Closed Caption Log, Council Worksession
Wednesday, May 8, 2002

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

MAYOR GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. HE HAS SOME OTHER -- ANOTHER COMMITMENT. AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY. SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. IT'S 10:14 ON WEDNESDAY, MAY THE 8th, ONE TEXAS CENTER. 505 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, THIRD FLOOR TRAINING ROOM, AUSTIN, TEXAS, WE HAVE -- WE HAVE THREE ITEMS, THE AGENDA HAS FOUR, BUT ITEM NO. 4 WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA SINCE PROP 1 FAILED. SO THE FIRST THING THAT WE HAVE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE -- OF COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS' VISIT TO CITY SISTER OF ORLU, NIGERIA, SO LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS.

THOMAS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR, GOOD MORNING. NORMALLY [INAUDIBLE] I FIRST -- FIRST OF ALL I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. THE GREAT AUSTIN TRAFFIC THAT WE HAVE. BUT -- BUT THIS IS A PRESENTATION OF THE ORLU, NIGERIA SISTER CITY VISIT. AS YOU SEE, PART OF THE DELEGATION IS HERE TODAY. I THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE. BEVERLY SILAS AND DONETTA GOODALL AND ATON OKO [ PHONETIC ] AND ALSO CAMILLE IS THE ONE THAT IS REPRESENTING THE STAY WITH US. I WILL LET HER DO THE PRESENTATION AND THEN AFTER THAT WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE -- LITTLE COMMENTS. BUT I CAN TELL IT WAS AN EXCELLENT TRIP. IT WAS AN EDUCATION, VERY EDUCATIONAL TO ME IN THE -- AND THE DELEGATES AND SINCE WE HAVE BEEN BACK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK PUT TOWARDS SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AT ORLU, SISTER CITY IN NIGERIA. CAMILLE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THE OLD ORLU SISTER CITY COMMITTEE WAS OFFICIALLY FORMED AUGUST 19th, 2000, THEN THEN MAYOR WATSON AND THE GOVERNOR OF EMO STATE. WHO MADE AN OFFICIAL TRIP TO AUSTIN TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. AT THE SAME TIME A.C.C. SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH AN EDUCATIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING PARTNERSHIP, WHICH MS. GOODALL WILL REPORT ON. IT'S SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL TO HAVE A SISTER CITY'S AGREEMENT SIGNED BY A GOVERNOR RATHER THAN A MAYOR, BUT THE GOVERNOR THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CITY CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH A TEXAS CITY AS THERE'S A LARGE NIGERIAN POPULATION HERE. HE WAS CONVINCED BY THE PERSUASIVENESS AND PERSISTENT OF THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE ORLU SISTER STREET COMMITTEE. WILLIE LEWIS VISITED THE STATE IN 1999 AS PART OF A BUSINESS DELEGATION. BE LINKS ARE ENVISIONED AS PART OF A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP. GOVERNOR UDENWA INTENDS TO RETURN TO AUSTIN IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. ORLU IS LOCATED IN SOUTH CENTRAL NIGERIA, ABOUT ONE HUNDRED MILES NORTH OF THE PORT [INAUDIBLE] CITY. THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE AREA IS ABOUT 940,000 WITH THE EBO PEOPLE MAKING UP A LITTLE OVER HALF THE POPULATION. NIGERIA IS THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY IN AFRICA. OLD ORLU IS THE LOCAL TERM FOR GREATER ORLU, THERE IS NO NEW ORLU. THE AUSTIN ORLU SISTER CITY COMMITTEE HAD A NUMBER OF GOALS FOR THIS VISIT. ESTABLISHING PERSONAL CONTACTS IS ALSO A PRIORITY FOR A SISTER CITY VISIT. THE COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICINE AND HEALTH EDUCATION BECAUSE NIGERIA HAS A HIGHENS DENSE OF H.I.V. ONLY 60% OF NIGERIANS HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, 14% HAVE SAFE DRINKING WATER, ONLY 16% HAVE SANITATION FACILITIES. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS MENTIONED MOST OF OUR DELEGATION, WE ALSO HAVE QUADELLA WRIGHT FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND MS. BE AEMAN -- BEAMAN WAS UNABLE TO BE WITH US BECAUSE SEES IN JAPAN RIGHT NOW. THIS IS THE LANDSCAPE OF OWERRI, IT HAD A NATURAL BEAUTY WHICH BELIES THE HIGH DENSITY POPULATION. THIS IS THE VIEW FROM THE HOTEL CONCORDE WHERE WE WERE THE GOVERNOR'S GUESTS. IT TOOK THE BETTER PART OF THREE DAYS TO REACH OUR DESTINATION. THE FIRST OFFICIAL CALL WAS ON SPEAKER MADUAGWU. WE ALSO MET WITH THE SPEAKER HIMSELF, ALTHOUGH HE HAD TO LEAVE MUCH OF THE TIME THAT WE WERE THERE. THE SEATED GENTLEMAN IS THE MAYOR WHO GREETED US IN THE FASHION WITH THE KOLA NUT CEREMONY. PROTOCOL DICTATES THAT THE HIGHEST RANKING MAN IS THE FIRST TO BE OFFERED A KOLA NUT TO EAT. THIS CUSTOM IS OBSERVED IN MOST HOMES. IGWE IS THE WORD FOR THE HEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL RULERS IN THE GREATER ORLU AREA. HE HAS THE POWER TO NAME SOMEONE A CHIEF. EZE IS A TITLE OF RESPECT. EZE ACHOLONU IS A PERSON WHO IS VERY DEOUT, HERE YOU SEE HIM PRESENTING COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS WITH HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SOME OF THE OTHER OFFICIALS THAT WE MET WITH, THE HEAD OF IMO RADIO-TV. THE GOVERNOR'S RIGHT, MRS. UDENWA. THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE HOSTED A GALA LIGHT IN OUR HONOR THURSDAY MARCH 14th. NATIVE DANCERS AND LOCAL MUSICIANS ENTERTAINED US. A GROUP OF WIVES AT THE DIPLOMATIC MILITARY ATTACHES WERE ALSO HONORED. SOME YEARS AGO THE CAPITAL WAS MOVED FROM LEGOS TO ABUGO. TUESDAY EVENING WE WERE THE GUESTS OF THE ROTARY CLUB. MRS. BEAMAN HOPES TO USE HIS CONTACTS TO AID IN ASSISTING HANDICAPPED AND FOSTER EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGES. THIS IS A PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THERE WERE SIX OR SEVEN CLASSROOMS IN THIS SCHOOL. MOST WERE SMALLER THAN THE ONE PICTURED. MOST OF THE CHILDREN HAD SCHOOL BOOKS, BUT THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS HAD NOT RECEIVED THEIRS FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING WHAT IT CAN TO HINDER THE SPREAD OF H.I.V. THEY REALIZE THE NEED FOR THIS MISSION AND HAVE ASKED FOR HELP. EVEN THOUGH HIGH SCHOOL CHARGES TUITION PAST THE NINTH GRADE, THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS ARE SERIOUSLY UNDERFUNDED. THE GENTLEMAN ON THE RIGHT OF THIS SLIDE IS THE HEAD DOCTOR AT THE HOSPITAL WE VISITED. THIS PARTICULAR HOSPITAL HAD MORE STAFF THAN PATIENTS. MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PRO MED SINCE TO TREAT THEM. THE CHESHIRE HOME WHEN SERVES THE FITSALLY HANDICAPPED ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE ENCOUNTERED VARIOUS PHYSICAL CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF BIRTH DEFECTS, ACCIDENT OR ILLNESS. ALTHOUGH MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO DEVELOP BLINDNESS OR OTHER HANDICAPS ARE CARED FOR AT HOME, MOST OF THE CHILDREN ARE NOT. THE CAFETERIA CANNOT SUPPLY PLATES, CHAIRS OR OTHER TABLES FOR THE STUDENTS. DORMITORIES ARE SHORT ON BEDDING. OUR PERSONAL CONTACTS WITH CITIZENS OF ORLU ARE CRITICAL TO THE STAYING POWER OF THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP. AS I SAID, GOVERNOR UDENWA PLANS TO VISIT AUSTIN AGAIN IN LATE JUNE. ALTHOUGH SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL TO WHICH AUSTIN BELONGS IS NOT PRIMARILY A DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATION, WE ENGENDERED GOODWILL BY SOME OF THE ASSISTANCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE. WE HOPE THAT EDUCATION, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC EXCHANGES WILL FOLLOW. I'M GOING TO NEXT TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO MS. GOODALL.

THANK YOU. I WANT TO BEGIN -- I WANT TO BEGIN MY PART OF THE PRESENTATION BY READING SOMETHING FROM MARK TWAINE, IT'S VERY SHORT. HE SAID: TRAVEL IS FATAL TO PREJUDICE, BIGOTRY AND NARROW MINDEDNESS AND MANY OF PEOPLE NEED IS SOLELY ON THESE ACCOUNTS. BROAD, WHOLESOME, CHARITABLE VIEWS OF MEN AND THINGS CANNOT BE ACQUIRED BY VEGETATING IN ONE CORNER OF THE EARTH ALL ONE'S LIFETIME. WHEN WE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR FOR AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME KIND OF WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS, WE TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY. AND STARTED TO LOOK FOR AREAS IN WHICH WE COULD COLLABORATE. WE HAD TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE BENEFIT IS TO OLD ORLU IN NIGERIA AND WHAT IS THE FWOAN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PARTNERSHIP. THERE ARE A NUMBER FOR US. WE LOOKED AT THE ABILITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FACULTY TO -- TO DEVELOP GLOBAL OUTLOOK AND AWARENESS TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO OTHER CULTURES AND TO ALSO DEVELOP SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE HAD AS SOME GOALS FOR OUR TRIP THERE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED AND SKILLED WORKFORCE EDUCATORS AND LEADERS AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT LATER. WE -- WE HAD AS ONE OF OUR GOALS TO -- TO COLLABORATE WITH FACULTY AND STUDENT AND HAVE SOME EXCHANGES. WE THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME ONGOING CULTURAL EXCHANGES. TO DEVELOP AND REFINE THE KIRK.....KIRK.....CURRICULUM, WHILE WE ARE GOING TO SHARE PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGE THAT WE VISITED THERE, IN DOING SO WE ALSO STRENGTHEN OUR OWN CURRICULUM. IT IS A GOAL TO STRENGTHEN THE COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM IN THE AREAS OF MATH AND SCIENCE; AND TO DESIGN SOME INTERNSHIPS AND WORK STUDY PROGRAMS. WE WANTED TO -- TO MAKE A PART OF OUR VISIT A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE IN NIGERIA IN OLD ORLU, BECAUSE WHATEVER RELATIONSHIP WE DEVELOP IS GOING TO DEPEND ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE BRING TO BEAR AS WELL AS THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN OLD ORLU. SO IN -- IN COMPLETING THE ASSESSMENT, WE HAD THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AT TESAC, ACQUISITION CENTER, RATHER, WE HAD THE DEPARTMENT THERE TO COMPLETE A FORM THAT LOOKED AT THE STRENGTHS OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS, WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE, WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED TO HELP STRENGTHEN THOSE PROGRAMS AND DEVELOP THEM MORE. AND I'M GOING TO SHARE SOME OF THE FINDINGS FROM THAT ASSESSMENT. WE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A DEFINITE LACK OF RESOURCES IN TERMS OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. HERE WAS A NEED FOR FACULTY TO HAVE ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THERE WAS A LACK OF TECHNOLOGY. THERE WAS -- THERE WERE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPUTERS, FOR SOFTWARE, FOR SOME VERY BASIC SUCH AS POWER TO GO INTO SOME OF THE CLASSROOMS AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT LATER. WE KNEW THAT THEIR RESOURCES WERE LIMITED AND WE WENT THERE KNOWING THAT OUR RESOURCES WERE LIMITED AS WELL. THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES. WE ARE RICH IN RESOURCES AS IT RELATES TO EXPERTISE. AND CURRICULUM. SO WE HAD TO TRY AND FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM SO THAT WE COULD SHARE AND EVERYONE WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT. WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT SOME OF THE -- OF THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THAT -- AND THE BARRIERS, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT WE FOUND. ONE OF THE GREATEST STRENGTHS, THOUGH, IS THAT THERE IS A STRONG INTEREST AMONG THE FACULTY AND AMONG THE STUDENTS FOR US TO DEVELOP THIS RELATIONSHIP. BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE WHAT THE THREATS ARE OR SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES, THE LIMITED FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS ONE OF THE TOP ONES. THERE IS LIMITED EXPOSURE OF THE FACULTY TO CURRENT PRACTICES. LIMITED EXPOSURE OR THE ABILITY TO USE TECHNOLOGY. LIMITED OR NO EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS OR RESOURCES IN SOME RESPECTS. THERE ARE RESTRICTIVE STATE EDUCATIONAL POLICIES. I WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT JUST A BIT SO IT DOESN'T COME ACROSS AS BEING NEGATIVE. THE CURRICULUM FOR THE TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGES IS STATE HAND DATED. SO TO MAKE -- STATE MANDATED. SO MAKE ANY CHANGES IN THAT CURRICULUM IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE STATE OR THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. SO IT CAUSES THE CURRICULUM TO BE LESS RESPONSIVE TO WHAT THE NEEDS ARE WITHIN THE AREA. AND TO MODIFY IN THE CURRICULUM SO THAT THE WORKFORCE CAN -- CAN BE RESPONSIVE. WHILE WE WERE THERE, THOUGH, THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION HAD ATTENDED A CONFERENCE AND CAME BACK FROM THAT CONVERSATION FEELING VERY POSITIVE ABOUT SOME -- ABOUT THE DIRECTION THAT THEY WERE GOING IN MODIFYING THE CURRICULUM. THE SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED IN INACCESSIBLE AREAS WITH POOR ROADS. AND THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT JOBS AND UNSUPPORTIVE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN MANY INSTANCES. SO WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU ASK? I HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE LIMITATIONS. THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PARTNER SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP SOME FUNDING STREAMS. WE HAVE LOOKED AT VARIOUS ENTITIES THROUGH USAID, THERE ARE SOME FUNDS THROUGH THE FUND FOR IMPROVEMENT IN POST SECONDARY EDUCATION. THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES IS INVOLVED IN AN EFFORT THAT WOULD EXPAND WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION TRAINING TO -- TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. SO WE ARE EXPLORING ALL OF THOSE. THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR STRONG INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND FOR INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAMS THAT WE EXPLORE THERE AND COMPLETED THE ASSESSMENT ARE IN ELECTRONICS, THERE IS A TEXTILE PROGRAM, ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY AND OFFICE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM, MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN THE TECHNOLOGY AREA DO NOT HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT THE CURRICULUM. AND SO WE LOOKED AT CLASSROOMS, WE SAW CLASSROOMS THAT DID NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY. WE SAW CLASSROOMS THAT DID NOT HAVE LIGHTS. IN THE WELDING CLASSROOM, IN THE WELDING LAB, STUDENTS WERE ACTUALLY WELDING WITHOUT PROTECTION OF THE SHIELD OVER THEIR FACE OR GOGGLES. AND ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS IS THAT THEY HAD TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE WELDING. THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY IN THE AREA. AND SO IF THEY COVERED THEIR EYES, IT WOULD BE TOO DARK FOR THEM TO REALLY SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING. AND I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE INJURIES AND THE INSTRUCTOR SAID YES, THERE WERE EYE INJURIES FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT THIS IS KIND OF TAKEN IN STRIDE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT -- WHAT THEY HAVE TO CONTEND WITH. TO -- TO GET THE -- TO COMPLETE THE TRAINING. A VERY, VERY LIMITED SUPPLY OF JOBS FOR PEOPLE WHO COMPLETE THE PROGRAMS. WE WERE IN ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS, IN THE OFFICE TECHNOLOGY CLASSROOM. IT CAN ACCOMMODATE A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS. THERE WERE ABOUT 22 STUDENTS THERE THAT DAY. THEY WERE IN THE LAST YEAR OF THAT PROGRAM. AND SO THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO THESE STUDENTS WHO WERE LEARNING TO BECOME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS AND SECRETARIES, ET CETERA, THEY HAD THREE MANUAL TYPEWRITERS AVAILABLE TO THEM. AND TWO OF THEM DID NOT WORK. ON THE STUDENTS WERE GATHERED AROUND THE TYPEWRITER AND ACQUIRING WHAT KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE THEY COULD. THERE WAS AN ASIDE, A ROOM TO THE SIDE THAT HAD SIX COMPUTERS IN IT. SO THERE WERE STUDENTS WORKING ON THE COMPUTERS. BUT OVERALL THERE WAS JUST A LACK OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, THE FACULTY FELT THIS LACK, THE STUDENTS FELT THIS LACK, EVERYONE -- WAS INTERESTED IN GETTING THE TRAINING. BEING EXPOSED SO THAT THEY COULD GET THE -- THE JOB SKILLS SO THAT THEY COULD GO WORK. THIS PRESENTS ANOTHER PROBLEM, I'M GOING TO STOP, BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT I'M GOING VERY LONG, BUT ONCE THEY GET THE TRAINING WHERE ARE THE JOBS? SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE PRESENTED WAS A BUSINESS PLAN THAT LOOKED AT DEVELOPING A HEALTH INSTITUTE AND -- AND THERE IS A NEED FOR SOMEONE TO WORK WITH -- WITH SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING THEIR OWN BUSINESSES BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD WELDING BUSINESSES, YOU PASS ALONG THE ROAD YOU SEE THEM AT WORK. PEOPLE WHO HAD AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESSES, YOU SAW THIS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, A LOT OF SPIRIT AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK, BUT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE THAT SOMEONE BE ABLE TO GO IN AND PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN GETTING THIS DONE. WE ARE HOPING THAT MANY PARTNERSHIPS WILL ALLOW THIS.

CAMILLE, IF YOU CLICK INSIDE THE BLACK BOX --

WE HAVE A PRESENTATION DURING OUR VISIT WITH GOVERNOR UDENWA THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE. IT WAS THE SPEARHEAD FOR A.C.C. BEING INVOLVED IN THIS SISTER CITY VISIT. WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS HERE IN -- IN AUGUST OF 2000, HE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON THE CAMPUS OF OUR RIVERSIDE CAMPUS THERE AT -- AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND HE HAD ASKED THAT WE BRING CERTAIN CURRICULUM TO -- TO TESAC FOR THEM TO ADOPT. HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN OUR WELDING PROGRAMS, HE WAS INTERESTED IN REFRIGERATION, HE WAS INTERESTED IN AUTO MECHANICS. HE WAS INTERESTED IN -- ONE THING THAT I CAN SAY FOR GOVERNOR UDENWA, HE IS VERY MUCH IN FIEWN WITH THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IN HIS STATED -- IN TUNE WITH THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IN HIS STATE, AS WELL AS THE REST OF NIGERIA. I IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT IN EXCESS OF 28%, THEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK. UNEMPLOYMENT. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT DUMB PEOPLE BECAUSE I FOUND THAT -- I FOUND THAT EDUCATION IS A HOBBY WITH THEM. THEY GET GRADUATE DEGREES AS A HOBBY. THEY REALLY DON'T LOOK AT GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR BACHELOR'S AS BEING A STEP IN THE PROCESS. THEIR STEP IN THE PROCESS IS MASTER'S AND PH.D.'S. BUT THE DRAWBACK TO THAT IS WHEN THEY GET HOME, THERE IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE THERE IN NIGERIA WITH WHICH TO USE THE EDUCATION THAT THEY HAVE OBTAINED ABROAD. OVER 70% OF THE POPULATION HAS GRADUATE DEGREES, BUT THEY STILL HAVE UNEMPLOYMENT IN EXCESS OF 28%. SO WE WANTED TO --

MAYOR GARCIA: SAY THAT AGAIN, WHAT PERCENT OF THE POPULATION HAS ADVANCED AGREES?

70%.

MAYOR GARCIA: 7-0? WOW.

70%.

BUT UNEMPLOYMENT IS IN EXCESS OF 28%.

HAS ADVANCE THE DEGREES.

I AFTER GUISE TO YOU, WE WILL TRY TO HAVE THE TECHNICALITIES OF THIS WORKED OUT IN THE FUTURE. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS MISS GOODALL REFERENCED, NEXT MONTH WHEN THE GOVERNOR IS HERE, WE ARE PLANNING ON -- ON OUR TIME BEING WITH -- WITH HIM BEING SPENT AT THE EASTVIEW CAMPUS, BECAUSE THAT IS THE NEW SITE FOR OUR HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING, IT IS ALSO A SITE FOR CULINARY ARTS, WE HAVE BIO TECHNOLOGY OVER THERE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE THE WORKFORCE CENTER THERE ON CAMPUS AT THE EASTVIEW LOCATION, SO WE CAN CERTAINLY INTRODUCE SOME NEW THINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER -- OF OTHER ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU RELATIVE TO THE EDUCATION WHEN WE VISITED TESAC. TESAC IS NOT PART OR IT IS NOT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. IT IS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM. THE REASON BEING THEIR FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF WHICH THERE ARE FOUR IN AWARI, ARE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF EDUCATION. THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. THE PURPOSE OF TESAC, WHICH WOULD BE THEIR COUNTERPART OF A JUNIOR COLLEGE HERE, IS TO QUIP PEOPLE WITH SKILLS TO GO TO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY. SO IT IS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT. IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO KIND OF CONNECT THE DOTS. THE OTHER THING IS THERE'S A LARGE DEMAND OR THERE'S A LARGE PRESENCE IN IMO STATE OF ALL OF THE MAJOR OIL COMPANIES, EXXON MOBILE IS THERE, SHELL OIL, CHEVRON, TEXACO, EVERYBODY IS THERE. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT PUTTING RESOURCES BACK INTO THE COUNTRY. NIGERIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST EXPORTER OF CRUDE OIL IN THE WORLD. SECOND ONLY TO SAUDI ARABIA. THE QUALITY OF THEIR CRUDE IS THE FINEST IN THE WORLD. BUT THERE ARE NO REFINERIES IN THE COUNTRY. SO THE OIL THAT IS EXPORTED HAS TO BE TAKEN ELSEWHERE TO BE REFINED. CONSTANTLY, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE COMPANIES THAT EXPORT THE PETROLEUM AND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY PUT BACK INTO THE COUNTRY. COCA-COLA BOLGHTING IS... -- COCA-COLA BOTTLING IS THERE. AS A RESULT OF THE AMERICAN COMPANIES THAT ARE THERE, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF NOT ONLY INVESTIGATING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER HBCUs THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE TO BENEFIT TESAC AND IMO STATE OVERALL, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES WITH OIL COMPANIES THAT ARE THERE, COCA-COLA AND ANY OTHER AMERICAN COMPANIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED THERE IN THE COUNTRY. THESE LOOK VERY PROMISING. WE ARE JUST AT THE -- INITIAL STAGE OF INVESTIGATING RIGHT NOW. BUT WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE SOME MATCHES MADE. AND WE CAN NEXT TIME WE ARE BEFORE YOU, GIVE YOU SOME POSITIVE INFORMATION. I DID MENTION THAT WE ARE ALSO SETTING UP THE -- THE GOVERNOR HAS INDICATED THAT THERE ARE SOME HEALTH ISSUES THAT HE WANTS ADDRESSED WHEN HE IS HERE, SO WE ARE INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBILITY OF THOSE TAKING PLACE WHILE HE IS HERE NEXT MONTH. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHILE HE IS AT THE EASTVIEW CAMPUS, WE ARE PLANNING TO -- TO HAVE YOU ALL OUT AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GREATER AUSTIN COMMUNITY THERE TO RECEIVE HIM AND TO LET HIM KNOW THAT WE FULLY SUPPORT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OLD ORLU AND AUSTIN AND WE WANT TO FURTHER THAT RELATIONSHIP AND DEEPEN THE SUPPORT.

MAYOR GARCIA: WHAT -- WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT COMES FROM THE PRODUCTION OF OIL? WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THAT MONEY? SEEMS IF THEY ARE THE SECOND LARGEST EXPORTER, THEY MUST HAVE STASH AMOUNT OF REVENUE. FROM THE OIL THAT THEY SELL.

WELL ... FROM WHAT WE COULD GATHER, THERE'S -- HOW DO I PHRASE THIS TACTFULLY?

MAYOR GARCIA: THERE'S A CERTAIN DISCONNECT IN MY MIND BECAUSE IF THEY ARE THE SECOND LARGEST EXPORTERS OF OIL, AND THE WORLD, AND THEIR OIL IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY MUST HAVE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE FROM OIL. [INAUDIBLE] IS IN THE SAME SITUATION, THEY SELL A LOT OF OIL, THE PEOPLE ARE WELL OFF, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES THAT THEY DEAL WITH. AND I WAS WONDERING WHY IT IS THAT THIS COUNTRY IS POOR AND CANNOT FUND THEIR EDUCATION SYSTEMS, WHEN IN ESSENCE THEY HAVE THAT MUCH REVENUE FROM OIL.

THE REVENUE IS NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE IT AND IT IS NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE WOULD HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE REFINERIES ARE NOT THERE. THE OIL COMPANIES ARE SAYING WE CAN'T PAY YOU WHAT WE WOULD PAY SOMEONE ELSE FOR THEIR OIL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO INCUR COSTS TO TAKE IT ELSEWHERE TO BE REFINED.

WHAT -- ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MENTION, TOO, IS THAT --

MAYOR GARCIA: WHY DON'T YOU GET THE MIC THERE.

EVEN WITH FINANCIAL RESOURCES THERE, THERE IS NOT AN INFRASTRUCTURE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE HOPING THAT WE CAN DO IS ASSIST WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP THE INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HAVING SOMEONE -- WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE SOMEONE COME FROM THERE HERE TO WORK WITH OUR FACULTY, TO BE WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND PROGRAM COORDINATORS FOR POSSIBLY TWO MONTHS TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE DONE, HOW YOU ORGANIZE, HOW YOU SET UP, HOW YOU BUILD THE ACCOUNTABILITY INTO A PROGRAM. SO IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THAT THAT'S MISSING. AND I DARE SAY THAT NO AMOUNT OF MONEY IS GOING TO HELP THAT MUCH IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T THERE TO SUPPORT WHAT'S GOING ON.

WELL, I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DISCONNECT. IF 70% OF THEIR POPULATION HAS ADVANCED DEGREES, WHY HASN'T THIS HAPPENED? THE INFRASTRUCTURE --

WELL, THE -- WELL, I THINK -- MR. --

THAT'S JUST A STATE. THE POPULATION OF 70% HA-HA DEGREE IS JUST -- THAT HAS THE DEGREE IS JUST ONE STATE OUT OF 36 STATES IN NIGERIA. ALSO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT BEING NUMBER ONE OIL PRODUCER, REMEMBER FOR OVER 30 YEARS THE MILITARY WAS IN POWER AND DESTROYED EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WITH JUST -- DEMOCRATS IN 1999, THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO SALVAGE WHAT THEY HAVE. THERE IS SO MUCH DEBT THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE OR DO WITH OUTSIDE WORLD, SO WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THE DEBT, TRYING TO SALVAGE WHAT IS LEFT OF THE COUNTRY FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS NOW. SO THAT'S WHY IT IS LIKE THAT.

LOOKS LIKE A GOOD FIVE AND 10 YEAR PLAN WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN ORDER.

DEFINITELY.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY.

ONE OF THE THINGS, TOO, THAT I NOTICED IN DOING SOME RESEARCH IS THAT THERE ARE SOME INCENTIVES AVAILABLE TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO COME INTO NIGERIA. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NOATHNO CARRIERRINGCONNECT 1200?

THIS REALLY PUTS BEING ON THIS PLANET IN PERSPECTIVE. WE DON'T REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE AND HOW BLESSED WE ARE UNTIL WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE SO GLAD THAT WE ARE THERE. EVERYONE THAT WE SPOKE WITH, EVERYWHERE WE WENT, EVEN THE KIDS SANG A SONG, "YOU'RE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR" BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD SO FAR IN ADVANCE THAT WE WERE THERE. WHEN WE VISITED THE OLDEST LIVING TRIBAL CHIEF IN NIGERIA, HE ALSO REFERENCED THE VISIT BACK IN 1999. HE WAS VERY MUCH AWARE THAT WE WERE FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS. AUSTIN, TEXAS IS A NAME THAT IS ON THE LIPS OF THE NIGERIANS THERE SOME IMO STATE AND PARTICULARLY IN AWARI AND IN OLD ORLU. SO THEY WERE VERY, VERY THANKFUL OF US BEING THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAMILLE MENTIONED THAT I WANT TO REFERENCE IS THAT ONLY 15% OF THE HOUSE HOLDS HAVE RUNNING WATER. THAT IS ASTONISHING. IT WAS AMAZING FOR US TO SEE AT THE COLLEGE HOW FAR STUDENTS HAD TO CARRY WATER JUST TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR BASIC TOILET NECESSITY NEEDS. IT WAS JUST AMAZING, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY WANTED TO BE EDUCATED. IN ORDER SO THAT THEY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. ONE OF THE PICTURES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SLIDES SHOWS A STUDENT SITTING AT A DESK WITH A HOLE ALMOST AS LARGE AS THIS TABLE, BUT THEY WERE SO ANXIOUS TO LEARN, THAT THEY ARE WORKING AND THEY ARE LEARNING IN THOSE TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTS. THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM AT A TIME GATHERED AROUND COMPUTERS IN THE CLASS THAT MISS GOODALL SPOKE OF, BECAUSE THEY ONLY HAD THAT NUMBER OF COMPUTERS. SO THERE DEFINITELY IS A NEED. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HAVING BEEN A PART OF THE VISIT TO NIGERIA, IT WAS DEFINITELY EDUCATIONAL AS WELL AS INSPIRING AND EDUCATION -- AND -- INVIGORATING.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE TWO REQUESTS. NUMBER ONE IS THAT A WRITTEN REPORT BE PREPARED AND SENT TO OUR CONGRESSMAN AND OUR TWO SENATORS. AND OUR -- AND THE SENATORIAL CANDIDATES, DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU.... U.S. POLICIES NEED TO BE LOOKED AT, PARTICULARLY IN REGARDS TO DEBT THAT THAT COUNTRY HAS. BECAUSE IF IT'S USING ALL OF THE INCOME OR A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THEIR INCOME TO PAY OLD DEBT THAT WAS INCURRED BY MILITARY REGIMES OR OTHER FOLKS LIKE THAT, THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE A WAY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE SO THAT WE DON'T DRAIN. OTHER THINGS IS THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THIS AMERICAN COMPANIES OVER THERE, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THEY ARE THERE, IF THEY ARE EXTRACTING THE OIL THEY OUGHT TO HAVE MORE SOCIAL CONSCIENCE IN REGARD TO EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND THE HEALTH CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE. SO IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO SEND A WRITTEN REPORT TO OUR CONGRESSMAN AND OUR TWO SENATORS SO THAT -- BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE VISIT WAS ENORMOUSLY COMPREHENSIVE, ENORMOUSLY ENLIGHTENING. I COMMEND YOU, COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, AND MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION, BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT SISTER CITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. PEOPLE TO PEOPLE AND BRINGING THE ISSUES TO THE FOREFRONT. SO -- SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAYOR PRO TEM?

GOODMAN: IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET INFORMATION ON THE ELECTRIC UTILITY SYSTEM, IF ANY THAT THEY HAVE THERE? I ASSUME THE MILITARY HAD SOMETHING, SO WHAT IS THE SYSTEM, WHAT'S THE -- WHAT'S THE GENERATION DISTRIBUTION, TRANSMISSION, THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR INFRASTRUCTURE?

THEY HAVE ONE COMPANY CALLED NATIONAL ELECTRIC POWER UTILITY. THEY ARE TRYING TO PRIVATIZE IT TO WHERE OTHER PEOPLE CAN COME IN BECAUSE -- TO AVOID THE MONOPOLY. HOWEVER, THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM IS ALMOST 25%, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A LOT OF BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS AND COMPANIES THAT CANNOT AFFORD IT. THEY USE GENERATOR TO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES BECAUSE YOU CANNOT DEPEND ON THE ELECTRIC POWER AUTHORITY TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS. THE LIGHT CAN GO ANY TIME AND COMES ANY TIME.

GOODMAN: THAT SEEMS LIKE ANOTHER STRANGE THING THAT YOU SHOULD BE SUCH A PRODUCER OF OIL AND NOT HAVE A UTILITY SYSTEM THAT -- THAT SERVES EVERYBODY. MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE OUT SOME NUDGES TO -- TO FEDERALLY OR OTHERWISE FOR THAT, TOO.

MAY I MAKE JUST ONE MORE COMMENT, PLEASE?

MAYOR GARCIA: SURE.

BEVERLY MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OIL COMPANIES LOCATED IN NIGERIA APPEARED MANY OF THOSE HAVE -- AND MANY OF THOSE HAVE HEADQUARTERS HERE IN TEXAS. AS WE DID RESEARCH LOOKING FOR SOURCES OF GRANT FUND WE HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OF THOSE OIL COMPANIES HAVE SET ASIDE MONEY FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE APPLIED FOR ANY OF THOSE FUNDS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COMMUNICATED THERE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ABOUT IS TO TRY AND TAP INTO THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE THERE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THOSE OIL COMPANIES WANT TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION AND IT'S JUST NEVER BEEN EXPLORED. WE INTEND TO HELP THEM EXPLORE IT.

MAYOR GARCIA: VERY GOOD. OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR -- FOR THE REPORT AND FOR --

THANK YOU.

FOR BUILDING UP THE RELATIONSHIP.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO THANK ATON OGO AND HIS GROUP FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. CAMILLE DONAHUE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

MAYOR GARCIA: THE NEXT ITEM IS THE FIVE-YEAR BUDGET FORECAST. AND WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM OUR BUDGET OFFICE AND FINANCE OFFICE AND CITY MANAGER.

WELL, WHILE -- WHILE OUR BUDGET OFFICE IS -- IS COMING AND GETTING SET UP AND WILL BE HANDING OUT OVERHEADS, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A SORT OF A SHORT OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE. TODAY WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE CITY'S FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 2003 THROUGH 2007. WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE FORECAST DOCUMENT THAT CONTAINS INFORMATION ON THE FIVE-YEAR OUTLOOK FOR ALL MAJOR FUNDS. BUT THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR PRESENTATION TODAY WILL BE THE GENERAL FUND FOR NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE UPDATED YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE OUTLOOK FOR NEXT YEAR. TODAY WE WANT TO BUILD ON THAT OUTLOOK AND PROVIDE YOU WITH A MORE DETAILED LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003. IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE START OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. BASICALLY THIS IS WHERE WE BEGIN OUR DELIBERATION ON THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. AS IS THE CASE WITH ALL OF OUR ANNUAL FORECAST PRESENTATION. RUDY GARZA, OUR BUDGET OFFICER, WILL COVER THE DETAILS, BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS FORECAST HAS A CERTAIN SET OF ASSUMPTIONS. AS A STARTING PLACE, WE HAVE ASSUMED THAT ALL PROGRAMS WILL BE FUNDED AT THE SAME LEVELS THEY WERE FUNDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2002 BUDGET. IN OTHER WORDS, THE FORECAST IS A STATUS QUO STARTING POINT FOR OUR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT NEITHER ASSUMES NOR PRECLUDES POLICY DECISIONS THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN OUR UPCOMING WORK SESSIONS. IT SIMPLY GIVES YOU THE BASELINE. IF YOU WERE TO KEEP THE SAME SERVICE LEVELS, STAFFING LEVELS AS YOU HAVE IN 2002. FOR EXAMPLE, WE ASSUME THAT ALL CURRENTLY BUDGETED POSITIONS, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE CURRENTLY FROZEN, WHICH IS ALMOST 10% OF OUR TOTAL WORKFORCE AT THIS POINT, WOULD BE FILLED. AND THAT EMPLOYEES, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD RECEIVE PAY RAISES MUCH THE SAME AS THEY HAVE IN PRIOR YEARS. USING THIS APPROACH, PROVIDES A STARTING POINT FROM WHICH WE CAN GAUGE HOW MUCH WE NEED TO EITHER INCREASE REVENUES OR REDUCE EXPENDITURES TO COME INTO BALANCE. IN LEAN TIMES, WE NEED TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. THIS INCLUDES THE BUDGET PROCESS. WE HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT THIS YEAR WE WILL NOT BE PRODUCING THE POLICY BUDGET. WE HAVE OPTED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT PROCESS THIS YEAR. INSTEAD THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH YOU, THE FRONT END, IN THE TWO UPCOMING COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS OR COUNCIL RETREATS, MAY 15th AND MAY 22nd. SO THAT WE KNOW THE APPROACH THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW TO CLOSE THE GAP. DURING THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, WE WILL BE ASKING FOR POLICY DIRECTION ON THE FRONT END FROM COUNCIL TO ASSIST US IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOCUMENT. THIS IS AS OPPOSED TO GETTING THE CITY MANAGER'S BALANCED PROPOSED BUDGET IN JULY AND AUGUST AND STARTING FROM THERE. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO WORK WITH US ON THE FRONT END TO DEFINE THOSE POLICY QUESTIONS. THAT DIRECTION WILL HELP US BUILD THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO COME INTO BALANCE. AS WE DISCUSSED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE FISCAL YEAR 2003 BUDGET HAS A STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE. I WANT TO DEFINE WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR. THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE THE CITY'S ANTICIPATED REVENUES AROUS STRIPPED BY ANTICIPATED -- ARE OUTSTRIPPED BY ANTICIPATED COST OF BUSINESS AS USUAL. PLAIN ENGLISH: CURRENT EXPENDITURES EXCEED CURRENT REVENUE. PROJECTED EXPENDITURES EXCEED PROJECTED REVENUE. IN JANUARY, WE PROVIDED YOU WITH AN ESTIMATED GAP. THAT GAP BETWEEN ESTIMATED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES THAT WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT TODAY IS IN LINE WITH WHAT'S IN THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST. IT IS APPROXIMATELY $68 MILLION. THIS I THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GAP EVER PRESENTED TO COUNCIL. AS A RESULT OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS PROBLEM, OUR FOCUS FOR THIS YEAR IS NOT MERELY BALANCING THE BUDGET THROUGH HEAVY RELIANCE ON AN ENDING BALANCE TO DEFER BUDGET ISSUES TO THE NEXT YEAR. WE WANT A FOCUS THIS YEAR ON SOLVING THE BASIC IMBALANCE IN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. IF NOT DEALT WITH THIS YEAR, THE IMBALANCE WILL CONTINUE INTO FUTURE YEARS. IN GOOD FINANCIAL TIMES, DURING THE BOOM YEARS, WE COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON ADDITIONAL REVENUE. SALES TAX WAS COMING IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED, DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FEES WERE COMING IN HIGHER THAN EXPECTED, AND SO IT WAS NOT AS RISKY. THAT IS NOT THE CASE TODAY. IN LEAN TIMES, IT IS OBVIOUSLY RISKY TO HAVE A BUDGET WHERE YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE BEYOND YOUR REVENUE STREAM. WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DIFFICULT BUDGET DECISIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO CORRECT THE PROJECTED DEFICIT. IT REMINDS ME OF THE STATEMENT THAT'S BEEN MADE BEFORE ABOUT BUDGETS, BUT BALANCING THE BUDGET IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE GOING TO HEAVEN. EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO IT, BUT NOBODY WANT TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET THERE. BALANCING THIS BUDGET IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY. AND I WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING ELSE. THAT WE JUST GOT IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES. AND RUDY WILL BE TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THIS IN MORE DETAIL. BUT RIGHT ON THE HEEL OF GIVING YOU A GAP, A PROJECTED GAP OF ALMOST $70 MILLION, WE JUST GOT OUR MARCH SALES TAX NUMBERS. AND THEY ARE CONTINUING IN A DOWNHILL TREND. WE ARE NEGATIVE 11.1%. IT IS ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT LOSS FROM EVEN OUR THIRD ADJUSTED SALES TAX PROJECTION. THIS IS VERY BAD NEWS. WE WERE COUNTING ON THE TREND TURNING UPWARDS AND IT DID NOT. SO ... WITH THAT LOVELY INTRODUCTION TO WHAT WE HAVE FACING US IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO RUDY, WHO REALLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS. [ LAUGHTER ] TO GO OVER THE DETAILS OF THE FORECAST. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]

ON OCTOBER 26th, WHICH WAS ONLY THREE WEEKS INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER NOTIFIED ME OF OUR EARLY BUDGET PLANNING. WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE MONTHLY SALES TAX AND ECONOMIC UPDATES, AND IN JANUARY WE PRESENTED TO YOU VERY PRELIMINARY FORECASTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003. PRESENTING A FORECAST SO EARLY IN THE YEAR WAS NOT NORMAL OPERATIONS; HOWEVER, AS OUR CITY MANAGER NOTED, DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROJECTED FUNDING SHORTFALL, IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT WE BEGAN WORKING EARLY ON TO DEVELOP THE BUDGET STRATEGY WHICH WOULD POSITION US FOR MEETING THIS FINANCIAL CRISIS.

MAYOR GARCIA: THERE WE ARE.

GETTING CLOSE.

FUTRELL: WE JUST WANTED A LITTLE SOOTHING MUSIC.

ALSO THE CITY MANAGER NOTED, THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST IS MEANT TO PROVIDE A STARTING POINT FOR DEVELOPING THE PROPOSED BUDGET. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO COMMUNICATE POLICY OR BUDGETARY CHANGES, BUT RATHER PROVIDE A FINANCIAL FORECAST BASED ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRENT POLICIES, FUNDING OF CURRENT SERVICES AS WELL AS THOSE KNOWN COMMITTED COSTS. AFTER TODAY WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL ON A SERIES OF BUDGET RETREATS TO DISCUSS FINANCIAL AND BUDGET POLICIES WHICH WILL HELP DEVELOP THE POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL ON JULY 31st. WE WILL NEN REVIEW AND DISCUSS IN PUBLIC THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE BUDGET THROUGH THE MONTH OF AUGUST AND WE WILL HAVE FINAL DISCUSSIONS AND COUNCIL ACTION FOR THE BUDGET APPROVAL HAPPENING AROUND THE SECOND WEEK OF SEPTEMBER. THE FORECAST IS BASED UPON THE MOST UPDATED CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATES PRIOR TO 30 MINUTES AGO FOR BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. OF COURSE, THIS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE, AS THE CITY MANAGER JUST NOTED. WHILE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL INCORPORATE EVEN MORE UPDATED INFORMATION, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR REGULAR UPDATES TO YOU REGARDING SALES TAX AND ANY OTHER SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CHANGE. WE PRESENTED TO YOU AN -- A FEW WEEKS AGO AN UPDATED ANNUAL ESTIMATE FOR SALES TAX REVENUES, AND AT THAT TIME HAVE PROJECTED IT TO BE A NEGATIVE 3% AS COMPARED TO LAST FISCAL YEAR. THIS TRANSLATES TO AN APPROXIMATE LOSS OF $7.6 MILLION FROM THE APPROVED BUDGET. AT THIS TIME BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO, IT WOULD BE TOO PRELIMINARY FOR ME TO INDICATE TO YOU WHETHER WE WOULD BE REVISING THAT ESTIMATE. HOWEVER, WE OBVIOUSLY WE WILL REVIEWING THAT AND HOPE TO HAVE A MEMO TO YOU BY THE END OF THE DAY TOMORROW, BY THE END OF THE WEEK. IN OTHER REVENUES, THE FRANCHISE REVENUES, WE'VE INCLUDED A REVENUE UPDATE TO RECOGNIZE LOWER REVENUES OF APPROXIMATELY $800,000 IN TELECOMMUNICATION FRAN FRIESS. AS YOU MAY CALL, THE CHANGES DUE TO HOUSE BILL 1777 RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ON HOW CITIES HANDLE THE TELECOMMUNICATION FRAN CHIEZS. AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET, MUCH OF THE INFORMATION WE WERE RECEIVING WAS IN TRANSITION FORM AND NOW WE HAVE UPDATED THE REVENUE TO INCORPORATE THE FINAL AND ACTUAL COMPONENTS FOR THIS REVENUE, SUCH AS ACTUAL LINE COUNTS AND FINAL APPROVED PUC CHARGES PER LINE. WE'RE ALSO PROJECTING LOWER REVENUES OF APPROXIMATELY $361,000 IN THE CURRENT YEAR, PRIMARILY DUE TO A LOSS OF TELECOMMUNICATION LICENSE AGREEMENTS FOR LICENSE HOLDERS SUCH AS ENRON AND OTHERS THAT HAVE GONE BANKRUPT. IN THE AREA OF CABLE FRANCHISE, WE WERE ESTIMATING A REVENUE LOSS IN CURRENT YEAR OF APPROXIMATELY $444,000 DUE TO AN FCC RULING WHICH EXEMPTED CABLE MODEM SERVICES SUCH AS ROAD RUN IRRELEVANT FROM FRANCHISE FEE PAYMENTS. AND FINALLY IN THE AREA OF BUILDING PERMITS AND FEES, THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN IS VERY CLEAR. BASED ON ACTUAL REVENUES AND ACTIVITY TO DATE THROUGH MARCH AT THAT TIME, WE ARE FORECASTING A REVENUE REDUCTION IN THE BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $1.8 MILLION. IN THE AREA OF EXPENDITURES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, THEY HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE IMPACT OF HOMELAND SECURITY COSTS, WHICH AFFECTED THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET. WE HAVE ALSO INCORPORATED THE IMPACT OF THE SEVERAL BUDGET REDUCTION AND COST CONTAINMENT ACTIONS SUCH AS THE HIRING FREEZE, FREEZE ON PURCHASES WITH CAPITAL, DEFERRING SOME OF THE CASH FUNDED CIP PROJECTS AND OTHERS. HOWEVER, IN SPITE OF NOT GETTING ANY KIND OF BREAKS ON THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE EQUATION, WE ARE PROJECTING TO END THE FISCAL YEAR DUE TO THE SAVINGS ACTION WITH A BALANCE OF $29.8 MILLION TO BE CARRIED FORWARD INTO THE FISCAL YEAR, INTO FISCAL YEAR 2003.

MAYOR GARCIA: WHAT WAS THE BEGINNING BALANCE?

24 MILLION.

MAYOR GARCIA: SO ABOUT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS?

FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITION TO THAT.

MAYOR GARCIA: MOST OF THAT IS DUE TO THE EXPENSE REDUCTIONS?

CORRECT. MOVING INTO FISCAL YEAR 2003, FORECAST REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 449.4 MILLION. IT'S CLEAR ON THIS GRAPH THAT ALMOST 82% OF TOTAL REVENUES ARE COMPRISED OF THREE MAJOR REVENUES, BEGINNING WITH ELECTRIC AND WATER UTILITY TRANSFERS AT 90.2 MILLION OR 20% OF TOTAL REVENUES. SALES TAX CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR REVENUE SOURCE AT ONE HUNDRED 29.1 MILLION AND PROPERTY TAX IS EXPECTED TO BE AT 34.2% OF TOTAL REVENUES, REPRESENTING THE SINGLE LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PROPERTY TAX IS THE MOST STABLE REVENUE SOURCE AND HAVING THIS AS OUR MAJOR REVENUE IS A HEALTHY TREND FOR THE CITY. THE ASSUMPTIONS INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST FOR THE MAJOR REVENUES ARE AS FOLLOWS: PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS BASED ON KEEPING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FLAT AT THE CURRENT RATE .4597. ADDITIONALLY WE HAVE APPLIED THIS RATE AT 10.9% WAS MUCH BETTER THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.

MAYOR GARCIA: AND YOU WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GROSS AND HOW MUCH IS INCREASES IN VALUATIONS IN EXISTING PROPERTY?

YES. AS WE NOTED OWRG OUR UPDATE A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE DO EXPECT SALES TAX -- OF COURSE, MY NOTES WERE FOR 30 MINUTES AGO. WE DO EXPECT SALES TAX TO BEGIN TO LEVEL OFF AND WE DO EXPECT TO SEE SOME MODEST INCREASES. ON AN ANALYZED BASIS, SALES TAX IS PROJECTED TO GROW APPROXIMATELY TWO PERCENT OVER THE CURRENT YEAR REVISED ESTIMATE. UTILITY TRANSFERS ARE BASED ON THE EXISTING POLICY OF 8.8% OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY'S THREE YEAR AVERAGE REVENUES AND 2.8% OF THE WATER STILT ALSO ON THREE-YEAR REVENUES. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NOT INCORPORATED ANY NEW USER FEES OR INCREASES INTO THE FORECAST REVENUE. IN THE AREAS WHICH I NOTED PREVIOUSLY, FRANCHISE REVENUES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FLAT WHILE BUILDING PERMITS AND FEES ARE ALSO PROJECTED TO REMAIN FLAT AS COMPARED TO THE UPDATED CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATES. TO PUT OUR TAX RATE IN PERSPECTIVE, THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE CITY'S TAX RATE HAS DECLINED 17.5% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WHICH REPRESENTS THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE DECREASE FROM ANY OTHER TAXING ENTITY IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND AISD SCHOOL JURISDICTION. YOU WILL NOTE THAT THE TAX RATE IS VERY CLOSE TO THAT OF THE CITY'S TAX RATE. THIS IS NOT THE NORM IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES. IN AUSTIN, THE CITY TAX RATE ACCOUNTS FOR 18.4% OF THE TOTAL TAX RATE, WHILE THE TRAVIS COUNTY MAKES UP 17.8%. AND FOR COMPARISON WITH THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES, THE FORT WORTH CITY TAX RATE IS 27-POINT #-%, WHILE THE COUNTY IS 8.8%. IN SAN ANTONIO THE CITY TAX RATE IS 19.4. THE COUNTY IS 10.7. HOUSTON IS A BIT CLOSER TO US, BUT STILL NOT AT OUR LEVEL. THE CITY ACCOUNTS FOR 22.1% AND THE COUNTY MAKES UP 13%. AND DALLAS IT MORE CLOSER TO THE NORM OF THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES, WITH THE CITY BEING 24.4% AND THE COUNTY BEING 7.2%. AND TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE GROWTH IN THE ASSESSED VALUATIONS, THIS CHART SHOWS YOU THE GROWTH OF THE VARIOUS MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE TAX ROLL. TOTAL EXISTING AND NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL INCREASED 12.5%, HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EXCLUDING THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND COMPARING ONLY EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, THE GROWTH WAS NINE PERCENT. MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY HAVE BOTH REALIZED BOTH. HOWEVER, THIS GROWTH IS LESS THAN IN PRIOR YEARS WHEN MULTI-FAMILY GREW AT RATES OF OVER 12 PERCENT AND PERSONAL PROPERTY GREW OVER 10% OVER THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS. THE COMMERCIAL DPROATH OF #- .6% IS SIMILAR TO GROWTH IN THE PRIOR YEAR, HOWEVER THE GROWTH OF 6.7% FOR LAND, WHILE IT IS POSITIVE, IS MUCH LOWER THAN IN PRIOR YEARS WHERE WE SAW GROWTH OF 24.4% LAST YEAR AND 10.2% TWO YEARS AGO. OVERRULE THE GROWTH OF 10.1% WAS MUCH BETTER THAN ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED. IN COMPARISON THE DPROATH FOR THE CURRENT YEAR WAS 13.1%.

WYNN: MAYOR? AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES, NOT JUST SINGLE-FAMILY, NEW VALUATION OR NEW TAX BASE VERSUS JUST THE RAISING PEOPLE'S PROPERTY TAXES BY RAISING THE ASSESSED VALUE ON THE EXISTING VALUES.

WHAT I CAN DO, MAYOR, IS PROVIDE YOU THIS UPDATED, AND LIKE I DID WITH THE EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY, CAN DO THAT FOR EACH COMPONENT.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. EXCEPT LAND, OF COURSE.

FORECAST EXPENDITURES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003 ARE 517.3 MILLION. AND IT'S BEEN THE TREND FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINUES TO ACCOUNT FOR OVER 50% OF EXPENDITURES AT 51.6%. THERE REALLY HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE MAKEUP OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. IN THE CURRENT YEAR APPROVED BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE, PUBLIC SAFETY WAS 51.3% TOTAL EXPENDITURES. FOR SOME OF THE ASSUMPTION FORECAST EXPENDITURES ARE BASED STRICTLY ON MAINTAINING EXISTING OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS AT EXISTING LEVELS. IT DOES NOT CONSIDER CONTINUATION OF CURRENT YEAR SAVINGS ACTION, SUCH AS THE HIRING FREEZE. THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT VACANT POSITIONS WILL BE FILLED AND DEPARTMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPEND THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO KEEP STATUS QUO IN ALL SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY THE FORECAST INCLUDES EXPENDITURES RELATED TO KNOWN COMMITMENTS AND EXISTING POLICY, SUCH AS THE CURRENT EMPLOYEE PAY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE RNGS OUR COMMITMENTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY SUCH AS OUR RATIO OF OFFICERS PER THOUSAND POPULATION, TASKFORCE STAFFING AND OTHER COMMITTED COSTS. WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY ASSUMPTIONS OR CHANGES TO EXISTING POLICY, NOR ARE ANY CHANGES PROPOSED IN THIS DOCUMENT AS WE KNOW THAT PREVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT THE VEHICLE TO DO SO. CLEARLY WE WILL -- THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICY ISSUES THAL BE IMPACTED AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS WILL OCCUR DURING THE BUDGET RETREATS. TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THE FORECAST, I PROVIDED YOU THIS SLIDE. THE CURRENT PAY FOR PERFORMANCE PACKAGE FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENTS REQUIRES AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $5.1 MILLION. INCREASES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE ARE POLICY 3.7 MILLION. COMMITMENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY ARE A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE FORECAST EXPENDITURES. INCLUDED IN THE 16.2 MILLION ARE INCREASES FOR THE THIRD YEAR OF POLICE MEET AND CONFER, PUBLIC SAFETY, OVERTIME AND OTHER COSTS SUCH AS STAFF AND LONGEVITY. HOWEVER, THIS AMOUNT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE IMPACT FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE -- THE FIRE MEET AND CONFER, WHICH NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE FINISHED VERY SOON. INCREASES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFFING ARE AS SHOWN. 36 ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AT AN INCREASED COST OF $9.1 MILLION. THIS INCLUDES THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PLAN TO EACH 2.0 OFFICERS AFTER FIVE YEARS. HOWEVER, NEXT WEEK THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER NEW TOPS GRANT FUNDING WHICH WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO REACH #- .0 IN TWO YEARS RATHER THAN FIVE FIVE. IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WE ARE INCLUDING THE FUNDING OF 23 FIREFIGHTERS, 20 OF WHICH ARE FOR THE DEL VALLE STATION, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN NOVEMBER 2003. THE ADDITIONAL THREE FIREFIGHTERS ARE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE STAFFING FOR THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION UNION. WE ARE ALSO ADDING ONE SUPPORT PERSON FOR THE DEL VALLE STATION. AT E.M.S. WE ARE ADDING 20 NEW PARAMEDICS AT A COST OF 1.7 MILLION. THE SOUTHEAST STATION IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN AUGUST 2003. ANOTHER INCREASE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AREA IS DUE TO INCREASING GRANTS IS ASSISTANCE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

MAYOR GARCIA: ON THIS ONE, RUDY, YOU DON'T HAVE IN HERE AN AMOUNT FOR THE EFFECT OF THE DECISIONS THAL BE FROZEN BECAUSE THE BUDGET ASSUMPTION IS THAT THEY WILL GO BACK TO NORMAL FUNDING LEVELS, CORRECT?

THAT'S CORRECT.

MAYOR GARCIA: CAN YOU TELL US AT SOME POINT, NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT MAYBE NEXT WEEK WHEN WE HAVE THE WORK SESSION, WHAT THAT AMOUNT WILL BE?

WELL, COMPARING OUR CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE, GOING INTO THE FORECAST, IT'S APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE ARE ADDING BY ALLOWING THOSE POSITIONS TO BE FILLED.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS?

THOMAS: RUDY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN THE 36 OFFICERS, 1.9 AND 20 PARAMEDICS AT 1.7. IF YOU CAN GO INTO DETAIL A LITTLE BIT MORE AND GET THAT TO ME. YOU'RE LOOKING AT, WHAT, 13 DIFFERENT -- WELL, 16 DIFFERENT OFFICERS ALMOST. APPEARED YOU ALREADY ADD 20 PARAMEDICS AT 1.7 AND YOU'VE GOT 36 MORE AT 1.9.

COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS, I DON'T HAVE THE DETAIL. I CAN PROVIDE YOU THAT, BUT I DO KNOW SOME OF THE TIMING AS FAR AS THE 36 OFFICERS AND WHEN THEY WILL BEGIN. I DON'T KNOW RIGHT OFFHAND WHAT THE TIME FRAME IS ON BRINGING THOSE 36 OFFICERS ON BOARD. SO THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON WHAT THE ANALYZED IMPACT. THE 1.9 REFLECTS THE IMPACT FOR FISCAL YEAR '03 ONLY.

THOMAS: IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE ME THAT. THANK YOU.

TO RECAP THE FORECAST REVENUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003, AS WE NOTED THOSE ARE 449.4 MILLION AND EXPENDITURES ARE 53 MILLION, RESULTING IN A STRUCTURAL FUNDING GAP FOR CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURES WILL EXCEED REVENUES BY $67.9 MILLION. IN THE PAST WE HAVE RELIED ON THE FUNDING BALANCE TO FUND THE SHORTFALL. AND WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME OF THAT, HOWEVER THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM OF CURRENT REVENUES NOT BEING SUFFICIENT TO COVER CURRENT EXPENDITURES WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE FUNDING SHORTFALLS UNTIL WE CAN BALANCE OUT THE EQUATION. THIS IS OUR UPDATED GRAPH. GRAPHICALLY IT IS CLEAR THAT WE HAVE A FUNDING SHORTFALL. FOR EXPENDITURES IN THE BLUE LINE FAR EXCEED REVENUES SHOWN IN THE RED LINE. TWO THINGS WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OCCURRING TO CLOSE THE GAP WE PRESENTED TO YOU IN JANUARY ARE, FIRST, PROPERTY TAXES. THE UNEXPECTED GROWTH OF 10.1% IN FISCAL YEAR 2003 OF STAFF VALUATION HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT OF FORECAST REVENUE. THE OTHER COMPONENT IS THE FACT THAT THIS COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH DOES NOT MAKE ANY ASSUMPTION FOR THE FUTURE MEET AND CONFER CONTRACTS. AS I STATED AWHILE AGO, NEGOTIATIONS WILL BEGIN SHORTLY FOR THE FIRE MEET AND CONFER COUNTY. AND FISCAL YEAR REPRESENTS A FINAL YEAR OF THE CURRENT POLICE MEET AND CONFER COUNTY. IF WE WERE TO HAVE MADE AN ASSUMPTION FOR THOSE COMPONENTS, THE EXPENSE LINE WOULD BE MUCH FURTHER AWAY FROM THE REVENUE LINE. THIS GRAPH SHOWS AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. WHILE WE NOTICED THAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS FOR OVER 50% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE FORECAST, PUBLIC SAFETY TAKES UP APPROXIMATELY 97% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES AND TOTAL SALES TAX REVENUES COMBINED. THIS IS EVEN WITH THE HEALTHY GROWTH IN THE ASSESSED VALUE VALUATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003, ALTHOUGH THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY IMPACT FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE FIRE MEET AND CONFER CONTRACT. IF WE WERE TO PROJECT OUT THE SAME COMPARISON, INCORPORATING AN ESTIMATED IMPACT OF FUTURE POLICE AND FIRE MEET AND CONFER CONTRACTS, ASSUMING CONTRACTS SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT ONE, PUBLIC SAFETY EDGES UP TO ALMOST 100% OF TOTAL PROPERTY AND SALES TAX REVENUES IN THE GENERAL FUND. THIS BASICALLY LEAVES TRANSFERS, FEES AND OTHER INCOME FOR ALL THE REMAINING GENERAL FUND, SUCH AS PARKS, LIBRARIES AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WHILE THE EMPHASIS HAS BEEN ON THE GENERAL FUND, I WANT TO QUICKLY POINT OUT OR REVIEW SOME OF THE ISSUES RELATED TO THE OTHER FUNDS. IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, TOURISM AND SALES TAX IS ALSO AN INDICATOR OF THAT. SALES TAX -- TOURISM CONTINUES TO BE SLOW AND RECOVERING VERY SLOWLY. IN FISCAL YEAR '02 WE ARE PROJECT PROJECTING HOTEL REVENUES TO BE DOWN 15%, HOWEVER WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL START SEEING SOME POSITIVES, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR '02. AND IN '03 WE ARE EXPECTING HOTEL REVENUES TO BE AN INCREASE OF FIVE PERCENT OVER THE REVISED ESTIMATE IN THE CURRENT YEAR. AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I THINK MAY 16th IS THE APPROXIMATE DATE, WILL INCREASE OPERATING COSTS, HOWEVER, IT DOES PROVIDE US SOME POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED TOURISM AND INCREASED USE OF OUR CONVENTION CENTER. IN AVIATION, SIMILAR TO CONVENTION CENTER, AIR TRAVEL REMAINS VERY WEAK. FOR FISCAL YEAR '02, PASSENGER ACTIVITY IS PROJECTED TO BE DOWN 17%. AND VERY MODEST DPROATH IS EXPECTED FOR THE FORECAST. IN '03 WE ARE PROJECTING PASSENGER ACTIVITY TO INCREASE ONLY ABOUT ONE PERCENT. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN THE AIRPORT IS SECURITY COSTS. THEY CONTINUE TO BE ONGOING. THE FORECAST INCLUDES FUNDING FOR 10 ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, EIGHT SECURITY GUARDS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR NECESSARY OVERTIME. HOWEVER, THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL UNCERTAINTY DUE TO THE NEWLY FORMED TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, WHICH MAY COME OUT WITH ADDITIONAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. THE PRIMARY CARE DEPARTMENT, WE CONTINUE TO BE FACED WITH THE MEDICARE CAP, NOT SOMETHING NEW, BUT IT IS AN INDICATION THAT WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES AND ONLY RECEIVING 80% REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED. ON A POSITIVE NOTE, PHARMACEUTICAL GRANT PROGRAMS ARE OFFSETTING DRUG COSTS. DUE TO THE VERY DILIGENT EFFORTS OF OUR PRIMARY CARE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, IN FISCAL YEAR '02, WE HAVE OFFSET APPROXIMATELY $1.5 MILLION IN DRUG COSTS DUE TO THE GRANT PROGRAMS. IN '03, WE ARE PROJECTING THAT THOSE SAME GRANT PROGRAMS WILL SAVE THE CITY ABOUT #- $.4 MILLION. 2.4. AND THE FINAL ISSUE WITH PRIMARY CARE SERVICES AT CAPACITY IS KIND OF A POSITIVE AND MAYBE NOT SO POSITIVE ISSUE. AGAIN, DUE TO THE EFFORTS BY THE DIRECTOR AND THE STAFF OF PRIMARY CARE, THE IMPLEMENTATION IN AUGUST OF THE OPEN AXIS PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS DEMAND SCHEDULING, WE'VE INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY. WE'VE MET MORE NEEDS AND SEEN MORE CLIENTS. HOWEVER, SINCE OCTOBER WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING OUR CLINICS AT 100% CAPACITY. IN SOLID WASTE WITH THE INCREASING CUSTOMER BASE -- I'M SORRY.

MAYOR GARCIA: ON THE PRIMARY CARE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS -- I THINK YOU INDICATED OR SOMEBODY INDICATED EARLIER, THIS MONTH OR LAST MONTH, THAT SALES PAY IS NOW INCREASING. SO HOW IS THAT NOW PLAYING INTO THE CAPACITY ISSUE AND HOW THE REVENUE IS IMPACTING THE OPERATION OF THE PRIMARY CARE DEPARTMENT.

WE CAN GET YOU THAT, MAYOR. MOVING TO SOLID WASTE, THE MAJOR ISSUE WITH SOLID WASTE IS JUST KEEPING UP WITH THE DEMANDS ON THEIR SERVICES. THE FORECAST CURRENTLY INCLUDES ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 17 POSITIONS, PLUS QUERLTING 10 TEMPORARY POSITIONS TO FULL TIME JUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE EXISTING SERVICE LEVELS. LANDFILL CLOSURE COSTS, AS YOU'RE AWARE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE STATE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL RESTRICTIONS AND STANDARDS. LANDFILL CLOSURE COSTS CONTINUE TO ESCALATE AND IN THE FORECAST INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL 1.3 MILLION RELATED TO THOSE TAX COSTS. IN THE TRANSPORTATION FUND, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IS OBVIOUSLY OUR AGING, HIGH WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. WE CURRENTLY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 7500 LANE MILES. -- 6500 LANE MILES. CURRENTLY THEY ARE AT 73% AND POOR TO VERY POOR AT 27%. WITH THOSE KIND OF RATIOS, OUR FUNDING DOES NOT GO AS FAR AS MORE AND MORE OF OUR INVENTORY GOES INTO THE POOR TO VERY POOR CONDITION. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE IN TRANSPORTATION IS DEALING WITH OUR BRIDGE MAINTENANCE. THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT NEEDS THAL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED THERE. IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT, THE ISSUES ARE RELATED TO CAPACITY DEMANDS, BOTH TO MEET THE TREATMENT CAPACITY DEMANDS AND MANDATED TREATMENT STANDARDS. TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, THE -- OUR CURRENT CAPACITY AT THE WATER PLANTS IS 250 MGD'S, MILLION GALLONS PER DAY. WHILE ON AN AVERAGE ANNUAL BASIS THAT DOES NOT -- IT'S NOT A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS OUR MGD'S ARE ONE 130 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. HOWEVER, IN THE SUMMER WE AVERAGE BETWEEN TWO HUNDRED AND 220. AND LAST AUGUST WE ACTUALLY REACHED 240 MGD'S WHICH REPRESENTS 96% OF OUR CAPACITY, BASED ON CURRENT REGULATIONS, MUNICIPALITIES OR WATER SYSTEMS ARE DIRECTED TO INCREASE CAPACITY ONCE THEY REACH 90%. OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO THAT AND DISTRIBUTION IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRE AT THIS POINT THE FIVE-YEAR CIP OF APPROXIMATELY $568 MILLION. IN THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT, IF YOU'RE VERY AWARE OF THE MASTER PLAN THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU, THE LEVEL OF FUNDING REQUIRED TO MEET THE MASTER PLAN WAS $800 MILLION. THE FISCAL YEAR '03 FORECAST AT THIS TIME INCLUDES $3.8 MILLION FOR CASH FUNDED CIP PROJECTS TO BEGIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASTER PLAN. AND CURRENTLY STAFF IS REVIEWING OTHER FUNDING OPTIONS TO CONTINUE THE IMPLEMENTATION. MOVING INTO RATE INCREASES. SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, WHILE WE HAVE NOT HAD A RATE INCREASE IN PAY AS YOU THROW SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 1997, WE ARE INCLUDING IN THE FORECAST A RATE INCREASE BETWEEN 4.3% AND 6.4%, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 75 CENTS PER MONTH. THE DIFFERENCE THERE BETWEEN THE 4.3 AND 6.4 IS BASED ON THE DIFFERENT SIZE OF CONTAINERS. THE ANTI-LITTER FEE IS INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST AT AN INCREASE OF 15%, WHICH HAS AN IMPACT OF 40 CENTS PER MONTH FOR RESIDENTIAL USER AND 70 VENTS PER MONTH FOR -- CENTS PER MONTH FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO REVIEW THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS, EXPLORING EFFICIENCIES TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE FEE INCREASE. IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT, THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES IN PLACE, COST CONTAINMENT ACTIONS HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE, AND WE ARE NOT REQUIRING IN THE FORECAST AN INCREASE TO THE WATER RATE. HOWEVER, WE ARE REQUIRING A MODEST INCREASE IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER OF 2.5%. , WHICH TRANSLATES TO AN IMPACT OF APPROXIMATELY 57 CENTS PER MONTH FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER. IN WATERSHED, BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE COST OF SERVICE PLAN ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, IN AUGUST. THIS REPRESENTS A SECOND YEAR OF THOSE RATE INCREASES, AND WE ARE INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST A RESIDENTIAL INCREASE OF 11%, WITH AN IMPACT OF 58 CENTS PER MONTH. AND IN THE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AT 34% WITH AN IMPACT OF $23..89.

AND COUNCIL, I WILL JUST GO DO A SHORT CLOSE HERE AND THEN WE WILL COP IT UP FOR KQ AND A. IN PRIOR YEARS STAFF WOULD HAVE LEFT THIS PRESENTATION TODAY AND PREPARED A POLICY BUDGET AND THEN A PROPOSED BUDGET WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM COUNCIL. THIS YEAR WE ARE CHANGING THAT PROCESS. SO THE QUESTION IS WHY? AND IF IT WAS MORE OF A LIGHT LIGHT-HEARTED MOOD I WOULD SAY THAT COST REDUCTION AND COST CRANEMENT ARE COST CUTTING ACTIVITIES. WE HAVE HANDED YOU THE LARGEST GAP IN RECENT HISTORY. AND BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS, WE MUST SHIFT GEARS AND WORK WITH THE COUNCIL UP FRONT TO DISCUSS AND REVIEW KEY FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY ISSUES. TO THAT END, OVER THE NEXT TWO WEDNESDAYS WE WILL BE HOLDING BUDGET RETREATS, BUDGET WORK SESSIONS DEDICATED SOLELY TO THE DISCUSSION OF OUR FINANCIAL AND BUDGET DECISIONS TO PROVIDE US WITH A FRAMEWORK TO BEGIN WORK ON GIVING YOU A PROPOSED AND BALANCED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR '03. WE WILL BE PRESENTING A SERIES OF GENERAL FINANCIAL POLICY ISSUES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, ISSUES SUCH AS HOW WE SHOULD USE ONE-TIME REVENUE, OR WHAT THE LEVEL OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFER SHOULD BE. AS WELL AS A SERIES OF BUDGET ISSUES SPECIFIC TO FISCAL YEAR '03, SUCH AS THE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, DECISIONS THAT AFFECT EMPLOYEE PAY AND OTHER ISSUES. THE GUIDANCE YOU GIVE US WILL BE USED TO PREPARE THE BUDGET IN A VERY SYSTEMATIC MANNER. ALL OF YOU KNOW WHAT TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES WE FACE, AND IT IS MY BELIEF THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES YOU HAVE TO APPROACH BUDGETING DIFFERENTLY. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS THE OTHER FELLOWS' PROGRAMS THAT SHOULD BE CUT. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH OTHER FELLOWS TO GO AROUND IN LEAN TIMES. WE ALL HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE MAKE THINGS RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY AND MORE EFFECTIVELY. TO HELP THE CITY PREPARE FOR THE FUNDING SHORTFALLS WE PROJECT FOR NEXT YEAR, I HAVE ALREADY ASKED STAFF TO BEGIN A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO HELP THE CITY BE BETTER POSITIONED FOR 2003. WE HAVE BEGUN A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT SHOULD HELP US WORK SMARTER, TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS. AND LET ME RUN THROUGH A FEW OF THOSE QUICKLY WITH YOU. A HIRING FREEZE, TO ABSORB REVENUE SHORTFALLS AND TO PROVIDE SOME ENDING BALANCE CUSHION FOR THE YEAR END. THIS WILL HELP US AVOID LAYOFFS AND IT WILL HELP US ALSO TO EVALUATE THE APPROPRIATE STAFFING LEVELS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN LEANER TIMES. TWO, WE'VE INSTITUTED A BUSINESS HIRING JUSTIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE FEW POSITIONS, ACTUALLY IN THE BEGINNING FOR ALL THE POSITIONS WE WERE HIRING, AND NOW FOR THE FEW REMAINING POSITIONS WE'RE HIRING, THAT REQUIRE SEVERAL LAYERS OF REVIEW, INCLUDING UP THROUGH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO HIGHER POSITIONS. THIS ALSO HELPS US MAKE SURE AND EVALUATE APPROPRIATE STAFFING LEVELS BY FUNCTION. THREE, AN E-GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A YEAR. WE HAVE FLOW CHARTED HUNDREDS OF CITY FUNCTIONS AND CITY PROCESSES, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DEVELOP WEB-BASED SERVICES FOR ENHANCED EFFICIENCIES, AS WELL AS JUST PLAIN PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS. AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND STREAMLINING PROCESS IS NUMBER FOUR, OF ALL SUPPORT SERVICES. BASICALLY CAN WE PROVIDE SUPPORT IN A LIENOR FASHION THAN WE HAVE BEEN. FIVE, THE CORE SERVICE ANALYSIS WHICH WE'VE ALREADY PRESENTED TO YOU IN CONCEPT. JUST LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY CORE FUNCTIONS OF A CITY AND HOW HAVE WE ALLOCATED OUR DOLLARS BASED ON THAT ANALYSIS? SIX, A REFINEMENT OF OUR PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT PROCESS. THAT OUTCOME BASED BUDGETING CAN BE USED IN PRIORITIZING OR DOWNSIZING PROGRAMS. BASICALLY THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR PROGRAM PERFORMANCE OR EFFECTIVENESS TO HELP GUIDE YOU IN DECISION MAKING AND TO HELP GUIDE US THROUGH MANAGING IN CUT BACK TIMES. SEVEN, WE HAVE ASKED EACH DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT AT LEAST ONE MAJOR PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BASICALLY HOW CAN WE ALL DO MORE WITH LESS. ANDFEINLY, WE ARE BEGINNING MANDATORY SUPERVISED RETRAINING AND CITYWIDE DIVERSITY TRAINING TO BETTER MANAGE OPERATIONS AS WE HEAD INTO A CUTBACK MODE. I BELIEVE ALL OF THESE INITIATIVES HAVE PUT US AND WILL PUT HUS IN A BETTER POSITION TO DEAL WITH THE TOUGH YEAR WE FACE AS WELL AS THE FUTURE, BUT OBVIOUS VUSLY WE'VE STILL GOT SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS IN FRONT OF US. AND WE'RE READY NOW TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. ONE REQUEST. FOR THAT WORK SESSION, THOSE TWO RETREATS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET UPDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION, REVENUE EXPENDITURES, LET'S SAY THROUGH APRIL OR IF NOT APRIL, MARCH 31st?

WE DEFINITELY CAN GET YOU THROUGH MARCH. I'D NEED TO CHECK AND SEE WHERE WE ARE IN APRIL.

UPDATED REVENUE EXPENDITURES FOR THOSE SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS, TWO QUARTERS AND ONE MONTH, AND PROJECTED TO THE END, USING BASICALLY THE SAME FORMAT THAT YOU HAVE IN THESE CHARTS, SO THAT WE GET AN IDEA WHERE WHERE THE PROJECTED INCREASES ARE GOING TO BE. I THINK THAT WE'RE FACING A TOUGH YEAR, A VERY TOUGH YEAR. AND THE LAST TIME THAT WE FACED THIS WAS ABOUT 1988. AND THE AFTERMATH OF THAT BUDGET HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS COST US A LOT OF MONEY. THE HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL HAD THAT WE DON'T MAKE THOSE SAME MISTAKES AND WE LEARN FROM THAT PROCESS, AND THAT WE DON'T DO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO COST US A LOT OF MONEY IN FUTURE YEARS. WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SHARE THE BURDEN. WE CANNOT PLACE UNDUE BURDENS ON PARKS AND LIBRARIES AND HEALTH LIKE WE HAVE IN OTHER YEARS. THAT DOES NOT HELP US IN THE LONG-TERM AS IT REGARDS TO STRENGTHENING OUR SOCIAL FABRIC. SO IF WE CAN -- AND LET ME SAY THIS, THE PAYOFF IS -- LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE LAYOFFS. AND I THINK THAT'S A BIG ISSUE GIVEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CITY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. SO THOSE -- THAT'S MY REQUEST AT THIS TIME. AND WE WILL HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS NEXT -- A WEEK FROM NOW AND TWO WEEKS FROM NOW. MAYOR PRO TEM?

GOODMAN: I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS I DON'T FIND IN HERE, AND MAYBE THEY WERE PLANNED TO GIVE TO US LATER, SO CAN I MAKE THE REQUEST NOW?

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY.

GOODMAN: IF WE HAVE SOMEWHERE SOME SUMMARY ON THE SPECIFIC COST OF LIVING IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW, WHETHER OUR INFLATION RATE AND ANY KIND OF INCREASE IN THE LIVING COST OF RIGHT NOW, OR HAS THIS ECONOMIC DOWNTURN BENEFITTED US STRANGELY IN SOME WAY BY -- MAKING THE COST OF LIVING LOWER? THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS ON TRAVEL AND TOURISM, IF WE HAVE THEM, WOULD BE FW, BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO TRANSLATE THE NUMBERS IN THE BOOK FOR THE AIRPORT, ABIA. AND SOME OF THEM IN THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST I'M NOT BEING ABLE TO TRACK. COULD YOU GET A BREAK OUT OF THAT EIGHT-MILLION-DOLLAR EXPENDITURE THAT WE WERE ALLOWING FROM ABIA REVENUES FOR THE REHAB AND RENOVATION? THAT REPORT IS DUE FOR THE EIGHT MILLION AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. AND IN PARTICULAR I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE PROJECT PARKING REVENUES TO BE DOWN SO MUCH THIS COMING YEAR.

THE AIRPORT?

GOODMAN: YES. AND I ASSUME FROM THAT THE TOURISM AND THE BUSINESS TRAVEL TO BE EVEN LESS THAN IT HAS BEEN ALREADY AFTER 9-11. AND THERE'S ZERO EXPENDITURES IN THE FUTURE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION ALLOCATION PROGRAM. IS THAT BECAUSE OUR SHARE IS OVER OR THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE BEING DEFERRED OR WHAT? AND YOU HAVE A LINE ITEM, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, THAT SUPPORT SERVICES, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT INCLUDES. AND THEN IN PRIMARY CARE, THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, THE LANGUAGE OF THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T PROJECT ADDING STAFF, PERIOD, FOR FIVE YEARS. AM I GETTING THAT RIGHT, 220 FTE'S, PLUS THE 12 FOR FIVE YEARS?

THAT'S CORRECT.

GOODMAN: AND DOES THAT STILL ALLOW THE RESOURCES TO MOVE AHEAD WITH TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THE HEALTH CARE DISTRICT?

YES. WE'RE GOING TO PULL THE REOURS SOS FOR THAT TOGETHER FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SOURCES. YOU WERE RIGHT, MAYOR PRO TEM, IT TAKES -- WE'RE AT CAPACITY TODAY AND IT KEEPS YOU AT THAT STAFFING LEVEL FOR FIVE YEARS. REMEMBER, JUST AS A STATUS QUO TO TELL US HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FROM HERE.

GOODMAN: I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING YET. THAT WAS A HARD PRESSED STAFF MEMBER WITH THE OLD LEVEL OF SERVICE DEMANDS. AND SINCE THE DOWP TURN IN THE ECONOMY, OUR DEMAND -- THE SERVICES HAS INCREASED PHENOMENALLY, AND I ASSUME WILL INCREASE IF EVERYBODY'S ECONOMIC STATUS LOOKS LIKE OURS.

AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS THAT RUDY HAD MENTIONED EARLIER OR THE CLINIC DIRECTOR PUT IN PLACE, ACTUALLY TOOK THAT AT CAPACITY AND INCREASED THE ACTIVITY BY 16 OR 17 PERCENT. SO THEY HAVE RATCHETED THAT NUMBER, SERVING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WITH THE EXISTING RESOURCES AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY AT ITS MAX.

GOODMAN: THUS PLUS, THE THINGS YOU WRITE DOWN ON PAPER ARE NOT ALWAYS ALLOWED BY LIFE. IT CAN BE A LITTLE MESSY. SO PURSUING THE DISTRICT IS A REAL CRITICAL THING AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR THAT. AND THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY, NOT A QUESTION EXACTLY, I WOULD SAY ON SOLID WASTE SERVICES AND WATER AND WASTEWATER FEES, THAT WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN NOT TO RAISE THOSE FEES. THEY'RE ALREADY BOTH VERY HIGH. AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE ROLLED INTO THAT FEE, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A DIFFICULT TIME NOW WILL NOT SEE THEIR TAXES DECREASE IN ANY NOTABLE WAY FROM ANY OTHER TAXING AUTHORITIES, I'M WILLING TO WAGER, SO THAT ADDITIONAL MONTHLY CHARGE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE ROLL IT INTO ONE BILL, IT COULD BE OVERWHELMING PSYCH LOGICALLY AND I THINK MAY NOT BE THE KIND OF MORALE BOOST THAT WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE. SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER KIND OF RATCHETING UP SOMEWHERE ELSE.

FUTRELL: AND JUST A NOTE ON THAT. WE ALSO SPENT SOME TIME LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES. AND ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T SEE MUCH IN '03 FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER, THE YEARS PAST THAT ARE FAIRLY DRAMATIC BECAUSE OF THE BUILDING NEEDS. AND YES, WE ARE INTENDING TO DO FULL OPERATIONAL RENEWS OF BOTH WASTE WAWRD AND SOLID WASTE SERVICES AS A WAY TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THOSE NUMBERS.

GOODMAN: AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD BENEFIT BY US FINDING WAYS TO LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

MAYOR GARCIA: MAYOR PRO TEM. FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?

ALVAREZ: MAYOR?

MAYOR GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ.

ALVAREZ: A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ASSUMPTIONS. ON PAGE 4, THE 2003 FORECAST REVENUES. AND I'M WONDERING WHAT WE'RE ASSUMING FOR THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFER ON THAT.

COUNCILMEMBER ALVAREZ, THAT IS BASED ON MAINTAINING 8.8% OF THE THREE-YEAR AVERAGE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.

ALVAREZ: AND THEN IN TERMS OF CIP'S, DOES THAT FALL UNDER PUBLIC WORKS? I THINK THAT'S PAGE 8. THE EXPENDITURES.

THAT WOULD BE UNDER TRANSFERS AND OTHER. THAT WOULD BE A TRANSFER TO THE CIP FUND. THAT'S INCLUDED. A AL TRANSFERRED.

ALVAREZ: TRANSFERRED OUT?

YES.

ALVAREZ: AND DO WE KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TRANSFERRED OUT IN THE CIP IS?

THE FORECAST IS BUILT ON A CIP TRANSFER OF $8.3 MILLION. THAT IS BASED ON THE EXISTING SCHEDULE FOR THE PROJECTS.

ALVAREZ: AND THEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE 68-MILLION-DOLLAR GAP BETWEEN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, AND ALSO 29-MILLION-DOLLAR ENDING BALANCE, SO HOW DO THOSE TWO THINGS RELATE?

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THAT GOES BACK TO OUR CURRENT REVENUES ARE SHORT BY $68 MILLION TO COVER OUR CURRENT EXPENDITURES IN THE FORECAST. WHAT THE $29.8 MILLION DOES FOR US, IT'S OUR BEGINNING BALANCE. AND WE CAN USE THAT AS WE TRY AND DEVELOP OUR STRATEGY AND OUR POLICIES TO BALANCE OUT OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. SO THE RELATION IS THE 29.8 IS RELATED TO THE CURRENT YEAR WHERE WE THINK WE'LL END AND THE WAY IT RELATES TO THAT $68 MILLION IS IT PROVIDES US SOME TEMPORARY RELIEF TO MITIGATE COMING UP WITH $68 MILLION REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE IDEAS.

FUTRELL: LET'S BE REAL CLEAR ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE VOCAL POINTS WE TALK TO YOU ABOUT POLICYWISE. IF YOU DO THAT, TAKE THAT ENDING POLICY BAL AND LOAD IT RIGHT ON IN TO CLOSE THAT GAP, THE MOMENT YOU PASS THE BUDGET AND ASK US TO IMPLEMENT THAT BUDGET, WE WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTING THAT BUDGET. IF YOU PASS -- I'LL JUST PICK SOMETHING. YOU PASS 12 ROVING LEADERS IN THE BUDGET. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WE WILL AUTOMATICALLY PROBABLY FREEZE HALF OF THOSE OR MORE. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU WILL NOT BE PASSING A BUDGET THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT. WE WILL MOVE IMMEDIATELY INTO COST SAVINGS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT UP. BECAUSE PROJECTIONS DO NOT KNOW THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES WE'VE BEEN GETTING IN THE BOOM YEARS, SALES TAX BEYOND WHAT WE PROJECTED, DEVELOPMENT FEES BEYOND WHAT WE PROJECTED. AND THAT'S -- AND ALTHOUGH I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE SOME OF IT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROPOSING IS THAT WE NOT USE ALL OF IT. AND WE START TRYING TO WEAN OURSELVES AWAY FROM THAT ENDING BALANCE.

ALVAREZ: I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION, IS THERE A POLICY THAT WE HAVE THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP THE ENDING BALANCE AT X AMOUNT?

FUTRELL: THERE'S NOT, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP ONE WITH YOU, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND LET YOU ALL TALK ABOUT WHERE ARE YOU COMFORTABLE.

THE OTHER THING IS IT SEEMS LIKE THE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY THERE IS PARTLY FOR THAT REASON ALSO, BUT I GUESS I'M WONDERING HOW WOULD THAT -- WHAT NEED THAT IS SERVING, IS THERE GOING TO BE CONTINUE TO BE RISK WITH THE ENDING BALANCE OF SERVICE, AND JUST DISCUSSING THAT FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, HOW WE TREAT THE TWO?

FUTRELL: AND KIND OF THE SHORT AND SWEET OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE BOOM YEARS IS THAT THE CONTINGENCY FUND HAS REALLY BEEN USED AS A ONE-TIME EMERGENCY FUND. SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS. BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE STRUCTURALLY WITH THE ENDING BALANCE IS SOME OF IT, IF NOT ALL OF IT, HAS BEEN LOADED INTO ONGOING COSTS, WHICH ARE WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.

ALVAREZ: AND MY LAST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE SALES TAX. THE FIGURES YOU QUOTED. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD GO INTO IT. --

FUTRELL: WE'RE ALL FEELING A LITTLE DEPRESSED RIGHT NOW, BUT GO AHEAD.

ALVAREZ: MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT SHOAPT HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF IMPACT OF ACTUAL DOLLARS AND THE LAST SHORTFALL BECAUSE OF LAST YEAR WE HAD LOST -- DECREASED OUR SALES TAX REVENUE DURING THAT SAME MONTH. SO THIS JUST MEANS A LITTLE MORE -- A LITTLE MORE.

FUTRELL: WE'RE ESTIMATING THERE'S ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND. WITH THAT NUMBER WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO HAVE THIS MONTH.

LAST MONTH WHEN YOU SAID IT WAS A 10% DECREASE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE, GIVE PEOPLE THE PERCEPTION THAT BECAUSE WE'RE DOWN 10% ON THIS ONE --

NO, IT'S NOT. MORE THAN ANYTHING IT MEANS THAT THE TREND IS NOT REVERSED. MORE THAN ANYTHING THE BAD NEWS IS IT DIDN'T EVEN START TRENDING UP. IT CONTINUED TO TREND DOWN.

ALVAREZ: THANK YOU.

MAYOR GARCIA: FURTHER QUESTIONS?

FUTRELL: I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS HELPFUL JUST TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT, BUT DID I UNDERSTAND YOU TO SAY THAT 16 OF THE 20 MAJOR CITIES ALL HAD NEGATIVE NUMBERS? SO ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN LONELY OUT THERE ALONG WITH DALLAS, IT APPEARS THAT OTHER CITIES, FOR WHATEVER REASON, ARE NOW ALSO EXPERIENCING FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVES FROM THE MARCH NUMBERS?

MAYOR, WE WILL BE PROVIDING YOU A MEMO WITH MORE INFORMATION, BUT JUST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES RNGS DALLAS ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED A NEGATIVE 14%. HOUSTON, WHICH HAS BEEN POSITIVE ALL YEAR LONG, EXPERIENCED THEIR FIRST NEGATIVE FOR THEIR FISCAL YEAR AT A NEGATIVE SIX PERCENT. AND FORT WORTH ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED A NEGATIVE FOUR PERCENT. SO DEFINITELY THE ECONOMY IN TEXAS IS STILL VERY, VERY SLUGGISH.

MAYOR GARCIA: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CITY MANAGER, MR. GARZA. THANK YOU. AND LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER 3, WHICH IS A BRIEFING ON THE PROPOSED SEAHOLM DISTRICT MASTER PLAN. IF WE COULD DO SOME MUSICAL CHAIRS HERE, WE'LL GET ON WITH THE PROGRAM.

FUTRELL: WOULD IT BE HELPFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH LITTLE TIME TO GO ON AND START THE INTRODUCTIONS WHILE THIS IS BEING SET UP, LEASE SO SA?

ST IS A. OKAY. I'M LISA. AS YOU KNOW, THE SEAHOLM PLAN HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW. WE BROUGHT IT THROUGH SOME FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER. WE HAVE ONLY PRESENTED THIS PLAN TO ALL OF THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS WELL AS HAVING SEVERAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, SO WE'VE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. AND ALSO WE'VE COSTED OUT WHAT THIS PLAN WOULD BE TO THE CITY ONCE WE MOVE TO IMPLEMENTATION. SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO AUSTINLY HE ON -- AUSTAN LIBRACH TO INTRODUCE THE PRESENTERS TO US.

MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS AUSTAN LIBRACH AND WE HAVE ABOUT A FOUR-PART PRESENTATION THIS MORNING TO YOU ON THE SEAHOLM MASTER PLAN. THIS BEGAN, AS YOU MAY RECALL, BACK IN 1996. THE COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION ASKING THAT THE SEAHOLM POWER PLANT, THAT WE LOOK AT IT FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION STANDPOINT AND BEGIN TO DETERMINE HOW TO PROVIDE PARKING FOR THE FACILITY AND TO BEGIN A PUBLIC PROCESS TO DETERMINE THE BUILDING'S BEST USE. IN JUNE OF 1998 THERE WAS A SEAHOLM REUSE PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT HAD BEEN CREATED AT SOME TIME EARLIER, AND THEY RECOMMENDED CONDUCTING AN URBAN DESIGN STUDY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF PARKING AND ACCESS TO THE SITE. THE COUNCIL THEN IN JUNE OF 2000 AUTHORIZED THE HIRING OF A CONSULTING FIRM, ROMA DESIGN GROUP, TO CONDUCT THE SEAHOLM MASTER PLAN. THAT PLAN WAS DEVELOPED BY ROMA WITH THE STAFF OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT A YEAR FROM THERE. AND THEN AFTER THAT PLAN WAS COMPLETED IN ITS FIRST DRAFT, WE SPENT A PERIOD OF ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR WORKING WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS. WE HAVE IN THE INFORMATION IN YOUR BACKUP FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING WHERE YOU WILL BE CONSIDERING -- YOU'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND BE CONSIDERING THIS FOR ADOPTION. THE DOCUMENTS, RESOLUTIONS AND SO FORTH FROM EACH OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THERE WERE EIGHT OF THEM I THINK THAT ACTED ON THIS PLAN, AND THERE WERE ALSO STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS IN ADDITION TO THAT, AND THERE WAS A SPECIAL MEETING THAT WE HELD STRICTLY ON ON THE PFLUGER BRIDGE EXTENSION TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES. OVER THE PERIOD OF ABOUT A YEAR, ENDING THIS PAST APRIL 10th, I BELIEVE IT WAS, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THIS BE ADOPTED AS A CHANGE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE CITY, WE HAVE SPENT TIME WITH THIS MASTER PLAN. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED BE DONE WAS THAT IN NOVEMBER OF '99 WE HIRED -- WE WERE AUTHORIZED TO HIRE A PUBLIC ATTRACTIONS CONSULTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT SEAHOLM ITSELF, HOW IT COULD BE USED AND WHAT NEEDS IT MIGHT HAVE IN TERMS OF THE SURROUNDING AREA. AND SO AT THE SAME TIME VIRTUALLY THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MASTER PLAN, WE ALSO WERE LOOKING AT THE NEEDS OF THE FACILITY ITSELF. AND I HAVE WITH US TODAY THAT CONSULTANT, THE PUBLIC ATTRACTIONS CONSULTANT WHO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU AND HAVE HER GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW. AND FOLLOWING THAT, JIM ADAMS, WHO I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, WHO IS WITH ROMA, WHO IS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE MUELLER MASTER PLAN AND SEVERAL OTHER STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN -- COME BEFORE THE CITY, WILL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER PLAN ITSELF. WE THEN, IF THERE IS TIME REMAINING, WE CAN TAKE YOU THROUGH THE 15 OR SO INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE KEY TO THIS MASTER PLAN IN TERMS OF TIMING AND FUNDING AND WHAT IS SPECIFICALLY REPRESENTED ON THE MAPS THAT YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE BEFORE AND THAT YOU PERHAPS HAVE SEEN OVER TIME AND WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH YOU. TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT WILL TAKE ABOUT 45 MINUTES. WE CAN STOP AT ANY POINT AND PICK UP TOMORROW IF YOU'D LIKE, MAYOR. SO WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE SHERRY WAGNER, WHO IS THE PUBLIC ATTRACTIONS CONSULTANT. SHE HAS WORKED ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS HERE IN TEXAS, THE HEMISPHERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE RIVER CORRIDOR WAS ONE OF HER KEY PROJECTS. SHE HAS WORKED ON THE AQUARIUM IN CHAT NOOG I ATTANOOGA AND ANOTHER ONE IN LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS. AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PROJECTS AND WE'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE WORK SHE'S BEEN DOING WITH US AND LOOKING AT THIS -- AT THE SEAHOLM ISSUE OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. SO LET ME INTRODUCE SHERRY TO SPEAK WITH YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. AND I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR PROPOSALS TO SEE ABOUT DEVELOPING THIS SITE, SO WHEN WE BEGAN WORKING ON THIS, WE LOOKED AT WHAT THE KEY INFORMATION THAT ANYBODY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AND HAVE TO KNOW IF THEY WERE GOING TO COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BE VIABLE. WHAT MY EXPERIENCE OVER THESE MANY YEARS HAS PROVEN TO ME IS YOU CANNOT ONLY LOOK AT THE ECONOMICS OF THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT YOU MUST LOOK AT THE SUSTAIN ABILITY ECONOMICS IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC ATTRACTION. SO WE HAD TO LOOK AT HOW -- THERE WERE THREE MAIN QUESTIONS. ONE, HOW DOES THIS PROJECT FIT INTO THE DOWNTOWN. WHAT'S THE CONTEXT AROUND IT? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE NEIGHBORING SITES WHEN YOU PUT IN A MAJOR GENERATOR LIKE THIS? WHAT KIND OF SYNERGY CAN YOU GET WHEN YOU GET MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PART? WHAT'S THE CONTEXT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THE VISION FOR THE AREA AND WHAT ACTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE THAL IMPACT THIS OR NEED TO TAKE PLACE IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS A VIABLE PROJECT? WHAT'S THE NEXT 20 YEARS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OR THE ECONOMICS? THE SECOND QUESTION, WHICH IS A VERY BIG ONE, IS THE ACCESS TO THE SITE. AS YOU NOTICE, IF YOU'LL SEE THE SITE OVER HERE, IT A VERY CON STRAINED SITE. AND WE HAVE -- WE HAD MANY, MANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ROADS COMING IN OR ROAD PATTERNS, SO WE HAD TO HAVE NOT ONLY AUTOMOBILE TRANSIT, BUT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, PUBLIC TRANSIT ACCESS, BICYCLE ACCESS, LOOKING AT HOW THAT SITE COULD POSSIBLY WORK. AND YOU SEE THAT THERE'S SOME REAL ISSUES THAT DEVELOP THERE. NOT ONLY IN TERMS OFw3 THE CONTEXT, HOW IT INTERACTS WITH EVERYTHING AROUND IT. WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT CITIES IS THAT THEY ARE SINNER JIS TICK AND JUST THE SIMPLE THINGS OF HOW DO YOU GET THERE AND HOW DO YOU GET EASILY IN AND OUT AND WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO THIS SITE.

MAYOR GARCIA: IF YOU WANT TO GET CLOSER TO THOSE PICTURES OR BOARDS, THERE'S A MIC OVER THERE. YOU CAN STAND BY IT AND POINT TO THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU CAN SEE HERE -- I THINK YOU CAN SEE HERE HOW CON STRAINED THIS SITE IS, AND THERE ARE NO REAL ACCESS POINTS OR ROADS OR THINGS OF THAT SORT. SO THESE ARE VERY CRITICAL ISSUES IN TERMS OF MAKING A MAJOR ATTRACTION THAT WOULD BRING LOTS OF PEOPLE ON TO THE SITE. OUR THIRD QUESTION IS, AND I'VE LEARNED THIS OVER THE YEARS OF WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT OF SO MANY ATTRACTIONS, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ROOM FOR GROWTH AND EXPANSION OVER TIME. SO YOU HAVE TO START PLANNING THAT FROM THE BEGINNING. SO WE WERE LOOKING AT THE CONSTRAINTS HERE AND WE REALIZED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BE THINKING WHEN THIS IS A SUCCESS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THAT SUCCESS. WE ARE NOW -- 15 YEARS AGO WE FIRST STARTED WORKING ON THE CHATTANOOGA AQUARIUM. WE JUST HAD THE 10th ANNIVERSARY MAY 1ST AND NOW WE'RE GOING FOR THE SECOND EXPANSION OFFER. SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES TOO. THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT A MASTER PLAN TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD FIT. AND THE THIRD THING IS -- AND I THINK I'LL GIVE YOU THIS. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL GO BACK. THE THIRD QUESTION WE HAD WAS WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITIES AND IMPLICATIONS. AND WE DECIDED THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO HAVE SOME FRAMEWORK, ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK FOR US TO KNOW SO THAT WE COULD CONSIDER ANY KIND OF PROPOSALS COMING BEFORE US AND WE'D KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK AND WHAT THE TRADE-OFFS MIGHT BE, AND WE COULD LOOK AT THEM REASONABLY. SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH PROFESSOR JOHN VOGUE HE WILL AT THE TUCK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT DARTMOUTH UNIVERSITY. HE'S PROFESSOR OF OF REAL ESTATE. WE ASKED HIM IF HE MIGHT PUT SOME GRADUATE CONSTITUTES STOOUNTS TO WORK WITH US TO HELP US THINK ABOUT AND TO LOOK AT AND PREPARE AN ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS SO WE WOULD HAVE THIS. AND THE STUDENTS HAVE -- JAMIE HERSH AND JEFFREYLY SARD. AND HE'S HERE TODAY. AND JAMIE UNFORTUNATELY IS ILL, BUT SHE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. WE'LL BE DOING A PRESENTATION ON ALL WE'VE SEEN AND THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE HANDED ON TO YOU. BUT WE'VE DONE THE FINANCIAL MODELING AND THE KINDS OF RANGES OF POSSIBILITIES AND THE TRADE-OFFS YOU GET, SO THIS IS PREPARING US NOW WHEN WE HAVE THE MASTER PLAN APPROVED AND WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION, WE NOW WILL BE IN A GOOD POSITION TO GO FOR A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOPMENT THAL BE REASONED, AND WE WILL HAVE A WAY TO KNOW WHAT TO ASK AND HOW TO PUT THE STRATEGIES IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN JUDGE THOSE PROPOSALS ACCURATELY. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE]NO CARRIERRINGCONNECT 1200?

IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S EMERGING IN THE SECOND STREET RETAIL DISTRICT, WITH THE CITY HALL AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE SEAHOLM AREA ALREADY, WITH THE WEST AVENUE LOFTS, THERE IS A WHOLE PATTERN -- AND WITH THE FUTURE MARKETPLACE DEVELOPMENT AT 6th AND LAMAR, THERE IS A WHOLE PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS -- THAT IS STARTING TO EMERGE WITHIN THIS AREA THAT IS SETTING UP VERY INTERESTING MIXED USE ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL INCLUDE MAJOR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND CIVIC FACILITIES WITH A MUSEUM OF ART, AND WITH THE NEW CITY HALL AND WITH PARTIALER. WITH RESIDENT -- WITH PALMER. WITH RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO CREATE A POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO WILL ENLIVEN THIS DISTRICT AND WITH COMMERCIAL USES AS WELL. AND SO THE IMPORTANT THING IS WE -- AS WE SAW IT IN STARTING THIS MASTER PLAN IS TO LOOK AT WHAT'S ALREADY BEGUN AND TO TRY TO CONNECT THOSE ACTIVITY CENTERS TOGETHER TO DO WHAT SHERRI IS SAYING, TO CREATE THAT SYNERGY OF ACTIVITY AND REALLY CREATE AN EXCITING DISTRICT SO THAT IF SOMEBODY IS COMING TO SEAHOLM, WHETHER IT'S A SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM OR ANOTHER KIND OF PUBLIC ATTRACTION, THAT THEY WILL FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN WALKING TO OTHER PARTS OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA. SO THE NOTION WAS REALLY TO TRY TO... TO REINFORCE THE SEAHOLM DISTRICT AS A MIXED USE AREA WITH A WHOLE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES. BUT ALSO VERY IMPORTANTLY, DOING THAT IN A THAT COMPLIMENTS AND EXTENDS TOWN LAKE, BECAUSE TOWN LAKE IS CLEARLY THE MAJOR OPEN SPACE RESOURCE AND PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL AMENITY OR FEATURE THAT WE HAVE IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. SO THOSE TWO THINGS WERE KEY ASPECTS IN DOING THIS. THERE WERE A WHOLE SERIES OF GOALS THAT GUIDE THE PLAN AND I'M GOING TO JUST BRIEFLY GO OVER EACH OF THESE. AND THESE CAME OUT OF THE PLANNING AND REUSE COMMITTEE WORK THAT -- THAT WAS DONE PREVIOUS TO THIS MASTER PLAN EFFORT. THE PRIMARY GOAL THAT THE COMMITTEE SET FORTH WAS THE REUSE AND PRESERVATION OF THE POWER PLANT. THIS IS A REALLY UNIQUE HISTORIC RESOURCE. A REAL GREAT EXAMPLE OF 1930'S MUNICIPAL ARCHITECTURE. SO THE NOTION WAS TO PRESERVE -- THE KEY GOAL WAS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THAT BUILDING. THE SOUTH FACADE, KEEPING IT PRIMARILY INTACT. THE VIEW THAT YOU GET FROM TOWN LAKE. ALLOWING FOR SOME -- ALLOWING FOR SOME ACCESS AT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND THE CREATION OF AN OPEN SPACE BELVEDERE. THE IDEA IS TO CREATE A MAJOR ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING, A PRIMARY ENTRANCE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING HERE. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE THOUGHT PROBABLY THE MOST AMOUNT OF CHANGE COULD OCCUR TO THE BUILDING IN TERMS OF CREATING THAT ENTRANCE AND THE IDEA, ALSO, THAT THE -- THAT THE ORIGINAL REUSE COMMITTEE CAME UP WITH WAS THE NOTION OF CREATING AN ENTRANCE THAT BROUGHT YOU INTO THE GRAND SPACE OF THE POWER PLANT. IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THERE, YOU WILL -- YOU WILL REMEMBER JUST THAT -- THE SCALE AND THE DRAMA THAT OF -- THAT SPACE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT. SO THE IDEA OF CREATING A WEST ENTRANCE. THE EAST ENTRANCE WILL PROBABLY SERVE AS THE SERVICE ACCESS, IT'S WHERE THE EXISTING LOADING DOCK IS TO THE BUILDING. AND THAT WILL BE USED AS A SERVICE FUNCTION, BUT WE WILL MAINTAIN, AS I WILL EXPLAIN IN A MINUTE, THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ALONG THE WEST AVENUE FACE. THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING, AS SHERRI PRESENTED, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO -- TO MAINTAIN THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION. SO THE IDEA OF THE PLAN TALKS ABOUT IS PURCHASING THE Y PROPERTY CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE UNION PACIFIC AND PRESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION. IT'S WHERE THE FIVE STACKS OF WHERE THE POWER PLANT ARE, THE IDEA IS ALSO TO CREATE A MAJOR ACTIVITY SCHOOL PLAZA THAT WILL USE THOSE FIVE STACKS AS A KIND OF MAJOR ELEMENT OF THAT AND ALLOW FOR THE ACTIVITY OF THE ATTRACTION AND THE FUTURE EXPANSION TO ACTIVATE THAT PLAZA AREA. THE -- SO PRESERVATION AND REUSING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THE INTAKE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY ACROSS CESAR CHAVEZ, FROM THE POWER PLANT, IS ALSO AN HISTORIC STRUCTURE, IT'S PART OF THE SAME ARCHITECTURAL COMPLEX. AND THE -- THE IDEA AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ORIGINAL TOWN LAKE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE NOTION IS TO REUSE THAT INTAKE STRUCTURE BUILDING AS PERHAPS -- TO EXPLORE ITS REUSE AS A RESTAURANT THAT COULD HAVE VALET PARKING. THERE'S VERY LIMITED PARKING IN TOWN LAKE. BUT IF THERE WERE A POSSIBILITY OF REUSING IT, IT'S A PHENOMENAL PROSPECT THAT YOU GET OUT ON TO TOWN LAKE WITH THAT -- WITH THAT BUILDING. AND FINALLY, ON REUSE, LISTING OF THE BUILDING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER, THE PLAN RECOMMENDS THAT THERE ARE TAX ADVANTAGES IN DOING THAT. ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WAS RAISED FOR A PUBLIC ATTRACTION OF THIS KIND IS PARKING. HOW CAN PARKING BE ACCOMMODATED. ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO DATE INDICATE THAT WE NEED AT LEAST 300 EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED PARKING SPACES FOR WEEKDAY USE OF THE FACILITY. PROBABLY AN ADDITIONAL 200 SPACES THAT COULD BE SHARED WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENT ON WEEKENDS, PARTICULARLY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. AS WE POINTED OUT, THE EXISTING SITE IS VERY CONSTRAINED AND SO A KEY GOAL OF THE MASTER PLAN WAS TO COME UP WITH A PARKING STRATEGY. SURFACE PARKING IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH. BUT BECAUSE OF THE COMPETING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS AREA AND THEIR DESIRE TO CREATE AS MUCH OPEN SPACE AS WE COULD, WE REALLY HAVE A PROGRAM THAT COMBINES BOTH STRUCTURED AND SURFACE PARKING. 125 SURFACE PARKING SPACES THAT WILL BE -- THAT WILL BE DONE ALONG IN A CRESCENT CONFIGURATION NEXT TO THE LUMBERMEN'S DEVELOPMENT SITE, 160 BASEMENT SPACES UNDERNEATH THE ADDITION, THE NORTHERN ADDITION TO THE SEAHOLM AREA WOULD MAKE THAT 300 PARKING SPACES WITH ADDITIONAL 15 PARKING SPACES IMMEDIATELY -- HANDICAPPED SPACES IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO THE ENTRANCE. THERE MAY BE SOME INTERIM SURFACE PARKING IN THE EARLY TERM, NORTH OF THE BUILDING TO SUPPORT THE FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT. IN -- ON WEEKENDS, SHARED PARKING, PERHAPS WITH THE INTEL GARAGE OR WITH -- AND/OR WITH -- WITH POTENTIAL FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS ON THE LUMBER MEN'S SITE WILL ALSO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PARKING RESOURCES FOR -- FOR THE FACILITY. AS I SAID, OPEN SPACE, IS A KEY GOAL. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPEN SPACE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PLAN. ONE IS KIND OF A LONG-STANDING DREAM THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD FOR MANY YEARS IN AUSTIN IS THE REALIGNMENT OF CESAR CHAVEZ TO AVOID THAT DANGEROUS SURF THAT GOES UNDER THE LAMAR BRIDGE. WHAT THAT WOULD DO IN TERMS OF OPEN SPACE IS REALLY CREATE A MUCH MORE GENEROUS PARKWAY UNDERNEATH THE REALIGNED BRIDGE AND ALLOW FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE BIKE AND THE PEDESTRIAN PATHS UNDER THERE, WHICH ARE -- WHICH ARE SOMETIMES -- SOMETIMES CREATE CONFLICTS. THE OTHER THING THAT THE PLAN DOES IS IT -- THIS WAS -- WHEN WE STARTED THIS, AS YOU MAY RECALL, THERE WERE A LOT OF -- OF QUESTION MARKS ON THE WHOLE SAND BEACH RESERVE SITE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID AS A PART OF THE MASTER PLAN IS WORK THROUGH THE RESOLUTION OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT SITE. THERE WERE A LOT OF ACCESS EASEMENTS COMING THROUGH HERE. AND SO IN CONJUNCTION WITH WORKING OUT THOSE ISSUES, WE ALSO LOOKED AT RECONFIGURING SANDRA MARIETA WAY TO SLOW DOWN THE TRAFFIC FROM THE EXISTING CONFIGURATION WHICH REALLY IS LIKE A FREEWAY RAMP. AND TO CREATE A MORE FRIENDLY NETWORK OF LOCAL STREETS THAT WOULD STILL PROVIDE THE TRAFFIC FUNCTION OF GETTING NORTHBOUND LAMAR TRAFFIC TO WEST BOUNDS CESAR CHAVEZ, BUT DOING IT IN A WAY THAT WAS MUCH MORE COMPLIMENTARY TO THE KINDS OF OPEN SPACE THAT WE SEE HERE, ALSO CREATING A FEW ENTRY STREET FOR SEAHOLM THAT WOULD PROVIDE A VERY DRAMATIC ACCESS TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING FROM LAMAR BOULEVARD. N DOING THAT CREATING TWO MAJOR OPEN SPACES THAT COULD BE PROGRAMED WITH SEAHOLM, AN EVENT GREEN AND A MEADOW, THERE'S AN IDEA ALSO OF PERHAPS INCLUDING WATER QUALITY WET POND AS PART OF THAT OPEN SPACE, THAT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED IN MORE DETAIL. THE OTHER OPEN SPACE COMPONENT OF COURSE IS SHOAL CREEK. IN CONJUNCTION WITH TOWN LAKE, SHOAL CREEK IS ONE OF -- ANOTHER MAJOR OPEN SPACE RESOURCE, PEDESTRIAN TRAILS, PART OF THE PEDESTRIAN TRAIL SYSTEM. SO IMPROVING SHOAL CREEK, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA SOUTH OF FIFTH STREET, WHERE IT IS DISCONTINUOUS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POST PROPERTIES DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY SITE IS TO CONTINUE THAT OPEN SPACE AND CREATE A TRAIL SYSTEM AND CONTINUE THE TRAIL SYSTEM THROUGH THERE. AS SHERRI POINTED OUT, THE ROADWAY SYSTEM IN THIS AREA IS VERY UNDERDEVELOPED. ACCESS IS VERY POOR. THE INTENT HERE IS NOT TO CREATE -- YOU KNOW, NEW TRAFFICWAYS BECAUSE CESAR CHAVEZ AND FIFTH AND SIXTH STREETS PROVIDE AND LAMAR PROVIDE FOR REGIONAL TRAFFIC. THE IDEA IS TO CREATE LOCAL ACCESS TO SEAHOLM THAT WILL CREATE MULTIPLE ACCESS POINTS, CREATE MULTI MODAL ROUTES FOR PEDESTRIANS AS WELL AS BICYCLES. SO SOME OF THE KEY PROVISIONS IN ADDITION TO THE ONES THAT I MENTIONED OF REALIGNING CESAR CHAVEZ, RECONFIGURING SANDRA MARIETA WAY TO BE MORE OF LOCAL SYSTEM, CREATING THIS PARKING SPINE THAT WILL CROSS LAMAR STREET IN A WIDENED BRIDGE SOUTH OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS, EXTENDING WEST AVENUE FROM ITS CURRENT TERM NEWS ROUGHLY AT -- TERMINUS ROUGHLY AT THIRD STREET, ALL THE WAY TO CESAR CHAVEZ, WE THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF PROVIDING ACCESS TO A PUBLIC ATTRACTION AT SEAHOLM AND ALSO THE IDEA OF EXTENDING THIRD STREET FROM THE DOWNTOWN CROSS -- THE TRESTLE BRIDGE TO -- TO WEST AVENUE. AND THEN IF GREEN WATER TREATMENT PLANT GETS REDEVELOPED, IF IT'S RECONFIGURED AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, THE IDEA ALSO TO EXTENT NUECES STREET AND SECOND STREET THROUGH -- IN A WAY THAT WOULD REALLY EXTEND THE SECOND STREET RETAIL DISTRICT ONE BLOCK WESTWARD. AND CREATING PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO TOWN LAKE -- TO SHOAL CREEK AND ACROSS TO THE TOWN LAKE TRAIL. THE -- THE VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT, ONE THAT GOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION AS PART OF THIS MASTER PLAN WAS BICYCLE CIRCULATION. THIS SITE REALLY IS AT THE CROSSROADS OF BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION THAT'S SERVING NOT ONLY THE DISTRICT, BUT REALLY THE WHOLE CITY. YOU HAVE THE TOWN LAKE BIKEWAY WHICH COMES THROUGH THE AREA, YOU HAVE THE SHOAL CREEK BIKEWAY WHICH ALBEIT IS DISCONTINUOUS, BUT STILL HAS THE POTENTIAL OF COMING ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND CONNECTING TO TOWN LAKE, THEN PARALLEL TO THIS STUDY WAS THE STUDY OF THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY, THE MAJOR CROSS TOWN BIKEWAY WHICH IS PROPOSED GENERALLY IN THIS ALIGNMENT HERE. YOU CAN SEE JUST NORTH OF CESAR CHAVEZ CONNECTING ON WEST AVENUE AND COMING ACROSS THIRD STREET, ULTIMATELY PERHAPS COMING ACROSS THIS SECOND STREET EXTENSION THAT I REFER TO EARLIER. SOME OF THE KEY BICYCLE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ISSUES THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH HERE WAS HOW DO WE COMPLETE THE PFLUGER BRIDGE. THIS IS A MAJOR RESOURCE THAT'S BEEN -- THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE OPEN SPACE AND BIKE WAY SYSTEM. A KEY ISSUE IS HOW DO WE COMPLETE THAT SYSTEM, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT COMPLIMENTS THE OPEN SPACE CHARACTER OF TOWN LAKE, THE VIEWS TO SEAHOLM AND WHAT THE PLAN HAS -- HAS RECOMMENDED IS A NORTH EASTERN EXTENSION OF THE PFLUGER BRIDGE THAT WOULD BRING BIKE TRAFFIC UNDERNEATH ULTIMATELY ARY ALIGNED -- REALIGNED CESAR CHAVEZ, CONNECTING TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG TRAIL, BUT ALSO VERY IMPORTANT BIKE DESTINATION IS THE LAMAR CORRIDOR AND THE SIXTH AND LAMAR ACTIVITY CENTER. THE MARKETPLACE AREA.NO CARRIERRINGCONNECT 1200?

WE THINK IT CAN BE DONE IF IT IS A HIGH PRIORITY TO HAPPEN.

WYNN: SEEMS TO HAD HE THAT THE REALIGNMENT OF CESAR CHAVEZ, I HAVEN'T STUDIED THIS NUMBER YET, BUT I HAVE TO BELIEVE IS THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL OF ALL OF THESE PIECES, BOTH COSTS AND TIME AND SO IT'S -- TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, LESS LIKELY TO BE OCCURRING IN THE --

YES, I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT. THE ONE THING THAT I DIDN'T MENTION, THOUGH, IS THAT WHAT WE -- WE HAVE TRIED TO SET THIS UP SO THAT THE CROSSING, EVEN IN THE SHORT TERM, IS GOING TO BE BETTER THAN IT IS TODAY. IN TERM OF CREATING A BETTER AT GRADE INTERSECTION AT SANDRA MURETA WAY. THAT WILL ALLOW BICYCLISTS TO COME DOWN THE HELIX AND TO CROSS OVER AT A SAFER, MORE CONVENTIONAL KIND OF URBAN INTERSECTION.

COUNCILMEMBER, ON THIS LIST THAT WE HAVE HANDED OUT TO YOU, THE COST OF CESAR CHAVEZ, OF MOVING CESAR CHAVEZ NORTH, REALIGNING IT IS LISTED AS NUMBER 10 ON THE LIST. IT'S THE LAST OF THE 10 IN -- IN TERMS OF THE TIME AND IT'S THE MOST IN TERMS OF THE COST YOU ARE RIGHT AT -- AT BO $10 MILLION. -- AT ABOUT $10 METEOROLOGIST MARK...................MILLION.

WYNN: I APOLOGIZE, MAYOR, I DO HAVE TO LEAVE FOR ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT.

MAYOR GARCIA: FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. ADAMS? WHY DON'T WE GO THROUGH THIS --

ALL RIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE JANNA IN CAN TAKE YOU -- MCCANN TAKE YOU THROUGH THESE 10 ITEMS, WE HAVE GIVEN YOU A LIST OF TIMING WHEN WE THINK THESE COULD BE DONE, BASED ON SOME UNDERSTANDING OF AT LEAST SOME POSSIBILITIES OF FUNDING THAT YOU KNOW IS OUT THERE. AND -- AND HAVE TAKEN THIS ENTIRE PLAN AND REDUCED IT TO THESE 10 RECOMMENDATIONS.

OKAY. TURNING TO THE FIRST PAGE IN THE HANDOUT, WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS PROJECTS 1 THROUGH 5 ARE PRIMARILY FUNDED OR PROPOSED FOR FUNDING THROUGH EXISTING C.I.P. FUNDS. THE FIRST PROJECT, WHAT WE THINK IS A VERY HIGH PRIORITY IS THE COMPLETION OF THE PFLUGER BRIDGE, WE WOULD SUGGEST GOING TO AN ENGINEERING AND DESIGN ANALYSIS OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT ROMA DESIGN GROUP AND OTHERS HAVE PROPOSED, LOOKING BOTH AT NORTHEAST AND NORTHWEST OPTIONS. AND GETTING A CONCEPT OF WHERE WE ARE FINALLY GOING ON THAT ONE SO THAT WE CAN RECONFIGURE THE PARKLAND CLEANUP, ALL OF THE ACCESS EASEMENTS, RESTORE THE PARKLAND AND REALIGN SANDRA MURETA WAY, THAT'S PROJECT 1. AND 2 A ACTUALLY. THE NUMBER 2 IS MAKING THESE REFINEMENTS TO THE PARKLAND AND CREATING THE DRY OR WET POND IS REALLY GOING TO BE MORE LIKE A MEADOW. I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD PREFER IT TO BE WHAT'S CALLED A DRY POND. SO -- THE THIRD PROJECT IS -- THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SEAHOLM'S REUSE IS THE PURCHASE OF THE UNION PACIFIC OWNED PROPERTIES. THE ONE THAT'S NORTH OF SEAHOLM POWER PLANT HERE AS WELL AS A PORTION OF -- OF UNION PACIFIC PROPERTY ALONG THE -- ALONG THEIR MAIN LINE FOR THE CREATION OF THE BICYCLE WAY HERE AND THE PARK -- PARKING CRESCENT. SO -- SO PROJECT NUMBER 4 IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOWIE STREET UNDERPASS THAT JIM ADAMS MENTIONED HERE. THIS IS REALLY OF CREDITCAL IMPORTANCE IN COMPLETING THE WHOLE -- CRITICAL IMPORTANCE IN COMPLETING THE WHOLE PFLUGER BRIDGE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT UNDERCROSSING THE UNION PACIFIC MAIN LINE WHICH CREATES THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BARRIER FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE NORTHWARD. THEN ALSO -- ALSO THE SCRIKS OF THIS BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN WAY ON THE POSSIBLE CROSSING WITH A NEW BRIDGE OVER LAMAR BOULEVARD AT THIS POINT DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE EXISTING UNION

NO CARRIERRINGCONNECT 1200

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