[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6678083,"mediaKeyId","2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d","parentId",2154651,"title","Task force votes to allow decisions by majority of members present; tables 2025 EIP action and forms engagement work group","audioSeconds",4105,"startMs",891000,"endMs",4996000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d&start=891&end=4996","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d/thumbnail_891000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6678083/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Task-force-votes-to-allow-decisions-by-majority-of-members-present-tables-2025-EIP-action-and-forms-engagement-work-group","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678083-59da0a8852c16ebf1ee203d0d3461e1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140491&Signature=bBYbBm2BNXWuOEFvbLi9gO-0La35Jx-71f-IrK~RmtSeAlOea9mjTvIwlSPoV2nZJB83KRDDgeknKcQLEk7ZkEM3gbYT4TaCJ-Vx~NDlVR7thwB33NFxdw6yit2ksW1GcVnbpBwHr5uQdHqJ4JDi3MRrmQWwo5I2OpRwWFjKO6~1IcGYZTWXtHCsL2Z~9lV8hHlnW48LEFxXvVnoOdMYsVz7FE4rxpluCiP-nv~srXX8TeodlzaC-1SXoNnEX8leNFo~eeBM-pGNbHNVfEbJsi4u0xXuwu~PlvMhDkZm0RkBWtbpkC~~cLXGOvR3zCU~6XLT4E4ln5yqwVp9KSyjrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-01-27T00:00:00Z","article","At its Jan. 9 meeting, the Bond Election Advisory Task Force took several organizational votes and procedural actions.

Approval of minutes: The task force approved the minutes from its Dec. 16 meeting after a motion and second; members voted in favor without additional amendments.

Quorum and voting rule: The task force voted on a motion that \"decisions are made based on a majority of members in attendance at a meeting.\" The motion was seconded (Ben Soderby provided the second), and the chair called the question. Members raised concerns about representation and remote access during discussion. The motion passed.

Tabling action on 2025 Environmental Investment Plan recommendations: The task force considered whether to recommend that Council proceed with November 2025 bond items limited to projects in the Environmental Investment Plan (EIP). After members asked for more information and staff availability for follow‑up, the task force voted to table further action and to request additional staff briefings at a future meeting so members could review documentation before taking a position.

Work session group on community engagement: Members voted to create a work session group focused on community engagement to work with CPIO staff on the outreach plan. The group was formed with initial volunteers and will remain open for additional members; the motion was seconded and approved.

Meeting schedule: The task force formally approved its 2025 meeting schedule as posted on the task force website.

Why it matters: The decisions shape how the task force will function during the accelerated bond calendar. Allowing decisions by a majority of members present (rather than a majority of the full 22‑member body) changes how the task force will reach outcomes on its timeline; tabling the EIP action gives members more time to review staff materials and for staff to provide follow‑up information.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - 2026 Bond Election Advisory Task Force - Jan 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Bond Election Advisory Task Force voted to permit decisions by a majority of members in attendance, tabled action on a 2025 recommendation tied to the Environmental Investment Plan, and formed a short‑term community engagement work session group. The task force also approved minutes and its 2025 meeting schedule.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678086,"East Riverside leaders and Parks Board member urge bond funding for community center, senior center needs",472,224000,696000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d&start=224&end=696","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d/thumbnail_224000.jpg","/articles/6678086/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/East-Riverside-leaders-and-Parks-Board-member-urge-bond-funding-for-community-center-senior-center-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678086-b8f96fd5f7fc277846f3cec38f5cf92f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140491&Signature=VVZwMDl1Wp4HV2vByZWtP0FJ3G1DcyqY66xSxsPH-j1ZTQaEnT1vqP6qz2ViOH4FAWy6y7VNd05Jkjft~D7c1XsZgPrhHXywtfOwJJ~SDf0EOKDldrHjaHWhXWKFNQRbGNUy~U6hwsP4PRy8YYBCk7I8awC~eCYaE8g7vVS92oUS0-9V4g7cNFGHiPQwYX72JHKXcKN-n1ncPGAqeC0naDTO69-kyB2v0m1j5sIzizHUWCAPyCj6uiQ-VaRysmkIE9iHubmxmR-lA9TLI7uajRoQiM8Ey-37ygNTiLbBby4TYhbFNARMr297VOyvh0IWe7p36r6E6ODmAQYuSDhrYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Malcolm Yates, chair of the East Riverside Oldorf Combined Contact Team, told the bond task force on Jan. 9 that the East Riverside neighborhood lacks public meeting space and nearby parks, and urged the task force to recommend adding an East Riverside Community Center to the 2026 bond list.

“My name is Malcolm Yates. I'm chair of the East Riverside Oldorf combined contact team,” Yates said. He described a population with high rental rates, many immigrants and a student body at Linder Elementary School he characterized as “89 Hispanic or African American and is over 90% economically disadvantaged.” (Excerpt from Yates’s prepared remarks was read aloud to the task force.)

Ed Miller, an instructor who ran a reentry program at Austin Community College–Riverside, said many program participants came from East Riverside and emphasized the neighborhood’s lack of public buildings and services. “There’s no rec center. There’s no community center. There’s no library. There’s no place to meet,” Miller said, adding that the absence of meeting space constrains delivery of mental‑health and other services.

Catherine Flowers, the District 4 representative on the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Board, spoke not on behalf of the Parks Board but as a private citizen and urged the task force to consider senior‑center needs in North Austin. Flowers said she had been approached by a seniors group at Gus Garcia Senior Center and that a Parks Board gap study identified North Austin as at risk for limited senior‑center capacity. She referenced a parks board recommendation, citing “20231127‑2,” and said she would provide staff with additional statistics and follow‑up materials from local senior organizers.

Why it matters: Task force members will use community input when considering which projects to prioritize for future bond recommendations. Both speakers requested that specific facilities — an East Riverside community center and expanded senior resources at Gus Garcia — be considered for bond funding and included in outreach materials.

What speakers asked: Yates asked the task force to recommend adding a bond measure to fund an East Riverside Community Center. Flowers asked the task force to consider funding for senior center needs in North Austin and noted the Parks Board's recommendation number for staff reference. Miller urged task force members to invest in community facilities in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty rather than building primarily on the edges of the city.

Follow up: Staff said it can circulate Yates’s presentation slides and other submitted materials; Samuel Veloz, the task force liaison, confirmed staff would send materials to task force members. Flowers said she would forward the parks board recommendation and additional statistics to staff for distribution.","Public commenters at the Bond Election Advisory Task Force meeting urged the task force to add an East Riverside community center and to prioritize space for the Gus Garcia Senior Center in North Austin as part of bond planning.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678091,"City staff outlines community‑engagement plan for 2026 bond; task force asked to help reach underrepresented neighborhoods",2168,943000,3111000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d&start=943&end=3111","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2154651-8174762d95715f0e07e3b7d9db76744d/thumbnail_943000.jpg","/articles/6678091/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/City-staff-outlines-communityengagement-plan-for-2026-bond-task-force-asked-to-help-reach-underrepresented-neighborhoods","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678091-d303c7d999d0763ee36f2d27d0fb2d4d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140491&Signature=Vhi2omxE6s09VqV~KqEHGlFgBixxdF~yOmySsCeCvv2cC8W2bOJvDMJlp-SXxeup9rz~Y8YmWrsPChFsNxSLcWtur3Js4tD-fmyDsYq3J2Gm3KX9fX6z-gF1BBk-DIrzViyJki~MMp9NrE91L5Yjs6-dlCgY0-oRbbcm89r32u7poI7LU1vlaPipn7pA4Pn4wRyw6sjAEBDTeGRq5SYGyOoeTvpSRYGWcahGnEu28MP4bzwNUcC8PyOdnSwHoqQoUPGSNF~AXZm2hoGA-dG7cRO06SkmILl4YZ61Rpu0b2h~yNxkKDzQRIIM2PvegWbnzyvu~vssvuT60Dn8cmohRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jessica King, the City of Austin’s chief communications director, told the Bond Election Advisory Task Force on Jan. 9 that the Communications and Public Information Office (CPIO) will lead a joint communications team to coordinate outreach for the 2026 bond program. King said the office intends to use multiple tools — event tabling, community meetings, surveys, Austin 311, targeted e‑newsletters and Speak Up-style project pages — rather than relying on a single method to gather public feedback.

“This is the slide where you’re gonna hear me talk mainly, and I hope I can just have a conversation,” King said, adding that the team’s goal is to return to the task force in February with an updated community‑engagement plan.

Why it matters: The task force will use community feedback to inform recommendations about bond projects that will later be considered by the City Council. King told members the city’s founding resolution for the task force calls for a minimum of four public town‑hall meetings and requires the team to summarize and deliver community input for the task force’s consideration.

City staff outlined how they will balance outreach (largely one‑way communications) and engagement (two‑way input intended to influence policy). Marion Sanchez, CPIO’s community engagement manager, said the joint team includes engagement staff across departments and that language access and meeting location selection will be central to reaching more Austinites.

“We never recommend relying on one mechanism to engage with the community,” King said. “Our most successful approach is when we can meet people where they are, and especially in their preferred language.”

On tools: Staff described a menu of tactics, each with benefits and tradeoffs. Event tabling and pop‑up outreach are intended to reach people where they already are but can produce briefer comments; staff said they will combine quick touchpoints with follow‑up options. Survey tools — including Likert‑style questions and open‑ended prompts — will be used in parallel. Marion Sanchez said the project team typically fields a single research instrument and then adapts it into shorter tools for tabling and longer surveys for participants with more time.

Alicia Dean, strategic communications manager, said the city aims to preserve data integrity by directing respondents to consistent survey questions rather than relying on native social‑media polls. “We will drive people to the survey tool, but make that content as engaging as possible,” Dean said, adding that staff perform social‑sentiment analysis to monitor broader conversations on social platforms.

Timeline and deliverables: Staff presented a high‑level schedule that targets returning to the task force in February with a finalized outreach plan, launching implementation in March–June and compiling a summary report for the task force by July–September. King said raw community responses will be retained and made available, while the team will deliver a summarized report for the task force and Council.

What the task force must do: King and Sanchez asked members to (1) identify outreach gaps and community contacts, (2) encourage participation through members’ networks, (3) actively listen and flag confusing materials so staff can adjust, and (4) consider community feedback alongside staff recommendations when forming final proposals. Staff also said they will provide a “toolkit” — shareable flyers, social posts and messaging templates — for task force members to distribute.

On survey length and response expectations: Staff said surveys have been left open anywhere from two weeks to 30 days and recommended roughly 30 days as a typical window to maintain momentum while allowing broad participation. Sanchez said the primary measure of survey success is breadth of participation across ZIP codes and demographics, not a single numeric response rate.

Questions from members focused on how staff will reach people who do not use social media, whether translated responses will be accessible to the task force, the feasibility and cost of focus groups, and how to mobilize attendance at the four town halls required by the resolution. King said staff will use targeted outreach, partner lists and the task force’s networks to boost attendance and ensure diverse representation.

Staff asked task force members to send contact names and suggested meeting locations to Samuel Veloz, the committee liaison, and said an updated plan will be presented at the task force’s February meeting.","City communications staff described a multi‑tool outreach strategy for the 2026 bond program, including at least four town halls required by resolution, surveys, tabling, translation support and a 30‑day survey window. Task Force members were asked to identify outreach gaps, share toolkits and serve as local ambassadors.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Task force votes to allow decisions by majority of members present; tables 2025 EIP action and forms engagement work group

East Riverside leaders and Parks Board member urge bond funding for community center, senior center needs

City staff outlines community‑engagement plan for 2026 bond; task force asked to help reach underrepresented neighborhoods