Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) MEETING MINUTES 01.24.2024 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) REGULAR MEETING MINUTES The JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE convened a REGULAR meeting on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24th, 2024 at 3:00 P.M. CST in the CITY OF AUSTIN at the Boards and Commission Rooms #1101 in City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701). Chair AMANDA AFIFI called the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission: Amanda Afifi (Chair) Commission on Aging: Richard Bondi (Co-Chair) LGBTQ Quality of life Commission: Charles Curry Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission: Nayer Sikder and Hanna Huang Commission for Women: Rebecca Austen Commission on Immigrant Affairs: Melissa Ortega Early Childhood Council: Leonor Vargas Human Rights Commission: Morgan Davis Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities: Lira Ramirez and Jennifer Powell Commissioners Absent: African American Resource Advisory Commission: Serita Fontanesi & Antonio Ross Staff in Attendance: Equity Office, Community Services Program Coordinator – Alejandra Mireles PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the COMMITTEE’s REGULAR MEETING on DECEMBER 6TH 2023. The DECEMBER 6th, 2023 meeting minutes were approved on COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY’s motion, COMMISSIONER MORGAN DAVIS’ second, on a 1 3. JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) MEETING MINUTES 01.24.2024 8-0 vote (Absent: Commissioner Serita Fontanesi and Antonio Ross; off the dais: Commissioner Leonor Vargas) DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion and follow up on City Executive Leadership vacancies and hirings. COMMISSIONER AMANDA AFIFI shares that a small panel met with the deputy city manager position and the panel recommended two of the three candidates. No update on that position since then. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG shares that the airport has hired internally – AARCC member is moving to a manager position. Some appointments may be happening; and the chronicle reported that there is an executive session with the interim city manager next week and then we may hear more after. COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI reminds the Commission that this discussion item stems from the possibility of having action on this and what are people thinking about possible action moving forward. A discussion of a proposed housing workshop for quality of life Commissions and their Housing Workgroups, facilitated and presented by the City's Housing Department, to provide Commissions and Commission Housing Workgroups information on housing programs and respond to questions. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY gives the Commission background information from the LGBTQ Quality-of-Life Commission that is working with the housing department, specifically with its housing workgroup. The LGBTQ Quality- of-Life Commission identified a complexity of housing issues and shared that the department didn’t have sufficient time when presenting to the Commission. COMMISSIONER CURRY asks the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE if anyone would be interested in a “Commissioner Workshop” with the housing department. If there is sufficient interest, the Commission could post a Community Interest Announcement. COMMISSIONERS HUANG and CURRY share that the follow discussions with the housing department would be from last year’s information, including the organizational chart, list of programs with third party contracts like nonprofits; and how these are evaluated/marketed. COMMISSIONER CURRY shares that another area of interest for the LGBTQ Commission is the source of funding (federal funding/general funding and budget recommendation purposes) because a big change in federal funding – and the workgroups need to know which programs are about to lose funding; including who is being served in the program. COMMISSIONER HUANG shares that the Commission could also follow up from feedback from last year, that the department couldn’t give the Commission answers on demographic collection and demographic information as it relates to programs and services. COMMISSIONERS RICHARD BONDI (Aging), LEONOR VARGAS (Early Childhood Council and Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life), HANNA HUANG (Asian American Quality of Life), and JENNIFER POWELL (Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities) would be interested in a commissioner workshop with the housing department. 2 5. JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) MEETING MINUTES 4. 01.24.2024 Discussion on including/inviting the Commission on Veteran Affairs in the JIC. COMMISSIONER AMANDA AFIFI shares that she is still in progress in connecting with the Commission. No other update. Discussion on all upcoming Quality of Life Commission Budget Recommendations. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY shares that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission is working on budget recommendations for emergency housing and mental health. COMMISSIONER REBECCA AUSTEN shares that the Commission for Women are working on budget recommendations, including more funding for the COA’s sexual assault team. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG shares that the Asian American Quality of Life Commission is exploring previous years recommendations and would like to the JIC to write a recommendation regarding further maintenance, support, resources for the city’s cooling/heating centers, (that the recommendation could then be returned to their other Commissions). COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI shares that the Commission on Aging is working on budget recommendations for emergency services and try to increase the number of ER kits and outreach on older adults/and those who serve them as to what resources (including emergency housing) are available for them; other topics such as supporting UpTogether’s family stabilizing grants, follow up COMMISSIONER AMANDA AFIFI shares that the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission is considering looking at recommendations from last year that were funded, more funding for mental health services for young people, looking at the GAVA and Community Investment Budget, and looking at the family stabilization grants. No other Commissions share their budget recommendations. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Discussion and possible action item on writing a JIC Recommendation for a City of Austin Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in the Middle East or on writing a JIC Recommendation that is similar to the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission’s Recommendation on Combating Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Anti- Arab Sentiments in the City of Austin and promoting a peaceful resolution for all. COMMISSIONER MUNEED ASLAM shares background information on the Human Rights Recommendation. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG shares the background of the Asian American Quality of Life recommendations. Commissions discuss points of order and ability to read the recommendation out loud into the record. COMMISSIONER REBECCA AUSTEN shares that many things impact Austinites, and we do not always post a recommendation. COMMISSIONER JENNIFER POWELL shares that although she is antiwar and is not in agreeing; COMMISSIONER MELISSA ORTEGA thanks COMMISSIONER ASLAM for continuing the discussion around the topic. COMMISSIONER POWELL also thanks COMMISSIONER ASLAM COMMISSIONER AUSTEN asks if it is possible that we write a similar recommendation, and not include the language around a ceasefire. COMMISSIONER AUSTEN suggests splitting the recommendation into two separate recommendations, one regarding anti-hate and one regarding the cease- 3 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) MEETING MINUTES 01.24.2024 fire, so each could be considered on its own. COMMISSIONER CHARLES CURRY shares support for action against discrimination towards the community and would not support a recommendation that includes a ceasefire. COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI shares that the status quo is to allow persecution which is why the Commission should consider speaking up. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG circles back to the We All Belong campaign and that it may not have as much as support or impact as the campaign intends to. COMMISSIONER MORGAN DAVIS reads the Human Rights Recommendation. The motion for the JIC to adopt the Human Rights Commission Recommendation DOES NOT PASS on COMMISSIONER ISLAM’s motion, COMMISSIONER ORTEGA’s second on a 5-4 vote. (For: COMMISSIONERS HUANG, BONDI, ORTEGA, AFIFI, and DAVIS; Not For: COMMISSIONERS AUSTEN, VARGAS, CURRY, and POWELL). Discussion and possible action for a Recommendation for the creation of a Commission for Indigenous Persons that includes reaching out to connect with the Indigenous Cultures Institute and Great Promise for American Indians and ensures feedback from the Texas Tribal Contact List that was provided by Rocio Villalobos (Immigrant Affairs Manager, Equity Office). COMMISSIONER RICHARD BONDI shares that he heard from one group from the Texas Tribal Contact List. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG shares that the JIC could explore the city charter that would allow for the creation, and that council would need to think of a mechanism of engaging indigenous leaders. Commission discussion ends with returning to the item in a future agenda. Discussion and possible action of electing members for the JIC’s Housing, Guiding Document, and Budget Workgroups. HOUSING WORKGROUP for writing a housing study of availability of equitable housing in the City by September 30th adds COMMISSIONERS CURRY and AFIFI. GUIDING DOCUMENT WORKGROUP by September 30th adds COMMISSIONER BONDI and HUANG BUDGET WORKGROUP for budget recommendations by March 31st and status of recommendations by the end of August adds COMMISSIONERS CURRY, BONDI, and HUANG. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Possible Recommendation for transparent hiring. Amending the JIC ordinance recommendation if allowed to include the Commission on Veteran’s affairs. Possibly inviting Austin Energy for a staff briefing on emergency management. Creating a workgroup for demographic information. 4 7. 8. JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) MEETING MINUTES 01.24.2024 ADJOURNMENT: 5:17 The minutes were approved at the FEBRUARY 28th, 2024 meeting on COMMISSIONER MORGAN DAVIS’ motion, COMMISSIONER MELISSA TAYLOR’s second on a 10-0 vote. 5