Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting, 04/19/01

>> WE WILL BE LED IN THE INVOCATION BY PASTOR DAN VEL VILLEREAL FROM SOUTHWEST AUSTIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

>> ETERNAL GOD, YOU TELL US IN YOUR WORD THAT IT PLEASES YOU WHEN WE PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY. FATHER, I PRAY FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THIS CITY COUNCILL OF AUSTIN, I PRAY THAT YOU MAY GRANT THEM KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM, GIVE THEM AND THEIR STAFF THE ABILITY TO GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION AND FACTS THAT THEY NEED FOR EACH ISSUE BEFORE THEM, AND GIVE THEM THE WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION AND DECISION THAT BEST SERVES THE WELL FIR AND WELL-BEING FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO SERVE. I THANK YOU FOR EACH MEMBER OF THIS DISTINGUISHED CITY COUNCIL. I THANK YOU FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE THEIR TIME FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN. GIVE THEM PATIENCE AND AN UNDERSTANDING HEART WITH EACH OTHER AND FOR THOSE WHO STAND BEFORE THEM. GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO ARTICULATE THEIR POINT OF VIEW, BUT ALSO MAKE THEM PERSUADABLE AND APPLYABLE, WILLING TO LISTEN TO -- PLIABLE, WILLING TO LISTEN TO OTHERS AND CHANGE THEIR MINDS WHEN THEY HAVE REACHED THE WRONG CONCLUSION. REMIND THEM, FATHER, THAT ALL AUTHORITY COMES FROM YOU AND YOU EXPECT THAT DELEGATED AUTHORITY GIVEN THEM TO BE DISPENSED JUSTLY, RIGHTEOUSLY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMITMENT THAT THEY HAVE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE. GIVE THEM A SERVANTS HEART SO THAT ALWAYS THE WELFARE OF THOSE WHOM THEY SERVE WILL BE A PRIMARY AND UTMOST CONCERN, NOT THE PROMOTION OF ANY PERSONAL AGENDA, PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT OR PERSONAL ENRICHMENT. IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS LORD, I PRAY. AMEN.

>> AMEN.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERY, VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE A MAJORITY -- WHEN WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

>>.

>>MAYOR WATSON: REGULAR OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILL, WE ARE MEETING IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY HANCOCK BUILDING, LOCATED AT 3700 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA WILL BE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 5TH, 2001. IS THERE A MOTION? APPROACH MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THE MOTION, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MOTION CARRIES WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM TEMPORARILY OFF THE DIAS. LET'S GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED IS 11, 16, WHICH HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA, 19, 39, 47, 51, 52, 53, 54, 60, WHICH HAS BEEN POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. 61. 62,. THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT BEEN PULLED SO THE CONSENT AGENDA WOULD BE --.

>>WYNN: SORRY, MAYOR, 19 CAN BE ADDED BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT CAN BE ADDED BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR THAT NEED TO BE PULLED?

>>THOMAS: YEAH.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS? OH, OKAY. THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 ON SECOND AND THIRD READING, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 634, 64, AND 65. AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>>WYNN: MOVE APPROVAL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THE MOTION, IS THERE A DISCUSSION?

>>SLUSHER: MAYOR?

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

>>SLUSHER: MY UNDERSTANDING IS 61, 62 IS NOW GOING TO THE C.A.N., JUST AS A -- AS USUAL AS A SOCIAL SERVICE REQUEST -- AS SOCIAL SERVICE REQUESTS DO.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THOSE HAVE BEEN PULLED BY YOU AND I WAS -- WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO IS BRING THOSE UP. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS IN CONSENSUS OR AGREEMENT THAT THEY SHOULD GO TO C.A.N. AS IS THE NORMAL COURSE. I WAS GOING TO TAKE THAT UP A SEPARATE MOTION. IF THERE IS CONSENSUS THAT OUGHT TO BE PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE UP 61 AND 62 AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>>SLUSHER: IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

>>THOMAS: THAT IS TRUE, ON THE LAST OF THE RESOLUTION I DID ADD THAT IN THERE?

>>SLUSHER: LET'S KEEP IT OFF.

>>MAYOR WATSON: OKAY. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA?

>>GOODMAN: MAYOR, DID YOU ALREADY READ A LIST OF THOSE THAT ARE PULLED BEFORE YOU DID THAT?

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES.

>>GOODMAN: OKAY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MR. WALKER?

>> ON ITEM 12, WHICH RELATES TO THE RDMT FACILITY AT MUELLER AIRPORT, SUBDIVIDED OUT AT THE MUELLER AIRPORT SITE. I SIGNED UP AT NEUTRAL ON BEHALF OF THE MUELLER NEIGHBORHOODS COALITION JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER WITH THE SITE, WITH THE FACILITY BEING THERE. WE ARE GLAD WE ARE STARTING TO SEE ACTIVITY OUT THERE. WE WOULD JUST LIKE FOR COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT THAT PROJECT DIDN'T NECESSARILY GET TO THE POINT IT'S AT RIGHT NOW IN THE SMOOTHEST OF WAYS, OR THE WAYS THAT WE WOULD LIKE FUTURE MAJOR FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY CITY OF AUSTIN, WHERE THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS INVOLVED IN THEM, THAT THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE A HEADQUARTERS OR ANY KIND OF BUILDING LIKE THAT, THAT -- THAT MORE OF THE PLAN WOULD BE -- WOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE PRINCIPALS OF THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE FROM THAT SITE FROM THE GET GO. WHILE WE ARE THANK FOR THE FACADE AND LANDSCAPE AMENDMENTS MADE TO THAT PLAN, IT WAS NECESSARY UNNECESSARY THAT IT HAD TO BE THAT HARD TO GET THAT STUFF. SO WE WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT THAT WAS A DIFFICULT PART OF THAT PROJECT. BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING ACTIVITY OUT THERE.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MR. WALKER, ALSO SIGNED UP AS NEUTRAL ON ITEM 13. AND NEUTRAL ON ITEM NO. 14.

>> OOPS. [LAUGHTER].

>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THAT IT? ALL RIGHT, RENA DIETRICK? RENA DIETRICK? COUNCIL SHE WILL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM NO. 59.

>> GOOD MORNING. ACTUALLY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, MA'AM.

>> SO THAT'S PASSED ALREADY?

>>MAYOR WATSON: IT WILL PASS WHEN WE TAKE A VOTE.

>> OKAY. I WAS JUST GOING TO STATE THAT I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE WERE ANY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ? ANYONE ELSE WISH TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA?

>>THOMAS: MAYOR?

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

>>THOMAS: I JUST NEED TO CHANGE THE WORDING ON -- ON 63, I THINK, IT HAD 30 DAYS COME BACK IN 30 DAYS AND TALKING TO PAUL HILLGERS, HE NEEDS MORE TIME. SO I NEED THE -- LEAVE THE WORDING TO 60 DAYS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, IT CAME TO ME AS 60 DAYS BURKE IF THE RESOLUTION DOESN'T INDICATE 60 DAYS AS PART OF THE PASSAGE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS THE MAKER OF THE MOTION DO YOU CONSIDER THAT FRIENDLY.

>>WYNN: YES, I DO.

>>MAYOR WATSON: I CONSIDER IS FRIENDLY AS THE SECOND. ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES THE CONSENT AGENDA IS PASSED. LET US GO TO APPROXIMATE -- ONE SECOND. BECAUSE IT IS MY HOPE AND BELIEF THAT 61 AND 62 WILL BE RATHER RAPID, LET ME GO AHEAD AND CALL UP ITEM NOS. 61 AND 62 AND WHAT I WILL SAY IS IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION SO THAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH 61 AND 62, THESE POTENTIAL FUNDING ITEMS, THAT IS THEY WOULD BE SENT TO THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, WHICH IS THE -- THE TYPICAL OR GENERAL COURSE FOR REQUESTS OF FUNDING LIKE THIS. THEY WOULD BE SENT TO COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK FOR CONSIDERATION. THE MAKER OF -- COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS HAS AGREED TO THAT AS WE JUST DISCUSSED A MOMENT AGO. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS WITH YOUR PERMISSION I'M GOING TO CALL ON COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ WHO HAS INDICATED HE WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE THE ITEM PULLED.

>>ALVAREZ: YES, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO MAYBE ASK STAFF OR -- OR I GUESS WE MIGHT HAVE SOME FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK HERE WHO COULD EXPLAIN HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS AND BECAUSE I KNOW THAT -- I KNOW -- DOES IT GO TO THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL, RESOURCE COUNCIL AND THEN WHEN IT COMES BACK, I THINK UNDER THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION THEN -- WE ARE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THAT CONTRACT, SO I WAS WONDERING IF TYPICALLY AFTER IT GOES TO THE C.A.N. PROCESS, DOES IT COME BACK TO US FOR APPROVAL OR INDEED DOES IT THE CITY MANAGER JUST GO FORWARD AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT.

>> MR. LORI?

>> YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, DAVID LOURIE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THE REQUEST WOULD GO TO THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK FOR THEIR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH THEN WILL BE FORWARDED BACK TO THE CITY COUNCILL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

>>ALVAREZ: I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT'S NOT THE PROCESS OUTLINE UNDERSTAND RESOLUTION, SO I WOULD WANT TO CHANGE IT TO REFLECT THE FACT THAT IT WOULD COME TO THE CITY COUNCILL FOR APPROVAL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS I WILL CALL ON COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS TO MAKE A MOTION AND ASK COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS IF YOU AGREE WITH THAT, IF YOU WOULD MAKE THAT CHANGE AS -- CHANGE AS PART OF YOUR MOTION.

>>THOMAS: LET ME GET A CLARITY. HE WANTS IT TO COME THROUGH C.A.N. AND THEN COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: AND THEN IT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, WHICH IS THE TYPICAL PROCESS.

>>GOODMAN: MAYOR, IF I CAN CLARIFY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MAYOR PRO TEM.

>>GOODMAN: THE COUNCIL SENDS THINGS TO C.A.N. AND C.A.N. IN RETURN ANALYZES AND MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL. SO THEY DON'T MAKE IT TO THE CITY, PER SE, THEY MAKE IT TO US. WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT -- WHICH IS IN AGREEMENT WITH WHAT COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ WAS SAYING.

>>THOMAS: OKAY. YEAH.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS MOVES APPROVAL WITH THE CHANGE THAT IS SUGGESTED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THE -- WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO VOTE ON IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME. IS THAT YOUR MOTION?

>>THOMAS: YES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO --.

>>MAYOR WATSON: SURE. LET'S GET A SECOND. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

>>THOMAS: YEAH, I HE JUST WANTED TO NOTE ON THIS -- GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOME. PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON -- ON THE ISSUE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

>>MAYOR WATSON: I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET.

>>THOMAS: THE CARDS. ALL RIGHT.

>>MAYOR WATSON: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WHAT I AM GOING TO DO NOW IS I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. FOR THOSE THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, LET ME INDICATE WHAT THE MOTION IS. THE MOTION IS TO SEND THIS ITEM FOR THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, WHICH IS GOING TO REVIEW THE ITEM AS PART OF THE FUNDING OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY. ONCE THEY -- THAT IS TENNALLY WHAT IS DONE ON ITEMS WHERE THERE IS A REQUEST FOR FUNDING OF SOCIAL SERVICES. WHEN THAT -- WHEN IT GOES TO THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME AT THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, THEN IT MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL AND IT WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR THE COUNCIL'S VOTE. SHERYL TAYLOR GEORGE. DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK OR JUST BE SHOWN IN FAVOR.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ALL RIGHT. PLEASE COME FORWARD. GABRIELLE GEORGE.

>> THAT'S MY BABY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: WHAT'S HE GOING TO SAY [LAUGHTER].

>> HE'S GOING TO SAY HE THINKS YOU ALL NEED TO VOTE FOR THIS WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: STEP UP THERE.

>> MY NAME IS SHERYL TAYLOR GEORGE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU JUST FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK THIS MORNING. THIS IS MY LITTLE BOY, HIS NAME IS GABRIEL, HE'S TWO. AND SICKLE CELL IS A DISEASE THAT YOU DON'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT BECAUSE IT MAINLY AFFECTS AFRICAN AMERICANS. AND I WANTED TO PUT A FACE TO SICKLE CELL. DIABETES AND LEUKEMIA. AND MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ALL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. (CRYING) BUT SICKLE CELL DOESN'T HAVE ANY FUNDING, THEY HAVE VERY, VERY LITTLE. AND THE SICKLE CELL ASSOCIATION OF AUSTIN, WITH THE LITTLE THAT THEY HAVE, THEY DO QUITE A BIT. WE JUST GOT TWO CASES OF WATER AND JUICE FROM THEM ON SATURDAY. BECAUSE DEHYDRATION CAUSES BABIES WITH SICKLE CELL TO GO INTO CRISIS AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT MYSELF, I'M AN ATTORNEY. I WAS A CRIMINAL PROSECUTOR FOR KEN ODEN FOR ALMOST FIVE YEAR, I HAD MY BABY AND I HAVEN'T GONE BACK TO WORK SINCE. THE MAIN REASON IS BECAUSE HE HAS SICKLE CELL AND I WANT TO BE HOME WITH HIM TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. I JUST WANT TO SAY WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, WHEN YOU CAN DO IT, IS BABIES LIKE GABRIEL THAT YOU WILL BE HELPING AND A LOT MORE. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING GABRIEL. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. LINDA THOMAS. TO BE FOLLOWED BY MS. EM TAYLOR. AND THEN FEATURE M.SPACE FINLEY.

>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS LINDA THOMAS, I'M WITH THE SICKLE CELL ANEMIA ASSOCIATION OF AUSTIN. WE ARE THE SOLE ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT, RESOURCES, EDUCATION TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY SICKLE CELL DISEASE. SICKLE CELL DISEASE DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT THE HEALTH, BUT IT ALSO AFFECTS THE CYCLE -- PSYCHOSOCIAL, THE ECONOMIC STATUS. A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS COULD NOT BE HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION. WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO REQUEST THAT, PLEASE, CONSIDER FUNDING US. WE DO HAVE A -- A BOARD AND ONE OF OUR MEDICAL DOCTORS COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS MORNING; HOWEVER HE DID SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER THAT COULD NOT BE WITH US, BUT SHE ALSO SENT A LETTER OF SUPPORT WITH PICTURES. IT DOES PRIMARILY AFFECT AFRICAN AMERICANS, HISPANICS, ASIANS, WE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED THREE REFERRALS FOR THREE CAUCASIAN FAMILIES. THIS -- THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCREENS FOR FIVE DIFFERENT NEWBORN CONDITIONS EVERY YEAR. SICKLE CELL DOUBLES ALL FIVE OF THOSE CONDITIONS. BUT, YET, VERY LITTLE IS SAID OR DONE ABOUT SICKLE CELL. AND WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MA'AM.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MS. EM TAYLOR, FOLLOWED BY FEATURE M.SPACE FINDLEY AND MARK THOMAS.

>> YES. HELLO. I'M EM TAYLOR. AND I HAVE SICKLE CELL ANEMIA. I WAS DIAGNOSED AT AGE 12 DOCTORS WERE SAYING THAT I WAS JUST MAKING MY ILLNESS UP. AND IT'S A HARD ROAD TO TOW, HAVING SICKLE CELL IS NOT JUST A PHYSICAL PROBLEM, IF YOU ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY STABLE, IT CAN BE A MENTAL PROBLEM. I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR US TO HAVE SOMEPLACE STABLE TO BE. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MA'AM, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. FEATURE M. FINDLEY. PP.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS FEATURE FINDLEY. AND I AM THE MOTHER OF A SICKLE CELL SON. MARK THOMAS. HE WAS DIAGNOSED WHEN HE WAS THREE AND A HALF. AND THAT WAS AROUND 1960. THERE WASN'T VERY MUCH INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR SICKLE CELL PATIENTS. BUT WE WERE BLESSED TO -- TO MEET A DOCTOR THAT HAD ACCESS TO THE PATIENTS AT THAT POINT IN TIME AND IT WAS APPROXIMATELY FIVE CHILDREN. AND OUT OF THOSE FIVE CHILDREN, MY SON IS -- IS THE SOLE SURVIVOR. NOW, WHAT I WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOU IS THIS DISEASE IS VERY DISABLING. AS YOU GET OLDER, THE CRISIS CAUSES SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE MAJOR ORGANS. AND THOSE, OF COURSE, BECOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS FOR TREATMENTS. THE LUNG PROBLEM ORCHID KNEE PROBLEMS AND SO THE LUNG PROBLEM OR KIDNEY PROBLEM AND SO FORTH. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REACH OUT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN FOR PARENTS THAT MAY NOT -- THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE, BECAUSE I WAS NOT AWARE, I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF SICKLE CELL AT THE TIME MY SON WAS DIAGNOSED. THE ONLY THING THAT I KNEW ABOUT WAS LEUKEMIA AND HEMOPHELIA, I BELIEVE, WHEN THEY WERE TELLING ME MY SON NEEDED ALL OF THESE BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND THAT WAS THE ONLY DISEASES THAT I KNEW THAT DID REQUIRE BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. BUT AS MY SON HAD HIS CRISIS, AVERAGING THREE -- THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AT THE AVERAGE, THAT HE WOULD REQUIRE A BLOOD TRANSFUSION. AND THIS WENT ON MOST OF HIS ELEMENTARY YEARS. AS HE GOT OLDER, THEN THE REQUIREMENT WAS A LITTLE BIT LESS. BUT LIKE I SAY, MY CONCERN IS THE EARLIER A PARENT CAN BECOME AWARE OF WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW AND THAT REQUIRES FUNDING IN ORDER TO DO THE REACH -- THE RESEARCH AND GET OUT TO THE PEOPLE OR EVEN JUST LETTING THEM KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO TO BE TESTED. TO FIND OUT. SO I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY, REALLY BE GRATEFUL BECAUSE THIS WAY WE WOULD HAVE MUCH MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE. AND BEING A MOTHER OF A SICKLE CELL CHILD, I WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK TO SOME OF THE PARENTS THAT ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES ACCEPTING OR DEALING WITH WHAT THE DOCTOR KEEPS TELLING THEM THAT IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THEIR SON HEALTHY OR THEIR DAUGHTER HEALTHY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MA'AM. MR. THOMAS, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK?

>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS. I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING. YES, I AM A SUFFERER OF SICKLE CELL ANEMIA. IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE DISEASE, IT IS VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU AT LEAST -- WELL, NOT VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE DISEASE, THAT IS VERY GOOD. BUT MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE DISEASE EXCEPT FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT HAVE EITHER SUFFERED FROM IT OR EVEN HEARD ABOUT IT. AND NOW WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE IT'S NOT ONLY AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT SUFFER FROM THE DISEASE, SO WE DON'T WANT FOR JUST PREDICT THAT -- THE MAJORITY OF IT IS AFRICAN AMERICAN, BUT WE ARE COMING INTO OTHER RACES THAT HAVE THIS DISEASE NOW AND SOME OF THE RACES WOULD BE SOMEONE STAGGERING TO -- TO -- TO THE ACTUAL PERSON BECAUSE -- BECAUSE MOSTLY EVERYONE BELIEVES THAT IT'S AFRICAN AMERICAN. BUT THIS ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED FOUR YEARS AGO. IT WAS ESTABLISHED BECAUSE I, MYSELF, SUFFERED FROM IT AND AT ONE POINT IN TIME I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FROM ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT REALLY HELPED ME. SO THIS GAVE ME THE ABILITY TO TRY TO BECOME A CHAMPION FOR THE DISEASE, ALSO. I WANT TO BE THE -- I WANT TO BE THE MAIN CHAMPION WITHIN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO HELP FOR SICKLE CELL ANEMIA IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY. THERE IS NO OTHER ORGANIZATION. THERE IS NOBODY PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THIS. THERE IS NOTHING GOING ON IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND RIGHT NOW WE -- WE ARE GROWING AND I KNOW IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIP, IF WE HAD THE RIGHT FUNDING, IF WE HAD THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO -- TO QUADRUPLE THE 65 CLIENTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. JUST ESTIMATED, THERE'S OVER 184 SICKLE CELL CHILDREN THAT WERE BORN LAST YEAR, JUST WITHIN REGION VII, THAT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF AUSTIN. ROUND ROCK, PFLUGERVILLE, THESE ARE ALL STILL AUSTIN SURROUNDING AREAS. 184 CHILDREN BORN WITH SICKLE CELL ANEMIA RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY ARE GOING TO BE NEEDING ASSISTANCE. THEY ARE GOING TO BE NEEDING EDUCATION AS FAR AS HOW TO TREAT THE DISEASE OR EVEN FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISEASE. THEY ARE GOING TO NEED -- RESOURCES WHERE THEY CAN GET BETTER DOCTORS, SOME TYPE OF REFERRAL SYSTEM, THAT'S WHAT WE OFFER MUCH OUR ORGANIZATION OFFERS. WE WOULD LIKE TO REFER THEM TO BETTER HOME GLOBE -- HEMOGLOBIN DOCTORS. THOSE ARE THE BEST DOCTORS. EVERYBODY THINKS THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD ONCOLOGY DOCTORS, THEY HANDLE CANCER, BUT A HEMATOLOGIST IS WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIND BETTER HEMATOLOGISTS IN THE AUSTIN AREA. THIS ORGANIZATION IS FUNDED REALLY TO BE A VOICE FOR THE SICKLE CELL PERSON. [BUZZER SOUNDING] IN AUSTIN. I GUESS MY TIME IS UP.

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, SIR, YOUR TIME EXPIRED.

>> PLEASE CONSIDER OUR PLEA THIS MORNING FOR BACKING. AMEN.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOU ALL MAKE A COMPELLING CASE. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

>>THOMAS: COULD I ASK A QUESTION.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

>>THOMAS: MR. THOMAS, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION, HOW MANY DOCTORS HAVE YOU COME IN WITH, THAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE DISEASE.

>> THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH SICKLE CELL ANEMIA?

>>THOMAS: RIGHT.

>> WE HAVE DOCTORS THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT. WE HAVE A GREAT PEDIATRICIAN DOCTOR. AND HIS NAME IS DR. WELLS, WE ARE WORKING WITH HIM, HE'S GREAT. I MEAN, HE'S -- AND WHAT I CONSIDER GREAT IS A DOCTOR THAT WANTS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT HE'S COMBATING. WE HAVE PLENTY OF DOCTORS THAT ARE ONCOLOGISTSES THAT TREAT IT OR DIAGNOSE IS, WE DON'T HAVE A CHAMPION DOCTOR HERE IN AUSTIN. THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GARNER ON OUR BEHALF. ONE THING, TOO, HE'S A PEDIATRICIAN DOCTOR, HE'S VERY GOOD, BUT WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE GETTING OLDER, THEY ARE GOING TO NEED ADULT DOCTORS. MY CONFIDENCE IN ADULT HEMATOLOGISTS HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN HASN'T BEEN VERY GOOD. I HAVE WORKED WITH DOCTORS THAT -- I'M FAMILIAR WITH A DOCTOR BUT HE'S NOT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT IS REALLY, REALLY -- HAS REALLY, REALLY STUDIED SICKLE CELL ANEMIA, I WAS ONE OF HIS PATIENTS SO I WAS TRIVIALED AT THAT TIME. BUT I WANT TO BRING THERE OF THAT SAME INFORMATION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A GOOD DOCTOR OR -- IT PROBABLY IS A DOCTOR THERE, BUT OUR RESOURCES HAVEN'T REACHED THAT PERSON JUST YET. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW. IT IS SOME -- THERE IS SOME GOOD DOCTORS OUT THERE THAT'S FAMILIAR WITH THIS.

>>THOMAS: THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. THOMAS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM 61 AND 26 TOM THOMAS JUST ONE QUESTION I MEANT TO -- IN THE C.A.N. PROCESS, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE ON THE C.A.N. PROCESS?

>> A COUPLE OF THINGS, COUNCILMEMBER. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THERE IS A STANDARD C.A.N. PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH EVERY THREE YEARS FOR CONTRACTS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES. AND THAT'S FUNDED BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. WE ARE NOW IN THE SECOND YEAR OF A THREE YEAR PROCESS, WE ARE GOING OUT FOR PROPOSALS NEXT YEAR, THE NEXT THREE YEAR CYCLE. THERE'S ALSO AN EMERGENCY PROCESS WITH THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK FOR CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THOSE THREE YEAR CYCLES. THAT'S WHAT THIS WOULD BE RELATED TO AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT THE NETWORK USES IN TERMS OF -- OF WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING IS CONSIDERED AN EMERGENCY IN THE COMMUNITY AT THE MOMENT. THAT'S THE PROCESS THIS WOULD GO THROUGH. IT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK. THEY CAN REFER IT TO ONE OF THE C.A.N. PARTNERS FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT, THAT COULD TAKE MAYBE ANOTHER 30 DAYS. OUT OF THE CYCLE, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK FOR CONSIDERATION OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL BUDGET PROCESS. FOR CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING. TOM THOMAS I THINK THE RESOLUTION WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, THAT'S WHAT IT READS.

>> PROBABLY 60 DAYS WOULD BE MORE REALISTIC.

>>THOMAS: OKAY.

>> BUT WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN. IT HAS TO GO TO THE C.A.N. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THEY MEET MONTHLY.

>> I WOULD HOPE THIS WOULD FALL UNDER THE EMERGENCY --

>> THAT WOULD BE THE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE EMERGENCY CRITERIA. YES, SIR.

>>THOMAS: THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMEONE ELSE SIGNED UP, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE A CARD FOR THEM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE ELSE THAT SIGNED UP. IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE WISHING TO BE HEARD?

>> I TOLD HIM DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS BEEN SAID.

>>MAYOR WATSON: OKAY.

>> THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD ADD IS THAT I LIVE WITH SICKLE CELL EVERY DAY AND IT ONLY AFFECTS ME, IT AFFECTS MY DAUGHTER AND THE DAY TO DAY THAT I LIVE WITH IT, I HAVE -- I HAVE KIDNEY FAILURE AND NOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT MY LIVER AND MY HEART. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. AND -- AND AT THIS -- AT THIS POINT I AM FRIGHTENED THAT I MIGHT BE DEAD BY THE AGE OF 33. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TELLING ME DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, JUST LIVE YOUR LIFE EVERY DAY. BUT I'M TRYING TO HOLD ON TO GOD'S UNCHANGING HAND. BUT I LIVE WITH IT AND IT'S HARD. EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYING EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY. I'M A GOSPEL SINGER, I TRY TO DO MY BEST TO TEACH MY DAUGHTER THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO IN LIFE. AND WE ALWAYS GO TO CHURCH, EVERY TIME THE CHURCH DOORS OPEN WE ARE THERE. AND I'M GOING TO HOLD ON TO GOD'S UNCHANGING HAND AND DEAL WITH THIS DISEASE BECAUSE -- WITHOUT GOD, I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD A LONG TIME AGO. SO I KNOW HE'S THE ONE THAT'S GUIDING ME AND WAKING ME UP EVERY DAY, TOO. -- TO REMAINS THAT EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT. -- TO REALIZE THAT EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT. SO I WILL BE PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE MOTION HAS BEEN PASSED AND WE WILL GET WHAT WE NEED. FOR NOT ONLY ME, BUT FOR THE OTHER SICKLE CELL PATIENTS THAT I KNOW OF THAT'S DEALING WITH THIS. AND I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT PASSED AWAY FROM IT. I'M THE ONLY ONE OUT OF MY FRIENDS THAT'S LIVING. I JUST MET A RECENT LADY WITH SICKLE CELL AND WE BECAME FRIEND, BUT ALL OF THE ONES THAT I KNOW OF THAT I HAD FRIENDS WITH A LONG TIME AGO ARE PASSED AWAY. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. THE MOTION HAS PASSED. 7-0 VOTE ON ITEMS 61 AND 62, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING DOWN HERE. THANK YOU. ONE OTHER NOTE THAT I WILL MAKE, ON ITEMS 78 AND 79, WHICH ARE ZONING ITEMS SET AT 4:00 TIME CERTAIN, THOSE WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY KNOWN AS THE BENNETT TRACT ITEMS, COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ WILL AT THAT TIME BE MAKING A MOTION FOR POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 3RD, 2001. SO -- SO I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT JUST SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHEN WE GET TO THOSE ITEMS THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ITEMS SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL MAY 3RD, 2001. NEXT ITEM WILL BE ITEM NO. 2, BRIEFING ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK INCLUDING LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES.

>> GOOD MORNING, HOW IS THAT FOR A SEGUE, I'M SANDY DOCHEN --.

>>THOMAS: EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY. I WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY I REALLY APPRECIATE MARCUS THOMAS AND LINDA THOMAS COMING TO MY OFFICE. I WAS REALLY EDUCATED BY SICKLE CELL AND THE THING ABOUT IT, THEY DIDN'T COME TO BE BEGGING FOR ANYTHING. THEY REALLY CAME TO GIVE ME INFORMATION AND I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD PUT IT TO THE COUNCIL AND I KNOW THAT THE HEART OF THE COUNCIL WOULD BE FOR -- TO SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS. AND BETTER -- BETTER THE SUPPORT FOR SICKLE CELL. THEY -- THEY CAME WITH ME, A LOT OF INFORMATION IN KIND INFORMATION. THEY WASN'T ASKING FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY WAS JUST EDUCATING ME. I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND THEIR EFFORTS. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

>> THANK YOU. I HAVE THE REALLY WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE THIS YEAR, COUNCILMEMBERS, OF CHAIRING THE RESOURCE COUNCIL OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK. WE ARE A 13 PARTNER ENTITY. YOU, THE CITY, ONE OF OUR BEST MEMBERS, FRED BUTLER OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS HERE, HE WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK PRESENTATION WITH SOME TRANSPARENCIES AND SAM WOOLARD WHO ALSO WORKS ON OUR VERY LEAN AND NOT MEAN STAFF IS ALSO HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST TELL YOU, I'M SURE THAT YOU ALL IF YOU HAD TIME TO READ THE LEAD EDITORIAL IN THE PAPER TODAY, IT'S SO APPROPRIATE TO WHAT I THINK THE C.A.N. IS ALL ABOUT. THE PROGRESSIVE POLICY INSTITUTE RELEASED THIS STUDY. IT TALKS ABOUT THE CULTURES DO BEST IN THE NEW ECONOMY WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS. PEOPLE FEEL THEY ARE IN IT TOGETHER, RISK TAKING IS ACCEPTED AND EVEN ENCOURAGED, PEOPLE ARE -- PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO CROSS INSTITUTIONAL BORDERS, BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND LABOR TRUST EACH OTHER. CIVIC LEADERS FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ENGAGED IN VISIBLE LEADERSHIP ROLES. THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK IS TO -- TO REALLY UPHOLD THIS SORT OF THINKING. IT'S WHERE -- WHERE FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR COME TOGETHER. WE DO A LOT OF PLANNING, WE DO A LOT OF THINKING, WE DO A LOT OF DELIBERATION A LOT LIKE YOU DO, BUT FOCUSED ON THE SOCIAL SERVICE ISSUES. AND THE -- THE DIALOGUE, MEANINGFUL AS IT WAS WE JUST HAD IS REALLY APPROPRIATE TO WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT. THE HOPE IS THAT WE ARE NOT DELAYING ISSUES LIKE THIS, THAT WE ARE GIVING THEM A VERY FIRM PLANNING KIND OF A FOCUS WHERE WE CAN SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE WITH A LOT OF PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE, FOR INSTANCE, AT A CITY COUNCILL MEETING. AND BRING SOME FOCUS, SOME PRIORITIZATION. I WANT TO COMPLIMENT AND REALLY THINK THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ FOR BEING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE RESOURCE COUNCIL OF THE C.A.N.. YOU ALL ARE REALLY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. WONDERFUL STAFF LIKE DAVID LOURIE FROM WHOM YOU HAVE JUST HEARD HAVE REALLY TAKEN A VITAL LEADERSHIP ROLE. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FRED BUTLER UP. HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE. OUR REASON IN BEING HERE IS THAT WE WOULD MAKE A OATH THIS YEAR TO TRY TO COME VISIT EACH OF THE C.A.N. PARTNERS ONCE OR TWICE IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO BRING YOU AN UPDATE, OUR CREDIBILITY, SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT. SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE AND WORK WITH YOU. FRED?

>> THANK YOU, SANDY. COUNCILMEMBERS, THANKS FOR HAVING US. WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU IS CONTAINED IN THE INFORMATION THAT WE PLACED ON YOUR -- YOUR PLACE THIS MORNING. THERE IS A COPY OF THE LATEST C.A.N. PAMPHLET WHICH GIVES YOU THE DOWN AND DIRTY ON THE MISSION VISION GOALS AND THE ISSUE AREAS IN WHICH WE ARE WORKING, OF COURSE, WHICH IS ALL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THERE'S ALSO A COPY OF THE MOST RECENT C.A.N. PRODUCT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE BIGGEST ONE THAT WE HAVE EVER DONE, BUT IT'S REALLY THREE AND ONE, IT'S THE HEALTH ASSESSMENT PLANNING DOCUMENT, PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES ALL CONTAINED THEREIN. I THINK YOU RECEIVED A COPY PERHAPS FROM DAVID LOURIE'S OFFICE, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THERE FOR YOU TO UTILIZE AS YOU WOULD IN THE NEXT WEEKS TO COME. WHAT I WILL SAY TO YOU REALLY IS BASED UPON THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THIS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WHICH SANDY HAS ALREADY TOUCHED ON AND ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS. WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT TRYING TO ARRIVE AT SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S ONLY DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE COOPERATION OF THOSE 13 PARTNERS, WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE. THE OTHER IDEA IS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY IN A PLANNING PROCESS, BUT ALSO IN AN IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS. THAT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT. BECAUSE AS YOU ALL KNOW, TO GET US FROM POINT A OF PLANNING AND ASSESSING TO POINT B OF MAKING SOMETHING HAPPEN WAS -- AS WAS SO WELL DEMONSTRATED BY THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAD ABOUT THE SICKLE CELL ISSUE, THAT'S WHAT REALLY TAKES THE EFFORT AND THE C.A.N. IS REALLY TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD IN THAT AREA AS WELL. FINALLY, IS TO COORDINATE AND OPTIMIZE BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ACTIONS AND RESOURCES -- THAT GOES TO THE VERY -- THE SAME ISSUE THAT YOU MADE WITH THE SICKLE CELL POSITION THAT WAS TAKEN THIS MORNING. ONE MORE TIME, THE 13 PARTNERS THAT THE C.A.N. HAS IN THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ARE DEMONSTRATED HERE, ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR, I THINK, WITH ALL OF THEM. BUT WHAT THIS DOES TO AN ORGANIZATION OR AN AGENCY THAT WE GO TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE C.A.N. IS DOING IS SHOW THE LEVERAGE THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE ECONOMIC PARTNERS, WE HAVE PARTED ERS THAT ARE RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO CHRAB BLAIT -- COLLABORATING ON EDUCATION ISSUES, PARTNERS COLLABORATING AROUND RESEARCH. IT'S THE BROADEST BASE IN A COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE SEEN. WE HAVE JUST CAME BACK FROM A NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF PLANNING COUNCILS, WHICH DO ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING THAT THE C.A.N. DOES. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT FROM THE 100 OR SO REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS THE NATION, THIS COMMUNITY HAS ONE OF THE BEST MODELS IN BRINGING TOGETHER THE PUBLIC SIDE AND THE PRIVATE SIDE TO LOOK AT PARTICULARLY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ISSUES. STRUCTURALLY THIS MODEL WAS DEVELOPED REALLY QUITE SOME TIME AGO. MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN WAS INVOLVED IN THIS AS WAS YOUR COUNTY JUDGE SAM BISCOE AND OTHERS WHO LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID WE NEED THREE PIECES TO THIS STRUCTURE, WE NEED A COMMUNITY INPUT PIECE, A POLICY DECISION PIECE, AND AN IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCE EVALUATION PIECE. THAT'S THE WAY YOU SEE THEM ON THIS SLIDE. THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETS ONCE A MONTH. IN FACT IT MET JUST MONDAY NIGHT OF THIS WEEK AND THE ISSUE THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS RACIAL RECONCILIATION. THERE WAS A PANEL, THERE WAS GOOD INTERACTION AMONG THE 30 OR SO COUNCILMEMBERS THAT WERE THERE, COMMUNITY COUNCILMEMBERS THAT WERE THERE REPRESENTATIVES DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, ET CETERA, A DECISION WAS MADE TO LOOK AT HOW CAN WE BECOME INVOLVED IN TRAINING AND PREJUDICE REDUCTION AND THAT WAS THE TYPICAL -- TYPICAL OF WHAT THAT ORGANIZATION DOES. IT WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE RESOURCE COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE POLICY BODY, AND OF COURSE THAT'S WHERE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN SIT AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY PARTNERSHIP IN THAT BODY. THAT'S WHERE THE DECISIONS ARE MADE. THE ISSUE THAT IS BEFORE US OR WILL BE BEFORE US AROUND THE SICKLE CELL FUNDINGING STUFF, IS THE VICE CHAIR, THOSE THREE BODIES, BUT WILL ALSO IF NECESSARY COME BACK TO THE RESOURCE COUNCIL IF THERE IS SOME DECISION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO YOU AS THE CITY COUNCILL MEMBERS, IT'S A GOOD SOLID PROCESS. ON THAT POLICY BODY WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, TWO BOARD MEMBERS OR THE C.E.O. AND A BOARD MEMBER FROM ALL OF THOSE 13 PARTNERS, TWOUF CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, TWO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, TWO UNITED WAY BOARD MEMBERS, TWO BOARD MEMBERS FROM ARROW, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK DO. REALLY FOUR THINGS. FOUR GOALS. YOU CAN SEE UP THERE, WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A KEY AND VERY TIME CONSUMING OPERATION THAT THE C.A.N. DOES. WE TRY TO PROVIDE SOME PRIORITIZATION FOR STRATEGIES BECAUSE THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH FUNDING TO GO AROUND TO DO ANYTHING OR NEVER ENOUGH [INAUDIBLE] IN THE COMMUNITY TO DO EVERYTHING. MOBILIZE, LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES. AS YOU KNOW THE MOST LIKELY PLACE WHERE ANYONE WHO HAS A FUNDING ISSUE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S INVOLVED IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OR MANY OTHER THINGS WILL COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FIRST BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT AS THE LOGICAL PLACE TO GO. WHAT THE C.A.N. IS TRYING TO DO IS TO LEVERAGE THOSE PUBLIC RESOURCE WAS ALL OF THE OTHER PRIVATE RESOURCES THAT EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND VERY DIFFICULT TO DO. BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN WHAT WE PAY OUR TACKS, THAT'S PUBLIC DOLLARS, IF WE HAVE PUBLIC PROBLEMS, THAT'S WHERE WE OUGHT TO GET THE DOLLARS FROM, BUT WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WITH THOSE PUBLIC RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY WITH REDUCTION IN NATIONAL FUNDING STREAMS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THROUGH THE STATE IN BLACK GRANT DOLLARS, SO FORTH. THE FOURTH ONE IS TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS, NOT ONLY OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, BUT TO WHAT THE PARTNERSHIP IS DOING AND TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY. IN OTHER WORDS, A CALL TO ACTION TO EVERY PLACE WE GO, WE TALK TO INDIVIDUALS, WE ARE ASKING THEM TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. THE C.A.N. HAS SEVERAL HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS THAT MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS. SOME AS OFTEN AS EVERY TWO WEEKS TO PRODUCE THE REPORTS THAT YOU SEE AND TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN AS FAR AS THE IMPLEMENTATION ISSUE IS CONCERNED. THANKS. SPEAKING OF PROVIDING THE INFORMATION, THESE ARE THE -- THE REPORTS THAT THE C.A.N. PRODUCED OVER THE LAST 20 OR SO MONTHS. YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT. I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THAT. BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE REPORTS DEALS WITH A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ISSUE. THEY ARE ALL AVAILABLE ON THE C.A.N. WEBSITE WHICH IS SIMPLY CACTION.ORG. THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT I HAVE ALREADY POINTED OUTLET TO YOU IS THE HEALTH PIECE. I HAVE CORRECTED THE SLIDE. WE DID HAVE THE ROLLOUT. SEVERAL OF YOU WERE THERE FOR THAT PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE SECOND OF APRIL. THE MAYOR WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GIVE US THE ANCHORING COMMENT AND THE CALL TO ACTION THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS REPORT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THEM AS A COMMUNITY. MAYOR PRO TEM WAS THERE AND SPOKE AS WELL. IT WAS A VERY GOOD PRESS CONFERENCE. THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE CORRECTED UP THERE, WE HAVE THREE REPORTS, THE ONES THAT YOU CAN SEE MARKED IN THE -- IN THE INK MARKS WHERE I WROTE IN THERE, THAT'S HOMELESSNESS, STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM, MENTAL RETARD DATING, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND -- RETARDIZATION, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND EDUCATION, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE SUMMER. THAT WILL GIVE US A FULL REVIEW AND UPDATE OF ALL OF OUR 12 ISSUE AREAS IN A 24 MONTH PERIOD WHICH QUITE FRANKLY IS A SIGNIFICANT MHMRMENT, IN MY VIEW, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT IT TAKES THESE VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE THING. WE ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT. THE SECOND ONE PRIORITIZING STRATEGIES AND MOBILIZING RESOURCES. WE WILL -- WE HOPE TO HAVE OUT BY THE END OF THIS MONTH AN URGENT ISSUE ACTION PLAN WHICH TAKES EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE TWO ISSUE AREAS AND THE PLANNING BODIES, THE GRASS ROOTS GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING ALL OF THIS WORK IN EACH OF THESE AREAS WILL HAVE IDENTIFIED FOUR OR FIVE URGENT ISSUES IN EACH ONE OF THOSE AREAS AND THEN SPECIFIC ACTION STEPS THAT ARE INVESTABLE BOTH WITH HUMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT REPORT WILL COME OUT AND THAT WILL GIVE A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT EXACTLY WHAT IN FACT ARE THE URGENT ISSUES AND HOW CAN THEY INVEST IN THOSE. AGAIN, WE ARE LAERCHLING YOUR PUBLIC DOLLARS WITH HOPEFULLY MANY -- LEVERAGING YOUR PUBLIC DOLLARS WITH HOPEFULLY MANY PRIVATE CARS IN THE COMMUNITY. SIGNIFICANT PIECE. DESIRED RESULTS, WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS, WHAT ARE THE INVESTMENTS? AS I SAY WE ARE GOING TOMORROW TO THE RESOURCE COUNCIL, SO COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN, IF YOU COULD VOTE FOR PASSING THIS, SO WE CAN GET IT ON THE STREET THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR TOMORROW. IT'S A GOOD DOCUMENT, I THINK THAT YOU WILL FIND IT VERY USEFUL IN DELIBERATION THAT'S YOU ARE MAKING AS WELL ABOUT RESOURCES. INCREASING AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING. WE WERE HERE, I THINK, A COUPLE OF APPROXIMATE OF MONTHS AGO, SHOWED YOU THE SEVEN MINUTE VIDEO ON SOCIAL EQUITY PRODUCED BY LEADERSHIP AUSTIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK. A POWERFUL VIDEO THAT LOOKS AT WHAT IS REALLY THE CAUSE OF ACTION FOR US TO SUPPORT THE THIRD E OF ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, EQUITY. TERRIFICALLY IMPORTANT PIECE. ALWAYS THE SHORT SHRIFT, THE SHORT LEG IN THAT THREE LEGGED STOOL IS THE SOCIAL EQUITY LEG. THAT VIDEO EVERYONE SIZES THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST MORE AND ALSO A CALL TO ACTION TOO ANYONE THAT WE ARE SHOWING THAT VIDEO TO TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE EFFORTS OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CALL THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK. WE ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE. I TALKED ABOUT THAT. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, TAKE A MINUTE AND GO. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXTREMELY VALUABLE INFORMATION. A LOT OF THE CITY STAFF, COUNTY STAFF AND ALL OF OUR PARTNER STAFF USE THAT INFORMATION ON A REGULAR BASIS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN WRITING OF GRANTS, SDURG ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND JUST PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT CHILD CARE, HOMELESSNESS, BASIC NEEDS, PUBLIC SAFETY, ET CETERA. AS YOU LOOK DOWN, BELOW, WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PIECE IN JUST A MOMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S A NEW EFFORT FOR THE C.A.N. THIS YEAR, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF -- OF THE THREE BODIES, THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL AND THE -- AND THE RESOURCE COUNCIL ARE TELEVISED ON CHANNEL 6 COURTESY OF YOU, THE CITY, TO ALLOW TO US DO THAT. THERE'S A -- IT IS AMAZING TO ME THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SCAN THROUGH THAT CHANNEL AND CALL US AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE SAW YOU, WE LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE, THE ONE ON RACIAL RECONCILIATION WAS TELEVISED ON MONDAY NIGHT, WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS FROM PEOPLE SAYING WHAT CAN I DO TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT EFFORT? SO IT'S A TERRIFIC RESOURCE FOR US AND THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY WILLING TO DO THAT AND WE APPRECIATE THE TELEVISION STAFF FROM CHANNEL 6 TO DO THAT FOR US BECAUSE THAT'S EXTRA TIME FOR THEM TWO TIMES A MONTH. THE SOCIAL EQUITY COMMISSION, LAST THREE BULLETS HERE, I THINK THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THEY WILL PROVIDE YOU AT LEAST AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THEIR REPORT BY THE EBB OF APRIL. MUCH OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS IN THAT REPORT IS BASED UPON A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK VOLUNTEERS DID ACROSS THESE ISSUE AREAS. WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY VALUABLE FOR YOU IN MAKING SOME ADDITIONAL DECISIONS ABOUT SOCIAL EQUITY. THE SUSTAINABILITY INDICATOR PROJECT, WHICH WILL PUBLISH ITS SECOND REPORT PROBABLY BY THE MIDDLE OF MAY, WILL ALSO TRACK TO GIVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION TO YOU ABOUT DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT ONLY IN THE EQUITY AREA, BUT ALSO IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC AREA. IT'S A GOOD PRODUCT. WE MET YESTERDAY ON THAT ONE. FINALLY, I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT THE GREATER AUSTIN NETWORK SUMMIT NUMBER 2 WILL BE ON JUNE 6TH OF THIS YEAR. THE CITY IS ONE OF THE FOUR MAINLY SPONSORING PARTNERS IN THAT. THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK OF COURSE IS -- HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO MAKE THAT A SUCCESS AS WELL. THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT THE C.A.N. DECIDED TO SPONSOR THIS YEAR, IT'S THE FIRST TIME DURING A LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT THE C.A.N. HAS TAKEN THIS ON. IN FRONT OF YOU IN THAT LITTLE MANILA FOLDER I PUT ON THERE IS A COPY OF THIS. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAD FIVE ISSUES. EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 211 INFORMATION NETWORK PIECE, WHICH HAS BEEN IF THE PRESS JUST THIS MORNING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CHAPTER 41, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IN EACH OF THOSE, THERE WAS A SPECIFIC OUTLINE AND THAT IS WHAT IS INCLUDE UNDERSTAND THAT SHEET THAT'S IN THAT FOLDER. IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE C.A.N. AND ALL OF ITS PARTNERS THAT VOTED TO SUPPORT THIS AGENDA REALLY WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN. FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE HAD ONE OF THE C.A.N. STAFF THIS YEAR WHO IS EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE AND SAM WOOLARD HAS GONE OUT OF HER WAY TO TRY TO PROVIDE TO ANYONE THAT IS ON OUR E-MAIL LIST, THE STATUS OF ISSUES THAT RELATE TO THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES. AND THE BILLS THAT ARE ON THE FLOOR AND WHAT THE PROGRESS IS. SO SAM HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF PROVIDING THAT TO ALL OF OUR PARTNER MEMBERS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND SHEET IN THERE, IT SHOWS YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE STATUS OF ALL OF THESE PARTICULAR LEGISLATIVE ISSUES, SOME OF THEM ARE GOOD NEWS, SOME OF THEM ARE NOT GOOD NEWS. IN PARTICULAR, THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PIECE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE TCADA IS GOING TO SUFFER AGAIN FROM REDUCTION IN FUNDING AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE RESOLUTION OR THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY WILL BE THERE. CHAPTER 41, THERE LOOKS LIKE THERE MAY BE POSITIVE THINGS, 211 IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S SOME POSITIVE THINGS HAPPENING THERE. BUT AGAIN IT'S A QUESTION OF FUNDING, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE ANYTHING AVAILABLE TO FUND IT. CAN YOU APPROVE THE NETWORK, IF YOU CAN'T FUND ITRONIX ISN'T GOING TO PROVIDE ANY SERVICES TO ANYBODY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING, A COUPLE OF BILLS THERE THAT ARE POSSIBILITY. PROBABLY THE MOST PROGRESS, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR CHILD CARE, BUT ALSO THE ABILITY FOR MEDICAID SIMPLIFICATION, WHICH IS A REALLY STEP FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE FOLKS THAT NEED THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE AND THE -- AND THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT IS THERE. THE -- THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR FIVE YEARS AS OF THIS MONTH. AND IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN THE MOST EXCITING, CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT, AND MOTIVATING JOB THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN ON. I WAS AN AIR FORCE COLONEL, I RETIRED AFTER 26 YEARS, FLEW FIGHTER JETS IN VIETNAM. AND HAD A WONDERFUL MILITARY CAREER. I WAS ADMINISTRATOR AT A CHURCH FOR THREE YEARS AFTER THAT WHERE LEARNED HOW TO TRANSITION FROM THE MILITARY TO THE CIVILIAN COMMUNITY. I DEALT WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE WALKING IN OFF THE DRAG, UP AT UNIVERSITY METHODIST. I KNEW AT THAT TIME THAT I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS MODEL, THIS -- THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY IS AN AMAZING WAY FOR US TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF OUR ISSUES. IT AIN'T NO PANACEA, YOU ALL KNOW THAT. EVERY DAY YOU SIT UP HERE AND YOU DEAL WITH THE REALLY TOUGH ISSUES. YOU DO A GREAT JOB. AND THE C.A.N. IS TRULY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE FOLK THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE C.A.N. EFFORTS, ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS THAT DO ALL OF THE WORK TO PRODUCE THESE REPORTS AND TRY TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN ARE EXTREMELY DEDICATEDDED TO SUPPORTING WHAT YOU ARE DOING AS LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY AND ALSO WHAT THIS COMMUNITY CAN DO TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER. WE THANK YOU, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEING HERE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]

>> ... IS A FORUM. THAT WAS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR WE JUST RELEASED THE HEALTH ASSESSMENT. OUR JOB IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IS TO GO TO EACH OF OUR PARTNERS AND REMIND THEM THEY HELPED WRITE THIS REPORT, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A WORKFORCE BOARD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES DO, WHAT CAN THE CITY DO, THE UNITED WAY? HERE IS AN INCREDIBLE BODY OF INFORMATION. THE GOOD NEWS WE KNOW WHAT OUR ISSUES ARE, WE GOT TO GET TOGETHER. THE C.A.N. IS AN EXAMPLE, AN ENTITY THAT HELPS US GALLON HAVE A NICE, SHARE THAT INFORMATION, LEVERAGE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, NONPROFIT SECTORS. WE THANK YOU. WE'RE DELIGHTED YOU ARE A PARTNER, WE HOPE YOU ARE HELPING YOU. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.

>>ALVAREZ: I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SHARING THAT WITH US. REMINDING US HOW MUCH THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND I THINK FOLKS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO WORKING IN NONPROFITS OR COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO COORDINATE, EVEN JUST A HANDFUL OF ORGANIZATIONS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE C.A.N. HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW WITH -- 30 OR PLUS ORGANIZATIONS, IT'S JUST MIND BOGGLING. THEN WE HAVE SUCH A LIMITED STAFF, MY HAT IS OFF TO OUR STAFF CERTAINLY FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO. ONE OF THE THINGS -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WOULD WANT TO SPEAK TO IT, BUT CERTAINLY SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK THE ISSUE OF TRYING TO LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSES AND LOOKING AT CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND LOOKING AT PREVENTION STRATEGIES AS ONE OF THE MAIN FOCUSES ACROSS ALL THE ISSUE AREAS IS SOMETHING THAT I CERTAINLY WAS IMPRESSED WITH BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE ISSUES, MAYBE LIKE THE URGENT ACTION ISSUES, WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE IMMEDIATE ACTION. ULTIMATELY WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING IS LOOKING IN THE LONGTERM HOW CAN WE PREVENT SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS FROM CONTINUING OR FROM ESCALATING. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WOULD WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I CERTAINLY THOUGHT THAT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK BRINGS TO THE ABLE IS WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE A PREVENTION APPROACH, PREVENTIVE APPROACH TO SOLVING SOME OF THE THESE PROBLEMS AS WELL AS LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE CURRENT, THE URGENT ISSUES CURRENTLY AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THEM. I REALLY DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LOOK AT THE URGENT ISSUES ACTION PLAN AND THAT HOPEFULLY, THAT MAY BE APPROVED TOMORROW OR AT LEAST WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE RESOURCE COUNCIL TOMORROW. BUT IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT AND WANT A SINGLE DOCUMENT WHAT ARE THE URGENT ISSUES IN TERMS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, IT IS AN INCREDIBLE DOCUMENT. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED BECAUSE OUR STAFF CERTAINLY, BUT THE RESOURCE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE WORK GROUPS AND EE-BECAUSE THERE'S MANY, MANY FOLKS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN AND IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF TIME. BUT I THINK IT HELPS US AS DECISION-MAKERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ATTENTION ON. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [TECHNICAL PROBLEMS].

>>GOODMAN: AND DAVID FOR ALL THEY DO AND NOTE THAT IT REALLY IS OUT OF THE BOX FOR US TO BE SEEN --. [TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. ].

>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER COMMENTS?

>>THOMAS: YES. I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND FRED AND HIS GROUP FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS. WE'VE BEEN AT MEETINGS TOGETHER AND HE HAD SOME GREAT IDEAS TO HELP THE HOMELESS AND DIFFERENT -- [TECHNICAL PROBLEMS].

>> THEN WE HAVE A SECRETARIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT PERSON. WE RELY ON OUR VOLUNTEERS TO DO THE WORK. WE COORDINATE IT. SO WHEN SPECIFIC REQUESTS LIKE THE SICKLE CELL ISSUE WILL COME TO THE C.A.N., WE WILL HAVE TO UTILIZE THE GOOD GRACES OF ALL THE VOLUNTEERS TO DO ALL OF THE RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION INTO THE MILK BUILT, HOW MUCH EMERGENCY IS IT, WHAT IS THE FUNDING RELATIONAL ISSUES AND SO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO TIME WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF WHATEVER GROUP THAT WE ASK TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND COME BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND EVENTUALLY TO THE RESOURCE COUNCIL AND BACK TO YOU. THAT'S THE REASON WHEN DAVID WAS STANDING UP HERE LOOKING AT ME AND YOU WERE ASKING FOR 30 DAYS AND I'M SHAKING MY HEAD THERE'S NO WAY -- NOT AND DO A CREDIBLE JOB. WE COULD CERTAINLY PROVIDE AN ANSWER IN 30 DAYS, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. THE POINTED IS LOOK AT ALL THE ISSUES. WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO ASK ONE OF OUR PLANNING GROUPS, WORK GROUPS, LOOK AT THIS BEFORE WE CAN COME BACK WITH AN ANSWER. THAT'S WHY THE 60 TO 90 DAYS IS THE MOST REALISTIC. WE'VE DONE FOUR OR FIVE OF THESE IN THE PAST. I THINK MOST CAME OUT WITH A REASONABLE RECOMMENDATION THAT COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT. THERE WAS SOME FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED, BUT THERE WAS ALSO SOME FUNDING THAT CAME FROM COUNTY AND SOME OF THE OTHER C.A.N. PARTNERS, WHICH IS ALWAYS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO MAKE HAPPEN. SO THAT'S THE GOAL WE WANT TO, AGAIN, LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES. BECAUSE IT COMES BACK DOWN TO A FUNDING ISSUE. EVERY PERSON TALKED ABOUT WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR SICKLE CELL AWARENESS OR EVEN TREATMENT UNLESS WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. WELL, THAT'S -- AND THE CITY COFFERS ARE TAPPED. AND WE KNOW THAT. SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WEMENT TO TAKE ENOUGH TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND A COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE. PARTICULARLY AROUND FUNDING.

>>THOMAS: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU ALL. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WILL BE ITEM NO. 11. I'LL CALL ON COUNCILMEMBER WYNN AS THE PARTY THAT PULLED THE ITEM. BY THE WAY, FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE, WE HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NO. 11. THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CLOSED. SO TODAY IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND MAKE DECISIONS HOWEVER WE SHOULD MAKE A DECISION. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.

>>WYNN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE SITUATION IN ITEM 11, WITHOUT TAKING UP TOO MUCH TIME, CITY STAFF HAS ASKED THE CITY COUNCILL TO CLARIFY THE AMBIGUITY IN THE LANGUAGE GOVERNING REPLACEMENT OF BILLBOARDS. UNDERSTANDABLY THE DEBATE -- THE FOCUS OF THE DEBATE HAS SHIFTED TO WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD EVEN ALLOW REPLACEMENT BILLBOARDS AT ALL. AND SO AT LAST MEETING I ASKED THAT THE VOTE BE DELAYED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND WITH THE HELP OF MY STAFF, A BUNCH OF DEDICATED PEOPLE, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TRYING TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AND SEE IF THERE WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY A THIRD ALTERNATIVE TO BRING TO COUNCIL TODAY. OUR DILEMMA IS SIMPLY THIS. WE'RE BEING FOLD THERE IS ESSENTIALLY NOTHING WE CAN DO TO RESTRICT BILLBOARD COMPANIES LIKE REAGAN, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM REPAIRING THEIR EXISTING BILLBOARDS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT EFFECTIVELY REPLACES THEM OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SO BY DEFAULT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REPLACEMENT ORDINANCE IN PLACE. WHAT WE -- DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN IDENTIFYING A STRATEGY THAT WOULD BRING BILLBOARDS DOWN WITHOUT EITHER RUNNING AFOUL OF STATE LAW OR PERHAPS [INAUDIBLE] FOR CLAIMS OF COMPENSATION. SO I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE STAFF CLARIFICATION ON THE ISSUE THAT WAS ACTUALLY BEFORE US TWO WEEKS AGO, KNOWING THAT WHAT THEY ARE ASKING US TO DO IS CLARIFY THIS AM BYE GU TI. I AM STILL VERY MUCH WILLING TO TALK TO ANYBODY AT ANY TIME ABOUT ANY STRATEGY THAT COULD BRING BILLBOARDS DOWN, AND IN FACT I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION IS OFFERING TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE UP THE ISSUE AND STUDY IT OVER-PERIOD OF TIME. PERHAPS SHIELDING US FROM THE PAIN. ULTIMATELY I'LL BE WILLING TO COME UP WITH ANY -- WORK WITH ANYBODY TO COME UP WITH ANY STRATEGY THAT REASONABLY CAN BRING BILLBOARDS DOWN WITHOUT PUTTING THE CITY OR TAXPAYERS AT RISK. BUT IN THAT INTERIM TIME, I'M PREPARED TO MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 11, WHICH IS THE CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF THE CLARIFICATION OF OUR AMBIGUOUS REPLACEMENT ORDINANCE.

>>SLUSHER: SECOND.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO ADOPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. MAYOR PRO TEM.

>>GOODMAN: I HAVE WHAT I THINK MAY BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE COUNCILMEMBER'S MOTION THAT DOES NOT TRY TO REWRITE THE ORDINANCE TODAY, BUT WOULD PUT UNDER SECTION D A NO. 3, WHICH IS THE CITY SHALL PROVIDE 30 DAYS WRITTEN NOTICE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT AUTHORIZING REPLACEMENT OR RELOCATION. AND THAT WOULD BE IN ORDER FOR THE INTERESTED PARTIES TO -- EXCUSE ME, BEGIN WORKING TOGETHER AND HAVE AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SIGN CONDITIONS AND THE SIGN OWNERS AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

>>WYNN: YES, I DO.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, DO YOU CONSIDER THAT FRIENDLY?

>>SLUSHER: I DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT.

>>GOODMAN: MR. KINNEY IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND THIS WAS A -- GERARD KINNEY, AND THIS WAS A PROPOSAL, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S FROM SCENIC AUSTIN OR FROM HIM PERSONALLY, BUT I WOULD ASK HIM TO CLARIFY IF YOU NEED DETAILS BEYOND THE LANGUAGE. HERE'S THE LANGUAGE.

>>SLUSHER: I SEE THE LANGUAGE. I DON'T HAVE IT.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE KNEW WHAT -- WHO THE INTERESTED PARTIES WOULD BE.

>>GOODMAN: WELL, WE DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL WE COME REGISTER WITH US, I GUESS. ALTHOUGH I CAN BET SCENIC AUSTIN WILL BE ONE OF THEM.

>> I REMEMBER YOUR READING WAS FOR US TO CONTACT THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND --.

>>GOODMAN: AND WE CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL THEY NOTIFY US THEY ARE INTERESTED.

>> OKAY. I UNDERSTAND.

>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO KNOW WHO THAT IS GOING TO BE? WHAT WILL HAPPEN OF COURSE IS SOMEBODY WILL SIGN UP AS A INTERESTED PARTY, NOTICE WILL BE GIVEN AND SOMEBODY ELSE WILL SHOW UP AND SAME I'M A INTERESTED PARTY, BUT I DIDN'T GET TO SIGN UP BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE YOU ALL DIDN'T GIVE ME NOTICE.

>>GOODMAN: WE COULD CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE TO SAY AFTER A PARTY HAS NOTIFIED THE -- THAT THE LIST OF INTERESTED PARTIES ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOTIFIED THE CITY THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED PARTIES.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THEN WE'LL DEMONSTRATE THE DISCIPLINE TO SAY OKAY, WE DIDN'T GIVE NOTICE TO YOU BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T A INTERESTED PARTY AT THE TIME THEY COME DOWN AND TELL US. YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

>>GOODMAN: RIGHT.

>>MAYOR WATSON: DO WE HAVE A TIME DEADLINE WHEN THEY HAVE TO SIGN UP TO BE A INTERESTED PARTY?

>>GOODMAN: WHAT WOULD BE THE PURPOSE?

>>MAYOR WATSON: WELL, BECAUSE THE WAY -- GENERALLY IT HAPPENS IS WE SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE NOTICE TO INTERESTED PARTIES. NOW WE'RE SAYING THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DEFINE A INTERESTED PARTY IS THEY HAVE TO TELL US THEY ARE A INTERESTED PARTY. SO WE HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME, WHATEVER THAT IS, THEY SAY I'M A INTERESTED PARTY. WE THEN SEND THEM NOTICE. THEN WHEN SOMETHING COMES UP, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHERS SHOW UP AND SAY I AM A INTERESTED PARTY, AND WE SAY, WELL, NOT UNLESS YOU SIGNED UP AND THEY SAY HOW DID I KNOW TO SIGN UP BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T GIVE ME NOTICE AND WE END UP GETTING IN THAT CYCLE SO WE DON'T MAKE A DECISION. WE THEN GO REDO NOTICE AND COME BACK AND THEY SAY -- THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY NEW. I WASN'T AT THIS MEETING SO I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS A INTERESTED PARTY.

>>SLUSHER: MAYOR -- GO AHEAD.

>>GOODMAN: IF I'M NOT CORRECT IN THE PROCESS, TELL ME. THIS IS A ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL. IT DOESN'T COME TO COUNCIL. SO THE TIME FRAME MEANING 30 DAYS BEFORE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SIGN, THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WOULD SEND OUT NOTICE TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAD COME AND REGISTERED WITH THE CITY. THEY CAN'T BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T TELL THEM, AND THERE IS NO CITY COUNCIL HEARING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S SIMPLY ASSISTIVE.

>>MAYOR WATSON: WELL, EXCEPT THAT AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAS BEEN THAT IT STILL HAPPENS -- PEOPLE WILL SIGN UP FOR GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS, COME DOWN HERE AND SAY I WAS A INTERESTED PARTY AND STAFF DIDN'T TELL ME BIT. AND THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE ACTION. WE WILL FIND OURSELVES INVOLVED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER UNLESS WE SET UP A SYSTEM THAT SAYS THIS IS WHEN YOU HAVE TO LET US KNOW YOU ARE A INTERESTED PARTY; OTHERWISE YOU CANNOT BE A INTERESTED PARTY.

>>GOODMAN: WELL, I DON'T KNOW, I'M STILL NOT CLEAR ON THAT BECAUSE SIGNS HOPEFULLY WILL BE COMING DOWN FROM NOW UNTIL FOREVER, AND SO ARE YOU SAYING IF YOU DON'T REGISTER AS A INTERESTED PARTY WITHIN A WEEK OF NOW, YOU NEVER GET TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANY SIGN EVER?

>>MAYOR WATSON: NO, MA'AM. I WASN'T THE ONE THAT MADE THE PROPOSAL FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. WHAT I WAS ASKING AS PART OF THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IS WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GET OURSELVES INTO A SITUATION WHERE TIME AND TIME AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE COME IN AND SAY THEY ARE INTERESTED PARTIES UNLESS WE SET AUTOPSY REAL SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO JUST SAY SIGN UP. BUT PERHAPS -- IT DOESN'T MATTER.

>>GOODMAN: WELL, IF YOU HAD SOMETHING --.

>>SLUSHER: MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO -- I'M SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM.

>>THE PRESIDENT: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

>>SLUSHER: I WANT TO HEAR FROM MR. LLOYD. OKAY. I'M CONCERNED WITH WE HAVE SOME PRETTY STIFF BUSINESS COMPETITION GOING ON HERE WITH THIS ISSUE. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IMPACT THIS MIGHT HAVE IN THE FREE MARKET, IF ANY. THIS AMENDMENT. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?

>> I DO SEE AN ISSUE HERE THAT OCCURS TO ME. IF A NOTICE IS GIVEN 30 DAYS BEFORE A PERMIT IS ISSUED, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS DRAFTED PROHIBITS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SIGN IF IT'S DISMANTLED BEFORE A PERMIT AUTHORIZING THE REPLACEMENT IS ISSUED. AND SO WHAT -- WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IF YOU HAD NOTICE TO, FOR EXAMPLE, REAGAN SIGN COMPANY, THAT THEY RECEIVED 30 DAYS BEFORE PERMIT WAS ISSUED, THEN THEY WOULD BE WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO DISMANTLE THE SIGN AND REMOVE IT AND THE CITY UNDER THIS LANGUAGE COULD NOT ISSUE A PERMIT FOR THE --.

>>SLUSHER: OKAY. MAYOR --

>> THE REPLACEMENT.

>>SLUSHER: OKAY. THANK YOU. MAYOR, MY PHILOSOPHY ON THIS IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LESS BILLBOARDS IN THE CITY, BUT -- AND IF PLANNING COMMISSION WANTS TO TAKE THAT UP, THAT'S FINE WITH ME AS LONG AS THEY OPERATE WITHIN -- THEY DON'T RECOMMEND ANYTHING TO US THAT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH STATE OR FEDERAL LAW. BUT WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY, IN MY VIEW, IS A CORRECTION OF A SEMANTICS PROBLEM WITH THE SIGN ORDINANCE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT NARROWLY FOCUSED ON THAT AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE A BIGS IMPACT BEYOND JUST -- BUSINESS IMPACT BEYOND JUST NOTIFYING FOLKS SO I WOULDN'T ACCEPT IT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AS THE SECONDER.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THAT WILL NOT GO ON AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. MAYOR PRO TEM.

>>GOODMAN: LET ME OFFER IT THEN, AT LEAST FOR DISCUSSION, AN AMENDMENT THAT IS NOT FRIENDLY THAT WILL REQUIRE A VOTE ON ITS OWN. AND IN THAT CONTEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MR. KINNEY TO CLARIFY WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS FOR OFFERING THAT AMENDMENT.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION -- THERE IS A MOTION TO AMEND. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO AMEND? IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND?

>>GOODMAN: HEY, GUYS, I SECOND FOR DISCUSSION FOR YOU ALL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION. THE MAIN MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?

>>THOMAS: I'LL SECOND.

>>MAYOR WATSON: WE NOW HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION TO AMEND. MR. KINNEY, IF YOU WILL COME UP.

>> COUNCIL, THANK YOU. WE -- AS YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE'RE MAKING AN ERROR HERE. WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE INCREASING THE LIFE OF BILLBOARDS HERE AND HAVE MORE -- WE -- THE PURPOSE --.

>>MAYOR WATSON: PLEASE ANSWER THE MAYOR PRO TEM'S QUESTION REGARDING THE REASON YOU REQUESTED THIS. WE'VE ALREADY HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO THEN IN FAIRNESS LET OTHERS COME UP.

>> YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND. IT WAS PART OF MY ANSWER TO HER QUESTION, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT. WE HAVE SEEN SITUATIONS RECENTLY HAPPEN IN THE CITY WHERE CITY STAFF IS VERY STRETCHED, IT CAN'T WATCH EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS. BILLBOARDS THAT WERE BUILT IN ONE WAY WERE REMOVED AND BILLBOARDS THAT WERE PUT BACK UP WERE BUILT DIFFERENTLY. AND -- WHICH IS NOT LEGAL. WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT IT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE DOWN THERE AS KIND OF A WATCH DOG ORGANIZATION AND HELP POINT THESE THINGS OUT. AND AS OF -- OUR MISSION IS TO TRY TO AID THE CITY IN EVERY WAY WE CAN TO ELIMINATE BILLBOARDS, AS YOU KNOW, OR TO MAKE SURE THAT IF A BILLBOARD IS TAKEN DOWN AND GOES BACK UP, THAT IT DOES MEET WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THE LAW -- THE RULES ARE. AND WHEN THAT IS NOT -- WHEN WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, WE HAVE NO WAY OF DOING THAT AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE NOTICE PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION.

>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND? MAYOR PRO TEM.

>>GOODMAN: THAT'S IT.

>>MAYOR WATSON: OKAY. THE VOTE WILL BE ON THE MOTION TO AMEND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND, SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. THE MOTION TO AMEND FAILS. WE'RE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?

>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR?

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES.

>>GRIFFITH: WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO ASK MR. KINNEY IF HE COULD WORK WITH THE GROUP FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES? THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES WITH COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING. ITEM NO. 39. I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.

>>WYNN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. ITEM NO. 39 IS THE TREE TRIMMING CONTRACT PROPOSED BY AUSTIN ENERGY. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND IN THE CONTEXT OF OAK WILT AND THE CONTEXT OF JUST, YOU KNOW, GOOD URBAN FORESTRY CANOPY MANAGEMENT WHAT IS ENVISIONED WITH THIS CONTRACT. HOW -- AS AN EXAMPLE, HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING SPECIFICALLY OAK WILT THAT IS -- YOU KNOW, THAT WE KNOW PRETTY MUCH WHERE IT IS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR CITY.

>> YES. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL. CHUCK MANNING, GENERAL MANAGER OF AUSTIN ENERGY. I HAVE WITH US OUR FORESTRY STAFF. WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THAT. BUT WE MANAGE OUR WORK BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF OAK WILT, WHERE IT IS AND WE SCHEDULE OUR TREE TRIMMING PROJECTS BASED ON THAT INFORMATION. BUT FOR SPECIFICS WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK JERRY FOSSIL TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.

>> YES, SIR. WE SCHEDULE ALL OF OUR SCHEDULED WORK WE SCHEDULE WORK WITH PARKS AND RECREATION. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO KEEP THE OAK WILT SUPPRESSION PROGRAM AND THE INFORMATION. WE WORK WITH THEM ON OAK WILT AREAS AND ANY TIME THAT WE ARE WORKING OR HAVE A CIRCUIT THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON, WE DO NOT SCHEDULE THAT UNTIL THE PROPER TIME. THE OAK WILT PERIOD WHEN OAK WILT IS MOST PREVALENT IS FROM FEBRUARY UNTIL JUNE 1ST. DURING THAT TIME WE SCHEDULE OUTSIDE OF THE OAK WILT AREAS. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR CREWS WORKING EAST OF I-35, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY LOW IN THE SPECIES OF OAKS THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO OAK WILT.

>>WYNN: SO HOW MUCH COORDINATION THEN IS THERE WITH, SAY, OUR CITY ARBORIST?

>> THE CITY ARBORIST IS NOT THE ONE WHO -- IT'S ACTUALLY PARKS AND RECOLLECT AND THE OAK WILT SUPPRESSION PROGRAM WHO KEEPS THE INFORMATION OF WHERE THE OAK WILT CENTERS ARE. AND WE WORK WITH THEM AS FAR AS THE KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE. WE HAVE THREE FOREST TERSE ON STAFF AND ONE OF THOSE WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PARD. IN FACT, HE USED TO BE THE PARKS AND RECREATION OAK WILT SUPPRESSION FORESTER AND HE KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND LOOKS AT THE CIRCUITS AND IDENTIFIES OAK WILT AREAS.

>>WYNN: AND REMIND ME, IS THIS CONTRACT -- I SEE THAT IT'S A FIVE-YEAR ANNUAL RENEWAL SORT OF THING. IS THE CONTRACT ESSENTIALLY THAT YOU ALL ARE ON CALL AND SO AS AUSTIN ENERGY OR YOU ALL IDENTIFY PROBLEMATIC LIMBS OR, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL FUTURE CONFLICTS, DO YOU ALL GO IN AND TRIM THOSE ON SORT OF A AS-CAL BASIS OR DOES THIS CONTRACT ACTUALLY OUTLINE AND SPECIFY, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF BLOCKS, ON WHAT STREET, WHAT MONTH OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR FOR $9 MILLION YOU ALL WILL BE TRIMMING?

>> NO, THE BALANCE OF THE MONEY, 55% OF THE MONEY THAT GOES TO THE CONTRACT, IS SET UPEN AND UTILIZED FOR BENCH MARK WORK. THROUGH A COMMITTEE WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY, WE IDENTIFY THE WORST PERFORMING CIRCUITS. THOSE WORST PERFORMING CIRCUITS THAT HAVE THE MOST OUTAGES ARE THE CIRCUITS WE TARGET FOR THIS PROGRAM. THE BALANCE OF THE WORK THE CONTRACTORS DO, WE ISSUE THE CIRCUITS TO THEM. THEY LOOK AT THEM, THEY PRE-NOTIFY AND GO THROUGH AND DO THE WORK ON THE CIRCUITS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CIRCUIT AL THE SUBSTATION ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF IT. THAT GIVES THE CIRCUIT, THE RELIABILITY THAT IT SHOULD HAVE FOR FOUR TO FIVE YEARS. AND THAT'S WHERE THE BALANCE OF THE WORK IS DONE. SO AUSTIN ENERGY IDENTIFIES THE WORK BASED ON OUTAGES AND RELIABILITY.

>>WYNN: OKAY. AND REALLY THIS MAY -- THIS MAY NOT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT SEEMS TO ME, I RECOGNIZE AUSTIN ENERGY'S FOCUS HERE IS ON DELIVERING ELECTRICAL SERVICE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY AND SO THAT'S CLEARLY THE DRIVING ISSUE FOR THE DECISION THEY MAKE IN REGARDS TO TREE TRIMMING. BUT WITH THIS -- FRANKLY, WITH THIS LARGE A CONTRACT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EITHER OUR, YOU KNOW, PARKS DEPARTMENT OR OUR CITY ARBORIST AND/OR URBAN FORESTRY IN THE CITY TO UTILIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HAVE A BUNCH OF HOPEFULLY SYNERGISTIC EFFECT IN THE OVERALL OAK WILT MANAGEMENT OF OUR CITY IN THAT, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO BELIEVE THIS IS FAR AND AWAY THE LARGEST SINGLE, YOU KNOW, TREE TRIMMING PROGRAM ANYBODY IS OUT THERE DOING. AND SO I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS LARGE SCALE OF AN IMPORTANT CONTRACT THAT CLEARLY HAS A SPECIFIC ENERGY-RELATED MANDATE, BUT WE'RE NOT TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT OTHER GOODS FOR THE URBAN FOREST, OUR TREE CANOPY THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON.

>> COUNCILMEMBER, LET ME ANSWER THAT. LET ME ALSO CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION. JERRY IS AN AUSTIN ENERGY EMPLOYEE. HE MANAGES THIS PROGRAM FOR US AND IS IN DIRECT CONTROL OF THE TWO CONTRACTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY. IN TERMS OF MANAGING THOSE ISSUES IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER CITY GROUPS, JERRY AND HIS STAFF ARE VERY INVOLVED BOTH WITH PARKS AND THE URBAN FORESTRY GROUP IN TERMS OF DOING THAT. IT'S NOT AN ARBITRARY INDEPENDENT PROCESS WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY. THE INTENT IS THAT WE DO COORDINATE THOSE ACTIVITIES WITH THE -- PARTICULARLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE OTHER MAJOR ENTITY INVOLVED IN THIS. SO THE ISSUE IS WE LOOK AT IT NOT ONLY FROM SAFETY AND RELIABILITY, BUT LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE TO DO CERTAIN TREE TRIMMING ASPECTS IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR EQUIPMENT ISOLATED FROM THE TREE SYSTEM. BUT THE OTHER THINGS ARE COORDINATED BACK WITH -- PARTICULARLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

>>WYNN: OKAY. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH.

>>GRIFFITH: YES, MR. FOSSIL, TWO THINGS. OTHER CITIES I'VE BEEN READING ABOUT WHO ARE PROGRESSIVE AND WHO VALUE THEIR TREES AS CERTAINLY OUR CITIZENS DO FOR ECONOMIC REASONS AS WELL AS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS HAVE A SYSTEM WHEREBY WHEN A TREE IS EXAMINED AND TREATED, IT IS TREATED AT ONE TIME FOR TWO PURPOSES. ONE IS TO KEEP THE WIRES OUT OF THE LEAVES AND BRAJS, WHICH IS VERY PRACTICAL AND NECESSARY TREE TRIMMING PURPOSE, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME THAT TREE IS EXAMINED AND LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF TRIMMING IT FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND LONGEVITY OF THE TREE. AND I HOPE WE CAN WORK TOWARDS A SYSTEM WHERE BOTH OF THOSE GOALS CAN BE -- CAN BE MET. BECAUSE CERTAINLY, AS COUNCILMEMBER WYNN AS ALLUDED TO, OUR CANOPY, OUR URBAN FOREST IS OUR TICKET. IT'S OUR -- ONE OF OUR UNIQUE SELLING POINTS AND SHOULD REALLY BE VALUED AND PROTECTED, ALONG WITH OUR ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY. THERE ARE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT DIFFERENT CITIES HAVE -- HAVE EVOLVED INTO WHEREBY SYSTEMICLY OVER TIME ON A REGULAR BASIS THE TREES THAT HAVE WIRES IN THEM ARE EXAMINED AND TRIMMED FOR BOTH OF THOSE PURPOSES. FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND LONGEVITY OF THE TREE, AND FOR THE PROVISION OF THE MOST -- ONE OF THE MOST BASIC SERVICES WE DO, WHICH IS THE PROVISION OF ELECTRICITY. CAN WE WORK TOWARDS THAT KIND OF SYSTEM? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

>> IN ALL REALITY WE DO. OUR SPECIFICATIONS THAT WE PRUNE TO, WE FOLLOW THE ISA, WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ARBOR STANDARDS AND ANCI 300 STANDARDS. MANY TIMES ONCE WE'VE REACHED THE KREERNS WE NEED FOR FOUR TO FIVE YEARS OF CLEARANCE FROM THE LINE, WE ALSO HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND REMOVE MORE OF THE TREE TO GET TO THE PROPER CUTS. WE DO THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GETS US IN TROUBLE MORE OFTEN. WE THREE FORESTERS ON STAFF WHO HAVE DEVELOPED THESE SPECIFICATIONS AND THEY FOLLOW THE ANCI 300 GUIDELINES AND ISA GUIDELINES, THE LATEST PROPER ARBOR STANDARDS. AND WE HAVE EIGHT CERTIFIED ARBORISTS WHO WORK WITH THE CONTRACTORS ALSO. MANY OF THE CONTRACTOR'S STAFF WHO WORK WITH THE CUSTOMERS ARE ARBORISTS.

>> WHAT I HOPE WE CAN DO IS DEVELOP A SYSTEM WHICH IS A REGULAR PROGRAM WHEREBY ALL OF THE TREES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY OUR WIRES ARE LOOKED AT, EXAMINED ON A REGULAR BASIS, SAY A THREE TO FIVE YEAR APPROACH, AND IT MAY HAVE TO BE OVERLAPPING FOR A WHILE, BUT I HOPE WE CAN EVENTUALLY GET TO THAT KIND OF SYSTEM SO THAT OVER A THREE TO FIVE-YEAR PERIOD ALL THE TREES ARE LOOKED AT. THE -- WHAT I'M HEARING FROM ARBORISTS IS THAT WE HAVE VERY HEAVY CANOPIES ON A LOT OF OUR TREES T OLDER THEY ARE, THE BIGGER THE CANOPY. AND THE MORE AT RISK THEY ARE IN HIGH WINDS. AND THEY JUST SPLIT WIDE OPEN. IF THAT CANOPY IS NOT MANAGED AND TRIMMED TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT AND THE EXPOSURE TO THE WIND. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS TO HAVE THE THREE TO FIVE YEAR REGULAR SYSTEM TO LOOK AT ALL OF THEM. SO I'M HOPING WE CAN IN THIS CONTRACT WORK TOWARDS THAT. SECOND QUESTION IS LATELY THE -- I WANT TO TALK ABOUT NOTIFICATION, BECAUSE FROM TIME TO TIME THERE ARE PERIODS WHEN WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN TERMS OF WHEN AND WHERE AND HOW THE TREES ARE GOING TO BE TRIMMED. HOW MUCH IS COMING OUT, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND OF COURSE TREES ARE VERY EMOTIONAL PLANTS IN AUSTIN. WHAT KIND OF NOTIFICATION IS BEING DONE? THE REASON I'M ASKING IS RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES, ONE OF THOSE PERIODS WHEN THERE IS A ABOVE AVERAGE COMMUNICATION COMING INTO OUR OFFICE ABOUT MISUNDERSTANDINGS. WHAT KIND OF NOTIFICATION IS DONE AND IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SOME RESIDENTS AND PERHAPS IMPROVE THAT?

>> WE WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY PROPERTY OWNER. OUR PROCESS IS TO CONTACT EACH PROPERTY OWNER. THAT IS SOMETIMES A PROBLEM BECAUSE OF RENTAL PROPERTY. BUT WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER. WE GO OUT, IDENTIFY THE TREES THAT NEED PRUNING, HOW MUCH TO BE PRUNED. WE DRAW UP A VEGETATION WORK PLAN. WE SHOW THE CUSTOMER WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND THEN WE ACTUALLY ASK THE CUSTOMER TO SIGN THE VEGETATION WORK PLAN, WHICH IS JUST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WE DID SPEAK TO THEM. WHERE WE RUN INTO MOST OF THE PROBLEM, SOME OF THE CUSTOMERS DO NOT AGREE WITH THE AMOUNT OF PRUNING WE NEED TO DO. ADMITTEDLY THE OLDER PARTS OF AUSTIN WHERE WE HAVEN'T PRUNED IN A NUMBER OF YEARS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY'VE SEEN BEFORE. THAT IS WHERE MOST OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS THE A PRUNING THAT THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH. AND -- BUT WE DO WORK WITH THEM, WE EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY WE NEED TO GET THIS TYPE OF CLEARANCE. AND IT IS A VEGETATION WORK PLAN AND WE WORK WITH THEM AND EDUCATE THEM.

>>GRIFFITH: G ALONG THOSE LINES, IF SOME CITIZENS CAME TOGETHER WITH SOME QUESTIONS AND -- SEEKING INFORMATION, WOULD YOU OR A MEMBER OF YOUR STAFF BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THEM AND TALK ABOUT THE FULT?

>> WE WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHENEVER THEY ASK. NEXT MONDAY NIGHT WE'RE WORKING WITH WEST BALANCE CONNIES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. WE WORK WITH THEM ANY TIME THEY ASK.

>>GRIFFITH: GREAT. THANK YOU.

>>GOODMAN: COULD I ASK A QUESTION TOO BECAUSE SOMETIMES OBVIOUSLY DOING ANYTHING TO A TREE COMES IN CONFLICT WITH SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, EVEN IN ENERGY CONSERVATION ISSUES. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE HEAT ISLAND MITIGATION PROPOSAL THAT WOULD HAVE MORE TREE CANOPIES IN HARD SPACES WHICH SOMETIMES COINCIDES WITH RIGHTS-OF-WAY. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME PEACEFUL CO-EXIST TENSE POLICIES. BUT TOO WE STARTED A FEW YEARS AGO HAVING A BUDGET ITEM OVER AT AUSTIN ENERGY FOR WHENEVER WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY PUTTING LINES UNDERGROUND, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK HOW ARE WE ON THAT? HAVE WE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED THE AMOUNT OF LINES THAT WE HAVE ABOVE GROUND?

>> MOST -- I SAY MOST, PROBABLY 50% OF OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERGROUND, AND THERE IS A COST I OFFER EVEN SHALL PAID BY THE DEVELOPERS TO DO THAT. IN TERMS OF TAKING THE EXISTING FACILITIES UNDERGROUND, TOTAL COST OF THAT IS IN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND WE'RE SPENDING ONE TO TWO MILLION PER YEAR. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE MINIMIZE THE IMPACT, CAN YOU NARROW THE OVERHEAD PERSPECTIVE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. HOW DO YOU MINIMIZE THE CANOPY IMPACT AND AT THE SAME TIME DOING SOME UNDERGROUND. BUT IT IS LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF YOU JUST WENT AND SAID, OKAY, WE WANT TO REPLACE EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS. SO IF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING CONCURRENT WITH ROAD PROJECTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE DO THOSE THINGS CONCURRENTLY SO WE GET THE MOST ADVANTAGE FOR THE MONEY SPENT.

>>GOODMAN: THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE WE ALSO HAD DISCUSSION WHEN WE FIRST INTRODUCED THAT PROGRAM, AND YOU WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE, THANK YOU, OF LOOKING AT PRIORITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO I'M THINKING THAT HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT WOULD BE A RELATIVELY SMALLER AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT MIGHT BE IN THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU COULD FIND A WAY TO PUT SOME OF THE LINES UNDERGROUND, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW REALISTIC THAT IS, BUT MAYBE THE SITUATION COULD BE LOOKED AT, IN PLACES WHERE THE TREE IS HAVING TO BE OR HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY AND MAYBE TRAUMATICALLY IN NEED OF PRUNING FOR THE LINES AND WHERE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACCESSIBILITY ISN'T GOING TO CUT THROUGH THE ROOT SYSTEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE EXIST, BUT MAYBE THERE IS A SITUATION LIKE THAT WHERE SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE COULD AT LEAST, LIKE MAYBE DO A CORNER OR SOMETHING.

>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER, WE TRY TO LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THOSE. ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT 68% OF ALL OF THE OVERHEAD ARE ESSENTIALLY IN EASEMENTS BEHIND THE PROPERTY. SO ONLY ABOUT 38% OF OUR OVERHEAD SYSTEM IS IN STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY. SO THAT, AGAIN, NARROWS DOWN THE FOCUS OF WHERE WE WOULD LOOK AT ACCOMPLISHING THINGS YOU HAD JUST SUGGESTED.

>>GOODMAN: THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER COMMENTS?

>>THOMAS: YES. I DON'T KNOW IF AUSTIN ENERGY -- PROBABLY SOMEBODY FROM DSMD OR -- TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. I HAD TWO QUESTIONS, BUT THE OTHER QUESTION WAS ANSWERED BY AUSTIN ENERGY.

>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M DIRECTOR FOR DSMBR.

>>THOMAS: YES, I NEED TO ANSWER A QUESTION ON SOME CLARITY ON HOW TO TWO COMPANIES CALCULATED THE SUBCONTRACTORS RATING FOR THE LABOR SCOPE OF WORK, AND ALSO HOW THE LABOR RATES WERE DETERMINED TO THE LOW BIDDERS.

>> THE RATES THEMSELVES WERE DICTATED BY THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS THAT. IS, THE MINIMUM HOURLY RATES. WHAT VARIED BETWEEN THE SUBCONTRACT PROPOSALS FOR THE [INAUDIBLE]. AND THEN THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED FOR THE VARIOUS PERSONNEL PROVIDERS, SUBCONTRACTORS, WAS TOTALLY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE TWO PRIME CONTRACTORS. THAT IS TO SAY THAT THE SUBCONTRACTORS GAVE -- OR ONE CONTRACTOR RECOGNIZING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE PAYING THE MINIMUM RATES IN THE CONTRACT, ALL THAT HE WANTED TO KNOW FROM THE SUBCONTRACTORS WAS WHAT IS YOUR MULTIPLIER. THE OTHER ONE DID RECEIVE THE HOURLY RATES, PLUS THE MULTIPLIER, BUT NEITHER ONE ASKED OR NEITHER ONE GAVE INFORMATION AS TO JUST HOW MUCH THEY WOULD BE UTILIZED OVER THE COURSE OF THE CONTRACTS. THAT WAS THE DETERMINATION SOLELY OF THE TWO PRIME CONTRACTORS.

>>THOMAS: OKAY. IN THIS PROCESS, DID -- YOUR TWO BIDDERS, WHEN YOU SUBCONTRACTORS, DID THAT -- ON THE SCOPING, DID IT KNOCK OUT ANYBODY THAT YOU KNOW OF?

>> BECAUSE THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR PROPOSERS ON THE LABOR SIDE, YES, THEY DID NOT PICK UP EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PROPOSERS.

>>THOMAS: AND THE REASON FOR IT IS WHAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED TO ME?

>> AND THE REASON WAS PRICE DIFFERENTIAL ON -- WITH ONE CONTRACTOR IT WAS THE MULTIPLIER. ON THE OTHER ONE IT WAS THE OVERALL COST, THE HOURLY RATE.

>>THOMAS: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 39 --.

>>WYNN: MOVE APPROVAL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. ANY DISCUSSION?

>>GRIFFITH: MAY I CLARIFY ONE THING REAL QUICKLY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH.

>>GRIFFITH: WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MY OFFICE WILL BE CONTACTING YOUR STAFF TO SET UP AN OCCASIONAL FOCUS GROUP ON TREE TRIMMING SYSTEM.

>> THAT'S FINE.

>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU.

>>THOMAS: JUST "-.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

>>THOMAS: JUST BEFORE WE VOTE, CAN I ASK CAROL HADNOT A QUESTION, PLEASE?

>>MAYOR WATSON: MS. HADNOT.

>> YES, SIR.

>>THOMAS: I HATE TO PUT OUT THE SPOT. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LETTER YOU HAD FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. WAS THE ANSWER -- I'M THINKING THIS LETTER, WAS EVERYTHING CLARIFIED? DID WE CLARIFY EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO?

>> THE CLARITY IS NOT CLEAR BECAUSE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE -- I KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO CALCULATE IT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY CALCULATED USING THE QUANTITY 100 EMPLOYEES, 50 FOR -- WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS APPLIED ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL THE BIDDERS WHO BIDDED FOR THAT PARTICULAR SCOPE OF WORK. WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY USED 50 OR ONE COMPANY, 100 FOR ANOTHER. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SHOW US WHAT THEY USED IN NEWSING THE MOD FIRES THAT EACH COMPANY SUBMITTED.

>>THOMAS: CAN YOU ANSWER THAT?

>> COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, THE PRIME CONTRACTOR IN QUESTION HAS AGREED TO SIT DOWN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF DSMBR, MS. CAROL HADNOT AND THE SUBCONTRACTOR IN QUESTION AND DISCUSS THIS ISSUE NEXT WEEK.

>>THOMAS: OKAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>>THOMAS: OKAY.

>>THE PRESIDENT: MOTION HAD BEEN MADE AND SECOND D. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM 39. ITEM NO. 47. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. WE'LL GO 47, 51, 52, 53 AND 54.

>>SLUSHER: YES, MAYOR, CAN I GET SOMEONE FROM PURCHASING OR STAFF UP HERE? THIS IS A PURCHASE FOR THE FLEET AND WE'RE TRYING TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE IN PROTECTING AIR QUALITY. I NOTICE THERE'S SOME FAIRLY LARGE, AND I WOULD ASSUME POLLUTING VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS PURCHASE. COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME, FOR INSTANCE, WHY WE NEED THE FORD EXPEDITIONS?

>> YES, SIR, I WILL. I'M SUE BRUBAKER, THE PURCHASING OFFICER FOR THE CITY. WE -- AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE WE HAVE PUT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THROUGH CONSIDERABLE DEMONSTRATION TO US WHY THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS KIND OF A VEHICLE. THESE TWO VEHICLES IN QUESTION ARE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE EXPEDITIONS THAT WILL BE USED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS. THAT APPLICATION FOR THAT VEHICLE ENTAILS 12,000 ACRES OF UNIMPROVED PROPERTY, WHICH IS MAINLY JUST ROCK OUTCROPPING. IT'S A VERY, VERY UNEVEN TERRAIN AND IT'S MOSTLY OFF ROAD. WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE FORD EXPLORER. THE FORD EXPLORER IS ONLY AVAILABLE IS IN THE SIX SILL LINDER. IT HAS ABOUT A FOUR INCH LOWER CLEARANCE THAN THE EXPEDITION, AND IN PRICE, INCLUDING THE FRONT GRILL GUARDS, WHICH WE GET BECAUSE THOSE VEHICLES DO TEND TO SLIDE DOWN THE HILL OR COMING UP THE HILL SLIDE INTO A TREE OR INTO A SIDE ROCK, THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE WAS $3200. FOR THAT, IT'S A MUCH -- IT'S A THREE QUARTER TON CHAS CYST. IT IS A V-8 ENGINE AND IT'S GOT THE HIGHER CLEARANCE AND THE MORE RUGGED COMPONENTS ON IT. I THINK FOR THIS APPLICATION, I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF PRESENTING THE BUSINESS CASE THAT THEY NEEDED THIS. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THESE VEHICLES WILL BE EXPECTED TO LAST APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TO TEN YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE REAL HIGH MILEAGE, WHICH IN THIS CASE WOULDN'T BE HIGH MILEAGE AS MUCH AS RUGGED MILEAGE. SO I THINK THEY MADE A GOOD BUSINESS CASE AND A GOOD FUNCTIONAL CASE FOR THEM. THAT'S WHY WE AGREED TO THEM RATHER THAN THE SMALLER SIX CYLINDER, MORE GAS ECONOMIC VEHICLES.

>>SLUSHER: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RIDING AT ONE TIME IN THESE VEHICLES?

>> I WOULD IMAGINE TWO, BUT I'VE GOT -- I'VE GOT JAY STONE HERE FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND HE CAN ANSWER THOSE SPECIFIC HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THEM.

>> I'M JAY STONE, THE FINANCIAL MANAGER FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO SIX PARTICIPANTS. BECAUSE WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS WE'LL BE TAKING -- WE HAVE MEMBERS OF AIL AND OTHER GROUPS THAT COME OUT AND DO VOLUNTEER WORK. SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO THE SITES. SO IT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO SIX PERSONS IN THE VEHICLE. PLUS THE EQUIPMENT IN THE BACK TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING.

>>SLUSHER: WOULD THE SIX CYLINDER HOLD THAT SIX FOLKS AS WELL?

>> I THINK WE LOOKED FIVE OR SIX IT WOULD HOLD. WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IS WE NEED THE POWER BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN THESE VEHICLES WILL BE GOING THROUGH. WE FELT THE BETTER POWER -- WE NEEDED THE HIGHER CLEARANCE OTHERWISE WE WOULD BE KNOCKING OUT THE OIL PANS AND DOING MORE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLES THAN WHAT WE REALLY INTEND TO DO. THE EXPEDITION WAS A MORE RUGGED VEHICLE AND WOULD SUIT OUR NEEDS AND HAVE LESS MAINTENANCE NEEDS DOWN THE LINE.

>>SLUSHER: OKAY. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE ON MOTION ON ITEM 47. MOTION TO APPROVED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. A SECOND? SEKED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEM 47? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEM 47? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM 47. ITEM NO. 51, 52, 53 AND 54, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.

>>WYNN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. MY ISSUE WITH ITEM NO. 51 ESSENTIALLY IS THAT OF TIMING. AND FRANKLY IS ONE OF MY-MY BEING NOT PREPARED TO MAKE THESE CHOICES AND MAKE THESE ALLOCATIONS TODAY. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS -- IN LIGHT OF SOME ADDITIONAL -- IN LIGHT OF A CAMPO VOTE LAST MONT, AS AN EXAMPLE, ON KOENIG LANE, MY SUSPICION IS THERE'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED THERE THAT KOENIG LANE AS AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE DISCUSSED AS PART OF THESE FUNDINGS. MEANWHILE, A COUPLE OF OTHER ROAD PROJECTS CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT WEREN'T ON MY RADAR SCREEN. MY CONCERN IS THAT, ONE, I'M -- BASED ON SOME NEW INFORMATION, I'M NOT PREPARED TO COMMIT TO THIS ALLOCATION. AND THEN 2 TWO, I NOTICE FURTHER DOWN THE AGENDA THAT IN FACT WE HAVE -- WE'RE ALLOCATING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS, APPROXIMATELY $30 MILLION, $29 MILLION YET THEN LATER ON IN THE AGENDA WE'RE CALLING FOR THE -- SORT OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS IN ORDER TO ALLOCATE THE REMAINDER OF THE FUNDS. SO IN FACT I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCILMEMBERS, BUT I WOULD BE WILLING TO JUST POSTPONE THIS DECISION FOR A MEETING OR TWO.

>>MAYOR WATSON: I WOULD CONSIDER THAT A MOTION ON 51 -- WOULD YOU INCLUDE 52 IN THAT, COUNCILMEMBER WYNN? 51 AND 53? ON BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT DEAL WITH MONEY.

>>WYNN: 51 AND 53.

>>MAYOR WATSON: 51 AND 53 WOULD BE TO POSTPONE FOR TWO WEEKS. IS THERE A SECOND?

>>GRIFFITH: I WOULD SECOND THAT BECAUSE I SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS AS COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. I HAVE LEARNED JUST IN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO OF SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO STUDY MORE INDEPTH AND I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO --.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

>>SLUSHER: GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

>>THOMAS: DELAYING TWO WEEKS, WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO THE PROJECT? BECAUSE I DO SEE SOME IMPORTANT PROJECTS THAT ARE ON HERE. HOW WOULD IT AFFECT THEM, MR. LIBRACH?

>> COUNCILMEMBER, FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE I THINK THE DELAY OF TWO WEEKS DOES NOT CREATE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. I WOULD REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE -- AND YOU HAVE IN PREVIOUS DECISIONS ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR LOOP ONE NORTH AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS EMBODIED UNDERSTAND ITEM 51 AND 53 IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THOSE FUNDS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THEM TO THE TEXAS TURNPIKE AUTHORITY. BUT TWO WEEKS IS NOT PROBLEM WITH RESPECT TO THAT. BUT THERE IS THAT IMPENDING DEADLINE.

>>THOMAS: ALSO, I GUESS THIS IS TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL THAT WANTS TO DO IT FOR TWO WEEKS, I GUESS I NEED CLARITY WHY WE WANT TWO WEEKS DELAY.

>>MAYOR WATSON: I TELL YOU WHAT, BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME MAKE SURE I GOT EVERYBODY SPEAKING AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND SEE IF PEOPLE WANT TO GIVE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

>>SLUSHER: I GUESS I CAN SORT OF ANSWER COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS'S QUESTION OR ATTEMPT TO WITH WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER WYNN BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH -- AND SO WAS COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AT THE CAMPO MEETING MONDAY A WEEK AGO, AND MONEY THAT THE CITY WAS ANTICIPATING WOULD GO TO KOENIG LANE STATE HIGHWAY FOR VERY NEEDED PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE STRETCH OF THAT ROAD BETWEEN LAMAR AND AIRPORT, THAT MONEY WAS VOTED INSTEAD TO GO TO SOME PROJECTS OUTSIDE THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND I PERSONALLY THINK THIS ENDANGERS NOT JUST THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, BUT CITIZENS OF THE REGION WHO USE THAT -- WHO USE THAT ROAD. THERE IS HIGH LEVEL OF ACCIDENTS, THREE FATALITIES RECENTLY THERE. AND SO -- AND IT WAS ONE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT VOTED TO REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO OUTSIDE THE CITY SAID THAT THE CITY SHOULD USE THE CAPITAL METRO FUNDS TO PAY FOR THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A STATE HIGHWAY AND EVEN THOUGH THE CITY HAD BEEN GIVEN UNTIL THAT MEETING TO WORK OUT CONCERNS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE AREA. BUT -- AND SO I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE PROSPECT OF HAVING TO USE CAPITAL METRO FUNDS THAT WERE COMING TO US FOR REGIONAL PROJECTS ON THAT PARTICULAR ROAD BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE FUNDED IN ANOTHER MANNER. I THINK SINCE NOW WE HAVE HAD THIS PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEM DROPPED IN OUR LAP, IT'S PRUDENT THAT WE TAKE TIME TO EXAMINE THIS AND SEE IF WE DO INDEED NEED TO USE SOME OF THESE FUNDS FOR THAT PROJECT. AND IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THESE -- ANY OF THESE TODAY, THAT MIGHT TAKE FUNDS THAT WE WOULD NEED FOR THAT. I AGREE THERE IS SOME -- I WOULD -- THERE IS SOME I WOULD LIKE TO FUND AND MOVE FORWARD ON TODAY AS WELL, BUT THE CONCEPT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING HERE IS THAT WE LOOK COMPREHENSIVELY AT OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS BEFORE WE ALLOCATE ANY OF THESE FUNDS. SO TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT, I THINK COUNCILMEMBER WYNN HAS THE RIGHT APPROACH.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MAYOR PRO TEM.

>>GOODMAN: I HAVE NO TROUBLE WAITING FOR TWO WEEKS AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T CAUSE ANY IMPACT ANYWHERE, AND ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED AT CAMPO WITH KOENIG LANE BECAUSE IT REMAINS A STATE ROUTE NO MATTER WHO HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE, UPKEEP AND IMPROVEMENTS. SO I'M HOPING YOU ALL CAN WORK THAT OUT. YOU WHO SIT ON CAMPO. BUT I DO WANT TO JUST LIST FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING SOME OF THE CRITICAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE MONEY TO GO INTO RIGHT AWAY. SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT PART OF THIS IS THE LAMAR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE EXTENSION OVER CESAR CHAVEZ, THAT ONE OF THEM IS A MILLION FIVE FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS. SOME OF IT IS FOR LOYOLA LANE PHASE 2 AND 3 FOR SOME OF IT. ONE OF THEM IS WILLIAM CANNON, THE ONION CREEK BRIDGE TO DIXIE DRIVE AND ONE OF THEM IS DITTMAR ROAD TO COMPLETE FUNDING REQUIREMENTS FOR DITTMAR ROAD. AND I BET IF ANY OF THOSE FOLKS ARE WATCHING THEY ARE CHEERING IN THEIR OFFICES OR LIVING ROOMS OR WHATEVER. THANKS, MAYOR.

>>MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION? THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO POSTPONE ITEMS 51 AND 53 FOR TWO WEEKS. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEMS 51 AND 53? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON 51 AND 53. ITEM NO. 52. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

>>SLUSHER: WELL, I HAD PULLED THIS ONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OTHER ONE, BUT I THOUGHT WE HAD ALREADY APPROVED THE STAFF NEGOTIATING THE INTERLOCAL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ME TOO.

>> IF YOU HAVE, WE'RE UNAWARE OF IT. WE CAN CHECK.

>>SLUSHER: YOU'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING IT, HAVEN'T YOU?

>> WE HAVE STARTED ON NEGOTIATION. I GUESS THAT'S TRUE.

>>SLUSHER: WELL, I'VE CERTAINLY BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT.

>>GARZA: I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING -- THERE IS A SET OF STANDARDS THAT WE ESTABLISHED IN THE BACKUP THAT WE THINK ARE APPROPRIATE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL IS AWARE OF AS PART THAT HAVE NEGOTIATION. I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS METRO HAS NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR DISCUSSIONS. AND WE'VE INCLUDED THEM AS PART OF THE BACKUP MATERIAL AND I THINK THAT WAS I THINK THE STAFF WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE POLICY DIRECTION WAS CONSISTENT.

>>SLUSHER: WOULD YOU DETAIL THOSE?

>>GARZA: ONE HAS TO DO WITH MAINTENANCE OF -- MAINTENANCE OF ROADWAYS. EVEN BEYOND THIS PERIOD METRO HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR BUS ROUTES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE STREETS GET TORN UP TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO MAINTENANCE OF THOSE ROADWAYS.

>> THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY, COUNCILMEMBER, IS I GUESS OUR ORIGINAL INTENT AT THIS POINT WAS TO BRING FORWARD A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR ADOPTION. BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FAR SO WE SORT OF -- I GUESS THIS IS REDUNDANT IN THAT RESPECT EXCEPT FOR WHAT THE MANAGER HAS POINTED OUT.

>>SLUSHER: SO DO WE REALLY NEED ACTION THEN TODAY?

>>MAYOR WATSON: IT WOULD PUT THE PRINCIPALS INTO PLAY.

>>SLUSHER: AND THE ADDITIONAL PRINCIPAL BEING THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME FORM OF FUNDING CONTINUED TO DEAL WITH THE MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS CREATED BY BUSES?

>> AND THIS WOULD ALLOW THE MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT ONCE WE GET IT WORKED OUT. WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT AUTHORITY TO MOVE FORWARD TO EXECUTE. SO IT DOES DO THAT.

>>SLUSHER: WELL, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM FOR THAT. I GET TO VOTE OUT ON BOTH ENDS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: YEAH, YOU -- [INAUDIBLE].

>>MAYOR WATSON: SO YOU MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 52.

>>SLUSHER: SURE.

>>MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEM 52? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON 52. ITEM 54, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE]. NECESSARILY APPROVE THE ENTIRE PACKAGE. I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL AS STATED.

>>MAYOR WATSON: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NO. 5 4, IS THERE A SECOND?

>>THOMAS: SECOND.

>>MAYOR WATSON: SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEM NO. 54, ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 54. COUNCIL I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HAVE A PRIVATE CONSULTATION 551.071, TO DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES CONCERNING PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN THE 77TH -- TO DISCUSS DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE OCHOA-DANZIGER CONVICTIONS. 5, LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO MICHAEL CASTILLO, ET AL, VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, TO THE OCHOA-DANZIGER CONVICTIONS. 5, LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO MICHAEL CASTILLO, ET AL, VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, CAUSE NUMBER 97-12978 AND MICHAEL KING, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL AFFECTED POLICE OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, CAUSE NUMBER GN 100452 IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. HYDE PARK BAPTIST CHURCH VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, ET AL, CA NUMBER A 01 CA 212 JN IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AUSTIN DIVISION. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. WE WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 1:30, IN FACT WE FINISH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE 1:30, I WILL COME OUT AND ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE ADJOURNED THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. BUT THE COUNCIL WILL REMAIN IN RECESS UNTIL 1:30 P.M.

>>MAYOR WATSON: WE WILL FOR LONGER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE COUNCIL WILL REMAIN IN RECESS, HOWEVER, UNTIL 1:30, WHICH IS THE NEXT TIME THAT WE HAVE ITEMS POSTED FOR A TIME CERTAIN.

>> NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGO DPA IS 1:30, CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS, GUS PENA, FOLLOWED BY FRED DUPUY AND MARTHA ANERSON.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS. EXCUSE ME, GUS PENA, PRESIDENT OF EAST AUSTIN CONCERNED HISPANICS. WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD ARTICLE IN THE PAPER ON WEDNESDAY REGARDING ON HOUSING, AGAIN FAMILY SEEK HOUSING HELP THAT THERE IS STILL A CRISIS FOR NEED OF HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A GIVEN AND NOT A SECRET, BUT VOUCHERS FOR RENT ARE GREAT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE INVENTORY OF HOUSING UNITS AND AVAILABILITY IS STILL LOW. SO WE STILL NEED -- SEE A GREAT NEED FOR MORE LOW INCOME AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY UNITS. WE HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS HERE FROM THE ST. JOHN'S COMMUNITY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THAT COMMUNITY CENTER THAT BURNED DOWN OVER THERE SERVED A LOT OF KIDS AND A LOT OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE. SO -- SO HAVING WORKED WITH BERNARD HOWARD OUT THERE, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU ALL WORK CLOSELY, PARKS DEPARTMENT WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM, ALSO, TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PROVIDE THIS CENTER. AGAIN APART FROM THE REC CENTER BECAUSE I DOES PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY. I ALSO COME OVER HERE TO SPEAK TO BUT SOME BUDGETARY ISSUES EARLY ON. YOU KNOW ME, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE BUDGET FOR OVER 18 YEARS ON THE CITY SIDE AND COUNTY FOR ABOUT 12. DON'T CUT ANY LIBRARY FUNDING. EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE IT WILL POSSIBLY AND PROBABLY MORE THAN LIKELY AFFECT AFTER SCHOOL CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, READING PROGRAMS, ET CETERA. I HEAR A LOT OF TALK OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY THERE HAS BEEN TALK FROM WITHIN THE CITY THAT -- THAT POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF LIBRARY IES AND WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE CAN'T DO THAT. I -- YOU LOOK AT A PRIME EXAMPLE OF LUCIO, MY BOY OVER HERE, RIGHT NEXT TO ME, WHO ATTENDS AISD ALSO, AND PARTICIPATES IN THE RIDING PROGRAM, SO HE'S A SUCCESSFULFUL READER, THOSE THINGS ARE NEEDED. AGAIN ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCREASED PARKS AND REC FUNDING TO ENSURE CONTINUITY AS FAR AS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, REC CENTER PROGRAMS, YOUTH AND CHILDREN PROGRAMS AND AN INCREASE OF FUNDING FOR MAINS. I MEAN, IF YOU WILL SEE, WE PURCHASE LAND AND ACREAGE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY ALLOCATED FOR MAINTENANCE. THAT'S KIND OF LIKE AN IMBALANCE THERE. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, GOOD SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN. ON BEHALF OF MY CHILD, LUCIO AND MYSELF, PLEASE BE AWARE OF THOSE CUTS THAT CAN HURT THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. PENA. FRED DUPUY FOLLOWED BY MARTHA ANERSON AND PATRICIA -- PATRICIA CALHOLM.

>> HI, MY NAME IS FRED DUPUY, I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT'S MY DUTY AS A CITIZEN AND AS PRESIDENT OF THE I-35 AIRPORT BOULEVARD NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M NOT A PAID ACTIVIST. I HAD TO TAKE TIME OUT OF MY DAY TO COME UP HERE AND DEFEND MY NEIGHBORHOOD AGAINST SOME UNFRIENDLY COMMENTS AND MISCHARACTERIZATIONS MADE BY COUNCIL WHOM TWO MEETINGS AGO IMPLIED THAT NEIGHBORS AROUND THE SITE WERE BIGOTS AND USED DEFAMATORY LANGUAGE WHEN COMPLAINING ABOUT DAY LABORERS. QUITE TO THE CONTRARY, OURS IS A DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. WE HAVE A STRONG COMMUNITY, WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO AIR OUT OUR GRIEVANCES. YOU GUYS WOULD BE AWARE OF THAT IF YOU HAD TAKEN THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW US A LITTLE BIT. WE LIVE -- WE HAVE LIVED INCLUESIVELY JUST FINE UNTIL AFTER THE DAY LABOR SITE ARRIVED WHEN WE STARTED BEING PAMPHLETED, OUR CARS WERE PAMPHLETED WITH FLIERS LIKE THIS ONE TELLING US IF THE WHITES TO GET OUT, THAT THIS IS OUR LAND. AND PICTURES OF GUNS AND THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, EVEN GOES SO FAR AS TO SAY, SILL GRINGOS. IF THESE AREN'T THREATS AGAINST OUR LIVES, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS. IT APPEARS TO BE A HATE CRIME, IT MAKES YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF WHO IS MAKING THE DEFAMATORY COMMENTS HERE? OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS STRESSED ENOUGH AND NOW THANKS TO THE COUNCIL'S WISDOM WE HAVE YOUTH HOSTEL, LIFE WORKS AND THE WAL-MART OF ILLEGAL LABOR SITES, FIRST WORKERS, ALL WITHIN THE SAME FOUR BLOCKS. AND IT SEEMS THAT -- THAT THE COUNCIL JUST KEEPS KICKING US DOWN, KICKING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DOWN. AND SEEMS TO THINK THAT THEY CAN JUST KEEP DUMPING MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT WE CAN'T STAND FOR THAT. AND -- BUT YOU -- MUST YOU CONTINUE TO PERSECUTE US AND USE YOUR POWER IN THE OFFICE TO FLOAT MISINFORMATION ABOUT US, MUST YOU DECEIVE PEOPLE TO GET WHAT YOU WANT? NO, I DON'T THINK. YOU JUST NEED TO WORK WITH US. YOU JUST NEED TO TALK TO US AND ASK US. BECAUSE WE SEE IT EVERY DAY. WHAT'S GOING ON. AS FOR WHAT SLUSHER AND WATSON FELT NECESSARY TO REPEAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT CRIME GOING DOWN, IT'S TRUE. BUT WHAT THEY FAILED TO MENTION WAS THE FACT THAT THE STATE SERVED AN ABATEMENT ON THE RIO MOTEL WHICH SOCIALLY CLOSED THE DOOR ON THE BIGGEST CRACK MOTEL IN TOWN. THERE'S YOUR DECREASE IN CRIME. NOT THE DAY LABOR SITE MOVING IN. THE FACT IS CRIME RELATED TO THE DAY LABOR SITES CONTRIBUTES TO WHY YOU ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE ASSAULTED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAN ANY OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. [BUZZER SOUNDING].

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MARTHA ANERSON, PATRICIA CALHOLM AND RAY HENDRICKS.

>> I'M MARTHA ANER SON. [INAUDIBLE]. DAY LABOR NIGHT. AND WE EXPERIENCE MANY THINGS OVER THE YEARS BEING THERE. THE DAY LABOR SITE HAS BROUGHT US ANYWHERE FROM 90 TO 100 DAY LABORERS, FIVE TO SIX DAYS A WEEK. THIS HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT UPON OUR NEIGHBOR AND FOOT TRAFFIC AND TRASH. BEER CANS AND GENERALLY JUST TRASHING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE DAY WORKERS HAVE NO TIES TO OUR COMMUNITY. THEREFORE THEY ARE USING UP OUR COMMUNITY. A YEAR AGO LAST SPRING, ROBERT, ROBERTO LOUISE RAMIREZ WAS THE HIKE AND BIKE RAPIST, HE WAS ARRESTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN MY BACK YARD SLEEPING IN MY SHED. THEY PROSECUTED HIM ON A FELONY TRESPASS. NOT ALL DAY LABORERS ARE A ROBERT LEWIS RAMIREZ. BUT WE DO NEED THEM TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN THIS COMMUNITY ENOUGH TO TAKE SOME PRIDE IN IT. AND THEY ARE NOT. WE HAVE TWO APARTMENT HOUSES DOWN THE STREET THAT WAS ORIGINALLY STUDENT HOUSING. VERY SMALL EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS. IT IS NOW TRIPLED APARTMENT OCCUPANCY. THE TRASH BINS OVERFLOW. THEY ADDED ANOTHER TRASH BIN, IT OVER FLOWS. YES, THE DAY LABOR SITE HAS MADE AN IMPACT, NEGATIVELY, ON OUR COMMUNITY. HELP US. WE NEED YOUR HELP. THANK YOU. NATURE THANK YOU, MA'AM. PATRICIA CALHOLM [APPLAUSE]

>> MY NAME IS PATRICIA CALHOLM. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE ST. JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO MS. BEVERLY GRIFFITH BECAUSE SHE SENT OUT A LETTER ASKING US WHAT COULD SHE DO TO ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY. SECOND OF ALL, I'M SURE YOU ALL READ OVER THE MEDIA ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CENTER BURNING DOWN. WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT'S GOING TO COST $150 TO $200,000 TO REPLACE THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 15 YEARS THE CITY OF AUSTIN UTILIZED THAT BUILDING AT NO COST FOR FREE. AND NOW WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR FROM YOU ALL IS THAT YOU BEGIN TO WAIVER ALL OF THESE FEES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR A LOT OF THESE DEMOLITION FEES, THESE OTHER FEES. I AM WATCHING ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HELPING TO LIFT WOOD OR BURNED WOOD UP TO TRY TO CLEAN UP THE SITE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND BULLDOZE DOWN THAT BUILDING AND ALL OF THAT. BECAUSE YOU ALL DID UTILIZE THE BUILDING FOR SO LONG, I'M ASKING THAT YOU DIG DEEP DOWN AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND SOME FUNDING TO ASSIST US. WE CAN'T DO IT BY OURS. EVERYBODY UTILIZED THAT COMMUNITY. THAT COMMUNITY CENTER WAS A FACILITY WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH RED TAPE. THEY WERE ABLE TO GO GET CLOTHING WITHOUT RED TAPE. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET FOOD. THEY WERE ABLE TO CHECK OUT LAWN MOWERS, WEED EATERS, THESE PEOPLE WE HAD YOUTH PROGRAMS GOING ON. THROUGH PARKS AND REC, THROUGH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS, THROUGH TRACK TEAMS. PARENTING GROUPS USED THIS BUILDING. WE HAD ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN THAT BUILDING. WHEN PEOPLE COULDN'T AFFORD A FACILITY AFTER A FUNERAL WHERE THE FAMILY COULD EAT, WE ALLOWED THEM TO UTILIZE THAT BUILDING. WE HAD WEDDINGS. WE HAD RECEPTIONS. WE HAD ALL TYPES OF ACTIVITIES OCCURRING IN THAT BUILDING. AND NOW THE BUILDING NO LONGER EXISTS AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE -- THEY ARE BUILDING A FACILITY, THE SCHOOL, THE REC CENTER, ALL OF THAT, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY -- COMMUNITY TO UTILIZE THAT BUILDING LIKE THEY COULD UTILIZE THE OTHER BUILDING. WE FED PEOPLE WHO WAS HUNGRY OUT OF THAT BUILDING. PEOPLE FROM AISD, THE TEAMERS CAME, THEY WOULD MEET THERE TO GO OUT AND VISIT INTO THE COMMUNITY. I COULD GO ON AND ON WHAT THEIR FACILITY WAS USED FOR. AND NOW THE FACILITY IS NO LONGER THERE. WE NEED YOU ALL TO SUPPORT US AND WE NEED YOU ALL TO HELP US AND WE NEED MORE THAN JUST PEOPLE SAYING OKAY, WE ARE THERE, OKAY WE ARE UNDERSTANDING. WE NEED FUNDS, WE NEED MONEY, WE NEED HELP SO THAT WE CAN REBUILD THAT BUILDING AND UTILIZE THAT BUILDING FOR THE PURPOSE THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR. OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR DRUG RATES, CRIMINAL AT THIS TIME, ALL OF THAT IS DECREASING BECAUSE NOW WE ARE EMPOWERING AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY THAT CAN STAND AND WITHOUT YOU ALL ASSISTING US, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE AND MAKE IT. MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW JUST LIKE AT THIS -- THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE, WE CAN'T COME IN HERE AND PROVIDE A FACILITY FOR SOMEBODY TO -- TO DO A MEETING AFTER A FUNERAL OR WHATEVER. WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT INTO THE CITY BUILDINGS THAT THEY ARE BUILDING. BUT WE COULD DO IT AT THAT BUILDING [BUZZER SOUNDING] SO PLEASE YOU ALL ASSIST US AND HELP US REBUILD THIS GO BUILDING. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU. RAY HENDRICKS AND THEN JOHN SAN FORD AND MARTHA COOK WARD. RAY HENDRICKS? RAY HENDRICKS? JOHN SANFORD FOLLOWED BY MARTHA KOOCK WARD AND --

>> I AM JOHN SANFORD, PRESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE OF NORTHERN HAYS COUNTY. I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU AND TALK TO BUT THE BUDA E.T.J. ISSUE. MY ORGANIZATION, IS A REGIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES WITHING THE HAYS CONSOLIDATED ISD SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. IT'S A REGIONAL COMMUNITY BETTERMENT AND PLANNING ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE COMMITTEES THAT STUDY REGIONAL ISSUES SUCH AS INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. TWO OF OUR MEMBERS, MYSELF AND MICHAEL THAMES, REPRESENTED THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE IN MEETINGS THAT DEVELOPED THE PROPOSED BEAUTY DID A WATER QUALITY ORDINANCE THAT IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER WEST OF BUDA. WHEN WE WERE FIRST ORGANIZED THREE YEARS AGO, THE E.T.J., WHICH SURROUNDS 3-4THS OF THE CITY OF BUDA WAS IDENTIFIED AS A CORNERSTONE ISSUE THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACTED OUR AREA. I BELIEVE YOU CAN LOOK ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU WILL NOT FIND A MORE ABUSIVE SITUATION THAT IS -- A RELATIONSHIP THAT INVOLVES A LARGE CITY TO A SMALLER CENTER. THE E.T.J. THAT TOTALLY SURROUND BUDA AND DOES NOT ALLOW BUDA TO GROW IS A UNIQUE SITUATION THAT IS BIZARRE TO ME IN THE WAY THAT IT'S EXISTING. THE CITY OF AUSTIN CREATED THIS PROBLEM IN THE 1980'S. AND I THINK IT'S UP TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO END IT NOW. IT'S SOMETIME FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO JUST VOTE AND END THIS SITUATION. PART OF THE ISSUE WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE IS -- IS LACK OF TRUST. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE E.T.J. -- I MEAN, WHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID THEIR STRIP ANNEX DOWN INTERSTATE 35 IN THE '80'S, THEN IT SURROUNDED BUDA AT THAT TIME, BUDA WAS A VERY SMALL COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO -- TO DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT CAN DO RIGHT NOW. WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO IS RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY OF BUDA HAS CHANGED, GROWN UP A LOT AND IS -- IS IN A POSITION TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES THAT SURROUND IT. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR HERE IS SOME TRUST TO -- TO BELIEVE IN US AND BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET THE JOB DONE. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. SANFORD. MARTHA KOOCK WARD, SANDRA FOUNTAIN, SHIRLEY J LAMBERSON.

>> YES. THANK YOU, I'M MARTHA KOOCK WARD, I'M FROM THE MORNING SIDE RIDGETOP NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE DAY LABOR SITE. I CAME HERE TODAY FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ONE I WANT TO POSE SORT OF AN OPEN QUESTION TO COUNCIL. AND TO CITY GOVERNMENT. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT YOUR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT WORKING WITH CITY COUNCILL? AND WITH CITY GOVERNMENT. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IN THE LINE OF WORK THAT I'M IN, WHICH IS IN SOCIAL SERVICE, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I DEAL WITH KNOW THAT I WILL GET PROMPT RESPONSE AND THAT I WILL BE DEALT WITH IN A AGREEMENT -- IN AGREEMENT, WHATEVER AGREEMENT THAT I HAVE MADE. SINCE THE DAY LABOR SITE WAS AGREED UPON BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COUNCIL, VERY FEW OF THE ITEMS OF THOSE AGREEMENTS WERE EVER ACKNOWLEDGED OR UPHELD, STARTING WITH THE TYPE OF SITE THAT THE IF HE STUNNEDDED. -- THAT THE CITY FUNDED. IN ADDITION THE WAY THAT IT WAS MANAGED, HAS BEEN MANAGED, I WAS VERY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO GREAT MARSHA CONNOR AT THE AIRPORT AND WISH HER BEST OF LUCK IN HER JOB IN ANOTHER STATE. I WAS ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BETTIE DUNKERLY BE ASSIGNED TO OVERSEE WHAM WITH THE DAY LABOR SITE. -- WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE DAY LABOR SITE. HER STAFF,CIAN JOHN JONES AND OTHERS HAVE REALLY BROUGHT THE INTERESTING -- INTEGRITY OF THE CITY UP AND AVAILABLE TO US IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD RETREAT AND DAY LABOR BOARD SITE RETREAT WILL OFFER IN TERMS OF NEW DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. WE APPRECIATE BEVERLY GRIFFITH AND HER STAFF WHO HAVE ALSO OUTREACHED TO US SPECIFICALLY AND CLEARLY, THIS HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE TO US. BUT THE MAIN THING IS ALWAYS THE QUESTION IS WHAT DOES THE CITY OF AUSTIN WANT ITS CITIZENS TO KNOW ABOUT DOING BUSINESS HERE? WHAT CAN WE COUNT ON? I HOPE WE HAVE REACHED A NEW DIRECTION. I HOPE WE CAN COUNT ON A GOOD RELATIONSHIP. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: SANDRA FOUNTAIN, SHIRLEY LAMBERSON, SUSANA ALMANZA.

>> MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL, I AM SANDRA FOUNTAIN. I AM SPEAKING HERE TODAY MAINLY AS A CITIZEN OF AUSTIN AND OF TEXAS AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. EVERY TIME I COME TO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND HEAR THE PEOPLE PLEADING OF THE COUNCIL, I THINK, MY GOD, THERE'S SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO LISTEN AND TO DO GOOD FOR COMMON PEOPLE. IT ALWAYS LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN ARE HUNGRY FOR LEADERSHIP. IT'S MY OPINION THAT NOBODY IN A DEMOCRACY IS TOO EXPERT TO IGNORE THE PLEAS OF ITS CITIZENS. I WOULD LIKE TO RELINQUISH MY TIME NOW TO TONY MORRIO.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL. I SURE WISH I HAD A VOICE LIKE GUS GARCIA. ANYWAY, GUS IS GONE. AND WE ALL LOVED GUS. BUT SLUSHER AND WATSON, I'M TALKING TO YOU. WE ARE IN A CRITICAL POINT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE ARE REAL DANGEROUS OVER THERE. WE CANNOT LEAVE OUR HOUSES NOW BECAUSE OF GANGS, ALL OF THE SOCIAL GANGS FROM THE RIO, FROM ALL OF THE LIFE WORKS, FROM THE OTHER DAY LABOR SITE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL CONGREGATING TOGETHER AND BEING PRETTY THREATENING TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR US. WE DIDN'T -- WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU ALL TO MAKE US -- IMPOSE THIS HORROR ON US. THE TRUTH IS ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS IT'S JUST GOING TO POOT! I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP! YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND GET US ALTOGETHER. THERE ARE A LOT OF US DOWN HERE THAT I JUST GOT A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, SO I CAN'T WORK. BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW WANT TO BE DOWN HERE AND BE HEARD, BUT NOBODY -- NOBODY INVITES US DOWN HERE TO -- TO DISCUSS WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT I VOTED FOR YOU. I VOTED FOR YOU AND YOU. AND I TELL YOU WHAT, YOU ALL HAVE LET ME DOWN. AND I WON'T DO IT AGAIN. SO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY BEFORE THE KILLING STARTS, WE ARE AT A CRITICAL POINT OVER THERE WHERE WE ARE ALL GOING TO GET KILLED IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE RIO MOTEL IS JUST NOW EXPLODING WITH GANGS. PLEASE! PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. GET US ALTOGETHER IN FRONT OF THE MEDIA SO WE CAN SHOW THE TOWN WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH. THE HONESTY OF IT. AND SLUSHER, PLEASE DON'T BE SAYING THAT WE ARE SAYING BAD THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE OVER THERE, MAKING IT SOUND LIKE WE ARE RACIST TALKING ABOUT -- I'M A MEXICAN, MY FAMILY COMES FROM MEXICO. WE ARE NOT SAYING -- WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE NEGATIVE PART OF THE THING THAT YOU IMPOSED UPON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE NEGATIVE PART IS OUTWEIGHING THE POSITIVE. THE NEGATIVE PART IS GOING TO BE DANGEROUS AND WE ARE ALL GOING TO GET KILLED AND IT'S GOING TO BE IN YOUR NAME! ANY QUESTIONS? [BUZZER SOUNDING] NO. YOU JUST NOT CONCERNED. I WISH THAT YOU WOULD BE MORE CONCERNED.

>>MAYOR WATSON: [INAUDIBLE - NO MIC] SHIRLEY LAMBERSON AND SUSANA ALMANZA. SHIRLEY LAMBERSON? SHIRLEY LAMBERSON. SUSANA ALMANZA.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILLMEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. MY NAME IS SUSANA ALMANZA AND I'M WITH PODER, PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF EARTH AND HER RESOURCES, I AM HERE TO INVITE YOU AND THE AGAIN RAM PUBLIC TO PODER'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY HONORING MOTHER EARTH BY RECLAIMING EARTH DAY BECAUSE WE CANNOT ALLOW FOR THIS VERY HONORABLE DAY TO BE CO-OPTED BY POLLUTING AGENCIES, MRURTING CORPORATIONS, THAT DEGRADTE OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE MAKE RETURN TO OUR WAYS BY DOING PRAYER, POTTY FREE AND SONG TO MOTHER EARTH. THAT IS WHAT PODER WILL BE DOING THIS SUNDAY, APRIL THE 22ND ON EARTH DAY FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M. AT FIESTA GARDENS, AT 2101 BERG MAN ROAD. WE INVITE ALL OF TO YOU PARTICIPATE IN THAT. FOR 10 YEARS PODER HAS WORKED HARD TO BRING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR THE FOREFRONT HERE LOCALLY, STATE-WIDE, REGIONALLY, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BY WORKING ON SUCH ISSUES AS THE CLOSURE AND RELOCATION OF THE TANK FARM, WHICH I MAY ADD THAT WE NEED TO FIND TEXAS -- WE NEED TO FINE TEXACO MORE THAN $700,000 FOR THE DEGRADATION HAPPENING THERE AND THE OTHER TANK FARM FACILITIES FOR NOT CONTINUING WITH THE CLEANUP. IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LONG. ALSO WE HAVE WORKED WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE TO DOWN ZONING AND RELOCATE BEING THE -- RELOCATING THE BFI FACILITY THAT BROUGHT OVER 350,000 HOUSEHOLD RECYCLABLES TO OUR FACILITY. STILL WORK FONGT CLOSURE OF THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT. THE STOPPING OF THE GROWTH OF THE HIGH TECH CORRIDOR IN THE MONTOPOLIS COMMUNITY AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, WORKING IN MONTOPOLIS GARDENS, THE JOHNSTON AREA AND BRINGING MANY NEEDED THINGS SUCH AS SIDEWALKS, SIGNAGES, DRAINAGE AND BUS SHELTERS. ALSO PRESENTLY AT THE HORSE RACETRACK, MAKING SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T GET ESTABLISHED IN THE MONTOPOLIS AREA AND THAT WE REDEVELOP AFFORDABLE LOW INCOME HOUSING IN THE AREA. I ALSO HAVE -- ALSO SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, ALSO WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSITIES HERE IN AUSTIN WITH THE INTERNS. AND ALSO GIVING WORKSHOPS AND PLANNING HEALTH AND WORKERS RIGHTS AND SO FORTH. ALSO TAKING PART IN STATE ISSUES, FEDERAL ISSUES, SERVING ON THE FICAS, LOOKING AT CIVIL RIGHTS, LOOKING AT TITLE 6:00 PROGRAMS AND SO FORTH. SO WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOR 10 YEARS, AS I SAID BRINGING FORT HUMANITY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL ARE INSEPARABLE. THEY ARE INTERLOCK, INTERWOVEN, WE SHOULD WORK AT A BROAD VISION, A VISION THAT HONORS LIFE AND ENVIRONMENT TOGETHER. WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL JOIN US IN THIS 10 YEARS THAT WE MARK IN HONORING MOTHER EARTH BY RECLAIMING EARTH DAY. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MS. ALMANZA. THAT CONCLUDES THE 1:30 TIME CERTAIN. THE NEXT TIM THAT IS POSTED IS FOR 3:30, THAT IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING -- I'M SORRY. 2:00 IS THE BOND SALES. I WILL ASK THAT WE RECESS FOR THE NEXT -- RECESS FOR THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES, RECONVENE AT 20K. IS THERE A MOTION TO RECESS. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION IN HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 P.M.

>>MAYOR WATSON: 76 AND 77, MR. NEWMAN.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M BILL NEWMAN WITH PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, WE SERVE AS FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO THE CITY. I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A $225,380,000 WATER AND WASTEWATER BOND ISSUE. CHRIS ALLEN IS GOING TO PASS OUT BOOKS TO YOU TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE SALE. WE WENT OUT TODAY AS WE HAVE BEFORE TO SELL THESE BONDS COMPETITIVELY. WE SOLD THEM ON THE INTERNET. A TOTAL OF FOUR BIDS, THOSE BIDS CAME FROM MERILL LYNCH, PAYNE WEBBER, LEEMAN BROTHERS AND MORE DAN STANLEY. THE WINNING BID WAS ULTIMATELY A 5.36 TRUE INTEREST COST. IT WENT TO UBS PAYNE WEBBER. THE BOOK THAT CHRIS IS PASSING OUT WILL SHOW YOU, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL GO AHEAD AND START THROUGH IT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MAYOR. ON PAGE 4, WE HAVE LOOKED AT A PRETTY HEAVY SUPPLY OF VOLUME IN THE MARKET. IN THE LAST IN OR SO, LARGELY DUE TO THE ECONOMY WHEN THINGS WERE BAD FOR THE STOCK MARKET, OFTENTIMES THEY ARE GOOD FOR THE BOND MARKET. SO PEOPLE START SELLING THESE BONDS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WHEN WE WERE SCHEDULED TO SELL, UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS TWO DEALS THAT WERE GOING TO COME BEFORE US TOTALLING ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS THAT WERE BOTH TEXAS DEALS. SO WE MOVED THESE OFF UNTIL THIS WEEK WHEN WE HAD A LIGHTER TEXAS MARKET. YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS WEEK WE ONLY HAD ONE OTHER SIGNIFICANT TEXAS TRANSACTION IN THE MARKET. WE HAD A GOOD WEEK FOR IT. YESTERDAY THE FEDS LOWERED RATES A LITTLE BIT. IT DID NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE BOND MARKET. YOU WILL SEE ON PAGE 6 WHERE THE CURRENT REVENUE BOND INDEX IS AT 560. THE 30 YEAR TREASURY AT 554, AGAIN OUR RATE WAS 536. BOTTOM LINE, I THINK YOU GOT A GREAT SALE TODAY. YOUR SALE WAS INSURED, RATED TRIPLE A. LAST YEAR WHEN WE SOLD OUR FIRST WATER AND WASTEWATER SALE, IT WAS A 579. AND RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS TRANSACTION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CHRIS AND PERVEZ AND DAVE AND ED ESCOVEL AND EVERYONE THAT HELPED ON THIS TRANSACTION. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEMS 76 AND 77. MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON ITEMS 76 AND 77? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, BOTH, CONGRATULATIONS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS, THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HOUSE HOUSE AT 3:30 P.M., THERE IS A MOTION, MOTION MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE IN RECESS. WE WILL RECONVENE AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS -- AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HOUSE HOUSE AT 3:30 P.M. OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AT 3:30 P.M.. AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION,

>>MAYOR WATSON: AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, APRIL 19TH, 2001, MEETING IN THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY MAN KNOCK KBLG, 3700 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS AHFC 1, 2, 3, GOES THERE IS A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOTION MADE BY BOARD MINIMUM WYNN, THERE IS A SECOND? SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER ALVAREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON AHFC ITEMS 1, 2, 3. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES WITH THE VICE-PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBER GRIFFITH AND BOARD MEMBER THOMAS OFF THE DIAS. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOTION MADE BY BOARD MEMBER WYNN, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE ADJOURNED. AT 4:00, I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILL.

>>MAYOR WATSON: THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE 4:00 ZONING HEARINGS AND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCES AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS, REZONING CASES ARE AS FOLLOWS, WE WILL START OFF WITH ITEMS 78 AND 79, NAMELY THE BENNETT TRACT CASES. THERE IS A REQUEST BY COUNCIL TO POSTPONE THESE TWO ITEMS TO MAY THE 3RD. ITEM NO. 80, CASE C 14-00-2252, LOCATED AT 47407-411 RADAM LANE, THEY ARE SEEKING A CHANGE TO WLO-CO, FOR TRACT 1 AND IP-CO INDUSTRIAL PARK WITH A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY FOR TRACT 2. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT W/LO FOR TRACT 1 AND IPCO FOR TRACT 2 WITH OTHER CONDITIONS, THIS CASE IS READY FOR ALL THREE READINGS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. SEMI NUMBER 81, CASE C14-00-2253 ALSO ELECTED ON RADAM LANE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST WITH CONDITIONS THE CASE IS READY FOR ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NO. 82, CASE C14-00-2266, LOCATED AT 4402 TODD LANE. THE CHANGE IN ZONING IS FROM SINGLE FAMILY 2 TO LIMITED INDUSTRIAL. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST WITH ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS. THE CASE IS READY IF ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NO. 83, C 14 H, WHICH STANDS FOR HISTORIC, 01-1, LOCATED AT 506 ATLANTA STREET. THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 3RD. THE APPLICANT JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE PROPERTY HAS A VALID PETITION THIS WEEK. AND WOULD LIKE SOME TIME TO ASSESS THAT, 84, CASE C 14-01-8 LOCATED ON McKINNEY FALLS PARKWAY. THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING A CHANGE FROM INDUSTRIAL PARK TO P, WHICH STANDS FOR P. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT REQUEST WITH A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY AND OTHER CONDITIONS AND THE CASE IS READY FOR ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NO. 85, CASE C 14-O 1-1 LEEKTED ON -- LOCATED ON HIGHWAY 183 SOUTH, THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE TO MODIFY A CONDITION OF ZONING THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL DRIVEWAY THAT WOULD BE JOINTLY USED TO ADDRESS INGRESS AND EGRESS FOR THE PROJECT. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE CHANGE AND THE CASE IS READY FOR FIRST READING ONLY. ITEM NO. 86, CASE C 14-01-14 LOCATED ON SLAUGHTER LANE. THE CHANGE IN ZONING IS FROM DEVELOPMENT RESERVE AND INTERIM RURAL RESIDENTIAL TO MULTI-FAMILY 2. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS MULTI-FAMILY 2 ZONING WITH CONDITIONS AND THE CASE IS READY FOR ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NO. 87, CASE C 14-01-27 LOCATED ON STATE HIGHWAY 71 EAST AT CHEVIOT LANE. THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING A CHANGE FROM INTERIM SINGLE FAMILY 2 TO GR, WHICH STANDS FOR COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT REQUEST AROUND THE CASE IS READY FOR ALL THREE READINGS. THEN FINALLY, ITEM NO. 88, CASE C 14-01-32 SH, WHICH STANDS FOR SMART HOUSING, WE ARE REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT TO MAY THE 10TH BECAUSE THE PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONED ITS HEARING TO MAY THE FIRST. THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE POSTMENTS.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ITEM 78 AND 79 POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 3RD, 80 ALL THREE READINGS, 81, 82, ALL THREE READING, ITEM NO. 83 A POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 3RD, ITEM NO. 84 CONSENT ALL THREE READING, 85 FIRST READING ALL THREE, 86 ALL THREE, 87 ALL THREE, 88 A POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 1ST -- I'M SORRY, MAY 10TH. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN MOVE APPROVAL.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?

>>SLUSHER: MAYOR?

>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

>>SLUSHER: ON NUMBER 84, MS. GLASGO, THIS IS A COUNTY PROJECT; IS THAT CORRECT?

>>GLASGO: YES. THIS IS A -- A PROPERTY THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED FOR OFFICE-RELATED NEEDS FOR THE COUNTY.

>>SLUSHER: OKAY. BUT IS THE COUNTY GOING TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE CITY'S REGULATIONS AND N DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY?

>>GLASGO: THEY USUALLY DO.

>>SLUSHER: THAT'S NOT. LET'S GET THE COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE UP HERE.

>> I'M RIGHT HERE. PAT FORD A REAL ESTATE MANAGER FOR TRAVIS COUNTY. YES, WE ARE HERE TO ASK FOR P ZONING AS A REFRESH MY MEMORY OF THE CITY TO DEVELOP AN OFFICE BUILDING. YES, WE -- TO ASK FOR P ZONING AS A REQUIREMENT. THE P ZONING MAKES IT NECESSARY FOR US TO COME BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH A CONDITIONAL SITE PLAN, WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH OUR SITE PLAN FOR APPROVAL.

>>SLUSHER: ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW THE CITY'S REGULATIONS IN DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY?

>> YES, SIR. THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE, YES, SIR.

>>SLUSHER: OKAY. WELL, THIS -- THIS IS JUST THE ZONING RIGHT HERE. BUT YOU ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE CITY'S WATER QUALITY COMPATIBILITY --

>> YES, SIR.

>>SLUSHER: YOU PLAN TO DO THAT?

>> YES, SIR.

>>SLUSHER: THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. APPEAR POSSESSED NO. MOTION CARRIES. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCILL MEETING. WE WILL NOT ADJOURN UNTIL AFTER WE HAVE THE 5:30 PROCLAMATIONS AND LIVE MUSIC. AT THAT POINT I WILL CALL US BACK TO ORDER FOR ADJOURNMENT. IS THERE A MOTION TO RECESS. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE RECESSED. THE.

>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER MOVES WE ADJOURN SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. WE ARE ADJOURNED. HOWEVER, WE WILL HAVE LIVE MUSIC AND PROCLAMATIONS AT 5:30.

>>GOODMAN: WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROCLAMATIONS TODAY AND I'LL LET HOMECOMING GET OVER BEFORE I TRY TO TALK. OKAY.

>> SETTLE DOWN!

>>GOODMAN: WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROCLAMATIONS TODAY, AND OF COURSE WE ALWAYS START OFF WITH MUSIC, GREAT MUSIC, BECAUSE AUSTIN HAS SO MUCH OF IT. WE HAVE A LOT OF STELLAR MUSICIANS THAT MAKE THAT TITLE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD VERY TRUE. TODAY WE HAVE FREDDIE POWERS. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT FREDDIE POWERS BECAUSE EASE BEEN CALLED ONE OF OUR BEST KEPT MUSICAL SECRETS. WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING FREDDIE POWERS. HE IS A SINGER, SONG WRITER AND WRITER FOR MERLE HAGGARD AND GEORGE JONES. HE IS ALSO A SINGING PAL AND PRODUCER FOR WILLIE NELSON. HE GOT HIS MUSICAL TRAINING IN WEST TEXAS HONKY-TONKS. YOU CAN'T GET MORE TEXAS THAN THAT. AS I SAID EARLIER, FREDDIE IS COUNTRY MUSIC'S BEST KEPT SECRET AND SO IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WE PROCLAIM HIM NO LONGER A SECRET, IF HE EVER WAS ONE. LET IT BE KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 19, 2001 AS FREDDIE POWERS DAY IN AUSTIN AND CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN US IN RECOGNIZING THE MANY OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE LOCAL MUSIC COMMUNITY TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTIN'S SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY. AND IN RECOGNIZING THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF ARTISTS WHICH FURTHER AUSTIN'S STATUS AS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. SIGNED BY KIRK WATSON, AND WE THANK FREDDIE FOR LETTING US LEGITIMATELY CLAIM THAT TITLE. THANK YOU, FREDDIE. [APPLAUSE]. (music) SINGING (music) (music) (music) WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING IF WE BOTH FELL TOGETHER AND YOU THREW YOUR ARMS AROUND ME LIKE YOU NEEDED ME. WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING, WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING (music) (music). (music) YOU WOULD PROBABLY LAUGH IF YOU COULD SEE THE DREAM I HAD LAST NIGHT. YOU AND I TOGETHER ON A MADEN ROCKET FLIGHT. (music) (music). (music) YOU WERE SEATED THERE BESIDE ME WITH THAT HAPPY FRIGHTENED LOOK, AND YOU AND I GOT YOUNG AGAIN ON THE ROCKET FLIGHT WE TOOK STHOT. (music). NOW, WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING IF YOU SAID TO ME TODAY I STARTED LOVING YOU AGAIN (music) (music). (music) WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING IF WE COULD LOOK INSIDE EACH OTHER'S MINDS AND ALWAYS FIND EACH OTHER WHEN WE NEEDED TO (music) (music). (music) WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING, WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING (music) (music). (music) WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING, WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING (music) (music) [APPLAUSE].

>> I I SAY TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILL FOR HELPING PROMOTE LIVE MUSIC. THAT'S WONDERFUL AND I'M IMPRESSED BY TELLING PEOPLE WHEN I TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD THAT I'M FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS. THANK YOU.

>>GOODMAN: ALL RIGHT! [APPLAUSE].

>>GOODMAN: WE STARTED OUT OUR DAY TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE VAST CONTRIBUTION THAT VOLUNTEERS MAKE TO AUSTIN'S QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THAT WAS WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS PROCLAMATION IS TO ACCLAIM ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT TO MAKING THE SPECIAL PLACES THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN. AND DAVID BALL AND KATHY CROWELLY ARE HERE TO EXCEPT THIS. THE PROCLAMATION IS LET IT BE KNOWN THAT KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 22 THROUGH THE 28, 2001, AS NATIONAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION WEEK IN AUSTIN, AND WE CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN US IN RECOGNIZING THAT THE YEAR 2001 IS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE VOLUNTEER AS DECLARED BY THE UNITED NATIONS. IN RECOGNIZING THAT VOLUNTEERISM IS A UNIFYING FORCE FOR BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES, AND IN RECOGNIZING THAT THE VOLUNTEER CENTER OF UNITED WAY CAPITAL AREA FOSTERS PARTNERSHIPS THAT MOBILIZE PEOPLE AND RESOURCES WHICH TRULY SERVE THOSE IN NEED AND MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. WE CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN US IN THANKING THOSE WHO ALREADY GIVE OF THEIR TIME AND TALENT TO BENEFIT THE CAPITAL AREA, AND IN CONSIDERING HOW WE CAN ENGAGE EVEN MORE INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN VOLUNTEER SERVICE, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE VOLUNTEER. IT'S SIGNED BY KIRK WATSON. YOU HAVE THIS PROCLAMATION AND ALL OF OUR GRATITUDE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HOW IMPORTANT VOLUNTEERING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN TO MAKE THIS PLACE A STRONGER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

>>GRIFFITH: OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS FOR FORGET ME NOT 2001, KIDS DAY ON CAPITOL HILL. PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 23RD, 2001, AS FORGET ME NOT 2001, KIDS DAY ON CAPITOL HILL IN AUSTIN, AND CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THAT IN AUSTIN AND ACROSS OUR GREAT NATION THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HOMELESS SITUATIONS CONTINUES TO RISE WITH ALARMING SPEED. IN RECOGNIZING THAT CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMPRISE THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION, AND IN RECOGNIZING THAT FORGET ME NOT 2001, KIDS DAY ON CAPITOL HILL, IS DESIGNED TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN HOMELESS SITUATIONS. I CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN AISD'S PROJECT HELP, THE REGION 13 EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER'S HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND THE TEXAS OFFICE FOR THE EDUCATION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN ADDRESSING THE INSTABILITY AND ABUSE HOMELESS CHILDREN SUFFER, AND TO FIND THE MEANS TO HELP HOMELESS CHILDREN BLOSSOM. AMEN. AND LET'S HAVE THE ACCEPTANCE. [APPLAUSE].

>>GRIFFITH: KATHY RIKELL WILL TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND HOW WE CAN HELP.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON BEHALF OF AISD, PROJECT HELP, REGION 13 EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER, THE U.T. DANA CENTER AND THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHO ALSO HAS REPRESENTATION FOR SERVING HOMELESS FAMILIES AND YOUTH I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. MOST ESPECIALLY FOR BRINGING THE EMPHASIS ON THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES AND CHILDREN THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND SUFFER THROUGH THIS CRISIS. WE INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN TWO WAYS. ONE, GET TO KNOW THOSE THAT ARE SERVING THE HOMELESS INNER COMMUNITY, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND GET INVOLVED IN WAYS OF SUPPORT. AND TWO, ON MONDAY, THE FORGET ME NOT CAMPAIGN, KIDS DAY ON CAPITOL HILL, WILL BE VIEWED AT 12 NOON ON THE LOCAL 22 AISD CHANNEL AND THERE'S A WEBSITE THAT YOU MAY GO TO, THE NATIONAL COALITION OF THE HOMELESS.ORG IS AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE TO GET MORE INFORMATION. ONCE AGAIN, I THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT. [APPLAUSE].

>>GRIFFITH: KATHY, AS YOU KNOW, THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THE FAST ES GROWING GROUP OF HOMELESS FOLKS ARE CHILDREN AND YOUTH. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE WORKING AND WE NEED TO GET BEHIND YOU AND SUPPORT YOU IN EVERY WAY WE CAN. THANK YOU.

>> APPRECIATE THAT. [APPLAUSE].

>> GOOD EVENING, I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS NEXT PROCLAMATION THAT IN FACT PROCLAIMS TODAY, APRIL 19, 2001, AS THE BUILDING OWNERS AND MANAGERS ASSOCIATION DAY. I WON'T READ THE TEXT OF THE PROCLAMATION, BUT BOMA IS A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY GROUP THAT FOR 27 YEARS IN AUSTIN HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND EVENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR US IS THE STAGGERING FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT OF COURSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES HAVE ON THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF OUR CITY THROUGH THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. WE'RE ALWAYS VERY PLEASED FOR THE CITY'S FINANCIAL TO HAVE SUCH GOOD COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN OUR TOWN. THIS WEEK I GUESS BOMA REPRESENTATIVES FROM NUMEROUS STATES, COLORADO, KANSAS, NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS AND FROM ACROSS OUR STATE OF TEXAS WILL BE HERE IN AUSTIN AT AN ANNUAL EVENT AND WE'RE PLEASED HAVE ALL THOSE FOLKS VISITING OUR FINE CITY. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO COMMEND BUILDING OWNERS AND MANAGERS ASSOCIATION FOR RECENTLY JOINING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND A BUNCH OF PARENTS AND KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO BUILD A MUNICIPALLY OWNED PARK AND HAVE COMMITTED TO FUNDRAISING $100,000 TORE A -- OVER A THIRD OF THE PROJECTED COSTS OF THIS PARK THAT WE'LL PUT DOWN IN MABEL DAVIS PARK IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN. LASTLY I GOT TO TELL YOU ONE OF MY CLAIMS TO FAME IS IN 1996 I CAME IN THIRD PLACE IN THE BOMA GOLF TOURNAMENT. THE OTHER TWO PLAYERS TOOK FIRST AND SECOND RESPECTIVELY. JOINING ME IS JACK DRUMMOND, WHO IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOMA, AND TERRY TOOMY, THEIR BOARD CHAIR THIS YEAR AND PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING TERRY.

>> THANK YOU, I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE BUILDING OWNERS AND MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTIN, WE ARE PLEASED TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD AND WE ARE PLEASED THAT WILL HAS COME TO US AND ASKED TAOS PARTNER IN SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THE CITY IN ANY WAY WE CAN AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

>>ALVAREZ: WE'LL JUST WAIT UNTIL THE PODER FOX COME UP. I'M RAUL ALVAREZ AND I'M HONORED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF PODER ORGANIZATION, AND PODER STANDS FOR PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF EARTH AND HER RESOURCES AND IT'S I THINK JUST ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE GROUPS THAT I'VE EVER BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH AND I'M INDEBTED TO THEM A GREAT DEAL, YOU KNOW, FOR MY DEVELOPMENT AND FOR BEING WHERE I AM TODAY. I COULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY WITHOUT THE FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH PODER. AND THEY HAVE PROVIDED US SOME INCREDIBLE ASSISTANCE TO EAST AUSTIN AEFR THE LAST TEN YEARS AND TEN YEARS IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE MILESTONE FOR ANY ORGANIZATION. USUALLY YOUR FIRST YEAR YOU ARE MAKING IT THROUGH A YEAR IS JUST IMPORTANT AND THEN FOR AN ORGANIZATION THE THIRD YEAR IS TYPICALLY ALSO A GOOD MILESTONE, BUT REACHING TEN YEARS, A LOT OF FOLKS JUST NEVER MAKE IT THAT FAR, IT TAKES A LOT OF PERSISTENCE AND HARD WORK AND A LOT OF DEDICATION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS IS PODER HAS REALLY HAD A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT IN TERMS OF PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY, YOU KNOW, OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT EAST NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I THINK WHAT IS REALLY IMPRESSED ME A LOT ABOUT WORKING WITH PODER IS IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT GETTING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND GETTING THE FOLKS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY A CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS INVOLVED IN THOSE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES, AND NOT NECESSARILY BEING OUT THERE SPEAKING FOR PEOPLE, BUT HELPING PROVIDE THE INFORMATION AND THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO COME AND BE INVOLVED IN PROCESSES LIKE THOSE THAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT OR THE STATE OR THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WHICH ARE VERY COMPLEX AND INTIMIDATING, BUT THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF FOLKS LIKE PODER, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED TO SPEAK UP AND STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK AND INFLUENCE IN MY DEVELOPMENT AND MY VISION, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AS INDIVIDUALS. BUT ANYWAY, SO WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN. IT SAYS BE IT KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 22, 2001 AS THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF PODER IN AUSTIN AND CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THAT SINCE 1991 PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF EARTH AND HER RESOURCES HAS WORKED ON BEHALF OF EAST RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN MATTERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, IN RECOGNIZING THAT PODER CONTINUES TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ISSUES RELATING TO LAND USE AND AFFORD BUILT, AND IN RECOGNIZING THAT THROUGH ITS TRANSPORTATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE CAMPAIGN, PODER HAS SECURED TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS FOR SEVERAL EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS. PODER HAS INTEGRATED YOUTH INTO ITS CAMPAIGNED AND NET WORKED WITH OTHER GROUPS REPRESENTING PEOPLE OF COLOR TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES IN TEXAS, THE SOUTHWEST AND AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. I CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN COMMENDING PODER FOR ITS DEDICATION TO PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND ITS CONTINUING EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND IT'S SIGNED BY KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. GRACIAS PODER.

>> THANK YOU, RAUL ALVAREZ AND CITY COUNCILL AND THE MAYOR. I WANT TO INTRODUCE DR. SYLVIA HERRERA, OUR HEALTH COORDINATOR, RAMON MALDANADO AND OUR CO-CHAIR, JAMIE. I'M SUSANNA ALMANZA DIRECTOR AND I THINK JAMIE HAS A FEW WORDS TO SAY.

>> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU, MAYOR, CITY COUNCILL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. WE FEEL VERY HONORED TO HAVE RECEIVED THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT SUNDAY APRIL 22ND TO FIESTA GARDENS WHERE WE WILL BE HONORING MOTHER EARTH FROM 10:00 UNTIL 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. WE'RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING MOTHER EARTH WITH DANCES, PRAYER, POETRY, SONGS AND IT'S FREE ADMISSION SO YOU ALL PLEASE COME OUT AND HELP US HONOR MOTHER EARTH. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

>>GOODMAN: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF GIVING THE LAST AWARD OF THE DAY, WHICH IS TO AN INCREDIBLE LADY THAT WE HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO BECAUSE SHE INSISTS ON HAVING A LIFE AND RETIRING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS IS A FANTASTIC WOMAN WHO HAS TAKEN ON SOME OF THE HARD HE AND MOST THANKLESS JOBS THAT THERE IS WITHIN A CITY BUREAUCRACY THAT HAS A COMMITMENT TO HEALTH CARE FOR ALL ITS FOLKS. AND LET ME SAY TO SHIRLEY MACKY BROWN THAT WE ARE SO PLEASED TO HAVE HAD YOU FOR THIS TIME AND WE'RE SO SORRY TO LOSE YOU, BUT WE DO KNOW YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. SO THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ASK, I'M SURE, ON MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS, AND SO I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET RID OF US THAT EASILY. THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD IS GIVEN TO SHIRLEY MACKY BROWN FOR 20 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AS A DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEE. SHE IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION. HAVING BEGUN HER CAREER AS A CHARGE NURSE AT THE ROSEWOOD ZARAGOSA HEALTH CENTER, WENT ON TO BECOME CLINIC MANAGER THERE AND ALSO SERVED AS THE HEAD OF THE PRIMARY CARE DIVISION OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT. AND LET ME TELL YOU, THAT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS YOU CAN TAKE ON. ANYBODY WHO DOES THAT DESERVES A MEDAL, NOT ONLY A PROCLAMATION. SHE RETIRED AS MANAGER OF THE NORTHEAST AUSTIN HEALTH CENTER ON MARCH 31, 2001. WE CONGRATULATE SHIRLEY AND WE THANK HER FOR HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FOR HER VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION THAT HER PRESENCE HAS MADE TO ALL OF US AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TO UNTOLD FOLKS WHO DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE WAS THERE TRYING TO MAKE LIFE EASIER AND GOOD FOR THEM. PRESENTED THIS 19TH DAY OF APRIL, AD, 2001, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, SIGNED KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE AUSTIN CITY -- SAID THAT BACKWARDS, MAYOR OF AUSTIN, AND ALL OF REST OF US THANK YOU, SHIRLEY. [APPLAUSE].

>> I WON'T TRY TO SPEAK BECAUSE MY VOICE IS GONE. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF AUSTIN PRIMARY CARE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. THIS INDEED IS AN HONOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE].

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