City Council Special Called Meeting Transcript (Health Authority Rules) – 12/14/2021 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 6 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 12/14/2021 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 12/14/2021 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. >> Judge Brown: Thank you so much. >> Harper-madison: Thanks, judge. Commissioners. >> Mayor Adler: Everybody, come over. >> Judge Brown: Thanks. >> Shea: Take care. [10:29:23 AM] Kathryn righten Meyer. Is she available? >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: Since those are the only two speakers I think it's appropriate to wait. >> Kathryn? >> Yes. >> Go ahead. >> This is Kathryn Wright Meyer walks district six I'm calling about approving the orderiance I'm saying do not professor the ordinance relating to health authority rules for covid-19 which is exceed 1223-043. Which create an offense and [10:30:23 AM] penalty and declare an emergency so my view is it is not an emergency any more. Cases are way down and it is looking at line 25 it is unreasonable to continue these restrictive rules and impose penalties and number two the incidents are rare and they are mild and number three, it's time to shun or dial back the fear and manage our lives and take care of ourselves and get back to normal life with free interactions and workplace and schools and the community. My view is dot no approve this ordinance. Thank you. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: Thank you speakers. We appreciate you participating walks today's meeting colleagues do we have a motion [10:31:23 AM] for today's item? It looks like the motion is being made by mayor Adler. >> Mayor Adler: Mayor pro tem, I move passage of version two that was posted today of the item number one before us. >> And I would be happy to second that. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: It looks like you have a second in. >> Sub part six starts with the word on needs to be deleted and the sensus needs to start with the word council. It was just a typo. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: That's been moved and seconded. >> Mayor Adler: Can I address it real quickly mayor pro tem harper-madison please. >> >> Mayor Adler: Thank U [10:32:24 AM] colleagues if you recall this is an extension of an ordinance we passed last year that give the rules of our health authority the weight and enforceability of ordinances that we would otherwise pass. Under state law after the health authority that's been passed subsequent to us passing that ordinance there is now a requirement we actually have to extend the order of the health authority beyond 15 days. So, that's been incorporated now and health authority has posted her extension of her prior order that gets extended by this ordinance, we are extending the authority or ability of our health authority rules to have force of ordinance, and we are also specifically looking at the rule that she posted earlier today and confirming that it [10:33:26 AM] should have a life beyond 15 days. This is the order that the health authority did similar to the order that I issued in my emergency order and the county judge did in his emergency order with respect to schools and masking and other items and to the degree that there is a challenge in these, this gives us the ability to be able to defend these items as many different ways as we can. One of the reasons we're doing as well as we are doing in the community one of the reasons why our numbers are low is because we have a community that is getting vaccined and boosted but it's also because we have greater number of people wearing masking I believe. And so many of those people, the schools, the private businesses really want us to [10:34:26 AM] step forward and join with the health authority so as to provide that measure of prevention. That is why I move and pass with the second and hope this is something we can pass quickly. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: Thank you mayor Adler. Councilmember Kelly? >> Chair champion: Thank you one of the first confirmed cases of covid-19 is April of 2020. Van scene rates are increasing the information we see on the Austin Travis county dashboard does not support extending ordinance that including penalties for aan additional years as of today, we have 43 ic U patients 19 patients on ventilators to put in perspective Austin has 950,000 residents, we did not give them a chance to voice their concerns how this will [10:35:26 AM] significantly impact their lives for a year. This is post inside the past year that our health rules from September 10th. This version [inaudible] From today December 14th. This gives the public 0 time to respond or sign up to speak, we only had two speakers sign up today I don't believe that is representative of the whole community on the back up on the item on our website referenced in part five of the ordinance were not posted until the last 24 hours at my request and they're from the December 10th. Date this morning this version two came into my email box I searched the site with covid site does not have a document that was posted for the 14th. Of December this document outlines health rules that effect everyone in our community until December 31st, 2022. And needs further review my colleagues talk a lot about including the community in decision making process this item did not get the same treatment as others do and that [10:36:27 AM] we discuss from the dais in revised version of the ordinance there are changes that need to be reviewed and time to do so. I do realize we need to take reasonable precautions in ensure the safety of our citizens this can be accomplished by allowing constituents to make decisions for themselves not mandates like this and include penalties for noncompliance safety precautions to protect themselves and others from the virus, we should allow them to be the chief decision makers in how they decide to conduct their personal safety--[inaudible] Of everyone. Thank you. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: Thank you. Councilmember Kelly. Any further discussion? I don't think I'm missing anybody? See any hands? Councilmember pool? [10:37:27 AM] >> Councilmember pool: Thanks. I just wanted to reiterate my emphatic support for the mandates these are important and I urge my colleagues to avoid politicizing this public safety issues further than it has been it is divisive in the community and it's our job to pull people together. >>. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: It's been moved and seconded all in favor of approve the item number one? >> Mayor pro tem? I'm sorry. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: Councilmember tovo. >> >> Councilmember tovo: You couldn't see my hand. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: I didn't. >> Councilmember tovo: I wanted to double check with you mayor or mayor pro tem can you remind me if we have a majority vote does this go into immediate effect or do we need a [audio cutting out]. >> Mayor Adler: We need seven votes in order to pass the ordinance on all three readings [10:38:29 AM] today, we no longer need eight votes because it is not being posted as an emergency item. >> Councilmember tovo: I see. I have forgotten we have a total of eight of us today I was counting seven somebody else popped back in. Thank you. Councilmember alter: I think there is nine of us. There is seven of us in the screen and two off. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: Are we ready to move forward? They are moved and seconded. All in favor of approving item number one? It appears as though the item is dadadada...: Unanimous with councilmember Kelly voting no and councilmember Fuentes and councilmemer kitchen off the dais. So, that is seven. >> Mayor Adler: Eight. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: One, and then [10:39:29 AM] two off dias. >> Mayor Adler: I think it's eight. >> Mayor pro tem harper-madison: So 8, 1, and then two off the dais. Thank you that is our only item. Y'all with that, at 10:39 A.M. This meeting of the Austin city council is adjourned. Have a great day everybody.