Audit and Finance Committee Meeting Transcript (AFC) – 5/25/2022 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 6 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 5/25/2022 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 5/25/2022 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. [9:32:07 AM] . >> Alter: Good morning. It is Wednesday, may 25th, 2022. And my name is Alison alter, chair of the audit and finance committee. I want to call this meeting to order at 9:32 A.M. On the dais with me, I have councilmembers Kelly and councilmember pool, tovo informed us she will be joining us shortly. Before we begin our business I want to take a moment and think of the victims in uvalde and think about our country. I don't know about you but I couldn't sleep last night. I had to hug my son extra hard this morning when he left for school. He is 17, not in fourth grade. >> We have a lot of work to do as a country. [9:33:07 AM] At this point I have a lot of questions trying to understand how many children have to die before we do something, trying to understand why we -- why it is so difficult for us to have background checks, why it is that we don't seem to be able to ban assault rifles, why it is we, why we allow for large magazines and why there is so hate in the world that someone my age would go into a school and shoot a classroom of kids and their own grandmother before that. This is a world that we live in, but it is not the world that we have to live in. And each of us has a responsibility to take steps and, you know, we have been working on things here in Austin. I will be hosting the gun violence summit with the district attorney on June 8th that we have been planning for a little while, we were about to announce it today. We have work to do and I would, [9:34:09 AM] you know, just ask everyone to think about what they can do to be a part of the solution. Maybe we can't change what is going on in Washington. Maybe we can't change what is going on up at the capitol, but we have and the document make change here in Austin to the mental health environment, to, you know, how violence plays out. We have and the opportunity treat this as a public health crisis which is what our office of violence prevention which I initiated is doing. There are a lot of things that we can be doing even here within the constraints and we need to be doubling down on them. I would like to ask us to take a minute of silence in honor of the 19 children who died yesterday and the two adult whose died adults who die and the uvalde community. [9:35:10 AM] So please join me. Thank you. >> >> Thank you. And if any of my colleagues are interested in any thoughts, councilmember Fuentes. >> Thank you, chair. >> Fuentes: Similar to what you shared earlier, just now, like many austinites we are [9:36:12 AM] feeling for the uvalde community and I toured a school in my district just on Monday and knowing just how much of our community is feeling the impacts of what happened in another community in Texas is resonating with so many, both with parents, both with family members, both with community members at large. And one of the questions I wanted to ask you chair alter because I know you have extensive experience in addressing gun violence perhaps you could cha share a bit of what locally Austin city council has done, even though we are so limited on what we can do to adequately and fully address and have gun reform, there has been progress that has been made here locally to despite state and federal overreach and the preemption we face, so if you wouldn't mind sharing a couple of the policies that we have passed here, I think that would be helpful for the community just to know that in Austin that we stand strong and committed to gun reform. [9:37:14 AM] >> Sure. And the I will be just really brief so we are not out of order with our meeting, since this is not not on our agenda to speak about a it. You know, we have done many things with respect to the federal and state legislative agenda and advocating for different policies there, such as banning the assault rifle and background checks, et cetera, to be a part of those legislative agendas. On the local level, we have launched the office of violence prevention, which is currently conducting a study of the profile of gun violence in our communities so that we can take very targeted public health strategies and and deploy them for specific needs of our community. That is in the works. We have -- we are also through the office of violence prevention, we have a current mental health wellness campaign that is going on. [9:38:15 AM] We are looking at particular hotspots in our community with respect to where the violence is. We are currently conducting a gun safety storage lock campaign. We are working on activities to address hate. We have prevented our police department from reselling their guns into the market and we are, you know, again sort of trying to really be targeted. The goal of the gun violence summit is going to be -- to move us to build the kind of ecosystem that we need, the public safety ecosystem we need and a collaborative gun violence prevention strategy. We have also looked at things like developing -- I forget the technical term for it, but when [9:39:15 AM] there is a domestic violence situation, making sure that there is a restraining order, not just a restraining order but that the guns are taken away from the violent party in that situation. A lot of these things need to be collaborative across different levels of government and we had our gun violence prevention task force, which met in the office of violence prevention was a piece of that. The office of violence prevention will be looking at various ways to do violence interruption and then of course there is the work that you initiated on the recovery center that hopefully will be another peace of the puzzle as we look ahead. All of that said, while there is much that we can do here and we are reeling from the tragedy in [9:40:16 AM] uvalde we have to remember that gun vines doesn't happen like it happened yesterday on a daily basis in our community. The mass shootings are the thing that get our attention, but every day someone is dying of suicide, someone is dying in a domestic violence situation. There is a child that is grabbing a gun and shooting someone or themselves because the gun was not stored safely and that is what we see, someone stealing a gun from someone's car where they stored their gun and it was unlocked, and so while the headlines matter and they help us to focus our attention, it is really important that we don't only, only design our gun violence prevention activities to meet the threat of a school shooter. >> Councilmember Kelly. >> Kelly: Thank you. You know, what happened in uvalde yesterday was absolutely [9:41:17 AM] heartbreaking. When I was sitting in my car listening to the radio and first heard about it I struggled to find words to really address what had happened. Any time a school goes on lockdown we are all at a heightened sense of safety for our students and the teachers that are there, the administrators. As a mother of a 12-year-old beautiful little girl, I have had extensive discussions with the Round Rock ISD police department in the district that I represent and I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their swift response in uvalde. I also want to make it clear that I have very good lines of communication with those school district police departments and I know that we have plans in place for when these type of things occur and to prevent them, but we really do have a reminder that a lot of work needs to be done in regards to mental health, but not just in our city but across the country and so I want families here in Austin and also the families [9:42:17 AM] there in uvalde that were affected to know that we are in this together and as policymakers we can make positive changes in the community to help prevent these types of things from happening again. Thank you. >> Alter: Thank you. And I appreciate everyone's indulgence as we take a few minutes here to recognize what is going on in our community and our state. So today we are actually going to take up our items in order our first item is public communication and our first and only speaker is Mr. Paul Robbins, Mr. Robbins, you have three minutes. >> I appreciate your reflections this morning. Council, I have become an intervenor in the Austin electric grid case, in utility making there is a concept called imprudence, it means that if unjustified spending has been made, the waste must be the [9:43:17 AM] ducted from the uh till advertise profits, utility's profits .. One of the thing I want to contest is the continued problems in the Austin's poorly run assistant seasonal that gives discount to low-income ratepayers. Some of the funds are probably still going to customers who appear by their property values to be wealthy. Information required for proof has been available for many years. However, Austin energy is using a state law passed in 2021 to block this kind of evidence. As far as I can tell, this law was supported by the city government without city council ever having been advised. If I am I don't know on this, please correct me. The appearance is that staff support add law to block evidence that might cause continued embarrassment to the uh till at this without counsel ever having been consulted. [9:44:17 AM] Should anyone listening doubt relevance of my past investigations, let me tell you that on at least three occasions they have yielded results. I have distributed a memo to you this morning from the spring of 2015 showing Austin energy in response to my complaints, Austin energy tightened the enrollment screen resulting in the elimination of enough participants to save at least $850,000 a year in discounts, multiply this times seven successive years, that is as much as $6 million in savings. In 2018 in response to my continued criticism Austin energy tightened its enrollment to require income verification of customers with high property wealth. But this did not work perfectly, so I asked for an audit of the program in 2021. [9:45:19 AM] The audit found continued faulty procedures that were supposedly repaired but, again, the public has no longer has the ability to verify this. So I am asking for three things. First, a way that intervenors in the rate case can gather evidence like this. Two, an audit of the program to determine the percentage of participants that are really poor, and, three, an investigation into how well income verification programs work for low-income assistance in San Antonio, Sacramento and other utilities that have income verification procedures. Thank you. >> Alter: Thank you, Mr. Robbins. I appreciate you being here. Our next item of business is approval of the minutes of the meetings from April 27. Do I have a motion to approve? [9:46:21 AM] Councilmember Kelly makes that motion. Councilmember Fuentes seconded. All those in favor. It is unanimous on the dais with councilmember tovo absent. Okay. We will now move to item 2, before we get there I will just say that item 2, and item 3 are follow-up reports that the auditor does that allow us to look back at prior audits a so that we can assess and discuss how implementation is going. It is another way that we have another, another tool that we have to see how our audits are functioning, but also to hold our departments accountable for the audit recommendations. >> Corey -- city auditor. This project was managed by Olga [9:47:21 AM] pa trend co, and the present search going to be remote. Look at their, we will have the presentation up in just a second, Kathie Harrison was the lead on this project and will present today. .. >> Good morning, committee members. My name is Kathie Harrison H I am the audit lead on the project and be giving this presentation. Next slide, please. >> We conducted two audits related to online resources in 2013 and 2017 focused on the web structure and contempt management of the city's website austintexas.gov and online access to city services. We identified several areas that needed improvement in these audits. Some common areas of concern included a need to develop a plan to make sure what contempt is designed and managed to allow people of all abilities to find and use city services offered online. Next slide, please. [9:48:22 AM] We issued six recommendations and verified the city implemented three of these recommendations and three are underway. Although the city has made improvements to services offered online, more and more needs to be done to make these services quick to find and easy to use for people of all abilities. Next slide, please. >> In the two -- in the 2013 austingo Austin, we confirmed the first recommendation was implemented by approving a strategic plan that included steps, clear rules and duties to offer services online. We confirmed the second recommendation use underway with an alternative solution. While the city has made progress by upgrading the city's website, developing guidance on-site management and approving an agree to increase cooperation between departments more work is needed to create a website that [9:49:23 AM] is easy can for people of all abilities to use and to fully address gaps identified in this audit. Next slide, please. In the 2017 online access audit, the first and second recommendations were implemented by adopting a strategic plan, adopt iting service requests and creating guidance to improve online service offering. The city also created a group to coordinate resources and make sure website content looks the same across different city departments. Next slide, please. >> The third and fourth recommendations in the 2017 online access audit are underway. The city has made progress by launch ago paper less initiative to inventory online services in fiscal year 2019 and monitoring the city's website to see which web pages have the most visitors. These numbers are available on the city's open data forum, [9:50:26 AM] portal. In addition we retested websites reviewed in the 2017 audit to determine how easy it was to find and use 13 popular online services offered. We found that all online services retested can be done online compared to 75 participant in 2017. Percent in 2017. We found some of the online services still are not easy to find or use. As the city continues to improve services offered online, the implementation of the remaining recommendations is important to address gaps identified in these two audits. The city must ensure that services offered online are quick to find and easy to use for people of all abilities. Please note that no additional recommendations were issued since this is a follow-up project. This concludes my presentation. I am happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you. Would -- ctm like to say [9:51:27 AM] anything? >> Good morning. I am -- I am the property manager technology management. I would like to acknowledge the findings of the audit and say why while there is more improvement to be made we have made great progress in the last eight months. So we go -- we got double a compliance on this and we have seen a 30 percent improvement in that period. Even in the lowest sixties and thousand we are at the industry standard benchmark at 85 person and we are well on our way to achieve the double a -- compliance code by the end of this year. So we are making good progress and one of the main reasons we are trying to tackle this, create a simple, seamless website and also maintain a [9:52:28 AM] secure sustainable website and that's one of the wall balancing acts we in the communications and technology department are trying to achieve. >> Thank you, Ms. Wagner -- I am not sure -- you don't have to. The I wasn't sure if you came up to speak as well. >> Good morning. Thank you, councilmembers for the time to address you regarding this audit. As my colleagues was able to convey, the successes we as a collective team have been able to accomplish, I will introduce myself, I am Yasmine Wagner and work for the communications and public information office. So we are two peer teams that collaborate on a daily basis to ensure that the site is accessible, is usable and is able to meet resident needs. As was mentioned, we have made significant strides, not only meeting government standards in the last just handful of months but also exceeding government standards in many areas for accessibility. We are continuing to explore [9:53:30 AM] other ways of making sure that the site is meeting the goals of the audit as stated as well as being very strategic and aggressive and ambitious in what we are aiming to do and not settling for a government standard or good enough, but really making sure that we are endeavoring to provide the best possible digital services for our residents. We are -- we have made the decision to not explore a shallow and deep exploration of the site and improvements but rather to take very deep chunks out of the work, first being accessibility. Next we are moving and have be if up to work towards search engine optimization which will encourage our residents to access the services readily as well. We have embarked on an rfp process for a translation solution which will provide much more readily available translations with fidelity to residents. So not only residents of all abilities but residents with all language needs will be able to [9:54:30 AM] access the content as well. So quite a few strategic efforts are underway that I think will go a long way to achieving the goals stated in the audit in the short amount of time. >> Alter: Thank you. Colleagues, do you have questions? I do have a question, you guys touched on it a little bit, but we do hear from constituents and community members pretty frequently they are expressing their concerns that the city website is difficult to navigate and it is I do access information. You spoke about the sort of accessibility a little bit and that piece of it. But can you tell us more about how we are going to improve that user experience and user interface, please? >> We have kicked off a project for a service design project for creating, designing for the [9:55:31 AM] residents. As part of this initiative, the initial frame of this is complete, so what we are trying to explore is go through the -- to a resident and see how they navigate the site. So this will involve interviewing the residents and see how navigable the site is, and what initial information they need to get there. So today we have all of that information on the website, but the means to get there is -- might be what they are experiencing so we currently have a project underway to address that gap as well. >> Thank you. And I guess what I am -- I mean there is some history to this whole process that wasn't really being covered in the discussion or the audit. We were doing much deeper dive of the whole, you know, website had an alternative website we chose not to move forward with that and what -- I guess what I want to understand better is, [9:56:33 AM] what is the approach that we are using at this point, at a more macro level, to get to the same end? I understand there was a decision made not to pursue the path that was the first path that we went down for a variety of reasons, but I am not -- I would like to better understand that sort of more macro set of choices that are being made and what is going to get us to being there, having a great website that is usable. >> I appreciate that. Chris Stewart, information officer for the city of Austin. The history was 2013, 2017, we came to you all, gosh, about a year and a half ago and we did have a tough decision. We had two websites at the time, Austin tex dot government and doing some of the service design she mentioned around how do we get a citizen and resident focus to our website? I think we have done a great job there, the one thing we had to [9:57:34 AM] do is make a decision. We had to say Austin tx.gov is our website and where we want to put all of our attention. You saw a lot happening in the past year that wasn't done in the past years. The work in the past year is tremendous. We could not be happier with the website, accessibility in particular, we are moving forward and I think we have a great plan in place so we have our focus. We also have a digital services team, we did not have, put so much effort towards that. Our communications department working with ctm, that's not happened in the past as well as it has happened today, so we have a really great deep so we put all of our efforts towards Austin the. The g.gov and doing Seo, search engine optimization that was talked about. So we have a great road map of how to get there. We have got the audit to guide us toward the proper path, but yes the history is there. There was a slow lead up to this, but we believe that the team that is in place today has [9:58:35 AM] been moving very, very quickly. They have achieved results that we have, that have not been achieved anywhere in the past and that's because we put a lot of foundational work into our current website and all of that foundation work is not complete we have accomplished two upgrades. We have container raised and secured like crazy, there is is so much security around there. We are happy with the platform and where we are and how we are really making progress. So we see we have dope the foundational work and now we are .. Doing the work to get the site where it needs to be so our residents can find what they need to find easily. >> Can you give us a time frame? I know it will be ongoing. I mean it never is going to be fully done but like, you know, when the bulk of the project will be -- >> It will be. Right now as you mentioned we are doing an rfp so actually looking for the vendor to do all of the lapping access so the translation services are coming up soon. We are going to work with audit on some of the recommendations on popular services optimization, because those [9:59:35 AM] change all the time, what is popular service in 2017 is not a popular service today. So we are going to work on the audit of how do we find kind of these goals first to a can achieve because right now it is a bit of a moving target but there is not an end goal for when our website is good enough, it is always going to be continued optimization moving forward. >> Alter: Thank you. Colleagues, any final questions? Thank you, Mr. Steward. Thank you to your staff and, you know, we are asking these questions because it is our portal, it is, you know, for some people it is how they most interact with the city and just to underscore how important the work that you are doing, that you are engaged in is for our ability to communicate with our residents and to serve them, so thank you. >> All right. So then we will take up item 3 which is similarly a follow-up report. This one on some of the recommendations that have been made with respect to the code [10:00:37 AM] department . >> Good morning. My name is Francis Riley and I was the auditor in charge of this follow- up. Next slide, please. >> With he our office has done four audits and issued one special report since 2010 regarding Austin code department. In 2010 and 2016 we looked at code investigations and then in 2020 we focused on the repeat offender program, in this follow-up we did not include our 2014 audit of short-term rentals [10:01:38 AM] because the code wasn't the primary department on that, and the issue is not audit work. We are pretty different from what we looked at. Next slide, please. >> Across the three audits we issued 15 recommendations, we verified that 14 of those recommendations are complete. One is in progress. The one in progress is due later this fall. In addition to verifying recommendations, we looked at if our recommendations are making a difference in code's outcome which is what I will walk you through in the next few slides. Next slide, please. >> We generally found Austin code changes improved the areas of operations. [10:02:39 AM] In our 2010 and 2016 audits we found timeliness of initial inspections and an issue with an Austin code in our 2016 audit, fewer than half of the initial can inspections were within the required time frame. Since our audit code is updated there are policies and procedures, and so when we tested this in in this - - in this follow-up we found 90 percent of their initial inspections are on time. We also looked at how often codes issue notices of violation. In 2016 they noticed issue of violation object 53 percent of the time when they confirmed a violation existed. In our follow-up work that has improved slightly to [10:03:39 AM] eight percent of the time. Next slide, please. >> We also saw improvements for enforcement for city owned properties. In 2016, we found that code has not issued notices of violations for any city owned properties. Code has since updated their policies and procedures and we found that between 2018 and 2021 they issued 304 the if notice, notice of violation. We also saw improvements in their site visit and photo documentation of city owned properties and an improvement in their rate of follow-up inspections as well. Next slide, please. In both our 2010 and 2016 audits [10:04:42 AM] we made recommendations that code integrate 311 with codes case management system, known as Amanda. And then in our 2020 repeat offenders audit, we recommended that code streamline their process for identifying program eligible properties. We have confirmed that all of these recommendations have been implemented. Next slide, please. In 2016, our audit found that not all staff met the department's qualifications. We observed that code did not have a process for monitoring employees' qualifications are, or that the process was ineffective. We recommended that code ensure all staff met the qualifications [10:05:44 AM] at the time of hire and that they improved their process for monitoring staff qualifications. Since our report code has improved their process for checking qualifications at time of hire, and has a system for monitoring staff to ensure that they obtain the state of Texas code enforcement officer registration, all staff now meet that registration requirement. Next slide, please. In our 2020 repeat offender program audit, we found that the program did not ensure that all properties met health and safety standards. Code was also not escalating enforcement of repeat offender [10:06:44 AM] properties to correct violations. We recommended that code increase enforcement and escalation, including through suspensions. Since our audit code has issued administrative hearing citations escalated violations to muni court and again issuing suspensions. Next slide, please. And then lastly, we recommended some program changes to the repeat offender program. We recommended that code create a voluntary landlord incentive program, which would help encourage landlords to correct property violations as well as offer additional tenant protections. Austin code conducted some peer city research on this as well as outreach to property management stakeholders. They also sent a property owner [10:07:47 AM] survey out. Based on that feedback, Austin code has decided to not move forward with this recommendation but we did consider the recommendation implemented because of their consideration of it. We it is recommended that code consider some other program changes, including city wide rental registration renaming the program and adopting a fee schedule that better accounts for property size. These recommendations are in progress currently and are due later this fall. Next slide. That concludes my presentation. I am happy to answer any questions and staff from code ask here as well. Thank you. >> Alter: Thank you. Would staff from code like to [10:08:50 AM] respond to the follow-up report at all or just take questions? >> Good morning. Lane Garrette with the -- department. I really don't have a response. I will be able to answer questions if you have any questions. >> Alter: Thank you very much. Counsels toe, councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: Thank you for that report. I have multiquestions .. And I will try to keep them limited, but let me start with where we landed, and that is on the requirement registration program. Is that something that code -- my question is going to be is that something that code is recommending and just for my colleague he's benefits, we actually have a pending resolution that I had brought before the city council, we didn't have quite enough votes to pass it so I postponed it indefinitely but I think it is ready to go and I am pretty interested in reviving that conversation for a variety of reasons. You know, that was -- that was a period of time when [10:09:51 AM] bill Spellman was on the council so it was a while back at this point and we really have -- we continue to see the challenges holding landlords accountable for deteriorating properties, where they are unable or unwilling to make repairs and it is not appropriate. We have, you know, a majority of renter city and we have some aging properties and we need to do better for those who are living there. And the chance that I have seen over the years persist. And rental registration is an idea that our previous code director suggested, again, we didn't have the votes at the time to pass it, but I am really quite interested in exploring that again and I see it on the auditor's list. Is that something that you, that the code department is recommending at this point? >> So that is one of the three recommendations that we are still revisiting and looking at, that are still present. We have been conducting stakeholder meetings to gather [10:10:52 AM] input from stakeholders. There is an open survey that is online until June, the end of June for all input to be conducted for our sake holders, as well as that we had been also doing on-site surveys with tenants and residents of some of the properties to make sure that we obtain their feedback as well, because many times people don't want to use, you know, the portals or the computer systems. So that is still underway until the end of June, and then we will -- our timeline says we will come back in October with those recommendations. >> Alter: Okay. Thanks. >> Tovo: Thanks. I will explore that outside of this meeting. Thank you for doing that stakeholder input. I think we had a lot of conversation about it over the years and I am interested in kind of seeing us take the next step so I am probably going to bring that forward and I think it complements the work you are doing and I look forward to learning more about our stakeholder feedback, about [10:11:54 AM] tenant stakeholder feedback, I mean, what I can tell my colleagues is when we were discussing this before, we did get, we the did get a lot of support from renters and organizations that represent renters because rental registration is a really good solution in a city like ours, which -- where tenants feel uncomfortable about calling Austin code or feel there might be repercussions or retaliation from their landlords. And the petition is that renters are going to find this very responsive to their needs. So I am interested in knowing why so up few notices of violation have been -- are issued in this regard. I think it has, yes, it has increased a bit but it is still far under. For a very long while, and I am not even sure if you are a part of the code department during this period of time, but for a very long time, you know, codes' perspective was try to get [10:12:55 AM] Chinese rather than necessarily enforcement and I think we all saw that department -- that didn't result in change quickly enough for the people who really needed it so I am very interested in taking a very %- @strong enforcement approach when it comes to the health and safety of people's residences. So can you address that point about the notices of violation and why we are not seeing more of them? >> Definitely. I actually have been there since 2008 and I have seen the transition of code the where it went from code enforcement to dodo compliance and then code enforcement again. And as you stated many times, you know, you are trying to work with an owner to obtain voluntary compliance, so during that time span obviously our notice of violations were not issued as quickly or as often as they needed to be. That rise is now continuing to occur. We have looked at our policies through our system and how we respond and our time line system on accepting out notice of violations. That has created the improvement in how we are doing the process. Our current review of our [10:13:55 AM] policies right now, we are still uh overlooking to see how the supervisor monitoring of how the inspector is approaching the case are the -- from the beginning to once with they confirm whether a violation exists. Sometimes cases will require research so that we validate we do have an actual violation, and then the notice of violations are going out. So we are working to improve the policy for the supervisor monitoring of those notices. >> This will be my last question for now, but I have one about -- if we circle back around after my colleagues ask questions. >> Tovo: You talked about just toward the end about the need for policy and by the way thank you for -- thank you. I know you had been with code for a long time. Thank you for sharing with us there with that piece, that earlier piece where it was really about compliance. Is there anything that you need [10:14:56 AM] from council in terms of policy direction that would enable you to do what you have just described about really taking a more, stronger approach toward notices of violation? You talked about policy, it sounded like it was more programmatic policy that would come from the department but is there any policy direction that would be helpful from the council? At this time, no. I think it is our internal policies that we are working to make sure that we improve that system and how we are following it. We have worked tremendously hard on, as you can see through the stats on improving our foundation policy of how we get an initial inspection to the end. And so with that being said, we are reviewing each of our policies, you know, right now as we speak to make sure that they are updated, that the supervisors are in line so that we have equity in how we are enforcing those policies, and our equity, and equity in how we conduct our inspections and follow-up on them. So I am looking at it more as an internal work for us. [10:15:56 AM] >> Tovo: Thank you. I said that was my last question but I just have one follow-up on what you just said. Do you work with the office of innovation or the equity office in doing those two things? Because it seems like those are both tasks that really -- is well within their expertise and I am wondering how much cross work is going on at the department level. >> Yes, ma'am. Yes. Actually we have been working with innovation. We have been in discussions with the equity offices and we do work with, currently we have achieve executive officer that is collaborating with us. >> Thank you very much. >> Alter: Colleagues any other questions? Okay. I just you know, I think councilmember tovo asked some things that were similar to some of my questions. I know that your original proposed implementation date was October of 2022 and you are still very much engaged in the [10:16:59 AM] process for changes for repeat offenders .. Whether those changes or other changes, do you have a sense of the timetable you are looking at? >> So right now, as I said, there is steak holder the engagement that are occurring until June. The timeline hopefully says we will present something to you, to this council in October. >> Alter: Okay. So that would be adopting the legislation. There may still be a delay after that before implementation. Okay. And, you know, I don't know enough of the details of the specifics and have not been engaged in the field back. I know that there has been feed become of all sorts around this program. So I hope that we can approve the program, whatever that looks like on the feedback that you are getting, whether it is what auditor recommended or not. We will see at the end of your process. But I do hope that we can improve that process and I hope [10:18:00 AM] that there are ways to do that, create more incentives for the apartment buildings to provide the health and safety while also recognizing some of the situations that have been created difficulties for those apartment buildings through the current setup of the rose. So thank you very much for being here and thank you for for the audit report. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Alter: Our next item is item 4 which is update on the culture arts funding program guidelines from. Do. >> We know who is presenting for ebd? >> Do we know who is present something. >> Are you online? >> Yes. All of the economic development [10:19:03 AM] -- moved over -- >> Alter: Great. >> Good morning, director -- the speaker. >> Yes. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you, yay. >> Oh, good. Because -- I wasn't getting in I feedback. >> Alter: You are loud and clear now. >> So at that I am the economic development department and it is our pleasure to be here today to give you an update on our cultural arts funding review process. With me today is Carabajal, acting deputy direct for, the Maggie wells our division manager for culture agricultural arts division as well as the our program manager. And I just want to first thank the community for being engaged in this process, as well as the equity office walking with us [10:20:03 AM] through this process. And so I will now turn it over to Megan to present today. Megan. >> Thank you. Hi, everyone, Megan wells, cultural arts division for the economic development department. Today I will be giving an update on the cultural fund review process and the draft pilot guidelines but before I dive in I just want to echo senfronia's thanks to the city council, to arts commission to the community and to staff, this would not have been the possible without the open and difficult conversations we have been having together over the past several years. Next slide, please. And just to briefly sum up how we have gotten here, the cultural planning programs in Austin officially date back about 50 years when funding first began to be along indicated from the city to a handful of arts groups. The rams were revised heavily in the early 2000s and have been tweaked over the last decade but in that time not significantly reviews were evaluated for effectiveness, efficiency or equity. The need for a racial equity [10:21:04 AM] centered shift in the cultural arts division spending programs is clearly illustrated through our own program data that reveals how our program had been exclusionary over time. I also want to mention though we lead with race we understand the importance of intersectionality in how we address other historically marginalized communities, such as the lgbtqia and disability communities with that being said we are also mitigating the concerns by the law department and counsel about the legal risk of leading with racial equity. This has been had balance and please remember that these are pilot programs. Next slide. The imcompetent us to revise the guidelines hinged on several factors dating back to 2017. In 2017 the arts commission established the cultural funding program responsiveness working group at their regular meetings. Its purpose was to make funding for -- to the community, with, we initiated the conversation to address the inequities in the funding programs. [10:22:05 AM] From this develop the idea of bringing the complete overhaul of the cultural funding programs. In 2018, Austin's expanding population combined with successful program retention and outreach resulted in a six increasing community participation in the funding programs. Hot funds were not increasing in proportion to this participation and funding cuts occurred for the first time in quite some time. Here with the goal of increasing and sustaining cultural equity and recommendations from the various quality of life commissions, these conditions presented both challenges and opportunities to reexamine, this informative disruptive stance to the current funding model, goals, structures and operations and priorities with stakeholder a engagement. Next slide. Conversations with council, commission and community asked us to lead with equity but also consider needs of the entire ecosystem. Thus we are using three programs to serve the ecosystem each with an equity lens. No artist or arts and culture organization will be ineligible [10:23:05 AM] to apply. We want everyone to be able to see themselves in these programs with the idea of over time we can scale up award amounts as hot returns. This approach maintains the framework we historically used to serve various constituents, different sizes and types of cultural producers in our community but also provides room for more intentionality for groups who have been contributing to our city for many, many years and have never received the type of investment from us that other similar groups have. We know we won't with able to fix or solve this systemic issue overnight nor any program or framework be perfect but this approach is where we feel a solid pilot program lands. It also fits squarely with EdD's mission to promote a competitive and equitable program for all. Next slide. Of to recap milestones since September 2021 when we last had a conversation with council we focused on transparency, impact analysis, the suggestion of the arts commissions working groups and further community feedback from the launch of the draft [10:24:06 AM] guidelines. The working group formed by the arts commission was focused on members whose voices had not been heard in the cultural funding review process. Some community members had been very vocal and some had not been heard at all. The arts commission wanted to the hear from those who had not been involved, specifically people of color, lgbt ia and disability community members and women. The .. Community members a mix of cultural contractors and noncultural contractors. Met with the art commissioners on the working group .. With our consultant and -- comments were accepted through August 2021 on the draft programs which were released last summer. Although we intended to launch at that time, due to community feedback we incorporated more changes into the new program. Ultra, other contractors have been reaching out to staff and art directors with questions and comments. After the updated pilot programs were released there were another three weeks to provide targeted feedback, we gathered that data to present to the arts commission on the 31st and we have already made changes to the [10:25:07 AM] draft pilot programs based on community input. Next slide. Some of these are inincluding the award amount it is, reworking the scoring rubric and guideline language in keeping with community feedback, equity office consultation and legal guidance. We will not be scoring on immutable characteristics and looking instead at mission and community served. The pilot cohort, removing other restricted eligibility requirements, reading two categories so artist are not completing against nonprofits clarifying capital expenditures and those above a certain amount which need staff approval and focusing on sustainability, not just growth. Next slide. >> This is an overview of the phased process we used to revise the guidelines when the process got started. And the consultants who provided assistance to us. It also includes when the community input and conversations of engage. Got [10:26:07 AM] started and continuing. The first community wide meeting was held on July 10, 2019 and proceeded in phases. You can see how the phases were, listening, auditing, developing and refining. Schedule plays for public engagement, consultant research and advice, staff analysis and many other types of feedback and information were fully considered. Next slide. Building on three years of community feedback, evaluation of past program weaknesses and research during the cultural funding review staff put forward a new structure that will encourage new talent, support established cultural producers and invest in the development of diverse cultural that are rooted in and representative of the communities they serve. This funding ecosystem will prioritize equity, through a combination of seed funding, broad sector support and targeted investment. Next slide. To honor the goal of the holistic funding of ecosystem the three programs will offer a range of funding opportunities [10:27:09 AM] in scale and contract length. In this program ecosystem, the nexus program will nurture new and emerging applicants by funding creative public projects. This program will have the easiest application and contracting process, providing an ideal entry point for applicants who are new to city funding and especially those who have been institutionally and systemically marginalized by structures. Broader sector support is through the elevate program. It is open to art and organizations to all sizes this will broadly support culturally producers who put on public programs. Thrive will provide posed investment to sustain and grow arts organizations deeply rooted in and reflective of Austin's diverse culture. This program speaks to directly correct, and historical underfunding displacement and cultural erasure of communities within offering by substantial funding for those organizations to self determine and invest in their own sustainability and growth. Thrive is only open to 501 C [10:28:11 AM] 3 arts organizations who have at least a five-year history in Austin. This program prioritizes organizations that have not yet reached institutional status, which is access to large cash reserves and endowments, et cetera, thrive includes access to a supportive cohort learning followed which curriculum and opportunities are self identified by these contractors with an emphasis on peer leadership, herring and guidance from city staff as needed. This program will leverage existing professional development and learning opportunities within EdD and other city programs. Next slide. These are the tentative award amounts and tentative numbers of awards for program. We are continuing to receive hot actuals each month and will revisit these numbers when and if our actuals change. Nexus is anticipated to be a flat award of $5,000. We anticipate 50 awards per cycle with two cycles per year. The total allocation for this program will be $500,000. Elevate will have two [10:29:11 AM] categories. One for 501 C arts and cultural organizations only, and one for non501 C arts and cultural organizations. This may include individual artists, artist coops,ment improve troops troops and dance companies, annual contracts will range from $10,000 .. To $75,000 for arts and culture 501 C 3s, and $10,000 to $30,000 for non501 C 3s. We anticipate around 100 awards per fiscal year in this program. The total allocation for this program will be around $3 million for arts and culture 501 C 3s and around $1 million for arts, artists and art please note a non-501(c)(3). Create annual budget over $500,000 will not be eligible. Thrive awards will change. From 80 to $50,000 per year the [10:30:12 AM] total allocation for this project around $3 million please note the bulk of the arts funding will go to funding culture and arts projects. Next slide. Everyone in the arts and culture eco system should be able to see themselves in this programs no one needs to provide matching funds awards are not based on budget history as requested by the community this will be a competitive process the goal is not to fund 99% of applicants regarding a transition plan arpa funds were distributed to existing contract cultures who had not received over $1 million already. This recommendation from the arts commission was able to stabilize creatives in a way hot never could have. Because the funds were flexible. They could use it's for stabilization and programming they didn't have to put on a public event and focused on [10:31:13 AM] rent and salaries this--[inaudible] $450,000. Next slide. I would like to cover quickly targeted concerns that have arisen in our process with regard to the move from projections to actuals in hot funds, we are in recovery mode and limited hot funds plus this change has been discussed by the arts commission and community for several years provides the city and contractors more stability and greater planning ability each year. Next slide. Review panels. Our department has been working over the past several months for panel over take process starting in late June to attract members serving on panels working with human resourceses to [inaudible] Prrpb speaking to fast to understand.). Reduced subject teuty and fewer narrative questions in their [10:32:18 AM] applications. Next slide. Fiscal sponsorship, we are not getting rid of we're not requiring any longer if the applicant believes it is valuable for them. Next slide. Community collaboration. Community collaboration is not required if you want to do a project developed through community activation or collaboration you serbly can for collaborations that involve projects that include artists groups representing lgbtqia and disability non-profits advocacy programs and similarment next slide. Drives cohort model. We want to provide the option for peer learning and networking. That is something we have heard for years contractors want it is optional for these par cities--participants. EdD is working for the hot [10:33:20 AM] stream roll out, we will not be closing out final reports the same month we are entering into contracts this staggering will better support the community and staff capacity, we are learning from various relief programs to streamline and automate parts of the contract materials and part of the contracting process next slide. Applicant support an application checklist and videos to participate in use and watch there will be increased office hours with staff and the community navigator program is specifically designed for funding opportunities such as these. Next slide. I would like to include with information on the timeline. Recently we had on April 18th. A working group presentation to the arts commission on April 19th staff posted the new draft guidelines and accepted community feedback on the [10:34:20 AM] guidelines until may 10th. You can see on the slide where we are in the steps ahead. Next slide. The time frame for EdD's finalization of guideline how that process will occur are listed on this slide. Coming up in may and June the arts commission will discuss and take action June 21st, we will start panel recruitment. In August we plan to release the street performance program. September 8th, a heritage preservation grant will launch. October, thrive will launch. December we will have other programs such as cap the cultural space--sorry. Creative space assistance program. And then in January we plan to launch nexus round one. February elevate. June of 2023 live music, and in July 2023, nexus round two. [10:35:22 AM] Next. I believe that concludes my presentation. We would be happy to answer any questions you might have for us >> Alter: Thank you Mrs. Wells thank you for the exhaustive work on this. This is a challenging process, one that is hopefully in the end going to build more equity into our process and lift up all of our arts organizations and our arts capacity in our community just want to clarify in a process standpoint you are still taking feedback because the arts commission is not voted yet on the guidelines so this is a check in that you asked for with council to have through our committee so that council could be made aware. Is that, correct? >> Yes. That is absolutely true. [10:36:23 AM] In fact, the arts commission have conducted several community listening sessions in the I would say past month or so. And continue to converse with the community as well, we are open to feedback continuing throughout the process as I mention these are pilots, we intend to take an analysis of these programs as we launch them so we can build on successes and look at opportunities for improvement the arts commission is still taking feedback and staff as well. >> Alter: Thank you. And the way this process works, the arts commission will vote on this does not require a vote of council at this point in time. >> It does not. >> Alter: Okay. Thank you. Councilmember Fuentes? >> Fuentes: Thank you. Also want to echo my gratitude. Seems like you definitely you can tell you all have taken a lot of time and intentionality incorporating feedback from the community I'm pleased to see [10:37:23 AM] the revised program guidelines. Or the revised process. I think the changes make a lot of sense I appreciate the changes and flexibility that will go along way in including artists and appreciate the extensive work you have done. Some of the questions I had I wanted you to clarify. You mentioned that while this--with this new framework, it would entail that not 99% of contractors received previous amount of funding would not get funded through these changes I know in doing a quick path, we would at least have the opportunity to award 235 different contracts through these changes 235. So, I wanted to understand with though 235 assuming they are unique each non-profit or artist would only receive one [10:38:24 AM] award although I don't know if that is the case, what percentage of that would be--I want to level set with the community if 99% are not going to receive funding, what percentage amount would be received funding with these changes? >> Laura do you have that number? I can give a little bit of a ballpark. Typically with our core program, we have about 400 contractors 450. So, this would be a significant reduction in that amount. Typically with our existing commission and issues program, we had have had what? 125 or so? There would be fewer in that as well Laura if you have numbers. >> That is correct. Typically we have close to 600 contractors in all three of our past programs. So, it is a significant reduction. I think the quick math on that is more like 40% instead of 99% [10:39:29 AM] of applicants. But that is saying we're only going to have existing past contractors apply. So, obviously, with the pandemic and with a lot of the out reach that the arts commission and staff has been doing, with relief programs, I would expect we are having more applicants probably with these pilot programs than we have in the past as well. >> Fuentes: Got you. Okay. That makes sense. And you also mentioned there were a few organizations that had received--did you say a million-dollars from the arpa funding or there would be some sort of cut off if an organization had already received a certain amount if you could clarify what that amount was they would not be eligible for these programs. Is that right? >> That is actually for the arpa community relieve that the arts commission decided voted on in the fall that was distributed in January of this [10:40:29 AM] year to all existing contractors so the arts commission they looked at who had received relief funding already through the city as well as who had received funding federally like the shutter venue award. There were maybe four organizations that had received a total over a million-dollars between city funds and federal shuttered venue relief. So, those four organizations did not receive arpa arts community relief for the city from the money distributed in January but they would still be eligible to the new pilot programs launching this next fiscal year. >> Fuentes: Got you. Thafpb--thank you for that I have two more here there were two here with the latest tax preventions if someone on staff could provide. [10:41:29 AM] The latest hotel tax revenue lieu as it relates to cultural arts funding. >> We are still in receipt and working with our city departments, but they are up. We won't know final numbers probably until late August and I'm in conversation with the budget office with the pivot to actuals, even when the budget is approved in August, we will more than likely do a budget amendment to add additional funds collected. We are projected to be on track with the current collections and even more. We don't have a final number. So, the projections for this year was 6.6 million just in hotel occupancy tax I can tell you it's coming in higher than that. >> Fuentes: That is 6.6 million for cultural arts funding. >> Just for the cultural arts [10:42:30 AM] fund. Yes. >> Fuentes: Okay. Last question I have and that is great by the way. Excited to hear that our hotel tax revenues are on track and expected to be hopefully modestly above that or even more would be great. The last question on the community navigator program I was excited to see that as part of the policy direction that we set forth of course, I wish it would have been launched a lot sooner recognizing the impact the pandemic has had on our creative community. Any update on the navigator program? I guess the focus now for the navigators would be on connecting applicants with these programs and helping them through the process of applying for thrive elevate and nexus is that right? >> That is correct. We have two contractors we will engage in the fall, specifically for all the hot funded programs not only the cultural arts but music and [10:43:32 AM] heritage, too. We are also exploring how we can continue that program because that's been a great program throughout the pandemic prior to calling it community navigators, we had our community champions. This has just been a great way to reach deeper into communities so we're trying to figure out how to continue funding that past the arpa half million dollars once it's gone. >> Fuentes: Thank you. >> Alter: Thank you. Other colleagues do you have questions? Mrs. Halrab I haven't finished my way through the memo you released yesterday for the broader programs. I think we may want to invite you to come if we have space on our June meeting to talk about the historic preservation fund changes in more specifics. The live music ones as well. I'm not sure if we have space [10:44:34 AM] or not. Yes we do. I think I would like to understand that better and that process and there are some requirements with the funding that I just needed to understand better how this is being implemented with respect to that funding. If there are no other questions, then thank you. >> Thank you. >> Alter: Ladies for being here this morning. Next up on our items I just want to mention that we are aware there's a challenge for two of our committee members for December, we have not yet identified a date to meet unless stokes has a date. [10:45:35 AM] >> Eight piers each office can meet--this is for the December meeting--can meet the 13th. From 930 to 1130. We can actually make that change today. >> Alter: Okay. Do I have a motion to move the audit and finance committee date to the December 13th. Moved by councilmember Fuentes seconded by councilmember Kelly all those in favor? Okay, we are now full dias for that move. Great. Thank you. All right. We're now going to take up item six. Does the clerk want to speak to the first and second of the prosperity commission? >> Good morning Stephanie hall with the office of the city clerk, we are here to report the economic prosperity commission has failed to convene for a period of over six moss at the time we sent the notice on April 26th. [10:46:38 AM] They had not met since August 13th. 2021. It is my understanding they met last week on may 18th. And elected chair and vice chair. There are not attendance violations however there are a total of three vacancies the respect I council members are aware of that and working on that I'm here for any councilmember ellises and the economic prosperity commission is here as well. >> Alter: Thank you. So, we have been doing some discussions with the clerk's office about boards and commissions kind of more broadly. My understanding is that this particular commission did meet recently appointed a chair they are meeting again. I think some of the changes we made to aloud for hybrid meetings are filtering through and being able to be implemented and having an impact. That being said, there are [10:47:39 AM] quorum challenges across many commissions if each of us can take a look at see where we have openings. I know I had some I just filled. I have one more to fill myself but if we can take a look at our openings and make sure we're filling those openings then if you are hearing from board and commission members there are challenges in there commission, if you want to let the clerk's office know we need to take a look at that. We need to address this across the boards and commission. My recommendation would be for us to vote to continue the economic prosperity commission now they have been able to make quorum and see what happens. We are anticipating my office will add some direction when we make that motion regarding the need for liaison support and logistics for board and commission meetings. So, we have to send this to so in [10:48:41 AM] order to continue the economic prosperity commission have to go to council vote. We will vote to continue that but then we will probably provide some direction to the city manager. We understand there are some commissions that do not have executive liaisons attached to them. Etcetera. So, I just wanted to flag for you that we may be developing that for the June 9th. Meeting. I don't that for us to vote on today. The other thing I wanted to raise is that it has been ten years since we took a deep dive into the boards and commissions. So, we have some boards and commissions where we have a long- term of members who will be coming up on the time limit and many new councils potentially coming in January. So, it may be time for us to initiate some sort of task [10:49:43 AM] force to look at boards and commissions and see what is functioning and what is not functioning. Councilmember tovo? >> Tovo: As we're talking about the economic prosperity commission I think that time might be now. And I would suggest that we as a council have a conversation about the different commissions ultimately, they're providing all of our commissions are providing recommendations to council with the exception of a couple of commissions that are sovereign boards that can make decisions on their own that waopt be up for a discussion about considering. Ten year is a long time. I think economic prosperity commission was created in 2015. If those commissions are not not relevant to the work that the council is doing, then I think we should really consider whether we continue them. I would actually like to have a full conversation around the [10:50:44 AM] economic prosperity commission and talk about how we used the recommendations and guidance through the years and whether that is worth continuing it's provided value everything is a 0 sum game here it takes a lot of staff support, and the public is not aware of the level of the staff support it takes from the liaison to CCM to building reservation and room. We should be thoughtful about all of our commissions and take a look at them as councilmembers at a worksession and which ones we are finding useful in terms of helping shape policy, and providing community feedback which are useful maybe the time has come to sunset them. >> Alter: Maybe we can--vice chair pool? >> Pool: Given all of that I support the call for a discussion about continuance. [10:51:45 AM] I think it smart always to review things kind of sunseting in that sense. Do you want a motion on this item here today? >> Alter: I do need a motion to if we want to continue the status or not. I think we have to take some measure I'm not sure that we're in a position to stop them. >> Pool: Right. >> Alter: Or whether we want to do it in the short run. They are being the example for this discussion because they are the ones before us I don't want anyone to think we're picking on one per se, it's that example is the one before us because of the requirements in statute for it to come to us. >> Pool: Then I would be happy to make a motion to continue the economic prosperity committee. >> Tovo: I'm happy to second it for the moment with the understanding we're going to [10:52:45 AM] talk about that commission and others here in the next couple moss I appreciate the task force idea, we should have conversation as council those are serving the councilmembers and that's where I think I suggest the conversation begin. >> Alter: Think we can begin there. There are questions, we need to get feedback from the commissioners on it would with valuable to hear from the commissioners whrrbgs they feel their commissions are valuable as well and where that is not the case, we are also able to look at those. Councilmember Kelly? >> Kelly: It occurs to he the state has the sunset view process I wonder if that has value we can talk about conversation we can have with the council as a whole during worksession. >> Alter: Sure, we can talk about with the mayor which meeting agenda I'm weary of the [10:53:47 AM] June 7th. Worksession, we have the living wage presentation as well as vmu2 as well as compatibility I don't know whether that conversation can happen with council on the 14th or not. We can certainly foreshadow it on the 9th or whenever this item comes forward. Councilmember Fuentes? >> Fuentes: Thank you. I think also at that worksession on June 7th. We have an update on the climate equity plan I asked for a briefing on that. I know staff is working on that issue as well. This is a great topic for us to consider. I would like to look at it from the lens of looking at it from an operational standpoint of staff support so understanding what are the commissions that currently don't have a staff liaison? Who is best appropriate to provide a staff liaison? What additional resources are needed for boards and commissions to operate effectively also looking at the ones that are selected to be broadcast on atxn, we are [10:54:50 AM] airport commission is only available via audio the audio is uploaded a day or two afterwards I really think our airport advisory commission should be broadcast live and puck lickly accessible it's not as easy as it seems there's a shortage of rooms available that can connect with atxn that has the right cable. Now there is a lot more complexity to it. I do think as we have the conversation and do that sunset review of boards and commissions that we also look at the operation and procedures associated with it to ensure that staff is best supported to help with that operation of boards and commissions. >> Alter: I want to invite our clerk if she wants to make any comments on anything that's been said so far. If you are not ready too that is fine. And also wanted to get a sense of whether there is a little bit of background information you could have available for us [10:55:51 AM] for that meeting to the extent that you can provide some of the information for instance, that councilmember Fuentes just asked for and I know there is challenges in that our liaisons are not providing you with attendance etcetera. So, you think a little bit of background information going into that meeting when we do set it might be helpful for council if you are able to prepare that. >> Sure. Good morning. Can you all hear me? Yes? This is city clerk. I'm sorry, I'm at a seminar I had to step out of the class. We are in total support and agreement, we do need to revisit how the commission structure is intended to function. And we back in 2013, we the [10:56:51 AM] former council directed the city clerk to create a task force. I see that you would like to maybe proceed a little differently however I can I jotted down some notes I can have some information ready. I don't know if next week would be feasible since we have hot topic items if it would be a future. If we can conduct or have a future worksession item, we are happy to provide our current processes provide some options and suggestions and what we can do to streamline this process and see if any commissions need to sunseting or if they can be merged. Excuse me. But yes. We can have something ready. >> Alter: Thank you I will ask staff if you can work with the mayors office if there is time on the 14th for that. [10:57:52 AM] I think that would be through the mayor's office because this is--these are all council creations. Great. Thank you. So, we have a motion on the table to continue the economic prosperity commission from vice chair pool seconded by councilmember tovo. All those in favor. >> With a caveat. >> Alter: All those in favor with the caveat we're reviewing the committee structure? We will have an opportunity, I don't know whether that will be on the June 9th or I don't know if it will be on the June 9th. Or the June eubgz is teeth. If it is on June 9th. We will have an opportunity to bin foreshadowing the need for conversation only if we are able to have the worksession on the 14th. Vice chair pool? >> Pool: Specifically the caveat relates to all boards and commissions not just the economic prosperity one the [10:58:55 AM] review. Thanks. >> Alter: Yeah I'm not sure that goes in the motion to the--I think.... [Background noise] >> Tovo: Chair I took your motion as this is additional direction to consider this because I offered a caveat that we're going to consider it within the context of the broader conversation. . >> Pool: Which is how I viewed it as well. >> Alter: I think the item comes and we make the recommendation when we speak. When I get recognized as audit chair to talk about it. I'm not sure if it actually says what our recommendation was in this case for this example. >> Chair it will probably post the exact same way it is now the wording language which is the status of the economic prosperity commission you can make your recommendation based on what the committee decided. [10:59:57 AM] That is probably what I would suggest. >> Alter: Okay. At that point I will recognize our motion was to continue the economic prosperity commission but to take a review of all of our boards and commissions given we are at a ten year time from when they were last reviewed, we want to start that process with the council discussion as part of that we can figure out if we need any task force moving forward. Okay. All right. And we all righty voted, correct? We're in favor. The last item on our agenda is items to be discussed at future meetings our next meeting is Wednesday June 15th. We will have an opportunity to talk about the after action reports from storm uri. Later this year, I expect we're going to revisit the city's [11:00:57 AM] strategy from leasing to owning in the intersection with telecommuting. And I likely will want to have a further discussion of our capital budget reporting process. We used to get more information about our capital budget than we do. I would love to see more of that information within this budget we may or may not get to talking about that at the June meeting. We may be full. Then as we mentioned earlier, we will probably hear about the other hot tax programs. Mrs. Stokes is there anything else? >> That matches the list we currently have. There is one other item on there. I can't remember what it is. I'm looking at Nina in case she remembers. We have updates, coming on prior [inaudible]s and August we have several things related [11:01:57 AM] to prior audits, we will bring back including the it security discussion and follow up work like we presented today. >> Alter: Great. We are not meeting in July. I want to just welcome our new auditor who will be coming on board shortly, we have been able to successfully hire several of our vacancies, so congratulations and welcome to those new auditor. Svice chair pool? >> Pool: Is that meeting on June 2nd? >> We moved that to the 15. >> Alter: With that, it is 11:02:00 A.M. I will adjourn this meeting. Thank you.