Item 1: July 14, 2025 Draft Minutes — original pdf

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Animal Advisory Commission Minutes July 14, 2025 Animal Advisory Commission Regular Meeting Minutes Monday, July 14, 2025 The Animal Advisory Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, July 14, 2025, at Austin City Hall, 301 W 2nd St, Room 1101 in Austin, Texas. Parliamentarian Jo Anne Norton called the Animal Advisory Commission meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Beatriz Dulzaides, D2 Erin Ferguson, D8 Whitney Holt, D5 David Loignon, D10 Jo Anne Norton, Parliamentarian, D7 Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Koby Ahmed, Mayor Ryan Clinton, Travis County Dr. Paige Nilson, D4 Sarah Huddleston, D9 Commissioners Absent: Ann Linder, Vice Chair, D3 Nancy Nemer, Travis County PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Kaitlan Brandstetter – Implementation for ASO’s strategic plan Suzie Chase – Austin Pets Alive! Update Rochelle Vickery– TNR Group Termination Pat Valls-Trelles – Agenda Comprehension and Supporting Rochelle Vickery Julie Oliver- Support Rochelle Vickery, Staff Compliments, and Budget 1 Animal Advisory Commission Minutes July 14, 2025 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. 2. Approve the minutes of the Animal Advisory Commission Regular Meeting on April 14, 2025. The minutes from the meeting on April 14, 2025 were approved on Commissioner Holt’s motion, Commissioner Loignon’s second on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. Approve the minutes of the Animal Advisory Commission Regular Meeting on June 9, 2025. The minutes from the meeting on June 9, 2025 were approved on Commissioner Holt’s motion, Commissioner Dulzaides’ second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Clinton abstained. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 3. 4. 5. Staff briefing regarding monthly reports provided by Jason Garza, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer and Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Animal Services Office. The presentation was made by Jason Garza, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer and Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Animal Services Office. Staff briefing regarding the Animal Services Office’s hot weather protocol by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Robert Golembeski, Operation Manager, and Pat D’Angelo, Building Services Manager, Animal Services Office. The presentation was made by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Robert Golembeski, Operation Manager, Animal Services Office and Pat D’Angelo, Building Services Manager, Building Services Department. Staff briefing regarding the Animal Services Office’s Three-Year Public Relations Plan by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Animal Services Office, Melissa Pool, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Animal Services Office and Elizabeth Ferrer, Marketing and Communications Program Manager, Animal Services Office. The presentation was made by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Animal Services Office, Melissa Pool, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Animal Services Office and Elizabeth Ferrer, Marketing and Communications Program Manager, Animal Services Office. DISCUSSION ITEMS 6. 7. Presentation by Stephanie Bilbro, Director of Operations, Austin Pets Alive! regarding license agreement reports. Presentation provided by Stephanie Bilbro, Director of Operations, Austin Pets Alive! Discussion of the Bond Election priorities as it relates to the delivery of animal services. Withdrawn. 2 Animal Advisory Commission Minutes July 14, 2025 WORKING GROUP UPDATES 8. Update from the Good Fix Marketing Working Group regarding their meetings and work completed so far. Update provided by Commissioner Nilson. WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS 9. Community Cats Processing Working Group recommendation regarding animal welfare policies and budget priorities. Discussed. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding animal welfare policies and budget priorities. The motion to approve a Recommendation to Council regarding animal welfare policies and budget priorities for the Austin Animal Center’s Community Cats Program was approved on Commissioner Holt’s motion, Commissioner Huddleston’s second on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. Conduct officer election for Chair. The motion to approve Commissioner Nilson as Chair failed on Commissioner Norton’s motion, Commissioner Ferguson’s second on a 6-3 vote. Those voting aye were: Commissioners Ahmed, Ferguson, Nilson, Norton, Holt, and Huddleston. Those voting nay: were Commissioners Clinton, Dulzaides, and Loignon. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. The motion to approve Commissioner Dulzaides as Chair failed on Commissioner Clinton’s motion, Commissioner Loignon’s second on a 3-6 vote. Those voting aye were: Commissioners Clinton, Dulzaides, and Loignan. Those voting nay were: Commissioners Ahmed, Ferguson, Nilson, Norton, Holt, and Huddleston. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. Approve the Animal Advisory Commission 2024-2025 Annual Internal Review. Withdrawn. Approve the dissolution of the Long-Distance Adoption Working Group. The motion to dissolve the Long-Distance Adoption Working Group was approved on Commissioner Holt’s motion, Commissioner Dulzaides’ second on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. Approve the formation of a Strategic Plan Working Group to advise staff on targets in support of the Animal Services Office Strategic Plan. The motion to approve the formation of a Strategic Plan Working Group to advise staff on targets in support of the Animal Services Office Strategic Plan was approved 3 Animal Advisory Commission Minutes July 14, 2025 as amended by Commissioner Clinton on Commissioner Norton’s motion, Commissioner Dulzaides’ second on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Linder and Commissioner Nemer were absent. The amendment made by Commissioner Clinton, seconded by Commissioner Norton was to change the scope of the working group from “forming a Strategic Plan Working Group to advise staff on targets in support of the Animal Services Office Strategic Plan” to “forming a Strategic Working Plan to make recommendations on targets in support of the Animal Services Office Strategic Plan”. Commissioners Ferguson, Loignon, Nilson, and Norton were approved to serve on the working group. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Approve a recommendation from the Good Fix Working Group Bond Election priorities as it relates to animal welfare Discussion on the Budget as it relates to cuts to animal services specifically veterinarian services. Parliamentarian Norton adjourned the meeting at 8:33 p.m. without objection. 4