Mar 27, 2024 Board of Directors Meeting

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DID SHE MISS A PICTURE? YEAH.

OH, DAMNIT .

[2. Meeting called to Order The AACOG Board of Directors is meeting in accordance with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code (Open Meetings Act). As such, the Board of Directors reserves the right to retire into executive session concerning any of the items listed on this Agenda whenever it is considered necessary and legally justified under the Texas Open Meetings Act.]

IT IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH THE 27TH, 2024.

IT'S A LITTLE AFTER 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

AND THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION.

UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL.

SUZIE, JUDGE KELLY.

HERE.

MAYOR DENNIS.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER CALVER.

AMY PUTNEY FOR COMMISSIONER CALVER.

JUDGE CAMACHO.

GREG CALLO FOR JUDGE CAMACHO.

COMMISSIONER CARPENTER.

YES, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONER RE JUDGE.

CO COMMISSIONER GLASSY FOR JUDGE COO.

MAYOR DE HERE.

MAYOR DODGEN.

JUDGE EVANS.

HERE.

MAYOR EKER.

HERE.

COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA JEAN RODRIGUEZ FOR HER COUNCILWOMAN GOTO.

IKA SIM FOR COUNCIL MCG.

MR HAS LOCKER.

JIMMY HAS LOCKER FOR JIMMY HAS WALKER.

JUDGE ED KEY HERE.

JUDGE JONES.

HERE.

MISS JUDGE KRAUSE IS EXCUSE.

MS. LEWIS.

ANGELA RODRIGUEZ.

FOR LISA LEWIS.

JUDGE.

REPRESENTATIVE MENENDEZ.

HERE, GONZALEZ.

REPRESENTATIVE MENENDEZ OFFICE.

COMMISSIONER MOODY, KRIS SKIS WITH COMMISSIONER MOODY.

REPRESENTATIVE MURR KELLY EARLY FOR REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL.

MAYOR SCHROEDER.

COUNCILMAN BRADLEY? HERE.

JUDGE LAR.

JUDGE TEAL.

HERE.

MR. BASQUEZ.

MR. VALVIA, JUDGE WHITMAN, UH, COMMISSIONER KING.

FILLING IN FOR JUDGE WHITMAN.

YOU MAYOR WILLIAMS IS EXCUSED.

REPRESENTATIVE IAN VERONICA, REPRESENTATIVE MR. HOFFMAN.

HERE.

REPRESENTATIVE TEMPLE, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

GOOD.

AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE RISE TO THE PLEDGES PLEDGE ANCE, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD ON THE REASONABLE WITH LIBERTY, POSSESS FRAUD ON TEXAS FLAG P TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER SEATED MAYOR.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY? VERY WELL.

THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BEING NONE.

WE'LL MOVE ON, UH, TO THE PRESENTATIONS.

ITEM

[7. Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024 - Dawn Davies, Night Sky Program Manager, Hill Country Alliance ]

MS. DAVIES, LAST TIME I GAVE THIS ONE OF THESE TALKS, ASKED PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, RAISE YOUR HAND IF THEY HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE ECLIPSE.

I PROBABLY HAVEN'T.

AND THEY ALL WENT UP AND I SAID, HOW MANY HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE? AND THEY ALL WENT UP.

SO I KNOW EVERYBODY'S HAD PRESENTATIONS ON THE ECLIPSE, BUT WE NEED THE LAST MINUTE REMINDERS TO SO WE STAY ON TRACK.

THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S SO MUCH, MUCH FOR HAVING HERE TODAY.

SO AT THE LAST TIME I PRESENTED HERE ON THIS ECLIPSE, WE WERE 200, AND NOW WE'RE 12.

NOT THAT ANYONE ABOUT TODAY.

ALRIGHT, SO I WILL ASK, JUST 'CAUSE I, I KNOW WE DO HAVE SOME, SOME NEW FOLKS.

SO HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER OBSERVED A TOTAL SOLAR CLIPS? OKAY, WELL GOOD, THEN THIS WILL BE A BENEFICIAL PRIMER.

SO ON THE SCREEN, NOW, MIND, THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU SHOULD EVER USE YOUR EYES UNSHIELDED TO LOOK AT THE SUN.

BUT THIS IS GONNA GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IF YOU ARE ON A PATH OF, SO A FEW THINGS TO NOTE ARE ALL THE CHANGES, CHANGES IN LIGHT, IT'S GOING TO GET DIMMER LIGHT'S, GOING TO GET MORE MEAT MUTED IN COLOR.

SHADOWS ARE GONNA BECOME SHARPER.

ANIMALS WILL STOP BUSTLING ABOUT YOU WON'T HEAR MANY BIRDS, IF ANY.

AND AS WE APPROACH TOTALITY, YOU'RE GONNA START HEARING A LOT MORE NOCTURNAL BIRD OR NOCTURNAL ANIMALS.

THAT'S OKAY.

UM, ANOTHER SURPRISING FACTOR FACTOR IS THE TEMPERATURE CAN DROP BETWEEN BETWEEN 10 TO 20 DEGREES, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

IT HAPPENS, HAPPENS TO BE PARTICULARLY WARM DAY.

AND THEN THERE ARE AMAZING THINGS THAT, THAT HAPPEN DURING TOTALITY.

UH, A LOT OF RESEARCH RESEARCHERS, A LOT OF SCIENTISTS, UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS ARE COMING TO CENTRAL

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WE CAN'T ARTIFICIALLY RECREATE A TOTAL SOLAR CLIP.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS EXPECT EXPECTED HERE.

ANOTHER THING WE'D BE SURPRISED BY, BY IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE PLANTS UP IN THE SKY.

SO YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OF OUR BRIGHTER PLANET, IT'S LIKE JUPITER AND SATURN, AND WE EVEN HAVE A COMMENT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE DURING TOTALITY.

SO IT'S A VERY EXCITING ECLIPSE OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, THE NORMAL, UH, EXCITEMENT AROUND A, A TOTAL EVENT LIKE THIS.

SO WE HAVE POINTS OF CONTACT AND WHERE THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND A LOT OF YOU MOST LIKELY EXPERIENCE THE ANNULAR CLIPS ON OCTOBER, UM, AT WHICH THERE'S NO TIME.

IT WAS SAFE TO TAKE OFF YOUR SOLAR GLASSES.

IF YOU'RE ON THE PATH OF TOTALITY, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THEM OFF DURING TOTALITY.

NOW, THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A SILLY COMMENT TO MAKE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT I'VE HEARD OF WHO HAVE LEFT THEIR GLASSES ON DURING THE PERIOD OF TOTALITY AND HAVE MISSED THE ENTIRE PHENOMENON TOGETHER.

ALSO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DURING THE ECLIPSE LEADING UP TO TOTALITY AND AFTER TOTALITY, WHEN IT'S IN ITS PARTIAL PHASE, YOU MUST WEAR YOUR SOLAR GLASSES TO LOOK AT THE SUN SAFELY.

BUT THAT'S THE ONLY TIME YOU NEED TO WEAR THEM.

IF YOU'RE WALKING AROUND SOCIALIZING WITH FRIENDS, YOU NEED TO TAKE THEM OFF.

SO YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA LAUGH.

BUT THESE SORT OF THINGS COME UP.

ALTHOUGH I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS IS, UH, OUT OF, YOU KNOW, THE EVENTS OF 2017 AND THE COMMENTS I GOT, I HAVE YET TO HAVE SOMEBODY ACTUALLY ASK ME, UM, IF I COULD CHANGE THE SCHEDULE OF THE ECLIPSE BECAUSE IT'S INCONVENIENT.

WE HAD A LOT OF THOSE IN 2017.

SO JUST TO KIND, OH, THERE WE GO.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF SCIENCE BEHIND IT.

THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE WE ARE PERFECTLY ALIGNED WITH OUR SUN AND WITH OUR MOON.

THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, BUT IT'S NOT RARE.

SO TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES, AS YOU MOST LIKELY KNOW, THEY HAPPEN ABOUT EVERY 18 MONTHS ON THE PLANET.

SO AGAIN, NOT RARE, BUT WHAT IS EXCEPTIONALLY RARE, WHAT IS VERY UNIQUE IS THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL TO SEA ONE.

AND IN FACT, IF YOU LIVE ON THE PATH OF TOTALITY, IF YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THE AMOUNT OF TOTALITY YOU ARE GOING TO GET BASED ON WHERE YOU PLAN TO BE, DON'T LEAVE.

AND I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHY.

SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO, UH, FROM OUR ANNUAL ECLIPSE LAST OCTOBER IS THE MOON IS CLOSER TO US.

SO IT COMPLETELY OBSCURES THE SUN.

UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WEARING THE SOLAR GLASSES IS SO IMPORTANT DURING THE REGULAR DAYTIME, OUR SUN IS ANYWHERE FROM HALF A MILLION TO A MILLION TIMES BRIGHTER THAN OUR FULL MOON.

BUT DURING TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, IT ACTUALLY IS JUST THE BRIGHTNESS OF THAT FULL MOON.

SO THAT'S WHY WE CAN WEAR IT SAFELY.

SO PATH OF THE ECLIPSE, VERY IMPORTANT.

YOU MUST BE BETWEEN THOSE TWO ORANGE LINES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TOTALITY.

IDEALLY, AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET TO THE CENTER LINE, WE'LL EXTEND THE AMOUNT OF PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU HAVE.

FOR TOTALITY, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WHILE PART OF THE CITY AND A VERY SMALL PART OF THE CITY IS ON THE PATH OF TOTALITY, THE REST OF THE CITY IS NOT.

SO WE'RE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY WITH NEWS, RADIO MEDIA TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE WHERE YOU NEED TO BE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.

IF YOU ARE NOT WITHIN THAT PATH OF TOTALITY, IF YOU'RE EVEN JUST ON THE EDGE, 99.9% IS NOT TOTALITY.

MY FAVORITE ANALOGY SO FAR IS BEING WITHIN 99.9% RIGHT ON THAT EDGE.

AND NOT EXPERIENCING TOTALITY IS LIKE THROWING ALL OF YOUR KIDS IN A CAR, DRIVING TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UP TO THE GATES OF DISNEY WORLD AND TURNING BACK AROUND.

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF? SO GET TO THE PATH OF TOTALITY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

SO WE HAD 18 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES THAT CROSSED AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT MULTIPLE STATES IN THE US IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

NONE OF THEM WERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND IN THE 21ST CENTURY, WE HAVE FOUR.

WE HAVE STARTING WITH THIS ECLIPSE, WHICH IS CROSSING 85 OUT OF THE 234 COUNTIES IN THE STATE.

BUT AFTER THAT, 2045 IS THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, IT IS A TINY PORTION OF THE NORTHEAST PANHANDLE.

THE NEXT TWO, UH, 2052 AND 2078, UH, WHICH ARE CROSSING THE VERY TINY SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE.

UM, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE COMING ANYWHERE NEAR SAN ANTONIO UNTIL THE YEAR 2343.

SO IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE STATE OR UP INTO THESE PORTIONS OF THE STATE OVER THE NEXT 50 PLUS YEARS.

SO YOU'RE NOT LOOKING TO TRAVEL OUT INTO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY TO SEE ONE OF THESE, UH, OR YOU KNOW, OUT INTO THE WORLD.

THIS IS THE EVENT.

IN FACT,

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AND THE MOST TIME THAT NORTH AMERICA SHOWS UP ON THIS LIST IS USUALLY IN CANADA OR ALASKA.

SO NOWHERE NEAR OUR SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTRY, IN FACT, OVER THE REMAINDER OF THIS MILLENNIA, NOT EVEN VERY MANY OPPORTUNITIES.

SO NOW IS THE TIME.

AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, MOST OF THIS, UH, REGION IS, IS ON THE PATH OF TOTALITIES.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT RED LINE ON THE MAP DELINEATES THE FARTHEST EDGE OF THE PATH, AND THAT BLUE LINE IS YOUR CENTER LINE.

AND SOME PRETTY GOOD TIMES ALL AROUND.

WE DO HAVE SOME COUNTIES, SOME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT ON THE PATH.

BUT THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS ECLIPSE IS THAT EVERY SINGLE STATE IN OUR NATION, MOST OF ALL OF THE STATES WILL HAVE FULL COVERAGE.

I THINK ALASKA ONLY HAS A, A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE STATE, BUT ALL OF THE STATES, ALL OF CANADA, ALL OF MEXICO, ALL OF CENTRAL AMERICA, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF NORTH AMERICA GETS TO EXPERIENCE THIS IN ONE RESPECT OR ANOTHER.

AND IF FOLKS CAN'T, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE PATH OF TOTALITY, PARTIALS ARE STILL DECENT BUT THEY'RE NOT TOTALITY.

SO AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THIS COMES WITH A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIELDS OF RESEARCH EDUCATION.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE YOUTH AND STUDENTS TO, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS SPACE SCIENCES, HELIOPHYSICS, UM, ASTRONOMY.

IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO, TO BOLSTER THEIR FUNDING, THEIR FINANCES.

WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, POSTING ABOUT THIS EVENT AD NAUSEUM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MULTIPLE NEWS OUTLETS.

YOU KNOW, IT HAS ALREADY BEGUN.

AND THE PRESS THAT WE GET FOR THIS EVENT LOCALLY, STATEWIDE, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, IS GOING TO BE RATHER PHENOMENAL.

THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO OBSERVE THE ECLIPSE BOTH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY.

UM, OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO EDUCATE FOLKS OF ON WEARING THE SAFE SOLAR GLASSES, BUT ALSO OTHER WAYS THAT THEY CAN VIEW THE ECLIPSE.

UH, WHETHER IT'S WITH A COLANDER, THOSE ARE VERY POPULAR.

I EXPECT A PRETTY BIG RUN ON, UH, COLANDERS IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.

UM, DOWN TO EVEN MY FAVORITE, WHICH IS USING A RITZ CRACKER.

PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING WITH A HOLE IN IT.

AND IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A CIRCLE.

IT COULD BE A SQUARE, IT COULD BE A SLOT.

IT'S GOING TO PROJECT THESE WONDERFUL CRESCENT ON THE GROUND.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF VISUALS THAT WE GET TO EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE ON EITHER SIDE OF TOTALITY.

AND WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER TELESCOPIC WAYS.

BUT THE ONE IMPORTANT THING I WANT TO ESTABLISH, IF YOU ARE A PHOTOGRAPHER, IF YOU HAVE A FANCY NEW TOP OF THE LINE, IPHONE OR ANDROID, NO MATTER WHAT TECHNOLOGY YOU HAVE TO PHOTOGRAPH OR RECORD THIS ECLIPSE, YOU MUST HAVE A SAFE SOLAR FILTER ON IT, ON YOUR EQUIPMENT, ON YOUR EYES.

IT'S NOT WORTH TAKING THE RISK OTHERWISE.

AND THE LAST THING YOU WANNA DO IS DAMAGE THAT, DAMAGE THAT VERY EXPENSIVE CAMERA OR THAT VERY EXPENSIVE PHONE, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH JUST A GLORIFIED CAMERA WITH MAKES PHONE CALLS.

ANOTHER GREAT THING ABOUT THIS ECLIPSE IS WHAT IT HAS DONE.

AND COMING OUT OF 2017, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE? SO SAN ANTONIO HAS ACTUALLY HOSTED, UM, AT UTSA AND AT THIS KBI CENTER TO BUILDING WORKSHOPS TO CREATE WHAT ARE CALLED LIGHT SOUND DEVICES.

AND THESE ARE DEVICES THAT SONIFY THE ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE.

IT TAKES THE AMBIENT LIGHT AND IT CREATES IT INTO SOUND.

SO IT STARTS AS A HIGH PITCH FLUTE SOUND, AND AS WE GET CLOSER TO TOTALITY, IT CREATES A LOW CLARINET.

AND WHAT THIS IS DOING IS THIS IS MAKING AN EVENT LIKE THIS ACCESSIBLE TO THE BLIND, LOW VISION AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE OVER 950 OF THESE HAVE BEEN BUILT AND DISTRIBUTED, AND A LARGE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY TO TAKE PART IN COMMUNITY SCIENCE FOR OUR YOUTH, FOR INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS OR JUST WANNA PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEO, OR EVEN WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED.

UM, AND ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO ON OUR PORTAL, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU SHORTLY.

SO THE CHALLENGES, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF THEM.

I KNOW BOTH THE TIMES I'VE PRESENTED HERE.

I'VE, UH, GIVEN A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON MY FIRST EXPERIENCE, WHICH WAS IN 2017, AND CASPER, WYOMING, WHICH WAS A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND AN UNFORTUNATELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, ABOUT TWO MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE ECLIPSE.

I'M AN ASTRONOMER, SO I HAD GEAR PACKED EVERYTHING UP, WENT AND HAD LUNCH WITH THE FOLKS I WAS WITH AND STARTED MY TREK BACK TO AUSTIN.

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YEAH.

AND I'M, I'M FROM THE BAY AREA.

I KNOW TRAFFIC NEVER LIKE THIS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES.

THOSE WITH VERY LIMITED ACCESS ON ROADS.

WE ALSO ALL KNOW THAT THE HILL COUNTRY, CENTRAL TEXAS, NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING VERY SMALL SHOULDERS.

WE'VE GOT BEAUTIFUL BLUE BONNETS OUT.

SO THERE'S A TREMENDOUS CONCERN WITH REGARDS TO CARS PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, CARS STOPPING ON THE ROAD, CARS PULLING OVER THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING FIRES.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE EXPECTED HERE, AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE NEVER BEEN TO TEXAS, HAVE NEVER DRIVEN IN TEXAS, DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT BEING HERE IN TEXAS.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THESE COMMUNITIES TO REALLY IMPLEMENT A LOT OF EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS.

ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN IN REGULAR CONTACT MEETING WITH THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS, WITH REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

UH, WE'VE BEEN INSTRUCTING OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE THEIR PURCHASES NOW AS FAR AS GROCERIES, FUEL, GET THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS EARLY, MAKE SURE IF ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS AN APPOINTMENT FOR LIKE THE DOCTOR OR THE DENTIST ON MONDAY, THE EIGHTH CALL RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING, RESCHEDULE NOT EVEN TILL THE NINTH, LIKE RESCHEDULE TILL AT LEAST THE 10TH.

UM, BUT WORKING TO LET THEM KNOW, GET YOUR RESOURCES NOW.

FILL UP ON YOUR FUEL NOW TO GIVE THOSE BUSINESSES AND THOSE, UH, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPLENISH THE SUPPLY FOR THE VISITORS COMING IN.

WE DO ANTICIPATE ALSO A HEAVY DRAW ON OUR CELL SERVICE.

SO MINIMIZING THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

WE'RE TELLING FOLKS TO GO VERY OLD SCHOOL.

AND WHEN I SAY THAT, I'M NOT TALKING PRE COVID, I'M TALKING, LET'S GO 20TH CENTURY, PRINT OUT YOUR MAPS, GO GET CASH.

'CAUSE MOST PLACES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES, ARE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME DOING TRANSACTIONS THAT REQUIRE WIRELESS OR INTERNET CAPABILITIES, UH, LET ALONE TRYING TO USE THEIR PHONE GPS TO GET DIRECTIONS.

I ACTUALLY WAS VERY HAPPY THAT I CARRY A RAN MCNALLY SET OF MAPS IN MY CAR BECAUSE IT GAVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF A WORK AROUND IN THE BACK ROADS OF WYOMING.

SO I, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I GOT BACK IN TIME TO PICK UP MY KID FROM SCHOOL.

AND AGAIN, ICE SAFETY IS A BIG CONCERN.

I CANNOT DRIVE THIS HOME ENOUGH.

SOME REPORTS HAVE JUST COME OUT AFTER THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE THAT PEOPLE TRY TO OBSERVE IT WITHOUT SOLAR GLASSES THINKING THEY WERE PROTECTED AND HAVE PERMANENTLY BURNED THE SHAPE OF CRESCENT INTO THEIR CORNEAS.

FOR SOME REASON, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SORT OF MEDICAL ABNORMALITIES OR ISSUES COMING OUT OF THE TOTAL ECLIPSE.

BUT THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE, I THINK, HAVE TRIPPED UP A FEW FOLKS.

THIS IS A GENTLEMAN WHO PUT ON A PAIR OF SOLAR GLASSES CERTIFIED AND THEN LOOKED THROUGH A PAIR OF BINOCULARS.

THEY WERE UNFILTERED.

SO IT MIGHT BE HARD TO SEE, BUT THERE ARE TWO LITTLE PINPOINTS ON BOTH OF THOSE LENSES, AND THAT'S WHERE THE SUN BURNED THROUGH THOSE FILTERS.

SO AGAIN, IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY CANNOT DRIVE THAT HOME ENOUGH.

WE HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF COUNTERFEIT GLASSES THAT ARE BEING SOLD RIGHT NOW.

SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR CORRECT ISO CODE.

IF YOU AREN'T CERTAIN, IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND THAT ISN'T CERTAIN, IF THEIRS ARE CERTIFIED AND GOOD, TOSS THEM OUT, GET THEM CERTIFIED ONES.

AGAIN, IT'S NOT WORTH TAKING THE RISK.

AND OF COURSE, THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE FROM MIGRAINES TO LOSING YOUR EYESIGHT IF YOU CHOOSE TO OBSERVE UNPROTECTED.

SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE EXPECTING SO MANY FOLKS TO THIS AREA IS BECAUSE THE WEATHER, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, IS FORECAST TO BE SOME OF THE BEST OUTSIDE OF MEXICO ON THE ENTIRE PATH OF THE ECLIPSE.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY ADJUSTED PROBABLY FROM THE LAST TIME I SPOKE WITH YOU ALL BECAUSE THE, UH, METEOROLOGISTS WHO HAVE DONE THIS RESEARCH HAVE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION EL NINO FACTORS.

SO WE'RE EXPECTING, IN FACT, WE'RE PLANNING, PRAYING, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO WHOEVER GOD YOU BELIEVE IN THAT WE HAVE CLEAR SKIES, BUT THEY'RE ALSO COMING BECAUSE FOLKS LIKE TO PICK A SPOT THAT'S NOT ONLY GONNA BE CLEAR OR THAT HIGH CHANCE OF CLEAR SKIES, BUT ALSO SOMEPLACE THAT THEY CAN ALSO TAKE IN THE HERITAGE, THE CULTURE, THE AMBIANCE OF A COMMUNITY.

AND I MEAN, IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN WHERE WE LIVE HERE.

IT'S ALSO BLUEBONNET SEASON, WILDFLOWER SEASON PEAK BIRD MIGRATION.

THE BATS ARE COMING OUT.

IT'S NOT TOO HOT, IT'S NOT TOO COLD, IT'S NOT TOO HUMID.

WE ARE REALLY LUCKY THIS IS HAPPENING IN TEXAS IN APRIL.

BUT THE THING THAT WE DON'T KNOW OTHER THAN THE WEATHER IS HOW MANY PEOPLE TO EXPECT.

SO 2017 WAS THE FIRST TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE THAT CROSSED THIS COUNTRY DURING THE DIGITAL AGE.

SO WE DO AND HAVE HAD RESOURCES, UM, AND ACCESS TO REPORTS AND DOCUMENTATION,

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AND THE LARGEST COMMUNITY THAT WAS ON THE PATH OF TOTALITY IN 2017 WAS NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE WITH ONLY 320,000 PEOPLE.

SO WE HAVE NOT HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS CROSS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY SINCE THE INTERNET CAME ABOUT WHERE IT IS CROSSING, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, SO MANY LARGE MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS, IN EXCESS OF A MILLION PEOPLE, WE ARE EXPECTING AT THE VERY LEAST, OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE COMING INTO THE STATE OF TEXAS ALONE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY.

SO TO THAT END, WE CREATED THE HILL COUNTRY ECLIPSE TEAM.

UM, WHEN I STARTED IN THIS POSITION WITH, UH, HILL COUNTRY ALLIANCE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, UH, WE HAD ABOUT 200 FOLKS ON THAT TEAM.

AND WE WERE JUST SHY OF 700 ACROSS 23 COUNTIES AND ABOUT 60 CITIES IN PARTICIPATION.

AND THAT'S FOLKS, EVERYTHING FROM RESIDENTS TO BUSINESS OWNERS, CITY OFFICIALS, LEADERS, YOU NAME IT.

ANYBODY THAT LIVES WITHIN A COMMUNITY THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE AFFECTED BY THE ECLIPSE HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING.

AND WE'VE PROVIDED A LOT OF RESOURCES, INCLUDING A LOT OF WHITE PAPERS REPORTS THAT CAME OUT OF 2017.

UM, WE HAVE RECORDINGS FROM ALL OF OUR QUARTERLY ROUND TABLE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONVENING SINCE OCTOBER OF 2020.

AND WE JUST FINISHED OUR LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES YESTERDAY.

UH, WE HAVE A 12 PART SERIES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE AUGUST TO FURTHER PREPARE FOLKS FOR THIS OCCURRENCE.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE A AMOUNT OF EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES INCLUDING, UH, LINKS TO ALL OF THE COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROJECTS THAT I HAD NOTED PREVIOUSLY.

ONE OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTS WE HAVE, UH, THAT WE PUT TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL OF OUR PARTNERS IS THE THREE PAGE DOCUMENT ADVISING RANCHERS, LANDOWNERS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOLKS THAT HAVE A LARGE SWATH OF LAND THAT MAYBE THINK, HEY, WANNA BE SUCH A BAD IDEA, MAKE A FEW EXTRA BUCKS, OPEN IT UP FOR PARKING AND EVENT, BUT NOT REALIZING HOW MUCH THEY HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BY MAKING THEIR LAND AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC, WHETHER IT'S ACCESSIBLE BY MORE THAN JUST A HIGH CLEARANCE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE.

DO THEY HAVE WASTE MANAGEMENT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION? HAVE THEY COMMUNICATED THEIR INTENTIONS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT? DO THEY KNOW WHERE THEY CAN, UH, SEND FOLKS IF MAJOR OR MINOR MEDICAL NEEDS ARE, UH, SHOULD ARISE? SO WE'VE GOT THAT RESOURCE AVAILABLE.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN PULLING FROM A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM PLACES IN 2017.

CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS IS PROBABLY ONE I REFERENCED THE MOST.

THEY WERE ON THE PATH IN 2017 AND THEY'RE ON THE PATH IN 12 DAYS.

SO THEY, UH, WERE WONDERFUL IN PROVIDING US WITH A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED, UH, THINGS THAT THEY WISH THEY HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY AND ARE PLANNING TO DO DIFFERENTLY.

BUT A LOT OF IT IS JUST VERY COMMON SENSE.

UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOME SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, UH, THAT RESOURCES MAY BE LIMITED AND IT MIGHT TAKE A FEW DAYS AFTER THE ECLIPSE FOR RECOVERY UNLESS OF YOUR, OF COURSE YOU'RE THE TOWN OF BURNETT THAT HAS THE ECLIPSE ON MONDAY AND BLUE BONNET FESTIVAL ON THURSDAY.

I'M PRAYING FOR THEM.

UH, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOLKS AGAIN THAT ARE COMING IN THAT ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO BEING IN TEXAS TO DRIVING AROUND.

FOLKS MAY GET LOST, FOLKS MAY NEED HELP.

SO JUST UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU MIGHT NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A EXTRA NEIGHBORLY, UH, GOOD DEED WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THROUGH, UH, THE FEW DAYS PRIOR TO AND, AND THE DAYS AFTER THE ECLIPSE.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING VERY HEAVILY WITH, UH, AS I MENTIONED, EMERGENCY SERVICES WITH EMS. UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG FOCUSES IS GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY, MAKING IT AVAILABLE, WHERE TO GO FOR CERTAIN MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, MAKING SURE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LARGE SCALE EVENTS HAVE EMS STATIONS HAVE MEDICAL STATIONS FIGURED OUT, MAKING SURE THAT MEDICAL FACILITIES HAVE SOME KIND OF SECURITY OR SOMEONE WATCHING OVER THEIR PARKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR PARKING IS RESERVED JUST FOR THOSE THAT REQUIRE MEDICAL SERVICES AND NOT FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD SPOT TO PARK FOR THE ECLIPSE.

UM, WE DO KNOW OF A FEW COUNTIES THAT HAVE ALREADY DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY AND WE EXPECT PROBABLY A FEW MORE WILL JUMP ON THAT LIST IN THE COMING WEEK AND A HALF THAT WE HAVE REMAINING.

SO THIS JUST GIVES YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THAT HILL COUNTRY ECLIPSE TEAM PARTNERSHIP, UH, ACROSS THE BOTH PATHS IN OCTOBER, UM, AND THIS ONE NEXT MONTH.

AND, UH, A FAIR NUMBER OF WHICH ARE, HAVE BEEN ON THE PATH FOR BOTH INCLUDING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND THESE ARE JUST A FURTHER LIST OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS, BUT IT'S NOT BEEN JUST THOSE IN THE HILL COUNTRY OR THOSE THAT ARE EVEN ON THE PATH OF THE ECLIPSE OR TOTALITY.

UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE HILL COUNTRY PARTICIPATING IN THIS IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE, AND EVEN FOLKS OUTSIDE OF STATE HAVE BEEN REGULARLY ATTENDING, EITHER BECAUSE THEY PLAN ON BEING HERE OR THEY'RE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AND HAVE BEEN HELPING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INFORMATION GATHERING.

[00:25:02]

YOU, YOU SAID THAT KEEP THE GLASSES ON UNTIL IT'S TOTALITY.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE THEM OFF.

YES.

YES.

FOR, AND THEN WE, FOR THE DURATION OF TOTALITY.

SO DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, IT COULD BE AS LITTLE AS 20 SECONDS.

IT COULD BE A MAXIMUM OF FOUR MINUTES AND 20 SECONDS, 26 SECONDS.

BUT IF, IF YOU'RE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN A LARGE CROWD, IF YOU'RE GOING OUT INTO COMMUNITY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO ONE OF THE MULTITUDE OF EVENTS IN SAN ANTONIO AROUND THE AREA, ODDS ARE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS THERE, THERE ECLIPSE ENTHUSIASTS, THEY'LL PROBABLY BE SHOUTING, SHOUTING OUT A FEW THINGS TO BE AWARE OF.

WE HAVE, UH, SOME, SOME PRETTY PHENOMENAL OCCURRENCES, UH, THAT OCCUR RIGHT BEFORE TOTALITY, LIKE BABY'S BEADS, WHICH IS LIGHT THAT PIERCES THROUGH THE VALLEYS ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON THAT WE SEE IN A COLLECTION OF DOTS.

UH, THE DIAMOND RING EFFECT IS THAT LAST BURST OF LIGHT.

SO IF YOU HEAR A DIAMOND RING, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY SHOUTING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT AT TOTALITY AND IT'S GETTING READY TO TAKE THOSE GLASSES OFF.

UM, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT CERTAIN, THERE ARE DEFINITELY, UH, VARIED MAPS AND RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN LINK TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH TOTALITY HAVE AND WHEN THOSE TIMES ARE SPECIFIC TO YOUR LOCATION.

LOCATION.

AND THEN I WOULD JUST SET AN ALERT BECAUSE YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT, OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO THE SOUTHERN PART OF MY PRECINCT WHERE I LIVE IS OUTSIDE, BUT THE NORTHWEST PART OF MY PRECINCT IS INSIDE THE TOTAL.

SO IF I DRIVE TO THE OTHER PART OF MY PRECINCT, UM, IS ARE THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC? LIKE SOON AS IT'S OVER, JUMP IN MY CAR AND TRY TO GET HOME.

GO, JUST HANG OUT.

JUST HANG OUT AND DO SOME BLOCK WALKING.

SO ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE ASPECTS REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, CHANGES IN LIGHT AND COLOR AND TEMPERATURE.

TEMPERATURE, IT'S AWESOME BECAUSE IF YOU MISS THAT IN THE FIRST PART, LEADING UP TO TOTALITY, YOU WITNESS THAT AGAIN, JUST IN REVERSE AFTER TOTALITY.

SO WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, STICK AROUND.

THERE'S MORE TO SEE, THERE'S MORE TO DO.

WE HAVE A HIGH PERIOD OF SOLAR ACTIVITY RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PERFECT DURING THE ECLIPSE, WHICH MEANS THERE'S A CHANCE THAT YOU COULD PUT THOSE SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES ON AND AFTER, YOU KNOW, DURING, DURING THE LEAD UP TO TOTALITY, AFTER YOU MIGHT SEE SUN SPOTS JUST WITH THE GLASSES BECAUSE THEY'RE THAT LARGE THESE DAYS.

UM, SO YOU HAVE SAFE SOLARS OR IN TELESCOPES OF BINOCULARS.

IT'S A GREAT TIME TO LOOK AT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

SO TRAFFIC GONNA BE LESS? NO, BUT I'M SAYING TRAFFIC WILL BE LESS RIGHT AFTER , SO I CAN, MY CAR TRAFFIC WILL BE GRIDLOCK.

GRIDLOCK, PERIOD.

TRAFFIC WILL.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

TAKE TRAFFIC FROM, FROM PRETTY MUCH TOTALITY TO SEVERAL HOURS STILL.

PERIOD.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF WHERE YOUR PRECINCT IS LOCATED, BECAUSE IT'S PARTIALLY IN PERSONALLY OUT, YOU'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, NEEDING TO GET BACK TO WHERE THEY ARE.

UM, AND ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDER CONSIDERATION THAT SO MUCH IS HAPPENING WEST OF THIS AREA.

AND AFTER, AFTER ECLIPSE, A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS ARE GONNA BE WORKING THEIR WAY BACK EAST TOWARDS THE AIRPORTS, TOWARDS THE I 35 CORRIDOR.

WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGING COMMUNITIES TO GO WITH THE ADAGE AND FOR THE SUN STAY FOR THE STARS.

SO HAS, HAS STRAC BEEN ADVISED OR? YES.

OH YES.

HE'S BEEN A MAJOR PARTNER IN THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING.

SO ERIC EPLEY'S INVOLVED IN THIS? MM-HMM.

.

OKAY.

PRETTY CLEARLY IMPORTANT.

WE'VE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS FOR OVER TWO YEARS.

YEAH.

AND I THINK FROM EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN, WE'RE AS PREPARED AS WE CAN BE, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE PROBABLY FOUR TO EIGHT HOURS OF NEAR GRIDLOCK.

I I'VE SAID IT REPEATEDLY IN THE, FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, NOT GOING ANYWHERE THERE IN MY MIND AT LEAST, AND ACTUALLY I'VE HEARD THIS FROM OTHERS THAT ARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD.

UH, THERE IS REALLY NOT A SINGLE BETTER PREPARED REGION THAN HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, THE COUNTRY.

IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITIES, TO THE LEADERSHIP, TO THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE RESIDENTS.

UM, I, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT FOLKS REALLY HAVE ATTENDED TO.

I'M REALLY QUITE ACROSS, QUITE PROUD THE PEOPLE, THIS AREA.

AREA.

AND ONE THING THAT I'LL SHARE THAT WE TALK ABOUT UP IN THE HILL COUNTRY, UH, WE ARE A RURAL COUNTY, UH, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TRESPASS.

THERE CAN BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO TEXAS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND US , WE ARE THEIR HOST.

UH, AND THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR US TO GET INTO FIST FIGHT OR EXERCISE OUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO GET 'EM OFF THE PROPERTY.

, UH, IT'S GOING, IT'S GONNA BE FORBEARANCE.

WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO ACCEPT WHAT IS, GET THROUGH IT AND, AND LEAVE SAFELY.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE.

I TELL PEOPLE, I TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TREAT IT LIKE WE DO IN AUSTIN WHEN IT COMES TO SOUTH BY OR A C WE WON'T YOU TO COME.

WE WILL WELCOME YOU.

WE WILL FEED YOU, WE WILL ENTERTAIN YOU.

YOU WANT

[00:30:01]

GO HOME AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THIS, BUT THEN GO HOME, .

ARE THERE LOCAL FIGURES THAT SELL THE GLASSES? YES, THERE ARE.

UM, AND ACTUALLY THE ALAMO AREA STEM ECLIPSE ECOSYSTEMS TEAM AS A WEBSITE.

I THINK IT'S THROUGH THE WOODY MUSEUM THAT HAS A MULTITUDE OF LISTINGS AND ALSO ON OUR ECLIPSE PORTAL PORTAL AS WELL.

WE LINKED TO THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, WHICH HAS A LIST OF REPUTABLE VENDORS.

THE THING IS, IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR GLASSES, YOU TO GRAB THEM TODAY.

BUT IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY WHO NEEDS THEM STILL TELL THEM TO GET THEM NOW BECAUSE EVEN PRIOR TO ANNULAR, I, I HAD A GENTLEMAN FROM SAM MARCUS DRIVE UP IN DRIPPING SPRINGS TO OUR OFFICE THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE ANNULAR FOR FIVE PAIRS.

'CAUSE HE COULDN'T FIND THEM ANYWHERE.

WE HAVE PLENTY.

YOU CAN TAKE WHATEVER YOU NEED.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU DON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY, LET'S GET BACK ON OUR AGENDA.

NEXT ITEM IS, UM, NUMBER EIGHT, THE EXECUTIVE

[8. Executive Director’s Monthly Report - Cliff Herberg A. Staffing Updates: B. Program Status and Operational Updates: Agency Contract Performance Report (CPR) Aging Services Alamo Regional Transit (ART) Environmental Conservation Intellectual & Developmental Disability Services (IDDS) Military & Veterans Affairs Natural Resources Public Affairs & Communications Public Safety Regional Services Weatherization Assistance Program C. Organizational and General Administration Updates: Building Update Administration Policy Review Chief Financial Officer General Counsel]

AND HE BROUGHT HIS REPORT WITH HIM.

YES, I REMEMBER.

THANK YOU FOR RUBBING SALT IN MY WORDS .

BUT, UH, AS DAWN SAID, AND AS YOU SEEN, WE DO HAVE THE GLASSES IN THE MARKET.

NOT YOUR QUESTION SAW.

THE GLASSES ARE BEING SOLD AT HOME DEPOT.

SO EVEN THEY AVAILABLE EVEN THERE.

OH, AND WHILE WE HAVE YOUR ENGINEER, WHILE GET MYSELF ADJUSTED HERE, PLEASE DON'T FORGET YOUR P MEDALS.

SO WE'VE GOT A BOWL OF THEM HERE FOR ALL OF YOU.

YOU HAVEN'T GOT 'EM ALREADY.

PLEASE GET YOUR PSTA MEDAL.

AND I HAVE TO GET A SHOUT OUT TO OUR STAFFER QUEZ, WHO WORKS IN OUR ACADEMY POLICE ACADEMY.

UH, SHE DESIGNED THAT METAL.

OH WOW.

SO WE WONDERFUL WE LITTLE CONTEST.

AND ACTUALLY LEE IS WON SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW.

SO THE METALS THAT YOU'VE SEEN THROUGH THE YEARS HAVE BEEN DONE BY HER.

AND YOU'LL SEE THE LITTLE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL LITTLE WORK, THE LITTLE THINGS HANGING OUT ON LITTLE TOURNAMENT.

THOSE ARE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE EACH OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.

SO, SO SHE DOES REALLY THOUGHTFUL PREPARATION OF THAT, UH, LEVEL.

SAME.

SO, THANK YOU LISA.

UM, ALRIGHT, SO FROM RECORD THIS, UH, MORNING, I'M GONNA TRY TO GO AS FAST AS I CAN, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON.

BUT THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THE ISSUE THAT WAS, UH, OF, OF MAJOR CONCERN LAST, UH, MONTH AT THE MEETING IS OUR STAFFING UPDATE AND OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HOME FROM WORK FLEX SCHEDULE.

UH, WE ARE MOVING GRADUALLY AND WORKING WITH MANAGERS TO PUT IN PLACE APPROPRIATE MONITORING TO ENSURE THAT WE MEET OUR PERFORMANCE GOALS.

AS WE ROLL OUT THIS PILOT PROGRAM, WE'RE ALLOWING STAFF TO WORK FROM HOME FOR A MAXIMUM OF TWO DAYS PER WEEK.

UH, WE HAVE RESERVED THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR TERMINATE THE PROGRAM AT ANY TIME IF WE EXPERIENCE A DECREASE IN PRODUCTIVITY.

UH, AS OF THIS WEEK, I HAVE APPROVED FIVE PEOPLE IN OUR IDD PROGRAM TO WORK FROM HOME FOR ONE DAY PER WEEK.

AS YOU MAY RECALL, A FLEX SCHEDULE WAS THE NUMBER ONE REQUESTED BENEFIT WHEN OUR IDD EMPLOYEES WERE ASKED WHAT WE COULD DO TO BETTER THEIR WORKING ENVIRONMENT.

WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THIS QUALITY OF LIFE BENEFIT WILL ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO STAY WITH ACOG FOR THE LONG TERM AND REDUCE THE TURNOVER THAT IS CURRENTLY AFFECTING OUR PERFORMANCE GOALS.

UH, AND AS YOU REQUESTED, WE WILL BE UPDATING YOU AT EACH MEETING TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ANY ISSUES THAT WE ENCOUNTER.

UH, REGARDING OUR PROGRAM UPDATES ON AGING SERVICES, UH, ALAMO AND BARREN OMBUDSMAN'S PROGRAMS PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS.

THEIR STATE OMBUDSMAN THREE DAY MONITORING AUDIT CONDUCTED IN FEBRUARY.

UH, THE TWO PROGRAMS SURPASSED ALL BENCHMARKS, AND SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.

UH, ONE OF OUR BENEFITS COUNSELOR, LYDIA ALEJO, HAS RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FROM THE SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL FOR EXEMPLARY OUTREACH SERVICES IN THE BEAR AND ALAMO REGION.

SO WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE HER EFFORTS, UH, REGARDING ALAMO REGIONAL TRANSIT ART.

ART WILL BE PROVIDING SERVICE, UH, OF COURSE TO THE GREAT TEXAS AIR SHOW, WHICH IS ON APRIL 6TH AND SEVENTH.

AND OF COURSE, UH, ONE DAY BEFORE THE ECLIPSE.

AND SO, UH, OUR RESOURCES AT OUR WILL BE STRETCHED TO CAPACITY.

WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING ON THE DAY OF THE ECLIPSE WITH THE CITY OF KERRVILLE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SUB, UH, PUBLIC SHUTTLE SERVICES, UH, TO SUPPORT THE CITY.

AND WE WANT TO REMEMBER AND REMIND YOU ALL THAT AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, WE EXPECT GRIDLOCK IN MUCH OF THE REGION.

SO PLEASE PREPARE YOUR CITIZENS FOR POSSIBLE, UH, SCHEDULE DELAYS AS OUR BUSES NAVIGATE THAT TRAFFIC AND THAT GRIDLOCK.

UM, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AREA IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM WILL PARTICIPATE AT CONVERSE, GOES GREEN ON APRIL 13TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT RUTLEDGE STADIUM.

[00:35:01]

IT WAS AN EXTREMELY BUSY MONTH FOR THEM.

UH, THE IDD TRANSITION SUPPORT TEAM PROVIDED TRAINING TO THE STAFF AT LANCER WORLDWIDE.

THAT LOCAL BUSINESS, UH, IS THE WORK SITE FOR OUR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WHICH COMMENCED, UH, ON MARCH THE 25TH.

THE PURPOSE OF THE TRAINING IS TO HELP THE EMPLOYER GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE POTENTIAL CHALLENGES IDD INDIVIDUALS FACE IN THE WORKPLACE.

BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVED A ONE YEAR GRANT TO ACOG IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000.

THE GRANT WILL FUND AND CONTINUE TO FUND THE JAIL LIAISON PROGRAM AT THE BEXAR COUNTY ADULT DETENTION CENTER.

UM, COMMISSIONER'S COURT ALSO APPROVED THE PRELIMINARY SELECTION OF PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED BY, UH, ARPA FUNDS.

THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT AND ACOG'S INTAKE AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION PROPOSAL WAS, WAS AMONG THOSE PROJECTS PRELIMINARY, SELECTED TO BE FUNDED.

FINAL APPROVAL TAKES PLACE ON APRIL THE EIGHTH.

UH, TWO OF OUR IDD PERSONNEL STAFF, ABIGAIL GARCIA AND VICKY GARZA.

UH, RECEIVED AND COMPLETED TRAINING IN THE ROAD TO RECOVERY TRAUMA INFORMED CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH IDD, WHICH IS A COURSE OFFERED BY THE HOG FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS CENTER FOR DISABILITY SERVICES, UH, DISABILITY STUDIES.

ABIGAIL AND VIKI ARE NOW CERTIFIED AS MASTER TRAINERS AND CAN BEGIN TEACHING THIS INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, UH, IN MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS.

THE QUARTERLY MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS SUPPORT COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL THE SECOND AT ACOG.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR COUNTY VETERAN SERVICES OFFICERS TO ATTEND IN NATURAL RESOURCES FROM APRIL 3RD FROM 12 TO ONE.

UH, THE ALAMO AREA, CLEAN CITIES AND LONE STAR CLEAN FUELS ALLIANCE ARE CO-HOSTING A VIRTUAL WORKSHOP TO SUPPORT THE JOINT OFFICE OF ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION'S CLEAN BUS PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TRANSIT AGENCIES TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE AND CUSTOMIZED FLEET ELECTRIFICATION TRANSITION PLANS.

AND, UH, PLEASE CONTACT LYLE HUFFSTETLER FOR DETAILS, UH, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN REGISTERING FOR THAT COURSE.

UH, LIKEWISE.

ACOG IS HOSTING AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY ROOFING WORKSHOP ON APRIL 18TH FROM 10 TO 12, UH, NOON.

THE WORKSHOP WILL FEATURE A LESSON ABOUT THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND EXAMPLES OF GREEN ROOFS AND WHITE ROOFS AS POTENTIAL MITIGATION MEASURES, UH, THAT WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED.

AND ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE RE REACH OUT TO LYLE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AND FOR HOW TO REGISTER ON APRIL 16TH FROM 10 TO NOON, ACOG WILL BE IN MEDINA COUNTY SPEAKING TO GO MEDINA ABOUT SERVICES THAT WILL ENHANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, POTENTIAL, POTENTIAL AND WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES.

UH, PROGRAMS. SERVICES THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED INCLUDE GRANT WRITING, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AIR QUALITY, SOLID WASTE, TRANSPORTATION, HOME WEATHERIZATION, AND MORE.

SO, UH, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET YOUR PEOPLE OUT THERE IN MEDINA COUNTY TO, UM, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PROGRAM IF YOU'RE LOOKING PARTICULARLY AT THIS TIME.

AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, UNPRECEDENTED AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.

SO WE, WE WILL BE OFFERING GRANT WRITING SERVICES.

NATURAL RESOURCES IS STILL SEEKING PARTICIPANTS.

AND ONCE AGAIN, AS I ASKED YOU LAST MONTH TO BE EXCITED ABOUT THE HYDROGEN PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BE ON ANOTHER COMMITTEE.

WE NEED MEMBERS, UH, FOR THE HYDROGEN PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HAZARD MITIGATION AND ENERGY EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PLANNING, PLANNING THE HYDROGEN FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND ONCE AGAIN, LYLE WILL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.

AND, UM, UH, HIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR PACKET, L HUFFSTETLER@ACOG.COM.

IN OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS AREA, UH, CRYSTAL COMPOST ROSALES IS, IS HAS BEEN NAMED AND PICKED TO SERVE AS ACOG'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SOUTH TEXAS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.

AND FINALLY, IN, IN COMMUNICATIONS, A ROAD SHOW WAS PLANNED FOR MARCH 29TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT SILVER SAGE IN BANDERA COUNTY IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

THE DOMESTIC EX DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXTREMISM PROJECT TEAM HELD A BASIC THREAT EVALUATION AND REPORTING COURSE TRAINING IN VAUGHN ARMY.

ON MARCH 11TH, THE TRAINING HELD AT SOUTHWEST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT INVOLVED A TOTAL OF 47 PARTICIPANTS CONSISTING OF SCHOOL, FACULTY, STAFF, AND PEACE OFFICERS.

THE TRAINING TEACHES PARTICIPANTS HOW TO PREVENT, UH, ACTS OF TARGETED VIOLENCE BY IDENTIFYING THOSE THREATS OR OBSERVABLE BEHAVIORS.

ON MARCH 21ST THROUGH AND 22ND, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY HOSTED THE US POSTAL SERVICE INVESTIGATORS

[00:40:01]

AND THIS WEEK, THE ACADEMY IS HOSTING A FIVE DAY FBI TRAINING COURSE IN DEFENSIVE TACTICAL TRAINING.

UH, ON ANOTHER NOTE, OUR NEXT BASIC PEACE OFFICER COURSE WILL BEGIN APRIL THE 29TH WITH APPROXIMATELY 19 CADETS, THOSE THUS FAR REGISTERED IN ORDER TO REALLY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CLASS.

AND BY THAT MEAN, BY THAT I MEAN ONE THAT PAYS FOR ITSELF.

WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST 30 CADETS.

UH, IF ANY OF YOU ARE CONTEMPLATING SENDING SOME CADETS OR SPONSORING SOME, WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IF WE COULD SQUEAK 'EM INTO THIS CLASS.

UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE AT LEAST 24.

WE KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE COMING, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO GET INTO THAT THIRTIES TO MAKE THE CLASS SELF-SUSTAINING.

AND SO WE'D APPRECIATE, UM, IF YOU WOULD LET YOUR, UH, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES KNOW ABOUT THAT, UH, AVAILABILITY IN THE CLASS.

UM, FINALLY, AND REGARDING THE PROGRAMS AND REGIONAL SERVICES, WE WILL HOST THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WORK WORKSHOP, WHICH IS CO-HOSTED BY DENTON NAVARRO RODRIGUEZ, BERNAL SANTI, AND ZACK.

AND, UH, MR. RODRIGUEZ'S DAUGHTER, BY THE WAY, IS THE RODRIGUEZ IN THAT NAME.

UM, AND WE WILL BE HOSTING THAT WORKSHOP ON MAY THE 31ST IN THE ACOG BOARDROOM.

THIS WORKSHOP WILL FEATURE OPEN RECORDS AND OPEN MEETINGS, TRAINING AND REGISTRATION TO ATTEND.

THE WORKSHOP WILL OPEN ON APRIL 30TH.

ON A SIDE NOTE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS OR KNOW OTHERS WHO ARE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS, I CANNOT ENCOURAGE YOU ENOUGH TO GO TO THAT TRAINING.

AS A FORMER WHITE COLLAR CRIME CHIEF PROSECUTOR, UH, I USED TO HAVE TO INFORM MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS HOW THEY HAVE INADVERTENTLY OR INTENTIONALLY, UH, VIOLATED THAT OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

UH, THIS TRAINING IS VALUABLE AND WILL KEEP YOU ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW, SO PLEASE, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TRAINING.

UH, EVEN THE MOST, WELL-MEANING AND WELL-INTENTIONED PUBLIC OFFICIAL CAN VIOLATE THAT OPEN MEETINGS OR REQUIREMENTS, UH, OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT.

SO IT'S VALUABLE TRAINING AND IT'S, IT'S, UM, WELL WORTH IT, WELL WORTH THE TIME.

UH, ON JUNE THE SEVENTH REGIONAL SERVICES WILL HOST AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP.

THE WORKSHOP WILL FEATURE STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS WHO WILL DISCUSS FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND PROGRAMS. REGISTRATION WILL OPEN MAY THE EIGHTH.

AND FINALLY, IN REGIONAL SERVICES GRANT APPLICATION AND GRANT ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANCE ARE AVAILABLE FOR STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS THROUGH OUR REGIONAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR CONTACT CLAUDIA MORA.