Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQOLAC) REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020 The AAQOLAC convened in a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at City Hall in Austin, Texas. Chair Vince Cobalis called the Commission Meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Commission Members in Attendance: Vince Cobalis, Shubhada Saxena, Pooja Sethi, Ketan Patel, Kirk Yoshida, Nguyen Stanton, Catherina Conte, Sarah Chen, Pramod Patil, Debasree DasGupta, Molly Wang, and Kuo Yang Staff in Attendance: Rey Arellano, Assistant City Manager Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Deputy Director (Economic Development) Dusty McCormick, Economic and Business Development Liaison (Economic Development) Annick Beaudet, Assistant Director (Transportation) Laura Esparza, Division Manager (Parks & Recreation) Joshua Robinson, Commissions Liaison (Equity Office) CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: N/A 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Commission moved to approve minutes from AAQOLAC meeting on January 21, 2020. Commissioner Yoshida made the motion. Commissioner DasGupta seconded. Vote was 11-0. Commissioner Sethi was not present to vote. 2. OLD BUSINESS a. Workgroup Reports: 1. Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Workgroup: Commissioner DasGupta provided an update on the AARC Masterplan, AARC Senior programs, and “Foundation Communities” providing tax services at the AARC. 2. Health and Community Engagement Workgroup: Commissioner Conte provided an update. The Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission will be partnering with the Commission on Immigrant Affairs for the upcoming Community Budget Forum. The workgroup is currently planning the structure of the “Community Budget Forum.  Mental Health Project: Commissioner Cobalis provided an update. Austin Public Health has issued a Request for Grant Applications for Asian American Mental Health services and LGBTQ Mental Health services. 3. Arts and Culture Workgroup: Commissioner Patil provided an update. The workgroup is partnering with Austin Councilmember Jimmy Flannigan and Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty for a “Diversity Band” performance on Saturday, February 1, at the AARC. 4. Business Planning Workgroup: Commissioner Cobalis provided an update. The workgroup is starting the HR project.  Budget timeline/process b. Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC): Commissioner Stanton provided an update. The JIC December Commission meeting was canceled. The Commission will meet on Wednesday, January 22. c. Follow-up Items: 1. Strategic Planning Review (Marion Sanchez): Marion Sanchez and Cara Welch were not available to present at the Tuesday, January 21, commission meeting. Sanchez and Welch will present during the Tuesday, February 18, commission meeting. 2. Update on AARC Masterplan: a. Next Steps: Division Manager, Laura Esparza provided an update on the AARC Masterplan and the Bridge. The written update was provided in the Commissioner’s backups and can be accessed at the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission webpage. Esparza will follow up with Commissioners during the AARC Workgroup meeting with a timeline for the project. Chair Cobalis moved that the Parks & Recreation Dept. (PARD) identify a timeline to complete the AARC bridge under PARD oversight compared to Watershed Protection Dept. oversight, and to find alternative means to fund the bridge instead of the 2018 General Fund Bonds. Commissioner Chen seconded. Vote was 12-0 b. Bridge Update: Provided under 2.c.2.a. 3. Council Resolution for AARC/Rutherford Campus – Copy of September 19, 2019 Council resolution provided as backup. 3. STAFF BRIEFING a. Equity Framework for Economic Development Department (Jeremy Brandt – Sabre): Economic Development Consultant, Jeremy Brandt along with Deputy Director, Sylnovia Holt-Rabb and Economic and Business Development Liaison, Dusty McCormick provided a presentation over the equitable funding model for the minority Chamber of Commerce. b. Update on the revision of the Land Development Code – Assistant Director, Annick Beaudet provided an update on the Land Development Code, and answered questions from the Commissioners. c. Update on upcoming Equity Mini-Grant application and timeline: Brandon Kroos will present during the Tuesday, February 18, commission meeting. 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on the upcoming Community Budget Engagement meeting – Commissioner Yoshida motion to approve Thursday, February 13, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Asian American Resource Center for the Community Engagement event regarding the budget in conjunction with the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. Commissioner Sethi seconded. Vote was 12-0. b. Discussion and possible action supporting the Human Rights Commission recommendation to City Council on Race and Equity within the Austin Independent School District's School Closures and Consolidations Plan – Commissioner Stanton moved that the commission will prepare a recommendation in support of the Human Rights Commission recommendation to City Council on Race and Equity within the Austin Independent School District's School Closures and Consolidations Plan. Commissioner Wang seconded. Vote was 12-0 c. Information Sharing - Commissioners Sexana, DasGupta, Chen, Yoshida, and Yang provided information to share. 5. FUTURE AGENDA a. Strategic Planning 2 Presentation c. Mini-Grant application timeline 6. ADJOURN Chair Cobalis adjourned the meeting without any objections at 8:20 p.m.