Closed Caption Log, Council Meeting, 04/24/08

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.

Mayor Wynn: I'M MAYOR WILL WYNN AND IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME PASTOR KERMIT BELL FROM THE CHURCH OF GLAD TIDINGS TO LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION. PLEASE RISE.

BOW YOUR HEADS WHILE WE PRAY. FATHER WE COME TO YOU NOW IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERS YOU HAVE GIVEN OUR CITY. WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO LIVE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS AUSTIN. YOU SAID IN JEREMIAH 29: 7 TO SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY WHERE I HAVE CAUSED YOU TO LIVE AND PRAY TO THE LORD FOR IT FOR IN ITS PEACE WE WILL HAVE PEACE. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE PROSPERITY THAT AUSTIN HAS ENJOYED IN RECENT YEARS, AND WE ASK THAT YOU HELP US BE GOOD MANAGERS OF THIS BLESSING. WE THANK YOU FOR A STRONG ECONOMY AND MANY JOB OPPORTUNITIES. WE THANK YOU FOR THE ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES WE ENJOY, CLEAN WATER, AIR, AND A WONDERFUL QUALITY OF LIFE. YET IN THE MIDST OF THESE WONDERFUL THINGS WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CITY, WE QUICKLY RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALSO HAVE TREMENDOUS NEEDS. LORD, FORGIVE US FOR BROADCASTING VIOLENCE AND SEX AND CALLING IT ENTERTAINMENT. FORGIVE US FOR TURNING OUR BACKS TO THOSE IN NEED AND CHOOSING SELF-PRESERVATION. FATHER, FORGIVE US FOR NOT DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF EVERY PERSON, INCLUDING THE UNBORN. FORGIVE FISHER HOUSE CLOSING OUR HEARTS TO THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE AND CALLING IT TOLERANCE. PROVERBS 14: 34 SAYS GODLINESS MAKES A GREAT NATION, BUT SIN IS A DISGRACE TO ANY PEOPLE. AS ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR CHURCH, LORD, I ASK YOU TO HELP US PARTNER WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE CRIME RATE, INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE CAUGHT IN THE TRAP OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE. WE REJOICE THAT THINGS ARE BEING TRANSFORMED IN AREAS LIKE THE ST. JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD MOBILIZE YOUR CHURCH AND YOUR PEOPLE TO COULD THE SAME IN OTHER AREAS LIKE THE RUNDBERG LANE AREA AND THE GEORGIAN NEIGHBORHOOD. WE IMPLORE TO YOU HELP STRENGTHEN MARRIAGES AND FAMILIES, PROVIDE JOB TRAINING, MENTOR YOUTH AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERY PERSON LIVING IN OUR CITY. PROVERBS 11 SAYS UP RIGHT CITIZENS ARE GOOD FOR A CITY AND MAKE IT PROSPER. FINALLY, WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM IN EVERY DECISION THAT WILL BE MADE TODAY. WE ASK THAT EACH DECISION WILL PROVIDE JUSTICE AND EQUALITY FOR THOSE INVOLVED. HELP OUR LEADERS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT EASY. HELP THEM TO CHOOSE THE HIGH ROAD EVEN IF IT MEANS PERSONAL SACRIFICE. AND LORD, I'M REMINDED OF WHAT ONE OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SAID, IF A SPARROW CANNOT FALL FROM THE SKY WITHOUT YOUR NOTICE, CAN WE EXPECT A NATION TO RISE WITHOUT YOUR HAND? FATHER, WE PRAY THAT OVER OUR CITY THAT YOUR HAND WOULD BE UPON OUR CITY. WE PRAY THAT YOUR MERCY WOULD FLOW THROUGH OUR STREETS UNTIL EVERY CITIZEN HAS FELT THE IMPACT OF YOUR PRESENCE. AND MAY GOD BLESS AUSTIN, TEXAS. AMEN.

Mayor Wynn: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO PASTOR BELL AND REMIND FOLKS THAT THE CHURCH OF GLAD TIDINGS FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS HAS BEEN WORSHIPPING IN THE NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN, ALLENDALE, CRESTVIEW AREA. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ?

Martinez: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR FORMER STATE REP AND RAILROAD COMMISSIONER LENA GUERRERO WHO PASSED AWAY IN HER SLEEP. SHE SERVED FROM 1984 TO 1991. SHE WAS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR RICHARDS TO THE RAILROAD COMMISSION. WAS THE FIRST HISPANIC AND THE FIRST FEMALE MEMBER OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION. AND SHE IS LOVED BY MANY FOLKS IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO GOT TO KNOW HER. AND I JUST ASK FOR A MOMENT OF BRIEF SILENCE, PLEASE.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. THERE BEING A QUORUM PRESENT, I'LL CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. IT IS THURSDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2008, APPROXIMATELY 10:25 A.M. WE ARE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE CITY HALL BUILDING, 301 WEST SECOND STREET. SO COUNCIL, BEFORE I WALK THROUGH THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS AND THEN ULTIMATELY PROPOSE A CONSENT AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK IF THERE ARE LIKELY UPCOMING ITEMS FROM COUNCIL OR ISSUES THAT WE IN THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE OF. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ.

Martinez: THANKS, MAYOR. THERE'S A FEW ITEMS THAT I WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD OR ATTEMPTING TO BRING FORWARD ON MAY 8TH COUNCIL MEETING. I OBVIOUSLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS MORE ABOUT IT. ONE IS GOING TO BE THE SOUTHWEST KEY SCHOOL NEAR JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL. WE FOUND OUT THIS WEEK THAT IT'S MORE THAN LIKELY THAT JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE EITHER SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY OR REPURPOSED AND SEVERELY LIMITED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION TO THAT COMMUNITY. SOUTHWEST KEY HAS BEEN REQUESTING A LOAN FROM THIS BODY FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW TO FINISH THEIR PROJECT OUT THERE. THEY HAD A WONDERFUL GRAND OPENING THIS PAST SATURDAY, PROVIDING GREAT SERVICES. AND I'M GOING TO ASK THIS COUNCIL IF WE WILL BE WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT LOW INTEREST LOAN FOR SOUTHWEST KEY. THE OTHER ITEM IS THAT I BELIEVE WE'VE SEEN THE GOOD WORK THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE REPORT. WE'VE USED THAT AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR MANY OF THE POLICY DECISIONS WE HAVE MADE SINCE THAT REPORT WAS COMPLETE. AND I WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD AN ITEM ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO FUND AN HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE REPORT IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. AND THEN LASTLY THIS SPEAKS MORE TO ZONING LATER ON, BUT TODAY WE HAVE ANOTHER ZONING ITEM THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA AND IT'S ANOTHER STATE PROPERTY -- THIS IS THE SECOND ONE IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO. AND WE DON'T HAVE A ZONING CATEGORY. AND SO THE STATE IS SELLING THIS LAND, A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER IS PURCHASING IT AND SEEKING A ZONING CATEGORY, BUT IT PRECLUES THE NEIGHBORS FROM -- PRECLUDES THE NEIGHBORS FROM PROVIDING A VALID PETITION AND REQUIRE AGRICULTURE HIGHER THRESHOLD OF COUNCIL TO MAKE THIS DECISION AS WE DO IN EVERY OTHER ZONING CASE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ZONED. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SEE IF WE COULD AMEND THE CODE SO THAT IN THOSE CASES WHERE STATE PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD AND WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN MORE AND MORE HERE IN AUSTIN BECAUSE THE STATE OWNS SO MUCH LAND, THAT THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPLY A VALID PETITION WHERE A ZONING REQUEST IS MADE BEFORE THIS BODY. THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS I WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. AGAIN, FURTHER POTENTIAL UPCOMING ITEMS. COUNCILMEMBER COLE.

Cole: WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON THE WALLER CREEK TUNNEL PROJECT AND THE ENVISIONING PART. AND WE WILL BE COMING UP WITH A DESIGN CONSULTANT SOON. BUT NEXT SATURDAY APRIL 30TH -- I'M SORRY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30TH AT THE THOMPSON CENTER THERE WILL BE A VISIONING SESSION.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. AGAIN, FURTHER ITEMS LIKELY TO COME FORWARD IN THE NEAR FUTURE? THEN HEARING NONE, LET'S SEE, LET'S SORT OF WALK THROUGH THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO THIS WEEK'S POSTED AGENDA. THEY ARE: ON ITEM NUMBER 2 WE NEED TO STRIKE THE PHRASE TO BE REVIEWED BY BECAUSE IN FACT IT WAS AND COMES RECOMMENDED BY THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION, ITEM NUMBER 2. AS WELL AS ITEMS NUMBER 3 AND 4 ARE BOTH RECOMMEND BY THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION. ITEM NUMBER 5 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM OUR AVIATION DEPARTMENT. ON ITEM NUMBER 6 WE NEED TO STRIKE THE REFERENCES TO EXHIBITS AND THE ORDINANCE NUMBER AND CORRECT IT BY INCLUDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20080214-003 CALLING THE MAY 10TH, 2008 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO REPEAL AND REPLACE EXHIBITS A, B, C AND D. AND WE ALSO NEED TO -- INSTEAD OF CALLING THEM A POLLING PLACE, STRIKE THE WORD PLACE AND THEN INSERT THE WORD AND AFTER EARLY VOTING PLACES S SO TO MAKE THIS SIMPLER, THE SUMMARY POSTING WILL BE TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ORDINANCE NAB I JUST READ INTO THE RECORD CALLING THE MAY 10th GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO REPEAL AND REPLACE EXHIBITS A, B, C AND D, TO ADOPT CHANGES TO ELECTION DAY POLLING LOCATIONS. THE LIST OF ELECTION DAY PRECINCT JUDGES, EARLY VOTING PLACES, AND THE LIST OF CENTRAL COUNTING STATION JUDGES. ITEM NUMBER 6 REGARDING THE UPCOMING ELECTION. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT ITEM 12 AND 13 WILL BE POSTPONED TO MAY EIGHTH, 2008 AS PART OF OUR CONSENT AGENDA. NOTE ITEM NUMBER 26 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. ON ITEM NUMBER 51, WE NEED TO AGAIN STRIKE THE PHRASE TO BE REVIEWED BY BECAUSE IN FACT IT DOES COME RECOMMENDED BY THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE. ON ITEM NUMBER 64 WE SHOULD NOTE THAT COUNCILMEMBER MCCRACKEN IS AN ADDITIONAL SPONSOR. ITEM 75 AND 77 BOTH WILL BE PROPOSED TO BE POSTPONED TO MAY 8TH, 2008. ON ITEM NUMBER 87, ONE OF OUR ZONING CASES, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENT LOW DENSITY CONDITIONAL OVERLAY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, MF-2-CONP COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING. THAT'S ITEM NUMBER 87. AND ON ITEM NUMBER 89, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT. AND ON ITEM NUMBER 91 WE SHOULD REMOVE ALL REFERENCES TO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. BOTH THE WORDS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND THE NOTATION NP. THAT'S ITEM NUMBER 91. OUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR TODAY, FOLKS, IS HERE AT SOME POINT AFTER WE GET THROUGH OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND MAYBE HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION ITEM OR TWO, OUR MORNING PRESENTATION WILL BE THE THIRD ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH TASKFORCE MONITORING COMMITTEE. I THINK DR. STONE WILL LIKELY PRESENT THAT REPORT TO US. WELCOME, DR. STONE. AT NOON WE WILL BREAK FOR OUR GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. AT SOME TIME MID AFTERNOON, BUT NO EARLIER THAN 2:00 O'CLOCK, OUR AFTERNOON BRIEFING WILL BE THE PRESENTATION OF THE COMISH.S OF OUR '06-'08 AFRICAN-AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVE. AT 4:00 O'CLOCK WE TAKE UP ZONING MATTERS. AT 5:30 LIKE USUAL WE BREAK FOR LIVE MUSIC AND PROCLAMATIONS. OUR MUSICIAN TODAY IS CAT EDMUND SON. AT 6:00 O'CLOCK WE CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARINGS; HOWEVER, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT ON PUBLIC HEARING 100, NUMBER 100, ITEM 100, STAFF WILL BE REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT TO JUNE 5TH, 2008. AND THEN BECAUSE OF A SNAFU ON OUR POSTING, LAST WEEK, TECHNICALLY ONE OF THE HEARINGS WILL BE POSTED AS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO MAKE SURE WE QUALIFIED FOR THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THAT ITEM. SO FAR, COUNCIL, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S JUST THREE ITEMS PULLED OFF OUR CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM 14 RELATES TO A CONDEMNATION CASE I HAVE PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA ALONG WITH ITEM NUMBER 63, WHICH IS OUR STREET SMARS TASKFORCE REPORT. I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT GROUP A FEW MINUTES TO GIVE A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION. WE WILL TAKE THAT UP SOMETIME AFTER OUR CONSENT AGENDA. THEN ITEM NUMBER 106 ON OUR ADDENDUM HAD BEEN PULL BAWTS BECAUSE IT'S RELATED TO AN ITEM ON EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO WITH -- SO COUNCIL, ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO BE PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA? IF NOT, THEN I WILL READ OUR PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA NUMERICALLY. IT WILL BE TO APPROVE ITEM 1, OUR MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING FROM APRIL 10TH. FROM AUSTIN ENERGY TO APPROVE ITEMS 2, 3 AND 4 PER CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS. WE'LL BE NOTING THAT FROM THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT HAS WITHDRAWN ITEM NUMBER 5. FROM OUR CITY CLERK'S DEPARTMENT WE WILL APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 6 PER CHANGES AND CORRECTION. FROM OUR CONTRACT AND LAND MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, WE'LL BE APPROVING ITEMS 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. WE WILL BE POSTPONING ITEMS 12 AND 13 TO MAY R-8, 2008. WE WILL BE APPROVING ITEM 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 AND 21. FROM OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WE'LL ABE PROVING ITEMS 22, 23 AND 24. FROM OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WE'LL BE APPROVING ITEM 25. FROM OUR MANAGEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT APPROVING ITEM 26. FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEMS 27 AND 28. FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEM 29. FROM OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEM 30. FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, APPROVING ITEM 31. FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WE'LL ABE PROVING ITEMS 32, 33 AND 34. AND A NUMBER OF PURCHASES PROPOSED BY OUR PURCHASING OFFICE WILL BE APPROVING ITEMS 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 PER CHANGES AND CORRECTION, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 AND 58. FROM OUR TREASURY OFFICE WE'LL BE APPROVING ITEMS 59 AND 60. ITEMS FROM COUNCIL, WE'LL APPROVE ITEM 61, WHICH ARE OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS THAT I'LL READ INTO THE RECORD. TO OUR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, YOLANDA ARIAGA IS NOMINATED BY MAYOR PRO TEM DUNKERLEY. TO OUR BUILDING AND FIRE CODE BOARD OF APPEALS, BRENT MYSONHIEMER IS COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ'S NOMINATION. TO OUR URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY, SHARON BAXTER IS MY NOMINATION. TO OUR WATERFRONT OVERLAY TASKFORCE, MICHAEL CASILLAS IS COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ'S NOMINATION, GREG MILLER NOMINATED BY MAYOR PRO TEM DUNKERLEY, AND ANDY MORMON NOMINATED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEFFINGWELL. AND THE FOLLOWING NOMINEES FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY TASKFORCE WERE SELECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT STRUCTURED THAT TASKFORCE AND THEREFORE CERTAIN GROUPS IN TOWN HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, SO I'LL READ THE NOMINATION AND THE GROUP WHO HAVE PUT THEM FORTH. FROM THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, LYNN ANNE CARLY. FROM OUR PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, DANIETTE CLEMENT. FROM SAVE TOWN LAKE ORGANIZATION, JEFF JACK. FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD, MARY GAY MAXWELL. FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION, ELEANOR McKINNEY. FROM THE TRAILS FOUNDATION, BRYAN OTT. AND FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, JAY UREDDI. THESE ARE ALL THE NOMINATIONS TO OUR WATERFRONT OVERLAY TASKFORCE, PART OF ITEM NUMBER CITY COUNCIL THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE'LL ALSO BE APPROVING ITEM 62, 64 PER CHANGES AND CORRECTION, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 AND 70. AND THEN ON OUR ADDENDUM WE WILL BE APPROVING -- WE'LL BE SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING BY APPROVING ITEM 104 AND WE'LL BE APPROVING THE RESOLUTION ITEM 105, THOSE TWO ITEMS OFF OF OUR ADDENDUM ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCCRACKEN.



EXCUSE ME, MAYOR. CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT ITEM NUMBER 26 IS BEING APPROVED ON CONSENT? MOISTURE MAYOR SO THE MOTION --

Mayor Wynn: SO THE MOTION FROM COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCCRACKEN INCLUDES ITEM 26 BEING WITHDRAWN AS PER CHANGES AND CORRECTION. ITEMS 25, 27 AND 28 BEING APPROVED. SO A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ. FURTHER COMMENTS?

[INAUDIBLE - NO MIC].

Mayor Wynn: EVERY WEEK, JENNIFER, AFTER I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE, I CALL FOR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES. MY COLLEAGUES GIVE THE COMMENTS. AND THEN I OPEN UP THE SPEAKER SIGN-UP SHEET AND ALLOW CITIZEN WHOSE WANT TO ADDRESS US TO DO SO. I'D APPRECIATE YOU NOT INTERRUPTING THIS CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL PROCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THE PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMEMBER MCCRACKEN.

McCracken: MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT ON ITEM 104 IN A THIS IS TO BRING THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 15TH EVEN IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS NOT ACTED BY THAT DATE. MOISTURE MAYOR SO WITHOUT OBJECTION THAT CLARIFICATION WILL BE PART OF THE RECORD. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ.

Martinez: THANKS, MAYOR. A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WANTED TO MENTION. ITEM NUMBER 19 IS A BIG STEP FORWARD. WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH -- WE'VE HAD WOMEN IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS NOW AND WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO BUILD THEM A RESTROOM. [ LAUGHTER ] MAYBE IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS WE CAN BUILD THEM A COUPLE MORE. IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, DURING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND WE ALL MADE A COMMITMENT TO MOVE FORWARD AT A MUCH MORE RAPID PACE TO PROVIDING THE FACILITIES FOR THE FIRE STATION. THIS ITEM MOVES FORWARD I BELIEVE WITH FOUR OR FIVE MORE RESTROOMS, AND IT'S READY TO GO. AND WE HAVE AN EXPEDITED CONSTRUCTION PROCESS THAT REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION WITHIN 270 DAYS. SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR WORKING SO HARD FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THE DESIGN PHASE AND NOW THE APPROVAL PHASE AND HOPEFULLY THESE FACILITIES WILL BE UP AND RUNNING WITHIN A YEAR. ITEM 105 IS AN ALLOCATION FROM THE (INDISCERNIBLE) FOR A FESTIVAL IN EAST AUSTIN. THIS YEAR THE BIG CINCO DE MAYO THAT USUALLY HAPPENS AT FIESTA GARDENS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THE NONPROFIT THAT HAS CONDUCTED THAT FESTIVAL FOR MANY YEARS HAS CEASED TO EXIST AND SO JOHNNIE DELGADO HAS.ED TO CONTINUE SOME SORT OF CELEBRATION. WE'RE ALLOCATING $5,000 FOR THE FESTIVAL. I KNOW IT'S SHORT NOTICE. MAY 5TH IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, BUT I HOPE THAT STAFF CAN EXPEDITE MAKING THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HIM SO THAT HE CAN GET THIS FESTIVAL PLANNED AND WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING SOME EAST AUSTIN ON CINCO DE MAYO. AND THEN ON ITEM 69 IS A RESOLUTION I BROUGHT FORWARD SUPPORTING PECAN STREET FESTIVAL. WHAT WE SAW OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS IS THAT AS WITH MANY OTHER FESTIVALS IN DOWNTOWN, WE CLOSE A LOT OF STREETS, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF STAFF AND OVER TIME WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THE FEES ARE PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL IN THE 40,000-DOLLAR A YEAR RANGE FOR PECAN STREET. WHAT I'VE DONE IN HAD RESOLUTION IS TAKEN CARE OF THE FEES FOR NEXT WEEK'S PECAN FESTIVAL SO IT CAN OCCUR, BUT I'VE ASKED THEM TO SIT DOWN WITH OUR CITY AUDITOR TO ALLOW THE AUDITOR TO LOOK THROUGH THEIR FINANCES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND ANY STRUCTURAL SAVINGS WITH REGARDS TO THEIR EXPENDITURES BECAUSE THESE FEES ARE IMPORTANT TO US. WE -- THEY HAVE TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE. AND THEN SECONDLY, ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIT DOWN WITH PECAN STREET FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS AND TRY TO COME ONE A LONG-TERM STRATEGY. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW FESTIVALS THAT WE HAVE WHERE IT'S FREE AND IT'S FULL OF KIDS AND FAMILIES. IT'S LIVE MUSIC. IT'S GREAT ART. I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME A LONG TRADITION IN AUSTIN. AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT. AND SO I WOULD APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. AGAIN FURTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMEMBER COLE?

Cole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

Mayor Wynn: FURTHER IMHENTS ON THE PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA? IF NOT, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF CITIZENS THAT WANTED TO GIVE US TESTIMONY ON ITEMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PROPOSED TO BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24 JENNIFER GALE HAS SIGNED UP WISH TO GO SPEAK. WELCOME, JENNIFER. ALTHOUGH OUR ORDINANCE AND COUNCIL RULES ACTUALLY STATE THAT WE USUALLY WAIT UNTIL THERE ARE FIVE CITIZENS, THE LAST FEW YEARS THEY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ANYBODY THE ABILITY TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, SO WELCOME BACK. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. SOIRKS YOU SAY IF THE RULES STATE YOU ARE UNDER FIVE CITIZENS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO EXPO THE CONSENT AGENDA?

YES. BUT MY PRACTICE IS IF THERE'S EVEN ONE PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, THEY ARE WELCOME.

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

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, JENNIFER. ON ITEM NUMBER 27 I THINK GUS PENA WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US SOME TESTIMONY. WELCOME BACK, GUS.

MORNING, MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, CITY MANAGER. GUS PENA. I'M NOT HERE TO REPRESENT ANYBODY OR ANYBODY'S VIEWS. CITY MANAGER OTT, GREAT JOB ON KVET. YOU KNOW HOW TO TALK, BROTHER. AND THAT'S POSITIVE. ANYWAY, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, I HAVE A CONCERN WITH ITEM NUMBER 27. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KEEP SAYING WE ARE IN A PRETTY GOOD SITUATION AS FAR AS THE ECONOMY IS CONCERNED IN AUSTIN. CITY MANAGER OTT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU AROUND EAST AUSTIN, BUT NOT JUST EAST AUSTIN, TAKE YOU DOWN TO NORTHWEST AUSTIN WHERE THERE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR HOMES. A LOT OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE GOING OUT IN THE WORKFORCE, 70, 80-YEAR-OLDS WHO ARE ILL. THEY HAVE TO WORRY BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY TAXES, INCREASED TAXES. WE HAVE AN ITEM ON NUMBER 27 THAT WILL APPROVE A LOAN IN THE AMOUNT OF $225,000 TO PURCHASE I BELIEVE IT SAYS HERE ACCORDING TO THE BACKUP, CHAIRS, FURNITURE, FIXTURES, ETCETERA. AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE A COUPLE OF JOBS. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS RESTAURANT. I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK FOR ANYBODY, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF RESTAURANT OWNERS WHO HAVE USED THEIR OWN FUNDING TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN NEEDS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IN A HURTING MODE ALSO. COUNCILMEMBER JENNIFER KIM, YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY BANNER, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BANNER WHO I SERVED FAITHFULLY FOR SIX YEARS, RIGHT BEHIND YOU, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS THAT ARE HOMELESS. WE HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS WITH FAMILIES THAT ARE HOMELESS, THAT NEED HOMES. THIS IS COMING UNDER -- I'M NOT THE MOST LITERAL PERSON OR KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON, BUT IT'S COMING UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. I THINK THAT'S AN INSULT TO THE TAXPAYERS. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE SUNNY MEADE APARTMENTS THAT WILL BE TORN DOWN TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AFFORDABLE FOR WHOM? NOT FOR THEM. THINK ABOUT THE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT ARE HURTING NOW AND THE LOW INCOME, THE HAVE NOTES. WE NEED HELP AND WE NEED TO REVAMP THE CITY'S VISION OF HOW TO HELP THE NEEDY, THE HAVE NOT'S AND THE LESS FORTUNATE. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, A SOCIETY'S WORTH IS MEASURED BY ITS TREATMENT OF THE LESS FORTUNATE. ARE WE REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB TO HELP THE POOR? THE GAP WIDENS. YOU CAN KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD IF YOU WANT TO, BUT A LOT OF CITIZENS SAY PLEASE LET'S KEEP IT AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY. LEWISIO MIGHT NOT HAVE A HOUSE, HE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOUSE IN FIVE YEARS. THAT HURTS ME, MY BOY. LUCIO, 15 YEARS OLD. JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE POOR IN THAT AREA. I GRADUATED FROM JOHNSTON AND IT HURTS ME WHEN HI A MEETING WITH T.E.A. COMMISSIONER SCOTT AND BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID HEY, WATCH OUT, PENA IS NEGATIVE. I SERVED THREE YEARS IN THE DROPOUT TASKFORCE ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOU DON'T DO THAT TO PEOPLE. RESPECT THEM. HAVE THEIR INPUT. MIGHT BE POLICY TO WAIT UNTIL FIVE INDIVIDUALS HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND I THANK YOU MR. MAYOR FOR ALLOWING EVEN ONE PERSON TO SPEAK. I RESPECT YOU A WHOLE LOT. LET'S CONTINUE THE MARCH TO HELP THE POOR, NEEDY AND THE HAVE NOTES. LET'S KEEP AUSTIN AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST WEIRD. GOD BLESS Y'ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. AND I THINK ON 64, ERIC ANDERSON WANTED TO GIVE US SOME TESTIMONY. WELCOME, BACK, ERIC. AND JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION, HERE IN A FEW MINUTES WE ARE GOING TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION ON ITEM NUMBER 63, SOMEWHAT RELATED, THAT BEING THE STREET SMARTS TASKFORCE REPORT. WELCOME, ERIC.

I'LL MAKE THIS REAL QUICK. THIS MAY BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND I THANK YOU ALL IN YOUR ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT NEW POLICY DIRECTIVE TO BASICALLY MAKE OUR CITY GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENT, OUR PLANNING MORE COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVE. GRASP OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY COME UP. I'LL JUST MENTION ONE VERY QUICKLY. IF YOU IMAGINE THE PFLUGER BRIDGE THAT WE SPENT ALREADY $10 MILLION AND WE'RE ABOUT TO SPEND ANOTHER 5.6 OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER INVESTMENTS THE CITY IS MAKING AND AT THE GABLES RESIDENTIAL IS MAKING, CAN YOU IMAGINE THE SOUTHWEST ARM OF THAT BRIDGE THERE IS A LITTLE TRAIL SPUR THAT BASICALLY PULLS OFF THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH LAMAR AND RIVERSIDE AND CIRCLES AROUND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OFFICES TO TOOMEY ROAD THROUGH BUTLER SHORES PARKSCAPES. AND MAY 2nd BARTON PLACE WILL BE BREAKING GROUND AS PART OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND THE 25-FOOT FIRE ACCESS THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BUILD ON THE EAST SIDE OF THEIR PROPERTY, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT DOWN A 10-FOOT WIDE RECREATIONAL SHARE USE PATH. NOW, WE'VE HAD THAT PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED PATH CLOSED FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS FOR AN AUSTIN CLEAN WATER PROGRAM PROJECT, A LIFT STATION THERE OFF TOOMEY ROAD. AND IT WAS MY DESIRE THAT WHEN THAT PATH REOPENED WE WOULD KIND OF LIKE MAKE THE TWO MEET, THE EXISTING AND THE FUTURE. NOW, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THEY DID MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS NUMBER 64 BEING IMPLEMENTED SO THAT WHEN AN OPPORTUNITY COMES UP LIKE THIS, WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY NOW AT A RIGHT OF ONE DOLLAR PER 10 RATHER THAN LATER AT A LARGER OUT LAY FROM THE CITY. AND ADDITIONALLY, I THINK YOU'RE ALL AWARE THIS SUMMER WE'RE GOING TO SEE BIKE LANES ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TO ROLLINGWOOD, SO IF YOU ADD ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY FUNCTIONAL, ADDITIONAL WHATEVER, MILE AND A HALF OF THE PFLUGER BRIDGE BIELT BIKE ROUTE THAT I THINK WE CAN START ACCOMPLISHING ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH THIS KIND OF COOPERATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU, MR. ANDERSON FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. FOR THE RECORD, TOMMY EDEN AND MR. WALL SIGNED UP NOT WISH TO GO SPEAK, BUT IN FAVOR OF ITEM 64. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ?

Martinez: ON ITEM 27, I WAS WONDERING IF MICHELLE COULD COME DOWN AND SPEAK TO THE LOAN THAT'S BEING MADE -- A LITTLE SMALL BUSINESS LOAN AND I'M CURIOUS OF WHETHER IT'S CDBG MONEY THAT'S BASICALLY DESIGNATED FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. THIS IS -- THE GRILL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR AWHILE. THEY'VE SHUT DOWN A FEW MONTHS AGO AND THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE AND THEY WANT TO STAY DOWNTOWN. IT'S THE ONLY GREEK RESTAURANT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN AND I'M EXCITED THAT THEY'VE FOUND A LOCATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM OUT. I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU COULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON WHERE T FUNDS COME FROM FROM THE COMMUNITY HOUSING NEIGHBORHOOD FUND.

ABSOLUTELY. MY NAME IS MARGARET SHAW. I'M THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AS COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ SAYS, WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS FUNDED WITH H.U.D. GRANT FUNDS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO EITHER REVITALIZE DISTRESSED AREA OR TO CREATE JOBS AND/OR TO CREATE JOBS FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FOLKS. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE PARTNERING WITH ATHENNIAN GRILL. THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION IS ABOUT 20% OF THE TOTAL LOAN AMOUNT FOR THEIR RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PROPERTY AT SIXTH AND CONGRESS AND IT WILL CREATE SIX FULL TIME JOBS OR 12 PART-TIME JOBS FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FOLKS.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARGARET? AGAIN, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, THAT IS ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 14, 63 AND 107 OTHER THAN THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN OR POSTPONED. FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I WILL SAY REAL QUICKLY THAT A COUPLE OF VERY ENCOURAGING ITEMS THAT TIE ULTIMATELY IN TO OUR CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN, ON ITEM NUMBER 3 WE HAVE A REBATE TO DELL BECAUSE OF THE REMARKABLE HIGH EFFICIENCY LIGHTING RETROFIT PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON NOW. YOU MAY KNOW THAT DELL HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THEIR ENTIRE OPERATIONS WILL BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR. I WAS WITH THEM MONDAY AT THEIR FACILITIES, AND THEY ARE DOING AGGRESSIVE WORK WHEN IT COMES TO REDUCING THEIR ENERGY CONSUMPTION. THEN ON ITEM NUMBER 4, THIS IS A BIG PROJECT WITH THE ENERGY SERVICE COMPANIES WHEREBY THEY ARE GOING TO AGGRESSIVELY AUDIT ALL CITY FACILITIES AND HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVEN, EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROJECTS THAT WE WILL DO OPERATIONALLY AT OUR FACILITIES THAT HAS A REMARKABLE FIVE, SIX, SEVEN-YEAR PAY BACK, WHICH IS A VERY QUICK PAY BACK FOR THE WORK THAT WE WILL BE DOING TO REDUCE ULTIMATELY TAXPAYERS ELECTRICITY BILLS AT ALL CITY FACILITIES. SO VERY POSITIVE WORK. AND BRIEFLY, ITEM 32 IS A SIMPLE SORT OF A A DISPLAY FORMAT FOR A COUPLE OR THREE LOW EMISSION TAXI CABS IN THE CITY. AT SOME POINT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ENCOURAGE STAFF TO HELP US THINK THROUGH WHAT MIGHT BE A MUCH LARGER, MORE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM. WE'VE ALL READ ABOUT CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE WORKED SPECIFICALLY WITH THEIR TAXI FLEETS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS. AND OF COURSE ULTIMATELY USUALLY IN THE URBAN CORE. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIGHT FOR CLEAN AIR IN AUSTIN, WE COULD FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP OF SEVERAL CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEIR ENTIRE PRIVATE SECTOR TAXI FLEETS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS AS THEY OF COURSE GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS DRIVING AROUND TOWN. THAT'S ITEM NUMBER 32. AGAIN, FURTHER COMMENTS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA AS PROPOSED? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] SO COUNCIL, JUST A COUPLE OF I THINK RELATIVELY QUICK ITEMS WE CAN TAKE UP BEFORE WE HEAR FROM A FEW MORE FOLKS. I THINK WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WAITING HERE FOR ITEM NUMBER 14, WHICH I PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA. FOLKS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUT INTO THE FOYER, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. ITEM NUMBER 14, COUNCIL, I THINK WE ALL KNOW, IS THE -- ULTIMATELY A RESOLUTION REGARDING EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT BIT OF -- A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION PRESENTED TO US ABOUT THIS CASE. PERHAPS IF STAFF COULD MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT ULTIMATELY THIS EMINENT DOMAIN CASE, THEN I THINK MR. CAMPOS WOULD LIKE TO GIVE SMUS TESTIMONY. WELCOME MR. GARZA.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, RUDY GARZA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE STAFF HERE FROM THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO GO INTO VERY SPECIFIC ISSUES REGARDING THIS EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS; HOWEVER, I CAN GIVE YOU THE KEY POINTS. WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO TRY TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON A SALES PRICE. THE EMINENT DOMAIN -- THE ACQUISITION OF THIS PROPERTY IS CRITICAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR FLOOD MITIGATION PURPOSES. AS WE KNOW THAT WATER CROSSES OVER THE ROAD. WE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO ALLEVIATE THE FLOODING THAT OCCURS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE HAD AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL DONE OF THE PROPERTY, AND THAT IS THE OFFER THAT WE ARE MAKING TO MOVE FORWARD.

Mayor Wynn: SO IN SUMMARY, WE DO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC CONSTRAINTS AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE FOLLOW WHEN WE HAVE EMINENT DOMAIN CASES AND YOU'RE TELLING US THAT THIS ONE HAS FOLLOWED ALL THOSE TO THE ABSOLUTE LETTER OF THE LAW?

YES, SIR. AS I SAID, WE HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATE THE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT. THIS IS A VACANT HOME. IT'S NOT HABITABLE. AND AS WE MOVED FORWARD, WE CERTAINLY ARE BASING IT ON AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL.

Mayor Wynn: IF YOU. FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GARZA. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ.

Martinez: THANK YOU. I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. WHEN I LOOK AT THE AGENDA ITEM AND THE BACK JERUSALEM MATERIAL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NEGOTIATED FEE SIMPLE ACQUISITIONS, THEY SEEM TO BE MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL THAN WHAT WE'RE OFFERING IN AN EMINENT DOMAIN. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS A NEGOTIATED PROCESS. BUT FOR THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY TO HAVE BEEN PAYING TAXES ALL THIS TIME ON A PROPERTY THAT WAS EVALUATED BY TCAD AS $105,000, I QUESTION HOW VALID THE INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL REALLY IS. ARE WE SAYING THAT TCAD IS LITERALLY INFLATING OUR PROPERTY VALUES BY 40 PLUS PERCENT? AND IF WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT, THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO REVISIT THE APPRAISAL PROCESS SO THAT IT IS MORE IN LINE? THIS PROPERTY OWNER IS WILLING TO FOREGO THEIR PROPERTY AND SELL IT, BUT NOT IF IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED IN TERMS OF THE VALUE THAT HE'S BEEN PAYING ON IT ALL THIS TIME. AND SO I JUST QUESTION HOW WE CAN -- THERE CAN BE SUCH A DISPARITY BETWEEN TCAD AND AN INDEPENDENT MARKET APPRAISAL.

COUNCILMEMBER, IN FACT, WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED -- BECAUSE WE TOOK THIS VERY SERIOUS. WE WERE AWARE OF THE TCAD APPRAISAL. OUR STAFF, OUR DIVISION MANAGER OVER REAL ESTATE SERVICES HAS DONE SOME IN-DEPTH RESEARCH IN WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE TCAD HAS BEEN -- SET APPRAISAL ON THE IMPROVEMENTS, ON IMPROVEMENTS THAT DO NOT EXIST ON THIS PROPERTY. AS YOU KNOW AND THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES NOT SET THE APPRAISALS FOR TCAD. THAT IS A PROCESS THEY DO INDEPENDENTLY. BUT IN OUR RESEARCH WE DID DISCOVER THAT THE PROPERTY, THE IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FIT WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON THIS PROPERTY. I WOULD CERTAINLY SUGGEST THAT MR. CAMPOS MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH TCAD TO CORRECT THAT, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THE IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION FOR THAT PROPERTY IS NOT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON THIS PROPERTY. LET ME DEFER TO LORRAINE RISER TO SEE IF I GOT THAT ENTIRELY CORRECT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

Mayor Wynn: I'M CURIOUS. I'M WONDERING IF PERHAPS THEN MR. CAMPOS, THE OWNER HERE, MIGHT HAVE SOME RECOURSE ESSENTIALLY VIS-A-VIS THE TCAD, PERHAPS, MISTAKE THAT PERHAPS AS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY THOSE YEARS SHE COULD GO BACK IN ARREARS AND TRY TO GET SOME CORRECTION FROM TCAD AND/OR THE TAXING AUTHORITIES.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTACT TCAD AND POSSIBLY SET UP A MEETING WITH MR. CAMPOS AND VISIT WITH IT BECAUSE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'RE SHOWING ON THE PROPERTY IS FOR A 1400 SQUARE FOOT MASONRY BUILDING WITH A PORCH AND A FIREPLACE AND A LOT OF OTHER AMENITIES. WHAT'S ACTUALLY OUT THERE IS 1100 SQUARE FOOT SIDING HOUSE WITH NO PORCH AND NO -- AND A LOT OF THE AMENITIES THAT TCAD IS CHARGING FOR AREN'T IN THIS HOUSE. THERE ARE SOME ERRORS AND THEY MAY HAVE THE WRONG IMPROVEMENTS SOMEHOW IN THEIR SYSTEM AND GOT PLACED ON MR. CAMPOS PROPERTY. BUT I WOULD BE WILLING TO GO WITH HIM TO BE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND SEE IF WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OWVMENT OUT.

Mayor Wynn: SO COUNCIL, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS OUTSIDE THIS ITEM. THAT IS MR. CAMPOS. I TRUST HE'S STILL THERE. WELCOME. IS MARY HERNANDEZ HERE? WELCOME, MARY. HOW ABOUT FRANK CAMPOS? WELCOME, FRANK. SO YOU WILL HAVE UP TO NINE MINUTES IF YOU NEED IT. WELCOME.

I WANT TO GIVE THE COUNCILMEMBERS A COPY OF --

Mayor Wynn: HAND IT TO COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ AND HE WILL HAND IT TO US.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND COUNCILMEMBERS. I HOPE MY WORDS CAPTIVATE YOU AND IF MY WORDS DON'T CAPTIVATE YOU, THE CONTENT OF MY MESSAGE WILL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING TO VOICE MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY'S BUYOUT PROPOSAL. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOME LOCATED AT 2505 AND 2507 HOEKE LANE. THE HOMESTEAD WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY MY PARENTS IN 1959 AND ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE RAISED THERE. OUT OF THE FAMILY, FIVE WERE COLLEGE GRADUATES WITH MASTER'S DEGREES AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF AUSTIN. I HAVE OWE I BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FROM MY MOTHER IN 1987 FOR $50,000 AND RAISED MY KIDS THERE. FEW OF THEM ARE COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND ST. EDWARD'S AND THEY'RE WORKING IN THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENT. IN 1980 OUR FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED A RESTAURANT AT THIS LOCATION AND OUR CUSTOMERS WERE FROM THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD. AT A LATER DATE THIS SITE WAS ALSO LEO'S GROCERY WHICH OPENED IN 1989. OUR BUSINESS WAS A VALUABLE ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS SITE STILL REMAINS IDEAL FOR A VIABLE AND PROFITABLE BUSINESS BECAUSE IT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE HIGHWAYS AND SURROUNDING BUSINESSES. IT IS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FOR MANY OF THE PROSPECT SPIF CUSTOMERS IN THE NEARBY COMMERCIAL BUSINESS PARK AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORS. I HAVE SEEN MANY CHANGES IN THIS AREA, WHICH WAS ONCE A TREE LINED GREENBELT HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED WITH CONCRETE STRUCTURES AND ASPHALT PARKING LOTS. THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS SUDDENLY TRANSFORMED FROM A ONCE QUIET COUNTRY SETTING TO THAT OF A HIGH TRAFFIC COMMERCIAL COMPLEX AREA. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEDICAL CENTER IN 1997 MARKED THE BEGINNING OF COMMERCIAL GROWTH IN OUR CENTER AND WITH IT CAME THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND OFFICE BUILDINGS. THERE ARE ONGOING PLANS FOR.

FORFUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION. THE CARSON CREEK WATERSHED WAS APPARENTLY OVERLOOKED DURING THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND NO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CARSON CREEK OR UPGRADES TO THE CULVERTS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS TO THE HOEKE SIDE OF THE STREET WERE IMPLEMENTED. THERE WAS A DEFINITE NEGLECT BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I'M NOT SAYING YOU GUYS, THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION. AND THE DEVELOPER AND IN DREATION THE IMPACT FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE LOCATED DOWN STREAM FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED BY AN ENGINEER FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATERSHED DEPARTMENT THAT I COULD RAISE THE LEVEL OF MY STRUCTURE OF MY PROPERTY BY TWO FEET AND I WOULD BE OUT OF THE FLOOD ZONE. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE CITY OFFERING COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY A CONTRACTOR THAT THE CITY HIRED TO DEMOLISH MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, AND THEY CAME ON MY PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION AND STARTED DEMOLISHING MY PROPERTY. I HAVE SINCE BEEN -- ADDRESSED -- TOLD BY THE CITY THEY'RE GOING TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE CONTRACTOR. ANOTHER THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS GEORGE OSWALD FROM THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT TOLD ME BACK IN 2007 THAT I WOULD BE HANDSOMELY COMPENSATED FOR MY PROPERTY AND OFFERED A NICE RELOCATION PACKAGE. THAT HAS NEVER MATERIALIZED. THE CITY SEEMS TO SUPPORT COMMERCIAL CORPORATE DEVELOPERS WHILE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FACE MANY BARRIERS. I WAS INFORMED THAT I COULD APPLY FOR A VARIANCE, BUT THAT INVOLVED A SITE APPLICATION THAT WAS ON COSTLY AND UNDERTAKING, ROUGHLY ABOUT $30,000 WITH NO GUARANTEES OF APPROVAL BY THE CITY COUNCIL. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS BEING DIRECTED TO GO THROUGH THE SITE PLAN APPLICATION WHEN PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEWS HAD GRANTED APPROVAL. OKAY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I RECEIVED FROM [INAUDIBLE - NO MIC]. THE ORIGINAL BUYOUT OFFER WAS MADE IN AUGUST OF 2007. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE GUY SAID TWO YEARS. IT WAS IN 2007 THAT I WAS FIRST ADDRESSED THE BUYOUT OFFER. THE LADY SAID THAT MY HOUSE DIDN'T HAVE A PORCH. IF YOU GO OUT THERE, IT HAS A PORCH. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY TRASH MY PROPERTY LIKE THIS. THE REPORT FAILS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IF I HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO REDEVELOP AND ESTABLISH MY HOME AND BUSINESS. MY PROPERTY HAS BEEN FAX TAXED AT THE AMOUNT OF 93,000 BY THE TRAVIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. I CAN'T TAKE THE CITY'S 63,000-DOLLAR OFFER BASED ON OTHER OFFERS MADE TO ME BY COMPANIES INTERESTED IN BUYING MY PROPERTY. THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE AIRPORT AND SURROUNDING BUSINESSES WERE IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER. I AM A CITIZEN OF AUSTIN, A TAXPAYER, A PUBLIC SERVANT AND AS WELL A RETIRED AIR FORCE VETERAN. AND I ASK FOR ONE OF YOU TO PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THIS IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER. THE OPTIONS FOR FAIR RESOLUTION ARE AS FOLLOWS, APPROVAL OR BUYOUT PROPOSAL THAT INCLUDES COMPENSATION FOR RELOCATION TO A HOME SIMILAR TO THIS TYPE AND LOCATION SIMILAR TO THIS PROPERTY. A PAYMENT OF 150,000 TO 200,000. THE RIGHT TO KEEP MY PROPERTY AND DEVELOP IT AS PREVIOUSLY PLANNED. OR AT THE PRESENT TIME YOU CAN'T EXPECT ME TO BUY A PROPERTY OF THIS SIZE WITH THE TREES THAT I HAVE, THE ACREAGE, THE ZONING. I HAVE CS 1 ZONE TO GO ESTABLISH A BUSINESS, FOR $62,000, MAYOR? WHERE CAN YOU FIND A PROPERTY FOR $62,000 WITH WHAT I HAVE? THAT'S WHAT I'M TELLING THE STAFF AND ANYBODY THAT WILL LISTEN. CARSON CREEK WAS -- HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR A LONG TIME. TXDOT IS DUMPING ALL THEIR WATER IN THERE. THE CENTER IS DUMPING AWM THEIR WATER IN THERE. CARSON CREEK IS THE SAME SIZE IT'S BEEN WHEN I GREW UP THERE 40 YEARS AGO. THEY HAVEN'T TOUCHED IT AT ALL. THE CULVERTS ON MY SIDE OF THE STREET THEY HAVEN'T TOUCHED. AND THEY EXPECT ALL THE WATER TO FLOW OUT OF THERE LIKE IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO? IT'S LIKE EXPECTING HOEKE LANE TO TAKE ALL THE TRAFFIC ON I-35. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE WATER SYSTEM.

Mayor Wynn: THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR MR. CAMPOS, COUNCIL? [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, FOR CHANGE IN CAPTIONERS]

THE APPRAISAL, BECAUSE OF THE BUILDINGS BEING IN SUCH POOR CONDITION AND THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS IN ORDER TO BRING THE BUILDING -- EITHER RAZE THE BUILDING COMPLETELY AND REBUILD OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'D HAVE TO DO, BECAUSE OF THE WAY -- THE FOUNDATION THAT THE PROPERTY SITS ON. IT'S ON A CONCRETE SLAB FOUNDATION. AND SO THE APPRAISER DID LOOK AT WHAT'S THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THIS PROPERTY AS A SHELL BUILDING AND WHAT HE DID WAS HE LOOKED AT WHAT RENTAL STORAGE PLACES RENT FOR OR SELL FOR AND THAT'S WHAT HE USED AS A COMPARABLE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE BUILDINGS IS ACTUALLY CONDEMNED, AND THEY HAVE A COURT ORDER TO TEAR DOWN THE BUILDING, AND THEN THE OTHER BUILDING IS ONLY A SHELL. IT WAS STARTED TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION BUT IT WAS NEVER COMPLETED.

MAYOR WYNN: BUT THE LAND -- THE SITE IS VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE FLOODPLAIN?

YES, IT IS. IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE TEN-YEAR FLOODPLAIN, AND YOU CAN TELL FROM THE PICTURES -- I HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THE BUILDING, THAT THE WATER ACTUALLY COMES ON TO THE PROPERTY OFTEN.

MAYOR WYNN: AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME CASES -- SOME CASES REGARDING POTENTIAL VARIANCES TO FLOODPLAIN --

RIGHT.

MAYOR WYNN: -- DENIALS FREQUENTLY ENOUGH UP HERE, AND IT'S PAINFUL FOR US PERSONALLY BUT ALSO FREQUENTLY WE DENY A VARIANCE TO A FLOODPLAIN REQUEST IF THERE'S JUST REALLY -- JUST A FEW INCHES WORTH OF FLOODING BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING FROM TRYING TO GET EMERGENCY VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, TO AND FROM A HOUSE. SO EVEN -- EVEN WHEN THERE'S A PROPOSAL TO LIFT A HOUSE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN VERTICALLY, YOU KNOW, RAISING IT 2 FEET OR SO, FREQUENTLY WE STILL DON'T ALLOW THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE RISK INVOLVED TO BOTH THE RESIDENTS AND EVEN OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND THAT'S CORRECT. AND LET ME JUST EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROPERTY AND WHY THIS IS UNDER EMINENT DOMAIN. WHERE THIS PROPERTY EXISTS ON HOKEY LANE -- LOW-WATER CROSSING AREA AND EVERY TIME WE GET A STORM EVENT THAT FLOODS AND THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS TRAPPED AND CAN'T GET THROUGH, AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT, THEY HAVE 30-INCH REINFORCED PIPES NOW THAT GO UNDER NEED THE ROAD AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO CARRY THE WATER FLOW SO THE WATER SHEETS OVER THE TOP OF THE ROAD. WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO PUT IN IS SIX 6-FOOT BY 8-FOOT CONCRETE PIPES IN THE GROUND AND ALSO TO RAISE THE ROADWAY UP OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN. SO WHEN THAT MUCH WATER WILL THEN GO THROUGH, WE NEED A PLACE FOR THAT WATER TO DISCHARGE, AND SINCE MR. CAMPOS IS RIGHT ON THAT LOW-WATER CROSSING, THAT'S WHERE THE WATER WILL DISPEL WHEN IT GOES UNDERNEATH THE CONCRETE PIPES. SO THIS IS REALLY FOR THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE ABLE TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE PROPERTY SAFELY DURING A FLOOD EVENT.

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU, MS. RISER. FURTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ?

MARTINEZ: I WANTED TO SEE IF STAFF HAD ANY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ACTUAL PROPERTY BECAUSE WE KEEP -- ONE SIDE SAYS ONE THING, THE OTHER SAYS IT'S NOT TRUE. IF WE HAVE PHOTOS LET'S JUST SHOW WHERE IT'S LOCATED AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

MAYOR WYNN: IF THERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. CAMPOS, YOU CAN, AND THERE LIKELY MIGHT BE AFTER WE SEE THESE PHOTOGRAPHS.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IF I COULD VERY QUICKLY BEFORE WE GO INTO THE PICTURES I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. CERTAINLY THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM -- EVEN ON OUR PERSONAL BASIS WE RECOGNIZE THAT TYPICALLY THE APPRAISALS ON TCAD LAG BEHIND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THAT'S PRETTY COMMON. THIS IS AN UNUSUAL CASE WHERE WE FIND THE INDEPENDENT APPRAISER IS ACTUALLY BELOW THE TAX DISTRICT APPRAISER'S APPRAISAL. THAT IS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT A DIFFERENCE IN THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE DESCRIBED AND USED BY TCAD, WHICH THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM THIS ISSUE TODAY, AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE RESOLVED AT TCAD. ULTIMATELY THE ITEM TODAY IS WHETHER OR NOT TO PROCEED WITH EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS, AND AS YOU'RE AWARE AS PART OF THOSE PROCEEDINGS THE COMMISSION WILL ULTIMATELY DECIDE THE VALUE AND THE COST TO THE CITY FOR PROCEEDING WITH THE EMINENT DOMAIN. SO IF, IN FACT, THE COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT OUR INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL WAS NOT CORRECT, THE COMMISSION WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE THAT CALL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE LORRAINE WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE PICTURES OF THE ACTUAL STRUCTURES.

THE FIRST PICTURE I WANTED TO SHOW YOU IS -- I GUESS -- BUT AS YOU SEE THE CARSON CREEK GOING ACROSS THE PROPERTY, YOU'LL SEE THE STRUCTURES OUTLINED IN RED. THOSE ARE THE STRUCTURES THAT WE'RE BUYING FOR CARSON CREEK AREA, THE AREA WHERE HE'S POINTING TO, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE WATER TO BE ABLE TO FLOW UNDERNEATH IT. AND HERE'S AN AERIAL TO SHOW HOW THE WATER FLOWS AND HOW THE FLOODPLAIN GOES ACROSS THE PROPERTY. OH, OKAY. GO AHEAD. THIS SHOWS A PICTURE OF EVERY TIME WE HAVE A STORM EVENT THE WATER GOING ACROSS THE ROADWAY, AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A STORM EVENT. AND I JUST LISTED A FEW OF THE THINGS -- THESE ARE THE PREEXISTING CONDITIONS WITH THE 32-INCH PIPE AND THE LOW POINTS OF THE ROAD, AND THEN AFTERWARDS -- AND THAT SHOWS YOU -- THOSE ARE THE SMALL PIPES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE PROPERTY RIGHT THERE. AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE ADDING -- IT'S 8 BY 7 AND 18.7 BY 3 CULVERTS TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT AND WE'LL BE ELEVATING THE ROAD 3 FEET. OKAY. AND THEN THIS JUST -- I WANTED TO SHOW THE OFFER AMOUNT, 62-POINT R5, THE T CAD AMOUNT WAS 102, 972 AND COUNTEROFFER IS 150,000. OKAY. THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT IS THE SHELL OF THE HOUSE. AND THIS IS WHAT TCAD WOULD LOOK AT WHEN THEY DROVE BY AND DID THEIR APPRAISAL. THEY DON'T -- THIS IS THE INSIDE OF IT, THE INTERIOR OF THE STRUCTURE, AND THIS IS -- SHOWS IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY WALLS IN THE INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE SO YOU NEED TO PUT UP WALLS AND PUT IN ELECTRICITY AND PLUMBING. THIS SHOWS THE WATER MARKS IN THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. THIS IS A BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN CONDEMNED. AND THAT JUST SHOWS WHERE HE'S BOARDED UP SOME OF THE WINDOWS AND STUFF IN IT. THIS IS THE INSIDE OF THE 2507 HOEKE LANE. THIS IS THE PROPERTY, I BELIEVE, THAT USED TO BE THE RESTAURANT. WHAT I WANTED TO SHOW HERE IS THAT OUR LAND VALUE IS ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN TCAD'S LAND VALUE. TCAD'S LAND VALUE IS 81 CENTS. THAT'S WHAT HE'S PAYING TAXES ON. OUR LAND VALUE IS ACTUALLY $1.15 A-SQUARE-FOOT, IS WHAT OUR APPRAISER PUT ON THE LAND. HERE I JUST WANTED TO SUMMARIZE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT TCAD HAS ON THE SIZES OF THE HOUSES AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THEY'VE PUT ON THE HOUSES. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT TCAD HAS STRUCTURES A LOT LARGER THAN -- AND THESE WERE ACTUALLY HAND MEASURED BY THE APPRAISER OUT THERE. THIS IS THE SPORTS COURT THAT MR. CAMPOS TALKED ABOUT. WHEN I -- THIS IS THE ONE THAT OUR CONTRACTOR DID TRESPASS ON TO HIS PROPERTY AND REMOVE, ACTUALLY WHEN WE GOT THE ON-GROUND SURVEY THE COURT IS PARTIALLY ON THE PROPERTY WE HAD DEMOLISHED AND THE CONTRACTOR THOUGHT THE WHOLE THING WAS ON THE PROPERTY WE HAD DEMOLISHED. SO WE MADE MR. CAMPOS AN OFFER OF $12,000 AND WHAT I DID WAS I GOT BIDS FROM SPORTS COURTS OF AMERICA TO BUILD HIM A NEW SPORTS COURT, AND I ALSO GOT A CONTRACTOR TO GO OUT AND GIVE ME A PRICE TO BRING OUT A TRACTOR AND REMOVE SOME OF THE RUTS OUT THERE, AND THEN THE RENT OF HIS PROPERTY DURING THE TWO WEEKS THAT THE CONTRACTOR WAS OUT ON HIS SITE AND I MADE AN OFFER EVER $11,000 TO MR. CAMPOS BASED ON THAT TO SETTLE THE TRESPASS CASE. AND THERE'S THE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO TRY TO FIX THE TRESPASS ISSUE. AND I HAVE APOLOGIZED TO MR. CAMPOS AND WE ARE SORRY. AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE]

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU, MIST ROGERS. AS MR. GARZA POINTED OUT, IF WE PROCEED WITH EMINENT DOMAIN, ULTIMATELY THAT FOLLOWS, YOU KNOW, THE EXISTING STRUCTURE IN THE STATE WHERE ULTIMATELY THREE PRIVATE CITIZENS, NO. TCAD, NOT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE THREE PRIVATE CITIZENS DETERMINE THE VALUE THAT L CAMPOS WILL BE PAID. SO THE COUNCIL IS NOT VOTING ESSENTIALLY ON THE VALUE THAT MR. CAMPOS WILL GET PAID SHOULD IT BE EMINENT -- SHOULD THE EMINENT DOMAIN CASE PROCEED.

THAT IS CORRECT.

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU. FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. MS. RISER?

MCCRACKEN: WHAT HAPPENS IF COUNCIL DECIDED NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EMINENT DOMAIN? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PROCESS.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT -- CANCEL THE PROJECT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THE PROPERTY, AND SINCE TCAD DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT IMPROVEMENTS ON THERE, WE CAN'T PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS THAT DON'T EXIST.

MCCRACKEN: THANK YOU.

MAYOR WYNN: FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. RISER OR STAFF OR ANYBODY ELSE? AND HEARING NONE I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NO. 14. IF A COUNCIL MEMBER ASKS A QUESTION, YOU COULD DIRECT IT --

MS. CAMPOS, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP -- MR. CAMPOS, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP?

DO YOU THINK THIS WAS A -- I THOUGHT WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CONDEMNATION AT THIS LEVEL. THE CITY HAS NOT CONDEMNED MY PROPERTY. I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE KEEPS ON SAYING THE WORD CONDEMNED. THE CITY TOLD ME TO BOARD IT UP BECAUSE KIDS MIGHT GET IN THERE AND I BOARDED IT OCCUPY UP. I WAS WAITING FOR THE BUYOUT OFFER FROM THE CITY TO COME TO A RESOLUTION, AND APPARENTLY WE CAN'T. BUT MY PROPERTY BY NO MEANS IS CONDEMNED. ANOTHER REASON THE PROPERTY IS IN THAT CONDITION IS BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING A NICE COMPENSATION PACKAGE FROM THE CITY ANN AND I'M RECEIVING NOTHING. I PAID 50,000 IN 1987. NO APPRECIATION TO THE PROPERTY ALL THIS TIME? AND LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE NEGLECT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN OVERLOOKED MY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALL THESE YEARS, WHEN THEY ALLOWED THE MET CENTER DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE PLACE, WHERE WAS THE CITY THEN? WHAT ARE MY REPRESENTATIVES DOING FOR ME? IT'S RIDICULOUS. THEY DEVELOPED CORPORATE ENTITIES, BUT SMALL BUSINESS THEY SAY FORGET IT. WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU. IS THAT THE WAY -- THE WEIRD MENTALITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS WORKING NOWADAYS? IT'S JUST UPSETTING, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND -- I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT BUT I CAN'T.

I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

MAYOR WYNN: MR. MARTINEZ? MARTINEZ MARTINEZ THANK YOU, MR. CAMPOS. WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS?

I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I DO NOT HAVE -- WATERSHED [INAUDIBLE]

MORE THAN A MILLION-DOLLAR?

I BELIEVE SO. YES, IT IS.

BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BASED ON YOUR RESPONSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $40,000 IN DISCREPANCY HERE, MAYBE THEREABOUT, IN TERMS OF AN OFFER, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY KILL A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT. I DON'T SEE HOW $40,000 DISCREPANCY KILLS A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT.

WELL, THIS IS -- AGAIN, WHEN THEY GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS HEARING, THE COMMISSIONERS CAN AWARD HIM THE 150,000 AND THE CITY WILL PAY IT.

I UNDERSTAND. I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO, THOUGH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOME ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT. WE'VE NEGOTIATED WITH FOLKS, AND NEGOTIATIONS BROKE DOWN IN THIS CASE, AND I JUST FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SCRAP A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT BECAUSE OF A $40,000 NEGOTIATION DISCREPANCY.

MAYOR WYNN: FURTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? IF NOT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NO. 14. FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON ITEM 14? SEEMS TO ME IT'S A CASE WHERE WHEN WE DO BUY PROPERTY, WE GET AN APPRAISAL TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY CONSERVE OUR MONEY AS BEST WE CAN, AND IN THIS CASE THE APPRAISAL IS SO FAR BELOW WHAT, I BELIEVE, THE OFFER, LET ALONE THE TCAD, NUMBER HAS BEEN ON THAT PROPERTY, THAT BY GOING THROUGH THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCESS, THREE PRIVATE CITIZENS, A COMMISSION, GETS TO AWARD MR. CAMPOS WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN TO BE FAIR TO MR. CAMPOS, INDEPENDENT OF WHAT OUR APPRAISER SAYS OR INDEPENDENT OF WHAT HOW MUCH WE WOULD LIKE TO PAY.

MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCRACKEN.

DUNKERLEY: SECOND.

MAYOR WYNN: SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM TO APPROVE ITEM 14 AS POSTED. FURTHER COMMENT? WE APPRECIATE MR. CAMPOS'S PATIENCE AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAN BE A COMPLICATED PROCESS. MOTION AND SECOND. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

MAYOR WYNN: AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF 6-1 WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ VOTING NO. THANK YOU ALL. COUNCIL, SO TRY TO SORT OF MANAGE OUR MORNING HERE. I STILL HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION ITEM TO TAKE UP, BUT FRANKLY OUR -- OUR TEAM FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE MONITORING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING TO GIVE US THEIR SCHEDULED PRESENTATION, AND I BELIEVE WE CAN GET THAT DONE PRIOR TO OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. WELCOME, DR. STONE TO THE PODIUM. I BELIEVE WE ALL HAVE A HARD COPY OF THAT PRESENTATION, AND JUST TO HELP PEOPLE PLAN THE REST OF THEIR MIDDAY, MY INSTINCT IS IF THIS TAKES THE ENTIRE 30 MINUTES, THEN AT NOON WE WILL TAKE UP OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, WHICH WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, 10 SPEAKERS AT 3 MINUTES APIECE, AND THEN WE WOULD TAKE UP ITEM NO. 63 RIGHT AT 12:30 BEFORE WE THEN GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. WELCOME, DO. STONE.

THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WYNN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FORGIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE MAYOR'S MENTAL TASK FORCE MONITORING COMMITTEE THIRD ANNUAL REPORT. SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY THAT WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE THREE YEARS OF DATA AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT. I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF IT TODAY. PUT THE POWERPOINT UP? THE POWERPOINT?

I THINK THE TEAM IS PULLING FORWARD.

I WANT TO START WITH SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR WYNN AND HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMITTEE AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE CITY STAFF, WILLIE WILLIAMS, VINCE GORBALES HAVE BEEN ACTIVE AND SUPPORTING OUR WORK. I WANT TO THANK THE HMHR BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE CENTER STAFF FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. I HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY THANK MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THEY'RE ALL VERY BUSY PEOPLE AND THEY STAY ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR COMMITTEE WHICH MEETS MONTHLY AND SUBCOMMITTEES THAT MEET BETWEEN MEETINGS, SO IT'S BEEN A VERY ACTIVE COMMITTEE AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND FINALLY I WANT TO THANK ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE HELPED PROVIDE DATA FOR THIS REPORT AND FOR MANY OTHER REPORTS THAT WE'VE DONE. I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO DEVELOP THAT KIND OF DATA AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT. WE DID A MODIFIED FORMAT OF OUR REPORT THIS YEAR. WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS OUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH IS WHAT WE PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED WIDELY THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE FULL REPORT IS ON OUR WEB SITE, AND SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO OUR WEB SITE. YOU'VE GOT THE EMAIL -- THE WEB SITE ADDRESS. IT'S MMHTFMC.ORG. TO REALLY CLICK ON THE THIRD ANNUAL REPORT AND SEE THE DATA THAT UNDERLIES WHAT'S IN THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT DATA. WE DID THIS FOR TWO REASONS. ONE IS TO SAVE TREES, BUT SECONDLY WE WANTED TO INCREASE THE WEB SITE TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEB SITE, AND REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO VISIT AND LOOK AT THE DATA THAT WE HAVE. JUST IN KIND OF GENERAL BEFORE I GET INTO THE ACTUAL REPORT, COMMITTEE ROLES AND CHALLENGES. WE RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNIZE RECOGNITION ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS. WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO PRESENT AT SEVERAL NATIONAL CONFERENCES, HAD SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS ACCEPTED INTO JOURNALS AND AK EXTRACTS ACCEPTED AND THE PROCESS AND SOME OF OUR REPORTS HAVE BEEN REPLICATED IN OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO WE'RE PLEASED TO SAY THAT. WE HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT AND CONSISTENT PARTICIPATION. ALMOST ALL OF OUR MEETINGS HAVE 30 TO 35 PARTICIPANTS, WITH GUESTS AND SPEAKERS, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH REALLY ENGAGING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARTICIPATION FROM MINORITY GROUPS AND WE REALLY HAVE NOT DONE AS GOOD A JOB AS WE'D LIKE TO CONNECT WITH THAT, SO WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME TARGETED RECRUITING IN THE NEXT YEAR TO TRY TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF MEMBERSHIP IN OUR -- ON OUR COMMITTEE. WE'VE ALSO KIND OF MODIFIED SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR. WE STARTED DOING SOME PUBLIC FORUMS. IN DECEMBER WE HAD A PUBLIC FORUM ABOUT HOUSING COMMITTEES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLANNING GROUPS DOING WORK ON HOUSING, AND WE PULLED UP THE MONITORING COMMITTEE, ONE OF OUR ROLES AS COORDINATING AND PLANNING, WE PULLED TOGETHER THOSE GROUPS TO REALLY SHARE WHAT WAS GOING ON. WE ALSO IN JANUARY HERE AT CITY HALL HAD A CRIMINAL JUSTICE MENTAL HEALTH FORUM TO HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD TO ASK WHEN WE STARTED OUR WORK AS A COMMITTEE IS HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN WE'VE WE'VE -- YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE AUSTIN A NATIONAL MODEL OF A MENTALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY SO HOW DO WE KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING WITH REGARD TO THAT GOAL? SO WE IN THE FIRST YEAR IDENTIFIED SOME EASILY MEASURED INDICATORS TO DEVELOP A MENTALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY SCORECARD, TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING ACROSS THOSE AREAS. WE HAVE 17 INDICATORS IN THAT SCORECARD. THREE OF THEM THIS YEAR WERE SCORED NEUTRAL. BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY CHANGES IN THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES TO RATE THEM AS EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE BUT OF THE 14 SCORED 11, OR 78% SHOWED IMPROVEMENT BETWEEN 2005 AND 2006, SO WE SEE THIS AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND WE'LL BE DOING A 2007 UPDATE SHORTLY. THE SCORE CARDS ARE ALSO ON THE WEB SITE. THERE'S A SEPARATE TAB ON THE WEB SITE THAT SHOWS WHERE THE SCAR CARDS ARE. -- SCORE CARDS ARE. AS I THINK I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU-ALL BEFORE. WE'VE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF FOCUS AREAS TO HELP DEVELOP ACTION PLANS AROUND TO IMPLEMENT THE 39 CRITERIA THAT WERE IN THE ORIGINAL TASK FORCE REPORT. WE ALWAYS START WITH SCHOOLS AND YOUTH BECAUSE MENTALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY STARTS WITH ITS CHILDREN, AND OFTEN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ARE LEFT OUT OF PUBLIC POLICY DISCUSSIONS. WE HAVE A VERY STRONG AND ACTIVE PLANNING PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN AND THE CHILDREN'S PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND SUSTAIN ITSELF AND THEY'VE COMBINED WITH THE TRI AD. WRAP AROUND AS FAR ASS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISTURBANCES AND IT'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM. WE WERE LUCKY TO TO RECEIVE A GRANT TO DEVELOP A MENTAL HEALTH COURT IN THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW IN THE COUNTRY THAT EXISTS, SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVING US AN UPDATE TOMORROW AT OUR MEETING ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING. THERE'S BEEN AN EXPANSION OF A SET OF PROGRAMS CALLED POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT. THIS WAS ACTUALLY A RECOMMENDATION IN OUR LAST REPORT THAT THIS IS -- THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BEST PRACTICE, AND IT'S EXPANDING THROUGHOUT AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH WE SEE AS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY WE ALSO HAVE SOME NOT SO ENCOURAGING NEWS TO REPORT TO YOU THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF SUICIDES IN OUR COMMUNITY IN RECENT MONTHS AMONG OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND SO THAT IS OBVIOUSLY CONCERNING US, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT. THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF ACTIVITY GOING ON, INTERFACE BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. AS YOU-ALL PROBABLY KNOW, THE LACK OF FUNDING FOR PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES HAS CAUSED THE GRAVITATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS INTO OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT AUSTIN HAS REALLY UNDERTAKEN A NUMBER OF INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. WE WERE CHOSEN AS A MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION COST STIMULATION TOOL TESTING SITE. THAT'S A HANDFUL, BUT WHAT THIS IS WAS A SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT LETS YOU LOOK ACROSS ALL SYSTEMS TO EVALUATE WHETHER MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAMS ARE EFFECTIVE. AUSTIN WAS CHOSEN AS A MENTAL HEALTH LEARNING SITE BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES ON CORRECTIONS ALLOWED US TO BRING IN EXPERTS TO GUIDE US IN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE FLOW OF PEOPLE AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE FIRST IN THE NATION, TRAVIS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE. THIS IS A PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS WHO COME THROUGH THE MISDEMEANOR COURTS AND AGAIN THIS IS A NATIONAL MODEL THAT NO ONE ELSE IS DOING THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE MENTAL HEALTH WHEEL, WHICH IS 25 DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO RECEIVE SPECIFIC TRAINING WITH REGARD TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND PREFERENCELY ACCEPT CRIMINAL CASES THAT INVOLVE DEFENDANTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES WHICH ARE CHALLENGING WORK. WE HAVE A SPECIALIST PROSECUTOR IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO HAS SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. AGAIN, ON ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IN THIS AREA, WHEN PEOPLE ARE FOUND INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL IN OUR JAILS, THERE HAVE BEEN -- THERE HAVE BEEN LONG WAITS FOR TRANSFER TO A STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, AS MUCH AS MONTHS. AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST SEVERELY ILL FOLKS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EVEN COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL AND THEY'RE SPENDING MUCH TOO MUCH TIME IN THE JAIL WAITING TRANSFER TO FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BECAUSE THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF THAT HOSPITAL SPACE. WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATION TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL THAT I'LL SPEAK TO LATER. IN TERMS OF HOUSING, INCREASINGLY HOUSING HAS BECOME THE MOST IMPORTANT FOCUS AREA THAT WE HAVE. YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AS, YOU KNOW, YOUR HEART DESIRES, BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PROGRESS VERY WELL. BUT THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT AREA TO GET TRACTION ON. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLANNING GROUPS LOOKING AT HOUSING BUT REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET A HANDLE ON HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP OUT OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C. CALLED THE CORPORATION FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. IT'S A NONPROFIT GROUP THAT ASSISTS COMMUNITIES IN PLANNING AROUND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING US TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US TO COORDINATE PLANNING EFFORTS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEKING FUNDING AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO DEVELOP A FINANCIAL MODELING PLAN, WHICH REALLY LOOKS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF HOUSING WE NEED BASED ON FINANCIAL ISSUES, NOT JUST -- NOT JUST HOUSING NEEDS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE IN THIS REPORT THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FUNDING OF A MILLION DOLLARS PROVIDED BY THE CITY AND PLANNING IS MOVING FORWARD ON IMPLEMENTING THAT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS COMING OUT OF OUR STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS. ACCESS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR A MENTALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS -- WE HAVE BUN SYSTEM MAPPING DATA WHICH LOOKS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH, BUT PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT, TO REALLY SEE WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHAT'S THE CAPACITY OF THOSE SERVICES, WHAT ARE THE WAITING LISTS. SO WE REALLY GET A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT IT IS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND LOOK FROM YEAR TO YEAR AS TO HOW THAT CAPACITY IS CHANGING. INCREASINGLY WE'RE STARTING TO INCLUDE NATIONAL BENCHMARKS IN OUR DATA COLLECTION, LOOKING AT -- NOW THAT WE SEE WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT IS IT THAT WE REALLY NEED? AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE AS WELL. ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE ORIGINAL TASK FORCE REPORT WAS THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ADOPT MENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE PARITY AS A MODEL TO OTHER EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE CITY. I'M PLEASED TO SAY IN THE COMING BUDGET CYCLE THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS GOING TO ADOPT FULL MENTAL HEALTH PARITY. THE CITY IS CLOSE AT THIS POINT IN TIME BUT THEY'LL ADOPT FULL MENTAL HEALTH PARITY AND WILL BE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY THIS COMING YEAR. AS YOU WELL KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES IN ISSUES WITH REGARD TO STATE HOSPITAL UTILIZATION AND CRISIS SERVICES AND WE'VE MONITORED THAT CLOSELY AS THOSE CHANGES HAPPEN. JUST A FEW, YOU KNOW, DATA POINTS, AND AGAIN THERE'S A LOT MORE DATA ON THE WEB SITE. I KNOW THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GO THROUGH IT ALL BUT ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN AUSTIN PARTICULARLY IS THE SUPPLY OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IS REALLY CHALLENGING, EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOOD INSURANCE OR GOOD FUNDING. SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING ACROSS -- AS YOU SEE IN THIS GRAPH, EVEN WITH OUR POPULATION INCREASE, WE HAD A DECREASE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BETWEEN 2002 AND 2005. FOR 2007 WE HAD A SLIGHT INCREASE, SO WE SEE THAT AS POTENTIALLY A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT. EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE -- UTILIZATION OF EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS HAS INCREASED TO SOME EXTENT OVER THE YEARS AS WE LOOK AT 2005, 2006 AND 2007. WE DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THIS IS POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE. WE ACTUALLY RATED THIS AS NEUTRAL BECAUSE IT MAY MEAN THAT THERE'S BETTER RECOGNITION OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. IT MAY ALSO MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ACCESS TO ROUTINE SERVICES, LEADING PEOPLE INTO CRISIS CARE. AS YOU-ALL KNOW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICESES HAS IN RECENT YEARS SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITED ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE, SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WAITING LISTS. THOSE ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS CAUSED THE AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY MHMR CENTER TO BEGIN A WAITING LIST FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THAT ORGANIZATION SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT BETWEEN 2005, 2006, 2007, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT HAS NOT SURPRISINGLY GROWN. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A MENTALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES. WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE MENTAL ILLNESS ALSO HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND WE'RE TRYING TO INTEGRATE THOSE TWO APPROACHES. WE HAVE A SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF AVAILABLE SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THERE'S A TWO-MONTH WAIT FOR REHABILITATION SERVICES, AND THERE'S SOME KIND OF ROLLING PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY THAT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO GET INTO HERE BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING REHABILITATION SERVICES CAN'T GET THEM. WE ALSO HAVE MINIMUMLY AVAILABLE DETOXIFICATION SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED SUPERVISED DID HE TOX TOXICATION AND WE'VE GOT NATIONAL BENCHMARKS IN OUR REPORT ABOUT WHAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE IN THAT REGARD. ON OUR WEB SITE AND IN OUR REPORT WE DOCUMENT A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY AWARENESS EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE ARE PROMOTING. WE HIGHLIGHTED THE CENTRAL TEXAS AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY SUPPORT CONFERENCE AS BEING A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO ARE DEVELOPING A CURRICULUM FOR CLERGY MEMBERS TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, OFFERING THE FIRST PLACE SOMEONE GOES WHEN THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IS TO THEIR PASTOR OR PRIEST, SORT OF REALLY GIVE THESE INDIVIDUALS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT AND WHEN TO REFER AND HOW TO REFER TO MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST. WE FOUND IN WORKING ON THIS CURRICULUM THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CURRICULA ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ADDRESS THIS SO WE'RE RESEARCHING THOSE AND WE'LL ADOPT FROM THOSE. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST A REALLY BRIEF UPDATE ON THE 2007 GOALS AND PRIORITIES THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU LAST YEAR. I'VE GIVEN YOU ALREADY AN ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. IT JUST CONTINUES TO GROW AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED ABOUT THAT. WE ARE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF CRISIS REDESIGN, AND AS YOU-ALL KNOW, THE AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY MHMR COMMIT SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SERVICES FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR CRISIS SERVICES SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT CHANGES IN SERVICE SYSTEM CAPACITY AND SERVICE SYSTEM FLOW AS THAT CRISIS SERVICE REDESIGN TEAS PLACE. WE HAVE LIMITED SUCCESS IN OUR ON-LINE RESOURCE TOOLKIT. WE WERE HOPING TO DEVELOP A TOOLKIT ON OUR WEB SITE THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO WHEN THOF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND THAT'S STILL IN DEVELOPMENT. I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THE TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR FAITH BASED AND PROGRESS WITH REGARD TO SCHOOLS AND YOUTH. PROMOTING BEHAVIORAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS, THAT WAS A PRIORITY AND I THINK THAT WILL BE AN ONGOING PRIORITY FOR US. I'VE DISCUSSED INCREASING DIVERSITY OF MEMBERSHIP ON OUR COMMITTEE. WE HAVE INCLUDED INCREASE FOCUS ON EMPLOYMENT ISSUES. WE ARE DOING THE FOLLOW-UP ON IT. WE DID THE FOLLOW-UP ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICE SYSTEM MAPPING. WE WILL DO THAT AGAIN AND I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT HOUSING. -- HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE A FEW -- GIVE YOU A FEW IDEAS ABOUT ISSUES THAT WE SEE ON THE HORIZON AND SOME POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH IN THIS COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE TWO VERY LARGE GRANTS WITH REGARD TO SCHOOLS AND YOUTH. ONE WENT TO AISD AND ITS PARTNERS, THE OTHER TO TRAVIS COUNTY. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, THOSE ARE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF THAT. THE EXPANSION OF SYSTEMS OF CARE APPROACH IS ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THAT IS HAPPENING, SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED BY THAT. OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUBCOMMITTEE HAS ENDORSED THE MEDICAID AND CHIP RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY CHILDREN MENTAL HEALTH POLICY CONSORTIUM WHICH MAKES ELIGIBLE EASIER SO WE CAN DRAW DOWN MORE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR COMAI AND CHIP MEDICAID AND CHIP. WE DEVELOPED THE DEVELOPMENT -- I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE FOLKS INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL, WAITING LONG TIMES IN OUR JAIL. WE RECOMMENDED IN THIS REPORT THAT THE AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY MHMR CENTER DEVELOP AN OUTPATIENT RESTORATION OF COMPETENCY PROGRAM. OUR STATUTE ALLOWS THESE PEOPLE TO BE RESTORED TO COMPETENCY IN THE COMMUNITY. NO ONE HAS HAD A PROGRAM TO DO THAT. AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY DID DEVELOP THAT PROPOSAL ALREADY, SUBMITTED IT TO THE STATE HEALTH SERVICES AND RECEIVED THE COMPETITIVE FUNDING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PROGRAM SO WE'RE PLEASED WITH THAT. I'VE TOLD YOU WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. OUR REJS IS WE NEED ONE IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SO WE WILL BE MAKING THAT PUSH IN THE COMING YEAR. ONE OF THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATION,AS, ONE OF THE FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE TASK REPORT OF 2005 IS WE NEED PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BEDS, PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES IN OUR GENERAL MEDICAL HOSPITALS. MOST URBAN COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT CAPACITY AND AUSTIN HAS NOT HAD THAT CAPACITY AND WE STAND BY THAT RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT EXPANSION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND DETOXIFICATION SERVICES. SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS AND ACTION PLANS WE'LL BE WORKING ON IN THE COMING YEAR, OUR COMMITTEE WAS CHARGED FOR FIVE YEARS SO THAT LEAVES US TWO MORE YEARS TO GO, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT -- WE HAVE A COMMITTEE, LOOKING AT TRANSITION PLANS FOR THE TWO YEARS. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A MEMBERSHIP PLAN TO REALLY IMPROVE DIVERSITY AND A COMMUNICATION PLAN TO KIND OF WORK MORE WITH THESE PUBLIC FORUM EVENTS AND REACH OUT MORE TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. IN RESPONSE TO THE SUICIDE CLUSTER AMONG OUR YOUTHS WE HAVE TWO THINGS. ONE IS SOMETHING CALLED POST-VENTION PLANNING. IT'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED APPROACH AND WE BROUGHT IN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERTS TO GUIDE US IN INSTRUCTING OUR COMMUNITY HOW TO RESPOND TO SUICIDES WHEN THEY OCCUR SO THAT WE HAVE A THOUGHTFUL WAY OF ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE. WE ALSO -- THE LAST DATA WE HAVE AVAILABLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES ON THE SUICIDE RATE IN AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY WAS FROM 2005, SO IT'S THREE YEARS LATE, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY THE CASE. WE USUALLY HAVE TO WAIT THREE YEARS TO GET THAT DATA, AND IT'S NOT ALL THAT USEFUL TO US THREE MONTHS LATER WHEN WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT REALTIME TRENDS IN TERMS OF SUICIDE RATES. THE AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY AREA IS THE -- HAS THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE OF ANY URBAN AREA IN TEXAS AND HAS CONSISTENTLY. SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR US. WE HIRED A CONSULTANT -- HIRED A CONSULTANT WITH SUPPORT FROM AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY MHMR AND THE NEW MILESTONES FOUNDATION TO DEVELOP A DATA PROCESSING SO THAT WE CAN GET REALTIME DATA ABOUT SUICIDES AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THESE KINDS OF TRENDS WHEN THEY HAPPEN. AND LASTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING FOR FINANCIAL MOLGDING FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SO THAT'S A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE FULL REPORT. I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE WEB SITE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THERE'S A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION. THE ONLY PIECE THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT IN THE COMING YEAR IS CONTINUED DATA DEVELOPMENT, REALLY LOOKING AT NOT ONLY WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, BUT REALLY A SERVICE SYSTEM GAPS ANALYSIS, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY MHMR TOGETHER, THE MONITORING COMMITTEE AND AUSTIN MHMR, NOT JUST WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE. THE FIRST IS WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE AS PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BEDS. THAT'S AN OBVIOUS QUESTION. BUT TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE OTHER SUPPORTS WE NEED AS WELL, WHAT ARE THE OUTPATIENT SERVICES WE NEED FOR A DEMOGRAPHIC OF OUR SIZE, THE HOUSING NEEDS. WE LOOK ACROSS THE SERVICE SYSTEM AND IDENTIFY GAPS SOF SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER WAY TO DIALOGUE WITH POLICY MAKERS ABOUT FUNDING ISSUES. I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU, DR. STONE. QUESTIONS OF DR. STONE?

DUNKERLEY: I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND I THINK YOU KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE THAT PSYCHIATRIC STAKEHOLDERS TASK FORCE THAT'S BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, AND HOPEFULLY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE'LL BE REALLY MAKING SOME HEADWAY, ESPECIALLY ON OUR CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

YES, MA'AM.

MAYOR WYNN: AND WE REFERENCE THE WEB SITE, BUT ALSO THERE'S THIS VERY PROFESSIONAL, FRANKLY VERY BRIEF THIRD ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE MONITORING COMMITTEE. IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE. YOU PICK UP A LOT OF INFORMATION, FRANKLY DATA ISN'T GOOD. THAT'S WHY WE ARE MAKING THE EFFORT THAT WE'RE MAKING, BOTH AS A CITY, MHMR BOARD AND ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS, BUT THE LITTLE SUMMARY DOES REMIND US THAT ULTIMATELY WITH THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOGG FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH BACK IN '04, I INSTIGATED THE TASK FORCE AND IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS A TRAGIC OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING, AND IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL AND IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL AT THAT TIME. BUT FUNDAMENTALLY IT WAS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. IT WASN'T A CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUE. AND WHEN THE HOGG FOUNDATION AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS STEPPED FORWARD AND HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THE COMMUNITY DID A GOOD JOB OF, YOU KNOW, FUNDAMENTALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT, WE HAD TO GO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND SO THE TASK FORCE -- I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW IMPRESSED I WAS WITH THE DOZENS -- YOU KNOW, 75, 100 PROFESSIONALS CAME FORWARD AND SERVED FOR MONTHS AND ULTIMATELY CRAFTED WHAT BECAME THE PLAN THAT BECAME -- THEN OUR PARTNERS AT MHMR BOARD ACCEPTED FROM THE MONITORING COMMITTEE COORDINATING STANDPOINT, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE FRAGMENTED SERVICES WHEN WE HAVE SERVICES AT ALL. YOU KNOW, NOT WELL-COORDINATED INTRA-JURISDICTIONAL CHALLENGES, AND I JUST APPLAUD DR. STONE AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR NOW STICKING WITH IT FOR INTO THIS FOURTH YEAR, AND I THINK WE'VE -- AS HE WE POINT OWD, WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS. WE CERTAINLY HAVE RAISED THE AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE AND HOPEFULLY THE ADVOCACY OF THE ROLE THAT THE SECTOR PLAYS. I APPLAUD EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK AND THE ROLE YOU'VE DONE.

THANK YOU.

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. WELL, COUNCIL, WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE OUR NOON GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS. MY INSTINCT IS THAT OUR FOLKS WITH THE STREET SMARTS TASK FORCE CAN PROBABLY GET THROUGH THEIR PRESENTATION IN 20 MINUTES OR SO AND THAT WOULD ONLY PUT US JUST A FEW MINUTES BEHIND STARTING OUR GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO WELCOME SARA KRAUSE, WHO IS -- REMIND ME, SARA, I GUESS CHAIRED THE TASK FORCE TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION, AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A HARD COPY OF THAT HERE ON THE DAIS, BUT WELCOME, SARAH.

THANK YOU. DARLENE IS GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAND OUT THE REPORTS TO YOU. WHILE I GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE. DON'T FEAR THEM. THEY'RE HEAVILY A PENDICSIZED, SO NOT EVERYTHING IS A RECOMMENDATION. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A FEW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND THE TASK FORCE HERE TODAY. WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN THOROUGH AND RESPONSIBLE IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE MADE TO COUNCIL. THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN A YEAR IN THE MAKING, A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT NOW, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU OUR INPUT ON THE FUTURE OF BICYCLING IN AUSTIN. SO I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH MY REPORT HERE. THE THING ABOUT THE TASK FORCE THAT IS SO STRIKING IS THAT WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE'RE ENGINEERS, WE'RE PLANNERS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE -- WE'RE PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS. WE HAD TXDOT INVOLVEMENT. WE'RE MOTHERS, WE'RE FATHERS, WE'RE BICYCLEISTS, AND WE WERE ALSO NON-BICYCLEISTS, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT. MOST OF ALL WHAT WE REALLY ARE IS AUSTIN. WE ARE VERY MUCH -- WE VERY MUCH CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN AND WE CARE ABOUT PROTECTING AND ENHANCING THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE AUSTIN SUCH A WONDERFUL CITY TO LIVE IN. I WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS. WE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GREAT STAFF INPUT, COUNCIL INPUT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. APD. I COULD NAME LOTS AND LOTS OF NAMES HERE, PEOPLE WHO REALLY ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES, SAT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND SAID, OKAY, LET'S MAKE THIS WORK. LET'S GIVE THE CITY A GOOD, SOLID FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON FOR BICYCLING IN AUSTIN. WE WERE TASKED WITH THESE STATED GOALS FROM A ALL RIGHT THAT INVITED US, THE TASK FORCE LAST YEAR. WE WERE -- LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR COMPOSITION WAS VERY DIVERSE. WE HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED, AND I THINK ONE IMPORTANT BULLET THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PUT ON HERE IS THAT THAT WE WERE BICYCLIST AND WE WERE ALSO PEOPLE THAT DON'T REALLY BICYCLE REGULARLY. SO GOOD INPUT. THE VISION STATEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY LIKE TO STICK TO. WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS TASK FORCE BELIEVES IS THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN, WE PUT IN WORLD-CLASS FOR A REASON. WE CAN BE WORLD-CLASS. WE ARE AUSTIN. WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY, WE HAVE THE PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT MIND-SET. SO WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE A WORLD-CLASS BICYCLING CITY. WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A LONG TIME, FROM THE '70S, THROUGH THE '80S, '90S AND 2000 THAN AND NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH ANOTHER BICYCLE PLAN UPDATE, AND THAT'S HAD AN IMPACT CLEARLY ON WHO'S RIDING A BIKE, NUMBER OF PEOPLE RIDING BIKES. WE'RE NOT QUITE TO OUR BICYCLE PLANNED GOAL, BUT WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET THERE. WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. OUR PRIORITY ONE ROUTE FROM OUR EARLY PLANNING BACK IN THE '80S, WE'RE 35% COMPLETE. I THINK THAT WE CAN BE AGGRESSIVE AND SMART ABOUT HOW WE COMPLETE THESE ROUTES. AGAIN, HERE'S JUST SOME MORE DATA ON WHICH AREAS OF TOWN, WHERE THE ROUTES IS BEING COMPLETED, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. AND AGAIN, HERE IS A DIFFERENT AREA OF TOWN WITH ESCARPMENT. THIS IS BACK HERE, THE SOUTH, SOUTHWEST AREA. THE VELLOWAY IS A HUGE PROJECT THAT WAS COMPLETED THAT I THINK HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO THAT AREA. WORK DATA, ONE OF THE STATED GOALS IS TO GET PEOPLE ON BIKES. WE WANT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CAR TRIPS. WE WANT TO PEOPLE TO CHOOSE TO RIDE A BIKE INSTEAD OF DRIVE THEIR CAR TO THE STORE, BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THE RAW NUMBERS HERE I THINK ARE VERY INTERESTING. IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2008 AND THE 2015 FIGURES, BOTH OF THOSE ARE PROJECTED BY THE CITY'S DEMOGRAPHER, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'D APPROXIMATE IN 2008 WITH OUR STATED GOAL OF 4%, THAT THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 15 AND A HALF THOUSAND PEOPLE RIDING BIKES PER DAY, WHICH I THINK IF YOU WERE TO ASK MY CAR DRIVER, WOULD YOU PREFER THAT WE PUT THOSE TRIPS BACK INTO TRAFFIC IN A CAR, THEY WOULD TELL YOU NO. SO WE'RE PROUD OF THIS IMPACT THAT WE CAN HAVE ON TRANSPORTATION IN AUSTIN. MINNESOTA -- THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DID A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF BUILDING BICYCLE FACILITIES IN AUSTIN -- WELL, AUSTIN WAS ONE OF THE TEST CITIES, AND THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU BUILD IT, DO YOU ACTUALLY INCREASE YOUR MODE SPLIT? OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AGREED TO GIVE INFORMATION FOR AUSTIN TO BE A TEST CITY, AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WAS A GREATER INCREASE IN MODE SHARE NEAR BICYCLE FACILITIES. SO IT WASN'T NECESSARILY THAT PEOPLE WERE CHOOSING TO USE THAT ROUTE, BUT WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE WAS PEOPLE ACTUALLY CHOSE TO RIDE A BIKE INSTEAD OF DRIVE A CAR, WHICH I THINK IS THE IMPORTANT POINT. THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS TO PROMOTE BICYCLE USE. A LOT OF THEM ARE THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ECONOMIC IMPACT. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS A LITTLE UNDER EXPLORED WITH RESPECT TO UNDERSTANDING HOW BICYCLES FUNCTION IN YOUR URBAN ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT'S THERE AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. QUALITY OF LIFE. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN THE BEGINNING. YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO RIDE A BIKE TO WORK, BEING ABLE TO RIDE A BIKE FOR RECREATION IN AUSTIN IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND THE SYNERGY IT OFFERS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATION. I THINK WHAT WOULD BE REALLY COOL IS IF YOU COULD GET ON YOUR BIKE IN GEORGETOWN AND RIDE DOWN TO SAN MARCOS. AND THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THIS REGION, AND THINK ABOUT THE COUNTY LINES THAT YOU CROSS AND THE GOVERNMENTS THAT YOU CROSS WHEN YOU DO THAT. SUBCOMMITTEES, I HAD -- I HAD THE HONOR OF CHAIRING THIS REALLY GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE. I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS, AND I THANK THEM TREMENDOUSLY FOR THEIR INPUT. ALL THREE OF THESE PEOPLE ALREADY WALKED INTO EACH OF THEIR SUBCOMMITTEES WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD IMPART AND HELP GUIDE THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES TO THE REALLY SOLID RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE. SO I THANK LANE AND PRESTON AND ANDREW. THEY WERE WONDERFUL. WE BROKE OUT EARLY IN THE TASK FORCE DAYS, WE BROKE IT OUT INTO THE THREE SUBCOMMITTEES WE FELT LIKE COVERED THE BREADTH OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO EXPLORE, AND WE PULLED OUT THESE GLOBAL RECOMMENDATIONS. WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE SUBCOMMITTEES AND THE WAY THEY OPERATED, THEY -- THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES, IT'S SORT OF THE BONES OF THE NETWORK, WHERE WE BEGIN TO PUT DOWN, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL THINGS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO RIDE BIKES. BUT IT'S MORE THAN JUST ABOUT PAINT. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO INFRASTRUCTURE-WISE THAT YOU CAN SOLVE LARGER GAPS WITH. SO WE HAVE SOME NEW THINGS THAT ARE BEING EMPLOYED IN EUROPE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE'VE PUT IN HERE, SOME THINGS THAT ARE EMPLOYED IN JUST A FEW CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT WE'VE RECOMMENDED THE CITY HAVE A LOOK AT. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WAYS TO SOLVE BASIC PROBLEMS. WHEN WE GET TO EDUCATION AND PROMOTION, TO ME THIS IS THE SECOND LAYER IN THE BIKE NETWORK. PEOPLE NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED TO RIDE. THEY NEED TO BE TOLD HOW TO RIDE SAFELY. DRIVERS NEED TO BE TOLD HOW TO INTERACT WITH CARS. IN LARGE PART WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT SOME CAR BIKE ACCIDENTS OR CRASHES OCCUR BECAUSE SOMEBODY DIDN'T KNOW QUITE WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY HIT AN INTERSECTION, AND SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT ANYBODY WAS AGGRESSIVE OR IN THE WRONG, THEY JUST WEREN'T QUITE SURE HOW TO HANDLE IT. THE CITY CAN PLAY A REALLY BIG ROLE IN HELPING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, THIS IS HOW YOU NAVIGATE THIS INTERSECTION. THIS IS HOW YOU PASS A BICYCLE SAFELY. AND SO THESE -- AND THEN GETTING PEOPLE OUT THERE, GETTING THEM FEELING LIKE THEY WANT TO GIVE IT A SHOT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS AS WELL. AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAD SAFE BEHAVIOR IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. I CAN'T MOVER MOVE AWAY FROM THIS SUBCOMMITTEE WITHOUT THANKING APD. THEIR INPUT WAS PHENOMENAL. WE HAD AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE FROM APD AT EACH ONE OF THESE MEETINGS, AND THEY WERE SO HELPFUL IN DESCRIBING TO US HOW WE CAN HELP THEM EVALUATE THE BICYCLE NETWORK, AND A LARGE PART, WHAT CAME OUT OF SAFE BEHAVIOR IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IS HOW DO YOU EVALUATE HOW YOUR BICYCLE NETWORK IS WORKING. SO YES, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK AT CITATIONS, YOU CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CRASHES ARE THERE, BUT IF YOU PUT IT ON A MAP, IT'S A SHOTGUN PATTERN RIGHT NOW. WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE IS DIFFERENT KINDS OF DATA REPORTING THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO ANALYZE, OKAY, WE'VE GOT A HOT SPOT RIGHT HERE. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING AND MAKE THIS THING FUNCTION SMOOTHLY? AND THIS IS A REALLY -- OF COURSE, THE LAST PIECE OF A BICYCLE NETWORK, OR THE FINAL PIECE, RATHER. ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ALL THREE SUBCOMMITTEES SENT FORTH WAS, THIS IS A HUGE JOB. THIS WAS A HUGE JOB. IT TOOK US A LONG TIME. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE REPLICATED. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BOARD OR COMMISSION ESTABLISHED THAT SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES ON THE CITY'S BICYCLE PLAN. WE ALSO THINK THAT BECAUSE SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE SIMILAR, THAT THIS BOARD SHOULD ACTUALLY BE A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN BOARD. SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE TASK FORCE FELT VERY STRONGLY ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, AND EVEN THIS MORNING WERE ASKING ME TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES HAD THESE TOPICS. I WON'T READ THEM AND GO THROUGH THEM, YOU KNOW, PIECE BY PIECE, BUT THIS IS SORT OF HOW WE BROKE IT OUT. EACH ONE OF THESE IS A CHAPTER, IF YOU WILL, UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES. SO IT SHOULD BE EASY TO LOOK THROUGH THERE AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW WE -- WHAT THE PROCESS INVOLVED WAS. AND THEN EDUCATION AND PROMOTION LARGELY CENTERED AROUND ACTIVITIES THAT THE CITY COULD UNDERTAKE INCLUDING HIRING FTE'S TO PROMOTE AND ASSIST THE BIKE PROGRAM WITH MARKETING SOME OF THOSE SERVICES -- OR MARKETING SOME OF THE BICYCLE FACILITIES WE'VE GOT IN DOWN AND WAYS TO GET AROUND TOWN. AND AGAIN, HERE ARE JUST SOME MORE THINGS THAT THE EDUCATION AND PROMOTION SUBCOMMITTEE CAME FORTH WITH. AND THEN, OF COURSE, AGAIN, NO. 5 HERE IS VERY IMPORTANT, TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OF THESE ACTIVITIES. THAT WAS ALWAYS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, IS THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO ANALYZE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WORKING SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THOSE THINGS, ENHANCE THEM, AND TAKE THE THINGS THAT MAYBE AREN'T BEING AS EFFECTIVE, MODIFY THEM AND GO FORWARD THAT WAY. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SAFE BEHAVIOR AGAIN HAD GREAT PARTICIPATION, WITH SOME VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE, SO WE LOOKED AT BIKE-CAR INTERACTION, PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION, PROCEDURES OF ENFORCEMENT AND OF COURSE NO. 4, THAT CRITICAL REPORTING COLLISIONS AND VIOLATIONS THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THAT NETWORK OPERATES. WITH THAT I'LL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION AND ASK THE COUNCIL IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE TASK FORCE.

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU, SARAH, FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND FOR YOUR SERVICE, NOW, FOR 13 MONTHS AND LONGER, REALLY. QUESTIONS FOR SARAH? COMMENTS? I TRUST, WE'VE FIGURED OUT, DARLENE, THIS IS GOING TO BE ON OUR WEB SITE ALREADY? AND SO FOLKS CAN SEE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ULTIMATELY GET SOME FEEDBACK TO COUNCIL ABOUT IT?

GREAT.

MAYOR WYNN: QUESTIONS FOR SARAH? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SARAH, FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

WE APPRECIATE IT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE FUTURE.

MAYOR WYNN: LIKEWISE. THANK YOU. WELL, SO COUNCIL, THAT TAKES US JUST A FEW MINUTES LATE TO OUR NOON CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. I'M TOLD WE HAVE A FULL SCHEDULE OF TEN FOLKS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US. SO WITHOUT OBJECTION OR FURTHER ADO, WE'LL TAKE UP THAT TESTIMONY. OUR FIRST SPEAK IS LESLIE McCULLOCK -- McCULLOCK, SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED THAT, LESLIE. WELCOME. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO BE FOLLOWED BY GAVINO FERNANDEZ.

MAYOR WYNN: WELCOME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WYNN AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LESLIE McCULLOCK AND I AM HERE TODAY AS THE DISTRICT COORDINATOR FOR THE CAMPAIGN TO CREATE A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE. OUR CAMPAIGN IS WORKING TOWARDS THE PASSING OF HOUSE BILL 808 THAT CALLS FOR A CABINET-LEVEL DEPARTMENT. THIS IDEA HAS A VERY LONG HISTORY. IT IS CURRENTLY SPONSORED BY DENNIS KUCINICH AND HAS 75 REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE ENDORSED THIS LEGISLATION AND OUR OWN WILLIE NELSON WORKS ON THIS CAMPAIGN. AND PART OF THE CAMPAIGN IS SECURING CITY ENDORSEMENTS OF THIS LEGISLATION, WHEREBY YOU PASS A RESOLUTION. CURRENTLY THERE ARE OVER 35 CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING LOS ANGELES, BERKELEY, ATLANTA, DETROIT, CLEVELAND, OAKLAND, PORTLAND, METROPOLITAN, SAN JOSE, AND RECENTLY PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND AND NEW YORK CITY THAT HAVE ALL PASSED AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS RESOLUTION. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN RECENTLY THERE WAS A STORY ON FOX NEWS ABOUT OUR WALK FOR PEACE WE HAD HERE IN AUSTIN AND ENDED AT CITY HALL, WHERE CITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS CALLED FOR YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF THIS LEGISLATION, AND AS A LONG-TIME RESIDENT I HAVE LIVED HERE IN AUSTIN FOR THE PAST 33 YEARS, AND I WANT TO PUT OUR CITY ON THIS LIST. OUR CITY HAS OFTEN TAKEN THE ADVANCE OF PROGRESSIVE THINKING AND LIVING, AND NOW MORE THAN EVER I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT WE NEED TO PROMOTE A GREATER CULTURE OF PEACE. MAYOR WYNN, YOU RECENTLY PROCLAIMED SEPTEMBER 21, 2006 AS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU DECLARE A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE DAY, LIKE WAS RECENTLY DONE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA. MY WORK HERE WITH THE CAMPAIGN IS MODE VAITED LARGELY BY -- MOTIVATED LARGELY BY MY DESIRE TO PROMOTE PEACE INTERNATIONALLY BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE WOULD ALSO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH IS SADLY ON THE RISE. IT SEEMS EVERYWHERE, EVEN HERE IN AUSTIN. WE NEED A GOVERNING BODY THAT CAN PROVIDE THE INSTITUTIONAL HELP TO DEVELOP AND REPLICATE THE PROGRAMS THAT TARGET ALL MANIFESTATIONS OF VIOLENCE IN OUR SOCIETY, AND AS A SCHOOLTEACHER, OF WHICH I WAS JUST VOTED WEST LAKE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR, I AM PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE, AND I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE PARTS OF HOUSE BILL 808 THAT REALLY ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND LOOKS AT PROGRAMS THAT SPECIFICALLY TARGET HOW DO WE REDUCE SCHOOL VIOLENCE. I KNOW THAT EVEN IN WEST LAKE, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A HOT SPOT OF VIOLENCE, THE LEVEL OF CONCERN, THE NUMBER OF SECURITY AGENTS THAT WE'VE HIRED THIS YEAR, HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE TO SPEND ON THIS ISSUE IS ENORMOUS. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ALSO FROM DAVID JENKINS, WHO IS OUR STATE COORDINATOR, TODAY ABOUT THIS, AND WE WILL BE CONTACTING YOU WITH COPIES OF THE RESOLUTION ASKING FOR YOUR ENDOORSMENT. THANK YOU.

MAYOR WYNN: THANK YOU, LESLIE. COUNCIL, I APOLOGIZE, AND FOLKS HERE, BOTH HERE FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND OUR PREVIOUS ITEM, I WAS THINKING THAT THE STREET SMART ITEM WAS A BRIEFING. IN FACT, TECHNICALLY IT'S AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL, IT'S AN ACTION ITEM, ITEM NO. 63. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER FOLKS IN ADDITION TO SARAH'S PRESENTATION THAT WANTED TO GIVE US SOME TESTIMONY. SO WITHOUT OBJECTION I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK WHILE WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE FOLKS HERE, AND THEN TAKE ACTION ON ITEM NO. 63. SO THE FIRST PERSON WHO HAD SIGNED UP TO GIVE US ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY ON ITEM NO. 63 IS TOMMY EDEN. I SAW TOMMY EARLIER. I DON'T SEE HIM. WE'LL SAVE HIS SPOT. KIM VASSOW. SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCE THAT, KIM, SIGNED UP ALSO TO GIVE US TESTIMONY, ALSO IN FAVOR AS WAS TOMMY. JENNIFER GALE GAVE US TESTIMONY EARLIER IN OPPOSITION. SHE HAD SIGNED UP, NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD, AND THEN SCOTT JOHNSON WAS HERE. SCOTT, I APOLOGIZE. WELCOME. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THEN FOR THE RECORD ERIC ANDERSON, PETER WALL, THOMAS FAK LER AND NATE THAN WILKES SIGNED UP NOT WISHING TO SPEAK.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. GOOD, CITY STAFF. I'M SCOTT JOHNSON. I WAS A PARTICIPANT IN THE STREET SMART TASK FORCE. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR'S AIDE WHO PARTICIPATED VERY REGULARLY AND IMPORTANTLY IN THIS PROCESS. IT REALLY IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF CONNECTING TO A TASK FORCE THAT I'VE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH. I WOULD SAY THAT I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT TAPPED ON SARAH'S SHOULDER TO SAY THAT A COMMISSION OR A COMMISSION-LEVEL TYPE OF GROUP THAT COULD AT LEAST HAVE STAYING POWER FOR THE FIRST TWO OR THREE OR FIVE YEARS WHILE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE CITY WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. I REALIZE YOUR RETICENCE IN GROWING THE BOARD AND COMMISSION SYSTEM BEYOND WHERE IT IS NOW, AND I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THAT SYSTEM, BUT THAT TO ME IS VERY IMPORTANT. WHEN I LOOK TO TRY TO WORK WITH GROUPS OR WORK WITH THE CITY TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE, I'M ALMOST ALWAYS TOLD, WELL, WE NEED TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THEN WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THAT PLAN AT THAT TIME RATHER THAN TAKING A FEW PIECES THAT MAY BE IMPORTANT TO IMPLEMENT IN THE SHORT-TERM, EVEN BEFORE THE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE GONE TO COUNCIL AND WORK THOSE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY IF THEY INVOLVE SAFETY AND HEALTH -- PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT A WEEK FROM FRIDAY WE HAVE AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE CITY PLAZA, CALLED THE POLITICAL PEDAL. WE'D INVITE YOU TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT EVENT. WE WILL PROVIDE A BIKE AND HELMET FOR YOU. IF YOU CAN ATTEND THAT, WE WILL HAVE A HAPPY HOUR AT THE RIO GRANDE HAPPY HOUR. THE RIDE WILL MEET AT 4:45 IN THE CITY PLAZA. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THE MAYOR HAS A BIKE AND WEARS HIS HELMET, FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S SEE, SO ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM NO. 63 63 OR ITEM THAT RELATES TO THE STREET SMARTS TASK FORCE REPORT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COLE?

COLE: I JUST HAVE A COMMENT. I THINK THAT OUR TRAIL SYSTEM AND OUR BIKING SYSTEM ARE INTERTWINED, AND WE BROUGHT ITEM 63 AND ITEM 64 TOGETHER TODAY FOR A REASON, IS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT AUSTIN IS LANCE ARMSTRONG'S HOME, AND THE HARD WORK THAT THE STREET SMARTS TASK FORCE HAS DONE, AND THEIR DESIRE TO HAVE A COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THESE DIRECTIVES. AND IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO READ THIS AND TRY AS BEST WE CAN TO IMPLEMENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. YOUR HARD WORK DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED, AND I'M STILL ALWAYS AMAZED AT THE WORK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR CITIZENS AND THE DEDICATION TO HELPING MAKE AUSTIN BETTER.

MAYOR WYNN: WELL PUT. THANK YOU. FURTHER COMMENTS? WELL, ACTUALLY I GUESS I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NO. 63.

COLE: I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM 63.

MAYOR WYNN: MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER MCCRACKEN TO APPROVE ITEM NO. 63, THE RESOLUTION AS POSTED. FURTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ?

MARTINEZ: THANKS, MAYOR. I WANT TO MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT THAT I REALLY AM GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS TODAY. I THINK IT SPEAKS TO MANY OF OUR VALUES AS A COMMUNITY, OUR CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN AS IT RELATES TO CARBON SEE QUESTIONS.WE DID SOMETHING BY ASKING STAFF TO GIVE US A REPORT WITHIN 90 DAYS OF ALL OF THE EASEMENT AND RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT COULD CREATE SOME CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT COUPLED WITH ITEM 63 AND 64 TODAY, THAT'S REALLY GOING TO SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR REALLY BEING ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, MANY FOLKS WANT TO SEE MORE GREEN SPACE, TRAILS AND PARKS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS OF WAY THAT CAN BE TURNED INTO SOME TRAIL CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT CREATING A HEALTHY ECO SYSTEM IN TERMS OF THESE GREENWAYS, I REALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT GOVERNMENT AS AN ECO SYSTEM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IF WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE IT IN PLACE, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SEE US CREATE A PROGRAM WHEREINER DEPARTMENTALLY WE ARE ALWAYS MINDFUL OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTS FOR CREATING TRAIL SPACE AND FOR COORDINATING THAT. AND THE DEPARTMENTS I'M THINKING ABOUT ARE PARKS, OBVIOUSLY, WATER UTILITY, EASEMENTS, AUSTIN ENERGY, EASEMENTS. WE NEED THAT COLLABORATIVE PROCESS AMONG AND ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WHEN THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARISE IT IS A STATED VALUE AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH TRYING TO CREATE THAT TRAIL OR THAT OPEN SPACE OR THAT GREEN SPACE, AS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION MOVING FORWARD. SO EITHER VIA A COUNCIL ITEM IN THE FUTURE OR EVEN IF STAFF WOULD JUST LIKE TO WORK ON THIS AND EXPLAIN TO US WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

MAYOR WYNN: GREAT. THANK YOU. AGAIN, FURTHER COMMENTS? WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE TABLE. COUNCIL MEMBER COLE?

COLE: MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE CLOSING COMMENT. WALTER LONG, WHOSE THE LAKE IS NAMED AFTER, HIS DAUGHTER, JANET PASSED AWAY AND SHE WAS THE CREATOR AND FOUNDER OF SHOAL CREEK TRAIL. SO THERE ARE MANY TRAILBLAZERS WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US THROUGHOUT HISTORY THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE AS A TIME LIKE THIS.

MAYOR WYNN: I AGREE. THANK YOU FOR REMINDS US. MOTION AND SECOND ON THE TABLE. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

MAYOR WYNN: AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES ON A VOTE OF 5-0 WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS KIM AND LEFFINGWELL OFF THE DAIS. THAWL ALL VERY MUCH AND I -- THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I APOLOGIZE FOR EARLIER. [APPLAUSE]

MAYOR WYNN: COUNCIL, THAT TAKES US BACK TO OUR GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, THE SECOND SPEAKER ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP IS GAVINO FERNANDEZ, WHO I SAW IN THE ROOM EARLIER. WELCOME, GAVINO. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRANCES MARTINEZ.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS GAVINO FERNANDEZ AND I'M COORDINATE ARE THE COALITION OF MEXICAN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I WANT TO SPEAK ON TWO SUBJECTS BEFORE THE ONE I SIGNED UP FOR. ONE IS AN UPCOMING EVENT THAT FOUR GROUPS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOT TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER AND PROMOTE OUR LATINO AND ETHNIC HISTORY, WHICH IN CENTRAL AND EAST AUSTIN, BECAUSE OF GENTRIFICATION IS GRADUALLY BEING PHASED OUT. IT IS A FREE EVENT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE WANTING TO ILLUSTRATE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE FUN, ENJOY MUSIC AND OUR CULTURE WITHOUT ALCOHOL. IT'S AN ALCOHOL-FREE EVENT, AND IT'S FREE. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR SPONSORS. A LULAC 4861, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AUSTIN ENERGY, WHICH WE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE, AND CRISTO REY. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A FREE EVENT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE WERE PRICED OUT BECAUSE A HUGE AMOUNT INCREASE IN FIESTA GARDENS, SO WE DECIDED TO COME TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE THE TRADITION OF EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY AND KIDS OF THE RICH CULTURE THAT WE HAVE SO WE HAVE A GREAT LINE UP OF TEJANO MUSIC AND BALLET GROUPS THAT WILL BE PERFORMING THAT WEEKEND. AND ANOTHER TOPIC, SPEAKING ABOUT BALLET, I UNDERSTAND THAT BALLET EAST'S TRADITIONAL WEEKEND AT DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER HAS BEEN BUMPED THIS YEAR TO ANOTHER DATE, AND WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. IT'S BEEN A CALENDAR EVENT FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS. IT'S AN EVENT THAT MANY OF OUR CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE, AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, BALLET IS A FAR CRY, A PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN EAST AUSTIN -- IT'S AN UNTRADITIONAL PROGRAM, BUT IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE EMBRACED, AND SO I WAS THERE AT METZ WHEN I WAS AN EMPLOYEE. BALI,BAL BALLET, ALL THE KIDS SAID BALLET? BUT IT'S A RICH ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM TO OUR COMMUNITY AND IT IS OUR HOPE THAT PARK STAFF AND THE BALLET EAST WILL COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THE PARTICULAR DATE, BUT THAT IS A CONCERN TO US BECAUSE THE DATE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, MANY OF THE CHILDREN ARE GONE FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. ON SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, THE BOTTOM LINE IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND FINANCES. IT'S A $2 BILLION BUDGET. MY EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH -- AN EX-FRIEND, HE GAVE ME THAT INSIGHT LOOK OF THAT REALITY, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH IN TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, THE DYNAMICS AND THE REALITY OF HAVING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, BECAUSE IT IS DEBATE ON HOW $2 BILLION ARE GOING TO BE SPENT. SO I STRONGLY URGE THIS COMMUNITY TO, IN A FUTURE DATE, BRING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS TO AUSTIN SO THAT WE WILL HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENTIRE CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

MAYOR PRO TEM, I WANT TO ASK MR. FERNANDEZ A QUESTION. MR. FERNANDEZ, ON YOUR REQUEST FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, WAS THAT THROUGH THE HOLLY GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM?

THAT IS CORRECT.

I'LL FOLLOW UP AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS PROCESSED.

THANK YOU.

SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THAT, AS WELL WITH THE BALI EAST. I THINK RUDY MENDEZ HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH BALI EAST, AND THE CITY HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED HIM AND THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM SUPPORTS --

THAT'S CORRECT.

-- WHAT HE DOES, SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LOSE THEIR PLACE AT DOUGHERTY ARTS.

THANK YOU, SIR. AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

DUNKERLEY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FRANCES MARTINEZ?

GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS FRANCES MARTINEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'M ALSO FORMER PLANNING COMMISSIONER AND ALSO PART OF CONCILIA. AND I'M HERE TOOLED AGAIN TO EXPRESS TO YOU THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORS ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH 300 EDDIE STREETS -- THE HORSES ARE STILL THERE. THEY BATHE THE HORSES ON THE STREET AND ALL THAT DEBRIS AND ALL GOES IN THE SEWER. SO WE'RE VERY CONCERNED WITH THAT. RIGHT NOW THAT IS BECOMING WARMER -- ISSUED I SHOULD SAY VERY HOT, THE WEATHER, AND THE SMELL IS TERRIBLE, IF YOU CAN -- SOMEONE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. I'VE BEEN HERE A LOT OF TIME, SO IF YOU CAN -- IF YOU CAN GET SOMEONE TO CALL ME, THAT AGAIN IS ON 300 EDIX STREET. THE INTERSECTION IS EAST 4TH STREET, SO IF SOMEONE COULD CALL ME. YOU-ALL HAVE MY NAWM, 474-5359. AND ALSO WE ARE CONCERNED WITH POM PARTS, THAT STILL THE RESTROOMS ARE IN CREDIT. WE DID MEET WITH MR. PHILLIPS LAST YEAR AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE -- THEY HAVE TORE DOWN THE CONCRETE WHERE THEY PLAYED BASKETBALL BASKETBALL, SO WE'RE VERY CONCERNED WITH THAT. I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GOING TO PUT MORE GRASS, BUT STILL, THE BATHROOMS ARE NOT OPEN AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE UNDESIRABLES TO GO IN THERE, BUT WE HAD BOYS SAID LAST YEAR THAT IF WE COULD HAVE THE BATHROOMS ENCLOSED WHERE THE POOL IS, THEN THAT WAY THE GUARDS WOULD HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER IT. SO WE'RE VERY CONCERNED WITH THAT. AND ALSO WITH THE BICYCLES. THE BIKES -- THEY DO NOT STOP. I WISH THEY WOULD BE MORE FRIENDLY AROUND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND ELSEWHERE AS WELL, ALL OVER THE CITY. STOP ON THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR THE STOP SIGNS, AND WITH THAT WE'RE VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY -- SENIOR CITIZENS, LIKE ME, THAT DRIVE BY THERE AND THEY JUST FLY IN FRONT OF US. SO WE'RE VERY CONCERNED WITH THAT. AND SO IF WE CAN GET SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THAT. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU-ALL TO OUR ANNUAL CRISTO REY CATHOLIC CHURCH. IT'S FREE FOR EVERYONE, IT'S JUNE 7TH AND 8TH. SO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, WE'LL BE THERE FROM 12 NOON TILL 10:00 AT NIGHT -- I MEAN, ON SATURDAY FROM 12 NOON TILL 12 MIDNIGHT AND THEN ON SUNDAY FROM 12:00 TO 10:00. SO WE'LL BE HAVING A LOT OF GAMES, MUSIC AND FUN FOR EVERYONE. AND I KNOW I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED THE AUSTIN ENERGY ON THE -- ON COMAL PARK TO HAVE THE LIGHTS ON, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE THE LIGHTS BACK ON ON COMAL PARK. THANK YOU.

DUNKERLEY: THANK YOU. DID YOU GET THOSE VOTES? OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CAROLANNEROSE KENNEDY?

THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. I'M ACTUALLY VERY ILL TODAY AND THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I'M NOT CONTAGIOUS, BUT I'D APPRECIATE IT IF I COULD BEG YOU FOR 30 MORE SECONDS OF TIME. THREE MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS?

DUNKERLEY: WELL, LET'S DO OUR THREE MINUTES FIRST.

YES, MA'AM, THANK YOU. MENTAL HEALTH, HOME ON DERANGED. [ (music) SINGING (music) ] OH, GIVE ME A HOME, WHERE THE TEXICANS ROME, WHERE THE MOMS AND THE BABIES DON'T CRY. I DON'T KNOW A WORD OF AN HE IS ESPANOL WORD, AND THE GODS ONLY KNOW HOW I'VE TRIED. [ (music) SINGING (music) ] OH, GIVE BACK MY HEALTH WITH MY FINE LITTLE WHITE SPOUSE, WITH THE WHITE PICTURE FENCE ALL AROUND. ALL THE ROSES AND PEARLS TILL THE END OF THE WORLD, YOU CAN TELL THE GOOD NEIGHBORS I'VE DROWNED. [ (music) SINGING (music) ] HOME, HOME ON DERANGED, WHERE THE BACK BURNER IS BROKEN AGAIN. BUT I DON'T HAVE TO COOK, BECAUSE MY BEST TOOL YOU TOOK, SO I'LL GO OUT AND PLAY WITH THE SAME. [ (music) SINGING (music) ] OH, GIVE ME A SALE WITH YOUR DRUGS AND MORE HELL, WHEN THE GODS ONLY KNOW WHAT I'VE DONE (music) (music) BUT I'LL CRY AND I'LL SING WITH MY TWO BROKEN WINGS (music) (music) YOU MADE ME CRAWL WHEN I WANTED TO RUN (music) (music) OH, GIVE ME A ROOM WITH THE NURSING HOME GLOOM (music) (music) WHERE I ROCK OR GET ROLLED DOWN THE HALL (music) (music) MY BREATH IS NOW SHORT, IT'S IN THE REPORT (music) (music) BUT THEY'LL SEAL THAT AND MAIL IT TO YOU-ALL (music) (music) OH, GIVE ME A HUT WHERE I'LL HE I'LL KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT, WHERE THEY CALL MY BIPOLAR BY NAME (music) (music) WELL, I'LL FLY AND I'LL CRASH, ON MY LILLY WHITE BREAST (music) (music) BUT YOU'LL NEVER STOP TRYING TO TAME (music) (music) HOME, HOME ON DERANGED, WHERE THE BACK BURNER IS BROKEN AGAIN (music) (music) BUT I DON'T HAVE TO COOK BECAUSE MY BEST TOOL YOU TOOK, SO I'LL GO OUT AND PLAY WITH THE ASSIGN (music) (music) OH, GIVE ME A GRAVE WHERE THE BAD BOYS BEHAVIOR BEHAVE, WHERE THE COYOTES CALL OUT MY NAME (music) (music) NOW I SOAR THROUGH THE CLOUDS WHILE I'M CRYING OUT LOUD, THAT I'M NO LONGER PLAYING YOUR GAME (music) (music)(music) THANK YOU. [ (music) SINGING (music) ] HOME, HOME ON DERANGED (music)

MARCEL A TAFOYA. WELCOME.

A LITTLE SLOW BUT I'LL BE -- ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MAR CELO TAFOYA. I'M LULAC NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONER. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHO LULAC IS AND WHAT LULAC STANDS FOR. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE A NONPROFIT. WE'RE A 501 C 4. WE'RE AN EDUCATIONAL NONPROFIT. WE CANNOT ENDORSE ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATE, ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING WE'RE DOING IT. WE CANNOT DO IT. IT'S THE LAW. BUT WE DO IS EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ON ISSUES. , WE HAVE FORUMS, WE HAVE GATHERINGS. WE HAVE COMMITTEE ORGANIZATIONS TO FIND OUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY -- OR WHAT IS OUT THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO CONSEQUENTLY ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, OUR COMMUNITY, IN FACT, I WENT TO ALL THE MEETINGS EXCEPT FOR ONE. EVERY ONE THAT WENT TO SPEAK THERE WERE IN FAVOR OF IT, AND THEN THE COUNCIL ALL OF A SUDDEN SAYS, WELL, WE CAN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MAP BROUGHT FORWARD. WELL -- AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME THE COUNCIL BROUGHT UP AN ISSUE SAYING THAT THEY WANTED THE COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE NOT ACTUALLY GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH. SO CONSEQUENTLY, APPARENTLY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A DEAD ITEM, BUT WE DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S DEAD. THE COMMUNITY WANTS SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, AT LEAST ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WENT TO SPEAK BEFORE IT. THE TIMING OF THE MEETINGS WERE KIND OF HARD FOR THE COMMUNITY BUT A LOT OF THEM DID SHOW UP. AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT, PERMITTED TO GO ON THE BALLOT. LET THE COMMUNITY DECIDE. AFTERWARD THEN WE CAN ADDRESS WHATEVER THE COUNCIL WANTED. AFTER ALL THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE FINAL SAY, AND ALL WE'RE ASKING IS THAT TO PERMIT US TO MOVE FORWARD. OF COURSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER METHODS TO BE ABLE TO GET IT ON, INCLUDING A LAWSUIT, INCLUDING GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WE'D RATHER HAVE THE COMMUNITY DECIDE INSTEAD OF FORCING IT UPON THE COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE ASKING THAT, AND I KNOW MOST LIKELY YOU'LL SAY IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DO. BUT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN YOU REALLY WANT TO PUT YOUR MIND TO IT. I WANT TO THANK YOU YOU-ALL AGAIN FOR PERMITTING US TO SPEAK. THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO RESOLVE, A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP REGARDING POLICE, REGARDING FIRE, EMS, REGARDING CHILD CARE, REGARDING THE HOMELESS. THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE JOBS THAT LULAC DOES. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

DUNKERLEY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GLORIA MORENO.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS GLORIA MORENO, AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF PEDERNALES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND WE ARE A 52-PARCEL COMMUNITY SANDWICHED IN BY RETAIL, COMMERCIAL, ALLY, WAREHOUSES AND RAILROAD TRACKS. AND WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVE SINCE THE THE FALL OF 1996, AND THE COMMUNITY IS VERY SMALL. WE HAVE MANY SENIORS. I MYSELF INCLUDED, AND MY MOTHER, AND WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT PLAY IN THE STREET DURING THE SUMMER, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A. [IN SPANISH] THEY HAVE TO CALL 7TH, EAST 7TH STREET TO GET TO. [IN SPANISH] SO A LOT OF TIMES THEY JUST PLAY, YOU KNOW, IN THE STREET, SINCE IT'S SUMMER AND THEY FEEL FREE, AND WITH LOTS OF ENERGY. BUT WE HAVE HAD A BIG PROBLEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I'M WORKING CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN OUR AREA, COMMANDER GAMBLE OF THE EAST AUSTIN SUBSTATION, OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE, JOSE RODRIGUEZ. HE'S VERY COMPASSIONATE AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH US. ALSO WITH OTHER PEOPLE ON THE FORCE, AND WITH CODE ENFORCE HIM ABOUT THE DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HOPE TO CLAMP DOWN ON THESE PEOPLE, FIND A WAY TO HAVE THEM LEAVE THE AREA. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK OUT, BUT I WILL BE COMING FORTH AND PRESENTING TO THE TASK FORCE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IS A MEMBER OF, AND I WILL PRESENT A LETTER, THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET HELP TO HAVE THESE PEOPLE EVICTED. THE HOMEOWNER WILL HAVE TO HEEVICT THE PEOPLE, REMODEL THE STRUCTURE, DO AWAY WITH A LOT OF LITTLE SHACKS AND THINGS THAT THEY HAVE BUILT THEMSELVES UP OVER THE YEARS. AND FROM THAT ADDRESS ALSO CAME ONE OF THE CRIMINALS THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THREE OR FOUR, POSSIBLY FIVE OF THE BURGLARIZED SITUATIONS THAT WE HAD ON EAST 7TH OVER THE HOLIDAYS. AND THIS PERSON CAME FROM THERE. HE'S INCARCERATED RIGHT NOW, AND AFTER THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIM. BUT AT LEAST ONE PERSON WAS IDENTIFIED, AND I WAS SAD TO KNOW THAT HE WAS FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT HE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME AND GO, COME AND GO. BECAUSE OF THE BURGLARIES, THE -- LIKE 20 IN A MONTH AND A HALF DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AND PART OF JANUARY, THE BUSINESSPEOPLE MET AND WE FORMED BEAST SIDE BUSINESS APPLIANCE, AND OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HOPEFULLY TO ELECT OFFICERS AND HOPEFULLY WORK FORWARD. BUT WE'RE ALL WORKING AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF OSIVERO HAS ADDRESSED US AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD TEAM THERE AND ALSO WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL AS WE'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I WANTED TO GREET OUR NEW CITY MANAGER, BUT HE HAD ANOTHER COMMITMENT.

WELL, THIS IS ONE OF OUR NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, ROBERT GOOD.

HI.

GOOD, G-O-O-D? [INAUDIBLE]

OKAY. WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU, SIR.

DUNKERLEY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

DUNKERLEY: PAUL HERNANDEZ? NOT HERE TODAY. KATHY CORREA? KATHY? DAVID JENKINS?

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE UP ON THE DAIS TODAY. MY NAME IS DAVID JENKINS AND LESLIE McCULLOCK, YOUR FIRST SPEAKER TODAY, WHICH WAS KIND OF HARD TO HEAR BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF DESCRANGS DISTRACTIONS. DID SHE MENTION MY NAME? BECAUSE I AM ONE OF THE STATE COORDINATORS FOR THE CAMPAIGN TO ESTABLISH A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE IN OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR 36 YEARS. I'VE A LONG TIME AUSTIN RESIDENT. I'VE WORKED WITH TROUBLE YOUTH, I'VE WORKED IN THE SCHOOLS, WORKED IN PRISON SETTING, AND I SEE HOW MUCH OF A NEED THERE IS FOR US TO HAVE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE. WE ARE COMING TO THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE A DIRECT AND PRACTICAL BEARING ON OUR WISH TO REDUCE VIOLENCE RIGHT HERE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. I UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE AT FIRST GLANCE IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WELL, THIS IS A FEDERAL MEASURE, WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN? HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT IT IS MOST PERTINENT TO LIFE HERE IN AUSTIN. THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACEFUL LEGISLATION HAS BOTH A DOMESTIC AND AN INTERNATIONAL FOCUS, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE FUNDING WOULD GO TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC PROGRAMMING, THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING. I'M SURE THAT WE ALL WANT OUR TEACHERS TO FEEL SAFE GOING TO WORK. WE WANT OUR YOUTH AND OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN HOW TO SOLVE CONFLICTS WITHOUT RESORTING TO VIOLENCE, WHICH IS SOMETIMES EVEN LETHAL, AND WE ALSO WANT OUR CRIMINAL OFFENDERS TO STAY OUT OF JAIL ONCE THEY'RE RELEASED AFTER SERVING THEIR TIME, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TRULY REHABILITATED. THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE WOULD ADDRESS ALL THESE ISSUES. THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD PROGRAMS CURRENTLY WORKING HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ADDRESS THESE AND OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE ON A LOCAL LEVEL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR CAMPAIGN IS HONORED THIS WEEKEND TO HAVE DR. WILLIAM PETTY, MANAGER OF VICTIM SERVICES HERE AT AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS ONE OF OUR FEATURED SPEAKERS AT OUR REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN DALLAS. WE'RE VERY HAPPY THAT HE IS ONE OF THE SUPPORTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE, AND HE IS -- HIS PROGRAM IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW THERE IS A LOT OF EXPERTISE ALREADY AVAILABLE TO US AS A COUNTRY AND AS A COMMUNITY. IT JUST NEEDS MORE SUPPORT. WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE PEACE BUILDING A PRIORITY, AND HAVING A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE ON OUR CABINET WOULD DO THAT. THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE, AS I SAID, WOULD ESTABLISH BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL FOCUS AND IT WOULD ALSO ESTABLISH A PEACE ACADEMY TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS IN PEACE BUILDING AND TO DO RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT REALLY WORKS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS PEACEABLY. AND IN THE COMES WEEKS WE PLAN TO BE MEETING WITH EACH OF YOU SO THAT WE CAN EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THIS, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU MIGHT HAVE, AND TO ASK FOR YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT AND HISTORIC LEGISLATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DUNKERLEY: THANK YOU. ROBERT MACDONALD? ROBERT MACDONALD? AT THIS TIME, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, THE COUNCIL WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY UNDER SECTION 551.071 OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT TO DISCUSS AGENDA ITEMS 72, THE LEGAL ISSUES RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR BETH ANY -- MISSION BETH ANY SUBDIVISION, ITEM NO. 73, LEGAL ISSUES RELATING TO LABOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, AND NO. 74, LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF THE HAYS COUNTY WATER CONTROL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 1, FOR AMENDMENT TO THE TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM. IF THERE'S NO -- IS THERE -- IS THERE AN OBJECTION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THIS TIME ON THESE ITEMS READ? HEARING NO OBJECTIONS, COUNCIL THE NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. -- COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. (EXECUTIVE SESSION) NO CARRIERRINGCONNECT 57600 A ITEM 72, LEGAL ISSUES WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, AND ITEM 74 REGARDING A PERMIT BEFORE THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION HEARINGS. COUNCIL, REGARDING THAT LAST ITEM, 74, WE DO HAVE A RELATED ACTION ITEM, NUMBER 76. SO PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE A BRIEF STAFF PRESENTATION AND WE WILL TAKE ACTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M HOLLY WITH THE CITY LAW DEPARTMENT. YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU AN ACTION ITEM, JUST A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE CITY STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IN SETTLEMENT DISCUSSIONS. IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF HAYS COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR AN AMENDMENT TO TEXAS POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMIT NUMBER WQ 0014293001. THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING NO DIRECT DISCHARGE OF THE DARTON SEGMENT OF THE AQUIFER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? COMMENTS? IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 76. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION ON ITEM NUMBER 76 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF AND THE LEGAL MATTERS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. FURTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER LEFFINGWELL.

I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CITY STAFF WITH ITS EXPERTISE AT THE TABLE IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF NO DISCHARGE AND NOTING THAT ANY SETTLEMENT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. SO THIS IS NOT REALLY GIVING ANYTHING AWAY. WHAT IT DOES IS KEEP US AT THE TABLE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I AM STILL ONE FIRMLY COMMITTED TO AN EVENTUAL GOAL OF NO DISCHARGE AND WILL FIND THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT A SETTLEMENT THAT DOES NOT DRAW PROVISION. BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WE STAY AT THE TABLE, I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION.

MOTION AND SECOND ON THE TABLE, APPROVING THE RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION ITEM NUMBER 76. FURTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASS THE ON A VOTE OF 6-0 WITH COUNCIL MEMBER McCRACKEN TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAIS. THANK YOU ALL. SO COUNCIL, THAT TAKES US JUST PAST OUR 2:00 WINDOW FOR OUR AFTERNOON BRIEFING, OR PRESENTATION. TODAY IT IS GOING TO BE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM OUR '06 THROUGH '08 AFRICAN-AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVE. AND WE WOULD WELCOME THE PRESENTATION. WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MICHAEL McDONNELL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS. WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVE. ALTHOUGH THIS IS OUR FINAL REPORT ON THE 56 INITIATIVES AGREED UPON IN 2005 IT IS NOT OUR INTENTION TO SIGNAL THAT THE CITY'S EFFORTS HAVE CONCLUDED. AS YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS REPORT, MANY OF THE EFFORTS ARE ON GOING. FURTHERMORE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO INITIATE CHANGES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ATTRACT AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO AUSTIN. ALTHOUGH OUR INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, WE CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM CHANGE WILL REQUIRE THE EFFORTS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY CO-CHAIRS WHO TOOK ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING THESE INITIATIVES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS. THE MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THEIR GUIDANCE, AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. MAYOR, AND COUNCIL, THIS INITIATIVE BEGAN IN 2004. OUR CITY DEM OGRAPHER BEGAN A STUDY OF QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS. A LOT OF THIS DISCUSSION AND INITIATIVE WAS SPARKED BY SEVERAL CONTROVERSIAL EVENTS THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHICH WERE SPLIT RELATED. IT TRIGGERED A DISCUSSION ABOUT A DIFFERENT AUSTIN, ALTHOUGH AUSTIN HAS BEEN VERY VIBRANT AND AT THE TOP OF EVERY WHO'S WHO LISTS OF PUBLICATIONS ABOUT WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS COMPLAINED ABOUT A DIFFERENT AUSTIN. THEY DIDN'T IDENTIFY WITH MANY OF THE AWARDS AND THE ATTENTION THAT AUSTIN WAS RECEIVING. THEY TALKED ABOUT A DIFFERENT AUSTIN, SO THEREFORE WE HAD THE DEMOGRAPHER TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MAJOR ECONOMIC INDICATORS. THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER PRESENTED HIS REPORT IN MARCH OF 2005, AND THERE WERE MANY FINDINGS BUT SOME OF THE TOP FINDINGS WERE WHEN IT CAME TO MANY OF THE SOCIAL ECONOMIC AREAS, AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN AUSTIN FARED WELCOME PAIRED TO OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICANS NATIONWIDE BUT THEY SEEMED TO LAG BEHIND OTHER GROUPS NOT OF COLOR HERE IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, AND THE OTHER THING THAT WAS A CONCERN IS AS THE POPULATION SEEMED TO GROW FOR MANY OF THE OTHER AREAS, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION WAS DECREASING, NOT JUST IN AUSTIN, BUT IN THE REGION. THIS SPARKED THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL FOR SIX QUALITY OF LIFE FORUMS TO BE CONDUCTED. THE FORUMS WERE CONDUCTED BY GROUP SOLUTIONS HEADED BY RABINA JACKSON. THE FORUMS PRIMARILY DID A COUPLE THINGS. THEY, ONE, SOLICITED IMPACT FROM THE SCORE CARD THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE DEMOGRAPHER. THEY ALSO TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS. THERE WERE TWO PRIMARY QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED. ONE, DO AFRICAN-AMERICANS EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS IN AUSTIN AND THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE FROM THE PARTICIPANTS WERE YES. AND THEN THE NEXT THING WAS WHAT CAN LOCAL GOVER