REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 12:00 PM Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room, 1101 301 West 2nd Street Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Commission for Women may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Christi Vitela, 512- 974-2792, christi.vitela@austintexas.gov. Diana Melendez Pam Rattan Katrina Scheihing Josephine Serrata Fernanda Veloz Salas CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Jocelyn Tau, Chair Becky Bullard, Vice Chair Rebecca Austen Vanessa Bissereth Julie Glasser Angela Harris CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA 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. Approve the minutes of the Commission for Women regular meeting on January 8, 2025. DISCUSSION ITEMS Committee. 2. Update from the Joint Inclusion representative on the recent work of the Joint Inclusion 3. Discussion of possible FY26 draft budget recommendations and formation of a Budget Working Group to research and write budget recommendations. 4. Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Working Group Q4 2024 progress update, including overview of project management dashboard and burndown timelines, project scope changes, challenges, and risks. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS WORKING GROUP UPDATES FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Christi Vitela at the Office of the City Clerk Department at 512-974-2792, or email christi.vitela@austintexas.gov, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Commission for Women, please contact Christi Vitela at the Office of the City Clerk Department at 512-974-2792, or email christi.vitela@austintexas.gov.
Commission for Women Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 8, 2025 COMMISSION FOR WOMEN Wednesday, January 8, 2025 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES The Commission for Women convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at City Hall, 301 W 2nd St, Austin, Texas, Chambers, Room 1001. Chair Tau called the Commission for Women Meeting to order at 12:05 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Jocelyn Tau, Chair Angela Harris Becky Bullard, Vice Chair Rebecca Austen Diana Melendez Katrina Scheihing Fernanda Veloz-Salas PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission for Women regular meeting on December 4, 2024. The minutes from the meeting on December 4, 2024, were approved on Chair Tau’s motion and Commissioner Harris’ second, on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Bissereth, Glasser, Rattan, and Serrata were absent. 1 Commission for Women Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 8, 2025 STAFF BRIEFING DISCUSSION ITEM 2. Staff briefing regarding the City of Austin emergency language access plan from the Communications and Public Information Office and the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The presentation was made by Marion Sanchez, Community Outreach and Engagement Corporate Manager, Communications and Public Information Office; Houmma Garba, Language Access and Community Engagement Consultant – Corporate, Communications and Public Information Office; and David Alcorta, Community Engagement Specialist- Language Access, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. 3. Update from the Joint Inclusion representative on the recent work of the Joint Inclusion Committee. The motion to postpone the item was approved on Commissioner Melendez’s motion, Vice Chair Bullard’s second and approved on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Bissereth, Glasser, Rattan, and Serrata were absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Approve a primary and secondary representative to the Joint Inclusion Committee. The motion to approve Commissioner Melendez as the primary representative and Vice Chair Bullard as the secondary representative to the Joint Inclusion Committee was approved on Chair Tau’s motion, Commissioner Harris’ second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Bissereth, Glasser, Rattan, and Serrata were absent. 5. Approve additional members to the CSCRM Working Group. Discussed. No action taken. None FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Chair Tau adjourned the meeting at 12:50 p.m. without objection. 2
Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Project – Q4 2024 Update Austin Police Department General Project Updates • New scope addition: • 15.20 The CSCRM Project will adopt the OVW Abby Honold Grant into its scope via the Training Workgroup. • OVW Abby Honold Grant is positioned to support several of the Training WG scope items. • Training WG scope will extend to match the timeline of the grant (Sep 2027). • Awareness of CSCRM is spreading: • Fort Worth PD Site Visit (Dec 2024) • Presentation Requests (Jan 2025): • Office of the Texas Attorney General, Crime Victim Services Division Conference • Office of the Texas Governor, Sexual Assault Survivor’s Task Force • New APD leaders have been briefed on CSCRM Project. • 2021-2022 Case Review final report is scheduled for release in January 2025. • The following will operate outside of CSCRM scope: • 2021-2022 Case Review remediation efforts (in progress) • 2023-2024 Case Review (in progress) Q4 2024 2 Dashboard Status – Q4 2024 Summary: • Complete = 26% (32 Items) • In Progress = 59% (73 Items) • Not Started = 15% (18 Items) Q4 2024 *Note: Items listed as “Not Started” have not yet been assessed by the multi-disciplinary Workgroup, however improvements may have already been initiated and/or implemented by APD independently. 3 3 Burndown Timeline – Q4 2024 • Timeline estimates for each element of scope are being tracked by quarter. • Timelines may be impacted by leadership transitions, funding, project team availability, and unforeseen constraints. • Training WG scope has been extended to Q3 2027. All other scope remains targeted for completion by Q4 2025. We are Here Q4 2024 4 Project Challenges & Risks • OVW Abby Honold Grant is lacking clarity. We are preparing CSCRM to operate on a ‘learn-as-we-go’ approach. • Capacity constraints limiting the fulfillment of forensic exams in the Austin/Travis County area remain as a Risk. APD contract with SAFE is currently under review. • Data hygiene practices throughout APD need to remain a focus for 2025. • Council Member Alison Alter’s term ended in 2024. She was the primary champion for the CSCRM Project on City Council. • Changes are expected with new leadership at the APD and City level. Impact to CSCRM is currently unclear. • On-going: • The majority of SCU detectives have limited experience in sex crimes. Building experience and training will be key. …
