* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] THANK YOU. WELCOME TO OUR MEETING. IT'S, UH, WE'VE ONLY GOT ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, SO LET'S TAKE, UH, LET'S TAKE ROLL REAL QUICK. CITIZEN MEMBER DIRK ELMAN DORF, PRESENT CITIZEN MEMBER DEANNE COYAR HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN RIDGE, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO AND CHAIR PALIS HERE. UH, WE HAVE A, [1. 21-1232 Approval of the December 08, 2020 Innovation and Technology Committee Meeting Minutes.] UH, SET OF MINUTES FROM OUR DECEMBER 8TH, UH, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE MEETINGS. UM, MS. CUE, HAVE YOU, UH, HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE? I HAVE. YOU WANNA MOVE TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. GREAT. WE GOT A MOTION AND WE GOT A SECOND. UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. NO OPPOSITION. THOSE MINUTES ARE ACCEPTED. AND, UH, WE'VE GOT [2. 21-1281 Briefing on updates on the City of San Antonio’s Digital Inclusion Pillar of the Recovery and Resiliency Plan “Connected Beyond the Classroom.” [John Peterek, Assistant to the City Manager; Brian Dillard, Chief Innovation Officer, Office of Innovation]] A BRIEFING TODAY ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS, AND, UH, AS PART OF OUR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN CONNECTED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. UH, BRIAN, JOHN? UH, YEP. SO, UH, I THINK THE LAST WE LEFT OFF WAS, UH, DECEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER, LATE NOVEMBER. YEAH. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF PIECES MOVING, UH, AND I'M EXCITED TO BRIEF YOU ALL TODAY ON THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE, AS FAR AS COLLABORATION, AND AS FAR AS, UH, CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS AS IS IN OUR TITLE. UH, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SIR. UH, SO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY. THESE FIRST FOUR BULLETS I'M GONNA SKIP THROUGH BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF REPETITIVE, BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO PUT 'EM UP HERE TO IDENTIFY THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE TAKEN SO FAR. UH, SO, OF COURSE, SA FREE WIFI EXPANSION. WE KICKED OFF AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID RESPONSE, UH, HOTSPOT DISTRIBUTION TO NOT ONLY ISDS, BUT INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS TO GET THOSE OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS, UH, GET THEM CONNECTED. UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAD, UH, COMMITTED A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF DIGITAL INCLUSION FUNDING SUPPORT, UH, DIRECTLY TO ISDS, UH, WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO EXECUTE ON THIS CONNECTED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM PROJECT. UM, SO, UM, THE, AND THEN OF COURSE, PARKS AND REC COMMUNITY CENTERS, WE'VE COMPLETED THAT PROJECT AND EXPANDED THE WIFI ACCESS THERE FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE GOING INTO THOSE SPACES, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. UH, THESE LAST FOUR, WE'LL KIND OF, I'LL KIND OF TAP INTO THEM, BUT THIS NEXT ONE, A DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY, R F C S P. AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS, UH, LABELED AS BLACKOUT PERIOD FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS. UH, I'LL GIVE YOU, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF PROGRESSING WITH AN UPDATE THERE, BUT THIS WAS DEFINITELY A TRICKY R F P, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER. UM, THERE WAS AN ASK TO MAKE SURE THAT TELECOMS AND ISPS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE RESPONSES ON WHAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP US OUT WITH THIS DIGITAL INCLUSION PROJECT. THIS R F P WAS MEANT, MEANT TO ALLOW THAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE PUBLIC SPACE, UH, MAKE SURE WE WERE TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE ABOUT THIS PROCESS. UH, WE'VE RECEIVED THOSE, UM, AS OF A FEW MONTHS AGO. BUT AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO CONTRACT WITH THE ISPS. THIS WAS INTENDED FOR US TO BE A CONDUIT FOR THE ISDS TO CONTRACT WITH THEM DIRECTLY. SO WE PUT OUT THE R F P TO IDENTIFY, HEY, HOW WOULD YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? AND HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? UH, SO WE'VE GOTTEN THOSE BACK. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT. OUR PROCUREMENT, UH, PROCUREMENT IS WORKING WITH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THESE STEPS MOVING FORWARD, THAT WE'RE TAKING ALL THE RIGHT STEPS SINCE THIS IS AN ORTHODOX WAY OF DOING IT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. UH, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO THE INDIVIDUAL IS S D. SO, TO RECAP, WE HAD EIGHT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE INVITED, AND THOSE ARE THE EIGHT THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH CONNECTED BEYOND CLASSROOM PROJECT. WE HAD FIVE THAT PARTICIPATED AND SCORED, UH, THE RETURNS, THE RESPONSES FOR THE R F C S P, UH, PROCUREMENT IS NOW REACHING OUT TO THOSE ISDS TO IDENTIFY WHO IS INTERESTED IN CONTRACTING WITH THE ISPS. UM, WE'LL GET AN UPDATE ON THAT SOON. AGAIN, WE'RE IN BLACKOUT PERIODS. I DON'T WANT TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT. UH, BUT ONCE PROCUREMENT COMES BACK WITH A COLLECTIVE, UH, NUMBER OF THE ISDS AND WHO THEY ARE, WE'LL BEGIN TO CONTRACTING PROCESS WITH THE VENDOR BEING THE CONDUIT THERE. OR IF NONE OF THE ISDS SAY THEY WANT TO GO WITH THE TELECOMS OR ISPS THAT RESPONDED, UH, THEN WE'LL CANCEL THE R F P AT THAT TIME. UM, BUT WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU AS WE MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE WITH THIS PROCESS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE CHECKING ALL THE BOXES. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT PART? I'M GONNA PAUSE THERE 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING SOME FOLKS ARE, ARE THINKING ABOUT. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE R F P SECTION? OKAY. UM, SO, SO I'LL, I'LL JUMP TO THE, UH, THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE SUPPORT AHAS. AND ACTUALLY WE CAN GO BACK, UH, JOHN, REAL QUICK. SORRY, SIR. UM, SO THESE THREE, I'M GONNA HIT ON THE NEXT SLIDES, BUT WE HAVE LINKED UP WITH SAHA. UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS. CRAIG HOPKINS HAS BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, [00:05:01] JOANNA OVER THERE FOR YEARS NOW. AND JUST SO HAPPENS THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TIE IN ON DIGITAL INCLUSION WHEN IT COMES TO SAHA AND THE RESIDENTS THERE. UH, I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS DIGITAL INCLUSION PROJECT AND HOW WE'RE MAKING AN INVESTMENT WITH THEM. UH, NEXT UP I'LL TALK ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TAKING WITH CITY EDUCATION PARTNERS, TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS METHODIST, METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES IN THE EDGEWOOD I S D, UM, UH, UH, UH, BOUNDARY. UH, SO THEY'RE DOING A PILOT OVER THERE. I'LL GET INTO THE DETAILS ON A SECOND, AND OF COURSE, I'LL UPDATE YOU ON THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING CONNECTED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. THANK YOU, SIR. SO, AS FAR AS SAHA AND OUR CONNECTION WITH THEM, UH, SAHA IS MAKING PLANS TO EXPAND THEIR COMMUNAL WIFI AT THREE SPOTS. IT'S ZA, AP, APACHE, CASCIANO, AND LINCOLN HEIGHTS, WHICH ALL THREE FALL INTO OUR BOUNDARIES OF THIS CONNECTED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM PROJECT. SO, ONE WAY WE IDENTIFIED HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THESE DOLLARS A BIT STRONGER IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WAS TO COMMIT $180,000. AND WE SCOPE THAT OUT WITH SAHA, UH, TO HELP THEM PAY FOR INTERNET SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS FOR THOSE RESIDENTS, FOR THE, FOR THAT COMMUNAL WIFI. UM, THIS HELPS THEIR POCKETBOOKS, OF COURSE, BUT IT ALSO HELPS US CONNECT TO THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF THOSE UNITS. SO, UM, WE'RE KIND OF ATTACKING TWO THINGS AT ONCE HERE. UM, AS THEY EXPAND, UH, THEY WILL BE GOING OUT FOR AN R F P. UM, SO WE ARE STAYING CONNECTED IN THAT THEY HAVE ASKED US TO BE ADVISORS, UH, AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT SAHA. UH, SO WE ARE EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT COLLECTIVE EFFORT IN SOLVING FOR DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY FOR THAT RESIDENTS. UH, NEXT SLIDE. AS FAR AS OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, UM, WITH, UH, METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES, UH, CITY EDUCATION PARTNERS IN TEXAS A AND M, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION GOING BACK AND FORTH, UH, AMONG ALL OF US ABOUT HOW DO WE COLLABORATE ON THIS? HOW DO WE REALLY TIE TOGETHER, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT REPLICATING EFFORTS ON STEPPING ON EACH OTHER'S TOES? UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT TEAM TO WORK WITH. UH, SO JORDANA BARTON, UH, WHICH, WHOSE NAME YOU KNOW VERY WELL, UH, BRIAN REGNER FROM CITY EDUCATION PARTNERS, AS WELL AS DR. MATTSON AND HER TEAM AT TEXAS A AND M HAVE BEEN AMAZING PARTNERS IN THIS. SO WE JUST HAD A MEETING, UH, LAST WEEK. WE'LL HAVE ROTATING WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THEM. AND WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO IS THEY'RE GONNA PILOT ON FOUR SITES WITHIN THE EDGEWOOD I S D UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY CAN DO MORE THAN JUST CONNECT STUDENTS, BUT ALSO, UH, A HELP DESK OPPORTUNITY. SO, TEXAS A AND M HAS STUDENTS THAT ARE WELL-SKILLED IN THIS ARENA. SO THIS IS GONNA HELP US NOT ONLY WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING CONNECTED, BUT ALSO IDENTIFYING, UH, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT WITH DIGITAL LITERACY. SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TEXAS A AND M IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH THEIR ASPIRE NETWORK. UH, SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO TAP INTO THAT AND START PILOTING IN THAT AREA. IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, TEXAS A AND M IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTING AS FAR AS AN EVALUATION PROCESS. SO, OUR INTENT WITH THIS PROJECT AS A WHOLE, ALL EIGHT DISTRICTS, EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IS NOT TO JUST DEPLOY THE TECHNOLOGY AND GO HANDS OFF. WE REALLY WANT TO DO AN IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION OF HOW THIS IS WORKING. HOW IS IT IMPACTING STUDENTS, HOW IS IT IMPACTING, UH, UM, EDUCATIONAL STAFF AND, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS. TEXAS A AND M IS TAKING THAT, TAKING THAT BY THE REINS AND MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THIS PILOT TO IDENTIFY HOW WE DO THAT IN A SMALLER SCOPE. THAT WAY WE CAN EXPAND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO COMMIT A LOT OF APPLAUSE TO THEM. UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AS A TEAM AND AS WELL AS, UH, EDGEWOOD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, THEY'VE BEEN A WONDERFUL TEAM TO WORK WITH, SO SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THEM, UH, AND WE'LL, UH, I, I HOPE IN FEBRUARY, AND WE'LL COORDINATE THAT RIGHT NOW. I'M HOPING AT FEBRUARY'S I T C, THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT TEAM PRESENT, UH, WHERE THEY'RE AT, THEIR SCOPE STATUS AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING, UH, AND HOW WE'RE MOVING TOGETHER IN THAT SPACE. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. NEXT SLIDE, SIR. SO AS FAR AS CONNECTED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM PROJECT, YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE A MILLION TIMES, BUT, UH, 20,000 STUDENTS, TOP 50 NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH YOU HAVE THE MAP THERE, AND THEN EIGHT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND THEN WITHIN THOSE PARENTHETICALS IS THE NUMBER OF WITHIN EACH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. NEXT SLIDE, SIR. AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE, WE KICKED THIS OFF BACK IN JUNE. UH, WE DID OUR PROOF OF CONCEPT PLANNING AND ALL THAT FROM AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER. UH, AND THEN WE HAD PLANNED TO KICK OFF THE PILOT FROM OCTOBER THROUGH APRIL OF THIS YEAR. I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ARE RIGHT ON THE MARK AS WE MOVE FORWARD. UH, PHASE ONE, THE PILOT PREPARATION ASSESSMENT IMPLEMENTATION HAS ALREADY STARTED. UH, THIS MONTH WE MOVED INTO EXPANDING INTO ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS. I'LL GET TO A MAP IN A SECOND FOR THAT TO START BUILDING ONTO THE PROOF OF CONCEPT. UM, AND THEN IN JUNE, WE LOOK TO EXPAND THAT, UH, TO THE REMAINING NEIGHBORHOODS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THERE'S A REMAINING, UH, THE 50 NEXT SLIDE, SIR. SO I WANTED TO KIND OF DIG INTO, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD MURMURED ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S TAKING YOU SO LONG? ? UH, SO I REALLY WANTED TO DIG INTO THE PROCESS OF COLLABORATION HERE AND ALL THE STEPS THAT WE REALLY HAD TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE THIS WORK AMONG VARIOUS PARTNERS, SEVERAL PARTNERS IN INVOLVED. SO ONE WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CONCEPT. WE HAD TO SHARE THAT WITH NOT ONLY I S D IT [00:10:01] TEAMS, BUT ALSO THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND GET THEIR APPROVAL, UH, TO BE A PART OF THIS. WE DIDN'T WANNA MOVE, MOVE ON WITH THIS WITHOUT HAVING THE PARTNERSHIP ESTABLISHED. THAT WOULD BE A NOT AN EFFICIENT USE OF TIME OR FUNDING. UH, THE SECOND, SO WE GOT THAT APPROVAL. THE SECOND WAS PROVIDING THE PROPOSAL ITSELF. SO COMING TOGETHER WITH THE TECHNOLOGY PROPOSAL, IDENTIFYING HOW DOES ALL THIS WORK, AND THEN CONVEYING THAT IN A DIGESTIBLE FORMAT TO THE LEADERSHIP AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. UH, SO THIS PROCESS, YOU'LL SEE AT THE TOP THERE, WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE PROCESS FLOW, UH, WITHIN THAT PROCESS FLOW. WE INDICATED THAT WITH SS A I S D, THAT WILL BE OUR PILOT MODEL WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THOSE LAST TWO ARE THE STEPS WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY BRINGING IN STUDENTS, NOW WE'RE DEPLOYING THOSE C C P E UNITS, WHICH I'LL GET INTO IN A SECOND. UH, BUT A LOT OF THE, THE PRE-PLANNING THAT WENT INTO THIS TOOK SOME TIME TO WORK OUT THOSE PARTNERSHIP DEALS. WHOSE FACILITIES ARE WE USING? CAN WE USE THOSE FACILITIES DUE TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL TAX CREDITS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY BE UTILIZING THAT MAY INVALIDATE THIS? UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. SO WHEN WE JUMPED TO RECEIVING I S D APPROVAL, MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS. AND THE FOURTH ONE WAS CREATING THE DESIGN PLAN. AND THAT TOOK A LOT BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF THESE SITES AND IDENTIFY WHAT RADIO TOWERS WE WERE GONNA USE, HOW FAR WAS THIS GONNA DEPLOY, WHICH TECHNOLOGY VENDORS WERE WE GONNA USE AS WE DEPLOYED THIS? UH, NEXT SLIDE, SIR. AND OF COURSE, THE FIFTH PART IS THE INITIATION OF THE PROJECT. SO THAT'S WHEN THE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION STARTS. THAT'S WHEN YOU START, START SEEING THE RADIO TOWERS GO UP. AND I'VE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT THERE, NOT TO MENTION THE UPDATED COVERAGE MAP. SO WE KIND OF ESTIMATED, WE, WE HAD A PREDICTION OF HOW FAR THE SIGNAL WOULD GO WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AROUND THE SCHOOLS, AROUND THESE SI THESE TOWERS. UM, BUT AS WE STARTED TO LINK THEM IN, NOW WE'VE GOT UPDATED COVERAGE MAPS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT THIS SIGNAL IS HITTING. THIS IS THE STRENGTH THAT IT'S HITTING AT NOW. TELL US WHICH STUDENTS ACTUALLY YOU DETERMINE WHICH STUDENTS THESE C P E UNITS GO OUT TO, UH, AND START DEPLOYING. UM, SO THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY GOT SOLID ABOUT WHO WE'RE CONNECTING AND WHERE THE GAPS ARE. AND THEN OF COURSE, BRINGING IN THE STUDENTS AND EVALUATION. UH, AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY AS OUR PARTNER IN THAT EVALUATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD. NEXT SLIDE, SIR. SO TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT, UH, SO OF COURSE THE PILOT PHASE, UH, WAS INTENDED TO HAVE, UH, FIVE SITES. UH, WE HAVE THREE SITES LIVE RIGHT NOW. UH, I'LL JUMP THROUGH THOSE IN A SECOND. BUT WE HAVE THREE SITES OUT OF THOSE FIVE LIVE RIGHT NOW. UH, WE ARE ON TRACK TO BE A LITTLE BIT EARLY ACTUALLY, ON THE FIVE SITES. SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT TO HAVE THE LAST TWO SITES IN APRIL. UH, THAT'S COLINS GARDEN ANDON LIBRARY. UH, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THE FIRST THREE NOW. UM, UH, IF WE WANNA GO TO, SO RIO TOWER WAS THE FIRST SITE TO GO LIVE, UH, THAT, THAT WAS OUR PILOT. AND WE SAW THE, THE GUYS GET UP THERE AND SCALE THE TOWER WHEN THEY WERE DOING THAT BACK IN, I THINK NOVEMBER, OCTOBER. UH, SO THAT WAS EXCITING TO KNOW THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKS. THE NEXT WAS WILLIE VELASQUEZ LEARNING CENTER, STARTED DEPLOYING TOWERS THERE. AND THEN THE LAST SPOT THAT WE HAD ON THE LIST IS FIRE STATION EIGHT. SO THAT'S THE THIRD SPOT OUT OF THE FIRST FIVE. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD RAPIDLY. AGAIN, THIS IS A TREMENDOUS PROJECT WITH A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT. SO SHOUT OUT TO OUR I T S D TEAM, UH, FOR HAVING THE KNOW IT ALL AND HOW TO DO THIS EFFICIENTLY AND QUICKLY. UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, I KEEP MENTIONING C P E C P E DEPLOYMENT TO STUDENT HOUSEHOLDS. THIS IS THE C P E THAT WE'RE, THAT WE ARE DEPLOYING TO THE STUDENTS. UH, WE WENT THROUGH TESTING FOR THREE DIFFERENT DEVICES FROM THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS TO IDENTIFY WHICH TECHNOLOGY WORKS BEST FOR OUR FAMILIES. UH, AND THIS IS THE ONE WE CAME OUT WITH. UM, WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I THINK WE HAVE SOME. YEAH. SO, UH, AS FAR AS THE S SAIS D PILOT AND DEPLOYING THOSE, REMEMBER THE SECOND TO LAST STEP WAS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THESE DEVICES. AND THE LAST STEP IS EVALUATION. UH, THIS WEEK WE GOT IN 550 OF THESE C P E DEVICES. WE ARE TESTING, CONFIGURING THOSE AND GETTING THOSE OUT TO THOSE STUDENTS BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. UH, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH MARCH, WE WILL HOPE TO DEPLOY 1200 OF THOSE DEVICES OUT THROUGH S A I S D AND THEN 800 MORE DEPLOYMENTS AS WE BRING UP BISON AND COLLEGE GARDENS WILL BE DEPLOYED AS WELL. SO A TOTAL OF, OF 2000, ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, 2,400, UH, THROUGHOUT I S D, UM, BY MAY, UH, S A I S, AGAIN, S A I S D IS LEADING ON IDENTIFYING AND DEPLOYMENT THE EQUIPMENT BECAUSE THEY DEFINITELY KNOW THEIR CUSTOMER BETTER THAN US. UH, SO WE'RE TRUSTING, YOU KNOW, THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN THAT AREA. BUT TECHNICAL SUPPORT WILL STILL BE PROVIDED BY CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE CONTRACT WE HAVE IN PLACE. NEXT SLIDE, SIR. AGAIN, EVALUATION. TEXAS A AND M HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD WITH THEM. UH, WE HAVE WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THEM ON HOW THIS EXACTLY WORKS AND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER ON THIS AND HOW THEY WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THAT PILOT FOR THE EVALUATION WILL BE IN THE EDGEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT AS, UH, METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES, C E P, AND EDGEWOOD ALL WORK TOGETHER. NEXT SLIDE, SIR. AND I WILL NOW HAND IT OVER TO JOHN RODRIGUEZ, OUR EXPERT IN THE HOUSE. UH, JOHN, [00:15:01] I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT AWAY. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. UH, JUST CAN SOMEBODY GIMME A THUMBS UP IF THEY CAN HEAR ME? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. SO THE, THE CADENCE THAT WE ARE USING, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT IS, AND, AND, AND AS BRIAN HAD MENTIONED, FIRST WE DO, UM, PRELIMINARY SIDEWALK, UM, AT THE SCHOOLS TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHICH ONES CAN BE USED, UH, FOR, UM, THE BEST COVERAGE IN THE TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT THE CADENCE WE'RE FOLLOWING IS, WE'LL START OUT WITH S A I S D. UH, WE MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS THAT BRIAN ILLUSTRATED, AND AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE VERY NEXT SET OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, EDGEWOOD AND HARLANDALE. SO, UM, WE DO PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS, JUST, UH, TOPOGRAPHICALLY. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WITH EDGEWOOD, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, THESE SCHOOLS AS BEING THE MOST APPROPRIATE SITES FOR THE TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN. AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF ONCE WE'RE, ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THIS, UM, PROJECT FOR EDGEWOOD IN PARTICULAR, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'LL HAVE FULL COVERAGE CAPABILITY THROUGHOUT EDGEWOOD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, JUST WITH THE SITES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED. SO THERE'S SOME, THERE'S, UM, THERE'S SOME GOOD NEWS THERE IN PARTICULAR THAT WITH THE PROPOSED SITE PLACEMENT, IN ADDITION WITH WORKING WITH, UM, CITY EDUCATION PARTNERS AND METHODIST HEALTH INDUSTRIES, UM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORKING TOGETHER COVER THAT ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT. NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS, UM, KIND OF THE PROPOSED PLAN THAT WE'VE GOT FOR HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO WE HAD TWO NEIGHBORHOODS, NORTHEAST AND NORTHWEST, UM, IN THE HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AREA. AND THE SITES THAT WE PROPOSE RIGHT HERE, THESE FIVE SITES, UM, WE BELIEVE WILL GIVE US THE BEST COVERAGE FOR THOSE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS. AND AGAIN, SOME GOOD NEWS, UM, A COUPLE OF THESE SITES ARE GONNA BE SITUATED IN SUCH THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE COVERAGE OUTSIDE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. SO WE'LL HAVE BETTER THAN, BETTER COVERAGE THAN JUST THE TWO. NEXT SLIDE. SO WHAT ARE WE INSTALLING AT, AT HARLANDALE AND, UH, EDGEWOOD? SO WE'RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH SAN ANTONIO THAN SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH HARLANDALE AND EDGEWOOD. UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE OLDER NETWORKS IN PLACE, AND THEY ARE NOT NO LONGER SUBSIDIZED BY FEDERAL FUNDING, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO LEVERAGE THEIR INTERNAL NETWORK AND THEIR INTERNAL INTERNET ACCESS. SO IT SAVES THE CITY MONEY. IT ACTUALLY PROVIDES A BETTER QUALITY OF SERVICE FOR THE STUDENT, BECAUSE ONCE THEY CONNECT INTO THE BROADBAND NETWORK, UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT AT THE SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT HERE IS KIND OF WHAT A SKID LOOKS LIKE. WHAT ARE WE INSTALLING ON THE ROOFTOP OF THE SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO WE'LL HAVE THREE OF THESE PER SCHOOL, AND THEY WILL BE, UM, POINTED DIRECTLY INTO THE TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TARGETED AUGMENTED CELLULAR COVERAGE IN THOSE AREAS. NEXT SLIDE. SO, UH, WILLIE VELASQUEZ THEATER, YOU SAW A PICTURE OF THAT. THIS IS KIND OF WHAT, UH, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE KIND OF WHAT THAT SLED LOOKS LIKE. IT'S GOT SOME BALLAST OF, UM, CONCRETE BLOCKS, ABOUT 600 POUNDS, SO IT WILL NOT MOVE IN, UM, INCLEMENT WEATHER. AND, UM, IT'LL, IT'LL STAY IN PLACE. THE OTHER BENEFIT TO USING SLEDS IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ROOF PENETRATIONS, SO YOU'RE NOT, UM, UM, IMPACTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF, UM, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY BELONG TO YOU. NEXT SLIDE. SO, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, AS WE DESCRIBE IT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHAT, WE'LL, WHAT WE, WHAT WE DO IS WE TELL 'EM, HEY, WE NEED YOUR INITIAL APPROVAL, UM, ONCE WE'VE COMPLETED THE INITIAL SIDEWALKS, UM, ONCE WE'VE INTRODUCED COSTS TO YOU. UM, AND IF YOU MEET WITH YOUR BOARD AND YOUR FACILITIES BOARD AS WELL AS YOUR EXECUTIVE BOARD, UM, AND THEY PROVIDE FINAL APPROVAL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START MOVING INTO WHAT WE CALL DETAILED DESIGN. AND DETAILED DESIGN IS ACTUALLY WHERE WE FINALIZE THE SITE SELECTION, EXACTLY WHICH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, WHICH AREAS OF THE ROOFTOP ARE WE USING, EXACTLY WHAT AZIMUTH ARE WE SHOOTING INTO, UH, FOR THOSE AREAS. WE'LL ALSO DO A ROOFTOP LOAD ANALYSIS. AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF THOSE SLEDS ARE 600 POUNDS [00:20:01] APIECE. SO WE WANNA CONFIRM THAT WHEREVER WE PLACE THE SLED, WE'RE NOT JEOPARDIZING, UH, ROOF INTEGRITY. THEN WE WILL CONFIRM, UM, ELECTRICAL CABLING, OTHER ITEMS, WE'LL PROVIDE THE FINAL DETAILED DESIGN. IT'LL GO BACK TO THE SCHOOLS FOR FINAL APPROVAL. AND IF THEY APPROVE, THEN WE ACTUALLY START MOVING INTO CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN CONSTRUCTION BASICALLY, IS ANY ELECTRICAL NEEDED, ANY CABLING WORK NEEDED, UM, THE ACTUAL INSTALLATION OF THE EQUIPMENT ITSELF ON THE ROOFTOP. NEXT SLIDE. SO WHAT ARE WE ASKING IN RETURN FOR THIS? SO, AND, AND ALSO, WHAT DO WE NEED FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN SERVICE THE EQUIPMENT ONCE IT'S INSTALLED? SO HERE'S THE THAT, UM, WE ARE NEGOTIATING WITH EACH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO THE FIRST ONE ON THE CITY SIDE IS WE WILL OWN ALL DEPLOYED INFRASTRUCTURE. ANYTHING THAT WE INSTALL ON THE ROOFTOP, ANYTHING WE INSTALL INSIDE THEIR FACILITY, THE CITY OWNS AND WILL MAINTAIN AT OUR COST. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THAT DEPLOYED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CITY PURPOSES. IN THE FUTURE, WHATEVER THOSE FUTURE PURPOSES MAY LOOK LIKE. UM, WE WILL PROVIDE THE HOME EQUIPMENT AND TRANSFER THAT HOME EQUIPMENT, UH, THE OWNERSHIP TO THE ISDS. IN TURN, THE ISDS, UM, HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWNING THE OVERALL STUDENT EXPERIENCE. THEY ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY FUTURE SUPPORT COSTS AFTER YEAR ONE. SO AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE ANY SUBSCRIPTION OR LICENSING COSTS THAT IS ACTUALLY PAID, UM, TO, UH, THE, UM, THE CELLULAR SERVICE TO MAINTAIN THAT DEVICE ON THE NETWORK ITSELF. EXAMPLE WOULD BE THOSE SIM CARDS, UM, THAT YOU ACTUALLY INSERT IN YOUR CELL PHONES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO OPERATE WITHIN YOUR, UM, ON YOUR CELL CARRIER NETWORK, VERIZON, AT AND T T-MOBILE, SO ON AND SO FORTH. WELL, THAT SIM CARD IS ACTUALLY, UM, LEASED. UM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE LEASING YOUR OWN SIM CARD AS WELL. THAT'S PART OF YOUR MONTHLY FEE THAT YOU PAY ON YOUR CELL BILL. WE'D BE ACTUALLY BE DOING THE SAME THING. UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR NETWORK, THE CITY WOULD'VE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO ANY CABLING THAT WE INSTALL, ANY ELECTRICAL THAT WE INSTALL ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THAT ENGAGEMENT, WE WILL RETURN THAT, UM, ELECTRICAL SERVICE, UM, AND THAT ELECTRICAL BACK TO THE SCHOOL. UM, WHAT ARE WE ASKING THE ISDS TO DO BEYOND OWNING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE? WELL, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE FUNDING THE, THE SUBSCRIBER FEES THAT I MENTIONED. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THEY'RE PROVIDING THEIR INTERNAL NETWORK AND THEIR INTERNET SERVICE FOR USE IN THIS SOLUTION. AND THEN WE'RE ASKING 'EM TO PAY FOR ANY MONTHLY ELECTRICAL COSTS SO THAT THE CITY IS NOT OVERBURDENED WITH ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, PAPERWORK. UM, THE ACTUAL ELECTRICAL COSTS PER SCHOOL, UM, TO RUN THIS SYSTEM, IT'S ACTUALLY FAIRLY MINIMAL. IT TAKES LIKE THREE 20 AMP, UH, CIRCUITS, RIGHT? KINDA LIKE HOME SERVICE, ELECTRICAL SERVICE DOESN'T TAKE A LOT TO USE IT. SO, SO FAR EVERYBODY'S BEEN VERY COMFORTABLE WITH ALLOWING US TO USE THEIR ELECTRICAL SERVICE. AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO AROUND THE HORN AND, UH, WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNSEL. THANK YOU CHAIR. UM, THANK YOU, BRIAN. UM, THANK YOU, JOHN. THIS IS VERY INFORMATIVE. UM, AND SO I KNOW THAT WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH SAHA, AND WHEN CRAIG WAS ABLE TO GIVE US A BRIEFING, UM, WITHIN THE, UH, RECOVERY PILLAR, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD ABOUT COLLABORATION WAS OUTSIDE OF SAHA, WORKING WITH OUR NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. SO WE KNOW THAT WORKING WITH LIKE THE N R P GROUP AND, AND OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS HABITAT FOR HUMANITIES, UM, LOOKING AT THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE KNOW HAVE OUR, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT REALLY NEED ASSISTANCE, UM, IN THEM AS WELL. AND HOW ARE WE REACHING OUT OR COLLABORATING WITH THOSE ENTITIES, UM, THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT. BUT AS I SAT HERE TODAY, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAME UP IS ABOUT OUR CHARTER SPACE. WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS BUST IN KIDS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. UM, AND THEY'RE NOT WITHIN THE SAIS SDSS OR WITHIN THE EDGEWOOD ISDS. THEY FALL WITHIN, UM, MAYBE LIKE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IDEA, UM, AND, AND THOSE KIND OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. UM, [00:25:01] SO HOW ARE WE ABLE TO REACH THOSE STUDENTS WITHIN THIS, UH, CATEGORY OF BEYOND THE CLASSROOM? RIGHT? UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ON THE SCHOOL ITEM. UM, AS FAR AS CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND CRAIG, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TACKLE THE, THE ADDITIONAL OKAY. UM, YOUR CAT'S HEAD. YES. UM, . UM, SO YES, MA'AM. SO WE DID ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOL, SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT IN THIS TO BEGIN WITH. UH, FUNDING IS DEFINITELY, OBVIOUSLY LIMITED ON THIS PROJECT. UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, AS WE PROJECTED IN JUNE WE PRESENTED THIS, WE'RE HOPING TO GET THOSE 50 NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, WITHIN THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND 20,000 STUDENTS. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT PROJECTION COULD CHANGE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO WORKING WITH THE ISDS AT HAND. UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE PAST THIS PROJECT, I THINK WE DEFINITELY WANT TO EXPAND. UM, WE HAVE 15 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE'VE GOT EIGHT OF THEM. UH, SO I THINK EXPANDING INTO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE DISADVANTAGED YOUTH, UH, IN THOSE THAT ATTEND THOSE CHARTER SCHOOLS, I THINK IT'D BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HIT THAT. BUT AGAIN, WE DID BASE THIS ON AN EQUITY MODEL, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE PRIORITIZE THAT LIST OF, OF EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS BASED ON THAT. SO, ALONG THE WAY, WE DID WANT TO HIT ON, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT WERE NOT ONLY DISCONNECTED, BUT LIVED IN LOW INCOME AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED LOW INCOME, ALSO EDUCATION LEVELS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT SURROUNDS THE EQUITY, THE HISTORICAL EQUITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. BUT YES, VERY VALID POINT WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE CONVERSATION. BUT, UM, IF Y'ALL CAN GET US MORE MONEY, MAYBE WE CAN. OKAY. BRIAN, THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. YES MA'AM. AND, AND COUNCILMAN, I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE. AND CANDELARIA IS ACTUALLY GONNA TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS IS, UM, FROM YOUR REQUEST, UH, WE'VE GONE BACK TO THE SAHA LIST FIRST AND GONE THROUGH ALL THE, THE PROPERTIES IN SAHA AND DETERMINE WHICH ARE IN THE 15 NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHICH ARE OUT, WHICH IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. AND NOW CANDELARIA IS WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM TO YOUR REQUEST DOING THE SAME THING. 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A LIST OF THOSE OTHER AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES BEFORE. UM, AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT, TRYING TO GET THAT LIST TOGETHER SO WE CAN DO THE SAME MATCHUP ON THE 15 NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WHAT WE'VE SET ALL ALONG IS ANY STUDENT INSIDE OF THESE 50 NEIGHBORHOODS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT TYPE OF UNIT THEY LIVE IN, OR WHETHER WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICT THEY'RE IN, IN THEORY WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE STUDENT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO FOR THOSE PLACES WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE CAN DO THE MATCHUP, WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE UNITS AS WELL. IF THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE SOMETHING WE LOOK AT AS A FOLLOW ON. BUT KINDLE AREA IS HELPING US PUT TOGETHER THAT ANALYSIS. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK, JUST ONE LAST, ONE LAST NOTE FOR YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. UM, THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A PILOT, AND SO WE WOULD HOPE THAT THIS KIND OF DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND US DEPLOYING, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO BEAR COUNTY AND THEM DOING THEIR PROJECT, WE HOPE THAT THESE ARE JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PROOF OF CONCEPTS AND THAT WE BUILD ON THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO BY NO MEANS IS THIS OUR STOPPING POINT. UH, THERE'S NOT INTENDED TO BE A STOPPING POINT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, WE HOPE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AND BE KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY SETTING AN EXAMPLES A OF A CITY REALLY TAKING ON DIGITAL INCLUSION STRONGLY WITH Y'ALL SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT JUST WANTED TO REITERATE, THIS IS NOT THE END OF IT. OKAY, BRIAN, THANK YOU. AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION AS WE KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IT, UM, IN THE, THE MAP THAT WE SAW IN THE PRESENTATION, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET A, A MORE, UH, VISIBLE MAP SO WE CAN SEE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AREAS WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOODS FALL, UM, WHAT SCHOOLS ARE, ARE THEY WITHIN THAT AREA OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU GUYS ARE TARGETING? UM, IT'S A LITTLE SMALL AND SOMETIMES MY GLASSES DON'T MAGNIFY THAT BIG. I APOLOGIZE. BUT, UM, YES, MA'AM. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. THANK YOU AGAIN, BRIAN, CRAIG, AND I THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE RAISED HIS HAND. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I MEAN, EXCUSE ME. I JUST CAME FROM ANOTHER MEETING. WE HAD A MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A LITTLE LATE. UH, I DID, UM, UH, KIND OF GO THROUGH THE, UH, EARLIER SLIDES THAT WERE PRESENTED. A COUPLE OF MY COM COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE WE DEVELOPED, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH CERTAIN SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THIS PROGRAM? UH, YOU KNOW, BE IT, UH, SPECTRUM OR AT AND T OR ANY OF THE OTHERS? AND WHAT KIND OF A RELATIONSHIP DO WE HAVE WITH THEM IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PILOT? YES, SIR. SO, UH, AT THE CRAIG, I SAW YOU COME OFF MUTE, SO I'LL PITCH IT OVER TO YOU TO FINISH OFF WHILE I LEAVE OFF ANYTHING. JO JOHN'S GOT A GOOD UPDATE ON THAT TOO, AS WELL. COOL. THERE WE GO. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE, THE, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID VERY ON, VERY EARLY ON [00:30:01] IN PROJECT WAS IDENTIFY ALL CARRIERS, UH, WITHIN EACH OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO COULD PROVIDE QUALITY LEVELS OF SERVICE. AND SO WE HIT ON AT AND T VERY EARLY ON AS BEING A PROVIDER, UM, WHO COULD PROVIDE A VERY BROAD LEVEL OF COVERAGE THROUGHOUT, UM, THE SERVICE AREA. AND, UM, WHEN BRIAN WAS SHOWING IN PARTICULAR THAT WE HAD, UM, INKED A DEAL WITH AT AND T TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO, UM, NORTHEAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, EDGEWOOD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, PRE-K FOR SA, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, THAT WAS OUR WORK, UM, IDENTIFYING WHO IS THE BEST PROVIDER TO PROVIDE THAT KINDA SERVICE AND ULTIMATELY DETERMINING AT AND T COULD DO IT. SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, UH, MORE SUCCINCTLY, YES, WE DID, WE WENT WITH AT AND T AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB AND ARE CONTINUING TO DO A GREAT JOB IN THAT AREA. OKAY. NOW, I KNOW ANOTHER QUESTION WE HAD WAS, ARE WE GONNA RUN INTO ANY KIND OF STATE INTERFERENCE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE? AND I'M WONDERING IF WE'VE HEARD ANYTHING, UH, FROM AUSTIN, ANY OF THE, UH, REGULATORS OR ANY OF OUR LEGISLATORS THAT KIND OF, UH, ARE, ARE OF A CONCERN TO US WITH OUR PROJECT? SO, COUNCILMAN, I'LL ANSWER THAT. UH, JEFF COYLE AND I HAVE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME, UM, WORKING BOTH AT THE STATE AND SOME OF THE FEDERAL, UH, LEGISLATION LEVELS. I WILL TELL YOU ON THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, THE ANSWER IS NO. EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD THAT WE ARE HELPING SUPPORT STUDENTS CONNECT TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND SO, UM, OUR BROADER CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN ABOUT MORE ABOUT THE INTERNET IN GENERAL TO HOUSEHOLDS IN RURAL AREAS, THOSE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS. BUT IN THIS PROJECT, NO, WE'VE GOTTEN GREAT SUPPORT MM-HMM. . OKAY. BUT AS AN ASIDE, HOW ABOUT THE SENIOR, SENIOR CITIZENS IN PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY? WAS THAT PART OF YOUR BROADER DISCUSSION? SO THAT IS PART OF THE BROADER DISCUSSION. AGAIN, THIS PROJECT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, RIGHT? SO YES, UM, SENIOR CITIZENS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND PREDOMINANTLY A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION IN THE STATE IS ABOUT RURAL AREAS. AND SO WE'RE MAKING A, SO WE'RE MAKING A STATEMENT THAT EVEN, EVEN IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF OUR CITY AREAS, IT'S CONSIDERED RURAL AND WE WANNA BE PART OF THAT PLAN AS WELL. RIGHT. MY LAST QUESTION IS GONNA BE ABOUT FINANCING. WE'VE BEEN HEARING MORE ABOUT FEDERAL FINANCING, UH, AIMED AT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. UH, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT COULD HELP US SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE DOING OR ENABLE US TO EXPAND WHAT WE'RE DOING? SO I'LL OFFER TWO THINGS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS TO OFFER, UM, ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT CAME DOWN WAS THE $3.2 BILLION AS PART OF THE PACKAGE, WHICH IS REALLY A, UH, RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CUSTOMER AND THE TELECOM. AND THE TELECOM COULD BE REIMBURSED FOR SOME OF THESE SAVINGS ON PACKAGES. WE ARE WATCHING THAT. AND PART OF THAT, WE, THE CITY WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THAT CONVERSATION OTHER THAN ENCOURAGING, UM, OUR RESIDENTS TO WORK WITH THE TELECOMS ON THOSE PACKAGES. THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE I GOT AN OUR EYE ON. THERE IS A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. AND WE HAVE DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THAT AS WELL. BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS OTHER THAN WE PUT TOGETHER SOME IDEAS. I DUNNO IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY UPDATES. I WOULD JUST WONDER THAT, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING STUDENTS MIGHT BE A VERY CRITICAL PART OF THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE. AND THAT, I'M SURPRISED WE DIDN'T SEE, OBVIOUSLY, ANY REFERENCES TO THAT. BUT I WONDER IF THERE'S ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY THAT IF WE TALK TO SOME OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES, THEY CAN'T GET SOME CLARIFICATION THAT MIGHT SUPPORT, UH, PROVIDING MORE HELP TO US AND, AND OTHER EFFORTS LIKE THAT. SO I GUESS I NEED TO TALK TO JEFF AND ASK HIM IF HE CAN TALK TO, UH, SOME PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON ABOUT THAT. JOHN. YEAH, COUNCILMAN THE, THE DECEMBER STIMULUS MONEY WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR WHAT CRAIG DESCRIBED, WHICH WAS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN THE HOME AND THE TELECOMS DIRECTLY. SO NOT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NOT WITH A CITY GOVERNMENT. SO IT WAS A, A SUBSIDY. SO TELECOMS COULD CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM OR NOT. AND THEN, UH, A PERSON IN THE HOME WOULD BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THAT SUBSIDY. UM, I HEAR YOU. THERE ARE, THERE ARE FUTURE, UH, THINGS BEING TALKED ABOUT THAT HAVE NOT YET COME OUT IN A PROPOSED FUTURE BILL. AND THAT'S WHAT CRAIG IS REFERENCING. THAT WOULD BE A MORE DIRECT, PERHAPS, UM, NETWORK INVESTMENT FOR, UH, US HERE LOCALLY. OKAY. UH, LET JEFF TELL YOU BOTH THAT BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL, JEFF WILL TELL YOU. YEAH. RIGHT. WELL, WHAT ABOUT OTHER FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE [00:35:01] INTERESTED IN EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY? HAVE WE REACHED OUT? DO WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO TRY AND OBTAIN ANY KIND OF GRANTS OR OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THOSE KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS? COUNCILMAN, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK FOR BRIAN TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT. THERE'S A LOCAL, UM, I'M GONNA USE THE WRONG WORD, BUT CONSORTIUM OF PEOPLE WHO THINK ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION THAT, UM, UH, WE'RE A MEMBER OF. AND THERE IS ACTIVE TALKS AROUND THAT. SO BRIAN, IF YOU JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT IT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE DO HAVE OUR LOCAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE OF SAN ANTONIO. UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE, UH, BUILD THEM INTO NOT ONLY A STRONG ORGANIZATION, 'CAUSE IT IS ALL, IT IS ALL VOLUNTEER RIGHT NOW, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE, UH, REALLY PUT THEM IN CHARGE OF EXPANDING DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS ACROSS THE REGION. UH, SO WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH, UH, CHARLES BUTT FOUNDATION AS WELL AS TOYOTA, UH, TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE BUILD SOME KIND OF LEVERAGING OF FUNDS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. UH, THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD OVER THE NEXT MONTH, UH, ON HOW WE DO THAT WITH THE FUNDING AT HAND. BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY IDENTIFYING HOW DO WE WORK WITH THOSE OTHER PARTNERS AND EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS TO REALLY LEVERAGE THEIR FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO SOLVE FOR ALL THREE OF THE LEGS OF THE DIGITAL STOOL. NOT ONLY JUST THE BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY ITEM, BUT ALSO ACCESS DEVICES AS WELL AS DIGITAL LITERACY, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY THAT HAS A HOLD OVER THIS, BUT THERE'S ALSO EXTERNAL PARTNERS THAT ARE LEADING THE EFFORT WITH DIGITAL INCLUSION FOR OUR ENTIRE REGION. SO ALL THAT TO SAY, YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM VERY STRONGLY. OKAY. WELL, I HOPE THERE ARE SOME OTHER NATIONAL FOUNDATIONS THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORT. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SHARING. APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. UM, LET'S JUMP OVER TO DIRK ELMENDORF. ANY QUESTIONS? DIRK COMMENTS? UH, SO YOU, YOU STRESSED THE IDEA THAT THIS IS A PILOT, SO, SO, UH, IT, AS YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM FOR IT AND EXCITEMENT, I GUESS WHAT HAS TO CHANGE FOR IT TO BECOME A PERMANENT? THAT'S, UM, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. UM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA JUMP ON A LIMB HERE AND SAY, UM, LEGISLATION CHANGES. ONE, BECAUSE WE GET CONSTANTLY ASKED, WHY AREN'T YOU PROVIDING THIS TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS? WHY ONLY STUDENTS? WHY ONLY JUST THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS? WHY CAN'T, LIKE, AND THEN YOU GO, THERE'S A RULE AGAINST DOING ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE ASKING FOR. EVEN ON TOP OF EXPANDING PAST STUDENTS AND WORKING DIRECTLY WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WITHIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THERE'S LEGISLATION BLOCKING US FROM UTILIZING, FOR EXAMPLE, SAIS D'S FACILITIES AND THEIR, AND THEIR BACKBONE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE CAN'T UTILIZE IT BECAUSE IT'S FEDERAL FUNDING THAT GETS INVALIDATED DUE TO THAT BECAUSE OF LEGISLATION. SO IF WE COULD GET SOME, SOME MEASURES AT STATE HOUSE AND FEDERAL LEVELS KIND OF TO BE ADJUSTED TO HELP US OUT, THAT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS LIFT. NOT TO MENTION, OF COURSE, FUNDING FUNDING'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A BIG THING. UH, WE CAN'T MAKE THIS HAPPEN WITH THE SHORT AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. AND CRAIG, I SAW YOU COME OFF OF MUTE. SO, DIRK, THE, THE, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE CONTRADICTORY, UH, THAN WHAT BRIAN JUST SAID, BUT I THINK TO THE, THE SCOPE WE WERE GIVEN, WHICH WAS 50 NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS ABOUT 20,000 STUDENTS AND CONNECTING THEM TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TO THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM, I THINK IN THAT SENSE, IT WON'T BE A PILOT, IT WILL BE A FULL IMPLEMENTATION. WE, JOHN HAS PILOTED A TECHNOLOGY, UM, JORDANA AND THE OTHER TEAMS ARE, UH, PILOTING A TECHNOLOGY. WE'LL HAVE A STABLE IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THOSE 50 NEIGHBORHOODS, 20,000 STUDENTS MEETING THE SCOPE. AND SO THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. I THINK, TO BRIAN'S POINT, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY MORE WE COULD HAVE DONE CLEARLY IF WE HAD MONEY, OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN LEGISLATION AND SO FORTH. BUT I'M GONNA FEEL REALLY PROUD AND OF THIS TEAM THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE WERE TASKED TO DO LAST SUMMER, WHICH WAS AN EMERGENCY NEED TO SOLVE FOR THESE 22,000 STUDENTS WHO HAD TO WORK REMOTELY FROM THEIR SCHOOL. SO THEN, UH, SO KEEP, I LIKE BRIAN'S EXPANSION, BUT ALSO, SO CRAIG, IN THE SCOPE THAT YOU WERE GIVEN, UH, AS, AS WHAT YOU'VE ROLLED OUT, HOW LONG WILL THIS BE ABLE TO STAY IN PLACE WITH THE FUNDING YOU HAVE AND THE STRUCTURES FROM THE SCHOOLS? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THERE IN ANOTHER YEAR, IT WOULD BE AT RISK IF WE, IF WE THINK WE'RE OUT OF THE WOODS FOR THIS CRISIS? YEAH, I THINK JOHN COULD ANSWER MORE DETAILS, BUT THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS WE'RE USING OUR FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT AND TO PAY FIRST YEAR COSTS. AND SO EVERY AGREEMENT WITH EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IS FOR THEM TO TAKE ON THE OPERATING COST YEAR TWO AND BEYOND, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE EQUIPMENT IN THE HOME AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY WRAP THE STUDENT WITH, LIKE HELP DESK AND SO FORTH. AND SO AS THE TEAM IS GOING THROUGH EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS AGREEING TO THOSE OPERATIONAL COSTS. SO IN OUR PERSPECTIVE, THEY'RE COVERING YEAR TWO THROUGH FIVE AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT TO PUT IT IN PLACE AFTER YEAR FIVE. IT'S IN THEIR HANDS, BUT WE'RE . OKAY. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING IS LIKE, I SAW THAT THEY AGREED TO SOME POINT, SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BUDGETING AND THINKING ABOUT FIVE [00:40:01] YEARS. 2 2, 2 THROUGH FIVE. YES. OKAY. WE WILL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE, UH, FLYING CARS AND NEW INTERNET IN FIVE YEARS. RIGHT, EXACTLY. . THANK YOU MR. ELMENDORF. UM, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, AND, UH, JUST WANNA KIND OF KEEP GOING ON ON THIS SUBJECT. UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, UH, COUNCILMAN ELAS THAT, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IS HOW MUCH YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE, UH, HAVE ADVOCATED FOR BROADBAND AND, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND OF COURSE, UH, IN I G R. UM, SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT THIS, THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO WHAT WAS WAS BEING ASKED RIGHT NOW. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ISSUE HERE IS, IS HOW MUCH OF THIS WILL ACTUALLY, UH, CONTINUE AND HOW CAN WE USE THIS INSTEAD OF A PILOT MORE AS A, A, A SPRINGBOARD OR A LAUNCHING POINT TO CHANGE THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, I THINK THE REQUEST IS REALLY, UH, A SIMPLE ONE, WHICH IS, LET'S, LET'S TACKLE THIS BECAUSE WE, WE, WE CAN'T UNSEE THIS ANYMORE AND WHATEVER IS UN WHATEVER'S STICKING THIS, WE, WE NEED TO EITHER APPLY FUNDING OR, OR LEGISLATION OR, OR WHATEVER IT MEANS, YOU KNOW, WD 40, BUT LET'S UNSTICK IT AND, AND, AND CREATE THAT PLAN. UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I, I, I THINK WE'RE ALL WANTING TO JUST SIMPLY LEARN WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE AND THEN, THEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO, TO CREATE THAT LONG-TERM PLAN. IN FACT, UH, FIVE YEARS, I THINK IT'S JUST LIKE WITH ANYTHING ELSE, EVERY FIVE YEARS, YOU, YOU SHOULD BE EXAMINING SOMETHING OVER AGAIN AND TESTING IT AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS THIS MEETING THE NEEDS THAT WE, UH, UH, MADE ASSUMPTIONS ON. OR DO WE NEED TO MAKE SOME, SOME, SOME CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO MODIFY THAT PLAN. SO, UH, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS WILL HELP US, UH, CREATE THAT PLAN MOVING FORWARD. AND, UH, I, I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT, THAT THIS GROUP, UH, DO JUST THAT FOR, FOR, UH, OUR COMMITTEE AND OTHERS, LIKE THE ONE THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN ELIAS ALSO CHAIRS, UH, 'CAUSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETHING THAT, UH, THIS PANDEMIC IS TEACHING US ABOUT SORT OF THESE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS THAT ARE REALLY ONLY EXACERBATED THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. THEY'RE NOT BECAUSE OF THIS PANDEMIC. UM, I ALSO WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT I, I KNOW COUNCIL P YOU, YOU, YOU WORK A LOT WITH, UH, AND SUPPORT THE OLDER ADULTS TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES AND, AND THINGS LIKE SENIOR PLANET, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY, VERY CRITICAL IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. YOU KNOW, D QUAR HAS CONSTANTLY REMINDED US OF THE NEED FOR, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION AND OUR SENIORS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE I KNOW THAT THIS PILOT IS TARGETING STUDENTS, UH, I THINK WE CAN FIND STRATEGIES THAT MAYBE HELP MIX THE TWO, UH, AND PROVIDE SOME ACCESS FOR, FOR BOTH. UH, WE KNOW, UH, AND AGAIN, I'M, NOW, I'M JUST, I'M GONNA SPEAK ALMOST JUST KIND OF CULTURALLY, UH, IN, IN, IN MANY, UH, HISPANIC FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CULTURAL NORM NORM TO HAVE OUR ELDERLY GRANDPARENTS LIVE WITH US. YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL THING. SO, UH, HAVING, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND, HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF OF THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE SO CRITICAL. UH, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THOSE FOLKS WHO, WHO ONLY SPEAK SPANISH IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, ARE WE, ARE WE, UH, TOUCHING THOSE FOLKS? ARE WE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT NOBODY'S BEING LEFT OUT BECAUSE OF THIS? SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT IS, IS, UH, ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THAT THOSE THAT ARE ARE, ARE PREDOMINANTLY SPANISH SPEAKING? UH, ARE ARE THOSE BEING COMMUNICATED TO AND ARE WE ABLE TO REACH THEM? UM, BUT, UH, AGAIN, ALSO I WANNA MAKE A A A POINT TO TO SAY THAT I, I'D LIKE TO SEE A PLAN, UH, FROM THIS GROUP, UH, REGARDING, UH, OUR SAHA RESIDENTS. I KNOW THAT IT, UH, FACTS HERE IS 57,000 PEOPLE AND NEARLY HALF OUR SCHOOL AGED KIDS. UH, THEN THERE, THERE ARE SOME, UH, SAW FACILITIES LIKE PARKVIEW AND GRANADA. THEY'RE PRIMARILY SERVING SENIORS. UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKED THIS A LOT. ARE, ARE, ARE WE CREATING A PLAN FOR, FOR SAHA RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S VACCINE ROLLOUT, AND, YOU KNOW, NOW IN THIS CASE, LET'S DIGITAL INCLUSION. WHAT, WHAT IS THAT PLAN? UH, ARE WE PROACTIVELY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AS A COMMITTEE? I, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY ADVANTAGEOUS. UM, AND SO I, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS, IS, IS GREAT AND, AND, AND FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS, IT'S ONLY HIGHLIGHTING, [00:45:01] UH, A NEED THAT WILL BE HERE, WAS HERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. AND WE'LL BE HERE AFTER THE PANDEMIC, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN REDUCE THAT, UH, BY ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LEARNING THROUGH THESE EFFORTS. UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE CHAIR. THANKS. THANK YOU, SIR. AND, UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT I, I CHAIR ANOTHER COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR, UH, ALL MY COMMITTEES TO KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE MY FAVORITE AND THAT THE LAMOS AND DWEEBS AND THE OTHER COMMITTEE, NOT SO MUCH, RIGHT. UH, , WE KNOW THAT. YEAH. NO, I'M PLAYING, I'M PLAYING. I LOVE EVERYBODY. UM, COUNCILWOMAN, I'M, I'M SORRY. UH, DEANNE QUARE, NICE TO SEE YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU TOO. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. WE MADE IT. UM, I ACTUALLY, UM, I JUST WANTED TO COVER JUST, UH, THREE POINTS REALLY QUICKLY. UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY I JUST WANTED TO TALK POSITIVELY AND ABOUT THE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM PROJECT. I THINK IF YOU'RE LOOKING, UM, OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, I DO, I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE ON THIS CALL TOO, ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE ROLLING OUT AS SOLUTIONS. I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR PROJECTS, UM, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM PROJECT IN SAN ANTONIO VERSUS OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES, IS THAT IT'S A COHESIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, CATALYZING ADOPTION PROGRAM. AND IN ORDER, IT, IT TRULY IS, RIGHT, IN ORDER FOR THEIR, FOR US TO BRING CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, YOU KNOW, INTO DIGITAL NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TACKLE ALL THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL. AND I, AND I THINK THIS PROJECT DOES, IT REALLY DOES. AND IT, AND IT, UM, AND I THINK THAT, I KNOW WE'RE STILL ON CONCEPT BECAUSE THE CONCEPT PART IS THE HARDEST PART, BUT THERE I JUST SEE A LOT OF POSSIBILITY LIKE BEYOND CONCEPT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT ALL THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL HAVE BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH WITH THIS PROGRAM. SO OTHER PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO ARE NOT DOING THIS. AND SO AFTER THOSE PROJECTS RUN OUT ON MONEY, IT'S, IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT THOSE PROJECTS WON'T BE SUSTAINABLE. UM, AND I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT THIS IS BEING BUILT IS, UM, I KNOW I'VE BEEN CRITICAL ABOUT THE THE TYPE OF ASSET ACCESS IT IS, BUT I THINK THAT LIKE WHAT WE DO HAVE IS IT'S GONNA NAVIGATE FAMILIES THROUGH, UH, AN ADOPTION PROGRAM LATER ON. AND SO WITH THAT, I MEAN, I THINK GETTING THEM TO SEE THE RELEVANCE OF HAVING ACCESS IN THEIR HOMES IS GONNA SOCIALIZE INTERNET AND EDUCATIONAL PORTALS IN A WAY TO WHERE LIKE, HOPEFULLY OVER TIME THROUGH DIFFERENT TYPES OF LITERACY, THEY'LL SEE HOW TO INCORPORATE THIS INTO THEIR, INTO THEIR FAMILY'S BUDGET, UM, WITH POSSIBLY THE AFFORDABLE, UM, PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE SEEING DOWN THE ROAD. SO I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT. IT'S NOT EASY STUFF. IT'S REALLY HARD, AND TELECOM POLICY IS REALLY HARD AND THEY'VE HAD TO DO ALL OF IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, AND, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, GO AHEAD CRAIG, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU JUST REAL QUICKLY? SURE. I JUST WANT TO SAY PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS TEAM IS DOING THAT WELL BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU, YOU PERSONALLY, AND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC TAUGHT US THOSE THINGS. AND SO WE LISTENED AND THEN WHEN IT CAME TIME TO IMPLEMENT, YOU HAD ALREADY SET US UP FOR WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT. SO I THINK THAT GOES TO CREDIT TO YOU AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ALLIANCE THAT HAVE HELPED US. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. YES. THANK, THANK YOU. UM, SO YEAH, AND I, SO I, YEAH, I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TODAY TO JUST STOP, LISTEN, I THOUGHT THIS PRESENTATION WAS GREAT. UM, IT'S AN AMAZING PROJECT AND SO WE JUST NEED TO HOLD ON A LITTLE BIT LONGER. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES THE HARDEST THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE WORTH IT IF WE GO THROUGH IT THIS WAY. UM, BUT WITH THAT, THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION LINES IS GONNA BE FILING F C C COMMENTS ABOUT THE EMERGENCY BROAD, UH, BENE EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT PROGRAM. UM, AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO WATCH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO, TO SAN ANTONIO. 'CAUSE I CAN SEE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S GOING INTO THIS PROJECT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL THE FIELD WORK THAT'S GOING ON. THAT'S REALLY HARD. IT'S LIKE WHEN THAT'S READY TO GO AND WE KNOW MORE ABOUT IT, LIKE THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OVER 60 STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, AND OTHER PROGRAMS. WE JUST NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT. AND I, AGAIN, LIKE, I WANNA THROW BACK MORE COMPLIMENTS TO THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THIS IN SAN ANTONIO AND BARAR COUNTY. LIKE, WE'RE WATCHING IT. LIKE I, AND I KNOW WE ARE BECAUSE WE ALL GO TO THE SAME MEETINGS. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A STRONG GROUP OF PEOPLE TACKLING THIS ISSUE IN SAN ANTONIO. DAN, THANK YOU. UH, GOOD COMMENTS. WILL GARRETT, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. APOLOGIES FOR BEING A LITTLE BIT LATE. UM, NOT REALLY A QUESTION. I WAS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST A COMMENT, UM, TIES IN A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT DEANNE SAID. AND BRIAN, TO YOUR POINT, WHEN I THINK COUNCILMAN COURAGE WAS ASKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FUTURE FUNDING, THE PRIVATE SECTOR LEVERAGING, [00:50:01] AND I DON'T SIT IN THIS SPACE AS FREQUENTLY AS DEANNE DOES, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING LAST WEEK WAS ON A CALL WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE NOW FROM TEXAS, UM, AND SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES. AND THEY HAD BEEN TRACKING WHAT YOU ALL WERE DOING IN THIS SPECIFIC PROGRAM. AND THEIR COMMENT WAS, I SURE HOPE. AT THE END OF IT, YOU HAVE THIS ROADMAP PLAYBOOK THAT SHOWCASES HERE'S THE LEGAL, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATIVE HURDLES THAT ARE INHIBITING EXPANSION OR SCALE OF THE PROGRAM. HERE'S THE FINANCIAL, HERE'S HOW JOHN TACKLED THESE SORT OF SOLUTIONS WHEN YOU COULD OR COULD NOT PLUG INTO BACKBONES. BECAUSE THEIR POINT WAS, THERE'S A LOT OF CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY. AND AT DAN'S POINT, I MEAN, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. FROM A FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, THEY FELT PRETTY STRONGLY THAT THERE WAS, THERE'S GONNA BE THIS UNIQUE MODEL OF SUCCESS IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THEIR HOPE WOULD BE THAT IT WASN'T, OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY. LET'S GO LEVERAGE THE REST OF THE BROADER NATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT CARES ABOUT THIS IN A COMMUNITY UNIQUE LIKE SAN ANTONIO. UM, CITY OF OUR SIZE WAS SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT STILL LACKED THE ADEQUATE BROADBAND CAPABILITY. AND SO IT WAS INTERESTING, SOMEONE THAT I DID NOT KNOW WAS TRACKING IN THIS WAS, AND THEN REALLY ECHOED SOME OF WHAT DAN WAS SAYING AND WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY, JUST THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTS REALLY ON THE FOUNDATIONS CITY HELPED DEVELOP THROUGH A LOT OF HARD WORK. SO YEAH, GREAT WORK AND EXCITED TO SEE YOU KNOW, WHERE IT GOES. THANK YOU, MR. GARRETT. UM, THIS IS EXCITING, GUYS. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, EXPANSION OF PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, UH, AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL. UM, I THINK THAT THIS CRISIS HAS OPENED THE EYES OF OUR, MANY OF OUR LEGISLATORS WHO IN THE PAST HAVE REALLY NOT TAKEN AN INTEREST IN THIS. UH, WE KNOW THAT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES HAS ALSO WEIGHED IN, UM, AND IS ADVOCATING, UM, AND, UH, REALLY LENDING THEIR FULL THROATED, UH, SUPPORT TO THIS, UM, TO THIS INITIATIVE. AND SO I'M, I'M PROUD OF YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. KEEP UP THE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. UH, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, OH. YES, MR. DILLARD. GO AHEAD. SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION ONE LAST THING. UH, I WANNA GIVE MAJOR APPLAUSE TO CANARIA. UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S, SHE'S TAKEN THIS ON WITH, WITH JOHN RODRIGUEZ AND THE WHOLE TEAM. I S I T S D, UH, CANDALARIA ACTUALLY WON A CHANGE MAKER AWARD FROM NEXT CENTURY CITIES FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE ON DIGITAL INCLUSION OVERALL. UH, DURING, THERE YOU GO. CANARIA VERY PROUD TO ALBERT TEAMMATE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. EVERYBODY BE MORE LIKE CANDELARIA. OKAY. UM, ALRIGHT GUYS, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, OUR MEETING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THIS WAS A QUICK ONE. UM, WE'LL HAVE MORE, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT TIME. APPRECIATE ALL THE GOOD COMMENTS, EVERYBODY. BE SAFE. WEAR YOUR MASKS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.