Regular Called Meeting of the Economic Prosperity Commission Wednesday, February 21, 2024, 6:30pm City Hall, Boards & Commissions Room 1101 301 W. 2nd Street Austin, Texas Some members of the Economic Prosperity Commission may be participating by videoconference. Audio is recorded. 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 Cesar Garza and Stephanie Calderon at the Economic Development Department: cesar.garza@austintexas.gov and stephanie.calderon@austintexas.gov or 512-974-8055 (Cesar Garza). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Laura Dixon, Mayor (Watson) Christiana Ponder, District 1 (Harper- Madison) Benjamin Salazar, District 2 (Fuentes) Raquel Valdez Sanchez, District 3 (Velasquez) Michael Nahas, Vice Chair, District 4 (Vela) Vacant, District 5 (R. Alter) Vacant, District 6 (Kelly) Amy Noel, District 7 (Pool) Luis Osta Lugo, District 8 (Ellis) Tina Cannon, District 9 (Qadri) Kelsey Hitchingham, Chair, District 10 (A. Alter) AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 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 Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on November 15, 2023. DISCUSSION ITEMS Presentation by Raul Alvarez regarding the Community Advancement Network and how this organization expands economic opportunities for the Austin area. Discuss the City of Austin Budget Officer’s FY 2024-2025 budget calendar. The deadline for City Boards and Commissions to submit budget recommendations is March 31, 2024. Various reminders for commission members: most recent City email password security update, City Manager’s survey, and having ongoing dialogues with appointing councilmembers about commission priorities. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 5. Presentation by April Geruso, City of Austin Planning Department, about updating the 2012 Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan and possibly approve the appointment of an Economic Prosperity Commission representative to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process. Discuss and possibly approve the appointment of a second Economic Prosperity Commission representative on the City of Austin Joint Sustainability Committee. The commission designated Commissioner Amy Noel as its first Sustainability Committee representative in 2023. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 7. Updates from …
1. 2. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, November 15, 2023 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a Regular Called meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at 301 W. 2nd Street, Room 1101, Austin, TX. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Nahas called the Economic Prosperity Commission to order at 6:59pm. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance in Person: Vice Chair Michael Nahas (4), Luis Osta Lugo (8) Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Laura Dixon (Mayor), Benjamin Salazar (2), Amy Noel (7), Tina Cannon (9) Absent: Christiana Ponder (1), Isaiah Smith (3) Absent Excused: Chair Kelsey Hitchingham (10) Vacancy: District 5, District 6 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission September and October meetings Motions to approve the September 20 meeting minutes and the October 18 meeting minutes were approved, both on Commissioner Cannon’s motion and Commissioner Osta Lugo’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Ponder, Smith, and Hitchingham were absent. DISCUSSION Presentation by Economic Development staff on Project Connect and its impact on city’s efforts to promote construction, procurement, workforce development, and small business. Donald E. Jackson and Katherine Sobel, staff at the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department, presented an overview of the Project Connect transit plan and discussed local impacts and related resources of information. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES Presentations from working groups (Jobs, Procurement and Infrastructure) on established focus for each group and initial findings specific to the working group The Jobs, Procurement, and Infrastructure working groups did not have updates. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Discussed the possibility of changing the December 20 meeting from a Regular Called meeting to a social event, but commission unable to take action due to loss of quorum. Vice Chair Nahas adjourned the meeting at 8:10pm without objection. *********** These minutes were approved at the ________ meeting on Commissioner ____ motion and Commissioner ____ second on a ___ vote. 3.
CAN “EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY” PRESENTATION ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION FEBRUARY 21, 2024 C.A.N. – NETWORK MEMBERS CAN’s Main Website http://canatx.org/ C.A.N. DASHBOARD www.canatx.org/dashboard http://dashboard.canatx.org/race-equity-map/ URBAN INSTITUTE – UPWARD MOBILITY FRAMEWORK https://upward-mobility.urban.org/mobility-metrics-framework URBAN INSTITUTE – UPWARD MOBILITY FRAMEWORK https://upward-mobility.urban.org/mobility-metrics-framework Expanding Opportunity Focus Area December Update The work of the Planning Team, CAN Board and CAN Executive Committee narrowed the consideration of topics relating to "ensuring an equitable economic recovery" to the following topics: • Address Affordability Pressures for Individuals Participating in Workforce Training Opportunities (housing, childcare; healthcare; transportation; food); & Promote & Support Workforce Development Opportunities Aimed at Upskilling, including Apprenticeships and other Earn & Learn Opportunities. • The Expanding Opportunity Planning Team will help identify the proper role for CAN in advancing the selected strategies and in planning for the CAN regional summit. Central Texas Regional Summit on Expanding Opportunity April 5, 2024 (9 AM to 1 PM) @ ACC Round Rock Campus Please register at this link to help us plan for catering and so that we can accommodate dietary restrictions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnlNVyPhDFUamJ1g_SKt4-eYlLr4nWjt-LPicV7za2OQgeWw/viewform Q & A THANKS FOR THE INVITATION & OPPORTUNITY TO DIALOGUE! RAUL ALVAREZ CAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RALVAREZ@CANATX.ORG HTTP://WWW.CANATX.ORG HTTP://WWW.WECANATX.ORG
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 …
1. 3. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, February 21, 2024 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd Street, Room 1101, Austin, Texas. Chair Kelsey Hitchingham called the Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance in Person: Kelsey Hitchingham (10), Michael Nahas (4), Luis Osta Lugo (8), Raquel Valdez Sanchez (3), Benjamin Salazar (2) Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Christiana Ponder (1), Amy Noel (7) Absent: Laura Dixon (Mayor), Tina Cannon (9) Vacancy: District 5, District 6 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on November 15, 2023. The minutes from the meeting of November 15, 2023, were approved on Commissioner Osta Lugo’s motion, Commissioner Salazar’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Dixon and Cannon were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation by Raul Alvarez regarding the Community Advancement Network and how this organization expands economic opportunities for the Austin area. Raul Alvarez presented an overview of CAN’s frameworks for race equity and upward mobility and other ways CAN expands economic opportunities for the Austin area. Discuss the City of Austin Budget Officer’s FY 2024-2025 budget calendar. The deadline for City Boards and Commissions to submit budget recommendations is March 31, 2024. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Chair Hitchingham reviewed key upcoming dates in the City’s FY 2024-2025 budget approval process. Various reminders for commission members: most recent City email password security update, City Manager’s survey, and having ongoing dialogues with appointing councilmembers about commission priorities. Chair Hitchingham reminded commissioners of various housekeeping items. Presentation by April Geruso, City of Austin Planning Department, about updating the 2012 Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan and possibly approve the appointment of an Economic Prosperity Commission representative to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process. On behalf of April Geruso, Alyssa Lane from the City of Austin Planning Department presented an overview of updating the Imagine Austin plan through public participation and other strategies by 2026. The motion to approve the appointment of Commissioner Valdez Sanchez as the board’s representative throughout the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process was approved on Commissioner Osta Lugo’s motion, Commissioner Salazar’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Dixon and Cannon were absent. Discuss and possibly approve the appointment of a second …
