Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting
Tuesdaay, September 10, 2002

Note: Since these log files are derived from the Closed Captions created during the Channel 6 live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. These Closed Caption logs are not official records of Council Meetings and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records or transcripts, please contact the City Clerk at (512) 974-2210.

Mayor Garcia: GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. I THINK WE HAVE ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS HERE. AND WE EVEN HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT COUNCILMEMBERS THAT ARE STANDING AROUND WHERE THE COUNCILMEMBERS NEED TO BE. AND A FEW LAST MINUTE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING ON. MY NAME IS GUS GARCIA AND IT IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 10 10th. IT IS 10:11 IN THE MORNING. WE'RE IN THE THIRD FLOOR TRAINING ROOM AT THE ONE TEXAS CENTER LOCATED AT 505 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND WE HAVE THE SECOND DAY OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. YESTERDAY WE APPROVED ON FIRST READING THE OPERATING BUDGET. I'LL GIVE YOU JUST -- NOW THAT I CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. DID I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER? I DID? THEN WE'LL HAVE ALSO ITEM -- ITEM 2 WE ALREADY APPROVED, WHICH IS THE CAPITAL BUDGET, AND WE APPROVED THAT ON ALL THREE READINGS YESTERDAY. ITEM 3 IS SETTING THE AD VALOREM TAX RATE. ITEM 4 IS FINES, FEES AND CHARGES. AND I UNDERSTAND, CITY MANAGER, THAT THE FINES FOR HANDICAPPED PARKING WILL CHANGE? ACTUALLY, DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING TODAY OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE LAW ALLOWS US TO DO.

> Futrell: NO. WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR THAT SPECIFICALLY AND IT'S NOT IN THAT FEE SCHEDULE THAT YOU'RE ADOPTING. SO AS PART OF THE SUMMER YOUTH ITEM WE WILL BE BRINGING -- THERE IS A PROPOSAL TO REVIEW AND POTENTIALLY RAISE OUR FINES FOR ILLEGALLY PARKING IN HANDICAPPED SPACES. IT'S INCREASINGLY A PROBLEM IN THE COMMUNITY AND AS A WAY TO GET BETTER COMPLIANCE AND TO HAVE MORE DETERRENT. WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MOVING CLOSER TO THE STATE CAP. THE STATE CAP ON A CRIMINAL FINE IS $250. WE CURRENTLY DO 100 FOR AN EARLY PAY AND 1 GIFT 150 FOR A LATE PAY. BUT IF WE DO THE CIVIL FINE WE CAN GO UP TO $500. SO WE WANT TO REVIEW IT AND BRING YOU BACK A RECOMMENDATION. AND WE WILL BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

Mayor Garcia: NOW, TO DO THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND THE ISSUE WITH THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, WILL WE BE ABLE TO DO IT IN THIS BUDGET?

Futrell: YES. AND LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH THAT. DO YOU WANT TO --

Mayor Garcia: I'LL LET YOU EXPLAIN IT AT THE TIME WE GET A MOTION AND WE GO TO THE ITEM ON NUMBER 2.

Futrell: BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS THERE EXCEPT THE FINE INCREASE, WHICH WE WILL BRING BACK AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. THE FIRST ITEM IS TO APPROVE ON SECOND AND THIRD -- LET ME BACK UP. ON SECOND OR SECOND AND THIRD READING AFTER AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2002 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2003. AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT AND THE ACCOUNT, INCLUDING THE ERRATA. AND I'LL INCLUDE A MOTION -- ENTERTAIN A MOTION. AND WHEN YOU MAKE THE MOTION YOU NEED TO SAY WHETHER IT'S FOR SECOND OR SECOND AND THIRD.

Goodman: MAYOR, ON SECOND AND THIRD.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER TO APPROVE ON SECOND AND THIRD. WE ALREADY HAVE APPROVED THE FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH IS THE ONE DEALING WITH THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. THAT WAS APPROVED AND IT'S PART OF THE MAIN MOTION TODAY. THE SECOND AMENDMENT HAD TO DO WITH HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES -- AND HERE, CITY MANAGER, IS WHERE YOU COME IN ON SECOND -- ON THE SECOND DEAL. AND YOU NEED TO GO ON THE STRIP THROUGH WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DELETE AS A RESULT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT YOU HAD WITH THE INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SUBSTITUTE. AND THEN AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME I'LL TAKE AN AMENDMENT -- WE'LL DELETE WHAT WE PASSED YESTERDAY AND WE'LL TAKE AN AMENDMENT FOR THE NEW CONFIGURATION. IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THAT.

Futrell: ALL RIGHT. YOU SHOULD HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU AN E-MAIL FROM THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THAT LENDS HIS SUPPORT TO THIS NEW AND IMPROVED COMPROMISE. AND ACTUALLY, THIS I BELIEVE IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE DID HAVE ON THE TABLE. AND WHAT THIS DOES, LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH IT. THERE WAS 80 -- WE HAD DELETED AN F.T.E., A POSITION, IN HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES DEDICATED TO SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENTS. AND WE HAD $80,000 IN HUMAN RESOURCES THAT CONSISTED OF TWO THINGS, A FULL-TIME POSITION FOR HELP WITH DISABLED YOUTH PLACEMENT ACTIVITIES, PRIMARILY SUMMER YOUTH JOBS, AND 46,000 FOR ADOPTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO ASSIST IN THE PLACEMENT OF DISABLED YOUTH IN PARTICULAR JOBS. THIS PROPOSAL TAKES 34,000 OF THE 46,000 OF ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY FUNDS, MOVES IT TO HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES AND RESTORES THE FULL TIME SUMMER YOUTH POSITION DEDICATED TO THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM. IT LEAVES THE FULL TIME PERSON TO BE HIRED TO HELP WITH DISABLED YOUTH PLACEMENT AND IT STILL LEAVES $12,000 IN ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY. NOW, TO TRY TO FILL THE GAP BETWEEN THE 46,000 WE DID HAVE FOR ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND THE 12,000 WE HAVE REMAINING, WE HAVE THREE OPPORTUNITIES. ONE IS WE HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TO GET ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY, SO ONE OF THE TASKS OF THE NEW PERSON DEDICATED TO DISABLED YOUTH PLACEMENT WILL BE TO SEEK OUT AND APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS. ACTUALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT CITYWIDE SO THAT EVEN IN PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY WE MAY HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THE USE OF ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY. THE SECOND IS TO LOOK FOR PRIVATE DONATIONS OF ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY. AND THE THIRD IS FOR US TO RESEARCH AND BRING BACK IN LATE SEPTEMBER A POSSIBLE RAISE TO THE FINE FOR ILLEGALLY PARKING IN HANDICAPPED SPACES. WE CHARGE WELL BELOW THE STATE MAXIMUM. IT IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO IF WE DO CHOOSE TO RAISE THAT FINE AND THERE IS ADDITIONAL REVENUE, WE CAN ALSO MAKE UP THE GAP ON ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT WAY. SO WHAT WE'VE ENDED UP WITH IS BOTH POSITIONS, ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND SOME ADDITIONAL AVENUES TO AUGMENT THAT ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY, AND I THINK WE HAVE A WIN-WIN SITUATION HERE. AND SO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BASICALLY GOES THROUGH THOSE STEPS.

Mayor Garcia: WHAT I NEED PROCEDURALLY IS A MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION TO DELETE WHAT WE PASSED YESTERDAY, 80,000 ADDITION AND DELETION THAT WE HAVE. SO I'M GOING TO DO THAT FIRST AND THEN I ALSO ASK FOR AN AMENDMENT ON THE 33,777, I'LL DO IT THAT WAY. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT A SUBSUBSTITUTE MOTION AS MUCH AS IT IS DELETING ONE AND ADDING THE OTHER. AND I GUESS, CITY ATTORNEY, WE COULD DO IT ALL AT ONCE OR DO WE NEED TWO MOTIONS?

YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THE AMENDMENT ALONG WITH THE SECOND AND THIRD READINGS?

Mayor Garcia: WE AMENDMENTED THE OPERATING BUDGET LAST YEAR FOR THOSE FIGURES, ONE ADD AND ONE DELETED. THAT NEEDS TO COME OUT. AND WE NEED TO PUT NOW IN ITS PLACE WHAT HAS BEEN -- THE REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS THE 33,700 ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

YOU CAN DO A MOTION TO AMEND OR A MOTION TO MODIFY.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MODIFY WHAT WE DID YESTERDAY.

Thomas: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS MAKES THAT MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: CITY MANAGER, I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE YESTERDAY THAT SEEMED TO BE AN ISSUE THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED QUICKLY AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, I APPRECIATE MR. LUCY'S COOPERATION AND WORK ON THIS AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

Futrell: AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THINK OUR DIALOGUE GAVE US A BETTER IDEA.

Mayor Garcia: SURE.

Goodman: MAYOR? BEFORE WE LEAVE THE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ASPECT OF THE BUDGET, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER VERY BRIEFLY TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DID IN TRYING TO LEVERAGE OUR DOLLARS THERE. AND THE REASON THAT I ASK IS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE STILL ARE GOING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT BACK WHEN THE CITY AND COUNTY BOTH AGREED THAT SOMEHOW WE WERE GOING TO SCAPE UP ANOTHER HALF MILLION EACH TO PUT INTO HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, WE DID THAT. AND I THOUGHT THE COUNTY DID TOO, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY DID NOT, THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND THAT MONEY. SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE WITH THAT EXTRA MILLION, SINCE THE INCREASED DEMAND IN A DOWN ECONOMY IS OBVIOUS AND CERTAINLY EASILY IDENTIFIED HERE IN AUSTIN, THE REASON THAT WE CANNOT DO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT IS NOT KNOWN OUT THERE, AND KNOWS WHO WATCH THESE ISSUES CLOSELY. SO IF I COULD ASK TOBY TO QUICKLY GO OVER WHAT SHE DID BEFORE.

Futrell: BASED ON YOUR INSTRUCTIONS WHEN WE HAD THE EARLY BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, YOU TOLD US VERY CLEARLY THAT IN A DOWN ECONOMY YOU DID NOT WANT ANY OF OUR SOCIAL CONTRACTS OR DIRECT SOCIAL SERVICE FUNCTIONS TO BE REDUCED, BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, IF A DOWN ECONOMY, THE DEMAND IN THESE AREAS ACTUALLY GOES UP, NOT DOWN. SO WE'VE DONE THAT. ALL YOUR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS ARE WHOLE. ALL DIRECT SERVICE PROVISION IS WHOLE. BUT WE WENT BEYOND THAT BECAUSE LAST YEAR YOU DID A MATCH WITH -- ACTUALLY, A THREE-WAY MATCH, BUT IN TERMS OF CASH, A TWO-WAY MATCH. THE SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDES AGREED TO START ORK LOOKING FOR SYNERGY AND SERVICES AMONG ONE ANOTHER FOR A THIRD OF THIS. THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO PUT IN 500,000 AND WE WERE GOING TO PUT IN 500,000, AND WE ALL DID, IN ORDER TO HELP WITH THAT INCREASED DEMAND IN BASIC NEEDS. SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR BUDGET TODAY IS ONCE AGAIN A SECOND YEAR THAT ADDITIONAL $500,000 TO APPLY TO THIS INCREASED DEMAND FOR ASSISTANCE, FOOD AND SHELTER AND RENT AND HEALTH CARE. SO -- BUT IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT MONEY WILL NOT BE LEVERAGED THIS YEAR BY THE COUNTY AND THAT'S REALLY ABOUT ALL I HAVE ON IT AT THIS MOMENT. YOU DO HAVE IT IN YOUR BUDGET, BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT IT IS GOING TO BE MATCHED.

Goodman: HAS THE COUNTY ALREADY PASSED THEIR BUDGET?

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE PASSED THEIR BUDGET. THEY ARE ACTUALLY POSTING ON THEIR TAX RATE, I NOTICED, THIS WEEK.

MAYBE BETWEEN STAFF AND COUNCILMEMBERS WE CAN TALK TO SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE THE RUMORS THAT I'VE HEARD ARE THAT NOT ONLY COULD THEY NOT COME UP WITH THAT EXTRA, BUT THAT THERE IS A CONTEMPLATED DECREASE IN FUNDS, AND I'VE HEARD VARIOUS NUMBERS, A MILLION, TWO MILLION AND SO ON, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE DEVASTATING. SO MAYBE AMONG US WE CAN COME UP WITH A SMALL DELEGATION TO GO TALK TO THE JUDGE AND A COMMISSIONER OR TWO AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME INFORMATION ON THAT. WE CAN'T DO IT BY OURSELVES.

> Futrell: WE MIGHT ALSO SEE WHEN YOUR NEXT JOINT CITY-COUNTY MEETING IS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT MIGHT BE A GOOD TOPIC THERE. LET'S FIND OUT WHEN THEIR BUDGET IS PASSED SO WE DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO GET THE LEVERAGE ON THAT MONEY.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. NOW, ITEM NUMBER C, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THESE WERE AMENDMENTS THAT WE ALREADY APPROVED THAT BECOME PART OF THE MAIN MOTION. IS THAT NOT CORRECT OR DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THEM AGAIN?

Futrell: JOHN, YOU WILL NEED TO HELP ME WITH THIS. I BELIEVE WE DID THIS ON FIRST READING ONLY, SHIRLEY, YESTERDAY?

YES.

Futrell: AND THEY ARE ORDINANCES, SO WE WILL NEED TO VOTE AGAIN. AM I RIGHT OR WRONG?

THEY WERE VOTED ON SEPARATELY. WE JUST NEED THE SECOND AND THIRD READING OF THE BUDGET, INCLUDING ALL OF THOSE AMENDMENTS.

Mayor Garcia: RIGHT. THIS BECAME PART OF THE MAIN MOTION ON THIS ITEM 1, SO WE DON'T NEED TO DO C, ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5.

THAT'S CORRECT.

Mayor Garcia: THERE WERE NO CHANGES FROM YESTERDAY ON THAT, CORRECT?

Futrell: THAT IS CORRECT.

Mayor Garcia: THE SAME THING FOR 4, 5 AND C-A HAVING TO DO WITH THE AMENDMENT FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL REDUCING APPROPRIATIONS, THAT WAS DONE YESTERDAY. THIS ONE TODAY JUST EXPLAINS THAT A 70,359, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REDUCING THAT BUDGET BY. AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH C-5, WE WE SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ITEM SPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN AND COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND ME IN THE SEPTEMBER 26TH DIRECTING THAT THE ACCOUNTING FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BE IN ONE PLACE SO THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING. AND THE SAME THING WITH SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, ALL THE WAY THROUGH ONE, TWO, THREE AND FOUR. THOSE WERE PASSED YESTERDAY AND ARE PART OF THE MAIN MOTION. SO WE'RE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS TO APPROVE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002 AND TERMINATING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2003 AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT, PROJECT AND ACCOUNT, INCLUDING THE ERRATA. FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER WYNN, C-A, IS THAT --

Wynn: THAT WORKS FINE.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. AND, I GUESS, CITY MANAGER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHANGE IN THE FINES FOR HANDICAPPED PARKING VIOLATIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING ON THE 26TH TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. OKAY. ALL YOU GENERAL FUND GUYS CAN GO BACK TO WORK. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIT IN THE AUDIENCE ANY MORE. WE PASSED THE BUDGET. WE GO TO ITEM 3. I GUESS THEY'RE NOT GOING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SAID THE TAX RATE. THEY'RE WONDERING HOW ALL THIS IS GOING TO BE PAID FOR.

Futrell: HAVING LIVED THROUGH THIS A LONG TIME, EVERYONE IS VERY CAUTIOUSLY STAYING SEATED. [ LAUGHTER ]

Mayor Garcia: ON ITEM NUMBER 3 IS TO APPROVE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING AN ORDINANCE FIXING AND LEVEEING MUNICIPAL AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003. AND FOR EACH YEAR THEREAFTER UNTIL OTHERWISE PROVIDED, DIRECTING WILL THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF THOSE TAXES, APPROVING PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR AGRICULTURAL, HISTORIC PROPERTY, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND ELDERLY PERSONS, INVALIDATING ALL PRIOR ADD VA AD VALOREM TAXES. AND THE RATE IS AT ZERO -- I MEAN, AT 45.97 CENTS PER 100-DOLLAR VALUATION. OR STATED ANOTHER WAY IN DOLLARS, 0.4597. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RATE. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. MY HEARING IS STARTING TO GO. DISCUSSION? AGAIN, CITY MANAGER, I COMMEND YOU FOR DOING THE BUDGET AND KEEPING THE RATE AT A -- AT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. AND A BIG THANK YOU TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE HELPED US BUTT THIS BUDGET TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY IN KEEPING THE TAX RATE TO COMPLY WITH COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY'S COMMITMENT TO MAKE AUSTIN AFFORDABLE. I SAW ONE OF YOUR SIGNS YESTERDAY, BETTY. [ LAUGHTER ]

Futrell: WHERE'S OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT GUY? [ LAUGHTER ]

Mayor Garcia: I THINK IT WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. WE HAVE TO TALK TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS TA TAKE IT DOWN. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. ITEM NUMBER 4 IS TO APPROVE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING FEES, FINES AND OTHER CHARGES TO BE CHARGED BY THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND AMENDING THE CITY CODE. AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS.

SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. DISCUSSION? QUESTIONS? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. ITEM NUMBER 5 IS CIVIL SERVICE. AND THIS IS TO APPROVE SECOND AND THIRD READINGS OF AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CLASSIFICATIONS AND NUMBER OF POSITIONS IN EACH CLASSIFICATION IN THE CLASSIFIED CIVIL SERVICE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT ONE.

Thomas: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. DISCUSSION? LET ME JUST SAY THAT TOMORROW IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE'S MANY SPECIAL CEREMONIES ALL AROUND TOWN AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL BE INVOLVED, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO BE THERE. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, CHIEF, WE'RE PASSING THIS ON SECOND AND THIRD SO THE COUNCILMEMBERS CAN BE THERE. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE?

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 6 IS CIVIL SERVICE FOR THE POLICE, APPROVE SECOND AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CLASSIFICATIONS AND NUMBERS OF POSITIONS IN EACH CLASSIFICATION IN THE CLASSIFIED CIVIL SERVICE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

Thomas: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS MOVES, COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY SECONDS. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. AND ITEM NUMBER 7 IS THE RESOLUTION FOR CULTURAL CONTRACTS. AND MS. BRYANT, IF YOU COULD JOIN US AT THE TABLE. OKAY. THIS IS A RESOLUTION. WE ONLY REQUIRE VOTE, WHICH WE HOPE TO DO TODAY, AND IT'S TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 CULTURAL ARTS SERVICES CONTRACTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 2,464,981. SINCE YESTERDAY WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS GROUPS, AND I THINK WITH YOU, MADAM CHAIRPERSON, ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE -- I'M GOING TO HAVE AN EXPLANATION FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE NUMBERS AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET ALL THE THINGS SQUARED AWAY. WHO'S GOING TO DO US THE FAVOR OF EXPLAINING ALL THE HAPPENINGS IN THE LAST TWOARZ OR 23 HOURS? ANYBODY? CITY MANAGER, DO YOU WANT TO ESPECIALLY US WITH THIS?

Futrell: I WAS FEELING A LITTLE LIKE HUMPTY DUMPTY AND I WAS GOING TO LET EVERYBODY TRY TO PIECE THIS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.

Mayor Garcia: LET ME AGAIN.

Futrell: ALL RIGHT. I'D LOVE FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO START.

Mayor Garcia: YESTERDAY WHEN WE GOT THROUGH AND WE HAD THE CHAIRPERSON AND THE VICE-CHAIRPERSON FROM THE AUSTIN ARTS COMMISSION, WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS, HOW THAT HAD DEVELOPED AND HOW THE COMMISSION HAS DONE ITS WORK AND THEN THE COUNCIL HAD DONE SOME OTHER WORK AND HOW WE DID THE ACROSS THE BOARD 30% REDUCTION. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION THE NUMBER -- I MEAN, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR ARTS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE AMOUNT -- I MEAN, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION, PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IS ABOUT 10%. ABOUT TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE APPROPRIATIONS WERE GOING TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS. AND IF SHE IS LISTENING, THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT REPARATIONS, BAUGH WE CAN'T DO REPARATIONS TO PREK OUR ACCOUNTANT, BUT IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING IT IS, BECAUSE AS THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION MAKES THEIR EFFORTS TO MAINSTREAM IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT THAT ACROSS THE BOARD WE LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES FOR THE PURPOSES OF EQUALIZING THE PROCESS AND GIVING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION, YOU KNOW, SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS. SO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IS THAT WE TOOK ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE HAD A COUPLE OR THREE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THERE WAS A REQUEST BY COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ TO PUT $10,000 IN THE ALMA GROUP. AND I'LL ASK COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ, I'LL ASK YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT ANOTHER -- ABOUT 8700 FOR MR. LIVINGSTON, OR 9100. AND I'LL ASK YOU TO SPEAK ON THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. AND THEN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECH CENTER, WHICH IS FUNDED ALREADY AT 41,524, THIS WAS DONE BY REDUCING EVERYBODY EVERYBODY'S ALLOCATION BY 31.46 INSTEAD OF 30%. AND THAT WILL GIVE US ALL THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT I JUST SPOKE TO. SO I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS FIRST TO TALK ABOUT THAT FIRST ISSUE WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECH CENTER. I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER TO SPEAK TO THE LIVINGSTON PROPOSAL AND I'LL ASK COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ TO SPEAK TO THE ALMA PROPOSAL. AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

Thomas: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECHNICAL RESOURCE CENTER WAS SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED ON LAST YEAR ON THE ONE-TIME FUNDING, BUT WENT BACK THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WE AGREED TO THAT, AND I THANK YOU THAT WE'RE BACK INTO THE BUDGET. THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS -- WE HAVE -- EACH COUNCILMEMBER AND THE MAYOR RECEIVED A PAMPHLET FROM THAT BOARD THAT HAS DONE WORK FOR HIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER. AND IT HAS DIFFERENT PARTICULAR AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAT HAVE HELPED AND ASSISTED. IT IS A VERY VIELGHT PROGRAM, IT HAS BEEN VERY PROSPEROUS, AND I JUST THINK -- I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY. IF, MAYOR, YOU WOULD ALLOW MR. BOYD TO COME AND MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

Mayor Garcia: SURE. RUDY, WHY DON'T YOU -- MR. STEVENS. GOOD MORNING, SIR AND WELCOME.

GOOD MORNING. I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU WANT ME TO START EXCEPT THAT IT'S BEEN --

Mayor Garcia: STARTLY LOWERING THE MIC A LITTLE BIT.

I THOUGHT I COULD PROJECT MY VOICE. [ LAUGHTER ]

Mayor Garcia: IT'S JUST THAT YOU HAD THE MIC RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. GIVE US AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS, WHAT BENEFITS FLOW TO THE COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AS STATED IN THE PROPOSAL, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT SORT OF TARGET AREAS THAT WE BEGAN AT. WE HAVE A NEWSLETTER, NINE OF THEM THAT HAVE GONE OUT TO A MAILING LIST OF 200 TO 600 PEOPLE MONTHLY THAT GIVES BASIC INFORMATION FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMUNITY, BASICALLY TARGETING EAST AUSTIN AND ARTISTS OF COLOR. THIS YEAR THROUGH THE TECHNICAL RESOURCE CENTER WE BEGAN THE PROCESS BY NOT ONLY GETTING THE CERTIFICATIONS AND NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE U.T. CONTINUING STUDIES, BUT ALSO PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 18 MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT USED THE CULL CURL CONTRACT PROGRAM. AND THEN WE PRODUCED SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT WERE TARGETED IN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES TRYING TO ACCESS AND BRING TOGETHER THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND ARTIST SOZ THAT WE COULD FORM A REGISTRY SO THAT WE COULD GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PEOPLE. SO WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED HE REHEARSAL SPACE, MEETING SPACE AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S ALL ON THE LIST. I DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF ME. YOU ALL HAVE IT. LET ME DO IT REAL QUICKLY THE WAY I HAVE IT LAID OUT. BASICALLY --

Mayor Garcia: YOU ASKED FOR IT, WE HAVE IT.

BASICALLY WE'VE DONE SEVERAL MAJOR THINGS. WE'VE PUBLISHED NINE EDITION FZ OF THE COALITION NEWSLETTER WHICH GOES OUT TO THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMUNITY. WE PRODUCED SEVERAL COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDED A CULTURAL ARTS SHOWCASE, WHICH WAS AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND DEMONSTRATIVE SORT OF SHOWCASING FOR THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND WE SHOWCASED A DANCE COMPANY, BALLET EAST, SEVERAL PRODUCTIONS. AISD, WE WERE TRYING TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY PROGRAMMING OF COLOR SO THAT THEY COULD BRING IT TO THE SCHOOLS. WE PROVIDED SIX ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH STORYTELLING PROGRAMMING THAT WAS FREE AT KEALING JUNIOR HIGH. SO -- AND THEN WE DID A GOSPEL PROGRAM THAT WAS TRYING TO ACCESS THE MUSICAL COMMUNITY. WE PROVIDED AN ARTS FIESTA, SILENT AUCTION FOR THE SEPTEMBER 11TH TRAGEDY, WHICH IDENTIFIED 90 ARTISTS THAT DONATED ARTWORK. RIGHT NOW TWO PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING, THIS WEEKEND THERE'S GOING TO BE A A CELEBRATION OF DEIZ Y SEIS OF SEPTEMBER. AND IT WILL BE AT HUSTON-TILLOTSON AND IT'S FIVE ORGANIZATIONS WHICH INCLUDE COMMUNITY IMPACT --

Mayor Garcia: YOU UNDERSTAND THAT ON THE SEPTEMBERTH OF SEPTEMBER OF 1810 IS THE FIRST TIME THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE LIBERATED FROM SLAVERY. IT WAS NOT FOLLOWING THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. SO IT IS THE FREEDOM OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS AS WELL AS HISPANICS AS WELL AS TEXANS BECAUSE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT TEXAS WAS INDEPENDENT FROM A EUROPEAN POWER.

AND IN THAT MODE THAT'S WHERE WE COLLABORATED WITH FIVE ORGANIZATIONS AT HUSTON-TILLOTSON TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOUTH. SO WE'RE DOING THAT SORT OF STUFF. SO IT'S A VERY COMMUNITY-BASED SORT OF THING AND IT MAY SEEM ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT THE REAL DEAL IS IN EAST AUSTIN WE HAVE TO ATTACK IN THAT WAY IN TRYING TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING. WE HAVEN'T DONE IT IN THE WAYS THAT MAYBE TRADITIONALLY THAT WE MAY THINK, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. AND SO IT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM AND WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY INTEGRATED. NOW, THE OTHER PART THAT I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON IS SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO SECURE SOME FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS TO DEVELOP A CULTURAL ARTS PLAN FOR EAST AUSTIN. AND SO WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY TO DO THAT AS WELL AS WE'RE DOING SOME PROGRAMMING WITH THE PCA AS WELL AS WE'RE TRYING TO ORGANIZE WITH THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN GROWTH INSTITUTE FOR THE ARTS. SO IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE, BUT IT ALSO -- 30% OF THE PEOPLE WE REACH ARE LATINO AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS ARE EVEN MONO LINGUAL. AND YOU KNOW MY SPANISH IS TO BE BEGGED FOR. BUT ALSO WE OPEN OUR DOORS TO EVERYBODY AND DUE TO THE NUMBER OF -- YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF 18 APPLICATIONS WENT TO THE ARTS COMMISSION THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. ACTUALLY, IT'S 19. SO THAT'S THE KIND OF SIGNIFICANT WORK THAT WE DO. AND WE DO APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS AND ALL THE COUNCIL PEOPLE FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE IN THIS VERY VANGUARD EFFORT THAT WE STARTED VERY QUICKLY AND GOT OFF TO A RUNNING START. SO WE DO PREERKT IT. AND I'D LOVE TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS, BUT ALSO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PROCESS AND THERE'S A WHOLE CULTURAL ARTS COMMUNITY HERE THAT WE'RE ALSO A PART OF THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT.

Mayor Garcia: QUESTIONS? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MAY MENTION TO YOU IS THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE REPORT ON EDUCATION, IF YOU LOOK AT THE COMPACT GROUP THAT'S PUT IT TOGETHER, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT FIT IN RIGHT WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU ALSO WORK WITH THE LEADERSHIP, THE CURRICULUM PEOPLE AT THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SO THAT SOME OF THIS STUFF GETS INTO THE CURRICULUM AND THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET THOSE CHILDREN TO PERFORM WHERE THEY NEED TO PERFORM, WHERE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING.

YOUR ADVICE IS WELL TAKEN AND IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?

Slusher: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

Mayor Garcia: BEFORE YOU START, BEFORE YOU START, MAYOR PRO TEM, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. TODAY IS THE BIRTHDAY OF COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. [ APPLAUSE ]

Wynn: MY THIRD CONSECUTIVE BIRTHDAY WE'VE HAD A CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON. WHAT CRIME DID I COMMIT IN SOME PRIOR LIFE!!?? [ LAUGHTER ]

Mayor Garcia: AND WE HAVE A SURPRISE COMING TO YOU AS SOON AS WE TAKE THE FINAL VOTE.

Futrell: AND THAT'S INCENTIVE FOR PRIVATE VOTE, THE FINAL VOTE, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

Mayor Garcia: MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

Goodman: THANK YOU, MAYOR. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY WAS ADDING IN SOMEONE TO THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING THAT INADVERTENTLY FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS, AT LEAST IN OUR OFFICE WE'RE WATCHING OUT FOR HIM. YOU MAY REMEMBER BOB LIVINGSTON, WHO WAS THE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION FOR A TIME, AND WE SAW A LOT OF HIM. SO WE KNOW HIM. AND HIS COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS IN MUSIC AND IN CULTURE AND ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO CHILDREN IS VERY WELL-KNOWN, VERY EXTENSIVELY ADMIRED. AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH BOB WAS THAT HE GOT HIS APPLICATION IN ON TIME AND HE WAS SET UP FOR AN INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT. THE DATE OF WHICH HE WAS OUT OF TOWN PLAYING, WHICH WE DON'T WANT OUR MUSICIANS TO BLOW OFF A GIG IN ORDER TO GO TO INTERVIEWS. THAT'S PART OF THE ECONOMIC BACKBONE THAT THEY BRING BACK WITH THEM. THE APPOINTMENT THEN WAS GOING TO BE ATTENDED BY HIS SON INSTEAD, BUT SOMEBODY CHANGED THE TIME OF THE APPOINTMENT AND HIS SON SHOWED UP FOR THE TIME HE THOUGHT THE APPOINTMENT WAS FOR INTERVIEW, AND SO HIS APPLICATION WAS REJECTED. NOW, THAT JUST SEEMS TO BE TOTALLY AT ODDS WITH OUR GOAL IN THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS TO BRING RESOURCES TO ARTISTS AND NOT FIND WAYS TO CUT THEM OUT OF FUNDING. AND EVEN IN A HARSH BUDGET YEAR I KNOW IT'S VERY TEMPTING TO TRY TO WEED OUT ALL THAT YOU CAN BECAUSE THE MONEY IS SIMPLY NOT ADEQUATE FOR EVERYBODY, BUT IN THIS CASE BECAUSE HE HAS AN EXEMPLARY RECORD, HE'S KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND, HIS WORK IS ADMIRABLE, AND HE MADE ALL GOOD FAITH EFFORTS. IT WAS NOT HIS FAULT THAT THE INTERVIEW WAS NOT ATTENDED. AND SO ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN HERE TODAY IS THAT WE TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 9,100, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS FUNDING WITH THE SAME PERCENT CUT AS EVERYBODY ELSE, AND ADD THAT IN TO ASD FOR BOB LIVINGSTON.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. WE WILL TAKE AMENDMENTS IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE ONCE WE PUT THE MAIN MOTION ON THE TABLE AND HAVE THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE ARTS COMMISSION MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AFTER COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ EXPLAINS THE PROPOSAL. COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?

Alvarez: THE OTHER PROPOSAL I WOULD LIKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IS SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR'S FUND, THE NEW LATINO MUSIC SERIES THAT'S BEEN JOINTLY BOWSED BY THE LATINO MUSIC ASSOCIATION AND THE AUSTIN MUSIC NETWORK. AND LAST YEAR THERE WAS A 30,000 ALLOCATION FOR THOSE PROGRAMS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FEATURE SOME YOUNG AND UP AND COMING BANDS AS WELL AS SOME MUSIC LEGENDS FROM EAST AUSTIN AND AROUND AUSTIN, SO I THINK IT'S -- (NAMING SPANISH BANDS).

AND SOME OF THE LEGENDARY GROUPS (NAMING SPANISH BANDS) AL AND I THINK DURING THAT SHOW WE ACTUALLY HONORED ABOUT EIGHT OF THE MUSIC LEGENDS OF AND BAND LEADERS, SOME OF THE LEGENDS WHO ARE STILL WITH US AND WE'RE ABLE TO HONOR THEM AS PART OF THIS. SO I THINK THE PROPOSAL IS TO FUND THAT DAY LEVEL OF 10,000 THIS TIME AROUND AS OPPOSED TO 30,000, WHICH WILL HELP AT LEAST PRODUCE THREE SHOWS OR THREE TAPINGS NEXT YEAR. AND THE NOVEMBER SHOW IS ALREADY PRETTY MUCH IN THE PLANNING STAGES AND IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE THREE LOCAL GROUPS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET ANOTHER FLAMENCO GROUP TO PLAY ALSO. SO IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND A LOT OF REALLY GOOD ATTENDANCE AT THE EVENTS. A LOT OF GOOD EXPOSURE FOR THE MUSICIANS, CERTAINLY AN HISTORIC COMPONENT TO THIS. AND REALLY I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT ALMA AND THE AUSTIN MUSIC NETWORK AND THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL THIS TOGETHER AND REALLY IT'S TREMENDOUS. YOU CAN SEE THESE SHOWS THAT ARE FINALLY AIRING WAWNS THEY FINISH POST-PRODUCTION, WHICH IS ALWAYS A KEY MILESTONE IN THE PROCESS HERE. THAT'S THE OTHER PROPOSAL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THE TABLE.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY?

Dunkerley: I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I THINK WE -- IF WE COULD AS A GROUP PERHAPS ADD ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION, NOT IN MONEY, BUT A COMMITMENT OF THE COUNCIL TO SPEND SOME TIME LATER IN THE YEAR. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE A CONSULTANT ON BOARD TRYING TO -- WHO WILL BE BRINGING TO US SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO THE TYPE OF PROCESS THAT WE WOULD USE, PERHAPS SOME GUIDELINES THAT WE COULD USE, AND THEN SOME WAY FOR US TO FORMALLY COMMUNICATE WITH OUR COMMISSIONS. AND I THINK AS THAT WORK GOES ALONG THAT AS A COUNCIL WE SHOULD SPEND AT LEAST SOME WORK -- SOME QUALITY WORK SESSION TIME LOOKING AT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADDING OUR INPUT AND OUR STAMP TO THE PROCESS THAT WE WILL EMPLOY NEXT YEAR. AND I THINK THAT WILL HELP US IN THIS COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMISSION SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE'VE BLESSED THE PROCESS AND THAT THEY HAVE OUR INPUT AS TO WHAT KIND OF GUIDELINES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO USE IN FUTURE YEARS. SO THAT WOULD BE JUST A PROCEDURAL RECOMMENDATION TO ALL OF YOU, AND PARTICULARLY TO MAYOR PRO TEM. I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THAT AS A GROUP WE SPEND SOME TIME ONCE THE CONSULTANT IS FINISHED BLESSING THE PROJECT FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

Goodman: MAYOR, CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? WE ALL FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT THAT THAT IT ACTUALLY WAS PART OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT LAST YEAR. AND ALTHOUGH THE TIME FRAME DIDN'T WORK OUT, I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT IT NOW AND THE REST OF THE INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO. WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATION, BUT LETTERS, E-MAILS AND VISITS DON'T SEEM TO WORK, AND SO WE NEED TO REVISIT THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION HIERARCHY, I THINK. I THINK WE NEED TO DO THINGS LIKE WITH THE CONSULTANT'S HELP, OF COURSE, LOOK AT OUR PANELISTS, OUR ORGANIZATIONS, WHAT WE ASK OF THEM AND WHETHER WE GIVE THEM ENOUGH MATERIAL AND KNOWLEDGE TO DO THE JOB THAT WE'RE SAYING WE WANT THEM TO DO. GUIDELINES FOR THE PARAMETERS OF REVIEWING PERFORMANCE OR PEOPLE'S APPLICATION AND SO ON. AND SINCE THE STATESMAN CAUGHT ME ON A BLUNT DAY THE OTHER DAY, I MIGHT AS WELL JUST SAY MY FEELINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED. AND IF THE PROCESS NEXT YEAR, IF ANYTHING LIKE IT HAS BEEN THIS YEAR AND THE PAST YEAR, I'LL WALK OUT OF THE ROOM. I REFUSE TO VOTE AGAIN FOR A PROCESS THAT HURTS AND EVEN DEFAMES IN SOME CASES OR FINDS EXCUSES NOT TO FUND THE NUMBER OF ARTS GROUPS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. AND THAT'S NOTWITHSTANDING ALL GOOD PEOPLE'S GOOD INTENT WITHIN THAT PROCESS AND ON OUR COMMISSIONS, BUT THE PROCESS HAS NOT SERVED THE ARTS COMMUNITY SORKS IT HAS NOT SERVED AUSTIN.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. MS. BRYANT?

THE AUSTIN ARTS COMMISSION HAS NOT MET SINCE I WAS HERE YESTERDAY, BUT I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AGAIN. BOTH COMMISSIONERS WHO WERE HERE AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS I THINK DO HAVE ONE BASIC PROBLEM WITH THIS. I MEAN, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT YOU WANT TO FUND, BUT BY BASING YOUR REDUCTIONS ON LAST YEAR'S PROCESS RESULTS TO TOTALLY NULLIFY THE TIME SPENT BY APPLICANTS, STAFF, PANELISTS AND COMMISSION THIS YEAR AND GIVES NO REAL REGARD TO WHAT PROPOSALS THE APPLICANTS WHO WERE REQUESTING A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE. AND IT'S THAT KIND OF NULLIFICATION IS AT BEST DEMORALIZING, IF NOT WORSE. THERE ARE SCORES OF APPLICANTS THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD FROM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHILE EVERYBODY REGRETS THAT THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND ANYONE AT THE AMOUNT THEY REQUESTED, I THINK HAD THE REDUCTIONS BEEN BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THIS YEAR'S PROCESS RATHER THAN LAST YEAR'S WOULD NOT BE SEEN AS SUCH A TOTAL DISREGARD OF THE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TIME PUT IN BY THE APPLICANTS AND STAFF, THE COMMISSION AND THE PANELISTS.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY IS TALKING -- THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THAT WE NEED TO RESPECT THAT PROCESS. WE NEED TO IP TO IMPROVE IT IN THE NEXT YEAR. AND I THINK THAT WITH THE CONSULTANT AND THE HELP OF THE CONSULTANT AND THE HELP OF STAFF AND THE PANELISTS WE WILL GET THERE. NOW, WE SAY THIS EVERY YEAR, BUT THIS YEAR I THINK COUNCIL IS COMMITTED TO DOING IT BECAUSE WE SAW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE. AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR AND YOUR FACE FORWARD MANNER IN WHICH YOU ADDRESS THE ISSUES.

AND MANY OF THESE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP, WE THOROUGHLY CONSIDERED, GOING BACK TO THE MUSIC PANEL. THEY WAITED AND THEY WAITED BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE'S NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN BOB LIVINGSTON DIDN'T SHOW OR HAVE A SUBSTITUTE THERE. AND THEY WAITED. WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE COMMUNICATION WHICH HAD OCCURRED. BUT THE GUIDELINES AS APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN JANUARY SAID, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROCESS IS TO BE THERE IN PERSON OR TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THERE. THE SAME THING WITH THE TIME WHEN THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE. YOU KNOW, THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN MY TENURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GUIDELINES WERE IN FACT APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE GAVE OUT ANY APPLICATIONS MATERIALS, SO IT'S REGRETTABLE THAT YOU ALL ARE NOT PLEASED WITH HOW WE IMPLEMENTED THE GUIDELINES YOU APPROVED.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE SCRIPT THAT WE HAVE FOR ITEM NUMBER 7 READS AS FOLLOWS, AND I'LL NEED A MOTION ON THE -- I NEED ON MOTION ON THE MAIN MOTION AND THEN A SECOND AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE AMENDMENTS.

Goodman: I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MAIN MOTION. , THE RESOLUTION FOR CULTURAL ARTS CONTRACTS.

Mayor Garcia: WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DUNKERLEY, CORRECT?

THAT'S CORRECT.

Mayor Garcia: IT'S TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003 CULTURAL ARTS CONTRACTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 2,464,981. AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS TO AMEND THE FY '03 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS BY INCREASING APPROPRIATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF 159,723 FOR A TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS OF 2,624,704 AND REDUCING THE ENDING BALANCE 159,723. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT AMENDMENT. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT DOES ALL THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT. THEY WORKED ALL THE NUMBERS. AND 9100 THEN GOES TO MR. LIVINGSTON, 10,000 GOES TO ALMA, AND HOW MUCH GOES TO -- THAT ONE IS ALREADY IN THERE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT?

Thomas: SO MOVE.

Mayor Garcia: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS. DID GOOD AND MAYOR --

Mayor Garcia: ACTUALLY, THE MOTION NEEDS TO ALSO AMEND THE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS SERVICE CONTRACT AS RECOMMENDED, AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED.

Futrell: ON ATTACHMENT A WE'LL MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE TWO AWARDS THAT YOU'VE JUST ADDED, BECAUSE THE ATTACHMENT A DOES NOT HAVE THOSE TWO IN IT, I BELIEVE. IS THAT CORRECT, RUDY?

Mayor Garcia: SINCE WE DID NOT FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ARTS COMMISSION, WE WILL AMEND THE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS SERVICES CONTRACT AS SHOWN IN ATTACHMENT WAY. THAT'S THE WAY THE MOTION WILL READ. MAYOR PRO TEM, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? AND COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS? DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER. MAYOR PRO TEM.

Goodman: THAT'S OKAY. I SHOULD COUNT TO 100. HE CAN GO.

Slusher: [ INAUDIBLE ]

Mayor Garcia: THE RESERVE IS NOW GOING TO BE 146,000, 160, WHICH IS 4-POINT WILL%.

FUTURE IT TAKES IT FROM 5.1% TO 4.8, WHICH TO HAVE GOT TONE A PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE, I THINK WE DID PRETTY WELL WITH THAT.

Slusher: [ INAUDIBLE ]

Futrell: I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR THEY USED ALL CONTINGENCY AND WENT ALMOST APPROXIMATE HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE HOLE. SO SHOULD WE HAVE TO GO IN CONTINGENCY AND GO BEYOND THIS AMOUNT, WE WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE ENDING BALANCE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR IN NEXT YEAR'S CULTURAL ARTS FUND. JUST LIKE THIS YEAR. YOUR ITEM THIS YEAR COVERS THE 287,970-DOLLAR NEGATIVE ENDING BALANCE.

Slusher: AND OUR RESERVE WAS LARGER THAN THIS LAST YEAR ONE.

Futrell: YOU KNOW, I HONESTLY DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE RESERVE WAS LAST YEAR. RUDY OR JOHN, DO YOU?

IT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WAS SHOWN ON THE ATTACHMENT HERE THAT I BELIEVE THE -- I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT ON THE ATTACHMENT. IT WAS LARGER BECAUSE OUR BED TAX REVENUE WAS LARGER.

Slusher: IT WAS A LARGER PERCENTAGE TOO.

379,000.

Futrell: WE NORMALLY TRY TO STAY AROUND A THREE PERCENT CONTINGENCY. IN NORMAL YEARS WE'VE TRIED TO STAY AROUND A 10% CONTINGENCY.

Slusher: I'M GOING TO VOTE EVEN THOUGH THAT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT THIS IS NOT A NORMAL YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN THE ARTS, BUT I CERTAINLY HOPE -- I GUESS IT WOULD BE A NORMAL YEAR IF WE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN NEXT YEAR. AND WE'VE ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THAT.

Mayor Garcia: WE'RE GOING DO TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE IS WE'RE GOING TO REQUEST TO MACK BROWN THAT HE VAN 11 AND ZERO SEASON. [ LAUGHTER ] SO MORE PEOPLE COME AND WATCH THE GAME. THEN WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE UIL TO KEEP ALL THE AUSTIN TEAMS OUT OF THE COMPETITION FOR THE FINALS SO IN A EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO PLAY COMES FROM OUT OF TOWN AND STAYS IN HOTELS. [ LAUGHTER ]

Slusher: THAT LAST ONE MIGHT BE CONTROVERSIAL.

Mayor Garcia: OKAY. FURTHER DISCUSSION, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

Thomas: MAYOR, THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS HERE THAT I JUST WANT TO READ. IT'S 41,124.

Mayor Garcia: 41,124. THAT'S WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE AMENDMENTS AND THE SCHEDULE. MAYOR PRO TEM? COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ?

Goodman: OKAY. I'M NOT QUITE TO 100. OKAY. I'M NOT GOING TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE, BUT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN PLACE TO TRY TO STOP WHAT HAD BECOME A VERY POLITICALIZED CULTURAL ARTS BOARD IN AUSTIN BETWEEN ARTISTS WHO FELT THE NEED TO COMPETE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PROCESS THEY COULD TRUST TO GO THROUGH OUTSIDE OF POLITICAL ACTIONS. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME TO THEIR FAVORITE COUNCILMEMBER IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY SORT OF GUARANTEE AT FUNDING. MANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS OVER THE YEARS WERE PART OF THAT, OF PUTTING TOGETHER A PROCESS THAT WAS TRUSTWORTHY, THAT KEPT THE COUNCIL FROM HAVING TO INTERFERE, FROM HAVING TO TRY TO MAKE UP IN A SHORT TIME WHAT TOOK MONTHS AND MONTHS OF ATTENDING PERFORMANCES, INTERVIEWING, READING PAPERWORK AND BUDGETS, HELPING WALK THROUGH AT THAT TIME ARTISTS AND APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THE FORMS AND BOOKKEEPING ARE NOT ALWAYS PART OF THE KIND OF PERSONALITY AND MIND SET THAT AN ARTIST IS EQUIPPED WITH. NOW, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UNLIKE ANY OTHER YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, MASSES OF SUPPORTERS AND APPLICANTS HAVE COME TO TALK TO US, VERY UPSET, SOME OUTRAGED AND ANGRY, BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS THAT IS NO LONGER TRUSTWORTHY FOR THEM. WHAT WE DID IN MY OFFICE WITH MY HUGE STAFF -- YOU CAN TELL, BOB -- IS LOOK LOOK THROUGH ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS, ALL OF THE RANKINGS, ALL OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE PANEL. SOME PANELISTS WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT GIVEN A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS THEY WERE THERE FOR. SOME OF THEM I THINK APPARENTLY WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR ROLE WAS AS A CRITIC, WITH EDITORIAL COMMENT AS OPPOSED TO REVIEW. AND I THINK THAT'S A FAILING ON OUR PART, IT'S A FAILING ON THE PART OF THE PROCESS. THERE ARE NOT ALL OF THE THINGS WITHIN OUR WRITTEN RULES AND GUIDELINES NOW TO HELP US THROUGH EVERY GIVEN SITUATION. AND THE CHAIR NOTED THAT WE APPROVE THE GUIDELINES LAST YEAR. BASICALLY WHAT COUNCILMEMBERS LOOKED AT, I THINK, AND APPROVED, WERE THE CHANGES THAT WERE PROPOSED TO THOSE GUIDELINES. WE ALSO, AGAIN, DO NOT KNOW EVERY SITUATION THAT WILL COME UP BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PART OF THAT ONGOING PROCESS IN ANY KIND OF REVIEW. WE ARE SIMPLY A FINAL REVIEW OF BUDGET TERRY ISSUES. BUT WE'RE NOT LIVING IN THE BASEMENT EITHER. WE DO KNOW ARTS GROUPS. WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE FRIENDLY WITH ARTISTS, WITH PERFORMANCES AND SO ON. AND SO WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US WHO WE KNOW OR HAVE SEEN OR HAVE READ OF, WE HAVEN'T LIVED IN A VACUUM. AND WHEN THERE'S THAT MUCH OF AN OBVIOUS DISCREPANCY FROM YEAR TO YEAR'S FUNDING FOR GROUPS THAT ARE CRITICS' CHOICES, ETCETERA, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. AND THAT'S WHY WE GOT INVOLVED LAST YEAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NO COUNCILMEMBER I THINK WANTED TO. THAT WAS WHY THE MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR A CONSULTANT FOR FOLKS WHO KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WHO HELPED REVISE PROCESSES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHO UNDERSTOOD THE GOAL AND THE COMMISSIONS OF BRINGING ARTISTS INTO THE SMALL AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT WE CAN OFFER TO THEM FOR SUPPORT. AND AGAIN, THE MISSION IS TO HELP ALL ARTISTS AND SPREAD IT OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHOUT IT BEING ININEFEK ACTUAL. SPEAKING OF DEMORALIZING. A PROCESS THAT BRINGS SO MANY ARTISTS AND SO MUCH WORK TO THE COUNCIL LEVEL IS VERY DEMORALIZING AND IT NEGATES THE ABILITY OF THE PROCESS. IF IT WERE ONLY AN ARTIST OR A GROUP OF TWO, THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT. IT CONTINUES, AND THE CONTROVERSY AND THE APPARENT DISCONNECT BETWEEN PARTS OF THAT PROCESS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT WERE BELIEVED BY PANELISTS OR COMMISSIONERS THAT BORE NO REALITY TO THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF THIS YEAR FOR US ARE DEMORALIZING BECAUSE THEN THEY COME HERE. THERE IS NO WIN FOR US IN THIS. THE ECONOMICS ARE NOT THERE, THE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THE ARTISTS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IS NOT THERE, BUT WE HAVE TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE IT MORE TRUSTWORTHY FOR AS MANY AS WE CAN. AND AS I SAID BEFORE, I DON'T WANT TO IN ANY WAY DIMINISH THE GOOD FAITH AND THE HARD WORK THAT COMMISSIONERS AND PANELISTS PUT INTO THIS PROCESS, BUT WITH OTHER SIDE ISSUES THAT COME IN AND COLOR PROCESS, COLOR THE OUTCOMES, IT IS A FAILED PROCESS THAT FORCES US INTO THE KIND OF ACTION THAT WE'RE TAKING TODAY. AND SO YES, IT'S VERY DEMORALIZING. IT'S DEMORALIZING FOR THE ARTISTS, IT'S DEMORALIZING FOR COUNCIL TO HAVE TO TRY TO STEP IN WHEN THEY KNOW THEY DON'T KNOW ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE. AND THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE REALLY THE ONES THAT WE TRUSTED TO HAVE DONE ALL THIS. AND OTHER THAN YOUR NORMAL -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT WORD I WANT HERE, BUT FOR ARTISTS WHO FELT THEY WERE UNFAIRLY TREATED OR SHOULD BE GIVEN EXTRA CONSIDERATION FOR OTHER THINGS THAT THEY DO IN A COMMUNITY, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT COUNCIL SHOULD BE HAVING TO DEAL WITH AT THIS POINT IN THE BUDGET YEAR. AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY THING AGAIN. FOR US THIS YEAR IT WAS EVEN MORE CONTROVERSIAL AT A COUNCIL LEVEL THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THAT IS WHY EVERYBODY SIGNED ON TO THE CONSULTANTS, I THINK. THAT'S WHY WE EXPECTED AND HOPED THAT MOST OF THESE ISSUES WOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY NOW. THAT IS WHY I AT LEAST THOUGHT THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD ALSO BEAR IN MIND EVERYTHING THAT COUNCILMEMBERS AND PUBLIC AND ARTISTS AND ART ADVOCATES HAVE SAID LAST YEAR AND WOULD HAVE TO SOME DEGREE KEPT IN CLOSER COMMUNICATION OR AT LEAST ANSWERED LETTERS OR E-MAILS. AND LET ME CLARIFY THAT. I DID GET ANSWERS EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE DISCONNECT FOR ME IS BECAUSE I CAN'T ALWAYS GO AND OBSERVE AND LISTEN AT A COMMISSIONER'S MEETING. I CERTAINLY COULDN'T GO TO PANELISTS MEETINGS AND WATCH THE INTERVIEWS. AND UNTIL NOW I WOULDN'T HAVE DREAMED OF SPENDING TIME READING ALL THE PANELISTS COMMENTS ON EVERY APPLICATION, BUT HAVING BEEN FORCED INTO THIS YEAR INTO THE DEMORALIZATION AND THE PERCEPTION THERE THAT WE DON'T LIVE IN A VACUUM, THAT THE PROCESS IS BROKEN, NEEDED TO BE FIXED TWO YEARS AGO, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT YET FIXED NOW. AND THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY. AND I'M SORRY I REALLY DID NEED TO COUNT ALL THE WAY TO 100, BUT IT'S UNHEARD OF THAT WE HAVE THIS SORT OF ISSUE DEBATED BY COMMISSIONERS AT A BUDGET ACTION MEETING. SO BEING A LITTLE PRICKLY FROM HAVING GONE THROUGH ALL THIS AND AN EXTRAORDINARY PROCESS FOR OUR OWN OFFICES, I WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND WHERE I THINK WE'LL ALL BE COMING FROM TO FIX THIS AND TO EXTEND OUR HORIZONS BEYOND A NARROW FOCUS, AND THE SMALL PATH THAT WE'VE GIVEN FOR CULTURAL ARTS THIS YEAR. THAT WILL ALL CHANGE, I BELIEVE, FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M SORRY TO GO ON.

Mayor Garcia: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER?

Slusher: IS THIS THE FINAL VOTE ON EVERYTHING? MOISTURE MAYOR YES. OWE.

Mayor Garcia: YES.

Slusher: I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM ON THE ARTS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT ANY FURTHER, BUT INSTEAD I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE STAFF ON THEIR PERFORMANCE DURING THE BUDGET. I THINK THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT TO CLOSE THIS 70-MILLION-DOLLAR CAP WE HAD WITHOUT ANY MAJOR SERVICE CUTS WITH FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL'S AND GUIDELINES THAT WE SET. AND BY ANY STANDARD IF YOU COMPARE IT TO OTHER GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION, OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE OR JUST CLOSING THAT GAP, IT WAS REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE. SO YOU HAVE MY THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS. AND I DO THINK IT HELPED TO HAVE THE COUNCIL GATHER ON THE FRONT END OF THE PROCESS IN MAY, SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DO THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR AS WELL. SO THANK Y'ALL.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.

Alvarez: I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AS WELL. AND IF YOU SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE GOING THROUGH, THE LEVEL OF CONTROVERSY, THE CUTS, THE PROGRAMMING, SERVICE THAT ARE HAPPENING, THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A VERY POSITIVE, PRODUCTIVE PROCESS AND AN OUTCOME I THINK THAT'S WAY BEYOND ANYTHING THAT I THOUGHT WE'D BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE, BUT I THINK THAT JUST IS A TESTAMENT TO THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND CREATIVE THOUGHT THAT OUR STAFF AND THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CITY MANAGER, THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND THOUGHT THEY PUT INTO THIS PROCESS. SO I REALLY THINK WE DO HAVE TO PUT OUR HATS OFF TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR STAFF AND REALLY, I THINK, FEEL -- PERSONALLY FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, ALL THESE VERY VALUABLE PROGRAMS, ALL THE HEALTH PROGRAMS, ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE HOLD VERY DEAR IN OUR HEARTS AND WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO AT THE SAME LEVELS OF THIS PAST YEAR. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ANY OF US REALLY THOUGHT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED GOING INTO THIS PROCESS AND HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL TURN AROUND THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER TOUGH YEAR. AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL AGAIN TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THIS IN A WAY THAT MINIMIZES, I GUESS, THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE STAFF.

Mayor Garcia: FURTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR F THE AMENDMENTS, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? AND NOW BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION. ALL THOSE IF FAVOR OF THE AMENDED MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: OPPOSED NO? MOTION CARRIES. AND THAT, COUNCIL, IS THE FY '03 BUDGET --

MAYOR, TO CONTINUE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S THEME SHE CONTINUED AT THE BEGINNING, WE HAVE AN HONOR OF OUR SONG THAT WE WANT TO PLAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO PLAY 59% OF THE SONG OF BACK IN BLACK.

Mayor Garcia: AND WE'RE GOING TO SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COUNCILMEMBER WYNN. (PLAYING STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN).

(music) AND SHE'S BUYING THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN... (music) WHEN SHE GETS THERE SHE KNOWS IF THE STORES ARE ALL CLOSED --

Mayor Garcia: MOTION TO ADJOURN? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Garcia: AND WE'LL CONTINUE LISTENING TO THE SONG.

Futrell: NOW, THERE IS CAKE IN THE BACK EVERYBODY.

End of Council Session Closed Caption Log