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BUT I LOVE TO, AND I CAN GIVE MY, BY THE WAY, ROAD, THEN HEAD BACK DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I LIKE, BUT I LOVE SAN TOWN.
AND IF WE'RE SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION.
THE TIME IS 2:11 PM ON THIS 22ND DAY OF JUNE, 2022.
WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAME CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.
[ ITEMS ]
TO COUNCIL.UH, BUT WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
SO, UM, WITH THE JULY RECESS, UH, AHEAD OF US, UM, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR PURSUIT OF FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OPEN AND SEVERAL MORE ON THE HORIZON OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THE, THE B I L INCLUDED 1.2 TRILLION, UH, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, WE DEVELOPED, AS WE PRESENTED TO YOU EARLIER IN THE YEAR, WE DEVELOPED A STRATEGY.
WE ARE VERY WELL COORDINATED WITH OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES HERE IN OUR, UH, CITY, UM, WITH A LOT OF COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION.
YOU'LL SEE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOME OF THOSE AGENCIES IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
UM, PART OF THAT STRATEGY WAS ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BRIEFING COUNSEL EARLY AND OFTEN TO GIVE YOU PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE GRANTS WE PURSUE.
AND YOU'LL HEAR SOME OF THOSE, UM, THAT WE EXPECT THE NOTICE FOR FUNDING TO BE RELEASED LATER ON IN THE SUMMER, UH, IN SALLY'S PRESENTATION.
UM, WE LAST BRIEF COUNSEL IN FEBRUARY, UM, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF MONTHLY UPDATES AT BOTH THE I G R COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK TODAY ON SOME OPPORTUNITIES, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON WHERE WE STAND.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SALLY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
AS ERIC SAID, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY AN UPDATE ON THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
UH, TO QUICKLY GET STARTED, AS YOU RECALL, THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW WAS PASSED LAST YEAR IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT IN A MINUTE.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, UM, THAT WE'LL BE REVIEWING SOME OF THE PARAMETERS AND GUIDELINES ACROSS THE CITY'S STRATEGY TO PURSUE THIS FUNDING.
I'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE RELEASE STRATEGY SINCE MY LAST BILL UPDATE AND UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL CONSULTANTS, UM, IN OUR COSA DEPARTMENTS ARE TRACKING, AS I SAID, UH, THE BILL WAS ENACTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2021.
AND, UH, THE BILL INCLUDED, UH, TWO TENANTS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE REAUTHORIZATION OF FEDERAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS, AND IT INCLUDED 1.2 TRILLION.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS OVER FIVE YEARS AND APPRO APPROXIMATELY 500 BILLION, UM, IN NEW SPENDING.
UM, AS A RESPONSE TO THE BILL PASSAGE, THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTED US, UH, TO IMPLEMENT A CSSA STRATEGY TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE FUNDING THROUGH GRANT PROGRAM ANALYSIS BY THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, UH, COSA DEPARTMENTS AND FEDERAL CONSULTANTS.
PROJECT IDENTIFICATION BY STAKEHOLDERS, INTERNAL
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AND EXTERNAL COORDINATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.CONTINUOUS UPDATES TO THE I G R COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL INPUT AS WELL, AND AS WELL AS ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH TO FEDERAL AND STATE ENTITIES.
UM, A QUICK LOOK, UM, A FOCUSED LENS ON THE CSA STRATEGY.
UM, THIS STRATEGY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SUPPORTING EXISTING COUNCIL PRIORITIES IN LEVERAGING OUR LOCAL INVESTMENTS THROUGH PROJECTS THAT FURTHER EXIST CITY INITIATIVES, PRIORITIES, AND PLANS SUCH AS PLANS THAT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, SA TOMORROW, THE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN CAP AND THE AIRPORT STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO NAME A FEW PROJECTS FOR WHICH FUNDING HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED AND WOULD BE ENHANCED OR OFFSET BY FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND IMPORTANTLY, LEVERAGING BOND PROJECTS, PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS EXISTING NEEDS AND THAT ARE NOT NEW UNLESS, UM, NECESSARY DUE TO MEETING ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FEDERAL OPPORTUNITIES OR COMPETITIVENESS OF A PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
UM, AND LASTLY, PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH THE SIX MAIN PRIORITIES OF THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.
UM, A LOOK HERE, UH, TO PIVOT TO THE NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN THE, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS SINCE MY LAST BILL UPDATE.
THE FIRST ONE UP IS THE AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT.
THERE WERE $15 BILLION, UH, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR RUNWAYS, TAXI TERMINAL TRANSIT AND SAFETY PROJECTS.
UM, THE AIRPORT SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR 11.8, UH, MILLION APPROXIMATELY, AND THEY RECEIVED NOTICE IN MAY, UH, LAST MONTH THAT THEY HAD BEEN AWARDED THIS FOR THREE SEPARATE PROJECTS ONTO THE AIRPORT.
TERMINAL PROGRAM INCLUDED $1 BILLION FOR TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE AIRPORT SUBMITTED APPROXIMATELY $50.5 BILLION, UM, VIA THREE REQUESTS.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS GRANT AWARD WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE, UH, LATER THIS SUMMER TOWARDS THE AUGUST TIMEFRAME ONTO THE NEWLY RELEASED BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR GIVE THE TYPO.
IT'S 2.4 BILLION FOR BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, REHAB, AND PRESERVATION.
UH, THIS SOLICITATION JUST OPENED LAST WEEK, AND IT IS UNDER REVIEW BY COSA STAFF.
THE BUS AND BUS FACILITIES PROGRAM UNDER F T A WAS RELEASED WITH 372 MILLION TO REPLACE REHAB, PURCHASE BUSES AND CONSTRUCT BUS FACILITIES.
UH, THERE WAS NO SUBMISSION THIS ROUND, HOWEVER, VIA, UH, HAS SUBMITTED SUCCESSFULLY AND, AND PASSED, UH, ROUNDS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY ONTO SOME STATE PASS THROUGH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE FIRST TWO OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU SEE HERE, THE BROADBAND EQUITY OR BEAD INCLUDES 42.4 BILLION FOR STATE AND PAN PLANNING PROJECTS.
SO, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES OF THE FUNDING, UH, FUNNELING THROUGH THE STATE FIRST.
AND THEN THEY WILL CREATE A, UH, SUB-GRANTEE PROCESS TO ROLL OUT THE FUNDS TO LOCAL GRANTEES.
THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO SUBMIT THEIR, UH, LETTER OF INTEREST IN JULY OF 2022.
AND THEIR APPLICATION IS DUE AUGUST, 2022.
THE NEXT PASS THROUGH FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE IS A STATE DIGITAL EQUITY ACT PROGRAM.
IT INCLUDES 2.75 BILLION FOR EQUITY PLANS AND PROJECTS.
AND THE STATE'S INTEREST LETTER IS DUE, UH, TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JULY, 2022.
THE NEXT GRANT IS A DIRECT COMPETITIVE GRANT TITLED THE MIDDLE MILE BROADBAND PROGRAM.
IT INCLUDES $980 MILLION FOR THE MIDDLE MILE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
THIS OPPORTUNITY ALSO RECENTLY OPENED, AND IT IS UNDER REVIEW BY COSA STAFF.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE IN SEPTEMBER.
AND NOW WE WILL PIVOT TO A COUPLE OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
THE RAISE OPPORTUNITY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES OUT OF THE GATE IN EARLY 22, AND IT INCLUDED 1.5 BILLION FOR HIGHWAY BRIDGE RAIL PORT PROJECTS, UM, OF SIGNIFICANT AND LOCAL REGIONAL IMPACT.
UM, THESE WERE VERY COMPLEX OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THAT WERE SUBMITTED HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER GRANT.
UM, ULTIMATELY, BROOKS CITY BAY SUBMITTED A $25 MILLION REQUEST FOR THEIR SYDNEY BROOKS.
UM, INFRASTRUCTURE STREET PROJECT GRANT, UH, AWARDS ARE EXPECTED BY AUGUST 15TH.
SO COMING UP SOON, THE MEGA INFRA RURAL, UH, THIS IS, UH, $2.85 BILLION FOR HIGHWAY BRIDGE RAIL, PUBLIC TRANSIT, MULTIMODAL PROJECTS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL IMPACT.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS, UM, TRADITIONALLY HAVE A PRICE TAG OF SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 75 MILLION TO A HUNDRED MILLION PLUS PER PROJECT.
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TXDOT LOOKED VERY CLOSELY AT AND ULTIMATELY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION, UH, FOR THREE PROJECTS.ONE IN DALLAS, UM, ONE IN MACALLAN, AND THE OTHER ONE IN BROWNSVILLE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE DIALOGUE WITH THE FEDERAL AFFAIRS TEAM, UH, FOR TXDOT.
AND RECENTLY THEY NOTIFIED US THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A STATEWIDE DATABASE THAT WILL INCLUDE PROJECTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, SAN ANTONIO INCLUDED.
UM, AND MOST RECENTLY THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM BUILD OUT THAT DATABASE THAT THEY ANTICIPATE WILL BE READY BY THE END OF 2022 IN TIME FOR THE 2023, UM, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE IN DIALOGUE WITH THE TXDOT DISTRICT OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO ALIGN OUR RESOURCES, UM, AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR POSSIBLE, UM, POTENTIAL SAN ANTONIO PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.
FOR NEXT ROUND, THE I G R COMMITTEE AND THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ONE, THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.
IT'S A NEW, UH, OPPORTUNITY UNDER D O T.
UH, IT INCLUDES $1 BILLION FOR PLANNING AND PROJECTS TO PREVENT DEATH AND SERIOUS INJURY.
THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY YOUR VISION ZERO PROJECTS.
UH, THE TRANSPORTATION, UH, DEPARTMENT THROUGH TAMIKA MANVILLE'S LEADERSHIP HAS IDENTIFIED, UM, SOME PROJECTS TOTALING $8 MILLION MORE, UM, ON THAT IN A FORWARD COMING SLIDE.
UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A PASS THROUGH FUNDING OPPORTUNITY IS THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UH, AGAIN, MONEY THAT'S GOING TO FLOW THROUGH THE STATE, SPECIFICALLY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
WE'LL MANAGE THIS ONE, UH, THE T D H C A, AND THEY HAVE NOTIFIED US.
WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AS WELL.
UH, AND OUR LOCAL GRANTEE IS ACOG.
SO WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH DIANE RAF.
UM, AS THE INFORMATION FLOWS OUT, THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION IN JULY FOR THESE FUNDS, AND WE DO ANTICIPATE FUNDING TO BE ROLLING OUT TO OUR LOCAL GRANTEE, ACOG, AND OTHERS, ACROSS THE STATE UNTIL EARLY 2023.
SO WE'RE MONITORING, UH, THIS PROCESS CLOSELY.
AND NOW, UM, A MORE FOCUSED LOOK ON THE PROPOSED SSS FOUR A PROJECT.
UH, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT NINE CITY VISION ZERO CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PEDESTRIAN CYCLIST INJURY CORRIDORS.
UM, AS THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, COMMITTEE HEARD YESTERDAY FOR A SECOND TIME, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT PROPOSES TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION, UM, TOTALING 7 MILLION FOR THE MID-BLOCK CROSSWALK CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND 1 BILLION, 1 MILLION FOR THE TARGETED SAFETY CAMPAIGN.
UM, IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO MAKE SURE, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, FOR US TO COMMUNICATE OFTEN, UM, AND REGULARLY TO THE COMMITTEES OF JURISDICTION.
ON MAY 11TH, I PROVIDED A PRESENTATION TO THE I G R COMMITTEE ON MAY 13TH AND JUNE 21, TAMIKA MONTEL PRESENTED ADDITIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
UM, A LOOK HERE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO PUT ON YOUR PURVIEW UPCOMING GRANT FORECAST.
UM, THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL CONSULTANTS AND DEPARTMENTS WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY TRACKING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE PIPE.
THESE ARE TWO THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING THIS SUMMER.
THE RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION PROGRAM INCLUDES 3 BILLION FOR HIGHWAY RAIL OR PATHWAY RAIL GRADE CROSSING, ELIMINATION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PRIVATE, UH, PILOT PROGRAM.
ALSO, A NEW PROGRAM UNDER D O T INCLUDES, UH, 1 BILLION FOR REMOVAL, RETROFITTING, OR MITIGATING TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES THAT CREATE BARRIERS TO COMMUNITY MOBILITY, ACCESS, OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THIS WILL BE A VERY HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER, UH, GRANT PROGRAM UNDER D O T, NOT BECAUSE IT'S NEW, BUT BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION AND D O T HAVE IDENTIFIED, UM, THAT ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED AND DIVIDED BY EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES LIKE HIGHWAYS, RAILROAD TRACKS, AND, AND OTHER ROADS HAVE PREVENTED CERTAIN, UM, COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS FROM ACCESSING, UH, JOBS, SCHOOLS, PARKS, UM, HEALTH, UM, ENTITIES.
SO THIS WILL BE ONE THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE INITIATED OUR INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS PRE NOFO TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UM, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HAVE THESE PRE NOFO UH, DISCUSSIONS.
A QUICK LOOK HERE AT SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.
UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, UM, FOR COSA DOWNTOWN, UH, SAN ANTONIO CORE, AS YOU KNOW, IS SURROUNDED BY VARIOUS, UM, HIGHWAYS, UH, 35, 10, 90 AND SEVEN, UM, ESSENTIALLY SEPARATING COMMUNITIES ON THE EAST, WEST, AND SOUTH SIDES FROM DOWNTOWN AND HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE AMENITIES.
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AND PAST BOND CYCLES HAVE FOCUSED AND ARE, HAVE BEEN, UH, AIMED AT RESTORING THE CONNECTIVITY, UM, FOR THESE COMMUNITIES IN THE DOWNTOWN.SO, ESSENTIALLY, UH, SUPPORT THE PREMISE OF RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR GRANT.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES A, A PLANNING PORTION, UM, AND AN INFRASTRUCTURE PORTION.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF, UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
ONCE THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY COMES OUT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO REVIEW THAT, DISSECT IT FURTHER, UM, AND DETERMINE IF THERE IS ALIGNMENT, UH, FOR ANY OF THESE, UH, PASSAGEWAYS INTO DOWNTOWN FROM THESE PARTICULAR, UM, SURROUNDING AREAS AROUND THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND ADJACENT COMMUNITIES.
A QUICK LOOK HERE AT A COUPLE OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION.
UM, THE HEMISPHERE PARK REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, H PARK, UM, IS AIMING TO, UH, REESTABLISH THE HEMISPHERE DISTRICT, UH, STREETS TO CONNECT THE DOWNTOWN CORE, UM, INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT CENTER MARKETS SQUARE AND SAN PEDRO CREEK, UM, AND COMPLETE AN EAST WEST CONNECTION.
UH, PORT SAN ANTONIO IS BRINGING FORTH A POTENTIAL PROJECT TO CREATE A SEAMLESS CONNECTION BETWEEN THE EXISTING, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE PORT AND BUSINESSES TO PORT SAN ANTONIO AS IT CONTINUES TO REDEVELOP.
UM, AND, UH, KEYNOTE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS PART OF THE 20 22 27, UH, BUN PROJECT, BUT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL NEEDS ASSOCIATED, UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE MEMBERS HERE FROM OUR VARIOUS KEY CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SALLY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, GOOD COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF, OF ALL OF THE ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE WITH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
UH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE OUGHT TO BE SUBMITTING FOR NEARLY EVERY POT OF MONEY SINCE THIS IS A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF NEED.
AND I'M SURE WE CAN IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT, THAT, UM, MEET THE, MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS.
UH, THE QUESTION I ALWAYS ASK, UH, IS, UM, HOW ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF WORKFLOW? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH HANDS ON DECK WITH REGARD TO THE GRANT WRITING OPERATIONS AND BEING ABLE TO SCOUR THE VARIOUS FEDERAL RULES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING APPRISED OF THE LAW? ITS VARIOUS PERMUTATIONS AS NEW RULEMAKING COMES OUT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT IN FULL EFFECT.
MAYOR, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.
SO WHEN WE KICKED OFF THE STRATEGY PROCESS FOR THE CITY, UH, OUR FEDERAL CONSULTANTS WERE ENGAGED IN HELPING US DISSECT THE ENTIRE BILL.
SO WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE WITHIN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WHERE WE'RE TRACKING DAILY, WEEKLY, WE RECEIVE UPDATES FROM OUR FEDERAL TEAM AS WELL AS FROM STATE CONTACTS THAT WE'RE TRACKING THIS.
AND THEN WE FURTHER DISSECT THAT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED AS PART OF THE STRATEGY, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, INNOVATION, AND OTHERS.
AND THEN ONCE WE IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL PROJECTS ARE, OF COURSE, AS WE'VE BEEN MENTIONING, WE WILL BRING THEM, UM, TO THIS BODY AND TO THE JURISDICTION, UM, COMMITTEES TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THOSE PROJECTS, UH, THOROUGHLY.
WE'RE ALSO COORDINATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
ULTIMATELY, WE WANT TO SUBMIT THE BEST PROJECT AND PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
WE ARE NOT ONLY GONNA BE COMPETING WITH OTHER, LIKE CITIES WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE COMPETING WITH LIKE CITIES A ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LARGE AND SMALL.
SO THE COORDINATION THAT'S HAPPENING HERE LOCALLY IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
UM, A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE BROOKS RAISE GRANT, WHERE THERE'S, UH, ALL HANDS ON DECK, UH, SUPPORT FOR THAT.
AND THEN I KEEP OUR FEDERAL CONSULTANTS ENGAGED SO THAT WE ARE KEEPING, UM, THE AGENCIES INFORMED OF OUR PROJECTS ONCE THEY GET SELECTED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER.
AS YOU KNOW, THE ADVOCACY IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMAN PALIS, UM, IN ON THE I G R COMMITTEE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KNOCKING ON THOSE DOORS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PROJECTS ARE, ARE WELL KNOWN IN DC NOT JUST WITH THE AGENCIES, BUT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND OTHER KEY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
AND, UM, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO BE A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO GET LAUDED FOR THE LEVEL OF PREPARATION COORDINATION WE HAVE HERE LOCALLY, BUT AS WE GET TO AREAS WHERE PERHAPS RULEMAKING COULD BE ENHANCED TO HELP BENEFIT LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WE OUGHT TO BE GIVING THAT FEEDBACK DIRECTLY TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD IT LOUD AND CLEAR WHEN WE VISITED WITH, UH, MAYOR ANDREW, THAT THEIR GOAL IS TO GET THESE DOLLARS INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY'S HANDS AS QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE SHOULD BE HELPING PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK IF WE HAVE OBSTACLES, PERHAPS WITH THE STATE OR ANY OTHER, UH, ANY OTHER AREAS.
UM, JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS ABOUT PARTICULAR GRANTS.
I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHY WE DIDN'T, OR THE COLLECTIVE DIDN'T SUBMIT ANYTHING ON BUS FACILITIES.
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HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PAST ROUNDS FOR BUS AND BUS FACILITIES, BUT WE DO HAVE PETE ARGUE GUO HERE FROM THE VIA TEAM THAT CAN PROVIDE A GREATER INSIGHT ON WHY THEY PASSED ON THIS ROUND.AND, AND IF, AND AS YOU ANSWER COME ON UP, UM, IF THAT WINDOW'S CLOSED AT THIS POINT WHEN IT OPENS AGAIN, UH, ET CETERA.
THE BUS AND BUS FACILITIES HAD TWO ROUNDS, HAD THE TRADITIONAL FUNDING AS WELL AS, UM, THE BILL FUNDING.
SO THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PURSUE THESE FUNDS BASED ON THE DETERMINATION THAT THEY MAKE IN FUTURE ROUNDS FOR EITHER THE TRADITIONAL OR BILL FUNDING.
UH, SO TO, TO THE POINT, TO SALLY'S POINT, UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LINING UP PROJECTS AT THIS POINT TO PUT OURSELVES IN POSITION FOR FUNDING FOR FUTURE ROUNDS OF, UH, BUS AND BUS FACILITIES.
UH, BUT TO ADD ONTO THAT, WE DID RECEIVE, UH, RECENTLY FOR THE LAST ROUND IN FUNDING THAT, UH, WE ALSO RECEIVED COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING IN THE LAST FUNDING CYCLE FOR, UH, WAY FINDING TECHNOLOGY PROJECT, UH, KNOWN AS NAVIENT.
AND WE ALSO JUST RECEIVED FUNDING FOR OUR, UM, ROUTE RESTORATION AND PLANNING THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
SO WE WANTED TO NOTE THAT AS WELL.
UH, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO POSITION OURSELVES FOR THESE FUTURE ROUNDS OF, OF FUNDING FOR BUS AND BUS FACILITIES.
WELL, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'VE NOW BROKEN A TREMENDOUS DROUGHT IN TERMS OF, UH, TRANSIT FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO OUR, OUR COMMUNITY HERE.
BUT LET'S CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE AS BEST WE CAN.
AND, AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ON, ON, IN TERMS OF TRANSIT PRIORITY, UH, THERE'S NOT A MORE SIGNIFICANT PUSH THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN TERMS OF THAT WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAN TO HELP ACCELERATE THE EAST WEST LINE.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL ON BOARD WITH THAT.
SO, UH, HOWEVER WE CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WE WANT TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW ERIC, YOU AND I ARE GONNA BE VISITING WITH D O T HERE PRETTY SOON, SO, UH, WE NEED TO BE LOCKED AND LOADED FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, SIMILARLY, UH, UH, SALLY, UM, ON SLIDE NINE, THE MEGA INFRA GRANT.
SO IS THAT A STATE SUBMISSION? WE DON'T HAVE, UH, LOCAL APPLICATIONS? THAT IS CORRECT, MAYOR.
WE WERE IN INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, TDOT TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR APPROACH WAS GOING TO BE.
AS I MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION, THESE PROJECTS, UM, ARE TRADITIONALLY BY THE SENSE OF THE WORD MEGA, THEY'RE VERY LARGE, COMPLEX PROJECTS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL IMPACT.
SO WE KNEW THAT IF THERE WAS A PROJECT IN SAN ANTONIO, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A PROJECT BROUGHT FORWARD BY TDOT DISTRICT OFFICE OR T AUSTIN.
WHEN WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT LOOKING AT SAN ANTONIO SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN OUR REGION, UM, THEY HAD SUBMITTED PAST UNSUCCESSFUL PROJECTS, UM, FOR, UM, I 35 I BELIEVE, OR I 10.
UM, AND THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
SO THEY DECIDED TO PIVOT TO THIS DALLAS PROJECT, WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE TOWARDS COMPLETION.
UM, AND THEY HAD RECENTLY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION THAT THEY JUST HAD TO DUST OFF ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY EXPLAINED TO US AND SUBMITTED IT FOR CONSIDERATION.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR GRANT, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE IN CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE WITH THEM, NOT JUST THEIR FEDERAL AFFAIRS TEAM, BUT THE AUSTIN AND DISTRICT OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT SAN ANTONIO FOR FUTURE ROUNDS IN 23 AND ONWARD AS PART OF THEIR DATABASE AND PROJECTS COLLECTION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UH, DEVELOPING AND PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, THIS YEAR.
BUT THE RULE SPECIFICALLY, UM, REQUESTS APPLICATIONS FROM THE STATE THAT IT WOULD BE, IF WE SENT ONE, IT WOULD BE REJECTED.
SO NO, IT WOULD NOT BE REJECTED.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTR TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE, UH, VERY STRONG COORDINATION WITH THE STATE, WITH THE D O T.
AND SO THAT IS WHY OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM STARTED VERY EARLY, EVEN BEFORE THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY CAME OUT.
WELL, I, I'D BE CURIOUS TO HEAR HOW THE REST OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS GO.
UM, I GUESS LASTLY ON THE RAIL CROSSINGS, I KNOW WE DID AN INVENTORY OF RAIL CROSSINGS AND PRIORITIZE THE LIST, OR I THOUGHT WE PRIORITIZED THE LIST SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UH, I WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF PUTTING EXTRA EFFORT INTO THE RAIL CROSSINGS, UH, GRANT SUBMISSION BECAUSE IT IS, DOES CUT INTO THE DISCONNECTED COMMUNITIES ISSUE, BUT ALSO IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE FOR OUR, FOR OUR CITY AND, AND WE KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST TO ACCUMULATE FUNDS TO GET THOSE DONE.
BUT, UH, OVERALL THANK YOU, SALLY, I'LL, I'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TELLING US HOW WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF WORKFLOW.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE PUT AS MANY OF, OF THESE GRANT SUBMISSIONS OUT THERE 'CAUSE WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE TO ABSOLUTELY.
UH, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER MICKEY RODRIGUEZ.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'LL START OFF BY ASKING WHICH OF THE GRANTS THAT
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WE'VE REVIEWED TODAY ARE GOING TO BE RECURRING OPPORTUNITIES, EITHER SEMI-ANNUAL OR ANNUAL MAYBE.THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN.
SO THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW IS A FIVE YEAR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.
SO 2022, UM, WAS THE FIRST, WAS ESSENTIALLY THE KICKOFF YEAR FOR THESE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE COMING OUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE RACE GRANT, UH, SAFE STREETS AND OTHERS, THE ONES THAT I DEMONSTRATED TODAY AND OTHERS THAT I WILL BE PROVIDING UPDATES DURING THE I G R COMMITTEE.
UM, I'M ESSENTIALLY SPEAKING TO THE CURRENT ROUND.
AND SO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MEGA AND FOR THE TEXT THAT'S SUBMITTED FOR THE DALLAS AREA, THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT OTHER POTENTIAL PROJECTS FOR THE 2023 ROUND AND ONWARD, WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE CREATING THAT STATE DATABASE WITH PROJECTS.
SO WHAT I, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT IF A DISTRICT TWO PROJECT DIDN'T GET SELECTED THIS TIME AROUND, UM, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE A LITTLE BIT AND PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ROUNDS OF FUNDING.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUGE AMOUNTS OF DOLLARS LIKE THIS, WE HAVE, UM, THERE'S INNOVATION WHERE THERE IS THE GREATEST NEED.
AND WHEN I'M THINKING OF THE GREATEST NEED, I'M THINKING OF AREAS WHERE SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY NEGLECTFUL OF CERTAIN SIDES OF TOWN.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE A COMMITMENT THAT THE EAST SIDE, UM, WHICH IS SEEN UNDER INVESTMENT, WHICH HAS, UM, SEEN LACK OF ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, TO FOOD, TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
I WOULD LIKE A COMMITMENT THAT THE EAST SIDE WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR A NUMBER OF FUTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHAT I CAN SAY, COUNCILMAN, IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN GRANTS, SOME MORE THAN OTHERS, BUT GENERALLY ALL OF THEM, THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A COMPONENT ALIGNMENT, A TIE TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED, UM, AREAS OF PERSISTENT POVERTY, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, SINCE THIS DATA WILL BE UTILIZED IN OTHER DATA THAT WILL DETERMINE, UM, THAT YOU ARE ASSISTING IN CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS FOR COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT HAVE HAD BARRIERS IN THE PAST.
SO MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITIES ARE REFLECTED IN OUR ANALYSIS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AND DISSECTING AT THESE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, AND THAT THE COSA DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DECISION TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION THAT WILL BE NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE.
I APPRECIATE THAT AND I CAN ACCEPT THAT TENTATIVELY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO MY CONSTITUENTS ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOW HISTORICAL, HOW HISTORIC THIS YEAR IS, AND THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS ARE HAPPENING THIS YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO THINGS THAT ARE ONCE IN A LIFETIME, LIKE THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, THEY'RE HAPPENING.
BUT IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CHALLENGING TO CONNECT WITH MY RESIDENTS, NOT JUST ME, BUT CITY STAFF AND UM, OTHER COUNCIL OFFICES TO EXPLAIN WHEN WE'RE GOING, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH THIS FUNDING, IF NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ON THE EAST SIDE, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE OVERSIGHT AND A QUITE AN EGREGIOUS PROBLEM.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PUSH FORWARD.
AND THE EAST SIDE IS, IT'S BIG.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING.
UM, BUT I'LL, I'LL TENTATIVELY ACCEPT YOUR COMMITMENT.
UM, I HAD THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT WHY CITY STAFF DECLINED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THE BUS FACILITIES PROGRAM, BUT I HEARD THAT THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT NEXT YEAR MM-HMM.
AND JUST CORRECTION, THIS WAS A DECISION BY VIA TRANSIT.
SO THE BUS AND BUS FACILITIES WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, OUT OF THE, UH, F T A, UM, ENTITY UNDER D O T.
SO I'M WONDERING, UM, I UNDERSTAND THE NORTH SOUTH, THE NORTH SOUTH ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDOR IS FUNDED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS AND OUR 1 CENT, OUR ONE EIGHTH CENT SALES TAX AND VIA PROJECT FUNDS.
HOWEVER, IF WE HAVEN'T ALREADY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO START PLANNING NOW TO LEVERAGE FUNDING FOR THE EAST WEST, WHICH I ALSO HEARD THE MAYOR SAY, WHETHER THROUGH LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL FUNDS.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS AND HOW WE CAN START TAKING THESE STEPS NOW.
AND I'LL, I'LL REPEAT SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT OF VIA HAD STATED, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL GIVE US THEIR PART UNTIL WE HAVE OUR PART.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET OUR PART TOGETHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, LASTLY, WE'RE CURRENTLY DESIGNING THE EAST SIDE MOBILITY HUB BY SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M WONDERING, IS THIS FULLY FUNDED OR CAN WE LEVERAGE THIS FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY FUND THE PROJECT? AND SOMETIMES I, I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOMETIMES WE SCALE BACK A PROJECT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING.
AND SO WERE THERE BIGGER PLANS, A PART OF THAT HUB THAT CAN NOW BE FUNDED OR COULD POTENTIALLY BE FUNDED THROUGH, UM, FEDERAL FUNDING, LIKE ADDING SHADE, ADDED SHADE OR ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR RESIDENTS TO PARK AND RIDE.
SO, UM, I WOULD HAVE TO CALL ON, ON VIA TO
[00:30:01]
TRY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.YOU MIGHT HAVE TO REPEAT THE QUESTION, COUNCILMAN.
AND ALSO THE COUNCILMAN'S QUESTION ABOUT THE EAST WEST CORRIDOR, IF YOU CAN OUTLINE SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO ACCELERATE THE PLANNING PROCESS OF THAT.
UH, CAN, UH, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? YES.
SO, UM, THE, SO WE'RE CURRENTLY DESIGNING THE EAST SIDE MOBILITY HUB BY SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS FULLY FUNDED OR IF WE CAN LEVERAGE FUTURE FUNDING DOLLARS.
AND ALSO SOMETIMES PROJECTS ARE SCALED BACK DUE TO FUNDING.
AND I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENED WITH A LOT, A LOT OF PROJECTS RECENTLY.
SO I'M WONDERING IF FEDERAL, IF NEW MONIES CAN BE ALLOCATED TO ENHANCE THE PROJECT A LITTLE FURTHER, INCLUDING, LIKE ADDED SHADE OR ADDITIONAL PARKING.
UH, WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT BACK FOR EAST SIDE MOBILITY HUB.
UH, THERE WERE SOME CAPITAL DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO FUND THAT PROJECT THAT HAVE BEEN DEDICATED FOR THAT PROJECT.
UH, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE THE FEEDBACK AND, AND, UH, SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO, UH, JUST FURTHER THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, FOR THE EAST WEST CORRIDOR, UH, WE, SO SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FOR TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT LAST GO ROUND FOR FUNDING WILL BE USED FOR PLANNING PURPOSES FOR THE EAST WEST, UH, CORRIDOR GOING INTO THE FUTURE PLANNING FOR, FOR EAST WEST AT THIS POINT.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION'S GONNA BE ABOUT THE DIGITAL, UM, EQUITY GRANT.
UM, SO I'M WONDERING, WILL SA DIGITAL CONNECTS BE LEADING THE DIGITAL EQUITY GRANT REQUEST, AND IF SO, HOW WILL THIS BE COMMUNICATED OR COORDINATED WITH CITY COUNCIL OFFICES SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN BE AWARE? UM, JUST LAST WEEK WE RECEIVED A CALL AT OUR CONSTITUENT OFFICE ABOUT THE LACK OF ANY INTERNET OPTIONS OUT BY FOSTER ROAD.
SO THERE'S NO COMPANIES THAT SERVICE THIS AREA OF THE LAKESIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, THE STATE DIGITAL EQUITY GRANT PROGRAM IS GOING TO INITIALLY HAVE TO BE A GRANT, UM, APPLICATION THAT'S SUBMITTED BY THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE UNDER THE COMPTROLLERS WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
UM, WHAT I ALSO SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED EARLIER IS ON A PARALLEL TRACK, LAST WEEK, THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE RELEASED, UM, THEIR INITIAL, UH, BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THIS WAS, UH, DIRECTLY A RESULT OF H P FIVE FROM THE PAST STATE LEGISLATION THAT ESTABLISHED ESSENTIALLY B B D O.
UM, PART OF THEIR PROCESS WILL BE COUNCILMAN TO DETERMINE A SUB GRANTING PROGRAM THAT LIKELY WILL NOT COME UNTIL EARLY 2023.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ACTION ITEMS THAT THE B D O WILL HAVE TO ENGAGE IS CREATING A SUB-GRANT TEAM PROGRAM, UM, THAT WILL PROVIDE AND GIVE US THE GUIDANCE ON THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND THE PARAMETERS, AND THEN CREATING THAT, UM, THAT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS MAP FOR, FOR BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THAT.
UH, ONE LAST NOTE ON THE, UH, BROADBAND PLAN, IT ESSENTIALLY CAME OUT OF HB FIVE, HOWEVER, UM, THE PLAN IS FLUID, IT'S FLEXIBLE, AND THEY WILL HAVE TO UPDATE IT TO INCLUDE THE FEDERAL, UH, PARAMETERS ONCE THEY HAVE THOSE FROM N T I A.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MORE OR LESS? WE'LL, WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT IT LATER.
UM, I DO WANNA TRY TO GET THROUGH THE LAST BIT.
UM, SO THE LAST, SO MY NEXT ONE IS GONNA BE ABOUT THE RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION PROGRAM.
AND WHEN WE MET WITH TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION, THEY SAID THAT THEY'D WORK ON GETTING SAFETY DATA REGARDING VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS.
AND WE ASKED ABOUT DATA ON WAIT TIMES AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT DATA HAS BEEN RECEIVED YET.
UH, LEMME SEE IF, UH, WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION HERE.
I THINK THAT, UH, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY IS THAT D TWO HAS A LOT OF RAILROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE INDUSTRIAL NATURE OF THE BUSINESSES IN OUR DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.
AND SO THESE RESIDENTS DESERVE TO HAVE UNIMPEDED ACCESS ENTERING IN AND OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE A PLANNING GRANT, UM, TO INCREASE ACCESS AND ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY WAIT TIMES AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT TWO.
AND THERE ARE PLENTY, ESPECIALLY NEAR RMAN AND 35, OR EISENHOWER AND 35.
THE LAST BIT IS THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PILOT PROGRAM.
HOW WILL THE H PARK, UM, SERVE DISTRICT TWO RESIDENTS AND CONNECT THEM TO DOWNTOWN? AND MY CONCERN HERE IS THAT WE FOCUS THESE GRANTS ON THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE WHO HAVE PAID TAX TAXES FOR DECADES, AND WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE HELPING TO IMPROVE THEIR ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN SO THEY CAN WORK OR VISIT RE RECREATIONAL AREAS.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN CONSULT WITH DENVER HEIGHTS, JEFFERSON HEIGHTS, DIGNITY WITTY HILL AND HARVARD EAST LAWN NEIGHBORHOODS TO CONSIDER IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR CONNECTIVITY TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, SANJA IS HERE FROM H PARK.
COUNCILMAN, HE CAN HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, BUT LET ME, I THINK THE, I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS BROADER, POTENTIALLY.
[00:35:01]
SALLY SAID IN THE PRESENTATION THERE, RIGHT NOW, WE'VE, UM, THE, THE AGENCIES, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TWO POSSIBLE PROJECTS, UH, H PARK AND THE ONE AT PORT SAN ANTONIO.BUT AS SALLY SAID, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF DOWNTOWN TO EAST SIDE, DOWNTOWN TO WEST SIDE CONNECTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE ALSO EITHER PROGRAM BOND, UH, BOND PROJECTS THAT WEREN'T FUNDED IN THE BOND PROGRAM, UM, OR THAT HAVE LEVERAGED DOLLARS.
SO I THINK WE'RE STILL, WE'VE GOTTA GET, WE'VE GOTTA SEE WHAT THAT NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY IS AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE DETAILS ARE THAT THAT'LL BE RELEASED LATER ON IN THE SUMMER.
AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT COLLECTIVELY, WE, THAT'S THE GOAL OF COORDINATING IT.
WE'LL FIGURE OUT COLLECTIVELY WHAT MAKES MOST SENSE FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
THAT IS LIKELY SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE, WELL, WE ARE GONNA BE COMING BACK TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND LIKELY COUNCIL BECAUSE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL THERE FOR, UH, REALLY ON THE EAST, UH, DOWNTOWN TO EAST SIDE, DOWNTOWN TO SOUTH SIDE, DOWNTOWN TO WEST SIDE CONNECTIONS.
LET ME ALSO ASK, I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.
YOU SAID THERE WAS A REQUEST YOU HAD ABOUT, ABOUT RAILROAD WAIT TIMES.
WHAT IS THAT? WAS THAT REQUEST AND WHO'D YOU MAKE IT TO? YES.
SO I'VE MADE THIS AT A NUMBER OF THE I G R, UH, I G R COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND IT'S ABOUT, UM, WAIT TIMES THAT PEOPLE HAVE AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE VEHICLE, WE HAVE CRASH DATA AND THAT KIND OF, THOSE KINDS OF NUMBERS.
BUT I'M WONDERING, DO WE HAVE, UM, AT ALL OF THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHAT ARE THE, WAIT, WHAT ARE THE AVERAGE WAIT TIMES FOR THE VEHICLES THAT ARE ENTERING AND EXITING NEIGHBORHOODS AND GET STOPPED BY THESE? I I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD THAT INFORMATION, BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP ON.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I WANNA START OFF, UH, IN A, IN AGREEMENT WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID WHEN YOU FIRST MADE YOUR REMARKS AND THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE APPLYING FOR EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE GRANTS, PARTIAL OR NATIONAL OR STATEWIDE, WHATEVER THEY ARE.
UH, AND I WANTED TO GO OVER, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THESE.
SO SALLY, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK.
UM, ON SLIDE FIVE, WE SAY, UH, PROJECTS THAT FURTHER EXISTING CITY INITIATIVES, YOU NAMED SEVERAL, BUT YOU DIDN'T NAME VISION ZERO AND THE BICYCLE MASTER PLAN.
SO WOULD THEY BE INCLUSIVE AS THE PLANS THAT WE MIGHT USE THESE FUNDS TOWARDS? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THE LIST THAT I MENTIONED WERE JUST TO NAME A FEW, RIGHT.
BUT, UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE ARE MANY PLANS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ESSENTIALLY HAS PASSED BLESSED, VOTED ON MM-HMM.
UM, SO WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO KIND OF MAKE THAT ALIGNMENT OF THOSE EXISTING PROJECTS THAT, THAT LIVE WITHIN THOSE PLANS AND THOSE STRATEGIES SO THAT WE CAN QUICKLY PIVOT AND MAKE THAT ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OPENING UP OR, OR THAT ARE COMING.
UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PROJECTS FOR WHICH FUNDING HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF WHAT THOSE COULD BE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON? SO, UM, A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE, THE BOND PROJECTS.
SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAJOR AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE, IF THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN SUPPLEMENT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR, UM, I KNOW THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR TRANSPORTATION TEAM, UM, AS WELL ARE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THESE BOND PROJECTS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY FEDERAL FUNDING TO SUPPLEMENT THAT.
I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE BOND PROJECTS, WE TALKED ABOUT LEVERAGING THEM MM-HMM.
AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU TRY TO LEVERAGE MORE FEDERAL FUNDS TO WORK WITH THOSE.
UM, AND YOU SAID PROJECTS THAT ARE ADDRESSING EXISTING NEEDS AND ARE, AND ARE NOT NEW.
ARE THERE ANY EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT COULD BE? WELL, THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS COULD BE ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT EXIST AND LIVE WITHIN THOSE STRATEGIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN THE DIGITAL, UH, BROADBAND PLAN, WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DIGITAL NEEDS WITHIN, YOU KNOW, THE HOMES, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE BUSINESSES.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT LIVE WITHIN THOSE PLANS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE QUICKLY.
SO, UH, WHEN WE'VE DONE STUDIES THROUGH THE DEPARTMENTS, THE CITY, WE IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE PROJECTS.
SO THOSE ARE THE PLANS AND PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, I WOULD PRESUME THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A PRIORITY LIST OF WHICH OF WHAT THOSE MAY BE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR US TO SEE WHAT'S THE PRIORITY LIST FOR FUNDING THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED, OR EXISTING NEEDS THAT ARE NOT NEW OR, YOU KNOW, ALIGNING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH WHAT PLANS WE'VE GOT GOING.
SO I THINK JUST PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND SENDING IT TO US WOULD HELP US ENVISION WHERE WE THINK THOSE PRIORITIES
[00:40:01]
ARE GONNA GO.COUNCILMAN, I JUST WANTED TO STEP IN FOR A SECOND.
UM, EACH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OBVIOUSLY IS DIFFERENT MM-HMM.
SO AS MUCH AS WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A BIG BLANKET LIST, WE'VE GOTTA FIND THE PROJECTS THAT FIT THE PROGRAMS. THE, THE OVERALL POINT OF THE CRITERIA THAT, UH, WE PUT IN PLACE WHEN WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS IS THAT WE HAVE, WE ALREADY KNOW, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXISTING NEED THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED THROUGH PREVIOUS PROCESSES.
WHAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO IS GO, GO OUT AND CREATE NEW THINGS TO GO CHASE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL HAVE DETERMINED IN THE PAST NEED TO BE DONE, AND THIS IS POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO PUT TOWARDS IT.
SO WE'RE USING THAT AS SORT OF AN OVERARCHING FRAMEWORK AS EACH NEW PROGRAM COMES OUT.
AND THE PRIORITY, THE CRITERIA ARE LAID OUT FOR US, WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT THINGS AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S GONNA BE MOST COMPETITIVE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY BRINGING IT TO THE APPROPRIATE COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND FULL COUNCIL TO APPROVE BEFORE WE APPLY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I, I WAS HOPING TO HEAR IS THAT THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES WILL HAVE SOME INPUT, OR AT LEAST AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE WE PRIORITIZING WHEN WE ASK FOR THIS MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS? YES.
UM, I WAS INTERESTED, SHE MENTIONED THE 6 MILLION PRIORITIES, UH, OF THE, OF THE GOVERNMENT, THIS, BUT WHAT ARE THEY, WHAT ARE THOSE SIX MAIN PRIORITIES THAT, UH, WE NEED TO ALIGN WITH? OH, ARE THE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL PRIORITIES? YEAH.
SO THERE WAS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, RELEASED BY THE PRESIDENT THAT INCLUDED, UM, INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC DOLLARS, UH, BE DONE EFFICIENTLY, UH, BY AMERICAN, UH, CREATE GOOD PAYING JOBS, INVEST EQUITABLY, HAVE AN EQUITABLE PROJECT IN PLACE, BILLED, UH, RESILIENCY AND, UM, IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND EFFICIENCY, UM, IN COORDINATION WITH, WITH GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE BROADER, BUT THOSE ARE THE TITLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SIX PRIORITIES.
OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON, UH, SLIDE SIX, YOU TALKED ABOUT AIRPORT GRANTS, 15 BILLION, AIRPORT TERMINAL PROGRAM, 1 BILLION.
UH, WE'VE GOT AN AIRPORT GRANT THAT WE'VE, UH, ASKED FOR, MAYBE RECEIVED 11.8 MILLION OUT OF 15 BILLION IS ALL WE WE LIST THERE ON THE OTHER HAND, FOR 1 BILLION FOR AIRPORT TERMINAL, WE'VE GOT 50 MILLION THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
I'M WONDERING WHY THERE WASN'T MORE, UH, WHERE THERE'S MORE MONEY COMING FORWARD.
'CAUSE THAT COULD BE MISLEADING.
SO, UM, LET ME START WITH THE ONE ON THE RIGHT.
THE TERMINAL PROGRAM IS 1 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS.
UH, AND SO WHAT'S THE MATH THERE? 200? AM I DOING THE RIGHT? YEAH, 200 MILLION.
UM, AND, UH, UH, MID MEDIUM SIZED HUBS SUCH AS SAN ANTONIO AND INTERNATIONAL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR 150 MILLION TOTAL.
UH, SO IN THIS ROUND, IN EACH ROUND, SO WE SUBMITTED THREE PROJECTS THAT TOTALED $50 MILLION FOR THIS ROUND.
WE EXPECT TO HEAR THAT ANSWER THIS SUMMER.
THE AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS IS ACTUALLY FORMULA.
AND SO THAT 11.8 MILLION IS OUR CUT BASED ON OUR PASSENGER NUMBERS AT THE AIRPORT.
AND SO WE HAD TO JUST SUBMIT ESSENTIALLY A NARRATIVE FOR PROJECTS THAT MET THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND, AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE AUTOMATIC.
IT'S A FORMULA, UH, ALLOCATION TO US.
UM, ON PAGE, UH, I THINK IT'S EIGHT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BROADBAND, UH, DID WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INPUT INTO WHAT THE STATE'S TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS THAT THE COMMUNITIES HAVE? BECAUSE I KNOW THE STATE PASSED LEGISLATION AND THE STATE NOW IS GONNA BE TAKING IN THE FEDERAL DOLLARS AND THEY'LL BE HANDING THEM OUT.
BUT DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF INPUT SO THAT WE KNOW THEY UNDERSTAND OUR NEED, OUR CONCERN, AND, AND IT MAY BE REFLECTED IN, IN THEIR PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD? LEMME JUST MAKE MORE COMMENT.
SO ONE COMMENT BEFORE I PASS IT TO JOHN.
COUNCILMAN, THERE WAS DEFINITELY ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND INNOVATION TEAMS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF, UH, THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE THROUGH THE COMPTROLLERS, UM, TEAM, UH, SCHEDULED AND LAUNCHED FIF 12 LISTENING SESSIONS ACROSS THE STATE, AND THE INNOVATION TEAM PARTICIPATED, UM, AND PROVIDED VERBAL TESTIMONY IN ONE OF THEM.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S ONGOING DIALOGUE HAPPENING, UM, WITH THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE THROUGH THE INNOVATION TEAM SA DIGITAL CONNECTS, UM, AND OTHER COHORTS OR CONSORTIUMS OF PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE STATE THAT THE INNOVATION TEAM, UM, IS INVOLVED IN.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AS
[00:45:01]
PART AS, UH, AS PART OF HB FIVE, WHICH WAS PASSED IN THE, UH, PREVIOUS STATE, UM, LEGISLATION.UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS AND PARAMETERS THAT THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WANTS TO ESTABLISH.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS GETTING, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT FOR THEIR BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
I MENTIONED THE FIRST VERSION OF IT WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK, BUT IT'S A FLUID DOCUMENT AND IT WILL KEEP EVOLVING BASED ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, UM, THAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE STATE.
COUNCILMAN, IF I COULD JUST BRIEFLY, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S CONVERSATION ONGOING WITH THE STATE OFFICE, BUT, UM, WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, SORT OF ASKS OF THEM THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE'VE MADE OF THEM SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
THE, THE STATE BROADBAND OFFICE TO DO FOUR CITIES.
SO HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
ONE OTHER QUESTION RELATED TO THIS, WILL, WILL, THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING THROUGH THE STATE, WHETHER IT'S THE, UH, BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS, THE STATE DIGITAL EQUITY OR THE MIDDLE MILE PROGRAM, WILL THESE BE REQUIRED TO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EXISTING ISPS TO BE PUT INTO PLACE? WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? SORRY.
SO, UH, I HAVEN'T REVIEWED EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY, BUT THERE IS A STRONG, UM, LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE WILL HAVE TO BE COORDINATION AT THE LOCAL, PRIVATE, AND, AND STATE LEVEL WITH, WITH THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR EACH OF THESE.
IN THE CASE OF THE TWO STATE, UH, BROADBAND, WHICH IS THE BROADBAND EQUITY OR BEAD AND THE STATE DIGITAL EQUITY ONE, UM, THEY ARE GOING TO DEVELOP SUB GRANTING GUIDELINES THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE ONCE THEY ARE, UH, ROLLED OUT IN 2023.
COUNCILMAN CAN, SORRY, I WAS TALKING.
ERIC, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION AGAIN? UH, ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH LOCAL ISPS TO PARTNER IN THESE PROGRAMS TO GET HELP? SO, SO SPECIFICALLY ON THE, THE STATE DIGITAL EQUITY ACT PROGRAM, THAT'S A, A, A SORT OF A, A DIRECT SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLAN FOR BROADBAND FOR THE STATE.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THAT MONEY'S ALL ABOUT.
THERE'LL BE A SMALL PIECE OF IT FOR DIGITAL EQUITY PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITIES IN THE FUTURE, BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED ON BEAD.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT GETTING FIBER DIRECTLY TO THE HOME.
JUST THIS WEEK, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS EMPHASIZED FIBER BEING IMPORTANT, SO THERE'LL BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH OUR STATE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE ABOUT HOW THAT GETS PRIORITIZED.
BUT, UM, ISPS WILL BE OUR PARTNER THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND WHAT JOHN JUST SAID IS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.
AND OF COURSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, DIGITAL EQUITY, AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN THE BROADBAND EQUITY AND THE STATE DIGITAL EQUITY.
YESTERDAY I WAS AT A READY TO WORK FOR, UM, UH, MEETING AND ONE OF OUR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS MENTIONED, WELL, WE HAVE TO PREPARE PEOPLE FOR THE FUTURE, WHICH INCLUDES ONLINE ACCESS TO, UH, WORKING FROM HOME.
WE CAN'T GO THERE YET, BECAUSE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT AND WHO MOST NEED THIS PROGRAM DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DIGITAL EQUITY YET TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I KIND OF SLOW TRACK DOWN THAT A LITTLE BIT AND, AND I HAD SOME SUPPORT FROM, UH, OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE THERE.
SO, BUT, BUT THIS, THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE, RIGHT? LIKE THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T, UM, KIND OF LOSE FOCUS ON THIS AND, AND CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD.
AND WORKING WITH THE ISPS IS GONNA BE CRITICAL.
SO TH THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR, FOR MENTIONING THAT.
THE OTHER THING ON THERE IS RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, PILOT PROGRAMS. SO I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT IN PARTICULAR, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE PORT AND I, I THINK I SEE QUIN ANTONIO HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, YES, WE'VE GOT HALF OF THAT IN THE BOND, THE 20 22, 20 27 BOND.
BUT, UM, WE, WE STILL NEED TO, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE UP, I THINK IT'S ANOTHER $15.6 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THE COMPLETE, UM, PROJECT.
UH, 'CAUSE WE ONLY HAVE $15 MILLION RIGHT NOW IN THE BOND.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF IT.
THAT'S JUST ONE, ONE AREA OF IT.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT NECESSARILY CONNECTING THE AREAS AROUND IT.
THAT'S WHAT, WHAT MOST NEEDED NEEDS IT.
UM, THE CONNECTIVE CORRIDORS, UH, EXTENDING FROM DOWNTOWN INTO ADJACENT COMMUNITIES.
IS THERE A MILEAGE OR IS THERE A CERTAIN, UH, OR, OR WOULD IT, DO WE GET CREATIVE ON THAT? LIKE WHAT DETERMINES IS THERE A SPEC? IS THERE SPECIFICS ON THAT? HOW FAR CONNECTING COMMUNITIES WOULD BE? UH, WE, BECAUSE THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, COUNCILWOMAN IS NOT OUT YET.
WE DON'T HAVE THE GUIDELINES AND PARAMETERS FOR WHAT SPECIFICALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.
WHAT WE DO KNOW NOW IS JUST THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF REMOVING INFRASTRUCTURE SLASH TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, LIKE ROADS, UH, BRIDGES, UH, RAILROAD TRACKS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE, ARE ACCESSING, UM, CERTAIN AMENITIES, LIKE I MENTIONED, JOBS, SCHOOL PARKS, UM, HEALTH, UM, SERVICES, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN THE NOTICE COMES OUT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DISSECT IT AND THEN REALLY BE ABLE TO,
[00:50:01]
TO DETERMINE, UM, WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE FOR THAT PARTICULAR NOTICE.AND THEN BEFORE I MOVE ON TO MY NEXT QUESTIONS, AND I KNOW, UM, COUNCILMAN MAKI RODRIGUEZ BROUGHT, BROUGHT SOMETHING UP ABOUT THE EAST SIDE, UM, PROMISE ZONE, UH, AREAS, UH, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO ALSO LEVERAGE SOME OF THE EXISTING ZONES, UH, INTO THIS TYPE OF PROJECT? UH, POTENTIALLY.
SO SOME OF THESE APPLICATIONS ARE VERY, UH, DATA HEAVY.
AND SO CENSUS INFORMATION, INFORMATION THAT WAS, UH, THAT CAME OUT OF, UM, PROMISE ZONES, FOR EXAMPLE, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE LAYERS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY PUT ON, UM, TO AUGMENT, UM, THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE'RE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED TO SUBMIT OR ASKED, UM, TO SEE A LIST OF THE PROJECTS? SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR MAYBE A, A FULL LIST OF PROJECTS IN ALL OF OUR AREAS THAT YOU ALL THINK MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
DO YOU ALL HAVE THAT? IS THERE SOME SPREADSHEET SOMEWHERE THAT TELLS US, UH, OR ERIC WANTS TO ANSWER? YEAH.
UH, EVERY PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS AND EVERY PROJECT THAT WAS ON THE INITIAL BOND LIST.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, UM, PROBABLY A HOST OF OTHER, UM, MAYBE FROM SOME OF THE AGENCIES, BUT TO, TO JEFF'S POINT A SECOND AGO, UH, THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE, THE LISTS WE'RE GOING TO FIRST, THERE MAY BE SOME PROJECTS IDENTIFIED THROUGH, UM, THE SA TOMORROW MASTER PLAN AREAS AS THOSE GET DEVELOPED, UM, THAT WE MAY PULL FROM.
BUT, UM, WE CAN REPACKAGE THAT IN A WAY THAT IS PRETTIER THAN THOSE LONG SPREADSHEETS WE GAVE YOU LAST FALL.
NOT PRETTIER, BUT MORE USER FRIENDLY.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE THAT STARTING POINT.
AND I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UM, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ADD, UM, IF MAYBE THEY DIDN'T MAKE THAT LIST OR, OR ANYTHING AND, AND WHAT KIND OF OUR CUTOFF IS, OR OUR DEADLINE IS IF WE SEE THAT THERE'S OTHER, OTHER PROJECTS.
YEAH, AND I THINK THAT, THAT, IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THE DEFINITION AND THE GRANT ALLOWANCES.
AND, AND WHAT, WHAT THE CRITERIA IS.
UM, BUT THAT'LL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING CLOSE WITH THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND THEN PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES AT THE COUNCIL.
AND THEN, UM, SO I'LL FOCUS NEXT, AND I SAW BRIAN DILLARD WALK IN, UM, UH, THE MIDDLE MILE BROADBAND PRO, UH, PROGRAM.
UM, AND I, I KNOW THAT IT'S DIRECT COMPETITIVE GRANT.
WILL WE INCLUDE ALSO PARTNERS, UH, SUCH AS U T S A, UM, IN, IN OUR WORK? AND I KNOW THAT, UH, IT, IT SAYS THAT THEY'RE UNDER REVIEW BY COSA.
SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY IS UNDER REVIEW BY COSA OR WHAT, WHAT GRANTS, HOW MANY WE'VE RECEIVED? UM, THE REASON THAT I'M ASKING SPECIFICALLY IS BECAUSE I WAS AT A PRESENTATION EARLIER FOR ACOG.
I'M ON THE BOARD, UH, OF ACOG WITH COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM U T SS A, IT WAS VERY THOROUGH.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE TRYING TO, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, ADVANCE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY AND DATA SCIENCE SPECIFICALLY.
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE TIER ONE, UM, INSTITUTION NOW.
AND IT, I THINK THAT IT'S PERFECT WITH THIS CONNECTIVITY AS WELL.
AND IT, MAYBE WE CAN, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE, WE BRIDGE THAT IN OUR APPLICATION, BUT, UM, THE EFFECT THAT WE'RE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SONA AND THE TECH DISTRICT MAKES ME THINK U T S A ALREADY HAS ALL OF THESE RESEARCHERS WORKING ON IT.
THEY PAY PEOPLE FOR A LIVING TO WRITE GRANTS, RIGHT.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE GRANT WRITERS THAT JUST GO OUT AND DO THIS RESEARCH.
AND SO IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US TO PARTNER WITH, FOR INSTANCE, U T S A, UM, TEXT A AND M, ANY, ANY OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTION REALLY.
BUT I'VE ONLY SEEN US PARTNER WITH LIKE F A AND, UM, UH, OTHER ENTITIES, NOT NECESSARILY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND MAYBE WHY WE HAVEN'T OR, OR IF WE WILL ABSOLUTELY.
SO SPECIFICALLY ON MIDDLE MILE, UM, WE'LL EXPLAIN TO THE COMMITTEE LATER, UH, IN THE WEEK.
BUT, UM, WE'RE GONNA RELEASE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SO THAT ISPS CAN RESPOND TO US ABOUT OKAY.
UM, 25 CENSUS TRACK AREAS THAT WE WANNA TRY AND CONNECT.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM MIDDLE MILE ALL THE WAY TO THE HOME.
SO THE B GRANT THAT YOU SEE ON, ON THE SLIDE INCLUDES ALL THE WAY TO THE HOME.
MIDDLE MILE IS FOCUSED ON BUILDING BIG FIBER CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, SO WE'VE EXPLORED THAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY.
THERE'S SOME CAVEATS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS SPECIFICALLY.
UM, WE WANNA STAY ALIGNED WITH OUR I S P PARTNERS, AND SO THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT MIDDLE MILE GRANT THAT MIGHT NOT MAKE IT FEASIBLE FOR US.
UM, SO, UH, WE'LL EXPLAIN THAT FURTHER IN THE COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, WE WANNA BE VERY CAREFUL AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION ON PARTNERING WITH UNIVERSITIES.
UM, IT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING WE CAN EXPLORE.
UM, AND, AND HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I JUST, LIKE I SAID, I, I THINK THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THE RESEARCH AND, UM, GRANT COORDINATION.
THEY PROBABLY HAVE LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN JUST PICK UP AND SURE.
[00:55:01]
COMMUNITY.UM, I DO, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT OUR ISPS ARE TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE OUR, OUR, OUR DIGITAL DIVIDE PROBLEM.
I WOULD BE, UM, PROBABLY THEY WOULD PROBABLY, I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE HESITANT BECAUSE OF, UM, COMPETITIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION THAT THEY DON'T, WOULDN'T WANNA SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO, UM, I, I'M ALWAYS SENSITIVE TO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, WHAT IS IT THAT THEY WILL COME TO THE TABLE WITH.
SO IN, IN OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, WE'RE GONNA ASK THEM SPECIFIC, UH, SPECIFICALLY HOW THEY CAN HELP US BOTH FINANCIALLY.
WHERE THEY'RE ALREADY GONNA BUILD, UM, TO, TO CONNECT THE AREAS WE WANNA CONNECT, ALL THAT WILL BE PRIVATE TO US, RIGHT.
SO IT WON'T SORT OF REVEAL COMPETITIVE ISSUES WITH ONE ANOTHER AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND, AND WHO'S, WHO'S DOING ALL THIS ON OUR STAFF? LIKE WHO IS, SO THE INNOVATION OFFICE, ALONG WITH THE, UH, FOLKS AT I T S D ARE WORKING SPECIFICALLY ON THIS R F P.
BUT, BUT ON ALL, ALL OF OUR GRANTS, DO YOU HAVE LIKE A POINT PERSON FOR GRANTS AND IS IT IN SALLY'S OFFICE? YES.
WHO'S, WHO'S DOING THE ACTUAL GRANT APPLICATION AND SUBMITTING? SO RIGHT NOW, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, AND I'LL USE THE RAISE EXAMPLE TO TAMIKA.
WE HIRED, WE CONTRACTED FOR A GRANT WRITER.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKELY AS THIS DEVELOPS YEAH.
UM, WE'LL NEED TO HAVE A CENTRALIZED CORE, KINDA LIKE WE'RE MANAGING ARPA THROUGH ONE OR TWO, TWO, WELL, ACTUALLY IT'S FOUR PEOPLE.
ALL THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE ONE PERSON TO HELP MANAGE THIS MM-HMM.
I THINK YOU ALL USED, UM, I, I I TIGER TEAMS, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO, OR I THINK THAT'S WHAT, WHAT THEY WERE CALLED.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, WHO IS THAT TEAM, LIKE WHO'S MADE UP OF THAT AND, AND WHO ACTUALLY SUBMITS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I WAS TRYING TO DO.
SO THE, THE ACTUAL PAPERWORK, WELL, EVERYTHING, RIGHT.
SO FROM THE DATA COLLECTION TO THE CONVENING OF YEAH.
THE MEETINGS TO MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T SLIP THE CRACKS.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS, WHEN WE DID GET THE GRANTS, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE, THE, THE FOLLOW UP.
BUT COUNCILWOMAN ONE NOTE ON THAT PART OF THE STRATEGY THAT I MENTIONED EARLY IN THE PRESENTATION, WE IDENTIFIED DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE BASED ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR AREAS OF JURISDICTION.
SO THERE IS A LIST THAT'S PART OF THE STRATEGY.
WE CAN SHARE IT WITH YOU, UM, THAT PERHAPS WE PULL IN, UM, EVERY DAY, EVERY TWO DAY, MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK, WE PUSH OUT, UM, THE GRANT NOTICES AS THEY'RE COMING UP.
UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF WEBINARS, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY COMING OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S, THERE'S TRAINING, WEBINARS, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS HAPPENING THROUGH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, THE CONFERENCE OF MAYORS.
SO THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM IS A RESOURCE FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
THAT EXTENDS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE KIND OF THAT NUCLEUS.
IT'S PUSHING OUT, UM, ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE, THAT ARE MADE AVAILABLE MORE THAN, THAN WE CAN OFTEN HANDLE.
UH, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS ABLE TO CARRY THE WATER, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THOSE WEBINARS, TAKE THAT INFORMATION, DISSECT IT, AND THEN SHARE IT ONWARD TO ANYBODY ELSE WHO NEEDS TO BE THERE.
THAT WING SAID WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADD MORE
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SALLY, I'M GONNA PICK UP THERE, UM, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN SOME WAYS AND HOW AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS, THERE'S SO MANY, UH, COMMUNITIES IN OUR CITY, UH, THAT WILL SUFFER FROM, UM, LACK OF DIGITAL INCLUSION IN MY DISTRICT.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EDGEWOOD AREA, PIN ROAD, MAROCH ROAD, UM, THEN THEY WOULD DIRECTLY IDENTIFY, THEY WOULD DIRECTLY BENEFIT, EXCUSE ME.
BUT, UM, MY QUESTION IS, HOW HAVE AREAS BEEN IDENTIFIED? HAVE THEY BEEN IDENTIFIED YET THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM, UM, IN THE LONG TERM, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION AND THESE FUNDS THAT WE'LL EVENTUALLY, UH, RECEIVE? AND IS THERE, I MEAN, IS THERE CRITERIA IS HAS THERE BEEN ANY STUDIES OR OUTREACH YET? UM, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS GONNA LOOK LIKE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
COUNCILMAN, IF I COULD ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE.
SO, THERE, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A STUDY DONE HERE LOCALLY.
UM, THAT WILL BE OUR INITIAL ROADMAP FOR WHERE PRIORITY AREAS SHOULD BE.
UM, THE STATE IS ALSO GONNA ISSUE SOME BROADBAND, UH, MAPS THAT ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO BE CHALLENGED.
SO, UM, THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS.
SO ESSENTIALLY THEY'LL SAY, HERE'S OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO SORT OF COMPARE TO WHAT WE'VE DONE LOCALLY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IF IT'S MORE ACCURATE OR LESS ACCURATE.
AND WE CAN OFFER OUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
AND THAT WILL INFORM SOME FUTURE FUNDING FROM THE STATE THAT WILL ALSO INFORM THE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, UM, OUR LOCAL WORK, WE'RE AHEAD OF, UH, MANY CITIES, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR OWN WORK TO BEGIN WITH, BUT THERE'LL BE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE INFORMED BY THOSE MAPS.
OH, DO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM THE STATE MAPS AS A CITY? OR EVEN DOES THE COUNTY DO THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE'VE SHARED EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE
[01:00:01]
DONE.UH, I THINK THE COUNTY WILL TOO.
OUR, OUR WORK ENCOMPASS SOME OF THE COUNTY AREA AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN THE, THE, THE R F I THAT JOHN MENTIONED A SECOND AGO, WE, THAT'S GETTING PUSHED OUT LATER ON THIS MONTH BECAUSE WE, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOR THE ISPS, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN OUR, OUR LOCAL STUDY.
WE, WE WANNA KNOW WHAT THE COST IS.
UM, WE WANNA KNOW WHAT THE ISPS ARE WILLING TO PUT IN FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE DOING THAT NOW BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE GRANT APPLICATIONS.
'CAUSE THOSE, THOSE, A LOT OF THOSE, MOST OF THOSE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES ARE GONNA FRANKLY, RELY UPON, UH, COORDINATION BETWEEN US AND THE ISPS.
AND SO IF WE'VE GOT THE COST FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THIS COMMITMENT, THEN THAT'S A JOINT APPLICATION WE CAN WORK ON WITH FRANKLY, ALL OF THE ISPS.
WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING, UH, TOGETHER ON THAT.
UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? IS THIS A GRANT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES WOULD, UH, DISTRIBUTE TO RESIDENTS? UH, NO.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO, UM, THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS MANAGED BY, UH, T D H C A.
AND SO THEY ARE, UH, THE PASS THROUGH AGENCY WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT'S GOING TO MANAGE THE INITIAL INFLUX OF FUNDING THAT'S ROLLING OUT, UM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
SO THEIR FIRST MILESTONE IS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION, UM, IN JULY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE DOLLARS.
UH, T D H C A HAS NOTIFIED US THAT, UM, AFTER THEY RECEIVE, UM, CONCURRENCE FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, THAT THE MONEY WILL BE ROLLED OUT TO THEM TO MANAGE.
THEY WILL WORK ON THE SUB-GRANTEE GUIDELINES.
OUR LOCAL GRANTEE IS ACOG, AND SO THEY'RE ONE OF THE 12 OR 13 GRANTEES WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE DID ASK T D H C A IF THEY ANTICIPATED EXPANDING THAT LIST.
UM, CURRENTLY THEY SAID NO, BUT IF FOR SOME REASON THERE'S ANOTHER PATH FOR IDENTIFYING ADDITIONAL GRANTEES, THEY WILL BE PUTTING, UM, THAT OUT FOR PROBABLY COMPETITION.
BUT WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL EARLY 2023.
SIMILAR TO MY, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION QUESTION IS, UH, WILL THERE, WHAT WILL THE CRITERIA, WELL, WHAT WILL THE PROCESS BE TO ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR, UM, THE HOMEOWNERS OR THE, THE, THE BUILDINGS THAT RECEIVE THIS, THIS FUNDING? THIS IS A RECURRING GRANT.
SO THERE IS AN EXISTING, UH, GUIDELINES FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM LOCALLY FOR US IS MANAGED BY ACOG.
SO THEIR EXISTING GUIDELINES AND PARAMETERS FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES THAT QUALIFY ARE ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, FOR ACOG RIGHT NOW, IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES, THEY'LL MAKE THOSE.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME FLEXIBILITY AS TO WHAT'S COVERED AND WHO'S ELIGIBLE.
AND SO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WILL PUSH THAT OUT TO T D H C A.
UM, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT BACK.
AND I KNOW I'M KIND OF SHIFTING ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT IT'S A BIG, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS COVERED HERE.
SO I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE AIRPORT.
UM, IT WAS 15 BILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, ONE FOR 1 BILLION FOR TERMINAL, THAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE OUT, THAT'S OUR REQUEST.
SO, UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, WELL, DO WE KNOW WHEN WE MIGHT RECEIVE THESE FUNDS WHEN WE MIGHT HEAR, HEAR BACK, UH, THIS SUMMER? UH, WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE.
WE SHOULD GET AN ANSWER THOUGH.
AND, UM, I GUESS WHAT WOULD THE PROCESS BE IT, WELL, IS IT ALL OR NOTHING? IS IT WE GET 15 PLUS ONE OR WE GET SOME OF THAT? OR, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I THINK THEY COULD PROBABLY AWARD LESS, BUT WE, WE BASED IT ON PROJECT AMOUNTS.
SO THAT 50 MILLION WAS FOR THREE DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT WAS FOR THE GROUND LOADING FACILITY THAT JESUS HAS TALKED ABOUT, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ADD THREE ADDITIONAL GATES AT TERMINAL A.
IT'S FOR THE THIRD PHASE OF, UH, THE ROOF, UH, UH, RENOVATIONS IN TERMINAL A.
AND IT'S FOR THE ADVANCED TERMINAL PLANNING CONTRACT, WHICH IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
THE COUNCIL APPROVED JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, A CONTRACT WITH CORRIGAN TO BEGIN THE ADVANCED, UH, WORK TO BUILD A TERMINAL SEA AND ALL THE ENABLING PROJECTS.
SO WE'VE SOUGHT FEDERAL FUNDING TO FUND THAT CONTRACT, ESSENTIALLY.
I JUST WANTED A QUICK RUNDOWN OF THAT.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL VERY INTERESTED IN, IN, UM, THE AIRPORT EXPANSION.
I'D LIKE TO SEE ALSO A PRESENTATION, I GUESS THIS MIGHT BE FOR, FOR, FOR YOU, ERIC, UM, ON RECON, THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PILOT PROGRAM AT TRANSPORTATION.
I, I CAN TALK TO ROD ABOUT IT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PARTICULAR ITEM COME TO TRANSPORTATION TO DISCUSS MULTIMODAL OPTIONS FOR THESE, UH, PROJECTS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT POTENTIAL AREAS AND WORKING TO CONNECT MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES BACK TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, HEMISPHERE PARK, OF COURSE, IN THE PORT.
I ALWAYS SAY ALWAYS AND ALWAYS AND ALWAYS, LIKE OVER AND OVER AND OVER THAT THERE'S NO BOUNDARIES IN REAL LIFE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT, SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
[01:05:01]
I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND ERASING THESE BARRIERS THAT WE'VE, UM, IN SOME WAYS CREATED OURSELVES.UM, AND THAT'S BEEN PUT IN PLACE DECADES AGO IN THAT, IN THAT SAME PROGRAM, THERE'S, UM, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT CREATING SEAMLESS CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS AND AND BUSINESSES TO THE PORT, TO DOWNTOWN, ALL THE DIFFERENT IN HEMISPHERE.
I IMAGINE THIS INCLUDES, UH, GENERAL MCMULLEN, UM, THE ENTRANCE TO THE PORT, UH, AT OUR MOST RECENT TRANSPORTATION, UH, AND MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT UP GENERAL MULLEN, AND WE DISCUSSED PRIORITIZING, UH, GENERAL MCMULLEN AS A PRIORITY CORRIDOR FOR, FOR PROJECT FUNDING.
SO HOW CAN THIS PILOT COMPLEMENT THAT, UM, THE CORRIDOR PLAN? RIGHT.
SO, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, THE NOTICE IS NOT OUT YET.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING IT TO COME OUT THIS SUMMER.
UH, THE PROPOSED PROJECTS THAT I SHARED DURING THE PRESENTATION ARE BASICALLY IDEAS THAT H PARK, THE PORT SAN ANTONIO AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM ARE ESSENTIALLY LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, UH, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE KNOW, UM, SPECIFICALLY ON THE PORT.
WE DO HAVE ONE ANTONIO FLORES HERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, RAZZIE, UM, THAT CAN SPEAK TO IT.
BUT JUAN ANTONIO, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK A LITTLE BIT FROM YOUR PROJECT COUNCIL? UM, SO OUR PROJECT DOES CONTEMPLATE IMPROVEMENTS TO MCMULLEN UP TO OUR PROPERTY LINE.
THERE IS ALSO A PROJECT THAT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ARE, ARE, ARE MOVING FORWARD THAT WOULD, UM, IMPROVE MCMULLEN FROM OUR PROPERTY LINE TO 90.
I THINK AS WE, UM, AS WE GROW DENSITY AND DEMAND FOR ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY, UM, HA HAVING THAT ROAD IMPROVED GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE VIAS, PLANS TO DEPLOY ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT DOWN ON THAT CORRIDOR.
SO IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY VITAL, UH, ELEMENT TO, UM, OUR PLANS FOR GROWTH.
I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND, UM, TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING, BUT WE'RE ALL ALSO AGREE IN AGREEMENT THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
AND OUR, OUR PLAN FOR OUR PORTION UP TO OUR PROPERTY LINE INCLUDES, UM, PROTECTED SIDEWALKS, UH, I'M SORRY, EXPANDED SIDEWALKS, WIDENED SIDEWALKS, PROTECTED BIKE LANES, BIOSWELLS, UM, ELEVATED CROSSWALKS, IMPROVED SIGNALIZATION.
SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU, THAT WE, WE KNOW TO BE ELEMENTS OF, OF COMPLETE STREETS ARE CONTEMPLATED FOR OUR PORTION OF, OF MCMULLEN.
AND THANK YOU SALLY FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, A HUGE EMPHASIS FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN, UH, USING THE BUILD BACK BETTER AMERICA INITIATIVE TO CREATE GOOD PAYING UNION JOBS.
UM, AND I HAD THE SAME QUESTION AND CONCERN REGARDING CAPACITY AND APPLYING FOR THESE GRANTS.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE SO MUCH NEED IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, BUT I UNDERSTAND CAPACITY, BANDWIDTH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT I HOPE WE CAN, UH, EXPLORE IS ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MY DISTRICT, AND I'M SURE, UH, MANY OF YOU ALL WHO HAVE COMMUTED DOWN, UH, GENERAL HUN, UM, ON THE WAY TO THE PORT, YOU SEE THESE HUGE PILES OF ALUMINUM AND RECYCLING PLANTS RATHER.
AND SOMETIMES, DEPENDING ON THE DAY, YOU CAN SEE THE DUST, UM, WHICH IS CONTAMINANTS, RIGHT? THAT'S STEADILY IN OUR SOIL AND THAT THE NEIGHBORING NEIGHBORS ARE BREATHING IN.
UM, SO THAT'S BEEN A HUGE CONCERN FOR THE FOLKS OF THE GANA NEIGHBORHOOD, THE THOMPSON NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS THE SOMERSET NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, ARE THESE GROWING CONCERNS AROUND, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE SEEKING REMEDIATION EFFORTS WHERE POSSIBLE, UM, BECAUSE RIGHT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE SOIL CONTAMINATION IS A HUGE BARRIER TO ECONOMIC INVESTMENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT? I I HOPE THAT WE CAN ONE, UM, PAIR A LOT OF THESE GRANTS WITH, UM, WITH LABOR.
'CAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE AN EMPHASIS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS CREATING THOSE GOOD UNION JOBS.
AND, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SOLUTION FOR BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA, UM, REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION.
THE LAST SENTENCE STATES, THESE PROJECTS WILL REMEDIATE ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS ADDRESS THE LEGACY OF POLLUTION THAT HARMS THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES, CREATING GOOD PAYING UNION JOBS, AND ADVANCING LONG OVERDUE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EMPHASIZED WITHIN EACH GRANT.
AND I WANNA BE SURE, UM, WE'RE, UM, PUTTING, SUBMITTING MORE COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS BY ENSURING THAT WE'RE PULLING LABOR INTO THE PROCESS.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REGARDING A COUPLE OF THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEKING AND INTEND TO SEEK.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION, RIGHT? WE KNOW IN 2017, UH, WE SECURED FUNDING FOR THE ALMORA OVERPASS, AND THEN WITH THE 2022 BOND, WE ALSO SUBMITTED AND SUCCESSFULLY SECURED FUNDING FOR SOUTH SAMOA.
DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A GAP FOR THAT OVERPASS? IF SO, WHAT ARE WE ROUGHLY LOOKING AT? COUNCILWOMAN, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE DESIGNING THAT PROJECT.
[01:10:01]
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, STARTING OBTAINING THE ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY.COURSE WE DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY GAP, BUT WE ARE PLANNING TO SUBMIT ANOTHER RAILROAD IN OUR MM-HMM.
AREA FOR IN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO FOR RICHMOND ROAD AND POSSIBLE
ALSO, SALLY AND I HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE TECHSTAR AUSTIN OFFICE.
THEY'RE WILLING TO HELP US ON PREPARING THE GRANT AND EVEN WRITING THE GRANT TO SUBMIT.
WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE THE CRITERIA YET, BUT WE HAVE, WE THINK WE HAVE A TWO GOOD PROJECT SUBMIT.
SO, NO, UH, GAP EXISTS WITH SMO, UH, AT THIS TIME, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEAT THE PROJECT.
WE, WE THINK WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE FINANCIALLY.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW EVEN CONGRESSMAN JOAQUIN CASTRO HAS ATTEMPTED TO SECURE FUNDING AND THAT FELL THROUGH.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, THAT IF WE KEEP ASKING VOTERS TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SEE COME INTO FRUITION.
UM, BECAUSE THERE IS SKEPTICISM ON HOW LONG FOLKS HAVE BEEN WAITING, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, AND SINCE IT DOES REQUIRE, UH, LAND ACQUISITION, RIGHT? THE PRES TAG KEEPS GOING UP.
SO THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
UM, I, I WANNA THANK, UM, COUNCILWOMAN HARVARD FOR BRINGING, BRINGING UP JENNA MCMULLIN.
UH, JUST DURING YESTERDAY'S TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING, WE WERE REVIEWING SOME CORRIDORS, UH, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDED GENERAL MCMULLIN, BUT WASN'T INCLUDED, UH, IN THE ITEM THAT MOVED TO COUNCIL.
AND I HAD A COUPLE OF CONCERNS BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND THE PEDESTRIAN INJURIES, UM, THE AMOUNT OF VIA ROUTES THAT WE HAVE GOING UP AND DOWN, UM, GENERAL MCMULLEN IS OVER 12, AND THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC, RIGHT? SO IT JUST MADE SENSE THAT THIS WAS A PRIORITY, BUT WE HAD A CONVERSATION AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS, CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY.
SO I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE PORT PLAN INCLUDES GENERAL MCMULLEN.
THAT IS A PROJECT THAT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR INVESTMENT ON GENERAL MCMULLEN, AND IT HAS COMMUNITY BUY-IN, UM, WHICH IS VERY RARE
SO THAT, THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
AND I'M, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE ARE BEING, THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING.
AND IT IS ONE THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF.
UM, I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS REGARDING, UM, ANY PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPILED.
BUT, UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR, WOULD IT BE BELOW THE ITEM BOND ITEMS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT ERIC? UM, NOT NECESSARILY COUNCILWOMAN, THE PORT SAN ANTONIO PROJECT, WHICH IS A POTENTIAL PROJECT.
SO THERE COULD BE, THERE COULD BE SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
I, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS MORE OF LIKE, PROJECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN BRIEFED ON, WOULD THAT INCLUDE BELOW THE ITEM, UH, PROJECTS? I'M, I'M NOT FOLLOWING YOUR QUESTION COUNCIL.
UM, SO IN GENERAL, FOR ALL THESE GRANTS THAT WE WILL BE SEEKING TO APPLY, HOW WILL CITY COUNCIL BE BRIEFED ON THOSE PROPOSED PROJECTS? WE'LL GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE APPLICATION.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
SALLY, UH, GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
GOOD, GOOD BRIEFING, GOOD OVERVIEW.
UM, A LOT OF THINGS TO BE DONE HERE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, I GUESS, UM, UM, THE PROCESS, I, I'M STILL UNCLEAR THE PROCESS.
AND ERIC, YOU JUST MENTIONED THE PROCESS.
I MEAN, UH, A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH STREETS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
WE, WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
AM I ASSUMING THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR THESE PROGRAMS ARE GONNA BE FIRST BROUGHT TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE? SO, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.
SO A GOOD EXAMPLE WAS, UH, THE RAYS GRANT APPLICATION THAT THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED LAST YEAR.
COUNCILMAN, THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE RAYS, UH, FOR 2022 THAT BROOKS SUBMITTED, THEY PRESENTED TO THE I G R COMMITTEE AND THEY PRESENTED TO THE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY COMMITTEE AS WELL.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THAT PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMITTEES OF JURISDICTION, PRIMARILY TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY AND I G R RECEIVE THESE BRIEFINGS, UM, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET, UH, FEEDBACK AND INPUT.
AND JEFF, I'VE ASKED THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A TEAM THAT'S, UH, UP THERE IN DC UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE LOBBYING FOR US FOR, YOU KNOW, GETTING INCLUDED IN THIS FUNDING STREAM.
IS THERE GONNA BE A REPORT CARD ON HOW THEY DO, UH, METRICS ON HOW THEY, I HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE METRICS.
DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF METRICS PUT TOGETHER ON THEIR TRACK RECORD SO FAR? SO WE DO COUNCILMAN, WE DO HAVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT ARE A PART OF, OF THE EXISTING, UH, FEDERAL REPRESENTATION SERVICES CONTRACTOR, THE CONSULTING CONTRACT.
UM, TRADITIONALLY WE DO THAT ASSESSMENT AT THE END OF EACH, UH, CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE YOU A LIST OF THOSE, THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTE IS
[01:15:01]
A LOT OF THE ADVOCACY THAT HAPPENS FOR ANY ONE OF THESE, UH, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IS, IS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY AT TIMES.UM, BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, DURING CARES AND ARPA AND THE STATE AND LOCAL RECOVERY MONEY, IT WAS A COLLECTIVE, UH, PUSH SURE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A FINE BALANCE, BUT, BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, WE DO HAVE, UH, PARAMETERS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE CONSULTANTS.
YEAH, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEIR JOB IS TO HELP GET US MONEY HERE, AND I WANNA SEE THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
SO YES, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, UM, VIA, GOT ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.
UH, I KNOW THE MAYOR ASKED A QUESTION A WHILE AGO, WHY DIDN'T WE SUBMIT FOR THIS, THIS, UH, PHASE? I HEARD, WELL, WE GOT MONEY LAST TIME, WE'RE SUBMITTING IN THE FUTURE, BUT WHY NOT THIS, THIS TIME? THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN AGAIN.
UM, LEROY ALLAY, I'M THE CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR VIA, I'M GLAD TO BE WITH YOU ALL THIS AFTERNOON.
WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE LOCALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH OUR BUS REPLACEMENTS, UM, WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF, OF REPLACING OUT THE LAST OF OUR DIESEL BUSES, WHICH HAS BEEN PRIMARILY WHERE BUS AND BUS FACILITIES HAVE GONE.
SO WE DO HAVE THE FUNDING IDENTIFIED, WE'VE GOT FUNDING COMING FROM THE M P O AS WELL, WHICH WE APPRECIATED THE M P O SUPPORT AS PART OF THE CMAC AND THE LAST CALL FOR PROJECTS TO HELP US FINISH REPLACING OUR, THE LAST BUSES IN OUR DIESEL FLEET.
WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE GOT COMING A R T NORTH SOUTH, A R T, EAST WEST, OUR SECOND OPERATING FACILITY, WE STILL NEED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK ON THOSE PROJECTS WHILE WE'VE GOT FUNDING IDENTIFIED FOR NORTH SOUTH, LOCALLY.
AND WITH THE FEDERAL COMPONENT COMING IN, WHEN WE LOOK AT EAST WEST, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SECOND OPERATING FACILITY, THERE ARE STILL SOME FUNDING, UH, CHALLENGES WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PRESENT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH A VERY DEFINED PLAN AS TO HOW THEIR FUNDING WILL BE USED TO HELP CLOSE THOSE GAPS.
SO, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT LONGER ANSWER THAN YOU MAY HAVE WANTED, COUNCILMAN, BUT, WELL, I MEAN, I'M, I'M, I'M HEARING A BUNCH OF THIS BACK AND FORTH, BUT WHAT I'M GATHERING IS YOU DIDN'T, EITHER YOU DIDN'T PLAN FOR IT ON THIS SUBMISSION, OR YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DO IT, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THE ANSWER OR, OR WHY DIDN'T WE SUBMIT UNDER THIS, THIS TRANCHE, COUNCILMAN, I'LL GET YOU A BETTER ANSWER.
THE BEST I CAN OFFER YOU AT THIS MOMENT IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR AND WHAT WE HAVE READY, THAT'S COMPETITIVE TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT.
WE WERE NOT IN THE POSITION AT THIS MOMENT TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THIS YEAR.
BUT I'LL GET YOU A MORE DETAILED ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
I MEAN, BOTTOM LINE IS WE WEREN'T PREPARED.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
WE WEREN'T PREPARED FOR THIS TRANCHE OF MONEY, SO WE BASICALLY LOST OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR VIA THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
BUT IF YOU CAN GET ME SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, LEROY, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
I'D GLAD TO CLARIFY THAT FOR COUNCILMAN.
UM, SALLY, ON THIS, THE MEGA PROJECTS, I, I THINK YOU WERE AT THE MEETING, UH, I THINK IT WAS AT AN M P O MEETING.
I ASKED TXDOT, OUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WHY DIDN'T WE SUBMIT ANYTHING FOR IT? AND I HEARD, AT LEAST I THOUGHT, I HEARD HER SAY, YES, WE ARE GONNA SUBMIT SOMETHING FROM THIS SAN ANTONIO REGION.
I NEVER SAW ANYTHING, AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOTHING WAS SUBMITTED FROM SAN ANTONIO.
DID WE EVER GET AN ANSWER BACK FROM TXDOT AS TO WHY WE DIDN'T GET A SUBMISSION IN THIS TIME? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COUNCILMAN.
AND THE ANSWER IS, WE KIND OF GOT AN ANSWER.
SO WHEN WE FOLLOWED UP WITH THE TXDOT TEAM AFTER THE DISTRICT, UM, ENGINEER HAD RESPONDED TO YOU AT THE M P O MEETING, UH, THE RESPONSE TO US WAS THAT, WHAT SHE MEANT TO SAY IS THAT THEY, THE DISTRICT, SAN ANTONIO TX OFFICE, WOULD BE LOOKING AT POSSIBLE SAN ANTONIO PROJECTS FOR FUTURE ROUNDS,
THAT'S NOT WHAT I HEARD, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
AND I, I GUESS I GO BACK ON, UM, UM, THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ASSISTANCE, THE MEGA PROJECTS, UH, UNDER, UNDER, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING, THE PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY, THE FUNDING MECHANISM, NEW PROGRAMS AND RECIPIENTS.
AND I LOOK AT THAT LIST AND I SEE, UH, A STATE OR A GROUP OF STATES, A METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT MM-HMM.
SO COULD WE HAVE PUT OUR OWN TOGETHER AND SUBMITTED THAT
[01:20:01]
UNDER THIS PROGRAM, UNDER THE ME MEGA PROGRAM? SO ESSENTIALLY, YES.COUNCILMAN, THE SHORT ANSWER IS, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THESE GRANTS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, A SUCCESSFUL, A POTENTIALLY SUCCESSFUL GRANT OR A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROPOSAL WOULD'VE BEEN ONE THAT MET ALL THE PARAMETERS SUCH AS NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT OR REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT.
AND I THINK AT THE TIME WHEN WE WERE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH TXDOT, UH, IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, THE COUNTY, UH, THE M P O, UH, THE COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT CAME TO MIND WERE PROJECTS THAT TDOT WAS, WAS NOT LOOKING AT TO SUBMIT IN THIS ROUND.
WELL, I, I HEAR TDOT IN THIS A LOT, AND I'M READING THE CRITERIA THAT WE COULD HAVE SUBMITTED OUR OWN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE THAT, UH, SUBMITTED ANYTHING? THERE WAS NO KNOWLEDGE.
THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMING FROM TDOT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING REGIONAL AND NATIONAL.
OUR DEFINITION OF REGIONAL IS DIFFERENT THAN THE US DOTS.
IN THIS CASE, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MAJOR PROJECT, LIKE THE NORTHEAST RAIL CORRIDOR.
AND I JUST, COUNCILMAN, IF YOU'LL JUST GIMME A SECOND, I JUST, UM, 'CAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, WE, AS SOON AS WE SAW THIS ON THE FORECAST, WE, UH, HAD A CONVERSATION WITH TXDOT AND SAID, WHAT, WE WANT TO SUBMIT SOMETHING FROM OUR REGION, I 35, SOME SORT OF MAJOR RAIL SOMETHING.
AND THE ANSWER WE GOT WAS, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT FOR DALLAS, FOR THE VALLEY AND SOMETHING ELSE.
AND WE WERE AS SURPRISED AS YOU WERE, AS I SHARED AT I G R.
UH, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION THE FOLLOWING WEEK AT M P O, AND THE ANSWER WAS, OH NO, IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
AND I THINK THE ANSWER ULTIMATELY WAS, IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT A DECISION HAD BEEN MADE AT THE STATE AGENCY TO SUBMIT PROJECTS FROM OTHER REGIONS.
WE WERE DISAPPOINTED IN ABOUT THAT.
I THINK WE'VE MADE OUR FEELINGS KNOWN ABOUT IT.
AND, AND, UH, AND OUR INTENT IS TO CONTINUE TALKING WITH TXDOT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ADVOCATING ON THIS REGION'S BEHALF FOR FUTURE APPLICATIONS.
WELL, AGAIN, I, I POINT TO THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT WHERE IT SAYS THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CAN SUBMIT AS WELL, IF TDOT ISN'T GONNA SUBMIT ANYTHING FOR US, I THINK WE NEED TO SUBMIT OUR OWN, WE'VE GOT A WHOLE LIST OF OVER 50 PROJECTS IN OUR U T P, AND MOST OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
LARGE REGIONAL PROJECTS, LIKE YOU SAID, I 35.
BUT TXDOT PROJECTS THOUGH, WELL, THEY'RE TDOT, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING SAYING THAT WE COULDN'T ADVOCATE AND LOBBY TO GET FUNDING FOR OUR REGION THROUGH TXDOT OR DIRECTLY TO US SAYING THERE HAS TO BE AN APPLYING AGENCY? I THINK THE ADVOCACY IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THE PRO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T DO I 35 OR I 10.
THOSE ARE STATE HIGHWAY PROJECTS.
SO YEAH, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO APPLY.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO THEM THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE PURSUING SAN ANTONIO REGION PROJECTS FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, I POINT BACK TO, UH, MY CHART, MY CHARTS.
SO I GOT 40 YEARS OF DATA SHOWING THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN LAST IN FUNDING FROM TXDOT BEHIND FORT WORTH, BEHIND HOUSTON, BEHIND DALLAS, BEHIND AUSTIN, 40 YEARS WORTH.
I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME THAT WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM TXDOT THAN WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN IN THE PAST.
I'M NOT DONE C COUNCILMAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THAT POINT AT ALL.
UM, AND, AND, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
AND ANYBODY THAT'S DRIVEN TO ANY OTHER MAJOR CITY IN THIS STATE CAN SEE THAT WITHOUT SEEING YOUR CHARTS.
THE, THE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO WORK WITH TDOT ON THAT GRANT.
AND SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL REITERATE WHAT BOTH SALLY AND JEFF SAID AND WHAT YOU HEARD AT THE N P O.
WE WERE SURPRISED THAT TEXDOT HAD ALREADY DECIDED.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE.
UM, AND, AND, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THROUGH YOU AND COUNCILMAN BRAVO AND SANDOVAL AND COUNCILWOMAN
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY E ERIC, WE'RE GONNA VISIT WITH D O T AND WE OUGHT TO CIRCLE UP SALLY, JEFF, AND LET 'EM KNOW WE GOT A BONE TO PICK ABOUT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN HANDLED AT THE STATE ON OUR PRIORITIES.
INVITE ME, AND I'LL JUST ECHO MAYOR THERE, THERE'S PROBABLY A HANDFUL OF AREAS, AND THIS IS THE DEBATE THAT'S HAPPENING IN, IN, UH, IN DC IS WHAT MONEY FLOWS THROUGH STATE AGENCIES AND WHAT, WHAT MONEY IS, ARE, ARE CITIES AND COUNTIES ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR DIRECTLY? WELL EXHIBIT 1000 ABOUT THE NEED FOR DIRECT ALLOCATIONS TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES COUNCIL MEMBER ACK.
I, I I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY WHO CAN STAND AT THAT PODIUM AND SAY, TDOT IN SAN ANTONIO HAS, UM, MET OUR EXPECTATIONS, MUCH LESS SUCCEEDED THEM AS FAR AS, UH,
[01:25:01]
THE WORK THAT THEY'VE PUT IN TO ADVOCATE FOR US AND TO APPLY FOR PROJECTS HERE AS COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.UM, THE, I I I, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR THOUGH, TECH DOT DONE WORK FOR US.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST AS MUCH OUR FRUSTRATION AS IT SHOULD BE.
UH, STEVE ALLISON'S, UH, YOU KNOW, PHIL CORTEZ'S, DIEGO BERNAL.
RIGHT? AND, UM, MY HOPE IS THAT THEY FEEL THE SAME SERIOUS OF URGENCY THAT WE DO.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FIND OUT THIS, THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHETHER OR NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY DO.
UH, I AM, I, I, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, COUNCILMAN PERRY, THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A REPORT CARD AND REALLY LOOK AT THE R O I THAT WE GET BACK FROM THESE, FROM THE INVESTMENT THAT WE MAKE IN HIRING GOVERNMENT, UH, RELATIONS ADVOCATES UP IN DC AND IN AUSTIN.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, I THINK WE'VE PULLED HOME MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS IN CHANGE, RIGHT? UM, THE FORM OF CARES ACT, ARPA MONEY AIRPORT FUNDS VIA, UH, YOUR WIN WAS ENORMOUS.
UM, AND SO, I MEAN, THE, UNLIKE ANDY SEGOVIA, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, SALLY'S DEPARTMENT, UH, ANDY ACTUALLY PRODUCES REVENUE.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, SO CHALLENGE
SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND JEFF, AS I'M, AND I'M SITTING HERE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU AND I KNEW EACH OTHER WHEN YOU HAD A LOT MORE WHITE HAIR, A LOT MORE HAIR, AND I HAD LESS WHITE HAIR.
AND, UH, WALTER AND, AND, UH, AND JUAN ANTONIO AND I, UM, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS BOWL OF SOUP, OF CHASING FEDERAL MONEY.
NOW, IN MY CASE, ABOUT 20, 20 YEARS, UM, ADDING UP THE FIVE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, GOD KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS I, YOU KNOW, I LED BROOKS AND THEN, UH, SERVING AS A TRUSTEE ON VIA, RIGHT? AND, UM, I'VE GOTTEN TO WORK WITH EVERY FLAVOR OF LOBBYISTS AND EVERY FLAVOR OF GR TEAM, UH, CHASING THESE GRANTS.
UM, AND, AND I, IT, IT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT NOBODY WALK OUTTA THIS ROOM THINKING THAT, UM, OVER THOSE 20 YEARS OR HOWEVER, I MEAN, WALTER, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR LONGER THAN I HAVE, BUT, UM, OVER THOSE 20 YEARS THAT WE HAVEN'T ASKED FOR, UH, FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EAST, SOUTH, AND WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
IN FACT, I'M RACKING MY BRAIN TRYING TO, TO FIGURE OUT A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THOSE, UM, THAT, THAT MONEY TO BE SENT BACK HOME FOR PROJECTS ON THE EAST, SOUTH, AND WEST SIDE.
AND I'M ALSO RACKING MY BRAIN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF EVER THERE WAS A DISTRICT EIGHT OR A DISTRICT NINE PROJECT FOR JOHN COURAGE OR MYSELF, UM, THAT WE SENT UP TO DC AND I CAN'T THINK OF A SINGLE ONE.
UM, AND JEFF, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO GIVE ME A LIST LATER OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR.
BUT I REMEMBER TRANSIT PROJECTS, ROAD PROJECTS, BRIDGE PROJECTS.
THE ONE WE WORKED ON AND WAS HEARTBREAKING WAS THIS ZAMORA PROJECT.
UM, AND ANYWAY, WHAT, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR PAST FEW DECADES, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR TEAM AND YOUR PREDECESSORS TEAM, AND ERIC, YOUR PREDECESSOR, YOU KNOW, WAS BUILDING OUT MORE CAPACITY AND, AND, UM, AND REPAIRING OLD INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND SO, I, I THINK, UM, I'M RIGHT AND ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE WAY THIS WORKS IS, UM, CITIES, UM, I MEAN THE CITY, THE COUNTY VIA BROOKS, THE PORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHENEVER WE GO AFTER MONEY IN DC OR IN AUSTIN, THE END RESULT WILL ALMOST ALWAYS BE THAT YOU GET $0, OR IF YOU DO GET SOME MONEY, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA GET LESS THAN WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS, IS PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR GOVERNMENT GRANTS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT MAKES US OUTLIERS, HAVING SPOKEN WITH EVERYBODY THAT WE SPEAK TO WHEN WE TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY, N L C AND, UH, T M L, THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE SEE AT ALL THE OTHER BIG CITIES AND EVEN MEDIUM SIZED CITIES IS THE EXACT SAME THING, RIGHT? I MEAN, UM, THEY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, UH, GOING UP TO DC ASKING FOR MORE PROJECTS THAN THEY KNOW THAT WILL GET FUNDED.
UM, WHEN THEY DO GET FUNDED, THEY GET LESS MONEY OR ZERO, RIGHT, THAN WHAT THEY WANTED.
UM, THEY, THEY ALL HIRE AN ARMY, RIGHT? ARMIES OF LOBBYISTS.
THEY SEND THEIR MAYORS UP TO DC TO GO MEET WITH SECRETARIES AND SUB SECRETARIES AND DIRECTORS.
UM, AND WHAT THEY DO ALSO IS EVERY ONE OF US, WE ALL SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN A ROOM JUST LIKE THIS, OR IN THE BACK ROOMS, FASHIONING OUR BEST ARGUMENTS, POLISHING OUR APPLICATIONS, AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE PICKING THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO GET FUNDED WHAT WE THINK ARE MOST LIKELY, RIGHT? WITH VERY LITTLE GUIDANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE GONNA FUND THIS YEAR.
RIGHT? THEY TELL YOU, AND THEN AT THE VERY END THAT YOU
[01:30:01]
DISCOVER THAT THEY WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.AND SO, BUT WE ALSO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, UH, TIME AND MONEY TRYING TO DIVINE THEIR THINKING PROCESS, RIGHT? AND THEIR CRITERIA THAT THEY'RE GONNA USE.
AND SOMETIMES WE HIT THE TARGET AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T, RIGHT? AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN THE COLLECTIVE WE OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? AND SO, AND THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF FEDERAL GRANT PROCESSES.
I WISH THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS MORE PREDICTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND UM, YOU KNOW, UM, INFORMATION ON THE FRONT END ABOUT HOW BEST TO POSITION YOUR PROJECTS.
AND EVERY SINGLE ADMINISTRATION, EVERY SINGLE YEAR COMES OUT AND SAYS, THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA DO IT DIFFERENT.
THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA BE MORE TRANSPARENT, MORE EFFICIENT, IT'S GONNA BE EASIER FOR YOU TO APPLY.
AND EVERY YEAR THEY BREAK THEIR PROMISE, RIGHT? AND, BUT WE STILL GOTTA GO AFTER THE MONEY, RIGHT? AND WE STILL GOTTA PUT TOGETHER OUR LIST EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.
AND SO, I DO ALSO REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, AND JUST, SO JUST TAKE THIS BUILD GRANT, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, OR, OR RAISE, YEAH, RAISE, TAKE THE RAISE GRANT, FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE RAYS, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT EXOTIC OR NEW BEFORE RAISE, IT WAS CALLED BUILD, RIGHT? IN FACT, IT WAS CALLED BUILD THREE, RIGHT? UH, AND IF YOU REMEMBER, BUILD THREE SALLY, THEY FUNDED A TOTAL OF 70 PROJECTS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
AND EVERYBODY WENT AFTER THE BUILD GRANT, RIGHT? AND IT WAS ONLY 70 PROJECTS BEFORE BUILD THREE.
THERE WAS BUILD TWO AND BUILD ONE, AND THEY GOT 50 PROJECTS AND 45 PROJECTS RESPECTIVELY, RIGHT? UM, THAT'S IT RIGHT BEFORE BUILD, DO YOU REMEMBER? IT WAS CALLED TIGER, RIGHT? AND THE LAST TIGER WAS CALLED WHAT? TIGER NINE, RIGHT? AND THEN THERE WAS TIGER EIGHT AND, UH, TIGER, 7, 6, 5, 4, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THOSE PROGRAMS, ON AVERAGE, IT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PROJECTS PER YEAR, RIGHT? AND WHO ARE WE COMPETING AGAINST? WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT, THERE'S 300 CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR MORE POPULATION, RIGHT? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS IN DC KNOCKING ON DOORS, 300 CITIES.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST UNIVERSITIES, REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES, PORT AUTHORITIES WE'RE IDS, TRIBES, AND EVEN GUAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE'RE, UM, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME FUNDING IN THE PAST.
WE GOT LUCKY THIS PAST, THIS PAST YEAR WITH A VIA GRANT.
BUT SOMETIMES THIS IS JUST THE INEFFICIENT PROCESS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GOTTA GET COMFORTABLE WITH.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA GET ANY BETTER.
AND THESE ARE JUST, THIS IS THE GAME, RIGHT? SO, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR ERIC.
ERIC, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, OUR FRIENDS OVER AT VELOCITY, RANDY HARRI AND RENEE, PROPOSED SOME PROJECTS FOR THE BOND THAT FELL OFF AT THE BOND SELECTION COMMITTEE.
UM, AND JUST LOOKING AT SALLY'S SLIDE AND LISTENING TO THIS, RECONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THOSE PROJECTS MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS THOUGHTS.
YEAH, COUNCILMAN? I THINK THAT'S, UH, WHEN SALLY TALKED ABOUT POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT, UM, DOWNTOWN TO THE EAST SIDE, VELOCITY HAD SUBMITTED, UH, A NUMBER OF CONNECTIVITY, COMPLETE STREET TYPE PROJECTS ON, UM, ON HOUSTON, ON NOLAN, ON EAST COMMERCE, A WHOLE SLEW OF, UH, BIKE LANE AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, UM, IMPROVEMENTS UNDERNEATH 37, UM, AS YOU GO INTO, UM, THE, UM, UM, EAST OF THE, THE HIGHWAY.
SO THAT, AND THOSE WERE, NONE OF THOSE WERE, UM, INCLUDED IN THE FINAL BOND LIST.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE ALL POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT, THAT, THAT WE COULD CONSIDER ONCE WE GET THAT NOFO ON THE, ON RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
OKAY? AND SO, UM, I, I, I'M INTERESTED IN, IN RIGHT CLICKING ON THAT CONVERSATION AND FIGURING OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO PREPARE PROJECTS LIKE THAT THAT MAYBE FELL OFF THE BOND SO THAT WE CAN, UH, TAKE ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, THEY MADE IT TO THE BOND COMMITTEE 'CAUSE IT MATTERED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND THEN LASTLY, JEFF, THIS IS FOR YOU.
UM, YOU MAY WANNA COME UP HERE 'CAUSE I'LL LET YOU TAKE THE, THE LAST FEW, FEW SECONDS OF MY TIME.
UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF VERY THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS TODAY FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
EVERY ONE OF 'EM MADE REALLY GOOD POINTS ABOUT DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
UM, AND I, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, RIGHT, THAT WE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM KNOWS THAT WHAT YOU SHOWED US TODAY AND WHAT YOU AND SALLY SHOWED US TODAY WAS JUST A SMALL PEAK, RIGHT? AT ALL OF THE UNIVERSE AVAILABLE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES UNDER THIS LEGIS THIS BUILD BACK LEGISLATION, RIGHT? AND SO ALL THESE PRIORITIES THAT WE BROUGHT UP TODAY, THERE'S, THIS IS NOT THE LAST PRESENTATION WE'RE GONNA GET FROM YOU GUYS.
THERE'S STILL A TON OF MONEY OUT THERE THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN, UH, PUT TOGETHER UNDER OFFICIAL PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON DC THAT ARE GONNA BE MADE AVAILABLE TO US.
I'LL STOP THERE AND LET YOU TELL ME IF I'M RIGHT OR WRONG.
I I'M GLAD YOU MADE THAT POINT.
[01:35:01]
THERE ARE OVER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS IN THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.WHAT SALLY SHOWED YOU IN THOSE THREE OR FOUR SLIDES WERE ONLY THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED OR ARE COMING IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING, WE'RE REALLY BEFORE THE BEGINNING IN A LOT OF THOSE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RAIL CROSSING BEFORE THOSE, UH, NOTICES HAVE EVEN COME OUT.
AND THAT'S ALL PART OF THE MANAGER'S, UH, DIRECTIVE TO US TO BE TALKING WITH THE COUNCIL VERY EARLY AND OFTEN.
SO I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S MESSIER AND IT'S NOT NEARLY AS CLEAR AS WHEN WE'RE UP HERE SAYING, WE RECOMMEND PROJECT X FOR GRANT PROGRAM Y BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
WE'RE WANTING THIS FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF YOU SO THAT WHEN THOSE GRANT APPLICATIONS COME OUT, WE CAN EVALUATE POTENTIAL PROJECTS, WE CAN COME TO A COUNCIL COMMITTEE, THEN WE CAN COME TO A FULL COUNCIL AND BE READY TO APPLY.
AND A LOT OF THAT JUST HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE SEEING EVERYTHING WE'RE SEEING THAT'S POTENTIALLY COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE FOR THE ONES THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH EXACTLY THAT PROCESS.
RAYS THE AIRPORT, THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL, HAVE ALL BEEN TO MULTIPLE COUNCIL COMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS AND ULTIMATELY THE FULL COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
BUT REALLY, THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES AT THIS POINT THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED AND FOR WHICH THE DEADLINE TO APPLY HAS, HAS COME AND GONE.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING TO YOU, WE'RE WRITING DOWN ALL THIS FEEDBACK.
YOUR POINT ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE EAST SIDE PROJECTS THAT FELL OFF THE BOND DISCUSSION IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF IMPACT INPUT WE WANT.
'CAUSE WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE LIST AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK BEFORE THE RIGHT COUNCIL COMMITTEES TO DISCUSS IT, UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVALUATED THOSE.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE INPUT AND, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIA, COUNCIL MEMBER VIE GRANT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU, JEFF, FOR MENTIONING, UM, HOW YOU'VE BEEN MEETING WITH US PERIODICALLY ON THE ISSUES THAT WE FIND IMPORTANT.
I FIND I HAVE FOUND IT VERY USEFUL AND HAVE APPRECIATED EVERYONE WHO'S COME TO MEET WITH ME.
I THINK ON SLIDE FIVE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SA TOMORROW, THAT IS ONE GROUP THAT IS, IS BACK IN ACTION AND WORKING VERY HARD, GOING TO BE A GREAT RESOURCE.
I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DIGITAL, UM, EQUITY PLAN.
AND I KNOW ERIC AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AND WHAT WE HAVE, THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE THERE.
UM, ON SLIDE SEVEN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, RAZZIE IF YOU WOULD LIKE, SUGGESTIONS ON BRIDGES, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME IN DISTRICT THREE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY PART OF OUR BOND PROJECT THAT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE.
AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT I KNOW MAYBE WE'RE LOOKING MORE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH CONVERSATION OF MAYBE WE MOVING UP SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS IF THE FUNDS AND GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE TO DO SO.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT AND, AND MAYBE GET INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ABOUT WHAT BRIDGES WE CAN LOOK AT AND, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
UH, I'M GONNA SKIP SLIDE EIGHT BECAUSE THAT ONE'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO UNPACK.
BUT ON, UH, SLIDE 10 WITH THE RELEASED OPPORTUNITIES, THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, I AM, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE CITY CAN CONTRIBUTE AND OUR UTIL LOCAL UTILITY CAN CONTRIBUTE ABOUT HOW WE NEED WEATHERIZATION FOR THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SEEN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WINTER STORM AND NOW WITH THIS HEAT SPIKE, UM, THESE, THESE HEAT WAVES THAT WE'RE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CONTINUE THAT.
BUT LET ME GET BACK TO, UM, SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT AND UNPACK THIS, UH, DIGITAL.
SO I THINK THE, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE ALL HAVE ALL STATED FROM THE DIOCESE THAT IT IS SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS, BUT YET THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS NEEDED HAVE NOT BEEN THERE.
UM, WE, I WANT TO APPLAUD THE CHAMBER AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO WENT UP TO SA TO DC BECAUSE WE DID OUR BEST.
I DON'T WANNA FEEL LIKE ANYBODY LEFT ANYTHING ON THE TABLE THERE.
WE MOVED, SALLY, YOU DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB HERDING CATS, BASICALLY
BUT YOU GOT US TO THE PLACES WE HAD, WE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, N T I A, WE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR, JULIE CHAVEZ RODRIGUEZ, ABOUT WHAT WE NEED HERE IN SAN
[01:40:01]
ANTONIO.BUT YET HERE WE ARE, UH, RELIANT UPON THE STATE.
THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR FIRST GO AROUND.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MIDDLE MILE, WE NEED TO TALK MIDDLE MILE VERSUS LAST MILE.
THE OTHER THING IS WE NEED COMMITMENTS FROM THE IPS AND I, WE NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION OF WHAT THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO DO IN THAT LAST MILE.
BECAUSE I CAN HAVE THE MIDDLE MILE INTERNET THERE, BUT IF THEY CAN'T GET IT TO THE HOMES DOWN FOSTER ROAD, DOWN SOUTHTON ROAD OUT BY MISSION DE LAGO, WE'RE STUCK.
WE'RE STILL IN THE SAME POSITION THAT WE WERE BEFORE.
UM, I KNOW NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT MUNICIPAL BROADBAND BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE IN THE SASS BUSINESS AND THE C P S BUSINESS, BUT I, I AM WILLING TO GO THERE IF IT IS GOING TO GET US CONNECTED.
AND WE TALK ABOUT ISPS, LIKE WE HAVE 10 PEOPLE HERE.
AS MY COUNCIL MEMBER MENTIONED, HE'S GOT RESIDENTS THAT CAN'T GET ANYBODY OUT THERE.
I'VE GOT TWO IN MY DISTRICT IN SOME AREAS.
SO I THINK THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT MAY NOT BE, UM, SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT WE JUST HAVE IN COMMITTEE, BUT WE MAY NEED TO START HAVING IN B SESSION.
SO THOSE ARE REALLY, UH, MY ONLY COMMENTS.
UH, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
DIGITAL HAS TO BE OUR PRIORITY.
IT JUST HAS TO BECAUSE IT'S NOW, IT'S A UTILITY AND THAT GAP KEEPS GETTING WIDER AND WIDER FOR US ON IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
AND I COULD HAVE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE ON THIS SIDE BRING OUT MAPS IF I NEEDED TO, BUT SHE WON'T THIS TIME.
SO I JUST PLEASE IF WE CAN FOCUS ON THAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO GET BACK ON MY RANT AGAIN, BUT, UH, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR, UH, SALLY, I GUESS ON THE Q TWO REQUIREMENTS.
IT SAYS, CLEAN SCHOOL BUS PROGRAM, BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM, RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, AND RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION PROGRAM.
UM, I HAVE EXPECTED OPEN DATES, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY DUE DATES ON HERE.
ARE WE, DO WE HAVE THINGS IN THE MILL ALREADY IDENTIFIED TO APPLY FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES? AND IF SO, WHERE ARE THOSE LISTS? SO IF THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN, THEN WE KNOW WHEN THE CLOSING DATE IS TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
AND THE FORECAST ON THE LAST SLIDE FOR THE UPCOMING SUMMER 2022, THE RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION AND THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, THOSE ARE NOTICES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.
SO WE DON'T HAVE DATES OF WHEN THEY WILL CLOSE.
OKAY, THAT'S, THAT'S TWO OF 'EM.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE, UM, THE CLEAN SCHOOL BUS PROGRAM AND THE RAILROAD, WAIT, NOT RAILROAD, BUT THE RECONNECTING, THERE'S FOUR OF 'EM.
BRIDGE, OH, THE BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO SAFE STREETS FOR ALL CLOSES IN SEPTEMBER, THAT ONE IS NEWLY RELEASED.
UH, THE BRIDGE PROGRAM, COUNCILMAN HAS THREE CLOSING, UH, DEADLINES.
THE PLANNING DEADLINE IS JULY 25TH.
THE LARGE BRIDGE PROJECTS IS AUGUST 9TH, AND THE REGULAR BRIDGE PROJECTS IS SEPTEMBER 8TH.
SO THERE ARE THREE DEADLINES FOR THE BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM.
YEAH, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT LAID OUT IN A, LIKE A GANTT CHART OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SHOWING EACH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS WHEN THEY'VE OPENED, WHEN THEY'RE CLOSING, AND THEN UNDERNEATH THAT GANTT CHART, WHAT ARE WE SUBMITTING? UH, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT TIMING, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO I WANNA SEE WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE PLAN TODAY AND HOW WE'RE GONNA MEET THESE, THESE, UH, TIMELINES FOR ANYTHING THAT'S OPENED.
AND IF ANYTHING ELSE COMES OPEN BETWEEN NOW AND WHENEVER, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED RIGHT AWAY AND, UH, THE SAME, SAME PROCESS APPLIED SHOWING, HEY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON SUBMITTING AT THIS POINT.
AND, UH, TO GET THAT FEEDBACK ALSO.
[01:45:01]
CAN DO THAT.UM, THAT'S THE BALANCE OF OUR DISCUSSION HERE.
I THINK THERE'S GOOD FEEDBACK AND BOTTOM LINE FOR ME, UH, AND I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE IS THAT LET'S TAKE OUR, OUR SHOTS.
UH, THIS IS LOCAL SAN ANTONIO'S TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT WE WANNA BRING BACK HOME TO DO GOOD WORK FOR US.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SALLY, FOR ALL THE WORK AND COORDINATION THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOU ON THAT EXERCISE.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the Presidio Conference Room or the B Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following: ]
ALRIGHT, UM, IT IS NOW 3:55 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2022.THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET AND EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND DELIBERATE TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.087, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ISSUES OR ADVICE RELATED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY AND C OVID 19 PREPAREDNESS UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
THE TIME IS NOW 5:22 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2022.
THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, OUR B SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESUME NOW WITH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.