THE DIAS. COUNCIL, I'M GOING TO CALL OUT THOSE ITEMS THAT I BELIEVE HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM 10, ITEM 11, ITEM 15, AS I INDICATED ITEM NO. 24 PULLED FROM THE AGENDA, ITEM 50 HAS BEEN PULLED FROM THE AGENDA. ITEM NO. 17, INSTEAD OF CALLING OUT ITEM NO. 17, I'M GOING TO CALL THAT OUT AS ITEM NO. 51 ON YOUR AD DEN DUMB. ALL RIGHT. SO NOTE THE ADDENDUM. OKAY. WITH THAT, LET ME ASK IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE PUT BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR NEEDS TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAYOR PRO TEM?
>>GOODMAN: IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NO. 16 WAS GOING TO BE POSTPONED. IF THAT'S NOT SO THEN I WILL WANT TO PULL IT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: YOU ARE ACCURATE ABOUT THAT. WHAT I WILL DO, MAYOR PRO TEM, IS -- IS WHEN I TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WILL TAKE THAT UP AS A POSTPONEMENT FOR ONE WEEK, I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT OUT. I'M SORRY, YES, I FAILED TO MENTION ITEM NO. 19 WAS ALSO PULLED. ALL RIGHT, SO THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ITEM NO. 12 ON SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER AND THIRD READING, ITEM NO. -- SDEKD AND THIRD, 13 SECOND AND THIRD, 14 SECOND AND THIRD, 16 A POSTPONEMENT FOR ONE WEEK, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, -- 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 HAS BEEN PULLED -- AND 51. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> MOVE APPROVAL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT HAS BEEN READ? MS. ARNOLD, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
>> MAYOR WATSON AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCILL, MY NAME IS MARY ARNOLD, SPEAKING ON ITEM NO. 16, THE ONE-WEEK POSTPONEMENT. THIS ITEM HAS NOT BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE PARKS BOARD. THEIR LAND AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETS ON THE THIRD TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER. AND I THINK THEY ARE PLANNING TO CONSIDER THIS. SO -- SO I WOULD LIKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MS. ARNOLD. ANY DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL? HEARING NONE THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES WITH COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH OFF THE DIAS. COUNCIL, FOR STAFF THAT'S -- THAT'S WATCHING, THE WAY I'M GOING TO PROCEED IS JUST STRAIGHT DOWN THE AGENDA UNTIL WE GET TO 10:00, AT WHICH TIME SKILL FOR A RECESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING SO THAT I CAN CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SO WE WILL JUST GO STRAIGHT DOWN THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED UNTIL WE GET TO 10:00. THAT WILL BE ITEMS 10 -- IN THIS ORDER, 10, 11, 11, 15, 19, 33. ITEM NO. 10, I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>ALVAREZ: YES, MAYOR, THIS IS A -- THE CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS CENTER AND PARKING FACILITY, A VERY LARGE CONTRACT. I JUST WANTED SOME -- TO POSTPONE IT FOR A WEEK SO THAT I COULD LOOK AT THE MINORITY PARTICIPATION NUMBERS A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY, TO SEE JUST HOW IT'S BROKEN UP. BUT JUST -- IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CONTRACT, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL TIME TO LOOK AT IT, AND SO I GUESS THAT I WOULD ASK MR. REIKE IF THAT WOULD -- WOULD BE -- WOULD PRESENT ANY PROBLEMS IF WE WERE TO DO THAT TO POSTPONE IT FOR A WEEK.
>> YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS PETER REIKE, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION. WE ARE UNDER AN EXTREMELY TIGHT DEADLINE IN ORDER TO GET THIS PROJECT COMPLETED IN TIME SO THAT WE CAN START SHIFTING EVENTS FROM PARMER AND THE COLISEUM SO THAT ARTS CENTER STAGE CAN START ON TIME WITH THE RENOVATION OF THE LONG CENTER. SO A WEEK THAT WE LOSE IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO MAKE UP OR IT COMPRESSES OUR SCHEDULE EVEN FURTHER. SO MY RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL WOULD BE TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT YOU MAY HAVE TODAY AND LEAVE THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
>>ALVAREZ: I'M NOT ASKING FOR IT TO BE REBID OR ANYTHING. BUT SO I REALLY DON'T THINK A WEEK IS GOING TO BE -- COMPARED SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE WERE TO SAY LET'S SEND IT OUT TO BE BID AGAIN, I REALLY DON'T THINK A WEEK IS REALLY ALL THAT PROBLEMATIC. BUT CERTAINLY I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE TO SAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: LET ME ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THIS. OF THE SEVEN BIDS -- WHY DON'T WE GET SOME DESCRIPTION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH REGARD TO THE M.B.E. W.B.E. ON THIS, SO WE CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION ABOUT WHETHER --
>>.
>>GARZA: MAYOR, BEFORE HE BEGINS, JUST SO THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, ON THIS SPECIFIC ITEM WE HAD BID IT ONCE BEFORE AND WE WERE --
>> GOOD MORNING.
>>GARZA: WE DIDN'T -- WE DIDN'T HOLD OFF RECEIVING BIDS ON THIS, I THOUGHT WE HELD OFF RECEIVING BIDS FOR A WEEK OR TWO ON THIS.
>> WE HAVE NOT BID THIS PROJECT BEFORE, BUT RATHER IT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED AND THEN SO THAT WE COULD FURTHER OUR -- OUR NETWORKING AND OUTREACH TO THE M.B.E. W.B.E. COMMUNITY IT WAS DELAYED BY TWO WEEKS.
>>GARZA: THAT'S RIGHT, OKAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SITUATION ON THE M.B.E. W.B.E., THAT THE COUNCILMEMBER HAS A QUESTION ABOUT.
>> YES, MAYOR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I AM LENO RIVERA, DIRECTOR FOR MSBR. WE HAD -- WE HAD LITTLE PARTICIPATION ON ALL SEVEN BIDS ACROSS THE BOARD. IT RANKED FROM AS LITTLE AS .57% FOR OUR NO. 4 BIDDER TO HIGH AS AS 13.59% FOR NUMBER 5 BIDDER. BUT THOSE NUMBERS WERE NOT VERIFIED FOR BIDDERS 2 THROUGH 7. THE ONLY PACKAGE THAT WE DID EVALUATE WAS FOR THE LOW BIDDER. WHEN THAT LOW BIDDER WAS FOUND COMPLIANT, THEN WE STOPPED THERE IN REVIEWING THE PLANS. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THERE WERE 274 MWBE FIRMS LISTED ON THE AVAILABILITY LIST THAT WAS IN THE PROJECT DOCUMENTS. AFTER THE BIDS CAME IN, AND WE LOOKED AT THE RESULTS, DSMBR CALLED ALL 274 FIRMS AND ASKED IF THEY HAD BID, HOW MUCH THEY HAD BID SO THAT WE COULD COMPARE THOSE NUMBERS AGAINST THE LOW NUMBERS FOR SUBCONTRACTORS THAT THE PRIME HAD PRESENTED TO US IN THE COMPLIANCE PLAN. WE MADE THA THEY -- WHY HADN'T THEY BID. ALMOST INVARIABLY ACROSS THE BOARD, FIRMS SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT BID BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY HAD TOO MUCH ON THEIR PLATES AT THIS TIME. THEY WERE TOO BUSY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? LET ME ASK IT ANOTHER WAY: IF -- AS THIS IS SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATE PARTICIPATION, M/W.B.E. PARTICIPATION, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ALL HAVE DONE ALL THAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ADEQUATE M.B.E. W.B.E. PARTICIPATION? I THINK THIS CONTRACTOR HAS DONE ALL THAT HE COULD DO AN CERTAINLY ALL THAT HE WAS OBLIGATED TO DO UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE. AT THIS POINT, IF WE WERE TO FOLLOW THE RULES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED, I WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND THAT WE NOT DEVIATE FROM OUR CURRENT PROCESS, WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY -- ANY MORE NUMBERS, ANY MORE FIRMS THAN HAVE -- THAT HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY NEGOTIATED WITH THIS GENERAL CONTRACTOR. WHEN HE WE CAME BACK TO YOU, THE NUMBERS WOULD BE THE SAME. THERE ARE ALREADY ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH OTHER M.B.E. W.B.E. FIRMS TO DO OTHER SCOPES OF WORK THAT WERE NOT DISCLOSED IN THE COMPLIANCE PLAN. THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL. THAT HAPPENS WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY PROJECT THAT WE BID. THOSE NUMBERS ARE SUBSEQUENTLY ADDED TO THE TOTALS AFTER THE AWARD. BUT I DON'T SEE THAT THERE IS A MEANS TO BRING ANY HIGHER NUMBERS BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM NO. 10?
>>ALVAREZ: I MOVE TO POSTPONE FOR A WEEK.
>>THOMAS: SECOND.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION TO POSTPONE FOR ONE WEEK, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. DISCUSSION? IS IT LET ME JUST SAY, COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ, I'M GOING TO VOTED AGAINST THE POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE WE ARE OPERATING ON A VERY STRICT TIME FRAME ON THIS AND IF -- IF AS OUR DIRECTOR OF THIS PROGRAM HAS INDICATED, WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE IT CAN'T BE INCREASED, I DON'T SEE THE VALUE IN JUST WAITING -- DELAYING FOR IT ONE WEEK AND I KNOW ONE WEEK DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT OF TIME, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE TAIL END OF IT, WE ARE GOING TO WISH WE HAD EVERY WEEK. IF IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, PARTICULARLY IN A SITUATION WHEREAS HE HAS INDICATED THAT IN THIS ECONOMY PART OF THE DIFFICULTY IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK RIGHT NOW. MAYOR PRO TEM?
>> IF I COULD ASK COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ, IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR THAT YOU THINK CAN BE GAINED? I'M NOT TOTALLY SURE WHAT IT IS THAT -- THAT IS THE ISSUE AND I DO KNOW THAT THE 14% W.B.E. WITH THIS BID IS MUCH HIGHER FOR W.B.E. THAN USUAL. SO ....
>>ALVAREZ: ACTUALLY --.
>>GOODMAN: -- IF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES?
>>ALVAREZ: ACTUALLY IT'S .14%. THIS IS A $40 MILLION CONTRACT, I HAVEN'T -- I WOULD LIKE TO JUST TALK TO STAFF ABOUT JUST -- SOME OF THE THINGS THAT LENO HAS ALREADY STIPULATED, BUT JUST WHAT ALL WE TRIED TO DO, YOU KNOW, WITH SUCH A LARGE CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE OPTIMAL PARTICIPATION AND PARTLY IT'S -- AGAIN JUST MYSELF FAMILIARIZING MYSELF WITH WHAT AGAIN WITH HOW THIS WORKS AND ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH LARGE CONTRACTS WHERE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE RAISE IT A FEW PERCENTAGE POINTS, IT COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE JUST THE NUMBERS ARE SO INCREDIBLY LARGE. BUT -- THAT'S, I WAS JUST SUGGEST THANK WE DELAY IT A WEEK AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE -- MAYBE THAT IS A LONG TIME, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME TO ME.
>>GOODMAN: HAVING MISSED THE DECIMAL POINT, MAYOR, I CAN UNDERSTAND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW WHAT -- WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT BE ASKED MAYBE MR. REIKE OR SOM CAN TELL EXACTLY WHAT THE WEEK DOES. WHAT'S IN PROCESS THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD.
>> THE -- THE WORK IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED IN JUNE OF 2002. THAT GIVES US BARELY 18 TO 19 MONTHS TO COMPLETE A $40 MILLION PROJECT. THAT IS A VERY TIGHT CONSTRUCTION TIME FRAME, PARTICULARLY THERE ARE SOME ELEMENTS LIKE TRUSSES AND SO ON THAT WILL REQUIRE A -- A CERTAIN MANUFACTURING PERIOD AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE TIME THAT WE CAN GET FOR THIS PROJECT IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THAT WE LIVE UP TO OUR COMMITMENT TO ART CENTER STAGE. SO EVERY WEEK IS PRECIOUS ON THE LARGE PROJECTS LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU END UP RUNNING INTO.
>> [INAUDIBLE] PETER WITH TWO SPECIFICS. TWO SPECIFIC TIME ISSUE THAT'S WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. ONE IS A COMMITMENT TO TRY TO GET THE PARKING GARAGE OPEN IN TIME FOR THE JUNIOR LEAGUE TO BE ABLE TO USE PARMER FOR THE EVENT THAT THEY HAVE COMING UP THE YEAR AFTER THIS. SO WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE PARKING GARAGE DONE BY NOVEMBER. THE OTHER TIME LINE ISSUE IS ARTS CENTER STAGE IS TRYING TO OPEN UP FOR THE FALL OF 2004. THEREFORE IS TRYING TO GET INTO PARMER AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN TO HAVE ADEQUATE CONSTRUCTION TIME. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING THE FACILITY BEING DONE UNTIL JUNE 2002. ARTS CENTER STAGE IS PUSHING VERY HARD FOR US TO ALLOW THEM ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO GET IN THERE. SO EACH -- EACH DELAY THAT WE PUSH HERE IS -- IS TAKEN OUT OF ARTS CENTER STAGE'S CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, AS WELL AS PUTTING US AT RISK FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE PARKING FOR -- FOR THE JUNIOR LEAGUE EVENTS. IT IS -- IT'S A RELATIVELY TIGHT TIME SCHEDULE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
>>MAYOR WATSON: OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?
>>THOMAS: OH --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AND THEN TO COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>THOMAS: YES, THE DIRECTOR OF SBM TO COME BACK UP. THE QUESTION THE MAYOR WAS ASKING YOU, I THINK IT WAS -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MAYOR, YOU WERE REFERRING TO THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DID EVERYTHING TO -- TO MEET THE W.B.E. REQUIREMENTS. AND YOU SAID THE CONTRACTORS DID. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MAYOR, IS THAT WHAT YOU ASKED, DID THAT DEPARTMENT DO EVERYTHING THEY COULD HAVE DONE ON THE CONTRACTORS? THE QUESTION WAS TO YOU, MAYOR?
>>MAYOR WATSON: I WILL LET HIM ANSWER THE QUESTION. BUT MY QUESTION IS HAS -- DO WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WITHIN OUR PROGRAM EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO TRY, THAT INCLUDES WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND OTHERWISE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD HIM SAY IS THEY MADE EXTRA CONTACT TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHY THERE WASN'T MORE NUMBERS BID ON THAT. SO I -- HE'S THE ONE THAT CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS WHERE DO WE STAND ON THAT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, I THINK THAT THE FIRST NOTABLE EFFORT ON DSMBR'S PART WAS TO ASK FOR THE TWO-WEEK DELAY. WE WERE GRANTED THAT DELAY. DURING THAT TIME, THEN THERE WAS A MASSIVE PHONE EFFORT TO CONTACT ALL AVAILABLE M.B.E./W.B.E.'S FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. APPROXIMATELY 200 FIRMS. WE CALLED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE FIRMS, ENCOURAGED THEM TO COME TO THE PREBID CONFERENCE. THEN THE -- THE CONSULTANT FOR THE PROJECT HIRED A -- A SUB CONSULTANT WHO THEMSELVES PUT A BROCHURE TOGETHER. THEY THEMSELVES AGAIN PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED ALL OF THESE FIRMS, THEY ALSO RECEIVED FAXES INVITING THEM TO BID AND TO THE RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE, PREBID CONFERENCE, EXCUSE ME. THIS PREBID CONFERENCE WAS ALSO MADE A MANDATORY MEETING SO THAT THEY COULD COME AND NETWORK WITH ALL OF THE POTENTIAL PRIMES FOR THIS PROJECT. WE ALSO SOLICITED MEMBERS OF THE CONTRACTOR ASSOCIATIONS AND ASKED THEM TO SUBMIT BIDS AS WELL. I THINK WE HAVE DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO BRING THE PARTICIPATION FORWARD FOR THIS PROJECT.
>>THOMAS: OKAY. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?
>>ALVAREZ: YES, MAYOR. I MEAN, I JUST -- I MEAN, IF WE ARE LOOKING AT AGAIN A JUNE 2002 DEAD LINE, DID YOU SAY MR. SMITD WE ARE TRYING TO OPEN UP IN NOVEMBER 2002, IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD?
>> THE PARKING GARAGE IS ANTICIPATED TO BE FINISHED WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE CIVIC CENTER. THE PARKING GARAGE IN NOVEMBER OF 2001 WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE JUNIOR LEAGUE TO USE SO THAT THEY COULD USE THE PARMER FACILITY FOR THEIR FUNDRAISING EVENT. THE CIVIC CENTER WOULD BE FINISHED, YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS LATER. SO THE PARKING GARAGE WHERE WE ARE COUNCILING ON TO ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE TO BE USED -- USING PARMER, SINCE WE HAVE RESTRICTED THE PARKING RIGHT NOW.
>> SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE CANNOT BEGIN WORK ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER UNTIL THE PARKING GARAGE HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED?
>> NO, I'M SAYING THE TIME LINE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE PARKING GARAGE IS SHORTER THAN THE TIME LINE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE CIVIC CENTER.
>>ALVAREZ: SO THAT'S ABOUT A YEAR IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT? A YEAR FOR THE -- FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE PARKING GARAGE?
>> WELL --
>> NOVEMBER --
>> BOTH THE PARKING GARAGE AND CIVIC CENTER ARE IN THIS PACKAGE, BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT TIME LINES FOR COMPLETION.
>>ALVAREZ: RIGHT. I MEAN, IS THERE A REASON THAT WE -- WELL, SEE, AGAIN, I WANTED TO POSTPONE IT FOR A WEEK SO THAT I COULD ASK SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY DIDN'T WE BID THE PARKING GARAGE OUT SEPARATELY FROM THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR THE COMMUNITY -- THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND MAYBE AGAIN IF WE WOULD HAVE BROKEN IT UP, COULD THAT HAVE MAYBE YIELDED SOME BIGGER MINORITY PARTICIPATION NUMBERS. BUT, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN MAYOR?
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?
>>WYNN: I DON'T MIND ASKING THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
>>GARZA: WITH WE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION. WE ARE PREPARED TO DO IT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THIS TO BID IT SEPARATELY. THE PARKING GARAGE AND FACILITY ARE PHYSICALLY CONNECTED. THERE ARE CONSISTENT MATERIAL CHOICES OR CONSISTENT MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS THAT ARE COMMON TO BOTH FACILITIES. AND IN LOOKING AT THE COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS, BOTH IN TERMS OF SCHEDULE AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION, WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE GIVEN AGAIN THE VERY TIGHT TIME FRAME THAT WE HAVE. THE BEST TO COMBINE THOSE TWO CONTRACTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE PROBLEMS RESULTING FROM DIFFICULTY IES OF COORDINATING BETWEEN TWO GENERAL CONTRACTORS. THE PARKING GARAGE TIES BACK INTO THE FACILITY SO YOU CAN GET BY DRY FOOT INTO THE EVENTS FACILITY. THAT'S ONE OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THIS WHOLE PROJECT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?
>>WYNN: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ, I SHARE YOUR CONCERN, I DO. BUT LISTENING TO STAFF, PARTICULARLY LISTENING TO WHAT I THINK IS -- I HAVE BEEN WHOLLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW OUR M/W.B.E. STAFF HAS ADDRESSED, TRIED TO ADDRESS ALL OF OUR ISSUES IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET, BOOMING CONSTRUCTION MARKET. I THINK ONCE AGAIN THEY WENT REALLY BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AGAIN TO TRY TO MAKE THIS ONE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE LAST FEW HAVE BEEN. AND SO AS MUCH AS I'M FRUSTRATED WITH YOU, JOIN YOU IN YOUR FRUSTRATION, I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST YOUR MOTION BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE THE PROJECT AFTER HEARING HOW WELL THE M/W.B.E. STAFF HAS ATTEMPTED TO -- TO HELP THIS PROJECT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>>THOMAS: MAYOR?
>>MAYOR WATSON: COMMISSIONER GOMEZ?
>>THOMAS: I SHARE WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ THAT WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS, I GUESS WE DON'T -- IT'S NOT JUST TOO GOOD JUST IN TOTAL DETAIL OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT. WE HAVE PROBLEMS IN THESE GENERAL AREAS ON BIDS. PRIME CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS DEALING WITH MINORITIES, AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC AND ASIAN CONTRACTORS. I WOULD VOTE FOR THE MOTION TO GIVE US AT LEAST A WEEK TO ASK SOME MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS THAT -- SO IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY PUT EVERYBODY ON THE SPOT TODAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?
>>SLUSHER: WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE CONTRACTORS GROUPS ON THIS, USUALLY THEY ARE VERY VIGILANT IF THEY THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM.
>>MAYOR WATSON: GOOD POINT. MR. TANAGOOCHI, WOULD YOU BE THE PERSON THAT I WOULD CALL ON? WHO -- I KNOW YOU ARE THE -- INVOLVED IN THE ARCHITECTURE.
>> I'M WITH TANAGOOCHI ARCHITECTS, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT VENTURE. I WILL HAVE FOR SAY THIS HAS BEEN A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT. WE HAVE WORKED WITHIN A TIGHT SCHEDULE, TIGHT BUDGET. WE HAVE WORKED VERY DILL AGAINLY TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. I WOULD SAY THAT TO DELAY THIS A WEEK WOULD PROBABLY THROW THINGS OFF LIKE WE SAID WE HAVE A TIGHT SCHEDULE ON THE GARAGE, DELIVER IT BY NOVEMBER OF NEXT YEAR. WE WORKED VERY HARD WORKING WITH CORE SLAB, OUR PRECASTERS, SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THE DELIVERY WOULD BE ON TIME. SO THAT WE COULD MEET THIS TIGHT SCHEDULE. I AM ASKING THAT WE DO TRY TO GET THIS THING GOING. I DON'T KNOW IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
>>SLUSHER: WELL, YOU MAKE GOOD POINTS, BUT YOU DIDN'T BECAUSE I JUST WONDERING IF ANYBODY HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY THE CONTRACTORS GROUPS TO -- WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN.
>>GARZA: I TALKED TO MR. FUENTES, JOE DID YESTERDAY, BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED, THEY HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROJECT FOR MORE THAN SEVERAL WEEKS. I THINK WE HAVE A REAL DIFFICULT TASK HERE OF TRYING TO -- TO FULFILL AN OBJECTIVE AND PETER AND JIM AND ALLEN TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IS THAT TO HAVE BROKEN THIS OUT INTO PIECES WOULD HAVE TAKEN US LONGER TO BUILD AND WE ARE AWN VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE. YOU ARE ALSO UNDER A VERY TIGHT BUDGET BECAUSE DOLLARS THAT -- THAT YOU SAVE HERE ARE DOLLARS THAT BECOME AVAILABLE FOR OTHER KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THAT TOWN LAKE PARK. I THINK WHAT I WOULD WANT TO NOTE IS THAT IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF MOVING PIECES AND A COUNCILMEMBER HAS ASKED US TO DELAY AN ITEM FOR A WEEK, WE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN WILLING TO OBLIGE, DISCUSS THE ISSUES OF WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THE PROJECT FOR PARTICIPATION AND OTHER CONCERNS THAT MAY HAVE ARISEN. ON THIS ONE WE HAVE GOTTEN, JIM SMITH HAS GOTTEN, I KNOW THAT I HAVE GOTTEN LETTERS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING TO MOVE INTO THE LONG CENTER. WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET ALL OF THESE MOVING PIECES DONE SO THAT THE VARIOUS PARTS TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN FIT INTO A REAL TIGHT SCHEDULE. AND -- AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ'S POINTS, ISSUES THAT HE'S RAISING. I WILL SAY THIS, BECAUSE WE CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBERS HERE, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT -- THAT MR. RIVERA AND THE PROJECT MANAGER THAT WORKS FOR PETER ON THIS AND BOB HODGE WORK WITH M/W.B.E. BUILDERS TO SEE WHAT ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION MIGHT BE SECURED, SECOND, THIRD TIER CONTRACTORS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROJECT. IT'S AT LEAST A 24 MONTH PERIOD THAT WE WILL BE BUILDING. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ TOMORROW OR EARLY NEXT WEEK TO WALK THROUGH THE -- YOU THE DIFFERENT PACKAGE THAT'S MIGHT BE OUT THERE FOR SUBCONTRACTING AT SOME POINT, LET HIM KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WILL TAKE BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO INTERESTED AS A STAFF TO SEE TO THE DEGREE WE CAN TO INCREASE THESE NUMBERS.
>> IF I MAY, MR. CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FOURTH OF A TOTAL OF 6 CONTRACT PACKAGES WE HAVE ON THIS PROJECT. WE ALREADY HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO MULTIPLY OPPORTUNITIES BY BREAKING IT INTO SIX PACKAGES. I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU. IT'S NOT AS IF THIS IS THE ONLY CONTRACT FOR THIS FACILITY. YOU ALREADY PREVIOUSLY AWARDED THREE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?
>>ALVAREZ: I MEAN, CERTAINLY I DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE THE PROJECT AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT MY INTENT BECAUSE IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT AND IT'S TIED INTO A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THAT AREA. BUT -- YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT I AM ASKING FOR IS A WEEK HERE AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING FOR IT TO BE REBID, WHICH I THINK CERTAINLY WOULD THROW US OFF THE SCHEDULE THERE. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY OUT OF ORDER IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE NUMBERS ARE SO LOW AND AGAIN THERE'S ISSUES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE. BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE WILL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR? I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE ARTS CENTER STAGE FOLKS, THE FOLKS WHO HAVE LONG USED PALMER AUDITORIUM FOR THEIR BIG PROJECTS AND I KNOW HOW CRITICAL IT IS TO -- TO STAY ON THIS SCHEDULE. AND I'M VERY, VERY COMMITTED TO THAT. I'M ALSO VERY COMMITTED TO OUR M/W.B.E. PROGRAM. IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANOTHER WEEK, SO I CAN TALK TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE M/W.B.E. ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSURE MYSELF AS WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED FROM STAFF THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND THAT THERE ARE NO -- THERE'S NO WAY TO GET THE NUMBERS IMPROVED AND CERTAINLY WITH THAT ASSURANCE, I WOULD BE TOTALLY READY TO GO NEXT WEEK.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WHY DON YOU CALL THE ROLL, MS. BROWN. THE MOTION IS ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
>> MAYOR WATSON?
>>MAYOR WATSON: NO.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN?
>>GOODMAN: YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?
>>ALVAREZ: YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH?
>>GRIFFITH: YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?
>>SLUSHER: NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?
>>THOMAS: YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?
>>WYNN: NO.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THERE BEING FOUR YESES, THREE NOS, THE MOTION FOR POSTPONEMENT FOR ONE WEEK PASSES, ITEM NO. 11, COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?
>>WYNN: THIS IS ONE OF THE VOTES THAT ACTUALLY WAS THE FIRST VOTE THAT WAS TAKEN PRIOR TO THE NEW COUNCILMEMBERS TAKING OFFICE THIS SUMMER. SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. RELATED TO IT. AND IN FACT IT MIGHT EVEN BE IF I COULD ASK MR. HOWARD THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO -- TO SPEAK BRIEFLY AS WELL, THEN I'M SURE THAT I WOULD BE SATISFIED QUICKLY.
>>GLASGO: COUNCILMEMBERS, ALICE GLASGO, CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF. I COULD SIMPLIFY THIS, IN ORDER FOR YOU TO MOVE ON. MR. HOWARD AND I HAVE SPOKEN AND GIVE VERY MUCH THE FACT THAT THE COUNCIL INTENT WAS TO -- TO ELIMINATE THE EXISTING INTERIM ZONING TO ALLOW FOR PETITION RIGHTS, THIS CASE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS SURROUNDED BY -- BY FLOODPLAIN, THE COLORADO RIVER. THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY POSSIBILITY OF A -- OF A VALID PETITION OCCURRING EVEN IF YOU DROPPED THE INTERIM DESIGNATION. MR. HOWARD HAS A VALID CONCERN THAT THE PROPERTY THAT FRONTS ON HIGHWAY 70 -- THE PROPERTY THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED, THERE IS NOT A PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW AND HE DID NOT WANT TO CREATE -- TO CREATE A PRECEDENT WHERE PROPERTY ZONED RURAL RESIDENTIAL WITHOUT PROPER USE. SO STAFF AGREES WITH MR. HOWARD'S REQUEST TO LEAVE THE PROPERTY ZONED INTERIM RURAL RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE HE DOES NOT HAVE THE ACREAGE REQUIRED FOR DEVELOPMENT RESERVE ZONING, WHICH WOULD BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE DISTRICT, WHICH REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 10 ACRES. BECAUSE OF THAT REASON, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND LEAVING THIS PROPERTY ZONED INTERIM RURAL RESIDENTIAL FOR THE REASONS I JUST STATED. THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
>>WYNN: GREAT. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?
>>WYNN: SO MR. HOWARD DO YOU NEED TO SAY ANYTHING? IS THAT OBVIOUSLY SATISFACTORY TO YOU.
>> MY NAME IS JEFF HOWARD, I REPRESENT MS. FITS PATRICK. IF COUNCIL NEEDS FURTHER EXPLANATION OR DISCUSSION ON THE OWNER'S POSITION, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT. IT'S ACCEPTABLE.
>>ALVAREZ: MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: HANG ON A SECOND.
>>WYNN: WELL, I HAVE A MOTION TO MAKE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: LET'S GET A MOTION ON THE TABLE, THEN I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>WYNN: I MOVE THAT WE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING NOW VOTE TO LEAVE -- I GUESS WE NEED TO -- WHAT WOULD BE MY MOTION IN ORDER --.
>>GLASGO: MAKE YOUR MOTION, WE WILL TAKE IT FROM THERE.
>>WYNN: I MOVE THIS THIS -- THAT THIS PROPERTY REMAIN INTERIM RR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE A SECOND?
>>SLUSHER: SECOND.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?
>>ALVAREZ: MS. GLASGO, WHAT -- WHAT ARE THE -- WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TERMS OF THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN IRR AND RR?
>>GLASGO: ALSO THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED, THE INTERIM DESIGNATION DOES NOT PROHIBIT USES ALLOWED IN THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. THOSE WOULD CONTINUE. THE REAL DIFFERENCE WITH THE INTERIM DESIGNATION REALLY AFFECTS PETITIONING RIGHTS. IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED. WE CAN ISSUE BUILDING PERMITS OR DEVELOPMENT PERMITS WITH THE INTERIM DESIGNATION. IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE USES AT ALL. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS REALLY PETITIONING RIGHTS ISSUE. ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES ALZHEIMER'S SO THAT'S -- IF WE VOTE FOR IR, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THERE WON'T BE PETITIONING RIGHTS FOR THE ADJOINING --
>>.
>>GLASGO: CORRECT. IF ONE WERE TO DEVELOPMENT THE PROPERTY, THEY CAN DEVELOPMENT WITH RURAL RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES. THE MOTION WOULD BE TO DENY THE ZONING CHANGE AND THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.
>>GOODMAN: MAYOR?
>>MAYOR WATSON: MAYOR PRO TEM?
>>GOODMAN: COULD I ASK ALICE, AS LONG AS SHE'S THERE, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND OR WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT OVER IF IT'S POSSIBLE A DR ZONING, EVEN THOUGH THE LAW DOES NOT -- THE STANDARD -- EVEN THOUGH THE LOT IS NOT THE STANDARD SIZE FOR DR.
>>GLASGO: YES, I WOULD. THE RECOMMEND I RECOMMEND THE INTERIM RR IS BECAUSE DR WOULD REQUIRE TWO THINGS, COUNCIL TO WAIVE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT, SPECIAL ORDINANCE WAVING THAT, ALSO WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS FOR THE DR DEPOSITION NATION, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT HIERARCHY. JUST TRYING TO SAVE TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THE MOTION IS TO LEAVE AS INTERIM RR, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY TO DENY THE ZONING. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THIS ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0. ITEM NO. 15, COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.
>>WYNN: I ASKED MRS. COTTER TO MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THIS, IF WE COULD.
>> GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE CULMINATION OF ACTUALLY A YEAR AND A HALF OR MORE OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE BOOTH SERVICES REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A HOMELESS SHELTER RESOURCE CENTER AND HEALTH CLINIC. WE FIRST CAME TO COUNCIL IN JULY OF 1999 REQUESTING THAT WE ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LEASE WITH THIS ENTITY AND BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS. WE CAME BACK IN APRIL 6TH OF 2000, AGAIN TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT CHANGING THE LEASE FROM A LEASE TO ACTUALLY A LOAN. SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH BOOTH SERVICES REGARDING THE OPERATION OF THIS FACILITY AND ON MONDAY RECEIVED FROM THEM SIGNED DOCUMENTS, WHICH I BELIEVE ARE NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF WHICH THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED US TO GO AND NEGOTIATE THIS FACILITY. SOME OF THE CHANGES WHICH HAVE OCCURRED, WHICH I BELIEVE ARE NOT, HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ISSUES OF CONCERN FOR MEMBERS OF THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY NAUD NAUD LINES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES IN TERMS OF HOW THE FACILITY WOULD ACTUALLY OPERATE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE TERMS AND LENGTH OF THE AGREEMENT WERE ALSO SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED. BASED ON THAT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO TODAY IS TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE STAFF TO BEGIN NEGOTIATION PROCESS TO ACQUIRE 700 RED RIVER FROM THE SALVATION ARMY, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NECESSARY PARKING REQUIRED FOR THE EXISTING SALVATION ARMY FACILITY AND ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATIONS FOR ACQUISITION.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, I MIGHT JUST ADD, I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO A WHOLE LOT OF DETAIL, BUT MANY PEOPLE WILL RECALL THAT THERE WAS -- THIS COMMUNITY WAS VERY DISRUPTED, A FEW YEARS BACK, OVER HOW WE WERE GOING TO DEAL WITH HOMELESS SERVICES IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE -- AT THAT TIME SOME OF US GOT OUT THERE PRETTY STRONG IN A WAY TO TRY TO DEAL WITH IT. IT WAS A MULTI FACETED APPROACH. BUT ONE ASPECT OF IT WAS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY REGARDING THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY. THAT WAS NOT IDEAL, BUT THERE IS NOT AN IDEAL SOLUTION TO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE. BUT IT WASN'T IDEAL FOR CONSUME OF REASONS. SOME OF WHICH INVOLVE THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY NOT BEING HAPPY WITH THE -- THE SALVATION ARMY PLAYING A ROLE IN ALL OF THIS. FRANKLY THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON HAVING BEEN BUILDING TO SIT IN INTERMABLE MEETINGS AND TRYING TO COME TO CONCLUDES WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD CONSENSUS. I WANT THE COUNCIL TO KNOW I WAS INVOLVED IN VIRTUALLY ALL ASPECTS OF THIS. WHILE IT WAS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WE STARTED NEGOTIATIONS, IT WAS WELL OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THAT WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS CONCEPT. FRANKLY THIS VOTE TODAY WHICH I AM GOING TO VOTE IN FAVORITE IS A DISAPPOINTING VOTE FOR ME. IT IS DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE IN MY VIEW THE SALVATION ARMY DID NOT APPROACH THIS IN A WAY THAT I BELIEVE TO BE APPROPRIATE. WE BELIEVED IN GOOD FAITH WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON THE TABLE, ALL OF THE WORK THAT WAS GOING INTO THIS, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING WHILE NOT PERFECT, WOULD BE ONE THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD -- IN -- VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY COULD GET BEHIND. I EVEN TALKED TO PEOPLE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE SALVATION ARMY TO BE ASSURED THAT WHAT WE GOT BACK IN RETURN WAS NOT GOING TO BE WHAT WE GOT BACK IN RETURN. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS, THAT THIS VOTE IS IMPORTANT AND IT IS ONE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD ON. FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>>WYNN: YES, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?
>>WYNN: MS. CONNOR, IS BOOTH SERVICES EFFECTIVELY THE SALVATION ARMY?
>> BOOTH SERVICES IS THE ENTITY -- ONE OF THE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THIS PROJECT WAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES THE SALVATION ARMY CANNOT DIRECTLY RECEIVE FUNDS, FEDERAL FUNDS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION. SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS BOOTH SERVICE IT IS -- SERVICES IS THE SECULAR ARM OF THE SALVATION ARMY WHICH THEY IN FACT CAN USE THAT TO GO AFTER FEDERAL FUNDS AND DO PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN EFFECT IT IS A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SALVATION ARMY.
>>WYNN: IT SEEMS TO ME THE REASON WHY WE WERE NEGOTIATING THIS BROAD OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH BOOTH SERVICES OR DE FACTO WITH THE SALVATION ARMY IS BECAUSE THEY OWN THE LAND.
>> YES.
>>WYNN: IF BY NOW WHAT WE ARE DOING IS AUTHORIZING YOU ALL TO NEGOTIATE AND ULTIMATELY PURCHASE THE LAND FROM THE SALVATION ARMY AND THERE BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN OWNS IT, DO WE EVEN BOTHER TO TALK TO BOOTH SERVICES OR THE SALVATION ARMY ABOUT AN OPERATING AGREEMENT?
>> NO. I THINK WHAT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE WOULD ACTUALLY PUT AN RFP OUT FOR THE PRAYING OF THE FACILITY ITSELF. CLEARLY THE SALVATION ARMY, LIKE MANY OR ENTITIES IN AUSTIN, COULD APPLY FOR -- TO ACTUALLY OPERATE THE FACILITY.
>>WYNN: AND OKAY. THEN I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IS IF BY APPROVING THIS MOTION TODAY, AUTHORIZING YOU ALL TO NEGOTIATE A PURCHASE, WILL THAT PURCHASE COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL?
>> YES, IT WILL.
>> OKAY.
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION, WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME BACK FOR THE ACTUAL PURCHASE.
>>WYNN: OKAY. SORRY, LASTLY, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL SORT OF BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS. I REFER TO IT GENERICALLY AS A RULES COMMITTEE, ONE SORT OF A COMMITTEE. HAVE THOSE -- THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY PEOPLE BEEN ADVISED OF THIS? IS THERE -- WHAT'S THE RECEPTION ON THEIR END?
>> ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY WE SENT AN E-MAIL OUT TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE, SOME OF THEM ON THE DESIGN COMMITTEE, THEY ALSO HELPED DEVELOP RULES, OUTLINED PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND OPERATING REQUIREMENTS. WE ALSO SENT AN E-MAIL OUT TO THE STAKEHOLDERS. THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN BACK IS REALLY TO MOVE FORWARD. I THINK THERE'S A SIGH OF RELIEF FROM MANY PEOPLE THEY ARE MUCH MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS PROPOSAL THAN WITH THE INITIAL PROPOSAL THAT WE HAD PUT FORTH.
>>MAYOR WATSON: IF I MADE ADD ON TO THAT, BECAUSE I -- MIGHT ADD ON THAT, I THINK IT'S FOR HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CLARITY ON THIS, MAYBE I WAS TOO VAGUE A MINUTE AGO WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT. THE FACT IS THAT WE HAD -- AT THE TIME WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED, AND LITERALLY THERE WAS -- THERE WAS AN ARTICLE A DAY IN THE NEWSPAPER, A STORY A DAY IN THE NEWSPAPER, PEOPLE WERE IN MY OPINION LEAKING OUT WHERE POSSIBLE SITES WOULD BE BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO AVOID CERTAIN PLACES, THEY KNEW THAT WOULD CREATE CONTROVERSY. IT WAS A NASTY LITTLE PERIOD OF TIME. WE HAD SOME PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE SALVATION ARMY, INCLUDING MR. DICK RATHGRABER SITTING OUT HERE, WHO FOR GOOD, SOLID, HUMANE, PHILTHRANPIC, WHATEVER THE BEST APPROPRIATE ACCOLADE I CAN BESTOW ON HIM, CAME DOWN, SAID HERE'S ONE WAY THAT YOU MIGHT FIND A SOLUTION AND THE SALVATION ARMY MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS. TO SOME DEGREE -- FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I SAY THANK YOU FOR. YOU HAVE CONTINUALLY DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS CITY AND THAT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF IT. SADLY, THAT WASN'T AN EASY FIT. A LOT OF PEOPLE, I THINK, WHILE WILLING TO SAY WHAT SOME INVOLVED WITH THE SALVATION ARMY BELIEVED TO BE A VERY APPROPRIATE GESTURE AND EFFORT TO BECOME INVOLVED, BECAUSE OF THE MISSION AND BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEF IN PEOPLE, ALSO WERE WORRIED ABOUT THAT. NOW WE ARE TO A POINT, WE KEPT THE SALVATION ARMY AT THE TABLE BECAUSE WE BELIEVED THAT THAT WAS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO GET US TO A POSITIVE SOLUTION. SADLY, I DON'T THINK, THIS IS NOT -- I WANT TO BE REAL CLEAR, I THINK MR. RATHGABER DESERVES TO BE CROWNED FOR THE WORK HE'S DONE, BUT SOME OTHERS I DON'T THINK DO. AND SO WE ARE NOW TO A POINT WHERE I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAVE -- WE CAN MAKE SUCH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY OR BOOTH OR SECULAR ENTITY AND I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IS TO A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WERE ALSO AT THE TABLE, THERE IS A SIGH OF REIF WE CAN SOMEHOW KEEP MOVING THE BALL FORWARD. FURTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH?
>>GRIFFITH: YES, SIR. I WANT TO ADD MY THANKS AND ACCOLADES TO MR. RATHGABBER, ALSO TO MR. WATSON, BECAUSE THESE TWO HAVE, THEIR DETERMINATION AND THEIR COMMITMENT THAT THIS CITY IS GOING TO BE A GREAT CITY AND PART OF THAT IS GOING TO BE WE ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HOMELESS FOLKS. AND I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF THEM FOR -- FOR THEIR UNWAIVERING COMMITMENT TO DO THIS, AND I'M GOING TO BACK THEM EVERY WAY POSSIBLE AND MY VOTE ON THIS WILL BE THAT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE NEED A MOTION, TOO, BY THE WAY. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?
>>THOMAS: JUST LISTENING TO EXPRESSIONS ON THE FACE, I JUST WANTED TO -- TO GIVE YOU REASSURANCE AND COMMEND YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING IN THE NASTY STUFF. AND I WOULD BE VOTING FOR IT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. LET ME GET A MOTION ON THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN THEN HEAR FROM PEOPLE.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THE MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO BEGIN THE ACQUISITION PROCESS TO ACQUIRE THE LOT THAT ARE LISTED HERE, I NEED TO MAKE ONE WHICH I THINK IN YOUR AGENDA. HERE'S THE CHANGE FOR THE MOTION, IT SAYS 700 RED RIVER STREET. IT SHOULD SAY 700 NECHES STREET. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NECESSARY PARKING REQUIRED FOR THE EXISTING SALVATION ARMY FACILITY. MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, IS THERE A SECOND?
>>THOMAS: SECOND.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. LET ME HEAR FROM THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FIRST AND -- AND MARY BEN RAMSEY SAID, AS CHAIR OF THE HOMELESS, SHE ASKED ME TO READ THIS. AS CHAIR I SUPPORT THE ACQUISITION OF THE DESCRIBED PROPERTY BY THE CITY TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FACILITY TO PROVIDE A HOST OF HOMELESS SERVICES. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE TO HAVE THE HOMELESS CENTER BUILT AND PLACE UNDERSTAND OPERATION. WE HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL IN VERY SHORT ORDER ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY, ALSO PUT OUT AN RFQ. HOWEVER WE WOULD REQUEST THAT IT BE NOT ONLY FOR THE OPERATION OF THE FACILITY, BUT FOR THE LEASING OF THE PROPERTY TO AN ENTITY THAT WILL BUILD THE FACILITY AND THEN OPERATE SOME SERVICE IN THE FACILITY WITH OTHER SERVICES BEING PART OF A SUB LEASE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS APPROACH WILL RESULT IN HOMELESS SERVICES BEING PROVIDED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE HOMELESS CENTER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAS BEEN PART OF A PLAN CREATED IN 1996 TO ADD TO INADEQUATE NUMBER OF SHELTER BEDS IN OUR CITY WHILE THE CITY HAS CERTAINLY WORKED TO MAKE THIS CENTER A REALITY, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A SHELTER OR PERMANENT HOME FOR THE RESOURCE CENTER. WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THIS ITEM AND MOVE IN ALL HASTE TO ACQUIRE THE LAND, TO ASSURE THIS FACILITY WILL BE BUILT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. MANY THANKS TO THE CITY AND CITY STAFF FOR THE WORK ON THIS PROJECT. I NOPE EARLY 2002 WE ARE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF A NEW CENTER SERVING THE HOMELESS OF OUR COMMUNITY. DAVID GOMEZ, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK? FOLLOWED BY HELEN VARDE. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]
>> ... TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS THROUGH ITS COMPLETION. SO I ASK THAT THAT BE CONSIDERED AND INCLUDED. THIS SATURDAY BEGINS HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK AND I WANTED TO PLUG THAT AND SAY IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE SHELTER A REALITY QUICKLY. I WOULD ALSO OFFER THAT AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH, MENTAL RETARDATION CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO DO ITS ROLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE WITH COLLABORATIVE STANCE WITH WHATEVER MOTIONS AND MOVEMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. HELEN VARDY.
>> HELLO, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CAPITAL AREA HOMELESS ALLIANCE AND WE -- ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS MANAGE THE AUSTIN RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS KNOWN AS ARCH. AND ARCH IS A DAY SHELTER WHERE FOLKS CAN COME AND USE SHOWERS AND GET THEIR MAIL THERE AND HAVE A LOCKER THERE. IT'S HOME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND YOU ALL, I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO VISIT US AT 701 WEST FIFTH ON THE CORNER OF WEST FIFTH AND RIO GRANDE. TWO REASONS, ONE IS THE WEST END BUSINESS ALLIANCE, WHO WAS VERY LEE LUCK TANT TO HAVE US MOVE IN THERE OFTEN TELLS US THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WE'RE THERE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE HOW A SHELTER CAN LIVE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND DO WELL. AND ALSO JUST TALK TO SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE THERE SO THAT THEY ARE REAL PEOPLE INSTEAD OF JUST KIND OF A CONCEPT. THUS FAR AT THE DAY SHELTER WE SERVE 2,777 UNDUPLICATED PEOPLE AND THAT'S A THOUSAND MORE THAN I SERVED AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. AND WHO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE NOW COMING IN IS THE HIDDEN HOMELESS, THOSE PEOPLE LIVING IN MOTELS AND CARS AND DOUBLED AND TRIPLED UP WITH RELATIVES. SO I JUST KIND OF POINT THIS OUT TO SAY THAT THE SHELTER CERTAINLY IS BEING USED. AND THE CITY WAS KIND ENOUGH TO FIND THIS NICE INTERIM LOCATION FOR US. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MOVE INTO THE SALVATION ARMY, THE SHELTER THAT WAS GOING TO BE NEXT TO THE SALVATION ARMY BY THIS NEXT MAY, WHICH CLEARLY WON'T HAPPEN, BUT -- SO WE'LL BE HOMELESS AGAIN AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER INTERIM SITE. BUT WE SURE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PERMANENT HOME, SO WE'RE URGING YOU TO GO AHEAD WITH THE ACQUISITION. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MA'AM. ROSE LANCASTER FOLLOWED BY DICK RATHGABER.
>> MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILL MEMBERS, I AM ROSE LANCASTER AND I SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION. I'VE BEEN ON THE C.A.N. RESOURCE COUNCIL AND THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE SINCE IT BEGAN FIVE YEARS AGO. I ALSO SERVE ON THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN MINISTRY BOARD AND ITS HOMELESS COMMISSION AND SERVE ASBESTOS A LIAISON AND HAVE BEEN TO MANY MEETINGS OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND DESIGN COMMITTEE AND SO FORTH. WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE LAST FEW YEAR. BUT THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE COMPLETED ITS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN DECEMBER OF 1996, THAT'S FOUR YEARS AGO. A MAJOR PART OF THIS PLAN WAS TO DEVELOP A COMPLEX WITH THE RESOURCE CENTER, EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR SINGLE ADULTS AND TO INCLUDE A MEDICAL CLINIC. A ONE-STOP SERVICE CENTER WHERE A NUMBER OF AGENCIES COULD COORDINATE THEIR SERVICES. A FAMILY CENTER WOULD BE LODGED ELSEWHERE. THE COMPLEX -- EXCUSE ME. THE COMPLEX WOULD SERVE THE RECENT HOMELESS AND THE MARGINAL HOMELESS AND GET THEM ON THEIR WAY TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. BUT IT ALSO WILL SERVE AS A CARING PLACE FOR THE CHRONIC HOMELESS. AND HOPEFULLY TO ENGAGE THEM INTO THE MAINSTREAMS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AFTER MANY MONTHS OF VISITING OTHER CITIES AND THEIR PROGRAMS, OUR TEAM FOUND THAT WE WERE WAY BEHIND OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS IN TEXAS. WE ARDUOUSLY SEARCHED FOR A PLACE FOR THESE PLANS TO TAKE ROOT IN AUSTIN, BUT WITH THE REAL ESTATE AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS BEING WHAT THEY WERE AND STILL ARE WE WERE MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS. SO WE REALLY WELCOMED WHEN MAYOR WATSON AND DICK RATHGABER INITIATED THIS PROJECT, ANNOUNCED IN MARCH OF '98, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY BASED ON THE MASTER PLAN OF THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE. MANY OF US WHO PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS OVER THESE FOUR YEARS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEETINGS. THE CITY COUNCILL, WHAT SHE JUST SAID, AND THE CITY STAFF WERE MOST HELPFUL IN PROVIDING THE TEMPORARY RESOURCE IS THERE. AND THIS HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AS MULTI-AGENCIES HAVE COME TOGETHER AT THAT PLACE TO SERVE THE HOMELESS AND WE CERTAINLY PLAN TO REPLICATE THAT CONCEPT IN THE NEW FACILITY. I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT FOUR YEARS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PUBLIC BAN WHICH CHILLIZES HOMELESS WITHOUT PROVIDING MORE PLACES FOR THEM TO LODGE. THERE HAS BEEN SOME INCREASE IN SHELTER BEDS FOR TARGETED POPULATIONS AT SAFE PLACE AND SAFE HAVEN, MHMR. THE CHURCHES HAVE PICKED UP SOME OF THE SLACK ON FREEZE NIGHT AND THE DRAINAGE FEE WAIVER HAS PROVIDED AN ON MODEST AMOUNT OF OTHER SHELTER BEDS. BUT THE HOMELESS ARE STILL WITH US. THEY ARE GROWING. SO NOW IS THE TIME TO MOVE WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY. THE C.A.N. -- [BUZZER SOUNDS] -- ONE MORE STATEMENT. THE C.A.N.'S HOMELESS TASK FORCE IS COMPLETING ITS UPDATE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND IT -- I HOPE THAT WE'LL HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THE BROAD PICTURE OF HOMELESSNESS BASED ON THAT NEW FINDING. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. MR. RATHGABER.
>> MAYOR, NORMALLY YOU ONLY HEAR KIND WORDS LIKE THAT AT A FUNERAL SO I THINK THE CORPSE OUGHT TO SPEAK A LITTLE ANYWAY. [LAUGHTER]. I CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE SAID FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT THE CITY HAS BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO BE FAIR IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS. I AM A MEMBER OF THE STAKEHOLDERS COMMITTEE AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE, AND A LONG TIME SALVATION ARMY BOARD MEMBER. AND I THINK IN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, AND I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE, THE WAY THEY CAME TOGETHER AND REALIZED THAT ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT AN IDEAL SOLUTION, THAT IT WAS THE BEST SOLUTION. AND I THINK THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WE NEGOTIATED VERY HARD ON THIS. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE LOCAL SALVATION ARMY ADVISORY BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR THIS THING THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. AND THEN WHEN IT WENT TO ATLANTA, IT CAME BACK ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SEE, OUR PROBLEM -- FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, OUR LOCAL FOLKS, AND A LOT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY, HAVE WORKED CLOSELY TO SEE THIS TO FRUITION. OUR PROBLEM HAS BEEN IN ATLANTA.
>> THE PROBLEM -- THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S BEEN IN ATLANTA, AND WHEN IT CAME RIGHT DOWN TO IT, THE SALVATION ARMY IN ATLANTA VIEWED THIS FACILITY AS A ANNEX TO THEIR CURRENT FACILITY, WHILE THE HOMELESS REALLY WANTED A HOME OF THEIR OWN, AND THE GAB WAS TOO WIDE TO BRIDGE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. RATHGABER. I MIGHT ADD ONE BIT TO THAT, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR CHARACTERIZATION OF WHAT THEY WANTED IN AT LAN TARX BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I BELIEVE -- ATLANTA, BUT I WAS TOLD AND LED TO BELIEVE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT OUR DESIRES WERE HERE LOCALLY AND THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENED. AND IT WAS ONLY RECENTLY THAT WE HAVE COME TO A CONCLUSION THAT PERHAPS NOT IN GOOD FAITH OR OTHERWISE, THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WERE REALLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE. AND SO IT'S NOW TIME TO MAKE -- MOVE ON, INCLUDING MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY, AND IN MY OPINION, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO NEGOTIATE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY BY CONDEMNATION IF NECESSARY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 15. ITEM 19, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.
>>WYNN: YES, SIR, A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS I GUESS FOR PUBLIC WORKS. THIS IS MY FIRST TRAFFIC CALMING VOTE AND I WAS READING THROUGH THE BACKUP, FIRST QUESTION I NOTICE THAT 75% OF THE RETURN BALLOTS APPROVED THIS PLAN. WHAT HAS BEEN -- WHAT WAS THE -- WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE OF RETURNED BALLOTS. THAT IS, HOW MANY BALLOTS DO WE SEND OUT AND HOW MANY CAME BACK?
>> WE SEND OUT 3,100 BALLOTS THAT GOES TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE PROJECT AREA. AND OF THOSE, 803, OR ABOUT 27%, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WERE A CITY COUNCILL ELECTION, WOULD HAVE BEEN A PHENOMINAL RETURN. AND OF THE 803 THAT WERE RETURNED, 608 VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS PLAN. SO YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 20% FROM THE OVERALL MAILOUT THAT RESPONDED IN FAVOR, AND OF THE VOTES THAT WERE ACTUALLY RETURNED, 75% VOTED IN FAVOR.
>>WYNN: OKAY.
>>SLUSHER: HOW DOES THAT TURNOUT COMPARE TO THE THING YOU DID ABOUT STREET CLOSING?
>> I WOULD SAY WE DON'T GET NEARLY AS MANY CALLS ON CLOSING STREETS OR TRAFFIC LANES IN TERMS OF THE RETURN HERE.
>>WYNN: OKAY. AND THEN LASTLY, MR. RIECK, WHAT IS THE PROCESS ON THE -- HAVING OUR E.M.S. AND FIRE AND POLICE REVIEW THE PLAN?
>> AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, E.M.S. AND -- OR THE EMERGENCY SERVICE IN GENERAL, HAVE PARTICIPATED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEY REVIEWED THE PLANS, THEY MADE THEIR COMMENTS. THEIR COMMENTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IN SOME INSTANCES THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAID WE UNDERSTAND THOSE COMMENTS OR THOSE CONCERNS RELATIVE TO A PARTICULAR DEVICE, FOR INSTANCE, THAT'S BEING INSTALLED, BUT WE PREFER -- WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS, WE UNDERSTAND THE RISKS THAT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BUT WE PREFER TO HAVE THIS DEVICE ANYWAY INSTALLED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS PROCESS IS ACTUALLY CHANGING. THE NEW ROUND OF PROJECTS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON FOR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE CHANGED THE PROCESS SO THAT THE CONCERNS THAT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE WILL OVERRULE ANY DESIRES OR PREFERENCES BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF.
>>WYNN: OKAY. THANK YOU.
>>GOODMAN: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER SURB SO THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN THIS INSTANCE ABOUT THE -- THEIR EMERGENCY CONCERNS -- ARE THERE EMERGENCY CONCERNS THAT DIDN'T GET PRESENCE DENSE HERE? I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE LAST THING YOU SAID.
>> IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. THERE IS ONE SPEED CONTROL DEVICE ON -- NO, IT'S CLOSE TO SIXTH STREET ON -- I'M SORRY. ON BLANCO. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT. THIS AFFECTS MORE ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FINISHING OUT AS PART OF THIS PAST YEAR'S GROUP OF PROJECTS.
>>GOODMAN: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION?
>>WYNN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>GOODMAN: THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. IS THERE ANYONE WANT BE TO BE HEARD ON ITEM 19? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEM 19? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 19. COUNCIL, WHAT I'LL DO IS-LOTS DO THIS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION A MOTION TO RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILL MEETING SO I CAN CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. I'LL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. FOR THE RECORD, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS HAVING A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING. IT IS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2000. WE'RE MEETING IN THE BOARD ROOM AT THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY HANCOCK BUILDING LOCATED AT 3700 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. ITEM NO. 1 IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES WITH AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF OCTOBER 12, 2000. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION MADE BY THE VICE PRESIDENT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 1. ITEM 2, STAFF WILL GIVE A BRIEFING TO THE BOARD REGARDING HOUSING PROGRAMS AND CURRENT YEAR HOUSING INITIATIVES.
>> MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, LET ME ASK PAUL HILGERS IF HE COULD STEP UP. I THINK WE'VE ASKED COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO POSTPONE THIS. THE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IS ILL WITH THE FLU AND WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. WE WANT TO ALSO ON NEXT THURSDAY BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE RESOLUTION THAT COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ SPONSORED AND THE SPECIFIC ITEMS AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING TO FULFILL THE OBJECTIVES ESTABLISHED IN THAT RESOLUTION. BUT I WANTED TO JUST PASS THAT INFORMATION ALONG AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ WANTS TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS, BUT WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIS OFFICE YESTERDAY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>ALVAREZ: YEAH, I THINK -- I MEAN I -- I AM AMENABLE TO POSTPONES IT FOR A WEEK AND GETTING THE FULL STORY, YOU KNOW, THE FULL INFORMATION.
>>GARZA: WE'RE OKAY WITH GOING ONE WEEK. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM POSTPONING THIS ONE WEEK.
>> OR I COULD GIVE YOU A 45-MINUTE PRESENTATION.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ACTUALLY YOU COULDN'T. [LAUGHTER] COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ MOVES POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM 2 FOR ONE WEEK. I'LL SECOND. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 2.
>> WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POSTPONE THE ACTION ITEMS FOR NEXT WEEK AS WELL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL, ITEMS 3, 4, 5, 6, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THOSE FOR ONE WEEK ALSO. MOTION MADE BY BOARD MEMBER THOMAS. SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON THOSE ITEMS. THEY ARE POSTPONED FOR ONE WEEK. AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, LET ME POINT OUT THAT THE COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK BEGINS AT 10:30 A.M. AND THAT THESE ITEMS WILL THEN BE BROUGHT UP AS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AT --
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AT 2:00, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT 2:00 ON THE 9TH.
>> YES, SIR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE BOARD MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. MOTION MADE BY THE VICE PRESIDENT. SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED. I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILL FOR ITS REGULAR MEETING, ITEM NO. 33. I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.
>>WYNN: I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUICK PRESENTATION FROM DRID THIS. ITEM IS THE INTERIM DEVELOPMENT CONTROLS THAT COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONCEPT FOR LAST WEEK IN REGARDS TO CENTRAL BOOKING. THE IDEA IS TO OVER A 90 TO 120 DAY PERIOD COME BACK WITH A TRUE OVERLAY ZONING PROCEDURE WITH A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT IN THE MEANTIME, BUT THIS GOAL IS TO -- IS TO THE INTERIM DEVELOPMENT CONTROL WHILE THAT PROCESS GOES FORWARD. SO MS. GLASCO?
>>GLASGO: GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS WALK YOU THROUGH THE ORDINANCE VERY BRIEFLY SO THE AUDIENCE CAN UNDERSTAND AND THOSE WATCHING WHAT THIS ORDINANCE MEANS. THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE, AS COUNCILMEMBER WYNN JUST DESCRIBED, IS TO ESTABLISH INTERIM DEVELOPMENT CONTROLS FOR THE AREA SURROUNDING THE BLACKWELL-THURMAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER LOCATED AT 500 WEST 10TH STREET, AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO MAINTAIN EXISTING USES IN THE AREA SURROUNDING THE CENTER UNTIL COMPLETION OF A STUDY OF THE AREA, AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING APPROPRIATE LAND USES OF THE AREA ARE COMPLETED. THE -- WHAT THE ORDINANCE REALLY DOES IS TO DO REALLY TWO OF THREE THINGS. ONE IS TO PROHIBIT THE FILING OF DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND BUILDING PERMITS AND CHANGE OF USES WHILE THE INTERIM CONTROLS ARE IN PLACE. SECONDLY, THE ORDINANCE ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THOSE WHO WANT TO REMODEL THEIR HOMES AND TO OBTAIN A VARIETY OF PERMITS THAT DO NOT CONFLICT WITH THE ORDINANCE, THAT WILL BE ALLOWED. SO THE ORDINANCE, WHILE IT PROHIBITS THE FILING OF NEW DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS, WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES DESCRIBED, AND I WILL READ THOSE BOUNDARIES, THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE THOSE BOUNDED ON THE NORTH BY 15TH STREET, ON THE EAST BY GUADALUPE STREET, AND ON THE SOUTH BY 5TH STREET. TO THE WEST BY LAMAR BOULEVARD. SO ALL THE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES AS DESCRIBED WILL BE LIMITED BY THIS ORDINANCE IN THAT NO APPLICATIONS CAN BE FILED OR ACCEPTED WHILE THE CONTROLS ARE IN PLACE UNTIL MARCH THE 1ST OF 2001. ADDITIONALLY, THIS ORDINANCE DOES NOT PROHIBIT OR MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE HOMEOWNERS OR COMMERCIAL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WANT TO REMODEL THEIR HOMES OR ESTABLISHMENTS OR TO OBTAIN MINOR PERMITS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MAINTENANCE OR REMODELING OF THOSE STRUCTURES. THERE IS A WAIVER PROVISION, AS IN ANY ORDINANCE, WHILE THE ORDINANCE DOES PROVIDE FOR THOSE FLEXIBILITIES IN THE EVENT ONE IS COMPELLED TO FILE AN APPLICATION, THERE IS A WAIVER POSITION WHERE WE CAN BRING THOSE INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. SO THE ORDINANCE DOES PROVIDE FOR EXCEPTIONS IN THE WAIVER PROVISION THAT. CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION OF THIS ITEM.
>>WYNN: YES, MS. GLASCO, AND CAN YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE WHAT WILL BE THE PROCESS OVER THE 90 TO 120 DAYS TO DEVELOP A TRUE SORT OF OVERLAY? WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'LL TRY TO DEFINE CERTAIN USES AND HOW WE ULTIMATELY COME UP WITH A PERMIT -- PERMANENT OVERLAY FOR THIS AREA.
>>GLASGO: CURRENTLY WE'RE WORKING WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND DEBORAH THOMAS CAN SPEAK GENERALLY TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT JONATHANLY, BUT THE PROCESS WOULD BE TO PREPARE AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD GO BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ITS RECOMMENDATION AND THEN TO YOU FOR FINAL ACTION AT A PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE WILL WORK THROUGH THE STAKEHOLDERS AND WITH YOUR OFFICE TO DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE NEED TO WRITE, PREPARE A DRAFT WHICH WE WILL PRENLT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT SUCH AMENDMENTS PROCEED FIRST TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND FINALLY TO YOU AT A PUBLIC HEARING.
>>WYNN: AND I ASSUME AS PART THAT HAVE PROCESS THERE WILL BE FULL NOTIFICATION TO ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY AND EVEN PERHAPS JUST OUTSIDE OF THIS BOUNDARY?
>>.
>>GLASGO: WE WILL ENHANCE OUR NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO GO BEYOND WITH WHAT THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES. ON ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS WE ARE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY JUST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, BUT IN THIS CASE IT MAKES SENSE TO NOTIFY THOSE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED, THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES AND PROBABLY SLIGHTLY BEYOND.
>>WYNN: OKAY. THANK YOU.
>>ALVAREZ: MAYOR?
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>ALVAREZ: THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD RIGHT THERE, JUST NORTH OF FIFTH STREET, AND AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED THE BOUNDARIES, THAT WAS -- THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW WOULD SUCH PROJECTS BE AFFECTED. BECAUSE IT SAYS HERE SITE PLANS OR BUILDING PERMITS, BUT I WAS WONDERING HOW OTHER PROJECTS MIGHT BE AFFECTED.
>>GLASGO: ONE, SOME OF THOSE SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS I BELIEVE ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY AND THE PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. IN THE EVENT THAT WE FIND A PROJECT OR MORE THAT ARE AFFECTED, WE HAVE PUT A WAIVER PROVISION WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE, IT'S NOT LENGTHY AT ALL. WE WILL BRING THOSE CASES TO YOU ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. IT'S A VERY QUICK AND SIMPLE PROCESS. THAT WAY YOU ARE ASSURED THAT FOR THOSE THAT NEED TO PROCEED AND ARE NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE ORDINANCE YOU ARE ADOPTING TODAY, YOU GET TO GIVE THEM YOUR INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION TO ALLOW THEM TO PROCEED.
>>ALVAREZ: OKAY. THANKS A LOT.
>>GLASGO: YOU ARE WELCOME.
>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM 33?
>>WYNN: MOVE APPROVAL, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION IS TO APPROVE ITEM 33 BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH. DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEM 33? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL, AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO ENGAGE IN PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551 WE WILL DISCUSS ETHEL SPILLAR, ET AL., VERSUS ROBERT WALKER, ET AL., CAUSE NO. A 98 CA 255 SS PENDING IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS. THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE LONGHORN PIPELINE CASE. LEGAL ISSUES REGARDING THE DAVENPORT RANCH SHARED WATER FACILITIES. LEGAL ISSUES REGARDING WATER TARIFF AND PHASED RATE CHANGES OF AQUA SOURCE UTILITIES, INC. POTENTIAL SETTLEMENT OF CITY OF AUSTIN VERSUS BFI WASTE SYSTEMS OF NORTH AMERICA, ET AL., CAUSE NO. 2295, PROCEEDINGS IN EMINENT DOMAIN IN TRAVIS COUNTY PROBATE COURT NO. 1. CIRCLE C LAND CORP. VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, CAUSE NO. 97-13994 IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. SENNA HILLS, LTD., VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, CAUSE NO. GNO-02847 IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. NORTHTOWN MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, ET AL., VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, CAUSE NO. GV-002658 IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> SO MOVED.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE RECESSED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. FOR THOSE LISTENING AND ARE HERE, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY POSTED ITEMS OTHER THAN ITEMS SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN AT 1:30 P.M. THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 1:30 P.M. HOWEVER, IF WE RECESS OR ADJOURN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE 1:30 P.M., I WILL COME OUT AND LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE AGAIN ONLY AT 1:30 P.M. THANK YOU. WE ARE IN RECESS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ARE WE ON? WE ARE -- [LAUGHTER] -- WE ARE RECESSING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE COUNCIL IS NO LONGER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. HOWEVER, OUR FIRST ITEM IS SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN OF 1:30. SO THE COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE AT 1:30. I ANTICIPATE THAT SHORTLY AFTER WE TAKE UP THE 1:30 ITEMS, VERY CLOSE TO 2:00, THE COUNCIL WILL GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BECAUSE AFTER WE FINISH THE 1:30 TIME CERTAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING SET THEN UNTIL 4:00 TIME CERTAIN. SO THE COUNCIL IS STILL IN RECESS, BUT NO LONGER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION. THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE JENNIFER FAHRENBACHER, FOLLOWED BY GUS PENA, AND THEN JIMMY CASTRO. JENNIFER FAHRENBACHER. ARE YOU JENNIFER?
>> UH-HUH.
>>MAYOR WATSON: PLEASE COME FORWARD, MS. FAHRENBACHER.
>> YOU GOT IT RIGHT. IT'S FAHRENBACHER. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN. HAVING RECENTLY MOVED BACK TO HIGH HOME STATE OF TEXAS FROM SFRANG, I HAVE A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THE HOUSING PROBLEM IN AUSTIN. I'VE READ THROUGH THE I'VE READ THROUGH THE THROUGH THE ROOF REPORT AND THE NUMBERS BASED ON NEED AVAILABILITY IS INCREDIBLE. THE GROWTH HAS BROUGHT GREAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S ALSO MARGINIZED A PROPORTION OF OUR POPULATION. AS A GRADUATE STUDENT LIVING ON A VERY FIXED INCOME, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE FRUSTRATION OF AUSTIN'S HOUSING MARKET. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE FAMILIES IN POVERTY IN AUSTIN. MANY FAMILIES I KNOW HOLD DOWN TWO TO THREE JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND ARE DEFINITELY SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON THEIR RENT. AS DEVELOPMENT GROWS AND OUR BOOKING ECONOMY CONTINUE THE RISE, SO DOES THE COST OF HOUSING. PLEASE DO NOT LIMIT THIS INFLUX OF WEALTH TO TO THE WEALTHY. BE SURE THAT THE HARD WORKING RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO FIND AND MAINTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOUSING. I ASK THAT THE CITY AGGRESSIVELY PROMOTES AND MARKETS THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS TO THOSE IN GREATEST NEED AND TO PROVIDE OUTREACH TO MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS AND MATERIALS IN A VARIETY OF LANGUAGES. EVERY PERSON IN AUSTIN DESERVES SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, DISABLED, CHILDREN, THOSE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. GUS PENA.
>> [INAUDIBLE - NO MIC ON].
>>MAYOR WATSON: LET. LET ME DO NI ROUTINE HERE. GUS PENA. MR. PENA. JIMMY CASTRO. JIMMY CASTRO. JIMMY CASTRO. CLOTEAL DAVIS HAYNES: CLOTEAL DAVIS HAYNES. CLOTEAL DAVIS HAYNES. CAROL HADNOT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS CAROL HTNOT, THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE AUSTIN BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION. MS. HAYNES WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION, BUT SHE HASN'T GOTTEN HERE SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE IT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY STAFF, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES, AND THE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR OUR M.B.E. ORDINANCE FOR MEETING WITH US TO TALK ABOUT A PLAN ON HOW TO INCREASE THE UTILIZATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRACTORS. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE. WE HAVE MET WITH THEM FOR A COUPLE MONTHS TO TALK ABOUT THE UNDER UTILIZATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONTRACTORS AND CITY CONTRACTING. AND UNFORTUNATELY WE BROUGHT YOU ALL A REPORT CARD TODAY TO SHOW YOU ALL HOW YOU HAVE BEEN PERFORMING IN TERMS OF OUR PARTICIPATION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO PASS OUT THE REPORT, BUT I'LL PASS THEM OUT AFTER I FINISH MY PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT WOULD EAT UP MY TIME. FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACTS -- CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AWARD TO DO THE CITY WERE 12. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THOSE CONTRACTS WAS $17,446,610. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUBCONTRACT AWARDS TO AFRICAN CONTRACTORS WERE FIVE. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THOSE SUBCONTRACT AWARDS WAS $265,097. THE PERCENTAGE OF THE SUBCONTRACT AWARD TO AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR THAT PARTICULAR MONTH WAS 0.15%. OUR GOAL IS 2.6. SO WE WERE, LIKE, 94% UNDER THE 2.6% GOAL ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN M.B.E. ORDINANCE. FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACT AWARDS WERE FIVE. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THOSE CONTRACTS WAS $7,536,225. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUBCONTRACT AWARDS TO AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR SUBCONTRACTS WERE THREE. THE TOTAL VALUE WAS $92,133.54. EXCUSE ME. THE PERCENTAGE OF SUBCONTRACT AWARDS TO AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER WAS 0.01%. THAT'S 99.6% UNDER THE 2.6% GOAL ESTABLISHED BY THE ORDINANCE. FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACT AWARDS THE CITY MADE WAS SIX. THE TOTAL VALUE WAS $15,844,623. TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AWATERSHEDS TO AFRICAN AMERICANS WAS THREE. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THOSE SUBCONTRACT AWARDS WAS $21,344. THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CONTRACT AWARDS WAS .0013%. [BUZZER SOUNDS]. SO THAT WAS 99.95% UNDER THE 2.6% GOAL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MS. HADNOT. MS. HAYNES, I'VE ALREADY CALLED YOUR NAME, BUT SINCE YOU ARE HERE, I'LL LET YOU HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES.
>> [INAUDIBLE - NO MIC ON].
>> I'M SORRY FOR BEING LATE. OUT OF BREATH. BUT I'M AWARE OF THE PRESENTATION THAT MS. HADNOT HAD JUST MADE TO YOU. THOSE FIGURES VERY OBVIOUSLY ARE PATHETIC. I MEAN IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THE BEST THAT THE CITY CAN DO IS REACH A 94% UNDERGOAL MARK? THAT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY EFFORT TO TRY TO REALLY MEET THE 2.6% GOAL THERE. AND OUR HOPE IS THAT THE NEXT TIME WE COME TO YOU WITH A REPORT CARD, WE CAN AT LEAST BREAK OUT OF THE 90% UNDER GOAL OF VALUE THERE. WE'RE HOPING THAT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE MINORITY BUSINESS SUBCOMMITTEE, THAT WE CAN RISE ABOVE THAT AND REALLY HAVE SOME CONCERTED EFFORT TO TRY TO IMPROVE THOSE NUMBERS. WE DO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY BUSINESS SUBCOMMITTEE FOR DIRECTING THE STAFF TO WORK WITH US TO COME UP WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO TRY TO IMPROVE THOSE NUMBERS. OUR HOPE IS THAT WITH THE DEDICATION OF THE STAFF AND THE BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, THAT THE REPORT WILL GET BETTER OVER TIME. BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT RIGHT NOW THAT'S JUST AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THIS CITY. WITH WHAT WE OFFER -- YOU OFFER WITH RESPECT TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR RANKS ARE -- THE NUMBER OF BLACK CONTRACTORS IS DROPPING AS WE SPEAK, AND SOON WE JUST SIMPLY WON'T BE AROUND AT ALL. AND THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO US AND WE HOPE THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO YOU. WE ARE REALLY HOPING THAT YOU WILL WORK WITH US, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEND A MESSAGE THAT SHOWS THAT -- OR DEMONSTRATES THAT THIS ISSUE IS A GREAT PRIORITY FOR YOU AS IT IS FOR US, AND THAT'S THE MAIN POINT OF OUR PRESENTATION TODAY. DON'T KNOW IF MS. HADNOT MADE THIS CONCLUSION OR NOT SHE BUT LET ME MAKE IT IF SHE DIDN'T OR REMAKE IT IF SHE DID. CLEARLY WE ARE AT THE GRADE OF F WITH RESPECT TO MEETING THE ORDINANCE AND THE AWARD OF CONTRACTS TO AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRACTORS. CAN WE COLLECTIVELY AGREE TO TRY TO SHOOT FOR IMPROVING THAT GRADE. IF IT'S MONTH BY MONTH, CERTAINLY NOT YEAR BY YEAR, BUT LET'S TRY TO GET AN A WORKING TOGETHER SO THAT DIVERSITY IS REPRESENTED IN ALL OF YOUR CONTRACTING. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.
>>ALVAREZ: YES, I JUST DID WANT TO THANK MS. HADNOT AND MS. DAVIS HAYNES FOR THE WORK ON THIS. THEY'VE MET WITH I THINK ALL OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY AND THEY'VE COME TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS AND AT THE LAST M.B.E. SUBCOMMITTEE -- OR COMMITTEE MEETING WE DID DIRECT STAFF TO WORK WITH THEM AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO IMPROVE OUR PERFORMANCE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS AREA. AND I THINK LAST NIGHT WE HEARD AN ADDRESS, A LOT OF US WERE AT THE AUSTIN PROJECTS AWARD DINNER AND WE HEARD HENRY CISNEROS TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, THE BOOMING ECONOMY AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME, AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WE CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE BLACK CONTRACTORS AND WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH A GOOD STRATEGY SO THAT WE CAN GO FROM AN F TO AN A AT SOME POINT. SLOWLY BUT SURELY. I DID WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE WERE WORKING ON THAT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. LYNN MOSHIER IS THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP, BUT PAUL MARTIN SIGNED UP AFTER HER AND SHE IS DONATING HER THREE MINUTES TO HIM.
>> MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMEMBERS GRIFFITH, GOODMAN AND TOM AS TO PERSUADE THE MAYOR AND OTHERS NEWT TO MOVE CENTRAL BOOKING PRIOR TO COMPLETING AN IMPACT STUDY, ANALYZING THE DATA AND REVIEWING THE ALTERNATIVES. UNFORTUNATELY MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCILMEMBERS ALVAREZ, SLUSHER AND WYNN VOTED TO FOLLOW THE COUNTY'S PLAN, NOT CARING TO DETERMINE IN ADVANCE THE DEGREE TO WHICH CONGESTION AND SAFETY PROBLEMS MAY IMPERFECT I WILL THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THE CITY VOTED TO MOVE THE CENTRAL BOOKING TO ONE OF AUSTIN'S OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS AND WITHIN A BLOCK OF PEASE ELEMENTARY. PERSONS PRESENT TELL ME MR. SLUSHER CHASTIZED THE PARENTS OF PEASE ELEMENTARY FOR ALLOWING THEIR CHILDREN TO HEAR OF THEIR CONCERNS AND REPEAT THEM PUBLICLY. IT'S ODD THAT MR. SLUSHER HAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE RISKS MAY BE TO THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN OF PEASE ELEMENTARY BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT STUDY, BUT EVEN THOUGH COMMON SENSE SUGGESTS THAT THERE COULD BE SERIOUS PROBLEMS, HE EXPECTS THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO QUIETLY AWAIT THEIR FAITH AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. FROM THE BEGINNING, THE PRIMARY ISSUE FOR ME HAS BEEN THE LACK OF A IMPACT STUDY TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEMS THAT MAY OCCUR IF CENTRAL BOOK CITY MANAGER MOVED TO THE COURTHOUSE COMPLEX. NOW THAT THE CITY COUNCILL HAS VOTED TO PROCEED, I STILL ASK THAT YOU CONDUCT SAFETY, PARKING AND TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES BEFORE PROPOSING MITIGATING OPTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN ASKED I GUESS FROM DAY ONE BY BOTH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BY BOTH MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL WHAT MITIGATING OPTIONS WE WOULD LIBLG LIKE SO SEE, ANDt?4 THE -- LIKE TO SEE, AND THE STATEMENTS I'VE MADE REPEATEDLY IS WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE GOING TO BE. COMMON SENSE SUGGESTS THERE COULD BE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS, AND EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN TO, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE CITY COUNCILL SEEM TO BE IN AGREEMENT THAT YES, THERE COULD BE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN MOVING CENTRAL BOOKING TO ONE OF AUSTIN'S OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I FIND IT ESPECIALLY STRANGE THAT SOMEHOW ALL ALONG WE'VE HAD TO FIGHT SUCH AN UPHILL BATTLE TO GET AN IMPACT STUDY TO REALLY TRY TO MORE SPECIFICALLY ASSESS WHAT THOSE PROBLEMS COULD BE. NOW THAT THE CART HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE THE HORSE, SO TO SPEAK, BY MAKING THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT DOING THAT IMPACT STUDY, I STILL WOULD ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER OR THAT YOU DO AN IMPACT STUDY BEFORE PURSUING MITIGATING OPTIONS. FIRST, YOU MAY SAVE MONEY FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY BY CONDUCTING A STUDY IN ADVANCE BECAUSE SOME OF THE PROPOSED MITIGATING OPTIONS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE NOW MAY NOT EVEN BE NECESSARY. YOU MAY FIND THAT MAYBE TRAFFIC ISN'T GOING TO BE MUCH OF A PROBLEM OR PERHAPS THE SAFETY ISSUES ARE NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS THE COMMUNITY PERCEIVES. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU MAY FIND THAT THE CONCERNS OF PEASE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENTS AND CHILDREN MAY BE LEGITIMATE AND PERHAPS THAT EVEN MORE STEPS WILL NEED TO BE TAKEN TO PROTECT THEM. SO WHILE I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO REVOKE YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY AT THIS POINT, I DO IMPLORE YOU TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS MATTER REGARDING A PROPER IMPACT STUDY TO REALLY HAVE A SENSE -- A BETTER SENSE IN ADVANCE OF MOVING TO THE NEW FACILITY EXACTLY WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE SO THAT THEN YOU CAN BETTER PREPARE RATHER THAN MOVING TO THE FACILITY AND AFTER YOU ARE OVER THERE WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS, WHICH IS THE PROPOSAL I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN. EVEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS STATED REPEATEDLY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO REACT QUICKLYLY AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS, WE'LL TRY TO DO SOMETHING BIT. UNFORTUNATELY FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DO US MUCH GOOD IF THE POLICE RESPOND THE A CRIME SCENE, THE CRIME HAS HAPPENED AND HOPEFULLY STEPS WILL BE TAKEN IN THE FUTURE TO PREVENT THAT. BUT WE WOULD PREFER THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY TAKE STEPS NOW TO BETTER DETERMINE WHAT THE REAL PROBLEMS COULD BE AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY NOW TO AVOID THOSE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. SO INSPECT CLOSING, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE -- SO IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THERE ARE MANY ISSUES HERE, IT'S A COMPLEX PROBLEM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE REQUESTED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DELAY UNTIL THESE PROBLEMS ARE BETTER SNOOD. AT THIS -- UNDERSTOOD. AT THIS MONTH YOU STILL HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS, AT THIS RATE IT MAY BE ANOTHER YEAR, BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME TO CONDUCT A PROPER IMPACT STUDY AND MAKE DECISIONS NOW THAT WILL POTENTIALLY PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. MARTIN. SI SI WONG SI SI WONG. SI SI WONG. COUNCIL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE PURPOSE OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE TO EVEN GAUGE IN PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY AS POSTED ON PAGE 2 OF THE AGENDA -- I'M RIGHT ABOUT PAGE 2, PURSUANT TO SECTION 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY READ ALL OF THAT INTO THE RECORD. I'M NOT GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AGAIN, BUT WE WOULD BE RECESS TO GO ENGAGE IN PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.571 TO DISCUSS THE POSTED ITEMS. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. THE NEXT POSTED ACTIONS ARE POSTED FOR 4:00 P.M. IF WE FINISH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE'LL RECESS THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE 4:00, I WILL COME OUT AND ANNOUNCE THAT. HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCILL WILL NOT BE BACK IN FORMAL SESSION HERE UNTIL 4:00 P.M.
>>MAYOR WATSON: IS JENNIFER GALE HERE? JENNIFER GALE. JENNIFER GALE. MARY LEHMAN. MARY LEHMAN. MARY LEHMAN. ALL RIGHT. FOR THE RECORD, WHILE WE'RE NOT TECHNICALLY IN SESSION, THOSE WERE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAD SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION ON THE ADDENDUM AND I MUST ADMIT I SKIPPED OVER THAT AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. IS JENNIFER GALE OR MARY LEHMAN HERE? BECAUSE IF EITHER ONE OF THEM ARE,LY CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. JENNIFER GALE OR MARY LEHMAN. JENNIFER GALE OR MARY LEHMAN. ALL RIGHT, CITY COUNCILL IS IN RECESS UNTIL 4:00.