Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting
Monday, September 9, 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.

DUNKERLY, WIN, THOMAS AND GARCIA. SO -- SO -- WE WILL CALL TO ORDER, THE -- THE SPECIAL -- [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 11 ITEMS THAT WE WILL TAKE IN THE SEQUENCE IN WHICH THEY ARE LISTED ON THE AGENDA. I WILL ANNOUNCE, ALSO, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION UNDER CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TO RECEIVE ADVICE FROM LEGAL COUNSEL TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF LANDS ACQUISITION, TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS, TO DISCUSS OR TAKE ACTION ON A COMPETITIVE MATTER OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY DEPARTMENT, AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER SECTION 551.086, OR FOR OTHER REASONS PERMITTED BY LAW AS SPECIFICALLY LISTED ON THIS AGENDA. IF NECESSARY THE CITY COUNCIL MAY GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED BY LAW REGARDING ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS I INDICATED EARLIER, WE HAVE 11 OF THOSE ITEMS. COUNCIL, I ALSO -- ALSO THIS MORNING, I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE -- THAT THE CITY CLERK HAS BEEN RECEIVING SOME CALLS WITH REGARD TO ARTS FUNDING AND AT THIS TIME, LET ME RECOGNIZE MS. SHIRLEY BROWN SO THAT SHE CAN GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE OF -- OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR OFFICE. THEY TOLD ME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN RECEIVING SOME CALLS.

THE -- THE BULK OF THE CALLS WHERE WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK TODAY OR NOT. WHAT WE ADVISED THEM IS THAT COUNCIL HAD VOTED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGETS LAST WEEK AND THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mayor Garcia: ALL RIGHT. LET ME ASK THE CITY -- BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THIS. WE MAY HAVE DONE -- WE MAY HAVE HAD THIS. BUT CITY MANAGER, DID WE ACTUALLY HAVE A POSTED PUBLIC HEARING THAT INCLUDED THE -- THE ARTS FUNDING?

WE HAD -- WE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT COVERED EACH DEPARTMENT SO THERE WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS CULTURAL ARTS AT LEAST TWICE AMONG THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. FIRST THE PUBLIC HEARING ON PARKS, WHERE THE CULTURAL ARTS IS SUPPORTED, THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING WHICH IS THE GENERAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING, WHERE WE ACTUALLY DID HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE ARTS CONTRACTS.

WHEN WE -- WHAT WHERE HE MAY DO ON THIS, IF ANY OF YOU ARE OUT THERE LISTENING, IF THE -- IF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARTS COMMISSION OR -- OR THE DEPOSITION DESIGNEE, VICE CHAIRPERSON, WOULD COME, I SUSPECT THE REASON THAT -- THAT MS. BROWN IS GETTING THE CALLS IS THAT BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN -- THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL ARTICLES IN THE PAPER WITH REGARD TO -- TO HOW THIS FUNDING -- FUNDING IS GOING TO BE DONE THIS YEAR. SO -- SO -- SO WHEREAS -- WHEREAS THE CITY MANAGER IS CORRECT, WE HAD THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. WE MAY, IF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION -- I'M GOING TO ASK MY STAFF TO SEE IF THEY CAN CONTACT THEM, IF THEY COULD BE HERE, WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP, I WILL RECOGNIZE THEM SO THAT THEY CAN SPEAK TO THE ISSUES. ALSO, IN CONJUNCTION, I WILL EXPLAIN THIS -- I WILL EXPLAIN THIS AS WE GO THROUGH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ARTS FUNDING PROCESS, COUNCILMEMBERS DUNKERLY AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN HAVE BEEN WORKING -- WORKING TO TRY TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAD WITH REGARD TO THAT FUNDING. SO -- SO THEY WILL BE SPEAKING, COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLY, I THINK YOU CAN SPEAK FOR BOTH YOU AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU WILL BE SPEAKING ON -- ON HOW THE PROCESS WAS DONE. EXCUSE ME. SO PEOPLE CAN GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DOING. LET ME JUST SAY THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY YEAR FOR ANY -- FOR ANY OF -- FOR ANY BUDGETS IN THE CITY. BUT THE ARTS FUNDING, BECAUSE THERE -- THEIR FUNDING COMES FROM -- STRICTLY FROM HOTEL, MOTEL TAX, THAT ONE HAS SUFFERED -- HAS SUFFERED A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE FOR '03 OR PROJECTED DECLINE FOR '03. THAT FUNDING WAS REDUCED AND THAT -- I THINK THAT THE WORK HAS -- THAT COUNCILMEMBERS DUNKERLY AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN HAD -- HAVE DONE ARE -- ARE -- HAVE BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT IN TRYING TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT -- THAT PEOPLE HAVE -- HAVE MADE DURING THE PROCESS. LET ME SAY THAT BESIDES ANY TESTIMONY THAT MAY HAVE -- MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THERE HAVE BEEN -- THERE HAVE BEEN FEW E-MAILS COMING INTO OUR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. BUT WE WILL FOLLOW THAT AND -- AND -- AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME WHEN WE GET TO THE -- TO THE -- I THINK -- WHAT ITEM IS THAT? ARTS FUNDING? ARTS SERVICES, THAT'S 7.

YES, SIR.

IT'S APPROVE A RESOLUTION FOR THE 2002-2003 CONTRACTS FOR CULTURAL ARTS SERVICES. WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP, IT REPRESENTS -- IT -- A REPRESENTATIVE OR THE CHAIRPERSON EVER THE ARTS -- OF THE ARTS COMMISSION IS HERE, I WILL RECOGNIZE HIM AT THAT SPECIFIC TIME.

I THINK WE ARE READY TO GET STARTED. WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, AN INTENSE AMOUNT OF WORK OVER THE LAST MONTH, A MORE INTENSE AMOUNT OF WORK OVER THE LAST WEEK, I THINK WE ARE READY TO MOVE THROUGH THE DIALOGUE.

THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30th, 2003. AND -- AND -- AND I'M GOING TO TAKE ASSISTANCE WITH THE COUNCILMEMBERS OR -- ON THEIR WAY HERE, SO THAT WE CAN -- HAVE HE SHOULD PRESENT DURING THIS MOST IMPORTANT, THERE'S ONE, THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS COMING IN AS WE SPEAK. CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE THE SCRIPT TAKES ITEMS 1, 2, 3, TOGETHER, IS IT REQUIRED THAT WE -- THAT WE DO ALL THREE AT THE SAME TIME?

Futrell: NO, IT IS NOT. BREAK OUT AND DO ANY ONE OF THESE, ALSO TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR GET ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE NEED ON ANY OF THEM.

OKAY. SO THE FIRST ITEM THAT I HAVE INDICATED IS APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30th, 2003. AND HERE'S WHAT WE WILL DO. -- WE FIRST WILL HAVE THE CITY MANAGER GIVE A BRIEF OVER-VUE OF WHAT THAT BUDGET IS. THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND AND THEN WE WILL GO INTO ANY AMENDMENTS THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT TO MAKE ON THE BUDGET.

Futrell: JUST THE PROCESS FOR MOVING THROUGH THESE MOTIONS IS TO START WITH -- WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THAT WAS -- THAT WAS PRESENTED EXTENSIVELY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THEN BROKEN OUT BY CLUSTERS OF DEPARTMENTS IN ALL OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. THAT BECOMES YOUR STARTING PLACE. ADOPTING THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND ANY BASICALLY CORRECTIONS THAT NEEDED TO OCCUR IN THAT BUDGET. THEN FROM THERE YOU MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS, EVERYTHING FROM -- FROM AS SIMPLE AS ACCEPTING SOME GRANTS THAT HAVE COME IN SINCE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WENT TO PRINT TO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WHICH I THINK WE HAD OUTLINED HERE FOR YOU. JOHN, RUDY, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE FIRST MOTION, JUST TAKING THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS YOUR BASELINE? DO YOU WANT TO ADD? NO, CITY MANAGER, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. ADOPTED THE BUDGET AS FIRST PRESENTED AND THEN WE DISCUSSED THE AMENDMENTS. COMMENTS TO OPEN UP THE PROCESS? IS EVERYBODY -- DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND HOW WE WILL PROCEED ON THIS. WE NEED A NOTION APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING APPROVING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR OCTOBER 12002 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30th, 2003.

Goodman: SO MOVE, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. OKAY. THE -- THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE SCRIPT THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS, CITY MANAGER, THE PROPOSED BUDGET ENDING BALANCE, HALF OF THAT WILL BE -- WILL BE IN THE REVENUE CHANGES, THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, CORRECT?

Futrell: THAT IS IN THE BUDGET.

Mayor Garcia: BUT THERE IS AN AMENDMENT THAT'S REQUIRED BECAUSE THE PROPERTY TAX ROLLS THAT CAME IN CAME IN WITH PROJECTED REVENUE OF $471,223 HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED. SO THAT -- THAT NEEDS TO BE AN AMENDMENT.

Futrell: THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.

Mayor Garcia: SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO AMEND THE BUDGET BY $471,223, BY INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX BY THAT AMOUNT AS A RESULT OF THE JULY 25th, 2002 CERTIFIED TAX ROLL FROM THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

Goodman: I'M HAPPY TO MOVE THAT, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. IS THERE A SECOND?

Slusher: SECOND.

Mayor Garcia: SECONDED BY BOTH COUNCILMEMBERS DUNKERLY AND SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: THAT AMENDMENT HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE MAIN MOTION. THE NEXT AMENDMENT IS IN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THAT'S TO AMEND THE PROPOSED BUDGET BY RESTORING ONE -- ONE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST, ONE POSITION FOR THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AND -- IN THE AMOUNT OF 37,000 -- 33,777 AND INCREASING APPROPRIATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF 46,223 FOR SPECIAL ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF $80,000. THIS IS THE ONE THAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE TIME THAT WE HAD PUBLIC HEARING WITH REGARD TO SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL WILL -- WILL BE ADDED BACK ON AND WE WILL -- WE WILL HAVE ALSO A SPECIAL ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT INCLUDED SO THAT WE CAN SERVE OUR DISABLED POPULATION. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT ITEM.

SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. DISCUSSION?

WYNN: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

WYNN: HAVE WE GOTTEN APPROPRIATE FEEDBACK FROM ADAPT AND OTHER DISABLED COMMUNITY ABOUT THE LOSS OF THIS F.T.E. AND PROGRAM?

Futrell: THE CONTACT THAT I WAS ABLE TO HAVE IS WE WORKED THROUGH A COMPROMISE PROPOSAL HERE ON THIS, EVEN THROUGH THE WEEKEND UP UNTIL YESTERDAY EVENING. WE WERE ABLE TO TALK EXTENSIVELY WITH -- WITH RON LUCEY, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR DISABLED PERSONS. I SPOKE WITH HIM AGAIN THIS MORNING. SO HE UNDERSTANDS THIS ITEM AND THE COMPROMISE. AS YOU KNOW, PROBABLY 30% IF NOT 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AT THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEARING WERE REPRESENTING THE DISABLED COMMUNITY. BASICALLY THIS IS A SPLIT THE BABY APPROACH. IT BASICALLY TAKES ONE POSITION AND PUTS 50% OF THE TIME FOCUSING ON DISABLED YOUTH SUMMER PLACEMENT AND 50% OF THE TIME ON REGULAR YOUTH SUMMER PLACEMENT AND IT KEEPS ALL THE ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY, THE 46,000 PLUS FOR THE ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP ASSIST WITH THE DISABLED YOUTH PLACEMENT IN PLACE. INSTEAD OF A 100% DEDICATED POSITION, IT'S NOW A 50% DEDICATED PLACEMENT RESTORES A 50% TO THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM. THIS POSITION WILL AUGMENT THE REMAINING 5 PEOPLE IN THE OTHER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND WILL BECOME PART OF THAT CONSOLIDATED MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YOUTH PROGRAMS.

Mayor Garcia: THE MOTION, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AND MAYOR PRO TEM ALSO INCLUDES THE TRANSFERS OUT TO THE SUPPORT SERVICES FUND AND REDUCING THE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT BY THE SAME AMOUNT AND DELETING ONE F.T.E. FOR A.D.A. EMPLOYMENT, NET FISCAL IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND IS ZERO, JUST MOVING THAT PERSON FROM WHERE WE HAD IT OVER TO THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

Futrell: RIGHT. IT'S A NET DIFFERENCE IN THE BUDGET AND IN THE POSITIONS PROPOSED, BUT IT DOES ONCE AGAIN PRODUCE A COMPROMISE WHERE THE DISABLED COMMUNITY GAINS A HALF TIME POSITION AND THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM REGAINS A HALF-TIME POSITION.

Mayor Garcia: IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS?

Thomas: OH, YES.

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR PRO TEM? SO WE WILL BE TAKING BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE BOTH LISTED AS NUMBER 2 IN THE -- IN THE -- IN THE SCRIPT FOR TODAY. FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER WYNN? DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

Mayor Garcia: YES, SIR, THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE? OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF 6 TO 0 TO 1 WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAIS. AND -- C, CITY MANAGER, AMEND OTHER FUND EXPENDITURES AUTHORIZE POSITIONS TO REFLECT AMENDMENTS APPROVED. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT.

EACH OF THESE ARE JUST DIFFERENT ITEMS, EACH OF THEM DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WE CAN EITHER GO THROUGH THESE ONE BY ONE THAT MAY -- THAT MAY MAKE IT EASIER TO TALK THROUGH WHAT EACH ONE IS OR YOU CAN TAKE THEM AS A COMBINED MOTION. I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH EACH OF THEM ALL TOTAL.

Mayor Garcia: DO YOU HAVE A HANDOUT FOR IT OR CAN YOU GO THROUGH THEM?

Futrell: WE CAN GO THROUGH IT.

Mayor Garcia: LET'S GO THROUGH IT.

Futrell: ALL RIGHT, RUDY WHY DON'T YOU EXPLAIN C 1, REALLY SORT OF A GENERAL CLEANUP MOTION.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BASICALLY WHAT ITEM 1 IS, IF YOU RECALL, THE ONES THAT -- THE MOTIONS, 1 AND 2 THAT WE JUST DID IMPACTED DIRECTLY THE GENERAL FUND, ITEM 2 OVERLAPS THE IMPACTS TO GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT SERVICE FUND. WHAT ITEM 1 IS DOING IS BASICALLY CLEANING IT UP AND GIVING US THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT, THE OFFSETTING ADJUSTMENT TO THE SUPPORT SERVICE FUND. FOR ANY AMENDMENTS THAT WE MAKE TODAY, TOMORROW, THAT IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND AND HAVE IT OFFSET ITEM 1 WOULD BE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION. ON THE ITEM NO. 2, WHICH IS AN ITEM THAT AFFECTS BOTH THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET FOR AUSTIN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, I'M GOING TO ASK JOHN TO WALK YOU THROUGH AN EXPLANATION OF THIS.

ITEM NO. 2 IS BASICALLY CORRECTING A MISTAKE THAT WE HAD IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. IT'S A MISTAKE THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO CORRECT THROUGH THE ERRATA BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY CHANGES AN EXPENDITURE. IN THE -- IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE SUBMITTED TO YOU, WE SHOWED THE TOURISM AND PROMOTION FUND AS HAVING AN ENDING BALANCE, AN FY 02 ENDING BALANCE OF 997,000 AND A CORRESPONDING BEGINNING BALANCE, FOR 03, 997,000. IN FACT THAT BALANCE IS 399,000 LOWER BECAUSE WE ALLOWED AS WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU IN THE MARCH WORK SESSION, WHEN -- WHEN HOTEL MOTEL TAX REVENUE STARTED DECLINING, WE ALLOWED ACVB TO SPEND THIS 399,000, WHICH WAS REPRESENTING THE CONTINGENCY RESERVE, THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT WE DID WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS FOLKS THERE IN FISCAL YEAR 02, ALLOW THEM TO SPEND A CONTINGENCY RESERVE. THAT IS THE FIRST PART OF THIS ITEM, THE -- THEY WERE ALSO AMENDING THE FUND BY 13,000 AND WE ARE ALSO ALLOWING THE LAST ITEM ALLOWS ACVB TO SPEND ITS WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE OF 412,000, WHICH THEY ALREADY HAVE ON HAND IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT. WE ARE ESSENTIALLY WITH THIS MOTION ALLOWING THEM TO SPEND ALL OF THEIR RESERVE IF FISCAL YEAR '03. -- FROM FISCAL YEAR '03. AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, IF HOTEL MOTEL TAX DECLINES BEYOND WHERE WE EXPECT IT TO COME IN FOR NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH ACVB TO REVISE THEIR BUDGET AS THE YEAR GOES ON.

KIND OF THE CRITICAL TIME FOR ACVB TO USE ALL OF THEIR EXISTING FUNDS IN MARKETING AT THE TIME WHEN THE MONEY COMING INTO THAT FUNCTION IS REDUCED. IN ORDER TO -- TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS LET THEM USE THEIR CONTINGENCY FUND FOR THE CURRENT YEAR TO ENHANCE THE MARKETING EFFORTS AND WE ARE PROPOSING TO LET THEM USE THEIR WORKING RESERVE CAPITAL NEXT YEAR. BASICALLY TAKING THEIR CONTINGENC AMOUNTS TO ZERO. WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE MAY OUT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, MONITOR THEIR BUDGET, AND SHOULD OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS BE LOWER THAN WE THINK, WE CAN ADJUST THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN MID YEAR. ITEM NO. 3 INVOLVES HOLLY MITIGATION FUNDS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE WORKED VERY EXTENSIVELY BOTH MAYOR WITH YOUR OFFICE AS WELL AS WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ'S OFFICE. COUNCIL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO WALK THAT THROUGH, I WILL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN.

THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER FUTRELL. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I THINK -- THAT HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS -- HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN FOR MANY YEARS. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GREAT DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE -- A LOT OF AGREEMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE -- THAT HAVE BEEN REALIZED AS A RESULT OF THIS -- THIS FUND AND OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD MANY EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WITH -- AND WITH THE UTILITY COMMISSION AS WELL AS THEIR HOLLY MITIGATION SUBCOMMITTEE ABOUT HOW TO UTILIZE THE FUNDS AND NEVER REALLY ARRIVED AT A CONSENSUS ABOUT -- ABOUT HOW REALLY TO -- TO DO THAT. WHAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WAS. AND -- AND THAT WAS COMPOUNDED THIS YEAR BECAUSE FROM OUR PROJECTIONS FROM LAST YEAR, IN TERMS OF REVENUE FROM THE UTILITY, WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED THIS FISCAL YEAR. AND SO WHEN WE BEGAN FISCAL YEAR, WE -- WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE $1.7 MILLION IN -- IN THE HOLLY MITIGATION FUND, BUT THE REVENUES CERTAINLY DID NOT MEET OUR PROJECTIONS, SO WE KNEW THAT THAT NUMBER WAS GOING TO BE SMALLER. AND REALLY -- REALLY DURING THE COURSE OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE ONLY ALLOCATED ABOUT -- ABOUT 400 TO 450,000 OF THE 1.7 MILLION THAT WE ANTICIPATED THAT WE HAD. THROUGH THE HOLLY MITIGATION PROGRAM. SO -- SO ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I THINK THAT WE WERE CONFRONTED WITH WAS WHETHER THAT MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T ALLOCATE THIS YEAR WOULD ROLL OVER INTO NEXT YEAR OR NOT. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] THAT MONEY DID NOT ROLL OVER WOULD JUST SET A NEW GOAL FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR IN TERMS OF HOLLY MITIGATION. SO TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, WHAT WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF THIS PARTICULAR -- THIS SERIES OF ITEMS IS WE ARE -- IN ADDITION TO ALLOCATING SOME FUNDS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES FOR NEXT YEAR, WE ARE ALSO TO A CERTAIN DEGREE SETTING POLICY IN TERMS OF WHAT THE LEVEL OF FUNDING WILL BE FOR THE HOLLY MITIGATION PROGRAM AND THAT -- THAT -- IF THERE ARE ANY UNSPENT FUNDS IN ANY FISCAL YEAR THEY WILL ROLL OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR. BASICALLY WHAT THE PROPOSAL IN GENERAL TERMS, I GUESS FROM HERE ON IN, WOULD BE TO -- TO HAVE A MILLION EVERY YEAR FOR THE HOLLY MITIGATION PROGRAM. AND FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT THIS YEAR WE DIDN'T REALLY SPEND THE AMOUNT THAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD, ALLOCATED IS THAT 500,000 FROM THIS YEAR WOULD -- WOULD ROLL OVER, FY 2002, 2003 AND THAT THEN WE WOULD HAVE A MILLION FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 1.5 MILLION FOR HOLLY MITIGATION FUNDING FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR. SO ITEMS -- ITEMS 3 A THROUGH 3 F BASICALLY OUTLINE HOW THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE SPENT FOR NEXT YEAR. REALLY I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AS A RESULT OF THIS IS SOME VERY -- MEETS SOME VERY PRESENT NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE DURING THE BUDGET SUGGESTIONS WE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN IN THE CESAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD. CONCERNS ABOUT THE SOUP KITCHEN, THAT AREA RIGHT THERE NEAR SAN MARCOS AND -- AND CESAR CHAVEZ, RIGHT NEAR I-35 SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING HERE IS TO SET ASIDE $100,000 TO ESTABLISH A -- A WALKING BEAT FOR THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD TO ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM TO BE BECOMING MORE AGGRAVATED AND WE REALLY FELT IT WAS TIME TO -- TO COMMIT SOME RESOURCES TOWARDS ADDING THAT ISSUE. ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE. WHAT WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS -- THAT THIS WILL HELP US DO IS TO HAVE A WALKING BEAT FROM APPROXIMATELY 8:00 A.M. TO 4:00 P.M., MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND -- AND I THINK 8:00 A.M. TO NOON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. IN TERMS OF WHAT'S THE BEST WAY OF MEETING OR ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS IN CONCERNS OF WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEIGHBORHOOD AREA. ANOTHER ISSUE PROBABLY SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE HEARD, FROM THE COMMUNITY, IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE SOME -- SOME DIRECT BENEFITS TO -- TO THE -- TO THE OWNERS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN BECAUSE WE MADE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS IN -- IN BALL FIELDS AND THE CAMACHO CENTER, WHICH IS DOING A FABULOUS JOB. THIS PAST YEAR WE APPROVED SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR FIESTA GARDENS, ALL OF WHICH ARE VERY -- I THINK MUCH NEEDED AND VERY I THINK APPRECIATED. BUT -- BUT WE WANTED TO CREATE A WAY OF -- OF KIND OF SPECIFICALLY HELPING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ONE WAY WE THOUGHT TO DO THAT WAS TO -- WAS ASSISTING WITH REHABILITATION PROGRAM, HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM AND THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE -- THAT WE HAD HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THAT PART OF WHAT -- WHAT THE NEED IS IN THIS COMMUNITY IS TO HELP PEOPLE FIX UP THEIR HOMES SO WE KIND OF MARRIED THOSE TWO IDEAS. AND WE ARE GOING TO SET ASIDE 250,000 FOR A -- FOR A HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM AND IT'S KIND OF MODELED AFTER A NEW PROGRAM WE CREATED LAST YEAR FOR -- FOR MATERIALS REBATE PROGRAM FOR REHABILITATION THAT SAYS IF -- IF QUALIFIED NON-PROFITS CAN -- CAN FIX UP SOME OF THE HOMES IN THE TARGETED AREA, THEN GET A REBATE FOR MATERIALS AND SO -- AND SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR HELPING FOLKS IN THAT AREA BECAUSE -- BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A LOT EASIER TO -- YOU CAN GO A LOT FARTHER BUYING $5,000 WORTH OF MATERIALS THAN ACTUALLY HAVING TO PAY WITH THE LABOR IN ADDITION TO THE MATERIALS, WITH THE $5,000 THAT YOU MIGHT BE ALLOCATED FOR REHAB PROJECT. NOW, THE -- THE FINAL ITEM ON HERE THAT WILL -- THAT WE WILL CALL ATTENTION TO IS ITEM 3 A, WHICH IS SETTING ASIDE BASICALLY A MILLION OUT OF A MILLION AND A HALF SET ASIDE FOR HOLLY MITIGATION FOR A METZ RECREATION CENTER EXPANSION. WE ININVESTIGATED A GREAT DEAL FOR THE YOUTH BALL FIELDS AND THE GRANDMA CAMACHO CENTER, THOSE HAVE REALLY BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THAT INVESTMENT HAS REALLY PAID OFF BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE YOUTH LEAGUES, YOU KNOW, HAS -- HAS EXPANDED INCREDIBLY, THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPATION AT THE GRANDMA CAMACH CENTER IS REALLY BEYOND ANY OF OUR EXPECTATIONS, ANYTHING WE COULD HAVE EXPECTED. BUT WHAT WE -- WHAT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, WELL THAT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF FOCUS AWAY FROM THE METZ RECREATION CENTER, THERE'S A NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN EXPAND SERVICES THERE AND LOOK AT WHAT THE TARGET POPULATIONS ARE BECAUSE -- BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH THE GRAND MAKE CAMACHO CENTER, THEY DO TARGET MORE TO TEENAGERS AND A LITTLE BIT OLDER POPULATION OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE. BUT MAYBE WITH -- WITH THE METZ REC CENTER, WITH THIS EXPLANATION WE CAN HAVE MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE, BASICALLY WE ARE GOING TO BE ALMOST DOUBLING I THINK THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THE AREA AVAILABLE THERE AT THE REC CENTER. BUT MAYBE WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN HAVE MORE PROGRAMMING FOR SENIORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR WE COULD TALK ABOUT MAYBE MORE PROGRAMS FOR -- FOR PREK OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL CHILDREN AND SO -- BUT ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS I THINK THAT THE ADVISORY BOARD HAD BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION IS THAT IT'S A VERY SMALL FACILITY AND YOU ARE VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU CAN DO, SO WE REALLY THINK THAT THIS -- AGAIN LIKE THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS THAT -- THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE HOLLY MITIGATION PROGRAM, THAT THIS WILL HAVE A VERY BIG IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE ADVISORY BOARD TO -- TO TALK ABOUT IT, WHAT THIS EXPANSION AND RENOVATION WOULD LOOK LIKE AND ALSO WHAT -- WHAT PROGRAMMATIC DIRECTION WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN THERE AT -- AT THE METZ RECREATION CENTER. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY, SOMETHING THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET ACCOMPLISHED IN A YEAR, I THINK, WHEN THE BUDGET HAVE BEEN VERY STRAPPED FOR ALL OF US AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER WAY WHERE -- WHERE WITH THE HELP OF AUSTIN ENERGY, INVESTING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE AROUND THE HOLLY POWER PLANT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO REALLY -- REALLY APPROVE THE SERVICES THAT CAN BE PROVIDED IN THE VARIOUS PUBLIC FACILITIES THAT ARE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO -- SO GENERALLY THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT -- THAT'S WHAT THE GOAL WAS WHEN THE -- WITH THESE -- WITH THESE ITEMS, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THESE A LOT. A VERY LONG TIME. AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN US AND THE -- AND THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION ABOUT -- ABOUT WHAT THE BEST APPROACH WOULD BE FOR US TO -- TO IN TERMS OF HOW WE UTILIZE THE FUNDING FOR THE HOLLY MITIGATION PROGRAM. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO PROCEED AND I WANT TO THANK THE UTILITY ONE MORE TIME FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO APPROVING THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WITH THAT I WILL JUST OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS OR --

Futrell: ON NUMBER 3 BASICALLY OUR STAFF COMMITMENT BACK IS THAT BEGINNING WITH THIS -- WITH THIS BEGINNING OF 1.5 MILLION AND THE ALLOCATIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE, IS THAT EACH YEAR THE UTILITY COMMITS UNTIL THE CLOSURE OF HOLLY A $1 MILLION NEW INVESTMENT AND ANY MONEY NOT SPENT WILL ROLL OVER. WE ALSO COMMIT TO WORKING THROUGH A PROCESS WITH YOU THIS CAREER TO USE THE ALLOCATION ON '04 SO WE CAN BOTH HAVE A CONSISTENT AND UNIFORM FUNDING LEVEL AND A CONSISTENT AND UNIFORM FUNDING ALLOCATION PROCESS. ITEM NO. 4, WHICH IS THE FOURTH OF THE FIVE ITEMS UNDER OTHER FUND AMENDMENTS, INVOLVES A CONSERVATION -- CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AT AUSTIN ENERGY. THERE ARE REALLY TWO THINGS THAT THIS ITEM DOES. THE FIRST IS OF ALL OF THE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, WE HAVE ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT HAS A FAIRLY LARGE UNMET DEMAND AND THAT IS OUR POWER PARTNER, THERMOSTAT, WATER HEATER TIMER, LOAD MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. THERE IS ACTUALLY A 6,000 REQUEST BACKLOG IN THIS PROGRAM. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE'S ALMOST A MILLION-SIX ALREADY IN THIS PROGRAM. SO ITEM NO. 4 ADDS AN ADDITIONAL $730,000 TO ADDRESS THAT BACKLOG OF WHAT IS A VERY POPULAR AND INCREASINGLY DEMAND BASED PROGRAM. BUT BEYOND THAT, WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND MAYOR PRO TEM JACKIE GOODMAN; WE WOULD MAKE A SECOND COMMITMENT, WHICH IS ANY AUSTIN ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT EXHAUSTS ITS ANNUAL FUNDING DURING THIS UPCOMING YEAR, '03, AUSTIN ENERGY WILL BRING THE ITEM BACK TO REFUND THAT PROGRAM. SO BASICALLY ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME MINOR CUTS IN FOUR PROGRAMS ON CONSERVATION, THOSE CUTS BASICALLY DEMAND DRIVEN -- THE DEMAND BEING DOWN FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, INVOLVED NEW CONSTRUCTION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION NUMBERS ARE DOWN. BUT SHOULD THOSE PROGRAMS TAKE OFF, SHOULD THE DEMAND BE THERE, AUSTIN ENERGY'S COMMITMENT IS TO BRING THE ITEMS FORWARD TO REFUND SO NO ENERGY PROGRAM WILL MAX OUT IN 2003. THAT'S ITEM 4. THE FINAL ITEM IS ITEM 5. ITEM 5 AMENDS A PROPOSAL IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO REMOVE 8 AUDITORS FROM INTERNAL AUDIT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR, THERE GOES MY BACKGROUND HAVING WORKED IN AUDIT WHEN IT WAS CALLED INTERNAL AUDIT, THAT CAME OUT WITHOUT THINKING. FROM 8 TO 4. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT SPELLS OUT THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING THOSE FOUR. BASICALLY, THREE COMPONENTS, FIRST VACANT POSITIONS WOULD TRANSFER, SECOND VOLUNTEERS WOULD TRANSFER, AND THIRD THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WOULD SPELL OUT THE PROCESS THAT IS SIMILAR TO HOW ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS WERE DONE, CITY-WIDE THIS YEAR, BASICALLY SKILL SET AND TENURE IS BASICALLY WHAT HAS BEEN USED. THAT GETS YOU ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5 AND MAKE UP ALL OF YOUR OTHER FUND AMENDMENTS.

WYNN: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

WYNN: I HAVE A PROPOSED FUND AMENDMENT, I SUPPOSE IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX --

HERE'S WHAT WE WILL DO. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON -- ON ITEM NO. C, WHICH IS THE OTHER FUND AMENDMENTS, ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5. AND -- AND WE WILL CONSIDER THOSE AND THEN BEFORE WE GO INTO D, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THOSE MOTIONS. SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM C.

SO MOVE.

Futrell: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? ON ITEM NO. 5, WHICH IS THE -- THE INTERNAL AUDITOR, THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE SENDING TO YOU ALL A MEMORANDUM AS TO HOW THAT PARTICULAR TRANSITION IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. ALSO I SEE MR. MORGAN HERE, WE WILL HAVE AN ITEM IN THE OCTOBER -- IN THE OCTOBER AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS I THINK THE WORK PROGRAM FOR YOUR OFFICE, CORRECT? AND -- AND WITH THIS AMENDMENT YOU HAVE BASICALLY -- BASICALLY 8 LESS AUDITORS, FOUR IN THE BUDGET REDUCTION AND FOUR THAT ARE GOING TO INTERNAL AUDIT. SO WE WILL HAVE TO -- WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE AN ITEM TO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT IMPACTS YOU AND HOW IT IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO THE WORK PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR '03. FURTHER DISCUSSION?

Slusher: MAYOR, JUST FOR THE RECORD THAT WAS COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ THAT SECONDED THAT MOTION.

Mayor Garcia: I'M SORRY. I KNOW IT CAME FROM THIS SIDE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW. I HEARD SEVERAL -- [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. [ LAUGHTER ] FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEMS 1 FLU 5 C, 1 -- 1 THROUGH 5 C, 1 THROUGH 5, IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE GOING TO GO -- AFTER WE FINISH -- AFTER WE FINISH WITH ITEM D, WE WILL GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION. AND -- AND WE WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO DO FIRST, FIRST AND SECOND, OR FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD. AT THE TIME THAT -- AT THE TIME THAT MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER MADE THAT MOTION ON ITEM 1, THEY DID -- WE DIDN'T SPECIFY THAT. COUNCILMEMBER WYNN?

THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS YOU ALL KNOW, I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO -- TO -- THAT THE --

WAIT NO JUST A MINUTE.

MUSICAL CHAIRS.

Mayor Garcia: WE WILL STAND AT EASE.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE SOME BUDGET CUTS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, COUNCIL MANAGER BUDGET. WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD, ALL OF THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE TOTAL NON-PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE SUPPORT SERVICES OF DEPARTMENTAL AVERAGE CUT IS 8.6% THIS YEAR. AND THIS -- THIS BUDGET IS -- AS WE KNOW ACTUALLY GROWS THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET. I THINK JUST WE NEED TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH THE PROGRAM AND FIND SOME CUTS WITHIN OUR OWN BUDGET, NOT ACTUALLY GROW AT A TIME WHEN EVERY OTHER SERVICE -- SUPPORT SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS CUTTING. SO I WENT THROUGH AND TRIED TO COME UP WITH -- SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TO -- TO SAVE SOME MONEY. A BIG PART OF THAT WAS DISCOVERING HOW MUCH -- AND I GUESS I KNEW THERE WAS SOME OF THIS, BUT HOW MUCH OF OUR DIRECT DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET ISN'T SHOWN ON OUR -- AS A LINE ITEM ON OUR BUDGET. SO WHAT I WOULD -- I HAVE A SERIES OF MOTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH PROBABLY THE LESS -- LESS CONTROVERSIAL OF THE TWO OR THREE. AND THAT WOULD BE THAT -- I MOVE THAT ALL CITY COUNCIL OPERATIONAL COSTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS PRIMARILY CITY CLERK, HUMAN RESOURCES, EVEN AUSTIN ENERGY, BE MOVED INTO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET AND WE DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER NOT TO SPEND FUNDS FROM OTHER BUDGETS, SOLELY FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL OPERATIONS WITHOUT SHOWING A TRANSFER INTO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET. ESSENTIALLY JUST -- JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NO -- NO NET COST TO THE BUDGET. ACTUALLY JUST SHOWING --

I'M GOING TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO -- TO RESPOND TO THAT PARTICULAR ONE BECAUSE MY RECOLLECTION, AND I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE IT ALL IN ONE PACKET, BUT MY RECOLLECTION GOING BACK TO WHEN THEY STARTED PUTTING -- PUTTING EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS IN THE COUNCIL OFFICES WAS THAT THERE WAS SOME KINDS OF A CHARTER PROVISION THAT SAID THAT THE COUNCIL COULD NOT HAVE THOSE ASSISTANTS AND THEREFORE IT WOULD BE IN THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE RATIONALE WAS. I WAS NOT ON THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME. BUT -- I WAS ON THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME. BUT CITY ATTORNEY DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC --

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE RATIONALE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO PUT IT IN THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET. THE CHARTER SETS FORTH THE -- THE COUNCIL'S APPOINTMENT POWERS. IN THOSE APPOINTMENT POWERS YOU GET TO APPOINT, YOU KNOW, CITY MANAGERS, CITY AUDITOR, CLERK OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT, MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES, CITY CLERK AND HER ASSIST TANTSES. THESE THE EXTENTS OF YOUR APPOINTMENT -- ASSISTANTS. THAT'S THE EXTENT OF YOUR APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY. TO THE POINT THAT YOU CAN APPOINT THE CITY CLERK AND ASSISTANTS, THOSE COUNCIL AIDES ARE DEEMED CLERK ASSISTANTS. THAT WAY YOU GET TO SELECT THOSE PEOPLE AND THEY ARE WITHIN THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET.

IF WE CHANGE THOSE, IF WE CHANGE THOSE TO BE IN THE BUDGET FOR THE COUNCIL, DO WE IN ESSENCE GET OUT OF -- OF CONFORMITY WITH -- WITH THE CHARTER?

WELL, I LOOKED AT THE SECTION 8 UNDER THE FINANCE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER. ESSENTIALLY, IT VESTS THE COUNCIL WITH THE AUTHORITY TO APPROPRIATE MONEY AS YOU SEE FIT. I THINK IF -- IF YOU HAVE STAFF AND -- IN THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET, IT IS GOING TO SKEW THE PURITY OF THE ANALYSIS THAT YOUR ASSISTANTS FALL UNDER THE CITY CLERK BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR ONLY VEHICLE TO APPOINT THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR MECHANISM.

WYNN: MAYOR, IF I CAN?

Mayor Garcia: SURE.

WYNN: IT'S VERY INTERESTED WHAT I FOUND OUT. CURRENTLY THE BUDGET THAT'S ON THE TABLE TODAY AS EXAMPLE SHOWS EVERY COUNCIL PLACE HAVING TWO EMPLOYEES, PRESUMABLY THAT'S THE ACTUAL COUNCILMEMBER AND I GUESS -- THE AIDE. WE THINK IT'S THE AIDE. BASED ON THE NUMBER. SO OUR BUDGET ALREADY SHOWS US AS COUNCILMEMBERS HAVING AT LEAST TWO EMPLOYEES. FOR SOME REASON, A THIRD AND SOMETIMES FOURTH EMPLOYEES ARE THEN SHOWED -- SHOWN AS O.C.C. OR OFF OF THE CITY CLERK. SO WE ALREADY, THIS BUDGET ALREADY -- AS AN EXAMPLE, THIS BUDGET HAS US AT ABOUT $1.19 MILLION. JUST OUR BUDGET. THERE'S ANOTHER HALF MILLION IN THE ESSENTIALLY IN THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET THAT WE SPEND BUT -- SO WE HAVE ALREADY DONE -- WE ARE ALREADY DOING WHAT YOUR CONCERN IS, THAT IS THE CURRENT BUDGET ALREADY SHOWS EACH -- EACH OF US HAVING TWO EMPLOYEES, PRESUMABLY OURSELVES AND SOMEBODY ELSE. FOR SOME REASON THE THIRD AND FOURTH EMPLOYEES ARE SHOWN ON THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET. SO -- SO WE HAVE ALREADY SORT OF CROSSED THAT LINE THAT MAY HAVE --

I UNDERSTAND.

WHERE YOU MAY HAVE HAD SOME CONCERN. I'M JUST SUGGESTING SINCE WE ARE ALREADY DOING THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT ALL THE WAY AND SHOW ALL OF THE --

Mayor Garcia: WELL, MY CONCERN HAS TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE SOME YEARS BACK BECAUSE OF THE -- OF WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY EXPLAINED. THAT THE COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE THE -- DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO APPOINT AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. I SUSPECT WE CAN HIRE SECRETARIES, BUT NOT APPOINT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS, RIGHT IF.

ACTUALLY, YOUR APPOINTMENT POWER AND HIRING POWER ARE SYNONYMOUS, THEY ARE THE SAME. SO THE WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU -- YOU LOOK AT THE LAW AND YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN IT. TO MAKE SURE THAT PRACTICE CONFORMS WITH THE CHARTER. ONE WAY TO EXPLAIN YOUR -- YOUR SECRETARIES IS TO -- BELIEVE THEY WERE -- I THOUGHT THEY WERE UNDER THE MANAGER'S AUTHORITY. AND SO THE CONCEPT WOULD BE THAT THE MANAGER HAS LOANED THOSE EMPLOYEES TO THE COUNCIL OFFICES FOR THEIR -- FOR THEIR BENEFIT. SO THEY ARE CONSIDERED LOANED EMPLOYEES. BUT THE AUTHORITY RUNS STRAIGHT UP TO THE MANAGER FOR THOSE --

BUT OTHERWISE -- THEY ARE IN THE BUDGET OF THE COUNCIL?

THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND YOU ALL TO SAY TODAY. THAT I DON'T THINK IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE -- BECAUSE SECTION 8 OF ARTICLE 7 JUST SAYS THAT THE COUNCIL SHALL APPROPRIATE THE MONEY. IT DOESN'T REALLY PLACE ANY LIMITATION ON WHERE THAT MONEY SHOULD GO, NECESSARILY. BUT FROM -- FROM THE STANDPOINT OF COUNCIL'S APPOINTMENT POWER IN HIRING AN APPOINTMENT ARE SYNONYMOUS, WE WILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN IT IN TERMS OF THE [INAUDIBLE] WITHIN THE CHARTER.

Mayor Garcia: PROBABLY NEED A CHARTER AMENDMENT, ANYWAY. THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE LEFT TO ANOTHER DAY.

WYNN: RIGHT.

Mayor Garcia: BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT THE NATURE OF THE OPERATIONS OF COUNCILMEMBERS HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS PROVISION WAS PUT IN THE CHARTER. THIS VERSION HAS BEEN IN THE CHARTER PROBABLY 50 YEARS. AND, YOU KNOW, BACK THEN WE HAD 100,000 PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND NONE OF THE ACTIVITY THAT WE HAVE ON THE COUNCIL TODAY WHERE WE HAD 700,000 PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GETTING MY OFFICE HAS GOTTEN 4,000 SOME ODD CALLS. A COUNCILMEMBER IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE CALLS, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT. THE REALITY IS WE CAN'T DO IT, YOU KNOW, OURSELVES. SO CITY ATTORNEY, IF WE DO WHAT COUNCILMEMBER WYNN IS TALKING ABOUT, LET ME -- LET ME STOP RIGHT THERE AND SEE. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION THAT COUNCILMEMBER WYNN HAS PLACED ON THE TABLE?

Goodman: I WILL SECOND MAYOR IF IT'S LEGAL. AND IF IT'S NOT LEGAL, MAYBE WE CAN JUST AT LEAST ALWAYS DO THE BOOKKEEPING SO THAT WE AND ANYBODY ELSE CAN TELL WHAT THE BUDGET IS.

SO FOR DISCUSSION MOSTLY, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT?

HIS MOTION WAS SIMPLY TO HAVE ALL COUNCIL EXPENSES --

Mayor Garcia: HE WANTS TO PUT THEM ALL AT ONE PLACE. EVERYTHING HAS TO DO WITH THE COUNCIL WILL BE IN ONE ACCOUNT. WE WON'T HAVE IT IN THREE OR FOUR PLACES.

WYNN: IF I CAN, SORRY MAYOR PRO TEM. FRANKLY THAT COULD NUMBER THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET. I AM JUST SUGGESTING THAT ALL OF THE EXPENSES THAT WE ALL EXPEND SHOULD BE SHOWN. WE COULD HAVE A ZERO CITY COUNCIL BUDGET FOR ALL I CARE, AS LONG AS WE PUT IT IN THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET, BUT ACTUALLY SHOW IT AND SHOW IT TO WHERE IT'S TRACKABLE --

Mayor Garcia: OUR SALARIES HAVE TO BE IN THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

WYNN: FINE. I'M SUGGESTING THAT SOMEHOW WE -- A COUNCILMEMBER -- MAYBE WHAT A PRIVATE CITIZEN IS -- IMAGINE WHAT A PRIVATE CITIZEN IS TRYING TO DO, IMAGINING WHAT WE SPEND, HOW MUCH WE HAVE GROWN OUR BUDGET OVER LAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL AND MANAGER BUDGET, SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK IT UP AND WHETHER IT'S IN THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET OUR OUR BUDGET SEE ALL OF THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND.

Futrell: WE DO HAVE A MECHANISM TO REFLECT EXPENDITURES IN A SINGLE PLACE, REGARDLESS OF REPORTING RELATIONSHIP AND WHERE THINGS ARE PLACED. YOU REALLY HAVE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES. ONE ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO RESOLVE WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT ON SOME CLEANING UP REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CHARTER ISSUE. BUT IN TERMS OF JUST REFLECTING ALL COSTS IN ONE PLACE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO AS AN ACCOUNTING FUNCTION.

I WOULD LIKE TO JUST BUILD ON THAT. THEY ARE SEPARATE ISSUES. THE REPORTING RELATIONSHIP AND WHERE THE MONEY SITS, AS I POINTED OUT THE CHARTER DOESN'T -- AS LONG AS YOU APPROPRIATE THE MONEY TO A CERTAIN FUND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER. I THINK YOU ARE SEEING WHAT YOU ARE SEPARATING REPORTING ISSUES UNDER THE CHARTER, UNDER THE WAYS THAT I HAVE EXPLAINED IT, YOU ARE EITHER APPOINTING CITY CLERK ASSISTANCE OR YOU ARE -- YOU ARE GETTING STAFF BY VIRTUE OF HAVING THEM LOANED TO YOU BY THE CITY MANAGER. ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR APPOINTEES.

Dunkerly: CITY MANAGER IS THERE -- I SPOKE TO JOHN STEVENS JUST A MOMENT AGO. I THINK THERE'S A WAY THAT THESE CAN BE CODED IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN BE AUTOMATICALLY ROLLED UP. THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT CODED, NOT ESTABLISHED THAT WAY RIGHT NOW. BUT -- BUT I THINK WHAT COUNCILMEMBER WYNN IS -- REALLY WANTS IS SOME WAY THAT HE DOESN'T -- THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH 10 DAYS OF LOOKING FOR THESE NUMBERS, BUT I THINK IF IT'S CODED PROPERLY UP FRONT, THEY CAN BE DRAWN, RIGHT, JOHN?

YES, COUNCILMEMBER WYNN IS RIGHT. WE CAN CREATE A SEPARATE PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND A SEPARATE PROGRAM IN HUMAN RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE CALLED COUNCIL SUPPORT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I CAN DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF THAT --

Mayor Garcia: DOES THAT REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS BUDGET?

NO, IT DOES NOT.

OKAY. SO -- SO COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, DO YOU WANT TO HANDLE THIS AS PART OF THE BUDGET OR DO YOU WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE SEPTEMBER THE 26th AGENDA TO DO THAT?

IN REGARDS TO THE REPORTING, ACTUALLY I DIDN'T PRESUME THAT I ACTUALLY NEEDED TO BE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. IT'S MORE SORT OF A DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO HELP GIVE US THE ABILITY TO SORT OF TRACK OURSELVES, UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE DOING. I DID HAVE A PROPOSED BUDGET CUT. I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT -- THERE'S NOT SUPPORT FOR IT. I DO WANT TO URGE MY COLLEAGUES, THOUGH. WITH THE AVERAGE NON-PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORT SERVICE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET BEING DECREASED BY 8.6% AND US GROWING OURS THIS YEAR, I'M -- YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO VOTE AGAINST THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF THAT. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO AT LEAST DIRECT THE -- YOU KNOW, A -- IF NOT THE AVERAGE 8.6% DECREASE, THEN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING. SOMETHING OF A DECREASE AND NOT AN INCREASE. JUST SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN -- WE WON'T ASK THE CITY EMPLOYEES TO DO SOMETHING WE WON'T DO. I WENT THROUGH THE EFFORT OF -- OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS OF THE COUNCIL OPERATIONS AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH A -- WITH A PROPOSAL, IT ENDED UP BEING A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUT OF 19%. I UNDERSTAND THAT -- I'M JUST I WOULD PREFER NOT TO DO IT EITHER, FRANKLY. BUT I HATE TO LEAVE THIS TOPIC AND NOT -- NOT -- OWE NOT AT LEAST PROPOSE A -- A BUDGET CUT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.

Mayor Garcia: WELL, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER MOTION. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE HAS TO BE -- HAS TO DO MORE WITH THE MARGIN IN WHICH REPORTING IS -- THE MANNER IN WHICH REPORTING IS DONE AS OPPOSED TO CUTTING THE BUDGET. THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE MADE BY YOU, SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM, THAT ONE BASICALLY WHAT -- WHAT JOHN IS SAYING DOESN'T REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. WE CAN DO THAT BY RESOLUTION OF AN ITEM ON THE 26th. DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER THAT FOR PURPOSES OF ACCOUNTING, THAT THAT -- THAT IT OUGHT TO BE DONE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE COUNCILMEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH WE ARE SPENDING FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

WYNN: THEN WITH THAT IN MIND I WILL WITHDRAW THAT MOTION, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY, ALL RIGHT.

WYNN: THAT'S -- IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE SECONDER.

Goodman: YEAH. ALTHOUGH WERE WE WANTING MORE DISCUSSION ON SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS?

Mayor Garcia: SURE. SO HE WITHDREW THE MOTION. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS, BECAUSE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN IS GOING TO MAKE WHAT WILL BE CONSIDERED A MORE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION THAT HAS TO DO WITH US CUTTING THE BUDGET OF THE --

Goodman: OH, OKAY, I MISUNDERSTOOD. I THOUGHT HE SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE SUPPORT FOR IT. SO I DIDN'T THINK THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT.

Mayor Garcia: LET ME ASK THE QUESTION. IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO COMMENT THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC?

Goodman: NO, WHEN THE COUNCILMEMBER MAKES HIS MOTION, THEN I WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.

Mayor Garcia: ALL RIGHT.

WYNN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: DON'T REFER TO YOUR MOTIONS AS CONTROVERSIAL. THEY ARE MOTIONS, WE WILL CONSIDER THEM, IF THERE'S A SECOND WE WILL PROCEED ON.

WYNN: I KNOW. I APPRECIATE THE -- THE APPROACH THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TAKEN WITH THIS. THEY HAVE -- I THINK MY -- MY RECEPTION AS YOU ALL UNDERSTAND -- PERCEPTION, I'M TRYING TO IDENTIFY BUDGET CUTS ALONG WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THERE'S NO -- YOU KNOW, NOTHING BEYOND THAT. I GUESS THAT I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT -- I WILL HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE SECOND OR THIRD READING IF THIS PASSES TO ITEMIZE HOW THAT HAPPENS, I WILL -- I WILL BACK OFF OF WHAT -- WHAT WAS MY -- WHAT WAS MY PROPOSAL LAST WEEK. BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT -- THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET BE REDUCED BY THE -- BY THE AVERAGE DEPARTMENTAL REDUCTION OF 8.6%. IN OUR SECOND AND THIRD READING.

Slusher: MAYOR, I WILL SECOND FOR THAT FOR DISCUSSION. I HAVE A POINT ON IT, THOUGH. I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THE SAME THING, IF WE WERE GOING TO -- IF WE WERE GOING TO -- I WOULD ASK THE CITY MANAGER WHAT WAS THE AVERAGE CUT OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THEY GAVE ME BACK A DIFFERENT FIGURE. I THINK YOU ARE USING 8.6. I THINK THAT'S THE NUMBER FOR THE SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. IF YOU TAKE THE NON-PUBLIC SAFETY GENERAL FUND AND THE SUPPORT SERVICES AND PUT THOSE TOGETHER TO -- THE FIGURE THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS 4.2%.

WYNN: YOU ARE RIGHT. I HAVE THOSE TWO NUMBERS, I'M SORRY IF I MISSPOKE. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE AVERAGE SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND -- MY FIGURE HAPPENS TO BE WRITTEN UNDER WHERE IT SAYS NON-PUBLIC SAFETY.

Slusher: TO ME IT SEEMS MORE APPROPRIATE TO DO THE ONE WITH THE GENERAL FUND AND THE SUPPORT SEVENS CUT RATHER THAN THE -- SUPPORT SERVICES CUT RATHER THAN --

Mayor Garcia: EXCUSING PUBLIC SAFETY.

Slusher:, RIGHT I'M QUOTING NON-PUBLIC SAFETY GENERAL FUND AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

WYNN: I WILL CONSIDER THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES. I HAD THE STAFF OF THE BUDGET OFFICE PREPARE THIS SCHEDULE. AND -- AND IT HAS AT THE TOP THE HEADINGS OF ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES AND AT THE VERY -- ON THE EXTREME RIGHT IT HAS THE -- SUSPENDING PER CAPITA, IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MUCH THE TOTAL BUDGET IS ON A PER CAPITA BASIS GIVEN THE POPULATION OF THE CITY. AND -- FISCAL YEAR '93 THROUGH '96, HAS -- HAS NOTHING IN THE COLUMN CALLED CITY CLERK. FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY. BECAUSE -- BECAUSE THE -- THE -- STARTING IN '97, IT HAS 389,000, GOES UP AND DOWN ALL THE WAY TO -- TO '03 WHERE IT'S AT 441. MY ASSUMPTION, MY -- I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE FIGURES WHEN YOU -- WHEN YOU DID THAT. SO IF YOU GO TO THE EXTREME RIGHT, I WENT AHEAD AND ADDED THOSE FIGURES AND ESTIMATED WHAT THOSE FIGURES WOULD HAVE BEEN, THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THAT MOTION FROM YEAR TO YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE INTERNS, SO THE HRD APPROVED THIS 443,000 IS ABOUT -- IS ABOUT THE SAME YEAR IN YEAR OUT. WHAT I -- WHEN I ADDED THAT, I GOT -- AT THE FISCAL YEAR '93, TO A -- TO A FULL COSTING OF ABOUT 228 PER CAPITA. THIS YEAR IT'S AT 258. JUMPED FROM 243 TO 258 THIS YEAR. IN THE TOTAL 10-YEAR PERIOD IT GOES UP ABOUT 30 CENTS OR 3 CENTS PER YEAR. -- 3% PER YEAR. WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS WERE INCREASING THEIR EXPENDITURES THE COUNCIL WAS NOT, THEY WERE HOLDING PRETTY STEADY BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE COUNCIL -- SALARY INCREASES. SO THE AVERAGE IS -- ON A PER CAPITA BASIS IS 3-CENT A YEAR ON 228, WHICH IS ABOUT -- ABOUT ONE PERCENT. ONE AND A HALF PERCENT. OTHER DEPARTMENTS INCREASED BY MUCH MORE THAN THAT AS WE WENT THROUGH THE 10 YEAR PERIOD. TO NOW LOOK AT THIS YEAR IN ISOLATION AND SAY THIS YEAR WE WENT UP, MY OFFICE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT BECAUSE WE ADDED ONE PERSON, THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITY. SO I HAVE CONCERNS WHEN WE SAY WE ARE GOING TO APPLY EITHER -- EITHER 8.6 OR 4.2%, WHEN IN ESSENCE THE COUNCIL HAS NOT HAD THE INCREASES THAT WE HAD PARTICULARLY IN THE YEARS IN WHICH WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF INCREASES IN REVENUE. SO -- SO THE -- THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN. MS. DUNKERLY ALSO DID A STUDY OF -- OF THE TELEPHONE CALL SUMMARY. I THINK YOU REQUESTED THIS FROM SOMEBODY. WE HAVE SOME OFFICES THAT HAVE TREMENDOUS CALL VOLUME, YOU KNOW. AND HOW WE ADDRESS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK -- I THINK IN YOUR PARTICULAR CASE COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, YOU HAD APPROXIMATELY 1239 CALLS, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER HAD 3,428. SO THAT CALL VOLUME DETERMINES --

WYNN: I THINK ONCE I STOPPED ANSWERING MY PHONE THEY STOPPED CALLING ME. [ LAUGHTER ]

Slusher: I THINK THAT MIGHT BE IT.

THEN TO THE OTHER OFFICES,.

Slusher: SOME OF THOSE WERE PAID CALLS, TOO.

Mayor Garcia: ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO -- TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE FROM A MORE -- YOU MIGHT SAY COMPREHENSIVE WAY AS OPPOSED TO JUST SAYING 4%. THAT TO ME WOULD BE TOO MUCH OF A -- OF A MEAT AX APPROACH. I KNOW THAT WE ARE TRYING TO CUT COSTS, I UNDERSTAND THE ESSENCE OF YOUR MOTION, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?

Slusher: I WASN'T REALLY CALLING FOR THE FLOOR. IF WE ARE GOING TO DO IT. I THINK THERE'S A FEW WAYS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO COME AT IT. BECAUSE THERE'S SOME COMMON EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE, OFFICES, THAT -- THAT I -- THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO -- WE HAVE TO COME TO AGREEMENT ON WHICH ONES OF THOSE TO CUT AND THEN LOOK AT IT INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBER'S OFFICES, BECAUSE I THINK WE COULD SAY 4% IN -- IN THE OFFICES. I THINK PROBABLY GOING TO COME IN SAVING THAT MUCH IN MOST OF THE OFFICES ALREADY IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO I THINK WE COULD -- WE COULD DO THAT. BUT THE FIRST PLACE THAT I WOULD WANT TO LOOK IS THE COMMON EXPENSES. HOW DO YOU ENVISION GOING -- WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK WITH SOMETHING ON THAT. WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE TOWED.

FRANKLY MY -- WAS GOING TO BE TOWED.

WYNN: MY WORK THIS WEEK WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO JUSTIFY, I IDENTIFIED SOME VERY SPECIFIC MOVES AS A FALL-BACK, YOU KNOW, MY POSITION NOW IS TO JUST TAKE A -- YOU KNOW, TAKE THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF JUST -- THAT YOU POINTED OUT, THE 4.2%. FRANKLY I THINK IT REQUIRES MORE WORK. I THINK -- YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO SORT OF INDIVIDUALLY, THEN COLLECTIVELY FIGURE OUT WHERE WE INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY SAVE 4.2%. AND YOU -- YOU PROBABLY CAN'T DO THAT 24 HOURS.

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR AND COUNCIL EXPENDITURE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2002, THROUGH 11 MONTHS, WE HAVE SPENT 954,000, ABOUT 165,000, AND WE STILL HAD 181,000 UNSPENT ON THE BUDGET OF 1.1. SO -- SO THE -- YOU KNOW, WE COULD -- THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE WAYS THAT -- THAT WE COULD CUT. LOOKS LIKE WE SPENT ABOUT 85% OF OUR BUDGET. THROUGH -- THROUGH 11 MONTHS. SO -- SO IF -- IF IT'S 85%, THAT'S -- THAT WOULD BE LIKE 8%, SO YOU CAN ADD 8%, SO YOU GET TO 93%, THAT GETS YOU THERE. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS NOT THE ONE THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THIS REDUCTION. SO YOU ALL WILL UNDERSTAND. WATSON BUDGETED THE SALARY FOR HIMSELF AT ONE LEVEL, I CAME IN AT ANOTHER ONE, THAT CAUSED THE MOST AGGRAVATION IN THIS BUDGET WHICH WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS AT ONE POINT. [ LAUGHTER ] OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLY?

Dunkerly: I THINK COUNCILMEMBER WYNN HAS HIS CALCULATOR OVER HERE AND HE KNOWS ABOUT HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO BE, ABOUT 70 -- 73,000 OR SO. SO WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL THINGS, I SUPPOSE, LIKE [INAUDIBLE], THAT KIND OF STUFF. FOOD AND ICE.

Mayor Garcia: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO -- TO I GUESS -- WHAT IS THE MOTION, COUNCILMEMBER? TO REDUCE THE BUDGET OF THE -- OF THE OFFICE --

WYNN: MAYOR AND COUNCIL DEPARTMENT.

Mayor Garcia: BY 4.2%.

Slusher: THAT INCLUDES SOME FUTURE WORK IN COMING BACK AND FIGURING OUT THAT CUT, HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE SHARED AMONG THE OFFICES.

WYNN: WELL, CITY MANAGER TELL ME HOW WE CAN WORK WITHIN YOUR BUDGET SCHEDULE.

Futrell: BASICALLY TAKE THE AMOUNT OF 4.2, MAKE IT PART OF YOUR BUDGET MOTION. WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WORK WITH EACH OF YOU ON SOME OF THE COMMON AREA ITEMS, SOME OF THE -- MOSTLY THIS WILL COME FROM YOUR ANCILLARY ITEMS. IT WOULD BE THE ITEMS LIKE SUPPLIES OR FOOD AND ICE OR TRAVEL OR -- I THINK SOME OF THOSE EVEN HAVE CONSOLIDATED FUND AMOUNTS. BUT WE CAN WORK WITH YOU TO COME BACK AND SHOW YOU WHERE THAT WOULD OCCUR IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO ON THIS ITEM.

Goodman: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR PRO TEM?

Goodman: I DID HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE BACK ABOUT THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF THIS MOTION, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.

Mayor Garcia: SURE.

Goodman: I WANTED TO LET US ALL KNOW THAT -- THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS EXACTLY WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE WHEN YOU LOOK AT LISTS OF NUMBERS. AND BACK WHEN MAYOR BUTLER WAS MAYOR IS WHEN THE AIDE WAS ADDED TO THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS WITHIN THE COUNCIL OFFICE. SO SINCE THAT TIME, WHICH WAS IN THE '70'S, UNTIL TODAY, WE REMAIN WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS WITHIN AN OFFICE. WITH AN OCCASIONAL YOUNG STUDENT INTERN. AND SO I WANTED TO -- TO COMPARE WITHOUT GOING INTO THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS, THE SIZE OF THE CITY AROUND THE NUMBER OF VOTERS AND CONSTITUENTS, RESIDENTS AND -- AND CONSTITUENTS THEN AS OPPOSED TO NOW. AND I THINK THAT'S REFLECTED A LITTLE BIT IN THE NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS THAT THE MAYOR WAS LOOKING AT AND OF COURSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF E-MAILS AND THE NUMBER OF LETTERS AND THE NUMBER OF CELL PHONE CALLS AND THE NUMBER OF HOME CALLS TO COUNCILMEMBERS, TO AIDES AND TO EVEN ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIES. AND ON OCCASION WHEN THINGS GET A LITTLE ROCKY, EVEN TO YOUR INTERN. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT -- WHAT CITY EMPLOYEES AS -- AS A WHOLE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO THIS YEAR IS NOT HAVE A PAY RAISE. AND TO TAKE OFF AN EXTRA DAY. OUR EMPLOYEES DO THE SAME. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ADD IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, NOW, I HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AS WE KNOW THE -- IN RECENT ELECTIONS SOME PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE WITH THAT, BUT OVER THE YEARS YOU DON'T SEE HOW MUCH MONEY ROLLS OVER AND IN FACT IS NOT NEW MONEY, IS NOT USED OR EXPENDED MONEY. BUT IS SIMPLY MONEY ROLLED OVER FROM YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. SO RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT YOU WOULD SEE AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD SAY FROM MY OFFICE, I WOULD LIKE YOU ALSO TO NOTE THAT -- THAT FOR MANY YEARS LITTLE AND? SOME YEARS -- AND IN SOME YEARS NONE, IN FACT MOST YEARS NONE OF THE TRAVEL MONEY IN ANY CATEGORY WAS USED BY OUR OFFICE. THAT LAST YEAR I DIDN'T HAVE AN INTERN. THAT MONEY ROLLED OVER. SO THERE IS NO NEW MONEY ALLOCATED FOR AN INTERN. THAT -- THAT I DO HAVE LONG-TIME CITY EMPLOYEES AND THEY ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD, SO THERE IS A -- THERE IS A SOMEWHAT HIGHER THAN A NEW COUNCILMEMBER STAFF NUMBER THERE. AND ON THE OTHER THINGS, ADVERTISING PUBLICATION, PRIORITY MAIL, EDUCATIONAL PROMOTIONAL, SO MUCH OF THE OTHER THINGS WE NEVER TOUCH. WE USE VERY LITTLE MONEY THAT'S NOT SPENT IN DIRECT CONSTITUENT SERVICE. AND WE DO THAT EACH AND EVERY YEAR. SO OVER THE YEARS OF -- OF MY TERMS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN HAVE GOTTEN A GREAT DEAL OF WORK FROM MY OFFICE AND NOT AN EXORBITANT, MY LONG-TIME SECRETARY, RETIRED, SO IN FACT I HAVE CONTINUED TO CUT BACK ON BUDGET NUMBERS BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I HAVE AN EXCELLENT ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY NOW, HE WAS NOT TO THE -- TO THE LEVEL OF LONGEVITY THAT ALTA WAS, SO THAT IS LESS. WE HAVE MUCH MONEY THAT ROLLS OVER EVERY YEAR THAT WE DO NOT SPENT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ASSUMPTION THAT CAN SO EASILY BE MADE, WHEN LOOKING AT A SHEET WITH -- WITH BLACK AND WHITE NUMBERS IS NOT JUST TAKEN WITHOUT THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS AND WHICH DOES NOT SHOW UP. THANKS.

Alvarez: I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM ADDED. I REALLY THINK HOW SHE ARTICULATED IN TERMS OF HOW WE WERE TREATING OUR EMPLOYEES. THAT'S REALLY WHAT CONCERNED ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE DISCUSSION IS THE -- IS THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS FOR US TO REDUCE OUR STAFFING AND THAT CAME JUST -- JUST KIND OF AT A LATE TIME IN THE PROCESS. AND IT CAME JUST THROUGH THE REGULAR MAIL AND I THINK IT CREATED SOME UNNECESSARY -- UNNECESSARY -- I DON'T KNOW, CONCERNS, BY THE PART OF OUR OWN STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST THEY HAVE HEARD OF ANY KIND OF DOWNSIZING IN THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICES. SO -- SO I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER WYNN THAT WE -- WE SHOULD LOOK AT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, MAYBE -- MAYBE A REDUCTION TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, BECAUSE -- BECAUSE JUST IN TERMS OF BEING CONSISTENT AND -- AND BECAUSE -- BECAUSE THE SITUATION IS THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF THE -- OF OUR BUDGET AND THE ECONOMY. AND -- AND I THINK WE HAVE TRIED TO BE CONSISTENT IN TERMS OF AT LEAST A PERSONNEL SORT OF ISSUES AND -- AND I DO BELIEVE IT -- I THINK WE CAN LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE TRIMMED AND HOPE WE CAN GO THROUGH A PROCESS, JOINT PROCESS HERE OF US FIGURING OUT WHAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK EVERY OFFICE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF HOW THEY ALLOCATE THEIR RESOURCES AND -- AND SO I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT MY OWN BUDGET OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEE, WELL, WHERE IS IT -- YOU KNOW, IN MY OWN BUDGET THAT I CAN CUT 4%. I THINK THAT IT'S FEASIBLE. ALTHOUGH I DO -- I ALSO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR THAT MAYBE WE ARE NOT AT THE LEVEL WE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE POPULATION HAS DOUBLED AND OUR BUDGETS HAVE ONLY INCREASED 30%. BUT -- BUT I THINK WE ALL TRY TO DO THE BEST WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND -- AND BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO OVER THE COURSE OF -- OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THIS SO THAT WE CAN STILL DELIVER THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] (TIME: 11:11 A.M.)

Slusher: HOPEFULLY THEY GAIN SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL HELP THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. SO I CAN VOTE FOR THIS ONE, BUT COULDN'T HAVE FOR THE OTHER ONE. MAYOR THE ONE ON THE FOUR PERCENT TO BE DONE ON THE WHOLE BUDGET?

Slusher: RIGHT. BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD SET THE -- WE HAD THE CITY EMPLOYEES GOING THROUGH THIS AND ALL EXCEPT THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, SO I WOULD THINK WE SHOULD SET THE EXAMPLE.

I'M LOOKING, FOR INSTANCE, AT PLACE 1 EXPENSES. YOU THROUGH 11 MONTH HAVE SPENT ONLY 80% OF YOUR BUDGET. SO THE FOUR PERCENT CAN BE DONE WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR ONE.

Slusher: I'M NOT GOING TO DO A SPENDING SPREE HERE IN THE LAST MONTH.

Mayor Garcia: WELL, ACTUALLY YOU SHOULDN'T BECAUSE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ IS HERE AND DOING BETTER THAN YOU. [ LAUGHTER ]

Slusher: WE'LL HAVE A COMPETITION THERE. [ LAUGHTER ]

Mayor Garcia: SO THIS PARTICULAR MOTION WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE BUDGET OF THE CITY AND CUT IT BY 4.2%. AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO IMPACT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, BUT IT WILL BE IN THE OTHER EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE. OKAY? FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS MOTION?

Thomas: AS LONG AS WE STICK WITH THE EXPENSES, BECAUSE LOOKING AT -- I AGREE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT I JUST DON'T AGREE, JUST LIKE COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ SAID, I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IS ALL SIT DOWN AND JUST TALK BEFORE IT HIT US LIKE IT HIT US. IT HIT US AND IT HIT EMPLOYEES AND -- HE HAS A GOOD POINT. SO I THINK THE NEXT TIME WE DO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SUPPORT THE FOUR PERCENT. AS LONG AS IT'S FOR EMPLOYEES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THERE?

Mayor Garcia: RIGHT. SO THE TOTAL IS TO TAKE THE 4.2% AND NOT IMPACTING ANYTHING, THE SALARIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE WILL REMAIN AT THE LEVEL. NOBODY IS GETTING A SALARY INCREASE THIS YEAR. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION. YOU SECONDED IT FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, THOUGH?

I'M GOING TO KEEP IT ON.

Mayor Garcia: THE SECOND IS ON COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, MAIN MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. FURTHER DISCUSSION? FAVOR.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL IN FAVOR?

AYE. AGAINST, NO? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. I THINK THAT WHEN WE HAVE THESE KIND OF PROPOSALS, I THINK WE NEED TO USE A DIFFERENT PROCESS TO ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO PROCESS IT THROUGH AND DO IT IN A MANNER THAT DOESN'T UPSET THE PROCESS OF THE CITY STAFF. OKAY. THIS IS C -- ACTUALLY, COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY AND COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.

Futrell: I THINK, MAYOR, WE'RE TO C, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS. MAIR MAYOR THIS WOULD --

Mayor Garcia: THIS WOULD BE -- THE 4.2 PERCENT TO BE ITEM NUMBER C?

Futrell: YES.

Mayor Garcia: SO THAT MOTION WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY, SO THIS WOULD BE LIKE C-A WOULD BE THAT ONE. THAT 4.2%. AND THAT MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO WITH COUNCILMEMBER WYNN MAKING THE MOTION, COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER SECONDING IT. NOW WE GO TO SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, ITEMS 1 THROUGH 4. AND SFIRM?

Futrell: AND THIS -- AND THIS ITEM HAS FOUR DIFFERENT ITEMS UNDER IT. THESE ARE ALL GRANTS THAT HAVE COME IN SINCE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WENT TO PRINT. SO IT IS SIMPLY ACCEPTING THESE FOUR GRANTS INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET. THE FIRST GRANT IS SOMETHING WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT. IT'S A -- IT WILL ALLOW US TO -- IT IS THE MOBILE VAN THAT GOES OUT AND HELPS WITH THE SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS. WE'VE TALKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY TO LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN EXPAND THE GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE AREA WITH THIS GRANT. NUMBER 2 WE'RE ALSO VERY EXCITED BRKS WHICH IS THE POLICE UP GRANTED. IT IS THE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT THAT GETS US 104,000 AND 1.4 F.T.E.'S. NUMBER 3 IS A 100,000-DOLLAR ECONOMIC INITIATIVE GRANT THAT WILL GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND NUMBER 4 IS A 30,000-DOLLAR GRANT THAT GOES INTO THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS. AND IT'S A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE APPROPRIATE DISPOSAL OF NEEDLES, BASICALLY OF USED NEEDLES. IT'S A SAFETY GRANT, PRIMARILY EDUCATION. SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR GRANTS UNDER D.

Mayor Garcia: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEMS D 1, 2, 3 AND 4? MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.

OTION CARRIESON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 1, WHICH IS THE OPERATING BUDGET. THE NEXT ITEM WOULD BE THE CAPITAL BUDGET. SO THE ONLY CLARIFICATION THAT'S NEEDED HERE, MAYOR PRO TEM, IS FIRST, FIRST AND SECOND, FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD.

Goodman: I HAD ASSUMED FIRST JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAD TIME TO CROSS T'S AND DOT I'S.

Mayor Garcia: THE MOTION IS THEN TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002 AND TERMINATING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2003 AND MAKING PROPOSITIONS FOR -- APPROPRIATIONS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THESE ITEMS. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. FIRST READING TOMORROW. THE COUNCIL WILL MEET AGAIN AND WILL CONSIDER THIS ITEM FOR SECOND OR SECOND AND THIRD? WE'RE NOT OVER -- WE'RE GOING OVER NOW ITEM NUMBER 2, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH 2003. AND THE FIRST MOTION IS TO APPROVE FIRST, SECOND OR -- FIRST, FIRST SECOND OR FIRST SECOND AND THIRD READINGS OF AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002 AND TERMINATING SEPTEMBER 30, 2003. AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT ON ACCOUNT.

Goodman: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. WE'LL GO TO THE AMENDMENTS. ITEMS 1 AND 2, CITY MANAGER?

Futrell: UNDER B, SO ONCE AGAIN YOU'RE STARTING WITH YOUR PROPOSED CAPITAL BUDGET AND THEN YOU MOVE TO AMENDING THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND THERE ARE TWO ITEMS UNDER B. THE FIRST ITEM IS SIMPLY TO TAKE THE-MILLION-DOLLARS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON AS PART OF HOLLY MITIGATION FUNDS AND MOVE THAT OVER TO THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT FOR THE REC CENTER EXPANSION. THE SECOND ITEM HAS HAD SOME CHANGES IN SOURCES OF FUND, BUT NOT TOTAL AMOUNT. THE SECOND ITEM IS TO GO ON AND APPROPRIATE NOW TO THE EXISTING ONE MILLION DOLLARS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MOVED TO DO DESIGN OF COLONY PARK REC CENTER AND APPROPRIATE ANOTHER FOUR MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE COLONY PARK REC CENTER. THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION, BUT IS INTENDED TO SPLIT THE FOUR MILLION INTO TWO SEPARATE POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES. THE FIRST FUNDING SOURCE OF THE FIRST TWO MILLION TO COME FROM THE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS OUT OF THE DESTINATION PARK BONDS. THE SECOND TWO MILLION TO COME FROM OTHER PROCEEDS. WE'LL HAVE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO DETERMINE WHERE THAT COULD BE. IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM CASH TO CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND SOME THINGS IN BETWEEN. BUT THE INTENT STAYS THE SAME, FOUR MILLION DOLLARS GETS APPROPRIATED TO DESIGN, BUILD AND OPEN THE COLONY PARK REC CENTER.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. QUESTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER?

Wynn: MAYOR?

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER WYNN.

Wynn: THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT, CITY MANAGER. I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS UNDETERMINED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DECLARE TODAY WHERE THE OTHER TWO MILLION DOLLARS COMES FROM. I DON'T LIKE THIS MAY BE CASH, MAY BE CO'S, MAY BE DEPLETE THE REST OF THE PARKS FUND. I MEAN --

Futrell: LET'S TALK THROUGH THAT.

Wynn: I SAY WE DECLARE OWE--OWE.

Futrell: OUR FALL BACK SHOULD WE NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL CASH FUNDING WOULD PRIMARILY BE CO'S, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. WE SIMPLY BROAD INED THAT LANGUAGE A LITTLE BIT SO IF WE WERE TO HAVE SOME ONE TIME HEAVY NEW COME IN, MAYBE, HEAVEN CAN ONLY GRANT US THIS, SOME ADDITIONAL SALES TAX OR MONEY THAT COMES IN FOR ONE TIME, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME CASH WITH WHICH TO HANDLE THIS TWO MILLION DOLLARS, BUT EITHER WAY YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO IT, THE IDEA BEING NOT TO DRAW THE ENTIRE FOUR MILLION THAT'S LEFT OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT MONEY OF DESTINATION PARKS, BUT TO USE ONLY TWO MILLION OF IT, LEAVE TWO MILLION TO BE ALLOCATED LATER FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE DESTINATION PARKS, AND SHOULD WE WANT TO PIN IT DOWN, I THINK AT THIS POINT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO IT AS CO'S, BECAUSE SHOULD THE CASH NOT BE THERE, THAT IS PROBABLY WHERE WE WOULD GO.

Dunkerley: YOUR REZ O.O.

YOUR RESOLUTION HAS STAYED THE SAME AND IN THE PAST WE HAVE PASSED THEM WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO USE PONDS AND WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY IN THE INTEREST REVENUE IN OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND SO THAT WE USED THAT IN LIEU OF BONDS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST. SO THE RESOLUTION JUST SAYS WE -- WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ISSUE BONDS. AND IF YOU DON'T PASS THAT RESOLUTION, YOU CAN'T ISSUE LATER. SO IT'S JUST AN INTENT THAT WE WOULD ISSUE CO'S OR WE WOULD ISSUE GO'S, AND THAT COVERS US, BUT IN CASE WE DO HAVE MONEY, WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND USE CASH IN LIEU OF THAT. SO IT GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY.

I GUESS ONE QUESTION I WOULD ASK IS IF WE GO ON AND CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO SAY FROM DESTINATION PARKS '98 BOND FUNDS AND FROM CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION DOES ANYTHING PRECLUDE US LATER FROM USING INTEREST OR CASH?

NO, IT DOES NOT.

SO MAYBE THE SIMPLER AND WOULD MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE, COUNCILMEMBER, WOULD BE TO SPELL THAT OUT SINCE NOTHING WOULD PRECLUDE US HAVE USING CASH AND INTEREST LATER SHOULD THAT COME UP AND YOU DECIDE NOT TO TAKE OUT THE DEBT.

Wynn: THAT MAKES ME MORE COMFORTABLE. I HATE A SCRIPT BEING CHANGED OVERNIGHT. SHOW UP THE NEXT MORNING AND YOU'RE TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN YOU'RE TOLD THE NATE BEFORE.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY?

Thomas: I DISAGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER WYNN ALSO. AS LONG AS WE CAN CHANGE THE WORDING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHER TWO MILLION IS THERE WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, WE WON'T BE ASKED IN THE PROJECT AND THEN WE CAN'T FIND THE MONEY. WE'VE HEARD OF THE PHASE 1, PHASE 2 APPROACH A LOT, AND I'M -- AS LONG AS WE CAN WORD IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE OTHER MONEY. ANOTHER QUESTION, BECAUSE -- WE DID SAY I'M GOING TO DO THIS -- I'M GOING TO BE QUIET ON THAT. WITH THE OTHER TWO MILLION WE CAN LEAVE IN THE DESTINATION, DO WE HAVE A PROJECT OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THAT MONEY?

RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT, AND ACTUALLY, WHEN WE START -- WHEN WE ORIGINALLY PASSED THOSE BONDS, THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED BUT THAT IT WOULD BE DEDICATED TO DEVELOPMENT IN THE DESTINATION PARK DOLLARS. SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. RIGHT NOW IT IS UNDESIGNATED AND UNAPPROPRIATED, BUT IT DOES LEAVE YOU SOME FUNDS TO USE IN A LARGE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT'S OUT THERE FOR SOME KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PICNIC TABLES OR SOME TRAILS, AND THAT WILL BE THINGS THAT WE CAN BRING FORTH TO YOU ALL FOR YOU TO DETERMINE.

Slusher: MAYOR, IF I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THE COLONY PARK RECREATION CENTER IS A CRITICAL PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS RAPIDLY AS WE CAN. I CONGRATULATE COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS ON HIS WORK IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. BUT ALSO AT THE TIME THAT WE PUT THE DESTINATION PARKS ON THE BALLOT, SEVERAL OF US WORKED REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME MONEY IN THERE TO DEVELOP THOSE PARKS SO THAT THEY DIDN'T JUST SIT THERE AS JUST OPEN SPACE BECAUSE THESE ARE DESTINATION AND A DESTINATION PEOPLE COME TO. SO LEAVING THIS TWO MILLION IN THERE TO BE ALLOCATED IN FUTURE YEARS MEANS THAT AS WE CONTINUE ACQUIRING THOSE PROPERTIES AND SOME WE ALREADY HAVE ACQUIRED, THERE WOULD BE SOME FUNDS TO FUND DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE PARKS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO ANOTHER BOND ISSUE WHICH COULD TUT IT OFF TO -- PUT IT OFF TO WHO KNOWS WHEN.

Futrell: THE ANSWER TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER, IS BY DOING THE FOUR MILLION IN REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTIONS, THE MONEY IS THERE. AND WHAT WE WILL BE DOING TO MAKE THE CHANGE TO BE CLEARER IS WE WILL CHANGE THE TAIL OF THE SENTENCE -- AND JOON, EXACTLY HOW WILL THE LANGUAGE READ AT THE END?

THE LANGUAGE WILL READ FUNDING WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION FROM THE DESTINATION PARKS '98 BOND FUNDS AND OR FROM CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.

Futrell: OKAY.

Mayor Garcia: AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, THAT THE POPULATION IS MOVING INTO THAT AREA AND MORE FOLKS ARE COMING IN WITH PLANS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS IN THAT AREA. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO NOTIFY THE MANOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE PART OF THAT AREA IS IN THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, PART OF IT IS IN MANOR. AND IF WE PUT AN AMENITY LIKE THIS ONE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GROWTH IN THAT AREA, MORE PEOPLE WILL WANT TO BE GROWTH TO AN AMENITY LIKE THIS ONE. AND THAT WILL BRING FOLKS TO THE AREA AND WE'LL HAVE CHILDREN THAT WILL ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WE NEED TO LET MANOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT KNOW SO THAT THEY CAN PLAN TO ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS. AISD IS ALREADY PLANNING FOR SOME MORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA. SO IT'S AN AREA THAT HAS BECOME POPULAR FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AND I'M SURE -- IT'S IN OUR DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE. SO THANKS A LOT. THERE'S A MOTION. LET'S SEE. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, DID YOU MOVE ON THAT ONE?

Thomas: YES, SIR.

Mayor Garcia: SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. NOW BACK TO THE MAIN ITEM FOR ITEM NUMBER 2 IS TO ADOPT A CAPITAL BUDGET PROPOSED INCLUDING THE ERRATA. I ASSUME, COUNCILMEMBER, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRST READING SINCE WE DID FIRST READING ON THE OTHER ONE? WE DON'T HAVE TO. WE COULD DO ALL THREE IF YOU WANT TO.

Goodman: WELL, THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY SIMPLE, SINCE WE'VE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSION. SO ALL THREE READINGS.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION FOR ALL THREE? THE MOTION IS FOR ALL THREE READINGS ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. SO THIS ONE WILL NOT BE ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW. ITEM NUMBER 3, THIS ONE IS TO APPROVE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE AS PROPOSED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003. IT'S THE READING OF AN ORDINANCE FIXING AND LEVEEING MUNICIPAL AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TEXAS FOR THE TWOI UNTIL OTHERWISE PROVIDED. AND APRIEF THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS, ELDERLY PERSON AND INVALIDATING ALL PRIOR AD VALOREM TAXES AND THEY'LL BE CONSIDERED FOR FIRST READING ONLY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT ONE.

Slusher: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ. DISCUSSION? I WANT TO COMMEND THE CITY MANAGER'S STAFF FOR BRINGING A BUDGET THAT CAN KEEP THE RATE AT THAT LEVEL. Y'ALL RESPONDED TO THE REQUEST BY THE COUNCIL AND WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS FOR FIRST READING ONLY. ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 4, APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING FEES, FINES AND OTHER CHARGES TO BE CHARGED BY CITY DEPARTMENTS. THE MAIN MOTION IS AS READ, AND THIS ALSO WILL BE ON FIRST READING SINCE IT WAS PART OF THE OVERALL BUDGET. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE MAIN MOTION ITSELF.

Goodman: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY. WE'LL GO TO THE AMENDMENTS. FIRST, AMEND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FINES, FEES AND OTHER CHARGES.

THERE IS ACTUALLY NO AMENDMENTS, MAYOR. THAT WAS JUST A TYPO ACTUALLY ON OUR PART.

Mayor Garcia: WE DON'T HAVE ANY? WE DON'T HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS. OKAY. SO IS THERE A DISCUSSION ON THE MAIN MOTION?

Goodman: LET ME ASK ONE QUESTION, MAYOR. WHEN WE ESTABLISH FEES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM COMING IN AND AMENDING THOSE FEES AFTER DUE PROCESS DURING THE YEAR, DOES IT.

Mayor Garcia: NOT AT ALL.

Futrell: NO. AND I BELIEVE THESE ARE AMENDED PERIODICALLY DURING THE YEAR AS THINGS COME UP. ALL WE'RE DOING HERE IS REALLY SOME OF THE REVENUE ENHANCEMENT FEES AS WE LOOKED AT AS PART OF BALANCING THE BUDGET. SO YOU ARE AMENDING YOUR FEE SCHEDULE. MAIFER MAIFER ALL THOSE IF FAVOR OF THE MOTION ON FIRST READING ONLY, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MEATION CARRIES ON A --

Mayor Garcia: MOTION CARRIES ON A MOTION OF SEVEN TO ZERO. NUMBER FIVE IS TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND POSITIONS IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND REPEAL ORDINANCE NO. 020411-21. FUND SG INCLUDED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003 OPERATING BUDGET. I'LL ENTERTAIN ON MOTION ON ITEM NO. 5.

Thomas: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. DISCUSSION? THIS IS ON FIRST READING ONLY. BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF THE BUDGET, CORRECT?

Futrell: YES, THIS IS PART OF THE BUDGET THAT YOU'LL NEED TO BE ADOPTING.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO. MOTION CARRIES ON FIRST READING ON NO. 5. ITEM NUMBER 6 IS TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CLFLTION AND POSITIONS IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND REPEAL OF ORDINANCE 020416-22, FUNDING FOR THE REQUESTED CHANGE IS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003 OPERATING BUDGET? WHAT IS THIS, ANYBODY KNOW?

THAT'S PROBABLY THE PREVIOUS ONE FOR POLICE?

Mayor Garcia: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 6?

Slusher: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER MAKES A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. DO WE HAVE THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE CULTURAL CONTRACT -- THE ARTS COMMISSION? WE'RE GOING TO SKIP ITEM NUMBER 7 AND WE'LL COME BACK. WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 8. ITEM NUMBER 8 IS APPROVE RESOLUTION FOR THE AUSTIN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU MARKETING PLAN, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF 5,591,558 AND SET THE CONTRACT PAYMENT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AT 4,557,360 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2003 FOR THE ACVB AND DIRECT THAT THE APPROVED DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AS REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS TAX CODE. I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 4.5 AND 5.5 IS THE BEGINNING BALANCE. HOW CAN WE APPROVE 5.5 AND ONLY APPROVE 4.5?

I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.

Mayor Garcia: THE -- HERE WE GO. WE HAVE MR. LANDERS HERE. THE POSTING SAYS --

YES.

Mayor Garcia: WE'RE APROVING THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF 5.591558 THOUSAND. IS THE REVENUE FROM OTHER SOURCES?

IN THE WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

THERE'S APPROXIMATELY SIX TO $800,000 IN THAT THAT IS OTHER SOURCES.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 8. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MEATION COARZ ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO.

Futrell: I SENSE ANOTHER BUDGET AWARD, BOB. THE QUICKEST PRESENTATION OF THE SEASON.

Mayor Garcia: ITEM NUMBER 9 --

Alvarez: MAYOR, WE HAD REQUESTED A COPY OF THE MARKETING PLAN, SO IF THAT COULD BE DISTRICTED.

WE WILL GET YOU A COPY.

Mayor Garcia: ITEM NUMBER NINE IS TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO DECLARE OFFICIAL INTENT TO REIMBURSE ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS IN AN AGRICULTURE GAT MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $41 MILLION TO BE PAID OUT OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTRIC UTILITY CIP FUNDS, 3240, 3250 AND 3260. CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT?

IN THE SCRIPT WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER. WE'RE TAKING ITEMS NINE, 10 AND 11 AS ONE ITEM THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED BECAUSE ALL THESE OF PEOPLE ARE REIMBURSED A RESOLUTION, ONE FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, ONE FOR THE WATER UTILITY AND THE OTHER FOR THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.

> Futrell: SO BASICALLY NINE, 10 AND 11 ON THE POSTED AGENDA, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT LISTED HERE, AND PROBABLY THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR TOMORROW TO HAVE THEM LISTED OUT, ARE WHAT THE MOTION WOULD BE UNDER NINE ON THE SCRIPT, IS THAT RIGHT?

Mayor Garcia: 3240 IS ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTION OF SUBSTATION CAPITAL. 50 IS DISTRIBUTION OF CAPITAL AND THEN CUSTOMER SERVICE BILLING AND METERING. AND THE SAME WITH THOSE OTHER ACCOUNTS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE BACKUP THAT YOU HAVE UNDER NINE, 10 AND 11. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEMS NUMBER NINE, 10 AND 11. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY. THIS IS NINE, 10 AND 11. THESE ARE ALL THE BONDS FOR EVERYBODY, RIGHT?

YES, THEY ARE, MAYOR. AND IS THIS ON FIRST READING ONLY?

Mayor Garcia: FIRST READING ONLY.

IT'S A RESOLUTION.

Mayor Garcia: IT'S A RESOLUTION, YEAH, BUT WE DON'T NEED BUT ONE READING ON THIS. COUNCIL, ON MEAN, 10 AND 11, SINCE IT'S A RESOLUTION, WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT UP TODAY. WE COULD TAKE IT UP WHEN WE DO SECOND AND THIRD READING OF THE BUDGET. BUT WE COULD ALSO FINISH IT OFF TODAY. SO IS THERE A MOTION BY YOU, COUNCILMEMBER?

> Dunkerley: MOTION TO FINISH IT TODAY.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION IT FINISH IT TODAY, COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY IS MAKING THAT MOTION. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER SECONDS IT. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MEATION COARZ ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. IS THE ARTS COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON HERE? OKAY. THAT'S ALSO A RESOLUTION, IS THAT NOT CORRECT?

YES. FUTURE I

Futrell: I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I'VE GOTTEN EXOWS QUOUSED. DOES B STILL NEED TO BE DONE, THE COLONY PARK, OR WAS THAT ALSO INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION THE COUNCIL JUST TOOK?

THAT WAS INCORPORATED.

Mayor Garcia: THAT WAS INCORPORATED. WHEN WE DID THE ITEM 2 CAPITAL BUDGET, THE AMENDMENT PASSED. THE AMENDMENT WAS MADE BY -- THE MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT WAS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY. AND THAT PASSED SEVEN-O. AND THAT -- THEN WE WENT TO FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD READING OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND THAT WAS MOTION MADE BY COMP AND BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. COUNCIL, WHAT'S YOUR WISH ON THE CULTURAL CONTRACT?

Futrell: WOULD YOU LIKE TO REFRAME THAT QUESTION? WE WOULD GET AN HONEST ANSWER TO THAT. [ LAUGHTER ]

Alvarez: I THINK WE SHOULD EXPLAIN WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS.

Mayor Garcia: THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. WE WILL NOW CALL UP ITEM NUMBER 7, WHICH IS APPROVE RESOLUTION FOR THE 2002-2003 CONTRACTS FOR CULTURAL ARTS SERVICES. AND FUTURE --

Futrell: I WILL TAKE A BEGINNING STAB AT IT AND THEN TURN TOAFER TO THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME WORKOGT BASICALLY WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IN A SEPARATE ITEM, A SEPARATE PACKAGE, DOES THIS,. FIRST IT TAKES CARE OF THE NEGATIVE BEGINNING BALANCE. REMEMBER THIS BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE SHORTFALL IN REVENUE THIS THIS AREA, NOT ONLY WAS ALL THE CONTINGENCY FUND USE, BUT ALSO THIS FUND WENT NEGATIVE ALMOST $300,000. SO THE 287,970 NEGATIVE BALANCE IS TAKEN CARE OF. THEN, 2, A 30% ACROSS THE BOARD CUT FOR EXISTING CONTRACTS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AND FROM NEW CONTRACTS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, I BELIEVE, IS HOW THIS IS NOW STRUCTURED. IN ADDITION SO THAT IT LEAVES A 5.1% CONTINGENCY FUND, ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WE NORMALLY USE, BUT STILL IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES A HEDGE AGAINST WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH THIS REVENUE STREAM IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S 150,922. THERE WAS ALSO A 2,000-DOLLAR MINIMUM, IN OTHER WORDS, NO CONTRACT LESS THAN 2,000. THEN YOU HAVE THE DETAIL BACK THIS UP. I BELIEVE THE ONLY OTHER ITEM IS THE 60,000-DOLLAR CONTRACT FOR THE ZACHARY SCOTT IS IN HERE AND IS WHOLE. AND WITH THAT IF COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY AND MAYOR PRO TEM GOODMAN WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS, THEY DID THE BULK OF THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS ITEM.

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR PRO TEM?

Goodman: LET ME FIRST REMIND EACH OTHER HOW WE GOT HERE. LAST YEAR, EXACTLY A YEAR AGO, THE FUNDING PROCESS HAD BEEN SO CONTROVERSIAL THAT WE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INPUT FROM THE ARTS COMMUNITY DURING COUNCIL MEETINGS AND CERTAINLY TO OUR OFFICES AND THE MEDIA HAD ALSO TAKEN A HAND IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN THEN AND WHAT THE PROCESS WAS. SO IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WE -- DO YOU WANT ME TO WAIT ON SOMEBODY?

Mayor Garcia: YES. WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE VICE-CHAIRPERSON OF THE ARTS COMMISSION IS HERE. THEY'RE DOING YOUR ITEM AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS EXPLAINING THE PROCESS. MAYOR PRO TEM?

Goodman: THANKS, MAYOR. OKAY. IT WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND A PROCESS THAT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN PUT INTO PLACE SO THAT ARTISTS AND CITIZENS DID NOT HAVE TO RESORT TO POLITICS, QUOTE AND UNQUOTE, TO ADDRESS THE FUNDING ISSUES, HAD OBVIOUSLY NOT WORKED IN THAT CONTEXT. AND WE WERE VERY MUCH POLITICALLY INVOLVED IN SOMETHING THAT IS A VERY ESOTERIC, IN SOME CASES VERY SENSITIVE AND IN SOME CASES YOU NEED TO BE SKILLED, AREA OF TRYING TO ASSESS VALUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS AN ENTIRE PROCESS AND COMMISSIONS AND PEER PANELS, RENEW PANELS IN PLACE TO DO THAT SO THAT THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE TO TRY TO DO THAT. AT THAT TIME WE ALLOCATED SOME MONEY IN THIS LAST YEAR'S, CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET FOR CONSULTANTS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND LOOK AT OUR PROCESS, REVIEW, REVISE, OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THAT WAS A STEP TOWARD ACTUALLY A MUCH BROADER APPRECIATION AND CONCENTRATION OF RESOURCES FOR OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY, WHICH EXTENDS EVEN TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY MAY HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT THAT EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW. SO WHAT WE DID, THOUGH, WAS TAKE A LITTLE TOO LONG GETTING THE R.F.P. OUT. THE CONSULTANTS WERE NOT ON BOARD BECAUSE PART OF THE GOAL IN HIRING THOSE CONSULTANTS WAS THAT WE WOULD NEVER AGAIN GO THROUGH WHAT WE WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S BEEN WORSE THIS YEAR. SO IN A YEAR, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE THE MONEY FROM THE BED TAX HAS BEEN SO MUCH LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR WHERE WE EVEN HAD TO TAKE REVEILLE $300,000 OUT OF WHAT CAME IN THIS YEAR TO MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTFALL OF THE FUNDING LAST YEAR, EVERYBODY IS IN A VERY DIFFICULT PLACE AND THERE IS NO ABSOLUTELY PERFECT WAY TO DO THIS, CERTAINLY NOT ONE WHERE THE ARTISTS WILL BE HAPPY. BUT SINCE THE CONSULTANTS ARE NOW ON BOARD, I FEEL ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL NOT AT LEAST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ANGST AND ANXIETY THAT SOME OF THE ARTISTS HAVE FELT ABOUT THE PROCESS ITSELF AND ABOUT SOME OF THE CONTENTS OF THE INTERVIEWING AND APPLICATION, ETCETERA, PROCESSES THAT THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH. SO AS THE COUNCIL THAT DOES THE FINAL BUDGET ACTION, WE HAVE TRIED TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO BE ABSOLUTELY FAIR, AS FAIR AS WE CAN, IN ADDRESSING THE BURDEN THAT SO MUCH LESS REVENUE HAS PUT UPON THE WHOLE CITY AND IN FACT THE WHOLE NATION, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE ON CULTURAL ARTS. SO WE LOOKED TO OUR MONEY MAN, EVEN THOUGH HE'S ELECTED, AND I'LL DEFER TO COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY.

Dunkerley: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE ARTS COMMISSION, AS YOU DID, FOR HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE YEAR WHEN NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE LESS MONEY, BUT THEY STARTED WITH ONE POT OF LESS MONEY, AND AS WE GOT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN, WE HAD TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT AFTER THAT PROCESS HAD STARTED, WHICH MADE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. SO AGAIN, HOPING THAT THIS IS THE LAST YEAR THAT WE HAD THESE ISSUES AND THAT OUR CONSULTANT WILL COME UP WITH THE PROJECT OR PROCESS. SO IT WILL HELP US WITH DEALING WITH THE ARTS FUNDS UNDER THIS ECONOMIC IMPACT. IN THE FUTURE I THINK AS WE MOVE -- AS AUSTIN AS MANY CITIES HAVE TO REALLY RELY ON THEIR ARTS IN ALL FORMS TO HELP CREATE AN AMBIANCE AND AN ENVIRONMENT SO THAT THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES CAN BLOSSOM, THAT WE AGAIN FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THESE AREAS. SO THANK YOU. AND I HOPE THIS ALLOCATION METHOD THAT WE CHOSE THIS YEAR, WHICH INCLUDES THE ARTS RECOMMENDATIONS THIS YEAR, INCLUDING THE NEW AND EMERGING ARTISTS, I HOPE IT WILL BE REMEMBER RECEIVED TO BE OUR OPPORTUNITY, OUR WAY OF TRYING TO BE AS FAIR AS WE CAN. SO THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

Mayor Garcia: THIS PROCESS HAS MOVED RATHER QUICKLY IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE HAD TO INTERFACE WITH ALL THE --

THE FIRST I HEARD WAS WHEN A REPORTER CALLED ON FRIDAY.

Mayor Garcia: THIS HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR AND OF COURSE WHAT THE COUNCIL IS TRYING TO DO WAS RESTORE THE SHORTFALL FROM LAST YEAR FIRST. SO WE WERE IN THE -- WE HAD A DEFICIT OF ABOUT 280 SOME-ODD THOUSAND, RESTORE THAT AND THEN SECONDLY WE WANTED TO SET UP -- SOME PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT A 10% CONTINGENCY. THE COUNCIL SAID THAT'S TOO MUCH TO PUT INTO ONE YEAR. LET'S DO HALF OF THAT. so we went to five percent. And then Councilmember Dunkerley and the mayor pro tem worked on the process and worked with folks, and we've had calls from people. But this has been a difficult year and we tried to follow as much of the work, as the councilmembers expressed. So if you have some questions, particularly of the mayor pro tem or Councilmember Dunkerley or the staff, this is a time for you to bring them up and let's see if we can discuss it here.

Thank you.

Mayor Garcia: questions or comments either one.

Well, they all came as a shock really on Friday because the arts commission was pleased with the way the process worked. Of course, we didn't have enough money and so we are used to artists complaining that they don't have enough money. We as a commission have set out in the guidelines that the council passed by resolution last year, you know, the various goals and aspirations of the commission as far as creating a place where there's a nurturing environment for artists and all these things are allowed to flourish. We've also heard, not officially, but have heard, that there's concern in some quarters, particularly in the hotel-motel tourism industry that the bed tax really should be going more towards increasing and promoting tourism. So the question was rised why do so many of the applicants and people recommended for contracts work in schools. That's where their audiences are. We have followed what was in place on the commission and tried to refine it, that this goes towards creating this nurturing environment and educate children so that long-term we have an audience being created and appreciation for the arts. We have the chair of the funding committee, whose primary role in the funding process is to recommend an allocation procedure. So the concern this year, at least from our perspective, was far less than last year because the things that people complained about, for example, the ones who were late, because they're in black and white in the guidelines that the council approved that were on our website, the things we do on a certain date at a certain time. I think as a commission when we say we're lacking overall guidance from the council, I'm referring to this issue that has come up now about is the primary purpose to promote tourism, is the primary purpose something else? Is there some priority to be given in terms of those artists -- and I mean individuals and groups that make Austin a destination point because they have, you know, nationally, internationally known people, -- bed tax, do we want to continue to do as much as we do for artists who propose contracts that will take them into schools and expose the children for various parts of the word from Austin. For example, the ones who go to school with the steel band and does the concert. The symphony who takes little ensem bells of different -- ensemble that takes the strings or percussions to school. The woman who does beautiful work spreading Cuban folklore information. Or do we want to stick to the Austin museum of art, which as many other groups had a hard year, but seems to be on the upswing, but provides a destination, along with the Texas fine arts association so that there's a stream of traffic uch uf and down Congress Avenue looking at different kinds of art that is typical of Austin, typical of the world we live in. So the basic problem is there isn't enough money. Secondary to that is the fact that MOST OF THE MONEY IS FROM PEOPLE WHO STAY IN HOTELS FROM OUT OF TOWN. AND THERE DOESN'T TEAM SOOEM TO BE A WAY OF ACTUALLY SAYING THE CITY SUPPORTS THE ARTS BECAUSE WHILE INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND, YOU LOOKING TO GROUPS WHO HAVE COME UP WITH NEW WAYS OF ENCOURAGING MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REALLY REPRESENTED IN THE PROCESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ACTUALLY NO CITY FUNDING FOR MUSEUMS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

Goodman: ACTUALLY, MAYOR, IF I CAN JUMP IN THERE? THERE'S NOT TOTALLY TRUE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD BOND ISSUES THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY FOR CULTURAL -- NOT AN EVENT. LIKE THE STATE THEATER. AND ALSO, OF COURSE, MEXICARTE'S BUILDING. AND I CAN'T THINK OF WHAT ELSE.

Mayor Garcia: WE HAVE THE MAC, WE HAVE THE CARVER.

BUT THAT'S NOT ACROSS THE BOARD FUNDING. I PARTICIPATED YEARS AGO IN THE GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR THE BOND ISSUE WHEN IT WAS STILL CALLED LAGUNA GLORIA AND IT WAS GOING TO BE DOWN BY REPUBLIC SQUARE. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT GENERALLY AS WE HAVE BEEN SLOWLY INTRODUCED TO THE MODELS USED IN OTHER CITIES, I THINK WE'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AS THE CONSULTANTS PROCEED. BUT LAST YEAR THE CITY STAFF HAD AN INTERN WHO MADE UP A NOTEBOOK THIS THICK OF CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WAY THEY DO FUNDING. SO BECAUSE SO MUCH EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON NEW YORK IN THE PAST YEAR, WE KIND OF FOLLOWED WITH INTEREST WHAT WAS GOING ON UP THERE. AND ILLUSTRATE A LOT OF THEIR MONEY WAS COMING, KNOW, FROM THE CITY FOR VARIOUS ARTS GROUPS ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT THE DIFFICULTY IS THAT -- THAT WE'RE HAVING, REGARDLESS OF THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS, IS THERE JUST ISN'T AS MUCH MONEY AS WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED COMING DOWN FROM THAT BOOM THAT WE HAD, GETTING MORE APPLICANTS AND THEN LESS MONEY AND STILL TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE PROCESS, AS I SAY, APPROVED, IF YOU PASS IT BY RESOLUTION, THAT REQUIRES THE PEER PANEL PROCESS. AND I KNOW I GOT A COPY OF AN E-MAIL THAT WAS SENT TO VARIOUS COUNCILMEMBERS THIS MORNING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT FROM THE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC PANEL, BUT IT JUST KIND OF OUTLINES IN A VERY CONCISE WAY HIS CONCERNS.

Mayor Garcia: SURE. THE COUNCIL WILL BE MEETING TOMORROW. WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE -- WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 7 TODAY BECAUSE IT'S A RESOLUTION AND IT ONLY REQUIRES ONE READING. AND THE COUNCIL WILL BE MEETING TOMORROW TO CONSIDER SECOND AND THIRD READING OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, THE OPERATING BUDGET. WOULD THIS ADDITIONAL TIME BETWEEN TODAY AND TOMORROW -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE WILL MEET THURSDAY BECAUSE WE DON'T DO ANYTHING BUT SECOND READING TOMORROW AND THEN WE WILL THEN MEET THURSDAY. WEDNESDAY IS SEPTEMBER 11TH, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING. BUT WOULD THAT HELP YOU AACCUMULATE A PROCESS, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM OTHER BOARDS?

UH-HUH.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCIL, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, WE'LL CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION HERE TODAY, BUT WE WILL NOT TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 7 FOR ACTION TODAY, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP YOU. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

Thomas: I GO ALONG WITH THAT, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION THAT I NEED TO GET ANSWERED.

Mayor Garcia: CAN YOU DO IT RIGHT NOW.

Thomas: NO, I'M HAVING STAFF LOOK AT IT. SO IF WE CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT TOMORROW.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY.

Alvarez: MAYOR? I DID WANT TO ASK THE CHAIR A QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS A DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR AND I GUESS I HEAR WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU IS CONCERN ABOUT NOT RESPECTING THE PROCESS. AND SO, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A 30% CUT ACROSS THE BOARD BASED ON LAST YEAR'S ALLOCATION AND CERTAINLY IF THERE WAS A PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH TO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE ALLOCATION LEVELS SHOULD BE. AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO DISBURSE THAT. AND WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY 30 TO 45% LESS MONEY AND FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO CUT? BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO HELP PEOPLE EXPAND THEIR SERVICES, BUT WE KNOW IF YOU CUT, YOU ALSO CUT WHAT SERVICES CAN BE DELIVERED. AND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I WAS VERY -- BECAUSE SOME GROUPS THAT I SPOKE TO, JUST IN LOOKING AT THE LIST, GOT CUT DOWN TO 30% OF LAST YEAR'S LEVEL. AND WHAT THEY TOLD ME IS WE CAN'T FUNCTION. WE WILL HAVE TO CLOSE OUR DOORS FOR A YEAR. AND SOME GROUPS WERE 90%, SOME GROUPS WERE 100%. SOME GROUPS WERE EVEN HIGHER THAN 100% SO FROM MY VIEW OF I THOUGHT THE BETTER WAY OF PROCEEDING IS HOW DO YOU TRY TO COME UP WITH AN OPTION THAT'S FAIR SO THAT EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY GOT A FAIR SHAKE? AND WE HAVE CERTAINLY HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIFIC PANELS AND SPECIFIC WAYS CERTAIN APPLICATIONS WERE HANDLED. AND REALLY, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT JUST COMES DOWN TO BEING ABLE TO JUSTIFY, WELL, WHY IS THIS GROUP OVER HERE BASICALLY BEING PUT OUT OF BUSINESS AND THIS GROUP IS GETTING THE SAME LEVEL AS LAST YEAR. AND WHEN WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE AT LEAST DOING THE SAME LEVEL OF PROGRAMMING AS THEY'VE DONE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO WHETHER YOU THINK THIS IS A FAIR WAY OF DOING IT OR WHETHER YOU -- BECAUSE, I GUESS, YOU ALL RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ARTS -- FROM THE ARTS PANEL AND THEN YOU ALL MADE SOME CHANGES. AND I KNOW THAT I WAS COMMUNICATING, AT LEAST MY COMMISSIONER AND ANY COMMISSIONER I BUMPED INTO, AND SAID WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE OF AN ACROSS THE BOARD OR SOME WAY THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SHARE THE PAIN TO A CERTAIN DEGREE SO THAT IT'S NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY BORNE BY CERTAIN ARTS ORGANIZATIONS. AND SOMEHOW WE REALLY DIDN'T SEE THAT THAT WAS -- I PERSONALLY DIDN'T SEE THAT THOSE VIEWS WERE SORT OF BEING CONSIDERED.

I NEVER GOT THAT MESSAGE --

Alvarez: I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS I THINK YOU SEE THAT THERE'S A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, BUT I KNOW THAT I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AND I THINK THE COMMISSION ALSO HAS TO A CERTAIN DEGREE YOU'RE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL SO YOU HAVE I THINK AN OBLIGATION TO FIND OUT, WELL, WHAT IS IT THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE KIND OF IN THEORY OR CONCEPT AND THEN TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE ACTIONS OF THE COMMISSION. BUT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL MINUTES THAT HAVE COME UP WHERE SEVERAL COUNCILMEMBERS DO EXPRESS AN OPINION ABOUT WHAT KIND OF DIRECTION OR CONSIDERATIONS THE COMMISSION SHOULD TAKE, BUT THEN WE DON'T SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THE THE FINAL OUTCOME OR THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH IS FINE, BUT THEN WHEN IT COMES TO US, I JUST DON'T LIKE, KIND OF PEOPLE FEELING NECESSARILY SURPRISED WHEN I KNOW I'VE COMMUNICATED THAT TO DIFFERENT ARTS GROUPS AND DIFFERENT COMMISSION GROUPS. AND AT LEAST MY OWN WISHES IN TERMS OF WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE AN EQUITABLE WAY TO PROCEED WERE NOT REFLECT UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN THAT'S WHAT -- I'M STILL HERE TO TRY TO DO THAT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE MOST EQUITABLE WAY OF DOING THESE AND ESPECIALLY HAVING THE CONSULTANTS ON BOARD IS JUST -- AND GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE CUTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN CULTURAL ARTS, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE TO A CERTAIN DEGREE SPREAD OUT THE PAIN AS EVENLY AS POSSIBLE AND EVERYONE COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT HOW TO FOR NEXT YEAR THIS IS A BETTER PROCESS AND MORE EQUITABLE. SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR THE FOCUS TO START BEING THAT IN TERMS OF NEXT YEAR AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE PROCESS AND SEE -- MAYBE ONE OF THE GUIDELINES THEY QUITA CROOETED, THAT GROUP, IF YOU'RE GOING TO CUT 10% OR 20%, THEN THERE HAS TO BE A RATIONALE OR A STATEMENT OF FINDINGS OR SOMETHING THAT EXPLAINS WHY THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SAW THIS YEAR IS LIKE SOME PEOPLE WENT FROM 100% FUNDING TO 30% FUNDING AND IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO TELL WHAT THE BASIS WAS FOR THAT. WE'RE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION THIS YEAR. WE'RE ALL HAVING DIFFICULTY AND SO I REALLY -- FROM MY POINT OF VIEW I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE -- WHAT'S THE FAIR WAY OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KIND OF FEELS A LITTLE BIT OF PAIN, BUT IT'S NOT DISPROPORTIONATE TO PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONS.

WELL, NOT HAVING STUDIED THIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 30% ACROSS THE BOARD CUT IS REFERRING TO. I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED OR TO THE REQUESTS. BUT, OF COURSE, THE WORK OF THE PANEL, YOU KNOW, INCLUDES LOOKING AT WHAT A GIVEN APPLICANT IS PROPOSING, WHICH MAY BE LESS, WHICH MAY BE MORE THAN THE PRIOR YEAR. THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE DONE AS WELL THE PRIOR YEAR, SO THERE ARE LOTS OF VARIABLES THAT GO INTO THE PANEL'S THINKING. AND IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DOCUMENT IT WHILE STILL TRYING TO PROTECT, MAYBE THAT'S TOO STRONG A WORD, PANELISTS FROM WHAT TURN OUT TO BE PERSONAL ATTACKS BY UNHAPPY APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE GLAD TO LOOK INTO THAT. AS FAR AS MORE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN ALONG THOSE LINES. YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT -- IF THE CHAIR -- MY TERM IS UP AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, SO WHOEVER IS THE CHAIR IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE OFFICIAL LIAISON BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION. SO IF A GIVEN COMMISSIONER SAYS, WELL, I WAS TALKING TO THE COUNCILMEMBER WHO APPOINTED ME AND THIS IS WHAT THEY THINK, I DON'T THINK THAT NECESSARILY HAS AS MUCH WEIGHT AS SOMETHING ADDRESSED "DEAR ARTS COMMISSION COUNCILMEMBERS THINK THIS, AND INVITE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AND REPORT BACK. " SINCE OUR ROLE IS TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL ON ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE ARTS. SOME OF US ARE IN REASONABLY REGULAR CONTACT WITH AIDES, SOME OF US AREN'T. BUT, I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE THE SIMPLEST THING TO FIX RIGHT NOW IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE. COMMUNICATE BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY?

Dunkerley: I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON POINT, AND I'M HOPING THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS YEAR INCLUDES A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN JUST HOW TO DO SOMETHING. I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME WORK SESSIONS AND COME UP WITH SOME GENERAL GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHEN WE HAVE DECREASING FUNDS, ETCETERA. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU FORMAL DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, WHICH WOULD HELP PERHAPS GUIDE YOU IN HOW YOU SET UP YOUR WORK. AND I THINK ALSO AS WE'RE IN THE BUDGET -- THIS BUDGET CRUNCH OR DOWNTURN IN THE REVENUE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK, I THINK -- AND THIS WOULD BE PART OF MY INPUT INTO THAT PROCESS WHEN IT COMES -- TO WAYS THAT WE COULD PERHAPS HELP MAKE ALL THE GROUPS SUSTAINABLE. AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE MIGHT DO THIS, IF WE COULD GET A POOL FOR HEALTH INSURANCE OUT OF SOME OF THAT MONEY THAT ALL THE GROUPS COULD PARTICIPATE IN OR MAYBE LIABILITY INSURANCE OR SOMETHING ON THAT ORDER THAT I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT WOULD BE -- MAKE IT CHEAPER FOR ALL OF THEM TO DO BUSINESS AND STAY IN BUSINESS AND THEREFORE THE DOLLARS FOR THE ART PART OF IT WOULD GO A LITTLE FURTHER. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE COUNCIL DISCUSS LATER AS A GROUP WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP SOME GUIDELINES. WHAT DO WE DO WITH EMERGING GROUPS AND HOW DO WE SEGREGATE THE BIG GUYS FROM THE MIDDLE SIZE AND THE EMERGING ARTISTS AND DO WE SET UP A SEPARATE PROGRAM FOR EMERNLING ARTISTS AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT. I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO US FOR IS TO GIVE YOU MAYBE SOME GUIDELINES OF WHERE WE'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR INPUT IN A MORE FORMAL WAY.

AND THE OTHER THING AGAIN IS THIS ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE JUST BELOW THE SURFACE ABOUT TOURISM PROMOTION. ONE THING IN A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE CONSULTANT WAS THAT IN SAN ANTONIO TO GET AROUND THAT THEY TOOK THEIR TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS MONEY AND USED THAT TO FUND THE INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WHO DID, YOU KNOW, STRICTLY LOCAL SCHOOL STUFF AND USED THE BED TAX FOR THE BIG STUFF THAT WOULD DRAW IN MORE PEOPLE TO PAY MORE BED TAX. SO THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS LIKE THAT THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO.

Dunkerley: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER QUESTIONS?

Goodman: THANKS, MAYOR. I'M SORRY, I WAS TALKING TO STAFF. WAS THE VICE-CHAIR GOING TO SPEAK ALSO?

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY --

Goodman: WHAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU TO INCLUDE IN YOUR REMARKS IS THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU ALL WENT THROUGH WITH THOSE VARIETY OF FORMULAS. AND YOU COULD TELL WHAT KIND OF HOMEWORK PEOPLE WERE PUTTING IN. AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, BUT I DID WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE NUMBERS AND THE EXPLANATIONS THAT WENT WITH THAT, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND. AND WHAT WE LARGELY DID WITH THAT INFORMATION WAS EXPLAIN ONE EXTRA THING THAT WASN'T INCLUDED THERE, AND THAT WAS THE FACT THAT BECAUSE RF NEWS HAD BEEN SO TOTALLY NEGATIVE THAT WE HAD TO TAKE ALMOST 300,000 OUT OF THIS YEAR'S JUST TO FINISH PAYING FOR LAST YEAR'S ALLOCATION, BUT EVERYBODY THAT I SHOWED THOSE FORMULAS TOO WAS SO IMPRESSED BY YOUR WORK AND TIME. AND I KNOW YOU TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE IN THAT, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU.

CERTAINLY I WANT LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF, THE CULTURAL CONTRACT STAFF, ESPECIALLY MARIA, WHO IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND REDOES THE NUMBERS ANY WAY WE ASK HER TO. AS THE CHAIR HAS STATED, WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION ABOUT DIRECTION AND ABOUT WHICH WAY WE ARE TO MOVE; HOWEVER, THE ONE THING THAT WE STROVE TO ACCOMPLISH WAS THAT IN OUR STRONG YEARS -- THE STRONG FULLY FUNDED YEARS, WE ALLOCATED FUNDS ONE WAY. DURING THIS INCREDIBLE LACK OF FUNDING, WE HAD TO -- WE DECIDED STOIK WITH THAT SAME PROCESS. I PRESENTED THE COMMISSION WITH A VARIETY -- AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SCENARIOS TO BE AS CLEAR -- WE RECOMMENDED THE -- THE FUNDING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT WE STICK WITH THE SAME PROCESS AS LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS A 50/50 BETWEEN REQUESTS AND HISTORY. IT DOES GET CONFUSING, BUT WHEN WE RESPECT THE WORK THAT THE PANELISTS HAVE DONE -- AND WE FREQUENTLY CALL THEM OUR FOOT SOLDIERS BECAUSE THEY GO ALL YEAR LONG AND THEY VISIT WITH THE ARTISTS AND THEY'RE SUCH DIFFERENT KIND OF ART THAT'S REPRESENTED, FROM LITERATURE TO DANCE TO MUSIC TO THEATER AND EVEN WITHIN, SAY, THEATER THERE'S JUST A HUGE DIVERSITY OF TYPES AND AUDIENCES. SO A LOT OF THE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE WITH THAT IN MIND. AND IF IT SEEMS DISPARATE OR CAD WALL, IT REALLY WASN'T -- CASUAL, IT REALLY WASN'T. IT'S BASED ON LOTS OF HISTORY. CERTAINLY WE NEVER TRIED TO PUT ANYONE OUT OF BUSINESS. AND I SUPPOSE ANOTHER ISSUE IS THIS FUNDING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS SEED MONEY OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE OVER THE YEARS AND TO BE DEPENDED UPON BY THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND THESE APPLICANTS? THAT'S BEEN THE CRUX OF OUR WORK THIS LAST YEAR. AND WE WARNED EVERYONE WELL IN ADVANCE, KNOWING THAT THE NUMBERS WERE NOT LOOKING GOOD. I HAD HOPED PERSONALLY THAT IT WOULD TAKE A YEAR OR SO TO FADE AWAY, BUT IT DIDN'T. IT HIT RIGHT AWAY. I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS? [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] HF)aj@ATH@4P

COME UP WITH THINGS, PROBABLY THE BEST WE CAN DO IN THIS SITUATION, AND REALLY AM COUNTING ON THIS NOT BEING THE CASE NEXT YEAR.

I GUESS THE CONSULTANT WOULD HELP US DO THAT MAYBE?

IF WE DO ONLY SECOND READING TOMORROW ON THE OPERATING BUDGET, WE COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR YOU TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT YOU WANT TO AND WE WILL TAKE THIS UP AGAIN TOMORROW OR THURSDAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR COMING ON SUCH SHORT NOTICE, BUT I WAS NOTIFIED THIS MORNING THAT THE CITY CLERK WAS RECEIVING SOME CALLS AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD HELP US PROCESS THIS THING THROUGH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM DHAR, VICE CHAIRMAN. THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS, FOR THE READING.

MOVE TO ADJOURN.

I DIDN'T FINISH. I DIDN'T GET MY QUESTION ANSWERED ABOUT THE TECHNICAL.

OH, OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY --

AND I GO ALONG WITH, I DON'T THINK, WHEN WE DID IT THE FIRST TIME WITH FUNDING AND THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CONTINUED, I DON'T THINK THAT THE THIS WAS GOING TO CLOSE OUT ANYBODY ELSE. I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IS IMPLEMENT IT INTO THE TECHNICAL CENTER, BUT I DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT.

I THINK THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IS WE WILL START WITH THAT TOMORROW. IT WILL GIVE THEM --

I UNDERSTAND. OKAY.

I HAVE MOTION TO ADJOURN. IS THERE A SECOND?

I'M SORRY. I HAVE A COMMENT. I JUST WANT TO ALERT MY COLLEAGUES. THE ITEM IN REGARDS TO ELIMINATING THE ONE-FIFTH FTE FROM -- WHERE AM I? -- ADA YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, MY QUESTION TO THE CITY MANAGER THIS MORNING WAS, WAS THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON THE DISABLED, IN CONCURRENCE WITH THAT, AND THE ANSWER WAS YES, AND THE E-MAIL WE GOT SAYS ADAMANTLY NO.

WE'LL CHECK ON THAT.

SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTIVE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING OF THIS MOVEMENT.

AND I AM RESPONDING RIGHT NOW TO THIS E-MAIL. I HAVE TOLD HIM THAT I WILL PERSONALLY CORRECT HIS POSITION, AND I AM WORKING WITH HIM RIGHT NOW ON HOW WE HAD THIS KIND OF MISCOMMUNICATION. WE HAD WORKED FROM THE ASSUMPTION THAT HE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF BOTH THIS BUDGET AND THIS ITEM, ALTHOUGH DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THE LOSS OF A HALFTIME POSITION. SO I WILL AFFIRM WITH HIM AND TALK WITH HIM TODAY. I WILL GIVE YOU A FINAL CLARIFICATION TOMORROW, AND THEN WE'LL REVISIT THE ITEM AND SEE WHERE Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO GO.

IF AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS ONE?

YES.

MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER TO ADJOURN. IS THERE A SECOND?

I SECOND IT.

SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

COUNCIL, THERE IS LUNCH DOWN AT THE END OF THE HALL, I THINK, SOMEWHERE. AND THE TOMORROW THE MEETING IS AT 10:00, CORRECT? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY.