>>MAYOR WATSON: PASTOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. WE REJUICE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HAND OF BLESSING UPON US AND IN THIS INVOCATION WE CALL OUT TOUT AND ASK FOR YOUR BREASTING TO CONTINUE UPON THIS CITY, UPON OUR MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCILL. WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THEM WITH YOUR WISDOM, GIVE HIM, FATHER, THE INSIGHT, THE DISCERNMENT TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT ONLY THE RIGHT DECISIONS TO MAKE ON BEHALF OF THIS CITY, BUT THE RIGHT DECISIONS, FATHER, IN YOUR SIGHT AS YOUR SERVANTS AND YOUR MINISTERS, FATHER, YOUR AUTHORITY HERE ON EARTH. WE REJOICE, FATHER, DAY BY DAY AND ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR MAYOR AND KEEP OUR CITY COUNCILL IN YOUR ARMS AND GUIDE THEM AND DIRECT THEM AND WE THANK YOU IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME. AMEN.
>>MAYOR WATSON: PASTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOMENTARILY WE WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN COUNCIL FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCILL AND WE ARE MEETING THIS MORNING AT CITY HALL AND THIS AFTERNOON WE WILL BE MEETING AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30 IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY HAN COME BUILDING WHICH IS LOCATED AT 3700 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD.
>>MAYOR WATSON: WHICH IS LOCATED AT 3700 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 30, 2000. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE ON POSED. MOTION CARRIES WITH COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SPELMAN AND.
>>GRIFFITH:ITY OFF THE DAIS. THE FIRST YUM ITEM WILL BE A BRIEFING, THE FIRST BRIEFING WILL BE RELATED TO THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL SHELTER. YES, MAYOR PRO TEM.
>>GOODMAN: A COUPLE OF US ASKED FOR THIS BRIEFING AND IF WE COULD PRIOR TO STAFF PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ONE OF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS TO GIVE US A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT LED TO IT. AND WE HAVE -- WELL, I KNOW THAT MS. VALISTRACE IS HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE IS THE ONE THAT GOT CHOSEN.
>>MAYOR WATSON: WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND GIVE US A BRIEF PRESENTATION. THAT WOULD BE PERFECT. FOLKS, LET ME SAY IN THIS ROOM IT'S VERY DIFFICULT -- WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO QUIT MEETING THIS THIS ROOM FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. ONE IS IT'S JUST NOT BIG ENOUGH. THE SECOND IS WHEN ANYONE TALKS, YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYBODY ELSE TALKING. IT JUST KIND OF BECOMES A JUNGLE. SO IF YOU COULD HOLD YOUR CONVERSATIONS TO A MINIMUM, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR EVERYBODY TO HEAR. BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WE WILL START THESE MEETINGS AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A HANDOUT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PASS OUT THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS PAT VASTRASIAS AND I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU. SECOND OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DAVID LORI AND HIS STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE MEMO THAT IS IN YOUR PACKET. SOME OF MY COMMENTS ON THIS LETTER ARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS WELL AS SOME DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT IS PRESENTED THERE. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER WITH THE RESCUE GROUPS. ACCORDING TO THE -- THERE'S AN ATTACHMENT IN THIS PACT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE -- PACKET THAT TALKS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS RESCUED IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF FISCAL YEAR 1998-99 AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER REPORT OF OPERATIONS THAT SHOWS THE NUMBER IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF FISCAL YEAR '99-2000. IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1998, 1999 YOU WILL SEE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS RESCUED WAS 280. THAT NUMBER WENT DOWN TO 144, A 52% DECREASE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I WANTED YOU TO EXAMINE WHAT IS GOING ON THERE. I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN A DETERIORATION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER AND THE RESCUE GROUPS AND JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IN THE RECENT CRUELTY CASE WHERE 139 ANIMALS WERE SEIZED ON DECEMBER 21ST. 60 DAYS LATER THERE WERE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ANIMALS STILL AT THE CENTER FROM THAT SEIZURE. SOME OF THEM OLDER THAN TEN YEARS OLD. ONE OF THEM A 15-YEAR-OLD POODLE, WAS NOT RESCUED OUT UNTIL MARCH 9TH. AND THAT POODLE, 15 YEARS OLD, WAS NOT A GOOD ADOPTION CANDIDATE AND THERE WERE RESCUE GROUPS SUCH AS POODLE RESCUE THAT HAD OFFERED TO RESCUE THEM MUCH EARLIER IN THE PROCESS. SO THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AS EARLY AS JANUARY 11TH. INSTEAD, SOME OF THESE OLDER ANIMALS -- AND SOME OF THESE OTHER POODLES THAT WERE NOT -- SOME OF THESE SMALL DOGS THAT WERE NOT REALLY ADOPTABLE SAT THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS INTO ADOPTABLE YOU, TREATABLE AND NON-REHA BILL AT A TIMEABLE. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NO KILL NUMB H. MILLENNIUM IS WORKING IT'S NECESSARY TO KNOW IF THEY ARE ADOPTABLE, NON-TREATABLE OR NON-REHABILITATEABLE. OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS KILLED. UNTIL RECENTLY ANIMALS WERE NOT EVEN BEING CLASSIFIED INTO THOSE CATEGORIES AT ALL. RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN AN ANIMAL TO CLASSIFY THE ANIMALS AT THE VERY END WHEN THEY ARE PUT TO DEATH. IF YOU CLASSIFY AN ANIMAL AT THAT POINT, AND THEY CAME INTO THE CENTER A MONTH EARLIER AND DURING THAT MONTH THEY BECAME SICK, THAT ANIMAL THEN IS CLASSIFIED AS EITHER TREATABLE, IF IT'S A MINOR ILLNESS OR NON-REHA BILL AT A TIMEABLE IF THEY COME DOWN WITH WITH DISTEMPER. THAT ANIMAL IS CONSIDERED A -- DOES NOT COUNT AS AN ADON'TABLE ANIMAL BEING KILLED. THEREFORE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CAT GOREIZATION TAKE PLACE EITHER RIGHT AT INTAKE OR A FEW DAYS THEREAFTER, MAYBE WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR DAYS, SO THAT WE KNOW WHETHER WE ARE DOING WHAT THE PLAN SAYS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. THE NEXT ISSUE IS THE SPAY, NEUTER INCENTIVE PROGRAM. LAST BUDGET SESSION YOU PASSED THIS INITIATIVE THAT I ACTUALLY BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT'S GOOD TO TRY TO GIVE A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO -- WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE SPAY OR NEUTER THEIR ANIMAL BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE THERE AND THEY GET THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE THEY WILL DO THAT. OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE TRIED TO DO MORE COERCIVE THINGS HAS BEEN VERY CONTENTIOUS AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GIVE INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO DO THIS AND ONE IS THE SPAY, NEUTER INCENTIVE PROGRAM. UNFORTUNATELY THAT ONLY -- ONLY PART THAT HAVE PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR. IT TOOK UNTIL JANUARY TO BEGIN USING THE DONATIONS FUND, WHICH WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I THANK DAVID LOURI FOR THAT DECISION AS MUCH AS I THANK YOU ALL FOR PASSING THE ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT ALLOWED US TO CHANGE THE FEES THAT GIVE THAT FINANCIAL INCENTIVE. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE SNIP PROGRAM. I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE SNIP PROGRAM AND ASK YOU TO MAKE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE INCREASES BETWEEN THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE TO PAY IF YOU HAVE -- IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUR ANIMAL INTACT AND THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE TO PAY IF YOU AGREE TO GET YOUR ANIMAL FIXED. THAT WOULD FURTHER INCREASE THE INCENTIVE. AND I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SNIP AND I ALSO ASK YOU TO DIFFERENTIATE THE INCENTIVE BY EVEN MORE. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ON THE DONATIONS FUND. I'VE BEEN REQUESTING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, THAT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES BE DEVELOPED SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE -- WE HAVE A DONATIONS FUND THAT HAS ABOUT $80,000 IN IT. WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY THAT DONATED INTO THAT DENATIONS FUND HAVE SOME INPUT INTO HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT. RIGHT NOW THE CITY HAS ABOUT A $3 MILLION BUDGET FOR ANIMAL SERVICES. AND THAT MONEY IS PRETTY MUCH LOCKED IN SO THAT WE CAN'T HAVE MUCH SAY IN HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT. DURING RECENT YEARS YOU'VE HAD BUDGET CUTS AND WE'VE ACTUALLY LOST MONEY IN ANIMAL SERVICES. HOWEVER, THE DONATIONS FUND IS A FUND THAT COULD BE USED FOR INNOVATIVE, CREATE YOU HAVE IDEAS AND I BELIEVE HAVING AN OPEN PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY GET TO COME TO A PUBLIC HEARING AND GIVE IDEAS OF HOW TO USE THIS MONEY COULD ACTUALLY BE A REALLY GOOD TOOL TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT CAN'T BE DONE WITH THE CITY BUDGET THAT IS PRETTY MUCH LOCKED IN AND CAN ONLY BE EFFECTED BY A VERY SMALL CHANGES THAT WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF PRE ESTABLISHED. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE WON'T TRY TO GET MONEY FROM -- THROUGH THE CITY BUDGET PROCESS, I'M JUST SAYING THE DONATIONS FUND GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME THINGS THAT HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY. SO WE WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE SOME POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE RULES ARE ABOUT HOW YOU SPEND THE MONEY, WHAT KINDS OF IDEAS THEY CAN COME UP WITH AND IN A PUBLIC HEARING COME FORWARD WITH SOME OF THOSE IDEAS AND THEN HAVE IT BE ANNOUNCED WHAT THE DECISION WAS ABOUT HOW THE MONEY WAS GOING TO BE SPENT SO THAT MAYBE NEXT TIME PEOPLE COME FORWARD WITH IDEAS MORE CONSISTENT WITH THOSE. SO THAT IS MY FOURTH REQUEST TO YOU IS THAT YOU SEE TO IT THAT THERE ARE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THAT FUND. THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS JUST GO OVER THIS CHART BRIEFLY THAT I PASSED OUT. THE CHART SHOWS THAT IN THE FIRST -- BETWEEN 1997 AND '98 FISCAL YEAR, AND 98-99 FISCAL YEAR THERE WAS A 427 ADDITIONAL ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED OUT FOR 15% INCREASE. SO WE DID GOOD BETWEEN THOSE TWO YEARS. IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF '98-99 COMPARED TO THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT NUMBER HAS ONLY GONE UP BY 29 OR ONLY A 2% INCREASE. SO SOME OF THE INCREASES THAT WE WERE HAVING BETWEEN '98 AND '98 AND 98 AND 99 HAVE CLOSED CAPTIONING SLOWED IN IN A CASE. HERE'S THE NUMBER I THINK WE'VE DIMINISHED A LOT. BETWEEN 1997 AND 19991998, 1999 THERE WAS AN INCREASE FOR A 1% INCREASE. HOWEVER IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 98-99 COMPARED TO 992000 THERE IS A 146% DECREASE FOR 52% DECREASE. RETURN TO OWNERS HAVE STAYED ABOUT THE SAME. WE INCREASED THE NUMBER -- THE PERCENT RETURN TO OWNER BY 5% IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS WE'RE STILL AT 4%. SO IT'S MORE OR LESS THE SAME. AND IN THE KILLED, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS KILLED, THERE WAS A DECREASE, WHICH IS GOOD OBVIOUSLY, BETWEEN 1997-1998 AND 1998, 1999 THAT DECREASE IS ONLY 6%. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS, WE'RE KIND OF HOLDING STEADY IN RETURN TO OWNER AND WE'RE KIND OF HOLDING STEADY IN THE PERCENT KILLED, BUT WE'VE DIMINISHED OUR INCREASES IN ADOPTION AND WE'VE DECREASED IN RESCUE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? SINCE WE'RE DEALING IN PERCENTAGES AND MAYBE I'M JUST BAD WITH NUMBERS, LOOK AT THIS THERE'S AN ANSWER I'M JUST NOT CATCHING QUICKLY. BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE NUMBERS IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT ARE -- THAT IS A AB RATION OR DIFFERENT OR MUCH LARGER THAT WOULD CHANGE PERCENTAGES? IN OTHER WORDS, IS THE ONE BIG EVENT THAT WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH WITH THE SMALL DOGS, IF YOU COUNT THAT IN THERE, DOES THAT THEN CAUSE A CHANGE IN PERCENTAGES SO THAT IF THAT WEREN'T IN THERE, THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN ADOPTION MIGHT BE DIFFERENT OR IN RESCUE IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT?
>> I SEE YOUR POINT. THE BIG EVENT THAT OCCURRED WITH THE 139 RESCUED DOGS SLOWED DOWN ADOPTIONS, IN MY OPINION, CONSIDERABLY. DURING THE TIME THAT THE 139 DOGS WERE THERE, I WOULD GO THERE AND THE ADOPTION STAFF WAS SWAMPED. AND THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE ANIMALS THAT WERE NOT THE -- THE DOGS FROM THE CRUELTY CASE WERE NOT BEING PROCESSED BECAUSE THE STAFF WAS SO SWAMPED WITH THE MEDIA ATTENTION AND THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT WERE COMINGINGS IN, I BELIEVE THIS SUPPORTS MY POINT THAT IF THESE SEIZURE ANIMALS HAD GONE TO RESCUE, BEEN OUT OF THE CENTER, THE ADOPTION STAFF COULD HAVE FOCUSED ON THE ANIMALS THAT WEREN'T GETTING THE PUBLICITY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: LET ME ASK ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT -- AS YOU KNOW PROBABLY BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM, DIFFERENT DIFFICULTIES THAT WERE CREATED THE TIME THAT NUMBER OF DOGS WERE THERE. ALL AT ONE TIME AND COURT CASES AND EVERYTHING MADE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE. BUT IS THAT NUMBER INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED NUMBER? I'M SORRY, IN THE OVERALL NUMBERS YOU ARE USING ON ADOPTED AND RESCUED, SO THAT PLAYS A ROLE IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE PERCENTAGES? NOT JUST TIME, NOT JUST WHAT -- NOT JUST THE WAY IT IMPACTED THE OPERATION OF THE SHELTER, BUT IT'S ALSO THERE IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL NUMBERS WHEN WE START CALCULATING PERCENTAGES, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULT IT'S IN RESCUE, THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY IN ADOPTION. WITH THOSE DOGS BECAUSE OF LEGAL PROBLEMS AND OTHER THINGS. I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT IS INCLUDED AND PLAYS A ROLE IN THE PERCENTAGES?
>> I BELIEVE IT PLAYS THE ROLE THAT I SAID EARLIER WHICH IS THAT -- IN OTHER WORDS, SOME OF THOSE DOGS DID GET ADOPTED OUT. I GOT A LIST OF THE 139 DOGS AND WHAT THE DISPOSITION WAS AND SOME OF THEM WERE ADOPTED, AND FINALLY THROUGH A LOT OF PRESSURE, SOME OF THEM WERE RESCUED. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THE EFFECT THAT IT HAD ON THE NUMBERS IS THAT ALL OF THAT OCCURRED VERY SLOWLY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: OKAY.
>> IF THE RESCUE GROUPS THAT CAME FORWARD HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO RESCUE ON JANUARY 11TH OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THAT WOULD HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER -- THE PERCENT RESCUED BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY, AND THE PERCENT ADOPTED COULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER BECAUSE ADOPTED ANIMALS -- ADOPTION ANIMALS COULD HAVE BEEN PROCESSED MORE QUICKLY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MY QUESTION IS -- THE POINT IS THESE ARE PRETTY STARK NUMBERS, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, OF THE COMPARISON FROM YEAR TO YEAR IN ADOPTED AND RESCUED, AND WHEN RETURNED TO OWNER AND PERCENTAGE KILLED REMAIN RATHER STATIC, IT ALMOST STRIKES ME AS THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT FOR THOSE TO TO REMAIN STATIC AND THE OTHER TWO TO BE SO STARK IN DIFFERENCE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WANT TO MAKE SURE AS I EVALUATE WHERE WE ARE I'M COMFORTABLE WE'RE COMPARING APPLES AND APPLES AND NOT HAVING ONE SINGLE EVENT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
>> I BELIEVE THAT SINGLE EVENT DID MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MADE IS THAT AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME WAS TIED NEWSPAPER DEALING WITH THOSE 139 ANIMALS -- TIED UP IN DEALING WITH THOSE 139 ANIMALS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER ANIMALS COMING IN.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT IT JUMPS OUT AT ME.
>> THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET ACROSS. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANYTHING ELSE?
>> NOT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MS. DUNKERLEY, WHY DON'T YOU BEGIN THE BRIEFING OF STAFF SO THAT WE CAN -- AND COUNCIL, I'M JUST TRYING TO --
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW REALLY IN TWO AREAS. ONE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'VE DONE IN IMPLEMENTING THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM PROJECT OR PROGRAM. AND WE'LL TRY TO TELL YOU WHERE WE THINK WE'VE BEEN RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL, WHERE WE THINK WE NEED TO IMPROVE, AND THIS IS JUST A STATUS REPORT. WE KNOW THAT ALL ELEMENTS WERE NOT INITIATED INITIALLY AND SO IT'S ALMOST AN ACTION PLAN AS WELL AS A REPORT. ANOTHER PART OF OUR REPORT IS IN RESPONSE TO SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WERE GENERATED FROM COUNCIL, AND WE WANT TO DEAL WITH THOSE A LITTLE BIT SEPARATELY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE THING, AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU THINK I'M RATHER A POLLYANNA AT TIMES. I'M BETTY DUNKERLEY AND I'M ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THAT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE -- THE SOCIAL EQUITY DEPARTMENTS. AND I'VE REALLY THROWN MYSELF INTO THE ANIMAL ISSUE FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW AND GRANTED I AM A NOVICE, I DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A CLEAN TABLE THAT SOMEBODY CAN WRITE A LOT OF GRAFFITI ON. BUT WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS BIG ENOUGH SO THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE, THERE'S A PLACE FOR YOU. AND I WANT TO SEE A LOT MORE POSITIVE ACTION COME FROM OUR STAFF AND FROM THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE INTERESTED IN RESCUE AND IN DEALING WITH THE ANIMAL PROBLEMS, AND I'M REALLY GOING TO WORK HARD TO DO THAT. SO I HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME WE COME BEFORE YOU, WE COME WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT HEART, THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH OF THE ANIMALS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY. SO WE'VE GOT SOME IDEAS AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARD TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD SO THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND NOT SIDEWAYS AND NOT BACKWARDS. SO I GUESS THAT'S MY PLEDGE TO YOU, TO TRY TO WORK WITH ALL THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT FEEL THIS PASSION FOR THIS PROJECT AND WORK WITH OUR STAFF TO HELP THAT -- THESE INITIATIVES GO FORWARD. SO WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DAVID AND HE WILL INTRODUCE HIS STAFF AND JUST REALIZE WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT DOGGONE IT WE'RE READY FOR AN A NEXT TIME.
>>MAYOR WATSON: KIND OF INKREIGING YOU USED THE WORD DOGGONE IT. BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE A POLLYANNA -- [INAUDIBLE].
>> ONE LAST STATEMENT. IF I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND THE ANIMAL ISSUES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M DEDICATED TO, I WANT THE FEWEST NUMBER OF PROBLEMS TO TAKE CARE OF. AND THAT MEANS A REAL EMPHASIS ON ALL OF THE STERILEIZATION PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IF YOU SEE ME RUNNING AROUND WITH A BUTTERFLY NET --. [APPLAUSE]. IF YOU SEE ME RUNNING AROUND WITH A BUTTERFLY NET AND SCISSORS IN THE OTHER HAND, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. [LAUGHTER].
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUPLE THINGS QUICKLY. ONE IS THAT I THINK THE INITIAL STATEMENT AND COMMENT LAID OUT VERY WELL THE ISSUES AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. THIS IS A -- WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO GET IS A BRIEFING AND A BRIEFING IN LARGE PART IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS VERY CAREFULLY LAID OUT AND CLEARLY LAID OUT. TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE ASK THAT THE BRIEFINGS BE FROM STAFF FOR COUNCIL. WE CHANGED THAT A LITTLE BIT SO WE COULD GET YOUR INITIAL STATEMENT. THERE WILL BE AN ITEM POSTED ON THIS, AN ACTION ITEM ON THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER ON MAY 11TH OF 2000. AT THAT TIME ANYBODY THAT WOULD WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO SPEAK. BUT TODAY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS JUST HAVE A BRIEFING. A MINUTE AGO I MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO GOOD REASONS NOT TO BE MEETING IN THIS ROOM ANYMORE. THAT BEING IT'S HARD TO HEAR, AND TWO, IT'S TOO SMALL. BUT WHAT MAY BE THE BEST REASON TO STOP IS THE FACT THAT I'M GOING TO BE BLIND VERY RAPIDLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO SET THIS UP WITHOUT BURNING MY RETINA. [LAUGHTER]. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, IF YOU SEE ME STEPPING IN AND OUT, I WILL BE LISTENING, BUT I MAY BE LISTENING BY WATCHING TV. MR. BOUR RE.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS DAVID LOURIE. WITH US IS MIKE, OUR FINANCIAL MANAGER WITH THE DEPARTMENT WHO IS ASSISTING WITH THE PRESENTATION AND CAROL MONROE, THE MANAGER FOR ANIMAL SERVICES. YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP A COPY OF THE SLIDES THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW WITH YOU THIS MORNING. AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO RESPOND TO YOUR REQUEST TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE ANIMAL SERVICES PROGRAM. THE FIRST IS AN UPDATE ON THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM PLAN. SECOND IS A REVIEW OF OUR WORK WITH RESCUE GROUPS. THIRDLY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE USING THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM THAT IS PART OF THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM PLAN. AN UPDATE ON OUR SPAY NEUTER INCENTIVE PROGRAM. INFORMATION FOR YOU ON OUR DONATIONS FUND. AND A RECAP OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IN TERMS OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE SHELTER. WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT OVERALL I BELIEVE IT'S ACCURATE TO SAY THAT WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS RELATIVE TO THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM PLAN. THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE. AND I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS EFFORT IS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. AND JUST TO EMPHASIZE THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM PLAN WHICH WAS ACTUALLY ADOPTED BY OUR ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION BACK IN 197 AND BROUGHT TO DO COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION, SPECIFICALLY INTEND TO DO END THE PRACTICE OF YOUTH NICING ADOPTABLE ANIMALS AT THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER. AS YOU WILL SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THE REPORT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD THAT OVERALL OBJECTIVE. AND AGAIN, MOST IMPORTANTLY WE HAD A NUMBER OF PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN AND IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME OF THOSE INCLUDING OUR ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, THE HUMANE SOCIETY, ANIMAL TRUSTEES OF AUSTIN, AND MUCH COURSE THE CITY AND COUNTY WORKING TOGETHER IN TERMS OF OUR ANIMAL SERVICES ROLE. THE STRATEGIC GOAL IS RELATED TO THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM ARE IN THREE AREAS. ONE IS PLACEMENT, ANOTHER IS INTERVENTION, AND THE THIRD IS PREVENTION. SO I'M GOING TO ASK CAROL MONROE TO REVIEW WITH YOU HOW WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS. CAROL?
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CAROL MONROE AND I'M THE MANAGER OF ANIMAL SERVICES. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ADOPTIONS PROGRAM AT TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER AS THE GRAPHICS SHOW, IN FISCAL YEAR 97-98 WE ADOPTED 2825 ANIMALS AND IN FISCAL YEAR 98-99 WE ADOPTED 3,252 ANIMALS. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY WE HAVE ADOPTED 1,395 ANIMALS COMPARED TO 1,332 FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. WHICH IS ACTUALLY AN INCREASE OF 6%. THE LAST GRAPHIC ON THE SLIDE IS THE ORIGINAL GOAL OF THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM OF 4,910 ADOPTIONS PER YEAR. WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE AND DISTINCT PROGRAMS, FOSTER AND RESCUE, WHICH ARE WAYS OF RETURNING ANIMALS TO THE COMMUNITY OTHER THAN THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS. THE FOSTER PROGRAM INVOLVES THE TEMPORARY PLACEMENT OF ANIMALS IN HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEN THEY ARE ADOPTED OUT THROUGH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ADOPTION PROCEDURES. AS YOU CAN SEE IN FISCAL YEAR 997-98 WE ADOPTED -- WE FOSTERED 125 ANIMALS, AND IN FISCAL YEAR 99 -- IN 98-99 WE HAD A 608% INCREASE IN FOSTER ANIMALS OR A TOTAL OF 761. ANOTHER PART OF THE PLACEMENT INITIATIVE INCLUDES THE VOLUNTEER SERVICES COORDINATOR, THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER. THE VOLUNTEER SERVICES COORDINATOR WAS ONE OF THE POSITIONS ADDED IN FISCAL YEAR 98-99 ALONG WITH AEN ANIMAL CONTROL SUBPOENA, TWO ANIMAL SHELTER WORKER AND TWO TECHNICIANS. IN THE CURRENT YEAR WE ADD ADD FULL TIME VETERINARIAN, TWO ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNICIANS AND AN ANIMAL SHELTER WORKER. PROPOSED FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IS THE ADDITION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR, TWO ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNICIANS AND TWO ANIMAL SHELTER WORKERS. PART OF THE INTERVENTION STRATEGY INCLUDES RETURNING ANIMALS TO THEIR OWN HOME. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE ADDED THE MIKE CHIPPING PROGRAM WHICH BEGAN -- MICROCHIPPING PROGRAM. WHERE AN ELECTRONIC CHIP IS IM PLANNED IN EACH ANIMAL ADOPTED AND PEOPLE CLAIMING THEIR OWN ANIMALS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHIP THEIR ANIMAL AS WELL. ANIMALS CAN BE RETURNED DIRECTLY TO OWNERS IN THE FIELD IF WE HAVE A MEANS OF IDENTIFYING THEM. ALSO WITH SPAYING AND NEUTERING WE WILL ADDRESS THOSE A LITTLE MORE THOROUGHLY FURTHER. ALSO WE HAVE INCREASED OUR USE OF THE INTERNET. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO GO IN AND LOOK AT THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER'S WEBSITE. I THINK THAT YOU WILL BE VERY PLEASED. THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS THE EUTHANASIA RATE. IN 197 THE RATE WAS 71% OF ANIMALS RECEIVED AT THE SHELTER. IN 1998, IT WAS 69%. IN 1999, IT WAS 61%. IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR OPERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 58%. AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE NO KILL MILLENNIUM IS TO ACHIEVE A 35% EUTHANASIA RATE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO HOPE TO DO TO GIVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING TO THE COMMUNITY IS TO GIVE CLEARER REASONS FOR WHY ANIMALS ARE EUTHANIZED. THIS GRAPHIC REFERS TO THE RESCUE PROGRAM AT TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER. IN FISCAL YEAR 96-97, 412 ANIMALS WERE RESCUED. IN FISCAL YEAR 97-98, 698 ANIMALS WERE RESCUED. AND IN FISCAL YEAR 98-991,334 ANIMALS WERE RESCUED. FOR A 52% INCREASE IN RESCUE NUMBERS. WE CURRENTLY WORK WITH OVER 200 RESCUE GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY. MOST OF THOSE ARE IN FACT LOCAL. AND IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WE ACTUALLY HAVE RESCUED OUT 456 ANIMALS AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO SHOW AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS RESCUED. CURRENTLY AT TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER ANIMALS ARE CATEGORIZED AS ADOPTABLE, TREATABLE AND NON-REHA BILL AT A TIMEABLE AT THE POINT OF DISPOSITION. THE INTEREST IS TO CHANGE THIS INTO CATEGORIZING ANIMALS ATIST POINT OF INTAKE AND STAFF IS EVALUATING WAYS WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: [INAUDIBLE] PROBLEMS ARE IN ADDRESSING THAT? IT STRIKES ME THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> WELL, I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT WE HANDLE WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS THAN 25,000 AND IF YOU TRY TO DO A COMPLETE EVALUATION OF EVERY ANIMAL ON THE BEGINNING OF THE TIME WHEN YOU HAVE THEM ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO FOUR TO FIVE DAYS, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE WORKLOAD AS COMPARED TO REPORTING THE DISPOSITION OF THEM AFTER THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS. WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IS TO SHOW YOU THE POTENTIAL INCREASE IN WORKLOAD AND WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES IT WOULD TAKE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS MORE THOROUGHLY. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO. IT'S NOT MOVING THE PROCESS FORWARD, IT'S ADDING AN ADDITIONAL STEP SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CAT GOREIZATION OF ANIMALS AS THEY ARRIVE AND HOW THEY -- WHAT THEIR DISPOSITION IS THROUGHOUT THE SHELTER, WHETHER THAT IS RESCUED, WHETHER THAT IS ADOPTED OR WHETHER THAT IS EUTHANIZED. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE].
>> AND EVERYONE CLAIMING THEIR OWN ANIMALS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A FREE SPAYING AND NEWTERING CERTIFICATE AT PARTICIPATING VETERINARIANS. AND REALLY THERE ISN'T SUFFICIENT TIME TO HAVE A LOT OF RESOLUTIONS. THE PILOT PROJECT HAS BEEN IN EFFECT ONLY TWO MONTHS.
>>GOODMAN: CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION? [INAUDIBLE].
>> NO, I'M SORRY IF I CONFUSED YOU. THE SNIP PROGRAM WENT INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST. THAT HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FIVE MONTHS. THE PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SNIP PROGRAM IN ALL OF THOSE FIVE MONTHS ARE 34 INDIVIDUALS. THE ADDITIONAL PILOT PROJECT WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY FIRST AFFORDED OWNERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FREE SPAYING AND NEWTERING AT THE TIME THEY WERE GIVEN A SPAY NEWTER VOUCHER FOR FREE SPAYING AND NEUTERING AT THE TIME THEY CLAIMED THEIR ANIMAL. THUS FAR 14 PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN TO DO THAT IN THE TWO-MONTH PERIOD, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, IN THE PILOT PROGRAM WAS IN EFFECT.
>>GOODMAN: AND THAT'S 14 OUT OF?
>> 281. 281 WERE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE FRA JANUARY FIRST THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. -- FROM JANUARY FIRST THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. OF THOSE PEOPLE, 25 ACTUALLY USED THE SPAY/NEWTER VOUCHERS, AND OF THOSE 25, 14 CHOSE TO GET THE 35 DOLLAR REBATE OF THE -- WHICH IS THE SNIP FEE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST. HOWEVER, THOSE 14 ARE IN FACT PART OF THE TOTAL OF 34 IN THE WHOLE FIVE MONTHS THAT THE PROGRAM -- THE SNIP PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EFFECT. SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SPAY/NEWTER OPTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT WOULD BE INCREASING EDUCATIONAL OUT REACH EFFORTS. AND AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, WE DO HAVE PROPOSED IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET A HUMANE EDUCATOR ADDED TO TOWN LAKE ANIMAL SHELTER STAFF. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL LOOKS AT SPAIING AND NEWTERING AND INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING SOME OF THE USE OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LOW COST SPAY/NEWTER PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD ENABLE RESIDENTS TO POSSIBLY USE VETERINARIAN HOSPITALS IN THEIR AREA AND ALSO TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF USING ANY KIND OF A MOBILE VETERINARY FACILITY WHERE WE COULD TAKE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OPTIONS DIRECTLY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE RECEIVE THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF OWNERS SURRENDERING LITTERS AND ALSO THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ANIMAL BITES AND OTHER KIND OF ANIMAL COMPLAINTS. AND PART OF THIS WOULD BE TO SET UP GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF THE DONATIONS FUND.
>> THANKS, CAROL. THE OTHER ITEM WE WERE ASKED TO REPORT ON WAS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE FACILITY ILINGTS SELF. AS YOU CAN SEE, FROM 1997 WE HAVE INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO UPGRADE THE FACILITY. ABOUT 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS, 1.4 OF WHICH WAS FOR FACILITY RENOVATIONS AND ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS FOR VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, VEHICLES, TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER OPERATING EQUIPMENT. AGAIN, FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS. WE RECENTLY HAD OUR INSPECTION OF THE FACILITY. WE PASSED MARGINALLY ON THAT INSPECTION. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES RELATED TO LIGHTING, VENTILATION, OTHER STRUCTURALLY RELATED ISSUES, MOST OF WHICH WE ARE ADDRESSING, BUT I THINK THE OVERALL MESSAGE IN THAT REVIEW IS THAT OUR FACILITY OVERALL IS PRETTY OUTDATED. WE ARE VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO TO KEEP THAT FACILITY AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF OPERATION, AND THEREFORE WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND PROPOSING A MASTER PLAN THAT WOULD LOOK AT LONG-TERM STRATEGICALLY WHAT OUR ANIMAL SERVICES PROGRAM SHOULD BE, WHAT THE NEEDS AND DEMANDS OF THE FUTURE ARE GOING TO BE, AND RELATED TO THAT, WHAT TYPE OF FACILITY OR FACILITIES WE SHOULD HAVE IN PLACE TO OPERATE THIS PROGRAM MOST EFFECTIVELY AS WE GO INTO THE FUTURE. AND IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THAT MASTER PLAN WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $160,000. AND THEN JUST ANOTHER COMMENT IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM AND HOW WE'RE ORGANIZED. AS WE LOOK AT ANIMAL SERVICES, IT'S REALLY QUITE A MIX OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND PHILOSOPHY, SOME OF WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE TOTALLY CONSISTENT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT IS THE ROLE OF ANIMAL SERVICES, HOW DO ALL THESE VARIOUS FUNCTIONS RELATE AND HOW MIGHT THEY RELATE TO OTHER ACTIVITIES WITHIN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND PERHAPS THROUGH SOME RESTRUCTURING AND REALIGNMENT OF SOME OF OUR FUNCTIONS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT'S A MIX OF EDUCATIONAL AND PREVENTION KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. THE ANIMAL WELFARE, CARE OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE IN OUR SHELTER, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT REGULATORY PUBLIC HEALTH FUNCTION RELATED TO ANIMAL SERVICES. SO WE'LL BE REVIEWING THAT AND TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO PERHAPS REALIGN THOSE SERVICES. SOME OF THE COMMENTS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY ABOUT MORE OUT REACH RELATED TO SPAY/NEWTER SERVICES, MORE EDUCATION AND PROMOTIONAL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES COULD BE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER OWE RUCH ACTIVITIES NOT ONLY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT BUT WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL. SO AGAIN IN SUMMARY, I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS. OUR PARTNERS HAVE BEEN KEY SUPPORTERS AND CONTRIBUTORS TO THAT PROGRESS. THERE'S STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE, BUT THEN -- FINALLY, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF AT THE SHELTER. WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT THIS RECENT SEIZURE AND THE 139 ANIMALS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN. OUR STAFF REALLY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB CARING FOR THOSE ANIMALS. MOST OF THEM ULTIMATELY WERE PLACED. THERE WERE LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE COULD DO BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL PROCESS THAT NEEDED TO TAKE PLACE, AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE STAFF FOR THE EXCELLENT WORK THEY DO WHEN AT THE SAME TIME OBVIOUSLY THEY HAD ALL THE OTHER ONGOING DEMANDS OF THE SHELTER AND OTHER ANIMALS COMING IN TO THAT SYSTEM. SO MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT. WE'D BE GLAD TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS OR FURTHER COMMENTS.
>>GOODMAN: OKAY. IF I COULD SAY QUICKLY, THERE WAS ONE MORE THING THAT I ASKED FOR SOMEBODY TO COMMENT ON, AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH POLICIES THAT COME UP IN CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ISSUES, POLICIES RELATIVE TO RESCUE GROUPS AND ANY OTHER POLICIES THAT AFFECT THE OPERATIONAL VISIBILITY.
>> IF I COULD PERHAPS RESPOND TO THAT, COUNCILMEMBER. I WAS LOOKING AT -- I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IS PROBABLY GET IN WRITING IF WE'VE NOT ALREADY, THE POLICIES RELATING TO RESCUE GROUPS AND GET THOSE DISSEMINATED SO THAT OUR GROUPS KNOW THE RULES THAT WE PLAY BY. AND IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, THEY KNOW HOW THAT PROBLEM CAN BE APPEALED AND HOW IT CAN BE ADDRESSED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO IF WE'VE NOT ALREADY DONE THAT.
>>GOODMAN: WELL, I THINK IT WOULD HELP ENORMOUSLY IF PEOPLE KNEW WHY A POLICY THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY RHYME OR REASON IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING BY, AND WHAT THE BASIS OWE OEFS THE BASIS FOR -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LEGAL ISSUES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT EVEN IF THERE IS A RATIONAL POLICY, IT'S NOT BEING COMMUNICATED TO PEOPLE SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT AND WHAT THEY SEE ARE A LOT OF SMALL DOGS WITH REPUTABLE GROUPS READY TO TAKE THEM OFF OUR HANDS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO.
>> WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU THOSE POLICIES WHEN WE START THAT COMMUNICATION PROCESS.
>>GOODMAN: AND WHEN WILL THAT BE?
>> DAVID?
>> WE CAN DO THAT IMMEDIATELY. I THINK THE OTHER PART RELATIVE TO THE RESCUE GROUPS IS WE ARE MEETING WITH THEM ON A REGULAR, ONGOING BASIS. AND AS ISSUES OR PROBLEMS EMERGE, WE'LL WORK THROUGH THOSE. AND ALSO WE'RE IN REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH OUR ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ABOUT THOSE POLICIES AND PRACTICES AS WELL. WE CAN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, KEEP YOU APPRISED OF OUR PROGRESS WITH THAT.
>>GOODMAN: YEAH. I THINK FOR COUNCILMEMBER'S SAKE, WE GET A LOT OF CALLS, IF YOU COULD GET TO IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND LET US KNOW WHAT THE RULES OF THE OPERATION ARE.
>> IF WE CAN GET YOU THOSE IN WRITING, AT LEAST YOUR ASSISTANTS WILL HAVE SOMEBODY CALL AND THEY CAN GO OVER THE POLICY AND CERTAINLY GIVE THEM THE CONTACT NUMBER OF WHO TO CALL TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED.
>>GOODMAN: GRF?
>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. -- WE'RE ALL GETTING COPIES OF WHAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS REQUESTED?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>GRIFFITH: GOOD. THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE. YOUR WORK IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT REINFORCES AUSTIN AS CERTAINLY A DYNAMIC, GROWING, EXCITING, ECONOMIC SUCCESS, BUT WE'RE ALSO STILL A CARING COMMUNITY. AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SAYING THAT VERY CLEARLY. THE PART I WAS INTERESTED IN IS IS IT A FOSTER PROGRAM THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, THE 700 PERCENT UP? DID I READ THAT CORRECTLY?
>> THE FOSTER PROGRAM HAD A 608 INCREASE.
>>GRIFFITH: IT'S A HIT APPARENTLY. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT THAT DOES AND HOW IT WORKS? APPARENTLY IT'S REALLY GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT IF THAT KEEPS GOING.
>> I'LL IDENTIFY MYSELF FOR THE RECORD. I'M CAROL MONROE, MANAGER OF ANIMAL SERVICES. THE FOSTER PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR ANIMALS TO BE PLACED IN TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF USUALLY PRIVATE HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S USUALLY PUPPIES AND KIT TENS BETWEEN THE AGES OF FOUR WEEKS AND EIGHT WEEKS THAT COME INTO THE SHELTER WITHOUT THE MOTHER AND NEED ADDITIONAL TIME TO GROW. FOSTERS MAY ADDITIONAL INCLUDE ANIMALS WITH OTHER KINDS OF MINOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT WOULD BE ADOPTABLE IF THEY HAD TIME TO RECOVER. AND SO WE DO WORK WITH A NUMBER OF FOSTER HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THESE ANIMALS TEMPORARILY AND THEN THEY'RE RETURNED TO THE SHELTER FOR ADOPTION OR THE FOSTER HOME THEMSELVES MAY HAVE A CANDIDATE FOR ADOPTION THAT THEY CAN BRING FORWARD.
>>GRIFFITH: HOW OFTEN DOES THAT LAST OPTION HAPPEN, THAT THE ANIMALS ARE KEPT BY THE FOSTER HOMES?
>> IT ISN'T NECESSARILY THAT THEY'RE KEPT BY THE FOSTER HOME, BUT THEIR THEIR OWN NETWORK OF FAMILY AND FRIEND, THEY HAVE FOUND SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING AND THEY BRING THEM FORWARD TO COMPLETE THE PAPERWORK THROUGH THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER.
>>GRIFFITH: IS THERE ANY KIND OF INCENTIVE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE IN THOSE KIT 10S OR PUPPIES RECEIVE? I WAS THINKING OF THE FOSTER PROGRAM WITH HUMAN BEINGS. DO THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO?
>> WELL, AS A FOSTER HOME MYSELF, I WILL TELL YOU THAT NO, WE DON'T RECEIVE ANY INCENTIVE OTHER THAN BEING ABLE TO SAVE THESE ANIMAL'S LIVES AND IT'S VERY REWARDING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM GROW AND BE ALIVE BECAUSE YOU CARED ENOUGH TO INTERVENE.
>>GRIFFITH: IT MUST BE VERY REWARDING. TELL ME AGAIN HOW MANY HOMES ARE DOING THIS NOW?
>> THE NUMBER OF HOMES VARY. AND ALSO, FRANKLY, IT DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR. WE'RE ENTERING WHAT IS KNOWN AS KIT 10 AND PUPPY SEASON, WHICH IS MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER WHERE THE LARGE NUMBERS OF LITTERS ARE BORN. AND MANY TIMES A FOSTER FAMILY SORT OF REACHES THEIR CAPACITY, SO WE TRY AND WORK WITH MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN COMING FORWARD. IT MIGHT BE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DOES IT ONLY ONCE OR IT MIGHT BE SOMEBODY WHO DOES IT CONTINUALLY SORT OF LITTER AFTER LITTER AFTERER. SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING VARIES GREATLY FROM TIME TO TIME, THE TIME OF THE YEAR PRIMARILY.
>>GRIFFITH: IF A FAMILY WERE INTERESTED IN A FOSTER HOME, HOW WOULD THEY LET YOU KNOW THAT? WHO WOULD THEY CALL?
>> GENERALLY MOST OF THE FOLKS JUST SIMPLY COME FORWARD AND IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AT TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER. THEY CAN CALL THE MAIN NUMBER. WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT -- A STAFF MEMBER THAT WE ALLOCATE TO HANDLING THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS CALL UP AND SAY THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FOSTERING AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE THEIR NUMBER AND PROVIDE THAT.
>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU.
>> THEY CAN CALL 708-2000.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, LET ME READ THROUGH CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS IN THE AGENDA AND THEN WE WILL DO CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT ITEM. I SEE A NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT WE CAN ALLOW TO GO BACK TO OTHER PARTS OF THEIR JOB.
>>GOODMAN: BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS ENTIRELY, COULD WE ARRANGE WITH THE STAFF TO HAVE ONGOING UPDATES NOT ONLY -- PARTICULARLY PARTICULARLY. [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE].
>> JUST LIKE WRITTEN REPORT ON A REGULAR BASIS OR HOW WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO THAT?
>>GOODMAN: IF IT'S SOMETHING OF SIGNIFICANCE, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE -- [INAUDIBLE].
>>MAYOR WATSON: WHY DON'T YOU PROVIDE COUNCIL WITH A WRITTEN UPDATE AND IF SOMETHING JUMPS OUT AT A COUNCILMEMBER AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO CALL YOU BACK, THEY CAN DO THAT.
>> OKAY. WE WILL DO THAT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, ITEM NUMBER 67 IS POSTPONED TO APRIL 13TH, 2000. ITEM NUMBER 17, INSTEAD OF SAYING LOCATED EAST OF DESSAU LANE BETWEEN PARMER, IT SHOULD SAY RUNDBERG LANE. ITEM NUMBER 26 IS POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 13TH. ITEM NUMBER 37, LET ME WALK THROUGH THIS WITH YOU. IT SAYS APPROVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY. AND THEN FURTHER, AT A COST TO THE CITY NOT TO EXCEED, LET ME GIVE YOU A NEW NUMBER, 3,159,058 DOLLARS. WITH TWO 12-MONTH EXTENSION OPTIONS AT A COST OF 6,212,077 PER EXTENSION. FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 11,583,212. FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 2,808,052. AND THEN GO TO THE END. ON ITEM NUMBER 66, ACTUALLY, WE WILL ADD ONE PERSON UNDER GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION. THEN ITEM NUMBER 66 IS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. ITEM NUMBER 68 IS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. ITEM NUMBER 79 IS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. AND ITEM NUMBER 80 IS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. ITEMS SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN, GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, ITEMS 50 THROUGH 59 AT 1:30. AT 2:00 O'CLOCK, THE RAINEY STREET CONCEPTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 4 AND THE RESOLUTION ITEM IS ITEM 46. AT FOUR OLYMPIC ZONING ITEMS. AT 5:00 O'CLOCK, ITEM 37 AND 38. 6:00 O'CLOCK, PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS 53 THROUGH 65, SEVEN, 69 THROUGH 75. COUNCIL, LET'S DO CONSENT AGENDA AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALLOW STAFF THAT ARE HERE ON THAT TO GO TO OTHER ITEMS. FIRST WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I'M GOING TO CALL OUT ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED. 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 26, 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 49, --
>>LEWIS: MAYOR? COULD WE SET ITEM 49 FOR TIME CERTAIN OF 5:30?
>>MAYOR WATSON: WELL, THE DIFFICULTY WOULD BE YOU ALREADY HAVE ITEMS SET AND WHAT WE'VE TYPICALLY DONE, I SUPPOSE WE CAN TAKE A VOTE, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO DO THAT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT'S NOT THE CASE. IT PROBABLY WON'T GET REACHED AT 5:30 IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
>>LEWIS: WHO PULLED 38 AND 39?
>>MAYOR WATSON: I DON'T KNOW. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW. SPELL SPELLED THEY WOULD BE PULLED FOR A TIME CERTAIN.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THEY WERE SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT COUNCILMEMBER REQUESTED THAT AND OBTAINED THE -- [INAUDIBLE]. I'M BEING TOLD NOW STAFF DID THAT.
>>LEWIS: STAFF PULLED ITEM 38 AND 48 AND 49?
>>MAYOR WATSON: YES. THERE WAS A COMMISSION MEETING THAT NEEDED TO BE SET. THE COMMISSION MEETING AT 3:00 O'CLOCK, SO INSTEAD OF HAVING IT PASS EITHER BY CONSENT BEFORE 3:00 O'CLOCK, THEY WOULD TAKE TO A COMMISSION MEETING TODAY AT THREE AND STAFF COULD ASK THEM TO SET -- [INAUDIBLE]. THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT'S SET FOR SOMETIME AFTER 3:00 O'CLOCK, NOT REALLY A TIME CERTAIN.
>>GARCIA: MAYOR? IT'S THE SAME THING WITH ITEM NUMBER 46. ITEM 46 IS PART OF THE RAINEY STREET. AND THAT IS SET FOR TIME CERTAIN AT 2:00 O'CLOCK. SO WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION, THE CON ACCEPT TALL NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND WE'LL DISCUSS IT AFTER THAT. IT'S JUST PART OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE SET FOR TIME CERTAIN.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AND THEY'RE SET FOR A PURPOSE, WHICH IS TO GET INPUT FROM -- I BELIEVE FROM THE COMMISSION. YES, COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN?
>>SPELMAN: I WAS UNFORTUNATELY OFF THE DIAS WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ITEM 47 WAS JUST PULLED AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHO PULLED IT AND WHAT?
>> STAFF AS INDICATED THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THAT ITEM.
>>SPELMAN: I WAS DISCUSSING WITH ANDY MARTIN AND HE WAS SUING THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARY. -- SUGGESTING THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARY.
>> HE IS REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTS OUTSIDE IN THE HALL. AND HE HAS NOT REACHED A CONCLUSION YET AS TO WHETHER OR NOT EXECUTIVE SESSION WOULD BE VISIBLE. -- ADVISABLE. MAYOR THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE 9 --
>>MAYOR WATSON: THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 40, 44, 45, 48. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>>LEWIS: 37 IS SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN OF 5:00 O'CLOCK, ISN'T IT?
>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, AND I APOLOGIZE. MY NOTES DID NOT -- IT DID NOT TRANSLATE THAT ONE SHEET OF PAPER OVER TO THIS ONE. YOU ARE CORRECT AND I APOLOGIZE.
>>SPELMAN: LET ME MAKE A CORRECTION, MAYOR. WAS I RESPONSIBLE FOR PULLING THAT?
>>MAYOR WATSON: NO. ITEM NUMBER 20 WAS POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 13TH.
>>SPELMAN: SO WOULD THAT ALSO BE TRUE FOR ITEMS 21 AND 22?
>>MAYOR WATSON: MY NOTES INDICATE THAT YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR PULLING ITEM 22, BUT ITEM 21 DOES NOT SAY THAT.
>>SPELMAN: OKAY. IT'S PERHAPS A MISTAKE. I THOUGHT THE ITEMS ALL WENT TOGETHER.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THEY ARE, SO -- AND YOU'RE RIGHT. SO 21 WOULD NEED TO BE PULLED AND POSTPONED ALONG WITH ITEM NUMBER 22.
>>SPELMAN: OKAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SO 20, 21 AND 22 WOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 13TH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'LL READ IT ONE MORE TIME. ITEMS 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 40, 44, 45, AND 48.
>>SPELMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>GARCIA: SECOND.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AND THEN EXPLAIN WHY THE LIST ON THE TIME CERTAIN ON CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS.
>> OKAY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ITEM NUMBER 38 AND 39, WHICH WERE RELATED TO THE HOMELESS SHELTER RESOURCE CENTER AND CLINIC WERE SET FOR 5:00 O'CLOCK CERTAIN. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ITEM NUMBER 37 WAS SET FOR 5:00 O'CLOCK. AND THAT WAS THE QUESTION WE WERE RAISING.
>>MAYOR WATSON: WELL, THE ONLY REASON I -- EACH MORNING ON THURSDAY MORNING THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE GIVES ME ONE OF THESE. AND -- ALL RIGHT. I'M BEING TOLD NOW. COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN, DO YOU CONSIDER ITEM 37 GOING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>>SPELMAN: ABSOLUTELY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: 37 SHOULD BE A CONSENT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: GOOD. LET ME ASK A QUICK QUESTION. WE NOW HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. I WANT TO ASK REAL QUICKLY, AT SOME POINT, BECAUSE OF THE POSTPONEMENT ON ITEMS 20, 21 AND 22, AT SOME POINT I'M GOING TO WANT TO PERHAPS JUST DO THIS BY CHECKING WITH MY OFFICE, BUT THE DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT -- I NEED TWO QUESTIONS ANSWERED. ONE IS I NEED TO KNOW WHY IT'S BEING POSTPONED IS QUESTION NUMBER ONE. BUT NUMBER TWO, I WANT TO KNOW WE'VE GOT SO MANY OF THESE DIFFERENT FRANCHISES COMING THROUGH. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW COMING THROUGH, AND IT'S COMING THROUGH, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IN A SOMEWHAT HAPHAZARD MANNER. IT STRIKES ME THAT THE COUNCIL OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THESE ITEMS UP WITH SOME REGULARITY SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND MAYBE NOT HAVE ONE START AT ONE TIME, ONE START AT ANOTHER TIME. AND I DON'T MEAN TIMES ON THAT THURSDAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FRANCHISES HERE, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO TRULY ALLOW FOR COMPETITION AND NOT CREATE A NON-COMPETITIVE SITUATION, IT STRIKES ME THAT WE NEED TO BE SEEING WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN DO THIS AT THE SAME TIME, HAVE THEM DONE AT THE SAME TIME.
>>GARCIA: ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT 20, 21 AND 22?
>>MAYOR WATSON: YES.
>>GARCIA: THOSE ARE NOT FRANCHISES. THAT'S THE COMBINED EMERGENCY CENTER. WE HAVE HEARD THAT IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS BEING POSTPONED.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I APOLOGIZE. I WAS ASSUMING IT WAS PART OF THE POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE IT STRIKES ME THAT ON THESE FRANCHISES, ONE WEEK WE HAVE ONE GROUP GETTING A FRANCHISE, THE NEXT WEEK WE HAVE ANOTHER GROUP WE'RE VOTING ON ON FIRST OR SECOND OR THIRD READING. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY ORGANIZATION TO THAT. AND I PROBABLY ASSUMED THAT WAS A FRANCHISE THING BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANY ORGANIZATION ON THAT, BUT THERE'S NO EXPLANATION ON WHY IT'S BEING POSTPONED.
>>GARCIA: CAN SOMEBODY PROVIDE THAT EXPLANATION?
>>MAYOR WATSON: IF WE CAN DO THAT ANOTHER TIME. I DON'T WANT TO HOLD IT UP.
>> MAYOR, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHO REQUESTED THE POSTPONEMENT OR WHY IT'S POSTPONED, BUT THESE ITEMS ARE RELATED TO THE COMBINED EMERGENCY CENTER. THERE'S NO FRANCHISE INVOLVED HERE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I'M WILLING TO ADMIT I WAS WRONG ON THAT, BUT THE FRANCHISER SUED UP TOO, LATTER. -- SCREWED UP TOO, ALL RIGHT. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO TELL ME I WAS WRONG ON THAT, THAT'S FINE. WE'LL GET PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THAT, BUT THE POINL BEING THE REASON I JUMPED TO THAT CONCLUSION IS BECAUSE THE FRANCHISE I SEE A SCREW UP IN THE FRANCHISE. LET ME SAY THAT CLEARLY SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO -- I DON'T WANT TO MINCE ANY WORDS. I AM WORRIED THAT EVERY WEEK WE SEEM TO BE VOTING ON ANOTHER FRANCHISE. THIS ONE ON FIRST READING, THE OTHER ON SECOND READING AND WE'RE CREATING SOME PROBLEMS. AND I DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS. SO I DID JUMP THE GUN WHEN I SAW THIS WAS BEING POSTPONED, AND IT WAS INVOLVING TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
>>GARCIA: MAYOR, MR. STONE IS HERE. HE WAS THE PERSON -- DAVID, WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US OVER HERE AT THE TABLE. HE WAS THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT THIS ITEM TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE. AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT -- MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THIS ITEM, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING HERE ABOUT US APPROVING IT, BUT WE ALREADY CONSIDERED THIS AND SENT IT TO THE COUNCIL.
>> YES, SIR.
>>GARCIA: SO I DON'T THINK IT OUGHT TO BE POSTPONED.
>> IT WOULD NOT BE OUR DESIRE THAT ANY OF THOSE THREE ITEMS BE POSTPONED, SIR. AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANY REASON THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PULLED OR POSTPONED.
>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE ROOM WHO WANTS TO ADMIT THEY WERE THE ONES WHO TRIED TO POSTPONE IT? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL, --
>>GARCIA: LET ME SAY ONE OTHER THING, MAYOR, IF I MAY. THIS IS NOT ONE ITEM THAT HAS ANY KIND OF OPPOSITION OR -- THIS IS A VERY REGULAR ITEM THAT WE'RE DOING IN CONJUNCTION WITH A LOT OF OTHER AGENCIES. THEY'VE COME AND TALKED TO US AT THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE SUBCOMMITTEE. WE'RE READY TO GO. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY SAW THIS SHEET THAT HAS THE POSTPONEMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT CONSIDERING IT TODAY WOULD IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM AFFECT US. AND LEGAL CAN TELL ME IF THIS POSTPONEMENT IS -- OF COURSE, IT'S NOT IN THE ITEMS -- IT NOT IN THE ITEMS IN THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS, SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER IT, MAYOR. AND I WOULD BE READY TO APPROVE THAT --
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN PULLED ITEM 22. WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE TO PULL ITEM 22? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING 20 AND 21 BACK ON, BUT 22 WAS THE ONE YOU PULLED. IT RELATED TO 20 AND 21.
>>SPELMAN: THE REASON I PULLED 22 IS BECAUSE I'VE -- [INAUDIBLE]. NOT BECAUSE I AND OR I OBJECT TO ANYTHING ELSE.
>>GARCIA: WHY DON'T WE LEAVE THAT?
>>MAYOR WATSON: 20, 21 AND 22, HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN, WOULD YOU CONSIDER 20 AND 21 GOING BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>>SPELMAN: SURE. AS LONG AS -- [INAUDIBLE].
>>MAYOR WATSON: DO YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: YES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: 20 AND 21 WILL ALSO BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ?
>>SLUSHER: MAYOR, I'LL PUT 42 BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN, DO YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES. IT WILL BE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING. COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA, DO YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>>GARCIA: YES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ? ANYONE WHO WISHES TO BE HEARD? ON ITEM NUMBER -- HE DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK. HE WAS IN FAVOR. ITEM NUMBER 29, THE SAME. ITEM NUMBER 48, MR. BOYD, YOU DON'T WISH TO SPEAK IF IT'S ON CONSENT, RIGHT? MR. BOYD? OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL? COUNCIL, LET ME MENTION ON ITEM NUMBER 29, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A REAL QUICK STATEMENT. ITEM NUMBER 29 IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE RELEASE OF APPROXIMATELY 500 SURVIVE ACRES OF ETJ. 075 ACRES OF ETJ. I'M NOT GOING INTO DETAILS, BUT I'M GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF BEING ON THE CONSENT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN AND I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO IS THAT INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT DECIDING THAT WHAT THEY WANT, IF THEY WANT TO BE RELEASED FROM THE EX-EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION FOR WHATEVER REASON, IF ANY OF THEM -- I'M GOING TO GIVE CREDIT THERE BECAUSE WE CAN'T ANNEX IF IT'S SO FAR OUT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT THEN WHAT THEY WISH TO DO IS THEY WISH TO INCORPORATE TO BECOME A CITY. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, OF COURSE, OR AT LEAST A PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT THEY'RE INCORPORATING AS THEY'RE A DEVELOPMENT THAT BASICALLY CALLS ITSELF A CITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN A POSITION THEN TO UTILIZE CITY TAXES TO PAY FOR SUCH THINGS AS POLICE, FIRE, E.M.S., THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW WILL THEN BE PICKED UP BY THE COUNTY. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ABOUT 75% OF THE MONEY THAT PAYS FOR THOSE THINGS IN THIS NEW INCORPORATED CITY WILL COME FROM CITIZENS INSIDE OF CITY OF AUSTIN. I'M NOT SURE THERE'S MUCH WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW, BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TALK IN TERMS OF REGIONAL APPROACHES, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE BE COOPERATIVE WITH ENTITIES THAT NEED A RELEASE OF ETJ BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SERVE THEM, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE ASKING THEM THEN THAT THEY BE COOPERATIVE WITH THE CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY IN WHICH THEY ARE INCORPORATING AND MAKING THEMSELVES A CITY, AND WE ASK THAT THEY OPERATE AS A CITY AND NOT PLACE THE BURDEN UNDULY ON OTHER CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY. LIKE I SAY, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS UNDER THE LAW. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO RELEASE THE ETJ, BUT I AM GREATLY TROUBLED BY -- [INAUDIBLE]. THAT HAVE REALLY BURDENED OR A BIG PART, 75% OF THE BURDEN ARE PAID FOR BY CITIZENS INSIDE THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I DON'T THINK THAT'S PARTICULARLY FAIR, PARTICULARLY WHEN SOME OF THOSE ARE THE POOREST CITIZENS IN OUR COUNTY WHICH WILL THEN BE PAYING FOR SOME OTHER PEOPLE. COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: WHO ARE WE RELEASING THIS ETJ TO?
>> LET ME EXPLAIN, THE POINT VENTURE ETJ RELEASE IS DIFFERENT. IT'S DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE'VE DONE ON AN ETJ RELEASE. UP TO NOW USING A POLICY THAT WE HAVE IN DRAFT FORM AND WE ARE PILOTING, WE HAVE BEEN RELEASING ETJ WHEN WE CANNOT SERVE IT, WHEN IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY FOR US TO SERVE IT BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL BARRIERS LIKE THE LAKE AND OTHER ISSUES TO ANOTHER EXISTING JURISDICTION WHERE THEY SERVE IT. THE LAST FIVE YEARS THE ETJ HAS BEEN RELEASED. IN THIS CASE BECAUSE OF WHERE THIS DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED, IT IS LITERALLY LIKE A PENNINSULA, SO NAERT LAKEWAY OR LAG GO VISTA, WHO ARE CLOSE CAN ALSO SERVE IT. IN THIS CASE WHAT WE ARE DOING IS SIMPLY RELEASING THE ETJ, NOT TO ANOTHER JURISDICTION AND NOT GRANTING OUR AUTHORITY TO SNORPT. BUT ONCE THEY ARE RELEASED, THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO FOLLOW STATE LAW TO BECOME NOFERPTED IF THAT'S -- INCORPORATED IF THAT'S THEIR DESIRE.
>>GARCIA: I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROCEDURE FOR DOING THAT. WE DID THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH -- WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT?
>> VILLAGE OF BEAR CREEK.
>>GARCIA: VILLAGE OF BEAR CREEK. AND AT THAT TIME WE SAID THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO WHEN WE DID THIS KIND OF PROCESS IS WHETHER WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR PLANS WERE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT THE MAYOR IS TALKING ABOUT, WHICH I THINK ARE VERY LEGITIMATE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AND COUNCILMEMBER, WE'VE DONE THAT ON THIS ONE AND THAT'S ONE REASON I'M TROUBLED BY IT. IN A NUTSHELL, THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE BEEN TAKING, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TALKED ABOUT IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO RELEASE ETJ UNLESS WE RELEASE IT TO ANOTHER CITY THAT IS IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE SERVICES SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN PUT INTO A BIND. LET ME REPHRASE THAT, PUT INTO AN INEQUITABLE SITUATION. THAT'S BETTER SAID. IN THIS INSTANCE, THIS IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY, LITERALLY A SINGLE DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU WILL, THAT IS LOCATED IN SUCH A UNIQUE PLACE THAT IT -- NO JURISDICTION THAT WE COULD RERELEASE IT TO CAN PROVIDE THE KIND OF SERVICES. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU CAN RELEASE THE ETJ, AND WE COULD, I SUPPOSE, ALSO, AS WE DID WITH VILLAGE OF BEAR CREEK, CONSENT TO INCORPORATION. WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT ON THIS ITEM, THIS RESOLUTION TO CONSENT TO INCORPORATION IN PART BECAUSE OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE RAISING AND WHAT I TALKED ABOUT A MOMENT AGO, BECAUSE TO CONSENT TO INCORPORATION IS BASICALLY TO CONSENT THAT MANY OF THE -- PARTICULARLY SINCE WE KNOW WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, AND THEIR PLANS DO NOT INCLUDE PROVIDE FOR THE KINDS OF SERVICES THAT TYPICALLY A CITY OUGHT TO BE ASKED TO PROVIDE, THAT IS A VERY TROUBLING THING. SO WE'RE NOT CONSENTING TO THEIR INCORPORATION, BUT UNDER STATE LAW THERE IS A PROCESS ALLOWED THAT EVEN IF AT THE TIME WE RELEASE THE ETJ WE DO NOT CONSENT TO THE INCORPORATION, THERE IS A PROCESS OF STATE LAW THEY CAN FOLLOW, AND IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL THEY CAN THEN INCORPORATE. AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW AS CLOSE TO WHAT OUR GOALS ARE, BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF LAND. I WOULD HOPE, AND I WOULD AGAIN REQUEST OF THE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE DOING THIS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE LIVING THERE, THAT THEY CONSIDER HOW THEY APPROACH THIS SO THAT THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT IS EQUITABLE OR MORE EQUITABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF AN ENTIRE REGION.
>> ONE OTHER THING THAT MAY ALSO HELP, COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA. UNDER STATE LAW, IF WE DO NOT GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO BE RELEASED FROM OUR ETJ AND TO INCORPORATE, THEY MAY PETITION US AS A CITY TO ALLOW THEM TO BE RELEASED TO HAVE A VOTE ON INCORPORATION. AND IF IN SIX MONTHS WE HAVE NOT AN ANNEXED THEM OR BEGUN THE PROCESS OF ANNEXING THEM, THEY ARE RELEASED. SO HAVING EVALUATED THIS FOR MONTHS, WE STRUGGLED WITH ALL THESE SAME REASONS. OUR POLICY IS NOT TO JUST RELEASE UNLESS YOU GO TO AN EXISTING JURISDICTION WHO CAN SERVE YOU. WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT PROLIFERATION OF JURISDICTIONS, HOW MANY DEVELOPMENTS BECOME LITTLE CITIES AND THEN HOW DIFFICULT WILL IT BE TO DO ANY TYPE OF REGIONAL PLANNING. BUT IN THIS CASE THERE IS AN -- THIS IS AN AREA THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ANNEX AND SERVE. SO BY DOING NOTHING TODAY, YOU HAVE PROBABLY PUT JUST A SIX-MONTH PROCESS IN PLACE. THAT'S WHY YOU WENT ON AND DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT IT ON AS A STRAIGHT UP ETJ RELEASE.
>>GARCIA: YOU WILL SOMETIME YOU WILL HAVE AN ITEM FOR THEM TO INCORPORATE?
>> NO.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ONLY IF THEY PETITION, WHICH THEY'RE NOT GOING DO.
>> ONCE YOU RELEASE THEM, IT'S NO LONGER OUR BUSINESS. THEN THEY HAVE A STATE LAW PROCESS. PART OF WHAT WE RELEASE WILL GO INTO ANOTHER CITY'S JURISDICTION AND PART WILL JUST BE PURE COUNTY. WE HAD THREE OPTIONS. WE COULD HAVE AGREED TO RELEASE THEM AND ALLOW THEM TO INCORPORATE. WE COULD JUST RELEASE THEM, BE SILENT TO IT AND LET STATE LAW TAKE ITS PLACE. OR WE COULD DENY THEM THE ETJ RELEASE AND THE INCORPORATION AND THEY WOULD THEN PETITION US FOR ANNEXATION. AND IN SIX MONTHS IF WE HADN'T ANNEXED THEM, WE'D BE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
>>GARCIA: THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE THEY VISITED WITH EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL. AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM GENE NIPPER, WHO WAS ONE OF THE PERSONS GOING AROUND WITH THE GROUP, WAS THAT THEY HAD A PLAN IN PLACE AS TO HOW THEY WERE GOING TO DO ALL THESE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THE MAYOR'S ISSUE WITH REGARD TO EQUITY, YOU KNOW, AS IT REGARDS TO SERVICES, THEY SAID WE'RE READY TO PARTICIPATE IN FIRE AND E.M.S. AND, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THING, PARTICULARLY THE E.M.S. IN PARTICULAR IS SENSITIVE BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF TRANSITIONING TO A COUNTY RUN E.M.S. DEPARTMENT. POLICE AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, ALL THESE THINGS ARE CRITICAL. AND I ASKED THEM WHEN THEY CAME AND THEY SAID OH, WE CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING. AND MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HAVE THEY PRESENTED PLANS ON HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE PROTECTION, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUNDING OF E.M.S., HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS, ARE THEY GOING TO CONTRACT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THEIR POLICE PROTECTION, HOW ARE THEY GOING DO ALL THOSE THINGS?
>> THEY HAVE TALKED TO US ABOUT THESE PLANS. THIS IS ABOUT 400 PEOPLE, IT'S A SUBDIVISION IN A VERY UNUSUAL LOCATION, LITERALLY A PENNINSULA. THEY'RE ALREADY SERVED BY A WCID. THEY GET WATER AND UTILITIES FROM AN EXIST IS WCID. THEY ARE PLANNING ON CONTRACTING WITH THE COUNTY FOR ENHANCED SHERIFF SERVICES. BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS TURN THEIR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION FEES INTO THEIR TAXES, TAKE THAT MONEY AND TRY TO CONTRACT FOR SERVICES. ULTIMATELY I THINK -- THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO HIRE A POLICE OFFICER AND -- BUT I THINK RIGHT OFF THE BAT WHAT YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO SEE IS JUST ENHANCED CONTRACTED SERVICES FROM THE COUNTY.
>>GARCIA: OKAY. AND NOTHING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE?
>> ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE, IT'S ALREADY ALL PLATTED. IT'S A -- IT'S ALL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ALREADY PLATTED, A THIRD OF IT BUILT OUT. IT BASICALLY IS ALREADY IN PLACE. WHAT WE COULD DO IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
>>GARCIA: OKAY. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MAYOR PRO TEM?
>>GOODMAN: COULD I ASK TOBY -- [INAUDIBLE].
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. YES, COUNCILMEMBER, THIS IS EXACTLY IT. WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THIS FOR MONTHS, MANY MONTHS, PROBABLY ALMOST SIX MONTHS FROM WHEN THEY FIRST CAME IN THE DOOR. IDEALLY THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO AN EXISTING JURISDICTION WHO WOULD HAVE SERVED THEM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE LAKE IS, NEITHER LAKEWAY NOR LAG GO VISTA IS IN A WAY PLACE TO TAKE THEM ON. SO SHOULD WE DIG IN OUR HEELS, THEY POLICY THE STATE PROCESS, BUT IF WE DON'T ANNEX THEM, THEY'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO WHERE THEY ARE IN SIX MONTHS OR DO A NO HELP, NO HINDER, ACKNOWLEDGE WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SERVE THEM, RELEASE THEM FROM OUR ETJ AND REQUIRE THEY FOLLOW STATE LAW, THE PETITION TO THE COUNTY, AN ELEAKS, ONE SHOT OUT THE DOOR ON THAT ELECTION. AND SEE WHERE THEY GO, JUST FOLLOW THE STATE LAW PROCESS.
>>GOODMAN: BUT THEIR PREFERENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR US TO DO WHAT?
>> WHAT THEY ASKED US FOR -- I TELL YOU, I THINK ORIGINALLY RELOOKED AT THIS AS A STRAIGHT UP ETJ RELEASE AND THAT WAS PART OF THE CONFUSION IN TIME. WHAT THEY REALLY ARE INTERESTED IN IS TO INCORPORATE AND SO THEY WANTED OUR PERMISSION TO INCORPORATE. THAT'S WHAT OTHER NOT DOING ON THIS ITEM. WE ARE SILENT ON INCORPORATION. THAT MEANS PART OF THE ETJ THAT WE RELEASE THAT THEN FALLS IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION WILL REQUIRE THAT CITY TO MAKE A CALL ON THE INCORPORATION OR THEY'LL HAVE TO PETITION THAT CITY TO BE ANNEXED. THEY CLAIM -- AND I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE YOU FROM WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD, THAT BOTH LAGO VISTA AND LAKEWAY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEIR INCORPORATION AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ANNEX THEM OR ARE NOT INTERESTED.
>>GARCIA: MAYOR? I WOULD JUST REQUEST TO THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IF WE COULD GET SOMETHING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AN INVENTORY -- WELL, NOT TOO MANY WEEKS OR I WON'T BE HERE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SIX, SEVEN WEEKS.
>>GARCIA: YEAH. A LISTING OF OTHER AREAS THAT MAY FALL IN THIS SAME CATEGORY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THERE IS AT LEAST ONE OUT THERE.
>> THERE IS AT LEAST ONE MORE OUT THERE. THEY HAVE NOT ASKED. BUT I WILL TELL YOU WE HAVE A HALF DOZEN ETJ RELEASES ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE EVALUATING. THAT'S WHY WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE POLICY TO BE IN PLACE. WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING IT IN DRAFT FORM TO YOU AND I THINK IT ALLOWS US TO DO JUST THAT, TO VERY CLEARLY IDENTIFY AREAS WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SERVE BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES AND MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON HOW WE WANT TO HANDLE IT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AND THIS IS ONE OF THESE SITUATIONS THAT I'M CONVINCED AT SOME POINT THE STATE OF TEXAS IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO IN -- WHEN YOU'RE GROWING REGIONAL ECONOMY IS IN THIS NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY, THE JURISDICTIONAL LINES ARE ECONOMICALLY, THEY'RE ENVIRONMENTALLY AND FOR OTHER QAETS, THEY ARE IRRELEVANT AND WE NEED TO BE DOING A BETTER JOB OF ALLOWING FOR REGIONALISM, I'M CONFIDENT THAT SOMEBODY WILL WATCH THIS DISCUSSION, THEY WILL SEE THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS JUST NOT INTERESTED IN REGIONALISM ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT INTERESTED -- WE'RE NOT WILLING RIGHT NOW JUST TO SAY, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO. SOMETIMES REGIONAL BECOMES A WORD THAT IS A WEAPON MEANING IF YOU DON'T DO EVERYTHING I WANT, THEN YOU'RE NOT PROMOTING REGIONALISM. WELL, TRUE REGIONALISM HERE WOULD BE TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE IT'S MORE EQUITABLE IN TAXATION, MORE EQUITABLE IN THE WAY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. I HAD THIS DISCUSSION IN MY OFFICE WITH THESE PEOPLE, BUT APPARENTLY I DIDN'T GET TOO FAR WITH THEM. BUT MAYBE THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO RESPOND. [INAUDIBLE].
>>LEWIS:.
>> IT'S A SINGLE-FAMILY DIVISION. THEY COULD GO THROUGH A REPLATTING PROCESS, BUT MOST OF THE HOMES -- MOST OF THE LOTS ARE OWNED, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT BUILT OUCHLT I MEAN, IT REALLY IS CARVED UP AND PLATTED AS A SINGLE-FAMILY SUBDIVISION. THERE'S LITTLE CHANCE OF ANYTHING ELSE OCCURRING OUT THERE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AND ANOTHER THING, COUNCILMEMBER IS THEY COULD DO IT SIX MONTHS FROM NOW. ALL RIGHT. I DIDN'T INTEND TO GET QUITE INTO A RANT ON THAT, BUT -- COUNCILMEMBER? [INAUDIBLE].
>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. YOU'LL BE SHOWN AS VOTING NO. COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN?
>>SPELMAN: MAYOR, MY QUESTION HAS JUST BEEN ANSWERED. ITEM 22 CAN GO BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA, DO YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE FRIENDLY?
>>GARCIA: YES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ITEM 22 WILL GO BACK ON CONSENT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ. AND FOR THE RECORD, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS IS SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 30.
>>SLUSHER: MAYOR? ITEM 41, THERE'S A COMPROMISE ON THAT, AND I THINK WE COULD GET THAT DONE PRETTY QUICKLY IF WE DO THAT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO ITEM 41. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?
>>SLUSHER: I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. GURNSEY.
>> GREG GURNSEY, ON ITEM NUMBER 41, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING. THE PROPOSAL THAT IS BEFORE YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE ONLY FOR SECOND READING. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU HAVE A LETTER FROM SARA CROCKER DATED APRIL 5TH. THE LETTER IS ACTUALLY ADDRESSED TO MR. CLARK PATTERSON WHO IS A MEMBER OF OUR DEPARTMENT. ATTACHED TO IT IS AN AGREEMENT OF CONDITIONS AND A SMALL MAP THAT INDICATES THREE TRACTS OF LAND. THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 6415 CART LANE, 3413 NORTH HILLS DRIVE AND 6426 MOPAC SOUTHBOUND STRESS WAY NORTH. THE ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS FROM LO TO GO/CO. THIS COMPROMISE, TWO OF THE PARTIES THAT HAVE SIGNED THE ORIGINAL PETITION HAVE REMOVED THEIR NAMES FROM THE PE TITION, SO THE PETITION IS NO LONGER VALID. IT'S NOW DOWN TO SEVEN AND SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT. THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN AGREED TO BY THE TWO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE TO THE WEST OF THIS PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS. ON TRACT A, WHICH IS THE MIDDLE TRACT, THAT THE PROPERTY BE ZONED GO/CO, BUT LIMITED TO LO USES. B, THAT THE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE AND TRACT A, WHICH IS THAT MIDDLE TRACT, THAT BE ZONED GO/CO, THAT BE LIMITED TO 26,000 SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING SPACE. C, THAT THE TOP BUILDING ELEVATION FOR TRACT A BE LIMITED TO A HEIGHT OF -- OWE AN ELEVATION OF 795 FEET. THAT ON TRACT D OR ITEM D, THAT TRACTS B AND C, THESE WOULD BE LEKT LOCATED THE LO TRACTS TO THE SOUTH, ZONED LO/CO. E, THAT THE TOPPLE -- ELEVATION OF ANY STRUCTURE OF A PARKING GARAGE, N ELEVATION OF 765 FEET. MS. CROCKER ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT HAS MADE TWO ADDITIONAL REQUESTS AND BOTH NEIGHBORHOOD AGREEMENTS, NOT NECESSARILY AN AGREEMENT ON THESE TWO ISSUES, ALTHOUGH ON THE SECOND ONE THEY ARE IN AGREEMENT. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THOSE TWO ARE. FIRST THAT ON FIRST READING, THE LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF VEHICLE TRIPS FROM THIS PROPERTY WAS LIMITED TO 1,280 VEHICLE TRIPS A DAY. THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO BE GRANTED THE 2,000 VEHICLE TRIPS A DAY, WHICH IS THE LIMITATION OR THE TLERB HOLD FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS. SECOND, THE IMPERIAL CONDOES, WHICH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION WHICH IS TO THE SOUTH IS IN AGREEMENT. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE OTHER CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION. THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A RIGHT TURN IN ONLY DRIVEWAY OFF OF HART LANE. PREVIOUSLY THAT THE COUNCIL HAD GRANTED ON FIRST READING TO ALLOW ONLY EMERGENCY ACCESS, AND THAT WOULD BE TO ALLOW A RIGHT TURN ONLY ON HART LANE COMING FROM MOPAC. THE APPLICANT IS ALSO AGREEABLE TO THE PREVIOUS CONDITION APPROVED ON FIRST READING, WHICH REQUIRES TREES ON CENTERS ACROSS THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY. SO WITH THOSE CONDITIONS THAT I'VE READ INTO THE RECORD, THE ASSOCIATION AND THE APPLICANT ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH AND YOU CAN GO FORWARD ON SECOND READING TODAY. YOU WOULD STILL NEED TO CONSIDER THE 2,000 TRIPS VERSUS THE 1 THOURS 280 TRIPS AND THE RIGHT TURN DRIVEWAY OFF OF HART LANE, WHICH ARE STILL ISSUES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION?
>>SLUSHER: I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL ON SECOND READING, MAYOR. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR MR. GURNSEY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: TELL ME WHAT YOU -- AS PART OF YOUR MOTION ON SECOND READING.
>> I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE 2,000 TRIPS PER DAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AND RIGHT TURN ONLY DRIVEWAY OFF HART LANE?
>>SLUSHER: WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS OVER WITH, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD THE DISCUSSION ON THE RIGHT TURN.
>> I COULD BRIEFLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES AND MAYBE I GUESS ALEVE THE CONCERN THAT WAS EXPRESSED BY THE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION MOST CLOSEST TO THIS TRACT, THAT'S TRACT B THAT'S ALONG HART LANE. THE ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS IMPERIAL CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST, DOES NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSE THIS AND FOR THE REASON THEY SEE IF THEY MISS THE DRIVEWAY OF SOMEONE GOING SOUTHBOUND ALONG BALCONES DRIVE MISS THE DRIVEWAY TO COME INTO THE COMPLEX, THERE'S A CONCERN BY THE APPLICANT AND SHARED BY THE IMPERIAL CONDOES FOLKS THAT THEY MAY CIRCLE ALL THE WAY AROUND AND COME BACK, WHICH WILL TRAVEL THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS THE CONCERN THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE AND WHAT THE APPLICANT IS TRYING TO TRY TO CHANGE BY HAVING A RIGHT TURN ONLY INTO HART LANE.
>>SLUSHER: SO THAT'S A MATTER OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND --
>> THEY WOULD NOT OBJECT TO IT. THEY HAVE LEFT IT UP TO COUNCIL TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. THEY HAVEN'T STATED A POSITION EITHER WAY ON IT.
>>SLUSHER: THAT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE TO MAY HE. WOULD STAFF RECOMMEND THAT?
>> STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT AND WE COULD WORK THAT OUT.
>>SLUSHER: I WOULD ADD THAT IN TOO. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED, I HAVE TO CONFESS ON THE TOP OF THE BUILDING ELEVATION, PART C, TOP OF THE BUILDING ELEVATION OF TRACT A SHALL BE LIMITED TO 696.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY 795 FEET. IT'S THE ELEVATION OF SEA LEVEL.
>>SLUSHER: BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD GET A COMPROMISE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A 70-STORY BUILDING THERE.
>> THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY THE ASSOCIATION, THEY WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW HIGH THE BUILDING. AND DEPENDING ON THE WAY YOU ADD OR SUBTRACT FILL FROM THE SITE, IT MAY VARY THE ULTIMATE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING AND THAT'S WHY THE SPECIFIC ELEVATIONS WERE NAMED.
>>SLUSHER: OKAY. AND THAT WOULD APPLY TO PART E AS WELL?
>> THAT WOULD APPLY TO PART E AS WELL.
>>SLUSHER: I WANT TO THANK THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORS FOR HAVING PATIENCE AND WORKING THIS OUT. IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD HAVE JUST LET ROLL THROUGH WITHOUT GETTING DOWN THIS TO AMOUNT OF DETAIL, BUT I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE -- WHO ARE HAPPY THAT WE DID TAKE THIS AMOUNT OF TIME. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MS. CROCKER IN PARTICULAR FOR BEING WILLING TO DO THAT. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'VE GOT A MOTION. I'M NOT SURE I'VE GOT A SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPTIONED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES WITH COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA TEMPORARILY OFF THE DIAS. THE NEXT ITEM WE'LL TAKE UP WILL BE ITEM NUMBER 2. MS. CONNOR?
>> GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE OPERATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF A HOMELESS SHELTER, HEALTH CARE CLINIC AND DAY RESOURCE CENTER FOR HOMELESS PERSONS. AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL YOU WANTED TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HERE WHO WERE PART OF BOTH THE NEGOTIATING TEAM, SO TODAY WE HAVE FOR THE BOOTH SERVICES AT SALVATION ARMY, BILL BINGE HAM, THEIR ATTORNEY, MAJOR ROBERT TAYLOR, THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF SALVATION ARMY, AND WARN STALL WORTH. FOR THE CITY WE HAVE TODAY GEORGE PULL MARN, MR. CALDERON. AND I THINK PAUL HILGERS, WHO IS A FINANCIAL SUPPORTER FOR THIS PROJECT IS ALSO HERE. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF GEORGE PULL MARN. TOMORROW IS GEORGE'S LAST DAY WITH THE CITY. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY PERSONALLY I THINK THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY IS BETTER OFF FOR HER HAVING BEEN HERE. WE'VE HAD A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP. I HAVE PERSONALLY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY AND I THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE UPDATE ON THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE, I THINK REALLY ALL WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IS REALLY AS A RESULT OF THE HARD WORK OF JOYCE. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHIILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE]
>> ... THAT, HOWEVER, REQUIRES APPROVAL BY TRAVIS COUNTY ON THE TRANSFER OF THE LEASE. IN ADDITION WE LOOKED AT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR FAMILIES. H.U.D. APPROVED FUNDING FOR THOSE 14 UNITS AND THEY WILL BE LOCATED AT SAFE PLACE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A GOAL OF BEING ABLE TO ISSUE AN RFP FOR SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY. AT THIS TIME WE DID ISSUE ONE. THERE WERE NO RESPONDENTS, BUT THERE ARE FUTURE PLANS FOR RFP'S AND PERHAPS PUTTING THIS IN THE SUPER NOVA. THE CITY COUNCILL APPROVED APPROXIMATELY $368,000 FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE. UNDER THE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY GOALS, WE WERE TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY COURT TO PROVIDE MORE EFFECTIVE DETERRENT TO CLASS C MISDEMEANORS. THAT BECAME EFFECTIVE ON OCTOBER 1, 1999. AND WE ALSO NEED TO DO OBTAIN LEGISLATION TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT REPEAT CLASS C OFFENDERS AND MOVE THEM UP TO CLASS B ONCE THEY ARE CONVICTED ON THE FOURTH CONVICTION AND THAT WAS APPROVED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THE OTHER AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY GOALS WAS TO SENIOR ZONING AND ECONOMIC INCENTIVES TO ENSURE CONTINUED GROWTH DOWNTOWN. THAT REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL IN APRIL OF 1999. THE LAST ITEM WAS TO IMPROVE THE DAY LABOR PROGRAM WHICH WAS RELOCATED IN AUGUST OF 1999. WE WERE TO ESTABLISH A COORDINATING COUNCIL. THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN WORKING AND ACTUALLY HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE DESIGN OF THE POLICIES THAT YOU WILL HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR APPROVAL. AN ESTABLISHED STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE AND OVERSITE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. THE SHELTER FOR HOMELESS MEN RESOURCE CENTER AND HEALTH CLINIC WAS TO BE AN OVERNIGHT SHELTER FOR 100 MEN WITH CAPACITY TO EXPAND TO 250 IN EXTREME WEATHER.
>>MAYOR WATSON: CAN I INTERRUPT? ON THE PREVIOUS SEVERAL SLIDES, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THE ONLY PART OF THE ORIGINAL INITIATIVE THAT HAS NOT BEEN PASSED OR ADOPTED [INAUDIBLE] RESPONSIBILITY ASPECTS WOULD BE THE ZONING?
>> YES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THE COUNCIL SAID IT WOULD DO IN THAT REGARD HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT. RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BY STAFF WITH REGARD TO ZONING, BUT THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN ADOPTED YET BY THE COUNCIL.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SO DEPENDING UPON ACTION HERE TODAY, ONE OF THE NEXT STEPS WE SHOULD TAKE IS FOLLOWED THROUGH -- FOLLOW THROUGH ON [INAUDIBLE].
>> YES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: BUT FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, THAT WOULD BE ONLY -- THE ONLY ITEM THAT COULD NOT BE CHECKED OFF.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A HOMELESS SHELTER -- SHELTER FOR HOMELESS MEN, DAY RESOURCE CENTER AND A HEALTH CLINIC T SHELTER IS TO HOUSE APPROXIMATELY 100 MEN WITH CAPACITY TO EXPAND TO 250 IN EXTREME WEATHER. THE DAY RESOURCE CENTER INCLUDES CENTRALIZED INTAKE, REFERRAL AND BASIC SERVICES AND IS TO BE CO-LOCATE WITH OTHER SERVICES THAT HELP THE HOMELESS PERSONS REACH SELF-SUFFICIENCY. IN ADDITION THERE IS A HEALTH CARE CLINIC WHICH WOULD SERVE HMS FAMILIES AND YOUTH. THE SHELTER -- LAST MAY THE CITY ISSUED AN R.F.P.. THE -- WE RECEIVED TWO. IN JULY WE CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL APPROVED THE NEGOTIATION OF AGREEMENT WITH THE SECOND NOT FOR PROFIT AFFILIATE OF THE SALVATION ARMY. THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY WAS NEGOTIATED WITH [INAUDIBLE] SERVICES. JOYCL WILL GO THROUGH --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: CAN WE GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE?
>> SURE. JOYCE WILL TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR CONSIDERATION.
>> YES, THANK YOU. WHEN WE CAME TO YOU IN JULY, WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING AT THAT TIME IS A 50-YEAR LEASE WITH A NON-PROFIT SECULAR AFFILIATE OF THE SALVATION ARMY AND A SEVEN-YEAR MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT. WE ALSO WERE REQUESTING A LOCAL COMMITTEE THAT WOULD PROVIDE INPUT ON DESIGN. WE REQUIRED THAT THE PROGRAM RULES AND THE POLICIES OF THE SHELTER WOULD FOLLOW THOSE THAT WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE LOCAL COMMITTEES. AND THAT THE SHELTER WOULD BE OVERSEEN BY A LOCALLY BASED ADVISORY COUNSEL AND THE PROJECT WOULD BE NAMED SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE SALVATION ARMY AND THE EXECUTIVE DROKTER WOULD BE SELECTED WITH LOCAL INPUT. THIS DEAL HAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT SINCE WE LAST BROUGHT IT TO YOU SO WE WANT TO OUTLINE THOSE CHANGES. INSTEAD OF DOING A LEASE AGREEMENT, WE'RE NOW DOING A 40-YEAR FORGIVEABLE LOAN THAT COVERS THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN. THERE'S A SEPARATE OPERATING AGREEMENT THAT COVERS THE MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF THE FACILITY THAT IS TIED TO THE LOAN CONTRACTUALLY BUT THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE AGREEMENTS. WE STILL HAVE A LOCAL AGREEMENT PROVIDING INPUT ON DESIGN AND THAT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO KEEP THIS PROJECT ON SCHEDULE. THE PROGRAM RULES AND POLICIES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY WILL FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LOCAL COMMITTEES, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES AND WE'RE GOING TO DESCRIBE THOSE AND POINT THEM OUT TO YOU. THE SHELTER WILL STILL BE OVERSEEN BY A LOCAL BASED ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE NAME WILL NOT BE SALVATION ARMY AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL BE SELECTED WITH LOCAL INPUT. I WANT TO ADD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A NAME OF THE SALVATION ARMY, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS EMPHASIZE THIS IS A NEW AND ALTERNATIVE FACILITY AND NOT JUST AN EXPANSION OF WHAT WE HAVE. IT'S NOT A COMMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THE ARMY IS A GOOD PROGRAM. THE PROPOSED LOAN TERMS, WHICH IS IS THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU FOR APPROVAL TODAY, 3.9 MILLION DOLLAR FORGIVEABLE LOAN THAT COVERS THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE FACILITY. THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THAT IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING. BOOTH SERVICES, WHICH IS THE NON-PROFIT AFFILIATE OF THE SALVATION ARMY, WILL PROVIDE USE OF THE LAND. SO THEY ARE BRINGING THE LAND TO THE DEAL. IT'S A 40-YEAR LOAN TERM AND THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL -- AT THE SAME TIME CONCURRENT 40-YEAR RESTRICTIVE USE ON THE USE OF THAT BUILDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES. SO DURING THE PERIOD OF THE LOAN IT HAS TO BE USED FOR HOMELESS SERVICES. THE LOAN, HOWEVER, MAY BE FORGIVEN IN FULL AND THE USE RESTRICTION COULD BE REDUCED TO MINIMUM OF 20 YEARS IF THE CITY DEFAULTS ON ANY OF THESE LOAN OR OPERATING AGREEMENT. AND THE CITY IS GRANTED THE LIEN ON THE LAND AND THE FACILITY TO SECURE THE LOAN. THE LOAN DEAL WAS THE DEAL THAT WE ORIGINALLY WANTED AND WE THOUGHT THAT THE ARMY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SO THAT WAS WHY WE ORIGINALLY WENT WITH A LEASE, BUT WE THINK THAT THE LOAN IS A BETTER DEAL. THE OPERATING AGREEMENT APPLIES PRIMARILY TO THE SHELTER PORTION OF THE FACILITY. THE FACILITY WILL INCLUDE THREE THINGS. THE SHELTER FOR HOMELESS MEN, A CLINIC AND A RESOURCE CENTER. BOOTH SERVICES WILL OPERATE THE ENTIRE BUILDING, BUT THEY WILL SUBLEASE OUT THE SPACE FOR THE RESOURCE CENTER AND THE HEALTH CLINIC. THE CITY AGREES IN THE OPERATING AGREEMENT TO FUND THE FULL COST OF OPERATING THE SHELTER EACH YEAR OF THE LOAN TERM. WITH AN ANNUAL INCREASE BASED ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX. WE MAY REDUCE THAT FUNDING BY 20 -- NO MORE THAN 20% WITHOUT TRIGGERING A DEFAULT. A REDUCTION IN THE FUNDING WILL RESULT IN THE REDUCTION OF SERVICES. WE MAY HAVE TO CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF BEDS THAT WE PROVIDE. IF BOOTH DETERMINES THAT IT CANNOT OPERATE THE SHELTER, THEN THE CITY HAS THE OPTION TO GO IN AND RUN IT ITSELF OR BRING IN ANOTHER OPERATOR. IF THIS HAPPENS AFTER THE 20TH YEAR THE CITY MAY BE REQUIRED TO PAY GROUND RENT ON THE PROPERTY TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS. IF THE CITY DETERMINES THAT IT'S UNABLE TO OPERATE THE SHELTER OR IT CANNOT FIND ANOTHER OPERATOR, THEN BOOTH IS RELEASED FROM ITS OBLIGATIONS. THERE IS ALSO A CLAUSE THAT ALLOWS BOOTH TO PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT FACILITY SHOULD THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY FOR SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITY -- GREAT PRICE. BUT THAT REPLACEMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY. HAS TO BE MUTUALLY AGREED UPON AND IT WOULD HAVE THE SAME TERMS AS WHAT WE'RE DESCRIBING TODAY. AFTER THE INITIAL 40-YEAR TERM, BOOTH AND THE CITY MAY MUTUALLY EXTEND THE AGREEMENT. THE PROPOSED OPERATING RULES, THE FACILITY NAME THAT WE CAME UP WITH IS THE SEVENTH STREET HOPE CENTER. WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THERE WILL BE CASE MANAGEMENT ONSITE. WE FEEL THAT IS IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO HELP HOMELESS PERSONS ACCESS SERVICES AND IDENTIFY THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED AND GET INTO THEM. AND THE SHELTER RULES ARE BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LOCAL COMMITTEES WITH SOME CHANGES. ORIGINALLY THE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAD TALKED ABOUT A FACILITY THAT WOULD HAVE AN UNLIMITED LENGTH OF STAY OR POSSIBLY A 90-DAY LENGTH OF STAY. RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE AT IS THEY CAN STAY 30 DAYS OR MORE DEPENDING ON A RECOMMENDATION OF A CASE MANAGER. SO IT'S FLEXIBLE. THE IDEA IS THAT WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO STAY THERE FOR -- FOREVER. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. WE WANT TO MOVE PEOPLE ON TO OTHER SERVICES. BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A VERY HARD TO SERVE POPULATION. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER SERVICES, ARE NOT USED TO STRUCTURED SITUATIONS, THAT HAVE UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS. IT MAY TAKE MORE THAN 30 DAYS TO HELP THEM REHABILITATE, THEREFORE WE WANT THAT FLEXIBILITY. PERSONS WHO ARE INTOXICATED MAY BE ADMITTED TO THE SHELTER. HOWEVER, IF THEY ARE GOING TO ENTER THE SHELTER REPEATEDLY IN THIS CONDITION, THEY CAN ONLY DO SO IF A CASE MANAGER APPROVES THAT. SO THE CASE MANAGER IS GOING TO LOOK AT IT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND DETERMINE IF THIS INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ROX OR WORKING TOWARD SOME FORM OF REHABILITATION OR IF THIS IS ENABLING THAT CONDITION TO CONTINUE. THE SHELTER WILL HAVE AN APPEALS PROCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DENIED ADMISSION. AND A LOCAL ADVISORY COUNCIL AND ADVISORY BOARD MUST BE INVOLVED IN RECOMMENDING THE HIRING OR TERMINATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THERE WILL BE A LOCALLY BASED ADVISORY COUNCIL THIS. IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE RENEGOTIATED BASED ON COMMENT AND INPUT FROM CITIZENS. THERE WILL BE THREE VOTING MEMBERS THAT ARE DESIGNATED BY THE SALVATION ARMY, THE LOCAL SALVATION ARMY. THIS SLIDE IS A LITTLE OUT OF DATE SO LET ME CLARIFY. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE YOU SEE A BULLET THAT SAYS THERE WILL BE FOUR NON-VOTING EX OFFICIO MEMBERS ALSO DESIGNATED BY THE ARMY. IN ADDITION THERE WILL BE SEVEN VOTING MEMBERS DESIGNATED BY THE CITY. THE REMAINING 11 VOTING MEMBERS WILL BE SELECTED AND HERE IT SAYS BY THE ABOVE TEN MEMBERS, BUT ACTUALLY THEY WILL BE SELECTED BY THE ABOVE 14 MEMBERS. SO THE CITY'S SEVEN MEMBERS AND THE ARMY'S THREE VOTING AND FOUR NON-VOTING WILL SELECT THE REMAINING 11 TO CREATE THE 21-MEMBER BOARD. AND THIS WAS ALTERED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SELECTED BY THE CITY AND THOSE SELECTED BY THE SALVATION VATION ARMY.
>>GOODMAN: JOYCE, COULD I STOP YOU? I'M NOT SURE I WAS PAYING CLOSE ENOUGH ATTENTION. THERE ARE THREE VOTING AND FOUR NON-VOTING MEMBERS FROM THE SALVATION ARMY AND YET YOU SAID THE SELECTION WOULD BE BY THE 14.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>GOODMAN: WHICH MEANS THEY ARE VOTING THEN.
>> FOR THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, THEY WILL HAVE A VOICE. BEYOND THAT, THEY WILL NOT.
>>GOODMAN: OKAY.
>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
>> ACTUALLY I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE CLARIFICATION. THIS PROVIDED I BELIEVE THROUGH BOOTH SERVICES AND THE ARMY, THEY CANNOT HAVE -- THERE HAVE TO BE AT LEAST FOUR MEMBERS ON ADVISORY COUNCIL WHO ARE NON-VOTING. SO TECHNICALLY IT WOULD BE THE THREE VOTING FROM THE SALVATION ARMY, ALTHOUGH THE FOUR CAN HAVE INPUT AND DISCUSSION, BUT THEY CANNOT VOTE.
>>LEWIS: WELL, ARE -- [INAUDIBLE].
>> YES.
>>LEWIS: [INAUDIBLE] ON PAGE 2 --
>> THE OPERATING AGREEMENT. EXHIBIT D. THE SHELTER RULES AND POLICIES FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO FOLLOW.
>>LEWIS: [INAUDIBLE] WILL THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS?
>> THE 11 THAT ARE CHOSEN SHOULD COME FROM THAT LIST. I THINK THAT THE CITY WILL ALSO CHOOSE FROM THAT LIST.
>>LEWIS: WELL, BUT I'M SAYING [INAUDIBLE] IT SAYS HERE THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] BY THE SALVATION ARMY OVER THE NEXT --
>> THEY ARE NOT ON THE LIST BECAUSE THEY ARE DESIGNATING THEMSELVES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: [INAUDIBLE] THOSE TEN PEOPLE CAN PICK THE REMAINING 11. [INAUDIBLE] SOME LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CERTAIN AREAS [INAUDIBLE] WILL PICK THE NEXT 11 FROM AN AFWREED UPON, NEGOTIATED AND AGREED UPON LIST DESIGNATED [INAUDIBLE].
>>LEWIS: WELL, THIS -- 17 [INAUDIBLE] SAME AREAS HERE THAT -- ARE THESE THE AREAS OR THE GROUPS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE SELECTED FROM?
>> YES.
>>LEWIS: AND THE ONLY AREAS.
>> YES.
>>LEWIS: SO THE SEVEN THAT THE COUNCIL PICKS HAS TO COME FROM WITHIN THESE GROUPS.
>> IT DOESN'T HAVE TO.
>>MAYOR WATSON: NO. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO. IT MAY END DOING THAT BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AND COMPASSION OF THIS LIST OF DESIGNATED [INAUDIBLE] BUT THESE THREE AND THESE SEVEN COULD BE [INAUDIBLE]. BUT THOSE TEN THEN WILL PICK THE REMAINING 11 FROM THAT LIST. THE GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD THAT LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND COMPASSION, BUT MY GUESS IS THAT WHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN STARTS [INAUDIBLE] VOTING MEMBERS [INAUDIBLE].
>>LEWIS: [INAUDIBLE].
>>MAYOR WATSON: PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WHILE WE MAY SOMETIMES SAY, OKAY, FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AS YOU JUST DID, THOSE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS [INAUDIBLE] DIFFERENT EXTENSION [INAUDIBLE] DIFFERENT ROLES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA SO INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING X GROUP IS THE DOWNTOWN REPRESENTATIVES OR INSTEAD OF SAYING WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO COME UP WITH ONE GROUP [INAUDIBLE] THOSE FOUR GROUPS CAN BE PART OF [INAUDIBLE].
>>LEWIS: I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE].
>> WE HAVE REVIEWED THESE AGREEMENTS, THE KEY POINTS OF THESE AGREEMENTS WITH THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS. THE DOWNTOWN ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, THE EAST SIXTH STREET COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, AND THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND ALSO WITH THE C.A.N., COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK HOMELESS TASK FORCE, COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK RESOURCE COUNCIL AS WELL. THE STAKEHOLDERS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ALSO MEETING AGAIN TODAY, AND THE COORDINATING COUNCIL. AND WE HAVE MADE CHANGES TO THE LOAN AND THE OPERATING TERMS BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED AT THESE MEETINGS. PRIMARILY THOSE ABOUT THE MAKEUP OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, HAVING INPUT ON THE TERMINATION AS WELL AS THE HIRING OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND HOW LONG AN INDIVIDUAL CAN STAY IN THE FACILITY, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE INTOXICATED. WHAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY ON THE AGENDA ARE TWO ACTION ITEMS. ONE IS TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED LOAN AND OPERATING AGREEMENT. AND THE SECOND IS TO ADOPT A PROPOSED SET OF FEE WAIVERS THAT WILL KEEP THE PROJECT COSTS WITHIN OUR ORIGINAL ESTIMATE. CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE GONE UP SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, AND WE WANT TO PROCEED ACCORDING TO BUDGET. SO --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>>LEWIS: YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS [INAUDIBLE] AND ALSO THE HEALTH CLINIC. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE HEALTH CLINIC THAT IS PRESENTLY ESTABLISHED? WILL IT BE CLOSED?
>> YES, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE CLOSED AND WE WILL HOUSE A NEW ONE AT THIS FACILITY. IT ACTUALLY WILL BE LARGER AND SOME IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE. AS YOU KNOW, OFF AND ON WE'VE OPENED AND CLOSED THAT FACILITY.
>>LEWIS: HOW MANY [INAUDIBLE].
>> CURRENTLY?
>>LEWIS: YES.
>> 104.
>> 104.
>>LEWIS: SO WE'LL HAVE CAPACITY FOR 204 [INAUDIBLE].
>> YES. TWO DIFFERENT BUILDS, TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, BUT YES.
>>LEWIS: AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS YOU SHOW 3.6 CDB GFMENTD FUNDS AND MY QUESTION IS FOR WHAT YEARS IS THAT FUNDING COMING?
>> IT KOLS COMES FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES.
>> ACTUALLY I BELIEVE IT MAY BE THE 24TH YEAR AND THE FUTURE YEAR, 25TH YEAR BASICALLY WOULD BE SET ASIDE. [INAUDIBLE].
>> IT'S IN THE AGENDA PACKET.
>>LEWIS: YOU ARE SAYING IT'S COMING FROM -- IT'S ACTUALLY COMING --
>> IT'S ACTUALLY CUMMINGS FROM THE 22ND YEAR, THE 24TH AND 25TH AND 26TH YEAR OF CDBG.
>>LEWIS: 22 NDZ, 24TH, 25TH AND 26TH?
>> RIGHT.
>>LEWIS: SO ABOUT $900,000, OR IS IT EQUALLY DIVIDED OR IS IT FULLY LOADED OR HOW IS IT --
>> IN THE 22ND YEAR WE RECEIVE 500,000 AND IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS IT WOULD BE I THINK ABOUT 1.2 AND THEN 1.5 AND 1.5.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS YOU MENTIONED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WOULD BE SELECTED WITH LOCAL INPUT. IF WE DID IT -- IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A PRIVATE NON-PROFIT, HOW MUCH INFLUENCE CAN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HAVE ON THEM SELECTING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR?
>> WELL, IT'S A LOCAL ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE NON-PROFIT SO THEY ARE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY IT IS ADVISORY IN NATURE. THE EMPLOYEE WILL ACTUALLY BE AN EMPLOYEE OF BOOTH SERVICES. THE WAY IS WE'VE FAEGD FOR THEM TO BE INVOLVED IS ON THE PART OF THE PRE-SCREENING PROCESS THEY WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAJOR AND THEN HE WILL INTERVIEW CANDIDATES AND THEN THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE ADVISORY BOARD WILL BASICALLY MUTUALLY AGREE UPON THAT RECOMMENDATION. THEN I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROCESS WHERE IT GOALS THROUGH [INAUDIBLE].
>>LEWIS: WHAT?
>> DALLAS AND ATLANTA. THAT'S PART OF THE HIERARCHY OF BOOTH SERVICES AND THE ARMY BOOZ BUT IF THE ADVISORY GROUP DON'T AGREE, THEN BOOTH STILL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO GO AHEAD AND HIRE WHOEVER THEY WANT, RIGHT?
>> THEY WOULD, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE INDIVIDUALS RUNNING THE SHELTER THAT WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT ON WHO THAT INDIVIDUAL IS.
>>LEWIS: YOU ALSO MENTION AN APPEAL PROCESS OF PEOPLE THAT WAS DENIED ENTRY TO --
>> DID YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION?
>>LEWIS: WELL, MY QUESTION IS IF SOMEONE IS DENIED ENTRY, THE APPEAL PROCESS, IT -- I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHAT GOOD IS THE APPEAL PROCESS IF THE PERSON THAT IS -- IS DENIED ENTRY AT THE TIME AND HOW LONG DOES THE APPEAL PROCESS TAKE? BECAUSE IF APPEAL PROCESS TAKES 30 DAYS, HAD THE INDIVIDUAL BEEN THERE, HE WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN OUT AND DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF THE APPEAL PROCESS, THE INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT DESIRE ADMISSION BY THE TIME THE APPEAL PROCESS FIN ISSUES. SO WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THE APPEAL PROCESS? IS IT ANYTHING THAT IS SET?
>> THEY TRY TO RESPOND TO IT WITHIN 24 HOURS, BUT THERE IS A MAXIMUM OF TEN DAYS TO RESPOND. SO YOU ARE RIGHT THAT IT WOULDN'T HELP THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE NIGHT THAT THEY ARE DENIED SERVICES, BUT IT WOULD ASSIST THEM ON FUTURE NIGHTS WHEN THEY MIGHT SEEK SERVICE.
>>LEWIS: I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BECAUSE IF YOU ARE DENIED -- IF YOU ARE DENIED ADMISSION FOR A PARTICULAR REASON ON TONIGHT AND TEN DAYS LATER THAT REASON NO LONGER APPLIES, SO IF YOU GO BACK TO APPLY FOR ADMISSION AGAIN IT MAY BE FOR SOME OTHER REASON. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?
>> YEAH, I DO SEE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. WE HADN'T ANTICIPATED THAT POSSIBILITY, BUT I THINK GENERALLY PEOPLE ARE DENIED ADMISSION BECAUSE OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR OR BEING IN AN INTOXICATED CONDITION AND PROBABLY REPEATED USE, REPEATEDLY ENTERING THE SHELTER IN THAT CONDITION. SO IT WOULD ADDRESS REPEATED SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA.
>>GARCIA: MS. CONNER, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW BOOTH SERVICES -- BOOTH SERVICES, INC., AND YOU MAY HAVE GONE OVER THESE THINGS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER IT ONE MORE TIME.
>> OKAY.
>>GARCIA: THAT THEIR REACTION TO THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE. AND I SEE SOME REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM SALVATION ARMY. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER -- I WOULD LIKE FOR TO YOU RESPOND AND IF THEY WANT TO RESPOND THEY CAN COME UP.
>> ACTUALLY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE MAJOR THIS MORNING AND ALSO I SPOKE TO MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND I THINK I MAY HAVE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THE ATTORNEY. THE THREE CHANGES THAT WERE REQUESTED BY THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE, THAT WAS THE INPUT ON THE HIRING AND FIRING. I THINK THERE WAS REALLY KNOW ISSUE WITH THAT. ON THE CHANGE OF THE COUNCIL, THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THAT ONE. THE ISSUE THAT WE THEN HAD TO DEAL WITH IS THE ISSUE OF INTOXICATION -- INTOXICATED INDIVIDUALS COMING IN AND THE NUMBER OF TIMES. WE HAVE TAKEN THE NUMBER OF TIMES OUT, BUT KNOWING THAT THERE IS A REPEATED PROBLEM THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT. I WILL SAY TO YOU THAT THAT LANGUAGE RIGHT NOW, THEY GENERALLY FEEL OKAY WITH IT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED FINAL APPROVAL FROM ATLANTA ON THAT.
>>GARCIA: DOING ANYBODY -- DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HOW THIS PROCESS HAS WORKED? DOES THE TASK FORCE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT? DO YOU WANT TO COME UP HERE?
>>MAYOR WATSON: STAND AT THE MICROPHONE OR SIT THERE.
>> MY NAME IS MARY BEN RAMSEY THE CHAIR OF THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE AND WITH THE ADDITION OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN MADE, WE ARE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE THAT THIS REALLY IS GOING TO SERVE AS THE ALTERNATIVE SHELTER THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO. MAYOR, I SAID MANY TIMES NOTHING IS PERFECT AND I IMAGINE NOBODY THINKS THIS IS PERFECT SO I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT A LITTLE LATER. [LAUGHTER].
>> THE -- WE ARE AWARE THAT THE POLICY WITH REGARD TO INTOXICATED INDIVIDUALS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SALVATION ARMY AND WE UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS AN ISSUE FOR THEM. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO MAKING THIS AN ALTERNATIVE SHELTER BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME OF THE VERY PEOPLE THAT THE -- THE ALTERNATIVE IS INTEND TO DO SERVE. AND YOU KNOW, AS WRITTEN, WE BELIEVE THIS POLICY CAN WORK. OBVIOUSLY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HOW A CASE MANAGER MAKES REFERRALS TO PERSONS WHO ARE INTOXICATED WILL BE THE PROOF IN THE PUDDING. BUT I THINK WERE WILLING TO SEE HOW THAT GOES AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE ADVISORY COUNCIL THERE TO OVERSEE IT AND WORK WITH IT AND I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY AS GOOD AS COULD BE ASKED FOR UNDER THE CONSTRAINTS THAT EXIST.
>>GARCIA: ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED AT THE C.A.N. WAS THAT FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL -- THESE INDIVIDUALS, THE HARD TO SERVE, DIFFICULT TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS, THE -- THE OVERALL GOAL IS EVENTUAL MAINSTREAMING. YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE THIS PARTED OF A -- OF A PROTOCOL THAT TAKES THEM BACK AND MAIN STREAMS THEM. BUT IN SOME CASES THAT IS EITHER IMPOSSIBLE OR NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. THE QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE THAT TYPE OF AN INDIVIDUAL. AND I THINK YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT WE PROBABLY STILL DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF SERVICES IN THE RIGHT AMOUNTS, IN THE RIGHT QUANTITIES TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
>> WE WOULD I DEGREE WITH THAT. PARTICULARLY THE SUB -- AGREE WITH THAT, PARTICULARLY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND RECOVER SERVICES. AND IT IS -- THIS POPULATION IS VERY DIFFICULT AND COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA, YOU AND COUNCILMEMBER GOODMAN HEARD AT THE C.A.N. RESOURCE COUNCIL SOME STORIES ABOUT HOW THE POPULATION THAT THIS SHELTER WOULD BE INTEND TO DO SERVE, HOW SOMETIMES IT TAKES SOMEONE WHO HAS A MENTAL ILLNESS OR A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM, I MEAN IT CAN TAKE THEM WEEKS BEFORE THEY -- EVEN IF THEY ARE IN A SAFE PLACE, ENVIRONMENT, BEFORE THEY CAN REALIZE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO EAT FOOD OUT OF A DUMPSTER ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THEY'VE BEEN ON THE STREET SO LONG OR THEY'VE BEEN SO IMPAIRED BY AN ILLNESS OR THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE THAT THEY CAN'T -- THEY CAN'T REASON AND RATIONALIZE IN THE SAME WAY OTHERS CAN AND SO THAT'S WHY THE LEANING -- THE LENIENCY POLICY --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: YOU NEED TO -- WE NEED TO ACT APPROPRIATELY.
>> THE LENIENCY AND THE POLICIES FOR BEING ADMITTED TO THE SHELTER ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO EVEN SGAJ THIS POPULATION BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT NECESSARILY RUSH IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I WANT CASE MANAGEMENT, BUT IF THEY CAN COME IN AND REALIZE THAT BASIC SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, THAT OVER TIME THEY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE SHELTER.
>>GARCIA: WELL, NO, IT'S AN ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT TASK AND ONE PARTICULARLY HERE IN AUSTIN WITH PEOPLE BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE STATE FACILITIES THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS IT, BUT I STILL THINK WE OUGHT TO MAINTAIN THAT AS AN OVERALL GOAL OF MAINSTREAMING THESE INDIVIDUALS, HELPING THEM TO REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS IMPORTANT AND MOVE THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE TO DEPEND ON THIS KIND OF SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? WE'LL TAKE THIS ITEM UP TODAY AT 5:00, AND AS I PREVIOUSLY EXPLAINED, IT IS FOLLOWING BEING TAKEN TO THE COMMISSION AT 3:00. I JUST WANT TO SAY REAL QUICKLY A COUPLE THINGS. ONE IS THAT IF WE JUST -- SOMETIMES WE HAVE SHORT MEMORIES IN AUSTIN, AND ONE OF THE MEMORIES WE OUGHT TO HAVE IS REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE WHEN THIS COUNCIL REACHED OUT AND GRABBED THIS THING A SHORT TIME AGO. THE CITY AS A WHOLE WAS -- WAS IN GREAT DISRUPTION. ANY GIVEN DAY YOU WOULD PICK UP THE NEWSPAPER OR HAVE A TV REPORT ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR HOMELESS POPULATION AND WHERE ARE WE GOING TO DO IT, AND PEOPLE WERE VERY CONCERNED -- WE WERE LOSING OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE HAD BEEN APPROACHING IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME. AND IT'S INTERESTING YOU JUST USED THE WORDS ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT. I HAD JUST WRITTEN DOWN THE WORDS ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER MS. RAMSEY OR YOU ARE READING OFF MY NOTES, BUT IT IS. BUT WHAT THIS COUNCIL DID I THINK IS TOOK A VERY DISRUPTIVE AND ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT ISSUE AND SAID LET'S GET -- LET'S GET OUR ARMS AROUND IT AND LET'S SET A DIRECTION. AND THAT DIRECTION WE SET WAS A SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVE. AND AS I POINTED OUT A MINUTE AGO WHEN I INTERRUPTED MS. CONNER TO ASK HER QUESTIONS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHECK OFF EVERYTHING THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS SAID IT WAS GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON IN THAT DIRECTION. IN THAT RIGHT DIRECTION. WITH ONE OR TWO EXCEPTIONS. AND THIS NOW IS ONE OF THOSE EXCEPTIONS. SO WE'RE AT THE POINT OF THE FISH OR CUT BAIT, PARK IT OR DRIVE IT, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, AND I DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO LOSE SIGHT OF WHERE WE WERE A SHORT TIME AGO AND HOW MUCH BETTER POSITION WE'RE IN NOW THAN WE WERE THERE THEN. I MEAN THEN MOST OF US DIDN'T THEY WE WERE GOING TO GET ANYWHERE EXCEPT IN FIGHTS. AS MS. RAMSEY SAYS IS -- AND SHE IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND I DO SAY IT FREQUENTLY BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DEMAND OR SOME OF US SEEM TO WANT TO DEMAND PERFECTION IN A NON-PERFECT WORLD, THIS IS NOT PERFECT. THERE ARE PARTS OF THIS THAT ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PART OF IT DIFFERENT OR THAT PART OF IT DIFFERENT. BUT PART -- PART OF THE REASON IT IS, AS COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA SAID, AN ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT ISSUE IS THERE IS NO PERFECT ANSWER TO A LOT OF THESE ISSUES, THESE QUESTIONS. AND PART OF THAT IS IS BECAUSE, FRANKLY, WE ARE DEALING VERY SPECIFICALLY WITH HUMAN BEINGS. AND ALL OF THE FRAILTIES AND DIFFICULTIES AND LACK OF PERFECTION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT. AND IN MANY INSTANCES WE ARE ALSO DEALING WITH PEOPLE, OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS WHEN THEY ARE NOT AT THEIR BEST. AND THAT ADDS TO THE DIFFICULTY AND THE LACK OF PERFECTION. FRANKLY, I WORRY THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE THAT OPPOSE SOME OF THE EFFORTS WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO ACHIEVE HERE IN THIS NON-PERFECT SOLUTION NURX THIS NON-PERFECT WORLD, THEY TIMS ARE NOT ONLY DEMANDING PERFECTION, THEY ARE DEMANDING PERFECTION OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD AN ENORMOUSLY [INAUDIBLE] EVENT THAT HAS CHANGED THEIR LIVES. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR OF THOSE WHO OBJECT SO STRENUOUSLY SOMETIMES. BUT I'M REAL PROUD OF THE DIRECTION THIS COUNCIL SET AND WHERE WE ARE HEADED. I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF THAT HAS SPENT SO MUCH TIME ON THIS. I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS AT THE SALVATION ARMY AND AT BOOTH AND THE TASK FORCE, COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, AND I FOULED UP BECAUSE NOW I'M GOING TO LEAVE SOMEBODY OUT, BUT YOU KNOW THE ROLE YOU HAVE PLAYED IN THIS. IT'S -- AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH. [INAUDIBLE] I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO 5:00 TO THE COUNCIL BEING IN A POSITION TO MOVE FORWARD. WITH THAT LET ME GO TO ITEMS 15 -- THANK YOU. 15 THROUGH 17 AND I'LL CALL ON COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.
>>SLUSHER: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION TO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT MATTER THAT I THINK WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MR. WATSON.
>> THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION FOR ORDINANCE ITEMS 15, 16 AND 17 THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY ARE IN RESPONSE TO A COUNCIL RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO FACILITATE THE REATION OF A TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN EAST AUSTIN PART OF THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE. THE THREE ITEMS CONSTITUTE PROPOSED PARTICIPATION PACKAGE FOR MILBURN HOMES, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 250 ACRE MORRIS TRACT ON DESSAU ROAD. IN COMBINATION THEY ARE DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE THE CONSTRUCTION OF DEVELOPMENT THAT COMPLIES WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ZONING DISTRICT, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF DESSAU LANE BETWEEN RUNDBERG AND BRAKER. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SMART GROWTH MAP, THIS IS THE NORTHEAST DESTINATION PARK DESIGNATION RIGHT HERE. DESTINATION PARK IS A LARGE BLOCK OF LAND FOR [INAUDIBLE] RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE. LAND ADJACENT TO THE DESTINATION PARKS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WITH NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CONNECT PARKS WITH THE GREENWAYS. A TMB DEVELOPMENT IS A COMPACT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF OPEN SPACE AND INTEGRATES THE INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND USE, ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN A NEIGHBORHOOD. AS YOU MAY REMEMBER THE ELEMENTS OF THE TND FROM URBAN DESIGN STANDPOINT INCLUDE SMALLER LOTS, INTER CONNECTED AND ANYWAY-ER STREETS, USE OF ALLEYS, LOTS OF OPEN SPACE, DEVELOPMENT AT A HUMAN SCALE, MALLER SETBACKS, LOTS OF SETBACKS. IT PERMITS DEVELOPMENT WITH A SENSE OF BLENDING IN A STYLE OF MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT FAR MORE COMPATIBLE THAN STANDARD REGULATIONS WOULD ALLOW. SOME DAY WE'LL TRAIN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS TO PUT NORTH UP ON THEIR PRESENTATION BOARDS, BUT THIS IS DECEMBER'S SAW ROAD, RUND -- DESSAU ROAD, RUNDBERG, BRAKER LANE, WALNUT CREEK AND ITS GREENWAY AT THIS POINT. THIS IS THE PROPOSED TRACT. THIS IS THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. IT CALLS FOR ABOUT 400 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, ABOUT 180 TOWN HOMES, 280 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS, ABOUT 200,000 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE RETAIL WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL FLATS ABOVE. AND ABOUT 96,000 SQUARE FEET OF SERVICE CENTER LIGHT INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT. NOW, THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN. NOTHING AS YET HAS BEEN FILED. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE BASING THE INCENTIVE AND PARTICIPATION PACKAGE ON AND WHAT CERTAINLY IF YOU AUTHORIZE THE MANAGER TO ENTER INTO THE DEVELOPER AGREEMENT WE WILL USE AS THE BASIS FOR THAT AGREEMENT. WE FEEL IT'S IN THE CITY'S INTEREST TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THIS TO GET A TND ON THE GROUND, FIRST ONE ON THE MARKET. THIS IS THE FIRST TND THAT WE WOULD HAVE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT. THE HOT ECONOMY, PEOPLE ARE WANTING TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHEN THE CURRENT PRODUCT IS SELLING WELL, WE HAVE A HISTORY IN AUSTIN OF RESIDENTIAL MULTI-FAMILY, COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPERS DOING THEIR THING AND NOT REALLY TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN JOINT VENTURE PROJECTS. WE ALSO HAVE LENDERS THINKING IN THE SAME WAY. IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE A DEVELOPER WHO IS WILLING TO STEP UP AND PROVIDE THAT NEGOTIATED TEAM WORK AND GET ONE OF THESE ON THE GROUND AND WE FEEL THAT IT IS REAL ANY OUR INTEREST TO HELP FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. BUT THE PARTICIPATION PACKAGE BEING RECOMMENDED INCLUDES FEE WAIVERS, EXPEDITED PROJECT REVIEW, ACCELERATED UTILITY REIMBURSEMENTS, PARTICIPATION IN SOME PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND DESTINATION PARK LAND ACQUISITION. THESE ELEMENTS COMBINE DIRECT BENEFITS TO THE DEVELOPER SUCH AS THE FEE WAIVERS, SRED BENEFITS TO BOTH THE CITY AND THE DEVELOPER, FOR INSTANCE, THE PARK LAND ACQUISITION, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY TO DIRECTLY FURTHER OUR OWN PUBLIC INTERESTS. IN THIS CASE THE CLOSEST WATERLINE IS DOWN AT RUNDBERG. THE DEVELOPER COULD JUST BRING UP A LINE TO THEIR PROJECT AND PROVIDE UTILITIES FOR THEIR PROJECT. PART OF THIS NEGOTIATED SITUATION WILL BE THAT IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY OUT BASICALLY TO BRAKER LANE. AND THEY WILL BE PUTTING THAT IN WITH REIMBURSEMENT. BUT THAT WILL OPEN UP THAT WHOLE AREA WITH WATER SERVICE THAT NOW IS NOT SERVED OR SUBSTANDARD SERVED BOTH SERVICE AND ARCHITECTURE. THE COSTS WERE LAID OUT IN THE RCA BUT VERY BRIEFLY, THE WAIVE REVENUES INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT FEES, CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION FEES, THE EQUIVALENT VALUE OF SOME EASEMENTS THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY PROVIDE WHEN WE BUY SOME OF THE PARK LAND. AND LANDSCAPE LICENSE AGREEMENTS. AS FAR AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE REIMBURSEMENTS WHICH ARE ACCELERATED, 24 INCH WATER MAIN. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH CITY POLICY AND AS A MATTER OF FACT EVEN THE TIME FRAME I HEAR THERE IS AN AGENDA ITEM LATER ON TODAY IF THAT PASSES, IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY POLICY. IN THIS CASE WE'RE DOING A ACCELERATED REIMBURSEMENT. AND NON-STANDARD OFF-SITE WAURTD. SOME DIRECT COSTS ARE SIGNALLINGIZATION INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ON BRAKER LINE AND -- I MEAN DESSAU ROAD AND SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION ALONG DESSAU ROAD. AND THEN PURCHASE OF ALMOST 70 ACRES OF DESTINATION PARK LAND. THIS TOTAL COMES OUT TO BE A 5.1 MILLION DOLLAR PARTICIPATION PACKAGE. AS I SAID, I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY AND SAID THIS ISN'T REALLY A BUNCH OF INCENTIVES BECAUSE SOME OF THESE WOULD DO ANYWAY. BUT WE ARE PARTICIPATING AND HELPING GET THIS TND ON THE GRUND BY SNENTD I WAS AND PUTTING TOGETHER OTHER THINGS AND MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FORMAT THAT PROVIDE A DEVELOPMENT TO THE DEVELOPER. THE INCENTIVES HERE WE THINK WILL HELP DEFRAY ON LOT OF DEVELOPMENT COSTS WHICH WILL HELP KEEP THE HOUSING COSTS DOWN WITHIN THE PROJECT AND KEEP THEM AS LOW AS PROJECT. THE DEVELOPER HAS INDICATED THAT HIS TARGET RANGE IN THIS DECISION FOR THE RESIDENTIAL IS IN THE 80,000 TO 120,000 DOLLAR RANGE, BUT IT IS STILL A MARKET DRIVEN TND. IN ADDITION THE DEVELOPER HAS MADE A COMMITMENT THAT THE PROFIT MARGIN OF THE DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT EXCEED RETURNS THAT YOU NORMALLY FIND IN THE AUSTIN NEW HOME MARKET, BUT GOOD IF THE MARKET DOES IMPROVE DRASTICALLY, THE DEVELOPER WILL, AS WE WORK IT OUT IN THE DEVELOPER AGREEMENT, TRANSFER A PORTION OF THAT INCREASED MARGIN TO THE CITY TO USE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IN THE CITY. NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSEN AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO FIND QUALIFIED HOME BUYERS. 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME RANGE. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ON THE GROUPD. ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS INCENTIVE PACKAGE, IF YOU TAKE OUT THE THINGS WE WOULD TEND TO DO ANYWAY, THE BOND MONEY BEING SPENT FOR PARK LAND, YOU TAKE OUT THE 24 INCH WATERLINE THAT WOULD BE REIMBURSABLE, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT COSTS US ABOUT $2.9 MILLION. AND WE'VE DONE SOME QUICK ANALYSES, WE'VE -- I THINK WASTEWATER THIRD YEAR NET PRESENT VALUE WHICH AFTER 30 YEARS IS NEGATIVE 99,000 DOLLARS, WHICH IS NOT A WHOLE LOT IN THAT CONTEXT. BUT THE PROPERTY AND SALES TAX REVENUES OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME ONCE THE DEVELOPMENT IS OUT WILL BRING US IN $700,000 A YEAR. ITS 30 YEAR PRESENT VALUE WOULD BE SOMEWHERE NEAR NINE MILLION. WE THINK ECONOMICALLY IT MAKES SENSE, FROM A DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT IT MAKES TREMENDOUS SENSE, AS PART OF THE SMART GROWTH PACKAGE WE ALSO THINK IT MAKES SENSE, AND WE WOULD OFFER THE THREE ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THE FIRST OF WHICH -- GOING THE IN REVERSE ORDER, NOF 17S WITH -- NO. 17 DEALS WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THE DEVELOPER AGREEMENT. IT ALSO APPROVES THE REQUEST FOR THE DEVELOPER FOR A SER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST. THE ORDINANCE PART OF ITEM 17 WAIVES THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW CAPITAL RECOVERY, CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION FEES AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT FEES. IT ALSO WAIVES SOME SECTIONS OF THE CITY CODE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS OF A WASTEWATER MAIN THAT IS LESS THAN STANDARD 16 IRJ. I MENTIONED THAT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE AVERAGE. AND TO ALLOW FOR ACCELERATED REIMBURSEMENT OF THESE ITEMS. ITEMS 15 AND 16 ARE FAIRLY STARPD. YOU'VE SEEN THINGS LIKE THIS BEFORE WHEN WE HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE FOR SETTING UP A BUDGET ITEM FOR THE REIMBURSEMENTS AND TO DECLARE THE OFFICIAL INTENT TO REIMBURSE FOR THESE ITEMS. THE PROJECT WILL GO THROUGH STANDARD CITY PROCEDURES. IF THE COUNCIL PASSES THIS, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP. WE NEGOTIATE THE DEVELOPING AGREEMENT, THEN THEY PROVIDE THE PLANS AND WE WILL GO THROUGH ANNEXATION, ZONING, SUBDIVISION AND THE BALANCE OF THE CITY PROCESSES. YES, SIR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: LET ME ASK A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. FIRST OF ALL THIS IS A FIVE YEAR PAYBACK, RIGHT? ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE ASPECTS OF IT?
>> THE NET PRESENT VALUE OF --
>> YES, IT WOULD BE ABOUT FIVE YEAR PAYBACK, THAT'S CORRECT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUPLE THINGS. WOULD IT BE FAIR TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED HERE IN 15, 16 AND 17 WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS PROVIDED INCLUDING PARKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND FEE WAIVERS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THAT THIS WOULD BE A SITUATION WHEREAS PART OF THIS COUNCIL'S LONGTERM SMART GROWTH INITIATIVE, THAT HERE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE ARE CREATING INCENTIVES FOR THE MARKET TO GO TO A CERTAIN PLACE FOR RESIDENTIAL; WHEREAS IN THE PAST SOME OF OUR BIG WINS HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA OF MAJOR EMPLOYERS.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SO THIS WOULD BE BASICALLY ANOTHER STEP IN OUR SMART GROWTH INITIATIVE WHERE WE'RE NOW SAYING THAT WE'VE HAD SOME REAL BIG SUCCESSES AND WE'VE ENJOYED WITH MAJOR EMPLOYERS, BUT NOW WE TAKE THE NEXT STEP TO HELPING MOVE THE MARKET INTO THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE FOR RESIDENTIAL.
>> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. AND ON TOP OF THAT THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND GETTING SOMETHING, GETTING THE PROVE EVEN SUCCESSFUL TND PROJECT ON THE GROUND I THINK IS --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT STATEMENT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE INTENDING TO DO WITH INCENTIVES, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE ACTIVITY, IS THAT WHILE WE HAVE HAD A TND ORDINANCE, I GUESS IN AUSTIN, THAT ORDINANCE HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS NOW AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE TAKER WITHOUT CREATING SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE PACKAGE THAT MAKES SENSE. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WE ACTUALLY ABOUT AN R.F.P. EARLY ON AND WE WEREN'T QUITE PROBABLY AS AGGRESSIVE AND HADN'T IDENTIFIED ANYBODY WHO WOULD COME TO US INTERESTED. WE ACTUALLY HAD NO TAKERS. THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE ON THAT CASE WAS FAR BIGGER THAN THIS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING?
>> THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS THAT WHEN THIS PRODUCT IS ON THE GROUND, WITH ALL THE FEATURES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, NARROWER STREETS AND SMALL IRRELEVANT LOTS AND MIXING DIFFERENT RANGES OF HOUSING AND PRICES TOGETHER WITH NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL AND WALKABLE PARKS, THAT A MARKETED WILL DEVELOP FOR IT. PEOPLE WILL SEE IT AND IT WILL WORK. AND THEN IT CAN BEGIN TO HAPPEN ON ITS OWN AND THAT'S THE GOAL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: LET ME MENTION A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. ONE IS IN THIS HOT MARKET OF AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS, WE HEAR ABOUT AFFORDABILITY A GREAT DEAL. BUT THE WAY THIS IS BEING SET UP IS PART OF THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE AND OTHER ASPECTS OF IT ARE TO HELP ASSURE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> IT IS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SO THIS WOULD ALSO BE CONSISTENT WITH THIS COUNCIL'S GOAL OF TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION TO AFFORDABILITY IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS I THINK, MAYOR, IS THIS IS STILL A MARKET TN DN AND THE IDEA IS TO WORK THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE HERE SO THAT THE DOFT COSTS ON A PER UNIT BASIS ALLOW REASONABLE PRICED HOUSING TO OCCUR HAD IN THE MARKETPLACE WITHOUT SUBSIDY.
>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE NO PRESENTATION IS COMPLETE WITHOUT MS. PLUMBER GIVING US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF HOW THIS TIES ON OUR DESTINATION PARKS INITIATIVE WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THAT IS A QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK IS THIS ROAD -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE MISSING IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE IS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HELPS ATTRACTED DEVELOPMENT. YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO GET TO IT, AND OF COURSE WE -- WE KNOW THAT HAVING INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOME OF OUR MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE MAY NOT WANT TO ATTRACT IT QUITE SO READILY, BUT WE'RE MISSING SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE WE DO WANT IT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS MS. PLUMBER I WOULD ASK YOU TO POINT OUT IS THE ROAD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN CREATING INFRASTRUCTURE OVER WHERE WE SAY WE WANT DEVELOPMENT, AND ALSO THE ROLE IT COULD PLAY WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC HAVING ACCESS TO ITS DESTINATION PARKS.
>> THE FIRST RESPONSE TO THE ROAD QUESTION, ONE OF THE LUXURIES AND I'LL CALL IT A LUXURY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS IN ADVANCE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ULTIMATELY WORKED OUT WAS -- IT'S HARD TO SEE, HERE'S YOUR ROAD, AND YOU HAVE IS HE SIGNIFICANT ACCESS POINTS TO YOUR PARK LAND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD. THAT WAS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT VISUAL IMAGE OF WHAT THIS IS CALLED A HIGH PRIORITY CREEK CORRIDOR. AND IN THE NORTHEAST AREA YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED 70 ACRES HERE. YOU HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] EXISTING PARK LAND. SO YOU WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT COMPLIMENTING NEW, COMPLIMENTING EXISTING AND THEN PROTECTING LIKE PIONEER FARM AND OTHERS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS EXCITED TO BE IN ON THE PLANNING STAGE. WE ARE ALSO STILL LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL LAND WITHIN THIS AREA, THE NORTHEAST AREA IS A VERY HIGH PRIORITY FOR US. WALNUT CREEK IS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. ON THIS ACQUISITION OF THIS 70 ACRES YOU WILL SEE A SEPARATE ACTION IN ABOUT 60 TO 09 DAYS, WE ARE HAVING IT APPRAISED AND BUYING IT IN FEE SO YOU WILL SEE A SEPARATE ITEM LATER, THAT'S WHY IT'S SUBJECT TO A CURRENT MARCH MARKET VALUE. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT IN EXCESS OF 13 BENEFIT FITS THAT COME FROM THIS AREA AND ALONG CAL MUTT CREEK. WE LOOKED AT EVEN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN NOT JUST THIS DEVELOPMENT BUT HOW DOES IT WORK WITH OTHER SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS THAT -- PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS AREA.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'LL ASK AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON TO ANSWER IT IS, BUT WE'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE NEW APPRAISALS COME OUT FOR AUSTIN AND AT LEAST THE ANTICIPATED NUMBER IS, AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO SHOCK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, BUT PEOPLE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THE APPRAISALS ARE GOING TO GO UP. [LAUGHTER]. I'M REAL PROUD THAT THIS COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW HAS ACTUALLY REDUCED THE CITY'S TAX [INAUDIBLE] AND THE ONLY CHANGE OFF THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, AND I WON'T GET INTO ALL THE TAXING MUMBO JUMBO, BUT THE EFFECTIVE RATE IS IF YOU CHARGE THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER WOULD HAVE NO INCREASE IN THEIR TAXES EVEN THOUGH THEIR VALUE IATION HAD GONE UP. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS OFF THE EFFECTIVE RATE WAS LAST YEAR AND THAT WAS VOTER APPROVED WHEN WE PASSED THE NOVEMBER BOND ELECTION. ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN -- WE CAN WORK AS A COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE THAT, THAT EVEN THOUGH VALUATIONS ARE GOING UP, PEOPLE'S PROPERTY TAXES DON'T GO UP WITH THEM IS BY NEW GROWTH. AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE SMART GROWTH PROPOSAL WAS WAS TO PROTECT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT GROW OUR TAX BASE IN SUCH A WAY THAT CURRENT TAXPAYERS BENEFIT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE REVENUE TO PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, LIBRARIES, FIRE, POLICE AND E.M.S. PROTECTION, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IN ADDITION ANOTHER BENEFIT WE DON'T ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IS THAT IN A BOOMING ECONOMY WHERE YOU HAVE VALUE I ATIONS GOING UP YEAR AFTER -- VALUATIONS GOING UP YEAR AFTER YEAR IT HELPS US CONTROL THE PROPERTY TAX RATE. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> HERE WE'RE HOPING THIS TURNTION OUT TO BE A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME KOOM COMING. COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN TRYING TO MOVE US ALONG AND I LOOKED BACK AT THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION AND IT WAS IN 1998. IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK WE'RE HERE. I THINK WE HAVE IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE IN EAST AUSTIN A HUMAN SCALED DEVELOPMENT RINGED BY GREEN LAND AND PARK LAND THAT IS GOING TO ADD POCKET PARKS, GREEN BELTS, SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY RETAIL IN THIS AREA. TO ME IT'S A WIN-WIN. GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE HALF NAKED ROAD. I LOVE TO SAY THAT ROAD SO LET ME JUST -- ONE OF THE BIG ADVANTAGES FOR THIS -- AND THIS IS SOMETHING THE DEVELOPER HELPED US WITH, THEY ARE LITERALLY BUILDING A ROAD THAT RIMS THE GREENBELT AND OPEN SPACE AREA WHERE THERE ARE ONLY HOMES ON ONE SIDE. SO THERE IS ACCESS ALL ALONG IT ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE PARK LAND, TO THE GREEN SPACE, WHICH IS SOMETHING I THINK IS GOING TO BE A HUGE AMENITY IN THE AREA.
>> HALF NAKED.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>>LEWIS: I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS. ONE IS THAT THE LOCATION OF THIS IS RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF SOME OF THE MAJOR EMPLOYERS, IB MISMT, DELL, SAM -- IBM, DELL, SAMSUNG AND IT'S GOING TO HELP IN TRAFFIC, ONE, IT'S ALSO GOING TO HAVE SOME AREAS WITHIN THE TND WHERE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE WILL BE ABLE TO BE EMPLOYED AND THEN THE ADJACENT AREA JUST TO THE SOUTH WHEN IT'S DEVELOPED IN COMMERCIAL ALONE -- ALONG DESSAU ROAD. SO IT'S A TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT I THINK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO AND AS MS. FUTRELL SAID, ONCE WE GET IT ON THE GROUND, WE ARE ALREADY -- IT'S ALREADY PEOPLE LOOKING AT ONE OR TWO AREAS SOUTH ALONG SOME OF THE DESTINATION PARKS FOR -- TO TRY TO PLAN ONE OF THESE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MS. KLOTZ YOU, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
>> THANK YOU. I'M JEANETTE KLOTZ. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF BRING UP. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY TRUE FEELINGS ON THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I KNOW WHEN I WORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS EXPECTED TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS PRIOR TO MAKING THEIR PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT AWARE THAT THERE HAS BEEN ANY KIND OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ON THIS PROJECT. NONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I'M AWARE OF KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, INCLUDING ME. I HAPPENED TO FIND OUT BY CHANCE THAT IT IS IN THE WORKS AND I WAS GIVEN A NAME THAT I COULD CONTACT TO GET SOME INFORMATION AND I HAD ALSO INTEND TO DO CALL TRACY. I'VE BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH SOME PERSONAL MATTERS SO I DIDN'T GET TO DO THAT. FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD DIRECTLY ACROSS DESSAU FROM THIS. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THERE HAS BEEN NO COMMUNICATION WITH THEM THAT I'M AWARE OF.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.
>> I'M NOT AWARE OF IT IF THEY HAVE. I WOULD BE GLAD TO KNOW THAT. I LIVE HERE IN WOOD CLIFF. AS FAR AS I KNOW, WOOD CLIFF HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. BUT AGAIN, I MAY BE WRONG.
>>MAYOR WATSON: OKAY. LIKE I SAY, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY KIND OF CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS ON IT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT. I'M HOPING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MAPS AND LEARN ABOUT IT BEFORE I LEAVE HERE TODAY. ONE OTHER THING THAT KIND OF BOTHERS ME, I KNOW THE INTENTION OF ATTRACTING RESIDENTIAL HOUSING IS ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES -- ONE OF THE MAIN DESIRES. I THINK THAT IS A VERY GOOD -- VERY GOOD AIM AS TO WHAT TO DO. HOWEVER, I DIDN'T PICK UP THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE BEING OFFERED TO ALLOW A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HIGHER END DEVELOPMENT IN HERE ALSO IN THE WAY OF HOUSING TO WHERE IT WOULD BE A TRUE MIX OF ALL LEVELS OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. I'M CONCERNED THAT IF WE DO NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO HELP ENCOURAGE ALSO HIGHER END HOUSING, WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REALLY GET HIGHER END HOUSING ON THIS SIDE OF AUSTIN. CONSEQUENTLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THAT KIND OF HOUSING, SINCE THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN, ARE GOING TO GO TO OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I THINK WE CAN GIVE YOU ANSWERS TO BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND I -- LET ME JUST SAY I KNOW CITY STAFF WILL BE READY TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT THAT. MY EXPERIENCE WITH MR. MITCHER IS THAT HE WILL FALL OVER HIMSELF TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW THIS WILL WORK. I'M GOING TO MAKE HIM AVAILABLE TO YOU EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
>> I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MR. MITCHELL FOR NOT HAVING CONTACTED HIM. HIS NAME WAS THE ONE I WAS GIVEN AND I SIMPLY DID NOT --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I FIND HIM TO BE VERY, VERY RESPONSIVE PERSON IN TERMS OF GETTING IN TOUCH AND BEING AVAILABLE TO FOLKS. DO YOU WANT TO TRY TO ANSWER HER QUESTIONS?
>> TRACY, I'M GOING TO LET YOU ANSWER THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT QUESTION. I WILL TELL YOU YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL IN AN AREA THAT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHO TO CONTACT. WE DID MAKE CONTACT WITH THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET AND I'M GOING TO LET TRACY ADDRESS THAT. THAT'S THE ONE MOST AFFECTED AND CLOSEST TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> I HAVE CONTACTED THEM AND WE'RE SETTING UP MEETINGS, I'VE GIVEN A BRIEF DESCRIPTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIST ABOUT THE PROJECT AND WE ARE -- I'M AWAITING A CALL FROM ONE OF HIS PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SET UP A FORMAL MEETING WITH IT AS WELL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: KEEP IN MIND THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP. THE WHOLE PROCESS IS NOW STARTED.
>> THAT'S THE POINT I WAS GOING TO MAKE. THIS JUST ALLOWS US TO HAVE COUNCIL BLESSING TO -- THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, DO A DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT. THERE IS NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN STARTED YET IN TERMS OF THE ZONING AND BELIEVE ME, AS SOON AS -- ASSUMING IF THIS ACTION PASSES, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND I HAVE A PACKET FOR YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
>> ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD IS THE RANGE OF HOISTS HOUSES. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ADVANTAGES OF A TND, A TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT. IT REQUIRES NOT JUST A MIX OF USES, BUT IT ALSO REQUIRES A RANGE OF COSTS IN IT. SO THE NORMAL SUBDIVISION DEVELOPER COMES IN AND BUILDINGS ALL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, ALL WITHIN $10,000 OF ONE ANOTHER. IT'S THE SAME PRICE, SAME HOUSE, ALL SINGLE-FAMILY. WHEN YOU DO A TND, YOU BLEND MULTI-FAMILY, GARDEN HOMES, TOWN HOMES AND SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES OF A WHOLE RANGE OF PRICES ALONG WITH NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY RETAIL, BE ABLE TO WALK TO A CORNER STORE, A KID CAN WALK TO -- AND BIKE TO A PARK. THE RANGE OF HOUSING HERE IS ESTIMATED RIGHT NOW TO RUN BETWEEN ABOUT $80,000 AND $120 THAT MAY GO A LITTLE HIGHER ON ONE END, A LITTLE LOWER ON THE OTHER, BUT THAT'S A BIG RANGE GAP FOR AN AVERAGE SUBDIVISION DEVELOPER TO BUILD. THEY DON'T NORMALLY DO THAT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THE TND HELPS US TO DO. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN SHOW, AND TERRY, YOU WANT TO JUST QUICKLY --. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE].
>> SO YOU CAN'T FIND A $100,000 DOLLAR HOME INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. ONE THING IN ADDITION TO HAVING A HIGHER END HOME IS HAVING A MIXED RANGE OF AGES WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT, ONE OF OUR GOALS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEMS 15, 16 AND 17. MOTION IS TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCILL MEETING UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 1:30 P.M., AT WHICH TIME WE WILL MEET IN THE BOARD ROOM AT THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY, HANCOCK BUILDING, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 37 HUNDRED LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD. MOTION MOETION TO RECESS. MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPTIONED SAY NO. WE'RE RECESSED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 1:30.
>>MAYOR WATSON: FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, FIRST SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS AGAIN IF HER GAIL, JENNIFER GALE, JENNIFER GALE? GUS PENA? GUS PENA? GUS PENA.
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION, COUNCIL, ON THE PERSON SIGNED UP ON ITEM NO. 52, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BRUCE DEATHRIDGE.
>> I'M SPEAKING TO A FULL CITY COUNCIL, IS. MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, ON APRIL 3RD, AT A MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AT THERY AGAINST APARTMENTS MAYOR WATSON SPOKE FOR SEVEN OR 8 MINUTES PRESUMABLY TO REQUEST OUR VOTES IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION. HIS WHOLE SPEECH WAS CONCERNED WITH THE PROGRESS HE AND THE COUNSEL HAS MADE IN MOVING DOWNTOWN TOWARD BEING A VIBRANT, VIABLE LIVING SPACE. THE FIRST QUESTION PUT TO HIM WAS ABOUT MOVING CENTRAL BOOKING TO THE CORNER OF 10TH AND NUECES STREETS. I FOUND HIS ANSWER TO BE UNSATISFACTORY, BUT IT WAS APPARENTLY MEANT TO TELL THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THE PROCESS FOR CENTRAL BOOKING WAS ALREADY SO FAR ALONG THAT ANY ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE. ON THE CONTRARY, IT SEEMS VERY CLEAR THAT IF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF SO DESIRED THEY COULD FINANCE BOOKING AND THE MAGISTRATION ELSEWHERE THAN AT 10TH AND NUECES, OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD. BECAUSE THERE IS AS YET NO INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE NOT -- THEY ARE NOT REALLY COMMITTED TO CENTRAL BOOKING AT 10TH AND NUECES AT THIS TIME -- THE COUNCIL SEEMS ON THE VERGE OF FINANCING A PROJECTED 10 MILLION PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACROSS TOWN LAKE AT LAMAR. A PROJECT THAT SEEMS PEOPLE-FRIENDLY, BUT IS BLATANT PANDERING TO A FEW JOGGERS WHO COULD WELL DO IT ELSEWHERE WITHOUT CROSSING THE LAMAR STREET BRIDGE AT ALL. OTHER FUNDS EQUALLY PRODIGAL IN THEIR EXPENDITURE SEEM EASILY COME BY. SO WHY NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT AN ALREADY VIABLE VIBRANT AND HISTORIC DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. DEATHRIDGE. [APPLAUSE]
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW, SINCE THERE WAS A REFERENCE MADE TO THINGS THAT I SAID AT THAT MEETING, IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT CENTRAL BOOKING AND MY THOUGHTS ON CENTRAL BOOKING, I TRIED TO -- I TRIED TO DESCRIBE PART OF WHAT MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS GOING TO BE AS WE APPROACH THIS. I POINTED OUT TO THE CITIZENS THAT WERE PRESENT THAT IN 1993, THERE WAS A BOND ELECTION THAT WAS HELD BY A -- BY TRAVIS COUNTY. AS PART OF THAT BOND ELECTION MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS AN ELECTION TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ABOUT WHERE YOU WOULD LOCATE A COUNTY JAIL, A COUNTY FACILITY, INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR CENTRAL BOOKING BECAUSE CENTRAL BOOKING HAD BEEN DONE AS A JOINT OPERATION WITH THE COUNTY SINCE 1988. I ALSO EXPLAINED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN SOMETIMES FIND THEMSELVES PAYING DOUBLE FOR DIFFERENT SERVICES WHEN YOU HAVE CITY SERVICES AND COUNTY SERVICES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TRIED TO POINT OUT WAS THAT IF THE CITY WAS PUT INTO A POSITION OF BUILDING A FACILITY, THAT WOULD COST MONEY, YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT. THAT WOULD HAVE DEBT SERVICE. ON TOP OF THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE THE COST OF ACTUALLY PERFORMING THE FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE COUNTY AS PART OF ITS FINANCES, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT RELIANT UPON THE CITY,@ CENTRAL BOOKING FACILITY. MEANING THAT THE COUNTY WOULD THEN HAVE TO FINE ANOTHER SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THAT'S SPECT -- ASPECT. WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IN ALL PROBABILITY IS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD, ASSUMING IT DIDN'T LEASE THAT SPACE TO OTHER ENTITIES THAT MIGHT PUT PRISONERS THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE COUNTY WOULD BE IN A SITUATION OF HAVING TO RAISE TAXES. THE POINT THAT I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO MAKE WAS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GLOBAL ISSUE, ALL OF THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY, DECISIONS WE MAKE COULD PUT THE CITIZENS IN THE SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE A DOUBLE WHAMMY. THEY HAVE THE WHAMMY OF HAVING INCREASED CITY TAXES BECAUSE OF A CITY FACILITY AND THEY HAVE THE WHAMMY OF PAYING INCREASED COUNTY TAXES BECAUSE THE COUNTY NO LONGER HAS THAT SOURCE OF REVENUE. AND I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO POINT OUT TO THE CITIZENS THAT WERE PRESENT AT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING THAT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO FACE AS IT MAKES ANY DECISIONS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THEY MIGHT BE REQUESTING. JIM WALKER.
>> THANKS FOR LETTING ME BORROW A COUPLE OF MINUTES. I NEED TO TAKE OFF MY SHIRT HERE. I WANT TO TALK TO EVERYBODY ABOUT CENSUS 2000 FOR A SECOND. AS OF APRIL 1ST, WE HAD A 53% MAILBACK RESPONSE RATE, WHICH IS OKAY, IT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE. OUR TARGET FOR THIS YEAR IS 67% MAILBACK RESPONSE RATE. SO ANYBODY WATCHING THIS, I WANT TO KIND OF PASS ALONG THE MESSAGE OF THAT, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FILL OUT YOUR FORM AND MAIL IT BACK. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO THE KITCHEN TABLE, SORT THROUGH THAT STACK OF MAIL, FIND THE CENSUS FORM. IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY RECYCLED IT CURB SIDE, THEN YOU CAN GET ANOTHER FORM FROM ONE OF THE MANY QUESTION ASSISTANCE CENTER. I WOULD ASK PEOPLE TO CALL 477-7183 TO FIND OUT WHERE THOSE ARE, HOW TO GET A FORM. IF YOU DON'T FILL IT OUT, AMONG OTHER THINGS AN ENUMERATOR WILL BE COMING TO YOUR HOUSE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO ASK YOU THOSE VERY QUESTIONS. SO THAT -- THAT IF NOTHING ELSE IS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAIL IT IN TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM COMING TO YOUR HOUSE, WHICH COSTS US ABOUT 10 TIMES AS MUCH MONEY TO SEND SOMEONE TO EACH HOUSEHOLD THAT DOESN'T RESPOND. I DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO COUNCIL ABOUT THE CENSUS DATA TO THE KIND OF MONEY LEVELS WE GET. SO AGAIN I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS FORM, GO AND FIND IT IF YOU HAVEN'T FILLED IT OUT, SEND IT BACK. SOME OF OUR PROBLEM AREAS RIGHT NOW, LOWER THAN 30% RESPONSE RATES, LOWER THAN 40%, CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN, DOVE SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD, RIVERSIDE, PLEASANT VALLEY AREA, AND UP AROUND 183 AND BURNET. I WOULD ASK A FAVOR OF ALL COUNCILMEMBERS IF YOU COULD TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULES TOMORROW ON FRIDAY TO MAKE A FEW CALLS ON BEHALF OF THE CENSUS, TO RELIGIOUS LEADER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT YOU KNOW AND TO SPRID THE WORD. IF Y'ALL COULD DO THAT, THAT WOULD REALLY HELP US OUT. I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO THE HELP HE HAS GIVEN TO THE EFFORT SO FAR. AGAIN CENSUS 2000 IS ON ONE SHOT FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS THANKS FOR THE TIME.
>>GOODMAN: MAYOR COULD I ASK A QUESTION?
>>MAYOR WATSON: YES.
>>GOODMAN: IS THERE A DEADLINE? WHAT IS THE DATE BEYOND WHICH NUMBERS START BEING CRUNCHED AND --
>> THE -- BECAUSE OF THE PROCESSING TIME, THE CENSUS TAKES TO ACTUALLY COMPUTE THE FORM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT APRIL 1ST -- APRIL 11TH, TUESDAY APRIL 1 11TH IS REALLY THE LAST DAY THAT SOMEONE COULD GET SOMETHING POST MARKED THAT WOULD COUNT TOWARDS OUR MAILBACK RESPONSE RATE. SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR A BIG PUSH OVER THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. WE WILL BE HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY, ACTUALLY, TIME AND LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED. BUT THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
>>GOODMAN: THANKS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, PAUL MARTIN?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS PAUL MARTIN, I LIVE IN THERY AGAINST APARTMENTS LOCATED AT 10TH AND NUECES, I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT CENTRAL BOOKING. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FIRST I AM FULLY IN SUPPORT OF BUILDING THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT LAMAR. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN ONE OR THE OTHER IN TERMS OF KEEPING CENTRAL BOOKING AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION OR BUILDING THE LAIRBL STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. UNFORTUNATELY I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE APRIL 13TH CENTRAL BOOKING HEARING NEXT WEEK. I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN. I HAVE PREPARED A FIVE PAGE SUMMARY OF A RESPONSE TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE'S COMMENTS ON MARCH 9TH AS WELL AS SOME BACKGROUND HISTORY ON THE CENTRAL BOOKING ISSUE. WHICH I HAVE E-MAILED TO ALL OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH ONE AFTER I FINISH SPEAKING. I MAY RUN OUT OF TIME HERE, BUT I WILL TRY TO GET THROUGH AS MUCH AS I CAN, THEN PERHAPS TRY TO SIGN UP THE WEEK AFTER NEXT TO CONCLUDE MY REMARKS. FIRST OF ALL, I DID SPEAK WITH THE MAYOR BRIEFLY EARLIER THIS WEEK. AND IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HE MADE AT THE -- AT THE MEETING AT THE REAGAINST ON MONDAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT REGARDING THE BOND ELECTION, THIS BOND ELECTION WAS HELD IN 1993, CENTRAL BOOKING WAS A VERY, VERY TINY PART OF THAT TOTAL BOND PACKAGE. IT PASSED BY 365 VOTES. THERE WERE NO HEARINGS HELD IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. THEY WERE HELD IN OUTLYING AREAS SUCH AS WESTLAKE, OTHER PARTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY. SO THE VOTERS WERE REALLY NEVER FULLY APPRISED OF THE CENTRAL BOOKING ISSUE. I SUSPECT IF THEY WERE TO BE PROPERLY APPRISED OF WHAT'S GOING ON, I DOUBT THEY WOULD PASS A SIMILAR BOND PACKAGE TODAY. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE QUESTION OF SPLITTING CENTRAL BOOKING BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY. WE ARE NOT ADVOCATING THE CITY AND COUNTY NECESSARILY SPLIT CENTRAL BOOKING. WE WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THE COUNTY CONTINUE TO HAVE CENTRAL BOOKING AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION AT 7TH AND I-35, NOT SPLIT CENTRAL BOOKING. WHAT WE WERE HOPING FOR WAS PERHAPS AT LEAST THE OPTION THAT THE CITY WOULD LOOK SERIOUSLY AT THIS ISSUE AND DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT MADE SENSE TO GO ALONG WITH THE COUNTY. THAT BRINGS UP THE PROBLEM THAT EXISTS THAT -- WHY WE ARE IN THE QAUNT DEGREE OR SITUATION WE ARE IN TODAY IS BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCILL -- QUANDRY IS BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THESE ISSUES. IT HAS BEEN MADE BY CITY STAFF AND THE COUNTY. THE CITY IS IN THE POSITION WITHIN SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE OPENING OF THE FACILITY AT 10TH AND NUECES OF LOOKING AT A SITUATION THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE TOO MANY OPTIONS ON. I WOULD SAY THE COUNTY JUDGE, SAM BISCOE HAS STATED THAT HE IS WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO LOOK AT WAYS TO KEEP CENTRAL BOOKING AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION, NOT TO MOVE IT TO 10TH AND NUECES. I TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD. AT LEAST HE'S INDICATING AN INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO REVIEW THOSE MATTERS. HE MAY HAVE SAID OTHERWISE TO YOU, BUT PUBLICLY THAT HAS BEEN HIS POSITION. IT BRINGS UP THIS ISSUE OF THE CITY AND COUNTY POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. THE CITY SAYING WELL THE COUNTY HAS DONE THIS [BUZZER SOUNDING] IT'S THE COUNTY'S DECISION, THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, ONE THING I MIGHT ASK, FOLKS, WHEN THEY TALK TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNTY THAT SEEM TO INDICATE THAT IT WOULD JUST BE EASY AS SITTING DOWN AND TALKING IS ASK THEM HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO -- TO MAKE THAT WORK IT WOULD COST THE CITY. IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY. CERTAINLY I'M CONFIDENT ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THIS AREA ARE WILLING TO SIT AND TALK AND TRY TO WORK SOMETHING OUT. BUT SOMETIMES WORKING SOMETHING OUT, ALL THAT MEANS IS MONEY. AND IF YOU HAVE GOT A FACILITY THAT IS OVERBUDGET AND A FACILITY THAT YOU WERE COUNTING ON A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INCOME IN ORDER TO OPERATE IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, SURE, YOU MIGHT BE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND WORK SOMETHING OUT, THAT'S A GOOD QUICK THING TO SAY. BUT THE WAY YOU WORK THAT OUT, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET THAT MONEY AT THAT FACILITY THAT'S OVERBUDGET, MAY INCLUDE A WHOLE LOT OF DOLLARS COMING INTO IT. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU HEAR THOSE STATEMENTS, HELP ME OUT BY ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST RESPOND TO THAT FOR ONE SECOND. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE FINANCIAL CONSIDERINGS AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, PART OF YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS IN TERMS OF WHERE THE CITY SHOULD SPEND ITS MONEY, THE COUNTY HAS LIKEWISE SIMILAR CONCERNS. OUR POINT IS ONE, IT SHOULDN'T COME DOWN TO JUST FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS. IF THAT WERE THE CASE WHO KNOWS WHAT THIS CITY WOULD LOOK LIKE? TWO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTER BALANCING FINANCIAL ISSUES HAVE REALLY BEEN REVIEWED PROPERLY, SUCH AS I POINT OUT IN THIS FIVE PAGE REPORT THAT I HAVE PUT TOGETHER, SUCH AS THE ISSUES OF HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA PARKING THAT WILL BE INVOLVED, THE TIME THE POLICE OFFICERS --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SURE. WELL, IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN -- THERE ARE RULES AGAINST HEARSAY IN SOME PLACES. THE REASON FOR THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT GETS SAID, WHAT EVERYTHING MEANS. I AM SUGGESTING TO Y'ALL IN THE SAME WAY YOU ASKED ME THE QUESTIONS THE OTHER NIGHT, MAYBE MORE IN A POLITE WAY. THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH JUDGE BISCOE, YOU MIGHT ASK THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD COST, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> HE'S AWARE THAT IT WOULD COST MORE MONEY. CAN I PRESENT YOU A COPY OF THIS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SURE. AMY BABICH SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT APPARENTLY HAD AN EMERGENCY AND WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK. WHAT I WILL DO IS PASS OUT TO COUNCIL WHAT SHE HAS WRITTEN SO THE COUNCIL CAN READ THAT DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING. KIRK BECKER.
>>GOODMAN: BEFORE, BEFORE KIRK COMES UP -- I WANT TO THANK MR. MARTIN FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THAT RESPONSE. I HAD ASKED HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HE THOUGHT THE -- THAT WERE SAYING THAT WERE NOT REALLY JUSTIFIED OR THAT WERE NOT THE WAY THE NEIGHBORHOOD PERCEIVED IT. SO I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME. I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF TIME. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE PRACTICALITIES INVOLVED AND WE SHOULD PREPARE FOR THAT IF THE OPTION THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GO WITH IS HAVING THE BOOKING OVER ON 7TH. BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THE COUNTY WITH THEIR BOND PROGRAM AND A FACILITY THAT WOULD KNOW LONG ARE BE USED FOR THAT. IN ORDER TO KEEP IT AT 7TH, WE HAVE A FACILITY THAT IS NOT ADEQUATE. SO WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO GO OUT AND ASK THE CITIZENS TO PASS ANOTHER BONDING AUTHORITY FOR A NEW FACILITY AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS NOT USUALLY IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING JAILS, SO WHAT I AM THINKING A POSSIBLE OPTION IS THAT WE LOOK INTO WHAT -- AS A POSSIBLE OPTION, WHAT THE RENOVATION COSTS WOULD BE TO BRING OUR CURRENT FACILITY UP TO STANDARDS THAT MEET THE TESTS THAT THE FEDERAL FOLKS INSIST THAT YOU DO. AND THAT PERHAPS A BOND ISSUE COULD BE PRESENTED TO THE -- THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN AS A JUSTICE CENTER BECAUSE WE HAVE NEEDED THAT FOR A LONG TIME, OUR JUDGES AND A.P.D. ALSO HAVE INADEQUATE SPACE. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT SOME FOLKS OUT THERE MAY BE ASKING IS, OKAY, WE PASSED THE BOND FOR THAT BIG COUNTY FACILITY, NOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN THERE AND WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED WITH THE COUNTY TO SAY --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: NO --
>> [INAUDIBLE].
>>MAYOR WATSON: PLEASE, MAYOR PRO TEM, PLEASE CONTINUE.
>>GOODMAN: I WILL ASK YOU LATER, OKAY? ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT WE SHOULD ALL BE THINKING ABOUT IF WE TAKE OTHER OPTIONS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME WORK OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> I WOULD SIMPLY WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE READ SOME OF THIS. CHIEF KNEE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THIS FACILITY HAVE BEEN ON TARGET, CORRECT, ACCURATE. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO POINT FINGERS AT ANYBODY. WE ARE SIMPLY WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE TO A FACILITY THAT MEETS STANDARDS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MR. BECKER? FOLDED BY MS. EMOTION CHER.
>> -- MS. MOSHIER.
>> I WANT TO SPEAK ON HOMELESS ISSUES. I HEARD THE BRIEFING THIS MORNING. MAYOR MADE SOME COMMENTS THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE, IN N SOME CASES DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN'T THEIR BEST. I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK AT THE TIME OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS DEALING WITH HOMELESS ISSUE. PEOPLE NOT AT THEIR BEST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD THAT YOU HAVE DONE ALREADY. I AM CONCERNED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO RUIN IT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY DEAL. A LOT OF THE SALVATION ARMY DEAL REFERS TO THE HOMELESS THING TO OVERSIGHT BODY. I HAVE BEEN ON THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE SINCE SOMETIME AFTERWARDS, I HAVE BEEN OUTVOTED MANY TIMES. I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS A REPRESENTATIVE, I WAS APPOINTED BY BRIGID SHEA, I TRIED TO BE REPRESENTATIVE ON THIS WHOLE HOMELESS ISSUE THAT GOES BACK AS FAR AS A GUY CAMPING ON A BOAT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN LAKE, CAME UP WITH HOBO, FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS HOBO DID A GOOD JOB. IT DETERIORATED MAY HAVE ABOUT THE TIME THEY MOVED THE WORK CORNER THERE. BUT SINCE THAT TIME WHEN THE TASK FORCE CAME UP WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO CONCERN THAT ONLY THE SALVATION ARMY COULD RUN THE HOMELESS FACILITY. AND SINCE THAT TIME, WHEN THE CAMPERS BLEW UP, I WAS ON THE HOMELESS COMMISSION, THE COMMITTEE, THEY SAID THAT THEY WANTED MODERATE HOMELESS REPRESENTATIVES. WE HAD THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE, TWO MODERATE HOMELESS REPRESENTATIVES. THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE CAME ONE A COMMUNITY COURT THAT GOT RID OF THE MODERATE HOMELESS PEOPLE, THEY GAVE UP. SINCE THEN WE'VE HAVE THE SALLY PROPOSED DEVELOPED PRIMARILY AS A MEANS TO ENFORCE ENCAMPMENT ORDINANCE, I THINK BACK ABOUT MAINSTREAMING PEOPLE. IF IT'S SUCH A GOOD IDEA WHY DO WE NEED AN EQUITY COMMITTEE? WHICH END OF THE EQUITY SPECTRUM CAME UP WITH THIS MAINSTREAM ALL OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE INTO THE OTHER END OF THE EQUITY SPECTRUM. MY EXPERIENCE VFRS THE -- AS FAR AS THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, THERE'S REFERENCE TO MAYBE HAVING THREE HOMELESS PEOPLE. IF YOU ASK THREE HOMELESS PEOPLE THEY WILL TELL YOU NOT TO APPROVE THIS. WE ARE STARTING OUT ON THE WRONG FOOT ALREADY. MARY BEND MADE A COMMENT ABOUT SALLY'S FOOD, IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR FOOD CARTED OVER TO THE NEW FACILITY. MARY BEND MADE A COMMENT ABOUT SALLY'S DOUGHNUTS, THE FOOD, YOU DON'T HAVE TO EAT OUT OF THE DUMPSTER. SALLY GETS DAY OLD DOUGHNUTS, STORED SEVERAL DAYS SUPPLY, THEY ROTATE THEIR STOCK, THEY ARE ALWAYS OLD. THE FOOD IN THE DUMPSTERS IS A LOT OF TIMES BETTER THAN THAT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TRYING. EVEN IF -- IF YOU WANT TO PUT AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SALVATION ARMY ITSELF, SEE IF IT'S ANY GOOD. ADD VACATION ARMY ISN'T GOING TO GO ALONG WITH IT. YOU SEEM TO BE AFRAID OF SELF SUFFICIENT HOMELESS PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO POSTPONE THIS, GIVE THE HOMELESS AN OPPORTUNITY TO [BUZZER SOUNDING] SUGGEST ALTERNATIVES.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. BECKER. LYNN MOSHIER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED WHAT MOVING CENTRAL BOOKING TO 10TH AND NUECES WILL DO TO THE POLICE FORCE? THEY WILL BE IN TURMOIL SINCE NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW FOR SURE WHO IS GOING TO DO WHAT, WHEN OR WHERE OR HOW? THEY WILL -- THEY WILL LITTLE BE IN TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK ON TWO LANE STREETS RATHER THAN PATROLLING THE STREETS WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED. THEY WILL ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DELAY TRYING TO GET PRISONERS INTO THE SALLY PORT TO BE BOOKED WASTING MORE VALUABLE TIME. DID Y'ALL KNOW THAT THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY EVER DONE, EVEN THOUGH WE PLEADED WITH THE COUNTY TO DO ONE. MOW CAN YOU NOT CARE THAT 242 CHILDREN AT PEASE ELEMENTARY AND THEIR PARENTS ARE SCARED OF THE PROBABILITIES, AS WELL AS THE THOUSANDS OF ACC STUDENTS AND THE INFANTS AT PHOENIX DAY SCHOOL AND 70 ADULTS AT THE REAGAINST, MOSTLY SENIORS AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER VOTERS LIVING AND WORKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. REGENYC. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW YOU OR ANYONE WOULD PUT US ALL IN IMMINENT DANGER WHEN NO ONE BOTHERED TO WARN US OR CONSIDER US. PLEASE YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE. RATHER THAN CORRECT IT. YOU CANNOT MAKE IT. THE COUNTY WILL USE EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CENTRAL JUSTICE CENTER WHETHER YOU MOVE THERE OR NOT. THEY HAVE ALREADY DISCOVERED IT'S TOO SMALL FOR THEIR GROWING NEED. THEY'VE HAD DEPARTMENTS WALK THROUGH IT. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM NOW. MAYOR WATSON'S RESPONSE TO OUR OBJECTIONS AT THAT MEETING AT THE REGENCY WAS THAT IF YOU FIX UP AT EXISTING A.P.D. AT 7TH AND 35TH, THEN THE CITY AND COUNTY TAXES WOULD GO UP, OUR COUNTY TAXES WILL GO UP ANYHOW, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. BECAUSE OF THE BUILDING. THE CONSTRUCTION IS SO FAR BEHIND AND $42 MILLION OVER BUDGET. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR TAXES RAISED. WE KNOW THIS. ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE YOU COULD HELP PREVENT OUR CITY TAXES FROM GOING UP IF YOU -- IF YOU STARTED HAVING EVERY DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING YOURSELVES, ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR EXPENSES. YOU COULD PROBABLY SAVE MILLIONS IF YOU JUST INVENTORIED YOUR CITY VEHICLES, OFFICE EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA. PLEASE KEEN UP YOUR OWN HOUSE RATHER THAN RUIN OUR MULTI USE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS IN THE BEST ORIGINAL EXAMPLE OF SMART GROWTH. PLEASE THINK THIS OUT AND USE COMMON SENSE AND DON'T FORGET THAT YOU WILL SAY -- THE CITY WILL SAVE OVER $2 MILLION IF YOU HANDLE YOUR OWN BOOKINGS AND MAGISTRATION. OKAY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>>MAYO: HANG ON ONE SECOND.
>>GOODMAN: MAYOR, I AM COMPELLED TO SAY SOMETHING.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WAS GETTING READY, TOO, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD.
>>GOODMAN: I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO DO. I ALSO AM TRYING TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP LOOK AT THE OPTIONS. BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES NOT RUN WITH THE OLD KIND OF SLUSH FUNDS AND FAT THAT IT ONCE DID. IN THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS WE ARE VERY ACCOUNTABLE AND IF YOU WATCH THE BUDGET PROCESS I THINK THAT YOU MIGHT GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. WE DON'T HAVE A FAT BUDGET WITH A LOT OF MONEY AROUND FOR THIS OR THAT. AND I THINK IT'S BEEN A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS, BRINGING THE BUDGETARY DISCUSSIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY INTO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS AS OPPOSED TO IN DISCUSSIONS OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC VENUE. SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I AM TRYING TO LOOK FOR OPTIONS AND I KNOW OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS ARE AS WELL. BUT THERE IS NOT A LOT OF EXTRA MONEY AROUND THE CITY. WE USE EVERY BIT OF IT, IT'S ACCOUNTABLY USED AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHERE IT IS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WILL FOLLOW THAT THE COMMENT CLEAN UP YOUR OWN HOUSE. WHAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN GET FROM THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT IS A GOVERNMENT THAT EXPERTS SAY IS ONE OF THE BEST GOVERNED CITIES IN AMERICA AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE CONCEPT OF TAXATION, THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAY THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAX RATE OF ANY OF THE LARGE CITIES IN TEXAS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS ACTUALLY REDUCED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE TWO YEARS IN A ROW. AND THINGS COULD BE DONE DIFFERENTLY, I SUPPOSE. BUT WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT. AND WE WORK VERY HARD AT MEETING SURE THAT THE CITIZENS NOT ONLY GET A BIG BANG FOR THEIR BUCK, BUT ALSO THAT THERE'S A REDUCTION IN THE PROPERTY TAXES WHEN WE CAN DO THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PROPERTY TAX RATE, YOU WILL ALSO SEE THAT THERE IS SOME -- ADDITIONAL BANG FOR THE BUCK THAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN GET. FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S OUT OF THE CITY BUDGET THAT MOST OF THE HEALTH CARE IS PAID. IN MANY PLACES, THAT IS PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY OR BY A HEALTH DISTRICT. SO THAT A CITIZEN IN ANOTHER CITY, NOT ONLY PAYS THEIR CITY TAXES, BUT -- WHICH DON'T GO TO HEALTH CARE, BUT THEN THEY PAY THEIR COUNTY TAXES WHICH DO GO TO HEALTH CARE OR THEY PAY A SEPARATE TAX TO A HEALTH CARE DISTRICT. IN AUSTIN, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAX RATE OF LARGE CITIES, THEY ARE ALSO AVOIDING THE WHAMMY OF HAVING HEALTH CARE PAID OUT OF SOME OTHER TAX. PLEASE, I UNDERSTAND THE DISCUSSION AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION THAT WE ARE HAVING. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE MAYOR TO BE ABLE TO SAY THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT WITHOUT JUST IMMEDIATELY KNEE JERKING AND SAYING I AM GOING TO DO WHATEVER YOU ASK. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT AS WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, THAT WE DON'T MAKE STATEMENTS AND CAST ASPERSIONS THAT ARE INCORRECT. FRAN ADAMS.)[ FRAN ADAMS? FRAN ADAMS? PAUL ROBBINS?
>> COUNCIL, IS THIS THING -- COUNCIL, I MY NAME IS PAUL ROBBINS, I'M A CONSUMER ACTIVIST AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST. I WANT TO ASK YOU HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE -- THE GREENHOUSE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED IN 1996? GUS? JACKIE NODS HER HEAD. NO ONE ELSE?
>>MAYOR WATSON: I HAVE GENERAL MEMORY OF IT.
>> OKAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: IF WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO A GEORGE BUSH TYPE OF TEST, I PROBABLY COULDN'T PASS IT. [LAUGHTER].
>> DO YOU KNOW WHO THE PRESIDENT OF MOZAMBIQUE IS? [LAUGHTER]. ACTUALLY, IT SAID THAT AUSTIN WOULD REDUCE ITS GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS 20% BELOW 1990 LEVELS. AND SINCE WE HAVE PASSED THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT. AND SO I AM GOING TO SUGGEST A PARTIAL MECHANISM TO BEGIN TO GET THERE. IT MAY BE COMPLEX TO DO, BUT IT'S A FAIRLY SIMPLE STRATEGY. STARTING NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THE CITY WILL SAVE 1% OF ITS ENERGY THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND -- THIS IS UTILITY ENERGY, AND 1% OF ITS ENERGY WOULD BE REPLACED BY RENEWABLES OR CO-GENERATION. ACTUALLY, GIVEN THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, IT REALLY SHOULD GO AT ABOUT DOUBLE THAT RATE. BUT SINCE WE HAVE NREFR TRIED THIS STRATEGY IT WOULD BE PURSUE -- SINCE WE HAVE NEVER TRIED THIS STRATEGY IT WOULD BE PREDENT TO START -- PRUDENT TO START LOW AND WORK OUR WAY UP. I'M NOT SURE THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT I CAN ADD TO IT. THIS ISN'T GOING TO SOLVE YOUR TRANSPORTATION ENERGY STRATEGY, BUT IT WILL START US ON OUR -- ON THE BUILDING USE END. ANY TAKERS?
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WILL HAVE SOMEBODY FROM MY OFFICE CONTACT YOU, MR. ROBBINS.
>> UM ... ANY OTHER TAKERS?
>>GOODMAN: WE ARE WORKING ON IT?
>> EXCUSE ME?
>>GOODMAN: WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU,. [APPLAUSE]
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, WE WILL GO TO ITEM NO. 4, WHICH IS A STAFF BRIEFING ON THE RAINEY STREET AREA CONCEPTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND WE WILLIMMEDIATELY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW THAT BY TAKING UP ITEM NO. 46.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS CAROL BARRETT, I'M WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT. LOUDER. IS THAT BETTER? I HAVE JUST A FEW VERY BRIEF REMARKS TO MAKE TO COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY WILL BE MADE BY RAINY RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. THERE IS, FOR EVERYONE WHO IS AS SAM BELLED IN THE ROOM, A COPY OF THE ENTIRE CONCEPTUAL REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN A LARGE BOX AT THE BACK TABLE, AS WELL AS EXPANDED REMARKS THAT I WILL NOT USE THE COUNCIL'S TIME TO MAKE. THE RAINEY STREET AREA CONCEPTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY WAS PREPARED BY THE LEADERS FROM THE RAINEY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON RAINEY STREET VOTED ON ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES, THE MAJORITY FAVORED THE PROPOSAL WHICH WILL NOW BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL TODAY. THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU RECEIVED IS A CONCEPT, IT'S A STRATEGY, IT IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. THE SCOPE IS FOCUSED ON A SPECIFIC REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL. IT'S NOT BEFORE YOU FOR CONSIDERATION AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. RATHER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS SEEKING YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF THE STRATEGY TO GIVE THEM SOME DIRECTION AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN DEVELOPING A MORE SPECIFIC REZONING REQUEST. AND, ALSO, UNLIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, STAFF ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN LIMITED TO A FAIRLY BASIC ASSISTANCE ROLE, CONSISTENT WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED IN JUNE OF 1999 ASKING THE STAFF TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE RAINEY REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE HERE, BRIGID SHEA, ROBERT VELASQUEZ, HE WILL POKE ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T SAY BOBBY. THEY WILL BE AN -- AND MR. JOE REGALLADO IS HERE, WE ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON ACETATES FOR YOU AS WELL. I HAVE TOLD THE NEIGHBORHOOD 10 MINUTES IS THE STANDARD TIME THAT'S GENERALLY AVAILABLE FOR A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND COUNCIL. I AM ROBERT VELASQUEZ, I RESIDE AT 95 RAINEY, I HAVE RESIDED IN THE AREA FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE HISPANIC REPRESENTATION OF THE RAINEY STREET, MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE RAINEY STREET AREA ARE OVER 65, 70 YEARS OLD. IT'S TAKEN US PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS TO REACH A CONSENSUS. AND WE HAVE -- ALL THESE YEARS WE HAVE FINALLY REACHED A CONSENSUS, WE HAD A MEETING ABOUT A MONTH AGO TO ADOPT A STRATEGY PLAN WHICH HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL. THE VOTE WAS 24 TO 1. AND WE HOPE THAT OUR PLAN IS CONSIDERED FOR CONSIDERATION. I WILL NOT TAKE TOO MUCH TIME BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE A QUICK, BRIEF PRESENTATION HERE THAT BRIGID HAS. BRIGID SHEA IS EX-COUNCIL PERSON AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD. -- MY NEIGHBOR. I WILL GIVE TIME TO BRIGID. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION WITH OVERHEADS. WHICH MICROPHONE DO I SPEAK INTO? THE TALL ONE. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION WITH OVERHEADS AND THEN WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE. DO YOU HAVE COPIES OF THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S ABOUT NINE, 10 PAGES? I ACTUALLY DON'T, SO IF THERE'S AN EXTRA ONE IN THE ROOM, I WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING IT. WE START WITH THE FIRST PAGE, THE COVER IS ACTUALLY AN ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING DONE BY LINDA JOHNSTON TO GIVE PEOPLE A VISUAL IDEA OF THE CONCEPT. WE ARE USING THE TERM CONCEPT BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF THE PLAN IRONED OUT. THE RSON FOR THAT IS FAIRLY SIMPLE, THIS HAS BEEN A PRETTY GRASS ROOTS PROCESS INVOLVING A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS WHO DON'T HAVE RESOURCES TO HIRE LAND PLANNERS AND DO TRANSPORTATION ANALYSES AND WHO AREN'T EXPERIENCED IN THAT THEMSELVES. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AN IDEA. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS GOTTEN TO. THE NEXT PAGE GIVES YOU A GENERAL VISUAL OF THE AREA, THE LOVE AREA -- THE ROUGH AREA THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WITHIN THAT AREA, IT'S NOT HASHED, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU THE REFERENCE ON IT, IT'S LITERALLY ONE BLOCK LONG, THE NATIONAL HISTORIC RAINEY STREET DISTRICT FROM DRISKILL STREET ON THE NORTH, SOUTH OF THE I-HOP FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DRISKILL ON THE NORTH, RIVER STREET ON THE SOUTH, THEN THE LENGTH OF RAINEY STREET, HOUSES ON EACH SIDE. THAT WOULD BE A BLACK HASHED RURAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT LARGER OUTLINED AREA. ON THE NEXT PAGE, KIND OF CONTEXT FOR THIS IS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ENGAGED IN A PUBLIC INCLUSIVE PROCESS TO ACHIEVE A HIGH VALUE, DENSED, MIXED USE REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY THAT MAXIMIZES THE GOALS OF SMART GROWTH AND INCLUDES HISTORIC PRESERVATION. THE NEXT SLIDES GIVES YOU SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THE CHRONOLOGY. WE START WITH THE 1995 DESIGNATION OF RAINEY STREET AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT'S IN PRETTY SHARP CONTRAST TO THE INCLUSIVE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH. FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL IN THE RECORD, IT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH NO RECORD OF SUPPORT. THERE ARE 8 LETTERS AGAINST IT. AND WHEN WE INACQUIRED AS TO HOW THIS COULD POSSIBLY HAVE HAPPENED, IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE NATIONAL PROCESS REGARDED SILENCE AS A YES VOTE. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE IF ANY OF THE LETTERS WERE SENT IN SPANISH SINCE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS ARE MAINLY SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS. SO THAT WAS IN 1985. FAST FORWARD TO FALL OF 1995 WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER SENT AROUND A SURVEY INQUIRING ABOUT SORT OF WHAT PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN WITH THE FUTURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE MAJORITY RESPONDED THAT THEY SUPPORTED A REZONING TO SOME TYPE OF COMMERCIAL MIXED USE [BUZZER SOUNDING].
>> DOES THAT MEAN MY 10 MINUTES ARE UP?
>>MAYOR WATSON: I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION, TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE A BRIEFING BY STAFF IT'S BY STAFF. SO I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY TAKINGLACE HERE. SO GO AHEAD AND FINISH THE BRIEFING.
>> OKAY. I WON'T SPELL OUT ALL OF IT, I THINK YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHRONOLOGY THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF MEETINGS. THE NEIGHBORS HAVE RESPONDED IN VERY SIMILAR FASHION TO AT LEAST TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT SURVEYS, AND THEN FINALLY A FORMAL VOTE ON MARCH 12TH AND YOU CAN SEE IN HERE SOME OTHER FACTORS THAT HAVE REALLY HAD BEEN IMPACT ON WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE OF WHICH WAS THE ELECTION IN FALL OF 1998 WHERE VOTERS APPROVED $150 MILLION IN BONDS TO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER, UPGRADE WALLER CREEK AND BUILD THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURE CENTER, ALL ADJACENT TO THE RAINEY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD. AGAIN INHE S OF 1999 WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE 10 STORY LUXURY CONDOS AT 54 RAINEY STREET AND DIRECTED STAFF TO ASSIST US WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. ON MARCH 12TH OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD A FORMAL VOTE WE ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE VOTE THE BOUNDARY LINES OF JUST THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT. SO THAT AREA FROM DRISKILL ON THE NORTH TO RIVER ON THE SOUTH OF EACH SIDE OF RAINEY STREET. WHILE NUMEROUS OTHER SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE [INAUDIBLE] SUPPORTED AN INTEREST IN THIS REDEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO FOCUS ON THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AREA TO GET A VERY CLEAR INDICATION OF HOW THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT DISTRICT FELT BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WOULD BE THE THORNIEST AREA, SINGLE FAMILY, CURRENTLY AND HAS THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION. IN THAT MARCH 12TH VOTE IT WOULD -- IT WAS AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE, 24 PEOPLE IN A SECRET BALLOT RESPONDED IN FAVOR OF THE HIGHER DENSITY VERSION AND ONE VOTED TO GO WITH THE LOWER DENSITY PROPOSAL. WE HAVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF THOSE THREE SCENARIOS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN DISCUSSING. REALLY SINCE 1995. ONE IS THE STATUS QUO VERSION WHICH I THINK MOST PEOPLE AGREE WOULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN SORT OF A FRAGILE MENNED SPOT REZONING AROUND THE EDGES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, A KIND OF CREEPING COMMERCIALISM WHERE SOME OF THE HOMES WOULD BE CONVERTED TO SMALL COMMERCIAL AND THEN A GENT INDICATION PROCESS, ALL OF WHICH WOULD -- GENTRIFICKIATION PROCESS. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD RESULT IN THE REALLY EXCITING PROPOSAL THAT WE THINK COULD HAPPEN WITH A HIGHER DENSITY MIXED USE PLAN. THOSE KIND OF SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THE FINAL SCENARIO OF THE HIGH DENSITY CBD SCENARIO WAS THE ONE THAT HAS CONSISTENTLY RECEIVED OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE LANDOWNERS IN THE AREA. THE ELEMENTS OF THE RAINEY STREET REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, AGAIN, ARE VERY GENERAL. BECAUSE LITTLE A STRATEGY. -- AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS A STRATEGY. PROMOTED DENSE MIX OF USES TO ACHIEVE A WALKABLE DOWNTOWN WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE, WORK AND PLAY WITHOUT NEED OF A CAR. OUR GOAL REALLY IS TO HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF HOUSING AS PART OF THIS REDEVELOPMENT SCENARIO, ALONG WITH SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF HIGH RISE OFFICE AND A MIX OF RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL. PROVIDE AMPLE OFFICE SPACE, PARTICULARLY IN THE HIGH TECH SECTOR WHERE EVERYBODY IS OUTGROWING THEIR EXISTING OFFICES AND LOOKING FOR MORE OFFICE, WHERE THEY PARTICULARLY DON'T WANT THEM TO MOVE OUT INTO THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONES. THE STRATEGY WOULD OFFER WHAT WE THINK IS A VERY EXCITING MIX OF OFFICES, ASTRONAUTS, SHOPTS, GROCERY STORES, OTHER AMENITIES CLOSE TO THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, CLOSE TO WALLER CREEK RIVER WALK AND THE NEW MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT POINT. WE ARE ALL IN BROAD AGREEMENT THAT AS PART OF THIS STRATEGY WE INTEND TO DESIGNATE A PERCENTAGE OF THE HOUSING UNDER THIS REDEVELOPMENT SCENARIO AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND WE WOULD USE THE MODEL THAT THE CITY HAS APPLIED IN THE CASE OF EAST AND AMLI. WE ALSO HAVE TALKED WITH SOME OF THE ABSENTEE LANDLORDS AND OUR INTENT IS TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO THE CURRENT RENTERS. WE HAVE NOT TALKED WITH ALL OF THE ABSENTEE LANDLORDS, BUT THE SEVERAL IN A WE HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE INDICATED AN INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS. FINALLY WE ALSO THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL POINT. OUR PLAN INTENDS TO PRESERVE THE ESSENCE OF HISTORIC RAINEY STREET BY CLUSTERING THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE HOUSES INTO A KIND OF A SHOW PIECE PLAZA MUCH LIKE THE WATERLOO COMPOUND AT 3RD AND RED RIVER STREETS, WHICH IS FEATURED HERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE OVERHEAD. THOSE THREE IMAGES ALONG THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE WATERLOO COMPOUND AT 3RD AND RED RIVER. THE ELEMENTS OF THE CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN IS THE NEXT PIECE. IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT? IT DOESN'T USUALLY MAKE NOISES LIKE THAT.
>> THESE AGAIN ARE GENERALLY ELEMENTS, BUT THE NOTION IS THAT IT WOULD BORROW HEAVILY FROM CONCEPTS OF SMART GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY. PRESERVE 15% OF OPEN SPACE, PLACE THE HIGHEST BUILDINGS TO THE NORTH, EAST AND SOUTH AND STAIR STEP THEM DOWN TOWARD THE LAKE AND WALLER CREEK, BUFFER THE RESIDENTIAL USES, PRESERVE TREES WHERE POSSIBLE AND INCLUDE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED STREET SCAPES ANDMENT MENTEES. THE NEXT FRAME IS A REFERENCE TO THE CITY'S KEY SMART GROWTH CRITERIA. MANY OF WHICHCH TRACK ALMOST DIRECTLY WITH THIS PROPOSAL. THE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMEND DATINGS I THINK REALLY GET TO THE HEART OF THIS. THAT IS OUR REQUEST THAT THE CITY CONTINUE THE TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP THAT IT'S ALREADY EXHIBITED IN BROAD, BOLD ACTIONS TO BRING C.S.C. DOWNTOWN, TO REBUILD CITY HALL, TO LAUNCH THE SMART GROWTH INITIATIVE AND WE PARTICULARLY ASK, I KNOW THIS MIGHT SOUND FIND OF FUNNY SINCE I AM WELL AWARE OF HOW EASY IT IS TO DELAY THING, BUT WE WENT THROUGH THE CHRONOLOGY SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S BEEN AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVITED, NUMEROUS ARTICLES ABOUT THE MEETINGS AND MANY OF THE SURROUNDING STAKEHOLDERS HAVE PARTICIPATED. BUT I THINK THAT WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU SEND A STATEMENT TODAY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS GENERAL SUPPORT FOR A CONCEPT OF LARGER REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT KIND OF INDICATION, IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU GAVE VERY CLEAR MESSAGES ABOUT C.S.C. AND SMART GROWTH, WITHOUT THAT KIND OF INDICATION, I FEAR RAINEY STREET IS STUCK IN THE CATCH 22 THAT IT'S BEEN IN FOR YEARS. THAT IS THE INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS WHO LIVE THERE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, THEY ARE -- NONE OF US IS DEVELOPERS. AND NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SPEND THE MONEY ON DOING THE KIND OF ZONING, SITE PLAN, TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSES ALL OF THE OTHER KINDS OF THINGS IF THERE WASN'T ANY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ACTUAL POLICY SUPPORT FOR PROCEEDING IN THAT DIRECTION. THE OTHER THOUGHT I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH IS AS A FORMER JOURNALIST, I ALWAYS LOOK AT THE STORY ASSOCIATED WITH THINGS, I THINK THIS IS A PHENOMENAL STORY, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER ONE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ESSENTIALLY LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS HAVE PUT TOGETHER A VERY INNOVATIVE PROPOSAL TO AGGREGATE THEIR PROPERTIES AND BE AT THE LEADING EDGE OF A VERY EXCITING URBAN REDEVELOPMENT. IN THE DOWNTOWN. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE NUT OF THE OVERVIEW. WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, I WOULD INVITE BOBBY AND JOE TO JOIN ME AS WELL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER PART OF THE BRIEFING? COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>>GARCIA: A FEW COMMENTS BEFORE THE QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO COMMEND THE NEIGHBORS FOR THEIR INITIATIVE ON THIS ONE. THEY HAVE BEEN OPEN, THE PROCESS HAS BEEN INCLUSIVE, IT HAS WITHIN DIFFICULT -- BEEN DIFFICULT AND LONG, BUT IT'S BEEN GOOD. THE STAFF HAS ACTED AS ADVISORS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SENT ME E-MAILS SAYING STAFF HAS DEVELOPED THIS PARTICULAR STRATEGY. THE STAFF ACTED AS ADVISORS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS TRULY A -- AN INITIATIVE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. NOW, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE COMMENTING ABOUT THE HISTORICAL ASPECTS. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING NOW? WELL, IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO, OR 30 YEARS AGO, MAYBE, WHEN I-35 CAME DOWN, IT ISOLATED RAINEY STREET FROM THE REST OF EAST AUSTIN. IT LEFT IT A VERY SMALL AND FRAGILE NEIGHBORHOOD GASPING FOR AIR, SO TO SPEAK. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY EVER SINCE. THEN WE EXACERBATED THE SITUATION WHEN WE BUILT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND BROUGHT ALL OF THE TRAFFIC INTO THAT AREA, BROUGHT ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BRING A FACILITY OF THAT SIZE AND THAT KIND OF FACILITY TO THAT PARTICULAR AREA. SO THEY HAVE TRIED PUTTING IN -- PUTTING IN TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS, THEY HAVE TRIED TO SEE IF THEY CAN MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THE CITY THEN, OF COURSE, SELECTED THAT -- THE SOUTHERN PART OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO PUT THE MAC, THAT'S ALSO GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BRING MORE TRAFFIC TO THE AREA. SO THE NEIGHBORS LOOKED AROUND AND THEY SAID, WE COULD SEE THIS PROCESS JUST KEEP ON GOING AND WE COULD FIND OURSELVES FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, YOU KNOW, IN WORSE SHAPE. SO THEY TOOK SO TO SPEAK THE BULL BY THE HORNS, SAID WE WILL DO THIS PLANNING OURSELVES, THEY ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY WHICH THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED AND PROVIDED. SO LIKE I INDICATED, THERE'S BEEN INCLUSIVENESS. THERE MAY BE SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN THE AUDIENCE THAT SAID WELL, THEY DIDN'T CLUE ME. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WENT TO THE MEETINGS AND THE MEETINGS, THE LAST ONE, WAS AT THE SHERITON HOTEL, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT, 50, 60, 80 PEOPLE, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT. I EVEN SAW SOME OF MY OLD FRIEND THERE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW OWNED PROPERTY IN THAT AREA. BUT I WON'T MENTION THOSE SO I DON'T GET THE E-MAILS FROM ANYBODY. SO I GUESS THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO THE NEIGHBORS FOR WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS. THIS IS NOT THE END OF A PROCESS LIKE THE RESOLUTION THAT I WILL INTRODUCE AFTER THE QUESTIONS ARE ASKED. IT BEGINS, IT PUTS THE PROCESS ON THE TRACKS AND I HOPE IT MOVES THROUGH THE STAFF WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE STRATEGY AND TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLYING WITH ALL OF THE CITY RULES. THEN IT WILL GO THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THEY THERE ARE HAVE -- THEY ALREADY HAVE BEEN TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BUT I AM SURE AS WE BRING THE ZONING PROCESS FORWARD THERE, WILL BE OTHER VISITS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION. WHATEVER OTHER COMMISSION IS APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THANK TO YOU BRIGID AND BOBBY WHO HAVE BEEN THE MAIN ADVOCATES, MAIN --
>> THE PRESIDENT, TOO.
>>GARCIA: ADVOCATES, PROPER WORD. FACILITATORS THAT'T'S WORKED FOR THE PROCESS TO BE DONE IN THE RIGHT WAY AND TO BRING US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>>GOODMAN: MAYOR, I HAD JUST A FEW, WHEN I READ THE PLANS, SOME PLACES I STAYED A LONG TIME AND READ, ABSOLUTELY THOROUGHLY BECAUSE I WAS REAL INTERESTED, THEN I KIND OF SKIPPED OVER OTHERS AND WASN'T SO THOROUGH. WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL TO COME FORWARD AND EVERYTHING IS WORKING, IS THERE A PLAN OR SOME KIND OF -- AT LEAST CONSIDERATION OF A POTENTIAL FUTURE PLAN FOR RELOCATING RENTERS ORR DID THAT COME UP ANYPLACE?
>> YEAH, THAT'S -- IN FACT ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE ALL ACTUALLY FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LOW INCOME RENTERS THERE, WE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH SOME OF THE ABSENTEE LANDLORD, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM AND GOTTEN A COMMITMENT FROM THEM TO SUPPORT SOME KIND OF MECHANISM, IT HASN'T LIKE I SAID IT HASN'T GOTTEN FORMAL AGREEMENT, BUT AGREEMENT IN THE COURSE OF DISCUSSIONS THAT WOULD FUNCTION LIKE AN ESCROW FUND WITH A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MONTHS RENT AND THEN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE RENTERS FOR THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
>>GOODMAN: AND THE OTHER PRACTICAL THING THAT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT IS -- DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? WHEN YOU START THE REZONING, YOU WANT THAT TO HAPPEN BEFORE YOU GET A -- A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER OR IS THERE A THOUGHT ABOUT PHASING IT OR KIND OF A CONTINGENCY THING SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T WIND UP PAYING HIGH TAXES BEFOREE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEBODY READY TO GO?
>> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT VERY MECHANISM. PART OF OUR THINKING WAS IF -- IF THE LANDOWNERS WOULD AGREE TO SORT OF AGGREGATE THEIR LAND TOGETHER, WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO THAT, EITHER, THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING PROCESS IN THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, THERE REALLY AREN'T VERY MANY BLUEPRINTS TO WORK FROM. BUT THE GENERAL NOTION WAS THAT THE PROPERTY WOULD BE OFFERED FOR SALE ALTOGETHER. SO THAT EXCEPT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DEFINITELY WANT TO STAY, THERE MAY BE A FEW, WHO DEFINITELY IN THE END WANT TO STAY, THE REST OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD OFFER THE LAND FOR SALE ALTOGETHER SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A SITUATION OF SOMEONE BEING LEFT BEHIND AND SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T ULTIMATELY WANT TO REMAIN THERE STAYING THERE BECAUSE OF THE PHASING OF THE PROPERTY. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]
>> WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME APPEARED WE REALLY APPRECIATE GUSUS FRINGING THIS OUT -- AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE GUS FOR BRINGING THIS OUT. BUT WE ARE PLANNING ON WORKING WITH THE HISTORIC COMMISSION AND EVERYBODY TO TRY TO LEAVE THE HOUSES -- THAT THOSE WHO DO WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSES, YOU CAN'T TELL THEM THEY HAVE TO STAY THERE, BUT TRY TO WORK WITH ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, YES, MA'AM.
>>GOODMAN: WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM FOLKS WHO DO THINK THERE IS SOME IMPORTANT HISTORIC KEL STATEMENTS MADE BY SOME OF THE FLAVOR OF THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THOSE COULD BE INTEGRATED INTO DESIGN OR A CONCEPTUAL VISION, THEN IN E ENHAN WE GET A WIN-WIN EVEN IN THAT.
>> YES. AND I'M SURE YOU'VE HAD SOME CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT THOSE ARE NOT FACTUAL DRAWINGS, THEY'RE JUST CONCEPTUAL. AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, LIKE THEY SAID, WE PROBABLY HAVE FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER RESPONDED TO OUR LETTERS AND WE'RE TRYING TO WRK WITHH THOSE ALSO. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE -- WORK WITH THOSE ALSO. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDECIDED. THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND THERE'S ONLY ABOUT MAYBE TWO OF THEM. BUT THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT A 90, 90 PERCENT CONSENSUS GOING ON WITH THIS.
>>GOODMAN: I JUST THAN THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
>> WE DID REFERENCE THE -- HOW THE HOUSES MIGHT BE CLUSTERED, BUT AS WE SAID REPEAT LID TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE.
>>SLUSHER: MAYOR? WHAT KIND OF SAFEGUARDS ARE THERE GOING TO BE TO -- SELLING THE BLOCK AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE GETS A FAIR DEAL?
>> THIS IS KIND OF A CHICKEN AND EGG SITUATION. WE HAVEN'T -- WE THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THE NEIGHBORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE LEGALLY AND ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED. NOBODY WANTS TO INCUR THAT EXPENSE, NONE OF US HAS THAT KIND OF MONEY, ALTHOUGH WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT COUNCIL WOULD ACTUALLY APPROVE THIS KIND OF SCENARIO GOING FORWARD. AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK THIS IS SORT OF A CRITICAL STATEMENT OF BROAD VISION OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT WE'VE TRIED NOT TO -- AND PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN WILLING TO INCUR EXPENSES BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW YET IF IT'S GOING TO BE APPROVED OR BE ACCEPTED.
>>SLUSHER: THE ONLY THING ABOUT THAT IS I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT GET TO A POINT TO THEN IFAKING ACTION TODAY THAT COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA HAS DESCRIBED AS GETTING THE PROCESS ON THE TRACK, MOVING IT FORWARD, BUT THAT THEN THAT WOULD ITSELF CONSTITUTE SOME SORT OF COMMITMENT TO THE LANDOWNERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT'S IN THE PLAN BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PART OF SENDING IT TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND HAVING IT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL, TO HAVE BENEFIT OF THAT PUBLIC PROCESS TO DECIDE IF DOING IT EXACTLY LIKE THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO OR SOME OTHER VERSION OF IT.
>> THAT'S WHY WE LAID TO YOU THE THREE GENERAL SCENARIOS WE'VE LOOKED AT, ONE BEING THE STATUS QUO, WHICH IS JUST LEAVE THINGS AS IT IS AND WATCH A SLOW GENTRY FA INDICATION CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE MIDDLE SCENARIO AS THE ONE REFERRED TO AS THE KIRBY LANE VERSION WHERE YOU COMMERCIAL LIES THE HOUSES. AND PART OF THAT PROPOSAL IS TO RUN LOWER RISE APARTMENTS ALONG THE BACKYARDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOTS. AND WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THAT EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS AND PEOPLE REJECTED IT BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT IT WOULD ULTIMATELY SQUEEZE THEM OUT OF THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES AND IT WOULDN'T BRING THEM AS MUCH VALUE TO THEIR HOMES. AND THE THIRD SCENARIO, WHICH IS THE HIGH DENSITY MIXED USE SCENARIO WHERE PEOPLE WOULD GET THE VALUE AND WE WOULD ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF SMART GROWTH BY CREATING A VERY DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS AS A COMPONENT OF IT HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAZA. BUT THESE ARE GENERAL CONCEPTS AND IT'S A HARD THING TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE EXCEPT THAT AS FOLKS HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT EITHER PROPERTY IS FOR SALE OR IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS READY TO PROCEED, OUR ANSWER TO THEM IS NO, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNCIL WOULD ACTUALLY ULTIMATELY SUPPORT THIS HIGH DENSITY VISION. AND UNTIL WE GET AN INDICATION OF THAT, WE'RE STUCK. WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE SPENDING THE MONEY TO DO THE SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT, TO HIRE THE TRAFFIC ANALYST, TO DO ALL OF THE RIGOROUS EXTENSIVE WORK THAT USUALLY GOES INTO REZONING AND SITE PLAN AND ULTIMATELY GETTING --
>>SLUSHER: BUT HADN'T THERE BEEN SOME DEVELOPERS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE, IF NOT JUST ONLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH I WOULD AGREE IT WOULD NOT HAVE THOSE KIND OF FUNDS.
>> NO. MR. LORENZ AND MR. KNIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. THEY OWN PROPERTY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THEY HAVE SAID WE MIGHT NOT BE THE END DEVELOPERS AND WE HAVE SAID TO THEM, WE DON'T KNOW IF ULTIMATELY WE AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WOULD NEGOTIATE TO PARTNER WITH YOU. SO THOSE DECISIONS HAVEN'T BEEN MADE.
>>SLUSHER: CAN YOU RUN THAT LAST PART BY ME AGAIN?
>> WELL, THE NEIGHBORHOOD VOTED IN THE MARCH 12 MEETING.
>>SLUSHER: I GOT YOU.
>> THE NEIGHBORHOOD VOTE AND ELECTED A NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE TO BRING RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO THE LARGER NEIGHBORHOOD ON HIRING AN ATTORNEY, POTENTIALLY HIRING OTHER ASSISTANCE AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT KIND OF PROPOSALS WOULD BRING THE BEST VALUE AND THE BEST OUTCOME FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>>SLUSHER: ULTIMATELY I AM GOING TO BEONCERNED OR I'M VERY INTERESTED IN FOLKS THAT DO LIVE IN THE AREA AND THAT THEY GET A REAL FAIR DEAL NO MATTER WHAT THE ULTIMATE ZONING AND DISPOSITION OF THIS WOULD COME.
>> THAT'S THE GOAL OF THIS.
>>SLUSHER: DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, MR. VELASQUEZ.
>> I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WALK THE STREETS OF AUSTIN IF IF I KNEW THAT ESPECIALLY THE LATIN AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WERE GOING TO GET A RAW DEAL. THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY PERSPECTIVE IN WORKING WITH -- IN MAKING SURE THAT ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE ALL THESE YEARS GET A GOOD DEAL FOR THEIR PROPERTY. WHICH IS WALK AWAY FROM IT. WHICH IS WALK AWAY FROM IT IF THEY DON'T GET A GOOD DEAL. AND I HAVE A COPY OF THE