Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting
Thursday, May 16, 2002

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 (512) 974-2210.

GOOD AFTERNOON, IF YOU ARE HERE FOR ITEM NO. 14, THAT ITEM HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR ONE WEEK, SO WE WILL NOT BE TAKING IT UP TODAY. IF YOU ARE HERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, THEN WE WILL BE WITH YOU AS SOON AS I CAN GET THE CLOCK TO 1:30 AND GET THREE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS HERE.

MAYOR GARCIA: THERE BEING A QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL IN THE CHAMBERS, I'M GOING TO CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL BACK TO ORDER AND GO — WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR — I ANNOUNCED THAT WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, NO DECISIONS WERE MADE. AND WE ARE NOW BACK IN OPEN SESSION. AND FIRST ITEM IS OUR 1:30 CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL. WE HAVE 10 SPEAKERS, THE FIRST ONE THAT I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE IS MR. DON LOVING, FOLLOWED BY MR. GONZALEZ, I'M GOING TO ANNOUNCE THAT DAMEON CLARKSON WILL BE SMELLING AFTER JACKIE R. MOORE. MR. LOVING, WELCOME, SIR. GIVE THAT TO COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. HE CAN PASS THEM ON.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

USUALLY PEOPLE THAT SPEAK SPEAK OVER THERE, BUT YOU CAN SIT THERE IF YOU WANT. THAT'S ALWAYS — AN OPTION.

NEXT TIME. THANK YOU FOR — FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS DON LOVING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY GOES IN SCHOOLS WHICH IS A DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAM LOCATED IN SEVERAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. I AM HERE ACTUALLY REPRESENTING THE AUSTIN AREA HUMAN SERVICES ASSOCIATION'S CAMPAIGN CALLED PUT PEOPLE FIRST. AND OUR PARTICULAR TOPIC AREA THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON IS EDUCATION. SO — SO TODAY YOU WILL HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS MAKING A PRESENTATION TO YOU. I WILL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT — THAT WE ARE FACING WITH EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WILL THEN HAVE SOMEONE VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT — ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HAVING AN EDUCATION. AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, AT YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, YOU WILL HAVE SOMEONE SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE SEE, THAT WE BRING TO BEAR ON THE PROBLEM. THE PACKET THAT YOU RECEIVED CONTAINS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT — THAT CERTAINLY I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT AT YOUR LEISURE. WE WILL BE, THOUGH, JUST HITTING SOME OF THE HIGH SPOTS. THE — THE PROBLEMS THAT — THAT ARE FACED BY OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY A MATTER OF NUMBERS. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DROPPING OUT OF — OF SCHOOL, IT IS — IT IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED THAT — THAT 69% OF — OF ENTERING NINTH GRADERS ARE NOT GOING TO GRADUATE. THAT IS WAY TOO MANY KIDS THAT ARE ON THE STREET WITHOUT — WITHOUT THE MEANS BY WHICH TO GET THEMSELVES ON WITH LIFE. THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACED BY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, A KID THAT'S HUNGRY IS NOT GOING TO GRADUATE, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO LEARN. A KID WHO IS — DOESN'T HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD ARE NOT GOING TO DO THEIR HOME WORK. A KID WHO IS SICK, IS NOT GOING TO CONCENTRATE. A KID WHO HAS BEEN BEAT UP THE NIGHT BEFORE, DUE TO SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CERTAINLY IN NO CONDITION TO LEARN. THOSE ARE THE KIND OF SITUATIONS THAT WE FACE DAILY AND ARE THE KIND OF SITUATIONS THAT OUR AGENCIES, THROUGH THE — THROUGH THE — MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA HUMAN SERVICES ASSOCIATION ADDRESS. WE ARE WANTING TO BRING THESE ISSUES TO YOUR ATTENTION AND HOPE THAT — THAT YOU WILL REALLY APPRECIATE THE KIND OF PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE FORMED WITH — WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO — TO HAVE MORE OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SOLVING THIS MAJOR, MAJOR PROBLEM [BUZZER SOUNDING] SO NOW THE NEXT MEMBER OF OUR GROUP WILL TALK.

MAYOR GARCIA: I SUSPECT IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE SPEAKERS WOULD SPEAK FROM THE TWO LECTERNS THAT ARE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SHAME BERS, BECAUSE THAT ONE HAS A LITTLE PLUG THAT WILL TELL — CHAMBERS, BECAUSE THAT ONE HAS A LITTLE PLUG THAT WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE NEXT. MONA EXTRAVAGANZA IS................ — MONA GONZALEZ IS NEXT, THEN TAMMIE STEWART. WELCOME,.

THANK YOU, MAYOR GARCIA, IT'S MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO CALL YOU MAYOR PUBLICLY. I AM HERE ALSO WITH AUSTIN — I AM — AUSTIN AREA HUMAN SERVICES ASSOCIATION. I'M LOCATED IN THE DOVE SPRINGS AREA, CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SPEAKING OF IMPACT, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES IF THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH DO NOT GET AN EDUCATION. WE KNOW THAT THE COST OF EDUCATIONS OF SMALL COMPARED TO THE BENEFITS OF THE PERSONS AND HEALTH AS WELL AS PRODUCTIVITY. WE KNOW THAT FROM EXPERIENCE. WE ALSO KNOW THAT DROPOUTS ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY AS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES TO BE ON PUBLIC WELFARE ASSISTANCE. WE ALSO KNOW, WITH RELATION TO CRIME, AND MANY OF US ARE DEALING WITH THAT DAY IN AND DAY OUT AS WE HELP OUR CLIENTS, THAT 82%, 82% OF PERSONS IN STATE AND LOCAL PRISONS ARE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS. FINANCIALLY, AND WE ARE ALL THINKING FINANCES RIGHT NOW, DROPOUTS WILL EARN $200,000 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND OVER $1.2 MILLION LESS THAN COLLEGE GRADUATES IN THEIR LIVES. IN TERMS OF HEALTH, THE MORE EDUCATION, THE LESS DISEASE. WE KNOW THAT THE MORE EDUCATION THAT THEY HAVE, THE HEALTHIER THEY ARE GOING TO BE. AND THERE ARE SOME VERY POWERFUL THINGS THAT WE KNOW. WE KNOW THAT THOSE FACTORS SUCH AS HIGH CHOLESTEROL, SMOKING, HIGH BLOOP AND OBJECT BEGS COMMUNITY ARE LINKED TO THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION WE RECEIVE. THIS IS A CASE OF THE WISE SPEAKING TO THE SAGE, BECAUSE I KNOW EACH ONE OF YOU CARE PROFOUNDLY ABOUT YOUTH AND ABOUT FAMILIES. SO WE ARE ASKING, AUSTIN AREA HUMAN SERVICE ASSOCIATION, TO PLEASE REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU. AND TO STAY IN DIALOGUE WITH US AS THE MONTHS PROGRESS REGARDING OUR KIDS. AND THEIR EDUCATION. AND I AM SURPRISED THE BUZZER HASN'T GONE OFF, GUS. BUT —

MAYOR GARCIA: [INAUDIBLE - NO MIC]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THIS IS AN HISTORIC MOMENT. I FINISHED EARLY. THANK YOU.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. GONZALEZ, THAT LITTLE GADGET ON TOP OF THE LECTERN IS ACTUALLY THE CLOCK ITSELF. SO — SO TAMMIE STEWART.

YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR GARCIA, MY NAME IS TAMMIE STEWART, THE DIRECTOR OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT AT AUSTIN BUSINESS COLLEGE AND A MEMBER OF AASHA AS WELL. I REPRESENT THE PUSH-PULL SYSTEM IN SECONDARY WORKING WITH PROFITS AND EXIEWN FEE BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTIN. I'M REPRESENTING AUSTIN BUSINESS COLLEGE, ST. EDWARD'S, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, CONCORDIA, SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AND HOW WE COLLABORATE WITH NON-PROFITS IN AUSTIN WITH THE SCHOLARSHIP MATCHING PROGRAM. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS WHAT WE DO WITH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS. THEY OFFER THEIR PARTICIPANTS WHEN THEY START IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A $2,000 SCHOLARSHIP IF THEY CAN COMPLETE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE. UPON COMPLETION, THEY ENTER POST SECONDARY, THESE INSTITUTIONS WILL MATCH THEIR 2,000. SO GRADUATING STUDENT THAT WAS IN BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS CAN THEREFORE GRADUATE WITH $4,000 TOWARDS THEIR POST SECONDARY EDUCATION CAREER. WE HAVE A STUDENT NAMED BRANDY RAY AT OUR SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, SHE WAS IN THAT PROGRAM AND ALMOST DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT SHE WAS MATCHED WITH A BIG SISTER. WITH HER BIG SISTER SHE WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WILL PROBABLY SECURE A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL CAREER UPON GRADUATION. SO I URGE YOU WHEN THINGS COME UP THAT LIST SUPPORT TO NON-PROFITS AND MEMBERS IN THE AASHA ORGANIZATION, THAT HE SUPPORT THOSE INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE PUT, THE MORE TRAINED WORKERS THAT WE PUT INTO OUR WORKFORCE, THE EASIER IT IS FOR OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO GO OUT AND SOLICIT NEW, MORE DIVERSIFIED COMPANIES TO COME INTO AUSTIN AND OFFER THEM A TRAINED WORKFORCE. I'M — I'M UNDER TIME AS WELL, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VERY UPSET ABOUT THAT. I WILL DEFER TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, THANK YOU.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. STEWART. JACKIE MOORE. FOLLOWING MS. MOORE IS [INAUDIBLE] MS. MOORE, WELCOME, HAVEN'T SEEN KNEW A WHILE.

HELLO, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? MY NAME IS JACKIE MOORE, CURRENTLY ATTENDING AUSTIN BUSINESS COLLEGE, I HAVE TWO SONS THAT ATTEND JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL. AND I BELIEVE THE QUALITY TIME MAKES FOR QUALITY CHILDREN. AND THIS IS WHAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TODAY, QUALITY TIME. IF IT DOES NOT COME FROM THE PARENTS, HOW DO WE SUBSTITUTE THIS VALUE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS MUCH WANTED AND MUCH NEEDED IN OUR CHILDREN? I'M A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE BOYS. FORTUNATELY FOR ME I'M ABLE TO WORK MY SCHOOL SCHEDULE AND MY WORK SCHEDULE AROUND THEIR SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM THE QUALITY TIME THAT THEY NEED AND DESERVE. FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT DO NOT HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY. EVEN IN TWO-HOME PARENTS IT IS HARD BECAUSE WE THINK [SIC] SOMETIMES WE — THEY ONLY NEED FOR NECESSITIES A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD, CLOTHES AND FOOD IN THEIR STOMACHS. BUT ALSO AS PARENTS, WE ALSO HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE NEED — THAT THEY ALSO NEED AREAS HELPING — WE NEED AREA HELP IN OTHER AREAS SUCH AS TIME. AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED MENTOR PROGRAMS SUCH AS BIG BROTHERS AND SISTERS. BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL IF IMPLEMENTED IN OUR EVERY SCHOOLS AND IN OUR CHILDREN'S DAILY LIVES. THEY NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO, TO LOOK UP TO, BESIDES THE COACH OR TEACHER, OR A PARENT. SOMEONE THEY CAN CALL THEIR OWN, THEIR FRIEND, THEIR COMPANION. SOMEONE NEUTRAL, SOMEONE THAT STANDS ON NEUTRAL GROUND. SOMEONE THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH THEIR HOME WORK, SOMEONE THAT CAN BUILD HIS OR HER CONFIDENCE TO BE AND TO DREAM. HOW ABOUT IT? A MENTOR. A BIG BROTHER OR SISTER. I WONDER HOW THIS WILL FEEL. WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE. WE WOULD NEVER KNOW IF WE DON'T — DON'T GIVE OUR CHILDREN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT. THANK YOU.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. MOORE. DAMEON CLARKSON. WELCOME, SIR.

I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHY WE NEED OUR EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL TODAY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT OUR YOUTH, WE NEED OUR EDUCATION TOY BECAUSE MOST OF THE JOBS TODAY THEY DON'T HIRE US WITHOUT OUR DIPLOMA OR WITHOUT HIGH SCHOOL — OR HIGH SCHOOL — OR WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND THAT WE NEED — THERE ARE SOME AREAS IN SCHOOL THAT SOME TEACHERS CAN'T FILL AND NOW WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO SCHOOL. THAT WHERE THEY HELP US WITH OUR SCHOOL WORK AND THEN THEY LET US — THEY HELP US GET US MENTORS FOR OUR CLASSES THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THAT WE NEED HELP IN. AND THEN WE SHOULD DO OUR WORK THE FIRST TIME, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO IT THE SECOND TIME OR HAVE TO REPEAT THE SAME GRADE. THEY HELP US WITH OUR CLASS WORK AND TEACH US HOW TO RESPECT OURSELVES AND OTHERS AROUND US. AND THEN WHAT I GOT OUT OF IT IS THAT THEY — THEY TOLD ME TO RESPECT MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE AROUND ME AND THAT I SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND HOW TO APPROACH MY SCHOOL WORK INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING IN CLASS NOT — NOT LISTENING TO THE TEACHER OR JUST DOING OTHER STUFF LIKE TALKING AND THAT I SHOULD GET MY WORK DONE THE FIRST TIME AND NOT HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO IT THE SECOND TIME. THAT'S — THAT'S ACTUALLY ALL I HAVE.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. CLARKSON. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING TO TALK ABOUT THIS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE. AS YOU PROBABLY READ IN THE PAPER THIS MORNING, THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS STUDENTS AND THOSE WERE VERY GOOD NEWS. BUT THEN THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NEWS AND THAT IS THAT THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS STILL BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE. OUR STUDENTS ARE STILL BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE AND THAT'S — THAT'S A CONDITION THAT WE CANNOT TOLERATE. NEXT WEEK AT THIS — AT THIS MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AT 3:00, THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON K THROUGH 12 EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION WILL BE REPORTING THEIR FINDINGS AND THEN THE WEEK AFTER THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE NEW SCHOOL BOARD TO ISSUE THE REPORT TO THEM. BUT AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY, OUR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE EDUCATED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL POSSIBLE. I MEAN, THAT'S ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HIGH QUALITY COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING AND TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT IS — THAT HAS A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE, WE NEED TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN EDUCATED TODAY. MR. AKWASI EVANS. MR. AKWASI EVANS? ANTHONY GONZALEZ. MR. ANTHONY GONZALES. MR. GUS PENA. MR. PENA, WELCOME, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, GUS PENA PRESIDENT OF EAST AUSTIN CONCERNED HISPANICS AND SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE RAINBOW COALITION OF STATE-WIDE REPRESENTATION HERE IN AUSTIN. TO MY RIGHT IS MY HANDSOME BOY LUCIO WHO ATTENDS AISD SCHOOL. MR. MAYOR, YOU COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT MORE ELOQUENTLY. THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN — BY THE WAY, MR. CLARKSON, YOU ARE TO BE GRADUATED, YOU DID A VERY GOOD PRESENT — CONGRATULATED, YOU DID A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. BETTER THAN I DO, OKAY, I'M PROUD OF YOU. A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING EDUCATED, YOU ARE RIGHT. CONTRARY TO WHAT I HAD TOLD YOU, I DID ATTEND ONE COMMITTEE MEETING, THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING, I REALLY BROUGHT UP SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS, I AM A PRODUCT OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. I GRADUATED FROM JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL, I AM ALSO ALONG WITH MR. LOVING, A MEMBER OF THE AISD DROPOUT PREVENTION REDUCTION TASK FORCE. HE FORGET TO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE WEARS SO MANY HATS, BUT HE'S TO BE COMMENDED BECAUSE MY CHILD IS ALSO ATTENDING C.I.S., COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS ON HIS CAMPUS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, WE SEE, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBER, SOMETIMES PARENT ARE NOT WELCOME INTO THE — INTO THE CAMPUSES. THEY FABRICATE STORIES TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE CAMPUSES. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING AT DAWSON ELEMENTARY. I HAVE ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MONDAY. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS MUCH, MY CHILD WILL BE EDUCATED. HE DID NOT GET A QUALITY — TOP QUALITY EDUCATION THIS YEAR AND HE IS GOING TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL. IT'S SO SORRY THAT — SO BAD THAT A CHILD WOULD DO BETTER IN SUMMER SCHOOL THAN HE WOULD DO IN A REGULAR YEAR ROUND SCHOOL. ANYWAY, COUNCILMEMBER WILL WYNN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON VARIOUS ISSUES DEALING WITH NEEDS OF PEOPLE, HOUSING JOBS, ET CETERA. PEOPLE CAN TALK WHAT YOU WANT TO, THAT MAN IS A GOOD COUNCILMEMBER, HE DEALS WITH A LOT OF ISSUES. I REALLY HIGHLY RESPECT HIM. COUNCILMEMBER RAUL ALVAREZ, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RETURNING MY CALL. I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY FOR NOT TALKING TO, HEALTH-WISE I HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HITS WHERE TAXPAYERS ARE GOING TO RECEIVE A BIG HIT AS FAR AS TAXES ARE CONCERNED, BUDGETARY PROCESS IS CONCERNED. BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, WE ASK YOU TO REMEMBER AND REMAIN COGNIZANT OF THE SERVICES FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS, THE YOUTH PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, ET CETERA. AND PROGRAMS LIKE THE — LIKE THE PRIOR SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, I KNOW THE FUNDING IS NOT THERE. I KNOW WE ARE TAKING A BIG HIT. I SAID BACK IN FEBRUARY WE WERE IN A RECESSION, TWO OR THREE YEARS, ANGELO SAID YOU WILL BE OKAY IN ONE YEAR, IT'S IN THE PAPER. US IN THE COMMUNITY MAY NOT BE ROCKET SCIENTISTS I WILL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT WE ARE HIGHLY ARTICULATE IN SOME OF THE NEEDS. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT. I THANK YOU YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT WE DO. SO MANY ISSUES TO DEAL WITH IN THE COMMUNITY, EDUCATION, HOUSING, HEALTH CARE, PROBLEMS AT BRACKENRIDGE HOSPITAL. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. CITY MANAGER FUTRELL AND MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU ALL DID FOR THE FAMILY [BUZZER SOUNDING] KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. WE NEED TO IMPROVE BRACKENRIDGE HOSPITAL. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. PENA. SHELLY RUNYAN. FOLLOWING MS. RUNYAN IS TY RUN DALLASIAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I'M PRESIDENT OF TECO, A COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR THAT STARTED HERE IN AUSTIN. MEMBERS OF THE ABC, HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HISPANIC CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN CERTIFIED H.U.B. WE ARE THE CURRENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR ON THE TOWN LAKE CIVIC EVENTS CENTER. WE WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT AFTER THE PREVIOUS CONTRACTOR WENT BANKRUPT. FROM THE TIME WE ARRIVED TO BID THE CONTRACT, WE HAVE BEEN TASHTDED BY THE ELECTRICAL UNION, THE IBE LOCAL 520 BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT WORK IS THEIRS BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC JOB. OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE NOT CHOSEN TO HAVE THE IBEW REPRESENT THEM. SO THE UNION STILL IS TRYING TO SIGN US UP WHAT THEY CALL TOP DOWN ORGANIZING. THE UNION HAS BEEN PICKETING AROUND TOWN WITH SIGNS WITH FALSE AND MALICIOUS STATEMENT ABOUT MY COMPANY, MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF. IT'S BAD KNOWING THAT THE VISITORS TO THE CITY ARE BEING EXPOSED TO THIS IMPRESSION OF THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IN AUSTIN AND THIS IMPRESSION OF MY COMPANY AND ME. I GOT A CALL THAT COUNCILMEMBER DARYL SLUSHER JOINED THE PICKET ON THE PICKET — THE PICKETERS ON THE PICKET LINE AND THAT BEVERLY GRIFFITH WAS GOING TO JOIN THEM, TOO. THE FIRST THING THAT I DID WAS CALL TO VERIFY THE FACTS. UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS TOO. DARYL HAD BEEN OUT THERE. I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THAT HE DIDN'T CALL AND ASK FOR OUR SIDE OF THE STORY. THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE UNION WAS HANDING OUT A STATEMENT THAT HE WAS OUT THERE SUPPORTING THEM AND THAT JACKIE COMMITTED TO PICKETING AGAINST US, TOO. YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THE STATEMENT THAT THEY HANDED OUT. GOODMAN'S OFFICE DIDN'T RETURN REPEAT CALLS TO US, JERRY ONLY RETURNED OUR CALL AFTER MY NAME APPEARED ON THIS AGENDA SHE DID SAY SHE WAS PLANNING TO JOIN US BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T GOT TONIGHT TO A POINT THAT THE EMPLOYEES NEEDED TO PICKET US. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE SOME FACTS TODAY. NUMBER ONE, OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER PICKETED OUR COMPANY. NUMBER TWO, OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE NOT VOTED TO HAVE THE UNION REPRESENT THEM. NUMBER THREE, WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WE HAVE BOTH UNION AND NON-UNION ELECTRICIANS WORKING FOR US. NUMBER FOUR, WE HIRE WOMEN. OUR MANAGEMENT IS PREDOMINANTLY WOMEN. OUT OF OVER 1200 APPLICANT, APPROXIMATELY SIX OF THESE WERE FEMALE. THESE EVENTS AND THE IBEW'S ACTION AFFECT THE CITY COUNCIL, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, H.U.B. CONTRACTORS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN. HERE IS WHAT I AM ASKING FROM YOU. NUMBER ONE, ENSURE THAT THE UNION UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO EVERY CITY JOB. CONTRACTORS WHO EMPLOY THE BEST WORKERS GET THE WORK DONE ON TIME AND CHARGE THE BEST PRICE, THEY GET THE JOB. TWO TWO — NUMBER TWO PLEASE CALL US BEFORE JOINING A PICKET LINE AGAINST US, WE ARE GLAD TO GIVE YOU THE FACTS. IF YOU MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. DON'T GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF SUPPORTING A UNION THAT'S TRYING TO BREAK A GOOD CONTRACTOR THAT PAYS COMPETITIVE WAGES. NUMBER THREE, SUPPORT EMPLOYERS WHO RESIST UNIONS DEMANDS TO SIGN AWAY THE RIGHTS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES TO DEAL DIRECTLY ABOUT THEIR JOBS TO BE AWARDED FOR MERIT AND DE— WHETHER THEY WANT A UNION IN THEIR LIFE. NUMBER 4 STAND [BUZZER SOUNDING] BEHIND THE SUBCONTRACTORS LIKE MY COMPANY. WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET WHERE WE ARE. THANK YOU.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU. LET ME JUST SAY THAT — THAT COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE THE RIGHT AS AMERICANS TO DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO DO.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. BUT I WISH THAT WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE ON THEIR FACT FINDING MISSION THEY WOULD ALSO FIND OUT THE OTHER SIDE. AND THAT'S JUST COMMON COURTESY.

MAYOR GARCIA: I THINK THEY ALWAYS TRY TO DO THAT.

WE ARE A PHONE CALL AWAY, NOBODY EVER PICKED UP THE PHONE TO CALL US.

MAYOR GARCIA: I UNDERSTAND.

THANK YOU. MR. TY RUNYAN.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BLAKE CIVIC EVENTS CENTER, AUSTIN'S CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENT. AS YOU KNOW WE TOOK OVER THE TOWN LAKE CIVIC EVENTS CENTER AFTER THE FORMER ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR BANKRUPTED. THEY STARTED LIFE AS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR BUT WAS QUICKLY OVERRUN BY UNION SALTING TACTICS. SHORTLY AFTER BEING UNIONIZED THEY BANKRUPTED. IT DOESN'T TAKE AN ACCOUNTANT TO FIGURE IT OUT. 78 ELECTRICIANS WORKING MASSIVE OVERTIME, YET IT WAS FOUR WEEKS BEHIND SCHEDULE. AN EXEAM: MIKE MURPHY, A COPY OF WHICH YOU HAVE. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS ALL 29 POINTS, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE SO OUTRAGEOUS THEY ARE FUNNY. AFTER THE DEMIZE OF THAT COMPANY, THE GC CONTACTED US IN NOVEMBER. WHEN WE FIRST LOOKED AT TOWN LAKE I WAS CONFRONTED BY THE UNION ORGANIZERS AND HALF A DOZEN UNION ELECTRICIANS ON THAT JOB, TOLD THIS HERE IS A UNION JOB YOU NEED TO GET ON OUT OF HERE. WE ESTIMATED 16,000, THE LOWEST UNION ESTIMATE WAS 40,000 HOURS OUR BID WAS APPROVED AND WE BEGAN STAFFING THE PROJECT IN EARLY DECEMBER OF THE FIRST OF WHOM WERE FORMER PROJECT MANAGER, SUPERINTENDENT AND FORM MAN AND LEAD MAN. WE HIRED MANY OF THEIR FORMER EMPLOYEES ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THESE FOUR MEN. WE DID NOT HIRE MANY AGAIN BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THESE FOUR. ONE WOMAN WHO APPLIED TO US HAVE H BEEN DISCHARGED BY THAT FOREMAN FOR DRINKING DURING THE WORK DAY. ON FRANK NARRIO'S RECOMMENDATION WE DIDN'T HIRE HER. NOW I'M ACCUSED OF BEING A SEX BIGOT AND NOT HIRING WOMEN. AS FOR TOWN LAKE, WE ARE LEADING THE ENTIRE PROJECT ON THE COMPLETION SCHEDULE DOWN TO THE FINAL TASKS ON ELECTRICAL. WE HAVE DONE THIS WITH AN AVERAGE CREW SIZE OF 28 AND AGAIN I REMIND YOU GESE HAD 75 ELECTRICIANS, MORE THAN THAT. AS A SMALL INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR WE BRING THIS PERFORMANCE TO EVERY PROJECT. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE TO BE CONFRONTED WITH THIS HOSTILITY AND THREATS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THE NEXT TIME I'M TOLD THIS HERE IS A UNION JOB I'M GOING TO LISTEN. TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS ASKED BY A CITY OFFICIAL IF WE PLAN TO BID AUSTIN'S NEW CITY HALL, MY ANSWER ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE UNION CONSIDERS LARGE AND GOVERNMENT WORK TO BE THEIR EXCLUSIVE DOMAIN, I WILL NOT SUBJECT MY TEAM MEMBERS NOR FAMILY TO THE THREATS AND INTIMIDATION WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ENDURE. MY HOME AND OFFICES HAVE BEEN CASED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD I'M GOING TO STOP A BULLET. POLICE OFFICERS GUARDING MY OFFICE HAS BEEN THREATENED. AN OFFICER IS HERE WITH US TODAY. MY CHILDREN CAN'T GO TO THE PARK WITHOUT A GUARDIAN. COUNCILMEMBER YOU ESPOUSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES IN AUSTIN. TOGETHER WE MUST FIND A WAY TO ASSURE THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT RESTED BY BIG UNION LABOR. THANK YOU. BY THE WAY, COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ONE WHO DID RESPOND TO US. AND BY THE WAY, TO THE EDUCATORS OUT THERE, WE HAVE A GREAT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. THANK YOU ALL.

COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME CLARIFICATION, STATEMENTS OF CLARIFICATION I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOODMAN: YES, I DO BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF RHETORIC BEING THROWN AROUND. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THIS IS MUCH DEEPER THAN SOME KIND OF WORKERS CONFLICT. THERE'S DEFINITELY — WELL, I WILL JUST SAY HAD I SENT OUT THIS WHILE I WAS CAMPAIGNING, I WOULD HAVE HAD CHARGES OF NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING. SO IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ANYBODY IS TRYING TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES, WHICH WAS MY ISSUE. TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT POINT OF AGREEMENT PEOPLE COULD COME TO. I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF WORKERS BEING ABLE TO TALK TO THE EMPLOYERS ABOUT THE ISSUES OF JOB SAFETY, JOB DIGNITY, JOB PAY. AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WHICH I WON'T GO INTO, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE LIST. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE UNION INVOLVES TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF DISCIPLINE — NO, MA'AM, I AM NOT ASKING YOU ANYTHING. DISCIPLINE, WAGES, HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT, OVERTIME, BREAKS AND LUNCH, AVAILABILITY OF WATER ON THE JOB, RESTROOM FACILITIES, SIGNING OF SOME SORT OF EMPLOYEE CERTIFICATION FORM AND BYPASSING THE BARGAINING MECHANISM ALTOGETHER. AND IN FACT MY OFFICE DID TRY TO CALL YOU BACK. IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE A CALL FROM — FROM US, THE VERY DAY THAT WE WERE SENT A RATHER ACCUSATORY BULLETIN FROM YOUR OFFICE, THEN IT NOT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TRY. AND AGAIN I WILL JUST SAY THAT MY ISSUE AS ALWAYS IS MAKING SURE THAT IN OUR PROJECTS WE DON'T INADVERTENTLY SPONSOR OR PAY FOR SOMETHING WITH PUBLIC MONEY THAT ABUSES, MISTREATS OR DISMISSES THE CONCERNS OF EMPLOYEES. AND THAT IS WHY I ASKED THROUGH JERRY WHO CALLED LONG BEFORE HE KNEW THAT YOU WERE ON SOME KIND OF AGENDA, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE ANY EFFORTS MADE TO GET EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES.

[INAUDIBLE - NO MIC]

GOODMAN: MA'AM, I'M NOT ASKING YOU ANYTHING. I'M TRYING TO RELATE MY SIDE OF WHAT HAPPENED. WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS FROM THE BEGINNING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR ISSUES ARE OR WHY YOU HATE THE UNION SO MUCH. BUT IF THERE ARE CRIMINAL CHARGES TO BE MADE AGAINST SOMEONE, I BELIEVE IN THE NEWSPAPER EVEN THE UNION FOLKS HAVE SAID THAT THEY KNOW NOTHING OF SUCH A THING AND WOULD BE PART OF SUPPORTING CRIMINAL CHARGES IF THEY DID.

MAYOR GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: YEAH, MAYOR, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF — OF UNIONS IN THIS COUNTRY AND UNIONS REPRESENTING THE RIGHT TO WORKING PEOPLE, WORKING PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED BY A UNION. I DID GO DOWN AND TALK WITH THE PICKETERS IN FRONT OF PALMER AUDITORIUM. I HAVE — AS YOU ALREADY POINTED OUT, I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO THAT. I HAVE EVERY RIGHT IF I WANT TO HOLD A SIGN UP OUT THERE AND PICKET WITH THEM. THAT'S NOT WHAT I DID. I WENT DOWN THERE TO TALK TO THEM, TO SEE WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I SEE A CITY PROJECT BEING PICKETED BY A UNION, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THEY THINK IS GOING ON. MR. RUNYAN CALLED ME THAT DAY. I TALKED TO HIM FOR PROBABLY A HALF AN HOUR. AND HE MADE HIS CONCERNS KNOWN TO ME, VERY BLUNT AND NOT ALSO A RESPECTFUL FASHION. THAT'S OKAY. HE'S UPSET. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD MEET WITH HIM. AND WE WILL SCHEDULE THAT APPOINTMENT WHEN HE CALLS MY OFFICE. BUT WHAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD ALSO BE RESPECTFUL MEETING AND THAT HE AND MS. RUNYAN WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION AND WHAT — WHERE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE WITH ME IS JUST SAYING THAT — JUST ANTI-UNION. THAT'S AGAINST A HARD WON PRINCIPLES OF THE WORKING PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY, IT'S AGAINST — AGAINST SOMETHING THAT I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN AND GO ALONG — A LONG WAY BACK IN. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE UNION IS ALWAYS RIGHT. THE COMPANY IS ALWAYS WRONG. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY SITUATION. BUT AMERICANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO PICKET, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BELONG TO UNIONS, AND COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO DOWN AND FIND OUT WHY THEY ARE PICKETING OR IF THEY WANTED TO JOIN THE PICKET LINE.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.

MAYOR GARCIA: THAT IS THE — THOSE ARE ALL OF THE SPEAKERS, UNLESS MR. HE HAVE HE...........ANS OR MR. ANTHONY GONZALES HAVE ARRIVED. THEY WERE LISTED AS — AS PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON CITIZENS COMMUNICATION GENERAL. WHEN I CALLED THEM, THEY WERE NOT HERE. SO I — THAT WAS MY MIC.

I THINK IT WAS MINE, SORRY.

MAYOR GARCIA: AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO ASK THE — MS. BROWN, THE CITY CLERK, TO READ INTO THE RECORD THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS FOR THIS MEETING.

CLERK BROWN: ITEM NO. 15, INSTEAD OF IT BEING APPROVED AN ORDINANCE SHOULD READ APPROVE A RESOLUTION. ITEM NO. 21, THEY ARE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 010910-01. TO CONTINUE WITH THE CHANGES, ITEM 21 IT SAYS A CASH MATCH OF, CHANGE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM 890,727 TO 5,993,000. ITEM 22, INSTEAD OF APPROVING A RESOLUTION SHOULD READ APPROVE AN ORDINANCE. ITEM 31 SHOULD READ IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $500,000. THOSE ARE ALL OF THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. THEN ON THE ITEMS THAT ARE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, ITEM NO. 14, THERE'S A REQUEST BY ONE OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM, I THINK THAT'S COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER —

SLUSHER: ACTUALLY, MAYOR, THE STAFF SUGGESTED THAT — THAT WE POSTPONE IT DUE TO THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME IN FROM THE VARIOUS OFFICES. BUT I THINK THAT IT'S A PRUDENT REQUEST ON THEIR PART.

THEN THERE'S A REQUEST FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO — TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, LET ME RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM IN THIS ONE.

GOODMAN: THANKS, MAYOR. A POSTPONEMENT FOR A WEEK IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD OPPOSE. BUT I THINK BEYOND THAT WHAT I MAY PROPOSE FOR COUNCIL TO DO IS — IS DECIDE TO REBID WITH A NEW R.F.P. WITH DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS BEING INCLUDED IN THAT R.F.P.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. CITY ATTORNEY? IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, DO WE REJECT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME AND ASK THAT A NEW R.F.P. GO OUT? WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT —

SLUSHER: I'M SORRY, MAYOR, WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT?

THE REQUEST THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS MAKING THAT IS A — THAT WE CONSIDER REJECTING ALL OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND THAT WE REBID IT, THE MAYOR PRO TEM WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO SEE IF IT — IF IT HAS THE — HAS THE PROPER INFORMATION, SO —

SLUSHER: DURING THE NEXT WEEK YOU MEAN OR RIGHT NOW?

MAYOR GARCIA: WELL, IF WE ARE GOING TO GO OUT ON ANOTHER R.F.P., WE COULD REJECT IT TODAY AND REQUEST THAT — THAT ANOTHER R.F.P. GO OUT. OR WE CAN DO THAT NEXT WEEK.

SLUSHER: I WOULD RATHER GO AHEAD AND HEAR THE QUESTIONS. I MIGHT END UP GOING IN THAT DIRECTION MYSELF. BUT I — I WOULD — I WOULD BE WILLING TO — I THINK THERE'S SOME NEW QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN TODAY. NOT FROM MY OFFICE, BUT FROM ONE OF THE OFFICES, I WOULD JUST AS SOON HEAR THOSE, GET THE INFORMATION OVER THE NEXT WEEK AND MAKE THAT DECISION NEXT WEEK. I DO THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING NEXT WEEK. WE CAN'T LET IT STRETCH OUT ANY FURTHER THAN THAT.

MAYOR GARCIA: MAYOR PRO TEM, WE WILL JUST POSTPONE ITEM NO. 14. SO MS. BROWN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AN ITEM OF POSTPONEMENT FOR ONE WEEK. NEXT WEEK THE COUNCIL MAY DECIDE TO REJECT THE PROPOSALS, SEND OUT ANOTHER R.F.P. AND START THE PROCESS ANEW. OKAY? SO ITEM 14 IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED FOR ONE WEEK. ITEM NO. 18 HAS BEEN PULLED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. ITEM NO. 25 IS GOING TO BE PULLED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE IS REVIEW OF ITEMS FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ FOR AN ITEM.

THANKS, MAYOR. NEXT WEEK MYSELF AND THE — MAYOR GARCIA WILL BE SPONSORING AN ITEM THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN CITIZENS COMMUNICATION LAST WEEK, ABOUT — ABOUT AN IDENTIFICATION PROVIDED BY THE MEXICAN CONSULATE OR THE CONSULATE OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR MEXICAN CITIZENS THAT ARE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORKFORCE. BASICALLY IT'S A — IT'S TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF IDENTIFICATION AS A VALID FORM OF IDENTIFICATION IN TERMS OF — FOR THE PURPOSE, YOU KNOW, OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOWING — PROVING YOUR I.D. AND FOR OTHER CITY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS POTENTIALLY. SO WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD THAT ITEM NEXT WEEK FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COUNCIL TO — TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN — HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THAT FORM OF — OF IDENTIFICATION SINCE THERE'S A LOT OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO DON'T HAVE — RIGHT NOW ANY KIND OF VALID FORM OF IDENTIFICATION AND ARE VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF THE KINDS OF SERVICES AND — THAT THEY CAN ACCESS. SO — SO I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE, MAYOR.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. I WILL HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR THE MAY 23rd MEETING. THE FIRST ONE IS A BRIEFING AND PRESENTATION BY THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON K THROUGH 12, EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. THAT'S GOING TO BE, THEY REQUESTED A TIME CERTAIN OF 3:00, CITY MANAGER? AND THEN I WILL HAVE ON THE AGENDA A RESOLUTION TO APPOINT A COUNCILMEMBER TO THE CAPITAL METRO — CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND — AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON — ON THE NAME DURING THE WEEK AS — AS COUNCIL CONTINUES TO DELIBERATE THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. ANY OTHER ITEM TO BE ANNOUNCED, CITY MANAGER, I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE YOU.

FUTRELL: WELL, THREE QUICK ONES, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE OUR SECOND BUDGET RETREAT NEXT WEDNESDAY. WE ARE GOING TO BE DID.... AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. IT WILL BE IN TOWN AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, THIRD FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, ONE TEXAS CENTER NEXT WEDNESDAY. ON THURSDAY'S AGENDA, ONE GOOD NEWS ITEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT THE ART WORK IS COMING FORWARD FOR THE LAMAR RAILROAD BRIDGE UNDERPASS WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED AND WORKED ON AT THE END OF THE BUDGET LAST YEAR. THE FIRST OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS AND HOW TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS WILL BE NEXT WEEK. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR EVERYONE WITH A DIFFERENT — DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE NORMALLY FUND WITH THESE DOLLARS.

SLUSHER: MAYOR I HAVE GOT ONE. I HAVE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF YOU ABOUT THIS, HOPEFULLY I WILL GET SOME CO-SPONSORS IN A FEW MINUTES HERE. BUT THIS IS A PROPOSAL ON ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP THAT I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO WITHIN OUR EXISTING RESOURCES, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I'M GOING TO BRING IT FORWARD AT FIRST IS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THIS. BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS IN THE CITY THAT ARE ONGOING AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE AIMED AT THE — AT PREVENTING FUTURE POLLUTION. I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE EXISTING POLLUTION. WE HAVE REACHED A POINT WHERE WE CAN START CLEANING THAT UP, IDENTIFY IT AND CLEAN IT UP. THAT WAS THE INTENT OF PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN TUCKED INTO THE GROW GREEN PROGRAM TO DO WITH NATIVE PLANTS AND GRASSES WHERE PEOPLE USE THOSE ON THEIR BUSINESSES LAWNS OR LAWNS AT HOME, THEY NEED LESS IRRIGATION AND HOPEFULLY FEW IF ANY CHEMICALS. THAT WAS AN IDEA TO CLEAN UP POLLUTION. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO NOW IS REQUIRE AT LEAST BY REDEPLOYING SOME OF OUR WATER QUALITY MONITORS, ALSO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO BY BUILDING ON SOME OF OUR EXISTING WORK. I WANT TO START WITH THE AQUIFER THAT FEEDS BARTON SPRINGS AND IDENTIFY THE BIGGEST SOURCES OF POLLUTION TO THE AQUIFER THROUGH OUR EXISTING RESEARCH, THROUGH MONITORING. TRY TO COME UP WITH THE TOP 10 OR ANYTHING THAT'S POLLUTING THE AQUIFER. THEN WE CAN LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THOSE AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. WE CAN ALSO RELEASE PUBLICLY WHAT THOSE POLLUTION SOURCES ARE AND IN SOME CASES WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE NARROWING IT DOWN PERHAPS TO ONE SITE OR LOCATION AND THAT — IN THAT INSTANCE WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE AREA, TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. LIKE I SAID, I HOPE TO DO THIS AT NO EXTRA COSTS, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SEEK PRIVATE INVOLVEMENT, INCLUDING PRIVATE FUNDING AND POSSIBLY INVOLVE SCHOOLS AND EVEN THE UNIVERSITY IN DOING SOME OF THE MONITORING. SO — SO I WILL BE BRINGING HOME — FORWARD A — AN ITEM NEXT WEEK TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. MAYOR PRO TEM? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR NEXT WEEK?

GOODMAN: WE MAY TRY TO BRING BACK SOMETHING ON THE CELL TOWERS. WHEN WE FIRST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A GOOD TIME FOR REVIEW OF THAT ORDINANCE, WE REALLY REALIZED THAT THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAD INPUT THEY WANTED US TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, SO WE MAY COME BACK AND EXPAND THAT.

MAYOR GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH?

[INAUDIBLE - NO MIC]

MAYOR GARCIA: WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH AT NEXT WEEK'S MEETING IN CONNECTION WITH HER RETIREMENT FROM THE COUNCIL. SO THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HER FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS, THIS IS THE TIME TO BE HERE. I THINK PROBABLY AT 5:30 IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROCLAMATIONS. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

WYNN: YES, MAYOR. I WILL BE — I WILL BE TALKING TO YOU ALL PRIVATELY AND TRYING TO GET A FEW MORE COUPLE OF CO-SPONSORS, IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, WE — WE FACILITATED A TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT THE LIVE MUSIC SCENE HERE IN AUSTIN AND WHAT POLICIES PERHAPS THIS COUNCIL COULD TAKE TO — TO — TO HELP. AND ONE ISSUE HAS COME FORWARD, JUST THE DRAMATIC AMOUNT OF — OF ENERGY USE BY SO MANY OF OUR POPULAR LIVE MUSIC VENUES. IN ADVANCE OF THE FORMAL REPORT THAT THAT TASK FORCE WILL LIKELY BRING COUNCIL IN A FEW WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS, I WOULD LIKE NEXT WEEK TO — TO BRING FORWARD AN ITEM THAT WILL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE AUSTIN ENERGY DO A LIMITED NUMBER OF ENERGY AUDITS OF SOME — SOME — SOME JUST SORT OF RANDOM BUT KEY LIVE MUSIC VENUES AROUND TOWN TO GIVE US SOME DATA AS TO THINGS LIKE THEIR ENERGY USE, LIKELY HOW — YOU KNOW, HOW PERHAPS HOW POORLY INSULATED AND THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND EXISTING CLUBS, SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE DURING THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS BEFORE WE MAKE SOME DECISIONS LATER THIS YEAR ABOUT THAT.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? THAT'S ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THE PREVIEW OF ITEMS FOR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. WE WILL GO INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MS. BROWN, IF YOU COULD READ THAT INTO THE RECORD.

CLERK BROWN: THE CONSENT AGENDA AS I KNOW IT, ITEM NO. 14 WILL BE POSTPONED TO MAY 23rd , 2002, ITEMS 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, —

MAYOR GARCIA: 21 WITH A CORRECTION. THAT'S BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD ALREADY.

CLERK BROWN: YES. ITEM 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 WITH THE CHANGES THAT WERE READ IN THE RECORD, 32, AND 33 WHICH ARE THE APPOINTMENTS THAT I WILL READ. TO THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION, THESE ARE ALL CONSENSUS APPOINTMENTS AND THEY ARE ALL REAPPOINTMENTS, CINDY GARCIA HANNAH RITTERING, JOSEPH TRACTA, MICHAEL VOTIKE. THE CHILD CARE COUNCIL, THE FIRST FOUR ARE REAPPOINTMENTS, TIMMY BARENOFF A CONSENSUS APPOINTMENT, PATRICIA ANN BELL IS THE AISD REPRESENTATIVE, CONSENSUS, DEBORAH KEITH THOMAS, CONSENSUS, JILL McRAY, REAPPOINTMENT, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, MICHELLE W.DEITSCH APPOINTMENT, MAYOR GARCIA, YOLANDA EDWARDS APPOINTMENT, COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, JEANETTE PATTON —

MAYOR GARCIA: PEETON.

OIMENT, CONSENSUS. THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, MICHELLE K. BRINKMAN THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT, CONSENSUS; THERESA FERGUSON, THE MUSIC COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT, CONSENSUS, JOAN D. TURNIS APPOINTMENT CONSENSUS, THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REPRESENTATIVE. ON THE LIBRARY COMMISSION, MARIAN MAY MARRIS APPOINTMENT COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, M.B.E. W.B.E. ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MICHAEL CANDALES, TRADE REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT CONSENSUS.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BUT WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE — AS CONSENT AGENDA SPEAKERS, BUT WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON — ON ITEMS THAT WENT INTO CONSENT. SO I'M GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD THE ONES THAT SIGNED UP ON ITEM NO. 14. WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ITEM IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED FOR ONE WEEK. JUST SO THAT THE RECORD SHOWS, THEY CAN COME BACK NEXT WEEK AND SIGN UP ON IT. TERRY DAGENHART, AGAINST. CAROLYN JOY, AGAINST. THERESA MEYER, AGAINST. LISA BENDER AGAINST. HENRY GILMORE, AGAINST. MATT [INAUDIBLE] AGAINST. ALL AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION OR THE RECOMMENDED FIRM. LINDA STEPHENSON, AGAINST. GLORIA BIRDWELL AGAINST. SHARON REEVES, AGAINST. M.L. MARTIN, AGAINST. PATRICIA TORRES, AGAINST. SHARON [INAUDIBLE], AGAINST. SOPHIA ROTOMENALD, AGAINST. MICHELLE GABLE, AGAINST. JESSIKA BROWN, AGAINST. LIKE I SAY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO RECOGNIZE ANY OF THE SPEAKERS BECAUSE THIS ITEM IS BEING POSTPONED FOR ONE WEEK. ITEM 18 HAS BEEN PULLED. ITEM 24 HAS BEEN PULLED. THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON THOSE ITEMS WILL BE — WILL BE CONSIDERED AT THAT TIME. AT THIS TIME I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH. SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. DISCUSSION? I WILL READ IT QUICKLY AND MS. BROWN CHECK ME ON THIS TO MAKE SURE. ITEM NO. 14 CONSENT FOR ONE WEEK, POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 23...... May 23rd . ITEM NO. 15 CONSENT WITH THE CHANGES FROM AN ORDINANCE TO A RESOLUTION. ITEM NO. 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 WITH THE CORRECTION ON THE NUMBER, ITEM NO. 22, CHANGE THAT FROM AN ORDINANCE TO A RESOLUTION, THAT'S BY CONSENT. 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT OF THE BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS AND MS. BROWN HAS READ THAT INTO THE RECORD. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF 6 TO 0 TO 1. WITH COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS ITEM TERRELL............. —TEMPORARILY ABSENT. ITEM NO. 13, APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF MAY 7th , 2002, WORK SESSION OF MAY 8..... May 8th , 2002 AND THE REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 9, 2002. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

MOVE APPROVAL.

MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED, NO.? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF 6 TO 0 TO 1 WITH COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS TEMPORARILY ABSENT. NOW WE GO TO ITEM NO. 18, I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

SLUSHER: MAYOR, THIS IS THE STREET NAME CHANGE.

MAYOR GARCIA: YES.

SLUSHER: I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE — A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT IT. BUT THE — THE — YOU HAVE A ROAD THAT'S NAMED CAMERON ROAD THAT WILL STILL BE DOWN HERE ABOVE THIS AND SOUTH AND NORTH OF THIS STREET, THIS SEEMS A LITTLE CONFUSING. I MEAN IT'S ALREADY CONFUSING IN THAT WE HAVE TWO CAMERON ROADS IN THE NORTHEAST. SO I CAN SEE SOME LOGIC IN CHANGING THE NAME, BUT THEN WHEN YOU DON'T CHANGE THE WHOLE THING, I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING WHY WE ARE DOING THAT. I THINK MR. OVERTON AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. HE MIGHT WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

YES. AGAIN, MY NAME IS KERRI OVERTON, THE DIRECTOR OF I.S.S., INFORMATION SUPPORT SERVICES. AND THE APPLICANT WHO REQUESTED IT WAS MOSTLY LOOKING FOR CONTINUITY ADD JUST SENT TO HIS PROPERTIES AND BUSINESS, HE ALSO HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE ABUTTING PEOPLE IN THAT AREA, THE ABUTTING BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT AREA. HOWEVER, PART OF THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN IF IT PLEASES THE COUNCIL TO MAYBE POSTPONE THIS UNTIL FURTHER REVIEW CAN BE DONE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE CONTINUATION OF CAMERON ROAD ON BOTH SIDES OF HARRIS BRANCH, WE CERTAINLY COULD DO THAT.

MAYOR, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD MOVE TO DO. LET'S SAY BRING IT BACK TWO WEEKS AFTER WE RETURN AND GIVE — GIVE THE APPLICANT AND THE STAFF TIME TO WORK WITH — WITH THE COUNTY, WITH E.M.S., I KNOW E.M.S. SAID THIS COULD BE HELP — YOU ARE BEING MORE HELPFUL IF WE DIDN'T CREATE A — CREATE A POTENTIALLY CONFUSING SITUATION AND DEALT WITH IT IN A BROADER APPROACH. SO THAT'S — THAT'S WHAT I WOULD MOVE TO WORK WITH ANYONE, THOSE ENTITIES AND ANYONE ELSE WHO NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED.

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER THAT INDICATED THAT — THAT HE WAS — THAT HE WOULD SPEAK ONLY IF NEEDED. HE'S FOR THIS. MR. ANDY SWANSON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, I'M ANDY SWAN SON, WORK FOR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES ASSOCIATION. REQUESTOR OF THE NAME CHANGE TO HARRIS BRANCH PARKWAY FROM CAMERON ROAD. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE WILLING TO ANSWER THEM.

ARE YOU ONE OF THE PERSONS THAT ASKED FOR IT, DID YOU SAY?

YEAH, WE ARE THE REQUESTOR OF THE NAME CHANGE.

MAYOR GARCIA: WELL, YOU HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

RIGHT.

MAYOR GARCIA: MY CONCERN IS THERE'S A CAMERON ROAD ALREADY THAT GOES FROM 51st ALL THE WAY TO I THINK BRAKER. AND THEN AT BRAKER IT CHANGES TO DESSAU.

YEAH, IT'S DISCONTINUOUS THROUGH THERE. THAT'S ONE REASON THAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR THE NAME CHANGE. IT'S HARRIS BRANCH PARKWAY WHERE IT STARTS AT 290 HEADS NORTH FROM THERE. WE WOULD JUST LIKE IT TO BE HARRIS BRANCH PARKWAY ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

MAYOR GARCIA: BUT YOU ARE ONLY ASKING THAT IT GO AS HARRIS PARK — PARKWAY ONLY TO A CERTAIN POINT, THEN FROM THERE IT GOES BACK TO CAMERON.

THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR. WE HAVE CONTACTED ALL OF THE ALL OF THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, ALSO.

MAYOR GARCIA: IS THERE ANY WAY TO JUST CALL IT ALL HARRIS BRANCH — HARRIS PARK —

I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD — YOU COULD PROBABLY DO THAT. BUT — BUT IT IS THE PARKWAY, WE ARE BUILDING A PARKWAY TO MAKE IT A PARKWAY, DOING THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION FROM THE POINT WHERE IT ENDS RIGHT NOW AND TURNS INTO CAMERON ROAD UP TO THE NORTH PART OF OUR PROPERTY. BUT, YEAH, I IMAGINE THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY DO THAT.

MAYOR GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?

SLUSHER: I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT BY TAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

MAYOR GARCIA: SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO POSTPONE THIS FOR A WEEK.

SLUSHER: NO, I THINK THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. BRING IT BACK, THE SECOND WEEK AFTER WE RETURN FROM THE RECESS.

COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER? THIS IS THE 27th . YOU HAD MENTIONED I THINK THE 23rd , IT'S THE 27th .

SLUSHER: DO YOU THINK ALL OF THIS CAN BE WORKED OUT IN A WEEK?

WE WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY TIME TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW BASED ON THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE RAISED AND ALSO WORK WITH THE REQUESTOR AND OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COME BACK WITH A THOROUGH —

SLUSHER: THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT MIGHT TAKE MORE THAN A WEEK. WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE MEETING FOR FOUR WEEKS AFTER NEXT WEEK. DOES THAT MESS YOU UP FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT?

NO, I DON'T THINK IT DID.

SLUSHER: WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO TAKE THAT AMOUNT OF TIME. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YOUR APPROACH.

MAYOR GARCIA: I CONSIDER THAT A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM UNTIL JUNE 27th , IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT. OKAY. REQUEST THAT WE — WE TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT HAVING ONLY ONE CAMERON ROAD, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US THAT LIVE CLOSE TO IT. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED NO, MOTION CARRIES, THIS IS POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 27th . 02. MAYOR PRO TEM, THE NEXT ITEM IS YOURS. AND THERE'S SOME SPEAKERS. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]

GOODMAN: HE IS GIVING HIS TIME TO HEATHER McKINNEY. SO IS JOE GERARD. OKAY. YOU HAVE NINE MINUTES.

I'M HEATHER McKINNEY FROM McKINNEY ARCHITECTS. AND I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER MAKING A MOTION TO SELECT McKINNEY ARCHITECTS FOR THIS PROJECT. THE CLUBHOUSE AT JACK RABBIT RUN GOLF COURSE IS THE PROJECT. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN FROM THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'RE ONE OF TWO FIRMS THAT HAD .6 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR SCORES CUMULATIVELY FROM THE MATRIX AND FROM AN INTERVIEW PROCESS OUT OF 125 POSSIBLE POINTS. WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT THE MATRIX IS A GOOD MATRIX AND THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WAS VERY THOROUGH AND FAIR. WE'RE NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN. WE'RE VERY GLAD THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR IN THE PROCESS, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I CONSIDER THIS OUR LAST STEP. I'M HERE BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT THIS PROJECT, WE'RE MOTIVATED, IT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR OUR FIRM, AND BY BEING HERE I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT POINT. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE AN M./W.B.E. FIRM. BOTH FIRMS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED HAVE WELL EXCEEDED YOUR GOALS. WE HAVE EXCEEDED THEM MORE, AND SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS POSSIBLY COULD BE CONSIDERED THAT IS BEYOND WHAT THE MATRIX CAN EVALUATE. THE OTHER SMALL FACT IN OUR FAVOR IS THAT WE HAVE DONE ONE PROJECT, ONE SMALL PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 18 YEARS. WE COMPLETED IT. IT'S FOUR YEARS AND 10 MONTHS OLD. SO AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE WAY THE MATRIX WORKS, THAT PROJECT COUNTS ONE POINT AGAINST US, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR MATRIX CUMULATIVE SCORE. BY TWO MONTHS WE WOULD BE OFF THE RECORDS. IT'S KIND OF AN ODD CATCH 22 BECAUSE WE FEEL IT'S IN YOUR BENEFIT TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAS ACTUALLY WORKED FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN RELATIVELY RECENTLY, EVEN IF IT WAS A SMALL PROJECT, SO WE CONSIDER IT AN ADVANTAGE TO HAVE THAT TRACK RECORD RATHER THAN A NEGATIVE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS JUST BAD TIMING ON OUR PART. SO WITH THAT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME. I JUST HOPE THAT YOU COULD CONSIDER THIS. REALLY IT'S PRETTY MUCH OF A DEAD DRAW BETWEEN THESE TWO FIRMS AND PERHAPS WE COULD GAIN A LITTLE EDGE HERE. THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: THANK YOU.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

GOODMAN: COUNCILMEMBERS, ARE THERE QUESTIONS? MAYBE IN A MINUTE.

THANK YOU.

GOODMAN: WELL, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES FOR ME, AND THEY WERE SUBJECTIVE, I THINK, JUDGING FROM THE MATRIX AND THE VERY CLOSE SCORING OF THE TWO TOP RECOMMENDED FIRMS, SO I DON'T CONSIDER IT FOR MYSELF, THOUGH, NECESSARY TO GO INTO THAT IN THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT'S SO SUBJECTIVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A LONG DRAWN OUT CONVERSATION FOR SOME VERY SUBTLE ISSUES TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD. SO COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, WHAT I HAD THOUGHT WE MIGHT CONSIDER DOING IS BECAUSE WE KNOW OF THE EXPERTISE AND LOCAL ISSUES AND THE NATURE AND CHARACTER SORT OF ISSUES, WHICH ARE VERY SUBJECTIVE, THAT I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE GOING WITH THE SECOND RECOMMENDED FIRM.

THOMAS: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. EXCUSE ME. I HAVE THE SAME SENTIMENT, AND I KNOW DISCUSSING SENSITIVE AND LOOKING AT HOW CLOSE AND LOOKING AT THE SECOND FIRM AND HOW THE PREVIOUS WORK — NOT PREVIOUS WORK, BUT KNOWN OF HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO MEET SOME OF THE THINGS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I WOULD SECOND YOUR MOTION TO THAT FOR THE SECOND FIRM, SECOND COMPANY. SECONDED BIER, RATHER. — SECONDEDIDDER RATHER.

GOODMAN: IS THAT A MOTION?

THOMAS: I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE SECOND BID ON THIS.

GRIFFITH: I WOULD SECOND THAT.

GOODMAN: WOULD SOMEONE TELL THE MERITS GETTING CLOSE TO A VOTE? AND WHILE THE MAYOR IS GETTING OUT HERE, I WILL SAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR GOLF COURSE DESIGN, THAT THE TWO TOP FIRMS IN MY OPINION ARE BOTH EXCELLENT, AND THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY PROBLEM AT ALL IF THEY WERE CLEARLY NOT EXCELLENT. OUR PROBLEM TODAY IS THE LUXURY OF RICHES, AND I HOPE THAT EACH OF THE TWO FIRMS UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTE ADMIRATION FOR THE VALUES THAT THEY BROUGHT TO THIS PROCESS.

SLUSHER: ARE WE WAITING ON THE MAYOR?

GOODMAN: YEAH. THE MAYOR WILL BE WITH US IN JUST ABOUT A MINUTE. SO SHALL WE JUST TAKE A RECESS FOR A MINUTE? IF THAT'S A MOTION, I'LL SECOND IT. I'M SURE I HEARD SOMEBODY MAKE IT. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

GOODMAN: MAYOR, WE CAN CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE IT.

SLUSHER: MAYOR? I THINK THE MAYOR PRO TEM'S RIGHT, THAT BOTH THESE FIRMS ARE EXTREMELY WELL QUALIFIED. I'M GOING TO, THOUGH, STICK WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. IT'S AN AUSTIN FIRM AND ALL THE SUBS ARE AUSTIN AND IT HAS A HIGHER M.B.E. RATING. SO IT'S A TOUGH CHOICE, BUT I'M GOING TO STICK WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

MAYOR GARCIA: THE MOTION IS ON THE ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION? OKAY. FURTHER DISCUSSION?

WYNN: YES, MAYOR. JUST A BROKEN RECORD HERE, BUT BOTH THESE FIRMS ARE VERY HIGHLY QUAWL QUALIFIED. I'M IN A SPOT WHERE I HAVE PERSONAL FRIENDS ON BOTH. I'M JUST UNCOMFORTABLE GOING — EVEN THOUGH IT'S MICROSCOPIC, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE GOING AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION IN PART BECAUSE THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS I DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE MORE OF THIS. I UNDERSTAND THE SPECIFIC ISSUES RELATED TO THIS AND HOW IT IS, YOU KNOW, SUCH A TECHNICAL, DEFINITIONAL RANKING ISSUE THAT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

MAYOR GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH?

GRIFFITH: I ORIGINALLY SECONDED THE —

MAYOR GARCIA: ALL RIGHT. I THOUGHT — YOU HAD THE MIC IN YOUR HAND. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? CITY MANAGER, DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE MOTION AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO CARRY OUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM?

AND LAW DEPARTMENT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ISSUE HAS THE ABILITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH ANY OF THE TOP TWO THAT COME IN.

MAYOR GARCIA: FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE.

MAYOR GARCIA: OPPOSED NO.

NO.

MAYOR GARCIA: SO THAT PASSES ON A VOTE OF FIVE TO TWO WITH COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND COUNCILMEMBER WYNN VOTING NAY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE VOTING NAY? FOUR-THREE? COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ VOTING NAY? OKAY. SO THAT PASSES ON A VOTE OF FOUR TO THREE. THAT'S A RESOLUTION, RIGHT? OKAY. COUNCIL, WE'RE SETTING A RECORD. WE'RE THROUGH. EAT YOUR HEART OUT! [ LAUGHTER ] I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOTION BY EVERYBODY. SECONDED BY EVERYBODY. WE'RE AUNDER. — WE'RE AUNDER AT 2:42. ADJOURNED.

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