City Council

Thursday, June 5, 2025, 10 a.m. (Austin time), Austin City Hall, 301 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701

Video of the meeting

On the agenda

Roll-call votes

Transcript

0:04 You are watching a meeting of the Austin City Council with Mayor Kirk Watson, Mayor pro, tim Vanessa

0:13 Fuentes, council members Natasha Harper Madison, José velazquez, che bayla, Ryan Alter, crystal lane, Mike Siegel, Paige Ellis, zoe

0:36 cadre, mark uchin, city attorney deborah thomas, city clerk erica brady, and city manager tc broad.

0:56 Well, good morning everybody.

0:57 It's 10 o'clock in the morning, actually just turned to 10 0 1.

1:01 Uh, so we'll be precise.

1:02 Ten oh one, and I'll call to order the Austin City Council meeting for this regular scheduled meeting of the

1:07 City Council on June 5th, 2025.

1:10 Um, what I will do is walk, by the way, we're meeting in City Council chambers, which are

1:16 located in City Hall at 3 0 1 west second street, and we have all the, the council members.

1:21 We have, we have a, a quorum of the council members present.

1:24 Um, what I'll do first is I'll walk through the order of the day and then we will,

1:30 uh, get right down to some of the business.

1:32 Uh, I'll read changes and corrections into the record.

1:35 And then what we will do is counsel, we're at that point in time where, uh, just before,

1:41 uh, the summer hits, we draw seats for where the council will sit.

1:46 Yeah. Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.

1:48 Council Member bailey, what was it?

1:49 You said? Uh, we're a package deal.

1:55 Well, actually, the three of us are, you know, at any, the chair will entertain a motion at

2:00 any point in time to stop doing this if anybody wants to do that.

2:03 But what we'll do is, we'll, uh, uh, most everybody knows it and apparently some people, uh, oppose

2:08 it. Uh, but we're, uh, we'll draw where people sit when we come back, and I'll talk more

2:13 about that in a second.

2:15 Uh, we will then go to our consent agenda members.

2:18 I wanna mention a couple of things with regard to the consent agenda.

2:21 Item number, and, and this will also be in changes and corrections, but I'll, I'll emphasize it.

2:26 Item number 23 has been withdrawn.

2:29 Item 55 has been postponed.

2:31 Item 66 has been postponed.

2:34 Item 70 has been withdrawn.

2:37 Item, uh, did I say 67?

2:39 I need to say 67 has been withdrawn, and item 71 has been been withdrawn.

2:45 If anybody is going to, the way we'll do that, of course, is we will hear from consent

2:48 speakers, uh, we will then vote on the consent agenda.

2:52 Uh, prior to that, we will have discussion from council members.

2:57 I have one person that has told me that they wanna speak on the consent agenda.

3:00 I know that is shy, a couple of folks.

3:04 Uh, so please let me know.

3:06 Uh, I always try to put on the message board that if you wanna do that, you can

3:09 let me know in advance.

3:10 But, um, apparently nobody reads my message board post anymore.

3:13 The one who has no, the one I have is not you.

3:16 Um, so, yeah, and, and, and most folks don't call it out on the diocese that they haven't

3:21 been doing that. So, um, thank you.

3:23 Council Member lane. Uh, we will, we will pause around 10 30 or so to have an Austin

3:27 housing finance corporation board of directors meeting on con non-consent items, uh, for the public purposes.

3:35 Some items are not pulled from the consent agenda.

3:37 They're just by our rules non-consent.

3:40 Those include imminent domain items and public hearing items.

3:43 The items that we have a public hearing on members, items on the imminent domain, which are items

3:48 88 and 89. Both of those items have been withdrawn, so we will not have those items.

3:54 Uh, at noon. Uh, we will go to our time, certain public communications, uh, I anticipate that we

4:01 will recess around 1230, uh, for live music, uh, with us reconvening at around one 10.

4:08 And then at two o'clock, we have our two o'clock time certain members.

4:13 I'm gonna now read changes and corrections into the record.

4:16 Items 23 67, 71, 88, 89,

4:22 and one 18 are withdrawn.

4:25 Item 55 is postponed to July 24th, 2025.

4:30 Item number 66, postponed to September 25th, 2025.

4:36 Item number 70, withdrawn by staff.

4:39 Item number 92 and 95 should read when public hearings are taken up.

4:45 These items will be postponed to July 24th, 2025.

4:51 Item number 23, when the should read, when public hearings are taken up, this item will be postponed

4:57 to September 25th, 2025. Items number one, 13 and one 14 should read just district one, and you should delete.

5:08 And district nine on the Austin housing finance corporation board of directors meeting item 0 0 4 should read postponed

5:17 until July 24th, 2025 members, we don't have any items that have been pulled from the consent agenda.

5:27 Now with that being said, as I indicated, every six months, the council rotate seats on the dais.

5:33 As a reminder, the Mayor pro tim, has a permanent seat to the left of the city attorney.

5:38 So what we're gonna do is now I'll ask the clerk, uh, to walk the dais and ask

5:43 you to pull a numbered card.

5:45 Please read the number you select into the record so that we can capture that information.

5:49 These, uh, by the way, these new seats will go from effective July, 2025 through December, 2025, uh, in the

5:56 council chambers. And for the record, and people that are paying attention to this in the chambers, seat

6:01 number one is on the west end of the dais, near the clerk's desk.

6:06 And I will ask Council Member Ellis, what seat did you draw?

6:10 I drew seat number nine.

6:11 Nine. I'm already gone.

6:14 You already gone, Mayor.

6:15 I'm already gone. I'd like to amend this when we're done.

6:18 <Laugh>. Well, we'll talk about it.

6:19 Council Member Siegel? Uh, three.

6:21 Three. Council Member uchin.

6:24 Eight. Eight. Uh, did somebody draw for you?

6:28 You drew? Tell, tell us what Council Member Harper Madison drew.

6:30 Council Member Harper Madison is one.

6:32 Okay. How about you?

6:34 Council Member cadry? I am three.

6:35 I'm staying where I am.

6:36 Uh, number five. Yeah, I'm staying number five.

6:39 Alright, um, Council Member lane.

6:42 Two, two. Council Member walter.

6:45 Seven. Well, you, you stay in this place.

6:48 Yeah. Six six. And the, the, the man who, who's cried out when I said we were gonna

6:56 do this today, but, uh, district four is in seat four.

6:59 Oh, that works out well.

7:00 That'd be something you can remember.

7:01 Good deal. All right, so let me just read these out quickly.

7:04 Seat one, uh, has drawn nine.

7:07 Council Member. Council Member Ellis has drawn nine.

7:10 Uh, Council Member Siegel has drawn three, I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?

7:13 Okay. Uh, uh, Council Member uchin is eight Council Member Harper Madison will be in seat one.

7:18 Council Member cadre in five.

7:20 Council Member lane in two.

7:22 Council Member Alter in seven.

7:24 Council Member Velásquez in six.

7:25 And Council Member Vela in four.

7:28 All right, well done everybody.

7:30 We have, uh, be cool if somebody wants to move to adjourn.

7:36 <Laugh>. Yeah, there you go.

7:39 All right. With that, we will go to the consent agenda.

7:43 Uh, as I indicated, no items have been pulled on the consent agenda.

7:46 I will turn to the clerk's office to help us by calling out speakers.

7:52 Uh, with regard to the consent agenda,

7:59 first speaker is remote for item one, jennifer robic chow.

8:12 Jennifer, are you there?

8:13 Can you please unmute?

8:14 Good morning, members. Yes, I am sorry.

8:17 Thank you. Um, good morning, members of City Council.

8:20 I apologize. I'm not attending in person, but I'm interrupting my vacation to call in today to speak.

8:25 I expect many wish they could be here too, but couldn't because of the timing.

8:29 I speak for thousands of austinite opposing the $5.8 million contract.

8:33 Siah woolfolk, a new york based artist for the a dia tunnel art project.

8:38 This high profile installation will greet millions of annual travelers representing austin's identity.

8:44 I urge you to reject this contract and prioritize local artists to reflect our city's values and keep

8:49 taxpayer dollars. Here. Feedback from countless residents show strong demand for local artists at a bia aligning with

8:56 the 2018 art in public places, public arts master plan, which calls for art.

9:00 That's uniquely Austin, the selection process, a limited entry competition.

9:05 Competition invited 46 artists, only five eligible from texas.

9:10 Yet neither the primary nor alternate picks are texan.

9:14 This $5.8 million contract, 32% of the airport art budget dwarfs the 3% allocated for Austin artists, local artists,

9:23 live pay taxes, and spend here strengthening their economy.

9:26 Sending funds out of state weakens our community.

9:30 The arts commission unelected doesn't represent voters.

9:33 You do. Austin is the only unesco city of media art in the united states.

9:38 Selecting an out-of-state artist suggests that our talent isn't worthy of this honor.

9:43 The closed selection process deviates from national open call standards for public art, and the proposed work May

9:48 clash with global values risking offense to diverse travelers.

9:53 The million spent on selection isn't wasted.

9:55 It's an investment in the right choice, and this isn't the right choice.

9:59 This permanent installation will shape austin's reputation for decades.

10:03 People flock here for our unique culture, not to see us mimic other cities.

10:07 Austin must stay. Austin, please vote no on this contract.

10:11 Send it back to the arts commission and demand local artists for our airport tunnel.

10:15 Protect our identity and keep our dollars local.

10:18 Thank you. Thank you very much.

10:23 Julian reyes, item one.

10:33 No one's moving. Okay, I have julie and reyes for number two as well.

10:40 When the clerk calls your name.

10:42 If you're here, please uh, move forward and take one of the front row seats, uh, so that

10:48 we'll know you're here.

10:49 But I don't believe, uh, julian rays is here.

10:52 Okay. I have jennifer au again on item two as well.

11:05 Jennifer, did you wanna speak to item two, ms.

11:08 Roba? I did. Um, yes.

11:11 One second please. Alright, uh, thank you again for giving me another opportunity to speak.

11:17 I urge you to vote no on the $2.4 million contract to jim campbell, who is a san francisco

11:22 based artist for the art installation at the tunnel interface at the Austin airport.

11:27 This decision is about protecting austin's identity and supporting our local economy.

11:32 I've gathered feedback from numerous community members who support public art want local artists featured at the airport.

11:39 The Austin airport is austin's first impression reflecting our creative, diverse, and friendly spirit.

11:44 Local artists best capture this.

11:46 Yet the arts commission chose an out-of-state artists through the limited limited entry competition where only five of

11:52 22 eligible were local.

11:54 The a us arts plan emphasized keeping it Austin and promoting cultural tourism.

11:59 But the $2.4 million contract, which is 13% of the airport art budget, sends taxpayer dollars out of state

12:06 san francisco's art budget, d divorce, ours, and we shouldn't subsidize their artists when our own are ready,

12:10 embedded the unelected art permission choice overlooks austin's status as the only unesco city of media arts in

12:17 the united states. This is misguided.

12:19 Our talent is globally celebrated.

12:22 The invitation only selection process isn't standard either.

12:25 Open calls are customary for public projects, yet neither the primary nor alternate artists are texan.

12:31 The proposed artwork is permanent installation risk clashing with texas values and global perspectives misrepresenting Austin.

12:38 For decades, people flock to Austin for 18 meet culture not to see us mimic other cities.

12:43 The millions spent on selection isn't wasted.

12:45 It's an investment in the right contract, and this isn't the right contract.

12:50 You the council represent Austin voters and must ensure austin's interest.

12:55 Local artists would reinvest its money boosting our economy.

12:58 Please vote no, send this back to the arts commission and demand local talent for our airport.

13:05 Thank you. Thank you mr.

13:07 Robach, how you also signed up for item three.

13:09 Did you wanna speak to item three?

13:13 Yes, ma'am. So, uh, I appreciate the opportunity to represent the thousands of austinites who love our city

13:19 and our unique culture.

13:20 And I'm here to urge you to vote no on the $2.4 million contract to event mayorga a chicago

13:26 based artist for the art installation at the tunnel interface at the Austin airport.

13:30 Send this back to the arts commission and prioritize local artists.

13:34 Community feedback is clear, most disliked this artist's portfolio completely and ins system on local artists for our

13:40 airport. The a us arts program aims to celebrate the spirit of Austin, yet the selection of the

13:47 yvette mayorga, whose work explicitly focuses on themes like feminized labor and radicalized oppression through provocative aesthetics feels