Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting
Thursday, August 8, 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.

Mayor Garcia: AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO CALL BACK TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, IT WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT 12:05, THE FIRST THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, NO DECISIONS WERE MADE. ONE ITEM, NUMBER 74, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED DURING THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND -- AND THE OTHERS -- THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED WILL HAVE -- ONE OF THEM DOES NOT HAVE AN ACTION ITEM, THE OTHER ONE DOES HAVE AN ACTION ITEM THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED AND -- IN THE COURSE OF -- OF THE MEETINGS. SO ... IS THERE A QUORUM? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FOURTH COUNCILMEMBER? THEY ARE HERE, SO -- WHILE WE ARE WAITING FOR THE FOURTH COUNCILMEMBER TO JOIN US, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS OF TROOP 259 FROM THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. COULD YOU ALL STAND, PLEASE? [ APPLAUSE ] I WANT TO WELCOME THEM. THEY ARE JOINED -- THE TROOPS FROM THE BOY SCOUTS AND THE GIRL SCOUTS JOIN US FROM TIME TO TIME TO OBSERVE WHAT WE DO HERE. LEARN FROM US AND -- AND I GUESS AND LEARN FROM WHAT HAPPENS AT THESE MEETINGS. AGAIN, WELCOME. AND -- AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING OUR SCOUTS HERE. OKAY. WE NOW GO TO OUR 1:30 TIME CERTAIN, WHICH IS CITIZENS COMMUNICATION GENERAL AND WE HAVE MR. E.J. WHITE. OR MISS. AND FOLLOWING MS. WHITE IS KAREN ENYEDY. AND MS. WHITE, WELCOME.

READY? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNSELPERSONS, HI NAME IS E.J. WHITE. I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMPANION ANIMAL ADVOCACY NETWORK. I HAVE A FEW CONCERNS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON. THE FIRST THING, ON JULY 23 July 23rd, CHANNEL 36 RAN A SPOT ON THE 10:00 EVENING NEWS ABOUT A RESCUE GROUP IN SEGUIN. THE LADY SAID SHE NEEDED HELP AND THAT AUSTIN PEOPLE SHOULD RESPOND BECAUSE SHE TOOK DOGS FROM HERE, FROM T.L.A.C. TOWN LAKE. WHY? IF THE PERSON IS UNDERFUNDED AND IN ANOTHER COUNTY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY ALLOWS HER TO RESCUE ANIMALS FROM OUR ANIMAL SHELTER. WE SHOULD NOT ADD TO HER BURDEN. NEXT, WITH -- WITH ALL OF THE -- AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE COUNCIL OR THE BUDGET HAS -- HAD ALL OF THE TRAINING AMOUNTS ELIMINATED FOR ALL OVER THE CITY, FROM THEIR COUNTY -- FROM THE BUDGETS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL THING. AS A LOCAL GRAY HOUND REST -- GREYHOUND RESCUE PERSON AND ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY RESCUE BANK, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS. THERE IS A NEW CRUELTY INVESTIGATOR, SINCE HE IS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIDE RATHER FROM THE ANIMAL SIDE OF THE CITY, WE WISH TO HELP THE -- WE AS A GROUP WOULD LIKE TO HELP THE CITY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP THIS PERSON GET SOME MORE TRAINING. THIS IS A SPECIAL JOB AND IT REALLY NEEDS SOMEONE THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND THAT -- THAT THE LOCAL -- ALSO THAT THE LOCAL ANIMAL GROUPS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. ONE EXAMPLE OF -- OF THIS IS THAT IN A CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE ARE CAT MUTILATIONS SITUATIONS GOING ON. AND THE FACT THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT "DO NOT CONSIDER THE INCIDENT A HIGH PRIORITY" LEAVES ME WITH SOME CONCERNS. I THINK MOST EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ANIMAL CRUELTY THINGS, IF THEY ARE DONE BY YOUNGER PEOPLE, LEAD TO MORE SERIOUS THINGS AS THE PEOPLE GROW OLDER. LAST, THERE IS A VERY POORLY ADVERTISED PUBLIC MEETING THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER. WITH THE FINANCIAL SITUATION IN THE CITY BEING WHAT IT IS, I THINK IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO GO AHEAD AND SPEND ANY MORE MONEY ON THIS PROJECT. THE SHELTER CANNOT KEEP PERSONNEL TO STAFF THE SHELTER WE HAVE AND OBVIOUSLY A NEW SHELTER WILL NEED MORE PEOPLE, IT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE TO RUN, AND I CAN JUST IMAGINE WHAT THE UTILITIES INCREASE WILL BE. [BUZZER SOUNDING] THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MS. WHITE. KAREN ENYEDY. I THINK I MAY HAVE PRONOUNCED IT.

LOTS OF WAYS TO PRONOUNCE THAT NAME.

FOLLOWING YOU IS JESSE GRIFFITH, WELCOME.

THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR GARCIA, COUNCILMEMBER, MY NAME IS KAREN ENYEDY, I'M HERE TO TALK WITH YOU TODAY AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER ABOUT WHAT FARMERS MARKETS CAN MEAN TO OUR COMMUNITY. DEBORAH MADISON, A CELEBRATED FOOD AUTHOR, WAS -- WAS HERE RECENTLY AND ON TUESDAY SHE MET WITH THE STAFF TO TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM PROGRAMS OF THE CENTER AND TO DISCUSS FARMERS MARKETS. HER LATEST BOOK, LOCAL FLAVORS, COOKING AND EATING FROM AMERICA'S FARMERS MARKETS, HAS GREAT RECIPES, BUT ALSO HAS SOME GREAT WRITING ABOUT FARMERS MARKETS AND I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE FROM IT. A FARMERS MARKET IS MORE THAN SELLING PRODUCE, SHE WRITES. IT'S ABOUT CULTURE, REGIONALISM AND HAVING PRIDE IN ONE'S WORK AND LAND. IT'S ABOUT JOY AND CREATING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. FARMERS MARKETS ARE COLORFUL, FRIENDLY PLACES WHERE YOU CAN GET TO KNOW THE FACE OF A FARMER. I LIKE THE WAY THEY CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE SOURCE OF QUALITY FOOD. IT'S A -- IF A FARMERS MARKET IS A GROWERS ONLY MARKET, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIND FOOD THERE FROM FACTORY FARMS. THAT'S FARMS THAT ARE SPRAYED HEAVILY, USUALLY, WITH PESTICIDES AND HEAPED WITH CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS. WHAT YOU WILL FIND IS SMALL FARMERS WHO NURTURE LIVING SOILS. THE FOOD THESE FARMERS HARVEST IS NUTRITIOUS AND IT'S FRESH, PICKED THAT SAME DAY OR PERHAPS JUST THE DAY BEFORE. CHILDREN WHO GO TO FARMERS MARKETS GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL OF THE ACTIVITY AND THEY BECOME CURIOUS ABOUT VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. WHEN THEY TASTE SOMETHING THAT IS HOURS OLD, NOT WEEKS OR MONTHS OLD LIKE IN STORES, THEY GET A WHOLE NEW ATTITUDE ABOUT VEGETABLES, FRUITS AND FLAVOR. SO LIKING VEGETABLES AND FRUITS, THEY GROW UP HEALTHIER AND LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DIET RELATED DISEASES LIKE DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND CANCER. FARMERS MARKETS STIMULATE THE LOCAL ECONOMY. EVERY YEAR IN AMERICA, MORE AND MORE OF THE FOOD ON OUR SHELVES COMES FROM FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY, WHILE ALL OF OUR SMALL FARMERS AND SOME OF OUR LARGE FARMERS ARE FORCED OUT OF BUSINESS. BUT IF FARMERS CAN SELL DIRECT, TAKING MONEY FROM MY HAND, THEY MAKE MORE THAN THE 7 TO 25 CENTS, A DOLLAR, THAT THE WHOLESALE MARKET AFFORDS. THEY MAKE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE FARMING. AND KEEPING LOCAL AGRICULTURE ALIVE ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO A BALANCED LANDSCAPE WITH OPEN GREEN SPACE AND ENCOURAGING INFILL NOT SPRAWL. BUT BACK TO THE ECONOMY, VENDORS AT A FARMERS MARKET DON'T NEED A LOT OF CAPITAL TO GET STARTED. SO EVEN A LOW INCOME PERSON CAN BEGIN A BUSINESS OF HER OWN -- [BUZZER SOUNDING] -- SELLING CRAFTS OR VALUE-ADDED PRODUCE. AND JUST LIKE OUR HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS, A FARMERS MARKET WILL BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF AUSTIN TOGETHER. IT'S QUOTING AGAIN FROM DEBORAH MADISON'S BOOK THE -- THE MAIN THING THE FARMERS MARKET DOES IS MAKE US MORE OF A COMMUNITY. AND ISN'T THAT WHAT AUSTIN IS ALL ABOUT? THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. ENEDY. JESSE GRIFFITH AND FOLLOWING MR. GRIFFITH IS MARK SKRABACZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS, MAYOR. I'M OFTEN ASKED BY FRIENDS AND FELLOW CHEFS AS TO WHERE TO PROCURE PRODUCTS, HIGH QUALITY PRODUCE, CHICKENS, GOAT CHEESE, LOCALLY GROWN APPLES, THE LIST GO ON AND ON. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DRIVE TO FREDERICKSBURG, BLANCO, DEL VALLE. THE DEMAND FOR THESE GOODS IS IN PLACE, BUT A CONVENIENT AND ACCESSIBLE OUTLET IS THE ONLY THING LACKING. AUSTIN SUPPORTS A VERY LIVELY RESTAURANT SCENE STRUGGLING FOR NATIONAL RESIDING. DESPITE LACKING THE NECESSARY SUPPORT SYSTEM NEEDED TO MAKE AUSTIN ON PAR WITH CITIES SUCH AS SAN FRANCISCO, SANTA FE OR EVEN DALLAS, WHICH IS A FARMERS MARKET. COLLEGE STATION HAS A FARMERS MARKET. THE INFLECTION OF EXTREMELY FRESH PRODUCE AS OPPOSED TO PRODUCE IMPORTED FOR CALIFORNIA OR CHILE, PICKED A WEEK BEFORE IT'S RIPE AND SHIPPED OVER A THOUSAND MILES CAN ONLY MAKE LOCAL RESTAURANTS BETTER BY MERIT OF BASIC PRODUCTS. LOCAL PURR VIEWING AREAS, ONLY MINUSCULE AMOUNTS OF LOCAL PRODUCE. PURVEYORS. THERE'S A GROWERS ONLY FARMERS MARKET LOCAL CHEFS AND RESTAURANTEURS CAN BUY -- ... VISITORS TO OUR TOWN SEE THE AMAZING VARIETY APPEARED QUALITY OF PRODUCE THAT CENTRAL TEXAS HAS EVEN THROUGH OUR HOT SUMMERS. ALL OF THIS IS UNDERSCORED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS THAT LOCAL SUSTAINABLE GROWING PROVIDE. DIRECT MARKETING ALSO LOWER COST FOR RESTAURANTS AND INCREASES AWARENESS OF SAFE FOODS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. A CENTRAL FARMERS MARKET SUCCESSFUL TO EVERYONE IS OF PARAMOUNTIMPORTANCE TO THE SUSTAINABLY OF OUR CITY. HEALTHFUL AND CONSCIENTIOUSLY GROWN FOOD READILY AVAILABLE WOULD BE FELT IMMEDIATELY NOT ONLY BY LOCAL BUSINESSES AND FARMERS, BUT BY MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PEOPLE EATING THIS FOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. GRIFFITH. MR. MARK SKRABACZ, FOLLOWING HIM MR. JIMMY CASTRO, WELCOME, SIR.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS. I'M MARK SKRABACZ, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER. AUSTIN NON-PROFIT WITH A MISSION TO DELIVER HANDS-ON SERVICES, TRAINING AND EDUCATION ABOUT LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED FOOD SYSTEMS. IMAGINE A BUSTLING OUTDOOR FARMERS MARKET FILLED WITH VEGETABLES, FRUITS, HERBS AND OTHER FARM FRESH GOODS. FARMERS SELLING FACE-TO-FACE. FAMILIES ARE GATHERED TO ENJOY LIVE MUSIC WHILE THEY MULCH O ARTISAN BREADS AND LOCAL CHEESES. MANY OTHER DELICIOUS SIGHTS AND SOUNDS ARE PRESENT EVERY WEEK IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. THE FARMERS MARKET -- ENVISIONS OF VIBRANT CITY CENTERED FARMERS MARKET FOR AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS. IT WILL INCREASE CONSUMER ACCESS TO FRESH LOCALLY GROWN FOOD, IT WILL STIMULATE LOCAL AGRICULTURE, FOODENT PERSON NEUROSHIP, FOOD SYSTEMS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, RECONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE SOURCE OF THEIR FOOD AND -- THROUGH DIRECT INTERACTION WITH FARMERS AND CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY THROUGH CITY CENTERED EVENT WITH FAMILY ORIENTED ACTIVITIES. HOW IS THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY? AUSTIN, DESPITE ITS LIVABILITY AND ITS IMAGE CONDUCIVE TO HEALTHY LIFESTYLES IS A CITY THAT HOSTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS WHO ARE CRITICALLY AT RISK OF SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS DUE TO DIET RELATED DISEASES. WE HAVE GOT DIABETES, OBESITY, THESE KINDS OF 10 DENSES, AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIET AND DISEASE PREVENTION. THE FARMERS MARKET WILL BRING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY IN DEVELOPING LOCAL FOOD SUPPLY AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, MICROENTERPRISE FOOD, ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING WILL BE DEVELOPED. IN ADDITION TO THESE BENEFITS, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF A CITY CENTERED FARMERS MARKET IN NEW ORLEANS, A MARKET COMPARABLE IN SIZE AND IMPACT TO THE CITY CENTER PROJECTED FARMERS MARKET, REALIZED AN INCREASE REVENUE TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES OF $450,000 ANNUALLY AND REGIONAL FARMING BENEFITS OF A MILLION. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY IS WITHOUT CASH RESERVES. WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE ASKED THE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE FOR CDBG FUNDING THAT WILL ENHANCE THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE FARMERS MARKET. WE ARE ASKING Y'ALL. AND THE CITY STAFF FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN DEVELOPING A CITY CENTER'S FARMERS MARKET BY REDIRECTING ANY FUNDING RESOURCES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION. AS WELL AS ANY IN-KIND RESOURCES SUCH AS CITY STAFF TIME AND TALENT [BUZZER SOUNDING] TRAFFIC CONTROL, A ROW OF CURB SIDE METERED PARKING SPACES FOR A FEW HOURS EACH WEEK AND ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR AD QUARTERS. IMAGINE A BUSTLING OUTDOOR FARMERS MARKET IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IN THE SPRING OF 2003, A WEEKLY COMMUNITY EVENT, WITH YOUR SUPPORT IT WILL BECOME A REALITY. THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. MARK SKRABACZ. MR. JIMMY ASTRO, FOLLOWING MR. CASTRO IS MARNIE REEDER. WELCOME, SIR.

THANK YOU, GUS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR GARCIA, COUNCILMEMBERS, MS. FUTRELL, I DO HAVE SLIDES TO SHOW YOU THIS EVENING. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON MY OWN BEHALF. I HAVE ALSO SERVED AS A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN COUNCIL OF PTA'S, I'M HERE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT MONDAY, AUGUST THE 19th, MARKS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR THE 78,000 STUDENTS OF THE AISD. THIS FIRST SLIDE SHOWS ALL OF THE PREPARATION HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY FOR THE ANTICIPATION OF THE AISD'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ON MONDAY, AUGUST THE 19th. NEXT. THERE'S BEEN IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR THE 4,500 TEACHERS OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. NECK. THE EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN HELPING WITH PREREGISTRATION, THE ALLIED WORK HAS BEEN MAKING SURE ALL OF THE SCHOOL FACILITIES AND BUSES ARE READY TO ROLL. NEXT. AND THE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON ALL OF THE DECORATIONS IN THE CLASSROOMS AND -- IN WHICH THE TEACHERS ARE PAID FOR WITH THEIR OWN MONEY. NEXT. ALL DRIVERS NEED TO REMEMBER, THE SPEED AND -- IN THE SCHOOL ZONES IS 20 MILES PER HOUR. AND FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE SCHOOL ZONE SPEED MAY RESULT IN A $251 FINE. NEXT. ALL DRIVES NEED TO REMEMBER, THE SCHOOL BUS LAW, WHICH STATES TO STOP WHILE SCHOOL BUSES ARE LOADING AND UNLOADING STUDENTS. AND FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE SCHOOL BUS LAW MAY RESULT IN A $526 FINE. NEXT. AMONG THE MOST OBVIOUS BY OBVIOUSLY FORGOTTEN ITEMS ON THE BACK TO SCHOOL LIST IS MAKING SURE YOUR CHILD'S IMMUNIZATIONS ARE UP TO DATE. THE AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMBINED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS OFFERING THE SHOTS FOR TOTS PROGRAM. KEEPING IN MIND VACCINES ARE THE GREATEST PUBLIC HEALTH ACHIEVEMENT OF THE 20th CENTURY. NEXT. ANOTHER ANNUAL EVENT IS THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT MARCHING BAND JAMBOREE SET FOR SEPTEMBER 10th AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE BURGER CENTER. ONE OF THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS WILL INCLUDE THE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND AND DRILL TEAM. FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN ALL THE BAND PARENTS IN ATTENDING THIS AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT EVENT. WHICH WILL INCLUDE SOME OF THE TOP RATED BANDS, STATE-WIDE. THANK YOU, MAYOR GARCIA.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. CASTRO. MARNIE REEDER AND FOLLOWING MARNIE REEDER IS SISTO C. RAMIREZ.

GOOD EVENING, I'M MARNIE REEDER PART OF CAM PAN I DON'T KNOW -- COMPANION ANIMAL ADVOCACY NETWORK. THIS YEAR AUSTIN HAS A POLICE OFFICER AS A CRUELTY INVESTIGATOR. THOUGH WE DO APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS AND CAPABILITY OF THE CITY TO TAKE ON THE FLOURISHING DOG FIGHTING AND COCK FIGHTING ACTIVITIES, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE TO BEING A CRUELTY INVESTIGATOR THAN -- THAN WHAT A POLICE TRAINING WOULD BRING TO THEM. A CRUELTY INVESTIGATOR NEEDS EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE OF ANIMALS. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE. SOMETIMES THE PROBLEMS ARE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT OR HAVE FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT'S A PROBLEM. I DO KNOW THAT -- THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE -- ABOUT THE CUT IN TRAINING, BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS A MONEY CRUNCH, THE BUDGET CRUNCH WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT TRAINING IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO BE INCREASED. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT HE DOES. -- THE CRUELTY INVESTIGATOR IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE WELL DOCUMENTED LINKS BETWEEN ANIMAL CRUELTY AND DOMESTIC AND CRIMINAL VIOLENCE. JEFFREY DAHMER STARTED TORTURING ANIMALS, TEENAGE SCHOOL SHOOTERS TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY STARTED PRACTICING ON ANIMALS. SOME OF THESE PEOPLE START THERE AND MOVE ON TO HUMANS AND OFTEN CHILDREN. CAT MUTILATIONS HAVE STARTED UP AGAIN IN AUSTIN. IT WAS AN UNFORTUNATE THING THAT THE POLICE OFFICER STATED THAT IT WAS A LOW PRIORITY IN A NEWS PIECE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I WOULD BE PRETTY CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING SOMEBODY WALKING AROUND IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD CUTTING UP CATS. WHAT ELSE ARE THEY CAPABLE OF DOING? WHAT IF A CHILD ADVISED THEM? IT'S JUST -- JUST KIND OF MIND BOGGLING. THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT IT WAS COULD I TEETHES, BUT THAT WAS NOT PROVED WITH NECROPSY AND A COYOTE IS SHY, LIKES TO TAKE ITS PREY OFF INTO THE WOODS. THEY DON'T TEND TO SIT AT YOUR FRONT DOOR IN AN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD AND EAT. THE KITTEN DROPS ON I-35 OVERPASSES INTO TRAFFIC HAVE STARTED AGAIN. THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT THE ANIMAL COMMUNITY CAN BE A VERY IMPORTANT RESOURCE TO HELP WITH THIS. WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT MONEY IS A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW. IN THE CITY. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE USED THAT WAY, AS AN ORGANIZATION, SOME WAYS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER TO HELP ARE TRAINING, COMMUNITY WATCH, HELP BRINGING THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES TOGETHER, COORDINATE OFFERS FOR REWARDS, THERE IS A REWARD IN PLACE FOR THE KITTEN DROP ALSO FOR THE CAT MUTE LATER. EDUCATION, USE OF PUBLICITY TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY INFORMED AND AWARE. A POSSIBLE HOTLINE FOR -- FOR TIPS. THERE ARE -- THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP. WE UNDERSTAND THAT MONEY IS A PROBLEM, BUT I THINK AS A COMMUNITY THE ANIMAL COMMUNITY WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP. [BUZZER SOUNDING] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS THE END, WASN'T IT?

Mayor Garcia: YES, THANK YOU, MS. REEDER. SISTO C. RAMIREZ AND FOLLOWING MR. RAMIREZ, LINDA GOODMAN-STRAUSS. MR. RAMIREZ -- YEAH, GIVE IT TO MR. ALVAREZ, COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ OR -- OR THE CITY MANAGER. WELCOME, SIR, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, GUS. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, HONORABLE MAYOR, TODAY I SPEAK -- AS A MEMBER OF THE IWANA IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED FOR A PROPOSED FENCE. THIS IS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN OBJECTIVE 11.3, ARTICLES 96 AND 97. MANY PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO HAVING THIS -- THIS FENCE SET UP FOR EVEN SIX MONTH PERIOD. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A STEP ONE FOR THE PARK -- TO BE TURNED INTO A DOG PARK. IN THE INTEREST OF SCPEED YEANS I HAVE PASSED -- EXPEDIENCY, I HAVE PASSED OUT MATERIALS, I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT YOU TO THE LAST PAGE IN THE OBJECTIVE THAT I JUST SO STATED. THE FENCE, THE PROPOSED FENCE WAS MADE PART OF THE PLAN. I NEED TO SAY THAT THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY AT LARGE INPUT FOR THIS. I FEEL THE IWANA MEMBERS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. THEN WE GO -- FROM THE BOTTOM UP. TO PAGE 14. THE PARD BOARD VOTED AGAINST THIS ON MAY 2nd. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE PLAN IS -- WAS DATED MAY 5th. THIS WAS ABOUT SIX DAYS LATER -- AFTER THE PARK BOARD DENIED HIS REQUEST. SO THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID IT. PAGE 13 HAS THE SAME RECOMMENDATION. THEN 10 MONTHS LATER, ON -- WELL, NO, THIS WAS ON 6-24. IT WAS AGAIN OFFICIALLY PRESENTED AS PARTED OF THE IWANA PLAN, UP ON TOP. THE REPRESENTATIVE MADE AN APPEAL TO THE BOARD, TO THE PARK BOARD, THIS WAS ON APRIL 10th, ABOUT 10 MONTHS LATER. THERE IS A COMMENT THERE ON YOUR SHEET BY MR. LEWIS BRATTON, HE IS THE DIRECTOR FOR WEST AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION AND HE STATES IN HIS COMMENTS TO THE BOARD -- [BUZZER SOUNDING] -- WOW. ALREADY? ANYWAY -- WE SUPPORT THE VOTE THAT THE -- THAT THE BOARD -- THE PARD BOARD GAVE ON -- ON THE FOLLOWING MAY MEETING, THE BOARD VOTED 7-0 TO DENY THIS FENCE. AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH THERE -- THEIR SPECIAL LAND AND FACILITIES HEARD ABOUT IT AND IT'S -- IT VOLUMINOUS PACKAGE. I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF I COULD COVER IT ALL, MY APOLOGIES. ANYWAY, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THIS SMALL PARK TURNED INTO A DOGGY PARK. IT'S ONLY 10.27 ACRES. AND THEY WANT TO CONVERT IT TO A DOGGY PARK. WE ARE TOTALLY AGAINST IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. RAMIREZ. GOOD TO SEE YOU. LINDA GOODMAN-STRAUSS. FOLLOWING MS. STRAUS IS PEPPER HOODS.

ACTUALLY THE PARK IS 3.28 ACRES. I CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MAP, IF YOU UNFOLD IT, YOU WILL SEE SOME RED CIRCLES AND SOME BLACK CIRCLES. THE BLACK CIRCLES INDICATE CLARKSVILLE AND WEST AUSTIN PARKS. THE RED CIRCLES INDICATE THE PARKS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, WHICH HAVE LEASH FREE AREAS AND ARE MUCH BIGGER. I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. I'M GLAD TO SEE OLD FRIENDS. IT BEEN HARD TO GET AHOLD OF YA. THE REASON THAT I'M HERE IS DOGS IN GENERAL. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS AND THE -- THE -- IN THE IWANA [ PHONETIC ] NEIGHBORHOOD. PRIMARILY PEOPLE WHO LET THEIR DOGS OFF LEASH AND DO NOT CLEAN UP THE WASTE. THIS OCCURS IN THE PARK, IT OCCURS OUTSIDE THE PARK. IN FACT WE ALMOST RAN OVER A DOG ON MONDAY NIGHT WHO DARTED OUT OF THE PARK. I DETAILED SOME OTHER INCIDENTS. THESE ARE NOT ANECDOTAL. WE HAVE VARIOUS WITNESSES TO ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT OCCUR IN THE PARK WITH DOGS. THESE DOGS ARE MAINLY UNSUPERVISED AS THEY ARE OUTSIDE THE PARK. WELL, THIS ISN'T JUST A PROBLEM IN WEST AUSTIN PARK. CLARKSVILLE, NORTHWEST, BRENTWOOD, ROSEDALE, REED, RAMSEY, STACY AND WEST ENFIELD PARKS, AS WELL AS THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THE PAPER EVEN, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH DOGS AND DOG WASTE THAT WE HAVE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS CITY ISN'T APPLYING THAT LAW, THOSE LAWS, THERE ARE TWO ORDINANCES. I'M WONDERING IF PERHAPS YOU COULD FIND OUT FROM CITY STAFF WHY NOT -- I HAVE TRIED TO TALK TO PARD PEOPLE. I HAVE -- I HAVE TRIED TO TALK TO YOU AND WASN'T ALLOWED. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS LAW IS NOT -- OR THESE LAWS ARE NOT ENFORCED. NOW, PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT DOGS RUNNING LEASH FREE IN THE WEST AUSTIN PARKS SAY, "WELL, IT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN." I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. THAT WAS INSERTED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WHEN SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IT. AND THEY HAD BEEN TO EVERY MEETING. FURTHERMORE, THERE'S NO PUBLIC RECORD OF IT HAVING BEEN DISCUSSED OR ANY SORT OF CONSENSUS OR VOTE ON SUCH AN ISSUE. SO WE ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THAT ENDED UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND AS YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU AS A COUNCIL ACCEPTED THE PLAN, YOU KNOW THERE'S A CAVEAT AT THE END OF EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN THAT SAYS THAT SOME PARTS OF THAT PLAN MAY NOT BE IMPLEMENTED FOR VARIOUS REASONS. [BUZZER SOUNDING] MY PROBLEM IS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, WHICH PEPPER WILL TALK ABOUT. BUT PRIMARILY I WANT, ESPECIALLY MS. DUNKERLY TO KNOW, THAT THE CITY HAS PROMISED $18,000 FOR THIS AND I WANT TO KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM AND I WANT TO KNOW IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD ALLOW THAT TO BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE, IF -- IF THE DOG PARK IS NOT VOTED ON. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY WE ARE HAVING A VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT HAS SO MANY HEALTH, SAFETY, PARKING AND LIABILITY ISSUES, WHICH WERE ALL CITED BY PARD. SO I ASK YOU TO GET THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS. I DO WANT YOU TO SEE HERE ON THE -- ON THEIR PROPOSED PARK AREA, THIS IS 22% OF THE PARK. THE ACTUAL FACT IS THAT THAT'S 100% OF THE OPEN SPACE IN WEST AUSTIN PARK AND THE PEOPLE THAT WANT THEIR DOGS IN THAT FENCED AREA WANT IT FOR 100% OF THE TIME THAT'S AVAILABLE TO WORKING PEOPLE AND CHILDREN AFTER SCHOOL. I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU WILL GET THESE ANSWERS FOR ME IN WRITING AND THAT YOU WILL LET US STUDY, SOMEHOW MAYBE YOU COULD ARRANGE FOR US TO GIVE ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAVE FROM THE INTERNET AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE IT, THAT INDICATE THAT THE REASONS THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS PLACE TO BE A DOG PARK. THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MS. GOODMAN-STRAUS.

IF YOU COULD OBSERVE THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MY NAME IS PEPPER HOOTS, THAT'S A -- PEPPER HOOP, THAT'S A P, NOT A D. I WANTED TO READ A SHORT THING HERE AND GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF STATISTICS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. PET WASTE IS A SUBJECT EVERYONE LIKES TO AVOID. THE MAIN PROBLEM AUSTINITES NOTICE IS THE SIGHT AND SMELL IN PUBLIC AREAS, WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT. PET WASTE IS MORE THAN SMELLY AND UNSIGHTLY. IT IS A HEALTH RISK TO PETS, BODIES OF WATER AND PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. PET WASTE LEFT ON TRAILS, SIDEWALKS, STREETS AND GRASSY AREAS IS IMMEDIATELY FLUSHED INTO THE NEAREST WATERWAY WHEN IT RAINS. IF YOU CAN'T SEA WATER NEAR YOU, THE FECES GOES INTO YOUR STORM DRAIN WHERE IT TRAVELS TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CREEK AND LAKE UNTREATED. ACCORDING TO STUDY -- TO A STUDY THAT WAS DONE FOR THE TOWN LAKE WATERSHED, AFTER A -- ACCOUNTING FOR PET OWNERS PICKING UP THEIR DOG FECES, YOU HAVE -- OUT OF THE 30,000 DOGS AND -- IN THE WATERSHED AREA, THERE'S 1327-POUND OF DOG WASTE DEPOSITED INTO THE WATERSHED EACH DAY, NEARLY 500,000 POUNDS A YEAR. LIKE HUMAN WASTE, ANIMAL WASTE MAY CONTAIN HARMFUL BACTERIA, VIRUSES OR PARASITES. YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM, HOOK WORM, ROUND WORM, CRYPTOSPORIDIUM, GIARDIA, SALMONELLA, ALL OF THE GOODIES THAT CAUSE THINGS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO WIND UP SEEING IN YOUR EMERGENCY ROOM. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TAKING 22-POINT -- LESS THAN THE SIZE OF A LOT IN THAT AREA AND MAKING IT OPEN TO ALL OF THE DOGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD INTO THAT ONE LITTLE SPACE. THERE'S THOUGH WAY TO DILUTE THE EFFECT OF THAT. IT IS A BOWL. IT HAS SLOPING THINGS ON ALL FOUR SIDES. THE STREET RUNS DOWN TO THE SOUTH OF IT. IT HAS THE -- THE ONE AND MAIN WASTEWATER COLLECTING DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN THAT WHOLE AREA. OF THAT LITTLE PARK. WHICH MEANS THAT IN THAT FLAT AREA WHERE THE FECES IS, EVERYTHING IS WASHING DOWN IT AND WASHING IT INTO YOUR DRAIN AND INTO YOUR LAKE AND THAT IS A FLAT AREA THAT DOES NOT DRAIN WELL, SO THE WATER COLLECTS THERE AFTER ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT RAIN, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU ARE NOT -- YOU ARE TAKING THAT -- ALL THAT AND YOU ARE CONCENTRATING IT IN THAT SMALL AREA. THE PROPOSAL IS THAT KIDS AND ADULTS CO-USE -- KIDS AND DOGS CO--USE THIS AREA. ONE FOR ATHLETIC PURPOSES. AT OTHER TIMES FOR DOGS. THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE VERY REASONABLE OR PRACTICAL. AND I'M AFRAID THAT I HAVE TO COME DOWN ON THE -- ON THE SIDE OF THE KIDS. I -- I DON'T WANT TO -- I DON'T WANT THEM GETTING INFECTIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [BUZZER SOUNDING]

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. HOOPS, MR. GUS PENA. MR. PENA, WELCOME, SIR.

MR. MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT OF EAST AUSTIN CONCERNED HISPANICS. TO MY RIGHT MY HANDSOME BOY LUCIO. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER WILL WYNN AND COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ WHEN I CALLED THEM YESTERDAY. I SPENT SIX DAYS AT SETON HOSPITAL ON THE CARDIAC FLOOR. AGAIN I SPENT FIVE AND A HALF HOURS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I SPENT TWO AND A HALF HOURS WAITING FOR A ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR, WHICH THE CARDIAC FLOOR AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY ON THE NEXT DAY, IT WAS A FRIDAY, I WENT IN THERE, I WAS ADMITTED. SATURDAY THEY MOVED US UP TO THE FOURTH FLOOR BECAUSE THEY HAD TO RENOVATE. AT 8:00 IN THE EVENING, YOU COULD HEAR JACKHAMMERS, CONSTRUCTION ALL OVER. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT. I DON'T WANT SYMPATHY FROM ANYBODY, I PRAISE GOD AND JESUS CHRIST FOR KEEPING ME HERE. BUT I WILL SAY THIS MUCH, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. MS. CITY MANAGER, TOBY FUTRELL WHO IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, I CONSIDER HER A GOOD FRIEND. THERE IS A HEALTH CRISIS HERE IN AUSTIN. THE BEST -- THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, I'M HOPING THAT YOU ALL WILL EXPEDITE DIALOGUE TO RECOMMEND THIS SITUATION WITH BRACK AND OTHER HOSPITALS, BECAUSE IT'S GETTING WORSE. THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD I'M HERE, THE REASON THAT I'M HERE IS BECAUSE OF THIS. I'M GOING TO TALK TO DR. PAT HAYS AND MRS. THOMASGER ABOUT THE -- GALLAGHER ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AT SETON. THE REASON THAT I'M HERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT INSPECTORS, YOU HAVE A LANDLORD WHOSE HOUSE HAS BEEN FOUND SUBSTANDARD BY A INSPECTION, BY A COMPLAINT BY ANOTHER TENANT. THIS GUY HAS ALLOWED THIS HOUSE TO BE RENTED. THE RENTERS WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE SUBSTANDARD SITUATION. IT STATES HERE IN THE DOCUMENT, IT SAYS "IT IS A MISDEMEANOR TO RENT THIS PROPERTY IF THE CODE VIOLATION OF THIS PROPERTY POSES A DANGER TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE TENANTS." WHICH THE. AND LATER IT STATES ON THE DOCUMENT "IT SHALL REPAIR THE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING WITHIN 30 DATES OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE." THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS GIVEN MORE THAN 62 DAYS TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE. AND THE RESIDENTIAL -- IT SAYS RESIDENTIAL UNIT, NOT ANY KIND OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL IN THE YARD. AND I -- I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE MAYORAL ISSUE, WITNESS TO THIS, TO THESE ISSUES. READ THIS DOCUMENT VERY CAREFULLY. I GIVE IT TO YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND I THINK TO MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN AND I MENTIONED IT TO COUNCILMEMBER RAUL ALVAREZ. THERE ARE A LOT OF LANDLORDS OUT THERE ABUSING THE RENTERS. BECAUSE A BUNCH OF DIRT WAS MOVED, THAT CONSTITUTED AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE ISSUES. BUT REMEMBER THIS SAYS TO THE RESIDENTIAL UNIT ITSELF, IT DOESN'T SAY MOVE SOME LAND OR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. YOU HAVE EXPOSED WIRES RIGHT NEAR THE SINK THAT ARE EXPOSED, THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY, BUT IT TOOK MANY DAYS AND MANY TIMES FOR THE LANDLORD TO ABUSE HIS -- HIS POWER AS AN OWNER, AS A LANDLORD, TO TELL THE FAMILY AND -- AND -- YOU NEED TO GET OUT SO I CAN MAKE REPAIRS ON A DAY'S NOTICE BECAUSE THE INSPECTOR IS GOING TO COME FORWARD. I SAY TO YOU, MR. MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCILMEMBER, CITY MANAGER AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND YOU, TOO, ALICE GLASGO, THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THIS DOCUMENT. YOU ARE NOT HOLDING THE LANDLORDSING ACCOUNTABLE. THE CITY INSPECT TORTS ARE VERY DISRESPECT -- INSPECTORS ARE VERY DISRESPECTFUL. SOME OF THEM, NOT ALL OF THEM. THEY TAKE ISSUE THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A COMPLAINT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. THEY YELL BACK AT YOU, ARE YOU THREATENING ME. I SAID HELL NO, EXCUSE ME AMIGO, I'M USING MY RIGHT AS A TAXPAYER. WE ARE NOT REMEDIED. MR. MAYOR, I ASK YOU, MS. CITY MANAGER, COUNCILMEMBERS, LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT. IF IT NEEDS TO BE REVISED OR CORRECTED, DO IT. BUT DON'T GO OUT THERE AND INSPECT THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND USE THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS AN -- ERRONEOUS IN ITSELF, YOU ARE NOT HOLDING THESE PEOPLE LIABLE [BUZZER SOUNDING] WITHIN THE LEGAL BOUNDS OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. I TELL YOU THIS MUCH, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE SLUM LANDLORDS ARE NOT TO BE TOLERATED. MR. MAYOR, I URGE YOU RESPECTFULLY, AND THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY, LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE -- BECAUSE THEY ARE ARE -- BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE. WE COULD HOLD THE CITY LIABLE FOR ITS ERRONEOUS DOCUMENTATION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. PENA. COUNCIL THAT'S ALL OF THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE UNDER CITIZENS COMMUNICATION GENERAL. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY -- I DON'T REMEMBER THAT DOCUMENT THAT MR. PENA TALKED ABOUT. BUT IF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND MS. GLASGO AND THE CITY MANAGER CAN -- CAN RESPOND TO THAT AT SOME POINT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR. PENA.

Glasgo: ACTUALLY, COUNCILMEMBERS, MAYOR, WE DID RECEIVE INQUIRY REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE FROM THE OFFICE, WE DID SPEND A RESPONSE, I THINK THE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS GOT A COPY OF IT. WE CAN SEND THAT OUT AGAIN SO YOU HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT -- WHAT WE FOUND OUT.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A PREVIEW OF ITEMS FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING I WILL BE PLACING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO APPOINT A COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, THIS COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WILL -- WILL WORK WITH -- WITH OUR OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, MR. JOHN HEARNSER [ PHONETIC ] REVIEWING THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT SESSION, WHICH STARTS IN JANUARY OF '03. WE WILL -- WE WILL REVIEW AND WORK WITH THAT OFFICE THROUGH -- TO ANALYZE WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED BY STAFF. AND AFTER THAT, WE WILL EXPAND THE COMMITTEE TO -- TO BE A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. THE RESOLUTION THAT I WILL INTRODUCE WILL HAVE COUNCILMEMBER DARYL SLUSHER, MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN AND I AS MEMBERS OF THAT FIRST COMMITTEE. WE HOPE TO [INAUDIBLE] AS SOON AS THE FIRST COMMITTEE FINISHES ITS WORK. SOIL HAVE THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT THE -- CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?

Futrell: THE AGENDA OFFICE ASKED ME TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT ARE REALLY MORE FORMAT CHANGES ON THE AGENDA. LET ME RUN THROUGH THEM REAL QUICKLY. THE LAST PAGE WHICH PREVIOUSLY CONTAINED SOLELY A LIST OF CANCELLED COUNCIL DATES, NOW CONTAINS AN ADDITIONAL COLUMN WHICH HIGHLIGHTS NOT ONLY THOSE CANCELLED DATES, BUT ALSO A SEPARATE COLUMN WHICH CONVENIENTLY POINTS OUT REMAINING COUNCIL DATES. WHICH MIGHT HELP US IN SOME OF OUR PLANNING EFFORTS AS WE ARE LOOKING FOR FUTURE COUNCIL DATES. IN ADDITION WITHIN YOUR AGENDA, YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY NOTICED A NEW HEADER, WHICH IDENTIFIES ITEMS TO SET PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE NEW HEADERS IS INTENDED TO ALLOW YOU TO SEEK OUT ITEMS BEING SET FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TO ACCOMPANY THAT NEW ITEM, WE HAVE INCLUDED A LIST WHICH CONTAINS A RUNNING LIST OF COUNCIL APPROVED PUBLIC HEARINGS BY DATE AS ANOTHER WAY TO SORT OF TRACK WHAT'S UPCOMING IN PUBLIC HEARINGS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT IN TWO WEEKS WE WILL BE DOING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON -- LET'S SEE, I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE A LIST HERE. LET ME SEE IF I DO. ON THE 22nd, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, FOR THE BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND UTILITIES, NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING, ZONING, TRANSPORTATION, WATERSHED PROTECTION, PUBLIC WORKS, C.I.P., WATER AND WASTEWATER AND AUSTIN ENERGY. SO BASICALLY YOU HAVE YOUR DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS -- AS WELL AS AUSTIN ENERGY AND WATER AND WASTEWATER COMING UP FOR YOUR NEXT BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

Wynn: THANKS, MAYOR. ACTUALLY CITY MANAGER, IF I COULD, IF WE COULD ON THE -- ON THE POSTING OF THE REMAINING COUNCIL DATES, IF WE COULD ALSO SHOW THOSE POSTED MEETINGS WHERE WE WILL BE APPROVING THE BUDGET, THE EARLY SEPTEMBER MEETINGS. YES, MAYOR, THANK YOU. AS PART OF THE COUNCIL JUDICIAL COMMITTEE THAT CONSISTS OF THE MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND MYSELF, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD A COUPLE OF ITEMS RELATED TO OUR MUNICIPAL COURT NEXT MEETING. THE FIRST WILL BE A -- WILL BE A WORK -- ACCEPTING A WORK PLAN BY OUR MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK TO -- TO ADDRESS JUST MANAGEMENT ISSUES OVER IN THE COURT. SECONDLY, WE SPENT MONTHS NOW REVIEWING AND ANALYZING A -- A STRUCTURED PROCESS FOR US TO -- TO RATE THE -- RATE, SCORE AND -- AND LOOK OVER OUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES PRIOR TO POTENTIAL REAPPOINTMENT OR NEW APPOINTMENTS IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO TWO ITEMS FROM THAT COMMITTEE.

Mayor Garcia: AND I GUESS WE WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE THAT DID ALL OF THAT WORK. THEY HAVE -- THEY HAVE DONE VERY, VERY GOOD WORK, I THINK THE COUNCIL WILL BE VERY PLEASED. OTHER ITEMS THAT -- THAT YOU MAY WANT TO BRING UP?

Thomas: YES, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

Thomas: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, THE 22nd, THE PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE WILL DO A PRESENTATION AND BRING FORWARD TO WHAT -- THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR -- OVER THE SEVERAL MONTHS. THE PRESENTATION WILL BE DONE BY STAFF AND ALSO THE VICE CHAIR, DAVID EVANS. AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING YOU THE REPORT THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE TASK FORCE MEETINGS. THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS -- IS READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

CLERK BROWN: THE ITEMS THAT I HAVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE -- BEGIN WITH ITEM 13, 14 --

Mayor Garcia: AND I THINK 14 COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN YOU ARE ASKING AND THE CITY MANAGER, I THINK THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING A TWO-WEEK POSTPONEMENT ON THIS ITEM; IS THAT CORRECT? SO THAT WILL BE CONSENT FOR POSTPONEMENT UNTIL AUGUST THE 22nd.

CLERK BROWN: OKAY. ITEM 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ITEM ITEM 7. MAYOR, I -- BY ITEM 74. MAYOR, I APOLOGIZE, I NEED TO DO THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS. LET ME DO THAT FIRST. ITEM 21 WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED BY ADDENDUM NUMBER 74. ITEM -- ADDENDUM NUMBER 74. ITEM 25, ON THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS THE CASE NUMBER HAS CHANGED BY ADDING A C IN FRONT OF THE NUMBERS THAT ARE THERE.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

CLERK BROWN: THEN MS. TERRY HAS CHANGES TO READ IN ON THAT ITEM.

YES, SIR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MARTHA TERRY, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT YOU APPROVE SECOND READING ON THIS ORDINANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGES. THAT THE -- THAT THE HILL COUNTRY ROADWAY BUFFER BE ADJUSTED TO DELETE THE UNDISTURBED REQUIREMENT AND TO ALLOW RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND BUFFER, ADJUST THE BUILDING SETBACK LINES FOR UNITS 63 AND 65 TO ACCOMMODATE THE AS-BUILT UNITS, REMOVE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR RESTORATION OF THE INTERNAL NATURAL AREA TO A NATURAL VEGETATIVE STATE AND ALLOW RECREATIONAL USES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT NATURAL AREA AND EACH CONDO OWNERS LIMITED COMMON ELEMENT. ADJUST THE ENCROACHMENT SETBACKS IN THE 40% NATURAL UNDISTURBED AREA AND HILL COUNTRY ROAD BUFFER AREA TO ACCOMMODATE THE AS BUILT UNITS, EXISTING FENCES, WALL, ELECTRIC POWER LINES. REDUCE THE 40% UNDISTURBED NATURAL VEGETATIVE AREA TO THE EXISTING UNDISTURBED AREAS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ADJUSTING THE HILL COUNTRY ROADWAY BUFFER AS I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED AND REQUIRE EXTENSION OF THE EXISTING SIDEWALK ON THE EAST SIDE OF WAY MAKER WAY TO THE INTERSECTION OF WAY MAKER COVE AND REMOVE ALL OTHER FURTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF ANY OTHER SIDEWALKS. THIS IS ON SECOND READING ONLY. WE WILL BRING AN ORDINANCE BACK TO YOU ON THIRD READING WITH THESE CHANGES AND IT IS THE INTENT OF THESE CHANGES TO THE [INAUDIBLE] ORDINANCE TO BRING THIS DEVELOPMENT INTO COMPLIANCE. AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT YOU HAVE AN ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ITEM ON YOUR -- AS Z-1 ON YOUR 4:00 TIME CERTAIN ZONING ITEMS, AND WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THIS BE DEFERRED UNTIL THIRD READING WITH THIS ORDINANCE AND WE ARE PROPOSING THE TIME CERTAIN ON THAT OF SEPTEMBER THE 26th. AND MS. GLASGO WILL FINISH MENTION THAT WHEN SHE GOES TO THE 4:00 ZONING AGENDA.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MS. TERRY. QUESTIONS FOR MS. TERRY? THANK YOU. CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS MS. BROWN? 29 POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. 46, DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM 185,155 TO $85,155. ON ITEM 65, TWO ADDITIONAL COUNCILMEMBERS AS SPONSORS, THEY ARE COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. THEN GOING BACK TO THE CONSENT AGENDA --

Mayor Garcia: ON ITEM NO. 46, IS 185 AND JUST TAKE OUT THE 1, IT'S 85,000?

CLERK BROWN: YES, SIR, JUST DELETE THE 1.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. OKAY.

GOING BACK TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM 24 IS ON CONSENT FOR SECOND READING PER THE CHANGES THAT MS. TERRY READ, ITEM 26 IS THIRD READING ONLY, ITEM 28 IS SECOND READING, ITEM 29 IS POSTPONE --

Mayor Garcia: 27 IS CONSENT FOR SECOND READING ONLY?

ITEM 27, I BELIEVE, HAS BEEN PULLED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

Mayor Garcia: THAT'S RIGHT, OKAY.

ITEM 28 IS SECOND READING ONLY. ITEM 29 IS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46 WITH THE CHANGE, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 62, 63 THERE IS ONE APPOINTMENT AND IT IS TO THE ZONING AND PLATTING COMMISSION, IT IS JA GOHILL, MAYOR GARCIA'S APPOINTMENT. 64, 65, WITH THE CHANGES THAT WERE READ, 66, 67, 68, 69, AND 74.

Mayor Garcia: AND 73 IS AN ITEM THAT WE ALREADY HAVE -- HAVE BEEN -- HAVE RECEIVED -- HAD PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY, THAT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM. OKAY. WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, TWO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NO. 13. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] 2:33 P.M. (TIME: 2 THRVMENT 34)

ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES CONTAINED WITHIN THE SCOFIELD FARMS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SHALL COMPLY WITH THE GARAGES. NUMBER 2, THE DELETION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD'S REQUIREMENT THAT A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY NOT BE FILED FOR TRACT ONE UNTIL THE CONTROL OF THE FLOOD AND THE POND IN TRACT IS IS COMPLETED. NUMBER 3, THE PROPOSAL BY THE APPLICANT IS ALLOW SINGLE-FAMILY 6, WHICH ALLOWS FOR TOWNHOUSE AND CONDOMINIUM DISTRICT USES TO PERMITTED USES FOR TRACT 1 WITH A UNIT LIMIT OF 80 TOWNHOMES OR SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED USES. NUMBER 4, AN INCREASED TRIP LIMIT OF 2,500 VEHICLE TRIPS FOR THE ENTIRE WALNUT CREEK PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, FOR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS FOR TRACTS 2, 3 AND 34 AND FOR THE INCLUSION OF A SINGLE-FAMILY 6, THE TOWNHOUSE AND/OR SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED HOMES ON TRACT 1 WITHOUT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS. NUMBER 5, TO DEFINE THE TRANSFER PROCESS FOR THE DEDICATION OF TRACT 2 TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN SO THAT THE ENTIRE DEDICATION OF THIS PORTION OF LAND DOES NOT NEED TO BE MADE WITH A P.U.D. APPROVAL AT THIRD READING. THE TIMING OF THE CONVEYANCE OF TRACT 2 OF THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE AS FOLLOWS: A, TO DEDICATE THE DAM AREA OF TRACT 2 AS THE APPROVAL OF THIRD READING OR BEFORE THE APPROVAL OF THIRD READING OF THE P.U.D. ORDINANCE. B, THE DEDICATION OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT FOR THE REMAINING PORTION OF TRACT 2 BEFORE THIRD READING OF THE P.U.D. ORDINANCE. C, FEE SIMPLE DEDICATION OF THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT ON THE PERRY PROPERTY AT THE EASTERN SIDE OF TRACT 2 BEFORE FINAL PLAT APPROVAL OR DURING THE FLOOD DIVISION PROCESS, AT THE FINAL PLAT APPROVAL STAGE. D, FEE SIMPLE DEDICATION OF THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT ON THE SCOFIELD KHILLEX PROPERTY AT THE NORTHWESTERN SIDE OF TRACT 2 BEFORE SITE PLAN APPROVAL. AND THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE CHANGES TO THE ITEM NUMBER 28.

Mayor Garcia: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, BUT ANYWAY -- YOU STOPPED, SO WE'RE -- IT STOPPED, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT. [ LAUGHTER ] ALL THOSE ITEMS ARE UNDER SOMETHING CALLED EXHIBIT N, IS THAT CORRECT?

Glasco: THAT WILL BE EXHIBIT N, THAT'S CORRECT, THAT'S IN THE BACKUP.

Mayor Garcia: IT'S CALLED ITEMS OF AGREEMENT CONCERNING CASE C 814-01-0038 BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE SCOFIELD FARMS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

> Glasco: THAT'S CORRECT.

Mayor Garcia: IS THERE ANOTHER PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT BESIDES THOSE TWO GROUPS.

Glasco: WE WILL CRAFT THESE ELEMENTS INTO THE P.U.D. ORDINANCE AND BRING IT FORWARD AT THE PROPER TIME.

Mayor Garcia: THIS HAS BEEN AGREED ALREADY. GRASS GRASS YES, IT IS AGREED TO AND WE'RE READY TO PROCEED ON SECOND READING ONLY.

Mayor Garcia: SO ITEM NUMBER 28 WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR SECOND READING WITH THOSE ITEMS OR AGREEMENTS ATTACHED TO IT. MS. BROWN? 29? GO AHEAD. 29 IS POSTPONED.

Brown: YES, WE HAD FINISHED ALL OF THE ITEM.

Mayor Garcia: IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY.

Slusher: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

Slusher: COULD YOU SHOW ME ABSTAINING ON NUMBER 26? THAT'S NEAR MY HOME. AND I WANTED TO ADD SOMEBODY TO 63 AND 64, THE COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER ABSTAINING ON ITEM 26. SLUSH AND I WOULD LIKE TO REAPPOINT ROSE MARY CASTLE BARRY TO THE PARKS BOARD. MAYOR ON THE PARKS, COAS ROSE MARIE CASTLEBERRY WILL BE ADDED.

Goodman: CAN I REVISE WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO AS WELL. ON 26, BACK WHEN WE HAD THIS, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE REASSURANCES FROM THE APPLICANT OR FROM THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE DRAINAGE, THE FLOODING MITIGATION FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO INCORPORATE INTO THEIR PLANS AND I NEVER DID HEAR ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THAT. SO MY SECOND VOTE WAS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR SAYING THAT THEY WOULD COME BACK WITH SOMETHING, BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD IT.

Mayor Garcia: YOU'VE HEARDNEVER HEARD? MS. GLASGO, DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS BROUGHT UP IN THOSE REGARDS ON NUMBER 26 AND THE DRAINAGE ISSUE?

Glasco: I'M SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM, I DIDN'T HEAR THE QUESTION.

Mayor Garcia: AT THE SECOND READING THERE WAS A DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO --

Goodman: FLOODING AND DRAINAGE. THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS UPHILL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT FLOODS ROUTINELY IN THE WILLIAMSON CREEK WATERSHED. IT'S EXACERBATED BY RUNOFF FROM THIS TRACT. SO THE DEVELOPER'S REPRESENTATIVE HAD SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOOK INTO WHAT THEY COULD OFFER IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL ORDINANCE COMPLIANCE ON RUNOFF, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM, THEN, MAYOR, I WOULD ASK THAT WE POPE THIS ITEM UNTIL WE HEAR BACK FROM THE APPLICANT.

Glasco: WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM EITHER REGARDING THE ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. SO ITEM NUMBER 26 AT THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL WHEN? HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO GET THAT INFORMATION?

> Goodman: I WOULD SAY OUR NEXT MEETING. I'M ASSUMING THEY WILL WANT TO EXPEDITE IT.

Mayor Garcia: 26 IS POSTPONED TO AUGUST THE 22nd 22ND, '02. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS. STEVE SNYDER ON ITEM NUMBER 13. AND BRYAN IS ACTUALLY NOT WISHING TO SPEAK, AND HE'S FOR ITEM NUMBER 13, WHICH IS FROM -- POSTPONED FROM LAST WEEK. AND BRYAN TITLE FROM ATLAS ALSO DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK AND IS REGISTERED IN FAVOR OF. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, HE'S READY TO RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS. ITEM NUMBER 14 I HAVE SOME SPEAKERS, BUT THIS ITEM IS BEING POSTPONED UNTIL AUGUST THE 22nd, SO I'LL READ YOUR NAMES INTO THE RECORD AND WE WILL KEEP YOUR CARDS FOR THE NEXT MEETING. HOWARD WORTY, DAVID RHODES, CAROL CALLAHAN DONATING TIME TO HOWARD WORTY. KAREN MALONE AND DALLAS RICHARD. MR. WORD, YOU HAVE -- MS. CALLAHAN, ARE YOU HERE? WHO ARE YOU DONATING TIME TO? SO YOU WILL HAVE 12 MINUTES. YOU DON'T NEED TO USE THEM, BUT THAT'S HOW MUCH TIME YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE WHEN THIS ITEM COMES UP ON THE 22 22nd.

[ INAUDIBLE ]

Mayor Garcia: USUALLY WHEN WE HAVE POSTPONEMENTS, WE DON'T TAKE SPEAKERS AT THAT TIME. WE PREFER TO HAVE THE SPEAKERS AT THE TIME THAT THE COUNCIL HAS THE ITEM FOR ACTION. ITEM NUMBER 55 IS ON CONSENT. IT HAS SEVERAL SPEAKERS. MR. RICHARD SUTTLE. MR. RICHARD SUTTLE? MS. LEEANN BRUNSON? MR. SUTTLE, WELCOME, SIR.

MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MY NAME IS RICHARD SUTTLE. IS IT 55 OR 25?

Mayor Garcia: 20 -- IT'S ACTUALLY 28, I'M SORRY. IT WAS 55 THE LAST TIME.

I'M SORRY. I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPLICANT AND THE CITY STAFF ARE ALL HAPPY AND THERE'S NO SENSE IN WASTING YOUR TIME.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. MS. BRUNSON? SHE'S ALSO OKAY? THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION?

Wynn: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

Wynn: I CAN PUT 15 AND 42 BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES ARE AUSTIN ENERGY ISSUES. ONE IS ACTUALLY A SALE OF SIX ACRES TO THE LCRA. 42 IS AN EQUIPMENT REDO OF SOMETHING. THIS IS WHAT WE OWN ON THE SAME TRACT. MY ISSUE THERE IS AUSTIN ENERGY AND THEREFORE OUR RATEPAYERS OWN 27 HUNDRED ACRES NEAR WEBERVILLE, THE EXTREME SORT OF EASTERN END OF OUR METROPOLITAN AREA, A VERY VALUABLE ASSET, CLEARLY AN ASSET THAT'S GOING TO BE TREMENDOUSLY VALUABLE OVER THE NEXT DECADE OR MORE AS HOPEFULLY WE DO A BETTER JOB OF STEERING GROWTH INTO EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY. AND SO MY CONCERN HERE WAS THAT WE WEREN'T SORT OF WILLY-NILLY IN A HOP SCOTCH FASHION SELLING OFF TRACTS OF LAND THERE. IN FACT, THESE TWO SUBSTATIONS ARE CO-LOCATED THAT ARE ON THE EXTREME EDGE OF THE PROPERTY, BUT I DO SORT OF CHALLENGE AUSTIN ENERGY TO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE VALUABLE OF THAT TRACT OF LAND TO OUR RATEPAYERS AS AN ASSET ON THE BALANCE SHEET AND THINK OF IT IN THOSE TERMS. AND IN FACT, OVER THE RELATIVE SHORT-TERM, WE PROBABLY SHOULD SPEND SOME TIME AND EFFORT AND MONEY WITH SOME PLANNERS AND REALLY START ANALYZING THE VALUE OF THAT LAND FOR OUR RATEPAYERS. SO WITH THE ANSWER THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN ME, I'LL PUT IT BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. LET ME READ TO YOU THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 13, ITEM NUMBER 14 FOR POSTPONEMENT UNTIL AUGUST THE 22nd, ITEM 15, 16, 17 FOR POSTPONEMENT UNTIL THE 22nd -- WAIT A SECOND. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ITEM NUMBER 74. 25, 26 FOR POSTPONEMENT TO AUGUST 22nd, 27, 28 WITH THE CHANGES THAT WERE READ INTO THE RECORD BY MS. GLASGO, 31 -- 29 FOR POSTPONEMENT INDEFINITELY. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 WITH THE CHANGE THAT WAS READ INTO THE RECORD, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54,5455, 56, 57, 58, 62, 63 WITH THE APPOINTMENTS THAT WERE READ INTO THE RECORD, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 AND 74.

MAYOR, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU NOTED THAT 25 WAS ALSO WITH CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS THAT WERE READ INTO THE RECORD.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I FAILED TO MENTION THAT. 25 WITH THE CHANGES READ INTO THE RECORD BY MS. TERRY.

Slusher: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: JUST A SECOND. 27 ACTUALLY HAS BEEN PULLED. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE REMINDING ME OF?

SLUSH 20 WHAT? RIGHT. AND ALSO EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEING POSTPONED RKS POSTPONED, I WOULD BE ABSTAINING ON 26.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY COUNCILMEMBERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MAYOR, DID YOU READ 17 AS A POSTPONEMENT?

Mayor Garcia: 17? NO, I DID NOT. 17 IS POSTPONED?

I DIDN'T HAVE IT ON MY LIST.

Mayor Garcia: NO, 17 IS A CONSENT ITEM. THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 64 WHICH REQUIRES THAT WE RECEIVE ADVICE FROM OUR ATTORNEY, SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND IS THAT WE GO INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THIS. CITY MANAGER, ARE THERE SOME ITEMS THAT WE CAN PICK UP QUICKLY?

Thomas: MAYOR, I DID HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE YOU CLEARED THE -- I KNOW WE ALREADY VOTED ON IT. ON 27, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS --

> Slusher: PULLED.

Thomas: OKAY. DISREGARD.

Mayor Garcia: 27 IS PULLED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. AND THIRD30 IS PULLED BY MS. DUNKERLEY AND YOU. OKAY. I WILL ANNOUNCE NOW THAT REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 64, THE COUNCIL WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY UNDER SECTION 551.071 OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. AND WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ABOUT HOW LONG, CITY ATTORNEY?

I WOULD ESTIMATE ABOUT 20, 30 MINUTES.

Mayor Garcia: SO WE SHOULD BE BACK HERE BETWEEN 3:15 AND 3:20. (EXECUTIVE SESSION)

Mayor Garcia: WHEN WE COME BACK TO RECORD THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS WILL BE THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE WORK SESSION OF JULY 31st, THE REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 1ST. SO AS SOON AS WE GET ONE MORE COUNCILMEMBER, WE'LL START ON THAT AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ITEMS 22, 23 AND 24, WHICH HAVE BEEN PULLED BY COUNCILMEMBER WILL WYNN. WE HAVE ON QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL NOW, SO I'LL CALL THE MEEG BACK TO ORDER. AND THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE WILL BE TAKING UP IS THE AUSTIN OF THE CITY COUNCIL BACK TO ORDER. THE FIRST ITEM WE WILL BE TAKING UP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE WORK SESSION OF JULY 31st, 2002, AND THE REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 1, 2002. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

Goodman: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO TO THREE WITH COUNCILMEMBERS DUNKERLEY, SLUSHER -- GLORIA, WHERE IS YOUR COUNCILMEMBER?

[ INAUDIBLE ]

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBERS DUNKERLEY, WYNN AND SLUSHER TEMPORARILY OFF THE DIAS. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, WE'RE PULLING YOUR ITEMS NOW FOR DISCUSSION, ITEMS 22, 23 AND 24. AND I SUSPECT, GREG AND LUPITA, Y'ALL ARE HERE FOR COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON 22, 23 AND 24.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. ESSENTIALLY I JUST WANTED TO A BRIEF PUBLIC PRESENTATION BY STAFF. IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY COMPLEX, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL PARTS TO THIS SERIES OF COUNCIL ITEMS, THE REVITALIZATION OF THE CORRIDOR HAS BEEN A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS AND PROJECT AND A LOT OF FOLKS CONTINUALLY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, ABOUT THE PROGRESS. SO REALLY BEFORE WE -- I MOVE TO APPROVE THESE, WE SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE A QUICK PRESENTATION ABOUT THESE ITEMS AT HAND.

GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M LUPITA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT. OUR THREE ITEMS TODAY ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN PROJECT, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE, BY THE WAY, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE AUSTIN REVITALIZATION AUTHORITY.

Mayor Garcia: GET CLOSER TO THE MIC. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE MARCH OF 1996. THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING OFF OF HAS BEEN MULTI-YEAR AND MULTIPHASES. THE FIRST PHASE INCLUDED THE RENOVATION AND RESTORATION OF THE HAWALD BUILDING. THIS PARTICULAR ONE WAS COMPLETED LAST FALL AND THE BALCONES RESEARCH CENTER IS ACTUALLY LOCATE ODD THIS FACILITY. OUR PHASE 2, WHICH INCLUDES THE ONGOING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IN THE ANDERSON HILL NEIGHBORHOOD, UPGRADING THE WATER AND THE WASTEWATER LINES ON EAST 11 11th STREET AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE OFFICE RETAIL SPACE WHICH WE'LL HAVE A GROUND UP OPENING WE HOPE IN THE FALL OF '02. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ACHIEVEMENTS WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF. ONE IS FACILITATING THE HISTORIC RENOVATION, COMPLETING THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AND BEGINNING THE OF THE RESUBDIVISION OF EAST 11th EAST AND PREPARING THE DRAFT MASTER PLAN FOR THE JUNIPER/ OLIVE HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE'RE ALSO COORDINATING THE EAST ROOM HISTORIC RENOVATION. ALSO RENOVATING THE UTILITY AND LINES FROM OVERHEAD TO UNDERGROUND AND THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS OF WIDENING THE SIDEWALKS AND SETTING UP THE LIGHT POSTS ARE UNDER WAY. WITH US TODAY WE HAVE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THESE PROJECTS, THE MILESTONES AND A VISUAL OUT LAY OF OUT THESE PIECES ARE CONNECTED, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE GREG SMITH, WHO IS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT WHO IS OUR PROJECT MARNG. WE HAVE DR. ERNIE, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BARRED FOR THE ARA AND BYRON MARSHAL WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE AUSTIN REVITALIZATION AUTHORITY. WE'LL START WITH TURNING OVER TO GREG TO TELL YOU HOW THESE PIECES ARE CONNECTED.

MY NAME IS GREG I'M WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. I WANT TO QUICKLY SHARE WITH YOU HOW THE THREE ACTION ITEMS BEFORE YOU ARE CONNECTED ON EACH OTHER. ITEM NUMBER 22 IS THE ANNUAL CONTRACT RENEWAL WITH THE AUSTIN REVITALIZATION AUTHORITY. THIS IS -- THIS RENEWAL IS THE SEVENTH RENEWAL WE HAVE HAD WITH THEM SINCE THE -- SINCE 1996. WE HAVE ONE MORE CONTRACT WE NEWELL WITH THEM WHICH BASICALLY COVERS THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR FACILITATING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 11th AND 12TH STREET CORRIDORS. ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE THAT IS CONTINUING ON THE INFERENCE THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION BACK IN APRIL 19TH OF 2001 LOOKING AT THESE PROPERTIES TO DEVELOP THEM INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO THIS IS CONTINUING ON THAT DIRECTIVE OF DEVELOPING THESE HISTORIC UNITS INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. ITEM 24 IS -- EXCUSE ME. ITEM 23 IS THE 600,000-DOLLAR LOAN THAT WE WILL PROVIDE ARA WHICH WILL BE USED TO SUBSIDIZE THE RENOVATION OF THESE HISTORIC UNITS. WE'RE LOOKING AT UP TO $60,000 PER UNIT IN RENOVATION COSTS. THAT'S HOW THEY ARE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER. IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR ME RELATED TO THESE ITEMS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM, BUT IF NOT I'D LIKE TO ASK THE PRESIDENT AND CEO MR. BYRON MARSHAL, TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW THIS PROJECT FITS IN WITHIN THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN REVITALIZATION AUTHORITY IS DOING IN THE EAST AUSTIN AREA.

MAYOR, BEFORE MR. MARSHAL COMES UP, HE SAID SINCE '96 --

YES, SIR, THAT'S CORRECT.

Thomas: THERE'S ONE MORE?

THERE'S ONE MORE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS AUTHORIZED.

Thomas: CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION BEFORE -- LET MR. MARSHAL GO AHEAD.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MR. SMITH IS HANDING OUT A PACKET THAT WILL HELP EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR PACKET IS A DOCUMENT THAT IS A MAP. AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS MAP IS TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW ALL THESE PROJECTS FIT TOGETHER. I WOULD SUSPECT THAT WITH THE VARIOUS ITEMS COMING BEFORE YOU PERIODICALLY, YOU WONDER WHAT PROJECTS ARE GOING ON, HOW THEY FIT TOGETHER AND WHAT THE PROGRESS IS OF EACH ONE. AND WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO YOU TODAY. THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS PART OF CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN IS BOUNDED BY 11th STREET ON THE SOUTH, BRANCH ON THE WEST, 12TH STREET ON THE NORTH AND NAVASOTA ON THE EAST. WITHIN THAT SORT OF TRIANGLE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS GOING ON, SOME BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP IN THE MAGENTA THERE ARE CITY OF AUSTIN TOWNHOMES. IF YOU GO ON 12TH STREET AND NAVASOTA AND SOME SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES TO BE BUILT ALONG JUNIPER STREET. ALSO ON WALLER AND MYRTLE. THOSE ARE ABOUT 30 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES THAT YOU'RE BUILDING AS A CONTINUATION OF THE SKIPI II OR ANDERSON NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT. THE PROJECT THAT THEY STARTED OUT WITH IS ON 11th STREET AND IT'S BETWEEN CURVE AND LYDIA AS SHOWN IN THE BLUE, THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON YOUR MAP. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO CREATE THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT. THE FIRST TWO BUILDINGS WHICH SHOULD START IN OCTOBER ARE ABOUT 60,000 SQUARE FEET. YOU'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE TENANTS IN THAT BUILDING. AND TO THE NORTH OF IT, THAT IS PARALLEL TO IT, ON JUNIPER STREET, WE'RE BUILDING 23 ADDITIONAL HOME OWNERSHIP UNITS. THOSE ARE ACTUALLY MARKET RENT HOUSES AND WILL HELP TO MAKE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD A MIXED INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT 23 UNITS ALONG WITH THE 30 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING YOU'RE BUILDING WITH ADD 53 MORE UNITS TO THE AREA. THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY ASKING YOU TO TURN OVER 15 PARCELS SO THAT WE CAN BUILD 17 HOMES IS SHOWN IN THE RED ON THE MAP. AND THAT RED AREA IS BOARDED UP OR VACANT OR DILAPIDATED. AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR OVER A DECADE. IT'S BEEN DETERMINED BY THE STATE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, SO THEY REQUIRE THE HOUSES CAN'T BE TORN DOWN, THEY HAVE TO BE RESTORED TO THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS, WHICH ADDS COST. AND BECAUSE THE CITY OWNS IT AND THE ONLY WAY IT CAN BE TURNED INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING -- THE ONLY WAY IT CAN BE DEVELOPED BY A NONPROFIT IS TO BE DEVELOPED AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE HAVE A FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DEVELOP IT IN KEEPING WITH OUR OVERALL PROJECT. WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS THE AREA WHERE WE ARE BUILDING THE MARKET RENT HOUSES, WE WILL BUY THAT LAND FROM THE CITY AT FAIR MARKET VALUE USING PRIVATE DOLLARS THAT'S BEING FUNDED THROUGH CHASE BANK. WE EXPECT THAT THE COST OF THE LAND WILL BE ABOUT $600,000, FAR MORE THAN THE CITY PAID FOR IT AT THE TIME THEY BOUGHT IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S WORTH RIGHT NOW. WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT THAT -- THAT $600,000 BE THEN TURNED INTO A FORGIVABLE LOAN AND GIVEN BACK TO ARA THAT WE THEN USE TO DEVELOP THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT IS TO WRITE DOWN THE COST OF THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT THERE SO WE CAN MAKE THOSE 17 UNITS AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO FALL BETWEEN 60 AND 80 PERCENT OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. SO THAT'S HOW THIS WOULD BE PAID FOR. THAT'S HOW THESE PROJECTS FIT TOGETHER. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] TIME (3:31)

... WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PARKING PROBLEM SO THAT THE OFFSET PARKING FOR THE FOLKS. WE COULD BUILD ADDITIONAL STORAGE SPACE IN SOME OF THESE BACK YARDS BECAUSE AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THESE HOUSES ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF -- THEY WERE BUILT IN THE EARLY '30'S, 20U'S. VERY, VERY SMALL. THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CLOSET SPACE. BATHROOMS ARE VERY TINY. THE RENOVATION THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE WOULD INCLUDE BUILDING STORAGE SPACE IN THE BACK YARDS, ADDING ON TO SOME OF THE HOUSES WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE. AND WHERE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION GUIDELINES WOULD ALLOW US TO, SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE MODERN BATHROOMS. WE COULD END UP GUTTING ALL OF THESE UNITS ANYWAY AND PRETTY MUCH BUILDING THEM OUT, PUTTING IN NEW AIR CONDITIONING, NEW PLUMBING, PROBABLY NEW ROOFS ON MOST OF THEM -- REPLACING MOST OF THE WINDOWS. SO BASICALLY PEOPLE WILL HAVE BRAND NEW HOUSES FOR THE 10 SMALLER UNITS. FOR THE SEVEN LARGER UNITS, WHICH WE BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE SOME LARGER FAMILIES, THEY WOULD GO UP TO 12 OR 1300 SQUARE FEET. THEY WILL PRIMARILY BE BUILT ON WHAT WE CALL LOT 13, THE LOST TO THE WEST ALSO DEPICTED IN RED. SO THAT'S THE PLAN. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT RAISE ABOUT THE GUIDELINES BEFORE -- ABOUT THE ITEMS BEFORE YOU.

Mayor Garcia: QUESTIONS FOR MR. MARSHAL? COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

Wynn: THANK YOU, MARSHAL, THE $60,000 GRANTS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PER PROPERTY, WOULD THOSE ACTUALLY BE TO THE -- TO THE PROPOSED RESIDENTS OF THE HOUSES OR WHO WILL BE THE RECIPIENT OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL GRANTS?

THE -- THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT WE WOULD WRITE DOWN THE CONSTRUCTION COST -- WE SUBSIDIZE THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS. WE WOULDN'T ACTUALLY GIVE MONEY TO THE PROSPECTIVE HOME OWNER. OF THOSE UNITS, 12 WOULD BE FOR PURCHASE. FIVE WOULD BE FOR RENT. AND WE WOULD JUST WRITE DOWN THE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

Wynn: SO ESSENTIALLY THE A.R.A. IS GETTING THE GRANT AND YOU ALL ARE JUST SPREADING IT OUT OVER THE 10 -- 10 INDIVIDUAL HOUSES?

UH-HUH, RIGHT, SO THAT WE CAN -- PART OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO CREATE THE ALLEY, AS I SAID. WE HAVE TO RESUBDIVIDE. WE HAVE TO DO SURVEYS, SOILS TESTING, PUT IN NEW SIDEWALKS, ALL OF THAT. SO THAT'S A BUNCH OF THE KIND OF SOFT -- YEAH, THEY ARE SOFT COSTS TO HELP SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THOSE 10 HOUSES. BUT TO MOVE THREE OF THE HOUSES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE WHERE THEY ARE, THEY ARE ALL -- ALMOST ALL IN TERRIBLE CONDITION. NEW ROOFS, THEY HAVE BEEN VACANT, AS I SAID FOR 10 OR 12 YEARS. THE ACTUAL COST OF CONSTRUCTION IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE LIKELY APPRAISED VALUE. WE ARE TRYING TO WRITE DOWN THOSE COSTS TO ACTUALLY PUT THESE HOUSES BACK ON THE MARKET.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS? FURTHER QUESTIONS? MOTIONS?

Thomas: YES. JUST A QUESTION TO MR. MARSHAL AND DR. URDY. DR. URDY, HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO YOU BELIEVE IT WOULD TAKE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, PLUS 12th STREET?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME -- LET ME THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK ALL OF THE OTHER -- I DON'T TALK ABOUT THE -- AFTER I ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, I MAY TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. BUT -- BUT YOU SAID THE PROJECT STARTED IN 1996. IT WAS ACTUALLY -- THAT'S CORRECT. IN 1999 WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONTRACT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD AND EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE, SO IT HAS TAKEN US NOW ALMOST THREE YEARS TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE HERE ON 11th STREET. WE THINK THAT WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE THE PATTERN DOWN PRETTY MUCH. BUT WE NEED TO DO THE SAME THING ON 12th STREET. STARTED FROM SCRATCH ON THAT. WE ARE TRYING TO START THAT UP NOW. SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OR THREE YEARS TO GET THE -- TO GET THE SAME THING DONE ON THIS 12th STREET. WE ARE GOING TO BREAK GROUND THIS YEAR ON EAST 11th, ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE ALREADY DONE A NUMBER OF THINGS. HOPEFULLY TO GET TO THE SAME LEVEL ON EAST 12th STREET. IT WOULD NOT TAKE MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THAT SAME LENGTH OF TIME. BUT IT PROBABLY WILL TAKE US, IN ORDER TO GET ALL OF THE THINGS IN PLACE, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN IN PLACE. SUPPORT FROM ALL OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS [ (music) MUSIC PLAYING (music)(music) ]

Mayor Garcia: YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE MUSIC NETWORK, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A YOUNG LADY WHO HAS COME TO BE OUR MUSIC GUEST FOR THE DAY. JACQUILEN, A U.T. STUDENT MAJORING IN FENCE AND VOCAL PERFORMANCE. SHE WAS INSPIRED TO PURSUE MUSIC AFTER PLAYING A PART IN HER HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL WHERE SHE DISCOVERED HER VOICE. AND IT'S GREAT. SHE HAS GONE ON TO WIN HONORABLE MENTION FOR VOCALS IN THE BUILD BOARDS MUSIC AWARD AND THE AUSTIN SONG WRITERS COMPETITION. SO LET'S -- LET'S PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM WELCOME TO JACKIE CARTON. JACKIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH VERY MUCH FOR PLAYING WITH US, ENTERTAINING US FOR THE FEW MINUTES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US. THE MUSIC IS BEAUTIFUL. AND WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU A PROCLAMATION SO THAT YOU CAN REMEMBER THIS DATE. IT READS AS FOLLOWS: PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE LOCAL MUSIC COMMUNITY MAKES MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTIN'S SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND WHEREAS THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF ARTISTS FURTHER AUSTIN'S STATUS AT THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD; NOW, THEREFORE, I GUS.

GARCIA: I CAN'T, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM AUGUST THE 8th, 2002, AS JAQQUELINE CARTON DAY, WE GIVE THIS TO YOU, HOPEFUL YOU HANG IT UP SOMEWHERE ON YOUR BEDROOM WALL AND KEEP IT. [ APPLAUSE ] ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY IN SAN MARCOS?

[INAUDIBLE - NO MIC]

AND IN SEPTEMBER SOMEWHERE ELSE?

[INAUDIBLE]

SEPTEMBER THE 14th AT THE AIRPORT. IF YOU ARE FLYING OUT OF AUSTIN OR FLYING IN, YOU KNOW, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR JACKIE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JACKIE. [ APPLAUSE ]

Mayor Garcia: SCHOOL IS ABOUT TO START, SO MANY OF OUR YOUNG STUDENTS WE WANT THEM TO WALK TO SCHOOL. AND BESIDES WANTING THEM TO WALK TO SCHOOL, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SAFE PATH FOR THEM TO WALK SO THAT HE -- SO THAT THEY ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS SO THEY CAN GET TO SCHOOL AND BACK SAFELY. THEY CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND LEARN ALL DAY, COME BACK FROM SCHOOL AND -- AND DRINK MILK AND EAT COOKIES WHEN THEY GET THERE BEFORE THEY START THEIR HOME WORK. SO WE HAVE SOME FOLKS HERE, MR. TOM FOREST, HIS GUEST, I'M GOING TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO THEM THAT READS FOLLOWS: BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS TRAVELLING TO AND FROM SCHOOL IS A PRIMARY COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL CONCERN AND THE SAFE WALK TO SCHOOL PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN DEVELOPING SAFE WALKING AND BIKING HABITS; AND, WHEREAS, THE PROGRAM ALERTS CHILDREN TO POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND EMPHASIZES THE PROPER USE OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS, CROSS WALKS, ADULT CROSSING GUARDS AND SCHOOL BUS SAFETY; AND WHEREAS WE JOIN WITH THE CITY'S CHILD SAFETY PROGRAM, A.P.D., A.F.D., THAT'S THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AISD, CAPITAL METRO, THE SAFE KIDS COALITION, AND TEXDOT IN ENCOURAGING CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS TO SERVE SAFE WALK TO SCHOOL -- TO OBSERVE SAFE WALK TO SCHOOL DAY IN PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT START BACK TO SCHOOL; NOW, THEREFORE, I GUS GARCIA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM THE YEAR AUGUST OF -- THE DATE AUGUST THE 7th, 2002, AS SAFE WALK TO SCHOOL DAY IN AUSTIN. WE HAVE MR. TOM FOREST HERE.

THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: TELL US MORE ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR GARCIA. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT. BUT ALSO WITH ME IS CHRIS MOORE WHO IS THE CITY'S CHILD SAFETY PROGRAM COORDINATOR. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND ACCEPT IT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. THIS IS A -- THE 17th YEAR THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN A CO-SPONSOR OF THE SAFE WALK TO SCHOOL. THE SAFETY EVENT CALLS ATTENTION TO SCHOOL STARTING ON MONDAY AUGUST THE 19th, AND EMPHASIZES THE PRIORITY THAT THE CITY PLACES ON CHILDREN'S SAFETY. THE CHILD SAFETY PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDING 158 CROSSING GUARDS THIS YEAR. TO HELP STUDENTS TRAVEL TO AND FROM SCHOOL. THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT WILL BE PROVIDING SCHOOL ZONE FLASHERS, SCHOOL SIGNS AND CROSS WALKS TO CALL ATTENTION TO CHILDREN WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL. AND WE HOPE AND ENCOURAGE THAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN WILL JOIN US AT PICKLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST THE 17th, AT 9:00 FOR OUR ANNUAL SAFE WALK AND WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT DRIVERS WATCH OUT FOR CHILDREN AS THEY DRIVE INTO THE SCHOOL ZONES. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: WHAT'S THE DATE AGAIN?

AUGUST THE 17th, SATURDAY MORNING AT 9:00 AT PICKLE ELEMENTARY.

OKAY. [ APPLAUSE ]

Mayor Garcia: AND THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, I HAVE A RELATIVE OF MINE ATTENDING KINDERGARTEN FOR THE FIRST TIME. MY SECOND GRANDSON, MY FIRST GRANDSON IS GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL IN PLANO. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY START. BUT THE SECOND ONE STARTS MONDAY, AUGUST THE 19th, SO -- SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET HIM THERE ON THE 17th TO GET PRACTICE TO HOW TO GET TO SCHOOL. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO DRIVE OUR CARS TOO MUCH BECAUSE OF THE AIR POLLUTION ISSUES. BUT IF WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO WALK TO SCHOOL SAFELY, WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLE MILES THAT WE TRAVEL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. FOREST, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. SANDRA BEAL AND HER TROOPS. [ LAUGHTER ]

Mayor Garcia: THOSE SAME GRANDCHILDREN ALSO SWIM AT DEEP EDDY, WE HAVE A THREE-YEAR-OLD THAT IS LIKE A TALKING MACHINE. HE CALLS ME WELO, SHORT FOR ABUELO ABUELO SHORT FOR GRANDFATHER. HE ALWAYS TELLS ME ABOUT DEEP EDDY POOL. KEEPS REPEATING THAT. ANYWAY, THIS PROCLAMATION READS AS FOLLOWS. BE IT KNOWN WHEREAS DEEP EDDY POOL IS AN AUSTIN LANDS MARK WHICH BEGAN AS A BAITING BEACH AND RESORT ON THE COLORADO RIVER BATHING BEACH AND RESORT AND LATER BECAME AUSTIN'S FIRST PUBLIC PARK, THEN IN 1916 BECAME TEXAS' FIRST PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL AND WHEREAS AFTER THE CITY BROUGHT DEEP -- BOUGHT DEEP EDDY IN 1935 AND REFURBISHED ITS BATHROOMS UNDER THE WORKS PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION, PRESIDENT FDR, IT HAS CONTINUED TO BE A POPULAR HANGOUT AND WHEREAS IN THE HONOR OF THE POOL'S 100th ANNIVERSARY, THE FRIENDS OF DEEP EDDY ARE SPONSORING A CELEBRATION IN KEEPING WITH ITS REPUTATION FOR LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, PICNICKING, SWIMMING EVENTS, I, GUS GARCIA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM, ACTUALLY I'M PLEASED TO HONOR ONE OF AUSTIN'S CLAIMS TO FAME, DO WHOBY PROCLAIM AUGUST THE 17 17th, 2002 AS DEEP EDDY DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, HEY, HEY! WHOA! [ APPLAUSE ]

WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR GARCIA AND I WOULD THANK THE COUNCILMEMBERS IF THEY WERE HERE, THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US -- [INAUDIBLE] [ LAUGHTER ]

WELL, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROCLAMATION. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK JESUS OLIVERES, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND THOSE WITH THE CITY AQUATICS DEPARTMENT, OF THEIR -- ALL OF THEIR WONDERFUL STAFF. ROSEMARY CASTLE BEAR ALSO HERE -- CASTLEBERRY ALSO HERE FROM THE PARKS AND REC BOARD. ALL AUSTINITES WHO SUPPORTED THE FRIENDS OF DEEP EDDY THROUGH DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERING, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE GREAT LOCAL TREASURE TODAY AND TRUE AUSTIN ORIGINAL. BEFORE THERE WAS A SWIMMING POOL, DEEP EDDY WAS A POPULAR PLACE TO SWIM ON THE COLORADO RIVER. NAMED FOR A DANGEROUS EDDIE CREATED BY A LARGE BOWLED BOULDER IN THE WATER, HENCE THE NAME. THEN A SWEDISH IMMIGRANT BOUGHT IT IN THE 1950'S. HE OPERATED A LIMESTONE QUARRY WHICH IS ABOUT WHERE THE PARKING LOT IS TODAY. JOHNSON WAS KNOWN FOR HELPING OTHER IMMIGRANTS, HE WAS KNOWN AS THE MAN WHO NEVER CARRIED A GUN, VERY PEACEFUL PERSON. HE HAD 11 CHILDREN AND TWO OF THOSE KIDS OPENED THE DEEP EDDY BATHING BEACH IN 1902. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR. THE 100th ANNIVERSARY. THE JOHNSONS HAD BOATING, PICNICKING, SWIMMING, CAMPING AND THEN THEY SOLD THE PROPERTY TO A.J.EILERS IN 1915. HE BUILT THE FIRST OUTDOOR POOL IN TEXAS. THRIVED DURING THE 1920'S, LIVE MUSIC, MOVIES, ENTERTAINMENT, ALL SORTS OF NOVELTIES. THAT TRADITION CONTINUES THE DAY. THE CITY OF AUSTIN BOUGHT THE POOL IN 1935, BUT TYPICAL OF AUSTIN THERE WAS A HORRENDOUS FLOOD ABOUT A WEEK LATER, INUNDATING THE POOL AND DESTROYING THE BATH HOUSE. WHEN THE BATH HOUSE WAS REBUILT IT WAS AUSTIN'S FIRST WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION PROJECT. THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE AT THE POOL. IT CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS A PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY COMES TO HAVE FUN AND CONNECT WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND TO STAY COOL. AND IT'S TIME THAT WE RECOGNIZED THIS GEM IN OUR MIDST. AND I'M SO PLEASED THAT AUGUST 17th WILL BE DEEP EDDY DAY DAY TO. TO CELEBRATE A BIG PARTY, LIVE MUSIC, FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT JUST AS THEY HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS. WE WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY INVITE YOU MAYOR GARCIA TO OUR PARTY. 6:00 P.M. UNTIL 10:00. $2 ADMISSION, CAN'T BEAT THAT.

[INAUDIBLE]

YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] YOU CAN SWIM DURING THE PARTY, A LOT OF FUN. AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE YOU AND THE COUNCILMEMBERS T-SHIRTS, JUST LIKE OURS, SO, YOU, TOO, CAN BE A FRIEND OF DEEP EDDY. WE WILL HAND THOSE OUT. THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]

THIS IS SO EXCITING TO ME. EVERYBODY ASKED ME WELL, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH PARKS DEPARTMENT? I SAID, WELL, WE MOVED TO GOOD OLD DEEP EDDY APARTMENTS BACK IN -- A MONTH AFTER THE WHITMAN TOWER INCIDENT, SO I CAN DATE MYSELF REAL WELL, BUT MY SONS FOUND DEEP EDDY POOL AND PRACTICALLY LIVED THERE FOR -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- YEARS AND YEARS. I AM SO VERY EXCITED FOR YOU. WE ARE -- WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING DEEP EDDY, WE KNOW THAT THAT POOL HOUSE NEEDS TO BE RESTORED. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RAISING FUNDS FOR IT. I HOPE THAT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THAT ALONG, PLEASE LET US KNOW. I ALSO WANT TO BRUCE MARY RUTH HOLDER, WHO IS A CONSTANT SWIMMER AT DEEP EDDY POOL. [ LAUGHTER ] OR HAS BEEN, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE STILL IS. BUT -- SHE, AS OUR LAND AND FACILITIES CHAIRMAN AND I AM SO VERY PLEASED TO -- TO HAVE -- BE ABLE TO SAY I REMEMBER -- I KNEW DEEP EDDY BACK THERE, 30 SO ODD YEARS AGO. SO THIS 100th BIRTHDAY IS REALLY EXCITING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, BUT THERE WERE SOME PICTURES FLOATING AROUND THAT SHOWED A HORSE DROPPING OFF OF A -- OF A -- OF A -- THE BOARD INTO -- INTO THE POOL. I THINK, WELL, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF AN INTERESTING THING -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- I DON'T THINK THAT YOU WOULD EVER DO IT THOUGH, LIABILITY GETS TO BE TOO MUCH. YEAH. BUT MARY RUTH, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? GIVE THEM A RAH!

YES, THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED FOR OUR CITY'S PARKS DURING THESE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. JUST, ALSO, I THINK THIS KIND OF TOPS ROSEMARY, MY PARENTS MOVED INTO THE MARRIED STUDENT HOUSING RIGHT NEXT TO THAT POOL RIGHT AFTER WORLD WAR II, THEY TOOK MY SISTER SWIMMING THERE, I WAS AT LEAST A THOUGHT IN THEIR MIND DURING THAT PERIOD. I MAY HAVE A REAL CLOSE CONNECTION. THANKS.

[INAUDIBLE]

Mayor Garcia: TAKE A PICTURE OF EVERYBODY.

Mayor Garcia: MR. BOB BENTSEN.

[INAUDIBLE]

Mayor Garcia: YOU KNOW, I WAS IN MIAMI OH, A FEW -- A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. ANNOUNCING TO -- TO THE CONVENTION THAT -- WELL, ACTUALLY INVITING THEM TO COME HERE FOR THE 2003 CONVENTION. ONE OF THE GUYS WAS MENTIONING THINGS THAT -- THAT -- THAT AUSTIN WAS FAMOUS FOR. AND HE SAID, WE HAVE MILLIONS OF MEXICAN BATS IN AUSTIN. [ LAUGHTER ] AND PEOPLE COME FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO SEE THE BATS HERE, WE ARE FAMOUS FOR THAT. AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT -- OF THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THE CITY HAS DONE IN -- IN KEEPING A PLACE FOR THE BATS TO LIVE AND OF COURSE THEY HELP US BY KEEPING MOSQUITOES AWAY. SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY TODAY TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO THE BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL. AND THE OPERATION READS AS FOLLOWS: BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS AUSTIN'S BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATES THE HUGE COLONY OF MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BATS WHO MAKE THEIR HOME UNDER THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE WITH A FREETAIL FREE FOR ALL EACH YEAR, WHEREAS THIS CELEBRATION CAPS B.C.T.'S FIRST EVER BAT WEEK DURING WHICH THE ORGANIZATION EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING BATS, WHICH ARE THE MOST ENDANGERED LAND MAMMALS IN NORTH AMERICA. WHEREAS AUSTIN'S BAT COLONY IS A TOP ATTRACTION FOR BOTH TOURISTS AND CITIZENS AND HAVE A POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR CITY, NOW, THEREFORE, I GUS GARCIA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DO HERE BY PROCLAIM AUGUST THE 9th OF THE YEAR 2002 AS BAT CONSERVATION DAY IN AUSTIN. WE HAVE MR. BOB BENSON HERE FROM THE BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. MR. BENSON, WELCOME, SIR.

THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL, 20 YEARS AGO, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROTECTION OF BATS AT THAT TIME MORE PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PAID TO KILL THEM THAN TO SAVE THEM. BUT WE HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE STRIDES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. AND AUSTIN, TEXAS HAS BEEN OUR HOME BASE. WE'VE HAD -- IT'S JUST AMAZING THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY AND OTHER FOLKS IN AND AROUND CENTRAL TEXAS. AND WE ARE SO PROUD THAT THIS WEEK IS OUR FIRST EVER BAT WEEK TO GAIN INTEREST AND SUPPORT OF NOT ONLY TOURISTS BUT OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND SEE THE BATS WHEN THEY ARE AT THEIR BEST AND TO CELEBRATE OUR FREETAIL TREE FOR ALL TOMORROW, FRIDAY, AUGUST THE 9th AT 6:30 P.M.

Mayor Garcia: THEY START FLYING AT ABOUT --

THEY ARE FLYING AT ABOUT 8:30 RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE ABOUT A 10 MINUTE WINDOW BEFORE DARK. IT'S A FUN EVENT TOMORROW NIGHT. WE EXPECT IF THE WEATHER HOLDS OUT, MARK MURRAY IS OUR EMCEE, HE SAID BOB I MAY HAVE TO STAY IN FOR SOME SEVERE WEATHER. WE ARE HOPING AND PRAYING THAT THE WEATHER HOLDS OUT. WE HAVE APPROXIMATE -- 3,000 FOLKS OUT AT THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE CELEBRATING AUSTIN'S MOST UNIQUE TOURIST ATTRACTION. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]

Mayor Garcia: AND DAVID LOWRY AND PHYLLIS DAY ARE HERE. ARE THEY HEAR? ABOUT -- I MEAN, DAVID HASN'T GOTTEN HERE? YOU KNOW, BREAST FEEDING IS SUCH A HEALTHY THING, PART OF OUR HEALTHY COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. WE ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNG MOTHERS TO BREAST FEED. AS WE STAND HERE, I HAVE A -- I HAVE AN 11-WEEK-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER. THE FIRST ONE IN OUR FAMILY. MY WIFE AND I HAD THREE SONS, SHE BREAST FED THEM. THEN OUR TWO OLDEST SONS GOT MARRIED, THEY HAD TWO SONS EACH WHO RECEIVED BREAST FEEDING. THEY ARE ALL HEALTHY AND DOING WELL. BUT ON MAY THE 20th, MAY THE 10th, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, WE HAD OUR FIRST GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE GARCIA FAMILY, WE'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. [ LAUGHTER ] AND SHE'S BEING BREAST FED AND TODAY SHE IS VISITING WITH US. MY WIFE TOLD ME NOT TO CALL SO THAT SHE COULD SLEEP AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG SHE'S GOING TO STAY, BUT WE HOPE SHE STAYS THERE A LONG TIME, SHE'S A HAPPY BABY. IN COMMEMORATION OF THIS EVENT, I WANT TO ISSUE A PROCLAMATION TO ALL OF YOU. IT READS AS FOLLOWS: BE IT KNOWN WHEREAS THAT BABIES WHO RECEIVE THEIR MOTHER'S MILK WITHIN AN HOUR AFTER BIRTH ARE PROTECTED AGAINST INFECTION INSTANTLY AND BREAST MILK MAY ALSO HELP LOWER THEIR BODY'S CHANCES OF DEVELOPING ALLERGIES OR GETTING OTHER DISEASES; WHEREAS MOTHERS WHO BREAST FEED HAVE A REDUCED RISK OF BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER AND ALSO PER OSTEOPOROSIS, WE APPLAUD THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF BREAST FEEDING DURING THE SPECIAL MONTH WITH THE THEME "HEALTHY MOTHERS FOR HEALTHY BABIES." I GUS GARCIA DO HEREBY PROCLAIM AUGUST 2002 AS WORLD BREAST FEEDING MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. WE PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION. ARE YOU MS. DAY.

YES.

Mayor Garcia: LET ME SAY THAT I WAS TOLD BY OUR AUDITOR TORE'S OFFICE, A MEMBER OF OUR AUDIT TEAM, SAID THAT GIVEN WHAT IS PERHAPS A CRISIS IN TODAY'S SOCIETY OF OVERWEIGHT YOUNG CHILDREN, THAT THEY HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IF CHILDREN BREAST FEED, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL BECOME OBESE IS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY. EVEN IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS MONTH. I PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU. AND ASK YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS -- ABOUT THIS FANTASTIC MONTH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR GARCIA. I'M VERY PLEASED TO ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND W.I.C. PROGRAM. WE HAVE A LOT OF MOTHERS IN AUSTIN THAT BREAST FEED AND THE W.I.C. PROGRAM HERE IN AUSTIN HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF BREAST FEEDING IN THE -- IN THE STATE. WE HAVE ABOUT 78% OF OUR MOTHERS AT LEAST INITIATE BREAST FEEDING IN THE W.I.C. PROGRAM. SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING A LOT TO HELP THE HEALTH OF INFANTS IN AUSTIN. WORLD BREAST FEEDING MONTH IS CELEBRATED WORLDWIDE. HERE IN AUSTIN WE ARE JOINING THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN CELEBRATING. WE HAVE THIS WONDERFUL POSTER. THEY ARE HOLDING IT UP HERE. THIS IS DESIGNED BY OUR LOCAL AUSTIN ARTIST BRYAN JOSEPH. AND THAT POSTER IS BEING USED STATE-WIDE THIS YEAR TO PROMOTE WORLD BREAST FEEDING MONTH. WE HAVE SOME OF OUR PEER COUNSELORS AND STAFF HERE AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL EVENTS THIS MONTH TO CELEBRATE. AND SHERRI SCUTTER IS OUR COORDINATING IN THE PROGRAM AND SHE'S GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE EVENTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.

THANK YOU, PHYLLIS. AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WILL CELEBRATE WORLD BREAST FEEDING MONTH THIS AUGUST WITH A VARIETY OF EVENTS HERE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE W.I.C. CLINICS. BY FAR ONE OF THE MORE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE ARE HAVING IS ALSO ON AUGUST 17 August 17th. MOTHER BABY HEALTH FAIR AT NORTHCROSS MALL. WE ARE INVITING ALL AUSTINITES TO COME. WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP CONDUCTING THIS HEALTH CARE. IT BY THE WAY IS GOING TO BE FROM 11:00 TO 6:00. A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS WILL BE THERE. THEY INCLUDE AUSTIN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, CONNECTIONS RESOURCE CENTER, ANY BABY CAN, AND HEALTHY MOTHERS HEALTHY BABY CHAPTER OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO DO THIS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE CELEBRATIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING WITH REGARDS TO OUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

[INAUDIBLE]

YES, WE WOULD LOVE TO. COME ON, ANGELA. I, GUS GARCIA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DO HERE BY PROCLAIM,

Mayor Garcia: IF I CAN FIND SOME OF MY COUNCILMEMBERS, WE CAN GET STARTED. DUNKERLY,.

Mayor Garcia: ... 6:00 P.M. PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE WILL TAKE THEM IN THAT ORDER, 70, 71, 72, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THE FOUR ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON ITEM NO. 70, SO THAT WILL INCLUDE MOST OF THE STAFF PRESENTATION AND ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS. DO WE HAVE -- I'M GOING TO CALL BACK TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL OF -- OF AUGUST THE 8th AND WE WILL GO TO OUR 6:00 P.M. TIME CERTAIN PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE FIRST ONE IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FULL PURPOSE ANNEXATION OF THE FOLLOWING ANNEXATION AREAS, WE WILL TAKE EACH ONE SEPARATELY. THE AVERY RANCH AREA, APPROXIMATELY 118 ACRES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AT THE INTERSECTION OF AVERY RANCH BOULEVARD AND PARMER LANE, APPROXIMATELY 875 FEET SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF AVERY RANCH BOULEVARD AND MORGAN CREEK DRIVE. MR. LUKENS.

YES, SIR. MY NAME IS BEN LUKENS, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. AVERY RANCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY 118 ACRES THAT'S BEEN ANNEXED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE DEVELOPER'S REQUEST FOR ANNEXATION. TRACTS WERE ANNEXED BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. THE SERVICE PLAN ON THE TABLE TO MY LEFT SAYS THAT WE WILL TAKE OVER FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY FOR SERVICES THEY CURRENTLY PROVIDE AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SERVICES AVAILABLE SIMILAR TO WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND SIMILARLY SITUATED AREAS IN THE BALANCE OF THE CITY. IS THAT -- THAT'S MORE OR LESS IT FOR AVERY RANCH. ANY QUESTIONS?

Mayor Garcia: WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY MINOR. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED ON A VOTED OF 5 TO 0 TO 2, WITH COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AND COUNCILMEMBER WYNN TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAIS. WE DON'T TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT, RIGHT, BEN?

YES, SIR, I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING. THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE READING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST THE 29 29th, ANNEXATION WILL BE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 27th.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

SO IT'S AUGUST 29th. BACK ON THE 29th OF AUGUST.

Mayor Garcia: THE SECOND ONE IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN WALNUT CREEK PARKS, APPROXIMATELY 439 ACRES IN TRAVIS COUNTY ALONG WALNUT CREEK NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF CHRISWELL AND SPRINKLE ROADS, SOUTHEAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF U.S. 290 EAST AND FERGUSON CUT OFFAND SOUTHEAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF FERGUSON CUTOFF AND OLD MANOR ROAD.

THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 439 ACRES, LARGE UNDEVELOPED TRACTS OF CITY-OWNED PARKLAND ON WALNUT AND ONION CREEKS. THERE'S THE WALNUT CREEK PARK, ONION CREEK PARK. ALSO INCLUDES 3-ACRE CERTAINLY TEA. ESSENTIALLY WE -- CEMETARY. ESSENTIALLY WE TAKE OVER FROM THE COUNTY THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SERVICES AT A LEVEL SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BALANCE OF THE CITY. THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS --

Mayor Garcia: QUESTIONS FOR MR. LUKENS? THERE'S NOBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO MOVE.

MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED, NO. MOTION CARRIES. THIS IS ALSO NOVEMBER?

YES, SIR, EVERY ONE OF THESE WILL BE THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, ORDINANCE READING AUGUST 29th, THE EFFECTIVE DATE WILL BE NOVEMBER 27th. SO WE WILL BE BACK AGAIN FOR THAT ON AUGUST 29th.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. NEXT ONE IS McKINNEY PARK EAST, APPROXIMATELY 52 ACRES IN TRAVIS COUNTY, APPROXIMATELY 425 FEET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION OF WINTER HAVEN ROAD AND ALUM ROCK DRIVE.

YES, SIR. THIS AREA RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHEAST TRAVIS COUNTY SITE OF THE PROPOSED McKINNEY PARK EAST SUBDIVISION, IT'S A -- IT'S A -- IT'S -- IT'S PROPOSED AS A SMART HOUSING SUBDIVISION. AGAIN, THIS IS THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE READING WILL BE THE 29th. AND ORDINANCE WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON NOVEMBER 27th. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL BE GLAD TO DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THEM.

Mayor Garcia: IF THERE'S NOBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO MOVED.

MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

MONTH ACTION UNTIL NOVEMBER.

NO. AUGUST 29th.

AUGUST 29th, THIRD PUBLIC HEARING.

NO, ORDINANCE READING ON AUGUST 29th.

Mayor Garcia: ORDINANCE READING, TAKES EFFECT IN NOVEMBER.

YES, SIR, NOVEMBER 27th.

Mayor Garcia: FOURTH ONE IS CAMERON BUSINESS PARK, APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY EAST OF DESSAU ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 3-10thS OF A MILE NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF DESSAU ROAD AND RUNDBERG LANE. THEN --

YES, SIR. THIS IS FIVE ACRES, PART OF A 10-ACRE SUBDIVISION, THE BALANCE OF WHICH IS ALREADY IN THE EXISTING CITY. ORDINANCE READING IS SCHEDULED FOR THE 29th, ANNEXATION WILL BE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 27th, SERVICE PLAN IS ON THE TABLE TO MY LEFT. ESSENTIALLY THE CITY TAKES OVER FROM THE COUNTY THE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY CURRENTLY PROVIDES AND WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AND ENHANCED SERVICES AT A LEVEL SIMILAR TO WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE BALANCE OF THE CITY. I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

Mayor Garcia: QUESTIONS FOR MR. LUKENS. THERE'S NOBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE, EITHER. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO MOVE.

MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY ME. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. THE SAME DATES APPLY. THANK YOU, MR. LUKENS.

YES, SIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Garcia: ITEM 71 IS CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO APPROVE CONTINUATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 950-8424-W CONCERNING DAY AND NIGHT CURFEWS FOR JUVENILES.

Futrell: COUNCIL, WE HAVE A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION. AND RUDY IS READY TO GO.

OKAY.

Mayor Garcia: WELCOME, CHIEF, WELCOME.

THANK YOU. BEFORE I BEGIN ON -- ON AGENDA ITEM NO. 71, WE NEED TO MAKE SOME MINOR CORRECTIONS. THE -- NEEDS TO READ CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO APPROVE CONTINUATION OF CHAPTER 10-7 OF THE CITY CODE. WHAT NEEDS TO BE STRICKEN IS THE PART WHERE IT SAYS OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 950-8424-W.

Mayor Garcia: SO IT'S CHAPTER 10-7 OF THE CITY CODE.

YES, SIR.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

OKAY. DID YOU GET THAT MS. BROWN? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT STRONGLY SUPPORTS AND RECOMMENDS THE CONTINUATION OF THE JUVENILE DAY AND NIGHTTIME CURFEW ORDINANCE. THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED MAY 1990 AND WAS LAST REVIEWED AND CONTINUED ON AUGUST 19th, 1999. WITH A REVISION THAT THE ORDINANCE -- PROVISION THAT THE ORDINANCE BE REVIEWED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW. THE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE ORDINANCE BE CONTINUED OR MODIFIED BEFORE AUGUST 19th, 2002. CURRENTLY, THE ORDINANCE SETS CURFEW HOURS FOR MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 17 AND 3 GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF, NUMBER ONE, THE CITY-WIDE CURFEW DURING DAYTIME, SCHOOL AND NIGHTTIME HOURS. NUMBER 2, THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS. NUMBER 3, THE SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE CITY. NOW, THE -- THE CITY-WIDE CURFEW HOURS ARE FROM 11:30 P.M., TO 6:00 A.M. ON SUNDAY, THROUGH THURSDAY, AND FROM 12:30 A.M. TO 6:00 A.M. ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. WHILE SCHOOL IS IN SESSION, DAYTIME CURFEW HOURS ARE FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NOW, IN THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS, CURFEW HOURS ARE FROM 10:00 P.M. TO 6:00 A.M. ON ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. NOW, AREA 3, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE CITY IS BOARDED ON THE WEST, BY IH 35, ON THE NORTH BY BEN WHITE BOULEVARD, ON THE EAST BY U.S. 183, AND ON THE SOUTH BY THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, CURFEW HOURS ARE FROM 11:00 P.M. TO 6:00 A.M. ON SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AND 12:00 MIDNIGHT TO 6:00 A.M. ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. VIOLATIONS BY MINORS AND PARENTS, GUARDIANS, BUSINESS OPERATORS WHO KNOWINGLY, ONCE AGAIN, WHO KNOWINGLY ALLOW A MINOR TO VIOLATE THIS ORDINANCE WILL INCUR A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR CITATION. ONCE AGAIN, IT A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR VIOLATION. NOW, A PERSON FOUND GUILTY OF A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR CAN BE PUNISHED BY A FINE NOT TO EXCEED -- NOT TO EXCEED $500. THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS THE ORDINANCE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT A TREMENDOUS TOOL FOR EFFECTIVELY COMBATING JUVENILE CRIME IN AUSTIN. OUR CRIME STATS SUGGEST THAT CURFEW ORDINANCE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE. FOR INSTANCE, THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES ARRESTED FOR PART I VIOLENT CRIMES OF MURDER, RAPE, ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT HAS DECLINED 68%, DECLINED 68%, FROM 151 JUVENILE ARRESTS IN 1989 TO 48 JUVENILE ARRESTS IN 2001. IF YOU REMEMBER, JUVENILE ARRESTS FOR PART I PROPERTY CRIMES OF BURGLARY, THEFT, AND AUTO THEFT HAVE ALSO DECREASED 64%. DECREASED 64% FROM 2,487 JUVENILE ARRESTS IN 1989 TO 899 JUVENILE ARRESTS IN 2002. SO IN CONCLUSION, IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THE JUVENILE CURFEW ORDINANCE BE CONTINUED BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN IT'S A REAL EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR COMBATING CRIMES COMMITTED BY JUVENILES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF?

OKAY, THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER. LAURIE C.RENTRELLA. MS. RENTARELLA? WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, MY NAME IS LAURIE [INAUDIBLE] I LIVE IN THE EAST CESAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I AM HERE SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE OUR PLANNING TEAM HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PASS A RESOLUTION ON SOME ITEMS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEXT BUDGET RELATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR PARTNERS AGAINST CRIME. I'M PASSING OUT A HANDOUT RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR MANY YEARS ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE DAY LABOR SITE AND THE SOUP KITCHEN. AND WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. I KNOW ALVAREZ AND SLUSHER CAME TO A MEXICAN TEE MEETING LAST -- TO A COMMUNITY MEETING LAST YEAR AT SANCHEZ, A TRANS-TEXAS ALLIANCE SAFETY WORKSHOP, A NEW D.R., WE HAVE CONNECTED WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT AND THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT WE WILL RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS TO EXPAND THE JURISDICTION OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT TO COVER THE -- THE SOUP KITCHEN AND DAY LABOR ISSUES. BUT THAT IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS. WE KNOW THAT. SO WE ARE GOING TO PROBABLY COME BEFORE YOU, MY NEIGHBORS ON THE EAST CESAR CHAVEZ TEAM, REQUESTING WHATEVER FUNDING IS NECESSARY FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT TO INCLUDE THE SOUP KITCHEN AREA. WE WOULD LIKE A -- AN OFFICE AND OUR D.R. HAS ALREADY SECURED A LOCATION, EVEN IF IT'S A MOBILE TRAILER, AFFORDABLE PORTABLE, FOR OUR D.R. OFFICER RODRIGUEZ FOR A -- FOR AN OFFICE, A.P.D. OFFICE, NEXT TO THE SOUP KITCHEN. WE KNOW THAT THE ROSEWOOD EAST 11th STREET HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING FOR THE WALKING BEAT. YOU KNOW, A SPECIAL TEAM OF WALKING BEAT. WE HAVE MET WITH COMMANDER JOHNSTON AND HE SUPPORTS US IN OUR INITIATIVE AND -- IN SHARING THOSE RESOURCES. SO THAT -- SO THAT ROSEWOOD, 11th STREET, CAN SHARE SOME OF THOSE WALKING BEAT OFFICERS AS NEEDED IN THE SOUP KITCHEN AREA. WE ARE GOING TO BE RAISING -- REQUESTING FUNDING HOPEFULLY FROM TEXAS DOT ON THE -- FROM TEXDOT ON THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. A LOT OF OUR INITIATIVES INVOLVE THE SANCHEZ COMMUNITY AND ISSUES --

YOU DIDN'T SAY SANCHEZ THE EXEMPLARY SCHOOL.

CORRECT, CORRECT. CONGRATULATIONS ON ED LEO TO BEING PROMOTED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. THAT'S JUST WONDERFUL. SO WE ARE GOING TO ASK CHARLIE GANDY CAME AND DID A WORKSHOP ABOUT HOW WE CAN COST EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT DOING TRAFFIC CALMING, YOU KNOW, SPEED HUMPS AND CIRCLES AND ALL THAT REAL EXPENSIVE STUFF, HOW WE COULD IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY [BUZZER SOUNDING]

> WE WILL BE ASKING FOR THAT TEXDOT GRANT WHICH IS GOING TO REQUIRE A 20% MATCH BY THE CITY. AND WE JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, YA BASTA, ENOUGH, WE NEED SOME MONEY TO DEAL WITH THE SOUP KITCHEN. PLEASE INCLUDE US IN THESE REQUESTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MS. RENTARELLA, THAT'S ALL OF THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONTINUATION OF CHAPTER 10-7 OF THE CITY CODE.

Slusher: MOVE APPROVAL.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED, NO. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY.

Mayor Garcia: THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003 WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS: FIRE, E.M.S., POLICE, MUNICIPAL COURT, AVIATION, CONVENTION -- AND THEN BEFORE WE START THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE WILL HAVE PRESENTATIONS BY THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES DEPARTMENT. MR. HODGE AND MR. STEVENS ARE HERE. LET ME RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST, THEN WE WILL OPEN UP. WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL, I'M JOHN STEVENS, ACTING ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER THE NON-UTILITY ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS. I'M HERE THIS EVENING WITH BOB HODGE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. AS THE MAYOR SAID, THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF OUR BRIEFINGS FROM THE WORK SESSION YESTERDAY. SO MR. HODGE WILL GO FIRST.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MADAM CITY MANAGER, I'M BOB HODGE, DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT. WITH ME TODAY IN THE AUDIENCE, LARRY ANDERSON OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL MANAGER. WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003 2003 SLIDE NUMBER 2 SHOWS OUR BUDGET OVERVIEW. BED TAX REVENUE FOR CURRENT YEAR IS 20% BELOW BUDGET. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A BED TAX PROJECTION THAT IS 5% ABOVE THE CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE. BUT IS STILL 16% BELOW THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET. THE DECREASE IN REQUIREMENTS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE DECISION TO FINANCE THE LAND ACQUISITION FOR THE EXPANSION PARKING GARAGE. WE HAD ORIGINALLY PROJECTED A LARGE INCREASE IN OPERATING EXPENSES DUE TO THE DOUBLING IN SIZE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. WE HAVE, HOWEVER, MANAGED TO MAINTAIN EXPENSES CLOSE TO CURRENT YEAR LEVELS, EVEN WITH A MUCH LARGER FACILITY TO OPERATE. VENUE PROJECT REVENUE IS DOWN DUE TO THE DECREASE THIS BED TAX REVENUE AND HIGHER DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS. PALMER IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER INCREASE DUE TO THE FULL YEAR BUDGET VERSUS THE CURRENT ONE-FOURTH YEAR BUDGET. NO NEW F.T.E.'S HAVE BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE DEPARTMENT. SLIDE NUMBER 3 SUMMARIZES OUR C.I.P. BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS. WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH THE PLANS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PARKING GARAGE. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO TAKE 12 TO 14 MONTHS WITH A PROJECTED OPENING IN 2004. PROJECT INCREASES IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE RESULTED IN THE REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1 MILLION IN NEW C.I.P. APPROPRIATION FOR A TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF 16.4 MILLION. BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS ARE SHOWN ON SLIDE NUMBER 4. OUR BUDGET INCLUDES A PROJECTED 16% DECREASE IN BED TAX AND AN 8% DECREASE IN RENTAL CAR TAX COMPARED TO THE CURRENT '02 BUDGET. A SLIGHT INCREASE IN OPERATING REVENUE IS PROJECTED DUE TO THE EXPANSION AND A FULL YEAR OF PALMER CENTER OPERATIONS. WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED THE INCREASES IN DEBT SERVICE FOR THE VENUE PROJECT FUND AND THE TOWN LAKE PARK VENUE OF 1.1 MILLION AND 300,000 RESPECTIVELY. AGAIN, NO NEW F.T.E.S ARE INCLUDED IN OUR BUSINESS PLAN. SLIDE NUMBER 5 HIGHLIGHT OUR PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS. COMPLETION OF OUR NEW FACILITIES GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO STANDARDIZE OUR BUSINESS PROCESSES FOR ALL OF OUR FACILITIES. AN ANALYSIS IS UNDERWAY OF THE EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER AND THE NEW PALMER EVENT CENTER TO DETERMINE THE REQUIREMENTS OF EACH FACILITY AS DICTATED BY THE LEVEL OF BUSINESS PROJECTED TO OCCUR NEXT YEAR. ALL FUNCTIONS ARE BEING REVIEWED AND THE FEASIBILITY OF COMBINING OUR CENTRALIZING APPROPRIATE FUNCTIONS IS BEING EVALUATED. CROSS-TRAINING OF EMPLOYEES FOR EACH FACILITY WILL BE NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE CENTRALIZATION. BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS ARE SHOWN ON SLIDE NUMBER 6. THEY INCLUDE MORE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF EXISTING EMPLOYEES, MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF NEW EMPLOYEES REQUIRED. INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF CURRENT STAFF WHICH SHOULD ALSO RESULT IN INCREASED JOB SATISFACTION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT. ALL OF WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE COST SAVINGS. SLIDE 7 LISTS OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS. THEY CONSIST OF RATINGS RECEIVED FROM CLIENT EVALUATIONS SENT AFTER EACH EVENT, PERCENTAGE OF CLIENTS INDICATING A WILLINGNESS TO RETURN, THE AMOUNT OF TOTAL BED TAX COLLECTION, EXIBS HALL OCCUPANCY AND OUR COMBINED FUND BALANCE. SLIDE 8 IS A CHART OF THE CLIENT EVALUATION RATING. THE GOAL FOR -- FOR UPCOMING 2003 YEAR IS TO ACHIEVE A RATING OF 4.25 OR HIGHER BASED ON OUR 5 POINT EVALUATION SCALE. BED TAX COLLECTIONS ARE SLOAN ON SLIDE NUMBER 9. AS YOU CAN SEE THERE HAS BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN BED TAX COLLECTION UP TO THE SEPTEMBER 11TH INCIDENT AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OF THIS PAST YEAR. BED TAX COLLECTION FOR THIS YEAR ARE PROJECTED TO BE 20% BELOW THE BUDGET. WHILE 2003 BED TAX PROJECTED REMAIN 16% BELOW THE CURRENT '02 BUDGETED AMOUNT. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT COLLECTIONS WILL INCREASE APPROXIMATELY 5% OVER THE CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE. COMBINED FUND ENDING BALANCE IS SHOWN ON SLIDE NUMBER 10. INCREASE IN THE ENDING BALANCE MIRROR THE INCREASE IN THE BED TAX COLLECTIONS. THE DECREASE IN F.Y. 2000 TO F.Y. 2001 WAS DUE TO THE $15 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE CONVENTION CENTER HEADQUARTERS HOTEL. SOME OF THE DECREASE IN THE ENDING BALANCE BETWEEN '01 AND '02 WAS ANTICIPATED DUE TO INCREASED OPERATING EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPENING OF THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, THE PARMER EVENTS CENTER AND PENDING INCREASED DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS FOR THOSE. THE REMAINDER OF THE DECREASE IS CAUSED BY THE DOWNTURN IN ED BED TAX COLLECTION AND SLOWER OPERATING REVENUE GROWTH. THE PROJECTED DECREASE FROM F.Y. '02 TO 2003 IS PRIMARILY DUE TO OPERATING AND BED TAX GROWTH ... FUNDS USED TO MAKE THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS. SLIDE 11 SHOWS THE ENDING BALANCE OF THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER. THE DECREASE FROM 2000 TO '01 IS A RESULT OF A TRANSFER AND DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT. THE AMOUNT OF DECREASE FROM '02 TO '03 WILL BE DECK TAKE ITED BY THE AMOUNT OF RENTAL CAR TAX COLLECTIONS AND THE AMOUNT REQUESTED INTO THE ... FOR THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER. RENTAL CAR TACK IS PROJECTED TO BE 13% BELOW BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. THIS CONCLUDES OUR PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

Mayor Garcia: QUESTIONS FOR MR. HODGE?

Goodman: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR PRO TEM?

Goodman: DO WE HAVE COPIES OF YOUR POWER POINT?

Mayor Garcia: I THINK IT WAS DISTRIBUTED YESTERDAY.

WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET YOU IN MORE.

Futrell: ACTUALLY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THEM RIGHT HERE. WE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE WE GOT STARTED.

Goodman: WELL, I CAN GET --

Mayor Garcia: HOW IS PALMER BEING RECEIVED? VERY POPULAR?

WELL, THE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE WELL RECEIVED. I THINK THE ACTIVITY WON'T PICK UP STARTING UNTIL SEPTEMBER. MORE OF THE ANNUAL EVENTS THAT HAVE NORMALLY OCCURRED, SUMMER IS ALWAYS A DOWN TIME DOWN THERE, TOO.

Mayor Garcia: RESERVATIONS RUNNING OKAY.

YES, EVERYTHING IN THE FINAL PUNCH LIST TO GET THE BUILDING TOTALLY TURNED OVER TO US, BUT SO FAR EVERYTHING IS WORKING AS PLANNED.

Mayor Garcia: AS FAR AS PEOPLE WANTING TO USE IT, DO WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS.

YES, SIR, THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE NEW BUILDING. I THINK THE GRAND OPENING, SUBSEQUENT MEDIA COVERAGE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LEFT THE BUILDING FOR MANY YEARS ARE CALLING TO INQUIRE ABOUT RETURNING.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. FURTHER QUESTIONS OF MR. HODGE? THANK YOU, MR. HODGE. SOLID WASTE SERVICES.

MAYOR, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WERE SCHEDULED YESTERDAY TO PRESENT THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES BUDGET AT THE WORK SESSION YESTERDAY. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE OF TIME CONSTRAINTS. WE DID FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO PRESENT THE BUDGET LAST NIGHT TO THE SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE BUDGET. SO -- SO WE ARE BRINGING IT TO YOU TONIGHT. THE FIRST SLIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO SHOW IS THE SLIDE FROM THE COMMUNITY SCORE CARD, THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE NON-ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE COMMUNITY SCORE CARD. LOOKING AT THE DATA FROM OUR MOST RECENT VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER SURVEY, YOU CAN SEE THAT AUSTINITES PLACE A RELATIVELY HIGH PRIORITY ON THE SERVICES THAT THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES. ESPECIALLY RECYCLING AND GARAGE PICKUP SERVICES. THESE TWO SERVICES RECYCLING AND GARAGE PICKUP ARE THE MOST VISIBLE SERVICES THAT SOLID WASTE PROVIDES AND THEIR PRIORITY AND SATISFACTION RATINGS HAVE HELD CONSTANT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. WITH VERY LITTLE VARIABILITY. OUR BRUSH AND BULKY PICKUP SERVICE IS PROVIDED TWICE A YEAR AND IT'S A LESS EXPENSIVE SERVICE. THE VARIABILITY OF THE PRIORITY AND SATISFACTION RATES FOR IT AND FOR THE STREET SWEEPING HAVE VARIED MORE OVER THE LAST THREE YEAR. I THINK BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT QUITE AS FAMILIAR WITH THOSE SERVICES AS THE ONES THAT ARE PROVIDED ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE CITY'S WASTE DIVERSION RATE, WHICH IS A MEASURE OF HOW MUCH THIS -- HOW MUCH OF THE CITY'S WASTE EXTREME IS RECYCLED OR DIVERTED RATHER THAN GOING INTO A LANDFILL. THE WASTE DIVERSION RATE FROM 1995 TO THE PRESENT IS, AS YOU SEE THERE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT TO REBOUND FROM 20.26% IN FISCAL YEAR '01 TO 28.77% THIS YEAR IN FISCAL YEAR '02. THE FLUCTUATION IN THIS RATE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO CHANGES IN THE VOLUME OF YARD TRIMMINGS COLLECTED, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED BY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE MORE YARD TRIMMINGS WE COLLECT, THE MORE -- THE HIGHER OUR DIVERSION RATE IS BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALSO RECYCLED. THE LEVEL OF RECYCLING ITEMS LIKE PAPER AND GLASS HAS REMAINED CONSTANT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. I THINK THE GOOD NEWS FOR US IS THAT HERE IN AUSTIN, 74% OF OUR CUSTOMERS OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES CUSTOMERS, DO PARTICIPATE IN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE BEST DIVERSION RATE OF ANY CITY IN TEXAS OR IN THE SOUTHWEST. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION ON THE COMMUNITY SCORE CARD. AT THIS POINT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO WILLIE RHOADES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. THE PROPOSED 2002-2003 SOLID WASTE SERVICES BUDGET, WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A WEEK OF COLLECTION GARAGE RECYCLING AND YARD TRIMMING, OPERATION MATERIALS COVER FACILITY INCLUDED IN OUR PAY AS YOU THROW PROGRAM. BRUSH AND BULKY CLERK, OPERATION OF THE HAZARDOUS WASTE FATILITY, STREET SWEEPING, CODE COMPLIANCE AND DEAD ANIMAL COLLECTIONS ARE INCLUDED IN THE ANTIBIOTIC LITTER PROGRAMS. WE ALSO OPERATE A LANDFILL FOR CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS. SOLIDWAY SERVICES HAS TWO MAJOR FEES TO SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS. THESE TWO FEES ARE THE GARBAGE COLLECTION FEES, WHICH IS OF COURSE THE PAY AS YOU THROW PROGRAM AND THE ANTI-LITTERS/HOME CHEMICAL FEE WHICH IS OF COURSE THE LITTER ABATEMENT PROGRAM. WE ARE PROPOSING A LANDFILL FUND FOR THE CLOSURE AND POST CLOSURE CARE IN 2003. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS A -- A HIGH LEVEL SNAPSHOT OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2003. AS COMPARED TO FY '02. REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY $1.6 MILLION AND EXPENDITURES PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 2.7 MILLION. AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THOSE REVENUES ARE INCREASING, EXPENDITURES ARE INCREASING AT A FASTER RATE AND WHICH I WILL DISCUSS LATER IN MY PRESENTATION. THE PAY AS YOU THROW FEES, SOLID WASTE SERVICES HAVE, HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THEY WERE IMPLEMENTING DURING FY 97-97. -- 96, 97, INCREASED OPERATING COSTS, ADDITIONAL TRANSFERS, UNPLANNED CAPTURE EXPENDITURES. IN ORDER TO MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN ON OUR CUSTOMERS, SOLID WASTE SERVICES PROPOSED TO POSTPONE ANY INCREASES IN THE PAY AS YOU THROW AND ANTI-LITTER FEES. IN ORDER TO FORESTALL RATE INCREASES TO MAINTAIN CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS, SOLID WASTE SERVICES PROPOSES TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY 2.4 MILLION OF OUR FUND BALANCE DURING FY 2003. WE ARE AFFECTING THE CHANGE IN OUR OPERATIONS AS PART OF BUDGET PROCESS BY CONSOLIDATING THE OWNERSHIP OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES VEHICLES INTO THE FLEET SERVICES SHOP. BEGINNING IN FY 2003 FLEET SERVICES WILL ASSUME ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PURCHASING, OWNING AND MAINTAINING THE VEHICLES. THIS CONSOLIDATION WILL SAVE SOLID WASTE SERVICES APPROXIMATELY 264,000 IN '03 AND APPROXIMATELY TWICE THAT AMOUNT IN '04. AS PARTED OF OUR PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO MODIFY THE WAY WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES OR TO ELIMINATE SERVICES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE AND WHERE IT DOES NOT COMPROMISE OUR MISSION TO DO SO. WE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COUNCIL TO KEEP YOU APPRISED OF OUR PROGRESS IN THIS ENDEAVOR AND WE SEEK YOUR INPUT AND APPROVAL BEFORE ANY CHANGES ARE EFFECTED. BEARING ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO MODIFY THE PROVISIONS OF SERVICES, WE WOULD HAVE TO SEEK RATE INCREASES IN FUTURE YEARS. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS WE ARE NOW WITHOUT REVENUE INCREASES IN OUR FUNDS. IN PREPARING OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET -- IN PREPARATION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, SOLID WASTE SERVICES HAD A COMPLEX ANALYSIS OF THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS OF PAY AS YOU THROW AND ANTI-LITTER PROGRAM. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE EXPECTED GROWTH IN THE CUSTOMER BASE AND IMPORTANT SOLID WASTE SERVICES WE HAVE TO HAVE AVAILABLE. THIS ANALYSIS WAS USED TO MINIMIZE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS AND TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM SIZE OF THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES WORKFORCE. AS A RESULT, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF $1.7 MILLION AND 20 F.T.E.'S IN '03 TO SIZE THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES WORKFORCE TO HANDLE AVERAGE WORK DAY LOADS WHILE ACCOMMODATING PEAK DAY LOADS THROUGH THE USE OF OVERTIME AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES. THE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE PAY AS YOU THROW AND LITTER ABATEMENT SERVICES TO OUR CUSTOMERS AT THE CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL. UNDER THE FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS, THE CITY WILL BE REQUIRED TO MONITOR AND CARE FOR THE CITY'S F.M. 812 LANDFILL FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS AFTER IT CLOSES. AND TO REPORT ON OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS. CURRENTLY WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEM IN FY '03. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A PLAN TO CONSOLIDATE THE BUDGET AND ACCOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR CITY-OWNED LANDFILLS. STARTING IN 2003, ALL EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH MONITORING AND CLOSING CITY-OWNED LANDFILLS WILL BE RECORDED IN THE LANDFILL CLOSURE AND POST CLOSURE CARE FUND WHICH IS COMMONLY CALLED THE LANDFILL FUND. THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES THE TRANSFER OF ONE F.T.E. FROM THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES FUND TO THE LANDFILL FUND AND TWO NEW F.T.E.S IN THE LANDFILL FUND TO WORK ON MONITORING AND CLOSING ACTIVITIES. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE AVERAGE WEEKLY SET OUT FOR THE PAY AS YOU THROW PROGRAM. WE ARE PROPOSING TO STILL COLLECT 46 POUNDS OF MATERIAL IN '03. THE PAY AS YOU THROW IS A VOLUME BASED SYSTEM FOR GARAGE COLLECTION WHICH TIES TO FEES CHARGED TO CUSTOMERS FOR THE VOLUME OF GARAGE GENERATED. THIS VOLUME HAS NOT CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS. WHAT HAS CHANGED DURING THAT TIME IS HOW THE MATERIAL HAS BEEN DISPOSED. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ALL OF THIS MATERIAL WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE LANDFILL. BUT IN '03 WE ARE PROPOSING THAT 14 POUNDS COLLECTED WILL BE TO RECYCLE AND REMAINING 32 POUNDS WILL BE DISPOSED OF AT EITHER THE TWO LANDFILLS WE CURRENTLY CONTRACT WITH. THOSE TWO LANDFILLS ARE THE TEXAS DISPOSAL LANDFILL OR THE BFI LANDFILL. NEXT SLIDE CAPITAL BUDGET WE ARE PROPOSING, A LITTLE OVER A MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. 65,000 FOR SUPPORT FACILITIES. 355,000 IN REPLACEMENT TRUCKS. PLUS 3 MILLION THAT WILL BE FINANCED BY FLEET SERVICES. 658,000 GOING TO CLOSED LANDFILL ASSESSMENTS. ZILKER PARK WILL TAKE THE LIONS SHARE OF THIS MONEY FOR ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION. INCOMES SLIDE IS WHAT WE ARE PROJECTING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE FOR THE CART SIZES IN 2003. WE ARE PROJECTING 12% OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE 30-GALLON CART. 83% TO HAVE A 60-GALLON CART, 5% OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE A 90-GALLON CART. IN 2003 WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 146,000 CUSTOMERS THAT WILL BE -- THAT WILL HAVE THESE CARTS IN PLACE. AT THIS TIME, THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET. I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

Mayor Garcia: WILLIE, ON THE STUFF THAT FLEET SERVICES IS FINANCING, YOU ARE AN ENTERPRISE FUND. ARE THEY GOING TO USE GENERAL FUND BONDS TO DO IT OR --

THEY ARE GOING TO USE CONTRACTUAL -- THEY ARE GOING TO USE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, K.O.'S THAT THEY WILL PAY FOR THROUGH THEIR REVENUES.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. AND YOU ARE USING SOME OF THE FUND BALANCE IN 2003? YES.

WHAT DOES THAT DO TO YOUR FUND BALANCE?

IT REDUCES IT DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

WE USED TO BE -- A THE GREATER THAN $5 MILLION.

Futrell: JOHN, EXPAND ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WE MADE A STRATEGIC DECISION, I KNOW THIS WAS PART OF A BRIEFING AT AUDIT AND FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE. CHANGE CHANGE[ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] (TIME: 6:58.) (TIME: 6:59).

I THINK IT WAS JUST HARD TO -- FOR THE FUND TO BE SITTING ON, AS WILLIE SAID, TO BE SITTING ON THE FIVE-MILLION-DOLLAR ENDING BALANCE AND HAVING THE RATE INCREASE -- I THINK THE LEVEL THAT THEIR FUND BALANCE IS PROJECTED TO BE AT THE END OF '03, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY THREE MILLION, IS IF IF YOU COMPARE TO TO THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE, IT IS MUCH HIGHER BALANCE THAN THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE IS. FUTURE SO BY STRATEGICALLY USING PART OF IT, YOU FORESTALLED ANY RATE INCREASE AND GIVE US A CHANCE ALSO TO COMPLETE OUR MANAGEMENT REVIEW OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES AND PREPARE FOR THE '04 BUDGET.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. AS WILLIE POINTED OUT DURING HIS PRESENTATION, WE HAVE A CONSULTANT ON BOARD RIGHT NOW TO HELP US ANALYZE OUR OPERATIONS. WE WILL FIRST LOOK FOR SAVINGS THROUGH EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. THAT WILL BE THE FIRST PLACE THAT WE LOOK. WE WILL THEN ALSO LOOK AT THE WAY THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE OPERATIONS. FRAMPLT, WE HAVE SAME-DAY SERVICE. THAT IS, WE PROVIDE RECYCLING, GARBAGE PICK UP AND PICK UP OF YARD TRIMMINGS ALL ON THE SAME DAY AS A CONVENIENCE TO THE CUSTOMER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE MAY HAVE THE CONSULTANT DO IS TO COST OUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE CAN SAVE IF WE DIDN'T PROVIDE ALL OF THOSE SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE SAME DAY. AND SO IN A WAY IT'S NOT THAT WE WOULD NECESSARILY STOP PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES, IT'S JUST THAT WE WOULD ASK THE CONSUMERS, OUR CUSTOMERS, TO HELP US BEAR PART OF THE LOAD IN FORESTALLING FUTURE RATE INCREASES. BUT AS WILLIE ALSO SAID, WE WILL KEEP COUNCIL APPRISED AT EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY AND WE WILL NOT PUT INTO EFFECT ANY OF THOSE ACTIONS BEFORE WE SOUGHT COUNCIL APPROVAL.

I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON THAT. FOR THE SAME DAY SERVICE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT PEAK DATES ON EACH ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS, CYCLING, YARD TRIMMINGS AND GARBAGE. TRYING TO GET A WORKFORCE SET OUT FOR THOSE IS VERY DIFFICULT. WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN MOVE THOSE SERVICES AROUND AND KEEP OUR WORKFORCE DIRECTED.

Mayor Garcia: ARE WE TAKING ANY OF OUR SOLID WASTE TO THE LANDFILLS ON 290 EAST?

YES, WE ARE. ONE-THIRD OF THE GARBAGE GOES TO THE BFI LANDFILL ON GILES ROAD.

Mayor Garcia: IS THAT ONE OF THE LANDFILLS THAT PEOPLE ARE SENDING US E-MAILS ON?

THAT'S ONE OF THE LANDFILLS THEY'RE SENDING E-MAILS ON.

Mayor Garcia: WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MITIGATE THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE? ARE THEY CAPPING THOSE LANDFILLS EVERYDAY OR WHAT DO THEY DO?

WELL, THEY'RE COVERING THE LANDFILLS EVERYDAY USING DIRT. BFI HAS REDUCED THE WORKING FACE OF THE LANDFILL. THEY'VE ALSO INSTALLED ADDITIONAL GAS COLLECTION WELLS TO HELP -- FOR THE ADDITIONAL GAS THAT'S BEING PRODUCED AT THE LANDFILL UP THERE. THEY'RE ALSO DOING SOME AESTHETIC THINGS SUCH AS PUTTING UP A GREEN WALL, PLANTING SOME TREES AND THAT TYPE OF EFFORT. THEY ALSO ARE TRYING TO PICK UP LITTER FROM OUT THERE. THEY BOTH COME TOGETHER AND BOTH BFI AND WASTE MANAGEMENT HAVE PURCHASED STREET SWEEPERS TO TRY TO SWEEP THE ROADS AFTER RAIN EVENTS TO KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR.

Mayor Garcia: THAT ROAD THAT'S BETWEEN THEM AND APPLIED MATERIALS?

RIGHT. THE ROAD IS GILES ROAD AND IT GOES FROM HARRIS BRANCH TO HARRIS BRANCH. AND IT ALLOWS THE HARRIS BRANCH TO BYPASS A LONGER WAY.

Mayor Garcia: WHAT'S 10 RACK DOING ABOUT THAT? TNRCC DOING ABOUT THAT? THAT'S THEIR JURISDICTION, NOT OURS.

THAT'S CORRECT. TNRCC HAS PUT -- FILED COMPLAINTS AGAINST BOTH BFI AND WASTE MANAGEMENT CONCERNING THE GAS -- THE GAS COLLECTION SYSTEMS. AND IT'S GOT THE LECHE UP THERE. SO RIGHT NOW BFI AND WASTE MANAGEMENT HAVE STALLED ADDITIONAL GAS COLLECTION WELLS TO ADDRESS THE LE CHE. ALL THE WELLS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED THAT TNRCC APPROVED AND SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST COLLECTING THE GAS. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HAVE DROPPED SEVERELY SINCE THEY'VE DONE MOST OF THEIR EFFORTS AND THERE ARE STILL COMPLAINTS ABOUT ODORS AROUND THE LANDFILL. WE PRESENTED DO YOU THIS PAST -- EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN WE TOLD YOU THAT THE ODORS AROUND THERE -- THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS IT DID NOT CAUSE A HEALTH PROBLEM TO THE PUBLIC.

Futrell: WILLIE, THE METHODS THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED ARE ALL NEW, ARE ALL PART OF THE ACTION PLAN THAT THEY'RE DOING IN ORDER TO TRY TO ELIMINATE OR MITIGATE THE ODORS. AND A SIGNIFICANT ONE BEING THE SOIL COVER DAILY, WHICH WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS OCCURRING BEFORE.

EACH ONE WAS DOING IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WASTE MANAGEMENT WAS USING A TARP TO COVER IT AT THE END OF THE DAY AND THEN ROLLING IT BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT DAY AND PUTTING ADDITIONAL GARBAGE IN THERE AND THEN COVERING AT THE END OF THE WEEK. BFI, BECAUSE OF THE HOURS OF OPERATION AND THEY HAD SUCH A LARGE WORK SPACE, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS NEVER BEING COVERED WHEN YOU DROVE BY THERE. SO THEY REDUCED THE SIZE OF THE WORKING SPACE AND THEY'RE COVERING IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. RHODES OR MR. STEVENS? MAYOR PRO TEM?

Goodman: DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IS IN YOUR CAPITAL BUDGET RIGHT NOW?

I'M CALLING UP THE BUDGET MANAGER.

13.3 MILLION.

Goodman: THANK YOU.

Wynn: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

Wynn: MR. RHODES, THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, Y'ALL SEEMED PRETTY GOOD. MY GUESS IS VERY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF TOWN AND SPECIFICALLY RECENTLY ANNEXED AREAS. WHEN WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ANNEXATIONS AND/OR JUST MEET WITH CITIZENS OF SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WERE ANNEXED AS PART OF THE MAY 1997 ANNEXATIONS, INEVITABLY SOLID WASTE IS AN ISSUE FOR THEM. AND SOME OF THEM IS JUST THE SIMPLE MATH OF THEY WERE USED TO PAYING LESS FOR THEIR SERVICE AND PROBABLY BECAUSE OF RECYCLING, -- LACK OF RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT DO WE TRY TO SORT OF SOMEHOW ACKNOWLEDGE THAT? I KNOW WE WANT TO HAVE EQUITY AMONGST ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, BUT DO WE SOMEHOW TRY TO FOCUS ON THAT AND TRY TO HELP INTERFACE BETTER WITH RECENTLY ANNEXED AREAS AND GET THEM MORE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR SOLID WASTE SERVICES AND SATISFY THEM?

ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO, WHEN WE ADD ANY AREAS ON WHICH WAS ANNEXED IN '97 AND PROBABLY SERVICE THE CUSTOMERS WITH THE PROGRAM, WE SEND A LETTER TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND WE INFORM THEM THAT WE'LL BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THEM AND TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAMMING DETAILS. LAST YEAR WHEN WE ADDED AREAS TO THE NORTHWEST, WE TALKED TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, WE WALKED THROUGH ALL OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAD. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT RECYCLING BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS IN A CONTRACT WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WITH A PRIVATE HAULER GENERALLY HAS RECYCLING IN THERE, BUT THE LEVEL OF OF RECYCLING MAY NOT BE UP THERE. WE ALSO OFFERED THAT WE WOULD COME OUT IF THEY WANT US TO DO A WASTE AUDIT ON THEIR PROPERTY TO HELP THEM REDUCE THEIR VOLUME OF WASTE THAT THEY DO HAVE. TIPTYPICALLY WHAT ALWAYS OCCURS IS HOW MUCH AM I PAYING VERSUS HOW MUCH IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAYING? AND THEY SEE IT AS PAYING MORE FOR LESS SERVICES. WHAT OUR PROGRAM IS SET UP IS TO DIVERT AS MUCH OF THE MATERIAL FROM THE LANDFILL. AND THIS IS WHAT SE SET UP PROGRAM UP FOR. BY HAVING THE VARIABLE RATE PROGRAM IT'S LIKE THE UTILITY BILL, IF YOU WANT TO USE MORE GARBAGE, IT WILL COST YOU MORE. IF YOU WANT TO USE LESS GARBAGE, IT WILL COST YOU LESS. THE CUSTOMERS UP THERE HAVE THE PRIVATE CONTRACT THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT THE RECYCLING RATE IS -- ONE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE DO PROVIDE IS WE HAVE A SEPARATE COLLECTION FOR YARD TRIMMINGS EVERY WEEK. THAT SERVICE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THEY DO BRUSH COLLECTION PERIODICALLY, BUT THEY DON'T DO SEPARATE COLLECTION OF YARD TRIMMINGS EVERY YEAR. THE VOLUME OF YARD TRIMMINGS WE PICK UP EVERY YEAR IS CONTINUING TO GROW. AND FROM THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN CUSTOMERS, EACH WEEK WE HAVE A HARD TIME PICKING UP IN ONE DAY UP THERE THE THE -- THE YARD TRIMMINGS IS GREAT. SO WE DO TRY TO EDUCATE THEM AND WE ALSO TALKED TO THEM THAT WE HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. WE DEAL WITH -- WE ALSO OFFER A LOT OF OTHER SERVICES THAT WE TRY TO EDUCATE THEM ON, HOW DO RECYCLE, WHERE TO TAKE SOME OF THESE OLD MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE FOR THAT. WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT WE OFFER THEM THAT THEY CAN LOOK ON TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO REDUCE THEIR WASTE. THROUGH AN AUDIT OR SOMEONE ELSE THAT WE HAVE IN THE WASTE WEBSITE.

Wynn: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

Futrell: ANOTHER THING, COUNCILMEMBER, IS WE ALSO ALLOW A TRANSITION PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE '97 '97 ANNEXED PERIOD WHERE IF THEY CHOSE TO DO IT, THEY COULD KEEP THEIR PRIVATE HAULER SERVICE WHILE WE WORKED WITH THEM FOR AN INTERIM PERIOD TO WORK WITH THAT. AND MANY CHOSE THAT OPTION AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GO UP TO FIVE YEARS BEFORE THEY HAD TO TRANSITION ON. IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO HELP GET COMFORTABLE WITH AND FOR US TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES BEFORE OUR SERVICES BECAME THE PRIME PROVIDER.

RIGHT. WE HAVE ONE AREA IN THE '97 ANNEXATION ANNEXATION THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING ON IN THE AUGUST, SEPTEMBER TIME FRAME.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. RHODES? THANK YOU, WILLIE. WE'LL NOW GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEMS THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE, WHICH IS FIRE, E.M.S. AND POLICE, MUNICIPAL COURT, AVIATION, CONVENTION CENTER AND SOLID WASTE SERVICES. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. PAUL ROBBINS. AND MR. ROBBINS, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES BECAUSE CHARLOTTE FLYNN HAS GIVEN YOU HER TIME.

MAYOR, CHARLOTTE WILL GET THE TIME THAT I DON'T USE, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

Mayor Garcia: SO SHE'S GOING TO SPEAK?

AT THE END OF MY SPEECH, YES, SIR.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. SO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

VERY GOOD. CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, TIMES ARE HARD. IN 2001 ABOUT 20,000 LAYOFFS OCCURRED. MOST IN THE HIGH-TECH FIELD THAT DRIVES AUSTIN'S ECONOMY. TAXES ARE REDUCED BECAUSE THE NATIONWIDE RECESSION AND THE CITY IS EXPECTED TO VOTE INCREASED TAXES AND REDUCED SERVICES. MANY CITY AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDUCE SALARIES AND SERVICES WHILE TAXES AND FEES INCREASE, BUT CURIOUSLY TAX REDUCTIONS DO NOT AFFECT THESE CITY'S MUNICIPAL UTILITY, AUSTIN ENERGY. WHILE THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND GROVELS, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS $183 MILLION IN THE BANK. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT WHILE AUSTIN ENERGY DRINKS CHAMPAGNE, MOST OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS CRUSH THE GRAPES. WHILE THE TAXPAYERS ARE ASKED TO GIVE MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES WITH COLLECTIVELY REDUCED SALARIES CAUSED BY THE RECESSION, AUSTIN ENERGY NEEDS TO SHARE THE PAIN. AND I'VE TRIED TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH SAVINGS THE 1 $183 MILLION WOULD BRING IF YOU SPEND THE $183 MILLION ON DEBT DEFEE SANS, WHICH BY THE WAY WAS ITS ORIGINAL GOAL IN 1996 WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED. MY GUESS IS IT WOULD SAVE THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD ABOUT $37. HOWEVER, IF YOU TOOK $22 MILLION AS ONE-TIME REVENUE OUT OF THE FUND IN A TRANSFER, YOU COULD ELIMINATE THE FIVE-DOLLAR PER MONTH CUSTOMER CHARGE AND THAT WOULD SAVE THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD $60 PER YEAR. THIS WOULD BE A SPECIAL HELP TO LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS, THOUGH EVERYONE, ALL HOUSEHOLDS, WOULD SHARE IN THIS REDUCTION. SINCE 1996 AUSTIN ENERGY HAS OVERCOLLECTED $478 MILLION AND IT'S SPENT OVER HALF OF IT ON PURCHASING NEW POWER PLANTS WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL. I KIND OF USE KVUE THIS AS A GIANT SLUSH FUND -- VIEW THIS AS A GIANT SLUSH FUND FROM BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC. WELL, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH POWER FOR THE TIME BEING AND AUSTIN ENERGY NEEDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S CURRENT FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. IT WOULD BE UNCONSCIONABLE TO DO OTHERWISE. OH, AND BY THE WAY, COUNCIL, ARE THE VOTEDERS GOING TO GET TO VOTE ON THE NEXT POWER PLANT? MAYOR, DO YOU THINK THE VOTERS WILL GET TO VOTE ON THE NEXT POWER PLANT? THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR YOU TO SPEAK, NOT FOR ME TO SPEAK.

NOTHING OBLIGATES YOU TO ANSWER, SIR.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

Goodman: MAYOR, COULD I ASK HIM A QUESTION, THOUGH.

Mayor Garcia: SURE. MR. ROBBINS, THE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.

Goodman: CAN YOU EXPAND EVER SO BRIEFLY ON THE OVERCOLLECTION THAT YOU MENTIONED? CAN YOU GO BACK OVER THAT? IN WHAT CONTEXT IS THE OVERCOLLECTION HAPPENING?

WHY CERTAINLY, COUNCILMEMBER. ON DECEMBER 12TH, 1996, THE DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMILYFANY, -- INFAN Y, THREE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AS WELL AS OTHERS VOTED TO LOWER COSTS, BUT KEEP RATES THE SAME. THE THEORY WAS THAT OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS --

Mayor Garcia: PAUL, COULD YOU GET A LITTLE FURTHER BACK FROM THE MICROPHONE SO YOU BLOW THE WAX OUT OF OUR EARS?

YOU SAID THAT, I DIDN'T. THE CITY WOULD OVERCOLLECT -- EXCUSE ME, WOULD COLLECT ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OVER THIS PERIOD AND USE THAT TO DEFEASE THE DEBT, TO LOWER RATES, THE THEORY BEING THAT DEREGULATION MIGHT OVERTAKE US AND THAT THIS WOULD MAKE AUSTIN ENERGY'S RATES LOWER AND MORE COMPETITIVE. WELL, AS YOU KNOW, IN THAT TIME PERIOD $478 MILLION, ACCORDING TO AUSTIN ENERGY, HAS BEEN OVERCOLLECTED. OF THAT ABOUT $229 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON POWER PLANTS. ONLY ABOUT $2.1 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON DEFEASING THE DEBT, LESS THAN ONE PERCENT, AND THE REST OF IT, 183 MILLION ROUGHLY, IS IN THE BANK OR TANT TANTAMOUNT TO IT.

Goodman: THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. ROBBINS. KEN SMITH IS NOT HERE, BUT HE WANTED ME TO READ A STATEMENT. WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE CONTINUED ATTENTION BY THE COUNCIL FOR A REASONABLE BALANCE BETWEEN FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SERVICES, VIS-A-VIS PUBLIC SAFETY. A MAJOR CONCERN WE HAVE EXPRESSED AT RECENT COUNCIL MEETINGS AND BEFORE THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN IN OUR VIEW QUESTIONABLE ASSUMPTIONS, RE, A REAL DEFICIT IN LIGHT OF 183 MILLION IN THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFER OF FUNDS -- TRANSFER FUNDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. CHARLOTTE FLYNN? AND FOLLOWING MS. FLYNN, THE LAST SPEAKER IS MR. CHRIS RILEY. MS. FLYNN, WELCOME.

THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS AND CITIZENS. I HAD GIVEN MY TIME TO PAUL BECAUSE HE'S OUR EXPERT ON THE ELECTRIC COMPANY AND I'M NOT THAT WELL VERSED, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING REALLY NECESSARY SERVICES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN -- AND I SERVE ON THE C.A.N. BOARD AND WE'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE INCREASE IN THE NEEDS FOR OUR CITIZENS OF THE BASIC NEEDS. AND THIS ALSO EXTENDS, AS PAUL SAID, TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF BEING -- LOSING THEIR JOBS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY MAYBE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOME CREATIVE WORK IN LOOKING AT THE HOMELAND SECURITY FUND. THAT'S WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS FEDERALLY. WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY FEDERAL MONEY FOR HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE -- THE STATE HAS A DEBT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SAME AS THE CITY DOES. SO HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ARE IN DIRE NEED AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN CERTAINLY QUALIFY FOR HOMELAND DEFENSE. AND I THINK THAT IN SOME WAY THAT'S WHERE ALL THE FEDERAL MONEY IS LOCKED UP. THEY'RE CUTTING BACK ON ALL THE OTHER SERVICES. THE STATE IS IN A DEFICIT MODE. THERE ARE MANY SERVICES THAT ARE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF, SO I THINK YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THAT AS A WAY OF GETTING SOME FEDERAL FUN MONEY, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S THE MONEY THAT'S KEEPING US FROM DELIVERING SERVICES, AND IT MIGHT BE FOR THE UNINSURED IN THIS COUNTRY WE HAVE 18,000 PEOPLE DYING EVERY YEAR AND NOBODY WORRIES ABOUT IT. IT'S A VERY SILENT THING THAT GOES ON AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MS. FLYNN.

Goodman: SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE AS WE GET A BUDGET, COULD WE GET AN UPDATE AND A REVIEW? BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO GET FUNDS FROM THE HOMELAND SECURITY AND ANY OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS WE CAN GET. SO CAN WE HAVE --

Futrell: YES, MAYOR PRO TEM. AND MS. FLYNN RAISES A GOOD POINT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED $1.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS FOR HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES THROUGH HOMELAND DEFENSE. IRONICALLY JUST THE OPPOSITE HAS HAPPENED. MUCH OF THE HOMELAND DEFENSE MONEY IS EXACTLY TIED TO HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH PROVISIONS AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL SO FAR AND HAVE OTHER GRANTS IN THE WORK AND YES, WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE.

Mayor Garcia: MR. RILEY, WELCOME, SIR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. MY NAME IS CHRIS RILEY. I'M A LONG TIME DOWNTOWN RESIDENT AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN COMMISSION. WE'RE HEARING ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER'S BUDGET TONIGHT AND I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION TO PARTICULARLY EXPENSIVE ITEM UNDER THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THAT IS THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER PARKING GARAGE. AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AMONG OTHERS, HAVE LONG BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT CURRENT PLANS FOR THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER PARKING GARAGE. AND IN THESE DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES THOSE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED BY MOUNTING EVIDENCE THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER ALREADY HAS MORE THAN ENOUGH GARAGE CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. I WANT TO MAKE FIVE POINTS ABOUT THAT. FIRST, -- THE FIRST POINT RELATES TO THESE DOWN SPACES. WE'VE LONG KNOWN THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER NEEDS FOUR HUNDRED SPACES FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL RECENTLY IS THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CURRENTLY LEASING OUT 500 PIECE SPAISS IN ITS EXISTING GARAGE AND IS PLANNING ON CONTINUING TO DO THAT. AND IN A RECENT DEPOSITION IN A COURT PROCEEDING RELATING TO THE CONDEMNATION, WHICH IS A VERY INTERESTING DEPOSITION, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A COPY TO ANYONE WHO WANTS IT, MR. HODGE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, EXPLAINED THAT THE 500 PARKING SPACE EXPANSION COULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMMODATED BY TERMINATING THE MONTHLY SPACES AT THE EXISTING FACILITY AT A COST OF -- RIGHT NOW WE NET ABOUT $400,000 A YEAR OFF OF THOSE SPACES. WELDING GIVING UP ABOUT 4 ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, BUT THE CAPITALIZED VALUE OF THAT IS ABOUT ONE-FOURTH THE COST OF SPENDING 15 TO $18 MILLION ON THE NEW FACILITY. SO IT WOULD BE A HECK OF A LOT CHEAPER JUST TO CANCEL THE MONTHLY LEASES THAN TO GO AND CONDEMN THIS BLOCK, THIS VALUABLE DOWNTOWN BLOCK AND TAKE THAT VALUABLE BLOCK OFF THE TAX ROLLS FOR A NEW GARAGE. THE SECOND POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT 400 FIGURE THAT WE KEEP HEARING ISN'T FROM ANY KIND OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY. THAT WAS A GUESS. MR. HODGE ALSO IN HIS DEPOSITION SAID THAT THERE WAS NEVER ANY FORMAL ESTIMATE, NO STUDY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT WERE ACTUALLY NEEDED FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. IN FACT, THE THIRD POINT RELATES TO THE PARKING STUDY THAT WE DID DO, THE DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY ACTUALLY SHOWS -- STILL ONLINE. ANYBODY CAN LOOK THIS UP. IT SHOWS THE UTILIZATION OF THE CURRENT CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE ON A TYPICAL WEEKDAY WAS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN ANY GRUDGE GRAJ STUDIED, PEAKING AT ABOUT 300 OF THE 1100 SPACES IN THE GARAGE. AND THAT'S WITH 500 SPACES BEING LEASED TO NON-CONVENTION CENTER RELATED USERS. FOURTH POINT, THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER WILL HAVE 700 OF ITS OWN PARKING SPACES. I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT THE CONVENTIONERS SAYING AT THAT HOTEL ARE UNLIKELY TO DRIVE A COUPLE OF BLOCKS TO DRIVE IN THE NEW GARAGE. [ BUZZER SOUNDS ] AND FINALLY, A FULL POINT OF EXPANDING THE GARAGE WOULD MAKE IT MORE OF A NATIONAL DESTINATION. I DON'T THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO THE NEW EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING CARS. IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES IT'S CRITICAL TO TAKE A LOOK AT EXPENSES LIKE THIS AND I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL TO SLOW DOWN AND BACK OFF OF THIS VERY EXPENSIVE, NEW PARKING GARAGE. THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF COUNCILMEMBERS? THIS IS THE FIRST OF HOW MANY HEARINGS?

Futrell: WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, I THINK TWO MORE. TWO MORE HEARINGS THAT ARE TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY. WE'LL BE DOING PRESENTATIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND ZONING, TRANSPORTATION, WATERSHED PROTECTION, PUBLIC WORKS OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WATER WASTEWATER AND AUSTIN ENERGY. WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT UP ON THE AUGUST 21st WORK SESSION AND OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON AUGUST 22nd. THEN ON AUGUST 28th WE WILL HAVE THE REMAINING SERVICES, PARKS, HEALTH, LIBRARY, OUR PRIMARY CARE CLINIC, HOUSING, AND ON THAT NIGHT, AUGUST 29TH FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL HAVE A GENERAL BUDGET-RELATED PUBLIC HEARING SORT OF OPEN TO ALL TOPICS.

Goodman: MAYOR, COULD I ASK A QUESTION?

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR PRO TEM?

Goodman: RELATIVE TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED TONIGHT BY SPEAKERS, COULD WE TURN THEM INTO SORT OF FORMALLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM US ON THE DIAS SO THEN STAFF CAN ACTUALLY WRITE IN OUR TYPICAL BLUE PAGE QUESTION RESPONSES TO THOSE? AND MR. RILEY'S AS WELL?

Futrell: ALL RIGHT.

Slusher: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER.

> Slusher: THE MAYOR ACTUALLY HAS A SUPERB ANSWER TO A QUESTION OF ONE OF THE SPEAKERS IN A MUCH LENGTHIER SPEECH HE GAVE AT THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, SO IF YOU WANT A TAPE OR A TRANSCRIPT OF THAT ABOUT THE UTILITY REALLY LAYS OUT WHY THAT MONEY IS BEING PUT INTO THE -- IS BEING SAVED AND GETTING READY FOR COMPETITION AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. I WOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO RECREATE EVERYTHING. I WONDERED IF HE REMEMBERED ALL THAT OR HAD IT IN FRONT OF HIM WHEN HE SAID ALL THAT?

Mayor Garcia: NO, I DIDN'T, COUNCILMEMBER. I FIGURED THAT ONCE I SAID IT ONE TIME, I COULDN'T DO LIKE I DO WITH A LOT OF THE E-MAILS, I COULD DELETE IT. [ LAUGHTER ]

Futrell: ALSO, COUNCILMEMBERS, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHEN AUSTIN ENERGY GAVE THE FIRST OF THEIR REVISED MONTHLY PRESENTATIONS ON THEIR FINANCES AND POLICY ISSUES, THEY SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE FUND THAT WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT TO GO THROUGH ITS HISTORY, ITS CHANGED MISSION, THE PLANS FOR THAT AND THE REASON FOR AMOUNT. SO THAT ALSO HAS BEEN PLAYED ON CHANNEL 6 AND WE HAD A SET OF HANDOUTS THAT TIED TO THAT.

Slusher: I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THE UTILITY HAS BEEN VERY HEALTHY SINCE THAT DAY IN SUBSIDIARY. IT WAS A TURNAROUND FOR THE FACILITY SINCE DECEMBER 19TH, '96, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY BUDGET, SOCIAL SERVICES AND EVERY PART OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY AUSTIN ENERGY BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A LARGE PORTION OF THE CITY BUDGET THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER.

Goodman: MAYOR, EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO SPEAK TO US DOESN'T NECESSARILY -- LET ME CHANGE THAT. SOME THINGS NEED TO BE WRITTEN DOWN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT THEM. FUTURE

Futrell:, AND WHAT WE'LL DO, MAYOR PRO TEM, WE'LL TURN UP THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TONIGHT ON THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFER QUESTION INTO A FORM OF A WRITTEN Q AND A THAT WE'LL DISTRIBUTE TO EVERYONE AND WE'LL TRY TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE PUBLIC HEARINGS, TAKE SOME OF THE KEY QUESTIONS AND GO ON AND WORK THROUGH A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THAT EVERYBODY HAS IT.

Goodman: AND WE HAVE A WEBSITE FOR BUDGET ISSUES AND BUDGET QUESTIONS?

Futrell: YOU KNOW, I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT MIGHT BE EASY TO DO, SO LET ME WORK WITH OUR BUDGET OFFICE. ACTUALLY, HE'S GETTING UP. MAYBE I'M WRONG.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT THE Q AND A THAT DOES GET SUBMITTED IS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.

Futrell: OH, GOOD.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT, THAT'S ALL WE WE HAVE ON THIS AGENDA AND IT'S ONLY 7:30. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN HERE SOMEPLACE. MOTION BY EVERYBODY, SECONDED BY EVERYBODY. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: WE'RE ADJOURNED. (END AT 7:30)

End of Council Session Closed Caption Log