ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240320-003A Date: March 20, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Renters) Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation The Budget of the City of Austin should respect renters as the equal of homeowners. Description of Recommendation to Council Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget respect renters as "Typical" residents of Austin. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" add a line for the average tax per rental unit, which includes the property tax and all other taxes and annual fees on rental properties. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" rename the line "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT" to "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (homeowner)" and add a line for "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (renter)", which includes the average taxes and fees paid per rental unit. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" include a calculation of "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (renter)" for the previous budget, Fiscal Year 2023- 24, and compute a percentage increase from Fiscal Year 2023-24 to Fiscal Year 2024-25. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" use the bottom half of the page to hold a table of "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT" for Austin residents at all income levels. Rows should be by household income for every 10th percentile, from bottom 10% to top 10%. City Staff should estimate what proportion of each income bracket are homeowners and renters and assign an average (mathematical mean) property tax weighted by that proportion, based on properties that income bracket would rent or own. Unless City staff have more detailed knowledge, they can assume that residents in the bottom 10th percentile of income uses the average (mathematical mean) of the bottom 10th percentile of residential Austin Energy usage, residential Austin Water usage, etc.. Rationale: The City of Austin 2023-24 Budget's “Taxpayer Impact Statement” refers to a ““Typical” Resident Ratepayer” who pays property tax with a homestead exemption and, therefore, must be a homeowner. The 2023-24 budget claims that this “Typical” Austin resident owns a house worth $499,524. 1 of 2 In fact, the City of Austin actually has a majority of renters. The U.S. Census Bureau for the time period 2017-2021 reports that only 44.7% of the housing units in Austin are owner-occupied. A household owning a property worth $499,524 is likely in the top 25th percentile of income for the City of Austin. …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240320-003B Date: March 20, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Retirement Programs) Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation Reduce risk by moving retirement programs from pensions to defined contribution. Description of Recommendation to Council Remove risk by changing our retirement programs from pensions to defined-contribution programs. Remove risk by paying other parties to accept Austin’s existing pension liabilities. Payment could be either a series of future annual payments or an immediate payment, using funds raised by General Obligations bonds. Rationale: The City of Austin currently promises pensions to its employees. That is, we specify benefits after they retire for as long as they live. This sounds nice, but the hard truth is that we do not know the financial future. We do not know the price today of those promises. Those promises have already created a gigantic problem. The 2023-24 Budget says our unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities in 2020 were “nearly $2.4 billion”. That is more than one-and-a-half years of the annual General Fund. Every resident, adults and children, lost more than $100 benefits in Fiscal Year 2023-24 because the City of Austin spent that money fixing just 1/30th of our pension liability. Pensions are dangerous. They crippled America’s car industry. They almost ended America’s steel industry. And multiple cities have declared bankruptcy due to the burdens of pension: Detroit MI, Stockton CA, San Bernardino CA, and more. Pension programs can harm more than the City of Austin; they might harm our employees in the future who would be relying on the City of Austin for those pension in their retirement. To ensure the City of Austin’s economic prosperity, it should not make unpredictable promises about the future. It should “pay as we go” with its employees. That means a defined contribution plan, which puts a fixed-multiple of the employee’s salary into a retirement program this fiscal year, without any promises about the future. 1 of 2 The risk from existing liabilities caused by past pension programs should be removed from the City of Austin budget. That can be done by paying a financial firm to accept the risk, in exchange for fixed future payments or a lump sum, raised with General Obligation bonds. The risk could also be removed by offering fixed or lump sum payments to holders of the pensions. Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest: [Staff or board member can sign] 2 …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240320-003C Date: March 20, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Sales-Tax Income) Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation Investigate hedging sales-tax income to reduce uncertainty and increase the budget. Description of Recommendation to Council Ask the City Manager to investigate hedging as a way to reduce the uncertainty in sales-tax income. Specifically, the City Manager should ask financial institutions how much they might bid in exchange for 80% of next fiscal-year’s sales tax revenue. If City Council accepted such an offer, the City of Austin would have a more stable and predictable income, allowing us to plan better and increase the budget. Rationale: The City of Austin’s income from sales tax is large and unpredictable. The 2023-24 Budget states that sales tax was 7% of income. But it also shows that, over the last decade, its income is unpredictable: growing 25% some years and 0% in others. But most of the City of Austin’s expenses are predictable and fixed. According to staff, “70 to 80%” of the expenses are wages, which are steady expenses. With a variable income and fixed expenses, it is easy for the City of Austin to overspend and run out of money. The result would be drastically slashing programs during the middle of a fiscal year, which would be harmful to the economic prosperity of all Austinites. The City’s staff knows about this danger and warns about it in the 2023-24 Budget: “City financial staff have long advocated thoughtfulness and restraint in projecting sales tax revenues, in the knowledge that periodic economic disruptions and resulting contractions of sales tax revenue—such as the one witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic—are inevitable.” and “… actual sales tax receipts falling short of budgeted levels can have severe repercussions with respect to maintaining a balanced General Fund budget, there are no corollary consequences should this revenue exceed projections.” The City of Austin could plan better and have a larger budget if we exchange the variable income from sales tax for a steady predictable income. That is, find a financial institution that is willing to trade: it will pay Austin a stead income in return for the accepting the unsteady income from sales tax. In the financial lingo, this is called 1 of 2 “selling risk” or “hedging”. It is very common in the business world. For example, Southwest Airlines could lose a lot of money if …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 20, 2024 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd Street, Room 1101, Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Michael Nahas called the Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting to order at 6:37 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance in Person: Raquel Valdez Sanchez (3), Michael Nahas (4), Luis Osta Lugo (8), Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Benjamin Salazar (2), Kelsey Hitchingham (10), Laura Dixon (Mayor) Absent: Tina Cannon (9), Christiana Ponder (1), Amy Noel (7) Vacancy: District 5, District 6 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on February 21, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of February 21, 2024, were approved on Commissioner Osta Lugo’s motion, Commissioner Valdez Sanchez’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Cannon, Ponder, and Noel were absent. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 2. Updates from the Jobs, Procurement, and Infrastructure working groups. At the commission’s February 21, 2024 meeting, the working groups were asked to contribute to the commission’s budget recommendation to City Council (Agenda Item 3). The Procurement and Infrastructure working groups were not able to meet since the February 21, 2024 meeting; they have no updates. Update from the Jobs working group (Commissioners Nahas, Valdez Sanchez, Salazar): they met yesterday to discuss potential budget recommendations, talked mostly about City Council’s proposed resolution for an Austin 1 Infrastructure Academy, whose goal is to train people in construction and infrastructure jobs. They also discussed the Austin Urban Technology Movement, which offers training in the technology industry and is a potential speaker at a future commission meeting. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discuss and approve the commission’s recommendation to City Council for the City’s FY 2024-2025 budget. Vice Chair Nahas shared with the commission potential budget recommendations related to renters, retirement programs, and sales-tax income. During this agenda item Commissioner Dixon moved off the virtual dais, creating a loss of quorum, so the commission did not take action on any potential recommendation and moved on to the remaining discussion-only items. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Discuss entrepreneur-in-residence programs at universities and how these programs can foster and retain talent locally. Commissioner Osta Lugo led discussion on the limited availability of these types of programs, the potential for them to be used in Austin for international students to …
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 …
Regular Called Meeting of the Economic Prosperity Commission Wednesday, January 17, 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 Sabine Romero at the Economic Development Department: cesar.garza@austintexas.gov and sabine.romero@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) Vacant, 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 2. Presentation by Raul Alvarez regarding the Community Advancement Network and how this organization expands economic opportunities for the Austin area. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 3. Updates from Jobs, Procurement, and Infrastructure working groups on established focus for each group and initial findings specific to the working group. 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 Cesar Garza at the Economic Development Department, at 512-974-8055, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission, please contact Cesar Garza and Stephanie Calderon at the Economic Development Department, at cesar.garza@austintexas.gov and stephanie.calderon@austintexas.gov or 512-974-8055 (Cesar Garza).
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.
COMMUNITY INTEREST MEETING Economic Prosperity Commission Community Interest Announcement End of Year Celebration Wednesday December 14, 2022 at 6:30p.m. Easy Tiger 3508 S Lamar Blvd Suite 200, Austin, TX 78704 A quorum may be present. No official business will take place. For information please contact: Nydia Castillo (512) 974-6452 (Nydia.castillo@austintexas.gov) Or Michelle Clemons (512) 974-2713 (michelle.Cemons@austintexas.gov)
REGULAR MEETING of the Economic Prosperity Commission October 19, 2022, 6:30 pm Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101 301 W. 2nd Street Some members of the Economic Prosperity Commission 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 please contact Michelle Clemons, michelle.clemons@austintexas.gov , 512-974-2713 or Nydia Castillo, Nydia.castillo@austintexas.gov, 512-974-6452. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS Nathan Ryan, Chair Shayna Brown Christiana Ponder Preston Tom Amy Noel Kelsey Hitchingham AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Kirsha Haverlah, Vice Chair Vacant- District 3 Michael D Nahas Will Townsend Ryan Kurtz The first speakers signed up prior to October 18t 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 meeting on September 21st meeting. STAFF BRIEFINGS Font Size: 12; Font: Times New Roman; Font Style: Regular 2. Staff briefing regarding new commissioner members. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Discussion and possible action for 2023 Meeting Schedule 3. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES Update from Intercommision working Group Updated from Joint Sustainability Commission member report Update from Reproductive health working group 4. 5. 6. 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 Michelle Clemons at 512-974-2713, michelle.clemons@austintexas.gov at Economic Development Department, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission please contact Michelle Clemons, michelle.clemons@austintexas.gov or Nydia Castillo, Nydia.castillo@austintexas.gov, 512-974-6452. 512-974-2713 , Font Size: 12; Font: Times New Roman; Font Style: Regular
A Holistic Work Program for long-term unhoused residents of East Austin. Chase Wright Executive Director chase@springdaleparkneighbors.org 512-621-1510 New Website: https://springdaleparkneighbors.com (note – it is .com not .org) Mission/Vision We support East Austin residents on their re-entry journey from unhoused to self-sufficient citizens through a holistic multi-tiered work/apprenticeship program. We seek to establish SPN as a new and more effective model for addressing long-term homelessness that can be replicated within our city, our state, and eventually our country. It is hard work putting people to work. But no one is beyond help and everyone can be productive if given the right opportunities and support. Hidden Barriers keep people homeless The unhoused population we work with have many barriers to participating in normal society exasperated by mental health problems and substance abuse. The City funds a multitude of services but makes little progress, year-over-year, in actually helping people find a way out of the poverty trap they are stuck in. To many social workers, it feels that they are throwing a life vest to a drowning man who tells them they would rather keep swimming. Our peers think the problem is lack of coordination between services. We have a different opinion. The current system doesn’t have a way to establish a relationship that motivates change because help comes from outside the community. SPN’s Relationship-First Holistic Solution SPN has taken a holistic approach to rehabilitating each homeless individual - mind, body, and soul. What works for one homeless individual will not work for all. Because we have an ongoing employment relationship with our clients, we can help them address the barriers that the long-term unhoused face when seeking regular employment: appearance and hygiene, lack of ID/address/phone/bank account, inability to focus due to hunger, work habits, and mental issues / substance abuse. Ultimately, this enables our clients to find their way back into society. We show them by example that hard work is rewarded and that they are capable of working hard. Program Progression Community Services Watershed Cleanup s l a i t n e s s E • Breakfast and Lunch for anyone who shows up to at our work site. • Dinner will be added when funding permits. • Free clothing – durable outfits purchase from Goodwill in bulk. • Laundry – Washing performed while people work. • Showers – Manned and monitored safe space to take a shower. We encourage change …
Economic Prosperity Commission September 21, 2022, 6:30pm Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101 Some members of the COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by 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. To register please contact Michelle Clemons, michelle.clemons@austintexas.gov , 512-974- 2713 or Nydia Castillo, Nydia.castillo@austintexas.gov, 512-974-6452. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1. OPENING REMARKS: Introduction of members and staff liaison Commissioners: Rachel Green- Mayor’s Appointee, Larry Anazia - District 1; Kirsha Haverlah District 2, Alexis Taylor -District 3, Michael Nahas- District 4, Preston Tom- District 5, Will Townsend- District 6, Amy Noel- District 7, Nathan Ryan- District 8, Vacant- District 9, Kelsey Hitchingham -District 10. Staff: Michelle Clemons, Nydia Castillo PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES from August 2022, Meeting 2. OLD BUSINESS a. None 3. NEW BUSINESS b. Welcome and new commission member introductions c. Refresher on focus areas from Q2, 2022, survey c. Working group reports: i. Working Group Report ii. Intercommission Working Group Report iii. Joint Sustainability Commission Member Report iv. Reproductive health working group 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 Michelle Clemons at Economic Development Department, at (512-974-2713), for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission, please contact Michelle Clemons at (Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2713).
REGULAR CALLED MEETING of the ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION August 17, 2022, 6:30pm City of Austin Permitting and Development Center 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION 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 Michelle Clemons at (michelle.Clemons@AustinTexas.gov or 512.974.2713). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Nathan Ryan, Chair, District 8 Vacant, District 1 Vacant, District 3 Preston Tom, District 5 Amy Noel, District 7 Vacant, Mayor’s Appointee CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Kirsha Haverlah, Vice Chair, District 2 Vacant, District 4 Will Townsend, District 6 Ryan Kurtz, District 9 Kelsey Hitchingham, District 10 Speakers signed up prior to August 16th 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 REGULAR MEETING on July 20, 2022. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and possible actions related to 2022 agenda focuses based on EPC commissioner survey results. 3. Discussion and possible action for creation of additional working groups if needed. Font Size: 12; Font: Times New Roman; Font Style: Regular WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES Discussion and possible action for Update of Intercommission Working Group Discussion and possible action on new Economic Prosperity Recommendation Joint Sustainability Commission representative and alternate. WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS EPC commissioner survey results related to 2022 agenda focuses 4. 5. 6. 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 Michelle Clemons at Economic Development Department, at (512.974.2713), for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission, please contact Michelle Clemons at (michelle.Clemons@AustinTexas.gov or 512.974.2713). Font Size: 12; Font: Times New Roman; Font Style: Regular
1. 2. REGULAR CALLED MEETING of the ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION July 20, 2022, 6:30pm Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101 301 W. 2nd St. AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION 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, July 19th, is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Michelle Clemons at (michelle.Clemons@AustinTexas.gov or 512.974.2713). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Nathan Ryan, Chair, District 8 Larry Anazia, District 1 Alexis Taylor, District 3 Preston Tom, District 5 Amy Noel, District 7 Vacant, Mayor’s Appointee CALL TO ORDER Kirsha Haverlah, Vice Chair, District 2 Vacant, District 4 Will Townsend, District 6 Ryan Kurtz, District 9 Kelsey Hitchingham, District 10 AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speakers signed up prior to July 19th 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 Approve the minutes of the COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING on June 15, 2022. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS EMS pay recommendation draft Font Size: 12; Font: Times New Roman; Font Style: Regular WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES (Discussion & possible action) 3. 4. City of Austin 2022-2023 budget from the Commissioners Update from Intercommission Committee representatives Update from EPC representative Alexis Taylor on the Joint Sustainability Commission a. Rain to River Presentation b. Zero Waste and Circular Economy Presentation c. Austin Regional Food Plan d. Fayette Power Plant Recommendation Update from Reproductive Health Working Group 5. WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS (Discussion & possible action) EPC commissioner survey results related to 2022 agenda focuses Report of recommendations by Joint Suitability Committee Report of recommendations for Joint Cultural Committee Creation of additional working groups if needed. 6. 7. 8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 9. 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 Michelle Clemons at Economic Development Department, at (512.974.2713), for …
