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I, HIM, BUT I LOVE SANTO WAY NORTH, THEN BACK DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I LIKE, BUT I LOVE SAN TOWN.
AND SO I, ANTONIO, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION ON OUR ARPA PROCESS.
THE TIME IS 10:15 AM ON THIS 22ND DAY OF MARCH, 2022.
WE'LL CALL OUR SPECIAL SESSION TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKAY RODRIGUEZ.
PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
[ ITEMS ]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, SO LET ME TURN IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH.GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, ONE ITEM ON THE, UH, ON OUR B SESSION THIS MORNING.
AND IT IS THE FOLLOW-UP POLICY DISCUSSION FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL ON OUR ARPA, UM, ALLOCATION AND, UH, SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
AND SO MARIA IS GONNA WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
WE WANTED TO LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR COUNCIL CONVERSATION.
UM, JUST A REMINDER, THERE ARE SEVEN CATEGORIES, UM, THAT WERE APPROVED IN THE FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND THE WORK WILL BEGIN ON IDENTIFYING, UH, THE C OVID 19 IMPACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO INVEST AND CURE, UH, AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL.
UH, THE COMMITTEES WILL DO THAT WORK, THAT DETAILED WORK, AND COME BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, AND THEN WE'LL EXECUTE ON THE PLAN.
UM, AND SO MARIA WILL WALK THROUGH THE, THE PROCESS.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU ON THE SLIDES IN EACH OF THE SEVEN CATEGORIES, UM, IDEAS OR CONCEPTS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL.
THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONVERSATION STARTERS.
AND SO LOOKING FOR SOME, UM, GOOD COUNCIL FEEDBACK, UH, TODAY AS WE LAUNCH INTO THE COMMITTEE WORK.
I KNOW SOME OF THE COMMITTEES ARE ALREADY GEARED UP AND READY TO GO VERY QUICKLY.
AND, UM, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THERE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MARIA.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, SPECIFICALLY OUR FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
AND AS YOU MAY RECALL, YOU APPROVED THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK FOR THE CITY ON FEBRUARY THE THIRD.
IT WAS A TOTAL OF $212.5 MILLION.
AND TODAY WE ARE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SEVEN CATEGORIES WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK THAT YOU APPROVED.
SO YOU CAN PROVIDE YOUR, UH, POLICY DIRECTION ON HOW YOU WANT TO SEE THIS FUNDS, UM, ALLOCATED.
SO, SO THE PRESENTATION TODAY, AGAIN, IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THAT POLICY DISCUSSION FROM YOU.
SO THE CHAIRS OF THE COMMITTEES ARE GONNA BE LEADING THE EFFORT IN ALLOCATING THE FUNDS AND DEVELOPING A PLAN, HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING FROM THE, UM, FULL COUNCIL ON WHAT ARE THOSE EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND PRIORITIES OF, OF THE, OF THE BODY BEFORE WE BEGIN THE WORK.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT SEVEN, UH, CATEGORIES WITHIN THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AFTER TODAY IS THAT THE COMMITTEES WILL BEGIN THEIR WORK, AND THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE THE POLICY DIRECTION THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED THAT WOULD ALSO INCORPORATE THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2021 AND WORKING WITH CITY STAFF, UH, DEVELOP A PLAN THAT WILL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR FULL APPROVAL.
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NOW, WHAT WE ARE, UH, RECOMMENDING IS THAT THIS PLAN ALLOCATES FUNDING FOR OVER FOUR YEARS IS NOT NECESSARY.BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO SPEND, ALLOCATE THE FUNDS BY DECEMBER, 2024 AND FULLY SPEND THEM BY 2026.
SO THIS PLAN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EACH OF THOSE PLANS IDENTIFIES A COVID IMPACT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M GONNA TAKE SENIORS, WE KNOW THAT SENIORS WERE IMPACTED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS BY C OVID 19, BUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT OR THE IMPACTS THAT THE COMMITTEE, UH, WANT TO ADDRESS WITH THIS FUNDING? AND THEN THAT THEY, UH, DEVELOP IN THIS PLAN HOW PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THAT IMPACT AND BENEFIT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE IDENTIFIED INCOME, BY THE IDENTIFIED IMPACT.
ALSO THAT THEY DEFINE KEY OUTCOMES AND, UM, PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ON HOW WE CAN ATTRACT THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE INCORPORATED AND THE PLAN THAT WILL COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR, FOR FULL APPROVAL.
SO, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE SEVEN SPENDING CATEGORIES ARE ILLUSTRATED IN THIS TABLE, AND IT'S A TOTAL OF 87.8, UH, MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON.
THESE ARE SEPARATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES THAT THE SPENDING CATEGORIES ARE GONNA BE GOING TO.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE ARTS SENIORS AND NONPROFIT SOCIAL SERVICES, ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, YOUTH, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION AND LITERACY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
SO IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDES, AND THESE ARE SLIDES FIVE THROUGH 10, THESE ARE DESIGNED JUST TO START THE CONVERSATION FROM, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
THESE ARE NOT STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU AND THE PUBLIC AS WE HAD THE MEETINGS, UH, SINCE OCTOBER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, AND ALSO THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IN NOVEMBER.
ON SLIDE 11, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE, UM, A SUGGESTED PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO MAXIMIZE COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND ALSO LEVERAGE FUNDS WITH BURKE COUNTY.
SO LET ME START WITH THE ARTS.
SO ARTS HAD AN ALLOCATION OF $5 MILLION.
AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD WAS, UM, A, A, UH, DESIRE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TO OUR AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY C OVID 19, UH, PERFORMING ARTS AND VENUES, UH, PERHAPS AN ARTS GRANT PROGRAM, AND ALSO TO SUPPORT ART INSTITUTIONS SO THEY THRIVE BEYOND THE PANDEMIC.
IN TERMS OF SENIORS, THERE'S AN ALLOCATION OF $5 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD IS AN INTEREST IN PROGRAMS THAT THAT WOULD MITIGATE ISOLATION, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, UH, MEALS AND AND NUTRITION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR SENIORS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR NONPROFIT SOCIAL SERVICES.
UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU, IT WAS AN INTEREST ON IMMIGRATION SERVICES, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES FOR NONPROFITS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE IN ANY OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
AND ALSO ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE NONPROFITS THAT WERE IMPACTED FINANCIALLY BY C OVID 19.
IN THE AREA OF, OF SMALL BUSINESSES, THERE'S AN ALLOCATION OF $30.9 MILLION.
AND THIS IS GOING TO OUR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
AND SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT WE HEARD, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL WAS AN INTEREST IN ASSISTING MICRO BUSINESSES, THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, PERHAPS RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE BUSINESS, UH, BONDING ASSISTANCE.
UH, AND AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE HAD, UH, THREE MEETINGS WITH A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, UH, COMMITTEE THAT TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THEIR PRIORITIES AS A COMMITTEE.
AND SOME OF THOSE PRIORITIES ARE ACCESS TO CAPITAL CAPACITY BUILDING, LOCALISM, ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENT, AND GEOGRAPHIC PLACEMAKING IN TERMS OF YOUTH, UH, $10 MILLION AS THEY ALLOCATION.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD WAS WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR YOUTH AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, UH, OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, THAT WHAT WE CALL THOSE, UM, YOUTH THAT ARE NOT GOING TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE NOT WORKING, AND THEY'RE NOT ENGAGED AS SIMILAR TO THE PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS FOR OUR NEXT LEVEL, UH, PROGRAM IN HUMAN SERVICES.
ALSO, PERHAPS PROGRAMS THAT OFFER POSITIVE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, UH, SUMMER AND AFTER AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND
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GANG GANG PREVENTION PROGRAMS OR INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. AND THEN ON MENTAL HEALTH IS A $26 MILLION INVESTMENT THAT IS, UH, GOING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.AND WHAT WE STAFF ARE SUGGESTING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THAT WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
AS YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR BEXAR COUNTY AS WELL WITH BEXAR COUNTY UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM AND THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE, UM, THOSE, UH, INVESTMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO THE EXPERTISE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UH, TALKING ABOUT, AND, UH, CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN RAC MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE YESTERDAY.
INCLUDE, UH, AREAS SUCH AS EXPANDING PRE-CRISIS SERVICES BEFORE AN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCED A CRISIS, UH, DIRECTING 9 1 1 CALLS TO APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE, ACCESS TO CARE IN ADDITIONAL BED CAPACITY.
THINGS THAT WE ALSO HEARD IN TERMS OF, UH, COUNCIL, UH, DISCUSSION WAS YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION, UH, CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIOR, UM, MENTAL HEALTH.
SO BACK TO WHAT THE COMMITTEES, UH, ARE GOING TO BE DOING THIS AS SUMMARIZES THE WORK.
AND WHAT THEIR CHARGE IS, IS TO PROVIDE POLICY DIRECTION TO CITY STAFF SO STAFF CAN DEVELOP A PLAN FOR EACH OF THE EXPENSE CATEGORIES THAT WILL, ONE, IDENTIFIED A CO IMPACT.
AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEN THE INVESTMENTS WILL BE TAILORED TO WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.
SO THAT WILL BE THE IDENTIFICATION OF A COVID IMPACT.
AND THEN THE PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE HOW WE GONNA RESPOND TO THAT, THAT IMPACT THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, HOW THE PLAN IS GONNA BENEFIT THOSE IMPACTED, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, PROMOTE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, RECOMMENDING THAT THE PLAN INCLUDES KEY OUTCOME GOALS AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, AND A FOUR, FOUR YEAR IMPLEMENTATION, UH, PLAN, UH, SPENDING PLAN.
AS YOU KNOW, ALL FUNDS SHOULD BE COMMITTED BY DECEMBER, 2024 AND SPEND BY DECEMBER, 2026.
AND THEN FINALLY THAT THE COMMITTEES WILL PRESENT THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
A RECOMMENDED TIMELINE IS AFTER TODAY AND AFTER YOUR DISCUSSION, UH, WE WILL, UH, MEMORIALIZE THOSE, UH, PRIORITIES AND THAT POLICY DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL AND A REPORT THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE FULL COUNCIL AND THE COMMITTEES THEN COUNCIL COMMITTEES BEGIN THEIR WORK AND THAT ALL PLANS ARE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL BY THE FALL OF 2022.
NOW, THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT BECAUSE SOME OF OUR COMMITTEES, LIKE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH INEQUITY HAS MORE THAN ONE CHARGE.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY'RE COMPLETED WITH ONE OF THOSE, LET'S SAY WITH THE ARTS FUNDING THAT COULD COME TO COUNCIL, GET APPROVED, AND THEN WE CAN START IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN.
SO NOT ALL OF THE PLANS HAVE TO COME AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THEY DO HAVE TO COME TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN AFTER THAT APPROVAL, THE CITY STAFF WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE PLANS.
AND DEPENDING ON WHERE THE PLAN CAME FROM, THAT COMMITTEE, WE WILL BE REPORTING TO THAT COMMITTEE ON THE PROGRESS OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND, UH, I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH.
UM, JUST TO REITERATE A COUPLE OF THINGS, UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LAYING OUT THE PROCESS AND THE PLAN, WE'RE GIVING THE COMMITTEES THE LATITUDE AND FLEXIBILITY TO, TO MOVE.
UM, UH, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL FOR ENGAGEMENT, THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND, AND AS WE DO THAT WORK, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE FULL COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, AND I SEE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY HERE, THAT WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
THERE'S A REPORT THAT WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE, UH, COUNTY LAST YEAR, UM, ON MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, AND HAD, UH, NAMI AND OTHERS, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS PART OF THAT, UM, THEY, THEY DEVELOPED A FRAMEWORK.
WE'RE USING A PART OF THAT FRAMEWORK.
AND, AND MARIA TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, UH, AS IT RELATED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE PRESENTATION YESTERDAY.
BUT WE'LL WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND SEE IF THEY ARE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE ANY OF THEIR UPPER DOLLARS TO THAT EFFORT.
OF COURSE, THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES HAS BEEN A, A REALLY IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR US AS WE DEAL WITH, UH, POLICE E M S, HOMELESSNESS AND HUMAN SERVICE ISSUES.
UM, AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IS A, UM, IS A, UH, UH, UH, THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY IS UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND THE,
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AND THE COUNTY.SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT FRONT AND, UH, AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES TO THE FULL, UH, UH, TO THE COMMITTEE AND THEN THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO, WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU TO FACILITATE ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE.
AND, AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO GET US STARTED OFF, UH, ON THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE ARPA PROCESS.
AND SO LEMME JUST KIND OF QUEUE UP THE CONVERSATION.
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE FEEDBACK FROM MY COLLEAGUES, UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE, THE CHAIRS OF THE COMMITTEES, UH, UPFRONT, UM, WHO ARE GONNA BE FILTERING A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THROUGH, UH, ON THE REMAINING ARPA FUNDS.
AND I, I DO THINK NUMBER ONE, UH, WE DO HAVE ONCE A, DO ADVANCE OUR COMMUNITY BEYOND THE PANDEMIC IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, DUE TO FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP.
UH, SO THIS IS, AGAIN, AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, NOT ONLY FOR THE C CITY COUNCIL, BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS ABOUT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY IS KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT PROCESS WILL WORK, NOT NECESSARILY, AND IT, IT'S ROUGHLY 87, 80 $8 MILLION WORTH OF FUNDS THAT WILL BEGIN TO FILTER THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC TARGETS IN TERMS OF FUNDING TODAY, BUT MORE SO OUTCOMES, ISSUES, UH, THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
AM I, AM I CORRECT ON THAT? YES, SIR.
BECAUSE THAT'LL BE THE, THAT'LL BE THE PRIMER FOR THE COMMITTEES AS THEY BEGIN THAT DETAILED CONVERSATION.
UM, AND I, AND I'VE ALREADY HEARD SOME OVERARCHING THEMES, UH, FROM MARIA AND HER PRESENTATION I THINK ARE GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR US, AND IT WILL REMAIN.
SO, UM, I ALSO HEARD RESILIENCE, PREVENTATIVE HEALTH IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT.
UM, RECEIVED PLENTY OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND CONVERSATION THAT REINFORCES THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING UPSTREAM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR SOME OF OUR ISSUES THAT WE'LL BE ENGAGING IN.
UM, SO WITH RESPECT TO THE PROCESS, AGAIN, TODAY'S DISCUSSION, IF WE CAN FOCUS ON OUTCOMES ISSUES, NOT NECESSARILY THE SPECIFIC AGENCIES THAT WILL BE RECEIVING FUNDS, THOSE CONVERSATIONS WILL BEGIN TO FLOW THROUGH THE COMMITTEES.
UH, THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT, UH, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED AND WHO HAVE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS, WHO ARE GONNA WANT TO WEIGH INTO PROPOSALS, THE COMMITTEE PROCESS IS GONNA BE PROVIDING US A LOT OF LATITUDE FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
SO THIS ISN'T THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE.
THERE'LL BE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL.
AND OF COURSE, UH, AS WE FINALLY END UP AT THE CITY COUNCIL DIOCESE TO ALLOCATE FUNDING.
SO, UH, PLEASE STAY ENGAGED, UH, THROUGHOUT.
UH, THE SECOND PART I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THE CITY COUNCIL DECISION MAKING PROCESS IS NOT GONNA BE ON ONE FIXED DATE AS THESE FUNDS, UH, AND THE PROCESS MOVES THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE, THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, UH, FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED ON A ROLLING BASIS.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF THE ARTS FUNDING, UM, TIMELINE MOVES QUICKER, UH, I WOULD EXPECT THAT THE ARTS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE WILL COME TO THE DAIS FASTER AND WE CAN GET THOSE FUNDS DEPLOYED QUICKER.
AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? ABSOLUTELY, MAYOR, WE ARE DECOUPLING THIS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY AND GIVE THE COMMITTEES THE FLEXIBILITY.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING, I'LL SAY, AN OVERALL PROCESS, JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE THING THAT, OR ACTUALLY TWO THINGS THAT HAVE SERVED US VERY WELL HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
NUMBER ONE, WE'VE REMAINED FLEXIBLE AS NEEDS EVOLVED, SO DID OUR RESPONSE TO THOSE NEEDS.
SO WE'RE GONNA RE NEED TO REMAIN FLEXIBLE BOTH WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, BUT ALSO AS WE BEGIN TO ENGAGE ON WHAT OUR OVERALL PRIORITIES ARE.
UH, THE SECOND PART IS THAT THIS IS A CITY, I WILL SAY IT FROM NOW, TILL THE COWS COME HOME.
WE WORK TOGETHER, ALL OF US, UH, ACROSS THE DIOCESE AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE GREATER CHALLENGES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE DOING THAT, IN MY VIEW, BETTER THAN MOST ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
IN FACT, THERE ARE MANY CITIES OUR SIZE AND EVEN SMALLER WHO ARE NOT EVEN BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND OR DIGEST THE ARP RULES THEMSELVES.
AND WE HAVE A FRAMEWORK WE'RE WORKING WITH, AND THAT'S A RESULT OF GOOD TEAMWORK ACROSS THE DIOCESE AND THE COUNTY, UH, HERE IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND LET'S CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.
UM, I'LL JUST START WITH A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT ISSUES AND OUTCOMES.
JUST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, AND THEN I'M GONNA, UH, KICK IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UH, NUMBER ONE, I MENTIONED EQUITY.
IT'S A PRINCIPLE, IT'S A VALUE.
IT'S ALSO A PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE TO INFUSE INTO THE ARPA PROCESS AND THE COMMITTEES, UM, MAJOR FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, WE HAVE A MAJOR COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED TOP LINE TO, UH, IN THE ARPA FRAMEWORK.
I THINK THAT, UH, IN MY VIEW IS A MAJOR PRIORITY.
WE WANT TO DO THAT IN CONCERT WITH THE COUNTY.
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I'VE HAD PLENTY OF CON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE JUDGE AND OTHERS, UM, COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS FALL BACK INTO OUR OLD, UH, WAYS AND FORGET ABOUT RESILIENCE, ABOUT PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, ABOUT WELLNESS, AND ABOUT BEING ABLE TO WITHSTAND CHALLENGES AND CRISES THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, THAT WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
SO, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, UM, THEREIN WE'RE IN, WE'VE GOTTA BE ALL IN TOGETHER.
UM, ANOTHER PART, UH, FOCUS ON FAMILIES, UH, RECOVERING, UH, FAMILIES.
THERE'S SO MUCH UNDERLYING TRAUMA.
AND IF THERE'S ONE MESSAGE I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR TO THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, NOW, AND, AND FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'VE GOTTA GIVE OURSELVES THE SPACE AND THE GRACE TO TALK ABOUT TRAUMA.
IF WE DON'T TALK ABOUT TRAUMA, IF WE DON'T CALL IT OUT, IF WE DON'T ALLOW OURSELVES TO REFLECT ON IT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, C O V I D, UM, RACIAL RECKONING, ECONOMIC CRISIS, WINTER STORMS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT ON THE MINDS AND ON THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND UNLESS WE GIVE OURSELVES THE GRACE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND TO REMOVE THE STIGMA FOR DOING SO, WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO THE NEXT STEP OF RESPONDING TO IT.
LET'S FOCUS ON WHAT THAT HURT AND THAT PAIN HAS BEEN, AND LET'S GET TOGETHER AGAIN, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO RESPOND TO IT.
UM, YOUTH SERVICES CAN'T GET ANY FURTHER UPSTREAM THAN YOUTH SERVICES.
SO, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION'S, UH, TRAJECTORY OUT OF THESE LAST FEW YEARS IS GONNA BE IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT'S A THEME THAT'S ALREADY PRETTY WELL BAKED INTO OUR APPROACH.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE LAST ONE, AND WE'VE SAID THIS NOW FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, UH, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR LOTS OF REASONS HAS BEEN, IN MY VIEW, NEGLECTED IN COVID RESPONSE WRIT LARGE NATIONWIDE, PERHAPS GLOBALLY AS THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE EFFICIENTLY MOVING THROUGH THOSE FUNDS, IDENTIFYING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE.
UM, ARTS HAS NOT ADDED VALUE, UH, IN OUR LIVES.
ARTS IS THE VALUE IN OUR LIVES, AND WE'VE GOTTA MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT IS REFLECTIVE, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR WORK MOVING FORWARD.
SO, VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A, A VERY EARLY START CONVERSATION.
A LOT OF WORK'S GONNA TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
PLEASE STAY ENGAGED, ALL OF US, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR HARD WORK ALREADY UP TO THIS POINT.
LET ME, UM, MOVE, UH, TO DISCUSSION STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UM, THANK YOU MARIA, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE PRE-BRIEFING.
AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR SETTING THE, THE STAGE REGARDING OUTCOMES THAT ARE DESIRED FROM THE A RPA FUNDING.
AS, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE CHECK COMMITTEE AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT COMMITTEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THOUGHTS ON HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT FUNDING.
UM, AND JUST A REMINDER, I AM, UH, ACCOMPANIED ON THAT COMMITTEE BY COUNCILWOMAN PHYLLIS VRAN, COUNCILWOMAN, TERRY CASTILLO, COUNCILMAN JALEN, MCKEY RODRIGUEZ, AND COUNCILMAN BAR BRAVO.
UM, SO I'LL BEGIN WITH ARTS, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE NEVER REALIZED, OR AT LEAST I HAD NOT REALIZED HOW VULNERABLE OUR ARTS COMMUNITY WAS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO CITY FUNDING, WE DEPEND ON THOSE TOURISM DOLLARS, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AFFECTED INDUSTRIES.
SO AT THIS POINT, MY GOAL WOULD BE TO, AND OF COURSE, I'LL HEAR FROM MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO GET OUR ARTS COMMUNITY BACK ON THEIR FEET.
AND THIS WOULD JUST BE ONE PIECE IN MAKING THEM MORE RESILIENT.
I BELIEVE WE ALSO, UH, BEYOND THIS NEED TO EXPLORE OTHER WAYS THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE MORE, MORE RESILIENT.
OUR ARTS COMMUNITY FUNDING CAN BE MORE RESILIENT AT TIMES OF, UH, COVID PEAK.
UM, I HAVE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WERE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR HOW OUR CITY STAFF MANAGED THE CARES PROCESS IN DISTRIBUTING, UH, FUNDING, UM, NOT LONG AGO.
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING SIMILAR, WHICH WOULD FUND, UH, NONPROFITS AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WE ALSO TOUCH BASE WITH OUR ARTS COMMISSION.
EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL HAS AN APPOINTEE TO THAT ARTS COMMISSION.
AND, UH, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT THIS DIRECTION AS WELL.
REGARDING SENIORS, WE KNOW THAT EVEN WITHOUT A PANDEMIC, SENIORS SUFFER FROM SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND THAT, UH, ENDS OUR LIVES EARLIER, WHETHER WE, UH, WE NOTICE IT OR NOT.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE, UH, SENIOR SERVICE PROGRAMS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
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UM, SO I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE MAJOR TOPICS THAT WE, THAT WE ADDRESS, BUT ALSO WAYS TO MAKE OUR SENIOR SERVICES MORE RESILIENT WHEN WE HAVE, UH, OTHER COVID PEAKS, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY.SO WE NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE, AS YOU SAID.
SO, UH, ONE THING, UH, I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO LOOK AT IS THESE OUTDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ALONG WITH THE, WITH THE OTHER SUGGESTIONS.
IN ADDITION, UH, I DO BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TOUCH BASE WITH OUR JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS.
IT'S A, A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT'S JOINED WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND OF COURSE, WE ALL HAVE AN APPOINTEE ON THAT AS WELL.
LASTLY, REGARDING SOCIAL SERVICES, UH, I DO WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THIS, UH, THIS SMALL CHANGE IN THE ARPA DESIGNATION FUNDING.
SO WE HAVE SET ASIDE $4 MILLION FOR THIS.
AND REALLY, OUR SOCIAL SERVICES ARE, I WOULD SAY, ALMOST LIKE A, A NETWORK THAT SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY.
A AND ONE AREA THAT, UH, SOME OF US ARE INTERESTED IN FUNDING HAS TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION SERVICES.
AND, AND YOU DID LIST THAT IN THE SLIDE, MARIA.
SO, IMMIGRATION SERVICES ARE SOMETHING THAT, UM, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES THAT YOU'LL SEE, THERE IS NO LINE OF STATE FUNDING OR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION NONPROFITS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE ARTS MAY HAVE, UH, THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS OR OTHER ISSUES OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, BUT IT'S SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP IN OUR, UH, NONPROFIT FUNDING SYSTEM.
EVEN OUR DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING PROCESS DOESN'T HAVE A CATEGORY FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN WE CONSIDER THIS AREA? AM I GOING ON TOO LONG? I APOLOGIZE
AND I, I DID SAY THIS, UH, WHEN WE VOTED ON THIS, IS WE ARE, UM, NOT ONLY A COUNTRY OF IMMIGRANTS, BUT ALSO A BIG IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BEING SO CLOSE TO THE BORDER AND, UH, ALONG THESE MAJOR TRADE ROUTES.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY THINK ABOUT HOW TO HELP THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO RAISE MONEY DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT GOING FORWARD, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A, UM, A FOUNDATION THAT THEY CAN RELY ON EITHER WITH US OR WITH ANOTHER FUNDING PROCESS? SO AGAIN, UM, WITH THE THEME OF EQUITY AND RESILIENCY, UM, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE HEALTH SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT, UH, FUNDED IN SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
UM, THOSE ARE MY, MY COMMENTS FOR NOW ON THE, UM, THE THREE CATEGORIES WE'RE FUNDING.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT ON THE, UM, ON THE ARPA DISTRIBUTION, IF THAT'S, UM, IF THAT'S, UH, ALL RIGHT.
RIGHT NOW, UM, MARIA, YOU MENTIONED THIS IS ABOUT C O RECOVERY, AND WE MUST DEMONSTRATE HOW, UM, ONCE WE CHOOSE THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US RECOVER FROM C O V I D.
SO, UM, IF I'M NOT GETTING TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS OF THE PROCESS, I DO THINK SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS HOW ARE THESE ORGANIZATIONS ALSO KEEPING THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFE FROM POSSIBLE COVID SPREAD OR POSSIBLE COVID SURGES IN THE FUTURE? AND WE MUST ENCOURAGE THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS ULTIMATELY THE POINT OF, OF THESE DOLLARS, IS TO GET OVER, UH, TO GET PAST, UM, THE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS ARE, OF COURSE CAUSED BY THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.
UM, SO I, UH, AM GLAD TO, UH, BE ABLE TO HELP THESE THREE CATEGORIES FOR FUNDING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
IT'S OUR BIG SHOT AT TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE.
THAT MEANS THE PROCESS HAS TO BE FAIR, ACCESSIBLE, AND OF COURSE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.
THE PANDEMIC HAS PRE PRESENTED US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY IN AREAS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNDERFUNDED.
AS PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR, I'VE BEEN TASKED WITH GUIDING OUR COMMITTEE THROUGH, WITH ALLOCATING THE LARGEST BUCKET OF FUNDING REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING AND GROWING OUR MENTAL HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS MENTIONED, CHECK WILL, UH, GUIDE ARTS SENIORS AND NONPROFIT SOCIAL SERVICES, SERVICES, AND ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WILL GUIDE SMALL BUSINESS, YOUTH AND DIGITAL INCLUSION LITERACY.
THESE ARE WELL DIVIDED UP BETWEEN THE THREE COMMITTEES, BUT
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IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE CHAIRS OF THESE THREE COMMITTEES TAKE NOTE TODAY, ESPECIALLY ON OUR COLLEAGUES' THOUGHTS, UH, ABOUT EACH BUCKET AND HOW WE'RE USING THIS FUND, THESE FUNDS.I THINK WORKING WITH THE COUNTY IS ESSENTIAL IN MAGNIFYING THE, THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAMMING WE'RE ABLE TO FUND WITH APA.
SO I'M, I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
MOVING BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY, MENTAL HEALTH IS MENTIONED 36 TIMES IN THE ARPA FEDERAL GUIDELINES, AND ALLOWS FOR FUNDS TO BE USED IN AREAS SUCH AS FOSTER YOUTH, INCLUDING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CASA.
SOCIAL IS ISOLATION, ISOLATION, AND INVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOOD FEATURES LIKE HEALTHY FOOD STORES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IMPROVING RESPONSES TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS, BUT WE NEED TO FURTHER INVEST IN PREVENTION OR PRE-CRISIS.
INVESTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO BECOME RESILIENT AND REMOVING ANY STIGMA RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH IS AS VITAL AS IMPROVING OUR F STREETS.
A HOLISTIC LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY ALSO MEANS LOOKING AT INVESTING AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE FOR NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY, BUT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY, AND CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN PROGRAMS THAT BUILD TRUST BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I HAVE A, A QUESTION OR TWO, I GUESS MAYBE FOR MARIA.
UM, WHEN CAN WE RECEIVE A PRESENTATION AT PUBLIC SAFETY, FOCUSING ON THE ACTUAL ARPA GUIDELINES SO THAT ALL THE COMMITTEES WILL KNOW, UH, WHAT OUR PARAMETERS ARE? SURE.
WE CAN DO THAT AT THE NEXT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING IN, UM, APRIL COUNCILWOMAN.
LET ME JUST ADD THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL DO IT AT AT THE OTHER COMMITTEES AS WELL, UH, SO THAT EVERYBODY'S PREPARED AND READY FOR THOSE CONVERSATION.
THE GENERAL CRITERIA IN WHICH THE COMMITTEES DETERMINE FUNDING ALSO NEED TO BE IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR EVERY, EVERY COMMITTEE WILL GET THAT.
AND I PROPOSE THAT, UM, THE CHAIRS OF EACH COMMITTEE MEET TO STANDARDIZE THAT CRITERIA, CRITERIA FOR AWARD FUNDING, SO THAT EVEN ACROSS, UH, COMMITTEES THAT WILL BE, UM, AS, AS EQUAL AS POSSIBLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, USING BOTH METRICS AND, UM, VARIOUS TYPES OF PERFORMANCE, UM, METRICS TO, TO APPLY THESE FUNDS AND AS WELL AS MEASURING HOW THEY'RE GONNA BE USED, AND THEN THE IMPACT OF THE ARPA DOLLARS THEY AWARDED.
IN ADDITION TO FEDERAL GUIDELINES BEING PRESENTED, I ALSO WANNA SEE A ROBUST PLAN ON HOW ORGANIZATIONS WILL HEAR ABOUT THE FUNDING AND AWARDS PROCESS.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME, UH, DISCONNECT OF, THERE'S SOME, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE LIST.
THERE'S SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UM, MAYBE STILL WANT TO, TO PUT IN, YOU KNOW, FOR IT, THAT, THAT HAVEN'T YET.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT PLAN.
AND, BUT TODAY WE NEED TO DISCUSS AND HEAR IDEAS ON HOW WE'RE DISTRIBUTING THE AMOUNTS OF FUNDS BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE.
UM, ARE LIKE SOMETHING LIKE, IS IT GONNA BE LIKE A ONE-TIME GRANT CREATING PROGRAMS, OR IS IT GOING TO BE, UH, TURNED INTO CITY INITIATIVES? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEES WILL DETERMINE? I'M GONNA LET THEM TALK IT OUT.
UM, I WAS JUST ASKING, IS IT GONNA BE, ARE, ARE WE LOOKING AT CREATING MOSTLY ONE TIME, UH, ALLOCATIONS OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE KIND OF INVESTING IN A CITY PROGRAM, OR IS THAT UP TO THE COMMITTEES? IT'S UP TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, THEY, THEY SHOULD BE ONE TIME IN NATURE.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A FOUR YEAR FRAMEWORK.
SO UTILIZING THE DOLLARS IF THE COMMITTEE CHOOSES AS THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO SPEND THAT MONEY OVER FOUR YEARS, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT COUNCILMAN PERRY BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT HE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT QUITE OFTEN.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING UNDUE PRESSURE ON OUR OWN OPERATING BUDGET.
BUT THE OTHER THING I WANNA CLARIFY, COUNCILWOMAN, IS THAT THE, THE, THE RESPONSES OR OFFERS OR PROPOSALS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THAT, THAT WE SENT A COPY, AN UPDATED COPY TO THE COUNCIL EARLIER THIS WEEK.
WE HAVEN'T ASKED FOR ANY PROPOSALS, SO NOBODY'S, NOBODY THAT MAY BE LISTENING.
DON'T, DON'T THINK, OH, NO, I'M, I MISSED THE WINDOW.
NONE OF THAT'S HAPPENED YET, THAT, THAT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.
UM, SO FOR MY COLLEAGUES ON CHECK AND ECONOMIC WORK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE IMMEDIATE OUTREACH TO ALL NONPROFITS THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING IN THE PAST, AND ALSO SUGGEST THAT EACH COMMITTEE HAVE A SCORING MECHANISM PUT IN PLACE.
MY CONCERN WITH, UH, DELEGATE AGENCIES OR EVEN PROPOSED DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE, IS, THAT WE KNOW HOW WELL THEY'RE WORKING, UM, THEIR, THEIR OWN METRICS, AND SO THAT WHEN WE PROVIDE THEM WITH FUNDING, WE'LL KNOW THAT WE'LL REALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON, ON THE ISSUE AT HAND.
DATA HAS SHOWN US THAT AN EMPHASIS ON OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAMS, CAN GREATLY TRANSFORM NEIGHBORHOODS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OUR SENIORS.
THE PANDEMIC HAS ALSO SHOWN US HOW DEEP THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE CANNOT ALLOW PARTS OF OUR CITY TO, UM, TO LACK ACCESS TO THE INTERNET OR, OR DIGITAL DEVICES.
WE HAVE TO WORK TO ELIMINATE THAT GAP, OR WE WILL NOT OVERCOME THE FINDINGS WITHIN THE POVERTY REPORT.
I SUPPORT SA DIGITAL CONNECT'S PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE INTERNET AND DEVICES TO OVER 25,000 HOMES.
THE ARPA TOWN HALLS ALSO SHOWED THAT SANTON ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUR YOUTH.
THE RECENT STUDY ON HOMELESSNESS IDENTIFIED FOSTER YOUTH CHILDREN IS MORE LIKELY TO BECOME HOMELESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FUNDING GO TOWARDS ORGANIZATIONS
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LIKE CASA THAT HELP FOSTER CARE CHILDREN NAVIGATE THE COURT SYSTEM.AND SARAH, THAT WORKS TOWARDS GETTING OUR YOUTH THAT ARE UNHOUSED INTO HOUSING PROJECTS LIKE THE SPANISH TRAILS PARK HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM, AND SAGE PROGRAMS ARE VITAL TO OUR YOUTH HELPING OUR SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH IS, UH, AGAIN, VITAL.
SO I SUPPORT, UH, FUNDING THE AUTISM COMMUNITY NETWORK.
THIS ORGANIZATION HANDLES 81% OF THE AUTISM DIAGNOSIS, DIAGNOSIS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, AND CURRENTLY HAS AN 18 MONTH WAIT LIST.
I'M SURE ANY PARENT WILL AGREE.
NO ONE WANTS TO WAIT THAT LONG TO KNOW IF YOUR CHILD IS, UM, GOING TO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.
YOU WANNA GET THEM INTO SERVICES.
SO I'M SURE THAT'S A DIFFICULT PROCESS ALREADY, AND WE'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE EASIER FOR THEM.
AN EARLY DIAGNOSIS FOR THOSE WITH AUTISM CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE FOR THE CHILD AND THEIR PARENTS.
OF COURSE, WE CANNOT FORGET OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THESE BUSINESSES PROVIDE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY TO SAN ANTONIANS AND ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR ECONOMY.
I SUPPORT THE HISPANIC CHAMBER'S REQUEST FOR SMALL BUSINESS LOANS.
FINALLY, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT FOOD SECURITY MITIGATION STRATEGIES, INCLUDING WORKING WITH OUR FOOD BANK, SHOULD BE A PART OF COMMUNITY RECOVERY EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY AS SAN ANTONIO RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC.
AFTER ALL, THIS IS ABOUT RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE.
I, UM, WE, WE KEEP THROWING AROUND THE ACRONYM ARPA, AND, AND I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S KEY THAT WE BREAK AND DECONSTRUCT THAT ACRONYM, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, AND IT RESCUE SHOULD BE IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
WE HAVE, UM, I, I'VE RECEIVED, AND I KNOW MY, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF REQUESTS, MANY OF THEM VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND MERITED, UH, A LOT OF, UH, SENSIBLE, THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION.
UH, AND THEN OTHERS JUST DON'T SEEM TO SQUARE WITH THE WORD RESCUE, UH, AND
UM, AND THAT'S OKAY, RIGHT? YOU MISS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE SHOTS YOU DON'T TAKE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING THE SHOTS.
UM, AND SO I, I DO THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER A, A FEW THINGS, AND, AND IT'S SOMETHING I'LL KEEP IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND I'LL, I'LL REPEAT IT OFTEN DURING OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AND THAT IS THAT, UM, AS THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MEETS TO DECIDE HOW WE ALLOCATE 48 POINT, OR, SORRY, $47.8 MILLION, WE'RE, UM, GONNA BE REMINDING OURSELVES THAT ONE, THIS IS THE LAST WINDFALL OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT IN A LONG TIME, DESPITE JEFF COYLE'S EXCELLENT EFFORTS AT BRINGING HOME OUR TAX DOLLARS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, TWISTED ARMS AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS SAN ANTONIO'S PREDICAMENTS UP IN DC UH, WE'RE HEARING LOUD AND CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T GET USED TO, DON'T GET USED TO, UM, HAVING EVERY FEW MONTHS OR EVERY FEW YEARS, THESE FUNDS COME DOWN THE PIPELINE FOR YOU.
SO USE THIS MONEY QUITE WISELY.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UH, FOR ME, ONE OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES IS SCARCITY.
UM, WE ALL, WE ALL TALK ABOUT EQUITY UP HERE, BUT SCARCITY, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT WORD THAT WE NEED TO ADD TO OUR VOCABULARY AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT SCARCITY JUST IN ECONOMIC TERMS, RIGHT? AND THAT'S, UH, WHEN YOU'RE PRESENTED WITH VERY LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEORETICAL, INFINITE NEEDS.
AND SO, UM, THAT SITUATION OF SCARCITY IS GONNA REQUIRE US TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES AS EFFICIENTLY AND AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
NOT JUST TO SATISFY BASIC NEEDS, BUT ALSO TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET AS MANY WANTS AS POSSIBLE IN THERE.
UM, $87.8 MILLION FOR THIS TOTAL, UH, ARPA FOR PILE OF MONEY THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA BE INVESTING IN.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING TO, TO NOT TAKE SERIOUSLY.
I MEAN, WE, WE TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS HERE, BILLION DOLLARS THERE WHEN WE'RE UP ON CITY COUNCIL, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
BUT I, I THINK IT'S EASY SOMETIMES TO FORGET THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY TO ANYBODY.
UH, HOWEVER, IT'S, IT REALLY IS, AND I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA BE ANY DEBATE UP HERE ON THIS COUNCIL DIUS THAT THIS IS, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS ECLIPSED, UH, BY THE COMMUNITY'S NEED FOR RESCUING, RESCUING AND CAPITAL LETTERS, RIGHT? SO I THINK WE NEED TO VERY QUICKLY GET COMFORTABLE WITH A DISCOMFORT OF HAVING VERY LIMITED FUNDS, UM, TO RESPOND TO THESE NEEDS.
AND OUR JOB IS GONNA HAVE TO BE TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS.
UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE WATCHING US STREAMING LIVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SOME OF YOU ARE GONNA BE REALLY UNHAPPY WITH OUR DECISION.
OTHERS ARE, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE UNHAPPY BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GET ZERO, $0 OUT OF THIS EXERCISE.
SOME OF YOU'RE GONNA BE UNHAPPY BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GET SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN YOU WERE EXPECTING, AND THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE OKAY,
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UH, FOR THIS PROCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOB.AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE ALL VOLUNTEERED FOR.
AND WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAID, VOTE FOR US, AND WE'LL MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS.
AND SO, UM, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR, FOR MARIA.
I, I LOOKED AT THE LIST SUBMITTED TO US OF, OF THOSE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED SO FAR.
UM, THERE WERE SOME, SOME THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME, UH, BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ON THE LIST.
UH, AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT THE FINAL LIST, RIGHT? BECAUSE I'M, I'M GETTING PEPPERED WITH PHONE CALLS.
WAIT, I SUBMITTED IT THREE TIMES.
WHY AM I NOT ON THERE? CAN, CAN YOU PLEASE REASSURE US THAT THIS LIST IS NOT FINAL? SURE.
SO WHAT WE PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL LAST WEEK IS WHAT WE HAD AS OF THE DAY THAT WE SEND IT SATURDAY, WE AT ONE VERONICA, ONE MORE, UM, REQUESTS THAT WE'LL SEND TO, TO THE COUNCIL.
SO TO YOUR POINT, I I, I'M THINKING THAT PERHAPS WE GET MORE, UM, OF THIS REQUEST THAT WE'LL BE KEEPING THE COUNCIL INFORMED, BUT AS ERIC MENTIONED, THIS IS NOT A LIST OF SOLICITED PROPOSALS.
THAT'S WHY THE COMMITTEES ARE GONNA DO THEIR WORK AND ESTABLISH PROCESSES ON HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED.
I'VE NEVER DIDN'T GET ANYTHING WRONG.
UH, YOU'RE ONE OF THE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LIKE A SUPERCOMPUTER.
AND SO, UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M, I'M GONNA BEG YOU TO GO LOOK IN YOUR EMAIL AND MAYBE THE JUNK FOLDER, UM, BECAUSE I WAS SHOWN TWO EMAILS THAT WERE SENT TO STAFF, UM, PRIOR TO THE LIST BEING ISSUED FROM AN ORGANIZATION WHO SAID, HEY, WE'RE SUBMITTING, BY THE WAY, DID YOU GET THIS? WE'RE SUBMITTING IT AGAIN.
AND SO, UM, I JUST, I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANY ORGANIZATIONS.
'CAUSE THIS, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT EXERCISE FOR SOME OF THEM IN THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE.
UM, THE SECOND THING IS, MARIA, HAVE Y'ALL DISCUSSED ABOUT, UH, A STANDARDIZED APPLICATION FORM, UH, TO GO ALONG WITH THE STANDARDIZED PROCESS THAT, THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING UP HERE? UH, YES.
SO WE HAVE DISCUSSED IF THE CITY, THROUGH THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES, UM, THERE'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS BY WHICH, UM, SOME OF THE DOLLARS WILL BE ALLOCATED.
WE'LL BE FOLLOWING OUR PROCUREMENT, UH, PRACTICES, AND ALSO ADDING TO THAT, THE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO, TO ALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS.
SO WE WILL HAVE A STANDARD, UM, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, RIGHT? AND THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO MANAGE OVERLAP, RIGHT? SO, UM, SOME NONPROFITS ARE GONNA BE RELEVANT TO MULTIPLE COMMITTEES, MAYBE EVEN ALL THREE.
UH, AND SO I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, THAT'S SOMETHING I, I DON'T WANNA HAVE A TUG OF WAR WITH A COUNCILWOMAN.
BUT, UH, I, UH, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WALKING INTO THIS EYES WIDE OPEN AS TO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT APPLIES, RIGHT? SO THAT, I GUESS, PROBABLY A DISCUSSION FOR THE COUNCIL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IF AN AGENCY IS RECEIVING FUNDS FROM THE CITY TODAY, MAYBE THAT'S NOT AN AGENCY THAT WE CONSIDER FOR ARPA DOLLARS, OR PERHAPS IF WE HAVE AN AGENCY THAT APPLIES TO YOUR POINT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH CATEGORY, UH, THAT THEY MAY BE ONLY APPLIED ONCE AND NOT MULTIPLE TIMES.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOME POLICY DIRECTION THAT WE WOULD BE SEEKING FROM THE COUNCIL TODAY.
I, I LIKE THE SECOND IDEA, UH, THE FIRST ONE I'D, I WOULD OPPOSE, UH, BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE A DELEGATE AGENCY RECEIVES CITY COUNCIL MONEY, UH, YOU KNOW, INVESTMENT SHOULDN'T PRECLUDE THEM FROM, UM, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THESE ARPA FUNDS IF IN FACT THEY HAVE A PROJECT THAT MERITS, UH, THAT, THAT INVESTMENT.
BUT, UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS, AND THANK YOU MAD, I JUST, LET ME JUST ADD TO THAT I MINUTE, I, I THINK I, I, I THINK, UH, WHAT MARIA SAID IS, IS NOT THAT, I MEAN, IT, IT GOES BACK TO WHATEVER THE CONVERSATION IS THAT THE COMMITTEES, IF, IF THERE'S A OUTCOME, DESIRE, THEN THAT SHOULD BE A PRODUCT.
AND FRANKLY, THE DECONFLICTION OF THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? WE ALSO WILL BE COMING BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL ON EACH OF THEM.
UH, AND SO JEFF COYLE IS AROUND, AND JEFF, AS, AS YOU'RE MAKING IT UP HERE, UM, THE, THE QUESTION I'LL, I'LL POSE TO YOU IS WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING OUR DELEGATES IN DC UPDATED AS TO, AND, AND NOT JUST UPDATED, BUT OVER INFORMED, RIGHT? UH, AS TO THE STATUS OF, OF THESE GRANTS, UM, OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE ARPA GUIDELINES, OUR SUCCESS STORIES, AND THEN ALSO OUR CHALLENGES.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, SALLY ZERTO, OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB COMMUNICATING WITH OUR DELEGATION.
WHEN YOU ALL MET ON, I THINK, JANUARY 26TH TO TALK ABOUT THIS LAST TIME IN THE ALLOCATIONS OF, OF THE FUNDS, SHE COMMUNICATED AND SHARED ALL THAT WITH THE DELEGATION RIGHT AFTER THE MEETING.
I'M CERTAIN SHE'LL DO THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UM, THE MEMBERS, OUR, OUR REPRESENTATIVES
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IN CONGRESS WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY THE WORK THEY'VE DONE IN DC AS AN EXAMPLE, NOT ARPA RELATED, BUT FEDERAL RELATED.CONGRESSMAN CASTRO IS OUT AT THE AIRPORT YESTERDAY, UH, AS WAS COUNCILMAN COURAGE, TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THE AIRPORT WOULD BE PURSUING IN TERMS OF ITS GROWTH.
SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP A CONSTANT DIALOGUE WITH THEM SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY THAT THEY ULTIMATELY APPROVED IN WASHINGTON IS, IS BENEFITING PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
ALRIGHT? AND SO STAY UP THERE.
'CAUSE I, I, I'M GONNA CROSS-EXAMINE YOU.
SAN ANTONIO HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A DONOR CITY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS BEING SENT ELSEWHERE AND NOT COMING BACK.
WE, UH, OUR DOLLARS ARE SPENT IN OTHER CITIES LIKE OKLAHOMA CITY AND DALLAS AND AUSTIN, AND CHICAGO AND BALTIMORE.
UM, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE'VE BROUGHT A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY BACK TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND IN LARGE PART THAT WAS YOU, UH, AND YOUR TEAM WHO, WHO MADE THAT POSSIBLE.
AND SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, UH, OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM, WHICH ONE'S YOUR FAVORITE?
IT WAS A EDUARDO, IT WAS OUR WHOLE TEAM WORKING ON IT.
UM, WE ARE A DONOR STATE, TYPICALLY IN TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS.
THAT MAY BE TRUE IN SOME OTHER AREAS TOO.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY.
YOU'VE SAID IT MANY TIMES, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THIS CERTAINLY EVERY YEAR AND MAYBE NOT IN OUR LIFETIME.
SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STAND BY AND SO FORTH.
THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK, MAYOR.
THANK YOU MARIA, AND THE TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'LL START OFF WITH THE QUICK QUESTIONS AND THE EASY QUESTIONS.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE REQUESTS THAT WE RECEIVED AFTER FEBRUARY, 2022.
WILL WE ALSO SEE THOSE RECOMME OR THOSE REQUESTS FROM OTHER AGENCIES AT SOME POINT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PACKAGE YOU SENT ONLY HAD MAY, 2021 UNTIL FEBRUARY, 2022, THE REQUEST THAT CAME IN.
BUT WILL WE BE SEEING EVERY REQUEST THAT CAME IN IN ADDITION TO THAT? YES, MA'AM.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, WE HAVE ASKED AT LEAST TWO TIMES AS A COUNCIL FOR THE AMOUNTS THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE REQUESTING FROM THE COUNTY TO BE INCLUDED, AND THEY'RE NOT.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY? SURE.
SO WE, CITY STAFF HAD ASKED THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE US WITH A LIST, UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THAT LIST YET.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE ASKED FOR THE LIST? SORRY, NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT,
PROBABLY THREE, THREE TO FIVE TIMES PROBABLY.
IS THERE A REASON MAYBE THAT WE CAN'T GET THAT LIST? LIKE MAYBE THERE'S, UH, IT IT SHOULD BE EASIER FOR THEM IF THEY HAD AN APPLICATION PROCESS, RIGHT? MAYBE.
I, UM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT LIST.
AND, AND, UM, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AGAIN.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY, I, I, UH, I I CAN WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND PICK IT UP.
IT'S NOT THAT FAR OF A WALK, BUT THANK YOU.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A PUBLIC SERVANT AT, AT HIS BEST, RIGHT THERE WHILE TREE TO GO WALK ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, I REALLY WANNA SEE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, RIGHT? BECAUSE I WANNA SEE WHAT'S, WHAT LEVERAGED FUNDING, WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED FOR, WHAT HAS BEEN GRANTED.
THE ONE THING THAT I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN SPENT IN BEXAR COUNTY FUNDS IS A $60 MILLION FOR THE, UM, COUNTY HEALTH INITIATIVE.
UM, I LEARNED ABOUT THAT THROUGH THE, UH, THE NEWS, PROBABLY LIKE A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES DID.
AND, UM, I AM SO HAPPY THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT, THAT THEY ARE FOCUSING ON RESIDENTS WHO DON'T TRADITIONALLY HAVE THAT.
BUT WE ALSO DON'T HAVE, UM, IN, IN MY OPINION, ANY REPRESENTATION ON THAT BOARD.
UH, AND SO I I, I'D LOVE TO JUST WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH THE COUNTY TO UNDERSTAND AND TO SEE IF WE COULD, I DON'T KNOW IF WE, I'M SURE WE SHARE DATA BECAUSE WE SHARE THE SAME METRO HEALTH DIRECTOR, UH, IT'S A HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR, FOR BEAR COUNTY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE, UH, UM, WALKING ON THE SAME STEP RIGHT.
SEQUENCE THAT, THAT WE ARE WITH BEX COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN I'LL GO ON, I'LL COME BACK WITH SOME OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT.
BUT I KNOW THAT THIS IS IMPACTED OR THIS IS MEANT TO IMPACT THE MOST IMPACTED DISTRICTS.
AND IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MARIA, YOU HAVE A SLIDE THAT SAYS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE, UM, IDENTIFIED THE COMMITTEE'S WORK IS GONNA IDENTIFY A COVID IMPACT.
HOW DO WE DEFINE COVID IMPACT? IS IT STRAIGHT UP COVID NUMBERS? IS IT STRAIGHT UP COVID DEATHS? IS IT, UH, LOSS OF REVENUE? HOW WILL WE, UH, DEFINE COVID IMPACT PER COMMITTEE? SURE.
SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THEIR GUIDANCE OFFERS EXAMPLES ON HOW TO DO THAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I GO BACK TO THE EXAMPLE ON THE SENIORS, ISOLATION WAS AN IMPACT, UH, TO OUR SENIORS COMMUNITY.
SO WE WOULD IDENTIFY THAT AS THE IMPACT AND THEN IDENTIFY PROGRAMS THAT ARE TAILORED
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TO HELP OUR SENIORS WITH ISOLATION.AND THEN ONCE WE DO THAT, THEN WE'LL DEVELOP, UH, SOME METRICS ON WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE.
SO, SO YES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFERS SOME GUIDANCE, SOME EXAMPLES ON HOW WE CAN DO THAT SPECIFICALLY.
BECAUSE, UH, TO COUNCILMAN S'S POINT, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A STANDARDIZED, UH, FORM.
AND I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE COUNTY HAD SOME APPLICATION PROCESS, SO, UM, I'D LOVE TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY DID IT, HOW WE COULD GIVE OUR INPUT AS TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
IT'S THE RUBRIC THING AGAIN, RIGHT? SO I KEEP ASKING ABOUT A RUBRIC, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT, THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT.
UM, HOW DO WE KNOW IF THESE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSED IN MULTIPLE COMMITTEES? YOU KNOW, I ONLY SIT ON ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES THAT IS GOING TO BE OVERSEEING THIS, BUT OTHER THAN WATCHING AND, AND TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THESE ARE GONNA BE DISCUSSED AT MULTIPLE COMMITTEES? AND, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY COUNCILWOMAN? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, UH, IF AN ORGANIZATION FALLS LIKE COUNCILMAN BELAYS MENTIONED UNDER BOTH YOUTH AND, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH, HOW DO, HOW DO I KNOW? SO, SO, SO THAT WOULD BE ERIC AND I AS WE WORK WITH, UM, UH, THE OTHER E L T MEMBERS THAT STAFF THE COMMITTEE.
SO I'LL STAFF THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE'LL BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING YOU ONE, THE SUPPORT THAT YOU NEED.
AND NUMBER TWO, THAT WE'RE, UH, KEEPING UP WITH ALL THE GUIDELINES AND THAT WE'RE MAKING THE PROCESS STANDARD ACROSS ALL THE COMMITTEES.
AND WILL THAT BE INTERCHANGEABLE? SO COULD YOU POSSIBLY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT 5 MILLION COME OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE OTHER 20 COME OUT OF ANOTHER COMMITTEE, LIKE FOR THEIR FULL REQUEST? FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEBODY HAS A $25 MILLION REQUEST, I THINK THAT'S UNLIKELY.
I, I, I THINK, UH, FOR, TO START OFF, UM, THAT WE LEAVE THOSE FOCUS AREAS WITH THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS, SURE.
AND THEN IF THERE'S A CASE WHERE THERE'S SOME CROSSOVER, I THINK THAT'S, UH, FRANKLY PROBABLY A CONVERSATION FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL THAT WE WOULD BRING TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS MY POINT, NOT CUTTING UP, UH, UH, BEFORE.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT COMMITMENT.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, AND I THINK THAT THEY DO GREAT WORK.
UH, HOW MUCH IS, UH, THAT ASK FOR THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES? CAN YOU REMIND ME? SO THEY, UM, THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, AS ERIC MENTIONED, UH, THE COUNTY DEVELOPED A, UM, TASK FORCE THAT WAS FOCUSES ON MENTAL HEALTH.
AND, UM, SO THERE'S SEVERAL PROPOSALS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THERE.
WHAT WE, THE CITY ARE INTERESTED IS IN SOME PRE-CRISIS, UM, ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS ENSURING THAT THE RIGHT PROFESSIONAL ADDRESSES A 9 1 1 CALL, UH, MORE ACCESS TO, TO CARE.
UM, SO, AND I'M GOING OFF OF MEMORY, BUT THEY HAD PROPOSALS THAT FIT SOME OF THOSE, UM, PRIORITIES THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
AND IT WAS PROBABLY, UM, MAYBE ABOUT $15 MILLION OR SO.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS, WE, THE CITY WOULD LIKE THE, THE, THE, TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY SO WE CAN SHARE SOME OF THAT COST AND MAXIMIZE OUR DOLLARS.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT ASK IN THE ORIGINAL, BUT IS THAT I, DO I VAGUELY REMEMBER EITHER 24 OR 26 MILLION, IS THAT CORRECT? SO, SO THEY DIDN'T SUBMIT AN ASK TO THE CITY.
UM, AS WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE JUST HAD A PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, YESTERDAY.
SO THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ASK, BUT THERE WERE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THE REASON THAT, THAT I'M, UM, ASKING ABOUT THAT IN IN PARTICULAR IS BECAUSE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IS APPOINTED BY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UM, AND BY, UH, UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE, IF IT IS $24 MILLION, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, RIGHT? AND ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT ARE BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS.
SO I WANT A SEAT AT THE TABLE, RIGHT? SO, UM, WHETHER IT'S HAVING A CHECK SHARED THERE OR SOMEBODY, RIGHT? UM, UH, THERE, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO TURN OVER THIS MUCH MONEY TO THE COUNTY, THAT AGAIN, WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
WE DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE $60 MILLION ALREADY.
UM, AND IT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, WE ARE THERE, WE HAVE TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE EQUITABLE RECOVERY.
THAT MEANS HAVING REPRESENTATION FROM CITY COUNCIL, IN MY OPINION, ON THOSE BOARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRAND.
UH, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY, UH, FOR A VERY LONG TIME, UH, SINCE I GOT ELECTED.
IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN TO HELP US OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC AND INTO THE RECOVERY.
THE ONE THING I MENTIONED WHEN I WAS FIRST HERE, AND SOME PEOPLE SAID IT WASN'T GONNA HA WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN, BUT I
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WAS AT THE CONGRESSIONAL, UM, CITIES CONFERENCE FOR N L C, AND THERE WAS A REAL THREAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, NOT TO GIVE US THESE FUNDS, BUT I WANNA THANK JEFF AND HIS TEAM UP THERE, N L C, FOR WORKING SO HARD THAT THOSE EFFORTS, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN HEAR IT, DIDN'T MAKE THE NEWS.SO WE HAVE THAT CHECK COMING AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING INTO THE COMMITTEES AND FINDING HOW WE'RE GOING TO DELEGATE THIS, UM, THESE DOLLARS.
UM, I WANNA THANK ALL THOSE WHO CAME TODAY, MICHAEL FROM ADAPT ADAPTED, ANGELA FROM CASA, MARTHA FROM BATTERED WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER.
UH, I KNOW SA YOUTH IS HERE, UH, SAGE IS HERE, AND ALL, UH, SO MANY OTHERS ARE HERE.
AND WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT DURING OUR COMMITTEES, AND I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN BE THERE AND YOU CAN SHARE WHAT IS IMPORTANT.
AND I DO, UM, I DO WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS THAT, UM, SPOKE.
I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SANDOVAL, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE AGENCIES THAT ARE GIVING MONEY AND HOW THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AND KEEPING THEM SAFE.
UM, WITH D SIX, MY PRIORITY IS THAT PREVENTATIVE, THOSE UPSTREAM ISSUES IS WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
UM, IF WE ARE GOING TO, TO DO THIS, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE A MASS OF MORE UPSTREAM ISSUES.
AND THEN COUNCILMAN PALIS, UM, WITH THE RESCUE AND THE SCARCITY, IT, IT'S GOING TO FEEL LIKE THAT, BUT I DON'T WANNA THINK OF IT AS WINNERS OR LOSERS.
I WANNA THINK OF, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF IT AS YOUR TIME IS NOW AND NOW IS YOUR TIME.
IF, IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET CHOSEN AND YOUR ORGANIZATION MOVES FORWARD.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, ARTS, I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE ARTS COMMUNITY, AND I WAS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC THEATER, THIS PART THIS SATURDAY, AND SPOKE ON THE STATE OF THE ARTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN, MARIA, IS WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER ARTS, NOT JUST AS SOMETHING UNDER CHECK, BUT SOMETHING FOR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE IT IS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER.
I
AND THE OTHER THING IS, AS WE MOVE INTO FILM, WHICH WE HAVE THOSE ASKS, IT REALLY SHOULD HAVE A WIDER CONVERSATION.
AND I KNOW OTHER THAN THE ASK THAT WAS GIVEN US, THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE FILM IDEAS AND WANNA TELL THE SAN ANTONIO STORY.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ARTS AND WE TALK ABOUT RECOVERY AND RESCUE, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FORWARD AND TELL THAT STORY, BECAUSE I DO THINK ARTS IS GONNA BE INTEGRAL IN THIS HEALING PROCESS, UH, AS WE HEAL MASSIVELY FROM THIS PANDEMIC THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS AN ECONOMIC, UM, UH, DRIVER.
THE OTHER THING IS, IN TERMS OF SENIORS, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, KIND OF SHARE THEIR CONCERNS.
'CAUSE I KNOW FOR ME IN DISTRICT THREE SPECIFICALLY, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE DOES IMPACT MY SENIORS JUST AS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IMPACTS OUR YOUTH.
AND SO I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, UM, THE ARPA DOLLARS AND HOW WE'RE FUNDING SENIORS IS REALLY MAKING SURE WE LOOK AT THAT GAP, ESPECIALLY AS, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE OUT OF ISOLATION OR HOME BOUND SENIOR INDIVIDUALS WHERE WE NEED TO GET THEM THE TELEHEALTH AND TELEMEDICINE AND THINGS DELIVERED.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SENIORS.
I WOULD ALSO, UM, MARIA, LIKE MORE SPECIFICS FOR ALL THE COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES TO THE NONPROFIT SOCIAL SERVICES.
THE ONLY, UM, EXAMPLE WE SAW UP THERE WAS IMMIGRATION SERVICES, BUT I KNOW WE HAD ASKS FROM CENTRO MED, THE BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER.
UM, AND THEN I HAVE TWO VETERAN ORGANIZA, UH, VETERAN BUILDER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP VETS AND THAT'S ADAPTIVE AT AND OPERATION TRIAGE.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT BUCKET THEY WOULD FILL IN, UM, WITH, WITH THAT, UH, YES, COUNCILWOMAN.
SO, UM, ONCE THE COMMITTEE START DOING THEIR WORK, IN THIS CASE, UH, WHEN CHECK, UH, DOES THE WORK ON IDENTIFYING WHAT COVID IMPACTS THEY WANT TO ADDRESS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE OF 'EM WAS, UM, TRANSPORTATION FOR SENIORS, AND WE DO A PROCESS THAT WE, UM, REQUEST, UM, UM, PROPOSALS FROM AGENCIES, THEN CENTRALED CAN, CAN DEVELOP A PROPOSAL.
THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE AND SUBMIT THAT FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO AGAIN, THE WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE COMMITTEES IN TERMS OF WHAT IS IT THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN THAT WOULD BE HOW THOSE, UH, PROPOSALS IF, IF THE
[01:00:01]
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE SAYS TO DO A COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL FOR THEM TO SUBMIT THEIR PROPOSALS.BECAUSE, BECAUSE WHAT I DIDN'T SEE IS VETERANS, UM, IN THIS ARPA RECOVERY, AND IT HAS IMPACTED OUR VETERANS.
AND, UM, WE ARE MILITARY CITY U S A, BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I SAW IN THERE.
I SAW SENIORS, I SAW YOUTH, YOU KNOW, BUT I DIDN'T SEE, I SAW THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
BUT, AND I KNOW VETERANS SIT IN THERE, BUT THEY ALSO SIT IN OTHER CATEGORIES.
SO IF WE COULD JUST CONSIDER THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING IN, UM, ARPA CRITERIA THAT CRITERIA THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT FUNDING THEY ARE CURRENTLY GETTING FROM THE CITY.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THEY'RE GETTING MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A TIME TO SPEND THESE DOLLARS.
WE CAN GIVE IT OUT AND THEN THEY WOULD HOLD ONTO IT.
E ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE DOING A BUILD OR A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, WHICH I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE.
SO I WANNA HAVE A TIME WHERE, WHERE THE, THESE DOLLARS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING INTO, UM, INTO OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR NEIGHBORS, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WANNA, I WANNA TAKE SOME TIME TO DISCUSS SLIDE, UH, NUMBER 11, BECAUSE I DO HAVE TREMENDOUS CONCERN FOR THIS.
AND, UM, I WAS THERE YESTERDAY AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WITH, UM, THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND THEIR PRESENTATION, IT'S DOWNSTREAM SERVICES.
AND I HAVE AGENCIES HERE THAT DO UPSTREAM SERVICES.
AND SO I WOULD NEED A VERY COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF WHAT SORT OF PREVENTATIVE SERVICES, UH, C H C SS IS DOING, BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING IT.
I'M JUST NOT, I'M NOT SEEING IT.
GOLIAD CON EVERY TWO DAYS, I'M HAVING TO CALL IN ABOUT GOLIAD WITH THE, WITH, UH, THE HOMELESS IN CAMPING THERE.
BEXAR COUNTY UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, THE TWO HOSPITALS IN MY AREA ARE TEXAS VISTA AND MISSION CHARLES BAPTIST SYSTEM.
SO I'D MUCH RATHER SEE US GIVE MONEY TO THEM.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S 40 YEARS AND I'M JUST GETTING UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM HOSPITAL AND, AND MY AREA WAS THE MOST IMPACTED.
THE SOUTHERN SECTOR WAS THE MOST IMPACTED.
WE HAD TO SET UP A, WELL MED, NOT A UNIVERSITY HEALTH, A WELL WELLMED.
SO I HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT TOO.
SORA IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MILLIONS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I, I NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY FROM THE COUNTY.
UH, AND I KNOW WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS IS GOING WELL AND SMOOTHLY.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT GOING, THEY'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT.
THEY ARE NOT, THEY ARE NOT WORKING WITH US.
UH, WE'RE GETTING OUR INFORMATION FROM THE NEWS.
I I AM SITTING IN A SOUTHERN SECTOR WHERE I'M JUST GETTING THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BILL AND THEY HAVEN'T COME AND MET WITH ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE COME AND MET WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
SO I WANNA HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT THE TABLE, BECAUSE THIS IS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
THIS IS THE SOUTHERN SECTOR THAT WAS IMPACTED.
WHAT, WHAT THE COUNCIL WOMEN DID TO GET THAT VACCINE SET UP WAS MONUMENTAL.
AND I THANK YOU LADIES FOR THAT.
BUT WE WERE IMPACTED, AND THIS IS WHERE ARPA DOLLARS SHOULD GO.
SO I, I'M GONNA HAVE LOTS TO SAY IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT I, I GET TO SIT ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CONVERSATION SO FAR.
AND I'VE HEARD SO MUCH FROM MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I, FOR ONE IN AN AGREEMENT WITH.
AND I, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT ALMOST ALL OF US ARE, I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR AND ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGING MY FELLOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONSIDER, UH, SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT, THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND I THINK THEY MAY SHARE.
NUMBER ONE IS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
HERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK RIGHT OUT IN THIS AUDIENCE, AND WE CAN SEE THERE'S A GREAT NEED AND CONCERN FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT, AT EVERY LEVEL OF THIS PROCESS.
ONE THING I NOTICED, AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD IT SPOKEN BY MANY OF US, IS THAT THERE'S A REAL CROSS POLLINATION OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT, UH, COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND SPENDING CATEGORIES AND THE CONSTITUENCIES THEY SERVE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WELL, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA, UH, TAKE CARE OF YOUTH,
[01:05:01]
BUT YOUTH ARE ALSO PART OF COMMUNITY HEALTH.YOUTH ARE ALSO PART OF MENTAL HEALTH.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, SENIORS AND SENIORS ARE PART OF THE NONPROFIT AND SENIORS ARE PART OF MENTAL HEALTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CROSS POLLINATION ACROSS A LOT OF, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH A LOT OF THESE CONSTITUENCIES THAT WE COULD SUPPORT AND HELP THEM BECOME EVEN, UH, MORE SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT TO ME, THE, THE PRECURSOR TO ANY ACTION THAT WE TAKE IS GONNA START OFF WITH UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS ARE THAT ARPA HAS IN PLACE, WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.
UH, AND THEN AFTER THAT, I THINK BEFORE WE TAKE ANY ACTION, WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE ARE WE AS A CITY? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS THE CITY FINANCIALLY PROVIDING TODAY IN ANY OF THESE AREAS, WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, IN THE ENVIRONMENT OR ECONOMIC WORKFORCE OR PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SUPPORT THE ARTS, THE SENIORS, SMALL BUSINESS, MENTAL HEALTH? WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE BEFORE I THINK WE CAN START SAYING WHERE WE NEED TO GO FORWARD.
SO I'M GOING TO EXPECT THE, UH, CITY STAFF TO MAKE A COMPLETE REPORT.
AND I SIT ON THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
WHERE ARE WE ON SMALL BUSINESS TODAY? WHAT HAVE WE INVESTED? WHAT, WHAT ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT THAT ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THAT AREA? WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE LATEST THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH YOUTH? WHAT, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION AND LITERACY? SO BEFORE I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY, YES, WE SHOULD SUPPORT THIS GROUP OR THAT GROUP.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA KNOW WHO ARE THE OTHER PLAYERS WHO HAVE SHOWN CRITICAL SUPPORT AND SUCCESS IN THESE AREAS? AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EXPENDING THIS MONEY, DO WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE THE MONEY FOR EXPENDING FOR OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD? OR CAN WE SAY, THIS PROJECT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GREAT AND IT'S GONNA COST X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, BUT IT'S JUST GONNA BE DONE IN 18 MONTHS OR ONE YEAR? OR ARE WE SAYING WE HAD TO DIVIDE WHAT WE GIVE SO THAT THEY SPEND IT OVER FOUR YEARS? SO I WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE FLEXIBILITY WE WOULD HAVE IN THESE AWARDS AND IN WHAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE ASKING FOR.
I THINK WE NEED TO SHOW HOW THESE DECISIONS ARE RELATED TO ARPA.
AND EVERY ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO KNOW, DON'T COME WITH YOUR WISHLIST, COME WITH WHAT IS RELATED TO THE CRISIS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH, AND THE, THE FINANCIAL ABILITY WE HAVE TO ALLEVIATE PART OF THAT CRISIS.
UH, I ALSO THINK THAT PROBABLY ANY REQUESTS FOR FUNDING SHOULD BE FILED DIRECTLY WITH COMMITTEES.
IT'S ONE THING FOR US TO HAVE SOME BIG LIST, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT FITS.
YOU AS AN ORGANIZATION MAY KNOW WHERE YOU THINK IT FITS, BUT I I THINK THAT ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD FILE DIRECTLY WITH A COMMITTEE OR A COMMITTEE CHAIR, PROBABLY THROUGH THE CITY SAYING, WE WANT THIS TO GO TO THIS COMMITTEE.
AND IF THEY WANT IT TO GO TO MORE THAN ONE COMMITTEE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BECAUSE ONE, ONE COMMITTEE MAY SEE THE VALUE FOR HELPING YOUTH, UH, IN ECONOMIC WORKFORCE.
AND ANOTHER ONE MAY SEE THE VALUE OF HELPING YOUTH AS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
UH, AND IF ONE COMMITTEE DECIDES, YES, WE WANNA SUPPORT THIS REQUEST, THEN I THINK THAT SHOULD BE SENT TO EVERY OTHER COMMITTEE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT WAS SUPPORTED BY ANOTHER COMMITTEE, WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS FOR THAT, AND, AND SEE IF THEY ARE ALSO APPLIED TO A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE.
IS THERE ADDITIONAL SERVICES? ARE THERE ADDITIONAL WAYS OF SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD WANT TO UNDERTAKE? 'CAUSE SOMETIMES THE ASKS ARE FOR MORE THAN ONE SPECIFIC THING.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THESE ARE, ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE US TO BE THINKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING I WANNA REITERATE THAT SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SAID, IF WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY, WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY'RE ALLOCATING FOR ANY OF OUR COMMON PRIORITIES, AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND IF, IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF CHOICES AND LET US KNOW, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO REALIZE WE'RE JUST ON OUR OWN.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'LL BE LOOKING FOR.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO'S, UH, SPOKEN SO FAR.
I HEAR A LOT OF THINGS I AGREE WITH.
[01:10:01]
MEETING IS THAT THIS IS, UH, A REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL, THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS TO GET FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO MAY NOT SIT ON CERTAIN COMMITTEES.AND SO I'M GOING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M PRIVILEGED TO SERVE ON THE CHECK COMMITTEE AND ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA CENTER SOME OF MY COMMENTS MOSTLY ON ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, HOLISTICALLY WITH ARPA.
I THINK ONE OF MY BIGGEST GOALS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNDING STREAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO SMALLER NONPROFITS WHO ARE REALLY EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED.
UM, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FUNDING IS PRIORITIZED FOR THE NEEDS OF LOW INCOME, BLACK AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY, BY THE PANDEMIC AND MOST IMPACTED PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
UM, AND HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, UM, OF UNDERINVESTMENT, CRIMINALIZATION, POVERTY, SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL VIOLENCES SUCH AS RACISM, UM, AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORE.
UM, I WANTED TO SEE INCREASED FINANCIAL SECURITY FOR THE MOST MARGINALIZED.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK FUNDING SHOULD BE TIED TO LIVABLE WAGES WITH BENEFITS LIKE PAID SICK LEAVE.
I ALSO WANT US TO INCREASE COMMUNITIES OF CARE.
THAT IS WHERE, UM, COMMUNITIES WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
THAT'S REALLY HOW WE SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC.
AND THAT'S ONE, ONE OF THE STRATEGY STRATEGIES THAT WE SHOULD, UM, CONTINUE TO INVEST IN.
I ALSO HEARD THE WORD SCARCITY.
AND WHEN I THINK OF SCARCITY ON THE EAST SIDE, I THINK OF FOOD ACCESS, UM, SOCIAL SERVICES, THE RISING COST OF LIMIT LIVE, THE RISING COST OF LIVING, BUT LIMITED ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SEE THAT BLACK OWNED AND OPERATED ENTITIES, WHICH ARE UNDER UNDERREPRESENTED IN OUR, UM, DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING OUR CITY PARTNERSHIPS AND MORE, I WANT TO SEE THEM GIVEN EQUITABLE JUSTICE ORIENTED ACCESS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN, YOU KNOW, 6% OF THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE FUNDING.
I WANNA SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.
UM, SO AS IT RELATES TO ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, SO SMALL BUSINESSES, I KNOW THAT AS A COUNCIL, AND I THINK IT'S, AND AS A CITY, WE, UM, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, INCLUDING HISPANIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD END.
I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO, UM, LEAN ON THEM.
BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ENTITIES LIKE SAGE.
UM, I SEE ALL THE PURPLE SHIRTS.
WOULD Y'ALL MIND STANDING UP? THANK Y'ALL.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW THERE'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, BUT, UM, WE DO SEE YOU.
UM, WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH ENTITIES LIKE SAGE TO ENSURE THAT PROPOSED ARPA SPENDING IS ALIGNED WITH OUR GOALS TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT THE, YOU KNOW, SAGE SERVES AND PROSPER WEST SERVES, UM, WITH DIGITAL INCLUSION AND LITERACY.
I WANT TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING EQUITABLE RESOURCING.
I WANNA KNOW THAT ANY ENTITY THAT RECEIVES ANY AMOUNT OF FUNDING WILL SERVE THE EAST SIDE.
THERE ARE A TON OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROGRAM OUTSIDE OF MY DISTRICT, AND SURE, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE ON THE TOP OF MIND FOR SOME OF US, BUT I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ON THE EAST SIDE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FOCUS ON THAT.
UM, I'LL ADD THAT I FEEL AN ADDED PRESSURE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OF THE CITY AND WHERE THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES ARE, YOU KNOW, THE WEST SIDE HAS A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE SOUTH SIDE HAS A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING THE EAST SIDE.
AND SO PLEASE, PLEASE SUPPORT ME.
AND PLEASE, WHEN WE, UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST ON THE WEST SIDE AND SOUTH SIDE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SHARE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEED THAT EXISTS ON THE EAST SIDE AS WELL.
UM, I DON'T WANNA BE IN A POSITION WHERE, WHEN THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE, THAT I HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY BLACK ORGANIZATIONS WERE LEFT OUT, THAT, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS ARE GETTING FUNDING BUT AREN'T SERVING DISTRICT TWO, OR, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY DISTRICT TWO WOULD BE IN THE SAME POSITION WE WERE BEFORE.
AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, AFTER ARPA IS, UH, DISPERSED, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO RIGHT BY MY CONSTITUENTS, BY UNDOING HISTORIC WRONGS OF THE PAST.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I, UH, THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS EAST.
THE EAST SIDE HAS SOME OF THE LARGEST ECONOMIC DRIVERS IN THE CITY.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE MONEY IS COMING TO SAN ANTONIO, IT'S AT THE ALAMO DOME, IT'S AT THE AT T CENTER, IT'S AT THE ZOO, THE WITTY, THE MUSEUM.
ALL OF THESE ARE IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT DISTRICT TWO HAS NOT SEEN PROSPERITY FROM THAT.
THERE'S NO REASON THAT ALL OF THESE SHOULD EXIST IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT WE'RE ONE OF THE POOREST DISTRICTS IN THE CITY.
AND SO, FOR THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, PLEASE, UM, PLEASE CENSOR THAT IN YOUR DECISION MAKING.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW I SERVE ON CHECK AND PUBLIC SAFETY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR YOU, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHAT WITH ME.
AND I WOULD BE, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T SIT ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO, UM, SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR DISTRICTS, AND I HOPE THAT I CAN COUNT ON THOSE WHO SERVE ON ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT MINE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ,
[01:15:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.UH, AND THANK YOU, UH, MARIA FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THERE BEING A STANDARDIZED APPLICATION PROCESS, UM, FOR FOLKS SEEKING ARFA ASSISTANCE.
UM, WHAT IT REMINDS ME OF IS THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE APPLICATION, WHERE IF SOMEONE'S SEEKING RENTAL OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, UH, THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT A BOX, RIGHT? HOW HAVE YOU BEEN FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY C OVID 19? AND I DON'T THINK THIS PROCESS SHOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN IT IS FOR OUR FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIGHT? WITH THE E HAVE APPLICATION, YOU CHECK A BOX, HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR COUNTY ASSISTANCE? UM, AND YOU CHECK THAT BOX WHETHER YOU HAVE OR HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR THAT ASSISTANCE.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE TO SEE, RIGHT, WHO'S ASKING FOR HOW MUCH? UM, BUT I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ERIC HAS BEEN REQUESTING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, SO I, I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WE, WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHO'S SEEKING FUNDING FROM WHERE, WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN FINANCIALLY IMPACTED.
'CAUSE THEY CAN'T FUNDRAISE TO SUPPORT THEIR, THEIR BUSINESS NON-PROFIT OR ORGANIZATION, OR IF THE, THE POPULATION THAT THEY SERVE HAS INCREASED DUE TO C OVID 19.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WITH EAP, RIGHT? IF YOU MAKE AN ERROR, YOU ONLY HAVE TWO, UH, A FEW DAYS.
I BELIEVE IT'S TWO DAYS, UM, TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION, IF NOT RIGHT, YOU HAVE TO RESTART THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG ASK TASK FOLKS, IF THEY CAN REAPPLY, UM, AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL FOR THESE, UM, ARPA DOLLARS.
UM, SINCE I DO NOT SIT ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT TRAUMA.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LEAD WITH TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND HARM REDUCTION.
UM, I HAD THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, GO THROUGHOUT DISTRICT FIVE WITH
AND IN HAVING CONVERSATION WITH FOLKS OUT ON THE STREET, YOU'RE HEARING LOTS OF STORIES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID, RIGHT? THEY'RE OUT ON THE STREET BECAUSE THE PRIMARY BREADWINNER, YOU KNOW, LOST THEIR INCOME, THEY LOST THEIR HOUSING, AND HERE'S THEIR HOUSING, AND HERE THEY ARE.
UM, SO I THINK BY SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE URA MINISTRY, UM, WE CAN MAKE GREAT STRIDES, RIGHT? BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS A WHOLE, IN THE LARGER COMMUNITY, WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN OPI OPIOID EPIDEMIC HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION OR HEROIN.
IT IS BEING USED IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP, UM, FOLKS, UM, REDUCE USAGE AS WELL AS HAVE ACCESS TO, TO, TO SAFETY MEASURES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN THAT CONVERSATION WITH SWAN, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE POTENTIALLY A VAN TO, TO REACH THROUGHOUT THE CITY, RIGHT? GO BEYOND 1 51.
UM, SO IF THEY'RE LISTENING, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO PUT IN AN APPLICATION, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO, UH, MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, MENTAL HEALTH FUNDS GOING TOWARDS, UM, THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AS WELL.
UM, RIGHT, SIMILAR TO
UH, MANY FOLKS, EVEN FOLKS WITH JOBS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
UM, BUT HAVING ACCESS TO A PSYCHIATRIST THAT CAN WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS CAN HELP FOLKS GET BACK OUT ON THEIR FEET.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, ENSURING THAT OUR YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICES.
UH, I SPOKE TO SAN ANTONIO YOUTH WHERE WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW OUR YOUTH HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING, UH, NOW MORE THAN EVER.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT IN THIS CONVERSATION, THAT OUR YOUTH COMMISSION CAN GIVE INPUT, UM, ON WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
UH, I KNOW THERE IS A SURVEY THAT'S GOING OUT, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LISTEN TO OUR YOUTH.
UM, AND, AND WITH THAT, RIGHT? I KNOW FOLKS, UH, YOUTH THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO, UM, ARE STRUGGLING WITH STAYING IN SCHOOL AND LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF EDUCATION'S.
AND SA YOUTH DOES FILL THAT GAP, UM, BY MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR AT-RISK YOUTH, UM, WHO ARE ON THE BRINK OF DROPPING OUT.
UM, SO WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THOSE SERVICES.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, IMMIGRATION SERVICES AS WELL.
ACADEMIC EDA HAS BEEN DOING GREAT COMMUNITY WORK.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, 'CAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, IT'S VOLUNTEER LED, UM, THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE CAPACITY TO CONTINUE TO FUNDRAISE FOR THEIR SERVICES.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS BLOCK WALKING, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND I SPOKE TO THIS ONE SENIOR WHO, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS SHARING HER EXPERIENCE OF FEELING ISOLATED.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE GOING BACK TO THE SENIOR CENTER, BUT SHE'S HESITANT.
UM, BUT SHE DOES GO FOR THE WORKOUT CLASSES, RIGHT? UM, BUT WITH GAS GOING UP, SHE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CLASSES, IT'S ABOUT A TWO HOUR GAP.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH GAS, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO GO.
SO I'M HOPING WITH, UH, THE CONVERSATION FOR SENIORS, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE, UM, THE, THE AMOUNT OF CLASSES THAT ARE BEING OFFERED TO OUR SENIORS.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT GOING TO THE SENIOR CENTER THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND WATCHING OUR SENIORS IN THEIR ATHLETIC YEAR, LIKE READY TO BALL UP AND WORK OUT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANNA ENSURE THAT, UH, WE
[01:20:01]
HONE IN ON THE ARTS.IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, SPEAKING TO ART STAKEHOLDERS THAT THE CARES FRAMEWORK WORKS.
UM, SO I WOULD HOPE TO SEE THAT CONTINUED AS WELL AS, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE TO OUR, OUR ARTISTS, UM, AGAIN, RIGHT? THAT'S ENSURING THAT FOLKS CAN PAY THEIR RENT, CAN PAY STAFF.
UM, SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE THAT SAME FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTED.
UM, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND, UH, AGAIN, ENCOURAGE, UM, UH, TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE FOLKS ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN PARTICULAR AS I DO NOT SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, COUNCILMAN CLAYTON PERRY, PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU.
UM, YEAH, I'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ALSO.
AND, AND, AND, UH, FIRST LET ME SET THE FRAMEWORK HERE.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT $88 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROCESS.
WE'VE GOT 33 AGENCIES THAT HAVE PUT IN A REQUEST, AND THAT TOTALS UP TO ABOUT $350 MILLION.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE REQUIREMENT IS AND WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS.
AND, UM, I, I GUESS, AND I'M FOR A STANDARDIZED APPLICATION PROCESS ALSO, UM, I'M SURE THAT THE APPLICATIONS, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THE APPLICATIONS.
I'M SURE IT'S DIFFERENT FORMATS, DIFFERENT INFORMATION, AND KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO YES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF STANDARDIZED FORM WITH THAT ALSO.
AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, MARIA OR ERIC, UH, I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I KIND OF EXPECTED TO SEE, AND MAYBE I WASN'T, UM, CLEAR ENOUGH ON THAT, BUT I DID ALL OF THESE AGENCIES MEET ALL OF THE CRITERIA THAT'S REQUIRED FOR ARPA FUNDS.
DID ALL, EVERYBODY MEET EVERYTHING THAT THE ARPA REQUIRES? SO, COUNCILMAN, WE HAVEN'T REVIEW EACH OF THE APPLICATIONS FOR ELIGIBILITY, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE OUR, UM, RECOMMENDATION TO THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE STARTING TODAY, WHICH IS GETTING YOUR POLICY DIRECTION, GOING TO THE COMMUNITY, IDENTIFYING WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT COMPETITIVE PROCESS WITH AN APPLICATION, UM, GUIDELINES, JUST LIKE WE DO ANY OTHER PROCUREMENT FOR THE CITY THAT WE HAVE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WILL HAVE A SCORING CRITERIA AND THAT INCORPORATES THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, I WAS KIND OF HOPING TO SEE SOME KIND OF A LIST AT THIS POINT, SAYING, YES, THEY MEET IT, OR NO, THEY DON'T, AND THEN GET BACK WITH THOSE AGENCIES SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE MISSING THE BOAT HERE.
AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND, UM, SUBMIT THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
CA COUNCILMAN, THAT'S THE PROCESS YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GO THROUGH AT THE COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S GREAT TO, I, WE WE'RE NOT, THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE'S GONNA HAVE A TOUGH JOB, AND FOR US, FOR ALL THE COMMITTEES TO KNOW ALL THE RULES AND APPLY IT TO ALL THE APPLICATIONS, THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF TIME, NUMBER ONE.
AND, AND I GUESS I WAS HOPING THAT THE STAFF WOULD DO ALL OF THAT STAFF WORK FIRST BEFORE IT'S KIND OF THROWN OVER THE FENCE TO THE COMMITTEES.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR TIME, BUT I'LL, I'LL RESPOND TO THAT AT THE END OF YOUR, OKAY, GREAT.
UM, UH, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW THIS IS GONNA BE EXECUTED AT THIS POINT? YOU KNOW, ARE WE GONNA GO TO OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES TO EXECUTE THIS? OR ARE WE GONNA OPEN UP A NEW R F P PROCESS FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S THE CHECKS AND BALANCES ON? OR ARE WE JUST GONNA GIVE 'EM A CHECK SAYING, HERE YOU ARE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, I, HOW IS THAT GONNA BE EXECUTED? SURE.
SO, SO LET ME GIVE, GIVE EVERYBODY AN EXAMPLE.
SO IN OUR CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS, UH, WE COME TO YOU AND GET YOUR POLICY DIRECTION.
UH, YOU TELL US YOUR PRIORITIES, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH WHAT WE HAVE OR MAKING CHANGES.
AND THEN THE CITY STAFF GOES OUT THERE AND ISSUES AN R F P WITH YOUR INPUT.
AND WE COME BACK WITH, UM, THE RESULTS OF THAT R F P AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHO TO SELECT TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THOSE CATEGORIES.
THE COMMITTEES ARE GONNA GIVE THE STAFF THE POLICY DIRECTION.
AND THEN WE CITY STAFF WILL DO THE R F P, WE'LL DO THE SCORING, WE'LL DO THE MEETINGS WITH THE AGENCIES THAT NEED SOME ASSISTANCE
[01:25:01]
IN COMPLETING THE R F P, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION OKAY.TO INCLUDE METRICS FOR, WITH THE OUTCOMES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
UM, AND, AND ERIC, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT, UH, COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND, AND I LOOK AT SOME OF THIS, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT JUST LOOKING AT THE DESCRIPTIONS, THAT THESE AREN'T JUST ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE THESE REQUESTS COMING BACK, BEING FUNDED OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND IN FUTURE YEARS.
AND I, I, I'M REALLY GUARDED ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND, UH, PROTECTING OUR GENERAL FUND FROM SOMETHING THAT WE FUNDED OVER FOUR YEARS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO FUND THAT.
AND OUR ONLY RESOURCE THERE IS OUR GENERAL FUND.
UH, SO THAT'S, I'M, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, THE, UM, ONE OF 'EM THAT, AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE ARE PAYING, OR SOME OF THESE FUNDS ARE GOING TO SMALL BUSINESSES OUT OF OUR ALL OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING.
AND NOW THIS WITH THE RECOMMENDATION IS HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH HAVE WE ACTUALLY, UH, FUNDED TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESSES TOTAL? $81 MILLION.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH, BECAUSE I KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT METRIC THAT SAID, WE LOST 38% OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO MEET, END, MAKE ENDS MEET, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH RENT PAYMENTS OR HIRING STAFF, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND I, I, IF, IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, I WOULD PUT MORE, MORE OF THIS MONEY TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM OUT, UH, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS RESCUING TO ME THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE KEY WORD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, EVEN THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.
IS THIS A RESCUE FUNCTION THAT WE'RE, UH, ALLOCATING DOLLARS TOWARDS? AND THAT, THAT'S, TO ME, THAT'S GONNA BE MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE ON, ON, ON THE COMMITTEE THAT I'M ON RESCUING, UM, NOT PERPETUATING, BUT RESCUING AGENCIES THAT GOT SEVERELY IMPACTED BY, BY C O V I D.
UM, ONE, ONE AREA THAT I, I'M, I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON AGAIN, THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST IS THE ART CATEGORY.
WE'VE GOT $5 MILLION SHOWING GOING TO ART.
UM, I MEAN, JUST RECAP A LITTLE BIT.
THE 17 BOND GAVE ABOUT $8 MILLION TO THE ART ARTS.
THE 22 BOND IS GONNA BE ALLOCATING ABOUT 16 MILLION, SO DOUBLING THE AMOUNT GOING TO ART, AND HERE WE'RE GIVING AN ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION TO ART.
AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A RESCUE.
UH, THEY'RE, WE'RE DOUBLING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY GOING TOWARDS ART WITH THIS NEXT BOND.
AND THIS $5 MILLION CAN BE BETTER USED IN OTHER CATEGORIES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE, BUT I, I STILL HAVE A HEARTBURN AND A STICKING POINT WITH, UH, FUNDING MORE ART ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THIS NEXT BOND IS GONNA BE DOING.
AGAIN, WE'RE DOUBLING THE AMOUNT ON THIS NEXT BOND.
SO, UM, UH, AGAIN, MY MAJOR CONCERNS ARE FUTURE DRAINS ON OUR, OUR, UH, GENERAL FUND.
I TOO WENT TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND LEMME TELL YOU, WE ARE WAY FAR AND BEYOND WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RULES ARE, UH, FROM ARPA.
AND SO WE ARE WAY FAR IN ADVANCE OF A LOT OF OTHER CITIES.
AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE, UH, UH, BREAKOUT SESSIONS HAD TO DO WITH ARPA FUNDING, YOU KNOW, AND HOW, WHAT THE RULES ARE AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING, AND HERE'S WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
SO I FEEL BLESSED THAT, UH, ERIC AND THE STAFF HERE HAS JUMPED OUT IN THIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND GOT THE RULES ALL SORTED OUT, AND WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF PROCESS THIS A LOT EASIER AND FASTER THAN OTHER CITIES ARE.
AND I, I, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, OTHER CITIES AREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO SPEND THEIR ARPA DOLLARS, AND I WANNA BE THE FIRST ONE TO THE TROUGH GETTING WHAT THEY CAN'T SPEND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE STAFF FOR DOING THAT AND GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
[01:30:01]
INTERESTING AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL ON HOW WE'RE GONNA, HOW WE'RE GONNA SORT THROUGH THIS JUST ON MINE, ON THE MENTAL HEALTH PORTION, JUST, JUST SHOWING IT ALL GOING TO THE, TO THE COUNTY.AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT WAS INTENDED TO SHOW OR IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THAT MONEY, WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, COUNTY SYSTEM.
I, WE JUST HAD A BRIEFING YESTERDAY.
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE THEY, DID THEY HAVE FOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22 IS OVER $127 MILLION, I THINK.
AND, AND COUNCILMAN, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT THE FUNDING ALLOCATED TO MENTAL HEALTH GOES TO THE COUNTY, BUT RATHER THAT WE PARTNER WITH THEM SO THEY CAN PUT SOME OF THEIR ARPA MONEY AS WELL ON SOME OF THE SAME INITIATIVES SO WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I WAS, I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, JUST SEEING THAT LISTED THERE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS FOR NOW.
DID THE CITY MANAGER WANNA RESPOND FIRST BEFORE I JUMP IN? NO, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY, UM, WAS CLEAR THERE AT THE END.
SO I ACTUALLY WASN'T GONNA SPEAK TODAY, BUT, UH, MY GOOD FRIEND IN DISTRICT 10 HAS INSPIRED ME, UM, JUAN ON ARTS.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT BONDS, FIRST OF ALL, THE BOND HASN'T PASSED, SO WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF THAT, IF THE ARTS ARE GONNA GET THAT MONEY OR NOT.
UH, SECOND OF ALL, YOU KNOW, UH, THE BOND IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO YOU CAN DO OUTDOOR ART, YOU CAN DO SCULPTURES, BUT YOU CAN'T DO PROGRAMMING, RIGHT? YOU COULDN'T, FOR INSTANCE, YOU COULDN'T FUND PROVIDE ANY FUNDING TO THE SYMPHONY.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING ART IN OTHER CATEGORIES AND UP COULD, YOU KNOW, FROM OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING ALLOWS US TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN HOW WE CAN SUPPORT ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN MORE WAYS THAN JUST, UM, A, A LIMITED INFRASTRUCTURE FASHION.
UM, AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING IS ON FOR, WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE ARPA FUNDS.
AND HISTORICALLY MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED.
AND SO IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE FUNDING IT MORE, BUT IT'S STILL UNDERFUNDED.
IT'S, IT, THERE'S JUST THE NEEDS ARE EXACERBATED BY THIS PANDEMIC.
AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES HAS BEEN HOSTING THESE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS AND BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THE PARTNERS THAT WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY AND OUR CITY.
AND SO, IF, IF YOU, IF THERE HAS BEEN, UM, ANY KIND OF REPRESENTATION, REPRESENTATION THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS, MONEY'S ALL GOING TO CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, IT'S NOT, IT'S THIS COALITION OF ALL OF THE PARTNERS WHO WORK TOGETHER AND THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER IN A MORE ORGANIZED FASHION, MORE COORDINATED THAN EVER BEFORE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS BEING SPENT EFFICIENTLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, UH, THE PREMIUM PAY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW THAT'S, UH, JUST WANT AN UPDATE REAL QUICK.
UM, ARE, IS CITY STAFF STILL ON TRACK TO HIT THE JUNE 1ST, UH, DISTRIBUTION DEADLINE THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED? YEAH, COUNCILMAN, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SURVEY OUT TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE ON TRACK TO, UM, UM, ISSUE THAT IN JUNE.
UM, YEAH, AND THAT'S MINUS, AND JUST TO, JUST TO REMIND THE COUNCIL, UM, AS PART OF THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THEY, UM, UM, OFFERED TO WAIVE ANY SORT OF, UM, PARTICIPATION IN THAT ARPA.
SO THAT SURVEY WENT TO CIVILIANS AND FIREFIGHTERS, HOW NOBLE
UM, I'M WONDERING, UH, WHEN IS THE, SO WHEN CAN THE SURVEY BE EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED? UH, LIKELY HERE WITHIN THE NEXT, UH, WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF OR SO.
I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS ON THAT, SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SPARE YOU AND I'LL SEND YOU THOSE AND GIVE ME A HOLLER.
UM, AS FAR AS I FORGOT TO MENTION THE APPLICATION PROCESS, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UM, I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD STANDARDIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT FOR NOW, UM, WHAT CAN AN ORGANIZATION DO TO GET ON THE RADAR OF A COMMITTEE? WHERE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE LIST? WHERE DID THEY SEND THOSE TO? SO, UH, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND COUNCILMEN TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS
[01:35:01]
THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, IN THIS PROCESS IS JUST CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED.AND, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE TO ATTEND NECESSARILY THE, THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN WATCH THEM FROM HOME.
SO WHEN THE TIME COMES THAT WE RELEASE THAT, UM, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, THEN THEY ARE, UM, ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS.
WE, FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE, UH, AS WE WORK WITH THE COMMITTEES, WE CAN MAKE NOTIFICATIONS TO THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED, UH, A, A PROPOSAL TO THE CITY, UM, AS WELL AS, SO THEIR AGENCIES THAT WE DO, UM, BUSINESS WITH.
SO THEY, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDS.
AND I, UM, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPACITY BUILDING HERE IN, UH, IN THE WAY THAT SINCE THE PANDEMIC, UM, I, I, I'M SURE THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE SEEN THIS AS WELL, BUT THERE'S BEEN SORT OF AN UPTICK IN, UH, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW NONPROFITS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO A LOT OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WOULDN'T MEET THE TWO YEAR, UM, REQUIREMENT.
SO THE TWO YEAR, UM, TWO YEARS IN EXISTENCE IN ORDER TO BE A DELEGATE AGENT.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WE GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE DONE GREAT WORK PRIOR TO EVEN BEING A CITY PARTNER.
UM, I ALSO, I KNOW WE ALREADY VOTED ON THE FRAMEWORK, SO I KNOW WE'RE NOT IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING ARTS' FUNDING, BUT I DO ALSO WANT IT TO, I JUST WANT THE SPIRIT OF, UM, WHAT WE VOTED ON.
AND, UM, ART MEANS SMALL BUSINESS ART MEANS TOURISM AND ENTERTAINMENT, IT MEANS COMMUNITY BUILDING AND BEAUTIFICATION.
UM, IT MEANS CULTURE AND PRIDE, AND IT MEANS JOBS.
PEOPLE ARE NOT, I MEAN, SOME ARE CREATING FOR FREE, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE
AND SO, UM, IN ORDER TO ENJOY A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE ENJOY IN OUR FREE TIME, UM, THAT, THAT COSTS SOME MONEY.
SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR ARTS.
COUNCILMAN MU MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRAND.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA CHIME IN ON TWO THINGS.
ONE, THERE ARE NO MISCONCEPTIONS WITH C H C S.
THIS IS, THIS IS OUR REALITY ON THE, IN, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
THE OTHER I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS ARTS ALSO, UH, WHAT WE, WHAT'S ON THE BOND IS FOR PUBLIC ART.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING HERE IN THE 5 MILLION IS FOR RESCUE OR RECOVERY OR RESILIENCY, HOWEVER THAT SHAPES OUT.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.
AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, UM, MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, THAT THIS, THEY, THEY PROVIDE JOBS, UH, THEY GET TOURISTS TO COME TO OUR TOWN, AND, UM, AND THEY SHOULD BE GETTING PAID.
AND THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN JUST A CULTURE ELEMENT.
THIS IS AN INDUSTRY TOO, THAT WE NEED THAT, WHICH I FEEL ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO CHIME IN ON.
AND, UM, AND THE OTHER THING, IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO SPEAK TO A LOT OF THE STORIES, UH, THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC AND AS WE GET OUT OF THIS CRISIS.
SO THAT, THOSE ARE JUST THE POINTS I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, QUICK, UH, COMMENTS.
UM, I KNOW LAST SUMMER, A COUPLE OF POOLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND, UH, SEVERAL WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE IN PARTICULAR WEREN'T OPEN, UH, DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF HIRING LIFEGUARDS, UM, I AM HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY USE SOME OF THESE, UH, YOUTH OR SENIOR DOLLARS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR LIFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THAT, UM, OUR PUBLIC POOLS ARE FULLY STAFFED WITH THIS UPCOMING SEASON.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT, UH, INTEGRATE TWO KEY COMPONENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, OPTIMIZE SA AND CAPACITY BUILDING, WHICH WOULD HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES GET CONNECTED, UM, TO ONLINE DIGITAL RESOURCES, RIGHT? UM, MANY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AREN'T ONLINE.
AND THROUGH FUNDING, POTENTIALLY SUPPORTING AN ORGANIZATION OR PROGRAM LIKE OPTIMIZE SA, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO GET ONLINE, UM, OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO HELP WALK THEM THROUGH THEIR FINANCIALS AND CONNECT THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES.
UH, 'CAUSE AGAIN, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT OUR BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY C O V I D.
WHEN THERE IS A SHUTDOWN, FOLKS ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THAT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR STRUCTURE, UH, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I'M ALSO HOPEFUL THAT, UH, WE CAN POTENTIALLY SEE SOME INVESTMENT IN STOREFRONT GRANTS.
I'VE HEARD SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TALK ABOUT
[01:40:01]
HOW WILL WE, UH, COMMUNICATE WITH, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL BE INTERESTED IN APPLYING.UH, I DO REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION AFTER THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, THAT WERE HAD, WE, WE REALLY HADN'T SET UP A SYSTEM.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A SIGN IN AT THAT POINT.
WHAT I, WHAT I PROPOSE, UM, IF, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO IT, IS, UM, UH, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A WEB PORTAL FOR THAT, WHICH, UH, I IMAGINE YOU WILL FOR THE, FOR THE SUBMISSIONS, UH, ANY OF THE ONES THAT COME IN ELECTRONICALLY, BUT ALLOWING, UH, OR THE CREATION OF AN EMAIL LIST, UM, IF YOU HAVE SIGN-INS FROM THE MEETINGS, UH, WE CERTAINLY HAVE, UH, INQUIRIES THAT WERE EMAILED TO US THAT WE CAN SEND TO YOU.
SO YOU COULD JUST PROVIDE UPDATES AS THE APPLICATION BECOMES AVAILABLE OR AS WE MOVE THROUGHOUT THE, THE PROCESS.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, CAN STAFF PROVIDE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT DISTRICTS ARE SERVED IN GENERAL BY THE, UM, BY THE ENTITIES THAT ARE REQUESTING, AND I GUESS I COMPARE IT TO LIKE THE C C P F APPLICATION WHEN PEOPLE REQUEST FUNDING, THEY CHECK LIKE WHAT DISTRICTS, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO COUNCILMAN MAKI.
R RODRIGUEZ'S POINT, I, I REALLY DO, UM, AGREE WITH HIM AND I'M ON ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, COUNCILMAN, SO, SO DEFINITELY I'LL, I'LL BRING YOUR, UH, CONCERNS FORWARD ON, ON THAT COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL, RIGHT? OR A MAP OF EVEN WHERE THEIR LOCATIONS, I'D LOVE TO SEE WHERE, UH, THINGS ARE, UH, AS FAR THEIR SERVICES ARE, ARE, ARE COMMITTED.
SO I DID A QUICK RESEARCH ON ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY GET FUNDING, AND THE CLOSEST ONE IS 8.6 MILES AWAY FROM THE AREA.
THE MOATS NEEDS IT IN DISTRICT FOUR.
SO I'D LOVE TO SEE IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE DISTRICT, HOW THEY'RE REACHING THOSE DISTRICTS, RIGHT? AND SO A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT I REPRESENT DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN CASTILLO WHO ADVOCATED FOR THE ADDITION OF A QUESTION ABOUT WHO HAS FUNDED OR IF THEY HAD BEEN FUNDED BY, UM, THE COUNTY FOR INSTANCE, ALREADY.
AND SO I, I WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY, MY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
COUNCILWOMAN, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THE STANDARDIZED PROCESS AND, AND, AND APPLICATION PROCESS IN MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE UTILIZE, UM, IT'S ALMOST A FORM OF THE EQUITY MATRIX THAT WE USE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS FOR THE CARES, UH, ACT, UH, FUNDING.
AND, UM, AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE THAT IN, IN REALLY ALL OF THE CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
UM, JUST HAD MY COMMENTS TAKEN CARE OF, SO THANK YOU.
UM, WELL THAT IS THE, I DON'T SEE A COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE.
UM, ERIC, I, I DO HAVE, UH, SOME QUESTIONS, UM, AND, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN ASKED OF YOU AGAIN, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOCK IT OUTTA THE PARK
SO, UM, WE, WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, AND I KNOW, UM, THEY ARE GOING THROUGH, UM, ASSEMBLANCE OF A, OF AN ARPA PROCESS THEMSELVES.
UH, UNLIKE, UH, CARESS ACT DOLLARS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED IN 2020 ARPA, UM, UH, DIDN'T DISTINGUISH OR, OR COUNTED INDIVIDUALS TWICE IN TERMS OF THE POPULATION ALLOCATION.
UM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UH, BEAR COUNTY RECEIVED $340 MILLION IN CARESS ACT FUNDING OF THE THREE 40.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECEIVED TWO 70, AND THE COUNTY RECEIVED THE BALANCE OF 70.
UM, UH, DURING THE ARPA FUNDING, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECEIVED 3 26.
AND THEN BASED ON POPULATION, THE COUNTY RECEIVED THREE 70.
SO, UM, THINGS LIKE SMALL BUSINESS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, OR MENTAL HEALTH OR EVEN ARTS, THERE SHOULD BE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE A PATH WHERE WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT FUNDING TO MAKE
[01:45:01]
THE BIGGEST IMPACT, WHETHER IT'S SENIORS OR YOUTH, UM, OR ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THREE MEETINGS.AND SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND, AND I, I JUST TOLD THE MAYOR, UH, A LITTLE WHILE AGO, I'M GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANOTHER REQUEST OF THE COUNTY TO GET THEIR LIST.
UM, AND, AND I NEED EACH OF Y'ALL'S HELP TO CONTINUE TO, UM, TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, I THINK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE AREAS OF, OF ARTS AND MENTAL HEALTH AND, AND SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE, THEY DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT GOVERNMENT IT COMES FROM.
UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS THIS MONEY, IT NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO PRODUCTION, IT NEEDS TO BE EXECUTED, AND IT NEEDS TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS RESCUE, TO YOUR POINT.
AND, AND SO WE WILL, UM, WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING FROM THE STAFF SIDE.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO PUSH THAT ISSUE, BUT I'M GONNA NEED SOME HELP FROM ALL OF YOU.
UM, AND THEN, UH,
AND, UH, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO TO TO REALLY ADDRESS THOSE RIGHT NOW DURING, DURING MY COMMENTS.
BUT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESS.
AND WHILE I'M AT IT, JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE PILE ONTO MY FRIEND CLAYTON PERRY, 'CAUSE UH, HE ASKED FOR IT.
UH, THE, UH, UH, JUST SET ASIDE THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT GREAT CITIES HAVE GREAT ART, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE TRAVEL TO GREAT CITIES AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE LOVE BEING IN THEIR CITY.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE ART ECOSYSTEM THAT WE PROVIDE AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT ECOSYSTEM AND ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE FUN STUFF THAT PEOPLE DO HERE, BUT THEY ARE SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, COUNCILMAN VIA GROUNDS POINT, THEY EMPLOY PEOPLE AND THEY PAY TAXES, AND THEY PURCHASE SAN ANTONIO PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND, AND THEY WORK JUST AS HARD AS ANY OWNER OF A RESTAURANT OR OWNER OF A LAW OFFICE, UM, UH, OR OWNER OF A MECHANIC'S GARAGE AND SO ON AND SO ON AND SO ON.
SO, UM, IT, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ANYBODY OUT THERE AND, AND I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY SAYING, MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE FUNDING ART.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT YOUR ROLE.
UH, YOU NEED TO BE FUNDING OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES.
IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR, FOR ANYBODY TO BE LOOKING DOWN THEIR NOSE AT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
WHEN I THINK THE LAST TIME WE CHECKED IT WAS $14.7 BILLION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY PROVIDE TO THIS CITY.
UM, AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU QUITE PERSONAL FOR ME, MY BROTHER IS AN ARTIST.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HE OWNS AN, AN ART GALLERY AND THEY WERE CRUSHED BY, BY COVID IN, IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND HIS FELLOW ARTISTS IN THAT INDUSTRY WERE CRUSHED.
AUSTIN, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT EVERYBODY FLOCKS TO AUSTIN IS BECAUSE THEY GOT A REALLY, REALLY GREAT ART SCENE.
AND SO, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES IN GENERAL, UM, COUNCILMAN MCGEE RODRIGUEZ SAID IT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT WEREN'T JUST CRUSHED, BUT, YOU KNOW, CRUSHED AND THEN GROUND INTO THE GROUND EVEN HARDER.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE EAST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE, AND UH, AND, AND THE WEST SIDE.
UM, AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE EMPLOYERS BECAUSE OF EMPLOYERS ARE THREATENED, THEN THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE THREATENED.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T HAVE A STRONG EMPLOYEE WHO THRIVES AND SURVIVES IF THEIR EMPLOYER IS AT RISK OF THRIVING AND SURVIVING.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GONNA GET THE PHONE CALLS AND SO I, I JUST WANNA PREEMPT THEM.
UH, WE ARE GONNA PARTNER UP WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIFTFUND.
WE'RE GONNA LISTEN TO MAESTRO CENTER, WE'RE GONNA LISTEN TO THE HISPANIC CHAMBER.
WE'RE GONNA LISTEN TO EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY WHO'S GOT SKIN IN THE GAME.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT TRANSPARENTLY.
OKAY, I THINK THAT IS THE BALANCE OF OUR DISCUSSION.
LET ME JUST, UM, KIND OF SUMMARIZE A FEW THINGS THAT I HEARD.
AND ERIC, IF YOU COULD DO THE SAME JUST SO WE CAN WALK AWAY, UH, WITH SOME SENSE OF CONSENSUS HERE.
UH, GENERAL AGREEMENT ON THE HIGH POINTS OF OUR FUNDING ALLOCATIONS AND THE PROCESS ITSELF.
AND I THINK, UH, WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT UNDERWAY.
UM, THE STANDARDIZED PROCESS FOR INCOMING APPLICATIONS FOR ARPA.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US ALL, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONVERSATION HAPPENING ABOUT HOW, UH, THE MONEY IS ALLOCATED CITY, COUNTY, AND, AND HOW OUR COLLABORATION WILL WORK MOVING FORWARD.
JUST LET ME POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS, AND I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, ERIC, FOR THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY COULD CARE LESS, COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY CAME INTO, IT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, COUNTY OR CITY.
WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE MAJOR NEEDS IN OUR RESCUE OPERATION.
UH, SO ONGOING EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR PRIORITIES, JUST AS WE HAD DONE DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH CARESS ACT.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING, I WOULD SAY.
'CAUSE THIS IS FIVE YEAR MONEY.
UM, THIS IS PERHAPS THE, THE LAST AND BIGGEST ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE WILL RECEIVE, UH, OF THIS NATURE.
AND SO MAINTAINING ALIGNMENT IN THE TWO DIOCESE THAT, THAT, UH, ALLOCATE THESE
[01:50:01]
FUNDS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.BUT LET'S NOT, UH, LET THAT TAKE AWAY FROM THE BIG PICTURE FOR THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING IN FROM AS LONG AS WE ARE ADDRESSING THE PRIORITIES OF THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, LET ME ALSO POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS.
THERE IS NO ROADMAP, UH, FOR THIS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW AT THE CITY OR THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, WITH RESPECT, LET'S LET, LET'S GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE SPACE HERE.
UM, THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF HOW THEIR RPA FRAMEWORK IS GONNA WORK WITH OURS ARE ONGOING.
WE'VE GOTTA ENSURE ALIGNMENT NOT ONLY UP HERE, BUT ALSO IN THE COMMITTEE, UH, IN THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.
UH, BUT LET'S LET THAT PROCESS WORK.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WORK TO GET, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR APP ALLOCATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND, UM, I, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL GET THAT DONE AT THE END OF THE DAY IF WE DON'T.
THAT'S ON ALL OF US, CITY AND COUNTY.
UM, ERIC, THOSE ARE MY TAKEAWAYS.
WHAT ARE YOURS? UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GO INTO THE BEGINNING, INTO THE COMMITTEE PROCESS TO COVER THE ARPA GUIDELINES.
AS COUNCILMAN PERRY MENTIONED, THEY ARE, UM, UH, WE THINK WE HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON 'EM AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL SET THAT FOUNDATION AT THE COMMITTEE LEVELS.
UM, AND, UM, I, I, MY TAKEAWAY, MAYOR, I THINK YOU SUMMED UP PRETTY GOOD.
THE, UH, ACCURATELY THE STANDARDIZED CONSISTENT PROCESS, THE APPLICATION, MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ULTIMATELY, UH, SUPPORTING THAT, THE DISCUSSION OF THE C OVID 19 OUTCOMES THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, THAT THE COUNCIL'S TRYING TO ACHIEVE AND THEN BRINGING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
SO I'M, I, I THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THE CONVERSATION THIS MORNING.
AND LET ME, LET ME POINT OUT ONE OTHER OBVIOUS THING.
THERE'S NO PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP ON WHO'S GETTING THE SERVICES OUT, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD LENS FOR THE C H C S PARTNERSHIP.
YEAH, THIS IS ONE ORGANIZATION THAT UNITES US ALL.
IT'S A MAJOR PART OF OUR ALLOCATION.
SO, UM, THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY DESERVES CREDIT ONCE WE ADDRESS THOSE OUTCOMES.
SO, UH, LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR PROCESS UP HERE.
AND THEY DO THE SAME OVER AT THE COURT.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE ON AND PLEASE STAY ENGAGED.
THE TIME IS 12:06 PM ON THIS 22ND DAY OF MARCH, 2022, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.