Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting, 3/20/08

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 minutes, please contact the City Clerk at 974-2210.

GOOD MORNING, I'M AUSTIN MAYOR WILL WYNN. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE, I THINK I'M GOING TO LOSE IT, MAYOR PRO TEM WILL PROBABLY COVER FOR ME THIS EVENING. IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME THE PASTOR THAT MEETS AT AKIN HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH AUSTIN IN OUR INVOCATION. PLEASE RISE.

THANK YOU, HEAVENLY FATHER I CAME TO YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I THANK FOR YOU THIS GREAT CITY. A PLACE THAT SURELY PROMOTES HEALTH AND PROSPERITY AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THANK YOU FOR THESE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS COUNCIL WHO LEAD US. I ASK RIGHT NOW, FATHER, FOR YOU TO SUPPLY STRENGTH AND HEALTH TO THEIR BODIES. AND WISDOM. TO LET THE DECISIONS THAT -- SO THAT THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE WILL LEAD THIS CITY INTO CONTINUED TIMES OF HEALTH AND PROSPERITY. AND ASK FOR YOUR PEACE TO RULE AND TO REIGN IN THIS MEETING TODAY. I ASK ALL OF THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, PASTOR, THERE BEING A QUORUM PRESENT, AT THIS TIME I WILL CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. IT IS THURSDAY, MARCH 20th 20th, 2008. APPROXIMATELY 10:14 A.M. WE ARE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE CITY HALL BUILDING, 301 WEST SECOND STREET. WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO THIS WEEK'S POSTED AGENDA. THEY ARE TO NOTE THAT BOTH ITEMS NUMBER 6 AND 7 ARE RELATED TO ITEMS NUMBER 42. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT ITEM 22 WILL BE POSTPONED ONE WEEK, TO MARCH 27th, 2008. WE NEED TO NOTE THAT THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR ITEM NO. 30 AS OPPOSED TO THE OPERATING BUDGET IS IN FACT A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. BOTH ITEMS 36 AND 37 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN, TWO ITEMS FROM COUNCIL. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT ON ITEM NO. 39, WE SHOULD INCLUDE THE PHRASE AMENDMENTS TO THE 2006 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE WERE IN FACT RECOMMENDED BY OUR BUILDING AND FIRE CODE BOARD OF APPEALS. LET'S SEE. ALSO ON ITEM NO. 46, WE SHOULD -- WE SHOULD INCLUDE AS PART OF THIS POSTING, THIS IS THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA, VILLA NEWS MUSE BUILDING WITH THE LETTER V, ZONING OPT IN, OPT OUT PROCESS. OUR SCHEDULE TODAY HERE AS SOON AS WE FINISH THE CONSENT AGENDA, THERE MIGHT BE ONE DISCUSSION ITEM PERHAPS. WE WILL TAKE UP A MORNING BRIEFING REGARDING THE NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY PROJECT AND I ANTICIPATE ACTION NEXT WEEK ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE WOULD CHOOSE THE ARCHITECTURE TEAM. AT NOON WE BREAK FOR OUR GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, 10 CITIZENS AT 3 MINUTES APIECE. AT 2:00 OR SOMETIME THEREAFTER OUR AFTERNOON BRIEFING WILL BE THE CURRENT SERVICES AND FUTURE PLANS OF OUR SOLID WASTE SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THERE'S A BIG PURCHASE ITEM ON THIS MORNING'S CONSENT AGENDA REGARDING THE NEW SINGLE STRAND RECYCLING PROGRAM. SOMETIME AFTER 3:00 WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR FIRST WALLER CREEK T.I.F. BOARD MEETING, PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS MORNING IS TO BEGIN TO ESTABLISH THAT BOARD AND THEN WE WILL TAKE ACTION AS A BOARD THIS AFTERNOON. AT 4:00 WE TAKE UP OUR ZONING HEARINGS, APPROVAL OF ORDINANCES AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS. AT 5:30, AS ALWAYS, WE BREAK FOR LIVE MUSIC AND PROCLAMATIONS. OUR MUSICIAN TODAY IS D TIME, STAY TUNED. AFTER 6:00 P.M. WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, I THINK WE JUST HAVE ONE OF THOSE POSTED THIS EVENING. CURRENTLY, COUNCIL, JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. TECHNICALLY, SINCE ITEM 6 AND 7 ARE RELATED TO OUR ITEM NO. 42, AND THE -- THE NEED FOR THE WALLER CREEK T.I.F. BOARD MEETING, THOSE TWO ITEMS WILL BE OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM NO. 11, I HAVE PULLED FOR OUR BRIEF STAFF PRESENTATION, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF CITIZENS, I BELIEVE, WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION. THEN ON ITEM NO. 77, THIS IS PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WILL BE TAKEN UP AFTER WE TAKE UP THE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN CLOSED SESSION, ITEM NO. 78. SO, COUNCIL, ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO BE PULLED? OR ADDED BACK TO THE CONSENT AGENDA?

EXCUSE ME, MAYOR. MAYOR?

YES.

CLERK.

Mayor Wynn: SORRY.

THE ITEM 18 IS WITHDRAWN.

Mayor Wynn: AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WILL NOTE THAT ITEM -- I'LL SHOW THAT IN -- I DON'T SHOW THAT IN MY NOTES. UNLESS STAFF HAS AN OBJECTION, ITEM NO. 18 WILL BE WITHDRAWN AS PART OF OUR CONSENT AGENDA. SO THEN, COUNCIL, IF YOU WILL -- IF YOU WILL EXCUSE THE VOICE, I WILL NOW TRY TO PROPOSE A CONSENT AGENDA NUMERICALLY. IT WILL BE TO APPROVE ITEM NO. 1, OUR MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING, THAT BEING FEBRUARY 28th, 2008, FROM OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEMS 2 AND 3, FROM OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, APPROVING ITEM NO. 4, FROM OUR FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEMS 5 AND 8, BOTH RELATED TO THE WALLER CREEK TUNNEL T.I.F., FROM OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEMS 9 AND 10, FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT APPROVING ITEM 12 12. FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEMS 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, AND 21. WE WILL NOTE THAT ITEM 22 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO MARCH 27th, 2008, PER CHANGES AND CORRECTION. FROM OUR PURCHASING OFFICE, WE WILL BE APPROVING ITEMS 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. FROM OUR WATERSHED PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DEPARTMENT, WE WILL BE APPROVING ITEMS 33 AND 34 34. ITEM NO. 35, OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS THAT I WILL READ INTO THE RECORD NOW, THEY ARE -- THEY ARE TO OUR ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, DELULL DILICTAR, COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ'S NOMINATION. TO OUR BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION, DECKER AYERSS, COUNCILMEMBER COLE'S NOMINATION. TO OUR COMMISSION FOR IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, BOB MULE ISLAM IS COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ'S NOMINATION. THEN WE SHOULD NOTE THAT -- THAT WE WILL BE RESCINDING THE APPOINTMENT MADE TO OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, MADE ON FEBRUARY 14th, 2008. THAT'S ITEM NO. 38, OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS. WE WILL NOTE THAT ITEMS 36 AND 37 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN. WE WILL BE SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS BY APPROVING ITEM 38 AND 39. AND, COUNCIL, THAT IS OUR PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER COLE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ, FURTHER COMMENTS? I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS. I TAKE THAT BACK. WE DO HAVE A FEW FOLKS WHO SIGNED UP HERE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, ALL IN FAVOR OF ITEM NO. 19, WHICH IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. UNLESS COUNCIL HAS QUESTIONS OF THEM. AND -- AGAIN, FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

Wynn: OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF 7-0. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. SO, COUNCIL, I DID -- I DID PULL ITEM NO. 11, THIS IS REGARDING OUR SERVICE PLAN FOR THE AUSTIN -- FOR ANDERSON MILL MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT OR ANDERSON MILL M.U.D. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS SIGNED UP WISHING TO SPEAK, ONE IN FAVOR, ONE AGAINST, I THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE A BRIEF STAFF PRESENTATION.

GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS VIRGINIA COLLIER FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ZONING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AS YOU RECALL IN 1983 THE ANDERSON MILL M.U.D. WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED WITH THE CITY'S CONSENT IN AUSTIN'S E.T.J. IN LIEU OF ANNEX THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT VOLUNTARILY ENTERED INTO A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. IT ALLOWED FOR FULL PURPOSE ANNEXATION OF THE M.U.D. IN 2004. HOWEVER AT REQUEST OF THE DISTRICT, THE CITY AGREED TO AMEND THE SPA AND FURTHER POSTPONE THE ANNEX TO A DATE ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 31st, 2008. ALL OF THE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET AT THIS TIME. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPA AS AMENDED AND THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION FROM JANUARY, 2008, DESIGNATING THE DECEMBER 31st, 2008 AS THE FULL PURPOSE ANNEXATION DATE. THE CITY HAS PREPARED A SERVICE PLAN AND HAS CONFIRMED WITH THE DISTRICT RESIDENTS AND THE DISTRICT BOARD REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THE SERVICE PLAN. THIS SERVICE PLAN PROVIDES FOR FULL MUNICIPAL SERVICES AS REQUIRED AND DEFINED BY STATE LAW AND SHALL BE IN EFFECT FOR A 10 YEAR PERIOD COMMENCING ON THE DATE OF SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WE AMENDED AS A RESULT OF OUR DISCUSSIONS IN OUR MEETINGS WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THE M.U.D. BOARD. FIRST OF ALL THE PARK SYSTEM IN ANDERSON M.U.D. IS VERY EXTENSIVE. WE ADDED A SECTION TO THE SERVICE MAP SHOULD THE M.U.D. BE DISSOLVED AND THE LIMITED DISTRICT BE DISSOLVED AND THE CITY BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARKS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION, THE CITY HAS AGREED TO MAIN MAINTAIN THOSE PARKS AT THEIR CURRENT LEVELS. SAME FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE FACILITIES. WE ADDED A REFERENCE TO THE SERVICE PLAN STATING THAT THE CITY WOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THOSE FACILITIES AT THEIR CURRENT LEVELS. FINALLY, IN THE -- IN THE E.M.S. AND FIRE SECTIONS WE ADDED SOME -- SOME LANGUAGE THAT CLARIFIES THE RESPONSES FOR WHEN A CALL COMES IN, A 911 CALL AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THE FIRST RESPONDER AND E.M.S. APPEARS ON THE SCENE SECOND FOR CLARIFICATION FOR HOW THAT OPERATION WORKS. I THINK THAT ADDRESS ADDRESSED THE ISSUES AND CONCERNED RAISED AT OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED IN THE CONTEXT OF CONFERRING ON THIS SERVICE PLAN. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. LET US NOTE, COUNCIL, THAT STAFF DID HAND OUT ON THE DAIS THE -- THE CURRENT ORDINANCE FOR ITEM NO. 11. THE QUESTIONS FOR -- FOR STAFF, COUNCIL? WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS WHO WANTED TO GIVE US TESTIMONY. LET'S SEE OUR FIRST SPEAKER, SORRY IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING THAT, JOHN KERACOFE. WELCOME, JOHN, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH ELLIS SON.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. CITY MANAGER OTT AND COUNCILMEMBERS, I'M JOHN, THE PRESIDENT OF ANDERSON MILL M.U.D. AS VIRGINIA JUST BRIEFED YOU, WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND KNEW THAT THIS YEAR WE WOULD BE PLANNING FOR THE TRANSITION TO BE FULL PURPOSE ANNEXED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. I DO WANT TO THANK VIRGINIA AND HER STAFF, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD TO WORK WITH AND IRON OUT SOME ISSUES THAT WE DID HAVE WITH THE SERVICE PLAN DRAFT THAT WE DID HAVE. BUT WE DO HAVE -- I FEEL ONE AREA THAT WE STILL NEED TO ADDRESS AND I'M GOING TO REFER TO THE -- TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED IN JANUARY, ON JANUARY THE 10th, ITEM NO. 2 SAYS THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO CONFER WITH THE DISTRICT AND RESIDENTS ON THE DRAFT ANNEXATION PLAN. WE HAVE YET HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONFER WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER AND WOULD LIKE TO DO SO. I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, ONE THAT DID KIND OF CATCH US BY SURPRISE WAS WHEN THE CITY NOTIFIED THE RESIDENTS THAT EFFECTIVE JUNE THE 1st, THEY WERE GOING TO START BUILDING FOR THE WATER. WE WERE PLANNING FOR THIS LATER ON IN THE YEAR. THIS AFFECTS OUR BUDGET, OUR REVENUE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. WE OPERATE ON A FISCAL YEAR, THE SAME AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDS SEPTEMBER THE 30th. THIS WOULD WORK BETTER FOR US IN PREPARATION TO CONVEY THE INFORMATION THAT THE -- THAT THE CITY IS REQUESTING. THE WATER UTILITY IS REQUESTING. THIS IS KIND OF THE TIME FRAME THAT WE ARE WORKING ON. ONE, IF WE CAN MOVE IT TO THAT DATE, IT WOULD -- IT WOULD FIT INTO OUR FISCAL YEAR BETTER. AND GIVE US ANOTHER -- ANOTHER QUARTER OF THE -- OR THE LAST QUARTER OF THE YEAR, IF YOU WILL, FOR OUR -- FOR OUR OPERATING BUDGET. SO -- SO I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE SERVICE PLAN AND WE ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. I JUST GOT THE LATEST ONE THIS MORNING. I REALLY HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT. BUT THE REQUEST IS THAT WE TABLE IT TO A DATE THAT WOULD COINCIDE WITH -- WITH AN OCTOBER 1 CONVEYANCE DATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU,. I GUESS THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, MS. COLLIER OR MR. SMITH OR MR. OTT, YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY BEFORE US IS THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE APPROVING THE SERVICE PLAN. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE DO HAVE CALENDAR DEADLINES FOR US AS A COUNCIL TO ACT TO MAKE SURE THIS, YOU KNOW -- THIS WORKS APPROPRIATELY PER STATE LAW. DOES THE CITY MANAGER INHERENT IN THIS ORDINANCE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY SHOULD IT MAKE SENSE OPERATIONALLY FOR EITHER US OR THE M.U.D. TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO PERHAPS ADJUST EVEN THINGS LIKE THE TIMING OF THE WATER BILLING?

WELL, MAYBE I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A COUPLE OTHER DATES THAT ARE LISTED IN THE SPA, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AGREED TO BACK IN 2004 THAT THIS WOULD BE THE TIME LINE, THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO DELIVER A SERVICE PLAN TO THE M.U.D. NINE MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ANNEXATION, THAT WOULD BE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE NEED TO DELIVER A SERVICE PLAN, WHICH IS WHY WE PUT THIS ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY TO GO AHEAD AND THAT HAVE APPROVED SO THAT WE CAN SEND THAT ALONG. WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE DELIVERY OF THE SERVICE PLAN THE CONVEYANCE OF THE UTILITIES WOULD BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE CITY AND THERE'S A TIME FRAME SET UP WHEN THOSE ARE CONVEYED FOR THE TRANSITION OF ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS OVER TO THE CITY. SO THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST WITHIN A 90 DAY PERIOD AFTER WE DELIVER THE SERVICE PLAN. SO TO -- TO CHANGE THAT SCHEDULE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE SPA I BELIEVE, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARD TO ADJUST THAT SCHEDULE. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS] THE OTHER IMPACT ON THE CITY, DELAY THAT, $167,000 IN INCREMENTAL REVENUE PER MONTH THAT -- THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT RECEIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. AS VIRGINIA HAS ALSO INDICATED THAT WE WORKED FOR THE M.U.D. FOR PROBABLY THE LAST YEAR, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE MOVING TOWARDS ANNEXATION AND -- AND FOLLOWING THE DATES FOR THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. FROM THE UTILITY'S PERSPECTIVE, WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE MUD AND GET THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THE TRANSITION IN AN ORDERLY FASHION AND WITHIN THE TERMS THAT OWE OVER THE AGREEMENT. OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF, COUNCIL? WE DO HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH BIT ELLISSON. WELCOME, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

I HAVE PASSED OUT A COPY OF THE SERVICE PLAN AND NOTES WHICH FOLLOW -- WHICH FOLLOW MY TALK. GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING HAD HE TO SPEAK, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH ELIZABETH ELLISSON I AM A 19 YEAR RESIDENTS OF ANDERSON MILL. I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE SERVICE PLAN, THE CITY, AND THE 10 MILLION-DOLLAR SURPLUS FUND ACCOUNT THAT IS TODAY BEING HELD BY THE ANDERSON MILL M.U.D. AND POSSIBLY COULD BECOME THE CITY'S IN THE FUTURE. LET ME EXPLAIN. AS PART OF THE ANNEXATION PROCESS, AFTER THE CITY ANNEXES ANDERSON MILL M.U.D. RESIDENTS WILL GET TO VOTE ON WHETHER TO ESTABLISH PERMANENTLY ON WHAT WILL BE CALLED A LIMITED DISTRICT. MAINTAINING PARKS OF ANDERSON MILL RATHER THAN THE CITY DOING SO. TO PAY FOR THESE EXPENSES THIS ACCOUNT WAS SET UP YEARS AGO. THIS WAS MADE UP OF EXCESS TAX WATER AND WATER UTILITY REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE M.U.D. OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. THE M.U.D. AND THE CITY AGREED TO THIS ACCOUNT IN THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. THAT AGREEMENT ALSO PROVIDES IN THE EVENT THAT THE LIMITED DISTRICT IS NOT APPROVED OR DISSOLVED THE CITY WILL TAKE OVER ALL OF THE M.U.D.'S ASSETS, INCLUDING THE SURPLUS FUNDS. THE BALANCE OF THE FUND TO DATE IS APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION. I AM PROPOSING THAT THE -- SHOULD THE CITY TAKE OVER THE SPECIAL ACCOUNT, THAT THE CITY HOLD THE FUNDS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS FOR ANDERSON MILL IN A RESERVE OR ESCROW ACCOUNT. THESE PROJECTS COULD BE A BRANCH LIBRARY, A COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER, A PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC OR EVEN A POLICE SUBSTATION. PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR THESE PROJECTS ALREADY EXIST IN ANDERSON MILL. THERE IS A COMMUNITY BUILDING. A SHERIFF SUBSTATION AND A FIRE STATION WHICH WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE M.U.D. UPON ANNEXATION. SO ALL THAT REMAINS IS TO CONVERT THESE FACILITIES AND TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR THESE PROJECTS THAT I'VE JUST DESCRIBED. AND THESE FUNDS COULD BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. IT MAKES SENSE TO HOLD THE MONEY FOR USE IN ANDERSON MILL. FIRST, THE MONEY IS TAX MONEY THAT WAS PAID DIRECTLY INTO THAT FUND BY ANDERSON MILL PROPERTY OWNERS SUCH AS MYSELF. SECOND, ANDERSON MILL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LAST CITY BOND, OF COURSE, SO IT WILL NOT BE RECEIVING ANY BOND MONEY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AS A RESULT. YET, ANDERSON MILL HAS NEEDS JUST LIKE OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY. AND THIS SURPLUS FUND WILL HELP TO FILL THOSE NEEDS. THIRD RATHER THAN USING IT FOR SHORT-TERM EXPENSES IT COULD BE USED TO BUILD A LIFETIME OF GOODWILL BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE AROUND SOLD MILL RESIDENTS BY CONSTRUCTING THESE PROJECTS. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS COUNCIL CONSIDER INSERTING LANGUAGE IN THE ANNEXATION SERVICE PLAN THAT STATES THAT SHOULD THE CITY ACQUIRE THE SURPLUS FUND ACCOUNT THAT THE FUNDS BE HELD IN RESERVE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS IN ANDERSON MILL. AND IF THAT LANGUAGE CANNOT BE ADOPTED TODAY, I AGAIN RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE SERVICE PLAN BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE AND THE -- AND THE DRAFT OF THAT LANGUAGE IS INCLUDED IN THE HANDOUT JUST GIVEN TO CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. ELLISSON. MS. COLLIER, COULD YOU HELP US ADDRESS THIS ISSUE?

APPROVING SERVICE PLAN TODAY AND GOING AHEAD KEEPING THE SCHEDULE FOR THE ANNEXATION IS IMPORTANT. THE COUNCIL CAN AMEND THE SERVICE PLANS IN THE FUTURE. SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER FURTHER AND MAYBE LOOK AT PRESS DEPARTMENT FROM ANNEXING OTHER MUDS AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THOSE CASES WITH ANY SURPLUS FUNDS WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT AND COME BACK TO YOU AND BRING YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. IN ADDITION, WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN THE LIMITED DISTRICT WOULD BE DISSOLVED OR HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD BE LEFT, SO IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO -- TO ASK A COUNCIL AT THAT POINT IN TIME FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS WHEN THEY COME TO THE CITY.

Mayor Wynn: I WILL JUST SAY, COUNCIL, IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY LEGITIMATE REQUEST TO ME THAT THESE FUNDS WERE OBVIOUSLY ORIGINATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BEING SPENT INSIDE THESE BOUNDARIES. SO I GUESS THAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO -- PERHAPS SOME DIRECTION, MAYOR PRO TEM, AS TO WHAT PRODUCT WE MIGHT USE, WHETHER WE TECHNICALLY HAVE TO AMEND THE SERVICE AGREEMENT OR SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, STATE SOME POLICY AS A COUNCIL OR SOME -- GIVE SOME DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER AS TO THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS. MAYOR PRO TEM?

WELL, I THINK THAT -- THAT PROBABLY THE -- THE BEST THING IS FOR US -- FOR THE USE OF THE MONEY IS IF THE LIMITED PURPOSE DISTRICT IS ESTABLISHED, THEN THEY CERTAINLY WILL RETAIN THOSE FUNDS AND USE IT WITHIN THE PARTICULAR AREA FOR ENHANCED MAINTENANCE OR CAPITAL PROJECTS OR WHATEVER THAT -- WHATEVER THAT GROUP CHOOSES TO DO. AND SINCE THE MONEY WAS COLLECTED FROM THAT AREA, I THINK THAT'S VERY APPROPRIATE. THE -- THE KEY THING, THOUGH, IS IF THE DISTRICT DOESN'T PASS, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS DIRECT THE STAFF TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND HAVE US SET ASIDE THOSE FUNDS TO BE USED. EVEN FOR ENHANCED MAINTENANCE -- EITHER FOR ENHANCED MAINTENANCE OR CAPITAL PROJECTS WITHIN THAT AREA FROM WHICH THE FUND WERE COLLECTED. SO THAT WAY WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO AMEND THE AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. BUT WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION AND THEN IF -- IF IT -- IF IT IN FACT DOES NOT PASS THEN THE STAFF COULD BRING THAT BACK FOR OUR DIRECTION. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE -- MAYBE THE SIMPLEST WAY OF DOING IT.

OKAY.

Mayor Wynn: FURTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL, I WILL ANNOUNCE THAT I TEND TO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM'S ASSESSMENT AND CERTAINLY WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THESE FUNDS ULTIMATELY STAYING WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES. SO THOSE ARE OUR TWO SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM. COUNCIL, FURTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? COMMENTS? MR. OTT, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH DIRECTION VIS-A-VIS THIS LAST ISSUE AT LEAST?

I DO INDEED, MAYOR.

Mayor Wynn: I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NO. 11.

Dunkerly: I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE ITEM NO. 11 AND WITH GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO THE MANAGER TO BRING BACK FOR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THE -- AFTER THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION.

Mayor Wynn: MOTION BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE, ITEM NO. 11, WITH ADDITIONAL DIRECTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER REGARDING USE OF FUNDS WITHIN THE BOUNDARY. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

Wynn: OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF 7-0. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. SO, COUNCIL, THAT TAKE US TO OUR MORNING BRIEFING. TODAY IS GOING TO BE AGAIN REGARDING OUR NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY PROJECT. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THIS DISCUSSION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I BELIEVE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROPER SCIEWRMENT PROCESS FOR THE -- PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK. NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE ASSISTANT MANAGER RUDY GARZA. GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE PRESENTATION TODAY WILL BE MYSELF GOING THROUGH THE SOLICITATION AND CONTRACTING PROCESS. THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILL FOLLOW ME TO TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE ON OTHER CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE -- THE SOLICITATION PROCESS WILL HAVE THREE MAIN PARTS TO IT. WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR STANDARD ISSUING OF THESE STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS. WE WILL IMPANEL SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS, WE WILL ALSO INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. GOING THROUGH EACH OF THOSE PARTS IN MORE DETAILS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. PHASE 1 AS I SAID WE WILL ISSUE OUR STANDARD RFQ, IT WILL BE OUT ON THE STREET FOR FOUR WEEKS. AGAIN AS PART OF OUR NORMAL PROCESS. THE PANEL WILL CONSIST OF -- OF A LIBRARY STAFF, ALSO EXIST OF -- FROM EXPERTS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, SPECIFICALLY IN THE ARCHITECTURAL AREA. AND ULTIMATELY WILL BE THE -- THE PANEL WILL BE APPROVED, CONCURRED BY THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT, OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR, BRENDA BRANCH. WE WILL BE SCORING THE -- THE STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS AGAINST A REVISED CRITERIA MATRIX AND I'M GOING TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THE REVISIONS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES. ONCE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE WILL IDENTIFY FIVE TEAMS THAT WILL -- THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS, WHICH WILL BE INTERVIEWS BY THE PANEL THAT HAS BEEN SELECTED TO EVALUATE THE QUALIFICATIONS. VERY QUICKLY, THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE ON THE CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION ARE TWO MAIN POINTS. AS WE LEARNED WITH THE CITY HALL AND WITH THE MAC, WE KNOW THERE ARE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD DESIGNING LIBRARIES. WE HAVE ADDED A CATEGORY OF LIBRARY CONSULTANT, WHICH IS TOTAL OF 24 POINTS THAT IS ADDED TO THE PROJECT MANAGER, THE PROJECT PRINCIPAL, THE PROJECT ARCHITECT, TYPICALLY THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE ADDED A FOURTH CATEGORY OF -- OF LIBRARY CONSULTANT AND WE'VE -- WE'VE ASSESSED THE POINTS, SIX POINTS FOR THE CONSULTANT TAKING TWO POINTS FROM EACH OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES. BASICALLY WHAT THIS ALLOW US, IT ALLOWS A TEAM TO BE COMCOMPRISED THE GENERAL ARCHITECTS, POTENTIALLY IN THE LOCAL AREA, THAT HAVE EXPERTISE IN THE BUSINESS, BUT CAN ALSO TEAM UP WITH A LIBRARY EXPERT IN THE DESIGN PROCESS. WE ALSO HAVE -- HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY CLEAR THROUGHOUT -- IN FACT GOING BACK TO THE BOND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THAT -- THAT THE AUSTIN CENTRAL LIBRARY WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE KEY SIGNATURE OF WHO WE ARE AS A CITY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE EVALUATION MATRIX IS WE REALLOCATED POINTS FROM WHAT WE TYPICALLY A CATEGORY CALLED EXPERIENCE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN EXPERIENCE WITH A PRIME FIRM WHICH WOULD HANDLE CONTRACTING ISSUES, WE HAVE REALLOCATED FOUR POINTS FROM THERE TO THE CATEGORY SPECIFICALLY ON THE TEAMS EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF AUSTIN ISSUES. THE SECONDS PHASE OF THE PROCESS IS THE INTERVIEW PHASE WITH THE STAFF EVALUATION TEAM. THE KEY POINTS THAT WILL BE EVALUATED AS PARTS OF THOSE INTERVIEWS WILL CERTAINLY INCLUDE THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF THE TEAM'S MAKEUP, HOW THEY -- THEIR PLAN FOR OUTREACH AND WITH STAKEHOLDER, WITH THE COUNCIL, WITH THE STAFF, ALSO THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY. KNOWING THE MILESTONES AND KEY -- KEY PARTS OF OUR HISTORY IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A TEAM THAT HAS THOSE STRENGTHS. AFTER THAT PROCESS, OUR TEAM WOULD THEN NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE DESIGN TEAMS, WHICH WILL -- WHICH WE'LL BRING FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR PRESENTATIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THESE TEAMS WILL COME FORWARD, THEY WILL PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL, THEIR EXPERIENCE, WHAT -- WHAT -- WE EXPECT THEY WILL ALSO PRESENT TO YOU PRIOR PROJECTS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED, SOME OF THE EXPERTISE, SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES THAT THEY FOCUS ON. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AFTER THEIR PRESENTATIONS WE WOULD EXPECT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT FOR COUNCIL TO MAKE A FINAL SELECTION. I WILL GO THROUGH A TIME LINE OF HOW THIS WORKS OUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION WILL BE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY AND AGAIN THE PEER CITY'S REVIEWS.

MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, GOOD MORNING. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. WHAT I'M GOING TO BE COVERING THIS MORNING IS TO ESSENTIALLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FEATURES AND AMENITIES IN THE NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND ALSO SHOWCASE WHAT WE CONSIDER SOME OF THE PREMIER LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CONSTRUCTION BUDGET AND WHAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY SET ASIDE FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR FACILITIES. THE FACILITY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING WITH THE $90 MILLION IS A 250,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, WE WILL BE REPLACING THE 110,000 SQUARE FOOT FAULK CENTRAL LIBRARY, THE FUNDING WILL ALLOW US TO COMPLETE 170,000 SQUARE FOOT OF COMPLETED LIBRARY SPACE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE AVAILABLE 80,000 SQUARE FOOT OF WHAT WE TERM AS UNFINISHED LIBRARY SPACE FOR FUTURE LIBRARY EXPANSION AND FUTURE DOLLARS BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MAXIMUM SIZE OF THE FULL AT THIS LOCATION JUST TO REMINDS COUNCIL IS 360 SQUARE FOOT. THE REASON THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS -- THAT IS THE LARGEST BUILDING POSSIBLE THAT CAN BE BUILT ON THAT SITE, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE MANDATE ON THE CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR ORDINANCE AS WELL AS THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE I AM PROCESSED BY THE -- IMPOSED BY THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY. SOME OF THE AMENITIES THAT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY WILL INCLUDE, GIVE US ADDITIONAL VOLUMES, 80,000 TO BE FOR RECIRCULATION, ADDITIONAL SEATING CAPACITY FOR OUR MEETINGS, OUR STUDY ROOM SPACE. A CAFE, 350 SEAT AUDITORIUM. IMPROVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BY ADDING APPROXIMATELY 60 MORE COMPUTERS, BUSINESS AND CAREER CENTER, INCREASED PARKING WHICH WE THINK IS GOING TO BE A VERY NICE FUTURE. CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 40 SPACES, GOING TO INCREASE TO ABOUT 250 250 SPACES AND PROVIDE GREAT ACCESSIBILITY. IN ADDITION, A DEDICATED PROGRAM SPACE FOR OUR YOUTH AND OUR TEENS, WHICH WE THINK IS A VERY VITAL. ALSO AN EXHIBIT SPACE FOR COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL EVENTS. LET ME GET INTO THE PIECE OF KIND OF TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN BUILT IN THE LAST 12 YEARS. I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE COST THAT WE SHOW HERE IS THE COST THAT'S PRESENTED IN -- IN TOTAL PROJECT COSTS OF THE FACILITY, WHICH IS THE COMPLETE BUILDOUT COSTS. SO THAT'S THE TOTAL PROJECT AND THEN UNDER THERE WE SHOW THE -- THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT. BASED ON THAT. THE FIRST ONE IS THE JACKSONVILLE LIBRARY. THIS ONE OPENED IN 2006. IT IS A 300,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, THE COST ABOUT 150 MILLION TO COMPLETE. AS YOU KNOW NOTE THERE, 500 A SQUARE FOOT. THEY WENT THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE THEY DID ATTRACT VERY LARGE ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS, ABOUT 28 FIRMS RESPONDED. ACTUALLY THEY WERE PRESELECTED TO RECEIVE PROPOSALS. ULTIMATELY THEY CHOSE FOUR FIRMS TO COMPETE IN A DESIGN COMPETITION AND THEY WERE -- THEY WERE PAID TO -- TO PUT TOGETHER A DESIGN, APPROXIMATELY $250,000 FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION. THE MINNEAPOLIS IS A 357,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, COSTS ABOUT $140 OPENED $140 MILLION, OPENED IN 2005. THEY HAD ABOUT 50 ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS PRESELECTED TO REQUEST THEIR, RECEIVE THEIR REQUEST FOR ARCHITECTURAL PROPOSALS. 37 RESPONSES RECEIVED, THEY WERE NARROWED DOWN AND REDUCED TO ABOUT THREE AND THEY WENT THROUGH VERY STRINGENT CRITERIA IN DETERMINING THOSE THREE. THE THREE MADE THE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS OF THEIR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT. SAN DIEGO, EXPECTED COMPLETION NEXT YEAR IN 2009 2009. [READING GRAPHIC] THEY ACTUALLY HAVE HAD 300 REQUESTS FOR ARCHITECTURAL PROPOSALS THAT WERE SENT OUT. THEY IDENTIFIED AWARD WINNING ARCHITECTS AND LIBRARY DESIGNERS. THEY WENT THROUGH A STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS WHERE THEY HAD 27 FIRMS THAT RESPONDED. AND THEN FINALISTS PRESENTED THEIR QUALIFICATION AND THEIR DESIGN APPROACHES TO COUNCIL AND PUBLIC FORUM AND ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL MADE THE DECISION ON THE SELECTION. THE NEXT ONE IS SAN FRANCISCO. [READING GRAPHIC] THIS IS THE OLDEST ONE OF THE GROUP, OPENED IN 1996. I DID WANT TO MAKE A NOTE IN 2006 THEY DID ADD 6.1 MILLION AS AN ADDITION TO THIS PROJECT. THEY WENT THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ISSUED TO SOLICIT QUALIFIED ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING FIRMS. TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THE FACILITY. SEATTLE IS 362,986 SQUARE FOOT, TOTAL COST OF 165 MILLION, OPENED IN 2004. THEY DID GO THROUGH THE STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS WHERE THEY WERE SOLICITED FROM ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS. ONE CAVEAT TO THAT WAS THAT THE FIRMS FROM OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE WERE REQUIRED TO OPEN UP A LOCAL OFFICE OR TO AFFILIATE WITH A LOCAL OFFICE. BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECT. SO THEY DID HAVE 24 -- 29 FIRMS THAT RESPONDED TO THE PROPOSAL. NOW, THIS NEXT SEGMENT RIGHT HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGETS FOR EACH OF THESE FACILITIES AND -- AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE HERE IS THAT -- EACH LIBRARY BUDGETED FOR THEIR PROJECT. HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR CONSTRUCTION AND THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS PER SQUARE FOOT. AS YOU WILL NOTE, JACKSONVILLE, $260 PER SQUARE FOOT, MINNEAPOLIS, 255, SAN DIG WE WEREN'T ABLE TO -- SAN DIEGO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT COST, THEIR TOTAL PROJECT WAS 185. SAN FRANCISCO WAS $277 A FOOT. AND SEATTLE 248. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT -- THAT IN OUR TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET AGAIN, 90 MILLION, OUR CONSTRUCTION BUDGET IS ABOUT 65 OF THAT 90 MILLION. AND OUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS PER SQUARE FOOT WE CALCULATE AT $260 PER SQUARE FOOT.

Mayor Wynn: BACK ON THE JACKSONVILLE EXAMPLE, YOU TALKED ABOUT FOUR FIRMS WERE CHOSEN TO GO THROUGH A DESIGN COMPETITION. THAT THE -- THAT THE FEE OR EXPENSES OF $250,000 WERE PAID. IS THAT PER FIRM OR THAT WAS THE TOTAL COST OF THE CITY TO CONDUCT ALL FOUR DESIGN --

THAT WAS EACH, MAYOR, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. I WILL CONFIRM THAT WITH STAFF. YES. THAT WAS EACH.

Mayor Wynn: OKAY. ALSO -- MIGHT NOT BE EASY TO GATHER, BUT DO WE KNOW OF THESE PROJECTS, HOW MUCH OF -- OF ANY PRIVATE PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS WERE INCLUDED, DID OTHER ENTITIES STEP UP AND PERHAPS SUPPLEMENT TO SOME DEGREE THESE BUDGETS?

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, I'LL CLARIFY THAT WITH STAFF, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS WHAT THE CITY HAD SPECIFICALLY EARMARKED FOR THE PROJECT AND DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PHILANTHROPIC PIECE OF IT. THOSE DOLLARS MAY HAVE COME IN AFTERWARDS OR -- BUT CERTAINLY ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN THESE NUMBERS THAT I'M SHOWING YOU TODAY.

SO IF THEY DID, MORE THAN LIKELY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME NON-SHELL EXPENSE, IT -- THERE MIGHT BE A BIG INTERIOR BUILDOUT OR, YOU KNOW, SOME TECHNOLOGY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SURE.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE, SAY,, YOU KNOW, A CITY ALLOCATED $100 MILLION FOR A PROJECT AT THIS STAGE OF THE -- OF THE PROJECT AND THEN HAD SOMEBODY STEP UP PHILANTHROPICALLY AND INCREASE THAT BUDGET TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT THE BUILDING ITSELF BECAME LARGER OR THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT BECAME GRANDER.

WHAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO, MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU. BUT I KNOW THAT STAFF AND MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM EARLIER DID SAY THAT -- THAT WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF LIKE LIBRARY STAKEHOLDERS IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT ACTUALLY DID STEP UP. I'M NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT DID THEY STEP UP, WHETHER IT WAS AT THE POINT WHEN THE CITY WAS STILL CONSIDERING THE ACTUAL FACILITY AND WHETHER IT GOT -- WHETHER IT GOT -- WHETHER THAT HAPPENED AT WHAT JUNCTION IF YOU ARE, I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT THAT. WHAT I CAN DO IS I CAN PUT TOGETHER SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DATA THAT WE COLLECTED FROM OTHER CITIES ABOUT WHAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE STEPPED UP, WHAT INTERVALS IF THAT WILL BE HELPFUL. I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT HERE READY FOR YOU TODAY.

Mayor Wynn: SEEMS TO ME IF THAT WERE TO BE A DYNAMIC HERE OR ANYWHERE ELSE, THAT WOULD -- IF IT WAS GOING TO REALLY EXPAND THE SCALE OF THE STRUCTURE, SAY, THEN THAT WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR, YOU KNOW, WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHEN YOU WOULD TURN YOUR ARCHITECT LOOSE AND/OR IN THEORY EVEN SHOULD THE DECISION BE MADE TO HAVE A DESIGN COMPETITION, IN THEORY YOU WOULD WANT TO ALREADY KNOW THE SKILL AND SCOPE AND -- SCALE AND SCOPE AND FUNDING SOURCES OF THAT BEFORE YOU WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SPEND THE MONTHS AND TIME AND EFFORT TO COMPETE FOR A DESIGN STANDPOINT.

TRUE. WHAT MR. GARZA WILL DO HERE IN A FEW MINUTES, AS HE WALKS THROUGH THE TIME LINE, HE WILL GIVE YOU THE SPECIFIC MILESTONES AND THE -- AND THE THE DATES THAT, YOU KNOW, AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME UP TO A CERTAIN DATE THAT -- THAT ANYBODY, WHETHER IT'S A PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION OR ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROJECT WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. WE SPECIFICALLY ARE GOING TO MAKE NOTE OF THAT IN THAT TIME LINE.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGETS, JUST TO ESSENTIALLY MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS HERE. ONE IS THAT KEEP IN MIND THAT THE -- OUR COSTS THAT WE HAVE INDICATED HERE ARE WHAT WE WOULD TERM AS THE PRESENT DAY DOLLARS. AND THIS IS COMPARING TO FACILITIES THAT GO BACK AS FAR AS 12 YEARS AND IF YOU WILL NOTE, OUR -- OUR $260 A SQUARE FOOT ON THE FACILITY IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH THESE PROJECTS AS COMPARED TO THESE FACILITIES. SO -- SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE TWO POINTS. AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, IF I WILL -- ALLOW ME JUST TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. GARZA, LET HIM GO AHEAD AND GO OVER THE TIME LINE, I BELIEVE HE CAN ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION THAT YOU BROUGHT UP. SO ...

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, RUDY GARZA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. AGAIN, VERY QUICKLY, GOING THROUGH THE TIME LINE OF THE PROCESS THAT I DESCRIBED AT THE BEGINNING, GOING FROM THE ISSUANCE OF THE RFQ TO THE INTERVIEWS, PRESENTATIONS TO COUNCIL, STAKEHOLDER PROCESS, SO WE'VE TRIED TO -- TO PUT THIS IN A TIME LINE FOR YOU. SO -- SO THE EXPECTATION, AS YOU KNOW, IS THAT NEXT WEEK WE WILL RETURN TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE PUT BEFORE YOU. SO THAT IS BASED ASSUMING THAT WE DO GET, BEFORE ON THE 27th, NEXT THURSDAY, THE RFQ WOULD THEN BE ISSUED IN APRIL. THE END OF -- THE END OF APRIL WILL BE OUT ON THE STREET FOR FOUR WEEKS. WILL RECEIVE THOSE AT THE END OF MAY. THEN THE -- BASED ON WHAT BURT WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT RESPONSES WITH -- ALLOW APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS OF TIME FOR EVALUATIONS OF ALL OF THE STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATION THAT'S WE RECEIVE. INTERVIEWS AND NOTING THAT THERE WILL BE TRAVEL INVOLVED FOR SOME OF THE TEAMS. SO THAT -- THAT PROCESS IS APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS. AND -- UP UNTIL AUGUST. RECOGNIZING THAT SEPTEMBER IS A DIFFICULT MONTH TO PUT A SIGNIFICANT ITEM LIKE THIS ON THE AGENDA, ESPECIALLY GOING WITH THE BUDGET. WE EXPECT TO COME BACK IN OCTOBER FOR THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE THREE -- THREE FIRMS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THAT WOULD HAPPEN EARLY OCTOBER. WE WOULD -- WE WOULD PLAN FOR -- PLAN FOR THE EARLY PART OF NOVEMBER TO RETURN TO THE COUNCIL FOR A FINAL DECISION AND AWARD OF A DESIGN CONTRACT TO THE SELECTED FIRM WHICH THEN YOU WOULD DIRECT US TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS. OUR EXPECTATION JUST BASED ON HISTORICAL WORK WITH OTHER CONTRACTS OF THIS NATURE, WE ARE PLANNING TO -- OBVIOUSLY TO GET THIS THING DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT OUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS FOR THREE MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRM AND YOU WILL SEE THERE IN A COUPLE OF POINTS, BULLET POINTS LATER, THAT WE EXPECT TO -- TO HAVE A CONSULTING CONTRACT EXECUTED IN MARCH. IN BETWEEN THAT TIME FRAME, THIS IS JUST A REFERENCE BACK TO A PRESENTATION YOU HAD FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, JOE RAMOS WITH THE CM AT RISK PROCESS THAT WE ARE USING, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING ON A CONTRACTOR IN PLACE TO WORK CONCURRENTLY WITH THE DESIGN TEAM. WE WILL ISSUE THE RFP IN DECEMBER OF 2008 WITH THE CM AT RISK. THAT WILL BE CONCURRENT WITH THIS SCHEDULE. AS NOTED MARCH 2009 WILL BE WHEN WE AWARD THE DESIGN CONTRACT. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER WE WILL BEGIN THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS. THE PUBLIC PROCESS TO HEAR FROM OUR CITIZENS, OUR COMMUNITY, HEAR FROM THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS AND INTERESTED PARTIES ON WHAT THEY WANT THEIR LIBRARY TO LOOK LIKE. AND THE AMENITIES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THEIR LIBRARY. THAT PROCESS AT THIS POINT IN OUR SCHEDULE IS EXPECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS. IT WILL HAPPEN -- BETWEEN MARCH AND APRIL, SO HERE'S A KEY DATE. WE WOULD THEN DIRECT OUR DESIGN TEAM TO BEGIN DESIGN IN MAY OF 2009. SO FROM -- FROM TODAY GOING FORWARD, A LITTLE OVER 12 MONTHS, MAY OF 2009, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, OUR DESIGN TEAM WOULD HAVE TO BE GIVEN THE DIRECTION OF -- OF WHAT'S THEIR BUDGET AND WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT. AND THAT AGAIN WOULD HAPPEN IN MAY OF 2009 WITH THE DESIGN TEAM, THEY WOULD BEGIN THEIR PROCESS. THAT ALSO WOULD COINCIDE WITH THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK. TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DESIGN TEAM AS THEY MOVE FORWARD. WE WOULD THEN RETURN IN -- IN THE FALL OF '09, APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER, THE DESIGN TEAM WOULD THEN COME BACK WITH THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY COMMISSION AS WELL AS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND I APOLOGIZE COUNCIL, LET ME MAKE NOTE. ON THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF SLIDES AGO IS THAT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT OUR LIBRARY COMMISSION WILL BE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. IN FACT THE EXPECTATION HE IS THAT THEY WILL HOST SEVERAL OF THESE STAKEHOLDER INPUT PROCESSES. THE DESIGN TEAM WILL IN FACT FACILITATE THEM AND BE THERE TO GET THE INFORMATION AND INTERACT WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS, BUT THE LIBRARY COMMISSION IS EXPECTED TO BE A KEY PLAYER IN THIS PROCESS. SO -- SO COMING BACK SIX MONTHS LATER, AFTER WE INITIATED DESIGN, WE WOULD BRING TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY RENDERINGS, FLOOR PLANS, A 3 D VERSIONS FOR YOUR REVIEW. AGAIN, PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION, PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. THE KEY POINT THERE IS WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE CAPTURED THE POINTS OF WHAT OUR CITIZENS AND WHAT OUR COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED OUR DESIGN TEAM AND STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. SO WE WOULD EXPECT AT THAT POINT TO -- TO RECEIVE COUNCIL APPROVAL IN THE FALL OF 2009, THAT -- THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THE DESIGN PHASE WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AT THAT POINT. WE WILL COME BACK ABOUT -- ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS LATER AFTER THAT TO PRESENT 60% COMPLETION TO THE -- AGAIN TO THE LIBRARY COMMISSION, MAKING SURE THAT AGAIN WE ARE STILL IN THE RIGHT TRACK AND FOR THE MOST PART IT'S A REFINEMENT OF WHAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU EARLIER. AND AGAIN THE KEY POINTS THERE IS ARE WE BUILDING THE FACILITY AND INCLUDING THE AMENITIES THAT OUR CITIZENS AND THEIR COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED US. SO THAT WILL BE -- THAT WILL BE AN UPDATE AND APPROVAL OF COUNCIL IN THE SPRING OF 2010. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE SLIDE SHOWS THAT A COMPLETION WILL BE COMPLETED, THE DESIGN PHASE WILL BE COMPLETED SPRING OF 2011. WE EXPECT THAT TO BE IN THE MARCH/APRIL TIME FRAME. HOWEVER THERE IS A PLAN THAT IN EARLY 2011, PROBABLY JANUARY OR FEBRUARY TIME FRAME, WE WILL BRING BACK THE 90% COMPLETION OF DESIGN. AT THAT POINT IT'S JUST ALMOST A FINAL PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE -- THAT WE WILL BE SHORTLY THEREAFTER BE BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, SPRING 2011 WE WILL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH THE DESIGN PHASE TO GIVE YOU A -- TO GIVE YOU A FINAL REPORT ON OUR -- ON OUR FINAL DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS WILL BE COMPLETED. AND THEN WE WILL EXPECT TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION AFTER AWARD OF THE CONTRACT IN -- IN LATE 2011. AND EXPECT FOR THE FACILITY TO OPEN FALL -- LATE -- OF 2013. THAT'S A VERY QUICK RECAP OF OUR TIME FRAME. AND I JUST WANTED TO REPEAT THE KEY DATE, BASED ON THE DISCUSSION THAT WE WERE HAVING JUST A SECOND AGO, IS MAY OF 2009, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH -- WITH WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE, WHAT OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BE, SO THAT WE CAN IN FACT GIVE OUR DESIGN TEAM THE DIRECTION THEY NEED TO GET THEIR PROJECT INITIATED.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, MR. GARZA, QUESTIONS OF STAFF, COUNCIL? COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL?

SO FIRST OF ALL, I BELIEVE IT WAS ALWAYS ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A PRIVATE COMPONENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW LIBRARY. THE NUMBERS THAT I KEPT HEARING WERE AROUND 30 MILLION, BRINGING THAT FROM 90 TO 120 MILLION. FOR THE COST OF THE LIBRARY. SO -- SO IF YOU TAKE THOSE NUMBERS OUT, THE 65 MILLION THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION OUT OF THE 90 MILLION, THAT -- THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD YIELD ABOUT 260,000 SQUARE FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILLION, YOU KNOW, TOTAL OF 120 MILLION WOULD GET YOU UP SOMEWHERE AROUND 365. 365,000 SQUARE FEET. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WAS ALWAYS ANTICIPATED THAT THE DESIGN WOULD INCLUDE AN ALLOWANCE FOR FUTURE EXPANSIONS, THAT WOULD BEING INCORPORATED IN THE INITIAL DESIGN. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE A FEEL FOR WHAT OUR -- WHAT THE MINIMUM REQUIRED SIZE FOR OUR INITIAL PHASE OF THE LIBRARY WOULD BE. IS IT SOMEWHERE IN THAT 260 TO 360 RANGE?

LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I ANSWER THE RIGHT QUESTION. THE -- THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OR THE PLAN, OBVIOUSLY THE PLAN AT THIS POINT IS THAT WE WILL FINISH OUT 170 SQUARE FEET IS WHAT OUR CURRENT FUNDING ALLOWS. THE -- I BELIEVE YOU ASKED ABOUT PRIVATE FUNDING. THE PRIVATE FUNDING AND RANDY CAN TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT. BUT IF YOU RECALL COUNCIL ALLOCATED FUNDING FROM THE SALE OF BLOCK 21, THE LIBRARY COMMISSION OR THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY HAD COMMITTED TO MATCH THE INTEREST EARNED OF THAT MONEY FOR O AND M OF THE NEW LIBRARY, BUT BRENDA CAN GIVE YOU MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT THAT.

COUNCILMEMBER, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FOUNDATION RECENTLY AND THEIR INTENTION, THEY HAVEN'T SET A GOAL YET, BUT THEIR INTENTION IS NOT TO ADD TO SQUARE FOOTAGE. BUT INSTEAD TO ADD TO AMENITIES IN THE BUILDING AND OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

Leffingwell: SO DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE LIBRARY?

170,000 IS WHAT WE ARE PLANNING ON, YES.

Leffingwell: ALL RIGHT. ON THE BACK OF A NAPKIN, SOUNDS LIKE THAT 65 MILLION IS ADEQUATE FOR THAT. AM I INCORRECT? DID I MAKE A MISTAKE?

65 MILLION IS THE CONSTRUCTION COST, YES.

Leffingwell: OKAY.

FOR 170,000 SQUARE FEET.

Leffingwell: YEAH. SO YOU ARE -- 65 MILLION IS ADEQUATE FOR YOUR INITIAL PHASE?

YES, IT IS.

Leffingwell: OKAY.

Mayor Wynn: FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?

I GUESS WANT TO ADD A QUALIFIER TO THE RESPONSE THAT YOU GOT. AT THIS POINT BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, WE BELIEVE THAT 65 MILLION IN REGARD TO CONSTRUCTION COST IS ADEQUATE. BUT UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PRETTY SOFT ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE PROGRAMMING ASSOCIATED WITH THE -- WITH THE DESIGN PHASE OBVIOUSLY IS A SIGNIFICANT DETERMINING FACTOR IN WHAT ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS WILL BE. SO I JUST WANT TO QUALIFY THAT RESPONSE IN THAT CONTEXT.

Mayor Wynn: COUNCILMEMBER COLE?

Cole: I'M SORRY, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER AND I WASN'T HERE WHEN THE -- WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR THE BONDS FOR THE LIBRARY. I DON'T REMEMBER THE BREAKDOWN WITH THE 65 MILLION. IS 65 MILLION FROM THE BLOCK 21 SELL PLUS WHAT THE FRIENDS --

THE 65 MILLION IS -- GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND SALE, $90 MILLION FOR THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. SO THE 65 IS PART OF THOSE $90 MILLION. THE BLOCK 21 MONEY SET ASIDE MY UNDERSTANDING IS FOR FUTURE O AND M OF THE NEW LIBRARY. COLE THEN THE FRIENDS ARE SUPPOSED TO RAISE, HAVE THEY COMET COMMITTED TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT, FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY?

500,000?

FOR CONSTRUCTION, NO. THE CURRENT COMMITMENT IS A MATCHING OF INTEREST EARNINGS.

THE FOUNDATION, THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO MATCH THE INTEREST ON THE MONEY THAT'S PLACED IN A SPECIAL FUND FOR THE ADDITIONAL OPERATING MONEY FOR THE NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY.

Cole: OKAY.

Mayor Wynn: COUNCILMEMBER MCCRACKEN?

McCracken: YOU KNOW, IT APPEARS THAT THE -- THAT THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET, YOU KNOW, ON A COST PER SQUARE FOOTAGE IS IN LINE WITH OUR PEER CITIES, BUT THAT I GUESS THE SOFT COSTS ARE QUITE A BIT LESS. CAN YOU GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE OF -- OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK? HOW YOU ALL EXPECT THAT TO WORK?

I'M GOING TO ASK JOHN FROM THE LIBRARY TO RESPOND TO THAT, COUNCILMEMBER.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M JOHN GILLAM, THE FACILITIES PLANNING MANAGER FOR THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT. THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION HOPES TO MOUNT A -- A VERY AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN FOR PRIVATE DONATIONS. AND I THINK THEY ARE WAITING FOR US TO PRODUCE DRAWINGS TO -- TO HELP INSPIRE PEOPLE IN THAT REGARD. I HAVE ASSURED THEM THAT WE WILL DELIVER THEM AS SOON AS WE HAVE THEM. THE IDEA WITH THE FOUNDATION IS THAT THE MONEY THAT THEY RAISE THROUGH THEIR CAPITAL DRIVE WILL BE USED FOR THE -- WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL THE FURNITURE OR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT PART OF THE BUDGET. WHICH IS THE SOFT PART OF THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THEIR DONATIONS WILL MAKE -- WILL MAKE A GOOD BUILDING AN EXQUISITE BUILDING IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR DRIVE. THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM IN THAT REGARD. WE WILL BE ABLE TO PURCHASE BETTER FURNITURE, ART, AMENITIES SUCH AS PERHAPS A FOUNTAIN IN THE PLAZA. IT SHOULD -- IT SHOULD TAKE WHAT'S GOING TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL, GOOD BUILDING AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING WHICH WILL COMPARE TO ANY OTHER CENTRAL LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY FAVORABLY.

McCracken: JOHN THEN -- THEN THAT'S VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION. IS THAT GAP -- LET'S TAKE JACKSONVILLE'S CASE, 150 MILLION TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET, 78 MILLION OF THAT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET, WHICH PUTS THEM SPOT ON FOR HAVING THE SAME CONSTRUCTION COSTS PER SQUARE FOOT, BUT THEY HAD $72 MILLION IN NON-CONSTRUCTION COSTS. IT IS THE BULK OF THAT FIXTURES OR WHAT ACCOUNTED FOR THAT?

WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY WENT A DIFFERENT ROUTE THAN WE DID WITH THE SELECTION OF THEIR ARCHITECTS AS WELL. THEY WENT THROUGH A DESIGN -- A REAL DESIGN COMPETITION AND COMPENSATED MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS TO PARTICIPATE AND SO A LOT OF THEIR COSTS WERE ROLLED INTO CONSULTANT COSTS AS WELL AS TO A VERY NICE FINISHOUT. I DON'T WANT TO -- I DON'T WANT TO DOWN PLAY WHAT THEY DID. THEY HAVE A VERY NICE LIBRARY AND IT SHOWS THROUGHOUT THAT THEY SPENT THE MONEY FOR IT.

McCracken: WELL SO I GUESS -- CONSIDERING ALL OF THESE HAVE A -- YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN SAN FRANCISCO A -- A PRETTY BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE NON-CONSTRUCTION PORTION, IS THAT PRIMARILY RESULTING FROM -- FROM FINISHES AND DESIGN COMPETITIONS OR I MEAN --

THEY DID NOT HAVE A DESIGN COMPETITION IN SAN FRANCISCO. BUT I THINK THAT YOU ARE RIGHT. THERE'S -- THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FINISHOUT. YOU CAN -- YOU CAN MAKE A VERY NICE FACILITY OR YOU CAN MAKE AN ADEQUATE FACILITY AND MOST PEOPLE WHEN THEY BUILD A CENTRAL LIBRARY, IF THEY CAN, WILL -- WILL MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, A -- YOU KNOW, THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BUILD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN BE PROUD OF. IT BECOMES A -- IN THE CASE OF SEATTLE, SOME OF THESE OTHER CENTRAL LIBRARIES, THEY -- IT BECOMES THE TOWN HALL FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIKE TO MEET AND GATHER AND -- AND IF PEOPLE -- IF THE COMMUNITY CAN BEAR THE COSTS, THEY WILL MAKE IT JUST AS NICE AS THEY CAN, THEY WILL FILL IT WITH ALL OF THE COMPUTERS, INTERACTIVE COMMITMENT, CHILDREN'S AREAS, TEEN AREAS, SO THAT IT SERVES THEIR COMMUNITY, IT'S A SOURCE OF PRIDE AND IT ENDURES FOR A VERY LONG TIME TIME.

McCracken: I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS I'M PRETTY COMFORTABLE IF THAT DIFFERENCE FROM OTHER CITIES NON-CONSTRUCTION BUDGETS IS THE RESULT OF THE FINISHOUTS. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AS THE CONSTRUCTION GOES, YOU CAN RAISE THE MONEY FOR IT. I'M -- I THINK THAT WE WOULD ALL BE A LOT MORE CONCERNED IF WE LEARNED THAT QUITE A BIT OF THAT DIFFERENCE WAS ACCOUNTED FOR FROM PRECONSTRUCTION COSTS AND THAT WE ARE UNDERBUDGETING ON THE PRECONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THINGS.

I -- I THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE ASKING. ONE THING THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY RESEARCH IS THAT NO TWO CITIES THAT -- DOES ONE OF THESE PROJECTS THE SAME. THERE'S ALWAYS VARIATIONS. IN SEATTLE'S CASE, THEY -- THEY BUILT ON THE SITE OF THEIR PREVIOUS CENTRAL LIBRARY. SO THEIR PROJECT COSTS INCLUDED DEMOLITION AND ALSO COSTS TO HAVE A TEMPORARY CENTRAL LIBRARY WHILE THEIR NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY WAS BEING BUILT. THERE ARE VARIATIONS IN EVERY CENTRAL LIBRARY THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT. SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO PROJECT BUDGET. YOU REALLY HAVE TO DIG INTO IT AND FIND OUT WHAT ALL THEY HAD TO ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION.

McCracken: YEAH, BECAUSE I CAN SEE IF WE WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LOOK THAT KIND OF COST COMPARISON, WE WOULD PROBABLY ATTRIBUTE PART OF THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE SUBSTATION PROJECT AND THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY RAISE THE PRECONSTRUCTION COSTS, BUT WE ARE NOT DOING THAT. WE ARE HAVING THE GREEN WATER TREATMENT PLANT DEVELOP AND -- DEVELOPMENT COVER THE DECOMMISSIONS COSTS ALONG WITH AUSTIN ENERGY BECAUSE -- I GUESS THAT'S JUST FOR THE CONTROL CENTER. SO THAT MAKES SENSE. I THINK ONE THING ELSE FOR US TO BE MINDFUL OF, IS -- IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU ALL IS THAT THE PARKING ENTERPRISE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE COST OF THE PARKING, THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF PARKING BOTH UNDERNEATH THE LIBRARY SHOULD THERE BE THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC PARKING AVAILABLE IN THE GREEN SITE.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAYS TO MAKING THIS CENTRAL LIBRARY A SUCCESS. I STARTED AT THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT AS OUR EXISTING CENTRAL LIBRARY WAS BEING COMPLETED AND FROM DAY ONE THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN, I THINK IT'S WHAT KEPT THAT BUILDING FROM BEING MORE SUCCESSFUL, WAS THE -- WAS THE VERY INADEQUATE PARKING. I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO -- TO REALLY ACCESS THEIR CENTRAL LIBRARY IS -- IS GOING TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE WHAT THE CITY IS GOING TO SPEND TO BUILD IT. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]

McCracken: WE ARE ENVISIONING BACKING THE COST OF THE PARKING OUT TO THE PROJECT DOES NOT CARRY IT, IS THAT CORRECT?

I'M NOT SURE THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT IS GOING TO BE BUILT ON-SITE, UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING. AUSTIN ENERGY IN THEIR REMOVAL OF THE TRANSFORMER SITE THAT'S THERE NOW HAS TO DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CLEANING OF THE SITE, AND ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK ON BOARD IS YOU CAN DO SOME OF YOUR SITE PREPARATION EARLY. YOU ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACTOR AS THEY DIG OUT AND CLEAN THE SITE, WE CAN SHORE IT UP AND SAVE IT FOR YOUR PARKING GARAGE. I SUSPECT THAT WE'LL NEED MORE PARKING THAN WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD, THOUGH. SO THE FACT THAT THERE WILL BE PARKING AT GREEN RIGHT ACROSS WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE SECOND STREET BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE A GODSEND.

McCracken: I THINK THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING THAN WHAT THE COUNCIL DIRECTION HAS BEEN TO DATE. WE'VE BEEN SAYING THAT THE PARKING ENTERPRISE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE PARKING THERE. SO WHAT I'M PICKING UP FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS Y'ALL ARE ENVISIONING THAT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY WOULD CARRY THE COST OF THAT PARKING, BUT OUR VIEW HAS BEEN THAT THE LIBRARY WOULD NOT CARRY THE COST OF THE PARKING. THAT THE PARKING ENTERPRISE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE FINANCING COSTS OF THE PARKING BENEATH THE LIBRARY, SO THEY WOULD OPERATE MUCH AS CITY HALL.

I MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT CORRECTLY. PERHAPS MY ASSOCIATE IN PUBLIC WORKS DO. I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. THAT WOULD OF COURSE MAKE OUR CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS GO SO MUCH FURTHER TO BUILDING WHAT'S THE LIBRARY PROPER.

McCracken: GREAT. BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WAYS TO MAKE YOUR DOLLAR GO FURTHER, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE ON BOARD WITH. SO RUDY, MAYBE YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT.

I THINK THIS IS ON. IT'S ON? CERTAINLY TO YOUR POINT, TO EXTRACT THE COST OF PROVIDING PARKING FACILITIES FOR THE LIBRARY, TO EXTRACT THAT AND HAVE IT ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE PARKING ENTERPRISE, OBVIOUSLY WOULD TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STRESS OFF THE PROJECT BUDGET FOR THE LIBRARY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, HOWEVER, THAT THE PARKING ENTERPRISE HAS IT EXISTS TODAY IS A FAIRLY NEW BUSINESS FOR THE CITY. SO ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I WOULD WANT TO INVESTIGATE IS THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF A NEW PARKING ENTERPRISE FUND. ITS ABILITY TO SUSTAIN SUCH A CAPITAL INVESTMENT. AND AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT THE ENTERPRISE COULD ACCOMPLISH THAT. PERHAPS IT CAN. AND AGAIN, IF WE ARE ABLE TO DO IT THAT WAY, THEN IT CERTAINLY WOULD TAKE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL STRESS OFF OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF $65 MILLION, IT DOES INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE ESTIMATED FOR PARKING, ALBEIT VERY LIMITED PARKING. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL PARKING TO FULLY SERVE THE LIBRARY, THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE CONSTRUCTION COST. WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO THAT. BUT AGAIN JUST TO CONFIRM THE 65 MILLION INCLUDES FIVE MILLION DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR PARKING, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN AUSTIN ENERGY DOES THEIR REMEDIATION, THEY WILL IN FACT LEAVE THE AREA OPEN TO REDUCE THE COST TO THE LIBRARY PROJECT FOR CONSTRUCTION PARKING.

McCracken: I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION OF THE DIRECTION WE'VE GIVEN Y'ALL IS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT THE LIBRARY TO BE SALGDED WITH THAT -- SADDLED WITH THAT COST. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE REALLY BEEN PUSHING THAT WE HAVE TO GET THIS PARKING ENTERPRISE BUSINESS OPERATION. OUR DEADLINE FROM COUNCIL DIRECTION WAS MAY. BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS AND GREEN BOTH COMING FORWARD. SO HOW THIS COULD WORK FUNCTIONALLY IS THE SAME WAY CITY HALL'S GARAGE WORKS. IS THAT CITY HALL IS FREE PARKING FOR OFFICE VISITERS OF CITY HALL AND FOR EMPLOYEES DURING THE DAY. AT 5:30 AT NIGHT IT GET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT FIVE BUCKS A POP. SO THAT IS POTENTIALLY THE WAY THIS COULD WORK AT THE LIBRARY, EVEN FOR THE LIMITED AMOUNT THERE POTENTIALLY. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU MARK THAT THIS IS ALL SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO DUE DILIGENCE ON. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE THINKING THE SAME WAY. IT SOUTH SANS LIKE WE WERE NOT THINKING THE SAME WAY, SO I'M GLAD WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.

I WANT TO ADD ONE PIECE TO THIS INFORMATION. AND THAT IS THE WAY WE ISSUED THE GREEN R.F.P. IS THAT PROPOSERS ARE GOING TO PROPOSE TO AWS PARKING GARAGE THAT IS OWNED BY IS CITY AS WELL AS A PRIVATELY OWNED PARKING GARAGE. AND THE THINKING BEHIND THAT WAS THAT THAT WOULD ADD TO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ABOUT THE RELATIVE MERITS OF HAVING A PUBLICLY OWNED PARKING GARAGE UNDER GREEN. SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IN THE SEAHOLM DISTRICT PUBLICLY OWNED PARKING IS THE ROUTE TO GO. AND THESE PROPOSALS, WHICH WILL BE COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER, WILL PROVIDE SOME OF THAT BASELINE INFORMATION. AND THE SECOND PART OF THAT THINKING WAS THAT WE WOULD BUILD AS MUCH PARKING AS POSSIBLE UNDERNEATH GREEN SO THAT IT COULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR THE LIBRARY AND OTHER USES IN THE DISTRICT. SO I THINK WE'LL START TO GET SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION ON THE LIBRARY LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER.

Mayor Wynn: COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL.

Leffingwell: I THINK I'M AGREEING WITH WHAT BREWSTER IS SAYING ON THIS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WAS ALWAYS THE PLAN THAT THE LIBRARY PARKING WOULD BE ON THE GREEN SITE WITH JUST A FEW LIMITED FOR HANDICAPPED PARKING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE LIBRARY SITE ITSELF. IS THAT NOT CORRECT?

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL BUILD UNDERGROUND PARKING AT THE LIBRARY SITE, BUT THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED ADDITIONAL PARKING OVER AT GREEN BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF BUILDING IT. AND ALSO BECAUSE WE'RE -- THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE USING AT GREEN IS TO BUILD PARKING ALL THE WAY UNDER THAT SITE VERSUS JUST PARKING UNDER THE BUILDINGS, WHICH IS THE MORE TRADITIONAL ROUTE. BUT IT WAS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD AT LEAST TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PARKING ENTERPRISE PICKING UP THE COST OF BUILDING THAT LIBRARY PARKING IF IT MADE SENSE FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE FOR THE CITY. AND PARTLY OUT OF THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S A LIMITED BUDGET AND ONE WAY TO STRETCH THOSE DOLLARS IS TO USE AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE PARKING.

COUNCILMEMBER COLE?

Cole: I HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE BRING IN THE PROJECT ON TIME AND ON BUDGET. I NOTICE THAT WE ARE PROJECTING TO HAVE 2009 TO 2013, AND I'M WORNING DO WE HAVE ANY ESTIMATES OF THE TIME LINES THAT OUR PEER CITIES USE. DID THEY RUN INTO PROBLEMS? I KNOW EACH ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. WE JUST DON'T KNOW?

COUNCILMEMBER, AT THIS POINT WE DO NOT KNOW. WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT AND FIND OUT IF THEY RAN INTO ANY ISSUES, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A CONSTRUCTION TIME LINE FOR THE FACILITY.

Cole: WE MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN BETTER PLAN AS WE DELVE DEEPLY INTO THE PARKING GARAGES AND WHAT THAT MIGHT DO FOR COST OVERRUNS SINCE WE'RE LOOKING AT A FEW MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, ANOTHER YEAR COULD MEAN MULTIMILLIONS OF DOLLARS. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FROM THOSE PEER CITIES AND THE TIME IT TOOK THEM FROM ONSET.

WE USED CITY HALL AS A BENCHMARK AND IT TOOK US 30 YEARS.

Cole: OKAY. [ LAUGHTER ] ESPECIALLY.

THAT'S FAIR.

TWO THINGS VERY QUICKLY. AS A REMINOR, WE WILL RETURN TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK. THERE WILL BE AN AGENCY ITEM ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL WITH THE DESIGN PROCESS THAT WE'VE OUTLINED. AND ALSO I WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT OUR CITY MANAGER STATED, AN ALSO IN REFERENCE TO COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL'S QUESTIONS REGARDING IS $65 MILLION ADEQUATE FOR 170,000 SQUARE FEET, IS $90 MILLION ADEQUATE TO BUILD THIS FACILITY? CLEARLY THOSE ARE THE PLANS. THAT'S WHAT OUR VOTERS APPROVED, BUT I THINK OUR MANAGER WAS VERY ON POINT WHEN HE STATED THAT WE HAVE NOT BEGUN DESIGN. AND WHEN WE GET INTO THE PROCESS, WE MAY OR MAY NOT, AS COUNCILMEMBER COLE WAS ALLUDING TO, RUN INTO ISSUES THAT WE HAD NOT ANTICIPATED. AT THIS POINT OUR PLANS ARE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD A 250,000 SQUARE FEET FACILITY, 170,000 FINISHOUT WITH A 90-MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET. AS WE GET INTO THE PROJECT, WE'LL THEN LEARN MORE IF IN FACT WE HAVE ANY ISSUES TO DEAL WITH ON VALUE ENGINEERING OR OTHER OBSTACLES THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO DEAL WITH.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, MR. GARZA. QUESTIONS OF STAFF? COMMENTS? THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, THAT REALLY LEAVES US JUST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM WE CAN TAKE UP BEFORE OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.074 OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS. THAT BEING THE EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE AND POTENTIAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS OF OUR MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK. THIS RELATES TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER 77. WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION. I ANTICIPATE US COMING BACK RIGHT AT NOON FOR OUR GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. THANK YOU. PAIR MAYOR WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION. IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WE TOOK UP ITEM NUMBER 78, OUR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF OUR MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK. WE WILL TAKE ACTION ON THOSE DECISIONS HERE AFTER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. THIS NOW TAKES US TO OUR NOON GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CARMEN LLANES. WELCOME. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWINGED BY SUSANA ALMANZA.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM INVITATION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN HONORING ONE OF OUR HER ROSE ON MARCH 29TH. WE WILL GATHER AT CITY HALL AN MARCH EAST ON CESAR CHAVEZ TO THE MAN AMERICAN RECREATION CENTER ON THIRD STREET AND ROBERT MARTINEZ STREET. THERE WE WILL HAVE FESTIVITIES UNTIL 1:00 P.M. SESQUICENTENNIAL IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIL RIGHTS LEASERS UF OR -- LEAD URS OF OUR TIME. HE LEFT US ALL WITH A TRUE MODEL FOR PROGRESSIVE CHANGE. 40 YEARS AFTER HIS FAMOUS FAST OF 1968 AND 15 YEARS AFTER HIS PASSING IN 1993, WE CONTINUE TO HONOR HIS LEGACY AN APPRECIATE THE UNITY HE BROUGHT TO FARM WORKERS AND PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS IN TREATING WORKERS WITH FAIRNESS. WE START THE EVENT BY GATHERING IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. THE CROWD IS PARKED WITH YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE, CARS AN CROWDS AND PLENTY OF FLAGS AND SIGNS. WE THEN MARCH ALONG CESAR CHAVEZ STREET. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE LEERS OF THE MARCH CARRYING A LARGE BANNER ACROSS LAVACA AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY DOWNTOWN. HERE WE SEE SOME MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE EVENT AND MEMBERS OF PODER AND OTHER GROUPS PARTICIPATING WITH MESSAGES OF PEACE AND JUSTICE. BELOW WE SEE THE CROWD MAKING ITS WAY TO EAST AUSTIN FROM DOWNTOWN. THE MARCH WILL TURN LEFT AT ROBERT MARTINEZ STREET AND LEFT AGAIN AT THIRD STREET. THE CROWD GATHERS AROUND SPEAKERS, MUSIC AND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. IN PREVIOUS YEARS CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGGETT HAS PARTICIPATED AND SPOKEN TO THE CROWD ABOUT SE SAYS'S WORK AND THE -- ABOUT CESAR CHAVEZ'S WORK AND THE CONTINUING NEED FOR JUSTICE. THE EVENT BRINGS LOCAL CITY OFFICIALS SUCH AS COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ. BELOW YOU CAN SEE ST. EDWARD'S BAND WHICH WILL BE PERFORMING AT THIS YEAR'S EVENT AS WELL. ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE WAS RAUL ALVA RE, WHO ALSO SPOKE AND PARTICIPATED IN PREVIOUS MARCHES. AND ALSO SPEAKING AT PREVIOUS EVENTS HERE WE HAVE COUNTY COMMISSIONER MARGARET GOMEZ, WHO WILL ALSO BE A SPEAKER THIS YEAR, AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY CLERK. HERE'S A LIST OF SOME OF THE VARIOUS SPEAKERS AND ENTERTAINMENT THAT WE WILL HAVE FEATURED IN THE EVENT AFTER THE MARCH AS WELL. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE THIS GREAT EVENT AND WE INVITE ALL OF YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN TO COME OUT AND HELP US CELEBRATE THE LIFE AN LEGACY OF CESAR CHAVEZ THIS SATURDAY. THANK YOU.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. SUSANA ALMANZA, WELCOME. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PAT JOHNSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M SUSANA ALMANZA WITH PODER, PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF EARTH AND HER RESOURCES. AND I WANT TO AS WE GO INTO THE CELEBRATION OF CESAR CHAVEZ, WE ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE NATIONAL FARM WORKERS AWARENESS WEEK IS MARCH THE 30TH TO APRIL THE 5STH, 2008. NATIONWIDE MOVEMENTS CALL FOR IMPROVED LIVING STANDARDS, STRONGER VOICE IN INDUSTRY AND INCREASED WORKPLACE PROTECTION FOR FARM WORKERS. ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE HOSTING A WEEK OF ACTION TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF THE FARM WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES. LABOR ACTIVISTS, CONSUMERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS WILL UNITE DURING THE WEEK TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS. WE SUPPORT FARM WORKERS AWARENESS WEEK BECAUSE WE NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FARM WORKERS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THE CRITICAL NEED TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS UNDERWHICH THE WORKERS WORK AND LIVE. WE MUST BRING JUSTICE TO THE FIELDS. 17 SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS ARE PLANNING RALLIES, MARCHES, PETITION DRIVES, FILM SCREENINGS AND OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. MANY OF THE ACTIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO COINCIDE WITH THE MARCH 31st BIRTHDAY OF THE LATE CESAR CHAVEZ, CO-FOUNDER OF THE UNITED FARM WORKERS OF AMERICA AND HISTORIC FIGURE IN THE FARM WORKER MOVEMENT. PEOPLE IN 28 STATES ARE CALLING FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CREATE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN HONOR OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND FARM WORKERS. AND I HAVE PASSED OUT TO YOU A PETITION WHICH IS CALLING FOR THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY FOR CESAR CHAVEZ. THIS IS A MOVEMENT THAT'S BEING LED BY THE CALIFORNIA GROUP, AND SO WHEN YOU GET THOSE PETITIONS, IF YOU GET THEM FILLED OUT, FEEL FREE TO CALL PODER AND YOU CAN PUT THEM IN THE MAIL TO US AT P. O. BOX 6237 AUSTIN, TEXAS, 78762. OR YOU CAN CONTACT US AT 472-9921. AND AGAIN, WE WILL BE HAVING OUR ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER ON CESAR CHAVEZ'S DAIRTDZ BY, MARCH THE 31st AT CONNALLY GUERRERO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER AT 6:00. AND THE MARCH FOR THE CESAR CHAVEZ WILL BE SATURDAY, MARCH THE 59TH, STARTING HERE AT CITY HALL AND MARCHING DOWN TO EAST AUSTIN. SO WE INVITE ALL OF THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT AND CELEBRATE AND HONOR CESAR CHAVEZ. THANK YOU.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. PAT JOHNSON, WELCOME BACK, PAT. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL ROBBINS.

MORNING, COUNCIL. MAYOR, RUDY. GOOD TO SEE YOU UP HERE AGAIN. COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, LAST MEETING I TOLD YOU THAT THE TOWING COMPANIES WERE WITHOUT A DOUBT GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PUBLIC DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST. AND SURE ENOUGH, THEY DID. A TOWING COMPANY WAS SITTING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM AUDITORIUM SHORES BACKING UP TO PEOPLE'S CAR, PEOPLE RUN OVER THERE, THEY WOULD COLLECT 150, $100. AND THE DRIVER DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A WRECKER LICENSE. TODAY'S TOP ILLUSTRATE IS ECONOMIC -- TOPIC IS ECONOMIC CRIME COMMITTED DAILY BY TOWING COMPANIES AND PARKING FACILITIES. NOT JUST THE TOWING COMPANY, BUT THE PARKING FACILITIES THAT GET THE KICKBACKS. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PUBLIC. AND THIS CITY ORDINANCE THAT THIS COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND RUDY, YOU WERE PART OF, AND THE ENTIRE CITY STAFF THAT SET THIS ORDINANCE IN EFFECT CAN PUT THOSE FEES IN PLACE AND WHAT THEY COULD AND CANNOT DO AND THERE'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY ZERO PUBLICITY BY THE CITY ABOUT THOSE RATES. YET WE CAN RUN COMMERCIALS ON KVUE ABOUT THE WATERSHED PROTECTION, BUT WE CANNOT PUT ANYTHING OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC ON THE CHANNEL 6, WARNING PEOPLE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY IF YOU CATCH THE WRECKER DRIVER. NEXT, HERE'S THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW. WRECKER COMPANIES TOWING VEHICLES OUT OF PUBLIC STREETS, TOWING VEHICLES OUT OF ALLEYS, OUT OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, MOVING ILLEGALLY -- MOVING LEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES INTO THE FIRE LANES, TAKING A PICTURE AND TOWING THEM. PROPERTY MANAGERS ACCEPTING FINANCIAL BENEFITS FROM TOWING COMPANIES, WRECKER DRIVERS COLLECTING UNAUTHORIZED FEES. UNLICENSED WRECKER DRIVERS WITH PRISON RECORDS HIRED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF INTIMIDATION FOR CITIZENS WHO ARE CURRENTLY WORKING FOR SEVERAL TOWING COMPANIES. THIS IS THE RESULTS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SINCE YOU PUT THIS ORDINANCE IN EFFECT. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WRECKER LICENSES GRANTED IS 148. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WRECKER APPLICATIONS DENIED BASED ON THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU PASSED IS 158. 158. WRECKER LICENSES REVOKED, 15. WRECKER LICENSES SUSPENDED, 66. 66 SIX. WRECKER LICENSES GRANTED AFTER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OVERTURNED AN APPEAL BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ONE FOR A CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTER COURTESY OF MR. MCDONALD. NOW, THE MAYOR -- MAYOR, YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE TWO YEAR AGO, ABOUT YOUR PARKING GARAGE AT THE AUSTIN CITY LOFTS NOT BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW. YOU RECALL THAT. AT THAT TIME THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DIRECTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SEND ONE OF THE DETECTIVES OVER, WHICH IS DETECTIVE DAVID GANN, TO YOUR GARAGE AND VERIFY THE COMMENT I MADE UP HERE. AND TODAY I WENT BY THERE JUST LAST NIGHT, AND THE SAME SIGN IS POSTED THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH STATE LAW. THIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY HAS GOT TO CEASE, WHETHER IT'S THE MAYOR OR IT'S ANYBODY ELSE. TO CONTINUE TO VICTIMIZE OUR CITIZENS DAY IN AN DAY OUT HAD AND THE CITY DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO WARN THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS IS A TRAVESTY. MY WEBSITE, TEXAS TOWING COMPLIANCE.COM, I RECEIVE OVER 200 CALLS A MONTH FROM PEOPLE. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THEY CAN'T DEPEND ON THE TOWING COMPANY TO TELL THEM ANYTHING BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO, THEY STEAL YOUR CAR AND HOLD IT HOSTAGE UNTIL YOU PAY IT OUT. AND IF YOU DON'T THINK $200 HURTS FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THAT FANTASY LAND BECAUSE $200 IS VERY HARD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING TARGETED. AND WE KNOW -- AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS EVEN AGREED THAT WE HAVE TOWING COMPANIES OUT THERE TARGETING THE SPANISH PEOPLE FOR SPECIFIC REASONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RULES.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON.

WE DON'T NEED THOSE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS COUNCIL HAS GOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.

Mayor Wynn: PAUL ROBBINS SIGNED UP WISH TO GO SPEAK. HE'LL SAVE HIS SPOT. I SEE GUS PENA. WELCOME BACK, GUS. TIEWYOU TOO WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLIFTON LADD.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS. GUS PENA. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SEVERAL ISSUES. FIRST AND FOREMOST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL, THE CITY MANAGER, FOR FULLY FUNDING ALL OF THE REC CENTER PROGRAMS AND EXPANDING THE PROGRAMS. IT'S KEPT A LOT OF KIDS ACTIVE DURING SPRING BREAK. AND YOU KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS, YOU KEEP THEM OUT OF GANGS AND PROBLEMS. I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. I KNOW THE PARENTS ALSO -- I ASKED HIM TO CALL Y'ALL. TO YOU, THANK YOU, ANY OTHERS AND COUNCILMEMBER KIM FOR REALLY SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF THE NEEDS TO HELP THE VETERANS. I DON'T THINK ANY VETERAN COMES OUT HERE AND SAYS OKAY, GIVE ME A HANDOUT. MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN HELPFUL TOO, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ALSO. AND YOU HAVE A GOOD HEART. I'LL SAY THAT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY. IF YOU WANT TO DEBATE ME, GO FOR IT. HOUSTON HAS PROPOSED A BILL IN WASHINGTON AND IT ALLUDES TO THE FACT THAT DIRECTING H.U.D. TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR VOUCHERS FOR HOUSING HOMELESS VETERANS, I WILL TELL YOU THIS MUCH. YOU HAVE AN EFFORT ABOUT COUNTING THE VETERANS, HOMELESS VETERANS OUT THERE IN THE CAMPS. WE GOT A COUNT, WE HAVE 50 VETERANS THAT DONATED THEIR TIME AND VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO DOCUMENT THE NUMBER OF VETERANS. WE COUNTED 2,450 VETERANS THAT ARE HOMELESS IN CAMPS, ORGANIZATIONS, HOTELS, CARS. SO IT'S A LOT MORE THAN WHAT -- VERY LITTLE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WAS THE HOMELESS VETERANS. BUT ANYWAY, WHAT THEY WILL DO IS PROVIDE VOUCHERS FOR THE HOMELESS VETERAN THAT SAYS, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS, NEARLY 200,000 OF THE 800,000 PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS ARE VETERANS, ADULT VETERANS THAT LIVE ON THE STREETS. 56% OF ALL HOMELESS POPULATION ARE VETERANS. WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THE SECRETARY OF H.U.D. AND ALSO SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. WE HAVE A CONGRESSMAN FROM HOUSTON, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, SPONSORING THIS. HE GOT CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGGETT TO HELP US OUT ALSO. I'LL LEAVE THIS ASIDE BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN FIGHTING CRIME. THEY DO NEED MORE FUNDING. I KNOW THEIR BUDGET IS HEAVY, BUT WE SEE THE EFFORTS OF FIGHTING CRIME IN THE STREETS. THE GANGSTERS KNOW, THEY SEE THE OFFICERS OUT THERE, AND SOME OFFICERS ARE GIVEN TIME TO WORK WITH KIDS. SO THAT'S A DETERRENT. WE KNOW THAT GANGS HAVE INFILTRATED HIGH SCHOOL. IF WE COULD FIND SOME MORE TIME AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. I HAVE FRIENDS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY. I MADE KNOWN THE FACT THAT WE NEED OVERTIME FOR THE OFFICERS. A LOT OF OFFICERS CAN GO OUT THERE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO AND SERVE OVERTIME AND THAT WILL SERVE TO DETER CRIME. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE DISCIPLINE FATHER PROGRAM THAT A.P.D. HAS IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE THAT HELP COMMUNITIES SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON HERE POSITIVE. [ BUZZER SOUNDS ] I'LL WRAP UP, MR. MAYOR. I WON'T TAKE YOUR TIME UP. ANYWAY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EFFORT YOU DO FOR YOUR KID. THE YOUTH ARE YOUR FUTURE. THE SENIOR CITIZENS PAVED THE WAY FOR US. THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND HELPING THEM OUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. CLIFTON LADD, WELCOME. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTE AND BE FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER GALE. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I WELCOME MR. OTT. LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU HERE IN AUSTIN. MY NAME IS CLIFTON LADD AND HIERM TO REPRESENT THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS CONSERVATION COMMITTEE, WHICH I AM VICE-CHAIR. WE WISH TO RECONFIRM OUR EARLIER STATEMENTS THAT THE PRESERVE IS FOR THE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES, NOT UNRESTRICTED PUBLIC ACCESS. THE CITY'S BCCP STAFF AND BIOLOGISTS ARE DOING A SPUSH JOB. THEY'RE NOW BEING ASKED TO TAKE ON MORE THAN THEY CAN REALISTICALLY ACCOMPLISH. WHEN THE BCCP COMMITTEE ASKED STAFF TO DEVELOP A REVISED MASTER PLAN, THEY ESSENTIALLY TOLD THEM TO REDO MUCH WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE WITH STEBS SIEVE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT. THIS ADDITIONAL NEW WORK FOR CITY BCCP STAFF IS ON TOP OF THE HEAVY DEMANDS OF HIGHER PRIORITY WORK THAT WILL NOW SUFFER FROM LACK OF ATTENTION. THE CITY IS ALSO NOT PROVIDED THE ADDITIONAL FUNNING, PERSONNEL AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT WILL BE NEEDED FOR THE REVISED PUBLIC ACCESS PLAN. THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS USED THE KNEES OF THE SPECIES AND THE DESIRE FOR PUBLIC RECREATION FROM THE BEGINNING AND I HAVE BROUGHT WITH ME AND WILL SUBMIT TO YOU A COPY OF OUR INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PUBLIC RECREATIONAL USE OF BCCP RESERVES FROM NOVEMBER SIXTH, 1998. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH COPY OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS PROVISIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH PRIORITY, BOTH OF WHICH WERE APPROVED BY THE SAC ON MAY 19TH, 2006, BUT I'D LIKE TO READ A COUPLE OF ITEMS FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH PRIORITIES. WE RECOMMENDED THE PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH ON BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE MUST FIRST ADDRESS THE BIOLOGY AND RECOLG OF LISTED SPECIES IN ORDER TO ASSURE SUCCESSFUL ADAPTED MANAGEMENT OF PRESERVES FOR THE BENEFIT OF PROTECTED SPECIES. THE PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH ON BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE MUST BE BASED ON THE ABILITY OF THE RESEARCH TO ADDRESS GOALS AND NEEDS OF RECOVERY PLANS FOR THE SPECIES PROTECTED BY THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN. AND ANY RESEARCH TO ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO PROTECTED SPECIES MUST NOT TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE CONSERVATION OR MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES STATED ABOVE AND THEY MUST NOT DIVERT STAFF OR FINANCIAL RESOURCES FROM THE PRIMARY RESEARCH PRIORITIES, SPECIES MONITORING OR LAND MANAGEMENT. IN CLOSING, I WILL LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PROVIDE THE CITY OF AUSTIN BCCP STAFF WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR WORK IF THEY ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE EFFORT TO FIND MORE AREAS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS WITHIN THE CITY'S BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, DR. LADD FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMITTEE. JENNIFER GALE, WELCOME. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SCOTT JOHNSON.

HI. GOOD MORNING. HAPPY EASTER. THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING. WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT'S A COOL DAY, A GOOD DAY TO START OUR EXERCISE PROGRAMS, GET OUT THERE RUNNING, PLAYING SOCCER AND VOLLEYBALL. MAYOR WILL WYNN, COUNCIL CANDIDATE AND COUNCILMEMBERS LEE LEFFINGWELL AND JENNIFER KIM, COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, DUNKERLEY, MCCRACKEN AND COLE. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS OUR NEED FOR SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING. I TALKED ABOUT THIS YEARS AGO WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND I'M KIND OF SURPRISED WE HAVEN'T ALREADY STARTED IT. IN THE CITY OF MADISON, WISCONSIN THEY HAVE THE SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING. THE PROBLEM WITH IT IS THE CRUSHING OF THE GLASS. ALL STUFF IS CO-MINGLED, PLASTIC, PAPER, CARDBOARD, IT'S ALL PUT INTO ONE. AND BREAKING THE GLASS MAKES IT SO THAT THE MANUFACTURERS HAVE A HARD TIME USING THE CO-MINGLED GLASS OR THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESINS IN THE PAPER. SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY SO THAT WE'RE NOT DESTROYING THOSE. HOWEVER, IT DOES SUCH A GREATER JOB OF GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO RECYCLE. YOU GO BEHIND ANY OF OUR BUSINESSES, WE ONLY HAVE ONE DUMPSTER AND THAT CO-MINGLES THE ORGANIC TRASH WITH THE INORGANIC. IT WILL LESSEN OUR METHOD 18 IN OUR DUMPS AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE CLOSER TO THEM. I DON'T BLAME WIMBERLEY AT ALL FOR NOT BEING COMFORTABLE WITH THIS. SO LET'S WORK VERY HARD TO STOP FILLING UP OUR LANDFILLS WITH ORGANIC TRASH. AND EVERYONE, I WANT YOU TO LOOK BEHIND THE BUSINESSES. IS THERE ANOTHER DUMPSTER FOR TRASH THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RECYCLED? THINK ABOUT ALL THE YEARS WE COULD HAVE BEEN RECYCLING WHOLE DUMPSTERS WORTH OF TRASH TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK. I'M VERY UPSET WITH OUR CITY MANAGER GOING AFTER OUR POLICE, -- OUR FIRE CHIEF. IF HE NEEDS GUIDANCE, LET'S GIVE HIM GUIDANCE, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS IN PUBLIC. THE CITY MANAGER THAT WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT AS HAD OFFICERS THAT HAVE SHOT PEOPLE IN THE BACK AND SHOT PEOPLE ON THE GROUND WITH BEAN BAGS WHEN THEY'RE DEFENSELESS, AND HAS SHOT NAKED WOMEN THAT AREN'T ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. WE NEED A SHOOT TO MAIM FROM OUR POLICE OFFICERS. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SHOOT TO KILL. I'M ASKING THAT OUR BUS OPERATORS GET A RESOLUTION FROM THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN DEMANDING THAT THEY HAVE A CONTRACT. THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PAY RAISE FROM THE LAST YEAR. THEY ARE MECHANICS, BUS OPERATORS AND WORKERS THAT NEED A CONTRACT. I'VE BEEN ASKING SEVERAL NONTS THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT. [ BUZZER SOUNDS ] NOW THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY, I UNDERSTAND THAT FRED GILLMAN IS INTERFERING WITH THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND SHOULD BE TOLD TO STEP AWAY SO THAT THEY CAN BE FINISHED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER TWO YEARS OF CONTRACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS, AND NOW THEY'RE TALKING STRIKE. SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU HELP ME THERE AND HELP THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL. I'D LIKE TO WISH AWE A GOOD FRIDAY WHERE WE'RE FORGIVE PHONE OUR FRIENDS. NOW LET'S TRY TO FORGIVE OUR FRIENDS AND OURSELVES. THANK YOU.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, JENNIFER. SCOTT JOHNSON? WELCOME. COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL, YES.

Leffingwell: JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE SOLID WASTE ISSUE. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE CITY HAS ALREADY HIRED AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN CONSULTANT TO HELP US RESEARCH OUR GOAL OF ZERO WASTE BY 2040. AND I ATTENDED A MEETING LAST NIGHT WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHERE HE OUTLINED HIS PRELIMINARY PROGRAM AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING A FULL REPORT IN COUNCIL FROM HIM ON HIS STRATEGIES TO HELP US GET THERE. ON OUR OWN, THE CITY IS ALREADY GOING FORWARD WITH SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING PROGRAM. WE'LL START IMPLEMENTING THAT PROGRAM IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

Mayor Wynn: WELCOME MR. JOHNSON.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCILMEMBERS, MR. OTT, CITY STAFF. MY NAME IS SCOTT JOHNSON, THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS ELECTRIC LAWN MOWER PROGRAM WHICH HAPPENS SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH AT #K 30 IN THE MORNING ON HOME DEPOT. IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT. AIR POLLUTION IS ALL AROUND US. AIR POLLUTION IS COMING FROM THE AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL JAVA VENT THAT'S VENTING OUT ON LAVACA STREET THAT COULD BE BETTER CONTROLLED. IT'S COMING FROM DIESEL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE STREET HERE THAT I BELIEVE IS A CITY PROJECT, BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THAT, WHICH COULD BE BETTER CONTROLLED THROUGH A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT THROUGH THE CITY OR THE PERSON DOING THE PROJECT AND THE FOLKS THAT PROVIDE THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS IT'S COMING FROM OTHER SOURCES WITHIN AUSTIN. WE'RE BOMBARDED DAILY BY AIR LIEWTION, SOME OF IT COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE SOURCE, SUCH AS WITH LAWN MOWERS, OTHERS WHO LIVE FURTHER OUTSIDE OF THE CITY WHERE THE AIR POLLUTION ORIGINATES ARE GETTING HIT WITH GROUND LEVEL OZONE, WHICH IS THE SECONDARY POLLUTANT, NOT COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE TAIL PIPE OF VEHICLES OR LAWN MOWERS. IN THIS CASE THE PROGRAM THAT I'M MANAGING IN COLLABORATION ARE HOME DEPOT AND THE CENTER FOR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL BUILDING SYSTEMS, PROVIDES CITIZENS WITHIN THE REGION, NOT SIMPLY WITHIN AUSTIN, TO UPGRADE THEIR GAS POWERED MOWER TO AN ELECTRIC MODEL. SO IN ESSENCE AS THE CITY DOES WITH THEIR ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM, WE'RE PAYING PEEN TO SCRAP THEIR GAS POWERED MOWERS. GAS POWERED MOWERS ARE A FORM OF OZONE FORMING POLLUTION. MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT NOW. BUT IT'S EASY TO SAY THAT SOMEONE THAT USES THEIR LAWN MOWER FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS PER MONTH YEAR-ROUND POLLUTES AS MUCH AS OR MORE FROM THAT LAWN MOWER THAN THEY WOULD FROM THEIR VEHICLE, PARTICULARLY IF THEIR LAWN MOWER IS OLDER, 10 YEARS OR OLDER, AND PARTICULARLY IN THEIR CAR IS NEWER. BUT EVEN IF THE CAR IS FIVE OR 10 YEARS OLD, THEIR LAWN MOWER THAT THEY USE LESS THAN THEIR CAR COULD STILL BE POLLUTING MORE. IT'S ALSO A LARGE SOURCE OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS. WE CAN QUANTIFY THAT AND I DO EACH YEAR THROUGH THE PROGRAM. IT'S ALSO A SOURCE OF SPILLED OIL AND GAS AS PEOPLE TRY TO FILL THOSE SMALL RECEPTACLES. AS WELL THEY'RE MULCHING MOWERS SO THEY DIVERT THE GRASS CLIPPINGS OUT OF THE WASTE STREAM AND BACK ON THE LAWN WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY FOLKS SHOULD GET EXCITED AND INTERESTED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. PARTLY TOO THE PRICE IS AFFORDABLE. IF YOU TRADE IN YOUR GAS POWERED LAWN MOWER AND BUY AN ELECTRIC ONE, THE CORDLESS PRICE IS ONLY $255 PLUS TAX WITH THE TRADE-IN. AGAIN THE PROGRAM IS HAPPENING ON SATURDAY APRIL FIF TZ AT THE HOME DEPOT IN SOUTH AUSTIN AT WOODWARD AND I-35. THERE IS ANOTHER OWE VENT ON THE SAME DAY THAT'S BEING PLANNED BY ANOTHER GROUP IN TOWN THAT'S SIMILAR. MY EVENT OF COURSE THE SALES TAX REVENUE FLOWS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THE OTHER EVENT IS HELD IN SUNSET VALLEY, NOT TO PUT THAT EFFORT DOWN. THAT SALES TAX REVENUE STAYS WITHIN SUNSET VALLEY AND DOESN'T COME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN. [ BUZZER SOUNDS ] I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAD ANY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, SCOTT, FOR ALL YOUR WORK. QUESTIONS?

ANY TAKERS?

Mayor Wynn: EARLIER I HAD CALL PAUL ROBBINS NAME. HE WANTED TO ADDRESS US TODAY. COUNCIL, THERE BEING -- THAT'S ALL OF OUR CITIZENS FOR GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, IF YOU REMEMBER EARLIER IN CLOSED SESSION WE TOOK UP ITEM NUMBER 78, WHICH WAS THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF OUR MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK. WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE HERE IN FRONT OF US AND WERE POSTED FOR ACTION, ITEM NUMBER 77, SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF COUNCIL? I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 77. MOTION BY MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 77 AS PRESENTED HERE TO US. I'LL JUST NOTE THAT THIS IS THE SAME ORDINANCE AS WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY FOR MS. STARK. SHE RECEIVED A VERY FAVORABLE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IN CLOSED SESSION. AND SO THINGS REMAIN THE SAME WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FIVE PERCENT PAY RAISE, WHICH WILL BRING HER SALARY EQUIVALENT TO $107,411 ANNUALLY. ITEM NUMBER 77. MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE. FURTHER COMMENTS OFFICE? ALL INFAVOR HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.? OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. THANK YOU ALL. SO COUNCIL, THERE BEING NO MORE DISCUSSION ITEMS PRIOR TO OUR AFTERNOON SESSIONS, WE WILL NOW RECESS THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE ONLY HAVE A MODEST BRIEFING FROM OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT AND A LIKELY VERY SHORT WALLER CREEK TIF MEETING, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT I WON'T RECONVENE THIS MEETING AGAIN UNTIL 3:30 P.M., ALLOWING US TO GET SOME AFTERNOON WORK DONE JUST PRIOR TO OUR 4:00 O'CLOCK ZONI

Mayor Wynn: AT THIS TIME I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. WE'VE BEEN IN RECESS FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS OR SO, HAVING NO DISCUSSION ITEMS BEFORE US. AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO OUR AFTERNOON BRIEFING. OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS THAT FROM OUR SOLID WASTE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND WELCOME MR. WILLIE ROAZ. RHODES.

MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SUBJECT I LOVE, TRASH. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOLID WASTE SERVICES, OUR FUTURE FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW, WE TITLED IT BEYOND THE CURVE. SOLID WASTE SERVICES HAS BECOME A DEPARTMENT OF DYNAMIC PROGRAMS, AND PUBLIC INTEREST IN OUR SERVICE REMAIN AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. WE'RE NO LONGER JUST COLLECTING TRASH AT THE CURB OUR COLLECTING RECYCLING AND YARD TRIMMINGS. OUR SERVICES ARE A 24/7 PRESENCE WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. IN FACT, OUR INVOLVEMENT IS MULTIFACETED AND OUR EFFORT TO KEEP AUSTIN THE MOST LIVEABLE COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD. WE COMMUNICATE TO OUR CUSTOMER THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEANS. WE HAVE A BLOCK LEADER PROGRAM, A YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE HAVE OUR OWN WEBSITE CALLED AUSTIN RECYCLES.COM. WE ALSO HAVE MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS TO DISCUSS OUR SERVICES AND OUR PROGRAM. BUT BEFORE I CONTINUE, I WILL LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND SAY THAT SOLID WASTE SERVICES WOULD NOT BE A LEADER IN THIS INDUSTRY IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DEDICATED STAFF OF SOLID WASTE SERVICES. TO THE CREWS ON THE TRUCK, EVERYDAY, TO THE ADMINISTRATION STAFF AND TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM, I OWE THEM MANY THANKS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND EFFORT OR I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY AND THE PROGRAM HAVE YOU FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES WOULD NOT BE THE PROGRAMS THEY ARE AND THE LEE FOARS THE NATION. WHAT ARE OUR CORE SERVICES? OUR CORE SERVICES ARE AWARD WINNING PAY AS YOU THROW PROGRAM WHICH CONSISTS OF GARBAGE RECYCLING AND YARD TRIMMINGS ONCE A WEEK COLLECTION. OTHER CORE PROGRAMS ARE LITTER ABATEMENT PROGRAM, OR OUR STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM WHICH OCCURS SIX TIMES A YEAR IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS, BOULEVARDS AND ARTERIAL STREETS ON A MONTHLY BASIS. THE TWICE A YEAR COLLECTION OF BRUSH AND BULKY MATERIAL. AND THE OPERATION OF A HOUSEHOLD HAS SAR DUS WASTE PROGRAM, WHICH I WILL LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS OF THAT PROGRAM. OUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAM WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LISTEN TO THE CUSTOMERS. THEY HAVE ASKED FOR DIFFERENT HOURS OF OPERATIONS AND WE HAVE COMPLIED WITH THAT. THEY'VE ASKED FOR MORE TIME OF OPERATIONS, SO STARTING IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR WE HAVE A SERVICE COLLECTION DAY OF THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH. THE FIRST THREE SATURDAYS THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS COMING TO THE DROPOFF FACILITY. ALSO THAWF THEY'VE ASKED FOR ACTIVITIES ON THE NOW, SO ON APRIL THE FIFTH WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST EVENT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN AND WE'RE DOING ADVERTISING NOW TO ANNOUNCE THAT. CORD ENFORCEMENT. CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR CORE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN SOLID WASTE SERVICES WHICH ADDRESSES SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, ZONING ISSUES AND HIGH WEEDS. CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS REACH OUT TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAS PARTNERED WITH THEM TO ADDRESS CODE ISSUES. THEY ALSO COORDINATED WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO CREATE THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM OR PACET. THIS HELPS THE ISSUES DEAL WITH ISSUES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNING CODE ENFORCEMENT. EACH YEAR DURING THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PRESENTATION, WE PRESENT A REPORT ON OUR MEASURES AND THIS IS A TYPICAL SLIDE THAT WE SHOW TO YOU SHOWING WHERE WE ARE FOR THE GARBAGE COLLECTED BY OUR CITIZENS OF AUSTIN. AS YOU CAN TELL FROM EACH YEAR, WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST CITIES IN RANKINGS FOR GARBAGE. FOR 2006-2007 WE HAD .82 TONS OF WASTE BEING DISPOSED OF FOR RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE NATION. SO THEN I DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. SO WE DECIDED TO PUT SOME YEAR TOGETHER TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE STILL RANK IN THAT. SO YOU HAVE FIVE YEARS -- SIX YEARS' WORTH OF DATA FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES, AND OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON A REGULAR BASIS. AS YOU CAN TELL, WE'RE STILL ONE OF THE LOWEST CITIES IN THE NATION FOR DOING THIS TIME FRAME FOR WASTE. NOW, WHAT PUTS US BEYOND THE CURVE AND WHY ARE WE GOING JOIN THE CURVE? IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR WE WANT TO INTRODUCE SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING TO OUR SCUMS. THIS WILL GIVE THEM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE THEIR WASTE STREAM. IT WILL TAKE AWAY THE LITTLE BLUE BINS FROM THE CITIZENS AND GIVE THEM A 90-GALLON CART STARTING IN OCTOBER. WE ALSO FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WITH THE 90-GALLON CART, WE'LL GO TO AN EVERY OTHER WEEK COLLECTION OF RECYCLABLE MATERIAL. FOR THE CUSTOMERS, THEY'LL GET MORE INCREASED RECYCLING TO DO. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DID HE CYCLE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL, PLASTICS, HARD PLASTICS 1 THROUGH 7. BOX BOARD, WHICH THAT CONSISTS OF SHOE BOXES AND CEREAL BOXES WILL BE ABLE TO BE RECYCLED IN OUR NEW PROGRAM. MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY, WE COVERED THAT. THAT WOULD BE FOR A PROJECT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IT SEEMS LIKE EACH TIME I COME TO YOU AND TELL YOU A DATE FOR STARTING THAT PROGRAM I HAVE TO PUSH IT OFF, BUT I THINK TODAY WILL BE THE LAST TIME I MAKE THIS CHANGE. WE HOPE TO HAVE THE MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY UP AND RUNNING IN THE YEAR 2010 FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES. IT WILL BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART REGIONAL FACILITY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THE SINGLE STREAM MATERIAL THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PRODUCES AND OTHER MATERIAL THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OTHER PRIVATE HAULERS INTO OUR MRF. THE LATEST THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS AN AUSTIN GREEN DISTRICT AND I HAVE A SHORT VIDEO I'LL SHOW YOU AFTER I GET THROUGH TALKING CONCERNING THE AUSTIN GREEN DISTRICT. WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON THE CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN THAT THE MAYOR STARTED AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT SOLID WASTE SERVICES IS NOT DETRIMENT TO THE THINGS FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN. WE ALSO HAVE THE ZERO WASTE PLAN WHICH WE HAVE A CONSULTANT ON BOARD TO GUIDE US THROUGH THE -- TO GIVE US THE ZERO WASTE PLAN. CURRENTLY WE'RE MEETING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS, GETTING THEIR INPUT FOR THE PLAN, AND THEN TRYING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. PLEASE REMEMBER THE CITY OF AUSTIN SOLID WASTE SERVICES DEPARTMENT ONLY PROVIDES GARBAGE SERVICE TO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE ONLY PICK UP LESS THAN A THIRD OF THE WASTE STREAM IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT'S BEING GENERATED. BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET ADDITIONAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO HELP US WITH OUR ZERO WASTE PLAN. WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH CAPCOG AND WITH TRAVIS COUNTY TO ELICIT THAT SUPPORT IN AIDING US IN THE ZERO WASTE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF TRAVIS COUNTY. RESEARCH. WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON? ELECTRONIC WASTE. ELECTRONIC WASTE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HOT TOPIC IN AUSTIN. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE WORK WITH DELL AND GOODWILL IN COMING UP WITH A CURB SIDE COLLECTION PROGRAM FOR COMPUTERS. I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR THAT BECAUSE OF ASKING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. AND SO WHAT'S NEXT ON THE HORIZON? TELEVISION SETS IS AN ISSUE AND WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME STAKEHOLDERS ON TELEVISION SETS AND WE'RE TRYING TO COME FORWARD WITH A PLAN FOR THAT TO NOTIFY THE CITIZENS ABOUT THE SWITCH NEXT YEAR CONCERNING TELEVISION SETS. CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS. TRYING TO BECOME -- WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THAT, WHICH WILL ALSO AID US IN OUR ZERO WASTE PLANS. ORGANIC WASTE TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM FOR ORGANIC WASTE FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN. AND FUEL ALTERNATIVES FOR THE FLEET OF TRUCKS THAT OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. ALL THESE ARE RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND WE HOPE TO BE BRINGING BACK TO COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE, DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES. AND SO AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO PLAY THE VIDEO THAT WE HAVE.

SOLID WASTE SERVICES HAS ALWAYS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING AUSTIN'S QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR MANY YEARS THAT ROLE WAS BASICALLY LIMITED TO KEEPING THE STREETS CLEAN AND PICKING UP GARBAGE AT THE CURB. WHILE THOSE REMAIN OUR CORE FUNCTIONS, WE'VE ALSO MOVED BEYOND THE CURVE FOR THE 24/'PRESENCE THAT TOUCHES EVERY PART OF THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION TO OUR SCHEDULED COLLECTION SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE GARBAGE, YARD TRIMMINGS, RECYCLABLE MATERIAL AND BULKY ITEMS, OUR CREW HELP KEEP AUSTIN CLEAN AND GREEN BY RIDDING NEIGHBORS OF ILLEGAL DUMPS, CLEARING TRASH FROM PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAYS AND MAKING SURE OUR SIDEWALKS AN STREET ARE CLEAN. WE'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN AUSTIN'S BIGGEST EVENTS. FROM THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, TIDYING UP BEFOREHAND AND CLEANING UP WHEN THE FUN'S OVER. AND WHEN MOTHER NATURE IS THE ONE MAKING THE MESS, WE'RE OUT THERE CLEANING UP AFTER HER AS WELL. THE LITTER AN WASTE AREN'T ALL WE DEAL WITH. OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTORS ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY EVERYDAY ENSURING THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WE WORK WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS WELL, ADVISING LARGE AND SMALL INTRIESESES ON WAYS TO MINIMIZE WASTE THROUGH OUR WASTE REDUCTION PROGRAM. WE ALSO TRY TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE WITH OUR RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS. WE'RE EVEN IN THE SCHOOLS. THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS LIKE CAP AND CAN, WE EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS OF RECYCLING TO NEARLY 15,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY. IN FACT, OUR RECYCLING PROGRAM HAS BEEN OUR GREATEST SUCCESS, GHN THE 1980'S, WE BOLSTERED THE PROGRAM WITH PAY AS YOU THROW IN THE 1990'S, FURTHER ENCOURAGING OUR CITIZENS TO REDUCE THEIR WASTE. MOST RECENTLY WE CONDUCTED A TEST PROGRAM FOR SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING. AS A RESULT WE'RE YEARS AHEAD OF OTHER CITIES. WEEKLY GARBAGE TOTALS CONTINUE TO DECLINE EVEN THOUGH AUSTIN'S POPULATION IS INCREASING. NEARLY 30% OF THE MATERIAL WE COLLECT IS PROCESSED BY OUR RECYCLING OPERATIONS, KEEPING ADDITIONAL WASTE OUT OF OUR LANDFILLS, WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CITY'S BOTTOM LINE. FOR EXAMPLE, 100% OF OUR GREEN WASTE IS RECYCLED TO PRODUCE DILLO DIRT, WHICH IS SOLD AT RETAIL OUTLETS. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THING THAT CAN'T BE RECYCLED OR BURIED IN A LANDFILL, WE'VE GOT THAT COVERED TOO WITH OUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY WHICH TAKES IN EVERYTHING FROM PESTICIDES TO USED OIL. WE'RE ALSO DOING OUR PART TO IMPROVE AUSTIN'S AIR QUALITY, INVESTING IN FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES FOR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM AS WELL AS PURCHASING TRUCKS THAT RUN ON CLEAN BURNING, COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS. IN THE FUTURE A CNG STATION WILL SERVE BOTH CITY VENT AND THE PUBLIC. THIS MULTIPRONGED APPROACH REFLECTS OUR DEDICATION TO AUSTIN'S VISION OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. IT HA ALSO LAID A FOUNDATION FOR OUR NEXT MAJOR GOAL, ZERO WASTE.

THE ENVIRONMENT'S CHANGED IN AUSTIN IN THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT COLLECTING RECYCLABLES OR GARAGE AT THE CURB, IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT INVESTING IN THE FUTURE. WE ARE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ZERO WASTE PLAN, AND THAT WILL ENCOMPASS LOOKING FOR MORE MATERIALS THAT CAN BE DIVERTED FROM THE LANDFILL, MORE MATERIAL THAT CAN BE REDUCED AT THE POINT OF MANUFACTURING. IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING.

BECAUSE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT IS SO VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF A ZERO WASTE PROGRAM, WE NEED TO PLAY A PROACTIVE ROLE, SERVING AS BOTH A MODEL AND A CATALYST FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. IT'S THAT NECESSITY THAT INSPIRED OUR VISION OF AUSTIN'S GREEN DISTRICT.

AUSTIN'S GREEN DISTRICT WILL MODEL ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND EVEN ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND A NATIONAL MODEL THAT WE THINK WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AND HOPEFULLY OTHER COMMUNITIES WILL SEE THE BENEFITS TO PRACTICING GREEN.

THE FIRST BUILDING AND THE CORE OF THE DISTRICT WILL BE OUR SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING PLANT, SCHEDULED TO COME ON LINE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AROUND THAT FACILITY, WE ENVISION A UNIQUE CAMPUS THAT WILL BRING TOGETHER ALL FACETS OF THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF AUSTIN'S ZERO WASTE GOAL. PART OF THE CHALLENGE OF REACHING THAT GOAL IS FINDING MORE WAYS TO USE RECYCLED MATERIALS. OUR THINK PADS WILL HELP FACILITATE THAT PROCESS. THESE FLEX ILG WORK SPACES WILL BE LEASED TO ENTREPRENEURS AND ARTISTS WHO SEE NEW APPLICATIONS FOR RECYCLED MATERIALS. OUR RESEARCH ZONE WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO STUDY GREEN PROCESSES AND TECHNOLOGIES. IN RETURN THEY'LL SHARE WITH US THE LATEST INNOVATIONS COMING OUT OF ACADEMIA, ENSURING THAT THE DISTRICT STAYS ON THE CUTTING EDGE. EQUALLY ESSENTIAL, WE ENVISION A PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR AUSTIN.

THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN A PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY COULD COME TO ONE LOCATION AND LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION. YOU KNOW, THE PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE.

OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE GREEN DISTRICT WOULD INCLUDE A BULK RETAIL OUTLET, SELLING RECYCLED MATERIALS. A RECREATION AREA, A BUTTERFLY GARDEN AND A COMPOST DEMO SITE. PLUS AN ELECTRIC POWERED TRAM WAITING TO GIVE VISITERS A COMPLETE TOUR OF THE FACILITY.

EVERYTHING IS A MODEL OF WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND IT'S REALLY NOT JUST ABOUT PREACHING TO THE CHOIR ANYMORE, IT'S REALLY DEM STLAIGHT WHAT WE'VE TALK ABOUT IN OUR PHILOSOPHY AND OUR INVESTMENT IN RECYCLING AND WASTE REDUCTION REALLY DOES COME TRUE IN THIS DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURES THAT ARE ON THE PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE THINK PADS FOR NEW ENTREPRENEURS THAT SEE VALUE IN THE MATERIALS AND WANT TO USE THOSE IN THEIR PRODUCTS, OR WHETHER IT'S THE COMMUNITY COMING OUT AND ENJOYING THE FACILITIES THAT HAVE RECYCLED MATERIAL. SO IT REALLY IS WHERE WE'RE HEADED. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO LAUNCH AUSTIN'S GREEN DISTRICT.

MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

Mayor Wynn: QUESTIONS FOR MR. ROARDZS, COUNCIL? COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL.

Leffingwell: JUST A COUPLE OF SHORT SOFT BALLS HERE. YOU MENTIONED WE'RE EXPANDING TO 1 THROUGH 7 ON THE PLASTICS. I BELIEVE CURRENTLY WE DO, WHAT, 1 AND 2?

YES.

Leffingwell: I'M NOT QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE DESIGNATIONS. DOES THAT INCLUDE PLASTIC BAGS?

NO, IT DOES NOT.

Leffingwell: DO WE NOT HAVE A FLOON AT LEAST START A PILOT PROGRAM FOR PLASTIC BAG CURB SIDE PICKUP?

IN MAY OF THIS YEAR WE'LL BE STARTING A PILOT PROGRAM FOR PLASTIC BAGS IN OUR FIVE AREAS THAT WE HAVE THE CURRENT PILOT FOR SINGLE STREAM GOING ON AND WE HOPE TO BRING THAT BACK TO YOU, COUNCIL. IT'S A FOUR MONTH PILOT AND AFTER THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BRING THAT REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL, AND WE'LL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU.

Leffingwell: AS WE'VE DISCUSSED MANY TIMES, CURB SIDE PICKUP IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PLASTIC BAG MITIGATION PLAN OVERALL. THANKS FOR GOING AHEAD WITH THE PLASTIC BAG PILOT AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH THE FULL PROGRAM AFTER THE TEST PROGRAM. THE SECOND ONE IS ON THE 90-GALLON RECYCLE BINS THAT WILL BE FURNISHED TO BE PICKED UP EVERY TWO WEEKS, I REALIZE THERE'S A STRONG MOTIVATION TO PROVIDE A VERY LARGE CONTAINER SINCE IT WILL ONLY BE TWO WEEK AN IT WILL BE PICKUP EVERY TWO WEEKS. WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STUFF THAT THING FULL OBVIOUSLY, BUT I HAVE HAD SOME INQUIRIES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A SMALLER CONTAINER. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND WILL THERE BE SUCH A POSSIBILITY?

WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, COUNCIL. AS WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WE CAN NOT DETERMINE WHAT THE NEED WOULD BE. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TO PUT THE 90-GALLON CARTS OUT TO THE CUSTOMERS, SEE WHAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK WE GET FROM THE CUSTOMERS ONCE THEY HAVE THAT, AND THEN MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN -- IF WE HAVE TO BRING IN ANOTHER CART.

Leffingwell: OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT TO DISCOWRNG RECYCLING, BUT THERE IS SOME CONCERN ABOUT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE IMPAIRED IN SOME WAY AND A 90-GALLON CONTAINER IS VERY LARGE. MAYBE ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT IS IF A PERSON ALREADY HAS A 30-GALLON CONTAINER FOR REGULAR PICKUP, MAYBE THEY WOULD BE ENTIEGHTSED TO GET A SMALLER CONTAINER FOR RECYCLES ALSO. BUT IF THEY HAVE A 90-GALLON GARBAGE CONTAINER AND ARE REQUESTING A SMALLER CONTAINER, THAT MIGHT NOT WORK OUT TOO WELL. JUST SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT. I APPRECIATE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND I THINK HERE IN AUSTIN WE'RE GOING TO BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE. I KNOW WE RECENTLY HIRED AN EXPERT TO CONSULT WITH US AND GIVE US ADVICE BECAUSE THESE PLANS FOR ZERO WASTE ARE VERY MUCH SITE SPECIFIC AND HE'S GOING TO BE STUDYING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US HERE IN AUSTIN. SO THANKS FOR YOUR WORK.

Mayor Wynn: COUNCILMEMBER KIM.

Kim: THANK YOU, MR. RHODES. DO WE HAVE A LOCATION FOR THE MURVE, THE RECYCLING FACILITY?

IT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN LANDFILL.

Kim: DOES IT HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY OR HOW LONG IS IT FOR AT THE RECYCLING FACILITY?

THE CAPACITY IS BASED ON THE HOURS OF OPERATION. WE'VE DESIGNED IT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR CURRENT CAPACITY TODAY. IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THEN WE NEED TO PUT ADDITIONAL -- DO ANOTHER SHIFT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING FOR AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY, 40 HOUR A WEEK SHIFT. IF WE NEED TO ADD ANOTHER SHIFT ON TO IT, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER EIGHT HOUR SHIFT, 40 HOURS A WEEK FOR A SECOND SHIFT.

Kim: OKAY.

WE COULD DOUBLE THE CAPACITY OF THE FACILITY JUST BY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL SHIFT.

THANKS. I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ORGANIC WASTE. YOU MENTIONED THAT AS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY RESEARCHING. AND I'M WORKING ON AN INITIATIVE FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS RIGHT NOW. AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF HELPING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ORGANIC WASTE THAT'S GOING INTO OUR STREAM OF WASTE. AND SO WHAT IS KIND OF THE EFFORT RIGHT NOW FOR LOCAL COMPOSTING OTHER THAN PEOPLE DOING IT IN THEIR OWN YARDS.

CURRENTLY WE NEED TO FIND A MECHANISM TO BE ABLE TO RECYCLE THAT ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AND WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME PARTNERS ON THIS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN THIS EFFORT. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW TO TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL POSSIBILITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE START THIS PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WILL BE CONTINUED AND SUSTAINABLE FOR THE FUTURE.

ONE THING I KNOW THAT PEOPLE -- THEY WANT TO COMPOST THEIR WASTE, ORGANIC WASTE, BUT THEY FIND IT'S VERY -- SOMETIMES INCONVENIENT TO DO IT THEMSELVES AND THEY WOULD LIKE A A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO DROP IT OFF. I THINK THAT ONE IDEA IS TO BE ABLE TO LET THEM DROP IT OFF AT A COMMUNITY GARDEN IF IT'S CLOSE BY TO THEM WHERE THEY COULD HAVE COME PASTING THERE AS WELL AS -- COMPOSTING THERE AS WELL AS THE GARDEN THAT WOULD TAKE THAT COMPOST FOR FERTILIZER. SO I'M WORKING WITH SOME PEOPLE RIGHT NOW AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR ASSISTANCE FROM THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT TO BRING US WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU HAVE AND YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.

I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

Kim: THANK YOU.

Mayor Wynn: COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL.

Leffingwell: WITH REGARD TO COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL OF THE ZERO WASTE PLANS HAVE THAT AS A COMPONENT TO INCLUDE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS FOR CURB SIDE PICKUP.

THAT'S CORRECT.

Leffingwell: SO THAT WILL NUMBER OUR PLANS DOWN THE ROAD, CURB SIDE PICKUP FOR THAT KIND OF MATERIAL. COMPOSTABLE MATERIAL.

Mayor Wynn: FURTHER COMMENTS FOR MR. ROAZ? THANK YOU, WILLIE. SO COUNCIL, THAT BRINGS UP OUR TIME FOR ME TO RECESS THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE TAX INCREPT FINANCING OR TIF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 17 KNOWN AS WALLER CREEK. I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME OUR TWO COHORT BOARD MEMBERS, THAT BEING FROM THE COUNTY, LEROY NELLIS, AND FROM AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BILL MALANE. SO CONSTITUENT, COUNCIL, -- SO AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL, WE WILL TAKE UP OUR TIF 17 AGENDA.

MOVING TO THE FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE. TODAY WE BRING THREE ITEMS TO THE WALLER CREEK TIF BOARD TO CONSIDER. FIRST OF ALL, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU ELECT A VICE-CHAIR TO PRESIDE OVER THE TIF BOARD MEETINGS IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR. SECONDLY WE WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU, RECAPPING QUICKLY THE FINAL PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN FOR THE WALLER CREEK TUNNEL PROJECT. AND THEN FINALLY RECOMMENDING -- ASKING YOU TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO FUND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING ZONE FOR THE WALLER CREEK TUNNEL PROJECT AND THE COUNTY HAS APPROVED THAT AGREEMENT AS WELL. THEY APPROVED IT AT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ON MARCH THE FOURTH. THEN THE FINAL STEPS FOR GETTING ALL OF THE ITEMS WRAPPED UP AND ADOPTED TODAY, ONCE THE BOARD ADJOURNS THE TIF BOARD MEETING AND HAS THE CITY COUNCIL, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU APPROVE ITEMS 6 AND 7, WHICH IS FOR TRAVIS COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ZONE, AND ITEM NUMBER 7, WHICH WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ATTACHED TO THE AGREEMENT. THE FIRST ITEM TODAY IS FOR THE ELECTION OF A VICE-CHAIR. THE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF THE TIF BOARD WITH THE MAYOR CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE BOARD CHAIR. A VICE-CHAIR IS RECOMMENDED TO PRESIDE WHEN THE CHAIR IS UNABLE TO ATTEND. AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE TWO MEMBERS, BILL MALANE WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND LEROY NELLIS, WHO IS THE BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.

Mayor Wynn: SO BOARD, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR VICE-CHAIR.

Dunkerley: I WOULD NOMINATE COUNCILMEMBER COLE AS VICE-CHAIR OF THE TIF BOARD.

Mayor Wynn: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND NOMINATING COUNCILMEMBER COLE AS THE VICE-CHAIR OF THE THE TIF 17 BOARD. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

Mayor Wynn: OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO.

ITEM NUMBER 2, MOVING ON, IS CONSIDERATION OF THE PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN FOR THE WALLER CREEK TIF ZONE. AND COUNCIL ACTUALLY APPROVED THE PRELIMINARY FINANCING AND PROJECT PLAN BACK IN JUNE OF 2007 WHEN THE TIF ZONE WAS CREATED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS A PICTORIAL FOR YOU OF THE REINVESTMENT ZONE ITSELF. THE ZONE BOUNDARIES ROUGHLY INCLUDE 12TH STREET ON THE NORTH. MOVING DOWN TO THE WEST ALONGSIDE RED RIVER AND TRINITY STREETS, BOUNDED ON THE EAST ROUGHLY BY THE I-35 ACCESS ROAD. AND THEN OF COURSE GOING SOUTHWARD TO TOWN LAKE. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE, BUT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATED INFORMATION HERE. THE AREA WITHIN THE ZONE IS APPROXIMATELY 126-ACRES OR 28 CITY BLOCKS. ULTIMATELY THE AREA IS EXPECTED TO BE REDEVELOPED WITH A MIX OF USES, INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL, RETAIL, HOTEL AND OFFICE. AND THEN OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE TIF, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED TO BE 20 YEARS, THE INCREMENT IN ASSESSED VALUE WOULD EVENTUALLY TOTAL ABOUT $3.6 BILLION. 2007 IS THE TAX YEAR THAT WAS USED TO ESTABLISH THE BASELINE FOR THE TIF. AND OUR MOST RECENT ESTIMATES THERE THAT ARE REFLECTED IN THE AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY TO ESTABLISH THE BASELINE ARE $236 MILLION FOR THE CITY, $228 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY, AND THAT REFLECTS THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. AND THEN OUR FIRST INCREMENT OF TAX COLLECTIONS WOULD ACTUALLY START IN FISCAL YEAR 2009. THIS IS JUST AGAIN A PICTURE THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS. THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP DID QUITE A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND THE CURRENT STATUS BACK AT THE END OF JANUARY. BUT THIS IS JUST THE GENERAL ROUTE AND DESIGN OF THE TUNNEL. A QUICK HIGHLIGHT ON ESTIMATED PROJECT TIME LINES DESIGNED AGAIN IN 2007. WE DO ANTICIPATE AWARDING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN JUNE OF 2010. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE THEN WOULD BEGIN AFTER THE TUNNEL IS COMPLETED, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY ESTIMATING THAT WOULD BE 2016, AROUND ABOUT THAT YEAR. AND JUST A QUICK NOTE. CONSTRUCTION AND O AND M COST PROJECTIONS FOR THE TUNNEL HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THIRD PARTIES IN ADDITION TO THE FIRM THAT DEVELOPED THE ESTIMATES. BROWN & ROOT IS THE FIRM THAT THE -- THE JOINT VENTURE FIRM THAT WE USED TO WORK UP THE CONSTRUCTIONABLE O AND M COST PROJECTIONS, AND WE ACTUALLY ALSO RAN THOSE BY THE ENGINEERING STAFF AT THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM.

JUST A QUICK SLIDE HERE. THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT COSTS. OUR BEST ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS 127.5 MILLION. AND YOU CAN SEE OF COURSE THAT MOST OF THAT IS CONSTRUCTION AT 94.7. AND THEN DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, ANNUAL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF APPROXIMATELY $3.2 MILLION. AND THAT'S IN THE FIRST YEAR THAT THIS TUNNEL WOULD BE OPERATIONAL. HERE IS A SUMMARY OF OUR FINANCING PLAN. HERE YOU SEE THE PROJECT COST OF 27.5 UP AT THE TOP. WE DO HAVE SOME CASH ON HAND THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING TO PROCEED WITH DESIGN. AND THAT IS FUNDED BY THE PROCEEDS OF THE WEEK VENUE BONDS THAT WERE ISSUED BACK IN 1999, AND THE INTEREST THAT HAS ACCRUED SINCE THAT TIME. LOOKING DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, FINANCED OVER A 30-YEAR PERIOD WITH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE THERE IS CLOSE TO 7 MILLION. AND OVER THE 20 YEAR ESTIMATED LIFE OF THE TIF, THE ANNUAL REVENUE IS ABOUT 10 MILLION ON THE AVERAGE, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, STARTING OUT IN 2009 IT WOULD BE CLOSER TO 600,000, SO IT DOES GROW AS THE TIF LIFE PROCEEDS. THEN THIS IS THE LAST ONE IN REGARDS TO THE FINANCING PLAN. THE CITY WOULD MANAGE THE FINANCING. TRAVIS COUNTY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR CONTRADICTING THE TAX INCREMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS. THE CITY WILL CONTRIBUTE 1 PERCENT OF ITS INCREMENT WITH THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTING 50 PERCENT OF THEIRS, AN THEN WE'LL ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE ON THE CITY SIDE FOR MANAGING THE CASH FLOW RELATED TO THE PROJECT. SO WE'LL UTILIZE A SECONDARY SOURCE OF VENUE RELATED REVENUE TO SMOOTH OUT THE CASH FLOWS THERE. THAT'S PRIMARILY IN THE EARLY TO MID YEARS OF THE TIF UNTIL THE TIF REVENUE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO GROW. AND THAT SECONDARY SOURCE IS GENERATED FROM THE SAVINGS THAT WE GOT FROM THE HILTON HOTEL REFUNDING THIS PAST JANUARY. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE RECAP OF THE PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN. WE WOULD ASK THE TIF BOARD TO CONSIDER THAT AND APPROVE THOSE PLANS.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? COUNCILMEMBER COLE?

Cole: HE JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. THERE WAS A SLIDE A FEW SLIDES BACK AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO FIND IT. IT WAS EXPLAINING THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE INCREMENT ON THE PROJECT.

IT WAS 3.6 BILLION. THAT'S OVER TIME BY THE END OF THE THE 20 YEAR PERIOD.

Cole: A 20 YEAR PERIOD IN THE TIF TIME AND THAT INCLUDES THE INCREMENT THAT WOULD BENEFIT BOTH US AND THE COUNTY.

WHENEVER YOU CALCULATE YOUR REVENUE COLLECTIONS, THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD APPLY THE TAX RATE TOO. THAT'S IN THE 20TH YEAR, BY THE 20TH YEAR. IT WOULD HAVE --

Cole: SO IF WE HAD NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE TIF AREA, THE -- SO WITH ZERO VALUE NOW AND WE HAD WHATEVER, $500 MILLION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THAT $3 BILLION?

THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT. SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE -- I BELIEVE THAT'S BOTH ESTIMATED GROWTH AND VALUES OF WE MOVE DOWN THE LINE AND NEW CONSTRUCTION AS WELL.

Cole: OKAY.

Mayor Wynn: FURTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? MR. NELLIS OR MALANE? AND IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS TIF 17 ITEM NUMBER 2.

MAV MOVE APPROVAL.

Mayor Wynn: MOTION BY THE VICE-CHAIR, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER MCCRACKEN. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.? OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF 9 TO 0.

THE LAST ITEM THAT WE ASKED THE TIF BOARD TO CONSIDER TODAY IS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO FUND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE WALLER CREEK TIF. THE PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN THAT WE'VE JUST COVERED WITH YOU CONTAINS MANY OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE BASIC TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN THE AGREEMENT, AND THESE ARE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, COUNTY STAFF, PRIOR TO THE CREATION OF THE TIF BY CITY ORDINANCE BY BOTH THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER COLE. AND THEN HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AS WELL IN THE FINAL PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN.

WITH THAT I WOULD ASK IF THE TIF BOARD COULD CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THAT.

Mayor Wynn: QUESTIONS OF STAFF? MOTION BY THE VICE-CHAIR. SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER LEFFINGWELL TO APPROVE THIS INTERLOCAL BETWEEN THE CITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY. FURTHER COMMENTS? MOTION PASSES BY A VOTE OF NINE ON ZERO.

THANK YOU. THE NEXT STEP AFTER WE'VE ADJOURNED BOB TO ADOPT ITEMS 6 AND 7 BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. THERE BEING NO MORE BUSINESS BEFORE THE TIF 17 BOARD, WE NOW STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND COUNCIL WILL TAKE UP ITEMS NUMBER SIX AND SEVEN, THOSE RELATED TO THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN BY THE TIF 17 BOARD AND WE'LL ENTERTAIN A COMBINED MOTION.

MAYOR, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION OF ITEM 6 AND 7. MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO

Mayor Wynn: MOTION BYCOUNCILMEMBER COLE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL FOR ITEMS 6 AND BE 7. FURTHER COMMENTS?

Cole: I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF FOR THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THEY HAVE PUT INTO THIS PROCESS AND ALSO THE COUNTY BECAUSE IT ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM. AND LEROY NELLIS AND THE A.C.C. REPRESENTATIVE FOR COMING AND SITTING WITH US ON THIS BOARD.

Mayor Wynn: AGAIN, MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. THANK EVERYBODY. I BELIEVE THAT TAKES US TO OUR 4:00 O'CLOCK ZONING CASES. MR. GUERNSEY, WELCOME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS GREG GUERNSEY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT. I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH YOUR 4:00 O'CLOCK ZONING ORDINANCES AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ITEMS. I'LL START WITH THE ITEMS WE CAN OFFER BY CONSENT AND THESE ARE WHERE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS HAVE BEEN CLOSED. ITEM NUMBER 43 IS CASE C-14-2007-0229, KNOWN AS THE SOUTH EDGE II PROPERTY, PART 2. THIS IS TO APPROVE SECOND AND THIRD READING FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6204 CROW LANE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM FAMILY RESIDENCE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING TO MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE LOW DENSITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING WITH CONDITIONS. THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ON SECOND AND THIRD READINGS. ITEM NUMBER 44 IS CASE C-14-2008-0003, THE WINDSOR ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA VERTICAL MIXED USE OPT IN, OPT OUT FOR TRACTS 3 THROUGH 21. STAFF HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED SOME PETITIONS REGARDING THESE PROPERTIES AND IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM TO YOUR APRIL 24TH AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 45 IS CASE C-14-2007-0222, THE ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3116 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE. THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FROM GENERAL COMMERCIAL SERVICES NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE MODERATE HIGH DENSITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING TO COMMERCIAL LIQUOR SALES MIXED USE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING AND THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ON SECOND AND THIRD READINGS. ITEM NUMBER 46 IS NPA-2008-0011.01. THIS IS THE NECK LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA VERTICAL MIXED USE AND BUILDING. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. AND THE RELATED ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 47, THIS IS CASE C-14-2008-0002, GOAN THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA VERTICAL MIXED USE BUILDING, ZONING OPT IN, OPT OUT. STAFF IS INDICATING THAT THESE ARE A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR BOTH 46 AND 47. ITEM 48 IS C-14-2007-0258, THIS IS THE EAST MLK COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA VERTICAL MIXED USE BUILDING. THE OPT IN, OPT OUT PROCESS TO APPROVE SECOND AND THIRD READINGS FOR THE EAST MLK AREA. AND I BELIEVE AT FIRST READING THERE WAS A REQUEST TO CONTACT THE NEIGHBORHOOD. STAFF DID DO THAT AND INDICATED THE DESIRE OF COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE INCLUSION OF ALL TRACTS AT FIRST READING. I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TONIGHT. WE JUST MADE THEM AWARE OF WHAT ACTION WAS TAKEN AT FIRST READING. SINCE IT IS A CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WOULD ACTUALLY SHOW UP AS SIGNING IN BECAUSE I DON'T THINK OUR SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW THAT. SO WE COULD LEAVE IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM AND SEE IF ANYONE HERE IS FROM THE EAST MLK COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.

Mayor Wynn: IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE FROM THE EAST MLK COMBINED PLANNING AREA? ONE TENTATIVE HAND.

WE HAVE ONE PERSON THAT LIVES IN THE EAST MLK COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA. MAYBE THEY CAN COME UP AND PE TO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT. ITEM NUMBER 49 IS CASE C-14-2007-0235, THIS IS THE JUDGE'S HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, A PORTION OF DOWNTOWN PLANNING AREA. THIS IS FOR THE VERTICAL MIXED USE V ZONING OPT IN, OPT OUT PROCESS. THERE WILL AN DISCUSSION ITEM. WE DO HAVE SOME VALID PETITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CASE. SO THAT CONCLUDES ITS CASE I CAN OFFER AT THIS TIME.

Mayor Wynn: THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE ITEMS WHERE WE HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED THE PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE TO APPROVE ON SECOND AND THIRD READING ITEM 43, TO POSTPONE ITEM 44 TO APRIL 24TH, 2008, AND TO APPROVE ITEM 45, ALSO ON SECOND AND THIRD READING. I'LL ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION. MOTIONLY COUNCILMEMBER MCCRACKEN, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO.

MAYOR LET ME THEN CONTINUE WITH THE 4:00 O'CLOCK ZONING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS. ITEM NUMBER 50 IS CASE C-14-TOUT-0029. THIS IS THE PLAZA SALTILLO STATION AREA. THIS IS LOCATED IN EAST AUSTIN NEAR SEVENTH STREET AND WHICH CHICON. STAFF IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM TO YOUR APRIL 10th AGENDA. AND I'LL BE READING THROUGH SEVERAL POSTPONEMENTS BECAUSE OF ACTION TAKEN BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO POSTPONE THEIR RECOMMENDATION OR THEIR PUBLIC HEARINGS TO APRIL EIGHTH. ITEM NUMBER 51 IS CASE NPA 2008-0002.01. THIS IS THE EAST CESAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT. AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE INCLUDING THE PLAZA SALTILLO STATION AREA. STAFF IS REQUESTING OF POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM NUMBER 51 TO APRIL 10th. ITEM 52 IS CASE NPA 2008-0009.01. THIS IS THE CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT AGAIN RELATED TO THE PLAZA SALTILLO EASH PLAN. STAFF IS REQUESTING POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM TO YOUR APRIL 10th AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 53 IS CASE NPA 2008-0010.01, THE HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT. AGAIN THIS IS RELATED TO THE PLAZA SALTILLO AREA PLAN. THIS IS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY STAFF TO APRIL 10 THE. ITEM NUMBER 54 IS CASE C-14-2008-0031. THIS IS THE MLKJ BOULEVARD STATION AREA PLAN, AND THIS IS A REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT AGAIN BY STAFF. THIS IS FOR THE MLK BOULEVARD STATION AREA T.O.D. AND THAT'S AGAIN A POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL 10TH. ITEM NUMBER 55 IS CASE NPA-2008-0003.01, THE CHESTNUT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT. AGAIN THIS IS RELATED TO THE MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD STATION AREA PLAN. STAFF IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM 55 TO YOUR APRIL 10TH AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 56 IS CASE NPA 2008-008.01, THE ROSEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT. THIS IS RELATED TO THE MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD STATION AREA PLAN. STAFF IS REQUESTING POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM NUMBER 56 TO YOUR APRIL 10TH AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 57 IS CASE NPA 2008-0012.01, THE UPPER BOGGY CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMY. THIS IS RELATED TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING STATION AREA PLAN AND STAFF IS REQUESTING A MOMENT OF THIS ITEM TO YOUR -- A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM TO YOUR APRIL 10TH AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 58 IS NPA-2008-0015.01. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE MLK JUNIOR AREA STATION AREA MAN. STAFF IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 58 TO YOUR APRIL 10th AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 59 IS CASE C-14-2007-0207. THIS IS FOR THE VILLAGE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN THE 2700 BLOCK OF WEST ANDERSON LANE. THIS CASE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON ITEM NUMBER 59. ITEM NUMBER 60 IS CASE C-14-2007-0234, THE SOUTH URBAN LOFTS PROPERTY AT 4367 SOUTH AUSTIN AVENUE. THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FROM GENERAL COMMERCIAL SERVICES MIXED USE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDEN HIGHEST DENSITY CONDITIONAL OVERLAY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL SERVICES MIXED USE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN OR CS-MU-NP DISTRICT ZONING AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE HIGHEST DENSITY COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GRANT THIS REQUEST AND IS READY FOR ALL THREE READING. ITEM NUMBER 61 IS CASE C-14-2007-0210 AND C 14 H-2007-0011, THE KOCUREK BUILDING AT 511 WEST 41st STREET. THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM TO YOUR NEXT MEETING OF MARCH 27TH. ITEM NUMBER 62 IS CASE C-14-2007-0239, THE CHI OMEGA. A PROPERTY AT 2711 RIO GRANDE STREET. THIS IS A REZONING FROM MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE MODERATE HIGH DENSITY METROPOLITAN COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GRANT THE REQUEST FOR MF-4-CO-NP IMOINING DISTRICT ZONING. THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ON ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NUMBER 63 IS CASE C-14-2007-0240, 10401 ANDERSON MILL ROAD: THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FROM RURAL RESIDENCE DISTRICT ZONING AND COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONING TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONING. THE ZONING AND PLATTING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GRANT COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL CONDITIONAL OVERLAY COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING. AND THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ON ALL THREE READING. ITEM NUMBER 64 IS CASE C-14-TOUT-0005 FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3810 SOUTH FIRST STREET. THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FROM FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT ZONING TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL MIXED USE COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GRANT THE REQUEST FOR LR-MU COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING. THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ON ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NUMBER 65 IS CASE C-14-2008-0027, THE RIVER PLACE CENTER. FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10815 FM 2222. THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FROM LIMITED OFFICE DISTRICT ZONING FOR TRACT 1. AND LIMITED OFFICE DISTRICT ZONING AND COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONE FOG TRACT 2. THE -- LIMITED OFFICE LO DISTRICT ZONING AND COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONE FOG TRACT 2. THE ZONING AND PLATTING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GRANT THE GR ZONE FOG TRACT 1 AND LO -- AND GR ZONE FOG TRACT 2. THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ON ALL THREE READINGS. ITEM NUMBER 66 IS CASE C-14-85-288.135 RCA. THIS IS THE A.C.C. PINNACLE CAMPUS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 7748 U.S. 290 WEST. THIS IS A REQUEST TO AMEND THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT