Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting, 11/08/01

Note: Since these log files are derived from the Closed Captions created during the Channel 6 live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. These Closed Caption logs are not official records of Council Meetings and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records or transcripts, please contact the City Clerk at 499-2210.

MAYOR WATSON: THE INVOCATION, WE WILL BE LED TODAY BY MAJOR DANIEL NEW, THE AREA COMMANDER OF THE SALVATION ARMY, WE ARE APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU ARE HERE.

WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME, PLEASE? HEAVENLY FATHER WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY WHICH YOU HAVE CREATED FOR US. MAY WE BE GOOD STEWARDS AND USE IT WISELY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT COUNTRY THAT YOU LET US LIVE IN. TO PURSUE PROSPERITY, PEACE AND HAPPINESS, BLESS AMERICA. YOU HAVE BLESSED TEXAS. GOD BLESS AUSTIN. KEEP US INTO THE CENTER OF YOUR HAND. WE RAY FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE -- WE RAY FOR THEY SEE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE TODAY, MEN AND WOMEN, WHO SERVE YOU IN SERVING OTHERS. WE PRAY THAT WILL GIVE THEM WISDOM, YOUR WISDOM, TO GIVE THEM COURAGE TO DO THOSE THINGS AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE THAT ARE BEST FOR THE WHOLE OF THE COMMUNITY. WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM COMPASSION. WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR EXAMPLE AS THEY HAVE LIVED BEFORE US AND WE ASK YOU TO PUT A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON EACH OF THEIR LIVES THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR, WHO IS GOING ON TO DIFFERENT THINGS. WE THANK YOU FOR THE NEW MAYOR COMING IN. WE KNOW ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD, FATHER, THAT YOU PUT PEOPLE IN POSITIONS AND YOU BRING PEOPLE THROUGH OUR POSITIONS AND YOU BRING PEOPLE DOWN. SO HELP US TO BE MINDFUL OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHOSE WE ARE. WE THANK YOU AGAIN, FATHER, FOR THIS GREAT CITY WE LIVE IN. YOU HAVE INDEED BLESSED US. CONTINUE TO PROTECT US AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR US, AND CONTINUE TO KEEP US IN YOUR WILL. AS WE ARE SENSITIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO SERVING OTHERS, WE MAKE OUR PRAYER IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.

MAYOR WATSON: MAJOR, THANK YOU, IN A FEW MINUTES I WILL CALL THE CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.

MAYOR WATSON: I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. IT'S THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, IS A TEST,.

ITEMS 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, THROUGH 17, 18 -- GET A STAFF SUGGESTION, WE WILL MAKE A MOTION ON THE EXACT DATE. AS I INDICATED ITEMS 21 AND 22 REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA. ITEM NO. 37 HAS BEEN PULLED. ITEM NO. 40 HAS BEEN PULLED. WITH THAT, KEEP IN MIND, COUNCIL, YOU ALSO HAVE AN AGENDA ADD DURN DUMB -- ADDENDUM, ITEM NO. 50, I HAVE READ THE CHANGES AND CORRECTION TO THAT. THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ITEM NO. 1 ITEM NO. 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, WITH THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, MS. GLASGO, IF YOU WOULD COME UP AND MAKE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON 18 AND 19, I WILL ADD TO THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MAYOR, ON ITEMS 18 AND 19, THE POSTPONEMENT SHOULD BE TO JANUARY THE 31ST. THE APPLICANT WOULD CONCUR WITH THAT DATE.

THE MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WOULD BE TO POSTPONE 18 AND 19 UNTIL JANUARY 31ST, 2002. ITEM NO. 49 WOULD ALSO BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THOSE ARE BOARDS AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS. TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION BOTH CONSENSUS APPOINTMENTS, BETH ANN SPRINGEL REPRESENTING THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MARYANNE SANCHEZ. URBAN RENIEWLT BOARD AN APPOINTMENT BY THE MAYOR ANTHONY I NELSON. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO PUT SOMETHING ON -- BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR WANTS TO REMOVE SOMETHING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WYNN: YES, MAYOR. FIRST, QUICKLY, ITEM NO. 38, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IS THE ANNEXATION OF THE HOME DEPOT TRACT. IF I CAN JUST GET MR. GUERNSEY TO CONFIRM THAT THAT SITE PLAN WILL BE UNDER A CS SITE PLAN.

YES, COUNCILMEMBER. HOME DEPOT USES A CONSTRUCTION SALES AND SERVICES USE, THE MOST RESTRICTED DISTRICT IN WHICH THAT DISTRICT IS ALLOWED IS CS GENERAL COMMERCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT.

WYNN: OKAY. ON NUMBER 5 I CAN PUT IT BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ACTUALLY LEASE. MS. CLERK THIS WOULD NOT BE AVERAGING THE RESOLUTION, BUT IN FACT THE LEASE THAT HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND THE HERITAGE SOCIETY. YOU SHOULD -- COUNCILMEMBERS SHOULD HAVE A YELLOW PIECE OF PAPER WITH THE -- WITH THE CHANGES TO THE ACTUAL LEASE. WHAT THIS CHANGE DOES, IF YOU BEAR WITH ME, I WILL -- PERHAPS I DON'T NEED TO READ THE CHANGE. BUT IT'S THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF -- OF ITEM NO. 2 ON THE REHABILITATION. THIS WOULD ALLOW -- THIS CALLS FOR THE HERITAGE SOCIETY TO HAVE TO RESTORE THE CASTLE MAN-BULL HOUSE WITHIN FIVE YEARS. THIS AMENDMENT THAT'S BEEN NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE HERITAGE SOCIETY AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DOES IS ALLOWS FOR A PERIOD THAT IF -- WHEN THAT FIVE YEARS HAS EXPIRED, THE HERITAGE SOCIETY HAS RAISED AN ALLOCATED $250,000 TOWARDS THE RENOVATION, THEN THE LEASE PERIOD IS EXTENDED FOR TWO MORE YEARS. SO IF THE HERITAGE SOCIETY HAS BEGUN THE RENOVATION WITHIN THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD TO A TOTAL OF AT LEAST $250,000, THEN THERE'S A TWO YEAR EXTENSION ON THAT REHABILITATION PERIOD WITHIN THE LEASE. SO IF --

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A PART OF THE MAIN MOTION ON CONSENT. IF WE PUT -- WE ARE GOING TO PUT ITEM NO. 5 BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

GARZA: DID MARK WORK WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT ON THAT?

WYNN: I AM TOLD THAT AND ROGER CHAN IS SHAKING HIS HEAD. MS. CLERK THIS DOESN'T CHANGE THE RESOLUTION, JUST THE ACTUAL LEASE ITSELF.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?

ALVAREZ: YES, MAYOR, MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED ON 37. BECAUSE I RECEIVED THE INFORMATION THAT I REQUESTED. BUT -- BUT I GUESS THAT I WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO DECIDE IF -- IF YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT --

MAYOR WATSON: I WILL -- I THINK THAT YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, ON DISCUSSION I WILL MENTION THAT. ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT CAN BE PUT BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR THAT NEED TO BE REMOVED? ALL RIGHT, I WILL ENTERTAIN --

SLUSHER: MAYOR, NUMBER 9 THROUGH 17, IS THAT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA?

MAYOR WATSON: NO. THOSE HAVE BEEN PULLED.

SLUSHER: OKAY. I>MAYOR WATSON: I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ. COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ MOVES APPROVAL, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ALL RIGHT. ON DISCUSSION, LET ME BRING UP -- LET ME DISCUSS TWO ITEMS. ON ITEM NO. 5, WHICH COUNCILMEMBER WYNN JUST TALKED ABOUT AND PUT BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IN TERMS OF THAT LEASE WITH THE HERITAGE SOCIETY, THIS HAS BEEN A -- A BIG DEAL. AND IN MY OPINION IT'S SOMETHING WONDERFUL FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT DESERVE SOME SPECIAL THANKS, SO WHAT I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD DO IS AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION SAY THANK YOU TO A NUMBER OF FOLKS. WITH THREE DIFFERENT ENTITIES. FIRST, WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK HARD ON THIS PROJECT AND HAVE DONE REALLY GREAT WORK. I WANT TO MENTION TWO FIRST AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE, I'M NOT -- I DON'T WANT TO SLIGHT ANYBODY. BUT JERRY RUSTHOVEN AND ALLISON GALLOWAY HAVE REALLY BEEN SOMETHING SPECIAL ON THIS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEM. [ APPLAUSE ] IN ADDITION BETTIE MAKER, MAYOR PRO TEM JACKIE GOODMAN, DAVID LLOYD, BILL SMITH AND COUNCILMEMBER WYNN ALSO DESERVE A ROUND OF APPEAR LAWS FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THEY HAVE DONE. [ APPLAUSE ] AT THE TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEPT GETTING SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN BY PEOPLE THAT KNOW AND WE CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH, SO I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN, ST. DAVID'S'S CHURCH HAS BEEN A MODEL CITIZEN OF OUR COMMUNITY IN A VIRGINIA TECH OF WAYS. BUT IN THIS -- IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE THEY DONATED IT, MOVED IT, CONTRIBUTESSED TO THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE AT ITS NEW LOCATION. I WANT TO SINGLE OUT JOHN BARCLAY, BILL BING HAM, JIM AND VAL FOR ALL OF THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE ON THAT. LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUNDS OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] AND THEN SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN VERY SPECIAL ON THIS PROJECT IS ELIZABETH ANN GATES OF PRESERVATION, TEXAS, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO HER, TOO, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ IS CORRECT TO ASK THAT WE SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ITEM NO. 37. WHEN WE PASS ITEM NO. 37 WE WILL BE APPROVING A RESOLUTION THAT AUTHORIZES NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE O3 FLEX FELONY. BEING TECHNICAL MUMBO JUMBO FOR OZONE, BUT THE OZONE FLEX PLAN WITH OTHER PART ERS IN A FIVE COUNTY AUSTIN, SAN MARCOS AREA, TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION. I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO A WHOLE LOT OF DETAIL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD OF BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT IS IN MANY WAYS ONE OF OUR FIRST REGIONAL EFFORTS THAT HAS REALLY BROUGHT SOME MAJOR FRUIT. AIR QUALITY IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA ISDY TEARATING FOR A -- DETEARATING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. IT DOESN'T KNOW BORDERS. THE AIR QUALITY DOESN'T KNOW ANY BORDERS. WHAT HAPPENS IS WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS ON A REGIONAL BASIS. WHAT WE DID IS WE PUT TOGETHER AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IF YOU WILL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM A FIVE COUNTY REASON, WILLIAMSON, TRAVIS, HAYS, BASTROP AND CALDWELL COUNTIES. AND THEN THAT GROUP OF ELECTED OFFICIALS CREATED A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SO THAT WHEN WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF AIR QUALITY, WE WOULD BE ADDRESSING THEM FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SCIENCE. AND BEING ABLE TO RECOMMEND TO OUR CITIZENS APPROPRIATE WAYS TO CLEAN UP THE AIR. THIS TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS CREATED A MENU OF OPTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GO TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO BEGIN DOING NOW. TO CLEAN UP THE AIR. EVEN BEFORE YOU DESIGNATE US NON-ATTAINMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO ALL OF THE LEGAL PROBLEMS THERE. IT APPEARS WE WILL BE THE FIRST REGION IN THE NATION TO VOLUNTARILY DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE WE HAVE GONE INTO NON-ATTAINMENT. FRANKLY, WE PROBABLY ARE CONFUSING EPA A LITTLE BIT. EPA IS NOT REALLY SURE EXACTLY HOW IT WANTS TO DEAL WITH THIS. IN FACT I BELIEVE IT WILL END UP BEING THE MODEL THAT EPA USES WITH OTHER NEAR NON-ATTAINMENT AREAS. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY OUGHT TO ADDRESS IT. WHAT IT WILL NOT DO IS IT WILL NOT SAY WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO INTO NON-ATTAINMENT. BUT WHAT IT WILL DO IS IT WILL PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN START CLEANING UP THE AIR NOW AND GAIN CREDIT FOR IT IF AND WHEN WE GO INTO NON-ATTAINMENT SO THAT THIS REGION ACTUALLY COULD HAVE AN EARLY IN AND EARLY OUT OF NON-ATTAINMENT, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL BE CLEANING UP THE AIR EARLIER. AND THAT MEANS SOMETHING POSITIVE FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT. SO -- SO WHEN WE DO THIS TODAY, THIS WILL BE ONE OF THOSE EFFORTS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS REALLY ARE SETTING A NATIONAL MODEL FOR AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IT WORRIES ME A LITTLE BIT THAT AT MY LAST MEETING I AM DOING SO MUCH DISCUSSION. [ LAUGHTER ]. WITH THAT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALVAREZ: MAYOR?

MAYOR WATSON: YES, COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.

ALVAREZ: I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE.

MAYOR WATSON: PLEASE.

ALVAREZ: I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF U.T. STUDENTS JOINING US HERE TODAY. I GUESS THEY ARE PART OF A GOVERNMENT CLASS THERE AT U.T.:THEIR NAMES ARE KELLY BERGNER AND BETTIE JACOBS, IF YOU WANT TO WAVE OR STAND UP. WELCOME. [ APPLAUSE ] THEY ARE -- AS PART OF THEIR CLASS THEY ARE HERE TO WITNESS GOVERNMENT IN ACTION. AND LEARN ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. AND WE ALL KNOW IT CAN BE A -- SEEM KIND OF CRYPTIC TO MOST WHO ARE NEW TO THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S -- HOW SHOULD I PUT IT? IT'S HIGHLY SPECIALIZED. [ LAUGHTER ]. SO I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE -- OUR GOOD FRIEND HERE MR. GUS PENA TO HELP THEM DECIPHER WHAT IT IS THAT'S HAPPENING HERE EARLY ON IN THE MEETING. THANK YOU, GUS, ALSO. THANK YOU, KELLY AND BETTIE FOR BEING WITH US.

MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU ALL. COUNCIL, ALTHOUGH I THINK I ORIGINALLY READ THAT WE WOULD MAKE ITEM NO. 50 WITH THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'M NOT CERTAIN THAT WE -- THAT I ACTUALLY READ IT WHEN I READ THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA. SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM NO. 50. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 50, THAT'S ADOPTED. THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NO. 40. WHERE DID HE GO? OH, THERE HE IS. I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. I DON'T WANT TO, BUT I WILL.

WYNN: THANKS, MAYOR, I POSTED ITEM NO. 40 FOR OBVIOUS REASONS TODAY. AS WE ALL KNOW, KIRK WATSON HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF GOOD PUBLICITY OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, THESE LAST FEW WEEKS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A BALANCED POINT OF VIEW. [ LAUGHTER ]. BEFORE HE LEAVES. SO THIS MAY BE PAINFUL FOR YOU, KIRK, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REMEMBER THAT NOT EVERYTHING THAT YOU TRIED, NOT ALL OF YOUR PROGRAMS -- LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE HEADLINES.

MAYOR WATSON: INCLUDING THE WAY I'M RUNNING THIS HEADLINE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN HEADLINES THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO REMEMBER. THERE WAS -- [ LAUGHTER ]. THERE WAS TROUBLE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR FIRST ELECTION. WHEN YOUR VICTORY LED TO A DECREASE IN THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF LOCAL OFFICIALS. OVER THE YEARS, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE MANAGED TO CUT SOME OF US DOWN IN SIZE, SO IT'S PROBABLY A WASH OVERALL. A LITTLE LATER YOU GOT IN SOME HOT WATER OVER YOUR POOR MANAGEMENT OF THE WEATHER IN AUSTIN. SOME PEOPLE STARTED QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT YOU WERE UP FOR THE JOB. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS MORE STORM CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON. [ LAUGHTER ]. [ LAUGHTER ]. DESPITE YOUR BEST EFFORTS, THE MISSING SOCK PROBLEM PERSISTED FOR THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES, AT LEAST THOSE OF US WHO WEAR SOCKS. [ LAUGHTER ]. EVEN THOUGH YOUR SOCK REPLACEMENT MODEL WAS CONSIDERED A NATIONAL MODEL MODEL, YOU WERE TOO LITTLE TO LATE. WE CAN ADJUST THE SMART GROWTH MATRIX TO ENCOURAGE SOCK RETENTION INSTEAD OF FULL SOCK REPLACEMENT. [ LAUGHTER ]. ANOTHER SPECTACULAR CRASH AND BURN OF YOUR ADATION WAS THE FAILED ALIEN ABDUCTION ABATEMENT INITIATIVE, THE FAMOUS THREE A'S WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT. IN THE HARDEST HIT AREA, SOUTH AUSTIN, [ LAUGHTER ], THE PROGRAM HAS DONE PRACTICALLY NOTHING TO STOP THE ALARMING RATE OF ABDUCTIONS STILL HAPPENING EVERY DAY, PARTICULARLY AMONG NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS. [ LAUGHTER ].

ALTHOUGH YOU MISSTEPS IN YOUR FIRST ADMINISTRATION CAUGHT UP WITH YOU AT REELECTION TIME WITH ONLY 84% OF THE VOTERS GAVE YOU A NOD OF CONFIDENCE. IT WAS A SAD DAY FOR A LOT OF US WHO THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE A POLITICAL FUTURE. OF COURSE YOU ALWAYS LIKED TO SAY IT'S A GREAT DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, BUT THIS INCIDENT PROVED THE CITY WAS FALTERING ON YOUR WATCH. SECOND PLACE WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR US, KIRK, NOWHERE NEAR PERFECTION, YOU LET US DOWN AGAIN, BUT THAT WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE NEXT FIASCO. [ LAUGHTER ]. SADLY, THIS INCIDENT WITH PI WILL PROBABLY BE REMEMBERED AS YOUR PERSONAL WATERLOO. IT WAS A MIGHTY CHALLENGE, YOU CLEARLY WEREN'T UP FOR THE JOB. WHICH BRINGS US TO THIS WEEK. [ LAUGHTER ]. INCREDIBLY, NO ONE VOTED FOR YOU TO REPLACE YOURSELF. IN FACT AS A SAD INDICTMENT OF YOUR ADATION WHICH SEVERAL OF YOUR LONG-TIME ANTAGONISTS FINALLY GOT MORE VOTES THAN YOU DID. NOW IT'S TIME FOR GUS GARCIA TO TAKE THE REIGNS, SADLY HE WILL HAVE YOUR FAILED PROGRAMS TO DEAL WITH, LUCKILY HE HAS SOME OF US TO HELP HIM WADE THROUGH THE TROUBLED WATERS, WITH ALL THAT SAID, IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO COME UP AND HAVE AN AGREEMENT ON ITEM NO. 40 AND LIST ALL OF THE -- ALL OF THE FAILURES, SO I'M GOING TO PULL MY ITEM DOWN, SEND IT TO MEDIATION FOR A WEEK. [ LAUGHTER ]. SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH THE FINAL LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN BLAME YOU THAT'S GONE WRONG SINCE I'VE BEEN ELECTED AN AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]

MAYOR WATSON: OH! [ APPLAUSE ]

MAYOR WATSON: THAT WAS GREAT. ITEM NO. 40 HAS BEEN MERCIFULLY REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. ACTUALLY I HAD SOMEBODY SIGN UP FOR THAT ITEM. [ LAUGHTER ]. AND I'M GOING TO -- TO VIOLATE THE RULES AND NOT RECOGNIZE THEM. VIVIAN CAPUTO SIGNED UP. I'M NOT GOING TO RECOGNIZE THEM, MY REACTION IS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THROW ME OUT OF OFFICE? VIVIAN THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ITEM NO. -- ITEM NO. 6, I WILL RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

GOODMAN: MAYOR AN COUNCIL IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE THIS ITEM, WHICH IS THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN UNTIL NOVEMBER 29TH. WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEFORE US ARE TWO -- ARE TWO DRAFTS, I THINK, ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM. OF THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE LANGUAGE. WHICH SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE BACK BOTH TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO THE CHURCH. AND FOR FOLKS TO SIGN-OFF ON WHAT IS WRITTEN AT THIS MOAMENT IN TIME. NO CHANGES -- AT THIS MOAMENT IN TIME, NO CHANGE. IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES, THEY WOULD NOT HAPPEN MOST LIKELY IN BETWEEN NOW AND THE 29TH, BUT WOULD BE TALKED ABOUT ON THE 29TH. I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR HATES TO MISS THIS. BUT I AM SURE WE WOULD ALL WELCOME YOUR RETURN WHEN WE FINALLY DO GET TO VOTE ON THAT.

MAYOR WATSON: I MAY SIGN UP TO SPEAK. [ LAUGHTER ].

GOODMAN: BUT THAT IS MY MOTION.

MAYOR WATSON: MOTION TO POSTPONE ITEM NO. 6 IS THERE A SECOND. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION?

GOODMAN: MAYOR?

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM?

ALVAREZ: THE MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED TWO DIFFERENT ORDINANCES, THEY JUST PASSED OUT ONE. DOES THAT MEAN WE WILL BE GETTING A DIFFERENT ONE OR IS THERE TWO --

GARZA: WE PASSED OUT ONE EARLIER, I BELIEVE. MARTY AM I CORRECT ON THAT?

YES, YOU WILL FIND ON THE DIAS YOU SHOULD HAVE A MEMO FROM MARTHA -- EXCUSE ME, MARTHA TERRY, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY. YOU WOULD FIND A MEMO FROM SEDORA JEFFERSON AND LISA GORDON. THE ORDINANCE ATTACHED TO THAT MEMO IS THE ORDINANCE THAT THE STAFF WAS ABLE TO PREPARE IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTED CHANGES BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE ORDINANCE THAT WE JUST PASSED OUT YOU WILL SEE DENOMINATED AT THE TOP AS THE HYDE PARK BAPTIST CHURCH PROPOSAL ORDINANCE. IN EFFECT YOU HAVE THREE ORDINANCES IN FRONT OF YOU. SECOND READING AND BACKUP AND THEN THE TWO WE HANDED OUT THIS MORNING.

ALVAREZ: THANK YOU.

GARZA: JUST FOR CLARIFICATION IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, MAYOR PRO TEM, DO WE INTEND TO WORK NEXT WEEK TO TRY TO -- I WOULD -- I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO MY STAFF IN TERMS OF THE WORK THEY WILL NEED TO DO ON THIS SHORT WEEK OF THANKSGIVING. AND IF THE WORK CAN GET ALL DONE NEXT WEEK, THAT'S FINE BECAUSE THEN WE BASICALLY HAVE IT READY TO GO ON THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING. THAT -- I'M SENSITIVE TO THE DATE OF THE 29TH. WHAT'S THE PROCESS GOING TO BE TO -- TO EITHER MEDIATE OR MELD OR --

GOODMAN: I THINK THAT WE HAVE ONE MORE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR COMING BACK TOGETHER THE -- THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN MEETING, WHEN THEY COME BACK FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE GROUPS. TO READ WHAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN. THE PROBLEM WAS THIS WEEK THAT ALTHOUGH WE WERE LIKE PERHAPS A 32ND OF AN INCH AWAY FROM AGREEMENT, NEITHER OF THE GROUPS AT HOME HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE LANGUAGE AND NOBODY WANTED TO REPEAT -- A REPEAT OF THE 1990 AGREEMENT.

GARZA: WE WRAP UP NEXT WEEK, DO YOU THINK?

GOODMAN: I BELIEVE SO.

MAYOR WATSON: [INAUDIBLE]. MAYOR PRO TEM? OKAY. FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 6. ITEM NO. 7. I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: WELL, MAYOR, I WOULD PULL THIS SO WE CAN HEAR A REPORT FROM THE MEDIATION. >GARZA: TRACY WATSON.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS TRACY WATSON DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS. WE WERE ABLE TO MEET ON TUESDAY, ON THIS PROJECT. THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD GIVE AND TAKE, IT WAS VERY CORDIAL. THE ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WERE BASICALLY THE SAME ONES THAT YOU HEARD I BELIEVE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT VERY BRIEFLY. THE DENSITY AND PARKING, THESE INTERRELATED ISSUES CAUSING CONCERN TO THE IMPACT ON ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, IF THE PROPOSED NUMBER OF UNITS AND/OR BEDROOMS WERE NOT MATCHED WITH THE OFF STREET PARKING. DISAGREEMENT ON WHAT REQUIREMENT WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. CONCERN WITH ACCESS DRIVEWAYS FROM THE PROJECT AND THE IMPACT ON 29TH STREET. THE SCALE OF THE PROJECT AND AESTHETICS WAS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WAS DISCUSSED. THE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGE HEIGHT AND BULK, ITS EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND SCHOOL. HEIGHT OF THE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE IMPACTING RESIDENTIAL USES ON THE NORTH END OF HEMPHILL. RETENTION RELOCATION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND LARGE TREES AND GREEN SPACE ON THE NORTHERN END OF THE SITE. AND THE PRECEDENT OF ESTABLISHING M.F. 6 ZONING IN THE AREA. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE DISCUSSED WITH THE PARTIES. BOTH MAKING PROPOSAL GOES AND SUGGESTIONS AND COUNTER PROPOSALS. DISCUSSIONS INCLUDED POSSIBLE REDESIGN OF THE PROJECT AT THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SITE, MOEUFKS TO THE NUMBER OF AND LOCATION OF DRIVEWAYS AND OTHER CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT HAD BEEN PREPARED. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE CAME DOWN TO BASICALLY DENSITY ISSUES AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT.

SLUSHER: OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. WATSON. MAYOR, I WOULD YIELD TO ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO DISCUSS IT AT THIS POINT.

MAYOR WATSON: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM?

GOODMAN: I HAVE A QUESTION, MAYOR. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT WAS DISCUSSED INVOLVED THE WRAP AROUND GARAGE. DO WE HAVE ANY SKETCHES OF THAT? I BELIEVE THERE WAS A THREE STORY -- A THREE STORY MAXIMUM HEIGHT AND MORE THAN ONE EXIT.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WAS PROPOSED. WE DID NOT RETAIN A -- A COPY OF THAT SKETCH. PERHAPS THE DEVELOPER MAY HAVE IT. BUT THAT IS BASICALLY ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WAS LOOKED AT TO WRAP RESIDENTIAL AROUND 29TH STREET AND DOWN HEMPHILL, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A THREE STORY LIMIT AT THAT POINT, WHICH COULD BUFFER VISUALLY THE -- THE GARAGE, WHICH RETAINED ITS 60 FOOT HEIGHT. THERE WERE -- AT LEAST TWO AND CONCEIVABLY A THIRD ALTERNATIVE EXIT THAT WAS PROPOSED. BUT THAT -- ULTIMATELY THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE ENTIRE GROUP.

GOODMAN: CAN YOU TELL ME WHY.

I MIGHT LIKE TO LET THEM SPEAK TO THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM. PRIMARY ISSUE WAS DENSITY OVERALL. THERE WAS A COUNTER PROPOSAL THAT REDUCED THE DENSITY THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY.

GOODMAN: WELL -- IF -- IF THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SPOKESPERSON, MAYOR, I'M NOT SURE THAT -- THAT THEIR LAWYER IS ACTUALLY WHO I WANT TO -- TO TALK TO. I WANT TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES. ROCHELLE DO YOU HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT OR --

THE PRESIDENT IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL HE HAD A SECOND SURGERY ON HIS ARM YESTERDAY. WE HAVE A VICE-PRESIDENT. SORRY?

MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE?

YES.

DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

CAN YOU STATED YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

I'M SIEWZ ZEAN -- SUZANNE PRINGLE.

GOODMAN: I RECOGNIZE THAT. NOT HAVING BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND SEEING WHAT IT WAS ABOUT THE WRAP AROUND, SINCE I THOUGHT AESTHETICS WAS ALSO AN ISSUE HERE, CAN YOU GIVE ME INSIGHT INTO WHY THAT WAS NOT --

SURE. AT THE MEDIATION, WE WERE -- THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WAS VERY RECEPTIVE TO THE NEW DESIGN WITH THE WRAP AROUND, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIG IMPROVEMENT. WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE MORE PARKING, WE FEEL THAT -- THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE DEFICIENCIES, THE PRIMARY DEFICIENCY OF THE PROJECT IS THAT THERE'S INADEQUATE ONSITE PARKING. THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES. AND -- THAT'S BEEN OUR PRIMARY CONCERN.

GOODMAN: COULD YOU IN A NUTSHELL TELL ME WHAT THE OFFERS OF -- OF NEGOTIATION OR COMPROMISE WERE FROM ONE OR BOTH SIDES?

THE DEVELOPER PRESENTED A POSSIBLE -- SOLUTION WHICH WAS THE WRAP AROUND GARAGE. I UNDERSTAND THAT WOULD INVOLVE REZONING THE END PARCELS, THE ADJOINING PARCELS OF PROPERTY TO THE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY SEEKING THE ZONING CHANGE ON TODAY. AND SO INSTEAD OF PIECEMEAL IT OUT, WE SAID IF -- IF WE WERE TO CONSIDER THAT, WE WANTED TO DO IT AS A PACKAGE, NOT JUST ONE PARCEL AT A TIME. AND WHAT WE OFFERED ULTIMATELY WAS THAT WE LIKED THIS NEW DESIGN CONCEPT, WE WOULD LIKE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF UNITS TO 100 UNITS, WITH A MAX NOFZIGER 250 BEDROOMS. -- WITH A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 250 BEDROOMS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR 500 STUDENTS THERE, WE ASKED FOR AT LEAST 1.5 PARKING SPACES PER BEDROOM, EXCEPT FOR EFFICIENCIES WHICH COULD BE ONE PARKING SPACE PER EFFICIENCY UNIT. WE ARE ASKING FOR CS-MU ZONING, WHICH WOULD ALLOW RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. THAT THEY ARE SPEAKING ABOUT. WE WOULD LIKE TO LIMIT THE HEIGHT TO 40 FEET. AT THE 29TH STREET END OF THE PROPERTY, GRADUATING UP TO 60 FEET AT THE GUADALUPE END. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE MORE THAN ONE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THE PARKING GARAGE. POSSIBILITIES WERE THE SOUTHERN END OF HEMPHILL AND ALSO THE ALLEY. THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES WELCOME DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE. AND STUDENT HOUSING. WE WOULD JUST LIKE FOR IT TO BE COMPATIBLE AND HAVE ADEQUATE OFF STREET PARKING.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. MAYOR, DO YOU MIND IF I ASK THE APPLICANT A QUESTION.

MAYOR WATSON: NO, MA'AM.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU.

MAYOR WATSON: AS LONG AS WE DON'T GET INTO A MEDIATION RIGHT HERE AND NOW.

GOODMAN: NOPE, NOPE, NOPE. YOUR PROPOSAL WAS HOW MANY UNITS?

FOR THE RECORD, MIKE McHONE REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT. MAYOR PRO TEM, WE ASKED FOR 1637 UNITS. -- 163 UNITS, THAT WAS NEGOTIATED DOWN FROM WHAT WE HAD AGREED TO ORIGINALLY WITH THE UNIVERSITY AREA PARTNERS AT 170.

GOODMAN: DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MIX IS OF BEDROOMS?

I DO. I WOULD HAVE TO REFER TO MY CHART, I DON'T HAVE THAT AT THE DIAS WITH ME. BUT IT'S A MIX, PRIMARILY OF ONE -- PREDOMINANTLY TWO BEDROOM UNITS.

GOODMAN: CAN YOU TRANSLATE THAT INTO HOW MANY STUDENTS? YOU THINK WOULD BE THERE OR HOW MANY PEOPLE.

WE ANTICIPATED BASED UPON THE MANAGEMENT AND THE UNIT MIX ABOUT 500 TO 515 PEOPLE. WHICH IS -- WHICH IS CONSISTENT -- THANK YOU, RICHARD. WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE -- THE FAR THAT EXISTS ON THE BLOCK ADJACENT TO US. THIS IS A 69 UNITS TO THE ACRE. OR A LITTLE OVER 69. WE CALL IT 70 UNITS TO THE ACRE AND THE PROPERTY TO THE WEST -- TO THE EAST OF US, WHAT IS -- 29TH STREET, HEMPHILL PARK AND 27TH STREET, THE -- THE RATIO THERE IS .63 UNITS. OR 63 UNITS TO THE ACRE, I'M SORRY.

GOODMAN: DOES 1.5 PARKING SPACES MATCH WHICH YOU JUST SAID.

1.5 PARKING PLACES IN EXCESS OF THE CODE CONSIDERABLY. WE HAVE -- THE CODE PARKING IS ABOUT 320 PARKING PLACES. WE HAD PROPOSED 395, WHICH IS 20% MORE THAN THE CODE REQUIRED PARKING. SO WE FELT THAT -- ALTHOUGH THIS AREA IS -- IS ADJACENT IN -- MOST FOLKS WILL BE WALKING AND IF WE WERE IN THE CURE AREA, WE WOULD BE RESTRICTED BY 60 -- TO A 60% MAXIMUM AALLOWABLE. HERE WE ARE DOING 120%.

GOODMAN: OKAY. JUST FOR THE LOGISTICS OF THIS, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS WANTING THE 100 UNITS OR WAS CALCULATING THE 100 UNITS WOULD BE ABOUT 500 PEOPLE AND YOU ARE CALCULATING 163 WILL BE 500 PEOPLE.

THEY ARE PUTTING A LOT MORE PEOPLE I GUESS PER BEDROOM THAN WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE. OUR -- A LOT LARGER UNITS. AND THERE'S A PECULIAR PORTION OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WHEN YOU ADD THE MU OVERLAY TO CS, YOU GO TO A UNIT SIZE THAT IS EQUAL TO WHAT IS UNDER M.F. 4. SO FOR A TWO BEDROOM UNITS YOU NEED 12 SQUARE FEET OF SITE AREA. THAT REALLY RESTRICTS US TO THE NUMBER OF UNITS.

GOODMAN: OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: MAYOR, I JUST NEED LEGAL NOW. IF I COULD, MS. TERRY.

YES, MA'AM.

GOODMAN: IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE CODIS CREATIONARY OR OTHERWISE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO -- TO CAP NOT NECESSARILY UNITS, BUT RESIDENTS? WITH A T. NUMBERS.

THERE'S NOTHING OTHER THAN -- THERE ARE -- THERE ARE PROVISIONS CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUES. ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN ABIDE IN A PARTICULAR SIZED SPACE. BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A ZONING ISSUE. THAT IS LOCATED ELSEWHERE IN THE CODE. AND IT'S A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S A FIRE CODE ISSUE. IT'S A -- IT IS BASICALLY YOU CAN ONLY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE LIVING PER -- I BELIEVE IT'S SQUARE FEET. AND I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. ALTHOUGH STEWART HIRSCH IS HERE AND PROBABLY REMEMBERS THEM, HE PROBABLY HAS THEM TATTOOED ON HIS HEART. IF YOU WANTED THE ANSWER TODAY.

MAYOR PRO TEM, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THE RESTRICTIONS ARE BASED ON BEDROOM SIZE FOR TWO PEOPLE IN A BEDROOM, YOU NEED A MINIMUM OF 70 SQUARE FEET. YOU NEED 120 -- 150 SQUARE FEET FOR EACH OCCUPANT. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SIZE OF THE BEDROOM IS, DRIVES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, PLUS YOU CANNOT HAVE MORE THAN 6 UNRELATED PEOPLE IN A UNIT AND -- IF YOU DO, THEN IT BECOMES A ROOMING HOUSE OR A BOARDING HOUSE AND HAS TO BE IN A DIFFERENT ZONING DISTRICT.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU. MS. TER REERKS IS THERE A PRECLUSION AGAINST A CONDITION OF ZONING ALSO INCLUDING NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS? CAPACITY?

ZONING IS A USE ISSUE. AS A RESULT, THE ZONE YOU SHOULD BE ZONING AS TO USES AND -- AND NOT THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS. IT'S NOT AN APPROPRIATE THING. IT'S NOT AN APPROPRIATE RESTRICTION FOR ZONING. AND IS ADDRESSED BY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE CODE. YOU CAN GET TO THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS BY UNITS, BUT YOU CAN'T -- YOU HAVE TO RELY -- WELL -- YOU GET INTO VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS CONCERNING -- FEDERAL ISSUES INVOLVING WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN TERMS OF RESTRICTING THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS. AND FEDERAL -- FEDERAL LAW IN THAT AREA. WE CAN RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THROUGH THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROVISIONS, WHICH WE -- WHICH STEWART SPOKE TO. BUT -- BUT YOU CANNOT GET THERE THROUGH ZONING FOR TWO REASONS: FEDERAL LAW AND BECAUSE ZONING IS USE. IT'S NOT NUMBER OF RESIDENTS.

GOODMAN: HUM OKAY.

IF I MIGHT, IT -- I WOULD LIKE TO DEFER TO ALICE IN TERMS OF GETTING TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. SHE'S GOT SUCH AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CODE, SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT ISSUE. IF THAT IS A PLAUSIBLE ALTERNATIVE FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

GLASGO: MAYOR PRO TEM, MARTY TERRY IS CORRECT IN HER RESPONSE. THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD OFFER WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY THE FLOOR TO AREA RATIO IS A LIMITATION. YOU CAN REALLY ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANT SOMEWHAT BY LIMITING THE NUMBER OF UNITS, YOUR DENSITY IS REALLY YOUR KEY THERE AND YOUR FLOOR TO AREA RATIO HERE, SINCE YOU HAVE CS AND THE -- AND THE MULTI-FAMILY ZONING REQUEST CAN ALSO HAVE A FLOOR TO AREA RATIO LIMITATION.

BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO UNITS, I HATE TO TRY TO DESIGN HOW MANY SECOND TWO BEDROOM, HOW MANY ONE BEDROOM, HOW EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS IN ORDER TO FIND OUT EXACTLY THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANT CAPACITY.

GLASGO: THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE. THE ONLY WAY WOULD BE TO LIMB OVERALL DENSITY, THAT WOULD DICTATE ULTIMATELY HOW MANY UNITS THEY GET TO GENERATE IN THE TWO BEDROOM EFFICIENCIES AND ONE BEDROOM UNITS.

GOODMAN: MR. McHONE, DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF HOW MANY TWO BEDROOMS, HOW MANY ONE BEDROOMS?

THERE ARE 25 AND 63 AND 27 DIFFERENT UNIT -- BASED UPON THE UNIT TYPES. AS YOU ARE LAYING A PROJECT OUT BASED UPON THE SITE, THE BUILDABLE AREA, YOU GET WITH DIFFERENT SIZES OF UNITS. LET ME DO THE ADDITION HERE REAL QUICK. I CAN GIVE YOU THAT NUMBER. ROUGHLY 105 OF THE 163 UNITS ARE TWO BEDROOM.

GOODMAN: ARE THERE ANY WITH MORE THAN TWO?

THERE IS 19 THREE BEDROOM AND 8 FOUR-BEDROOM UNITS. 21 ONE-BEDROOM UNITS IN OUR ORIGINAL UNIT MIX.

GOODMAN: OKAY. THIS MAY BE -- WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS FOR. IS THERE A WAY TO PRECLUDE FOUR BEDROOM APARTMENTS?

IS THERE A WAY TO PRECLUDE THEM?

GOODMAN: TO TAKE THEM OUT. IS THAT A FLEXIBILITY THAT YOU REALLY -- HAD PLANNED IN?

IT'S JUST -- IT'S JUST A WAY OF -- IF WE ARE SUBSTITUTING TWO BEDROOM FOR FOUR BEDROOM IT'S NOT A BIG ISSUE. BUT YOU CAN DO THAT. I MEAN, TECHNICALLY YOU CAN.

GLASGO: MAYOR PRO TEM, SINCE THAT'S -- THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE DOES SPEAK TO NUMBER OF BEDROOM UNITS REGARDING SPACE, THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT YOU NEED TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR DENSITY. YOU COULD LIMIT IT WITH A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY BECAUSE THAT'S IN THE CODE. OR EITHER PROHIBIT OR LIMIT THE NUMBER OF UNITS. WE -- WE HAVE PROVISION UNDER THE MULTI-FAMILY 4 AND 5 DISTRICT WHERE YOU NEED TO HAVE SO MUCH DWELLING AREA FOR EFFICIENCY, ONE BEDROOM AND FOR DWELLING UNITS WITH TWO OR MORE BEDROOMS. AND THAT IS SECTION 25-2563 OF THE CODE.

GOODMAN: OKAY. WELL, COUNCIL, WHAT I WAS THINKING OF MIGHT NOT BE VIABLE AT ALL. BUT I JUST THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO SORT OF PLAN OUT THE NUMBERS. I'M NOT SURE IF -- IF PEOPLE WHO NEED TO GO FOUR TO AN APARTMENT WOULD BE MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO HAVE CARS. AND SO ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK RELATIVE TO TRAFFIC IS ARE THERE NO PARKING SIGNS ON ALL PARTS -- ON ALL BORDERS OF THIS PROJECT? AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE KNOW THAT. MR. McHONE MIGHT OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD, I'M SURE. BUT WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS COME TO SOME SORT OF MIDDLE GROUND THAT PROBABLY DIDN'T MAKE ANYBODY HAPPY, BUT THAT DID CUT OUT SOME OF THE IMPACT FROM THE CARS THAT ARE PRESUMED TO GO ALONG WITH THIS PROJECT. SO WITH THAT I WILL JUST SAY MY OTHER QUESTION WAS ABOUT WHETHER THERE ARE NO PARKING SIGNS ON ALL OF THE STREET EDGES OF THIS PROJECT. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME, MAYOR.

ALVAREZ: I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, MYSELF.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.

ALVAREZ: FOR ALICE OR GREG. IN TERMS OF DENSITY, BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING -- WHAT IS THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL SPACE WHERE ALL OF THE -- WHERE THE RESIDENT SHALL WILL GO? IS IT ACTUALLY TWO ACRES OR IS IT LESS THAN TWO ACRES? I GUESS HOW MUCH SPACE IS TAKEN UP BY THE BLOCK BUSTER AND THE -- AND THE -- AND THE PARKING GARAGE.

THIS COULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT SINCE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SITE PLAN IN PLACE. ALL WE HAVE IS PARTIAL ZONING. YOUR MAP ONLY FOCUSES ON PART OF THE AREA TO BE REZONINGED. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ENTIRE SITE WHICH THEY NEED THE ZONING -- DON'T NEED THE ZONING CHANGE FOR. BUT THE APPLICANT CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU THE EXACT SQUARE FOOTAGES. WE HAVE ONE ACRE HERE FOR JUST THE CHANGE TO MULTI-FAMILY ZONING. AND THE REMAINDER OF THE SITE WILL MAINTAIN ITS CS ZONING. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]ATZNO CARRIERRINGCONNECT 1200c

GLASGO: NO, THAT WILL BE JUST FOR THE UNITS. OKAY.

ALVAREZ: SO EVEN IF WE ASSUME IT'S THE FULL TWO ACRES, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT ABOUT 81 UNITS PER ACRE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

GLASGO: ABOUT 70 UNITS PER ACRE.

ALVAREZ: LET'S SEE. WE HAVE 163 UNITS. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT?

GLASGO: I'M SORRY?

ALVAREZ: 163 UNITS?

GLASGO: THEY ARE PROPOSING 160 UNITS, 163 UNITS.

ALVAREZ: HOW DO WE COME OUT WITH 70 INSTEAD OF 80? BECAUSE THERE'S TWO ACRES. I GUESS I WAS TRYING TO TAKE THE BLOCKBUSTER OR WHATEVER THAT COMMERCIAL PIECE OUT OF IT.

GLASGO: IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING THE AREA TO BE REZONED FOR THE MULTI-FAMILY UNITS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CALCULATE YOUR DENSITY BASED ON THAT BECAUSE THE CS DOES NOT ALLOW UNITS.

ALVAREZ: I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE WERE LOOKING AT IT AS A SEPARATE -- AS MF-4 CASE, HOW COULD WE EVALUATE IT AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF OPEN-ENDED TYPE OF DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING. BUT BASICALLY I THINK THE DENSITY IS -- FOR ME IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT I GUESS IF WE'RE LOOKING AT MF-4, MF 5, 54 UNITS PER ACRE TO 80 -- I THINK IT'S ABOUT 80 UNITS PER ACRE. SO -- AND THE F.A.R. IS GOING FROM 0.75 TO 1.521, SO FOR ME I'M NOT REAL COMFORTABLE MAKE THANKING JUMP BETWEEN THE MF-4 -- AT LEAST NOT THAT MUCH OF A JUMP TO THE MF-6 AS IT'S CURRENTLY DEFINED.

GLASGO: OKAY.

MAYOR WATSON: ANYTHING ELSE? PROBABLY TIME FOR A MOTION, FOLKS.

GOODMAN: MAYOR, I'M GOING TO TRY SOMETHING ONLY FOR SECOND READING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AT ALL COOKED, BUT HOPEFULLY IT'S SOMETHING TO START ON. HERE, LET ME TRY TO ORGANIZE THE ORDER OF THIS. HOW WOULD WE SAY, ALICE, HOW WOULD WE DESCRIBE THE WRAP-AROUND GARAGE? I MEAN THE WRAPPED-UP GARAGE.

GLASGO: I WOULD BELIEVE THE WAY I HEARD TRACY DESCRIBE IT, ALTHOUGH -- MISPRINGLE, WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD GO AROUND WEST 29TH STREET BECAUSE YOU HAVE FRONTAGE THERE, THERE'S THE ALLEY WAY BEHIND THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY, AND THEN HEMPHILL DRIVE, HEMPHILL PARK WOULD BE THE WRAP-AROUND. AND I HOPE THEY ARE LISTENING. SO 29TH STREET, HEMPHILL PARK, AND THEN YOU HAVE -- I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE GUADALUPE, BUT YOU HAVE AN ALLEY WAY PARALLEL TO HEMPHILL PARK THAT WOULD DESCRIBE THE WRAP-AROUND.

GOODMAN: OKAY. CONSIDER THAT MY MOTION JUST SAID WHAT ALICE SAID. THE HEIGHT ON 29TH WOULD BE LIMITED TO 40 FEET AND GRADUATING TO 60 FOOT ON GUADALUPE. LET ME ADD THAT THE MINIMUM SITE AREA FOR EACH DWELLING UNIT WOULD FOLLOW THIS CODE: 800 SQUARE FEET FOR AN EFFICIENCY, 1,000 SQUARE FEET FOR A ONE-BEDROOM; 1,200 SQUARE FEET FOR TWO OR MORE BEDROOMS; AND THE MINIMUM OPEN SPACE FOR EACH DWELLING IS -- DWELLING UNIT IS 100 SQUARE FEET. AND THERE WOULD BE A PROHIBITION AGAINST SURFACE PARKING.

GLASGO: MAYOR PRO TEM, THIS IS ON FOR FIRST READING ONLY.

GOODMAN: OH, SORRY, OKAY.

MAYOR WATSON: WE SENT THEM TO MEDIATION.

GOODMAN: NO PROBLEM. I THOUGHT WE WERE FURTHER ON.

GLASGO: SECOND, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK, IF YOUR MOTION PASSED, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND REZONE THE WRAP-AROUND SITES TO CS-MU AS MR. WATSON INDICATED EARLIER.

GOODMAN: IF THERE IS A WAY AT THIS POINT WITHOUT KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THE EXITS AND ENTRANCES WERE DESIGNED, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE MUST BE TWO OR MORE EXITS, ENTRANCES FOR THE GARAGE. NOT ON THE SAME STREET.

GLASGO: WE CAN LOOK AT ALL THAT BASED TO PRESENTATIONS WE HEARD TODAY.

GOODMAN: SO THAT'S MY SHOT, MAYOR.

MAYOR WATSON: MOTION HAS BEEN MADE ON FIRST READING ONLY. YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND?

WYNN: SECOND.

MAYOR WATSON: SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION? DID I HEAR YES? ALL RIGHT. THERE -- COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH.

GRIFFITH: YES. CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THIS PROPOSAL WOULD DIFFER IN TERMS OF THE TWO THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, WHICH ARE DENSITY AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT? HOW WOULD -- HOW WOULD THIS ZONING AFFECT THOSE TWO THINGS? UP OR DOWN OR SIDEWISE WAYS WAYS.

GLASGO: WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ANALYSIS THAT. WE CAN COME BECOME AND LET YOU KNOW ON SECOND READING. BECAUSE MAYOR PRO TEM JUST ADDED SOME SORRY SITE REGULATIONS THAT WERE NOT CONSIDERED PREVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO RUN THE NUMBERS AND EXPLAIN THAT ON SECOND READING. BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TWO MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DETAIL THE INFORMATION FOR YOU. WE STILL NEED TO GO BACK AND BEGIN THE REZONING FOR CSMU FOR THE BALANCE OF THE SITE. AND THEN ALSO GIVE AUTHOR ROW ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF YOUR ACTION ON FIRST READING. WOULD THAT WORK FOR YOU?

GRIFFITH: YES. THANK YOU.

SLUSHER: MAYOR, DOES THAT MEAN --.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: SO WE CAN'T YET TELL THE NUMBER OF UNITS? WHAT ABOUT THE UNITS AND THE AMOUNT OF PARKING? I'M JUST TRYING -- I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT BEFORE I VOTE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SORTED OUT BECAUSE OF --.

GLASGO: YES.

SLUSHER: -- UNDER THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ON THERE?

GLASGO: YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND ASSESS THE MOTION THAT MAYOR PRO TEM JUST LAID OUT ON HOW ALL THAT AFFECTS EVERYTHING ELSE SO YOU HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE IMPLICATIONS.

SLUSHER: OKAY. I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT OUT OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM'S PLANNING EXPERTISE AND SHE SAID IT'S NOT FULLY COOKED YET, SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE NEGOTIATION AND MORE CHANGES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I'M HOPEFUL THAT SOMETHING CAN BE WORKED OUT THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED OR AT LEAST MOST EVERYONE CAN SUPPORT. I WANTED TO NOTE JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, IT SEEMS THAT THE APPLICANTS DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO MOVE ON THE AMOUNT OF UNITS BECAUSE -- AND ONE REASON I'VE HEARD BROUGHT OUT FOR THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT. BUT I FEEL LIKE OUR JOB IS TO DECIDE WHAT WE THINK IS BEST ON THAT PROPERTY, NOT TO CONSIDER HOW MUCH SOMEBODY PAID FOR IT. OUR JOB IS TO GIVE IT THE APPROPRIATE ZONING. AND I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS, THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO MAYBE SHOULDN'T BE INVOLVED IN IT. BUT I LOOK AT THIS UNIVERSITY AS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I THINK IS REALLY EVERYBODY'S NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE FOLKS INVOLVED ARE CLOSE ENOUGH I THINK TO HAVE A DIRECT STAKE IN IT. SO THAT'S PART OF MY THINKING ON IT, BUT I HOPE THAT ALL SIDES CAN GIVE A LITTLE BIT AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER ONE IS PROPOSALLING AND HOPEFULLY COME TO A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION.

MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES ON ITEM NO. 7. ITEM NO. 8. THIS IS ON SECOND OR THIRD READING. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. IS THERE A MOTION.

WYNN: I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.

MAYOR WATSON: MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. DISCUSSION? SLUFRB NAURBL.

MAYOR WATSON: HIS MOTION IS ON SECOND AND THIRD READING FMD I THINK CARE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT ON ALL THREE READINGS BECAUSE WE NEED TO -- I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR COUNCILMEMBERS BECAUSE THERE IS A VALID PETITION HERE, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR COUNCILMEMBERS TO LET US KNOW YOUR THINKING SO IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD READING IT IS NOT VOTED DOWN AND LIE BEHIND THE LOG ON THIS ITEM.

GOODMAN: I'VE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE MECHANICS OF THE DESIGN THAT WILL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE AT SITE PLAN. SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS LAST TIME ABSOLUTELY DO HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED, AND IF THE PROJECT ITSELF CAN'T HANDLE IT, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT. MR. ZAPALAC GAVE US A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO APPLEGATE AND SOME VERY GENERAL ESTIMATE OF COST. THERE IS ALSO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE EXIT WOULD BE. I HEAR THERE IS A LETTER FROM THE COUNTY ABOUT DESSAU, BUT I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN THAT, I DON'T THINK. AND THERE'S ALSO AN ISSUE FOR ME OF BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE ON THE N.O. OFFICE USES AND THE SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIRED FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO ANY OF THOSE YET TODAY. I ALSO MADE SOME INQUIRIES OF AISD ABOUT THE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA BECAUSE AN ISSUE HAD BEEN MADE ABOUT LOW PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS, AND SO I WANTED TO CHECK ON THE PROGRESS OF LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS MOVING UP AND BEING RECOGNIZED AS ACHIEVEMENT -- EXCELLENCE IN ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS. MOST OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT THAT WERE RARNGED LOW PERFORMANCE HAVE IN THE SPACE OF A YEAR OR TWO MOVED OUT OF THAT RANKING. SO I DID WANT TO CHECK WITH AISD AND SEE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE ON THE THREE IN THIS AREA. AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET AN E-MAIL OR A MEMO YESTERDAY, BUT I HAVEN'T GOT THAT YET EITHER FROM AISD. SO ALL OF THESE ISSUES FOR ME ARE UP IN THE AIR. THERE ARE CERTAIN BARRIERS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED. AND I THINK ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE PROJECT IS A GOOD ONE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO GO AHEAD AND DO A BLANK CHECK ON SITE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE AT THE TIME OF ZONING. I DIDN'T HAVE A MOTION. I JUST SAID OUT OF ALL -- I HAVE ALL THESE BURNING QUESTIONS AND HAVE I NO ANSWERS YET.

GRIFFITH: MAYOR?

GOODMAN: I THINK THAT THE ISSUES I'M GOING TO RAISE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE SO IF EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THOSE KIND OF THINGS WOULD BE COMING ON THIRD READING, I COULD GO WITH SECOND.

GRIFFITH: YES, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU MENTIONED A LETTER FROM THE COUNTY. THE TRANSPORTATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOLKS, JOE GEISELMAN, THE EXECUTIVE MANAGER, THERE'S A LETTER FROM CAPITAL METRO THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND ONE FROM JOE GEISELMAN THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT. THE ONE FROM THE COUNTY AND BEGINNING PARAGRAPH 2, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED ACCESS TO THIS PROPERTY. THE PORTION OF DESSAU ROAD ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY IS ON A STEEP GRADE AND NEAR A COMBINATION VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CURVE. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 50 MILES PER HOUR. THE DISTANCE -- THE SIGHT DISTANCE AT THE INTERSECTION FROM APPLEGATE DRIVE IS SEVERELY LIMITED. AND THE NEXT TO LAST PARAGRAPH WARNS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU, THE CITY STAFF AND THE APPLICANT ARE AWARE OF OUR CONCERNS BEFORE APPROVING THIS ZONING CHANGE.

GOODMAN: MAYOR, AS A FOLLOWUP TO THAT AND COUNCILMEMBER, IF THERE IS NO ACCESS THERE, THEN THERE NEEDS TO BE A TRAFFIC ANALYSIS FOR APPLEGATE.

GRIFFITH: YES. AND LET'S ALSO LOOK AT WHAT CAPITAL METRO HAS HAD TO SAY. THEIR OCTOBER 23 LETTER SAYS: PLANNING STAFF FROM CAPITAL METRO VISITED THE PROPOSED SITE AND SPOKE WITH YOU CONCERNING WHAT IS PLANNED. AS THEY HAVE MENTIONED IN TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS, OUR STAFF HAS TWO MAJOR CONCERNS WITH THIS SITE AND OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE. OPERATIONAL ISSUES FOR BUSES AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE COST AND IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL SERVICE EXTENSIONS TO THE SITE. IT SAYS THIS SITE IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF DESSAU ROAD, WHICH IS A MAJOR ARTERIAL WITH A POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 50 MILES PER HOUR. TOPOGRAPHY IN THE AREA IS HILLY, AND THE SITE IN QUESTION IS UPHILL FROM WALNUT CREEK. THE RISK OF REAR-END COLLISIONS IS A BIG CONCERN. WE DISCUSSED VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES USING STREETS IN THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WE WOULD CONCLUDE THAT THESE STREETS ARE TOO NARROW FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS. A SUBSEQUENT LETTER WHICH WAS HELPFUL SUGGESTED THAT VAN POOLS COULD BE LOOKED AT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BUSES BECAUSE BUSES CLEARLY ARE NOT GOING TO -- ARE NOT GOING TO BE THERE. ALSO SPECIAL TRANSIT VEHICLES FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY. THE CONCERN IS THAT THE SAME -- THE SAME TOPOGRAPHY AND THE SAME STREET CONFIGURATIONS, THE SAME SPEED, THE SAME UPHILL WOULD BE THERE FOR VAN POOLS, FOR SPECIAL TRANSIT VEHICLES, FOR PRIVATE CARS, AND FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS. SO THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS ARE BIG ONES AND WILL HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH.

GOODMAN: MAYOR, DO YOU MIND IF I --.

MAYOR WATSON: NO.

GOODMAN: ONE OF THE ISSUES I WANT TO LOOK AT IN SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT IS THE KIND OF TURN "AROUND OR PARKING SPOLT FOR A FUTURE, NOT NECESSARILY TRANSIT STOP IN THE SENSE OF A REGULAR SIZED BUS, BUT SOME WAY TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A PROTECTED AREA FOR THAT. ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VAN POOLING OR WHATEVER. AND THE TOPOGRAPHY IS PRETTY RUGGED ON THIS SITE. IT'S ALSO VERY PRETTY. BUT THOSE THINGS CAN BE ADDRESSED IF WE LOOK AT THEM AND TRY TO ADDRESS THEM. OTHERWISE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE EVERYBODY OUT OF JESTER ESTATES AND OFF OF MOUNT BONNELL. IT'S PRETTY RUGGED OVER THERE TOO. SO WHILE I DON'T WANT TO BE FLIP ABOUT THIS, I DON'T WANT TO SAY EITHER THAT THE BARRIERS ARE TOO DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF FINE TUNING AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME SITE PLAN CONDITIONS OF ZONING AT THE TIME OF ZONING.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, YOUR MOTION IS ON SECOND AND THIRD READING. WOULD YOU AMEND THAT TO SECOND READING?

WYNN: YES.

MAYOR WATSON: AS MAKER OF THE SECOND, I'LL DO THE SAME THING. FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: I'LL YIELD TO COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

THOMAS: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND MAYOR. LOOKING AT AND LISTEN TO GO WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH IS SPEAKING ABOUT, I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE SAFETY PART, AS WE WERE SAYING THE TWO GOVERNING ENTITIES WERE SAYING HOW WE SHOULD CONSIDER AND THE THINGS -- DANGERS OF THE PROJECT. ALSO THE TRANSPORTATION. AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE SLOPE ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH WILL BE 14 TO 40%. I WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTING SECOND OR THIRD READING ON THIS PROJECT. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MAYBE LOOK AT SOME OTHER LOCATION FOR THE PROJECT. I AM NOT TOTALLY AGAINST THE PROJECT, BUT I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE PROJECT. I WANTED TO KNOW PUBLICLY I NEVER HAVE BEEN AGAINST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO WORK OUT BEFORE WE CAN EVEN CONSIDER THAT. THANK YOU.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: YES, MAYOR, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. I WOULD VOTE FOR IT THIRD READING TOO I THINK. PROBABLY [INAUDIBLE]. BUT I THINK MILE PER HOUR RAISES SOME LEGITIMATE ISSUES -- BUT I THINK MAYOR PRO TEM RAISES SOME LEGITIMATE ISSUES. WHAT I WOULD HOPE FOR IS MY RELUCTANCE ON JUST DOING IT ON SECOND READING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP AT THIRD READING NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH TWO VOTES ALREADY AGAINST IT. SO I WOULD REALLY PLEAD WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO GIVE IT A FAIR CHANCE DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AS WE WORK UP -- AS WE TRY TO DEAL WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SITUATION. I MEAN THERE ARE ALREADY HUNDREDS OF HOMES THAT HAVE TO -- THAT COME OUT TO THIS INTERSECTION ALREADY. YOU CAN SEE THAT FROM LOOKING AT THE MAP OF THE PROJECT. THERE ARE PRETTY PACKED NEIGHBORHOODS BACK BEHIND HERE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING 30 AT THIS EITHER THROUGH A CURB CUT OR COMING OUT ON TO APPLEGATE WHERE ALL THOSE NEIGHBORS COME ALREADY. AND THIS ONE, IT REALLY -- THIS CASE BOTHERS ME LIKE FEW HAVE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL BECAUSE THIS IS A CHANCE FOR 30 SINGLE PARENTS, SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES TO HAVE AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, AND I WOULD REALLY HATE TO SEE US GO THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT THE TRANSPORTATION SITUATION AND INSTEAD WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS, AND THEN WHEN WE GET BACK THERE'S AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BE TWO VOTES AGAINST IT. AND THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO DIE. I SURE HOPE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.

THOMAS: MAYOR.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

THOMAS: THAT IS THE REASON I'M BEING VERY FRANK WITH EVERYBODY ON THIS IS BECAUSE I'M NOT AGAINST IT, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY SAY LET'S MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WE WANT TO TRY TO FIX THIS, AND THIS PARTICULAR INTERSECTION WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY, CAPITAL METRO, CONCERNED CITIZENS, IT'S JUST NOT A SAFE PARTICULAR AREA FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. AND I SEE THAT MAYBE WRE NEED TO WORK AND TRY TO GET WITH THE APPLICANT AND MOVE THIS PROJECT TO ANOTHER GENERAL AREA. YOU CAN SHAKE YOUR HEAD SIR, I UNDERSTAND, I KNOW YOU PUT A LOT OF ENERGY IN THIS AND I RESPECT YOU FOR THAT, BUT I HOPE YOU RESPECT ME FOR MY OPINION TOO. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SAFETY, AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT PUTTING PEOPLE -- SURE, THERE'S A LOT OF INTERSECTIONS THAT'S COMING OUT ON DESSAU, BUT THIS PARTICULAR ONE IN THE CURVE, WE HAVE A PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

SLUSHER: MAYOR, LET ME SAY -- I DO -- I RESPECT THAT, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, SAY THAT RIGHT UP FRONT IF HE HAS CONCLUDEDDED, MAKE A DECISION -- I'M WONDERING, BEFORE I WOULD SUPPORT MOVINGING IT SOMEWHERE, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE FINANCES OF THAT WOULD WORK. BECAUSE I THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TRANSFERRING IT OVER TO THE COLONY PARK PROJECT THAT COUNCIL HAS PURCHASED LAND.

THOMAS: ANYWHERE.

SLUSHER: THAT'S WHAT I HAD HEARD. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOME MORE SPECIFICS. I WOULD HAVE TO HEAR MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT.

MAYOR WATSON: AND SINCE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS IF HE IS GOING TO SUGGEST THE REASON HE CAN'T VOTE FOR IT IS BECAUSE HE HASN'T HEARD ALTERNATIVE PLACES THAT HE BRING SOMETHING FORWARD ON THAT BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD READING. FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES WITH COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS BEING SHOWN VOTING NO.

GRIFFITH: AND ONE ABSTENTION.

MAYOR WATSON: AND ONE ABSTENTION. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE PURPOSE OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE TO ENGAGE IN A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY PURSUANT TO 551.071 TO DISCUSS REL ISSUES RELATED TO SETTLEMENT WITH MET CENTER PARTNERS. ALSO WE WILL EVEN GAME IN A DISCUSSION PURSUANT TO 551.086 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE REGARDING PUBLIC POWER COMPETITIVE MARRY TO DISCUSS FINANCIAL AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING ISSUES. IS THERE A MOTION?

WYNN: SO MOVED.

MAYOR WATSON: MOTION MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. THE MOTION CARRIES AND WE ARE RECESSED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT WE WILL DO IS IF WE COMPLETE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE 1:30, I WILL COME OUT AND PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THAT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. WE WILL NOT RECONVENE AS A COUNCIL UNTIL 1:30 TO TAKE ACTION ON ANY ITEM, BUT IF WE COMPLETE IT BEFORE 1:30, WHICH I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE WOULD, I WILL COME OUT AND ANNOUNCE THAT PUBLICLY. WE ARE IN RECESS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

MAYOR WATSON: EXECUTIVE SESSION IS NOW OVER. WE WILL CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER AT 1:30 P.M.

GOODMAN: IF WE GET ONE MORE COUNCILMEMBER ON THE DIAS WE CAN BEGIN OUR COMMUNICATION SCHEDULED FOR 1:30. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU. WE'VE FOR YOU CALLED THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. IF YOU CAN TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS TO A LOWER VERBAL LEVEL. THANK YOU. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. JIMMY CASTRO, MR. CASTRO, THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN, COUNCILMEMBERS AND MR. GARZA, I'M HERE ON SPEAK ON MY OWN BEHALF, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION. BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE PERSONAL NOTE TO THANK MAYOR WATSON FOR ALL HIS HARD WORK. MAYOR WATSON, I'M SURE THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERY PARENT IN AUSTIN SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE SPECIAL GIFT OF $1 MILLION DONATED RECENTLY TO THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF AUSTIN FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN. IT TAKES SPECIAL PEOPLE, LIKE MAYOR WATSON AND THE COUNCILMEMBERS, TO MAKE AUSTIN THE SUCCESS IT IS TODAY. SPECIAL -- DESCRIBES PEOPLE WHO ACT FROM THE HEART BUT KEEP IN MIND THE HEARTS OF OTHERS. AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS MAYOR WATSON ON A JOB WELL DONE. THANKSGIVING IS A TIME TO GIVE THANKS FOR WHAT WE HAVE. PERHAPS EVEN A BIT OF REFLECTION ON WHAT WE HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR. EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS THROUGHOUT THE NATION AS WELL AS IN CENTRAL TEXAS BENEFIT FROM ORGAN AND TISSUE TRANSPLANTS. THESE DONATED ORGANS HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE RECIPIENTS. DONATIONS OF VITAL ORGANS LITERALLY SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES. TRANSPLANTSED CORNEAS HELP PERSONS WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO SEE. DONATED BONE MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO WALK. AND SKIN GRAFTS HELP SEVERELY BURNED PEOPLE TO FIGHT INFECTION. BUT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH DONATED ORGANS TO MEET THE NEEDS. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IS TO DISCUSS YOUR WISH TO DONATE WITH YOUR FAMILY. DISCUSSING THIS CHOICE IS VERY IMPORTANT. BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU SIGNED A DONOR CARD, YOUR NEXT OF KIN'S PERMISSION MUST BE GIVEN BEFORE A DONATION CAN TAKES PLACE. IT IS A GREAT -- IT IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF LIFE ONE HUMAN BEING CAN GIVE TO ANOTHER. HAVING SPENT TIME ON A DIALYSIS MACHINE OVER A YEAR AND NOW BEING A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT FROM BRACKENRIDGE HOSPITAL SINCE MARCH 10TH, 1990, I ALONG WITH MY FAMILY KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF THE GIFT OF LIFE. THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BEFORE I CALL MR. PENA'S NAME, LET ME NOTE THAT WE HAVE SOME VISITORS TODAY. WE HAVE SOME HOME SCHOOLERS WITH US WHO ARE CHECKING OUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. IF YOU ALL WOULD JUST STAND FOR A MINUTE SO THAT WE CAN SHOW YOU A LITTLE APPRECIATION FOR BEING INTERESTED. [ APPLAUSE ] THANKS FOR COMING, GUS PENA.

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCILMEMBERS. WELCOME YOUNG PEOPLE TO CIVICS 101, PLEASE GROW UP AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS GOVERNMENTAL BODY BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, IT WILL AFFECT THE COMMUNITY POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY. I WANT TO THANK THE DEVELOPERS, ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS THAT HAVE INCLUDED US, EAST AUSTIN CONCERNED HISPANICS, IN THE PLANNING PROCESS AND TO SHARE A VISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO WE CAN PUSH FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LOW INCOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN AUSTIN, ALSO, SO -- SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THEM. ALSO RECA FOR ALLOWING US TO PARTICIPATE WITH THEM. IT'S ABOUT TIME BOTH OF US INTERACTED TOGETHER, NOT JUST THE CITY AND THEM. ANYWAY, HAPPY EARLY VETERANS' DAY TO YOU ALL. YOU ALL WILL HAVE A DAY OFF, WE WON'T. SOME OF US WORK ON VETERANS' DAY. THIS IS ME 18 YEARS OLD AS A UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS VETERANS. RECOGNIZE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE GIVEN BY VETERANS, REMEMBER THE ULTIMATE PRICE THAT WAS PAID BY OUR VETERANS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM OF OTHER COUNTRIES. [SPEAKING INENDS OF MINE DID NOT MAKE IT OUT OF VIETNAM. I HAVE A CLIPPING HERE, SHOWING ALEX QUIDOS AND MY OLD ALLEN JUNIOR HIGH BULLDOG, GOOD FRIEND OF MICROCHIP, I LOST HIM, MAY HE REST IN PEACE. BUT I WANT EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER WHY WE WENT INTO THE MILITARY. WE DIDN'T GO INTO THE MILITARY TO DODGE THE DRAFT OR BECAUSE WE WERE SCARED. WE DID IT BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY ASKED US TO AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE DID.

NOVEMBER THE 10TH, 2000 -- I'M SORRY, NOVEMBER THE 10TH, 2000, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS WILL CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY, WE WERE BORN IN 75. OLD BY DARN GOOD. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL MARINES PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. REMEMBER THE NEEDS OF OUR VETERANS, NEEDS, COMPREHENSIVE JOB TRAINING, HEALTH CARE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. NOT JUST SINGLE VETERANS. AND JOBS FOR ALL VETERANS, WE THINK THERE IS A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE AMONG THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE STATE, YES, THERE IS A -- I'M A FORMER INVESTIGATOR AND I HAVE CASE LAW ON THAT MAYOR PRO TEM. LET'S MAKE IT VERY CLEAR. WE ARE IN A RECESSION, I JUST HEARD THE MAYOR ELECT MENTION SOME POSSIBLE CUTS. LET'S NOT CUT ANYTHING THAT WILL AFFECT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE HAVE ENOUGH POVERTY OUT THERE. ENOUGH POVERTY PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD ANY MORE, ANY OTHER CUTS. CANNOT LIVE AS IT IS ALREADY PAYING THREE-QUARTERS OR ALL OF THEIR PAYCHECK FOR RENT. MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE. AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE. WE NEEDED INDICATION REFORM WITH AISD, WE NEED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO REMEMBER PUMP THE RESOURCES, FUNDING, TOP QUALITY TEACHERS AT JOHNSTON HIGH. NOT JUST REAGAN AS MAYOR GARCIA MENTIONED REAGAN, L.B.J., JOHNSON, TRAVIS, BACK SHEER, ALLEN, OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE OUT THERE. CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE STRONGLY WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUZZ BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE, THEY NEED YOUR HELP. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, HAPPY VETERANS DAY AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MARINE CORPS.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES HAVE A VETERANS PREFERENCE PROGRAM IN LAYS FOR FIRE AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT A.P.D. AS WELL. WE DO HAVE A VETERANS PREFERENCE HIRING. MS. GALE.

CITY MANAGER, JESUS GARZA, CITY ATTORNEY SEDORA JEFFERSON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR IS NOT HERE AGAIN. WELL, HE WON'T BE HERE ANYMORE. THANK YOU AND GOODBYE. I -- I LOOK -- OUR FUTURE FORMER MAYOR VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND WASN'T LEGALLY FIT TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL. AND I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS FIND OUT WHAT HE -- ABOUT WHAT HE DID HERE AS MAYOR OF AUSTIN AND [INAUDIBLE] THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE 1,538 PEOPLE THAT ELECTED ME MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I'M SORRY IT WASN'T ENOUGH VOTES. I JUST NEEDED 8400 MORE AND I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED NEARLY $20,000. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR THOSE VOTES. THE MEDIA WAS THERE THIS TIME. TWO MEDIA OUTLETS WERE THERE. CHANNEL 24 AND CHANNEL 42. MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE A HIGHER PROFILE CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT GIVES US -- GIVES CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE A CHANCE. CHANNEL 8 DIDN'T COME IN UNTIL THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND IN POLITICS ANYTHING WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS ISN'T GOING TO HELP A CANDIDATE ATTAIN OFFICE. WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS WHERE YOU HAVE TO COLLECT $5 FROM 500 PEOPLE. AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED LIGHT RAIL THAT GUS GARCIA HAS BEEN PUSHING DOWN OUR THROATS. BECAUSE IT WILL RUIN AUSTIN AS IT IS. GUS GARCIA, WHAT PROMISES DID HE MAKE? I -- I THINK ABOUT THE PROMISES THAT HE MADE TO SHUT DOWN HOLLY POWER PLANT, YET WHEN YOU READ IN THE NEWSPAPER, HE'S SAYING WHEN IT'S -- WHEN IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO IT. I WILL -- I WILL CONTINUE TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL. I HAVE CHOSEN AS MY OPPONENT DARYL SLUSHER, PLACE 1. AND I SIGNED UP TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF 2003. SO I AM NOW A CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CANDIDATE FOR PLACE 1. AGAINST THE HONORABLE DARYL SLUSHER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VETERANS OUT THERE AND OF COURSE THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY IS ON NOVEMBER 10TH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES, THANK YOU, AUSTIN.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU, MS. GALE. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PRONOUNCE THIS RIGHT, LET ME APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. MONICA O. NWEVO.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST TIME APPEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL. [INAUDIBLE] I'M INCOMING ISSUE, LOOK DOWN TO SEE WHAT HIS PEOPLE, THE SPANISH PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO ARE -- NOT ALL THE JEWS, THE ONES I MENTION IN THIS FOUR COMMUNITIES THEY WANT TO KILL ME IN MY APARTMENT. WHEN I'M GONE, THEY COME AND SPRAY SOMETHING IN MY AIR CONDITIONER. IN MY FANS. THEY PUT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, DEPACOTE OR ANY KIND OF GAS IN MY FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR, WHEN I DRINK THEM I WIND UP GOING TO THE HOSPITAL. IN THE -- IN THE MIDDLE STAGE, THE -- THEY SENT A STAGE TO KILL ME IN THE APARTMENT 102. IN THE NIGHT THEY USE IT TO BE CRAWLING IN THE CEILING. WHEN I'M SLEEPING MY SENATORRING, SOMETHING LIKE -- LIKE SATELLITE WILL BE IN MY EAR, AND IN MY NOSE, IF I GO TO THE POLICE AND REPORT, THE POLICE WILL TELL ME THAT I HAVE MENTAL PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY ONE POLICEMAN WHO ASKED ME DID YOU HAVE A TICKET YOU DON'T PAY? IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO CATCH YOU. I SAID NO. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A CAR, SIR. SO HE SAY WE USE ARMIES, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY -- ANY CRIMINAL RECORD, THAT'S DIFFICULT TO CATCH YOU, GO TO YOUR SOCIAL WORKER, HE FOLLOWS THE [INAUDIBLE]. I WENT TO MY SOCIAL WORKER AND MY DOCTOR. THEY SAID THAT, HUM, I CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING WHERE YOU ARE LIVING. EACH TIME I WENT TO REPORT TO THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, A WOMAN, SHE WON'T DO ANYTHING. THEY DO NOT [INAUDIBLE] MY APARTMENT. THIS APARTMENT ELIGIBILITY WAS AWARDED TO ME IN WASHINGTON D.C. WHEN THEY WERE AFTER ME THEN I WENT TO WASHINGTON D.C. THEY DON'T ALLOW ME TO BENEFIT FROM A RESIDENT YOU GET ME BEFORE I BECOME A CITIZEN. THEY TREAT ME NOW LIKE SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO EVEN STATURE HERE. THEY DON'T ALLOW ME TO GET ANY JOB. WHEN I STRUGGLE TO GET A JOB, WHEN [INAUDIBLE] THEY COME AND FORCE ME OUT OF THE JOB. THEY WENT ABOUT TELLING THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO WORK. SHE WANTS TO LIVE FOR -- OFF THE GOVERNMENT TO MAINTAIN UNTIL SHE DIE. HOW CAN I LIVE ON $500 UNTIL I DIE AT MY AGE? POLICE TOLD THEM THAT I'M 50 YEARS OLD. IF I WERE TO BE 50 YEARS OLD, SINCE THEY HAVE ME SAY THAT I'M 50 YEARS OLD, I THINK THAT THE LABOR JUDGE WHO JUDGED MAY CASE, IN WASHINGTON D.C., HE COULD HAVE PUT ME ON A PENSION AND -- AND MEDICAID AND -- AND SOCIAL SECURITY. BUT THEY FIND OUT THAT I'M MONICA NWEVO, YOU STAY ON SSI, WHEN YOU FEEL IT LIKE YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND WORK YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL. [BUZZER SOUNDING]

SINCE THIN I HAVE BEEN BEGGINGING THEM FOR MY LIFE. PLEASE DON'T ALLOW ME TO BE KILLED HERE. THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT AFTER ME. IT'S THE CRIMINALS HIDDEN INSIDE THE GOVERNMENT AND THEY PRETEND TO BE A PART OF THE GOVERNMENT WHO ARE AFTER MY LIFE.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU. IF YOU CALL MY OFFICE, 974-2255, I HAVE A COUNSELOR THAT I THINK MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE US SOME PEOPLE TO CONTACT. 974-2255. THANK YOU, MA'AM. SUSANA ALMANZA.

GOOD EVENING, I'M SUSANA ALMANZA WITH PODER, PEOPLE ORGANIZING DEFENSE OF EARTH AND HER RESOURCES, I'M ALSO GOING TO BE SUBMITTING TO YOU ALL ON BEHALF OF THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT, 25 QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FIRE THAT TOOK PLACE ON HALLOWEEN THIS YEAR. THE -- THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT IS HOSTING A MEETING ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH, AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE METS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WE ARE REQUESTING REPRESENTATION FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RELATED DEPARTMENTS. THE CITY HAS FAILED TO PROTECT EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS FROM THE HAZARDS OF THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT. HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN NEAR THIS FACILITY. EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS PAY ALL TYPES OF TAXES, YET THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED. RESIDENTS DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION UNTIL 7:00 P.M. REGARDING THE FIRE AND THE FIRE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 5:20 P.M. THE ORIGINAL EVACUATION WAS TO SEND PEOPLE TO THE PAN AM AV CANTU CENTER, YET THE AVENUEIATION WAS TO SEND PEOPLE TO THE CAMACHO CENTER, WHICH WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT. EAST AUSTIN DESERVES THE SAME PROTECTION AS THE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. WHY IS IT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN APPROPRIATE AND SPEND OVER $9 MILLION FOR THE PROTECTION OF WEST AUSTIN JOGGERS AND IGNORE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY AND OTHER RESIDENTS IN EAST AUSTIN? WHERE IS THE EQUALITY? WHERE IS THE EQUITY? THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE -- I WILL BE ASKING IS WHAT WAS THE CAMCAL COMPOSITION OF THE MATERIALS THAT PROVIDED FUEL FOR THE FIRE AND WERE BURNED AT THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT? WHAT WERE THE ESTIMATED VOLUMES OF EACH OF THESE MATERIALS THAT WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AT THE PLANT? WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTS OF INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION INCLUDING GASES, CHEMICALS, DOES THE CITY OF AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPECT FROM A FIRE SUCH AS THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT? WHAT CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF THE ABOVE PRODUCTS OF INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION, INCLUDING GASEOUS CHEMICALS, DOES THE CITY OF AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPECT FROM SUCH A FIRE LIKE THAT OF THE HOLLY POWER PLANT.

WHAT TEMPERATURE RANGES WERE REACHED IN THE FIRE AT THE OCTOBER 2001 HOLLY FIRE? IS PVC INSULATION, IF IT WAS BURNED IN THE FIRE, WHAT LEVELS OF DIOXINS AND DIBENZOFORINS WERE MEASURED IN THE AIR BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHAT CERTIFIED CHEMICAL LABORATORY PERFORMED THE ANALYSIS. WERE BENZENE AND CHLORIDE ANALYZED FOR? WHAT LEVELS WERE MEASURED? THESE ARE A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS. THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS ISSUE BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAD CHILDREN AND PEOPLE IN THAT DAY IN MASS CAPACITY OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY INHALING ALL OF THESE FUMES, NOT ONCE WAS IT SAID AT LEAST EVERYBODY SHOULD STAY INTO THEIR HOMES BECAUSE ALL SMOKE IS TOXIC. IT'S JUST AT WHAT LEVEL OF TOXICITY WERE THESE PEOPLE EXPOSED TO? WE HAVE TO PROTECT EAST AUSTIN BETTER. THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU. LATER ON, MR. CITY MANAGER, COULD -- I KNOW WE HAD A REPORT ON EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN. BUT COULD WE GET A WRITTEN OR THE AFTER THE ALARM WAS CALLED IN, WHAT THE -- WHAT THE SCHEDULE WAS AND WHEN PEOPLE FIRST WENT OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT THEY SAID?

GARZA: YES, WE CAN GET THAT REPORT. IN FACT THE QUESTIONS THAT MS. ALMANZA JUST TALKED ABOUT, IF WE CAN GET THOSE, WE WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS AT THE MEETING OF THE 27TH. AND I KNOW WE HAVE MADE NOTE THAT EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE REQUESTED THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM WITH US MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE THERE. TO, ONE, HELP IN THE PRESENTATION AND; TWO, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE. AFTER THE TWO MORE SPEAKERS ARE DONE, IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE, WE CAN VERY QUICKLY IN SUMMARY FASHION GO THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED IN THE REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY. IT WILL TAKE JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES THAT AT LEAST WILL ALLOW THE PHONE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE SPENT IN PREPARATION FORECLOSURE OF HOLLY.

GOODMAN: OKAY. WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS WHO ARE [INAUDIBLE] MORE [INAUDIBLE] SPEAKERS. DR. HERRERA.

I'M SYLVIA HERRERA, HEALTH COORDINATOR FOR PODER. I AM HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AROUND THE HOLLY POWER PLANT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID NOT TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES DURING THE FIRE AT THE PLANT LAST WEEK. NO BASIC INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. EITHER TO STAY INSIDE OR LEAVE THE AREA. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WENT AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE AREA AND WE WENT TO THE METZ RECREATION CENTER AND ASKED TO SEE THE RADIO THAT THEY -- THAT RESIDENTS IN THE AREA HAD BEEN PROVIDED. WE WANTED TO FIND OUT IF A CITY FACILITY HAD INSTRUCTIONS AND HAD A RADIO FOR COMMUNICATING ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY SITUATION. AND THEY WERE NOT. CITY STAFF AND I DON'T KNOW AT THE CAMACHO CENTER, BUT THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY, THE STAFF WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY RADIOS OR ANY KIND OF INFORMATION. SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO INSTRUCT THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE AREA. THE STREET WAS FILLED WITH CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO WHILE OTHERS WAITED INSIDE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON THEIR RADIOS. NO INFORMATION WAS GIVEN UNTIL AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER. DURING THE LAST FIRE, RESIDENTS WERE TOLD THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD LEAVE THE AREA. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THERE WAS NO SUCH WARNING. ALL SMOKE CAN BE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SUCH AS SMALL CHILDREN, DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY. SMOKE IRRITATES YOUR EYES, NOSE, LUNGS, SO IT IS DANGEROUS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHER CHEMICALS OR OTHER THINGS COULD BE IN THE AIR. WASN'T IT PREMATURE TO SAY THAT THE FUMES WERE NON-TOXIC? WHEN WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW AND WERE STILL WAITING FOR THOSE RESULTS OF THOSE SAMPLES THAT WERE BEING DONE AND TAKEN AT THAT TIME. SO, AGAIN, WE URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE SUBMITTING AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME RESPONSES IN AGAIN TO SHUT THE POWER PLANT BECAUSE IT IS A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. VERONICA HERNANDEZ?

MY NAME IS VERONICA HERNANDEZ, I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AS OPPOSING KEEPING THE HOLLY POWER PLANT OPEN AND RUNNING IN EAST AUSTIN. WE DO NOT HAVE SALAMANDERS OR GOLDEN CHEEKED WARBLERS, BUT WE HAVE CHILDREN AND FAMILY. PLEASE KEEP OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN MIND. WE ARE THE HOPE AND LEADERS OF TODAY NOT OF TOMORROW. WE ARE VOTING AND WE WILL BE VOTING ON CANDIDATES AND ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY. CLOSE THE HOLLY STREET POWER PLANT AND SAVE THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU. VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]

ASHTON CUMBERBATCH? IS THAT RIGHT? AUSTIN CUMBERBATCH HERE? ARE YOU WANTING TO WAIT FOR THE MAYOR?

THAT WOULD BE NICE. IF WE COULD DO THAT.

GOODMAN: OKAY. I'M NOT SURE WHEN HE'S GOING TO GET HERE. BUT THE OTHER TWO SPEAKERS ALSO I THINK WOULD LIKE TO -- TO SEE THE MAYOR WHEN THEY SAY. SO AH HERE WE GO. [ LAUGHTER ]

THEY ARE COMING.

YOU HATE TO GIVE A PARTY AND MONTH ONE SHOWS UP.

MAYOR WATSON: SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. YOUR HONOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR HAVING US THIS AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ASHTON CUMBERBATCH. I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COUNCIL FOR COMMUNICATION RECONCILIATION, BEHIND ME STANDS SOME OF THE COLLEAGUES AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THAT ASSOCIATION. AND WE CAME HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO THANK AND HONOR THE MAYOR FOR HIS EFFORTS IN HELPING TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TO AUSTIN. TO HELP TEAR DOWN WALLS THAT DIVIDE US BOTH RACIALLY, ETHICALLY, OTHERWISE IN THIS CITY. WE REALIZE THAT -- THAT IT TOOK -- YOU TOOK SOME HEAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN STEPPING INTO THE CEDAR AVENUE ISSUE. AND TRYING TO HELP RESOLVE THAT OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM. TOOK SOME HEAT AND STEPPED IN AND ASKED THE CLERGY TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE, WHICH IS STILL AN ONGOING RAGING BATTLE, A BATTLE OF RACISM AND PREJUDICE IN THIS CITY. TOOK SOME HEAT WHEN YOU PUBLICLY SIGNED OFF ON A DOCUMENT THAT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AUSTIN HISTORICALLY AND PRESENTLY STILL HAS ISSUES SURROUNDING RACISM AND PREJUDICE. AND WE APPRECIATE THE RISK THAT YOU TOOK, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COURAGE. WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BE AN ALLY WITH US IN THIS BATTLE. WE APPRECIATE THE MODEL THAT YOU HAVE SET FOR YOUR SUCCESSOR AND WE HOPE AND WE PRAY THAT SOON THE NEW MAYOR, GUS GARCIA WILL TAKE UP THE MANTEL AND BASS TON THAT YOU HAVE PLAYED IN THIS COMMUNITY AS FAR AS BUILDING THIS CITY. WITH THAT WE HAVE A SMALL PRESENTATION, TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION. I WOULD LIKE TO READ IT, WE THANK AND HONOR MAYOR KIRK WATSON FOR HIS COURAGEOUS EFFORTS IN ADVANCING THE RECONCILIATION AMONG COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2001. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.

GOODMAN: LET ME APOLOGIZE FOR MAKING YOUR NAME AUSTIN INSTEAD OF ASHTON.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

GOODMAN: MAYOR, THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS ARE --

MAYOR WATSON: STACY ABLE AND MYA ARE NOT HERE TO SPEAK BUT THEY -- THEY HAVE NICE COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. FOLK, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. MEANS A LOT TO ME.

GOODMAN: COMING IN ON THE TAIL END OF THAT, DO YOU MIND IF I READ WHAT STACY AND MYA WERE GOING TO SAY, IT'S BRIEF. THE MESSAGE WAS THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, MAYOR, WE WILL MISS YOU.

MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU.

GARZA: MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUE RAISED ON HOLLY, I WILL BE VERY, VERY BRIEF. I WANT TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT THE REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, THAT DOCUMENTS THE INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY HAS MADE ALL TOWARD THE CLOSURE OF THAT PLANT. INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF TRANSMISSION, INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF SUBSTATION CAPABILITIES SO THAT HE WE COULD TAKE THAT 500 PLUS MEGAWATTS OFF LINE. WE HAVE ALSO MADE INVESTMENT IN THE [INAUDIBLE] CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU HAVE AUTHORIZED IN A NEW POWER PLANT AND ALL TOWARD GETTING A -- TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT RESOLUTION IS ONLY BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT CHANGED SO DRAMATICALLY WE ARE FOR THE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE 05 WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE SOME TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL SACRIFICE. THAT IS WHY WE RECOMMENDED LAYING, TAKING IT A STEP AT A TIME. 09 IS THE OUTSIDE DATE, SOONER IF WE CAN DO THAT FROM AN ECONOMIC AND RELIABILITY STANDPOINT. IT IS ALL WELL DOCUMENTED IN THIS REPORT. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING. AND IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SHOW PRESENTATIONS ON THAT, WE WOULD ALSO BE VERY HAPPY TO DO THAT. THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS.

GOODMAN: MAYOR? MARRY BLUNDBERG WAS UNABLE TO GET DOWN TO THE CITY CLERK IN TIME TO ASK TO SPEAK, SO SHE'S NOT SPEAKING, SHE DID WANT TO PASS THIS OUT. SO I SAID AFTER ALL THE SPEAKERS WERE FINISHED SHE COULD COME UP HERE AND HAND US THIS.

MAYOR WATSON: WHILE YOU ARE GOING FORWARD, GO AHEAD AND PLEASE DO THAT. COUNCIL LET'S TAKE UP ITEM NO. 4. RELATED TO A PROPOSED SETTLEMENT WITH METZ CENTER PARTNER 6 LIMITED MET CENTER PARTNERS-6 LIMITED.

I'M AN ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, ASSIGNED TO AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN ENERGY IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT WITH MET CENTER. IT IS A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A DUAL FEED SYSTEM OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE A DATA CENTER OPERATED BY PSINET AT THE MET CENTER DEVELOPMENT. PSI PAID AUSTIN ENERGY FUNDS IN ADVANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THAT SYSTEM AND BASICALLY PROBABLY WILL DO THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN PSINET ABANDONED ITS PLANS AND SOLD THE BUILDING BACK TO MET CENTER. MET CENTER IS NOW ASKING FOR A REFUND ON THAT CONTRACT FOR THE MOANS PAID AND AUSTIN ENERGY HAS ENTERED INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM TO WORK OUT A PARTIAL REFUND. AUSTIN ENERGY INTENDS TO KEEP ITS OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES, LABOR CHARGES AND THE ANTICIPATED PROFIT MARGIN AND ALL FUNDS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPENDED BY AUSTIN ENERGY FOR EQUIPMENT EXPENDITURES AND CONTRACT EXPENDITURES WILL BE GIVEN BACK TO MET CENTER AND AUSTIN ENERGY ASK THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THAT SETTLEMENT.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT AS RECOMMENDED BY COUNCIL. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. THE MOTION CARRIES AND ITEM NO. 4 IS APPROVED. COUNCIL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION -- WELL, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION. ARE WE READY? WELL --

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY MARTHA TERRY, THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON THE DOCUMENTS. WE ARE ALMOST READY. BUT THEY ARE DOING SOME FINE TWEAKING AT THIS POINT. I'M PRESUMING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BRODIE.

MAYOR WATSON: THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. I GUESS IT'S A GOOD THING THAT AFTER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS I -- [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE - NO MIC] YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD, WHAT YOU GOT?

4:00?

MAYOR WATSON: SURE, I GOT NOTHING TO DO. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND WE WILL COME BACK TOGETHER AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AT 3:30 P.M., BUT I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. THE MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE IN RECESS. AT 3:30 I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AT 4:00 I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

MAYOR WATSON: I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. IT IS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2001. WE ARE MEETING AS A BOARDS IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE LOWER COLORADO HANCOCK BUILDING AT 3700 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, AHFC-1 AND 2. FIRST ONE RELATES TO THE MINUTES AND APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES FROM SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF NOVEMBER 1ST, 2001. THE SECOND ITEM TOYS APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE TRUST INDENTURE OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FRNGS CORPORATION MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING REVENUE BONDS SERIES 2001, ARBORS AT CREEKSIDE, NOW KNOWN AS PRIMROSE AS SHADOW CREEK BY LOWERING THE PERMANENT INTEREST RATE ON THE BONDS AND THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD INTEREST RATE AND AUTHORIZING OTHER ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE TRUST INDENTURE. BOTH OF THESE ITEMS CAN BE PASSED ON CONSENT. MOVED AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THESE ITEMS? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD OTHER THAN MR. HILGERS? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES WITH BOARD MEMBERS SLUSHER, GRIFFITH AND THOMAS TEMPORARILY ABSENT. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE HOUSE HOUSE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

MOTION TO ADJOURN IS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER GRIFFITH, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER. LVAREZ, MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE ADJOURNED. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CALLED BACK TO ORDER AT 4:00 P.M.

MAYOR WATSON: I WILL CALL THE COUNCIL BACK TO ORDER. WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL FIRST TAKE UP THE ZONING ITEMS. Z-1 THROUGH Z-3.

GLASGO: GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. ZONING ITEMS FOR TODAY Z-1 IS CASE NUMBER C14-84-213 WITH A REQUEST TO DELETE A ZONING SITE PLAN. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON SOUTH FIRST STREET. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS TO GRANT GR-CO, THAT'S GENERAL COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL CONDITIONAL OVERLAY. WITH A DELETION OF A PORTION OF THE ZONING SITE PLAN WITH CONDITIONS. THIS CASE IS READY FOR FIRST READING. ITEM NO. Z-2, CASE C14-01-80 LOCATED AT SAN FELIPE BOULEVARD, THERE'S A REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO DECEMBER THE 6TH. ITEM NO. Z-3 HAS BEEN PULLED OFF YOUR AGONDA AND DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY ACTION OF YOU. THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT ITEMS.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL THE CONSENT ITEMS ARE Z-1 AND Z-2, Z-1 CONSENT ON FIRST READING, Z-2 TO GRANT A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL DECEMBER 6TH, IS THERE A MOTION? MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. I THOUGHT THAT WAS YOU, IT WAS SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN WILL BE SHOWN AS MAKING THE SECOND. APPARENTLY HERE AT THE END I CAN'T HEAR.

WYNN: I HAD A NOTE THAT Z-1 IS A -- YOU KNOW, A FUNERAL HOME NEAR COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER'S HOME AND THIS COMES JUST AS JENNIFER GALE ANNOUNCED HER OPPOSITION TO COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: IT'S BEEN A ROUGH DAY FOR ME. [ LAUGHTER ].

MAYOR WATSON: IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON Z-1 OR Z-2? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? ANYONE WISHING TO BE HEARD? THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE, OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES. THAT WILL TAKE US BACK TO ITEMS 8, -- I'M SORRY, ITEMS 9 THROUGH 17. MR. GUERNSEY WILL GO GET MR. MURPHY, THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT ARE KNOWN AS THE BRODIE CASES, BRODIE SPRINGS. AND THEY ARE ON FOR THIRD READING, COUNCIL HAD MADE A MOTION LAST TIME TO INCLUDE CERTAIN PROVISIONS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO. BUT THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ALL MORNING TO WRITE THOSE CONDITIONS. MR. MURPHY WILL DETAIL THOSE ITEMS SHORTLY. MR. MURPHY.

I -- IT STARTED OUT TO BE 10 MINUTES, IT ENDED UP BEING TWO. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH THE APPLICANTS FOR BRODIE SPRINGS PRELIMINARY PLAN. AND THE ZONING CASES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU FOR THIRD READING TODAY. WE HAVE WORKED ON AN AGREEMENT THAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE MOTION THAT PASSED ON FIRST AND SECOND READING. THIS ALTERNATIVE PROVIDES FOR ENHANCED SITE MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND FACILITY MAINTENANCE. AND IT'S DONE SO THROUGH RESTRICTIONS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT AS A CONDITION OF ZONING. WE BELIEVE THAT THESE WILL PROVIDE FOR SUPERIOR MANAGEMENT AND FUNCTION OF THE WATER QUALITY FACILITIES, AS WELL AS IMPROVED HOME OWNER AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITY. IT -- ALTHOUGH THE REVISED PLAN DOES NOT MEET THE CURRENT S.O.S. STANDARDS FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER OR WATER QUALITY TREATMENT, WE BELIEVE THE PLAN CLEARLY PROVIDES FOR ENHANCED WATER QUALITY TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY OR WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN AND WHAT WE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN UNDER STATE LAW. FOR THESE REASONS STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE REQUESTED ZONING CHANGES WITH THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS INCORPORATED. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR PRO TEM?

GOODMAN: MAYOR, I THINK THAT -- THAT WHAT WE TRIED ARTICULATE EARLIER IN THE EARLIER MOTIONS WILL BE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND NOW THAT I HAVE A TYPEWRITTEN LIST. SO IF COUNCIL IS READY FOR THAT, I CAN READ THOSE PROVISIONS.

MAYOR WATSON: WHY DON'T YOU GO FOR IT.

GOODMAN: A CITY APPROVED WATER QUALITY PLANNED PERMIT AT -- THE CITY OPERATING PERMIT THE WAY WE DO COMMERCIAL PONDSING PERMITS NOW, A PONDS OPERATING TECHNICAL MANUAL TO BE APPROVED BY CITY STAFF; QUARTERLY MAINTENANCE BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AS PER A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT; ACCESS INSPECTION AND MONITORING OF THE ENTIRE WATER QUALITY -- WE ARE MISSING A WORD THERE.

FACILITY.

GOODMAN: FACILITY. THANK YOU. BY GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, TEXAS CAVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE -- NOT SAVE BARTON CREEK, BUT EXCUSE ME, BARTON SPRINGS EDWARD'S AQUIFER CONSERVATION DISTRICT. ANY KIND OF WATER TESTING BY THOSE ENTITIES IS ACCEPTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. THERE'S A THIRD PARTY PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION ANNUALLY. AND THE THIRD PARTY PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION IS TO BE PAID FOR BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WITH THE REPORT GIVEN TO THE CITY. THE CITY CAN REQUIRE THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO FIX AND MAINTAIN THE PONDING OR OTHER ENGINEERED SOLUTION AS DESIGNED. THE CITY HAS THE OPTION TO FIX AND REPAIR AND BUILD THE ASSOCIATION -- AND BILL THE ASSOCIATION IF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION DOESN'T MAINTAIN WATER TESTING -- -- WATER TESTING CAN BE USED IF ... IF THE CITY IS SATISFIED WITH THE ACCURACY OF THE WATER TESTING RESULTS, THE CITY CAN, NUMBER ONE, REQUIRE THE ASSOCIATION TO NOTIFY MEMBERS OF ACTIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY THAT INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS SHOULD TAKE TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY; TWO, REQUIRE IMMEDIATE CLEANOUT OF THE POND; THREE, REQUIRE IMMEDIATE REPAIR OF ANY PART OF THE SYSTEM THAT IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED; AND, FOUR, REQUIRE THE ASSOCIATION TO REPORT BACK TO THE CITY ON WHAT ACTIONS WERE TAKEN. THERE IS TO BE AN ANNUAL ASSOCIATION SPONSORED ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY SEMINAR AND THE HOME OWNER ASSOCIATION'S FINING AUTHORITY TO MAKE INDIVIDUALS COMPLY WITH ASSOCIATION RULES REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SUFFICIENT AS -- SUCH AS INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN, MEANING THEY AS AN ASSOCIATION WILL TAKE ON THAT FINING AUTHORITY OF INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS. AND FINALLY, REPAIRS TO ANY STRUCTURE PREVENTING WATER FROM ENTERING THE RECHARGE FEATURE WILL BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. AND THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION. ON NUMBERS 9 THROUGH 17.

THE MOTION IS MADE AS READ BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. THIS WILL BE ON THIRD READING. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. IS THERE A DISCUSSION?

GOODMAN: YES, MAYOR.

MAYOR WATSON: MAYOR PRO TEM?

GOODMAN: AS CLARIFICATION WE ALL KNOW THAT S.O.S. STANDARDS ARE NOT WHAT WE ARE MAINTAINING HERE. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE LEGAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN 17044 APPROVALS AND SO ON. WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF CAN TELL US IS THAT THIS IS BETTER WATER QUALITY PROTECTION. BUT WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT HERE IS NOT NECESSARILY THE MAINTENANCE OF WATER QUALITY, ALTHOUGH THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND IMPORTANT THAT IT BE BETTER THAN WHAT IT COULD BE. BUT THE PRECEDENT WE SET BECAUSE THESE FOLKS HAVE AGREED TO DO SO, IS A VERY CRITICAL ONE, I THINK, FOR ANY CASES THAT COME TO US IN THE FUTURE. AND I HEAR RUMORS, OF COURSE, ABOUT AN ATTEMPT TO COME TO SOME AGREEMENT WITH STRATUS, FOR INSTANCE, AND PERHAPS OTHER AQUIFER RELATED PROPERTIES AND THIS I THINK IS THE CLOSEST THING TO THE PERFORMANCE BOND AND GUARANTEE OF WATER QUALITY MITIGATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT. IT IS -- IT IS VERY MUCH A PRECEDENT. SO I THANK MR. NEW MAN FOR SETTING THIS PRECEDENT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US FOR WATER QUALITY IN THE FUTURE.

MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION?

WYNN: MAYOR?

MAYOR WATSON: YES, COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

WYNN: I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO WHAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM SAID. IN ADDITION TO SORT OF THE STRUCTURAL AND -- AND -- ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENTS OF THIS PROJECT AND THE ONGOING TESTING, AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS IT SEEMS TO ME IS THE FACT THAT THERE'S -- IT'S INEVITABLE THAT THIS WILL DRAMATICALLY ENHANCE THE HOMEOWNERS'S AWARENESS THEMSELVES MUCH OFTENTIMES MY STRONG SUSPICION IS FOLKS MOVE INTO THESE HOMES AND YEARS FROM NOW, NEW HOME OWN HERS -- ULTIMATELY IT TIES THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION INTO THE ONGOING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, IT INEVIDENTABLY WILL ENHANCE THEIR AWARENESS AND I STRONGLY SUSPECT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND I THINK WE WILL SEE SOME LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON THIS TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT. I APPLAUD MR. NEIMANN FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO ULTIMATELY SET THE STAGE FOR HOMEOWNERS ONGOING RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARD OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION POLICIES.

MAYOR WATSON: FURTHER DISCUSSION?

GOODMAN: MAYOR, I FORGOT TO THANK JULIE JENKINS FROM TEXAS CAVE MANAGEMENT AND ALSO THE AQUIFER DISTRICT FOR HELPING US WORK OUT THE MECHANISMS.

MAYOR WATSON: THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY -- I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.

ALVAREZ: ONE QUESTION FOR STAFF, I SUPPOSE. WOULD THESE CHANGES THAT WERE ARTICULATED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, DOES IT AFFECT AT ALL THE LEVEL OF WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, THE POLLUTION CONTROL LEVEL?

YES, IT WILL. OPTIMALLY DESIGNED CONTROLS WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY ONLY IF THEY ARE MONITORED AND MAINTAINED. THE MONDAY -- THE MORE INTENSIVELY THOSE ARE MAINTAINED AND THE MORE CAREFULLY THE LAND THAT DRAINS TO THE CONTROLS IS MANAGED, TO PREVENT POLLUTANTS, THEN THE BETTER THE CONTROLS WILL FUNCTION AND THE MORE POLLUTANTS WILL --

ALVAREZ: IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WERE PRESENTED I GUESS ON FIRST READING, REMEMBER YOU PRESENTED THOSE CHARTS OF WHAT THE ANTICIPATED LEVEL OF -- LEVEL OF POLLUTION CONTROL IS.

RIGHT. THOSE -- THOSE NUMBERS WERE DERIVED FROM CALCULATIONS BASED ON HOW THESE PONDS SHOULD FUNCTION. WE FULLY EXPECT THEM TO ACHIEVE THAT. IF THE -- UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH -- WITH INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING OF THOSE SORTS OF CONTROLS, YOU MIGHT START TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS CREEP UP OVER TIME. AND I THINK WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL IS IT PUTS A GREAT DEAL OF RESPONSIBILITY ON THE HOMEOWNERS TO MAINTAIN THE FUNCTION OF THE CONTROLS THAT -- AT OPTIMAL LEVELS. IT ALLOWS FOR OTHERS TO COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONTROLS AND SITUATION TO SEE IF THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE FUNCTIONING APPROPRIATELY. AND THEN PUT ACCOUNTABILITY BACK ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO CORRECT ANY PROBLEMS THAT ARE FOUND IN THERE. SO THE -- I BELIEVE THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE ACHIEVED AND WILL -- THIS AGREEMENT ENSURES THAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE ACHIEVED LONG-TERM RATHER THAN SHORT-TERM WITH IMPROPER AND ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE.

ALVAREZ: BUT WATER NOT TALKING MORE OR POLLUTION LEVELS THAT ARE LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD BEEN PRESENTED ON FIRST READING, WHICH IS -- THE WAY I EXPLAINED WAS I WANTED TO SEE A LITTLE MORE POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES OR A LITTLE MORE STRINGENT --

IDEALLY, WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE IS A -- WHAT YOU SAW ON THE CHARTS, I PRESENTED, SORRY I DIDN'T BRING THOSE WITH ME TODAY, IS WHAT WE BELIEVE THE CONTROLS ARE GOING TO DO. WE FULLY EXPECT THEM TO ACHIEVE THAT. YOU ARE NOT GETTING BETTER THAN THAT WITH THIS. BUT IDEALLY, WELL IN AN IDEAL SITUATION THEY WOULD FUNCTION THAT WAY FOREVER. I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET ACROSS HERE IS THAT THIS ENSURES THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT AN OPTIMAL LEVEL, RATHER THAN HAVING A DECREASING LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY OVER TIME WHERE YOU MIGHT START HAVING MORE POLLUTANTS GENERATED THAN WHAT WE SHOWED YOU ON FIRST AND SECOND READING.

ALVAREZ: YEAH, I GUESS THAT I WILL TAKE THAT AS A NO, THAT WE HAVE ANY -- WE HAVEN'T IMPROVED.

I COULD HAVE SAID NO.

ALVAREZ: BUT BECAUSE THAT'S AGAIN WHAT I HAD EXPLAINED EARLY ON THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE --

I SEE YOUR POINT, YES. IN THAT CASE I COULD HAVE JUST SAID NO AND AVOIDED THAT --

ALVAREZ: I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME MORE DONE TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY.

MAYOR WATSON: PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

MAYOR WATSON?

MAYOR WATSON: YES.

MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN?

GOODMAN: YES.

COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?

ALVAREZ: NO.

COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH?

GRIFFITH: NO.

COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?

SLUSHER: NO.

COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

THOMAS: YES.

COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

WYNN: YES.

MAYOR WATSON: THERE BEING FOUR YESES AND THREE NOS, THE MOTION PASSES ON THIRD READING, APPROVING ITEMS 9 THROUGH 17. COUNCIL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL UNTIL 5:30.

SO MOVE.

MAYOR WATSON: MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES, WE ARE IN RECESS UNTIL 5:30. [LAUGHTER].

MAYOR WATSON: I'D SAY IT'S NOW TIME TO START. THEY COUNTED IT DOWN. THAT'S GREAT. WELL, THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY IN A LOT OF WAYS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE JUST TO SEE IF HE REALLY IS DEAD. [LAUGHTER]. BUT I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PLAN ON THE LIVE MUSIC THE WAY WE NORMALLY DO IT, AND I AM SURPRISED AND ACTUALLY IT FOULS ME UP A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC. WE ARE PLEASED TODAY TO HAVE THE O. HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. [APPLAUSE]. AND AS YOU HEARD ME SAY MANY TIMES AT THIS 5:30 HOUR ON A THURSDAY, THIS IS THAT TIME OF DAY WHEN WE HAVE SOME FUN, WE CELEBRATE, NOT THAT TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER SOMETHING IS IMMINENT OUGHT TO BE FUN, BUT IT IS THE TIME WHEN WE CAN CELEBRATE SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT AUSTIN. AND TODAY IS NO DIFFERENT. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE LIVE MUSIC. AND THE SURPRISE OF HAVING THE O. HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA HERE TODAY IS PARTICULARLY GOOD BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IS IT HELPS US FOCUS ON IS THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF YOUNG TALENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THAT IS WHY WE DO THIS KIND OF WORK. AND THESE ARE SPECIAL KIDS AND I AM VERY PLEASED THAT YOU'RE HERE. LET ME TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO DO -- AND I'M GETTING READY TO NOT DO IT ANY MORE, -- IS MAKE PROCLAMATIONS. AND SO ONE OF THE PROCLAMATIONS I'M GOING TO MAKE TODAY READS LIKE THIS. BE IT KNOWN BY THESE PRESENT THAT I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 8TH, 2001, AS O. HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA DAY IN AUSTIN. AND I CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE MANY OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE LOCAL MUSIC COMMUNITY TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTIN'S SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN RECOGNIZING THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF ARTISTS WHICH FURTHER AUSTIN'S STATUS AS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITOL OF THE WORLD. AND IN RECOGNIZING THESE STUDENTS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO MAKING THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS, MY LAST COUNCIL MEETING, VERY SPECIAL. AND IT'S SIGNED BY ME, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND I WILL DO V. TO DO IT AS A PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. MY SON PRESTON WATSON IS PLAYING CELLO. AND I AM VERY PLEASED. LADIES, THE O. HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MS. SOLIZ. (music)(music) SFRS (music)(music) [APPLAUSE]. [INAUDIBLE]. [APPLAUSE]. (music)(music). [APPLAUSE]. (music)(music) [APPLAUSE]. [INAUDIBLE]. [APPLAUSE]. (music)(music) [APPLAUSE]. (music)(music) [APPLAUSE]. [INAUDIBLE].

MAYOR WATSON: AND I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING WHO'S NOT. [LAUGHTER]. (music)(music). [APPLAUSE]. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

MAYOR WATSON: GUYS, THAT WAS GREAT. WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOU. AND I HAVE FOR EACH ONE OF YOU ONE OF THE PROCLAMATIONS THAT DECLARES TODAY O. HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA DAY SO THAT YOU CAN REMEMBER -- . [LAUGHTER]. -- SO YOU CAN REMEMBER THIS DAY. KEEP AFTER IT BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY GOOD AND WE'RE REAL PROUD OF YOU. [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER MEMBER OF OUR CLOSE FAMILY HERE, MONTY GLASCO IS ALSO PART THF ORCHESTRA AND SHE JOINED THIS ORCHESTRA NOT FROM O. HENRY, BUT FROM CASIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. CAN YOU STAND UP? SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF OUR OWN ALICE GLASCO AND WE'RE REAL PROUD OF YOU. [APPLAUSE]. THIS IS GOING TO BE A HARD THING FOR ME TO DO, SO EVERYBODY BEAR WITH ME. BUT THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY, AS IS OUR CUSTOM, WHEN SOMEONE IS LEAVING THE MAYOR'S STAFF OR A COUNCILMEMBER'S STAFF, WE LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE WORK GETS DONE THAT THOSE OF US THAT MAY BE IN THE OFFICE GET CREDIT FOR, BUT IT'S DONE IN THOSE OFFICES. SOMETIMES IT'S NOT KNOWN THAT IT'S SIMPLY A VERY SMALL STAFF. AND A LOT OF WORK HAPPENS THERE. AND AS I LEAVE OFFICE, THAT MEANS THAT MY STAFF LEAVES OFFICE. AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME, VERY GOOD TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE GOVERNMENT, VERY GOOD TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN. IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH, A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO I LOVE AND WHO HAVE COME TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. AND MANY TIMES IT IS MY PICTURE ON TV, MY PICTURE IN THE NEWSPAPER WITH NICE THINGS BEING SAID ABOUT ME, BUT WHEN THAT'S BEING SAID IT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING ME UP AND HELPING ME. AND SO I WANT TO READ THESE DISTINGUISH SERVICE AWARDS AND I'M GOING TO READ EACH ONE OF THEM FOR THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, FOR READILY ASSISTING HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS WITH REQUESTS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, FOR PROVIDING THAT ASSISTANCE WITH SUCH A CONSISTENT LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND FOR DEDICATING HOURS TO VOLUNTEER EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY TO SERVING ON THE HIV PLANNING COUNCIL, DANA DANIEL EGGERTON IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACLAIM AND RECOGNITION. THERE IS NO GREATER CALLING THAN PUBLIC SERVICE. YOU HAVE DISTINGUISHED YOURSELF AS A PUBLIC SERVANT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITIZENS, OUR CITY, OUR PRESENT AND OUR FUTURE. WE ARE TAKING NEW PATHS, BUT BE CERTAIN THAT OUR BOND OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY WILL CONTINUE. PRESENTED THIS EIGHTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2001. IT'S ON BEHALF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND I'M PROUD TO SIGN IT AS MAYOR. DANA? [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: DISTINCT WISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR SERVES AT THE TRANSLATE FOUR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE -- AND BY THE WAY, IN MORE THAN JUST ONE LANGUAGE. [LAUGHTER]. I'LL NEVER FORGET HAVING A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN FROM FRANCE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND WE WEREN'T COMMUNICATING TOO HOT. [LAUGHTER]. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR ANOTHER -- I HEAR ANOTHER VOICE SPEAKING FLUENT FRENCH BEHIND ME AND I TURN AROUND AND IT'S CINDY. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SHE SPOKE FRENCH. AND FOR ALL I KNOW, SHE WASN'T SPEAKING FRENCH. [LAUGHTER]. BUT THEY SURE WERE IMPRESSED. AND THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW I END UP LOOKING GOOD BECAUSE OF SOMEBODY ELSE. FOR SINCERE DEDICATION TO THE YOUTH INTERNSHIP WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ENSURING A PROFESSIONAL AND COMPLETE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR INTERNS AND FOR THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, CINDY SERVANTES IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACLAIM AND RECOGNITION AND AGAIN, THERE IS NO GREATER CALLING THAN PUBLIC SERVICE AND YES, WE ARE TAKING NEW PATHS, BUT BE CERTAIN THAT OUR FRIENDSHIP AND OUR BOND OF FAMILY WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE AND IT'S SIGNED BY ME, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. CINDY? [APPLAUSE]. AND GT NEWS FOR ALL OF US US -- GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US AND FOR MAYOR-ELECT GARCIA IS THAT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CINDY IS GOING TO BE WORKING IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE EVEN AFTER TOMORROW. [APPLAUSE]. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR CONSISTENT DIPLOMACY IF DEALING WITH LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS. [LAUGHTER]. FOR DEDICATION TO THE ISSUES OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND CHILD CARE AND TO THE PROMOTION OF INTERNAL O. -- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT OF THE AGENDA FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, UKIMO MIOTO IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC RECOGNITION AND FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE MEANT TO ME. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR RELENTLESS DEDICATION AND WILLINGNESS TO BE AVAILABLE 24/7, FOR HUMOR AND COMPOSE SURE UNDER PRESSURE, BEING JOY TO ALL WHO KNOW HIM, FOR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNGER MEMBERS THROUGH THE MAYOR FOR A DAY PROGRAM, FOR COORDINATING THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY AND EXECUTING THE LANCE ARMSTRONG CELEBRATION, AND FOR HIS HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF SERVICE ON THE HIV PLANNING COUNCIL AND BEING AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT TO ITS SUCCESS, JASON MOYER IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACLAIM AND RECOGNITION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE MEANT TO US. [APPLAUSE]. AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR CONTINUALLY SERVING AS A MODEL OF DIPLOMACY AND A VOICE OF REASON. FOR PURSUING PERFECTION IN POLICY WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY BETTERED THE LIVES OF AUSTINITES, FOR SERVING AS AN ADVISOR AND CONFIDANTE, CLOSE FRIEND AND CALMING INFLUENCE, FOR TACKLING TOUGH ISSUES WITH 10 NASTYITY, ENERGY AND THE ABILITY TO ENERGIZE THEM IN HUMAN TERMS AND FOR BEING A TEACHER, A LEADER AND A LISTENER, KRISTIN VAVVASO IS WORTHY OF PUBLIC ACLAIM AND RECOGNITION. WHILE WE ARE TAKING NEW PATHS, I AM HAPPY TO TELL EVERYONE THAT AS I ACHE OFF ON THIS PATH OF RUNNING FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE AND TRYING TO GET MYSELF ELECTED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, KRISTIN IS COME WG ME TO SERVE AS MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER. SO I THINK I'M GOING TO BE IN GOOD HANDS. [APPLAUSE].

OKAY. IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME JUST A MOMENT, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG I WILL LAST, BUT IT'S BEEN A TRADITION THAT -- I'VE SEEN PEOPLE IN MY POSITION COME AND GO AND AT SOME POINT YOU REALIZE THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE TOO LONG. IT'S TIME FOR ME TO SAY MY FAREWELLS. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS. I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS THE MOST NOBLE PROFESSION BECAUSE YOU GIVE OF YOUR HEART. WHEN IT'S DONE RIGHT, IT IS THE HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD, BUT NOTHING IS MORE REWARDING. I HAD TO QUESTION A LOT IF I WAS DOING IT RIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS SO HARD. AND I GUESS THE GOOD NEWS IS BECAUSE I THINK AT TIMES I WAS DOING IT RIGHT, BUT THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IT IS HARD. I'M SO PROUD OF WHAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, BIG AND SMALL. SOME THINGS ARE EASIER THAN YOU THINK THEY'LL BE. WE PASSED AN SRO WHICH IN MUMBO JERUSALEM POE BOE IS A SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY UNIT FOR TRANSITION NEAL HOMELESS PEOPLE TO CONSENT TWO WEEKS AGO. AND THEN THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT SHOULD BE EASIER THAT AREN'T. BUT NEVERTHELESS, WHEN IT WORKS, LIVES ARE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. AND HAS TRULY BEEN THE MOST REWARDING AND INCREDIBLE JOB I'VE EVER HAD. IN FACT, IT'S MUCH MORE THAN JUST A JOB. I CONSIDER MYSELF SO LUCKY TO HAVE STARTED MY TENURE WITH THE CITY IN JUNE OF 1997. I'VE WITNESSED THE DYNAMIC CHANGES AND PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THAT COUNCIL AND THIS MAYOR HAVE CHANGED THE DYNAMICS OF THIS CITY AND HAVE CHANGED THE RHETORIC. GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME BOLD AND EXCITING. THE PACE WAS FAST AND ENERGETIC AND MORE WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND CHANGED IN AUSTIN THAN EVER BEFORE. AND IT IS IMPROVED AUSTIN. I HOPE WE NOW EXPECT MORE AND DO MORE. WE'VE SEEN WHAT CAN BE DONE AND IT IS TRULY AMAZING. I'VE BEEN SO FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH SO MANY AMAZING, DEDICATED, SMART, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN SHOULD KNOW AND BE PROUD OF THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH THAN THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THERE ARE SO MANY THANK YOUS THAT I WANT TO SAY, AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO MENTION THEM ALL, BUT THERE'S A FEW THAT I HAVE TO MENTION, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE I WOULD WANT TO MENTION BY NAME. BUT FIRST I HAVE TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, JESUS GARZA WHO I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM AND I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU AND YOUR WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANK DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TOBY FUTRELL, WHO IF SHE KNOWS IT OR NOT, HAS BEEN QUITE A ROLE MODEL FOR ME AND ALL WOMEN WHO WORK IN CITY GOVERNMENT. SHE IS TRULY AMAZING AND HAS BEEN AMAZING AROUND WONDERFUL FOR ME TO WATCH HER WORK. I WANT TO THANK AIRDS PAST AND PRESENT -- AIDES PAST AND PRESENT. WE ALL KIND OF GRAVITATE BACK HERE. YOU'VE MADE IT FUN AND I'VE LEARNED FROM YOU AND I APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH PAST AND PRESENT. I KNOW HOW HARD YOUR JOB IS AND HOW MUCH IT TAKES FROM YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR OTHER INDUSTRIES, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SINCERITY AND YOUR HOARD WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S STAFF. AS YOU SAW IN THE PROCLAMATIONS, WE ENDED THEM ALL THE SAME. WE ARE FAMILY AND WE HAVE DONE AMAZING THINGS TOGETHER AND THEY'RE AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE AND I AM GLAD TO SAY THEY WILL ALL BE STAYING WITH THE PEOPLE. THEY ARE TRUE PUBLIC SERVANTS. DANA'S IS THE FIRST FACE I SEE EVERY MORNING AND IT MAKES EACH DAY BETTER. CINDY KEEPS THE HURM AND THE ENERGY GOING IN THE OFFICE. UKI, HER SINCERITY AND HER WORK ETHIC AND HOW MUCH SHE CARES ABOUT THINGS IS WONDERFUL TO SEE. AND JASON, MAN, I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU. AND WHEN WE SAY 24/7, WE MEAN IT. IF IT'S NOT ME, IT'S THE MAYOR CALLING HIM ON HIS CELL PHONE, BLESS HIS HEART, AND HE IS ALWAYS AT WORK. AND, OF COURSE, I AM SO GLAD THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THE MAYOR. I'M SO TOUCHED BY HIS FAITH IN ME AND THAT WE'LL BE GOING ON TO THE NEXT ADVENTURE, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR MY CITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR BOLDNESS AND YOUR PASSION. AND ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR AUSTIN. AND THEN FINALLY I NEED TO THANK MY HUSBAND WHO'S HERE, JOHN FITZPATRICK. I WAS DOING SO WELL. [LAUGHTER]. HE IS MY BEST FRIEND AND HE ALWAYS SUPPORTS ME WHEN I FOLLOW MY PASSIONS, WHICH MEANS NOT A LOT OF THURSDAY NIGHTS AND A LOT OF WORK. NOW, THAT'S ALL I NEED TO SAY. BUT WHAT I DO WANT IS ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WE HAVE A SMALL GIFT FOR OUR CAPTAIN, AND WE LIKE IT NOT BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE MOST RECENT ARTICLE, BUT THE NAME OF THIS WAS ONE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE, AND HE HAS TRULY GIVEN ALL OF US AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE AND WE WANT TO THANK HIM. AND THIS IS FROM ALL OF US. [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. IT'S WONDERFUL. AND IT WAS ONE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. MY ONLY DISAPPOINTMENT IN THIS GIFT IS THAT IT REMIND ME HOW I COULD HAVE BEATEN THOMAS HENDERSON IF HE JUST HADN'T GOTTEN IN MY LANE! [LAUGHTER]. [APPLAUSE].

IT IS ALWAYS A HAPPY AND SAD EVENT WHEN WE SAY GOOD-BYE TO SOMEONE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING INCREDIBLY EXCITING. AND WE FEEL CONNECTED TO IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO SERVE ON COUNCIL, YOU BECOME A FAMILY, EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH EACH OTHER, STILL YOU DO BECOME FAMILY. AND I'M GOING TO USE MY PER ROG ACTIVE, MAYOR, TO ASSERT COUNCIL PRIVILEGE AND TAKE THE MICROPHONE TODAY TO HONOR YOU AS A DID HE DEPARTING MEMBER OF OUR COUNCIL FAMILY. I'VE LEARNED AS MAYOR PRO TEM THAT YOU DON'T REPLACE MAYOR KIRK WATSON, BUT SOMETIMES STAND IN HIS PLACE WHEN HE'S OVERBOOKED. AND I WANT TO KNOW WHO WROTE THAT. [APPLAUSE]. [LAUGHTER]. SO TODAY LET ME PERFORM THE DUTIES THAT THE MAYOR HAS DONE SO MANY TIMES DURING THE PAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AND TURN THE SPOTLIGHT ON HIS SERVICE AND HIS DAY. AND IF I COULD ASK THE COUNCILMEMBERS TO JOIN ME, YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW, MAYOR, THAT IN HONOR OF THIS SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE A GOOD MEMORY, THIS IS A UNANIMOUS VOTE. [LAUGHTER]. [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN SAID IT TOOK MEDIATION.

GOODMAN: THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS KIRK HAS SHOWN BOUNDLESS ENERGY, UNLIMITLESS VISION AND PASSIONATE LEADERSHIP. WHEREAS KIRK WATSON HAS THE UNSHAKEABLE BELIEF THAT AUSTIN IS A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE, A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND A GREAT PLACE TO PLAY, WHEREAS KIRK WATSON HAS FOUND THE COMMON GROUND AND A COMMON PURPOSE HELPING AUSTINITES TALK TO EACH OTHER AGAIN INSTEAD OF AT EACH OTHER FROM AFAR. WHEREAS KIRK KESH HAS DEMONSTRATED LOVE OF LIFE, THIS CITY AND THESE PEOPLE. WHEREAS KIRK WATSON HAS TAKEN THE BATON, LED THE PARADE AND BROUGHT ALONG THE BAND, NOW THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AFTER MAYOR KIRK WATSON. HIS LEGACY WILL NOT BE JUST IN WHAT HE'S ACCOMPLISHED TODAY, BUT THE FOUNDATION HE HAS SHAPED FOR THE FUTURE. AND FURTHER, BE IT PROCLAIMED NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH IN THE YEAR 2001 AS KIRK WATSON DAY IN AUSTIN, SIGNED BY ME, DARYL, RUL, BEVERLY, WILL, DANNY AND JESUS GARZA WHO I WILL TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO. MAYOR, THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

WELL, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS ALSO WITHOUT LOSING MY VOICE. MAYOR, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL FOUR YEARS, AND STAFF AND I WANT TO MAKE SOME PRESENTATIONS TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING. BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT I WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THE LAST FOUR -- I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE'VE ENJOYED THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS WORKING FOR YOU DURING THIS PERIOD HAS BEEN JUST AN OUTSTANDING PERIOD FOR ALL OF US ON THE CITY STAFF. AND IT'S BEEN DURING THIS UNIQUE PERIOD OF OUR HISTORY WHEN THE FOLLOWING WORDS WERE COINED AND NEVER HAS THERE BEEN AN ADMINISTRATION WHEN WORDS HAVE BEEN MORE POWERFUL AND MORE MEANINGFUL. AND LET ME START BY WALKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE. BRAINSTORMING WITHOUT JUDGMENT. BELOW THE LINE. MOVING BEYOND OUR CONCEPT OF PERFECTION. JUMP BALL POLITICS. COMMON GROUND. THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE, THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, SMART GROWTH, THE THREE E'S, SYMBOLIZING THE ECONOMY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND EQUITY. EACH OF THESE WORDS HAD A MEANING MEENING THAT PROVIDED US A GUIDE POST FOR THE WAY WE WENT ABOUT OUR WORK AND BUSINESS. PRESIDENT KENNEDY SAID WHEN HE WAS ELECTED THAT IT'S THE PRESIDENT'S JOB TO PLACE BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE CONGRESS THE PUBLIC'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS. MAYOR, YOU'VE EXEMPLIFIED THIS BY PLACING BEFORE AUSTIN ALL OF THE PUBLIC'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND THE REST HAS BEEN HISTORY. YOUR LEADERSHIP ALLOWED US TO ACCOMPLISH IN FOUR AND A HALF YEARS WHAT WE HAD TRIED TO DO FOR DECADES. WE WILL MISS YOU AND PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON US AS YOU PROCEED IN YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS. AND NOW LET ME START WITH THE FIRST OF TWO GIFTS -- THREE GIFTS. MAYOR, IT'S A SERIES OF PICTURES THAT ARE PART OF YOUR LEGACY. I CAN'T SEE BECAUSE MY EYES ARE GOING, BUT PIONEERING AUSTIN'S SMART GROWTH, THE GATEWAY TO THE WORLD, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIRPORT, THE BRIGHT AUSTIN FUTURE, AUSTIN'S NEW CITY HALL, PROTECTING AUSTIN'S DRINKING WATER, THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN AND PROVIDING WATER FOR GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES FOR MANY, MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. MAYOR, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU. [APPLAUSE]. JASON ALSO SENT OUT AN E-MAIL EARLIER THIS WEEK AND WANTED ALL OF US TO COME BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO SIGN AND TO WISH HIM WELL, AND LET ME JUST TURN THIS AROUND. IT SAYS THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS BETTER BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED. AND WE WANT TO SAY FROM ALL THE STAFF AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN A ABOUT BIG THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

SEE, EASE ALWAYS READY TO QUIT WHEN I GET UP TO SPEAK. I'M GLAD THE SCHOOL CHILDREN LEFT BECAUSE I'D HATE FOR THEM TO SEE A GROWN WOMAN CRY. THE CITY MANAGER REMIND ME I'M RARELY AT A LOSS FOR WORDS, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M EMOTIONALLY OVERWHELMED TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU MEANT TO US. YOU WERE MORE POWERFUL THAN A LOW CO-MOW ACTIVITY, ABLE TO LEAP TALL BUILDINGS IN A SINGLE BOUND. YOU ARE MUCH LOVED AND ON BEHALF OF ALL CITY EMPLOYEES LIKE TO READ FROM THIS MEMORIAL. MAYOR, KIRK WATSON OUR SINCEREST THINGS FOR YOUR BOUNDLESS ENERGY, INCREDIBLE DEVOTION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN. IT HAS BEEN A WILD WIDE, UNFORGETTABLE. HE ALMOST WORE US OUT, BUT WE KEPT UP WITH HIM. YOU WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: JESUS WHISPERED TO ME I TOLD HER TO WEAR FLATS AND SHE WOULDN'T DO IT. [LAUGHTER].

I COULDN'T DISAPPOINTMENT HIM. I COULDN'T. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED, OF COURSE, THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES AND SO MANY PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE TOUCHED IN A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND VERY POSITIVE WAY. PERHAPS NONE MORE SO THAN TRANSPORTATION. WE REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO GET YOU A SYNCHRONIZED LIGHT, BUT -- NO, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SYNCHRONIZED LIGHTS IN AUSTIN, BUT WE JUST COULDN'T GET ONE FOR YOU. SO THE NEXT BEST THING WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A STREET SIGN. SO KIRK WATSON WAY. [APPLAUSE]. [LAUGHTER].

MAYOR WATSON: YOU GUYS ARE KILLING ME. YOU ARE KILLING ME.

YOU RODE ON THAT TRUCK WITH THOSE GUYS THE VERY FIRST DAY AND THEY WANTED TO GET YOU SOMETHING.

MAYOR WATSON: THAT'S GREAT.

WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE GREAT THINGS YOU DID FOR THE CITY, BUT WE HAVE PROOF HE WORKED ONE DAY. [LAUGHTER]. [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: THAT'S GREAT. I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY. [LAUGHTER]. FOR TWO REASONS. ONE IS I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD CONTINUE TO DO PICKUP OF GARBAGE IN THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF THE ALLEYWAYS, AND THERE WAS SOME DISPUTE THERE. AND SO WHEN I SAID I WANTED TO RIDE ON A GARBAGE TRUCK, THE DIRECTOR, WILLIE ROADS, SENDS ME INTO THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT I WOULD GET MY HEAD BEAT OFF GOING THROUGH THOSE ALLY WAYS. BUT THE OTHER THING IS THERE WAS A MOVIE BEING SHOT IN ONE OF THOSE ALLY WAYS, AND THEY HAD BLOCKED THE ALLEYWAY. AND SO I'M ON THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK AND THEY BLOCK THE ALLEYWAY, THEY SEE THEY'VE GOT THE ALLEYWAY BLOCK, SO THEY MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. AND WE GO THROUGH. AND BECAUSE THEY WERE CONVINCED I WAS GOING TO FALL OFF THIS DADGUM TRUCK, AT SOME POINT DURING THE DAY, THERE WAS A CAR FOLLOWING BEHIND WITH CITY SEALS THAT LOOKED VERY OFFICIAL. SO WE GET ABOUT TWO BLOCKS DOWN THE WAY AND WE STOP TO TAKE A BREAK BECAUSE I NEEDED A BREAK AND THE GUYS DOWN THAT WERE SHOOTING THE MOVIE, CLEARLY THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF SOME PERMIT THAT THEY HAD, SO THEY KIND OF PANIC BECAUSE THEY SEE THIS OFFICIAL CAR. IF IT HAD BEEN JUST THE TRUCK GO THROUGH I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE LET IT HAPPEN, BUT THEY PANIC WHEN THEY SEE THE OFFICIAL CARGO THROUGH. SO THEY RUSH UP TO WILLIE RHODES WHO IS STANDING THERE AND THEY WALK UP AND SAY WE'RE VERY SORRY, THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT. WE BLOCKED THE ALLEY. WE WON'T DO IT AGAIN. TO WHICH WILLIE SAYS, HE SAYS, WELL, THAT'S OKAY, YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE MAYOR. [LAUGHTER]. WELL, THIS GUY LOOKS AT HIM LIKE ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!!? TALK TO THE MAYOR, SURE, WE MAY HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION OF THE PERMIT. SO HE KIND OF LOOKS AT WILLIE AND I'M STANDING THERE WITH GOGGLES, HAT, STEEL TOWED BOOTS AND HE LOOKS AT BILL WILLY AND HE SAYS YEAH, YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE MAYOR AND HE POINTS AT ME. AND I PULL OFF A GLOVE AND SAY HI, I'M KIRK WATSON. AND YOU KNOW THIS DUDE WAS FROM CALIFORNIA. AND HE LOOKS AT ME AND HE SAYS ARE YOU THE MAYOR? AND I SAID YES. AND HE SAID OKAY. AND YOU KNOW HE WAS THINKING, THIS IS THE WEIRDEST TOWN I HAVE EVER BEEN IN. THAT'S A GREAT REMINDER AND A GREAT GIFT. AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A STORY I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IN AWHILE AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN GREAT ABOUT THIS JOB, IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO MUCH FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TOUCHED BY SO MANY PEOPLE. I CANNOT THINK OF WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE IN THE PAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME AS MUCH FULFILLMENT AS I HAVE HAD BEING MAYOR OF THIS WONDERFUL CITY. [APPLAUSE]. AND I'M NOT GOING TO NAME EVERYBODY I WANT TO NAME, BUT CERTAINLY EVERY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT I HAVE SERVED WITH THAT HAVE BECOME MY FRIENDS IN WAYS THAT I DON'T THINK WE EVEN ANTICIPATED, DEAR FRIENDS. JESUS, TOBY AND THE MEMBERS OF THIS CITY STAFF THAT I HAVE BEEN HAPPY AND PROUD TO SERVE WITH EVERYDAY FOR THE WORK THEY DO AS PUBLIC SERVANTS. I'VE TOLD SOME PEOPLE THIS, BUT I STAND UP HERE TODAY AS MAYOR OF THIS CITY THE SON OF A LIFETIME GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WHO BELIEVED IT WAS THE HIGHEST FORM OF SERVICE. AND EVERYDAY THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME TO WORK AT THAT CITY HALL WITH THIS STAFF I HAVE BEEN REMINDED HOW RIGHT DON WATSON WAS. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GREAT. YOU HAVE MADE THE COUNCIL AND ME LOOK GOOD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I'VE GOTTEN MORE OUT OF THIS THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE. I WAS TALKING TO A REPORTER TODAY WHO ASKED ME HOW I FELT ABOUT ALL THIS AND I FEEL FEEL IKE I'M HAVING AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID IS IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE IN WORDS, BUT THIS JOB CREATES A CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE THAT I'VE NEVER KNOWN. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL WHEN YOU'RE WALKING CONGRESS AVENUE, IT'S SOMETHING YOU FEEL WHEN YOU'RE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF SIXTH AND CONGRESS ON NEW EAR YEAR'S EVE. IT'S SOMETHING YOU FEEL HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THERE IS A CONNECTION THAT AUSTIN HAS WITH ITS SELF AND WITH -- THAT PEEMENT HAVE WITH EACH OTHER THAT HELPS MAKE THIS PLACE MAGICAL. AND I'VE LOVED THAT CONNECTION. IT'S BECOME A PART OF ME. THIS CITY CONTINUES TO HAVE THE MAGIC THAT HAS CAUSED SO MUCH OF US TO CALL IT HOME, HAS CAUSED SO MANY OF US TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN AND TO LOVE IT. IT HAS CAUSED THE MAGIC FOR LIZ AND ME TO DECIDE IN 1981 THAT THIS IS WHERE WE WANTED TO LIVE AND RAISE OUR FAMILY. IT HAS THE MAGIC THAT CAUSED US TO MAKE WHAT MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT WAS A CRAZED DECISION TO RUN FOR MAYOR. IT HAS -- IT HAS IT AND WE NEED TO PRESERVE IT. I AM PLEASED THAT AS PART OF THAT PRESERVING IT I GET TO PASS THE BATON TO MY OLD FRIEND GUS GARCIA. WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. WE'VE SERVED WITH EACH OTHER PROFESSIONALLY AND WE'VE SERVED WITH EACH OTHER IN PUBLIC SERVICE. AND NOT JUST HERE, BUT IN OTHER FORMS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. WHEN I WAS MAKING THE DECISION TO RUN, ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I SAT WITH WAS GUS GARCIA. WHERE HE LECTURED IS ABOUT THE ONLY WORD I CAN COME UP WITH. [LAUGHTER]. BUT LECTURED ME THE WAY YOU WANT A DEER FRIEND TO DO AND TAUGHT ME SO MUCH THAT I'M PLEASED THAT MY FRIEND IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT MAYOR BECAUSE HE WILL BRING A MATURITY, HE WILL BRING A STABILITY AND BRING A SENSE OF HISTORY THAT I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY ELSE COULD BRING. AND SO I'M VERY PLEASED THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW. AND THEN FINALLY, AND I'M GOING TO SHUT UP BECAUSE MY THREE MINUTES ARE LONG PAST. [LAUGHTER]. [BUZZER]. [LAUGHTER]. (CHEERS AND PLAUS).

MAYOR WATSON: OH, MY! MAN, ARE THEY GLAD I'M LEAVING TOMORROW. [LAUGHTER]. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU WITH SOME OF THOSE OTHER SPEAKERS!!? THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL. THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, IT'S BEEN GREAT, THE IDEA THAT -- IT WAS ALICE GLASCO'S IDEA TO HAVE THE O'HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA. IT KNOCKED ME BACK ON MY HEELS BECAUSE OF PRESTON BEING THERE. WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA. BUT WHAT IT ALLOWS ME TO DO IS ALSO POINT OUT THAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THIS, AN INSTRUMENTAL PART. AND LIZ IS HERE. WE'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND WITH EACH OTHER A LONG TIME. THIS HAS BEEN -- I CAN REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE MAKING THE DECISION TO DO THIS, SHE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF IT THEN AND LESS SUPPORTIVE ON AS TIME AS GONE BY. [LAUGHTER]. BUT SHE HAS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF THE WAY I WANTED TO DO THIS JOB. AND MY BOYS, PRESTON AND COOPER, HAVE BEEN TOO. AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THEM. I COULDN'T HAVE ENJOYED ANY OF THE SUCCESSES AND I COULDN'T HAVE ENJOYED JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THEM. [APPLAUSE]. WITH THAT AND WITH THAT BEEPING SOUND, I'M GOING TO CALL IT A DAY. WE HAVE ONE MORE ACT OF BUSINESS OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AND I DON'T WANT TO SCREW THAT UP. THAT WOULD BE REALLY EMBARRASSING. TOMORROW I'M GOING TO START -- I'M GOING TO END MY TERM AS MAYOR THE WAY I BEGAN. THE FIRST DAY I WAS ON THE JOB I WENT TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO SAY HELLO AND TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES. TOMORROW I INTEND TO DO THE SAME THING IS TO GO TO CITY DEMOCRATS TO SAY THANK YOU AND TO SAY GOOD-BYE. BECAUSE YOU MEAN SO MUCH TO ME. BUT THAT'S TOMORROW AND WE WILL SWEAR IN OUR NEW MAYOR AND ELGIN AN EXCITING TIME. I'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT A THOUSAND TIMES WHAT MY ADVICE IS TO YOU, GUS, LIKE I COULD GIVE YOU ANY ADVICE, BUT IT IS TO ENJOY YOURSELF BECAUSE AS WE HAVE SAID, THIS IS ONE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. WITH THAT LET ME CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT MY LAST REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AND I WILL CALL FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. ALL IN FAVOR. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. GOD BLESS EVERY ONE OF YOU AND GOD BLESS AUSTIN, TEXAS. [APPLAUSE].

MAYOR WATSON: I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CLEAR THE ROOM. THANK YOU ALL.

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