* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:01:18] ANTONIO IN SAN ANTONIO. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. IF YOU CAN BEGIN TO FIND YOUR SEATS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET OUR MEETING STARTED. ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS, UH, 2:02 PM ON THE FIRST DAY OF MARCH, 2023. WE'LL CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKAY RODRIGUEZ. PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER VEO VARDA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PIZ IS HERE VIRTUALLY. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. HERE. MAYOR BERG. HERE. MAYOR. WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALRIGHT, WELCOME EVERYONE. AND TO OUR GUESTS. WELCOME, UH, TO OUR CITY COUNCIL [ ITEMS  ] B SESSION. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS TODAY. UH, THE FIRST WILL BE CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANTS AND SELECTION OF UP TO THREE CANDIDATES TO INTERVIEW TEMPORARILY. UH, FILL TWO TEMPORARILY FILL THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN OFFICE. UH, THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PRES SOLICITATION BRIEFING, UH, ON THE HUMAN SERVICES CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS. JUST FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT PROCEDURALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE'LL DO. UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS THE D SEVEN APPLICATIONS. UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS. UH, CITY COUNCIL WILL BREAK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HAVE OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT FINALISTS AGAIN TO APPEAR, UH, TOMORROW AT THE THURSDAY. THURSDAY, A SESSION, UH, FOR FINAL SELECTION. UH, WE'LL COME BACK IN AFTER THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, AND WE WILL, UH, WE WILL ANNOUNCE OUR SELECTION OF FINALISTS, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO AT THAT TIME. UH, SO LET ME PAUSE THERE JUST A MINUTE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES PROCEDURALLY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY. OKAY. UM, SO MADAM CLERK, IF, IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND, AND BRIEF US JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT. ALSO, WE'LL HAVE OUR APPLICANTS, UH, IN A WAITING AREA. WE'LL BRING IN, UM, APPLICANTS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, AND EVERYONE WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GIVE AN OPENING STATEMENT. WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THERE. SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO, UM, MADAM CLERK, TAKE IT AWAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE, UH, POSITION IS A TEMPORARY VACANCY IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN. UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL RESIGNED FROM HER POSITION AND CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTED THAT RESIGNATION AND INITIATED A PROCESS TO FILL THE TEMPORARY VACANCY. UH, THE PROCESS BEGAN TAKING APPLICATIONS THROUGH MY OFFICE ON FEBRUARY 13TH, AND THE FINAL APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED ON FEBRUARY 24TH. WE'VE RECEIVED FOUR APPLICATIONS AND THEY WERE ALL DEEMED ELIGIBLE TO SERVE IN THE TEMPORARY ROLE. ALRIGHT, [00:05:01] WELL, I THINK WE NOW HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE WAITING AREA, IS THAT CORRECT? RIGHT. OKAY. SO THE FIRST APPLICANT I'LL CALL IS DAVID AVILA. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER ONE. IF YOU WANNA QUEUE UP, I'LL JUST READ FROM THE QUEUE THERE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. AVILA. UH, AFTERNOON MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS FOR YOU. OKAY, GO AHEAD. I WASN'T TOO NERVOUS UNTIL I SAT DOWN AND WATCHED EVERYBODY SIT DOWN. OH, LORD, HAVE MERCY. MY NAME IS DAVID AVILA. I WAS BORN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. I, I'VE KNOWN VERY WELL EVERY PART OF THE CITY. I'VE BEEN AROUND THE WHOLE CITY. I GRADUATED FROM SOUTH SAN ANTONIO HIGH SCHOOL IN 1978. UM, WENT INTO THE ARMY RIGHT OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL. I DID MY, MY FOUR YEARS. UM, AFTER NINE 11, I WENT TO SEE A RECRUITER. I WAS 44 YEARS OLD. I SAID, I WANNA COME BACK INTO THE ARMY. HE'S LIKE, WHAT? HOW OLD ARE YOU? 44. OH, NO. CUT OFF. I SAID, JUST DO THE PAPERWORK. I'LL DO THE REST. I WENT TO IRAQ IN 2004, GOT INJURED CIN WITH THE MILE 2004, HOSPITALIZED AT BAMSEY. TWO YEARS, 26 MONTHS, 17 SURGERIES. I WAS UNEMPLOYABLE FOR 17, 18 YEARS. FINALLY LAST YEAR IT CHANGED. I WAS ABLE TO WORK AGAIN. SOLDIERS ANGELS OFFERED ME A POSITION AS AN INTERN. I DID MY INTERN. IT JUST FINISHED YESTERDAY, DISTRICT SEVEN. I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2007. I VOLUNTEERED AT THE ELEMENTARY FOR THREE YEARS. I VOLUNTEERED WITH SOLDIERS ANGELS, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS VETERANS LIKE MYSELF, UH, FOR FIVE YEARS. UH, WHY DO I WANNA BE DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCIL? 'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE A CHANGE FOR MY NEIGHBORS. I WANNA MAKE A CHANGE FOR OUR AREA. I WANT DISTRICT SEVEN TO BE NUMBER ONE IN SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. . WE'LL, UH, GO AROUND WITH, WITH SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. NOW, LEMME START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MA. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING US TODAY, MR. AVILA AND YOUR, YOUR PASSION FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. IF, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE YOUR TOP PRIORITY ISSUES FOR DISTRICT SEVEN? AND HOW WOULD YOU SAY THEY ALIGN WITH DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS? UM, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS RIGHT NOW I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON IS GUN CONTROL. UH, THERE'S TOO MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE DYING. UH, ONE OF MY NEIGHBOR'S SONS JUST PASSED AWAY A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, DRIVE BY SHOOTING. UH, I MEET WITH THE S A P D WEST SIDE, UH, AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. AND WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STUFF WE CAN DO TO MINIMIZE OR TRY TO SLOW DOWN THE, THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON. THANK YOU, MR. AVILA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KEO. VARDA. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MR. AVILA FOR YOUR SERVICE. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO APPROACH THE UPCOMING BUDGET SESSION THAT'S BEGIN TO START IN APRIL? UH, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR, UH, GAUGING, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS INPUT ON THAT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. UM, BEING THAT I'M NEW TO THIS, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, THE DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, I WILL HAVE TO WAIT TILL I'M MORE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. GOVERNOR. THANK YOU. GOOD SENIOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. UM, YOU, YOU KIND OF WENT OVER YOUR BACKGROUND, WHAT, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR SEVEN AND THE CITY. UM, BUT WHAT UNIQUE EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE AND THAT WOULD MAKE YOU QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION? UM, THE FACT THAT I'M A GO-GETTER. I'VE DONE SOME THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT NO ONE ELSE COULD DO. UH, IF A CHALLENGE COMES MY WAY, I DON'T REALLY STOP ME. I'M THE TYPE OF GUY THAT'S GONNA KEEP GOING AND KEEP GOING AND KEEP GOING TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. I'M THE CHANGE MAKER. I'M THE GUY THAT SAYS, CAN'T STOP ME. IF IT'S FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I'M GONNA MAKE THINGS CHANGE. I'M GONNA MAKE IT WORK. THAT'S ME. THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU, MR. AVILA. UM, EACH DISTRICT HAS ITS OWN, UH, DIVERSE SUBSETS OF THE DISTRICT. AND I WILL, I'LL JUST, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IN DISTRICT TWO, I WOULD DESCRIBE THE FAR EAST COMMUNITY AND IT, AND THEIR NEEDS, UM, WHICH ARE SLIGHTLY MORE RURAL. I WOULD DESCRIBE THE INNER CITY, AND I WOULD DESCRIBE THE NORTHEAST AND CONVERSE AREA WHERE YOU HAVE A BIT OF THE RURAL AND A BIT OF THE SUBURBAN, AND THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO THEM. CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME, UH, [00:10:01] DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE NEEDS THAT EXIST IN THE SUBSETS OF POPULATION THERE? WELL, DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT DIVERSE. UH, IT'S A VERY DIVERSE AREA. UH, WE HAVE, UH, FAMILIES FROM ALL OVER. I, UH, WAS RAISED IN, UH, DENVER HEIGHTS BACK IN THE SIXTIES, UH, MOVED TO THE SOUTH SIDE. SO I SAW THE DIFFERENCE, THE CHANGE WHEN I GOT TO DISTRICT SEVEN, I SAW THAT THOSE TYPE OF, UH, UH, COMMUNITIES, WE, WE BIND TOGETHER AND WE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, SOME SORT, UH, SOMEWHAT. I, I MEAN, MORE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN DISTRICT SEVEN. UM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE, THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OR HOW MIGHT DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS DESCRIBE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DISTRICT? WELL, BEING AROUND, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN FOR SINCE 2007, UH, I KNOW THAT THE, THE PEOPLE, THE NEIGHBORS, UH, THEY'RE JUST, UH, VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THEY HAVE, FIRST OFF, UH, VERSUS OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. UM, GOING TO THE RESTAURANTS, GOING TO THE STORES, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE PEOPLE REACT WHEN THEY'RE AROUND EACH OTHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. YES. UM, KIND OF TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DISTRICTS ARE VERY DIVERSE. SO WHAT COMMUNITY, WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH AND WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? IT'S KIND OF TWOFOLD. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO DO OUTREACH, NOT ONLY JUST TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, BUT TO THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT SEVEN? THE, I LIVE IN THE THUNDER HILL, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE DO GET A NEWSLETTER. UH, I'VE NEVER ATTENDED THE MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER ACTUALLY INVITED TO A MEETING. UH, THE, I'M GETTING COTTON OUT . UH, THE, UH, THE THINGS THAT I WANNA BRING IS, I KNOW WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE, UH, UH, WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS COME TOGETHER AND MEET EACH OTHER. I WANNA BRING THAT BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO ALL THE DISTRICT SEVEN, WHERE THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND, AND EVERYBODY'S TALKING AND BARBECUING AND KNOWING WHO YOUR NEIGHBOR IS. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. UH, I LIVE NOT TOO FAR FROM, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT I GREW UP WITH IN THAT AREA. UM, IT, IT'S, IT SADDENS ME BECAUSE THERE'S NO UNITY. I WANNA BRING THAT BACK TO THAT DISTRICT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VIRIN. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. AVILA, FOR YOUR INTEREST. ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IN DISTRICT SEVEN IS FLOODING. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO, UM, TAKE ON THE ISSUE OF FLOODING IN DISTRICT SEVEN? WELL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REWATCH THAT. WHY THE WATER? UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE, LIKE, WHERE I LIVE RIGHT NOW, THAT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM. OKAY. UH, THE HOUSES WERE BUILT BACK THEN, AND ALMOST IN A, IN A, UH, DOMINO EFFECT. MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE IS HIGHER, SO I'M HIGHER THAN MY NEIGHBOR. SO THAT WATER COMES FROM UP THE HILL, GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MAIN STREET. UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE A WAY TO, TO, UH, HAVE THAT WATER GO THROUGH A DIFFERENT SEWER SYSTEM. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE A CHANGE, TO HAVE LESS, UH, FLOODING ISSUES. THANK YOU, MR. AVILA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCIL MEMBER. BRAVO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. UH, WE HAD, UH, OPPORTUNITY HOME HAD A COMPLEX THAT CAUGHT FIRE LAST NIGHT, AND OUR DISTRICT, SO OUR STAFF WAS OUT THERE, UH, DELIVERING TOILETRIES AND LUNCH TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO WERE DISPLACED LAST NIGHT. BUT, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN DISTRICT SEVEN. I USED TO LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN. I'VE KNOCKED A LOT OF DOORS IN DISTRICT SEVEN. I'VE BEEN TO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING IN DISTRICT SEVEN. BEEN TO A LOT OF THE CHURCHES THERE. UH, EVERY BINGO HALL, SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER. WHAT, WHO HAVE YOU VISITED WITH TO TALK TO, TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT CAN YOU, CAN YOU GO INTO ANY DETAILS OF DIFFERENT, UM, CONSTITUENT NEEDS IN DIFFERENT AREAS? CAN YOU TELL, CAN YOU TELL ME, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF THERE ARE ANY PROJECTS THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER WAS WORKING ON THAT YOU'RE PREPARED TO HELP CARRY FORWARD? TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, UM, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED LIKE THREE WEEKS AGO. OKAY. UH, THE POSITION, UH, INTERIM. UM, I DO TALK TO MY NEIGHBORS, THE RESTAURANT OWNERS. EVERYWHERE I GO, I TALK TO PEOPLE, [00:15:01] BUT I'VE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN, HEY, YOU KNOW, HOW'S BUSINESS? UH, I DON'T, I CAN'T SAY THAT. ANYTHING THAT YOU SAID RIGHT NOW, I HAVEN'T DONE. I REALLY HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING SO MUCH WITH THE SOLDIERS' ANGELS. IT TAKES ALL MY TIME. IT'S TAKEN UPON MY TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BRAVO. MR. AVILA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION AND, AND THAT IS, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL SERVED, UH, FOR NEARLY THREE TERMS WITH DISTINCTION. UM, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW WHAT HER PRIORITIES WERE. UH, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES RELATIVE TO, UH, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL WAS WORKING ON, AND MAYBE HOW THEY'RE, UH, SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT? I KNOW THAT ONE THING THAT I WANT TO WORK ON IS THE, THE TRAFFIC. UH, THERE'S A, A NEED FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN A LOT OF AREAS, SIDEWALKS, UH, FOR THE ELDERLY. UM, SO NEVADA HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB AND, UH, I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO BETTER FOR OUR DISTRICT SEVEN. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. ABHA. THANK YOU. AND, UM, I THINK, UH, OUR STAFF WILL TAKE YOU INTO THE HOLDING AREA. WE'LL BRING BACK OUR, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT. THE NEXT, UH, APPLICANT FOR APPOINTMENT IS ROSIE CASTRO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. CASTRO. HI. HOW ARE YOU, MARY? UM, I THINK MOST OF US KNOW YOU, BUT, UH, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, GIVE US A THREE MINUTE INTRO AND WE'LL GO AROUND WITH ANY QUESTIONS. UH, I PROMISE TO KEEP IT TO THREE MINUTES. YOU NEED TO TELL ME WHEN IT'S TIME. OKAY. UH, HI. MY NAME IS MARIA ROSARIO CASTRO. EVERYBODY CALLS ME ROSIE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S TOO LONG. UM, BUT, UM, I THINK YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE MY RESUME. LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, MY FAMILY HISTORY. I WAS BORN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND I'VE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE. I'VE LIVED IN DISTRICT SEVEN ABOUT 36, 37 YEARS, AND ACTUALLY LONGER. BUT YOU KNOW HOW REDISTRICTING CHANGED THE BOUNDARIES. AND SO THAT HAPPENED TO ME. UM, I'VE BEEN VERY PROUD TO LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN BECAUSE MY SONS, BOTH OF THEM HAVE REPRESENTED DISTRICT SEVEN. AND OF COURSE JOAQUIN REPRESENTS IT IN CONGRESS. UM, I WENT TO LITTLE FLOWER CHURCH AND LITTLE FLOWER SCHOOL FOR 12 YEARS. AND AFTER THAT WENT TO OUR LADY OF THE LAKE, WHICH I KNOW WE HAVE A FACULTY MEMBER FROM OUR LADY OF THE LAKE. UM, WENT TO THE LAKE FOR A DEGREE IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. WORKED FOR A WHILE FOR 10 YEARS, AND THEN WENT BACK FOR MY MASTER'S DEGREE AT U T SS A FOR ABOUT, UM, AT THAT TIME IT WAS CALLED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. NOW YOU KNOW HOW EVERYTHING SHIFTS. IT'S NOW CALLED PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, I THINK. UM, BUT THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING DEGREE BECAUSE IT MADE ME VERY INTERESTED IN PLANNING. AND ACTUALLY THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA DO. BUT I HAD TO INTERVIEW AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR AN INTERNSHIP. AND I WOUND UP IN PERSONNEL, WHICH IS NOW HUMAN RESOURCES. BUT IN PERSONNEL, I REALLY FOUND THAT I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH. I LIKED WORKING WITH PEOPLE, I LIKED DOING TRAINING. THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. BUT I ALSO GOT TO DO SPECIAL PROJECTS, ONE OF WHICH I WAS VERY PROUD OF. AND THAT WAS RECRUITING WOMEN FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, NOW I'M OLD. SO AT THAT TIME, THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY WOMEN IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND WE GOT TO DO OTHER NEAT THINGS LIKE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE. IT WOULD JUST COME IN INTO VOGUE. AND ALSO DAYCARE. WE WERE TRYING TO DO DAYCARE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AND FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS. UM, I WANNA TELL YOU THAT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT AND HONOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU GO THROUGH. I WORKED ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND OF COURSE I KNOW WHAT PUBLIC OFFICIALS GO THROUGH. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT ALWAYS WELCOME BY EVERYBODY. UH, BUT THOSE DECISIONS HAVE TO BE GOOD FOR THE CITY, FOR ALL PEOPLE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT VERY CLEARLY. UH, AND I HONOR YOUR ABILITY TO DO THAT. AFTER I WORKED FOR THE CITY, UH, I WENT TO WORK FOR A NEW ORGANIZATION AND KIND OF SHIFTED THE FOCUS OVER TO EDUCATION, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR [00:20:01] FAMILY'S BIGGEST THING. I WENT TO WORK FOR HAKU, THE HISPANIC ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. IT WAS JUST STARTING UP AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE. UH, AND I WAS A TRAINING DIRECTOR, SO I GOT TO DO MORE OF THAT. AM I THREE MINUTES OVER ALREADY? OH, WOW. WELL, I'M SORRY. I DON'T KNOW. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. CASTRO. WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU. SO MY QUESTION IS, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN, ALL OUR DISTRICTS HAVE A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. SO IT'S A TWOFOLD QUESTION. HOW ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN DISTRICT SEVEN? AND WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO REACH OUT TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE CONSTITUENT GROUPS? 'CAUSE WE HAVE GROUPS AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE CONSTITUENTS. CAN YOU SURE. EXPLAIN THAT? YES. FOR ONE THING, I KNOW AND HAVE KNOWN A LOT OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS NOW THAT I KNEW A LOT OF THE PAST ONES. NOW THERE'S SOME NEWER ONES, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF THEM TOO. UM, SO I THINK I HAVE A VERY GOOD NETWORK OF KNOWING THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOLKS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOPE TO CARRY ON THAT ANA DID VERY WELL WAS TO LOOK AT TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS CAN CONNECT TO GOVERNMENT, AND THAT THEY HAVE SOME DECISION MAKING BY BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS TO YOU, UH, THROUGH THE DIFFERENT METHODS THAT YOU HAVE, WHETHER THAT'S INTERNET, WHETHER THAT'S A PHONE, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. SO OF COURSE, THE OFFICE WOULD CONTINUE THAT. I'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE STAFF IN DISTRICT SEVEN SEEMS TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL STAFF. THEY HAVE KEPT UP. AND THESE WEEKS THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER, THEY HAVE KEPT UP WITH NEWSLETTERS, WHICH I ALWAYS READ. UM, AND THEY ARE SERVICING PEOPLE BECAUSE I HEAR FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS THAT, OH, THIS PERSON DID A GOOD JOB. YOU KNOW, THEY EXPLAINED THIS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF AND AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE MEETINGS AND BE ABLE TO TAP, TAP INTO ALL THE TECH THAT IS A POSSIBLE KNOWING FULL WELL THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THAT ACCESS. UM, BUT I KNOW THE DISTRICT WELL BECAUSE LIKE I MENTIONED, UH, I'VE CAMPAIGNED IN IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS NOW. AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF FRIENDS THERE. I THINK I HAVE SOME FRIENDS HERE TODAY FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN. UM, AND SO I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN KEEP UP THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE STAFF. THANK YOU. MM-HMM. , THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VILLAGRA. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, AND, AND MS. CASTRO HAS AN HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM OU. SHE'S VERY HUMBLE ABOUT IT, SO THANK YOU. UM, CAN YOU HELP ME, UH, AND I I I THINK I WOULD, UH, UNDERSTAND, UM, UH, THAT THIS IS AN INTERIM POSITION, BUT CAN YOU MAYBE AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN, HELP US TO SEE HOW YOU VIEW THE EQUITY LENS APPROACH, AND MAYBE WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN YOUR OPINION THAT HASN'T HAPPENED? WELL, WE'D LIKE TO KEEP MAKING SURE THAT ANNA'S VISION, BOTH OF ACCESSIBILITY TO GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND GOVERNMENT, AND THE LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE SHE HAD SEVERAL BOND PROJECTS, MANY OF WHICH ARE THE 2017 ARE FINISHING UP. UH, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THAT AND THAT WE'RE INFORMING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. UH, WE HAVE SOME DIFFICULTIES IN DRAINAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN DISTRICT SEVEN. IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN ISSUES WITH, UM, UH, ANIMALS AND STRAY ANIMALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'VE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH DRAG RACING. UH, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT I THINK WE CAN BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAFE, UH, NOT JUST IN A BY POLICE AND THAT KIND OF THING, WHICH I THINK IT IS, BUT BY THAT IT IS SAFE IN TERMS ALSO OF THEIR HEALTH. AND I KNOW THAT ANA WAS VERY BIG IN HEALTH, UM, AND I CAN SEE WHY WE'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH A TERRIBLE C O D, UM, AND POSSIBLY OTHER THINGS ARE ON THEIR WAY SOONER OR LATER. SO THE ISSUE OF HEALTH, I THINK WE WILL CONTINUE. AND WE'RE JUST TO HOP IN A SKIP AWAY FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER. AND OF COURSE, TO ME RIGHT NOW, THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER KIO. HDA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, ROSIE. I ALSO HAVE TO CONTEND WITH A VERY LONG NAME. SO I RESPECT, UH, THAT YOU GO, YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO BY ROSIE. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ENTIRE CITY. WILL YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOUR TOP PRIORITIES WOULD BE IN YOUR TIME IN [00:25:01] SEVEN IS SELECTED, AND HOW THEY ALIGN WITH DISTRICT SEVEN'S, UH, WITH THE RESIDENTS PRIORITIES? SURE. OF COURSE. THE FIRST ONE I MENTIONED WAS TO CONTINUE ANNA'S VISION ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT AND THE HOOKING UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND FOLKS THAT ARE NOT PART OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. UM, THE OTHER THING IS THE HEALTH AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE. I KNOW THAT, LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE IS A BOND THAT, UH, CEILING AREA, UM, THAT IS STILL TO BE FINISHED. SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS STILL TO BE DONE GETS DONE. AND IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAP THE STAFF TO GET HELP FOR FOLKS. UM, THOSE ARE TWO MAJOR ONES. UM, I THINK ALSO DURING THE SUMMER, WE SOMETIMES EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROBLEMS, WHICH DO RELATE TO YOUTH. UM, I SAW IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THINGS THAT KIDS CAN DO, THEY FIND THINGS TO DO, AND OFTEN THEY'RE NOT GOOD THINGS. AND SO, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M IN RA PARK ONE SUMMER, WE HAD THE KIDS, UM, SETTING FIRES TO TRASH CANS. SO ALL AROUND US, THIS WAS HAPPENING AND PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT, BUT IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, WELL, OKAY, THE KIDS ARE DOING IT UNTIL THE CAR WAS BURNED. AND SO THEN NEIGHBORS BANDED TOGETHER AND SAY, WELL, OKAY, THIS IS NOT KID STUFF ANYMORE. WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING. AND I THINK WHEN NEIGHBORS BAND TOGETHER, AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, I THINK, FOR A COUNCIL PERSON TO BE ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THEIR THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED IN THEIR COMMUNITY, IN THEIR AREA. DISTRICT SEVEN IS MADE UP OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CLASSIC JEFFERSON AREA AND THE NEWER BRAUN AREA. WE HAVE, UM, AREAS THAT ARE JUST LIKE BRAUN AND ILBO, AND SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE FAIRLY NEW, STILL EXPERIENCING DRAINAGE PROBLEMS, FOR EXAMPLE. AND WE HAVE WOODLAWN THAT WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE SOME PUBLIC HOUSING THERE, OR NOT LIKE TO. SO YOU'VE GOT THESE THINGS THAT ARE TENSIONS, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU WORK WITH THE STAFF, YOU CAN, UH, REALLY TRY TO BRING FOLKS TOGETHER TO SOLVE SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROSIE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VARDA. COUNCIL MEMBER. BRAVO. THANK YOU MAYOR. MS. CASTRO, UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T GET TO FINISH YOUR INTRODUCTION, SO IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD WHEN YOU RAN, RAN OUTTA TIME, I'M HAPPY TO LET YOU DO THAT NOW. I'M SORRY, I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE. OH, I'M, IS THIS BETTER? YEAH. SO, OH, UM, UH, YOUR, THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED WHEN YOU WERE RESPONDING TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, BUT I KNOW YOU RAN OUT OF TIME WHEN YOU WERE DOING YOUR INTRODUCTION, SO IF THERE'S ANY MORE THING MORE THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO, TO GIVE YOU THE TIME TO DO THAT. WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UM, I DIDN'T INCLUDE IN THE RESUME BECAUSE I HADN'T UPDATED IN A WHILE. A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I HAVE BELONGED TO, BUT MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED WITH SOME OF YOU, I'VE BELONGED TO ORGANIZATIONS ON THE CITY, COUNTY, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL. ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, I'VE BEEN ON THE MALDIF BOARD AND ON THE BOARD OF NETWORK, A CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE LOBBYING GROUP ON THE LEVEL OF THE COUNTY. I'VE BEEN ON REDISTRICTING BOARDS, UH, ON THE CITY. I'VE BEEN ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. AND ALSO WITH SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY. GOT TO SERVE ON THE REGIONAL CERTIFICATION BOARD. UM, SO I'VE GOT A WIDE KIND OF, NOT JUST IN EDUCATION, BUT ON MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. I SEEM TO HAVE INTEREST IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO I GET INVOLVED WITH MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. UH, I WAS VERY LUCKY TO START WITH NO NOW CAST WHEN THEY BEGAN. I'VE SERVED ON GIRL SCOUTS ON Y W C A A, UH, AND I CONTINUE MANY OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, LIKE THE Y THAT IS NOW TRYING TO DO THE HOUSING, UH, FOR WOMEN THAT NEED HOUSING AND THEIR CHILDREN. UM, THAT'S, HOUSING IS A VERY IMPORTANT, I DIDN'T MENTION THAT, BUT HOUSING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I WORKED IN HOUSING AND, UH, REALLY WANNA SEE WHAT Y'ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE FUTURE. AND THAT IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE A HOME AND THAT THEY HAVE A JOB AND THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO THAT. AND SO THAT THEY AND THEIR CHILDREN WILL HAVE A BETTER LIFE AND WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SOMETIMES SOME OF US DIDN'T HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. AND THANK YOU MA'AM FOR, UH, YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS HERE TO SAN ANTONIO. BUT, UM, LOOKING AT YOUR BACKGROUND AND, AND, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, WHAT, WHAT IS THE UNIQUE, UH, QUALIFICATION THAT YOU HAVE THAT PUTS YOU IN THIS POSITION? I THINK THEY'RE KIND OF A NUMBER OF THEM. UM, ONE OF THEM IS THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. [00:30:01] ONE OF THEM IS THE FACT THAT MY FAMILY HAS LIVED IN THAT DISTRICT AND STILL LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT. UM, AND BETWEEN ALL OF US, WE'RE A VERY STRONG FAMILY. UH, AND WE OFTEN REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. I MEAN, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL DOING DIFFERENT THINGS. UM, BUT I THINK THAT ABILITY TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY. MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY, BUT I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY, I WOULD HOPE. UM, AND THAT TO ME IS IMPORTANT AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEM AND ABOUT THEIR FAMILY, THAT YOU WOULD TREAT THEM THE WAY YOU WOULD TREAT YOUR FAMILY. AND, AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE DO REALIZE THAT, UM, THE CASTRO FAMILY IS COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE. MM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU ROSIE, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UM, ALL THE ADVOCACY THAT YOU DO HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO APPROACH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH BEGINS IN APRIL? THE WHAT PROCESS? HOW, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO APPROACH THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT BEGINS IN APRIL? UM, AGAIN, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T, SORRY. UH, MY, MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO APPROACH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH, UH, IS SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL? WELL, I WOULD, ARE WE BEGINNING THAT IN APRIL DURING FIESTA, UH, ? OKAY. I PLAN TO, UH, I PLAN TO READ EVERYTHING. I'M GIVEN ONE, UH, I PLAN TO MEET WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. AND I KNOW THAT THE STAFF HAS BEEN DOING THAT ALREADY, SO THEY HAVE ALREADY, I'M SURE, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. UH, I THINK THAT WE ALSO WOULD, UM, ASK JUST AS YOU DO, WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE? UM, EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE DIFFERENCE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE GET THE BEST OF, FOR AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE? I KNOW THE BUDGET PROCESS IS AN ARTIST TASK. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW LONG Y'ALL GO BEFORE YOU CAN REACH A FINAL BUDGET. AND I'VE READ ABOUT WHAT YOU DO. UM, AND I WOULD HOPE TO BE A GOOD TEAM MEMBER IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT I'M READING WHAT YOU PUT OUT, WHAT IS PUT OUT BY STAFF, AND THAT I'M, AND THAT I'M COMMUNICATING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, SO THAT THEY CAN OFFER SUGGESTIONS AS WELL. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. MM-HMM. . THANK YOU. MS. CASTRO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. THANK YOU. UM, I'LL, I'LL START BY SAYING I'M GONNA ASK THE SAME QUESTION OF ALL THE CANDIDATES. IT IS AN HONOR TO INTERVIEW YOU, AND I FEEL A LITTLE BIT SILLY, UH, INTERVIEWING YOU FOR A PLACE ON THE DIOCESE. BUT, UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PAINT A PICTURE OF YOUR, OF DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ME. UM, AND I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE, IS THAT DISTRICT TWO, I WOULD DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENT SUBSETS OF THE, OF THE DISTRICT, THE DIFFERENT AREAS. SO THE FAR EAST SIDE WHERE THERE'S A LACK OF, UH, A LACK OF AMENITIES. THE NEAR EAST SIDE WHERE GENTRIFICATION AND CRIME, AND THERE'S A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES THAN THE NORTHEAST SIDE THAT'S MORE SUBURBAN AND RURAL. UM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE, UH, YOUR DIS YOUR DISTRICT FOR ME, AND THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THOSE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS? YEAH, LIKE I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT YOU SEE A LOT IN OUR DISTRICT, UNFORTUNATELY TO SOME EXTENT IS THE, NOT IN MY AREA, THE HOUSING THING PARTICULARLY. WE'VE HAD AN APARTMENT BOOM. UM, AND EVEN BACK IN A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT, OH, THERE'S GONNA BE ALL THESE APARTMENTS. SO I THINK PART OF IT IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FACILITATE FOR PEOPLE WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A GROWING, EXPANDING POPULATION? AND EVERY DISTRICT CAN'T SAY, NO, WE DON'T WANT APARTMENTS. WE DON'T WANT SINGLE FAMILY OUT. SO THAT'S ONE AREA THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT. LIKE DISTRICT TWO, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE DISTRICT. UH, WE HAVE THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS OF WOODLAWN, PARK, UH, AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WOODLAWN, YOU'LL ALSO SEE A VERY PROUD PEOPLE THAT AFFILIATE A LOT WITH THE SCHOOLS. SO THERE'S BEEN A VERY GOOD CONNECTION THERE. AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF CONNECTIONS THAT WE WANNA BUILD THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, UM, SO THAT THERE IS A SENSE OF PRIDE AND SO THAT THE SCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC, THE NEIGHBORHOODS CAN HELP TO SOLVE PROBLEMS TOGETHER. NOW, THAT WAS TRIED IN DISTRICT SEVEN WITH THE DECO DISTRICT AREA, SOME AND [00:35:01] JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. AND I THINK THAT PAIRING WAS REALLY A STRONG ONE AND REALLY A GOOD ONE. AND IT ALSO GETS KIDS READY TO BE GOOD CITIZENS. UM, FURTHER UP NORTH IN THE DISTRICT, YOU'VE GOT SOME DIFFERENT ISSUES. UM, HOUSING STILL IS ONE, BUT YOU HAVE SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES. YOU HAVE SOME, NOT AS MANY SIDEWALK ISSUES, BUT DRAINAGE ISSUES, UM, THAT ANNA HAS BEEN WORKING ON TO TRY TO GET, UM, ALLEVIATED. UM, I THINK THAT IF ONCE YOU GET TO SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE REALLY UPSET ABOUT OR WHAT PEOPLE FEEL THEY NEED, UM, THEN I THINK THAT YOU TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN TRY TO LINK THOSE PEOPLE AND PROVIDE FOR THEM THE KINDS OF SERVICES THEY WANT. UH, LIKE I SAY, THERE'S BEEN DIFFERENT ISSUES. UH, THE DOG STRAY DOGS, THE FACT THAT DOGS WERE NOT VACCINATED, ALL OF THAT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT DISTRICT SEVEN REALLY TOOK THE LEAD IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD A NO KILL SHELTER. AND A LOT OF THAT AROSE SOME YEARS BACK FROM DISTRICT SEVEN. I THINK TOO, WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT I RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE A COUNCIL PERSON FOR A DISTRICT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE INTERESTED IN OTHER DISTRICTS AND THE WELFARE OF ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT ONES. SOME DISTRICTS, I THINK LIKE TWO AND FIVE AND THREE, AND SOME OF THE OTHERS, UH, EVEN SIX NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION, I THINK. UM, AND I WOULD BE VERY PREPARED TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, MS. CASTRO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR APPLICATION. I, I HAVE ONE QUESTION. SURE. AND THAT IS, UM, I THINK YOU'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR, UH, THAT YOUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE, UH, THE WORK OF COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. UH, SHE SERVED FOR ALMOST THREE TERMS, AND DURING THE TIME I'VE WORKED WITH HER, SHE GAINED TREMENDOUS DEPTH ON A LOT OF ISSUES. UM, ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC AREAS DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA LEAN INTO, UH, HEAVILY? WHAT ARE THOSE AREAS THAT YOU'RE MOST INTERESTED IN? UH, IN TERMS OF HER WORK? I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE BIG ONES IS THAT COMMUNICATION. SHE TOOK PRIDE SINCE SHE STARTED RUNNING, AND WE SUPPORTED HER WHEN SHE FIRST RAN IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO YOU MAKE GOVERNMENT, UM, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL THAT IT IS TRANSPARENT. AND THAT'S ONE ISSUE THAT, UM, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH JUSTIN WHEN HE GOT ELECTED, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING HE WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO EDUCATE FOLKS. I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALWAYS BOTHERED ME IS THAT WE HAVE SUCH A LOWER VOTER TURNOUT, AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT FINDING WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, TO LEARN TO BE GOOD CITIZENS AND GO VOTE. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I THINK THAT I CAN BRING THE EDUCATION BACKGROUND AND WORK WITH SOME OF THE SCHOOLS. UM, WE HAVE AN, WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN NORTHSIDE, THEY'VE JUST BROUGHT ON A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, OR THEY WILL BE. AND, UH, I THINK I, I SERVED ON A, A BOARD TO LOOK AT WHAT WE NEEDED IN NORTHSIDE. I, I LIVE IN NORTHSIDE. UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE UNIQUE SITUATION THERE WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME IMPACTS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE FOLLOWING THE TEXAS LAW, WHICH SAYS THAT WE SHOULD BE ALLOWING SENIORS TO REGISTER TO VOTE. SO MAINLY ONE OF THE THINGS FOR ME WILL BE GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE, VOTING, AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT SAY IN THEIR GOVERNMENT. IT'S THREE MONTHS. I MEAN, I DON'T EXPECT TO CHANGE THE WORLD. OKAY. BUT, BUT WHATEVER I CAN DO, I WILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. UA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK WE'LL TAKE, UH, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE NOW AND, AND WE WILL USHER YOU BACK TO THE, THE HOLDING AREA. AND THE NEXT, UM, APPLICANT THAT WE HAVE, UH, WILL BE DELI G**O. [00:40:03] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MS. G**O, GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION. UH, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL. AND I APOLOGIZE. I THINK THEY TOLD ME HOW TO DO THIS THING. TO LIFT IT UP, PRESS THE BUTTON. OH, THERE WE'RE, THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE. I WEARING HEARING AIDS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND YOU MIGHT NEED TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER. AND I'M HOPING THAT I DON'T GET, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TELLING ME SOMETHING AND I THINK SOMETHING ELSE. , DON'T GET OLD . OKAY. MY NAME IS DELIA A I AM 78 YEARS OLD. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN, 10 GRANDCHILDREN, ONE GREAT-GRANDSON. THERE WAS MARRIED ALMOST CLOSE TO 55 YEARS. MY HUSBAND ROY ARMY VETERAN DIED OF C OVID 19, WHICH WE ALL WENT THROUGH A LOT DURING THAT PROCESS. DECEMBER 17TH, 2020, A DAY BEFORE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME HOME, HE WENT INTO CARDIAC ARREST LEAVING US STUNNED. BUT WE WERE NOT THE ONLY FAMILY WHO LOST FAMILY MEMBERS. I CONTINUED TO DO COMMUNITY WORK AS HE WOULD WANT IT. AS AN ARMY, I AM READY TO SERVE DISTRICT SEVEN FOR THREE MONTHS. I HAVE THE TIME, LEMME START. AS YOU SEE MY RESUME, IT'S PRETTY LENGTHY. I PICKED A FEW. I AM THE FOUNDER FOR THE VETERANS PARADE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND VERY PROUD AND HONORED. THERE WAS A SEARCH FOR A PERSON TO DO THE PARADE FOR THEM. THEY HAD NO MONEY. IT WAS UP TO THAT PERSON TO COME UP WITH MONEY, HAVE A BACKGROUND OF TV, HAVE A BACKGROUND OF PARADE, WHICH I DID BECAUSE I BELONGED TO THE FTA LAMBO PARADE ASSOCIATION. THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL TO LEARN ABOUT RESPECT WITH VETERANS AND LISTENING TO THEIR STORIES. THE ONE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO HEAR IS OUT OF 500 CANDIDATES, YOU WEREN'T EVEN HERE. YOU'RE ALSO YOUNG. I'M PROBABLY THE OLDEST OF ALL OF YOU. 500 CANDIDATES WAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THEY WERE GOING TO PICK FOUR CANDIDATES. THEY NARROWED IT DOWN TO 250, 25, AND THEN FOUR. AND GUESS WHAT? I WAS THE ONLY WOMAN OUT OF THE FOUR. AND I SERVED FOR A FEW YEARS. IT WAS AN EYE-OPENER. SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY PRIDE, PUBLIC ACCESS TV SINCE 1999 WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STOOD THIS RIGHT BEHIND CITY HALL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN MY PROGRAM. I GAVE YOU A LITTLE SOMETHING OF OUR LESS TAPING AN HOUR SPECIAL, WHICH IS COMING OUT EVERY SUNDAY AT 7:00 PM MY JOB IS TO HOST AND PRODUCE AND MEET MORE PEOPLE ON THE POSITIVE OUTLOOK OF OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S JUST CHA MARCH. JAIME MARTINEZ, THE FOUNDER, WENT TO SCHOOL WITH ME TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE DIED OF CANCER. TWO WEEKS HE CALLED ME ASKING ME TO TAKE THE BOARD POSITION OF HIS WIFE THAT WAS STEPPING DOWN. I FORGOT TO ASK MY HUSBAND BECAUSE 2016 I HAD OPENED HEART SURGERY AND I STEPPED DOWN FROM THE VETERAN'S PARADE BECAUSE OF HIS WISH. BUT I FORGOT TO TELL HIM I WAS GOING TO HELP THE MARCH C OVID 19 P S A MS. GU, WE'LL GO AROUND QUESTIONS NOW. OH, OKAY. I'M SORRY. WHAT CAN I SAY? JUST ONE THING. GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP. I MISS MY VETERANS. I MISS MY MISS, MY FORMER POWS. THEY'RE ALL IN HEAVEN. AND I WOULD FEEL THEY HAVE FRONT ROW SEATS. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU MS. GUAR, THOUGH. WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS NOW. WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KEEO HDA. NOW REMEMBER, TALK LOUD. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MARY. THANK YOU MS. MOJADO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND ALL YOUR WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE VETERANS OVER THE YEARS. THANK YOU. MY QUESTION, UM, IS ABOUT YOUR TOP PRIORITY AREAS FOR DISTRICT SEVEN. WHAT WOULD THOSE PRIORITY AREAS BE AND HOW WOULD THEY ALIGN WITH THE PRIORITIES OF THE DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS? MY PRIORITIES FOR DISTRICT SEVEN? YES, MA'AM. ONE IS MAKING SURE, REMINDING PE OR OR CONSTITUENTS TO VOTE TO SAFETY. WHETHER IT'S JUST REGULAR SAFETY OF US BEING OUT THERE AS A WOVEN OR EVEN THE ANIMAL CONTROL. AS [00:45:01] YOU'VE HEARD, WE HAVE TOO MANY STREET DOGS OUT THERE AND SO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THAT WE'VE LOST LIVES. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KIO. HDA. COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING. SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW FAMILIAR ARE YOU WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS? IT'S A TWO PART QUESTION. SO ONE, YOU'RE FAMILIARITY WITH THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE DISTRICT. AND THE SECOND PART IS WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR OUTREACH TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE, AND, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS? OKAY. NOT EVERYBODY GOES TO, THE FIRST PART WAS REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, THE POLICE ASSOCIATION. AND THEN THE SECOND PART WAS REACHING OUT TO THE RESIDENTS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, SITTING ON A BOARD LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS. AND A POLICE OFFICER OR A SERGEANT, WAS VERY NEW TO ALL OF US BECAUSE IT TOOK THE UNION, IT TOOK THE CITY 30 YEARS TO COME TOGETHER AND AGREE TO HAVE THE CITIZENS POLICE, UH, EXTRA REVIEW BOARD. IN LISTENING, WE HAD TO MAKE A, A CHOICE. THE CHIEF OF POLICE WAS THERE. UH, I THINK IT WAS, UH, MCMANUS. I LEARNED SO MUCH BECAUSE I ALSO HAD GONE TO THE, THE FIRST CLASS OF THE, UH, ACADEMY, THE CITIZENS ACADEMY. YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT? I WAS IN THAT FIRST CLASS AND I STARTED LEARNING AND BEING MORE ALERT. I DON'T PANIC. I'VE LEARNED NOT TO PANIC. YOU CAN'T ALLOW TO PANIC. YOU HAVE TO TEACH RESIDENTS. YOU HAVE TO TEACH CHILDREN IN SCHOOL NOT TO PANIC WHEN THERE'S A DISASTER GOING ON. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR INTEREST IN THE POSITION. MS. GUO, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU, UM, HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE THE YEARS. CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE THE BEST PERSON TO SERVE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS IN THIS POSITION AND WHAT YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THESE TWO MONTHS? GLADLY, AFTER DOING 55 YEARS OF COMMUNITY WORK, AND I FEEL THIS IS MY LAST CHAPTER IN MY LIFE BEING 78, I'VE DONE ALL I COULD TO MAKE OUR CITY, TO REPRESENT OUR CITY IN THE BEST THAT I CAN. BY THREE MONTHS, YOU SAY ONLY THREE MONTHS. THREE MONTHS, YOU CAN ACHIEVE SO MUCH. SO MUCH. YOU CAN LEARN ME AS A FIRST LEARN AND THEN ACHIEVE AND LISTEN TO ALL THE, NOT, SOME OF THEM ARE NOT COMPLAINTS. SOME OF THEM ARE COMPLIMENTS TELLING YOU, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR. I WANT HEAR, PUT MYSELF IN THEIR SHOES AND YOU TELL ME WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD YOU HAVE THE JEFFERSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE , THE, UH, ALL THE OTHERS THAT ARE AMONGST UNDER HILLS, THEY ALL GEARING UP TO DO GOOD. RIGHT? YOU WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE THE BEST, BUT IN ALL, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE EXTEND THAT THEY HAVE TO VOTE TO HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP. LIKE YOU ALL, YOU ALL MADE IT RIGHT. YOU ALL MADE IT, BUT YOU ALL WENT THROUGH ELECTION. THIS IS NOT ELECTION. THIS IS AN APPOINTMENT. TO ME, IT'S A NIGHTMARE REALLY, TO RUN THROUGH OFFICE, PUTTING UP SIGNS IN CORNERS AND TRYING TO GET ALL THESE SIGNS UP THERE. RIGHT. BUT GOD IS GOOD. AND WHEN THIS CAME UP OF THREE MONTHS, I SAID TO MYSELF, THIS IS PERFECT. GOD. THREE MONTHS. I CAN'T HANDLE, I DON'T WANNA SIT AT HOME WATCHING TV ALL THE TIME. I DON'T WANNA BE AT HOME TAKING A NAP ALL THE TIME. I WANNA STAY ACTIVE TO MY VERY LAST DAYS. THAT'S WHAT I AM ABOUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. GUERDON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU SIR. AND THANK YOU MA'AM. UH, SPECIAL THANKS FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE VETERANS. UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. UM, TALKING ABOUT ALL YOU'VE DID, UH, ACROSS THE YEARS, UM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE THAT MAKES YOU QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION? WITH EVERYTHING COMBINED IN, YOU SEE HERE BEING OUT THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BEING, UH, THE PRESIDENT FOR THE JEFFERSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. I'VE [00:50:01] DONE IT ALL. SIR, YOU GIMME A TOPIC AND I'LL ANSWER YOU AS LONG AS I CAN HEAR. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING FROM FIESTA FLAM. I WEAR MY MEDALS, THE KING ANTONIO RAPHAEL. UH, THAT'S WHAT GOT ME INTO THE VETERANS PARADE BECAUSE OF THAT, MY KNOWLEDGE WAS PUTTING A PARADE TOGETHER, RIGHT ON AND ON. BUT MOST OF ALL, I THINK IN SEEING THE FACES OF SAN ANTONIO, THE EXPRESSIONS, NOT EVERYBODY IS DOING OKAY. NOT EVERYBODY HAS A JOB. WE NEED JOBS. THE MORE WE HAVE THE BETTER. BECAUSE THE CHILDREN INVOLVED, THERE'S FOOD TO BE PUT ON THE TABLE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, HOW IT WENT? MY MOM DIED WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD. I KNEW I HAD POTENTIAL IN ME BECAUSE I HAD GOOD TEACHERS. DR. WAS ONE OF THEM. HE WAS SUPERINTENDENT LATER ON WITH THE S A I Z S I S D. BUT I HAD GOOD TEACHERS AT NAVARRO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH I WAS, I WORKED AT NAVARRO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON BECO STREET, AND THE PRINCIPAL ASKED ME TO DO COORDINATE THE CLOSING OF THAT SCHOOL. THEY KNEW I HAD POTENTIAL. MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW ME, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW. THE ONLY PERSON WHO KNOWS ME, WHO I AM WITH A P S A WITH COVID WITH IS YOUR MAYOR. YOUR MAYOR CAN TELL YOU WHO I AM, WHAT I STAND FOR. I'M NOT A POLITICAL PERSON. I DON'T COME IN POLITICALLY. I COME HERE TO SERVE MY CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN. AFTER LIVING 55 YEARS, STILL LIVING ON SOUTHERN DRIVE, EVERYBODY KNOWS. EVEN I CAN SAY, UH, THE CASTRO MEMORIZED MY TELEPHONE NUMBER, MY HOME NUMBER, SEVEN THREE TWO SEVEN FIVE SIX SIX BECAUSE JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WENT WITH MY KIDS TO JEFF. I RESPECT EVERYONE. I DON'T THINK I LIKE, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, YOU WANNA MAKE ENEMIES, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO BE KIND, COURTEOUS, UNDERSTANDING, AND LOVING, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF YOUR JOB TOO. YOU'RE NOT RUDE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, RIGHT? YOU HAVE A GOOD STAFF YOU WORK WITH AND THEY ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE. KNOWLEDGEABLE IS ONE KEY WORD. THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY TV SHOW AFTER 25 YEARS BEING HOSTING FIDUCIARY, BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH DISTRICT SEVEN. UH, WE'RE ON THE EAST SIDE, YOU, YOU NAME IT. THAT'S ME. I BRING THEM IN. I BRING THOSE THAT ARE BEHIND THE SCENE TOO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ IS, THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU. UM, SO I'M ASKING EVERYBODY THE SAME QUESTION. AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PAINT A PICTURE FOR ME OF YOUR DISTRICT AND THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOUR DISTRICT. AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IN DISTRICT TWO, WE HAVE THE ARI SIDE, WE HAVE THE INNER CITY, AND WE HAVE THE NORTHEAST SIDE. AND THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN ISSUES AND, UH, AT VARYING DEGREES. AND SO CAN YOU DESCRIBE FOR ME THE PARTS OF YOUR DISTRICT AND THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THE DIFFERENT PARTS? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. REPEAT IT. CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME? THEY'RE CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE. YES, MA'AM. CAN YOU DESCRIBE FOR ME THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOUR DISTRICT AND THE PART AND THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO THE DIFFERENT PARTS, THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN? I'M NOT SURE I CAN GET IT, BUT I'M GONNA TRY THE BEST AS I CAN. BEING PART OF DISTRICT SEVEN. YOU ALSO WORK WITH SCHOOLS? YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. I HAVE ALL MY GRANDKIDS GOING TO THAT SCHOOL. AWESOME. TOP OF THE LINE WITH SCHOOLS. I TEACH NOT ONLY MY KIDS, MY GRANDKIDS. I TEACH ALSO, WHEN I SUBSTITUTED AT A LONG TERM, JEFFERSON AND BURBANK, THEY WERE ALLOWING ME TO STAY LIKE SIX MONTHS BECAUSE THE PROFESSIONALISM WAS THERE. I DON'T HAVE A COLLEGE EDUCATION. I'VE LEARNED EVERYTHING ON MY OWN FROM DAY TO DAY. I LEARN YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING. BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO DISCOURAGE A YOUNG LADY AND A STUDENT NOT TO FINISH SCHOOL, NOT TO GO TO COLLEGE. NO, I LOVE MY DISTRICT SEVEN. I HAVE A PASSION. I CARE FOR THEM. AND I WANNA SERVE WITH ALL MY HEART. AND I WOULD GIVE IT ALL [00:55:01] I CAN AT 78. HOW MUCH CAN YOU, I DON'T HAVE DEMENTIA YET. I I STILL DRIVE. I, I LIKE TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND, UH, PEOPLE KNOW ME BECAUSE I WORKED AT JEFF. THE KIDS HAVE GROWN UP. THEY'RE MARRIED, THEY HAVE GRANDKIDS, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE LIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THEY KNOW DELIA WATO. THEY CALL ME MRS. WATO. THEY DON'T SAY DELIA. THEY SAY MRS. WATO WITH RESPECT. THANK YOU. AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VULNERABILITY IN SHARING YOUR STORY. THANK YOU. AND I WANNA LET YOU ALL KNOW I HAVEN'T, I I KNOW I MET E I AND, AND SOME, I, I LOOKED AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP AND I SAID, OH, I KNOW THIS . OH, I DON'T KNOW. WELL, I KNOW THIS ONE WELL, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE THROUGH SO MANY MAYORS, SO MANY CITY COUNCIL. BOB ROSS. YOU REMEMBER BOB ROSS, THE LATE BOB ROSS? I, I GOT ACTIVE 'CAUSE I RETIRED IN 1995 FROM JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. I RETIRED EARLY BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO SOME COMMUNITY WORK, YOU KNOW? AND AS SOON AS I STEPPED OUT OF JEFFERSON, I GOT PICKED UP BY DIFFERENT APPOINTMENT, YOU KNOW, AND BEING HELPING HERE, HELPING THERE. AND I LOVED IT. AND I JUST CONTINUED IT. AND MY HUSBAND REALLY HAD NO SAY SO BECAUSE I'M LIKE, I GOTTA DO IT. IT'S GOTTA BE DONE. WHO ELSE IS GONNA DO IT? YOU KNOW? UH, BUT SOMETIMES LIKE THE PARADE. THANK YOU. PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT THE ANCE PARADE, BUT NOBODY DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT SEVEN. HOW, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO APPROACH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH IS SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL? YOU HAVE TO REPEAT AGAIN. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. HOW, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO APPROACH THE BUDGET SESSION THAT'S, UH, SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL? I'M SORRY. MM-HMM. , WOULD YOU MIND COMING CLOSER TO ME? IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ME. YEAH. HOW DO YOU BE, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO APPROACH THE BUDGET SESSION THAT IS SET TO START IN APRIL? THIS WOULD BE, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS WOULD BE NEW TO ME, BUT I LEARNED FAST. IT'S LIKE YOU ARE ALREADY INSIDE. YOU ALL KNOW THE FIGURES OR WHAT, WHEREVER, WHAT'S GOING, WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO KEEP AND NOT KEEP, RIGHT? I HAVEN'T SEEN THE BUDGET. I AM HONEST WITH YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO LEARN. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANNA COME HERE FOR THREE MONTHS. I AM GONNA LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN TO SEE WHAT IS IMPORTANT ON FIGURES AND IF THEY NEED IT MOST, THEN THIS ONE, THEN THIS ONE GETS IT. MONEY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR EVERY DISTRICT. EVERYBODY WANTS GIMME, GIMME, GIMME. RIGHT? BUT WHEN YOU SEE THE FIGURES, YOU ALL SHOULD, NO, YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW, UH, YOUR, YOUR DISTRICT. EVERYBODY SAYS MY DISTRICT, MY LIKE WHAT ABOUT WE, IT'S ALL ABOUT WE. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. MY MY FINAL QUESTION, DELI, I THINK, I THINK UH, ROY WOULD BE VERY PROUD OF YOU RIGHT NOW. MY, MY QUESTION IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO SERVED FOR ALMOST THREE TERMS AND SHE HAD A LOT OF PRIORITIES. OH, I'M SORRY. I WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL SERVED FOR THREE TERMS. UH, AND SHE HAD A LOT OF CAN I HAVE SOME WATER? THANK YOU. I'M FORECASTING. EXCUSE ME, I HAVE A DRINK. WATER. OKAY SIR, TAKE IT AWAY. YEAH. SO COUNCIL , COUNCIL MEMBER CAST, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL SERVED FOR THREE TERMS, ALMOST THREE TERMS. AND SHE HAD A LOT OF, UH, SIGNIFICANT PRIORITIES FOR OUR CITY. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES, UH, FOR DISTRICT SEVEN? AND IF YOU ARE TO SERVE IN THIS OFFICE? ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS TO BE HONEST WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS. NOT TO HIDE ANYTHING FROM THEM, TO LET 'EM KNOW. MOSTLY THEY KNOW WHO I AM AND THEY KNOW I'M HONEST AND THEY KNOW I AM LOYAL. I AM LOYAL TO MY NEIGHBORS. MY CONCERN AND MY PRIORITY WITH MY DISTRICT SEVEN IS TO GIVE MORE OF WHAT IS NEEDED. WHETHER IT'S THE ANIMAL CONTROL, RIGHT? CULTURE COMING IN. YOU'LL SEE ON TV, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HAVE COME IN, YOU KNOW, I [01:00:01] REMEMBER BECAUSE MY SON HAD A PROBLEM AND DISTRICT SEVEN TOOK CARE OF IT. 15 DOGS IN THE BACKGROUND. YOU HEARD ABOUT THE MAING HAVING TO DO WITH, WITH THE BEAR COUNTY OFFICERS. WELL, SAFETY FOR ME IS ONE PRIORITY. VOTING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE COMPLAINING IF YOU VOTED. YOU VOTED, YOU TOOK PART, YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE, RIGHT? BUT NOT GO AND VOTE. JUST YOU MAKE SOME CALLS, YOU DO YOUR PART IN CALLING OTHER PEOPLE. I'VE COME ACROSS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ON VOTING, THEY DON'T WANNA VOTE WHAT FOR? THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I'VE CALLED YOU, I'VE CALLED CITY COUNCIL. I'VE CALLED MY, MY UH, UH, MY DISTRICT SEVEN REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING. I SAID, WELL, YOU'RE WRONG. YOU'RE WRONG. YOU HAVE TO STAY ON TOP. REMEMBER, IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON. IT'S A WHOLE HUNDRED PER CONSTITUENTS THAT LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION, MS. GU HARLO. I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND I ONLY CAN SAY ENJOY YOUR FAMILY. THAT IS GOD'S BLESSINGS TO YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE'LL UM, WE'LL ESCORT YOU TO THE HOLDING AREA AND WE'LL BRING BACK OUR FINAL APPLICANT, UH, SO WE CAN BRING BACK SEAN MURPHY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MURPHY. YES SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION. UH, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT THAT WILL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS. ABSOLUTELY. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME FINE? YES SIR. CITY COUNCIL TO THE PEOPLE OF CITY, AN SAN ANTONIO, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY APPLICATION. UM, I'M GONNA BE SHORT AND BRIEF 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG DAY. UM, BASICALLY, UM, I HAVE RESIDED IN BEHAR COUNTY FOR JUST SHY OF TWO YEARS. PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS A FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN NORTH FLORIDA FROM 2018 TO 2020. BEFORE THAT TIME PERIOD, I WAS A LIFELONG RESIDENCE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. OKAY. SO, UH, BASICALLY WHEN I SAW THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNSHIP VACANCY, I DECIDED TO LEND MY EXPERTISE AND MY EXPERIENCE TO THE CITY AND TO THE DISTRICT OF SEVEN. I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. SO AT THE SAME TIME, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION BY MY CONSTITUENTS AND IT WAS MY INTENTION NOT TO GET BACK INVOLVED WITH POLITICS. BUT SINCE MY NEIGHBORS REQUESTED IT, BECAUSE THEY FOUND OUT MY HISTORY, UH, THEY CONSPIRED AND SAID, YOU NEED TO GET UP HERE AND RUN. AT LEAST PUT THE APPLICATION IN AND TRY TO GET BACK INTO THESE POSITIONS AND ADVOCATE FOR OURSELF. UH, AS IT STANDS, UH, TECHNICALLY DISTRICT SEVEN DOESN'T HAVE ANY ADVOCACY. THEY HAVE SOME THROUGH YOU, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE DIRECT ADVOCACY. OKAY? UM, SO MY INTENTION IS TO NOT ROCK THE BOAT HERE. I'M NOT GONNA COME UP HERE AND PUT ALL OF MY AGENDAS UP HERE AND TRY TO FORCE THINGS. MY INTENTION IS TO GATHER THE INTEL OF THE CONSTITUENTS COMBINED AND PUT THEIR ISSUES TOGETHER. NOW, I HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, I WOULD SAY WEEK AND A HALF. I'VE PUT JUST A LITTLE OVER 40 MILES ON FOOT TALKING WITH MY CONSTITUENTS DOOR TO DOOR, DO IT OLD SCHOOL GRASSROOTS STYLE, SO THAT WAY THEY CAN SEE THE SINCERITY AND THE CONCERN OF WHAT'S GOING ON. UM, AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF YOUR TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING OF, UH, MY TENURESHIP IN THE COUNTY COMMISSION SEAT. UH, 2018, 2020. I RESIDED IN KEATON BEACH, FLORIDA. I BECAME A COUNTY COMMISSIONER DURING A SPECIAL ELECTION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE COMMISSIONER AT THAT TIME PASSED AWAY. THE STATE HELD A SPECIAL ELECTION AND THERE WERE TWO YEARS LEFT ON THAT SEAT IN WHICH I COMPRESSED A FOUR YEAR CALENDAR INTO, UH, YOU CAN LOOK UP ALL THE TRACK RECORD, IT'S PUBLIC FILE INFORMATION IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU CAN SEE WHAT MY NAME IS ATTACHED TO. JUST A QUICK BRIEF. DURING MY TENURESHIP, I OVERSAW THE ALLOCATION, DISTRIBUTION AND ACCEPTABLE USE OF A $36 MILLION COUNTY BUDGET. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 27,000 RESIDENCY CAPACITY. SMALL TOWN, VERY SMALL TOWN. WHEN I REPRESENTED THE CONSTITUENTS BY GATHERING PUBLIC INPUT, HEARING PETITIONS, AND ADVOCATING FOR THE INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS, I ALSO SERVED ON THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER BOARD, COORDINATING LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES, DISASTERS, INCLUDING TWO HURRICANES, SEVERAL FLOODINGS, AND THE EARLY STAGE OF THE C OVID 19 OUTBREAK. OKAY, SO AGAIN, UM, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP EVERYBODY'S TIME. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE [01:05:01] TO SAY ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I UNDERSTAND WITH GREAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OTHER APPLICANTS HAVE THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN MIND. THAT'S NO DOUBT. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. MURPHY. YES, SIR. ALRIGHT, WELL, I'LL BEGIN QUESTIONS NOW, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN. UM, MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO APPROACH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH IS BEGIN TO, UM, TO START IN APRIL? OKAY, SO YOUR FISCAL YEAR BEGINS IN APRIL, UH, NO, IN OCTOBER. UM, BUT THE PROCESS IS GONNA START IN APRIL. OKAY. SO MY ANGLE OF APPROACH MM-HMM. IS TO GATHER THE INFORMATION AND THE, UH, PROBLEMS OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN ON BEST HOW TO UTILIZE THESE FUNDS. UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT UP TO EVERYBODY HERE. IT'S UP TO THE CONSTITUENTS HOW THESE FUNDS ARE UTILIZED. WE CAN ONLY ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF. SO MY, UM, MY INTERPRETATION IS TO REMAIN A NEUTRAL PARTY IN THE EFFECT. OKAY? AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE DECISIONS YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE AND WE NEED TO ADVOCATE IN THAT MANNER. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD DO. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCIL MEMBER CAB BERDEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, SIR. YES, MA'AM. UH, YOU MENTIONED GATHERING INFORMATION IN YOUR COMMUNITY. WHAT WOULD YOUR TOP PRIORITIES BE AS THE INTERIM IF SELECTED, AND, UM, HOW DO THEY ALIGN WITH THE DISTRICT SEVEN CONSTITUENTS TOP PRIOR PRIORITIES? THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. UH, BASICALLY IN MY GATHERING OF INTEL WITH, UH, THE CURRENT SITUATIONS, I ALREADY HAD THOSE ISSUES NOTED. THE FIRST ISSUE IS TRASH. WHEN I'VE TRAVELED AROUND THE WORLD, THE FIRST THING I LOOK AT WHEN I GET DOWN AT THE AIRPORT IS I LOOK AT THE TRASH. THIS IS A BAROMETER GAUGE, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO 23 PEOPLE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. OKAY. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT ISSUE, YOU ALSO HAVE THE CRIME INDEX. CRIME INDEX IS CLIMBING RAPIDLY AND THE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED HERE. VERY CONCERNED. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD DO. BRING THAT TO THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COBE. HDA. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. UM, I'VE ASKED EVERYBODY THE SAME QUESTION, AND IT'S, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PAINT A PICTURE OF YOUR DISTRICT FOR ME OF DISTRICT SEVEN. UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IN DISTRICT TWO, I WOULD, UM, LABEL THE FAR EAST SIDE, THE NEAR EAST SIDE, AND THE NORTHEAST SIDE. UM, AND THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN ISSUES AND CONCERNS AND THINGS TO BE PROUD OF. CAN YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE DISTRICT SEVEN AND ITS PARTS AND THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO THE DIFFERENT, UH, PARTS OF YOUR DISTRICT? OKAY. AS, AS I EXPLAINED BEFORE, THE THE ISSUE, THE REOCCURRING ISSUE THAT'S HAPPENING IN ALL THE DISTRICTS, NOT JUST VICTOR SEVEN, BUT FROM THE CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, IT'S THE SAME ISSUE. TRASH CRIME, AND THEN SEVERELY THE HOMELESSNESS. THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I'VE BEEN LED TO LEAD TO YOU GUYS AND ADDRESS. BASICALLY THIS CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN HAVE HAD ENOUGH. THEY'VE HAD ENOUGH. AND IF THEY HAVE TO REACH TO AN OUTSIDER TO COME IN HERE AND TRY TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM. HERE WE ARE. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. MURPHY, FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE DISTRICT SEVEN APPOINTMENT. UH, I KNOW YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GO DOOR TO DOOR AND YOU TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS. WHAT HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT MEANT IN THE BANDERA ROAD CORRIDOR PLAN AT THE CURRENT TIME PERIOD? I HAVEN'T WALKED THAT FAR. I HAVEN'T MADE IT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS IS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK, AND I'VE BEEN WALKING SINCE WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK, SO I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO GET TO THAT POSITION, BUT I WILL. THANK YOU. MR. MURPHY? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STEPPING UP, UH, TO FILL THIS POSITION. UM, YOU'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, SOME DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT WHAT, WHAT IS THAT UNIQUE QUALITY THAT YOU HAVE THAT MAKES YOU QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION? UNDERSTOOD. UM, BASICALLY EXPERIENCE. I HAVE AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GEOPOLITICAL REALM. OKAY. I SPEAK SEVEN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, NOT FLUENTLY, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD, SIR. AND MY RECORDS WILL REFLECT IN THAT MANNER. I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES INVOLVED AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY. IT'S TIME THAT PEOPLE PUT EMBELLISHMENTS AND FEELINGS ASIDE AND COME ACROSS THE AISLE AND COLLABORATE. WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO GET TOGETHER. IDEAS AND CONCEPTS ARE JUST THAT UNTIL THEY'RE EXECUTED, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A GAME PLAN HERE. [01:10:02] IT'S EVIDENT NOT TO BE RUDE, BUT LET'S LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD. IF THIS HAPPENED IN MIAMI, WE WOULD ALL BE OUT OF A JOB HERE, GUARANTEED. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO. THANK YOU. MR. MURPHY. YES, SIR. CAN YOU TELL US, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY MAJOR PROJECTS THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNCILWOMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL WAS WORKING ON THAT YOU WOULD WANNA WORK TO CARRY FORWARD? WELL, AT THIS CURRENT TIME PERIOD, I'VE ONLY BEEN AWARE OF THIS POSITION BEING OPEN WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK, SO I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO DIVE INTO THE PAST ISSUANCES OR, UH, THE DISCREPANCIES INVOLVED. IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG TO UNDERSTAND THOSE. UH, ONCE I'M ABLE TO ACCESS, I HAVE A SEAT AND ACCESS THAT, IT'LL JUST BE A MATTER OF SHORT TIME, 24 HOURS BEFORE I CAN COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILS MEMBER. BRAVO. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR APPLICATION MR. [EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the Presidio Conference Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ] MURPHY. SIR, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, NOW PROCEED TO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT. UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE WE BREAK INTO EXEC? OKAY. ALRIGHT. THE TIME IS NOW 3:11 PM ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1ST, 2023. THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND DELIBERATE AND EVALUATE THE APPLICANT'S FOR THE TEMPORARY DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074, CONS, PERSONAL MATTERS, AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE'RE GONNA BREAK INTO A DIFFERENT ROOM SO NOBODY HAS TO VACATE. ALL RIGHT. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THE TIME IS 3 34. ON THE FIRST DAY OF MARCH, 2023, CITY COUNCIL'S RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION, UH, LET ME, UH, THANK ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO, UH, SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, UH, NOT JUST IN DISTRICT SEVEN, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. UH, WE DON'T TAKE, UH, THAT WILLINGNESS LIGHTLY, UH, CONSIDERING ALL OF US, UH, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL BE GOING THROUGH VERY SOON. UH, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT, UH, TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT REGARD. UH, WE'RE NOW GONNA CONDUCT A VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO SELECT APPLICANTS FOR INTERVIEW AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. AND SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW, AND SO I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE SELECT ROSIE CASTRO FOR A FINAL INTERVIEW AT TOMORROW'S A SESSION TO FILL THE DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCIL VACANCY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM. I SECOND THAT MOTION. ALRIGHT, UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UH, THE SELECTION OF ROSIE CASTRO FOR A FINAL INTERVIEW IN TOMORROW'S A SESSION TO FILL THE DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCIL VACANCY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM. AND NOW I'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION. AND AGAIN, OUR, OUR GRATITUDE TO ALL FOUR OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, FOR YOUR TIME AND, AND FOR YOUR, UH, EFFORT IN THE INTERVIEWS TODAY AS WELL. SO, UH, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER, UH, DISCUSSION, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. WE'LL HAVE OUR FINAL VOTE TOMORROW. UM, NOW WE'RE GONNA PROCEED TO THE SECOND ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. UH, SO LET ME TURN IT OVER TO CITY COUNCIL. UH, CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH. THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL. SO OUR SECOND ITEM TODAY, UM, WILL BE DISCUSSING THE, UH, PRES PRES SOLICITATION FOR OUR PROPOSED INVESTMENTS IN HUMAN SERVICES OVER THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS. UM, SINCE 2005, WE HAVE ISSUED THESE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, UH, TO FUND NONPROFIT AGENCIES ON A TWO YEAR CYCLE. IT MAKES THAT EASIER FOR THOSE NONPROFITS, UM, AND, AND EASIER FOR US TO MANAGE OVER THAT LONGER TIME PERIOD. UM, CITY FUNDING, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES, IS CONSOLIDATED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL FUND FEDERAL FUNDS, UM, TO SUPPORT STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST IN, UH, CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCESS, FAMILY STRENGTHENING SENIORS AND, AND HOMELESSNESS. UH, IN THIS YEAR, THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, WE ALLOCATED $22 MILLION IN GENERAL AND GRANT FUNDING TO SUPPORT IT. SO THIS MONTH, THE CITY [01:15:01] WILL BEGIN, UH, THE PROCESS FOR F Y 24 AND 25, UH, FUNDING PROCESS BY RELEASING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TODAY IS SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL ON PRIORITIES THAT WE CAN INCLUDE WITHIN THAT, THAT, THAT REQUEST FOR, FOR PROPOSALS. UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR TARGETED INVESTMENTS, UH, THAT ADDRESS AREAS OF HIGH IMPACT AND, UH, AND HIGH EQUITY. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, UM, FOR, FOR THOSE OF YOU, WE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS AS WE'VE ALLOCATED ARPA FUNDING THROUGH SOLICITATIONS. UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION BECAUSE WE DO IT EVERY OTHER YEAR THROUGH DELEGATE AGENCIES. SO A LOT OF THIS WILL LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU. UM, AS WE GET THE, UH, RESPONSES TO THE SOLICITATIONS, WE WILL INCORPORATE THEM IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND YOU'LL SEE THEM IN AUGUST. SO, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MEL TO KICK US OFF. THANK YOU, ERIC. SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UM, I'M MELODY WOOSLEY, HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR, AND THIS ITEM PROVIDES A BRIEFING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 24 AND FISCAL YEAR 25, CONSOLIDATED FUNDING FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES PROCESS. SO, SPECIFICALLY I'LL PROVIDE, UM, BACKGROUND ON THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS REVIEW, PROPOSED FUNDING PRIORITIES, THE ESTIMATED BUDGET AND TIMELINE. I'LL ALSO REVIEW FOUR POLICY ITEMS, UM, FOR YOUR INPUT TO GUIDE THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS IS A HIGH PROFILE SOLICITATION, AND SO THIS BRIEFING WILL ALSO INCLUDE A PRES SOLICITATION OVERVIEW OF THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. AS BACKGROUND, THE CITY INVESTS IN NONPROFIT AGENCIES AND SERVICES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. THE CITY BEGAN FUNDING NONPROFITS IN 1979, AND THE BIENNIAL CONSOLIDATED FUNDING MODEL THAT WE USE TODAY WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2005 TO IMPROVE THE WAY THAT WE INVEST IN COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES. THE PROCESS HAS EVOLVED AND BECOME MORE INTENTIONAL OVER TIME TO FOCUS ON EQUITY AND ALIGN WITH CITY COUNCIL POLICY DIRECTION AND CITY PRIORITIES. THE PROCESS HELPS D H S ACHIEVE OUR LONG-TERM STRATEGIES BY EXPANDING OUR REACH INTO COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENHANCING OUR DIRECT SERVICES TO THIS END. THIS PROCESS REFLECTS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR SENIOR SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THE SAN ANTONIO POVERTY REPORT. FOR EXAMPLE, INVESTMENTS IN OUR SENIOR SERVICES. THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS AT OUR COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS. CONSOLIDATED FUNDING ALSO COMPLIMENTS CITY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE METRO HEALTH VIOLENCE STRATEGIC PLAN, EQUITY ACTION PLAN, READY TO WORK, AS WELL AS COVID RECOVERY AND ARPA PROGRAMS. D H S ISSUES. THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING R F P EVERY TWO YEARS. AND THE TWO YEAR PROCESS BEGINS TODAY WITH COUNCIL PRIORITY DIRECTION. FOLLOWING THIS SESSION, UM, D H S WILL HOLD A SERIES OF STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY INPUT AND INFORMATION SESSIONS ACROSS THE CITY. WE ANTICIPATE RELEASING THE R F P ON MARCH 27TH, FOLLOWED BY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SESSIONS FOR INTERESTED APPLICANTS. THE R F P WOULD BE OPEN FOR 45 DAYS CLOSING ON MAY THE 12TH, 10 TO 12 EVALUATION PANELS WILL REVIEW PROPOSALS MAY THROUGH JUNE, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARDS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET ON AUGUST THE 10TH. WE ARE PROPOSING TWO YEAR CONTRACTS THIS YEAR, WHICH BEGAN OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, AND END SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025. UM, CONTINUED SECOND YEAR FUNDING FOR THESE CONTRACTS WOULD BE CONTINGENT OF COURSE, ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND CONTRACT PERFORMANCE. SO A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 24 MILLION IS PROPOSED TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE HUMAN SERVICES. LONG-TERM STRATEGIES, STAFF RECOMMENDS A TOTAL OF 9.6 MILLION BE DESIGNATED TO YOUTH SUCCESS AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS PRIORITIES 2.6 MILLION WOULD SUPPORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROVIDING AFTERSCHOOL CHALLENGE AND YOUTH SUCCESS POLICY AND DATA COORDINATION. 7 MILLION WOULD BE DESIGNATED FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE CAMPUS OPERATIONS AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT AT HAVEN FOR HOPE. WITH THOSE DESIGNATIONS, 14.5 MILLION, 60% OF THE FUNDING POOL WOULD BE COMPETITIVELY AWARDED THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS. WE ARE RECOMMENDING 30% OF AVAILABLE COMPETITIVE FUNDING BE ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCESS. 16% WOULD BE INVESTED TO STRENGTHEN [01:20:01] FAMILIES THROUGH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION AND IMPROVING FINANCIAL SECURITY. 32% TO PREVENTING AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS. AND THIS INCLUDES 4.1 MILLION IN STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. AND WE ALSO RECOMMEND 22% OF THE FUNDING SUPPORT ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMING AT OUR COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS. AND SO RATHER THAN ISSUING SEPARATE RFPS, THIS PROCESS COMBINES MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES INTO A SINGLE PROCESS. THIS IS GOOD FOR THE AGENCIES AND IT'S GOOD FOR D H SS. THE ESTIMATED TOTAL CONSOLIDATED FUNDING POOL OF, UH, 24 MILLION IS BASED ON THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET WITH ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO GRANT FUNDING. WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THE AMOUNT THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED OUR HUD AWARD AMOUNTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, AND SO THOSE WILL CERTAINLY BE ADJUSTED. HOPEFULLY, UM, THEY WILL INCREASE. THE GRANTS THAT WERE, WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS ARE THE STATE HOMELESS SERVICES HOUSING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH AND HEAD EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT COMMUNITY, SOME COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS. THE FINAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT'S INVESTED IN EACH FUNDING PRIORITY AND THE AMOUNT ALLOCATED THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE R F P OR DESIGNATED WILL BE BASED ON YOUR POLICY DIRECTION. SO CONSOLIDATED FUNDING IMPLEMENTS AND EQUITY BASED APPROACH TO FUNDING SERVICES THAT PROVIDES THE MOST IMPACT FOR POPULATIONS WITH THE LEAST OPPORTUNITIES. THIS PROCESS FOCUSES ON LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND OUR PARTNERS AND USING DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUTCOMES BY RACE, INCOME, AND GENDER TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND DIRECT OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS ACHIEVING EQUITABLE ACCESS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, EQUITABLE OUTCOMES. HU HUMAN SERVICES WILL ESTABLISH PRIORITY SERVICE AREAS IN THE R F P TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE BASED ON DATA. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE HEIGHTENED NEEDS OF POPULATION GROUPS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY C OVID 19. SIMPLIFY ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO FUNDING FOR SMALLER AGENCIES, AND ENSURE THAT EQUITY IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS THROUGH SCORING CRITERIA AND DIVERSE EVALUATION PANELS IS INCLUDES INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. WE ARE MAKING FOUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, AS I MENTIONED FOR YOU, YOUR INPUT TODAY. FIRST, STAFF PROPOSES TO CONTINUE FISCAL YEAR 23 FUNDING PRIORITIES THAT WERE DEVELOPED BASED ON COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY INPUT. WE RECOMMEND DESIGNATING 9.6 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR SPECIFIC HOMELESSNESS AND YOUTH SUCCESS PROGRAMS. 2.3 MILLION FOR SAN ANTONIO EDGEWOOD HARLANDALE, SOUTH SAN AND SOUTHWEST ISDS TO PROVIDE, UM, SCHOOL-BASED AFTERSCHOOL CHALLENGE PROGRAM STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS DESIGNATING 278,000 TO THE UP PARTNERSHIP, UM, TO COORDINATE YOUTH SUCCESS POLICY AND DATA. 5 MILLION IN DESIGNATED FUNDING IS PROPOSED FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE OPERATIONS. AND ONE, UH, ALMOST 2 MILLION IS RECOMMENDED TO BE DESIGNATED TO THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ON THE HAVEN FOR HOPE CAMPUS. AND SOBERING AT THE RESTORATION CENTER. WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING, AGAIN, THIS YEAR AN ABBREVIATED NON-COMMUNICATION PERIOD AND APPLICANT INPUT SESSIONS PRIOR TO BUDGET ADOPTION FOR CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF AND COUNCIL STAFF. THE NON-COMMUNICATION PERIOD WOULD START WHEN AGENCIES SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS TO THE CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE R F P AND IT WOULD LAST UNTIL THE DATE THE CITY MANAGER PROPOSES THE BUDGET. AND SO NEXT I'LL QUICKLY RUN THROUGH THE PRES SOLICITATION REVIEW. SO THE SOLICITATION SOLICITATION TYPE IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, AND THE ESTIMATE ESTIMATED VALUE OVER TWO YEARS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 48 MILLION. THE PROPOSED TERM IS TWO YEARS. UM, AGAIN, OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, WITH THE SECOND YEAR SUBJECT TO FUNDING, AVAILABILITY, PERFORMANCE AND COUNCIL APPROVAL. EVALUATION WILL BE BASED ON 25 POINTS FOR EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS. 45 POINTS FOR THE PROPOSED PLAN, AND 30 POINTS FOR THE PROJECT BUDGET AND FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF THE AGENCY FOR THIS SOLICITATION. THE S BETA PROGRAM WILL BE WAIVED AND LOCAL [01:25:01] PREFERENCE AND VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PREFERENCE ARE NOT APPLICABLE. AND SO IN SUMMARY, OUR NEXT STEPS WILL FOCUS ON CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT SESSIONS LEADING UP TO RELEASE OF THE R F P ON MARCH THE 27TH. FOR MAY TO JUNE. OUR PANELS WILL EVALUATE AND SCORE THE PROPOSALS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET ON MARCH THE 10TH. FINAL AWARDS WILL BE ADOPTED THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 ANNUAL BUDGET WITH, UH, CONTRACTS AWARDED BEGINNING ON OCTOBER THE FIRST. AND SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROCESS. THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION MELODY. UM, JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS TO GET US STARTED. UM, AND WE WILL BEGIN OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. UH, I KNOW THAT WE ARE HAVE DESIGNATED FUNDING. COULD YOU GO OVER THOSE AGAIN? THE DESIGNATED PORTIONS OF FUNDING? CERTAINLY I'LL PROVIDE THE SPECIFICS. OKAY. SO IT'S 2.3 MILLION THAT'S RECOMMENDED FOR SAN ANTONIO, EDGEWOOD HARLANDALE, SOUTH SAN AND SOUTHWEST. UM, ISDS TO PROVIDE THE AFTERSCHOOL CHALLENGE PROGRAM IN THEIR FACILITIES ON SITE. UM, THEY PROVIDE THE FACILITY, THE UTILITIES, SNACKS, AND STAFF AS A MATCH AND CUSTOMIZE THEIR PROGRAMS TO MEET THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF OF THEIR STUDENTS. WE ALSO RECOMMEND DESIGNATING 278,000 TO THE UP PARTNERSHIP TO COORDINATE YOUTH SUCCESS POLICY AND DATA UP DOES NOT PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES, BUT SERVES AS A BACKBONE AGENCY IN THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING DATA COORDINATION AND RESEARCH FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY-WIDE YOUTH PROVIDERS. WHAT WAS THAT ORGANIZATION AGAIN? UP PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. 5 MILLION IS PROPOSED FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE. OPERATIONS HAVEN IS THE CITY'S LARGEST HOMELESS INVESTMENT. THE CITY OWNS THE 22 ACRE, UH, PARCEL OF LAND UNDER HAVEN FOR HOPE AND ENTERED INTO 60 YEAR GROUND LEASE AND OPERATING AGREEMENTS TO ENSURE LONG-TERM OPERATION OF THE CAMPUS. AND 1.7 MILLION IS RECOMMENDED TO BE DESIGNATED TO THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ON, UM, THE HAVEN FOR HOPE CAMPUS. AND TO OPERATE THE RESTORATION CENTER'S SOBERING PROGRAM. C H C C S BRINGS ADDITIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS TO BOTH PROJECTS. AND IS THE COMMUNITY'S DESIGNATED MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY ADD SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, I WANNA ADD FOR THESE DESIGNATED FUNDS, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE HISTORICALLY. SO WE, WE'VE ALWAYS PROVIDED THE 5 MILLION FOR HAVEN. IT IS A PARTNERSHIP. WE OWN THE LAND, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM. THE AFTERSCHOOL CHALLENGE FUNDING, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE USED TO OPERATE OUT OF OUR PARKS DIVISION. WE WENT AHEAD AND RESTRUCTURED IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND DID A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ACTUAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AND THEY MANAGE THE PROGRAMS ON OUR BEHALF. AND SO THAT IS WHY THAT FUNDING IS DESIGNATED. AND THEN C H C S, THEY ARE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO MAKE THEM COMPETE FOR 'EM. WE NEED THAT SERVICE. UM, AND THEY'RE THE ONE THAT'S SET UP TO PROVIDE THAT. SO THAT IS WHERE, THAT'S THE HISTORY OF THE DESIGNATED FUNDING. YEAH. NO, THANK YOU MELODY. AND THANK YOU LORI. NO, I, I, I AGREE WITH THE DESIGNATION. UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE DO THAT, UH, NOTHING ABOUT THE, UH, ALLOCATION AMOUNTS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED OR THE EVALUATION CRITERIA OF YOUR PERFORMANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. MM-HMM. HAS CHANGED IN THE DESIGNATION. THAT'S, IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD SNAPSHOT OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING OVERALL IN, INTO OUR PRIORITY POLICY AREAS. WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NOT TODAY, IS HOW THIS BLENDS IN WITH THE ARPA POLICIES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AS WE'VE SPENT DOWN IN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WHETHER THAT'S ARPA OR, OR CARES OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. ALRIGHT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, CAN, CAN WE REVIEW A LITTLE BIT, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR OUR INPUT ON THIS AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR US TO MAYBE OFFER ANY OTHER FURTHER SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. IT'D BE HELPFUL TO KNOW HOW MANY NONPROFITS FROM THE 2123 CYCLE WERE NOT FUNDED. AND WHAT WAS THE VALUE OF THOSE SERVICES [01:30:01] THAT THEY WERE OFFERING THAT DID NOT GET FUNDED? I'D SURE LIKE TO SEE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT. YEP. UM, AND I KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT WOULD DO MORE TO HELP MOVE SENIORS AROUND THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSPORTATION. 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SENIORS THAT ARE STUCK AT HOME THAT AREN'T DRIVING ANYMORE, THAT ARE VERY LIMITED IN THEIR MOBILITY. I THINK THERE'S AN ACOG PROGRAM THAT MIGHT ADDRESS SOME OF THAT. UH, AND, AND IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THAT, I MAY NOT HAVE SUCH A STRONG FEELING ABOUT THIS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT. AND, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE SHORT. I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT PARTNERS IN THIS CITY, AND THEY HAVE ALL BEEN STRUGGLING. UH, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT STRUGGLING AS A CITY. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT MORE OF THOSE PARTNERS THAN WHAT WE'VE GOT SHOWING RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT NINE AND A HALF MILLION OF THAT, THAT, UH, WHAT, 40, UH, 44 MILLION IS THAT FOR ONE YEAR? THOSE FOUR YOU JUST GAVE US THE 40, THE FOUR MIL. 44 MILLION IS TWO YEARS. TWO. YEAH. BUT THESE NUMBERS, YOU JUST RAN OFF 5 MILLION FOR HAVEN 2.3 FOR AFTER SCHOOL. THOSE ARE JUST FOR ONE YEAR. RIGHT? THAT'S THE ONE YEAR. SO WE NEED THE DOUBLE LOWS AND SAY 18 MILLION OF THIS IS ALREADY OBLIGATED OUT OF THAT 44. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PARTNERS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PUT ABOUT A $50 MILLION PRO PROJECT TOGETHER FOR THIS NEXT TWO YEAR CYCLE. UH, A LITTLE BIT OVER A 10% INCREASE. AND I, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO LOOK TO ENSURE WE CAN AFFORD IT, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE WE MISSING? WHAT WE'VE, WHAT HAVE WE MISSED BEFORE? WHAT COULD WE BE MISSING AGAIN? AND, UH, HOW CAN WE BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST DIRECTLY THROUGH US, BUT INDIRECTLY, UH, THROUGH ALL OUR PARTNERS. SO ANYWAY, I, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. OKAY. MAYOR, JUST REAL QUICK, UM, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN WE DO THE SOLICITATION AS, AS THE COUNCIL'S AWARE, WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING OUR BUDGET PROCESS WITH THE WORK SESSION IN APRIL AND THE CONVERSATION IN MAY WITH THE FORECAST. IF, IF THAT IS A, A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL AS A GROUP, WHILE, WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE SOLICITATIONS IN THE BUDGET, THAT FEEDBACK IS STILL VALUABLE TO US. BUT I WOULD ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR REALLOCATED FUNDING TO THIS EFFORT. UH, THE, THE SOLICITATION DOESN'T PREVENT US FROM BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU IN THE SPRING. BUT I, I WONDER IF WHEN WE PUT THIS OUT, IF WE INDICATE THERE FINANCIAL BOUNDARIES THAT MAY MAKE SOME ORGANIZATIONS FEEL LIKE, WELL, THEY HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH MONEY. ALL THESE OTHER GROUPS ARE GONNA GET REFUNDED, SO WHY BOTHER? YEAH. UH, AND IF WE'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW ABOUT EXPANDING BOUNDARIES, I'D RATHER WE SAY EVERYBODY SHOULD APPLY. THERE AREN'T ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL BOUNDARIES. AND THEN LET'S SEE WHAT WE GET AND DETERMINE HOW WE CAN AFFORD TO BETTER MEET THOSE NEEDS. SO I, I WOULD, UM, UM, I WOULD CAUTION AGAINST THAT BECAUSE WE DID THAT WITH ARPA AND WE GOT $145 MILLION WORTH OF PROPOSALS, MOST OF WHICH DIDN'T MATCH THE COUNCIL OBJECTIVES. AND, AND IT IS, IT IS CRITICAL, I THINK, FOR US TO VALUE EITHER, UM, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR HOMELESSNESS OR SENIORS OR TRANSPORTATION OR HARM REDUCTION, THOSE KEY AREAS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE GUIDANCE I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE TO THE, TO THE NONPROFITS. AND I ULTIMATELY, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I, WE CAN PREPARE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU AT THE GOAL SETTING. IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO IDENTIFY THIS AS A HIGHER PRIORITY AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, THEN WE ALWAYS HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY. YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO ADJUST THAT BECAUSE THE, THE RESULTS OF THIS SOLICITATION PROCESS GET BAKED INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH YOU SEE. AND, AND THERE'S STILL, THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE THOSE, THOSE CHANGES. YEAH. MAYOR, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY. I DIDN'T MEAN WE OUGHT TO CHANGE THE BOUNDARIES THAT WE SET UP AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WHAT I'M JUST SAYING IS WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A FINANCIAL BOUNDARY THAT'S GONNA LIMIT MAYBE PEOPLE FROM APPLYING 'CAUSE THEY THINK THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH MONEY THERE. BUT I WANNA STICK TO THE SAME PILLARS AND THE SAME REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WOULD EXPECT FROM ANY AGENCY THAT APPLIED AND FOLLOW UP, COUNCILMAN. WE DID FUND SENIOR TRANSPORTATION IN THE ARPA RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEW FOR US. WE, WE DO TRANSPORTATION TO OUR SENIOR CENTERS, TAKE PEOPLE HOME, BUT WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION FOR OTHER REASONS. AND SO [01:35:01] THAT WILL BE, UM, IMPLEMENTED THROUGH ARPA. AND TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO SHOW YOU ALL HOW ARPA FUNDING WAS SPENT, HOW OTHER FUNDING IS SPENT, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE MAP MM-HMM. OF FUNDING FOR THESE AGENCIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU MELODY FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE PROPOSED, UH, FOUR PILLARS, UM, FOR INVESTMENT. UH, THIS WEEKEND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A RIDE ALONG WITH E M S, UH, AND WHAT, UH, WE SAW, AND WHAT I LEARNED IS THAT OFTENTIMES MANY OF THE CALLS ARE FOR THE NEED TO DISTRIBUTE NARCAN TO INDIVIDUALS. MM-HMM. . SO FOR MY AREA, AND LOOKING AT THE DATA BY E M S AS WELL, UM, HARM REDUCTION IS A PRIORITY. AND GIVEN THAT THERE IS A STATEWIDE, UH, SETTLEMENT, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT IT'S A EPIDEMIC AND IT'S, UM, AN ISSUE ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS. UM, SO ENSURING THAT WE SCALE UP THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THAT HARM REDUCTION WORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. UM, FOR EXAMPLE, MINISTRIES, RIGHT? I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THERE'RE LISTED HERE, UM, TWICE. UM, BUT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO SCALE UP, UM, THE IN INVEST INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, UH, TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY DOING THE WORK, RATHER THAN, UM, IDENTIFYING A NEW ORGANIZATION, UM, AND, AND, AND INVESTING THERE. RIGHT. UM, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A MODEL THAT WORKS. UM, SO MY, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE SUPPORT THOSE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A, A, A TRACK RECORD AND A HISTORY OF PROVIDING SERVICES. UM, AND I THINK CUON MINISTRIES IS ONE OF THOSE. UM, SO ENSURING THAT WE ARE TACKLING, UH, AND PRIORITIZING HARM REDUCTION AND SUPPORTING THOSE NONPROFITS LIKE C**N. UM, EARLIER THIS WEEK AS WELL, ON, ON MONDAY, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH GINA MEYER. SHE'S THE C E O OF A NONPROFIT CALLED PARENTING PLUS. AND SHE PRESENTED THIS BIG OLD BASKET THAT SHE HAS OF THINGS FOR CHILDREN. AND IT RANGES FROM PAMPERS TO FORMULA AND JUST SO MUCH, I'M NOT TOO SURE IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HER. AND WHAT SHE DOES IS SHE CONNECTS, UM, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING OUT OF, UM, OUT OF JAIL OR, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON PROBATION OR PAROLE, AND CONNECTS THEM TO SERVICES. SO SHE CATCHES THEM AS SOON AS THEY LEAVE. UM, SO THAT WAY SHE COULD CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES AND WHAT SHE'S SHARED AND ALL THIS TO SAY. RIGHT. UM, I, I AGREE WITH ALIGNING IT WITH THE, THE PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES THAT, UM, THE CITY HAS ALREADY INITIATED AND PRESENTED POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, UH, IS THAT SHE'S LEARNED AND SHARED THAT MANY OF THE FAMILIES SHE ASSISTS SHARED THAT IF THEY WEREN'T PROVIDED THOSE PAMPERS OR THAT FORMULA, THEY'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET IT RIGHT. AND THAT'S NOT OFTEN LEGAL. UM, SO I, I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, THE U T S A INITIATIVE AND, UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT? UM, A PRIORITY FOR ME AND MY RECOMMENDATION WITH THE 2023 INVESTMENTS IS THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, SUPPORTING YOUTH AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE SYSTEM. UM, AND THEN I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING HOMELESSNESS AND HAVEN FOR HOPE. UM, AND I SHARED A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU EARLIER. UM, IT'S IN MY DISTRICT. SO THE FOLKS WHO LIVE THERE ARE MY CONSTITUENTS AND, UM, THEY'VE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS, RIGHT? LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE COURTYARD. UM, WHAT IS OUR EXPECTATION WITH THOSE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS, UM, FOR HAVEN? WHAT, WHAT'S THE STANDARD OF, AND THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY'VE USED THOSE DOLLARS ON? UM, REGARDING THE COURTYARD, WE, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY FUNDING ANY CAPITAL DOLLARS AT HAVEN IT FOR IT'S ALL FOR OPERATIONS. YEAH. FOR OPERATIONS. LET ME MAINTENANCE. YEAH. FOR MAINTENANCE. YES. OH, YEAH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIKE WHAT TYPE OF MAINTENANCE? SURE. THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEIR, UH, FACILITIES IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. MM-HMM. , YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEM IN THE PAST WITH BROKEN TOILETS AND BROKEN SINKS. UM, THEY'VE GONE IN AND REPLACED THE, THE TOILETS AND THE SINKS TO BE MORE STURDY MM-HMM. . SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO, THE, THE CONCERN YOU BROUGHT TO ME EARLIER THAT, THAT THERE WASN'T TOILET PAPER IN THE, IN THE STALLS. UM, THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO HAVE TOILET PAPER AND ALL OF THE STALLS AND PAPER TOWELS AND, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, HAND SANITIZER AND ALL OF THE THINGS NEEDED TO PROTECT FROM, UH, COVID AND DISEASE MM-HMM. . AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE MONITORING WE DO. WE, WE DO RECEIVE CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND WE, WE FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AND ADDRESS THAT, AND THEY'RE GENERALLY VERY QUICK TO ADDRESS IT. YES. THANK YOU. AND, AND I ASKED, RIGHT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEM TO, TO ADDRESS WITH THOSE DOLLARS, RIGHT? MM-HMM. , UM, LIKE THAT CONCERN THE CONSTITUENT BROUGHT FORTH. UM, BUT AGAIN, RIGHT. MY RECOMMENDATION WITH THE [01:40:01] FOUR PILLARS IS THAT WE SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALIGN WITH, UH, OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIES, WHICH IS YOUTH INVESTING IN SENIORS, UM, AND ALSO SCALING UP THE EXISTING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS DOING, UH, THE COMMUNITY WORK. GREAT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, MELODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, THANK YOU MELODY FOR THE PRESENTATION ON, UH, YOU KNOW, SLIDE NUMBER SOME SLIDE NUMBER FIVE OBVIOUSLY BRINGS UP MY INTEREST HERE ON TOTAL FUNDING. DID WE, UH, CHANGE THE DISTRIBUTION ANY FROM THE LAST TIME THAT WE, UM, ON THE LAST TIME WE WENT OUT FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES? IN OTHER WORDS, THE 53% FOR HOMELESSNESS, 10% FOR FAMILIES, UH, THOSE, THOSE PERCENTAGES, DID WE MOVE ANY PERCENTAGES AROUND? SO WE 'CAUSE THE 22 MILLION AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE FUNDED LAST TIME, RIGHT? AND I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A POWERPOINT THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED AND THEN WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES SINCE THEN. SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS THE CURRENT, UM, WE LOOKED AT, INSTEAD OF INCLUDING DESIGNATED FUNDING IN THAT TOTAL POOL, WE LOOKED AT, OKAY, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS THAT WOULD, THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR EACH CATEGORY OKAY. TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IS AVAILABLE FOR AGENCIES TO APPLY FOR. OKAY. YEAH. I, I SEE THAT NOW. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, ARE WE CHANGING THE DISTRIBUTION FROM LAST TIME? UM, IT, IT IS CHANGED SOMEWHAT BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, MORE DOLLARS IN YOUTH CATEGORY FROM THE STATE HOMELESS GRANT. YEAH. I, I, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT. LET, WE'LL, LET'S COMPARE WHAT WE HAD LAST TIME VERSUS THIS TIME SURE. TO SHOW ANY INCREASES OR DECREASES IN THOSE AREAS. MM-HMM. , WE'LL PROVIDE THAT. AND YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION EVERY YEAR IS HOW MUCH ON THE HOMELESSNESS ARE WE, IS THIS GONNA BE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS? HOW MUCH ARE TOTAL ARE WE GONNA BE SPENDING? RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROPOSING LEVEL FUNDING FROM THE LAST PROCESS. SO THE 7 MILLION FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE AND C H C S IS THE SAME. UM, THE 4.1 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING RIGHT NOW IS THE SAME, ALTHOUGH WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL CHANGE OKAY. AND GO UP. BUT OUR TOTAL MM-HMM. DOLLARS SPENT ON HOMELESSNESS AND THAT'LL FALL OUT DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE D H S BUDGET. YES. IT INCLUDES OTHER, UM, DEPARTMENTS. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT. LAST TIME YOU REPORTED IT WAS ABOUT 77 MILLION, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT. OH, THAT'S TOTAL COMMUNITY FUNDING. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT TOTAL CITY, THAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT. SO IS THIS, IS IT, IS THAT INCREASING OR IS THAT GONNA STAY THE SAME OR WHAT IT ACTUALLY, WE'LL PROBABLY SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A DECREASE BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE ARPA AND CARES ACT FUNDING. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AND A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, UM, ON THE, UM, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE GREAT, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS YET, IS A REPORT OUT FROM THE LAST, FROM THE LAST DELEGATE AGENCY CONTRACTS THAT WE AWARDED. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE METRICS WERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTPUT WAS FOR ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES FROM THE LAST TIME. AND WE'RE GETTING TOWARDS THE END OF THIS, THIS TWO YEAR CONTRACT, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE, WHAT'S OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT. AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT TO DATE. AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE WE LAUNCH INTO A WHOLE NEW SET OF CONTRACTS HERE ON WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN OUR SUCCESS, WHAT, WHAT'S OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES. SO WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT, UH, IN SAY, SOME SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION, HOW OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING INTO THESE, THESE PROGRAMS AND WHAT THE RESULTS ARE. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR. UM, AND WE, UH, JUST RECENTLY POSTED ON, WE DO THE REPORTS ON, UM, DELEGATE AGENCY PERFORMANCE ONLINE NOW. OKAY. AND SO INSTEAD OF SENDING AROUND A, A BINDER THIS THICK, IT'S ONLINE, WE JUST POSTED THE FINAL FISCAL YEAR 22, UM, RESULTS FOR THOSE AGENCIES. AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE LINK. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WE'LL SEE THAT. 'CAUSE I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT UP, UP, UP TO THIS POINT. SO TO SEE WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THIS NEXT TWO YEAR PERIOD THAT WE'RE GONNA LAUNCH INTO HERE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I, I, I GOTTA ECHO COUNCILMAN COURAGE IS SAYING, UH, MAYBE BECAUSE WE'RE SENIORS, UH, BUT THE $1.1 MILLION FOR OUR SENIOR PROGRAMS, TO ME IT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT SHORT ON WHAT WE APPLY TO IT. AND THAT MONEY HAS BEEN AUGMENTED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE DELEGATE AGENCY MONEY IS IN A SEPARATE BUDGET AND IT'S BEEN AUGMENTED WITH FUNDING FROM THE [01:45:01] D H S, UH, ADOPTED BUDGET. AND SO WE HAVE INCLUDED THAT IN THIS CHART THIS YEAR, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY, ALMOST DOUBLE, UM, THE AMOUNT INVESTED THROUGH, UM, THE DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS. IT WILL ALL BE COMPETITIVELY BID. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY. ALRIGHT. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING OLD OR SOMETHING. HEY, WE'RE SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, . BUT, UM, YEAH. UH, METRICS, UH, CONCENTRATE ON THAT AND THEN, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHAT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS FOR ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS HERE. SO WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. AND ONE LAST, OH, THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT WE'RE PUTTING THIS OUT FOR, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, IS GIVING THE PROPOSERS A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. AND THIS IS A COMPLICATED ONE, UH, FOR THEM TO GO OUT AND PUT A GREAT PROPOSAL TOGETHER FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT REVIEW AND MAKE AWARDS ON. SO I'D, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE 60 DAYS ON THAT VERSUS THE 45 TO GIVE THE PROPOSERS A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TEAM WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT THAT ON HOW THEY WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDING LIKE, SERVICES TO, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, STRETCH THAT DOLLAR EVEN FURTHER AND, UH, GIVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO DO THAT RESEARCH AND, AND WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO, UH, PUT A GOOD PROPOSAL TOGETHER. SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT I'D ADDED INTO THE, INTO THE PROGRAM HERE. OKAY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MELODY. MM-HMM. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MELODY, FOR THIS PRESENTATION. UM, SO WE WERE HERE FOR A MEETING ABOUT ARPA DOLLARS LAST WEEK, AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, THOSE UPSTREAM ISSUES. AND AS I LOOK AT THE PROPOSED INVESTMENTS BY FUNDING PRIORITY, I DO NOT SEE, UM, US PUTTING THAT FOCUS ON WOMEN AND GETTING WOMEN OUT OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. AND I, I FEEL LIKE NOW MORE THAN EVER, UH, WITH, UH, THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT'S COME DOWN TOWARDS WOMEN, THAT WE, WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZING THAT WHEN WE CONTINUE TO GET THE STATS THAT WE'RE IN A 20% POVERTY RATE. AND OF THAT 20%, 50% ARE WOMEN HEAD OF HOUSEHOLDS. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENDING HOMELESSNESS, ARE WE ENDING HOMELESSNESS FOR WOMEN? UM, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT SORT OF PROGRAMS ARE WE GOING TO DO AND OFFER? UH, ONE, AND I TOLD, I SAID THIS AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING, ONE POINT MILLION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH THAT I KNOW METRO HEALTH REPORTED WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD 16% IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO, TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THIS. AND AS, AS OUR, UM, VIOLENCE STATISTICS TEND TO CONTINUE TO, TO, TO RISE, WE NEED TO DO MORE AND ASK BETTER QUESTIONS OF THESE AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. SO, UM, I, THAT, THAT'S JUST MY CONCERN. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PRIORITIZE, WHAT I LIKE TO SEE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, KIND OF DE DIVE INTO IN THEIR DISTRICT. THE OTHER IS SENIOR INDEPENDENCE. UM, WHILE I'M NOT AS O OLD AS OTHERS ON THIS DI , UM, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE DO, WE DO NEED TO KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. THEY, THEY'VE INVESTED SO MUCH INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY HAVE SO MANY ASKS. UH, AS WE LOOK AT THAT AND, AND WE LOOK AT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDS COMING DOWN WITH INFRASTRUCTURE, MAYBE WE CAN KIND OF NEGOTIATE A LITTLE, UH, IN GETTING, GETTING FOR SOME OF THESE PRO PROPOSED, UH, FUNDING INVESTMENTS. BUT THE PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE IN THIS BIENNIAL, UH, FUNDING, I LOVE, I I THINK IT'S GREAT. LIKE, I, I, IT'S JUST WHERE WE, WE AS A COUNCIL ARE GIVING YOU THE PRIORITIES, I THINK AFTER THE LAST ARPA CONVERSATION THAT, UH, SOME, SOME ISSUES CAME UP THAT WE HADN'T BEEN DISCUSSING BEFORE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VIRON. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UM, MEL, FOR THE, UH, THE INFORMATION TODAY. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE PANELS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES. MM-HMM. , WHERE DO YOU HOST THE PANELS? UM, WE EITHER DO THAT AND WE WORK WITH THE, THE PANEL THEMSELVES. AND IF THEY PREFER TO DO WEBEX OR VIRTUAL, WE'LL DO THAT. OR WE FIND, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLACES. SOMETIMES WE USE CITY FACILITIES, WE CAN USE LIBRARIES. UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS. WHO DO YOU, [01:50:01] UH, WHO MAKES UP THE PANELS AND HOW DO YOU FIND PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE? SO, UM, THE PANELS INCLUDE OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS. WE HAVE FIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. UM, WE HAVE POLICY COUNCILS THROUGH FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL GRANT GRANTS MANDATE. UM, WE USE STAKEHOLDERS LIKE COMMUNITY FUNDERS LIKE UNITED WAY OR AREA FOUNDATION STAFF, H E B FOUNDATION. UH, SO THERE'S A HOST OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WILL, WE'LL LOOK TO OUR PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. SOMETIMES WE HAVE STAFF THAT HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MANY OF THESE ISSUES. AND SO IT'S A, IT'S VARIED. OKAY. SO YOU HAVE END USERS IN THERE? YES. OKAY. YES. AND THEN, UM, HOW DO YOU GET DIRECT COMMUNITY IMPACT? LIKE, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON THE PANEL, HOW CAN THEY GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? SO WE, UM, WE POST A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, UM, IN THE PAST, AND WE, WE MAY DO IT THIS YEAR, WE'VE ACTUALLY POSTED THE R F P PRIOR TO RELEASING IT OFFICIALLY. UM, WORKING WITH PROCUREMENT TO DO THAT SO THAT, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT MAYBE COULDN'T MAKE MEETINGS, HAVE THE, HAVE THE CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL AND PROVIDE INPUT. UM, THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS THAT WE'LL DO THAT. WONDERFUL. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, IT WAS SOMETHING, UM, TO, TO COUNCILMAN PERRY'S POINT. WHERE IS THE DASHBOARD? I CAN'T FIND IT. OH, IT'S, UM, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE. LET'S SEE. I KNOW I HAVEN'T AND THAT'S OKAY. AND MAYBE IF SOMEBODY ELSE WILL SEND ME THE LINK, THAT WOULD WORK. 'CAUSE YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THOSE ARE MY ONLY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER STORIES AT OPENGOV, NOT OUR WEBSITE, BUT WE'LL GET YOU THE LINK. ALRIGHT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I'VE, UH, I'VE APPRECIATED HEARING, UH, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS. AND, UM, ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING IS THE, UM, THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS THAT WERE PROVIDED DURING MM-HMM. , THE ARPA, UH, PROCESS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE CONTINUE YES. FORMALLY THROUGH ALL OF OUR, UH, ALL OF THE RFPS THAT ARE IN THIS, UH, IN THIS VEIN. UM, CAN YOU JUST, I'LL TOUCH ON THREE THINGS THAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALSO AS PRIORITIES. UM, I UNDERSTAND FUNDING IS WE HAVE ALMOST INFINITE NEED AND VERY FINITE RESOURCES. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT NOT ALL OF OUR NEEDS CAN BE MET. BUT THERE IS ONE, UH, THERE'S ONE AREA I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, AND IT'S VERY TIMELY RIGHT NOW. AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UM, FUNDING ME, UH, SUPPORT FUNDING MECHANISMS TO SUPPORT THE ISSUE, WHICH IS FOSTER RESCUE AND ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS. DURING THE BUDGET, UH, DURING BOTH OF THE PREVIOUS BUDGETS, I'VE ASKED FOR INCREASED FUNDING TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, IN THAT NATURE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THIS MIGHT BE AN, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. UM, AS WELL. I, I WONDER HOW WE MIGHT GET GREATER, UM, OR INCREASED CREATIVITY IN THE TYPES OF PROGRAMMING THAT ARE, THAT'S HAPPENING AT SENIOR CENTERS. UM, I GOT TO COLLABORATE WITH THE ZOO AND BROUGHT A FLAMINGO TO MM-HMM. , THE SENIOR CENTER. AND I KNOW THEY, I DON'T KNOW IF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES KNOW THIS, BUT I BELIEVE THEY WILL DO A, A VISIT AT EACH OF YOUR SENIOR CENTERS AS WELL, ONE TIME PER YEAR. SO, THROWN THAT OUT THERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY. UM, AND SO IF WE CAN BAKE IN INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY AND EVEN THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SHOULD OUTREACH TO THAT MIGHT NOT NORMALLY, UH, APPLY AND SEE, SEE WHAT WE MIGHT DO THERE. UM, AND AS WELL, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, FAMILY STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCESS, I, A PART OF THIS FALLS IN THERE, BUT, UM, WE JUST GOT THE BRIEFING ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN AND WE'VE HAD THE TOWN HALLS. AND AT MY, AT MY DISTRICT'S TOWN HALL AND DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN, IT WAS VERY CLEAR. PEOPLE WANNA SEE THAT INVESTMENT IN THE, IN THE FINAL SOLUTION. WE HAVE PHASE ONE, WHICH IS GONNA BE THE, UH, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, NOT NECESSARILY PROACTIVE RESPONSE, THE HOTSPOT, WELL, THE WHOLE THING IS A HOTSPOT, RIGHT? THE HOTSPOT POLICING OF SORTS, BUT THEN THE INVESTMENT IN THE ROOT CAUSE. AND IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A FEW WEEKS, WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF FUNDING WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVES AND ADDRESSING THOSE ROOT CAUSES. IF WE COULD FIND SOME WAY TO FIT THAT, TO BAKE THAT IN HERE, I THINK WE'LL NEED, WE'LL NEED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS . UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. UH, AND CAN YOU JUST ONE MORE TIME, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE IMPLEMENT, THE ABBREVIATED NON-COMMUNICATION PERIOD FOR COUNCIL? YES. SO FOR, UM, CITY COUNCIL, FOR THIS, UM, PARTICULAR PROCUREMENT, THE, UH, NON-COMMUNICATION PERIOD FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFF WOULD START THE DAY THAT THE ON MAR, WELL, MAY 12TH, I THINK [01:55:01] RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE DAY THAT THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO THE CITY. AND IT WOULD END WHEN WE POST THE DOCUMENTS, UM, FOR THE COUNCIL SESSION WHERE THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTS THE PROPOSED BUDGET. SO IT'S ABOUT THREE MONTHS, A THREE MONTH NON-COMMUNICATION. AND THE, THE SESSIONS THAT WE PROPOSED TO DO AFTER THE BUDGET IS PROPOSED AND BEFORE THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED, WOULD ALLOW THE AGENCIES TO COME TO COUNCIL AND GIVE A TWO OR THREE MINUTE OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMS THEY'VE APPLIED FOR. AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE STARTED DOING, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NON-COMMUNICATION PERIOD. OKAY. SO, THANK YOU. THEN I GUESS MY, UM, LAST QUESTION, AND THIS IS MORE, UM, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, UH, THIS FUNDING, HAVE THERE BEEN, ARE THERE, ARE ALL CONTRACTS TWO YEARS OR ARE THERE SOME THAT WE SAY, THIS WILL WORK FOR ONE YEAR, OR WE GET PROPOSALS WHERE THEY ONLY REALLY NEED ONE YEAR OF FUNDING? IS THAT A POSSIBILITY OR? WE, WE GENERALLY DON'T GET PROPOSALS FOR ONE YEAR, BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS ONE YEAR CONTRACT AND THEN ONE YEAR RENEWAL. SO WE'VE JUST SAID, LET'S DO A TWO YEAR CONTRACT. WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DEFUND IF THEY'RE NOT PERFORMING OR IF THE FUNDING CHANGES FOR SOME REASON, OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER, UM, ISSUES COME UP. SO WE, WE CAN STILL DO THAT. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR IF, IF WE JUST HAVE SEVERE NON-PERFORMANCE ISSUES. SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA DO THE TWO YEAR CONTRACTS. AND WHAT THAT WILL HELP WITH IS EVERY YEAR WE GO BACK THROUGH COLLECTING ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS FOR THE CONTRACT, DOING NEW SCORECARDS, NEW BUDGETS. WE WANT THE AGENCIES TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND PUT TOGETHER A TWO YEAR BUDGET AND A TWO YEAR SCORECARD. 'CAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CERTAINTY TOO. AND THEN IT'S EASIER FOR US TO PLAN. RIGHT. AND THEN, LIKE MEL SAID, UH, IN BETWEEN IF WE HAVE NON-PERFORMANCE OR PROGRAMS CHANGE MM-HMM. , THEN WE REALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS AND WE BRING 'EM TO COUNCIL AND THE SUBSEQUENT BUDGET, PROPOSED BUDGET FOR, UH, SHIFTING MAYBE TO OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE OUTPERFORMING OTHERS. WONDERFUL. WELL, THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN WAITING TWO YEARS TO DISCUSS THIS . THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO. HALBERDA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON HOW WE NEED TO FUND OUR NONPROFITS AND HELP OUT THE WORK THAT, THAT THEY'RE DOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, FRANKLY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LOT, OF COURSE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. AND I KEEP SAYING THAT THE CITY IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF MENTAL HEALTH, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, AGENCIES OUT THERE THAT ARE WORKING, UH, THIS ISSUE, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND. AND THAT'S REALLY, I THINK WHAT WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY. NOT SPECIFIC TO MENTAL HEALTH, BUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. UM, THE, THE ONE THING, I THINK THE PANDEMIC ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE CLEAR IS HOW INVALUABLE THESE NONPROFITS ARE. I AM SORT OF CONFLICTED. UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, UM, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK IN PUBLIC SAFETY. WE DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF AIDING OUR FOSTER YOUTH AND SPECIFICALLY HOUSING, UH, YOUTH THAT ARE AT RISK, OUR SENIOR SERVICES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IN LINE WITH THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. UM, AND, AND THE OTHER ARPA DOLLARS THAT WERE, UH, AND OTHER COMMITTEES THAT WERE EXPENDED, UM, JUST TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF, OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ALLOCATE RECENTLY. BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF ME IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF NONPROFITS THAT WE'VE BEEN FUNDING FOR MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS. AND, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, PLACES LIKE HAR HAVEN FOR HOPE, SO THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO IT MM-HMM. , BUT I, I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S EVER ANY, UM, UH, LIKE OFF RAMP, YOU KNOW, LIKE HELPING THEM TO, TO BECOME SELF-SUSTAINING. SO I, I'M, I'M CONFLICTED. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK OUT THERE AND THERE, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT, THAT I THINK, UM, MAYBE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT. AND I'M NOT GONNA NAME ANY OUT. I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF THEM. HOWEVER, UH, I THINK THE, THE, THE METRICS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OR THE DASHBOARD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE THAT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELP ME KIND OF REASON THROUGH THAT. UM, AND THEN TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT PUBLIC SAFETY WAS, UH, I MENTIONED THE FOSTER YOUTH AT RISK YOUTH WAS ANOTHER ONE. UH, SENIOR SERVICES AND THE HARM REDUCTION, THAT, THAT'S ALL SOMETHING I'M VERY INTERESTED IN, IN PURSUING FOR THIS. UM, ARE ANY FUNDS DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE FIVE, YOU HAD THE, UM, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS, ARE THERE ANY ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR, UH, FOSTER YOUTH HOUSING? EITHER THERE OR, UM, OR [02:00:01] ANYWHERE ELSE? REALLY? SO THE, THE 4.6 MILLION UNDER HOMELESS, UM, COMPETITIVE FUNDING INCLUDES A STATE GRANT THAT FUNDS HOMELESS SERVICES FOR YOUTH HOUSING, UM, OUTREACH, THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES. SO IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO, UH, FOSTER YOUTH AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM. IT'S NOT OKAY. BUT IT DOESN'T EXCLUDE THEM, BUT I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS WE'RE WRITING THE SCOPE OF WORK AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LEARNING FROM THE ARPA PROCESS AS WELL, WE, WE WILL DEFINITELY CALL OUT THAT POPULATION. OKAY. UM, ON THE, IN THE SENIOR INDEPENDENCE, I THINK IT'S THE SAME SLIDE. UM, WE HAVE A, UH, IN THE BUDGET, Y'ALL, Y'ALL FUNDED, UM, PROGRAMMING AT NER. UH, WE HAVE GARNER THE FACILITY OUT THERE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM I'D LIKE TO SEE A SENIOR CENTER OUT THERE IN EDGEWOOD. BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW THAT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE HAVE A, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SO EXCITED AND THEY GO OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, THE REASON FOR THAT IS IT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THERE VERY EASILY, UM, ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT WAITING FOR A RIDE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO IS THERE ANYTHING, WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE CENTER BASED ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMING? IS IT SIMILAR TO WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON AT NER? IT WOULD INCLUDE NER AND SO, OH, OKAY. WE HAVE OUR 11 NOW, UM, COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS, AND IT'S EVERYTHING FROM FITNESS, ZUMBA, ARTS AND CRAFTS, COMPUTER EDUCATION. UM, SO WE WOULD DO THE SAME THING AT GARNER AND PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. AS WE'RE OPENING NEW CENTERS NOW, UM, MONEY IS PROGRAMMED INTO THE BUDGET FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO STRETCH THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM 10 TO 11 TO THEN 12. OKAY. I MEAN, I, I MENTIONED NER AS A, AN EXAMPLE, BUT I, OF COURSE, I MEAN, CITYWIDE WE'RE TALKING, UM, WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE OTHER, UH, QUESTION I HAD, OR MAYBE JUST MORE OF A COMMENT, UM, IS THE, UM, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE SIX, THE 2.6 MILLION ALLOCATED TOWARDS HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES WITH, UH, FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS MM-HMM. . UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES LOOK LIKE. OKAY. AND WHAT SUP SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE INCORPORATED I'M INTERESTED IN, AND I, I SUPPORT THAT. ABSOLUTELY. SURE. JUST INTERESTED TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT. WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU. IT'S PRIMARILY, UM, HOUSING, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION AND, AND MEDICAL. SOME MEDICAL SERVICES. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND, AND FINALLY, THE, UM, THE CHART ON SLIDE SEVEN, THE PRIORITY, THEIR PRIORITIZATION, UM, AREAS OF HIGHEST NEED. UM, THERE'S A NOTE THAT THEY'LL BE BASED ON A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH. WHAT IS THE, THE PROCESS FOR DATA COLLECTION? HOW ARE WE RECEIVING THAT DATA? IS IT COMING FROM NONPROFITS THEMSELVES? HOW OFTEN ARE THEY, UM, GIVING US THAT DATA? WELL, THE CENTER OF IT, WE HAVE A SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHER NOW THAT, UM, PUTS TOGETHER EXCELLENT INFORMATION. OKAY. ON, SO EVERY CATEGORY SHE'S GOING THROUGH AND LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE RELATIVE INDICATORS AND DATA POINTS TO HELP. ONE, TO HELP AGENCIES CRAFT THEIR PROPOSAL BASED ON THAT DATA, BUT ALSO TO HELP, UM, DRIVE THE DEMAND FOR PROGRAMMING OR, OR CHANGES. OKAY. UM, IDENTIFY WHERE THE GAPS ARE. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S OUR PRIMARY SUPPORT, BUT WE ALSO USE DATA PROVIDED BY UP PARTNERSHIP BY, UM, THE SARAH HOMELESS COALITION. UM, ANYTHING WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON. AWESOME. I REALLY, UH, I GOTTA GIVE YOU PROPS FOR THE DEMOGRAPHER. I THINK MY FIRST COUNCIL MEETING OR MY FIRST COUPLE, I ASKED ABOUT A DEMOGRAPHER. AND, UM, UH, NOW I SEE, AND IN YOUR EXPLANATION HOW USEFUL THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE FROM A LOT OF, A LOT OF, UH, FRONTS. MM-HMM. , THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO. THANK YOU. UM, THE FIRST SET OF MY COMMENTS ALL ALIGN WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S FEEDBACK. SO RATHER THAN ME REPEAT ALL OF THAT, ERIC, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PUT EXTRA CHECK MARKS NEXT TO EVERYTHING SHE SAID, AND, UM, TO ADDRESS THE, UM, THE INVESTMENTS IN HOMELESSNESS. UH, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, OUR CITY'S BEEN GROWING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO, UH, ARE OUT LIVING ON THE STREETS HAS REMAINED STEADY. AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM THE RECENT POINT IN TIME COUNTS. I KNOW WE JUST DID A POINT IN TIME COUNT ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE RESULTS OF THAT, BUT I'M, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE RESULTS SO WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST DETERMINE IF WE NEED TO ADJUST THE, THE PLAN AS NECESSARY. I WILL SAY, WHEN I TALK TO MY CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WANT US TO DO MORE, NOT LESS. THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR US TO REDUCE, UH, OUR FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR, FOR PEOPLE, UH, WHO ARE CURRENTLY HOMELESS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE'RE AT THE CUSP OF MAKING HUGE STRIDES WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU ALL WILL BE [02:05:01] COMING OR SOMEBODY WILL FROM CITY STAFF, WILL BE COMING TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE, THE, THE R F P THAT WENT OUT FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING LATER THIS MONTH AND COMING TO FULL COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL IN APRIL THAT DAY CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR ME. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA MAKE HUGE STRIDES ON THIS ISSUE. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. BRAVO. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ERIC? UH, JUST TWO, TWO THINGS. UM, ONE, UM, I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE STRUGGLED IN INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING A PART OF WHAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE AND COUNCILWOMAN HRA TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE WE'VE GONE, I MEAN THE, THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMITTEES AND THE STAFF HAVE GONE THROUGH A REALLY DILIGENT EFFORT TO IDENTIFY THE, THE, THE SPECIFIC OUTCOMES AND IN MANY CASES, A LITTLE BIT MORE NARROWLY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE'VE DONE TYPICALLY THROUGH DELEGATE AGENCIES. AND SO, UM, TWO THOUGHTS. ONE, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, AND THIS R F P IS NOT GONNA BE RELEASED UNTIL THE END OF MARCH, SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO DO TWO THINGS. ONE, UM, KIND OF WHAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHERE WE KINDA LAY OUT VISUALLY WHERE WE HAVE INVESTMENTS BECAUSE THE DELEGATE AGENCY IS JUST ONE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET. UM, AND WE LAYER IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE LAYER IN ARPA, WHICH IS GONNA BE FUNDED FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, SO THAT YOU SEE WHAT THOSE AREAS. BUT THEN TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, TH THOSE PRIORITIES THAT, THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT 'EM NEXT WEEK, THE, THE COMMITTEE WORK THAT WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BLEND THE WORK FROM THE ARPA AND THE, WITH, WITH, UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE TYPICALLY THROUGH DELEGATE AGENCIES. AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCILMAN, THERE ISN'T ENOUGH, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK AND, AND INTENTIONAL WORK ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING CERTAIN OUTCOMES FOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS LIKE FOSTER YOUTH. AND THAT'S A BALANCING ACT THAT I THINK WE CAN WE'LL TRY TO MANAGE AS WE GO THROUGH THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS. BUT I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD VISUAL FOR ALL OF US. WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT A MONTH BEFORE WE RELEASE THE R F P. WE'LL TAKE THE FEEDBACK TODAY, MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, AND THEN CIRCLE BACK WITH THE COUNCIL, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, BEFORE WE SEND THAT OUT ON THE STREETS. OKAY. THANKS ERIC. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT, ESPECIALLY AFTER ARPO, WAS, UM, WAS THAT, UM, THE PROCESS TOOK, OR THE APPLICATION TOOK QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN ADMINISTRATIVE, LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE TIME, AND THERE IS A DESIRE AND INTEREST IN POSSIBLY A, UH, AN EASIER, UH, PROCESS OR AN EASIER, UH, APPLICATION. AND OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT TO, WE DON'T WANNA SACRIFICE ANY OF THE, UM, DUE DILIGENCE OR ANY OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME WAY, BECAUSE WE GET IT FROM THE, BOTH THE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE BIG ORGANIZATIONS. MM-HMM. , IT'S A, IT'S A, AN ONGOING CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR ATC THAT CAN SIT APPLIED AND NEITHER WERE, EVEN IF THEY WERE FUNDED. UM, AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND HAVE WITH PURCHASING AND, UM, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT AN EASIER, UH, APPLICATION THAT ENCOURAGES MORE PEOPLE, MORE AGENCIES TO APPLY. AND WE'LL KEEP DOING THAT. WE MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS EVERY YEAR, OR EVERY CYCLE, I GUESS, ON IMPROVING THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, BURDEN OF THE APPLICATION AND THE, AND OUR MONITORING PROCESS. AND SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND WE AGREE. HAS THERE EVER BEEN A, I THINK YOU HAD A GOOD SUGGESTION ABOUT THE TECHNICAL WORK GROUPS THAT WE, WE WE DID MORE OF THROUGH ARPA. MM-HMM. , I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION. WE OUGHT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. YES. ESPECIALLY WITH THE NONPROFITS. UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE CAN MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR THEM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT CAN'T BE, UH, IT NEEDS TO MAKE SURE IT HITS ALL THE MARKS BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL ASKING ARE THE ONES THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE UP AND CONTRACT WITH. AND SO THERE IS SOME CERTAINTY, BUT I THINK WE, I THINK THE, THE ARPA PROCESS GAVE US, UM, MAYBE A BETTER FEELING FOR THE ADDITIONAL WORK ON THE FRONT END. AND, AND THAT WAS A GOOD SUGGESTION YOU HAD. THANK YOU. AND, AND MAYBE I'M WONDERING, HAS THIS EVER BEEN DONE WHERE YOU'VE GOTTEN TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP OF FOLK WHO MAYBE HAVE RECENTLY GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND RECEIVED FUNDING OR DIDN'T RECEIVE FUNDING, AND AS WELL AS STAFF WHO ARE DOING THEIR REVIEWS AND DECIDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S INFOR WHAT INFORMATION IS MOST PERTINENT, WHAT PARTS THE APPLICATION ARE? YEAH, WE DO THAT ALL THE TIME. WE'VE DONE THAT. MM-HMM. NOT, AND ON CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT BEING TOO CUMBERSOME AS WE GO THROUGH THE SOLICITATIONS, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT THEY'VE GOTTA SUBMIT. AND, AND TO COUNCILMAN PERRY'S POINT, IT IS A LOT OF WORK. UM, MANY [02:10:01] AGENCIES, UH, THAT ARE TYPICALLY FUNDED THROUGH HERE. UM, THEY ARE WELL VERSED IN THIS PROCESS. UM, AND IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE OUTLETS FOR THOSE MAYBE NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO CITY FUNDING THAT THEY'VE GOT SOMEPLACE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOMEBODY WALK THROUGH, EITHER FROM THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT DEPARTMENT OR PROCUREMENT. THANK YOU FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, WILLINGNESS AND ENGAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT ONWARD AND UPWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. YEAH, I, YEAH, I, I THINK YOU POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT SOURCES, DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF FUNDING THAT WE USE FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT MAYBE THREE OR FOUR AGENCIES HAVE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PROJECTS GOING ON AND THERE'S DIFFERENT FUNDING FOR EACH ONE. AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY FOR US TO ALSO UNDERSTAND, INSTEAD OF SEEING X COMPANY IS RECEIVING OR ORGANIZATION RECEIVING THIS MUCH MONEY, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THIS MUCH IS COMING FROM THIS BUCKET BECAUSE IT, IT ADDRESSES THIS NEED AND THIS IS COMING FROM THIS ONE 'CAUSE IT'S ADDRESSING THIS NEED. UH, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T FUNDED IN, IN THE PAST, WELL, MAYBE THEY WEREN'T FUNDED BECAUSE THEY WERE MEETING THE SAME NEED OF SOMEBODY ELSE THAT WE FUNDED THAT WE THOUGHT HAD A BETTER WAY OF DOING IT. SO I THINK THAT HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND JUST NOT ASSUME, WELL, THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION GETTING ALL KINDS OF MONEY. WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM ANYTHING FOR ANOTHER PROJECT, EVEN THOUGH THAT PROJECT MAY BE VERY VALUABLE. SO I THINK HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THOSE ALL ARE WORKING, UH, WOULD HELP US IN DECIDING DO WE NEED TO FILL SOME HOLES THAT WE SEE, UH, AND, AND HOW WE MIGHT GO ABOUT DOING THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT. AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE, UH, A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT FIVE O'CLOCK ACROSS THE WAY, BUT IT IS 4:34 PM ON THE FIRST DAY OF MARCH, 2023. OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.