>>MAYOR WATSON: I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILL. THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILL. THAT MOOIRK IS WAY TOO LOUD IF ANYBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION, EVEN I DON'T WANT TO HEAR MY VOICE THAT LOUD. TEST, TEST, TEST, WE WILL TRY IT ANYWAY. IT IS AUGUST 26TH, 1999, MEETING AT THE CITY COUNCILL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 307 WEST SECOND STREET. I WILL READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA. ITEM NO. 66 IS APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CITY CODE RELATED TO THE CITY'S DRINKING WATER. THAT IS ON SECOND AND THIRD READING. ITEM NO. 71, IT'S INDICATED THAT IT WAS A VOTE OF 6 TO 0. THE VOTE WAS 5 TO 1. SLUSHER VOTED NO. AND SPELMAN ABSENT. ITEM NO. 52, LET ME READ THE WHOLE THING, I WILL TELL YOU WHERE THE LANGUAGE IS ADDED. SET A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENT ON A VARIANCE REQUEST TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING IN THE ONE HER YEAR FLOODPLAIN AT 1209 AND 1301 SOUTH FIRST STREET FOR JAY MAIL PROPERTIES, INC., ADD DEDICATION OF EASEMENT OR RIGHT-OF-WAY. THE SUGGESTED DATE AND TIME IS SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1999 AT 6:00 P.M. ITEMS THAT ARE SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN, I WILL ANNOUNCE THESE AGAIN LATER IN THE DAY, 2:00 P.M., ITEM 32, 2:15, ITEM 3, 4:00 P.M. ITEMS 78 THROUGH 86, 6:00 P.M., ITEMS 87, 88, 89 AND 90. THE FIRST THING THAT WE WILL TAKE UP TODAY WILL BE THE BRIEFINGS ON THE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET. WE HAD SOME ROLLOVER FROM LAST WEEK. I AM ANTICIPATING, MR. CITY MANAGER, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO FINISH ALL OF THESE BY NOON. BUT THE FIRST ONE, PARKS AND RECREATION AND RELATED DEPARTMENTS FOLLOWED BY LIBRARY.
>>GARZA: LET ME ALSO, MAYOR, JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE, THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST FOR SEPTEMBER THE 2ND. WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, THE TAX RATE HEARING, THERE'S A REQUEST FROM COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS -- COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN'S OFFICE THAT WE POST AS PART OF THAT HEARING OR THE OTHER HEARING THE BUDGET, SO THERE CAN BE MORE -- IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION WE WILL DO THAT FOR THE SECOND OF SEPTEMBER.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION. SOME OF US ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION FROM COUNCIL TO HAVE A SEPTEMBER 2ND HEARING ON IT? WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL DO IT. ALL RIGHT, IF -- OWE MR. OLIVEROS, YOU MOVED QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT YOU COULD.
>> WE ARE READY, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, WE ARE READY TO HEAR YOUR BRIEFING.
>> YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR '99-2000, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PAGES THAT YOU ARE -- THAT YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET, VOLUME 2, PAGES 45 THROUGH 151 AND POLICY BUDGET PAGES 117 THROUGH 123. THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND SCHEDULE OF USES IS 58.6 MILLION. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, CLOCK-WISE, YOUR SPORTS MANAGEMENT BUDGET IS 9.6 MILLION, YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY IS 2.2 MILLION. ACTUAL RESOURCES IS 2.3 MILLION, FACILITY SERVICES IS 10.9 MILLION. COMMUNITY SERVICES IS 9.6. CULTURAL ARTS IS 5 MILLION. YOUR CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS THIS YEAR WILL BE 15.5 MILLION. TRANSFER AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS ARE 1.5. AND YOUR GOF SURCHARGE IS 200,000 AND YOUR SUPPORT SERVICES IS 2 MILLION. THE NEXT CHART YOU WILL SEE THE F.T.E. BREAK DOWN. YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 535 F.T.E.S, INCLUDING GOLF, RECREATION, SOFTBALL, BCP AND GRANTS. SOME OF THE MAJOR PROGRAM CHANGES IN YOUR GENERAL FUND, SPORTS MANAGEMENT, YOU WILL SEE A CHANGE IN $417,000, AS YOU RECALL, THAT WAS IN ADDITION TO YOUR AQUATIC INCENTIVE PROGRAM AND PAY. YOUR NATURAL RESOURCES, YOU HAVE $173,000, THAT'S FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF YOUR SPLASH EXHIBIT AT BARTON SPRINGS. FACILITY SERVICES, YOU HAVE $36,748, AND THAT'S FOR INCREASED MAINTENANCE AT SCO SCOFIELD, CHESTNUT PARK AND EAST AND WEST BOULDIN CREEK. FUNDING FOR ONE F.T.E. IS INCLUDED IN THIS AMOUNT. COMMUNITY SERVICES, YOU HAVE $57,534. AND THAT'S TO EXPAND THE PLAYGROUND PROGRAM IN YOUR ANNEXED AREAS. $111,244 FOR THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT CENTER TO COVER SOME ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. SUPPORT SERVICES HAS $135,200 [SIC] TO COVER FOR COMPUTER, PRINTER, MAINTENANCE, AGREEMENT AND TELEPHONE WARRANTY FOR THE MAIN OFFICE. AND YOUR DEPARTMENT-WIDE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR PAY FOR PERFORMANCE, HEALTH AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS. SOME OF THE GOALS THAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE WORKING WITH THIS YEAR THAT ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BUSINESS PLAN THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED INCLUDE TO PROVIDE COST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS WHICH ENHANCES THE COMMUNITY'S VALUE OF PROGRAMS. PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR CULTURALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY. ENHANCE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. CONTINUATION ON THE GOALS: TO PROVIDE, MAINTAIN AND SUPPORT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STAFF AND PARTICIPANTS. RECRUIT AND RETAIN A QUALIFIED, DIVERSE, WELL-TRAINED HIGH PERFORMING WORKFORCE. MAINTAIN AND PROTECT AND PRESERVE PARKS, FACILITIES AND PUBLIC OPEN SPACES. AS WE DEVELOPED OUR BUSINESS PLAN, SOME MAJOR PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPED OUT OF THAT PROCESS. COMMUNITY SERVICES, CULTURAL ARTS SERVICES, FACILITY SERVICES, NATURAL RESOURCES, PUBLIC SAFETY, SPORTS MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT SERVICES. THE COMMUNITY SERVICES OBJECTIVE AND AS WE GO THROUGH THESE OVERHEADS, I WILL MENTION AT THIS POINT THAT RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION LOGO YOU WILL SEE HOW A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE AWARD WINNING PROGRAMS THAT WERE GARNERED THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR. COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDES SAFE, LIFE ENHANCING EXPERIENCES TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL AND LEISURE OPPORTUNITIES. SOME OF THE PROGRAM RESULTS THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH WILL INCLUDE: 1500 YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN TEEN ACADEMY AND 1200 YOUTH IN TOTALLY COOL, TOTALLY ART; 70% OF THE ROVING LEADERS -- OF THE ROVING LEADER PARTICIPANTS SURVEYED WILL REPORT MAKING POSITIVE LIFE CHOICES; 11% INCREASE WILL BE SEEN IN THE SUMMER PLAYGROUND PROGRAM. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CHART BEFORE YOU, YOU WILL SEE THE INCREASE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR FISCAL YEAR '99-2000 WHERE WE WILL BE INCREASING FROM 52 SITES TO ABOUT 58 SITES WITH THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE ANNEXED AREAS IN THE BRING GROUND PROGRAM. YOU WILL BASICALLY SEE AN ADDITIONAL ABOUT 420 YOUTH FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM. THE ROVING LEADER PROGRAM ALSO, AS YOU CAN SEE WHEN WE STARTED IN '97-'98, YOU GOT TO SEE THE -- THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TOUCH. WE WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE HIRING PROCESS, DESIGNATED THE SITES AND ABLE TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DEVELOP THE TRUST WITH THE -- WITH THE TEENAGERS. AS YOU CAN SEE, IN '98-'99 WE ARE PROJECTING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE TOUCHING ABOUT 820 PARTICIPANTS, WE ARE KIND OF -- BALANCED OUT. WE ARE -- WE ARE AT FULL FORCE NOW. WE ARE PROJECTING THAT WE WILL MAINTAIN THE SAME AMOUNT OF KIDS FOR '99-2000. SOME OF THE ROVING LEADER CONTRACT HOURS, AUSTIN -- AS YOU CAN SEE AGAIN IN '97-'98 WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM, HOW THE PROGRAM HAS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE '98-'99 CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. WE ARE PROPOSING MINIMAL INCREASE IN THE PROPOSED NOUN. 142,202 CONTRACT HOURS IS OUR GOAL. CULTURAL ARTS. THE OBJECTIVE FOR THIS PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE HISTORICAL AND ARTISTIC SERVICES TO ENHANCE THE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT. ALSO IN ANOTHER AWARD WINNING PROGRAM IN YOUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. PROGRAM RESULT MEASURES INCLUDE: 99% OF THE CULTURAL CONTRACTS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE; 98.9% OF ART CLASS PARTICIPANTS REPORTING THEY ENJOY THE ART CENTER SERVICES; 98% OF INDIVIDUALS REPORTING THEY ENJOY MUSEUM SERVICES. IN YOUR CHART, YOU WILL SEE HOW THE CURRENT YEAR, 98-99 SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF CONTRACTS THAT WERE IN COMPLIANCE. WE ARE PROPOSING 99% IN '99-2000, THE TO HAVE 99% CONTRACT COMPLIANCE. FACILITY SERVICES. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION, PRESERVATION FOR SAFE, PROPERLY MAINTAINED FACILITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES. ANOTHER AWARD WINNING PROGRAM. PROGRAM RESULT MEASURES INCLUDE: 5% REDUCTION IN PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LACK OF DAILY MAINTENANCE; 95 SPEAKERS OF APPROVED PARKLAND ACQUISITION FUNDING SPENT; 100% OF IN-HOUSE PROJECTS COMPLETED WITHIN ORIGINAL BUDGET. THE NEXT CHART IS AN ICMA CHART. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CITY OF DALLAS, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, AND AUSTIN, AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME COMPARISONS. CITY OF DALLAS HAS 21,588 ACRES OF PARKLAND AND 1,165 F.T.E.S. THEY HAVE AN AVERAGE OF ACRES PER F.T.E. OF 18.70. HOUSTON HAS 20,500 ACRES AND 1100 EMPLOYEES AND HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 18.68 ACRES PER F.T.E.. SAN ANTONIO HAS 7500 ACRES, 885 EMPLOYEES, THEY AVERAGE 8.56 ACRES PER F.T.E.. YOUR CITY OF AUSTIN HAS 23,208 ACRES, 427 EMPLOYEES, AND WE AVERAGE 54.35 ACRES PER F.T.E.. THE CITY OF DALLAS INCLUDES IN THEIR CALCULATION ACREAGE OF WATER IN THEIR LAKES. WE DO NOT CALCULATE THAT. IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL -- YOU WOULD BE UP TO ABOUT 36,000 IN YOUR -- AND YOUR AVERAGE WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 895 ACRES PER F.T.E.. (CORRECTION 85 ACRES PER F.T.E..) THE NATIONAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE RESOURCE PRESERVATION, HORTICULTURE PRACTICES AND DELIVERY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO PROTECT AND FOSTER STEWARDSHIP OF THE NATURAL WORLD. ANOTHER AWARD WINNING PROGRAM. PROGRAM RESULT MEASURES: .60 MALE FLEDGELINGS OBSERVED PER PAIR PER 100 ACRES OF PRIME BCP HABITAT, 5% OF PARTICIPANTS IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHO CONTRIBUTE TIME TO VOLUNTEER; PERCENTAGE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS WHO RATE THE QUALITY OF THE GARDEN CENTER FAVORABLY. THE NEXT CHART, AS YOU CAN SEE, WAS TAKEN FROM THE TOP 10 ORGANIZATIONS BASED ON ATTENDANCE, WAS TAKEN FROM THE AUSTIN MUSEUM PARTNERSHIP SURVEY. OUT OF THOSE TOP 10 SITES, ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN RANKS NUMBER 3, AS MOST VISITED SITE, NATURE CENTER RANKS NUMBER 5, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM RANKS NO. 10. ALTHOUGH ZILKER PARK AND BARTON SPRINGS IS NOT CONSIDERED A MUSEUM, IT IS YOUR SECOND MOST VISITED SITE IN THE CITY NEXT TO THE CAPITOL. SPORTS MANAGEMENT. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF SPORTS PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY'S ENJOYMENT OF SAFE, AFFORDABLE, WELL-MAINTAINED FACILITIES. AS YOU RECALL, ANOTHER AWARD WINNING PROGRAM, YOUR AQUATICS, BEST SYSTEM IN THE NATION. THE PROGRAM RESULT MEASURES INCLUDE 99.99% AVERAGE SAFETY RATINGS FOR POOLS; 25.21 DOLLARS AVERAGE COST TO PARTICIPATE IN ADULT SPORTS; AND TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE GOLF FUND BALANCE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE 898-99 FUND BALANCE IS $480,236. THE CURRENT YEAR FOR THIS YEAR IS $470, THE PROPOSED ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR 1999 IS GOING TO BE $478,912 FOR '99-2,000. PUBLIC SAFETY IS TO PROVIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC ASSISTANT TO PARK PAYTONS AND STAFF TO PROMOTE A SAFE PARK ENVIRONMENT. SOME OF THE PROGRAM RESULT MEASURES IN THIS PARTICULAR ACTIVITY INCLUDE: INCREASE IN AVERAGE NUMBER OF PATRONS PERCEIVED SAFETY IN PARKS FROM 75% TO 80%; 10% REDUCTION IN PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING PARTICIPANTS; AND 20% REDUCTION IN PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS IN THE WORKPLACE. THE NEXT CHART YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING TO INCREASE IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERCEPTION, THESE SURVEYS WERE DONE AT PARKS, RECREATION CENTERS, TRAILS, ZILKER, GIBB BINS, GIVENS, PEASE PARK, PARQUE ZARAGOSA, NORTHWEST, GIBB BINS REC CENTER, ALONG THE AUSTIN HIGH TRAIL HEAD, TOWN LAKE AROUND THE GAZEBO. WE WILL CONDUCT THESE SURVEYS BEGIN THIS COMING HERE. IN SEARCH OF GOLD, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, DURING THE YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SELECTED AS A FINALIST FOR THE 1999 GOLD MEDAL AWARD FOR THE BEST PARK SYSTEM IN THE NATION. THESE AWARDS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE IN OCTOBER. AND ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE ARE THE REST OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE FINALIST LIST ALONG WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN. WE ALSO JUST RECEIVED A LETTER THIS WEEK FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE THAT THE TOTALLY COOL, TOTALLY ART PROGRAM HAS BEEN AWARDED THE DOROTHY MULLEN NATIONAL AWARD FOR THE OUTSTANDING TEEN PROGRAM IN THE NATION. THAT AWARD WILL BE RECEIVED ALSO AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION IN TENNESSEE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: CONGRATULATIONS, THAT'S FANTASTIC. ONE OTHER THING THAT I WILL MENTION IS THAT LAST NIGHT THERE WAS A KICKOFF OF -- A SLIDE SHOW TO KIND OF SHOW WHAT THE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE PARK IN APRIL OF 2000. 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF WHAT MOST OF US KNOW AS FIESTA. WELL, THEY ARE CHANGING THE NAME TO THE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL. I WAS PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE LAST NIGHT THAT THE PROGRAM THE ONE THAT YOU JUST ANNOUNCED THE AWARD IS GOING TO BE PARTNERING UP IN THAT. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OUTREACH, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> IT'S A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY ENCOURAGING. YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND BECOME VERY CREATIVE. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BE PART OF ONE OF THE BEST SYSTEMS IN THE NATION. AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MOST LIVEABLE CITY IN THE NATION, ALSO. AND I HOPE WE ARE CONDUCTING OURSELVES IN THE BEST MANNER THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THESE GOALS THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU HERE TODAY. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS?
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE DEPARTMENT ON THE -- I HOPE YOU GET THE NUMBER ONE PRIZE, BUT IF YOU DON'T THE HONOR IS ALREADY THERE THAT WE MADE THE FINALIST LIST. I WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROVING LEADER PROGRAM. A PROGRAM THAT ALSO HAS RECEIVED GOOD -- GOOD -- COMMENDATION AND ACCLAIM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS MAKING THE ROVING LEADERS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. IS IT -- IS THAT PROVISION IN THE BUDGET?
>> THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION IS NOT IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
>>GARCIA: OKAY. HOW MANY ROVING LEADERS DO WE HAVE?
>> WE HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHT ROVING LEADERS AND WE WOULD BE CONVERTING THE SAME AMOUNT. I THINK WE PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ON THAT. AND THERE IS A -- A -- I THINK A PROCESS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW TO CALCULATE THOSE CONVERSIONS. TO RECEIVE THE FUNDING.
>>GARCIA: IF YOU COULD GET US THAT INFORMATION. I THINK THE FISCAL IMPACT FROM WHAT THEY TELL ME IS ABOUT $460,000 TO CONVERT THEM TO FULL TIME.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>GARCIA: THE OTHER QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH WHETHER EIGHT IS ENOUGH TO ADDRESS -- THE ROVING LEADER PROGRAM WAS BASICALLY TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD WITH REGARD TO THE GANG POPULATION.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> AND THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE EFFECTS OF GANGS ON THE -- THE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON GANGS HAS BEEN GOING DOWN. I DON'T KNOW, AT ONE TIME THEY SAID THERE WAS ABOUT 3,000 GANG MEMBERS IN THIS COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER EIGHT ROVING LEADERS IS ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE POPULATION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE A CONTACT -- TOUCHING ABOUT 8 TO 900.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. I THINK WITH THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IS BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW TO CONVERT, YOU WILL ALSO BE PROVIDING US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND. AND WE FEEL THAT CERTAIN AREAS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF NEED WITH THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU, YOU WILL PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND FROM THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC AREA AND CONTINUE TO SERVE AND BRING IN ADDITIONAL TEENS AND YOUTH INTO THESE PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IS THE COLLABORATION AND WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE JUVENILE SYSTEM, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE SCHOOLS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING PROJECTS, AND LEVERAGING ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO REACH EVEN MORE TEENAGERS. THAT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE AND EVERYBODY HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE IN WORKING THROUGH THOSE PARTICULAR CHANNELS AND TAKING THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AND JUST CONVERTING IT INTO MORE OPPORTUNITIES. AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO US THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE SEEN ON THESE PARTICULAR YOUNG INDIVIDUALS.
>>GARCIA: ONE OF THE THINGS MAYOR THAT WE SAW THIS PAST YEAR WAS THAT SOME OF THE ROVING LEADERS WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THEY WOUND UP IN THE HOSPITAL. SINCE THEY WERE NOT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS ME TREMENDOUSLY. I THINK WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIAL EQUITY INITIATIVE THAT THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING. THE OTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS IS GOING TO TALK SOME MORE ABOUT THIS ONE, IS THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX. WE NOW HAVE OPENED IT, WE NOW HAVE IT IN OPERATION, WE NOW ARE EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ALL NEW ENTERPRISES OF THIS KIND EXPERIENCE. AND I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS IS GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER -- COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>>LEWIS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. ONE IS BACK TO THE ROVING LEADERS. IN THE BUDGET, DO WE HAVE OR DID YOU CALCULATE IN THE BUDGET, I DOUBT THAT YOU HAD TIME TO, BUT THE EXPANSION OF THE ROVING LEADERS TO THE COLONY PARK AREA?
>> THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER NEW PROGRAM. IT IS NOT IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET. IT WOULD BE ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT IS BEFORE YOU FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS SCHEDULED TO BE A FULL-FLEDGED RECREATION CENTER OPERATION. SIMPLY -- VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID IN THE DOVE SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD. COMING IN WITH A -- WITH AN INTERIM PROGRAM AND AN INTERIM FACILITY, WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND RUNNING AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH OUTREACH CAPABILITIES AND RUNNING THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM YEAR ROUND TO INCLUDE WEEKENDS AND ALL OF THE SUMMER, AS YOU AND I, COUNCILMEMBER, ARE VERY MUCH AWARE, WHEN WE HAVE DRIVEN AROUND THAT NEIGHBOR, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF YOUTH PLAYING OUT IN THE STREETS. SO WE FEEL THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WOULD GIVE YOU THAT MAJOR COMPONENT THAT YOU NEED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE KIDS INTO A -- INTO A CONTROLLED AREA AND SUPERVISED AREA.
>>LEWIS: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID MEET -- AND TO THE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS, I MET WITH DR. WILSON, THE -- THE -- OUT AT THE BARBARA JAR DON -- JORDAN SCHOOL, SHE'S THE PRINCIPAL AT BARBARA JORDAN SCHOOL. TALKING TO HER AND SOME OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS NO AVAILABILITY FOR SPORTS RECREATION OUT THERE. AND SHE'S ASKING IF WE COULD POSSIBLY PUT SOME LIGHTS ON THE -- ON THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND SO THAT THEY COULD DO NIGHTTIME SPORTS.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CHUCK MANNING AND I CAN GET TOGETHER ON SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT A PART OF THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM. I THINK -- AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, ESPECIALLY TO COVER THEIR SOCCER AND FOOTBALL PROGRAMS THERE.
>>LEWIS: RIGHT. NOW THE -- I SEE WE HAVE, WHAT, $111,000 FOR THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT CENTER? IS THAT -- YOU KNOW, THE -- LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. HAVE YOU HAD A REPORT ON THE ATTENDANCE FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS? I HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT YET. I HAVE ASKED FOR AN ATTENDANCE REPORT. OR JUST A SUMMARY OF --
>> WE DON'T HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE MANAGEMENT FIRM AND THEY WILL BE PRODUCING A REPORT THAT WILL BE COMING TO THE STAFF AND TO COUNCIL HERE PRETTY SOON. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A REPORT THAT WILL GIVE YOU BASICALLY ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE DURING THE SUMMER.
>>LEWIS: AND WELL -- I DON'T KNOW. I'VE HAD -- I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF -- OF SCHOOLS -- NOT SCHOOLS, BUT A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T -- THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE ACTIVITIES WITH THE -- TO BE USED AT THE THEATER. AND THE -- AND -- BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CONTACT THE MANAGEMENT FIRM TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE SCHEDULES THAT OTHER ENTITIES COULD USE. BUT --
>> IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US, WE CAN GET TOGETHER WITH THE FIRM AND BRING YOU A CURRENT SCHEDULE AND THE POTENTIAL USER SCHEDULE IF YOU WOULD LIKE. WE CAN DO THAT. I KNOW WE HAVE -- WE'VE HAD SOME REQUESTS, ALSO, AS TO WHAT USES COULD BE ACCEPTED. AND I THINK THEY DO HAVE THEIR GUIDELINES FOR THAT AND WE WILL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN.
>>LEWIS: I WAS AT THE EAST SIDE STORY AT DEWITTY CENTER A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. THE ROOM THAT THEY WERE MEETING IN WAS SO SMALL THAT EVEN THE HALLWAYS WERE FULL, YOU KNOW? AND I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE 125 SEAT THEATER JUST TWO BLOCKS AWAY, A BLOCK AWAY, THAT -- AT 6:00 IN THE EVENING WASN'T BEING USED, IT WAS 6:30. SO IT'S -- IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS SCHEDULING THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES IN THAT AREA.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>LEWIS: BUT, SO WHEN WILL WE BE GETTING THE AMENDMENT FOR THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM OR THE ROVING LEADER PROGRAM?
>> I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE MANAGER HAS MADE SOME INITIAL FUNDING AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
>>LEWIS: I DON'T KNOW -- THE ROVING LEADER MANAGE IS GOING TO BE CONTACTED OR WAS CONTACTED YESTERDAY TO -- TO BRIEF THE PEOPLE IN -- IN COLONY PARK, THE PRINCIPAL AND SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE AS FAR AS THE -- WHAT ACTIVITIES THE ROVING LEADERS AND -- DO AND WHAT PARTS THEY PLAY. BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THAT -- THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ROVING LEADERS. IN FACT THEY WANTED YOU AND I TO ATTEND TOMORROW, BUT I DON'T THINK EITHER ONE OF US COULD MAKE IT. SO ... BUT I WOULD SAY TO THE COUNCILMEMBERS, I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE AREA THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED SOME ACTIVITIES, SOME CONTROL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YOUTH BECAUSE IT IS SOME -- AN AREA THAT WE DEFINITELY INCREASING THE HOUSING POPULATION IN THAT AREA WITHOUT INCREASING ANY AMENITIES. SO THANK YOU.
>> LET ME, IF I COULD CLARIFY, BECAUSE YOU ASKED FOR ADDING A SEGMENT OF THE PROGRAM AT COLONY PARK WHICH WE CAN DO. I JUST NEED TO KNOW IS THE 460 -- DOES THE 460 INCLUDE COLONY PARK OR WOULD THAT BE EXTRA?
>> IT'S IN ADDITION.
>>GARZA: IS IT ABOUT 300,000?
>> 300,000 BECAUSE WHAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT AT BARBARA JORDAN WOULD BE A FULL-FLEDGED RECREATIONAL PROGRAM.
>>GARZA: 460 FOR THE FULL TIME BENEFITS. WILL THE ROVING LEADER BE FULL TIME, DOES THAT INCLUDE FULL-TIME BENEFITS?
>> ON THE BARBARA JORDAN THEY ARE BEING PROPOSED AT FULL-TIME.
>>GARZA: ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 300,000.
>> CORRECT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER MR. OLIVERES, I WAS LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTION, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE MET SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES VERY WELL. I AM JUST CONCERNED IF WE DO HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS TO MEET THE NEEDS, COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?
>> WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THE CURRENT STAFF THAT WE HAVE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IS -- IS CONCENTRATING ON AREAS THAT BASICALLY BECOME PROBLEM AREAS AND ITEMS GET -- SITUATIONS GET CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH CITIZENS THAT BRING THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES UP TO OUR ATTENTION. I THINK IF YOU WERE TO ASK, WE COULD ALWAYS USE MORE OFFICERS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED TO DO IS TO MAXIMIZE OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE FEEL THAT THE USERS THAT ARE OUT IN OUR FACILITIES ARE TREMENDOUS EYES AND EARS, THEY TEND TO LET US KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON OUTLET IN THE PARK SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY. SO WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND PRETTY QUICKLY AND CORRECT SOME OF THOSE SITUATIONS IMMEDIATELY. WE FELT THAT THE RATING THAT WE RECEIVED ON THE SURVEY THAT WE DID WAS -- WAS EXCEPTIONAL CONSIDERING THE SIZE AND THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO -- TO PATROL. HOPEFULLY WE ARE MAKING OURSELVES VISIBLE ENOUGH IN OUR TRAILS TO WHERE THE PATRONS FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO WHERE THEY CAN COME OUT AND ENJOY THE SYSTEM. WHEN WE HAD THE CONSULTANTS IN FROM THE TOWN LAKE PARK, DOING THE FEESIBILITY STUDY AT THE BEGINNING, THEY WENT OUT AND TOURED THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME BACK AND SAY WAS THAT THEY SAW A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PARENTS, LADIES WITH THEIR BABIES IN CARRIAGES OUT ON THE TRAIL AT ZILKER PARK, WALKING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND TO THEM THAT'S AN INDICATION OF A SAFE PARK. AND WHEN THE LADIES AND THEIR BABIES COME OUT IN THEIR CARRIAGES, EARLY DURING THE DAY, MIDDAY, THEY CAME BACK WITH POSITIVE FEEDBACK THAT WE FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT AND WE TOOK AND WE SHARED WITH THE REST OF THE STAFF THAT THE WORK THAT THEY WERE DOING OUT IN THE -- IN THE SYSTEM WAS -- WAS QUALITY WORK. AND WE HEARD IT FROM SOMEBODY THAT HAD NEVER SEEN OUR PARK SYSTEM, SO THEY WERE ABLE TO NOTICE THAT. AND THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE INDICATORS THAT WE LOOK FOR, ALSO. TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING OUT INTO THEIR PARK SYSTEM. COUNCILMEMBER SLUSHER SO YOU FEEL LIKE THEIR NEEDS --.
>>SLUSHER: THEIR NEEDS OR CALLS HAPPEN TO -- TO WHICH YOU CAN'T RESPOND THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICER?
>> THE ONLY TIME THAT MIGHT OCCUR IS THAT EITHER WE ARE TIED UP IN ANOTHER AREA OF TOWN AND EITHER SOMEBODY ELSE IN ANOTHER SECTION WOULD PICK IT UP OR WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH A.P.D. TO PICK UP SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TO BE THERE. THEY WILL PICK IT UP AND WE WILL SHOW UP AT A LATER TIME, AS SOON AS WE CAN GET THERE. WE DO VICE VERSA WITH THEM. WHEN THERE'S A CALL THAT THEY ARE NOT NEAR, WE WILL PICK IT UP, THEN A.P.D. WILL COME IN AND ASSIST US.
>>SLUSHER: THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>>LEWIS: LET ME ASK YOU, MR. OLIVERES, DURING THE COMMUNICATION CONVERSION, WILL THE PARK POLICE BE ON THE SAME NET WITH A.P.D.?
>> YES, SIR.
>>LEWIS: OKAY. SO YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DIRECT COMMUNICATION?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>LEWIS: WITH THE -- WITH THE OTHER E.M.S. AND A.P.D.?
>> YES, SIR.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN?
>>SPELMAN: VERY QUICKLY, MAYOR. I HAVE SEEN YOUR ACRES PER F.T.E. CHART SEVERAL TIMES, JESUS, EVERY TIME I SEE IT IT SEEMS REMARKABLE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MANAGE THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WITH AS FEW PEOPLE AS WE HAVE GOT PER ACRE. AND THEN LOOKING HERE AT THE CHART I SAW THAT ASTERISK FOR DALLAS SAYING THAT THAT NUMBER INCLUDES WATER ACREAGE. IT INCLUDES ME IN DALLAS IT INCLUDES WATER, WE ALSO HAVE BCP LAND INCLUDED, GOLF COURSES, OTHER CITIES MAY HAVE MORE OR FEWER GOLF COURSES, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACRES THAT WE HAVE GOT ARE GOING TO MAKE DIFFERENT DEMANDS ON YOUR PEOPLE FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. I WONDERED IF THERE WAS A WAY OF BREAKING DOWN THOSE ACRES FOR THOSE COMPARABLE CITIES SO THAT WE KNEW ACRES OF GOLF COURSES, ACRES OF WILDERNESS LAND, ACRES OF FULL-SERVICE PARKS.
>> WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION. WE HAVE CONTACTED EVERY MAJOR CITY THAT YOU SEE HERE AND WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE, WE WILL GET IT TO YOU.
>>SPELMAN: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. A REAL QUICK SCREENING QUESTION. DO GOLF COURSES REQUIRE MORE OR FEWER PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THAN A FULL-SERVICE PARK.
>> THEY REQUIRE MORE.
>>SPELMAN: THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
>> IT'S A HIGHER LEVEL OF ATTENTION SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE'S FEES INVOLVED.
>>SPELMAN: I KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE I HAVE KEEPING MY OWN GRASS GREEN, I CERTAINLY WANT TO PUTT ON IT. THANKS.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR, COULD I ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK. WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOLF COURSES, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT DR. SPELMAN HAS BROUGHT UP. WHEN I FIRST CAME TO AUSTIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE TO ME WAS THAT TENNIS AND GOLF WERE TWO SPORTS IN THIS TOWN THAT WERE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE RANK AND FILE OF THE FOLKS. AND IN THE OTHER CITIES IN WHICH I HAD LIVED AND WORKED, THAT WASN'T THE CASE. AND I THINK THE -- THE MANAGEMENT THAT THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE PUT IN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GOLF ENTERPRISE FUNT IS A THING THAT HAS -- HAS ALLOWED GOLF AND ESPECIALLY TO -- TO BE SOMETHING THAT MOST FOLKS CAN STILL DO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND NOT AROUND THE COUNTRY. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT WHY WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT AND OTHERS ARE NOT?
>> WELL, A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE EFFICIENCY THAT THE GOLF DIVISION IS CAPABLE OF DOING. AND THE WAY THEY DO THEIR JOB. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRIDE THAT IS TAKEN IN -- IN THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO STILL OFFER VERY COMPETITIVE RATES, PROBABLY SOME OF THE BEST IN THE NATION FOR MUNICIPALITIES. A LOT OF IT HAS TO DEAL WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE TECHNIQUE THAT IS UTILIZED BY THE STAFF. WE HAVEN'T HAD LARGE TURNOVER, EITHER. SOMETIMES THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT CAUSE SOME OF THESE GOLF COURSES TO SEE PRICE INCREASES. OUR GOLF SECTION HAS BEEN VERY STEADY, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE FOR THAT. YOU ALSO HAVE IN YOUR BONDS THAT WERE JUST RECENTLY PASSED TO DO IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR TENNIS FACILITIES. WE FEEL THAT ONCE THAT OPPORTUNITY SETS ITS COURSE, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THAT PARTICULAR SPORT. SOMETHING THAT THROUGHOUT THE NATION HAS SEEN A DROP, BUT WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN -- IN OUR REGION. SO I THINK THE TIMING IS JUST RIGHT. IMPROVEMENTS IN EXISTING FACILITIES AND EXPANSION IN SOME OF OUR LARGER COMPLEXES.
>>GRIFFITH: WELL IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO ME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP TENNIS AND GOLF, ESPECIALLY THOSE TWO, -- THOSE TWO SPORTS, ACCESSIBLE TO THE RANK AND FILE OF THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN WHEN THAT'S NOT HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY. THOSE TWO SPORTS HAVE IN OTHER CITIES A RATHER EXCLUSIVE ELITIST KIND OF IMAGE. ONE OF OUR FORMER MAYORS USED TO SAY, "YOU KNOW ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT AUSTIN IT'S NOT TENNIS ANYONE, IT'S TENNIS EVERYONE."
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>>GRIFFITH: I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT. TELL ME MORE ABOUT HOW YOU DO THAT.
>> WE CONTINUE TO OFFER THOSE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS AT YOUR REC CENTERS, AT YOUR PLAYGROUND SITES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP YOUNG CHILDREN INTERESTED IN THE ACTIVITY, IN THE SPORT. IT'S A LIFE-LONG SPORT. AND IT COULD KEEP CHILDREN ON THE PATHWAY THAT COULD EVENTUALLY GET THEM A HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY. WE FEEL THAT BY PROVIDING THOSE PROGRAMS AT THOSE LEVELS WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A SOLID BASE FOR THE OVERALL SPORT.
>>GRIFFITH: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN, SAY, THE JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW? THAT'S -- THAT'S WHO IS GOING TO FEED WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING.
>> ABOUT 400.
>>GRIFFITH: ABOUT 400. AND WHAT'S THEIR FEE TO LEARN TO PLAY TENNIS?
>> IT'S $35.
>>GRIFFITH: $35.
>> AND A LOT OF THOSE SOMETIMES ARE SCHOLARSHIP.
>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU.
>>LEWIS: MAYOR, I'M GLAD THE COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH MENTIONED THE TENNIS BECAUSE I HAVE IT ON MY DESK, BUT I WAS ASKED TO -- TO GIVE YOU A THANK YOU FOR THE CONDITION THAT THE -- OF THE TENNIS COURTS AT BARBARA JORDAN PARK AND GIBBINS PARK. SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT PLAY OVER THERE SAY THE CONDITION IS GREATLY IMPROVED. ALSO, I KNOW ONE OTHER THING AND LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE DO A LOT OF TREE PLANTING IN AUSTIN, NOT -- WE HAVEN'T DID AS MUCH THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE SHOULD. BUT I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE SOME ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY FOR WATERING TREES. I DID GET AN EXTENSIVE BRIEFING YESTERDAY ON THE -- ON WHY YOU NEEDED THE TRUCKS AND ALL AND THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT WE DO WATER OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD AFTER THEY ARE PLANTED. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD MY THANKS TO THE CONDITION OF -- TO THE INCREASED CONDITION OF SOME OF THE PARK AREAS TO -- TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CALLED ME AND TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE TENNIS COURTS.
>> THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MR. OLIVERES.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR? THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER FOR BRINGING UP TREES. HOW ARE WE DOING ON OUR GRID SYSTEM WORKING WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY, GOING AROUND EVERY, SAY, EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEAR CYCLE AND EXAMINING ALL OF THE PUBLIC TREES AND TREATING THEM AND PROTECTING THEM AS WELL AS GETTING THE ELECTRIC WIRES OUT OF THE WAY? IS THAT MOVING ALONG? WHERE IS THAT? I KNOW THERE'S A COMMITTEE, AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE THAT'S LOOKING THAT --
>> THE INTERNAL COMMITTEE HAS PROVIDED ITS RECOMMENDATION AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT TRIMMING TREES WITH THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT, IT'S A -- IT'S A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE DANGER INVOLVED IN -- AROUND THE POWER LINES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED WAS THAT A CYCLE PRUNING TYPE OF PROCESS TAKE PLACE. WE HAD A RETREAT WITH THE FORESTRY BOARD TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE SOME DON SENSE -- CONSENSUS ON THE APPROACH THAT WE WOULD TAKE. I THINK THE FORESTRY BOARD FEELS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO A SEPARATE TYPE OF APPROACH WITH SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO THE TREE INVENTORY. BUT I HAVE MET WITH THE BOARD CHAIR AND WE ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER WITH THE FORESTRY BOARD AND DEVELOP A PROGRAM, WE ARE GOING TO COMMIT SOME STAFF AND DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO WHERE WE ARE POSSIBLY GOING TO GO WITH THE AIL, AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING, GET SOME KIDS INVOLVED, TRAIN THEM AND DESIGNATE A DEMOGRAPHIC AREA, WORK TOGETHER WITH A U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND DESIGNATE AN AREA OF TOWN THAT HAS THE MOST CALLS AND GO OUT AND ACTUALLY DO A TREE SURVEY, IN HOUSE AND POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE NEED SO WE CAN COME AND SHOW COUNCIL WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
>>GRIFFITH: SOMETHING I HAVEN'T UNDERSTOOD IS WHILE WE CAN'T GO AHEAD AND START DOING -- LAY IT OUT ON THE GRID AND START YEAR ONE AND -- WITH SQUARE ONE AND DO THE INVENTORY AT THE SAME TIME WE DO THE TRIMMING WITH TWO GOALS, ONE IS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE LIFE AND THE HEALTH OF THE TREE; AND -- AND LIKEENED TO IT, KEEP THE LEAVES OUT OF THE ELECTRIC WIRES, WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE SEPARATE? WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME?
>> IT'S A COST. YOU ARE LOOKING AT PROBABLY THE COST THAT THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT WOULD INCUR WOULD BE QUITE A BIT.
>>GRIFFITH: WELL, WE ARE SPENDING QUITE A BIT. I AM WONDERING WHY WE CAN'T GET THE INVENTORY AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE DOING THE REST OF THE STUFF WE ARE GETTING BECAUSE WE ARE SPENDING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
>> WE FELT THAT IF YOU COULD DO THE INVENTORY ON -- ON A PERIODIC BASIS, THAT WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME TASK AND STILL BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE SAME INFORMATION. WE ARE GOING TO -- DEVELOP THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT HOPEFULLY IS GOING TO BE AROUND WITH US FOREVER. AND IT BECOMES A TOOL FOR US TO UTILIZE IN ORDER TO MANAGE OUR -- OUR FOREST SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENTLY.
>>GRIFFITH: WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE KNOWN FOR LOTS OF YEARS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO. TELL ME AGAIN WHY WE CAN'T DO THE INVENTORY THE SAME TIME WE START THE -- LIKE THE PAINTING OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE. YOU LAY THE TOWN OUT IN A GRID AND YOU GO THROUGH IT OVER A PERIOD OF THREE TO FIVE YEARS. THREE IS, OF COURSE, IDEAL, FIVE IS REALISTIC. WHY CAN'T WE DO THE INVENTORY AT THE SAME TIME AS WE DO THE TREE TRIMMING?
>> IT REQUIRES THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AS YOU RECALL LAST YEAR THAT FUNDING WAS TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT HALF A MILLION. AND --
>>GRIFFITH: FOR?
>> FOR CONDUCTING THE TREE INVENTORY STAND ALONE TREE INVENTORY.
>>GRIFFITH: WHAT I AM SAYING IS WHY DON'T WE DO IT AT THE SAME TIME AS WE DO THE $8 MILLION TREE TRIMMING DEAL.
>> AND THAT'S -- WE CAN COME BACK WITH -- AND GIVE YOU THE REASONS AS TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. THE THING IS THAT THE CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED TO -- FOR THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT IS STRICTLY FOR A PARTICULAR PROCESS THAT THEY DO TO BRING IN THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO COULD A -- TO DO A TREE INVENTORY WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT TO THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT OR PUTTING OUT A SEPARATE R.F.P. FOR THEM FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO COME IN AND PICK UP TOGETHER WHERE THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
>>GRIFFITH: WOULD THERE BE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND THE PRESENT CONTRACT, WHICH IS A BUNCH OF MILLION DOLLARS TO INCLUDE THE TREE INVENTORY AT THE SAME TIME?
>>GARZA: LET ME, BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS AN AUSTIN ENERGY AND PARKS AND RECREATION ISSUE. AUSTIN ENERGY HAS -- HAS A UNIQUE MISSION. AND THEIR MISSION IS TO -- AS PART OF THAT CONTRACT IS TO DO A PROCESS THAT EVALUATES AND SURVEYS TREES THAT ARE IN THE POWER LINES AND WORK METHODICALLY TO REMOVING OBSTACLES THAT COULD CAUSE POWER LOSSES, ET CETERA. PARKS AND RECREATION, WHILE IT WOULD HAVE IN TERMS OF THE ARBOR -- THE ARBORIST THAT WE HAVE, PLUS THE FOLKS THAT DEAL WITH ISSUES OF TREES, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW WHAT'S GO HAPPENING THERE. THEY ALSO HAVE, AS I UNDERSTAND INVENTORY, IT GOES BEYOND WHAT'S IN THE POWER LINES, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA. SO IF IT IS THAT WE NEED TO GO BACK AND AMEND THAT CONTRACT, SO THAT WE DO THIS ON A GRID BY GRID BASIS, SO THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CAN TAKE CARE OF ITS BUSINESS WITH RESPECT TO THE POWER LINES, THEN WHAT I WOULD NEED IS THE PARKS DIRECTOR AND AUSTIN ENERGY TO TELL ME WHAT PORTION OF THAT SURVEY OR THAT INVENTORY WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE POWER LINES THAT WOULD BE THE OBLIGATION OF THE GENERAL FUND TO FUND AND IF THEY GIVE ME A NUMBER OF WORKING JOINTLY, THAT'S A QUARTER OF A MILLION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE, THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IF THE GENERAL FUND WE NEED TO FUND SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT INVENTORY SO THAT AUSTIN ENERGY PAYS FOR A PORTION OF IT RELATED TO THE POWER LINES AND PARKS AND RECREATION PAYS FOR THAT PORTION RELATED TO IT OUTSIDE THAT STRUCTURE. THAT'S WHAT -- THAT WAS WHAT WE INTENDED TO HAVE HAPPEN IN A MORE INFORMAL BASIS THAT MR. MANNING'S PEOPLE AS WELL AS MR. OLIVERES' PEOPLE WOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER AS PART OF THAT PROCESS
>>GRIFFITH: WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A YEAR AGO, IT HASN'T HAPPENED.
>>GARZA: IT'S A HALF MILLION DOLLAR, TO DO IT THE WAY THE FORESTRY SERVICE WOULD LIKE IT DONE, IT'S A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A EXPENDITURE. WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT PORTION WLONGS TO THE GENERAL FUND, I WOULD SUSPECT IT'S MORE THAN 50% OF THAT, WE PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET, GO DO THE TREE INVENTORY THE WAY THE FOREST SERVICE WOULD LIKE. WE THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY OF DOING IT, IT ACHIEVES THE SAME OBJECTIVES
>>GRIFFITH: WHAT'S THAT?
>> IT'S TO DO THE SURVEY --
>> SEPARATELY.
>>GARZA: NO, TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT TO CONTINUE TO PROCEED TO WORK ON A STEP BY STEP BASIS AS OPPOSED TO HIRING AN INDIVIDUAL TO GO SAY DO A GRID OF MY ENTIRE CITY.
>>GRIFFITH: THE IDEA THAT THIS COMMITTEE WAS BASED ON IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO GO LOOK AT ONE TREE IN ONE SQUARE, LOOK AT IT NOT JUST TO GET THE LEAVES OUT OF THE WAY OF THE WIRES, BUT ALSO LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND VIABILITY OF THE TREE. YOU ARE LOOKING AT ONE TREE. WHY NOT DO IT FOR TWO REASONS?
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHO WE INTEND ON DOING. ESPECIALLY -- WHAT WE INTEND ON DOING. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A PARK SYSTEM THE SIZE OF OURS, YOU COULD VERY EASILY SPEND A COUPLE OF YEARS JUST IN THE PARK SYSTEM DOING YOUR TREE INVENTORY. THOSE WERE SOME OF THE -- OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE BOARD THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY DO IN THE MEANTIME SO THAT WE COULD DEVELOP SOME GOOD DATA, DEVELOP A GOOD PROCESS, SO THAT WE COULD COME BACK AND ACTUALLY SHOW THAT THE PARTICULAR PROCESS THAT WE WOULD PUT IN PLACE NOT ONLY WOULD HAVE THE INVOLVEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING, U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
>>GRIFFITH: WHAT ABOUT JUST AMENDING THE CONTRACT WE HAVE ALREADY GOT, WHICH IS TO GET THE LEAVES OUT OF THE WAY OF THE WIRES, TO INCLUDE, YOU GOT ONE PERSON LOOKING AT THE TREE, SO THAT THEY WOULD ALSO LOOK AT IT NOT JUST IN TERMS OF GETTING THE LEAVES OUT OF THE WIRES, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE VIABILITY, HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE TREE. AND I THOUGHT -- I THOUGHT WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST YEAR.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBER.
>>GRIFFITH: HELLO.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT, THERE'S BEEN A PILOT PROGRAM LOOKING AT HOW THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS AND WORKING WITH URBAN FORESTRY BOARD IS I UNDERSTAND THE PRELIMINARY DATA, 86% OF THE TREES ARE NOT IN AUSTIN ENERGY'S TREE TRIMMING REALM. THAT IS 86% OF THE INVENTORY WOULD NOT RESIDE IN THE WORK THAT WE CURRENTLY DO.
>>GRIFFITH: PUBLIC TREES?
>> YES. YES. THAT 86%, MUCH OF OUR SYSTEM IS BACK YARD, IT'S NOT STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY, IT'S NOT PARKS, IT'S NOT IN THE STREET
>>GRIFFITH: WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WAS ONLY DOING THIS FOR PUBLIC TREES.
>> CORRECT. THE WORK WE DO, 86% OF WHAT WE DO IS NOT IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, WHICH MEANS THAT 14% OF OUR EFFORT WOULD BE DIRECTED CONCURRENTLY TO THINGS THAT THE TREE INVENTORY WOULD BE INVOLVED IN. SO IT'S A VERY, VERY LOW PERCENTAGE OF WHAT OUR CONTRACTOR DOES OR WOULD BE -- THE TREES THAT ARE CONTRACTOR IS AROUND AND WOULD BE INVENTORYING WOULD NOT BE -- WOULD NOT BE RELEVANT TO THE --
>>GRIFFITH: SO YOU WOULD NEED A SEPARATE ONE FOR PUBLIC TREES ONLY BECAUSE YOU DO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TREES AT THE SAME TIME?
>> CORRECT. MOST OF OUR WORK IS NOT WITHIN THE STREET RIGHT-OF-WAYS
>>GRIFFITH: SO YOU WOULD NEED SOME SORT OF AMENDMENT TO THAT CONTRACT SO THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN A PUBLIC TREE PLACE THE INVENTORY WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT TIME?
>> YES. OR A SEPARATE PROCESS. BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY BRING THAT BACK IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT SEPARATE PROCESS --
>>GRIFFITH: IT SEEMED INEFFICIENT TO DO SEPARATE PROCESS IN TERMS OF YOU ARE GOING TO GO OUT THERE, WHY NOT JUST DO IT?
>> IF 86% OF WHAT WE DID WERE IN THE STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY, I THINK IT WOULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF ECONOMICS. SINCE ONLY 14 OR 15% IS WITHIN THE STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY, THE ECONOMICS TEND TO GO THE OTHER WAY.
>>GRIFFITH: HOW VIABLE WOULD IT BE ECONOMICALLY TO DO SOME SORT OF -- OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT THAT WOULD DO YOURSELF -- AN INVENTORY OF PUBLIC TREES IN TERM OF THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY AND NUMBER AT THE SAME TIME?
>> IN ALL HONESTY, IT PROBABLY WOULD RESIDE WITH THE PARKS AND NOT WITH THE UTILITY BECAUSE ONLY LIKE I SAY ONLY 14%, SO IF YOU WERE DOING IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, YOU WOULD HAVE ABOUT TWO OR THREE PERCENT OF WHAT WE WOULD DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WOULD BE RELEVANT TO THE INVENTORY.
>>GRIFFITH: WELL, THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE, I THOUGHT, WAS TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
>> THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT. I BELIEVE THE RESULTS WERE LIKE A ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR COST TO DO THAT WITH 86% OF THAT COST NOT BEING APPLICABLE TO WHAT THE UTILITY TYPICALLY DOES. BUT THAT IS A PRELIMINARY STUDY, WE DO NOT FROM HAVE THAT FINAL REPORT. [ONE MOMENT PLEASE, CAPTIONERS CHANGE]
>>GRIFFITH: INSTEAD OF SENDING TWO TRUCKS OUT, ONE FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE TWO, TWO FOR -- OF THE TREE, TWO FOR TRIMMING IT TO GET THE LEAVES OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ELECTRIC WIRES, WOULDN'T IT BE MORE EFFICIENT TO SEND ONE TRUCK AND ONE CREW INSTEAD OF TWO?
>> WELL, WE --.
>> WELL, WE DENT SEND A CREW TO ANY PARK OR PUBLIC LAND THAT DOESN'T HAVE A UTILITY STRUCTURE ON IT, SO WE WOULD ONLY FOR TO 14% OF THOSE TREES. SO AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO SEND A TRUCK THAT WOULD NOT TRIM A UTILITY AREA. GAR --.
>> THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE WOULD DO AND THE WAY WE HAVE THE SYSTEM IN PLACE RIGHT NOW WITH OUR WORK ORDER PROGRAM, WE KNOW WHERE THE CALLS ARE COMING FROM. WE FEEL THAT IF --.
>>GRIFFITH: CALLS ARE COMING FROM LIKE THERE ARE SPARKS?
>> NO. CALLS ARE TO COME IN AND TRIM LOW LIMBS, THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES ALONG KIND OF WAYS AND SO FORTH. SO WE HAVE THAT DOCUMENTATION IN OUR POSSESSION. SO WE KNOW WHERE WE GET THE MAJORITY OF THE CALLS FROM. WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN BY DISTRICT OR BY ZIP CODES. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROPOSING AND I MET WITH THE CHAIR OF THE FORESTRY BOARD THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH A PROGRAM TO WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY START THIS PROCESS IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE WOULD DEDICATE A FORRESTER TO DO THAT SO THAT WHEN THE CREWS GO OUT TO TRIM A TRIM, IT DOESN'T JUST GET TRIMMED, IT ALSO GETS INVENTORIED AT THE SAME TIME.
>>GRIFFITH: THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THE REASON THIS IS ON OUR MINDS IS BECAUSE MORE AND MORE CITIZENS ARE SEEING AND SAYING, WE'RE LOSING OUR URBAN FOREST. WE ARE SEEING IT, HAPPENING. IT HAPPENED IN HOUSTON. IT'S BEGINNING TO HAPPEN -- IT'S MORE THAN BEGINNING TO HAPPEN HERE. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN. SO THAT'S THE ISSUE. HOW CAN WE NOT LET THAT HAPPEN. AND THE ONES WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ARE THE PUBLIC TREES. SO BETWEEN YOU TWO, CAN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO NOT LOSE OUR URBAN FOREST?
>> YES, MA'AM.
>> CERTAINLY.
>>GRIFFITH: ANY FASTER THAN IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. CAN WE REVERSE THAT?
>> WE CAN WORK ON IT.
>>GRIFFITH: WHICH IS WHY WE HAD THAT COMMITTEE, I THOUGHT.
>> I THINK IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOME GOOD INFORMATION BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO SHOW HOW THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND SHOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK. AND IF AT THAT TIME COUNCIL FEELS THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULD EXPEDITE THE PROCESS, THEN THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DISCUSS THAT.
>>GRIFFITH: BUT WE'RE NOT DISCUSS TG NOW.
>> WE'RE DISCUSSING IT NOW IN THE FORM WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS TEAM TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE GO OUT AND TRIM TREES THAT WE DON'T JUST CUT LIMBS OFF, THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON.
>>GRIFFITH: WHICH SOUNDS VERY EFFICIENT AND ALWAYS HAS, BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED NOW.
>> IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE AS FAST AS MAYBE EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO GET DONE AND IT WILL DEVELOP A BASE FOR US TO BUILD FROM TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENTLY IN THE FUTURE AND TRY AND ACCOMPLISH THIS PARTICULAR TASK.
>>GRIFFITH: WE'VE GONE THROUGH SO MANY TIMES, THE CARBON MONOXIDE OXYGEN RATIO, THE HEAT. WE'VE GONE THROUGH SO MANY TIMES WHY TO DO THIS, WHY TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE URBAN FOREST. AND WE'VE -- WE HAVE A COMMITTEE, AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE, AND TIME GOES ON AND IT DOES NOT HAPPEN. SO I HOPE SOON IT WILL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK Y'ALL. MS. BRANCH? COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW ON THE ISSUE OF AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING IN THE SPECIFICALLY ALLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS CALLED AND SAID THAT THEY MAY NOT BE INCLUDED. SO IF YOU COULD CHECK THAT OUT AND LET US KNOW BECAUSE WE'VE RECEIVED CALLS FROM PEOPLE IN THE MONTOPOLIS AREA ABOUT THAT.
>> OKAY. WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED THOSE CALLS. AND THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALSO BEEN RECEIVING PHONE CALLS ON THAT. I THINK THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL DEMAND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR MORE FUNDING TO COME FROM THE CITY TO THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND THAT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW IS BEING HOUSED OUT OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK THROUGH A CONTRACT.
>>GARCIA: CHECK IT OUT.
>> OKAY.
>> HE HAS INDICATED TO ME THAT HE WOULD PROPOSE TO THE COUNCIL FOR A MORE APPROPRIATE USE OF RESOURCES THAT WE MAY CONSIDER A DIFFERENT MODEL THAT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THOSE KIDS AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT AS PART OF THIS MEMORANDUM AS WELL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MS. BRANCH?
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WATSON, COUNCILMEMBERS. AT THE TABLE WITH ME TODAY IS MARK WATSON, THE LIBRARIES FINANCIAL MANAGER. YOU WILL FIND THE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY BUDGET ON PAGES 105 TO 110 IN THE POLICY BUDGET AND IN VOLUME II PAGES THREE THROUGH 41. THE BUDGET OVERVIEW CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 1 O SIX OF THE POLICY BUDGET. THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE LIBRARY FROM 1999-2000 IS 50,6 13,000, AN INCREASE OF A 5.45 INCREASE. THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BETWEEN THE 98-99 AND THE 99-2001 BUDGET. I WILL RELATE THE CHANGES TO THE LIBRARIES GOALS TAKEN FROM OUR BUSINESS PLAN. ONE OF THE LIBRARIES IS TO PROVIDE LIBRARY FACILITIES THAT MEET CUSTOMER NEEDS. IN SUPPORT OF THAT GOAL, WE WILL OPEN THE NEW WINDSOR PARK BRANCH IN THE SPRING OF 2001. THE ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS TO OPEN THAT BRANCH IS 189,000 DOLLARS ANNUALLY. AND IT WILL ADD 3.25 FTE'S. THIS SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO AN INCREASE IN OUR AVERAGE DAILY CIRCULATION FROM 9,078 TO 9 NOURX 710 OVER THE AVERAGE DAILY CIRCUMSTANCE CLAITION. IN SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY'S GOAL TO PROVIDE A COLLECTION THAT MEETS CUSTOMER OOZE NEEDS, OTHER PROPOSING AN INCREASE OF OUR BUNLT OF $250,000, WHICH THIS YEAR WILL LARGELY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR YOUTH COLLECTION. I'LL BE SPEAKING IN JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR YOUTH INITIATIVES AND WE WILL NEED SOME ADDITIONAL MATERIALS TO SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES. THIS WILL INCREASE OUR MATERIALS BUDGET TO 1.8 MILLION, INCREASING AUSTIN'S MATERIAL SUPPORT PER CAPITA FROM 2.67 --2.67 CORNER DOLLARS TO 2.97 PER CAPITA. BY THE WAY, THIS GRAPH IS A CORRECTED ONE OF VOLUME SEVEN OF VOLUME II. THE 1999 COLUMN HAS BEEN ADD AND THE PROPOSED NUMBER HAS BEEN CORRECTED FROM 2.94 TO $2.99. IN SUPPORT OF OUR GOAL TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A STRONG TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL SUPPORT ALL LIBRARY SERVICES, WE PROSECUTE PROPOSE ADDING FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 181,000 TO FUND FOUR FTE'S TO INCREASE OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT. THIS WILL BRING THE LIBRARY CLOSER TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARD OF ONE FTE TO 70 WORK STATIONS AND WILL PROVIDE OUR 22 LOCATIONS WITH TROUBLESHOOTING SUPPORT FOR SOFTWARE, HARDWARE AND CABLING PROBLEMS. WE ALSO PROPOSE 250,000 FOR ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SYSTEM. THIS HOPEFULLY WILL INCREASE OUR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ON THE CUSTOMER SURVEY. THAT $250,000, BY THE WAY, WILL GO TO ADDITIONAL DATABASES FOR THE CENTRAL LIE BURGLARY, DATABASES FOR THE BRANCH LIBRARIES -- LIBRARY, DATABASES FOR THE BRANCH LIEBS, A CHECK OUT STATION AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS. IN SUPPORT OF OUR GOAL TO OFFER INFORMATION SERVICES OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, WE PROPOSE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 16,800 TO FUND THREE IMMIGRATION CENTERS. BY REACHING OUT TO THOSE POPULATIONS WHO TYPICALLY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE LIBRARY'S RESOURCES AND WHAT THEY CAN OFFER THEM, THIS WOULD ALSO SUPPORT OUR GOAL OF INCREASING A HIGHER -- CREATING A HIGHER LEVEL OF PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE LIBRARY AS A VITAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASING THE DAILY -- THE AVERAGE DAILY VISIT SYSTEMWIDE FROM SEVEN,979 TO 8,217. AND BY THE WAY, THIS SLIDE IS A CORRECTED VERSION OF THE ONE APPEARING ON PAGE FIVE OF VOLUME II. THE INCORRECT NUMBERS FOR ANNUAL VISITS WERE USED FROM THE LIBRARY'S STATISTICAL REPORTS. THE SEPTEMBER TOTAL WAS USED INSTEAD OF THE YEAR TO DATE TOTAL. THOSE IMMIGRATION CENTERS WOULD PROVIDE CITIZENSHIP AND LANGUAGE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION, WILL PROVIDE COMMUNITY RESOURCE INFORMATION ABOUT EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, HOUSING, VIDEOS AND CASSETTES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON CITIZENSHIP AND LANGUAGES. THERE WILL BE INTERACTIVE VIDEO AND LISTENING STATIONS, INTERNET TU TORE YALS ON CITIZENSHIP EXAMS. WE WILL PROVIDE TOURS AND ORIENTATIONS AND WE WILL PROVIDE SEMINARS ON DEVELOPING EMPLOYMENT SKILLS. IN SUPPORT OF OUR GOAL TO PROVIDE CITY EMPLOYEES WITH A RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS QUICK ACCESS TO RECORDS THAT THEY NEED AT A REASONABLE COST, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE OUT SOURCE THE RECORDS STORAGE PORTION OF THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THE SAVINGS WILL ACTUALLY BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE 51,690 ANTICIPATED. THE AVERAGE ANNUAL SAVINGS WILL BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 45,000 DOLLARS, DEPENDING ON USAGE BY THE DEPEND AND WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD WITH AN RCA NEXT MONTH FOR THE CONTRACT FOR THIS OUT SOURCING. AND THE MOVE TO THE NEW LOCATION WILL BEGIN IN EARLY OCTOBER. PARAGRAPH IN SUPPORT OF OUR GOAL TO SUPPORT AUSTIN'S YOUTH WITH MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS -- TO PROVIDE AUSTIN'S YOUTH WITH MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THEIR EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT AND ENJOYMENT, WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON SEVERAL INITIATIVES. WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT A LIBRARY CARD IN THE HANDS OF EVERY YOUTH IN THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA. AS YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION AND SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, WE HELD A YOUTH CARD DESIGN CONTEST. AND I AM PROUD TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE WINNING DESIGN. THIS IS THE NEW AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY STAR CARD FOR AUSTIN'S YOUTH. THE DESIGN WAS CREATED BY A YOUNG LADY NAMED LUCIA. SHE IS A 12-YEAR-OLD FROM MURK SON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE CARDS ARE BEINGED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK, THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 15TH THROUGH THE 21ST. WITH YOUR PERMISSION AND APPROVAL, THAT WEEK WILL ALSO BE A CLEAN SLATE FOR KIDS WEEK WHERE WE WILL INVITE CHILDREN TO COME BOO THE LIBRARY AND TO CLEAR ANY OUTSTANDING FINES OR FEES OFF THEIR RECORD SO THEY CAN ONCE AGAIN USE THEIR LIBRARY CARD.
>> DOES THAT INCLUDE YOUNG ADULTS AS WELL?
>> YES, UP TO 18. [LAUGHTER]. WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING A REDUCTION IN THE FINE ON OVERDUE YOUTH MATERIALS FROM 20 CENTS PER DAY TO FIVE CENTS PER DAY. IN ADDITION, WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING WAIVING THE NON-RESIDENT FEE FOR YOUTH SO WE CAN ENCOURAGE ALL YOUTH FROM THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA TO CHECK OUT MATERIALS. WE WILL BE PLACING A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON OUT REACH TO TRY TO REACH NON-TRADITIONAL LIBRARY USERS, AND WE WILL PARTNER WITH THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REGISTER THEIR STUDENTS FOR LIBRARY STAR CARDS. THAT CONCLUDES MY FORMAL PRESENTATION AND I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: ON THIS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE DEALING WITH RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE GRAPHICS. ARE WE AIMING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF BOXES THAT WE FIND?
>> NO. IT ACTUALLY WILL IMPROVE, BUT THIS YEAR IT WILL PROBABLY DECREASE VERY SLIGHTLY, PROBABLY LESS THAN ONE PERCENT BECAUSE OF THE TIME INVOLVED FOR MOVING THE FACILITY. THAT'S WHY THAT LOOKS LIKE -- IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS.
>>GARCIA: THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD HAS TO DO WITH SOMETHING I ASK EVERY YEAR ABOUT DO WE STILL ALLOCATE FUNDS ON THE BASIS OF CIRCULATION?
>> NO, WE DON'T, NOT TOTALLY. THAT FACTORS INTO THE FORMULA THAT WE USE. WE GIVE EVERY -- ALL OF THE FACILITIES -- I THINK PARTICULARLY YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE BRANCH LIBRARIES. WE GIVE ALL OF THE BRANCH LIBRARIES A BASE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THEN WE TAKE -- WE GIVE EACH OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH BRANCHES A SPECIAL ALLOCATION. AND THEN WE TAKE THE BALANCE AND WE DIVIDE THAT OUT BY CIRCULATION OR DEMAND.
>>GARCIA: WHAT PERCENTAGE IS BASED ON CIRCULATION OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT ALLOCATED? WITHIN 10%?
>> 75% IS THE BASE, SO IT TAKES 75% OF THE TOTAL, DISTRIBUTE THAT EVENLY AMONG ALL OF THE BRANCH LIBRARIES, PROVIDE THE ALLOCATION FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND THEN WHAT IS REMAINING IS BASED ON CIRCULATION OR DEMAND.
>>GARCIA: MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT OUR NEW LIBRARY AT -- IN THE GOVALLE LIBRARY HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN CIRCULATION.
>> TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN CIRCULATION.
>>GARCIA: AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MODEL SHE'S USING THERE, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S WORKING AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THAT MODEL CAN BE MADE PORTABLE AND USED IN OUR LIBRARIES IN THE TRADITIONAL LOWER AREAS.
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT. HER MODEL IS ACTUALLY GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, DOING A LOT OF OUT REACH TO THE COMMUNITY. AND OF COURSE, ANY TIME YOU OPEN UP A NEW FACILITY, ALSO THERE'S A LOT OF VISIBILITY AROUND THAT EVENT AND SO THAT HELPS SOMEWHAT AS WELL.
>>GARCIA: OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND IT SO THAT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO MAKE THAT FACILITY VISIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>>GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>>GRIFFITH: MS. BRANCH, I WANT TO CON GRATE LATE YOU ON THE YEAR LONG SERIES OF RECOGNITIONS THAT YOU AND YOUR PROGRAM HAVE RECEIVED FROM ALL OVER. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED AND PROUD. ALSO, I KNOW YOU MUST BE DOING LOTS OF THINGS RIGHT NOW THE DEMAND SIDE FOR YOUR SERVICES IS GROWING SO FAST. AND THAT'S NOT TRUE OF ALL LIBRARY SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY. SO CONGRATULATIONS. SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT IS ON WHAT BASIS TO PROVIDE SERVICES, IF AT ALL, TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CITY. AND YOU SEEM TO BE SAYING THAT IT'S TIME TO REACH OUT TO THE KIDS AND TO OFFER THEM ESSENTIALLY A FREE LIBRARY CARD.
>> CORRECT.
>>GRIFFITH: THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY NEED TO ENTERTAIN. WHAT WOULD -- WHAT'S THE COST OF THAT GOING TO BE? SAY YEAR ONE?
>> IT'S HARD TO TELL. IT COULD ACTUALLY BE MINIMAL BECAUSE RIGHT NOW A FAMILY TENDS TO USE A NON-RESIDENT CARD, SO YOU DON'T -- CHILDREN DON'T BUY THEM.
>>GRIFFITH: WHICH PAID FOR DIRECTLY.
>> RIGHT. $48 A YEAR. SO IT COULD HAVE A MINIMAL IMPACT ON OUR REVENUE. IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL. WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE OVER THE YEAR.
>>GRIFFITH: IF WE DECIDE TO DO THIS, IS THERE A WAY TO -- SAY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR TO KNOW WHAT THE COST WAS?
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP TRACK OF THAT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO LET YOU KNOW.
>>GRIFFITH: GOOD. THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>>LEWIS: THANK YOU. MS. BRANCH, THE LAST YEAR WE APPROVED THE BUDGET FOR SECURITY, WHAT, TWO OR THREE SECURITY FTE'S.
>> YES.
>>LEWIS: WHAT EFFECT HAS THAT HAD? HAVE YOU DONE AN EVALUATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY MET THE OBJECTIVES OR NOT?
>> IT ACTUALLY TOOK US SOME TIME TO HIRE THOSE PEOPLE. WE HAD TO HAVE THE JOB LOOKED AT AND RECLASSIFIED AND SO ON. SO WE'VE ONLY JUST HAD THEM A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, SO I'M NOT SURE I CAN REALLY TELL YOU THE IMPACT. LET ME ASK JOHN IF HE HAS A BETTER ANSWER THAN THAT.
>> IT IS --. [INAUDIBLE].
>> MR. GILL LAMB, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THAT AREA, SAYS IT HAS INCREASED THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO THE BRANCHES. BEFORE THIS THE SECURITY GUARDS WERE ADDED WE ONLY HAD SECURITY PRESENCE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY COMPLEX, THE HISTORY CENTER AND THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. THIS HAS ENABLED US TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE BRANCHES.
>>LEWIS: THE OUT REACH, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL -- I KNOW WE'RE OPENING -- HOW MANY BRANCHES HAVE WE OPENED? WE'RE OPENING ONE ON BERKMAN -- NOT ON BERKMAN.
>> THE YARBOROUGH BRANCH?
>>LEWIS: WELL, WE OPENED THAT AND WE'RE OPENING ONE AT THE --.
>> WELL, SINCE THE BOND ELECTION WE'VE ACTUALLY OPENED SIX -- WE WILL IN MAY OF 2001 OPENED SIX NEW LIEBS.
>>LEWIS: WE'RE OPENING THE ONE AT WINDSOR VILLAGE ALSO. AND MY QUESTION IS THE OUT REACH FOR THOSE BRANCH LIBRARIES, IS IT -- ARE WE KRSING ANY OF THE OUT REACH PROGRAMS? --.
>> THIS YEAR WE HAD A FOCUS -- THAT WAS THE EMPHASIS THAT WE HAD. PARTICULAR IN OUR YOUTH SERVICES AREA. WE REORGANIZED AND WE CONCENTRATED ON OUT REACH TO THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY TO THE YOUTH. AND WE FOUND OUT THAT WE BY DOING THAT HAD A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE PROGRAM. WE REACHED LARGER NUMBER OF CHIRNS, BUT WITH LESS STAFF, SO WE HAVE -- CHILDREN, BUT WITH LESS STAFF, SO WE HAVE A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT PROGRAM NOW.
>>LEWIS: THE OAK SPRINGS LIBRARY, WHEN WILL IT OPEN?
>> IT HAS OPENED ALREADY.
>>LEWIS: I NOTICE IN THE BUDGET HERE YOU SAID YOU HAD GONE FROM 308 FTE'S TO 315. NOW, IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE NEW LIBRARIES OR WHAT IS THE INCREASE?
>> IT IS 3.75 FTE'S IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPENING OF THE WINDSOR PARK LIBRARY IN SPRING OF 2001. FOUR FTE'S IS THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AREA. THAT WILL BE PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE COMPUTERS, THE HARDWARE, THE SOFTWARE, THE CABLING SYSTEMWIDE.
>>LEWIS: DID WE BRING ANY NEW FTE'S ON FOR THE OAK SPRINGS WHEN WE OPEN IT?
>> THIS YEAR WE DID NOT, NO.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU, MS. BRANCH. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. THAT WILL TAKE US TO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, WHICH IS TYPICALLY A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION, SO I'LL RECOGNIZE MR. HILGERS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I AM PAUL HILGERS --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. HILGERS? [LAUGHTER].
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, MAYOR, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE YOU. MOISTURE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: AS USUAL IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> WELL, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, SO I WILL.
>>MAYOR WATSON: I THOUGHT YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT IT. [LAUGHTER].
>> I AM HERE TO PRESENT THE 1999-2001 BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. YOU CAN FIND THE POLICY BUDGET ON PAGE 223 AND 229 AND WE'RE IN VOLUME I, PAGES 1 THROUGH 108 OF YOUR BUDGET DOCUMENT. NEIGHBOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN THROUGH OR BEGUN THE PROCESS ACTUALLY OF THE BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN TRANSITION FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT AND FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL STANDPOINT WITH REGARD TO THAT BUSINESS PLAN. WE'LL BE FINALIZING OUR NEW BUSINESS PLAN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO US AS A DEPARTMENT IN FOCUSING OUR MISSION, OUR GOALS, AND IDENTIFYING THE SPECIFIC LINES OF BUSINESS THAT WE WILL BE CARRYING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. IT'S MY HOPE THAT THE PRESENTATION WILL REFLECT THE EXCITING CHANGES THAT ARE UNDERWAY AS A RESULT OF THIS COUNSEL'S POLICY DIRECTION AND THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO RESPOND TO THE NEED OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EE VITALSATION. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE HOUSING COMMUNITY AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO BENEFIT ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS SO THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO LIVEABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND INCREASE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-SUFFICENCY. OUR GOALS, TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS CONSISTENT WITH CONTINUUMS FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OPERATIONS. TO INCREASE CAPACITY OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND TO ASSIST DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. TO EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS TO LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES. ON THE PARTNERSHIP'S ISSUE I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT THIS INCLUDES NOT ONLY EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS, BUT INTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS. WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS NOW THAT ARE UNDERWAY WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, WITH WATER AND WASTEWATER, WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION, WITH HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES AND WITH THE SNBR PROGRAM AS WELL. AND THOSE ARE HELPING US LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES WE GET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE A VERY PUBLIC AND INCLUSIVE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING HOW THE FEDERAL RESOURCES ARE PRIORITIZED AND BUDGETED. OUR PROGRAMS ARE MULTI-YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT THE DOLLARS YOU INVEST THIS YEAR MAY NOT RESULT IN HOUSING UNITS UNTIL NEXT YEAR. IT MEANS THAT THE FUNDS WE CARRY FORWARD HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED BY PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTIONS THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EXPENDED -- EXPENDED TO DATE. THIS CHART IS INTENDED TO SHOW THAT WE RECEIVE OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS AND WE DETERMINE HOW THEY'RE SPENT THROUGH OUR CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS, WITH THE DIRECTION AND INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THROUGH OUR CITIZENS PARTICIPATION PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. OUR PRIORITIES FOR ALLOCATING FUNDS IN THE MAJOR CATEGORIES ARE DETERMINED. AFTER THAT WHEN COUNCIL ADOPTS THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN. YOU ADOPTED OUR LAST KOL SEDATED PLAN IN JULY OF THIS YEAR FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. THIS WAS THE FIFTH YEAR IN OUR PLAN. OUR FIRST FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH MEANS THAT NEXT YEAR WE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGY FOR HOW WE WILL INVEST OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AFTER THE PRIORITIES ARE DETERMINED IN THE CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS, THEN WE BRING TO YOU TWO SEPARATE BUDGETS, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, WHICH WE BRING BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND IN SEPTEMBER WE WILL BRING YOU ANOTHER BUDGE UT ET, WHICH IS BRING TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, THE BUDGET FOR THE HAFC PROGRAM. MANY OF THE DETAILS OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT I'LL DISCUSS BRIEFLY TODAY WILL BE DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL WHEN WE BRING OUT OUR AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BUDGET BEFORE YOU. AFTER WE ADOFT -- ADOPT THE BUDGET, WE BEGIN OUR PROCESSES TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WE WILL PROCURE FOR THE NEXT YEARS. MANY OF THE NEIGHBORS YOU WILL SEE IN OUR PROJECTIONS ARE ESTIMATES, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PROPOSALS WILL COME BEFORE US. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS WHERE OUR FUNDS COME FROM AND IT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE THREE MAJOR SOURCES OF FUNDS. ONE IS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT THIS YEAR OF OVER EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. OUR HOME YEAR EIGHT GRANT AND PROGRAM INCOME FOR OVER THREE MILLION DOLLARS. AND THEN GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS OF OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS. THOSE HAVE BEEN BROKEN INTO THREE PRIMARY CATEGORIES, HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THEN OUR ADMINISTRATION, PLANNING AND COMPLIANCE SERVICES FUNCTION. I'D LIKE TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY AT THIS POINT ON OUR HOUSING STRATEGY. AS HAS BEEN PUBLICIZED RECENTLY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, REPORT ON HOUSING AND ANOTHER REPORT THAT WAS RECENTLY RELEASED BY THE TEXAS LOW INCOME HOUSING INFORMATION SERVICE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S BEEN PUBLICIZED THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS LACK OF HOUSING THAT OUR CITIZENS HERE IN AUSTIN CAN AFFORD. FROM 1990 TO 1997 THE COST OF RENTAL HOUSING HAS RISEN 55%, THE COST OF HOMES HAS GONE UF 54% AND THE INCOMES OF OUR CITIZENS HAS GONE UP ONLY 23%. MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN AUSTIN PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOMES ON HOUSING. THREE QUARTERS OF TRAVIS COUNTY'S POOR PAY MORE THAN 50% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT. IT WAS RECENTLY REPORTED IN THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN THAT WE HAVE A THREE-MONTH SUPPLY OF HOUSES THAT COST LESS THAN $100,000. THIS CHART SHOWS THREE OTHER SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF NEED THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN OUR FIRST FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN. IT SHOWS THAT 34,000 HOUSEHOLDS ARE COST BURDENED, WHICH MEANS THEY PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR MEDIAN -- THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING. 40,000 HOUSEHOLDS LIVE IN SUBSTANDARD HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH MEANS THEY LACK ADEQUATE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM FACILITIES. AND 11,000 HOUSEHOLDS ARE DEEMED OVERCORRODED, WHICH MEANS FAMILIES ARE HAVING TO DOUBLE UP TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE TOGETHER. ALL OF THIS IN ONE OF THE BEST LOCAL ECONOMIES IN THE NATION. THE NEXT CHART IS FROM THE REPORT OF THE TEXAS LOW INCOME HOUSING INFORMATION SERVICE THAT SHOWS THAT 57% OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE COST BURDENED GO UNSERVED BY ALL THE PROGRAMS OF THE STATE, THE COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS. THIS IS ANOTHER INDICATION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT TRY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY ITSELF. NEXT IS A SLIDE THAT SHOWS THAT THE PROBLEM IS GOING TO GET WORSE IF WE CAN'T -- DON'T TAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT ACTION. IT SHOWS THAT OF THE 10 NEW OCCUPATIONS PROJECTED TO ADD NEW JOBS TO AUSTIN, ONLY TWO OF THEM PAY A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH WAGE RATE TO ALLOW FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT IN AUSTIN. SO WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, AND A BETTER SENSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM, THE QUESTION REMAINS, WHAT IS THE PROPER ROLE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUE OF HOUSING? AS A RESULT OF THE COUNSEL'S DIRECTION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS POSITIONED ITSELF TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ADDRESSING THIS CRITICAL PUBLIC POLICY NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE FOUNDATION OF OUR STRATEGY IS THE CONCEPT OF THE CONTINUUM OF HOUSING SERVICES. BECAUSE HOUSING IS SO COMPLEX AND COMPETITION IS SO GREAT FOR THE LIMITED PUBLIC RESOURCES, WE NEED A STRATEGY THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER. HOUSING HAS INDUSTRIES WITHIN INDUSTRIES AND TARGET POPULATIONS WITHIN TARGET POPULATIONS. IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING POLICY OR A STRATEGY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT. THE CONTINUUM OF HOUSING SERVICES SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR INVESTMENT, EVALUATION, COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION OF HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN AUSTIN. WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN FOSTERING COLLABORATION AMONG HOUSING PROVIDERS THROUGH THIS CONCEPT. PROGRAMS WILL IN THE FUTURE BE EVALUATED NOT ONLY ON HOW WELL THEY DEAL WITH THE SPECIFIC POPULATION THEY'RE INTENDED TO SERVE ARE, BUT HOW WELL THEY INTO HAVE PEOPLE CLIMB THE STAIRWAY THAT'S REPRESENTED IN THE LIGHT ROOIT CHART. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS BROKEN HOUSING INTO THE EIGHT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF HOUSING AND I WILL BE REPORTING TO YOU ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT THIS DEPARTMENT WILL MAKE OVER THE NEXT YEAR WITH THE NEW MONEY AND THE CARRY FORWARD MONEY SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THE CONTINUUMS. THE NEXT CHART SHOWS THE CONTINUUM AS -- WITH -- IT SHOWS WHERE WE'RE INVESTING IN HOMELESS SHELTERS -- FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, HOMELESS SHELTERS, EMERGENCY SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, PUBLIC HOUSING, ASSISTED HOUSING, RENTAL HOUSING, FIRST TIME HOME BUYER AND OWNER OCCUPIED SERVICES AND THOSE ARE THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU WILL SEE US MAKING. AND I'LL TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME. BUT STARTING FIRST -- NEXT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE UNITS. WE'LL ALSO EVALUATE WHAT NUMBER OF UNITS. IN THE HOMELESS SHELTER, THE INVESTMENT SHOWS THAT WE'LL BE HAVING A 100 BED FACILITY. THAT MEANS THAT THRBL SEVERAL FOLKS THAT WILL BE SERVED BY THAT. MORE ON THAT IN A MINUTE. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING UNITS WILL BE 30 OVER THE NEXT YEAR. THESE CHARTS ALSO REFLECT THE HOUSING SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF AUSTIN. YOU WILL SEE THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF AUSTIN INVESTS A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY AND SERVES A GREAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE AREA OF ASSISTED HOUSING. WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN ALLOW FOLKS WHO WILL WANT TO TO MOVE OUT OF PUBLIC HOUSING AND INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE OFFER TO THEM. NOW FOR A REFLECTION OF EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES IN THE INVESTMENT WE'RE MAKING. FIRST HOMELESS SHELTERS. WE'RE ADDING IN HOMELESS SHELTERS PRIOR TO YEAR FUNDING OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO A1.1 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT THIS YEAR TO A PREAWARD OF NEXT YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF 3.6 MILLION DOLLARS TO CONSTRUCT 100 BED FACILITY. THAT WILL SERVE ALL PEOPLE WHO WILL BE SERVED AND THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE BELOW 30% OF MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME. IT'S ESTIMATED TO SRVE WHEN IT'S -- SERVE WHEN IT'S FULLY OPERATIONAL. 300 PEOPLE A YEAR. IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING WE'RE REALLY STUCK TO MORE ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING TO RELEASE A FUND OF AVAILABILITY FOR SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY PRIMARILY IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TARGET THAT OFF OF OF AND WE HAVE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS ESTIMATED TO THAT AND WE ESTIMATE WE'LL HAVE 30 UNITS OF SERVING PEOPLE BELOW 30% OF INCOME. WE ALSO PROVIDE A SMALL BIT OF ASSISTANCE TO THE AUSTIN HOUSING AUTHORITY WHERE THEY ADMINISTER FOR US A GRANT OF ABOUT $400,000 FOR TENANT BASED RENTAL SI ASSISTANCE WHERE WE WILL SERVE AN ADDITIONAL 60 FAMILIES. IN OUR RENTAL HOUSING CHART, THIS IS AGAIN WHERE WE'LL BE RELEASING OUR NOTICE OF FUND AVAILABILITY AND SEEKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHERS. IT ALSO REFLECTS ON THE LEFT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS REFLECTS PRIOR YEAR FUNDING THAT HAS NOT BEEN EXPENDED. FOR EXAMPLE, OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS IS CARRIED FORWARD IS REFLECTED IN THE SKIP TWO PROJECT. THIS ALSO DOES NOT REFLECT AND WE'LL BE MORE FLESHED OUT WHEN WE SHOW YOU OUR AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BUDGET BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REFLECT THE BOND PROGRAMS, THE TAX FREE BOND PROGRAMS THAT THE BOARD OF THE FINANCE CORPORATION SUPPORTS. BUT WE EXPECT THROUGH OUR NHDC SUPPORTS TO HAVE AT LEAST 100 UNITS IN RENTAL HOUSING. OUR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAM, AGAIN A PROGRAM PRIMARILY DONE THROUGH OUR AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. WE'VE CONSOLIDATED THREE OF OUR PROGRAMS. DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, WELCOME HOME, AN INFILL VACANT LOTS INTO ONE HOME OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL RESULT IN 373 ADDITIONAL UNITS SERVING PEOPLE. THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WILL BE BETWEEN 50 AND 80 PERCENT OF MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME. SOME WILL BE BELOW THAT. WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON A PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS WITH WATERSHED. WE HAVE A SHOWCASE AT INDIAN HILLS WHERE WE HAVE VACANT LOTS THAT WE ARE BUILDING -- BUILDERS ARE BUILDING HOUSES ON FOR US AND WE'RE WORKING IN MONTOPOLIS TO DEVELOP A HOUSING PROJECT THERE. AND WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION WHO WILL COME TO US WITH PROPOSALS TO DEVELOP FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS. FINALLY, THE FINAL CATEGORY I'LL MENTION, IS THE OWNER OCCUPIED ASSISTANCE IN HOUSING. AND IN HOUSING THESE ARE OUR PROGRAMS THAT SERVE IN MANY WAYS OUR LOWEST INCOME RESIDENTS WHO OWN THEIR HOME. THIS IS OUR HOME MAINTENANCE, HOME REPAIR, ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF SOME FIVE MILLION DOLLARS AND WE HAVE IN ANTICIPATION TO SERVE 1,144 FAMILIES WITH THAT -- WITH THAT INVESTMENT. THOSE ARE THE PROGRAMS AND THE CATEGORIES OF SERVICES THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL INVEST IN OVER THE NEXT YEAR. ANOTHER STRATEGY THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU AND THAT YOU'VE -- AS MENTION UNDERSTAND YOUR POLICY BUDGET HAS TO DO WITH THE SMART HOUSING INITIATIVE. THE SMART HOUSING INITIATIVE IS A PROPOSAL THAT BASICALLY SAYS THAT PREFERRED HOUSING IN PREFERRED AREAS GETS PREFERRED TREATMENT. SMART STANDS FOR SAFE, MIXED INCOME, ACCESSIBLE, REASONABLY PRICED AND TRANSIT ORIENTED. WE'LL BE TAKING THIS PROPOSAL TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO AND GETTING THEIR I AM -- INPUT ON IT. BUT A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU. WHAT SMART HOUSING INITIATIVE DOES IS IT DIRECTS THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION TO BECOME THE LEAD HOUSING ARM FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. IT ALSO DIRECTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO BE THE LEAD POLICY REVIEW AND COMMENT ENTITY FOR ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT THE CITY PROMULGATES FOR ITS IMPACT ON THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOMES. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT IS THAT IT ADOPTS THE REHABILITATION STANDARDS AS PART OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WHICH SHOULD REDUCE THE COST OF DOING REHABILITATION IN OUR INNER CITY. AND HOUSING THAT MEETS THOSE STANDARDS WILL RECEIVE CERTAIN WAIVERS, FEE WAIVERS, DEVELOPMENT WAIVERS -- DEVELOPMENT FEE WAIVERS. NEXT I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY GO THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES. WE BASICALLY HAVE FOUR COMPONENTS OF THIS STRATEGY, A COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION EFFORT, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND THEN OUR CATEGORIES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES THAT SUPPORT MANY OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT WE DO. FIRST OUR COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION IS REALLY THE EFFORTS ON 11TH AND 12TH STREET THROUGH THE AUSTIN REVITALIZATION AUTHORITY. THE ARA CONTRACT RENEWAL, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AUSTIN REVITALIZATION AUTHORITY, THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE SECTION 108 DEBT SERVICE, BUT ALSO THAT PROGRAM TO RECEIVE THAT NINE MILLION DOLLARS SHOULD BEGIN FLOWING THIS NEXT YEAR FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CREATE AND ESTABLISH MORE RETAIL AND OFFICE SPACE ALONG THOSE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS OF 11TH AND 12TH STREET. IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH SNBR. SOME OF THESE FUNDS ARE DWREKT DREKTED AND ADMINISTERED BY THAT PROGRAM. BUT HERE WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, OUR MICROLENDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR ONE STOP BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER THAT WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF -- WITH COUNSEL AUTHORIZATION LAST YEAR. NEXT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION'S PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT PROGRAM WHICH TAKES OUR PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOODS AND OFFERS THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME COMMUNITY PROJECTS, CLEANUP PROJECTS, JUST DIFFERENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS USE TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT ALSO INCLUDES HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES SOME COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION. 11TH AND 12TH STREET WILL INCLUDE HISTORIC PRESERVATION. WE CATEGORIZE THAT UNDER NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AS WELL. SO WE SEE THERE THAT WE'LL IMPLEMENT AT LEAST -- IT WILL IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY BASED PROJECTS IN AT LEAST EIGHT OF OUR PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOODS. THE NEXT LEVEL OF SERVICES IS OUR PUBLIC SERVICES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES. SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. AND OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THIS COUNCIL HAVE ALWAYS ALWAYS INSTRUCTED US TO GO TO THE LIMIT OF THE ALLOWABLE PUBLIC SERVICE CATEGORY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZES, WHICH IS 15% OF OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION STRIVES FOR EVERY YEAR IS THAT WE SPEND ALL THE MONEY WE POSSIBLY CAN IN PUBLIC SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE NEED, AND YET THOSE FUNDS THROUGH OUR INFORMATION REFERRAL SERVICES, OUR YOUTH AND ELDERLY SERVICES WHICH ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THROUGH OUR FAIR HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, WE WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REFERRAL SERVICES FOR 10,000 -- OVER 10,000 PEOPLE. WE'LL SERVE 780 YOUTH AND ELDERLY AND WIELD MEDIATE MANY TENANT AND LANDLORD DISPUTES. IT ALSO INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR THE CENTER. AND THEN IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INCREASED -- THE INCREASE SPORNS WE'RE PLACING TO OUR COMPLIANCE SERVICES STRATEGY. OUR PLANNING OR ADMINISTRATION AND OUR COMPLIANCE SERVICES EFFORT HAS ALL BEEN ENHANCED WITH THIS BUDGET. WE WILL BE INCREASING OUR CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING RESPONSIBILITIES. WE WILL BE PROVIDING MORE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OUR NONPROFITS, TO NONPROFITS WHO WANT TO BE ESTABLISHED IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE A NONPROFIT AT THIS POINT. AND ALSO WE WILL BE INVOLVED IN HELPING TO OVERSEE AND ADMINISTER THE VISIBILITY ORDINANCE AND MAINTAIN THE PRIORITY OF VISIBLE HOMES THAT HAS BEEN EMPHASIZED BY THIS COUNCIL. AND WE'LL ALSO BE INVOLVED IN OVERSEEING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SMART HOUSING INITIATIVE. AND WITH THAT, COUNCIL, I WOULD STOP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA?
>>GARCIA: THE MONTOPOLIS INITIATIVE, WHERE IS IT ON THIS?
>> IT IS LISTED IN FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS UNDER THAT CHART. IN THAT CATEGORY IT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL IN OUR FINANCE CORPORATION BUDGET PROPOSAL, BUT IT IS INCLUDED AS PRIMARILY LOOKING AT FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES THERE, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS HOME OWNERSHIP, SO THAT'S WHERE WE INCLUDED IT AS A PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
>>GARCIA: IT REGARDS THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, I THINK -- HAS ELECTRIC TOLD US THAT THEY'LL DELETE THE --.
>> YES, SIR. THAT'S THE PARTNERSHIP I WAS REFERRING TO WITH AUSTIN ENERGY. WE HAVE THE 13 ACRES THAT WE ACQUIRE ALONG WITH THE ADDITIONAL ACREAGE THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS DEEDED TO THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION THAT WILL ULTIMATELY END UP IN THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION WHICH WILL INCLUDE SOME LAND THAT WILL HAVE OPEN SPACE AND HOPEFULLY SOME TRAILS, BUT THAT WILL ULTIMATELY GIVE US SOME CLOSE TO 18 ACRES OF LAND TO DEVELOP HOUSING ON.
>>GARCIA: ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT I HAVE PROPOSED TO THE COUNCIL HAS TO DO WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THE REASON THAT I MADE THAT PROPOSAL TO THE COUNCIL IS BECAUSE THE THREE CHAMBERS THAT CONTRACT UNDER HCTV TO DO -- IN THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND I HAVE -- ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY BELONG, THAT THE CHAMBERS MORE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THAT PARTICULAR ALLOCATION OF MONEY AND REDIRECT THE CHAMBER'S EFFORTS TOWARDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE THREE MINORITY COMMUNITIES, HOW WILL THAT INTERFACE WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUT OF OUR SHOP?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR SYNERGY IN THAT EFFORT. ONE IS I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON INCREASING OUR CONTRACT LENDING OPPORTUNITIES USING OUR RESOURCES. WE HAVE A GROUP OF NONPROFITS THAT WE CONSIDER OUR STRONG PARTNERS AS WELL AS THE CHAMBER'S. WE ALSO HAVE BUSINESSES INVESTING GROWTH, WE ALSO HAVE THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND OTHERS THAT HAVE RECENTLY COME TO AUSTIN, ALONG WITH OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THOSE ARE JOB CREATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER ONE STOP SHOP CONCEPT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROVIDE THOSE KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. ALSO, IT IS THE TASK OF MY -- OF THIS DIVISION TO LOOK FOR OTHER RESOURCES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION RESOURCES, TO FIND OTHER PARTNERS, CAPITAL METRO, WHO ARE FINDING OTHER RESOURCES FOR -- AND ALREADY INVESTING OTHER RESOURCES IN THIS COMMUNITY TO FIND A WAY TO ALLOW THE CHAMBERS SO THAT WE CAN BE A FACILITATOR, A DEVELOPER, ALONG WITH THE CHAMBERS TO RESPOND TO THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY IDENTIFY FOR US FOR THOSE RESOURCES. SO WE SEE THAT AS A VERY COMPATIBLE MISSION.
>>GARCIA: ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES WE HAVE HAD IN SOME PARTICULAR AREA HAS TO DO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUSINESSES. AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PARTICIPATION THAT THEY HAVE IN CITY CONTRACTING, THOSE NUMBERS ARE STILL WAY TOO LOW AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE FORMULA IS TO DEVELOP THOSE BUSINESSES TO BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THAT AREA AND TO USE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BASICALLY IMPROVE THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SERVE THROUGH YOUR OFFICE. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA? HAVE YOU HAD ANY SUCCESSES THAT COULD BE USED AS MODELS FOR IMPLEMENTING BROADER PROGRAMMING?
>> WELL, I THINK THE CONCEPT OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE ACCORD NATER OF SERVICES, IF YOU WILL, SO THAT -- A COORDINATOR OF SERVICES, SO THAT THE CONCEPT OF HOUSING IS THE SAME IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. YOU START WITH TRAINING, MICROLENDING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, GRADUATE TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF LENDING AND ULTIMATELY BECOME BANKABLE PRIVATELY. SO PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY, THE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AT THE BEGINNING STAGES FOR BUSINESSES TO BEGIN TO GET STARTED WITH, THE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT THE BUSINESSES INVEST IN GROWTH, ARE GOOD STARTING GROUNDS, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT INCLUDES -- I WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE AS WELL HOW WE'RE INVESTING ON 11TH AND 12TH STREET AND MAKING SURE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES TO GROW, THE MOM AND POPS THAT NEED TO BE IN THAT EFFORT AS WELL AS IN A RICH DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD ALLOW FOR SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT. AS FAR AS ANY MODEL STRATEGY, I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE ONE THAT I CAN PULL OFF THE SHELF AND SAY THIS ONE IS SUCCESSFUL, LET'S DO THIS ONE, OR ELSE I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT ALREADY.
>>GARCIA: THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT HEALTH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, CSC AND ALL OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, THAT SEEMS TO ME TO OFFER A FEEL AND ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE COULD -- THAT WE COULD USE TO ENCOURAGE MINORITY BUSINESSES TO GET INTO THAT.
>> I AGREE AND I THINK THAT'S ONE I SHOULD MENTION. AGAIN, THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TIM WARREN'S SHOP AND OUR -- USING OUR CDBD DOLLARS TO INCLUDE MORE CONTRACT LENDING ON THOSE KIND OF PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE KNOW THAT THESE RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED, THOSE BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, SO THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE CAN PURSUE THAT.
>>GRIFFITH: AND MAYOR, IN SUPPORT OF COUNCILMEMBER'S COMMENTS, ESSENTIAL CERTAINLY THE WORK OF THE MINORITY CHAMBERS IS CRITICAL IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE ACVB IS CERTAINLY AN APPROPRIATE VEHICLE FOR THAT KIND OF SUPPORT. AND I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK OUT A WAY THAT IS -- THAT IS EQUITABLE AND FAIR AND THAT CARRIES ON -- ALLOWS THE FUNDAMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE THERE FOR THE WORK OF THE CHAMBERS TO GO ON. SO I THINK WE'LL ALL BE WORKING TOWARDS THAT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS? LEWIS THANK YOU, MAYOR. ON PAGE 54 OF OUR SLIDES, YOU MENTIONED THE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION.
>> YES, SIR.
>>LEWIS: I UNDERSTAND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LET AN R.F.P., RFQ FOR A 106 STUDY. HAS THAT BEEN DONE YET?
>> I UNDERSTAND THE RELEASE OF THAT R.F.P. IS GOING OUT ON AUGUST 30TH FOR THE 106 ON THE LECHTH AND 12TH STREET AREAS. -- 11TH AND 12TH STREET AREA.
>>LEWIS: JUST ON THE 11TH AND 12TH STREET AREA?
>> YES, SIR.
>>LEWIS: BECAUSE WIRE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING MONEY INTO NEIGHBORHOODS TO DO RENOVATIONS AND ALL OF UNITS. AND IF WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER -- IF WE DON'T HAVE A HISTORY OF IT AND ACCORDING TO 106 IF WE SPEND FEDERAL DOLLARS THEN WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO SOME TYPE OF HISTORIC KEL STUDY AS FAR AS KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE?
>> I'LL BE GLAD TO LOOK AT THAT. SPECIFICALLY ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, THIS IS PART OF THE 11TH AND -- THE MAJOR 11TH AND 12TH STREET REVITALIZATION PROJECT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET ABOUT THE TASK OF GOING IS DOING IT FOR THAT PROJECT AREA SPECIFICALLY. SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT ONE. I AGREE CAN YOU, COUNCILMEMBER, THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF NEEDS TO DO MORE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ANALYSIS AND PLANNING IN ALL THE NEIGHBORS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING. THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT FOR 11TH AND 12TH STREET.
>>LEWIS: WE SPEAK OF THE NUMBER OF HOUSES -- HOUSEHOLDS AND THE PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT SPEND 50% OR MORE OF THE INCOME OR 30% ARE MORE OF THE INCOME ON HOUSING. I SEE THIS AS NOT JUST A CITY FUNCTION OR A CITY PROBLEM, BUT ALSO A COUNTY BECAUSE IT'S INEVITABLE THAT THE MORE HOUSES WE PROVIDE IN THE CITY, THE MORE PEOPLE WE HAVE COME TO THE CITY. SO IF WE DON'T COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY, WE'RE SPINNING OUR WHEELS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST PICKING UP THE SLACK THEY DON'T DO, THE MORE WE DO. SO WE HAVE TRAVIS COUNTY -- THE CITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A CITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSING DEPARTMENT?
>> WELL, IT'S -- ACTUALLY, IT'S -- THERE ARE SEVERAL ENTITIES IN AUSTIN AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY WHO DEAL WITH HOUSING. WE HAVE THE AUSTIN HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE HAVE THE TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY. WE ALSO HAVE THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AND WE HAVE THE TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSING FPX CORPORATION. ALL PUBLIC ENTITIES, ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH HOUSING. AND I THINK YOUR POINT IS ONE I KNOW SOMEBODY SUGGESTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT WE SHOULD LOOK TO SEE IF WE SHOULD CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THOSE HOUSING ENTITIES. I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO, COUNCILMEMBER, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I BROUGHT UP FIRST, WHICH IS HOW FRAGMENTED AND HOWDY BURSED THE FEDERAL DOLLARS HAVE BECOME IS WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU HAVE HOUSING AUTHORITIES THAT SPECIFICALLY TARGETED FOR A SPECIFIC POPULATION AND THAT'S HOW THEY SERVED. THEY DIDN'T NEED TO TALK TO ANYBODY ELSE BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR PLATES FULL. NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE AND TO MOVE PEOPLE INTO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING. YOUR POINT IS ONE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON TARGET. I THINK ONE OF OUR BEST VEHICLES, COUNCILMEMBER, TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE IS THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK. AND THE RELATIONSHIP WE CAN DEVELOP WITH THE COUNTY AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT STEVEN WILLIAMS AND I ARE TALKING -- AND WE'RE LOOK WILLING AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO -- LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOINTLY TERM DETERMINE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE COUNTY AND THE CITY IN OUR NEXT FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE STAFF THAT ACTUALLY CLAB RATES ON DETERMINING WHAT ARE THE -- COLLABORATING IN WHAT ARE THE NEEDS IN THIS COUNTY, NOT HAVING THE CITY DO IT BY THEMSELVES, BUT THAT WE DO JOINTLY DO SOME ASSESSMENT WORK. SO WE ARE LOOKING TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE WITH COUNTY AND COUNTY RESOURCES.
>>LEWIS: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY OPERATES BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CITY.
>> YES, SIR, THAT'S CORRECT.
>>LEWIS: THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND THE CITY ONLY WORKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THE CITY LIMITS, THE INCORPORATED, ANNEXED, WE DON'T EVEN GO INTO THE ETJ OF THE CITY WITH OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME THERE'S A DISPARITY THERE BECAUSE ON ONE HAND WE'RE INCREASING OUR HOUSING AND WE'RE SAYING -- AND IF THE COUNTY DON'T INCREASE THEIRS, WHICH THEY'RE TRYING TO, THEN THE PEOPLE JUST MOVE OVER INTO THE CITY, YOU KNOW. THEN IT CAUSES US TO HAVE A NEED GREATER THAN WE ANTICIPATED. SO I DON'T KNOW. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT MAYBE DOING FOR THIS NEXT FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO DO A JOINT TRAVIS COUNTY -- CITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY RATHER THAN JUST -- ONE ENTITY SERVING ONE PORTION AND IT CREATES MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN IT SOLVES, REALLY. SO I DON'T KNOW. I JUST THINK THAT AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW MUCH THE FEDERAL MONEY IS SPLIT UP AND TO WHAT DEGREE AND WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR OVERHEAD TO SERVE THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN THAT SENSE, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES THAT ARE SPENDING MONEY FOR OVERHEAD AND WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDS IT, THE PERCENTAGES -- IF YOU TAKE 20% OF EVERYBODY'S -- EVERYONE'S ALLOCATION, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE 100% OF SOME ORGANIZATIONS. IF YOU PUT IT ALL IN THE ORGANIZATIONS, IT WOULD ALL BE SPENT FOR OVERHEAD. SO THAT'S MY POINT ON THAT BECAUSE HOUSING IS NOT GETTING ANY BETTER IN AUSTIN. IT WOULD BE IF WE COULD SHUT THE DOOR AND NOT LET ANYBODY IN, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH IT THE BEST WE CAN. BUT I WOULD THINK THAT DURING THIS NEXT FIVE-YEAR -- FOR THE NEXT FIVE-YEAR CYCLE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THE JOINT COUNTY-CITY VENTURE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU.
>>SPELMAN: I PREFER THE METAPHOR OF FLOODING THE MOET AND RAISING THE DRAW BRIDGE. ON PAGE 42 OF OUR PRESENTATION, THIS THE THE SORT OF GRAPH THAT LBJ SCHOOL PROFESSORS LOVE TO SEE. IT BREAKS UP THE CONTINUUM AND TELL US WHAT THAT IS. ACTUALLY, I THINK I KNOW WHO IN YOUR SHOP MAY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. [LAUGHTER]. THIS IS TERRIFIC BECAUSE IT GIVES A REAL CLEAR SENSE ON WHERE ON THAT CONTINUUM WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY. AND 43, THE SAME THING, WHAT KIND OF UNITS EAR ACTUALLY BUYING AND FOR WHOM. HAVE WE AND THE COUNTY OR KEN OR ANYBODY GOT A CLEAR SENSE FOR WHAT THE COMMAND OR THE NEED IS AT ANY OF THOSE POINTS IN THE CONTINUUM?
>> I WISH I COULD SAY WE SURE DO, BUT WE DON'T, TO BE CON DID WITH YOU. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS -- AND I FRANKLY THINK THAT UNTIL WE GET THE KEN SUS DATA, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE -- THE CENSUS DATA, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE FROM A ACADEMIC STANDPOINT SURE OF WHERE THOSE NUMBERS ARE, BUT I THINK IT WILL BE A GO A LONG WAY IN THIS PLAN TO DETERMINE THOSE NUMBERS. WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL, WITH THE LBJ SCHOOL TO HELP US US IN THAT PROCESS. BUT THE AE RLTY -- THE REALITY OF THIS BUSINESS, OF HOUSING, IS THAT THE DEMAND IS SO INCREDIBLY GREAT AT EACH ONE OF THOSE LEVELS THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE ALMOST TO CHART WHAT THE REAL NEED IS. WHAT WE TRY TO DO AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO DO THROUGH THIS NEXT YEAR OF PLANNING IS TO HAVE A MUCH MORE ACCURATE FIGURE OF THE NUMBERS. THE LOW INCOME HOUSING INFORMATION SERVICE REPORT THAT CAME OUT GIVES A LITTLE MORE DATA THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, SO IT'S A GOOD -- THE CAN REPORT AND THE TEXAS LOW INCOME HOUSING SERVICE DATA THAT CAME OUT SHOULD BE A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR US TO USE FOR OUR NEXT FIVE-YEAR PLAN. AND CANDIDLY UNTIL WE HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF EVERYONE WHO'S PROVIDING SERVICES, AND I CAN COME TO YOU WITH A CHART THAT SAYS HERE'S WHERE EVERYBODY'S PROVIDING SERVICES AND HERE'S WHERE THE REAL GAPS ARE ARE, I WOULD FEEL LIKE WE WOULD BE MAKING A MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE INVESTMENT OF THE RESOURCES. YOU WILL SEE HERE THAT I'VE JUST LISTED HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, THE HOUSING SERVICE AND US, BUT AS COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS JUST POINTED OUT, THERE'S THE TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS, THERE'S FHA LOANS. THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT ENTITIES OUT THERE.
>>SPELMAN: AND THE BIGGEST ONE BY FAR IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
>> ABSOLUTELY. SPELL WHICH IS CONSTRUCTING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF HOUSING AS WE SPEAK.
>> AND UNFORTUNATELY AT A LEVEL ABOVE $100,000 TYPICALLY PER HOME RIGHT NOW IN THIS COMMUNITY.
>>SPELMAN: THAT IS UNFORTUNATE. I AGREE. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, AS YOU KNOW, ABOUT FORMING SOME SORT OF A HOUTION TRUST FUND. ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE TRUST FUND IS EVEN IF WE PUT A MILLION DOLLARS, TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN IT, THAT'S JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE WITH RESPECT TO WHAT IT IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS ABLE TO PUT INTO THE SAME MIX. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES IT A POSSIBILITY IS IT WOULD BE FREE MONEY THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEND AND IT WOULD NOT BE CIRCUMSCRIBED DESCRIBED IN THE SAME WE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE. IF YOU DID GET NEW MONEY THROUGH A TRUST FUND OR SOME OTHER SOURCE AND YOU COULD SPEND WHERE YOU FEEL IT WAS MOST NECESSARY, HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT SEE HOW IT SHOULD BE SPENT?
>> I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE HOW WE PRIORITIZE OUR SPENDING IS OUR CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH. I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH FROM MARCH TO JULY ALLOWS AND CAN BE IMPROVED UPON, BUT IT ALLOWS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE IN NEED AND THOSE WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE BUSINESS TO COME AND TELL US WHERE THOSE NEEDS ARE. FRANKLY, WHERE WE DETERMINED AS A RESULT OF OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN THAT WE NEED TO INVEST MORE RIGHT NOW IS IN MULTI-FAMILY AFFORDABLE RENTAL. WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE RENTAL PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES IN THIS COMMUNITY. THERE'S -- THERE'S ALSO A NEED FOR MORE DOLLARS FOR REHABILITATION. AND IN THIS SENSE AGAIN IS WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK TO FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC FOR LOAN PACKAGES AND THINGS THAT THEY HAVE WHERE THEY CAN IDENTIFY -- WE CAN IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO DON'T THINK THEY QUALIFY FOR A LOAN AND GET INFORMATION TO THEM THAT WOULD LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY DO QUALIFY FOR A LOAN. BUT AS FAR AS THE TRUST FUND IS CONCERNED, TO GO BACK TO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION, THE FIRST PRIORITY WOULD BE MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL. NEXT PROBABLY WOULD BE SOME KIND OF -- INVESTMENT IN ELDERLY HOUSING OR SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING. AND THEN THIRD WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AGAIN THE SERIOUS NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR QUALITY TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE MAJOR PRIORITIES THAT WE WOULD IDENTIFY. AND THOSE CAME OUT OF OUR CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHIILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE]
>> A DEAL FRX YOU WILL, WITH A LENDING INSTITUTION AND A BUILDER AND DEVELOPER, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF -- WE HAVE SOME VERY HIGH QUALITY NON-PROFITS IN BOTH THE MULTI-FAMILY AND THE SINGLE FAMILY BUSINESS IN THIS STATE AND AROUND THE STATE. AND I THINK IF WE ARE AGGRESSIVE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL, WE CAN FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE LEVERAGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT TRUST FUND.
>>SPELMAN: FOR EXAMPLE, THIS WOULD BE A NON-PROFIT THAT WOULD NOT BE BANKABLE FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT THEY ARE TRYING TO GET A LOAN FOR?
>> OR FOR EXAMPLE THAT THEY WOULD NEED -- THEY WOULD NEED SOME SUBSIDY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE LAND AND MAYBE SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT COSTS THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO CHARGE LESS RENT THAN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO WITHOUT -- BY HAVING TO PAY FOR THE LAND.
>>SPELMAN: OKAY.
>> OR BY HAVING TO PAY FOR THE WHOLE THING. MUCH OF THE PROBLEM WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSE CITY MANAGER THAT IT IS -- HOUSING IS VERY EXPENSIVE. AND SO IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO UNDER WRITE THE COST OF THE HOUSING AND LITERALLY JUST SUBSIDIZE THE DEAL, THAT'S ONE WAY. ANOTHER THING THAT I SHOULDN'T LEAVE OUT IN THE DISCUSSION IS WHAT THE STATE CAN DO. AND WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE -- UNFORTUNATELY ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WENT TO THE STATE FOR TAX CREDIT FUNDING FOR THE ROUND THIS YEAR DIDN'T GET FUNDED BECAUSE WE NEED THEM ALL, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME THAT RECEIVED FUNDING IN AUSTIN AND THAT'S ANOTHER SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR US. BUT AGAIN, TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON WHICH -- WHICH INVESTMENT PROVIDES THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK AS FAR AS HOUSING UNITS IS A VERY -- YOU KNOW, HOUSING PROGRAMS HAVE DIFFERENT GOALS. WE DON'T HAVE ONE SINGULAR GOAL WITH OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHY SOME OF OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS COST $60,000 AND SOME OF THEM COST $3,000. AND OUR DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WE AVERAGE ABOUT $3,000 A FAMILY, WE GET A FAMILY IN WITH OUR INFILL LOTS WE'RE TALKING $60,000 INVESTMENT AND WE SELL THE HOUSE AND GET THE MONEY BACK AND REINVEST. EACH ONE ARE UNIQUE. I THINK THE IDEA OF LEVERAGING EVEN OUR FEDERAL RESOURCES WHEN POSSIBLE FOR A BANK LOAN IS -- WILL GIVE US A LOT MORE MONEY IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
>>SPELMAN: AS PART OF YOUR CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS, IS THERE A TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, FOCUS GROUP, SOME GROUP OF CITIZENS OR LENDERS OR SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN RELY ON TO HELP YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS AS TO HOW THINGS SHOULD BE TARGETED?
>> OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF COURSE IS THE BOARD AND COMMISSION HERE AT THE CITY. BUTTS IN OUR -- IN OUR FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN WHICH AGAIN IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WE DO AS CITY, WE WILL HAVE THOSE KIND OF STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH LENDERS, WITH BUILDERS, WITH THE NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP THAT I GUESS I FAILED TO MENTION IS OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING DEPARTMENT. WE'RE MEETING WITH THE -- WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND WITH DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND INSPECTION EVERY WEEK TO FIGURE OUT WHAT SYNERGIES WE CAN CREATE, WHAT INVENTORIES WE CAN TAKE OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO DETERMINE WHERE HOUSING NEEDS ARE ON A HOUSE BY HOUSE BASIS IF WE NEED TO.
>>SPELMAN: THIS IS NOT YOU AND YOUR STAFF SITTING IN A ROOM FIGURING OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN BUT TALKING TO EVERYBODY WHO WILL BE INVOLVED AND GETTING EVERYBODY'S --
>> IT'S A VERY PUBLIC AND INCLUSIVE PROCESS AS IT SHOULD BE.
>>SPELMAN: THANKS, PAUL.
>> YOU BET.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>>LEWIS: PAUL, YOU ARE SHOWING PRO POSSESSION POSED DECREASE IN HOME MAINTENANCE, HOME REPAIR AND ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS ON 49, ON SLIDE 49.
>> LET ME GET TO THAT, COUNCILMEMBER. I THINK -- OH, LET ME SPEAK TO THAT. THE PRIOR YEAR FUNDING AND THE PROPOSED FUNDING ARE TOTALLED TO THE FIVE MILLION, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THAT IS -- THAT -- THERE'S TWO REASONS FOR THAT, COUNCILMEMBER. ONE IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS STRUBT THE CONTRACTS THAT ALLOW MORE MONEY TO BE SPENT FOR EACH UNIT THAT IS REPAIRED. OR THAT HAS THE DISSERVICE IS -- THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED BECAUSE THE COSTS HAVE GONE UP AND YOU CAN'T DO AS MUCH WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU USED TO HAVE. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE'RE FINISHING THIS YEAR WHICH IS OUR SINGLE FAMILY LOAN PROGRAM, WHICH IS A VERY EXPENSIVE WAY OF REHABILITATING HOME. THESE ARE HOMES THAT ARE VERY SUBSTANDARD. AND A LOT OF THE COST THAT IS REFLECTED IN LAST YEAR'S PRIOR ALLOCATION INCLUDES THOSE LARGE CHUNKS OF DOLLARS FOR EVERY HOUSE. SO BETWEEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT PER UNIT FOR THE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE AND THE CARRY-FORWARD OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY LOAN PROGRAM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE THE NUMBERS OF 1144, SO -- BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT OUR ACTUAL HOME MAINTENANCE BUDGET IN OUR ALLOCATION FOR THIS YEAR HAS GONE UP $355,000 FOR THE HOME MAINTENANCE AND ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL PROGRAMS.
>>LEWIS: THE REASON THAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT IS BECAUSE ADAPT IS ASKING FOR AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 200,000 FROM LAST YEAR FOR BARRIER REMOVALS, AND SO I NOTICE THAT WE'RE SHOWING -- WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE, IT DON'T REFLECT AN INCREASE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, LET ME JUST CLARIFY THAT FOR YOU. AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE FUNDS ARE IN THE BUDGETS FOR HOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW THAT WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD INTO THE NEXT YEAR. SO --.
>>LEWIS: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND WHILE WE'RE ON THE BARRIERS, I RECEIVED AN ANSWER, AND I'M TRYING TO -- I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT IS FROM, I GUESS IT'S FROM -- IT DON'T SAY THE OFFICE, BUT IT WAS ON AN ADA ACCOMMODATION AND THEY SAID THE CITY DOES NOT ENFORCE ADA REQUIREMENTS. THE STATE REQUIREMENTS REQUIRES THAT APPLICATIONS BE SUBMITTED -- APPLICATIONS TO SUBMIT PLANS TO THEM FOR THE PROJECT OVER $50,000 IN EVALUATION. THE PROJECT IS EVALUATED AT $800,000. THIS IS A PLAN THAT I BELIEVE THAT -- I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IS DOING IT, HUMANITYS, HABITAT FOR HUMANITYS. HOW CAN WE EVEN CONSIDER HAVING A UNIT BUILT WITH PUBLIC FUNDS IN THE CITY WITHOUT HAVING -- WITHOUT REQUIRING ADA STANDARDS?
>> STEWART, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS THE STATE OF TEXAS REVIEWS PLANS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL STANDARDS. THAT'S THEIR CHARGE. THE CITY'S MECHANISM THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A DECADE IS THAT BY RULE, AN ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER DESIGNING THAT PROJECT MUST SUBMIT TO THE STATE AGENCY FOR REVIEW. SO THE ACTUAL REVIEW FOR COMPLIANCE WITH WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE OTHER FEDERAL STANDARDS THAT RELATE TO NUMBER OF UNITS THAT NEED TO BE ACCESSIBLE IN THE COMMON FACILITIES ARE ALL TAKEN CARE OF AS A RESULT OF STATE REVIEW. THE CITY DOESN'T DUPLICATE THAT, BUT IN THE BUILDING CODE THERE ARE STANDARDS THAT ARE BELOW THAT LEVEL THAT THE CITY SPECIFICALLY REVIEWS FOR. SO INSTEAD OF THE CITY DOING A DUPLICATE SERVICE, IT REQUIRES THAT THAT ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER GO THROUGH THE STATE REVIEW PROCESS AS A CONDITION OF THE CITY REVIEW.
>>LEWIS: SO ANYTHING THE STATE SUBMITS TO US WE JUST ACCEPT IT BLINDLY AND GO AHEAD WITH IT? IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?
>> THE CITY IS EM -- BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THAT'S WHAT THE STATE DOES. WHAT THE CITY REVIEWS FOR IS COMPLIANCE WITH BUILD CODE, ASPECTS AS THEY RELATE TO ACCESSIBILITY. SO THE CITY WILL LOOK AT THE PARKING SPACES AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS AND WHETHER THE PROPER FACILITIES ARE IN THEIR BASED ON WHAT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OR THE FAIR HOUSING ACT MIGHT REQUIRE.
>>LEWIS: WELL, IT'S MY -- I MEAN IF THE STATE DON'T REQUIRE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE REQUIRE UNDER THE BUILDING CODES, IF WE JUST ACCEPT IT BLINDLY, YOU KNOW, AND SOMEONE GOES OFF AND BUILDINGS IT, WHY -- WHY DO WE EVEN BOTHER WITH IT IS WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE ITEM THIS AFTERNOON WHERE WE ARE WAIVING SOME FEES, AND MY QUESTION WAS DOES IT APPLY WITH TODAY. STANDARDS? AND THIS IS THE ANSWER THAT I, THAT WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CHECK IT. YOU KNOW. SO MY QUESTION IS IF THE STATE JUST SAYS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE APPROVE, WE JUST ACCEPT IT AND GO ON WHETHER IT -- YOU KNOW, AND ONCE WE GET INTO IT -- SEE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED, WE GET INTO IT AND THEN SOMEONE BRINGS IT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT IT DON'T APPLY, ADA STANDARDS IS NOT BEING MET, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE APPROVED SOMETHING AND APPROVED A PERMIT TO BUILD IT THAT DON'T APPLY. AND, YOU KNOW, TO BRING IT BACK, THEN THE NEXT THING IS THE DEVELOPER OR THE BUILDER SAYING THAT, LOOK, MY PLANS IS ALREADY LAID OUT.
>> THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER, IS WHEN THE -- WHEN CONGRESS APPROVED AND PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNED THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THEY DID NOT EMPOWER LOCAL CITIES TO INTERPRET THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THAT AUTHORITY IN TEXAS RESTS WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSE AND REGULATION. SO AS A CITY, THE ONLY AUTHORITY WE HAVE UNDER OUR CURRENT LAWS IS TO REVIEW THEM FOR COMPLIANCE WITH BUILDING CODES, WHICH IS WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND INSPECTION DEPARTMENT DOES. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF AN ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER SUBMITS A SET OF PLANS TO THE STATE, THE STATE IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS BECAUSE THAT AUTHORITY HASN'T BEEN DELEGATED TO US LOCALLY. AND UNTIL IT REACHES THE POINT WHERE THE CITY WOULD HAVE THE SAME POWER TO MAKE THOSE INTERPTION THAT THE STATE AGENCY DOES RIGHT NOW FOR THE REVIEWERS TO TELL SOMEONE AT THE CITY LEVEL THAT IT COMPLIES WOULDN'T BE BE SOMETHING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD RECOGNIZE OR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
>> THAT ANSWER THAT WE GAVE YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MORE COMPLETE ANSWER AND I APOLOGIZE. IT SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT IS REQUIRED TO ADHERE TO THE PROCESS THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE IN SECURING -- TO ENSURE IT IS ADA COMPLIANT. STATE AGENCY WOULD CHECK WITH THEM, CERTIFICATE THEER COMPLIANT AND FROM THAT STANDPOINT WE AS A CITY HAVE NO OTHER POWER THAN TO ACCEPT THAT. WE SHOULD HAVE SAID ALL THAT IN THIS ANSWER. SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID WE DON'T HAVE ANY POWER. WE'LL FIND OUT WHO WROTE YOU THAT ANSWER AND WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT PERSON THIS AFTERNOON.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS UNDER THE -- ON YOUR SLIDE 51, YOU LIST THE COMMERCIAL REVITAL SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BUT -- REVITALIZATION SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. THE MAIN ONE IS 53, SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE. AS COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA WAS SPEAKING OF, AS FAR AS THE PROJECTS THAT THE CITY IS INVOLVED IN, IT SEEMS THAT WE -- WE SEND PEOPLE THROUGH A GROUP OF RINGS TO JUMP THROUGH, A NUMBER OF HOOPS, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE THEM LISTED AS A SUBCONTRACTOR AND THEY GO TO THE -- TO GET LOAN ASSISTANCE, WE GO AND DO, YOU KNOW, I EAN WE SEND THEM THROUGH A HOOP AS IF WE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE, WE DON'T KNOW THEM, AND HERE THEY STAND WITH A CONTRACT, A SUBCONTRACT FROM THE CITY OF 200, 300, 400,000 DOLLARS AND WE CAN'T ACCEPT THAT AS A CO-SIGNMENT FOR AN ASSISTANT. IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT IS DOING DOUBLE TALK.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I THINK THAT THAT IS -- THAT REALLY THAT REASON IS THE REASON THAT WE ARE -- OR THAT PROBLEM IS THE REASON THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THIS PILOT CONTRACT LENDING OPPORTUNITY. I THINK IT'S SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY OF THAT. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DOES HAVE A LOAN COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS OUR LOANS, BUT IT SHOULDN'T -- IT SHOULDN'T BE THE WAY YOU DESCRIBE IT AND IF IT IS WE'LL REVIEW THAT PROCESS.
>>LEWIS: I'M NOT SPEAKING OF A LOAN, BUT I'M SPEAKING OF OPERATING CAPITAL OR ASSISTANCE FOR A PARTICULAR CONTRACT WHERE A PERSON MAY NEED TO GET SOME FUNDS TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT OR WHATEVER BASED ON THE CONTRACT THAT WE'VE ISSUED, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE ASSIGNED. SO --
>> PERHAPS I CAN RESPOND TO THAT. WE HAVE A GROUP THAT IS WORKING ON SOME -- I GUESS PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WE UNDERSTAND, AND WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS IN ON THE CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT TO START, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET PUBLIC WORKS AND SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED AS WELL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SMALL CONTRACTORS HAVE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS. ONE IS WORKING CAPITAL. ANOTHER IS GETTING PROMPT PAYMENT ONCE THEY DO THE WORK. A THIRD IS GETTING BONDING. ANOTHER WOULD BE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN VARIOUS AREAS. SO WE'VE PULLED TOGETHER A TEAM. I'M INVOLVED IN IT BECAUSE I CAN HELP IN THE PROMPT PAYMENT AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME PROPOSALS SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO MEET ALL FOUR OF THESE NEEDS. AND AGAIN, USING THE CONVENTION CENTER AS AN EXAMPLE, IF WE FIND WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK, THEN PERHAPS WE CAN BRANCH OUT. I THINK OUR NEXT -- OUR NEXT GROUP MEETING IS GOING TO BE RIGHT AFTER LABOR DAY, I BELIEVE. WHERE OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE OUR DEAF PLANS AND OUTLINE READY SO THAT -- DEFINITE PLANS AND OUTLINE READY SO THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER CAN SEND THAT OUT IN THE BID PACKET WHEN IT GOES OUT TO THE PRIMES AND THE SUBS. SO WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TIME LINE FOR THIS FIRST PILOT AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, BUTTY. BECAUSE WE RAN INTO THIS -- BETTY. WE RAN INTO THIS WITH THE MILLENNIUM CENTER. WE HAD A MINORITY CONTRACTOR THAT HAD A CONTRACT AND HE WENT THROUGH THE ASSISTANT PROGRAM AND THEY DENIED IT. I MEAN AND I'M SAYING IF WE TRUST HIM, HE HAD BONDING, WE TRUSTED HIM TO DO THE WORK, BUT WE CAN'T LOAN HIM THE MONEY, AS A CO-SIGNMENT FOR THE CONTRACT. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY, WELL, WHEN WHOEVER PAYS HIM, BOTH NAMES HAVE TO BE ON THE CHECK. I MEAN IT'S --
>> COUNCILMEMBER, WE'LL EVALUATE THAT.
>>LEWIS: TO ME IT'S -- I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES DON'T LIKE TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHEN IT'S -- WHEN IT'S REALLY NOT A NEED FOR IT. SO -- BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING IN THAT AREA. SO --
>> I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO INTRODUCE TRISH MORAN, MY FINANCIAL MANAGER WHO HAS BEEN SITTING AT MY LEFT THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. I FAILED TO DO THAT.
>> HE DID EXCELLENT. [LAUGHTER].
>>LEWIS: SHE IS THE ONE THAT HAS ALL THE NUMBERS?
>> YES, SIR. [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>>GARZA: I'M NOT SURE THAT ANYONE IN HOUSING WANTS TO ADMIT THAT. [LAUGHTER].
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>>SLUSHER: MAYOR, HAVE I A QUESTION. ACTUALLY, COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN ASKED A LOT OF THE SAME QUESTIONS OR SIMILAR SO I'LL SKIP MOST OF MINE, BUT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT VOLUME BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS REALLY THE CHALLENGE IS KEEPING UP WITH THE DEMAND AND I THINK WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IT WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE. WHEW ABOUT THE IMPACT OF RISING -- WHAT ABOUT THE IMPACT OF RISING INTEREST RATES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT DAYS?
>> WELL, I -- I -- THE COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK REPORT ADDRESSES THAT ISSUE AND TALKS ABOUT WHAT -- WHAT THE DEMAND IN THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH REGARD TO THE NEED, COUNCILMEMBER, IS AT A LEVEL OF THESE VERY GOOD INTEREST RATES. AS THESE INTEREST RATES GO UP, OBVIOUSLY THE AMOUNT OF HOUSE THAT SOMEONE CAN AFFORD TO BUY GOES UP DRAMATICALLY. AND SO AGAIN, IT JUST ADDRESSES THE SPECIFIC NEED AND THE INCREASE IN THE NEED AND THE -- YOU KNOW, THE -- FRANKLY, THE CRISIS PROPORTION THAT THIS REPRESENTS. ALONG WITH THE ARTICLE THAT IN THE STATESMAN, THEY DID A GOOD JOB ON SATURDAY, I THINK IT WAS SATURDAY, TALKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF HOUSE YOU CAN BUY WHERE FOR $100,000. AND THE STATEMENT THAT WE ONLY HAVE A THREE MONTH SUPPLY OF $100,000 HOMES AT THE INTEREST RATES WE HAVE TODAY, THAT AS YOU GO UP A CERTAIN -- YOU KNOW, A POINT IN AN INTEREST RATE, YOU ARE LOOKING AT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD $10,000 LESS HOME OR SOME FIGURE LIKE THAT. I -- I'LL FIND OUT WHAT THAT FIGURE IS FOR YOU, BUT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. ONE OTHER POINT IS THAT THE SMART HOUSING INITIATIVE IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE THINK WE CAN HELP TO ADDRESS THE VOLUME ISSUE WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO ADDRESS R. TO INCENT THE MARKET TO DO THINGS WE WANT TO HAPPEN WITH FACILITYING THOSE KIND OF CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES AND POLICIES MAY BE A WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE AN ISSUE -- THE ISSUE YOU BROUGHT UP WHICH IS VOLUME, WHICH IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR US IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
>>SLUSHER: AND OF COURSE THE COMMUNITY ACTION REPORT SAID THAT ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE CRISIS HERE IS SHRINKING FEDERAL PARTICIPATION.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>SLUSHER: OKAY. AND I BELIEVE WE NEED TO SOLVE IT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT THIS IS ONE OF OUR-WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AT LEAST FINANCIALLY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>SLUSHER: THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR, THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND HOW CRITICAL NEW CONSTRUCTION IS TO SOLVING THE ISSUES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. I'M TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THESE MECHANISMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE THING I WANT TO ASK ABOUT IS RENOVATION OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT CAN BE AND WHAT THE ROLE OF RENOVATION, ESPECIALLY WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT USE VOLUNTEERS TO KEEP THE COST WAY DOWN, WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THESE CITIZEN GROUPS AND WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT CAN THE CITY OFFER THESE FOLKS WHO CAN -- I UNDERSTAND BRING AN EXISTING HOME THAT HAS BEEN USED AND ENJOYED FOR PERHAPS DECADES IN THE INNERCITY, WHAT'S -- WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CITY IN SUPPORTING THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO COME FORWARD AND BRING A HOUSE UP TO CODE FOR, SAY, 10 OR 15,000 DOLLARS AS OPPOSED TO MULTIPLES OF THAT FOR NEW HOUSE SNG.
>> I THINK YOU ARE HITTING ON ANOTHER ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE ISSUE. AND THAT IS I THINK IT WILL BE ADDRESS UNDERSTAND A COUPLE OF WAYS. ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY THAN IS NECESSARY TO BRING A HOUSE UP TO NEW CODE STANDARDS AND BRING IT UP TO REHABILITATION CODE STANDARDS. THAT'S ONE ISSUE WE CAN DO WITHOUT SPENDING ANY MONEY. THE SECOND ISSUE IS HOW HAVE WE AND HOW CAN WE DEVELOP A SYSTEM AND A MECHANISM TO PROVIDE WHAT IN THE OWNER OCCUPIED SERVICES CATEGORY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE ONES THAT YOU DESCRIBED TO PLAY IN THE MONEY AND GET ACCESS TO THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE SO THEY CAN GO DO THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO IS I IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM WITH EXISTING CONTRACTORS BUT ALSO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS FOR BASIC HOME REPAIR THAT'S NOT GOING TO BRING THE HOUSE UP TO THE SIGNIFICANT EFFORT AS MUCH. ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT WAS VERY -- AND IS REPRESENTED VERY WELL IN THIS COMMUNITY IS HANDS ON HOUSING, AND THEY WERE AT EVERY PUBLIC HEARING TALKING ABOUT THIS NEED. THEY HAVE.
>> WAITING LIST OF 80 FOLKS. WE HAVE A WAITING LIST OF PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR HOUSES EITHER ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER RYE MOOFL, 700, PLUS ANOTHER 300 BETWEEN JUST EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR AND RENOVATIONS. SO THE NEED IS TREMENDOUS GRIL.
>>GRIFFITH: SURELY THE NEED IS TREMENDOUS. WHAT KIND OF MONEY IS IN THIS BUDGET?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE IS AGAIN OUR -- TO OUR NOTICES OF FUND AVAILABILITY AND OUR CONTINUATION OF CONTRACTS WE HAVE DOLLARS WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT IN NOTICES FOR REHABILITATION THAT WE THINK WILL SERVE SOME -- BEGIN TO SERVE THAT NEED.
>>GRIFFITH: I THINK THAT IS SO CRITICAL BECAUSE THE VIABILITY OF THE CENTRAL CITY IS ALMOST DEPENDENT ON KEEPING UP THE HOUSING STOCK THAT WE HAVE NOW SO THAT IF WE INVEST 10 OR 15,000 HERE, WE DON'T HAVE TO INVEST --
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>GRIFFITH: -- 70, 80,000 OUT SOMEWHERE. WHAT KIND OF RESOURCE ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE THIS TIME FOR RENOVATION, THIS GO ROUND?
>> AGAIN, THE COMMITMENT THAT SHOWS HERE IS ABOUT $5 MILLION OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. BETWEEN LAST YEAR'S PRIOR YEAR FUNDING AND THIS YEAR'S WE'LL HAVE A TOE WILL OF ABOUT $5 MILLION.
>>GRIFFITH: THAT SOUNDS VERY POSITIVE. THANK YOU.
>>GARZA: MAYOR, WE HAVE TWO MORE PRESENTATIONS AND I'M GOING TO ASK HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH THEIR BUDGET. WE ALSO HAVE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT RG GONZALO BARRIENTOS DOING THE INITIATIVES THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN SO INTERESTED IN. I THINK THEY WILL BE DOING A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THAT AND WE WANT TO GET THAT DONE BEFORE NOON SO AT LEAST WE CAN BEGIN TO GET SOME OF YOUR IDEAS IN TERMS OF THOSE DOLLARS AND THE KIND OF DIRECTION COUNCIL WANTS TO GIVE US. I ASK THE STAFF TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THIS AND MAKE ANSWERS BRIEF.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MR. HILGERS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. [LAUGHTER].
>> YES, SIR, I'LL FOLLOW HIS LEAD. [LAUGHTER].
>>MAYOR WATSON: YEAH, DO THAT.
>> GOOD MORNING, I'M DAVID LURIE AND WITH ME IS MIKE, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM HERE TO ASSIST WITH ANY INFORMATION AS APPROPRIATE. TO BEGIN WITH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO QUICKLY REVIEW WITH YOU OUR MISSION STATEMENT WHICH WE UPDATED AS PART OF OUR BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS THIS YEAR AND THAT IS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AWARE OF OUR PROGRAMS OBVIOUSLY KNOW A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS AND WE LEVERAGE A LOT OF RESOURCES IN OUR EFFORTS. PROMOTING HEALTH, SAFETY, WELL-BEING REFLECTS THE BROAD EMPHASIS, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH OF OUR DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS, TO IMPROVE OVERALL DELIVERY SYSTEMS. PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN A COST EFFECT I HAVE AND IF I REMEMBER ENT MANNER. IN THOSE INSTANCES WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES DIRECTLY. MINIMUM NICE THE PUBLIC'S EXPOSURE TO COMMUNICABLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS THAT. IS A REFLECTION OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF YOUTH, FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD. WE WANT TO REVOOT AND RETAIN A DIVERSE, SKILLED, SAFE AND HIGH POFMING WORKFORCE, AND THEN FINALLY FOCUSING ON AFFORD ABILITY IN THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. ONE OF THE MAJOR EFFORTS OVER THE LAST YEAR IN OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN A REORGANIZATION CONSOLIDATING SOME DIVISIONS, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF DIVISIONS AND LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT. STRENGTHENING OUR EMPHASIS AND OUR PROGRAMMATIC FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND CONSOLIDATING OUR YOUTH, FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY BASED INITIATIVES IN THE CITY. AND AGAIN, WE ALIGNED OUR BUDGET AND OUR STRUCTURE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION CONSISTENT WITH OUR BUSINESS PLAN AND OVERALL GOALS. THE NEXT SLIDE JUST GIVES YOU A SAMPLING OF SOME KEY INDICATORS RELATIVE TO OUR DEPARTMENT. YOU SEE A NUMBER OF THESE ASSOCIATED WITH COMMUNITY KABL DISEASES, REDUCING THE TB RATE, LIKEWISE WITH OTHER DISEASES. IMPROVING OUR CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION RATE, GOING FROM A CURRENT LEVEL OF 72% TO 75%. MAINTAINING OUR RATE OF FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES BETWEEN -- BELOW 30 PER 100,000 AND EMPHASIZING PLACEMENT INTO PERMANENT HOUSING OF HOMELESS PERSONS RECEIVING ASSISTANCE, INCREASING THAT FROM 23 TO 30 PERCENT. AND ALSO A HIGH LEVEL OF SUCCESS IN TERMS OF YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN OUR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS, A LEVEL OF 97%. THE NEXT SLIDE REFLECTS OUR OVERALL BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT. A COUPLE KEY POINTS TO NOTE THERE. THE TOTAL DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS GOING TO BE REDUCED FROM A CURRENT LEVEL OF APPROXIMATELY 115 MILLION TO 97 MILLION AND I'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CHANGES. A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMS, THE CHILD CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S FUNDED BY THE STATE IS NOW BEING ADMINISTERED BY A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR. THERE ARE ALSO SOME CHANGES IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY THE PRIVATE SEWAGE FACILITIES PROGRAM THAT WAS TRANSFERRED TO TRAVIS COUNTY DURING THIS PAST YEAR. ALSO THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE WILL INCREASE FROM 2.2 MILLION TO ABOUT -- WELL, 2.6 MILLION, AND I'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT THOSE REVENUE CHANGES. THE NEXT SLIDE REFLECTS A CHART JUST DISPLAYING HOW OUR FUNDING IS DISTRIBUTED PROGRAMICLY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. YOU CAN SEE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS LISTED THERE. OUR MANAGED SERVICES, WHICH IS A MAJOR PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT REPRESENTS ABOUT 40% OF THE BUDGET AND THAT'S A COMBINATION OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SETON CHARITY CARE, OUR WORKFORCE INITIATIVES AND SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS. AND THEN ALSO THE PRIMARY CARE DIVISION REPRESENTS ABOUT 15% OF THE BUDGET. THERE'S ACTUALLY A DOUBLE COUNTING THERE BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT FOR PRIMARY CARE IS REFLECTED TWICE IN THIS BUDGET. I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN TERMS OF THIS DISTRIBUTION IS THAT A MAJOR PORTION OF OUR BUDGET IS DEDICATED TO TREATMENT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE ONCE THEY ARE IN NEED OF THOSE SERVICES, AND AS YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PREVENTIVE AND PUBLIC HEALTH KINDS OF PROGRAMMING, IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL PROPORTION OF OUR BUDGET AND YET WHEN YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF OUR KEY INDICATORS, OUR OBJECTIVES ARE REALLY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT OVER TIME WE CAN TRANSITION MORE OF THESE RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF OUR PREVENTIVE ACTIVITIES, OUR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVES AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES TO FOCUS MORE ON PREVENTION. THE NEXT SLIDE REFLECTS OUR FTE'S, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE A REDUCTION OF THE CURRENT LEVEL OF APPROXIMATELY 861 DOWN TO 797. AND AGAIN, THAT REFLECTS SOME OF THESE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT ARE NO LONGER WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. OUR THEMES WITHIN THIS BUDGET ARE TO CONTINUE PROGRAMMING EMPHASIS THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNCIL INITIATIVES. MAINTAIN AFFORD ABILITY WHILE MINIMIZING ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SERVICES AND CONTINUING TO CAPITAL ICE ON RECENT REORGANIZATION TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY, AGAIN FOCUS ON HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, YOUTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD BASED PROGRAMS. AGAIN WITH THE EMPHASIS ON PROMOTION AND PREVENTION. AND PART OF OUR REORGANIZATION IS STRENGTHENING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. THE NEXT SLIDE REFERENCE THIS BUDGET IN RELATIONSHIP TO SOME OF THE RECENT COUNCIL INITIATIVES. OAK HILL MILLENNIUM, ADDITIONAL POSITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. FUNDING FOR THE HOMELESS SELF-SUFFICIENCY INITIATIVE, PARTICULARLY THE RELOCATION OF THE RESOURCE CENTER AND THE DAY LABOR PROGRAM AND SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING AND PROGRAM PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT RESOURCES FOR US AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE NEW FACILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE. WE ALSO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR CHILD CARE, PARTICULARLY TITLE 4 A GRANT FUNDS, AND WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR SUPPORT FOR THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS PROVIDING FOR A POSITION FOR PLANNING AND COORDINATION. LOOKING AT AGAIN IN SOME OF OUR INDICATORS THE NEXT SLIDE REFLECTS RELATIVE NO KILL MILLENNIUM. OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE PERCENT OF SHELTERED ANIMALS THAT ARE ADOPTED. WE'VE CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS THIS YEAR IN THAT AREA AND WE'RE PROJECTING IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS WELL. THE NEXT SLIDE DISPLAYS THE INCREASE IN CHILD CARE FUNDING. THE PREDOMINANT PORTION THAT HAVE THAT IS INCREASE CITY MANAGER IS IN THE AREA OF TITLE 4 A CERTIFICATION FUNDS. ON OUR HEALTHY COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, WE'VE, AS I SAID EARLIER, ARE FOCUSING ON THIS A GREAT DEAL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT MORBIDITY DATA, HEALTH STATUS INDICATORS, GATHERING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PROCESS AND HAVE IDENTIFIED FIVE FOCUS AREAS WE'RE EMPHASISING IN TERMS OF HEMATOMA I COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. ONE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH MOBILE OUTREACH. WE'VE HAD A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY IN PROVIDING MORE. PUBLIC HEALTH SCREENING SERVICES WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN PLACE A COMPREHENSIVE MOBILE OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT WOULD PROVIDE FOR HEALTH SCREENING SERVICES, HEALTH EDUCATION, PROMOTION, PERHAPS OTHER SUPPORT, CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AS WELL. THE SECONDARY IS THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM WHICH IS ALLOWING FOR SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN ELIGIBILITY FOR ADD LESS CENTS AND CHILDREN FOR HEALTH INSURANCE AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CARE COLLABORATION AND A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS AROUND THE POSSIBILITY OF A VERY INTENSIVE OUTREACH EFFORT TO IDENTIFY ALL CHILDREN THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT INSURANCE COVERAGE, ENROLL THEM AND ALSO CONNECT THEM WITH A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER HOME. HEPATITIS C PREVENTION AND CONTROL, HEPATITIS IS EMERGING AS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. NATIONALLY IT'S THE MOST CHRONIC BLOOD BORNE INFECTION IN THE COUNTRY. NEARLY 4 MILLION PEOPLE ARE INFECTED NATIONWIDE. MANY OF THEM DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY ARE. OBVIOUSLY IT AFFECTS ULTIMATELY QUALITY OF LIFE, MAY LEAD TO FATAL LIVE DISEASE. WE HAVE A PROGRAM UNDERWAY, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A COORDINATOR, WE'RE WORKING TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF THIS DISEASE, TRAIN PROVIDERS, PROVIDE TRAINING IN SUPPORT WITHIN OUR PROGRAMS TO DO MORE SCREENING AND INTERVENTION ASSOCIATED WITH HEPATITIS C. THE OTHER TWO AREAS, TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION, WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE RELATIVELY HIGH TEEN PREGNANCY RATES IN OUR COMMUNITY SO WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THAT AS WELL AS SUBSTANCE ABUSE WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION GROUP WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHER RESOURCES TO THAT PROCESS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MEASURING THE IMPACT AND MEASURING THE IMPACT OF INTERVENTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION. NEXT SLIDE DEPICTS SOME OTHER MAJOR CHANGES IN THE GENERAL FUND. IN THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PREVENTION AREA WE'RE ADDING TWO FTE'S FOR IMMUNIZATION. ONE OBJECTIVE THERE IS PUT IN PLACE A COMMUNITY WIDE REGISTRY AND DATA BASE FOR IMMUNIZATIONS SO WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF TRACKING CHILDREN AND IDENTIFYING THOSE WHO NEED IMMUNIZATION SERVICE AND INTERVENING. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, WE'RE AGT TWO SANITARIUM POSITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH GROWTH RELATED TO ANNEXATION AS WELL AS JUST OVERALL GROWTH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IN MANAGED SERVICES WE'RE EXPERIENCING INCREASED PHARMACEUTICAL COSTS AND WE'VE REFLECTED SOME FUNDING THERE WHICH WILL BE OFF SET BY THE HOSPITAL -- I'M SORRY, BY THE DEPARTMENT DISPRO FUND. WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING TO INCREASE THE CO-PAY FOR PHARMACEUTICALS FROM FOUR DOLLARS TO FIVE DOLLARS. AND PROPOSING ELIMINATION OF FUNDING FOR THE KEL H. TELECOMMUNITY INITIATIVE AFTER AUGUST OF 2000 WHICH IS VALUED AT $125,000. AND I NEED TO NOTE THAT THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH AUGUST OF 2000. WE HAVE THE FUNDS ENCUMBERED TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. BUT THEN BEYOND THAT THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THAT PROGRAM AND LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES. THE FQHC, THERE ARE A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS THERE AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE. ONE IS TO ELIMINATE 6.275 VACANT FOTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD OPEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND LOOKING AT OVERALL CAPACITY AND MATCHING THAT WITH UTILIZATION. WE WOULD NOT BE INTENDING TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS SO THAT WOULD NOT REFLECT ANY SERVICE IMPACT. THERE IS ALSO PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF 4.5 SOCIAL WORKERS AND .5 NUTRITIONIST POSITION. AGAIN TRYING TO ALIGN OUR CAPACITY AND STAFFING WITH THE LEVEL OF UTILIZATION OF SERVICES WITHIN THE CLINIC SYSTEM. THIRDLY, CONSOLIDATE THE SOUTH AUSTIN DENTAL CLINIC WITH RBJ DENTAL CLINIC TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN RESOURCE UTILIZATION AND THAT WOULD BE AN ELIMINATION OF 4.5 F.T.E.'S. WE'VE JUST COMPLETED A MAJOR RENOVATION OF THE RBJ DENTAL CLINIC, IT'S A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFER TORIES THAT WILL NOT BE UTILIZED. PROVIDE OUR PATIENTS WITH A HIGHER QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR DENTAL CARE, AND IF WE PROCEED WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE WOULD VERY ACTIVELY MOVE FORWARD TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS ISSUES AND PROVIDE OUR PATIENTS WITH SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO ACCESS THOSE IMPORTANT SERVICES. AND THEN FINALLY, ELIMINATING THE CLASS D PHARMACIES AT OUR MAJOR CLINIC SITES. ALL OF THAT'S SITES HAVE FULL SERVICE CLASS A PHARMACIES SO THIS WOULD NOT BE ANY REDUCTION IN ACTUAL FARMLY SERVICES BUT RATHER A REALIGNMENT OF THOSE RESOURCES TO HELP US CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE HAVE BETTER CONTROL OF MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENT USE OF THE RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. THE NEXT SLIDE REFLECTS SOME OF THE FEE INCREASES THAT ARE PROPOSED. WE'RE PROPOSING AN INCREASE IN THE ADOPTION FEE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES FROM $50 TO $55. THERE IS -- THERE ARE A SERIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FEE INCREASES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED. THESE INCREASES WOULD BRING US CLOSER TO RECOVERING FULL COST FOR THE SERVICES. STILL NOT BE AT FULL COST, BUT BRING US CLOSER TO DOING THAT. AND OUR -- ARE VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS, IF YOU WILL, IN TERMS OF COMPARING OTHER COMMUNITIES AND THEIR FEE STRUCTURE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. FINALLY FOR PRIMARY CARE THERE'S A PROPOSED INCREASE IN CO-PAYS FROM $7 TO $8 FOR CLINIC VISITS AND FROM $4 TO $5 FOR PHARMACY SERVICES. THE LAST SLIDE THAT I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS A PROPOSAL THAT'S BEEN REVIEWED BY AND RECOMMENDED BY THE BRACKENRIDGE HOSPITAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND THAT IS FUNDING TO RENOVATE THE FIFTH FLOOR AT BRACKENRIDGE FOR A COST OF $250,000. THIS IS WHERE THE SPECIALTY CLINICS ARE LOCATED WITHIN BRACKENRIDGE. IT'S ACTUALLY DESIGNED -- PREVIOUSLY DESIGNED FOR USE AS HOSPITAL SPACE, IT'S NOT VERY EFFICIENT FOR PATIENT FLOW AND CLINIC UTILIZATION AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO UP GREAT THAT AREA OF THE FACILITY. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL $70,000 FOR THE GAS TRO ENTOLOGY CLINIC TO EXPAND THE HOURS FOR THAT AREA. WE'RE EXPERIENCING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT WAIT TIMES TO GET IN FOR THOSE SERVICES. THERE'S NOT BEEN AN INCREASE FOR MANY YEARS THERE AND BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF REASONS INCLUDING THE ISSUE OF HEPATITIS C AND MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY IN NEED OF THESE SERVICES, THE DEMAND HAS FAR EXCEEDED THE CAPACITY WITHIN THAT CLINIC AREA. AND SO THERE IS A REQUEST TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OF $70,000. AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT FUNDING FOR THIS COME FROM THE -- FROM THE HOSPITAL FUND. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES --.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA.
>>GARCIA: WHAT -- THO IS MORE A COMMENT AS OPPOSED TO A QUESTION. THE -- THE HOSPITAL FUND HAS BEEN ACCUMULATING SOME FUNDS FROM TOBACCO SETTLEMENT, DISPRO AND THE CLOSING -- I MEAN THE RETURN TO THE CITY OF THE -- WHAT DO THEY CALL THAT FUND THAT THEY HAD AT SETON?
>> [INAUDIBLE].
>>GARCIA: IT'S THAT $7.5 MILLION. ES SKRO. ES SKRO. COUNCIL HAS NOT SET POLICY AS TO WHAT THE LEVEL OF THAT FUND SHOULD BE AND I RECOMMEND WE DISCUSS THAT AND THAT WE TRY TO USE SOME OF THOSE MONEYS EFFECTIVELY TO DO PREVENTION AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HEALTH PLANS ARE OPERATING PROPERLY. I'M NOT TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT $45 MILLION SHOULD BE ACCUMULATED IN THAT FUND WHEN IN ESSENCE WE HAVE HEALTH NEEDS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ACCRUING RIGHT NOW. SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT BEFORE WE APPROVE THE BUDGET.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR?
>>MAYOR WATSON: YES, COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH.
>>GRIFFITH: THAT 45 MILLION ATTRACTED MY ATTENTION TOO. CAN YOU TELL US SOME MORE ABOUT THE SOURCES AND USES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR THAT? WHY IS $45 MILLION THERE AND WHAT IS THE -- WHAT'S THE IDEA? WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE USED FOR?
>>.
>>GARZA: ON THE HOSPITAL FUND? SHORTLY AFTER WE WERE ABLE TO FINISH THE CONCLUSION -- CONCLUDE THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH SETON HOSPITAL, WE ESTABLISHED A FUND FROM DOLLARS THAT BECAME AVAILABLE FROM THE CASH ON HAND OF THE HOSPITAL ACCOUNTS. WE HAVE ALSO AS PART THAT HAVE AGREEMENT CONTINUED TO RECEIVE DISPRO MONEY OR DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THAT'S ALSO FALLEN INTO THAT ACCOUNT. A YEAR AGO WE RECEIVED $8.8 1 MILLION IN THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT. OUR INTEPTD, AND WE'VE USED THE FUND THAT WAY IS TO HAVE IT SOLELY BENEFIT HEALTH CARE. THAT'S HOW WE'VE USED THAT FUND. COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA EARLIER THIS WEEK ASKED IF WE, MYSELF AND JOHN STEVENS AND BETTY COULD PUT TOGETHER A POLICY THAT WOULD SET OUT SOME CRITERIA OF HOW WE WOULD ALLOW THE FUND BALANCE TO GROW AND AT WHAT POINT WE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE TO CAP IT AND USE THOSE DOLLARS FOR ISSUES OF HEALTH CARE AND THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY SAW AS REALLY NEEDED. SO WE WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THAT. I THINK WE'RE EVEN GOING TO GET SOME DIRECTION AS PART OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS TO DO SOME FUNDING OUT OF THAT FUND FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA IS AT LEAST GOING TO PROPOSE. AND WE WILL OBVIOUSLY SHOULD THE COUNCIL WISH TO GIVE US THAT DIRECTION, WE WOULD FOLLOW THAT LEAD AND DO THAT. BUT OUR INTENT WAS TO HAVE IT GROW TO -- IN TERMS OF EQUITY TO A POINT WHERE OUT OF YOUR INTEREST EARNINGS, WHICH AT ABOUT 30 MILLION IS A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO MILLION A YEAR, TO FUND HEALTH CARE INITIATIVES WITHOUT AFFECTING THE BALANCE. WE CAN COME BACK WITH OPTION FOR COUNCIL. AT WHAT POINT DO YOU BEGIN TO DRAW DOWN THE FUND SO TEN YEARS OUT YOU MINE IT COMPLETELY AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT WOULD BE. SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU AND LAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE AND CHOOSE WHAT YOU THINK IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>GARCIA: IN RESPONSE TO COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH'S QUESTIONS, THE ISSUE IS A FILTER ISSUE. DO YOU SPEND A LITTLE BIT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY REMAINS HEALTHY AND GET THAT ASSURANCE NOW, OR DO WE SAVE THE MONEY AND, YOU KNOW, HOPE THAT NOTHING BREAKS DOWN DOWN THE LINE? GAZ GAZ OR A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED.
>>GARCIA: I'M AN ADVOCATE OF THE FRONT FILTER THEORY TO SPEND SOME MONEY NOW TO MAKE SURE THE HEALTH IN THIS CITY REMAINS AT THE LEVEL WE WANT IT TO BE. THEN WE CAN SET A POLICY AS TO HOW BIG THAT FUND CAN BE. WE CAN SAY $30 MILLION, $35 MILLION, BUT OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME TO PROVIDE -- YOU KNOW, CONTINUING -- FOR THOSE EFFORTS.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS, WE SPEND ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION OUT THAT HAVE FUND TODAY, WE DID IT LAST YEAR AND WE'RE BUDGETING IT THIS YEAR FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THERE'S A MILLION DOLLARS IN PHARMACEUTICALS, 2.4, AS I RECALL, 2.3 IN M.A.P. FUPDING. 4 MILLION TRANSFER THAT GOES INTO THE FQHC. THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT TODAY. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA HAS ASKED US TO PUT A POLICY LAYOUT, WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THAT DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL.
>>GRIFFITH: THE THING THAT SEEMED A LITTLE INCON GREW US TO ME WAS THE $45 MILLION IN CASH PLUS THE PROPOSAL TO REDUCE THE SPENDING FOR INDIGENT HEALTH OCCASION AT THE RATE THAT IT WAS BEING PROPOSED cN HEALTH CARE AS THE RATE IT WAS BEING PROPOSED. WHAT COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA JUST SAID IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING, WHICH IS HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST TO GET IT BACK IF YOU LET IT CAVE IN AS COMPARED TO HOW MUCH IS IT GREG GROOGAN TO COST TO KEEP IT UP. cN.
>>SPELMAN: AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HEMD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET LAST WEEK, OR WAS IT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO? TIME SLIPS PASSED. AND WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME UP AND TALKED TO US ABOUT THE FOUR NATURAL SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE HALF NUTRITIONIST POSITION WHICH WE WOULD BE LOSING OUT THE ARGUMENT WAS THIS IS GOING TO REDUCE OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTH CARE IN THE CLINICS. I WONDER IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT. WHAT HAVE THE SOCIAL WORKERS BEEN DOING, WHAT IS THAT THE .5 NUTRITIONIST HAS BEEN DOING AND HOW WILL LOSING THOSE POSITIONS NOT LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN THE QUALITY OF CARE WE'RE PROVIDING?
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK JOHN FROM THE GOGGIO TEAM TO COME FORWARD. THE TEAM ANALYZE TD OVERALL UTILIZATION AND PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES WITHIN THE CLINIC SYSTEM AND DEVELOPED THE RECOMMENDATION TO -- TO REALIGN THESE RESOURCES CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AND JOHN CAN ELABORATE ON THAT.
>> ACTUALLY IN THE -- IN YOUR -- OR ON THE SLIDE IT SHOWS FOUR AND A HALF SOCIAL WORKERS, BUT CURRENTLY TWO ARE VACANT SO IT WOULD REALLY BE TWO AND A HALF CURRENTLY FILLED T SOCIAL WORKERS WORK WITH THE PATIENTS TO HELP THEM ATTAIN OTHER RESOURCES, IF THEY NEED DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, NEED TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S A REALLY VALUABLE RESOURCE THEY PROVIDE TO THE PATIENTS. WE ALSO IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE MAJOR CLINICS, WE ALSO HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO DO VERY SIMILAR THINGS. AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S A VALUABLE SERVICE TO HAVE. WE BELIEVE OUR PATIENTS NEED THAT SERVICE. BUT AS WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY WITH THE CLINIC SPACE, WE HAVE EXCESS CAPACITY. OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE AVERAGING ONE PATIENT EVERY TWO TO THREE HOURS, AND WE BELIEVE THAT WITH THE REMAINING SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO HANDLE ALL THE VOLUME THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR? --.
>>SPELMAN: ACTUALLY THERE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS IN ALL THE CLINICS?
>> THEY ROTATE AROUND T CORE SIGHTS HAVE DEDICATED SOCIAL WORKERS, BUT THEY SPEND PART TIME AT THE COUNTY CLINICS. FOR EXAMPLE, MONTOPOLIS HAS I THINK EIGHT HOURS A WEEK OF SOCIAL WORK.
>>SPELMAN: SO PEOPLE MAKE APPOINTMENTS WITH SOCIAL WORKERS THE SAME WAY THEY DO WITH DOCTORS AND NURSES?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>>SPELMAN: AS YOU MENTION, THERE'S A CO-LOCATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND HEALTH CLINICS. SO IF -- IF YOU ARE IN A PINCH YOU REALLY NEED TO SEE A SOCIAL WORKER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR, DOCTOR SAID YOU NEEDED SOME EQUIPMENT, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE THEN JUST TO GO NEXT DOOR AND TALK TO A SOCIAL WORKER?
>> YES. AND IF FACT, WE THINK THAT HAVING TWO GROUPS OF SOCIAL WORKERS SORT OF CO-LOCATED BUT DOING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF I TAKE CARE OF THE MEDICAL NEEDS AND THEN THE OTHER ONE TAKES CARE OF SORT OF THE OTHER SOCIAL IRONS, WE THINK THAT HAVING A LARGER -- ISSUES, WE THINK HAVING A LARGER GROUP UNDER ONE UMBRELLA WOULD BE BETTER.
>>SPELMAN: YOU PREBL NEED SO SPEND SOME TIME TRAINING SOCIAL WORKERS TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF WHAT COULD BE THEIR JOB.
>> YEAH, THERE OVERALL TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION IS THE SAME. ALTHOUGH AS IN ANY JOB, ONCE YOU SORT OF SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME IN ONE AREA, YOU BECOME MORE SPECIALIZED IN THAT. SO I DO THINK THERE WOULD BE A LITTLE CROSS-TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO, BUT THEIR OVERALL TRAINING IS THE SAME.
>>SPELMAN: AND WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY LOSING THESE 2.5 F.T.E.'S, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS MOVING THEM FROM THE CLINICS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT UNDER THE CITY POLICY WHEN THERE IS A REDUCTION IN FORCE THEY ARE FIRST OFFERED OTHER POSITIONS ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY AND THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH DID HAVE OPENINGS FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
>>SPELMAN: THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL STILL BE WORKING FOR THE CITY, STILL BE DOING SOCIAL WORK, AND AS THE OCCASION ARISES THEY WILL STILL BE DOING MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>SPELMAN: TELL ME ABOUT THE NUTRITIONIST.
>> IT'S A HALF OF A POSITION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND AGAIN, WE THINK THAT THERE IS ENOUGH CAPACITY TO MEET THE NEED WITH THAT HALF A POSITION GONE.
>>SPELMAN: OKAY. THAT'S AN UNFILLED POSITION RIGHT NOW; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>SPELMAN: SOMETHING OCCURRED TO ME WHILE I BELIEVE IT WAS EITHER THE NUTRITIONIST CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE CLINICS OR SOMEONE MUCH LIKE HER CAME AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT SHE DID ALL DAY. AND IT WAS CHILLING IN A WAY. WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS HELPING DIABETIC PATIENTS, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING AND PROBABLY THE VERY MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT A NUTRITIONIST CAN DO IN THE CLINICS. WHAT WAS UNSAID WAS ALL THE THINGS WHICH I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED NUTRITIONISTS TO BE ABLE TO DODD, WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, OBESE, PEOPLE AT RISK OF STROKE OR HEART ATTACK, WORKING ON THEIR NUTRITION. SEEMS TO ME THERE IS NOT -- TL MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TIME FOR -- MAYBE IT'S A MATTER OF SCOPE OF WORK, FOR THAT NUTRITIONIST TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM PRO-ACTIVE SERVICES RATHER THAN JUST REACTIVE SERVICES.
>> I THINK A LOT OF THAT GOES ON. WE HAVE NURSES WHO DO HEALTH EDUCATION. THE PHYSICIANS THEMSELVES DO SOME OF THE HEALTH EDUCATION. I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PROVIDING THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES. I AGREE THAT THE NUTRITION SERVICES ARE VERY VALUABLE AND IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT POSITIVE MONITOR CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THE NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
>>SPELMAN: A LOT OF THOSE NEEDS YOU THINK WOULD BE MET BY A CURRENT NURSING STAFF.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT, YES.
>>SPELMAN: THANKS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFITH.
>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHEN WE HAD OUR PUBLIC HEARING, THERE WAS A VIEWPOINT THAT WAS DIFFERENT FROM YOURS IN TERMS OF HOW MANY FOLKS AN HOUR THE SOCIAL WORKERS ARE SEEING. WHEN I SAW YOUR NUMBERS, WHICH SAID ONE AN HOUR OR NOT THAT GOOD, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION OPTION TOO. HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT ABOUT THE PRODUCTIVITY AND HAS THERE BEEN A RECONCILIATION IN TERMS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE IN THAT AREA?
>> WE'VE SEEN THE OTHER SET OF NUMBERS, AND WHAT IS REFLECTED IN THE HIGHER NUMBERS IS EVERY PHONE CALL IS MARKED DOWN, A LETTER THAT IS WRITTEN, A FORM FILLED OUT, THOSE ARE ALL MARKED DOWN TO ADD TO THOSE ENCOUNTER NUMBERS. WITH OUR OTHER PROVIDERS, PARTICULARLY PHYSICIANS, WHEN WHEN THEY SEE A PATIENT, THEY REGISTER A PARENT EVEN COUNTER, FILL OUT A FORM, AND ALL THE ASSOCIATED WORK THAT GOES ALONG RATHER WRITING PRESCRIPTIONS, CALLING IN A REFERRAL, WRITING A LETTER TO SPECIALISTS, WHATEVER, ALL OF THAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT ENCOUNTER. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A PHYSICIAN PRODUCTIVITY RATE, THAT IS ALL INCLUDED IN -- WHEN THEY SEE A PATIENT, ALL OF THAT OTHER STUFF IS INCLUDED. WHEN WE LOOK AT SOCIAL WORKERS WE LOOK AT THEM THE SAME AND SAY HOW MANY ACTUAL PATIENT ENCOUNTERS DO YOU HAVE, AND THE DIFFERENCE IS WE TAKE OFF THE SYSTEM HOW MANY ACTUAL PATIENT ENCOUNTERS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED AND HOW MANY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SEEN. THE DIFFERENCE CAME IN THAT THEY WERE COUNTING EVERY PHONE CALL MADE ON BEHALF OF THAT PATIENT, EVERY LETTER FILLED OUT, ANY CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD WITH THE PROVIDER ABOUT THAT PATIENT. ALL OF THOSE WERE SEPARATE ENCOUNTERS ON THEIR NUMBERS WHEREAS WE COUNTED THAT AS ONE.
>>GRIFFITH: THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
>>MAYOR WATSON: ANYTHING ELSE? MAYOR PRO TEM.
>>GOODMAN: I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY HAS SEEN MY MEMOS, BUT SPEAKING FOR THOSE NUMBERS I ASKED FOR A DIFFERENT WAY OF COMPARING THE HOURS SPENT IN TRYING TO CORRELATE THAT WITH THE NUMBERS OF PATIENTS OR CLIENTS HELPED. AND SO I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH WORK IS BEING PUT IN BY THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CLINICS AND WHETHER WE CONSIDER THEIR VALUE IN THAT LIGHT. AND I WANTED TO ASK DAVID ONE THING OR MA SHA, WHOEVER. -- MARSHA. SPEAKING TO THE MEMO, IF WE WERE TO PUT OFF APPROVING THE BUDGET IN THIS CONTEXT WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSOLIDATION OF THE CLINIC AND ALL OF THAT HAPPENED, IS THAT -- WELL, WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL DOWNSIDE TO POSTPONE IT UNTIL, SAY, LATER IN SEPTEMBER -- EXCUSE ME, OR OCTOBER? IS THERE A FINANCIAL IMPACT? AND DOES ANYBODY REALLY HAVE HEARTBURN OVER MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT IS BEING PROPOSED AND THAT WE ALSO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
>> WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION YESTERDAY WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WAS AS IT RELATES TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE SOUTH AUSTIN DENTAL CLINIC THAT PERHAPS WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT IS MAYBE A HALF YEAR PHASE-IN, WHICH WOULD ALLOW SOME TIME FOR THAT IN FACT TO OCCUR. I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE TO ADOPT A BUDGET BY SEPTEMBER 30TH. WHAT WE COULD DO IS LOOK AT SOME OPTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW YOU IN FACT MAY WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. WE COULD PHASE IN THE SOUTH AUSTIN DENTAL MUCH LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE SOUTH AUSTIN CLINIC OR A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN THAT WAS PROPOSED AND PHASED IN HALF YEAR. THAT WOULD ALLOW SOME TIME TO DO THAT. I DON'T -- WE LOOKED AT THAT IN TERMS OF THE SOUTH AUSTIN DENTAL CLINIC. WE DID LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF SOME OTHER OPTION. THE OTHER ISSUE THAT HAS COME UP HAS BEEN THE ISSUE OF THE REDUCTION IN THE M.A.P. PAYMENT FOR '98-'99. BASICALLY WHAT WE WOULD AGREE TO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANYONE WHO IS GOING WITHOUT SERVICE AND THAT AT MIDYEAR WE WOULD LOOK AND SEE IF YOU HAD INCREASE IN PATIENTS OR CLIENTS AND IN FACT WE WOULD LOOK AT ADDING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE CLINIC AT MIDYEAR. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SORT OF ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. I THINK IT ANSWERS MAYBE PART OF IT.
>>GOODMAN: YEAH. SOME OF IT. IF WE WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THOUGH, HOW WOULD WE BE SURE WE KNEW EXACTLY WHY, IF THERE WERE A DECREASE IN PATIENTS, FOR INSTANCE, HOW WOULD WE KNOW IT WASN'T BECAUSE THEY WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO GET TO AS OPPOSED TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS NO LONGER A NEED?
>> I THINK AS IT RELATES TO THE SOUTH AUSTIN DENTAL CLINICS WHAT WE WOULD DO IS LOOK AT THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION VOUCHERS. WE ACTUALLY DO THAT FOR A NUMBER OF SERVICES IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SO THAT WOULD BE ONE WAY WE WOULD ACTUALLY KNOW. GOOL ALL OF THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE --.
>>GOODMAN: ALL OF THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE WRITTEN DOWN?
>> YES.
>>GARZA: MARM, WHAT I HAD -- WHEN MARSHA AND I VISITED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN -- ACTUALLY HAVE GOGGIO LAY OUT SOME CRITERIA FOR US THAT SAYS THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUE OF INDIGENT CARE, M.A.P., AND IF THERE NEEDS TO BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT MIDYEAR, THERE IS CERTAINLY FUNDING WITHIN THE HOSPITAL FUND TO DO THAT. WE WOULD SET UP CRITERIA TO SAY HERE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT, PRENLT THEM TO COUNCIL, SAY THESE ARE THE MEASURES WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT SO WE COULD BE AS OBJECTIVE AS WE CAN. WITH RESPECT TO THE DENTAL SERVICES, WE WOULD LAY OUT A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF CRITERIA. WE THINK THAT WITHIN A SIX MONTH PERIOD WE CAN PHASE -- WE CAN GIVE NOTICE THAT IT IS GOING TO BE PHASED OUT AT THAT LOCATION AND YOU HAVE I BELIEVE EIGHT CHAIRS AT RBJ THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED RIGHT NOW WHERE THOSE INDIVIDUALS COULD RECEIVE SERVICES. AGAIN, WE WOULD LAY OUT THAT CRITERIA SO IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT THAT THE LACK OF DEMAND IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING IN THE DOOR FOR AN APPOINTMENT, WHETHER IT'S FOR DENTAL SERVICES OR IT'S WELL CHECK OR WHATEVER OTHER RAEN, WE WOULD ESTABLISH THAT FOR YOU TO EVALUATE AND CONSIDER AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROPOSAL.
>>GOODMAN: OKAY. DO WE ALSO HAVE EIGHT DENTISTS ALTOGETHER?
>> WE HAVE I BELIEVE IT'S ONE -- EITHER ONE AND A HALF OR TWO AND A HALF SOUTH, AND THEN THERE'S ONE AND A HALF OR TWO AT -- AT RBJ. BUT I'M ALSO TOLD THE SOUTH THING -- I'M GOING TO GO LOOK AT IT MYSELF, BUT I'M TOLD THAT THOSE FACILITIES IN COMPARISON TO RBJ ARE LACKING. THAT THERE REALLY IS -- IF YOU ARE GOING TO WANT DENTAL SERVICES, YOU REALLY WANT THE INDIVIDUALS TO GET THEM AT RBJ. THE FACILITIES ARE NEWER, WE JUST BUILT THOSE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT IS A BETTER PLACE TO GET YOUR DENTAL CHECKUPS AND YOUR DENTAL SERVICES THAN WHAT I WAS -- WHAT WAS RELATED TO ME YESTERDAY, I HAVE NOT GONE OUT AND LOOKED AT IT MYSELF, BUT WE MAY WANT TO BEGIN TO RECOMMEND PEOPLE -- IF WE FIND A WAY TO GET THEM TO RBJ SO THEY CAN GET THEIR SERVICES AT A BETTER FACILITY.
>>GOODMAN: YEAH, I THINK YOU WILL FIND A CHAIR THAT DOESN'T WORK AND A LIGHT THAT IS NOT VERY BRIGHT.
>>GARZA: ALL I WANT TO KNOW, DOES THE NOVOCAIN WORK? [LAUGHTER]. I KNOW WE'LL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SLOW STRENGTH NOVOCAIN.
>>GOODMAN: I FEEL SURE THEY USE A LOT OF THAT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. [ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE CAPTIONERS CHANGE].
>> WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CITYWIDE INDICATORS IN TERMS OF HOW WELL WE'RE DOING AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING OVER TIME, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS ACCORDING TO OUR 1999 CHECK IN TERMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WE ARE AT ABOUT 2.4% OVER ALL. SO WE'RE DOING QUITE WELL. SECONDLY, THOUGH, WHEN WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT WE DO DISCOVER IS WE HAVE SOME LEVELS OF SEVERITY IN TERMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE 1998 DATA SHOWS THAT OUR OVERALL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS 2.8% WHICH BREAKS OUT TO BE FE FAILS 2.6, MALES, 2.9. AND THE ANGLO POPULATION WITH FE MAILS AT 2.1.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION, FEMALES THE RATE IS 2.0% FOR 1998 AND THE MALES ARE 6.5%. HISPANICS, THE FEMALE RATE IS 3.1% AND MALES ARE 3.6%. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CENSUS, THE MEDIUM INCOME WAS OVER $27,000 WITH FOUR% OF OUR POPULATION RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
>>GARCIA: WHAT IS THE LINE THAT SEPARATES THE POMPLT -- WHAT'S THE POMPLT LINE?
>> I BELIEVE THAT'S -- POVERTY LINE?
>> I BELIEVE THAT'S 27%. THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS -- YOUR QUESTION AGAIN, I'M SORRY?
>>GARCIA: IS 27,48820% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME?
>> YES. AND THE POMPLT LEVEL IS SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT. THANK YOU. WHEN WE CONSIDER THOSE AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY OF GREATEST NEED, WE'D LIKE TO FOCUS A LITTLE ON EXPRESSING TO YOU THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ATTENTION WITH REGARD TO OUR MINORITY POPULATION. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, YOU SEE THAT IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER. AND, OF COURSE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. A SECOND AREA OF GREATEST NEED IS THOSE FAMILIES OR NEEDS WHO ARE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. AND THIS IS NOT A PART OF YOUR SLIDE. I'M JUST ADDING THIS AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AND THE THIRD AREA IS THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING POOR. THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE AT 200% OF POVERTY AND GEOGRAPHICALLY WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT WHEN WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE CONSIDERED WORKING POOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF WORKING POOR ARE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO LIVE IN THE NORTH, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY. GOING TO SLIDE NUMBER 78, THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE SERVING CURRENTLY ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS OR ADULTS WITH MINIMUM JOB SKILLS. WE ARE SERVING INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AND FROM A YOUTH PERSPECTIVE THROUGH SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND THROUGH OUR URBAN YOUTH CORPS, WE'RE SERVING YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES AND 14 AND 22. THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, AND THIS REFLECTS ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGH OUR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS AND CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDE JOB READINESS AND PREPARATION, JOB TRAINING, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE COURSES, G.E.D., AND SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND JOB PLACEMENT. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF OUR SPENDING PATTERN OVER TIME, WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THE 19 --1997-98 OUR CENTRAL EXPENDITURES WERE OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS. AND OF COURSE, THE GRID IDENTIFIES FOR US THE AMOUNT OF THE MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS, WHICH IS THAT GREEN AREA AND OUR CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS ARE YELLOW AND THE BLACK REPRESENTS THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACT DOLLARS. IN 1999-2000, WE'RE PROPOSING TO -- A BUDGET OF 2.5 MILLION AND A LITTLE BIT OVER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. TURNING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR GOALS PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT ALIGN ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS. THEY INCLUDE BEGINNING ON THE LEFT OF THIS TABLE, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RECEIVING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE COURSES, YOU SEE THAT IN 1997-98, THE ACTUAL NUMBERS SERVED WAS 956. AND WE'RE PROPOSING BY COMPARISON IN 1999-2001 TO 350. THE COST PER CLIENT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVE ENGLISH AND A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES RANGE -- IS 142.86. LOOKING AT OUR SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, THE NUMBERS OF YOUTH SERVED IN 97-98 WAS 840. WE'RE ANTICIPATING IN 1999-2001, WE'LL BE SERVING 1,0040. WITH AT AVERAGE COST OF 6 $22 PER YOUTH. FOR THE URBAN YOUTH CORE CORPS, WHICH ARE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE RANGE FROM 16 TO 22 YEARS OF AGE, THESE INDIVIDUALS WE SERVED A -- 60 INDIVIDUALS IN 97-98 AND THAT NUMBER IS HOLDING STEADY IN 1999-2000 WITH THE COST PER YOUTH SERVED IN 1999-2000 TO BE 3986. THE NUMBERS OF YOUTH WHO COMPLETED THE TRAINING YOU'LL SEE IN 97-98 WERE 13 '87. THE REASON THAT ARE ASTERISKS IN 99-2001, IS BECAUSE THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS, THE PRIERNT HAVE NOT BEEN SET AND THE CONTRACTS HAVE NOT BEEN AWARDED. THE NUMBERS OF CLIENTS PROVIDED TRAINING IN 97-98 WAS 2,636. IN THE ESTIMATE FOR 98-99 IT WAS UP TO 2,214. WITH THE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS CASE PLACED IN JOBS IN SNAEN HCHB ANYWAY AT 6 STHOURX 434 AND IN 1998 ESTIMATE BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR OF 10,659. THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS THE INCREASE THERE REPRESENTS THE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE SERVING THROUGH OUR DAY LABOR SITE. ON SLIDE NUMBER 81 UNDER REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING WE HAVE GOT OUR CITYWIDE GOAL TO ONE, AND THAT IS THAT HOUSING WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT COSTS NO MORE THAN 30% OF HOUSEHOLD INCOMES. IN TERMS OF OUR INDICATORS, WE JUST PULLED A FEW OF THEM TO HIGHLIGHT THE FIRST ONE BEING NEARLY THREE-FOURTHS OF TRAVIS COUNTY'S POOR PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT. AND NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS PAY MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING BETWEEN. BETWEEN 90 AND 97, THE AVERAGE RENTED AL COST ESCALATED 55% AND THE MEDIAN HOUSING SALES PRICE INCREASED 54%, WHILE THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR FAMILIES OF FOUR INCREASED BY ONLY 23%. IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIES OR THOSE AREAS OF GREATEST NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITY, PAUL EMPHASIZED THREE PRIORITIES. THEY ARE THE MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL HOUSING THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON AND THE ELDERLY AND SPECIAL -- THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, PARTICULARLY ELDERLY AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEN LASTLY TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, I MIGHT BRING OUR ATTENTION TO SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S COME FORWARD THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PROCESSES, PARTICULARLY IN DAWSON. WHAT WE FIND IN THE DAWSON NEIGHBORHOOD IS THAT THERE'S A 33% OWNER OCCUPIED RATE AND A 67% RENTER OCCUPIED RATE. FOR EAST CESAR CHAVEZ, WHICH WAS A SECOND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED, THE OWNER OCCUPIED RATE WAS THRIVE% AND THE RENTER OCCUPIED RATE -- 35% AND THE RENTER OCCUPIED RATE WAS 65%. FOR CHESTNUT, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE LAST NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS APPROVED, THE OWNER OCCUPIED RATE WAS 50% AND RENTER OCCUPIED RATE WAS 50% AS WELL. WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF VACANT LOTS WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY. IN TERMS OF POPULATIONS SERVED ON SLIDE 82, THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AT OR BELOW 80% OF MEDIAN INCOME. THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT 44,300 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. THE COUNCIL TARGETS FOR SPENDING REQUIREMENTS MANDATES THAT 70% OF THE GRAND FUNDING OR GRANT ALLOCATIONS BE SPENT ON HOUSEHOLDS BE BELOW 50% OF MEDIAN INCOME AND 80% OF THE UNITS THAT ARE SERVED BOTH FOR REHAB AND CONSTRUCTION ARE TARGETED AT HOUSEHOLDS AT BELOW 50% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME. THE KEENDS OF SERVICES THAT WE'VE PROVIDED JUST -- KINDS OF SERVICES THAT WE'VE PROVIDED JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, AND I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER THE PRESENTATION FROM MR. HILGERS IS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, EMERGENCY SHELTER, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, HOME MAINTENANCE AND REHAB, HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, FAIR HOUSING COUNSELING, WHICH -- AND THEN THE LAST THING, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL FOR HOUSING SERVICES. FOR SLIDE YEAH, WHEN WE CONSIDER THE SPENDING OVER TIME IN THE AREA OF REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING, WHAT WE FIND THE 1997-98 IS THAT THE OVERALL EXPENDITURES WERE 10 MILLION,342,743. FOR THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES IN 1999-2000, YOU WILL FIND OVER 900,000. AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU ARE SEEING THERE IS REFLECTED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS NOT -- THE ROLLOVER MONEY THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED FOR 1999-2000 AND THAT INFORMATION IS NOT YET KNOWN. MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE IN TERMS OF FUND USES FOR REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING, AGAIN, FOR 1999 --98-99, THE FUND USE TOTAL IS 10,124,899. THE BULK OF OUR SPENDING OR THE AREA WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THE MOST DOLLARS IS RENTAL HOUSING AT OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS. THE OWNER OCCUPIED IS 2.6 MILLION. AND FOR FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS IS 2.1 MILLION. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, WHICH IS THE HOUSING THAT PROVIDES SHELTER AT LEAST 18 TO 24 MONTHS IS OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS. AND THEN OTHER HOUSING SERVICES, WHICH WOULD BE THE WRAP AROUND SERVICES INCLUDED, WHICH WOULD 326 THOUSAND. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AT THIS POINT IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE ARE ONE OF SEVERAL MAJOR PLAYERS IN TERMS OF REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING. THE BAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE REFLECTS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES BUDGET FOR SECTION EIGHT HOUSING IS 14 MILLION, WHICH SERVES 2200 FAMILIES. AND IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HOUSING, THE BUDGET IS OVER SIX MILLION DOLLARS FOR 1900 UNITS. THIS GRAPH DOES NOT INCLUDE CAPITAL DISCOVERY FEE WAIVERS AND BOND FINANCING THROUGH THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. FROM A PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT, ON SLIDE 85, THESE ARE A FEW OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE THOUGHT YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT. IN TERMS OF CLIENTS WHO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE THROUGH TRANSITIONAL AND/OR EMERGENCY HOUSING, PARTICULARLY OUR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS, IN 1997-98, WE SERVED 3,104. IN NOUN, THE NUMBER IS 1686. FOR THE NUMBERS OF CLIENTS SERVED THROUGH EMERGENCY SHELTER, THE NUMBER IS ROUGHLY ABOUT THE SAME. IN THE 1999-2000 THREE HUNDRED. FROM A HOUSING MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT, THE NUMBERS OF UNITS THAT WERE SERVED WERE 1126, AND THAT NUMBER IS HOLDING FAIRLY STABLE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR NOURN, WITH A DIRECT COST PER -- 1999-2000 WITH A DIRECT COST PER UNIT UP A LITTLE BIT TO $1900. THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING IS THE NUMBER OF UNITS SERVED IN 97-98 WERE 96 UNITS AT A COST OF OVER $2,000. IN 1999, THE NUMBER OF UNITS ARE UP TO 322 BY PROPOSAL AND THE COST PER UNIT IS 29 HUNDRED. THE RENTAL UNITS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY INCLUDE -- THERE'S 297 IN 1997 AT A COST FOR -- CITY COST FOR REHABILITATION PER UNIT AT $866. THE AMOUNT YOU CAN SEE BY COMPARISON IN 1999-2000 WITH 90 UNITS SERVED AND 10,900 PER UNIT AND I BELIEVE THAT'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WE HAVE TAKEN OVER. THE HOMES CONSTRUCTED IN 97 WERE 65 AND BY COMPARISON IN NOURN IT'S 81. THE -- 1999-2000 IT'S 81. THE COST PER UNIT TO THE CITY FOR CONSTRUCTION IN 97-98 WAS 71 AND NOW IT'S DOWN SOME. THE NEXT AREA IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO WHICH ARE BASIC TO SUPPORTING NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVE SYNTHESIZED THE GOAL WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO ONE OF OUR CORPORATE GOALS, AND IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR YOUTH, FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CITYWIDE INDICATORS, BEGINNING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE ONES WHICH HAVE GONE THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS. WE HAVE HAD THREE THAT ARE -- HAVE BEEN APPROVED TODAY, AND WE ARE IN THE FUTURE GOING TO BE PROPOSING TO DO 10 NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS PER YEAR. THE 1998 VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER REFLECTS THAT TWO-THIRDS THIRDS OF OUR CITIZENS SURVEYED WERE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING. ONE-THIRD OF THESE CITIZENS SURVEYED WERE UNHAPPY WITH THESE SERVICES. IN 1997-98, THE NUMBER OF SUBSTANDARD HOUSING AND ZONING VIOLATIONS THAT WERE INVESTIGATED WERE 2800. THE NUMBERS OF COMPLAINTS OF CODE VIOLATIONS WERE OVER 10,000. PART OF THE INITIATIVE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SPEAKS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU VERY BRIEFLY JUST SOME 1998 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL CRIME INDEX. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CRIME INDEX FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS THAT THE NORTHEAST AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY AREAS ABOUT 20% OF THE TOTAL CRIME INDEX. THE NORTHEAST AREA WHICH THE ZIP CODES -- JUST ONE SECOND. THE ZIP CODES BY REFERENCE ARE 78751 AND 78752. THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR POLICE AREA COMMANDS, IS LEADING IN FIVE AREAS OF CRIME. THEY INCLUDE THE INCIDENTS OF RAPE, OF ROBBERY, OF TOTAL VIOLENT CRIMES COMMITTED, OF THEFT, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT AND TOTAL PROPERTY CRIME. NORTHEAST CARRIES 20% OF THAT CRIME INDEX. THE SECOND AREA IS THE SOUTHEAST AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH CARRIES 20% OF THE CRIME. AND THEN THE NEXT HIGHEST AREA IS THE CENTRAL EAST AREA, WHICH IS 17%. IN TERMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE IN THE NORTHEAST AREA, THE CENTRAL EAST AREA AND SOUTHEAST AREA. IN TERMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, THE AREAS OF GREATEST CONCERNS WOULD BE NORTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY. MOVING TO SLIDE NUMBER 87, THE SPENDING OVER TIME IN TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING ABOUT SIX AREAS OF OUR SERVICES, BEGINNING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING, THE 1997 BUDGET FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING WAS OVER $300,000. IN 1999 -- 1999-2000 WE'RE PROPOSING OVER 300 9,000. AND I'M GOING TO DIRECT YOU TO SOME INFORMATION REGARDING SOME UNBUDGETED PROPOSED PROGRAMS. THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING CAPACITY OF OUR SERVICES ARE REALLY DESIGNED BY WHAT SERVICES WE'RE DOING TO BUILD LEADERSHIP AND KNOWLEDGE IN TERMS OF OUR CITIZENRY AND IN TERMS OF HOW TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THE CITY WORKS AND TO CREATE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TO DATE NO STRUCTURED SERVICE IN BUILDING NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY, BUT THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I WILL HIGHLIGHT AT THE END OF THIS SLIDE. IN TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT PROGRAM, THIS REPRESENTS THE PROGRAM THAT FITS IN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND THAT INCLUDES THOSE SERVICES THAT PROVIDE SMALL SWEAT EQUITY KINDS OF LOANS TO NEIGHBORHOODS TO DO BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AND TO DO SMALL PROJECTS THAT WILL INCLUDE NEIGHBORHOOD GARDENS, APPLYING FOR 051 C 3, ETCETERA. THE FUNDS FOR THAT IN SNAEN-97 IS OVER $100,000 AND THE AMOUNT FOR 1999-2000 IS REMAINING ABOUT THE SAME. WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT WE ESTIMATE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. IN TERMS OF HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, WHAT WE'VE LISTED HERE FOR YOUR REFERENCE ARE ALL THE HEALTHY COMMUNITY INITIAL THAIFS WE'RE PROVIDING AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU CAN SEE THAT. IN 1997-98, IT WAS OVER 25 MILLION DOLLARS. AND IN 1999-2000 IT'S OVER 26,000. FROM YOUTH SERVICES PERSPECTIVE, THE SPENDING IN 97-98 WAS EIGHT MILLION. IN 1999-2000, WE'RE PROPOSING 10 MILLION -- OVER 10 MILLION. IN TERMS OF THE VAIBLGT LOTS AND NUISANCE ABAT OWE IN -- IT IS DOWN FROM WHAT WE ANTICIPATE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. SO HOUSING AND ZONING COMPLAINTS AND INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS WHICH OCCUR THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT, THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS FOR 97-98 IS OVER $700,000 AND IN THE 1999-2000 IS ONE MILLION DOLLARS -- OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS. AFTER -- THE ASTERICK YOU SEE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING INCLUDE ASPECTS OF UNBUDGETED PROPOSED PROGRAMS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1999-2000. FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE PROPOSING SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE USED FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE PROPOSING NEIGHBORHOOD ACADEMY AT 300,000, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM WHICH WILL PROVIDE MANY COURSES TO RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND ASSOCIATE LEADERS TO LEARN HOW TO -- THE CITY WORKS AND TO LEARN LEADERSHIP WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY TO BUILD CAPACITY THERE. AND THIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES OFFICE, WHICH WE'LL HAVE THREE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT BEING TO SHIFT CUSTOMER SERVICE RESOLUTION BY DID HE CENTRALIZING IT INTO AREA NEIGHBORHOOD -- DECENTRALIZING IT INTO AREA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND SECONDLY TO ENGAGE IN A PROCESS OF SYSTEMATICALLY INTO CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION OF BASIC SERVICES AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL AND THEN LASTLY TO INCLUDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACADEMY, WHICH WAS ALREADY LISTED. IN TERMS OF MEASURES FROM THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU IS A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON WHICH DESCRIBES THE NUMBERS OF PARTICIPANT AREAS PER YOUTH PROGRAM AND THE COST PER PARTICIPANT HOUR. I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT RATHER THAN GO THROUGH EACH OF THEM. I WILL POINT OUT THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ENTITLED COMMUNITY CHANGE FOR YOUTH, SOUTHEAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY CHANGE, STRATEGIC INTERVENTION HIGH RISK AT ST. JOHN'S TOGETHER AND WEED AND SEED PROGRAMS ARE GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMS. IN TERMS OF YOUTH SERVICES, CONTINUED ON PAGE 89, THE AISD AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM, THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 97-98 WERE 5,000, WITH A COST PER PARTICIPANT AT $100.83. THAT AMOUNT IS REMAINING FAIRLY CONSTANT. IN 1999-2000 THE NUMBERS OF PARTICIPANTS ARE AT THE SAME LEVEL WITH THE COST BEING SLIGHTLY HEEER BY COMPARISON TO 97-98 TO 121.93. THE BOTTOM BAR REFLECTS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THE MILLENIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX. THESE ARE FACILITY COSTS IN 1997-98 AT OVER 76 THOUSAND AND IN 1999-2000, 1.2 MILLION. [INAUDIBLE]. ON PAGE 90 OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING, JUST A LITTLE COMPARISON OF INFORMATION, AND BASICALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, THE NUMBER IN 97-98 IS THREE, IN 1999-2000 WE'RE PROPOSING 12 NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS TO BE INITIATED. YOU CAN GET SOME SENSE ABOUT THE NUMBERS OF VACANT LOTS AND NUISANCE ABATEMENTS IN TERMS OF COMPLAINTS IN VACANT LOTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN KPLEEND. THE COMPLAINTS AND INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS YOU CAN SEE THAT THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CASES INVESTIGATED IS 15,000. BY COMPARISON IT WILL BE ABOUT THE SAME IN 1999-2000. IN TERMS OF OUR EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE, OUR FOCUS IS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE AND HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE THAT IS LESS THAN 10% OF A FAMILY'S INCOME. IN TERMS OF CITYWIDE INDICATORS, WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU THE INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, WHICH I TOUCHED ON ALREADY, AND FROM A COMMUNITY OVERVIEW PERSPECTIVE, THE AMOUNT OF CHILD CARE SLOTS NEEDED FOR THREE LEVELS OF OUR CHILD CARE SYSTEM OR AT LEAST TWO PART TIME AND FULL TIME. MOVING TO AREAS OF GREATEST NEED, THEY ARE FAMILIES -- WORKING FAMILIES. THOSE FAMILIES WHO SPEND MORE THAN 10% OF THEIR INCOME ON CHILD CARE. AND ANOTHER AREA OF GREAT NEED ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OUR CHILD CARE WORKERS, TEACHERS AND STAFF WHOSE AVERAGE -- WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THE AVERAGE TURNOVER RATE IS 30% AND THEN THE AVERAGE WAGE FOR STAFF ARE 5.89 TO 7.01 WHICH IS BELOW THE TARGETS WE SET FOR THE LIVING WAGE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THE SPENDING OVERTIME FOR EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE ON SPIEJ 92 -- PAGE 92 FROM 2.3 MILLION TO 1999-2000, 3 MILLION. AND IN TERMS OF OUR FUND USES, WHEN WE BREAK OUT HOW THESE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT, THE 19-98 AMOUNT, OR TOTAL AMOUNT IS FOUR MILLION, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF THESE MONIES REFLECTED IN ONE TIME FACILITY COSTS IN 98 AND 9. AND THEN FROM THE CHILD CARE STANDPOINT 1.8 MILLION WITH QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, OUR INVESTMENT BEING AROUND $600,000 FOR THAT YEAR. THE PERFORMANCE OVER TIME FOR EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE, THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY ALL OF OUR FUNDING STREAMS IN 1997-98. ESTIMATE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR IS 503 ABOUT THE ANALYZED SUBSIDIZED COST OF 3,000, A LITTLE BIT OVER THAT. IN THE 1999-2000, 300 PER SLOT. AND THE NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO WERE AS A RESULT OF CHILD CARE IN SCHOOL AND WORK AT 672. AND IN 97-98. AND IN 98-99, 726. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE REFLECTS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S INVESTMENT IN CHILD CARE. WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE OVERVIEW OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES INITIATIVE.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. MAYOR PRO TEM?
>>GOODMAN: ON CLARIFICATION, CAN WE GO BACK TO '87 FOR A SECOND, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SPENDING OVER TIME IN? AT THE BOTTOM BACK IN AUGUST, THOSE THINGS WERE PROPOSED AND UNBUDGETED AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING NOW THAT THEY ARE VIRTUALLY, IF NOT ALL, WITHIN THE BUDGET. I MEAN, WE KNOW WHERE THERE'S MONEY FOR THEM. OR ARE THEY STILL --.
>> ARE YOU SPEAKING OF THE PROPOSED 1999-2000 FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING?
>>GOODMAN: THE FOOTNOTE AT THE BOTTOM:.
>> AND YOUR QUESTION IS IS IT BUDGETED?
>>GOODMAN: YEAH. HAVE WE YET FOUND THE DOLLARS FOR THAT OR DOES IT REMAIN PROPOSED BUT UNBUDGETED.
>> PART OF OUR DISCUSSION TODAY WILL BE AFTER YOU DECIDED OR HAVE HAD MORE DISCUSSION ON WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE, WE'LL HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE UNBUDGETED PROJECTS WITHIN THIS INITIATIVE. ONCE WE ARE SURE WHICH OF THE INITIATIVES THE COUNCIL WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. IRK AT THIS POINT YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE ARE PROPOSALS. WE ARE OUR IDEAS IN TERMS OF WHERE THE FUNDING SOURCES OUGHT TO BE, BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO PREEMPT THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF THAT AND WE WANTED TO REALLY HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER IN FACT THOSE IDEAS MERITED FUNDING AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE AT LEAST ONE SOURCE WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FUNDING COME FROM, BUT WE'LLMENT TO HAVE THE COUNCIL HAVE THEIR DISCUSSION AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE TO DETERMINE IF THAT'S GOING TO BE FEASIBLE OR NOT.
>>GOODMAN: OKAY. THANKS.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER SPELMAN?
>>SPELMAN: I DARE NOT SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I THINK THOSE TWO NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING ITEMS ARE A HIGH PRIORITIES. DO WE HAVE A FAIRLY CLEAR BUDGET AND WORK PLAN FOR THOSE TWO THINGS OR AT LEAST ROUND NUMBERS AND A ROUGH CUT?
>> WE DO HAVE A MODEL WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND AT SOME POINT WHEN IT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME THAT YOU'RE READY TO LOOK AT IT MORE CLOSELY, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH YOU. BUT WE'VE LOOKED AT A STRUCTURE AND WE'VE LOOKED AT A PROCESS THAT WOULD RESULT IN A HIGHER LEVEL OF CITIZENS PARTICIPATION IN LEARNING NEW SKILLS TO DIRECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS HOW WE MIGHT BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY BY DECENTRALIZING OUR SUMMER SERVICES ACTIVITIES MUCH.
>>SPELMAN: BUT WITH THE LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY THAT WE'VE GOT, A LINE BUDGET, HOW MANY FTE'S ARE NECESSARY, WE HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF WHEN DIFFERENT TASKS WOULD BE COMPLETED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR?
>> WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE AND WE HAVE AN -- WE'RE PROPOSING TO INCREMENTALLY, WE HAVE AN OPTION OF INCREMENT TALLY MOVING INTO THIS, WITH THE START BEING THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES OFFICE. SO YES.
>>SPELMAN: WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE GENERAL ASPECTS OF THIS PROGRAM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE SPECIFICS IF I COULD WHEN YOU COULD GET THEM TO ME.
>> CERTAINLY.
>>GRIFFITH: MAYOR? HAVE YOU BEEN LOOKING AT SOME OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS KIND OF WORK LONGER THAN WE HAVE? ARE THERE SOME MODELS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL THAT WE'RE STUDYING AND CAN DRAW FROM?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. YES. THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES. WHAT THE ASPECT OF OTHER CITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT ARE CITIZENS PARTICIPATION PROCESSES AND COORDINATED NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DELIVERY PROCESSES. AND THE CITIES THAT COME TO MIND ARE SACRAMENTO, SEATTLE, WHICH ENGAGE THE AREA SERVICE COORDINATION MODEL WHICH INCLUDES THE COORDINATION OF SERVICES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL. AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACADEMY. FOR THE MOMENT THE CITY ESCAPES ME, BUT I DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. SO WE'RE GLEANING BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS AND ARE DOING IT QUITE WELL.
>>GRIFFITH: SOUNDS GOOD.
>>MAYOR WATSON: COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>>LEWIS: YES. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. HAVE WE DID ANY ANALYSIS AS TO WHAT -- WHEN WE SPEAK OF HOME CONSTRUCTION AND REASONABLE PRICED HOUSING AND THE PERCENTAGE OF INCOME THAT IS PAID FOR IT, AT WHAT LEVEL DOES IT GET TO A POINT THAT THE UPKEEP IS NOT -- I MEAN, IT'S NO MONEY FOR UPKEEP, AT 30, AT 28 PERCENT OR BELOW MEDIAN -- FAMILY INCOME, AT 50 PERCENT? THE DISPOSABLE INCOME TO DO UPKEEP, HAVE WE DID ANY ANALYSIS ON THAT AT ALL?
>> I'M GOING TO DEFER TO PAUL TO FIND OUT IF WE'VE --.
>> A BRIEF ANSWER.
>>LEWIS: YEAH.
>> EACH CASE WOULD HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT INDIVIDUALLY, SO THERE'S NOT ANY PARTICULAR THRESHOLD NUMBER THAT YOU WOULD SAY.
>>LEWIS: ALL RIGHT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: SO THE ANSWER IS NO? [LAUGHTER].
>> NOT EXACTLY.
>>MAYOR WATSON: MORE OR LESS. [LAUGHTER]. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, AT THIS TIME I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE CITY COUNCILL UNTIL 1:30 P.M.. AS IS CUSTOMARY, WE TYPICALLY GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THIS TIME, BUT WE WILL NOT BE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IT WILL SIMPLY BE A RECESS OF COUNCIL UNTIL 1:30. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA. IS THERE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE IN RECESS UNTIL 1:30 P.M..
>>MAYOR WATSON: WELCOME, EVERYBODY, WE ARE GOING TO START OUR PROCLAMATIONS TODAY, THE FIRST PROCLAMATION I AM HAPPY TO BE PRESENTING TO CAPTAIN TURPIN. BE IT KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS, THAT I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 1999 AS GRADUATE BE ALL YOU CAN BE MONTH IN AUSTIN. I CALL ON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THAT EDUCATION PROVIDES THE BEST BRIDGE TO FUTURE SUCCESS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ALL CITIZENS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO GRADUATE AND THAT THE UNITED STATES ARMY HAS BECOME A PARTNER IN EDUCATION BUT HAVING ITS RECRUITERS SERVE AS MENTORS AND INFORMATION RESOURCE PERSONS IN THE SCHOOLS. WE ENCOURAGE EDUCATORS TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE TALENTS OF THESE SOLDIERS, TO HELP ACHIEVE OUR MUTUAL GOAL OF GRADUATING STUDENTS WITH THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING FOR SUCCESS. SIGNED BY ME, MAYOR KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. WE DO HAVE THE WHOLE GANG HERE, I AM HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS TO CAPTAIN TURPIN. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. [APPLAUSE]
>>MAYOR WATSON: SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
>> MR. MAYOR, THANKS FOR TAKING A MINUTE ON OUR BEHALF. IT'S A RATHER SIMPLE MESSAGE, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE. AND IT BREAKS MY RECRUITERS HEARTS EVERY DAY AS THEY ARE GOING OUT LOOKING FOR QUALIFIED MEN AND WOMEN TO JOIN THE ARMY AND THEY IN FACT ARE NOT QUALIFIED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. AND THAT'S THE BASICS OF BEING ALL YOU CAN BE, NOT ONLY IN THE ARMY, BUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO STAY IN SCHOOL, STAY OFF DRUGS AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MS. TONY TURNER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MR. BRUCE BUY I DON'T KNOW FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
>> I JUST WANT TO ON BEHALF OF THE GREATER AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ARMY FOR STEPPING FORWARD AND HELPING BOTH WITH THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH AND THE LEADERSHIP AND ROLE MODELS THIS THEY PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE WORKERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
>>MAYOR WATSON: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] IS DAVID SWENSON HERE? BE IT KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS, THAT I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 2ND THROUGH 5TH, 1999 AS YOGA WEEK IN AUSTIN. AND I CALL ON AND YOU ARE CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE 800 YOGEES FROM THE UNITED STATES AND FIVE FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHO ARE ATTENDING THE YOGA IN ACTION CONFERENCE. YOGA IN ACT. THAT'S AN INTERESTING -- YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT IT.
>> THEIR COMMITMENT TO SHARING THEIR YOGA TECHES AND ATTITUDES TO -- ATTITUDES TO FOSTER NON-VIOLENCE TO FOSTER AT YOUTH AND OTHER AT RISK GROUPS AND TO ENCOURAGE PEACE, UNITY AND SERVICE. I AM PROUD TO PROVIDE THIS TO DAVID SWENSON. GO AHEAD. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE CHOSE THE TITLE OF THIS CONFERENCE AS YOGA IN ACTION BECAUSE YOGA IS MORE THAN THE ABILITY TO TIE OURSELVES IN KNOTS. AND ULTIMATELY YOGA IS TO LEARN TO UNTIE THE KNOTS THAT WE FIND OURSELVES EXPERIENCING FROM STRESSFUL LIFE. SOME OF THE YOGA IN ACTION CATEGORIES WE HAVE AT THE CONFERENCE ARE THINGS LIKE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH AIDS PATIENTS, WORK WITH INNER CITY KIDS, OUR KEY NOTE SPEAKER'S NAME IS BO LOZHAUF CORRESPONDS WITH 35 PRISONERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ENCOURAGING THEM TO GIVE UP INTOXICATIONS AND SO FORTH. WE ARE ALSO DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES ON MONDAY, LABOR DAY HERE. WITH SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE CONFERENCE WORKING WITH CARITAS HOMELESS SHELTER AS WELL AS GREEN CORN COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT.