Item from Council 2/23/23

[Colleen Pate]

Colleagues –

Two days ago, the Council made two of the most consequential votes that any of us might take while serving on this body. We made a change to our City Manager, and we gave clear instructions to the citizens, the Interim City Manager, and to the police association about the direction that should be taken to negotiate a police labor contract.

I’m disappointed but not surprised to learn today that the Austin Police Association has chosen not to return to the negotiating table. I hope they remain open to reaching an agreement, and the only way to do so is to come back to the table.

Until negotiations resume, we want our police officers and their families to know that they are supported by this City. To demonstrate this promise and to provide them certainty and stability as to their labor rights, wages, and benefits, I am supporting an ordinance that will assure APD officers’ wages, benefits and payout of sick leave hours upon separation are continued as covered under the current contract, even if the City and the police union do not reach an agreement before the current contract expires on March 31.

Since taking office in January, I have been considering and speaking about this type of ordinance as a stopgap measure to get us through the next year. I am very grateful to Council Member Ryan Alter for picking up this effort in the past several days as I became busy with last week’s other matters. He has prepared a well-researched and crafted ordinance that I am happy to join in supporting.

This ordinance will also establish the authority of the Office of the Police Oversight as an investigator as permitted by state law. This option will allow for investigations of anonymous complaints by citizens and police officers.

I believe this ordinance can accomplish our goals, protect, and provide security for our police officers, and allow for a robust and effective civilian oversight. But let me be clear – this is not a better outcome than a one-year agreement with the police association. It would be better for everyone if they would return to the negotiating table now, but if they do not then we must pass this ordinance to maintain effective recruiting and retention of APD officers.

Finally, please know that I will also be offering an amendment to this ordinance early next week that will offer additional pay and benefits to officers that I hope will give us more options to retain and recruit more officers.

I look forward to next week’s discussion and I am very grateful to CM Ryan Alter for his work and leadership on this issue.

Kirk

On behalf of Mayor Watson

[Ryan Alter]

I want to thank the Mayor for starting the conversation on preserving pay and benefits for our police officers moving forward to avoid unnecessary uncertainty and disruptions to our community. We must provide as much stability for APD officers as possible as we potentially cease operating under a contract between APA and the City. While this change is avoidable, we must preserve officer pay and benefits to the furthest extent possible so that officers will not feel the need to retire because they do not know what will happen after March 31.

It is also equally important that we remember that oversight and supporting our police are not mutually exclusive.

To this end, I propose an ordinance (item 61) to protect the current pay and benefits for our police while also implementing strong oversight at the Office of Police Oversight should we fail to agree on a new contract by March 31. This ordinance removes the monetary uncertainty facing officers if they fall out of contract. We need every officer we have, and I want to take this opportunity to personally ask our APD officers to continue to serve our community as we work through this difficult time.

Falling out of contract is not something any of us want, but we have tools at our disposal to reduce the harms it produces. We should not retreat to our corners and try to exact as much pain as possible from the “other side” to prove a point. We are all part of the same community and should do everything we can to strengthen it.

Our police should be properly valued. Our community deserves oversight. This ordinance serves those goals as far as state law allows, and I hope each and every one of you will join me in its passage.

[Zo Qadri]

Colleagues,

I appreciate Council Member Ryan Alter’s proposed ordinance (Item 61) on our upcoming agenda that would keep in place the current APD pay and benefits should the current contract lapse. In order to encourage both the City and the Austin Police Association to continue working towards a permanent solution, I am offering the following amendment that includes a sunset provision for the proposed ordinance. I believe it is critical that we allow both sides to continue to negotiate a long-term contract that includes fair pay and benefits while also providing robust oversight and accountability which could be augmented by our voters this May.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 151218.pdf

Looking forward to the discussion tomorrow,

Zo

[Colleen Pate]

After consideration, I decided that the better way to carry this out was to have Council direct the City Manager to put together the program that reflects Council’s desire to show support for the police.

I look forward to our discussion.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 212317.pdf

Thank you,

Kirk

On behalf of Mayor Watson

[Mackenzie Kelly]

Thank you Mayor for proposing this substitute motion.

As Austin grows, I think it's important that we take steps to incentivize officers to live within the city for which they serve.

Therefore, I am proposing the following amendment to your substitute motion that will incentivize and encourage officers to live in the City of Austin. Furthermore, this aligns with past council action including the passage of CM Tovo Budget Rider #5 - APD Residency Incentive Study. (Link: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/docum ... ?id=390087).

Amendment: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 084136.pdf

Regards,

-mk