August 8th AMLD Board Meeting Notes and Meeting Updates
Greetings Neighbors!
August has been a busy month for our neighborhood. We recently held a significant board meeting on August 8th and had wonderful participation from residents. The Board has been engaged in strategic planning sessions, along with one resident who came to all of them. We also have Board meetings scheduled this week!
Meetings This Week
Tuesday, August 20 at 6pm: A Board Meeting to discuss candidates for the District Manager position. Agenda
Wednesday, August 21 at 6:30pm: A Town Hall where we will share the outcomes of our Strategic Planning with the community. Please note that No Votes or Actions will be taken by the Board at this meeting. Agenda
August 8th Board Meeting Recap
Thank you so much for attending the August 8th meeting. Your involvement in our community is incredibly important, and we appreciate your dedication to making our neighborhood a better place.
Meeting Participants
Director Katherine Hogle, Director Mike Chaney, Director Monique Watford, Director Nikki Hinkle and District Attorney Zachariah Evans were all present. Director Paul Hermesmeyer was absent.
Community Comments
One resident acknowledged the board's efforts to address issues with the pickleball courts. She sees this as a two-phase process. Phase 1 focuses on stopping cheating in the reservation system, which she believes is being exploited using AI. She also called for stricter enforcement of the rules and thanked the board for the steps taken so far. Phase 2 she would like to see us focus on expanding the pickleball/tennis program.
A resident suggested that our reservation system, Active, should include features to prevent bots from making reservations. She appreciated the board's actions to enforce rules on the tennis/pickleball courts.
A resident who reviewed the budget mentioned some discrepancies, which Director Hogle addressed. This resident also expressed a willingness to pay more taxes to maintain our community's high-quality services and programs.
Strategic Planning Sessions
Director Hogle informed us that the board has been holding strategic planning sessions, with one more to go. She plans to share the outcomes at a Town Hall Meeting on August 21 at 6:30pm.
Fall and Winter Activity Guide
The board also approved the Fall and Winter activity guide. Please keep an eye out in the mail for this informational guide that showcases all the fun activities and programs AMLD will offer this Fall and Winter!
City of Austin
Director Hogle shared that the City of Austin discovered an accounting error affecting our neighborhood. Specifically, AMLD residents were not charged the $5 fee for the bi-annual bulk pick-up. She canceled a meeting with District 6 Council Member Mackenzie Kelley's office, as this issue falls outside the board's purview. Please contact the City to discuss your concerns regarding this issue.
Sheriff Deputies Contract
We approved changes to the off-duty contract with the sheriff's deputies, agreeing to pay an additional $1 per hour for vehicle usage.
Proposed Tax Rate for 2024.
The discussion on the proposed tax rate took up a significant portion of the meeting. While we all had different viewpoints, we did agree that understanding the budget fully before asking residents to approve a higher tax rate is crucial.We will be accepting the proposed tax rate by the county and not ordering a tax rate election. A public hearing for the tax rate is scheduled for September 10 at 6:30 PM.
Q3 Review Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Director Hermesmeyer was absent and not able to answer some of our questions. The board decided to push this discussion to another meeting.
Director Hermesmeyer’s Resignation
Director Hogle announced that Director Hermesmeyer will be stepping down from the board on September 10. She thanked him for his many years of service to AMLD. We will discuss the process for finding a replacement at our next board meeting.
Committee Updates
Personnel Committee: Director Hogle reported that several candidates have been advanced to the final interview stage for the District Manager position. We hope to welcome a new manager soon.
Community Engagement: I shared my proposal for a community engagement event regarding the mobility bond. The board liked the idea but preferred that I pursue it as a community member, not a board member. I will keep you posted on this!
Budget Committee: Director Watford shared that the budget committee is still working on the budget and has requested projections from each department head.
Facilities, Operations & Safety: Director Hogle went on a pool tour with the aquatics director and encouraged all directors to do the same.
Upcoming Meetings:
Board of Directors Meeting: A special meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20th at 6pm to discuss the vacant District Manager position.
Town Hall Meeting: We will have a Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, August 21st at 6:30pm to share our strategic planning updates.
Public Hearing/ September Board Meeting: We will have a public hearing and then the September Board meeting on Tuesday, September 10th at 6:30pm.
Thank you for your continued engagement and support. Please mark your calendars for these upcoming meetings, and we look forward to your participation. I hope to see you at the Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday!
Reminder
As an AMLD Board member, I want to remind everyone that this newsletter is not the official notes from the meeting. These are my personal thoughts on the items that were discussed at the meeting. Please see the link if you would like to see the official notes from the past board meetings. Meeting Minutes