JIC Approved Minutes Regular Meeting - October 25th, 2023 — original pdf

Approved Minutes

JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES (25.10.2023) JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) REGULAR MEETING MINUTES The JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE convened a REGULAR meeting on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25th, 2023 at 3:00 P.M. CST, in AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM 301 W. 2ND STREET, AUSTIN, TX 78701 Chair AMANDA AFIFI called the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE Meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Hispanic/Latino Quality-of-Life Resource Advisory Committee: Amanda Afifi (Chair) Commission on Aging: Richard Bondi (Co-Chair) LGBTQ Quality-of-Life Commission: Charles Curry Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: African American Resource Advisory Committee: Serita Fontanesi Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission: Hannah Huang Early Childhood Council: Leonor Vargas and Eliza Gordon (alternate) Hispanic/Latino Quality-of-Life Resource Advisory Commission: Ivana Neri Human Rights Commission: Morgan Davis and Muneeb “Meebs” Aslam (alternate) LBGTQ Quality-of-Life Commission: Melissa Taylor (alternate) Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities: Jennifer Powell and Lira Ramirez (alt.) Commissioners Absent: African American Resource Advisory Committee: Antonio Ross Staff in Attendance: Equity Office, Community Services Program Coordinator – Alejandra Mireles Equity Office, Business Process Consultant – Jeremy Garza (virtually) Austin Public Health, Staff Liaison Commission on Aging – Halana Kaleel (virtually) Economic Development Services, Staff Liaison LGBTQ – Alyssa Para Office of Civil Rights, Staff Liaison Human Rights Commission – Damian Pantoja (virt.) Office of Civil Rights, Staff Liaison Commission for Women – Tabitha Taylor (virtually) Austin Police Department, Community Liaison – Catherine Haggerty (virtually) 1  (25.10.2023) None. JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten 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 COMMITTEE’s REGULAR MEETING on SEPTEMBER 27th, 2023. Editing for the correct spelling of COMMISSIONER LEONOR VARGAS’ name, the minutes from the meeting of 09/27/2023 were approved on COMMISSIONER JULIE GLASSER’s motion, COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI’s second on a (9-0) vote. (Absent: Commissioner Antonio Ross) STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Austin Police Department, Community Liaison – Catherine Haggerty (virtually) present for questions. COMMISSIONER HANNAH HUANG asked about what the community liaison department can do after a shooting, is there more the city can be doing; and where can the community direct requests? CATHERINE HAGGERTY shared that the victim services unit was out there to support the trauma. APD’s staff liaison office is staffed with civilians – people want to know how to keep the staff safe. The best way to feel safe is to talk to the victim services. CATHERINE HAGGERTY can call 311 and say if they are witness, or feeling unsure and unsafe, and 311 will directly forward it to victim services. The actual timeline for a response may be longer than 24 hours. But, if a person is experiencing a mental crisis of any sort, they should call 911 and 911 will call a victim services counselor. As far as long term, more of a training perspective, CATHERINE HAGGERTY shared that a liaison could do trainings for communities and follow up. Also, victim services do not provide news updates until the investigation is complete. COMMISSIONER SERITA FONTANESI asked what the process is going to look like for bringing on a new permanent police chief and how the community can be involved in the hiring process. CATHERING HAGGERTY responded that she does not have that information and that she could forward the question up the chain of command. JIC is always able to reach out via email: Catherine.Haggerty@austintexas.gov. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discussion on the resignation of Chief Chacon and how APD could show up; ask the office of the community liaison to be present (Sponsored by Commissioner Serita Fontanesi.) APD Community Liaison, Catherine M. Haggerty present to assist. 2 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES (25.10.2023) Follow up conversation from staff briefing, should Commission request OPO, office of police oversight request to visit the Commission. COMMISSIONER JENNIFER POWELL expressed the importance of meeting with a staff member in person. Commission asked if the police oversight department, or interim city manager, should visit the JIC. Discussion from Commissioner Daniela Silva on the CIB’s FY24 requests and follow ups. COMMISSIONER DANIELA SILVA (from the Hispanic/Latino Quality-of-Life Resource Advisory Commission), presented a comparative analysis of recommendations made to what how city council approved the budget. Clear that there were a lot of recommendations made by city council; but the list represents those connected to the Community Input Budget. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY asked if emergency stabilization funds was a onetime thing (tenant stabilization helps people pay things that are not specifically related to rent). COMMISSIONER LEONOR VARGAS expressed gratitude and asked about community lead crisis response. COMMISSIONER DANIELA SILVA shared that the crisis funds came from those organizations on the ground doing charity work; there is a huge gap that exists between with the city’s ability to support the houseless compared to those who are volunteers. For example, the Austin Mobile Loaves with a heated mobile unit. There are community organizations who need financial support (people burn out). COMMISSIONER SERITA FONTANESI thanked Daniela for her work and asked where to learn more about the entire community investment budget and COMMISSIONER DANIELA SILVA shared that more information can be found on the equity action website. It is available to the public online. Discussion on the upcoming JIC Budget Workshops: “Investing in Community – Joint Inclusion Town Halls.” Commission debriefed about the first two JIC Budget Town Halls. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY asked about the purpose of the workshop, community input or budget education? He shared that the Budget Office does a great job, but could the focus be the timeline; COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY suggestion, is that we may not necessarily need the Budget Office. Follow up on the budget report request made from the first JIC Budget Town Hall, need a report on what gets done after the budget is passed. What about the budget report on what departments did the money. COMMISSIONER SERITA FONTANESI asked if the JIC could make budget recommendations for specific departments and then how can the JIC keep track on what happens to recommendations. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3 4. 5. JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 6. Discussion and possible action to affirm JIC regular meeting dates for 2024. The motion to approve the JIC regular meeting dates for 2024 was approved on COMMISIONER RICHARD BONDI’s motion, COMMISSIONER REBECCA AUSTEN’s second on a (9-0) vote. (Absent: Commissioner Antonio Ross) (25.10.2023) 8. Discussion about the Commission on Aging Recommendation’s regarding past budget recommendations (which recommendations are completed, how much money is allocated for the recommendations, and which department or staff are tasked with carrying out the recommendation) and possible action to write a similar JIC Recommendation. COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI shared the Commission on Aging’s Recommendation and COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY suggested adding or making a new one about access to information as to how the program is being implemented, like success matrixes; STAFF LIAISON JEREMY GARZA asked who we could follow up with for a staff briefing: procurement/budget office. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY moves to postpone the conversation and COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI seconds without objection. Discussion about recent appointments by Interim City Manager Jesus Garza and possible action to pass a JIC Recommendation to City Council on appointments and hiring (city executives and directors). Example: focused on hiring a permanent city manager; transparency (including community input) for the choices the Interim City Manager has made so far; and what is the progress for the other, high number, empty executive positions that are vacant/filled with interims. COMMISSIONER AMANDA AFIFI shared an updated from the Hispanic/Latino Quality-of-Life Resource Advisory Commission regarding requesting HR to come and speak to the Commissioner about hiring plans. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY moves to postpone the conversation and COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI seconds without objection. Discussion about City process for following up how vendor’s use money given. Possible action of requesting a staff update from the Housing Department in December or January about the data tracking. Commission requests STAFF LIAISON ALEJANDRA MIRELES to request a staff briefing from the housing department in January or February. Discussion about city food initiatives through the Department of Sustainability for possible action of requesting a staff update from the Department of Sustainability. The Commission requests a staff briefing on the city food initiative through the Office of Sustainability. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 11. Discussion and possible action on the new workgroup nominations for a JIC Guiding Document. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY moved to approve the appointments of COMMISSIONERS SERITA FONTANESI, RICHARD BONDI, AND MORGAN 4 7. 9. 10. JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES (25.10.2023) DAVIS; and COMMISSIONER SERITA FONTANESI seconds on a (9-0) vote approval. (Absent: Commissioner Antonio Ross) 12. Action/updates on the current workgroups and membership of the workgroups. (Housing, Quality-of-Life, Guiding Document, & Budget) WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS None. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Write a recommendation about what demographic data that each commission would like to see. Possible discussion for making all COA meetings hybrid (unless otherwise noted by law) because Austin is supposed to be a sustainable city and so many meetings are 100% in person; they pay for mileage. Possible city staff briefings from office police oversight; APD, Housing, Sustainability. Staff briefing from CPIO on Language Access Audit in December. ADJOURNMENT: 5:08 The minutes were approved at the DECEMBER 6, 2023 meeting on COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY’S motion, COMMISSIONER NAYER SIKDER’S second on a 7-0 vote. 5