ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-007 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Customer and Front Desk Support Seconded By: Vice Chair Sarah Chen Motioned by: Commissioner Satyajeet Dodia AARC Customer & Front Desk Support Description The Asian American Resource Center (AARC) facility within the Parks and Recreation Department’s (PARD) Museums & Cultural Programs Division has an FY2024-2025 under- resourced need for front desk support that has been identified and requested since 2020. Pre- 2020, the AARC has garnered over 50,000 visitors at its peak. In the first full fiscal year back from the pandemic closures and adjusted hours, visitor and program attendance is already back at over 30,000 in FY2022-2023. Currently, the AARC is the only cultural facility in PARD without a dedicated FTE for Front Desk and Reception support and is entirely staffed by temporary staff. This poses a lot of issues to turnover, training, and support needed to appropriately respond to citizen inquiries and needs when they visit the facility during the 46 hours a week the facility is open to the public currently. Due to a budget cut in the current budget year, their temporary staff budget has been reduced almost from $135,000 to $121,915, with front desk staff support taking $65,000 or more than 50%. Reductions in temporary staffing to other AARC programs have been necessary to maintain appropriate staffing at the reception area for visitor assistance and safety. Recommendation Ongoing funding in one of the following options is recommended: ● 1 Administrative Specialist FTE (40 hours/week) at $65,000 for salary and bilingual pay ● .75 Administrative Speciality PTE (30 hours/week) at $52,000 for salary and bilingual pay plus an additional $20,000 (6 hours/week) temporary staffing for an entry-level administrative specialist ● $72,000 of total temporary funding was dedicated to Office Attendant I and II positions accounting for 63 hours a week total throughout the year. Inclusive of 2 staff for evening shifts for safety, training, and increased staffing for large events and rentals. Department PARD/Museums & Cultural Arts/AARC Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Culture & Lifelong Learning: Quality of cultural venues, events, programs, and resources; Quality of lifelong learning opportunities. Government That Works for All: Condition of City facilities and technology; Public engagement and participation; Equity of City programs and resource allocation. Vote: 12-0 For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-008 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Senior Program Language Access Motioned by: Pierre Nguyen AARC Senior Program Language Access Seconded By: Vice Chair Sarah Chen Description The Asian American Resource Center (AARC) facility within the Parks and Recreation Department’s (PARD) Museums & Cultural Programs Division has a robust senior program that served 4,712 participants and served about 6,300 meals within the FY2022-2023 year alone. In the AARC budget from FY2022-2023 and FY2023-2024, there has been a significant unmet need for additional funding for expanded Senior Language Access. The AARC has $43,198 in FY2023-2024 budgeted and faced a reduction due to PARD budget cuts already halfway through the year. Of this budget, most of the funding is utilized for Mandarin-language interpretation. The AARC staff has identified a need for Vietnamese and Korean interpretation for activities as well as to better serve seniors with language barriers for 1- 2 days of the week during the senior programs at the facility. As the only senior program in the city with language access for Asian languages consistently available, it is essential that the AARC has the budget needed for additional language interpretation services to expand equitable access to more of our Asian American seniors. Recommendation Ongoing addition of $15,000 is recommended for language interpretation to add Vietnamese and Korean-interpreted activity days to the AARC senior program Department PARD/Museums & Cultural Arts/AARC Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Culture & Lifelong Learning: Quality of cultural venues, events, programs, and resources; Quality of lifelong learning opportunities. Government That Works for All: Condition of City facilities and technology; Public engagement and participation; Equity of City programs and resource allocation. Vote: 12-0 For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners Satyajeet Dodia, Padmini Jambulapati, Anna Lan, Pierre Nguyen, Sabrina Sha, Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan, Nayer Sikder, Sonny Sin, Luan Tran, and Lily Trieu Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Commissioners Mohsin Lari and Kuo Yang Attest: ______________________________ Eric Anderson, Staff Liaison
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-010 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for an Equity Office Data Analyst Associate position Motioned by: Vice Chair Sarah Chen Equity Office Data Analyst Associate position Seconded By: Commissioner Sonny Sin Description Data Equity for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities is a pressing issue that affects and informs the services we receive or do not. It is defined by the group AAPI Data as 1) inclusion and incorporation of community expertise and research expertise to 2) ensure equity in all stages and aspects of data and research, including: ● design and development ● collection, compilation, processing, ● analysis, dissemination, and preservation The AAQoL has received various staff and program presentations since our creation and one of the leading trends we see is that there is very little data collection that speaks to the nuances of how or if our broad AANHPI community is served. A Data Analyst Associate FTE position is recommended to be added to the Equity Office to complement the work they are doing with a data analyst associate that can assist in helping the Equity Office stay up to date on national data equity trends, assist with data analysis that can provide deeper insight into systematic issues and trends in available City data, and/or consult with other departments on data equity models and trends. Recommendation An ongoing amount of $95,000 is recommended to cover 1 Data Analyst Associate FTE. Department Equity Office Vote: 12-0 Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Government that works for all; Equity of City programs and resource allocation For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners Satyajeet Dodia, Padmini Jambulapati, Anna Lan, Pierre Nguyen, Sabrina Sha, Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan, Nayer Sikder, Seonhye “Sonny” Sin, Luan Tran, and Lily Trieu Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Commissioners Mohsin Lari and Kuo Yang Attest: ______________________________ Eric Anderson, Staff Liaison
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-011 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Immigrant Legal Services Motioned by: Commissioner Satyajeet Dodia Seconded By: Commissioner Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Austin Public Health Immigrant Legal Services Description The Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission (AAQoL) strongly recommends continued funding for the Austin Public Health (APH) Immigrant Legal Services program in the FY 2024-25 budget. This program plays a critical role in supporting the well-being of Austin's immigrant population. APH Immigrant Legal Services currently has 2 contracts in place for American Gateways and 1 contract in place for Catholic Charities, all of which are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The recent closure of Refugee Services of Texas has further reduced options for legal immigration assistance available in the community for refugees, many of whom are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Currently, we are aware that American Gateways does not have sufficient resources to serve those needing immigrant legal services and has a waitlist. We strongly recommend continued funding for the APH Immigrant Legal Services program at a level that allows it to meet the growing needs of Austin's immigrant population. Contractors for this program provide critical legal assistance to immigrants in Austin. The program helps immigrants navigate the complex legal system, with a focus on areas like citizenship, deportation defense, and access to public benefits. Recommendation Ongoing funding of $700,000 is recommended to continue services currently being provided along with a suggested $150,000 increase to meet community legal needs from the closure of nonprofits serving refugees in our community. Department Austin Public Health (APH) Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Government that works for all; Equity of City programs and resource allocation; Safety: Fair administration of justice Vote: 12-0 For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners Satyajeet Dodia, Padmini Jambulapati, Anna Lan, Pierre Nguyen, Sabrina Sha, Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan, Nayer Sikder, Seonhye “Sonny” Sin, Luan Tran, and Lily Trieu Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Commissioners Mohsin Lari and Kuo Yang Attest: ______________________________ Eric Anderson, Staff Liaison
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-012 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health Motioned by: Commissioner Satyajeet Dodia Seconded By: Commissioner Pierre Nguyen Austin Public Health Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health Description The Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission would like to recommend that the City increase funding for mental health services. In 2020, Austin Public Health (APH) put out a Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) 004 Asian Pacific Islander Mental Health Services that our commission also supported and recommended. There were two applicants and two awarded agencies: Northwest Austin Universal Health Clinic (NAUHC) for $100,000 and Young Women’s Christian Association (also known as YWCA) for $50,000. With the closure of NAUHC, the $100,000 API Mental Health amount was awarded to Get Up Project d/b/a Hope Medical Clinic to provide health education and navigation services prioritizing the Austin Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. While case management services are essential for the AAPI community, their use is very different from the original scope and intention of the RFGA. Given that the funding for mental health for this past fiscal year was diverted to case management, the need is higher than ever to access essential mental healthcare for Austin’s Asian community. Our recommendation would be an ongoing amount that not only is applied to AAPI Mental and Behavioral Health but also to fund a Mental Health Directory specific to mental health specialists who work with members of Austin’s Asian community. The funds would go towards building community-building activities along with the creation of an updated directory of mental health specialists by language and by specialty. Recommendation Ongoing $150,000 for AAPI Mental & Behavioral Health Direct Services One-time $20,000 funding to support administrative maintenance, directory expansion, and client matching for an Asian Behavioral Health Network Department Austin Public Health Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities: Health & Environment: Enjoying a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally. A. Health conditions among the public B. Accessibility to quality health care services (physical and mental) Vote: 12-0 For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners Satyajeet Dodia, Padmini Jambulapati, Anna Lan, Pierre Nguyen, Sabrina Sha, Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan, Nayer Sikder, Sonny Sin, Luan Tran, and Lily Trieu Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Commissioners Mohsin Lari and Kuo …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-013 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Austin Public Health Social Services Case Management Seconded By: Vice Chair Sarah Chen Date: March 19, 2024 Motioned by: Commissioner Sonny Sin AAPI Case Management Description Austin Public Health (APH) currently has a $100,000 grant awarded to Get Up Project d/b/a Hope Medical Clinic to provide health education and navigation services prioritizing the Austin Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The clinic, whose patients are 46% Asian (primarily refugees), provides free primary healthcare. The grant has allowed them to add a case manager to the staff who is consistently booked full with referrals for social service assistance and referrals after being identified for needing additional social services at the medical clinic. In addition, they have tracked over 6400 minutes of language interpretation used in the past year for patients needing language access from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Case management with language interpretation requires longer appointments due to the use of a language interpretation service and/or device. High healthcare costs disproportionately affect uninsured adults and those with lower incomes, which are represented in Austin’s Asian community. These communities tend to forgo or delay medical care due to cost or lack of trust. Case management can coordinate and maintain more efficient workflows for healthcare providers, including scheduling appointments, billing, and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and accurately. Research has shown the effective results of case management. Studies have shown that 10% of patients make up 70% of healthcare spending. By investing in case management, the coordination of care can include preventive care, such as screenings and treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure. This will go a long way to ensuring that preventable conditions do not turn into chronic conditions. Having access to bilingual case managers ensures that important and complicated health information can be communicated with patients in their preferred language. $150,000 in one-time funding for Asian American and Pacific Islander case management services Recommendation Department Austin Public Health Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities: Health & Environment: Enjoying a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally. Health conditions among the public Accessibility to quality health care services (physical and mental) Vote: 12-0 For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners Satyajeet Dodia, Padmini Jambulapati, Anna Lan, Pierre Nguyen, Sabrina Sha, …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-014 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Community Health Navigators Motioned by: Commissioner Satyajeet Dodia Seconded By: Commissioner Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Community Health Navigators (CHNs) Description Currently, the City has two Master Agreements MA - 4700 - NG160000053 (since 2017) and MA - 4700 - NG220000094 (since 2022) for Community Health Navigator (CHN) services to the Asian American community that is inclusive of recruiting, hiring, training, direct services of translated health navigation and administration. Both contracts are coming to an end with this fiscal year. The current contractor, Asian American Resource Center Inc. dba Asian American Community Health Initiative (AACHI) is currently providing services to some of the most vulnerable Asian subpopulations including Burmese, Korean, Nepali, Vietnamese, Syrian, Iraqi, and other Arabic-speaking communities. CHN services in these languages are not available from any other agencies or non-profits in the Austin area. The loss or gap in the continuation of these contracts or their replacements would have a detrimental effect in the health inequities for the most vulnerable pockets of the local Asian American community. This recommendation seeks to sustain and increase funding for CHN services to the Asian American community. CHNs provide an essential service for Austin’s Asian community, which has language access needs spanning multiple communities. During the pandemic, a Texas A&M COVID contract supported a local provider hiring three bilingual Community Health Navigators who served the Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese-speaking communities. The expiration of the funding period has resulted in less than 150 clients and no dedicated bilingual CHN for the Chinese-speaking community. Navigating the healthcare system can be a challenging task for native English speakers. For non-native English speakers, this challenge can be nearly impossible to overcome. Yet, accessing adequate health care services, is an essential service that some may say is a basic human right. Community health navigators assist Austin’s non-native English speakers in scheduling appointments, filling out required paperwork, applying for and understanding health insurance benefits, and many more essential services. Austin’s Asian community is diverse with many non-native English speakers. The lack of language access services isolates many Austin residents, preventing them from participating in civic life, which can lead to feelings of isolation. The lack of language access services is especially acute when dealing with healthcare. The inability to access adequate diagnoses and care can lead to a multitude of …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240319-015 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for the We All Belong Austin Against Hate Campaign Motioned by: Commissioner Pierre Nguyen We All Belong Austin Against Hate Campaign Seconded By: Commissioner Sonny Sin Description July 2023, the City launched an anti-hate education and outreach initiative called “We All Belong” to streamline access to tools to report hate crimes and incidents, making it easier for community members to keep Austin safe. This was during a disturbing upward trend that has continued in hate crimes in the city that were anti-Semitic, racist, and homophobic and was as directed by council in a 2021 resolution. Just in February of this year, a stabbing attack in West Campus of a group of South Asians was classified as a hate crime after the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a wide- alert about the context around the crime and held a press release at City Hall following it. Prior to that, news reports did not mention the use of racial slurs and targeting of the victim, who is Palestinian American. Our commission sees the continued need for the We All Belong Austin against the hate campaign and wants to see it continue its reach to along with staying current and updated with current news communities targeted disproportionately for their race, ethnicity, or religion. Recommendation $350,000 in one-time funding is recommended to sustain the program and campaign Department Communications & Public Information Office Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Government that works for all; Equity of City programs and resource allocation, Safety, Proactive Prevention, Community Trust & Relationships Vote: 12-0 For: Chair Hanna Huang, Vice Chair Sarah Chen, Commissioners Satyajeet Dodia, Padmini Jambulapati, Anna Lan, Pierre Nguyen, Sabrina Sha, Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan, Nayer Sikder, Sonny Sin, Luan Tran, and Lily Trieu Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Commissioners Mohsin Lari and Kuo Yang Attest: ______________________________ Eric Anderson, Staff Liaison
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 19, 2024 The Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission convened in a Regular meeting on March 19, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd St. in Austin, Texas. Chair Huang called the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting to order at 6:08 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Hanna Huang, Chair Satyajeet Dodia Pierre Nguyen Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Sarah Chen, Vice Chair Padmini Jambulapati Anna Lan Sabrina Sha Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Nayer Sikder Luan Tran Lily Trieu Commissioners Absent: Mohsin Lari Kuo Yang PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. 1 Approve the minutes of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission on February 20, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of February 20, 2024, were approved on Commissioner Nguyen’s motion, Vice Chair Chen’s second on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Tran was off the dais. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Discussion of a 2024 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month proclamation. Discussed. Commissioner Sha offered to work on a proclamation. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Approve the creation of a working group on food security. The motion to approve the creation of a working group on food security was approved on Commissioner Sin’s motion, Commissioner Nguyen’s second on a 12-0 vote. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Commissioners Jambulapati, Sha, and Sin were added to the working group without objection. Approve the creation of a working group related to a GraduAsian graduation event. The motion to approve the creation of a GraduAsian graduation event working group was approved on Commissioner Nguyen’s motion, Commissioner Sha’s second on a 12- 0 vote. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Chair Huang, Commissioner Nguyen, and Commissioner Sha were added to the working group without objection. Select an Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission member to represent the Commission to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process. The motion to select Commissioner Lan to represent the Commission to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process was approved on Chair Huang’s motion, Commissioner Lan’s second on a 12-0 vote. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Action was taken on Item 6 but was later reconsidered. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 16. Update from the Budget Working Group on potential FY25 Budget recommendations DISCUSSION AND ACTION …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA February 20th, 2024 REGULAR MEETING of the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION FEBRUARY 20th, 2024 at 6:00pm (CST) CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS RM #1101 301 W 2ND ST, AUSTIN, TX 78701 MEETING AGENDA This meeting is being held in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online virtual participation via WebEx. Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or via telephone. Remote speakers must register in advance (February 19th by 12pm-Noon). All public comments will occur at the beginning of the meeting and public speakers will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. To speak or attend remotely, residents must contact the Equity Office’s Community Services Program Coordinator, Alejandra Mireles, no later than 12pm- noon on Monday, February 19th, 2024. Please telephone call & leave a voicemail at (512) 974- 8045 or email alejandra.mireles@austintexas.gov. The information required is the speaker’s name, the item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address, and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). BOARD MEMBERS: District Commissioner District Commissioner VACANT Seonhye “Sonny” Sin 9 10 Sabrina Sha Satyajeet Dodia Kuo Yang Lily Trieu Nayer Sikder VACANT Anna Lan Mohsin Lari Mayor Hanna Huang (Chair) At-Large Padmini Jambulapati At-Large Pierre Nguyen At-Large Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan At-Large Sarah Chen (Vice-Chair) 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA February 20th, 2024 CALL TO ORDER MEETING AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the COMMISSION’s SPECIAL MEETING on JANUARY 30th, 2024. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Brie Franco, Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, 2023 Legislative Update. Staff briefing regarding updating the 2012 Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan. Presented by April Geruso, Planning Department. 3. Asian Desi Pacific Islander American Collective, presentation on financial needs for graduation ceremony, due to losing funding after Senate Bill 17. Discussion of City Manager’s Office leadership vacancies and hiring of those positions. 5. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Select an Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission member to represent the …
RECOMMENDATION: The Asian American Quality of Life Commission (AAQoL) recommends that City Council members continue to direct the City Manager to cultivate a transparent and coordinated process of hiring executive leadership positions within the City of Austin, including the roles of the City Manager and Directors. DESCRIPTION OF RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: WHEREAS, the City of Austin is committed to upholding good governance principles, including transparency and public accountability; and WHEREAS, recent instances of five leadership positions, transitioning from interim to permanent without public notification and feedback, based on the City’s organizational chart released in September 2023 and January 2024, have raised concerns about transparency and fairness in the hiring process; and WHEREAS, additional questions remain regarding the efficacy of the grouping of strategic offices such as Equity, Sustainability, Civil Rights, Innovation, Small Minority Business Relations and Resilience, most which operate with interim or acting leadership and three under one acting director; and WHEREAS, the recent spate of new positions and hiring of individuals without consulting City Council or the general public has raised concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in the hiring of leaders for the City of Austin; and WHEREAS, Interim City Manager Jesús Garza, in a memo dated January 30, 2024, addressed these concerns by acknowledging ongoing communication with Council Members and outlining his plans for key personnel hires within the next 90 days; and WHEREAS, while the City Manager has discretion over hiring and organizational structure, the many appointed and newly created executive leadership positions since late 2022 has caused significant community and negative news concern; and WHEREAS, a transparent and inclusive hiring process fosters public trust, attracts qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds, and ensures a deliberate selection of the best individual for the job; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION: 1. Strongly urges City Council direct the City Manager to properly and meaningfully reinforce the authority of the Strategic Offices of Equity, Sustainability, Civil Rights, Innovation, Small Minority Business Relations and Resilience as equals alongside other City Departments with Director information listed in the City’s organizational chart; 2. Advises the City Council to adopt a policy requiring the City Manager to prioritize public listing and a competitive application process for executive leadership positions, including positions only open to internal hires; 3. Recommends that City Council considers requiring new City Manager leadership provide them with more frequent …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240220-007 Transparent Hiring in Executive Leadership Date: February 20, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on Transparent Hiring in Executive Leadership Motioned by: Commissioner Hanna Huang Seconded By: Commissioner Pierre Nguyen ---- RECOMMENDATION: The Asian American Quality of Life Commission (AAQoL) recommends that City Council members continue to direct the City Manager to cultivate a transparent and coordinated process of hiring executive leadership positions within the City of Austin, including the roles of the City Manager and Directors. DESCRIPTION OF RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: WHEREAS, the City of Austin is committed to upholding good governance principles, including transparency and public accountability; and WHEREAS, recent instances of five leadership positions, transitioning from interim to permanent without public notification and feedback, based on the City’s organizational chart released in September 2023 and January 2024, have raised concerns about transparency and fairness in the hiring process; and WHEREAS, additional questions remain regarding the efficacy of the grouping of strategic offices such as Equity, Sustainability, Civil Rights, Innovation, Small Minority Business Resources and Resilience, most which operate with interim or acting leadership and three under one acting director; and WHEREAS, Interim City Manager Jesús Garza, in a memo dated January 30, 2024, addressed these concerns by acknowledging ongoing communication with Council Members and outlining his plans for key personnel hires within the next 90 days; and WHEREAS, while the City Manager has discretion over hiring and organizational structure, the many appointed and newly created executive leadership positions since late 2022 has caused significant community and negative news concern; and 1 WHEREAS, a transparent and inclusive hiring process fosters public trust, attracts qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds, and ensures a deliberate selection of the best individual for the job; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION: 1. Strongly urges City Council to direct the City Manager to properly and meaningfully reinforce the authority of the Strategic Offices of Equity, Sustainability, Civil Rights, Innovation, Small Minority Business Resources and Resilience as equals alongside other City Departments with Director information listed in the City’s organizational chart; 2. Advises the City Council to adopt a policy requiring the City Manager to prioritize public listing and a competitive application process for executive leadership positions, including positions only open to internal hires; 3. Recommends that City Council considers requiring new City Manager leadership provide them with more frequent or regularly …
88TH STATE LEGISLATURE Intergovernmental Relations Office – Brie L. Franco, Officer WHERE WE STARTED: 2022 PRE-FILED LEGISLATION • Multiple Austin-specific and General City bills were pre-filed in 2022, indicating a tough session ahead for Austin and Cities in general. • Austin Specific • District of Austin – HB 714 by Patterson • DPS Takeover of Austin Police Department – HB 880 by Slawson • Guaranteed Income Preemption – HB 553 by Troxclair • Paid Sick Leave Preemption – SB 130 by Campbell; HB 121 by Vasut • City Specific • Intra-state Commerce Preemption • Municipal Permitting • Community Advocacy (i.e. taxpayer funded lobbying) • By the time the Session began, additional bills concerning significant issues impacting Cities had been filed, such as ETJ regulation, permitting, anddisannexation. 1 88TH REGULAR SESSION STATISTICS • A total 8,153 bills and joint resolutions were filed in the 88th Regular Session, with 1,020 bills and joint resolutions filed on the final day of filing alone. • For context, a total of 7,148 bills and joint resolutions were filed in the 87th Regular Session in 2021. • IGRO tracked 1,678 bills • IGRO identified 81 priority bills that would have had a highly negative impact on City. By the end of the 88th Session, 75 of the priority negative bills failed to pass and 6 finally passed. • Governor Abbott vetoed 76 bills, many of which he said could be taken up again in a special session. No vetoed bills were taken up during the special sessions. 2 88TH SPECIAL SESSIONS: STATISTICS 1st Called Session 2nd Called Session 3rd Called Session • May 29 – June • June 27 – July 27 Filed. 13 Filed • Oct. 9 – Nov. 7 JRs Filed • 66 Bills and JRs • 94 Bills and JRs • 287 Bills and JRs Filed • No bills passed • 3 bills passed • 2 bills passed 4th Called Session* • Nov. 7 – Dec. 5 • 161 Bills and • 2 bills passed * First time a Texas governor has called a fourth special session the same year as the regular session 3 88TH SPECIAL SESSION(S) • The Governor called a total of four Special Sessions on a range of topics, including: • Cutting property-tax rates • Increasing or enhancing the penalties for criminal conduct involving the human smuggling or the operation of a stash house • Border security infrastructure and …
Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Community Update City of Austin Boards & Commissions Meeting Winter 2024 What is Imagine Austin & why does it matter? • Imagine Austin (IA) is the City’s comprehensive plan, a guide for long-term growth, development, and land use decisions • A comprehensive plan is required by City Charter Article X containing: • Initially adopted in 2012, IA is a 30-year plan, • 231 Actions & 289 Policies • 8 Priority Programs - Overseeing implementation • 1 Growth Concept Map • 1 Community Vision • It seeks to make Austin a city of “Complete Communities”* * Areas that provide amenities, transportation, services, and opportunities that fulfill all residents’ material, social, and economic needs. Imagine Austin Update – Timeline 4 Q 3 2 ‘ 1 Q 4 2 ‘ 2 Q 4 2 ‘ 3 Q 4 2 ‘ 4 Q 4 2 ‘ 1 Q 5 2 ‘ 2 Q 5 2 ‘ 3 Q 5 2 ‘ 4 Q 5 2 ‘ 6 2 ‘ 7 2 ‘ 8 2 ‘ Project Kickstart SEP - MAR Data evaluation; City staff pre-engagement; Framework development; Contracting Engagement JUN - OCT Plan Update Draft Data ongoing; Active dev. with public input Budgeting / IA integration NOV - MAY Ongoing coordination Implementation Priority Program Implementation Enhancements Today Key highlights of IA update pre-planning efforts to date • Refinement of plan update goals & strategies (ongoing) • City collaboration (ongoing) with: • Sustainability & Resilience; and Equity • City Departments • Department Leadership • Priority Programs & Champions • Budget Office • CPIO • Equity-driven Public Participation Planning (draft complete: March/April) Reasons, Goals, Strategies for an update to Imagine Austin: Our Equity Vision The Planning Department acknowledges the history of planning in Austin, and how past planning, including the City’s 1928 Comprehensive Plan and redlining in the 1930s produced continued struggle with displacement and gentrification, and growing disparities across all quality of life outcomes, still felt today. Additionally, the Planning Department acknowledges neighborhood planning, still in place today, covers only a fraction of the city, and even as of 2016 lacked representative decision-making and transparency. Further, those plans were found to be inconsistent with the citywide vision. In sum, some plans in place today have created planning-related outcomes both inconsistent with citywide goals, and planning activities with barriers to representative decision-making. Planning understands this opportunity to learn lessons from the …
SB-17 Impact on UT ADPAC Aneesha Kandikonda(Financial Director) Rachel Joseph (Co-Director of Operations) Agenda 01 ADPAC and the MEC 03 How to help 02 SB-17 04 Discussion What is ADPAC? We are the Asian Desi Pacific-Islander American Collective! We serve as a registered student organization that: - provides community resources, identity-based events, leadership institutes, - - - the tools to fight for Asian American/immigrant rights, - and plans the ONLY graduation event for Asian American students on campus, encompassing over 50,000 students. What was the MEC? The Multicultural Engagement Center, formerly Minority Information Center, has been on campus for 36 years. We are: - a hangout space for all students as often serve as a 'home away from home' for many. - provide multiple computer stations, outlets, watch tv, study desks, spaces to talk/hangout with five full-time dedicated staff! - house five University sponsored student groups: Afrikan American Affairs (AAA), Asian Desi Pacific islander American Collective (ADPAC), Latinx Community Affairs (LCA), Native American and Indigenous Collective (NAIC), Queer Trans Black Indigenous People of Color Alliance (QTBIPOCA) - Mid-1980s - - campus. - Founder: Michael L. Davis university - 2014 History of the MEC and Student Activism at UT Students held sit-ins, protested on the mall and demanded UT Austin to withdraw investment and support for the South African economy. The student-led anti-apartheid struggle spurred increased awareness of racial fissures on - Goal: centralize academic, social and financial support resources available from the - Davis was honored with the Heman Marion Sweatt Student Legacy Award. Davis served as deputy assistant Secretary of Labor during President Obama’s first term and is now a member of the Global Institutional Services management team at T. Rowe Price What is SB-17? Prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices, policies, and programs at state funded universities in Texas Author: Sen. Brendan Creighton Date Effective: January 1st, 2024 Date Passed: June 16th, 2023 The Breakdown Constraints on: Prospective Employment 1. 2. Current Employees 3. University Power → increased political oversight, hold on state funds, state compliance audit(every 4 years) a. anti-DEI ban by Board of Regents b. DEI trainings needed for state law approved by THECB and university counsel 8 exemptions: Course Instruction, Scholarly Research, Student Orgs & Activities, Guest Speakers, Data Collection, Student Retention & Admissions, Grants & Accreditation, Initiatives for Student Achievements or Post-Graduate Outcomes SB-17 and its Consequences Under the exemptions, we should have …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 02.20.2024 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 20th, 2024 The ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION convened a SPECIAL meeting on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th, 2024, in the Boards and Commissions Room #1101 in City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701). Chair HANNA HUANG called the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING to order at 6:11 pm CST. Commissioners in Attendance: Hanna Huang (Chair) Kuo Yang Padmini Jambulapati Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Sarah Chen (Vice-Chair) Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Pierre Nguyen Sabrina Sha Nayer Sikder Mohsin Lari Commissioners Absent: Lily Trieu Anna Lan Satyajeet Dodia Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Staff in Attendance: Alejandra Mireles – Community Services Program Coordinator, Equity Office Eric Anderson – Program Coordinator, Office of City Clerk CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 1 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 02.20.2024 The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. a. Sergio Torres, Food and Resilience Coordinator, Office of Sustainability: follow up from 2021 food plan; start the process of compiling all the content from over the past two years which has included 21 workshops and 2,000 people. The office is creating a draft plan which should be ready for review and feedback from March 18-april 18. Love to hear from the Commission during a presentation or workgroup for feedback to the draft food plan in a future meeting. There will also be an online survey and an online review meeting on April 3 via zoom. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the COMMISSION’s SPECIAL MEETING on JANUARY 30th, 2024. The JANUARY 30th, 2024, the minutes were approved on COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN’s motion, COMMISSIONER SONNY SIN’s second on a 9-0 vote. (Absent: Commissioner Lily Trieu, Anna Lan, Satyajeet Dodia, and Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan.) STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Brie Franco, Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, 2023 Legislative Update. COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN asks what the efforts were to deflect AE bills. Answer, to mitigate taking away from those investors into the AE (the city) to get the return (go back to the budget). COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG asks between now and the next sessions, what can the Commission do to help the work in the city. Answer, given some of the Commission’s priorities, find …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA January 30h, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING of the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION JANUARY 30th, 2024, at 6:00pm (CST) CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISISONS RM #1101 301 W 2ND ST, AUSTIN, TX 78701 MEETING AGENDA This meeting is being held in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online virtual participation via WebEx. Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or via telephone. Remote speakers must register in advance (January 29th by 12pm-Noon). All public comments will occur at the beginning of the meeting and public speakers will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. To speak or attend remotely, residents must contact the Equity Office’s Community Services Program Coordinator, Alejandra Mireles, no later than 12pm- noon on Monday, January 29th, 2024. Please telephone call & leave a voicemail at (512) 974- 8045 or email alejandra.mireles@austintexas.gov. The information required is the speaker’s name, the item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address, and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). BOARD MEMBERS: District Commissioner District Commissioner VACANT Seonhye “Sonny” Sin 9 10 Sabrina Sha Satyajeet Dodia Kuo Yang Lily Trieu Nayer Sikder Fang Fang Anna Lan Mohsin Lari Mayor Hanna Huang (Chair) At-Large Padmini Jambulapati At-Large Pierre Nguyen At-Large Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan At-Large Sarah Chen (Vice-Chair) 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA January 30h, 2024 CALL TO ORDER MEETING AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the COMMISSION’s REGULAR MEETING on JANUARY 16th, 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion of impacts and feedback from community on 2023 Texas Senate Bill (SB) 17 “Relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public institutions of higher education.” Discussion on updates regarding city executive leadership vacancies and hiring of those positions. Discussion on the strategic Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission’s 2024 plan 3. 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT -- The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA January 30h, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING of the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION JANUARY 30th, 2024, at 6:00pm (CST) PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER RM #1401/1402 (6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, Texas 78752) REVISED AGENDA This meeting is being held in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online virtual participation via WebEx. Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or via telephone. Remote speakers must register in advance (January 29th by 12pm-Noon). All public comments will occur at the beginning of the meeting and public speakers will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. To speak or attend remotely, residents must contact the Equity Office’s Community Services Program Coordinator, Alejandra Mireles, no later than 12pm- noon on Monday, January 29th, 2024. Please telephone call & leave a voicemail at (512) 974- 8045 or email alejandra.mireles@austintexas.gov. The information required is the speaker’s name, the item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address, and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). BOARD MEMBERS: District Commissioner District Commissioner VACANT Seonhye “Sonny” Sin 9 10 Sabrina Sha Satyajeet Dodia Kuo Yang Lily Trieu Nayer Sikder Fang Fang Anna Lan Mohsin Lari Mayor Hanna Huang (Chair) At-Large Padmini Jambulapati At-Large Pierre Nguyen At-Large Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan At-Large Sarah Chen (Vice-Chair) 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA January 30h, 2024 CALL TO ORDER MEETING AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the COMMISSION’s REGULAR MEETING on JANUARY 16th, 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion of impacts and feedback from community on 2023 Texas Senate Bill (SB) 17 “Relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public institutions of higher education.” Discussion on updates regarding city executive leadership vacancies and hiring of those positions. Discussion on the strategic Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission’s 2024 plan 3. 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT -- The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. …
