Health and Human Services Committee Meeting Transcript – 04/10/2019 Title: City of Austin Description: 24/7 Channel: 6 - COAUS Recorded On: 4/10/2019 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 4/10/2019 Transcript Generated by SnapStream ================================== [2:04:51 PM] >> Harper-madison: Good afternoon, everyone, I am Council member Natasha Harper-Madison, I am the chair of the health and human services committee. We are meeting in City Council chambers, Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. It is now 2:05 and I call the meeting to order. Okay. So our first item is the approval of the minutes from the health and human services committee meeting held February 13, 2019. Is there a motion to pass minutes? Is there a second? Moved by councilmember tovo and seconded by mayor pro tem Garza. All in favor please say aye. Aye. Aye. Item 1 passes unanimously. We're gonna zip right into -- we'll take citizen communications. The sign-up sheet will be available digitally at the dais. If there are speakers -- each speaker will be allowed two minutes to voice their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Is there anybody here for citizen communication this afternoon? >I have one person signed up, councilmember -- Gus Pena, but I don't see him anywhere. >> Harper-madison: Is Gus Pena present? [2:06:53 PM] Okay. In which case.. In which the Committee will now go into closed session to take up one item pursunt to section 551-074 of the government code the committee will discuss personnel matters related to I'm number 4, we'll discuss the appointment of board members to the central health board of managers,interview identified applicants and select a top candidate. Is there any objection to going into executive session on the item announced? Hearing none, the committee will now go into executive session. [4:32:40 PM] >> Harper-madison: Okay. So, we are out of closed session, and in closed session we took up and discussed personnel matters related to item number 4. We had the opportunity to interview five very qualified, knowledgeable, great candidates. A lot of them with deep knowledge of the health care system. And after deliberation with the committee, we have nominated Julie Zuniga to serve on the health board of managers. The nomination will be forwarded to mayor and council for consideration and approval, in which case I'd like to make a motion that we forward the nomination for Julie Zuniga to mayor and council. Can I get a second? >> Tovo: Chair, I'd like to second that. >> Harper-madison: Thank you. So I made the motion to nominate Julie Zuniga and have is be considered and have it be seconded by councilmember tovo. Is there any further discussion? Oh, I'm sorry. >> Tovo: I seconded. I just wanted to indicate, these have been hard decisions in the past, and this was really no different. We had really an exceptional pool of applicants with very -- very strong qualifications and a real strong commitment tove, and so it was -- it was a very challenging decision to make this recommendation, and we're really so grateful. I'm so appreciative of those who stepped up in their willingness to serve. >> Garza: And I would just echo that these are some of the hardest decisions because they're all such great candidates and I just want to thank all of them for stepping up to apply, and I also wanted to say that there are often other opportunities when seats become vacant, so I would [4:34:42 PM] encourage those who did not get the appointment to try again. >> Kitchen: And I would just echo what my colleagues have said, that we just had a wonderful group of applicants, and a lot of times what we'reooking for is what's the right fit for the iculrt position, and so we have to consider that. And, again, I just echo what my colleagues have said and thank everybody that applied. >> Harper-madison: Thank you all. And with that, I need to -- oh, we have one last item -- oh, we need to take the vote. Excuse me. So all in for of the motion, say aye. >> Aye. >> Harper-madison: The motion is passed unanimously and then the last item is future agenda items. Are there any proposed to discuss at the future meetings? Okay. In that case, if there are no objections, we are adjourned at 4:35 p.m.