City Council Special Called Meeting Transcript – 1/6/2025 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 1 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 1/6/2025 6:00:00AM Original Air Date: 1/6/2025 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. [6:05:25 PM] >> Good evening everyone. Good evening. We're going to go ahead and get started on this wonderful evening. So good evening everyone and welcome. My name is tc Broadnax, the current city manager for the city of Austin. And it's my pleasure to welcome you to city hall for the Austin city council. 2025 inauguration. I'd first like you to stand for the Austin police department's pipes and drum corps, and the honor guard, followed by the national anthem, which will be sung by cassie Brandi and remain standing for the invocation that we will be provided by chaplain burns. Friesen. Alright. [6:07:43 PM] Friesen. Alright. >> Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early light. What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars. Through the perilous fight. O'er the ramparts we watched. Were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air. [6:08:45 PM] bursting in air. >> Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. >> Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free. And the home of the. >> Brave. All right. Thank. >> You. Good evening. I'm [6:09:49 PM] >> You. Good evening. I'm honored to have this opportunity to participate in the swearing in of this group of individuals who have answered the call to serve god's people here in Austin, Texas. Before I begin with my prayer, I would be remiss if I didn't call for a moment of silence for our city of New Orleans. It wasn't long ago that we went through a pretty tragic situation with our the state of evil around the world. So if we could just take a moment and say a prayer for those families and the community and their governmental officials who will have to work out a plan to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Amen. Dear father god, we ask you to be with us [6:10:53 PM] god, we ask you to be with us during this time in this place. Please send your holy spirit to encompass every corner and crevice of this, what you have designated as the city council chambers for the citizens of the city of Austin. We welcome you to this occasion, and any opportunity that is taken to make wise governmental decisions for the city's people. I'm I'm humbly honored to bring this invocation, inviting father god, our creator, in the name of his son, Jesus our savior and Christ, to be present with us at this time. Father god, you who are the creator of all things, and the master planner of all times, the chief architect of this universe. Hebrews. Hebrews 1110 records that Abraham looked for a city that had god as its eternal builder. God, join us tonight in this city of Austin, [6:11:55 PM] tonight in this city of Austin, built as a result of the saints and forefathers who came before this group gathered here tonight. Join us and send your holy spirit to forever dwell in these chambers. Continue to bless the individuals who you have placed in the seats of authority over your city, your place on a hill for all to see. Cover them with your blessings and allow them to be reminded that their placement here is for your purpose. I pray that they will be reminded to seek you first in all that they are charged with doing every task that is laid upon them. May they be reminded of proverbs three five through six which states, trust in the lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. Acknowledge him in all that you do, and he shall direct thy path. Please give them wisdom and discernment. A staff and or [6:12:55 PM] discernment. A staff and or advocates to assist them in these. In completing these duties. God, you have purpose for everything. You. You have a purpose for everything you create. We know that this purpose is not of our doing, but of yours. We exalt you for this. These newly appointed and those who are returning open their ears to hear. Place their feet in the vineyards that you have chosen for their labor. Show them how to find their way back to you when they get off course, to build bridges across the city, and when there is disagreement, help them to find common ground. Give them the spirit not to live in a prison of unforgiveness, but in fact, finding and coming to a great solution for everyone involved. Give them confidence that you made no mistake in placing them and that you are always with [6:13:56 PM] and that you are always with them. Shower them with principles of transparency, honesty, diversity, equal equity, justice and respect for all mankind. Show them a way to resolve our current housing and unhoused challenges. Give them the vision when it comes to keeping your people safe through law enforcement, emergency management, health and recreation. Remind them that Christ is the head of this city and these chambers, and he's the unseen guest and listener of every conversation. In the name of Jesus. Amen. >> You may now take your seats. Thank you. Chaplain burns. At this time, I would like to welcome presiding judge sherry [6:14:58 PM] welcome presiding judge sherry statman to administer the oath of office. >> Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Kirk Watson, I, Kirk Watson, do solemnly swear. Solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties. That I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of mayor of the city of Austin. City of Austin, of the state of Texas, the state of Texas. And will, to the best of my ability and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend, preserve, protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States, the constitution and laws of the United States, and of this state and of this state. So help me god. >> So help me god. >> Congratulations, Mr. Mayor, very much. >> Thank you. >> Please raise your right hand [6:16:01 PM] >> Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Vanessa Fuentes. >> I, Vanessa Fuentes. >> Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties. I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of. Of the office of council. Member, district two. Council member, district two of the state of Texas, of the state of Texas. And will, to the best of my ability and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend, preserve, protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States, the constitution and laws of the United States, and of this state and of this state. So help me god. >> So help me god. >> Congratulations. Thank you. Please raise your right hand. I, Jose chito vela I Jose chito vela, do solemnly swear. >> Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties. [6:17:02 PM] faithfully execute the duties. That I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of. Of the office of council. >> Member, district four. Council member, district four of the state of Texas, of the state of Texas. And will, to the best of my ability and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend, preserve, protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States, the constitution and laws of the United States, and of this state and of this state. So help me god. >> So help me god. Congratulations. >> Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I Krista Laine I Krista Laine do solemnly swear. >> Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties. That I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of council. Member of the office of council member, district six. District six of the state of Texas. Of the state of Texas. And will, to the best of my [6:18:02 PM] And will, to the best of my ability and will to the best of my ability. >> Preserve, protect and defend. >> Preserve, protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States. The constitution and laws of the United States, and of this state and of this state. >> So help me god. >> So help me god. >> Congratulations. Thank you. >> Thank you. Judge. >> Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Mike Siegel. I, Mike Siegel. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties. >> That I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of. >> Of the office of council. Member, district seven. Council member, district seven of the state of Texas, of the state of Texas. And will, to the best of my ability and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend, preserve, protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States, the constitution and laws of the United States, and of this state [6:19:04 PM] United States, and of this state and of this state. So help me god. >> So help me god. >> Congratulations. Thank you. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I Marc duchen I Marc duchen. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties. >> That I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of council. Member of the office of council. Member, district ten. >> District ten of the state of Texas. Of the state of Texas. And will, to the best of my ability and will to the best of my ability. Preserve, protect and defend, preserve, protect and defend the constitution and laws of the United States, the constitution and laws of the United States, and of this state and of this state. So help me god. >> So help me god. >> Congratulations. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, everybody else. [6:20:07 PM] >> Thank you, everybody else. >> Let's go hold a meeting. >> Yes. What am I? Yeah. >> Ladies and gentlemen, your new Austin city council. I will now call to order the special called meeting of the Austin city council. It is January 6th, 2025. We're at 6:20 P.M. We are meeting in the Austin city [6:21:07 PM] meeting in the Austin city council chambers, which are located at Austin city hall, 301 west second street in Austin, Texas. I want to start off this meeting by thanking everybody that's here. I know the whole council joins me in thanking all of you who took the time to be with us tonight for this very special occasion. I want to thank our presiding judge of the municipal court for being here tonight and providing the oath of office to all of us, both those who are reelected and those who were newly elected, and thank the city manager for his role in in helping put all this together for us. Before we get started, we have one. We have one special item of business and that will be to elect our mayor pro tem. But we also are going to hear some comments from from those of us who are just sworn in. And we'll do some a little bit of clean up business. But there are a number of people here in the audience that I want to take an opportunity to introduce because they are elected officials. And on a special night like this [6:22:09 PM] on a special night like this where we're talking about elections, I think it's appropriate that we recognize them from the Texas legislature. We have with us, senator Pete flores. And we have senator Sarah Eckhardt. There she is. We have state representative Donna Howard. State representative Gina Hinojosa. State representative Cheryl Cole. And state representative lulu flores. From Travis county. We are joined by Travis county judge Andy brown. Travis county commissioner Jeff Travillion. Travis county commissioner Brigid Shea. Travis county [6:23:10 PM] Brigid Shea. Travis county commissioner Ann Howard and Travis county commissioner Margaret Gomez. From Williamson county. We are joined by Williamson county judge bill Gravell. We also have a number of our countywide officials here with us today. Travis county tax assessor Celia Israel. Travis county district attorney Jose Garza. Travis county attorney Delia Garza. Constable Jorge morales. Constable constable Stacey suits. Constable Joaquin Kincannon. And I think. Judge, our new, newly sworn in justice of the third court of appeals is [6:24:12 PM] of the third court of appeals is judge Karen crump. But I'm not sure. She just got sworn in a couple hours ago. She's here. I'd be disappointed in her. I also think that R.T. Singh, the president of the Austin independent school district board of trustees, is here. I'll recognize the senator Ted Cruz's district director, Brandon Simon. And thank all of them. And if I missed somebody, I apologize. Somebody get me a note and I'll take care of it, but I apologize. I appreciate everybody being here tonight, and we all do. With that, I want to recognize members of the council to say a few words that and speak about their being sworn in tonight. And we're going to start with council member Vanessa Fuentes in district two. Council member Fuentes, you have the floor. >> Thank you. Thank you. Mayor. I just also want to recognize aid trustee Larissa quintana. [6:25:13 PM] aid trustee Larissa quintana. Aisd trustee Andrew Gonzalez, and the pflugerville council member, Rudy Mateo for also joining us today. Please join me that I apologize, I missed you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. And so, first and foremost, I want to thank the people of district two for their confidence in me and for giving me the honor of a lifetime to continue to represent district two on Austin city council. I want to thank my family, who have traveled from Brodie, the heart of Texas, to join us today. Thank you to my parents, Carlos and Fuentes, for all the sacrifices you have made for me along the way. I sometimes I thank my lucky stars that someone like me from from Brady, has the opportunity to represent this capital city. And I know it's it really is because of the hard work of my family. And so I'm really grateful for my brother and sisters and my family for being here. Thank you to my district two team for all of their hard work. I always say you're only as good as your [6:26:13 PM] you're only as good as your team. And I have one of the greatest teams ever, so I just want to give a huge shout out to my district two team, Jason, Ardell, Sophia, Amelia. Crystal, thank you all so much for everything that you do day in and day out. I also want to thank my campaign team. Thank you to Michael and Christina and Jackie for your counsel along the way. This is, believe it or not, when I got sworn in in 21, it was all virtual. So this is the first time that I've had the opportunity to celebrate in person with folks. So I'm also giving some thanks for my first campaign as well, mostly as we take a look at what's ahead for 2025, we know that we are in a year of uncertainty, especially with the change in the presidential administration, with the legislature convening just up the street. And so I truly believe that our local officials are on the front lines, and the work that we do matters, and certainly in these times. And I could not think of better colleagues to do this [6:27:15 PM] better colleagues to do this work with. And so I'm grateful for everyone here for the opportunity to serve with you these next few years, and especially our community is going to need it. Part of what I'm committed for the next term is to truly vinyl a 15 minute city. It shouldn't matter what zip code you live in Austin, everyone should be able to get to their nearby grocery store or their park. They should have smooth streets. They should be able to get there in the method of their choice, whether it is by car, by bike or by foot. That is truly what we want for every austinite, regardless of where you live. And with that, I just want to thank you for this opportunity, the honor of a lifetime, and I hope to continue to deliver progress with purpose. Thank you. >> Thank you, council member. Before we go to the next council member, there are a couple other people I want to make sure people recognize. We have judge Bianca Garcia here with us. I'm sorry I missed her. I'm told Maynard mayor Chris Harvey is [6:28:17 PM] Maynard mayor Chris Harvey is here with us. There he is. And the Austin independent school district superintendent. While not elected, he he gets beat up as much as if he were elected. And he does a great service for our community. And let's recognize matthias segura, who. Let someone else go ahead. >> Oh. Got it. I guess I'm going to speak now. Yeah. Former council member Ann kitchen and former councilmember Jimmy Flanagan, I believe, are here. >> All right. Glad glad you recognize me. Great. >> Thank you. >> Council member vela, I'll recognize you. You have the floor to say. Make comments. >> Thank you very much, mayor. Again, it's just a privilege and honor of a of a lifetime to serve in the seat, to have served in this seat and then to be reelected, to come back and continue to do the good work that we do on the dais. Again, from the bottom of my heart, I [6:29:19 PM] from the bottom of my heart, I just have to thank so many, so many people. Of course, the residents of district four, the people that I've lived with and known for almost a lifetime at this point who have seen fit to put me back and who have shown faith in me, who have supported me, who have pushed me to do the work that I do. And it's for them that I'm here and again, my, my family, my mother, Patricia vela, my wife, Fabiola flores, my son Camilo are here. Two other kids, unfortunately, are off doing college things and could not join us. But but you know, running for office is a family affair. You know, you're not the only one. Every. You drag everyone with you. And for the good and for the bad. And it's everybody deals with it and handles it. And I love them so much. They've stood by me so much. And it's just I love every day that I get to spend with them. And it's a real treat, a real pleasure. And then, you [6:30:20 PM] real pleasure. And then, you know, just looking. Well, I have to thank actually, again, my, my campaign team also skip, Jim, Natalia, Ryan, so many others that that helped me along the way. And then I have to of course, my staff who has gotten me here, we've been just it's been a tremendous three years to have done so much and work so much. And they really are the, the, the support and the strength that that enables you to, to do the good work that we do. And looking forward, you know, there Austin finds itself in such a really unique position right now in the country. We're doing so well compared to so many other places. We have so many strengths to draw on, and people from across the country look to what's happening in Austin and emulate it and criticize it. And we're just kind of in the, in the heart of not just really even a national [6:31:22 PM] not just really even a national conversation, almost a global conversation at this point. And so much that we do does affect many other places. And when I think about that, and when I think about the next four years, you know, one of the things that Austin can do, one of the strongest messages that we can send to the world at large, especially given kind of our our very kind of liberal bent, you know, people's republic of Texas people joke around about how, you know, where we kind of walk our own way is, you know, when I want to be the best governed city in Texas, one of the best governed cities in the country. That's where I think the message that we want to send, that this is a city that's run extremely well, that's providing services, critical services to people, all of all types of all different types of needs. That's where I look forward, that that's what I want to bring to folks in Austin over the next four years. And again, thank you all so much [6:32:23 PM] again, thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate it so much and look forward to serving as your district four council member for the next four years. >> Thank thank you, council member vela. I want to recognize former council members Raul Alvarez. He's here. Also. Council member Pio former council member Pio Renteria is here with us. There he is. We're joined by aid trustee Lynn Boswell. And eanes ISD trustee Heather Sheffield, also. With that, I get to, for the first time, recognize council member Krista Laine. Thank you. >> I would like to also recognize Round Rock ISD trustee and district ten resident Melissa Ross. And I want to thank everyone who came together to help me win this seat, to [6:33:25 PM] to help me win this seat, to bring representation that puts community first for district six, and also sets high priority on bringing us together, because we are we are at our strongest when we come together and work for what we all believe in. I never thought that I would run for this office, but once I once I once I decided about a year ago I was very excited about my experience in housing that I could bring to the discussions around that, the advocacy and work I had done around equity, and also bringing stability to neighborhoods. I really felt like we needed resilient utilities that would that would serve district six and all of our neighborhoods, and could be counted on in times of extreme weather and that sort of thing. And I was very excited to get to work on those. And some of the people who came together to help me get ready for this race, as I would start to talk about housing and transportation and [6:34:26 PM] housing and transportation and utilities would say, are we really talking about that again? Christa yeah, we are, because I ran for this office because I am really interested in doing the work to bring stronger basic services and reliable city services everywhere in Austin. I knew that it would be hard to win, but I had no idea what a mountain it really would be to climb to run against an incumbent. But I did know what it would take and what it would take would be people coming together who believed in what I had to offer and would, and brought the strength and support behind that. And I will tell you, there were a lot of people who have known me in district six for a decade. They know that I put community first. They know the work I've done in Round Rock ISD, which is the vast majority of schools in district six, and they came in immediately to help me. But what surprised me so much was all the people I met who didn't know anything about [6:35:27 PM] who didn't know anything about what we'd been working on. Those- all those years in district six who came and met me and jumped in to help, to help me win. And I will tell you, for some people that did have to do with housing and transportation and utilities, but for a lot of people, what it had to do with was we need a community where we come together, where we look out for each other. And they knew in talking to me that I will put all of our humanity first, our community first, and do everything I can to stand up for that. And everyone who's known me for a decade or longer knows that I know how to fight, but I do it by bringing people together because that is how we're strongest. And so I am extremely grateful to be welcomed onto this council the way that I have been. I'm grateful to my family who Wu they have their hands full with me and my community out in northwest Austin, but also so [6:36:29 PM] northwest Austin, but also so much to all the people that I've met in the last year who have come together to help me learn and who will help me be effective, and who have made me strong enough to finish this campaign. And I hope that you will also help me stay strong for the next four years to do what it will take for this city, because I think we all know we don't know what's in store, but we will. We will confront it more effectively together. So thank you so much. And I will say thank you for my campaign team, both public and private, for my volunteers, for all the community members and district six who have cared enough and in the rest of the city who have Round Rock ISD, it just gets bigger and bigger. That community who have cared enough to come and talk to me so that I could listen and so that I can get to work for you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Council member Laine I recognize council member Mike Siegel from district seven. >> Well, thank you, mayor, and [6:37:29 PM] >> Well, thank you, mayor, and thank you to my colleagues. And thank you to all the members of the public who are here tonight to celebrate local democracy. This is a wonderful moment. I'm definitely honored to represent district seven and excited to work with all of you for a better district and a better city. It did take a lot of work to win this seat. Some of you may know, and I really don't take that for granted. You know, sitting and serving on the city council is a public trust, and it's a great obligation and also a wonderful opportunity. The city manager gave each of us ten, 12 tickets tonight, and it put us in a tough spot because, you know, it takes a lot of people to win a spot on the city council. And I do want to acknowledge the people who are with me, my dear wife, doctor Mohammed, is here. Of course, she played an essential role in so many ways, and it's her birthday tomorrow. Thank you and Datu and early happy birthday. Our children are here as well. Malika Siegel, a seventh grader, a theater student. My son hamza Siegel, who's a soccer player in [6:38:32 PM] Siegel, who's a soccer player in fourth grader. You know, they they give me inspiration, right? That that this is the work we have to make Austin a welcoming and nurturing place for the generations to come. My parents came all the way from Oakland, California. My father, Dan Siegel, and my mom, Ann wiles. They raised me on politics and the power of organizing. So thank you all for coming out. And my mother in law is here. Aisha sandy. She came out from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thank you for being here. And I appreciate you all applauding for all these people. My campaign manager is here, Jessica Rodriguez. Robertson, who's going to be joining me in my city council office. And thank you to Jess and also to Jim wick. They were part of my campaign team to help me get through this very challenging campaign. I also have my as my guest here, Benjamin suddaby, a leader in afscme. Jay Popham, who's a powerful organizer with Austin dsa, Katina Bollinger, my friend and colleague from ground [6:39:32 PM] friend and colleague from ground game Texas, and also Ana Salas Porras, a dear friend and great organizer for many Progressive causes. And these are, you know, 12 people who joined me, but they really represent to me a broader movement here in Austin, a Progressive movement, folks who want a more just a more sustainable, more accessible community for all. And I really feel blessed that in the city, we have a wonderful municipal government. Some of you know, I used to work on the fourth floor with miss Deborah Thomas here in the law department, and I'm glad to be back in the building. And, you know, I really respect that we have thousands of wonderful, talented civil servants here in Austin and also really a great and engaged city council. And so we have a lot of work to do on many fronts. You know, housing affordability, transportation, mobility, climate, public safety, public health. There's a lot of work to do. And I'm really honored to be joining this effort. I also want to acknowledge the outgoing representative. I'm the second representative of district seven, councilwoman Leslie pool represented this district for [6:40:34 PM] represented this district for ten years. And so I want to thank her for her wonderful service as well. So I look forward to working for all of you and with all of you. And thank you for being here tonight. >> I got to say, it is a little bit different being on the other side of the dais for a change. It's but it is my honor to sit here this evening and address you all. And believe me, I'm as surprised as you are that I'm here this evening. But first, I want to thank my family. I want to thank all those folks that helped get me here. My dad, who's in the audience this evening, evening, key members of my campaign team, pretty much my entire kitchen cabinet is back there. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this possible. And really, everybody that supported me and even the folks that didn't [6:41:35 PM] even the folks that didn't support me, I'm grateful for helping me make make me a better candidate and better person. And since I've got the floor for a few brief minutes, I'd like to share with you what I've been hearing and thinking out there. So recent elections and data have shown us that divisions continue to keep us from being our best selves, and I think our best city, and I'm a bit of a data wonk, so I'm getting this from both recent election results as well as polling. I know those council members, myself included, that had contested races. Pretty much all of them were won by very narrow margins. In the last Austin monitor poll that I've seen showed that solid majorities still felt like Austin was marching in the wrong direction, and that we're disappointed with council, and I'm confident that we'll have better policy discussions by getting the broadest input possible, not just from those folks that happen to agree with us. I tried [6:42:36 PM] happen to agree with us. I tried to do that on my campaign for the last year. I've tried to do that throughout my career, and I hope to do that as a council member for the next four years. And I also look forward to enabling and listening to our staff's professional recommendations for making sure that our boards and commissions have the broadest possible demographics and perspectives. And I'm also looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues up here on the dais. And together, I want to see us deliver on the quality of life issues that people here want, the things that can most improve people's lives. Here in Austin, austinites want and should expect a government that works for them. They want to make sure that they can trust that every dollar is being wisely spent, because that means more resources for the priorities we all care about. And at the same time, we've also got to make sure we can make sure the city's still affordable to live in. They also want to know that our programs are effective, that we're safe, that our day to day services are top notch. So after [6:43:37 PM] services are top notch. So after visiting already with some of my colleagues up here, I believe this is a vision we all share and that we all have a responsibility to work towards it. So I look forward to being part of that solution and to continue the innovative work of my predecessor. And more than anything, I'm excited to serve the district ten constituents, the city of Austin, make sure we provide excellent service, and I appreciate from the bottom of my heart again, the honor and trust that my district ten constituents have placed in me. >> Thank you, thank you, thank you. >> Council member duchen. >> I want to say thank you very much to everybody that's here tonight. And I also want to say a special thank you to my family and my supporters and the people that helped me, because I'm very honored and grateful to be here with you this evening and begin what will be my fourth term as Austin mayor. I'm truly and deeply proud to have been selected by the voters to again [6:44:38 PM] selected by the voters to again serve this community that we all love so much. I will say also that being reelected this November was especially gratifying, as I believe it was a genuine reflection of voters growing confidence in the ability of city hall to actually get good things done. And frankly, I believe that confidence is deserved. When I was elected to serve a half term two years ago, there was a very clear sense in this community that city government had lost the plot. It was clear that dramatic action was necessary, and dramatic action is exactly what we delivered over the past 24 months. We and I want to emphasize that word, we, because for the most part, the city council and our city government operated as a team with appropriate unity, which is a very valuable asset. So over the past 24 months, we rebuilt our [6:45:39 PM] past 24 months, we rebuilt our city management team. We made historic changes to our land development code and streamlined our development review process to help create more and more affordable housing. We launched a different economic development paradigm focused on new job training programs like the Austin infrastructure academy to help austinites build high wage careers even without four year degree, a four year degree. We took a new approach to fighting homelessness, which promises real results. We adopted a new energy generation plan that delivers reliability and affordability while reducing the emissions that threaten our climate and air quality. We transformed our 911 emergency system from a system that fell well below national standards to one that in 2024 met those standards throughout, and we signed a new contract with police officers that lays the groundwork to improve public safety across the board. And we did even more. In short, we got [6:46:41 PM] did even more. In short, we got stuff done at city hall, and I think Austin voters saw it and liked it and want more of it. They saw stable government getting results and they want more and, well, they should, because the difficult truth is that we live in a time when extreme divisions seem to have transformed our federal and state governments into forums, primarily for delivering insults rather than results, when so many in government are so transparently intent on building power just to impose their political point of view, instead of using it to actually get anything done, it's no surprise at all that voters want their local government, and especially their city government, to really solve problems, to really make day to day life in community better. I must say, also, it's [6:47:42 PM] better. I must say, also, it's not lost on me that today is January 6th, which four years ago showed us all just how catastrophically off the rails things can get when we allow political power to become our only ambition. That's a trap that Austin must avoid at all cost. At the same time, I don't live in fantasy land, and I'm well aware that we all bring our political beliefs and ideological ideologies into this building, I certainly do. I believe we must defend our values. So I'm absolutely not asking anyone to set aside their values, whatever they may be, or their advocacy for those values. And I'm certainly not asking everyone to agree about everything, because that ain't ever going to happen in Austin, Texas. What I am asking us to do is pose this basic question to ourselves on an ongoing basis. [6:48:44 PM] ourselves on an ongoing basis. Are the things we're doing going to make a real difference for real people in the real world? If we'll keep it just that simple, if we'll continuously choose to focus on the pragmatic rather than the political, the practical rather than the partizan, the outcome rather than the advocacy, the good, even though not perfect effectiveness, not absolutes, where we agree, not where we differ. I know we can keep making even more progress. Local government respects and demands a practical idealism, a value based approach to addressing challenges that connects us with our neighbors. Manifest the optimism we share, and pours our [6:49:46 PM] optimism we share, and pours our creative energy into the stuff that needs to get done. If we come together, really setting aside personal and ideological agendas, it will make a big difference today and a transformative one tomorrow. If we rally around a shared vision, we'll make Austin the place we want it to be and will lay the foundation for the place we want it to become. We need to fix the day to day problems we all face, and we also need to put the city on a track that makes people want to live here, and that ensures they can. Our children and our grandchildren deserve to love Austin as much as we do. That's a hard thing to do, but it's very doable. I've seen it. It's in our control, which makes this an enormously value and important work, especially right now. We can show Texas, our [6:50:48 PM] now. We can show Texas, our nation and our world what's possible when people are willing to work, not fight, but really work together for their community and its future. We have substantially righted the ship at city hall over the past two years, and we did it not by grandstanding or by finger pointing, but by doing the hard and unglamorous work of governing, governing with specific outcomes in mind, using a little common sense. And that's the model I hope we will carry forward. If we'll continue to embrace that, we can and we will make Austin more affordable, more safe, more compassionate, more innovative, more inclusive, more unique, and just plain better for more people. We can and we will together make a truly lasting, positive difference in the life of this great city and the lives [6:51:49 PM] of this great city and the lives of all of its people. I am very excited, and I'm eager to get to work with each of my colleagues, those that are returning and those that are new. And I'm equally eager to work with our city manager and our city staff. And with all of you in the community. Let's build on our successes and make our positive vision for Austin's future into a reality. Starting right now. Thank you all very much, and thank you to all of those who helped support me and put me in a place where I can do work that I believe can make a difference in everyone's lives. Thank you all very much. We have one piece of business that requires a vote, and that is to elect the mayor pro tem for the Austin city council, the mayor pro tem, for those that don't know, plays an important role in city [6:52:50 PM] an important role in city council meetings and functions for the city. In the mayor's absence, the mayor pro tem is elected by the council and from the council. I'm going to ask first before I entertain a motion, whether we have anyone that has signed up to speak on this agenda item. >> No speakers. Mayor. >> All right, members, we don't have any speakers signed up to speak on this agenda item. I don't know where they are. The chair will entertain a motion and I will recognize council member Ellis. >> Thank you, mayor. I move that for the remainder of the year 2025. We have Vanessa Fuentes as our mayor pro tem. And for the year 2026, we have Jose chito vela as our mayor pro tem. >> The motion has been made that council member Fuentes be made the mayor pro tem for the Austin [6:53:50 PM] the mayor pro tem for the Austin city council for the year 2024 and served until December 31st, 2024. And I'm already behind. And what's really embarrassing about that is I wrote it down as 2024. So this isn't. Yeah. All right. Thank you for correcting that. Let me say this again so that we get it right. The motion is that council member Vanessa Fuentes be made mayor pro tem for the Austin city council for the year 2025 and serve until December 31st, 2025, until the election, and then Jose chito vela will serve as the mayor pro tem for the year 2026. And until a new mayor pro tem is elected in the year 2026, it is seconded by council member Jose Velasquez. Yes. Council member. >> Yes. Mr. Mayor, I just wanted to say we have a few Latino former council members in the [6:54:52 PM] former council members in the audience. Council member Pio Renteria, council member Raul Alvarez, and our first. And I proudly, proudly second this because we're putting a second, only the second in the history of Austin, Texas. Latina Latina mayor pro tem. We have our first out in the audience. My mentor, my dear friend, and Delia and Raul and Pio. We stand on your shoulders. Thank you. >> Thank you. Council member members, is there any further discussion? You've heard the motion and the second. Without objection, the motion is adopted with council member harper-madison being absent. Congratulations. Council member Vanessa Fuentes. Now we're getting ready to do something else that while we and while we all sit here in just a second where we draw every six months, we draw for seats. But the two seats that stay constant are the mayor's seat and the mayor pro [6:55:54 PM] mayor's seat and the mayor pro tem seat. And so council member Siegel is seated where council member and immediate past mayor pro tem Leslie pool was seated because she was the mayor pro tem. So I've asked him this. This is the only time I'll ask him to leave. Maybe, but but so. But I'm going to ask him if he would please vacate that mayor pro tem seat so that council. So that the new mayor pro tem may take that seat. Thank you. Thank you. Council member Siegel and mayor pro tem Fuentes, I want to recognize you to see if you want to say anything. >> Yes. First and foremost, thank you, colleagues, for your confidence. I appreciate the trust that you've placed in me to serve as your mayor pro tem for this year. I'm grateful for it and I'm looking forward to our work together. Thank you. >> Thank you. Council member. Mayor pro tem. I gotta get used to that. And also I want to say congratulations to our future mayor pro tem mayor pro tem [6:56:56 PM] mayor pro tem mayor pro tem vela. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Yes. I just wanted to make sure they knew that was a right. That was chito, not me. I wasn't I wasn't on there. We're well done. >> So one of the things that we do is every six months, the council draws for a different set, a different seat on the dais. This process takes place in January and July of each year. The city clerk will come up here, and she will ask each member to reach in and take a number and announce the number they picked. Number one is the seat on the west side of the dais near the clerk's desk, and number ten is on the east side of the dais. So people are now drawing for those seats. Councilmember Siegel, I'm going to ask you to state your number. >> Number two. >> Well, you've already got it. I don't feel nearly as bad about asking you to vacate your seat. Council member Velasquez, number nine, council member duchen. [6:57:57 PM] nine, council member duchen. >> Number three. >> Council member Ellis one. Oh, there you go. Council member zo qadri. >> I guess I'm not going to be number one so I don't have to. Yeah, there's no conspiracy. I Guss. Number five, councilmember Laine seven, council member. >> Alter eight. >> Council member. >> Vela I'm not going anywhere. >> Ten oh, there you go. >> And council member harper- madison is number four, Mr. Mayor. >> Sorry. One more thing. Wow. Did y'all realize you are putting me in chito back together? I was I was told last time you split us up on purpose. >> Sometimes it's not called the luck of the draw. It's called the luck of the draw. >> So I'm going right here. You're just moving down one. >> All right, so I'm also told that Randy Ortega, one of our municipal court judges, is here, and I want to recognize him. Judge Ortega. And we're also joined by our Travis county Democrat democratic party chair, pooja Sethi. Pooja, thank you for being here, folks. That is [6:59:00 PM] for being here, folks. That is all of the business to come before the Austin city council at this special meeting of the Austin city council. So without objection, the city council will be adjourned at 6:59 P.M. I promise we do it before seven. So here we go. We're off to a good start. Members. Thanks, everybody, for being here. Without objection, we are adjourned at 6:59 P.M. God bless you all. Be safe going home and join us for a reception.