City Council Regular Meeting Transcript – 11/04/2021 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 6 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 11/4/2021 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 11/4/2021 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. [10:15:05 AM] Mayor Adler: Thank you. Let's convene the meeting on November 4th, 2021. This is the Austin city council meeting, we're in city hall. The time is 10:15. Colleagues, we're going to do the changes and corrections and then we'll touch base on the consent calendar. We have a little over 20 speakers, some in person, some remote. And then we'll proceed. So, changes and corrections today, item number 2, on November 3rd, 2021, this was recommended by the water and wastewater commission on a 7-0 vote with commissioners Michael [10:16:06 AM] Musgrove Williams absent and one vacancies. Items number 13 and 15 are withdrawn. Items numbers 22, 23, and 24 are in district 2. That was incorrectly reported. Item number 60, a valid petition has been filed in opposition to the zoning request. And the sponsors on item number 64 added to the list should be councilmembers pool, Casar, Ellis, the mayor pro tem, councilmembers kitchen, and Renteria. We have two items being pulled off the agenda thus far. One of them is item 38, pulled by councilmember pool and item number 63 pulled by [10:17:07 AM] councilmember Ellis. The consent agenda -- let me also say there's late backup in items 12, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 60, 61, 64, and 65. Colleagues, the consent agenda are items 1-42 and also 64. What I'm showing being pulled at this point are 38 and 63. Anybody want to pull anything else, or say anything else before we go to the speakers that we have to speak? Okay. We'll go straight to the speakers, then. We have some speakers that are [10:18:07 AM] here, some on the phone. We're going to call the ones that are in person first so that they can leave if that's something that they wish to do. I'm going to go through the list of folks here and the clerk will call the ones to help us -- facilitate the ones that are on the phone. Let's begin with first Greg S. Come on down. And you'll have three minutes. Ashley Chang, is Ashley Chang here? She'll be on deck. You'll be next. Go ahead, sir. >> Hello, mayor Adler, mayor pro tem harper-madison, members of the Austin city council. My name is Greg. It means a lot to me to be here today and tell you why I support this Austin pets alive and [10:19:11 AM] resolution 38. I also want to personally thank my councilmember Ann kitchen for cosponsoring this item and always championing animal welfare issues. Today's important to me because I'm here speaking to you on behalf of all the veterans who volunteer at Austin pets alive. Before I tell you about my experience, I have to thank you for your work with the homeless. Every veteran knows that a few nights of bad dreams can lead to emotional crisis and lost wages. And that can easily lead to sleeping outside. We know that we're vulnerable, so, thank you. With your help, Austin pets alive -- sorry, Austin has become a leader in animal life-saving. I've been a volunteer at Apa now [10:20:13 AM] for seven years. Prior to that I did all the PTSD treatments that everyone suggested. I tried group therapy, meditation, emdr, everything. I tried it, it didn't work -- nothing. Apa's massive and effective public outreach brought me to the door. And helping them save lives has kept me there, coming back week after week. It's been very therapeutic for me. I mostly work with dogs there, and the best thing is that dogs remind you to just stop and feel the Texas sun on your back. And when that Austin wind kicks up, it reminds you to just close your eyes and lean into it and know that everything is okay. These dogs have reconnected [10:21:13 AM] something in me that I forgot was there and maybe it was never there, I don't know. But I know that they'll go on to do the same for other people. So being part of an organization that brings so much joy to so many individuals in this community is really important to me. It's what keeps me coming back week after week to spend my time with them, helping them save lives and achieve their goals. Apa solves complicated problems. They adapt to rapid changes, but like any Ngo, they need some government cooperation and support to do what they do. No one ask asking the city council to fuel it -- [ buzzer sounding ] >> Or maintain it. We're simply asking you for space to let it run. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. >> Please vote yes on 38. Thank you for your time. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. >> Kitchen: Mayor, I just want to thank you for coming and speaking with us and sharing [10:22:13 AM] your experience. It really helps to hear that, so, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Mayor Adler: After Ashley, is Ryan Clinton here? You'll be on deck. You have three minutes. >> Hello, councilmembers and mayor, thank you for this time, I'm Ashley Chang, I live in district 7. I'm here to speak on consent agenda item number 28 in support of the city of Austin contracting with the Asian family support services of Austin. I've been involved as a volunteer and a supporter since I moved home in 2013. And I witnessed first-hand their work to keep Asian immigrant and really all people safe from the harms of violence. And what I admire about they will most is that they -- them most is they do this work with an approach to some of our society's biggest problems like homelessness and abuse holistically by addressing them through a cultural lense and mental health access, as well as pro-basic needs like transitional housing, food [10:23:13 AM] access and safety planning. And it's an approach I've seen many of the members here champion as well. I want you to know the Asian American community is the fastest-growing in Travis county. Where we grew by 77% in the last census and we make up 10% of the population here now. The Asian diaspora is made up of more than 50 ethnicities and more than a hundred different languages. We say this all the time, we're not a monolith but because of the model minority myth and the lack of data disaggregation, a lot of folks think that Asian Americans as a whole are better off socioeconomically, but, of course, we have the largest income inequality gap of any demographic, with many in Austin experiencing extreme poverty, low English proficiency, and we are equipped to handle the needs of these communities. The horrific shootings this year put on a national stage the [10:24:13 AM] dangers of how racism and mis-onlyny can impact Asian American women -- misogyny. But there are instances of violence that happen more quietly all of the time right here at home in Austin. And I know this because they've happened to me personally as well. And that's why organizations like this are so essential. They cater to specific needs that are ignored or misunderstood, they offer direct services in multiple languages, they provide core services to help domestic violence, salt, sexual assault, and trafficking survivors, but they see the big picture and work towards ending the cycles of violence and are a haven for relief in times of crisis. When the pandemic hit, I asked if they knew how it was impacting our people and the city of Austin even turned to them to help reach Asian Americans in financial need with the distribution of funds. And they were there for us. When we hosted one of our largest stop Asian hate rallies in the country at [10:25:15 AM] huston-tillotson this year, we needed volunteers and speakers, and they were there for us. When our power grid failed during the winter storm, I reached out to confirm what was happening to our most vulnerable. And -- [ buzzer sounding ] >> The statesman wrote a story about how local government failed to provide emergency communication, but they were there for us and these are a few of the ways that they have touched my life personally in crisis this year. Of course there are crises every day we don't hear about -- daughters being sexually abused, mothers being beaten in their homes, clients needing abortion access and assistance. I don't want to know what would happen to our community the next time a crisis hits and they can't be there for us. Now they are in crisis. They need assistance bridging this funding gap and I urge you today and thank you for your support of them. [10:26:17 AM] >> Casar: Mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember Casar. >> Casar: I'd like to thank you, Darlene, and everybody that supports afsa for coming down today. I know we were in touch with the manager's team. I'd like to thank director Sturrup and acm hayden-howard for stepping up to fill this gap created by the state. I still can't understand why at this time you would have reduced funding for addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. And so I appreciate the county stepping up, our staff stepping up and you all advocating for people in our community. I look forward to passing this today. So, thank you for coming down. >> Thank you all so much. >> I'm speaking in a personal capacity today in support of item number 38. I do not speak on behalf of [10:27:18 AM] Austin pets alive. So I apologize if my -- what I have to say is not their talking points. I have not orchestrated this with them. I support item number 38 because the circumstances have materially changed since the last time the city negotiated a contract with Austin pets alive. Intake is at historical lows. The budget of the shelter of Austin animal center is at historical highs. In the space that Austin pets alive will be provided under the new master planning process of the Lamar beach area is dramatically restricted from the time that the original contract was made. So I think it makes perfect sense for the council to provide guidance that makes it easier to coordinate and make attuned the circumstances as they exist now as compared to what the circumstances were. The second thing I wanted to mention is I've read the city [10:28:19 AM] staff's memo regarding this and I think it creates -- it contains and is based on a logical fallacy. And that is the city staff is comparing the status quo to the proposal, which is not one of the options. We cannot maintain -- cannot continue as it is now because the circumstances have changed and the ability for Austin pets alive to provide the services it does has changed because the space provided for them under the new master plan is severely constrained. So the staff memo is giving you a false comparison. The real comparison is between not providing that service, or having Apa under circumstances that are more in tune with the negotiating points that are more in tune with the circumstances that are real and the reality on the ground. So I appreciate council's time very much. I appreciate how many of you cosponsored the item and I hope that you'll vote in favor of 38. [10:29:22 AM] Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Is samara gosh here? And then after Ms. Gosh then it will be Jeremy. Is Jeremy here? >> Mayor? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Tovo: Is there a possibility we could take up speakers together who are speaking about the same issue? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. Why don't you go ahead and speak while you're here and then we'll go back to 38. >> Good morning, thank you mayor Adler, thank you councilmembers, and thank you Greg Casar for giving me the opportunity to talk. Thank you for your gift of time and for your, councilmember Casar, for championing our [10:30:24 AM] cause. I'm here to talk on behalf and in support of item number 28, providing additional funding for Asian family support services of Austin. I will talk on behalf of the survivors of violence in our community, Asian community, migrant community, marginalized community. I am the director of direct services and advocacy at afssa. And I'm here to give you a visual of what a day for us survivors look like. A survivor who's facing a day in court, a hearing, she is picked up in the morning by an advocate. She is driven to the courthouse. She does not have to navigate traffic and parking, because she's not slept properly the day before, probably. She is provided -- the survivor is provided by -- help by her [10:31:25 AM] advocate throughout the day, providing emotional support, by providing clarity and having -- helping the survivor navigate the complex legal system. The advocate has already called in the court to make sure an interpreter is provided during the hearing and throughout the whole day when she is going to be processing and facing her abuser again. The survivor's children are looked after by volunteers in our office. She is provided with pro Bono representation and she's provided with all kinds of resources so she finds equity when she is in the hearing, when [10:32:25 AM] she is able to seek justice. And in the evening, this advocate is able to process with her, de-compress with her, and drop her back home. Often that home is a transitional housing facility provided by our program. All these services need moneyen and these are critical services that are the lifeline for survivors in our community. We would like this funding and continued support from the councilmembers so that we can provide these services uninterrupted. And I would like to thank you to consider this and I will let my other colleagues continue the conversation. [ Buzzer sounding ] >> Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Two more speakers on item 38 in person. [10:33:26 AM] >> Tovo: We have two more speakers on 28. >> Mayor Adler: We've had some on 28 and some on 38, so I'm going to divide them now into two groups. The other two speakers we have on item 38 are Jeremy and Allah Jefferson. And then we'll go back to 28. Go ahead. >> Good morning, mayor Adler, mayor pro tem harper-madison and council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today in support of this resolution. My name is Dr. Jeremy, and I live in councilmember tovo's district in old infield. I currently serve on the board of directors of Austin pets alive and was drawn to this position because of the public been fit Apa brings to our community. I'm a physician intent on expanding my commitment to save human lives to include saving the lives of animals. The city of Austin has a national reputation as the safest place for homeless pets. We are very proud of that fact. It is a value that our community [10:34:28 AM] holds dear. Through its innovative leadership, Apa has led nationwide reform efforts in animal care. In this new innovative leadership era, it is more important than ever that our nonprofit continue to expand and serve the animals most at risk of euthanasia across the state. At the same time we want to assure you we can and will serve the city of Austin by maintaining no kill here at home. While the city animal services budget has increased over the past decade and the number of animals they intake each year is decreased, we are being asked to continue with the same agreement terms put in place ten years ago. Apa continues to save thousands of animals here in Austin each year through our own private fundraising efforts to benefit the city. Through the proposed new agreement terms, we are simply asking for a fair and equitable contract. We agree to be solely responsible for all the renovations on the one acre of [10:35:30 AM] buildable land at tlac, while also acquiring additional property at our own expense to replace the operational space lost us to once the current facility is demolished. We believe we have been a steadfast partner of the city these past 13 years and that the financial contributions of our nonprofit to the city are worth the land at tlac you have allowed us to call home. Our thousands of foster homes stretching across the city house and care for homeless pets waiting for adoption. These homes rely heavily on our central location at tlac to access medical treatment, supplies, and other assistance. We know, of course, that our citizens are strongly in support of a solution to this. Just this morning as I walked my dog in my neighborhood wearing my Apa sweatshirt I was attracting a small concerned crowd asking me when the city and Apa would agree on a path forward. I shared that the resolution before you today is the key to that path forward. [10:36:31 AM] In conclusion, I would simply ask you to recognize our board's strong commitment to working productively with the city. If our past collaboration is predictive of the future, we can only win big for our pets, their owners, and our supportive citizens. I respectfully ask that you vote yes on the item before you today. [ Buzzer sounding ] >> Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Next speaker, Dr. Jefferson. On deck is Darlene. Go ahead. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, councilmember pool and all the cosponsors of this item. We're so appreciative of having the opportunity to speak in front of you and get this resolution moving forward, hopefully. I think you all know, but when Apa first started helping the city, the city had a 15% live [10:37:34 AM] release rate. We are now at a 97% rate. Austin pets alive is a huge part of that. We've led the community support for getting Austin to become a no-kill city and we continue to lead that. We are asking for support on this because it's important to austinites that this restriction is removed. Over the last ten years, social media has made it such that austinites can see and feel the deaths of animals all around us. In Texas, 150,000 animals die every single year needlessly in government shelters. And it's inhumane and unconscionable and completely unnecessary in 2021. We absolutely agree that Austin cannot take all those animals in and it should not. We would never advocate for that. But we do train and mentor communities to make progress like Austin has. Our staff goes into these shelters and works with the people killing those animals, trying to help them flip the switch. In that process it's not humane [10:38:36 AM] for me as the leader of Austin pets alive to ask those people to simply let them get killed and literally thrown into the garbage in garbage bags. They need the ability to intervene in those deaths and also make it so those deaths never happen again in those communities. I'm confident that nobody on the dais would ask staff or anybody that works for you to do that. On behalf of the 200 plus employees at Austin pets alive, and the 1,000 plus volunteers, we want agenda item 38 to pass as it removes the restriction that would prevent us from saving the lives of those on death row no matter where they live. And I want to assure you just like Jeremy did that Austin has been and always will be our number one priority. If something happens in Austin we will focus on Austin 100%. We have done that since the beginning and we will always do that. We will never let an animal die needlessly in Austin. We just need our contract to [10:39:37 AM] reflect that we can serve our mission as well as keep Austin no-kill for the next 75 years. The last thing I'll say is that you have authorized Austin animal center to receive the most generous government budget in the country per capita and per animal, which is astonishing and awesome. And we're grateful that this resolution asks staff to negotiate a fair number of animals that must come to Apa solely in exchange for the land that is a quarter of the size we were promised in 2016. We need that. We're glad that it says in the resolution that those are restricted to only those at risk of euthanasia. [ Buzzer sounding ] >> That's been our intent, we appreciate you reiterating that in this resolution moving forward. Thank you so much. >> Mayor Adler: Next speaker Darlene. And on deck is Zara. [10:40:42 AM] >> Good morning, mayor Adler, members of the Austin city council, thank you so much for hearing us today and inviting us to come and speak. I'd like to thank councilmember Casar, particularly for your leadership on the issue. When we realized that we needed the city's support, you were the first person to step up and respond back to us with options and guidance and also councilmember tovo. Your response in those early days was very meaningful to our community and to us. I thank you for considering support of agenda item number 28 to support our organization, Asian family support services of Austin to provide and maintain a baseline level of services within our community for 29 years. We have been honored to serve the city of Austin, all austinites, all survivers of [10:41:45 AM] violence without regard to identity, but at the same time with special emphasis on Asian and immigrant communities who often face high barriers and very complex needs to accessing justice and accessing care. Last year alone we served in 33 different languages. And this year our case managers have caseloads of 20 to 25 clients who are survivors of violence that do need high-touch, high supportive services to access healthcare systems, criminal justice systems, law enforcement systems, court systems, school systems, housing systems. And our case managers, thanks to your support, will be able to continue working and serving in those populations. And as Ashley said earlier, we won't have to give up culture change and working with outreach and prevention programs, and helping clients and communities [10:42:45 AM] to understand what their rights are here in Austin, Travis county, central Texas, usa and how to access services that are meaningful to them in their language. So I thank you so much for considering this. It has been a joy to be back in contact with Austin public health. Y'all didn't create the situation that we found ourselves in, but we are hoping to count on you to help us navigate our way away from that and to ensure baseline core services for our community members. Thank you so much. >> Mayor, mayor. I just wanted to thank you for your -- I just wanted to thank you for the work that you do. It's really critically important and I appreciate you reaching out to our offices when you learned that there was a funding crisis brought about by the state cut. So, thank you for the work [10:43:47 AM] again, and I think this is a really critical investment for the city of Austin. >> Thank you, councilmember tovo. >> Mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> I also wanted to thank you for the work that you and afss are doing in our community. It's vitally important that we work to support our survivors and prevent the violence, and the work that you do to be culturally specific is and and provide language support so everyone can access services is really important to our community and I want to thank you and the other folks who have come down to speak with us today for all that you're doing on these issues. >> Thank you, councilmember alter. We appreciate all you've done on behalf of sexual assault survivors as well in our community. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Paul robins is on deck. [10:44:47 AM] Go ahead. You have three minutes. >> Good morning, thank you for your time. It feels good to be among supporters in the movement against gender-based violence. I am a woman of color, Muslim, Pakistani, a Texan and a resident of Austin. Six years when my husband and I moved here, it felt like home. As welcoming as our community strives to be, there are very real barriers that keep many immigrants and refugees at the margins, including language access, fear of persecution based on immigration status and other cultural and economic barriers. For the last close to three decades the Asian family support services has provided crisis services, life-saving safety and healing services for those within our communities that are experiencing violence. In addition to these services and perhaps in support of these services, afssa has eventually outreached to Asian and immigrant refugee communities. [10:45:48 AM] Our outreach and educational services not only connect folks with our hotline but make many city and state safety net resources within reach for communities that have been left out and don't access those services comfortably. By funding afssa today, there's an opportunity to continue to disrupt the cycle of violence and poverty. Our prevention work in schools and congregations engages youth in conversations that address gender-based norms -- men not being able to show emotion or being afraid to ask for help, young women not feeling comfortable or safe saying no, and standing up for their most basic human rights. Many of these young folk that we work with don't have access to any positive relationship role models and may view abuse as normal. Often these young people are not only charged to ensure their own safety and success at schools, [10:46:49 AM] but serve as interpreters and advocates for their families and parents. Some of these young folks presented to the city council a few years ago advocating for their communities and their families and we're thankful for you all offering them the opportunity to do that. Finally, afssa is able to support the outreach and education of mainstream service providers, including our law enforcement agencies. We work with law enforcement to effectively outreach to api communities so they are more comfortable reaching to police when things go wrong, but also to train our law enforcement on how to best support immigrant and refugee survivors of violence. I thank you for your time today and thank you for your support. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you very much. And then ajit giani is on deck after Mr. Robbins. [10:47:52 AM] I didn't mean to confuse you. Sorry. >> Council, item five on your agenda asks for $1.1 million a year, over five years, for automatic enrollment of Austin's low-income customer assistance program. This enrollment might be done less expensively without any decrease in participation. If you can say, save half the money for administrative costs, you can repurpose it to help more customers. Now, one way to do this would be to change from auto-enrollment to income qualification. Sacramento municipal utility district does this with their discount, and they have greater participation than Austin while saving administrative money. The other way would be to have a low-income program for gas utilities and combine [10:48:55 AM] administrative costs. And I'm going to expound on this second idea. I believe I have found $1.8 million in green-washed conservation money from the gas company. This is little more than glorified marketing. As a volunteer, I've been working four weeks to prepare testimony to bring this idea to council. Some of this wasted money could be repurposed for customer assistance. I've been told four separate times by city officials that I would be allowed to make a presentation at a hearing to be held on this rate case November 18th. But two days ago, I was told that staff is refusing to bring this case to council. Perhaps certain people are afraid of evidence. I'm asking council to use its prerogative to post a rate [10:49:55 AM] hearing and vote for November 18th on the Texas gas service conservation rate. The rate-making process is being twisted to prevent council from voting on this. Rates levied without council oversight are improper and the disrespectful way this issue has been treated is bad form and intentionally manipulative. City council is the primary regulator of gas rates in Austin, contrary to staff's opinion. The legislative intent of the conservation adjustment clause was not to usurp city council's regulatory authority in perpetuity. Again, I'm asking council to use its prerogative to post this for a rate hearing on November 18th. [10:50:58 AM] I appreciate your attention. [ Buzzer sounding ] >> Mayor Adler: We have our last in-person speaker. Go ahead, sir. >> Good morning, mayor. Good morning, city council. I am here respecting interfaith action for central Texas. Last week saw several very ugly incidents of anti-semitism in the city. We at act made a strong statement supporting our jewish brethren, supporting our jewish family against anti-semitism. I am here today to read the statement to you, but then I want to make a couple of personal observations about this whole issue of anti-semitism. So here is our statement. We are people of diverse faiths, [10:52:01 AM] cultures, and backgrounds from all facets of the Austin and central Texas community. We express grief, sadness, and anger at the de-humanizing eruptions of hate the community has experienced recently. We believe in the sovereign right that all are born equal and all are born good. We believe in religious freedom and the right for people to pray and worship in peace. We condemn all hate and acts of violence upon any of our faith communities. Hateful acts of intimidation to incite violence is unacceptable and we will not be silenced. We stand united with our jewish community as they are targeted and victimized by acts of anti-semitism. We pledge to continue to work together as diverse and committed leaders to achieve this vision of a peaceful and [10:53:04 AM] safe community where everyone is valued. On a personal note, before I came to Austin, I lived in Houston and I served as a do a docentat the holocaust museum for ten straight years. And one of the lessons that comes out of the holocaust for me personally is that the holocaust was only possible because people of good will looked away. We all say it's none of our business, it's the Jews that are suffering, why should we get involved? And it is precisely that small anti-semitic movement in Germany that became such a huge problem for the world. We may look at these acts of anti-semitism in our city and say, oh, it's a little thing. It's no big deal. But I want to say to you that we [10:54:06 AM] cannot afford to look away. We cannot afford to say this is not a problem. It is a problem if we let it get out of hand. It will become our problem. [ Buzzer sounding ] >> I thank you, mayor. I thank you, city council for giving me this opportunity to say this. And I want to assure you that what you are doing in this regard to fight anti-semitism, please know that there is a huge interfaith community that stands behind you fully in support of what you are doing. I thank you for your time. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Yes. >> Sir. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember alter wants to ask you a question. >> Alter: I just wanted to thank you and thank act and the 500 plus people who have signed on to that statement. Your words today were very powerful. And I think that as we vote this [10:55:08 AM] morning they will be present in our ears. >> Thank you. >> Alter: Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Could we go to the phone, please. >> Yes, mayor. The first speaker is pat. >> Hi. Can everybody hear me? >> Yes, please go ahead. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, mayor and councilmembers. My name is pat. I have lived in Austin since 1985 and I have been involved in animal welfare since 1991. I am here to request that you postpone action on item 38 to give animal shelter volunteers and staff as well as animal [10:56:09 AM] advocates in Austin an opportunity to weigh in on the changes that Austin pets alive is requesting to the license agreement. I often listen to city council meetings and I often hear many of you thank the hardworking city employees who help make this city the great city that it is. What I have not heard in this conversation about Apa's request is the impact it will have on the city shelter staff and city shelter volunteers who have not been given the opportunity to share their perspectives with you and how hard they worked to make this city the city that it brags about 95% save rate. When Kimberly was interim director in 2019, I was sitting in a meeting with her in her office when the shelter staff member rushed up to her door. He had tears in his eyes, a panicked look on his face and his voice broke as he said, "Dogs are pouring in and we have no place to put them." That was two years ago. [10:57:11 AM] Fast forward to this month, I have been at the shelter and have shelter staff members and volunteers comment to me about the impact this discussion and this decision will have on their mental health. They worked so hard on saving over 95% of the animals, but know that you are considering taking in pets from other cities into our city facility. They feel unappreciated and discounted. I have heard the same thing from many of the volunteers at the city shelter who also feel like their voices are not being heard. If you are proud of if you are proud of our city shelter employees and the hard work they do to give you the high save rate we have. If you are proud of the shelter volunteers who also work hard for no pay, please don't discount their voices. They need you to hear them, they need you to ask them what will voting on this [10:58:12 AM] resolution mean to their lives, their mental health and their working conditions? Please postpone item 38. Please make time to listen to the voices of your hard working animal shelter staff, your animal shelter volunteers and your animal advocates in Austin who have worked so hard to get this city to where it is. Thank you. >> Leslie Padilla. >> Thank you, mayor Adler and mayor pro tem harper-madison. My name is Leslie Padilla. I think people are maybe wondering why ACA feels like it can through city council dictate specific terms of a new license agreement. I know part of the answer. I volunteered at Apa for [10:59:14 AM] five years. I wondered how the city allowed Apa to use the facility that was in such poor agreement and that led me to license agreement. I reviewed it carefully and realized that they were in violation of a number of provisions of the agreement, including the provision of the animals that it takes in. Even three or four years ago, Apa was importing animals from the five county area and not getting the necessary approvals from the city. Apa was using kennels that it wasn't supposed to use. They weren't even doing required quarterly reporting to the city. And for years the city let all of this fly. I aalerted council to this problem three years ago. The city auditor recognized these kinds of problems with city leases in the audit they did in may 2019 and it was only when a new interim animal services officer came in, Kimberly Mcneeley, did some of these issues begin to be addressed. [11:00:15 AM] Now that a new license agreement has to be negotiated I'm happy to finally see the city insist on terms that the city wants and I'm not surprised Ta Apa doesn't like it. They've been able to do what they want for a long time. If Apa is interested in being a true partner to the city, they -- if Apa isn't interested in being a true partner they should make good on their threats to build their own shelter. What the city needs in a more robust animal services department. Austin is the only large city in the United States that has a single shelter location in the entire county. Most cities have more than one location or city and county each have a shelter. So if aps doesn't want to play by the rules that it committed to in the first place, Austin should find a better partner or should do the job on its own. So I oppose resolution 38. Thank you very much. [11:01:17 AM] >> Katherine Chandley. >> Yes, can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. >> My name is Katherine. I live at 1906 Madison in district 7. And I think -- so I actually am a foster for Apa. I had two dogs in the last three weeks get adopted through me as a foster, those dogs living in my home, however what I'm here to say is that what Apa is putting out to the public in terms of what they want, it is making austinites believe that somehow Austin will become no kill or not no kill, they will no longer be no kill if Apa's requests aren't met. And that simply is not true. [11:02:19 AM] My statement is I wrote Ms. Pool to express my opinion that increasing animals from outside of Austin and decreasing the pull of animals from the city of Austin, I was against that and that was because despite what I heard Dr. Jefferson say, during covid Apa was still pulling from outside Austin. They had a long lineup of fosters waiting for dogs, however, Austin animal shelter was closed and it was basically put upon austinites to crowdsource animals that they found to the extent that I ended up with an 84- pound great pyrenees mix in the middle of crestview in my backyard during the summer because that was the next best option to the finder just letting the dog go. Okay? So essentially Austin pets alive meanwhile it was still pulling from outside Austin [11:03:20 AM] because I got those had emails from them. I could see that on there foster Facebook page they had a lineup of fosters waiting for Apa to bring in animals from outside Austin. So argument that somehow Apa is being allowed to bring in even more animals from outside Austin somehow is a benefit to austinites and/or to austinites' animal shelter is not true. The argument for Apa to allow more animals to come from outside and less to come from inside Austin is essentially make the state of Texas less no kill, not make Austin -- keep Austin no kill. It's make the rest of Texas less no kill. That's what it's really become. I say that as I said as a foster for Austin pets alive. It's not that I don't support them or what they do. I just want to make sure [11:04:20 AM] that Austin's animals are coming first and foremost and the agreement or what I read from Ms. Pool, what she had put forward, was not that. What she put forward was an increase of out of area and decrease of in area. So the argument too in her memo to me was that because Austin's shelter, the intick was less than any year previously. Intake was less not because the shelter -- it's because the shelter currently is shipping dogs north. Like I've gotten those emails as well, take a short-term foster, these dogs have been pulled by rescues up north, we're shipping them north. And crowdsource the dogs. [Buzzer]. We're not going to take them at the shelter. You have to hold on to them for two to three weeks until we have room. That is beyond logic to continue to allow or not [11:05:20 AM] even continue to allow -- >> Thank you, speaker, your time has expired. >> Sandra Mueller. >> Good morning, council members and city manager. My name is Sandra Mueller, district 7. And I oppose item 38. The chief animal services officer and Apa need to negotiate in good faith and come to an agreement. If an agreement cannot be reached it should be terminated and the land can be returned to the citizens of Austin as parkland. Prop B just overwhelmingly passed with support from some of you, so I ask is it fair to allow a well funded non-profit to use central parkland to house animals from outside of Austin? If you do decide to pass this resolution it should be amended as follows: [11:06:20 AM] Paragraphs beginning at line 91 and 96 should be deleted in their entirety. The paragraph beginning at line 104, Apa's minimum intake requirement, should equal aac's prior year's owner surrender percentage in addition to the vulnerable animals listed at lines 112 through 114. Paragraph beginning at 106, Apa's monthly reports should be put forth in a format by aac and should include all applicable paragraphs set forth in section 3.1.27 of ordinance number 20191017-025 and will include all animals at Apa, not just the animals they take from aac, which is what they're only reporting on now. Paragraphs beginning at lines 116 and 122 should be deleted in their entirety. And this is really important, section 8.1 as currently written must remain because it already [11:07:22 AM] allows Apa to bring animals from outside the five counties. It's already there. And here's another thing, Apa shouldn't be bringing any animals from outside the five counties when there are many other pets alive entities throughout Texas such as Houston pets alive, fort worth-dallas, fort bend, pflugerville, Kerrville, the woodlands, brazos, Killeen, full month, Waco, San Antonio and the counties of parker and Smith. Those are all pets alive across Texas. And the thousands, literally thousands of animals that Apa brings in from outside of Austin do not help this city. It makes a longer wait for the approximately 17,000 stray, sick, injured and unwanted pets that come into aac from Austin and the county every year. Especially at a time when adoptions are in did he clean. Apa is supposed to provide a public purpose and benefit for the city. This resolution does not do that. So please vote no on this and send them all back to the bargaining table. [11:08:23 AM] Austin taxpayer dollars and parkland should only support Austin's animals. Apa doesn't have to occupy the crumbling tlac. On a smaller footprint on their mission to save animals no matter where they are located. A better location for Apa would actually be southeast or southwest. [Buzzer]. Where we don't currently have a large rescue. So I ask you all to consider that and thank you so much for your time. >> Wendy Murphy. >> Good morning, my name is Wendy Murphy. I'm a long time resident of Austin and I live in district 4. Thank you for letting me speak today. Regarding item 38 I'm asking that you please vote to postpone item 38. I don't think the community has had enough time to receive this information. I'm not sure how many people even know that this is going on. But there has not been enough discussion about it. [11:09:27 AM] As was previously stated, the people who work at the Austin animal center and both the volunteers and paid workers, should always be consulted and be allowed to input on stuff like this because they are so greatly affected. But actually, this decision impacts every single person in Austin one way or the other. And it impacts those of us who -- I don't work at this shelter, but I have done all the years, for about 20 years I've been doing privately rescuing dogs from the street and getting them adopted and fostering for various people and trap feral cats, so I'm very impacted by these decisions and pay attention to what's going on. There just hasn't been enough information and opportunity to discuss. Secondly, this was already stated, but I just feel it's too vague. To say that Apa we're going to sign a contract with Apa [11:10:30 AM] and then let the numbers be decided later with negotiations with the city manager, that tells us really nothing so it will be negotiated and will we have anything to say about it? Will we even know about it the number of animals that are they're going to take from the animal center? And I think that if a took a contract to a lawyer and it was vague like that, I think the lawyer would say no, you shouldn't sign something like that. So I think it's odd that the city is so willing to sign something without even a definite number. And really just vote to postpone it. I just don't think there's been enough time to discuss all these ramifications and all the different aspects of it. I would like to say on Apa claiming that there's such a low intake at the center, that's quite disingenuous. [11:11:30 AM] I was directly affected as were so many people when the centers started closing intake. Still, closing intake whenever and telling people no, we're not going to take that dog, you deal with it yourselves. That's a community dog, you deal with it. That's unfair. Those of us who do rescue we didn't have any input on that. We didn't get to say oh, yeah, that's a good idea. We would like to do that. [Buzzer]. We don't always -- aren't always able to take the animals in. >> Thank you, speaker, your time has expired. >> Thank you for letting me speak today. >> Juli Damian. [11:12:30 AM] >> Hello. I am speaking with kiddos in the background so sorry if you hear something in the background. I'd like to say thank you to city council and to everybody that is sponsoring item number 39. This is for a resolution in honor of my son we've been working on for a little while now. On March 22nd, 2018, my life changed forever when my middle son cade died one month before his third birthday. His head and neck became trapped between the open and closed pickets of a neighbor's wrought iron fence. I never thought that would be a danger until his death that day. I know now how deadly it can be. Since cade's death I have discovered that exposed or open-ended picture fencing hazard ended or killed wildlife and people in many different places and circumstances. Hoa's, municipalities have already banned this type of fencing and many are advocating for more places [11:13:30 AM] to do the same. Pets have been scared in thunderstorms and hung just like cade on the fence. Wildlife have been left to die a very gruesome death. [Baby crying]. Sorry, the baby was crying. Then there's also been many people who talked about as children playing and falling and needing substantial stitches to mend injuries. Many of those being near misses to arteries. All these situations described occurred where people had permission to be playing along the fence or on the fence. These fences were not injuring an intruder. A low picket fence four to six feet with horizontal bars at the top and bottom of the fence creates a hand hold also like a ladder and it's not a safety feature. [11:14:35 AM] Exposed picket fencing should be illegal. Pools, schools, neighborhoods or day cares it should not be allowed. Item 39 in the resolution proposes requiring fencing that environmentally friendly as well as feeling safe and secure. Fencing that truly protects what and who we live the most. This resolution would cost nothing because alternative fence styles already exist at a terrible cost and the proposal is not retroactive. Builders, homeowners and other stakeholders still would have ample choice and design and price points. When a child dies our society's gut reaction is shock and error, but then come the comments like where were the parents along with horrible other comments? Some of the most amazing people I know are great parents. We are the strongest of the strong. We breathe and live without a piece of our lives. Working towards that fencing in honor of cade [buzzer], ugliness, guilt and hate from others. I can't change what happened [11:15:36 AM] to cade, but I can work to keep it from happening to anyone else. Simple changes to words in the code can and will save lives. Thank you for listening and considering. >> Pool: Mayor. I wanted to thank Ms. Daman for phoning in today and giving us the benefit of the issue that she's been pouring her heart into for quite awhile. Thank you so much for speaking today. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you very much. All right, colleagues, I think those are all the speakers we have except for the ahfc speakers. >> We do have two more. Hazard ahfc or regular speakers? >> Regular. >> The next one is David king. >> Thank you, can you hear me. >> Yes, we can. >> Okay, thank you very much. My name is David king and I'm calling to urge you to please fulfill the following [11:16:36 AM] four requests from go Austin vamos Austin regarding item 33, the joint powers agreement, with capital metro, city of Austin and Austin transit partnership. Number one, the joint powers agreement, jpa, must include wording that formally includes the community advisory committee, cac, and the review and decision-making process for key policies before it moves to governing bodies for approval. Ensuring opportunities for residents to address and be heard by the caac. Two, the seven billion dollar infrastructure funding for rail lines, transit stops, transit shelters, etcetera, must be subjected to the same equity principles as the 300-million-dollar anti-displacement funding. Other cities' experiences with transit induced displacement demonstrates that the building of transportation infrastructure has a major impact on displacement. The jpa needs its own equity tool and accountability for budgeting decisions. Clearly stating how to minimize or prevent [11:17:37 AM] transit-induced displacement in all decisions and not simply with band-aid projects funded by the $300 million. Three, the jpa must include a commitment that project connect will work in alignment with civil rights act protections, specifically title VI, seven and eight. Of particular concern is a preservation of existing affordable housing and mixed income communities. And number four, the jpa must include language to honor the commitment to the disparate threshold to ensure equity. Without your commitment to a proactive approach that mitigates and minimizing displacement, this will become another chapter in Austin's racist legacy where working class families have been displaced and further segregating those areas where such amenities remain under funded. The Austin transit partnership should operate completely independent from capital metro and prioritize equitable transit services for transit dependent riders [11:18:38 AM] who tend to have lower incomes and are mikely to be people of color. Instead of focusing on new sexy transit services for choice riders who have higher incomes and ready access to alternative transit services. At last week's joint meeting capital metro board chair wade cooper urged project connect to proceed with, quote, all gas and no brake, end quote. That statement implies that project connect anti- displacement programs will take a back seat to displacement inducing transit construction and eminent domain. Will project connect settled phi Austin's status as a whiter and wealthier city or will project connect deliver on its promise to help low income families and small local businesses, persevere through transit construction and eminent domain. Regarding item 39, please approve this item. [Buzzer]. To initiate a code amendment process to help reduce the risk of deaths and injuries from spiked fence top [11:19:38 AM] designs and a heartfelt thanks to councilmember pool for sponsor and councilmember harper-madison and members Renteria for co-sponsoring this resolution. Thank you for your comments and for your service. >> Monica Guzman. >> Good morning, mayor and council, I'm Monica Guzman, policy director at gave, go Austin, vamos Austin. In-person meetings are a challenge for many, especially for childcare providers, formal and informal, since meetings have been while they are at work, caring for the children of city staff, first responders, frontline hospitality workers and more. Participation has increased at council meetings and board meetings and council has acknowledged as much. [11:20:38 AM] When council approved hybrid participation at meetings as well as making it a standard going forward, making it possible to participate from work or home. Last Friday gave submitted a statement regarding the project connect joint powers agreement from council and the capital metro and atp boards, however it needs to be repeated. We urge you to approve an equitable joint powers agreement, a committee to deliver a fair and just land development process,. Residents who have lived experience with affordable housing and/or displacement. Gava urges clarifying how conflicts of interest are resolved between atp and capital metro if the CEO is the same person for each organization. In addition, language to clarify what may happen if there's a disagreement around competence or performance between atp and capital metro if the CEO is the same for both. The jpa must include wording that formally includes community advisory committee and the review and decision-making process for key policies before it moves [11:21:39 AM] to the governing bodies for approval ensuring opportunities for residents to address and be heard by the cac. The seven billion conducting the infrastructure funding must be you knowed to the same principle ass the 300 million in anti-displacement funding. The jpa must have its own equity tool and accountability for budgeting decisions. The jpa must include commitment that all projects align with the civil rights act title VI, seven and eight and recommend language to honor the commitment to the two percent disparate impact threshold as a way to ensure equity. Again, without such commitments, Austin is going to continue with its long racist history. Thank you. >> Zenobia Joseph. >> Mayor Adler: Ms. Joseph, you are being recognized to speak right [11:22:39 AM] now on the city council agenda. When you're done speaking on the city council agenda, we will recess the city council meeting and convene the ahfc meeting and you will have an opportunity to speak then as well. >> Thank you, mayor, council members. I'm Zenobia Joseph. And thank you for the clarification, mayor. I have a comment that's positive, first of all, on item 13, recycled reads. I just want to support the $426,664 to renew that contract. Recycled reads is the Austin public library book center, if you will, and it's one of the best book stores in Austin. I would say to anyone who has current or if you're looking for a stocking stuffer to go over to recycled reads and you can actually get children's books with the staples for 25 cents. It's a great place to bring kids. My comment as it relates specifically to item 63, which is a joint powers agreement, I am opposed to that agreement as it is [11:23:41 AM] written and I've provided you with an eight page memorandum. I sent it to the mayor, councilmember tovo, councilmember Kelly and councilmember kitchen and asked the clerk to forward it to the rest of the council. Specifically, mayor, I do have a recommendation, but I'm going to take you back in history in just a minute. As it relates to black people I would ask you to strike that language, the bipoc community, as it's referred to, 3.2.2, which is specifically saying that the communities most likely to be impacted by project connect include and then it says black people, indigenous people and people of color. I just want to remind you that the propaganda that was played on kazi, specifically to African-Americans, never said anything about any con. I ask you to put the words disparate impacts. I would also ask you to recognize that it's problematic that Dr. Collette pierce burnet [11:24:42 AM] was the treasury of the mobility for all committee that funded the false equity ads that played on kazi about 15 times and 14 days before the election. So I would ask you as it relates specifically to minority population if you're going to use any type of language as I used on the 29th of October to use the language from federal transit administration chapter i1-4. And you will see that it lists the minority populations, African-American, and then it goes into Latino and Mexican and it lists all the different under represented groups. As it relates specifically to the joint powers agreement, I want you to recognize there's a lack of transparency. Whenever there's a resolution that goes before council, the public usually knows who is putting forth an amendment. In this case the red line [11:25:43 AM] version does not specify who made the changes. I find it disturbing that it specifies that equity is project connect's core focus. We know that that is not true because black people wait 60 minutes for the bus in areas, about 10 mimes longer than the people in southwest and central Austin which are white. And dove springs. I won't be long. I will tell you that I call to your attention the dissolution resolution that was submitted to the clerk on January 15, 2021 from the mobility for all pact. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you for referring us over to that item. We're now going to -- >> Mayor, I'm sorry. We have one last- minute caller for the consent agenda. >> Ms. Joseph, we'll come back to you in the ahfc meeting. Yes. >> If we could go ahead and recess -- never mind, she hung up. Okay. We'll call her back. [11:26:55 AM] >> Pareshini earnest? >> Mr. Earnest, please unmute. >> Mr. Earnest, please unmute. >> He disconnected. >> Mayor, you can call the ahfc if you'd like. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Council, we're going to [11:27:56 AM] recess the Austin city council meeting here at 11:27. And at 11:27 I'm going to call to order the meeting of the Austin housing finance corporation Thursday, November 4th, 2021 here at city hall. The board of directors are present. We're convening for the sole purpose of taking speakers. Do we have any people that have signed up to speak? I don't think we have any in person. Do we have any on the phone? >> Yes, we have one on phone. I'm assuming it's Ms. Zenobia Joseph. >> Mayor Adler: Ms. Joseph, are you with us? >> She's not on yet, mayor. We're trying to reach her now. >> Okay. We'll give her a second. [11:29:10 AM] >> Mayor, she's not picking up. I don't know if you would like to return or if we should try again? >> Mayor Adler: If she comes back at any point would you please let mow know? We'll go ahead and recess the Austin housing finance corporation corporation here at 11:29. I'm going to reconvene the Austin city council meeting at 11:29. It continues to be November 4th, 2021. Do we have any more speakers? >> Mayor, we do have the previous caller that dropped and now we do have Ms. Zenobia Joseph back. Would you like me to proceed with -- >> Mayor Adler: Who do we have? Do we have anybody on the city council meeting? Let's call the city council speaker. Ms. Joseph, we will come to you in a moment on the Austin housing finance corporation. Please don't leave us. Let's call the city speaker. >> Yes. That is Mr. Earnest. >> I apologize, I got -- my call got dropped. [11:30:10 AM] I'm calling about agenda item 28. I support the city of Austin contracting with afssa to keep all people safe from violence. I think the services that they provide are essential to keep residents safe as an employee of Austin ISD I've seen how they support our students in schools in middle school and high school. Students have experienced violence, domestic violence, refugees and they do wonderful work. Also as a survivor myself afssa has helped me to work through it. I really ask you to consider approving consent agenda number 28. My name again is Ms. Ernest, a strong support are of afssa thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you very much. Do we have any other speakers on this morning's [11:31:11 AM] city council agenda? >> No, we do not, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: I'm going to recess the Austin city council meeting here at 11:21. I'm going to reconvene the Austin housing finance corporation meeting here at 11:31. Do we have any speakers? >> Yes, mayor, we have one in the queue. >> Let's go ahead and recognize Ms. Joseph. >> Zenobia Joseph. >> Thank you, mayor, council members. I'm Zenobia Joseph. I comments are to Austin housing finance corporation item 3. Specifically I am neutral on the item. The positive part about the item is that there's home ownership and so I support that there are 26 duplex owner-occupied units. The negative is that it is actually off of the area where the eastside memorial bus was eliminated on June 3rd 2018 at capmetro [11:32:12 AM] cap remap. And I want to tell you that garner is about a mile walk from there. And although there is pickup service I want you to know that that only runs Monday through Friday, seven to seven, so it cannot sustain having a fixed route. I would ask Mandy de mayo, who actually gave me the information about the homeowner occupied units awhile back to include in that essential backup materials your smart housing guide goals. Specifically the smart housing guide is June 2008. It's outdated. And as you know, smart stands for safe,... And I would like you to have those by quarter or annually or fiscal year, how many mixed income developments you've had and how many down payment assistance units you've had. The guide is so old that it says that an individual who earns 80% area median income [11:33:12 AM] would be able to afford a 140,000-dollar condominium and we know that that's just not true anymore. So I really don't know what that price point would be for an individual earning 80% Ami today and I don't know how much you would provide in down payment assistance. So if you're really committed to mixed income affordable housing units, I would ask you to just be transparent and to start including this information. As I mentioned before, like the St. John's development had no home ownership in the 19 acres there and so while I applaud the 26, I just think that there's so much more that can be done. And vasino is the same group doing the Rutland and mesparo project and I would ask you to look west of loop 1 to recognize that all of the deeply affordable units for the homeless shouldn't be in southeast and northeast Austin. If you have any questions I [11:34:13 AM] will gladly answer at this time. And this is 108 deeply affordable units and west of mopac you don't even have 50. So I thank you for allowing me to make my comments and I appreciate your patience with the technology. >> That was the last speaker we had, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Then I'll recess the Austin housing finance corporation meeting here at 11:34. I want to reconvene the Austin city council meeting at 11:34. We have the consent agenda in front of us. The consent agenda is items 1 through 42 and also 62 through 64. Colleagues, I'm going to suggest two practices as concerns the consent agenda and the items from council from this day going forward. If someone pulls somebody else's item from council, I will always give the author of the motion the first chance to speak rather than the person who pulled the item. If the author was to defer [11:35:17 AM] to the person who pulled the item we'll go next to the person who pulled the item. But I will always give the author of the item the first opportunity to speak on any item that they have listed as an ifc. Second practice that I'm going to do is we're going to get a motion on the consent agenda, but I want the record to specifically reflect that the maker of the motion that are items from council will be listed as the person who sponsored the item from council. Okay? So the consent agenda is items 1 through 42 and 62 through 64, except that items 35 through 39 are ifc's and the record should reflect that those items are moved by the makers of those motions. We're going to handle them all collectively the way we ordinarily do. Okay? All right. With that said, is there -- [11:36:18 AM] >> Pool: Mayor, there are ifc's further on. >> Mayor Adler: You're right. Item 64 is also -- let the record reflect that item 64 -- item 64 is also made by the maker of that motion, in this case councilmember alter. Is there a motion to pass the consent agenda as it's been listed? Councilmember alter makes that motion. Councilmember Ellis seconds that. But again, the record will reflect that as the ifc's those were individually moved but the author of the ifc's. Discussions on the consent agenda, including ifc's. Councilmember Fuentes, councilmember pool, councilmember alter and then councilmember Kelly. >> Thanks, mayor, I wasn't sure when to raise my hand because I wanted to pull an item from the consent agenda and that is item number 7. [11:37:19 AM] I just have a few questions to ask staff. >> We'll pull number seven. Councilmember pool. >> Pool: I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that item 39 we are passing on consent version 2. >> Version 2 I think it's the last second be it resolved clause. Yes, that is what is on the consent agenda and one of those items that you mentioned that is a motion that is being made. Councilmember alter. >> Alter: Thank you. I have some remarks, but I also wanted to just clarify are 38 and 63 pulled off consent? >> 38 and 63 are both pulled off consent. >> Alter: Thank you. Before I make remarks I would to note that for 64 the base motion would be item 64 with the amendment [11:38:20 AM] that was a friendly amendment by councilmember Kelly for the record. I want to take a few minutes to speak about the recent incidents of hate that we have experienced into my resolution 64. It's probably an understatement these days to say that we live in challenging times and with ethics feeling a lot of emotions. It's very present in in my mind today that this resolution is actually the third that I have written and sponsored in 19 months. The council condemned the hate against our asian-american community in April of 2020 and the second condemned the hate embodied in the January 6th insurrection. Today we stand together against anti-semitism, racism and all acts of hate. And I'm proud that I'm joined by all of my colleagues as co-sponsors of this item and so I think I can safely say that it will [11:39:22 AM] pass with unanimous support. Over the last two weeks there have been five different acts of hate in district 10 alone. The last involved the congregation Beth Israel which is the temple in my neighborhood and to which my family belongs. One of my favorite memories from my daughter's bat mits fa is a photo of her peeking around the door that was on fire Sunday night. Over the last two weeks I have felt a lot of anger, disappointment and frustration. I also have felt pride and confidence in our community knowing that there is no place for this kind of hate in Austin. A and knowing the strength that has been displaced. Joining together with my colleagues and community to stand against hate and support one another to chart a path forward. In the past few weeks many [11:40:24 AM] have asked me how to show support spoke our community. I want to pause and show a part of our tradition in which we call for repair of the world. The events of the last few weeks are simply further evidence of the challenges we discuss on this dais every week and further evidence that our world is inneed of repair. When we think of that several mechanisms comes to mind and each offers ways to respond and I would offer you to follow the way that responds to you. The first is seddca, that involves philanthropy and charity. So I would ask if you are so moved to donate to the anti-defamation league we have that here in Austin and it works to educate and prevent it. You can also donate to shalom Austin and Beth Israel. The second, and I think this [11:41:25 AM] one is particularly important is acts of loving kindness. Be kind to people. There's too much hate in our world. We need to spread love, net hate. Show that you love in your actions. Love can spread faster with intention and will. We also can seek justice by taking policy actions to approve conditions via the legal or policy realm. This is what we are doing today with resolution 64. This resolution condemns anti- semitism and hate clearly. We have all members signed on as co-sponsors and saying this has no place in our community. It also, however, direct action on the part of the city manager so that we can be better prepared to respond to hate in ways that do not propagate it and to work together in our community to prevent it and [11:42:26 AM] make sure that we are prepared to respond. The reality is that it is here. It should also be noted in the remarks. We cannot assume we will not witness this. Being vigilant is being prepared. We know that words of hate can escalate to violence. We have already seen that in our community and we need to stand together as we're doing against this hate. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: I appreciate the opportunity to sponsor this with you. I thought your remarks were very, very appropriate. I want to especially thank [11:43:28 AM] the anti-defamation league for their work here over the last couple of weeks. I think that organization provides guidance to us on how to respond to these. I know that they taught me and I was proud to chair their organization in Austin and serve on a national board out of New York. The fact that there is hate and evil in the fringes of our community is not a surprise because we know that it's there. It is shocking and jarring whenever we see it, but we know that it's there. And unfortunately I think it will always be there. The risk to our community is not that it's there, but that when we see it there we will not speak about it, not recognize it. The risk is that it will spread from the fringe to somewhere else. [11:44:28 AM] Which is why I want to express appreciation for so much of the community stepping forward to point at it and say that it's not us, that is not how we feel, that is does not belong in our community and does not represent how our community acts in response. There are two reasons that it's real important to do that. The first is that if the hate is allowed to spread in the fringe and become normal and if we are silent and people who are close to the fringe and not in the fringe will see the silence as acquiescence or even support then there's a choice. And there was a group inside of them that wasn't even next to the fringe but it is now next to the fringe because it expanded and they also hear a silence and they join. And soon the fringe becomes larger and larger and larger until people look up and say [11:45:28 AM] my god, what is it that happened here? We can't let it ever leave the fringe. So whenever we see it we have to speak out, and we had so many people in the community doing that. The second reason I'm appreciative is when people do that kind of thing they're doing it in part to scare the people that are the targets of the hate. And the way that you scare the people that are targets of the hate is you create any doubt in their mind that they may be alone, that the community will not have their back at the appropriate and necessary time. That's where the fear really comes in. Which is why it's so important and I am so appreciative of my community and for my city, our city, that we have each other's back and we will never leave anybody alone. Or to deal with that kind of hate by themselves. The same hate that's [11:46:29 AM] directed toward the Jews is the same hate directed towards African-Americans, blacks in our community, is the same hate directed towards the lbgtq community. It's the same hate that creates racial slurs against the hispanic community. It is one hate. And we all need to be aligned against that hate together and for everybody to know that they're not alone. I just want to express my appreciation in the community for stepping forward. I know that many, if not every one of my colleagues, reached out and spoke on this issue, spoke much on this issue. And I just want to say thank you for that as well. Councilmember Kelly. >> Kelly: Thank you. First I would like the record to reflect a no vote on item 29 from me. And second, I wanted to really thank councilmember alter for her leadership in resolution number 64. [11:47:30 AM] I did bring forward a motion -- a friendly amendment to include other partners in this important discussion, including educational partners. And the reason for that was because I was having a conversation with a member of the young Republican jewish caucus and she had explained to me a personal situation where she experienced a lot of hate in her school. And I believe that by including our school districts in this resolution we'll be able to get on the issue of hate a lot faster and the school to stop it from happening when people grow up and get older. And so I just wanted to thank that member of that caucus for sharing that experience with me so that we could move forward with this. >> Mayor Adler: Does anybody have any objection to including that amendment in the motion? Hearing none, that amendment is now incorporated in the motion and part of the consent agenda. Thank you for that. >> Kelly: Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Yes, [11:48:30 AM] councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: Yeah, I had a couple of quick things. First of all, thank you, councilmember alter, for your leadership and mayor Adler for your leadership and both of you for your really powerful words here today on the dais. I am appreciative of the process changes, mayor. I think that makes good sense and I really like -- I had suggested that for the budget and I think it worked really well so I appreciate you or whoever raised it for the full agenda. I think that makes a lot of sense and is consistent with that earlier practice. And it just sets us on a good path. I do want to just note and I had made this request, but our work sessions have been a little different lately. If we could at our next work session schedule some time for just talking through how we're going to handle public communications as they relate to items on the agenda now that we're doing both virtual and in-person so that we can kind of group people together and also address some of the other recent changes that I think we might want to have a [11:49:30 AM] conversation around, including the time for proclamations and some other things. So I can work with you to give a sense of -- I know you and I have talked about it, if we could carve out some space on the next work session I think that would be really helpful. I do want to highlight we had a speaker earlier also providing really powerful testimony for council members for item 39. And I really appreciate that speaker and I also want to point out that in the background we could hear a baby crying and I think that shows the real importance of maintaining that virtual ability because it makes this place and these meetings accessible to people who might really have trouble coming down and speaking in person. So I hope that we can continue that into the future and I know everybody on this dais I think at one time or another has expressed an interest in doing so. [11:50:31 AM] I would like the record to reflect to abstain on item 39. It is important and I know that councilmember pool and those who provided information about it are really highlighting a really important safety issue that I'm aware of and I'm interested to learn more and to seeing this move through the process and for us making sure that we're addressing these safety concerns. I am uncomfortable voting on it today because I have just completed a fence in my own backward and it just feels a little awkward to vote on this. I understand that it doesn't impact my fence in any way, but just having completed a fence, that all parts of it are not flat from the architectural salvage tan teak fence to go some of the newer fencing. So I will have to abstain on that today, but again I appreciate you highlighting this important safety concern. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you, councilmember tovo, the clerk did give me the list [11:51:31 AM] of speakers and the items they signed up for and I didn't notice that and I just just read the list as it was listed. But we will have the 2:00 speakers by item and we will continue to do that. I should have done that this morning and I missed it. >> Tovo: We're all adapting. And I think it's terrific that we'll have zoning. That in particular is really challenging to go back and forth among. So thank you for incorporating that in practice here today. >> Councilmember pool. >> Pool: Thanks, I want to offer a few words on item 39 on the consent agenda. I'll thank my co-sponsors for supporting this effort and I just want to note that this item came to us from our building and fire code board of appeals which came to them from city staff and community members who had tragic losses in their family due to the dangers by [11:52:31 AM] spiked fences. So my thanks to the board as well as Beth Culver and development services for her work in crafting this ifc to initiate the change. The stakeholder change that comes back to council in the spring. So I'm proud to bring this item today and I want to give my heartfelt appreciation to Juli Damian who spoke to us reallier this morning for her work in memory of her son cade Damian to educate our communities and to present such relatively easy remedies that can save lives. And I also want to give a shout-out to David king who helped shepherd Juli through the process so my thanks to you all. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember Fuentes. >> Thank you. And I also want to share my gratitude to councilmember alter for bringing forth the resolution number 64. Thank you, mayor Adler for your remarks. I think it's so important that we reaffirm and stand [11:53:34 AM] in solidarity in our commitment to the safety and security for all races, for all ethnicities and for all religions. So I thank y'all for bringing this forward. My comments today, also, I wanted to -- colleagues, I want to draw your attention to a number of airport-related items that we have on the consent agenda and I'm excited to see this type of investment in our airport infrastructure. We are in a tremendous period of growth at the airport. In fact, we had one of the busiest travel days ever recently the day after formula one the airport saw over 35,000 passengers. So while we have this incredible activity going on in our region, we know that the airport as it stands is being stretched to capacity. So the items that we have today will allow us to have an additional TSA screening lane and that will go a long way with visitors and austinites alike who perhaps over the summer they were traveling and had to deal [11:54:35 AM] with long delays or long lines at the TSA screening. Certainly that has happened and it's good to see that folks are more comfortable traveling and using our airport. And also we have an item that is dedicated to the construction an added cargo facility. And that is huge for us because it willed a additional revenue to the airport and it will add 150 jobs to the airport and to our region. So there's a lot of tremendous activity happening over at the airport. I'm excited to see the items come forward and thrilled to see this economic impact in our region. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Councilmember Renteria. >> Renteria: Thank you, mayor. And [inaudible] Last weekend. I've lived here and grown up in Austin and to sigh the [11:55:35 AM] segregation and the hate, I personally have been called all kinds of names. People have made me feel like that I should leave Texas and go back to Mexico. And Texas was part of Mexico and we were here way before anybody. Most of the northerners -- the Europeans came over. And this hate just continues and continues and it really saddens me that we have a party that's in control of the state that just embraces it. It really disturbs me. I thought when we finally had gotten over it around 2020 where people were really starting to work together. But just somehow we just cannot cut the head of that ugly snake. It just keeps coming back and we have elections where elected officials embrace [11:56:37 AM] that hate. It encourages it. I just want to speak to people that we need to wake up and make sure that we just confront it whenever it happens. With peace and love and we know that we will prevail, but not by being silent. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember kitchen and then councilmember Kelly. >> Kitchen: I just want to add my words of appreciation to councilmember alter and everyone who has spoken, councilmember Renteria, and everyone, mayor, who have spoken about their experiences. Thank you for your leadership, thank you for speaking out and thank you for bringing forward this resolution that we can add our names to. [11:57:37 AM] I know we've all been -- I'll say one thing because my colleagues have been much more eloquent. I will just say that the amount of anger and hate that we've seen in our nation in recent years is scary and something that, as the mayor said, we need to take note of and respond to. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember Ellis. >> Ellis: Thank you, mayor. There's a couple of interesting items in my district on this consent agenda. Number 12 is a parkland acquisition in district 8, along Williamson creek near covered bridge so we're always happy to do more. Parkland acquisition nab number 19 is award and construction of a trail on north phase 2a. This is a really important step for southwest Austin to be able to fill a gap in urban trail connectivity along the violet crown trail [11:58:38 AM] so we're excited to see that happening. And I want to extend my thanks to councilmember alter and the other co-sponsors for item 64. It's hugely important that we stand together as a lot of us were able to do during the interfaith action press conference that happened earlier this week, but we all stand together and we have to look out for each other and speak out when hate happens and denounce it publicly. So I appreciate you bringing this item and including all of us on it as well. >> Mayor Adler: Okay, anybody else? We have a consent -- council member Casar? >> Casar: Thank you, mayor. Like the rest of the dais, I deeply appreciate council member alter and the mayor's words and the resolution condemning antisemitism, hate, homophobia in this community. I also want to appreciate my colleague, council member pool, for giving me the chance to cosponsor the item related to the critical work of Austin pets alive ! [11:59:39 AM] I appreciate that we'll be able to move forward with that very important work and while I got to recognize them when they were here testifying, just the work that Asian family support services of Austin does in this community is so important, I think it's also really special to note how we have just had all of these partnership was the county as of late, when there was an 800,000-dollar gap in these important services for immigrants and sexual assault survivors and those facing domestic violence, the county put in $200,000. We are moving forward with $200,000 and private donors out in the community have stepped up to do the other $400,000. And I think that kind of partnership is really what it will take to address the real needs in our community, especially when the state isn't stepping up to do their part. And there has been some implication for whatever reason that the city council doesn't care about safety and really it's the opposite. I know every single one of [12:00:39 PM] those have been so dedicated to making people truly safe and that means everyone no matter which community you're from, no matter what it is you're facing. And this investment in these services goes to show that that's really whose interest we're looking out for. So thank you, mayor, for the time and thank you to the dais for this important work on the agenda. >> Mayor Adler: Appreciate that as always. We go through the consent agenda real fast and we've noted a lot of the really important things on there. I'd also point out 12 and 19, the urban trails network is a real achievement for the city and the way we've accelerated that and the bicycle network is pretty exciting. We have homelessness services contracts on the agenda again, items 30 through 32, because that remains kind of that high priority challenge. I'm encouraged by the work we've done as a community and I feel ever more confident that we're going to get to the 500 million-dollar mark we [12:01:39 PM] need to be able to institutionalize that system. Council member alter. >> Alter: Thank you. I wanted to also highlight item 27 which is a 200,000-dollar grant from the department of justice that's going to enable us to expand police training. Specifically this is helping us to better prepare our officers for high stress interactions using the highly regarded I cat de-escalation model and reality simulations. We estimate training 800 officers over the course of this grant and this will enable APD to develop a localized training protocol to fit within the local context and officer experiences. So I did want to highlight that before we vote. >> Mayor Adler: Let's vote on the consent agenda. It is items 1 through 42 and also items 62 through 64. The items from council will be separately noted as being made by the authors. [12:02:39 PM] We have a motion and a second on the consent agenda. Those in favor of the consent agenda, please raise your hand. Those opposed? And with mayor pro tem being with us remotely that, is a unanimous vote of the entire dais. That gets us to noon, guys. So we're going to go to the public speakers that have joined us today. I see that we have three items -- pulled items we'll have to come back to, item 7, 38 and 63. We're also going to have to handle the nonconsent agenda, which is items 43, ahfc and then we have zoning. We have zoning speakers that we'll try to take at 2. I think that all the items right now are on consent. [12:03:40 PM] They are either consent action or consent postponements -- >> No, mayor, they are not. There is a mistake. There is a discussion on no. 56. >> Mayor Adler: Discussion on 56. Okay, thank you. So then only one item. So we may not need to have all 44 speakers that have signed up this afternoon to speak. So 56 looks like it will be discussion. The others look like they are consent, postponement or consent action. And then it looks like we have executive session today for us to be able to talk about the appointment, compensation benefits of the city clerk, interim clerk we need to talk about. And then we have people that want to talk about the jpa in executive session. So we'll do those two items in executive session. Council member tovo. >> Tovo: Since we don't have a full slate of individuals signed up for [12:04:40 PM] public communications, maybe after we hear from those speakers, could we try to accomplish no. 7 and no. 38 since we can't take up the last item from the consent agenda until after executive session. >> Mayor Adler: If you think we can do those things quickly, that would be great. >> Tovo: And maybe between now and when public communications finishes, we can kind of map out the afternoon. I just want to make sure we have enough time for the briefing. I also want to say I appreciate getting that report this morning, but 191 pages there is just almost no way we can -- even over lunchtime take it in in a way to have an informed conversation. So I would like to also request that we have time carved out either at our next work session or our council meeting or at a special called meeting which likely can't be accomplished at this point to dig in and address it. I think this is the winter storm briefing -- the winter storm after-action report. I just think it was a very significant event for our city and we really need to spend the time necessary to dive into -- [12:05:41 PM] >> Mayor Adler: I concur and support you on that. I was thinking that as we saw how this was developing. This is really just the staff presenting the report to us without -- while we'll have an opportunity to ask questions or engage however much you want, it is not really a real opportunity to engage because we have all just gotten the report. >> I want to make that clear from the moment we begin. I don't want to public to think we're doing a cursory review and this is our only one. It was such a traumatic event. We need to come up with -- by the time we have that conversation when it's going to be next on the agenda so the public can know what to expect from us in terms of a fuller conversation. >> Mayor Adler: So we'll work and structure that. We're just receiving in essence the report today. Council member alter and then kitchen. >> Alter: Thank you. I cor your concerns, council member tovo. Mayor, I had also requested an opportunity for us to discuss our response to hate in executive session and I [12:06:42 PM] believe that chief Chacon is scheduled for a particular time. I don't know what time he is scheduled, so if we can be respectful of that arrangement, too, that would be great. >> Mayor Adler: My suggestion is going to be that we handle the public folks here. There is like four. Let's see how quickly we can dispense with 7 and 38. We'll break for lunch. We'll reconvene after lunch about an hour later, hopefully before two o'clock, but in executive session and maybe we can take care of executive session items, achieve those to -- the chief knows to come back at one o'clock so we can do that. And then at two o'clock or close to there as we can we'll come back out and take those speakers. Council member kitchen. >> Kitchen: Yes, I wanted to thank you, council member tovo, for bringing up the point that we'll need additional conversations. I do want to have the presentation today though. >> Mayor Adler: Yes, it's happening today. >> Kitchen: Since this is public, I don't want to cut it shot and let's think [12:07:43 PM] about our timing so we actually have time for it. I don't want to end up leaving it until the end of the day. You know, we had to do that with our presentation with previous -- recent presentation that we had on the [indiscernible] Report. So, mayor, let's just think about it and I would really prefer that we not leave that one to the end of the day if possible. >> Mayor Adler: My sense is that we should be able to be done with this meeting today before dinner. As I look at it, we can see, but I don't know what other things are going to jam us up. If we take care of 7 and 38 now, we have the jpa and the briefing in executive session. That's really -- and zoning. So we'll see how long zoning takes. >> Kitchen: I predict we won't be done by dinner. >> Mayor Adler: Then we'll have to take care of the things that are most timely for us here. I put the jpa in that list as well. >> Kitchen: Sure. >> Mayor Adler: Let's go ahead and get started. Things will become available to us. [12:08:44 PM] Are we okay hearing the speakers from the public? Let's go ahead and do that. So I think that they are all present here with us today. Is Carol Anne rose Kennedy with us? Why don't you come on down and talk to us. >> [Inaudible]. >> Mayor Adler: Ms. Kennedy, it's good to see you again. >> Ditto. It's so good to be back. Thank you all. >> Thanks, y'all, for having me. Sit okay if I pull my mask down while I'm talking? Is that all right? >> Mayor Adler: Yes, it is. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Domestic violence at its [12:09:47 PM] best. ♪♪ In a bar in America, across from the depot, on a bar stool she took off her bra. ♪♪ ♪♪ He thought he'd get closer, so he waltzed on over and he whispered, you're breaking the law. ♪♪ Notes when the beer finally hit her, she said I'm got the jitters because my nightmares have turned into dreams. ♪♪ He gave her a quarter, said go call your mother, you got the power to stifle her screams. ♪♪ I picked a high time to leave you, my dear. ♪♪ With two angry brats and you're all out of beer. [12:10:48 PM] ♪♪ I've had some hard times, we lived through some sad crimes, but this time your crying I won't hear. ♪♪ I picked a high time to leave you, my dear. ♪♪ Through pink shorts and roses and cheap wine in doses, I never made you look small. ♪♪ Through diapers and doll drums and daddy's hotel rooms, we waltzed never having to crawl. ♪♪ Our sons and our daughters we led them to waters, you're still surprised when they won't take a drink. ♪♪ Roof leaks and burned roasts and peanut butter without toast and the bloody stopped up kitchen sink. ♪♪ Breast milk or cow's milk [12:11:48 PM] and flubbers with rubbers, I can't keep a smile on my face. ♪♪ Blisters and sisters and brothers with druthers, nor diamond seems so out of place. ♪♪ Through the terrible twos, teens and 20 and 30, sit back, learn to talk with a drawled you can't wash your hands because you love to get dirty, amazing the grace of it all. ♪♪ Where the hell were you born, am I going or coming? ♪♪ A Texan would sure understand. ♪♪ I begged you to love me, you tower above me, then you turn me a way with your hand. ♪♪ I bow and I fall down, my soul takes a melt dos down, then I lift my head out of the sand, because if you [12:12:48 PM] can't hold me and love me for always, I'll look for another homeland. ♪♪ Col thank you. I really am grateful for y'all serving and all of your staff and the whole building. Everybody that works here. Y'all are awesome, serving Austin awesome. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you very much today. Is Corey Satterwhite here? Why don't you come on down. >> Sadie pack here? You'll be our next speaker. >> Do we have anybody else that's here for public communications? Okay, go ahead, sir, you have three minutes. >> How y'all doing today? Thank you for having me. My name is Corey Satterwhite and I was a recent cadet at the police academy, and I was just terminated for getting robbed by the police. And I would like to share my story. Upon starting the cad pli they said they would reimagine, they want us to [12:13:49 PM] speak our mind and say what we felt. And I said, okay, we can do that, right? When we introduced ourselves, we introduced ourselves, our names and why we're here. I said I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. My last name is Satterwhite and I have one of the biggest black families in the city. A lot of people know my family. And I said I went to college in Houston, Texas. And when I went on my 19th birthday I was pulled over by HPD. I was robbed at gun point. They said I couldn't afford the car I was in. They seen my license and seen the registration and everything was on there. They seen my name. They threw it on the ground, didn't care. Took if money out of my wallet, had me and my friends pinned up. I thought I was going to die on my birthday, right? I grew up not liking the police. I was constantly stopped in Houston, Texas every other week or so. They'll jump out of the car, dig in our pockets, don't find nothing, get back in the car and drive off. That's life for a minority in Houston, Texas. I ended up meeting one I was forced to work with. This cop ended up taking me on a ride. I see how he interacted with his community. [12:14:49 PM] All cops are not bad, this dude is different. I felt I could do the same for my city. When I cam back to Austin that's what I did. I a 'employed. Now, when we went -- we have like a black union or black police whenever you want to call it and we went to go speak to them and they told us this is no different than what you faced in life. That there going to be discrimination in the police department, maybe a little worse than what you went through in your regular job. Us as black officers see that white officers get a way with stuff and we say had that been one of us we would have been terminated. While you're in the academy, our vice to to you is to stay in the shadows and don't speak too much. You'll notice that white cadets can get a way with stuff. Stay quiet. And that's the vice we were given by our black police union. So upon the start of the academy, I seen what they were talking about. We got referred to as colored people by white cadet and nothing happened to her. She called us colored people and nothing happened. [12:15:50 PM] Right? Nothing. And then when they are talking, they were speaking and said a lot of y'all are going to be working overnight. Y'all are going to be bored, but if you end up working in east Austin, you have to stay on your P's and Q's. Don't be surprised if you have to use force in east Austin. So the same cadet that referred to us as colored people -- I hope they don't put me in east Austin. So the cadets are cracking jokes about east Austin, how they didn't want to be there. And in my mined is only thing I was thinking about is this what my home boys did? Nathaniel Sanders I grew up with, begunked down unarmed in east Austin? Daniel roach, southeast Austin, shot in his back by white officer, unarmed. So that's what I'm thing in my mind. So then they tell us -- (bell ringing) -- They know when to say stuff and when not to say stuff. When everywhere we're in the classroom, doe thent say nothing. When we get outside and there is no cam Hiram Clark they tell us we're going to have to retrain you. [12:16:52 PM] All this reimagine crap is going to go out the window. When you get in the field, your field training officers are going to retain y'all. That's what they told us. And he told us the store by his field training officer but he slipped because he accidentally said it in class where there is a camera. My field training officer would not pass me until she seen me fight a citizen. Now, he caught himself because he looked up at the camera and I'm not saying go find a fight. But if you patrol long enough you know where you can find a fight. That's what he told us, right? We're supposed to not speak up? I speak on that and speak my miefnltd you're not about to tagger it east Austin and my people. I lost too many people to cops. So I speak my mind and I said professionally, I don't offend anybody or cuss or use profanity. Then they pulled me out of class and asked me about uncles that died when I was two years old. I know nothing about. Right? They asked me, hey, do you have a phone in your boot? I think you have a phone in your boot? They are making me lift my [12:17:54 PM] pants up and checking to see if there is a phone on my boot. I'm getting pulled out of cochlear Americas every other week. Getting pulled out of class every other week. They are pulling me out of class repeatedly. I'm get harassed. They asking me if there is a phone in my shoe. We're exercising outside all day, running, how can there possibly be a phone in my boot, right? He says, that's what they do when they want to get a reaction out of you. When they want to find a way to get rid of you, they try to harass you. Right? He said your last name is Satterwhite. You have a history with law enforcement. Your family has a history of law enforcement in this city. You got the biggest black family in the city. There is a target on your back. Don't worry, I'm going to talk to them and see what I can do. >> I wanted to thank you for coming today to speak to the council and let people know about your experiences. Clearly some of the things you said were concerning and when I saw on the agenda you were signed up to speak and [12:18:55 PM] what it was about, I had a meeting with APD and they provided me with a copy of your termination memo which I also passed out to the other council members this afternoon on the dais. And while a lot of what you're saying is certainly concerning, I think that we have an environment where we can address it currently; but I do want to make it clear that the reason that you were terminated from APD was that you were not in compliance with section 50 of the code of conduct which states that any cadet who has been employed by the Austin police department and has obtained that by willful representation omission or false statements concerning a material fact shall be in violation of the this code and subject to disciplinary action, up to and including recommendation for termination in the police department. >> Exactly. I thank you for pointing that out and I'm going to cover that. >> Okay. >> Mayor Adler: So colleagues, I'm trying to [12:19:56 PM] figure out how to make this happen. The testimony you gave is concerning, and -- and certainly something I think that many of us on the dais are going to want to follow up on. >> Absolutely. >> Mayor Adler: The process that we're in right here is we give three minutes to people in the community to speak and there are multiple people that speak. So we pretty strictly abide by that three minutes. Because of the importance of what you were going through, I let you go well past the -- >> I was past three minutes? >> Mayor Adler: Yeah, it's three minutes. So I'm trying to figure out how we get this gentleman to the correct forum and place and certainly I know my office will reach out to you. I think there may be other offices that will reach out to you as well. >> Yes, sir. >> Mayor Adler: But absent someone on the dais wishing to do something else, I [12:20:58 PM] would have us follow up as council offices would want and I would go to the next speaker. >> But on just one more note. >> Mayor Adler: Go ahead. >> She said you brought up a good point if I got the employment by willful omission, they told me that it was wrong what happened in Houston, Texas. They contacted the Houston police department. And they said we're here to help you. What happened to you shouldn't have happened. Right? So we're here to help you. The following week -- I said thank you. The following week they terminated me for the very thing they said they was going to help me with. The willful omission is me saying that I got robbed by the police department. I said it the very first day at the academy. It wasn't a problem. Until I started speaking up whenever they went against east Austin, and then when I said it begin, the third month after they asked me, now what's the problem? And they terminated me for not putting on my application that I was robbed by the police. But nowhere on the application can I put that. It says have you ever been detained by the police? [12:21:59 PM] Detained means if someone had a broken window and stolen TV's, you're down the street and you got a crowbar in your hand and you got a TV and you're walk with a TV. That's reasonable suspicion that you did that. So a police officer detains you. When the police officer sees a black person in a nice car and says he can't afford that and you show him your license and registration, and they still ignore it, they throw it on the ground, that's not a detainment at that point, that's a robbery. So that's why I did not put that on my application because I didn't think there was a place for it. I got fired for not putting on my application that I was robbed at gunpoint by the police department. >> Mayor Adler: I want to get to you a different forum than this dais where what you're saying can be -- so that there is an opportunity to be heard and to go into that. >> Yes, sir. >> Mayor Adler: Council member -- >> You said this nobody should stand alone when there is hate and racism. And I'm by myself. There is other cadets that have been wrongly terminated that are black just like me. [12:22:59 PM] I'm going to see if you stand on your word, sir. I thank you. Sorry for going over. >> Mayor Adler: That's okay. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you. Reach back out to my office, okay? >> All right. >> Mayor Adler: Let's go to the next speaker. Sadie pack, please. >> My name is Sadie pack. I own a small woman- owned general contracting firm. The Austin meter project awarded my company a 4 million-dollar portion of the 120 million-dollar contract that the city awarded. That work was -- is for installing meters and doing any of the plumbing that is related to those meters because obviously things are going to break. To date, I have not had any work scheduled. What Austin water has done is tried to turn my contract into a truck bhairs you have a plumber that goes and [12:24:01 PM] fixes things in people's houses, all of these things that are not even in my contract. Clearly both aclara who is the general on this and the city acknowledge that none of those issues -- none of that work is in the contract. I have not gotten any kind of changes to my contract. I've just been told go do this work. The difficulty is I don't have insurance to go inside of people's homes. That is not what I've hired people to do, and what I've been told is you -- this is it. You either take this or nothing. In addition, I've had two instances where the superintendent with Austin water has told me to just quit. In your packet that I sent you, I have a signed statement of four people who were there when he told me to just quit. [12:25:03 PM] I don't know what to do at this juncture. I've called Austin water. I have talked the hub office. The hub office has explained to Austin water what the contract says, how the hub contract works, that they are in noncompliance and we're still not moving forward. So here is what I'm asking, is for the work that I have done that is outside of the contract, the city already has established what the rates are. I'm not even getting paid those rates that are outside of my contract. I'm not asking for anything above that. I'm just saying make it equitable so that if I am a woman-owned business, I get the same money as the men- owned business. That's all I'm asking is for that equity. In addition, since the beginning, this has not been done correctly. The contractor has hired their own plumber. They are self-performing [12:26:04 PM] this entire contract and they have no intent on giving me anything except crumbs. I don't mind the crumbs as long as I understand that we have negotiated this, but currently, this is not the work that I have been awarded at all. And there is no intent to give me the work that I have been awarded. (Bell ringing). >> Mayor Adler: All right, thank you. Manager? >> Cronk: Happen to follow up with you and hear the situation a little bit more directly. So thank you. >> My contact information is there. >> Mayor Adler: Okay, thank you. Colleagues, those are all the speakers that we had. So I'm going to suggest now that we take a break. That everybody grab something to eat. And that we reconvene in executive session. It is 12:56. I'm going to suggest that -- oh, we have those two items. >> I don't know, council member Fuentes, I think you pulled 7. 7 seems like at least maybe [12:27:05 PM] 7 is something we can accomplish. >> Mayor Adler: Do you think 7 is going to take long? >> No, it will take less than three minutes. >> Mayor Adler: Go. Legislates Y call up no. 7. >> Okay, well my first question is regarding this contract if it includes facial recognition technology and to what extent that includes facial recognition? >> Our airport staff is just coming on the screen. >> And as airport staff is moving over, I'm flagging this because I wanted to know a little bit more to the extent that facial recognition technology be utilized with this contract, because what we know is that this type of technology -- people of color are more likely to be misidentified and I want to ensure that we're not doing anything that is intentionally or inadvertently discriminatory in anyway, especially knowing the high rates of false positives amongst [12:28:07 PM] ethnicities. So I have a few questions regarding this and I think also just wanted to highlight that Facebook recently announced in the last few days that they are purging 1 billion face prints from their system. And so I think we're moving in this digital age to understand and how this technology works and the ramifications of it and so it's good to see companies move towards not storing that type of data their sites and on their platforms. >> So good afternoon, council members and mayor. [Indiscernible] With the airports. Council member Fuentes, this contract does not include facial recognition technology. So it's not used in this contract. And we're not collecting biometrics as part of this contract. >> Fuentes: All right, good to know. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: All right. Council member Casar. >> Casar: I'd like to thank council member Fuentes for [12:29:08 PM] raising that question. Just a really important issue for cities moving forward. I think we do have a new policy passed last year, strongly restricting the use of facial recognition unless it's being required by law or the federal government or with extreme emergency circumstances I think with approval of the manager. And so just because we have so many resolutions important to mention them, to make sure they don't get lost in the mix, but I really appreciate you asking the question because we should keep our eye on those privacy concerns. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Is there a motion to approve item 7? Council member tovo makes the motion. Is there a second? Council member Fuentes seconds. Any advertise cushion? Those in favor of item no. 7, please raise your hand. Those opposed? I don't see the mayor pro tem -- so it passes 10-0-1. Okay, I don't know, council member tovo, you had also [12:30:08 PM] suggested that you thought 38 might be quick. >> Tovo: Council member pulled it so I'm not sure. Probably not is my guess. >> Mayor Adler: Probably not quick. Let's come back to 38. >> I mean I would love for it to go quickly. I know that we had over 2,000 people register in support of us passing this today. >> Mayor Adler: So let's hold off. One second. She can bring it up. It can get voted on quickly. You could speak to it if you think it's going to be more a more involved discussion, then let's put it to this afternoon. What do you think, council member tovo? >> Tovo: I didn't pull it. I'm not sure who -- I'm not sure what the intent is. Council member pool who did pull it I think said she think it can move quickly. >> Mayor Adler: Council member pool. Go ahead. >> Pool: I would make a motion to pass item 38 and [12:31:11 PM] then after -- >> Mayor Adler: Let me get a second. I'm come back to you. Is there a second? Couch kitchen seconds that. Council member pool. >> Pool: I just wanted to give appreciation and thanks to the community. 2,027 people registered in support of this item today, and I'm grateful for their support and also grateful that they also have chosen simply to nonvocally support. There are 54 people who registered against two registered neutral. I think no matter where you sit on the spectrum of animal advocacy, we all want the same thing. We want happy and healthy outcomes for Austin's animals and I appreciate the perspective that everyone is bringing to the conversation. So really quick I want to thank my cosponsors for their support on this ifc and I hope that all my colleagues join us in providing helpful staff direction to complete the negotiations with our primary no kill partner [12:32:13 PM] which is Austin pets alive and I want to know just a quick reminder at the outset of the discussion, should we have one today that, Apa's mission is no kill. It has not been an never has been to provide overflow space for the city. My warmest thanks go to our animal services staff. This hasn't been an easy time for any of us. And I know that you are doing some of the hardest work for all of Austin's animals. And I think my colleagues will join me in expressing gratitude for the passion and dedication of our expert staff, some of whom have spent decades serving our animal best friends. So thank you very much. And I appreciate the support on this item. >> Mayor Adler: Great. Thank you. It's been moved and seconded on item no. 38. Any discussion? >> Mayor, I just want to ask, is the public able to see us and hear us? [12:33:14 PM] >> Mayor Adler: Did we lures screen? I see it on some screens. I don't necessarily see it -- >> We've reached out to atxn and they are working on it. >> Mayor, my monitor is frozen for some reason but it looks like atx N is still going. >> Mayor Adler: So the public is still able to see us. >> As far as I understand. >> Mayor Adler: That's the screen I'm seeing now. Looks like it is still projecting live. Any further discussion on item no. 38? Council member tovo. >> Tovo: Thank you, mayor. Thank you, council member pool, for your work on this item and to our partners at Apa -- at Austin pets live for other commitment to no kill. For their work achieving no kill in this community and to all of the many, many volunteers, some of whom came and speak with us today, I think there are issues that have come up in the conversations that we've had both here today but also at the animal commission and I know I've heard from my commissioner, from others, a [12:34:15 PM] variety of different points that need exploration and so I just want to highlight what I think a few of those are. One is I'm interested to know from our city staff really concretely what the situation is with regard to Austin pets alive's ability to make renovations and to build on the current site. Some of these are just questions that I could have submitted through the q&a but just ran out of time. So I'm going to try to do that and put them into writing but I wanted some of my colleagues to know what the questions are. I went to both the town lake center and the shelter on Tannehill multiple times over the last decade probably. Sometimes multiple times a week and have been so multiple times this week and almost ended up with a new dog actually. So I mean that is to say I've been to both places a a lot and I do want to see [12:35:15 PM] Austin pets alive be able to continue on that site. I'm glad that we're working toward a resolution here that will allow them to do that. I also want to see them with the ability to make some renovations because I think they are needed. That has been a site as we all know that has flooded, that -- when the city owned it as well -- needed renovations and I'd like to see those happen and I'd like to better understand from Apa what the timeline is and what the impediments are. I've heard some about the impediments but I need to get from the staff what exactly and where those impediments lie. We've heard concerns from members of our community about expanding and bringing in animals for adoption outside of that five county region. I have expressed to many of you, including Dr. Jefferson, I am concerned about that as well because I see from my observations, but also from the information that our animal center has been at capacity and as I understand from the staff shelters in the five county region are [12:36:16 PM] also at capacity. I am comfortable with this approach today because it is tying it to metrics and I think that that gives us a measure of acknowledging the work that Apa is doing in other arenas and also making sure that that partnership is stilling in place with regard to their work with the animal center. So I think that approach is a useful one. Thank you, council member pool, for working on it. I -- let's see -- and I think I'll leave it there for now. There is another body of issues that have been raised by community members about the work that our animal center is doing in terms of really getting out the message about the availability of animals and marketing, if you will, those services and the wonderful benefits of having a pet to our community. I also share council member pool's appreciation for the really hard work that our animal center staff and our animal center volunteers do over at Tannehill. [12:37:17 PM] I think that is an extraordinary facility as well and I know the people who work there either as volunteers or as staff are just as committed to the work as are those over at Apa. And they are all important in this ecosystem. That being said, I do have some questions about some of their procedures and data and other things and I know these concerns have also been raised by the community. So I'm going to put some of these into writing, but I appreciate where we are and look forward to those continued conversations. I think our commissioners have asked for some of that data and council member pool had done a resolution which I cosponsored that should have facilitated the reporting of that data to our commission. That doesn't appear to be happening. So there are -- in all of the comments that we've heard, again, via e-mail and public, I think there are a lot of issues that we just need to untangle as we continue on this continued path and [12:38:17 PM] commitment to no kill. >> Mayor Adler: Good. Thank you. And I think we've all heard about some of the condition questions, council member tovo, that you raised. So I appreciate you trying to help figure that out. All right, this item no. 38 has been moved and seconded. Let's take a vote. Those in favor, please raise your hand. Those opposed? Mayor pro tem, are you with us? I call that vote 10 in favor. Mayor pro tem and council member Kelly are both off the dais. So 9-0-2. All right, that said, colleagues, we're going to break for lunch and come back from lunch and go into executive session. What we have left is the jpa, the ahfc, the briefing [12:39:20 PM] and zoning. And then the executive session. That is what we have left for the day. It is now 12:39. Do we want to try and come back at 1:30 in executive session? That give people enough time? Let's Choo and see how far we can get. >> On so, mayor, is that virtual executive session? >> Mayor Adler: Yes, virtual executive session as is our practice right now. All right, city council now is going to go into closed session to take up three items pursuant to 551.071. Government code we'll discuss legal issues related to item 66, hate speech activity, 67 is the jpa agreement between the city and capmetro and Austin transit partnership. I point out to you that there was a yellow sheet -- motion sheet that I just distributed on the dais that just went out from the clerk. It's also posted on to the message board. And spur ant to 55 council will discuss personnel [12:40:21 PM] matters related to the city scerk and interim city clerk. With that we'll see you all in executive session at 1:30. [2:08:16 PM] >>> >> >>> >> >>> [2:14:57 PM] [Music]. [Music]. [2:35:15 PM] >> Mayor Adler: As soon as we have one more council member present we'll start calling speakers. >> All right, we have a quorum so we're out of executive session. While we were in closed session we discussed legal issues related to item number 66. That's as far as we got so we're going to listen to speakers and handle the consent agenda and then go back into executive session for the last two items. We're going to call the speakers here on zoning that are in-person first. We're going to try to do them in order of the item numbers. And then we'll do the people that are on the phone. Given the number of people we have and the workload we have this afternoon we told everybody there would be two minutes limitation to [2:36:16 PM] speakers' participation. We'll begin with item number 46. Is Sara zamaripa? And then after Ms. Zamaripa speaks is Eric pace here? You will be up next. You have two minutes. Go ahead. >> We're asking for you to help us with our mission to increase affordable housing. We are asking it for our neighborhood, which is the east Cesar Chavez neighborhood. The city of Austin is growing exponentially and much of the eastside is unrecognizable from even five years ago. It has been leading the way in change but unfortunately has left many people behind and displaced. The fair market project does not add any affordable housing or provide a commence sur rat benefit to our community he exchange for the added height requested. We have a vehicle, the saltillo tod, to add affordable housing, and yet [2:37:17 PM] we disregard its directives and zone lot by lot. Mayor, you said yourself the saltillo tod is an opportunity to create affordability where the market is not going to create it for itself. Today we are asking you to honor the regulating plan and oppose this project's request for additional height and density or to postpone making your decision on this case and others like it until we can put a comprehensive regulating plan amendment in place that encouraged affordable housing opportunities that we are all committed to achieving. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Come on down, sir. While Mr. Pace is coming down is Kristen Kenney here? You will be up next. Go ahead, sir. You have two minutes. >> Afternoon, mayor, council members, city staff. My name is Eric pace, the sector one representative for the east Cesar Chavez neighborhood plan team. [2:38:17 PM] As you heard the east Cesar Chavez neighborhood team requests that city council pause individual requests to allow the saltillo tod to be something more revised and more effective for the neighborhood and developers. We are aware council is taking steps for revisions to the equitable tod, an effort that we hope can address this situation. However, those reforms won't be adopted until the end of this year. In the meantime the east Cesar Chavez neighborhood will field several proposals as the development continues to accelerate. I'd like to provide a little context to share a bit about what a saltillo tod amendment could look like. The regulating plan carves out adoption for 85 feet super density bonus for developers that meet certain criteria. Super density bonus has been used -- has not been used by any developer sense the regulating plan's adoption and even our friends at the habitat for humanity find it tube too rigid for affordable housing. In sum, the super density bonus section doesn't seem to work for the [2:39:17 PM] neighborhood, for developers or for the city's housing goals. As consequences of the plan, saltillo zoning cases have placed the neighborhood of negotiating directly with developers to provide some further consideration in exchange for the zoning changes. Our understanding is that the neighborhood teams cannot propose amendments to the saltillo tod and councilmember tovo has demonstrated recently earlier this year that reforms are feasible, can be implemented rather quicklies quicklies as was the case in the Rainey district. We ask that you have development guidance for developers and equitable fees to help the the city achieve its housing goals. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Go ahead, you have two minutes. And then John Reese is next. You will be up next. Go ahead. Two minutes. >> As we begin today I [2:40:18 PM] invite you to let go of any preconceived notions you have about neighborhood teams in the stereotype that we're a bunch of nimby's trying to stir up a culture war. That is not why we're here. We're here because like mayor Adler said in 2017, quote, I don't think we should give away height and density without taking a look at whether or not we can use those as tools for driving increased affordability and permanent affordability. And I look forward to that part of the conversation continuing on as part of codenext or otherwise. This is that otherwise conversation. Four years later tod's still require updating and I want to thank mayor pro tem harper-madison for bringing forward a resolution calling for equitable tod's and reevaluating existing tod's. We agree our plan needs updating. That said, our plan works when we apply its rules and fiercely defend its intention to drive affordability. [2:41:18 PM] The applicant is offering an additional fee-in-lieu of roughly $448,000 allocated to a habitat project that will build 13 affordable homes. And on the surface this looks like a win, but in reality it comes at the cost of the opportunity to build those 13 homes plus an additional 38 to 113 affordable units right here in our tod. Mayor, you said the saltillo tod is an opportunity to create affordability where the market is not going to create it by itself. We wholeheartedly agree and we need your help. Today we ask that you honor our regulating plan. Oppose this request for additional height or postpone making your decision on this case and others like it until we can put comprehensive plan amendments in place to address these height requests across the entire to and create questionable benefits for both the community and the individual property owner. Thank you. [2:42:21 PM] >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. John Reese. And after Mr. Reese speaks then it's Janis Reese. Go ahead. You have two minutes. >> Hi, we're on the agenda today because my mom doesn't use internet or computers a whole lot so I signed up both up to speak. I'm John and this is Janis and we live at two 21 David Moore. >> My name is Janis Reese and I'm 81 years old. I am a widow and own a piece of property that is six acres. I want to divide it into three parts because I have three children. That's what we're trying to go. That's my wife back there and our children have lived adjacent to my mom for a long time after that and they've since passed away and as she said she has three kids and wants to be able to put houses on the property for each of the three children. So we already live there and we're doing a simple in our [2:43:22 PM] minds a simple family project. We're not developers. We don't want to develop the property. In fact, we'd like to protect it from further significant development in the future so that's kind of our goal. And some of our neighbors have expressed a little concern about our desire to put as many as six houses on the property, but I would point out that it's six acres so that's a density of one house per acre which is not very high density. That's it, thanks a lot. >> Kitchen: Mayor? Could I? >> Thank you for coming down. I think -- it's very nice to hear your family is staying together and I believe that this item is going to be on consent. >> Great, thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Next speaker is robin Nelson. We're moving to item 53. Next is Barbara bore man. >> Afternoon, mayor and council members. My name is robin Nelson. [2:44:24 PM] I live at 8203 beaver Brooke lane. I did not attend the committee meeting on may 18th. I was shocked to find out that the applicant, wayfinder real estate, and Mississippi, oppose the neighborhood moment of two weeks. We filed a valid petition originally at 21.18 percent. Recently it's increased 38.75%. After meeting the 20% threshold we expected at least some of you to oppose the mf-4 rezoning in light of our community concerns. I've worked with the applicant, neighbors and councilmember Fuentes's office to make this a collaborative process. I prioritized consensus building. The applicant and their agent David Hartman of Smith and Roberson, have not been clear with their [2:45:25 PM] obligations, consistent with their promises nor negotiated in good faith. After first reading I requested the conditional overlays and clarification on whether concept a onb would be moving forward. I was told that all the concessions we negotiated were removed. Everything we've worked so hard for had been eliminated. I'm pleading for someone to require the applicant to honor commitments made in writing, verbally, via email and pictorially. I need you to instruct the applicant to place the parking lot adjacent to the neighbors' properties, require contracts of restrictive covenants between the applicant and adjoining homeowners and speak on the record today at city council indicating that you will require agreement from all parties before [2:46:27 PM] approving third reading. [Buzzer]. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Okay. >> Mayor, city councilmembers, my name is Barbara Boreman. My home is connect the to the northside of the proposed development. Homes in the northside are approximately 30 feet below the grade of the mid and upper part of the development property. Any buildings on this site will appear large and looming to us. 30 feet plus 50 feet equals 80 feet in the air. That's why the distance between the development and our property is so very important to us. In March we asked the applicant to explore ways to increase that distance. We suggested perimeter parking so that would further give us some distance. In April we asked him to go and look at nearby apartment complexes that had adopted this strategy in order to achieve some distance. In late August after many meetings in our ask to [2:47:28 PM] increase the setbacks, the applicant provided us with two plans to review. On September 11th, the preference of most of our community was for concept plan a. The plan was two, three, four story buildings on parking on perimeter that increased the distance between our homes and these buildings. However, the site plan did not match the conditional overlays. We asked the applicant to update the conditional overlays in the restrictive covenants to reflect concept plan a. We waited for the revised documents from the applicant. The updated conditional overlays reflecting the change were not sent to the neighborhood community. The restrictive covenants were made available after the October 14th city council meeting. Neither reflected the change. I urge each of you to urge the applicant to work with the neighbors to prioritize placing parking rather than buildings adjacent to the neighborhood properties and to revise the conditional overlays to reflect this [2:48:30 PM] change, that is concept plan a. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. >> Tovo: Mayor, can I clarify something with the speaker? Both you and the previous speaker indicated that was a condition that the applicant had agreed to, is that correct? >> I'm not sure of your question. >> The previous speakers spoke about several conditions, including the one you just described. And if I understood that speaker indicated that it had been -- that there's agreement on it. >> We videoed a commitment to that but the conditional overlays and restrictive covenants did not match the plan that we were shown. Which was concept plan a. >> I'm just going to clarify a little bit. >> Tovo: Thanks. >> We were presented with a concept plan. We noticed that those did not match the conditional overlays. We asked for updated conditional overlays to owe he so that they would match [2:49:30 PM] and we were not given those. And then we were told later that all of our conditional overlays that we have negotiated were null and void. >> Tovo: Thank you for that clarification. That's very helpful. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. The next speaker I think we have a translator for. This would be Veronica venaholusa wolferman. You have four minutes because of the translator. >> Yeah? Okay. Hello, everybody, good morning. I am talking to all of you in my language as a citizen. The conditions for the rezoning and planning of the [indiscernible]. It's obvious that you are [2:50:30 PM] not including the voice of the citizens. I can tell -- thank you. I can tell that this is like that because you guys approve a huge apartment building next to my property. And the reason why that is important because with 38.75% of the residents that are living within 200 feet of the construction are against this apartment. I think that it is really bad. [2:51:33 PM] So we're elected officers have not debated or discussed publicly. >> Something that is in accordance with everybody. Unanimous. I've lived in Austin for seven years. I can tell you that the city has changed. Continue approving any project. For the construction. Without taking into consideration the neighborhoods that are surrounding the area. Is the principal reason, that's the reason the community is of black, latins and minorities. [2:52:35 PM] That had left the city. Where are we going to go? [Indiscernible]. Where do you want to send us? We continue with the procedures, we talk with our neighbors, we invite all of them to participate to do the process of the government. With our valid petition, and even though they didn't hear us. And now knowing that we cannot go back I ask you, this is the only apartment mf-4. That proposes a minimum space of only 45 feet. We had present the the information many times, many ways. [2:53:38 PM] We had compared with similar neighbors that are near us and we ask you to make sure that the builder follow the rules about the spaces between the buildings, and in general -- and to contribute with the community. At the end who is going to protect us if something goes wrong? Of course, you are our representatives, and deciding -- >> Ma'am, thank you. >> Is the time up? Thank you very much. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Next speaker is Noren [2:54:46 PM] Quisenberry. And then Santiago galactin. >> Mayor and city council, my name is Noren Quisenberry. When we started meeting with Mac and David we got a lot of feedback from people. One is from a man that did contract work with the city who was very serious and said what you are doing is admirable but you don't have a clue what you are up against. We even got councilwoman Fuentes to listen. We felt we had 'ear to the newly elected councilwoman whom I voted for. We had a zoom meeting where she listened to us and said perhaps now is not the time to build on this property. I was encouraged, although not everyone was. We were warned not to trust city council. They're going to add turning lanes on the apartments on south first so let's do the math. When is crossing south first to go to the apartments two lanes are going north, two lanes are going south and we have traffic turning north who wants to go to great Britain. Wait, from slaughter lane I [2:55:46 PM] can take a shortcut. I can do what everybody else is doing. I can zoom through the lanes, go through great Britain and up to that it's been a crap shoot to turn left, but a light will stop the traffic. But David Hartman said we don't need a traffic study because it's not necessary. He obviously doesn't drive this route. A dedicated light at great Britain ensures more traffic on great Britain, not less. David, tell me about egress. We asked the city and you not to let Moore road be used as an exit and you assured us it would not. In building code a means of egress is a way to exit a property in case of fire or emergency. In case of fire residences must have two means of egress. Our road is ideal to park because it's close to the apartments. Show me how it won't be used as an open road. And councilwoman Fuentes, when the city changed what [2:56:47 PM] they were going to support why didn't you let us know? We thought you supported district 2. That's what you said at the dove springs district meeting. [Buzzer]. I just want to say you thumb your noise at imagine Austin concept, you devalued me. And Robert Murdock says it's about honesty and this is to David Hartman, Mac and you all, honesty is a very expensive gift. Don't expect it from cheap people. Talk is cheap. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Is Santiago Enrique here? No? What about Suzanne Schwertner. We're now moving to parcel 54. On deck after Ms. Schwertner [2:57:47 PM] will be Jake brown. Is Jake brown here? No? Okay. You will be next. Go ahead. >> Mayor, mayor pro tem, council members, my name is Suzanne Schwertner and I work for the house be authority of the city of Austin. I am in support of item 54, fox hollow, and I'm just here if you have any questions about the project. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you very much. Mr. Brown. >> Good afternoon, Jake brown, ldg development, here speaking in favor, here to answer any questions you guys may have. Thanks. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. >> Mayor, can I ask the speaker which number? >> Mayor Adler: 54. >> Tovo: Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. That gets us to parcel 56. Is Troy Marcus here? Come on down. Is Lynne Galbreath here? [2:58:50 PM] You'll be up next. >> Can I trouble you for the slides? >> Mayor Adler: Go ahead, sir. >> Sorry. >> Mayor? >> Thank you so much. >> Kitchen: Mayor, can I ask a question? >> Mayor Adler: Go ahead. >> Kitchen: We're taking the presentations from . . . >> Mayor Adler: When a case gets called up, if it's not on consent, the first five minutes will go to the applicant. >> Kitchen: So we're not going to take them now. >> Mayor Adler: We're not going to take them now. >> I don't need that one. >> Mayor Adler: At this point, they don't know whether their case is . . . >> Kitchen: I said earlier I was pulling it. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. >> Are we about -- mayor, are we about to hear the presentation from the applicant? >> Kitchen: Yeah. >> This is a two-minute speech, [2:59:51 PM] just speaking in favor. >> Kitchen: But he was saying that comes later when the item is called up. >> Mayor Adler: That's not how we've been doing it. We've been giving people a chance to sign up. If a case gets called, we give the applicant five minutes. >> Kitchen: The applicant doesn't get five minutes later and two right now. >> Mayor Adler: That's the way we've been doing it. >> Kitchen: That doesn't make any sense, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: We can do that now as we have been doing it historically for the last year. No one has called out an applicant when they come up. Sometimes applicants have come up and spoken. But we can certainly do it here for the first time if that's the will of the dais. >> Tovo: My preference would be to revert back to our process in person before. I think it's easier for us to follow the narratives of each individual case when we have them in chunks. I would just suggest that if it's on consent we hear the speakers, which we've done, and resolve the consent agenda and [3:00:53 PM] deal individually with anything pulled from consent with all the speakers sectioned. >> Mayor Adler: We're going to call the case, come back. If you're lacking two minutes to speak I'll ask you to continue. >> Great. I appreciate you all. >> Mayor Adler: So we'll come back to Mr. Vargas. Let's go to Lynne Galbreth. >> Mayor, councilmembers, thank you. I'm speaking on items 58 and 59, I believe. It's the Grady brownie rezoning. I don't live immediately near these sites but I live in the planning area. And I've looked at this closely and our neighborhood future land use map, and this location makes no sense given the many nearby parcels already zoned appropriately for the development the applicant claims [3:01:53 PM] to want to build. Nearly all of the entire four miles of north Lamar corridor is already zoned for mixed use because it offers the physical infrastructure and services necessary for high-density residential, which the applicant site lacks. There's no shortage here of properties zoned mixed use that have actual sidewalks, actual drainage, true proximity to public transportation and other services. There was a partial all summer long for sale that would be perfect for the applicant's build. And it is on the corridor and zoned ready to go. Unlike most Austin neighborhoods, over 70% of our housing units here are already multifamily. Many are still affordable. And as the city policies in the imagine Austin, housing blueprint and corridor plan asks, our plan reserved land and opportunity for more mixed use and multifamily on the corridors [3:02:54 PM] where it can truly work. Why would a developer buy some of the comparatively small percentage of land here zoned for other than what he wants to build? It's cheaper. If he can convince decision-makers to change sensible planning policy he can increase profit. Whether he plans to sell the land the day after the ink is dry or build and sell units to investors who will rent it out at high rates. From where we sit there are a couple of troubling perceptions possible. First, perhaps the city policy that we rolled into our neighborhood plan, imagine Austin, blueprint, etc., doesn't really mean anything. Or does it? Does all that policy just sit on a shelf -- [ buzzer sounding ] >> Mayor Adler: You can conclude your thought. >> Does this policy apply or not, or are we just going to make these zoning cases up as we [3:03:54 PM] go along? Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Is Preston king here? Preston king? I think this is also parcel 58. Go ahead. >> Yeah, hi. I'm Kristen Haney, chair of the Caesar Chavez neighborhood plan contact team. Since the fair market item was on here twice I wanted a second opportunity to just let council know that the ACC understands that density and height needs to have -- >> Mayor Adler: I think you've already had a chance. >> There are two agenda items related to this topic, 46 and 47. >> Mayor Adler: People get a time to speak on the bulk of the case -- both cases, unless somebody wants to call her up to speak separately. Okay. You've already had a chance to speak. We're going to go on to the next person. >> I understood that the rules were we could speak on each item [3:04:55 PM] on the agenda. >> Mayor Adler: No. That's not how we've been calling it. I've had multiple people with more than one case they have signed up to speak to. >> My apologies. That's how I understood the speaker registration. >> Mayor Adler: That's okay. I was calling Preston king. Is Preston king here? No? What about Ty? What about Gary Hamilton? What about David piper? Anybody else signed up to speak that's here and hasn't had a chance to speak yet? Yes, what's your name? Come on down. Did you tell the clerk your name? [3:05:57 PM] >> Hello, I hope everybody is doing well. My name is Julia, a student at university of Texas at Austin studying urban studies and landscape studies, also an intern at a local development company. I'm well aware of the housing crisis currently taking place in our city. I believe that we as a city need to think carefully on how we approach our solutions. As a student who was pushed out of west campus living, I believe that affordable housing need to be the primary focus when looking to further develop residential spaces. I am working two jobs and this is not sustainable. In order to reside in a walkable community in the heart of Austin, you need the proper funds. When looking at zoning changes taking place on toomy road, where a quaint apartment complex will turn into a high-rice, I [3:06:58 PM] wonder who can afford to live there. I hope the city will consider making for affordable developments. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. >> Kitchen: Mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Kitchen: I'd like to ask the speaker some things. >> Mayor Adler: Sure. >> Kitchen: The toomy item is being postponed. >> I didn't know that. >> Kitchen: I'm Ann kitchen with district 5 and I represent that area. I would be happy to talk with you further about that development. So, if you would reach out to my office. And what was your name again? >> Julia. >> Kitchen: Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Those were all the speakers we have here in person. Do you want to call the ones on the phone, please? >> Yes, mayor. The first speaker is Kristen hottop. >> Mayor Adler: Colleagues, it looks like about ten people. >> Good afternoon. Can you hear me? >> Mayor Adler: Yes, go ahead. >> Hello? Good afternoon, council. My name is Kristen hotop, a 27 [3:08:00 PM] year resident of the ecc neighborhood, vice chair of the contact team. I join in asking you to hit the pause button on all rezoning requests until the contact team, in cooperation with the city and area stakeholders, can update the regulating plan. The team strongly endorses the goal of the T.O.D. To provide additional density in exchange for affordable housing, which we need to ensure economic and demographic diversity in our community. As individual rezoning requests rapidly increase, our community does need a revised plan that offers predictability and assurance to all developers and residents, and that realizes the city's affordable housing goals in addition to imagine Austin. Fee in lieu payments to the city housing fund have unfortunately not resulted in affordable housing in our immediate neighborhood, however, and while [3:09:00 PM] we are aware of market financial -- habitat for the rosewood project in exchange for rezoning, we need affordable housing in the ecc neighborhood in our own community. As ecc contact team chair Kristen noted earlier, this exchange would come at the expense of the opportunity to build 38 or more affordable units somewhere in the T.O.D. If council wants to pursue this exchange we request input in selecting the beneficiary of any such arrangement, and serious consideration of other affordable housing providers, including the Guadeloupe neighborhood development corporation, which has projects under way with within the ecc boundaries. Ultimately, granting additional height without any affordable housing in our immediate community in exchange is unacceptable, and further rewriting T.O.D. Zoning lot by lot is not beneficial it our community, nor should it be our [3:10:01 PM] responsibility to come up with solutions in response to these -- the increasing number of individual zoning requests we're receiving. So today we're asking you to honor the regulating plan and oppose this project's request for additional height and density, or to postpone making a decision on this case and others like it until we can put the comprehensive regulating plan amendments in place that encourage the affordable housing opportunities that we are all committed to achieving here in the ecc community. It should not be a community member's responsibility to negotiate with lobbyists and developers to agree on payments or amenities -- [ buzzer sounding ] >> That offer sufficient community value. It's inequitable, exhausting, and we're getting nowhere. We really need a consistent overhaul. Thank you. [3:11:04 PM] >> Tricia Stewart. >> Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor and city councilmembers. My name is Tricia and I'm a homeowner at 8203 lane. I've lived with my partner and son for four years. I've been a resident of Austin for almost 20 years. I was familiar with the different neighborhoods and I love the one we're in now. I understand that something will need to be developed on the lot near our house, but the proposal that is going in now is not necessarily something we want in terms of density and height, and we've tried to work very closely with the applicant to try to make modifications, to try and do things that are consistent with the character of the neighborhood, that will also provide more housing. I know there's a housing crisis in Austin. We want to rectify that. Our attempts to work with the developer have not gone as well as we would have hoped. [3:12:04 PM] We've asked for things and they told us things verbally in email. They haven't -- what they told us and what has come out hasn't been consistent. We would like to encourage the applicant to work with the neighbors to prioritize the placement of parking lots rather than buildings adjacent to the property. We'd like to require the restrictive covenants be signed by the applicant and neighbors, and move the third reading to a separate meeting, to allow more time to return to the city council an agreement with the specifics of the project. Thank you for your time. I wanted to speak out and express my concern about continuing to develop the character of our neighborhood and create housing opportunity housing opportunitiesfor everyone. >> The next speaker requested interpretation. It's Moises. [3:13:05 PM] >> [ Speaking Spanish ] [ Buzzer sounding ] >> [ Speaking Spanish ] >> Mayor Adler: Are you able to? >> Can you hear me? >> Mayor Adler: Yes, go ahead. >> Yeah, good afternoon. I would just rather just speak in English at this time. >> I'm sorry? The interpreter couldn't hear. >> He said he would rather speak in English at this time. >> Okay. >> Mayor Adler: Go ahead, sir. >> Okay. So, I'm speaking to you today as a resident of beacon ridge. [3:14:08 PM] I think -- against this rezoning case and I can't believe the city council first reading didn't take the citizens' voice into account in the unanimous decision to be in favor of it. Against this rezoning case, our voice, the neighbors' voice matter. Our organization matters. The -- that we have out of this rezoning is incredible. Just yesterday I just saw how people were walking surrounding the area and I could feel definitely unsafe and being watched from that area. It's really bad that you guys decided not to help our neighbors and would rather decide to help these big corporations. Thank you. [3:15:13 PM] >> Dillan mccafee. >> I'm speaking to item 53, 1st street, I live on 1st street a few hundred feet north of the proposed site. I spoke last session about mobility and safety for the area. I would like to reiterate the immediate need for improvement to mobility and safety if this area is to become much more dense. I didn't hear the specifics on the first reading on what the city is committing to. The sidewalk between my row and Ralph needs to be connected not just in front of the proposed site. A massive amount of water drains through this path to an inlet that is often overwhelmed. That will need to be considered as well. How will traffic safety be addressed? The traffic light at 1st and Briton is necessary for the proposed development but it's not a sole solution. Please consider more options so pedestrians can safely cross 1st street, so neighbors can safely [3:16:13 PM] pull out, so bicycles can travel with ease through this corridor. Even at the pedestrian light, we've noticed it can be run too frequently by vehicles. Please keep in mind in the area between slaughter is predominantly residential, school, and places of worship. I'd also like to propose the start of a protected high-comfort bike route running from slaughter to downtown. Bicycle access to downtown is poor, considering safety and interaction with automobiles. South Austin doesn't have an equivalent shoal creek boulevard protected bike lane and trail, nor a walnut creek trail acting as bikes, highways, and recreational trails. Keep in mind that all these things I spoke on just now would be especially important for those who would be utilizing less expensive units in the development. Thank you for your time. >> Dale Barnhart. [3:17:16 PM] >> Mayor Adler, councilmembers, I live on an adjoining property at 8304 beaver brook lane for the south 1st rezoning case iteming 53. As my neighbors have pointed out, we were surprised at the first reading that our strong ballot petition and all of our efforts to speak and articulate our thoughts were ignored, and it was approved without any dialogue or acknowledging there was a petition in place. We've worked hard with the developer to learn this process. It's not something that most of us were familiar with. And we were offered by the developer a 75-foot setback. That was the concept plan a that was mentioned earlier. And when they went to the city council meeting for the first [3:18:16 PM] reading they reverted to an earlier version of it and did not stick with what they had offered. Now, we did -- we were pushing for reduced density, and if that is not to be, if it's going to be mf4, an abrupt change from single-family, then at least please ask the developer to work with the neighborhood so that we can have a little bit more of a buffer. We would rather have parking than dwelling units along our back fences. I'd appreciate if you could validate the effort that we've put into this by acknowledging our concerns and asking the developer to work one more time with the neighborhood to make a minor change to their offering. Thank you. [3:19:19 PM] >> Lorraine Atherton. >> I'm Lorraine with the zilker neighborhood association zoning committee, opposing item 56. In June a majority of planning commissioners voted against this rezoning but city staff have not recommended any environmental protections, street or drainage improvements, or traffic and parking restrictions to address the community's concerns. A letter from z&a president bill bunch posted in your agenda backup describes the many issues in this case. Two of those issues have citywide implications. Number one, affordability. Granting mf6 rezoning here would encourage investors and other mixed use and moderate-density multifamily prospects to -- prospects to apply for mf6, gutting the affordability unlocked bonus program. Number 2, most of this site is [3:20:20 PM] located over the Barton springs zone and will require a redevelopment exception to sos. To approve further increases and entitlement on a property knowing that those entitlements will have to be reduced in the near future seems perverse, as though the city council is intentionally seeking to undermine the S.O.S. Ordinance and environmental protections in general. We therefore ask that you deny the rezoning. Thank you. >> Phyllis Snodgrass. >> Mayor pro tem and city council, thank you so much this afternoon. This is Phyllis, CEO of Austin habitat for humanity and I'm speaking in favor of item 56 at 2700 south Lamar. We all know that we need all types of housing in all parts of [3:21:23 PM] this community. As a local affordable housing organization we are committed to supporting smart policies that will help us achieve that vision. I just wanted to take a minute this afternoon and say I appreciate the message board discussions that councilmembers have been having about teeing up a new conversation about the density bonus program because Austin needs to continue to improve on its affordable housing goals. And your comments are encouraging. This is very much needed and we look forward to supporting a strong density bonus that can lock down long-term affordability. As you know, tax density program bonus efforts have stalled for various reasons, resulting in projects coming forward that don't fit neatly into the current boxes without an available program to sync up with some of these projects, have turned to us and asked us to step in and partner to ensure affordable long-term commitments to housing. Affordable housing is our mission and because of this we have stepped up. 2700 south Lamar is one of these [3:22:25 PM] cases. I want to describe to you quickly the basics of how this works for us. We have an enforceable restrictive covenant program ensuring on-site affordable housing at 60% mfi for 40 years. The covenant runs with the land. It includes protections above and beyond what the city requireses in some of its densities bonuses, including disallowing source of income discrimination and requiring affordable units to be dispersed throughout the project. It also lays out clear monitoring and enforcement. The owner is required to provide us with important documentation to show compliance. We look forward to supporting efforts to create a new density bonus program to serve a broader range of projects. In the meantime we ask that you approve item 56. Thank you so much for all that you do. >> Monica Guzman. [3:23:26 PM] >> Good afternoon, I'm Monica Guzman, policy director at go Austin, vamos Austin. The city's zoning principles are not must-dos, but it needs to be pointed out that approving the proposed development of condos is in no way compatible with the adjacent and nearby property uses of houses, duplexes and four-complexes along Grady drive. Granting the zoning can and likely will set the undesire un-de- sighable precedent for gentrification of the current residents. And speaking of increased rent, many renters are not aware, they don't understand when property taxes are increased, it's passed on to them in the form of increased rent directly impacting the affordability of their rental home. They are not informed of this by their landlord, property owner, developer, and/or the city. And as I stated at the [3:24:27 PM] October 21 council meeting, Austin is experiencing a crisis of lack of affordability. How does a condo development priced beyond the reach of those long-term lifelong low-income residents address the affordability crisis? Building condos in a low-income community is not the answer. Your approval will pull the gentrification lever, beginning to unravel the tapestry of a beautiful, multi-cullle community. I'd like to read Preston king's statement in closing. To whom it may concern, I am writing in regards to the proposed zoning change as Grady drive. I live on Grady and have for 20 years. I have witnessed traffic issues. My mailbox has been smashed as has the one next-door. Both my -- many neighbors had their cars hit. The streets in this area don't have drainage. Except for Grady, they are one plan. The other -- lane. [3:25:28 PM] The other street it would exit on is the middle tip, which is the same size it was when I-35 ran over it in the '50s. It is a small, narrow street with no drainage. It can not handle any more traffic. Any more multiunit structure will flood out the streets with more traffic. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. >> Jade Lovera. >> Hello, I am a native austinite and lifelong resident of this neighborhood and district 4. I presume you are well-versed in the principle of zoning, establish a guide to preserve land compatibility. Ten of these are not being evaluated in this case. Notably neglected zoning principles include zoning should constitute a grant of special privilege to an individual owner. The request should not result in [3:26:29 PM] spot zoning. Zoning changes should promote compatibility, not result in detrimental impacts to the surrounding neighborhood character, and the zoning should in no way set an undesirable precedent for other properties among other -- these are the most significant and directly damaging. We are -- displacement, racism, and adverse effects. There is a housing crisis in Austin, which can be most accurately described as an affordability issue. According to the November market report there are currently over 67,000 units in the plan pipeline to hit the Austin housing supply. This is over a 25% increase to the current supply in Austin. The lack of housing supply issues are being addressed by the development approvals thus far. The infringement of spot zoning here to provide expensive density to our low-income neighborhoods will certainly [3:27:29 PM] result in displacement, making the affordability crisis worse. I congratulate councilmember Casar on running for congress and I am proud a representative stands for working class families. I ask for consideration to vote for the highest good of the people above the financial gain of developers at devastation of quality of life and abolishment of a now-rare affordable community. Thank you for your service and time. >> Zenobia Joseph. [ Buzzer sounding ] >> Zenobia Joseph? [3:28:30 PM] >> Mayor, Ms. Joseph is our last speaker. Would you like us to try to reach out again? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. And if you get her, please let me know. Colleagues, I think those were all the speakers we had signed up. I understand we can do Austin housing finance corporation. >> Judge. >> Mayor Adler: Hello? >> Yes, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Yes, Ms. Joseph? >> Yes. I'm listening to you in my ear and I apologize, there's a delay in the reception so if you called my name before, I just didn't hear because of the delay. >> Mayor Adler: Go ahead and speak. >> Mayor, can you first they tell meif you have me against item 52 and 56? I didn't receive a response back, but I did register against those items. >> Mayor Adler: You can speak to both those items, you have two minutes. >> Thank you, mayor, councilmembers, I'm Zenobia Joseph. My comments for the project, [3:29:31 PM] once again, I'm going to actually quote councilmember alter's husband, who talked about the ways that people may use language that doesn't include the N word and other obviously racist language but nonetheless create a racist image. And I just want you to be aware once again, I know this is second and third reading, that this particular property as a restrictive covenant for 80% area median income, $55,400. And African Americans earn $42,000, no more than 50,000 depending on the source that you're referring to. I want you to recognize as well, as it relates to the brony development, 392 started my advocacy on breaker lane. I would ask the councilmembers who have children to walk on the interstate 35 access road and see if you think this is transit-oriented. It is not. And this is a 45-minute route that became 20 minutes only on [3:30:32 PM] soccer game night and it takes 30 minutes to transfer west because capital metro eliminated east-west connectivity June 3rd, 2018. And lastly I want you to be aware in district 5 as it relates to item 56, that's the Barton springs development. 500 units. My opposition is not to the development, but to the fact that it's exclusionary zoning, which means the individual who is live there will be able to make $41,000. You're talking about professionals and some essential workers. And so basically what you're doing is segregating the city. Today, alone, this will mean you have authorized 818 units in district 5 and none of them are for 30% area median income. The homeless people, people making $20,000. I want you to understand, 60% area median income in [3:31:34 PM] district 5 -- [ buzzer sounding ] >> 80% west of route 1 and in north and southeast Austin, that's where you're putting all the homeless people. Please stop creating the segregated city and stop talking about compact and connected. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you very much. >> If you're not going to be true -- >> Mayor Adler: For participating with us today. Thank you. All right, colleagues. We'll do zoning here. The consent and then I think we can do hfc real fast and go back to executive session. Why don't you take us through the zoning consent. Hi. >> Mayor, mayor pro tem, and council, I'm joy with the housing and planning department. Your zoning agenda begins with item number 46, npa2020-002.01. This item is being offered for consent, third reading. The related rezoning is item number 47, c142021-0061, offered for consent, third reading. Item number 48, c142021-0104, [3:32:39 PM] consent on all three readings. Item number 49, c142021-0122, offered for consent on all three readings. Item 50, c142021- 0136, consent, all three readings. 51, c142021-0119, consent, all three readings. Item 52, c142021-0100, offered for consent, second and third readings. Item 53, c142020-0151, consent, third reading, a valid petition like the speaker mentioned. This item was discussed at first reading. Item 54, c142021-0094, offered [3:33:39 PM] for consent, second and third readings. Item 55, c142021-0117, being offered for consent, second and third readings. Item 56, this will be a discussion item. Item 57 is c14-2020-0146, consent, second and third reading. Item 58, npa2021, this item can be offered for consent, first reading. The related rezoning is item 59, excuse me, item 59, c142021-0039, again, we can offer this item for consent first reading. This would be PC recommendation, understanding there will be continuing conversations prior to this item returning on your agenda for 11/18. [3:34:40 PM] Item number 60, this is a staff postponement request to your November 18th council meeting. And item 61, c14-h20210057 can be offered for consent on all three readings. And that concludes the agenda. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. So the consent items as I see it are items 46-61, but the one that's been pulled, councilmember kitchen, is what, 54? >> 56. >> Kitchen: And 60 is postponed. >> Mayor Adler: So it's 46 through 61 with the exception of 56, which is pulled. >> Kitchen: Mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? Councilmember pool makes a motion. Is there a second? Councilmember kitchen seconds. Councilmember kitchen. [3:35:41 PM] >> Kitchen: I have a brief direction to read into the record on item 54. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. >> Kitchen: It can stay on consent. Should I do that now? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Kitchen: Okay. This is item 54. And this is direction that my office has worked with staff on. And this development provides significant affordable housing units for the city and is an opportunity for the city to address strategic goals for both housing and mobility. The city commits that prior to site plan approval, Austin transportation department and public works department staff will work with the developer to improve Brandt road, including identification of an interim solution to include a pedestrian connection from the development to a nearby transit stop prior to issuance of a site development permit with construction of internal connections to be concurrent [3:36:43 PM] with construction of the development and second, a permanent solution elevating the priority of Brandt road improvements as part of the roadway capacity plan. The city manager will report to council on the status of the work and such a plan has been developed and prepared for implementation prior to site plan approval. >> Mayor Adler: Councilmember kitchen proposes this amendment. Manager, is staff okay with that and the changes? >> We are. >> Mayor Adler: All right. Is there any objection to this being included? Hearing none, it's included in that part of the consent agenda for item 54. Further discussion on the consent agenda? Councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: Thank you, mayor. I wanted to just better understand the case along south 1st street and which of those conditions -- as I understand, the -- maybe councilmember Fuentes, would you kind of talk us through which of those -- as I understand there are conditions within the [3:37:43 PM] conditional overlay that are responsive to the community's requests. Is that accurate? >> Yes. The two conditions that are not included in the restrictive covenant are the 75-foot setback, I believe it's at 45 feet on certain sides. And the parking area is a different part of the development. >> Tovo: But the other conditions were included and then also were part of the direction that you offered on first reading? >> Right. And the direction I offered on first reading is included in the backup on the second page, but the -- the backup material. And there was a caller who mentioned the traffic signal and there will be a new traffic signal along great Briton and south 1st street along with drainage improvements for existing flood infrastructure. >> Tovo: I'm sorry, where is the new traffic light? [3:38:45 PM] >> Great Briton and south 1st street. >> Tovo: Thank you very much >> Mayor Adler: Any further discussion? Councilmember alter. >> Alter: I have further questions on 58 and 59, so I'd like to be seen voting no. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. The record will reflect that on item 58 and 59. Anything else? Yes, mayor pro tem. >> Harper-madison: I just want to be clear, I had commentary for item number 53, but I wanted to make sure I heard that 46-61 were on consent? >> Mayor Adler: Yes, only 56 is being pulled. >> Harper-madison: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. On item number 53, the south Lamar item, we saw the report on Kut that says the average rent in Austin is now $1,500 a month. It also says that year over year that increase is about 20%. This is what a housing shortage looks like. And I'll add for emphasis that I'm a part of this group called the national league of large cities council presidents. [3:39:45 PM] Council presidents is what a lot of other major municipalities call their mayor pro tems. So I'm talking to other people from around the country in cities that are comparably sized and others that aren't. The word of advice we got from the mayor pro tem, the council president in San Jose is the city of Austin looks like about what we did five years ago. If you act now you might just be able to catch it. And I want to leave that with y'all because it resonated with me in a way that it keeps rattling around in my head. I'm leaving that with y'all, because we are going to have to work together to come up with solutions. According to housingworks's latest blueprint scorecard, we fall far short of the goals we set to address the housing crisis. Rents are only going to get worse and our current eviction protections and rental relief programs are not going to last forever. I have deep concerns, very deep concerns that once we cut the pandemic safety net that a lot [3:40:45 PM] of people are going to be in a free for all -- a free fall, excuse me. I wish we could address our policies. I can't tell you how much I wish we could address our policies. They make it harder to build more housing for more kinds of people in more parts of town. For now we have to take the small wins where we can. I look at this proposal and I see a big small win, south Lamar is a triple threat. It's an imagine Austin corridor, it's a 2016 mobility bond corridor and a project connect metrorapid corridor. This property is a tenth of a mile away from transit stations and just three miles from the heart of downtown Austin. It's in the thick of jobs, good schools, zilker park is a short bike ride away, down the protected bike lanes on bluebonnet. We have our differences, when it [3:41:47 PM] comes to details about land use and housing, but we've all pretty much agreed that density belongs on corridors. Mf6 is our highest category of multifamily and I don't know where we're supposed to put it if we don't put it on this kind of robust transit corridor. More height means more units and that means more opportunities for people to look for housing that is not in east Austin. Also, more height means more shade, which is going to be more and more important for sustaining a walkable, bikeable environment in the years ahead. That's another thing I'd like to also caution us to do. I had the opportunity this week to talk to some neighbors who don't get invited toconversations about land use and that's a part of the problem we're facing. I had to make sure to say to that person -- I don't know that my colleagues and I say it to the general public often enough. This is really sort of complex subject matter. I appreciated one of the callers being like, I'm learning about [3:42:48 PM] land use. This isn't my subject matter expertise. The regular citizens that are having to learn about land use and city planning, and civil engineering, and impervious -- these are not the kinds of things that most people are studying every day. So the subject matter is so complex that we need to -- it is our inherent responsibility as policy-makers to demystify it so you understand sometimes when we make difficult decisions it's because there's no other option. The people who own the joint will do what they can do by right anyway. So we have to vote for it or you don't vote for it and it happens anyway. Then you didn't vote for it but it was just for show, it didn't do anything for anybody. The other thing I want to point out is sometimes the decision is more difficult than you can anticipate. And it is never that we disregard the contributions of our so valued citizens. [3:43:50 PM] Because what I don't want you to forget is you're not just citizens as we sit elevated above you. Y'all are our neighbors, our friends. We go to church with you. We are involved in youth groups and our kids play together. We're not that different. We up here get the opportunity to make those very difficult decisions because y'all gave us the opportunity to do so. But it is never disregarding your contributions. I just want to make sure to drive that home. Even if you don't agree with the decision we make. Even if what you were fighting for didn't happen it's not because we disregarded you, I promise. We are listening to y'all. I definitely as a person who came about politics sort of accidentally, because I was looking around my neighborhood and I didn't understand what was going on. So I started asking developers questions. I started asking people who understand these things questions. And it encouraged me to learn more, know more. But I think we as a municipality are inherently responsible for making certain that our [3:44:50 PM] citizens, the general citizenry we are supposed to represent, understand what's happening. So I'm going to keep asking some questions about how we can build in something, some resource that makes it so people who don't have 12 years to learn how to be a land use expert can really understand the cases that they're trying to analyze, because all folks are doing -- I deeply sympathize when people are trying to come before council to advocate for themselves and their neighbors, but the subject matter is really complex and on occasion I'll get the chance to catch them and say that thing you said is inaccurate. But the truth of the matter is, I deeply sympathize with your desire to advocate for your communities, given that more often than not regular people are poorly prepared to do so because the subject matter is complex. And so I just want to make sure -- one more time, I'm going to find a way we can share more informations, policy wonks and [3:45:51 PM] policy professionals and urbanists and builders. Those folks aren't sharing the information that they have readily enough for us to all be on the same page when we come to the conversation. And I want to change that very much. And I'll close out my commentary by saying I like that we as a council get one more pass at this site when it comes back to us for review. I hope that we get to use that as an opportunity to ensure that streetscape remains active and engaging. But the cherry on top is the developers' proposal to partner with habitat to include 46 units at 60% of the median family income. That's a big deal, which is approximately 20 more units than the existing vmu or vertical mixed use would provide. Austin's badly, badly needed more affordable housing, both in our urban core and west of I-35 for longer than I've been sitting up here and probably [3:46:52 PM] will continue to. So we're all going to have to fight for more housing in more parts of town and for crying out loud on behalf of myself and my neighborhoods and the constituents that I represent in east Austin, Austin, we've got to share the load. The whole city has to share the load. 46 is a drop in the bucket compared to our overall needs. But we need to take every unit we can get if we are ever going to make it out of our housing crisis. I'm happy to support moving this rezoning case forward today. Thank you, mayor, and thank you to the folks in the audience for being patient with my long commentary. >> Mayor Adler: Again, before us is the consent agenda zoning, 46-61, with 56 pulled. Does anybody else want to speak on this before we vote on the consent agenda? Councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: Yeah, I really appreciate all of the neighbors and others who have participated in all of these zoning issues. It really does help us shape a better process and better [3:47:53 PM] decision-making. We heard some really good commentary from the east Caesar Chavez neighborhood contact team. And I don't know that today is the appropriate time to initiate or to direct staff to initiate the kinds of changes that I agree with you we need with regard to the density bonus program in our transit-oriented developments, but as you may have seen if you were following the message board posts over the course of the next several weeks, we're going to have conversations about ads, some work that I'm bringing forward and work that councilmember kitchen is bringing forward. I don't know if this fits within the work she's bringing forward but I'm certainly prepared to also bring forward work to make sure that our density bonus programs within our transit-oriented developments are keeping pace with where they need to be. And also I am -- I would also like to be reflected as voting no on 58 and 59, please. >> Mayor Adler: Got it. My hope is we can pick that up. There's a conversation on the message board, I heard you were ready to get in. It looks like [3:48:54 PM] we could get together the first week of December thereabouts if we wanted to have a work session to talk about all of the different ideas. But we're not going to address that subject now. There's a message board post. I -- >> Tovo: I agree with councilmember kitchen. Some of this work is already in process and progress. I'm happy to have a work session but I'm probably going to bring forward the Adu work before then and look forward to the conversation on all of these issues. >> Mayor Adler: And I want a conversation to happen. I would move to postpone so that we can hear all the items together, probably. We can have that conversation on the message board post for that topic. I don't think we need to take the time now to have that conversation. All right. >> Tovo: I will get back into the loop of we either do all the changes at once or move forward as we agree on things. We'll make better progress if we move forward on the items where there's consensus rather than try to take them all up together. That's my opinion. I rarely write on the message board. >> Mayor Adler: I understand. [3:49:56 PM] I wanted to give staff a chance to talk about priorities and how we use staff time and the effort and that kind of stuff. That's good conversation for us to have, just not today. We have the consent agenda in front of us. It's 46-61, with 57 pulled. Any further comments on the consent agenda? Councilmember kitchen. >> Kitchen: I think you mean this when you say on consent, but 60 is postponed. >> Mayor Adler: It is postponed. >> Kitchen: I don't want the public to be confused. >> Mayor Adler: The action on 60 on consent is to postpone the item. >> I would like to vote no on 58 and 59. >> Mayor Adler: Mayor pro tem. >> Harper-madison: I'd like to be shown voting no on item 61. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Let's take a vote. Councilmember Ellis. >> Ellis: Just very quickly, I really appreciated the mayor pro tem's remarks. I think one of the specifics may have been on the case that was pulled, the affordable units. [3:50:58 PM] I wanted to make sure we were talking about south 1st? >> Harper-madison: Comments intended for 56, but heavily apply to 53. Sorry for the confusion. >> Ellis: So much was still so accurate. [ Laughing ] It applied to both cases. >> Mayor Adler: 56 we'll get to later this afternoon. Those in favor of the consent agenda with all the notations made, please raise your hand. Those opposed? It's unanimous on the dais with the notations made. Before we get to the Austin housing finance corporation which we'll run through and get to executive session, councilmember pool. >> Pool: I wanted to make a couple of comments since we passed item 61, to thank joy harden, Jerry rusthoven, I wills ,Elizabeth and Steve for the conversation around these types of landmark designation cases. I voted to support the recommendation of our staff, as did the majority of this dais. It feels to me that because the case merits historic landmark [3:52:00 PM] status, and I also applaud the move to include information in the staff report about any cases that have racist elements or even a history of being in or promoted as whites only properties, I understand that it was a common practice long ago to have these types of deed restrictions in Austin and elsewhere. And all such deed restrictions were mooted by supreme court action 70-odd years ago. It still remains important that we get this information out in the open, acknowledge it, discuss the merits of a case in light of its history. So I trust our expert staff and our community experts at the historic landmark commission to lead this conversation on a case-by-case basis so we can continue to make informed decisions as we move forward. Thanks, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Yes. Let's take a vote. We did take a vote already. [3:53:02 PM] So, I want to go ahead and recess the Austin city council meeting here now at 3:53 and I am going to convene the -- reconvene the Austin housing finance corporation meeting here on November 4th, 2021, here at 353. If staff could take us through the consent agenda that would be helpful. >> They're getting moved over now, mayor. >> Mayor? >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Hi. Rosie, treasurer of the Austin housing finance corporation. We have three items on the agenda for you today. The first is to approve the meeting minutes of the October 21st board meeting of the Austin housing finance corporation. Item number 2 is to authorize [3:54:03 PM] negotiation and execution of an 11-month contract with the Austin area urban league to administer our minor home repair program in the amount of $900,000 with an option for a 12-month extension for a total of $1.8 million. And item number 3 is to authorize negotiation and execution of all the documents necessary to acquire approximately 2.789 acres of land located near gardener road and Levander loop. You approved the accompanying itemmerrier. >> Mayor Adler: Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? Councilmember Ellis makes a motion. Councilmember Renteria seconds that motion. Any discussion? Those in favor of the consent agenda, please raise your hand. Those opposed? It is everybody with director Fuentes off. I think that's all of our work. Thanks for sticking around with [3:55:05 PM] us today. The meeting of the Austin housing finance corporation is adjourned. Thank you. >> Thank you, mayor. >> Mayor Adler: Colleagues, we're going to now reconvene the Austin city council meeting here on November 4th, 2021. It is 3:55. We're in city council chambers. We're going to go ahead and now go into closed session to take up two items. Pursuant to 55107 one, legal matters related to 67, which is joint powers agreement. And pursuant to 551074 we're going to discuss personal personnelmatters related to item 45, the city clerk. Without objection we will all join that remotely. I would suggest we get there just as quickly as we can. See you there. [3:57:39 PM] . [Executive session]. [4:57:56 PM] . [Executive session] [5:56:00 PM] Test test test test test test. [6:05:45 PM] Test test test test. [6:12:20 PM] >> Mayor Adler: We are now back. In closed session we discussed legal issues related to item 67 which was the joint powers groament. That's as far as we go. Got. We're now back in session here and it is 6:12. It's already item 37 which is the joint powers agreement. Is there a motion to approve the joint powers agreement? Mayor pro tem makes the motion. Seconded by council member pool. Joint powers agreement is in front of us. We have some amendments that I think we can offer. I've offered an amendment as concerns the executive director section. It's been posted. Is there a second to that amendment? Council member alter seconds that amendment. Is there any discussion of that amendment? Let's take vote. Those in favor of that amendment, please raise your hand. [6:13:20 PM] Those opposed? It's unanimous on the dais. We are missing council member Casar I think. Everybody else is here. There is also an amendment brought to us by council member Ellis. One is an amendment to the document. One is a direction. Is it okay if we take those separately? Doesn't seem to be any disagreement on the document amendment. >> Sorry, I need to understand which piece is in which? >> Mayor Adler: It adds planning to laundry list of things that are susceptible of a supplemental agreement. >> And I'm happy to lay it out if there are any questions or concerns. >> Mayor Adler: Let's see. Okay, any objection to that amendment being added? Hearing none, that amendment is added. There is also an amendment that is proposed by council member tovo. >> Mayor, are you going to take up council member Ellis' direction separately? [6:14:22 PM] >> Mayor Adler: Yes. We divided those elements. I'm ready to go through those quickly. Council member tovo has brought us an amendment, item 63 that amends 5.3.1.2. That makes this language on the first bullet point conform to the work we did last week. It's been handed out. Council member tovo, do you want to read the amendment that you have made? >> Tovo: Sure. And I have more copies if anybody wants one. Just flag me. This changes some of the language in 5.2.1.2 from best facilitates the equitable design, et cetera, et cetera read now interpret and apply regulations to project connect that meets the city of Austin's goals and furthers the equitable design and construction of project connect. Which condition. >> Mayor Adler: Any objection to that being added. >> Tovo: Makes it [6:15:23 PM] consistent with the other docs. >> Mayor Adler: Hearing no objection, that amendment is added as well. >> Tovo: Mayor, there is one more on the back. And this relates to boat house issue that we heard some testimony about last week. Our staff and capmetro and project connect staff have been working with stakeholders, including rowing Een enthusiasts and other stakeholders to talk about the boat house and the eventual impact that the bridge would have. And so this just directs our manager and our city staff to continue to work on assessing appropriate spaces and more importantly to provide us with an update on what some of those possibilities are so that we can really be proactive about that process. Also to look at what elements of the boat house might be able to be moved and reconstructed. This is a really relatively recent building. I was built I think in 2014. It was a significant investment. So to the extent that it can be -- that sections of it, may be the boat docks, [6:16:24 PM] possibly other parts of it can be relocated, that's ideal. If some of the materials can be reused, I think that, too, would be in keeping with our values of accruing the benefits of those embedded energy costs. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. >> Tovo: I think that's about it. >> Mayor Adler: Any objection to this direction being included in the matter? >> Tovo: And importantly, it would also include community stakeholder input, continued community engagement, not just in the areas -- not just with those who are using the boat house, but also those who are stakeholders in the areas where the boat house might move to. I think it's very important to get the engagement of those community members as well. >> Mayor Adler: Council member alter. >> Alter: I don't have an objection. I just wanted to flag there also was a spelling error that was corrected as part of the motion sheet as well. For identifying. >> Mayor Adler: Yes. [6:17:25 PM] The amendment that we approved a second ago had both that amendment as well as the correct spelling of identifying in the fifth bullet point. Thanks for pointing that out. Council member Kelly. >> Kazi: Thank you. Disbloo. >> I don't have an objection to this amendment and I'm glad that council member tovo put a lot of thought into this so we can get it involved and included. >> Mayor Adler: Any objection to including that direction as part of this? Hearing none, that objection is included as well. I will say -- council member kitchen, I'm anxious to see wording you bring back with respect you had indicated to me you wanted to bring language to make sure that atp -- that the workers protections that were applied in the atp responsibility sections also applied to capital metro or others that might be working for atp on the project sequencing and plan. >> Kitchen: Uh-huh. >> Mayor Adler: And I want to support that language. I think I also mentioned [6:18:26 PM] that to Kate as well. She may be working on wording as well. >> Kitchen: Uh-huh. >> Mayor Adler: I wanted you to know that I will support that amendment. >> Kitchen: Should we just take it now? >> Mayor Adler: I don't think we have language quite yet. >> Kitchen: Okay. >> Mayor Adler: Hang on. Council member tovo. >> Tovo: Mayor, I'm awaiting some language as well, but I have a couple of quick things. I had provided our legal staff with some really line edits I don't think we need to vote up or down is my understanding. Just some passages that doubled where there was just like some extra language. There were a couple of typos, some extra commas, missing commas. But one suggestion that I did want to make that our legal staff thought I ought to just ask the dais, in several sections -- and I can tell you what pages those are, 7, 15, 18 and 19. The language is used -- the language used is adoption [6:19:27 PM] versus approval. And I am working to kind of move toward language that is coming out that is talking about approval unless we're talking about people. I would provide the direction if the dais is amenable to that, that in areas where adoption is used or adopt or versions of adopt that we shift to the language approval that occurs on page -- at least on page 7, 15, 18, and 19. Possibly elsewhere. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. I don't have a problem with that so long as legal says it doesn't change any of the meanings. And to council member tovo's point, please correct all spelling and scrivener errors but this is issued in its final form. Council member kitchen. >> Kitchen: We can talk about council member Ellis' direction if you want while we're waiting for the other language. >> Mayor Adler: I think that's what we're left with those two things. The direction and then the workers issues. So let's go ahead and talk about the direction. I'm going to let council member Ellis lay that out [6:20:29 PM] first. >> Ellis: Thank you, mayor. Let me pull up my notes. It's been quite a long day. So, first of all, I appreciate the word planning being incorporated into that list of the supplemental agreements that would be included in this. After I posted the original one to the message board, we were able to sit down with staff with housing, planning, transportation and project connect folks. And they agreed the interagency agreements on E tod and land use planning and on multimodal infrastructure implementation around project connect lines would be extremely valuable. As we work through there language -- and I do appreciate council member kitchen also adding some language into here -- my version two accepts some of that language and then tweaks the ending where we talk about whether or not it will come back to council and so I know that -- I hope staff may be on the line to help answer some of these questions, but we know there has already been collaboration with etod planning with capital metro and with the city of Austin. So we just want to make sure they can be ex peeped [6:21:29 PM] gentlemen and that they can hammer through some of these really detailed discussions and agreements about the framework and direction to the city manager and so I feel like if these things can be handled with staff, it doesn't necessarily need to elevate to the place of coming to council for approval and then subsequently trying to sort out what do our intergovernmental agencies then need to do to make sure these are formalized. I wanted to make sure we could get the right people in the room together to hammer through some of these framework details and to do so in a very quick way. So I'm happy to read through it if anyone needs to. It is on the message board and has been circulated by agenda staff. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. Is there a second to the Ellis amendment? Council member Fuentes seconds it. Any discussion on her amendment? Council member kitchen. >> I have amendments. >> Mayor Adler: You can make an amendment. >> Thank you, council member Ellis for adopting most of my language changes. I appreciate that. [6:22:30 PM] Disblich so the changes I have are just to the very last section and that's the one that relates to the ecods. So just that very last sentence, I would like to delete if the agreement does not require approval by council by the Texas interlocal cooperation act and delete otherwise. The effect of that is that the agreement as it relates to etods would come back to the council. That only applies to that one. It does not apply to your first paragraph with regard to multimodal infrastructure implementation. That certainly makes sense to me to be handled at a staff level. I do think that it's important that the etod framework come back to the council. And I want to add that that aligns with this council adopted a resolution on [6:23:33 PM] etods in June. And specified certain things to come back to the council. So I think that -- I think doing this framework is a great idea. And I think we should proceed with it, but I think implements -- it relates to the kinds of policy issues and land use that really needs to come back to the council. So I don't think it's appropriate. I also do not think it's going to slow anything down. And would just appreciate making those changes to the last part of it. >> And I can certainly appreciate that and I know we're trying to head in the same direction with this type of language. I appreciate you bringing up the June 10th resolution. I think that was mayor pro tem's work that we had collaborated on and worked on from the dais as well to make sure that that language was correct. I still prefer just to let staff figure out if it really does need additional [6:24:34 PM] policy direction. Given that we already do have a rest oh whreution on a resolution on the books about etod planning. It's not the end of the world, but I just think we sometimes need to let staff be able to work on things and do what is going to work well for this particular direction at this point in time. I'd prefer that it not necessarily have to come back to council to leave that at staff's discretion. But we can certainly just vote on it if we need to. >> Kitchen: I appreciate that. And there is a lot of things that really don't need to come back to us, but the use of our land and the importance of affordable housing along these lines is something that impacts a lot of policy issues and something that the council has been very involved in. I think we should be clear with staff that it's something that we would like to see. >> Mayor Adler: Okay, we have and amendment that's been moved and seconded. Ready to take a vote? Council member alter. We're on kitchen amendment [6:25:35 PM] to the amendment. >> Alter: So I agree with you couch kitchen. I just want to make sure that I'm understanding. I know you're trying to amend what she had. >> Kitchen: Right. >> Alter: But I'm getting a little lost. >> Kitchen: Okay. >> Alter: What does it mean to finalize it if it's not approved? >> Kitchen: Oh, you're right. >> Alter: And then it seems like rather than a semiclol Een it should be the manager should bring the draft agreement. >> Kitchen: Yeah. You're right. It takes more than that. So I would say the manager shall bring it back to council for approval. >> Alter: I think it's fine to say and the manager shall bring the draft agreement to council for approval, but I don't know what it means -- I just want to have clarity on what it means to finalize. Because we're not saying execute it. And so it's just not -- [6:26:39 PM] >> If I may. >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Ellis: This is not necessarily making land use decisions. This is about the framework by which the conversations take place. >> Kitchen: We understand that. >> Ellis: I just want to make sure everyone is clear on that. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. >> Kitchen: So council member alter, maybe the language -- maybe I didn't strike enough of it barring unforeseen obstacles, it should be struck from there to the last line say the manager shall bring the draft agreement to council for approval by March 3rd. >> Alter: If he brings it by then it has to be published before then. >> Kitchen: Yeah. So saying barring unforeseen obstacles, the manager shall bring the draft approval to council by March 3, 202. >> I want to say thank you to council member Ellis for adding the word planning in there. I think that is important for us to allow for that to happen. I am more comfortable with [6:27:40 PM] that framework document for those responsibilities coming back to us to have -- to have a vote because of the reasons that council member kitchen has already outlined. >> Mayor Adler: Okay, council member kitchen has posed an amendment. It's been seconded. Any further discussion? Let's take a vote on the kitchen amendment. Those in favor of the kitchen amendment to the amendment, please raise your hand. Council member kitchen, council member alter, council member pool, tovo and Fuentes. Those opposed, please raise your hand. It is the other six on the dais. The amendment does not pass. Any further discussion on the Ellis amendment? Take a vote. Those in favor -- I'm sorry. >> Kitchen:I don't understand that. >> I want to just clarify though -- I mean part of the reason that I supported council member kitchen's amendment was I think there is still a lot of gray area [6:28:42 PM] over what we're asking with respect to the planning. Because it's just a bigger thing than how you do the implementation of multimodal which seems to be very infrastructure-focused. So council member Ellis, can you explain a little bit more what you have in mind? My concern is having the guardrails, not that we shouldn't be doing that coordination, et cetera. So I want to have a greater clarity on the scope that we're talking about. >> Ellis: Both of these paragraphs are explicitly about making sure the discussions are taking place. We know there is going to be -- we just talk 3w-d the etod. That's a little more obvious collaboration of capital metro has the federal grant funding to be doing equity transit-oriented development research, but they don't have any zoning. So that's a very clear distinction that we see where capmetro is doing the research and then anything [6:29:42 PM] that would be happening with anti-displacement or zoning would come back to us as the city council, with multimodal infrastructure it would be probably a little bit diceier for staff to get in and make sure what dollars are being used in what place, what is in the implementation plan for project connect, what might be adjacent to it but can't be used on project can't that would be used out of 2016-18 bond dollars or any they are bond dollars that would be available. We really want the staff of the different entities to get in the room together and to sort out how are we going to talk about these and what does that framework look like? It doesn't mean that we're adopting a specific next step beyond that, but just to make sure that management can bring us a framework for what that -- what their plan is to look at that. My fear is that if we come in and we start editing that document after the fact, and haven't bent involved in those detailed conversations, we could end [6:30:43 PM] up stepping on our own feet in some way and I just really want to make sure staff has the clarity of sorting out some of those multimodal next steps. >> And again, I'm totally fine with it on the multimodal part. I'm still trying to understand given the zoning powers and our planning powers what this involves in terms of -- like, yes, we have to have the conversations. We have to have the cooperation, but because I don't understand how this plays out, I'm concerned about its seeding authority in that process without us voting on it legally I'm just confused as to what that might mean absent any guardrails or opportunity to shape that. >> Well, maybe staff can help at this point. I know we've had a lot of meetings with a lot of departments to make sure this language was well vetted. Maybe somebody can give a different angle of this perspective as folks who would actually be working out that framework. [6:31:44 PM] >> Mayor Adler: For what it's worth, my answer to your question would be that staff is told to go out and form this framework and work on this framework and they have to report back to us as to what it is they are doing because we get noticed. And if council objects to that, then council can step in and say we don't want it to happen this way and council can take action, but it doesn't require action on behalf of council. >> And anything that would fall in our' you are view like zoning or budgetary decisions would already come back to council as a matter of normal procedure. >> Mayor Adler: It doesn't stop anything from coming back to us that would otherwise come back to us. That was my understanding. >> It doesn't necessarily require those things to come back to council. I mean that's really the concern. It's not really clear to me -- >> Mayor Adler: I think what it -- >> I have a lot of questions and I don't want to be out of order. While that may be true what you're saying, it doesn't stop it from coming back. It also doesn't necessarily require it. I think this is going to need more conversation. So I have some questions when it's my turn. [6:32:46 PM] >> Mayor Adler: Okay. Anyhow, does anybody else have any other amendments to this document? Council member kitchen? >> Kitchen: I have some concerns about this, too, that I wanted to express. Because the language when I read the language it doesn't say what you just suggested, mayor. You know, it doesn't say that. And then also it's talking about land use planning. So -- so I'm struggling with how this is different -- first off, if -- I'm struggling with what this is that's different than what we already passed in our machine the resolution, the etod resolution. So I'm struggling with that. And I'm also -- you know I'm also struggling with why we wouldn't want it to.com back to us. When you look at the scope of what it addresses. Because it's collaborating on etod development and any related land use planning. So it's land use planning. I don't understand why we [6:33:48 PM] wouldn't want that to come back to us. I mean there is a lot of decisions that are inherent in setting a framework on land use planning. So I don't see the downside of it coming back to us. >> Mayor Adler: I'm trying to figure out how we deal with this on the dais because we need an amendment in front of us to be able to deal with it. I read this amendment as I read it, not to say anything other than we're establishing a framework for how parties will collaborate. And they have to come back to us and tell us how they are collaborating. And if we don't like how they collaborating, then I think the council at that point could act. I mean that's how I viewed this. >> Kitchen: It says it's an agreement. They are going to enter into an agreement. Shall initiate an agreement -- a supplemental agreement. >> And we had softened the language from material year version that said ma'am ran mou that,didn't necessarily need to be signed by multiple boards [6:34:50 PM] and councils and so we softened it into a lower case agreement instead of an mou, but this is very much about just communication, which entities have the power to take what action. Not taking the action, just laying out how the communication is going to work, at which point decisions would need to be made by the capital metro board, atp or the city council, depending on what legal powers we already have. It's just about the conversation and communication. It does not bind any land use changes or decisions simply by this direction. That would obviously come later. >> Kitchen: Could I speak to that, mayor? Do you want to call on somebody else? >> Mayor, if I could butt in for one second, here. I think we're trying to understand what you're saying before we can propose an amendment because we don't -- we don't fully understand the intention. The intention and the goal may be the perfect thing, [6:35:51 PM] about it we're not reading it and understanding what that is. And so we -- I think for me I don't want to - - I don't want to authorize something that I'm not comfortable with because I don't understand it. And I can't propose an amendment until I understand it more clearly. And I understand it with respect to the multimodal in a way that I don't understand it for the planning at this point. Even if, you know, I signed on to the etod thing and I agree that we need plan for that, I'm just -- because it's using language of a supplemental agreement and we've had conversations about what those are, and they're different than just how we do things. >> Mayor Adler: Council member tovo. >> Tovo: I'm working on an amendment here but I am at the same place. I think council member Ellis [6:36:51 PM] if you could help me understand what is the desired -- what is -- >> I don't understand it. It sounded to me like it was about setting up a process for having conversations about these issues. Is that the gist of it? If that's the gist of it then I would suggest we use that kind of language rather than talk about an agreement such as an mou which starts to sound like there is an outcome that's not just a process for structuring those conversations. >> Right, which is why -- after talking to staff about the intent of an mou, the memorandum of understanding, sometimes I know we like to use the full terminology when we discuss these things, but this was just an area that I had brought up through multiple discussions as we all got together and talked about the jpa, brought these conversations up behind the scenes, and noticed that without a call [6:37:51 PM] out to having planning in the jpa and then understanding what then are we directing city staff to do, it is laying the ground work for who's going to have those conversations, are all of the angles of the conversations going to be pigged up? Pigged up? And these were two areas in planning we knew we were going to have staff from different tent its get in the room and figure out the next steps. By March 1st there will be information shared with us about what are the results of those conversations. It by no means makes any decisions on land use or changing finances in any sort of way. >> So is it -- so I may not be looking at the most recent draft I have and maybe I don't have the most recent draft, still calls out an mou. Still says such as an mou? That is gone? Into there is another version that's been sent out. >> I'll take a look for that, but I think still the language is -- I think I'm starting to understand what [6:38:53 PM] you're trying to facilitate or create, but if the desired outcome is to facilitate those conversations, and as I understand, it's facilitating conversations around planning, around the etod policy, and around land use and financial investments -- >> I don't call it financial investments, but when we talk about multimodal we will have have the conversations about which entities are responsible for what. I see [indiscernible] On -- >> That's really on the first part. I think that one -- I mean I don't have a concern about that. It didn't seem like the concerns we were hearing were about that. In terms of the -- okay. So I think I have some draft language. Let me finalize it and offer it. But if what we're really -- if what you're aiming for is to ask staff to come up with -- to engage in [6:39:55 PM] conversations with these other two entities around these issues, then I would just suggest we use language that is more like that. Is there anything else I'm missing about what hoped for outcomes you were trying to achieve here? >> I would say we went through a lot of versions with a lot of different departments. I would suggest if you want to finalize anything and share it that they also go through this same departments because they may have angles and aspects in the language that was chosen. >> Well maybe they could weigh in. I'm not entirely sure what problem you're trying to solve for. If they are already working together and talking about these issues, I think it's a great thing to make sure that we're setting that up expectation and if there is a need for setting up a more formal process -- but again, I think I'm just -- I'm not completely understanding yet what exactly -- if the staff are involved in this from [6:40:56 PM] different departments, maybe they could help us understand what needs -- what direction do you feel you need from council to help you facilitate a conversation with atp and project connect around land use and the etod policy? >> This is also a moment to keep track of that the conversations are happening. You know as we look at this jpa and want to make sure there may be -- as I proposed earlier in a work session meeting that we needed to make sure some of this was in the jpa and what we understood from staff is not everything that is happening between these different entities has to be spelled out specifically in the jpa, but we also have found as we're working on our own ideas how to put a bookmark in these conversations are happening. This is where it's called out. This is the meeting where we authorized staff to be doing these and to make sure that we understand the timeline of when this framework is going to come back for us to [6:41:56 PM] review it. So it's not necessarily needing to do something like a new item from council, but it's just a bookmark for conversations that need to happen to make sure staff knows that they can go and continue on these and to make sure they understand their relationship with the council as they're talk through some of these finer details in these two particular topics. >> And then the expected outcome from those conversations would be recommended action items for each individual body based on their authority. >> Doesn't need to be that. That could be an outcome, but it could also just be here is how we're making sure we know who is responsible for advancing parts of these conversations. So I think that's what's important is to make sure that we know the conversations are happening. We want staff to work out the framework of the multimodal planning and anything else with etod which we know we've already had conversations about the [6:42:57 PM] etod planning in the past. So that's already ongoing. But for the purposes of today and the jpa to add that word planning into the jpa does come with the direction of what we want staff to be working on and what kind of conversations we trust that they're having. And then they're going to come back in March and tell us how those conversations are going, what they've come up with. >> Okay, thank you. >> Mayor Adler: I'm missing the difference on intent here. My sense is that -- I'm missing the disagreement I guess is what I'm saying or the significant delta. Council member pool. >> Pool: So I just -- I'm trying to follow and capmetro can purchase land and decide what happens on land that it purchases, but it can't under its own [6:43:57 PM] authorities change the zoning to land. Is that right? That's something only the council has the authority to do, is that right? Okay, so if there were any instance of capmetro moving forward to try to change zoning, they would not -- no matter how this is worded, there is no way that could ever happen. >> Excuse me. Sorry. Just to let you know there is technical issues and city staff cannot currently hear you respond, but we're working on it. >> Mayor Adler: Well, that's a problem. >> [Inaudible]. >> Can any of them come into the chamber? >> Mayor Adler: Are we broadcasting over channel 6? >> Correct. >> Mayor Adler: So at least in the meantime staff said they could follow and probably find that live stream. >> That's correct. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. They just can't respond to us right now. >> We are rebooting some equipment and it should be shortly they'll be able to [6:44:58 PM] respond. >> Mayor -- >> Mayor Adler: Yes, council member. >> I'm very confused right now. Because the conversation goes like the city and -- I get this feeling like I'm also a trustee on capital metro board. Y'all don't trust me. You know. I mean -- well, I get that feeling. You know, I don't know how to react because I'm on metro and also on city council. We know we have to work together. We know that we're going to -- whatever we do we're going to have to pull the permits. We're going to have to get permission from the council to do whatever we need to do as capital metro. And as city council we're going to make sure that they abide by all our building rules and construction rules. So I just -- it really gets to me that we're having this [6:46:01 PM] long conversation and we throw out capital metro like I'm not here and y'all are telling me that this is what y'all feel uncomfortable and we formed the transit partnership. We have a metro trustee on that board. The mayor selected the -- I believe the chair. Or we appointed all these. So I think we're just one big old family that are working together, but there seems to be mistrust and it really bothers me that I would love to just sit down there and -- I mean we're not going to go down there and condemn any parks. We're not going to do any of this. We're going to abide by all the rules that the city has established here in the land use and land code. I just would like to just stop the negative part and [6:47:01 PM] just say, hey, what do we need to do to get this going? And as a trustee with capital metro, I want to find out what y'all need from me to go there and when I serve on metro because my whole vision and desire is to get this project going. We made a commitment to the voters that we were going to do -- we created this board. And now we're talking about it's an independent outside board that we have no say so. I don't believe in that. We have complete control. Capital metro has worked with us. I trust the c-e-o there. We hired him and made sure that he stays here at least for the next five years. You know, so that -- and I really believe Randy Clarke, our CEO and metro, this is his -- I always tell people that this is his baby. You know, he brought that [6:48:02 PM] vision forward and really worked it real hard and now we have this. This great opportunity. And I just hope that we just don't get bogged down in fighting over a couple of words here and a couple of words there. >> Mayor Adler: Council member Kelly. >> Kelly: Thank you. You know, I've been sitting through this conversation and I've spoken with other members of the other boards, and my understanding is that a lot of these conversations are happening. I think that's great. I'd like to echo some of what council member Renteria said and just say that I don't like to further complicate things. Bad communication can create obstacles and I don't want to give the wrong impression to our other partners involved, atp and also, you know, the joint powers agreement is here so that we can all work together cohesively. And I'm looking forward to. [6:49:02 PM] That. >> Mayor Adler: Yes, council member kitchen. >> Kitchen: Yeah, I agree with council member Renteria. I sit on that board, too. But this -- all we're talking about this amendment has nothing to do with atp or capmetro. This is between us and our staff, our city of Austin staff. Because all we're talking about is direction to the city of Austin staff. We're not talking about direction to capmetro or atp, just the city of Austin staff. And I would like the hear from our staff. I'm just trying to understand -- and maybe I'm misunderstanding. The word that I'm stuck on is the agreement word and maybe we just take that out. Because my thought is if there is going to be some kind of agreement that's signed and agreed to, that that is something that should come back to council. I don't understand what staff's problem would be with bringing that back to council. And I guess I need to hear from them. [6:50:04 PM] But that's -- city manager, let me ask city manager. Is there some concern about bringing this back? >> Cronk: This is really in response to the direction that the council member is proposing. I think your conversation on the dais is appropriate. I don't think staff needs to weigh in at this point in time. >> Kitchen: But I -- what's being represented is that staff is saying that this shouldn't come back to us. Maybe I'm misrepresenting what you said council member Ellis. Or maybe I misunderstood. >> Ellis: So we worked on the language about what would agreement look like. We actually wanted to make it less formal. So we can change -- we're just using the agreement language. We can walk it back further. I just want to have -- like even a memo of here is how the conversations are going. Here is the people involved. Here is your point of contact. I know that there is a lot of words in each of these paragraphs, but it basically [6:51:06 PM] says establish some sort of framework. It should document entities proposed responsibilities. And be consistent with other etod policy planning. I know it's long paragraph, but it's supposed to be simple. I know we always council it up and make things way more complicated than they need to be as far as language is what I'm saying. But it really just says we know these conversations are happening, put together a document that we can look at so that we can understand how the conversations are happening. It doesn't change any authorities or make any permanent decisions. It's just about ho who's participating in these conversations and what angles are being considered so we can understand some of the things happening that aren't necessarily as big as some of the other conversations within the jpa that we have ahead of us today. Which is why my amendment was one word. Because I wanted to keep it streamlined and didn't want to overcomplicate what we were trying to do, but it [6:52:06 PM] really is just about create some sort of framework for these conversations and tell us what you've come up with. >> I think Cathy -- >> Mayor Adler: Kathy. >> I wonder if this council member Ellis might capture the intent and what you were just describing especially and I did send this to the printer. I think I've done my last battle with the printer right outside the door. So hopefully the other printer down the hallway is going to be more cooperative. Anyway, council member Ellis, does this capture what you were intending to do? Now again this is not making any changes to the first passage, just the second one. Further the city manager shall continue and expand discussions with capital metro related to equitable transit-oriented development,ette and any related land use planning, areas designated as tod's and along the metrorapid, metrorail and light rail lines included in the project connect initial investment a long and around the project connect transit [6:53:08 PM] lines. These version should proceed in align William the etod policy plan under the council approved resolution X. I didn't have the resolution to fill in. The manager shall report to council on the progress and recommendations generated by these discussions by March 3rd, 2022. So I tried to keep as much of your original language as possible and just -- but convert the agreement piece to represent what I heard you describing, which were really to support the ongoing conversations, to give, you know, our affirmation to those continuing and expanding around those particular areas that you had identified. I didn't make any changes there. And then include as you had -- as you had articulated the need for that group to report -- >> Oh, thank you so much, Debra. I have one more edit to this and then I'll hand it out. And including as you had asked for the report back to council by March 3rd. [6:54:10 PM] So I'll hand it out if that helps. >> I think that's generally agreeable. I don't know that the way that it's written right now is much different. I think it's clear to staff and the manager what the ask is here. >> Can I suggest something? Since this is a direction, and it's not in the jpa, maybe we can come back with this direction if we want to have more time to think through it or work through language. So we can bring this back in two weeks. We can take this issue, divide it, as we have already done, postpone this for two weeks, and come back and have this conversation and I think we could probably work out the direction language. And that way the agreement itself can move forward. >> I would be okay with that since the word planning has already been -- >> Mayor Adler: Any objection to that happening? [6:55:10 PM] >> Kitchen: I object. I think that -- I think we should just take care of it and I think that we may be there with council member tovo's language. If we can do council member tovo's language in the next few minutes. >> Mayor Adler: If we can do it in the next few minutes. >> Kitchen: Then we should just go for it. >> And the one thing from here, I said this discussion, I think it should be these discussions so I just circled it. >> If I could just clarify, again, something that one of my colleagues said. We're talking about direction and it's direction that was post in the last couple of days that we haven't had a chance to review in the midst of an extremely complicated agreement and that we've had a lot of different moving parts on that are very important for the success of the program. And we all have conversations and opportunities where we have conversations with staff and we are totally clear on what we're doing, but the rest of us are not part of those conversations. And we have to catch up and [6:56:10 PM] that's just part of the job with the rules that we operate under Toma and we also -- we've kind of been creating the jpa and all of these pieces and certain language has meaning under that that we've been struggling to make sure we understand with clarity what it means under this tri party agreement. And so I think really shifting that -- using the same language for something else that's really a memo and a direction to our staff for some of us is very confusing, especially as nonlawyers to understand what we are authorizing. So, again, that is why the planning change and the amendment was fine. And we're just trying to understand. I don't -- I think sometimes when we ask questions and we're not on the same page folks a tribute concerns that are not there, but wove to vote on things and we want to know what we're voting on. [6:57:11 PM] >> Mayor Adler: So my sense is that if we -- if the direction is not part of the jpa, not part of the base document, we can pass the base document. And that would give us two weeks to read the amendment and come back. And then those three offices or four offices could talk to each other. We're not taking it off the calendar, we're putting it back. So if this is something, council member else I that -- council member's language looks good to you and we can move forward, that is fine. Otherwise I support this coming back in two weeks. >> I would like to have more time to review this language. It doesn't seem on its face out of the intent that I had, but would definitely appreciate more time to actually read it and vet it and understand it. Maybe it's better for -- >> Mayor Adler: So I would move we postpone this to two weeks from today and revisit [6:58:11 PM] the direction when we have more time to take a look at it. Is there a second to the motion? Seconded by council member Kelly. Discussion? Council member kitchen. >> Kitchen: Just a quick ask. Councilmember Ellis, I don't think there was any concern about your first paragraph if you want to move that. >> Ellis: I'd be happy to move that along. >> Mayor Adler: Does anybody have any problem with moving the direction of the first paragraph with the v2 from councilmember Ellis. Hearing none, that direction is included. The other parts are postponed until two weeks from today. Councilmember alter. >> Alter: Procedurally we've never postponed direction on an item and passed an item. So how does that work? Wouldn't that be an ifc? >> Mayor Adler: Wouldn't have to be because we're not refiling it. It's something that is on this agenda and will be -- >> Alter: If that's legal I'm fine with it. I just had never seen that procedure. >> Mayor Adler: If you could properly notice that on the meeting agenda that we divided the question. >> Alter: If staff can figure it out, that's great. [6:59:12 PM] I don't want to -- I appreciate councilmember Ellis bringing this in good faith and I just don't want it to get caught up in a procedural quagmire. >> Mayor Adler: I understand the last amendment we might have might be -- well, we have more. Councilmember kitchen, you had wanted to put in language in the section about atp responsibilities, something to the effect that capital cap or any implementing project connect projects on behalf of atp, any other one, not just capital metro. On behalf of atp will abide by the labor and safety terms set forth in the jpa. >> [Inaudible]. >> Kitchen: Do we have some language here for that? >> Mayor Adler: That was the language. >> Kitchen: Let me read it again. Capital metro or any entity implementing project connect projects on behalf of atp will abide by the labor and safety terms set forth in the jpa. [7:00:12 PM] Yeah, that's fine. >> Mayor Adler: I think it's actually section 3.4. Is that the section? Of the jpa. I think it's the only place that it exists. >> Kitchen: Yeah I think so. >> Mayor Adler: On section 3.4 -- no, no, 4.4. Section 4.4 of the jpa. Okay, councilmember kitchen makes that amendment. Any objection to including that amendment -- >> Kitchen: I think it's 4.3. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. I don't know if Kate wanted it in 4.4... >> Mayor Adler: The version I would have it has it in 4.4, responsibilities of atp. >> Mayor Adler: Okay, that's fine. >> Mayor Adler: All right. With no objection that's included. Councilmember Casar? >> Casar: Mayor, no objection, but just to clarify and whatever from staff can confirm this. The intent of this being, [7:01:12 PM] for example, when the rapid lines are being built by capmetro using the project connect dollars that this applies those requirements there or if some day let's say atp asks the city to help build a bridge for project connect or dig part of the tunnel that it would apply to us just as much because it's the same project and the same dollars. >> Mayor Adler: I think the intent is to not let atp contract around its obligations to workers. And obviously this will apply prospectively. We can't do this retroactively. Councilmember Kelly. >> Kelly: I just want to make sure I know that with transportation especially with construction regarding that, it's federally regulated to ensure that workers' rights are protected, is that correct? >> Mayor Adler: I think so to a degree. That's why 4.4 makes a reference to federal protections as well. >> Kelly: Thank you very much. >> Mayor Adler: Any further amendments then to the jpa? Councilmember tovo. [7:02:13 PM] >> Tovo: Yes, mayor, I am reviewing two amendments that staff have provided to some of the issues that I raised regarding how we -- how the three party are going to interact, especially around areas where there are multiple uses going on. I have some draft language from legal to consider, but it doesn't completely capture -- if doesn't completely capture some of the conversations that we had a bit earlier. So I'm madly trying to edit it and I'm not sure how to accomplish that given our time frame here. We can sort of crowdsource it here on the dais, I guess. Otherwise I'm going to need a few minutes vanned to come back to it. >> Mayor Adler: You were [7:03:13 PM] trying to seek, as I recall, putting in the expectation that the parties need to cooperate with one another and you had indicated you wanted to put language around that, maybe something that goes up in the initial principles in the document? >> Tovo: Yeah, there were two places where I think it would make sense. One is in terms of joint expectations that jointly apply to all three parties. And then another one that specifically discusses how we're going to collaborate together if and when there are issues for which one party might need to seek legislative changes. So I'm getting a little closer, but I need a couple of minutes. >> Mayor Adler: Okay. I think that's our last issue. >> Tovo: Sorry, if I could [7:04:13 PM] have two quiet minutes then I'll read it out. >> Mayor Adler: We'll give you a couple of minutes. Do we have staff back with us at all or no? I'm with you on the first one of those, Kathie, because I think that stating that expectation of each other because we have to cooperate and work is good. When we start getting more specific and stuff it may be difficult. We're going to take a five-minute break so they can reset the system and we'll will be back in five minutes. [7:15:01 PM] >> Mayor Adler: We are back again if we can pull everybody back if you're in the wings. I think we have everybody back online again. I think the only thing we have left are councilmember tovo's proposed amendments and recognizes that this is a collaborative process. We have three different entities and agencies that are going to have to work with each other. We're partners in this, brothers and sisters family, we will all have to work together to get this done on the timing that has to happen. Councilmember tovo, do you have an amendment to offer. >> Tovo: Thanks, mayor, I have two. And if anybody wants to read it, I'm sending it to the non-cooperative printer right outside the back door, but I'll read it. So these would go into sections 3.1 and add two additional bullets. The first one is the parties [7:16:02 PM] agree to implement a process to discuss and implement the use on parkland in historic squares which will be approved by the atp board, city council and the capital metro board. >> A commitment to grate to -- >> Tovo: I'll read it again. The parties commit to developing an agreement outlining a process to discuss and mitigate the use on parkland and historic squares which shall be approved by the atp board, city council and the capital metro board. >> Mayor Adler: Does anybody have any objection to that amendment being incorporated? Any objection to that being incorporated? Hearing none -- yes, council member. >> I don't have an objection, but I had a request to send to the agenda office. >> Mayor Adler: Send to the clerk and can the clerk please send it out to everybody? [7:17:04 PM] What's the second one? >> Tovo: I'm going to send it in an email if that's okay. The second amendment is same section just an additional bullet, the parties commit to working together in a collaborative fashion to discuss any potential or proposed legislation related to project connect as early in the process as feasible. >> Mayor Adler: Read that again. >> Mayor Adler: Practice tickable: The parties commit to working together in collaborative fashion for any proposed potential or proposed legislation related to project connect as early in the process or practicallable. >> Tovo: I think the intent here is clear to set the expectation that there may be a need to seek out some legislative remedies that allow the process and the use of spaces for project connect and we want to be partners in that and we want to be partners [7:18:06 PM] earlier, as early as possible in that so that we're really working together in talking through those potential legislative remedies prior to the drafting of any legislation that would be -- for which there would be sponsors sought. >> Mayor Adler: I think that sounds good. I appreciate you using the use of the word practicallable because that takes into use all thements, but again we're collaboratives so we should be working with each other. Any objection to that language? Hearing none, that is also included. Let's take a vote on the jpa as amended. -- Jpa as amended. >> And thank you for assisting with all these last minute amendments. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. All right. Let's take a vote. Those in favor of the jpa please raise your hand. Those opposed. It should be shown as being unanimous on the dais with councilmember Casar off. [7:19:07 PM] That takes care of the jpa. Thank you, everybody, and again, I think this pushes this project forward. Hopefully we've done things here today that the other boards will find helpful. >> Renteria: Mayor, I want to thank everyone and Kathie, I'll be more than willing to sit down and work with you as a trustee from the board of capital metro. >> Mayor Adler: Colleagues, that leaves you two things that you need to work on that are left on the agenda. One of them is in executive session, could be brief, and the other one is the report out on the storm. I'm sorry and you have a zoning case as well that was put off. I don't know what kind of order you all want to work with. I don't know if you want to take a break. I don't know what your pleasure is. [7:20:10 PM] And I'm ready to turn this over to you, mayor pro tem. >> Harper-madison: I appreciate it you turning it over to me to make a difficult decision as to eat food or not. How about I decline until we make that decision to -- [laughter]. >> I'm sorry, Jerry rusthoven, is that a bribe? >> Alter: I'm happy that we should take at least a half hour break to eat. >> Harper-madison: I think we need at least 30 minutes. >> Mayor Adler: Let's give people notice of what will happen. A 30 minute break and when you come back do you want to just meet back in executive session to resolve that question fairly quickly, come out, do the report briefing while we have the experts and then end the day with the zoning case. Sorry. Okay. So in that regard then I [7:21:15 PM] need the script. In that case here at 7:21 we're going to announce that the council will go into closed session to take up item number 45, the interim -- the city clerk issue. Pursuant to 551.074, a personnel matter. Without objection council will now go to executive session. You will be doing that remotely and you will be starting at 10 till 8:00. 10 until 8:00. [break/executive session]. [8:52:00 PM] . [8:54:13 PM] >> You are better prepared for emergencies and extreme storm events in the future. Winter storm Yuri was a statewide catastrophic event layered on top of an already historic global pandemic which continues today. The city of Austin like the state of Texas was unprepared for such a complex disaster. We have fared through historic flooding and wild fires but I cannot recall in recent history any community that has been after a conflicted by a natural disaster of this scale and duration during an international public health crisis. The entire state of Texas was under a disaster declaration. We faced record low temperatures, 144 hours of freezing temperatures and record-breaking days of consecutive snow on the ground. The storm left millions of Texans without power as ercot [8:55:15 PM] mandated Austin energy and other utility providers cut power to keep the power grid from completely collapsing. Winter storm Yuri pushed all of us beyond our limits. We had employees working on cellphones from their cars because their power was out, sleeping on office floors separated from their families for multiple days, individual employees working 14 hour days all in service to this community. City and county staff worked tirelessly amid significant obstacles to respond to hundreds of traffic crashes, to distribute food and water and to mobilize temporary and longer term shelter for hundreds of residents. We also saw how our community rose up and worked together to help one another, neighbors checked on neighbors, businesses offered free water or food to others in need and grass roots organizations spraining into action do help whenever they could. [8:56:15 PM] This truly is an amazing community. And with every unprecedented event like this there are lessons to be learned and opportunities for improvement. And consistent with our commitment to continuous improvement we reached out to national experts in emergency management to perform an in-depth evaluation of our operations, including preparation, planning, and response to winter storm Yuri. With that said I will turn it over the the city homeland security and management committee Juan Ortiz to introduce the team who will provide an overview of the operational analysis and walk us through how we as an organization and as a community can be better prepared for emergencies in the future. Juan. >> Thank you. [No mic] >> This presentation in three parts, the first part will be consisting from the -- the [8:57:16 PM] consultant we hired Hagerty consultant will provide an overall part of the presentation of the after action report and followed by a presentation from Austin energy and then a presentation from Austin water utility. As we begin, I want to take this moment in time and just thank all of the staff from the city and the county and the community that participated in this after action review process. Their feedback and their input is valuable and is going to be instrumental in making sure that we build a more resilient community as we move forward. All of us want to take a point in time and thank my staff who participated in, and ensure this effort was conducted and completed, with the media today I have a couple of representatives today, Matthew Laura, bill Wilson and robin Wiatrek sitting in the back now present I have Eva long mower as [8:58:18 PM] well as Bryce -- who is actually in the process of getting married today or tomorrow, so we wish him the best for him and a his wife. But I want to take a moment and just kind of reflect on the fact that I have been doing this -- I have been involved in the field of emergency management for over 27 years. I made recommendations to elected officials to evacuate for a category 4 hurricane along the coast, I have been involved in over 15 presidential disaster declarations at least and I have been involved in floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, major hailstorms, even a support add super bowl response in the middle of a winter storm resulting in rotating power outages, and I will have to say, that events that we experienced in February of 2021 require me to muster all of my experience, all of my knowledge in order to ensure that I was doing the -- [8:59:19 PM] doing the best job I could to protect the citizens of Austin and Travis . With that being said, I want to ask April garusco to come up to the microphone and start the presentation for you today. Thank you. >> Good evening, everyone. I am the director of resilience. In addition to that, I'm the executive on response and recovery operations for covid-19 and any concurrent events that have been going on since the start of covid-19. Before I started about 10 years ago I was with the city of fell Delia's office of -- [9:00:20 PM] Philadelphia's office of emergency manage. I've worked numerous times with FEMA on complicated events. I bring this up because we can learn what we have learned as a result of winter weather uri as a result of what's happened nationwide over and over again to promote a more resilient future for our community here. Haggardy was hired to be an impartial participant to conduct this review. That said, many of us were a big part of winter weather uri. We were from here during the response. To create the impartiality we created a team that was separate and distinct. That was led my Allen freedman. [9:01:21 PM] Before I hand it over, I want to mention that in the days leading up to winter weather uri, I was at hand working on vaccination planning with many other community members, and then we had to shift focus and gear into the winter weer -- weather. It was a hard and long road. I worked with numerous city, county and community members day and night with great effort, worked on initiatives and response to get through the storm, the after math and the resulting boil water notice. I'm proud of the work that me, my team and all of the partners that I was working with worked on but there are many lessons to learn. We shouldn't wait in the days and weeks of a disaster to effectively plan. Effectively planning takes time, months, years. [9:02:23 PM] That is going to be a measure of effective resilience in the city of Austin. We should take this moment, learn from it, and grow. With that, I'll pass it on to Allen. >> Thank you, April. My name is Allen freedman and I was the team lead for the after-action review. I want to first really reiterate what Juan Ortiz said. This after-action review would not be possible without the tremendous contribution of the city of Austin and the members of the community and those who participated from the review, from elected officials, members of council to numerous representatives of departments, first responder, as well as members of the community. With that I'm going to start in on the presentation. We hope today that you'll take away from our presentation [9:03:24 PM] three primary points. First, that you are likely to see more events like winter storm uri in the future. Winter storm uri is very much a precursor of events. One of the themes we'll be coming back and talking about in a few moments are how the impacts of the climate crisis are changing the impacts of events in our communities. Second, we hope that you will see this after-action review as an opportunity to better respond to this new reality. We hope you will see this after-action review as a framework and as an outline and road map to be a more resilient community but to fundamentally be better prepared for the new reality that we expect to be coming in coming years. Third, in order to be better [9:04:25 PM] prepared, it will take the whole community. It will take difficult choices to build and better utilize existing capabilities. What is an after-action review? An after-action review is an evaluation, as you heard, but is fundamentally based on the premise that we can look inward and learn from an event, that we can think about what went well, best practices, and grow from those things we did well, identify gaps, and do it better the next time. First, it is a usual and customary structure review of an incident event. It's a common practice in emergency management. Second, we identify in an after-action review what went well, best practices, and areas for improvement. And third, we include recommendations for the purpose [9:05:28 PM] of continuous improvement and learning. The goal of an after-action review is very much about learning and growth. So how did we do the after-action review? We looked at three areas. First, we examined over 75 documents. They include everything from emergency operation plans, incident action plans, as well as, for example, the city task force report on winter storm uri. Second, we talked to over 190 individuals across city and county departments, members of the community, community groups, and elected officials. And finally -- and finally -- technical issue. Wait for the suspense. [9:06:30 PM] I'm having trouble with my clicker. >> They might be able to advance it if that's not working. >> Is there - - can you try now? Okay. Perfect. And finally, we conducted a survey that included 191 individuals from the same groups of stakeholders that I just identified, primarily to verify the results and observations from the after-action review. I want to now outline what we found and for that I'm going to ask April to come back and walk us through some of the top-line findings. >> While April goes up to the podium, I want to reinforce what Allen said. This after-action highlights all the heroic efforts of the entire community -- citizens, private sector and government employees. It also defines our [9:07:32 PM] limitations, our recurring capabilities, but it also provides us a road map that will allow us to begin that process that we're starting here today. >> Before I hand it over to April, I just want to note that we produced -- there's three core areas, three parts of the ar. First is the findings report. The purpose of the findings report is to provide a summary of our overall findings. Second, we provided the technical report, which provides all of the details, the observations that we found as well as recommendations. And third is our improvement plan. The improvement plan includes 132 recommendations for how the city of Austin and Travis county can become a more resilient community and also respond to events such as winter storm uri in the future. With that, I'm going to hand it [9:08:34 PM] over to you, April. >> So the first concept we want to underscore is this a precursor, sort of a dress rehearsal for what may be to come here in town. Disasters are becoming more frequent and intense because of climate change. There's just no question. Heat, wild fires, hurricanes, flooding -- they are all become K more intense and more frequent nationwide and all of them have impacted the city of Austin in the last hand full of years. So the only expectation we can safely set is that we should be expecting these more complicated, larger, and more frequent disasters in years to come. Not only will they be more intense, they are going to at times overlap. As disasters overlap the risk of cascading failures increases and ultimately leads to loss of property, harm to [9:09:35 PM] infrastructure and to people, especially vulnerable populations. And if unchecked, the cost of disasters is very expensive. So what you see in here in front of you are the 2021 billion dollar weather and climate disasters. This is not including the global pandemic that hit every community in the United States. They are becoming more frequent. They are overlapping. They are overwhelming nationwide. Around the country, I've personally worked with communities seeing the devastation and the recovery through key economic drivers through flood after flood in Nebraska, witnessed fatigue from first responders [9:10:37 PM] responding to disasters and wild fires in California. I'm bringing up the examples I've personally worked on. This is happening everywhere across the country over and over again. Without intervention, intensity and frequency compounds the costs. Not only the financial costs but also the personnel costs and others to -- that support the impact -- physical, personnel, reconstruction, economic impact -- they all compound on each other over time. So zooming from out into the city of Austin -- Austin is unique in many different ways. That's why I'm here. You were mentioning it earlier today. It is a wonderful place to live. It is where I have chosen to live for years and will remain. I love it here. We have a unique culture, [9:11:37 PM] people, the food, the music. It's all great. But one thing that I have mentioned over and over again that is not unique to Austin is the complexity and overlapping nature of the disasters, so what you are seeing here is a little bit of a case study for what's to come in terms of all the activity that the city had to go through starting with March 2020 with covid-19 and morphing into, prepping for and responding to winter storm uri. In the last 20 months Austin has had to think outside the box, to be nimble and to be responsive to do things that have only been invented in real time. This is something that Juan and emergency management has been working on very frequently. Juan, since you've been at ground zero on this, maybe you can sort of walk the team through and just remind everyone all the various [9:12:38 PM] different nuanced and new response operations that you've been working on. >> Thank you, April. As you can see from the slide from March of 2020 to the present day, we've had to undertake major initiatives that the city had not had to do before, working with partnership with the county and other community partners, we had to conduct and set up massive testing sites at the beginning of the pandemic as well as create lodging available for those residents at higher risk and isolation facilities for those who tested positive for covid and could not isolate. Establishing faciiies to support regional medical systems as well as respond to a hurricane and support coastal evacuation in noncongregant [9:13:40 PM] shelter settings which was unique and the first time we've done that. Right before the impacts of winter storm uri hit the xhupt we had just undertaken a massive evacuation operation that our country had not seen since the polio vaccination in the 1950s. Those are some of the things we had to do and then the pandemic happened -- excuse me. Then winter storm uri happened. And then in March as we continued with the recovery for winter storm uri we needed to support both the winter storm response and go back to the pandemic response and prepare forward and not on the chart, prepare for the hurricane season as well. >> Very complex, with a lot of needs in terms of planning. [9:14:40 PM] Okay. I'm going to hand it back over to Allen who's going to walk us through the nuts and bolts of the findings of this report. >> Thanks. Okay. So how do we be better prepared? How do we respond? That's what the heart of the ar is about. Number one, build from strength. There was a tremendous amount of strength on display during this response. I'm going to mention a few of the issues because we want to build from strength in terms of where we go next. Extraordinary staff commitment. You heard it from the beginning in our opening remarks, city manager. There were -- more than a thousand individuals were sheltered. More than a million gallons of drinking wault Eric -- water were purchased and delivered. There were about 2400 -- little over 2400 staff deployed during [9:15:43 PM] the emergency. That entailed about 65,000 staff hours and there was an expenditure of almost 5.5 million in terms of emergency services. In other words, you have a core staff that are dedicated, that are focused on their job and that under exceptional circumstances delivered for the community. But it wasn't enough. There are signature -- there were significant gaps in the response -- no doubt and let's talk about those. We'll find those gaps in the four core areas. What I'm talking about -- these are the four core areas that are really, we think, should be the focus in areas of improvement. First, resources. We need to think of our staff -- how we invest in staff and build a reforce in the future in terms of responding to emergencies. Second, as part of the [9:16:43 PM] resources do we have the right services in place to respond? We need to build more resilient utilities and more resilient shelters, shelters that can be sustained when there's interruption of power, when there's interruption of water. We have to make sure that our people who are out there -- respondents have the equipment they need to do their jobs. Planning -- there were substantial gaps in planning -- no question. We're going to talk about that in a second. Mass care -- there's a need to think of mass care in the city and to make revisions there. Same can be said of food and the availability of food as well as integrated equity and equality as well as community engage. Education. Once we do one, two, three we have to think of how we better [9:17:46 PM] communicate -- with the stakeholders as well and understanding what the expectations of the community and how do we better prepare. So let's talk about six key areas we want to highlight from the report. First, community engagement. There is absolutely no question that the community played an extraordinary role in this are -- in this response. It was clear. But there were gaps in implementation, in coordination between government elected officials as well as the community response operations. What should we do? I should say these are the highlights from the report and you'll see more detail from the findings report as well as the technical report. First, we have to implement best practices for utilizing community-based organizations. Second, we have got to dig in [9:18:47 PM] to our plans and revise disaster planning with additional considerations for nonprofits, the private sector and community-based service delivery organizations. Finally codify the roles and responsibilities between the stakeholders as well as contingencies when those are not available. Find a way to integrate them in the response and make sure that the roles are completely clear. Second, equity. The storm had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations. There is no question that city and county staff worked tirelessly to address those needs, but gaps persisted in planning, operations -- particularly for the unhoused, the elderly, lower income residents and others who were [9:19:47 PM] vulnerable. What should we do in response? First, we need to implement a policy on the equitable availability and distribution of goods and services. Second, we need to include provisions in planning that address the needs of the vulnerable. Finally we need to codify the rule of the equity office in planning of the operations. Emergency staffing. Emergency response fundamentally relies on the quality of the staff and their engagement. As we saw from this response, we have an extraordinary and dedicated work force, but there were challenges. First, staff and volunteer shortages hindered operations. City and county departments do not have adequate staffing models, but more importantly, staffing models for the [9:20:48 PM] multiple response operations that we saw and were demanded by winter storm uri and the covid response. An example of that is support agencies or volunteer support agencies had trouble provided volunteers due to covid-19. What should we do? First, commission an analysis to provide appropriate staffing level and decide -- the department of homeland security and emergency management has not more than 13 -- I believe the number is 13. This is an extraordinary number. 13 staff to manage a future of complex emergencies. That is a small number. We need to step back and think about how we build the work force and make sure that there's the availability of staff to respond effectively. Second, continue to resource alternative staffing schemes. There are some very kree Ya tuf and important -- creative and important staffing schemes. The work force engaging with [9:21:49 PM] the private sector. Keep that going, keep it sustained. Third, require mandatory training of identified city and county staff in emergency operations. In other words, think about how we use our existing work force more effectively. Think of how we train them for effectively and think about whether we have the right number of staff that are adequate to respond and meet the community's needs. Infrastructure. No question, the storm caused out J as of water and power, communication, transportation and other infrastructure. These outages had additional or what we call cascading impacts on the community, emergency, and medical services. These were not envisioned or accounted for in planning. What do we mean by that? What we mean is much of the planning was based on a single hazard. It wasn't much -- much of the [9:22:49 PM] planning before the event did not appreciate the complexity of impacts of this kind of event. What should we do? Revise our planning assumptions. When I reserve to multiple hazard events that sounds jargony. We need to think of our planning in the context of this new reality. Second, we need to investigate adding resilient infrastructure for resilient facilities. And third, we need to identify shelters with durable infrastructure -- meaning back-up generation power, water, shelters that can safely accommodate those who need accommodation. When the power goes off or water goes down, as we saw here. Mass care. The lack of a comprehensive planning approach hindered coordination, service delivery and implementation of [9:23:50 PM] sheltering, feeding, water distribution, and other components of mass care. When I say "Mass care," that sounds -- what does that mean? It is encompassing of sheltering, feeding, water distribution. That is what is incorporated in mass care. What we need to do. First, we need to establish a comprehensive and scaleable mass care plan that builds on current planning. We have a foundation -- a good foundation of mass care planning in the city of Austin and Travis county but we need to build on that. Second, we need to take a similar approach for similar reasons when it comes to disaster feeding and build on current plans. And finally, make sure that we include provisions on sheltering operations within the mass care operational plan. Last area before I turn it back to April, preparedness. [9:24:54 PM] Many in our community weren't prepared for the storm. We think this is understandable. Understandable because the effects of winter storm uri were unmanageable. In the same thought we also need to recognize that personal preparedness is extremely important to better plan for and respond to events with system-wide impacts and let me explain that in really simple terms. If an individual does not need help because they have figured out and planned for the event, it means that the emergency responder can decide who he or she wants to help in that situation. In other words, the more resilient we are as a community, the more -- the less pressure it puts on emergency service and responder personnel. So what should we do? First, emphasize strategies for [9:25:56 PM] personal preparedness, resilience and fostering social connections. All of you know that there were as extraordinary strength we saw in the storm, which is neighbors helping neighbors. There is a positive absolute asset in the community in terms of the resilience of the community and there's an opportunity to build on that. Second, implement best practice programs for personal preparedness and supporting staff. This is an important point. Time wise -- that when a disaster struck it would be limited. It wouldn't affect the whole community. We're now in an age in which the disasters we have to indur affect all of those, including those that respond to emergencies. We need to make sure staff and those responding are just as prepared as the community. Finally, identify programs, resources and approaches to [9:26:58 PM] improve or encourage whole community resilience and risk reduction, including businesses, nonprofit, community groups. What does this mean? It means we have to think holistically about our community and how we work with every sector of our community to become more resilient. And innovate our way through that. I'm going to turn back to April for some concluding remarks: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Pivoting back to the big picture of what comes next. I think what this comes down to is the key of resilience and to get us on the same baseline I want us working from the same definition. So what is resilience [9:28:00 PM] practically speaking? Community better served and costs in terms of well being and costs in terms of dollars are reduced. A great example of this comes from a study that came out of the national institute of building sciences. And they say that for every dollar spent in mitigating infrastructure you say 5 to $8 in a flooding event. Very specifically flooding. So in this example and with others, the key is to spend money on infrastructure ahead of time to reduce the impack, to invest in staffing to a level where they can plan ahead and act effectively. The moment of a disaster is too late to become resilient. This can be an inflection point for the city of Austin. A moment of collective agreement that as we continue to experience these disasters over and over, back to back, you can't enact and influence [9:29:01 PM] policy and encourage policy -- at the community, city, private levels. Now I'm going to pass it to Juan to talk through some of the actions the city has taken and his vision for what comes next. >> Thank you, April. You know, it's important to kind of look at this event and realize that the difference between this series of days in February and other days where we had disasters -- some of the other disasters that we had there was somewhat of a geographical limitation to it -- flooding along rivers, right? The difference in this disaster was across the entire city and across the entire region, across the entire state of [9:30:02 PM] Texas. So the recommendations that we're finding out is that we're doing some of these things but now we need to take it to the next level. We need to expand the level of training, the level of planning, the level of preparedness, the level of capabilities to a much higher level because the information that we're seeing is that these events are going to become more frequent. So what actions have we taken? I can tell you that a lot of the city and county departments and a lot of the community agencies -- they have not waited for this report to come out and there's a lot of work that's been going on and after me you'll have presentations from Austin energy and water and they'll talk about some of the actions they've taken and they've done a lot of great work. But here on the slide I've highlighted a couple of things. We've partnered with Austin water on a shared position that will be able to work closely in [9:31:06 PM] emergency water and energy management. We've expanded the term of disaster service. We're asking retired city employees or other temporary employees to come in and help us and be available to stop the on going disasters we have in the pandemic and be able to support us in case we have other disaster ins the future. That is one of the ways that we can expand our work force to support especially in long- term disasters when we have to allow our -- the work force to return in order to allow the city and county to restore those services that they are originally hired to do. We're also looking at other methods of expanding those contracts to ensure that we have private sector involved in the disaster response so that we can be able to meet the need [9:32:06 PM] in future disasters and have it in a way that we can manage those costs as we move forward. In the area of resilient systems, if you recall, during the process council approved funding for a resilience help program. That effort is already underway. There's been -- the work has already started and my understanding is that you will be receiving a presentation in the near future of the status of that effort and that is an xafrl of how we're -- example of how we're moving forward and building specifically resiliency hubs that will eventually help us to meet some of the findings that we found here with this after-review process. There is a whole series of ip -- of investments in transportation and utility equipment that is designed to strengthen our capabilities in winter weather and other disas [9:33:08 PM] ers. In the area of planning we have updated a lot of plans and procedures, a whole new series of effort was rolled out over the summer. Some of this effort was initiated at -- due to the start of the pandemic and -- but feeds perfectly into the needs that we identified during the winter storm uri, specifically one to highlight is the position of the equity officer we identified as a need and we brought in to the eoc as part of the pandemic but now we're beginning the process of codifying, institutionalizing into our procedures and operations. We're going to meet with the equity office in expanding those efforts and looking at all our plans to ensure we're looking at disaster response with an equity lens as we move forward. We've implemented new virtual eoc planning and shelter [9:34:09 PM] management training in the area of communication -- again, we have revised and improved community outreach plan. Council approved funding community engagement program and that effort is underway as well and you should be seeing updates on that in the near future as well. I'm happy to report that earlier this year on October 1st we were able to roll out a new alerting system that allows us to disseminate emergency information to those who are deaf, blind, and hard of hearing through the austin/travis county accessible hazard and learning system. That is one of the other ways we're trying to enhance our emergency communications or communications gaps that were identified during the after- action review process. And there's many more. But the next steps -- I think what you are very interested in [9:35:10 PM] knowing is that after this presentation, after today, we're going to be formally bringing in all our partners and formulated our teams to look at the improvement plans that are necessary to address and all of these -- all these recommendations. That will be a formal process and we'll provide updates as we move forward with the implementations and the status of the recommendations as we move forward. Later this month we're already scheduled our winter weather seminar that will take place on November 17th. This is our opportunity of us bringing together city and county and community partners in to ensure we all know what our requirements are, rolls and responsibilities are for winter preparedness and that effort will take place on that day. It will be followed by a table-top exercise we're going to conduct in the first part of December. And I'm happy to say those are [9:36:12 PM] just the things that my department is leading. But in conversation with other city departments, there are a lot of other efforts the departments are taking to conduct their own internal reviews, their own internal preparedness efforts, their own internal table top exercises and that we're doing what we need to do to ensure we're moving forward and are prepared for the upcoming wipter -- winter weather season this year and other emergencies in the future. Last, I want to remind everybody in the importance of preparing. You've heard it several times already during this presentation. But it is important that it gets said again. The time to prepare is now. You can go to the store. You can find plenty of water, [9:37:12 PM] toilet paper, other items that don't require electricity or gas. Make sure you have a hand-operated can opener, nonperishable food items, glow sticks, other items that you need to prepare. It is important that we have this conversation of preparedness, and you don't have to buy it all on the next trip. You can buy a little bit at a time. Every time I go to the store I buy a little extra to ensure that my family emergency supply kit is going to be there for when it's needed because I know that when the next emergency happens, my job is to come to the emergency operations center and I want to have the time to go -- I'm going to take care of my family ahead of time. That is my responsibility and [9:38:13 PM] that's what I should do. I want to remind everybody to make a plan. I want to remind everybody to build your kit. Go outside and meet your neighbors. A lot of the great work that happened during the winter storm was because people knew each other. Go and knock at the door of your neighbor. Get to know each other. And lastly, stay informed. We have several different ways of how you can stay informed, including signing up to receive emergency alerts through warn central Texas as well as down loading the app that is a partnership between Austin and Travis county. It has a lot of good information and can be useful in preparing as well as the new winter weather pamphlet we have rolled out through that [9:39:16 PM] application. And look at that accessible hazard alerting system we rolled out and pass the word. If you know someone that can benefit of these services, let them know and encourage them to sign up so that they can stay informed. And go ahead. By that extra item. Your preparedness will make sure that we will have more capability to respond to those areas where they may not have those capabilities, and it's important that we do that. Last, I want to say there are hundreds of other recommendations that I can be talking about to you today. The bottom line is this: We know the world has changed, and climate change is real. [9:40:20 PM] At this moment we have the opportunity to embark on a journey to build a national model -- no. A global model of what a city can do to address climate change and be more disaster prepared and resilient in the future. I am committed -- we are committed and eager to make Austin the best prepared community in the world. With that, I'd like to ask the representative from Austin energy for their portion of the presentation. >> Mayor pro tem? [9:41:20 PM] Mayor pro tem? >> Harper-madison: Yes. >> Before we start -- [audio feedback]. >> Sounds like we're on a ship over there. >> Before we start another presentation, may I just get. >> Sorry. My ears are really sensitive. That sound is painful. >> Before we start another presentation.... [Microphone not turned [9:42:52 PM] on]. >> Thank you, council member. Certainly this is an important topic and we want to devote as much time as we need to to make sure we answer your questions. We stand ready to answer questions in the future, whether for the consultants who will be available maybe not in person but certainly available at another date or as we get questions from you and your colleagues. Tonight I would like to get through both of the presentations that remain. Use any time you have questions. We will be here as long as as you want but know this is only the beginning of the conversation. I want to re-emphasize -- I know you presented the reports just today. You're still looking into it. But we are committed to having all your questions answered and we will make sure that we are available to answer them, whether it's here tonight or at any time in the future. >> [Microphone not turned [9:43:55 PM] on]. >> We didn't expect that. >> [Microphone not turned on]. >> We will work that make sure you have that availability. We can certainly work on scheduling. >> Part of it is -- >> Harper-madison: Council member, tovo, I'm sorry -- I think she's just trying to establish some degree of expectation for how the remainderevening will go, what it looks like going forward. My answer was I don't know what to expect. I know as much as you know. I'm glad the city manager jumped in. It is not my intention besides the presentations for this evening -- it is not my expectation for us to be able to ask questions tonight. The way I understood it is we would get the presentations. [9:44:58 PM] My intention was at 10:00 o'clock to take the vote to go beyond 10:00 but for allowing the presentations to be completed. With that I'll let the city manager answer questions about future expectations. >> I think we should work with council to establish when the next opportunity will be >> Tovo: I think this was an extraordinarily significant event in our community. As I said this morning, I think it is encum bent on all of us to have that space in a special called meeting or some other setting where we're all present and the public can participate in that and hear that. So I would -- I did ask this morning if you could do some thinking about when that next date might be and I would reiterate my requests that we have some extensive time set aside with our consultants and staff too. But especially our consultants. I have immediate questions about some of the observations and the recommendations and some of the past work and how [9:45:58 PM] it compares to, say, the hurricane Harvey after-action report and some more in-depth work. Thank you for the presentation. I'll conclude now with the -- I think we have to send a strong message to your community that we are deliberately not asking questions tonight. Otherwise, they will wonder why we have remained silent. >> Mr. Jackson? >> Thank you. Good evening. Mayor pro tem, council members. I add Sidney Jackson, chief operation officer for Austin energy. It's my pleasure to have an opportunity to present the a brief overview of the Austin energy after-action report. With me are members from the fwo government affairs, chief compliance officer and Jackie sergeant, Austin energy's general manager. [9:46:59 PM] The after-action report represents a comprehensive reflection of required actions and deliverables in the winter storm. As we're aware and as our city manager mentioned it brought devastating weather to the region and impacted communities and electrical systems even beyond the Texas borders. The Austin energy report was developed over the last several months, as Austin energy staff collectively meant, discussed and captured outcomes and outcomes central to the February winter storm. And these include collaborations with third-party experts, the electric power institution, a leading consulting knowledge base. Recall in the weeks following the winter storm, the bulk [9:48:00 PM] electric system and after the bulk electric system returned to normalcy Austin energy spoke, informed as to actions and outcomes. This captures those previous discussions and expanded to other essential areas. Prior to delving into the details of the Austin energy after-action report, the framework, structure and content, a review of the winter storm time line is warranted as it will help communicate the complexity and dynamic nature of the winter storm response. It is by default and essential prerequisite discussion and helps move the interdepartment moving parts relative to the storm and relative to Austin's actions and directives and mandates to Austin energy. So I have a graphic here and the time line of the graphic can be divided up into four [9:49:01 PM] main sections. The blue is February 11th through 13th and it is the initial storm and initial storm response. The black section in two parts is February 14th and then also February 19th and 20th and following dates as it represents subsequent waves of winter storms and restorations. Red or magenta section, February 15 to 18th. This is by far the most significant time frame. Looking at the time frame overall, it clearly reflects the differing and repeated waves of adverse weather to include the polar vortex, freezing temperatures over long periods of time -- ice, snow, wind, crystal precipitation, all impacting the high-voltage system, high-voltage grid and electrical distribution system. [9:50:02 PM] Let's focus on the blue section, February 11th through 13th. This time frame represents traditional storm response -- as better said a severe storm response. It hit February 11th and resulted in 35,000 customers without power. Restoration of these 35 customers was essentially completed for virtually all customers by late in the day of February 13th due to the diligent work of line workers, vegetation management field crews and wide array of support staff and teams working around the clock despite adverse conditions. The blue line in the graph or blue line superimposed is important. It shows the the number of customers affected or outaged at any given time. 70 hours after the storm began [9:51:03 PM] on February 13th -- excuse me after it begin on February 11th, 70 hours later by February 13th virtually all customers were restored. Recall that I previously mentioned the dynamic nature of the winter storm and despite having all customers restored late in the day February 13th, February 14th, the next day brought new waves of storms, new ice, new high winds resulting in incremental new outages. The number of outages in this time frame fluctuated depending on the moment in time, depending on the intensity of the storm and depending where we were in the restoration phase. Clearly Austin energy field teams worked around the clock during this February 14th to restore customers as this new wave of storms hit. Let's pause for just a moment. Up to this point in time the [9:52:04 PM] February winter storms had a look and feel of a traditional severe storm, followed by what you would expect accompanying outage restorations. Without the ercott mandate load shed events that followed - - and those load shed events followed the next day on February 15th, the winter storm would have looked completely different. It would have looked in terms of magnitude, in terms of collective impact and that would be the impact on Austin energy households and communities. Let's look at the load-shed period. That is the red or magenta time frame, 15th through 18th as this was the most severe time frame of the winter storm. Winlt Eric -- the conditions persisted. [9:53:04 PM] Emergency directors requiring Austin energy and other utilities to shed load or deenergize customers. Those of you that are not familiar with ercot -- it has operational authority as given by the public utility commission of Texas. During this time frame ercot directed Austin energy to shed or deenergize approximately 200,000 of customers to preserve the electric grid and bring statewide electrical generation inwide commiserate with demand. The blue line graph -- number of curtailed customers jumped orders of magnitude as we moved into February 15th. We went from nominally having [9:54:06 PM] all customers online to over 200,000 outages. Just for emphasize, once the ercot load shed order was issued we had to comply with the mandates and let us be clear that these were state-wide mandates. Other electric utility systems were impacted similar to Austin energy and this resulted in state-wide curtailments of power across the whole region. Austin energy, like many other utilities, has processes in place to execute rotating outages and we stood ready to execute as we have done and demonstrated in the past. The volume was so large that outage rotation was not possible. Looking towards the final dates of the time line, ercot began [9:55:10 PM] allowing managed load restorations and eventually lifted the emergency action levels as we approach February 19th which allowed Austin energy and others statewide to begin full restoration. The supreme severity of the February winter storms and associated load shed was daunting and complex and devastating, obviously. Our Austin energy after-action report captures the wide breadth of these considerations. The after-action report, as I mentioned, is a comprehensive in terms of the overall scope. It addresses a wide range of topics. It is arranged by observation, B and what I have in front of you is the table of contents. It lists some of the major operations. Our report was modeled after a framework used by FEMA in much [9:56:11 PM] of its reporting. As you can see on the graphic some of the key observations include community communications, medically vulnerable registry -- these are some of the key categories, operational safety. If you look into the report more granulely, community communications is listed here. The report has a framework of providing a description of the observation. In this case a summary of the information Austin energy provided to the community through various media, either before, during and following the February winter storm -- also for each observation is background information as well as follow-up actions. The medically vulnerable registry is listed and you can see that as well as the vegetation management proesz is. A reporting format very similar to FEMA. Looking at some of the key [9:57:14 PM] take-aways of the report in terms of areas that worked well, we saw stability in the core energy systems. These technologies were critical and highly relied upon by the control systems. We were able to sustain critical loads for the duration of the critical loads such as medical facilities, trauma centers, emergencies facilities. We were able to protect electric rates, leveraging our energy department risk practices. Power mrapts were a strong -- power plants assisted ercot supply for the electrical grid and aided in energy market risk management. We were able to supply black start capability -- meaning, in [9:58:14 PM] the case of a complete grid collapse our generation facilities would be there to self-start and an occupational safety standpoint we do not have any personal injuries or osha recordables during this time frame. Other observations are related to our incident command structure, supported the remote workforce, being able to sustain communications, situational awareness with key staff, including realtime communications to changing conditions and organizational actions and reactions. And lastly, the transmission lines and substations were able to structurally withstand the significant snow and ice loading while all performing and executing in adverse weather. Looking at observations relative for areas needed for follow-up, Austin energy personnel will participate in ongoing future ercot [9:59:16 PM] energy market design and public policy decisions, we will participate along with our industry peers. We are enhancing the text alert and outage maps and such. Vegetation is an area of continuous improvement. We've had protective thresholds and outreach with stakeholder. We are developing the sectional units with technologies that are used currently in our system, but we are going to expand the utilization or broaden that utilization. We are making efforts to coordinate with the large industrial customers for consumption during grid emergencies, as well as working with our customers for the downtown electric grid and network as well. And lastly, we're working to increase our coordination with city departments as that outreach will help their resiliency as well. [10:00:18 PM] And lastly, I mentioned the scope of the Austin energy after action report. They had general observations and categories. In addition to the 19 observations, the breadth of the report contains 112 specific and granular follow-up actions. The internal effort by Austin energy personnel to capture, track and document these specific follow-up actions is a key deliverable in a comprehensive report. Many of the follow-up actions are complete as we did not wait for the conclusion of the after action report to begin our actions. Looking at those follow-up actions, 29% have been completed. 50% are in progress towards an expected future date and 21% are part of normal operations. Request this review of our [10:01:19 PM] after action report is brief. We look forward to further discussions and key governance and stakeholders meetings perhaps as the eec or the auc as has been requested and that concludes the Austin energy after action report and review and we will now transition to Austin water with Mr. Greg Meszaros. >> Thank you, Mr. Jackson. Part three of -- >> I think we need a motion. >> I think we need a motion, which I am not making. >> Directormer czar rose would you offer me and my colleagues to take a vote to go beyond 10:00 P.M. Seven of us. So yeah, we have to vote to stay here past 10. Again, just to reiterate, my intention is to complete the briefing and then we all go home and get some rest. [10:02:20 PM] So do I have a motion? Thank you, councilmember Ellis makes the motion for us to go past 10. Councilmember Fuentes seconds the motion, all in favor? Looks like we are unanimous on the dais to go past 10 with -- >> No, I voted no, but councilmember Casar is on the screen. >> I voted no too. >> Councilmember Casar is on the screen. So he can -- assuming he votes for it. >> Harper-madison: Obviously we need six votes. We have five votes to go beyond 10:00 P.M. >> Alter: Is councilmember Casar for it otherwise I will vote for it. >> Harper-madison: Councilmember Casar, I can't see you. If you are there if -- [overlapping speakers]. >> Casar: I'm here, I voted yes. >> Alter: He voted yes, so I'm voting no. >> Harper-madison: On one, two, three. I'm a yes. Councilmember Casar is a yes. Councilmember kitchen is a yes. And then council members alter and Kelly are a no. [10:03:21 PM] Councilmember Renteria is off the dais. And so is mayor Adler. [Overlapping speakers]. >> Harper- madison: Did she log back in. >> Casar: I think for me to vote they have to see me so they have to take the presentation down. >> Harper-madison: He said in order for him to vote we need to take down the presentation to see his face so he can legally cast a vote. We see you. Thank you. And so that's one, two, three, four, five, six in favor. Two against. Council members pool and Renteria and mayor Adler off the dais. We're going to go beyond 10:00 P.M. To complete the briefings. Thanks, everybody, for the briefings. And director Meszaros. Thanks, everybody in the room in general for your patience and for a long, [10:04:22 PM] long day, right alongside us. We appreciate you. >> Alter: Councilmember Renteria is on there, he voted yes. >> Harper-madison: Thank you. Councilmember Renteria, is that a yes vote to go beyond 10? Got it. Thank you. >> Good evening, Greg Meszaros with Austin water. I just have a few slides. It's not much longer. So here to present our after action review at a high level, we really looked at four primary areas through our after action review. Our incident response and situational awareness, our communications, our infrastructure systems and also we want to talk about our review and next steps with power reliability for water facilities. We used a whole portfolio of resources. Certainly Austin water staff were involved over the last nine months across all these areas. We worked very closely with our water and wastewater commission. [10:05:22 PM] They formed a winter storm working group. I'll speak a little bit more on that. We engaged several consultants, water Pio, a communications consulting firm, the national engineering firm of freeze and Nichols provided a review of infrastructure systems and of course we coordinated closely with other city departments, hesom and Hagarty's review. I wanted to note for the council the commission's work. They did really an excellent job providing objective review. They met monthly and spent many, many hours with us reviewing comprehensively the impacts of the storm, recommendations, priorities. They are going to continue in an advisory role. Councilmember kitchen, I want to particularly note your nominee, commissioner Castleberry who chaired this group and she worked tirelessly. This was a stuff assignment and they did really excellent work. I just wanted you to know that. So some of the high levels recommendations, starting [10:06:23 PM] first with incident response situational awareness, much as you heard from Austin energy and Juan, there's a need for enhanced training on managing emergencies, on the incident command system, developing more depth and broadness of the training. These events are long duration events. Austin water was involved in incident command for over two weeks. It wasn't just the public system, aphasia the private recovery so that really wears out our teams so strengthening our training and depth there. Clarifying our public information roles in incident command. When you have a large scale outage it's very information intensive. The public wants to know what's going on. We're very good at the technical side. Up until winter storm uri we never had a widespread outage so these heavy demands that people wanted to know where's my water, when will it be on, show us the map, we were really lifting a lot of that off the ground internally during the event and we want to get ahead of all that and strengthen our information [10:07:23 PM] and systems and roles and ics. And better improve situational awareness, how we're using our technologies, enhancing those to get better operational sites, the data and what that holds to get moment by moment water readings at all of our customer bases, improved outage maps as I mentioned. So that's some of the key recommendations on incident response and awareness. On communication side, we need to adjust and enhance our winter weather preparedness and do a better job communicating to the public how they can get ready for long duration cold weather events and I'll speak a little bit more about steps that we've taken there but our work there is very important. We need to enhance our understanding and use of how public notification systems are best targeted. There's a growing universe of large public notification systems. You know, some you're familiar with, the reverse 911. Our own internal portal that [10:08:24 PM] we're developing, as we've described before myatx device was in a prototypical mode during winter storm. We did deploy it to send over 400,000 texts. And we want to continue that and enhance our ability and procedures for that. We also don't want to forget about multi-family properties, that that is an area where they're master metered and not always going to have a direct connection through our portal to individual tenants so we want to be thinking specifically about how we're engaging with multi- family through a more tailored and targeted multi-family communications. On the infrastructure side we had a lot of recommendations and we did extensive review there. And some of this you were exposed to during some of our early after action discussions but continuing our water main replacement programs we have some under performing water mains, specifically a set of cast iron mains. We're seeing good results [10:09:25 PM] for replacement of those and we want to continue those programs really indefinitely and enhance them so we continue to meet our goals to replace that underperforming asset. Repairing all of the damage to our plants, developing better tools for improved heat tracing, insulation, thermal blankets, a lot of activities underway there. I'll get to that a little bit more but that was part of the recommendation. All of our treatment plants require trucks to work properly. We truck in chemicals, we truck out sludge that we remove through treatment and that was an area of concern during the event. We were successful there. We had stocked up on chemicals and managed sludge storage but we certainly want to enhance those areas so we can better have increased storage of both chemicals and sludge for long duration events. This next item is very important. It's an operational change. We're a surface water facility and we're particularly using lime treatment to soften water and treat. [10:10:25 PM] That produces large maintenance and repair demands. Historically service water utilities like Austin water do that all in the winter. And as this event showed our greatest ever peak demand occurred during winter storm uri. Historically that's always in the summer. Under these new climate models here we're just going to have to deal with all around capacity threats and have more capacity available through the year. So we really have to be rethinking the way we approach maintenance and capital improvement projects and repair schedules to keep more capacity year round. We've started those steps. It will probably mean more contracted maintenance, different approaches, ability to bring assets into service faster once they're disassembled, so an area of very significant focus for us. And across the board we need to continue significant investments in pumping, transmission and storage. It's not enough just to have the water on the your plants. You have to move it around your whole system [10:11:26 PM] efficiently and store it and that's transmission infrastructure and storage capacity and we're taking steps to escalate capital investments and in areas of our capital program to get at those areas. This is in our detailed reports that will be available as part of the material. I want to note power reliability is an area that we're still putting a lot of effort on. We've done increased purchase of portable emergency generator easy. We typically have a fleet of 20 of those, but we're taking steps to modernize that and add to it. We're prioritizing investments in modernizing our electrical systems at our plants. We have several large projects under construction now and we'll have others coming in the future. I do want to note for the council there is a new state law that was passed in the last legislative session; senate bill 3. That specifically requires all Texas water utilities to [10:12:26 PM] develop an emergency preparedness plan and submit that to tceq in the spring of 2022 with implementation starting later in the year. It is exclusively focused on water system power reliability. How water systems demonstrate that they have power reliability. There are emerging guidelines do this. Tceq has just issued some guidance. There's more expected from them of the we've started the process to develop our emergency preparedness power reliability plan. We're working closely with other energy providers, certainly Austin energy. We receive power from four providers. Austin energy is our primary provider, but pedernales, bluebonnet and encore are also providers to us and will be part of that planning. We've already met one deliverable, we'll submitted our designation to all power providers. That was a requirement of the new law and will probably be an annual requirement that was submitted to not only the power providers, but the state's public utility [10:13:27 PM] commission. But we have more work to do in this arena. I think it's quite likely we will need to invest in large scale generators at our critical water systems. Maybe not everyone, but certainly the core chain of the system that is going to need more larger scale emergency generation systems. These aren't portable generators. These are going to be large generators that can generate substantial power. There's different ways to accomplish that goal and we will do that, but I want to alert the council that there's more activity to be done in it this arena. I'd like to just end with a sense of the urgency with which our team is moving forward. I think you got the flavor of that with the other presenters today and I'll leave you that with Austin water that, this isn't a linear process where we did after action and more implementing that we've been simultaneously doing that all across Austin water. I want to start with emergency water. So when there is an emergency we've got to help the community, we need to do a better job there. I want to give you the sense [10:14:27 PM] of the steps that we've taken. Immediately after the storm we order two potable water trucks. Those are either in or soon to be in. The picture there is one of them. That's the fleet there now and we will be ready for this winter. We've increased our own Austin water warehouse store of emergency water. We typically would store about six pallets of water. We've now tenfolded that. We have 60 pallets of water in our warehouse now with opportunities to expand that. We're look at additional shelving and expansion of our ability to store water in our warehouse and from there we can distribute it to the resiliency hubs and have a whole different paradigm for storing emergency water. We have the investments we made during the storm to buy bulk water storage totes. We adapted fire hydrants across the system to provide potable drinking water at low pressure for people during the event if they [10:15:28 PM] lost water at their apartment complex. We kept those adapters and we'll be increasing those inventories. Juan mentioned this in his presentation, but we are targeting a shared resource for emergency plans officer that will be focused on emergency water distribution and food plans so we have that all to the out before an event before that is ready and we can press go and know how we will get emergency water and food through the community. So lots of successes here. On the preparedness materials this is on our website. We have totally redone all of our water preparedness materials. What does it mean to drip a faucet. Faucet dripping used at least $30 million during the event. So we're not recommending to do away with faucet dripping. I think it serves an important purpose to help reduce freezing pipes and burst pipes, but the community needs a better sense of what does it mean [10:16:28 PM] to drip a faucet. Which faucets do you drip? What's the difference between a drip and a stream? Those things make real differences. So we've enhanced our information there. Also back to this theme of emergency preparedness is really everyone's responsibility and our material describes to customers how you it turn off your water. How much water you should have available for storage? Think of a simple number, the number seven. We want one gallon per person per day per household to be stored. If there's three people in our house, that's three gallons, three times seven is 21 gallons. If you have two people it's 14. If you have 10 people it's 70. Try to get to that level. If you can't get there get as close as you can. Try to get to one gallon per day per person for seven days and I think that would go a long way for emergency water and households. And again, this is just kind of simple things to remember, but a way to keep this top of mind for the [10:17:29 PM] community. We've also done a lot of videos for how you should off your water. If you don't know how to shut off the water of your house you need to know that because if you spring a leak and you can turn it off it will save you damage and it will save water leakage from our utility. There were tens of thousands of private burst pipes across the system and every one of those contributed to the dewatering of our system and so the more people can turn off their water, the better it's going to be for everybody. We just can't get out to every house and turn off the water during an emergency event like that. We need to partner with the community. And enhance education there. And giveaways. In fact, councilmember Fuentes, you are the first one, we will be going to dove springs and have giveaways there at your event where we have insulated pockets to put over hose bibs. I don't know the number, but I think we got 10,000 turnoff keys that you can give away and you can turn off the water if you don't know, use the turnoff key. It's not going to solve [10:18:30 PM] every problem, but it's a way to raise awareness and get the community involved and teaming with us for presentation. We've repaired all the damage at our system. This is picture of our pipe gallery at Ullrich. This was professionally insulated and it was destroyed during the winter storm. We've repaired all of the storm damage. We've reinsulated areas. We have ongoing enhanced insulation. We've repaired all of our basins. We've procured heaters, sand, deicing fluid. We have tire trains everywhere. That was one of the challenges we had was not enough tire chains. We have those for every vehicle. We've increased staffing, we have electricians at our water plants now instead of out of a central electrician area. I think we're ready in terms of the systems being back into full operational capacity for future events. [10:19:31 PM] And I think that's my last slide. So I'll sit down now and any questions. >> Thank you, director Meszaros, as we wrap up our presentation this evening I want to start by thanking council. Our leadership and supports not only in getting us prepared with our emergency preparedness efforts, leading up to this emergency, but other emergencies that we've faced in the past is invaluable. The work that you did during the storm, I know so many of you were out in your districts helping the community navigate through the many challenges that they were facing. And finally the work that you will be doing with us to help resource and support the guiding work that we need to be doing to address these storms in the future. I want to thank the staff that you see in front of us. You have incredible dedicated professional leaders that are dieing our city departments and they work tirelessly. They sacrifice their own families and they have ensured that we were doing everything that we could as [10:20:31 PM] a city to respond to this unprecedented event. As we mentioned it was in the middle of a pandemic. We were gearing up for a vaccine rollout and this was a storm like no other that we have seen in our community's history. This is just the beginning of this conversation. So we've provided you some comprehensive reports earlier today. I know you're just beginning to sift through them. This evening's presentation was just meant to be an overview of the reports. We look forward to working with you in the coming days and weeks ahead. Not only to answer your questions about the reports, but to continue this conversation not only on the dais, but in our community and how we can move forward and in the future. I look forward to that and I thank you for your time and attention. I know it's been a long day. Happy to take any comments or questions, but I know we will have more opportunities to talk about this going forward. With that I'll turn it back to you, mayor pro tem. >> Harper-madison: Thank you, city manager. Councilmember kitchen. [10:21:34 PM] >> Kitchen: Just a quick process question. So -- and thank you to everyone for presenting this. This was very helpful to help us understand the depth of the information that's available. I wanted to suggest, city manager, that in addition to getting back to us with a special scheduled work session or special education, it might be helpful if you -- maybe I don't know where we can do this, but is there a place we can submit questions? We submit questions right now on agenda items, but if we had a place to submit questions on each of these reports or at least Austin water has one and Austin water has one, that would be a helpful way for us to start to get that information back and forth and it might be a good way to prepare for a work session. >> I was going to suggest the same thing. That's a great idea and we'll make sure we provide some sort of portal or communication mechanism to get that submitted. [10:22:36 PM] >> Any other questions, colleagues? Councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: I'll defer all of my questions for now, but I would note that councilmember alter and I have requested a special called meeting. We just sent that earlier to the mayor and the agenda office so it would be great once we schedule that to have whatever those question and answer portals are connected. And to that end I don't know if -- the last time I checked I didn't see. I may have missed it, but I didn't see the full report attached to today's backup and I would make that request too. I know it was a link to the press release, but having a link to the backup in addition to the presentation which may already be there. I'm sorry, council member, for the reminder. I was asking that the reports be attached to today's agenda. >> Harper-madison: Councilmember alter and then councilmember Ellis. >> Alter: Thank you. I want to thank everyone for the presentation's. Preparing for these type of [10:23:36 PM] disasters before they happen and in this calm before any storms is a key responsibility of government. You know, it can go back to machiavelli I learned this morning with a quote that most people don't wake up to, but I did hear machiavelli said that and it is a core function of government, so I wanted to keep that in mind. I really wanted to invite folks to participate in our audit and finance committee meeting on November 10th where the audit that we ask the auditor to undertake in relation to this will be presented. That's November 10th in the morning. We start at 9:00 or 9:30 so we can continue the conversation there as well. Thank you. >> Harper-madison: Any other questions? Councilmember Ellis and then councilmember Fuentes. >> Ellis: It's not a question. I did have thoughts, but out of courtesy and time and understanding this conversation will happen in other forums and other moments, I will keep those questions and comments for now, but I would say to councilmember tovo's point [10:24:37 PM] about the posting, if you go to austintexas.gov/winterstorm it does have the reports there so it might be good to have staff double up the presentations so no matter what you're looking at you have all of the information there. >> Harper-madison: Thank you, councilmember Ellis. Councilmember Fuentes. >> Fuentes: Thank you, mayor pro tem. Similarly I want to thank the team and the staff for all of your hard work in bringing together today's presentation, that high level overview is very helpful and helps frame the lens in which we should approach the implementation of the recommendations that you're providing. And since there will be a special called meeting I would like to add if there's an opportunity for us to consider the community task force recommendations that were made, I know we received a briefing, but it would be helpful to see how that lines up with the departmental after action reports, I would be curious to see how spot on we are [10:25:39 PM] with those recommendations and also ensuring that we are following through with the recommendations made from our community. Certainly this after action report in a lot of ways will begin to bring some closure to families who experienced great trauma throughout the winter storm and still are dealing with trauma. And I know that tough work lies ahead. I'm excited to see and to have these recommendations available. Thank you. >> Did you want to say something, director Ortiz? >> Yes. I want to make sure that all the council know, we did receive and got copies of the council's task force on winter storm uri and some other after action reports conducted by departments, other agencies. And we went through a process to incorporate them or match them up and do a crosswalk to see what they found, what we found and see where their connections were. And we did have a meeting [10:26:41 PM] with that task force and we discussed what their findings were and our findings and we discussed them and we matched them up. So our effort, our goal was to -- this after action report process incorporated all of that discussion, all of those recommendations and consolidate them as best as we possibly could. In some areas their recommendation was tied to three or four recommendations and in some cases three or four recommendations were tied to one of our recommendations. So there was an effort on that. >> Fuentes: Well, thank you for that. That's super great to hear and I appreciate the thorough process, comprehensive process that you all went through. Thank you. >> Harper-madison: Councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: Thank you, mayor pro tem. I neglected to mention when we were talking about kind of what's coming up, thank you for the mention of the resilience hubs, which was an item initiated by council. I appreciate your work on that and sustainability office and the water utility and others. [10:27:41 PM] As part of that resolution we also had the direction that staff report back to the public health committee regularly. And so to that end we are taking that up next week at our public health committee meeting. It is on November 9th at 1:00 P.M. So we've had kind of an interim update at the joint subcommittee and we'll hear a more extensive report on that next week. But again, thank you. I know that was a resolution several of you co-sponsored and I was glad to bring it forward. I think it's really critical work and as we dig into -- as we dig into the after action report I think we'll see some other elements that reflect the importance of that preparedness. >> Harper-madison: Thank you, council member. Any other questions or comments? All righty. Well, thank you all for -- oh, oh. Councilmember Renteria. My apologies. I have to get more accustomed to looking up at [10:28:42 PM] the screen. >> Renteria: That's okay, I understand. You know, I really want to thank the staff and what I got out of this and it seemed like each department is preparedness. You have to be prepared. We saw during the news in the weather report for a week and a half that this storm was coming. We immediately filled every pot and tub and everything else we had with water because I have lived through some of these. They were temporary, none like this one that happened. But we did go to the grocery store, we bought all the food that we would need, and -- in the 2000s my father-in-law brought me survival food which I still have. So preparedness is -- and I [10:29:43 PM] like what the water department is doing now that they're emphasizing that -- learn your house. Know where the cutoffs are at. Know where the lowest water drain is at so that you can drip your water there. And I'm really glad that we're going to be going that way because it's the most important thing out of all of this is to be prepared and make sure that you know where all the water cutoff valves are at. And that would go a long way. And I want to thank y'all for bringing that up and making sure that we're going to be educating our public on how to be prepared. >> Harper-madison: Thank you, council member. Now I'm looking everywhere I can possibly look. Are there any other questions, concerns? Councilmember Kelly. >> Kelly: Thank you. I'll be really brief. Thank you for reviewing the steps to preparedness, being [10:30:46 PM] informed, making a plan, getting a kit 6789r. I think we left out knowing your neighbors, which is also important for resiliency in the community. Knowing who might have special needs so you can go out in to their home and check on them which is really important. I really appreciate the ready central Texas app. I think it's a wonderful resource. I did notice on the city's website earlier you all are doing one cert class a year, but that preparedness training is available online through FEMA and I would highly recommend it to anyone if they want to get a kit together during the winter storm. My family pulled out my cert kit and we were able to do that. So the community emergency response training is very helpful for everyone. Thank you so much for your presentations tonight and for being here so late. >> Harper- madison: Is this the part where I say -- all right, folks. So thank you, everybody, for your time and talents. We really appreciate you and your contributions to this [10:31:47 PM] process and look forward to continuing the conversations. I'm certain that there will be lots and lots of questions and my hope is that it helps to inform our ability to be as effective as possible moving forward for the general citizenry of the great city of Austin, Texas. And with that, with no objection, I am going to call the Austin city council meeting on this day, November 4th, 2021, adjourned at 10:32 P.M. Thank you, everybody.