Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, August 20, 2025 ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, August 20, 2025 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 301 W. 2nd Street, Boards and Commissions Room 1101, in Austin, Texas. Chair Nahas called the Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance in Person: Aaron Gonzales (Chair) Raquel Valdez Sanchez (Vice Chair) Zain Pleuthner Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Rodrigo Cantu Aditi Joshi Michael Nahas Shakeel Rashed PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on July 16, 2025. The minutes were approved on Commissioner Joshi’s motion, Commissioner Pleuthner’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Randall, Ponder, and Zapata were absent. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. Hold a public hearing to solicit feedback from the public and community stakeholders regarding the usefulness and relevance of the Economic Prosperity Commission’s stated purposes and duties and its success in fulfilling those purpose and duties. No speakers present. Public Hearing not held. 1 Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, August 20, 2025 DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Presentation regarding the history of the partnership between Workforce Solutions Capital Area and the City of Austin, the new infrastructure academy, and workforce development programs in peer cities. Presentation by Yael Lawson, COO, Workforce Solutions Capital Area. Presentation by Yael Lawson, COO, Workforce Solutions Capital Area. Discussion reviewing peer city actions, local events, and news articles related to the commission’s working groups. Withdrawn without objection. Update from Chair Gonzales regarding his Economic Opportunity Committee presentation on July 18th and the 2024-25 annual report. Discussed. Discussion regarding commissioner attendance and feedback received at district budget town halls. Discussed. Discussion regarding planned and finished external speaker presentations at working group meetings. Discussed. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Conduct an evaluation of the recommendations made and other actions taken by the Economic Prosperity Commission throughout the year and how these reflected or achieved the commission’s directives, identify any overlaps in the role and work of the commission with other boards or commissions, identify policies or City needs that no current board or commission appears to address, evaluate the level of members’ and the community’s engagement, and identify potential bylaw amendments to improve or address any of the foregoing. Discussed. No action was taken. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 9. 10. Update from the Childcare Working Group regarding summer youth employment funding, including upcoming meetings with City staff, research on ways to collaborate with the Infrastructure Academy, and peer city programs. Update by Vice Chair Valdez Sanchez. Update from the Long Term Economic Planning Working Group regarding information about City pensions provided by a Texas Pension Review Board expert. Update by Commissioner Pleuthner. 2 Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, August 20, 2025 11. Update from the Workforce Development Working Group regarding insights gained from conversations with City procurement program experts. Update by Commissioner Pleuthner. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. on Vice Chair Valdez Sanchez’ motion, Commissioner Pleuthner’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioner Nahas was off the dais. The minutes were approved at the September 17, 2025 meeting on Commissioner Zapata’s motion, Commissioner Gonzales’ second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Nahas and Rashed were absent. 3