[1. Staff presentation on the FY 2019 Proposed Budget focusing on, but not limited to, the following City Departments and Initiatives: [Sheryl Sculley, City Manager; Justina Tate, Director, Management and Budget] A. Affordable Housing/Neighborhood and Housing Services B. Planning C. Library D. Sustainability E. Metro Health F. Human Services and Delegate Agencies G. Parks and Recreation] [00:00:15] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH OUR AFTERNOON SESSION. TODAY WE'LL GET AS FAR AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS MORNING WE TALKED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BUDGETS. THIS AFTERNOON, WE'LL BEGIN WITH HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES OUR DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS. THAT'S A BIANNUAL PROCESS OF FUNDING AND COMPETITIVENESS AND MELODY WOOSLEY, OUR DIRECTOR, IS HERE TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION, TO BE FOLLOWED BY OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND LIBRARY DEPARTMENT THIS AFTERNOON. SO WE HAVE THREE HOURS. SO THAT WE CAN BUDGET OUR TIME ACCORDINGLY. MELODY, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR HUMAN SERVICES. >> THANK YOU. I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT THE HUMAN SERVICES PROPOSED BUDGET THIS AFTERNOON, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR DELEGATE AGENCY RECOMMENDATION AS THE ASSISTANT MANAGER SAID. HUMAN SERVICES IS A BIG DEPARTMENT WITH MULTIPLE LINES OF BUSINESS. AND I COULDN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT MY GREAT TEAM. VERY QUICKLY, I'LL INTRODUCE GONZALEZ AND REBECCA FLORES, WHO IS OUR EDUCATION POLICY ADMINISTRATOR. AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, YOU DO HAVE A BINDER AT YOUR SEAT THAT PROVIDES A GREAT DEAL MORE INFORMATION THAN I'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS AFTERNOON. AND I'LL REFERENCE THE CONTENT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION. AND SO BY APPLYING THE EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD FROM ME BEFORE ON, TO THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE DEFINE OUR "WHY." HUMAN SERVICES WORKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS BY FOCUSING ON OUR "WHY" WE MAKE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE IMPACT TOWARD THE CITY'S VISION OF PROSPERITY FOR ALL. AND SO FROM THERE, WE DEVELOPED OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. THIS IS OUR ROAD MAP TO KEEP US FOCUSED. WE ALSO DETERMINED OUR WHY FOR THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS, WHICH MAXIMIZES OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES FOR ALL. THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON, I WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW OUR DELEGATE AGENCY PART NECNERS WILL ENHANCR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. I'LL QUICKLY RUN THROUGH HUMAN SERVICES' MAJOR INITIATIVES. A CONTINUUM EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH SERVES OVER 20,000 CHILDREN EVERY DAY, INCLUDES HEAD-START, EARLY HEAD-START AND CHILD CARE SERVICES PROGRAM. IT STIMULATION EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND IT SERVES AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR CHILDREN AT RISK OF ABUYS, AND IT ALSO HELPS PARENTS WORK. THROUGH THE PROCESS, CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS, I AM RECOMMENDING 25 PROGRAMS FOR FUNDING THAT WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS FOR DISABLED CHILDREN, INJURED CHILDREN WHO ARE AT RISK FOR ABUSE. THROUGH COORDINATION OF YOUTH SERVICES AND THROUGH OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE -- WE ADDRESS THE YOUTH PARTED OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. ADDITIONALLY WE INVESTED OVER $3 MILLION IN CATHOLIC COLLEGE AND COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS. I'M RECOMMENDING 26 PROGRAMS IN THE PROCESS THAT WILL PLAY IN THE CENTRAL ROLE IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO MEET A WIDE VARIETY OF NEEDS THAT OUR YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE. THESE INCLUDE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS, EXTENDED LEARNING, AND S.T.E.M. S.T.E.A.M. OPPORTUNITIES. TELL DELEGATE AGENCY PROGRAMS WILL SERVE 50,000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH OVER THE NEXT YEAR. MOVING ON TO FINANCIAL SECURITY. OUR FINANCIAL SECURITY INITIATIVES BEGIN WITH AN EMERGENCY SAFETY NET TO HELP FAMILIES IN CRISIS, WITH UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS, TO IMPROVE THEIR FINANCIAL CONDITION. WE THEN CONNECT RESIDENTS TO BENEFITS, TO TAX ASSISTANCE AND OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ADDITIONAL NEEDS THAT WE DON'T PROVIDE SUCH AS PRESCRIPTIONS, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND MANY OTHERS. AND WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE TEN COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS AND 43 PART-TIME NUTRITION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO TWO CENTERS THROUGH THE 2017 BOND WHICH WE ANTICIPATE OPENING IN 2021. IT INCLUDES THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL CENTER IN DISTRICT 4 AND COMPREHENSIVE [00:05:01] SENIOR CENTER IN DISTRICT 9. ONCE OPEN, WE ESTIMATE 93% TO 95% OF THE CITY'S SENIOR POPULATION WILL LIVE WITHIN FIVE MILES OF A COMPREHENSIVE CENTER AND HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION TO THOSE CENTERS. EVERY DAY, SENIORS AT OUR CENTERS ARE PARTICIPATING IN AN EXCITING ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR OLDER ADULTS THAT INCLUDE FITNESS, DANCE, COMPUTER AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES. AND THEY'RE PROVIDED BY OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES. YOU'LL SEE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR DELEGATE AGENCY RECOMMENDATIONS. ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WE SERVE 32,000 SENIORS ACROSS THE CENTERS AND OUR NUTRITION SITES, AND ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE ARE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES PROVIDED BY OUR PARTNERS. THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN SERVICES AND NONPROFIT AGENCIES HAS HELPED INCREASE OUR OVERALL SATISFACTION FROM SENIORS WITH OUR CENTERS FROM 96% LAST YEAR TO 98% TODAY. WE COORDINATE THE CITY'S HOMELESS POLICY AND INITIATIVES AND PARTNER CLOSELY WITH HAVEN FOR HOPE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. HUMAN SERVICES LEADS TO COLLABORATIVE HOMELESSNESS, AND ATTAINED BENCHMARKS SINCE MAY OF 2016 FOR THAT INITIATIVE. AND LAST YEAR, WE CONVENED A MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL TEAM TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT OUTREACH EVENTS, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT SHORTLY. OUR FAITH-BASED AND COMPASSIONATE CITIES INITIATIVES CONTINUES TO GROW RAPIDLY. THE FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE WORKING GROUP REPRESENTS 19 FAITHS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH 16 ACTION TEAMS, WE'VE DEVELOPED A NETWORK OF RESOURCES THAT HELP US BETTER SERVE THOSE IN NEED. HUMAN SERVICES PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET IS ALMOST $131 MILLION. IT INCLUDES $38.5 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND. FY '19 REFLECTS ABOUT A $5 MILLION INCREASE OVER FISCAL YEAR 2018, PRIMARILY DUE TO ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDINGS IN THE CHILD CARE SERVICES PROGRAM. IN THE GENERAL FUND, THE INCREASE IS $400,000, AND THAT IS FOR OUR THREE ENGAGEMENT CENTERS. IT REFLECTS OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. WHAT YOU SEE REPRESENTS EVERYTHING THE DEPARTMENT DOES, AND INCORPORATES WHAT OUR AGENCIES DO FOR US. FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE 95.8 MILLION IN CHILDREN SERVICES, 85 MILLION OF THAT IS FROM FEDERAL GRANTS, AND THE BALANCE IS THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH OUR AGENCIES. AND SO NEXT I'LL HIGHLIGHT NEW AND ENHANCED INITIATIVES FOR 2019. AND FIRST, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES 345,000 TO OPEN A YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 35,000, 16 TO 24-YEAR-OLD YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOT IN SCHOOL AND ARE NOT WORKING. SAN ANTONIO HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF DISENGAGED YOUTH IN TEXAS, COMPARED TO OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY. OUR NEW CENTER WILL CONNECT YOU TO THE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE ANTICIPATE OPENING IN JANUARY OF 2019 AT THE FRANK GARRETT COMMUNITY CENTER. HUMAN SERVICES WILL PARTNER WITH MUNICIPAL COURTS, SAPD, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARKS AND LIBRARY TO IDENTIFY DISCONNECTED YOUTH AND PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF EDUCATION CASE MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES. AND SO A GOOD EXAMPLE IS OUR SAFE OFFICERS WHO WORK WITH YOUTH VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE WHOSE LIVES ARE ON A NEGATIVE TRAJECTORY. THEY HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING SERVICES TO REFER YOUNG ADULTS, TOO, THAT PROVIDE POSITIVE OPTIONS. AND THE REENGAGEMENT CENTER WILL SERVE AS THAT RESOURCE ONCE IT'S OPENED. AGAIN, RECOMMENDED AGENCIES WILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM. WE ARE RECOMMENDING A JOINT PROPOSAL BETWEEN GOODWILL AND COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT AND COUNSELING PORTION OF THE SERVICE. WE ANTICIPATE SERVING 600 YOUTH IN THE FIRST YEAR, WITH 40% ATTAINING A DEGREE, AND 20% ATTAINING A JOB. THIS IS OUR FUTURE WORK FORCE. AND IN THE FALL, WE WILL WORK WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS TO HOST A MEETING THAT THEY'RE PLANNING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO SAN ANTONIO. AND OUR ECONOMY. AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY MAKES A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN HOMELESSNESS. THE HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET INCLUDES $10.2 MILLION FOR HOMELESSNESS, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THAT, $7.5 MILLION, ALLOCATED TO HAVEN FOR HOPE AND CAMPUS PARTNERS. TO PROVIDE THE TRANSFORMATIVE SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS. [00:10:01] AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, LAST YEAR WE CONVENED A MULTIDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP TO IMPLEMENT OUTREACH. THE COORDINATED EFFORT INCLUDES TCI SOLID WASTE, POLICE, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PARKS, ANIMAL CARE AND RISK MANAGEMENT. AS WELL AS THE HAVEN FOR HOPE OUTREACH TEAM. SINCE OCTOBER, THE TEAM HAS CONDUCTED UNDER 94 OUTREACH EVENTS AND THE CHALLENGES WITH ENCAMPMENT HOMELESS ARE GREAT. THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT SUBSTANTIVE ABUSE AND MENTAL ILLNESS ISSUES THAT IMPEDE THEIR CHOICE TO SEEK SERVICES AND SHELTER. OUTREACH HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO 299 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, AND 16 OF THEM ACCEPTED SERVICES AND SHELTER AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. I'M REQUESTING $235,000 TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. YOU MAY RECALL IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THAT THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES COULD NO LONGER -- NO LONGER HAD FUNDING FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF THEIR TREATMENT PROGRAM AT THE CAMPUS. YOU APPROVED ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE TO CONTINUE OPERATING THESE BEDS TO SERVE THE CHRONIC AND THE ENCAMPMENT HOMELESS. THE REQUEST WILL CONTINUE THAT HAVEN FOR HOPE FOR THE FULL YEAR, AND CHCS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE TREATMENT SERVICES. AND NOW MOVING FORWARD, I WILL COVER HUMAN SERVICES DELEGATE AGENCY RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN RENE DOMINGES WILL COVER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PORTION. AND WE ARE -- AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COMBINED PROCESS THAT INVOLVES BOTH HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A FOCUS ON OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. THIS POOL OF FUNDING MAXIMIZES THE WORK WE DO, LEVERAGING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, AND EXPERTISE THAT WE DON'T HAVE. OUR OUTCOMES OVERLAP WITH SEVEN SA 2020 COMMUNITY INDICATORS, WHILE WE RECOGNIZE OUR DEPARTMENTS MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THOSE, WE ENVISION SAN ANTONIO'S PROSPERITY. WE'RE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOUNDATION, AND OTHER FUNDERS TO ALIGN OUR VISION AND ORGANIZE OUR OUTCOMES TO MAKE A GREATER IMPACT. BY APPLYING THE EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT TO OUR CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS, OUR RNLATIONS ARE MORE COMPASSIONATE AND MORE INTENTIONAL. WE DEVELOPED LONG-TERM GOALS BY IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING COULD HELP US ACHIEVE OUR GOALS. BY LISTENING TO OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, AND PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT BOTH COMMUNITY DATA AND PROGRAM DATA IS TELLING US ABOUT COMMUNITY NEEDS, WE CLEARLY IDEN IDENTIFIED -- >> WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CONTRACTS FOR SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING -- OR MAKING PROGRESS. LONG-TERM, THE SHIFT IS FOCUSING ON OUTCOMES TO HELP US MAKE CHANGES IN WAYS. IN EVERY ASPECT, HUMAN SERVICES WORKS WITH A WIDE CROSS-SECTOR OF ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE BUSINESS, NONPROFIT, GOVERNMENTAL, AND EVEN OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE. THIS WAS THE MOST TRANSPARENT RFP PROCESS WE'VE IMPLEMENTED TO DATE. OVER 150 PEOPLE PROVIDED INPUT ON RFP REQUIREMENTS, PRIORITIES AND GOALS. WE LAUNCHED A WEB PAGE TO ALLOW PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PROCESS. FOR THE FIRST TIME DRAFTED FOR COMMENT. WE ALSO REVIEWED THE RFP WITH THE UNITED WAY AND AREA FOUNDATION AND SA-2020. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ACTED ON THE INPUT WE RECEIVED. WE ALSO ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY IN EVALUATING ALL OF OUR PANELS, WHICH INCLUDED SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, COMMISSION MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS OF OUR SERVICES. COUNCIL, WE RECEIVED 123 PROPOSALS ASKING FOR MORE THAN $36 MILLION. WHICH IS OVER THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT THAT WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS. A TOTAL OF $21.2 MILLION FROM GENERAL FUNDING GRANTS IS RECOMMENDED FOR 54 AGENCIES, AND 83 PROGRAMS. WE ARE ANTICIPATING GREAT RESULTS FROM EIGHT NEW AGENCIES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED TO ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, EDUCATION AND OTHER HIGH NEEDS SERVICES. IN YOUR BINDER YOU HAVE A LIST OF THESE PROPOSED FUNDING AWARDS, BROKEN DOWN BY OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AND SERVICE PRIORITIES. YOUR BINDER ALSO INCLUDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE PERCENT OF AGENCY BUDGET FROM CONSOLIDATED FUNDING, TEN-YEAR PERFORMANCE HISTORY FOR THE AGENCIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED, AND A [00:15:02] SHEET THAT DESCRIBES EACH PROPOSAL THAT WE CONSIDERED. WE HAVE $775,000 THAT REMAINS UNALLOCATED WITHIN THE DELEGATE AGENCY BUDGET. WE WILL ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 27TH, REQUESTING APPLICATIONS IN FOUR INVESTMENT CATEGORIES, CONSISTENT WITH THE CATEGORIES IN THE RFP ISSUED IN APRIL. I ANTICIPATE BRINGING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THAT RFP TO YOU BY NOVEMBER. TO SUPPORT OUR LONG-TERM GOAL OF ENSURING CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE, WE IDENTIFIED FIVE PRIORITY AREAS THAT WILL MAXIMIZE THE DEPARTMENT'S DIRECT SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH. AND THEN WE DEVELOPED GOALS TO BE ACHIEVED BY 2024. THE PRIORITY AREAS INCLUDE AFTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE, KINDERGARTEN READINESS, PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, OPPORTUNITY YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. FOR EXAMPLE, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AN AVERAGE OF 70% OF OUR HEAD-START CHILDREN IN SAN ANTONIO AND EDGEWOOD ISD WEREN'T KINDERGARTEN READY. WE WANT THAT TO BE 85% BY 2024. OUR PARTNERS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ONBOARD WITH THAT GOAL. THE PROGRAMS RECOMMENDED WILL PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY ENTER HEAD-START AS 3-YEAR-OLDS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES WHILE THEY'RE IN THE PROGRAM. IN THE AREA OF FINANCIAL AND HOUSING STABILITY, WE IDENTIFIED TWO SERVICE PRIORITIES RELATED TO FINANCIAL AND HOUSING STABILITY. OUR GOAL FOR FINANCIAL SECURITY IS TO REDUCE THE PERCENT OF OUR UTILITY ASSISTANCE CLIENTS THAT RETURN FOR SERVICES YEAR OVER YEAR. FROM 33% WHERE WE ARE TODAY, TO 22% -- OR TO 20% BY 2024. WE'LL DO THIS THROUGH -- BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SERVICES, VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE, AND THE ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS TO ACCESS PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR WHICH THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE. TODAY THERE ARE 6,800 CALLS ANNUALLY TO SAPD IN THE TEN TARGETED ZIP CODES THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES. AND THERE ARE 37,000 CALLS CITYWIDE. AGAIN, ANNUALLY, THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS. WE SET A GOAL OF REDUCING THAT NUMBER OF CALLS AND THE TEN PRIORITIES BY AT LEAST 10% BY 2024. THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE HEARD YOUR COMPASSION FOR SURVIVORS OF ABUSE, AND YOUR INTENTION TO EXPAND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. WHICH IS ON THE RISE OVERALL IN THE COMMUNITY, BOTH CHILD ABUSE, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND SO OVERALL FUNDING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION IS PROPOSED TO INCREASE BY $318,000. OVER 7 MILLION IS RECOMMENDED FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE AND CAMPUS PARTNERS FOR 2019. HAVEN FOR HOPE SEES OVER 10,000 HOMELESS ANNUALLY. AND INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. THIS YEAR, 1,200 HAVE TRANSITIONED FROM THE COURTYARD TO BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, AND 620 CAMPUS RESIDENTS HAVE TRANSITIONED TO PERMANENT HOUSING. FOR THE RFP WE IDENTIFIED FOUR HIGH PRIORITY POPULATIONS, CHRONIC, VETERAN, FAMILIES AND YOUTH, AND DEVELOPED FOUR GOALS TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS. CHRONIC HOMELESS ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION WE SERVE AND NATIONAL ESTIMATES ESTIMATE THE COST FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TO COMMUNITIES FOR MEDICAL, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL COSTS IS MORE THAN $40,000 ANNUALLY. THE JANUARY POINT IN TIME COUNT IDENTIFY 479 CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, AND THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THAT BY 60% BY 2024. AND WITH SENIORS, THIS IS THE ONE OUTCOME WHERE WE HAVE ONE KEY POPULATION THAT WE'RE TARGETING, AND THOSE ARE THE SENIORS THAT ARE ATTENDING OUR SENIOR CENTERS. THESE SERVICES PROVIDE SENIORS WITH ACTIVITIES THAT HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CONDITION, AND OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE -- HAVE 90% OF THE SENIORS PARTICIPATING IN THOSE PROGRAMS INDICATING THEIR WELL-BEING IS IMPROVED THROUGH THOSE ACTIVITIES. RIGHT NOW WE MEASURE THAT IN AN INCONSISTENT WAY FROM PROVIDER TO PROVIDER AND NOT REALLY APPLES TO APPLES, SO THIS WILL BE A BENCHMARK HERE WHEN WE IMPLEMENT A CONSISTENT MEASURE, A TEST THAT WE CAN REPORT BACK ON THE PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT GOAL. AND SO THAT CONCLUDES THE HUMAN SERVICES PRESENTATION, AND RENE WILL TALK ABOUT WORK FORCE [00:20:02] DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS. >> THANKS. I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGES THIS FOCUS AREA WHICH REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 15% OF MEL'S OVERALL BUDGET SHE MENTIONED. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WITH THE FUNDING THAT WERE APPROPRIATED FOR JOBS AND CAREER PREPAREDNESS. WE HAVE TWO OVERAVERAGING OBJECTIVES THAT WE FOCUS ON. ONE IS TARGETED INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT, ACTUALLY GETTING A JOB. YOU SEE THAT OVER ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN. THE SECOND IS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS, OR THAT WILL LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT IN OUR TARGETED INDUSTRIES. SO THAT'S LIKE LITERACY, NUMBER ASSY, GED, WORK EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE OUT OF THE $3.1 MILLION THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE SCREEN, 2.2 OF THAT IS DEDICATED TO THE FIRST OBJECTIVE TARGETED INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT, AND THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY PROJECT QUEST. OUT OF THE 3.1 MILLION THAT WERE ALLOCATED, 2.2 IS DEDICATED TOWARD THAT OBJECTIVE IN WHICH PROJECT QUEST PROVIDES THOSE SERVICES. SO THE WORK FORCE AGENCIES THAT RESPONDED TO THE RFP BASICALLY RESPONDED TO A LITTLE UNDER $1 MILLION WORTH OF FUNDING. WE RECEIVED 12 PROPOSALS WITH THE TOTAL REQUEST OF OVER $3.8 MILLION. SO WE BROUGHT TOGETHER SIX WORK FORCE EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO REVIEW THESE PROPOSALS. WE HAD IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS WITH ALL 12 AGENCIES THAT SUBMITTED PROPOSALS, AND OUT OF THOSE WE SELECTED SEVEN AGENCIES TO RECEIVE FUNDING. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THESE AGENCIES FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, TO ENSURE THAT WE FOCUS ON VERY SPECIFIC OUTCOMES. THAT IS, ACTUAL EMPLOYMENT, GETTING A JOB. THE RFP WAS VERY SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF PROVIDING MEANINGFUL SERVICES TO PARTICIPANTS, THAT SUPPORTS CAREER PREPAREDNESS, CAREER PATHWAYS AND HANDOFFS FROM ONE AGENCY TO ANOTHER. THE AGENCIES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING NOT ONLY PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, BUT THEY'RE ALSO WORKING WITH US ON A PILOT PROGRAM THAT TRACKS PARTICIPANTS THROUGH A UNIVERSAL TRACKING SYSTEM. IN OTHER WORDS, A CLIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. AND WITHIN IN SYSTEM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE REFERRALS TO PARTICIPANTS FROM ONE AGENCY TO ANOTHER, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING A RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO THE CITY. SO WE ARE PILOTING THAT PROGRAM. WE ACTUALLY PRESENTED THE ECONOMIC WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND THAT PILOT CONTINUES TODAY. ALL THE AGENCIES WE'VE SELECTED HAVE AGREED TO CONTINUE ON THAT PILOT, OR JOIN THE PILOT IF THEY'RE NEW. WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT BACK TO MEL TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY OF THE WORK FORCE QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RENE, MELODY. MELODY, I WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOU. I THINK WE'VE GONE THROUGH -- I'VE BEEN THROUGH THREE OF THESE CYCLES WITH YOU NOW, AND FROM THE VERY FIRST ONE TO NOW, WE'VE BEEN ON A SLOW TRAJECTORY FROM THE FUNDING FROM A REALLY ORGANIZATIONAL, ONE-ON-ONE INTERAGENCY APPROACH TO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE FOCUSED ON LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES FOR THE CITY. AND I THINK YOU'VE JUST PROVIDED A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN TURN WHAT WAS METRIC-DRIVEN, DATA-DRIVEN FORMULA IS MORE FOCUSED ON THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE HEALTHY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR AND WHAT WE'LL BE TRACKING THROUGH YOUR SLIDES 23 THROUGH 26. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. OTHER THAN MAYBE TO GET YOUR SENSE OF HOW YOUR DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED AS WE SEE SOME OF THESE OTHER EXTERNAL FACTORS FACING SAN ANTONIO, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH CASELOAD, AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, IN THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM, TO THE POTENTIAL CUTS IN SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WE MAY SEE FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT, AND BEGIN PLANNING FOR TO SEE? >> RIGHT NOW, WE MONITOR THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE BUDGET PRETTY CLOSELY, AND ALSO THROUGH OUR -- YOU KNOW, THE ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS HEAD-START AND COMMUNITY ACCESS ASSOCIATIONS. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THROUGH 2019 AND EVEN GOING FORWARD, WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY MAJOR CUTS IN OUR PROGRAMS. POSSIBLY TO OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, BUT THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT THAT EVEN SINCE THE OBAMA ADMINI ADMINISTRATION, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN -- THOSE CUTS HAVEN'T BEEN REALIZED. RIGHT NOW, FINGERS CROSSED, WE DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING THIS YEAR. [00:25:02] THE CHATTER IS ALWAYS THERE, SO WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED. AS FAR AS MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FROM ALL OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT THERE'S A HUGE CONCERN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. I HEARD A STATISTIC THE OTHER DAY THAT PROBABLY 70% OF EVERYONE WALKING AROUND HAS EXPERIENCED SOME SORT OF TRAUMA, AND, YOU KNOW, IT IMPACTS THEIR DECISION-MAKING. AND THE THINGS THAT THEY DO. AND SO IT'S A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE BECOME BETTER TRAINED AS A TRAUMA-INFORMED ORGANIZATION, EVEN CERTIFIED, SO THE -- AS WE'RE SEEING CLIENTS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB WITH THEM, AND THEN ALSO HOW DO WE WORK WITH OUR AGENCIES TO BECOME THAT ORIENTED AS WELL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH. I JUST THINK -- I MEAN, THE LAST -- IT'S ALWAYS YOUR BUDGET BRIEFING THAT HELPS ME RECKON WITH MY ROLE AS A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT LAYERS AND AGENCIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEAL WITH ISSUES LIKE THIS. BUT WHEREVER THE BALL DROPS, IT COMES BACK TO US TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN SOME WAY. AND, YOU KNOW, IT SPEAKS TO THE VERY PREAMBLE OF OUR CHARTER WHERE WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE WELFARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING ON THE FRONT LINES OF THAT, AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO HELP US BE MORE FOCUSED ON OUTCOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALES? >> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MELODY, FOR THE PRESENTATION. I GUESS I JUST -- I'M REVIEWING SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT I'M SEEING, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND I GUESS THE QUESTION I'M GOING TO ASK IS A LITTLE BIT OH, I DON'T KNOW, IT MAY BE HARD TO ANSWER, BUT WE'VE SEEN -- SINCE WE'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, SAN ANTONIO HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF BABIES BORN ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES OF SIDS, AND HIGHEST RATE OF DES ENGAGED YOUTH, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE IN TEXAS -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR NATIONWIDE STATS LOOK LIKE, BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR HAVEN FOR HOPE IS BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. AND WHILE I THINK WHEN THEY OPENED, THEY EXPECTED TO HAVE AROUND 200 PEOPLE, AND IN THE COURTYARD THEY'RE LIKE 700 PEOPLE IN THE COURTYARD. AND THE NUMBERS KEEP GROWING. THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT I KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT WE RANK FIRST IN. HOW DO YOU THINK SOME OF THESE CHANGES -- OR PERHAPS WHERE MIGHT WE -- WELL, MAYBE THAT'S MY QUESTION. HOW DO YOU THINK SOME OF THESE CHANGES WILL IMPACT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF ALL OF THESE -- THE ONES THAT I MENTIONED? >> WELL, THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WOULD IMPACT THEM IN A WAY THAT DRIVES THEM DOWN. AND SO WE ARE THE HIGHEST IN THE NUMBER IN NEGATIVE INDICATORS, AND I BELIEVE THEY ALL BUILD ON EACH OTHER. IF YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE IN SITUATIONS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, OR THEY'RE NOT BEING STIMULATED, THEIR BRAINS AREN'T DEVELOPING, THAT BECOMES OUR THIRD GRADERS WHO DON'T READ ON GRADE LEVEL, BECOMES THE EIGHTH GRADERS WHO DON'T PASS THEIR STANDARDIZED TESTS, AND THEN DON'T PARTICIPATE IN ALGEBRA, CAN'T PASS ALGEBRA AND DROP OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. THOSE BECOME OUR DISENGAGED YOUTH, AND LEFT UNHELPED OR UNTREATED, THAT BECOMES OUR HOMELESS POPULATION. AND SO I THINK THERE'S A VERY STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN EACH OF THOSE, AND, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR RESOURCES? DO YOU START IN EARLY CHILDHOOD WITH HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION THAT'S SEEN AS THE VERY HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT? THERE'S HIGHER RETURNS ON INVESTMENT FROM AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS AND WAYS TO GO. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS IDENTIFYING OUTCOMES AND GOALS THAT WE FOCUS ON THAT KEEP US FOCUSED ON THE AREAS THAT WE WORK IN. AND THEN WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY FUNDERS TO ALIGN AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE NOT DUPLICATING WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT WE'RE ALL FOCUSED ON THE SAME VISION, THROUGH DIFFERENT METHODS. >> GONZALES: I THINK WE HAVE A LO LO LONGER TERM GOAL. IN THE FIVE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE WE'VE SHIFTED PRIORITIES SEVERAL TIMES. IT'S AT THE CON SILL'S DIRECTION, WE HAVE PRIORITIES FROM WHERE WE NEED IT MOST. BUT GIVEN SOME OF THOSE DIRE STATISTICS THAT I KNOW OFF THE [00:30:01] TOP OF MY HEAD, I KNOW SOME OF THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW THAT, OF COURSE, CHILD ABUSE WAS VERY HIGH, ACTUALLY IN THE CITY. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT PUTS US, YOU KNOW, AS A WHOLE IN BEXAR COUNTY, IF BEXAR COUNTY IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE FOR CHILD ABUSE. WE KNEW THERE WAS A CONCENTRATION OF CHILD ABUSE IN A PARTICULAR ZIP CODE. OBVIOUSLY IT MAKES SENSE TO DEDICATE OUR RESOURCES THERE. AND I THINK YOU HAVE THAT HERE. YOU HAVE 10 ZIP CODES THAT ARE BEING TARGETED FOR SOMETHING, I DON'T SEE THE SLIDES NOW, BUT -- >> FOR CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. >> GONZALES: YEAH. IT SAYS -- >> THAT'S FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. >> GONZALES: SO WE WOULD HOPE T THAT -- I SEE HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, MORE TARGETED EFFORT WOULD HELP, BECAUSE WHILE THERE ARE INCIDENTS CITYWIDE, IT IS TARGETED PRIMARILY IN SOME AREAS, AND THAT'S PART OF THE EQUITY THAT WE'VE BEEN MOVING ALONG. SO I GUESS I HOPE THAT WE CAN STICK WITH THIS PLAN, AND THAT THE -- WE CAN STICK AT LEAST WITH A FIVE-YEAR PLAN SO WE CAN HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AND HOPEFULLY SHOW THAT WE'RE IMPROVING, ESPECIALLY ON THE AREAS I THINK -- I GUESS MAYBE I FEEL A LITTLE MORE SENSITIVE TOWARD BABIES, BUT THAT WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH RATE OF BABIES BORN ADDICTED AND SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SIDS, THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES. IT'S ALSO A SMALL POPULATION. AND WHILE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT 200 TO 300 BABIES WERE BORN ADDICTED. THAT'S A REALLY HIGH NUMBER. BUT IT'S NOT HIGHER THAN -- IT'S A NUMBER WE CAN MANAGE, I THINK, IF WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES. AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ACTUALLY JUST A FEW PEOPLE. AND IF WE COULD FOCUS OUR ATTENTION THERE, WE COULD SEE SOME RESULTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROGRESS AND HOPE THAT WE CAN STAY ON THAT PATH. AND SEE SOME TURN-AROUND IN THOSE REALLY DIRE NUMBERS THAT WE STILL SEE HERE IN OUR CITY. >> SO ONE OF THE AREAS I MENTIONED IS THAT OUR LONG-TERM GOALS ARE ACHIEVABLE BY 2024. SO THAT'S THREE TWO-YEAR CYCLES FOR THE FUNDING PROCESS. SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, IS TO STAY THE COURSE FOR THOSE THREE CYCLES. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT NOTHING CHANGES BETWEEN AGENCIES, BECAUSE WE DO -- YOU KNOW, WE DO ISSUE AN RFP EVERY TWO YEARS, AND WE SELECT THE PROGRAMS THAT WILL PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE. BUT GOAL-WISE, OUR INTENT IS TO STAY THAT COURSE AND REALLY FOCUS IN THE AREA OF OPIOIDS AND SIDS. WE DON'T NECESSARILY FOCUS ON HEALTH OUTCOMES AS, SAY, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES, BUT A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE, ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE PARENT EDUCATION, AND COUNSELING FOR YOUTH, THAT HOPEFULLY TO AVOID THOSE AREAS. AND SO THAT'S THEIR BOAT. SO I THINK THE BIGGEST PIECE IS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN COLLABORATING AND MEETING REGULARLY, QUARTERLY, TO FORM REALLY LEARNING NETWORKS, SO THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING BEST PRACTICES, WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT, AND ADJUSTING AS WE NEED TO. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT A YEAR OR TWO YEARS TO ADJUST. WE'RE GOING TO ADJUST AS WE GO, AND TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO REALLY COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AND FOCUS ON OUR OUTCOMES. AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH CHANGES, OR IF IT'S WORKIN, CONTINUE ALONG THAT PATH. >> GONZALES: WHEN I LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM GOAL, THE PRIORITIES ZIP CODEWIDE, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A 10% REDUCTION? I MEAN, IN SIX YEARS, THAT'S ALL WE CAN ANTICIPATE? >> SO, WHEN WE WORKED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THE RISK FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE, AND WE IDENTIFIED AREAS WHERE THERE'S HIGH NEED, AND AREAS WHERE THERE'S LOW NEED, WHERE THERE'S HIGH SERVICES BEING PROVIDED, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD AND REALLY DO MORE EVALUATION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SERVICES ARE PROVIDING -- ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING THE BIGGEST IMPACT. SO THE 10%, IT DOES SEEM LOW, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE BIG. AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 30 -- [00:35:03] EXCUSE ME -- 37,000 CALLS CITYWIDE REDUCING, AND 6,800. THAT'S ANYWHERE FROM 700 TO 3,700, REDUCTION OF 3,700 IN HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. SO WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS. WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT SHOULD THE GOAL BE, AND THEIR INPUT WAS THAT IT'S, RIGHT NOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE ARE ON THE RISE. SO THE FIRST STEP WILL BE TO STOP THE INCREASE, AND THEN GET TO THE DECREASE. SO THAT'S -- THAT WAS PART OF THE CALCULATION. >> GONZALES: WELL, THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GONE ZALEZ. >> I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE HUGE DELTA BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO ISD'S PROGRAM AND ALL THE OTHERS, 1.4 MILLION. AND THEN THE NEXT HIGHEST ONE WOULD BE 280,000. >> RIGHT. SAN ANTONIO ISD SERVES THE LARGEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS. THEY HAVE 6,000 -- ALMOST HALF OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM IN THEIR CHALLENGE SITES. SO WE HAVE MANY MORE SITES IN SISD. PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS HISTORY, AND PARTLY BECAUSE IT'S THE INNER CITY. THAT'S WHERE THE GREATEST AREA OF NEED IS. WE'RE STILL NOT IN EVERY SAN ANTONIO ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THAT INVESTMENT. THEY ALSO PUT RESOURCES INTO THE PROGRAM AND PROVIDE ALL OF THE -- -- ALL THE DISTRICTS PROVIDE THEIR OWN STAFF AND SNACKS FOR THE PROGRAM. SO OUR FUNDING PAYS FOR A PORTION OF THE PROGRAM, AND THEN THEY PROVIDE SOME MATCH TO COMPLEMENT THAT. >> I LOOK DOWN AT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. I UNDERSTAND THE ISD PROGRAMS. I'M HAVING A TOUGH TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY IT IS -- AND IT'S IN MY DISTRICT. AT THE RISK OF MAKING DR. AMY ANGRY AT ME, WHY WE'RE FUNDING THE STATE OF TEXAS $54,000 FOR A PREP PROGRAM. >> RIGHT. SO THE PREP PROGRAM IS A -- IT'S A S.T.E.M. PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN AREA OF NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY. OUR FUNDING IS A PORTION OF WHAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND WE'VE BEEN FUNDING -- AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE. THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. IT'S A HIGHLY, HIGHLY HONORED PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, FOR THE BANG FOR THE BUCK, S.T.E.M.-WISE, AND AVAILABILITY, IT'S AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN ACROSS THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDES A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR S.T.E.M. EDUCATION, AND REALLY MOVES FORWARD YOUTH WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ENGINEERING, AND MATH. AND SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A VERY STRONG PROGRAM, AND WORTHY. AND IT IS -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THAT SAME CONVERSATION AS FAR AS SHOULD WE BE FUNDING A STATE ORGANIZATION. BUT THEY DO HAVE TO RAISE FUNDING LOCALLY TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. >> PELAEZ: SORT OF DOVETAILING ON WHAT MY COLLEAGUE VAN DO VAL TALKS ABOUT OFTEN, THAT'S THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS IS FINDING EVERY SINGLE WAY POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS BY PUTTING THE ONUS OF FUNDING ON LOCAL ENTITIES AS OPPOSED TO THEM DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WHICH IS FUNDING SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. THE IDEA THAT WE'RE THROWING MONEY AT A VERY WEALTHY UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME, MELANIE. AND AGAIN, THEY PROBABLY DO WONDERFUL THINGS. AND I HAVE NO QUARREL WITH WHAT -- THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM, AND I'M SURE YOU WOULDN'T PUT THIS IN FRONT OF US IF THEY WEREN'T A VERY QUALIFIED PROGRAM. BUT PAYING UTSA, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'VE GOT AN ENVIABLY LARGE BUDGET COMPARED TO THE OTHER LOCAL NONPROFITS, IT STICKS IN MY CRAW. AND I'M GOING TO NEED HELP FIGURING OUT WHY THE STATE OF TEXAS NEEDS MY HELP. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT IS THAT WE FREQUENTLY ASK THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR HELP AND OFTENTIMES WE GET DOORS SLAMMED IN OUR FACES. [00:40:01] THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION IS WITH REGARDS TO THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE, I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SOME FOLKS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COURTYARD AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. AND THERE'S A MEAL PROGRAM THAT ST. VINCENT DEPAUL OFFERED AND DOESN'T OFFER, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH? >> YES. >> PELAEZ: CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT? >> THERE ARE TWO MEAL PROGRAMS AT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE PROGRAM. THE FOOD BANK PROVIDES THE MEALS ON THE TRANSFORMATION CAMPUS SIDE. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. >> AND ST. VINCENT DEPAUL HAS PROVIDED THE MEALS ON THE COURTYARD SIDE, SINCE THE CAMPUS OPENED. AND WE HAVE FUNDED THROUGH OUR ALMOST 7.5 MILLION HAVEN FOR HOPE CAMPUS, WE'VE FUNDED THE FOOD BANK PROGRAM ON THE CAMPUS SIDE. WHEN THE CAMPUS OPENED, ST. VIN TENT DEPAUL HAD BEEN PROVIDING MEALS THREE TIMES A DAY TO RESIDENTS OF THE OLD SAM SHELTER. EVEN THOSE WHO ARE CONGREGATING OUT UNDER THE BRIDGE, THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING THAT PROGRAM FOR YEARS. THEY BROUGHT THAT PROGRAM TO HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND LIKE I SAID, WE WENT WITH THE FOOD BANK FOR THE CAMPUS PARTNERSHIP. THEY DID REQUEST $250,000 IN THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, WHICH THEY CALL ST. VINNY'S BY STRO AT HAVEN FOR HOME. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF FUNDING TO THE CAMPUS, WHICH IS THE $7.5 MILLION, RATHER THAN INCREASING IT IN THE OTHER FOOD PROVIDER. ST. VINCENT DEPAUL'S BUDGET IS CLOSE TO $1.8 MILLION. >> PELAEZ: RIGHT. >> AND, YOU KNOW, FOOD BANK WE PROVIDE $1 MILLION TO. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE FUNDING SOMEWHERE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE CURRENT LEVEL OF CAMPUS FUNDING. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THAT. AND SO THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS JUST BECAUSE COUNCILMAN COURAGE AND I, ALL WE GET LATELY IS COMPLAINTS ABOUT PANHANDLING. AND IN LARGE PART, A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY PANHANDLE BECAUSE OF FOOD ISSUES, AND SO I'M -- I WAS WONDERING SIMPLY BECAUSE THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO GET THEM TO HAVEN FOR HOPE AS OPPOSED TO HAVE THEM HANG OUT ON THE STR STREETS -- I'LL VISIT WITH YOU OFFLINE ABOUT THAT. >> THERE'S NO ONE THAT'S TURNED AWAY FROM HAVEN FOR HOPE FOR A MEAL, AND THERE ARE ALSO OTHERS WHO PROVIDE MEALS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. COUNCIL WOMAN VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE AN OFFLINE MEETING WITH YOU ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE SERVICE THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED, AND WHAT SERVICE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR THE CITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, MELODY, AND YOUR TEAM, BECAUSE THEY WORK SO HARD IN A VARIETY, OBVIOUSLY, THE MAJOR INITIATIVES, IN THE VARIETY OF AREAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING OUR REQUEST AT THE GOAL-SETTING WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD, AND FOR HAVING THAT REFLECTED UP IN HERE WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BECAUSE IT IMPACTS EVERY REGION OF THIS AREA. AND WE TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT THE PERSON HOLISTICALLY. I THINK YOU'RE DOING THAT HERE AT THE HUMAN SERVICES SIDE. EVERYTHING FROM THE EARLY CHILDHOOD TO OUR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE. I DO SEE ANN IN THE AUDIENCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. AND ALL THE WORK THAT OUR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE HAS TO DO. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE MORE DOLLARS COMING INTO, OR DOLLARS BEING INVESTED IN THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT INITIATIVE. I THINK ALL OF US, IT TOUCHES EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL DISTRICT. AND WE SEE IT HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT WE SEE IT ALL OVER OUR AREAS. AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT JUST INTERCONNECTEDNESS, HOW THIS IMPACTS EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ONE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED JUST THIS PAST FRIDAY. AT RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY, ON SCHOOL STREET, WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE WALKING TO SCHOOL, AND ON THE SIDEWALK THEY COME UP TO A MAN WHO IS PASSED OUT ON THE SIDEWALK, ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL. THEY CALLED THE EMERGENCY NUMBER AND THEN THEY CALLED THE SAISD POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT TAKES THEM A VERY LONG TIME TO GET THERE, BUT THEY GET THERE. AND THE MAN WAKES UP, BUT THEN HE GOES DOWN INTO THE DITCH, INTO THE DRAINAGE DITCH, INTO ONE OF THE CULVERTS AND HAS HIS [00:45:03] CAMP SET UP THERE WITH MAYBE ONE OTHER PERSON. THESE ARE STORIES AND INCIDENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE IN DISTRICT 3 IN THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT EVERYBODY'S WORKING ON, WORKING WITH OUR CHURCHES, WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA, ARE TRYING TO WORK ON THESE ENCAMPMENTS, BUT ALSO TREATING PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GO TO ANOTHER PLACE TO FIND SOME WORK, OR SHELTER. I THINK WE NEED TO WORK HARDER ON, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE METRICS, AND WHERE ARE OUR GOALS OF OUR OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN. I KNOW TCI IS WORKING TO MAYBE PUT GRATES IN OR NOT, BUT IT STILL MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SOMETHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY'RE MEANT TO GO, BUT SAFETY FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND KIDS WHO ARE TRYING TO WALK TO SCHOOL. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE PUT MORE MONEY IN HERE, INTO THIS, I SEE IT'S $10 MILLION, $10.2 MILLION, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS GOING TO HAVEN. AND THEY ARE PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP, WITH OUR OUTREACH. >> THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED IN THE OUTREACH PORTION. >> VIAGRAN: AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONNECT ALL THOSE DOTS, AND SHARE THAT STORY AND TELL THAT STORY TO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK ONE THING WE'RE ALSO FINDING OUT WITH OUR COMMUNITY IS, THEY'RE UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE NOW BETWEEN PANHANDLING AND THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE. PEOPLE ARE SEEING THAT IT'S TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES NOW, RIGHT NOW. IN A LOT OF ASPECTS. BUT WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO OUR PEOPLE, OUR RESIDENTS, THEN ALSO, WHAT ARE SOME IDEAS, WHAT ARE SOME SOLUTIONS THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CRACK THE CODE ON YET? I KNOW I.D. RECOVERY IS SOMETHING THAT HAS REALLY OPENED THE DOOR FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES AND FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS. SO WITH THAT, REALLY LEVERAGING AND COLLABORATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES ON HOW TO WORK WITH THIS HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT INITIATIVE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN THAT REALM. BUT ALSO, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT SUITES. EVEN CODE ENFORCE MMENT, THERE' AN AREA OFF OF RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY, ACTUALLY IN THE WORLD HERITAGE AREA, TOO, BUT IT'S AN AREA THAT HAS DEALT WITH SHOOTINGS, PROSTITUTION, DRUG HO HOUSES -- -- AND HOW CAN WE ATTACK IT COLLABORATIVELY. THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUSH FORWARD IN, AND REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT TO SEE THESE AREAS, AND HOW WE CAN ATTACK THEM ONE BY ONE. IN A POSITIVE WAY. >> YEAH. >> VIAGRAN: ON THAT NOTE, I HAVE TO GIVE MY LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT TO EVERYONE THAT ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 23RD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON HOMELESSNESS AT PRE-K FOR SA SOUTH. THAT'S GOING TO BE AT 6:00 P.M. SO I WANT TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT THERE TO HAVE THIS COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON HOMELESSNESS. BECAUSE MANY OF THE LOCATIONS THAT YOU SEE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON THEM, TOO. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS THERE THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT -- TO TALK TO AND GET YOUR IDEAS, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE IDEAS, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COMMUNITY EFFORT TO REALLY REACH OUT. SO ONE OTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO TOUCH BASE ON. RENE, IF YOU CAN COME UP. OR DON'T WORRY, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT FOR YOU. AND ALSO FOR YOU, MELODY, AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE THE FOCUS ON VERY SPECIFIC OUTCOMES. AND WORKING TOWARDS THAT END. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT, TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DELEGATE AGENCIES. BUT WITH THAT, I'M DONE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN. COU COUNCILMAN SALDANA? >> SALDANA: LET ME START BY APPLAUDING AND GIVING YOU CREDIT FOR SOMETHING HAT I HEARD YOU ANSWER IN A WAY THAT I WAS WORRIED COULD HAVE GONE TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE QUESTION WHICH SHE TICKED OFF STATISTICS OF PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY REFLECTED BY [00:50:02] STATISTICS. WE LEAD TOO OFTEN IN CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE NOT HAPPY ABOUT, LIKE INFANT MORTALITY, LIFE EXPECTANCY, INFANTS BORN WITH ADDICTION. SHE LISTED OFF SOME POINTS AROUND HOMELESSNESS. YOUR ANSWER TO HER QUESTION, WHICH WAS, WHAT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS? I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY, WE'RE GIVING MONEY TO THE PROGRAMS. THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER YOU GAVE. YOU GAVE, I THINK, ONE OF THE BEST EXPLANATIONS FOR -- WHY IS IT THE STATISTICS EXIST. YOU SAID, LOOK, WE ARE INVESTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE DOLLARS AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING. WE'RE INVESTING IN KINDERGARTEN READINESS, SO THE KINDERGARTNERS CAN LEARN HOW TO READ. WE THINK WE'RE INVESTING, YOU'LL SEE, IN THE LIST OF PROGRAMS THROUGH DELEGATE AGENCIES IN PROGRAMS THAT TREAT TRAUMA AFFECTED YOUTH WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS AT HOME, THAT COULD LEAD TO DISTRACTION IN SCHOOL, COULD LEAD TO DROPOUT. WHEN YOU'RE A DROPOUT, IT'S MORE LIKELY YOU WOULD BE PRONE TO CRIME, VIOLENCE, POVERTY AND ULTIMATELY HOMELESSNESS. SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT WAS YOUR ANSWER, AND IT WASN'T WE'RE GIVING $2 MILLION TO A SPECIFIC PROGRAM. THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING WHEN TALKING ABOUT YOUR AGENCIES AND YOUR WORK, IS THE PROBLEMS WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. >> RIGHT. >> SALDANA: IT'S TRUE, SOME OF THE STATISTICS IN PARTS OF OUR CITY IT'S HARD TO ESCAPE THE CYCLES OF POVERTY, TO ESCAPE SOME OF THE OUTCOMES THAT YOU COULD BE ON A PATH TO, BUT FOR AN INTERVENTION. NOT FOR THE CITY TO COME IN AND SAY, WE'RE THE GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO FIX PROBLEMS WITH POVERTY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THERE ARE GOOD ORGANIZATIONS DOING THAT, HAVEN FOR HOPE, THE FOOD BANK, OR, YOU KNOW, THE RAPE CRISIS CENTER, THOSE FOLKS ARE EQUIPPED, THEY'RE TRAINED, THEY'VE GOT EXPERIENCE IN HOW TO DO THAT, AND WE'RE SUPPORTING THOSE AGENCIES. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF I WANT TO SOLVE PANHANDLING AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE STREET, IT'S NOT THE ROOT CAUSE OF DWINDLING DOWN THE NUMBERS. IT HAS TO REALLY START SOMEWHERE MUCH SOONER THAN THAT. FOLKS DON'T END UP PANHANDLING BECAUSE THEY WOKE UP ONE DAY -- IT WAS A SERIES OF MISTAKES OR SERIES OF INTERVENTIONS THAT DIDN'T OCCUR. I COULD LITERALLY START FROM A TO Z AND PICK UP EXPERIENCES, WHETHER IT'S BIG BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, WHERE THEY'RE CHANGING THE PATH OF THEIR FUTURE, BUT FOR THESE INVESTMENTS THAT, LOOK, WE'RE JUST A SMALL PART OF, AND THESE NONPROFITS' FULL PORTFOLIO OF WORK AND REVENUE. WE'RE A CITY THAT HAS A GREAT MYRIAD OF NONPROFITS WHO ARE DOING WORK WITH BATTERED WOMEN, THEY'RE DOING WORK WITH YOUTH, AND WHEN THE CITY CONTRIBUTES SOMETHING LIKE $50,000 TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS BRINGING IN PRIVATE FOUNDATION DOLLARS, OR OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK, WE SHOULD APPLAUD THEM. I KNOW IT'S TEMPTING TO TAKE A REALLY, YOU KNOW, STRONG LOOK AT THE MAGNIFYING GLASS AT A PROGRAM AND SAYING, $50,000, WHAT ARE WE GETTING OUT OF IT, I RELY ON YOUR STAFF TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK, AND TO COME BACK TO ME, AND WE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THIS MONEY, WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES. I'M GLAD THE ANSWERS HAVE BEEN FROM YOU AND YOUR STAFF, AS I THINK YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TRAINING ON, TALKING ABOUT OUTCOMES RATHER THAN INPUTS, HAVE BEEN REALLY LEADING TO SOME OF THOSE ROOT CAUSES. AND I'M A BIG FAN OF TRYING TO PROP UP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR ADULTS WHO MIGHT BE RUNNING INTO PROBLEMS. I'M OKAY WITH BUILDING A SAFETY NET. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COME IN AND GOVERN PEOPLE'S LIVES, BUT PEOPLE HAVE, WHETHER THOSE ARE MISTAKES DELIBERATELY MADE OR THINGS OUT OF THEIR CONTROL, LIFE HAPPENS, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE NONPROFITS AND AGENCIES THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE AND A CITY THEY CAN FALL BACK ON, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE SEE SEVERAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN THAT, WHICH IS IN SOME CASES JUST A STROKE OF A LARGER PIECE OF ART THAT IS THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY HAS PAINTED TO THAT, WHETHER THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS OR OTHER DOLLARS. I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT QUESTION. LET ME GET OFF MY SEAOAPBOX AND SAY I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOUR GROUP HAS DONE. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA. COUNCILMAN COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, MELODY. AND I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR COMPILING A GOOD REPORT ON NOT ONLY WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE AGENCIES -- [00:55:06] I THINK THAT REALLY HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE INPUT THEY'VE HAD INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE CHOICES THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING TO US FOR THE CONTINUATION OF SERVICES, OR THE ADDITION OF SERVICES. IT ALSO GIVES US INFORMATION THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF SEE IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS. BUT I THINK IT WAS A GOOD REPORT AND IT WAS WELL DONE. I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PERRY? >> PERRY: THANK YOU, SIR. AND THANK YOU, MELODY, FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND ALSO, THANKS FOR COMING OUT THERE AND HELPING US DO THAT POINT IN TIME COUNT IN AND AROUND THE DISTRICT 10 AREA. IT WAS VERY VALUABLE. AND WE'RE STILL WORKING OUR DISTRICT 10 HOMELESS, PANHANDLING TYPE OF INITIATIVE UP THERE WITH DIANA. WE'RE STILL PLUGGING AWAY WITH THAT. >> RIGHT. >> PERRY: I HAVE SOME ANSWERS, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> PERRY: I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. SLIDE 11, YOU'RE SHOWING PROPOSED POSITIONS. LET'S SAY THE GENERAL FUND, HUMAN SERVICES, WHAT WERE YOUR NUMBERS IN THE PRIOR PROGRAM FOR THE 17 AND 18 PROGRAM? >> SO, FOR 2018, ON POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND, IT WAS 101. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION BY SAYING, WE HAD 360 POSITIONS IN 2018, WHICH IS THE FISCAL YEAR THAT PROPOSED 343. PRIMARILY THE REDUCTION OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE TRANSFERRED TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING, THERE WERE EIGHT THAT CAME FROM HUMAN SERVICES. >> PERRY: AND WITH THIS PROGRAM, ON THE SALARIES, AND EVERYTHING THAT'S CALCULATED INTO THE SALARIES, FOR, LET'S SAY THE GENERAL FUND, THE 104 POSITIONS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM IS THE ADMINISTRATION PART? >> SO, OUR ADMINISTRATION RATE -- AND TELL ME IF THIS DOESN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION -- OUR ADMINISTRATIVE RATE IS LESS THAN 4%. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, OUR CONTRACTOR FISCAL STAFF, THOSE TYPE OF STAFF, IT'S LESS THAN 4%. THE PERSONNEL PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND, I WOULD HAVE TO GET FOR YOU. >> PERRY: OKAY. THAT PERCENTAGE IS INCLUDING LIKE INSURANCE, HEALTH BENEFITS, RETIREMENT PLAN, AND SALARIES, ALL THAT COMBINED? >> FOR THE STAFF THAT ARE CONSIDERED ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. WE ALSO HAVE STAFF WHO ARE PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES. WE DON'T CONSIDER THAT ADMINISTRATION. >> PERRY: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. >> YEAH. >> PERRY: THEN YOU MENTIONED ABOUT PULLING BACK THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE FROM THE HAVEN FOR HOPE. WHAT WAS THAT COMMENT AGAIN? COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? >> SO, IN JANUARY WHEN WE REQUESTED ONE-TIME FUNDING TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTIAL BEDS AT HAVEN FOR HOPE, FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, IT WAS DUE TO THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES NOT HAVING -- NO LONGER HAVING FUNDING TO SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL BEDS. SO THEY'RE STILL THERE, AND THEY'RE STILL PROVIDING THE TREATMENT, AND THEY ARE STILL PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL BEDS FOR A PORTION. THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF 238 TREATMENT BEDS AT THE CAMPUS. BUT THE CENTER COULD NO LONGER SUPPORT A PORTION OF THOSE BEDS. AND SO HAVEN FOR HOPE IS NOW OPERATING THE BEDS FOR CHRONIC AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT. IT'S NOT IDENTICAL TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE, BUT IT'S STILL -- IT MAINTAINS US HAVING TREATMENT FOR 238 SLOTS ESSENTIALLY, BECAUSE SEVERAL PEOPLE WILL MOVE THROUGH THAT SLOT DURING THE YEAR, AND ALSO KEEPS US AT 238 BEDS AVAILABLE FOR INPATIENT, MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT. >> PERRY: SO THAT MONEY IS TRANSFERRED TO HAVEN FOR HOPE? >> IT'S BEING, NOT TRANSFERRED, IT'S NOT OUR DOLLARS THAT CENTER FOR HOPE SERVICES REDUCED, IT [01:00:03] WAS FEDERAL MEDICAID, 1115 WAIVER FUNDS. SO OUR DOLLARS ARE GOING TO HAVEN FOR HOPE TO OPERATE THE BEDS THAT CHCS IS GIVING UP. >> COUNCILMAN, JUST TO ADD, WE, AS WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR TREATMENT AND BEDS, IF YOU WILL, FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS, 80 BEDS IN TOTAL, THAT'S THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION. THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES HAS FUNDED SOME OF THIS ADDITIONAL BEDS. IN TOTAL, THERE ARE 238 WITH THE 1115 WAIVER. THEY WERE TOLD THE WAIVER WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO PAY THE OPERATIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEDS AT THE SITE OF HAVEN FOR HOPE. IN JANUARY, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED FUNDING TO SUPPORT HAVEN FOR HOPE IN TERMS OF OPERATING THOSE BEDS. THE FUNDING, IT WAS ONE-TIME FUNDING. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE COUNCIL IS TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE BEDS AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. THE TREATMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED, THE MENTAL TREATMENT PROVIDED BY CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES, AND THE BEDS ARE LOCATED AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. >> PERRY: OKAY. SO HOW MUCH MORE OF A BURDEN IS THAT TO THE CITY IN DOLLARS? SINCE WE'RE TAKING OVER THAT? >> WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO THE COUNCIL IS $232,000. THE TOTAL GAP THAT THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES WAS FACED WITH WAS $710,000. THE THREE AGENCIES WORKING, THE THREE PARTNERS, HEAVEN FOR HOPE, CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND THE CITY, EACH OF US CONTRIBUTING ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL COST. >> PERRY: SO ABOUT $230,000? >> $236,000. >> PERRY: OKAY. $236,000. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ON THAT. LET'S SEE. SLIDE 13. THIS IS ON THAT YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A STUDY. WHAT STUDY ARE YOU REFERRING TO? AND CAN YOU GIVE ME A COPY OF THAT STUDY? YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A STUDY THAT IDENTIFIES 35,000 YOUTH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? WAS THAT A LOCAL STUDY, OR WAS THAT A STUDY DONE IN D.C.? OR WHERE WAS THAT DONE AT? >> IT'S ACTUALLY AN ESTIMATE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BANK OF DALLAS. IT'S BASED ON AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENSUS DATA. IT CAME OUT THROUGH THE DOCUMENT CALLED THE KIDS COUNT AND THEN THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK PUBLISHED IT. THROUGH A REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF DISENGAGED YOUTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO I CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU. >> PERRY: THANK YOU. ALREADY WE'RE FUNDING 3.7 MILLION IN YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND ANOTHER 3.4 MILLION IN WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND I'M -- CAN'T ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS STEP IT UP IN THAT AREA TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE 35,000 YOUTH? >> WE HAVE REALLOCATED -- WELL, NOT REALLOCATED, BUT SELECTED AGENCIES -- THAT WERE RECOMMENDING -- THAT WILL HELP US WITH THAT REENGAGEMENT CENTER. SO THE 415,000 IS NOT NEW MONEY. THE 345 THAT I'M REQUESTING TO OPERATE THE CENTER PROVIDES TWO STAFF. WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF SIMILAR PROJECTS, REENGAGEMENT CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THE BEST PRACTICES, REALLY, THAT THE -- IN THE CASES WHERE THE CITIES ARE OPERATING, THERE'S A CENTER MANAGER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING AND ENSURING THAT ALL OF THOSE AGENCIES WORK TOGETHER THAT WERE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THAT WERE WORKING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SO THAT NOTHING'S MISSED. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING. >> PERRY: OKAY. YEAH, I'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE FUNDING THESE PROGRAMS. AND I LOOK TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING THAT ON MAKING SURE THAT THESE AGENCIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER. WE HAVE THESE LONG DISCUSSIONS ABOUT METRICS, AND ADDING IN THE RFP ABOUT COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO -- SO PEOPLE AREN'T NECESSARILY JUST STOVEPIPED IN THEIR AREA. SO, YEAH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, THAT WE'RE ESTABLISHING ANOTHER PROGRAM WITH THE [01:05:01] ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATION, THE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES THAT WE'RE ALREADY FUNDING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT AND YOUTH PROGRAMS ALSO. SO ENOUGH ON THAT. SLIDE 21. SO OUT OF THAT 21.2, YOU HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN INTO THOSE MAJOR AREAS. ARE THESE ALL STATIC NUMBERS? OR HAVE THEY CHANGED ACROSS THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS? >> SO IN THE SPRING WHEN WE PRESENTED TO YOU ON CONSOLIDATED FUNDING, WE RECOMMENDED STAYING -- THE CATEGORIES ARE DIFFERENT AS FAR AS WHAT'S IN THEM, AND HOW THEY'RE BEING -- THE GOALS THAT WERE SET AND HOW THEY'RE BEING PRIORITIZED. HOWEVER, THE FUNDING AMOUNTS ARE REALLY -- REALLY STAY THE SAME, WHEN WE CROSSWALK IT WITH THE 2018 FUNDING. SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT WE TOOK A LOOK AT, WHAT WAS IN THOSE CATEGORIES, THEN WE CROSSWALKED THAT AND KEPT THE LEVELS OF FUNDING THE SAME. SO IT VERY CLOSELY MATCHES -- SO, FOR EXAMPLE, CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN OUR 2018 CATEGORIES WERE SEPARATE. SO THIS INCLUDES THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WAS EXPENDED FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN 2018. >> PERRY: SO ON EACH ONE OF THOSE -- >> VERY CLOSELY. >> PERRY: SO ON EACH OF THE AREAS THAT ARE LINED OUT, IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IN EACH OF THE AREAS FROM THE LAST TWO-YEAR PROGRAM CYCLE? >> LOOKING AT THE SAME AGENCIES, YES. LIKE I SAID, THE CATEGORY FOR CHILDREN, IT WAS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN 2018, IT INCLUDED KINDER READINESS, AND CENTERS, AS WELL AS AFTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE. AND THEN -- AND NOW IT INCLUDES THE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH, AND IT INCLUDES CHILD ABUSE. IN 2018 CHILD ABUSE WAS LUMPED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WHEN WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, IT DOES CROSSWALK, AND WE KEPT FUNDING FOR THOSE SAME TYPES OF PROGRAMS AT LEVEL. AND WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A CROSSWALK THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT. >> PERRY: GREAT. APPRECIATE THAT. SO THE OVERALL PROGRAM 21.2, IS THAT THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE FUNDED IN THE LAST CYCLE PER YEAR? >> YES. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> EXCEPT WE DO HAVE THE UNALLOCATED. I DO APOLOGIZE, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, IT'S THE SAME, WE DID RECEIVE MORE GRANT FUNDING IN THE HOMELESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH AIDS AND SHELTER PROGRAMS. >> PERRY: BUT FOR THE GENERAL FUND IT'S THE SAME. >> YES. >> PERRY: EIGHT NEW AGENCIES, 20 NEW PROGRAMS. >> RIGHT. >> PERRY: ALL RIGHT. SLIDE 22. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT? WHAT SLIDE 22 IS? >> SURE. SO THESE ARE THE -- THIS IS FUNDING THAT IS UNALLOCATED WITHIN THE DELEGATE AGENCY BUDGET. AND WE HAVE FOUR CATEGORIES THAT WE WILL ISSUE AN RFP FOR ON MONDAY. IT WILL BE ALIGNED VERY CLOSELY, AND REFLECT WHAT WAS IN THE RFP THAT WE ISSUED IN APRIL. AND SO THESE ARE CATEGORIES WHERE WE HAVE REALLY GAPS IN SERVICES. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE -- WE DON'T HAVE THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE NEED TO FUND. >> PERRY: OKAY. SO THERE ARE GAPS IN THE PROGRAM? >> RIGHT. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SENIOR SERVICES, WE DO NOT HAVE PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE ARTS AND COMPUTER CLASSES. AND SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDE -- SO WE CAN PROVIDE ENOUGH CLASSES IN OUR SENIOR CENTERS. >> PERRY: SO WE DIDN'T GET PROPOSALS IN ON THESE AREAS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> YEAH. >> PERRY: SLIDE 25. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME LONG-TERM GOALS THERE GOING TO 2024. >> RIGHT. >> PERRY: AND WHAT HAVE OUR GOALS BEEN -- I SEE THIS. THAT'S GREAT. BUT WHAT HAVE OUR GOALS BEEN TO DATE? WHERE ARE WE TO OUR GOALS TO DATE, THAT WE'VE BEEN SPENDING THIS $20 MILLION A YEAR, WHETHER IT'S HOMELESSNESS, OR WHATEVER? BUT WHAT HAVE BEEN OUR GOALS TO DATE, HAVE WE BEEN MEETING OUR GOALS? LET'S FOCUS IN ON THIS ONE HERE. >> WE HAVE NOT SET LONG-TERM GOALS FOR THIS PROGRAM, FOR THIS POOL OF FUNDING, SO THAT'S PART OF THE CHANGE FOR THIS YEAR. AND THE REASON THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE'VE GONE THROUGH TO SET THOSE GOALS SO WE HAVE A TARGET TO FOCUS ON. SO THIS IS NEW. [01:10:01] IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE. WE HAVE SET METRICS AND ENTERED INTO PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS WITH AGENCIES AND MONITORED AGAINST WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO. BUT WE HAVEN'T SET GOALS FOR OURSELVES, I GUESS, AS FAR AS THESE ARE OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AND THESE ARE THE GOALS WE NEED TO ACHIEVE. AND THE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON THOSE GOALS. >> PERRY: SO FOR THE HOMELESS PROGRAM, WE WERE JUST BASICALLY GETTING MONEY AND SPENDING IT, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MONEY THAT WE WERE FUNDING? >> NOT LONG-TERM GOALS. SO WE HADN'T SET A DATE BY, YOU KNOW, BY 2020 WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS BY THIS MUCH, OR HOUSE THIS MANY PEOPLE. NOW, WITH OUR VETERAN HOMELESS INITIATIVE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES WE DID BEGIN TO MEASURE BENCHMARKS ACROSS THE -- COLLABORATIVE ACROSS THE PARTNERS. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO. IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING MOVING FORWARD. >> PERRY: OKAY. EVEN FOR ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT? >> THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WE WOULD TAKE -- WE WOULD WORK WITH AN AGENCY TO DEVELOP PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WERE FIT WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, WHAT THEY HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO, NEGOTIATE THOSE SOMETIMES IF WE FELT LIKE THEY WEREN'T HIGH ENOUGH, AND THEN WE MONITORED THEM BASED ON WHAT THEY AGREED TO DO, HOW THEY AGREED TO PERFORM. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> JUST TO SAY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. EACH AGENCY WILL STILL HAVE THEIR RESULTS THAT THEY ARE CONTRACTED TO ACHIEVE, AND WE'LL MONITOR THAT. BUT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A BIGGER PICTURE THIS TIME. >> PERRY: OKAY. AND THEN ONE LAST ONE HERE. AT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE, WE'VE GOT $8.7 MILLION, ACCORDING TO MY LIST, THAT WE'RE FUNDING HAVEN FOR HOPE, OVER SEVERAL DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS HERE. >> 7.5. >> PERRY: OKAY. IF I'M LOOKIN AT -- MAYBE TI'M NOT LOOKING AT THIS CORRECTLY. OKAY, THAT WAS FOR 2017. SORRY. I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT. OKAY. SO EVEN WITH THAT, THE 7.5, OR 7.7, $7 MILLION THAT THEY COULDN'T FUND THIS BISTRO FUNCTION WITHIN THEIR FACILITY? >> HAVEN DOESN'T BUDGET FOR OTHER PROVIDERS. THEY HAVE THEIR BUDGET. WE ALSO FUND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THE CAMPUS. HAVEN FOR HOPE DOES NOT -- THEY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE AGENCIES. THEY ACTUALLY DO HELP THEM FUND-RAISE, BUT THEY DON'T DO DIRECT FUNDING TO THEIR PARTNERS. >> PERRY: SO THEY KEEP WHATEVER MONEY THEY GET, THEY DON'T SUBCONTRACT OUT ANY SERVICE? >> NO. IN FACT, WHEN YOU SEE THE HAVEN FOR HOPE ALLOCATION, IT'S $4.5 MILLION, THE $3.2 MILLION IS TO HAVEN CAMPUS PARTNERS. SO THAT GOES TO -- WE CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH CAMPUS PARTNERS THAT WE ARE FUNDING. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: DO YOU WANT TO CLARIFY IT? >> THE HAVEN BUDGET IS ABOUT $20 MILLION, AND WE ARE $7.5 MILLION OF THAT, OUR MONEYS PRIMARILY GO INTO PROSPECTS COURTYARD AND TO THE FOOD BANK TO PROVIDE FOOD SERVICES. >> PERRY: OKAY. RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> AND MUCH OF THE FUNDING THEN COMES FROM OTHER GRANTS, AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. AND THAT IS HOW THE CAMPUS WAS DEVELOPED 10 YEARS AGO AS WELL. THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP WHERE THE CITY PROVIDED THE LAND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAMPUS, AND MR. GREHY CO-CHAIRED A TASK FORCE THAT STUDIED THE ISSUE, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND MR. GREHY QUITE CANDIDLY HAS LED THE EFFORT TO RAISE MUCH OF THE MONEY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAMPUS. MORE THAN HALF OF THE $100 MILLION DEVELOPMENT OF HAVEN FOR HOPE, WHICH INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS, INCLUDING NOT JUST A PLACE TO SLEEP, BUT FOOD SERVICE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, MEDICAL SERVICES, DENTAL SERVICES, WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. SO IT'S A MAJOR OPERATION WITH THE GOALS TO ADDRESS HOMELESS IN THE COMMUNITY, REMOVE THEM FROM THE STREETS AND ENCAMPMENTS AND HAVE THEM -- HAVE A FACILITY AVAILABLE WHERE THEY COULD GET THE VERY NEEDED SERVICESMENT [01:15:03] SERVICES. WHEN YOU WERE ASKING EARLIER ABOUT PERFORMANCE GOALS, DO WE ACHIEVE, WE DO A TIME COUNT EVERY YEAR. THE ESTIMATE THIS YEAR WAS JUST OVER 3,000, MELODY? >> YES. >> AND MORE THAN 2,000 OF THOSE ARE SERVICED AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. >> AND OTHER SHELTERS, YES. >> AND OTHER SHELTERS. SO WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING MANY OF THE GOALS, WHICH IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO -- THE VULNERABLE POPULATION, WHICH IS THE PURPOSE OF MELODY'S DEPARTMENT WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. SO IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. TEN YEARS AGO, THE CITY WAS CONTRIBUTING VERY LITTLE TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE, AND IT WAS IN CRISIS PROPORTIONS, QUITE CANDIDLY. THERE WERE HOMELESS SLEEPING ALL OVER THE CITY, AND PRIMARILY IN OUR CENTER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, SO THE HAVEN CAMPUS -- AND THERE ARE ALWAYS ONGOING CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY ADDRESSING, BUT IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE NEEDED SERVICES. >> PERRY: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SHERYL. YEAH, I'M JUST -- SO IF THIS BISTRO WENT AWAY, THAT AGENCY, THEY WOULD STILL BE FED BY SOME OTHER AGENCY IN THE HAVEN FOR HOPE? >> WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT QUESTION. SO LIKE I SAID, ST. VINCENT DEPAUL'S BUDGET FOR THE MEALS FOR THE COURTYARD IS $1.8 MILLION. SO THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT THE FUNDING. I MEAN, IF THEY WERE TO COMPLETELY PULL OUT, THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT ISSUE, THAT WE WOULD BE HAVING A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION. >> PERRY: THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM. >> RIGHT. THEY DO PROVIDE A LOT OF -- THEY PROVIDE THREE MEALS A DAY TO SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE. >> PERRY: SURE. >> IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS ABOUT. IT IS A GOOD PROGRAM. THEY HAD A GOOD PROPOSAL. BUT THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR OUR RFP INCLUDED MEALS FOR CAMPUS RESIDENTS. WE DIDN'T INCLUDE MEALS FOR THE COURTYARD AND THE RFP SCOPE. >> PERRY: ALL RIGHT. OKAY. GREAT. MELODY, THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> PERRY: FOR YOUR ANSWERS. APPRECIATE IT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN TREVINO? >> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO THAUNK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTER. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TACKLING A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE IN ONE OF THE BEST LOCATIONS I CAN THINK POSSIBLE, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND MARIA GOMEZ FOR WORKING WITH ME ON ESTABLISHING THAT FRANK GARRETT CENTER. YOU'RE GOING TO FIND A VERY WARM EMBRACE BY THE COMMUNITY, THAT IS SO EXCITED TO HAVE THIS YOUTH FOR ENGAGEMENT CENTER LOCATED RIGHT THERE WHERE WE'VE BEEN REVITALIZING WESTON PARK, THE SENIOR CENTER, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT. LAYERING ON MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY PROVIDE THESE KIDS, AND, OF COURSE, ALSO THE YOUTH PROGRAMS THAT ARE LAYERED ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT. THIS IS A ZIP CODE THAT HAS BEEN NEEDING A LOT OF ATTENTION, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. >> YOU KNOW, IF I CAN JUST ADD QUICKLY, WE WERE, AS WE WERE WALKING THROUGH THE FRANK GAR LET ABOUT A MONTH AGO, LOOKING AT THE SPACE, A YOUNG MAN CAME IN, WENT TO THE RECEPTION DESK AND ASKED, DO YOU HAVE ANY JOBS AVAILABLE? I NEED SOME WORK. AND IN TALKING TO HIM, YOU KNOW, WE REALIZED THAT HE'S AWARE THAT -- HE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL. HE CAN'T GET A JOB THAT PAYS, OR EVEN KEEP A JOB, AND HE KNOWS THAT HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL, HAS NO IDEA WHERE TO GO, AND HOW TO GET HELP, OR GET REENGAGED IN SCHOOL. SO, YOU KNOW, REBECCA GAVE HIM SOME REFERRALS, AND -- BUT, YOU KNOW, IN A FEW MONTHS, IN JANUARY, THAT WILL BE THE PLACE TO WALK INTO, AND GET HELP. AND SO IT'S IN THE PERFECT NEIGHBORHOOD. >> TREVINO: I THINK THAT COUNCILMAN PERRY BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT. ARE THERE GOALS FOR EACH OF THESE AGENCIES IN WRITING THAT WE CAN MEASURE, AND THAT CAN BE COMPARED EITHER PAST OR IN THE FUTURE FROM YEAR TO YEAR? FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S LITERACY SAN ANTONIO, OKAY? THEY'VE HAD MONEY BEFORE. THEY WANT MONEY NOW. [01:20:02] THEY'VE GOT CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY PLAN TO DO, THE PROGRAM WILL REACH 150 TEACHERS, PROPOSED TO SERVE 1,221 STUDENTS. YOU KNOW, THEY TALK ABOUT 56% IDENTIFY AS LOW LITERACY SKILLS. SO I IMAGINE A GOAL FOR THEM WOULD BE TO RAISE THAT LITERACY SKILL AMONG THOSE 1,221 STUDENTS, SOMETHING HIGHER THAN 56%. OR OTHER MEASURABLE GOALS. AM I RIGHT IN ASSUMING THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE THAT WE'VE CONTRACTED WITH HAVE MEASURABLE GOALS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT RIGHT NOW AND SAY, OKAY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR TO SEE IF THEY'VE ACHIEVED THAT NEXT YEAR? >> YES. WE DO THAT FOR EVERY AGENCY, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WILL -- IT WILL BE MORE CONSISTENT MOVING FORWARD. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE OUR PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICES. AND SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT. >> EXCUSE ME, CAP 7 IN THE BOOK LISTS EVERY AGENCY IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS' PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR THE AGENCIES, IF THEY'VE BEEN FUNDED DURING THAT TIME FRAME. >> TREVINO: I'VE LOOKED AT THAT. THEY SHOW MAYBE THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS THEY'VE HAD, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TELL US WHAT LEVEL OF CONTINUING SUCCESS THEY MAY HAVE SEEN. AS AN EXAMPLE, THE LAST ONE IN THE BOOK IS PROJECT QUEST. THEY'VE RECEIVED $21.7 MILLION FROM THE CITY FOR 18 YEARS. OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THEY'VE SERVED 5,849 PARTICIPANTS. AND OUT OF THOSE, 1,527 HAVE OBTAINED A CERTIFICATE OR DEGREE. BUT WHAT CAN WE LOOK AT, PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE FOR HOW THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY GROWING? YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER 4,300 PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET A CERTIFICATE OR DEGREE? THIS IS A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM. ARE THEY WORKING? WHAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT, I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IS THOSE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT THAT SHOW PROGRESS WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING, THAT THE CITY INVESTS IN ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. >> RIGHT. THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE. WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO ALIGN ALL OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE QUEST OUTCOMES. AND SO QUEST IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. WE MONITOR SPECIFIC OUTCOMES RELATED TO JOB PLACEMENT. THAT'S ONE OF THEIR PRIMARY GOALS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, JOB RETENTION AFTER SIX MONTHS. AND THEREAFTER. AND THEN COMPLETION RATE IN TERMS OF TRAINING. SO WE MONITOR ALL OF THOUSE. QUEST HAS GONE BEYOND THAT, AND DONE INVESTMENT STUDIES AND LONGITUDE AL STUDIES TO SEE HOW EFFECTIVE THEIR PROGRAM HAS BEEN. SKILLED ATTAINMENT, GED,NUMB RA LIKE JOB PLACEMENT, GETTING A JOB. IN YEARS PAST, THEY PROVIDED METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH X NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, INCREASING THEIR GRADE LEVEL. NOW, TO ENSURE SPECIFIC OUTCOMES LIKE JOB PLACEMENT, WE'RE ALSO REQUIRING THOSE AGENCIES TO HAND OFF, TRACK THOSE PARTICIPANTS TO THE SPECIFIC OUTCOME SO WE CAN MEASURE THAT RESULT. >> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN GON GONZALES. >> GONZALES: REALLY, MY QUESTION IS FOR CHERYL. DO THESE FACTORS, SOME OF THE STAFF THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, DO THEY IMPACT OUR AAA BOND RATING? >> WELL, THEY DO IN THE SENSE THAT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A WORK FORCE THAT'S EMPLOY AABLE EXISTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES AS A COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A WORK FORCE CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE EXPANSION OF BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT STARTS WITH FAMILIES, AND EDUCATION, AND IS AFFECTED BY HEALTH CARE. >> GONZALES: IS IT A -- >> I THINK IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE. THE ECONOMY. HOW IS THE -- HOW STRONG IS THE ECONOMY. AND WHAT ARE WE AS A CITY DOING TO SUPPORT THAT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, NOT TO IMPEDE OR GET IN THE WAY, BUT RATHER, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SUPPORT IT. AND WE TALKED WITH THE AGENCIES ABOUT ACTIVITY AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND FROM THE CITY'S STANDPOINT TO SUPPORT A GROWING ECONOMY. SO IT DOES INDIRECTLY. BECAUSE THAT IS OUR WORK FORCE [01:25:01] TO SUPPORT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN SAN ANTONIO. >> GONZALES: SO IN OUR EARLIER PRESENTATIONS, WE TALKED ABOUT THERE BEING SOME INSTABILITY BASED ON PROPOSALS -- OR PROPOSITIONS. BUT I GUESS -- YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, SO I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT, THESE ISSUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE MY DISTRICT SUFFERS VERY MUCH FROM A VERY UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, AND WE HAVE VERY HIGH RATES OF CHILD ABUSE AND DROPOUT RATES. WE CAN GO ON AND ON. AND WE GET TO THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT, I'M SURE THAT WILL COME UP AS WELL. BUT I GUESS, IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN LOOK AT A REPORT THAT SHOWS THAT THESE THINGS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL STABILITY? OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IS IT SOMETHING THAT IS -- WE COULD TIE DIRECTLY TO A FINANCIAL IMPACT? I GUESS THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT. IF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE AMOUNT THAT WE SPEND ON CERTAIN THINGS, IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO SUPPORT IT, SO THAT IT SHOWS THAT IT'S ALL RELATED TO ECONOMIC IMPACT? >> WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THE CRITERIA WITH THE RATING AGENCIES, THAT THEY USE, FOR EXAMPLE. THERE ARE QUANTIFIABLE FACTORS THAT ARE A CONSIDERATION. UNEMPLOYMENT BEING ONE OF THEM. SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. >> GONZALES: OKAY. HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A WAY TO SORT OF TIE THAT INTO OUR -- IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME NOW AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND HOW I WANT TO BE MOST HELPFUL TO THEM. WE KNOW THAT OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES ARE IMPORTANT, NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT THESE, BUT THEY ALSO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT, AND THEY ALSO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE A VARIETY OF SERVICES THAT'S NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON HOMELESSNESS, FOR EXAMPLE. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT HOW MANY JOBS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT SECTOR. AND SO THAT MIGHT BE AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION. BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE FUND ARE ALL IN SUPPORT OF A STABLE ECONOMY, AND ULTIMATELY, A AAA BOND RATING TO GET MORE FINANCIAL SUPPORT. SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS REALLY IMPACT OUR OVERALL FINANCIAL STABILITY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GONZALES. THANK YOU, MELODY, AND RENE, FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. >> MAY I SUGGEST IN THE NEXT TWO PRESENTATIONS WE TAKE BOTH OF THEM, AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS ON BOTH? WE CAN START WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, QUICKLY GO THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION, THEN THE LIBRARY PRESENTATION, AND TAKE QUESTIONS ON BOTH? OKAY? AND DR. COLLEEN BRIDGER IS HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO GO THROUGH HER PRESENTATION, AND THEN ROMERO SALAZAR IS HERE, THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. ANYBODY NEED TO STAND UP AND STRETCH? PUT YOUR ARMS OVER YOUR HEAD. D DO A LITTLE DANCE. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION FAIRLY QUICKLY. SO, OUR LIVE STATEMENT IS WHAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY CALLED OUR MISSION STATEMENT. AND I'LL LET YOU READ THAT. BUT I ACTUALLY LIKE OUR VISION STATEMENT BETTER, WHICH IS A LOT MORE SIMPLE. HEALTHY PEOPLE THRIVING IN A HEALTHY COMMUNITY. SO THAT IS ULTIMATELY WHY WE'RE HERE. JUST A REAL QUICK LOOK AT OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, SO YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF HOW THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ORGANIZED INTO THREE SEPARATE DIVISIONS, FOCUSED ON COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND OPERATIONS. SO, JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EACH OF THOSE THREE DIVISIONS, IN COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IS WHERE YOU FIND OUR CLINICAL SERVICES. SO OUR STD CLINICS, OUR TUBERCULOSIS CLINICS, AND OUR IMMUNIZATION CLINICS. IT'S ALSO WHERE YOU FIND OUR LAB THAT DOES BOTH CLINICAL SERVICES AND BIOTERRORISM TYPE SERVICES. AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY SECTION IN COMMUNICABLE DISEASE. THAT'S IF SOMEBODY HAS A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, ONE OF OUR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO NOT SPREAD THAT DISEASE TO OTHER PEOPLE. NEXT IS COMMUNITY HEALTH DIVISION. THAT IS OUR LARGEST DIVISION, WITH 154 EMPLOYEES. AND THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY DO MORE OF OUR POPULATION HEALTH, [01:30:02] THE TYPES OF SERVICES. SO THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY EDUCATION ABOUT HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHIER FOODS AND HEALTHIER EXERCISES AND REALLY KIND OF FOCUS ON KEEPING THE COMMUNITY HEALTHY. WE ALSO OPERATE OUR WICC PROGRAM, OUR BABY CAFE PROGRAM, WHERE WE PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR BREAST-FEEDING WOMEN. IT'S WHERE WE OPERATE OUR TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION PROGRAM AND INFANT MORTALITY APROGRAMS. OUR THIRD DIVISION IS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND OPERATIONS. AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE OUR AIR QUALITY MONITORS LOCATED, STAFF WHO CHECK THOSE MONITORS. ALSO WHERE WE DO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. ALL OF OUR RESTAURANT INSPECTORS ARE LOCATED IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. AND AS WELL AS OUR VECTOR CONTROL. WHERE WE HAVE FOLKS THAT GO OUT AND HELP ADDRESS PROBLEMS WITH MOSQUITOES, AND RATS. THOSE SEEM TO BE OUR TOP TWO VECTORS. SOMETIMES COCKROACHES. I HAVE A VERY FUN JOB. AND WE ALSO -- THAT'S WHERE -- SO THE OPERATIONS SIDE IS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT NATIONAL ACCREDITATION, WHERE OUR COMMUNICATIONS COME FROM. AND WHERE OUR PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IS LOCATED. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IS LOCATED. WE STARTED A NEW UNIT TO HAVE GREATER FOCUS ON DATA, SO THAT IS AN INFORMATICS TEAM, WHERE WE PULLED TOGETHER PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING IN DIFFERENT PROGRAMMATIC AREAS INTO ONE TEAM WITH ONE SUPERVISOR SO THAT THEY CAN SHARE THEIR STRENGTND DO A BETTER JOB OF COLLECTING THE DATA AND SHARING THAT DATA WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WITH OUR PROGRAMS TO HELP US MAKE BETTER DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT THE DATA IS TELLING US. OOPS, I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON. OKAY. I WANT TO COVER QUICKLY SOME OF OUR MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THIS LAST YEAR, AND WE'LL START WITH THE CITY HEALTH SILVER METAL, AND I MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT HAVE STOLEN THAT MEDAL FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. YOU CAN'T PROVE IT.DAL, AND I M HAVE STOLEN THAT MEDAL FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. YOU CAN'T PROVE IT. WE ARE THE ONLY CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HAVE ACHIEVED A SILVER MEDAL. A COUPLE OTHER CITIES GOT A BRONZE, BUT WE WENT STRAIGHT FROM MONTH MEDAL TO SILVER MEDAL. WE SKIPPED TO THE BRONZE ALTOGETHER. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE GOLD MEDAL NEXT YEAR. WE ALSO WITH YOUR HELP ARE SUPER EXCITED TO LIST ONE OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS THE I KNOW MY STATUS CAMPAIGN. SPECIAL THANKS TO Y'ALL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID TO GET YOUR CONSTITUENTS OUT TO GET TESTED. WE WERE ABLE TO DO 4,000-PLUS HIV TESTS IN ONE MONTH, WHICH EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF HIV TESTS WE DO FROM OUR MOBILE UNIT IN A YEAR, SO THAT WAS AN EXTREMELY POSITIVE EVENT FOR US, AND WE HOPE IT WILL BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT. WE ALSO RULED OU ROLLED OUT FAS CITIES, AND I BELIEVE AUSTIN HAS FOLLOWED SUIT. WE LED AND AUSTIN FOLLOWED. NOT SOMETHING WE GET TO SAY EVERY DAY, AT LEAST FROM HEALTH. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE TO ERADICATE HIV BY 2030. OF COURSE, 21 WAS PASSED IN JANUARY. IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OCTOBER 1ST, WHICH IS GOING TO BE HERE ANY MINUTE NOW. SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD TAKE FOREVER TO GET HERE AND WE BLINKED AND HERE IT IS. BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR METRO HEALTH FOR THIS YEAR. WE'RE ALSO PART OF THE ALL-AMERICAN CITY DUMP. SAN ANTONIO DID WIN AGAIN, THE ALL-AMERICA CITY AWARD, AND PART OF IT WAS THE WORK DONE ON TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION AS WELL AS THE WORK DONE THROUGH THE ENROLL SA COALITION AND METRO HEALTH IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO GETTING PEOPLE ENROLLED IN HEALTH INSURANCE. AND THEN WE ARE FINALISTS FOR THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION CULTURE OF HEALTH PRIZE. WE WILL FIND OUT IF WE HAVE WON IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. HOPEFULLY, THERE WILL BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT COMING OUT IN SEPTEMBER ABOUT THAT. AND IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, THAT WOULD BE -- THAT'S ANOTHER MAJOR NATIONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE WORK THAT SAN ANTONIO IS DOING TO KEEP ITS COMMUNITY HEALTHY. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT PERFORMANCE MEASURES, AND I DO [01:35:02] WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE A SELECT NUMBER OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES FROM METRO HEALTH LISTED IN THE BUDGET PACKET, BUT METRO HEALTH HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN IS WHERE WE HAVE LISTED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR MAJOR INITIATIVES IN WHAT OUTCOMES WE EXPECT FROM THOSE INITIATIVES. I WILL BE BACK TO UPDATE YOU ON THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN LATER THIS FALL. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THREE DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION. THE FIRST ONE IS CONGENITAL SYPHILIS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR, ONLY 61% OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM THAT WE OPERATE TO DECREASE CONGENITAL SYPHILIS ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR THIRD TRIMESTER SYPHILIS TEST, AND THIS YEAR, WE ARE ON TRACK TO ACHIEVE 92% OF PARTICIPANTS RECEIVING A THIRD TRIMESTER SYPHILIS TEST. SO, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND HOPE THAT WE WILL ALSO SEE A DECLINE IN THE RATE OF CONGENITAL SYPHILIS. SO BABIES BORN WITH SYPHILIS, BECAUSE AS YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION BEFORE, THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THOSE NEW BRENNS. -- NEWBORNS. TEEN PREGNANCY. WE HAVE SEEN A CONTINUED DECLINE IN THE TEEN PREGNANCY RATE, FROM 17 TO 18 WE'VE SEEN NEARLY AN 8.5% DECREASE IN OUR TEEN PREGNANCY RATE. IT WENT FROM 28.5 PER THOUSAND BIRTHS TO -- PER THOUSAND TEENS TO 26.1. AND SO THAT'S 8.4 DECREASE. AGAIN, WE DO THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH LOTS OF OTHER ENTITIES AND PEOPLE AND ADVOCATES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND THAT REALLY IS THE SECRET SAUCE. THE LAST PERFORMANCE MEASURE THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS. AND, AGAIN, OUR PERFORMANCE LAST YEAR HAD IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE YEAR BEFORE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO INSPECT 94.2% OF THE MEDIUM AND HIGH RISK FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS. SO, AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE REMINDER, WE'VE GOT LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH, AND LOW GETS INSPECTED ONCE A YEAR, MEDIUM TWICE A YEAR, HIGH RISK GETS INSPECTED THREE TIMES A YEAR. WE HAVE ABOUT 5,300 OF THOSE MEDIUM AND HIGH RISK ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE BEING INSPECTED EITHER TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR. SO IT REPRESENTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT ARE BEING DONE BY OUR SANITARIANS, AND PROBABLY EACH OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN AN EMAIL FROM MY OFFICE LETTING YOU KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE HAD TO CLOSE A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT IN YOUR AREA, AND WE ONLY DO THAT IN THE ABSOLUTE WORST CASE SCENARIO. NEVER? THAT'S WONDERFUL. AND SO WE CLOSE THEM UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THEY RESOLVE THE ISSUE. AS SOON AS THEY SAY THEY'RE READY FOR US TO GO BACK, WE GO RIGHT BACK OUT THERE. IF THEY HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUE, WE LET THEM OPEN RIGHT BACK. BUT THESE ARE PRETTY BAD SITUATIONS OF ROACH AND RAT INFESTATIONS, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY THE REASON WHY WE SHUT THESE RESTAURANTS DOWN. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ACTUAL BUDGET, SINCE THIS IS A BUDGET PRESENTATION. SO, OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS $42.9 MILLION. I TRIED TO GET BUDGET TO JUST ROUND IT UP. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT. AND JUST TO LET YOU SEE KIND OF HOW OUR DIFFERENT THREE DIVISIONS BREAK OUT, AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES. IT'S A PRETTY EVEN DISTRIBUTION. I DID MENTION COMMUNICABLE DISEASES ARE OUR LARGEST DIVISION WITH THE MOST FUNDING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FUNDING SOURCES, 13.6, THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT AS LAST YEAR, COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND. WE EARN ALL BUT 5.2 MILLION OF THAT, SO THROUGH RESTAURANT INSPECTION FEES AND OTHER REVENUES THAT WE BRING IN. SO, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS THAT THE CITY FUNDS ABOUT 12% OF THAT $42.9 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO YOU CAN SEE GRANTS MAKE UP THE REST OF OUR FUNDING. WE DID HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS, AND I DO WANT TO JUST ADDRESS THIS, MAYBE PREEMPTIVELY BEFORE COUNCILMAN PERRY ASKS ME THIS QUESTION. SO, WHAT WE DON'T COUNT ON THESE POSITION COUNTS ARE THE NUMBER OF TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES. AND WHAT WE HAD WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENT TO OUR [01:40:01] BUDGET WHERE WE CONVERTED ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT TEMPORARY CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES WHO WE WERE BRINGING IN THROUGH TEMPORARY AGENCIES. WE CONVERTED THEM OVER TO B GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. THESE WERE GRANTS THAT WE GOT AND WEREN'T SURE IF THEY WERE GOING TO CONTINUE. THEY CONTINUED, SO WE TRANSITIONED THEM FROM JUST, YOU KNOW, A ONE-YEAR COMMITMENT TO, ALL RIGHT, THIS IS A MULTI-YEAR GRANT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TRANSITION THEM TO GRANT FUNDING. SO, I DON'T WANT YOU THINKING THAT WE'VE HAD THIS EXPLOSION IN STAFF AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THAT IS NOT THE CASE. IT'S REALLY MOVING PEOPLE FROM TEMPORARY AGENCIES TO GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. SO, WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR. ONE IS MY FAVORITE TOPIC, WHICH IS ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, AND I WAS MESMERIZED BY HOW MEL WAS ABLE TO DESCRIBE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH, AND A LOT OF IT DOES START AT THAT BEGINNING POINT WITH CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. AND SO WE ARE EXCITED THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS RECOMMENDING A POSITION TO HELP THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND CREATING A TRAUMA-INFORMED CITY. SO, THIS PERSON WILL WORK WITH, AGAIN, OUR SECRET SAUCE. THIS PERSON WILL WORK WITH A GROUP OF AGENCIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND ADVOCATES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ALL LEARN ABOUT AND THEN BECOME CERTIFIED AS TRAUMA-INFORMED PROVIDERS. SO THAT IS OUR FIRST -- THE AMOUNT ALLOCATED FOR THAT FOR THIS FIRST YEAR IS ABOUT $68,000. OUR NEXT ENHANCEMENTS ARE AROUND AIR QUALITY. SO, WE ARE GOING TO -- WE'VE RECOMMENDED A AIR QUALITY OZONE COMPONENT PART TWO. SO, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR -- YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM DR. JEFFRIES NEXT MONTH ABOUT THE RESULTS OF PHASE ONE OF HIS STUDY, WHICH REALLY HELPS US IDENTIFY THE COMPONENT PARTS OF OZONE, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO DECREASE THEM SO THAT WE CAN ULTIMATELY DECREASE OUR OZONE LEVELS IN THE ATMOSPHERE. THE SECOND PART OF HIS STUDY WILL HELP US DO A BETTER JOB OF REALLY IDENTIFYING EXACTLY WHERE THE POINT SOURCES ARE AND EXACTLY WHAT THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES ARE SO THAT WE CAN MESS UP THAT CHEMISTRY THAT'S CREATING THE OZONE IN OUR ATMOSPHERE. AND IT'S GOING TO FOCUS ON [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE SUNSHINE AND THE HEAT IN SAN ANTONIO, THOUGH I DO WISH WE COULD FIGURE THAT OUT, TOO. THERE IS ALSO $50,000 IN THE BUDGET TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO HELP DEVELOP THE OZONE ATTAINMENT PLAN. AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, WE'VE GOT THREE YEARS TO GET INTO OZONE ATTAINMENT, OR WE GO TO THAT NEXT CATEGORY OF MODERATE, WHICH BRINGS WITH IT MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS. SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT AND HAVE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO DO THAT WORK. AND THEN FINALLY, WE'LL WORK WITH OUR PARTNER THROUGH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY TO PROVIDE BOTH AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE. SO OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. AGAIN, I WILL BE GETTING INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL ON THIS ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN PRESENTATION. BUT YOU CAN SEE, OUR FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WE WANT TO DECREASE THE RATE OF DIABETES BY 5%. WE WANT TO DECREASE OBESITY BY 3%. AND, AGAIN, THIS IS OVER THE FOUR-YEAR PERIOD OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. WE WANT TO DECREASE OZONE BACK TO 70. WE WANT TO INCREASE OUR CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION RATE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO START MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. SO, MY LAST SLIDE IS WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MOVING FORWARD FOR THIS YEAR. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRIORITIES. I'VE MENTIONED CITY HEALTH GOLD, WHICH I DEFINITELY WILL STEAL FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND WE HAVE A REALLY -- THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF PASSING POLICY, THOUGH, IS IMPLEMENTING IT, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT CITY COUNCIL PASSED. SO, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY, [01:45:02] REALLY HARD ON IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY THAT Y'ALL PASSED IN JANUARY. THE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE CONSORTIUM, THERE'S A GROUP OF FOLKS COMING TOGETHER, WORKING WITH 11 DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO BECOME TRAUMA-INFORMED. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A GROUP WORKING ON MENTAL HEALTH. THERE'S A GROUP WORKING ON MEDICAL SERVICES. THERE'S 11 DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE ALL GOING TO COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO BECOME TRAUMA-INFORMED. WE HAVE HIT THE SUBMIT BUTTON ON ACCREDITATION, SO THERE'S NO GOING BACK NOW. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE UPLOADED ALL OF THE EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT WE ARE DESERVING OF NATIONAL ACCREDITATION BEFORE MID-DECEMBER, AND THEN HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT SUCKS MONTHS AFTER THAT, THEY'LL LET US KNOW THAT WE ARE INDEED ACCREDITED. AND THEN AGAIN, AS YOU SEE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM GRANTS, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH NEEDS THROUGH GRANT OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT NOT BURDEN THE CITY'S BOTTOM LINE. SO, BEFORE I CEDE THE PODIUM TO RAMIRO, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE JENNIFER WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH, RAISE YOUR HAND, DR. KEIRAN WITH COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, AND MARIO MARTINEZ, THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR A.D.S. THEY HAVE OUR SUPPORT AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I AM STILL HERE WHEN YOU'RE READY FOR QUESTIONS. I'LL COME BACK UP. >> SCULLEY: RAMIRO TO TALK ABOUT OUR FABULOUS LIBRARY DEPARTMENT. >> THANK YOU, SHERYL. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2019. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY, WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND WHO IS THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR OF THE LIBRARY BOARD, AND THAT'S JEAN BRADY. JEAN REPRESENTS DISTRICT 1, SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT SHE'S BEEN HERE. SHE'S VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT WE DO. I ALSO HAVE OUR LIBRARY TEAM. I WON'T INTRODUCE EACH AND EVERY ONE, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR EXCELLENT FOCUS ON WHAT WE DO. SO, WITH THAT, I WILL START ON THE PRESENTATION. OKAY. THERE IT IS. ALL RIGHT. SO, THIS SLIDE TALKS ABOUT WHY THE LIBRARY EXISTS AND THE VALUE THAT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM PROVIDES TO A COMMUNITY. I'M VERY PROUD TO BE ITS DIRECTOR, AND I'M PROUD OF THE MANY SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE IMPACT THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY ADVANCING EDUCATION, PROMOTING LITERACY, PROMOTING EARLY LITERACY. YOU HEARD EARLY ON FROM OTHER PRESENTATIONS THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING EARLY IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE CHILD. WE FOCUS ON EARLY LITERACY AS PART OF THAT EFFORT. WE'RE ALSO VERY INVOLVED IN CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. THE LIBRARY SERVES AN IMPORTANT ROLE AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. MANY OF YOU, PERHAPS ALL OF YOU USE OUR LIBRARIES FOR EITHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, SOME OF YOU HAVE HOURS TO MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY IN OUR BRANCH LIBRARIES. WE HAVE TWO CO-LOCATED FIELD E OFFICES, ONE AT COLLINS GARDEN, ONE IN DISTRICT 8 AT THE LIBRARY, AND THE FIELD OFFICE AT THE MAVERICK BRANCH LIBRARY. SO YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE VALUE OF THE LIBRARIES AND THE RESOURCES, AND THE ROLE THAT WE PLAY AS IT PERTAINS TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OUR LIBRARIES SERVE AS VOTIE ING SITES, AND FOR THO OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, OUR LIBRARIES ARE OFFICIAL VOTER REGISTRATION SITES. SO WE TAKE THAT ROLE VERY IMPORTANTLY, AND WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP TO REGISTER TO VOTE AT OUR LIBRARIES. THIS SLIDE MENTIONS ALSO THAT WE'RE A FORWARD THINKING ORGANIZATION. I WANT TO TALK A MOMENT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THIS PAST YEAR WE STARTED A MOVEMENT. IT'S CALLED OPERATION TRANSFORMATION OF WHERE WE ARE WORKING TO REALLY TRANSFORM THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM TO FOCUS ON PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND INNOVATION. SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT MOVEMENT. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. [01:50:05] THE LIBRARY PROVIDES MANY SERVICES AND RESOURCES, BUT THERE ARE THREE STRATEGIC AREAS OF FOCUS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. I MENTIONED THAT WE SUPPORT EDUCATION. THE FACT THAT THE LIBRARY PROVIDES SPACES FOR STUDENTS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, PROVIDE -- WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM IN SCHOOLS AND DO HOMEWORK, TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO ONLINE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ROLE OF HOW WE HELP ADVANCE EDUCATION, WE SUPPORT THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BY PROVIDING THE THOSE VALUABLE RESOURCES TO OUR STUDENTS. WE ALSO SUPPORT INDIRECTLY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO RESOURCES, BY PROVIDING DIGITAL LITERACY, BY HELPING INDIVIDUALS LOOK FOR JOBS, SMALL BUSINESS AND WORK CENTER AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS LOOKING FOR JOBS TO SUBMIT RESUMES ONLINE. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE LAUNCH S.A. AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY. SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT THE LIBRARY SUPPORTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. AND THEN AS I MENTIONED, FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR LIBRARIES. IN ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES, WE HAVE COMMUNITY SPACES. OUR LIBRARIES ARE COMMUNITY CENTERS WHERE FOLKS COME TOGETHER TO ENGAGE IN DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. SOME OF THEM ARE FUN ACTIVITIES. OTHERS ARE SERIOUS ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. YESTERDAY, AT THE BUDGET MEETING AT THE HARDBERGER PARK, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WAS TELLING US THAT SHE HAD A PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY, BUT IT WAS SO POPULAR, THE PEOPLE WERE WAITING OUTSIDE. SO SHE SAID WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT OUR LIBRARIES ARE VERY POPULAR. SO, ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I WANT TO SHARE A FEW ACCOMPLISHMENTS. ONE THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF IS THAT WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO CREATE A HOME FOR OUR LATINO COLLECTION AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. THIS COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 ITEMS WAS HOUSED ON THE SIXTH FLOOR. NOT VERY ACCESSIBLE. NOT VERY VISIBLE. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY WORKING WITH THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION, THAT FUNDED HALF OF THE COST TO DO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. WE WERE ABLE TO TRANSFORM ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 6,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE IN THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY TO RELOCATE THE LATINO COLLECTION TO THE FIRST FLOOR. AND IT OPENED LAST SEPTEMBER. SINCE IT'S OPENED, THE COLLECTION'S USE HAS INCREASED BY 200%. WE'VE OFFERED NUMEROUS PROGRAMS TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAD OVER 1,000 FOLKS THAT HAVE ATTENDED PROGRAMS THERE AT THE LATINO COLLECTION RESOURCE CENTER. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS PAST YEAR THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF. AND WE HAVE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THE LIBRARY IS KNOWN NATIONALLY FOR OUR INNOVATIVE EFFORTS. MANY OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SPEAK IN A NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGARDING THE THINGS WE DO IN EARLY LITERACY, THE THINGS WE DO IN ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH. OUR PROJECT WITH THE YMCA, WHERE WE CO-LOCATED A BRANCH LIBRARY WITH A YMCA FACILITY, SO WE PROVIDE BOTH ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ALSO EXERCISE THEIR MIND. SO, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE BEING RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AND THAT OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE BEING INVITED ON A REGULAR BASIS TO TALK ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT WE DO HERE AT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY. I'M PROUD OF OUR TEAM, 353 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMMITTED AND DEDICATED TO SERVING THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY ARE DOING IT IN THE FRONT LINES OR BEHIND THE SCENES, I'M PROUD OF THE WORK OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES. I ADMIRE THE COMMITMENT. AND THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY IMPACT THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY MEANINGFUL WAY. SO I WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THIS SLIDE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOOD WORK OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS. I SEE THAT TRACY BENNETT HAS JUST COME IN. I'LL MENTION THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION IN A FEW MINUTES AS IT RELATES TO THE RESOURCES THAT THE FOUNDATION BRINGS TO THE LIBRARY TO HELP US DO MORE. SO THIS NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THE LIBRARY. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LARGE FOOTPRINT IN THIS COMMUNITY, THAT WE'RE READILY AVAILABLE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE IMPACT THAT WE PROVIDE TO SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE ALSO VERY PLEASED FOR OUR EFFORTS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL PROVIDE BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO [01:55:01] FREE WI-FI, HIGH SPEED WI-FI, AND PROVIDING A MULTITUDE OF COMPUTERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR PUBLIC. BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO ONLY PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, OR TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM, A COMPUTER, BUT THEN WE ALSO PROVIDE DIGITAL LITERACY. WE HELP INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY NEED ASSISTANCE TO NAVIGATE THE INTERNET OR EVEN TO JUST TURN ON THE COMPUTER AND USE THE MOUSE. SO, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK THAT WE PROVIDE. SO THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE JUST GRAPHICALLY SHOWS HOW WE ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES, OUR PRIMARY CORE SERVICE AREA IS PROVIDING AND FACILITATING ACCESS TO INFORMATION, THAT INCLUDES ACCESS TO MATERIALS AND RESOURCES. SO THE BULK OF IT IS UNDER ACCESS TO INFORMATION. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT TARGET CHILDREN, THAT TARGET TEENS, AND THAT TARGET ADULTS. AND OF COURSE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE A WONDERFUL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TO INVEST IN OUR FACILITIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE USER FRIENDLY, THAT THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE, THAT THEY INSTILL PRIDE THIS THE COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO MAINTAINING OUR FACILITIES IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE FOCUS ON THAT AS WELL. AND I'LL SPEAK MORE TO THAT -- ACTUALLY, THIS SLIDE WILL GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THAT. SO WHAT DOES THE 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET BY THE CITY MANAGER INCLUDE? WE'RE PLEASED THAT IT INCLUDES $530,000, WHICH WILL BE LEVERAGED BY $50,000, RAISED BY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION TO INVEST IN OUR MATERIALS. THAT MEANS BOOKS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL. WE WANT TO REDUCE THE WAIT TIME, AND THROUGH THE HELP OF THE CITY MANAGER LAST YEAR, WE STARTED ON THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM. OVER 430,000 WAS INVESTED LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN REDUCING THE WAIT TIME. AND AGAIN, THE IDEA HERE AND THE GOAL IS TO OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY NOT ONLY RESPONSIVE AND RELEVANT COLLECTIONS, BUT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE MATERIALS THAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY WANT IT. SO THIS WILL HELP US TO, AGAIN, REDUCE THE WAITING TIME FOR FOLKS WAITING FOR POPULAR MATERIALS AND NEW MATERIALS. $50,000 MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS WILL LEVERAGE $50,000 THAT WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR THROUGH THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION. THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE WILL ALLOW US TO IMPLEMENT AND UTILIZE CUSTOMER ANALYTICS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR CUSTOMER SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS. AND SO, AGAIN, I'M PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION FOR STEPPING UP AND MATCHING THE $50,000 THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE CURRENT -- THE 2019 BUDGET. I MENTIONED BUILDINGS, THE IMPORTANCE OF OFFERING FRIENDLY AND ATTRACTIVE AND FACILITIES THAT INSTILL COMMUNITY PRIDE. I AM PLEASED THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $1.1 MILLION TO CONTINUE THE FOCUS ON OUR FACILITIES. SINCE 2006, ABOUT $91 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED IN LIBRARY FACILITIES. THAT INCLUDES BOND DOLLARS, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, CAPITAL BUDGET. SO THAT'S A HUGE INVESTMENT IN PROVIDING AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS THE SERVICES THAT THE LIBRARY PROVIDES TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WITH THE INCLUSION OF DOLLARS FOR THE SAN PEDRO BRANCH LIBRARY, ALL OF OUR FACILITIES WILL BE GRADED A. WE GRADE OUR FACILITIES VERY MUCH LIKE MY GOOD FRIEND MIKE FRISBIE RATES STREETS, ON THE A TO F, SO WITH THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF OUR FACILITIES AT A, RATED A. AND, OF COURSE, COMPUTERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. WE ALSO, AS PART OF THAT, DIGITAL INCLUSION IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO PROVIDING ACCESS TO COMPUTERS IS SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY TODAY, AND WE'RE PROUD THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDS TO BUY NEW COMPUTERS SO WE PROVIDE THE LATEST EQUIPMENT TO THE PUBLIC. SO, WHAT WILL BE OUR PRIORITIES FOR 2019? AND ACTUALLY, I'M GOING WITH PRIORITIES. SO THIS YEAR, WE STARTED TO FOCUS VERY MUCH ON UNINTENDED BARRIERS TO ACCESS. EITHER PRACTICES, POLICIES, PROCEDURES THAT WE MAY HAVE IN PLACE THAT HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE LOOKING AT FINES. WE KNOW THAT IN MANY COMMUNITIES, PAYING $10 IS A LOT FOR THEM. FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES, IT MAY NOT -- THEY MAY NOT KNOW THEY CAN AFFORD IT. BUT WE UNDERSTAND FROM STUDIES -- ALSO, IT'S A NATIONAL MOVEMENT, A NATIONAL DISCUSSION REGARDING BARRIERS TO ACCESS. SO THIS IS ONE AREA WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT. [02:00:01] WE'RE HOPING THAT NEXT YEAR WLE BRING FORWARD A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE CAN INTRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT LOOKS AT THAT, BUT THAT WILL ALSO LOOK AT OTHER BARRIERS, UNINTENDED BARRIERS TO ACCESS, BECAUSE WE WANT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THE LOTTERIES. BUT, AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST USING CLIENTS AS AN EXAMPLE. IF THEY'RE STAYING AWAY FROM LIBRARIES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY A FINE OR THEY'RE AFRAID OF INCURRING A FINE, THAT'S A BARRIER, SO WE WANT TO BE CREATIVE, BE DELIBERATE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING A PILOT THAT MAKES SENSE AND THAT WILL HELP US BRING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS TO ACCESS. AGAIN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON DEVELOPING AND OFFERING A RESPONSIVE ANSWER TO THE COMMUNITY, BY LOOKING AT ANALYTICS, LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE, AND CREATING SELECTIONS THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE COMMUNITIES. THE BIG FOCUS ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IS NOT ONLY BUILDINGS, BUT THE WAY WE REACH OUT TO OUR PUBLIC, THE WAY WE MERCHANDISE OUR MATERIALS IN OUR FACILITIES, THE WAY WE DO OUTREACH, ALL OF THAT IS PART OF OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. AND SO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING THAT EXPERIENCE. MENTIONED DIGITAL UNCOLINCLUSIO. LAST YEAR, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY WAS THE VENUE. WE WERE CO-HOST OF THE FIRST DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT. THIS YEAR, OUR STAFF IS VERY INVOLVED IN OFFERING A SECOND DIGITAL INCLUSION. THAT'S A KEY COMMUNITY PRIORITY. SO WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE MISSION OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CONTINUE TO OFFER OUR FACILITIES TO NOT ONLY U.S. COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES, TO ENGAGE IN VOTING, TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO THE COMMUNITY. IN THE FIRST SLIDE, WE TALKED ABOUT CHALLENGES. YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES. THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING UP. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ONLINE PARTICIPATING IN THAT CENSUS COUNT WILL BE IMPORTANT. POINTED TO A TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT THE ROLE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN FACILITATING THE 2020 CENSUS, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO TALK ABOUT AND HOW CAN WE HELP TO FACILITATE THAT INITIATIVE, THAT NATIONAL INITIATIVE. AND NOT ONLY WORKING WITH THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION TO GENERATE PRIVATE DOLLARS, TO MAKE ENHANCEMENT TO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, BUT WORKING WITH OTHER PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING ABOUT PROGRAMS AND OTHER MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES. FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, WE HAVE AN ART EXHIBIT THAT'S FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED. SO I INVITE YOU TO GO TO OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY TO THE GALLERY. IT PROVIDES EXPERIENCES FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU MAY NOT GENERALLY FIND AT THE LIBRARY. SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS. BACK TO THE FOUNDATION. TWO YEARS AGO, THEY RAISED OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. THIS YEAR, WE'RE EXPECTING THEM -- FOR INSTANCE, TO THE LIE BLAIR.BRARY. WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS. I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE IT. >> SCULLEY: ACTUALLY, MAYOR, WE HAD TWO MORE DEPARTMENTS FOR TODAY, AND WE COULD QUICKLY GO THROUGH ONE OR BOTH OF THOSE. XAVIER IS HERE FOR PARKS AND REC, AND DOUG MELNICK IS HERE FOR SUSTAINABILITY. THEY HAVE SHORT PRESENTATIONS. I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP US ON SCHEDULE AND KEEP THE TIME IN MIND. WE HAVE ANOTHER HOUR. >> NIRENBERG: ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO DOING AT LEAST ONE MORE DEPARTMENT BEFORE WE GET INTO QUESTIONS? BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE DOVE TAILED, ESPECIALLY I KNOW SUSTAINABILITY IS. WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE DOUG AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT. >> SCULLEY: OKAY. DOUG? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. DOUG MELNICK, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER. I FEEL LIKE I WON THE LOTTERY. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, WHY DO WE HAVE AN OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY? OUR WHY STATEMENT IS TO DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND POLICIES, IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH, CREATE RESILIENT, HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE KEY THE OFFER OFFICES, WE'RE NOT JUST WORKING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITHIN INTERNAL CITY DEPARTMENTS, MAKING SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS OF IMPROVING [02:05:02] EFFICIENCY AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. THE OVERVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE FOUR FOCUS AREAS, ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION, MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES ARE IMPLEMENTING THE SA TOMORROW SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, THE SA READY CLIMATE PLAN, PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE POLICIES, MUNICIPAL RESILIENCE. WE MANAGE THE CITY'S ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND, WHICH UNDERTAKES ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND BUILDING RETROFIT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY PORTFOLIO. CURRENTLY WORKING ON ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROMOTING. I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY JUST HIGHLIGHT TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE COMPLETED THIS LAST YEAR THAT ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SA TOMORROW SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. THAW PROMOTE OUR ENERGY REDUCTION GOALS AS WELL AS INCREASE THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES. THE FIRST IS WE INSTALLED 300 KW OF ROOFTOP SOLAR AS A PART OF CPS'S POWER FIN PROGRAM, THEIR SOLAR HOST PROGRAM. THEY ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICTS 2, 4, AND 5, AND THAT BRINGS OUR TOTAL SOLAR CAPACITY ON MUNICIPAL FACILITIES TO 600 KILOWATTS. IN TERMS OF ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE IMPLEMENTED AS PART OF THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION IS A REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE DARK SKY POLICY. THIS WAS REALLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE MILITARY ELEMENTS OF PROTECTING THE MISSION, AS WELL AS REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION. SO THE COUNCIL HAD APROVED AN AMENDMENT UPDATING THE MLODPROV AMENDMENT UPDATING THE MLOD, AND CURRENTLY DOSD IS WORKING ON AN UPDATE. I BELIEVE THERE'S A CCR CONSIDERING MARTINDALE ARMY FIELD AS WELL. THAT WILL BE COMING TO YOUR ATTENTION. SO THE BIG THING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. THIS BUILDS UPON, AGAIN, IT WAS IMPLEMENTING THE SA TOMORROW SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AS WELL AS A JUNE 22ND, 2017 CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT. THE GOALS OF THAT AGREEMENT ARE TO ENSURE THAT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IS MINIMAL AND DOESN'T EXCEED 1.5 DEGREES BY THE END OF THE CENTURY, AND THAT WE ADAPT OUR COMMUNITIES TO CHANGING CLIMATE. WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THESE IMPACTS. THERE'S JUST A FEW OF THEM UP THERE ON THE SLIDE. BUT SOP OF THE UTSA CLIMATE PROJECTIONS REALLY PAINT A PICTURE THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER. BY 2040, THREE INCHES LESS RAINFALL. 24 MORE DAYS OVER 100 DEGREES. AND INCREASED SEVERITY OF 100 AND 500-YEAR STORMS. IF WE GO OUT TO 2100, WE CAN EXPERIENCE ANYWHERE FROM MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 108 AND 112 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND BETWEEN 48 AND 100 MORE DAYS OVER 100 DEGREES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES? SO I THINK IT'S A REAL IMPORTANT TOP IC FOR US TO DISCUSS. YOU'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE REDUCE THOSE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR BUILDINGS, OUR ENERGY SECTOR, AND TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, AND THEN WE NEED TO PREPARE AND ADAPT OUR SYSTEMS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO THOSE CHANGING IMPACTS. HERE'S A TIMELINE OF WHERE WE ARE. WE COMPLETED THE CLIMATE PROJECTION DOCUMENT IN JULY 2018, JUST FINALIZED THE GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY, WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE BASELINE DOCUMENT BY WHICH WE'LL SET A TARGET TO REDUCE BY 2040, 2050. CURRENTLY REVIEWING STRATEGIES, LOOKING AT THE WHOLE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A STRONG ECONOMIC EVALUATION FOR ALL THE STRATEGIES. AND THE PLAN IS TO HAVE A DRAFT PLAN COMPLETED BY JANUARY 2019 AND HOPEFULLY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN APRIL 2019. IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET, OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS $3 MILLION. IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO FUNDS. 1.9 MILLION IN OUR EMERGENCY EFFICIENCY FUND AND OUR SOLID WASTE FUND AT $1.1 MILLION, AND THAT AUTHORIZES NINE FULL-TIME POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY. AND THEN WE HAVE TWO IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING. ONE IS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE ACQUISITION AND INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY. REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN EVALUATE OUR CURRENT CITY FLEET. IS THERE THE POTENTIAL TO START CONVERTING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THEY'RE MORE COST EFFICIENT. THEY'RE CLEANER. THEY HELP MOVE US FORWARD WITH OUR AIR QUALITY AND CARBON [02:10:02] REDUCTION OBJECTIVES. A KEY TO THIS PLAN IS GOING TO BE DOING AN ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO COUNCIL A RATIONAL APPROACH AS FAR AS HOW WE SHIFT FORWARD. THERE'S TWO REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS AS WELL AS IMPLEMENTING OUR CLIMATE OBJECTIVES. I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE VOLKSWAGEN SETTLEMENT FUNDS. BASICALLY, BEXAR, COMAL, GUADALUPE, AND WILSON COUNTIES ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE $73.5 MILLION FROM THE VOLKSWAGEN SETTLEMENT FUND, WHICH IS BEING ADMINISTERED BY TCEQ. WE COULD TAP INTO THOSE FUNDS FOR A LOT OF THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT NOT JUST WHAT VEHICLES CAN BE CONVERTED, BUT WHAT IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT IT. THE OTHER PART OF THE PLAN IS LOOKING COMMUNITY-WISE. WE WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WITH OUR MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, ANYBODY WHO HAS A MAJOR FLEET TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE HAVE A COORDINATED EFFORT AT TAPPING INTO THIS $73.5 MILLION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN AS DR. BRIDGER MENTIONED, THERE'S $50,000 IN OUR BUDGET TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE AND CONVERSATION AROUND AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE. KEY TO WHAT WE'RE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REALLY ABOUT AWARENESS, SO WE'LL CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY, DEVELOPING OUTREACH MATERIALS, HOLDING PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS. AND OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT'S PROPOSED PROJECTS, INTERIOR LED LIGHTING, RETROPUTS EDUCAT EXTERIOR, AND WE GO BACK TO BUILDINGS THAT WE TOUCHED IN THE PAST AND FINE TUNE THEM. WE'RE PUTTING $1.5 MILLION IN THE ENERGY PSEFFICIENCY FUNDS. WE'LL BE EXPERIENCING $140,000 IN AVOIDED COSTS ANNUALLY. AND THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD BE SPENDING ON ELECTRICITY IF IT WERE NOT FOR THESE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS. AND WHAT ARE WE FOCUSED ON THIS NEXT YEAR? THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN, THE SA TOMORROW PLAN. WE REALLY WANT TO DEVELOP A CITYWIDE, COUNTYWIDE, AS WELL AS IDEALLY A REGIONAL APPROACH TO TAPPING INTO THIS FUNDING, OR ENERGY PEFFICIENCY PROJECTS, DEVELOPING PLANS FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS, MUNICIPAL SOLAR PLANNING. HOW DO WE GET A REAL COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO OUR FACILITIES AND OUR PROPERTY. AND WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CPS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO DR. BRIDGER ON AIR QUALITY AND ATTAINMENT PLANNING. AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS. >> NIRENBERG: ARE THERE OPTIONS TO HAVING XAVIER GIVE HIS PRESENTATION FIRST, AND THEN GETTING INTO QUESTIONS? >> SO, I WILL BE VERY QUICK. SO, PARKS AND RECREATION. WHY DO WE EXIST? SO IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT PARKS, WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE THE CITY'S FOREFRONT WHEN WE LOOK AT -- IT'S TRYING TO LOAD. SORRY. I WENT A LITTLE TOO FAST. BUT REALLY WHY WE EXIST WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY. WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO PARKS, AMENITIES, AND REALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THEY PROMOTE CONSERVATION, ENCOURAGE HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT PARKS AND WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM, AND WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WE ARE ORGANIZED IN THESE SERVICES. WHEN WE LOOK AT HEALTH AND WELLNESS, OUR OPERATIONS IN MAINTENANCE, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, COMMUNITY EVENTS, VOLUNTEERISM, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND OUR PARK PLANNING. AND SO THIS ALL REFLECTS OUR SYSTEM THAT HAS GROWN IMMENSELY. IF YOU THINK ABOUT WITHIN THE LAST DECADE HOW MUCH PARKS HAS CHANGED AND HOW MUCH GREEN SPACE WE'VE ADDED TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. OVER 27% INCREASED SINCE 2006. THIS IS WHO PARKS IS, BUT REALLY, WHO IS PARKS? WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PARKS AND WE THINK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, I WANT TO JUST QUICKLY JUST SHOW THIS REAL QUICK. SO WE WANT OUT TO FATHER RAMAN IN DISTRICT 3, AND WE ASKED A 10-YEAR-OLD -- WE HAD THESE LITTLE MAD LIB SHEETS. WE ASKED, YOU KNOW, FILL IN THE BLANK. TELL YOUR STORY ABOUT PARKS. IT'S, MY NAME IS JUAN. I'M 10 YEARS OLD. MY LAST TIME MY PARENTS AND I VISITED A PARK, I FELT EXCITED. I SAW A TRAIL IN THE PARK. WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT THE PARK IS THE PLAYGROUND AND IT WOULD BE BETTER IF IT HAD MORE [02:15:01] CHALLENGES CAN. SAID, I WOULD VISIT THE PARK MORE OFTEN IF I FELT MORE ADVENTURE, OR IF IT HAD A PLACE WHERE I COULD EXPLORE. SO IF I HAD A $1 MILLION FOR THE PARK, I WOULD SPEND ON IT, ASKED HIM TO FILL IN, AND HE SAID OBSTACLE COURSE. IN THE BACK, HE DREW HIS OBSTACLE COURSE. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR BOND PROGRAMS. SO, I KNOW WE'D BEEN WORKING ON COUNCILMAN SALDANA. WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING AN OBSTACLE COURSE IN THAT PARK. SO THESE ARE A REFLECTION OF REALLY WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE IN OUR PARKS SYSTEM. SO, AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT PARK COMPARISONS, I THINK I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU MAY LOOK AT WHAT'S DIFFERENT AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHERE WE FALL, BUT I THINK AGAIN, PARKS -- OUR SYSTEM IS A REFLECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE EMBRACE OUR HISTORY, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORIC PARKS, WE EMBRACE ADVENTURE, WE EMBRACE OUR NATURAL AREAS. WE EMBRACE THE OUTDOORS. WE EMBRACE OUR SOUTH TEXAS HERITAGE. OUR PARKS SYSTEM TO ME HAS A LITTLE BIT OF ALL OF THAT. SO WHAT HELPS SUPPORT THAT PARKS SYSTEM? SO WE LOOK AT OUR PARKS BUDGET. YOU SEE HERE THE BREAKOUT BETWEEN CAPITAL AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. THESE ARE ALL OUR FUNDS, SO OUR MAIN OPERATING FUNDS, OF COURSE THE GENERAL FUND. WE HAVE OUR TREE MITIGATION FUND. CEMETERY FUND. AND THEN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FUND. THESE ARE WHAT MAKE UP OUR OVERALL BUDGET. SPEAKING JUST OF THE GENERAL FUND, AGAIN, SO THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST, 53 MILLION. LOOKING AT THE MAJORITY OF THAT BEING OVER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. ALL OF OUR RECREATION COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. THE CITY CEMETERY FUND. THE TREE FUND, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL FUND I MENTIONED TO YOU. THOSE ARE ALL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUNDS. SO OUR ENHANCEMENTS THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ONE SPECIFIC ONE DEALING WITH RECREATION, BUT TWO THAT ARE ON THE OPERATION SIDE. CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE PARKS SYSTEM. SO AS WE LOOK, AS WE BRING IN NEW AMENITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE A BRAND-NEW SWIMMING POOL AT ELMENDORF LAKE. L LINCOLN PARK IS GETTING IT BOND PROGRAM COMING ONLINE. WE HAVE ABOUT 530,000 TO SUPPORT NEW PARK IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE GONE IN IN NEW PARKS. THAT IS ABOUT -- THOSE ARE FOR THREE POSITIONS. WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE WORKER, A PLUMBER, AND A LANDSCAPE IRR IRRIGATOR. LOOKING AT THE WATER FEATURES THAT WE'VE BEEN ADDING TO OUR PARKS, WE'RE ALSO ADDING 500,000 FOR OUR GREENWAY SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. SO, TWO POSITIONS, A MAINTENANCE WORKER AND ELECTRICIAN. YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT TRAIL HEADS. WE HAVE A LOT MORE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. LIGHTING OF THOSE TRAIL HEADS. AGAIN, SO FOUR ACRES ADDED. WHEN WE LOOK AT NEW PARKING ADDED. ADDING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTION AT DEFAUS PARK. SO CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PARK SYSTEM AND INVESTMENT TO SUPPORT THAT PARK SYSTEM. ON THE RECREATION SIDE, WE HAVE ENHANCEMENTS AT THE FRANK GARRETT CENTER. WHAT WE REALLY FIND THERE IS WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT CAME TO US AND ASKED THAT PARKS COME BACK TO THAT COMMUNITY. A FEW YEARS BACK, DURING THE RECESSION, ONE OF THE AREAS WE LOOKED AT MOVING OUT OF WAS THE FRANK BECAUSE AT THE TIME, YOU WOULD COME IN AND PICK UP SOME OF THOSE SERVICES. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT NON-PROFIT IS NO LONGER EXISTENT. AND THIS WILL ALSO BE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HUMAN SERVICES IS ALSO SPEARHEADING. NEXT, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT. WE CONTINUED TO DEFER MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE 2.9 MILLION IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY FOR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IN OUR PARKS SYSTEMS, SUCH THINGS AS RESTROOM RENOVATIONS AT ROOSEVELT, PITTMAN SULLIVAN, AND PALO ALTO TERRACE. WE'RE LOOKING AT REPLACING POOL FILTERS AT OUR SAN PEDRO AND JOE WARD POOLS. RESURFACING AT LBJ POOL IN DISTRICT 10. SO, AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE STURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE IN PLACE IS OPTIMIZED AND USABLE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I DO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS, LAST YEAR IN JUNE, WE DID A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, AND I KNOW WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS IN COUNCIL SINCE THAT TIME. BUT WE ARE AT THE LAST YEAR OF THE TRANSITION OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN, OVER AT THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY. SO IN JANUARY 1 OF 2019, THE FULL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MOVES OVER TO THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THIS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. [02:20:02] THAT COUNCIL APPROVED THIS IN 2010. AS PART OF THAT AGREEMENT, THE COUNCIL AGREED TO SUPPORT THE GARDEN SOCIETY WITH BASE LEVEL FUNDING. THAT'S 1.2 MILLION A YEAR. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A PARTIAL YEAR THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR WILL BE 1.1 MILLION THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE AS THE BASE LEVEL FUNDING FOR THIS SOCIETY. BUT AGAIN, THEY TAKE OVER ALL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. THROUGH THIS TRANSITION, THERE WERE TEN VACANT POSITIONS THAT WILL BE ELIMINATED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. AGAIN, EVERYONE WE HAVE ONBOARD, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIETY HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE GARDEN AND THE EXPANSION. THEY'VE FUNDRAISED OVER $20 MILLION FROM PRIVATE SECTOR TO REALLY SEE ABOUT MAKING THAT GARDEN A REGIONAL GARDEN AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE ENHANCE THAT EXPERIENCE FOR SAN ANTONIO. A COUPLE THINGS AGAIN I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST DEALING WITH THE TREE FUND. WE CONTINUE OUR SUPPORT OF THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM, CPS ENERGY GREEN SHADE PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE CAN REQUEST A REBATE. WE'LL CONTINUE OUR EDUCATION EFFORTS AROUND OAK GROWTH PREVENTION. WHEN WE LOOK AT TREE ADOPTIONS AND OUR FRUIT TREE GIVEAWAYS, OUR NUT TREE GIVEAWAYS, WE HAVE LINES OF PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT MISSION MARQUEE. WE MIGHT BE AT PEARL. YOU WILL HAVE PEOPLE LOONING UP READY TO GET THEIR TREES. AND IT'S NOT JUST GIVING A TREE. YOU TAKE IT HOME, YOU NOURISH IT, AND IT GIVES BACK TO YOU. WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TREE PROGRAM WHERE WE TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'RE WORKING WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. WE'LL BE DOING UTSA, TEXAS A&M, PALO ALTO TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE AGAIN IN PUBLIC SPACES INCREASE OUR TREE CANOPY, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THE WEST SIDE CREEK'S. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE TO US. WHEN WE THINK OF OUR CREEKWAY SYSTEMS, WE KNOW HOW THEY'RE IN THIS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. BUT OUR WEST SIDE CREEKS, WE'VE MADE LARGE INVESTMENTS IN PUTTING TRAILS INTO THEM. BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT SYSTEM. IT'S IN THE URBAN CORE. IT'S A MUCH MORE URBAN ENVIRONMENT. THEY'RE CHANNELIZED SYSTEMS. SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND SEEING HOW CAN WE PLANT TREE CORRIDORS TO GIVE BREAKS SO THAT THERE IS SHADE THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. I'M GOING TO REAL HIGH LEVEL REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE ALSO MANAGE THE UP FOR PROTECTION PROGRAM. THOSE ARE SALES TAX VENUE PROGRAMS. THEY'LL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. WE'RE PROJECTING TO HAVE 5,000 MORE ACRES PROTECTED NEST YEAR. OUR GREENWAY PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW. 65 MILES COMPLETED A DAY. WE HAVE 37 THAT ARE FUNDED UNDER THIS CURRENT VENUE THAT WAS PASSED IN 2015. AND THEN JUST REAL QUACKLY FOR OUR GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR. THE TRANSITION IS A BIG ONE TO MAKE SURE IT'S SEAMLESS. WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE. THAT WAS A GRANT WE GOT THROUGH THE LEAGUE OF CITIES. WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH THAT IMPLEMENTATION IN 2019. OUR SYSTEM PLAN WILL BE COMING BACK IN THE LATE FALL WITH THE DRAFT PLAN TO COUNCIL, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE THAT WORK. AND THEN ALSO, WE HAVE A TRICENTENNIAL PARK SPECIFIC EVENT CALLED "TRY SOMETHING ACTIVE" FOR KIDS. IT'S OUTSIDE LIONS PARK, SO THEY CAN TRY SOME DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT THEY MAY NEVER HAVE TRIED. SO WE TRY TO PLAY ON THE WORDS WITH TRICENTENNIAL. AND NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO REALLY LOOK AT OUR FIT PASS PROGRAM AGAIN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY FRESH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND GOING BACK TO MY EXAMPLE OF THE KID, WE WANT TO ASK THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IS IT YOU WANT TO SEE? WHAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU BECOME MORE ACTIVE? WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT PROGRAM. WE SAW 42% INDICATE IN THEIR POST SURVEY THAT THEY'RE MORE ACTIVE ON A WEEKLY BASIS NOW THAN WHEN THEY DID THE PROGRAM. BUT AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT STAYING IN FRONT, MAKING SURE WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IN THEIR PARKS SYSTEM. SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE ALL HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. XAVIER, I'LL JUST START WITH YOU REAL QUICK. I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. DURING THE SA 2020 DISCUSSIONS, IT WAS ASKED WHO WAS GOING TO BE -- 50% OF OUR POPULATION WAS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF A PARK. IT'S SORT OF BEEN STAGNANT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT -- WHICH WAS A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE GIVEN THE PROP TO GREENWAY TRAIL EXPANSION. IT SAID ON YOUR SLIDE WE'RE AT [02:25:01] 38% OF THE POPULATION. WHERE ARE WE, AND DOES THAT INCLUDE THE GREENWAY TRAIL ACCESS? >> SO, IT DOES, MAYOR. AND SO WHERE WE ARE ON THAT IS AS WE LOOK AT PRIORITIZE ING EITHER ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS A FACTOR. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, THERE'S FUNDS FOR A NEW PARK IN DISTRICT 6 THAT'S A DONATION THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD. IF WE LOOK TO SEE THERE'S A PARK WITHIN A MILE, WE'RE GETTING A GOOD CIRCUMFERENCE OF ACCESS. AND SO UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE CREEKWAYS, WE'VE KIND OF COUNTED ALL OF THAT ALREADY BECAUSE THEY'RE STAGNANT. AS WE LOOK AT AS WE ADD NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CRITERIA WE LOOK AT, TO TRY TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THAT NUMBER. AND WE THINK THERE WILL BE SOME STRATEGIES COMING OUT OF THAT PLAN WHEN WE PRESENT TO COUNCIL LATER THIS FALL, SOME STRATEGIES ON HOW DO WE MORE AGGRESSIVELY ADDRESS THAT NUMBER AND INCREASE IT. >> NIRENBERG: SO THAT ONLY INCLUDES PRIVATE PARKS. >> THEY DO INCLUDE ANYTHING WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH. OUR SCHOOL PARKS PROGRAMS ARE CONSIDERED, BUT ANY PRIVATE PARK, OR IF IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD-OWNED PARK, A GATED COMMUNITY PARK. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF THE AREAS YOU MAY SEE IN THE GATED COMMUNITIES THIS BLANK, BUT REALLY THERE MAY BE GREEN SPACE THERE AS PART OF THAT COMMUNITY, BUT NOR WHATEVER REASON, THE PARKS DOES NOT COUNT THAT TOWARD MEETING THIS NUMBER. >> NIRENBERG: I WONDER IF IT'S TIME TO REVISIT THE SPARK PARK PROGRAM THAT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. >> IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK AGAIN -- ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE SYSTEM PLAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE. I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS THERE. I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAXIMIZE NOT ONLY WHAT WE CALL THE TEN-MINUTE WALK, OR THE HALF-MILE FROM EVERY RESIDENT, IS TARGETING FOR SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE HAVE A GAP BUT ALSO MAYBE THROWING IN THAT NATURE COMPONENT AS WELL. SO I THINK THERE'S A WAY WE CAN POSSIBLY RE-IMAGINE THAT PROGRAM TO HIT TWO THINGS. BE MORE TARGETED IN THE SCHOOLS, AND ALSO THE TYPE OF AMENITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO THOSE SCHOOL PARKS. >> NIRENBERG: OKAY, GREAT. I WOULD IMAGINE -- BRIDGET'S NOT HERE, BUT I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS.T'S NOT HERE, BUT I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS. WITH REGARD TO THE LAND USE PLANS THAT ARE UNDER WAY WITH SA TOMORROW, WE'RE CONSIDERING PARK PLACEMENT OPEN SPACE CRITERIA FOR THAT AS WELL AS IT RELATES TO ACCESS TO PARKS. IS THAT PART OF THE LAND USE PLANNING ACTIVITY? ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THAT? >> SO, IT IS PART OF HER PIECE, AND THEN OUR PIECE FROM THE SYSTEM PLAN WILL DOVETAIL TO THAT. SO AS THEY IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS, THEN WHAT WE ENVISION COMING FROM THE DRAFT PARK SYSTEM PLAN WILL BE THE PRIORITIZED AREAS. IT WON'T BE WHAT WILL GO THERE, BUT IT'S BASED ON THE PRIORITIES THAT MEET EITHER FROM THE SA TOMORROW PLAN, LIKE THE HALF MILE, WHAT TYPE OF AMENITIES, AND THEN ALSO FROM A POLICY DIRECTION, WHAT TYPE OF PARKS WE SHOULD BE DEVELOPING IN THOSE TYPE OF AREAS. >> NIRENBERG: OKAY, GREAT. I NEVER WANT TO UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKING US A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY. I GUESS THAT SEGUES TO DR. BRIDGER, IF YOU'RE HERE. I DON'T REALLY HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR YOU, OTHER THAN I DON'T WANT TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK YOU, GIVE US AN OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. IF YOU COULD WRITE ALL THE POLICY, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE CONCERNING YOU. YOU KNOW ALL THE THINGS WE'VE GOT IN THE PIPELINE AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNDER WAY. BUT AS A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, WHAT ARE THE TOP TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT HAVE YOU MOST CONCERNED THAT WE NEED TO BE PUTTING OUR HEADS AROUND? >> SO, I THINK ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES IS MY NUMBER ONE JUST BECAUSE OF THE DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO CHRONIC DISEASE. I THINK A LOT OF HEALTH DIRECTORS WOULD STAND UP HERE AND SAY, OH, DIABETES, OBESITY, HEART DISEASE. FOR ME, I WANT TO GO A LOT FARTHER UPSTREAM AND MITIGATE THOSE PROBLEMS EARLY IN THE CHILD'S LIFE SO THAT THEY DON'T GROW UP TO BE ADULTS WITH DIABETES, OBESITY, AND HARD DISEASE. SO, THAT WOULD BE MY NUMBER ONE, LET'S GET AS FAR UPSTREAM AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, LET'S PROTECT, AND THEN WORK WITH THESE KIDS SO THEY DON'T GROW UP TO BE ADULTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE. >> NIRENBERG: GREAT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU THAT. [02:30:02] YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR SEATS. RAMIRO AND YOUR TEAM, GREAT JOB, ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. ONE SLIDE THAT YOU USED TO HAVE THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE THIS YEAR WAS THE DISTRICT BY DISTRICT USE OF THE LIBRARY FACILITIES THAT ARE THERE. I WOULD IMAGINE THEY'RE TRACKING PRETTY SIMILARLY. I WOULD LOVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION AS WE MOVE ALONG. YOU DON'T NEED TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> NIRENBERG: OKAY. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION FOR DOUG -- ALSO, YOU DON'T NEED TO GET UP -- BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT YOU IN STEERING THE CLIMATE READY PLAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT DONE ON TIME IN THE SPRING FOR IMPLEMENTATION, BECAUSE WE NEED SEVERAL MONTHS TO RAMP UP INTO THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> NIRENBERG: OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL. I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN SALDANA. >> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MAYOR. LET M >> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR. LET ME START WITH DR. BRIDGER. I HAVE A QUESTION THAT RELATES TO OUR ABILITY TO DO OUR METRO HEALTH RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS THAT WE'VE DONE. TODAY, CURRENTLY, IT'S VOLUNTARY TO PUT UP THE SCORE. >> THAT IS CORRECT. THE LETTER GRADE IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. >> SALDANA: PART OF THE CRITICISM WAS OUR FAST DIDN'T COME AROUND FAST ENOUGH, THAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD GRADE THEM, THEY WOULD GET A FAILING SCORE OR NOT A GLAMOROUS SCORE THAT THEY AND THEY PMIGHT HAVE TO LIVE WIH THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY CORRECTED THE MISTAKES. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE THE STAFF TO SUPPORT YOU WITH QUICKER INSPECTIONS, QUICKER TURNAROUNDS ON SOME OF THESE INSP INSPECTIONS? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. IF COUNCIL WERE INTERESTED IN PURSUING THAT, WE WOULD COMMIT THAT WHEN THE RESTAURANT WAS READY FOR REINSPECTION, WE WOULD GO BACK AND PROVIDE THAT REINSPECTION, VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE DO WHEN WE HAVE TO CLOSE A RESTAURANT DOWN. AS SOON AS THEY'RE READY FOR US TO GO BACK OUT, WE'RE OUT THERE RIGHT AWAY. >> SALDANA: THAT'S SOMETHING I WAS HOPING COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL WOULD DISCUSS AS AN OPPORTUNITY WE COULD TAKE ON THIS COMING YEAR. MAYBE I'M JUST MORE COGNIZANT OF IT BECAUSE I HAVE A WIFE WHO'S PREGNANT WHO ASKS ME TO LOOK UP ON YOUR VERY COMPLICATED WEBSITE THE NAMES OF RESTAURANTS ON THE SOUTH SIDE. MANY OF THEM DON'T HAVE IT UP. FOR ME, IT SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER THAT THOSE THINGS BE UP. IT ALSO SEEMS LOGICAL TO ME THAT I WOULDN'T WANT IT UP, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE. AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE STAFF TO SAY IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, THAT WAS THE QUESTION. >> ABSOLUTELY, AND IF I COULD PUT A PLUG IN FOR THE FACT THAT A PERSON I DO NOT KNOW HAS DEVELOPED AN APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD FOR 99 CENTS WHERE YOU CAN CHECK THE SCORES OF RESTAURANTS IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THE DATA THAT WE PRODUCE POPULATES THIS APP AND YOU CAN APPARENTLY DOWNLOAD IT. I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY IF YOU HAVE AN APPLE PHONE, AND I, OF COURSE, HAVE AN ANDROID, BUT THAT'S COMING NEXT. IT'S A PLUG, BUT I LITERALLY DO NOT KNOW THE PERSON, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. >> SALDANA: I LOVE IT. SOMETIMES WHEN I'M TRYING TO SPELL A PLACE, IT'S NOT AS EASY. SO BEING AT THE RESTAURANT, KNOWING THAT IT'S UP WOULD BE PEACE OF MIND FOR SOME FOLKS, ESPECIALLY MY WIFE. I HATE TO MAKE POLICY BASED ON SPECIFIC SAMPLE SIZE. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH DISCUSSING. THE OTHER IS A RECOMMENDATION. YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING ON AN ASIS COORDINATOR. CAN I SUGGEST OR ASK THAT THAT ASIS COORDINATOR WHO I THINK IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL A LOT OF COMPELLING STORY LINES FOR WHAT SOME OF OUR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS ARE DEALING WITH AND BEING ABLE TO TRAIN OTHER FOLKS, MAYBE THEY'RE SAPD OFFICERS, MAYBE THEY'RE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE BODY OF WORK WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THAT ASIS COORDINATOR? >> I WOULD SUMMARIZE IT INTO THREE CATEGORIES. THE FIRST IS EDUCATING PEOPLE ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES IN ADULTHOOD. THE SECOND WOULD BE INCREASING SCREENING AT THE PEDIATRIC [02:35:02] PRACTICE LEVEL SO THAT OUR PEDIATRICIANS ARE MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL PATIENT'S ACE SCORE AND MAKING APPROPRIATE REFERRALS. AND THEN THE THIRD RELATED TO THAT APPROPRIATE REFERRALS PIECE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A TRAUMA-INFORMED SYSTEM READY TO HELP THESE KIDS, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HELP IN THE RIGHT WAY, YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY DIFFERENCE. SO THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING WE'RE TRAUMA INFORMED, BUT WE ARE CERTIFIED IN TRAUMA INFORMED CARE. >> SALDANA: DO SOME OF THOSE REFERRALS GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION WE HAD AROUND THE NON-PROFITS, SOME OF THE AGENCIES THAT DO WORK IN THIS SPACE? IS THAT WHERE THE REFERRAL NETWORK CONCLUDES? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. YEP. A LOT OF THOSE NON-PROFITS ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS TRAUMA INFORMED CONSORTIUM, THAT IT'S JUST ORGANICALLY COMING TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE CITY. >> SALDANA: OKAY. I'VE OFTEN FOUND IT TO BE THE CASE THAT WHEN I'M -- IF WE HAVE AN ASIS COORDINATOR, I'D LIKE THEM TO BE ABLE TO DIG INTO SOME OF THE DATA THAT SAPD HAS WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE OR MAYBE NOT YOUNG, BUT YOUNG ADULTS, WHO WE RUN INTO OFTENTIMES, AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AND THEY'RE TELLING THE STORY AS TO WHY IT WAS THAT THEY GOT INTO TROUBLE THAT NIGHT. THEY START TELLING THESE INSTANCES OR STORIES OF TRAUMATIC EVENTS IN THEIR LIFE EITHER THAT DAY OR THE LAST DECADE, THAT I THINK WE LOSE OUT ON A LOT OF FOLKS WHO COULD ULTIMATELY BE FUNNELED INTO A SYSTEM OR REFERRED INTO A SYSTEM THAT OUR SAPD OFFICERS WHO I THINK HAVE MORE INTERACTION WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS THAN ANYBODY ELSE WHO WEARS A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEE MONIKER, I WOULD HATE TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ASIS COORDINATOR NOT BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE KIND OF DATA THAT SAPD HAS, WHETHER IT'S A MENTAL HEALTH REFERRING UNIT. I WANT THERE TO BE SOME CROSS-COORDINATION BETWEEN THE COORDINATOR WHEN HE COMES ONBOARD AND WITH SAPD AND THE PERSONNEL THAT THEY DEAL WITH. >> ABSOLUTELY. WE DEVELOPED REALLY GREAT DATA SHARING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH THE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE PROJECT THAT WE DID. SO WE'VE GOT -- WE KNOW WHO THOSE FOLKS ARE. WE'VE GOT A GREAT DATA SHARING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. >> SALDANA: OKAY. THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER. MY LAST QUESTION IS FOR RAMIRO FOR THE LIBRARY, IF I CAN. IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT OUR LIBRARY CARD DISABILITY AND SYSTEM. F FROM WHAT I KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANTIQUATED SYSTEM. WILL WE BE UPDATING OUR LIBRARY CARD SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING THAT SERVICE? >> THE ANSWER -- YES. IT WAS IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. WE JUST RELEASED THE REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE BIDS LAST FRIDAY FOR A NEW INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM THAT WILL PROVIDE A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONALITIES THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAKE IT MORE COMPATIBLE TO GATHER METRICS, DATA, AND OF COURSE, THE LIBRARY CARD. >> SALDANA: IT'S THAT ACCESS TO A CARD -- >> ONLINE REGISTRATION, PERHAPS? >> SALDANA: I WONDER FOR SOME FOLKS WHO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE ACCESS TO AN IDENTIFICATION CARD OF SOME SORT, WHETHER THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO -- WOULD YOUR LIBRARY SYSTEM BE ABLE TO DO A PHOTO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I WANTED TO GO IN AND GET A LIBRARY CARD? >> WE EXPECT THAT THE RESPONSES WOULD INCLUDE THAT FUNCTIONALITY. >> SALDANA: SO YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE SYSTEM -- >> THE NEW SYSTEM WE WOULD PROCURE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. >> SALDANA: OKAY. >> THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS. IT WILL BE OUT FOR 60 DAYS, AND THEN WE'LL REVIEW AND SELECT IT AND BRING IT TO COUNCIL. >> SALDANA: THANK YOU, THAT WAS MY LAST QUESTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. >> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. GOSH. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. THERE'S SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM. XAVIER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU DID TALK ABOUT THE WEST SIDE CREEKS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY SO OFTEN, I GET SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT. IT SEEMS THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROJECT IS BEHIND IN ITS ORIGINAL TIMELINE. COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT? >> SURE. ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY OF ALL THE PROJECTS, IT'S PROBABLY THE ONE THAT'S AHEAD. >> SANDOVAL: THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE FROM YOUR PRESENTATION. >> WE PARTNERED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY. WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS QUICKLY, WHEN THE REISSUANCE OF THE VOTER APPROVED SALES TAX, WE WENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE SECTIONS OPENED. [02:40:03] SO WHAT WE HAVE IS THE ZARZAMORA CREEK ONE WILL BE GOING OUT FOR BID THIS FALL, AND CONSTRUCTION PROBABLY STARTING RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. THE ONE YOU MAY BE HEARING ABOUT A DELAY IS MARTINEZ AND THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF A SAWS SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT TO DO IS COME IN, PUT A TRAIL, AND BASED ON SAWS, THEY WILL PULL OUT THE TRAIL. WE PUT IN THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND IMPROVEMENT, AND COME AND RIP IT OUT, AND HAVE TO PUT IT BACK. SO WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM TO TIMELINE, BUT THAT ONE IS PROBABLY THE MOST SENSITIVE. AND WE CAN GET YOU SOME OF THE DETAILS ON THAT AND WHEN THAT WOULD GO OUT. >> SANDOVAL: I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD TO HEAR. AND I SAW YOUR DEPARTMENT'S PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE SWIM HOURS THAT WERE BEING EXTENDED. COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? >> SURE. WE HAVE AN EXTENDED POOL SEASON. ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IS WE LOOK -- BECAUSE OF OUR TEMPERATURES, WE GET TO BE OUT IN THE SUN LONGER. WE STARTED OUR SEASON IN MAY, AND WE ACTUALLY GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER. SO WE HAVE OUR FOUR REGIONAL POOLS. THAT'S LBJ, THAT IS WOODLAWN, HERITAGE, AND -- WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE NOW? SOUTH SIDE LIONS. AND THEY ARE OPEN TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY. WE'RE OFF ON FRIDAY BECAUSE USUALLY KIDS ARE DOING FOOTBALL AND SCHOOL STUFF. AND THEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. WE'RE ALSO OPEN ON LABOR DAY. SO THOSE FOUR POOLS ARE OPEN ON MONDAY, WHICH USUALLY THE DAY WE'RE CLOSED, BUT THEY WILL BE OPEN LABOR DAY. >> SANDOVAL: I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT, BUT I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO AREN'T KIDS WHO HAVE SOMETIMES FEW OPTIONS FOR EXERCISE BECAUSE THEY'RE HOLDER AND THE JOINT IMPACTS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ON THE SURFACE. YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS. BUT THIS IS ABOUT WATER THERE TIME AND NOT ABOUT THE TRAILS. I'M WONDERING HOW THEY COULD ADVOCATE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SWIM HOURS. IT'S NOT LIKE OPEN FOR, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SPLASHING AROUND, BUT ACTUALLY FOR SOME OF THE OLDER ADULTS, OR YOUNGER ADULTS, WHOEVER WANTS TO DO LAP SWIM. HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? >> SO WE DO HAVE THE LAP SWIM, BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING IS WE KNOW THERE'S A CONTINGENCY AT WOODLAWN THAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A SENIOR SWIM TIME. >> SANDOVAL: ALL DAY LONG, YES. >> WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AS PART OF THE LAP SWIM, MAYBE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SWIMMERS WE HAVE, MAYBE NOT HAVE -- HAVE A SECTION THAT COULD JUST BE OPEN SWIM FOR SENIORS. SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN GET IMPLEMENTED. THIS WILL BE A GOOD TEST TIME TO SEE HOW MANY FOLKS WE SEE COME THROUGH THE REST OF AUGUST AND INTO SEPTEMBER. >> SANDOVAL: I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, XAVIER. AND THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM IS DOING. THANK YOU. AND THEN I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON HEALTH. THEY'RE NOT QUESTIONS. I'M JUST GOING TO BE TALKING, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. >> I'LL JUST SMILE AND NOD THEN. >> SANDOVAL: DR. BRIDGER, I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF ON THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACCOLADES YOU'VE GOTTEN IN THE PAST YEAR. VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT BEING A FINALIST FOR THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION. AND I HEARD -- I OVERHEARD COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAY, YES, GIVE US THE MILLION DOLLARS. BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO BE A MILLION DOLLARS. >> NO, IT'S 25,000. >> SANDOVAL: IF IT COMES THROUGH. BUT I THINK IT DOES SET US ON THE COURSE FOR -- YOU KNOW, IT PUTS US ON THE STAGE AS FAR AS HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS, AND I THINK IT MIGHT OPEN A LOT OF DOORS FOR ADDITIONAL PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES. SO, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL COME THROUGH. SO I THINK IT'S STILL A GREAT THING. BUT THAT KIND OF DOES RAISE AN ISSUE. YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT GRANT FUNDING AND FUNDING FROM OUR GENERAL FUND OR FROM YOUR FEES AND YOUR REVENUE, AND I JUST -- I KNOW THE MAJORITY OF YOUR BUDGET OR THE HEALTH BUDGET COMES FROM OUTSIDE, AND I THINK THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO HOW GOOD THE TEAM IS AT GETTING OUTSIDE REVENUE SOURCES. IT'S NOT EASY TO BRING IN ALL THAT GRANT FUNDING. BUT I THINK WE ALSO WANT TO BE CAREFUL AND MAKE SURE WE STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT OUR GOALS ARE FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT LET THE AVAILABLE FUNDING DRIVE THAT. TO ME IT SEEMS THAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A TENSION WITH THAT. BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT A STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND MAKING SURE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALONG THOSE LINES, ONE OF THE HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT WE DO HAVE LOCALLY IS ASTHMA PREVALENCE, AND A HIGH CHILDHOOD ASTHMA HOSPITALIZATION RATE. WE DISCUSSED THIS BRIEFLY WHEN YOU LAST CAME TO B SESSION, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT IN YOUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW. AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TO STAFF THAT WE CONSIDER ADDING [02:45:02] THAT PROGRAM AS AN AMENDMENT TO THIS BUDGET CYCLE, SHOULD THE FUNDING BECOME AVAILABLE, IF THERE'S A PLACE WE CAN FIND THAT. THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS, OTHER CITIES -- I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SOME OF THE EXPERTS THAT SOME OF THE LARGER CITIES HERE IN TEXAS DON'T HAVE THE TYPE OF ASTHMA HOSPITALIZATION RATES THAT WE HAVE. OURS IS IN THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. IT'S ABOUT 170% HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE. SOME OF THAT MAY HAVE TO DO WITH ASTHMA MANAGEMENT. THESE OTHER CITIES HAVE SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMS IN PLACE. IF ANYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE AT THE NORTH SIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SORRY, NORTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY HAVE A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST DEDICATED TO MANAGING A DISTRICTWIDE PROGRAM AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB -- SHE DOES A GREAT JOB OF THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANOTHER ORGANIZATION TAKE THAT ON HERE FOR THE REST OF THE CITY. SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHRILSHOULD DO THIS FOREVER AND EVER, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS IT DOES NEED SOME PILOTING, AND BY DEMONSTRATING THAT IT WORKS, YOU KNOW, IT WILL KEEP OUR CHILDREN OUT OF HOSPITALS, IT WILL KEEP OUR FIREFIGHTERS AVAILABLE, OUR EMS TECHNICIANS AVAILABLE TO DO OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT PREVENTABLE INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM RUN TO DEAL WITH AN ASTHMA ATTACK. I MEAN, THAT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, BUT THOSE ARE PREVENTABLE WITH PROPER ASTHMA MANAGEMENT. I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S REALLY CRUCIAL TO FUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TO GET IT STARTED, SHOW THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THE PAYERS, HEY, THIS REALLY PAYS OFF WHEN YOU AVOID SENDING PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL, AND IT'S REALLY IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO PICK UP THE COST FOR THIS PROGRAM LONG-TERM. BUT SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE THAT BOLD STEP. SO I'D JUST LIKE TO ADVOCATE THAT, AND I'D ASK FOR SUPPORT FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ON THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRIDGER, FOR STANDING THERE. I APPRECIATE YOUR NODS. THANK YOU. >> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. LET ME GET MY LIST TOGETHER. I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE COMMENTS FIRST ABOUT THE LIBRARY. YOUR LIBRARIES ARE FANTASTIC, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE WHERE -- ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBER SALDANA KNOWS THIS, WE DON'T HAVE BOOKSTORES. OUR LIBRARIES ARE OUR BOOKSTORES IN THE DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AND ACCESSIBLE. AND ALSO, THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE -- AND AS YOU NOTED, THE HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS THAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW. SO IT'S VERY MUCH A GATHERING PLACE, A COMMUNITY CENTER, AND A THRIVING AREA FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO HAVE A QUESTION REALLY BRIEFLY ABOUT WHEN WE DO RENOVATIONS AND MAKE THOSE RENOVATIONS TO OUR LIBRARIES. LIKE FOR THE BOND. WHEN THOSE LIBRARIES ARE CLOSED, DO WE HAVE OTHER AREAS THAT WE OPEN FOR THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE THEY'RE SAFE HAVENS AND HUBS? >> ABSOLUTELY. WE DO SEVERAL THINGS. ONE, WE PROVIDE LOTS OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, ADVANCE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMING CLOSURE. WE ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING SURROUNDING LIBRARIES. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE OFFERING INTERIM SERVICE, SO PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF BOOKS THERE, THEY CAN ALSO PICK UPHOLDS. SO WE PROVIDE SOME LIMITED SERVICE WHERE IT'S -- WHERE WE CAN WITHIN THE SPACE, SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE RENOVATIONS AND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR LIBRARIES. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE THROUGHOUT OUR LIBRARY. IS, BUT IT ALSO TAKES STRONG PARTNERS AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR LIBRARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL AS OUR LIBRARY FOUNDATION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: TO THE PARKS. XAVIER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION. VERY FAST. I KNEW YOU COULD SPEAK FAST AND TALK FAST. YOU DID A GREAT JOB. AND TO JUAN PADILLA WHO VISITED THE VIA CORONADO PARK AND THE FATHER RAMAN CENTER, I HOPE HE SHOWS UP TO OUR PUBLIC MEETING TOMORROW AT 6:30, AND I HOPE WE CAN ENTER HIS COMMENTS INTO THE RECORD OF WHAT HE WOULD LIKE TO [02:50:01] SEE WITH OUR BOND DOLLAR IMPROVEMENT AND THAT OBSTACLE COURSE. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE INPUT FROM JUAN WITH THAT INFORMATION. THAT'S WITHONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO REITERATE. AND THE WEST SIDE CREEK, TOO. WE HAVE THE BIKE PATH IN AND AROUND THAT AREA, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GO AND THEY WANT TO TOUR, BUT THEY ALSO NEED SOME KIND OF A RESPITE AND NOT JUST UNDER THE STREETS OR THE EXPRESSWAY. SO I WANTED TO PUT MY TWO CENTS IN THERE AND GIVE A NOD OF SUPPORT THERE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: DOUG, I HAVE ONE QUESTION. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IT, SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO CLARIFY FOR ME. IN OUR BUDGET, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME? >> BASICALLY, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION IS BASICALLY TRYING TO FILL A NICHE THAT'S NOT BEING FILLED IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO THE KEY FOCUS AREA CURRENTLY IS REALLY LOOKING AT FLEET EFFICIENCIES, ELECTRIFICATION, HOW DO WE START BUILDING THAT CITYWIDE EV INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE EXISTING DOLLARS THAT ARE OUT THERE NOW AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, SUCH AS THE VW FUNDING, AS WELL AS REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY. THE POSITION ALSO SUPPORTS TCI IN THEIR SA BIKES PROGRAM. SA BIKES USED TO BE WITHIN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, BUT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS BEING LEVERAGED WITH ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS BEING IMPLEMENTED BY TCI, THE BULK OF THE PROGRAM WENT OVER. BUT WE STILL HAVE BIKE AND TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCE, SO THAT PERSON PROVIDES SUPPORT TO TCI AS WELL AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS. >> VIAGRAN: OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK AND EXPLAINING THAT TO ME. I APPRECIATE IT, DOUG. OH, ONE MORE THING FOR RAMIRO. I DID LOVE IN THE PAST HOW YOU HAD THE CARDS FOR EACH OF US WITH ALL THE DISTRICTS. I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT, TOO. >> YES, MA'AM, WE WILL. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. DR. BRIDGER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR -- WELL, FIRST, I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SALDANA MENTIONED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR RESTAURANTS MACS MAKING IT PERM. I NOTICE IT EVERYWHERE I GO NOW. I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL AS WE GO FORWARD. I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE YEARS AGO. SO I WANT TO REITERATE THAT. NEXT, WHEN IT COMES TO ALL OF THE MEASURES THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON AND ALL OF THE MEASURES THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, WONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ARE FOOD DESERTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HAVING THAT ACCESS TO THE FARMER'S MARKET. WE'RE DOING OUR PART THE WAY WE CAN, HAVE THE FARMER'S MARKET OUT THERE. WE HAD A GREAT SUCCESS WITH OUR MISSION MARQUEE FARMER'S MARKET. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS -- THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS OF DISTRICT 3, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF FOOD DESERTS. THERE'S NO GROCERY STORE EVEN WITHIN A MILE OR TWO MILES OF THE AREA AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I'M SAYING THIS, BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW ALL OF THIS. ONE OF THE INITIATIVES, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE HAVE DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET AS WELL MOVING FORWARD, OR PARTNERING WITH OTHER OS OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE, DOING WORK WITH THE SOUTH SIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, IS LOOKING AT THE HEALTHY CORNER STORES, PUTTING FRESH PRODUCE AND PILOTING IN CORNER STORES IN AND AROUND THOSE AREAS THAT ARE FOOD DESERTS. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, IF YOU HAVE THAT DATA AND WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT IN THAT INITIATIVE, AND IF WE NEED TO LOOK IN OUR AREAS OF OUR DISTRICT BUDGETS, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO GOING TO NEED TO MEET A NEED, BECAUSE MY RESIDENTS, THEY GO TO THE CORNER STORE FOR GROCERY SHOPPING, OR THEY GO TO A DOLLAR GENERAL FOR GROCERY SHOPPING, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT FRESH PRODUCE IN ORDER TO START MEETING THOSE ISSUES UPSTREAM, IF YOU WILL. SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU LOOK AT. I KNOW ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE [02:55:04] ASTHMA OUTCOMES AND THE STATE OF ASTHMA WITH OUR CHURN, ESPECIALLY OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE AREA, TOO. SO, HAVING ALL OF THAT COME TOGETHER YOU THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. NEXT, I DO WANT TO KNOW, HAVE YOU ALL BEEN ABLE TO, SINCE LAST WEEK, LOOK AT HOW MUCH ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE WITH PAID SICK LEAVE? ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AND SEE THIS -- ANY IN THIS BUDGET AT ALL? >> I'M NOT RECOMMENDING IT AT THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH THE ORDINANCE WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY, THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR IMPLEMENTATION IS NOT UNTIL AUGUST OF '19, WHICH IS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR, WE WILL LOOK AT THAT, AND OF COURSE, REPORT TO YOU WITH THEED MY YEAR BUDGET REVIEW AND MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS AT THAT TIME. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHO SHOULD I START OFF WITH? XAVIER, WHY DON'T I START OUT WITH YOU? YOU'VE BEEN SITTING A WHILE. THANK YOU. WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS PARKS AND RECREATION DOING REGARDING ANIMAL MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT IN PARKLANDS AND ALONG THE GREENWAY TRAILWAYS? >> SO, BY STATE LAW, ALL ANIMAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT FALLS UNDER THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT -- THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE DO COORDINATE WITH THEM WHEN WE DO HAVE ISSUES. FOR EXAMPLE, FERAL HOG ISSUES. OR THERE ARE RARE TIMES WE DO HAVE A MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTINGS, THINGS LUKE THAT. SO THE APPROPRIATE SIGNAGE AND ACTION FOR THAT. BUT, IT'S MORE OF A COORDINATED EFFORT, AND ANY TYPE OF ACTUAL INTERVENTION HAS TO BE SANCTIONED THROUGH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE. >> COURAGE: OKAY. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT OAK WILT MITIGATION? DO WE WORK ONLY WITHIN PARKS? ONLY IN THE CREEKWAY? OR DOES YOUR EFFORTS STRETCH BEYOND THAT? >> STRETCHES BEYOND. SO, OUR MAIN EFFORTS HAVE BEEN AROUND -- TWOFOLD. ONE IS EDUCATION. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DEALS WITH. WE MAKE SURE THAT IN COORDINATION WITH SOLID WASTE, AS THEY ARE DOING THEIR BRUSH PICK-UP CYCLES, INFORMATION REGARDING OAK WILT GOES OUT TO THE RESIDENT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IT ALERTS THEM OF THE PROPER TIME OF YEAR TO CUT OAKS, TO USE A LICENSED OR CERTIFIED TREE TRIMMING COMPANY, IF THEY'RE USING AN OUTSIDE SOURCE, REMINDS THEM THE CORRECT PROCEDURES, WHETHER THAT'S CLEANING THEIR TOOLS, MAKING SURE THEY PAINT THE WOUNDS OF AN OAK TREE AS SOON AS THEY HAVE MADE THE CUT, SO THERE IS THAT PIECE. AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HAS AN ENFORCEMENT PIECE WHEN IT DEALS WITH THE ACTUAL RESIDENTS AND COMMERCIAL FROM THEIR ARBOREOUS SITE. SO WE'RE THE FOREST SIDE, AND THEY'RE MORE THE REGULATORY ON THE ARBOREOUS SIDE. >> COURAGE: OKAY. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE LONG-TERM COST PROJECTIONS AND THE TIMELINE IS FOR COMPLETING THE GREENWAY TRAILS? >> SO, IT DEPENDS ON THE EXACT QUESTION. THE GREENWAY TRAILS WAS ENVISIONED ORIGINALLY AS A CIRCULAR RING. IF WE LOOKED AT ONLY CONCENTRATING ON THE RING, WE WOULD LOOK AT TWO MORE ISSUANCES AT THE $80 MILLION MARK, IF WE WERE DO YOU THINK THAT SAME LEVEL THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. HOWEVER, THE POLICY FROM COUNCIL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN TO EXTEND THAT MORE TO TRIBUTARIES AS WELL, WHICH ALSO LOOKS AT NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS. SO, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY OR HOW MUCH PERCENTAGE COUNCIL WANTS TO MOVE TOWARD THAT FACTOR, THAT WILL IMPACT HOW FAST WE CAN COMPLETE THE RING. IF WE'RE TO ONLY FOCUS ON THE RING, THEN TWO MORE ISSUANCES WOULD COMPLETE THE RING. BUT, AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT -- YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEST SIDE CREEKS. WE LOOK AT LAWRENCE CREEK. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT REALLY FEED DIRECTLY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S BEEN A BALANCE TO MAKE SURE NOT ONLY ARE WE CONNECTING THE TRAILS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THAT THOSE CONNECTIONS TO THE RING AS WELL. ORIGINALLY, THE RING WAS STANDALONE. TEN, 20 YEARS AGO, THE THOUGHT WAS EVERYONE WOULD DRIVE TO THE RING. THE REALITY IS THAT'S NOT A GOOD MODEL. SO WE'VE ADAPTED AND TRIED TO CONNECT TO THE RING. AND SO WITH THAT, AGAIN, IT'S -- AND THAT BALANCE, WE PROBABLY WOULD LOOK AT THREE ISSUANCES, KEEPING ABOUT -- WE'RE DOING ABOUT A THIRD NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTERS AND ABOUT 2/3 THE RING. >> COURAGE: WHEN YOU SAY ISSUANCES, THOSE ARE EVERY FIVE YEARS? AND IT'S 80 MILLION A YEAR? >> IT'S BASED ON CONNECTIONS. MORE OR LESS FIVE YEARS IS WHAT WE WERE SEEING HAPPEN. [03:00:01] >> COURAGE: AND SO AT 80 MILLION EVERY FIVE YEARS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 240 MILLION TO FINISH THAT. >> YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: OKAY. IS THE PARKS WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS ON SUMMER PROGRAMS, OR IS THAT DHS THAT DOES THAT? >> SO, SUMMER WE WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS, AND THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT THEY PROVIDE US SITES, AND THEY PROVIDE BASICALLY UTILITY AND CUSTODIAL, AND WE PROVIDE THE ACTUAL STAFF THAT GOES IN AND DOES THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM. >> COURAGE: YEAH, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT MENTIONED THAT IN THERE. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT? >> SURE. WE WERE AT ABOUT 65 SITES THIS SUMMER. WE PROVIDE AN ALL-DAY PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A HOT MEAL AND A SNACK. WE HAVE DIFFERENT ENRICHMENT COMPONENTS IN THAT. WE HAVE ARTS, SCIENCE, MATH, AND WE HAVE FITNESS. SO WE MAKE SURE THERE'S STRUCTURED NOT ONLY PLAY AND RECR RECREATION, BUT THERE'S ALSO CONTINUOUS LEARNING THAT HAPPENS THROUGH THE SUMMER AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS STAY ENGAGED AND, YOU KNOW, DON'T GET RUSTY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. SO, THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM FOR 30-PLUS YEARS. AND SO TO US, IT'S A REALLY GOOD BALANCE TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT A LOT OF TIMES, WE HIRE EITHER THE TEACHER'S AIDES, OR IN SOME CASES THE TEACHERS, THEY'RE IN THEIR SCHOOLS, SO THEY KNOW THE KIDS, THEY KNOW THE FAMILIES, SO THAT'S ALSO A BIG BENEFIT AS WELL. >> COURAGE: WHAT'S OUR ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTION TO THAT FINANCIALLY? >> SO, OUR BUDGET FOR THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM IS AROUND -- ABOUT $800,000 A YEAR TO RUN THAT PROGRAM. >> COURAGE: OKAY. I'D LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, HOW IT WENT AS FAR AS HOW MANY STUDENTS MAY HAVE BEEN SERVED, THINGS LIKE THAT. >> SURE. WE'LL GET YOU THAT. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THANK YOU. DOUG, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION OR TWO. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE READY ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION, WHO ARE THE KEY PLAYERS IN THAT CLIMATE READY PLANNING? >> SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE UPWARDS OF 94 COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE PART OF THE PROCESS AND STEERING COMMITTEE AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS, ENVIRONMENTAL REPS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, CHAMBERS, INSTITUTIONS. IT'S A QUITE DIVERSE GROUP. >> COURAGE: WHAT ARE THEY USING AS A GUIDE LOLINE TO PLAN THIS ? >> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IS MAKING SURE WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR SAN ANTONIO. THE BIG CHALLENGE WE'RE HAVING IS WE'RE DEVELOPING A PARIS COMPLIANT PATHWAY, AND THAT BASICALLY MEANS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR LONG-TERM TARGET MEETS THOSE OBJECTIVES. I THINK THEY'RE VERY KEYED INTO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS C40, GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYORS. THEY'RE LEADING INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PRODUCING METHODOLOGIES AND OUR CONSULTANTS ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES AND CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONALLY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT PLAN SHOULD LOOK LIKE. >> COURAGE: WORKING WITH THE EFFORT WITH CPS AND UTSA AND THAT CONSULTANT GROUP TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR FINDINGS ARE, AND THEN INCORPORATE THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CPS AND UTSA, AND AS CPS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENERGY GENERATION, THEY REALLY HAVE A KEY ROLE IN HELPING US MEET THOSE OBJECTIVES. >> COURAGE: ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS ABOUT MUNICIPAL SOLAR. WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE? ARE WE CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL MUNICIPAL SOLAR PROJECTS? >> ABSOLUTELY. AND IT'S AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER WHO'S BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW WE CAN EXPAND THAT. AND SO, CURRENTLY, WE ARE MEETING WITH CPS, WHO HAS OFFERED SOME ASSISTANCE TO HELP US DO SOME LONG-TERM SOLAR PLANNING. LOOKING AT OUR EXISTING ROOFTOPS, LOOKING AT EXISTING CITY HOLDINGS, AND LOOKING AT UPCOMING BUILDING PROJECTS TO IDENTIFY IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO INTEGRATE NOT JUST SOLAR, BUT POSSIBLY BATTERY STORAGE, TO START BUILDING SOME RESILIENCE HUB CONCEPTS WITH SOME OF OUR KEY CITY FACILITIES. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS I HAD FOR YOU. >> HELPING ME GET MY STEPS IN. >> COURAGE: I REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU. HOW IS THE TOBACCO IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM GOING? >> WE ARE FULLY PREPARED TO HAVE [03:05:01] IT STARTING JANUARY 1ST. WORKING WITH OUR INCREDIBLE PARTNERS THROUGH SECADA. WE ARE -- I THINK IT'S THIS WEEKEND. IS THAT RIGHT, MARIO? WE'RE GOING OUT ON SATURDAY AND DELIVERING PACKETS OF IMPLEMENTATION TO EVERY SINGLE TOBACCO RETAILER SO THAT THEY HAVE THE POSTERS, THE SIGNS, THE RULES. WE'VE HELD SEVERAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS SINCE THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED. I JUST CREATED THE COMMERCIAL THAT WILL BE AIRING. WE'VE GOTTEN GRANT FUNDING FROM TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO COVER THE MEDIA COSTS OF NOTIFYING THE COMMUNITY. THAT WILL START ROLLING OUT IN SEPTEMBER. SO IT'S GOING REALLY EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. >> COURAGE: I KNOW WE GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK WHEN IT WAS FIRST COMING OUT. HAVE YOU GOTTEN MORE INVOLVEMENT FROM THE RETAILERS, AND ARE THEY KIND OF COMING TO THE TABLE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ON THIS? >> IT DEPENDS ON THE RETAILER. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO WALGREENS. THEY CAME TO>> COURAGE: HAVE A COUPLE OF THE OTHER BIG COMPANIES BOUGHT IN LIKE H-E-B AND WALMART? >> YES, THEY AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF PRINTING FOR POSTERS FOR THEIR STORES. SO, YEAH, FOLKS ARE REALLY STEPPING UP AND HELPING US OUT WITH THIS. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU. AND I GUESS LAST QUESTION IS FOR RAMIRO. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LIBRARIES, AND I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT I'VE HAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO USE THE LIBRARIES TO HOLD MEETINGS IN THE DISTRICT. I HAVE SATELLITE OFFICE HOURS THERE. THEY'VE BEEN VERY ACCOMMODATING. BUT I'M WONDERING, HAVE YOU HEARD A LOT FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY RECENTLY ABOUT WANTING TO EXPAND THE HOURS, AND WHAT HAS OUR DISCUSSION ON THAT BEEN WITH THE COMMUNITY? >> VOCATIONALLY, I DO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT EXTENDED HOURS. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST URBAN LIBRARY SYSTEMS THAT OFFERED SEVEN-DAY A WEEK SERVICE. SINCE THEN, MAYBE A HANDFUL. SO, FROM TIME TO TIME, WE DO GET SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT POSSIBLY OPENING MORE HOURS, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE AN ONGOING BASIS. >> COURAGE: OKAY. DO WE OFFER FORGIVENESS TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO RETURN THOSE BOOKS? >> NO, BUT YOU MAY RECALL IN MY PRESENTATION, I TALKED ABOUT UNINTENDED BARRIERS TO ACCESS. >> SO -- >> COURAGE: AMNESTY IS NOT A GOOD WORD. WE WANT TO TO BE VERY DELIBERATE. >> THERE MIGHT BE SOME KEY WORDS THAT MAY BE MISINTERPRETED BECAUSE OF THE OUTCOME THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE. >> COURAGE: I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A BOARD MEETING COMING UP SOON. >> TOMORROW. >> COURAGE: I'M GOING TO BE THERE. I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS REDUCE THAT BARRIER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. DR. BRIDGER, YOU ARE VERY PATIENT WITH ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THEM. MA'AM, I'VE GOT A QUESTION REGARDING SOUTH TEXAS ASTHMA COALITION. CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD TO HELP THEM OUT. >> DR. BRIDGER: SURE. SO COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND I ACTUALLY SPOKE AT THEIR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY. AND I HAVE STAFF FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SOME OF THE OUTCOMES FROM THE MEETING IN JANUARY. ONE OF THOSE OUTCOMES WAS WE NEED TO HAVE A HOME BASED ASTHMA INTERVENTION. [03:10:01] AND SO WE WORKED WITH A COLLABORATIVE GROUP, SOME OF WHOM ARE IN THIS ROOM TODAY, AND WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN FOR HOW TO DO THIS HOME-BASED ASTHMA PREVENTION INITIATIVE. SO THAT IS -- AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE VISITED WITH A NUMBER OF COUNCILMEMBERS AND EXPLAINED THE PROGRAM, EXPLAINED THE BUDGET. AND HAVE HAD PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS. SO IT'S A -- IT'S AN EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION, IT'S A GOOD INTERVENTION. IT IS SOMETHING THAT I RECOMMEND, AND, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE TO ADD THE CAVEAT THAT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR ME TO LOOK AT WHERE I COULD ADD THINGS TO MY BUDGET AND THEN MAKE THE OFFSETTING CUTS AS A RESULT, IT'S NOT CHEAP TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD ASTHMA, AND SO TRYING TO FIND THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS REALLY HARD, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS EXCITED TO HEAR COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS IT COULD COME UP AS AN AMENDMENT. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. AND I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. AND YOU USED THE WORD "PREVENTABLE," AND SO AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, IT'S PREVENTABLE, BUT IT'S ALSO MANAGEABLE, RIGHT? >> DR. BRIDGER: YES. THE HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE PREVENTABLE. THE DISEASE IS MANAGEABLE. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOSPITALIZATIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS WHO SHOULD HAVE EASY ACCESS TO INHALERS, WHO SHOULD HAVE AN ACTION PLAN WITH THE SCHOOL NURSE, WHO SHOULD HAVE AN EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, INHALER AT SCHOOL, WHOSE PARENTS SHOULD HAVE SIGNED OFF ON THE FERPA FORM IN ORDER FOR THE SCHOOL NURSE TO TALK TO THE PHYSICIAN, AND THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT -- AND IT'S SIMPLY JUST A MATTER OF INFORMATION, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY END UP BEING HOSPITALIZED, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING. IS THAT RIGHT? >> DR. BRIDGER: I WOULD ADD IN THE HOME ENVIRONMENT AS WELL. THERE ARE A LOT OF TRIGGERS IN THE HOME, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE IS IT DOES ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE TRIGGERS THAT PARENTS DON'T KNOW ABOUT. YOU KNOW, DON'T LET THE DOG SLEEP IN THE BED KIND OF THING. >> PELAEZ: RIGHT. AND SO I HAVE MY SON, MAX, WHO YOU GOT TO MEET, HAS SOME PRETTY BAD ALLERGIES, AND THANKFULLY WE DON'T HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THIS ASTHMA ISSUES, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME LITTLE FRIENDS WHO COME OVER WHO DO, AND SO I WAS REALLY ALARMED AND SADDENED TO LEARN THAT WE DO HAVE PREVENTABLE DEATHS IN BEXAR COUNTY. >> DR. BRIDGER: UH-HUH. >> PELAEZ: IN FACT, OUR PREVENTABLE DEATHS OUTPACE THE OTHER BIG CITIES BECAUSE EITHER THEY'RE DOING THINGS BETTER OR WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG, RIGHT? AND WHAT I THINK THE EXPERTS ALL AGREE ON IS THAT IT'S OUR AIR QUALITY THAT IS, A, CONTRIBUTOR TO SOME OF THESE NUMBERS THAT ARE PEAKING AT HIGHER LEVELS THAN OTHER CITIES. AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO -- TWO TIMES THE STATE AVERAGE OF HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR KIDS WITH ASTHMA. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZIP CODES OR THE CENSUS TRACKS, THEY'RE -- A FEW OF THEM ARE IN MY DISTRICT, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S DISTRICT, AND THEY'RE NOT ON THE NORTH SIDE, THEY'RE MOSTLY SOUTHWEST, AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU REALLY SORT OF APPLY THAT EQUITY LENS THAT WE'VE BEEN APPLYING, THAT JUST JUMPS OUT AT YOU THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT CENSUS TRACK YOU LIVE IN, YOU HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF DEATH. AND SO I'M 100% SUPPORTIVE OF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO REALLY ENGAGE, AND I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. >> DR. BRIDGER: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. COUNCILMAN PERRY? PEREZ WELL, BETTER ADD TO YOUR STEPS THERE, DR. BRIDGER. [LAUGHTER] YEAH, FIRST OFF, DR. BRIDGER CAME TO DISTRICT 10 MEETING LAST NIGHT AND DID A GREAT JOB OF PRESENTING HER DEPARTMENT AND WHAT THEY DO AND GOT A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTS FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU LEFT, THAT PEOPLE WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT -- FOR, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AGAIN. >> DR. BRIDGER: THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. >> PERRY: RIGHT. OKAY. SLIDE NUMBER NINE. >> DR. BRIDGER: SLIDE NUMBER NINE. >> PERRY: JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT 23 POSITION INCREASE, THAT'S ALL GRANT-FUNDED POSITIONS? >> DR. BRIDGER: SO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT. >> PERRY: OH, HERE WE GO. >> DR. BRIDGER: IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY-FUNDED POSITIONS, WE HAVE THE ONE [03:15:02] NEW POSITION FOR ACES, RIGHT, THAT'S ONE OF -- IN THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET, A AS PERSON TO WORK ON ACES. AND THEN THERE THERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE TEMPORARIES WHO ARE NOW BEING MOVED TO NONTEMPORARY POSITION. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING ON BEHALF OF METRO HEALTH, WHETHER THEY'RE PERMANENT GRANT-FUNDED, TEMPORARY, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON BEHALF OF METRO HEALTH, THAT NUMBER WILL ONLY INCREASE BY ONE. THE REST OF THIS IS MOVING AROUND OF PEOPLE FROM ONE CATEGORY TO ANOTHER. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> DR. BRIDGER: IS THAT A DECENT SUMMARY? >> TO ADD TO THAT COUNCILMAN, WE ADDED THREE POSITIONS WITH THE GENERAL FUND, AND THROUGH ORDINANCES THAT WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST YEAR, WE ADDED A NET OF 20 POSITIONS THROUGH GRANT FUNDING. >> PERRY: OKAY. THROUGH GRANT FUNDING. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND. SO HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY BEING COUNTED AGAINST THE GENERAL FUND? >> SO THERE ARE THREE POSITIONS ADDED WITH THIS BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND. ONE FOR THE ACES -- >> DR. BRIDGER: BUT WE NEED TO CLARIFY, THAT THE TWO WERE GENERAL-FUNDED TEMPORARY, SO IT WAS -- >> IT WAS FUNDING THAT WAS REALLOCATED TO FUND TWO FULL-TIME POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> DR. BRIDGER: SO THERE WERE -- THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE ALREADY WORKING AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE FUNDED BY THE CITY, AND THEY WERE IN A TEMPORARY POSITION. SO FOR A NET COST OF $6,000, WE MOVED THEM FROM BEING TEMPORARY TO BEING PERMANENT CITY-FUNDED POSITIONS. SO IT DOES LOOK LIKE THAT'S AN INCREASE OF TWO POSITIONS, IT'S NOT TWO MORE PEOPLE WORKING AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE JUST IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. >> PERRY: BUT WE'RE MOVING THEM FROM TEMPORARY FUNDED POSITIONS INTO FULL-TIME POSITIONS. >> SCULLEY: THAT'S CORRECT. AT A NET COST INCREASE OF $6,000. >> PERRY: RIGHT. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE IT -- THAT IS AN INCREASE IN OUR STAFF POSITIONS. >> SCULLEY: POSITION COUNT. >> PERRY: RIGHT. >> SCULLEY: YES, IT IS. >> PERRY: OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY ON. >> SCULLEY: UH-HUH. >> PERRY: THANK YOU. AND THEN IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THIS NEW PAID SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE THAT WAS JUST PASSED BY THE COUNCIL. THE DATES THAT WE'RE GIVEN ON THAT, WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN BY 1 JANUARY? >> DR. BRIDGER: I'M LOOKING AT WHOEVER THE EXPERT IS ON THIS. >> SCULLEY: UNPAID SICK LEAVE. >> PERRY: YES. >> SCULLEY: THE ORDINANCE BECOMES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR ENFORCEMENT IS NOT UNTIL AUGUST OF 2019. >> PERRY: OKAY. SO TILL AUGUST. WHEN WILL WE START THE ACTUAL PLANNING FOR THE PROCEDURES, RULES, REPORTS, HOW THIS IS ALL GOING TO WORK? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START THAT PROCESS? >> SCULLEY: -- COMPLETES ITS WORK AND WE SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES. I SAID EARLIER THAT I WOULD REPORT BACK AT THE MIDYEAR IN THE BUDGET IF THERE IS AN ORDINANCE AND IN WHAT SHAPE IT IS, THEN WE'LL MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE MIDYEAR OF THE BUDGET, IF WE NEED TO EXPAND CITY EXPENSES TO SUPPORT THAT ORDINANCE. >> PERRY: OKAY. IT'S NOT IF WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE, WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE NOW BECAUSE IT WAS PASSED, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET IMPACTS HERE ARE -- ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY MANAGE THIS PROGRAM. >> SCULLEY: WE HAVE NOT STUDIED THAT YET, COUNCILMAN, BUT WE WILL OVER UPCOMING MONTHS AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL. >> PERRY: OKAY. ALONG WITH THAT IN STUDYING THAT, CAN WE ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE OVERALL COST IMPACTS TO THE CITY, WHAT THE IMPACT -- COST IMPACT IS GOING TO BE TO BUSINESSES, WHAT THE IMPACTS WILL BE TO EMPLOYEES. CAN WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THIS ORDINANCE TO SAY WHAT THOSE COST IMPLICATIONS AND JOB IMPLICATIONS, ALL OF THAT, PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL? >> SCULLEY: WE WILL TRY. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> SCULLEY: WE'LL HAVE TO STUDY OTHER CITIES AND SEE WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH IS OUT THERE. I'M NOT SURE AT THIS MOMENT AS TO HOW WE ESTIMATE THAT IMPACT ON BUSINESS, NONETHELESS, WE'LL DO RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER. AND IF WE NEED SOME OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE TO DO THAT. >> PERRY: OKAY. THANK YOU. AND IT ALL GOES BACK TO -- BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ALL LAID AT YOUR FEET TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM, RIGHT? >> DR. BRIDGER: WE ARE [03:20:01] LISTED AS THE ENFORCEMENT ENTITY IN THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE. >> PERRY: YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SLIDE 11. AND LET'S SEE. IS THAT SLIDE 11. >> DR. BRIDGER: THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT. >> PERRY: NO, THAT'S NOT IT. IT WAS -- IT'S -- YOU HAD A COST OF $45,000 LISTED ON THE -- >> DR. BRIDGER: FOR AIR QUALITY. >> PERRY: YEAH, THAT'S IT. I WAS LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS. >> DR. BRIDGER: THIS IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERSION THAN WHAT WE FIRST SHOWED YOU, BUT THAT HAPPENS. >> PERRY: THIS ANALYSIS, THAT'S FOR AN ADDITIONAL PERSON, THIS $45,000, WHAT IS THAT? >> DR. BRIDGER: THAT IS TO CONTRACT WITH AN OZONE POINT SOURCE EXPERT. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> DR. BRIDGER: TO HELP US IDENTIFY THE POINT SOURCES OF NOX AND VOCS. >> PERRY: AND THEN YOU TALKED ABOUT A $50,000. >> DR. BRIDGER: YES, THAT'S NOT SHOWING UP ON THIS SLIDE, BUT IT IS ON YOUR HANDOUT SHOWING UP AS A $50,000 CONTRACT WITH SOMEBODY TO HELP US PUT TOGETHER THE OZONE ATTAINMENT PLAN. SO LET ME EXPLAIN REAL BRIEFLY WHAT THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THERE, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUENT GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING THEIR VERSION OF AN OZONE ATTAINMENT PLAN. I WANT TO BRING IN A CONSULTANT WHO WILL CROSSWALK ALL THOSE VARIOUS PLANS, SO THE REGULATORS WILL HAVE A PLAN, TCEQ WILL HAVE ITS OWN PLAN, THE EPA WILL HAVE A PLAN, ACOG, THE MPOS, THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS, THE CITY. WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO CAN TAKE ALL OF THOSE PLANS, CROSSWALK HOW THEY'RE RELATED, HOW ONE DOMINO HAS TO FALL BEFORE ANOTHER DOMINO CAN FALL, AND PRESENT IT IN A WAY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHO'S SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT BY WHEN, PUT THAT TOGETHER INTO ONE MASTER PLAN. THAT IS WHAT WE WILL PRESENT TO YOU MARCH 1ST. >> PERRY: OKAY. SO THIS ACTUALLY HAS ANOTHER LINE ITEM ON IT FOR THE 50,000. >> DR. BRIDGER: YES. AND IT DID WHEN WE FIRST SHOWED YOU THIS SLIDE. IT DISAPPEARED, I DON'T KNOW WHY. >> PERRY: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN LAST, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ASTHMA AND STUDIES AND DEATHS AND THAT KIND OF THING IN -- THAT WE'RE BASING A LOT OF THE PATH FORWARD, I GUESS, FOR OUR OZONE, OUR -- AND ALSO FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ALL THAT PUT TOGETHER, BUT WHERE ARE THESE STUDIES AT? DO YOU HAVE THESE STUDIES THAT ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, SO ON AND SO FORTH? DO YOU HAVE THESE STUDIES AVAILABLE? >> DR. BRIDGER: SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ONE IS WE KNOW -- IT'S NOT A STUDY, IT'S AN ANALYSIS OF THE DATA. WE KNOW WHAT OUR HOSPITAL DISCHARGE, WHAT OUR HOSPITAL UTILIZATION FOR ASTHMA IS. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> DR. BRIDGER: SO WE HAVE THAT. AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. >> PERRY: YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT. >> DR. BRIDGER: AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER STUDIES THAT SHOW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OZONE AND ASTHMA. AND SO THOSE ARE THE STUDIES THAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE REFERENCING, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT IS OUR RATE OF HOSPITAL ADMISSION DUE TO ASTHMA IN CHILDREN, THAT IS A DATA POINT THAT WE HAVE CRUNCHED, AND I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. >> PERRY: OKAY. YEAH. AND THESE OTHER STUDIES, SOMEHOW I SEEM TO REMEMBER YOU REFERENCING LIKE THERE'S 57 DEATHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT -- >> DR. BRIDGER: OH, AND THEN THERE'S THAT AIR QUALITY PUBLIC HEALTH STUDY THAT WE -- >> PERRY: DO YOU HAVE THAT AS WELL? >> DR. BRIDGER: I CAN SEND THAT TO YOU. >> PERRY: YEAH. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AS WELL. GREAT. AND THAT'S ALL FOR YOU, DR. BRIDGER. >> DR. BRIDGER: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> PERRY: LET'S SEE. DOUG. DOUG? THERE YOU ARE, HIDING BEHIND THE POST THERE. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, IN YOUR PLANS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON NOW FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT HOW ARE YOU INCORPORATING THE OTHER CITIES WITHIN THE CITY? HOW IS THAT ALL WORKING? AND NOT ONLY WITHIN THE CITY, BUT OUTSIDE THE CITY, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CITY AND INSIDE BEXAR COUNTY. >> RIGHT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON UP TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN GETTING SOME OF THOSE BASELINE STUDIES DONE, OUR CLIMATE PROJECTIONS FOR SAN ANTONIO, OUR GREEN HOUSE GAS INVENTORY. IN THIS NEXT PHASE, WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH ALAMO HEIGHTS, WITH THE [03:25:02] SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES AND, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY HAVE A FOCUS GROUP OR SOME MEETING WHERE WE CAN GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND START TALKING ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS. BECAUSE THIS ISN'T JUST A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ISSUE. IT'S A REGIONAL ISSUE. >> PERRY: UH-HUH. >> MY STAFF HAD ACTUALLY GONE UP TO AUSTIN YESTERDAY TO MEET WITH THEIR SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENTS, AND SOME OTHER CITIES SUCH AS DALLAS AND HOUSTON TO -- MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL COORDINATING AND TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ISSUE AND LEARNING BEST PRACTICES, SO I THINK THE KEY TO THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, REALLY WORKING ACROSS MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES, BECAUSE I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LEVERAGE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE OUR BOUNDARIES. >> PERRY: HAVE YOU WORKED TO ANY OF THEM TO DATE? >> MELNICK: I'VE REACHED OUT TO BEXAR COUNTY WORKING THROUGH THE JUDGE'S OFFICE REQUESTING THAT WE WANT TO START ENGAGING WITH THEM IN SOME CAPACITY IN THIS CONVERSATION, AND THAT'S STILL PENDING. I'M SORRY, AND THE OTHER THICK I HAD PRESENTED TWO MONTHS AGO TO ACOG'S COMMITTEE, IT'S A GROUP OF -- I FORGET THE EXACT NAME OF IT, IT'S ACOG AREA MAYORS AND BASICALLY PRESENTED THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE CLIMATE PLAN. AND BASICALLY OFFERED ASSISTANCE AND A WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH THEM OR THEIR STAFF IF THEY HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. >> PERRY: OKAY. HOW'S THE RECEPTION SO FAR? HAS ANYBODY REACHED OUT TO YOU SAYING -- >> MELNICK: HAVEN'T HEARD -- OTHER THAN LEON VALLEY, WHICH WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND WE'RE LOOKING TO TALK FURTHER WITH THEM, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM OTHER ENTITIES YET, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D STILL LIKE TO TRY TO ENGAGE THEM IN THE CONVERSATION. >> PERRY: OKAY. SO WORK IN PROGRESS. >> MELNICK: YES, SIR. >> PERRY: AND I NOTICED MAYBE YOU SAID IT, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT. YOU DID HAVE A BUDGET INCREASE FOR THIS NEXT YEAR FOR 2019. WHAT IS THAT INCREASE FOR? >> MELNICK: SO BASICALLY WE'RE REQUESTING, IT'S A TOTAL OF $200,000. $150,000 IS TO UNDERTAKE A STUDY TO EVALUATE OUR CITY FLEET, OUR MUNICIPAL FLEET, PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON LIGHT-DUTY VEHICLES, TO DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF WHAT CONVERSION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES WOULD LOOK LIKE. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> MELNICK: WHAT IS THE LIFE-CYCLE COST, WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, WHAT ARE THE CARBON BENEFITS, AND IT'S ALSO REALLY LOOKING AT THE -- THE STUDY WILL LOOK AT WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE HOUSED, WHERE THEY GO, RANGE ISSUES. AND THE SECOND PART OF IT IS REALLY LOOKING AT WORKING WITH CPS ON A CITY-WIDE EV STRATEGY. >> PERRY: ALL RIGHT. >> MELNICK: AND THE SECOND AMOUNT OF MONEY, $50,000 JUST TO CONTINUE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND AIR QUALITY AND THE CLIMATE PLAN. >> PERRY: OKAY. THANK YOU, DOUG. APPRECIATE. RAMIRO? >> PERRY: THANK YOU, SIR. JUST -- SLIDE 5 ON YOUR, IT TALKS ABOUT THE POSITIONS. AND YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 553 POSITIONS, AND HOW MANY BRANCH LIBRARIES ARE THERE? >> 28. >> PERRY: 28. AND THEN THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. >> 28 -- LET ME CLARIFY. ONE OF THEM, MOLLY -- IN AUDIO] -- >> PERRY: OKAY. >> SCULLEY: BUT WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 30. WE HAVE CENTRAL LIBRARY, THE MOLLY PRUITT AND 28 BRANCHES. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> CORRECT. >> PERRY: SO OUT OF THOSE POSITIONS, AND I SEE HOW THEY'RE SPLIT BETWEEN THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND BRANCH LIBRARIES, HOW DOES THE CUSTOMER WORKLOAD RELATE TO THAT, HOW MANY CUSTOMERS A YEAR DO YOU GET AT CENTRAL VERSUS THE BRANCH LIBRARIES? >> OKAY. I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION. >> PERRY: YES. BECAUSE I -- TO ME, THAT'S VERY RELEVANT ON, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY POSITIONS YOU HAVE AT CENTRAL VERSUS THE BRANCH LIBRARIES. >> I CAN GIVE YOU A COMPARISON AS IT RELATES TO VISITS, WHICH IS ONE WAY WE MEASURE USAGE. >> PERRY: OKAY. >> SO CENTRAL LIBRARIANIALLY BASED ON 2017 -- LIBRARY ANNUALLY BASED ON 2017 NUMBERS, WE AVERAGED 680 VISITS. AT OUR BRANCHES, WHAT'S THE TOTAL? WE'RE WORKING ON -- >> >> 4.9 MILLION VISITS FOR BRANCHES. >> PERRY: IF YOU CAN JUST DO THE MATH AND SHOW ME WHAT -- HOW THAT BREAKS OUT AN AVERAGE PER BRANCH, THEN HOW MANY POSITIONS TO THE BRANCH VERSUS THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND HOW THAT ALL FITS TOGETHER. >> YES, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT. >> PERRY: OKAY. GREAT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU, RAMIRO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [03:30:01] >> THANK YOU. >> PERRY: XAVIER? SLIDE 6. THE 10-MINUTE WALK, AND I -- IS THAT JUST FOR CITY PARKS, OR DO Y'ALL ALSO INCLUDE LIKE SCHOOL PARKS, COUNTY PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PARKS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY? >> SO THIS IS A MEASURE FROM THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, AND WHAT THEY LOOK AT IS PUBLIC-OWNED PARKS. SO THEY ARE NOT INCLUDING SCHOOLS. THE ONLY SCHOOLS THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED ARE ONES WHERE WE HAVE A DIRECT AGREEMENT, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER OUR SCHOOL PARKS PROGRAM, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THAT SCHOOL THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO -- FOR THEIR PLAYGROUND, THEIR TRACK, WHATEVER THAT FEATURE MAY BE, TO REMAIN OPEN AFTER SCHOOL HOURS AND ON THE WEEKENDS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS. SO THAT'S HOW THEY MEASURE, IT HAS TO BE A PUBLICLY OWNED OR OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE FEATURE. AND THAT'S COMMUNITY-WIDE. SO IT WOULD BE BOTH CITY PARKS, COUNTY PARKS, PARKS THAT THE RIVER AUTHORITY OWNS, STATE PARKS, ALL THOSE ARE FACTORED INTO THAT SCORE. >> PERRY: OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I -- THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOW NUMBER TO ME COMPARED TO HOW MANY PARKS WE HAVE AND THE LINEAR TRAILS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT WITH THE COUNTY. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE PARKS AROUND TOWN AND TO SAY THAT -- >> AND, AGREED. PART OF IT IS THE METHODOLOGY, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE TRUST OF PUBLIC LAND, AND ONE OF THE BIG ARGUMENTS I'VE KIND OF HAD WITH THEM REGARDING THIS METHODOLOGY. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, WHEN THERE ARE LARGE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS OR GATED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS, THEY'RE REQU SPACE SETASIDES. SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD-OWNED PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS, BUT, AGAIN, BECAUSE THOSE ARE MAYBE WITH THE HOMEOWNERS OR OWNED BY THE HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATION, THIS ENTITY DOES NOT COUNT TOWARD THAT NUMBER. SO ONE OF THE THINGS -- MAYBE I'LL TRY TO WORK ON NEXT YEAR IS MAYBE ADJUSTING, LIKE HAVING AN ADJUSTED NUMBER, IF WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL SHOULD BE COUNTED TOWARD THAT NUMBER WHEN WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT ACCESSIBILITY AND WHAT ACCESS THEY HAVE. >> PERRY: BINGO. THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING. BECAUSE THIS MAKES US LOOK REALLY BAD COMPARED TO THESE OTHER CITIES. >> RIGHT. >> PERRY: AND I KNOW THE OTHER CITIES PROBABLY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, BUT I WANT TO KNOW THE REAL PICTURE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, NOT -- YOU KNOW -- >> AND I STILL THINK THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA, GRANTED, BUT I THINK LIKE YOU'RE SAYING WHEN WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THIS. >> PERRY: YES. AND I WOULD WELCOME THAT DATA TO SEE WHAT WE REALLY HAVE. >> SURE. >> PERRY: INCLUDED, LIKE I SAID, THE -- BECAUSE I HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN DISTRICT 10 THAT HAVE THEIR OWN PARK SYSTEMS. >> CORRECT. >> PERRY: BUT IF THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP ON THIS, THIS ISN'T A TRUE PICTURE HERE OF WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE. GREAT. AND THEN SLIDE SEVEN. >> YES, SIR. >> PERRY: I IN NO WAY AM COMPLAINING ABOUT A REDUCTION OF FIVE POSITIONS, BUT -- >> PART OF IT IS THE 10 WERE FROM THE BOTANICAL TRANSITION, SO WE WERE REDUCING 10 POSITIONS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH ALL OF THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, NOW THE BOTANICAL GARDEN GOING OVER TO THE BO BOTANICAL SOCIETY, SO THAT'S A MINUS 10. THEN WE'RE ADDING FIVE POSITIONS OF THREE REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT, NEW PARK ACRES. WE HAVE 108 NEW ACRES OF PARK, WE HAVE NEW DEVELOPMENT, BOND PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING COMPLETED, AND THE GREENWAYS ADDING TWO POSITIONS, SO THAT'S PLUS FIVE, WHICH THEN GIVES US THE NET DOWN OF 5. >> PERRY: GOT YOU. >> WE'RE STILL GROWING, WE'RE GROWING OUR SUPPORT FOR THE PARK SYSTEM, WE CONTINUE EVERY YEAR TO ADD, AS THE PARK SYSTEM GROWS, BUT THAT'S THE REASON SHOWING A DECREASE IS BECAUSE OF THAT TRANSITION WITH THE SOCIETY. >> PERRY: GREAT. PERFECT. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,. >> PERRY: RI. COUNCILMAN -- COUNCILMAN PERRY. COUNCILMAN TREVINO? >> TREVINO: I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANKS, EVERYBODY. GOOD JOB. DR. BRIDGER, WANT TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH TEXAS ASTHMA COALITION WORK. IT'S IMPACTING A PARTICULAR ZIP CODE IN MY DISTRICT AND I THINK, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S GOING TO OVERLAY ON TOP OF AN AREA WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IS MUCH NEEDED, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK. AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT ENDORSEMENT FOR THAT PROGRAM. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE OF THAT, OR LIKE TO SEE THAT GOING. [03:35:01] PARKS AND REC, GREAT WORK. I WANT TO SAY YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE YOUTH PROGRAM AT FRANK GARRETT CENTER. AGAIN, IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE WELCOME WITH A WARM EMBRACE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AT WEST END PARK. DOUG, I WANT TO JUST SAY THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO ON SUSTAINABILITY AND APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON UNDER ONE ROOF AND HOW MUCH WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT DOES FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND OZONE PREVENTION AS WELL THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RAMIRO, YOU GUYS ARE TRULY AMAZING. THE LIBRARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS PROVIDING GREAT SUPPORT. WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALWAYS HOSTING US FOR MANY GREAT EVENT, AND IT'S A WONDERFUL SYSTEM. I WANT TO THANK THE PARKS FOUNDATION ALSO FOR THE BOOK FESTIVAL THAT IS TRULY AN AMAZING EVENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND GETTING ONLY BIGGER. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THEM PARTICULARLY FOR THEIR HELP WITH MARGEL ELEMENTARY WHICH WAS MUCH NEEDED. WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT WORK. I KNOW WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THAT COMING UP. THAT'S IT. THANKS, GUYS. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. SHERYL, YOU AND I HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE ASTHMA COALITION, BUT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AS WELL. >> SCULLEY: WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE AMENDMENTS LIST WE'RE ACCUMULATING FROM THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'RE AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE SURVIVED. >> SCULLEY: MORE TO COME TOMORROW AFTERNOON. REST UP. THANKS. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.