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WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION OF SEPTEMBE.
>> COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL WILL NOT BE HERE DUE TO A FLIGHT DELAY.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
[1. Staff presentation on the FY 2019 Proposed Budget focusing on, butnot limited to, the following City Departments: [Sheryl Sculley, CityManager; Justina Tate, Director, Management and Budget]A. Historic PreservationB. Municipal CourtC. Administration of the City]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION ON OUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE THREE DEPARTMENTS TODAY, SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH CITY MANAGER SCULLEY.
>> SCULLEY: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE HOPE EVERYONE HAD A SAFE LABOR DAY WEEKEND.
TODAY IS THE SEVENTH BUDGET WORK SESSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE DEPARTMENTS ARE PRESENTING THEIR PROPOSED BUDGETS.
SO THIS AFTERNOON WE'LL COVER THREE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS TO THEN AS A GROUP WE WILL CONSIDER THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, AND SOME GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION FROM JUDGE BULL TALKING ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS SO THAT HE CAN GET BACK TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND HIS PRESIDING DUTIES.
AND THEN WE WILL HANDLE THE OTHER THREE PRESENTATIONS.
AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS AS A GROUP FOR THOSE REMAINING DEPARTMENTS.
OUR FINAL BUDGET WORK SESSION IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW AT 2:00 P.M. WHERE WE WILL TALK ABOUT BUDGET AMENDMENTS, AND MARIA VILLAGOMEZ WILL BE DISTRIBUTING A MEMO THAT SUMMARIZES WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM YOU ALL IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION OF ISSUES WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE'LL DISTRIBUTE THAT TODAY SO YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO STUDY THAT BEFORE OUR CONVERSATION TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
AND THEN TOMORROW EVENING WE'LL HOLD OUR FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
WE ARE NO PROPOSING A CHANGE IN THE TAX RATE.
NO INCREASE AND NO JUDGMENT, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON DELEGATE AGENCIES.
YOU KNOW THAT WE DID THE FIRST HALF OF THOSE DELEGATE AGENCIES LAST WEEK.
AND TOMORROW EVENING WE'LL CONSIDER THE BALANCE OF THOSE.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO PRESIDING JUDGE JOHN BULL FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL COURT BUDGET.
WE HAVE ALL THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT HERE TODAY.
SO THE SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL COURT, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ADMINISTERING FAIR, EFFICIENT, JUSTICE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART CONSISTS OF THE JUDICIARY, MAGISTRATE, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
TODAY I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME ON MAGISTRATION BECAUSE OF SOME CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.
THIS PAST YEAR THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SENATE AND HOUSE TOOK UP A NUMBER OF ISSUES IN RESPONSE SO FERGUSON.
AND THEY'VE CHANGED A LOT OF THE PROCESSES AND THE WAY COURTS OPERATE.
THE KIND OF FREE AND EASY ISSUING WARRANTS AND COMPLIANCE, AND WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS OR HAVEN'T DONE IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
COMMITTING PEOPLE TO JAIL ON TICKETS.
MOST ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WERE LOOKED AT AND THEY PUT A LOT OF CHECKS AND BALANCES AND STOPS IN THAT PROCESS.
WE PRETTY MUCH AT THE COURT NOW -- AND WE HAD KIND OF MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION ANYWAY IN ADVANCE OF THE LEGISLATION, WE HAVE TO GET A NOTIFICATION PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A WARRANT FOR BOTH FAILURE TO APPEAR AND A PAYMENT DEFAULT.
SO ANY TIME A PERSON DOESN'T APPEAR, MISSES A COURT DATE, MISSES A PAYMENT THAT THEY'RE OBLIGATED TO MAKE, WE DON'T ISSUE ANY WARRANTS AND WE SEND OUT NOTICES.
WE EVEN MAKE PHONE CALLS TO CONTACT PEOPLE TO TRY TO GET THEM IN COMPLIANCE AND LET THEM KNOW TO COME IN.
WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE ABILITY TO
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PAY ASSESSMENTS BY BOTH THE JUDGE AND COURT STAFF WHEN THEY COME IN.I'M GOING TO LET FRED TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SECURITY BILL.
AS PART OF THE LAST LEGISLATIVE TERM, THE LEGISLATURE HAD PASSED SENATE BILL 42.
THAT WAS THE RESULT OF AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT REQUIRED THE TEXAS JUDICIAL COUNCIL TO KIND OF STUDY THE SECURITY SETUP FOR COURTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THAT RECOMMENDATION CAME BACK AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOME SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES IN SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THE LAST SESSION MANDATED SOME CHANGES TO THE LAW.
AND ONE OF THOSE CHANGES WAS THAT THE COURT NEEDED TO ESTABLISH A COURT SECURITY COMMITTEE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF BY THE PRESIDING JUDGE WHO CAN ESTABLISH DESIGNEES.
ONE OF OUR FULL-TIME JUDGES WAS OVERSEER OF THAT COMMITTEE.
THAT COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF SOMEONE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE DAY-TO-DAY COURT SECURITY PROGRAM, WHICH IS OUR BAILIFF.
WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, A CAPTAIN, THAT GAVE INSIGHT.
THAT COMMITTEE MET SEVERAL TIMES AND CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR COURT SECURITY.
SOME OF THOSE WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR WAS THE COURT SECURITY POLICY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED WITH A STUDY WITH WHAT WE WERE LACKING IN OUR COURTHOUSE.
ALSO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF SENATE BILL 42 WAS TO CREATE A -- TO HAVE EVERY PEACE OFFICER OR STAFF THAT WORKED COURT SECURITY TO PASS OR TO TAKE A COURT SECURITY OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAM.
SO THAT WAS COMPLETED BY OUR BAILIFFS THIS PAST YEAR.
SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN FISCAL YEAR '19, UPGRADING OUR DURESS SYSTEM.
WE HAVE A DURESS SYSTEM CURRENTLY.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUTDATED, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING THAT.
ALSO INCREASING CAMERA AND SECURITY MEASURES AROUND THE COURT.
OF COURSE BEEF UP OUR SECURITY PRESENCE.
>> THIS PAST YEAR OUR COURT WAS THE ONLY LARGE COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT RECEIVED A JUVENILE CASE MANAGER TRUANCY PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION GRANT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE ENDEAVORS SINCE 2010.
WE CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FILINGS AND OUR PROGRAM IS COMMUNITY-BASED.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY COURTHOUSE-BASED.
SO UNDER THE GRANT WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS THAT WORK AT THE SCHOOLS, THAT CASE MANAGE KIDS THAT ARE HAVING ATTENDANCE PROBLEMS. WE WERE ABLE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 15 CASE MANAGERS -- OR 17.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ALL OUT IN THE FIELD.
AND THEY'RE ALL OUT IN THE FIELD WORKING WITH KIDS.
THE JUDGES, INCLUDING MYSELF, WE DO ATTENDANCE FORUMS AT THE CAMPUSES.
WE MAKE IT A POINT TO KIND OF GET THE IMPRESSION OUT THERE THAT THE COURT'S NOT OUT THERE TO HIT YOU IN THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER.
THE COURT'S THERE TO ASSIST, FIND OUT WHAT THE IMPEDIMENTS TO ATTENDANCE ARE.
WE DO WHAT ARE CALLED MEDIATION DOCKETS, WHICH IS A DEFERRAL PROCESS.
BUT THAT'S WHEN IT'S RAISED TO SUCH A LEVEL THAT WE WANT THE FAMILY TO ACTUALLY COME TO COURT IN A FORMAL COURT SETTING WHERE WE MAY ADD ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS ON TOP OF WHATEVER IT IS THE JUVENILE CASE MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED.
SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF YOU AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, PARTICULARLY REBECCA FLORES, ON A YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CONCEPT.
THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN 25 CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE WENT TO TOUR TUCSON IN PHOENIX AND SAW TWO DIFFERENT MODELS.
THE CONCEPT IS BASICALLY THAT YOU HAVE A GROUP OF THE POPULATION THAT BETWEEN 16 AND 24 THAT ARE NOT IN SCHOOL AND NOT WORKING.
IRONICALLY, AS WE WERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, REBECCA AND I BOTH WERE INVITED TO A LISTENING SESSION WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS.
AND SO WE'RE AT THAT MEETING ALONG WITH LIKE DR. WOODS AND
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COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.THERE WAS A GROUP OF ABOUT 20 INVITED.
THE PRESENTATION WAS PUT ON BY THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK AND J.P. MORGAN CHASE.
SO THEY WERE MEETING WITH US TO SAY, HEY, WE DIDN'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM.
AND FORTUNATELY REBECCA AND I COULD TELL THEM WE WERE ALREADY WORKING ON IT.
THEY PROVIDED US A STUDY THAT SAN ANTONIO IS AT THE BOTTOM ON, WELL, I WOULD SAY WE'RE THE FIFTH HIGHEST IN DISENGAGED YOUTH IN THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THEY ESTIMATE THAT NUMBER BETWEEN 35 AND 40,000 KIDS.
THE GOAL, AND WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES ON THIS.
THE GOAL OF THE REENGAGEMENT CENTER OUTREACH, REFERRAL, TRY TO GET AS MANY OF THOSE KIDS RECONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM SOMEHOW.
AND IT INCLUDES SEVERAL PIECES.
YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PIECE, HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENT, JOB SKILLS TRAINING, ANY OF THESE THINGS.
SO WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY TO DO THAT.
I THINK FRED CAN TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUE, IF YOU WANT TO.
>> SO WITH REGARD TO THE MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC SAFETY, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO FOCUS ON IS TO INCREASE OUR CORPORATE PARTICIPATION.
BOTH PROGRAMS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO KIND OF PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE FEEL THAT THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF OUR CHARGES, ONE OF OUR DUTIES, AS A COURT FOR THE CITY IS TO -- ANY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN IS TO GO AHEAD AND PROMOTE TRAFFIC SAFETY.
SO WITH REGARDS TO OUR -- JUDGE SPOKE ABOUT THE CASE MANAGERS IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE SCHOOL.
WE'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE THAT THIS YEAR SINCE MOST OF OUR CASE MANAGERS HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL, THE FAMILIES, THE STUDENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEM PROMOTE THAT TRAFFIC SAFETY INTO SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY DURING RED RIBBON WEEK, WHICH IS A NATIONAL AWARENESS OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL TOBACCO PREVENTION.
SO WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PILOT OR TRY OUT IN THOSE WEEKS TO KIND OF PROMOTE AWARENESS AND TRAFFIC SAFETY.
OF COURSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CREATE A COMMUNITY INSTANCE OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT VIOLATIONS, RED LIGHT OFFENSES, JUVENILE DUI AND OTHER TRAFFIC FATALITIES.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROMOTE AWARENESS.
>> THE MAGISTRATION OFFICE TRANSITION.
I NEED TO SPEND JUST A LITTLE TIME ON THIS.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE SOME ONE-ON-ONES ABOUT IT.
UP UNTIL 2007 THE CITY JUDGES AND THE CITY PROVIDED THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF MAGISTRATION FOR ALL ARRESTEES IN BEXAR COUNTY.
THAT'S FROM CAPITAL MURDER ALL THE WAY DOWN.
IN 2007 WE TRANSITIONED THE MAGISTRATION FUNCTION TO DROUGHT MAGISTRATES THAT WERE STILL HOUSED AT THE FRANK WING FACILITY.
AND I HAVE TO STRESS, THIS SHOWS MY AGE WHEN I TELL YOU THIS.
SO THE DETENTION CENTER THAT PEOPLE REFER TO AS A MUNICIPAL JAIL IS NOT THAT.
IT IS A PROCESSING CENTER WHERE IF YOU THINK ABOUT AN OFFICER ARRESTS SOMEONE THEY HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE TO WRITE THE REPORT.
SO SOME OF YOU IN HERE WILL REMEMBER BARNEY MILLER.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WERE IN THE STATION HOUSE WRITING THE REPORT AND THE GUY'S IN THE CELL TALKING TO THEM THE WHOLE TIME.
THAT'S WHAT FRANK WING WAS INTENDED TO DO.
IT WAS GENIUS WHEN THEY CREATED IT IN '87 BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE ARRESTING AGENCIES IN BEXAR COUNTY COULD TAKE ARRESTEES TO THAT FACILITY, HAVE THEM HELD.
THE INDIVIDUAL WAS MAGISTRATED AND THEN THEY WERE SENT TO THE COUNTY.
AND THAT WAS A VERY SHORT PROCESS.
THAT WAS LIKE AN EIGHT TO TEN-HOUR PROCESS.
THEN THE FIRST PART OF THE TRANSITION WAS THEY BROUGHT IN [INDISCERNIBLE] FROM THE COUNTY, PR BONDS THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BOND OUT ON NON-VIOLENT MISDEMEANORS.
AND EVEN THEN THE HOLDING PERIOD ONLY EXTENDED TO 12 HOURS AND THAT WAS IN RARE SITUATIONS.
SINCE WE TRANSFERRED THE SITUATION TO COUNTY, THE FACILITY IS BEING USED AS A JAIL ANNEX TO HOLD PEOPLE UP TO 18
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AND 20 HOURS.AND I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN WHAT'S SAID ON THE NEWS OR WHATEVER.
IT DOES NOT AND SHOULD NOT MEET JAIL STANDARDS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT INTENDED TO HOLD PEOPLE FOR LONGER THAN EIGHT TO TEN HOURS.
FORT WORTH, DALLAS, HOUSTON, AND AUSTIN HAVE ALL GOTTEN THEMSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE THEY ARE HAVING TO PAY BETWEEN $6 MILLION AND $10 MILLION AS A LINE ITEM IN THEIR BUDGET SO THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN TAKE THEIR ARRESTEES TO THE COUNTY JAIL BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN MAGISTRATED YET.
THE NEW FACILITY THAT THE COUNTY HAS BUILT THAT THEY WANTED PD TO UTILIZE WOULD COME WITH IT AN OBLIGATION ON THE CITY TO BEAR THE EXPENSE OF WHAT I HEARD THE OTHER DAY WHEN I TOURED THE FACILITY WAS UP TO HALF OF THE OPERATING COSTS, INCLUDING OFFICER OVERTIME FOR DEPUTIES IN THAT FACILITY, WHICH THEY INTEND TO HOLD PEOPLE IN FOR UP TO 72 HOURS.
AND THEY'VE GOTTEN APPROVAL TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, THERE IS SUCH A STRUCTURE.
AND IT'S A NICE FACILITY, BUT WHEN I TOURED THE FACILITY, HAVING BEEN THE MIDNIGHT MAGISTRATE FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE I WAS APPOINTED PRESIDING, IT HAS ONE DOOR THAT THE OFFICER WALKS INTO WITH THE ARRESTED PERSON, AND THERE'S A ROOM ABOUT THE SIZE OF MY OFFICE.
WHICH LOOKS GREAT IF EVERYBODY COMING IN THERE IS NOT INTOXICATED, DOCILE AS A LAMB, HAS NO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
IT ISN'T 2:00 IN THE MORNING WHEN THERE'S 20 OFFICERS SHOWING UP AT ONE TIME.
SO IT'S NOT A VIABLE OPTION AT THIS TIME.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE CHIEF AND WE'VE AGREED THAT THE CITY JUDGES CAN TAKE BACK OVER THE ROLE OF MAGISTRATION.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN WOULD BE THAT ONCE THEY'VE BEEN MAGISTRATED AND THE JUDGE, THE KEY IS A COMMITMENT ORDER.
ONCE THE JUDGE SIGNS A COMMITMENT ORDER THE COUNTY HAS TO TAKE THEM.
AND THEY CAN'T CHARGE US FOR TAKING THEM.
AND THAT'S WHETHER IT'S AT BEXAR COUNTY JAIL OR THE NEW FACILITY.
SO WE HAVE GEARED UP AND PREPARED TO START MAGISTRATION OCTOBER 15TH.
MY DAUGHTER GETS MARRIED OCTOBEO MIDNIGHT FOR TWO MONTHS STARTING OCTOBER TO GET THIS THING STARTED.
BUT I WANTED, SINCE MOST EVERYBODY'S HERE, I WANTED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
IT'S AN ISSUE OF A LINE ITEM IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO PAY FOR OPERATING COSTS OF THAT FACILITY,NE.
AND, NUMBER TWO, TYING UP OFFICERS AT THE FRONT DOOR WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KIND OF HOLD THE HAND OF THEIR ARRESTEE UNTIL THEY GET PROCESSED IN THE NEW FACILITY, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT OUT ON THE STREET.
AND THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS AT FRANK WING AT THE MOMENT IS THEY BRING THEM IN, THEY TURN THEM OVER TO STAFF, THEY'RE PUT IN A CELL, THE COP TURNS IN THEIR PAPERWORK, THE JUDGE REVIEWS IT, THE JUDGE MAGISTRATE SETS A BOND AND THEY'RE OUT.
I HAVE TALKED TO THE JUDGE AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM ABOUT HOUSTON JUST GOT SUED ABOUT BOND PRACTICES, SO THAT'S THE NEXT THING ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS BAIL REFORM.
AND SO WE'RE CERTAINLY WORKING TO IF WE'RE GOING TO MAGISTRATE WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO FALL WITHIN THE LAW OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO JAIL THAT DON'T NEED TO BE IN JAIL.
OR PEOPLE THAT ARE MENTALLY ILL OR GOING THAT DIRECTION AND NOT INTO THE JAIL.
OR PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE A CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY PROBLEM ARE RELEASED ON A CONDITIONAL BOND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO THE DETOX FACILITY OR SOMETHING.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS TO KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS WHERE WE CERTAINLY CAN ASSIST THE COUNTY IN THEIR JAIL POPULATION PROBLEMS. BUT OVERALL, THAT CURRENT FACILITY AND PROCESS THAT THEY WERE ROLLING OUT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S VIABLE FOR SAPD.
>> OUR LAST SLIDE IS OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR '19, PROPOSED BUDGET IS $14.95 MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, MOST OF THAT MAKE UP IS THE GENERAL FUND.
MANAGED A SECURITY FUND, A TECHNOLOGY FUND, AND A JUVENILE CASE MANAGER FUND.
THOSE FUNDS ARE THE MONEY COLLECTED ON TICKETS KIND OF IS
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THE SOURCE OF THOSE FUNDS.THERE'S A $5 COURT COST FOR THE JUVENILE CASE MANAGER FUND.
A $4 FEE FOR TECHNOLOGY FUND, AND A $3 FEE FOR THE SECURITY FUND.
THE JUVENILE CASE MANAGER FUND, THE MONEY THAT'S IN THAT BUDGET, THAT'S PROPOSED FOR $1.32 MILLION PAYS FOR OUR JUVENILE CASE MANAGERS.
THOSE ONES THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOLS DOING THE WORK FOR TRUANCY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. OUR SECURITY FUND PAYS FOR OUR COURT BAILIFFS.
WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT SECURITY AT THE BUILDING.
THAT PAYS FOR -- IT OFFSETS THE PERSONNEL COSTS FOR OUR BAILIFFS.
THE TECHNOLOGY FUND MONEY IS USED FOR OUR CASE MANAGER SYSTEM.
WE PAY FOR OUR OWN CASE MANAGER SYSTEM FROM THAT TECHNOLOGY FUND.
WE HAVE BEEN USING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
ALSO PROPOSED IS A GRANT FOR $.94 MILLION.
WE REAPPLIED FOR THE TRUANCY INTERVENTION GRANT.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S BEEN APPROVED OR NOT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION AND WE'LL BE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, FRED AND THANK YOU, JUDGE BULL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION ON THE MAGISTRATE AS WELL, THE PROCESS.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER.
SO ALSO APPRECIATE WALKING THROUGH THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THAT.
MY ONLY QUESTION IS SOMETHING YOU TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY AS IT RELATES TO THE MAGISTRATE TRANSITION.
AND WITH ALL THE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR JAIL DIVERSION YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THEM, MENTAL HEALTH, DETOX, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THE COURT LEVEL TO PREPARE FOR THAT AS YOU TAKE ON THESE ADDITIONAL CASES?
>> SO THE MUNICIPAL COURT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ADDED SOME JUDGES.
WE ACTUALLY GOT ONE FROM THE COUNTY CAME OVER TO OUR SIDE.
AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PART-TIME JUDGES.
SOME HAVE WORKED THE MAGISTRATION PROCESS, SOME HAVE NOT.
FRED IS IN THE PROCESS AND MYSELF AND A COUPLE OF THE OTHER JUDGES ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING STAFF.
IT'S NOT A SUPER DIFFICULT PROCESS, BUT IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROCESS.
BECAUSE WE'RE BACK THERE, WE'LL BE SIGNING ALL THE ARREST WARRANTS FROM PD, SEARCH WARRANTS, EMERGENCY PROTECTION ORDERS, EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDERS, ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE'VE -- I HAVE MET WITH MIKE LAZIDO AND TOLD HIM TO THE EXTENT THAT THE PEOPLE ARE GOING OVER TO THE FACILITY THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ON THE BONDS THAT IMMEDIATELY ALLOW THEM TO BE PROCESSED IN THE DIRECTION OF DIVERSION, RATHER THAN GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE CELLS.
SO AND I THINK MOST OF THE JUDGES ARE ON BOARD WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S HELPFUL -- NOT FOR HOUSTON, BUT IT'S HELPFUL THAT HOUSTON GOT SUED AND THEY'VE COME DOWN AND BASICALLY SAID NOBODY SHOULD BE IN JAIL ON A NON-VIOLENT MISDEMEANOR LONGER THAN 48 HOURS.
TO THE EXTENT THAT IT GETS IMPLEMENTED, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WORK ON OUR END.
I THINK THE WHOLE POINT IS THEY'VE ELIMINATED BOND GUIDELINES AND WHAT THE LAW HAS ALWAYS ENVISIONED IS A FAIR AND DETACHED MAGISTRATE.
I'M SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT THE SEARCH WARRANT.
I'M SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT THE CHARGE AND CALL IT THE WAY I SEE IT.
AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THAT -- THE WHOLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS STARTS AT MAGISTRATION.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT'S COME UP RECENTLY WAS JUDGE WOLFF HAD CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF WE WERE AMENABLE TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE BEING PRESENT FOR THE MAGISTRATION PROCESS.
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
WE'RE NOT APPOINTING THEM TO REPRESENT ANYBODY BUT THEY ARE THERE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO HELP WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSIONS AND SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE LET THEM KNOW ON MY END THAT WE DO WANT TO WORK WITH THEM.
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
YOU'VE MENTIONED VOLUME BEING AN ISSUE AND WITH THE NEW APPOINTMENTS YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S COMING UNDER CONTROL?
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE IT SINCE WE PUT SOME EFFICIENCIES IN PLACE BACK WHEN WE WORKED WITH INNOVATION AND REFORM.
WE OPERATE DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE OTHER LARGE COURTS.
FRED AND I JUST RETURNED FROM A MEETING IN AUSTIN WITH THE BIG SIX PRESIDING JUDGES AND STAFF.
AND ALL OF THEM WERE ASKING US, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.
HOW DO Y'ALL DO THAT? BECAUSE WE DON'T BRING PART-TIMES OVER TO FILL IN FOR A JUDGE THAT'S OUT FULL TIME.
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ONE JUDGE SHIFTS OVER.THEY'LL JUST COVER EACH OTHER'S DOCKETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S A FOREIGN CONCEPT IN LIKE HOUSTON, DALLAS, AND AUSTIN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU, GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
>> SHAW: YOU MENTIONED THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE BEING WITH THE MAG IN TERMS OF IN AUDIO].
>> THAT'S ALL WITH THE DISTRICT AND COUNTY COURT JUDGES ON THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
>> THAT'S PROBABLY PART OF IT BECAUSE I HAD MET WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND HAD MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, BUT I DID MENTION THE FACT THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED THEIR ASSISTANCE ON SOME THINGS THAT COME UP TIME TO TIME AT MUNICIPAL COURT.
IN THE PAST, SEVERAL OF US HAVE APPOINTED JUDGES -- I MEAN, HAVE APPOINTED ATTORNEYS WHEN WE WERE PRESENTED WITH SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT REQUIRED IT.
THERE WASN'T A MECHANISM TO PAY THE LAWYER SO IT WOULD JUST COME OUT OF THE COURT'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
>> SHAW: AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH, MAYBE EVEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR OTHER ISSUES WHEN THEY PLEAD TO A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR --
>> WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE ST. MARY'S LEGAL CLINIC, PARTICULARLY ON HOMELESS ISSUES AND MENTAL HEALTH.
THEY COME OVER PRETTY REGULARLY WITH THEIR LAW STUDENTS AND ARE VERY HELPFUL.
THEY'VE NEVER NOT SHOWN UP WHEN WE NEEDED THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
LET ME ASK IN YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET DOES THIS INCLUDE MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY?
THAT IS HANDLED BY BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES.
AND JORGE PEREZ IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, I JUST WAS LOOKING FOR A GENERAL --
>> SCULLEY: THE AMOUNT IS BUDGETED BUT IT'S MANAGED BY BES.
SO THE AMOUNT FOR DOING WORK IS THERE IN THE BUDGET BUT IT'S MANAGED BY JORGE IN BUILDING EQUIPMENT.
>> GONZALES: SO OF THIS 11.2, HOW MUCH GOES TO MAINTAINING THE PHYSICAL FACILITY? MAYBE JORGE NEEDS TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
>> SCULLEY: WE'LL PULL THAT NUMBER FOR YOU.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
HOPEFULLY BEFORE WE FINISH, NOW YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW MUCH GOES TO MAINTAINING THE FACILITY.
BECAUSE IT IS SHOWING ITS AGE.
ISN'T IT -- HOW MANY? 40 YEARS OLD, MAYBE?
>> ALL I KNOW IS IT'S COLD WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE AND IT'S HOT WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE.
>> GONZALES: I'M SURE SOMEBODY KNOWS HOW OLD THE BUILDING IS.
JUST LIKE A LOT OF OUR BUILDINGS, THEY REQUIRE UPDATING AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT ENERGY EFFICIENT.
IT PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE -- IT'S PROBABLY NOT UP TO CODE OF THE LATEST STANDARDS.
BUT WE'LL SEE, I GUESS, WHEN WE GET THE REPORT.
BUT I JUST AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE EXPENSE IF IT'S INCLUDED AS PART OF YOUR TOTAL BUDGET IF IT SHOULD ACTUALLY PERHAPS BE IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY SO WE GET A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF HOW MUCH IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN YOUR -- THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE.
BECAUSE OF COURSE I KNOW MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU SPEND THE MAJORITY OF YOUR TIME SERVICING CUSTOMERS, HELPING ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT.
AND SO COULD YOU ALSO JUST ADDRESS THE FUNDING OF THAT? I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE PRIORITY.
I'M GLAD TO SEE US AS A CITY REALLY TAKING THIS ON.
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT -- I MEAN, I HAVE FELT IN MY COMMUNITY BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE SOME OF THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY WITH THE DISENGAGED YOUTH.
DEFINITELY IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I NOTICED ANECDOTALLY BUT WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THE VERY HIGH NUMBERS.
AND THEN WHEN WE WERE GIVEN OUR PRESENTATION FROM THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL 300 AND SOMETHING -- 363 MAYBE TOWARDS DISENGAGED YOUTH.
WHAT PART OF YOUR BUDGET IS GOING TO THAT? IS THAT TWO POTS OF MONEY GOING TO DISENGAGED YOUTH?
>> IT WAS ACTUALLY A COLLABORATIVE OF ABOUT SIX DEPARTMENTS.
SO PARKS, LIBRARY, HEALTH, SAPD, THE COURT --
>> YEAH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE ALL MET REGULARLY TO DISCUSS HOW WE WERE GOING TO ROLL IT OUT.
THE PRIMARY BUDGET FOR IT IS COMING OUT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
THE COURT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME STAFF FROM OUR JUVENILE CASE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
BUT EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER HUMAN
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SERVICES, IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HADN'T DISCUSSED WAS IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CENTER AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MANAGER THAT'S EMPLOYED BY THE CITY, NOT EMPLOYED BY ONE OF THE NONPROFITS, THEN THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE GOOD THAT THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT KIND OF MASTER MINDED THIS WHOLE DEAL, WHICH WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
>> SCULLEY: MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S BUDGETED IN THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, $345,000.
WE'LL ALSO USE SOME OF THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES THAT HAVE SERVICES THAT RELATE TO THIS REENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
I THINK THAT TOTALED ABOUT $400,000, CLOSE TO A HALF A MILLION, MARIA JUST SAID, IN SERVICES THAT THIS COMMITTEE, THE GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS.
BUT IT'S BUDGETED IN HUMAN SERVICES AND THEY'RE THE LEAD AGENCY.
THAT'S WHERE REBECCA FLORES IS HOUSED.
AND SO SHE'S OUR LEAD ON THIS PROJECT COORDINATING WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET A TOTAL OF HOW MUCH -- I MEAN JUST QUICK MATH HERE.
$845,000, IS THAT RIGHT, DEDICATED TO THIS DISENGAGED YOUTH OR WORKING WITH --
>> SCULLEY: APPROXIMATELY $850,000.
>> GONZALES: SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THOSE IMPACT.
BECAUSE I IMAGINE IT WILL TAKE TIME TO COLLECT DATA.
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE EVEN IN THE DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH UNITED WAY ON A COMMITTEE AS WELL, IT'S TRYING TO GET NONPROFITS TO THINK A DIFFERENT WAY.
BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A POPULATION THAT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO WORK WITH.
AND THEY'RE GREAT TO WORK WITH WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THEM AND YOU SEE SUCCESS AND ALL THAT.
IT'S TRYING TO GET NONPROFITS TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY'RE THINKING.
IN THE EXAMPLE I ALWAYS GIVE IS WE'LL USE YOUR DISTRICT.
THE WAY YOU WOULD DEFINE AT-RISK YOUTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN BASED ON SOCIOECONOMIC.
AND SO YOU MAY HAVE A KID THAT COMES FROM A POOR FAMILY BUT IT'S IN THE TOP 10% AT LANIER AND HAS SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS AND OFFERS TO GO TO ALL THE RIGHT COLLEGES.
BUT THERE'S THAT BOTTOM 10% THAT ARE DROPPING OUT, THAT ARE 16-YEAR-OLD FRESHMEN AND NOBODY WANTS TO FOCUS ON THEM FROM THE NONPROFIT STANDPOINT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO THROW THEIR SUCCESS NUMBERS OFF.
I MIGHT CHALLENGE YOU ON NOBODY WANTS TO WORK WITH THEM.
>> WE HAVE HAD A REAL CHALLENGE FINDING -- LIKE WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO MALE MENTORING, YOU'VE GOT ZIP.
YOU'VE GOT BIG BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT WILL WORK WITH THEM BUT THERE'S A ONE-YEAR WAITING PERIOD.
SOME OF THE LOCAL NONPROFITS ARE GOOD TO WORK WITH THEM BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A POPULATION OF JUST TO FIND A PROGRAM TO WORK WITH YOUNG BOYS THAT ARE ON THE VERGE.
AND PARTICULARLY WE'VE SEEN ON THE EAST SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE AND THE VIOLENT STUFF, IT'S LIKE THE STUFF WE SEE AT COURT IS THE BEST MENTORING THING GOING RIGHT NOW FOR THAT GROUP ARE THE GANGS.
YOU KNOW, PICK A SIDE OF TOWN.
AND YOU START GETTING 12, 13, 14-YEAR-OLDS SHOWING UP TO COURT WITH THE PLAYBOY BUNNY TATTOOED UNDER THEIR EYE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT COURT.
AND WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PD.
THE SAFE OFFICERS ARE FINDING KIDS ON THE VERGE OF GOING THE GANG ROUTE AND THEY WANT A PLACE TO REFER THEM FOR POSITIVE MENTORING SO THEY DON'T GO THAT WAY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT -- I MEAN, I'M NOT CHALLENGING YOU ON IT.
AT OUR LEVEL WHEN I'VE GOT A KID THAT'S GOT ALL THESE PROBLEMS IT'S REALLY HARD TO FIND SOMEBODY UNLESS I PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL MY BROTHER-IN-LAW JAVIER AND SAY, HEY, WOULD YOU HELP THIS KID GET REREGISTERED AT SAISD OR WHATEVER.
SO IT'S A CHALLENGE TO FIND THAT.
>> GONZALES: WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING I KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL VERY INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING HERE AT THE CITY BECAUSE OF COURSE IT'S OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.
THEY'RE OUR CHILDREN AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY OF MINE AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ALSO ABOUT WORKFORCE INITIATIVES.
SO I WAS TRYING TO WORK IN THE DISTRICT WITH SOME NONPROFITS
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WHO WOULD BE DOING SORT OF THE WORK, GETTING STUDENTS WORKING OR A PROGRAM THAT WOULD GIVE THEM CERTIFICATIONS BUT THEN A DIRECT PATH TO WORK.SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S A HIGH PRIORITY FOR US HERE AT THE CITY.
AND I GUESS THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE REGARDING -- OR MAYBE IT'S NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION FOR YOU BUT IT'S MORE OF A STATEMENT.
I KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY DISTRICT WE HAVE SAN ANTONIO CAN, WHICH IS A HIGH SCHOOL FOR OVER-AGED YOUTH.
AND I FEEL LIKE THOSE KIDS ARE RIGHT ON TRACK IN TERMS OF STAYING IN SCHOOL.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY GOT OFF TRACK AT AN EARLY AGE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO COME BACK BUT THEY'RE TOO OLD TO GO INTO THEIR CLASSROOM.
SO I VISIT THERE OFTEN AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO THERE.
YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THE KIDS FOCUSED AND PRODUCTIVE LEARNERS.
AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE THERE IS IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL AND HOPEFULLY CONNECTED TO WORKFORCE OR JOBS OR ADDITIONAL SCHOOLING OR WHATEVER.
>> AND ONE THING I WOULD SAY, HAVING BEEN TO HER FACILITY, IF YOU COULD CLONE PATTY RATEL AND EXPAND HER ALL OVER THE CITY AND GROW THE AGES THAT THEY SERVE.
LIKE I'LL GO SEE HER EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE OR HER FACILITY IN THE SUMMER WITH ALL THOSE KIDS THERE, AND IT'S JUST LIKE THAT'S WHAT I ENVISION IS THESE COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THOSE FAMILIES.
THEY KNOW IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO GO AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT I TRIED TO TALK HER INTO GETTING INTO THE REENGAGEMENT.
>> GONZALES: THAT SEEMS TO BE A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR US.
OF COURSE I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THAT OF THE STUDENTS THAT LEFT ISD IN 2016, I THINK IT WAS, 65% OF THEM WERE FROM LANIER.
SO IT'S A REAL PROBLEM IN MY DISTRICT.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THAT SOON ENOUGH.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
JUDGE, I JUST ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER AND TAKING A TOUR OF THE FRANK GARRETT CENTER AS A VIABLE OPTION TO LOCATE IT ON SITE THERE.
I THINK A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AROUND WESTIN PARK ARE THRILLED AND WANT TO EMBRACE THIS CONCEPT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND I DO WANT TO HAVE -- I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THE STATISTICS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT.
YOU SAID THAT THERE'S ABOUT 35,000 DISENGAGED YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY ALL THE WAY UP TO 24.
SO WHAT'S THE CUTOFF IN HOW WE REENGAGE SOME OF THESE KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL? IS IT ALL THE WAY UP TO 24 YEARS OLD?
>> I MEAN, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
SO I'M WORKING IN TRAFFIC COURT AND I'LL DO THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK.
WE'RE AVERAGING -- I'M AVERAGING FOUR REFERRALS TO VICTOR, WHO IS OUR CASE MANAGER ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE JUVENILES ON 19, 20, 21, 22-YEAR-OLDS COMING INTO COURT THAT HAVE NO DRIVER'S LICENSE, NO INSURANCE, NO JOB AND THEY DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL.
AND I SEND THEM TO VICTOR AND HE GETS THEM HOOKED UP WITH JOB CORPS.
HE JUST HAS A LIST OF OPTIONS THAT HE CAN GIVE THEM.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT FRANK GARRETT, REBECCA HAD SENT ME AN E-MAIL BECAUSE SHE WAS THERE TOURING IT TOO AND A KID SHOWED UP AT THE FRONT DOOR AND ASKED DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW I CAN GET A GED.
AND SHE JUST LAUGHED BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE.
AT 16 WE CAN GET THE REFERRAL FROM THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE US WHAT ARE CALLED LEVER LISTS.
AND THAT'S THE KIDS THAT WERE ENROLLED IN SEPTEMBER THAT DISAPPEARED IN THE FALL.
AND SO WE GET THE CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE HAVE AN MOU AND THEN WE TRY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE KIDS TO FIND OUT IF WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION FOR THEM.
I WANT YOU TO LET US KNOW WHAT MORE WE CAN DO TO HELP.
WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THIS THING STARTED.
AND I THINK THAT TO GET THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER AT FRANK GARRETT IS A HUGE PLUS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE WORK IS JUST BEGINNING.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU CAN LET US KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.
YOU SAID THERE WERE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT, SO WE KNOW THIS IS A HEAVY LIFT AND WE LOOK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER.
ONE OTHER QUESTION AS WE'RE GETTING READY TO COME INTO THE FALL SEASON AND THEN WINTER SOON.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE
[00:40:01]
SEE A LOT IS A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE ELEMENTS AND FINDING THEMSELVES UTILIZING OUR COURT SYSTEM TO MAYBE SEEK SHELTER.TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
>> THIS KIND OF FITS WITH WHAT MAYOR NIRENBERG WAS ASKING ME ABOUT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING I'VE WORKED WITH PD FOR YEARS.
BUT WE HAVE CHALLENGES AT THE COUNTY LEVEL BECAUSE ONE OF THE LEGAL PROCESSES THAT HAS BEEN GROSSLY UNDERUSED HAS BEEN THE EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDER, WHICH IS A CIVIL PROCESS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE EITHER MENTALLY ILL OR HAVE A CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THE POLICE HAVE BEEN BOXED IN TO WHERE THEY CAN ONLY WRITE TICKETS OR WHATEVER.
I HAVE WORKED WITH OSCAR CASEN ON GOING A CIVIL COMMITMENT PROCESS.
AND WHAT THE CIVIL COMMITMENT PROCESS IS THEY ARE TAKEN TO A MEDICAL MENTAL FACILITY AND THEY'RE EVALUATED.
AND THEY'RE HELD FOR 72 HOURS AND THEN THEY REPORT BACK TO THE PROBATE COURT JUDGE.
SO I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF AREAS WHERE WE CAN GET A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE NOW WITH US GETTING BACK INVOLVED IN MAGISTRATION.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS CONSISTENTLY GOING TO BE THE AVAILABILITY OF BEDS, WHETHER THEY'RE MENTAL HEALTH BEDS OR TREATMENT BEDS.
AND THAT'S CONTINUED TO BE AN OBSTACLE.
>> TREVINO: DO WE NEED TO FIND MORE BEDS?
>> WE DO BUT IT'S PRIMARILY A COUNTY FUNCTION WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT MENTAL HEALTH AREA.
AND IT'S FINDING THE BEDS WHERE YOU CAN PUT THEM AND THEN GETTING A COMMITMENT FROM THE PROBATE COURT JUDGES TO DO THAT REVIEW AT 72 HOURS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR THE POLICE AS WELL.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, AS I SAID BEFORE, ON THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER.
THIS ISN'T RELATED TO THE BUDGET DIRECTLY BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME UP TO COUNCIL EARLIER AND I KNOW YOU WERE WORKING ON IT.
AND THAT IS WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE BROUGHT IN ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO RETAIN GUNS, WEAPONS? AND HOW ARE WE REPORTING THAT TO THE STATE? HOW IS THAT PROCESS BEEN DEVELOPED SINCE IT CAME UNLAST YEAR OR EARLIER THIS YEAR ?
>> AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STARTED VOLUNTARY REPORTING OF FAMILY VIOLENCE CONVICTIONS TO THE STATE.
THAT'S NOT A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT FOR MUNICIPAL COURTS.
HOWEVER, ON YOUR SUGGESTION, URGING WE HAVE GONE AHEAD AND DONE THAT.
AND THAT PROVIDES A MECHANISM WHERE NOW A CONVICTION CAN BE SEEN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO POSSIBLY ENHANCE A CHARGE AGAINST AN INDIVIDUAL CHARGED WITH A CLASS A MILLION DOLLAR.
THEY CAN CHARGE IT UP TO A FELONY NOW.
YOU'LL KNOW THIS PERSON HAS PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERS AS A CLASS C ASSAULT .
WE ARE SEEING OTHER CITIES OF THE COURTS ARE LOOKING AT SAN ANTONIO AND WANT TO MODEL THEIR CONVICTION REPORTING AFTER WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AND DESCRIBE AND PLAN ON THAT FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CITIES, HOW WE'RE GETTING THAT DONE.
>> I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT UP REPEATEDLY SINCE I HAVE BEEN AT THE COURT, AND THIS WOULD REQUIRE ACTION FROM SOMEONE.
BUT IRONICALLY DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE IS ENHANCED TO A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR.
YOU GET A SECOND NO INSURANCE TICKET, CLASS B MISDEMEANOR.
THERE'S NO PROVISION IN THE LAW CURRENTLY, AND I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT, WELL, IF IT'S A FAMILY ASSAULT, EVEN IF IT'S CLASS C BUT YOU HAVE THE FAMILY ELEMENT, WHY HASN'T ANYBODY EVER LOBBIED TO HAVE THAT AUTOMATICALLY BE A B? LIKE IT GOES OVER TO THE COUNTY WHERE THEY DEAL WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'RE STILL JUST A MUNICIPAL COURT AND WE DEAL WITH CLASS C MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PROACTIVE THAT WHATEVER -- I MEAN, APPLESEED WILL GO THE OTHER WAY AND GET A LOT OF REFORMS PASSED IN EDUCATION IN
[00:45:01]
MUNICIPAL COURT.BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THERE WOULD BE SOME RIGHTS ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT WOULD ADVOCATE FOR AN AUTOMATIC ENHANCEMENT IF IT INVOLVES A FAMILY MEMBER, AND THEN YOU'RE GETTING INTO THAT MORE SERIOUS RANGE WHERE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY DEALING WITH THOSE TYPES OF OFFENSES.
>> COURAGE: IS IT STILL A STANDARD PRACTICE THAT ANYONE WHO IS BROUGHT TO THE COURT CONVICTED OR ACCUSED OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IS TOLD THEY MAY NOT POSSESS A GUN?
>> THEY ARE ALL PROVIDED -- AND I IMPLEMENTED THOSE WHEN I FIRST GOT APPOINTED IN '99 AND I WAS PUT IN THAT COURT.
I HAD MADE THEM CREATE ADMONISHMENTS THAT THEY HAD TO PROVIDE THEM THAT YOU CAN LOSE THIS RIGHT, THIS RIGHT, THIS RIGHT.
AND THEN I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTCOME IF IT'S A DEFERRED DISPOSITION PROBATION VERSUS A STRAIGHT CONVICTION, WHICH IS THEY DON'T COMPLY WITH WHATEVER THEY ARE ORDERED TO DO.
>> COURAGE: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE CONVICTED THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO OWN OR POSSESS A WEAPON.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT THE COURT WAS DOING ON THAT.
>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
YOU'RE VERY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO.
CONGRATULATIONS ON DOING PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS THAT MUNICIPALITY HAS TO FUNCTION.
EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO HAS PIZAZZ AND SHINY AND NEW AND IT'S NOT AS FUN AS PARKS.
YOU DEAL OFTENTIMES WITH PEOPLE'S WORST STORIES AND YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST AT MAKING SURE THOSE STORIES AREN'T AS TERRIBLE AS THEY COULD BE.
THAT SAID, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
I JUST DON'T LIKE YOUR BUILDING.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU DON'T LIKE IT EITHER.
AND SO THAT'S LESS OF A QUESTION FOR YOU.
I MEAN, YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE RESOURCES GIVEN TO YOU.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO ME WE'RE SPENDING $40 MILLION TO RENOVATE CITY HALL AND VERY FEW SAN ANTONIANS WALK THROUGH THERE COMPARED TO WHAT REALLY PROBABLY IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, RIGHT? THE ONE WHERE THOUSANDS OF SAN ANTONIANS WALK IN THERE.
AND THAT BUILDING IS AN EYESORE AND IT'S AN UGLY EXPERIENCE TO WALK THROUGH THERE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING THERE FOR REASONS YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO BE IN THERE BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE THE BUILDING'S DOING WHAT WE WANT IT TO DO AS FAR AS COMMUNICATING OUR VALUES, RIGHT? AND SO COUNCILMAN CRUZ SHAW, YOU'VE GOT THIS MUNICIPAL COURT COMMITTEE, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOPICS I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO TAKE UP AND EXPLORE WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO US AS FAR AS -- OR AT LEAST START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT BUILDING'S FUTURE.
SHERYL, I KNOW YOU HAVE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
>> SINCE SHERYL GOT HERE SHE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF AND UNDERSTOOD THAT.
BECAUSE WHAT SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME FROM DAY ONE IS SHE BUILT A NEW COURTHOUSE IN PHOENIX AND IT WAS REALLY PRETTY.
AND I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING CARVED IN OUR ELEVATOR DOOR AT THAT TIME THAT BEGAN WITH AN F AS WE BEGAN RIDING UP AN ELEVATOR.
YEAH, WHEN THEY MOVED THE PROPERTY ROOM OUT -- THIS IS THE OTHER PART EVERYBODY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.
SO THE COURT IS LIKE A SEVEN L.
AND SO YOU HAVE THE DETENTION CENTER BACK HERE AND THEN YOU HAVE MUNICIPAL COURT HERE WITH SOME OFFICES UPSTAIRS.
YOU HAVE OVER 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF JUST VACANT WAREHOUSE SPACE THAT USED TO BE THE PROPERTY ROOM.
SO, I MEAN, THE BUILDING HAS UTILITY FOR SOMEONE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER THE COURT CAN LIVE THERE.
>> SCULLEY: SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT BUILDING A NEW MUNICIPAL COURT OVER THE YEARS.
IT HASN'T BEEN A PRIORITY BUT IT CERTAINLY CAN BE STUDIED AGAIN.
IN FACT, THE JUDGE AND I TOURED THE FORMER FEDERAL RESERVE BUILDING.
>> SCULLEY: WE WERE READY TO GO BUT THE COUNTY WANTED TO PURCHASE IT FOR THEIR USE AND IT WAS ADJACENT TO THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO THEY ENDED UP PURCHASING IT WHEN THE FEDERAL RESERVE BUILT THEIR NEW BUILDING ON THE RIVER WALK.
HAVING SAID THAT, THE FRANK WING BUILDING WAS NOT BUILT AS A COURT.
IT WAS A WAREHOUSE, AN OFFICE WAREHOUSE BUILDING.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS GIVEN, BUT THE CITY PURCHASED IT IN 1980.
SO THE MUNICIPAL COURT HAS BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
THE BUDGET IS ABOUT $1 MILLION.
QUESTION WAS RAISED IN TERMS OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BUILDING.
ONLY ABOUT $225,000 GOES INTO REPAIRS IN THE BUILDING.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE SYSTEMS WORKING BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MAJOR OVERHAUL BUT FOR THE PROPERTY ROOM BEING REMOVED FROM THE BUILDING.
SO WE DID BUILD A NEW PROPERTY
[00:50:01]
ROOM FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT NOW ON THE INTERIOR LOOKS AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED.LOOKS LIKE A HOME DEPOT ON THE INSIDE, BASICALLY.
BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THAT WHEN IT WAS AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
BUT AT SOME POINT WE WILL NEED TO ADDRESS THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
AND, IN FACT, NOW THAT WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH UTSA ABOUT THEIR EXPANSION OF THE DOWNTOWN CAMPUS, THAT PROPERTY IS OF COURSE ADJACENT TO UTSA AND MAY, IN THE FUTURE, BE A PART OF THAT EXPANSION OF THE CAMPUS AS WELL, WHICH GIVES US EVEN FURTHER MOTIVATION TO BE ADDRESSING IT.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROJECT THAT WILL BE IN THE $75 MILLION RANGE.
I MEAN, IT IS A BIG, MAJOR PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, I HOPE SOMEBODY WOULD FACT CHECK ME ON THIS, BUT PRIOR TO 1980 THE HISTORY IS FASCINATING.
THE CITY WAS INCENTIVIZING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
THAT IS WHERE THE BUILDING WAS, THEY WERE MICROPROCESSORS.
THE COMPANY GOES BANKRUPT AND LEAVES THIS INVENTORY TO THE CITY AND IT BECOMES THE FRANK WING BUILDING.
AND I THINK PROBABLY THE FRANK WING FAMILY WOULD BE OKAY WITH YOU MOVING TO A DIFFERENT PLACE BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DEPRESSING PLACE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE SOMEBODY TO FACT CHECK THAT FOR ME.
>> I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NAME, BUT IF YOU GO FURTHER BACK IN HISTORY, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THAT AREA WAS CALLED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HERE.
>> SALDANA: I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT UTSA IS GOING TO DO WITH IT BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE THEY CAN DO SOME MORE INNOVATIVE AND INVITING WORK THAN WHAT'S CURRENTLY THERE.
LET ME SWITCH SUBJECTS TO YOUR TOPIC.
THE JUVENILE CASE MANAGERS, YOU SAID 15 OR 17 CASE MANAGERS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ON WITH THE NEW STATE GRANT.
>> IT WAS 17 AND IT'S DOWN TO 15 NOW.
>> SALDANA: AND WE'RE STILL THE ONLY CITY IN THE STATE WHO IS RECEIVING THAT GRANT?
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE KIND OF THINK THE DELAY IS BECAUSE AFTER WE GOT THE GRANT -- LIKE THEY WERE INUNDATED.
THEY'VE EVEN GOT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE TRYING TO APPLY FOR THAT GRANT.
>> SALDANA: WELL, I THINK CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THAT'S WORTH? WAS IT 1.2?
>> SALDANA: SO I USE THAT NUMBER $1.2 MILLION BECAUSE IT DESCRIBES THE WORK AND INVESTMENT NECESSARY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET A RETURN ON WITH THESE 15 OR 17 INDIVIDUALS.
IT JUST SO HAPPENS I WAS MEETING WITH TWO OF THEM THIS MORNING OVER AT MY DISTRICT AT SOUTH SAN.
AND YOUR WORK AND THE WORK OVER AT MUNICIPAL COURT ENDS UP BEING THE RECEPTACLE FOR EVERYBODY'S CONCEPT OF WHAT THE EASY BUTTON LOOKS LIKE TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OR OUR COMMUNITIES.
IF IT'S PANHANDLING, IF IT'S MINOR DRUG ISSUES, IF THERE'S VIOLENCE, IF THERE'S TRUANCY.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEND THEM TO YOU AND WANTS YOU TO DO ONE THING WITH THEM.
EITHER LOCK THEM UP OR FINE THEM BECAUSE SOMEHOW THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE POVERTY THAT EXISTS AT THIS YOUNG PERSON'S HOME AND THEY'LL ACT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN FINED OR THROWN IN JAIL.
WHAT I'M GRATEFUL FOR IS THAT YOU, IN YOUR TIME, HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REVERSE THAT TREND.
YOUR JUDGES ADMINISTER THE LAW, COME UP WITH THE JUDGMENT.
BUT THE CASE MANAGERS IN THE REENGAGEMENT CENTER IS GOING BEYOND THIS FAUX EASY BUTTON THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT DOESN'T EXIST AROUND SOLVING SOME OF THESE BIG PROBLEMS. AND I'M GRATEFUL NOT ONLY FOR THE FACT THAT WE REORGANIZED OUR JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM TO SATISFY THE CRITERIA FOR THE GRANT, AND THEY AWARDED US WITH THE $1.2 MILLION.
BUT I SEE THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER TO TRY TO GO AFTER THE ROOT CAUSES OF SOME OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE'S FAMILIES AND SOME OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE'S POTENTIAL THAT MAY NOT BE REALIZED IF WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH THEM.
DO YOU FEEL THAT -- BELIEVE ME.
I'M ON YOUR SIDE SO I'M NOT TELLING YOU TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER THAT ISN'T TRUTHFUL.
WILL WE NEED MORE INVESTMENT AFTER THIS YEAR'S INITIAL INVESTMENT OF THE $850,000 FOR THE REENGAGEMENT CENTER?
>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND I COME FROM A FAMILY BUSINESS BACKGROUND.
SO I ALWAYS BELIEVE YOU SPEND ONLY WHAT'S NECESSARY.
SO SAYING THAT I THINK THE PLAN THAT REBECCA AND I WORKED ON
[00:55:02]
TOGETHER, IT WAS PURELY COLLABORATIVE BETWEEN THE TWO OF US.I DON'T THINK WE'VE OVERSHOT THE MARK OR UNDERSHOT THE MARK.
I THINK WE START WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT, LIKE WHEN WE TOURED TUCSON, THEY HAD A FANTASTIC OPERATION.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THE BUDGET FOR THE WHOLE OPERATION WAS SO LOW.
I MEAN, THE GUY THEY HAD RUNNING THEIR CENTER WAS NOT PAID VERY MUCH BUT THEY WERE VERY DEDICATED TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
I THINK TO MAKE THE REENGAGEMENT WORK BEST, AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE AN ONGOING PUBLIC INFORMATION EFFORT OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S ON TV OR THE RADIO OR WHATEVER, TELLING PEOPLE IF YOU WANT TO GET REENGAGED IN THE SYSTEM, GO HERE.
YOU KNOW, AND SO I THINK IT CAN WORK.
IT'S MORE OF A NETWORK PROCESS THAN A BIG FUNDING PROCESS.
IT'S GETTING THE REFERRALS IN AND GETTING THE REFERRALS OUT TO WHERE THEY BEST FIT IN THE PROCESS.
>> SALDANA: WELL, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WHAT CAN BEGIN THIS YEAR WITH THE REENGAGEMENT CENTER IS AN ANALYSIS THAT IN A FEW YEARS POINTS BACK TO SAY THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF A SHIFT IN THE WAY WE STARTED REALLY ENGAGING SOME OF THESE -- LET ME USE THE RIGHT TERM.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE ISSUE WE HAD WITH STRAY ANIMALS BACK IN 2005 TO 2010 AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING TO SECURE HOMES, TO SECURE FUTURES FOR ANIMALS.
IT TOOK AN INVESTMENT TO DO THAT.
AND THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES SHELTER IS DIFFERENT FROM MY WIFE MIGHT NOT LIKE ME SAYING THIS BECAUSE SHE SITS ON THE SAN ANTONIO HUMANE SOCIETY AND I THINK THEY'RE SHIFTING.
WE TAKE EVERY DOG THAT COMES IN AT ACS, WHETHER THEY ARE SICK, WHETHER THEY'VE GOT PROBLEMS. THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL, THE CUTE PUPPIES, THE PUPPIES THAT SEEM MEAN.
IN SOME WAYS YOU CAN'T TURN ANYONE AWAY AT MUNICIPAL COURT EITHER.
AND THE REASON I THINK YOU DESCRIBED SOME AS BEING FOLKS THAT OTHERWISE NONPROFITS DON'T ALWAYS EMBRACE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT AFFECT -- THEY MIGHT AFFECT THE PAMPHLET THEY PUT OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FUNDING, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE SUCCESS WITH SOME OF THESE HARDER TO REACH KIDS.
LIKE ACS CAN'T HAVE SUCCESS WHEN IT LOOKS AT ITS LIVE RELEASE RATES IF IT TAKES EVERY ANIMAL THAT COMES IN.
BECAUSE SOME OF THESE ANIMALS NEED THAT MUCH MORE HELP.
AND WE SAID WE ARE GOING TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS ON THE ACS ISSUE, ON HOMELESS PETS.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING TODAY IS THAT WE WANT TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS WHEN IT COMES TO THESE DISCONNECTED YOUTH.
THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN SOME OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT COME TO YOU BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T HAVING A GREAT DAY OR PROBABLY WEREN'T HAVING A GREAT LIFE TO THIS POINT.
I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLE FOR US THAT WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE ALL THESE KIDS ARE AND WE KNOW WHERE THEY END UP.
THEY END UP EITHER IN FRONT OF JUDGE BULL AND HIS CREW AND HIS STAFF, OR THEY END UP INCARCERATED OR THEY END UP IN A WORSE SCENARIO THAN THAT, WHICH WE KNOW EXISTS IN THE TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES THAT SOMETIMES THE VIOLENCE EXISTS IN.
SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT IN 2018 -- OR OUR 2019 BUDGET, WE WANT TO LAY DOWN THE MARKER.
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD BECAUSE IT'S NOT -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, IN MY EYES, ISN'T COMPLICATED.
WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND THESE KIDS.
WE KNOW WHAT ZIP CODES THEY'RE IN AND WHAT SCHOOLS THEY SHOULD BE SHOWING UP TO.
IT'S NOT COMPLICATED, BUT WHAT'S HARD IS ACTUALLY MAKING THE INVESTMENT OF REAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO INTERVENE IN THEIR LIVES.
AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK YOU START TO REALLY TURN THIS AROUND.
SO WHILE WE HAVE 35,000 DISCONNECTED YOUTH TODAY, I HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THESE INVESTMENTS WE'RE ABLE TO TELL THE SAME KIND OF PROGRESSIVE AND POSITIVE STORY IN FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO BE A ROUGH ROAD AHEAD, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH WORK, AND I'M GRATEFUL WE'RE STARTING IT.
TEXAS IS BEHIND EVERY OTHER STATE IN A LOT OF AREAS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD TO SAY AS THE ONLY JUDGE THAT WOULD GO UP AND TESTIFY FOR DECRIMINALIZATION OF TRUANCY IN THAT PAST.
WHITMIRE WAS SAYING THEY WANTED TO USE THE SAN ANTONIO MODEL.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THIS DISENGAGED YOUTH PROBLEM AND IF THIS PASSES AND WE ROLL IT OUT WE'LL BE THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE.
UNDERSTANDING 25 OTHER CITIES IN DIFFERENT STATES HAVE SEEN IT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE A FLUFF DEAL.
IT'S NOT LIKE SOMETHING WE'RE MAKING UP.
IT'S LIKE A REAL PROBLEM THAT URBAN AREAS ARE DEALING WITH ON THIS DISENGAGED YOUTH ISSUE.
AND I'M JUST GLAD WE KIND OF --
[01:00:01]
I WAS GLAD TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A NAME FOR IT AND THERE WAS AN INITIATIVE.BECAUSE I WAS SEEING IT EVERY WEEK IN COURT.
AND I'M TALKING IN TRAFFIC COURT.
I'M NOT TALKING IN JUVENILE COURT.
I WAS CALLING THEM DRIFTERS BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST OFF EVERYBODY'S GRID.
>> SALDANA: WELL, WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE INTERACTED WITH THEM IN SOME OF THESE CASES, AND THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO TRACK THE PROBLEM AND WE TRY TO GO BACK AND PROVIDE THESE INTERVENTIONS OR THESE ABILITIES TO MOVE PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
>> WE HAD A KID IN COURT THE OTHER KID THAT WAS 17 THAT -- AND I WON'T SAY THE NAME, BUT IT'S IN COUNCILMAN SHAW'S DISTRICT, WAS KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL AT 16, WAS LIVING WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER, WHO DIED.
AND NOW HE'S LIKE LIVING WITH AN AUNT AND HE'S JUST OUT THERE FLOATING AROUND JUST TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.
OUT OF SCHOOL, CAN'T GET A JOB, DOESN'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE WERE ABLE TO HOOK HIM UP WITH VICTOR AND HE'S GOT SOME ALTERNATIVES NOW.
AND HE'S TALKING TO SOMEBODY WHO CARES.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND I'M HERE TO HELP YOU.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE GOAL IS.
BUT WE SEE THAT EVERY DAY, EVERY OTHER DAY.
>> SALDANA: I WANT TO THANK YOU, JUDGE.
BECAUSE YOU RECOGNIZE THE DEGREES OF ALARM AND DEGREE OF EMERGENCY WE HAVE WITH SOME OF OUR YOUTH.
WHILE WE SUPPORT AND COMPLETELY FUND AND TRY TO WRAP THESE KIDS AROUND WITH NONPROFITS LIKE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OR A FEW OTHERS THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED, NOT ALL STUDENTS WILL FIND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO WHEN THEY DON'T FIND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, WE FIND THEM BECAUSE SAPD WILL GET TO THEM FIRST.
I CAN TRADE STORIES TO YOU THAT SOUND VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.
WHERE GRANDMOTHER IS THE CARETAKER OR FATHER IS INCARCERATED.
>> IN THIS PROCESS SAPD HAS BEEN VERY PROACTIVE BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH US TO MAKE THE REFERRALS THAT WAY INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY.
AND SO THAT IMPRESSED THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE PD BUY-IN FROM THE OUTSET ON ANY OF THESE REENGAGEMENT CENTERS THAT THEY HAD CREATED.
WELL, I HOPE YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, JUDGE
>> I GOT A WEDDING I HAVE TO PAY FOR SO I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> PERRY: JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION AND THANKS FOR COMING BY AND TALKING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
I'M STRUGGLING WITH THIS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE -- AND I TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE.
IT'S CREATING ANOTHER AGENCY OUT THERE WHEN RIGHT NOW WE HAVE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, A MILLION DOLLARS.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, $3 MILLION.
I MEAN, I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY SEEING WHY CREATE ANOTHER WHOLE NEW ORGANIZATION WHEN WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS TODAY THAT DOES THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, HELPING KIDS WITH CAREERS, EDUCATION AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING.
WHY THEY COULDN'T BE REFERRED TO AN EXISTING AGENCY THAT'S DOING THAT ALREADY AND RECREATING ANOTHER NEW AGENCY FOR $800,000, CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'LL BE PUTTING INTO THIS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
>> WELL, I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN THAT COMMITTEE WAS I JUST FOUND OUT THE OTHER DAY THAT JUVENILE JUVENILE PROBATION GOT AN $800,000 GRANT TO OPEN A FACILITY FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKED KIDS.
AND I'M OVER HERE SAYING, WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE REFERRALS BECAUSE THE KIDS WE'RE FINDING IN COURT THAT ARE HUMAN TRAFFICKED ARE DOING IT ON THEIR PHONES.
WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE A KID AT ONE SCHOOL IS IN COURT AND WAS MISSING CLASSES ALL DAY, BUT MOM DROPPED HER OFF.
AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT UBER WAS COMING TO PICK HER UP TO GO HOOK UP WITH THIS OLDER GUY.
AND THEY'RE NOT ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE GROUPS OR EVERYBODY'S DOING THIS BUT NOBODY'S SHARING THAT INFORMATION.
AND I'M SITTING AT A MEETING WITH BUSINESS PEOPLE SAYING WHAT ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? AND SO I THINK AT LEAST WHAT THE REENGAGEMENT CENTER DOES IS IT CENTRALIZES THIS WHOLE THING.
BUT IT'S LIKE WE WERE SAYING -- LIKE WHEN WE MAKE THE REFERRALS TO JOB CORPS.
THEY WEREN'T GETTING ANY REFERRALS FROM ANYBODY UNTIL WE HAD A MEETING WITH THEM AND FOUND OUT THEY HAVE A CAMPUS.
[01:05:02]
THEY PAY THEM $50 A WEEK.THEY LEAVE WITH A JOB SKILL AND STUFF.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE DOING THIS BUT YOU STILL HAVE THIS LUMP GROUP THAT'S NOT GETTING FUNNELED THAT WAY, SOMEHOW.
SO I ONLY SEE IT AS A WAY TO CONSOLIDATE AND HAVE ONE PLACE THAT THEY GO TO AND THEN THEY'RE REFERRED OUT TO WHICH EVER ONES ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES.
BUT I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> COUNCILMAN, I JUST WANTED TO ADD OF THE $800,000 THAT WAS MENTIONED, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IS COMING FROM THE DELEGATE AGENCY FUND, SO IT'S NOT NEW MONEY.
IT'S WITHIN THE EXISTING FUNDING USING DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THAT AREA.
WHAT JUDGE BULL INDICATED THAT CORE NATION, WHICH IS THE 350 WE'RE ASKING FOR, WHICH IS TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO FRANK GARRETT TO ADD A COUPLE OF POSITIONS TO HELP THE COORDINATION, NOT ONLY OF THE SEVEN CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH YOUTH BUT ALSO BUSINESSES IN DELEGATE AGENCIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN REFER THIS YOUTH, INDIVIDUALS TOO.
I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE DOING NOW.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON THIS.
I'LL BE CAREFUL HOW I SAY THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT A POLICYMAKER.
WHEN WE HAVE TO GO SPEAK AT THE LEGISLATURE AND STUFF, HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY WE HAVE 16 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THAT DOESN'T EXIST ANYWHERE ELSE.
SO THAT'S AN ADDED PROBLEM TO THE SITUATION.
SO I CAN AT LEAST SAY WHEN COUNCILMAN SALDANA CHAIRED A COMMITTEE THAT CAME OUT WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT MUNICIPAL COURT WOULD HANDLE ALL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, IT WAS THE ONLY WAY WE COULD GET OUR ARMS -- AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU SAID, THIS DISTRICT WAS DOING THIS AND THIS DISTRICT HAD A FEDERAL GRANT TO DO THIS AND THIS DISTRICT.
WHEN WE GOT INVOLVED IN IT WE WERE STILL FINDING THE SCRAPS.
ALL THESE KIDS THAT WERE LEAVING SCHOOL, THE LEVERS, ALL THAT STUFF.
THAT GROUP IS NOT MAKING IT ANYWHERE.
THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE FLOATING AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE IS THAT WE HAVE A CENTRAL PLACE THAT PEOPLE COME TO THAT WE CAN GET THEM REFERRED, EDUCATED, TRAINED, WORKING.
>> PERRY: I LIKE THE WAY YOU STARTED OFF ABOUT THE BUSINESS SIDE AND THAT KIND OF THING.
>> MY DAD HAD THE SECOND LARGEST AUTO PARTS COMPANY IN TEXAS, SO I KNOW.
ON THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS, ARE YOU STAYING AT THE SAME NUMBER OF POSITIONS? THE 163 TOTAL? IS THAT AN INCREASE OR IS THAT THE SAME NUMBER?
>> AND I DO WANT TO ADD, BECAUSE I KNOW IT COMES UP.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAGISTRATION THING WE'RE TAKING BACK ON, THAT'S LIKE CREATING A WHOLE NEW COURT.
BECAUSE IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS.
SO THAT MEANS I'VE GOT TO SCHEDULE JUDGES AND STAFF TO COVER THESE THREE EIGHT-HOUR SHIFTS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO KIND OF MOVE SOME STUFF AROUND, MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY THIS IS GOING TO COST YOU A TON OF MONEY.
WHATEVER WE SPEND ON DOING THAT'S GOING TO BE LESS THAN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO WIND UP PAYING THE COUNTY TO USE THAT FACILITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> BROCKHOUSE: YOU AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION MONTHS AGO, SO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
I JUST WANTED TO REALLY QUICK JUMP IN WITH A POINT ON COUNCILMAN PERRY WAS MAKING WITH REGARDS TO PARTNERS WHO ARE ALREADY DOING WORK IN THIS SPATES THAT AREN'T PARTNERING WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
I'LL JUST USE PROJECT QUEST AS AN EXAMPLE.
SOMEBODY RECEIVES $2.5 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE EDUCATION, I THINK, AND ANYONE WHO IS DOING THAT IS RECEIVING OUR DELEGATE AGENCY DOLLARS, I THINK SHOULD BE BOUND TO A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE TO BE OFFERING WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING THESE AT-RISK YOUTH.
WE MENTIONED THAT BEFORE THAT THEY'RE IN THE SPACE DOING THE WORK RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK IF YOU RECEIVE CITY MONEY YOU SHOULD BE WORKING WITH US IN OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM TO HELP IDENTIFY AND FORCE THEM INTO IT.
HEY, BECAUSE THEY DON'T TRUST ANYBODY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY TRUST NO ONE.
SO I THINK AT THAT POINT IF THEY'RE IN THE SYSTEM, THE BEST WE CAN DO AT THAT POINT IS TO USE OUR CURRENT PARTNERS AND REQUIRE THEM IF YOU RECEIVE CITY TAX DOLLARS YOU NEED TO PUT THAT MONEY BACK INTO PARTNERING.
[01:10:01]
AT LEAST IT'S SOME PERCENTAGE.IT'S NOT A FIGHT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RIGHT NOW BUT IT'S A CONVERSATION FOR THE FUTURE.
IF WE HAVE JOB EDUCATION TRAINING FUNDS, DELEGATE AGENCIES, THEY NEED TO BE PUTTING THEM BACK IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE AREAS WE DETERMINE TO BE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THOSE DOLLARS.
IN THIS CASE I THINK YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THROUGH YOUR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH AND THE TRAINING, THE EDUCATION, THE BACKGROUND, THE HISTORY, ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
LIKE YOU SAID, THEY'RE DRIFTERS AND OFTENTIMES THE JOB, THE DIGNITY OF THAT WORK CAN PULL A DRIFTER IN AND CREATE A LIFE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND I BELIEVE ANYBODY, AND I USED PROJECT QUEST BECAUSE THEY ARE RECEIVING THE MOST FUNDING WHEN IT COMES TO WORKFORCE EDUCATION.
THEY NEED TO COMMIT TO DOING A PORTION OF THAT TO HELP THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE STRUGGLING OUT THERE WITH NOWHERE TO GO GET A JOB AND GET THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO GET THERE.
>> NO, ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THAT ISSUE.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, AND I NEED EVERYBODY TO HEAR THIS.
WE'RE THE FIFTH WORSE IN THE COUNTRY FOR THIS PROBLEM.
THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK IN DALLAS.
WHATEVER WE HAVE BEEN DOING TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM ISN'T WORKING.
AND SO I WAS EVEN SHOCKED WHEN THEY GAVE US THAT HANDOUT.
I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT OUT OF ALL CITIES WE WERE THE -- THE TOP 25, WE WERE --
>> BROCKHOUSE: THAT SHOCKS ME TO HEAR THAT.
>> AND WE'RE WORSE THAN HOUSTON AND DALLAS.
>> BROCKHOUSE: IT SHOCKS ME TO BE WORSE AT HOUSTON THAN ANYTHING.
YEAH, AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ALREADY HAVE THE RESOURCES IN PLACE AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCILMAN IS ATTEMPTING TO POINT OUT TOO.
THIS IS A QUESTION GOING FORWARD FOR THE COUNCIL, HOW DO WE PUT MANDATES ON AGENCIES WHO ARE RECEIVING FUNDING TO DEDICATE A PORTION OF THAT TO THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN OPPORTUNITY YOUTH AND STUFF LIKE THIS TO GET THEM OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
>> BROCKHOUSE: BUT THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE PLACES TO REFER THEM TO.
THERE'S A MISCOMMUNICATION, THERE'S A BREAKDOWN.
LIKE YOU SAID, SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SOME OF IT'S JUST FLAT OUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA.
SO THERE'S A COORDINATION ISSUE AS WELL.
BUT THE KEY WITH OUR PROGRAM THAT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES LOVES IS OUT OF 25 REENGAGEMENT CENTERS THIS WILL BE THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A DIRECTOR FROM THE CITY.
LIKE SO THE CITY'S CONTROLLING IT.
BECAUSE THE ONES WE LOOKED AT THE DEBATE CAME UP, DO YOU GET ONE NONPROFIT TO RUN IT AND GIVE THEM THE MONEY? HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT.
WHAT WE DID FIND IN TUCSON WAS THEY WERE ON THEIR THIRD NONPROFIT IN THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO BE ON THEM THAT'S PAYING THE MONEY SAYING, NO.
YOU NEED TO DO THIS AND YOU NEED TO DO THAT.
SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DIRECT IT FROM THE CITY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THAT'S A GREAT POINT IN ANYWHERE WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK THE CITY SHOWING THE LEADERSHIP, THE COUNCIL BEING THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE LEADERSHIP ON JOB CREATION IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS AGE GROUP AND THESE FOLKS YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED.
DO WE HAVE TO CREATE A WHOLE POSITION AND AN INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO IT? MAYBE SO.
BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE AT LEAST START FOCUSING ON THE RESOURCES WE'RE SPENDING NOW DEPENDING THAT A PORTION OF THOSE ADDRESS THE NEED YOU'VE IDENTIFIED.
IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SAY WE'RE THE FIFTH WORST OR WHATEVER IT IS.
BUT AT LEAST WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I DEAL WITH FOLKS OVER AT JOHN JAY WHERE I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND A COUPLE OF THEM WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK OF IDENTIFYING THESE YOUNG FOLKS, AND I HOPE WE CAN DO THE GOOD WORK TO GET THEIR NAMES AND FACES IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP THEM FIND JOBS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
THANK YOU, JUDGE BULL, FRED FOR THE PRESENTATION.
>> SCULLEY: MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE NEXT THREE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE HANDLED IN A GROUP AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS ON ALL OF THEM, FIRST WITH SHANNON MILLER TO TALK ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOLLOWED BY LORI STEWART TO TALK ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, AND MARIA VILLAGOMEZ WILL WRAP IT UP WITH SOME FINAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE REMAINING DEPARTMENTS AND THE BUDGET.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY2019.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE DEPUTY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER KATHY HERNANDEZ -- KATHY RODRIGUEZ IS YOUR MAIDEN NAME.
AND CORY EDWARDS ARE BOTH HERE.
[01:15:01]
AND OBVIOUSLY I COULDN'T DO ALL OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO TALK ABOUT WITHOUT THEM AND WITHOUT OUR REALLY STRONG TEAM IN THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.SO WE ARE CHARGED WITH PROTECTING AND PROMOTING OUR CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES.
PRESERVATION IS ABSOLUTELY NOT ABOUT FREEZING IN TIME OR RESISTING CHANGE.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING THOSE CAREFUL DECISIONS TO MANAGE CHANGE AND PROTECT OUR SENSE OF PLACE AND PRESERVE WHAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO UNIQUE WHILE SUPPORTING IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
PRESERVATION IS PROVEN TO BE ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE, A DRIVER FOR JOB CREATION, AND A MODEL FOR SMART GROWTH.
REPAIRING A BUILDING INSTEAD OF DEMOLISHING IT INSTEAD OF STARTING NEW.
IT REDUCES CARBON EMISSIONS AND RAW MATERIAL CONSUMPTION.
IT ALSO TELLS THE STORY OF SAN ANTONIO.
ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR LARGER CITY THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER CULTURAL RESOURCES.
AND SO IT REALLY IS ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK OF THE TEAM WHICH IS GENERALLY DIVIDED INTO FIVE PROGRAM AREAS.
THE DESIGN REVIEW TEAM WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN MORE DETAIL IN THE COMING SLIDES.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY FIVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS.
THE CITY ARCHAEOLOGIST AND THE ASSISTANT CITY ARCHAEOLOGIST.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT HAVING THE TWO OF THEM ON STAFF IS WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A GREAT DEAL OF COST SAVINGS TO THE CITY ON OUR OWN BOND PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE CAN DO REVIEWS IN-HOUSE AND WORK DILIGENTLY WITH CONSULTANTS TO MANAGE SCOPES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR SCOUT SA INITIATIVE AND OUR LIVING HERITAGE INITIATIVE, WHICH ARE GROUPED TOGETHER.
THERE ARE FOUR EMPLOYEES THAT SPEND THE MAJORITY OF TIME ON THOSE INITIATIVES.
SCOUT SA IS REALLY OUR COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY AND DESIGNATION INITIATIVE.
IT ENABLES US TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE PROTECTED THROUGH LANDMARK OR HISTORIC DESIGNATION OR IF THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE HISTORY OF THOSE SITES.
WE ALSO MANAGE THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM, WHICH IS SIX EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE 2015.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE COMING SLIDES AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF EMPHASIS ON OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMING, AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
>> SO IN 2018, WE HAVE BEEN BUSY, OF COURSE, BUT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW ACCOMPLISHMENTS SPECIFICALLY.
IN FY '18 WE WERE ABLE TO REACH MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE THROUGH OUR PROGRAMMING, THESE INCLUDES THINGS LIKE OUR HISTORIC RUN CREW, THE HISTORIC SPECIALIST COURSE FOR REALTORS, PUBLIC WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HELD FOR THINGS LIKE INFILL OR [INAUDIBLE] SHEDS, OR RESTORED BY LIGHT.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE IS A REMINDER AT EACH OF YOUR PLACES FOR THE RESTORED BY LIGHT EVENT THIS FRIDAY NIGHT, WEATHER PERMITTING, OF COURSE.
THIS YEAR WE ALSO LAUNCHED A PILOT DESIGN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE CONTRACTED WITH A SMALL ARCHITECTURE FIRM WHO THEN ENGAGES STUDENT INTERNS TO PROVIDE DESIGN SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME APPLICANTS TO THE HGRC.
THIS REALLY WORKS TO PROVIDE EQUITY IN THE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS BY ENSURING THAT PEOPLE THAT NEED ASSISTANCE HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE PROFESSIONAL DESIGN SERVICES.
AND THEN FINALLY I WANTED TO MENTION THE -- A NUMBER OF NEW HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE IN THE LAST YEAR.
NATHAN AND EAST -- AUDIO] -- EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, AND THEN GREEN LAWN WILL BE COMING IN SEPTEMBER, AND THAT IS ALSO IN DISTRICT 1 AND WE -- IN THAT DISTRICT THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN SUPPORT OF THAT HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION, SO THAT SHOULD BE NOT A TERRIBLY CONTROVERSIAL ONE.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION REHABARAMA.
THIS YEAR WE HAD AR RAM MA TAKE PLACE IN DISTRICT 3, HIGH LAND PARK BOULEVARD, YAY! THE HOUSE SHOWN ON THE RIGHT ON YOUR -- NO, ON THE LEFT RECEIVED REPAIR LIKE PORCH REPAIR, WOOD WINDOW SCREENS, SIDING REPAIR AND PAINT.
THE MATERIALS COST LESS THAN $5,000 AS AN EXAMPLE, AND ABOUT $40,000 IN ADDED VALUE TO THAT PROPERTY.
JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROGRAM, THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE HOMEOWNERS IS 64.
[01:20:02]
AVERAGE LENGTH OF HOME OWNERSHIP WAS 25 YEARS, AND OVER 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM WERE EITHER ACTIVE OR RETIRED MILITARY.SO THROUGH MORE THAN 2500 VOLUNTEER HOURS AND A BUDGET OF LESS THAN $35,000, WE ADDED WELL OVER $250,000 OF IMPROVEMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY HELPED TO MAKE HOME OWNERSHIP BE MORE MANAGEABLE FOR THE -- AUDIO] -- STAR IN OCTOBER OF 2017 IN DISTRICT 5, SAINT CECILIA NEIGHBORHOOD, AND BARELY INTO THE THE THE FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER, ANOTHER EVENT.
AT NO COST TO THE HOMEOWNER, AND ASIDE FROM STAFF TIME, THOSE HANDS-ON PROGRAMS ARE ALL FUNDED THROUGH SPONSORSHIP OR OTHER IN-KIND DONATIONS.
WE ALSO HOSTED THE FIRST ANNUAL LIVING HERITAGE SYMPOSIUM, AND IF THIS PRESENTATION WERE A WEEK FROM NOW, I COULD HAVE SAID WE'VE HOSTED TWO LIVING HERITAGE SYMPOSIUMS, BECAUSE THE SECOND ANNUAL WILL KICK OFF TOMORROW.
WE HAVE SPEAKERS COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, AUSTRALIA, COLOMBIA, MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND ALL AROUND THIS COUNTRY TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LEVERAGING OUR LIVING HERITAGE FOR OUR OWN ECONOMIC BENEFIT AND LEARNING HOW TO PROTECT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO LAUNCHED THIS YEAR THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS TO PROMOTE LONG-TIME FAMILY OR OTHERWISE LEGACY BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY.
AND WE ALSO APPROVED JUST VERY RECENTLY HGRC ENDORSED IN DISTRICT 6, THE HISTORIC HIGHWAY 90 CULTURAL DISTRICT WHICH WE WORKED ON IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE, AND THE COMMUNITY RECEIVED THAT VERY WELL AND IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO KIND OF PROMOTE THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF THAT AREA.
AND SO WE ANTICIPATE DOING MORE OF THAT AS WE IDENTIFY MORE LEGACY BUSINESSES AND OTHER CULTURAL SITE.
THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, TO DATE WE KNOW OF AT LEAST 367 PROPERTIES THAT ARE NO LONGER SUBJECT TO THE ORDINANCE AS A RESULT OF THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM.
AND, YOU KNOW, EITHER THEY'VE BEEN SOLD OR THEY'VE COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARD OF CARE, AND SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED AS WELL.
SO FOR OUR FY '18 BUDGET IS JUST UNDER $2 MILLION AND WE ARE PROPOSING A SLIGHT INCREASE THIS YEAR TO JUST OVER $2 MILLION.
WE -- WHICH I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT BUT WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD ONE STAFF PERSON.
SO WE WOULD GO FROM 19 TO 20 TOTAL EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO OUR FY '19 PRIORITIES ARE IN THREE MAJOR CATEGORIES: THE FIRST IS IMPROVING THE DESIGN REVIEW PROGRAM AND CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT, OUR CULTURAL AND LIVING HERITAGE INNOVATIONS AND PROGRAMMING, AND THEN CONTINUING TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATION AND FOCUSING ON OUTREACH AS IS ALWAYS A PRIORITY.
SO WE'RE -- I'M VERY PROUD OF THE GREAT WORK OF OUR DESIGN REVIEW TEAM.
WE SEE -- YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART THAT WE SEE A NUMBER OF CASES EVERY YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 650 TO 700 CASES ON AVERAGE.
FY 2017 WAS 688 CASES, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREND, WE ANTICIPATE THAT BY TEND OF OF -- THE END OF THIS YEAR, IT WILL REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY A 70% INCREASE IN FY 2011 IN TERMS OF CASELOAD, THAT DOES PRESENT A GREATER TIME COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF STAFF IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE HIGH QUALITY OF -- THE ZONING COMMISSION CASE MANAGER ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR WILL MANAGE APPROXIMATELY 60 CASES, AND AN INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGER FOR THE HGRC ON AVERAGE WILL MANAGE OVER 200 CASES.
AND SO IT IS A VERY HEAVY CASELOAD, AND, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT WANTING TO BE A RESOURCE FOR OUR APPLICANTS AND OUR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND CONDUCT SITE VISITS AND ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR APPLICATION, AND ADDING THIS ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE WILL ENABLE US TO INCREASE OUR OVERALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE TIME SPENT PER CASE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING BOTH APPLICANTS AND OUR COMMISSIONERS WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO LET THE PROCESS WORK EFFICIENTLY.
WE ALSO ARE PROPOSING TO ADD A NEW REVENUE THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A VOLUNTARY FEE
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THAT AN APPLICANT IS ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.WE PRESENTED THIS JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND TO THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TASK FORCE AND THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS NEW OPTION.
I LIKE -- I COMPARE IT TO THE ZONING VERIFICATION LETTER PROCESS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT AN APPLICANT CAN DO IF THEY WANT TO, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR REDEVELOPING A SITE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT IT'S HISTORIC, AND SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COME IN AND ASK FOR AN ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD BE VALID FOR FIVE YEARS, AND WE WOULD LET THEM KNOW AT THAT TIME IF THE PROPERTY WAS HISTORIC OR NOT.
AND IF THEY WOULD HAVE ISSUES IF THEY WERE TO CHOOSE TO DEMOLISH OR MAKE SOME OTHER ALTERATIONS TO THE STRUCTURE.
ONCE THAT FIVE YEARS WAS UP, OBVIOUSLY DOING AN ASSESSMENT AGAIN IS NOT -- AS DIFFICULT AS DOING IT THE FIRST TIME, SO THERE WOULD BE A LESSER FEE FOR A REASSESSMENT.
WE'RE ALSO SOMETIMES ASKED TO VERIFY DESIGNATION OF PROPERTIES AND THAT'S LESS LABOR INTENSIVE AND THERE'S THREE KIND OF TIERS BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF STAFF WORK THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION.
THE CULTURAL AND LIVING HERITAGE INNOVATIONS ARE REALLY PART OF OUR -- YOU KNOW, OUR LARGER FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF INTANGIBLE HERITAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND LAST YEAR WE MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD BEGIN DEVELOPING A TRADES ACADEMY, WITH THE VISION THAT SAN ANTONIO COULD REALLY BECOME LIKE A REGIONAL DESTINATION FOR PRESERVATION TRADES, AND THIS WOULD INCLUDE CERTIFICATIONS AND THINGS LIKE HISTORIC MILL WORK, WOOD WINDOW REPAIR, PORCH REST FOR RAITION AND OTHER THINGS -- RESTORATION AND OTHER THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
THIS YEAR WE'RE EXCITED TO LAUNCH THE KELSO HOUSE LEARNING LAB.
THE KELSO HOUSE IS A 1906 HOUSE DESIGNED BY ATLEE B.AYERS AND IT WAS RECENTLY MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH A DONATION FROM KATHY AND SUZIE LAUTON.
SO OHP WILL PARTNER WITH POP TO PROVIDE THIS HANDS-ON TRAINING FOR STUDENTS AND EVENTUALLY THIS WILL FORM THE BASIS FOR THE LARGER CERTIFICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS.
THE HOUSE OBVIOUSLY IS IN NEED OF REPAIR, YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT PHOTO OF THE PORCH AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH BOTH CONSTRUCTION SCIENCE AND ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS TO DEVELOP PLANS AND TO DO ACTUAL HANDS-ON REPAIRS TO THE STRUCTURE, SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATION OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, SPECIFICALLY WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS.
YOU SEE A PHOTO HERE OF A REALTOR CERTIFICATION CLASS, WE'LL CONTINUE DOING THOSE TYPES OF PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS, BUT ALSO INTEND TO EXPAND OUR HANDS-ON CERTIFICATIONS SUCH AS WINDOW REPAIR WORKSHOPS.
THIS YEAR WE -- OVER 400 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE "THIS PLACE MATTERS" SPRING PROJECT, HERITAGE EDUCATION PROJECT, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THOSE NUMBERS IN FY '19 AND THEN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE YOUTH THROUGH OTHER FAMILY-FOCUSED EVENTS SUCH AS THE AMAZING PRESERVATION RACE FOR KIDS AND THE RESTORED BY LIGHT EVENT.
AS I MENTIONED, RESTORED BY LIGHT IS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AND WE'LL BE OFFERING A SECOND IN HONOR OF OUR 300TH ANNIVERSARY IN OCTOBER, SO WE HOPE YOU ALL WILL JOIN US FOR THOSE EVENTS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
>> SCULLEY: THANK YOU, SHANNON.
LORI STEWARD, OUR HUMAN RESTOWRSES DIRECTOR IS NEXT TO TALK ABOUT CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE COME COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AND THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR -- AUDIO] -- WHY STATEMENT.
ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET ARE TO HELP THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ATTRACT, DEVELOP, ENGAGE AND RETAIN A DIVERSE AND SKILLED WORKFORCE COMMITTED TO FULFILLING THE CITY'S MISSION.
AND SPEAKING OF ENGAGEMENT, I WANTED TO SHARE BRIEFLY THE OVERALL RESULTS OF AN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT WE CONDUCTED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN 2018.
WHILE THE CITY HAS CONDUCTED EMPLOYEE SURVEYS ON A REGULAR BASIS, THIS WAS THE FIRST SURVEY THAT MEASURED LEVELS OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT.
WE WERE PLEASED TO SEE OUR ENGAGEMENT LEVELS EXCEED THOSE OF OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUT WE NEVER STOP TRYING TO IMPROVE.
ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING ACTION PLANS
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BASED ON THE SURVEY RESULTS RIGHT NOW.HUMAN RESOURCES IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN AREAS, AND AS I TALK ABOUT THE AREAS I'M GOING TO HAVE THE STAFF COME UP SO THAT YOU CAN MEET THEM.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CRYSTAL STRONG IS OVER OUR RECRUITMENT AND CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION AREAS.
CRYSTAL'S STAFF FINDS OUR FUTURE EMPLOYEES, CONDUCTS NEW HIRE PROCESSING, CREATES OUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND MAINTAINS OUR COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION SYSTEM.
THE SECOND MAJOR AREA IS EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, OVERSEEN BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR RENE FRIEDA.
RENE'S TEAM SERVES AS A LIAISON BETWEEN HR AND OUR OPERATING DEPARTMENTS.
THEY ASSIST WITH PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS AND IF NECESSARY, DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES.
RENE OVERSEES OUR MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, THE FIRE AND POLICE OFFICERS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE AND EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
HER TEAM ALSO DEVELOPS AND UPDATES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE AND OTHER POLICY DOCUMENTS AND COORDINATES PRO PROMOTIONAL TESTING FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.
OUR NEXT AREA IS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS OVERSEEN BY WANDA HEARD.
WANDA AND HER TEAM ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE AND OTHER BENEFIT PROGRAMS. SHE ALSO ENSURES CITYWIDE HIPAA COMPLIANCE.
FINALLY ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR ANNA BRADSHAW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OVERSEEING OUR FISCAL, COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE AREAS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE ALL THE MAGIC HAPPEN.
NOW ONTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019.
OF THE $169.4 MILLION IN THE HR BUDGET, THE VAST MAJORITY IS IN OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND, WHICH CONTAINS THE BUDGET TO PAY THE CLAIMS FOR OURSELF-FUNDED MEDICAL PLANS.
THE REMAINING IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND AND THE GENERAL FUND.
THE $6.9 MILLION GENERAL FUND IS MOSTLY COMPRISED OF PERSONAL SERVICES BUT IT ALSO FUNDS PROGRAMS SUCH AS CIVILIAN TUITION REIMBURSEMENT WHICH IS ABOUT $375,000, VIA BUS PASSES AT ABOUT $225,000, AND EMPLOYMENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, ABOUT $200,000.
YOU WILL NOTICE A SAVINGS IN OUR BENEFITS FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019, THIS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO OUR CHANGE IN THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT HAS RESULTED IN 7% HIGHER VENDOR DISCOUNT RATES, HAS PROVIDED A BROADER NETWORK WITH SIGNIFICANT RURAL AREA COVERAGE THAT HAS GIVEN US 8.5% INCREASED IN NETWORK UT LAITION RATE.
WE ARE ALSO -- UTILIZATION RATE.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING CHANGES IN OUR POLICE AND CIVILIAN PLANS WHICH SERVES TO REDUCE COST.
ALL TOTAL THE 2018HR BUDGET IS ABOUT $20,000 LOWER THAN OUR BUDGET.
THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL 38 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POSITIONS FUNDED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS THROUGH THE SHARED SERVICES MODEL.
NOW ONTO THE CIVILIAN COMPENSATION HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UNIFORM COMPENSATION OF BENEFITS WILL BE ADMINISTERED AS OUTLINED IN THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, BUT THE CIVILIAN COMPENSATION INCLUDES INCREASING THE ENTRYWAY FROM $14.25 AN HOUR TO $15 AN HOUR.
IT INCLUDES A 1% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL CIVILIAN PAY RANGES.
THE BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES PERFORMANCE PAY FOR PROFESSIONALS AND ABOVE WHICH RANGE FROM 0% AS PERFORMANCE HAS NOT BEEN SATISFACTORY TO 4% FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE.
EMPLOYEES AT THE TOP OF THEIR PAY RANGES RECEIVE THIS PERFORMANCE PAY AWARD IN A LUMP SUM PAYMENT.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES STEP INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN OUR STEP PAY PLAN AND THEY RANGE FROM 2% AND 4%, OR A LUMP SUM PAYMENT OF $800 FOR STEP PAY PLAN EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE REACHED THE MAXIMUM STEP OF THEIR PAY RANGES AND THUS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER STEP INCREASES.
THIS LUMP SUM WAS CALCULATED -- AUDIO] -- AND 2% IS THE SAME INCREASE THAT EMPLOYEES IN THE STEP PAY PLAN RECEIVE WHEN THEY'RE ADVANCING TO THAT TOP STEP OF THE RANGE.
IN THE PAST, WE PROVIDED LUMP SUM PAYMENTS TO KEEP STEP PAY PLAN EMPLOYEES FROM HAVING A NEGATIVE COMPENSATION IMPACT BASED ON HEALTH PLAN CONTRIBUTION CHANGES.
FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR THERE WERE INCREASES IN HEALTH PLAN DEDUCTIBLES AND EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTIONS INCREASED BETWEEN 8% AND 12%.
THE LUMP SUM PAYMENT PROVIDED LAST YEAR WAS $350.
THIS WOULD KEEP A TOP STEP EMPLOYEE WHOLE, IN OTHER WORDS THEY DID NOT NET LESS MONEY THAN THEY DID THE YEAR BEFORE.
WORKING WITH OUR EMPLOYMENT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THIS PAST YEAR, IT WAS A PRIORITY
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TO TRY TO LIMIT THE COST INCREASES OF HEALTHCARE, AND WE ARE PLEASED TO SAY THAT GIVEN THE CHANGES MADE LAST YEAR, ALONG WITH A LAUNCH OF THE BENEFIT VALUE ADVISER AND MEMBER REWARDS PROGRAMS THAT HELP EMPLOYEES MAKE QUALITY YET AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE DECISIONS, WE ARE ABLE TO RECOMMEND NO CHANGES TO HEALTH PLAN DESIGNS OR NO CHANGES TO EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS.SO THIS MEANS THAT ALL OF THE BASE INCREASES AND THE LUMP STUM PAYMENTS ARE ALL NET POSITIVE COMPENSATION IMPACTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND THIS IS WHY OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE IS FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PROPOSAL IN THE 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET.
NEXT I WANTED TO PROVIDE A SHORT REVIEW OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE STEP PAY PLAN OVER THE YEARS.
IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2008 WITH INPUT FROM THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS MARKET COMPETITIVENESS AND ENSURE PAY EQUITY.
IT WAS IMPLEMENTED OVER A SIX-YEAR PERIOD AT A COST OF OVER $80 MILLION.
THE ORIGINAL STEP PAY PLAN WAS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MOVE THROUGH A MAXIMUM OF 10 STEPS BASED ON TENURE AND RECEIVING ANNUAL PAY INCREASES WHICH STARTED AT 4% IN THE EARLY YEARS, AS LEARNING IS OCCURRING, AND TAPERS DOWN TO 3%, AND THEN 2% AS THE EMPLOYEE ACHIEVES JOURNEY LEVEL STATUS AND ACHIEVES THE MARKET PAY RANGE MAXIMUM.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE ORIGINAL STEP PAY PLAN STRUCTURE THAT HAS OUR CURRENT ENTRY WAGE OF $14.25 PER HOUR REFLECTED ON IT, AND THIS IS JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT IN THE PAST WE USED TO JUST OVERLAY THE ENTRY WAGE ON TOP OF THAT STEP PAY PLAN THE WAY IT WAS.
AND I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE STEP PAY PLAN ACTUALLY HAS 14 RANGES IN IT, AND I'M JUST SHOWING YOU ABOUT HALF OF THAT FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES.
SO WE WOULD JUST SUPERIMPOSE THE ENTRY WAGE OVER THE STEP PAY PLAN ORIGINALLY, AND THAT MEANT THAT ALL OF OUR JOBS IN THE STEP PAY PLANS FIRST SIX PAY RANGES ALL STARTED AT THE SAME ENTRY WAGE.
THIS IS WHY YOU USED TO HEAR A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMPRESSION, ABOUT SALARY COMPRESSION AND IT ALSO CAUSED CONFUSION AMONG JOB APPLICANTS THAT SAW SO MANY DIFFERENT JOBS AND LEVELS ALL STARTING AT $14.25 AN HOUR.
SO THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE IN, 2018, WE IMPLEMENTED SOME MAJOR CHANGES TO THE STEP PAY PLAN WORKING WITH OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
ONLY THE MOST ENTRY LEVEL PAY RANGE 500 NOW STARTED AT THE ENTRY WAGE WITH EACH PROGRESSIVELY RESPONSIBLE PAY RANGE INCREASING SLIGHTLY IN STARTING PAY.
THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PAY STEPS WAS REDUCED FROM 10 TO SEVEN.
THE PAY RANGE MAXIMUM -- THIS LAST YEAR, DID NOT CHANGE THIS YEAR.
THE MODIFIED STEP PAY PLAN WAS IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR WITH NO ADDITIONAL STEP INCREASE GRANTED, AND IF THE TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE WAS LESS THAN WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM, THEY RECEIVED A LUMP SUM PAYMENT TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
NOW TURNING TO OUR PROPOSAL FOR 2019 IN THE STEP PAY PLAN.
FROM 2019, IT IS AGAIN MODIFIED TO REFLECT OUR NEW ENTRY WAGE OF $15 PER HOUR, BUT THIS TIME WE HAVE MADE SOME ADDITIONAL STRUCTURED CHANGES TO CREATE MORE DISTANCE BETWEEN PAY RANGES AND ENSURE THAT EVERY STEP IS A MINIMUM OF A 2% INCREASE.
REMEMBER, I SAID THAT WE JUST FROZE THE MAXIMUM STEPS THIS CURRENT YEAR, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT FINAL STEP WILL BE AT LEAST A 2% INCREASE.
ADDITIONALLY FOR 2019, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE ENTRY WAGE AND PAY PLAN STRUCTURE ADJUSTMENTS FIRST AND THEN WE ARE AWARDING STEP INCREASES TO ELIGIBLE STEP EMPLOYEES, SO THESE STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND A MORE GENEROUS IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY THIS YEAR ARE OTHER REASONS THAT THE PROPOSED COMPENSATION BENEFITS ARE FULLY SUPPORTED BY OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THIS YEAR.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET CONTINUES TO FUND PROGRAMS THAT HELP PREPARE EMPLOYEES TO GROW WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE PROGRAMS THAT HELP EMPLOYEES CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATIONS, SUCH AS GED PREPARATION CLASSES, THE LUNCHEON LEARN PROGRAM THROUGH ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT HELPS EMPLOYEES COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OVER THE -- THAT HELPS EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SOME COLLEGE CREDIT FIND A PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP THEM COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE.
AT THE SUGGESTION OF OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE OUR EDUCATION AND CAREER FAIRS TO HELP EMPLOYEES EXPLORE NOT ONLY DEGREE PROGRAMS, BUT THE CITY CAREERS THAT THEN COULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM IF THEY DO COMPLETE A DEGREE.
WE WILL CONTINUE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR COMPUTER LAB TRAINING CENTERS, COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE TRAINING CLASSE, OUR TOASTMASTER'S CHAPTER AND OTHER TRAININGS OFFERED THROUGH ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES SUCH AS PROJECT MANAGEMENT OR PROCESS IMPROVEMENT COURSES.
[01:40:01]
WORK WITH OUR OPERATING DEPARTMENTS TO EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT APPRESENCE TIS PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT ENTRY-LEVEL HIRING WITH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING THAT LEADS TO CITY CAREERS SUCH AS OUR SOLID WASTE DRIVING APPRENTICESHIP.THE BUDGET ALSO CONTINUES OUR POPULAR LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, THE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE AND THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OUR WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP MENTORING PROGRAM.
EACH YEAR WE REVIEW POLICIES AND CONSIDER NEW POLICIES OR PROGRAMS THAT HELP MAKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR, WE EXPANDED TUITION REIMBURSEMENT TO COVER GED TESTING FEES WHEN AN EMPLOYEE HAD SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED THEIR GED.
WELL, WE HAVE FOUND THAT OUR EMPLOYEES MAY NOT PASS THE REQUIRED TESTS ON THE FIRST TRY, AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP TRYING, TO CONTINUE GOING TO THE PREPARATION CLASSES AND CONTINUING TO TRY TO PASS THAT TEST.
SO THE 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET WILL ONCE AGAIN EXPAND TUITION REIMBURSEMENT TO COVER GED TESTING FEES FOR UP TO THREE TESTING ATTEMPTS EACH YEAR PER TEST EVEN IF THAT TEST WAS NOT SUCCESSFULLY PASSED, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO KEEP TRYING BECAUSE WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD COHORT OF EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THEIR GED RIGHT NOW, BUT SOME OF THEM STRUGGLE TO PASS THOSE TESTS ON THE FIRST TRY.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING TO LAUNCH A NEW STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT PROGRAM.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 70% OF STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH STUDENT LOAN DEBT WITH THE AVERAGE DEBT FOR A 2017 GRADUATE BEING $37,000.
STUDENT LOAN DEBT IS SECOND ONLY TO MORTGAGES IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE CITY PROVIDES TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SEEKING HIGHER EDUCATION WHILE EMPLOYED WITH US, BUT A STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT TO EMPLOYEES WHO [INDISCERNIBLE] WITH ADVANCED EDUCATION BUT ARE BURDEN WITH STUDENT LOAN DEBT.
STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND CAN BE A POWERFUL RECRUITING TOOL FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO MAKE UP 75% OF THE WORKFORCE BY 2025.
THE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT PROGRAM WOULD PROVIDE A DIRECT PAYMENT OF $50 PER MONTH THROUGH A THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR TOWARDS THE EMPLOYEE'S PRINCIPLE PORTION OF OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOANS FOR THEIR OWN HIGHER EDUCATION.
THE PROGRAM REDUCES THE PRINCIPLE BALANCE, BUT IT WILL NOT REDUCE THE REQUIRED PAYMENT BY THE EMPLOYEE.
PAYMENT IS MADE DIRECTLY TO THE LOAN SERVICER, AND THE BENEFIT IS TAXABLE UNDER IRS RULES.
THE PROGRAM WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FULL-TIME BENEFIT ELIGIBLE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
WE WILL ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO SECURE A THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE BENEFIT ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN THIS SPRING.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES JUST UNDER $350,000 FOR LOAN PAYMENTS AND TPA FEES TO LAUNCH THIS BENEFIT DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR 2019.
OUR BENEFITS CONSULTANT HELPED US ESTIMATE THE COST OF THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER EMPLOYERS OFFERING SIMILAR PROGRAMS. SO THIS BRINGS ME TO THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
IN SUMMARY, THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AND THE 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET CONTINUES TO SUPPORT COMPETITIVE MARKET-BASED WAGES ONGOING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES, EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE COST MANAGEMENT, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CITY AS AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION THIS AFTERNOON, AND NOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ENTIRE REVIEW OF THE 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET IS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MARIA VILLAGOMEZ.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: THANK YOU, LORI AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WITH LORI'S PRESENTATION TODAY WE HAVE COVERED 91.1% OF THE $2.8 MILLION FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET.
JUST TO RECAP QUICKLY, THE ENTIRE CAPITAL BUDGET OF $690,000,712,000,000 IN RESTRICTED FUNDS, SO THE BALANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW FOR THE BALANCE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS $254 MILLION, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AND RESTRICTED FUND FOR 14 CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES THAT WE CALL THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE DIVIDED THIS PRESENTATION IN THREE AREAS.
THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT PROVIDE CITY SUPPORT SERVICES, THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT PROVIDE INTERNAL SERVICES, AND $690,000, 712,000,000 IN INDEPENDENT BUDGETS WHICH IS OUR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND NONDEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNT.
SO THE DEPARTMENTS YOU CAN SEE AMONG THE SCREEN, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY AUDITOR, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND NONDEPARTMENTAL.
FOR THE CITY SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENT THE
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TOTAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 IS FREE $.2 MILLION AND IT PROPOSES A TOTAL OF 216 POSITIONS.COMPARING THIS PROPOSAL TO THE 2018 BUDGET, THIS IS $2.8 MILLION NET INCREASE OVER 2018 AND THREE NEW ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE INCREASE IS RELATED PRIMARILY TO FOUR AREAS: $1.8 MILLION FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, THIS WILL COVER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AND THE MAY ELECTION.
WE ALSO HAVE AN INCREASE FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT OF $951,000, AND THAT IS PRIMARILY TO FUND A CONTRACT FULL-TIME POSITION THAT WAS ADDED IN LATE 2017 TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT BUDGET FOR CONTRACTUAL STAFF FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND ALSO $600 ANNUAL INCREASE TO THE HEALTHCARE ALLOWANCE THAT IS ALLOCATED TO FULL-TIME POSITIONS IN THE CONTRACT CITY AIDE BUDGET.
ALSO KRUD IS AN INCREASE OF 572,000 TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, AND THIS WILL ALLOW US TO ADD TWO POSITIONS FOR THE 2020 CENSUS AND OUTREACH FUNDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ALSO SIGN LANGUAGE ENHANCEMENT, AND $70,000 ALLOCATED FOR THE MILITARY TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE.
THIS IS CONTINGENT AMONG THE SAME AMOUNT RECEIVED BY THE BEXAR COUNTY AND THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND FINALLY WE HAVE $85,000 IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE FOR ONE ADDITIONAL POSITION.
THE NEXT AREA IS WHAT WE CALL NONDEPARTMENTAL AND THIS ACCOUNT IS LOCATED IN THE GENERAL FUND AND TRACKS THOSE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OR SERVICES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY ALLOCATED TO A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE $6 MILLION THAT WE PAY TO THE STATE FOR THE COLLECTION OF OUR SALES TAX.
WE ALSO HAVE A $3 MILLION PAYMENT TO THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT, $2 MILLION FOR RENTAL OF OFFICE SPACE, $1.6 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS, AND YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF THE ITEMS INCLUDED WITHIN THE NONDEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNT.
COMPARED TO 2018, THIS ACCOUNT GREW BY $100,000.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS INTERNAL SUPPORT SERVICES, AND WE HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES THAT COMPRISE THIS AREA, INCLUDING BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE BUDGET OFFICE, FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT, THE INNOVATION OFFICE, INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, EQUITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT.
THESE DEPARTMENT OR OFFICES PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT DELIVER DAILY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WITHOUT THOSE DEPARTMENTS, THOSE DEPARTMENTS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
NOW, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET FOR 2019, THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR INTERNAL SUPPORT SERVICES IS $190.8 MILLION WITH A PROPOSED NUMBER OF POSITIONS OF 744.
COMPARED TO 2018, THIS REPRESENTS A $6.9 MILLION INCREASE, AND 19 NEW POSITIONS.
SO THOSE INCREASES ARE AS FOLLOWS: IN THE IT DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A $3 MILLION INCREASE FOR AN ENTERPRISE MICROSOFT AGREEMENT FOR ALL OF OUR CITY COMPUTERS AND ALL THE FUNCTIONS THAT WE DELIVER AT THE CITY.
IN THE AREA OF BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES, WE'RE ADDING 143,000 TO UPGRADE OUR FUEL AND CAR WASH SYSTEM AND ALSO TO ADD SIX POSITIONS FOR THE ADDITION OF TWO NEW SERVICE CENTERS.
IN THE AREA OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ADDING EIGHT POSITIONS WITH $583,000 TO IMPROVE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND FISCAL MONITORING CITYWIDE.
165,000 IS RECOMMENDED FOR TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE EQUITY OFFICE TO CONTINUE OUR STRATEGY OF EMBEDDING EQUITY ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, AND FINALLY TWO NEW POSITIONS ARE RECOMMENDED IN THE AREA OF INNOVATION TO EXPAND OUR SMART CITY POSITIONS.
THIS IMPROVEMENT THAT I HIGHLIGHTED IS ABOUT $4.8 MILLION.
I MENTIONED THE INCREASE IN THESE AREAS FOR 6.9.
THE BALANCE IS THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION FOR THE 744 POSITIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THESE DEPARTMENTS.
AND FINALLY -- AUDIO] -- IN 2019, AND 45 POSITIONS COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 2018, THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $150,000.
NO CHANGES TO THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS, AND THIS IS PRIMARILY TO REFLECT ADJUSTMENTS FOR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IN THE PAY PLAN AND TECHNOLOGY MAINTENANCE IN THESE DEPARTMENTS.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE LAUNCHED A NEW 3-1-1 APP IN
[01:50:02]
AUGUST OF 2018.SO WITH THIS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS CONCLUDES THIS BRIEF PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARIA, AND LORI AND SHANNON.
WE'LL GET RIGHT TO DISCUSSION NOW AND I'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE, FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
LET ME START, MARCH -- MARIA, OR LORI, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND HOW MANY THIS YEAR ARE WE ANTICIPATING ANY CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE RIF'D AND WHERE WILL THEY GO.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: THERE ARE NO EMPLOYEES IMPACTED BY THE BUDGET PROPOSAL.
YOU MAY RECALL COUNCILWOMAN WE HAVE 10 POSITIONS IN PARKS RELATED TO THE TRANSITION TO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN SOCIETY, BUT THOSE POSITIONS ARE VACANT SO NO IMPACT TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS ONE THAT YOU JUST BROUGHT FORWARD, THE INTERNAL SUPPORT SERVICES.
EIGHT POSITIONS TO IMPROVE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND FISCAL MONITORING AND FINANCE? CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MANY POSITIONS DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND HOW MANY MORE CONTRACTS ARE WE LOOKING AT? I MEAN, WHY EIGHT POSITIONS?
>> OF THOSE EIGHT POSITIONS, FIVE OF THOSE ARE FOCUSING ON CONTRACTS.
CURRENTLY THERE'S ABOUT 11 POSITIONS THROUGHOUT ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT REALLY LOOK AT CONTRACT COMPLIANCE.
THIS -- THESE FIVE POSITIONS WILL BE CENTRALIZING THE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND COMPLIANCE AND TAKING OWNERSHIP WITHIN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
REALLY BEING PROACTIVE AND GOING OUT AND IDENTIFYING AND STRENGTHENING EVERYTHING WITH CONTRACT COMPLIANCE TODAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING POLICIES, WE'LL BE TRAINING OUR DEPARTMENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES AS FAR AS HOW TO ADMINISTER THE CONTRACTS, AND THEN WE'LL BE CHECKING ON ALL 6,000 CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO MAKING SURE THAT THE TERMS, THE CONDITIONS ARE BEING MET AND THERE AREN'T ANY DEFICIENCIES IN PLACE.
>> VIAGRAN: SO IS THIS A REACTION TO SOMETHING OR HAVE WE NOT BEEN DOING THAT BEFORE THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW OR IS THIS A VOLUME ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH.
>> SCULLEY: I THINK IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE.
>> SCULLEY: IT'S A COMBINATION OF -- YOU MAY RECALL BACK DURING THE RECESSION, WE CUT IN ALL OF THESE STAFF DEPARTMENTS, THAT'S WHERE WE MADE THE CUTS SO THAT WE'D MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY.
I THINK IN THE FINANCE AREA, WE PROBABLY CUT BACK A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF AUDITS SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO SOME CONTRACT COMPLIANCE THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND WE WE NEED TO STAFF UP AND DO A BETTER JOB, AND IT'S ALSO VOLUME.
WE'RE DOING MORE AND MORE BUSINESS EACH YEAR AS THE BUDGET INCREASES, AS WE SERVE MORE RESIDENTS, AND SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE'S ABOUT 6,000 CONTRACTS, SO THERE IS A VOLUME.
AND THOSE 6,000 CONTRACTS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THEM, BOTH REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE, THEY'RE IN EXCESS OF ABOUT $4.2 BILLION.
WHEN WE HAVE 11 PEOPLE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MONITORING THOSE AND BEING PROACTIVE, IF THERE ARE ANY DEFICIENCIES, WE FIND THOSE AND CORRECT THOSE.
>> VIAGRAN: ARE THESE POSITIONS HAVING TO BE LIKE SPECIALIZED CERTIFIED TRAINING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH -- IN FINANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> TYPICALLY THESE POSITIONS ARE GOING TO COME WITH A COMPLIANCE OR A CONTRACTING BACKGROUND.
>> SIMILAR TO AN AUDITOR, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE IN THE DEPARTMENTS CURRENTLY.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF POTIONZ POSITIONS RIGHT HERE, BUT LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE 150,000 FOR SA 2020.
CAN YOU SLAIR WITH -- SHARE WITH ME, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO GO TO WITH SA 2020.
IS THIS THE SAME AMOUNT WE GAVE THEM LAST YEAR AS WELL.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: IT IS THE SAME AMOUNT COUNCILWOMAN.
THE 150,000 IS TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION WITH TRACKING OF ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY INDICATORS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRACKING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND IT'S THE SAME AS WE HAVE PROVIDED THIS YEAR.
>> VIAGRAN: AND SO THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED UNDER A DELEGATE AGENCY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: NO, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> VIAGRAN: WHY NOT? THEY DON'T HAVE TO RFP THIS OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING SPECIFIC WORK OR WHAT?
>> SCULLEY: HAD ASKED THAT IT BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET.
>> SCULLEY: IT COULD BE IN THE FUTURE AS PART OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS.
>> SCULLEY: TO BE, BUT HAS NOT AT POLICY DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL.
BECAUSE I'M WONDERING, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE GATHERING DATA AS WELL, AND I KNOW IN THE INNOVATION AND
[01:55:02]
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ALSO DATA GATHERING AND SHARING DATA IF WE CAN LOOK AT IT AS PART OF THAT IN THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION OR WHERE THAT CAN FIT IN INTO THAT AREA.SO I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD RIGHT NOW FOR ALL OF Y'ALL.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE, TOO.
NEXT -- I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR THAT FINAL ONE.
FOR THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND THE BENEFIT S, HI, LORI, AND THANK YOU, LADIES, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AS WELL.
I DID WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE CIVILIAN COMPENSATION HIGHLIGHTS ON ITEM NUMBER SIX.
HOW MANY ARE WE ANTICIPATING TO HAVE IN THE ENTRY WAGE THIS YEAR, AT THE $15?
>> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT SCURNTLY WE -- CURRENTLY WE HAVE 1187 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BELOW THAT, SO THEY'LL BE THAT NUMBER THAT'S COMING UP.
THAT WOULD BE BOTH FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME, REGULAR POSITIONS.
AND HOW MANY -- SO WE'RE GOING FROM 14 TO SEVEN IN THE STEP PAY PLAN, IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT --
WELL, ORIGINALLY, BACK IN 2008, IT WAS -- WHEN WE INTRODUCED THE PLAN, THERE WERE 10 STEPS.
>> VIAGRAN: I THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF ORIGINAL PLANS, SO I WAS GETTING A LITTLE --
>> I THINK WHERE THE 14 CAME FROM IS THAT THERE ARE 14 PAY RANGES IN THE STEP PAY PLAN.
>> AND IN THE SLIDES, I WAS JUST SHOWING YOU THE FIRST HALF.
THERE'S SEVEN MORE AFTER THAT THAT ALL HAVE SEVEN STEPS.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THAT'S WHERE THE 14 CAME FROM.
>> VIAGRAN: AND SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE GETTING A LUMP SUM OF $800 FOR THOSE AT THE MAXIMUM STEP, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE AT THAT --
>> VIAGRAN: SO WE HAVE -- 1235.
AND HOW MANY DO WE HAVE -- EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE UNDER THE PERFORMANCE PAY FOR PROFESSIONALS?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: 2500, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THAT WILL BE UNDER THE PERFORMANCE PAY.
>> VIAGRAN: AND SO THE HEALTHCARE PLANS, THERE'S NO INCREASES, SO WE CAN SEE THE SAME -- NOBODY SHOULD BE GOING, YOU KNOW, UPSIDE DOWN AGAIN OR --
AND WE DISCUSSED THAT WITH THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ON THEIR PREFERENCE AS TO COST OF LIVING, A HIGHER COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT VERSUS THE HEALTHCARE PLAN, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS EVERY YEAR IN THE HEALTHCARE PLAN, THEY THOUGHT TO -- THEY WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE THAT ADJUSTMENT THIS YEAR.
AND BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN OUR NEW THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR OF HEALTHCARE, WE HAVE STILL BEEN ABLE TO KEEP OUR CIVILIAN HEALTHCARE PLAN LEVEL FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
>> VIAGRAN: SO THOSE GOING FROM THE -- TO THE STEP, TO THE LAST STEP, I GUESS, DID YOU SAY THE MAX STEP THEN IS 2%, AND THAT IS NO LONGER A PART OF THE EQUATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYMORE.
>> 4% STILL IN THE STEP PAY PLAN.
IT'S IN SOME OF THE EARLY MOVES IN THE STEP PAY PLAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
>> VIAGRAN: AND LET ME -- AND HOW MANY DO WE HAVE -- HOW MANY EMPLOYEES -- I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THIS, AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT IF YOU CAN MENTION IT AGAIN, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, HOW MANY DO WE HAVE GOING THROUGH OUR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND ALSO THOSE -- THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AS WELL? HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DID WE HAVE MAYBE TAKE PART IN IT LAST YEAR?
>> VIAGRAN: I JUST WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM, HAVE WE SEEN AN INCREASE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN USING THE PROGRAM OR USING THESE, AND THEN HAVING THAT MOBILITY, THAT UPWARD MOBILITY IN THEIR POSITIONS.
THE APPRENTICE PROGRAMS WERE REALLY LAUNCHED THIS YEAR, IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW PHENOMENON.
WE HAVE HIRED 13 APPRENTICES THIS YEAR, THREE OF THEM HAVE ALREADY MOVED ON AND BEEN GIVEN FULL-TIME REGULAR CITY POSITIONS, SO IT'S WORKING THE WAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.
AND WE HAVE -- FOR OUR GED PREP, I THINK WE'VE GOT A COHORT OF MORE THAN A DOZEN RIGHT NOW, TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, DO WE HAVE THAT ONE?
>> VIAGRAN: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SEEING -- I WOULD LIKE -- UPWARD MOBILITY IN THEIR JOBS, SO WE SEE THAT IT IS ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE WANT IT TO ACCOMPLISH IN OUR PROGRAMS.
>> VIAGRAN: IF YOU CAN SEND THAT TO US OR GIVE THAT TO US.
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I APPRECIATE THAT.>> VIAGRAN: SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: AND THEN FINALLY, I DO WANT TO TALK, SHANNON MILLER STILL HERE? HIGH, THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, SHANNON.
I THINK I WAS ABSOLUTELY AM GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANOTHER POSITION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DO A LOT OF WORK, AND YOU ARE A SMALL DEPARTMENT, BUT A MIGHTY DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU ALL ARE DOING VERY CUTTING-EDGE THINGS, AND VERY FORWARD-THINKING THINGS ON HISTORIC PRESENCE SERVEVATION --PRESERVATION, SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT AND APPRECIATE IT.
YOUR TEAM IS VERY RESPONSIVE TO EVEN WHEN WE IN OUR OFFICES GIVE YOU IDEAS OF HOW TO REACH OUT, WHO TO REACH OUT TO, AND Y'ALL ARE VERY RESPONSIVE AND THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND LET PEOPLE LOOK AND SEE ABOUT PRESERVING TO REVITALIZING, TO UTILIZING AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
SHANNON, LET ME ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU PERCEIVE TO BE THE ROLE OF OHP IN REVIEWING AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ALAMO PLAZA REVISION? -- REENVISIONING PLAN.
>> SO THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF ALAMO PLAZA.
THE CITY-OWNED PIECES LIKE THE PLAZA ITSELF THAT WILL GO THROUGH THE HG RC PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY WE'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BACK TO COUNCIL BEFORE COUNCIL TAKES ACTION ON THE MASTER PLAN.
AND WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT THE CITY HAS --
>> MILLER: WELL, ANY OF THE CHANGES TO THE CITY, OBVIOUSLY THE HGRC DOES NOT HAVE PURVIEW OVER THE STATE-OWNED PROPERTIES SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE PURVIEW OVER THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES OR THE ALAMO OR THE LONG BEAR RICK BARRACKS, BUT -- BARRACKS BUT THEY WOULD REVIEW THE DESIGN OF THE PLAZA ITSELF, THE LOCATION OF THE SCENE TA TAF, LIKE MOVING THE BANDSTAND THAT'S CURRENTLY IN VALERO PLAZA, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT'S ON CITY PROPERTY WOULD GO TO THE HGRC.
>> COURAGE: WHAT ARE THE STEPS THAT YOU SEE TAKING PLACE.
>> MILLER: WELL, THEY -- I MEAN, LIKELY THERE WILL BE A DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE HEARING -- NOT HEARING, BUT A DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING FIRST AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A MEETING WITH THE HGRC SO THEY COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE ITEMS. AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT COULD BE MORE THAN ONE MEETING, DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY TAKE ACTION, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE GENERAL PROCESS.
AND THEN IT GOES TO YOUR OFFICE MORE DIRECTLY FOR ANY -- ANYTHING ELSE?
>> YEAH, THE HGRC IS A RECOMMENDING BODY, BUT BECAUSE THE MASTER PLAN IS ULTIMATELY UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY COUNCIL, IN THAT CASE, YOU KNOW, THEY'D -- WE WOULD -- STAFF WOULD BE PRESENTING THE HGRC'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL.
WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THE HISTORIC COMMUNITIES, THERE'S A BIG QUESTION ABOUT THE TYPE 2 STRS THAT ARE GOING ON.
HOW ARE YOU LOOKING AT SOME OF THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, BUILDINGS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
DO YOU ONLY LOOK AT THE EXTERIOR OR DO YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ACTUAL USAGE OF THE BUILDINGS.
>> MILLER: SO HISTORIC DESIGNATION ONLY APPLIES TO EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS.
THERE ARE A FEW -- A FEW MINOR EXCEPTIONS TO SOME INTERIORS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IS ONLY EXTERIOR.
AND IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT USE.
OBVIOUSLY, UNDERLYING ZONING CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE VIABILITY OF AN EXISTING HISTORIC BUILDING, AND SO WE CERTAINLY ARE INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT APPROPRIATE UNDERLYING ZONING IN OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR LANDMARKS BUT THE INDIVIDUAL USE OF A PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S A -- YOU KNOW, A STORE OR A BOOK SHOP OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, LIKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS ARE NOT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF OHP OR HGRC.
>> COURAGE: BUT IF A HISTORIC BUILDING IS IN A COMMUNITY WHERE IT IS ZONED RESIDENTIAL AND SOMEONE WANTS TO TURN IT INTO A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, DOESN'T THAT THEN FALL UNDER THE PURVIEW OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
>> MILLER: WELL, THE CHANGES -- ANY CHANGES TO THE EXTERIOR WOULD.
SO IF YOU CONVERT A HOUSE TO A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, THEN CHANCES ARE YOU'RE GOING TO WANT SIGNAGE, FOR EXAMPLE.
THE SIGNAGE WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED EITHER BY OHP OR THE HGRC DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> MILLER: YES, LOCATION, DESIGN OF PARKING AREAS, ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE --
>> COURAGE: LORI, I JUST WANTED TO ASK SOMETHING TO KIND OF CONFIRM BASED ON THE
[02:05:02]
STEPS I WAS LOOKING AT.THE INCREASE IN PAY THIS YEAR BASICALLY FOR EACH STEP WAS A RANGE OF 3 TO 5%.
YOU'VE GOT 1% COST OF LIVING, AND THEN SOMEWHERE FROM A 4 AT THE BOTTOM UP TO A 2 AT THE TOP.
>> COURAGE: AND THERE WERE 4, 3 AND 2 IN BETWEEN.
SO EVERYBODY BASICALLY GOT BETWEEN THE 3 AND 5% UNLESS THEY HAD ALREADY MAXED OUT?
>> YEAH, THE LUMP SUM WAS BASED ON A 2% AVERAGE, SO WHEN -- THAT STILL WOULD BE CLOSE TO A 3 MERS OVERALL --% OVERALL. IT'S A FLAT RATE LUMP SUM SO THERE'S A LITTLE VARIATION.
WITH THE STEP PAY PLAN, MAKING SURE IT'S A FULL 2% STEP, SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES IN THE EARLY ENTRY WAGES ARE ACTUALLY GETTING GREATER PERCENTAGES BECAUSE OF THAT SO I THINK THE EMPLOYEES WILL BE PLEASANTLY PLEASED AT THE INCREASES.
>> COURAGE: BUT IF YOU WERE AT LEVEL 10 LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S AT A DOLLAR AMOUNT PER HOUR, RIGHT?
AND THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A 1% COST OF LIVING, EVEN IF THEY WERE AT THAT TOP LEVEL, RIGHT?
>> COURAGE: AND THEN THAT -- DOES THAT RANGE ALSO GET 2% MORE?
>> THE RANGE DOESN'T INCREASE 2%, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME TWEAKS IN THE STEP PAY PLAN, WE --
>> COURAGE: SO THEY ONLY GET THE ONE --
MAKING IT A FULL TWO% MAY HAVE GONE BEYOND THE 1 BUT THE RANGES IN GENERAL ARE INCREASED BY THE COLA.
ALL OF THE RANGES ARE BEING INCREASED BY 1%.
THERE ARE ONLY -- SOME OTHER TWEAKING IN THE PAY RANGES BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STEPS AND GOING TO A FULL 2% SO A LITTLE HIGHER AMOUNT THERE.
BUT IN GENERAL, THEY GUESS INCREASED BY THE COL A AND THE LUMP SUM DOESN'T BASE BUILD.
IT'S JUST A COMPENSATION FOR THE LUMP PUM FOR THAT YEAR -- SUM FOR THAT YEAR.
>> COURAGE: WE TALKED ABOUT A LUMP SUM FOR TUITION THAT STUDENTS ARE PAYING OFF, WHAT THEY OWE, THEIR DEBTS, THE STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM.
>> COURAGE: YEAH, STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS -- IT'S NOT FORGIVENESS, WE'RE MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO HELP THEM PAY IT OFF.
AND YOU SAID IT'S $50 PER MONTH.
>> COURAGE: AND YOU ESTIMATED THAT WAS $5,330,000, OR WHOEVER WORKED WITH USEST -- THAT WAS $350,000.
>> AND WE'RE STARTING MIDYEAR AS WELL.
SO WOULD WE ANTICIPATE NEXT YEAR IT WOULD BE 700,000.
>> IT COULD BE AND WE'LL KNOW MORE ONCE WE LAUNCH THE PROGRAM AND REALLY GET PEOPLE ENROLLED, THAT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW BASED ON EXPERIENCE THEY'VE SEEN IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
>> COURAGE: IS THIS FOR ALL FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
>> COURAGE: HOW ABOUT COUNCIL STAFF WHO ARE FULL-TIME.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, COUNCILMAN, THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT BENEFIT.
MARIA, I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU, TOO.
ON ONE OF THE BUDGET ITEMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE GOING TO BE TWO NEW SERVICE CENTERS.
>> COURAGE: WHAT ARE THOSE SERVICE CENTERS FOR? WHERE ARE THEY ARE GOING TO BE.
>> I'M GOING TO HAVE JORGE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE TWO LOCATIONS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMAN AND MAYOR.
THE TWO SERVICE CENTERS, ONE IS GOING TO BE REPLACING THE EXISTING SERVICE CENTER THAT WE HAVE AT CULEBRA ROAD.
SO WE'RE MOVING TO LESLIE ROAD BEGINNING NEXT MONTH WE'RE GOING TO START THE TRANSITION FROM THAT OLD SERVICE CENTER.
THE SERVICE CENTER THAT IS PRESENTLY LOCATED IN NEW BRAUNFELS FROM THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN, WE'LL BE MOVING TO A BRAND-NEW LOCATION ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN OVER BY 410 AND I-10 IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA OF THE CITY.
SO WE WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN THE OLD SERVICE CENTERS, DECOMMISSIONING THOSE FACILITIES, AND THEN MOVING TO THE NEW FACILITIES OVER AT THE NEW CENTERS.
>> COURAGE: HOW MANY STAFF ARE AT EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES TODAY? PEREZ SOLID WASTE, THE SITES ARE COMPOSED BY MEMBERS OF THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, TCI, DEVELOP SERVICES.
THAT IS AGGREGATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE HAVE THE TOOL YARD ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE AND WE HAVE THE CALLAGHAN FACILITY.
APPROXIMATELY COMBINING ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, THERE MIGHT BE BETWEEN TWO TO 300 PERSONNEL, INCLUDING THE DRIVERS FROM SOLID WASTE
[02:10:01]
>> COURAGE: HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK AT EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES PEREZ CORRECT.
APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 200 TO 250 PEOPLE WILL BE RELOCATING TO THAT LOCATION, TO THOSE TWO LOCATIONS FROM THE CULEBRA SERVICE CENTER AND THE SOUTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.
>> COURAGE: WHAT ARE THE SIX EXTRA PEOPLE FOR THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE --
>> THERE'S GOING TO BE A TOTAL OF FOUR CUSTODIANS, TWO ASSIGNED TO EACH SERVICE CENTER.
THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL ATTRITION POSITION THAT WILL BE AUTHORIZED IF THE COUNCIL AGREES AND ALSO A BUILDING MAINTENANCE, TWO POSITIONS THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES STAFF IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THOSE LOCATIONS.
BOTH CENTERS ARE BIGGER IN SIZE, THERE IS APPROXIMATELY 40-SOME ACRES EACH, IN EXCESS OF 40-SOME ACRES.
EACH ONE OF THE CENTERS HAS THREE TO FOUR FACILITIES, PLUS FUELING DISPENSERS, PLUS TWO SEPARATE CAR WASHES.
SO THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SYSTEMS, HVAC SYSTEMS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE -- THAT IS ALMOST INSTALLED, WE'RE ALMOST DONE WITH THOSE TWO FACILITIES WHICH WILL REQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL CUSTODIAN SERVICES TO MAINTAIN THOSE FACILITIES CLEAN AND ALSO THE SUPPORT FROM THE TRADE PERSONNEL.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, I HAVE AN ADMISSION.
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED OVER THE YEAR AND YOU REHAB AR RAM MAAED MY MIND ON HISTORIC PRESERVATIONS, SO IF I'M GOING TO RUN AROUND SAYING THINGS AREN'T GREAT ALL THE TIME, OR THIS IS BROKEN, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I'VE GOT TO SAY WHAT'S WORKING.
AND YOU'VE PROVED ME WRONG, SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT ON THE B SESSION CAMERA TO THROW MY MASSIVE MYA CULPA OUT THERE, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU DO, DON'T GET ME WRONG -- [LAUGHTER] -- LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT LITTLE STRING'S STILL THERE JUST IN CASE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF MY -- GUESS WHAT I LEARNED WAS IN MY DRIVE TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, CONTROL THE SPENDING OR SAVE CASH AND DO THE BEST YOU CAN, AND THEN ALSO TO SPUR BUSINESS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THESE THINGS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO ON OLD HIGHWAY 90 AND OTHER CORRIDORS THAT MAKE SENSE ACROSS THE CITY.
IN A DRIVE TO DO THAT, I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU TAUGHT ME WAS IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO SAY THE HISTORY OF WHAT IT IS AND YOUR EFFORT IN THE FUTURE OF WHAT IT CAN BE.
I'VE LEARNED THAT ON OLD HIGHWAY 90 AND CLAUDIA AND THE TEAM AND IT'S AN INTERESTING THING TO GET AHOLD OF.
ONE TIME YOU SAID, OH, LOOK, YOU SOUND LIKE A -- WHAT DID YOU CALL ME.
>> BROCKHOUSE: NOT QUITE A FOUR-LETTER WORD.
I WAS LIKE I DIDN'T EVEN REALLY REALIZE THE VALUE IN ITS AND ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM AND THE DISTRICT 6 COMMUNITY, I WANTED TO THANK YOU.
OLD HIGHWAY 90 HAD FELT LIKE IT LOST A GIANT SENSE OF THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND I THINK WHEN YOU CAME IN AND YOU DID THAT FIRST PLAN, YOU CAME BACK IN AND OFFERED IT A CULTURAL HERITAGE DECEMBER 8 U REALLY LIT A FIRE UNDER PEOPLE.
IN THAT PART OF TOWN PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN CITY GOVERNMENT ANYMORE.
YOU GAVE A SPARK INTO IT JUST BY SIMPLY TELLING THEIR STORY, AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST VALUE I SEE OUT OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US IS THAT YOU PUT THE STORY INTO TANGIBLE FEELING, YOU DID THE VIDEOS, YOU LET IT WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM, AND YOU FLATOUT PROVED ME WRONG.
SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THANK YOU, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM AND YOUR DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT MORE DEPARTMENTS TO DO TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE.
BUT ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
AND I JUST GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR LORI.
CLAYTON'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE, COME ON.
WHO ARE YOU? LORI, I WANT TO TELL YOU YOU AND -- MARIA AND LORI AND I HAD A MEETING TODAY -- AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE DOCUMENT THAT LORI PUT TOGETHER ON CIVILIAN PAY BENEFITS AND I'D ASKED FOR SOME INFORMATION, WE'D A HAD A MEETING -- JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO MY COLLEAGUES, I'D HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LUMP LUMP SUM PAYMENTS VERSUS COLA VERSUS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES THAT ARE MAXED OUT.
QUITE CANDIDLY, I'D RECEIVE AD LOT OF CONCERNS FROM CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, THEY REACH OUT AND THEY TELL ME HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THINGS IN THE CITY.
[02:15:07]
CONCERN ON WHICH I IMMEDIATELY BRING TO YOU AND WE TALK ABOUT THEM OVER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHAT I WANTED TO RAISE, AND ALSO PUT ON THE RECORD SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HAD COMMITTED TO DOING AS A RESULT OF OUR CONVERSATION.
ONE WAS I TOLD YOU THE STORY ABOUT A 30-PLUS YEAR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE WHO'S MAXED OUT, ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIS JOB.
LIKE THIS PERSON LIVED BEING THIS ROLE.
AND I WAS VISITING WITH HIM, AND HE CAME TO SEE ME, HE'S A DISTRICT 6 RESIDENT, AND HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT HOW THE MONEY AND THE DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE TO GO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE A MANAGER, HE'S NOT GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE, HE'S GOT 30 PLUS YEARS IN AND HE'S LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MORE MONEY AND STAY WITH THE CITY AND NOT HAVE TO DO THE SIDE HUSTLE AND THE JOBS IN THE EVENING AND THE JOBS ON THE WEEKENDS AND THINGS TO KEEP THINGS GOING.
SO MY QUESTION WAS TO THE HR TEAM AND MARIA, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE AFFECTED THAT ARE CAPPED OUT THAT LIVE ON THAT COLA AT 1% AND THEN LUMP SUM BONUS.
THE NUMBER'S PRETTY STARTLING.
SO 1232 OF OUR 8,060 -- IT'S 15.3% OF OUR EMPLOYEES, 8,000 -- WHAT WAS IT, 8,063 CIVILIAN POSITIONS, 1232 EMPLOYEES ARE CAPPED OUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, RIGHT? 15% OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE NO FURTHER UPWARD MOBILITY UNLESS THEY DO EDUCATION OR THEY TAKE SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS, RIGHT, WHICH MAY OPEN UP A SEPARATE CAREER PATH FOR THEM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT ON THE TABLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I MEAN A LOT OF MONEY.
WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS IN THINGS THAT I'VE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES DON'T -- AREN'T NECESSARILY CORE FUNCTION OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE CORE FUNCTIONS THAT WE MUST STAND FOR IS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPENSATING THOSE EMPLOYEES, AND I'M SORRY, I JUST DISAGREE WITH THE 1% COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE.
I CONSIDER THE COL ACEP PRAT FROM THE WORKPLACE -- COLA SEPARATE FROM THE WORKPLACE.
WHAT ARE YOUR ANSWERS -- YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT -- AND YOU CAN JUST RECAP WHAT WE DISCUSSED, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT AFTER SPEAKING WITH THESE EMPLOYEES, THAT THEY NEED SOME EDUCATION ON, MAYBE THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS HELPING THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR COMPENSATION PACKAGE VERSUS THE COLA VERSUS THE LUMP SUM --
WE'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
ONE OF THE REASONS THE CAREER FAIR WE JUST LAUNCHED THIS PAST YEAR CAME ABOUT IS THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THOUGHT EMPLOYEES JUST DON'T KNOW THE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE DO A LOT OF PROMOTION OF TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND GED PREP AND TRYING TO ENCOURAGE EDUCATION BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD DO FOR THEM.
THAT'S HOW THE CAREER FAIR CAME ABOUT.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT I SHARED WITH YOU, AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS THERE.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO DO SOME EMPLOYEE FOCUS GROUPS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE THIS INFORMATION, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THERE MAY NOT BE THE APPRECIATION OF THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE.
THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE GETS IT, WE TALK ABOUT IT IN GREAT DETAIL, WE HAVE A COMPENSATION SUBCOMMITTEE OF THAT GROUP AND A BENEFITS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THAT GROUP, SO WE'RE OFTEN TALKING IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE.
YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE PAY PACKAGE, BUT ALSO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE, AND THAT'S -- WE'RE ALWAYS MENTIONING THAT IT WAS A PRIORITY FOR THEM THIS YEAR TO TRY TO KEEP THE COST OF THE HEALTHCARE DOWN BECAUSE IT HAD GONE UP LAST YEAR, SO LOOKING AT THAT TOTAL PACKAGE, THE 800-DOLLAR LUP -- LUMP STUM THAT WE'RE GIVING THIS YEAR, JUST BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT BETTER, COMMUNICATING THE VALUE OF TMRS, OUR PENSION PLAN, WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST TOTAL COMPENSATION STATEMENTS FOR EACH EMPLOYEE, AND WE WANT TO ROLL THAT OUT IMEN OVER THIS -- AGAIN OVER THIS NEXT YEAR AND MAYBE COUPLE THAT WITH SOME FOCUS GROUPS, TAKE THEM OUT TO GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES, HAND THEM OUT, WALK THROUGH HOW TO READ THE TOTAL COMPENSATION STATEMENT AND ALSO DO A FOCUS GROUP AT THE SAME TIME TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON HOW CAN WE BEST COMMUNICATE WITH THAT GROUP AND WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ABOUT THEIR COMPENSATION.
I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THOSE, SO THE KEY POINTS THAT YOU AND I HAD ARRIVED AT WHEN WE DISCUSSED WITH MARIA WAS ONE OF THEM BRINGING BACK TO LIFE THE TOTAL COMPENSATION STATEMENT.
THAT'S HUGE, RIGHT, SO SOMEBODY CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT THEY'RE EARNING ACROSS ALL ITEMS. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST -- MAKING SURE WE'RE WHOLE ISN'T THE RIGHT CONVERSATION FROM YEAR
[02:20:01]
TO YEAR.THEY NEED TO BE MAKING MORE MONEY.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INCREASE.
MAKING THEM WHOLE ISN'T THE RIGHT LANGUAGE IN MY OPINION -- AUDIO] -- I'M TALKING ABOUT GIVING THEM MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETBOOK.
AND THE FOCUS GROUP, WE'VE GOT A GOOD COMMITMENT FROM YOU THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME FOCUS GROUPS IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S ON YOUR RADAR.
THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE IS ONE THING BUT THEY'RE INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH EVERY ASPECT OF IT.
BUT GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE RANK AND FILE, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS WITH THEM SO THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR COMPENSATION.
AND WE LIKE TO WORK THROUGH THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE JUST TO GET SOME IDEAS OF THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
LIKE I WAS SAYING, I THINK IF WE DO THE COMPENSATION STATEMENT AND USE THAT AS A REASON TO GO OUT INTO THE FIELD AND EDUCATE THEM ON HOW TO READ THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO INTERPRET THAT INFORMATION AND THEN DO THE FOCUS GROUP FROM THERE ON WHAT OTHER THINGS THAT ARE A PRIORITY FOR THEM.
AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THOSE COMMITMENTS.
1% COLA FOR THOSE 1232 EMPLOYEES IS $610,000 ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY BUDGET THAT YOU ESTIMATED.
I THINK -- I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO -- MAYBE I STAND ALONE ON THIS, BUT I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE HIGHER COLA RAISES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
THE COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE IS THAT, THEIR DOLLAR ISN'T GOING AS FAR, WE GIVE THE LUMP SUM WHICH DOESN'T HAVE ANY COMPOUNDING EFFECT.
IF WE GIVE THE COLA, THERE'S A COMPOUNDING EFFECT YEAR OVER YEAR.
IN MY OPINION THE BONUS IS A WAY OUT OF THE COMPOUNDING FACTOR OF GIVING THEM A COLA RAISE.
MY CONCERN IS THEY -- THEIR $800 BONUS.
610 GRAND FOR THOSE 1232, WHEN I SPOKE TO THAT GENTLEMAN, HE WAS IN TEARS BECAUSE HIS DAUGHTER WAS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND HE LOVED HIS JOB, HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE MORE MONEY FOR HIS FAMILY.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT MILLIONS ON THINGS WE'RE PUTTING DOLLARS ON, I THINK WE CAN FIND THE MONEY SOMEHOW SOMEHOW, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, WE NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THOSE COLA'S TO RAISE THESE PEOPLE'S BENEFITS MONEY COMPOUNDING OVER THE WAY OVER TIME.
GET AWAY FROM THE LANGUAGE OF MAKING THEM WHOLE, LET'S MAKE THEM PROUD.
HUGH CAN WE GIVE THEM MORE CASH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO GIVE THEM MORE THAN A 1% COLA FOR THOSE 1232.
I'D LOVE TO SEE 2 OR 3COLA, I CAN LY OF A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE THAT MONEY CAN COME FROM.
IF NOT NOW IN THE DISCUSSION, THEN IN THE FUTURE, HOW CAN WE GET TO THAT BEING MORE MONEY FOR THEM AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
IT'S A BASIC SERVICE PIECE THAT WE HAVE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THOSE ARE OUR EMPLOYEES DELIVERING OUR HARD WORK.
WE COME UP WITH MONEY FOR CITY COUNCIL STAFF, 900 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS, I THINK WE CAN DO ANOTHER PERCENT OR TWO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST AT THE CITY, SO IT'S JUST MY LAST POINT OF THOUGHT.
I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS DOCUMENT, IT'S VERY THOROUGH AND I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING COMMITMENTS TO FIX SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS AND TRY TO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STAFF PEOPLE OUT THERE UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THE CITY IN A TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: IT'S A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE AND THAT KNOWLEDGE WILL BE VERY HELPFUL TO BOTH MORALE AND LONGEVITY, RETENTION WITH THE CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
SHANNON, ON THE VACANT BUILDING, YOU SAID 367 VACANT BUILDINGS WERE IMPROVED AND BROUGHT TO A STANDARD OF CARE.
WHAT IS THAT STANDARD OF CARE.
>> SO IT'S BASICALLY -- THE WAY -- THE EASIEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS IF -- THE BUILDING SHOULD LOOK LIKE IT COULD BE OCCUPIED.
>> SO THE WINDOWS CAN'T BE BOARDED OVER, THE DOORS SHOULD BE IN GOOD REPAIR.
THE EXTERIOR NEEDS TO BE IN GOOD REPAIR, BASICALLY PERIODS PEREZ OKAY.
>> PERRY: WHO ENFORCES THAT? TO ME IT SOUNDS LIKE IT SHOULD BE DSD DOING THIS SHERYL OR HOW DID THIS GET IN THE OFFICES OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
>> SCULLEY: IT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE PRESENTED THE PROGRAM JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
IT'S ONLY BEEN IN PLACE ABOUT THREE YEARS.
>> SCULLEY: SO THREE YEARS AGO, AND IT IS OVERSEEN.
IT IS ENFORCED, BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE VACANT BUILDINGS ARE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AND NEED ACCESS TO SERVICES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION TAX CREDITS AND THE DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT ARE MANAGED THROUGH HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
[02:25:01]
>> MILLER: AND THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF DISCUSSION WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS FIRST CREATED WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE WORKED WITH, LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TASK FORCE AND OTHERS THAT WERE CONCERNED THAT ACTUALLY WANTED IT TO -- OFFICERS WERE DOING, THEY WANTED IT TO BE A STAND-ALONE PROGRAM SO THAT IT WOULD NOT DIVERT ATTENTION FROM ONGOING CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER, OUR -- THE VACANT BUILDING STAFF WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
A LOT OF TIMES THERE IS OVERLAP, OR THERE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT VACANT BUILDING -- A PROPERTY THAT IS VACANT AND SUBJECT TO THE ORDINANCE MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER CODE ISSUES.
AND SO WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING EFFICIENT IN DEALING WITH THOSE PROPERTIES AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
AS FAR AS THIS PROGRAM, WHAT AREAS IN TOWN DOES IT ENCOMPASS.
>> MILLER: SO THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM AREA WAS THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, ALL OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND A HALF MILE BUFFER AROUND ACTIVE MILITARY BASES.
AND THEN ALL INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS AROUND THE CITY THAT AREN'T -- DON'T FALL INTO ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
IT WAS EXPANDED TWO YEARS LATER, AND IT NOW ALSO APPLIES TO CITY-INITIATED TIRZ DISTRICTS, NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A HALF MILE BUFFER AROUND ALL OF THE PROGRAM AREAS.
THE LOGIC BEHIND THAT IS THAT OFTEN IT'S THE EDGE CONDITIONS THAT ARE THE MOST DETRIMENTAL TO A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO BY ADDING THAT BUFFER AROUND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM AREAS, IT HELPS TO CAPTURE THOSE KIND OF PROBLEM, LIKE MARGIN ISSUES.
AND YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO BE MAKING THOSE ROUNDS AROUND THE WHOLE CITY, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING HOW -- WHAT IS THE INTERFACE WITH DSD? I MEAN, TO ME, THAT -- THEY'RE OUT THERE.
AND THEY DO PROVIDE REFERRALS.
WE DO HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHO DOES MAKE PROACTIVE IDENTIFICATIONS BUT WE ALSO RELY ON CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ASSIST WITH THOSE IDENTIFICATIONS.
AND WE WORK WERE CLOSELY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HELP IDENTIFY THOSE VACANT PROPERTIES.
BUT WE DO SURVEY EACH OF THE PROGRAM AREAS.
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION OVER THE YEARS ABOUT POSSIBLY CONTINUING TO EXPAND THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM, AND IF AND WHEN WE DECIDE TO DO THAT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE STAFFING THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT WE'VE REALLY FOUND IS THAT WHERE WE SEE THE MOST KIND OF RESULTS THROUGH THE PROGRAM IS WHEN THE CASE MANAGERS WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, BECAUSE EVERY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT.
SOMETIMES A PROPERTY'S VACANT BECAUSE IT'S TIED UP IN PROBATE ISSUES.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S VACANT BECAUSE SOMEONE THINKS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY IF THEY WAIT A LITTLE LONGER TO SELL IT.
OBVIOUSLY YOU DEAL WITH THOSE TYPES OF PROPERTY OWNERS DIFFERENTLY, BUT WE DO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH MUNICIPAL COURT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IF PROPERTIES DO NOT REGISTER OR THEY REGISTER BUT DON'T COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARD OF CARE, THEN EVENTUALLY THERE ARE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN.
BUT ENFORCEMENT, OF COURSE, IS NOT THE PRIORITY.
THE PRIORITY IS FOR THESE BUILDINGS TO NOT BE A DRAG ON THEIR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS AND TO BE MADE PRODUCTIVE.
AND I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT, SHERYL, ABOUT WIDENING THAT AREA IN THE CITY FOR VACANT BUILDINGS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST IN THESE TIRZ AREAS OR WITHIN YOUR CURRENT BOUNDARIES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANT BUILDINGS OUT THERE THAT AREN'T BEING TAKEN CARE OF, SO WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
NOT NECESSARILY FOR THIS BUDGET, BUT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, LET'S -- WE'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> MILLER: AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM IS UNDERGOING AN AUDIT OF THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY, WHICH WE THINK IS PERFECT TIMING TO KIND OF SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM THAT WE'VE SEEN SOME GOOD SUCCESS, BUT LET'S EVALUATE IT BEFORE WE EXPAND IT FURTHER.
AND SO ONCE WE GET THOSE RESULTS, THEN WE ANTICIPATE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT IF OR WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.
I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL IT COMES TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE SHAN SHANNON.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PERRY.
[02:30:01]
LORI, I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ONE OF THE COLA AND THE 1%, AND HOW MUCH IS IT IF WE GO UP TO A 2% COLA FOR OUR -- HOW MUCH WOULD IT BE FOR A 2% COLA.>> SCULLEY: 1% FOR ALL THE CIVILIANS -- AUDIO] --
>> VIAGRAN: SO IT WOULD BE 8 MILLION THEN.
>> SCULLEY: 8.8 4.4 IS IN THE TOTAL BUDGET.
1% FOR THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, 4.4 MILLION.
AND SO WE HAVE -- WE HAVE GONE UP TO 2.8 BILLION THIS YEAR IN OUR BUDGET, AND I THINK PART OF IT, TOO, IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY RESIDENTS, AND I MENTIONED TO Y'ALL, I THINK, TWO WEEKS AGO ABOUT A RESIDENT WHO HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING -- BEING ABLE TO STAY IN HIS HOUSE BECAUSE HE'S NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY ALL OF HIS -- THE RISING PROPERTY RATES -- I'M SORRY, THE APPRAISALS.
LET ME GET THAT RIGHT, THE APPRAISALS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE AREA, AND SO I'M WONDERING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ALSO -- WE WANT TO BE THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE THE EMPLOYER OF RETENTION AND TO HOLD ON TO OUR RESIDENTS -- I'M SORRY, OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT'S WHY I AM LOOKING AT THAT, BECAUSE I ALSO SEE THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CARE OF HOMES IS TO ALSO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE IN THE FUTURE.
SO I'M WONDERING, HOW CAN WE -- I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE INCREASE OF THE COLA TO 2%, EVEN IF IT'S -- SO IF IT'S A 2% COLA INCREASE, HELP ME OUT AND SAY IF SOMEBODY'S HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO IS OUR EMPLOYEE AND THEY GET A 2% COLA INCREASE, THEY'RE MAKING $35,000 THIS YEAR, THAT MEANS IT'S AN INCREASE OF WHAT IN THEIR PAYCHECK? SEVEN -- THANK YOU, MR. --
>> SCULLEY: I'LL LOOK AT THE BUDGET FOLKS FOR IT.
>> VIAGRAN: OUR MATH TEACHER AND OUR TEACHER OVER HERE SAID $700 IN THEIR ACCOUNT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING WAS ABOUT THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
AND A MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE NUMBER WHAT, WE'RE NUMBER 10 IN COMMUNITY INDICATORS, SO I THINK WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CAN AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN A CITY, AND I THINK I'M FEELING THE URGE OF LOOKING AT SOME THINGS -- WHAT WE CAN DO TO DO A 2% COLA INCREASE.
WE HAVE THAT IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
IF WE'RE GOING TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN THE CITY CONTINUES TO GO UP SO PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THEIR HOUSES AS WELL.
SO ANYHOW, JUST THINKING -- YES, MA'AM.
>> SCULLEY: SO WHAT WE PROPOSED WAS AN $800 LUMP STUM PAYMENT TO THOSE WHO ARE TOPPED OUT, BUT WHEN I MENTIONED THE 1% COLA VALUE IS 4.4 MILLION, THE STEP PAY PLAN INCLUDES 3 MILLION, THE STEP PAY PLAN LUMP SUM IS 1.2 MILLION.
THE ENTRY WAGE, INCREASING THAT FROM 14.25 TO $15 IS ANOTHER 2 MILLION, THE -- AND THEN WITH PERFORMANCE PAY FOR THOSE TECHNICAL POSITIONS THAT ARE ALL -- THEY AREN'T AUTOMATIC STEPS, IT'S BASED ON PERFORMANCE, 0 UPT TOGETHER IS 16 MILLION IN COMPENSATION WITHIN THE BUDGET FOR OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
SO I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO THINK THERE WAS ONLY 4 MILLION IN THE BUDGET THROUGH 1% COLA, BUT RATHER ALL OF THESE IN COMBINATION REPRESENT 16 MILLION IN COMPENSATION INCREASES.
>> VIAGRAN: YEAH, BUT THAT'S NOT ALSO DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY AMONG EVERYBODY EITHER.
>> SCULLEY: WELL, IT IS ON AVERAGE, 3 TO 4% FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
I JUST WANTED TO CHIME BACK IN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. LORI, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, LET ME ASK YOU, IS -- DO THE STEP INCREASES GO YEAR TO YEAR? SO IF YOU START YEAR 1, YOU'RE AT THE BASIC, AND THEN YEAR 2 YOU GO UP A STEP, SO THAT AFTER 10 YEARS, YOU'RE AT THE TOP.
[02:35:01]
THEY BUILD UPON EACH OTHER.WHAT IS THE TOP PAY SCALE FOR THE TOP EMPLOYEE RIGHT NOW? IT'S ABOUT 24, $25 AN HOUR?
>> COURAGE: I MEAN IN THE CLASSIFIED -- YOU KNOW, NOT THE PROFESSIONALS AND --
>> THE STEP PAY PLAN GOES UP TO ABOUT -- -- WELL, HIGH COMPENSATED POSITIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE STEP PAY PLAN.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: COUNCILWOM AN GONZALES.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PERSONALLY THANK SANTIAGO GONZALES WHO IS A PART OF YOUR TEAM, DESK MAINTENANCE HERE AROUND THE FACILITIES A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I RAN OUT OF GAS.
AND I STOPPED ON THE STREET AND THERE WAS ALSO A VERY HEFTY FEDEX DRIVER WHO WHEN I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD HELP ME PUSHED MY CAR OFF THE ROAD, SAID HERE, HOLD THIS, HE GAVE ME HIS PACKAGE, HE SAID, JUST DON'T STEP ON THE BRAKE.
AND HE HAPPENED TO PUSH MY CAR INTO A DESIGNATED PARKING SPACE, LIKE THAT'S HOW CLOSE I WAS.
AND I WAS ON MY WAY TO A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR, AND SO I WALKED HERE -- YOU KNOW, RAN HERE AS FAST ACOULD TO GET BACK TO CITY HALL, BUT AFTERWARDS I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO GET MY CAR.
AND GAS, STARTED, AND SO HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME A RIDE BACK TO MY CAR AND FILL IT WITH GAS AND I SAFELY GOT HOME -- OR NOT FILL IT WITH GAS, HE FILLED WHATEVER, THE 5-GALLON TANK IS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PERSONALLY THANK HIM AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM FOR THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE, AND ALL THE VERY KIND PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE WORKING HERE AT CITY HALL AND ALL OVER THE CITY.
>> SCULLEY: JUST TO SAY I HAVE A LIST OF THE AMENDMENTS WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR FROM COUNCIL SINCE TOMORROW WILL BE DISCUSSING AT LEAST INITIALLY THE AMENDMENTS, AND SO I'LL PASS THAT OUT.
AND THEN WE MEET AGAIN TOMORROW AT 2:00 P.M. TO BEGIN THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ANY CHANGES THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
AND WE'LL ALSO GIVE A REVENUE UPDATE.
OKAY? AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW AT 2:00.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.