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ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S, UH, LET'S GET STARTED.
UH, WELCOME TO THE LAST E W C MEETING OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT ONE EXCITING TOPIC, UH, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER AND ANOTHER, BUT, UM, LORI, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HANDLE YOURS FIRST, UH, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
OH YEAH, WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO THAT.
[Approval of Minutes ]
WHAT DO YOU THINK, COUNCILWOMAN? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES ON NOVEMBER 22ND.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
TAKE IT AWAY.I'M GONNA LOOK FOR MY FANCY PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, TODAY'S ITEM IS A PRESENTATION ON A PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR WITH OUR PARTNERS, T R T F, TEXAS RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION, LED BY RANDY HERIG AND RENEE DOMINGUEZ, WHO ARE HERE TODAY WITH ME AS WELL.
WE WENT TO THE INNER CITY TOURS LAST WEEK AND WE RECEIVED APPROVAL TO USE THIS FUNDING FOR THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE.
SO THE NEXT STEP IS TO COME TO THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO COUNCIL ON JANUARY 12TH.
SO, JUST A BACKGROUND ON T R T F.
UM, THEIR PRIMARY MISSION AND PURPOSE IS TO ESTABLISH A STRATEGY AROUND PROPELLING ECONOMIC GROWTH IN BIOTECH.
AND THEY'VE DONE THAT SUCCESSFULLY SINCE THEY HAVE, UM, BEEN WORKING ON THESE INITIATIVES ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, THEY, UM, OWN THE MERCHANT'S ICE COMPLEX AND THE GJ SUTTON BUILDING.
THESE ARE BOTH PROPERTIES ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND COMBINED, THEY'RE 12 ACRES.
AND PHASE ONE IS THE MERCHANT'S ICE COMPLEX.
WE PROVIDED, UM, PHASE ONE $5 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEY WILL BE COMPLETE WITH THE MERCHANT SIZE COMPLEX BY THE END OF 2023.
PHASE TWO IS WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, AND THAT IS THE GJ SUTTON BUILDING.
AND SO THE GJ SUTTON BUILDING, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS, UM, MAKING THE MAJORITY OF THIS PROPERTY OFFICE SPACE.
IT'LL BE ABOUT 650,000 SQUARE FEET OF THE TOTAL 680,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN THE REMAINING 34,000 SQUARE FEET WILL BE RETAIL COMMERCIAL SPACE.
AND THE PROJECT WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY 2,400 DIRECT JOBS, AND IT WILL GENERATE 1.8 BILLION IN ANNUAL ONGOING ECONOMIC IMPACT.
AND IT'LL ALSO GENERATE ABOUT 3000 INDIRECT AND JOBS TO THE AREA.
NOW WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THIS PROJECT IS THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE INNER CITY TOURS.
THEIR TOTAL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT COST IS $7 MILLION.
BEXAR COUNTY IS GOING TO BE TAKING AN ITEM FORWARD TO FUND THE REMAINING THREE AND A HALF MILLION IN JANUARY.
UM, THEY ALSO, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL ALSO PROVIDE $5 MILLION IN CASH INCENTIVES TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT, UM, AND THEIR SAWS, FEE WAIVERS AND CITY FEE WAIVERS, AS WELL AS JOB CREATION INCENTIVES.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY FEE WAIVERS OUT OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE WAIVER ALLOCATION.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE FEE WAIVERS ARE DEDICATED TO RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE ARE HAVING THEM FUNDED THROUGH THE TSS TAX ABATEMENTS AND REBATES.
THEY'LL BE REVIEWED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND THEY'LL COME BACK TO THE TURS AND THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEY'RE ALSO REQUESTING THE CLOSURE OF, UM, A SECTION OF CROCKETT STREET THAT RUNS THROUGH THE PROPERTY THAT IS RUNNING ON A PARALLEL TRACK.
AND WE ARE REVIEWING THAT AND THAT WILL GO TO COUNCIL AFTER IT GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON THE TERMS OF, OF THESE $8 MILLION, EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH INCENTIVES.
THE FIRST IS, UM, THE EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS CONTINGENT UPON THE 10 YEAR EXTENSION OF THE INNER CITY TOURS, AND THAT IS GOING TO CITY COUNCIL ON JANUARY 12TH.
UM, STAFF BRIEFED THE INNER CITY TOURS ON THAT AT THEIR LAST WEEK'S MEETING, BUT WE FEEL THAT THERE IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH NEED IN THAT TOURS TO JUSTIFY THE CONTINUATION OF THE TOURISTS FOR 10 YEARS.
UM, THE THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, PLUS TO INTEREST IN FEES NECESSARY TO ISSUE THAT DEBT, UM, WILL COME FROM THE TOURS.
THE DEBT WILL BE SERVICED BY THE INNER CITY TOURISTS, BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, WE WILL BE ISSUING THAT DEBT,
[00:05:01]
UM, AND THE DJ SUTTON BUILDING MUST BE COMPLETE WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF STARTING THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, OR THE FUNDS NEED TO BE REPAID TO THE INNER CITY TOURS, THE $5 MILLION IN CASH INCENTIVES TO THE PROJECT TO SUPPORT CITY AND SAUCE, FUEL WEAVERS AND JOB CREATION INCENTIVES ALSO COME FROM THE INNER CITY TOURS.AND THE FUNDING IS $1 MILLION A YEAR ANNUALLY FOR FIVE YEARS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
BRENDA SORENSON WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO REVIEW THE REQUEST FOR THESE DOLLARS.
SO THOUGH THEY WILL COME TO US AND SAY, WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S GONNA CREATE 300 JOBS.
THESE ARE THE, THE HOURLY WAGES, THE ANNUAL SALARIES.
UM, AND BRENDA PROVIDED THAT IT MEETS THE E D I F GUIDELINES THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED.
SHE'LL COME FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE INCENTIVES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS WE'RE LOCKING IN THE FUNDS, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA USE THAT $5 MILLION THAT REQUIRES COUNCIL APPROVAL AT THE TIME, WE HAVE AN ACTUAL JOB CREATION PROJECT.
THE SAWS AND CITY FEE WAIVERS THAT CAN BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY, BUT THE JOB CREATION THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD.
SO YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF JOBS, MAKE SURE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE HOURLY AND, UM, SALARY WAGES, AND, UM, YOU CAN ASK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME.
UM, THE T R T F HAS FIVE YEARS TO COMMIT THIS FUNDING.
IF THE FUNDING IS NOT COMMITTED TO ELIGIBLE PROJECTS BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, THE MONEY WILL STAY WITHIN THE INNER CITY TOURS, SO THEY WON'T GET THE MONEY.
UM, THE CITY INITI WILL HAS ALREADY INITIATED THE PROCESS TO CLOSE THAT SECTION OF CLOSER, UM, CROCKETT THAT GOES THROUGH THE GJ SUTTON PROPERTY.
UM, AND T R T F WILL COMMIT TO AN HOURLY WAGE FOR ITS EMPLOYEES.
THEY ALREADY DO THAT AT THIS TIME FOR THEIR T R T F HOURLY EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN THIS COMMITMENT WILL EXTEND TO CONTRACT EMPLOYEES THAT PROVIDE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES TO INCLUDE JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR THE BUILDINGS OWNED BY T R T F.
THAT WAS A REQUEST MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AT THE INNER CITY TOURS.
AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT AS WELL.
T R T F WILL DEVELOP AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR AREA HIGH SCHOOL AND ST.
UM, AND THEN T R T F WILL COMMISSION EAST SIDE ARTISTS DIRECTLY FOR THE ARTS FOR THE GJ SUTTON PROJECT.
UM, JUST A REMINDER, THE E D I F TAX REBATE GUIDELINES, SO WE'RE NOT APPROVING ANY TAX REBATES RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY WILL COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL IF THERE IS A REQUEST BY A SPECIFIC, UM, COMPANY WHO IS GOING TO BE COMING INTO THE GJ SUTTON BUILDING.
AND AS A REMINDER, THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES.
THE HOURLY WAGE NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST $20 AND 54 CENTS AND $10 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND 50 NEW JOBS.
AND IF THEY DO THAT, STAFF WILL RECOMMEND A 20% TAX ABATEMENT OR REBATE.
AND THEN IT GOES UP TO THE LAST TIER OF AN HOUR HOURLY WAGE OF $45 OR $250 MILLION OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT OR 1000 JOBS.
AND THAT WILL GIVE THEM A 70% TAX ABATEMENT OR REBATE.
AND SO TIER ONE IS THE HOURLY WAGE PLUS A CAPITAL INVESTMENT, PLUS THE NUMBER OF JOBS.
THE REMAINDER, UM, TIERS ARE, YOU HAVE TO DO THE HOURLY WAGE OR THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT OR THE NUMBER, THE, THE LIMITED NUMBER OF CREATED JOBS.
AND IF THEY DO THAT, STAFF WILL COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE AND TO THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND THE, THE COUNCIL TO REQUEST THAT REBATE, THE E D I F STRATEGIC TARGET INDUSTRY PER JOB GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF AT LEAST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE JOBS REQUIRE THE CITY MEDIAN INCOME OF 25 67.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA GIVE A COMPANY INCENTIVES, THEY ALL AT LEAST NEED TO MAKE 25 67.
AND THEN THERE'S AN MINIMUM ANNUAL WAGE RATE OF 80,000 TO 88,000 PER EMPLOYEE.
AND IF THEY HAVE UP TO A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES, THEY WILL GET, UM, I'M SORRY.
IF THEY HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT MEET THAT THEY'LL GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE THAT MEETS THAT REQUIREMENT.
UM, IT GOES UP TO $2,500 PER JOB PROVIDED IT MEETS THAT REQUIREMENT AND THE MINIMUM ANNUAL WAGE RATE.
[00:10:01]
THESE WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL, I THINK TWO WEEKS AGO AT COUNCIL.AND THEN JUST THE FISCAL IMPACT FIRST, THIS DOESN'T GO INTO EFFECT UNLESS CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THE INNER CITY TOUR'S EXTENSION.
AND THEN IF THAT HAPPENS, THE FUNDING WILL BE AVAILABLE IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2030.
AND, UM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE DEBT ACTUALLY RIGHT AWAY IF THE TOURS GETS APPROVED, THE EXTENSION.
AND WE WILL ISSUE THAT DEBT WITH DEFERRED PAYMENTS COMING IN IN 2026.
BUT THEN THE JOB CREATION INCENTIVES, THEY, THEY CAN CONTRACT FOR THOSE, BUT THE INCENTIVE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 2026, BUT THEY CAN CONTRACT WITH A JOB FOR THOSE PROVIDED CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT.
SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM TO COUNCIL ON JANUARY 12TH.
UM, AND THEN THE TOURS WILL EXECUTE A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH T R T F FOR THE GJ SUTTON BUILDING.
IT'LL BE THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PLUS INTEREST AND FEES FOR THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, 5 MILLION FOR JOB RECRUITMENT PROVIDED THE PROJECT IS ALIGNED WITH THE E D F GUIDELINES THAT WERE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND THE EXECUTION OF THE FINAL AGREEMENT IS A CON IS CONTINGENT UPON THE EXTENSION OF THE INNER CITY TOURS.
AND THAT IS ALSO GOING TO COUNCIL ON JANUARY 12TH, AND IT WILL BE BEFORE THIS ITEM.
UM, SO IN THE EVENT WE KNOW THAT THIS EXTENSION DOESN'T GET APPROVED OR IT WAS PULLED OFF THE ITEM, THEN WE WOULD DELAY THIS ITEM TO ANOTHER MEETING.
OR IF IT'S DENIED, THIS ITEM DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO WE HAVE THOSE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO JANUARY 12TH.
WE'RE, WE'LL START WITH, UH, COMMENTS, UH, FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILMAN BRAVO, I BELIEVE YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN, UM, MOTION TO APPROVE AND SEND A FULL COUNSEL SECOND.
UM, I, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION.
I I SAW IN THE PRESENTATION THAT, UH, THE INTENT IS TO HAVE, UH, A, A MINIMUM WAGE OF 1750 AN HOUR.
AND THEN I SEE FOR TIER ONE IT'S $20 AND 54 CENTS FOR THE E D I F TAX REBATE GUIDELINES.
SO THAT IS FOR T R T F EMPLOYEES.
SO T R T F EMPLOYEES ARE NOT THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GONNA BE GOING AFTER THAT INCENTIVE.
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA BE FOR, IF BANK OF AMERICA DECIDES THEY WANNA RELOCATE A DIVISION, THAT'S WHO THAT HAPPENS.
BUT T R T F, WHO IS THE GROUP THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING FOR THIS, THEY HAVE COMMITTED THAT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEY WILL MEET WHAT THE CITY DOES.
AND I, I SIT ON THE INNER CITY TOURS BOARD AND, UM, AT THAT TIME, LIKE RANDY, WE GAVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, UH, THE STATE OF BIOTECH AND WHAT KIND OF BIOTECH YOU'LL BE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT KIND OF BIOTECH JOBS YOU WOULD BE CREATING THERE.
DO YOU WANNA, UM, SHARE WITH THIS GROUP A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND C O O OF THE TEXAS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION.
RANDY DEFERRED TO ME BECAUSE I'M SO FAMILIAR WITH OUR TARGETED INDUSTRIES, UH, OF WHICH BIOSCIENCE AND HEALTHCARE IS OUR LEADING INDUSTRY.
UH, T R T F ITSELF WAS CREATED 40 YEARS AGO BY CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO LEVERAGE THE BIOSCIENCE AND HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE AT THAT TIME IT WAS EMERGING.
UH, SINCE THEN, IT'S GROWN TO BE OVER A $40 BILLION ANNUAL INDUSTRY FOR SAN ANTONIO PROVIDING A GREAT HIGH WAGE JOBS.
I THINK THE AREA THAT WE'RE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON IS VERY EXCITING.
IT'S BUILDING OUR INNOVATION ECONOMY.
WE FOCUS PRIMARILY ON LEVERAGING THE RESEARCH THAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
SO OUT OF THE $40 BILLION OF ANNUAL IMPACT, YOU KNOW, A PERCENTAGE OF THAT IN, UM, REFLECTS OR STRENGTH IN RESEARCH AND T R T F ITSELF, WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO IS TAKING THE RESEARCH THAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR GREAT INSTITUTIONS, COMMERCIALIZING THAT AND CREATING JOBS AND INVESTMENT FROM THAT.
BUT FROM A OPPORTUNITY STANDPOINT FOR OUR CITY, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THE BIOSCIENCE AND HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS, IS ALONG WITH CYBER, UH, THOSE TWO INDUSTRIES PROVIDE THE, THE SORT OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH, ESPECIALLY IN THAT INNOVATION REALM.
AND, UH, RENEE MIGHT JUST WANNA STAY UP HERE, UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF JOBS.
IS IT ALSO PART-TIME JOBS? IS IT FULL-TIME JOBS? DO WE HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN FOR, FOR WHAT ASPECT? COUNSEL FOR THE 2,444 DIRECT JOBS? YEAH.
IT, UM, THAT, THAT 2,500 JOBS IS BASED ON BUILDING OUT THE ENTIRE SUN PROPERTY, AND IT COVERS THE GAMUT OF JOBS FROM PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME.
[00:15:01]
AND WE'VE PROVIDED THE CITY WITH A COMPLETE, UM, IMPLANT ANALYSIS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THOSE 2,400 JOBS.AND I WAS ALSO WONDERING IF THEY WERE IN DEMAND OR WOULD REQUIRE SPECIALIZED TRAINING OR CERTIFICATIONS OR ANYTHING.
UM, I'D I'D ASSUME SOME OF THEM WOULD.
WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THE PROJECT IS IT'S GONNA COVER THE SPECTRUM OF JOBS.
BUT WE'RE REALLY HOPING THE VAST MAJORITY ARE HIGH WAGE JOBS THAT REQUIRE SPECIALIZED TRAINING.
AND WE'VE BECOME PARTNERING WITH ST.
PHILIP'S COLLEGE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND OTHER, UH, TRAINERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THOSE JOBS COME ONLINE, THE REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA TO GET THAT TRAINING AND TO ACCESS THOSE JOBS.
SO WE'VE BEGUN ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
COUNCIL ONE, IS THERE A PARTICULAR TRAINING PROGRAM THAT SS P C HAS THAT YOU ALL ARE KIND OF PUSHING FOR? I THINK THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IS LAB TECH TRAINING.
AND AT TIMES, THAT'S A CERTIFICATE, SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, KIND OF LIKE THE READY FOR WORK PROGRAM AT THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SHORT TERM TRAINING THAT LEADS TO A HIGH WAGE JOB.
SO, HAVE Y'ALL SIGNED THAT? YES, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, AND WE'VE HOSTED MIKE AND, AND, AND THE WHOLE CREW DOWN AT AT T R T F.
UM, AND THEN NOW I'M GONNA GET INTO THE HARD QUESTIONS.
AND SO, UM, SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND, UM, HOW THEY CONTINUE TO RAISE INTEREST RATE, IS THIS GONNA IMPACT YOUR TIMELINE, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR PROJECT? OR IS THAT, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF IMPACTS TO, TO OUR CONSTRUCTION KIND OF TIMELINES, COST IS, AND LABOR ARE KIND OF THE TWO PRIMARY ONES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE NAMED OURSELVES PHILOSOPHY FOR A REASON.
YOU KNOW, WE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A NONPROFIT AND A PARTNER OF THE CITIES, WE, WE KIND OF HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO CHARGE THROUGH, MAKE DECISIONS QUICKLY AND KIND OF KEEP ON THE TIMELINE.
UM, I THINK THE TIMELINE OF FIVE YEARS TO PUT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN GIVES US PLENTY OF TIME.
AND I WOULD PREDICT THAT WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS UP AND, AND RUNNING BY THEM.
AND I KNOW, UM, IT'S LIKE ASKING ECONOMISTS, UM, TO, TO PREDICT, UH, OR USE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE ALSO TAKING, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND JUST, UM, I, I GUESS MAYBE HAVING SOME SORT OF A CONTINGENCY THAT PLAN FOR THOSE JOBS TOO THAT WILL BE CREATED IN THE FUTURE.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT.
AND THEN, UM, YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, IS THAT GONNA BE CO-MANAGED WITH SA WORKS? YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE TAKE ON A COUPLE OF THE SA WORKS INTERNS AS, AS PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING, BUT I ENVISION THAT BEING A, A SEPARATE PROGRAM, TO BE HONEST.
WHAT WE WANNA DO IS COORDINATE WITH THE EMPLOYERS THAT RECRUITING TO CAMPUS AND THEN DIRECTLY FILL THOSE JOBS WITH STUDENTS COMING OUT OF THERE.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BASIS OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK ONCE IT'S ALL KIND OF PROGRAMMED OUT AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN AS, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT I SIT ON THE B C A, UM, AND SO, UM, IT, IT'S IMPORTANT AND I THINK THAT IT'S OUR LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT EFFECTS, UM, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES REALLY ARE RESIDENTS ARE GONNA DEAL WITH.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU ANTICIPATE THAT ANY OF THESE NEW, UM, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS ARE GOING TO INCREASE MARKET AND APPRAISAL VALUES IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND IS THERE A WAY THAT YOU CAN TRACK THAT AND HELP? YEAH, I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY HELP.
YOU KNOW, SINCE THAT'S OUR HOME, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WE'VE MET WITH DITY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT IS GONNA BE AN ISSUE.
AND, UM, THROUGH OUR KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE INNOVATION DISTRICT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS THE HUB OF THAT DISTRICT, THE 12 ACRES OR REAL NORTH STAR, IS TO BUILD AN INNOVATION DISTRICT AROUND 70 ACRES AROUND THAT HUB.
UM, AND SO AS THAT HAPPENS, I THINK IT IS GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT.
UH, THE PLAN THAT WE'VE PROVIDED, THE CITY TALKS ABOUT RUNNING ANTI DISPLACEMENT POLICIES AND HOUSING POLICIES, YOU KNOW, SIDECAR WITH US AS WE DEVELOP.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND PILOTING SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SO AS WE DEVELOP, THERE'S OTHER MITIGATIONS HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A POSITION TO BE A GREAT PARTNER TO HELP YOU ALL DO THAT.
AND I KNOW, UM, UH, CHAIR BELLA IS ALSO CHAIR'S I G R AND THAT'S PART OF OUR, UM, 88TH STATE LEGISLATURE PRIORITIES.
SO, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A WILLING PARTICIPANT ON THAT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE, UM, START GROWTH IN THE WEST SIDE AND ON THE EAST SIDE, THAT WE DON'T DISPLACE NEIGHBORS AND THAT, THAT WE'RE VERY CAREFUL WITH OUR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
I, I DO THINK THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR VOICES INCLUDING, AND THEY, THEY INCLUDED AND THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU, LORI, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND IT'S, I'M ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT JOB CREATION AND GROWTH.
UH, OVER GENERATING OVER 2000 JOBS IS, IS A GREAT THING FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND FOR THIS PART OF TOWN.
UH, AND I THINK WE'RE DOING IT IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY, AND I APPRECIATE
[00:20:01]
THAT.UM, BUT I DO WANT TO, AND, AND WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION IN THE NEXT ABOUT CONSTRUCTION AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THE NEIGHBORS AND THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT AND THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE.
UM, SO I SECOND THIS BECAUSE I, I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS FORWARD ON JANUARY 12TH AND SEEING THIS, THIS PROJECT GET COMPLETED.
I WANNA THANK THE TOURS, UH, BOARD MEMBERS THAT WORKED SO HARD ON THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT MOVED FORWARD.
UM, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS, IS THERE A TIMELINE IN TERMS OF THE JOB CREATION, JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS, SO THAT DISTRICT OFFICES THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO CAN HELP PROMOTE THAT? SO RIGHT NOW THEY, THEY ARE QUIETLY RECRUITING, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO START BEING MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THAT RECRUITMENT.
AND ONCE THEY HAVE A JOB RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GONNA GO TO COUNCIL, AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THE TIMELINE THEN SO YOU CAN HELP PUSH THAT OUT AND GET, GET YOUR CONSTITUENTS EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND, AND I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE SIGNED THE PLEDGE WITH READY TO WORK.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD STEP.
THE OTHER ASPECT IS THE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
I REALLY WANNA KEEP TRACK OF THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE DON'T DO ENOUGH IN SAN ANTONIO ABOUT PROMOTING HOW WE OFFER INTERNSHIPS AND WHAT WE DO TO, UH, ONE, PREPARE OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL OR IN COLLEGE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ADULTING IN THE REAL WORLD.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF THAT AND GET MORE, UM, GET MORE STORIES OUT THERE ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, WE ARE TELLING THAT STORY TO THE COUNCIL ALSO, OR AT LEAST COMING BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK THE, THE, UM, OTHER THING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS IS THAT WE REMEMBER THAT WHILE THIS AREA IS, HAS SOME AREA HIGH SCHOOLS, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE OPENED UP THAT PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE CITY CAN GO TO AND THAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO.
I KNOW THE HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SOUTH SIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY'LL TAKE STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO.
SO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN, UM, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THIS POINT WITH THE, UH, EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS THAT ARE INDIRECT JOBS, THEY, IF THEY WANT TOURS DOLLARS, THEY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THET BOARD PROCESS AND THEN COME HERE.
NO, THE INCENTIVE IS FOR DIRECT JOBS.
SO OF THOSE, SO IT'S GONNA BE FOCUSED ON THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY LEASING OR ING IN THIS BUILDING.
AND SO, BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL IF THEY WANT, UM, FIRST, IF THEY WANT A REBATE OR A TAX ABATEMENT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY OR SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES THIS COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL AND COUNCIL APPROVAL.
UM, BUT THEN IF THEY'RE, BEFORE THEY EVEN GET ACCESS FOR ANY OF THE $5 MILLION IT REQUIRES THIS COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL AND COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO INDIRECT JOBS, IF, IF THEY'RE PAYING, UH, ANYTHING LOWER THAN THAT? WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T, THEY DON'T GET ANY MONEY.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE, UH, SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL COME IN AND THOSE INDIRECT JOBS PLAY WELL BELOW, UM, MINIMUM WAGE.
I MEAN, NOT MINIMUM WAGE, BUT OUR, OUR STANDARD, WHICH IS, UM, THERE IN OUR THINGS.
THANK YOU, UH, LORI, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND RENEE, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND HAVE THIS PRESENTATION AT THE INNER CITY TOURS, UH, MEETING.
AND I INDICATED THAT MY SUPPORT WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON, UM, THE APPLICANT SUPPORTING THE CITY'S MINIMUM WAGE, WHICH WAS 1750.
SO I WANNA THANK RENEE TO BEING, UH, AMENDABLE TO THAT.
UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CITY STAFF AND LI ARE WORKING ON LANGUAGE TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS SECURED.
THAT WILL BE IN THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT COUNSEL APPROVES, UM, ON JANUARY 12TH.
AND SO HOW IT'LL READ IS T R T F IS COMMITTED TO PAYING ALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES 1750 OR ABOVE.
AND ACTUALLY, I THINK THEY ALREADY DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN THIS COMMITMENT'S GOING TO EXTEND TO CONTRACT EMPLOYEES THAT PROVIDE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES TO INCLUDE JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR BUILDINGS OWNED BY T R T F.
SO IF THEY OWN THE BUILDING, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT MAINTENANCE STAFF IS, IF THEIR CONTRACT ARE GETTING THAT 1750 AS WELL.
AND THAT WILL BE IN THE CONTRACT THAT YOU SEE A WEEK BEFORE POST.
UH, RENEE AND LORI, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? IT'S SUCH A SMALL ASK, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPACTFUL FOR THOSE NEARBY RESIDENTS WHO WILL BE WORKING, UH, AT THIS NEW PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN MC CASTILLO NEEDS TO BE, UH, WE
[00:25:01]
NEED TO MAKE SURE SHE'S ON THE MINUTES HAVING SHOWN UP, SO I APPRECIATE YOU'RE HERE.BUT, UH, BEFORE YOU WALKED IN, WE, WE WERE ALL LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE, AND IT'S THE FIFTH BULLET, UM, THAT SERVICES PAY.
UM, RANDY, DO, DO YOU MIND COMING UP SO I CAN PEPPER YOU WITH QUESTIONS?
CAN, CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT HOW THIS NEEDS TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION? UH, YES.
AND, AND IT'S JUST FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON THE BIG PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS INNOVATION DISTRICT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN YOU GO AROUND THE COUNTRY AND YOU SEE THESE SET UP, THEY'RE TYPICALLY ATTACHED TO A UNIVERSITY.
SO YOU, AND, AND SO WE CHOSE TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE AND JUST ESTABLISH IT BECAUSE OF, UH, THE VALUE OF WHERE IT WAS.
SO OUR ANCHOR, IF YOU WILL, HAS BECOME MILITARY MEDICINE.
AND SO WHERE SAN ANTONIO'S BEEN MILITARY CITY U S A FOREVER, WE ARE NOW PICKING UP THE MONIKER OF MILITARY MEDICAL CITY U SS A.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH, UH, THE, THE INSTITUTE FOR SURGICAL RESEARCH, WHICH IS AT, AT, UH, FORT SAM.
IT'S AN OFFSHOOT OF THE BURN CENTER.
AND THEN THERE'S THE 59TH, UH, UH, AIR FORCE LAB DOWN AT LACKLAND AND NARU, WHICH IS THE NAVY LAB.
WELL, NOW THEY'RE ALL UNDER DEF DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'VE NOW GOTTEN, WE'VE NOW GOTTEN VERY GOOD FOCUS AND VERY GOOD ATTENTION WITH THE MILITARY THAT MUCH LIKE WHEN ARMY FUTURES HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THEY WANTED TO MOVE A WHOLE DIVISION OFF OF, OFF OF THEIR POSTS AND BASES AND PUT 'EM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY COLLABORATE.
SAME THING'S GOING ON WITH THE MEDICAL NOW SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT IS TO BRING THIS RESEARCH OUTSIDE THE FENCE WHERE THEY CAN COLLABORATE BETTER AND PUT IT ON THE SUTTON PROPERTY.
UH, WE REACHED A MILESTONE ABOUT 60 DAYS AGO, AND THAT WE SIGNED OUR FIRST AGREEMENT WHERE THERE'S, UH, A GROUP OF 20, UH, WORKING IN A ROBOTIC AREA THAT ARE NOW, UH, ING IN VELOCITY.
SO WE GOT, AND NOT ALL 20 ARE THERE AT THE SAME TIME.
WE, WE, THE, THAT TEAM WILL BE ROTATING THROUGH, BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN THE ATTENTION TO MOVE OUT.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, UH, THE GENERAL THAT SIGNED THE CONTRACT CAME DOWN AND MET WITH US, AND, AND WE'RE GOING BACK UP IN JANUARY TO START TALKING ABOUT HOW MANY MORE WE CAN GET AND WHAT WE CAN PUT INTO THE SUTTON PROPERTY.
SO, UH, THE QUESTION CAME UP, UH, UH, I THINK, UM, UH, ADRIANA TALKED ABOUT THE, THE INTEREST RATES AND SUCH.
THESE ARE GONNA BE IN THE EARLY DAYS, THEY'RE GONNA BE MUCH MORE INSTITUTIONAL TYPE OF, UH, CLIENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE IN THESE BUILDINGS.
SO YES, IT'S SENSITIVE, YES, IT'S A RISK, BUT IT'S LESS OF A RISK SINCE OUR, WE'RE GOING AFTER GOVERNMENT TYPE TENANTS.
SO, RANDY, YOU, YOU ALSO HEARD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKFORCE, UH, DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE TRAINING.
I, I WENT TO Y'ALL'S, UM, STATE OF T R T F, UH, LUNCHEON OVER AT THE WITTY, AND I REMEMBER SOME MENTION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR OWN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THE QUESTION BECAUSE THAT WAS THE SAME LUNCHEON WHERE RENEE JUMPED OFF THE STAGE.
AND WE'VE PUT IN HIS CONTRACT FOR NEXT YEAR THAT HE COULD NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.
BUT, UH, NO, THIS HAS BEEN A FIVE YEAR PROJECT FOR ME, BOTH, UH, ON THE SITE ON THE EAST SIDE AND ALSO THE MILITARY.
AND, AND WHEN WE WERE TALKING SERIOUSLY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO ABOUT THIS MOVE, UM, THE, THE GENERAL LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, I'M GONNA BRING, I HAVE THREE NEW MISSIONS THAT I'M GONNA BE GIVEN.
I'M GONNA HAVE 75 TO A HUNDRED PHDS.
I'M GONNA NEED 600 LAB TECHS AND ADMIN, AND I NEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND FEET.
AND HE WAS PRETTY FORLORN 'CAUSE HE SAID, I'VE GOT NONE OF IT, AND THERE'S NO ROOM ON FORT SAM.
SO I SAID, I'LL PROVIDE THE BUILDING, I'LL FIND YOUR LAB TECHS, LAB TECHS AND ADMIN.
AND THEN I LEFT AND I WENT, WHERE IN THE HECK AM I GONNA FIND 600 PEOPLE? SO WHAT, IT GOT A FOCUS FOR US ON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND SO WE CREATED A PROGRAM IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
WE TEAMED UP LAST YEAR WITH COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS, AND WE TOOK IT TO THE BOARD AND LEADERSHIP OF S A I S D, AND WE DID TWO SCHOOLS AS AN, UH, AS AN, UH, UH, TRIAL FOR THAT YEAR.
[00:30:01]
STEP INTO STEM PROGRAM.AND IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, IT'S MORE ABOUT AWARENESS.
UM, BUT WE EX WE EXPECT TO MOVE UP WITH THESE KIDS, UH, THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS YEAR WE'RE IN 56 SCHOOLS, UH, AND NEXT YEAR WE ARE PLANNING ON 81 SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE FOLLOWING COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS AS THEY EXPAND.
SO, LOOK, WE, WHAT I'M, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A FANTASTIC PROJECT.
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS FOR DECADES.
UM, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MCD HAD IN MIND WHEN HE CREATED THIS.
RIGHT? WE, UM, I'VE GOTTEN TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME RECENTLY WITH SEBASTIAN AND WITH DAVID, UH, YOU KNOW, ON YOUR TEAM.
AND, UH, WE TRAVELED, UH, TO ANOTHER CONTINENT TO GO LOOK AT SIMILAR, UH, VELOCITY CONCEPTS, RIGHT? COMPETITORS OF YOURS, IF YOU WILL.
UM, I JUST CAME BACK FROM INDIA.
THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
AND, YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PLANET, UH, WE, UH, TRAVELED.
I TRAVELED TO EL PASO RECENTLY.
I SAW SOMETHING THAT'S GETTING STOOD UP OVER THERE THAT'S VERY SIMILAR.
UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE CITIES EVERYWHERE ARE ENGAGED IN A BLOODY KNUCKLE FIGHT TO OUT INNOVATE EACH OTHER, RIGHT? AND BE THE DESTINATION FOR INNOVATION, BIOTECH RESEARCH, AND THESE JOBS OF TOMORROW.
UM, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT ECONOMIES THAT DON'T ADAPT AND THAT DON'T GROW ARE ECONOMIES THAT DIE.
UM, AND IT'S OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY TO RE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSTITUENTS OF OURS.
THE KIDS WHO ARE AT U T S A AND O L L U AND TEXAS A AND M, UM, WITH THESE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK, I THINK THAT THIS HITS THAT TARGET.
UM, ONE WAY I THINK THAT WE CAN BE OF ADDITIONAL HELP, AND I HAVEN'T VISITED WITH YOU ABOUT THIS, BUT, UM, I'M GONNA PUT THIS OUT FOR THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER.
DOWNTOWN IS, UH, AN INNOVATION ZONE THAT WE CREATED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS CAMPUS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'D, I'D LIKE ALEX, FOR, FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER AT SOME POINT IS MOVING THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT INNOVATION ZONE, UM, TO ENCOMPASS, UH, THIS, THIS CAMPUS, RIGHT? UM, IT SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS ENCOMPASSED IT.
MERCHANTS SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE AND JUST OUTTA MY NEGLIGENCE.
AND, UH, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW BACK THEN.
UH, WE DIDN'T INCLUDE IT, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S LONG OVERDUE THAT WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, BRING YOU INTO THAT, THAT ZONE, RIGHT? AND ACTUALLY CALL YOU GUYS, WHICH YOU ARE, WHICH IS THE INNOVATION DISTRICT.
AND SO, UM, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE THAT RANDY
COUNCILMAN VRAN, YOU MADE A SECOND.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONFIDENCE.
SO, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS A BRIEFING ON THE, UM, CONSTRUCTION, UH, MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM.
ANNA BRADSHAW, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE THE ONE MAKING THIS PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY ON THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
UM, AS A REMINDER, IN THE BUDGET CITY COUNCIL, YOU ALL APPROVE $400,000 FOR THE CREATION OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, DURING THE BUDGET DE DELIBERATIONS, THERE WAS CERTAINLY DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COUNCIL ON WHAT THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE COMPRISED OF THE FUNDING, BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT WAS APPROVED WAS $400,000 FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM WAS CHARGED WITH WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND THE BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP WORKABLE OPTIONS FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TODAY.
SO, AS A MATTER OF BACKGROUND, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A VERY MULTIFACETED PROBLEM THAT'S, THAT'S EVOLVING.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC AND THE SECONDARY EFFECTS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM IT WITH CHALLENGES WITH STAFFING INFLATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WE UNDERSTAND THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT THESE VOTER APPROVED PROJECTS, UM, ARE, ARE NECESSARY.
AND SO HOW DO WE MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THOSE? UM, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES PLAY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY FOR THE ECONOMIC DRIVERS THAT THEY ARE, BUT THE, THE REALLY THE FACT THAT THEY ARE A PART OF OUR CULTURE, CULTURAL HERITAGE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
BEFORE I GO INTO THE ELEMENTS OF, OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, DO YOU WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW PREVIOUS AND ONGOING INITIATIVES? UM, IN 2014, CITY COUNCIL DID APPROVE FUNDING FOR A PILOT UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALONG THE BLANCO CORRIDOR.
UM, IT WAS A, UH, FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM THAT THE FUNDING WAS ALLOCATED FOR.
ULTIMATELY ONLY FIVE APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED, AND FOUR RECEIVED WERE APPROVED FOR FUNDING, TOTALING $13,000.
UM, GIVEN THAT LACK OF UTILIZATION OF THE PROGRAM, IT IT HAS NOT BEEN CONTINUED FOR ANY OTHER PROJECTS.
[00:35:02]
FUNDING WAS ALLOCATED FROM THE MIDTOWN TOURS TO SUPPORT BROADWAY CORRIDOR BUSINESSES.UM, 19 BUSINESSES RECEIVED GRANTS AVERAGING $10,000.
UM, AND THEN THROUGH THE CURRENT COVID IMPACT GRANTS PRO PROGRAM THAT WAS FUNDED BY ARPA, UH, BUSINESSES IN, UM, ELIGIBLE CORRIDORS THAT WE IDENTIFIED WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS WERE ADDITION, WERE, UM, ELIGIBLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL $10,000.
BUT MUST EMPHASIZE WITH THIS, THAT AS IT WAS ARPA FUNDS, THEY NEEDED TO MEET THE COVID COVID IMPACT.
UM, WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR DURING THE ARPA DISCUSSIONS FROM NOT ONLY THE BUSINESSES, BUT FROM COUNCIL, THAT THESE FUNDS REALLY NEEDED TO BE TARGETED TOWARDS THOSE BUSINESSES WHO WERE ADVERSELY IMPACTED BY C O I D, UM, AND CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY C O I, EVEN THOUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, WE WERE BEYOND THE INITIAL SURGE.
SO AS OF THIS WEEK, UH, WE'VE AWARDED WORKING WITH LIFT FUND 400 GRANTS, AND 88 OF THOSE HAVE GONE TO BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION CORRIDOR.
SO THEY RECEIVED THAT $10,000 SUPPLEMENT.
UH, WE ARE STILL, UH, LIFTFUND IS STILL PROCESSING APPLICATIONS.
WE ANTICIPATE BEING DONE WITH THE PROGRAM, UM, IN EARLY 2023.
AND WE'LL LOOK TO PROVIDE CITY COUNCIL WITH A REPORT, A FINAL REPORT ONCE THAT'S, UH, COMPLETED.
BUT WE DO EXPECT ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES AND CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS, JUST GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE'S REMAINING FUNDING WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THAT $10,000.
IN TERMS OF SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, AGAIN, THE TEAM WAS TASKED WITH IT, AND I, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF DANIEL HICKS, OUR, OUR MANAGEMENT FELLOW.
UM, HE TOOK THE ASSIGNMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I THINK, UM, DID A TREMENDOUS JOB OF LEANING INTO THE PROJECT, WORKING WITH GABBY TEO, OUR BUSINESS OUTREACH SPECIALIST, UM, AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
BUT WE, WE WANTED TO FOCUS IN FOR THIS INITIAL PILOT ON THOSE, UM, PROVIDING DIRECT AND INDIRECT ASSISTANCE TO THOSE BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY PRO CITY INITIATED PROJECTS LASTING LONGER THAN ONE YEAR.
AND EVEN TO FURTHER HONE IN THOSE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS WHERE 10 OR MORE SMALL BUSINESSES WERE BEING IMPACTED.
UM, WE WANTED TO FOCUS INITIALLY FOR THE PILOT, UH, TO, TO LEARN, TO REALLY USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN AND THEN PERHAPS TO COME FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE ABLE TO SCALE THIS GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, THE NEW BOND, THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS PROJECTS THAT ARE MUCH NEEDED.
BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE THESE STRATEGIES IN PLACE.
SO WORKING WITH, WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WHERE, WHERE THESE TYPES OF STRATEGIES COULD BE UTILIZED AND REALLY SOUGHT TO DIVIDE THEM INTO, UM, DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS, UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT NEEDS FOR THOSE AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, UH, PROG, UM, IN THOSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
SO YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER OF THOSE ONGOING PROJECTS.
UM, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK THAT THOSE WERE THE JUST ABOUT TO BEGIN.
UH, WANNA CALL ATTENTION TO SOUTH ALAMO STREET.
SO THAT ONE, UM, CONSTRUCTION RECENTLY BEGAN.
UH, THE FENCES ARE GOING UP AND, AND OUR TEAM HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING IN SOME OF THOSE EARLY MEETINGS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS TRYING TO LISTEN TO THEM ON THE FRONT END, UM, AS WELL AS THOSE FUTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE, ARE, ARE JUST AROUND THE BEND.
UM, SO THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE DOING THAT OUTREACH BEFOREHAND, BUT WE ALSO DID GO TO TALK TO SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES BEING AC IMPACTED CURRENTLY BY THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY HEARD THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH IT AND, AND HAVE SHARED SO MUCH OF, OF THAT INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.
AND IT, IT DID INFLUENCE US GOING FORWARD.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS PROJECT, UM, AS IT, IT'S, IT'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING IT.
UM, I'VE TOUCHED SOME ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AGAIN, THE SBA C WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED.
THEY VOTED TO CREATE A CONSTRUCTION SUB SUBCOMMITTEE TO REALLY HONE IN.
UM, WE ASKED A LOT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE, I WANNA THANK THE, THE PARTICIPANTS, LINDSAY LOGAN, WHO SERVED AS CHAIR OF IT, JIM HOLBECK, WHO'S A DISTRICT 10 REPRESENTATIVE, AND SARAH SHAQUILLE FROM DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, WE, WE MET NUMEROUS TIMES WITH THEM.
THEY, THEY DEFINITELY WERE INVOLVED IN CREATING THESE STRATEGIES THAT WE LOOK TO TAKE FORWARD TO THE SMALL, WHICH WE TOOK FORWARD TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, AGAIN, I MENTIONED WE SPOKE WITH BUSINESSES, WE WORKED WITH OUR B D O PARTNERS.
THEY, THEY WORKED WITH THOSE BUSINESSES EVERY DAY.
THEY HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK TO SHARE, UM, AS WELL AS TALKING TO CHAMBERS.
AGAIN, THEIR MEMBERSHIP IS IMPACTED BY THESE AS WELL.
WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES, WHICH I'LL GO INTO, UM, AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND, AND COMMUNICATION AND, UM, AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
SO JUST SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, UM, AGAIN, TOUCHED ON THE, THE BUSINESSES HAD BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID, AND THIS IN SOME WAYS HAS EXTENDED THAT, THAT CHALLENGE THAT WAS CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC.
UM, WE HEARD LOTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER HESITANCY CREATED BY THAT, ALTERED WAYS OF ACCESSING THE BUSINESS, REDUCED PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND, AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMUNICATES WITH THE BUSINESS THAT THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR BUSINESS THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION.
HOWEVER, IN MANY CASES, THAT'S DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT.
[00:40:01]
IT DID CAUSE, UM, SOME CHALLENGES FOR THE BUSINESS.AND THEN, UM, UH, UTILITIES DISRUPTIONS CAME UP A LOT.
UM, AGAIN, PUBLIC WORKS COORDINATES TO ONLY DIG UP THE STREET ONCE.
SO THEY COORDINATE WITH SAWS AND C P SS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS TO DO ALL OF THAT WORK.
BUT THAT CREATES DISRUPTIONS FOR THE BUSINESSES.
AND THEN, UM, IN MANY CASES, DEVIATIONS FROM TIMELINES THAT ONCE, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATE THINGS WERE DISCOVERED, THAT THE TIMELINES WERE EXTENDED, AND, AND IT REALLY PROLONGED THAT HARDSHIP.
SO IN LOOKING AT A FEW CITIES, WE FOUND THAT NO ONE HAS IT ALL FIGURED OUT.
UM, THERE ARE MANY OF, OF IDEAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DERIVE FROM THEM.
WE TALKED TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, A COUPLE HERE WILL HIGHLIGHT TODAY, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
UM, THEY DEVELOPED A TOOLKIT FOR THEIR BUSINESSES.
UM, THEY REALLY WORKED TO LOOK AT THEIR CONTRACTS WITH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION TO, UM, INCENTIVIZE GOOD PERFORMANCE AND NEIGHBORHOOD STEWARDSHIP.
WE SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS, AS WE KNOW WE'LL, THERE'LL BE LOTS OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS COMING UP.
UM, THEY DID, UH, SET ASIDE A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR, UH, ARPA FUNDS AND OTHER FUNDS TO PROVIDE MICRO GRANTS TO THE BUSINESSES.
UM, AND THAT FUNDING WAS RECENTLY RENEWED FOR A SECOND YEAR.
UM, LOOKING AT NEW ORLEANS, UM, THEY CREATED A STRATEGIC OFFICE TO REALLY FOCUS IN ON THAT OUTREACH.
UM, THEY ALSO PARTNERED WITH THEIR LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ALLIANCE TO REALLY HELP DRIVE FOOT TRAFFIC TO THESE AREAS.
UM, LEVERAGING WEBSITES, DOING PROMOTIONAL EVENTS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE CAN HELP TO DRIVE CONSUMER ACTIVITY, THAT CAN PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE TO THE BUSINESSES.
UM, WE WENT ALL THE WAY UP NORTH INTO CANADA IN, IN QUEBEC, UM, AND THEY REALLY LOOKED AT, UM, USING BRANDING AND SIGNAGE.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME, SOME SIGNAGE THEY HAD UP THERE, AGAIN, SHOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MAY LOOK LIKE A MESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE ROADS ARE, ARE A DISASTER, BUT THERE ARE BIGGER, BRIGHTER THINGS COMING.
I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE WHAT THE END VISION IS LIKE.
BUT THEY ALSO WORK TO KEEP THEIR CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND DOING THESE SITE AUDITS TO SAY, IF, IF THERE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE TO THE BUSINESSES, THEN THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING OUT AND MONITORING IT.
IF THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVEWAY ACCESS AVAILABLE THAT THEY'RE MONITORING IT.
UM, THEY DID DESIGNATE A LARGE POOL, UM, SORT OF A POOL THAT DWINDLED DOWN FOR GRANTS FOR SOME OF THESE EXTREMELY LONG PROJECTS LASTING AT LEAST THREE YEARS LONG, UM, GOING INTO MINNEAPOLIS.
SO THIS GREEN LINE EXTENSION PROJECT WAS A TRANSIT PROJECT, UM, INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE.
UM, AND SO THEY SET ASIDE SOME FUNDING, NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE GRANTS, BUT ALSO TO DO SOME OTHER COMMUNICATION AND, AND ENGAGEMENT WORK.
AND SO, UM, THEY ALSO WORKED WITH THEIR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE TO HAVE MONTHLY LUNCHES AND, AND AGAIN, DRIVING THAT CONSUMER ACTIVITY.
AND THEY ALSO, LEV LOOK TO LEVERAGE OTHER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FACADE IMPROVEMENTS AND WEBSITE PRESENCE.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT ALL OF THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
SO TAKING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN THE FEEDBACK WE, WE REALLY SOUGHT OUT TO IDENTIFY SOME CLEARLY, UM, DES IDENTIFY DESIRED OUTCOMES.
AND FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE TRUST FACTOR REBUILDING IN SOME CASES, BUILDING THE TRUST WITH THE IMPACT OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, WE LIKE, AGAIN, UNDERSTOOD, FELT THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH THE PROJECT.
WE, WE ALSO SAW SOME OF THE PROJECTS WHERE THEY WERE JUST BEGINNING THE, THE CONCERN OF, IS THIS GONNA HAPPEN TO ME AS WELL? AND I THINK ESTABLISHING THAT TRUST IS SO CONTINGENT ON THE COMMUNICATION FACTOR AND NOT JUST SHARING INFORMATION WITH US, THEM AS THE CITY, BUT LISTENING TO THEIR CONCERNS.
AND THAT'S CENTRAL WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, WE ALSO, WE'VE, WE'VE WANT THEM TO BE NOT ONLY SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT DURING THE PROJECT, BUT TO COME OUT OF THE PROJECT AND BE ABLE TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS THAT THESE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS, STREET IMPROVEMENTS WILL HAVE.
UM, AND THEN IN GENERAL, HAVING A PROGRAM THAT'S SUSTAINABLE, SCALABLE, AND LEVERAGES ALL OF THE ASSETS AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AT THE CITY.
SO, UM, WE WORKING WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE IDENTIFIED THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY WERE PRESENTED TO SPAC A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO AND WERE UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOME ROBUST DEBATE, DEBATE, BUT THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT THESE, TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE NOW.
AND THEY FALL INTO THESE FOUR PRIMARY BUCKETS OF BRANDING, STRATEGY, MARKETING, PROMOTION OF THE BUSINESSES, DEVELOPMENT OF THE, OF THE TOOLKIT, AND SOME TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT ON THESE.
UM, SO AGAIN, ON THE UNIFIED BRANDING STRATEGY, LOOKING AT THE EXAMPLE FROM QUEBEC, UM, IT'S PROVIDING THAT VISION OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND CAN SERVE AS ANCHORS FOR THE PROJECTS.
SO AS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DRIVE THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OR WALK THROUGH IT, THEY'RE SEEING THAT YES, THE BUSINESSES ARE OPEN, ENCOURAGING
[00:45:01]
THAT ACTIVITY AND ALSO DIG, DE-STIGMATIZING, VISITING THEM.WE KNOW CONSTRUCTION WORK IS KIND OF UGLY.
UM, AND SO HOW CAN WE DE-STIGMATIZE THAT AGAIN, PROVIDING THAT VISION OF THE FUTURE.
UM, THE BULK OF THE FUNDING WE ARE RECOMMENDING GOING TOWARDS MARKETING AND PROMOTION, UM, THAT IS ANCHORED BY A SIGNAGE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO, UM, IMPLEMENT, WORKING WITH THE, THE IMPACTED BUSINESSES AS WELL AS LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS SIGNAGE PROVIDERS TO, UM, ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SIGNAGE THAT IS CUSTOMIZABLE TO THEIR BUSINESS.
UM, WE HEARD FEEDBACK THAT, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ACCESSIBILITY, BUT MY BUSINESSES OR MY CUSTOMERS SOMETIMES HAVE TO CIRCLE THE BLOCK MULTIPLE TIMES 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND ME OR, OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO DO TARGETED MAILERS AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE.
AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, HAVING ACTIVATION EVENTS EITHER BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION TO AGAIN, DRIVE THAT CUSTOMER TRAFFIC.
AND THEN LEVERAGING OUR ARPA FUNDED WEB PRESENCE PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY, UM, IDENTIFYING A VENDOR TO DO THAT PROGRAM.
AND THROUGH THAT WE WILL PROVIDE, UM, BUSINESSES ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING ON, ON THE TYPE OF WEB PRESENCE IS THAT IS NEEDED, BUT ALSO DOING THAT WORK FOR THEM AND CREATION OF THAT WEB PRESENCE.
AND THEN, UM, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE ACTIVATION TOOLS AND EVENTS TO, TO SUPPORT, UH, PATRONS GOING TO THESE BUSINESSES.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON DEVELOPING THE SMALL BUSINESS TOOLKIT.
IT WILL FIRST AND FOREMOST SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE BUSINESSES WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, TIMELINES AND, AND OTHER INFORMATION THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS AND IN A, A PAPER FORM, BUT ALSO IN A DIGITAL FORM THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO SHARING BEST PRACTICES FROM THE OTHER COMMUNITIES, IDEAS, UM, THAT THEY CAN PERHAPS CONSIDER TO HELP CU UH, CUSTOMERS GET TO THEM, PROVIDING TEMPLATES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION OR DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE REALLY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENTS TO THEM.
AGAIN, REMINDING THEM THAT IF WE SAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR BUSINESS, THAT THAT COMMITMENT IS LAID OUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND THEN FINALLY, AN AREA OF TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THE CITY HAS AN EXISTING PARTNERSHIP WITH WAYS FOR CITIES.
UM, AND SO THROUGH THIS TOOL, WE CAN PROVIDE WAYS WITH THE MOST UPTODATE INFORMATION ON CLOSURES AND DETOURS.
AND SO, UM, CURRENTLY THE CHALLENGE IS PROVIDING THAT UPDATE ON A TIMELY MANNER.
AND SO WE'RE, UM, ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR STAFF AUGMENTATION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT QUICKLY.
UH, WHAT WE ALSO LEARNED WAS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CUSTOMERS BEING ABLE TO ACCESS, BUT IT'S ABOUT SUPPLIERS AND DELIVERIES AND, AND OFTENTIMES, UM, THEY HAVE CHALLENGES ACCESSING IT, BUT WE ALSO SEE POTENTIAL IMPACTS FOR, FOR RIDE SHARE PROVIDERS AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, EVEN CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE CLOSURES ARE ALONG THE WAY AND UPDATING IT AS PROJECT PROJECTS PROGRESS.
WE HAVE OTHER INVESTMENTS ENGAGED IN THIS.
AGAIN, WE WANTED TO LEVERAGE EVERYTHING AVAILABLE.
AND SO WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS ON COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFTFUND FOR THE 0% INTEREST PROGRAM.
SO, UM, AS YOU WILL CALL, COUNCIL, INCREASED, DOUBLED THE ALLOCATION FOR THAT PROGRAM FROM $250,000 TO $500,000.
AND THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, THE CITY COVERS THE INTEREST FOR LOANS THROUGH LIFTFUND.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES ABOUT THIS PROGRAM WHO NEED TO ACCESS SHORT-TERM CAPITAL FOR THE PROJECTS.
AND WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH LIFTFUND RIGHT NOW FOR THOSE PROJECTS IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES THAT NOT ONLY WOULD THEY HAVE 0% INTEREST, BUT THE LOAN WOULD BE IN FORBEARANCE INTO UNTIL A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER THE PROJECT FINISHES.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A PERIOD OF RAMP UP AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED.
SO WE, WE LOOK TO, TO ROLL OUT THAT PORTION VERY SOON.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WANNA LEVERAGE OUR, OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION PARTNERS.
UM, A NUMBER OF THEM ARE LOCATED IN PROJECT AREAS.
I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH SAGE ON NORTH NEW BRAUNFELS, UM, AND, AND THEY SERVE AS A LIFELINE TO THE BUSINESSES.
UM, AND WE WANT TO LEVERAGE THAT RESOURCE AND MAKE SURE THE BUSINESSES KNOW THAT THEY ARE OUT THERE IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC WORKS COMMUNICATION IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, I, I, I, PUBLIC WORKS, I THINK TOOK TO HEART THE FEEDBACK THAT THE BUSINESSES PROVIDED AND THAT WE SHARED WITH THEM.
AND THEY ARE REALLY LOOKING TO MODIFY HOW THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE BUSINESSES.
UM, I, I THINK A BIG CHANGE THERE IS GOING TO THEM SOONER.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WITH SOUTH ALAMO, THEY WENT OUT IN ADVANCE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO EVEN ENGAGE THE BUSINESSES AS MUCH AS A YEAR IN ADVANCE TO, AGAIN, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED, THE DISRUPTION THAT'S TRULY GONNA HAPPEN, AND GET THEM PREPARED FOR IT.
ALSO, HAVING A TAILORED COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.
SO THE TE THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM DOES GO OUT THERE, BUT OFTENTIMES THEY'RE NOT TALKING TO THE PERSON IN CHARGE, WHETHER IT BE THE OWNER, THE GENERAL MANAGER, OR THE PROPERTY OWNER IN, IN SOME CASES.
AND SO HAVING THAT TAILORED COMMUNICATION STRATEGY THAT FOCUSES ON WHO TO
[00:50:01]
COMMUNICATE WITH, HOW THEY WANNA BE COMMUNICATED WITH, AND EVEN IN SOME CASES HOW OFTEN.UM, ALSO HAVING MORE FREQUENT UPDATE MEETINGS DURING CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND PROVIDING TRAINING FOR THE PUBLIC WORK STAFF TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNICATION.
AGAIN, COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO BE TWO WAY, NOT JUST SHARING INFORMATION, BUT HEARING THAT FEEDBACK AND, AND BRINGING THAT TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED.
SO THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM AND, AND WE EXPECT TO LEARN A LOT AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES, BUT WE ARE GONNA BE MEASURING OUTCOMES THROUGHOUT.
UM, WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES AGAIN, THAT OUR PROJECT, UH, THAT WORK CONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT TO BEGIN ON ANALYZING REVENUE, BOTH PRE AND POST MITIGATION.
BUT EVEN FOR THOSE ENGAGED, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT TRACK TO REVENUE TO TO FOOT TRAFFIC? UM, WE WANT TO GAUGE THE SENTIMENT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL AS THE REACH AND AND IMPRESSIONS FROM OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
IT'S ONE THING TO, TO MARKET THINGS AND IT'S ANOTHER THING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
AND OBVIOUSLY ALL MARKETING WOULD BE DONE BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
UM, GOING THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINES IS WHERE THE, THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
UM, AGAIN, WE, WE BRIEFED SBA ON THIS LAST WEEK.
UM, WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AND, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING THE ASSETS, THE TOOLKIT RIGHT NOW, LOOKING TO ROLL THOSE OUT.
WE, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, WHILE WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE FULL LITANY OF PROJECTS I SHOWED EARLIER ON DOING SOME SPECIFIC VALUATION AND OUTREACH IN TWO AREAS OF SOUTH ALAMO AND NORTH NEW BRAUNFELS.
BUT EVERY PROJECT THAT WE'VE LISTED IS GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE BENEFITS AND, AND THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO LAUNCH THE TOOLKIT IN FEBRUARY, IF NOT SOONER, UM, ROLLING OUT THE SIGNAGE PROGRAM, UM, FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING TO LAUNCH THE ARPA FUNDED WEB PRESENCE PROGRAM IN, IN MARCH.
AGAIN, PROVIDING THAT, THAT, THAT SERVICE TO THE BUSINESSES, UM, AND, AND GETTING THE, THE WA PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING, UM, AND THEN CONDUCTING SURVEYS THROUGHOUT THE WAY AND, AND FOCUSING IN, AGAIN ON THOSE, THOSE TWO PILOT ZONES, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT IT HOLISTICALLY.
UM, ALSO IN APRIL WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PROMOTIONAL EVENTS, THAT'S WHEN WE EXPECT THE NORTH ST.
MARY'S STREET CORRIDOR TO BE DONE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH AN ORGANIZATION TO HAVE AN ACTIVATION EVENT OUT THERE, LETTING 'EM KNOW NORTH ST.
UH, PLEASE COME BACK TO THESE BUSINESSES.
UM, AND, AND RECOGNIZING THE END OF IT, UM, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO SPAC AND, AND, AND TO YOU ALL TODAY TO COME BACK TO REPORT ON THIS IN JUNE, UM, WITH A FINAL ASSESSMENT COMING IN THE FALL AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TAKING THE PROGRAM FORWARD.
UM, AS, AS I CONCLUDE, I, I DO REALLY WANT TO THANK THE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT SPOKE TO US THAT WERE VERY CANDID AND FRUSTRATED AND SHARED THEIR CUS UH, THEIR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS.
OUR TEAM IS COMMITTED AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT THE WORKABLE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY ALLEVIATE THESE CHALLENGES.
AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
[Public Comments ]
YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE, UH, A LIST OF SPEAKERS WHO SHOWED UP TODAY TO, TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS WITH US.AND SO RA CAN YOU HELP US GO THROUGH THAT LIST? THE FIRST SPEAKER IS GLENN SILBERT.
UM, UH, MY NAME'S GLENN SILVER.
UM, WE'RE A BUSINESS ALONG BROADWAY.
UH, WE SUPPORT THE MILITARY VETERANS ACTIVE, UH, ACTIVE MILITARY FIRST RESPONDERS, BASICALLY ANYBODY THAT SERVES, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
UM, WHAT I'M, I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS NOT THIS SPECIFIC PRESENTATION AND THIS APPROVAL.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, THIS SHOULD BEEN PART OF THE PROJECT TO BEGIN WITH, RIGHT? I MEAN, ANY PROJECT SHOULD BE BRANDED.
UH, THESE COMMUNICATION PLANS SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE AHEAD OF TIME.
SO TO ME, IT'S A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.
SO ANY VOTE AGAINST THIS IS BLASPHEMY IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND I, I, I, I SUPPORT THAT.
UM, BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, FROM MY VANTAGE POINT AS A BUSINESS LEADER, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY IS EVERYTHING TO US.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT OUR LEADERS ARE MEASURED AGAINST.
AND IF THEY DON'T ACHIEVE THE GOALS THAT THEY'VE SIGNED UP FOR, WHICH IS TO DRIVE OUR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS, THEY'RE NO LONGER WITH US.
WE MOVE ON FROM THOSE LEADERS.
AND THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, I'M FAIRLY NEW TO SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS LEADING THIS COMPANY.
UM, BUT IT HAS BECOME VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS IN SAN ANTONIO WHEN IT COMES TO THESE TYPE OF DISCUSSIONS, ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I, I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH MESSAGE, BUT I REALLY WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT IS VERY CLEAR TO US, AND PERCEPTIONS ARE REALITY.
THERE MIGHT BE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ACROSS THE BOARD IS THERE LACKS ACCOUNTABILITY.
[00:55:01]
AND, AND YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT TRUST.YOU KNOW, TRUST IS BUILT IN DROPS AND LOST IN BUCKETS.
THE TRUST IN THE BROADWAY, SPECI, ALL THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE SEEING IS GONE.
THERE'S NO TRUST IN FOLLOW UP OR EXECUTION.
UM, AND I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REBUILT FAST.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA AFFECT FUTURE TENANTS AND FUTURE BUSINESS OWNERS TO WANT TO DO BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, WE'RE THE LARGEST, UH, BRAND IN OUR SPACE.
WE HAVE 5 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAVE 4 MILLION PEOPLE THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO DIRECTLY IN EMAIL AND SS M S.
WE GENERATE ABOUT 3 BILLION IMPRESSIONS A YEAR.
AND THE IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT TO OUR BUSINESS JUST IN THE ONE STORE IN SAN ANTONIO IS APPROACHING A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR.
$1 MILLION IN LOST REVENUES FOR ONE STORE.
AND IT, IT, AND I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS THAT THAT'S THEIR ONLY STORE AND WHAT IT'S DOING TO THEM.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT OUR PATIENCE REALLY IS UP.
WE'RE NOT SEEING THE PROGRESS, UH, IN A, HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, WHICH NEEDS TO BE ON THE TABLE, BUT ALSO MOVEMENT IN THIS PROJECT AND CHANGING THE APPROACH.
SO I KNOW, I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR PUBLIC, WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK TO OUR CUSTOMERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND WE'RE GONNA CALL OUT SPECIFIC ACTION PLANS THAT WE WANT TO BE.
WE WANNA SEE, AND I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK THAT'S A THREAT, IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AROUND US.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE BEFORE I, I END MY COMMENTS THAT WE JUST AS A BRAND PUSHED THE PACT ACT ACROSS THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE FLIPPED 60 SENATORS WHO WERE VOTING AGAINST IT.
SO OUR, OUR ABILITY TO BRING AWARENESS AND MOVEMENT ON ISSUES IS VAST.
AND WE ARE, IF ANYTHING DOGGED, WE SAY WHAT WE MEAN AND WE FOLLOW UP ON WHAT WE SAY.
SO I JUST WANT THIS COMMITTEE TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE INITIATIVES, WHETHER IT'S THIS SPECIFIC INITIATIVE, WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALREADY IN THE PLAN TO BEGIN WITH, UM, AND WE CAN HELP, BY THE WAY, WE'RE A BRANDING COMPANY, SO WE CAN PROBABLY REALLY PUT SOME, PUT SOME ENERGY AGAINST THIS THING.
AND I'M, I'M WILLING TO, TO COMMIT MY TEAM TO DO SO.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, UH, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME DOWN AND VISIT US ON BROADWAY IF YOU CAN FIND US.
UM, BUT, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AND, AND, AND TAKE YOU THROUGH IT.
YOU, WE WILL WALK YOU AROUND AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR BUSINESS ALONE.
YOUR, YOUR REPUTATION PRECEDES YOU, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU MADE THE TIME TO COME DOWN.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS WELL SAID, SIR, BUT, UM, RESPECTFULLY, MA'AM, THE PRESENTATION WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT 10% OF IT'S GONNA WORK IF THAT ON THE HIGH SIDE, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT ANYMORE.
LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S, IT, THE, THE SHIP HAS SAILED TWO YEARS AGO, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BEFORE COVID EVEN BEGAN AND HIT THE, THE NICKELS AND DIMES THAT YOU'RE THROWING AT US TO, TO, TO PUT SIGNS UP.
LIKE, LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
WE NEED MORE SIGNS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE OPEN.
HOW DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL? SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
MAKING MORE AWARENESS, PUTTING STUFF ON THE INTERNET.
HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS, WELL, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.
HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND WENT TO MY WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT TODAY'S LUNCH SPECIALIST, WHO IN THIS ROOM HAS DONE THAT? SO, WHO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IS GONNA GO TO THIS WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT PROJECTS ARE GOING ON TODAY? HMM.
I GUESS I'LL GO HAVE LUNCH SOMEWHERE ELSE.
LIKE, HOW IS THAT GONNA HELP AT ALL? WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING BROKE.
UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE STOP AND UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THESE COMMITTEES.
LIKE, WE HAVE TIME FOR MORE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE TIME FOR MORE GROUP SESSIONS.
I THINK YOU'RE JUST PAWNING US OFF TILL THE PROJECT'S COMPLETE.
THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL WHEN IT COMES TO TRUST.
WHO DO WE TRUST? I'VE GONE TO RON, I'VE GONE TO ERIC.
I'VE TALKED TO EVERYBODY I POSSIBLY CAN TO LET THEM KNOW HOW IT'S AFFECTING MY FAMILY'S LIFE.
AND, AND I, I FEEL LIKE I'M A PAIN IN THE NECK.
I FEEL LIKE NOBODY'S LISTENING.
BUT YOU STILL GOTTA PAY YOUR C P S BILL ARE, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY PROPOSING A DEBT? OH, YEAH.
[01:00:01]
AND GET INTO DEBT KNOWING THAT THE PROJECT'S NOT GONNA BE COMPLETE FOR ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF ME TRYING TO, ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS ACCESSIBILITY TO EARN OUR LIVING.WE NEED YOU TO WORK TOGETHER WITH US AS A TEAM SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO HELP MAKE THIS WORK FOR YOU AND FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE'VE BEEN COMPLETELY BLOWN OFF SINCE, FOR THIS IS WHAT, WHAT REALLY GETS TO ME.
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.
A LOT OF YOU GUYS WEREN'T EVEN WORKING HERE AT CITY HALL WHEN, WHEN THEY DID THAT.
SO WHO'S GONNA FIX THE PROBLEM? WHO'S GONNA STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND JUST SAY, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS WRONG.
WE'VE MESSED UP FOR WAY TOO MANY YEARS.
BLANCO, YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL PAYING THEIR FILE FOR CHAPTER 11 AND BROKE NOW BECAUSE THE CITY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THIS.
BUSINESSES THAT THEY AFFECTED.
WHAT ABOUT HILDERBRAND? THAT WAS A RECENT ONE.
THINK ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE, THE MOM AND POPS THAT LOST THEIR LIVELIHOOD, THEIR DREAMS. Y'ALL HAD AMBITION AND DREAMS OF BEING COUNCILMEN.
AND YOU GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, YOU ASK PEOPLE TO HELP YOU OUT.
YOU ASK PEOPLE TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
YOU ASK PEOPLE TO LOBBY FOR YOU GUYS TO GET YOU IN OFFICE.
HELP US STAND WHO I NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME, HEY, OGGIE, WE'RE GONNA FIX THIS.
I NEED TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
NOT IN SIX MONTHS, NOT AFTER 15.
WE, HOW MANY MEETINGS HAVE I BEEN TO WITH YOU GUYS? HOW MANY, WHAT'S BEEN COMPLETE? WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR? PLEASE, SOMEBODY ANSWER THAT QUESTION, PLEASE.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AFTER TWO YEARS OF MEETINGS WITH YOU GUYS? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
ALL THE WHILE EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR PAYCHECKS, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO VESTED INTEREST IN THESE PROJECTS.
IT DOESN'T TOUCH YOUR PAY YOUR, YOUR POCKETBOOKS.
IT DOESN'T TOUCH YOUR, YOUR, UH, YOUR INCOME AT ALL.
SO WHY, WHY DO PEOPLE EVEN REALLY SAY THEY CARE? THEY STILL SLEEP AT NIGHT.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO TALK.
LIKE I'VE GOT HOURS OF, OF THINGS TO EXPLAIN IN DETAIL OF HOW HORRIBLY MISMANAGED THIS, THE ENTIRE BUDGET, THIS ENTIRE STREET CLOSER HAS BEEN FOR 15 YEARS, 20 YEARS.
EVERYBODY STILL LOOKS AT ME, ME LIKE DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS.
AND WHY IS AUGIE SO UPSET? LET ME TAKE AWAY 80% OF YOUR INCOME.
YOU CAN'T PAY THE BILLS BECAUSE THE CITY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT US AND DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS.
SEEING THE CCPS AND, AND SAS TRUCKS AND THE FRONTING PLACE, OH, LOOK, WE GOTTA REBUILD OUR, OUR WATER AND ELECTRICITY, BUT YOU STILL GOTTA PAY US.
AND WE'RE TAKING AWAY 80% OF, OF YOUR ACCESSIBILITY TO YOUR BUSINESS.
THE QUESTION IS NOT HOW YOU, HOW CAN YOU NOT VOTE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? THIS IS A VOTE FOR FUNDS TO SAVE BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT, TAX REVENUE AND SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES DEPEND ON THEIR JOBS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
THERE SHOULD BE MORE FINANCIAL RESOURCES ALLOCATED TOWARD THOSE OF US DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY CITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
THAT IS WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT FUNDS BE USED TOWARD UTILITY OR RENT AND MORTGAGE RELIEF, AS I FEEL THAT MARKETING SHOULD ALREADY BE INCLUDED IN EACH INDIVIDUAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, EACH Y'ALL HAVE BUDGETS FOR THESE, UH, PROJECTS.
AND THIS SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THE SIGNAGE AND THINGS SHOULD BE ALREADY INCLUDED.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE JUST A SEPARATE FUND TO HELP THE, THESE KIND OF THINGS.
THESE FUNDS SHOULD ACTUALLY HELP THE BUSINESSES DIRECTLY IMPACTED.
UM, WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING AND TRYING TO SURVIVE WITH THE ONGOING PROJECT CONTINUING UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
AS FORMER SECRETARY AMARA HENRY CISNEROS ACKNOWLEDGE, WE SIT ON THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST SIDE.
HOW IS THE CITY PROVIDING TO HELP TO THOSE WHOSE GATEWAY IS BLOCKED AT THE RATE THE CITY IS GROWING? FUNDS ARE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND EXPERIENCE FOR ALL CITIZENS, VISITORS, AND BUSINESSES WHO HAVE TO NAVIGATE THE CONSTRUCTION.
WE WERE NOT ELIGIBLE TO, UM, QUALIFY FOR THE, UH, ARPA FUND BECAUSE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT THEY SET.
THEY DID NOT FACTOR IN, UH, HIGH INFLATION AND COST.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, INFLATION IS AT ITS HIGHEST.
AND, AND IT ONLY LOOKED AT REVENUE.
WE COULDN'T, WE ALL AGREE THAT INFLATION IS AT ITS HIGHEST AND WE ARE.
UM, AND WE COULD NOT GET TO THE CONSTRUCTION FUNDS BECAUSE WE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR ARPA.
YES, IT'S GREAT TO SHOW TO THE MEDIA.
THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE, BUT WHEN WE CAN'T ACCESS IT,
[01:05:01]
THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY IMPACTED CANNOT ACCESS TO IT.HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN THAT BE A TRUE STATEMENT? YOU KNOW? AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS ALSO FOR LISTENING.
'CAUSE I SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE LISTED OR THINGS THAT I HAD SPOKEN ABOUT AS WELL.
WELL, AND, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE ARE, IT'S A LITTLE TOO LATE FOR SOME OF US.
YOU KNOW, THAT THE CONSTRUCTION HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
AND WE WANT SAN ANTONIO TO BE AN EXAMPLE IN HOW TO GROW ACTIVE, UH, A CITY WITH MORE DISTINCTIVE AND EFFICIENCY.
YOU KNOW, WE WANNA BE THE LEADERS.
WE DON'T WANNA BE HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA BE SAN ANTONIO AND SHOW THAT WE COULD DO THESE THINGS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASK Y'ALL TO REMEMBER TO PLEASE HELP US IN OTHER WAYS, NOT JUST WITH SIGNAGE.
AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE DANIEL HICKS ON BOARD AS WELL, BECAUSE HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB, I THINK, ON GETTING THIS TOOLKIT TOGETHER.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE DO NEED MORE HELP, UM, TO THE, DIRECTLY TO THE BUSINESSES THROUGH SOME KIND OF LIKE, CREDIT OR, OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING.
HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS JEREMY ROBERTS.
I'M THE FORMER CHAIR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMISSION.
SO, THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY, I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DID IN THE SBA AND PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, AND THE TIME SPENT AS THE CHAIR, REALLY PROUD OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE WITH, UH, LINDSAY LOGAN, SARAH SHAKIEL, AND JIM HOLBECK.
UM, WE BROUGHT TOGETHER A SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THAT SUBCOMMITTEE WAS REALLY PULLED TOGETHER, AS WAS SAID, WITH ALL DIFFERENT PARTIES INVOLVED.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND EVERY SINGLE PARTY WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS, BUT THAT WAS ALSO AFTER THE FACT.
AS A LOT OF PEOPLE MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A WHILE AGO, BUT IT'S DONE.
SO WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
IT'S A MATTER OF PUTTING THESE EFFORTS INTO ACTION AND TESTING IT.
THERE IS NO ONE SOLUTION TO FIX ANYTHING.
BUT WE HAVE TO TRY A FEW THINGS AND TEST IT TO SEE WHAT WORKS.
NOT EVERYTHING ON THERE IS PERFECT, BUT EVERYTHING CAN BE TESTED TO SEE WHAT WORKS.
UM, WE BELIEVE THERE'S A SOLUTION, BUT THAT SOLUTION IS A COMBINATION, RIGHT? IT'S A COMBINATION OF SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM.
IN THE SHORT TERM, THERE NEEDS TO BE IMMEDIATE FUNDS THAT GOES TOWARDS SOME OF THESE STRUGGLING BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THIS PLAN CAME TOGETHER.
BUT YOU NEED A LONG-TERM PLAN.
THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.
THIS LONG-TERM PLAN IS AN ABSOLUTE GREAT PLACE TO START.
THE CITY, ALONG WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE, DID AN AMAZING JOB PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA WORK UNTIL WE TEST IT.
SO YOU MUST TODAY PUT THIS INTO ACTION.
AND IF WE CAN PUSH THIS FASTER, THE FASTER THE BETTER.
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO END WITH IS SAYING THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE BELIEVE THERE HAS TO BE A SHORT TERM AND A LONG TERM.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS IMMEDIATELY TO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED, BUT THEN ALSO PUT TOGETHER IN PLACE THE PLAN TO BUILD A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
WITHOUT THAT, YOU'RE BEING SHORTCHANGED AND IT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
SO MY CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW TO E W D C AND BACK TO CITY COUNCIL IS WHAT MORE CAN WE DO? RIGHT? LET'S NOT DO STATUS QUO.
LET'S NOT DO, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY.
LET'S NOT DO WELL, LET'S, UM, GO THROUGH A FEW MORE MEETINGS.
I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT MM-HMM.
WE'VE DONE ENOUGH MEETINGS, UM, AS THE FORMER CHAIR.
I, I FEEL LIKE WE DID A GREAT JOB OF THAT.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE DECISION HAS BEEN THROWN BACK TO YOU GUYS, AND NOW IT'S UP TO YOU TO PUT THIS INTO ACTION.
JUANITA RA IS THE LAST SPEAKER.
I AM ACTUALLY THE CURRENT CHAIR FOR THE SPAC.
AS MY COLLEAGUE STATED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE FABULOUS WORK, THE COMMITTEE, AND IN COMBINATION WITH SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS. IT IS A FOUNDATION THAT WE'RE BUILDING, AND IT IS THE INITIAL PHASE.
BUT I HAVE TO DO A, I DO HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE FORMER CHAIR THAT WE DO HAVE TO PUT SHORT TERM AND LONG TERMS, BUT WE CANNOT DISCARD ON WHAT E W D C TASKED US TO DO.
COME BACK AND ESTABLISH A PLAN.
WE'VE HEARD, AND IT'S BEEN ECHOED ACROSS EVERY ORGANIZATION, EVERY BUSINESS, AND EVERY DEPARTMENT TO WHERE WE CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER.
WE PUT A PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SUPPORT OF LINDA, UH, LINDSEY LOGAN, WHICH WAS THE CHAIR OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
WE WERE TASKED WITH CREATING SUBCOMMITTEES BECAUSE THEY WERE NEEDED.
WE WERE TASKED TO COME BACK WITH THE PLAN.
AND WE DO, AND AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENT IT.
NOW WE HAVE A PROGRAM, WE CANNOT GO
[01:10:01]
BACK AND FIX WHAT WAS, UH, FIX WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DAMAGED, BUT WE CAN GO BACK AND FIND METHODS TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE OUR CURRENT SMALL BUSINESSES CONDITIONS.YES, THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OTHER TYPE OF FUNDINGS AND IN SUPPORT OF THE MANY PROGRAM THAT THE, AGAIN, THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE MANY NUMEROUS EXAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT CITIES AND COUNTRIES.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
UM, SO POLITICS 1 0 1 IS, UH, YOU NEVER ADMIT A MISTAKE.
UH, YOU NEVER, YOU KNOW, RIGHT? YOU LET YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVE THE BAD NEWS.
AND YOU AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL ARE ALWAYS THE, UH, THE ONE THAT DELIVERS THE GOOD NEWS.
UM, UH, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, I, I, I THINK IT, IT WOULD BE DISINGENUOUS, UM, FOR US TO JUST CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE CREATING A NEW PROGRAM AND CONGRATULATIONS AND HOPE IT WORKS OUT, RIGHT? UM, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO COME WITH, UH, OWNING THE FACT THAT THIS CITY FOR DECADES HAS FAILED IN, UM, IN REGARDS TO CONSTRUCTION AND HOW IT, UH, IMPACTS SMALL BUSINESS.
AND I AM ONE MEMBER OF A CITY COUNCIL.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BEFORE US.
UM, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE 20, 30 YEARS AGO.
UM, IT MAY BE AUGIE THAT IT FEELS TOO LATE, UH, TOO LITTLE TOO LATE, RIGHT? UM, AND I AM NOT GONNA SPEND A SINGLE CALORIE TRYING TO DISABUSE YOU OF, OF, UH, OF, OF THAT CONCLUSION THAT YOU'VE COME TO.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN CRUSHED BY COVID AND YOU'VE BEEN CRUSHED BY THIS WEIRD ECONOMY, AND YOU'VE BEEN CRUSHED BY THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, BO TO YOUR FAMILY.
UM, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS, UH, WITHOUT SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY, UH, THAT IS MORE MEANINGFUL THAN THE ONE THAT, THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN.
RIGHT? UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WASN'T OUT OF A, UM, AND, AND I, I HOPE MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FAILURE TO HAVE DONE THIS OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS OF MY TERM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE PAST 30, 40 YEARS OF ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, ISN'T BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE SMALL BUSINESS AND WE DON'T CARE.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU, THERE'VE BEEN MANY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO'VE SERVED ON THIS CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING MYSELF, UM, WHO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LATE, UH, TO GETTING THIS DONE, BUT HOPEFULLY, UM, WE'LL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE LIFE A LITTLE BETTER GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? UM, PHIL HARDBERGER USED TO SAY THAT NOTHING IS MORE USELESS THAN THE, UH, THAN THE RUNWAY BEHIND YOU.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A, UM, THAT'S A CONDITIONAL STATEMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, NOTHING'S MORE USELESS THAN THE RUNWAY BEHIND YOU UNLESS YOU LEFT THAT RUNWAY DAMAGED.
RIGHT? AND SO, I'LL TELL YOU, THE BOY SCOUTS, WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY GO CAMPING IS, UM, THEY ACTUALLY, AFTER THEIR CAMPING TRIP, AND THEY ACTUALLY CLEAN UP, AND THEIR JOB IS TO TAKE OUT MORE TRASH, UH, THAN THEY LEFT AND THAT THEY CREATED, RIGHT? SO, IN OTHER WORDS, LEAVE PEOPLE BETTER OFF THAN YOU FOUND THEM.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TODAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, UH, LEAVE PEOPLE BETTER OFF THAN WE FOUND THEM.
UM, AND THERE'S NO DEBATE, RIGHT? INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE BUILT OUT.
UH, WHEN STREETS REACH F LEVEL, UH, AND THERE'S POTHOLES AND THERE'S NEW UTILITIES THAT NEED TO BE INSTALLED BECAUSE OLD UTILITIES ARE CRUMBLING, THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO RIP UP A ROAD AND INSTALL A NEW ONE, RIGHT? UM, BUT I WAS THERE WHEN HILDEBRAND WAS TORN UP, AND THOSE BUSINESSES WERE CRUSHED.
I WAS THERE WHEN LOUIS BARRIOS, UH, HAD HIS BUSINESS CRUSHED ALONG BLANCO, UH, WHAT WAS THAT, 20 YEARS AGO, ALMOST, RIGHT? UM, JUDGE ROSIE CASTRO TODAY, SHE AND I WERE BABY LAWYERS, RIGHT OUTTA LAW SCHOOL, AND SHE REPRESENTED RIGHT OUTTA LAW SCHOOL, ALL THOSE BUSINESSES ON BLANCO AND, AND HILDEBRAND, AND MADE A BIG STINK OF IT.
UM, AND IT, IT ALWAYS SURPRISED ME THAT EVEN, YOU KNOW, DESPITE THAT, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AS ROBUST A PROGRAM AS WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER TODAY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE CITY STILL HAS TO FIX ROADS, AND THE CITY STILL HAS TO WORK ON UTILITIES.
AND THIS IS A BALANCING OF INTERESTS HERE, RIGHT? AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONCE THIS ROAD GETS BUILT OUT AND THE SIDEWALK GETS, YOU KNOW, UH, CONSTRUCTED FOR YOU, AND THERE'S MORE CAPACITY ON THIS ROAD, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, HOPEFULLY IT'LL LEAVE YOU IN A BETTER PLACE.
BUT IF DURING THE PROCESS IT BANKRUPTED YOU, WELL, THEN WE FAILED, RIGHT? AND SO THE IDEA HERE IS, IS TO, UM, IS TO TRIAGE THE PATIENT WHILE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE'RE, UH, DOING SURGERY, RIGHT? SO, WITH THAT, LET ME, LET ME GO AND ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO, TO REACT TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE GOT, AND ALSO, UH, TO REACT TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR SPEAKERS.
UM, I'M GLAD THE SPEAKERS ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, GLEN, WITH GRUNT STYLE HAS BROUGHT REALLY GOOD IDEAS TO
[01:15:01]
OUR CITY.HE'S COMMUNICATED THEM CLEARLY.
HE'S NOT EVEN ADVOCATING FOR HIS OWN BUSINESS.
HE'S LOST OFF ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS, AND HE'S NOT, HE AND HIS CONCERN IS THE SMALL BUSINESSES, THE ONES WHO ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA GET RUN OUTTA BUSINESS BECAUSE HE HAS NATIONAL, UH, A BUSINESS THAT OPERATES NATIONALLY.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT GLEN SAID IS HE'S RUN OUTTA PATIENTS.
AND I WANNA SAY ALSO, I, TODAY, ALSO, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT I HAVE NOW ALSO RUN OUTTA PATIENTS TOO, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THESE BUSINESSES ON NORTH ST.
I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THESE BUSINESSES ON BROADWAY, AND IT'S FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.
CITY STAFF HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT PUT UP OBSTACLES, MAKE EXCUSES, AND, YOU KNOW, AND I, I WANNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT, UM, BECAUSE WHAT I SAW IN THIS PRESENTATION IS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH STAFFING SHORTAGES, INFLATION, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
THIS MONDAY, I WENT WITH THE SPURS AND I TOURED THEIR NEW HUMAN PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE, AND THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR NEW HEADQUARTERS.
THEY STARTED ON THAT A YEAR AGO.
THEY'VE CLEARED LAND, THEY'VE BUILT FOUNDATIONS.
THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR ROOF ON, THEY'VE BUILT OUT A PARK, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE DEALING WITH THOSE SAME CHALLENGES, AND WE CAN'T GET A LITTLE STRETCH OF A ROAD HERE AND THERE.
DONE, UM, DIEGO BERNAL CAME TO ME FOR FORMER STATE REP, A STATE REP, FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND HE SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, I DID THIS PROGRAM, UH, WHERE WE GAVE HELP WITH, UM, UTILITY BILL ASSISTANCE, AND I WENT TO CITY STAFF, AND THEY SAID, NOBODY, NOBODY DID THAT.
UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DIDN'T ADVERTISE IT WELL ENOUGH.
MAYBE WE MADE THE APPLICATIONS TOO BURDENSOME.
AND NOW, AND I'M FINDING OUT IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE FOUR THAT WERE APPROVED.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS ONLY LOANS.
LIKE AUGIE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING US TO GO INTO FURTHER DEBT, YOU KNOW, AND AT THIS POINT, LIKE THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S HELPFUL.
LIKE, LIKE THE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE ASKING, WE NEED A LONG-TERM PLAN.
WE NEED A SHORT-TERM PLAN, LIKE THE, THE LONG, THAT MAY BE USEFUL IN THE LONG-TERM PLAN, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE NEED DIRECT AID FOR THESE BUSINESSES.
UM, WHEN I WENT TO, I'VE GONE FOR MONTHS NOW TO CITY STAFF AND SAID, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S WORK OUT SOMETHING FOR DIRECT AID.
I'VE BEEN TOLD NO, I'VE BEEN TOLD, NO, IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.
NOW I FIND OUT WE'VE DONE IT, AND IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.
AND ALSO, WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A PRECEDENT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ASKING FOR MONEY GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE? IS IT GONNA BE A $20 MILLION LINE ITEM, A $30 MILLION LINE ITEM IN EVERY FISCAL YEAR BUDGET GOING FORWARD? NOW, I FIND OUT WE ACTUALLY DID $10,000 GRANTS IN THE MIDTOWN T.
AND SO WHAT I'M DOING, WHAT I'M GONNA DO RIGHT NOW IS I'M GONNA CHALLENGE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
LET'S GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE MIDTOWN T WE HAVE, WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THERE, AND IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED COMPLETELY TO THE WITTY, TO THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO.
SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS, I THINK WE CAN SKIMM OUTTA THAT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT AFFECT THOSE PROJECTS SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT COULD BE REALLY MEANINGFUL FOR THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GIVE DIRECT AID NOW.
AND ALSO, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE FACT THAT THE LAST AGENDA ITEM THAT WE JUST DID ON THE, ON THE SUTTON BUILDING FOR, UM, FOR, UH, VELOCITY TEXAS, THAT WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION SO WE COULD MOVE IT FORWARD.
THIS AGENDA ITEM WAS FOR BRIEFING ONLY.
THAT TELLS US THAT CITY STAFF DON'T SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT'S URGENT TO BE ADDRESSED.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS AND SAY, HEY, LET'S MOVE THIS TO FULL COUNSEL TODAY.
COUNCILMAN BRAVO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS ITEM TO FULL COUNSEL.
CAN I DO THAT? I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
THIS DOESN'T REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION.
WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS BRIEFING.
OKAY? THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THIS.
ALL RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, I SAW IN THERE, YEAH, ARPA FUNDS, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WELL, THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THOSE WERE OFFERED, I MEAN, THESE BUSINESSES WERE AFFECTED BY COVID TOO, BUT THE TIMELINES THAT WERE IMPOSED ON THEM BECAUSE OF WHEN THEY EARNED PROFITS, WHEN THEY WERE HURTING, WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE APPLICATIONS ALLOWED FOR.
AND SO THEY JUST GOT, YOU KNOW, THEY FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS, AND THAT'S IT.
AND WE HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING FOR THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LIST OF STREETS AND THESE BUSINESSES THAT QUALIFY, THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW, I DON'T SEE NORTH MAINE ON THERE.
AND THAT THE CHARLES JAMES BICYCLE SHOP, THE OLDEST BICYCLE BICYCLE SHOP IN THE, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IS ABOUT TO GO OUTTA BUSINESS.
THEY'RE BEGGING FOR HELP RIGHT NOW.
AND I DON'T SEE NORTH MAINE ON THERE.
AND I THINK THEY SHOULD, THEY SHOULD BE ADDED AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD STUFF THAT WE'RE, THAT, THAT WE HAVE FOR THE LONG TERM.
THIS IS WHAT, WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED IS GOOD FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT LIKE AUGIE SAID, IT'S, THAT'S NOT GONNA DO, DO THE TRICK AT THIS TIME.
AND LOOK IT, AUGIE, I MEAN, YEAH, AUGIE, YOU SAID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN IN A PAIN IN THE NECK.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN TALK, TALKING TO EVERYBODY.
AUGIE KNOWS ALMOST EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN TOWN, AUGIE'S DONATED ALL KINDS OF CAMPAIGNS, AND HE'S GETTING ZERO TRACTION.
IMAGINE THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO JUST OWNS A
[01:20:01]
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW CITY COUNCIL WORKS.
THEY DON'T KNOW TO COME AND SIGN UP.
LIKE, THEY CAN'T CALL ME THE MORNING OF AND SAY, HEY, COUNCILMAN, WHAT TIME IS THAT MEETING? I WANNA MAKE SURE I BE, I CAN BE THERE ON TIME.
WHERE DO I GO? RIGHT? THEY DON'T HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO US.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THOSE BUSINESSES? AND SO WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID.
WE NEED TO FAST TRACK THIS WORK.
ZERO INTEREST LOANS DON'T SUFFICE.
UM, SOME OF IT COULD BE IN THE FORM OF UTILITY, UH, BILL RELIEF, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF A SLOW ROLL, YOU KNOW? UM, SO WE NEED SOME DIRECT AID NOW, UM, SPECIFICALLY ON THIS PROGRAM.
I MEAN, I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TOO, IT'S TOO LITTLE TOO LATE FOR THAT.
THAT'S GREAT FOR THE BUSINESSES GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY IN THIS PROPOSAL FOR, IN MY MIND, THAT'S GREAT FOR WHAT RANDY CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE HIM EIGHT, EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN AID, RIGHT? AND HE'S GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA DO UTILITIES THERE THAT'S GONNA TEAR UP, TEAR UP ROADS.
HOW'S THAT GONNA IMPACT THOSE BUSINESSES? WE CAN BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I CALLED, UH, I TEXTED IN IN THIS MEETING, UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROD SANCHEZ, WHO OVERSEES PUBLIC WORKS, RIGHT? FOR THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
HE SAT IN THOSE MEETINGS WITH YOU AND ME, OGGIE, AND WITH GLEN, RIGHT? AND GLENN SAID, WHAT WE NEED, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS TO DO IS YOU HAVE PROJECT CENTRIC DELIVERABLES.
SO THOSE DELIVERABLES ARE, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE THIS TRENCH CUT? WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE THE UTILITIES PLAY PUT IN PLACE? WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE THE ROAD PAVED? WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE THE SIDEWALKS ON? HE SAID, WE NEED CUSTOMER OR STAKEHOLDER CENTRIC DELIVERABLES.
SO IF I'M A BUSINESS ON THAT ROAD, WHEN WILL MY CUSTOMERS HAVE ACCESS TO MY PARKING LOT? WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE IT? ARE YOU GONNA HAVE IT CLOSED DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER WHEN I DO MY MOST RETAIL BUSINESS? AND LUCKILY, THE CITY LISTENED TO THAT ONE, AND WE PUSHED BACK PART OF THE BROADWAY PROJECT TILL JANUARY FOR SOME OF THOSE RETAIL BUSINESSES.
BUT WE HAVEN'T CON, I MEAN, IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE GLENN PROPOSED THAT IDEA, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN A RESPONSE YET.
WHEN ARE WE GONNA CREATE THESE STAKEHOLDER CENTRIC DELIVERABLES? THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
UH, AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO CAME IN TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND CITY STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I, I AM A BIT CONCERNED, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I KNOW, UM, WELL, ONE, I I DO BELIEVE THIS DOES NEEDS TO BE, UH, EXECUTED, RIGHT? BUT I'M HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED.
HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM THE WORKS OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING, RIGHT? BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS PROSPER WEST IS ALREADY DOING THIS MARKETING OUTREACH.
SO MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS $400,000 ON SOMETHING THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY DOING.
UM, AND HOW CAN WE SHIFT TOWARDS THAT IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, RIGHT? AND ONE THING THAT CAME TO MIND WAS, UH, WITHIN OUR TOURS, BOARDS, RIGHT? WE GIVE SO MUCH MONEY TO BIG BUSINESS, AND WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, WE SEEM TO TO TO HOLD ONTO THAT MONEY VERY TIGHTLY.
UM, BUT WHEN WE HAVE MULTIMILLION BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESSES WITH THEIR HANDOUT, THEY GET IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE SMALL BUSINESSES WHERE THIS IS THEIR LIVELIHOOD, AND THEY'RE HAVING TO COME TO MEETING AFTER MEETING AFTER MEETING, AND THEN GO TO WORK.
AND I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY INSULTING TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS, UM, COMMUNITY THAT JUST CONTINUES TO HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE.
UM, BUT I, I CAN SOMEONE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR SMALL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALREADY DOING WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS, I UNDERSTAND THIS INCLUDES WAYFINDING, UH, AND, UH, I, I, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS OF ORGANIZATIONS RATHER ARE DOING? SO OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION PARTNERS DO NOT DO MARKETING ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESSES.
THIS WOULD BE PROVIDING DIRECT MARKETING ASSISTANCE.
THE CITY WOULD BE DOING IT ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESSES, THE CORRIDOR SAYING WHATEVER CORRIDOR IT MAY BE THAT THESE ARE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE STILL OPENING, TARGETING THOSE IN THE NEIGHBORING AREAS, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE DOING IT ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS.
BECAUSE AGAIN, RIGHT, I KNOW PROSPER WEST DOES THIS, I DO THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO PUT THOSE COVERS THAT SHOW WHAT THE VISION IS FOR THE AREA.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE DOING MORE, RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE CAN AGENDIZE A CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THE, THE TURS TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH LARGER GRANTS, UM, AND NOT LOANS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE CAN CONSIDER HAVING HERE, UH, CHAIR OR, UM, HOW CAN WE TAKE, TAKE UP THAT CONVERSATION? YEAH, I, THIS IS YOUR COMMITTEE AS MUCH AS IT IS MINE.
IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THIS, THEN YOU JUST, YOU JUST PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
[01:25:01]
YOU.I'M GONNA START WITH WHAT I LIKE, WHICH IS THE SMALL BUSINESS TOOLKIT.
I LIKE THAT PORTION OF THIS PRESENTATION, UH, THE INFORMATION, AND I, I, I'M FEELING THAT THERE IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THIS COMMITTEE AND THE SS A C, WHICH WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AT A FUTURE TIME.
BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD COMING OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE BEFORE COUNCILMAN BRAVO GOT HERE, IS THAT WE WENT TO LOOK AT THAT 2014 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND APPROVE UPON UPON THAT WHAT I GOT TODAY WAS NOT WHAT, WHAT WE HAD REQUESTED.
WE USED TERMS LIKE IMMEDIATE, WE USED TERMS LIKE RELIEF.
AND WHAT I HAVE HERE IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT OUR BDOS DO.
SO THE ONLY PORTION OF THIS I THINK, WORKS IS THE SMALL BUSINESS TOOLKIT.
AND MAYBE IT'S BE, AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THE SUBCOMMITTEE DID NOT HAVE A DISTRICT THREE OR DISTRICT FIVE REPRESENTATIVE ON THERE, BECAUSE IF WE LOOK AT SLIDE FIVE, SIX OF THOSE PROJECTS BORDER IN MY DISTRICT.
SO WHAT I WANNA KNOW, UH, IS IF THAT SUBCOMMITTEE WENT OUT TO ALL OF THOSE AREAS AND TALKED TO THOSE, THOSE BUSINESSES, SO COUNCILWOMAN, WHEN, WHEN THE COMMISSION VOTED TO CREATE THE SUBCOMMITTEE, THE CHAIR PUT OUT THE CALL TO THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE, THE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT DID, WERE THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS THAT VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO I, AND THEN, AND THEN, THEN AGAIN, ASK THE QUESTION, WHY, WHY DID ONLY THREE INDIVIDUALS WANNA SERVE ON THAT SUBCOMMITTEE? I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, SOME OF THESE STREETS ARE NOT WALKABLE.
UM, WHAT, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE NEED RELIEF, WHETHER IT'S UTILITIES, UH, RENTAL, MORTGAGE, THEY NEED RELIEF, WHETHER IT COMES IN A GRANT OR A LOAN.
HOW DO WE WORK THAT OUT? THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS IS.
AND I, I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THAT 300,000 AND A PORTION OF THAT UNIFIED BRANDING, STA STRATEGY AND, UH, TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS COME FROM ANOTHER PORTION OF THE BUDGET AND TRY AND ACTUALLY GET AN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, MOM AND POP BUSINESSES, LEGACY FAMILY BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT ON NECESSARILY THE INTERNET.
AND I HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE CITY DOING THE MARKETING.
IF THE CITY ISN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE, THAT CUSTOMER BASE OF, LET'S SAY, NIETZSCHE'S, YOU KNOW, OR LASPAS OR JCS HAIR SALON ON ROOSEVELT, HOW ARE YOU GONNA MARKET TO THOSE PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM IN THE COMMUNITY? UH, AND SO I HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS FOR LEGAL BEFORE WE DO THAT, BECAUSE THEN WHAT RESPONSIBILITY IS, IS OURS IF, IF PEOPLE STILL DON'T COME.
SO I THINK THERE, THERE IS A HUGE DISCONNECT.
THIS, THIS ISN'T WHAT WE ASKED FOR.
I, I DO LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESS TOOLKIT.
THAT'S, I THINK, GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL.
BUT FOR THE REST OF IT, THIS IS A BRIEFING PURPOSE.
BUT I DIDN'T WANNA HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS BEFORE THE, DURING THE CHRISTMAS BREAK, BUT I'M WILLING TO, TO GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T, I'M NOT, I'M NOT PLEASED AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO, WHO CAME OUT AND WHO CONTINUE COMING OUT AND, AND ADVOCATING, UM, SOMETIMES NOT FOR YOURSELVES, BUT FOR OTHERS.
AND THEN THANK YOU ALSO, UM, DANIEL HICKS, IT, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE PUT A LOT OF WORK IN, IN THIS AND ASPECT.
AND JUANITA, UH, CURRENT CHAIR IS, UH, FROM D FOUR, AND I KNOW SHE, SHE SPENDS A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, LITERALLY VISITING DOOR TO DOOR, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACT SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED, I, I UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CONCERNS THAT, THAT, THAT MY COLLEAGUE IS RAISING ABOUT, UM, PARTICIPATION.
UM, AND SO IN GENERAL, I THINK PARTICIPATION NEEDS TO, NEEDS TO IMPROVE ACROSS, UM, COMMITTEES, BUT IT'S SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO THEN I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY, THEY CAN'T BE PRESENT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'RE THE ONLY PERSON RUNNING THE SHOW.
AND RAZZY WALKED IN WITH PERFECT TIMING, BECAUSE I'M GONNA HAVE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS.
ROD SANCHEZ WAS HERE EARLIER, SO, UM, UH, I WAS GONNA ASK HIM THE HARD QUESTIONS, BUT YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA BE, YOU'RE GONNA DO JUST GREAT ROSS.
[01:30:01]
UM, BUT I'M, I'M PLEASED TO DISCUSS THIS.THERE'S, THERE'S NEVER GONNA BE ENOUGH MONEY.
AND, UM, WHEN I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES, IF WE CAN ADD THIS, I KNEW IT WASN'T GONNA BE ENOUGH MONEY.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS, UM, UH, FISCAL YEAR FOR, UH, FOR, FOR THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ALREADY CAUSED.
UM, WE ALSO SECURED SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE COVID IMPACT GRANTS, AND I APPRECIATE THIS COMMITTEE FOR BEING ABLE TO, TO READJUST AND FOCUS ON THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
BUT ON SLIDE THREE, WE SEE PREVIOUS AND ONGOING INITIATIVES, UM, THROUGH THE MIDTOWN, TURS AND, AND ARPA.
UM, WERE THERE RESTRICTION RESTRICTIONS THERE ON HOW BUSINESSES COULD SPEND THAT MONEY THAT THEY WERE, UM, GRANTED AT THOSE TIMES? I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS.
AND SO, AND I, I THINK I'M, I'M, I KIND OF CAME TO THE SAME REALIZATION THAT COUNCILMAN BRAVO DID, RIGHT? SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THIS HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND SO IT WAS BEFORE OUR TIME.
SO DON'T, DON'T NECESSARILY, UM, WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE KNOWN.
I, I KNOW ABOUT SOME BUSINESSES THAT WERE AFFECTED IN, IN DISTRICT FOUR BEFORE MY TIME ALSO, AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD, HAD BEEN OUT THERE.
SO I WISH I WOULD'VE KNOWN THAT BECAUSE THEN MY FOCUS WOULD'VE BEEN ON, REPLICATE THAT, RIGHT? BUT, UM, MULTIPLY IT TIMES 10 OR SOMETHING BECAUSE OF WHAT COVID DID.
SO I DO THINK THAT MAYBE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY I'D BE WILLING TO ALSO COME BACK IF WE, UM, NEEDED TO, TO RECONSIDER NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS, AND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER THAT HELP TO KINDLY TAKE A, A COMPLETE 360 ALMOST ON THIS, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DID ADVOCATE FOR THE, THE PLAN, UM, AS IS WITH SOME ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE, ET CETERA.
BUT I WAS ALSO, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M, IT'S SHAMEFUL, RIGHT? THAT WE HADN'T ALREADY INCLUDED THIS AS PART OF THE PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I'M GONNA, AS FAR AS, UM, PROBABLY LOOK INTO, UM, A C C R ON CONTRACTOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE BUDGETING AT LEAST ONE TO 2% FOR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION FOR ANY BOND PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF BUDGETING FOR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION IMPACT.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT IT OUT THERE FOR, FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT I'LL PROBABLY BE WORKING ON A C C R OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? WITH PUBLIC WORKS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT WE GET THIS A A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S EVER GONNA BE RIGHT, BUT AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN PERFORMING THIS, UM, THE CITY'S APPROACH, QUITE HONESTLY, HAS BEEN ANTI-BUSINESS ANTIS, SMALL BUSINESS, THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS.
AND WHETHER IT, THAT THAT WAS, UH, AND THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE INTENTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE I, I DO FEEL THE CITY OPERATES IN SILOS AND WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT WE DO.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS IS SET OUT TO DO WHAT THEY DO.
E D D IS, IT'S SET OUT TO DO WHAT THEY DO.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFOCUS AND, AND RESET.
THESE ARE OUR PROJECTS, THESE ARE OUR STREETS, AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO TODAY WE WERE ASKED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WAS GONNA ASK FOR WHEN I CAME INITIALLY, WHAT OTHER THE RESOURCES WERE ASKED FOR FROM THE, UH, THROUGH THE SPAC.
UM, I HEAR ABOUT, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT WHAT WERE THE SOLUTIONS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED? I, I DIDN'T ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS, BUT CAN SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT THAT? USUALLY, I, I ASK MY STAFF, IF YOU'RE GONNA COME WITH ME, THE PROBLEM WITH A PROBLEM, ALSO PROPOSE A SOLUTION.
SO I, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT'S KIND OF HOW, HOW WE OPERATED.
WAS THERE ANY IDEAS, UM, THAT WERE BROUGHT ABOUT THAT WEREN'T PRESENTED TODAY, MAYBE BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS? UM, ANNA? SURE.
SO A A NUMBER OF IDEAS FROM THE COMMISSION.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT.
THEY DID MENTION PROVIDING DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE, WHETHER GRANTS OR LOANS, UM, AGAIN, WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE $400,000 MM-HMM.
UM, A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, UH, SURROUNDING THE USE OF, UM, LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IF THEY ARE ACCESSED TO ON THE, THE CONTRACTOR, UM, WORKING WITH LEGAL AND FINANCE, UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING POSSIBLE AS THAT'S BOND FUNDING.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF THE, THE SUGGESTIONS WERE ALSO AROUND, UM, I MEAN, THERE WAS TALK OF WAY FINDING MARKETING, UM, BUT SURE, I THINK THE, THE ONE THAT WE REALLY WEREN'T ABLE TO GO FORWARD WITH WAS THE DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
AND, AND I THINK THAT I SEE IN THE, THE LAST SLIDE, AND THIS WAS REALLY EYE-OPENING TO ME, RIGHT? AND SO $25 MILLION SPENT IN CANADA, IN QUEBEC, AND IN MONTREAL, UM, TOTAL.
AND SO THAT DENVER, COLORADO IS ABLE TO USE $5 MILLION WORTH OF ARPA FUNDED.
[01:35:01]
WONDERING LIKE, UH, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY, AND, AND THIS IS FOR CHAIR, FOR THE CHAIR, RIGHT? UM, THAT WE COME BACK AND FOCUS RIGHT ON WHAT CAN BE DONE INSTEAD IN DIRECT ASSISTANCE.ALTHOUGH I DO BELIEVE THAT WE STILL NEED SOME ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE.
WE ALWAYS NEED, LIKE, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO FIND PARKING.
LIKE I, I WENT LAST WEEK TO, TO UGGIES.
IT TOOK US QUITE A, AND THEN COUNCIL MC CASTILLO AND COUNCILMAN BRAVO WERE THERE AS WELL.
IT TOOK US QUITE SOME TIME TO FIND IT.
RIGHT? AND WE KNOW, WE KNOW WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED.
UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON, ON DIRECT ASSISTANCE NEXT.
SO, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU'RE ASKING ME WHETHER OR NOT THIS COUNCIL, THIS COMMITTEE CAN TAKE UP THAT ISSUE AT A FUTURE DATE.
COUNCIL MC CASTILLO, WHAT'S THE ANSWER? YES.
YOU JUST DID, YOU JUST PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
YOU WANNA DO A SECOND ROUND? ROUND? THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA, YOU WERE THINKING ALONG THE RIGHT LINES OF, UH, BUILDING THIS INTO THE BOND PROJECTS, A PERCENTAGE FOR THESE COMPANY, THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ADVERSELY IMPACTED.
AND I ACTUALLY WENT DOWN THAT ROUTE.
BUT THE CHALLENGE THERE IS BONDS CAN ONLY LEGALLY BE USED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER MECHANISM.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS, WHAT WE COULD DO IS, UM, THERE ARE, YOU CAN WRITE A CONTRACT AND THIS ISN'T GONNA HELP THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
WE STILL NEED DIRECT AID FOR THEM NOW.
UH, BUT GOING FORWARD, I THINK WHAT WE COULD DO, AND OZZY'S HERE, RAZZY, WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD WRITE OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS SUCH THAT IF THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTOR HAS A TIME IN WHICH THEY HAVE TO FINISH THE PROJECT, AND IF THEY'RE OVER ON THAT TIME, WE CAN FIND THEM EVERY DAY.
WE CAN FIND THEM $10,000 A DAY OR WHATEVER IT IS.
WE COULD TAKE THOSE FINES AND SAY, THOSE FINES GET TURNED OVER DIRECTLY TO THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
SO IF YOU'RE SIX MONTHS LATE TIMES, WHATEVER THAT FINE IS ON A DAILY BASIS, THAT'S, WE FIND A WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS TO THOSE BUSINESSES.
'CAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE REALLY HURTING.
YEAH, COUNCILMAN AND A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE.
WE REALLY NEED TO KIND OF ADDRESS THIS ONE ON NUMBER OF THE ISSUE, NOT JUST ONLY ONE AREA.
ONE IS WE ARE GOING TO BRING TO CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL EARLY NEXT YEAR FOR RESPONSIBLE WEATHER ORDINANCE.
FIRST WE REALLY NEED TO HIRE THOSE CONTRACTORS, CANNOT DO A GOOD JOB AND FINISH THE PROJECT ON TIME.
SECOND THING, WE AS A DEPARTMENT NEED TO HAVE A GOOD REALLY COMMUNICATION WITH THE BUSINESSES AND THE STAKEHOLDER AND ALSO MAKE SURE WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR CONCERN.
SOMETIME THINGS CHANGE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.
WE REALLY WANTED THEM TO TELL US IF THEY NEED HAS BEEN CHANGED.
WE NEED TO, FOR EXAMPLE, ON BROADWAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.
THEY ASK US TO NOT WORK DURING DECEMBER BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIGGEST SALE THEY HAVE.
AS LONG AS THEY TELL US THOSE RESTRICTION, WE MAKE SURE WE HONOR THOSE.
THE OTHER THING IS WE ARE LOOKING TO DO ON THE, SOME OF THE CRITICAL PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN PROJECT, WE REALLY NEED TO PUT POSSIBLE, IF THE PROJECT BUDGET ALLOWS US INCENTIVE, IF THEY FINISH EARLY, NOT JUST ON TIME EARLY, WE WILL PAY THEM SO MUCH PER DAY.
WE ARE LOOKING TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE SENSITIVE PROJECT.
AND OF COURSE, PROJECT BUDGET ALSO HAS THE ALLAH.
WE ARE LOOKING TO DO THAT ONE AND BETTER COMMUNICATION IN THE PAST.
WHEN WE GO TO THE, HERE WE ARE MEETING MOST OF THE TIME WE SHOW WHAT PROJECT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AFTER WE BUILD, WHICH IS VERY NICE PICTURE.
WE HAD TWO, THREE WEEKS AGO ON SOUTH ELMO PROJECT.
WE ALSO SHOW THEM DURING CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE SOME CHALLENGE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND AND THEY CAN TELL US THEIR NEED DURING THAT TIME.
I'M GONNA JUMP IN 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO EAT UP ALL MY TIME, BUT YEAH, I DO.
INCENTIVES NEED TO BE THERE ARE, ARE THE CONTRACTORS ON NORTH ST.
MARY'S AND ON THE CONTRACTORS ON BROADWAY BEING FINED FOR EVERY DAY.
THEY HAVEN'T REACHED THE CRITICAL TIME WE HAD SCHEDULED, BUT IF THEY EXCEED OUR CONTRACTS HAS A LIQUIDATED DAMAGE FOR THE PROJECT.
AND THEN, UM, RAZZI, SOMETIMES YOUR DEPARTMENT WILL APPROACH ME AND THEY SAY, COUNCILMAN, YOU KNOW, YOU HA WE HAD SCHEDULED TO, TO REPAVE THESE PI SIDEWALKS IN YOUR DISTRICT AND FOR WHATEVER REASON IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO DO THOSE RIGHT NOW.
WHY DON'T WE BUMP THOSE BACK A YEAR AND THEN LET'S TAKE SOME, TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND APPLY 'EM TO ANOTHER PROJECT.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO TAKE SOME KIND OF ROAD PROJECT AND TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND BUMP THEM BACK A YEAR AND APPLY THOSE FUNDS TO NORTH ST.
MARY'S OR APPLY THOSE FUNDS TO BROADWAY SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE JOBS DONE SOONER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE CREWS WORK AT NIGHT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE WHATEVER IT IS, CREWS WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
MARY, WE ARE MEETING AT ONE O'CLOCK TODAY,
[01:40:01]
BE FOUR, FOUR O'CLOCK, WHERE EVERY WEEK WE HAVE TO OFFER THE CONTRACTOR.THEY ARE KIND OF HURTING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
WE WANNA SEE IF WE PROVIDE THEM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
WHAT THAT WHAT I MEAN WE HAVE ON-CALL CONTRACTOR IF THAT CAN BE HELD, MAYBE WE END UP DOING THE SIDEWALK ON NORTH ERY STILL OUR MAIN CONTRACTOR DOES WHAT THEY DO, THEN WE CAN BRING SOME OTHER RESOURCES.
WE ARE GOING TO MEET WITH THEM AT ONE O'CLOCK AND DISCUSS THIS.
OKAY, WELL, IF THERE'S A WAY WHERE I CAN BUMP ONE OF MY PROJECTS IN DISTRICT ONE AND APPLY THOSE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING DONE FASTER, I WANT TO DO THAT SO FAR IS REALLY, FUNDING IS NOT THE ISSUE.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH CONTRACT TO SEE HOW CAN WE ADD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR HIS GROUP.
WE COULD DELAY ANOTHER DISTRICT ONE PROJECT AND PUT THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GONNA GO TO THAT, TO THIS ONE INSTEAD, WE CAN COUNCIL, MA'AM.
AND THEN I WILL CLOSE WITH WHAT I DO.
LIKE ALSO WHAT I SAW IN THIS PROPOSAL FOR CITY STAFF IS, UM, AN INVESTMENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING A BETTER JOB OF NOTIFYING, UM, YOU KNOW, G P S MAP, UM, COMPANIES ABOUT WHEN WE HAVE ROAD CLOSURES.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO GET ON NOW.
UM, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PAIN FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO BE USING WAZE OR GOOGLE MAPS OR WHATEVER THEIR APP IS AND BE DRIVING AND THEN HIT A, A ROAD THAT'S BEEN CLOSED FOR A WEEK.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR, UM, G P S THINKS THAT YOU CAN STILL GO THROUGH THERE AND THEN YOU GET REROUTED.
IT JUST CAUSES MORE CON CONGESTION DOWNTOWN.
SO I LIKE SEEING THAT IN THERE AND I WOULD LIKE TO FAST TRACK THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT.
I, I WANTED TO CLARIFY MY ASK ON THE TOURS ITEM.
UM, MY ASK IS THAT IF WE CAN IDENTIFY THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AND IDENTIFY THE NEAREST TURS OR THE, THE TOURS THAT THEY SIT IN, AND IF WE CAN IDENTIFY, UM, IF THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE A ONE-TIME GRANT, RIGHT? BECAUSE HEARING THE STORIES OF THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS REMINDS ME OF A LOT OF RENTERS WHO CAME, UH, TO MY OFFICE AND TO PUBLIC COMMENT EXPRESSING HOW THEY WERE GOING TO BE EVICTED AND WHAT WE DID AT THE TIME.
THE CITY WAS THAT IMMEDIATE, UH, ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF, RIGHT? AND UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, BUT THE HOPE AND GOAL IS THAT WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER, UM, ST.
THAT WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER BROADWAY, RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S THE GOAL.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARDS, TO WHERE BUSINESSES AREN'T IMPACTED TO THE SAME EXTENT THAT THOSE ALONG ST.
MARY'S AND BROADWAY HAVE BEEN.
UM, AND IF WE CAN IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR A ONE-TIME GRANT TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES.
SO, UM, NO COUNCILMAN ANY SECOND ROUND OR ARE YOU OKAY? NO, COUNCILMAN.
UM, I THINK STAFF, WHAT YOU'VE HEARD IS A SENSE OF URGENCY ON, ON THE PART OF THE MEMBERS OF, OF THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, I HAVE A FEELING THAT IF WE, UH, TAKE THIS CONVERSATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL, UM, YOU'LL, YOU'LL HEAR A LOT OF, UH, ALL OF THIS ECHOED BY THE MEMBERS WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY, UM, I HAVE, UH, FAMILY THAT OWNS PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO YOU, AGI, UH, WITH A BUSINESS OUT THERE, UH, THAT BROADWAY AT THE BACKYARD.
UM, AND WE HAVE A, UM, THIS HAS KICKED US IN THE GUT TOO, RIGHT? UM, ALSO FOR MY LAW FIRM, WE REPRESENT CONVENIENCE STORES.
AND NOTHING IS MORE DEVASTATING THAN A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN FRONT OF A CONVENIENCE STORE BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST NOT TURN RIGHT OR TURN LEFT INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE, THEY'LL JUST GO FIND ANOTHER ONE, RIGHT? UM, AND SO, UH, THOSE CONVENIENCE STORES ARE OWNED BY MOSTLY, UH, SOUTHEAST ASIANS, RIGHT? AND, UM, I MEAN, THIS IS A VULNERABLE POPULATION TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE PARTICULARLY CRUEL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, WE, WE DID HEAR, UH, A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UM, JEREMY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE LEADER OF SBA C UH, OR YOU, YOU'RE, WELL, NOT, NOT ANYMORE, BUT, UH, YOU WERE THE LEADER OF SBA C AS ALL OF THIS WAS BEING PREPARED.
CAN, CAN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM REAL QUICK? AND AUGIE, I KNOW YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, SO WE'LL GET TO YOU.
UM, CAN, CAN YOU TELL ME A, BECAUSE I'M, I'M NOW CURIOUS RIGHT, ABOUT WHY PEOPLE DIDN'T STEP UP, UH, AND, UH, WHEN THEY WERE OFFERED THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE, UM, TRAFFIC MITIGATION OR CONSTRUCTION, THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
THAT SUBCOMMITTEE, YEAH, SURE.
UM, SO JUST TO CONFIRMATION, I AM THE FORMER CHAIR, BUT FORMER CHAIR.
UH, SO A AS Y'ALL KNOW, CITY COUNCIL, EACH THERE, THERE'S 15 SPECIFIC, UM, POSITIONS FOR THE SS A C OF THOSE THAT ARE 10 THAT ARE APPOINTED BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERY MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO APPOINT SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA PUT IN THE HARD WORK AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
UM, I WORKED WITH THE CITY AND, AND WE DID, UM, FREQUENT COMMUNICATIONS TO VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE SAC, UH, EVEN CALLING DIFFERENT PEOPLE, BRINGING UP IN MEETINGS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WE GOT ALL THE HELP THAT, THAT WE ASKED FOR.
UM, I DID EVEN TRY TO SPEAK TO CERTAIN PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY AND ASK THEM TO STEP UP.
[01:45:01]
LOT OF RESPONSES, BUT THE THREE PEOPLE THAT DID IT WORKED VERY HARD AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.AND THEN AS FAR AS, UM, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I SEE THIS AS A ONE TOOL, RIGHT? FOR ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESSES, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION.
AUGIE AND FRIENDS WHO SHOWED UP AND BO THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO ALL SMALL BUSINESS ISSUES THAT, UM, ARE CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL'S FUNCTIONS.
UM, IT IT, I IMAGINE THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A, I, I DON'T IMAGINE, I KNOW, BUT CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US, UH, WHAT IT IS YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THAT WOULD COMPLIMENT THIS? SO REALLY IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, I MEAN, I, I KNOW THE, THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE DETAIL AND ALSO THE CURRENT CHAIR, THE CURRENT CHAIR RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE ALL, WHEN I WAS THERE, WE SAW THIS AS A PHASE ONE.
WE SAW THIS AS A FIRST PLAN THAT HAD TO TEST IN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.
WHETHER IT'S DATA, WHETHER ANY INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD, YOU HAVE TO PUT SOMETHING INTO ACTION AND YOU HAVE TO TEST IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T TEST IT, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA WORK.
YOU CAN'T JUST SPECULATE AND GUESS.
THIS ENTIRE PLAN WAS PUT TOGETHER.
THE CITY STAFF DID AN AMAZING JOB PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
WE JUST HAVE TO PUT INTO ACTION AND TEST IT.
OUR JOB OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I REMEMBER HEARING CITY STAFF SAY.
AND I KNOW EACH MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS A A DISTRICT WILL BE OUT THERE CONTINUALLY WORKING WITH THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES TO, TO MAKE SURE THIS GOES INTO ACTION.
UM, MY FINAL COMMENT, UM, IS THAT ALEX, YOU, YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE 13,000 PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US, OR 12,000 PLUS PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, THESE ARE SAN ANTONIOS TOO.
THEY, THEY ALL WANT CLEAN PARKS, RIGHT? SAFE STREETS, SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY ALSO WANT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO FINISH, YOU KNOW, ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.
UM, AND, UH, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, EITHER BY WAY OF THEIR FAMILIES OWNING THEM OR BEING EMPLOYED BY THEM, OR JUST SIMPLY BEING, UH, CONSUMERS.
AND SO, UM, I I DON'T ASSIGN TO, UH, TO YOU OR BRENDA, YOU KNOW, UM, NEFARIOUS INTENT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN NOT BRINGING THIS IN, UH, SOONER.
UH, I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SCRUBBING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS RIGHT, DONE CORRECTLY, AND THAT WE DON'T MISS, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY OPPORTUNITIES.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS FIRST PHASE ONE, RIGHT? UM, AND SO I EXPECT YOU GUYS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US ON, ON DELIVERING ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
YOU HEARD COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ASK FOR A VERY SPECIFIC ITEM THAT BE BROUGHT TO THE AGENDA.
UH, YOU HEARD COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ROCHA GARCIA TALK, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A VERY SPECIFIC ITEM THAT SHE WANTS BROUGHT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE.
LET'S TALK, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THAT ON THE CALENDAR.
UM, AND YOU HEARD SOME OF MARIO BRAVO'S ASKS AS WELL, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT SOME OF THAT ON THE CALENDAR AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE TIME CONVERSATION WHERE WE VENTILATED A WHOLE BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW, UH, RAW EMOTIONS AND, AND GOOD IDEAS, BUT THAT THERE'S ACTUAL SOME CONCRETE FOLLOW UP SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, OGGIE, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD WE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT YOU THE, UH, THE ENTIRE TIME.
HEY, BUT SERIOUSLY, LIKE ALL OF US HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE, SO DON'T THANK YOU.
SO, SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YES, WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT CONSTRUCTION'S A HUGE MAJOR EFFECT ON SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT NOW WE HAVE TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF PROJECTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
HOW MANY MORE PERMITS ARE GONNA BE GRANTED TO BIG PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT ARE GONNA START NEW PROJECTS? MM-HMM.
SO WHAT'S THE CITY GONNA DO? HOW ARE WE GONNA MANAGE THAT? HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE GONNA ALLOW MORE BUSINESSES TO, TO START CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS? HOW ABOUT WE, WE FINISH WHAT WE'VE GOT STARTED RIGHT NOW AND COMPLETE 80% OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND GET OUR CITY BACK MOVING AGAIN, AND THEN START GRANTING THESE, THESE PERMITS TO GO AHEAD AND START DOING THAT.
I KNOW THAT'S GONNA TOUCH ON BIG BUSINESS GUYS THAT ARE GONNA COME IN AND SAY, WAIT, WAIT, WHAT'S THIS GUY TALKING ABOUT? BUT THOSE GUYS HAVE THE ASSETS AND FUNDS AND A JOB TO WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND BETTER PLANNING, IF YOU WILL.
BUT THESE BIG MAJOR PROJECTS NEED TO SLOW DOWN FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
THERE'S WHAT, 25, 30 OF THEM WITHIN LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE RADIUS DOWNTOWN AND EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING WORKED ON THE DETOURS GET CONTINUOUSLY MOVED AROUND.
SO THERE'S NO TRUE PATH ANYWHERE DOWNTOWN.
JUST LOOK RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR.
THESE THINGS NEED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE WE OFFER AND GRANT NEW PERMITS.
SEE, I KNOW SOMETHING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO THAT AREN'T GONNA COST A PENNY, C P S SAWS, CITY TAXES AND GRANT AND OR RENT RELIEF
[01:50:01]
FOR PEOPLE LIKE US, THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY OUT TO HELP US SURVIVE.YOU HAD COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IT'S OKAY.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY VERY QUICKLY.
UM, COUNCILMAN GARCIA, WHEN YOU ASKED ME IF THE FUNDING, ANY OF THE PREVIOUS FUNDING THAT WE'VE REFERENCED HAD ANY KIND OF RESTRICTIONS, UM, THE GRANT PROGRAMS DID NOT, BUT THE BLANCO ROAD THAT WAS LIMITED TO UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
SO I I HIT ME ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT THERE, THERE WAS A RESTRICTION THERE.
UM, THE LOAN INTEREST BUYDOWN PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, THERE IS NO RESTRICTION.
A BUSINESS OWNER COULD USE IT FOR WHATEVER THEY NEEDED.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO BRING UP IS JUST I, I DON'T KNOW, UM, I KNOW THERE WAS QUESTIONS ABOUT SBA AND THE SUBCOMMITTEES INTENT AND, AND PARTICIPATION.
I DON'T WANNA, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE DIRECT OUTREACH THAT THE STAFF AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAD WITH ACTUAL BUSINESS OWNERS, ASIDE FROM THOSE SPAC MEMBERS, WAS ALSO CRITICAL IN INFORMING THE STRATEGY.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A FIRST, IT'S AN INTRODUCTORY STEP AT, AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING DIFFERENTLY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, WHAT WE HEARD FROM THOSE BUSINESSES THOUGH, WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS KNOW HOW TO GET TO THEM.
THEY, THEY'RE PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO AND THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE AND THE GOODS THAT THEY PROVIDE, AND THEY WANNA MAKE SURE CUSTOMERS CAN GET TO THEM.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION THROUGH VARIOUS MARKETING EFFORTS, CAN STILL GET TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO CON, TO CONDUCT THAT COMMERCE THAT IS THEIR PRIORITY.
WE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THOSE BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY WANNA DO, UM, AS PART OF THIS, THIS PILOT AND, AND THIS INITIATIVE HERE.
UM, I, I, I'M SORRY FOR BELABORING THIS OR, OR EXTENDING THIS MEETING FURTHER THAN IT, THAN IT SHOULD HAVE, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING, UM, WE JUST GOT OUR, UH, ATTENDANCE REPORTS FROM THE, UH, SUBCOMMITTEES, RIGHT? AND THE COMMITTEES, UM, I, I'M GOING THROUGH THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT EXEMPLARY ATTENDANCE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT I APPOINT TO THESE COMMITTEES PROMISE ME THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT IN THE WORK.
UM, AND IF THEY'RE NOT, I'LL KICK 'EM OFF.
UM, AND, UM, ADDITIONALLY, BUT I, I THINK TO, TO MR. ROBERT'S POINT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SEND UP QUALITY CANDIDATES WHO ARE THERE FOR MORE THAN JUST A MONTHLY SANDWICH, RIGHT? UM, AND IF, AND IF THEY'RE BEING GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO STEP UP AND ACTUALLY DO WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO AND LEAD, AND THEY JUST SAY, NO THANKS, WELL THEN IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAYBE HIT THE RESET BUTTON ON WHO WE SENT UP THERE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE NOT ADDING VALUE, THEN, UM, THEY'RE JUST IN THE WAY.
WE, WE DID, BUT WE, WE CAN, WE CAN HOLD OFF.