES.
SO ENSURE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY AS WELL, AND JUST THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO BUILD THIS AMAZING CITY, WE ALL LOVE DESERVED AND DEMAND BETTER.
AND THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW.
SO PLEASE APPROVE THESE MEASURES AND LET'S GET TO WORK ON GETTING THIS FAST.
THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS PAID SCOGGIN.
THANKS MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MR. CHAIRMAN CAP, METRO AND RANDY.
UM, EVEN IF HE IS AN OILERS FAN CAUSE STARS.
UM, ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP, OUR MEMBERS IN THE AREA AND OUR STUDENT AFFILIATE GROUP STUDENTS FOR TRANSIT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
FINALLY, BRINGING PROJECT CONNECT TO THIS EXCITING FINAL MEETING, UM, Y'ALL KNOW, FROM MY PREVIOUS TESTIMONIES THAT AS A PUBLIC INTEREST ISSUE, TRANSIT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES.
IT'S CRUCIAL FOR OUR CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT.
IT LEADS TO CLEANER AIR AND IT SUPPORTS OUR CENTRAL WORKERS WHO RELY ON TRANSIT AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE.
BUT TODAY I THOUGHT I WOULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE ORGANIZING YOUNG PEOPLE AND STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT STUDENTS OVERWHELMINGLY WANT MORE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
FOR ONE, YOU CAN JUST LOOK AT ALL THE SCOOTERS ZOOMING UP AND DOWN AS WE SIT IN TRAFFIC ON GUATEMALA, BUT FOR TWO THROUGHOUT
[01:50:01]
THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE COLLECTED MORE THAN 2,600 SIGNATURES, MORE THAN 2,600 SIGNATURES FROM STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION MAP.AND WE FOUND IT UP AND READY TO GO.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL INFORMATION.
AS I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM THE PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION WAS A HISTORIC TURNOUT FROM THE USO.
AND WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT SAME TURNOUT COME NOVEMBER EXPERT WITH STUDENTS FOR TRANSIT WILL BE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO EDUCATE, ENERGIZE AND TURN OUT THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO SUPPORT THE MEASURE.
WE CAN DO NOTHING AND SAY IN THE SAME STATUS QUO, OR WE CAN MAKE A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY.
THIS HAS BEEN A MULTIYEAR PROCESS WITH AN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM FROM CAP.
METRO NOW SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK YOU DO.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO APPLAUD THE LEADERSHIP FROM ALL OF YOU.
VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE PASSAGE OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT EVERYBODY.
SO I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE NAME THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIST, JUST TO MAKE SURE AND PAUSE TO SEE IF ANYBODY ANSWERS STOP MORRIS.
ALSO, IF YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE OR YOUR PHONE IS ON MUTE PLEASE.
UH, SCOTT MORRIS, MICHAEL SOUTH, CAROLYN REYNOLDS, AND IT'S RANKIN NASHER, NATHAN STEVEN, TINA CANNON, PEANUT BULLY HERE IN COUNCIL ABOUT IS ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
AND IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME, MY NAME IS BIANCA BANGER AND I WASN'T ABLE TO SPEAK.
I GOT ADDED ON AFTER THE FACT.
UM, AND YOU'RE CALLING TO SPEAK ON THEIR PROJECT CONNECT MEETINGS.
UM, ACTUALLY I CALLED IN LAST FRIDAY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 17 ABOUT APD AND THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND I WAS PUSHED AWAY OUT OF MY TWO HOUR SLOT.
THIS MEETING IS ACTUALLY ABOUT TRANSIT.
UM, ONLY WE ARE NOT POSTED TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEMS, NOT ON THE AGENDA.
OKAY, WELL, UM, YEAH, IT WAS ON THE LINE TWO HOURS.
THANK YOU, SHARON COUNCIL IDS.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS SPEAKERS.
YOU CAN CONTINUE WATCHING ATX IN ON CABLE CHANNELS.
OTHERWISE THIS MEETING WILL BE POSTED ONCE THE MEETING IS OVER AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND SUPPORT AND AS WE WORK THROUGH THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES.
WE ALREADY, UH, CHEYENNE, DID YOU ALREADY CUT OFF THE SPEAKERS CHEYENNE AND HEAR ME? I APOLOGIZE MY MICROPHONE.
UM, I THINK THE LINE IS DOCUMENTED.
LET ME CONFIRM, WELL, I JUST WANT TO ASK THE CHAIRS.
UM, SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TABLES AND SO I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN FINE WITH THAT.
IF YOU CAN DO IT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN AND CHAIRS.
THEN I'LL JUST REMIND THE SPEAKERS TO STAY ON.
WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BACKGROUND NOISE.
SO IF EVERYBODY COULD MUTE, WHO'S LISTENING IN THROUGH THAT CHANNEL.
AGAIN, THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS AND TO OUR IT FOLKS, UH, FOR, UH, UH, YOUR PATIENCE AND WORKING THROUGH THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH TODAY.
IT'S BEEN REMARKABLE ACTUALLY THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, WITH THESE NINE MEETINGS AS MUCH SUCCESS DOING THIS REMOTELY AS WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WE'VE JUMBLED OUR AGENDA A BIT.
I WANT TO PAUSE FOR JUST A SECOND AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAD QUESTIONS TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, PRESS STAR SIX.
[01:55:02]
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.GETTING VOICES IN MY EARPIECE SAYING I'VE BEEN MUTED.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE FOR JUST A SECOND AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO THE PRESENTATIONS.
THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE UP THE ILA.
ARE YOU GOING TO GO BACK AND HAVE THE PRESENTATION FROM, UH, MAYBE MORE BRIEFLY THIS TIME, BUT TO HAVE THE PRESENTATIONS COVERED THAT WERE NOT RECORDED? CHAIR CHAIR OF THE STAFF IS READY TO HAVE
[1. Update on Project Connect.(Part 2 of 2)]
GREG BURNETT DO THEIR SECTION OVER JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POTENTIAL OF A COD ON ATX END DIDN'T CUT OFF THAT DIRECTION.STAFF IS READY NOW THEN QUICKLY FOR GREG, I GUESS, TAKING, TAKING CARE OF COOPER.
GET THE CITY OF AUSTIN AGAIN, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO GO BACK OVER AND START THERE ON SLIDE.
UM, FEW MORE MINUTES, PLEASE ADVANCE PLEASE.
UH, JERRY COOPER AND MAYOR ADLER, UM, LIKE TO GO BACK OVER AGAIN, WHAT I THINK IS KIND OF CORE AND ELEMENTAL TO THE, THE MOVING FORWARD ON PROJECT CONNECT, REALLY FORMALIZING THE PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS EXISTED BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND THE STAFF, UM, OVER THESE MONTHS, AND AS, AS COULD BE SEEN WITH THE NINTH JOINT WORK SESSION THAT YOU'RE HAVING TODAY, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, WOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT, UH, AGENCY THAT WOULD MANAGE THE DAY TO DAY PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION, UH, EXECUTION OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, UM, FOR THE PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND BY THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD, UH, BOTH ENTITIES WOULD BRING INTO THE PARTNERSHIP FUNDING, THE CITY VERSUS VIA TAX RATE ELECTION CAPITAL METRO VIA ITS COMMUNITY COMMITMENT FUNDING OVER TIME, AS WELL AS WHAT VERY CRITICALLY, UM, FEDERAL FUNDS, THE PARTNERSHIP WE'LL LOOK AT GOVERNANCE FINANCING AND IN THE PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION ANY ASSETS THAT WILL BE BUILT WILL TURN BACK OVER TO THE REGIONS TRANSIT OPERATOR, UH, CAPITAL METRO, I THINK SOME KEY PARTS OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WOULD BE QUARTERLY REPORTS TO THE BOARD, COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS AND AUDIT INDEPENDENT AUDIT, WHICH IS A KEY FUNCTION.
UM, AND ALSO ENSURING THAT, UH, THE DAY TO DAY, THE ALIGNMENT OF ASSETS AND WHAT WILL BE BUILT, THE COMPONENTS OF PROJECT CONNECT ARE IN LINE WITH CAPITAL METRO OPERATIONS, BUT ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAPITAL METRO WILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY OVER PROVING SYSTEM PLAN CHANGES AND POLICIES REGARDING THAT SYSTEM PLAN.
UM, WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY THAT I WILL COVER IS THE FORMATION VIA AN ILA AND APPROVING THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND THE BYLAWS THAT WILL FORM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THE POLICIES AROUND THAT AND SELECTING MEMBERS AND THEN KAYLEE ALLOCATING FUNDING FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES THAT WILL BE COMING IN EACH YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE POOR, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH HIGHLIGHTING, UM, THAT THE BOARD COMPOSITION AS OUTLINED IN THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT AND THE ARTICLES AND THE BYLAWS, UM, REFLECT A FIVE MEMBER BOARD WITH A CITY OF AUSTIN MEMBER OF COUNCIL REPRESENTING THE CITY, A MEMBER OF THE BOARD FROM THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD.
AND THEN AS I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THREE COMMUNITY EXPERTS, UM, WITH ONE AND FINANCE, ONE LOOKING AT ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, UH, AS A REMINDER, THIS BOARD WILL BE, UH, REALLY A CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT AND IMPLEMENTATION BOARD.
AND THEN I THINK KEY A REALLY KEY ELEMENT TO THE COMMUNITY EXPERT IS A MEMBER FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY WITH A STRONG, UH, EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, TO GET TO THE THREE COMMUNITY EXPERTS, THE ILA OUTLINES AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF CITY OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CAPITAL METRO, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
I THINK A KEY ELEMENT OF THE INNER LOCAL THAT THAT SPELLS OUT THE NOMINATING PROCESS IS THAT THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE SHALL LOOK TOWARDS, UM, NOMINATING THE SLATE OF, UH, OF COMMUNITY EXPERTS THAT REPRESENT AUSTIN, THE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE, UM, COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE.
SO ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE ITEMS IN THAT ILA IS TO HAVE THAT IN THERE, AS THAT NOMINATING COMMITTEE WORKS THROUGH THE NOMINATING PROCESS.
AND I THINK A KEY ELEMENT FOR THE COMPRISING THIS NEW PARTNERSHIP TO HELP LIFT THESE PROJECTS OFF THE GROUND.
NEXT SLIDE, THE, UH, THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT AND THESE, AND THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS THAT WOULD BE ARE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY FOR APPROVAL,
[02:00:02]
UH, WOULD SET THE STAGE FOR AGAIN, CREATING THE, CREATING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.AND THEN ONCE THAT PARTNERSHIP IS FORMED BY JANUARY, UM, THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR THE THREE ENTITIES, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO TO REALLY DIVE DOWN A FURTHER LEVEL AND THROUGH A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT WOULD, UH, LOOK AT SEVERAL TOPICS, UH, THAT REALLY NEED TO BE DETERMINED A LOT AROUND MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.
AND THE AUDITING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, SPELLING THAT OUT, EVEN EVEN MORE DETAILED THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, HOW THAT WOULD WORK, THE FUNDS WOULD FLOW AND THEN LOOKING AT PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OVER TIME.
CERTAINLY THE FTA PROCESSES, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, UM, TODAY, THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM, WORKFORCE TRAINING AND SAFETY AND DEVELOPMENT, SPELLING THAT ALL OUT AS THOSE AS WE TAKE, WHAT WOULD BE APPROVED TODAY IN THE, IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, UM, AND FILLING THAT OUT EVEN FURTHER THAN IT ALREADY HAS BEEN.
UM, WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ANNETTE MARTIN WITH THE CFO WITH CAPITAL METRO.
I'M THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE LINE THEY'RE MUTED, BUT THEY CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
SO CHEYENNE, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.
SO JUST TO REVISIT SOME OF THE KEY DATES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS MONTH AND RECENTLY THE RESOLUTIONS AND THE ACTION DATES, JULY 27TH WAS WHEN COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO INCLUDE PROJECT CONNECT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TAX RIGHTS AND TO PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND THE CAPITAL METRO STAFF ALSO DIRECTED STAFF TO FUND THE CAPITAL, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THE PROJECT CONNECT IN THE FISCAL 21 BUDGETS.
AND TO BRING IT BACK A FINAL RESOLUTION ON AUGUST THE SEVENTH ON JULY, THE 30TH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN PASSED A BUDGET RESOLUTION.
AND TODAY WE ARE HERE AT AUGUST 7TH, WITH FOUR ACTION ITEMS. BOTH PARTIES ARE TO APPROVE AN IRA FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AND EACH ENTITY HAS TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS AND CAPITAL.
METRO IS MAKING A FUNDING COMMITMENT RESOLUTION.
AND THEN DURING AUGUST 12 THROUGH 14, IT WOULD BE VARIOUS CITIES, CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET ORDINANCES TO ADOPT THE FISCAL 2021 BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL TO ADOPT A TAX, RIGHT? AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO ORDER AN ELECTION NEXT YEAR, IT'S A PROJECT CONNECT AS A SHARED COMMITMENT BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO AND FOR THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL TODAY, IS THERE A CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS TO DEDICATE TO THE TAX RATES, ELECTION REVENUES, TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.
IT ALSO PROVIDES 300 MILLION FOR TRANSIT TRANSIT, SUPPORTIVE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD WILL BE APPROVING A FUNDING AND COMMUNITY COMMITMENT TO FUND ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS FOR OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM.
CAPITAL METRO WILL ALSO DEDICATE THE CAPITAL EXPANSION FUNDS TO PROJECT CONNECT CAPITAL.
METRO WILL ALSO SERVE AS THE FTA PROJECTS ANSWER AND WE'LL TRANSFER FUNDS RECEIVED FROM ANY GRANT AGREEMENTS RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT TO ATP FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.
ALL CONTRACTS AWARDED BY THE ATP WILL ADDRESS A LIVING WAGE AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTIONS IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL FDA REQUIREMENTS.
AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE
AND WITH THE ACTIONS YOU'RE TAKING TODAY ARE COMMITTING TO FUND.
INITIALLY THERE IS THE ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE AS LIGHT RAIL, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL THAT WILL PROVIDE A FOREST AND SAFE WAY TO OPERATE IN THE CONGESTED DOWNTOWN DISTRICT IN MAY, WE'LL HAVE RED LINE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE GREEN LINE WITH
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A NEW COMMUTER LINE GOING TO CALL ANY PART INCLUDES ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS LIKE ADDITIONAL METRIC EXPRESS LINES, ADDITIONAL PARKING RIDES, AND THEN METRO BUS, METRO ACCESS, AND ALSO CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS. AND THEN HERE, YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE SEQUENCING OF THE 300 MILLION PROVIDED FOR TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE AND BASEMENTS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENTS.AND I WILL NOW HAND IT BACK TO THE CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, JACKIE, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, REGARDING OUR PRESENTATION AND IF WE CAN TAKE DOWN THE PRESENTATION SO WE CAN SEE HANDS, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SAY A NON VERY WELL HERE.
I'M GOING TO HAND THE MEETING OVER TO YOU AS WE TAKE UP OUR ACTION ITEMS. MAYOR.
AND IT WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT THE VERY LAST SLIDE.
UM, I JUST NOTICED EARLIER IT WAS NUMBERED LIKE YEAR ONE, TWO, THREE, AND I WANTED A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION ON, DOES THE INITIAL MARK START WHEN, WHEN THE VOTERS APPROVE IT OR WHAT DOES YEAR ONE LOOK LIKE ACCORDING TO THIS PARTICULAR BAR CHART? OH, I'LL JUMP IN FOR THE SANCTITY OF TIME.
THERE'S AN ASTERIX ON THAT CHART THAT SAYS BASED ON FEDERAL NEPA AND FUNDING APPROVALS.
SO THE BEGINNING OF THAT BAR CHART IS WHEN THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL.
WE'LL START THE ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL PROCESS.
IT'S WHEN IT'S APPROVED AND FUNDING'S APPROVED.
WHEN WE GET THE BUILDING, MR. CHAIR, I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO DO IS TO, UM, UH, HAVE THE DISCUSSION ON THE FIRST ITEM ON THE ILA, WHICH INCLUDES THE,
[2. Authorize execution of an interlocal agreement with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority for creation of a joint local government corporation to implement Project Connect.]
THE BYLAWS AND THE ARTICLES.UH, AND WE COULD JUST OPEN IT UP FOR BOTH BODIES, RUN THAT CURRENTLY.
UH, AND THEN WE COULD OFFER A MOTION IN EACH AND TAKE THE VOTES, UH, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, THAT WAY PEOPLE COULD JUST GENERALLY SPEAK ON IT IF ANYBODY WISH TO AFFECT.
DOES ANYBODY, UH, WISH TO SPEAK TO THE ILA AND THE BYLAWS AND THE ARTICLES BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION TO VOTE? A COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN? YES.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO, UH, SPEAK TO, UM, AND THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES RELATES TO THE, UM, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE OTHER ONE RELATES TO, UM, THE BOARD COMPOSITION.
SO, UM, I'LL START WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEN STOP TO SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING.
UM, AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, AFTER THAT, THEN I CAN GO BACK TO MY COMMENTS ON THE BOARD COMPOSITION.
SO, UH, LET ME JUST SAY ON THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, I THINK THAT, UM, I WANT TO, TO READ THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN HERE AND THE ILA IS 4.7, AND I WANT TO, UH, POINT TO THE FACT THAT I NEED, I THINK THAT WE NEED AS, UH, BOTH BODIES MOVE FORWARD WITH THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT TO, UM, TO, UH, LAY OUT ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES, UM, THAT ARE DEVELOPED WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT MAKE IT CLEAR, UH, THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE LAID OUT IN OUR JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
SO THE LANGUAGE RIGHT HERE THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE SAYS THAT THE PARTIES WILL REQUIRE THE BOARD TO FORM A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ASSIST CAP METRO AND THE CITY.
SO THAT IS, UM, ASSISTING ALL OF US, UH, IN POLICY ISSUES AS WELL AS OTHER ISSUES TO ASSIST US IN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND ADVISING ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND EQUITY MATTERS RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT.
IT GOES ON TO EXPLAIN THAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WILL FURTHER DELINEATE MEMBERSHIP MEMBERS, THE MEMBERSHIP, THE ROLES, AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SPEAKING TO THERE.
I THINK THAT I'M MAKING A COMMITMENT, I'M MAKING A COMMITMENT, AS I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL THIS WAY ALSO, BUT I'M MAKING THAT, UH, TO WORK TOWARDS, UH, PUTTING THE SPECIFICITY IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE COMMUNITY IS, UM, AT THE TABLE THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY HAVE, UH,
[02:10:01]
THEY HAVE A ROLE, UM, AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, UH, TO HOLD THIS SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR, UM, FOR, UH, MEETING THE EQUITY GOALS THAT WE ALL HAVE.AND SO THIS LANGUAGE, THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH THIS LANGUAGE DOES IS AN IMPORTANT STEP.
AND THE SPECIFICATION THAT, UM, IN THIS LANGUAGE THAT, UM, WILL BE THAT, UM, SET FORTH MEMBERSHIP ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT GIVES US ALL A PATH FORWARD TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO, UH, TO SPECIFY HOW THIS, UH, HEALTH IS, UH, COMMITTEE WILL OPERATE AND HOW WE ENSURE THAT THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, IF I COULD, UM, I REALLY WANT TO, UH, TO, UH, SECOND, THE SPIRIT OF, OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN JUST SAID.
I WANT TO REMIND US OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
OUR CHALLENGE HERE IS TO CONFRONT OUR OWN HISTORY, THOUGH.
NONE OF US WERE SITTING ON COUNCIL AND NONE OF US WERE SITTING ON CAP METRO'S BOARD WHEN A LOT OF DECISIONS WERE MADE, UH, THAT THAT IMPACTED EQUITY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHAT HAS BEEN DONE BY OUR ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, W WHEN WE PUT, SKIP ONE TOGETHER, SKIP TWO, SKIP THREE.
WHEN WE PUT PROJECTS TOGETHER IN SEVEN, EIGHT, SEVEN OH TWO, THOSE PROJECTS WERE SOLD AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING EQUITY PROJECTS, WHERE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, THE CITY PARTICIPATED BY PURCHASING A GREAT DEAL OF LAND AND INVESTING IN SMART GROWTH PROGRAMS. NONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS PRODUCED WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO PRODUCE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE PROGRAMS, NOBODY WHO WENT THERE HOPING TO LEASE AND BUY WAS ABLE TO BUY THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND WHEN WE, AND WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE AFFORDABLE OVER TIME, THEY WENT TO MARKET RATE IN ONE GENERATION.
WE ARE, WE ARE CHALLENGED BY OUR OWN HISTORY.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE TALK TO THE DAY THAT WE LISTENED TO TODAY, THEY TOLD US A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, THEY'RE STILL PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE DESPERATELY HURTING BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH COVID.
AND DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE DISPLACED, WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO BE DISPLACED AND THEY NEED TO BE ASSURED BY US.
AND THEN WE HAD OTHERS THAT SAID, I WANT TO BE A PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO BE A PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WANT TO HAVE A MEASURABLE IMPACT IN WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO INCLUDE THOSE VOICES, WHETHER THOSE VOICES COME TO US AND IN THE FORM OF THE COMMUNITY GROUP WITH DELIVERABLES, OR WHETHER THEY COME TO US WITH AN EXPANSION OF THE ATP, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE HEARD AND WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN.
AND WE'VE GOT AN, AND WE ARE READY TO GO.
WE KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS LISTS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SENSITIVE TO THE ENTRUST OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING, WHO ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS WHO ARE ALSO GOING TO VOTE IT UP OR DOWN.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SENSITIVE TO MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED SENSITIVE TO MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT IS OPERATING IN FEAR, BECAUSE THINGS AREN'T GOING GREAT NOW.
AND MAYBE AS, AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET, HOW WE'RE INVESTING IN THIS, AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT THAT WE REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A PART OF IT.
I THINK THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO BE A TRULY GREAT CITY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AN EXCELLENT PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO EXPLAIN THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY BRINGING NEW PIECES TO THE PUZZLE, BUT THAT WE ARE IMPROVING EXISTING PIECES OF THE PUZZLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT REPRESENT AN EQUITY ENTRUST FOR PEOPLE WHO USE THE BUS AS A CAR.
SO I, I SUPPORT THE GENERAL DIRECTION THAT WE'RE TAKING, BUT I THINK THAT WE, THAT I HAVE A COMMITMENT AND IMPORTANT COMMITMENT
[02:15:01]
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT TRUSTS ME TO REPRESENT THEM HAS THEIR VOICES HEARD.SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING IN THE PROCESS TO HAVE THEIR VOICES CLEARLY HEARD AND INVOLVED, AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, MY PERSONAL COMMITMENT AS WELL.
MR. STRAPS, UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, MR. MAYOR.
I WANTED TO ECHO WHAT A, UH, BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN AND A BOARD MEMBER FOR BILLION SEVEN.
AND JUST THROW IN THAT, I THINK THIS IS VERY CRITICAL.
THIS IS ACTUALLY NEW LANGUAGE IN THE LAST DRAFT THAT WAS RELEASED THAT WE SAW.
UM, I THINK IT WAS LATE LAST NIGHT OR EARLY THIS MORNING OF THE ILA, THAT SAME SECTION 4.7.
THE VERY LAST SENTENCE SAYS STRAIGHT UP THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE.
AND THIS IS AGAIN, THAT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE RELATED TO DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION MEASURES OR SOCIAL EQUITY ISSUES THAT IMPACT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS MUST, MUST BE CONSIDERED AT A PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD.
THAT IS A, TO ME A VERY KEY CRITICAL POINT HERE THAT WASN'T IN THE PREVIOUS DRAFT.
AND I REALIZED THERE WERE SOME FOLKS WHO WERE VERY CONCERNED THAT, THAT THE LATEST DRAFT OF THIS CAME OUT REALLY LATE WELL TO HOPEFULLY ASSUAGE SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROCESS, ONGOING TO TRY TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER.
UM, THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF NEGOTIATIONS BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE THAT A LOT OF KEY LANGUAGE GETS IN TO MEET A LOT OF THE CONCERNS SPECIFICALLY OF A COMMUNITY OF THE COMMUNITY ITSELF AND OF THE POPULATIONS INVOLVED.
I THINK THAT THAT RIGHT THERE, I THINK IS VERY KEY BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVEN AT CAP METRO, WE'VE GOT OUR, OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES RIGHT NOW, BUT, BUT AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS, WE HAVE THE STAFF MEMBER COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE US A REPORT AS TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE, UH, UM, AND OUR, UH, UH, THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAD DONE IT, THEIR MEETINGS EACH MONTH, BUT, BUT WE ARE NOT REQUIRED UNDER OUR CAP, METRO BYLAWS OR, UH, OPERATING AGREEMENTS, OR LEGALLY UNDER, UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION CODE TO DO ANYTHING SPECIFIC WITH ANY OF THOSE REPORTS.
IT'S BASICALLY, HEY, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP YOU UPDATED AND EDUCATED ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS, IS, HAS THE FORCE OF BASICALLY SAYING, AND I REALIZED THAT THIS ILA IS BASICALLY A BLUEPRINTS AND STRONGLY WORDED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT WE AS THE CITY AND THE CAP METRO BOARD ARE TELLING OURSELVES GOING FORWARD THAT WE WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN, BUT THIS IS PRETTY STRONGLY WORDED SAYING THAT WE WANT THE ATP WHEN IT'S FORMED SPECIFICALLY TO PUT IN THIS LANGUAGE THAT YOU MUST ATP BOARD CONSIDER WHATEVER THIS COMMUNITY ACCESS COMMITTEE COMES UP WITH IN RELATION TO THESE ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY KEY AND CRITICAL AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT GO WITHOUT A NOTICE AND MENTIONING AS WELL.
I'LL JUST STAY IN AND SAY, WE CAN'T DO IT.
WE CANNOT DO THIS PROJECT WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT MEANS HEARING THE VOICES AND ACTING ON THEM AND CONSIDERING THEM WEIGHING THEM AND HAVING THEM BE PART OF OUR DECISION MAKING MATRIX WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
SO YES, WE WILL BE INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY WE NEED TO THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
I KNOW WE'RE DISCUSSING THE ILA.
IS THIS ALSO A TIME TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE RESOLUTION? ARE WE WAITING ON THAT? WE'RE GOING TO DO THE RESOLUTION NEXT, WHICH INCLUDES THE BYLAWS AND THE ARTICLES.
I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK.
YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM SPEAKERS WHO, UM, I THINK UNDERSTANDABLY WHERE WE'RE FRUSTRATED WITH GETTING THINGS LATE, AND I THINK THAT'S DIFFERENT.
THEN A LOT OF OUR PROCESSES THAT WAS FOR US, I UNDERSTAND IT'S HARD FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, BUT I WANT TO TELL THOSE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT YOU STILL HAVE OUR JOINT POWERS AGREEMENTS LEFT, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN MENTIONED, SO PLACES WHERE WE NEED MORE SPECIFICITY OR WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS.
UM, BECAUSE THE CONCERNS FOLKS HAVE RAISED ARE MY CONCERN IS THAT THE CONCERNS OF BOTH OF THESE BODIES, THAT'S WHY WE PUT TOGETHER THAT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MONEY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT AS WE WORK ON DETAILS ON HOW TO DEPLOY THAT AND
[02:20:01]
HOW TO MAKE THIS THE BEST PROJECT IT CAN BE.UM, I THINK THAT MEANS WE USED TO DO CONTINUE TO WORK.
AND, UM, AND I, I I'VE URGED, AND I THINK WE WILL GET, UM, THE KINDS OF DOCUMENTS AND THE KIND OF TIME THAT PEOPLE NEED TO GET THAT FINAL AGREEMENT DONE.
THIS IS JUST THE FOUNDATION, BUT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO.
AND, AND I, I THINK WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO THE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY INPUT THAT PEOPLE ASK FOR, UH, AS THEY TESTIFIED.
UM, I, UM, UH, BUT I DO APPRECIATE A LOT OF, UH, OF THEIR MOST RECENT WORK AND THE, AND THE LATEST VERSION.
SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA.
AND I ALSO AGREE THAT WE NEED THE COMMUNITY IN, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, IT WILL NOT PASS.
AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT UP FRONT, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE PAST, WHEN WE WERE HAVING ALL THESE SKIP ONE, SKIP TWO.
AND IN ALL THESE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, WE WERE THE HOLLY POWERPLANT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THERE.
WE WERE JUST BUILDING THESE HOUSES FOR THESE PEOPLE AND SELLING THEM TO INTEREST FREE 80,000, 40,000 ESCAPED ONE 50,000, 80,000 THERE AROUND THE HOLLY POWER PLANT.
BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE LAND BANKING, LAND PRESERVATION, WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF TOOLS.
AND AT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IN THE INNER CITY GREW AND GREW AND GREW YOUR TAXES.
I WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
YOU KNOW, MY INCOME, WASN'T MORE THAN A $50,000 A YEAR, BUT THAT'S THE MAX I EVER MADE WORKING FOR IBM.
AND EVERY TIME THAT THOSE TAXES WENT UP, I CUT OFF A GIVEN TO THE CHURCH TO HAVE NONPROFIT.
AND THAT'S THE WAY I HAD TO SURVIVE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS TELLING PEOPLE, A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HERE THOUGH, WHOLE LAWN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT EQUITY LOANS THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO GET, YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN BORROW MONEY AND, AND UPGRADE YOUR HOUSES.
CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT THEY WERE GIVING OUT BACK THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEVER CONTRIBUTED ANYTHING TO HELP OUT THIS LOW INCOME COMMUNITY.
WE FOUGHT FOR BOND SELECTIONS.
WE DID A WHOLE BUNCH TO TRY TO GET THESE OUT, TO HELP SAVE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT WOULD JUST, THERE WERE NO TOOLS.
NOW WE DO HAVE THESE TOOLS AND WE, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY TOOL THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX TO GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AS MANY AFFORDABLE UNITS AS FUNDING THAT WE CAN GET.
AND, AND, UH, I KNOW THAT BEING ON CAPITOL METRO WITH HER, THE WAY THAT THEY PLAN AND I MEAN, IT NEVER GOES, UH, PROJECTS HERE IN THE, IN THE CITY.
AND METRO HAD NEVER GONE OVER, OVER OVERRUN AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COME EITHER ON BUDGET OR UNDER BUDGET, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT THE BEST PEOPLE RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY AND TO GET THIS THING DONE RIGHT, AND DONE RIGHT WAY.
A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND THIS AND SUPPORT IT AS A MEMBER OF HARPER, MADISON.
I, UM, I WAS HOPING THAT I CAUGHT YOU OUT ONE TIME.
MY BABY ACCIDENTALLY UNPLUGGED THE ROUTER.
SO I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT OF WHAT TRANSPIRED I DID HEAR WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN SAID.
AND I, I REALLY WANTED VERY MUCH TO, TO ECHO THAT SENTIMENT.
UM, AND THAT LEVEL OF COMMITMENT, I HEARD A PART OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN SAID, AND I THINK IT WAS ALONG THE SAME LINES, YOU KNOW, AS ALL MAKING THAT DISTINCT COMMITMENT, UM, JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO, SO VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I'LL SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T ENTER INTO ANY OF THIS LIGHTLY.
UM, MY TEAM AND I WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THIS SORT OF GOT INTRODUCED TO US, IN ADDITION TO THE TRANSIT TRIPS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE, UM, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I'VE JUST BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON MY OWN ABOUT TRANSIT AND MOBILITY AND MOBILITY JUSTICE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY MAKING THAT INTENTIONAL EFFORT AND COMMITMENT.
UM, AND SO WHILE I CAN, UM, SYMPATHIZE WITH SOME OF THE SENTIMENT THAT THE, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO CALLED IN, UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD AND NOT SYMPATHIZE, THAT'S THE WRONG WORD I HEAR YOU IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
I HEAR YOU, WE RECOGNIZE WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, AND THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF COMMITMENT TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE GET AS CLOSE TO, UM, BEING ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THE GOAL IS AND BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
AND SO, UM, I CAN FOR MYSELF AT THE VERY LEAST, AND I'M CERTAIN SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL, MAKE THE ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO NOT STOP UNTIL WE GET AS CLOSE TO RIGHT AS WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO WHAT'S THAT EXPRESSION ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OH, PERFECTION BEING THE ENEMY OF PROGRESS, YOU KNOW WHAT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I DON'T WANT TO FIND OURSELVES IN THAT
[02:25:01]
POSITION.UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST CONVEY AND I'M CERTAIN, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NO QUESTION ABOUT THE LEVEL OF RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE ON BEHALF OF, OF THE COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATES.
UM, WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO WITH THAT $300 MILLION, THAT'S OVER A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS NOBODY'S EVER DONE THAT, UM, FOR DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION.
SO I JUST TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF JUST HOW MASSIVE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS IT'S SO BIG, IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, DENVER THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING BIG WHEN THEY DID, YOU KNOW, TWO DIGITS OF, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, INVESTMENT AND DISPLACEMENT, UH, PREVENTION AND MITIGATION.
AND THEIR FUND IS ONLY EVEN GOTTEN UP TO 150 MILLION.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OVER TIME, WE'RE STARTING OUT AT 300 MILLION, WHICH GIVES ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE AND OPTIMISM FOR WHERE WE CAN GET TO WHEN WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO CHIME IN AND SAY THAT, UM, I ALSO AM MAKING THAT FIRM COMMITMENT TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO KEEP LISTENING, TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT AS CLOSE TO RIGHT AS WE CAN.
I, THIS LIKE MANY OTHERS, I DON'T SEE AS A END ALL BE ALL.
I SEE IT AS A FLUID PROCESS AND GENERATIONAL PROCESS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO THE POLICYMAKING PART, UH, I MAKE THAT COMMITMENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME TO SPEAK FOR A MOMENT.
YES, MITCHELL, UH, JUST, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK THUS FAR.
I AM ABSOLUTELY IN AWE OF THE, THE WAY THIS HAS COME TOGETHER AND PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE, UH, CREATED A STRUCTURE THAT WILL ALLOW TO GROW A LOT TO GOVERN.
UH, I JUST DID THIS AS A HISTORIC TIME AND I ALSO, UH, I'M NOT A POLITICIAN, SO, BUT, UH, BUT I AM A BUSINESSMAN WHO BUILDS HOUSING AND I, WE HAVE TO DO THIS DISTRICT A HUNDRED MILLION.
EVERY BIT OF IT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED TO PRESERVE, UH, HOUSING IN AND AROUND THESE TRANSIT STATIONS.
IT IS A KNOWN FACT IN MY BUSINESS THAT, THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WILL WANT TO LOCATE CLOSER TO WORK RATHER THAN FAR AWAY.
AND SO PART OF OUR TASK ONE IS APPROVING THIS AND GETTING IT BUILT.
BUT AS A CITY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLAN AROUND THESE TRANSIT STATIONS TO INCREASE HOUSING.
YOU'RE GOING TO JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THE DEMAND SOMEDAY WILL STRIP OUT THE SUPPLY AND IT WILL START DRIVING UP THE PRICES.
AND, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE GREENFIELD AREAS, IT'S A BIGGER CHANCE, BUT IN THE INFIELD AREAS, IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO STUDY THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN BEING REACTIVE.
AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE A FEW YEARS TO DO THAT AS WE PLAN AROUND IT, BUT IT IS, IT IS A CRITICAL PART OF THIS.
IT WILL BE A DIRECT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE IF WE DON'T.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION SO THAT WE'RE, UM, UPFRONT WITH FOLKS, UM, THERE'S $300 MILLION FOR MITIGATION, BUT THAT'S NOT $300 MILLION ON DAY ONE.
THAT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IN TERMS OF HOW THE MODEL WORKS OR IS IT UPFRONT WHEN WE'RE BUYING LAND? WOULD YOU LIKE TO HANDLE THAT? SURE.
THE, THE, I THINK A KEY PART IS THAT THE DISPLACEMENT FUNDS ARE, ARE PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THEY ARE KEY ELEMENT TO THE OVERALL PROJECT COMPONENTS.
AND FROM THE WAY WE'VE MODELED OUT TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN BUILD THE SYSTEM AND ALSO LOOK AT THE CASHFLOW ON THE CHART THAT WE'RE NET WENT THROUGH, LIKE THE OTHER ELEMENTS.
THERE'S A TIME, THERE'S A TIMEFRAME AND A TIME TO CONTINUE TO THAT.
AND WE LOOK AT THAT $300 MILLION BEING SPENT OVER THAT 10 TO 13 YEAR PERIOD IN ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR INCREMENTS WITH, WE KNOW THERE'S A FOCUS EARLY ON, I'M TRYING TO DO SOME LAND BANKING, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO DO ELSEWHERE WITH OTHER IT'S OTHER FUNDS.
WE KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE A KEY COMPONENT FOR THE ATP TO, TO FOCUS ON IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT YES, IT IS OVER, IT IS OVER THAT PERIOD AS WE'RE NOT SPELLED OUT.
GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
AND PART OF THE REASON THAT I BRING THAT UP IS THAT I WANT TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, ADVISORY BOARD AND PLANNING THINGS OUT OVER TIME, UM, THIS MONEY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE ONLY MONEY THAT THE CITY INVESTS IN MITIGATION AROUND THE TRANSIT LINES.
UM, IN FOUR YEARS, WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANOTHER BOND, UM, AND WE WILL BE JUDGED BY THE SUCCESS OF OUR, OUR HISTORIC $250 MILLION AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND.
[02:30:01]
WANT TO INVITE FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH US TOWARDS THAT GOAL.WE WILL NEED TO MAKE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE 300 MILLION THAT'S SPREAD OVER THE TIME PERIOD FOR THE INITIAL INVESTMENT.
UM, IF WE REALLY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS RIGHTLY DEMANDING WITH RESPECT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AROUND THE TRANSIT TRANSIT LINES.
UM, SO I JUST, I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ONE STEP THAT THE CITY IS TAKING, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, UM, TO WORK TOWARDS, UM, THE EFFECT ADDRESSING THE DISPLACEMENT.
I WOULD THEN MOVE TO COUNCILMAN FLANAGAN.
I MEAN, WE ALL GOT TO TAKE A TURN, RIGHT? UH, I WOULD JUST SAY AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS STAGE WE'VE TAKEN MANY VOTES, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND YEARS AS THE STAFF LAID OUT THE SMP ON THE COUNCIL SIDE AND OTHER BOATS ON THE KENT METRO BOARD SIDE, AND THIS, THIS TODAY IS ANOTHER BIG VOTE.
AND THEN NEXT WEEK THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON BALLOT LANGUAGE AND THEN THE COMMUNITY WILL VOTE IN NOVEMBER.
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
AS MY COLLEAGUES AND THE BOARD MEMBERS ON KENT METRO HAVE LAID OUT, IT IS, IT IS AN EXCITING PROSPECT TO THINK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SAYING AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHO WE HAVE OUR OWN PROCESS, THAT THAT MEANS WE REPRESENT THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS AND WHOSE VOICES, WHAT, BUT I AT LEAST KNOW THAT WHEN, WHEN WE GOT ELECTED, WE WERE FOLLOWING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND REACHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND AS WE ENGAGE MORE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHOSE VOICES GET TO BE THOSE VOICES, BUT AT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE CREATING IS THE TYPE OF BODY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS, THOSE THE SHORT AND LONGTERM, WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT POLITICAL CYCLE, BUT ALSO LEANING ALL THE WAY IN ON WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PUBLIC, BOTH FOR THOSE WHO RIDE AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE PAYING IT IS AN EXCITING PROSPECT.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF, RANDY, YOUR STAFF AND, AND GINA AND GREG
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DIGGING INTO THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, WHICH IS THE OTHER BOAT WE HAVE TO TAKE TODAY, BUT I WILL SAY THAT AT LEAST ON THESE THREE DOCUMENTS, I AM VERY PROUD OF THE WORK.
ALRIGHT, COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL, MEMBER, KITCHEN.
UM, I MENTIONED THAT I WANTED TO JUST, UM, POINT FOLKS TO A COUPLE OF OTHER PROVISIONS, UH, RELATED TO THE BOARD COMPOSITION AND THE BOARD SELECTION.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR, UM, JUST FOR, FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTS AND THEY MAY NOT BE CLEAR.
SO, UH, IN SECTION A 1.1 0.5 WHERE IT SPEAKS TO THE COMMUNITY EXPERTS, UH, I WANT TO POINT TO THE FACT THAT THE LANGUAGE NOW SAYS THAT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO BOARD, ALTERNATE FORMS OF EXPERIENCE OR QUALIFICATIONS MAY BE SUBSTITUTED.
THE POINT THERE IS TO GIVE US ALL THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT THE BEST PERSON, UM, AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT TO THE FACT THAT IN, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF, OF, UH, LANGUAGE ADDITIONS THROUGHOUT THIS, THAT SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD.
SO ON 3.8 0.2 ON PAGE FIVE, IT SPEAKS TO NOMINATING INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENT OUR DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN FINALLY, WHEN WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE, UH, LANGUAGE IN THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION ON PAGE THREE THERE'S LANGUAGE ABOUT, UM, CONSIDER THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD AND THE NOMINATION PROCESS AND THE VOTING FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS NEEDS TO CONSIDER US AS DIVERSITY AND AN APPLICANT'S ABILITY TO CONSIDER WHOLLY PROJECT CONNECTS BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS, PARTICULARLY ON VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
[02:35:01]
AIMED TO BE SERVED BY TRANSIT.AND THEN FINALLY, UH, AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF FLEXIBLE FLEXIBILITY THAT'S BEEN BUILT IN NOW TO THE ARTICLES IS THE POTENTIAL IN FUTURE YEARS TO, UM, UH, POINT, UH, DIRECTORS, THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENT, AND THE CAPITAL METRO APPOINTMENT COULD BE, UM, RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, OR OF THE CAPITAL METRO SERVICE AREA RESPECTED.
HOW'S NUMBER ALTER NUMBER ELLIS.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND, AND SOMEONE FROM STAFF CAN HELP ME BY, UM, I THINK IT'S, UM, WOULD BE USEFUL TO, UM, DIAGRAM FOR THE PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHAT IS IN THE ILA BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVE THREE PARTS TO THE ILA THAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO THE CONTRACT OF THE VOTERS, WE HAVE THE ILA AND THEN WE HAVE THE EXHIBIT A, WHICH IS OUR, THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE BYLAWS, UM, AND I WILL TAKE A STAB AT IT, BUT IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO, UM, I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S A CONFUSING DOCUMENT.
IF SOMEONE JUST PICKS IT UP AND HASN'T HAD THE BENEFIT OF EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN DOING, THE ILA IS A, IS AN INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT THAT IS CREATING, UM, THE ATP AND LAYING OUT THE PURPOSES OF THAT.
UM, AND PROVIDING SOME GUIDANCE, THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION ARE, ARE NOT YET FILED, BUT WILL BE FILED AT A LATER DATE.
AND THEY'RE SAYING WHAT THE POWERS OF THAT ORGANIZATION ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE BYLAWS, WHICH WILL BE THE RULES OF HOW THE, HOW THE BOARD OF THAT IS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, BUT I THINK IT IS, UM, USEFUL FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THIS DOCUMENT IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO DO EVERY DAY.
UM, AND I THINK IT HELPS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, WHICH ESSENTIALLY WE'RE AGREEING TO DO THE JOINT POWERS BY, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS FROM, I GUESS BY JUNE 30TH, WE ARE AGREEING THAT WE ARE GOING TO APPOINT THE FIRST COUPLE OF PEOPLE, UM, TO THE BOARD FOR THE ATP.
UM, SO THIS IS SETTING IN MOTION, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, AND IS PROVIDING US AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING ON IT, THE DRAFT FOR THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND FOR THE BYLAWS THAT WOULD FOLLOW, UM, WITHIN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO ADD ANYTHING MORE, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO DO THAT, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S CONFUSING.
AND I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO CLARIFY, CAUSE IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO UNDERSTAND IT MYSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I CAN TAKE A SECOND AND JUST SAY, UM, I PROBABLY CAN'T DESCRIBE IT BETTER THAN YOU JUST DID.
UH, SO I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT IS NOT A NORMAL THING THAT THE PUBLIC IS USED TO FORMING, NOT JUST A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, BUT IT'S BY, BY STATUTE OF JOINT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
HENCE WHY WE REALLY HAVE A NEW FUNDING MECHANISM, A WHOLE NEW PARTNERSHIP MODEL, UH, THAT WAS PRETTY INNOVATIVE, BUT I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF DESCRIBING THAT.
YES, TODAY, TODAY IS DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF BOTH POLICY BOARDS TO SAY, THIS IS THE FRAMEWORK, UH, KIND OF THE RULES OF THE ROAD TO MOVE FORWARD.
A NEW BOARD WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE APPOINTED.
THE GOAL IS BY JANUARY 1ST TO HAVE THAT DONE, THAT BOARD WILL THEN FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
THOSE PITS, THOSE PAPERWORKS TO GET TO THAT BOARD WOULD BE OFFICIALLY SEATED AND THE STRUCTURE EXISTS WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
AND THEN AS YOU MENTIONED, VERY WELL, THERE'LL BE A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, UH, THAT WE WERE CALLING THE JPA.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO GET INTO ANOTHER ACTING ROOM THAT WE'RE CLOSING SOME OUT AND OUR GOAL, WE HAVE THAT DONE BY NEXT SPRING.
UM, I THINK BURNETT OR GREG WENT OVER A SLIDE.
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT.
AND WE MIGHT GO FROM A 20 SOME PAGE ILA AND ARTICLES TO A 300 PAGE LARGER.
UH, I CALL A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY CAP, METRO AND THE, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
SO I THINK YOU DESCRIBED IT WELL, BUT WE'RE HAPPY CAREY WAS THE PRIME AUTHOR, PROBABLY THE MOST ON THAT.
BUT IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, WE'LL HAPPY TO JUMP IN IF YOU THINK ANY MORE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT CLARITY.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS SURPRISING TO ME WHEN I KNOW PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING OUR MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THESE VIDEOS AFTER THE FACT, THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO SEE IN A LOT OF DEBATE AND DISCUSSION, A LOT OF AMENDMENTS, A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, OR IF THINGS ARE GOING TO HAVE CONSENSUS.
AND I WANT TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR NOT ONLY MY STAFF, BUT TRANSPORTATION AND FINANCE STAFF AT THE CITY AND CAT METRO, BECAUSE WHEN WE GET TO PLACES WHERE THESE DOCUMENTS ARE HEFTY, BUT PRETTY CLOSE TO FINALIZE, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT.
AND SO I WANT PEOPLE TO THESE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED REALLY WELL.
WE'VE HAD CHANCES TO LEND OUR IDEAS, TO CAP METRO AND TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND WHEN YOU SEE THINGS MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER IN UNISON THAT, YOU KNOW,
[02:40:01]
A LOT OF WORK IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.AND I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S GOING INTO IT AS WELL.
AND THANKS FOR, UM, UM, EXPLAINING THAT.
I THINK IT, IT CAN BE, UM, CONFUSING.
SO JUST ONE OTHER POINT TO MAKE IS THAT THE LOCAL AGREEMENT IS AN INTERIM DOCUMENT THAT I THINK ONE OF YOU SAID SAID IS THE GUIDANCE AND SAYS, DICTATES WHAT IT MEANS TO GO INTO THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
UM, AND THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT IS THE FINAL DOCUMENT WITH ALL THE DETAILS IN IT, UH, THAT WE'RE AGREEING TO.
AND THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT COMES BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE CAP METRO BOARD, AS WELL AS THE 80 PEOPLE ARE FOR ADOPTION.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THAT PROCESS AND THE DECISION MAKING FOR ADOPTION OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
UH, THANKS MR. MAYOR, MR. CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE FINAL NOTE TO THAT, UM, THAT ULTIMATELY THIS ALL RESTS IN THE HANDS OF OUR VOTERS PERIOD, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IS PROVIDING EXTRA ASSURANCE TO THE VOTERS THAT WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING LAID OUT AND IN PLACE, SO THAT ONCE THE ELECTION, AND WE EVEN DEFINE IT A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION AS IT'S CALLED IN THIS DOCUMENT, THAT WE WOULD BE APPROVING TODAY, THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT, ALL THE MOVING PARTS WILL START GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT THAT'S THE KEY TO THIS IS THIS IS BASICALLY ALONG WITH WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING ON THE CITY SIDE.
WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE CAP METRO SIDE IS, IS BASICALLY A PROMISE TO THE VOTERS THAT, HEY, IF YOU GUYS WILL AUTHORIZE THIS GOING FORWARD ON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, WE'VE GOT ALL THE PIECES IN PLACE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT EXPLANATION, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT FINAL KEY POINT THERE THAT NONE OF THIS WILL GO FORWARD.
NONE OF THIS WILL HAPPEN UNLESS THE VOTERS AUTHORIZE IT IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE, WE, WE DID THAT LAST MOTION LAST WEEK UNANIMOUSLY, UH, AND, AND, AND I THINK THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO SAND AND IT WAS REPORTED THAT WAY.
AND I THINK IT WAS SIGNIFICANT, UH, FROM HEARING PEOPLE'S DISCUSSION.
I THINK WE MIGHT BE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT HERE AS WELL.
UH, SO IS THERE, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD NOT LIKE TO, TO PARTICIPATE TOGETHER AS A, AS A GROUP, UH, IN MOVING THE AUTHORIZATION, UH, THE EXECUTION OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH, UH, WITH CAP METRO FOR THE CREATION OF THE JOINT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, DID IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT AND INCLUDE THE PASSAGE OF THE BYLAWS AND SEEMS TO BE, YES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, I THINK IN SUMMARY, OKAY.
LET'S TAKE A, RAISE YOUR HAND KITCHENS, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER, OR MADISON COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO COUNCIL MEMBER RENT, ALTAR MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER AND MYSELF, I THINK ALL 11 OF US.
IN FACT, IF PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, I TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR YOUR METRO VOTES.
AND THANKS TO ALL THE COUNCIL FOR COLLABORATION.
I'LL ASK MY BOARD A MOTION WITH RESPECT TO THE LA AND THE RESOLUTION.
UH, I LIVE HERE, I PUT FORWARD A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ENVELOPE FOR THE JOINT LOW FROM THE CORPORATION TO AUSTIN TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT BY ACCLIMATE AS WELL FOR THE CAP BOARD WHO OBJECT TO THIS MOTION BY ACCLAMATION? UM, SAY NONE FOR CLARITY AND FOR THE RECORD'S SAKE, LET'S ALL INDICATE IF THE MOTION BY RAISING OUR HANDS AND
[02:45:01]
I'VE GOTTEN, UH, OR KITCHEN, UH, OR MEMBER STRATTON, A BOARD COMMISSIONER MITCHELL TO REMEMBER TO OUT AND MYSELF.SO IT PATHS BY AMBITION SEVEN TO ZERO.
WHAT A GREAT, IF I CAN JUST SAY WHAT A GREAT MOMENT.
REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AS THE VERY SEEDLINGS PROJECT CONNECT PLAN, WHERE WE IN A WORLD WHERE WE HAVE A PROJECT CONNECT PLAN THAT METRO AND THE CITY BOTH CAME TO AN AGREEMENT ON, WE ARE NINE MEETINGS LATER, 60 POINTS OF CONTACT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND EVERYBODY IS IN SUPPORT TO KNOW THAT WE'D HAVE NO PLACE FOR MORE AND THE ORGANIZATION OF FOUR 80, 80 ON A GO FORWARD BASIS, AS I'M, I'M SUPER PROUD OF WHAT WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND AS I HAVE SAID, EVERY TIME, HATS OFF TO OUR FABULOUS STAFF ON BOTH SIDES.
I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GOING INTO THE STORE, THE STORE HAS MOVED TO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE
[3. Approve a resolution relating to guidance on dedicating tax revenue and the terms of an interlocal agreement to be negotiated for the implementation of Project Connect for the November 2020 tax rate election.]
NOW THREE CITY COUNCIL, BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS CHAT METRO TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACT, THE BOATERS, OR THAT, UH, THAT ADDITIONAL, UH, AGREEMENT.I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT'S CALLED FROM THE CAPITAL METRO SIDE.
UH, BUT WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AGAIN, ON BOTH THE SAME WAY WE DID ON THE, UH, ON THEIR CONVERSATION AMONG THOSE PRESENT.
THERE'S UM, A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO, UM, TO READ.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO, YEAH, LET ME READ THESE ITEMS FIRST.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHICH DOCUMENT WE'RE VOTING ON IF EXCELLENT RESOLUTION, WHICH HAS BEEN FOR THIS SITE.
D THREE WOOD BED, SOME CHANGE TO THE, UM, ONE OF THE LABS, BE IT FOR THE RESOLVE RELATED TO THE ACTIONS.
SO WE CAN GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT, UH, WHAT I DO FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, UH, AND AGAIN, SO THAT PEOPLE, UM, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN IT.
UM, UH, AS PEOPLE SAID, THIS IS THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
UM, AND IT'S THE PROMISE THAT WE MAKE WITH THE BURBS ABOUT, UM, ABOUT HOW THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT.
I THINK DOCUMENT, IT DOES SPEAK TO, UM, THE LEVELS OF DETAIL THAT WILL BE PUT IN THE POWERS AGREEMENT, JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS DOCUMENT.
I WANT TO JUST DRILL DOWN FOR FOLKS AND, AND JUST SPECIFY THE PROVISIONS THAT TO, UM, THE, UH, THE PROCESS FOR, WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE CREATING WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE STRATEGY AROUND, UM, UH, DISPLACEMENT.
UM, AND SO, UM, THERE'S A, BE IT RESOLVED ON PAGE SEVEN, UH, THAT'S UH, THE APARTMENT IN TERMS OF, UM, THE PROCESS AND IN TERMS OF THAT, UM, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, UH, WILL HAVE A PROVISION THAT DOCUMENTS THE PROCEDURE TO CREATE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL TOOLS AND STRATEGIES WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A LISTING OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TOOLS AND STRATEGIES IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE, BUT IT'S THERE TO GIVE, UM, AN UNDERSTANDING TO FOLKS ABOUT IT WOULD AT LEAST INCLUDE THESE THINGS.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR IT.
SO IF YOU'LL BEAR ME, UH, INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRESERVATION, REPAIR, AND REHABILITATION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, HOME REPAIR, RENTAL SUBSIDIES, RIGHT.
TO RETURN ASSISTANCE, UM, LET'S SEE.
AND OTHER STRATEGIES THAT BUILD ECONOMIC MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS ALONG THE TRANSIT QUARTERS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THERE IT'S DESIGNED TO GIVE, UH, AT A MINIMUM AND IT'S IT'S OTHER STRATEGIES TOO.
SO, AND THEN THAT PROVISION GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER SPECIALTY TO SPECIFY OTHER PROVISIONS THAT NEED TO BE PART OF THE, UM, THE PROCESS FOR, UH, CREATING WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY.
[02:50:01]
THIS, BUT JUST TO TELL YOU THE, UM, UH, THE SUBMITTERS FIRST, UH, WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF VOTER APPROVAL, IT'S A PRO PROVIDE A PROCESS FOR CURRENT LEVEL STRATEGIES WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS SECOND CREATE AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL.UM, AND THE, THE KEY PART OF THAT IS TO ANALYZE ON A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL, UH, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, MITIGATING THE IMPACTS, UM, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT TO BUILD ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
THIRD IS, UM, UH, AGAIN, CREATING WITH THE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL PREVENTION AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES.
SO, UH, AND THEN FOURTH, UH, SPECIFIES THE, UM, UH, PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND I WANT TO NOTE THAT INCLUDES THE EQUITY OFFICE, THE INNOVATION OFFICE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY IN THAT SECTION IS TO MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE A FREQUENTLY UPDATED PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD TO TRACK PROGRESS ON THE STRATEGIES.
SO BASICALLY THAT TALKS ABOUT GETTING STARTED, UH, QUICKLY, IMMEDIATELY, UM, SETTING FORTH THE PROCESS AND THEN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN THAT PROCESS.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT WHAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT IT HAS TO BE PROACTIVE AND IT HAS TO BE DONE AS PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
IF IT'S AFTER THE FACT WE MISSED THE BOAT.
SO THERE IS LANGUAGE IN HERE ON PAGE TWO THAT RECOGNIZES IN THE ASM P THE POLICY THAT WE ALL VOTED ON ON THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN THAT YOU HAVE TO PROACTIVELY ASSESS DISPLACEMENT IMPACTS OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
AND I'LL QUOTE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THIS BACK DURING THE BACK DURING THE PLANNING THING.
SO I POINT THAT OUT TO JUST, UM, TO JUST, UH, EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS DOCUMENT IS A, YOU KNOW, A PROCESS FOR CREATING WITH THE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL STRATEGIES.
AND WE'RE SAYING, WE'RE DOING THAT PROACTIVELY.
WE'RE SAYING WE'RE DOING THAT AS PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS, SO THAT WE'RE NOT COMING IN LATER AFTER THE FACT, UH, TO PLAN.
SO I WANTED TO POINT OUT OF THOSE THINGS AND, AND MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO, UH, THE WORKER PROTECTIONS THAT ARE IN DRAFT THREE SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK THE WORKER PROTECTION IS IN DRAFT THREE, HISTORIC KITCHEN, REFLECT THE ONGOING POLICY IN THE AREA REFLECTS THOSE VALUES AND THOSE PRACTICES.
AND, AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS DOCUMENT REFLECTS THEM AS WELL.
UM, MAYOR AND, AND, UM, MR. CHAIR, ONE STATEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A, UH, A PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH, OUR COMMUNITY EFFORTS AS WELL.
IT IS COMMON TO TAKE A PRIVATE ADVANTAGE UPLOADS WITH BUILDING ANYTHING.
I THINK WE ONLY DO THE THINGS THAT WE DOCUMENT AND MEASURE.
SO WHEN WE PUT COMMITTEES IN PLACE, WHEN WE PUT PROCESSES IN PLACE TO IDENTIFY, WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE.
UM, PEOPLE ARE SEATED WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT WE NEED THEM TO DELIVER BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE REVIEW THAT AND EVALUATE THE ACTIONS REGULARLY, AND DOCUMENT THEM PUBLICLY, I THINK, WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF WHAT IS RETURNED TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT CAN BE MEASURABLE AND, AND THEY CAN SEE THAT THE WORK THAT THEY EXPECT IS BEING DONE, I'LL SET FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERED.
UM, I WAS JUST, UH, I WAS EXPECTING AND APPRECIATE THAT THE CHANGES ON PAGE 10 WITH RESPECT TO, UM, THE, THE WORKER PROTECTIONS.
UM, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE COULD DIAGRAM WHAT CHANGED AND THIS VERSION THAT WE JUST GOT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M NOT MISSING CHANGES THAT THAT WERE MADE.
UM, I WASN'T SURE IF THEY WERE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE ELSEWHERE, UM, VERSUS THE ONE THAT WE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED YESTERDAY.
IT'S ONLY THAT SECTION, MAYBE CARRIE, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT ONE SECTION, PLEASE.
[02:55:01]
THIS IS CARRIE BUTCHER, CHIEF COUNSEL AT CAPITAL METRO.FROM THE VERSION THAT WAS SENT LAST NIGHT, THE ONLY CHANGES IN NETWORK OR PROTECTION SECTION, EXCEPT FOR A TECHNICAL CORRECTION REFERENCE TO ME.
I, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, JOBS AND THIS WHOLE PROJECT HERE IN A SECOND.
UH, AS WE PASS THE CONTRACTOR, THE VOTERS, GIVEN THE UPDATES IN THAT LANGUAGE, I JUST WANTED TO ASK TWO REALLY QUICK QUESTIONS, CARRIE, IT MIGHT BE FOR YOU OR FOR ATTORNEYS, UH, AND, AND THEY'RE JUST QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THE ANSWERS ARE PRETTY CLEAR, BUT I JUST WANT TO ASK THEM HERE, UH, BEFORE WE PASS IT, UM, WE TALK HERE ABOUT THE BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM OR A SIMILAR PROGRAM, AND A LOT OF OUR CITY DOCUMENTS, WE USE THE WORD COMPARABLE, BUT FOR ME, THE WORD SIMILAR AND THE WORD COMPARABLE, OR ABOUT THE SAME THING, IT JUST MEANS THIS IS GOING TO BE A MULTIPLIED MULTIPLE DECADES, LONG PROJECT.
SO AS THINGS CHANGE, WE'RE JUST EXPLAINING, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF STANDARDS WE WANT TO MEET, AND WE REALLY WANT TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT WORKERS GET GOOD JOBS, BUT THE WORD SIMILAR, WE JUST TELL THEM TO USE THE WORD COMPARABLE AND A LOT OF OUR CITY DOCUMENTS, BUT SIMILAR AND COMPARABLE GENERALLY MEAN THE SAME THING IS THAT RIGHT.
MEDIA DEMOS AS EQUIVALENT WORDS.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE WAGE REQUIREMENTS IN A LATER BE IT RESOLVED AND SORT OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY STUFF IN THIS EARLIER ONE.
SO IT SAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THIS BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM, UM, THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE HIRING GOALS AND OSHA SAFETY TRAINING.
IT DOESN'T SAY INCLUDES THINGS LIKE WAGES BECAUSE WE HAVE THE WAGE REQUIREMENTS AND THE NEXT BE IT RESOLVED.
BUT WHEN YOU READ THE WORD INCLUDES, HIRING GOALS, INCLUDES SAFETY TRAINING.
YOU READ, I READ INCLUDE THAT AS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS IN THE SECOND BE IT RESOLVED, RIGHT? SO DO YOU READ INCLUDING HIRING GOALS, INCLUDING SAFETY AS KIND OF SAYING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY LIMITED TO THOSE WORKER PROTECTIONS BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE'S OTHERS.
THAT'S HOW I READ IT TOO, BUT BECAUSE I GOT THOSE QUESTIONS AND BECAUSE THINGS ARE CHANGING QUICKLY, I JUST WANT IT TO CLEAR MY THING.
I'M MAYOR I'M, I'M REALLY SUPPORTIVE, UM, OF, OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TAKEN THAT MUCH TIME ON THE DICE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE, THE JOB CREATION, UM, PARTS OF THIS PROJECT, RIGHT? WE ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND, UH, CARBON FREE ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES, YOU, THEY, UH, RAIL OR ON TIRES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THAT IS, UH, THE CORE MISSION OF WHAT WE WILL GET WHEN THIS IS DONE.
BUT IN A TIME WHERE WE ARE SEEING A MASSIVE, UM, ECONOMIC RECESSION, TURNING INTO A DEPRESSION FOR SO MANY FAMILIES COMING TOGETHER AS CAP METRO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, PROBABLY ALSO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S INVESTMENTS AS WELL, TO CREATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE THAT WILL BE LIVING WAGE JOBS AND SOME HIGHER, LOTS OF HIGHER SKILLED JOBS THAT HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF, OF PROTECTION BECAUSE THEIR PUBLIC PROJECTS REFLECT, UM, WHAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID COMING OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION WITH THE NEW DEAL, EXCEPT IN THIS CASE, UM, UH, A NEW DEAL WHERE WITH, UH, WITH THE FOSSIL FUEL FREE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, THE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING AS WELL.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK REALLY BENEFITS ALL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY BY BRINGING THESE JOBS AND NOT JUST ANY JOBS WITH JOBS WITH, UM, PROTECTIONS BECAUSE IT'S BEING FUNDED BY, UM, BY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OUR LOCAL LEADERS, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT BETWEEN HERE AND ATLANTA.
THERE ARE TONS OF THINGS ABOUT THIS THAT I, THAT I THINK ARE PRETTY HISTORIC.
AND FRANKLY, IN A LOT OF WAYS, I THINK THAT, UH, I'VE BEEN WAITING THREE DECADES FOR THIS, ALONG WITH A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I SPOKE ABOUT IT AT LENGTH LAST NIGHT.
UH, THIS HAS TRAFFIC BENEFITS AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS AND JOB BENEFITS.
IT HAS EQUITY BENEFITS IT AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS VIRUS.
AND THIS TIME WE SEE EVER MORE THAN ANYONE COULD HAVE BEFORE THE INEQUITIES IN OUR SYSTEM AND IN OUR CITY.
AND THIS HELPS ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE INCLUDING MOBILITY DESERTS.
AND, BUT I'M ON, UH, HAVING TALKED ABOUT IT SO MUCH LAST NIGHT AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BACK HERE NEXT WEEK, TAKING THE BOAT THAT ACTUALLY PUTS THIS IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS.
I'M GOING TO HOLD OFF UNTIL WE GET TO THAT WAY FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST POINT OUT, UM, A COUPLE, UH, PARTS
[03:00:01]
THAT, UM, WERE INCLUDED IN THIS VERSUS AN EARLIER VERSION THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT GIVEN THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING FROM FOLKS TO HIGHLIGHT.UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ADDED, UM, WAS AWARE AS CLAUSE, UM, THAT COMMITS, UM, CAP METRO AND THE CITY TO IDENTIFY AND PURSUE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE REGIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, I DEFINITELY THINK WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND WE HAVE A SOLID FINANCING PLAN, BUT I'M GOING TO HOLD OUT SOME HOPE THAT OUR STATE IS GOING TO STEP UP AND REALIZE THAT WE SHOULD BE MAKING INVESTMENTS, UM, IN TRANSIT.
AND I HOPE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT OUR STATE GOVERNMENT WILL RECOGNIZE THAT.
AND THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE PROCESS WE HAVE SET UP HERE, UM, ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT, DO MORE FOR THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, RELATED TO THAT, THERE'S A, BE IT RESOLVED ON PAGE SIX, THAT HAS A SECTION THAT SAYS, UM, FURTHER FUNDING FROM THE CITY'S TRANSFER.
REVENUE IS SUFFICIENT TO FUND BOTH THE INITIAL INVESTMENT AND ADDITIONAL TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS, OR PROJECT CONNECT COUNCIL CONTRACTS WITH THE VOTERS THAT THE PROJECT CONNECT TAX REVENUE MAY BE USED TO FUND THOSE ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS.
SO WE'RE SETTING OUT AND SAYING THE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE WILL, WE BELIEVE SHOULD ALLOW US TO DO THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, BUT IF WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE MORE OF THOSE FUNDS OR MAKE THE DOLLARS GO FURTHER, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ON THE TRACK TOWARDS THE FULL SYSTEM BILL THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT.
THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PART, WHICH IS ANOTHER QUESTION I GET OFTEN, WHICH IS IF WE DO NOT REALIZE THE FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS, UM, THAT WE ARE CONTRACTING THAT WE WILL USE THE PROJECT CONNECT TAX REVENUE TO FUND AS MUCH OF THE INITIAL INVESTMENT IN PROJECT CONNECT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE CITY TO TAKE ON THE OBLIGATIONS OF FULLY FUNDING, THE REST ABSENT THE OTHER FUNDING.
IT SAYS THAT WE WILL INVEST IN AS MUCH OF IT AS WE CAN GET DONE WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR, UM, IN THE TAX, UM, REVENUE COLLECTION.
UM, AND I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TAKEN TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE QUESTIONS THAT WE GET A LOT AND WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD ABOUT WITH THE PLAN AND ALL THE PIECES AND ALL THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE IS THAT WE HAVE A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE PLAN THAT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, THESE CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER THINGS, AND ALLOWS US TO GROW AND INVEST AS, UM, AS OUR STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, FURTHER RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSIT AS WE HAVE DONE BY HAVING ALL THESE UNANIMOUS VOTES.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOTION? YES.
REMEMBER KITCHEN? I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
I WAS THINKING WE WOULD MAKE COMMENTS AFTER WE PASSED IT ALL.
OR WOULD YOU PREFER THAT NOW I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO MAKE A COMMENT AFTER ALL RIGHT COLLEAGUES, UM, UH, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLANNING, THINKING MAYOR JUST VERY QUICKLY AND COUNCILMEMBER ALTER, I THINK SUMMED IT UP WELL, IS THAT THE, THE, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS THAT HAVE COME INTO MY INBOX ABOUT THE INITIAL INVESTMENTS AND IT'S ALL DIAGRAMMED AND EXHIBIT A THAT THE INITIAL INVESTMENT IS ORANGE AND BLUE AND A FEW OF THE METRO RAPID LINES.
THAT IS THE ABSOLUTE FIRST GROUPING OF PROJECTS THAT GO, AND THERE'S NO REALLOCATION OF THAT.
IF THERE IS MORE, IF AS CUSTOMER ALTAR PUT OUT IT THERE'S FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL MATCH IS HIGHER, OR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HOPEFULLY NEW LEADERSHIP IN STATE GOVERNMENT THAT UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION, OR POSSIBLY EVEN INVESTMENT FROM CTRS OR FROM A REGIONAL PARTNERS WHO MAY WANT TO BE PARTICIPANTS IN THE FUTURE.
THAT WE'RE ALSO SAYING THAT WE CAN KEEP GOING, BUT NOTHING SUPERSEDES THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, WHICH IS THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE TOGETHER.
AND RANDY, WILL YOU JUST CONFIRM THAT THAT'S TRUE.
I GUESS WHICH, WHICH PART OF THAT STATEMENT A COUNCIL MEMBER SAY, YES, SORRY, THE INITIAL INVESTMENT GOES FIRST.
WE CAN DO MORE IF THERE IS MORE, BUT WE GOT TO BUILD THE INITIAL INVESTMENT FIRST, THE WAY YOU SAID IT IS CORRECT.
THE SEQUENCE PLAN IS LISTED IN THE DOCUMENT.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THIS AGAIN.
I THINK THAT THE WHEEL MAY VERY WELL BE THERE TO DO THAT.
UH, DOES ANYBODY OBJECT TO, TO COLLECTIVELY MAKING THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, UH, THAT GUIDES, UH, UH, THE, ON THE DEDICATED TAX REVENUE AND THE TERMS, UM,
[03:05:01]
UH, TO, TO BE NEGOTIATED AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT, UH, FOR THE NOVEMBER, 2020 TAX RATES ELECTION, WE'RE NOT SETTING THAT ELECTION YET.THAT'LL BE NEXT WEEK, BUT THESE ARE OUR COMMITMENTS TO THE VOTERS.
UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THAT PROCESS, EVERYBODY WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MOTION, THERE'S THAT WAY, UH, THAT SAID THEN, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE OUR VOTE, IMPROVE THESE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS, FLANAGAN AND KITCHEN, AND ALTER THE MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER, TOBO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, UH, HARPER, MADISON, ALICE RENT, MARIA, AND MYSELF.
UH, THIS THEN PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS MOVED BY THE COUNCIL IN ITS ENTIRETY.
MR. CHAIR, I TURNED IT OVER TO YOU, YOUR METRO CORPORATION, CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WHAT I, UH, WHAT A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, BOARD MEMBERS OF KEVIN VITRO, UH, WERE POSTED OF COURSE, FOR ACTION ON A RESOLUTION RELATING TO GUIDANCE ON FUNDING AND COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS.
I CAP METRO TERMED OF AN INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT TO BE NEGOTIATED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
AND, AND JUST BY WAY OF SUMMARY, UH, IN THIS, UH, RESOLUTION, WE MAKE FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, UH, FUTURE FUNDING FROM, UH, OUR SOURCES, UH, AND FROM FEDERAL SOURCES OF FUNDS THAT WE, UH, ANTICIPATE BEING THE APPLICANT, OR AS WELL AS COMMITMENTS RELATED TO REVISIONS OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
SO, UH, OUR MOTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WATCHING CLOSELY MIRRORS, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE CITY'S MOTION, HERE'S CITY MOTION ON THE NERVE TERMS RELATED TO A FUTURE DRAFT UNDER THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE CITY MOTION AND NETWORK COMMITTEE IN OUR OWN DOLLARS PROJECT COMMIT CONNECT INTO THE FUTURE.
SO, UM, I REMEMBER I WANTED TO POINT OUT ONE KEY CLARIFICATION AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO THAT APPLIES DIRECTLY TO US IN ADDITION THAT PAT METRO, IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU SAID, MR. CHAIR, RELATED TO THE FINANCING, IT'S THAT VERY FINAL RESOLVE CAUSE VA FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY PROJECT CONNECT IS INTENDED TO BE ADDITIVE TO EXIST IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL BUS AND METRO ACCESS SERVICE AND CAPITAL METRO WILL NOT REDUCE SERVICE HOURS TO SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THIS DOCUMENT IS OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR RIDERS AND TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, THAT WHILE WE ARE DOING THIS, AND WHILE WE MAY BE FORMING THIS SEPARATE ENTITY ATP, WE AS THE MEMBERS OF THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE TO RUN THE EXISTING US AND RAIL SERVICE AND METRO ACCESS SERVICE IS NOT CHANGING, WILL NOT GO AWAY.
THAT IS STILL ONE OF OUR PRIMARY COMMITMENTS TO ER, TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE WRITERS OF OUR, OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AT Q A MEMBER STRATTON IN THE OTHER AT METRO BOARD MEMBERS WISH TO BE ON THIS ITEM, OR WE GOT THE MOTION MR. TRILLION.
BUT MY COLLEAGUES SAID THAT THAT, UH, NOT CERTAINLY A BUS SERVICES WILL NOT BE DIMINISHED.
THEY WILL BE EXPANDED ON THE BASIS OF ADEQUATE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPROVING THE SYSTEM FOR ALL PARTS OF TOWN AND, AND, AND, UH, AND EQUITY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF WHAT WE'RE AFTER.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TO, UH, SAY THAT I AGREE WITH MY POLITICS, SO WELL, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM CAP, METRO OR MEMBERS VERY WELL THEN, UH, UH, I WANT TO MOVE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION OF THE GUIDANCE ON FUNDING AND COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS BY CAP MATCH.
WHEN THE TERMS OF AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT TO BE NEGOTIATED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT CONNECT.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT BY ACCLAMATION.
ARE THERE ANY OF THE CAP METRO BOARD MEMBERS, UM, THAT OBJECT TO THIS BEING BY ACCLAMATION SAYING NONE, I'LL ASK THEN THAT WE VOTE ON IT.
UH, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU'LL RAISE YOUR HANDS AND I'LL CALL OUT NAMES, I'VE GOT A COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN COUNCIL MEMBER, GARZA MEMBER STRATTON, UH, COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN, UH, COUNCIL RINSE, MARIA AND MYSELF COOPER.
UM, MOTION CARRIES ON I'M SORRY.
[03:10:01]
UM, LIGHT ON VIDEO AND, UH, UH, COOPER.SO MOTION CARRIES BY ACCLAMATION BY A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO.
SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
THIS, UH, AS I SAID EARLIER, AS A SUPER HISTORIC OCCASION AND THESE TWO VOTES, UH, I'VE TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT GETTING ENGAGED, UH, WE'VE PUT IN PLACE THE PRENUP, UH, WITH THE, UH, ILA, UH, WE'VE CREATED A ROADMAP, UH, AS WELL AS A SPECIFIC STRUCTURE WITH ARTICLES AND BYLAWS, UH, THAT WILL DEFINE, UM, THIS INDEPENDENT BOARD THAT WE HEARD FROM OUR CONSULTANTS WAS BEST PRACTICE.
AND, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD, I HOPE WE WILL HOLD OURSELVES TO EXCELLENCE AND BEST PRACTICES BECAUSE WE'RE NOW IN THE BIG LEAGUES IS SOUGHT TO BE A WORLD CLASS PROJECT.
WE OUGHT TO BE DEALING WITH THE BEST VENDORS, THE BEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, THE BEST ENGINEERS IN THE WORLD.
UM, AND, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A GOVERNANCE SYSTEM THAT'S EQUAL TO THAT TASK AND EQUAL TO THE EXPECTATION IN OUR CITY, THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AS WE, UH, AS WE DEVELOP THIS PROJECT FOR EVERYBODY.
SO THIS IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD, AS WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT WITH THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK LEFT TO BE DONE BETWEEN THE INDEPENDENT BODY CITY AND OUR BOARD, LOTS OF DETAILS.
UH, AND, AND THERE'S A SMALL THING, UH, OF AN ELECTION THAT WHEN DID THEY GET THROUGH.
AND SO WE NEED TO PERSUADE OUR FELLOW CITIZENS THAT WE'VE TAKEN US IN THE RIGHT PATH, BUT I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND NAILING DOWN THE STRUCTURE, UM, AND PROVIDING A PATHWAY TO GO FORWARD.
UM, ONCE WE GET PAST THE ELECTION, UM, THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE.
AND, UH, I'M GONNA ASK, UM, UH, GREG, IF YOU, UH, WANT TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS FOR US, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME FINAL COMMENTS, CERTAINLY THANK YOU, CHAIR COOPER, RAINY, AND JEAN WOULD ADD IN AS WELL, CERTAINLY, UH, UH, WHILE SILVER RECOGNIZE THE, THE MOMENTOUS VOTES THAT YOU JUST TOOK.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US OVER THESE MEETINGS AND THE, AND THE MONTHS TO GET TO GET YOU IN A COMMUNITY HERE.
UM, CHAIR COOPER, AS YOU SAID, UH, NOW THERE IS IN THE MAYOR MENTIONED NEXT WEEK, THERE IS THE CITY WILL GO THROUGH ITS BUDGET PROCESSES OF, UM, ADOPTING A TAX RATE AND ALSO, UH, AS PART OF ITS NORMAL ORDERING OF AN ELECTION, UH, PUTTING THE TR TAX RATE ELECTION BALLOT LANGUAGE ON AS WELL.
UM, AFTER THAT, RIGHT, THE COMMUNITY WILL GO TO GO FORWARD A BOAT.
UM, AND I THINK AS WAS MENTIONED, UM, SEVERAL TIMES, UM, THAT IS IN THE LANGUAGE, THE ILA AND OTHER AREAS IS THAT UPON SUCCESSFUL VOTE, UM, UH, OF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, UM, ONE OF THE TASKS THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT IS FOR THE PROCESS TO FORMALLY NOMINATE A BOARD TO STAND UP THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BY JANUARY 1ST, SO THAT THE WORK CAN BEGIN IN HER.
INSTEAD, I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE KEY THINGS POST-ELECTION, UM, THAT, THAT WORK, THE ILA LAYS OUT, UM, A FEW MORE THINGS NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE WILL, WE WILL, UH, LET THEM LET THAT VOTE HAPPEN AND LET THE CITIZENS HAVE THEIR VOICE IN THAT.
UH, RANDY, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT, GREG.
UH, UM, UH, CITY MANAGER CRONK, ANY FINAL COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? JUST A WORD OF APPRECIATION AGAIN, THIS COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO IS UNPRECEDENTED, AND I REALLY THINK OUR STAFF, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
A MANAGER, UM, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, FIN DACA.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY FINAL COMMENTS? UH, YES.
UH, JUST, UH, A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO MAYOR ADLER, OUR COUNCIL, YOUR, YOUR BOARD, UH, FOR REALLY PROVIDING US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS GREAT WORK ON YOUR BEHALF.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ALREADY, BUT, UH, REALLY FINAL RECOGNITION FOR RANDY AND THE CAPITAL METRO TEAM, TRUE PROFESSIONALS, A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE TEAM ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN SIDE, UH, REALLY PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS ON YOUR BEHALF.
UM, PLEASED WITH, UH, THE, THE PRODUCTS THAT WE'VE PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY.
UM, AND IT REALLY, UH, JUST THERE'S NO I IN TEAM AND REALLY THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE APPROACH THIS.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CLARK, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS? UH, YES.
I TALK A LOT, I MEAN, A FAIR AMOUNT
[03:15:01]
OF ENERGY.SO TODAY I ACTUALLY MADE A COUPLE OF, UH, NOTES.
UM, I WILL KEEP IT SHORT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTES, UH, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A MOMENTOUS DAY AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I MENTIONED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, 883 DAYS AGO, I STARTED THIS JOB AT CAP METRO.
NOT THAT I'M COUNTING, UH, AND DURING THE HIRING PROCESS, THE BOARD GAVE ME A VERY CLEAR MANDATE TO DEVELOP A DATA DRIVEN COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE PLAN.
AND I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A LONG, LONG PROCESS.
A LOT OF YOU HAVE GIVEN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, AND I, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE'VE GONE TO DIFFERENT CITIES TO DO DUE DILIGENCE.
WE'VE HAD INDEPENDENT PEER REVIEWS, YOU'VE ENGAGED OVER 60,000 PEOPLE.
I THINK ALMOST 300 EVENTS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT IS INNOVATIVE.
THE FUNDING MODEL WE PUT TOGETHER IS INNOVATIVE AND NEW.
AND THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE IS LIKE REALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY.
AND, UH, I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE CAP METRO CEO AT THIS PIVOTAL TIME.
HE'S BEEN A GREAT ALLY AND PARTNER.
UH, HE AND I GOT HERE AROUND RIGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME.
AND I REMEMBER OUR FIRST CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, AND I APPRECIATE ALL HIS PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION.
I WANT TO PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, THANK THE CHAIR.
HE'S PUT A LOT OF TIME, BOTH WITH DAA AND THEN A CAP METRO VOLUNTEER POSITION THAT I PROBABLY TAKE MORE TIME OF HIM THAN HIS ACTUAL DAY JOB.
UH, THANK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO PUT SO MUCH TIME INTO THE ORGANIZATION AGAIN, VOLUNTARILY, CAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY MAYOR COUNCIL.
UH, YOU ARE BEING PULLED IN A MILLION DIRECTIONS, NOT JUST THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, ALL THE TIME FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND YOU'VE PUT, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE, ALWAYS WILLING TO HAVE A PHONE CALL AND EMAIL YOU REALLY CARE AND TRYING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
UM, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY MEMBERS OF LIKE THE PECAN, UH, IT USED TO BE THE AMCAN AND NOW THE CON UH, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE ACCESS COMMITTEE, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, PLANNING COMMISSION, ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ACTUALLY PUT THEIR 2 CENTS INTO THIS PLAN, ADVANCE DANCE.
THAT INCLUDING A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT SPOKE TODAY THAT ACTUALLY HAD A VERY, UH, IMPORTANT ROLE IN PLANNING, BOTH NOT JUST THE PLAN, BUT THE DOCUMENTS OF TODAY.
I WANT TO DO A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND ALL THE CONSULTANTS THAT PUT LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF HOURS INTO THIS PROGRAM.
I CAN'T OVERSTATE THE THOUSANDS OF HOURS THAT PUT IN, AND THAT'S ALL THE CAP, METRO STAFF AND ALL THE CITY STAFF THAT WAS INVOLVED.
BUT I WANT TO JUST CALL A COUPLE OF NAMES SPECIFICALLY FOR THEIR PUBLIC RECOGNITION.
AND ON THE CITY SIDE, GINA, COULDN'T GET A BETTER PARTNER.
MY BEANTOWN PARTNER RIGHT THERE.
GREG CANALY, WHO'S A, YOU'VE ALL SEEN CHEYENNE CROWDS, CHLOE MAXWELL, ANNA MARTIN, AND ASHLEY BLOTS, OR THEY, THEY HAVE LITERALLY PUT ALL THEIR BLOOD AND EFFORT INTO THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH I PERSONALLY THINK WHEN THE CAP METRO SIDE BURNETT MARIANNA WICK, DAVE COUCH, SAM SERGEANT ERIC BOOSTO, JACKIE NUREMBERG, BRIAN CARTER, CHRIS BRAND, AND CARRIE BUTCHER WHO HAD OWNED HER FLOODS AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF IN THE LAST WEEK.
IT'S STILL WORKING TILL LIKE MIDNIGHT DOING DOCUMENTS.
SO, UH, SORRY, THAT TOOK A LITTLE BIT, I JUST REALLY WANT TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE ALL THOSE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THIS LONG PROCESS.
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU CHAIR.
AND WELL-DESERVED, UH, UH, MAYOR ADLER, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS FOR US YOU'RE MUTED.
WE HAD THE PROMISE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN THAT SHE COULD SAY A WORD.
SO LET ME, LET ME GO TO HER FIRST, IF YOU JUST DO FIRST MAYOR, IF YOU WANT, OR I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE, WE'VE TALKED A LOT TODAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS, UM, IN CLOSING HERE, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR ME, I'M, I'M REALLY, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR AUSTIN.
UM, AND, AND BY THAT, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S REALLY WHAT I SEE AS OUR FIRST, UH, TRULY COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
AND I'M GLAD TO BE IN A POSITION NOW THAT WE CAN OFFER THAT TO OUR VOTERS.
UM, WE CAN OFFER SOMETHING TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT, UM, THEN I THINK THAT, UM, IS TO HELP PEOPLE WELL IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S GETTING TO WORK OR THE GROCERY STORE, OR JUST GO AROUND TOWN OR, OR JUST FINDING A SAFE AND EASY WAY TO GET HOME.
SO I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THEM SOMETHING THAT I THINK HAVE HUGE VALUE.
SO, UM, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY IS, IS, IS, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE REALLY ALSO ABOUT BUILDING BACK, UH, AND BUILDING BACK BETTER AFTER COVID, BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO GET PAST THIS AND WE ARE GOING TO BE PROBING
[03:20:01]
AND THERE WILL BE LIFE AFTER THAT.UM, AND WHEN WE DO, UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED A REAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, UH, THAT EASES CONGESTION, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE, WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PAST.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO BEING STUCK IN TRAFFIC.
AND AS WE WERE IN THE PAST, AND ALSO TO THE INEQUITIES OF OUR, OF OUR MOBILITY SINCE OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, UH, THAT, THAT WE ARE, THAT WE ARE UNDERSTANDING BETTER AND BETTER IN THIS DAY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, ALSO AS A CENTRAL WORKERS HAVE TAUGHT US DURING THIS PANDEMIC, WE REALLY MUST REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND THAT WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED EVERYBODY.
THIS IS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE PEOPLE, INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE.
AND SO, LASTLY, I'D JUST SAY, AS WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
UM, ONE, I MEAN, A NECESSARY, CRITICAL, VERY IMPORTANT WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.
UM, AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF OUR WORK NOW IS INVESTING IN EQUITY.
UH, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT TODAY, ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ABOUT OTHER, UH, APPROACHES, UH, TO MITIGATING DISPLACEMENT AND INVESTING, UM, AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN I JUST WANNA, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT I THINK DR. BURNETT SAID, AND THAT IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE, WE ALL HAVE A DUTY AND I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT DUTY AND I WANT TO RECOMMIT TO THAT DUTY TO THE BEST I CAN, UM, TO, TO REALLY, UM, MAKE GOOD ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE EQUITY.
WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE EQUITY AS OUR FOUR PRINCIPLE.
UM, AND AS SHE SAID, THAT WILL HELP US DO BETTER.
SO FINALLY, AS I SAID BEFORE, I, I VIEW THIS AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE IN AUSTIN FOR EVERYONE.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER, WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I HOPE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THIS, THIS, UH, TRANSPORTATION.
UH, MR. CHAIR, I JUST, JUST REAL BRIEFLY WITH MAYOR PRO TEM CARSON.
UM, I JUST, UM, I WANTED TO EXTEND A THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A REALLY HARD PROCESS, UM, AND I JUST WANT IT TO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY'S TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT, UM, SPECIFICALLY WEARING MY HAT, REPRESENTING A DISTRICT THAT, UM, HAS OFTEN FELT LEFT OUT OF, OF MANY PLANS.
AND I KNOW THAT MANY OF THEM FEEL THAT WAY, UM, NOW, AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS JUST AN INITIAL INVESTMENT AND THAT THIS IS IT'S GOING TO TAKE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE SEEN IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HOW, WHEN YOU REALLY DO CHANGE OUR, OUR MODES IN MANY WAYS, UM, WHEN, WHEN NEEDED, I REMEMBER WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN TOWN AND WE WERE EXPECTING, UM, REALLY BAD TRAFFIC AND THE MAYOR PUT A CALL OUT AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT EVERY DAY.
UM, AND JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, IN THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN, HOW WE'VE COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND FLATTENING THE CURVE AND SEEING HOW CHANGING AND WORKING TOGETHER, UM, IS REALLY SAVING LIVES.
AND EVEN NOW, UM, AS REAL RUNNING ERRANDS, PEOPLE THINK THAT, OH, WELL, THERE'S NO TRAFFIC NOW.
THERE'S, THERE'S STILL BEEN TRACK OF TRAFFIC.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE, UM, GO INTO CITY HALL AND I'M HAVING HER WITH OTHER ERRANDS AND THERE IS STILL TRAFFIC EVEN NOW AS MOST PEOPLE ARE.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S CALLED A MO CHANGE FOR A LOT OF WAYS.
AND, UM, I REMEMBER TELLING, UM, PRESIDENT CLARK, THE STORY OF ME PUTTING MY BIKE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON, ON THE EIGHT OH ONE AND HOW I HOPE NOBODY EVER FINDS A VIDEO.
CAUSE IT'S, IT'S HILARIOUS BECAUSE IT WAS, IT TOOK ME A REALLY LONG TIME.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.
I WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE THAT IF I WASN'T A BOARD MEMBER.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE HAVING THOSE KIND OF AN EMBARRASSING MOMENTS AND TRYING OUT TRANSIT AND, AND, AND, AND WE'RE DOING IT FOR EACH OTHER BECAUSE THOSE OF US WHO WERE CLOSE TO THE LINES, WE REALLY GOT TO TRY TO CHANGE OUR CULTURE AND USE IT BECAUSE THOSE US WHO AREN'T CLOSE TO THE LINES, THAT MEANS LESS TRAFFIC FOR THEM.
AND IT'S ALL THESE LITTLE THINGS, LITTLE CHANGES WE CAN MAKE AS A COMMUNITY THAT MAKES US ALL BETTER.
AND, AND, UM, AND IT IS JUST AN INITIAL INVESTMENT AND, AND, AND W W W YOU KNOW, FUTURE COUNCILS WILL BE BACK FOR MORE, BUT THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF, OF HOW THESE THINGS WORK.
[03:25:01]
BUT I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF US.AND OF COURSE, UM, WE'LL BE A BIG PROPONENT, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, WIN THE ELECTION.
HOW DOES TELL THE BOARD MEMBER THAT I HAVE THAT VIDEO IN ARCHIVES IF SHE EVER WANTS IT, MR. SHERIFF? SO, SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO WAS INVOLVED IN TO, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, PRESIDENT CLARK, ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK, UH, CHAIR COOPER.
UH, YOU'VE DONE JUST A PHENOMENAL JOB.
I THINK OF LEADING BOTH ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THROUGH THE BENIGN, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD TOGETHER.
AND THERE'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS FELT UNIQUELY SPECIAL ABOUT HAVING THE GOVERNING BOARD OF TWO ENTITIES, UH, MEETING TOGETHER AND DELIBERATING THIS WAY.
AND I JUST THINK THAT'S AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL EXAMPLE AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO AND ASPIRING TO, TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THE DAYAS TOGETHER WITH COLLEAGUES LIKE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN, UH, COUNTY, GOVERNMENT, AND CITY, GOVERNMENT, AND CAP, METRO WORKING TOGETHER HAS BEEN A TRULY REMARKABLE AND SPECIAL.
AND THEN ALL THE STAFFS THAT HAVE BEEN IN SO INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, TODAY WE'RE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO AUSTIN.
FINALLY, HAVING A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT ADDRESSES TRAFFIC AND REDUCES CARBON EMISSIONS AND IMPROVE SURFACE FOR CENTRAL WORKERS HELPS US BECOME THE, JUST AN ACCESSIBLE CITY, UH, THAT WE ASPIRE TO BE.
YOU KNOW, WE DID TWO THINGS TODAY THAT WERE REAL IMPORTANT.
WE FORMALIZED OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO CREATE THE, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT BODY WITH A MISSION TO OVERSEE AND IMPLEMENT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT CONNECT RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND THEN WE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION, A CONTRACT WITH VOTERS, MAKING COMMITMENTS ON HOW WE'LL IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT IN A WAY THAT REALLY REFLECTS OUR CITY'S VALUES AND PRIORITIES.
WE OUTLINED REAL MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS, INCLUDING $300 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER HANDY DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES, UH, TO ENSURE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES NEXT WEEK, AS PART OF ADOPTING THE COUNCIL BUDGET.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN TAKE THE FINAL STEP TO, TO GIVE VOTERS A CHANCE TO VOTE ON PROJECT CONNECT, UH, IN NOVEMBER.
SO I URGE EVERYBODY TO STAY TUNED THROUGH AUGUST 12TH.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER DECADES OF DELAY, MILLIONS OF CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT TRAFFIC AS HAVE WE ALL A HERITAGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THE LAST MONTHS HAVE POINTED US TO SUPPORTING ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR CENTRAL WORKERS, A SPECIAL NEED FOR JOBS AS WE MOVE OUT OF THE VIRUS.
I CONCLUDE BY SAYING, WE NEED TRANSIT NOW, MS. JEREMY, THANK YOU, MAN.
IT'S BEEN A, UM, SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE.
AND I HOPE THAT A HISTORY WILL RECORD THAT, UH, IN THIS COLLABORATION, WE'VE SET A NEW BENCHMARK OF THE WAY GOVERNMENTS, UH, OUGHT TO WORK AND IN OUR REGION.
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD OURSELVES TO THIS HIGH STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE AND COLLABORATION AS WE GO FORWARD.
WE'VE, UH, THIS IS A LONG STAPLE CHASE.
WE'VE GOTTEN ACROSS A COUPLE OF THE, UH, OF THE HURDLES, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO GO AND, UM, A PLEDGE TO ALL WHILE NOT, UH, SLOW DOWN, WE'VE GOT ELECTIONS, UH, TO GO OUT.
AND, UH, WHEN WE HAVE, UH, A BOARD TO RECRUIT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT TO RECEIVE.
WE HAVE A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT TO, UH, NEGOTIATE.
AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, SOMETIME IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, WE'LL SEE SHOVELS IN THE GROUND, UH, LAYING SOME TRACK.
AND, UH, SO, UM, I'M GRATIFIED, I'M THANKFUL.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY OUR STAFF WILL TAKE THE WEEKEND OFF, UH, HOMES.
WON'T GET FLOODED, BABIES, WON'T CRY AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENTS, WON'T BE CALLING.
AND, UH, UNLESS WE HAVE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS, OUR CAP METRO BOARD WILL STAND TO CHURN AT FIVE 35.
AND MR. CHAIR, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING ALSO ADJOURN AT FIVE 35.