Regular Called Meeting of the Economic Prosperity Commission Wednesday, May 15, 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) (Velasquez) (Vela) • Benjamin Salazar, District 2 (Fuentes) • Raquel Valdez Sanchez, District 3 • Michael Nahas, Chair, District 4 • Rodrigo Cantu, District 5 (R. Alter) AGENDA • Vacant, District 6 (Kelly) • Amy Noel, District 7 (Pool) • Luis Osta Lugo, Vice Chair, District 8 • Aaron Gonzales, District 9 (Qadri) • Kelsey Hitchingham, District 10 (A. (Ellis) Alter) 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 April 17, 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. 4. 6. Presentation by Global Business Expansion Division staff, City of Austin Economic Development Department, regarding the guidelines for the City’s Business Expansion Program authorized under Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code. Discuss commission’s plan for the next year, 2024-2025, in alignment with the new Chair’s term of office, including: expectations of work by Chair, Vice Chair, and Commissioners; goals and priorities for the commission; and how to fill vacancies and what attributes to seek in new Commissioners. Discuss monthly meeting logistics: communicating via Microsoft Outlook on the City of Austin network and how commissioners may invite speakers to future meetings. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Discuss and vote on a June 2024 makeup meeting: either a special called business meeting, or a community interest meeting in a public setting where a quorum may be present but no business will take place. The …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, April 17, 2024 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd Street, Room 1101, Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Michael Nahas called the Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. • Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance in Person: Luis Osta Lugo (8), Michael • Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Kelsey Hitchingham (10), Nahas (4), Rodrigo Cantu (5) Christiana Ponder (1), Amy Noel (7) • Absent: Laura Dixon (Mayor), Benjamin Salazar (2), Raquel Valdez Sanchez (3) • Vacancy: District 6, District 9 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on March 20, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of March 20, 2024, were approved on Commissioner Osta Lugo’s motion, Commissioner Nahas’ second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Dixon, Salazar, and Valdez Sanchez were absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discuss and approve the commission’s potential recommendations to City Council for the City’s FY 2024-2025 budget. Drafts of these recommendations were introduced at the commission’s March 20, 2024 meeting; however, due to a loss of quorum during the meeting, the commission did not take action on any recommendation. • Recommendation 20240417-002A (Renters): Approved, as amended, on Commissioner Nahas’ motion, Commissioner Osta Lugo’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Dixon, Salazar, and Valdez Sanchez were absent. 1 • Recommendation 20240417-002B (Retirement Programs): Commission declined to take action on this recommendation. • Recommendation 20240417-002C (Sales-Tax Income): The motion to approve this recommendation failed on Commissioner Nahas’ motion, Commissioner Osta Lugo’s second. Those voting aye were: Commissioners Nahas, Osta Lugo, Cantu, Hitchingham, and Ponder. Those voting nay were: Commissioner Noel. Commissioners Dixon, Salazar, and Valdez Sanchez were absent. 3. Conduct officer elections for Chair and Vice Chair for one-year terms of office from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025. • The motion to approve Commissioner Nahas for Chair was approved on Commissioner Hitchingham’s motion, Commissioner Osta Lugo’s second on a 6- 0 vote. Commissioner Nahas accepted the nomination. Commissioners Dixon, Salazar, and Valdez Sanchez were absent. • The motion to approve Commissioner Osta Lugo for Vice Chair was approved on Commissioner Nahas’ motion, Commissioner Hitchingham’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioner Osta Lugo accepted the nomination. Commissioners Dixon, Salazar, and Valdez Sanchez were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Presentation by Michael Ward Jr. on …
Business Expansion Program Update Economic Development Department Economic Prosperity Commission May 15, 2024 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND UPDATE PROCESS Chapter 380 Revision: State Local Code LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TITLE 12. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SUBTITLE A. MUNICIPAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 380. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Sec. 380.001. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. (a) The governing body of a municipality may establish and provide for the administration of one or more programs, including programs for making loans and grants of public money and providing personnel and services of the municipality, to promote state or local economic development and to stimulate business and commercial activity in the municipality. 1 C I T Y O F A U S T I N Current Program Development Background In 2018 EDD Staff utilized feedback from an extensive engagement process in development of the current Program Guidelines • Community conversations included 8 Sessions, held in each Council District • Stakeholder sessions with attendance ranging from 7 to 90, with 260 participants that provided approximately 2,500 comments Current Chapter 380 Policy and Program adopted by City Council • Community benefits incorporated by reference At that time, City Council authorized the City Manager to develop a Location Enhancement Program Business Expansion Program application, scoring matrix and scoring guidance developed by staff post City Council approval • Commitment to community benefits used to score project applications, but not a requirement for project eligibility • Application questions are not adequately tied to outcomes in scoring guidance • Eligibility and performance metrics lack transparency C I T Y O F A U S T I N Business Expansion Program Desired Program Impact Overarching goal is supporting economic growth through the creation of notable targeted job opportunities, in balance with strong commitments to community benefits Program Categories Local Expansions (Category 1) • 5 New Full-Time Jobs created over 5 Years • Operational for >12 months within City of Austin Targeted Hiring (Category 2) • Create one or more apprenticeships or internships • Create one or more full-time jobs hired and retained Austinites facing economic and socio-economic barriers to employment External Attractions (Category 3) • 75 New Full-Time Jobs created over 10 Years • Firm has no Austin Presence or project delivers new operation C I T Y O F A U S T I N Targeted Community Benefits Talent Development Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Business Type / Sector/ Industry Diversification Quality …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, May 15, 2024 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd Street, Room 1101, Austin, Texas. Chair Michael Nahas called the Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting to order at 6:38 p.m. • Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance in Person: Luis Osta Lugo (8), Rodrigo Cantu (5), Michael Nahas (4), Aaron Gonzales (9), Raquel Valdez Sanchez (3) • Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Christiana Ponder (1) • Absent: Benjamin Salazar (2), Laura Dixon (Mayor), Amy Noel (7), Kelsey Hitchingham (10) • Vacancy: District 6 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on April 17, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of April 17, 2024, were approved on Commissioner Valdez Sanchez’s motion, Vice Chair Osta Lugo’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Salazar, Dixon, Noel and Hitchingham were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation by Global Business Expansion Division staff, City of Austin Economic Development Department, regarding the guidelines for the City’s Business Expansion Program authorized under Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code. EDD Deputy Director Anthony Segura and Division Manager Sabine Romero introduced Arnie Jacob and Donald Jackson who shared information about the Chapter 380 program update process. 1 1. 3. 4. 6. Discuss commission’s plan for the next year, 2024-2025, in alignment with the new Chair’s term of office, including: expectations of work by Chair, Vice Chair, and Commissioners; goals and priorities for the commission; and how to fill vacancies and what attributes to seek in new Commissioners. Chair Nahas led wide-ranging discussion on ways to setup the commission to succeed; expectations of each member including: a minimum of 5 hours of business-related work per month per commissioner, taking turns inviting speakers to future meetings, making one Council recommendation per year, and helping recruit for board vacancies. Potential commission goal for the year: rotate through monthly meeting topics such as artificial intelligence, pensions, happiness index, Austin economic report, affordable housing, job creation, City economic programs, and other topics. Discuss monthly meeting logistics: communicating via Microsoft Outlook on the City of Austin network and how commissioners may invite speakers to future meetings. Commissioners were reminded to send business-related communication via their City of Austin email and each commissioner was invited to contact the Chair with a request to add a certain speaker …
