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IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR SEATS.
HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? OKAY, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
TIME IS 2:14 PM ON THE 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2023.
AND WE'LL BEGIN OUR B SESSION NOW.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER GALLAGHER HERE.
AND WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B
[ ITEMS ]
SESSION.WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER IMMEDIATELY TO ERIC WALSH, OUR CITY MANAGER TO GET US STARTED.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM WILL BE A STAFF, UM, PRESENTATION ON A RECOMMENDED PROGRAM, UM, THAT, UM, IS GEARED TOWARDS, UM, A CONVERSATION THAT BEGAN, UH, IN DECEMBER WITH THE E W D C COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, WE, UH, WORKED OVER THE HOLIDAYS TO, UM, PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL, UM, THAT ADDRESSES SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT TALKED THAT, THAT THE COMMITTEE TALKED ABOUT.
AND, AND NAMELY THE CONVERSATION THAT REVOLVED AROUND THE DECEMBER CONVERSATION WAS THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM THAT THE COUNCIL FUNDED AT $400,000 IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THAT WAS A, A, AN AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS OFFERED BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA DURING THE ADOPTED BUDGET PROCESS, AND REALLY GEARED TOWARDS, UM, ENHANCING OUR COMMUNICATION AND, UM, CONNECTION WITH AFFECTED STAKEHOLDERS AS IT RELATES TO CAPITAL PROGRAM, UM, PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, AND FRANKLY, AND I THINK SOME OF THE CONVERSATION THAT, UM, THAT WE REALIZED AS WE DID THE BEST PRACTICE REVIEW WAS THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME, UM, FOR AREAS.
UM, AND, AND SO NO DOUBT THAT PROGRAM, UM, HAS BEEN EXECUTED AND KICKED OFF AND FUNDED THIS YEAR.
BUT PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT OCCURRED AT THE DECEMBER MEETING WAS, UH, STILL REVOLVES AROUND, UM, GRANTS OR ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS IMPACTED BY, UM, CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS, AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL HEAR THIS IN THE PRESENTATION FROM, FROM BRENDA.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF GRANT PROGRAMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, WE'RE, WE'LL BE LAYING OUT A PROPOSAL TO THE COUNCIL TODAY THAT, UM, NEARLY CONNECTS, UM, AVAILABLE ARPA DOLLARS, UM, AND ALSO MAJOR CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY, 2020 AND JUNE OF 2022.
SO, UM, AND, AND BRENDA WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THIS, BUT THE, THAT, THE, THE CONCEPT IS, IS THAT THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS OF C O V I D AT SOME POINT DURING THAT TWO AND A HALF YEAR PROCESS, UH, THE CITY BEGAN LAUNCHED OFF INTO A, A, UM, A CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IN THAT CORRIDOR.
AND THERE ARE 15 CORRIDORS THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOCUSING, UM, HERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, THE UPS AND DOWNS OF C AND WHATEVER IMPACT IT HAD ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, COUPLED WITH THE CITY BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION ON A MAJOR PROJECT.
AND WHEN I SAY MAJOR, WE'VE DEFINED THAT AS, UH, A PROJECT THAT, UM, IS, UH, 12 MONTHS OR LONGER IN TERMS OF, UM, CONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S OUR FIRST ITEM.
I, I DO WANT TO, ON THE FRONT END OF THIS KIND OF HIT THE ISSUE.
THE ISSUE IS REALLY CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION, IT'S NOT GRANTS, IT'S CONSTRUCTION.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, YOU KNOW, MY EXPECTATIONS AS CITY MANAGER, AND I SUSPECT THE EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU HAVE OF US IS THAT WE DELIVER MUCH NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ON SCHEDULE, RIGHT? UM, THAT, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU CANNOT COMMUNICATE ENOUGH.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE WITH ANYTHING ELSE, WE HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE OVERLY COMMUNICATING BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER.
UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, FINALLY THAT WE UPHOLD OUR COMMITMENT TO DELIVER THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS SUPPORTED AND THAT ARE NEEDED.
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A LOT OF PLACES THAT WE'RE DOING WORK RIGHT NOW, UM, MOST PROJECTS ARE GOING FINE, RIGHT? THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE ISSUES ON CONSTRUCTION.UM, BUT, BUT WE ARE, UM, DOING MAJOR RECONSTRUCT IN AREAS THAT HAVE NOT SEEN IMPROVEMENT IN 40, 50, 60 YEARS.
AND THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES THAT WE, THAT WE SEE.
I THINK THE BALANCE HERE, AND I WANT TO REASSURE THE COUNCIL, WE ARE NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKING ON HIGHWAYS.
WE'RE NOT THE STATE GOVERNMENT WORKING ON 1604.
WE'RE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND, AND WE TOUCH EVERYBODY EVERY DAY, WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT.
AND SO THAT APPROACH AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, UH, WE REMAIN SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WHETHER IT'S A, A NEIGHBORHOOD OR, OR, UH, A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, UM, THAT, THAT WE KEEP THAT IN MIND.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETIMES WE LEAN TOO FAR TO, TO THE FACILITATORS OF THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND WE NEED TO BE, THE BALANCE IS BEING A PROTECTOR OF THE RIGHT OF WAY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SENSITIVE NOT ONLY TO THE COMPLETION OF A PROJECT, BUT HOW IT'S IMPACTING THOSE SURROUNDING STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO KIND OF LAY OUT TO THE COUNCIL.
YOU'LL BE SEEING 'EM AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND THEY'RE ALL FALLING IN LINE WITH THESE THINGS.
ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ACCOUNTABILITY OF CONTRACTORS AND A BETTER MANAGEMENT FROM OUR STANDPOINT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, MOST OF THOSE CON, MOST OF OUR CONTRACTS, UH, CONSTRUCTION ARE SMALLER IN NATURE AND GO, FINE, WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS, AND WE NEED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING STAKEHOLDERS INFORMED.
WE ADDED RESOURCES IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO HELP BUILD UP THAT, UH, MANAGEMENT, UM, IN THE, UM, IN, IN OUR ORGANIZATION.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S COMING, AND IT'S, IT WAS A C C R FROM COUNCILWOMAN HRA REGARDING ACCOUNTABILITY, IS RESPONSIBLE BID ORDINANCE THAT'S COMING TO COUNCIL ON JANUARY 26TH.
IT'S ALREADY GONE TO GOVERNANCE.
IT'S MAKING A PIT STOP AT TRANSPORTATION NEXT WEEK, AND THEN YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AT THE END OF THE MONTH, YOU'LL BE, UM, APPROVING THAT ORDINANCE.
THAT IS, AS A REMINDER, ADMINISTRATIVELY, WE HAVE, UH, AT TIMES NOT HIRED CONTRACTORS WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH IN THE PAST.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN THAT.
UM, AND, AND THE RESPONSIBLE BID ORDINANCE WILL DO THAT TO OVER-COMMUNICATE, UM, AND, AND, AND, AND NOT JUST COMMUNICATE, BUT ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS.
THAT IS REALLY THE, THE NEXUS AND THE POINT OF THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT TO DO MARKETING FOR EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S TO, IT'S TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTED TO THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE'RE DOING THAT, AND IT'S FUNDED IN THE, IN THE BUDGET.
WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARING STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR CHALLENGES ON CONSTRUCTION, ESPECIALLY ON THESE MAJOR, I WENT TO A, UM, UM, A COMMUNITY MEETING ON A MAJOR PROJECT HERE, UH, IN DECEMBER, AND, AND STAFF DID A GREAT JOB.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS ROSY, AND WE NEED TO BE VERY HONEST AND STRAIGHTFORWARD BECAUSE WHEN WE START REPLACING SEWER LINES AND CONDUITS, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE GONNA HAVE CHALLENGES.
IT'S HOW WE COMMUNICATE, HOW WE MANAGE THROUGH THOSE THINGS.
UM, THREE, UM, AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE FALL.
WE HAVE TO STRENGTHEN OUR, OUR, UM, OUR ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THE UTILITIES AND THE TELECOMMUNICATION PROVIDERS.
UM, THERE'S, UM, UM, AND I THINK THAT, THAT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR, UM, AGENCIES.
WE DOING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, UM, ARE RELATIVELY EASY.
BUT WHEN WE TAKE THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE INFRA OR IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOME CASES BELOW THE GROUND THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BOTH WATER AND SEWER, UM, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
THE LAST THING THAT ANYBO ANY OF US WANTS IS TO DO A $10 MILLION ROAD PROJECT WITH GREAT SIDEWALKS AND BIKE LANES.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A SEWAGE FAILURE, AND IT HAD TO BE RIPPED UP IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, DOWN THE ROAD.
SO WE HAVE TO BE MORE IMPACTFUL.
THE LAST THING, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE'LL BE EX THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING INTO EXECUTING IN FUTURE CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE PENALTIES FOR BEING LATE OR OVER SCHEDULE OR, UM, YEAH, OVER SCHEDULE ON OUR CONTRACTORS.
WE'RE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT TIGHTENING THOSE PENALTIES UP, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OFFERING INCENTIVES TO FINISH EARLY.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T DONE, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT DOING.
UM, AND, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A BALANCE.
IT'S A CARROT AND STICK APPROACH.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT CONTRACTORS HAVE THE RESOURCES, THE EQUIPMENT, AND THE STAFF READY TO GO.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BIG PROJECTS THAT'LL, THAT ARE PROBABLY TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, WELL YEAR, TWO, THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, MAJOR WORK AT MARBACH COLLIBRA, UH, ONGOING WORK AT NEXT PHASE OF NORTH E BRAUNFELS, A LOT OF ROOSEVELT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MAJOR PROJECTS, AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET AHEAD OF THOSE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THE LAST THING THAT, THAT I'LL REMIND THE COUNCIL, IT'S ALSO COMING TO YOU ON JANUARY 26TH,
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IS THE NEW STREETS, BRIDGES, AND SIDEWALKS, UM, UH, BOND COMMITTEE THAT, UH, YOU'LL BE, UM, UH, VOTING ON ON JANUARY 26TH.AND THAT IS THE, THE, UH, RENEWED C O C, WHICH IS THE BOND, THE, THE OLD, UH, BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS WAS, UH, THIS WAS AN EFFORT, A REFOCUSED EFFORT THAT WAS BORN OUTTA LAST YEAR'S CONVERSATION WITH THE BOND PROGRAM.
THEY ARE SUPER, THIS GROUP WOULD BE SUPER IMPORTANT TO US, NOT ONLY TO, UH, STRENGTHEN OUR PROCESSES AND OUR REPORTING BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNICATION.
AND THAT'S COMING TO THE COUNCIL ON THE 26TH, SO WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY ON THESE HIGHER PROFILE PROJECTS, UM, WE ARE KEEPING, UH, STAKEHOLDERS, OR I'M SORRY, UH, CONTRACTORS, WE'RE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, AND, UM, UM, I DO KNOW THAT, THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO GET THROUGH THESE EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE ADDED STAFF TO DO THAT, AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO US, PARTICULARLY PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVEN'T SEEN THAT INVESTMENT IN A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
AND, UM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF IT.
SO THAT, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OFF TOPIC, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, AND I WANTED TO HIT THOSE ISSUES ON THE FRONT END, AND MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO Q AND A.
SO LET ME HAND IT OVER TO BRENDA TO START US OFF.
GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
I'M BRENDA HICKS, SORENSON, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT OUR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, C OVID 19, AS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, HAD SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE BUSINESSES AS THEY WERE, UM, FREQUENTLY SHUT DOWN, HAD LIMITED ACTIVITY, AND THEN AS THEY WERE OPENING, THEY WERE FACED WITH INFLATION, STAFFING SHORTAGES, SUPPLY CHAINS, AND THOSE ISSUES ARE CONTINUING.
UM, TODAY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT IS NO SURPRISE WITH OUR RAPID GROWTH NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS INTO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO US AS A COMMUNITY AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS FROM THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM THAT ARE NEARING SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION.
AND THEN IN FALL OF 2022, THE CITY COUNCIL AWARDED DESIGN CONTRACTS FOR THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'RE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE IMPACT OF THEM, AND THEY ARE AN IN INTEGRAL DRIVER FOR OUR ECONOMY HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO, AS WAS MENTIONED, UH, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, WE WERE PROVIDED $400,000 TO TAKE A LOOK AT A CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM, REALLY FOCUSED ON MARKETING AND THAT COMMUNICATIONS.
UH, SO AS WE WORKED THROUGH THIS, WE WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, THEY SET UP A SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, WHO HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS, ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE IMPACTED BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND SO FORTH.
THE OUTCOMES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT FOR THAT WERE REALLY REBUILDING THAT TRUST.
AGAIN, WE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF SURPRISES THAT, UH, CAME OUTTA CONSTRUCTION.
WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE REBUILDING THAT TRUST WITH THOSE IMPACTED BUSINESSES.
HOW DO WE REALLY FOCUS ON ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE FOR THOSE BUSINESSES DURING THAT CONSTRUCTION PERIOD AND THEN BEYOND, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THE PROGRAM THAT IS, UH, PROPOSED WAS ALSO SUSTAINABLE AND SCALABLE.
AGAIN, THIS $400,000 WAS INTENDED TO BE A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WAS PRESENTED TO E W D C ON DECEMBER 16TH.
AND, UM, AS A RESULT, WE'RE GOING, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT.
AS ERIC MENTIONED, UH, AT THAT MEETING, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ELSE COULD BE DONE.
SO AGAIN, THOSE MITIGATION PIECES ARE REALLY AROUND THAT UNIFIED BRANDING STRATEGY, THE MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THEMSELVES, PROVIDING THEM THE TOOLS THROUGH A TOOLKIT, UM, SO TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THEIR ABILITY TO, TO OPERATE DURING THAT TIME, AND THEN THOSE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE.
BUT WHAT WAS MISSING WAS DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND WE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
SO WE WERE ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT RESOURCES COULD POTENTIALLY BE AVAILABLE.
UH, AND SO WE DID GO BACK, OF COURSE, AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MITIGATION PROGRAM.
WHAT OTHER SERVICES OR RESOURCES HAD BEEN MADE AVAILABLE IN THE PAST? HERE'S A REALLY QUICK HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY.
UM, SO BACK IN 2014, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED $225,000
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FOR BLINKO ROAD UTILITY ASSISTANCE.YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT FIVE BUSINESSES SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR WERE APPROVED FOR THAT, UM, FOR THAT PROGRAM WITH $13,000 OF FUNDING.
THEN IN TWENTY TWENTY ONE, TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY 2,500 FROM EACH MIDTOWN AND HOUSTON STREET TOURS WAS PROVIDED TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR AND ALAMO PLAZA AS THEY WERE IMPACTED BY BUSINESSES.
AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, IN 2022, AS PART OF THE $17 MILLION COVID IMPACT GRANT, WHICH ALLOWED FOR UP TO $35,000 IN BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR C O I D, WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL $10,000 SUPPLEMENT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE LOCATED IN IDENTIFIED CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS.
AS OF JANUARY 9TH, 135 BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED THAT CONSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WRAPPING THAT PROGRAM UP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFTFUND.
WE ARE GETTING THE CLOSEOUT REPORT FOR THAT, AND WE'LL BE BRIEFING E W D C LATER THIS MONTH AT THEIR MEETING, AND THEN PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, AT THAT TIME, WE'LL ALSO BE RELEASING THE LIST OF BUSINESSES WHO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING, OVER 500 BUSINESSES TO DATE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL NOTATE WHICH BUSINESSES ALSO RECEIVE THAT CONSTRUCTION FUNDING.
SO THAT LEADS US TO WHAT'S AVAILABLE NOW.
WE ARE LOOKING AT PROVIDING A ONE TIME CASH ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE SMALL BUSINESSES, AGAIN, AS THEY'RE STILL RECOVERING FROM C OVID 19.
MANY OF THEM REFERRED TO THIS AS A ONE-TWO PUNCH.
THEY WERE RECOVERING FROM COVID AND THEN ORANGE CONE SHOWED UP.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN AS WE WERE DOING THE OUTREACH FOR THE MITIGATION IN THOSE BUSINESSES WHO HAD HAVE THAT IMPACT FROM THAT LONG-TERM CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
WE'RE PROPOSING THAT $2.25 MILLION BE REALLOCATED FROM THE ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR GRANTS RANGING FROM 10,000 TO $35,000 BASED ON ACTUAL BUSINESS LOSSES.
AND THEN AGAIN, THIS WILL BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFTFUND.
FIRST, TO IDENTIFY THE ELIGIBLE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, WE TOOK A, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
THE PROJECTS, OF COURSE, HAVE TO BE THOSE MAJOR CITY INITIATED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AND WE'RE DEFINING THAT WITH THOSE THAT STARTED IN BETWEEN THAT JANUARY 1ST, 2020 TO JUNE 30TH, 2022 TIMEFRAME.
SO, AGAIN, A START DATE WITHIN THAT PERIOD, THE PLANNED PROJECT DURATION OF, OF AT LEAST 12 MONTHS, AND THAT THE CONSTRUCTION ONE IS STILL ONGOING AS OF DECEMBER 1ST, 2022.
HERE IS A LIST OF THOSE L 15 ELIGIBLE CORRIDORS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, AND WHEN WE SPECIFICALLY ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE CORRIDORS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CONSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS A 500 FOOT BUFFER.
THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THEN, FOR THE BUSINESS THEMSELF IS, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THAT CORRIDOR, AGAIN, WITH THAT 500 FOOT BUFFER AND COMMIT TO REMAIN IN THAT CORRIDOR FOR ONE YEAR FOLLOWING THE, THE GRANT AWARD, THEY HAVE A MINIMUM OF A $10,000 REDUCTION IN NET REVENUES.
AND HERE, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT, NET REVENUES.
UM, PREVIOUSLY WE HAD USED GROSS SALES FOR THE CONSIDERATION, BUT NET REVENUES ALLOW US TO REALLY TAKE IN THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THOSE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, THE INFLATION AND SO FORTH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE BUSINESSES WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT NET REVENUES.
THEY, THE BUSINESS MUST BE A RETAIL OR SERVICE BUSINESS THAT REQUIRES THAT CUSTOMER FOOT TRAFFIC.
AGAIN, THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE HAD CONSTRUCTION, PERHAPS IMPEDING ACCESS IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, AND REALLY RELY ON THAT FOOT TRAFFIC FOR THEIR OPERATIONS.
WE ARE TARGETING SMALL BUSINESSES, SO LIKE OUR OTHER GRANTS, THEY NEED TO MEET THE S B A SIZE STANDARDS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEN ESTABLISH IN THEIR CURRENT LOCATION IN THAT CONSTRUCTION ZONE AS OF OR PRIOR TO JANUARY 1ST, 2021.
UH, AND THEN AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION, THEY NEED TO BE IN OPERATION AND NOT HAVE FILED BANKRUPTCY.
YOU'LL SEE HERE A LIST OF EXCLUSIONS.
THIS IS A STANDARD LIST THAT WE HAVE USED AND IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER, UH, GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE COM UM, ADMINISTERED HERE IN THE CITY.
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THE SCORING CRITERIA AND GRANT AMOUNTS ARE AS HIGHLIGHTED HERE.WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAD THE HIGHER REDUCTIONS IN NET REVENUE FROM 2022 TO 2021.
THEY WOULD EARN MORE POINTS HERE.
YOU'LL SEE IF IT'S 30% OR GREATER, THEY COULD EARN 30 POINTS DOWN TO THEN NET 10 POINTS.
WE ARE ALSO TARGETING THE SMALLEST OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THE NEXT AREA WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF SS B A SIZE STANDARD.
SO AGAIN, IF THEY'RE LESS THAN 20% OF THAT SIZE STANDARD, THEY WOULD EARN THE, THE MOST POINTS EQUITY ATLAS SCORE IS FOR THE QUARTER LOCATION.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THAT FOR ALL OF THE, THE, UH, 15 ZONES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
AND THEN THE FINAL SCORING WOULD BE BASED UPON THE PROJECT DURATION FOR THAT CONSTRUCTION ZONE.
ALL OF THE PROJECTS HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS, BUT HERE YOU'LL SEE, IF IT'S LESS THAN 24 MONTHS, THEN IT'S 10 POINTS UP TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE GREATER THAN 30 POINT 30 MONTHS.
WITH 30 POINTS AS MENTIONED, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A UP TO 100% OF THEIR NET REVENUE 2022 COMPARED TO 2021, A MINIMUM OF 10,000, A MAXIMUM OF 35,000 BECAUSE WE DID OFFER THAT CONSTRUCTION ENHANCEMENT OF UP TO $10,000 WITH THE COVID IMPACT GRANT PROGRAM.
ANY BUSINESS THAT RECEIVED THAT $10,000 WOULD HAVE A CAP OF $25,000 IN THIS PROGRAM.
ELIGIBLE USES ARE PRETTY EXTENSIVE, UH, AS LONG AS IT'S A BUSINESS OPERATION, UH, AND EXPENSE, IT WOULD BE PRETTY WELL ELIGIBLE.
AND AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE LIST HERE.
UH, INELIGIBLE USES ARE THOSE DISTRI DISTRIBUTIONS TO OWNERS AND INVESTORS OR ACQUIRING OTHER ASSETS.
AS MENTIONED, THE FUNDING FOR THIS WOULD BE FROM THE ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY APPROVED JUST UNDER 31,000, OR 31 MILLION.
HERE YOU'LL SEE THAT NEARLY 67% OF THAT WAS TARGETED TOWARDS ACCESS TO CAPITAL, UH, JUST OVER $20 MILLION.
HERE'S A MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THAT, THAT 17 MILLION, UH, WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE COVID IMPACT GRANTS.
AND AS MENTIONED THAT MONEY HAS BEEN DISPERSED, AND WE'RE JUST AWAITING THE FINAL WRAP UP REPORT FROM LIFTFUND.
WITHIN THAT, WE ALSO PROPOSED A $3 MILLION GROWTH FUND THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR SOLICITATION THAT WAS ISSUED LAST AUGUST.
WE'RE CURRENTLY REVIEWING THOSE PROPOSALS, UM, AND WITHIN THOSE PROPOSALS, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO REALLOCATE 2.25 MILLION.
SO KEEP 750 FOR THOSE PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE REVIEWING AND NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS ON, AND THEN UTILIZE THAT 2.25 MILLION FOR THIS COVID CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY GRANT.
STILL WITHIN THE INTENT OF THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY.
WE KNOW THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY ON THIS.
WE'VE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
HERE IS THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS, UM, DEPENDING ON THE FEEDBACK WE GET HERE TODAY, WE WILL START WORKING ON THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AS WELL AS THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK WITH LIFTFUND OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FOUR, FOUR WEEKS, SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT OPENING THE APPLICATION PERIOD STARTING ON FEBRUARY 13TH.
THAT WOULD RUN UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH.
AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, FUND DISBURSEMENT WOULD BEGIN STARTING MARCH 20TH.
THAT IS IT FOR MY PRESENTATION.
MAYOR, JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO END ON.
UM, AND, AND, UH, BRENDA TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE TIMELINE.
UM, THIS ITEM, AND YOU'LL, YOU SAW THIS IN THE MEMO THAT WENT OUT THE AGENDA, UH, BASED ON THE, THE ANTICIPATED FAVORABLE FEEDBACK WE GET TODAY, UM, WITHIN THE AR RPA FRAMEWORK THAT YOU APPROVED LAST FEBRUARY AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARPA ALLOCATION, UH, AT THE END OF 2022, UM, I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE THIS CHANGE.
UM, AND SO BASED ON TODAY'S CONVERSATION, AND I'M ASSUMING THE FAVORABLE FEEDBACK, WE'RE PREPARED AND LINE THIS UP TO START EXECUTION TOMORROW WITH LIFT FUND.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ERIC, AND THANK YOU, UH, BRENDA FOR THE BRIEFING AND ALSO THE CONTEXT OF THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM THAT THAT CAME TO E W D C EARLIER.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, OUR PARTNERS AT LIFTFUND WHO ARE, CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO HELP THE CITY AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UH, A NUMBER OF US HAVE OVER THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS BEEN TALKING TO OUR, UH, CITY STAFF AND TO YOU, ERIC, ABOUT THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
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SO I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT BEYOND THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO IS GET THOSE PROJECTS DONE, GET THEM ON DONE, GET THEM DONE ON TIME, GET THEM DONE WELL.UH, BUT BEYOND THAT, I KNOW A NUMBER OF FOLKS HAVE VISITED WITH, WITH CITY MANAGEMENT ABOUT, UH, PROVIDING SOME RELIEF, UH, TO THOSE BUSINESSES IN PARTICULAR WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THAT DOUBLE SHOT OF BOTH COVID IMPACTS, BUT ALSO PROTRACTED CONSTRUCTION.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THE GRANT PROGRAM TODAY, UH, AND PROVIDED THAT THERE'S NO PIVOTS FROM THE COUNCIL UP HERE, THE CITY MANAGER IS AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE ON THIS PROGRAM, A S A P, AND I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, THE FULL COOPERATION WITH LIFTFUND TO GET THAT EXECUTED AND GET THAT RELIEF INTO THE HANDS OF THE BUSINESSES, UH, AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UH, LASTLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE PROVIDED INPUT TO CREATE THIS PROGRAM AND, AND HELP US REFINE THAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA SO WE'RE, UH, TARGETING THE RIGHT FOLKS, UH, WHO, WHO ARE, UH, MOST IMPACTED AND, AND OBVIOUSLY AND MOST IN NEED OF THIS RELIEF.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND, UM, WE'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO BRENDA AND THE TEAM FOR MOVING SO QUICKLY ON THIS.
I, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I, I WANTED TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT ERIC, UM, MENTIONED I APPRECIATE, UH, OVER COMMUNICATING, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
AND SO THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE COMING, THAT WE'RE DOING WORK, UH, THE MORE I THINK THAT IT REMINDS THEM THAT IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN GET IN, IN TOUCH WITH US.
I LOVE THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE UTILITIES ASPECT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN MISSING FOR A LONG TIME.
WE GET A LOT OF, UM, CALLS OR CONCERNS SAYING, DID YOU ALL KNOW THAT SAS WAS DOING THIS, BUT Y'ALL JUST DID THIS? OR SAME WITH C P SS, OR, OR WHOEVER IT IS.
AND I, IN FACT, I HAVE ONE TEAM MEMBER ON MY STAFF RIGHT NOW WHO IS STILL, UM, GOING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION HEADACHES, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE WAS LACK OF COORDINATION.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE INCENTIVES TO FINISH EARLY, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
I'D ALSO BE, UM, CAUTIOUS BECAUSE MAYBE SOME OF OUR SMALLER CONTRACTORS, UM, WELL, IT, IT, THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? SO I, I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, I, I ASKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS BACK IN JUNE, ACTUALLY, I STARTED ASKING ABOUT IT MAY 24TH.
IT'S IN THE MINUTES OF THE E W D C COMMITTEE, BUT I ASKED ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS SPECIFICALLY, AND I TALKED TO THE FOLKS AT E W D C, AND, UM, I MENTIONED THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESS IS NEEDED GRANTS, NOT LOANS.
UM, AND I RECOMMENDED THAT WE TALK TO THE SPAC COMMITTEE, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT WAS CREATED.
AND, UM, IT'S, ALTHOUGH I, I APPRECIATE THIS, THIS IS ALSO SEVEN MONTHS LATER.
SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, I'M NOT JUST SAYING THIS, LIKE I'M HEARING FROM MY SMALL BUSINESSES, I'M HEARING DIRECTLY FROM OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL THAT SAY, WE NEED HELP.
SO, UM, AGAIN, JUST, JUST A PLUG FOR SAYING, LIKE, WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR DIRECT GRANT ASSISTANCE SINCE MAY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE FINALLY DOING THAT.
UM, LATER ON ALSO, WE RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION AND THERE WAS A, A BIG DOCUMENT, UM, THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US WITH WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE DOING.
AND SOME OF THOSE CITIES WERE FUNDING GRANTS.
AND AT THE TIME, I WAS TOLD THAT WE COULDN'T DO GRANTS.
UM, BUT THERE WAS A PARTICULAR CASE STUDY THAT WAS REFERENCED, UM, IN DECEMBER, AND IT WAS OUT OF CANADA WHERE THEY WERE GIVING $25 MILLION, UH, OF GRANTS TO RETAIL, RETAIL THAT WAS AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTION AND C O V I D.
AND SO THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE, WE HAD, AS WELL AS SOMETHING OUT OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH THAT I HAD ALSO, I THINK REFERENCED IN, IN ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GO BACK AND ALEX GAVE ME THE, I THINK IT WAS ALEX, I GAVE YOU THE GOOD NEWS THAT, UM, IT HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE AND THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
SO I'M, I'M HAPPY, BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANNA REMIND US THAT WE LISTEN TO BUSINESSES, WELL, JUST IN GENERAL TO OUR RESIDENTS THE FIRST TIME THEY TELL US SOMETHING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING IT TOO, AND THIS IS THEIR LIVELIHOODS.
UM, SO I WANTED TO, TO START OFF BY THAT, ON SLIDE FIVE, YOU COVER COVID IMPACT GRANTS THAT ALSO INCLUDE $10,000 FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WHAT WERE THE QUALIFICATIONS? CAN YOU REMIND US WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR A BUSINESS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THIS GRANT WERE? AND THEN ALSO DID WE SPECIFY HOW THOSE GRANT FUNDS COULD BE SPENT? SO FOR THE COVID IMPACT GRANT, THE QUALIFICATIONS, UH, REALLY THE, THE KEY DRIVER THERE WAS A 20% LOSS FROM 20 21, 20 20 AND 20 TO 2019.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE KEY FOR, FOR ELIGIBILITY.
THE USE OF FUNDS WAS SIMILAR TO THE LIST THAT YOU SAW TODAY FOR THE USE OF FUNDS FOR, FOR THIS.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THEY HAD TO FALL WITHIN THE SMALL BUSINESS SIZE STANDARDS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A LIST OF NAS CODES, NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM CODES IN WHICH, UH, THE COMMUNITY HAD A 5%
[00:30:01]
OR GREATER LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT.AND SO THAT WAS ALSO ONE OF THE KEY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS THE $2.25 MILLION FOR THIS GRANT.
IT'S, IT'S BEING REALLOCATED FROM THE GROWTH FUND.
AND I ASKED YOU THIS ON MY, MY ONE-ON-ONE, BUT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THIS FUND WAS DESIGNED FOR, SPECIFICALLY THE GROWTH FUND? SURE.
SO OUR INTENTIONS WITH THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE GROWTH FUND AND THAT $3 MILLION WAS TO FIRST AND FOREMOST, LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THOSE COMPANIES WHO ARE GROWING A LOT OF TIMES REFERRED TO AS SECOND STAGE OR GAZELLE COMPANIES.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT, UM, I, I ASKED THIS IN THE PIE CHART THAT YOU ALL HAD, WHAT PORTION OF IT, UM, I GUESS IT'S SLIDE 11, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, WHAT AREA IS THE GROWTH FUND WITHIN? THE GROWTH FUND WAS INCLUDED IN THAT ACCESS TO CAPITAL, THE GREEN PORTION OF, UM, ALMOST 67%.
AND THEN I WANNA FOCUS ON, ON ARPA.
AND SO OUR ENTIRE ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WAS $30.95 MILLION.
WHAT OTHER CATEGORIES IN THE ARPA FRAMEWORK HAD A LARGER BUDGET THAN THAT? DO YOU KNOW? IT MIGHT BE OUR ARPA ADMINISTRATOR THAT NEEDS TO, OR THAT THAT WAS THE LARGEST, I THINK THE SECOND LARGEST WAS, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AT 26 OR 27 MILLION.
UH, THERE'S CERTAINLY A PERCEPTION THAT CITY COUNCIL IS NOT SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY, BUT IT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO I THINK THAT THEY'RE DEFINITELY TAKING, UM, THE STEPS NECESSARY.
UM, BUT WE HAD MORE FUNDING IN THIS AREA, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAD MORE FUNDING THAN YOUTH SERVICES, WHICH GOT 10 MILLION AND SENIORS 5 MILLION AND LIBRARY AND EDUCATION 19.4 AND NONPROFITS 3 MILLION, ET CETERA.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT STAFF, UM, TOOK THE, UM, THE INITIATIVE RIGHT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TELLING THE STORY TO SMALL BUSINESSES, THAT WE DO HAVE THE SECOND BIGGEST BUDGET, AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT ON THE SMALL BUSINESS PLAN ALREADY? THE 17.6 MILLION, WHICH WAS REALLY WAS PHASE ONE FOR THE, THE COVID IMPACT GRANT THAT HAS BEEN SPENT.
AND AGAIN, AS OF THIS WEEK, ALL OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING HAS WAS IDENTIFIED IN PHASE TWO, UH, AND THAT WAS SPLIT INTO TWO SEPARATE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.
I MENTIONED THE ONE SOLICITATION THAT WAS FOCUSED ON THAT ACCESS TO CAPITAL, THE ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS, UM, AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT, WHICH WE'RE, I SHOULD SAY WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, THE, THE RESPONDENTS FOR THAT SOLICITATION.
AND THEN WE'LL BE BRIEFING ON THE SECOND SOLICITATION COMING UP NEXT MONTH.
AND BRENDA, IS THE ARPA DASHBOARD UP AND RUNNING ALREADY, DO YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE THAT'S AN ERROR QUESTION, AND IF NOT, WHEN IS IT EXPECTED? THANK YOU, MARIA.
SO THE DASHBOARD IS IN DEVELOPMENT, AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE THAT UP AND RUNNING IN FEBRUARY.
AND THEN ON A RELATED NOTE, UM, ON THE LA THE LATEST DARPA QUARTERLY REPORT, THAT'S THE THIRD QUARTER SUMMARY REPORT, WHICH ENDED ON SEPTEMBER THE 30TH.
AND OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FROM AUGUST, 2022, THAT WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE, THEY SHOW THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT FUNDS IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES.
WHEN ARE WE GONNA SEE THOSE LATEST RFPS, LIKE THE ONES THAT BRENDA MENTIONED WHEN THEY WERE ISSUED, AND WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO TAKE A VOTE ON THOSE CONTRACTS? UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM THAT IS COMING TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IS SCHEDULED FOR THE 26TH IS A THURSDAY.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION, AND IT'S TO BRIEF YOU ON THE, UM, PRES SOLICITATION OF MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL AS THE YOUTH, SENIORS AND NONPROFITS.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I MENTIONED.
UM, THE E D D AND PUBLIC WORKS ARE THE, THE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE MOST INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION ISSUES.
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY WORKING TO BRIDGE THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS? ME.
WELL, I'M GONNA ASK, YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S A, IT'S A, I MEAN, IN ALL HONESTY, IT'S A, UH, BETWEEN ROD, ALEX, AND MYSELF, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THOSE ARE VERY CLOSELY TIED.
I MEAN, I, WE'RE, IT IS, IT IS, UM, UM, A TOP PRIORITY FOR US.
SO I'LL ASK YOU THE NEXT QUESTION.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP THEN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM? WELL, THE, THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM HAS ALREADY STARTED, AND WE HAVE INITIATED CONVERSATION OR WORK IN SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS LIKE SOUTH ALAMO THAT HAS JUST NOW BEGINNING.
UM, BUT WE, UM, AS WE REPORTED IN DECEMBER AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, WE MOVED ON INTO EXECUTION PHASE, AND WE CAN GET YOU A, WE CAN GET YOU A REPORT ON THAT.
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YOU.COUNCIL MEMBER RRO GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
I THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'VE SAID IT, UH, QUITE A BIT THAT CONSTRUCTION IS NECESSARY AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE MUCH NEEDED AND LONG OVERDUE.
AND AS WE SHIFT INTO THIS LENS OF EQUITY FURTHER AND FURTHER, UM, DISTRICTS LIKE MINE ARE GOING TO SUFFER THROUGH THE CONSEQUENCES AND THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTION AT A GREATER RATE.
AND WHAT MATTERS MOST TO ME IS THAT THE BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND PRIOR TO ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN INVESTMENT, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND MANY OF THESE PARTICULAR BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES WAITING FOR INVESTMENT AND MAKING DUE WITH VERY LITTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT, AND WITH VERY LITTLE REQUESTS AND ASK.
AND THEY'VE SU THEY'VE SUSTAINED THEMSELVES.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE APPLYING AN EQUITY LENS, LIKE I SAID, MAKING UP FOR DECADES OF NEGLECT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PLAYING A NEWER ENHANCED ROLE IN GENTRIFICATION.
AND IF BUSINESSES CANNOT OUTLAST CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE GONNA BE PUSHED OUT.
AND NEW BUSINESSES AND NEW INTERESTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THAT'S GENTRIFICATION TOO.
AND SO MY AREA OF GREATEST CONCERN THESE PAST FEW MONTHS HAS BEEN THE NORTH NEW BRAUNFELS CORRIDOR, WHICH IS SPLIT INTO TWO PHASES.
AND I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT WILL, UM, BE APPLICABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THEY FALL WITHIN THE 500 FEET.
MAYBE IF SOMEONE CAN FIND THAT OUT FOR ME, THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT MY END GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GRANT PROGRAM, AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE IT TO BEING PROPOSED NOW.
BUT MY TEAM, HAVING REACHED OUT TO TANK'S PIZZA, THAT ISTA IS A WIN WA AND SUNSHINE BAKERY.
THE FEEDBACK THAT MY TEAM HAS RECEIVED IS THAT IT'S A BIT TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.
AND SO MY REMAINING QUESTIONS AND THE COMMENTS ARE GONNA BE ABOUT TWO THINGS.
HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS TWO AND A HALF MILLION THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND IMPACTFUL FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT MOST? AND HOW CAN WE PREPARE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS? SO WE KNOW WHEN CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING, WE KNOW WE HAVE THESE FUTURE BOND PRO, UH, BOND PROJECTS, UM, WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS THEY ARE AND WHO THEY'RE GONNA IMPACT.
SO I'LL BE TRANSPARENT AND, AND, UM, SAYING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY BAKE INTO ITS PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET, A GRANT PROGRAM FOR IMPACTED BUSINESSES IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO SCRAMBLE FOR LATER.
AND I REMEMBER THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO HAD A BUDGET AMENDMENT ASKING FOR $20 MILLION.
I KNOW WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SUPPORT IT THEN, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH THIS FAR IN ADVANCE, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT ARPA IS TEMPORARY.
AND IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, I WANTED TO USE, UH, T FUNDING TO TAKE CARE OF MY BUSINESSES, BUT THERE WAS CONCERN THAT NOT EVERY DISTRICT HAS ONE.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT A SUBSTANTIAL GRANT PROGRAM IN OUR BUDGET.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BUSINESSES WILL BE ELIGIBLE, AND I WORRY THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL RECEIVE A BULK OF THE FUNDS WILL BE THE MOST WELL CONNECTED BUSINESSES WHO DON'T NEED THE KIND OF SUPPORT THAT MY BUS DISTRICT'S BUSINESSES NEED.
AND SO I SEE THAT, I SAW THAT EQUITY IS GONNA BE PLAYING A ROLE, BUT CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SHOW US WHAT THE, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THIS READY RIGHT NOW, BUT IF BY THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, UM, THE EQUITY SCORES FOR EACH OF THE 15 CORRIDOR AREAS, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO NAME THAT I HAVE BUSINESSES WHO ARE GIVING FORMALLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE WHEN OTHER BUSINESSES WON'T, THEY'RE HIRING PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
AND I WANNA SEE A PREFERENCE FOR THESE EMPLOYERS.
AND SO I GUESS THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION THAT IS GONNA GET A RESPONSE, IS HOW CAN WE DO THAT? SORRY, I WAS LOOKING AT THE EQUITY SCORES.
CAN YOU PLEASE RETAKE? THANK YOU.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UH, SO I HAVE, UH, I HAVE BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT AND THEN THAT ARE IN THESE AREAS THAT ARE HIRING, GIVING PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE WHO ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED, AND THEY'RE HIRING PEOPLE AND THEY EMPLOY PEOPLE AND HAVE KEPT THEM EMPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THE WORK MIGHT NOT BE THERE ALL THE TIME, UM, WHO LIVE IN THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
AND SO HOW CAN WE BAKE THAT INTO, UM, CRITERIA OR HOW CAN WE GIVE PREFERENCE THERE? SURE.
SO IN THIS, THE OTHER THING THAT WE REALLY HEARD FROM BUSINESSES IS THAT WE WANNA TRY TO MAKE THIS AS STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE, AS MAKE THE APPLICATION AS AS EASY AS POSSIBLE WITH AS LIMITED INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
UH, AND SO WE REALLY WORKED WITH, WITH LIFTFUND AND BUSINESSES ON WHAT KIND OF CRITERIA THAT WOULD BE, UH, IN ORDER TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, IT WOULD ADD ANOTHER SERIES OF, OF QUESTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THOUGH, THAT WE DID, FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDE THAT IN OTHER PROGRAMS, UM, LIKE THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
I GUESS MY, SO I HAVE CONFLICT THERE THEN, BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THE BUSINESSES THAT WE WANT THIS TO BE AS STREAMLINED AND WE WANT IT TO BE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, AND I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IMMEDIATELY.
BUT I ALSO, THAT DOES MEAN NO GOOD IF THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED THE MOST SUPPORT AND THEY'RE DOING THESE KINDS OF THINGS, IF THEY WOULD HAVE A GREATER SHOT THROUGH THAT, THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WARRANTED.
SO I'M NOT RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGES RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK FOR THE FUTURE, LET'S FIND A, LET'S CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
BUT IN, IN THIS KIND OF WAY, I'M ALSO WONDERING
[00:40:01]
THAT REGARDING THE FUTURE PROJECTS, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO AND WHAT OTHER KIND OF RELIEF CAN WE LEGALLY PROVIDE, PROVIDE? AND I WANT US TO BE AS CREATIVE AS POSSIBLE.AND THAT'S ALSO A QUESTION THAT I WOULD LIKE US TO START THINKING ABOUT WITH BUSINESSES THAT, UM, YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE GONNA START DOING OUTREACH A YEAR IN ADVANCE OF PROJECTS.
I'D LIKE US TO START THINK, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH THOSE BUSINESSES AND ASKING 'EM THE QUESTIONS.
BUT WHAT WOULD, UH, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK WE COULD DO? I KNOW THAT THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT UTILITIES, BUT ABSOLUTELY, YES, THAT'S A FREQUENT CONVERSATION.
THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE HAVE REGULARLY WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE, WE HAVE AN OUTREACH SPECIALIST WHO'S, WHO'S BEEN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD AS APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS.
AND I GUESS, UH, BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT, I'M WONDERING, BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD WITH ALL OF THE BUSINESSES OR AS MANY OF THE BUSINESSES AS YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH WHAT'S MISSING AND WHAT'S MISSING FROM THIS, AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO, WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO BE DOING FROM THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM? UH, I MEAN FROM THIS HOUSE AND, AND WHAT ELSE IS THERE? I JUST WANNA HEAR IF YOU CAN STATE TO ME, WHAT ARE ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU'VE HEARD? I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS GONNA ADDRESS SOME OF IT, BUT I DO WANT US TO, I WANT THE BUSINESSES TO WALK AWAY FEELING HEARD AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THEM.
I WOULD LIKE, I'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT HERE.
YOU KNOW, OF LATE, WE'VE BEEN BLOCK WALKING IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREAS.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS.
SO, AND BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION CONVERSATION TODAY, I'LL FOCUS ON THAT.
UH, A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES WE HEARD, THEY NEED ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE, THAT COMMUNICATION, BE HONEST WITH US, DON'T TELL US THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF DUST WHEN IN REALITY THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY MESSY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE EQUIPMENT PARKED IN FRONT OF THEIR FACILITY WHEN WE TELL THEM THERE'S GOING TO BE ACCESS.
SOMETIMES THAT MEANS CUSTOMERS NEED TO PARK A BLOCK AWAY.
SO OUR DEFINITION OF ACCESS AND THEIR DEFINITION OF ACCESS MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT.
SO COMMUNICATION HAS, BY FAR AND AWAY BEEN THE TOP FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN.
OF COURSE, WE HEAR A LOT OF RESOURCES, UM, WITH C O V I D, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF OF MONEY AND GRANTS OUT THERE, SO THAT CONTINUES.
UM, WHEN WE DO, DID LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES, A LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT DID OFFER GRANT RESOURCES WERE MASSIVE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, THREE YEAR, FIVE YEAR KIND OF PROGRAMS. UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT TOOLKIT, PROVIDING THEM THE RESOURCES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ARPA MONEY, THERE'S ALSO WEB PRESENCE.
SO A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES HAVE SHARED LIKE, WHAT ELSE CAN WE BE DOING? RIGHT? WE NEED BETTER SIGNAGE AND SO FORTH, BUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE BE DOING? SO REALLY USING THAT MITIGATION PROGRAM TO HELP THEM AND, AND DO THAT HANDHOLDING ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION INTERNALLY AS WELL.
AND I GUESS I'LL JUST END BY SAYING THAT, I'LL BE HONEST, I DIDN'T THINK THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
AND SO I APPRECIATED WHEN I GOT THE PHONE CALL AND YOU GUYS HAD WORKED, UH, BRAINSTORMED ARPA AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BUT I DO STILL HAVE TO ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF MY DISTRICT'S BUSINESSES THAT THIS IS TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE, AND I, WE NEED, NEED, NEED A, UM, A LONGER LASTING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER MC, KEY RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER PAL.
THIS IS, UM, THE PRODUCT OF A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, UH, AT OUR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'VE GONE AROUND THE HORN A NUMBER OF TIMES ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND NOT JUST THIS ISSUE, BUT ALSO, UH, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN, UH, COLLABORATION AND, UM, AND, AND BEING INFORMED BY OUR, OUR FRIENDS ON THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND, UM, THAT HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE RESOURCES TO OUR, UH, OUR COMMITTEE.
AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES APPOINTING GOOD PEOPLE, UH, TO SERVE THERE.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S A POLITICAL SEASON UP IN, UP IN DC AND WE'RE SEEING EVERYBODY UP THERE PONTIFICATING ABOUT THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? AND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS A PERENNIAL DEBATE THAT HAPPENS NOT JUST IN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, ON TV AND IN, IN THE MEDIA, BUT ALSO AROUND THE DINNER TABLE AT EVERYBODY'S HOUSE, RIGHT? IT'S PARTICULARLY AROUND THANKSGIVING.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO BE VERY, VERY BIG, RIGHT? OTHERS IS JUST TO GET THE HELL OUTTA THE WAY AND LET PEOPLE LIVE THEIR LIVES.
AND, UM, BUT OUR, OUR CITY CHARTER, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, AND I KNOW THAT ANDY SEGOVIA HAS IT MEMORIZED, UH, OUR CITY CHARTER, UM, WHICH WHICH IS OUR MUNICIPAL CONSTITUTION, IS REALLY SPECIFIC ABOUT OUR OBLIGATIONS AND THE ROLE OF THIS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT'S, UM, UH, PLACE IN, IN SOCIETY.
AND SO, UM, I, I TOOK OUT THE CITY CHARTER AND, AND I READ IT, AND I'M, I'M GONNA QUOTE FROM IT.
THE CITY SHALL HAVE THE OBLIGATION AND POWER TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN STREETS BY PAVING, REPAVING, RAISING, DRAINING OR OTHERWISE.
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ON, IT SAYS THAT ALL OF THE CITY'S WORK, ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS SHALL BE THOSE QUOTE NEEDED FOR THE GOVERNMENT INTEREST, WELFARE IN GOOD ORDER OF THE CITY AND THE INTEREST, WELFARE, HEALTH, MORALS, COMFORT, SAFETY, AND CONVENIENCE OF ITS INHABITANTS, CLOSE QUOTES.AND SO, WHEN I READ THOSE TWO PROVISIONS, I CAN'T CONCLUDE ANYTHING OTHER THAN ONE.
WE HAVE THE POWER AND OBLIGATION TO BUILD STREETS AND MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND TWO, THIS POWER IS GRANTED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE BETTER, SAFER, AND MORE CONVENIENT.
UM, SO WHAT HAPPENS, UH, WHEN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY? WELL, WE ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, PLEASE FORGIVE OUR DUST.
PLEASE FORGIVE THE INCONVENIENCE.
AND I THINK THAT MOST OF US, UM, WHO, WHO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE IN A CIVIL SOCIETY, UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THAT INCONVENIENCE IS PART OF THE SOCIAL CONTRACT, RIGHT? BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT INCONVENIENCE BECOMES SO HEAVY AND SO ONEROUS AND SO BURDENSOME THAT IT ACTUALLY BEGINS TO CRUSH PEOPLE? WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT OBLIGATION DOES THE CITY HAVE IN THAT CASE? AND SECTION THREE, PARAGRAPH 12 OF THE CHARTER ANSWERS THAT VERY QUESTION.
IT SAYS THAT WE HAVE THE POWER AND THE OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
UM, WHEN WE IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO ARE NEEDY.
UM, I INTERPRET THAT TO MEAN PEOPLE WHO ARE VULNERABLE, UM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT DOESN'T SAY WHY THEY'RE VULNERABLE, BUT IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE VULNERABLE, YOU, CITI, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO COME AND RENDER AID.
I THINK THAT IS EVEN MORE OF AN OBLIGATION WHEN WE ARE THE ONES, UH, IMPOSING THAT CRUSHING INCONVENIENCE ON THESE FOLKS.
AND IF WE ARE PUSHING THEM BECAUSE OF, UM, OUR PROJECTS, IF WE'RE PUSHING 'EM TO THE PREP, THE PRECIPICE OF BANKRUPTCY, THEN WE HAVE ALL MORE, ALL MORE OF THE REASON TO COME TO, TO THEIR RESCUE.
BECAUSE WITH GREAT POWER COMES SOME ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND SO, I, I DO THINK THAT, UM, THIS CITY COUNCIL, OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS THAT I'VE SAT UP HERE, UH, WE'VE DONE SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT SHOULD BE, UH, REMEMBERED AND PROBABLY WON'T BECAUSE EVERY TWO WEEKS THERE'S A DIFFERENT NEWS CYCLE.
BUT I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST ARPA MONEY THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED TO, UM, HELP SMALL BUSINESSES RECOVER FROM THE, UH, DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES OF COVID.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS CARESS ACT MONEY, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT CAME IN, RIGHT? THAT IN MANY WAYS BENEFITED SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE SPEND MONEY ANNUALLY FROM OUR GENERAL FUND TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES AND MAKE SURE THAT THE ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO CONTINUES TO HELP PEOPLE THRIVE.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, WE'VE SPENT MONEY ON, UH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SAGE AND PROSPER WEST, RIGHT? SO THAT THEY CAN HELP, UH, IN TERM WE DELEGATE THAT POWER TO SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN HELP WITH THEIR EXPERTISE, SOME SMALL BUSINESSES BE BETTER, UH, AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
WE INVESTED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND, UM, MONEY IN, UH, ARE READY TO WORK PROGRAMS, RIGHT? AND TRAIN FOR JOBS PROGRAMS THAT IS AIMED AT SMALL BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT A LABOR FORCE, UM, THAT CAN DO THE JOBS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN ORDER FOR, FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES TO THRIVE.
WE HAVE A VERY, VERY ROBUST AND AGGRESSIVE, SO BETA PROGRAM.
WE PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIFT FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
WE INSTITUTED BONDING ASSISTANCE, UM, THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO MAKE SURE THAT BUSINESSES CAN COMPETE FOR SOME OF THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WHY? BECAUSE, ONE, IT'S OUR OBLIGATION ETHICALLY, I THINK, BUT ALSO LEGALLY UNDER THE, UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF OUR MUNICIPALITY, THE CHARTER.
BUT TWO, BECAUSE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US RAISED OUR RIGHT HAND AT THAT PODIUM AND SAID THAT WE WOULD HONOR THAT OBLIGATION AND DO EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORDS OF THE CHARTER ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LAW OF THE LAND, AND THAT IT'S CARRIED OUT FAITHFULLY.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS ME, WELL, COUNCILMAN, IS IT THE ROLE OF THE CITY TO COME TO THE AID OF SMALL BUSINESSES? I SAY YES AND, UH, IN CAPITAL LETTERS, HELL YES.
WHEN THE CITY IS CAUSING SOME OF THAT PAIN BY VIRTUE OF ITS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
NOW WE OWE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SAME BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE SAFE ROADS SO THAT CUSTOMERS CAN COME AND, UH, PATRONIZE THEM.
BUT, UM, IF WE'RE DOING IT IN SUCH A WAY TO WHERE WE'RE HELPING THEM, AND IN TURN WE'RE KILLING THEM AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THEN WE GOTTA CHANGE THE WAY WE'RE DOING THINGS.
AND SO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE OUGHT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING A GRANT PROGRAM, UM, YOU KNOW, IN ROSSI'S BUDGET GOING FORWARD.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ERIC, I'M PROUD OF YOU AND I'M PROUD OF THE STAFF, AND I'M PROUD OF, UM, UH, OF YOU, BRENDA, AND YOUR TEAM.
AND I'M PROUD OF, UH, ALL, ALL OF YOU FOR COMING TO, UM, COMING TO US WITH A
[00:50:01]
SOLUTION THAT I THINK IS GONNA HELP PEOPLE.$2.5 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A LOT OF MONEY.
IT SHOULD BE $250 MILLION, BUT RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, AND WE'RE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH THE VERY LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES IN THIS WAY AND SAVE SOME OF THEM FROM THE INEVITABILITY OF BANKRUPTCY IF WE DIDN'T COME TO THE RESCUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELA, COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO, UH, JUNE WHEN WE, UH, FIRST, UH, VOTED AS A COUNCIL TO GIVE OUT $31 MILLION TO SMALL BUSINESSES BY, BY JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW, I HAD INHERITED, UM, SOME OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL CON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, NORTH ST.
AND I BY, SO BY JUNE OF LAST YEAR, I HAD HEARD FROM A LOT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS ABOUT HOW THEY WERE STRUGGLING.
AND, UM, SO WHEN WE PASSED THE THAT FUNDING, I, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WAS I WAS CONCERNED, LIKE, HOW ARE WE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HELPING THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE, THAT ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF CITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE ADVERSELY IMPACTING THOSE BUSINESSES? AND SO I REMEMBER GOING TO COUNCILMAN LIAS AT THAT TIME, 'CAUSE YOU, YOU WERE CHAIRING THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, COMMITTEE AND, UH, AND SAYING, HEY, CAN WE, IS THERE SOME WAY WHERE WE CAN STRUCTURE THIS SO THAT THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, CAN WE BUMP THEM TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE OR SO WE, UM, AND MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRIORITIZING THEM.
CAN WE GET THEM ADDITIONAL FUNDING? WHAT CAN WE DO? AND, AND WHERE WE LANDED WAS THAT ADDITIONAL $10,000.
SO THEORETICALLY, INSTEAD, YOU, INSTEAD OF GETTING 15 TO 35,000, YOU WOULD QUALIFY FOR 25 TO $45,000 BECAUSE YOU GET AN ADDITIONAL 10,000.
UM, AND WHAT WE HEARD TODAY IS THERE WERE 135 BUSINESSES THAT QUALIFIED FOR THAT, WHICH WAS GREAT.
HOWEVER, IT DIDN'T WORK FOR A LOT OF BARS BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAD PUT ON THAT AND THE TIMELINES THAT WE PUT ON THAT.
UM, AND WHEN BARS WERE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN AND WHEN THEY WERE ALLOWED TO OPEN BACK UP, AND WHEN THEY LOST MONEY, WHEN THEY SHOWED THAT THEY WERE MAKING MONEY AND LOST MONEY, THAT TIMELINE JUST DIDN'T WORK.
AND SO A LOT OF OUR BARS FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS AND DIDN'T GET THE HELP THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET THEM AT THAT TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS SINCE THEN.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR GETTING THIS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
I KNOW IT WASN'T ORIGINALLY ON THE AGENDA AND YOU, YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU PUSHED IT FORWARD AND WE BUMPED SOME STUFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, I WANT TO THANK THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, BECAUSE LAST DECEMBER WHEN THIS, THE $400,000 ITEM CAME UP, UH, WHAT WE HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU WAS, HEY, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD THING, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR BUSINESS OWNERS IS THEY NEED DIRECT AID RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL WEIGHING IN ON THAT BECAUSE THAT HELPED US GET THE MOMENTUM TO GET HERE TODAY.
I THINK, AND I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR, UM, HUSTLING OVER THE WEEK OVER THE, THE HOLIDAYS AND, UM, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY TO, TO COME UP WITH OVER $2 MILLION, UH, WHEN YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A, UH, OF SETTING THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR WHEN THAT BUDGET HAS ALREADY BEEN SETTLED.
UM, UH, YESTERDAY WE MET WITH A LOT OF THE BROADWAY BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO WE, WE HAVE A REGULAR CONSTRUCTION UPDATE MEETING WITH THEM.
AND WHAT'S WE HEARD FROM SOME OF THEM IS, YOU KNOW WHAT, 35,000 ISN'T ENOUGH.
AND I HEARD THAT FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S LOST A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND, AND I HEAR YOU AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, BUT WITH 2.25 MILLION, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO GIVE EACH BUSINESS THAT QUALIFIED, 'CAUSE IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, RIGHT? AND SO IF, IF WE DECIDED WE'RE GONNA GIVE OUT A QUARTER MILLION, WE'RE ONLY GONNA HAVE NINE BUSINESSES THAT GET THIS, THESE FUNDS, RIGHT? AND WE'VE GOT 14 DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION AREAS WITH DOZENS, PROBABLY OF BUSINESSES ALONG EACH ONE.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE PROBABLY HAVE FOUND A HAPPY MEDIUM.
UM, I'M OPEN TO HEARING IF, IF PEOPLE DISAGREE.
UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT GONNA MAKE ANYBODY WHOLE, BUT MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE, AND THIS IS ECHOING WHAT, WHAT COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ WAS TALKING ABOUT IS WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY GOES OUTTA BUSINESS.
WE DON'T WANT THE SMALLEST OPERATOR THERE.
WE DON'T WANT IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO RUN THEM OUTTA BUSINESS, AND THEY DON'T GET TO BENEFIT FROM THAT PROGRESS.
AND SO THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE TIMELINE BECAUSE WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAME UP WITH HERE, AND WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAD TO HAVE STARTED BY JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
UH, YESTERDAY I TALKED TO, I'VE BEEN CHECKING IN WITH A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THESE, HOW DID THIS CRITERIA WORK FOR YOU? DOES IT WORK FOR YOU? DOES IT NOT WORK FOR YOU? AND, UH, I TALKED TO THE, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF CARITAS LONG AND THEIR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
[00:55:01]
STARTED IN JULY, SO THEY'RE MISSING IT BY ONE MONTH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THIS IS AN IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESS.THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST MADE THE NEW YORK TIMES FOR, FOR THEIR FISH LONG, HIGH.
AND THE, THE LITTLE, THE LITTLE CEVICHE SHACK THAT THEY'VE GOT IN THE BACK, THEY MADE THE NEW YORK TIMES LIST OF, UH, 50 RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT THEY'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE OWNER TOLD ME THAT THEIR, THEIR SALES ARE DOWN 50% RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT TIMELINE OF WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH JUNE.
YOU KNOW, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA MISS IT BY ONE MONTH, AND SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANYTHING, RIGHT? THERE.
ANOTHER PRIORITY FOR ME, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EVERY SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR DIRECT AID.
THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR HELP FOR, YOU KNOW, OVER A YEAR NOW, AND IT'S THE TIMELINE TO RELEASE FUNDS.
AND, AND WHAT I HEAR FROM CITY STAFF IS THAT YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO EXPEDITE THIS.
I JUST WANT MAKE SURE THAT THE URGENCY THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN THIS IS REFLECTED WHAT YOU KNOW, AND, AND MATCHES THE URGENCY OF THESE BUSINESS OWNERS AT THIS POINT.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FASTER WE CAN GET THIS OUT, THE BETTER.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA CONSISTENTLY HEAR THAT MESSAGE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS PAST WRONGS, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT WE ALSO THROUGH THESE FUNDS, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE WE NEED TO DO BETTER GOING FORWARD.
AND I HEARD THAT CITY MANAGER SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, TALKING ABOUT OVER COMMUNICATING WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.
UM, BUT I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE BROADWAY BUSINESS OWNERS ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE.
AND I REALLY, THIS REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS AND MODIFYING OUR DELIVERABLES.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE CITY HAS OUR DELIVERABLES ARE PROJECT CENTRIC DELIVERABLES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A TIMELINE, UH, AND DO YOU MEET THAT? ARE YOU, ARE YOU MEETING THOSE DELIVERABLES? WHEN DID YOU, WHEN DID YOU DIG THIS TRENCH? WHEN DO YOU HAVE THOSE UTILITIES LAID? WHEN DO YOU HAVE THAT TRENCH BACKFILLED? WHEN DO YOU HAVE THE, THE ROAD, UM, PAVED? WHEN DO YOU HAVE THE SIDEWALKS DONE? AND THIS BUSINESS OWNER SAID, WELL, WHAT ABOUT STAKEHOLDER CENTRIC DELIVERABLES? SO WHAT ABOUT, UM, WHEN IS THIS ROAD GONNA BE OPEN TO TRAFFIC AGAIN? WHEN ARE MY CUSTOMERS GONNA HAVE ACCESS TO MY PARKING LOT AGAIN? AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON AND PUT EFFORT INTO.
AND UNTIL WE DO THAT, I DON'T THINK THAT, I THINK OVER-COMMUNICATING IS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA GET US THERE.
I THINK OVER-COMMUNICATING IS A BENEFIT, IS BETTER, IS AN IMPROVEMENT.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT FULLY GETS US THERE TO LOOKING AT THESE STAKEHOLDER CENTRIC DELIVERABLES.
UM, ONE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD ABOUT DUST AND, AND MESSY CONSTRUCTION AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I, I FOLLOWED THE NORTH ST.
UM, THERE'S A BUSINESS OWNER WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM TODAY, UH, WHO OWNS THE CANDLELIGHT? AND BEFORE IT WAS THE CANDLELIGHT, IT WAS KALO O'BRIEN'S.
MY DAD BUILT KALO O'BRIEN'S WHEN I WAS IN EIGHTH GRADE.
YOU KNOW, SO I GREW UP DOING CONSTRUCTION, AND WE WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO LEAVE.
OUR CONSTRUCTION SITES MESSY, AND WE WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO HAVE DUST BLOW OVER ONTO OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.
AND SO THERE ARE WAYS TO MITIGATE THIS.
I MEAN, WE JUST NEED TO STAY ON OUR CONTRACTORS AND YOU CAN SPRAY WATER AND KEEP THAT DUST DOWN.
AND WE NEED TO DO THAT TO HELP.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE STAKEHOLDER CENTRIC, RIGHT? ARE WE, ARE WE MITIGATING OUR, OUR DUST WELL ENOUGH AND KEEPING OUR DUST OFF YOUR PROPERTY? UM, SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
UM, AND LET'S GET THIS DONE QUICKLY.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, BRENDA.
UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO ALL THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, SOME OF WHOM I SEE HERE TODAY, UM, FOR YOUR PATIENTS AND FOR REALLY FOR, FOR, FOR, UM, COMING HERE AND TELLING US WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE AND, AND, AND BEING KIND OF THE EYES ON THE GROUND TO SEE, UH, AND TELL US HOW THIS HAS IMPACTED YOUR INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.
I AM ENCOURAGED TO SEE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE THIS AFTERNOON, AND, AND THAT THERE'S CONTINUING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION AND, AND EVERY CONVERSATION I HAVE WITH A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, UM, BEFORE, AFTER COVID, UM, YOU KNOW, ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, NOT ABOUT CONSTRUCTION.
THE QUESTION OF ACCESS TO CAPITAL ALWAYS COMES UP.
ACCESS TO CAPITAL IN MY BOOK IS ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE HAVE, UH, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN DENYING THAT OF MANY BUSINESSES.
SO, UM, AT, AT A PERSONAL LEVEL TO MORE OF YOU, UM, TO MOST OF YOU SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS ALSO HOPE.
JUST KEEPING YOUR BUSINESSES ALIVE.
AND, UM, AND THEY'RE, AND NOT ALL OF THEM DID.
NOT ALL OF THE BUSINESSES SURVIVED.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I, I AM HAPPY TO SEE THAT THIS GRANT HAS A POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL BUSINESS TO STRENGTHEN, UM, OR EXPAND, HOPEFULLY.
[01:00:01]
I CAUTION US TO, BEFORE WE ALL ARE CONGRATULATING EACH OTHER AND OURSELVES, UM, I'LL FEEL A LOT BETTER WHEN THESE SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE THIS CAPITAL IN THEIR OPERATING ACCOUNTS WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, TO KNOW AND HAVE SOME, SOME COMFORT THAT THEY'RE GONNA SURVIVE, UH, TO SEE ANOTHER DAY AND TO, TO, TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.UM, IN, IN THAT, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
UM, THEY'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT.
AND TO THAT POINT IS, IS THE TIMELINE, IS THERE ANY WAY TO SORT OF TIGHTEN UP THAT TIMELINE? I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT, WAS IT ALLOCATIONS OF, OF, OF MONEY IN MARCH? YES.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY CONDENSED TIMELINE.
UH, WHEN WE ROLLED OUT THE COVID IMPACT GRANT, UH, THE TIMELINE FOR THE BUILD AND, AND MAKING SURE THE APPLICATION, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOUNDATION IS RIGHT, RIGHT? YOU DON'T WANNA OPEN UP THE APPLICATION WINDOW AND THEN HAVE BUSINESSES FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING, AND THE SYSTEM'S COLLAPSING ALL THAT.
UM, THE TYPICAL TIME FOR THAT IS SIX WEEKS.
WE ALSO DID A LOT OF OUTREACH DURING THAT TIME.
UH, WE DID WORK WITH LIFTFUND, UH, AND OUR PARTNERS ON THIS TIMELINE TO REALLY SEE HOW WE COULD SHRINK IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO BEING RESPONSIBLE TO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.
UM, SO IT IS THAT FOUR WEEK BUILD AND THEN AGAIN, AS ACCELERATED AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE, THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR.
IF FOR SOME REASON WE CAN GET IT OUT SOONER, AND WE CERTAINLY WILL BE.
UM, BUT THAT WAS REALLY WHERE, WHERE EVERYBODY FELT WE COULD SHAVE OFF SOME TIMELINE AND, AND BE COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH THE COMMITMENTS.
THE FOUR WEEKS IS THE BUILD FOR THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
THAT'S THE BUILD FOR BEHIND THE TESTING, THE MAKING SURE THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS.
AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TIME FOR THE OUTREACH.
SO CONCURRENTLY TO, TO LIFT ON DOING THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING OUT THAT AND IMPLEMENTING THE OUTREACH PROGRAM, UM, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, BLOCK WALKING, MAKING SURE WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE BUSINESSES.
AND, AND I ADMIT, YOU KNOW, TWO MONTHS IS NOT A, A, A VERY, IT IS A PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND, I THINK, FOR THIS KIND OF PROCESS.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER WORRIED ABOUT EVERY SINGLE, UM, YOU KNOW, COUPLE OF WEEKS MAKING PAYROLL, IT'S, UH, TWO MONTHS CAN BE A LIFETIME.
SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TIGHTEN THAT UP AND MAKE IT A SHORTER PROCESS FOR THEM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT.
AND, AND, AND HOWEVER I CAN SUPPORT THAT.
UM, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT OUTREACH.
THAT'S MY NEXT, UM, KIND OF SET OF QUESTIONS, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING OF COURSE, INTO ACCOUNT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
UM, I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE HISTORICAL HIGHWAY 90 ON THAT, ON THIS LIST.
IT'S A CORRIDOR THAT'S DEALT WITH A CONSTRUCTION FOR A LONG TIME, AND THE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT.
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE, THE NAME CHANGE, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM.
AND THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THAT AND NOW GOING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN, UM, NOW THAT THEY HAVE THEIR, THEIR NAME BACK, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE, THE CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN A LOT FOR THEM.
AND, AND I THINK ABOUT BUSINESSES LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, BELOS, MOLINA, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES YES.
AND THEY'RE, THEY, THEY'RE NOT, UH, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND, AND THAT'S HOW THEY ADVERTISE.
AND THEY, THEY DO SOCIAL MEDIA.
THERE'S OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, MOM AND POPS AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY DO THAT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE KNOCKING ON DOORS AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THESE GRANTS.
AND OF COURSE, I'D, I'D BE VERY GRATEFUL TO, TO, UH, JOIN YOU ON THOSE WALKS.
UM, THE, THE ON SLIDE FIVE, I THINK YOU MENTIONED 135 BUSINESSES RECEIVING THE CONSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENT FROM ARPA.
I WANNA BE CLEAR, UH, THAT THOSE BUSINESSES ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR, FOR THIS FUND, CORRECT? YES.
SO IT'S JUST GONNA BE OFFSET YES.
THE MAXIMUM, UH, GRANT, THEY'LL BE ABLE, ELIGIBLE FOR, UNDER THE COVID CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY GRANT IS 25,000 IN LIEU OF THE 35,000.
AND THAT'S IF THEY RECEIVE THE FULL 10,000, IF THEY RECEIVE THAT $10,000 CONSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENT UNDER THE COVID IMPACT GRANT.
THEY CAN STILL APPLY EVEN IF THEY ALREADY RECEIVED THAT 10,000.
VEO, HDA, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
THANK YOU BRENDA AND TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE CONTINUED WORK ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND ZI AND HIS TEAM AS WELL.
RIGHT? THERE'S OVER A BILLION DOLLARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE, UM, THAT FOLKS ARE OUT THERE WORKING ON.
AND WE KNOW THESE ARE MUCH NEEDED, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY, UH, GIVEN THE, THE, THE CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DOES EXIST.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO EXPRESS THANKS TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN VERY PERSISTENT IN ENSURING THAT THIS REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WHAT'S VERY UNIQUE ABOUT THIS COMING FORWARD IS I WITNESSED A LOT OF TEAMWORK.
UM, I WITNESSED, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, THE CITY MANAGER ENSURING THAT WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND THE MAYOR ENSURING THAT THIS IS GETTING BRIEFED TODAY.
UM, THE ADVOCACY FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, VIC WI VICKI,
[01:05:01]
WILL BE MY APPOINTEE ADVOCATED FOR GRANTS, RIGHT? BUT THERE WAS NO CONSENSUS WITHIN THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SO THAT DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD.UM, AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN BRAVO HAS BEEN VERY PERSISTENT, ENSURING THAT THIS REMAINS, UH, A PRIORITY AND THAT WE MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD.
BUT AS MENTIONED, RIGHT? DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS BROUGHT FORTH DIFFERENT IDEAS, UH, AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROVIDING SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT.
UM, SO REALLY GRATEFUL OF THE TEAMWORK THAT I WITNESSED, RIGHT? AND THAT INCLUDES THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE, UH, BEEN ADVOCATING FOR, UH, SUPPORT AND RELIEF TO ENSURE THAT THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE, UM, WITH THE, THE SMALL BUSINESS.
ARE WE GOING TO TASK OUR SMALL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PROSPER WEST AND SAGE TO DO THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO ENSURE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE ON THESE STREETS, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY? YES.
WE, UH, ACTUALLY HAVE A CALL WITH THEM LATER THIS WEEK IN WHICH WE WILL BE DISCUSSING WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THEM TO, TO SUPPORT THAT OUTREACH PROGRAM AS WELL.
THANK, JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH THE COVID IMPACT.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY KEY.
DO WE KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY EQUIP THEM WITH TABLETS TO COMPLETE THAT APPLICATION? I ASKED BECAUSE, UH, BO OF, UH, GOLDEN STAR, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? SHE COMES TO THE MEETINGS, THEN SHE'S BACK AT THE RESTAURANT, UH, CLEANING TABLES, SERVING TABLES.
AND I WANNA ENSURE THAT OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE, UH, GOLDEN STAR, UM, WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN OR GO, UM, TO AN OFFICE, THAT WE CAN MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE AND WALK THEM THROUGH THAT APPLICATION.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO? OR WOULD THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES? WELL, MANY OF OUR PARTNERS ALREADY HAVE THAT, AND THEY DID RECEIVE FUNDING AT 600 PLUS DOLLARS, OR 600 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT YOU SAW AS PART OF THE COVID WAS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND SO MANY OF THEM DO HAVE THAT ABILITY FOR THAT ON SITE.
AND I ASKED BECAUSE, UM, PRIOR TO BEING IN OFFICE, I DID SOME OUTREACH WORK WITH, UM, CARES FUNDING, CONNECTING FOLKS TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND IT WAS VERY PROACTIVE.
WE WERE SHOWING UP THROUGH THE DOORS WITH A TABLET, SERVING THEM, CONNECTING THEM TO THE APPLICATION, UH, RATHER THAN JUST ASKING, AND THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION AROUND BAD ACTING CONTRACTORS, RIGHT? FOLKS WHO AREN'T ON TIMELINE, HOW DO WE TRACK, UM, HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN BEHIND ON A PROJECT, AND DO WE REDUCE POINTS WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING THEIR APPLICATIONS, UM, AND IDENTIFYING A CONTRACTOR FOR A PROJECT? GOOD QUESTION.
I'M REZI DIRECTOR, CITY ENGINEERING FOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
WHEN WE ADVERTISE THE PROJECT, WE PUT HOW MANY DAYS, WORKING DAYS THEY HAVE TO FINISH THIS PROJECT.
WHEN WE GIVE THEM NOTES TO PROCEED FROM THAT DAY, THE CLOCK STARTS, AND EVERY PROJECT WE HAVE LIQUIDATE DAMAGE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT HIGH DOLLAR FIGURE TODAY, AS CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE ARE GOING TO INCREASE THAT ONE SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE CHARGE LIQUIDATE DAMAGE AFTER THEY P**S THE DEADLINE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FINISH THE PROJECT WE HOLD FROM THEIR MONTHLY REPAYMENT AS MANY, THEY, THEY ARE MISSING THOSE DATE.
UM, THEY BECOME SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS, LOW BIDDERS MM-HMM.
AND ADMINISTRATIVELY WE DO NOT BRING 'EM TO THE COUNCIL.
AND SO THE IDEA BEHIND THE RESPONSIBLE BIDDER ORDINANCE THAT YOU'LL SEE ON JANUARY 26TH, JUST GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE TEETH.
I MEAN, WE'RE FOLLOWING STATE PROCUREMENT RULES ON LOW BID MM-HMM.
AND WE DO THAT ADMINISTRATIVELY.
UM, AND, AND, AND FRANKLY, I WANT MORE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO COMBAT THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR, RIGHT? I, I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE'RE, UM, PUTTING OUT A R F P THAT WE'RE NOT SELECTING THESE FOLKS WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PUT US IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSING COUNCILMAN HARVARD C C R AND COMMITTEE AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE CITY STAFF TO FIND A SOLUTION.
I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH WHAT CAME FORWARD ON THE DECEMBER 16TH, UH, ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED, WHAT WE HAD BEEN SAYING FROM THE DAIS AND THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION'S, UH, PROPOSAL FORWARD.
[01:10:01]
DISTRICT FIVE'S REPRESENTATIVE HAVE PUT FORWARD A GRANT TYPE PROGRAM.UH, I STRUGGLE WITH THIS, AND I HAVE A MAP THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR, UM, FOR, FOR YOU TO PUT UP THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE, UM, FROM THE TEAM ABOUT THESE LOCATIONS.
BECAUSE ON THESE 15 PROJECTS, I DON'T SEE GOLIAD OR SOUTH PRESA.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE THE SCORES OF THESE LOCATIONS, AND I JUST WANT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO SEE THIS.
WHILE I, I, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS, AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I DON'T WANNA STRAY TOO MUCH AWAY OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT PROJECTS GOING ON CITYWIDE.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MOST UNDERSERVED AREAS, UM, IS THIS TRULY BEING THERE? SO, CAN, UH, SOMEBODY LET ME KNOW WHY GDD AND SOUTH PRES STREET DID NOT MAKE THIS LIST OF ELIGIBLE PROJECTS? UM, SORRY, WE'RE JUST CONFIRMING.
UH, SO WE DID NOT LOOK AT THIS INITIALLY BY DISTRICT.
WE REALLY LOOKED AT IT AS TO, AS TO WHO CAN HEAR.
UM, WE DID NOT INITIALLY LOOK AT THIS BY DISTRICT.
WE REALLY HAD THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT'S THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE IMPACTED AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND THEN REALLY HAD THE CONVERSATIONS FROM THERE, IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL CRITERIA IS WE DO NEED TO SHOW A LOSS.
AND, AND AGAIN, THE IMPACT TO COVID.
SO THAT'S IN PART WHAT REALLY DROVE THAT TIMELINE.
UM, AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS FROM THE INFORMATION WE HAVE.
UH, ROOSEVELT, FOR EXAMPLE, STARTED IN JULY.
UH, SOUTH PRESA WAS AFTER THE JUNE 30TH TIMELINE FOR START.
AND THEN GOLIAD, UH, FINISHED PRIOR TO THE 12 1 22.
AND GOLIAD, I, I BUSINESS IS CLOSED BECAUSE OF GOLIAD.
AND WE ALL KNOW THIS, AND I, I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS WE HAD AT GOLIAD, BUT, UM, WHICH MAKES ME WANT TO QUESTION WHY WE'RE CHOOSING THAT JUNE DATE.
IF WE KNOW THAT PRESA, WHICH IS, IS, UM, IS A CORRIDOR THAT'S LONG BEEN, UM, UNDERSERVED AND ROOSEVELT IS PART OF, OF THE WORLD HERITAGE, WHY THOSE WEREN'T CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO I JUST, I, I WANT, I WANNA MOVE THIS FORWARD.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT OUR, OUR AREAS ON THE WEST SIDE, IN PARTICULAR, PART OF OUR AREAS DOWN ST.
MARY'S AND BROADWAY HAVE SUFFERED A LOT.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE MOVE THIS FORWARD WITH SMALL BUSINESSES.
I, I FEEL LIKE THERE, IT IS NOT GONNA BE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL THAT THESE CORRIDORS WE'RE GOING INTO, PRESA IN PARTICULAR, ROOSEVELT FLORES, PROBAND, WHICH ALL HAPPEN TO SIT ON THE SOUTH SIDE, HAVE VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS.
WHEN WE TALK SMALL BUSINESS ABOUT THEM, I'M TALKING ABOUT MOM AND POP, THAT, THAT CANNOT GET TO, TO THESE MEETINGS.
SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT IT.
IT JUST MAKES ME A LITTLE, UM, DISHEARTENING THAT I FEEL LIKE I'M GONNA HAVE TO EITHER GO BACK TO MY, TO THE TOURS IN THE AREA TO LOOK TO HELP TO SMALL BUSINESSES, OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT, LOOK AT THE DISTRICT THREE BUDGET IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND HOW WE DO THIS BECAUSE THEY NEED HELP.
AND, UM, I'M JUST, I'M JUST, THE CUTOFF DATES THAT LEFT PRESA OFF, UM, WHICH WAS THE CARNI THAT MARIO BROUGHT UP, UH, JUST, UM, IT, IT, IT CAUSES ME TO STRUGGLE WITH THIS.
BUT I, I DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS TO TRY AND GET SOME RELIEF DONE.
WE JUST NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.
AND MAYBE THIS ISN'T A COMMITTEE JOB.
MAYBE THIS IS A WHOLE COUNCIL B SESSION, A MULTIPLE WORK SESSION JOB.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRA, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
YOU KNOW, I REALLY, UH, WANT TO COMMEND THE CITY STAFF.
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD EFFORT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A FINAL SOLUTION.
[01:15:01]
I, I GUESS I CAN SAY THAT WE ALL DRIVE ALL OVER THE CITY, AND WE SEE THESE PROBLEMS WITH, UH, CONSTRUCTION.AND WE SEE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE HAVING GOING OUTTA BUSINESS SALES SIGNS, OR WE KNOW THEY'VE JUST CLOSED DOWN, OR THEY'RE BARELY STAYING OPEN.
AND I THINK THAT IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I, AND I, MY COLLEAGUE MANNY, DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF CITING THE CITY CHARTER, UH, THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITY GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE SUFFERING EITHER BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CITY IS DOING, UH, IN A WAY OF STREETS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN SIDEWALKS AND DRAINAGE, OR WHAT THE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT IS IMPACTING A LOT OF THIS KIND OF CONSTRUCTION.
UH, I'VE FELT ALL ALONG, UH, I'VE SEEN SOME MAJOR BUILDING GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN AND IN SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT LITERALLY HAS CLOSED THE STREET FOR WEEKS AT A TIME.
AND I'VE SEEN BUSINESSES BEHIND THOSE CLOSED STREETS UNABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY DO, PROVIDE THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE.
AND I WONDER, YOU KNOW, SHOULDN'T WE GETTING BE GETTING A GREATER PARTNERSHIP FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAT OFTENTIMES CREATES SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS WHERE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BUILD A BUILDING, AND THE CITY HAS SAID, WE'LL DO THE STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS.
WELL, IF THAT BUILDING WASN'T GETTING BUILT, IF THAT FOR-PROFIT BUILDING WASN'T GONNA BE BUILT, MAYBE WE WOULDN'T HAVE SEEN SO LONG A CONSTRUCTION AND SEEN SO MANY BUSINESSES SUFFERING IN A PARTICULAR AREA.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE US TO EXPLORE IS HOW WE CAN DEVELOP A BETTER PARTNERSHIP, SO TO SPEAK, A COST OF DOING BUSINESS FOR THE BIG DEVELOPERS, IF THEY'RE GONNA IMPACT THE BUSINESSES AROUND THEM AS THIS DEVELOPMENT GOES FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING A, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, AND IT'S NOT EXACTLY ON TARGET, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S RELEVANT A LOT OF THE PIS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, AND, AND THE CITY HAS DECIDED, WELL, THOSE PIS ARE GONNA BE DEVELOPED.
BUT THOSE, UH, RESIDENTS WHO ARE GONNA LIVE OUT THERE ARE GONNA BE USING CITY STREETS FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE SAID, ANYONE WHO'S GONNA BE BUILDING HOMES IN THOSE PIS ARE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND AN EXTRA $1,700 PAID TO THE CITY TO HELP US BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE USING WHO POUR INTO THE CITY.
AND I SAY THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID ABOUT, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES ON IN THE CITY.
IF THE DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE BEING HURT, THEN MAYBE THOSE DEVELOPERS NEED TO INCLUDE AS PART OF THEIR COST OF DOING BUSINESS, A WAY OF MITIGATING AND SUPPORTING THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT GET ADVERSELY IMPACTED FOR SIX MONTHS, OR THREE MONTHS OR A YEAR, WHICH I THINK WE'VE SEEN PARTICULARLY RIGHT BY CITY HALL IN THESE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE US TO EXPLORE.
AND FURTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO AND A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
YES, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THAT.
BUT HOW MANY BUSINESSES COULD THAT IMPACT AT $35,000, WHICH I WOULD IMAGINE IS NOT, UH, UH, THE SUM OF LOSSES.
A LOT OF BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN SUFFERING BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION AND COVID.
UH, YOU KNOW, AT $35,000 OF BUSINESS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 70 BUSINESSES THAT COULD GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT, OR AT 25,000, IF THEY ALL GOT 25,000, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 90 BUSINESSES, UH, THAT WOULD GO AHEAD AND BENEFIT.
WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IF WHEN LISC OPENS THESE UP, UH, WE FIND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES THAT COULD QUALIFY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HELP THEM.
SO THAT MEANS A LOT OF DESERVING BUSINESSES ARE, ARE GONNA BE LEFT OUT.
MY POINT TO THIS IS TO SAY, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT OUR BUDGET LOOKS LIKE AT MIDTERM AND APRIL, AND DETERMINE ARE WE BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE BEYOND WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING IN OUR BUDGET, AND CAN WE RAL REALLOCATE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OTHER BUSINESSES THAT MAYBE DON'T GET THE MONEY THIS TIME AROUND, BUT HAVE STILL SUFFERED THOSE LOSSES AND, AND MAYBE CONTINUING TO SUFFER THE LOSSES FROM NOT ONLY COVID, BUT OF COURSE THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE CITY STAFF TO THINK ABOUT AND THAT I'D LIKE THE COUNCIL TO THINK ABOUT.
[01:20:02]
UH, MAYOR, JUST, UH, ONE, ONE THING I, AND, UM, I, I THINK, UH, BRENDA MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT EARLIER, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE AN ARPA, UH, UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL IN, UH, MID TO LATE FEBRUARY.AND THAT'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF UPDATE THE COUNCIL ON WHERE WE ARE ON ALL OF OUR SPEND, AND CERTAINLY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT, UM, UM, MOVING MONEY IF THERE'S A MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE.
UH, THANK YOU BRENDA, AND TO YOUR TEAM FOR BRINGING FORWARD TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I THINK IT LOOKS VERY GOOD.
UH, OF COURSE, FASTER IS ALWAYS BETTER, BUT WE ALSO WANT IT TO BE DONE WELL.
SO THANK YOU, UH, AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE THAT BROUGHT THIS FORWARD.
UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY, UM, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT MORE FREQUENT AND REGULAR COMMUNICATION, REGULAR MEETINGS, UH, FOR DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION, UM, CORRIDOR WARS, UH, SOUNDS APPROPRIATE.
UM, ERIC, YOU MENTIONED, UH, INCENTIVES FOR BEATING DEADLINES, UH, OR MEETING DEADLINES.
UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH, UH, I GUESS HOW, HOW WOULD WE BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THAT GIVEN STATE LAW AND LOW BID, UH, REQUIREMENTS? WELL, WE'D HAVE TO DO IT IN FUTURE CONTRACTS, AND THAT'S WORK THAT WE'LL NEED TO DO WITH, UM, ANDY'S OFFICE.
AND, UM, UM, PROBABLY A CONVERSATION WITH THE, THE CONTRACTORS SO THAT THEY'RE PREPARED FOR, FOR THAT TYPE OF, UM, UH, INSTRUMENT.
SO THAT'S PROSPECTIVELY GOING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK INTERNALLY, THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO OR THAT WE CAN DO TO GET READY, BUT I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT CERTAINLY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE AWARE OF.
I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BALANCE.
WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO GAME EITHER.
WE DON'T WANT A, A 12 MONTH PROJECT TO, UH, FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL US IT'S 18 MONTHS AND THEY GET IT DONE IN 13 MONTHS, WHICH IS GAMING THE SYSTEM.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A BALANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A COORDINATED EFFORT WITH OUR DESIGN CONSULTANTS.
WE HAVE REALISTIC TIMELINES, AND THEN WE'RE PUTTING THE RIGHT PRESSURE AND BALANCE IN THOSE, UH, IN THOSE CONTRACTS.
UH, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR OTHER, UH, GOVERNMENTS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR, UH, EX FOR A CONTRACTOR EXCEEDING A DEADLINE BEATING AND MEETING A DEADLINE.
UM, HAS THE STAFF BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO STAFF IN OTHER AREAS WHERE THAT IS A PRACTICE AND LEARNED, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HOW NOT TO HAVE THE SYSTEM GAINED AND SOME BEST PRACTICES FROM THAT? I'M SURE THERE IS, AND THAT'S WORK THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DO.
UM, UH, OVERALL, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR GOAL IS, UH, TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION TO WHOEVER IS ON THAT CORRIDOR, WHETHER IT'S A BUSINESS OR IT'S A, A FAMILY.
BUT IN, IN THIS CASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS CORRIDORS.
UM, I WILL, UH, FULLY ADMIT THERE IS NO SINGLE DISTRICT SEVEN CORRIDOR ON THAT, BECAUSE WE, WE DON'T HAVE BIG COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS LIKE THAT.
UM, UH, BUT NONETHELESS, I STILL HAVE AN OPINION,
UM, IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION TO THE BUSINESSES, OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT THE, THE PROJECT TO BE DONE QUICKLY.
YOU, YOU WANT TO MITIGATE THE DUST, WHICH I, I THINK IS, UH, A ABSOLUTELY FAIR POINT, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD, UH, CONSIDER REQUIRING.
UM, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESS OWNER CAN STILL DO BUSINESS.
UH, WHAT I HEARD FROM SOME SMALL BUSINESSES WAS THAT, UM, ALL RIGHT, SO MAYBE WE CAN'T DO AS MUCH BUSINESS AS WE NORMALLY DO.
MAYBE WE GET A GRANT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE, OUR OLD CUSTOMERS MAY FORGET WHO WE ARE AND THEY WILL FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO REPLACE THE SERVICES THAT WE USED TO OFFER, OR THE GOODS THAT WE USED TO OFFER.
WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION ENDS, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY COME BACK.
IT'S NOT LIKE ALL YOUR OLD CUSTOMERS JUST SAY, OH, IT'S OVER.
I'M GONNA LEAVE MY NEW, UM, BUSINESS THAT I USE.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CHALLENGE STAFF TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE THE BUSINESSES CONTINUE DOING BUSINESS WHILE THEY ARE THERE.
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE ENTRANCE EASILY ACCESSIBLE, EASILY VISIBLE, ATTRACTIVE, WHILE THERE'S STILL SOME CONSTRUCTION GOING ON? I'VE LIVED IN A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES, THIS HAPPENS.
IT, IT DOES WORK IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, AND THERE IS, I WILL TELL YOU, IN SAN FRANCISCO, THERE WILL NEVER BE A SIDEWALK CLOSE LIKE SOMEONE TO SEND YOU ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT A SAFE CROSSING AND SAY, SIDEWALK CLOSED, BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS A SIDEWALK AVAILABLE FOR THE PEDESTRIAN, ESPECIALLY ON SOME OF THESE CORRIDORS THAT DO DEPEND ON FOOT TRAFFIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THAT'S NOT PART OF A CON, UH, OF A GRANT TO A BUSINESS, BUT THAT IS PART OF SOMETHING WE CAN DO AS MANAGING THE PROJECT.
AND I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR THE BUSINESSES, BUT FOR THE USERS OF THE CORRIDOR AS
[01:25:01]
WELL.UM, AND, UH, THE LAST POINT I'D, I'D WANNA MAKE IS WE SAW THAT WHEN THE SS B A OFFERED, UH, LOANS, UH, DURING, UH, THE PPPS, I THINK IT WAS THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT, UH, DID NOT HAVE THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO APPLY.
OR MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A, A PROPER BOOKKEEPER.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, OR THAT, UH, LYFT FUND WILL BE PROVIDING SUPPORT ON? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORKED WITH OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS ON.
UM, AGAIN, SOME OF THEM HAVE THE, THE BACK OFFICE PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, SAGE AND WHATNOT, TO REALLY HELP THE BUSINESSES ON THEIR FINANCIALS.
AND THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN THE SOLICITATION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ENHANCE THAT AS PART OF THE, THE ARPA SOLICITATION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY REVIEWING, UM, ALSO WAS WEB PRESENCE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE LAYER BOTH THE BACK OFFICE AND WEB PRESENCE INTO THAT CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM THAT WE DISCUSSED.
AND ERIC, BY VIRTUE OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, THAT WE ALREADY APPROVED MANY, MANY MONTHS AGO, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GO AHEAD AND EXECUTE ON THE PROGRAM.
I DON'T THINK YOU HEARD ANY GREAT PIVOTS FROM US JUST, UH, FEEDBACK ON, ON A GO FORWARD PLAN.
AM I, AM I CORRECT? ARE YOU HEARING THE SAME THING? THE ONLY, UH, AM MAYOR, THE ONLY THING I WANNA DOUBLE CHECK ARE THE, UM, THE, UM, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT COUNCILWOMAN GRO HAD AND THE REFERENCE THAT COUNCILMAN BRAVO HAD, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TIED ON THE TIMELINES AND THE, THE CUTOFF DATES, SO THAT IF IT'S, UM, IF IT'S MANAGEABLE, THEN, THEN WE'LL MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.
I'M THINKING THAT WE'LL DO THAT FOLLOW UP, AND THEN WE'LL EXECUTE.
UM, AND I'LL ISSUE A MEMO TOMORROW MORNING OF THE COUNCIL THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHERE WE WENT.
AND I, I THINK REPORTS BACK ON HOW THE PROGRAM IS GOING IN, IN, UM, CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT LIFTFUND WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UH, AND LEMME JUST REMIND EVERYBODY AGAIN, UH, WE HAVE JUST LIVED THROUGH, UM, THE MOST SEVERE HEALTH EVENT PANDEMIC OF OUR LIFETIMES, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL EVER EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIFETIMES.
AND WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW IS THE LONG TAIL OF THE C OVID 19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
AND SO THIS PROGRAM IS, IS BEING CREATED BECAUSE, UH, THAT PANDEMIC SPARED VIRTUALLY NO ONE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM THE IMPACTS.
AND SO, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN BY C O V I D AND KEPT DOWN BY PROTRACTED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WE ARE, UH, ASSEMBLING THIS RELIEF PROGRAM USING ARPA DOLLARS.
UH, SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE STAFF.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONTINUED FEEDBACK, AND THANK YOU TO THE BUSINESSES FOR HELPING US, UH, COORDINATE AND, AND, UH, REFINE THIS PLAN.
THAT IS OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
LET, LET ME TURN IT BACK TO YOU, ERIC, FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UH, OUR SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A BRIEFING FROM SALLY ON THE PROPOSED, UH, FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE HUNDRED 18TH, UH, US CONGRESS, WHICH, UH, WHICH BEGAN, UM, LAST WEEK.
UM, SO THE, OBVIOUSLY THE CONGRESS STARTS EVERY TWO YEARS IN PREPARATION, UH, FOR THIS EFFORT.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL PARTNERS AND AGENCIES, AND OUR CONSULTANT TEAM TO DRAFT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
AND SALLY WILL WALK THEM THROUGH, WALK YOU THROUGH THEM, UM, LIKE OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, UH, THAT YOU APPROVED IN NOVEMBER.
THIS IS A DRAFT FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT'S STRUCTURED AROUND, UH, SEVEN PILLARS THAT ALIGN WITH CITY COUNCIL APPROVED PLANS.
UM, AND SO SHE'LL, SHE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
UM, THIS WORK BEGAN MIDDLE LAST YEAR, AND, UM, HAS GONE BEFORE THE I G R COMMITTEE, UH, IN NOVEMBER.
UM, AND, UH, SALLY WILL BRIEF IT.
WE'LL BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR APPRO APPROVAL, FOR YOUR APPROVAL, AND THEN, UH, TAKE ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE OR SUGGESTIONS, AND THEN, UH, GET TO WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT OUR, OUR BUTTONED UP, UH, PROGRAM FOR WASHINGTON DC SALLY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, LET'S GET THE PRESENTATION UP REAL QUICK.
SALLY BATO, DIRECTOR FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID THE DRAFT PROGRAM FOR THE A HUNDRED AND 18TH CONGRESS.
UM, AS YOU ALL I'M SURE ARE AWARE, THE NEW SESSION KICKSTARTED LAST WEEK, UM, WITH, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF ACTIVITY TRYING TO LAND ON THEIR HOUSE.
UH, SPEAKER, THE SENATE STARTED A LITTLE MORE QUIETLY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, WE HAVE SOME FORWARD MOVEMENT IN WASHINGTON DC NOW WE'RE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE HOUSE RULES TO DETERMINE HOW THAT'S GOING TO UNFOLD, UM, THROUGH THE REST OF THE FIRST YEAR OF THE A HUNDRED AND 18TH CONGRESS.
UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROGRAM.
[01:30:01]
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROGRAM, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT SIX, UH, PLUS MONTHS.UM, THIS PROGRAM WILL ENTAIL VARIOUS SUPPORT STATEMENTS THROUGH VARIOUS PILLARS THAT, THAT I WILL RUN THROUGH HERE MOMENTARILY.
UH, THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, ALONG WITH THE GUIDANCE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE I G R COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UM, THAT VOTED TO RECOMMEND ADVANCING THE DRAFT PROGRAM TO YOU TODAY, UM, AND WITH YOUR VOTE TODAY TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING TO THE FINISH LINE AND ADVOCATING FOR THE COUNCIL, UH, PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING VERY CLOSELY.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, THIS TWO YEAR PROGRAM GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF, OF THE CITY, UH, ITS RESIDENTS, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY AS, UM, A WHOLE, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU HERE THE TIMELINE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LAST, UM, COUPLE OF MONTHS.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THERE WAS ABOUT A SIX, SIX MONTH PROCESS, UH, DURING THE NOVEMBER 28TH I G R COUNCIL COMMITTEE, MEETING OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, FROM THE COMMITTEE ALONG WITH CHAIRMAN PEIS APPROVED TO ADVANCE THE PROGRAM, UM, THAT, UM, THEN WAS FOLLOWED BY INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH OUR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME TO MEET WITH MYSELF AND, UM, UH, JEFF COYLE, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND THE GA STAFF TO, TO GO THROUGH THESE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. UH, ESSENTIALLY THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU AND GET FEEDBACK ON THE INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDED ITEMS LAST WEEK THAT STARTED THE, UH, A HUNDRED AND 18TH SESSION, WHICH BRINGS US TO TODAY.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR SECOND TO THE LAST STOPS, UM, FOR THE DRAFT PROGRAM, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ANY FINAL COMMENTS, UM, AND FEEDBACK FROM YOU TODAY.
AND WE ARE AIMING FOR A FINAL COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR MARCHING ORDERS.
UM, TO START THE, THE SESSION ADVOCATING FOR THE CITY, I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW OF THE, UM, MILESTONES THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE SIX MONTHS, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE COORDINATION THAT WAS KICKED OFF IN AROUND MAY OF 2022 WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THROUGH THEIR ASSISTANCE, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH MANY OF THE, UH, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT COUNCIL APPROVED.
UH, MANY OF THEM, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN APPROVED OVER THE COURSE OF, OF VARIOUS YEARS, LIKE THE SA FORWARD PLAN, SHIP CAP, UM, THE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN, UH, TO NAME A FEW, UH, THAT COORDINATION EXTENDS AND CONTINUES WITH OUR CONSULTING TEAM IN WASHINGTON, D C, AND OUR LOCAL LIAISON.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED A GREAT GUIDANCE AND FEEDBACK FROM THE I G R COMMITTEE AND FROM THE COUNCIL, UM, MEMBERS AS A WHOLE.
OUR COORDINATION EXTENDS AS WELL TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SEVERAL OF THEM WHO ARE HERE.
UM, YOU WILL, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, WHEN I GET TO THE PARTNERSHIPS LIST, SAS C P S, OUR CHAMBERS, HIGHER ED PARTNERS, UH, SMALL BUSINESS, UH, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, UH, IN THE LIST, OF COURSE, UH, GOES ON.
UM, OUR DELEGATION HAS BEEN VERY KEY IN HELPING US, UH, TRAVERSE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROGRAM BY IDENTIFYING, UH, THOSE KEY PRIORITIES, UM, FOR THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
A LOOK HERE, UM, AT THE SEVEN PILLARS, UM, THE FOCUS IN THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM WAS, UH, TO TAKE THE PRIORITIES AND THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, HEARING AND CAPTURING FROM YOU THROUGH THE VARIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS, THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UH, AS WELL AS BUDGET DISCUSSIONS YOU'LL SEE HERE, UH, THESE ARE THE SEVEN, UH, PILLARS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT COMPRISES THE PROGRAM.
UM, ALONG WITH THE 20 SUPPORT STATEMENTS, WE STARTED WITH 18 SUPPORT STATEMENTS, AND WE LANDED ON 20, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST INFRASTRUCTURE, RESILIENCY, AND TRANSPORTATION.
AS YOU RECALL, IN 2021, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT PAST THE ONE YEAR MARK FROM THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW ENACTMENT, AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THAT CLOSELY AND BRINGING UPDATES TO THE I G R COMMITTEE ON BILL, UH, MORE RECENTLY IN AUGUST OF 2022.
THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, OR I R A WAS ALSO A LARGE PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS, UH, THAT INCORPORATES, UM, A LOT OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
OF SPECIAL NOTE, UH, THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW OR BILL, IS A FIVE YEAR, UH, LEGISLATIVE FUNDING PACKAGE.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THAT THROUGH 2026 AND I R A INCORPORATES TAX CREDITS AND OTHER PROGRAMS UP TO, UH, 10 YEARS.
[01:35:01]
SO MULTI-YEAR PACKAGES THAT WE KNOW THE CONGRESS WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, WORK ON, AND THE AGENCIES WILL BE MANAGING, UH, FUNDING THROUGH THOSE, UM, BIG PROGRAMS VERY QUICKLY.UH, THOSE ARE VERY MUCH, UH, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM YOU THAT FALL UNDER THE AFFORDABLE, UH, HOUSING SPECTRUM.
MORE DETAILS IN THE SLIDES TO COME.
WORKFORCE AND TRAINING FOR ALL OUR, UM, UH, ESSAY READY TO WORK, UH, PROGRAMS AND SOME CONGRESSIONAL BILLS THAT WILL BE COMING TO THE FOREFRONT DURING THIS SESSION.
UH, PUBLIC, UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES INCO INCORPORATE SOME OF OUR, UM, ESSAY FORWARD, UH, METRO HEALTH, UH, PROGRAMS, UM, AND PILLARS UNDER ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS HERE THAT I WILL GO INTO DETAILS.
MILITARY PROTECTION IS A STAPLE IN OUR PROGRAM.
IT'S A CARRYOVER PILLAR, AND, UM, INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT STATEMENTS, UH, THAT ARE PART, UM, MOSTLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR JOINT BASE, SAN ANTONIO AND THEIR INITIATIVES, UH, AND AS WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CARRYOVER, UH, PILLAR.
SO, UH, I WANTED TO GO THROUGH AND, UM, BREAK THESE OUT A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU.
UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION UMBRELLA, AS I MENTIONED, BILL AND I R A WILL BE FRONT AND CENTER.
WE ALSO INCORPORATE IN HERE SUPPORT FOR OUR, UH, TRADITIONAL AVIATION, UH, FUNDING AND TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS OUR, UM, AVIATION, UH, PROGRAMMING.
UH, THE AIRPORT, UH, IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO THE AIRPORT, AS WELL AS AS OTHER TRADITIONAL GRANTS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE ON HERE THAT THE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY NAMES, UH, THE IMPACT, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY AND RESIDENTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
THIS IS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
MUCH OF THE PROGRAMMING AROUND, UH, I R A AND BILL, UM, FOCUSES, UH, A GREAT DEAL ON DISADVANTAGED, UH, COMMUNITIES AROUND THE JUSTICE 40 PROGRAM.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND, AND MAKE THAT ALIGNMENT THERE AS WELL.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UM, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE, ESPECIALLY IT WAS VERY APPARENT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, UM, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE INTERNET, UM, WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND KEEP ACCESS TO BROADBAND FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR PROGRAM AS WELL.
STILL UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY.
UM, I MENTIONED EARLIER THE SUPPORT FOR THE AVIATION PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION TO A I P, WE ARE SUPPORTING AND RECOMMENDING RAISING OR ELIMINATING THE P F C CHARGE, UM, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING FUNDING FOR THE FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER.
THE, UH, P F C CAP HAS BEEN IN PLACE AT $4 AND 50 CENTS, UH, SINCE 2000.
AND SO THAT WHAT THAT COVERS OUR USER FEES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, UM, SAFETY AND EFFICIENCIES, AND, UM, ULTIMATELY IMPROVES THE, UH, TRAVELER EXPERIENCE.
SO THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR, UM, ONE 18TH PROGRAM AS WELL.
THE FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER THAT'S ESSENTIALLY, UH, FUNDING FOR SECURITY CAPACITY AND RELATED, UH, PROJECTS, UM, TO THE TOWER.
SO OUR AIRPORT TEAM, UM, IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS, THIS PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO GET INCREASED FUNDING FOR.
YOU WILL, UH, RECALL, UM, AN ITEM THAT WAS IN A PREVIOUS, NOT THE ONE 17TH FEDERAL PROGRAM, BUT THE ONE 16TH WAS OUR EFFORTS TO ADVOCATE FOR A NONSTOP FLIGHT BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO, UM, AND REAGAN NATIONAL.
UH, WE TOOK A PAUSE FROM THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE, THE POTENT, THE, THE, THE LARGEST POTENTIAL VEHICLE FOR THE NONSTOP FLIGHT BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO AND REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE F A A REAUTHORIZATION BILL.
CONGRESS IS SLATED TO START DISCUSSIONS IN 2023.
THE CURRENT BILL EXPIRES SEPTEMBER OF, OF 2023.
SO WE KNOW THAT THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR FEDERAL TEAM AND OUR DELEGATION TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL STRATEGIES, UM, AROUND SECURING, UM, THE NONSTOP FLIGHT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE, THERE IS A, A PERIMETER AND SLOT RULE THAT ARE A CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED AND DIRECTED THE DIRECT, THE F A A TO LIMIT IN AND OUT FLIGHTS OUT OF REAGAN NATIONAL, WHICH IS WHY IT REQUIRES CONGRESSIONAL ACTION IN ORDER FOR ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS, UH, TO BE ADDED TO, UM, THE REAGAN, UH, NATIONAL IN AND I IN AND OUT FLIGHT.
SO, MORE THERE, BUT, UM, JUST, JUST TO REFLECT A LITTLE BIT, WE ARE, I THINK, ABOUT 200 MILES OUTSIDE THE 1,250 PERIMETER RURAL MILES OUTSIDE OF, OF REAGAN NATIONAL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE SIGNIFICANTLY OUTSIDE, UM, THAT PERIMETER RULE.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE
[01:40:01]
WORKING WITH OUR DELEGATION TO LOOK AT AS WELL.UH, MOVING ON, UH, TO THE HOUSING, UH, SPECTRUM.
WE SUPPORT ENHANCEMENT, UM, TO THE HOUSING, UH, TAX CREDITS.
THE LOW INCOME HOUSING, UH, TAX CREDITS ARE ESSENTIALLY FEDERAL SUBSIDIES, UM, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB OF, OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AND OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS FOR HOMES, UM, AND RENTAL PROPERTIES.
THIS IS A, A PASS THROUGH PROGRAM THAT IS MANAGED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF OF HOUSING.
UH, AND THESE TAX CREDITS ARE FOR DEVELOPERS TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES.
SO OUR, UM, HOUSING TEAM IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
THE NEXT ITEM IS SUPPORT FOR INCREASED FUNDING, UH, FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THESE THREE GRANTS, UM, UH, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE HOME C D B G AND E S G.
UM, THESE ARE PRIMARILY, UM, FEDERAL GRANTS THAT HELP WITH THE BUYING AND REHAB OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, IN COMMUNITIES AND RENTAL PROPERTIES AS WELL.
C D B G IS A VERY FLEXIBLE GRANT THAT, UM, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, AND THAT SUPPORTS A LARGE ARRAY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECTS.
AND THE E S G GRANTS PROVIDE HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT AND SERVICES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A CARRYOVER ITEM.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS SUPPORT, UH, AND PROGRAMS FOR RENTAL SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDES LEGAL SERVICES AND EVICTION PROTECTIONS.
THIS IS, UH, AN EXPANSION FOR, FOR RENTAL, UH, PROTECTIONS THAT OUR HOUSING TEAM IS RECOMMENDING AND, AND WE SUPPORT.
UM, THESE RENTER PROTECTIONS INCLUDE, UM, ASSISTANCE SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS AND LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO HOPEFULLY PROVIDE, UM, SUPPORT FOR A BILL.
THERE WAS THE, UM, ENDING HOMELESSNESS ACT THAT WAS FILED DURING THE LAST SESSION.
UH, THERE WAS SOME MOVEMENT ON IT, AND WE DO KNOW THAT THE ORIGINAL SENATE SPONSORS WILL REFILE THAT BILL AGAIN, UM, IN THE NEW SESSION.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR, FOR THAT BILL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
PROTECTIONS ALSO INCLUDE ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES TO ENSURE, UM, THAT RENTERS HAVE ACCESS TO ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE LIVING CONDITIONS, UH, PLUS THE PROTECTIONS, UH, DURING THEIR, THE EVICTION, UH, PROCESSES THAT THEY MAY ENCOUNTER.
ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FRONT, UH, WE PROPOSE TO SUPPORT THE REAUTHORIZATION FOR WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS THAT TARGET HISTORIC DISADVANTAGE, UH, POPULATIONS.
UM, THIS WILL ULTIMATELY SUPPORT OUR ESSAY READY TO WORK PROGRAMS THROUGH THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.
THIS IS ONE OTHER REAUTHORIZATION BILL THAT GETS REAUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
HOWEVER, FORTUNATELY FOR THE NATION AND CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO THAT BENEFIT FROM, UH, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, UH, FUNDING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, CONGRESS HAS CONTINUED TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.
WHAT THE REAUTHORIZATION, UM, DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS DO IS THAT THEY ALLOW FOR TECHNICAL FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT LARGE PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MORE DIRECTLY WITH DISCRETIONARY FUNDING, UM, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES UMBRELLA.
UH, NEW, WE ARE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT FOR THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT, UM, IN THE FARM BILL.
UH, THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT INCLUDES, UM, VARIOUS, UH, CHILDREN'S FOOD PROGRAMS THAT FALL UNDER SNAP AND EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS FREE PROGRAM, UH, FOOD PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, UM, THAT WE WANNA TRY TO, TO SUPPORT, UH, SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE FARM BILL.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES OTHER, UH, TYPE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL HAD, UH, BROUGHT UP TO OUR ATTENTION DURING THE NOVEMBER I G R ABOUT PARTICULAR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS UNDER THE FARM BILL.
WE DID LOOK INTO THAT AND REACHED OUT TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND THEY ARE PARTICULARLY, UH, INTERESTED IN ADVOCATING FOR SOME OF THOSE CONSERVATION WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, PIECES OF THE FARM BILL THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING INTO.
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE GREAT COORDINATION WITH WITH N L C.
UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SUPPORT STATEMENT, UH, TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BY IMPROVING, UM, ACCESS.
AS YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO CARE IS ONE OF THE PILLARS IN OUR ESSAY FORWARD PLAN, UM, PRIORITIES, WHICH INCLUDES POVERTY, EDUCATION, UM, AND LANGUAGE LIMITATIONS.
[01:45:01]
HAS RECOMMENDED, UM, IN THE BUDGET, THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET REQUESTS INCREASES TO ACCESS TO CARE.SO THIS IS, UH, GOING TO BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FIND ALIGNMENT THERE AS WELL.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS, UM, SUPPORT, UH, FOR POLICIES AND FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PROVIDE INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.
UH, CHAIRMAN PALIS IN THE I G R COMMITTEE, UH, MADE A GREAT POINT AND REQUESTED, UM, THAT THIS BE MOVED OUT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY PILLAR, AND WE INCLUDED THAT HERE AS A STANDALONE ITEM.
THERE'S EXTENSIVE COORDINATION THAT HAPPENS WITH, UM, THE, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, COMMITTEE, UH, THROUGH MARIA VIA GOMEZ'S, UH, LEADERSHIP, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IN COORDINATION WITH, WITH THE COUNTY, AND, AND, UH, A LOT OF MANY PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTERVENTION PREVENTION SERVICES.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS A SUPPORT CONGRESSIONAL ACTION THAT ENABLES UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, UM, WHO CAME TO THE US AS CHILDREN TO EARN LAWFUL STATUS.
UM, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE DACA OR DREAMERS SUPPORT STATEMENT.
UM, THE, THE TITLES HAVE VARIED A LITTLE, WHICH IS WHY WE DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT PARTICULAR DACA TITLE ON THERE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, OVER THE YEARS, DACA PARTICIPANTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THEIR ECONOMY.
THEY HAVE AVAILED THEMSELVES OF EDUCATION AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, CURRENTLY SOME DATA THAT WE SAW THERE IS APPROXIMATELY CLOSE TO $800 MILLION IN FEDERAL TAXES THAT THEY CONTRIBUTE, UM, THE DACA PARTICIPANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, IN SAN ANTONIO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE CLOSE TO 4,900, UH, DACA PARTICIPANTS, UM, LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE HAVE CLOSE TO 140,000, UM, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CLOSE TO 700,000.
AS I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD, THERE IS A FEDERAL US COURT APPEALS STAY ON THE DACA PROGRAM.
UH, WHAT THAT DECISION, FEDERAL DECISION MADE, UM, IN OCTOBER ESSENTIALLY, UH, SAYS THAT THE CURRENT DACA PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO REMAIN IN THE US.
THEY ARE ABLE TO RENEW THEIR DACA STATUS.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE NOT ACCEPTING, UM, NEW APPLICATIONS FOR, FOR NEW, UH, PARTICIPANTS.
SO ESSENTIALLY, WE ARE, AGAIN, IN A LITTLE BIT OF LIMBO.
NEXT STEPS WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE ADDITIONAL LITIGATION, AND THAT IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE AND OR CONGRESS TAKING ACTION ON, UM, THE, UH, DREAMERS LEGISLATIVE BILL, WHICH HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED, UM, AND FAILED, UM, DURING THE PREVIOUS CONGRESS.
UH, NOW MOVING ON TO THE ECONOMIC, UM, AND DEVELOPMENT PILLAR.
UH, THE SUP THE SUPPORT STATEMENT THAT YOU SEE HERE AT THE TOP OF, OF THIS SLIDE, UM, IS SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, UH, MANUFACTURING, SUPPLY CHAINS, AND RESEARCH, UM, UM, AND, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE BILL WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS IN SUMMER OF, OF 2022, AND THAT ESSENTIALLY INCLUDED THE RE THE RE AUTHORIZATION, EXCUSE ME, UM, OF PROGRAMS UNDER INNOVATION, UM, AND TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT INCLUDED REGIONAL INNOVATION HUBS THAT OUR INTEREST TO SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, THAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM COORDINATES WITH.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PIECE, UM, THAT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR HIGHER ED, SPECIFICALLY FOR MINORITIES, UH, UH, SERVING INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE INNOVATION AND, UH, WORKFORCE, UH, PROGRAMS OF SPECIAL NOTE, GOOD NEWS.
THE DECEMBER F Y 23 BUDGET THAT CONGRESS PASSED INCLUDED, UH, ABOUT 1.8 BILLION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A DOWN PAYMENT ON THE CHIPS ACT PROGRAM.
WE'VE ASKED OUR CONSULTANTS TO, TO HELP US DISSECT, UM, THAT PARTICULAR FUNDING TO HELP US DETERMINE WHAT EXACTLY, UM, ITS FUNDING.
BUT, UM, WE ENVISIONED, FROM WHAT I HAD HEARD, THAT THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PIECE, UM, WAS ONE AREA THAT POTENTIALLY IS GONNA RECEIVE, UM, SOME OF THIS FUNDING.
SO THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR HIGHER ED PARTNERS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS SUPPORT FOR THE HISTORIC TAX CREDIT ENHANCEMENTS, UM, THAT HELP, UM, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
THIS IS A TOOL THAT HAS LONG BEEN USED, UM, AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL BY OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION TEAM.
IT IS, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE TAX CREDITS AND INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPERS.
UM, EXAMPLES, UM, OF PROJECTS IN SAN ANTONIO INCLUDE THE ST.
ANTHONY HOTEL, TROPICANA HOTEL, UH, THE BOARD AND CREAMERY, AND, UM, THE ALAM
[01:50:01]
ALAMEDA THEATER, UM, TO NAME A FEW.SO WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, THIS SUPPORT STATEMENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THE HTCS.
MOVING ON TO MILITARY, UH, PROTECTION.
UM, WE WANTED, UM, TO MAKE SURE AND, AND PUT THIS IN FRONT OF YOU AS, AS OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN ONGOING ON THIS NEW PARTICULAR SUPPORT STATEMENT, A SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE THAT REDUCES FINANCIAL BURDEN OF CIVILIANS SERVED AT MILITARY, UH, MEDICAL, UH, TREATMENT, UH, FACILITIES.
EXISTING FEDERAL LAW ALLOWS, UH, MILITARY MEDICAL FACILITIES SUCH AS B A SS C TO, UH, FULLY CHARGE CIVILIAN CARE, UM, AT A HUNDRED UH PERCENT.
AND THAT OFTEN PUTS FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THESE, UH, PATIENTS.
THERE'S BEEN SOME WORK BY, UH, CONGRESSMAN CASTRO TO ALLEVIATE AND HAVE A TECH, A TECHNICAL FIX ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
UM, OUR MILITARY AFFAIRS TEAM AND JOINT JOINT BASED SAN ANTONIO, UM, DO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT OF THIS FEDERAL LAW THAT WOULD DIRECT, UH, MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES TO WAIVE THE FEES FOR CIVILIANS RECEIVING, UH, CARE AT, UM, MILITARY MEDICAL FACILITIES LIKE B M C, UM, TO ALLEVIATE THAT, THAT FINANCIAL BURDEN.
UM, SO WE DO KNOW THAT, UM, CONGRESSMAN CASTRO, UM, THANKS TO HIS EFFORTS, HE INCLUDED AN AMENDMENT IN THE N D A A BILL, UM, THIS LAST ROUND, UM, THAT ALLOWED FOR, UM, B A SS C LIKE FACILITIES TO OFFER AND PROVIDE, UM, A PRORATED PAYMENT PLAN.
SO THAT'S ONE STEP CLOSER TO ALLEVIATING, UM, THE BURDEN, THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL BURDEN ON, ON CIVILIANS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, THE JOINT BASED SAN ANTONIO, UH, MEDICAL TEAMS AT B A S C ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE TRAINING AND, AND EXPERIENCE THAT THEY GAIN, UM, FROM, UH, PROVIDING, UH, CIVILIAN CARE, UM, OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO, UH, WE ARE, UM, REQUESTING SUPPORT, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UH, INITIATIVE ONTO EXPANSION OF THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, UM, TO MAKE MILITARY SPOUSES ELIGIBLE, UM, FOR THE TARGET GROUP.
CURRENTLY, THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT ALLOWS EMPLOYERS TO HIRE SPECIFIC, UM, INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS VETERANS, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE RECEIVED LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT, UM, TO RECEIVE TAX CREDITS.
THIS IS A DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROGRAM, UM, THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, GET YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO WORK ON ADVOCACY TO EXPAND THAT LIST TO INCLUDE SPOUSES, UM, TO THAT PARTICULAR LIST.
OUR MILITARY AFFAIRS TEAM, OF COURSE, SUPPORTS THE ADDITION OF THE QUALIFIED MILITARY SPOUSES, UM, TO ADD TO THIS TARGETED LIST AND EXPAND IT.
UM, WE KNOW THAT SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT CONTRIBUTES TO THE MILITARY RETENTION RATES, UM, INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
UM, THE STAPLE STATEMENT HERE IS SUPPORT FOR JBS A'S MISSION READINESS AND TO ENSURE LONG-TERM PROTECTION OF THE REGION'S MILITARY BASIS.
UM, THIS IS IMPORTANT, UH, TO OUR REGION.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE A BRAC, BUT IF EVER THERE WOULD BE, UM, A BRAC THIS, UH, FURTHER SUPPORTS AND, AND HARDENS, UM, OUR ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BASES REMAIN OPEN ONTO, UM, OUR FINAL PILLAR UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY.
OUR SS A P D TEAM ACTIVELY, UH, PURSUES, UH, MANY TRADITIONAL GRANTS THAT FALL UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
AND SO WE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THIS SUPPORT STATEMENT TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THOSE GRANT PROGRAMS. UM, THERE ARE VARIOUS, UH, PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT, UH, NOT JUST, UH, PROGRAMMING UNDER PUBLIC, UH, SAFETY ENTITIES, UM, AND COMMUNITIES, BUT THERE ARE ALSO PROGRAMS THAT FUND, UH, OTHER ACTIVITIES, UM, UNDER THE HOMELAND SECURITY, UM, AS WELL AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, UH, TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT PROGRAMS AS WELL.
UM, THE FINAL SUPPORT STATEMENT HERE, UM, PROGRAMS AND INCREASED FUNDING TO, UH, PROMOTE HOMELAND SECURITY, UH, AND REGIONAL PREVENTION PROGRAMS. YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE IS A GRANT THAT OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PURSUES EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS AN ONGOING, UM, EFFORT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ON THE U S C LIST IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE HOMELAND SECURITY FEMA FUNDS.
UH, AN ADDITIONAL GRANT OF GREAT INTEREST TO OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM IS A CATASTROPHIC PLANNING GRANT THAT, AGAIN, IS A DISCRETIONARY FUND, UM, THAT INCLUDES FOR, FOR PLANNING, UH, UNDER, UM, THE, THE FEMA JURISDICTION.
SO TWO GRANTS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR, UH, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM.
[01:55:01]
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING INCLUSION A LOOK HERE AT THE CITY'S, UM, OVERARCHING, UM, GOAL TO SUPPORT FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND LEGISLATION THAT BENEFITS THE CITY, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE RECOMMENDED TO US THAT WE MAKE, UM, A SMALL EDIT, UM, WHERE WE HAVE THE BENEFITS THAT BENEFITS THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS.WE PREVIOUSLY HAD COMMUNITY, WE REALLY LIKED THAT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, VERY SMALL EDIT, BUT IMPACTFUL AND TO POST ANY REGULATIONS ON LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE ADVERSE TO THE CITY AND RESIDENTS.
SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY PART OF OUR MONITORING AND TRACKING THAT WE DO, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IDENTIFY ANY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND ANYTHING POTENTIALLY HARMFUL, UM, THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM, UM, ADVOCATING FOR, UH, RESIDENTS.
HERE IS, UM, A LOOK AT A NON-INCLUSIVE LIST OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
THAT COORDINATION WILL EXTEND THROUGH THE TWO SESSIONS OF THE A HUNDRED AND 18TH CONGRESS.
WE DO A LOT OF COORDINATION, UM, AS COUNCILMAN PALIS MENTIONED EARLIER AT, AT THE I G R COMMITTEE DURING SA TO DC.
BUT THIS COORDINATION IS, IS ONGOING AND IT EXTENDS TO OUR HIGHER ED PARTNERS.
UM, J B SS A SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, LARGE LOCAL EMPLOYERS, UM, NON-PROFITS, UM, ENTITIES LIKE THE PORT IN BROOKS, UM, TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS LIKE SAMCO, THE FOOD BANK, AND OF COURSE, VIA AND VISIT SA AND OF COURSE, BEAR BE COUNTY.
THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST.
WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE COORDINATED, UM, ON, UH, THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROGRAM.
WE ARE ALSO LEARNING WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
SO THERE ARE SOME PARTNERS HERE PRESENT TODAY, UH, SAWS AND C P S AND OTHERS.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO EXTEND A BIG THANK YOU TO THEM FOR CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE WITH US AND FOR JOINING US AT STAFF LEVEL AT THE I G R, UM, ROUND TABLES THAT WE HOST, UM, AT STAFF LEVEL.
AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR COOPERATION AND THE ONGOING COORDINATION THAT WE'LL REQUIRE THROUGH THE NEXT TWO YEARS, UM, ON THIS, UH, NEW PROGRAM, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, SALLY.
AND I THINK YOU STARTED THE PRESENTATION WITH THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR, UM, AND THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF ACTIVITY, UH, AND THE A HUNDRED 18TH BEFORE THE ACTUAL ACTION BEGAN WITH THE SELECTION OF THE SPEAKER.
UM, BUT ALL THE, ALL, ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT, UM, THE WORK OF THE I G R COMMITTEE IN YOUR OFFICE, UH, AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON, ON THE BALL HERE IN THE 118TH.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'LL GET IMMEDIATELY INTO DISCUSSION NOW.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA.
THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I'VE HEARD, I, I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD IT A FEW TIMES, SO I'LL JUST KEEP IT TO THE CLOSEST ONE.
UM, I WAS HAVING A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION.
I HAD TO RESCHEDULE IT, BUT MARK CARMONA, UM, AND, UH, AND, AND I BELIEVE YOU WERE INVITED.
I THINK MARK FORWARDED YOU THE EMAIL INVITE.
UM, AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN ON HOUSING.
AND SO THERE'S A GOAL TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS BY 25% IN THE NEXT, I THINK IT WAS FIVE YEARS, IF I RECALL.
AND SO THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC STRATEGIES IN THERE THAT INCLUDE ONE OF THE NEW ONES THAT WE'VE ADDED, UM, SUPPORT FUNDING AND PROGRAMS FOR RENTER SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING LEGAL SERVICES AND EVICTION PRO PROTECTIONS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY ADDITIONAL INSIGHT ON THAT.
UM, IT'S A, A, A PRETTY WELL DEVELOPED PLAN WITH DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.
AND I SEE MARK, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, BUT DEFINITELY HAVING THE CONVERSATION WITH OUR PARTNERS IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT.
OPPORTUNITY HOME, UM, RECEIVING SOME ADDITIONAL GRANTS.
UM, WE WERE ABLE WITH THEIR HELP TO HOUSE ABOUT HALF OF THE FAMILIES THAT HAD BEEN AT HAVEN FOR HOPE WITH OVERFLOW HOUSING.
AND I BELIEVE THEY WERE GONNA GET A SECOND ROUND, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN THIS.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU'VE HEARD ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN AND HOW WE HOPE TO ADVOCATE AND, AND SHOW WHAT WE'VE DONE IN SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR'S DONE A LOT AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN USED AS A MODEL CITY.
IN FACT, UH, UM, N L C HAD BEEN ASKING ME ABOUT IT RIGHT.
AND SO, UM, HOW DO WE LEVERAGE THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
COUNCILWOMAN, SO YOU DID MENTION THE PRESIDENT'S FEDERAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREVENT AN, AN HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY HOT OFF THE PRESS.
IT'S BEEN OUT FOR A FEW WEEKS, AND I KNOW MARK WAS HERE EARLIER, SO I'LL INVITE HIM TO COME UP AND, UM, SHARE SOME INSIGHT, UH, FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW IS CONDUCTING OUTREACH, UM, TO TRY AND AT LEAST FOR FIRST AND FOREMOST, GET THEIR GUIDE OUT.
UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE INCLUDING INVITATIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND STATES TO LEARN ABOUT THE PLAN.
UM, WHAT, UM, MARK HAS DONE, AND, AND I'LL
[02:00:01]
PASS THE MIC OVER TO HIM, UH, TO SHARE, IS THAT HE'S DISSECTING, UM, THE STRATEGIC DOCUMENT AND FINDING ALIGNMENT TO SHIP.WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, UH, THE SHIP MARK, THE TEAM, THE HOUSING TEAM, UM, IN COORDINATION WITH, UM, N L C AND OF COURSE THE I G R COMMITTEE.
BUT WE'LL BE TRACKING THIS, UM, VERY CLOSELY.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN COUNCIL, MAYOR MARK ARMONA, CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER.
SO, COUNCILWOMAN AT THIS POINT, I THINK WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THE DOCUMENT I SAT IN ON THE, THE FIRST WEBINAR THEY HAD YESTERDAY, SO THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN THE DOCUMENT ALIGNS WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, SPECIFICALLY WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED YESTERDAY WAS, DID THEY HAVE A FUNDING PLAN IN PLACE? UH, 'CAUSE IT'S A NICE DOCUMENT, THE WORDS SOUND GREAT, BUT REALLY WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF SOME IMPROVEMENTS WITH TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS AND LINKAGE.
WE NEED THAT HERE LOCALLY IN OUR LOCAL HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
THE WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER COMMUNICATE, UH, WHEN WE'RE OUT ON THE STREET, WHEN WE'RE DOING OUTREACH SPECIFICALLY, THAT GIVES US REAL TIME DATA AND INFORMATION AND HAS CROSSWALKS TO OTHER SYSTEMS, I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL.
BUT I THINK THE BIG QUESTION AT THIS POINT IS WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN THE FUNDING'S GONNA COME TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.
AND I THINK THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MAIN PILLARS THAT THEY HAVE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, IS THAT COLLABORATION TOOL, RIGHT? SO, UM, EVEN THAT TOOL, LIKE WHAT IS IT AND WHO DECIDES ON IT? AND HOW DO WE GIVE INPUT ON THAT? BECAUSE WORKING WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, UM, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT ALL ON THE SAME, UH, PAGE, IF YOU WILL, OR USE DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
SOME ARE BETTER FUNDED THAN OTHERS.
AND FOR A FEDERAL TOOL TO COME IN, I, I THINK IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT, UM, INTIMIDATING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEN WE ALL HAVE TO USE ON THIS, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? BUT YEAH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS THE FUNDING BEHIND THAT? SO, SO THANK YOU FOR STAYING ON TOP OF IT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I ALSO, UM, JUST, I, I, I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SHIP, RIGHT? AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND SPECIFICALLY WITH, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS AND HOW WE, UH, ARE ABLE TO, TO APPLY THAT.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR SALLY, AND IT, IT'S A FAIRLY EASY ONE.
UM, EARLIER WE HEARD A PRESENTATION AT I G R ABOUT OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE, UM, PRIORITIES.
AND THEN WE ARE HEARING IN, IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ASPECT, IS THERE STILL ANY TALK ABOUT HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES? I I CAN'T RECALL IF, IF YOU MENTIONED ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY, BUT ONE OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAK, UM, TWEETED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ST.
MARY'S AND BROADWAY AND DOWNTOWN ALTA VISTA, ANY COMMERCIAL AREAS THAT HAD BEEN HIT HARD BY CONSTRUC CONSTRUCTION, THAT NOTHING WAS STOPPING THE CITY FROM CREATING A STREET REPAIR MITIGATION PROGRAM.
IT MIGHT BE HARD AND EXPENSIVE AND MESSY, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND SO, UM, I, I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE STATE AND, AND, AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, RIGHT? TO SEE LIKE WHAT THEY COULD CONTINUE DOING.
AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANY OF THAT NECESSARILY TODAY.
IS THAT ANYTHING STILL TO CONSIDER? IS IT KIND OF JUST A, A DONE DEAL ALREADY WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED? SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE MORE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING RECENT ON SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A BIG PUSH DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, TO ROLL OUT FUNDING AND SUPPORT OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT AND REPORT BACK TO YOU.
OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, THERE'S POTENTIALLY SOME TRADITIONAL FUNDS THAT WILL BE THERE.
UM, IT'S A NEW CONGRESS COUNCILWOMAN, SO NEW BILLS WILL BE FILED.
SO WE'LL TALK TO OUR DELEGATION TO SEE WHAT THE PALLET IS FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT ALL TOGETHER RIGHT AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO THE REP THAT TWEETED, TWEETED WAS, UM, COUNCIL, UH, FORMER COUNCILMAN ELL, SO STATE REP ELL.
SO, UM, JUST, UH, UM, UH, WANTED TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PAL.
THE, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, MAYOR, THAT WAS, THAT WAS QUITE THE UNDERSTATEMENT SALLY, UH, POINTS FOR, UH, FOR DOING THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, ALL OF US ARE AWARE THAT THE WINDS THAT ARE BLOWING THROUGH, UH, THE CAPITAL HAVE CHANGED DIRECTIONS DRAMATICALLY, BUT I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE, UM, MADE YOU OR THE I G R TEAM SWEAT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO LEADING UP TO THESE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS WITH, WITH OUR, OUR BIPARTISAN DELEGATION.
RIGHT? AND SO, UM, I, I DO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU'VE, THAT YOU'VE DONE A SUPERB JOB AT, UM, CREATING A, A VERY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP, NOT JUST WITH OUR, OUR, OUR DEMOCRATIC, UH, DELEGATES, BUT ALSO WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR LONE REPUBLICAN FRIEND OUT THERE, TONY GONZALEZ, WHO, UM, I THINK, UH, HAS DONE
[02:05:01]
AN AMAZING JOB THIS PAST TIME.UH, WE, WE JUST SAW, YOU KNOW, A LIST OF, OF ALL THE WINS THAT WE'VE GOT IN THE FORM OF, UH, APPROPRIATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, TONY GONZALEZ JUMPED INTO THE FRAY AND, AND BROUGHT HOME SOME REALLY IMPACTFUL VICTORIES FOR US.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I WONDER IF HE'S WATCHING AND IF HE'S NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, LET HIM KNOW THAT I, I, I, FOR 1:00 AM PROUD AND GRATEFUL, UH, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND, UH, EXCITED TO SEE HIM KICKING BUTT UP THERE.
UM, THAT THAT SHOULD NOT, HOWEVER, BE INTERPRETED AS, UH, ME NOT APPRECIATING CONGRESSMAN CASTRO AND CON CONGRESSMAN QUARE.
I THINK THAT, UH, THAT LIST ALSO INCLUDED SOME, SOME, UM, SOME ENORMOUS, UH, VICTORIES FOR US THAT THEY MANAGED TO BRING HOME.
UM, AND THESE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR, UM, GENERAL AAL REMIND ME AT $35 MILLION FOR J B S A.
MARY'S GET FIVE POINT SOMETHING MILLION.
WE SAW COSA OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ENJOYED THE, ENJOYED THE, THE BENEFITS OF SOME OF THOSE ROED MANY OTHERS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL.
AND IF ANY OF YOU SEE CONGRESSMAN CASTRO OR COUNCILMAN CUE ABOUT, MAKE SURE TO GIVE HIM A BIG HIGH FIVE, WHAT WHAT HAS ME WORRIED, UM, IS THE PROMISE BY SOME OF OUR, UM, SOME, SOME OF THE PEOPLE UP THERE IN DC NOW TO ENGAGE IN YET ANOTHER DEBT CEILING FIGHT.
UM, AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW IN THE PAST WE AS A CITY HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY FEDERAL SHUTDOWNS, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE SKIRMISHES AND THE THEATRICS OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OF BRINGING THE ECONOMY TO THE PRECIPICE OF, OF DISASTER, UH, BY NOT PAYING FEDERAL DEBT.
BUT, UM, I, I'M WONDERING, AND MY MEMORY'S FUZZY ON THIS, BUT DID WE SEE ANYTHING LIKE IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, BOND YIELD IMPACT OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE PENSION FUNDS IMPACTED BY THIS OR OUR ABILITY TO, TO DELIVER SERVICES IMPACTED BY PRIOR, UM, DEBT CEILING FIGHTS? I DON'T RECALL, UM, THAT, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT HAND, COUNCILMAN.
I KNOW THAT WHEN, UM, THERE IS AN EVENT WHERE THERE IS A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WOULD USUALLY HURTS ARE THE REIMBURSEMENT AND THE DRAWDOWNS TO THE EXISTING GRANTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY.
SO THAT'S USUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE WORRY ABOUT, NOT BEING ABLE TO DRAW DOWN ON THOSE EXISTING GRANTS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TAP, UH, TO OUR CONSULTANTS AND, AND TRY TO SEE, YEAH, WHAT, WHAT THE PURVIEW LOOKS LIKE.
SO INSTEAD, IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE DEBT CEILING FIGHT, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS UNDERSTAND HOW PRIOR DEBT CEILING FIGHTS, AND MAYBE EVEN HOW PRIOR MM-HMM.
I MEAN, AND, AND, AND WE HAVE SALLY'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THOSE EXERCISES TO PREPARE AND UNDERSTAND, AND THANKFULLY WE'VE NOT, WE'VE NOT BEEN IMPACTED BECAUSE THE ISSUE GETS RESOLVED.
UM, AND, AND SO, AND THAT GOES BACK AND IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE, BUT, UM, WE GO THROUGH THAT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS.
THE, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT FAST TO PUSH MONEY DOWN.
SO, UM, WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANY DIRECT IMPACT BY THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT I THINK IN INTERNALLY FROM A FINANCE STANDPOINT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FROM A PROGRAMMATIC STANDPOINT IN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE FEDERAL FUNDS UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENS, I THINK, UH, I THINK WE'RE WELL AWARE OF THAT.
WELL, THAT, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
I JUST, UH, I, I GUESS THIS IS MY WAY OF PUTTING IT ON EVERYBODY'S RADAR SCREEN, UM, THAT WE WILL BE HAVING, UH, SOME HAND WRINGING ON THIS DAIS AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY, AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE ASKING US, HOW IS THIS GONNA IMPACT THE CITY IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, DECIDES TO PUSH US ALL OFF THE CLIFF? UM, ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE OF A DEBT CEILING FIGHT.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.
SALLY, I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE, AND IT CAN BE OFFLINE, BUT ABOUT THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT.
UM, AND FARMVILLE, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE CAN EXPECT SPECIFICALLY IF WE'RE ABLE TO HELP, UM, FOOD INSECURITY FOR MILITARY FAMILIES.
I'VE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE, UM, IT'S NOT IF EVEN IF THERE ARE TWO MILITARY, UH, MEMBER FAMILY, THEY'RE NOT SOMETIMES ABLE TO, TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
IT'S JUST REALLY DISCONCERTING GIVEN THEIR, THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK MAYBE WITH THE FOOD BANK OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THAT BILL THAT WE COULD HELP OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.
I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU HAVE ANY OFFHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.
THE ONLY THING I WILL, UH, SAY IS THAT THE, UH, CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES, UM, HAVE NOT STARTED MEETING YET.
RIGHT NOW, THOSE, THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE HAPPENING NOW THAT THE SPEAKER'S BEEN SELECTED.
UH, WE HAVE THE, THE, UM, CHAIRS OF THOSE COMMITTEES.
SO AS SOON AS THE COMMITTEE, UM, IS ARRANGED AND COMPILED, OKAY.
[02:10:01]
UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT INFORMATION SENT TO YOU.I'D LIKE TO, TO FOCUS ON THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, SPEAKING OF THE MILITARY, ADDING MILITARY SPOUSES TO THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX GROUP, I'M SPECIFICALLY, UM, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT A SPOUSE'S, MILITARY SPOUSES WHO MAYBE HAVE A LICENSE OR CERTIFICATION IN A DIFFERENT STATE, AND THEN THEY MOVE TO TEXAS OR ANYWHERE ELSE, AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, UM, TO GET THAT LICENSE, LIKE RECIPROCATED.
AND HOW THEY HAVE TO START KIND OF OVER WITH EDUCATION.
SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO, TO HELP THEM, UM, GET THOSE CERTIFICATIONS RECOGNIZED.
WE'RE ADVOCATING, UH, BOTH AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, GREAT FOR LICENSURE, UH, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE SPOUSE LICENSURE FOR OKAY.
FOR THEM TO BE, UH, TRANS, UH, TRANSFERABLE.
UH, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT, UH, TYPES OF, UH, PROFESSIONS.
I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS EXCLUDED WAS, WAS THE LAW WAS LAWYERS.
WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE LAWYERS.
UH, BUT, UH,
UM, BUT YES, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE OTHER, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH THE OTHER CHAMBERS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADVOCATE, UH, FOR THAT, UH, RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND ALSO THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT THAT YOU MAKE BECAUSE, UH, SECRETARY OF UH, DEFENSE HAS, UH, SENT OUT A LETTER, UH, TASKING ALL, UH, OR TO ALL THE GOVERNORS THAT, UH, FAMILY SUPPORT TO INCLUDE SPOUSAL SUPPORT WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION VERY STRONGLY, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO BASING DECISIONS IF YOU TALK ABOUT BRAC.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE, THE LICENSES, SO, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE JUST NOT KIND OF LETTING IT GO BY.
BUT, UM, AND, AND FINALLY, IT'S, IT'S NOT REGARDING THE MILITARY, BUT, UM, SALLY, WAS THERE ANY, UM, NO, WE, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT INCLUDING FOSTER CHILDREN IN THE HOUSING PILLAR.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUST CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION AND, UH, OF COURSE, IF I CAN BE IN OF ANY HELP WITH ANY OF THOSE ITEMS, I'D LOVE TO, TO HELP AB ABSOLUTELY.
COUNSEL, WE, WE, UM, HAVE MADE A NOTE OF THAT AND WE'RE TRACKING AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER VEO, HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN.
THANK YOU SALLY, FOR ALWAYS BEING SO RESPONSIVE AND, UH, TALKING WITH ME ON THESE ISSUES.
UH, I THINK THIS WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I JUST THINK I WANNA REITERATE ANYTHING, ANY MORE INFORMATION WE CAN GET ABOUT BROADBAND AND IF ANY OF THAT, THOSE DOLLARS ARE LEFT ON THE TABLE FROM THE STATE, HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH OTHER, UH, GROUPS TO GET THAT LOCALLY.
THE OTHER IS AS THE BABY BOOMERS, AND THAT WOULD BE THOSE THAT STARTED IN 1965, REACH 58 THIS YEAR.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT SENIORS AND UM, AND WHERE, WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE OF THOSE GROUPS THAT FOCUS ON SENIORS RIGHTS, UM, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY AS PEOPLE AGE AND GET OLDER.
MAKING SURE WE ARE FOCUSED ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW BOOMERS IN, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE OTHER IS THE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO FARMING, ALSO, IF THE TRENDS FOR INDOOR FARMING, WE HAVE A PLANT COMING UP AT BROOKS AND THE URBAN FARMING THAT SOME ARE DOING.
AND IF THERE'S ANY POSSIBILITIES THAT THE CITY CAN HELP WITH THAT TO BRING, TO BRING THOSE INDOOR FARMER, UH, HERE TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND I DID LIKE YOUR POINT TO STRESS ON DACA.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A RESOLUTION.
I'M HOPING WE CAN DISCUSS THIS FURTHER WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND, AND SEE SOME ACTUAL TRACTION ON THAT.
SO IF WE COULD JUST KEEP THOSE TOP OF THE PRIORITY AND UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE, UM, A TEAM OF, UM, WELL, NOT OF 10 RIGHT NOW, BUT A TEAM OF 10 OR 11 HERE THAT ARE READY TO GO TO DC AND READY TO GET THE STORIES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE UP THERE.
AND THANK YOU SALLY FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'VE APPRECIATED THE ONE-ON-ONE BRIEFINGS AS WELL AS THE, THE BRIEFINGS AT THE I G R COMMITTEE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WITHIN THE ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR HISTORIC TAX CREDITS AND ENHANCEMENTS TO DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PRESERVATION OF A POTENTIAL PRESERVATION FUND.
I THINK FROM, UH, THE DECONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITMENT TO RETROFITTING UP TO 4 MILLION BUILDINGS, I THINK WE ARE IN A GREAT POSITION TO SEEK FEDERAL GRANTS AND SUPPORTS FOR HOUSING, PARTICULARLY FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR OLDER HOUSING STOCK AND STRUCTURES.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
UH, AND I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT IT'S A, UH, A, A NONPARTISAN ISSUE, RIGHT? GIVEN THAT ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRODUCTS TO
[02:15:01]
RETROFIT BUILDINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, 90% OF THEIR CEILING PRODUCTS AND INSULATION ARE PRODUCED RIGHT HERE IN THE US RIGHT? SO EVERYONE'S OFF FOR CREATING AND SUPPORTING, UH, JOBS HERE IN THE US.SO I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET FOLKS ON BOARD AND WE'RE IN A GREAT POSITION TO, UH, SECURE THOSE GRANTS.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I'M ALWAYS, UM, HAPPY TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMPHASIZE MY SUPPORT FOR AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING FUNDING FOR PROJECTS AROUND DRAINAGE, RIGHT? AND ENSURING THAT WE GET ALL THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS DOWN HERE.
BUT I KNOW AT THE I G R COMMITTEE, I'VE TALKED YOUR EAR OFF ON THAT, SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE REMINDED THAT THAT IS A PRIORITY WITH THE BILLION DOLLAR NEED OF, UH, DRAINAGE NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S LAID OUT.
I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I KNOW THERE IS THE, THE GRANT FOR THE PATHWAYS HOME GRANT, UH, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ALSO IN A GOOD POSITION TO SEEK THAT FUNDING.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK MIKE RAMSEY FOR HIS WORK ON THAT AS WELL.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLAGHER, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY.
UH, AND UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH SALLY, FOR AN EXCELLENT BRIEFING.
I REALLY DID APPRECIATE YOUR BACKGROUND INFORMATION BEFORE WE GOT STARTED.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT I WAS, UH, VERY PLEASED ABOUT, AND IT'S, I GUESS PARTLY BECAUSE OF MY PERSPECTIVE AS A RETIRED MILITARY OFFICER IS, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE AREA OF SUPPORT FOR OUR MILITARY.
I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
AND THE, ONE OF THE REASONS I BRING IT UP IS THAT, UH, IF, I'M SURE YOU, IF ANYBODY HAS REALLY HEARD ALL THE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW IN THE CAPITOL ON CUTTING BACK ON DEFENSE, AND, UH, WE COULD SEE THAT IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS AND WE HAVE TO BE, UH, READY FOR WHATEVER THAT HAPPENS TO BE, IS WE ARE MILITARY CITY, US, PROTECT OURSELVES WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT COULD OCCUR.
ONE THING THAT REALLY TROUBLES ME IS WHERE WILL THOSE CUTS COME FROM? AND, UH, RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING BRAC, UH, ANY KIND OF BASE REDUCTIONS.
HOWEVER, I HAVE A FEELING THAT, THAT IT WILL BE COMING UP AND WE'VE GOT TO BE SOLIDLY PREPARED IF THAT IS THE CASE, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO PROTECT THESE BASES.
UH, ONE WAY THAT IT COULD HAPPEN WOULD BE THESE CUTS COULD AFFECT MISSIONS.
AND IF THAT OCCURS, THAT'S WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WHAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT BASE WON'T HAVE A JOB ANYMORE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE MISSIONS ARE PROTECTED AS A PART OF WHATEVER KIND OF BUDGET CUTS THAT, UH, CONGRESS INSISTS ON MAKING.
SO AGAIN, I, IT IS QUITE A LAUNDRY LIST YOU PUT TOGETHER ON THINGS TO BRING BEFORE CONGRESS AND I'M MOST IMPRESSED WITH IT AND I REALLY WILL BE PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE WIN ON ANY KIND OF ISSUES CONCERNING OUR MILITARY.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH SALLY FOR THE BRIEFING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, ALL THE ACTIVITY OF THE 118TH CONGRESS, THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE AN EXEC
[EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the Presidio Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following: ]
SESSION BEFORE WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK.SO WE'LL, ANYBODY WHO'S HERE FOR THE FIVE O'CLOCK PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UH, PLEASE BEAR WITH US.
WE WILL, UH, RETURN FROM OUR EXEC SESSION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE TIME IS NOW 4:32 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11TH, 2023.
THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'LL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.087, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ISSUES OR ADVICE RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY AND C OVID 19 PREPAREDNESS UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
UH, FOR COUNCIL, WE WILL BE IN THIS BUILDING FOR EXEC AND THEN WE'LL RETURN RIGHT HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S JUST NOW RECONVENING FROM AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO OUR B SESSION IS ADJOURNED.