Bridging Bastrop Board

CITY OF BASTROP REGULAR BRIDGING BASTROP BOARD MEETING MINUTES MAY 14, 2026 The Bridging Bastrop Board met at a Regular Meeting on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Bastrop City Hall Council Chambers, 1311 Chestnut Street, Bastrop, Texas, with the following action taken to wit: Board Members Present Staff Present Chair Sheila Lowe Assistant City Secretary Victoria Psencik Karen Knight Human Resources Director Tanya Cantrell Nancy Wood Sandra Ervin Mary Moody Eboni Smith (left at 6:20pm) Board Members Absent City Council Members Present Terika Taylor-Williams Keny Fossler Other Board Members Present Keith Ahlborn, Planning & Zoning Commission 1. CALL TO ORDER Board Chair Lowe called the Regular Bridging Bastrop Board meeting to order at 5:37 p.m. with a quorum present. 2. CITIZEN COMMENT(S) No comments were submitted. 3. ANNOUNCEMENTS 3A. Update and Discussion on Past Events: - Springfest (CANCELED) - Regular City Council Meeting - Work in Bastrop Event - Bird Lovers' Weekend - Derby Day at the Museum - World Labyrinth Day: Walk as One Event - F.A.M.E. Days: Nest Fest No formal action was taken on Item 3A. 3B. Update and Discussion on Upcoming Events: - May 16 - Touch-a-Truck «& Movie in the Park - May 17 - Lost Pines Art Center Spring Gala City ofBastrop, Texas May 14, 2026 Regular Bridging Bastrop Board Meeting Minutes Page 1 of5  - May 20 - Sit with Sylvia - May 26 - Regular City Council Meeting - June 5 - F.A.M.E. Days: Freedom & Flourish - June 9 - Regular City Council Meeting - June 19 - Bastrop Juneteenth Banquet - June 20 - Bastrop Junefeenth - Parade, Freedom Festival, Street Dance No formal action was taken on Item 3B. 3C. Additional Announcements aiul/or Events from individual Bridging Bastrop Board members. - May 19 - City Council Budget Workshop from 5:30 to 9:30 pm " May 20 - Park Improvements Ribbon Cuttings - Fireman's Park at 4:00 pm, Fisherman's Park at 4:30 pm, and Delgado Park at 5:00 pm - June 13 - Bastrop Juneteenth Essence of Beauty Pageant at 1:00 pm - June 21 - The Walk of Love No formal action was taken on Item 3C. 4. REPORTS 4A. Posf-evenf report on the Work in Bastrop Event held on April 30th. Board Chair Lowe reported the event had 187 attendees and 29 employers which was down from last year's 296 attendees. The Board completed 30 surveys among the attendees. From the event, transportation was identified as the greatest barrier to employment, followed by childcare and lack of experience. Board Chair Lowe stated discussion was had with Workforce Solutions and the Chamber of Commerce regarding moving the event date due to the many events happening around the same time. The event for next year will be Thursday, February 11, 2027 at the Convention Center with a Valentine theme of "Fall in Love with Your Next Career." Marketing of the February 2027 event to begin in October 2026 to get the event out there. Board Members volunteering with planning for next year's event: Nancy Wood, Maiy Moody, Sandy Ervin, and Sheila Lowe. Additional feedback included employers unable to attend in person to have "virtual presence" through QR code posters linking directly to their hiring sites. No formal action was taken on Item 4A. 5. WORKSHOP 5A. Discussion about the Accessibility Inventory Walk Initiative, includine but not limited to the accessibility checklist. Ideas that were discussed during the workshop: City ofBastrop, Texas May 14, 2026 Regular Bridging Bastrop Board Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 5  • The checklist is to be sent to Fleet & Facilities Director Doug Haggerty for review regarding ADA compliance standards • Board Member Knight presented a condensed version of the checklist that will be submitted over to Director Haggerty • Actual walk taking place in October 2026, finalizing the results in November 2026, and presenting it to the City Council at the December 8, 2026, meeting • The goal is still to take an inventory of the city buildings and create a potential priority list from the actual walk. • Focus on disability awareness overall and work on getting city buildings compliant and accessible to all • The board planned to invite community members with disabilities to share their stories through video interviews starting in September • Public Information Manager Colin Guerra will be invited to the next meeting to discuss production parameters and templates • Videos will be displayed at City Hall, Convention Center, and the Library, with International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd) as the target awareness date. No formal action was taken on Item 5A. 6. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 6A. Review, discussion, and possible action on the April 2026 Employment Reports from the City ofBastrop Human Resources Department. Human Resources Director, Tanya Cantrell presented the April 2026 Employment Reports for the City ofBastrop. The board requested additional data tracking to understand why increased applicant diversity isnt translating to proportional hiring, particularly tracking interview rates by demographic. No formal action was taken on Item 6A. 6B. Consider and act to approve the Bridging Basfrop Board Meeting minutes from the April 16, 2026, Regular Meeting. MOTION: Board Member Wood moved to approve the Bridging Bastrop Board Meeting minutes from the April 16, 2026 Regular Meeting as presented. Board Member Moody seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 6C. Individual Requests from Bridging Bastrop Board members for particular items to be listed on future agendas. Individual Requests made by the Board Members; - Invite Public Information Manager Colin Guen'a to the June meeting - Additional hiring information from Human Resources City ofBastrop, Texas May 14, 2026 Regular Bridging Bastrop Board Meeting Minutes Page 3 ot 5  No formal action was taken on Item 6C. 5. WORKSHOP, continued 5B. Workshop discussion on the current Bridging Bastrop Board Work Plan and the priorities moving forward. GOAL 1: Engagement in activities forums, community gatherings, and events that promote mutual understanding, as well as encourage residents to connect with one another. THEME: Lift Every Voice / Community Storytelling and Engagement Key Actions: Engagement & Storytelling to Build Trust and Belonging - Voices ofBastrop Launch Community Stoiytelling initiative: Capture short video stories at events and post on social media. (IN PROGRESS - disability iuvnreness interviews) • Community events and activities - veterans, cultural, family, youth and seniors (Partner with BEDC & BISD to create a student training program in engineering as well as to connect students to City career opportunities.) • Host Work in Bastrop events: Job training, hiring fairs, and skill-building programs. (COMPLETED) GOAL 2: Create strategies to distribute information to people of different cultures in culturally appropriate ways. THEME: Speak the Language ofCommimity / Cidtwal Commumcation cmd Access Key Actions: Culftirally Responsive Communication & Resource Access - Language of Belonging • Train Community Ambassadors: Liaisons from diverse cultural backgrounds to share resources and feedback. (TABLED " ON \WU)) • Identify underserved areas in our community and their preferred method of communication, word of mouth and paper, then Facebook, Community Impact/utility bill inserts (IN PROGRESS VIA SURVEYS ~ keep "preferred comnnmicntion method on the future surveys) • Build a Multilingual Resource Hub: Ensure translated, accessible info on city and partner websites. (IN PROGRESS - explore wcbsifc translafion cHpabiIities) GOAL 3: Work collaboratively with our partners. THEME: Power m Partnership / Partner Collaboration and Shared Solutions Key Actions: Strengthening Connections with Community Asset & Support Partners - Bridges not Silos or Better Together City ofBastrop, Texas May 14, 2026 Regular Bridging Bastrop Board Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 5  • Launch Partner Spotlight Series: Monthly 1:1 interviews + articles with photo for FB and city site. (IN PROGRESS - work with the orgnnizations for video?) • Include the partners list on the new bridging Bastrop board web page on the city s website (link to easy access) (IN PROGRESS - work with City stnft) • Publish successes and analytics on the Bridging Bastrop board web page (OpenGov) • Collaborate to co-host community events (Job fairs, housing/healthcare access events). (IN PROGRESS- research potential pnrtnership opporhmities) No formal action was taken on Item 5B. 7. ADJOURNMENT Upon receiving a motion and a second to adjourn, the May 14 Regular Meeting was adjourned at 7:24 p.m. without objection. APPROVED: /-" Sheila Lowe, Bridging Bastrop Board Chair ATTEST: ^ Victoria Psencik, Assistant City Secretary City ofBastrop, Texas May 14, 2026 Regular Bridging Bastrop Board Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 5