City Council Special Called Joint Meeting with CapMetro Transcript – 12/18/2020 Title: City of Austin Channel: 6 - COAUS Recorded On: 12/18/2020 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 12/18/2020 Transcript Generated by SnapStream ================================== Please note that the following transcript is for reference purposes and does not constitute the official record of actions taken during the meeting. For the official record of actions of the meeting, please refer to the Approved Minutes. [1:09:59 PM] >> Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us for our tenth joint meeting of the capmetro board of directors and city of Austin city council. This is our first joint meeting since our city give us [indiscernible] To project connect. So it's a fun time to be together. And to celebrate that. And I wanted to say thank you to everybody who helped get us to this point. Now, however, the real work begins and so today we're gathered to start the work. >> We appreciate everyone who has joined us. I'd like to call to order the capital metro board meeting. The time is 1:10. Mayor Adler, would you like to do the same for your council meeting. >> Mayor: Yes, it's 1:10 as well and we have a quorum of the city council here. So I'll convene the Austin city council meeting as part [1:11:00 PM] of this joint meeting here on Friday, December 18th, 2020 in a meeting that is happening via webex. >> Chair: Thank you, mayor. The usual logistical reminders. First, best practice of course is keep your microphone on mute unless you're speaking and once you're done speaking, try to mute yourself again. Also both for city council and for capmetro we'll be asking for verbal votes of yeah or nay on each individual item and we'd like to have your cameras on and you visible when we have those votes. Before we move on to public comments, city manager correct me if I'm wrong, any opening remarks from you? >> Cronk: This is a historic day and really working with our community to put forward a proposal that they voted on to allow us to move forward with this [1:12:00 PM] project that will really benefit generations of austinites to come. I again want to just thank our city staff and capmetro staff, but most importantly, thank our boards and the community for supporting this. Looking forward to today. It's a historic moment. I will ask Gina if she wants to say few words as well. >> Yes, of course, I want to thank mayor Adler, our council, the capital metro board. Of course the team at capital metro and the team at the city of Austin, I also want to really recognize the support and the leep from the cmo team and the executive team. The mobility outcome group is certainly point on this, but this would not have been possible without the support of the entire enterprise. I also want to specifically thank our city manager, Spencer cronk, for his leadership, for his guidance, for his direction throughout this entire process, and for the trust [1:13:01 PM] that he placed in the city team. We are excited to have gotten to this point and the work that we've done so far, we're incredibly proud to have delivered this to you, but we know that as chair cooper said, the work is just beginning. So we are excited for the next steps and we thank you. >> Thank you, gene navment Randy, would you like to make some opening remarks? >> Clarke: Yes, thanks, chair. Just quickly I want to reiterate I think a lot of what Gina said. I think we do most meetings that way. I really want to take a moment, six weeks after a historic election to again thank the board, chair, you and the board, your leadership, mayor and council, your leadership, guidance, support. It's been amazing to watch two organizations be this unified together. It's our tenth joint meeting and it really says a lot about I think the culture of our city on working together [1:14:01 PM] to solve really difficult problems. So really appreciate all you've done and all the sweat equity you've put into this program. Can't thank the city staff and the capmetro staff enough. Everyone from Spencer, Gina, Gregg, Ashley, all the other leadership and just staff members working to -- and our team, staff, consultants, people like Dave and Jackie and others that have just worked enormous -- hundreds if not thousands of hours on this program over the last couple of years. Thank you. Stakeholders that contributed, whether it's the can or the mac before that and all of our community advisory groups over the last couple of years, and it's like Spencer mentioned. I really want to thank the community for this community to have the trust and confidence in us, in such a challenging year, to really be future- focused, to really build a transformational system, I very much appreciate your trust and confidence. I do not take that lightly. I know we have an enormous amount of responsibilities and you have my personal [1:15:02 PM] commitment, but also the commitment of the organization that we are going to do effing we can to meet that schedule, work with the community during all moments of this process through design and construction, and really deliver infrastructure that is going to fundamentally really help us become a much more livable, equitable sustainable city for generations to to come. Today is an exciting day, a challenging year, but a possible tough way to end the year on this program. And I really welcome having some -- a new board form today. I look forward to having some more board members to work with and report to, and I just thank them for the willingness to serve. I want to thank the nominating committee that put a lot of effort into that and also really excited about formation of a community advisory committee and the guidance to get that created in the near future. We have a lot of work to do. But the organization is working well together and I'm excited for the future. Thank you and look forward to having this meeting today. >> Chair: Thank you, Randy. And I would just be oh all [1:16:02 PM] the thanks that have been said here and none deserved more than those to you for your hard work. You work as hard as anybody could to get us here. We're grateful. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. Our first item of business today will be public comment. I understand we have a number of individuals who have signed up to speak and some who have joined us by phone. For those of you who are on the line, when I call your name, you'll have three minutes to speak. And because of the format we're in, we're not allowing donations of time or extra time when speaking on behalf of a group. We have a number of folks to get through today. A reminder that we'll not be taking general public comment at today's meeting. Only comments on topics that are posted on the agenda. >> Mr. Chairman if I could say a word or two as well. >> Chair: Go ahead. >> Mayor: I also want to recognize an absolutely historic day. This is something that this community has been trying to accomplish now for decades. [1:17:05 PM] And it happened. And it happened even in such a time of difficulty and stress. That doesn't happen without just extraordinary alignment. And that's what happened on this. I want to thank city manager and Randy Clarke for so effectively aligning the two organizations and bodies that really needed to operate seamlessly as one in order to be able to accomplish this. Your staffs did just a phenomenal job over an extended period of time to engage the community the way that it happened. Assistant city manager, a point for us on so much of this. The alignment of the two organizations was just -- was great. I mean the fact that we had something in a difficult time that had almost 60% approval of the public is an indication that the plan was [1:18:06 PM] right; and it was. And that was because. Time that was spent in involving the community in all stages of this process. So I appreciate the public being involved and working on this and rolling up their sleeves and then turning out to be able to vote to do this. This project is the single most important thing that we could be doing in order to help us with mode ship in our shift -- shift in our city. It is the single biggest thing we could be doing as a community to meet our climate change, mitigation goals, and it is one of the most important things we could be doing. If not the most important thing on mobility equity in our city. And the emphasis on equity, the special dedicated funds to pay attention to this is something now that the entire country is talking about. I also want to thank my colleagues on the council. [1:19:07 PM] I want to thank Ann kitchen, chair of the mobility committee, also doing service on both the capmetro board and on campo. The other of the colleagues that served on capmetro for us, the mayor pro tem and council member Renteria served on campo, and involved in transportation and council member alter, council member Ellis, who is involved in our representation on campo. I want to thank council member Flannigan and I want to note as we recognize all the work that you've done in mobility, I want to thank you for your service to the city over this period of time and this is a real tribute to the legacy to your work and our work to get to this day. All of us align in ways that just -- you find in every stage of this process. I think this is phenomenal [1:20:09 PM] that we're getting to this place today with yet another joint meeting of the capmetro board and the city council. Because I think that is one of the most significant part of the alignment in this project from top to bottom. This is an exciting moment and I'm proud to be part of it. Mr. Chairman, thank you. >> Chair: Thank you, mayor. And thank you for your leadership. That was a difference-maker, and we appreciate you getting this to this point. It's quite a legacy. With that, we'll start our public comments and I think Cheyenne is going to announce our speakers for us. >> Chair cooper, can you hear me? >> Chair: Yes. >> Monica Guzman, you're up and you have three minutes. >> Yes, good afternoon. I'm money a Gutierrez marijuana policy director for gave, [indiscernible], [1:21:10 PM] speaking on project connect, specifically upcoming public engagement opportunities in creation of the Austin transit partnership. In order for project connect to bring equity and not do harm, the communities most impacted have to be engaged before key decisions are made. The Austin transit board partnership was rushed. There was little to no culturally and linguistically community engagement. Austin's transit dependent community of color were not part of the atp board process. There have been many questions about the atp board as well as the community advisory board for which they are responsible for creating. Who applied? Of the community or do they have relationships with the community? Will they be participating in undoing racism and workshops? Will they engage the transit dependent communities of color for nominees for the advisory board. These are but a few of the questions. As a private north Austin resident, I support public transportation, opportunities to safely ride bikes, use buses instead of [1:22:10 PM] my car. Unfortunately, bus routes don't always go where I need to to be. I have walked from my home to a destination, walking past multiple bus stops, always a step ahead of the buses. Since the fall of 2014, I have participated in meetings with capital metro representatives, even done a field visit in a capmetro van, discussing a pilot project for community care patients which never happened. Since then, community leaders have repeatedly addressed city council asking -- urging, demanding neighborhood circulators for the rundberg community. We attended meetings, workshops, and engaged in discussion was capital metro about the need to prioritize the rundberg [indiscernible] Communities. Both in Austin's eastern [indiscernible] And still when hearing or reading a pilot pick up zone it is noter for the residents most in need. Not for the communities who have been speaking for the past five to six years. Loss of bus routes have disproportionately interested pact residents in [1:23:11 PM] their access to health care and places of employment. Their concerns and complaints continue to fall on deaf ears. Even now, when hearing elected officials list prioritization of communities, rundberg and dove springs communities are last in line. We urge you to extend the timeline to the degree you can. Increase engage, choose board members and create a governance structure that centers and engages the most impacted residents in Austin's eastern crescent communities of color. Thank you. >> The next speaker is jao Connally. >> Jao Connally. >> Speaker, you might be on mute. [1:24:13 PM] >> Hello, can you hear me? >> We can hear you. >> I'm here online. Thank you. Good afternoon, council and capmetro board. I would like to address a few things that are I think very important and cannot be missed in this process of the first of all, I would like to talk about timelines and the way that timelines have been used so far in this project in its very early stages already to exclude any kind of real community participation, trust-building or transparency. Take, for instance, this meeting. Right, when we're going to talk about something as important as what we're talking about right now, just literally the creation of the atp board and the community advisory committee, we can't post the agenda for the meeting 72 hours before the meeting and the backup 72 hours before the meeting when you post the backups and the agenda at least a week before to give the community time for meaningful participation. This kind of timeline is designed to exclude real [1:25:14 PM] democratic participation from the process and it doesn't build trust, which is the second thing I want to talk about. The community voted for prop a because we understand the need for better public transit and we also voted for prop a because we understand that there were real equity mechanisms built in this time. The community did not vote for prop a because the community trusts capmetro. In fact if you were to talk to the average rider, the trust is nonexistent. So there needs to be a lot more transparency and trust-building around this process than what there is at this moment. And we have a long way to go to get there. And so we need to start slowing things down, we need to find the balance between -- for instance, the amount of time in which we rushed the selection of the atp board members, it really, as Monica Guzman said, it made it almost impossible or very difficult for there to be meaningful community participation. So we need to find a balance between being effective and [1:26:15 PM] efficient and moving quickly and also not moving things so quickly that it feels like we're actively trying to exclude any kind of collaboration or community partnership from the process. So I think this is of great concern to us because moving forward we're going to have a lot more work to do, but if we don't start building that trust now with the community, then this is going to be a toxic political legacy for everyone involved. So there is a real mandate here for us to move slower, consider carefully what we're doing, and think through these processes. I want to talk about the community advisory commission. I like a lot of what is in the proposed Ila amendment, but again, knee jerk kind of last minute changes, quick edits the night before things get posted to the agenda, all of this stuff, it does not build trust. It does not feel like transparency. And transparency is so badly needed right now in this process. So we have to have clear [1:27:18 PM] communication moving forward, clearly established timelines -- (bell ringing) -- And let's post the agenda a week before so that everyone can participate meaningfully. Thank you for your time. >> Chair: Thank you, Mr. Connally. Cheyenne, who do you have? >> Yasmine Smith. Yasmine -- there you go. >> I'm sorry? Am I good? >> Yes, we can hear you. Go ahead. >> Awesome. This is Yasmine, co-chair of puma, amongst other hats and one of those founding members of the ATF mobility coalition. You've heard a lot from us. The things I want to talk with you today is in order for me to trust you you must do the things you said you were going to do. So let's pull over. Let's talk about what I thought we agreed we were [1:28:18 PM] going to do. I thought you and the people in front of me right now that I'm seeing, as community leaders, we as an entire city when we passed prop a, I thought what we were going to do was when effect waiting project connect, [indiscernible] Or yet to be seen. That we would work every day to make this the best and moke equitable project it could be, that we in Austin would create the most equitable evolution and mobility infrastructure that this nation as ever seen. However, this is not what has manifested since the prop a passing. The sheer speed and volume of which this goal has been usurped is astonishing. With the atp selection alone, there has been an overall lack of transparency and community engagement within the process for prescreening candidates and the selection process itself. Especially considering the articulation of the ability in our legal binding documents and the built for there to be a waiver of qualifications for equally [1:29:19 PM] worthy candidates. This is in conjunction with other not so transparent actions being taken in regards to the equity assessment tool. Telling the community after the fact of decisions made behind closed doors is not community engagement, y'all, and it's not equity. And I fear that this circumstance is but a foreshadow of what we can hope to expect for the next ten years. How do you regain trust? From this moment on, with every step, with every breath, you engage and follow the Austin community, especially prioritizing people in vulnerable populations. You do in the make a move without the community. To quote mayor from earlier in the conversation, every stage of this process needs the community. That is how we're effectuate project connect in the most equitable manner. That is how you work every day to make sure it is equitable. That is how we create the most eve Y luges mobility infrastructure that this nation as ever seen. However, that assumes that you are going to do what you said you were going to do. [1:30:21 PM] Lastly, because I would not be the best advocate for community if I did not offer this for the greater good, and for the good of the order, for staff or whomever makes or has this power, I would highly suggest that any modified material to be voted on, especially that which comes the day of a vote, shall also have as backup or other sufficient documentation a red lined version of the changes that have been made. Thank you. (Bell ringing). >> Chair: Thank you. Cheyenne, who Dowe next? >> The next speaker is Cesar Acosta. >> Good afternoon, can you hear me? >> Yes, sir, go ahead. >> Thank you. My name is Cesar Acosta. I live in district 4, the president of [indiscernible]. And I would just like to echo what the speakers before me have said on the timeline and ability to react and respond to changes [1:31:23 PM] and decisions that have come up so far. Aura members have enthusiastically supported prop a and we want to be involved in this process and get others involved. We had little time to respond to the deadline for the atp board. And who was involved and who all was able to [indiscernible] Let alone who the other candidates were and how the decisions to select those people came about. For this meet, I didn't know about it except for people more engaged than I was and I was trying last night to try to get other people to speak. This is such a critical issue and important discussion to be involved with. That being said this going to be a project that will be working together with over the next ten years. We're going the make sure it's something truly equitable for all all austinites and build the institutions and public [indiscernible]. [1:32:23 PM] Decision-making process. [Indiscernible] This is a step in the right direction and I support a lot of what the amendments suggest. I like that it has language that focuses on the people who actually use transit and people of different experiences, who will be using that. And someone who is on the code advisory group for code next, I do want to suggest that it have more teeth than just being able to make recommendations to the atp or city council. Recommendations is just fine, but without -- but from personal experience, the frustration of doing all the work and research to provide recommendations and see them seen as something as more, you know, just a suggestion is not the best feeling in the world. And really does not go well to engender people to continue to participate. I'd also say that the deadline for selection of people on the atp is [1:33:24 PM] February 28th and that doesn't give a lot of time after the holidays for people to apply and find out about it and to try and get other folks involved, especially those who don't have internet access. I would recommend moving that date back. For the nomination committee we include someone from either the antidisplacement task force or the equity office [indiscernible] Since the work is heavily focused on equity and antidisplacement work and the strategies thereof. Again, this is an important process and we need to make sure that we're intentional about how we get people engaged and involved and make sure that their feedback is considered, not just as something that's put into the record, but something that is seen as part of the implementation process, that their feedback cycles to show how that feedback was used. (Bell ringing) >>U the. >> Thank you. >> Chair: Thank you, Mr. Acosta. Cheyenne, next speaker. >> The next speaker is [1:34:25 PM] Francis Acuna. >> Hello. My name is Francis Acuna. I am the climate resilience organizer with gova, and I'm here just to say that it's very hard to organize residents with the city and capital metro when the decision makers at both are not engaged with residents in the first place. Residents have already been impacted negatively when it comes to transportation, food access, flooding, infrastructure and pandemic. You must center class and diverse communities of color in meaningful conversations and prioritize their needs, prioritize low income homeowners most impacted by tax increases in the recent loss of routes and bus stops [1:35:28 PM] for transit-dependent neighborhoods, despite the increased fares and uncertain future of the 300 million antidi placement fund. Now, as a long time dove springs resident, how can we trust in the process for project connect when in the past we have been let down so many times and in so many ways? I am very disappointed and angry with the many times we have been ignored, when all we ask is for our basic needs to be met and nothing more. I am tired of being used in the name of [indiscernible] When all it is, is a community engagement check mark so you can say you did bring engagement process. I expect and demand equitable decision-making from capital metro, city council and the Austin [1:36:30 PM] transit partnership to listen to me and my community, to follow our recommendations and in your decision-making process. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Anna Aguirre. >> Mayor, I'm sorry real quick. I don't know -- there is like some weird feedback and I thought it was one of the speakers maybe, but it's been every speaker. I just heard it -- I wondered if someone is not on mute. It's kind of hard to hear the speakers with that background noise. Am I the only one hearing that? It's like somebody is moving around or something. >> Chair: It just got fixed. >> For some unknown reason we are experiencing some sort of feedback. We have every mic off at city hall, but we're still experiencing it. So we're just mute ourselves from going forward. [1:37:32 PM] >> Chair: Sounds better already. >> This is Anna, can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you. Go ahead. >> Okay. Good afternoon, city council members and capital metro board, my name is Anna a Gire re. I need to let you know that I serve on the zoning and planning commission but am not speaking for or representing staff in any manner. I moved to Austin in more specifically southeast Austin in 1992. Mainly because it was the only area that I could afford as a single parent of three children. I have since purchased the home and purposefully chose to remain in the dove springs area. My questions and comments that I have regarding the agenda are regarding the agenda packet. Which was [indiscernible] Still digesting. I have not found anyone that can provide me the definitions for antidisplacement. What is the definition? The this is very important. As a Latina and long time resident of dove springs and a ohm owner, my [1:38:33 PM] interpretation is if I currently live here and were to be impacted by project connect, I would not be removed permanently. And if I am asked to leave, I will only be asked to leave temporarily, pending my permanent return to my home, without it having any impact on the level of my home ownership. I have concerned regarding the tenant and homeowner language. For example, I have found language in the agenda packet addressing only the right to return for tenants, but not for homeowners. On page 17 regarding Nepa, please consider the overall cumulative impact the projects will have citywide on flooding and any other environmental issues that may occur, not to see impact on each surrounding neighborhood by each individual project. As you are aware, south east Austin has been catastrophically impacted by flooding. On page 31, item no. 2, I would like to visit with you regarding my concerns. I have questions on this item in how this process [1:39:33 PM] will work specifically as it applies to antidisplacement. On page 67 and 68 of the agenda packet, it refers to exhibit C. The initial investment map, but it is not included in the agenda packet or at least it was not as of yesterday when I downloaded the packet. Please provide that document to us so that we can review it and provide comments on it. In the future. Otherwise, how can the community provide input or comments on any items that you're addressing? Additionally, the community advisory committee should have access to the exact same information as the atp board that is created. I also recommend that all board, committee members and staff participate in and complete the undoing race am training. That will help us all be on the same page. I also recommend the board and committee -- that the board create a committee equity assessment tool for [1:40:34 PM] both the board and the committee to evaluate the progress that you have made regarding the promises that you have made to the voters. (Bell ringing) >> Thank you very much and I appreciate your time. >> Thank you. The next speaker is awais Azar. >> Mayor, board chair, council members and board members, my name is [indiscernible] And I'm on the leadership team of planning our communities. We are the founding member of the Austin mobility coalition which is made up of queach it-based organizations. I ask that we move forward with set up the atb board and determining advisers of the board, the advisory committee and moving forward with an executive director in a transparent manner. In setting up the atp board, community members should have had access to Al nomination information, including a list of all individuals that applied to serve on the atp board. While I can understand the pressure of time and the [1:41:35 PM] need to move in a timely manner, we cannot do so in a man thary is not public and transparent. This lack of transparency negated the ability for two community engagements and participation in this process. Second, in the case of setting up an advisory body for the atp board as outlined, there should be clarity in how individuals have been identified to serve in this capacity and whether there will be opportunities for other community members to join them? Any such information should be shared in a timely manner and to a process that allows for the community to engage. Third, in the case of the community advisory committee, any information of applications and nominations to the committee should be completely public. We need to make the space for community members to apply and engage in this process and as possible. And we must ensure that this committee represents Austin's transit users and communities impacted by the development of transit infrastructure. Finally, transparency and public engagement will be critical in hiring an executive director for the atp. The community must be aware [1:42:35 PM] how long the president and CEO of capital met will serve as the interim executive director and must be informed how the executive director will be hired. If we are to build community trust in the atp, it is important that we hire the executive director for the atp as soon as possible and to as transparent a process as possible. Moving forward, we hope the board is committed to transparency and real community engagement. If we are to create an equitable transit system, we will need true community engagement, input and decision-making. I know a lot of this has already been mentioned by speakers before me, but I think I cannot stress enough the importance to focus on transparency and public engagement and ensuring that the communities involved in decision-making. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker is zen obia Joseph. >> Thank you, council [1:43:37 PM] members, mayor and capital metro's board. My comments are specifically related to project connect in general and also item 4 specifically. I am referring specifically to the language that's under the interlocal agreement as relates to safe, reliable and efficient transportation and better connects people in our community. I just want to call your attention to the appropriations act, specifically there is language in the further consolidated appropriations act of 2020 that prohibits use of public funds for propaganda. So while I certainly respect the mayor saying almost 60% of the community voted for project connect, I would just call to your attention that in the black community, specifically on kazi we were bombarded with propaganda. I want you to understand that the language in the information that was put out in the community specified [1:44:39 PM] project connect is a transitplan with more ways to move us all and if all means all I want you to recognize that there is no transportation options on desau to Howard and neither on east to west on participator lane and almost 734. What I want you to recognize is title 6 of the civil rights act of 1964. I'm just going to read into the record information that specifically stated in the federal transit administration circular 4702.1b, the civil rights restoration act of 1987 clarified the broad institution- wide application of title 6, title 6 covers all of the operations of covered entities without regard to whether specific portion, of the covered program or activity are federally funded. The term program or activity means all of the operations of a department, agency, special purpose district or [1:45:40 PM] government, or the entity of such state or local government that distributes such assistance and each such department or agency to which the assistance is extended. In the case of assistance to a state or local government, I want to call your attention to the fact that the three metrorapid lines that served Austin were eliminated although they served higher on the metropolitan organization chart. So it is strange that the routes that were paid for by project connect will serve southwest Austin, convict hill and oak hill, which aligns with the state's 633 million-dollar oak hill project. And so what I want you to understand is that it is my obligation to continue to ask the federal transit administration, the U.S. Department of transportation to is yous pent capital metro's federal funding until you recognize the in equities in the system. The northeast connective is [1:46:41 PM] eliminated. I would ask Natasha harper-madison and council member pool to wake up and do the right thing by your constituents. We cannot get to the arboretum jobs because it takes 45 minutes on the bus plus a 30 minute transfer and there is no way for individuals who are transit-dependent to work at the domain despite all of the tax breaks that they get. I want to call your attention to that. Lastly, I would just say to you that the language that was specified way back in June of 2017 at Travis county commissioners court related to the green line specified that it would likely have to be funded with local funds because it doesn't meet federal standards for density levels. Todd [indiscernible] Also reiterated that on April 3, 2018 but you did not transparently tell the public that the green line would only be built if in fact it was funded by property taxes, 264 million -- >> Speaker, thank you, your [1:47:42 PM] time is up. >> I thank you for taking my comments. If you have any questions, I'll gladly answer them at this time. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Nancy Crowther. >> Thank you, everybody. I just want to jump up and down and give y'all a group hug. We won the vote to get project connect off the ground. I as a transit geek for the last 40 years have just so much excitement about this. I know people are angry, people that possibly don't understand the process, I have been in the trenches with the process for over 25 years as a professional. I wanted to just say thank [1:48:47 PM] you. Austin and his crew and Tina and with the transit for Austin, what a great team. I felt they did a wonderful job and bringing this altogether. They were cheerleaders and now where are they? We need them. I'm feeling a little bit of delay in excitement because of covid and the other related issues, but transit for Austin should be like the big umbrella for all these groups and get them altogether to get with the game. And transit for Austin was really a wonderful team. And now I'm like where is the action? Our teamwork was very valuable, and I think a lot [1:49:47 PM] of the teams work is valuable for these projects. I just want to let the public know that not to give up. Don't get angry yet. There is so much to be done, and Randy, I understand your position and, Steve, I understand. I realize how hard it is to pull a community together, but I like what you did with the transit partnership. I read through all the qualifications. My only hesitation was I didn't read anything related to persons with disabilities or senior citizens mobility. I wasn't aware if any of them had any focus on those communities, if they were Een a priority. [1:50:47 PM] We're all used to them, but it's got to be a priority. And related to the advisory committee, oh my lord, we can have a million advisory committees. Will everyone agree? No, I've been on all of them, but it's wonderful that we have those opportunities to be involved. (Bell ringing) >> On advisory committees. And I do hope that people do become engaged and not enraged. I just -- again, I'm excited. I give you all my hugs and I know this is a tough time and trust is of the utmost, but having read through the work that you've done already, I wish you the best and I hope that you're able to vote on everything that needs to be done because we have a train to run. >> Thank you, speaker. Your time is up. >> Thank you. [1:51:49 PM] >> The next speaker is Jessica Wolff. >> Good afternoon, mayor, capmetro board chair, council members and capmetro board members, my name is Jessica Wolff, deputy policy director for workers defense and I'm testifying on items 2, 3 and 4 today. Workers defense is a membership-based organization that supports Texas' low income construction workers and improving their living and working conditions. We're also a proud member of the atx mobility coalition which is made up of equity-based organizations, coming together to engage in the project connect process. Our members were happy to endorse project connect's transit plan. We believe right now it's the right time to make this investment in our future and in doing so stimulate or local economy by creating thousands of dignified jobs for the people that build our city. We also strongly believe that it is critical for the Austin transit partnership to have fair representation [1:52:49 PM] of working people and immigrants on its board of directors. Immigrants and working people relie on public transportation to not only get to work, earn a living, and contribute to our economy, but to navigate our rapidly expanding and gentry phiing city as such deserve a voice at the table and how project connect's plans will be managed and implemented. Although we are very happy to see the nominating committee recommended Dr. Colette Burnett, and Veronica [indiscernible] Debarrera, who the coalition supported, we believe there has been a general lack of transparency in the selection criteria and process used by the nominating committee to select the atp board can't dates. We ask that there be a more transparent process for the community advisory committee selection process, which allows for community voices to be prioritized. We appreciate current language in the amendment to the interlocal agreement which includes the city working with community organizations and groups to ensure historically marginalized communities [1:53:50 PM] most impacted by mass transit are able to engage with the community advisory committee selection process. We believe that it is critical that individuals most impacted by mass transit with lived experience in under served and under represented communities are strongly considered for community advisory positions. Thank you so much for your time and we look forward two,ing with you on this next year. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Sarah wambold. Sarah, you might be on mute. We're going to move on to [1:54:51 PM] the next speaker. The next speaker is Cynthia Vasquez. >> Yeah, can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. >> All right, I'm Cynthia Vasquez, an Austin Chicago can that. I'm here repping gave today in my citizen capacity. I'm speaking to the upcoming public engagement opportunities and creation of Austin transit partnership. The Austin transit partnership board process was rushed. It feels like that code next kind of rush. No time for us community members to catch our breath quick enough to even make it to a public comment opportunity online. Nonetheless during the pandemic where there are still thousands of residents without internet access. So how are we engaging authentically with our consumers? I requested a meeting -- I [1:55:51 PM] requested meeting time with the senior management team at capital metro and part of the response I received was how difficult it would be to wrangle everyone's work schedule and my response was it's harder to get people who are not paid to do this work into these meetings. As an east Austin team we have an evolution of capital metro continuously serving a population that didn't you include myself or my neighbors. I used to be able to get from east to west on 1.50. I have ' seen the free dill oh stripped from our community. That could take us out from our hoods to other beautiful parts of the city that we couldn't get to without a car. And I did catch that project y'all did, the pilot program for commuters, but it wasn't in my hood and it wasn't in the o2 or 44. I'm going to stand for our community who keeps getting overlooked. I'm going to stand with our austinites in the eastern crescent who catch a route [1:56:52 PM] at 6 A.M. To get to work or hop on a [indiscernible] At 11 P.M. To make it home. Slow down this process and engage with my neighbors, to mainly build trusting relationships with grassroots organizations and community leaders and to sustain those conversations within capital metro. I'm tired, y'all. And so are my neighbors, but we're hanging in there. We're here and we still -- you still keep passing us by. And I'm going to second what Anna Aguirre said and hope you make it a two and a half day workshop for undoing racism. I recall one of the opportunities I attended, someone who worked in city zoning could not figure out why she was there. She was sure her invitation was a mistake because she said she did not work in the community. If we're going to continue to discuss equity, we need to continue to study the in equities. Thank you for your time. [1:57:53 PM] >> Thank you. The N >>> Thank you the next speaker is David Edmondson. >> Thank you, mayor Adler, councilmembers, chairperson cooper and the capital metro board, my name is David Edmondson, I'm vice president for state policy and government relations at [indiscernible] The national bipartisan network of technology much CEO's and executive that promote the growth of the innovation economy. Also a long-time austinite and Austin's tech sector is very excited about the passage of project connect and prop a. Thank you for your hard work and thank you for moving so quickly to get the oversight board established. Excited to see the diversity of voices. An extra piece brought forward by the nomination committee, you all have certainly done your homework, the oversight board will provide transparency and accountability to make sure that we are making project [1:58:53 PM] and community is in good hand as we implement the project connect plan. Truly a generational investment that will create a transportation system that is safer, cleaner, more efficient and more equitable. It is essential to our community's economic success and environmental stewardship. Thank you for your leadership and let's make this happen. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Consuelo Amesquita. >> Hello? >> Yes, please go ahead. >> I am Consuelo Amesquita a southeast Austin resident. You have taken advantage of the community by rushing this process during a pandemic. Residents have not been offered an educational [1:59:54 PM] process other than a glorified website. When sharing information and giving presentations, you have to meet residents where they are at. Online or off. In their language. And using non-technical terms. How can you expect the community to provide meaningful input when there hasn't been equitable and inclusive outreach and engagement. I am familiar with your previous attempts and I expect your future community engagement opportunities to be more culturally and linguistically inclusive. As for bus routes, we demand the return of lost routes critical to east, critical to Austin's eastern crescent communities of color, for access to food, healthcare and jobs. Also, the rundberg and southeast Austin communities need free neighborhood circulators. With established routes. Not on demand pick ups which are a convenience for people with smart phones who are digitally literate. Finally, while I did not [2:00:55 PM] support project connect in the voting booth, as a taxpayer, I'm still paying for it. So I demand to be heard, expect equity and transparency and will be holding you accountable. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Cindy reed. >> Cindy reed? >> Hello, thank you. Hello? >> Yes, we can hear you, go ahead. >> Hi. Um yeah I just wanted to comment on the process. I think people have reiterated that point time and time again. I just want to say as a native austinite and someone of color, when we use the [2:01:55 PM] word equity we have to make sure that we're truly embracing and our actions personify that. And so I noticed that the outreach to communities of color, particularly the African-American community for this project, was great. You know, advertising to all of the different avenues, naacp, Austin justice coalition, black churches, black leaders in our community. If we can get even 10% of that in terms of the transparency and engagement, that you got to get people out to vote for this project, I think we'll be in a good place. And there's still a lot of opportunity for -- for capital metro, the city council to do what's right. And not just say it, but actually do it. And it's very hard to keep everyone engaged and communicate, but an example of the city council doing that well and granted this is more of a meeting for [2:02:57 PM] capital metro, but the redistricting process. I saw it on the news, I saw it, many, many ads on NPR, I saw ads on the freeway in terms of billboards about getting involved. And that was very great what the city did. I didn't see anything about this meeting. I -- I didn't hear anything about it until yesterday. So if we really want to use that word equity in Austin, we need to really live it. If we want to right the wrongs of the past, we need to really, truly engage the entire community, communities of color, and people with disabilities and families. Because families using public transportation have a different lens, when and you have stroller and things like that. And Austin continues and capital metro can't forget about families. We want a city with all types of family, not just background, but age and everything, thank you. [2:04:00 PM] >> Thank you, the next speaker is sandy Guzman. >> Good afternoon, mayor, council, chair and board members, I'm sandy Guzman, [indiscernible] For the Austin area research organization. A six county regional civic organization focused on long term social and economic well-being of central Texans. I want to say congratulations and thank you to everyone here and the many staff and others who have been support being us in the process to this point. I worked on the light rail campaign in 2000. It's nice to see the process. I want to reiterate one of the comments earlier about this being a historic day, and point specifically to the partnership going on between the city and capital metro to make this successful, but also the creation of the Austin transit partnership. I think that's really going to be key to the transparency and accountability that's necessary for this project to really get done the right way, as we have been hearing from many of the speakers. Equity is such a key piece of this and transparency and accountability and I think that the Austin transit [2:05:00 PM] partnership is a way to make that happen in a very positive and thoughtful manner given that the capital metro and the city have so many other things that are also drawing their attention. This is a window or an opportunity for focus that can help us there. We are really excited for what project connect means for Austin, but also for the region and are committed to working with you and our regional partners and planning for the future of connecting those other parts into project connect in the future. Thanks so much and happy holidays, everybody. >> Mayor and chair, that is all of the speakers that answered the call today. >> Cooper: Thank you, Cheyenne. Mayor, I think you have the floor. >> Mayor Adler: [Multiple [2:06:04 PM] voices] >> Are we hearing a presentation first? [Multiple voices] >> Is that the first item? [Multiple voices] >> I am frozen, can you hear me. >> Mayor Adler: Yeah, we can hear -- >> Cooper: Yes, we can hear you, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: So that concludes public comment. As the mayor pro tem I think pointed out, we're going to now begin with our first discussion item today. First an update on the project connect program sequence. And upcoming community engagement followed by an update from the city on the equity assessment tool process. And then a recap of our earlier joint meetings and approved document. So after the presentation with the -- and discussion, with the board and the council, capital metro board is going to consider some action on approval of the Austin transit partnership articles of incorporation, which includes bylaws and names of the initial board members. City council will consider similar action on the atp articles of incorporation as [2:07:07 PM] well. So -- so I'm going to recognize Mr. Couch to start us off on the discussion item. And I'm going to exit and come back in and see if I can unfreeze my screen. >> Thank you, mayor Adler. It's a pleasure to go ahead and give you an update today on the progress that we have been making on project connect. As we go ahead and move forward since the approval of the referendum on the 3rd of November, next slide, please. So as we go ahead and go forward, we've been through the first portions of the agenda. The public comment and now we're at the point of going through the project connect update. Next slide, please. So this will give us where we've been, how we're doing, things -- basically how we've progressed since the point that things were ready to go ahead and go forward [2:08:08 PM] in June of this past year. We developed this overall sequence plan. It ties to what was developed for the initial investment. Includes the light rail lines for both the Orange and the blue. They were in the process of going through the environmental process right now. That's a requirement from the federal transit administration in order to be able to go ahead and get money under the new starts program. On the red line, we're already moving forward. On two stations. There has been at broadmoore there is an agreement in place, they are getting ready to start construction. At the new soccer stadium, that's a work in progress to be able to start on the design and the third piece of that program will be going -- we'll be going forward with a second track between lake land and Leander to be able to go ahead and increase the [2:09:09 PM] frequency down to 15 minutes. Green line is out into the future. As we start to look at the metro rapid lines, four of them now. The gold line will initially be a section that will be metro rapid. We have moved forward with the federal transit admission and the first two lines for expo and pleasant valley are already accepted into the first phase of project development. And then beyond that, we go ahead and are in the process of having a rating for both expo and pleasant valley. We continue to work with the fta on the extension of south Lamar down to oak hill and down manchaca and the gold line is one that we will take up immediately following that. Our metro express and park and rides, those are in the planning phase with expectations that we'll be doing something later this year. Metro bus and metro access, those are ongoing programs that will build as times go on. We have already started the first portion of the [2:10:10 PM] customer tech systems and that will be rolled out into next year. The other item that's here is the anti- displacement investment program. That's the $300 million program that will be done over the length of the overall sequence for development of the initial investment. Next slide, please. This lays out what our progress will be and how we are looking at basically the next four quarters of the program. Giving you that condensed version of what our deliverables will be on a quarter by quarter basis. We have initiated work with the consulting firm bcg on looking at what the program delivering methodology would be. Looking at the setup of what's there and a roadmap for atp. As I said a couple of minutes ago, we've started work on the red line portions of the project and we have also started to go forward with the portion of the fair advancement. [2:11:10 PM] This meeting today is shown in the lower left hand part on the 18th with the action items that we have as part of the meeting and then the inaugural meeting, if you will, of the atp board is scheduled for the 20th of next month. As we go into the next quarter, from February, June and out through October, we're going to focus on continuation of the [indiscernible] Process for the Orange and the blue line. We will continue with the apartment apartment board meetings on a monthly basis. We are also looking to initiate and start some of the work that is there on both of the initial metro rapid lines, start in this the February through may. We go forward with more locations for pickup service and then continue in end earnnet the community involvement. Jackie following me really has led the forefront. As we go into June through September, it's the [2:12:14 PM] anti-displacement program taking front and center. Then going forward on the Orange and blue line, sticking to what we have really for the Nepa process. In that same timeframe, we will have approval of the triparty joint powers agreement. It's really a follow on to the agreements that will be approved at the -- later in this meeting with the las. We will initiate work on the red line double tracking from Leander to lakeline and then go ahead and look at best practices for making some site visits to other properties that are also moving along and progressing into the future on different portions of light rail systems. October through January, we expect to start the construction effort on the first two of the metro rapid lines and at that point we will also launch the full account based fare system with fare capping, smart cards, the virtual card program and continue as we go forward on an annual [2:13:15 PM] basis, just like we are this month, with having a joint meeting between the capital metro board and the Austin city council. And all through the year, all through the process, it will be extensive involvement in community meetings for the -- for the Orange line, the blue line, for metro rapid, making sure that we have the community engaged as we take each step through the process. With that, I would like to go ahead and turn it over to Jackie and ask her to take the next portion of the program. >> Good afternoon. My name is Jackie nur emberg, community engagement manager for capital metro. As you know we have done an extraordinary amount of community engagement over the last few years, particularly the last two years as we engaged in the alternatives analysis project, which led us to this point today. I want to thank all of community members who took the time out of their business schedules to speak [2:14:16 PM] today. I think it's a very heartening thing to know that our community has expectations of us and they want to be involved in this process. We are committed to working with our community moving forward. As I mentioned we have done a lot of community engagement to this point but now we begin again. So it is my pleasure to talk to you about our next phase of community engagement, which is on the Nepa process. Next slide please. So the Nepa process is based on the national environmental protection act. An act that requires a variety of ways for us to engage our community, to learn about what the potential impacts are on their environment by these projects and this program. And it's important for us to explain to our community what these very technical processes are and everything from the acronyms to -- to the names that may not make sense to the everyday [2:15:16 PM] person. And so when we are talking about environmental assessment, we're not only talking about the physical environment, we're also talking about the human environment, the social environment, the way people live and move in our community. We're going to begin by engaging the community beginning January 25th, with a series of virtual community meetings. Called scoping meetings. And these are for the Orange and the blue light rail lines. And scoping meetings, that's another term that most people probably won't know what it means and really what that is, is kicking off the environmental assessment process, reestablishing what the need and purpose is for us to do this program of projects. And getting some input from our community on the way they live and their physical environment, talking about the different topics we're going to be exploring when it comes to their physical and social environments. So those meetings will begin [2:16:17 PM] January 25th. They will be going through January 29th. In addition to that, as always, we will be doing a self-guided virtual open house, which will be live for a month. Beginning January 25th. Then in February, we will be engaging the community on the expo and pleasant valley metro rapid lines. Online survey which will likely begin late January. We will do some at stop survey opportunities to make sure that we connect with our customers and ongoing outreach to neighborhood and civic groups. We'll also be launching new pickup Zones over the next few months and so we'll be doing engagement on those as well. That will happen in February. We'll have in-zone survey opportunities, ongoing outreach to neighborhood groups and other organizations as well. I also want to point out that for our business community, we will be holding a -- an event called [2:17:18 PM] accelerate, an industry day event where people can learn about contracting with capital metro and later with the atp and we can talk about some of the potential economic opportunities that will come with this program of projects. That will be February 11th. Next slide, please. And now I would like to pass it off to unique bodet with the city of Austin talking about the assessment tools. >> Thank you, Jackie. [No audio]. >> I'm not able to hear her, anyone else? >> You might be muted. >> Doesn't look like they're [2:18:19 PM] on mute. >> Looks like she's having technical difficulty, we're going to be helping her with that real soon. [2:19:20 PM] >> Huh about now? >> All systems go, okay. >> [Echoing]. >> With an echo. >> With an echo. >> You are good now. >> We're going to fix it. >> All right. All right. I'm unique bodet with the city of Austin for provide an update on the assessment tool to [indiscernible] Anti-displacement for voters with project connect. I'm going to walk through the specific language contained in the contract with voters and then provide updates on those specific aspects on the work to date. Next slide, please. So the contract with voters speaks to $300 million in funds to be provided as Dave pointed out in accordance with the project connect implementation sequence plan for the purpose of acquiring real property and financing tools and other [2:20:21 PM] anti-displacement strategies. Related to project connect. Next slide. The contract with voters goes further on specifics for acquiring real property as an anti-displacement strategy. Stating to include in the forthcoming joint powers agreement that the 300 million in funds be used to preserve and/or increase the amount of affordable housing proximate to the transit corridors and that the Austin transit partnership or atp prioritize land banking for future affordable housing. To that point, discussions, initial discussions have begun within the city. On identifying procedures for -- for land banking and acquiring real pot. Next slide. Real property. The contract with voters also gives specifics on the need to create a process to identify neighborhood level [2:21:21 PM] tools and strategies and gives a list of examples types of tools and strategies that might be included. Many of which are existing city programming, related to anti-displacement programming, but others maybe new programs to the city or new approaches, which is exciting. I want to highlight that the city staff working on the equity assessment tool whom I'll identify here in a second, want to emphasize that the creation of the equity assessment tool and the identification of neighborhood level strategies that it's very important that we center the community from the get-go as we start this work and that we especially involve community members that have lived experience with the displacement or experiencing displacement pressures. Next slide, please. So the contract with voters [2:22:22 PM] calls for the process that I just mentioned to be complete -- to be created and complete within six months of voter approval, so that's by early may. And that the process be memorialized in the forthcoming joint powers agreement between the atp, capital metro and the city of Austin. So I will pause here to give an update on the team formed within the city to do this work. A multi-departmental team consisting of the equity office, the innovation office, the newly merged housing and planning department, the Austin transportation department, and the resilience portfolio. So we have been meeting for several weeks now. And some of the work that -- that we did initially was to ground ourselves as a team in identifying the environment for success for the use of such a tool. The equity office has [2:23:22 PM] experience with using equity assessment tools. And so the team wrote a white paper with the following ideals for us to socialize with the community as we start to work with them early in the process. And that is that the team should be centering the values of and having a shared mandate for racial equity. We should be identifying and correcting any imbalances to power and decision making in the process. And then also being accountable, as I mentioned, to those most directly impacted by displacement pressures. So the team has met several times, as I said, since the election, we are reviewing existing data and processes that exist already in the city, including research done by the innovation office earlier this year. Using demographic data, visualization tools, and I think many of our councilmembers are familiar with the neighborhood [2:24:22 PM] stabilization strategy tool. Which is providing us a good baseline to start the work. But most importantly the team met with the equity action team this past Saturday, December 12th, hosted by the equity office. And we received valuable information from the community with regards to informing our next steps. And specifically, to engage the community in the early stages of the work, which we will definitely plan to do. Next slide. So the next two slides finish out the specific language in the contract with voters related to the creation of the tool. And the emphasis, again, of co-creation with the community and the need for the recommendations to leverage other programs managed by the city or other local governments and community organizations in order to create a connected effort for anti-displacement strategies. That's really important and to also create a dashboard [2:25:24 PM] to track progress as we create this tool to not only prioritize use of the 300 million, but also to evaluate the outcomes as we move forward in the project connect program of projects. As Jackie spoke about, the national environmental policy act or Nepa process work is starting, it's going to be important that the work on the equity assessment tool complement and be complementary to that process. To that extent we've had capital metro come and do a Nepa process 101 for this team that's working on the equity assessment tool to make sure that we understand the requirements of Nepa process and understand how the two processes can work together. And those -- that collaboration and education [2:26:25 PM] is going to continue into early January and February. So that concludes the update on the equity assessment tool and, of course, I'll be available along with the rest of the team for any questions that you all may have. Thank you. >> Mayor, I think the floor is yours. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Does anybody have any comments or questions relative to the presentation that we just had? Okay. Councilmember kitchen? >> Kitchen: I have some -- I'll have some comments to make as we get into the items in front of us. I want to thank the staff to bringing forward the -- for bringing forward the [2:27:25 PM] information, both staffs, Jackie for bringing forward information about community engagement and unique with information about the equity assessment tool. As you mentioned it will be absolutely critical that -- that there be a hand in glove approach here with the community. In terms of these processes. I will -- we can talk about this more when we get to item no. 4, but it's also very important that we get the community advisory committee up and running in a transparent way, but also in an expeditious way so that that body also has the opportunity to participate in the Nepa process process in the -- and the comments and the public engagement that's proceeding. So I will speak to that more when we get to item no. 4. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Any other comments? >> Mayor, is -- is this [2:28:28 PM] reserved for councilmembers? Or is this available for capital metro board members. >> Mayor Adler: It's available for capital metro. We're going to be doing pretty much everything together jointly, save and except calling for votes. So now would be the time to comment if you would like to. >> Travillion: All right. You know, as I listened to the comments, you know, the thing that concerns me the most, I think that a lot of exceptional work was done. I think that a lot of people from all over town, different walks of life, got behind our initiative to improve our public transit system. When you look across precinct 1, the community overwhelming supported it. I think there was only one box that did not support this and that box was lost [2:29:28 PM] 1-0. I think there's overwhelming community support. But I think the community was demonstrating a level of trust in us. And it was telling us that they expect us to reach out to them. That they expect us to be -- consistent with them. That they expect us to bend over backwards to work with them during a very difficult time. We're in the midst of a pandemic, face-to-face meetings are not available. However, it is going to be important that we take -- that we go the extra mile, that we take non-traditional paths, that we do all of the things that are necessary for communities to feel that they are actually a part of the process. I know that we had to -- to work very quickly and make some things happen right now. So that we can actually get to action on the ground. But I would really hope that [2:30:30 PM] during this process, we could build -- we could build a communications set of procedures that will allow our entire community to say, I understand what you did, I understand why you did it, I understand how you did it, and I agree. I would -- it would be important to see the -- the eastern crescent join with the western part of the city to say I know that you look at things a little differently than I do, I know that your experiences are quite different than mine, however I'm going to take all of this into consideration and do what it takes to make sure that we build and maintain trust over time. We -- I think we are moving in the right direction. I think the results of the election showed us that. However, I think that it's -- we're going to have to redouble our efforts and make sure that we are [2:31:31 PM] reaching across the aisle as we go forward. Because if we don't, we will not enjoy the support that we did enjoy when this -- when this initiative was voted on. So I just want to say we can do more, we can do better, we must do more and we must do better, because the only way that this works is if we work together. And if we maintain trust. So I -- so I just want folks to know that we hear you, and we want to make -- and we want to -- to make sure that as we move forward, you feel included in the process and you are actually included in the process. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Does anybody want to speak before we go back to Ann? Ann, go ahead. >> Kitchen: Councilmember Casar, did you want to go first? Okay. I just want to say thank you, commissioner and second what you said. And, also, just second the -- I want to say thank [2:32:33 PM] you to the community, the folks that spoke with us today. I want to say that I'm hearing -- I'm hearing what they are saying to us. It sounds like the balance between moving quickly and transparency, that we didn't get that quite right with the atp board process and I hear that. When we talk about item no. 4, we can talk about some things that we have built into the cac, community advisory committee process, that I think will address some of the concerns that were raised. I'm also hearing that there is concerns and questions about the city side of this in terms of our process for the equity assessment tool, and our process moving forward with the 300 million. So -- so we will need to have some more conversations to make sure that we are very transparent in that process and very engaging as well as -- as well as through the work of -- of Jackie and her team on the [2:33:34 PM] capital metro side. So I just wanted to repeat and emphasize what commissioner Travillion had said. This is a learning, growing process for all of us. Trust is top of mine and most important. And -- and I am hearing and I know my colleagues are hearing what our community is telling us. And -- and I think we will -- we can do better. >> Mayor Adler: All right. Greg? >> Casar: I appreciate that. And I do think that it is important, as folks raised, for us to maintain the trust and transparency that we kept trying to build through the election. Folks raised the question of earlier posting of documents and since we're forming the atp today, I just want to say that I have confidence in the members that we are appointing, including those here on this virtual dais with us, [indiscernible] And mayor, about not creating a perceived perception of a [2:34:35 PM] pattern of posting things late. I want to afford grace to councilmember kitchen, commissioner Travillion, member Michelle, councilmember alter, figuring out how to get a application and interviews through two sets of holidays through the election and the new year -- through the Christmas and new year's, that might lead to things getting more cramped up. But as we head into the new year, I think that you have a commitment, I think the community has a commitment from us pretty clearly here today that without those constraints, hopefully in the new year you will see it be done differently and enough posting for people to really participate the way we usually would. And that -- I have heard that from capital metro and from the atp board nominees, so I feel confident but thought it would be good to communicate. I knew it was tight this time and I understand that. >> Mayor Adler: Mr. Chairman, do you want to take us to the next part of [2:35:36 PM] the presentation. >> Cooper: Yes, Mr. Mayor. Realizing that we were as part of this presentation, we are on the equity tool, I just set up a comment and then had a question as well. I do want to echo what has been said previously. The community engagement is extremely important in this process. We -- we have made some important commitments to the community from the beginning, from the get-go. As I said, this is something that began four years ago. And the reason that I believe it is a success is because we have made that commitment and we have been engaged from day 1 and this has been bottom up, not top down. One of the things that I think is important as part of that transparency and I think we're trying to balance both the transparency and the need to also make sure that we're not missing some key benchmarks and timelines to [2:36:36 PM] get up and going and make this happen. With that said, this is an important process that we're committing to here and that we are moving forward with. And this is not just about building infrastructure. Clearly the infrastructure, the $7.1 billion is an awful lot about infrastructure. But we did make an agreement with the community as part of this process to set aside the funds for the anti- displacement funds, but also it's important than just that. There's also a part of this that is ensuring that was -- we ensure that we build this properly, that came through the Nepa process process, the local alternative deciding do we want to do bus transit here, light rail there, do we build a tunnel or not a tunnel. That's all of the technical and structural pieces. Part of it is making sure that we get it right from the community side, from the equity side, from the -- from the employment side, from the connection side. All of these pieces. [2:37:38 PM] Because it is so much harder to go back and undo and redo than it is to do it right the first time. I think that -- I -- from what I have seen in the now two years that I have been involved with capital metro, I'm very excited because I believe that my colleagues, what I have seen from my colleagues and from staff, is a commitment to -- to do that very thing and be engaged and I -- I personally will continue to push that we have that transparency and that engagement and that we do this thing right. And part of that, too, is going to be involved with measurables, key performance indicators, and ensuring that we have something to report back to the community as also we're getting feedback from the community. So with that said, I did have one question back about equity and just wanted to check something here. I believe that -- that from [2:38:40 PM] what I remember, the -- the city has already and does some work with the equity -- with equity through the -- with an equity tool right now. And certain projects through or by an equity tool. I was wondering if just briefly the -- you could give just a little bit more insight into what currently exists with the equity tool side of things that the city currently uses and how that will inform what the atp board or rather what I guess the community advisory committee will be using, the work that the city has in place now, how that will help inform what the community advisory committee will be using. >> This is anique, Eric was that -- >> Yes. For you. >> For me, thank you. [2:39:40 PM] Can you turn that -- sorry, I was hearing an echo. That's a really good question. I will say that that's true. We have experience at the city of Austin using -- an equity assessment tool [echoing] Are you all hearing this echo as well? Hold on one second. >> We are, but we can still understand you. If staff can figure that out, that would be great. But we can still understand you. >> All right. >> Jackie, if you could go on mute, that would help. Thanks. All right. [Echoing]. >> Mayor Adler: Anique, go ahead. You are on mute if you are [2:40:41 PM] talking. >> Okay. Back. Much better. Sorry about that. So -- so -- the -- the city of Austin does have experience using an equity assessment tool for our capital projects. So this started back in 2016 with the mobility bond where we, in the contract with voters back then, there was -- also a mandate for an equitable, there were community benefits, including an equitable use of the funds and the investment with regards to prioritization of those funds and so -- so we are the team that's looking at building the equity -- we are looking to build on that model on specific -- specific to what the tool might look like for project connect. But I don't want to -- I don't want imply that we have any idea what the tool will look like for project connect because the mobility bond is different, this is a [2:41:42 PM] different project. But we do have experience and we're building on that. And it's exciting. It's exciting that we can learn from what -- what the 2016 program was able to do with their prioritization process and then we're also excited about centering the communities in the early stages of the creation of the tool here. Additionally, the local mobility portion of the 2016 bond, not just the corridors, also does a good job looking year to year with the budget with their budget on -- on an equitable distribution of those projects. So -- so you are right. We do have some experience with that. And we are looking at this opportunity to hone in on that and -- and as -- as board member Travillion said, to do better and to continue to strive for excellence in the area of -- of using equity assessment [2:42:43 PM] >> I hope that gave you an overview and if you have any questions I'm happy to try to answer. >> No, I appreciate it. Part of the reason is -- for folks who are watching this for the general public, just to recognition that we're not creating something in a vacuum here. This city does have some experience with this and this can help working with the community advisory committee can help inform -- we're not starting from ground zero here. There is an office and staff that has some experience to help develop this and this can help the community advisory committee develop some key metrics and benchmarks that can help inform the city, capmetro and the atp board, all three to ensure that we are utilizing that $300 million and the projects as a whole appropriately to meet the needs and to meet the requirements that the community was hoping would come from these projects to ensure that we're doing the right thing for displacement [2:43:46 PM] and ensure that we're building a world class transit stem and also ensuring it's serving the people's needs across the city council. Thank you for that. >> You're welcome. >> Mayor... >> Go ahead, Pete. >> I just wanted to say that I have a lot of trust in our equity office. They've been doing a great job and this project -- I mean we're just -- this is just like day one almost because it's just -- the bond just passed five weeks ago. We've been working on this for quite awhile now and we've been discussing all these issues. That's why we included the $300 million in there for the displacement. [2:44:48 PM] Because we heard the citizens and the voters and they wanted that and we included it. But this project is going to be a long, long time coming. I mean it's going to be -- the process is -- they won't even turn dirt for at least two and a half, maybe three years. So there is plenty of time for people to be involved and give us the directions that they think -- and look over the project and give us some directions and we'll be more than happy having as much input that we can get. Because this is a citywide project, and in the past I've seen how long it takes. We we're still working on the red line and that's been going on for years -- I mean over 20 years. So, yes, we heard the people and we do respond. So that's why we planned it this way. Nothing that we're going to [2:45:49 PM] do overnight that's going to change anything. >> Cooper: Any other comments on the presentations? I can't see everybody right now. Is anybody else trying to get in? Mr. Chair, I'm going to turn it over to you for additional presentation. >> Cooper: Any other comments? Go ahead. I'm having difficulty hearing. [2:46:53 PM] (No audio) >> Wade, you're muted. >> I think we're having technical difficulties with chairman cooper right now. >> Mayor Adler -- >> Mayor Adler: Why don't you go ahead and do the updates and give him a chance to get back in. >> Good afternoon, mayor Adler and chair cooper and board and council members. Can everyone hear me? >> Cooper: Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Cooper: Can you hear me now? >> >> Mayor Adler: Yes, we can. >> Chair cooper would you like for me to proceed? Mayor Adler, shall I proceed? >> Mayor Adler: Yes, go ahead. >> I'm carry butcher capital metro's chief counsel and chief of staff. If I could have the next slide, please. [2:47:54 PM] I know this slide looks busy and it is because you have been busy. We have accomplished a tremendous amount together over these past two years, but particularly in the last few months. Don't worry, we aren't going to walk through all of this, but we wanted you to have an opportunity and a place to visualize all thatu accomplished in the last few months and something to come back to that captured the work that has been done, and then what is to come in the next year. I know it feels like a long time ago, but in June you unanimously approved the project connect system plan and the locally preferred alternative. Then in July, both council and the capmetro board gave direction to include this program in your budgets and in the tax rates. And then in August, both the council and the capmetro board took actions to make funding commitments to the program, including the $300 million in investments [2:48:54 PM] for anti-displacement that we've been talking about today. And you also committed to creation of a local government corporation. This is an independent organization that will provide governance and financing for implementing project connect. And then of course also in August the council voted to place the tax rate election on the ballot in November. Next slide, please. Today's actions before you are to approve the articles of incorporation and the bylaws for the Austin transit partnership in order for us to formally create this local government corporation. And you will also name its initial board members. You also have before you for action today two resolutions to consider regarding community advisers for this new atp board. And then we have a lot to do in 2021. In 2021, capital metro and the city will be busy working with this new atp on some initial priorities. [2:49:58 PM] Capital metro will be providing corporate support functions to the atp and in 2021 we'll finalize the logistics and the cost sharing for these functions in an agreement. The city will be working with the atp on an agreement for the city to implement the anti-displacement strategies that we've been talking about along the transit corridors in project connect with that 300 million-dollar investment. So it will be an agreement to come in that realm as well. And then finally, by June of 2021, the city, capital metro and the Austin transit partnership will enter into a joint powers agreement that we've talked about in the past. And this joint powers agreement will be the sort of over arching agreement among all three parties, the bodies, on how project connect and the program will be implemented over the course of the next many years. So we are looking forward to a lot coming up in the next five or six months to really get atp and the project [2:50:58 PM] connect program going. Next slide, please. And then finally as you prepare for your action items today, this is just a reminder for you of the Austin transit partnership board, sort of the makeup and the process. As a reminder the board is made up of three community experts and these are experts with experience in the field of finance, engineering and construction, and planning and sustainability. And then one member of the capital metro board of directors and one member of the city council. The nominating committee as we've discussed before is made up of both members of the capmetro board and city council. They've received a tremendous number of applications from some really extremely qualified and passionate members of our community who were really excited about moving forward with project connect. And so the nominating committee has held interviews over the course of the last several weeks with some selected applicants. And the committee has presented a slate of candidates that are before you today. [2:51:58 PM] I know that the members of the committee will have a lot more to say on the process and on their recommendations in just a little while. When you're ready to take up the ion. And then of course January 20th will be the first meeting of the atp board of directors and at that meeting they will take their initial formation actions. They'll a prove the bylaws, elect officers, they will also consider and approve an interim budget, and then get ready to do business and engage with the community. Does anyone have any questions for me? Okay, thank you. >> Mayor, you're muted. >> Mr. Chairman, do you want to get a motion on both sides, a motion in front of capmetro and a motion from the city and then have a single conversation about [2:52:58 PM] both? >> Yes, mayor, I think that's appropriate. Before we have that conversation, I thought we might have comments from the nominating committee and with respect to their process and anything they want to add before we go into action item a. >> Okay. Someone from the nominating committee want to speak -- council member alter? >> Alter: Thank you. So we have items 2, 3 and 4. So I want to just -- I was very pleased -- [indiscernible] Council member kitchen and board members Mitchell and commissioner Travillion. We are really fortunate in Austin to have members of our community with such talent and expertise who are willing to step up and help [2:54:00 PM] us make project connect a success. This was probably the hardest nominating committee that I've ever been on in terms of being able to choose three members for the board. I'm really pleased with the three members that we landed on, Dr. Colette Burnett pierce, Veronica [indiscernible] And I think they are all three going to make excellent members of our inaugural atp board, along with mayor Adler and Mr. Stratton. One of the things that came with the territory of having so many successful experts decide that project connect was worthy of their time, was that we realized that the community really has a lot more to offer as part of the process and the next steps, and that the success of project connect will be that much greater if we can [2:55:01 PM] find ways for them to be involved. And so we identified seven of the other applicants that we are putting forward to the two boards today to ask the boards to formally recommend to the atp to deploy at least these seven in some kind of advisory role that the atp will put forward. I want to be really clear that among the other 26 people who applied, many of them also could opt and we would encourage the atp to speak with them and find ways for them to be part of this process to help ensure the success. But I think we are real you, really lucky as a city that people step up in so many ways to help us move big ideas and big projects forward. So thank you. >> Cooper: Council member [2:56:01 PM] kitchen and then board member Mitchell. >> Kitchen: Yes, and thank you, council member alter. I appreciated the opportunity to work on this nominating committee with council member alter and commissioner Travillion and board member Mitchell. And I just want to echo what council member alter said. We were truly blown away with the level of commitment and experience and expertise. Our focus for this part of the project was our charge to recommend members to the atp board that is focused on implementation and focused on technical expertise related to engineering and construction and finance and sustainability and community planning. And so there is a wealth of talent and we -- as council member alter said, we are strongly recommending to the [2:57:02 PM] atp board that they engage both the seven members that we identified by name in technical advisory capacity of some sort, as well as the additional names that we are sending forward, and others in the community. The bottom line as we have all said for this project is this is a community project. We will not be successful if we do not do it altogether with the community. Which means that we need to take advantage of everybody's commitment and wealth of experience and expertise. And then I just want to add that I am very pleased that we can recommend the three members that we have recommended and then I would say the same thing about mayor Adler and Eric Stratton, is that I think in this initial slate of community experts and board members, I am confident that each one of them will be contributing considerable experience and expertise and [2:58:03 PM] I'm also confident that each one of them is committed to listening and engaging in the community and building and maintaining trust. Throughout our process of talking with these folks, that was front and center for people, and it Watts -- was front and center to something they brought to the table and they mentioned and they wanted to talk about. So I was really pleased and honored to be part of this process. So I'm sure that council member alter's and my fellow nominating committee members may want to add to this. >> Cooper: The next person to recognize was member Mitchell. >> Mitchell: Can everyone hear me? >> Cooper: Yes. >> Mitchell: I just want to thank council members kitchen and alter and commissioner Travillion for this process. [2:59:04 PM] I want the collective group here to understand just how difficult this process was. First and foremost, we had a wealth of qualified talent, far more than I personally had expected and to a person they showed a sensitivity and a public desire to serve our city and take it to the next level of having a comprehensive transit system that serves everyone in every area of our city. To a person, they were concerned about the disadvantaged, the people who maybe had been underserved or were suffering in this economy, and I just can't say enough good about the 36 applicants that we had. I think the slate that we selected is a -- was hard to put them in a category of construction, fine answer, sustainability, planning, because they all had cross [3:00:05 PM] talents. And the selection -- the slate you have before you are some incredible -- incredibly qualified people. I think they will serve our atp very well and I, too, reiterate the quality of the applicants was so strong that we felt it was appropriate to recommend to the city council and to the capital metro board to vote to put forth to the atp that they consider these individuals who selflessly stepped up and said we want to help. And I'm just very proud of the decisions that have been made and I say to all areas of our citizenry, I think you will be pleased with these folks. I think they are really going to serve us well. >> Cooper: Thank you, commissioner Travillion. >> Travillion: I just want to echo what my colleagues [3:01:06 PM] have said. We certainly had some very, very strong candidates. I think that we have selected the very, very strong candidates that not only have incredible technical ability, but they are a part of the communities that they come from. We worked together very hard, listened to each other first about the types of things that we not only want to see on the board, but what we wanted to see going forward. And I think my colleagues were wise in their desire to ask for an advisory board that gave us an opportunity to take advantage of the skills and relationships that other applicants provided. We also talked about -- fairly extensively -- how we understand that other parts [3:02:07 PM] of the community have to be engaged regularly and meaningfully as we go forward. If this is going to be a processor a series of projects that transform our community, it's going to take a number of our community members to explain their needs, their perspectives, what they have -- what they see today and what they have seen historically to make sure that we're focusing on the right things as we move forward. This has been a commitment among colleagues to ensure that we are listening to each other and we're broadening the conversations and we're making sure that community is going to be a part of it. [Audio distortion] Things that have been asked for by community have not only been considered, but weave Y taken steps to make sure that we are going to engage the community. This is not the end of the [3:03:07 PM] process, this is the beginning of a community process that we will build together. And I am very proud of the work that my colleagues have done and I join them in saying that I think we have picked a talented slate of candidates and recommended a talented slate of advisersers. And we certainly do not intend to keep the community out of discussions about how we build our community together. Thank you. >> Cooper: Colleagues on both bodies, anything before we glo to capmetro for their vote on the first item? Mr. Chair, I turn the gavel over to you. >> Cooper: Thank you, mayor. Capmetro colleagues, I think the process that the mayor and I would like to follow going forward is to get each of our motions up on the floor and then have a common discussion since they are basically the same content and then after we've had a [3:04:08 PM] common discussion relative to this first motion, each of our respective bodies vote. So that being said, we are posted -- capmetro for action to approve a resolution creating the Austin transit partnership corporation, a local government corporation under subchapter D, chapter 431 of the Texas transportation code, approving and adopting the corporation's articles of incorporation and bylaws and appointing the initial board. Do I have a motion and a second? >> Motion by member kitchen. Is there a second? Second by commissioner Travillion. Board members, I might ask for a friendly amendment as we need to include in that our designee to that initial board. So is there perhaps a [3:05:08 PM] friendly amendment to the motion to include the name of a capmetro representative on that board? >> I'll accept that as friendly. >> Cooper: Member kitchen, I don't think we designated the name yet. >> I would move board member Eric Stratton as capital metro's designee to the atp board. >> I'll second that. >> Cooper: And I think member Travillion accepted that. I think we have our motion Teed up, mayor, if you want to get the city council motion Teed up as well. >> Mayor Adler: And I'll -->> I will accept that if nominated. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you, chair. So council colleagues, we're post Ford action related to the recommendation today and I'd entertain a motion to [3:06:11 PM] approve a resolution creating the Austin transportation partnership corporation, a local government corporation under sup chapter D, chapter 431 of the Texas transportation code, approving and adopting the corporations articles of articles ofincorporation and bylaws and appointing the initial board including mayor Adler as the Austin council representative on the board. Is there a motion? Council member pool makes the motion. Council member harper-madison seconds. I guess that's -- we're now set to have discussion by either entity on the very similar motions. Mr. Chair, you want to take a vote? >> Cooper: Thank you, mayor. Just to be clear, colleagues, our motion as posted includes the election of the first three independent directors that were nominated by our [3:07:11 PM] nomination -- nominating committee. So we are approving the articles, the bylaws, the selection of Eric Stratton as the capmetro designee, and then the three nominees from the nomination -- from the nominating committee. >> And that's Dr. Burnett, Dr. Barrera and Tony Elkins. >> Cooper: So if there is no other discussion then, I'll ask for a roll call vote. Vice chair Garza? >> Garza: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Stratton? >> Stratton: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Mitchell? >> Mitchell: Yes. >> Cooper: Member kitchen? >> Kitchen: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Renteria. >> Renteria: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Travillion. >> Travillion: Yes. [3:08:13 PM] >> Cooper: Member hill? Not present. And then cooper is a yes. So the motion carries 7-0 with one not present. Mayor, the floor is yours. >> Mayor Adler: All right, colleagues on the council, we have a resolution, been moved and seconded in front of us. There is no discussion, we will also go to a roll call vote. Okay, mayor pro tem. >> Garza: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: And this is also to be clear fills in the three names from the nominating committee, Dr. Burnett, Veronica Barrera and Tony Elkins as well as mine. Mayor pro tem. >> Garza: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Council member harper-madison. >> Harper-madison: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Renteria. >> Renteria: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Casar. >> Casar: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Couch kitchen. >> Kitchen: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Flannigan. >> Flannigan: Yes. [3:09:14 PM] >> Mayor Adler: Council member pool. >> Pool: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Ellis. >> Ellis: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Tom tovo. >> Tovo: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member alter. >> Alter: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: And I'm also voting aye. 11 in favor, it passes, turn it back to you, Mr. Chairman. >> Cooper: Thank you, mayor. Let me just stop and pause and say this is really exciting. We've just created something that will be transformational for our community, the work of which our children and our grandchildren will benefit from and appreciate and so it really is a landmark day and I really want to say thank you for all the cooperation, four all the hard work and it's exciting. I feel like we have collectively, among the how many of us -- 19 of us and the whole community, birthed a baby that is going to be with us for a long, long [3:10:14 PM] time and one of which we'll be very proud. So thank you. We'll follow the same process with respect to the second action item that is each of us get our motion Teed up and then have a common discussion and then move to votes on those. So our capmetro second action item is with respect to approval of an amendment to the interlocal agreement regarding a community advisory committee, do I have a motion? >> Chair cooper, that's not the next item up. I believe the next item up is the resolution, is it not, related to the recommendations on the advisers? >> Cooper: Inform, that's third. >> We must have a different order than the council has then. [3:11:15 PM] >> I've got the second one being your motion with respect to the community advisory committee. >> With all due respect, I would prefer that we finish our conversations about these technical advisers and take this as the next item, the resolution related to our recommendations on the technical advisers, which I think is item no. 3 on the city council agenda. It sounds like it's item no. 4 on the capmetro agenda. >> Cooper: If there is no objection, I'll take up that item if you'd like to make the motion. >> Yes, I would move the item related to recommending the atp board to out community members in certain fields to assist the corporation in implementing the project connect system plan and after we get our motions on the table, I'll have a few comments. >> Second. >> Cooper: A motion and a second. Mayor, if you'd like to get that Teed up. [3:12:18 PM] >> Mayor Adler: On the city council side, is there a motion? Council member alter. >> Alter: I move item 3. >> Mayor Adler: Okay, council member Ellis seconds. Our motion is on the table as well. Mr. Chairman. >> Cooper: Very well. Discussion on this item, member kitchen. >> Kitchen: We've already talked some from nominating committee. I just want to reiterate again that we had a wealth -- we had [indiscernible] Of expertise and so this is our strong recommendation to the atp board that they develop a mechanism for a technical advisers in a manner and capacity that they determine and also just to highlight that we'll be sending forward all the names of the folks that we talked to that applied through this process and I want to thank them again for their participation, and then I also just want to highlight the seven names that we felt [3:13:20 PM] like we wanted to highlight with their particular tech Nike Al knowledge and expertise. That's art Alfaro, [indiscernible] Upon DI, Samuel Franco, Patrick Howard, frank kiter international, Cindy ma to all la and Heidi Ross. And I was so appreciative and the level of commitment from all of these folks -- it's the kind of thing that's going to make this thing successful as we move forward. So wanted to highlight that. >> Mayor Adler: Council member alter I have and then member Stratton. >> Alter: Thank you. Very similar to council member kitchen, I just wants to thank again all the people who applied, our three board members, the seven folks that we have highlighted will add a lot to the success of the project. I do want to note that we promised the voters that we would set up the board with the three members and so [3:14:22 PM] that's what we did. And the atp is an independent board, and so we are sending our recommendation over based on the knowledge and the information we have from our interviews, but it is up to the atp board itself to determine the most appropriate way to leverage and take advantage of the talents and commitment of these many members of our community. But we did want to very strongly recommend it and to communicate how fortunate we are to have so many people in our community willing to share their expertise with making this project a success. >> Cooper: Thank you, council member. Member Stratton. >> Stratton: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, thank you, members of the capmetro board for placing your trust and faith in me to serve on the inaugural atp board. I will say that, you know, when we first came up with the criteria for this back [3:15:23 PM] last summer, I was a little concerned. I thought, man, that's a pretty high bar to have ten years of expertise in these particular fields. How many -- how many people are we going to be able to get in these specific individual fields with that particular level of expertise that don't also want to be a part of participating in the process by submitting for the contracts to help build the the -- system itself. So I have to say I'm excited to hear that in the short period of time we had -- because again we're trying to move this along and hit benchmark under federal processes and things, 36 applicants that were involved here. I am very excited to hear that -- it's a very difficult job that the nominations committee had to just find us three that could serve on the inaugural atp board. And to hear that there were so many strong candidates that did potentially meet the criteria, one, just to be able to come in the door in the screening process to be considered by the [3:16:23 PM] nominations committee is outstanding and incredible and shows an amazing commitment of individuals to our community and that have the level and depth of experience in these various areas. As a member of now the inaugural atp board, I will just say I'm reminded of a proverb that says, proverbs 15-22. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed. And we're going to have, I'd imagine, a great staff that's going to be doing an awful lot of research and studying and helping to provide a lot of recommendations to the members of the atp board, but it does not hurt to have additional individuals from this community that will help build this thing, that we will be using and I'm very excited to hear that the nominations committee is recommending a slate of other additional individuals who can in some form or capacity provide those recommendations and advice to us as we move forward. [3:17:24 PM] Not sure how this is going to work. We've still got that yet to be decided, but I'm very excited to know that there are additional individuals that the nominations committee felt so strongly enough that they wanted to name -- list them by name and provide both the city council and capmetro, to bring these people forward by name to say, hey, these folks stand out. We really feel like they should be involved in some capacity and I, for one do really support this idea and concept of some form of eighth area technical advisory board or some kind of level of involvement that we can help get these folks continued to be involved and advising us on these things as we move forward. So thank you, guys, very much and I appreciate this and I of course will be supporting this resolution. Thank you very much. >> Cooper: Thank you, member Stratton. Any other discussion on this item? >> I think council member harper-madison wanted to speak. >> Cooper: Go ahead, council member. >> Harper-madison: I actually should have spoken before. It was specifically about [3:18:25 PM] the atp item. I really appreciate that commissioner Travillion really already laid out what I think is really important and we all acknowledge in that our constituents -- they trust us. So to keep our word. We heard that pretty resoundingly from the previous speakers. So I appreciate that he pointed that out and I'd just like to make sure to also offer my commitment to making certain that things that are most important, community involvement, true genuine trust and accountability are going to be the tools for our success and the tools for keeping everybody at the table together having authentic conversations about the appropriate path forward. So I wanted to make sure to say that. I also wanted to say I really appreciate all the vote voters that got us here in the first place. The fact that we're moving forward with the atp and have these magnificent [3:19:26 PM] community representatives on the newly formed board and member Stratton as well, and mayor Adler. I think this is the first step of many, many steps that we reflect on where we really got something right. My mind's eye, the reason for all that sincere support from our communities came from the fact that we built equity and we baked it right into the plan and I think that was imperative that we do so. I said before that I'm committed to making sure we hold up our end on the council, but I appreciate that we're confirming as dual bodies that we all commit to making certain that we keep our word and that we deliver on the promises that we made. I think it's really important to recognize that as the voice -- as a voice rather for east Austin, we really appreciate the leadership that Dr. Burnett [3:20:26 PM] shows in our community and it's just so fantastic that she's moving forward to continue to represent the community in this capacity. I think Tony and Veronica also bring decades of experience and involvement and I'm glad to have them. I'm so happy that you all have decided it's appropriate to have this advisory board. I can't give you the proverb offhand, but I really appreciate that member Stratton gave a good one. It's so important to recognize those ancillary elements that will lead us to ek success. Lastly, I'd like to say thank you so much to members kitchen and alter, commissioner Travillion, board member Mitchell, I can imagine that vetting all those super highly qualified candidates was truly a difficult task, especially in such -- in a fashion where you really had to be expedient and so I appreciate you all for the effort that you put forward there. I'm happy that we had such robust interest. I can't say I'm surprised, but I'm really happy that that many people want to [3:21:26 PM] serve a cause -- a program that they see as ultimately beneficial to everybody in our community. I think our voters overwhelmingly approve this plan that we put before them and that's really good to know that everybody's buying in. Most people are buying in because they believe in what it is will happen as a direct result of the investment. And lastly, they want our -- our community wants transformative transit solutions, we want transformative transit solutions and I think they really want it sooner than later. I look forward to the atp having the opportunity to hit the ground running and really appreciate that council member Renteria pointed out there will be so many opportunities for community engagement and we will make certain that we remind ourselves and hold ourselves accountable for bringing everybody to the table. Because it won't work without you. So thank you everybody involved and thank you to our community for offering their support for [3:22:28 PM] comprehensive transit in the capital city of the great state of Texas. >> Cooper: Thank you, council member. Other comments? I'm not seeing any. Am I overlooking somebody? >> Get ready to take your vote. >> Cooper: Very well. Thank you, capmetro board members then, I'll ask for a roll call vote. Vice chair Garza? >> Garza: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Stratton? >> Stratton: Aye. >> Cooper: Member Mitchell. >> Mitchell: Aye. >> Cooper: Member kitchen. >> Kitchen: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Renteria. >> Renteria: Yes. >> Cooper: Member Travillion. >> Travillion: Yes. >> Cooper: Member hill is not present. And I'm a yes. So the motion carries 7-0 with one not present. Thank you, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: The motion to approve the resolution on future atp advisory [3:23:29 PM] committees has been moved and seconded. Let's take a vote. Pro-tem. >> Garza: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member harper-madison. Displarp yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Renteria. >> Renteria: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Casar. >> Casar: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member kitchen. >> Kitchen: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Flannigan. >> Flannigan: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member pool. >> Pool: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Ellis. >> Ellis: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Tom tovo. >> Tovo: Io. >> Mayor Adler: Council member alter. >> Alter: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: I vote yes as well. It's 11-0. Item no. 3 passes. Mr. Chair. >> Cooper: We'll move on to the next item then or the one that I was trying to get in a moment ago, which is approval of an amendment to the interlocal agreement regarding a community advisory committee. Member kitchen, did you want to make the motion? [3:24:29 PM] >> Kitchen: Yes, I'll make the motion we might want the consider it by acclamation. I know this is a very special committee and others may want to be a part of the motion. >> Cooper: Let's get the motion on the floor and then we can have a discussion. >> Kitchen: Okay. I move that we move forward with the item related to the next steps on creation of the community advisory committee. >> Cooper: Thank you. Is there a second capmetro board members? >> I'll second that item. >> Cooper: I'm sorry, I've got Travillion and Renteria seconds on that. >> Council member kitchen suggested this might be a resolution we might all want to urge together. Does anybody object to that? >> Cooper: Mayor, I think there is some discussion though that we might want to have on the motion itself. >> Mayor Adler: Yeah, I'm not taking the vote yet. [3:25:29 PM] The motion is made collectively. So E we're ready for discussion now. Mr. Chair, I turn it back to you. >> Cooper: Very well, member kitchen. >> Kitchen: Yes, okay. I want to just emphasize that this action relates to the next step on the creation of the community communityadvisory committee. The community advisory committee is a commitment that we made to the voters last summer. The purpose of the community advisory committee as stated when we made that commitment was -- is to advise on anti-displacement and equity matters that includes related to project connect as a whole as well as to assist the community and the city council -- the city council in the creation and evaluation of neighborhood level anti-displacement strategies and priorities. So this takes the next step. This is a very special, very [3:26:29 PM] important committee. So what you will see in this is that it takes the next step by setting forth a membership of 11 members to be appointed by capmetro access advisory committee, the customer satisfaction advisory committee, by the city's urban transportation commission, the community development commission and the mayor's committee for people with disabilities. And then for us to go through a very public, transparent process for selecting additional six members. I want to emphasize the language that is in here that's been developed with our community members. It emphasizes a widely publicized nomination process that's accessible and easy to navigate. It emphasizes the -- a large, diverse and qualified applicant pool. [3:27:30 PM] It emphasizes a public facing web page, and it emphasizes community engagement to the fullest extent possible. It also emphasizes that what we are talking about is putting together a community advisory committee that has a diversity of viewpoints, has a diversity of geographic representation, a diversity of experience, that emphasizes folks that are directly impacted by public transportation and are users of public transportation. I think that this is all very important. It's in response to what this lays out is the next steps on the commitment we made last summer, and the trust that we have built and brings it forward in a manner that continues with adhering to the process that our community would like to see. So I am excited about this next step. It has -- an ambitious [3:28:32 PM] timeline so that -- and the purpose of the ambitious timeline is to make sure that this group gets up and running and can participate in a formal way as we move forward. So the timeline is by the end of February to both allow for a process for, you know, a nomination process that people can participate in, and then a process that gets this committee up and running in a timely way. So I want to thank everybody that's been involved with putting this together >> Member alter, than I've got Casar. >> Alter: Thank you, I just wanted to thank councilmember kitchen for her leadership on this community advisory committee and her persistence in making sure that we get it right. Because it's a -- it's really important to the success of the project. And, again, we'll be asking our community to step up and [3:29:33 PM] be part of the process and I have no doubt that we will have a lot of folks applying because they will see the [indiscernible] Of their involvement and the way that we are taking that involvement seriously. >> Cooper: Councilmember Casar? >> Casar: I appreciate getting to co-sponsor this alongside the mayor and commissioner Travillion and councilmember pool. I want to second to what councilmember alter just said and councilmember kitchen. It feels like it was a million years ago that you sponsored the first resolution at city hall to really focus really heavily on the equity component of project connect. As folks said earlier today, I think that really helped with the ultimate package, I think it helped getting it passed. I think it will make it a better project. Then today's action sets us up for a community advisory committee so that that promise continues to get fulfilled throughout the project. [3:30:33 PM] I know we're going to get good people to apply for this. I also know that there will be times with -- with this committee and the atp board, there might be tension, where folks will be raise being issues, that's a good thing. That's bringing folks in to really look at this and that will make the project so much better and having this level of transparency and community engagement I think is what can help set this project apart. Where those differences of opinion of people trying to get closer to equity on a really hard project is what actually gets us there. So I think that this is -- I think the way that you have set it upsets up both accountability and transparency but also the real opportunity for collaboration to get this done so thank you to everybody, you know, frankly for working on this. But councilmember kitchen for doing the labor of putting the proposal together. >> Cooper: Member [3:31:34 PM] Stratton? >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the capital metro represent to atp, I want to thank board member kitchen for her work in putting this together. As we have stipulated in the -- in the agreement from this past summer, as we were reminded of earlier, we state in there within six months of voter approval that the city shall provide a process for the creation of a neighborhood level strategies with community members and organizations and create an equity assessment tool. Well, if you go to the trouble of creating the equity assessment tool, but you don't have a means and venue for community input and involvement into it, you are kind of missing the point. So this codifies and provides an actual real actionable way to ensure community involvement and input and I personally am very excited to see this because it spells it out and it provides for a process that does allow for community involvement and input, provides for the [3:32:35 PM] structure that is there and simultaneously then allows for, you know, the atp board to, you know, hit the ground running doing, you know, a lot of the things that need to be getting done at the same time while the city and capital metro boards are helping to, you know, build that community advisory committee. So I think this way it actually makes us more efficient and more effective, that we can do things in parallel this way. And I think that it is a very well thought out, well constructed plan that's going to be able to get a lot more activity involvement from the community. Some people may look at it and say that well it's February, so that's a tight timeline. I think we're talking about it now in December and this gives us a full two months to get that activity and involvement. I'm very excited about this. And I'm looking forward then to what's going to come with the ultimate involvement of this committee as part of the process down the road. But thank you for codifying this and the actions that we're going to do today to [3:33:36 PM] make this possible. Appreciate it. >> Cooper: Member kitchen, I have a question. One of the things that I harper-madisoned on when I was on the campaign trail for this was the Independence of the atp board. I like the process that this resolution sets up and certainly it's hugely important that we have this community advisory committee. But having now created an independent atp board, I think it would be appropriate for us to consider that board would be able to contribute to putting members on this advisory council since they are the recipients, I guess all three boards of recipients of this advice, I would like to see a process where the atp board is able to have involvement in the nomination process or perhaps put its own members on to the board. What are your -- we have [3:34:36 PM] talked about this, what are your thoughts? >> Kitchen: I think that we will leave that up to the atp board. As we heard from member Stratton, a parallel process really makes sense. I would be -- I look forward to hearing from the atp board. As they get seated. They can let us know how they might want to contribute to the process. >> Is it your intention that this would be without prejudice to their ability to add additional members or to create their own? >> Kitchen: Well, chair cooper, you know, I don't want to speak for them. You've got two members right here. That are on that board. So -- so I think we just need to move forward and certainly open -- I think we all are open to anything that they would like to say, you know, in terms of contributing to it. But I don't want to speak for them and I also don't want to presuppose what they might like to see happen. [3:35:39 PM] >> Cooper: My question was directed -- this isn't intended to foreclose atp having involvement in -- >> Kitchen: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't understand your question. No, of course not. No. It is not. >> Cooper: Set up any advisory committees that they want to have. >> Kitchen: Yes. I apologize, I didn't quite understand your question. No, it's not intended to. >> Cooper: I will defer to either the mayors or members if they have any comments. I want to be protective of atp as an infant organization, that is a hugely important thing, this community advisory process, I want to be sure when that board has its first meeting in January, and says we need to have a voice in this, that we haven't closed that -- >> Mayor Adler: I think the exchange that the two of you just had demonstrate that the atp -- that this action is not intended to foreclose any of the options that you discussed. [3:36:41 PM] And whether the atp would do that or not, obviously woe don't know. -- We don't know. But I appreciate the exchange that you and councilmember kitchen had and I think it speaks for itself. >> Cooper: Any other comments? Hearing none, mayor, I think we're ready to vote. >> Mayor Adler: I agree. >> Cooper: So capital metro board members, ail call roll, I'll call roll, vice chair Garza. >> Yes. >> Member Stratton? >> Aye. >> Member Mitchell? >> Aye. >> Member kitchen? >> Yes. >> Member Renteria. >> Yes. >> Member Travillion? >> Yes. >> Member hill. >> [Indiscernible] And cooper is a yes. Mayor? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. [3:37:42 PM] This is item no. 2, been moved and seconded. Let's take a vote. >> I think it's item 4. >> Mayor Adler: Actually it's -- is it listed as item 4 on our agenda? Okay. Item no. 4 on the agenda. Thank you. I'm sorry one was the discussion item. Item no. 4 take a vote -- thank you, councilmember alter. >> Mayor pro tem? >> Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember harper-madison? >> Harper-madison: Yes. >> Councilmember Renteria? Renteria yes. >> Councilmember Casar. >> Yes. >> Councilmember kitchen. >> Yes. >> Councilmember Flannigan. >> Yes. >> Councilmember pool? >> Pool: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: I couldn't hear you, councilmember pool? >> Pool: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Got it. Thank you, councilmember Ellis? >> Yes. >> Councilmember tovo? >> Yes. >> Councilmember alter? [3:38:45 PM] >> [Indiscernible]. >> Mayor Adler: Can you do that one more time? >> Alter: Yes. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. I vote yes as well. 11 votes, passes unanimously as well. Chair? >> Cooper: Any final remarks? Mayor, any final remarks? I think that's our last action item. >> Mayor Adler: I think it is. I would just like to as we move past this one, you know, the statement that I gave at the opening I think about the importance of today's event, repeated over the course of the items today, I just do want to recognize councilmember Flannigan. I think this may be his last city council meeting with us and I want to thank him for -- follow years of service to the city. [3:39:46 PM] And engaging in some of the most difficult issues councils have engaged on. And this job is not easy. You did it really well and just want to thank you for your service. Any other comments before we stop? >> Thank you, mayor. Mayor? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Councilmember Flannigan first. >> Flannigan: Well, I thank you for that, mayor. It is my last official council meeting and, you know, I want to say that this is not a eulogy, I don't want to hear a eulogy. This is not the end of any of this work and it's certainly not the end of my role in the work. I want to thank my staff, my city hall staff was just unbelievable. Marty, my chief, Nathan, who worked on this issue particular on transportation and others, Kate, lizzy, [3:40:48 PM] Frankie, even Taylor who was on my staff for the first two years. All of the interns and folks who helped really -- we did some pretty spectacular work in four years. I'm incredibly proud of the work that we've done for my district and for the city as a whole. You know, I'm really thankful to all of my colleagues for, you know, we all at times got to partner on different things. Even when we didn't always agree on everything. And I think we all did some pretty spectacular work. Spencer, to you and the staff, the city staff, really, you know, proud to have been on the council when we hired you. And so many other really, really amazing things that we have done. Like I said, it's not a eulogy. You all aren't through with me yet. I'm going to be around. There's still big work to be done. Still work that is [3:41:48 PM] unfinished. And I intend to finish it. You know, I didn't take courageous folks because they were politically expedient. I took them because they were the right thing to do. And I am going to continue to advocate for the things that are right. And for the things that the city and this community needs to do. And I am incredibly grateful to constituents of district 6 and my supporters and volunteers and community members who helped make these four years a pretty amazing experience and a thank you to my campaign team, obviously, who worked so hard and some of my D 6 constituents and boards and commissioners would really invested their time and energy in getting this done. So just be on the lookout. You're going to hear from me sooner rather than later, whether or not you like it. [Laughter]. [3:42:48 PM] >> Mayor, you are on mute. >> Mayor Adler: Sorry, mayor pro tem. >> Garza: Jimmy, I just wanted to say that I look forward to your continued advocacy. I am very grateful to take really some of the hardest votes I've ever had to take as a councilmember. I remember the first one okay the police contract, we were sitting next to each other, I don't know if you remember that. I remember that was one of the very first hard ones and we have taken so many since then. Incredibly grateful for your advocacy. Things that didn't even touch your district but you knew were important to our city. That means a lot as somebody who was really in the weedson 10-1. You always were so open to hearing the concerns. I remember you want knowledge to take a -- wanting to take a tour with every councilmember and [3:43:49 PM] wanting to know their district. I look forward, no eulogy, I look forward to your continued advocacy and I love your style. We have very similar styles. [Laughter]. So I love your style and I look forward to continuing to work with you and to make our community better. Thank you, councilmember Casar. >> Casar: Yeah, no, I'm excited about still having you around, I appreciate what -- what the mayor pro tem mentioned about city-wide issues. I also think for your district and Williamson county in particular, they won't be forgotten ever again by any of us. I will be looking at conditional overlays more seriously for good. And -- but then on a more serious note, also, you know, I think the creation of the lgbtq quality of life commission, the work that you did on police reform, the budget that we just [3:44:51 PM] passed that I think we should all be so proud of, that really hard and deliberate work responding in a way that so many cities across the country have struggled to respond and the project connect I think was so important to have connection in every part of the city -- constituents in every part of the city supporting it. More than anything else, your courage, I think, is the kind of leadership that this city needs and continues to need and so I'm looking forward to continuing to work with you. Thanks, Jimmy. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. I think those are all of the comments from the city side, Mr. Chairman. >> Cooper: Thank you, Gina or Spencer or Randy, final comments? Go ahead. [Multiple voices] >> Pass my comments on to acmp and DACA, just take a moment to recognize her leadership in this process. She came just to the city a few years ago, but has really shown to be an incredible visionary and [3:45:54 PM] innovator for our region and the legacy she is laying right now will live on for years to come. Thank you for your leadership and I will pass it on. >> City manager, thank you for the opportunity. I really want to just briefly thank our councilmembers and the capital metro board for your unwavering support and courageous leadership in the historic vote that you have taken today. I also want to recognize your staffs and the staff in the city manager's office who has been stalwart supports for this project. You will be happy that you don't have any one-on-ones in your calendar with us going forward but we appreciate all of the counselor joys work and historic vote that you have taken today and the trust that you have placed in us, too, to implement this system. Thank you. >> Cooper: Thank you, I [3:46:54 PM] have Randy and then member kitchen. >> Thank you, chair. Just quickly again, thank you to all of you very, very much. Today is historic. It's an organization that will be doing great work in this community long after all of us have our roles and we get to look back and ride trains and buses that, you know, we all worked so hard on the last two years to put together. I think we're going to transform this community in a positive way beyond many of the -- even how we realize right now. I think 10 years from now we're going to look back and really think how transformational 2020 was in the history of Austin. Spencer said it right, Gina is doing just an amazing job. I really couldn't ask for a better partner. It's just every day I'm thankful for the partnership of the city and just our teams work so well together. I know you all see that from time to time. But I can't emphasize how close the teams have really come together and everyone looks at it as one unified [3:47:56 PM] mission. I hope all of the staff enjoys some holiday time. I will lay off them a little bit. As the chair likes to say, give everyone a break so we can hit 2021 really hard. Finally, thankful to all of the board members and all of the councilmembers. But I did want to actually end with thanking specifically councilmember Flannigan and my board member, Delia Garza and mayor pro tem as well. Both of you are steadfast advocates of transit. You have been very supportive. I very much enjoy working with both of you. I know that you will be texting me when you are on the bus if there's an issue and hopefully there's really positive things that you will text me about, too. And I know that you really care about transit and making sure the system that we expand is great for the whole community. So thank you for both of you specifically. All that you have done for this effort. Thank you. Happy holidays, everyone. >> Thank you, Randy. Councilmember kitchen? [3:48:57 PM] >> Kitchen: I just wanted to say again I'm very excited about this action today, I think that we -- that we have a very strong partnership moving forward with the community and the community -- city council, the capital metro board and with atp and I am confident that atp will be a strong partner in working with the community and welcome their participation with the community advisory committee and as we move forward. So -- then I also want to say that I'm quite certain that councilmember Flannigan will be with us in the future as he has in the past. And I appreciate his strong support for transit and also one of the very first things that I had the opportunity to work with him on was the police contract and that was a tough one. So I appreciate his -- I do appreciate his courage, as others have said. So thank you, councilmember Flannigan. >> Cooper: Thank you, [3:49:59 PM] councilmember Renteria -- sorry, I think that I have tovo and then Renteria. >> Tovo: Thank you very much, I'm having challenges with my computer. My internet keeps freezing. [Poor audio]. I wanted to start by -- these meetings tend to have lots of thanks involved. I want to add to those that was raised thank you for the staff at capital metro and the city of Austin for their tremendous work in preparing the plan [indiscernible] Support [indiscernible] Election and we've had lots of opportunities [indiscernible] Appreciate all of the community advocates who rallied around the plan, provided feedback and suggestions [indiscernible] [Poor audio]. More comprehensive plan [indiscernible] I take seriously the comments that were raised today. By our public speakers. [3:51:00 PM] I look forward to the Austin transit partnership continuing to work [indiscernible] Processes and [indiscernible]. Good feedback [indiscernible]. Members of our community. Thank you councilmember kitchen for your leadership especially on [indiscernible] Housing plan and for [indiscernible] Anti-displacement that's really critical as we move forward. And to my colleague, councilmember Flannigan, I want to add my thanks for your service to the community. These are different jobs. Serving has lots of challenges and involves lots of sacrifices at times and I appreciate your service to the city of Austin and to your district. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you, councilmember Renteria? >> Renteria: Yes, this is really an historic day. We worked on about three different bond election, [3:52:01 PM] transportation, and got one done. This has been a great, great, you know, it's just great. That we are being able to do that. And it was a -- it was not a -- it was kind of hard but it was an easy sell with such great leaders like [indiscernible] And Spencer, especially wade and the mayor. Y'all did outstanding work out there in promoting it. But, you know, we also had my colleagues, Ann, Jimmy, really pushing for it. And so I'm really proud to be a part of the team that has done this and pushed this over and now we're going to go and build this really great infrastructure that's going to be able to move our people around Austin at a very safe manner. So that is great. You know, Jimmy, I really [3:53:02 PM] looked up to you there. And I know that you are not going to go far because I left you a message saying I'm going to need your resources and feedback on a lot of issues that are going on in your area. So I really am going to be out there, you know, really pulling your strings saying hey, man, I need some advice. I have your number now and I'll call you up. So thank you for being a colleague and a friend. >> Cooper: Thank you councilmember. Anybody else that I have missed? Councilmember alter? >> Alter: Thank you. I first want to recognize our staff under the leadership of Ms. Van donca and Mr. Cronk and capital metro under the leadership -- to many of my colleagues, many of who could probably recite the project connect plan in their sleep, they have heard [3:54:04 PM] it so many times and delivered it and really helped the community to understand things. To our capital metro board members and mayor Adler in particular thank you. I want to also add my thanks to councilmember Flannigan. We worked together on a whole host of issues that were important to both of our districts and particularly, you know, working on the police contract back in 2017 and 2018 was the start of a very long process and I think for us a growth experience. To really understand how city government works and how could it work better. And I want to thank you for your courage and your leadership in moving us through some challenging issues and I hope that with this being your last councilmember, that you recognize the importance of [3:55:06 PM] project connect and your contribution to that as a nice way to really reflect on the many contributions that you've made. I believe this is also probably mayor pro tem Garza's last meeting as well, so thank you. We have already made remarks before, but I didn't want to let that go unacknowledged as well. So thank you. >> Cooper: Thank you, councilmember. Anybody else that I have missed? Councilmember pool, was that you wanted to speak? >> Pool: Well, it was a thumbs up to indicate my echoing of the broad array of really nice comments on all topics that have been made here today. It's been a pleasure to work so closely with the capital metro board and professional staff throughout the year. It's been a hell of a year. We are all glad to be seeing [3:56:07 PM] the end of it while also knowing that we have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us. With all of the good wishes for a happy and safe and mask-wearing holiday season, I just thank everybody here for all of their efforts throughout the year and in the future. Thanks. >> Thank you, councilmember. I think that's everybody. I'll just make two quick -- two or three quick comments. First, goodbye to our vice chair and good luck in your new job, one of my favorite aggies and we wish you the best and thank you for being a loyal colleague who is also -- who has always had a heart for those who don't necessarily have a voice. So you have been a wonderful colleague and we wish you well in your new endeavors. Councilmember Flannigan, on behalf of all of us at capital metro. Thank you, you've been a stalwart for capital metro and for project connect in [3:57:09 PM] particular. You first got on my radar screen when the saltillo plaza was being -- I remember somebody saying if you complaint build a tail building at the intersection of I-35, where can you build one? I knew we were going to get along from then on. Throughout the project connect the process and other parts represented to our business, you have been right there with us supporting this. From all of us at capital metro, thank you for that. We can't say it enough, thank you for your staff, for the leadership of city manager cronk and assistant city manager van donca and of course, Randy, all of our respective teams who have worked so hard through this pandemic, through the engineers and consultants who quietly labored behind the scenes so hard this year. If you had said a couple of years ago that we're going to have a pandemic and the [3:58:09 PM] city council and capital metro staffs and boards are going to collaborate and meet repeatedly and get this thing done in the midst of these circumstances, who would have given us a snowball's chance, but I think we can all look back and say we did good work. I'm grateful for the cooperation. Finally mayor I'm especially grateful for your leadership and driving us in this direction and getting us to this point. So I will wish you all a -- a happy holidays to all of us a better new year and unless there's any other business of the capital metro board, we will stand adjourned at 3:58 P.M. Mayor the floor is yours. >> Mayor Adler: It's been an honor and pleasure to serve with each of you. I urge everybody, you guys [3:59:10 PM] and everybody listening to have a safe roll stay. The vaccine -- safe holiday, the vaccine is right around the corner and we need to make sure that everybody makes it to the vaccine. With that, it is 3:59. The city council meeting also adjourns.