REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026, 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. 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 Ryan Sperling, 512-974-3568, ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Appointment Nicole Tomaszewski Ofelia Zapata Raquel Valdez Sanchez (Vice Chair) Michael Nahas Rodrigo Cantu Shakeel Rashed District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 Commissioner Zain Pleuthner Appointment District 7 VACANT District 8 Aaron Gonzales (Chair) District 9 Aditi Joshi Jake Randall District 10 Mayor 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 December 17, 2025. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. Discussion regarding potential goals and topics for future working groups and recommendations. Discussion regarding upcoming council initiatives relevant to the Economic Prosperity Commission. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Presentation by Commissioner Randall and possible approval of an impact assessment framework and recommendation approval guidelines. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Ryan Sperling at Austin City Clerk’s Office, at 512- 974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov, to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission, please contact Ryan Sperling at 512-974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov.
ECOMNOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2025 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 301 W 2nd St. in Austin, Texas. Chair Gonzales called the Economic Prosperity Commission meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Aaron Gonzales, Chair Aditi Joshi Michael Nahas Zain Pleuthner Jacob Randall Shakeel Rashed Nicole Tomaszewski Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Raquel Valdez Sanchez, Vice-Chair Rodrigo Cantu PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on November 19, 2025. The minutes of the November 19, 2025 regular meeting of the Economic Prosperity Commission was approved on Commissioner Rashed’s motion, Commissioner Randall’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Zapata was absent. 1 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Discussion to deliberate the commission’s priorities over the next six months and timeline goals for recommendations. Discussed. Proposal to create a working group at the next meeting was accepted without objection on Chair Gonzales’ motion, Commissioner Joshi’s second. Presentation by Chair Gonzales training members on policy development and local government toolkits. Discussed. Presentation by Commissioner Randall regarding a tool he created to review policies published by Austin’s peer cities. Discussed. Discussion regarding best practices for speaking to media and external bodies about common business, including the potential to develop special rules of procedure on this topic. Discussed. Proposal to add this item to the working group proposed in item 2. Discussion regarding topics discussed at a recent meeting between the Chair, Vice Chair, and Mayor’s office staff. Discussed. Discussion regarding how commissioners can promote and track the dates and times of events hosted by the City and Council Members. Discussed. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Approve the nomination of an Economic Prosperity Commission alternate representative to the Joint Sustainability Committee. The motion to approve Commissioner Zain Pleuthner as the Economic Prosperity Commission’s alternate Joint Sustainability Committee representative was approved on Chair Gonzales’ motion, Commissioner Nahas second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Zapata was absent. 2 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Creation of a working group that discusses and presents best practices for policy development, commission principles, speaking to media, and commission efficacy. (Gonzales, Joshi) Creation of an event calendar with events hosted by the city and council members. (Gonzales, Nahas) Creation of a public statement from the commission highlighting individual commissioners’ thoughts on the previously passed recommendation …
City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance Executive Summary This document attempts to establish a clear, shared operating framework for the Austin Economic Prosperity Commission to improve consistency, effectiveness, and accountability in its policy work. The document attempts to define how the Commission measures success, how policy ideas should be developed from concept to Council-ready recommendation, and how potential initiatives are evaluated for impact, feasibility, and readiness. By articulating a North Star Metric and a standardized policy development process, the document is intended to support both new and tenured Commissioners in producing high- quality, actionable recommendations that are well-aligned with City priorities and capable of achieving necessary external buy-in. City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 Table of Contents I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Context & Purpose of Document North Star Metric Definition Impact Assessment Framework Phased Policy Development Workflow Policy Recommendation Template Example Policy Recommendation Communications and Representation Guidelines City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 I. Context & Purpose of Document Situational Context: The Economic Prosperity Commission has benefited from the addition of new Commissioners that bring fresh perspectives and expertise. However, newer Commissioners have at times expressed difficulty orienting to the Commission’s core goals, the metrics that define Commission success, and the practical mechanics of forming an initial idea into a well-formed, Council-ready policy recommendation. Historically, the Commission has been unclear on how policy potential is assessed, how Commission success is measured, and how both internal and external policy alignment are achieved. Document Purpose: The purpose of this document is to provide a shared operating context for Commissioners. The document attempts to establish a clear North Star Metric for defining Commission output and success, and it lays out a standardized process for policy development, including a structured rubric for assessing the potential impact, feasibility, and readiness of policy initiatives. The intent is to improve clarity, consistency, and effectiveness across Commission work, while supporting Commissioners in their efforts to produce high-quality, actionable recommendations for City Council and adhering to Commission bylaws. City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 II. North Star Metric Definition Qualified Policy Proposals: The count of unique policy recommendation …
