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EVERYONE FEELS LIKE WE'RE JUST HERE.
UH, TIME IS 2:04 PM ON THE 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2023.
OUR MORNING SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED AND AT 2:05 PM WHICH IT IS ON AUGUST 29TH, 2023.
WE'LL CALL OUR NEW SESSION, UH, BUDGET SESSION ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER COR HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAHE RODRIGUEZ.
[ ITEMS ]
ALL RIGHT.UM, I THINK WE'VE GOT A COUPLE ITEMS TODAY.
SO ERIC, SPEAKING OF DEJA VU, XAVIER
HE'S NOT GONNA BE HERE TO GIVE THE PARKS AND REC BUDGET PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, SO, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH RENEE AND EMPLOYEES, AND THEN BRENDA WILL COVER OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, INITIATIVES IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
I'M THE HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR, RENEE FRIDA, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO, UH, SHARE WITH YOU OUR PROPOSED BUDGET ON COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.
WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN NAMED ONE OF FORBES BEST IN STATE EMPLOYERS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, AND THIS IS DUE TO OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMITMENT OF OUR CITY TEAM.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WHETHER IT'S BUILDING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS OR ENCOURAGING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP OR EDUCATING OUR YOUTH, THE EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING ON OUR MISSION OF PROVIDING QUALITY CITY SERVICES.
OUR PROPOSED BUDGET LAYS OUT COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS THAT ARE AIMED AT ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES AND MAINTAINING OUR POSITION AS BEST IN STATE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TEAM.
IN F Y 24, THE PROPOSED BUDGET AUTHORIZES 13,682 POSITIONS WITH ROUGHLY 4,500 OF THOSE, UH, BEING POLICE, POLICE OFFICERS, AND UNIFORM FIREFIGHTERS, AND ABOUT 9,000 BEING CIVILIANS OF OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
ABOUT 8,500 ARE FULL-TIME, AND ABOUT 600 ARE PART-TIME.
AS YOU KNOW, COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR OUR UNIFORM POLICE AND UNIFORM FIREFIGHTERS ARE DICTATED BY THE RESPECTIVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
OUR UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS WILL RECEIVE A 3.5% SALARY INCREASE IN APRIL, AND OUR UNIFORM FIREFIGHTERS WILL RECEIVE A 2.5% SALARY INCREASE WITH A HALF PERCENT LUMP SUM ON JANUARY 1ST.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE'RE COMMITTED TO LISTENING TO OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE USE WHAT WE HEAR TO HELP DRIVE OUR DECISION-MAKING ON MATTERS THAT IMPACT THEM DIRECTLY.
AND WE HEAR FROM OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, FROM FOCUS GROUPS, TO SURVEYS, FROM PARTICIPATION IN OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND THROUGH EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS LIKE ASK ME OUR PARK AND AIRPORT PARK AND AIRPORT PARK, POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATIONS, AND OUR FIRE MECHANICS ASSOCIATIONS.
EMPLOYEES HAVE CONSISTENTLY SHARED THAT MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE HEALTH PREMIUMS IS A TOP PRIORITY, AS IS ENSURING MARKET COMPETITIVE WAGES.
THEY ALSO ASKED US TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO RECOGNIZE THEIR TENURE AND EXPERIENCE AND TO CONTINUE TO FILL VACANCIES AND GET THEM SOME MUCH NEEDED HELP LAST YEAR IN RESPONSE TO THEIR FEEDBACK, NOT ONLY DID WE MAINTAIN THE 10% PREMIUM REDUCTION THAT WE IMPLEMENTED AN F Y 22, BUT WE FURTHER REDUCED PREMIUMS BY 20% FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES HIRED AFTER JANUARY, 2009, BEGINNING TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN OUR PRE AND POST OH NINE EMPLOYEES FACED WITH A CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET AND AN INCREASED COST OF LIVING LAST YEAR, WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A 5% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, INCREASED OUR ENTRY WAGE FROM SET FROM 1560 TO 1750, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER HAD THAT ENTRY WAGE APPLY TO NOT JUST OUR FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, BUT OUR TEMPS AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
WE ALSO CONDUCTED OUR FIRST MARKET SURVEY OF OUR 964 JOBS SINCE J WITH THE LAST, HAVING BEEN DONE THE FIRST ONE SINCE 2008.
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RESULTED IN ALL OF OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES RECEIVING A MARKET ADJUSTMENT OF AT LEAST 2% ON TOP OF THE 5% ACROSS THE BOARD.THIS YEAR, WE PROPOSED TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN OUR EMPLOYEES TO ENSURE WE REMAIN MARKET COMPETITIVE.
WE'VE PROPOSED A 4% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF OUR FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, AN INCREASE TO THE ENTRY WAGE FROM 1750 TO $18, AGAIN, APPLYING THAT TO OUR TEMPS AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES AS WELL, AND SALARY INCREASES TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS COMPRESSION AND RECOGNIZE TENURE AND EXPERIENCE.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE PROPOSING NO CHANGE TO OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS WHEN OUR PAY PLAN A OR STEP EMPLOYEES DISCUSS COMPRESSION.
WHAT THEY'RE REFERRING TO IS THE FACT THAT THEY'RE EARNING THE SAME SALARY AS THEIR CO, AS THEIR COWORKERS WHO HAVE LESS TIME IN THE POSITION.
THIS CREATES AN ISSUE WITH RETAINING EMPLOYEES WHO FEEL LIKE WE DON'T VALUE THEIR TENURE WITH THE CITY.
THIS YEAR, WE EVALUATED 100% OF THE EMPLOYEES AND THE 264 JOB TITLES IN PAY PLAN A.
AGAIN, EVERYONE WILL RECEIVE THE 4% ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS COMPRESSION EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS IN THEIR CURRENT POSITION.
AS OF 10, ONE ARE GUARANTEED THE STEP CLOSEST TO THE MIDPOINT OF THEIR RANGE EMPLOYEES WITH 10 PLUS YEARS IN THEIR POSITION AS OF 10, ONE WILL BE GUARANTEED THE MAX OF THEIR PAY RANGE.
WHEN PAY PLAN A WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED, IT WAS CREATED AS A STEP PAY PLAN TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM TO MOVE EMPLOYEES THROUGH THEIR PAY RANGE, ATTAINING THE MAXIMUM OF THE RANGE.
AFTER 10 YEARS OF SERVICE PRIOR TO ITS IMPLEMENTATION, EMPLOYEES WOULD BE HIRED AT THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE, AND THEY MAY RECEIVE AN INCREASE EACH YEAR IN THE FORM OF AN ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT BECAUSE AN ACROSS THE BOARD MOVES THE ENTIRE RANGE, THAT EMPLOYEE'S SALARY WAS JUST KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATION, AND THEY STILL STOOD AT THE MINIMUM OF THAT PAY RANGE, AND THE MAXIMUM OF THAT PAY RANGE ALWAYS SEEMED UNATTAINABLE.
SO WE DEVELOPED A PLAN TO SLOWLY MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR PAY RANGE WITHIN A 10 YEAR PERIOD, BUT DUE TO A RAPIDLY CHANGING MARKET, WE HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED A STEP INCREASE SINCE 2018.
IN THIS EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO WILL ACHIEVE FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE ON 10, ONE WHO ARE STILL SITTING AT THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE, EARNING THE SAME AS AN EMPLOYEE THAT WE HIRED JUST THIS YEAR.
NOW THAT FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYEES RECEIVED PAY INCREASES.
IN FACT, LAST YEAR THAT EMPLOYEE RECEIVED AT LEAST A 7% WITH THE 5% ACROSS THE BOARD IN THE 2% MARKET.
BUT THOSE INCREASES MOVED THE RANGE, AND SO THAT EMPLOYEE IS STILL SITTING THERE AT THE MINIMUM OF THEIR RANGE.
AND IF YOU LOOK, THE 10 YEAR EMPLOYEE IS STILL VERY LOW IN THE RANGE AND HASN'T, HASN'T CONTINUED TO MOVE THROUGH.
SO OUR COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS THIS YEAR FOR PAY PLAN A WILL BEGIN TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN EMPLOYEES BASED ON THEIR TIME AND POSITION.
AGAIN, WITH THOSE EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS OF SERVICE GUARANTEED BE GUARANTEED TO BE AT THE MIDPOINT.
AND THOSE WITH 10 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE GUARANTEED TO BE AT THE MAX.
BY INCREASING OUR ENTRY WAGE TO $18, NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CON, REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND FILL THOSE ENTRY LEVEL JOBS, BUT BECAUSE OUR CURRENT ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING A 4% AND MOVING FROM 1750 TO 1820, THIS MOVES AGAIN START TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN EMPLOYEES BASED ON THEIR TENURE WITH EVERY EMPLOYEE WHO WAS HIRED PRIOR TO 10, ONE HI EARNING A SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THOSE HIRED AFTER TEN ONE.
NOW LET'S LOOK AT COMPRESSION WITHIN PAY PLAN B.
THESE ARE OUR NON STEP EMPLOYEES.
AGAIN, EVERY EMPLOYEE WILL RECEIVE THE 4% ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THIS YEAR WE EVALUATED 50% OF OUR PAY PLAN B.
IN JOB TITLES WITH 493 JOB TITLES IN PAY PLAN B, WE ARE GUARANTEEING THAT EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE ARE AT 25% OF THEIR PAY RANGE.
AND EMPLOYEES WITH 10 PLUS YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE ARE GUARANTEED TO BE AT THE MIDPOINT OF THEIR PAY RANGE.
AS WITH PAY PLAN A, PAY PLAN B IMPRESSION BEGAN OVER TIME.
PREVIOUSLY, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS HAD THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE UP TO 25% OF THE RANGE WIDTH.
THIS CREATED SITUATIONS WHERE EMPLOYEES WERE SLOTTED WITHIN THE RANGE WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR VARYING LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE.
IN THIS EXAMPLE, DEPARTMENT B CHOSE TO BRING SUE IN AT A HIGHER SALARY.
DESPITE HAVING SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO JOSE WHO WAS HIRED IN DEPARTMENT A THIS YEAR, COMPRESSION
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WAS EXACERBATED.WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE MARKET INCREASES TO OUR PAY RANGES, EMPLOYEES WERE GUARANTEED THE HIGHER OF A 5% INCREASE OR AN INCREASE TO THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS EXAMPLE, WHEN THE RANGE MOVED DRAMATICALLY, ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, FOUND THEMSELVES AT THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE.
THIS IMPACTS NOT ONLY OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO TO ATTRACT EMPLOYEES INTERNALLY.
EMPLOYEES LIKE VERONICA ARE LEFT QUESTIONING WHETHER WE VALUE HER EXPERIENCE AND WE, WHEN WE RECRUIT EXTERNALLY, WE'RE GETTING A PLENTY OF APPLICANTS AS THEY LOOK AT OUR COMPETITIVE PAY RANGES AND APPLY FOR THE JOBS, BUT THEY DECLINE OUR OFFERS WHEN THEY LEARN THAT SOMEONE WITH 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WOULD BE OFFERED THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE.
LIKE WITH PAY PLAN A THIS YEAR, WE WILL BEGIN TO DIFFERENTIATE WITH OUR PAY PLAN, PAY PLAN B EMPLOYEES, BASED ON THEIR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE, WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS BEING GUARANTEED, 25, 20 5% OF THEIR RANGE WIDTH, AND THOSE WITH 10 PLUS YEARS BEING GUARANTEED THE MIDPOINT AND OTHER GOOD NEWS, WE'RE SEEING OUR VACANCY RATE CITYWIDE REDUCED TO WHAT WAS OUR PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, WE EXPERIENCED A VACANCY RATE OF ABOUT 8%.
THAT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 16.7% AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, AND WE STARTED LAST FISCAL YEAR OFF AT 13.9%.
TODAY WE'RE SITTING AT A VACANCY RATE OF ABOUT 9.5%.
WE KNEW THAT LAST YEAR'S INCREASES WOULD HELP TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZED A NEED TO EXPAND OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.
WE BUILT UPON OUR, WE HAVE A JHI, WE HAVE A JOB FOR YOU HIRING CAMPAIGN, HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF VALUED COSA TEAM MEMBERS LIKE PICTURED HERE, CH CHEVON BRYAN, AN ASSISTANT PARKS AND REC MANAGER WITH FOUR YEARS, AND JOSE GUTIERREZ, A CON, A MAINTENANCE WORKER IN OUR CONVENTION CENTER WITH 26 YEARS OF SERVICE.
IN ADDITION TO APPEARING IN MEDIA ADS, THESE PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS ARE HIGHLIGHTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, FEATURED ON MAGNETS ON OUR CITY VEHICLES, AND PLACED ON BILLBOARDS AND SCREENS AND CITY FACILITIES SUCH AS THE ALAMO DOME AND AIRPORT.
LAST YEAR, WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR APPRENTICE PROGRAMS, PROVIDED HIRING INCENTIVES FOR HARD TO FILL POSITIONS, AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING PIPELINE PROGRAMS LIKE SA, READY TO WORK OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND HIRING OUR HEROES FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY SPOUSES.
BEING AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE MEANS THAT YOU'RE IN TUNE WITH THE NEEDS OF YOUR, OF YOUR EMPLOYEES AND POST PANDEMIC.
WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN MEDICAL CLAIMS COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
IN FACT, 40% OF OUR VIRTUAL VISITS ARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, MENTAL HEALTH IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE DIAGNOSIS CODES FOR OUR GEN Z HEALTHCARE PARTICIPANTS.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE IN F M L A AND DISABILITY CLAIMS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH IN RESPONSE.
THIS YEAR WE'RE PROUD TO LAUNCH OUR COSA CARES PROGRAM.
THROUGH COSA CARES WE'LL SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
BY STREAMLINING ACCESS TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES, ALL EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD WILL BE ABLE TO CALL A 24 HOUR COSA CARES HOTLINE AND SPEAK WITH A LICENSED CLINICIAN.
WE'LL BEGIN TO TRAIN SUPERVISORS AND EMPLOYEES ON RECOGNIZING AND DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH TRAINING SUCH AS COMPASSION FATIGUE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED FIRST AID.
WE'LL PROVIDE EMPLOYEES THE ABILITY TO TAKE A NEEDED BREAK FROM WORK BY REBRANDING OUR FAMILY WELLNESS LEAVE AS COSA CARES LEAVE, AND ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO TAKE DAYS OFF WITHOUT INCURRING POINTS UNDER OUR ATTENDANCE POLICY.
AND FINALLY, WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO CARE BY REDUCING COPAYS FOR MENTAL HEALTH FROM THAT OF A SPECIALTY PROVIDER TO THAT OF A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, TO HELP ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES KNOW THE IMPACT THAT THE F Y 24 BUDGET HAS ON THEM.
EVERY EMPLOYEE WILL RECEIVE A PERSONALIZED LETTER MAILED TO THEIR HOME AFTER THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR EMPLOYEES FEEL VALUED AND HEARD, AND I THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO SEND THAT MESSAGE TO OUR SSA TEAM.
AND NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO BRENDA.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL YEAR 24 PROPOSED BUDGET.
I'M BRENDA HICKS SORENSON, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
HERE'S JUST A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'LL BE ADDRESSING THIS AFTERNOON.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT UNDERTOOK A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS IN 2023 WITH THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ACCEPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN OCTOBER, 2023.
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FISCAL YEAR 23 WORK PLAN, WHICH WAS BASED ON THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, FOCUSED ON LAYING THE FOUNDATION OF OUR EFFORTS GOING FORWARD.KEY HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE DEPARTMENTAL REORGANIZATION, INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF THE RESEARCH AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TEAM.
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION HAS CONTINUED WITH THOSE QUARTERLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS, REVISED JOB CREATION AND GROWTH COMPANY INCENTIVES, EXPANDED OUTREACH EFFORTS TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH OUR SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH TEAM, AS WELL AS THE EXECUTION OF THE APA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
CONTINUING THE FOCUS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET WAS BUILT AROUND A WORK PLAN THAT INCLUDES FOUR BUCKETS, IF YOU WILL.
I WILL TOUCH UPON A NUMBER OF THESE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT A FEW HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE TARGETING THE CREATION OR RETENTION OF OVER 8,000 JOBS NEXT FISCAL YEAR IN EARLY 2024, WE WILL BE ROLLING OUT A ROBUST BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM FOCUSED ON MID-SIZE AND LARGE FIRMS, WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO EMPHASIZE LOCAL GROWTH COMPANIES OR SOME OF OUR PARTNERS REFERENCED THEM, TEENAGE COMPANIES.
WHILE DOING SO, WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE OUR FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESSES AS WE TARGET OVER 8,000 ENGAGEMENTS BY OUR, BY OUR TEAM AND PARTNERS.
WE PLAN TO LEAN IN TO GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AND DOUBLE DOWN ON FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT.
WITH OUR RE-ENVISIONED COST OF SAN ANTONIO EFFORT.
PLACEMAKING INITIATIVES WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY, AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENT NECESSARY INTERNAL ENHANCEMENTS, INCLUDING OUR DATA COLLECTION PROCESSES, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND UPON OUR DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING.
AS MENTIONED, THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE GOALS OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND THE FISCAL YEAR 24 PRIORITY IMPLEMENTATION AREAS.
I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THE 6.4 MILLION FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES SUPPORTS THE WORK OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AS DO THREE OF THE STAFF POSITIONS.
THE REMAINING STAFF POSITIONS SUPPORT OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT SMALL BUSINESS INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS DIRECTOR'S OFFICE.
WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND EVOLVE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR PARTNERS TO ENSURE CONTRACTS ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD.
THE GREATER S A T X CONTRACT CONTINUES TO BE PERFORMANCE DRIVEN WITH PAYMENT CONTINGENT ON HITTING NUMBERS SET FORTH IN THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN AS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
ADJUSTMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO THE BIOMED SA CONTRACT AS THEY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND WE ALIGN THEIR DELIVERABLES TO THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.
THE FUNDING OUTLINED HERE IS FOR OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS OR BDOS, FLS GENERAL FUND TS, AND BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT ARPA INVESTMENTS.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE REDUCTION OF FUNDING FOR PROSPER WEST LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH WE WILL REALIGN THOSE EFFORTS AND DEFER POTENTIAL APPLICANTS TO THE 0% INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM, AS WELL AS A REDUCTION TO THE STAGE STAGE STOREFRONT GRANT PROGRAM IN WHICH WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO REFER CLIENTS TO THE, UH, EXISTING FACADE GRANT PROGRAM CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT BOTH SAGE AND PROSPER WEST HAVE UNSPENT PROGRAM FUNDS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SPEND IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
WE CONTINUE TO MOVE ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS FROM OUTPUTS BASED TO A FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE BASED METRICS.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO HIGHLIGHT SOME SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.
THE FISCAL YEAR 24 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $500,000 TO CONTINUE WHAT WAS A PILOT PROGRAM IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
THE GOAL OF THE PAVING THE WAY CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM IS TO ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE FOR BUSINESSES DURING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND BEYOND.
WHILE BUILDING TRUST WITH IMPACTED BUSINESSES.
WE WORKED WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION TO DEVELOP A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HELP IMPACTED SMALL BUSINESSES DO WHAT THEY DO BEST SERVE CUSTOMERS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE TOOLKIT THAT WE JUST ROLLED OUT, WHICH IS A GUIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
YOU HAVE THE PRINT VERSION, WHICH IS IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
WE ALSO HAVE THIS AVAILABLE ONLINE.
WE ALSO PARTNERED ON A SIGNAGE PROGRAM WITH TWO LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES TO PRODUCE SIGNS, SIGN STOP, AND SOUTH TEXAS SIGN SOLUTIONS.
THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, UP TO $300 IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE IMPACTED BUSINESSES TO ACQUIRE A CUSTOM SIGN.
HERE YOU'LL SEE PICTURED, UH, ONE OF OUR BUSINESS OUTREACH SPECIALISTS WITH A ONE OF THOSE SIGNS, UH,
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IN A DISTRICT THREE BUSINESS FIESTA HELICO WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT PROGRAM.TO DATE, 49 BUSINESSES HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE SIGNAGE PROGRAM.
ALSO, TO DATE, OUR RECENTLY EXPANDED BUSINESS OUTREACH TEAM HAS VISITED 582 BUSINESS SITES, UM, IN THOSE CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS, THEY'VE ALSO WORKED WITH LOCAL FOOD BLOGGERS AND INFLUENCERS TO PROMOTE IMPACTED BUSINESSES ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES IS WHEN JUAN CHINESE RESTAURANT LOCATED IN DISTRICT TWO, WHICH WAS FEATURED ON SAN ANTONIO MUNCHIES.
THE POST WAS LIGHT ON INSTAGRAM MORE THAN 6,000 TIMES AND SHARED OVER 2,800 TIMES.
THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET WILL CONTINUE THESE EFFORTS IN CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS, AND WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.
ON THURSDAY, YOU WILL CONSIDER ADOPTING THE DISPARITY STUDY AND WE'LL CONSIDER CHANGES TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACY PROGRAM OR S BETA AT A LATER DATE ON A BRADSHAW, SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR REFERS TO THAT PROGRAM AS A LADDER OVER THE FENCE, WHEN IN REALITY WE ALSO NEED TO WORK ON KNOCKING DOWN THAT FENCE.
THE CAPACITY BUILDING AND BONDING ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM IS ONE SUCH EFFORT.
THE PROGRAM GOAL IS TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF SMALL MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
THE PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND ALAMO SURETY BONDS TO ADMINISTER A $500,000 COLLATERAL POOL FUND.
FOLLOWING CONSULTING AND TRAINING, PARTICIPATING, SMALL MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES HAVE INCREASED THEIR BONDING CAPACITY THUS FAR BY TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND SO FAR, SIX BIDS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE CITY AND OTHER LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCIES.
AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAM THROUGH JULY TO DATE, WE HAVE SPENT NEARLY 22 MILLION OUT OF THE 32.45 MILLION TOTAL ALLOCATION FOR THE ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
MOST OF THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN SPENT ON COVID IMPACT GRANTS AND THE COVID CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY GRANTS AIMING TO MEET THE MOST IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF SMALL BUSINESS BUSINESSES.
ONGOING AND FUTURE INVESTMENTS ARE AIMED AT TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVES, BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVES, SUCH AS THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAESTRO ENTREPRENEUR CENTER AND THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION AND THE WEB PRESENCE PROGRAM.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HERO SPACE DIGITAL CONSULTING, A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS, WE WILL ALSO BE INVESTING $150,000 OF THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION FUNDS TO LEVERAGE THE WEB PRESENCE PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION TO EXPAND THEIR VIRTUAL MARKETING EFFORTS.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM IN COLLABORATION WITH LISC AND OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
WE, THE BUDGET INCLUDES $300,000 FOR THE RELAUNCH OF LAUNCH SA FOR WHICH A CONTRACT IS CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATION.
AND LASTLY, BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, WE ARE WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PLACEMAKING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT AND OUTDOOR SPACES.
GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR BOTH PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN, AND MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE WILL AWARD FUNDING FOR BOTH PROGRAMS IN FISCAL YEAR 2024.
WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFTFUND FOR THE ZERO INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE LOAN BUYDOWN PROGRAM.
THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO ASSIST SMALL, MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS IN STARTING OR EXPANDING THEIR BUSINESSES.
IN FISCAL YEAR 23, E D D PAID $500,000 OF INTEREST FOR 41 ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO, ENABLING THEM TO AFFORD FINANCING AND STRENGTHEN THEIR BUSINESSES.
ELISA TREVINO AND MICHAEL GRIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, PICTURED HERE WERE INSPIRED TO START A BARBECUE SAUCE COMPANY IN 2016.
AFTER ATTENDING LAUNCH ESSAYS, CULINARY BUSINESS ACCELERATOR BREAK FAST AND LAUNCH IN 2017, THE COUPLE DECIDED TO PIVOT THEIR BUSINESS TO THE BEIER STAND.
A SAN ANTONIO FAVORITE LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT, ONE KNOWN ONE FOR ITS DELECTABLE, NEW ORLEANS INSPIRED TREATS.
THEY GAINED POPULARITY THROUGH POP-UP EVENTS AND COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL COFFEE SHOPS, AND FURTHER EXPANDED BY JOINING THE POPULAR PEARL FARMER'S MARKET.
THE COUPLE IS USING THE 0% INTEREST LOAN THEY RECEIVE FROM LIFTFUND IN THE CITY TO RENOVATE AND EXPAND BY BUILDING A NEW COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND ENHANCING THE RESTAURANT'S OFFERINGS.
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THEY HOPE TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS INTO A FRANCHISE.WE WILL BE LEVERAGING THE GENERAL FUND ARPA RESOURCES AND LIFT FUND MATCH TO ACHIEVE A TOTAL LOAN PORT OR A TOTAL INTEREST PORTFOLIO OF $1 MILLION FOR EACH OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL FORBEARANCE FOR BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN MAY AND NOVEMBER, 2022.
UNIVERSITY'S NOAC METRO FINANCE LAB CONDUCTED OVER 40 INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCIES, ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS, CAPITAL PROVIDERS, FEDERALLY FUNDED AGENCIES, AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
THEY ALSO CONDUCTED AN ANALYSIS OF TOTAL SPENDING BY FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES COLLECTIVELY IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, WHICH WAS OVER $9 BILLION ON GOODS AND SERVICES.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN SAN ANTONIO, PUBLIC PURCHASING IS SUBSTANTIAL AND GROWING THE EFFORTS RESULTED IN A PROCUREMENT PLAYBOOK BECAUSE PROCUREMENT IS A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED ETHNIC AND RACIAL WEALTH GAPS AND PROMOTE EQUITABLE EQUIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE KEY FINDINGS FROM THE PROCUREMENT PLAYBOOK INCLUDE INCLUDED THAT PROCUREMENT IS DEEPLY FRAGMENTED ACROSS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES.
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY IS MOSTLY TREATED AS A COMPLIANCE EXERCISE AND SUPPLIERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS.
SUPPLY SA IS WHAT RESULTED AS THE EFFORT, THE LOCAL EFFORT TO ADDRESS THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE SY SYSTEMIC ISSUES, REALLY SYSTEMIC ISSUES RELATED TO ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND LACK OF CAPACITY CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED HOLISTICALLY AS A GROUP AND DISCUSSIONS TO ADDRESS.
WE ARE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP, MOSTLY FOCUSED ON THE INTERNAL PROCESS ORIENTED IMPLEMENTATION AREAS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH THE CONVENING OF THIS GROUP, WE LEARNED THAT RISK MANAGEMENT RECENTLY REVIEWED AND UPDATED THEIR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, RESULTING IN SOME INSTANCES IN LOWER THRESHOLDS.
THIS CREATES A LOWER BARRIER TO ENTRY FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES WANTING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS A SOLICITATION IN PROCESS FOR A CONSULTANT TO MAP THE CURRENT PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFICACY OF THE PROCESS.
AS THE EFFORTS CONTINUE, ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE DELEGATE AGENCY CONTRACTS, ALONG WITH THOSE THREE EMPLOYEES, ARE MANAGED BY MIKE, MIKE RAMSEY OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
I WILL BRIEFLY TOUCH UPON THE DELEGATE AGENCIES, AND MIKE IS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
ALAMO PROMISE PRO PROVIDES LAST DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR RECENT GRADUATES WHO ARE SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
WE ARE IN, THEY ARE IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THIS INNOVATIVE INITIATIVE CENTERED ON RAISING EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT RATES.
CELEBRATING 31 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP IS PROJECT QUEST, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL FOR WORKFORCE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE CONTINUE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH GREATER S A T X TO IMPLEMENT SA WORKS, WHICH IS TO IMPLEMENT THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION'S TALENT PIPELINE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK WITH KEY SAN ANTONIO INDUSTRIES.
AGAIN, OUR GOAL IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE AND PROSPEROUS ECONOMY IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE GET THERE BY DEDICATING RESOURCES TO KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, INTENTIONALLY INVESTING IN CRITICAL PARTNERSHIPS, AND CONNECTING SAN ANTONIONS WITH RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO FRUITION, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BRENDA AND RENEE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
I I'LL JUST, UH, HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, FIRST I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, ERIC, UH, THE, YOUR TEAM OF MANAGERS, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR ONCE AGAIN, BEING ONE OF THE BEST EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT THAT'S A COLLECTIVE EFFORT, UH, AND CERTAINLY A REFLECTION OF, UM, THE PRIORITY PLACED ON EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND RETENTION AND, AND SEEING THE, THE GAP CLOSE NOW ON, UM, OUR VACANCY RATE IN CITY POSITIONS IS ALSO A WELCOME THING GIVEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WHO'S NUMBER ONE? H E B? WE'RE COMING FOR YOU.
WELL, AND ALSO GREAT NEWS THAT WE'RE, UH, ADDRESSING THE COMPRESSION ISSUE, UH, AT LONG LAST.
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CONTINUE TO SEE THE, THE, UH, ENTRY WAGE INCREASE, UM, SAID IT BEFORE, I THINK WE'VE ALL SAID IT ON OCCASION.PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY IS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT, BRENDA, ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO ASSET BUILDING AS IT RELATES TO SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, PARTICULARLY WITH, UH, UH, OUR PROCUREMENT EFFORTS AND SUPPLY SA AND JUST REDUCING BARRIERS TO, UH, THE, UH, PROCUREMENT AND, UH, CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AN, AN ABUNDANCE OF, UM, GOING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS OR SO IS JUST A, A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF IT.
WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOME BEING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN BUILD ASSETS AND BUILD WEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE OFTEN DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF OWNING A, AN OPERATING A SMALL BUSINESS, SAME THING.
SO THE MORE OF THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE FLOWING INTO SAN ANTONIO TO DO JOBS THAT CAN STAY IN SAN ANTONIO AND DEVELOP AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES, THE BETTER.
SO, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS COLLECTIVELY IN THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS ON, ON THOSE TWO FRONTS.
SO, UH, LET'S GO INTO DISCUSSION NOW.
UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'LL, I'LL START WITH THE E D D.
UM, I, I'VE BEEN SO EXCITED ABOUT BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE.
I THINK ONE THING AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS BEING MORE SPECIFIC, ARE ABOUT OUR EXPECTATIONS AND OUR GOALS, SPECIFICALLY WITH, UM, THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH.
UH, WHETHER IT'S THE BDOS GREATER S A T X, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ABOUT HOW WE SEE THIS CITY MOVING FORWARD.
I FEEL LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION KIT, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE IT IN THE PAPER FORM.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE STUFF ON THE WEBSITE, BUT WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO GET MORE OF THESE IN THE HANDS OF SOME OF OUR SO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T USING THE WEBSITE.
IN TERMS OF MEASUREMENTS FOR SUCCESS, UM, BRENDA, ARE WE ALLOW, ARE WE GONNA ALLOW THE COMMITTEE, UM, MORE TO GAUGE THAT? ARE WE LOOKING AT STAKEHOLDERS ON, ON SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD? FACADE IMPROVEMENT? WHO'S SETTING UP THAT, THAT KIND OF MEASURE FOR SUCCESS ON THAT? SO THIS WAS ORIGINALLY SET UP AS A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION, UH, FOR THAT.
AND SO ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE LAUNCHED A SURVEY, UM, TO START TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WE HAVE HAD THAT IN THOSE INTERACTIONS WITH.
UM, AND THEN I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL TAKE THAT BACK TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION, LOOK AT ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM, PIVOT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO DO DIFFERENTLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS REALLY GET OUT AHEAD OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS WE'RE REALLY ON THOSE THAT WE'RE ALREADY IN THE MIDST, OR QUITE HONESTLY A LITTLE LATE FOR MITIGATION TO REALLY HELP WITH.
AND WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH PUBLIC WORKS RIGHT NOW TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THE PROGRAM FOR 20 25, 20 26, SO WE REALLY CAN IMPLEMENT TRUE MITIGATION EFFORTS.
AND I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I REALLY WANNA SEE US HAVE A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT, WHAT THE COUNCIL MEANS WHEN THEY SAY BEST VALUE VERSUS LOW BID.
AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US IDENTIFY OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT MAY BE MID-SIZE OR TEENAGE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HEADQUARTERED AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND THAT, AND THAT'S A CHAMBER QUESTION AND B D O QUESTION ABOUT WHY, WHY ARE, WHY, WHAT WOULD, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM GET, UH, BIGGER AND BETTER? THANK YOU, BRENDA.
UM, NEXT IS THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.
AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT A LOT OF WHAT I'VE SEEN, UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'VE MENTIONED THIS, AND I KNOW MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, UH, WAS ALSO A CSA EMPLOYEE, IS THAT I WAS A CSA EMPLOYEE.
I DID NOT FEEL APPRECIATED FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE I HAD.
'CAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF IN THAT IN-BETWEEN.
MY FATHER WAS A COSA EMPLOYEE FOR 30 PLUS YEARS.
UM, HE WOULD TRAIN PEOPLE THAT WOULD GO ON TO GET BETTER PAYING JOBS THAN HIM BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE DEGREE.
SO I THINK I, I REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE MOVEMENT THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK AFSCME FOR, FOR MEETING WITH ME, UM, ASHLEY REED FOR CONTINUING CONTINUALLY REACHING OUT AND THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE COME TO
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THE MEETING AND HAVE SHARED.AND I, I LIKE TO SEE THAT IT'S MADE PROGRESS SINCE I WAS AN EMPLOYEE, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE THAT WE, THAT WE CAN DO.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STEP PAY PLAN, RENEE, SO BY OCTOBER 1ST, THE COMPRESSION WE'RE GOING, THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT INCREASE.
THE FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYEES WILL BE AT MIDPOINT, AND THE 10 YEAR PLUS EMPLOYEES WILL BE AT MAXWELL.
WE'LL BE GUARANTEED MIDPOINT OR MAX.
AND THEN WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO DO IS GET, UH, EITHER A SURVEY OR SOME FEEDBACK THAT SAYS, HEY, WHAT DID THIS MEAN? DID I FEEL LIKE I WAS MORE APPRECIATED? KIND OF GET THE, THAT EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
UH, THE ONE THING, AND, AND YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE LG C IS NOW CONNECTED AND OTHER COUNT, ANOTHER COUNCIL DECIDED TO DO THAT.
UM, IS I PUSH FOR PAY, PERFORMANCE PAY, UM, PERFORMANCE PAY.
I ALWAYS THINK THAT THAT'S KEY, ESPECIALLY AFTER PEOPLE GET TO THAT 10 YEAR MARK.
UM, I THINK IT COULD BE GOOD AS AN INCENTIVE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I HAVE FOR L G C IS CAN WE GET, UH, A LIST OF WHAT THOSE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES IS FOR, UM, FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO? BECAUSE AS WE AT L G C LOOK TO STAFF, I THINK SOMETIMES WITH OUR BUDGET WE NEED CONSULTANTS OR WE NEED PART-TIME SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE CITY HAS AND THEN WHAT WE CAN KIND OF MANAGE WITHIN OUR BUDGET, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE CITY STAFF IS DOING SO MUCH AND WE KNOW THAT EACH DISTRICT HAS SPECIFIC NEEDS.
SO IF I NEED A PART-TIME HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATOR, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT INSTEAD OF SAYING EVERYBODY IN THE L G C SHOULD GET A POSITION FOR THIS.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE, CAN THAT WE CAN GET THAT LIST OF, OF WHAT, WHAT KIND OF TITLES ARE PART-TIME FROM THE CITY? YES.
I, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, UH, THE ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
JUST 'CAUSE NOW OUR, UM, OUR BUDGET FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IS CONNECTED TO THE EMPLOYEE'S BUDGET.
AND I, BUT I DO, I AM PLEASED WITH THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, THE $18, THE 4% ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, AND THE COSA CARES PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH THAT WE CONTINUALLY GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE EMPLOYEES REGARDING THAT.
UM, ESPECIALLY ONCE, ONCE THEY HIT THAT MAXIMUM RANGE IN TERMS OF WHAT CAN WE INCENTIVIZE YOU? BECAUSE 10 YEARS IS STILL, THEY COULD STILL DO ANOTHER 10
AND THE OTHER THING I THINK WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE, ESPECIALLY TO CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS IS IF, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO, UM, SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE MORE PUBLIC FACING THAN OTHERS, AND THAT'S WHY I AM, I PUSH FOR PERFORMANCE PAY TOO, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT SEE CITIZENS DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND HAVE THAT CONNECTION.
AND IF THEY'RE HAVING A BAD DAY, WHICH IS WHY I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING COSA CARES IF THEY'RE HAVING A BAD DAY, THAT CAN IMPACT, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT THEY INTERACT WITH.
SO I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE MONITORING THAT.
AND, UH, THE OTHER IS THE, UM, UH, THE ONE STOP SHOP FOR D S D, THOSE ARE OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EVERY DAY SEEING PEOPLE WALK IN, TRYING TO WALK, WALK THEM THROUGH THE PERMIT, UM, PROCESS.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK OF IT AT THIS MAXIMUM.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU APPRECIATE? BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE THERE TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC.
SO, UM, AND THEN I HAVE TO METRO HEALTH HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THESE ARE ALL PEOPLE THAT WHEN THEY'RE DOING WELL, I'D, I WANNA FIND A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE THEM ALSO.
SO IF WE COULD JUST GET THAT SURVEY DONE TO SEE, YES, THIS WORKED, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE WE COULD DO TO RETAIN THESE EMPLOYEES, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE, UM, WE, YOU'VE DONE REALLY WELL THIS, THIS YEAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HABITAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I'LL START WITH THAT, RENEE, ON SLIDE 11, YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, COMPRESSION, UM, AND THAT YOU'RE MOVING TOWARDS THAT DIFFERENTIATION.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, DETAIL ON THAT? SURE.
AND SO SLIDE 11, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES IN THE STEP PAY PLAN.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK ON THE SLIDE PREVIOUS TO THIS, UM, YOU COULD SEE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GIVEN A STEP INCREASE SINCE 2018, YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES
[00:40:01]
KIND OF ALL BOTTLENECKED AT THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE.AND SO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND THE EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS, THEY ASKED US TO PRIORITIZE OUR MORE TENURED EMPLOYEES.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, INITIALLY WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE STEP PAY PLAN, THOSE 10 YEAR EMPLOYEES THOUGHT THEY'D BE AT MAXIMUM AFTER 10 YEARS.
SO WE'RE MOVING IN SLIDE 11, WE'RE MOVING THOSE EMPLOYEES WITH AT LEAST 10 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE MAX GUARANTEEING THEY'RE AT THE MAXIMUM OF THE RANGE.
AND THEN EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS ARE GOING TO THE MIDPOINT.
NOW, WE HAVEN'T, UH, BEEN ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE YET IN THIS PHASED IN APPROACH BETWEEN EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS, RIGHT? BECAUSE EMPLOYEES BETWEEN FIVE AND NINE YEARS WILL BE AT THE MIDPOINT.
UM, THAT'S, AS WE WORKED OUT WITH THE E M C, THAT'S PART OF OUR PHASED IN APPROACH.
AND YOU'LL SEE ADDITIONAL COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS COMING IN FUTURE BUDGET YEARS.
SO IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, UH, GO TO THAT, THE FIRST SLIDE MM-HMM.
CAN YOU GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, OF A OCCUPATION AND AN, AND AN AMOUNT? I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE, UH, DO YOU HAVE AN, AN AMOUNT IN, IN OUR STEP PAY PLAN, IT'S POSITIONS LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE, OUR TRADES, SKILLED CRAFT, OUR TECHNICIANS, LIKE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, A PLUMBER, UH, THOSE, THOSE TYPES OF FOLKS WHO, UM, ARE STILL FINDING THEMSELVES VERY LOW IN THE RANGE.
YOU HAVE SOME WHO ARE FURTHER ALONG IN THE RANGE MM-HMM.
UM, BUT IN THESE EXAMPLES WE'RE GUARANTEEING THE, THE NEXT I WOULD LIKE A, A MORE CONCRETE EXAMPLE.
UM, I, I JUST, I'M A LITTLE, WE CAN PULL FOR YOU THE AVERAGE INCREASE FOR THOSE THAT, THAT IT'S GOING TO, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO PAY FOR THAT MANY RAISES.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? LET ME ASK YOU THAT.
WITH THE 10 YEARS, THERE'S, THERE'S ABOUT 814 FOLKS THAT ARE IMPACTED.
SO OVER 800 PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET, UM, IT'S NOT OVER 9,000.
IT'S ONLY THE ONES THAT ARE AT THAT, AT THAT, UM, 10 YEAR.
SO EVEN 800, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA BRING PEOPLE UP FROM, UH, FROM THAT KIND OF LOWER RANGE ALL THE WAY UP TO MAXIMUM IN THE SPAN OF A YEAR.
IS THAT CORRECT? OR ALL AT ONCE, LIKE ONE PAYCHECK TO THE NEXT? YES.
COUNCILWOMAN, THE AVERAGE INCREASE ACROSS ALL OF THEM IS, IS 1.4%.
SO IT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A HUGE INCREASE.
WHY IS THERE SUCH A SMALL INCREASE FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM
SO EVERY, WE HAD TO DO AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT OF EVERY EMPLOYEE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME THAT ARE VERY LOW IN THE RANGE AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME THAT ARE HIGHER IN THE RANGE DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY'RE AT FOR 10 PLUS YEARS.
NOT ALL, NOT ALL OF THOSE JOB CLASSES LOOK LIKE THAT DIAGRAM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.
AND, AND THAT'S LIKE WORST CASE EXAMPLE TOO, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UM, BUT IF YOU GO FROM, OKAY, LET'S, LET'S, IF YOU GO FROM RIGHT NEAR THE MINIMUM 10, YOU'RE AT 10 YEARS, THE INCREASE YOU'RE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE IS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF PERCENT.
THAT, THAT, THAT 1.4% IS EVERYBODY WHO'S GETTING A COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENT.
SO THAT'S OUR FIVE TO NINE YEAR EMPLOYEES.
AND OUR 10 YEARS I CAN GET BACK WITH YOU ON THE AVERAGE INCREASE FOR OUR TENURE EMPLOYEES.
BUT I DID WANNA HAVE THIS DISCUSSION PUBLICLY.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WANNA HEAR THIS AS WELL, BUT, UM, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT YOU COULD MAYBE DO THIS BEFORE THE END OF OUR, OUR SESSION, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
MAYBE I'LL COME BACK AROUND, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, AND I, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALSO FOR INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH, THE DAYS AND, AND THE, THE, THE HOTLINE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S, UH, MENTAL HEALTH IS A LOT ON A LOT OF OUR MINDS THESE DAYS, AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE DAYS TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND DO OUR BEST.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PART OF OUR HEALTH.
SO IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND IT'S PO AND, UM, HOW MANY A A DAYS ARE THEY GETTING A YEAR OR IT'S 32 HOURS A YEAR.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD START.
MAYBE WE CAN EXPAND THAT AS WE GO FORWARD INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, 32 HOURS A YEAR, AND THEN THAT'S ON TOP OF THE ALREADY PRETTY GENEROUS, UH, ANNUAL LEAVE AND PERSONAL LEAVE THAT THEY HAVE.
THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR MENTAL HEALTH, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE A REASON.
IT, IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE STEP FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO SAY, TO GET TO MORE HOURS FOR THEM, BUT I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL.
UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANTS.
I REALLY LIKE THE SOCIAL MEDIA I IDEA AND, AND HELPING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S SUCH A BIG PART OF BUSINESS NOW.
SO APPRECIATE, UM, THAT THAT'S, UH, PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT TARGETED.
UH, AND MAYBE YOU CAN GIMME MORE INFORMATION, BUT AN, AN ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE OLD HIGHWAY 90 CORRIDOR.
THAT CORRIDOR IS MADE UP OF, UH, I THINK EXCLUSIVELY MOM AND POP SHOPS.
I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY, UH, BIG TIME BIG BOX STORES THERE.
SO, WHICH, WHICH IS, THEY LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY NICE, UH, ENVIRONMENT.
BUT, UM, THEY HAVE HAD CONSTRUCTION IN THERE IN
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THAT, ON THAT, IN THAT CORRIDOR FOR YEARS AND YEARS.AND THEY'RE NOT MAYBE AS VOCAL AS, UH, OTHER AREAS OF THE CORRIDORS IN TOWN, BUT THEY'RE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION HERE PRETTY SOON, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELP HELPFUL TO THEM TO MAKE UP FOR SOME OF THAT, THAT LOSS THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, AND I'M CURIOUS, ARE THERE ANY APPRENTICESHIPS THAT ARE PART OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN? ANYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP WITH APPRENTICESHIPS? SO, MIKE AND I HAVE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS A LOT, BUT I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HIM 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T TALK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT TALKING WORKFORCE, SO.
UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO WE RECEIVED THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR APPRENTICESHIP BUILDING AMERICA GRANT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE THAT ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY AS WELL AS HR TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS LEADING THE WAY IN EXPANDING INTO APPRENTICESHIPS AND PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS THAT LEAD TO JOBS WITH THE CITY.
AND BRENDA, IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY INCENTIVES FOR, UM, ANY PROGRAMMING THAT WE CAN HELP FOLKS WHO HIRE PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS? WE DON'T, UH, WE HAVEN'T HISTORICALLY HAD THAT NECESSARILY.
UH, WITH THE RECENT INCENTIVE GUIDELINES, WE FOCUS STRICTLY ON THE WAGES.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD, IT'S A GOOD, UH, LANE FOR US TO BE IN TO, TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR, FOR BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, TO MAYBE HIRE PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND INCLUDE THEM IN THE WORKFORCE.
I KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT MIKE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF INCLUDING, UH, PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND READY TO WORK.
MAYBE IT'S A PARTNERSHIP, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE, MOVE INTO THAT AREA.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO, HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
UM, FOR THE PRESENTATIONS, I THINK I'LL JUST START OFF WITH THE HR QUESTIONS.
AND UM, JUSTINE, I APOLOGIZE BEFOREHAND, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS OR YOU NEED TO ANSWER.
I CAN'T GET THROUGH ALL OF THEM, SO I'LL START WITH RENEE.
UM, BUT CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE, MAYBE THE VACANCY RATE AND AS YOU'VE SEEN IT IN MAYBE THE LONGEST PERIODS OF, UM, VACANCIES THAT YOU'VE SEEN? IN GENERAL, THE, THE POSITIONS THAT WE'VE HELPED UHHUH,
UM, AND OUR, WE'VE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME FILLING, UM, OUR, UM, FINANCE POSITIONS.
AND THEN, SO HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE IN GENERAL, LIKE THOSE ASIDE IN GENERAL, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FILL A CITY VACANCY? THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON, IT DEPENDS ON THE JOB.
WE'VE MANAGED, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A CONSOLIDATED HIRING PRO PROCESS FOR LIKE OUR MAINTENANCE WORKERS AND OUR ADMIN POSITIONS WHERE HR IS ACTUALLY CONVENING ONE CITYWIDE PANEL TO FILL VACANCIES ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
AND WHEN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THE TIME TO FILL BY ABOUT 18 DAYS ON THOSE POSITIONS, UM, WITH SOME OF OUR POSITIONS, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON AVERAGE TILL ABOUT 53 DAYS.
AND, AND PART OF THAT IS WE MAY WORK TO FILL THAT AND WE, BECAUSE OF OUR DECLINE RATE PRE PANDEMIC, WE HAD A DECLINE RATE OF ABOUT 8%.
SO THE PANEL ASSEMBLES, THEY SELECT A CANDIDATE THAT CANDIDATE DECLINES OR ACCEPTS AND THEN LATER DECLINES AND THEN WE GO TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DRIVE THOSE DAYS DOWN WITH THIS NEW COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE NEW COMPENSATION PACKAGE, UM, OF THE PROPOSED BOARD PERCENT ACROSS THE BOARD, INCREASE FOR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME CIVILIANS.
IS THAT A COST OF LIVING PERFORMANCE RAISE OR, OR JUST A PART OF OUR, UH, COMPRESSION EFFORTS.
THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERYBODY.
AND IT'S TO KEEP PACE WITH MARKET.
AND THEN WHEN WAS THE LAST COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT THAT WE PROPOSED AND, AND ADOPTED? CAN YOU REMIND ME? WELL, LAST YEAR OUR, OUR MARKET ADJUSTMENTS AND OUR 5% ACROSS THE BOARD WERE, WERE ALL CONSIDERED COST OF LIVING.
'CAUSE IT WAS BASED ON C P I AND INFLATION.
AND THEN ON YOUR CIVILIAN COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, THE SURVEY IN 2022 HAD 5,000 RESPONDENTS.
UM, WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE THE MOST RECENT? YEAH, SO LAST YEAR WE, WE THOUGHT WE HAD DONE GOOD 'CAUSE WE GOT 70% WITH OUR INTERNAL SURVEY FOR CIVILIANS.
WE GOT 77% OF THEM RESPONDED TO OUR EXTERNAL SURVEY THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, DO YOU ALL EVER CONTRACT EXTERNAL ENTITIES TO DO THAT SURVEY OR IS IT JUST, UM, THIS YEAR IT WAS AN EXTERNAL ENTITY.
AND THEN FOR THE MARKET RATE ADJUSTMENTS, DO WE COMPARE COSA WITH PEER CITIES, UM, JUST IN TEXAS, OR DO WE ALSO COMPARE THEM WITH PRIVATE SECTOR? WE ALSO COMPARE THEM WITH PRIVATE SECTOR.
UH, LAST YEAR WE PURCHASED MERCERS, UH, NATIONWIDE SURVEY.
THAT WAS, UH, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
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SECTOR EMPLOYERS.AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL, AND I I, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO KNOW THIS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT HOW MANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES ARE POST 2009 HIRES? I DO KNOW THAT.
I THINK IT'S A, I WANNA SAY IT'S ABOUT 5,600 AND, AND SO AND SO THEY'RE SO CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, RIGHT? YES.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT WERE HIRED AFTER 2009, BUT BEFORE 2019? UM, ARE THEY RECEIVING THE MARKET RATE ADJUSTMENT AS WELL? SO, SO THE MARKET ADJUSTS ANYBODY THE 4% ACROSS THE BOARD, ANYBODY HIRED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1ST IS RECEIVING THAT ANY FULL OR PART-TIME EMPLOYEE HIRED PRIOR TO TEN ONE.
AND THEN, UM, I'M LOOKING AT RETIREMENTS NOW.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE AGE, UM, IN AN AVERAGE YEARS OF SERVICE THAT YOU SEE WITH OUR CIVILIAN? OUR AVERAGE YEARS OF SERVICE IS EIGHT YEARS.
UM, SO IT'S RELATIVELY LOW AND, UM, OKAY.
AND THEN CAN YOU ALSO, AND THEN I'LL SEND YOU SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
I WAS LOOKING FOR A BREAKDOWN, I THINK LAST YEAR IN THE PRESENTATION.
THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN OF, UM, ETHNICITY AND RACE.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE THAT, BUT I WAS LOOKING FOR IT SPECIFICALLY.
I WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD SEE HOW MANY WERE CATEGORIZED UNDER STEP, HOW MANY UNDER UNPROFESSIONAL, HOW MANY UNDER MANAGERIAL AND APPOINTED AND EXECUTIVE.
I KNOW, I'M SURE YOU HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN SOME SOMEWHERE, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD SEE IT.
YEAH, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
AND THEN, UM, G E D, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE THE CSA G E D PROGRAM.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE PARTICIPATED OR GONE THROUGH? WE DON'T KNOW IF THE TOP OF OUR HEAD, BUT WE CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER.
AND THEN SAME, UM, WITH THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
'CAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A, A GOOD BENEFIT.
UM, BACHELOR'S, ANY PROFESSIONAL DEGREES.
WE HAD ABOUT 263 PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR TUITION REIMBURSEMENT THIS YEAR.
WHEN DO WE START THAT? THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT? UHHUH,
THAT'S, I'VE HERE 17 YEARS AND IT WAS BEFORE ME, SO.
AND THEN LEADERSHIP TRAINING, LIKE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY PAID FOR, RIGHT? BUT LIKE THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ALL OFFER, UM, DO YOU HAVE LIKE THE MOST POPULAR ONE? LIKE WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE? ALL OF OUR SET MODULES ARE REALLY POPULAR.
UM, SO WE WROTE THOSE OURSELVES IN RESPONSE TO, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN A SUPERVISOR EXTERNAL TO THE CITY, BUT THIS IS HOW DO YOU APPLY THOSE SUPERVISORY SKILLS USING OUR CHARTER AND OUR MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES, AND THEY'RE VERY POPULAR.
DO YOU HAVE, UM, UH, AND YOU MENTIONED SOME EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS, THE FO DID Y'ALL HAVE FOCUS GROUP FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET? DO Y'ALL HAVE FOCUS GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES? SO I HOLD FOCUS GROUPS ALL YEAR LONG.
I CALL THEM HR LISTENING SESSIONS.
BUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH I GO OUT AND I HAVE A RANDOM SELECTION OF EMPLOYEES FROM DEPARTMENTS AND I TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE THERE TO VISIT WITH ME SO THAT I CAN LISTEN.
AND IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT PICKED AS A PARKS EMPLOYEE OR A SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEE, BUT AS A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEE TO GIVE INPUT ON OUR BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION IN GENERAL.
UM, SO, AND THIS IS A 10 YEARS PLUS EXPERIENCE.
I NOTICE THAT THERE'S A, IN A CURRENT POSITION TO BE GUARANTEED A MAXIMUM PAY RANGE, BUT THE 10 PLUS YEARS EXPERIENCE IN GENERAL DOESN'T COUNT TOWARDS THAT.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY? YEAH.
SO THOSE EMPLOYEES IN PAY PLAN A, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, IT'S YOUR TIME IN RANK, THE TIME IN YOUR POSITION THAT DIFFERS FROM THOSE, THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE IN OUR STEP, OUR PAY PLAN B, WHERE IT IS YOUR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, OUR PROFESSIONALS AND MANAGERIAL TYPE EMPLOYEES.
IT BRINGS ALL YOUR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE WHERE IN A, IN A STEP PAY PLAN BY DESIGN IT IS YOU'RE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE PROFICIENT OVER TIME IN DOING THE, YOUR CURRENT JOB AND BEING FULLY PROFICIENT AFTER 10 YEARS.
AND SO THAT'S HOW THEY'RE NORMALLY DESIGNED.
DO YOU THINK THAT IT MIGHT DISSUADE SOME PEOPLE FROM PURSUING PROMOTIONS OR JUST KIND OF JUST DOESN'T GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY OR HAVE NO, BECAUSE THEY'RE GUARANTEED A PROMOTIONAL INCREASE WHEN THEY MOVE AND THEN THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE UP THROUGH STEPS, UH, IN THE NEXT STEP.
SO THEY'RE, IF I AM IN A LOWER PAY RANGE, I'M GONNA GET PROBABLY A 5% INCREASE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT, UH, STEP PAY RANGE.
AND THEN EACH YEAR, ONCE WE ARE BACK TO MOVING THEM THROUGH THE RANGE, THEY'D MOVE EACH YEAR, UH, THROUGH THAT NEXT RANGE.
SO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE, BUT WHEN AN EMPLOYEE REACHES, UM, THE MAXIMUM ON THEIR PAY RANGE, DO THEY ONLY SEE A PAY, UH, CHANGE AS THE POSITION IN THEIR RANGE IS INCREASED? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH EMPLOYEES IS ONCE WE FULLY ADDRESS COMPRESSION, WHICH AGAIN IS GONNA BE A MULTI-YEAR, UH, PHASED IN APPROACH, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND PROPOSE SOME TYPE OF RECOGNITION FOR LONGEVITY.
'CAUSE I, I, I'M, I KNOW THAT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE EMPLOYEES WITH 10 YEARS OR MORE OF EXPERIENCE, THEY'RE GONNA STAY RIGHT.
[00:55:01]
UNTIL THEY PRETTY MUCH, WELL, WELL, THE GOAL IS, AND AND, AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD BACK WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE DEBT PAY PLAN WAS YOU BECOME MORE PROFICIENT EACH YEAR UNTIL YOU FULLY MASTERED THE JOB.AND, AND WE HAD ALL AGREED AT THE TIME, THAT WAS AROUND 10 YEARS.
AND, AND OUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PREPARING PEOPLE FOR PROMOTION SO THAT YOU, YOU WEREN'T STALEMATED AT 10 YEARS THAT YOU WERE MOVING INTO A HIGHER LEVEL POSITION, EARNING MORE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND MAKING A LARGER CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY.
I, AGAIN, AND I WAS JUST HOPING THAT IT DIDN'T AFFECT LIKE MORALE AND WE HEARD FROM ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY.
AND SO, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING PEOPLE.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL, UH, LOSS? RIGHT.
UH, KNOWLEDGE LOSS SPECIFICALLY.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE, UM, UH, AGE GROUPS THAT ARE RETIREMENT ELIGIBLE.
SO WHAT DO WE DO FOR THAT? OR HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THEM TO MAYBE BECOME, UM, TRAINERS OR SUPERVISORS SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE AS MUCH OF THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE? YEAH.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATION ABOUT TOO.
WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, DEVELOP MORE SUCCESSION PLANNING.
UM, WE'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, T M R SS CHANGED THEIR RULES THIS LAST YEAR WHERE IF A RETIREE HAD BEEN RETIRED FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR, THEY COULD COME BACK AND DRAW THEIR FULL PENSION AND EARN, UH, A PAYCHECK FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE PROMOTE THAT TO OUR RETIREES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK IN AND, AND CONTRIBUTE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
WE TELL EVEN IF IT'S A PART-TIME, UM, WE VALUE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU BRING.
SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S ALREADY KNOWLEDGE.
AND THEN HOW MANY, TALKING ABOUT EXCEPTIONAL HIRES, HOW MANY EXCEPTIONAL HIRES, UM, DO, DO WE HIRE PER YEAR ON AVERAGE? WELL, WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THE EXCEPTIONAL HIRE PROCESS BECAUSE THE EXCEPTIONAL HIRE PROCESS WAS FOR WHEN DEPARTMENTS HAD, COULD, HAD THEIR AUTHORITY TO HIRE WITHIN 25% OF THE RANGE.
AND IF THEY WANTED TO HIRE HIGHER THAN THAT, UM, THEY HAD TO BRING IN EXCEPTIONAL HIRE.
NOW HR REVIEWS ALL HIRING ACTIONS, AND IF SOMEBODY HAS EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE, THEY'VE GOT 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WE'RE GONNA SLOT THEM HIGHER IN THE RANGE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO AN EXCEPTIONAL HIRE MEMO 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA SLOT THEM APPROPRIATELY AS COMPARED TO OUR CURRENT CITY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR, AND THEIR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
THANK YOU FRIDA AND BRENDA FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
IF WE COULD QUICKLY GO TO SLIDE 14 ON THE EMPLOYEE PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I SEE HERE IS, UH, JOSE AND SUE BOTH, UH, WHO HAVE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR TWO YEARS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE WHERE SUE'S ERNIE MORE THAN JOSE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, WHY, UM, THE CITY MADE IT ON THE FORBES LIST OF EMPLOYEES.
I I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT WORK.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO THANK EE FOR THEIR ADVOCACY AND ENSURING THAT, UM, THE EMPLOYEES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THOSE, UH, INPUTS.
AND THAT, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE HR LISTENING SESSIONS AS WELL.
UH, I, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE HIRING PROCESS.
DO WE KNOW AN ESTIMATION OF HOW QUICKLY WE CAN ONBOARD SOMEONE? AND THEN WHAT'S THE LONGEST TIME THAT WE'VE, UH, HAD TO PROCESS SOMEONE TO, TO BRING THEM ON BOARD? COUNCILWOMAN? THAT'S GONNA DIFFER DEPENDING ON THE JOB.
'CAUSE UH, FOR SOME, FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS, UM, THEY THAT MAYBE HAVE LIVED OUTTA STATE THAT HAVE TO HAVE, UH, CGIS CLEARANCE MM-HMM.
UM, THAT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, I'M GONNA DEFER TO OUR, MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR CRYSTAL, ON WHAT'S THE AVERAGE TIME TO ONBOARD SOMEONE.
OUR AVERAGE PROCESSING TIME, THIS IS FROM WHEN AN APPLICANT IS SELECTED TO, WHEN THEY'VE CLEARED PROCESSING IS ABOUT NINE DAYS FOR A STANDARD PROCESSING.
UM, THE CANDIDATE MAY THOUGH NEED TO GIVE ADDITIONAL NOTICE.
MAYBE THEY'RE EMPLOYED AND THEY NEED TO GIVE TWO TO FOUR WEEKS NOTICE.
SO THAT MAY TAKE ADDITIONAL TIME.
AND DO WE KNOW FROM THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION, UH, TO THE HIRING PROCESS, WHAT THAT TYPICALLY LOOKS LIKE? HOW ABOUT FOR, HOW ABOUT FOR OUR CONSOLIDATED HIRING EVENTS? UH, FOR CONSOLIDATED HIRING EVENTS, WE'VE REDUCED THE STANDARD PROCESSING TIME FROM ABOUT NINE, NINE DAYS TO SEVEN.
UM, FOR A STANDARD RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
UM, TRADITIONAL RECRUITMENT, IT'S ABOUT, UM, 50 BUSINESS DAYS FROM WHEN THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTS TO POST MM-HMM.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO TO TO POINT OUT, IS THAT 53 DAYS INCLUDES THE TIME IT WAS POSTED, THE TIME IT TOOK TO CONVENE THE PANEL, GET THE, GET THE CANDIDATES IN HERE, THEM TO GIVE NOTICE MM-HMM.
AND, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN VRAN WAS HIGHLIGHTING.
UM, AND THIS COULD BE A MORE IN DEPTH OFFLINE CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT I, I'VE OBSERVED THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS THAT CARRY, UH, UH, HEAVIER, UH, MENTAL HEALTH LOAD, RIGHT.
AND THEY ARE PUBLIC FACING AND DEAL WITH A LOT OF, UH, PUSHBACK.
[01:00:01]
AND I'M THINKING OF OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATORS, UM, WHERE IN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, UH, IN PUBLIC SETTINGS WHERE, UM, FOLKS ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH THEM.UH, AND THEY'RE TASKED WITH TAKING ON SO MUCH.
RIGHT? JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IN DISTRICT FIVE, WE HAVE DAVID WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
UH, AND WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOUSING'S A HUGE ISSUE, UH, ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE EMPLOYEE, RIGHT? AND THEN, UM, THEY'RE GETTING CALLS FROM 3 1 1 AND THEN FROM OUR OFFICE, AND IT'S JUST A LOT.
AND THEN THE CONDITION OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH AT, ON THE STREET ARE IN VERY, UM, IN REALLY BAD CONDITION, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPEN WOUNDS, UM, INDIVIDUALS NEEDING WOUND CARE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO, UM, BODILY FLUIDS, BUT ALSO MENTALLY, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE SUPPORT THERE.
THAT WAY WE'RE, WE'RE RETAINING, UH, THOSE OUTREACH WORKERS, BUT ALSO PROVIDING THEM WITH THE CARE THAT THEY NEED TO DO THAT JOB, UH, SUCCESSFULLY.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS FOR YOU, FRIDA.
THANK YOU, UH, ONTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I, I'M REALLY, UH, GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS PREPARATION CHECKLIST AND THIS PAMPHLET FOR THE CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE TOOLKIT.
I KNOW IT WAS A REALLY GREAT DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD IN, UH, THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S, UH, WORK ON THAT PIECE.
I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE FOUR FOR REAL ESTATE AND PLACEMAKING.
I'M WONDERING WHAT ANTI DISPLACEMENT MEASUREMENTS OR PIECES CAN WE IMPLEMENT WHEN WE'RE HELPING FACILITATE THE REAL ESTATE AND PLACEMAKING PIECES? AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY EXAMPLES THAT I CAN POINT TO, UM, BUT RIGHT.
I'M THINKING ABOUT SPECIFIC PARTS OF MY DISTRICT THAT HAVE VERY DELICATE, UM, SOCIOECONOMIC RIGHT PIECES, AND I WANNA BE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING FIREFIGHTERS AND ARSON AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT.
UH, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD DESTABILIZATION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
WE HAVE MET WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES TO LOOK AT WHETHER WE CAN UTILIZE THEIR HOUSING TOOL AS A WAY TO ALSO LOOK AT THE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA, WHICH HAS 40 YEARS OF ANTI DISPLACEMENT EXPERIENCE.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT THE CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION NETWORK, UH, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA IN IMP IMPLEMENTING A VARIETY OF TOOLS.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND COMMUN COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, REVITALIZATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN A CONVERSATION AT ONE POINT IN TIME IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT NOT INVESTING IS NOT THE ANSWER, BUT, SO MAKING SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ON COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS.
WE KNOW, UH, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, WHERE WE'RE MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN IT COMES TO PLACEMAKING, IS ENSURING THE ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES, THE ESTABLISHED SMALL BUSINESSES, GET TO BENEFIT FROM, UH, THAT, UH, INCREASE OF INVESTMENT AND ENSURING WITH PLACEMAKING, RIGHT? THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WOULD FIND THEMSELVES VULNERABLE TO CODE COMPLIANCE VIOLATIONS, UH, CAN HAVE THOSE NEEDS ALLEVIATED THROUGH PLACEMAKING SUPPORT.
SO, UH, THE, LIKE WITH THE FACADE GRANT, UH, IMPROVEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AND ON THE MAIN STREET AMERICA, REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU ALL CAME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION THAT ONE WAS ORIGINALLY BEING PROPOSED.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS ON THESE TWO PRESENTATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UH, AND THANK YOU BOTH, UH, RENEE AND BRENDA FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, I'LL START OFF WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, UM, AND I DO SEE AFME IN THE BUILDING.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, A MAJORITY OF, YOU KNOW, THE REQUESTS HAVE BEEN MET, AND IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, AFSCME IS FAIRLY HAPPY WITH, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS I HAVEN'T YET HEARD EXPLICITLY, UM, AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, WHICH IS, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THE COMPRESSION PLAN? AND I, I MEAN, WHAT WILL, WHEN WILL WAGE COMPRESSION NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO OUR VERY ISOLATED, UH, STRUCTURE? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A DEFINITE PLAN.
I THINK IT'S DEPENDENT ON FUTURE, THE, THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN FUTURE BUDGET YEARS.
UM, I THINK RIGHT NOW, UM, OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE IT ADDRESSED WITHIN TWO TO THREE YEARS.
UM, BUT WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT OUR BUDGET CAN TOLERATE THIS NEXT YEAR WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD.
COUNCILMAN, UM, YOU, YOU'LL, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, YOU'VE NOTICED THAT, UM, AS WE DO THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS IN THE FALL OR IN THE SPRING, IT, IT IS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE TOP PRIORITY, IRRESPECTIVE OF EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO.
AND SO I ENVISION US CONTINUING DOWN THAT PATH.
UM, IT IS GONNA REQUIRE ALL TOLD, ALL FUNDS OUT OF OUR $3.7 MILLION.
WE HAVE $57 MILLION ADDITIONALLY IN THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR FOR EMPLOYEES, ALL 13,000 OF THEM.
[01:05:01]
THAT IS THE LARGEST COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.UM, FROM MY STANDPOINT, UH, YES, AS LONG AS WE CAN AFFORD IT, BUT, BUT IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME.
UM, AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE INCORPORATED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WE DO BUDGET GOAL SETTING NEXT, NEXT SPRING.
THERE'S NEVER A FINISH LINE WITH THIS.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE HAS NOT SPOKEN YET, BUT EVERY TIME HE, EVERY TIME WE HAVE THIS, UH, DISCUSSION, HE TALKS ABOUT A TENURED SYSTEM BASED ON LONGEVITY.
SO THERE'S SOME CERTAINTY WE, WE NEED TO GET TO THAT POINT, AND IT'S GONNA REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, COMMUNICATION WITH THE EMPLOYEES, AND, UH, AND COMMITMENT.
I GUESS THEN WHAT WOULD BE A SUFFICIENT, UM, ANSWER FOR ME WOULD BE ONE THAT LETS ME KNOW HOW, HOW WE GET THERE.
SO HOW MUCH IS IT GONNA COST? HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WILL BE IMPACTED? AND HOW DO AT WHAT, I WANNA KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE THAT BUDGET REQUEST AS SOON AS, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE FUNDS FOR IT.
AND I WANNA KNOW THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A PART OF A PROPOSAL WHEN IT'S APPLICABLE.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT I GUESS, I GUESS IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR.
AS LONG AS I'M CITY MANAGER, IT'LL BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY I PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL IN THE SPRINGTIME.
'CAUSE IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB, AND IF WE DON'T RETAIN 'EM AND WE'RE NOT RECRUITING THEM, THEN NOTHING'S GETTING DONE.
AND SO I, BUT WAS IT GONNA COST $57 MILLION MORE EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS? MAYBE.
UM, IF WE, UH, I, I HAD HR RUN A CALCULATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER.
IF WE FIXED ALL COMPRESSION ISSUES ALL AT ONCE, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WE HAVE.
UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE SCENARIOS WE CAN RUN, BUT IT IS, IT IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT, UM, OF OUR ORGANIZATION AS, AS MANY THINGS AS WE DO.
UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND, UH, AND AS SOON AS WE RECRUIT 'EM AND RETAIN AND, AND TRAIN THEM, I JUST SOON KEEP 'EM.
I'LL JUST SAY FOR AS LONG AS YOU'RE CITY MANAGER, YOU'RE CAPTAIN, LIKE I AM.
SO TO ALL THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND TO OTHER CITY STAFF WHO MAY BE VYING FOR A POSITION, KNOW THAT, THAT'S A GOAL THAT I HAVE.
AND I'M SURE IT SOUNDS LIKE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE.
UM, ANOTHER I, AND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, YOU AND I BEING ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN I WAS WALKING IN, I THINK I HEARD YOU, UH, TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPLORE MORE THOROUGH, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS GONNA USE THE SAME EXACT EXAMPLE.
OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM, LIKE I SAY ALL THE TIME, THEY'RE AT OUR CLEAR, THEY'RE AT THE CLAUDE BLACK COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS WHERE OUR FIELD OFFICE IS.
AND SO WE INTERACT WITH THEM AND I GET TO ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO COME TO WORK IN THE MORNING? WHAT MAKES IT EASIER TO GO THROUGH WHAT YOU GO THROUGH? AND THERE WAS QUITE A CONSENSUS THAT MENTAL HEALTH SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS ENOUGH, THE, WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND JUST FOR THE, OH, AND JUST LIKE LAST YEAR, AND I HEARD VACANCIES BROUGHT UP LAST YEAR, WE RECEIVED A FULL LIST OF VACANCIES, UH, BY DEPARTMENT POSITION AND PAY RANGE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS THAT THOROUGH, BUT I WOULD LIKE A LIST OF DEPARTMENT, UH, VACANCIES BY DEPARTMENT POSITION AND PAY RANGE.
UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME.
AND THEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY COLLEAGUE'S KNOWLEDGE, LAST YEAR I REQUESTED A SPREADSHEET WITH, UM, ALL OF THE L G C EMPLOYEES, THEIR POSITION AND THEIR PAY.
UM, I MADE THAT REQUEST AGAIN LAST WEEK.
UM, AND SO WE SHOULD BE, I DON'T JUST GET IT, EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET IT.
UM, BUT MY INTEREST IS I WANNA BE TRANSPARENT, UM, IS TRANSPARENCY, IDENTIFYING DISPARITIES AND SEEING FOR ME WHERE MY TEAM FALLS, UM, AND HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ABOUT IT SO THAT I CAN BE A BETTER ADVOCATE.
AND I IMAGINE THAT YOU ALL WOULD WANT TO DO THE SAME THING.
UM, IT'D ALSO BE GOOD TO KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S WHO OF, AND THIS IS A ESPECIALLY, SO IF IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO MEET THE REQUEST, I'M COOL WITH IT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE THIS INFORMATION, WHICH OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE GRANDFATHERED IN, UM, PRE L G C AT SALARIES THAT MAYBE THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE? THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS WHO WAS GRANDFATHERED IN, UM, AND WHERE DOES EACH EMPLOYEE FALL IN THEIR RESPECTIVE PAY RANGE? YEP.
UM, IN REGARDS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, COUNCILMAN WHITE AND I, YOU KNOW, WE BRING IT UP.
WE WANNA SEE IF A CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM FOR US, THAT MEANS GRANTS.
AND WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS IN THIS BUDGET.
I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT DID IT.
IT IS IN ADDITION TO THE 500, I ASKED IF WE COULD FENCE OFF THAT 1.4 MILLION BUCKS, RIGHT? THAT WAS THE ISSUE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP DURING THE PUBLIC WORKS CONVERSATION.
COUN, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN WHITE AT THE PUBLIC WORKS BROUGHT UP THE 1.4 AND ARPA THAT WE SAID WAS THAT I
[01:10:01]
REPORTED WAS AVAILABLE.AND I THINK WHAT, WHAT HE SAID AT THAT MEETING WAS PARKED THAT SO THAT YOU GUYS, THE COUNCIL COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION AND THE C C R.
I AM HAPPY THERE'S 500 K FOR THE MITIGATION PROGRAM, BRANDING STRATEGIES AND MARKETING PROMOTION.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD WANT TO, THAT DOESN'T FEEL AS DIRE.
UM, IT IS, IT'S NECESSARY AND IT'S SUPPORTING.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF HERE WHERE IT IS.
UM, BUT STILL NEED DIRECT SUPPORT.
UM, AND I GUESS SOMETHING THAT IS OF CONSEQUENCE AND INTEREST TO ME FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A GOAL AND A PRIORITY, AND I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP HERE FOR FULL COUNSELING, MAYBE IF, UH, BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE NOW SPECULATIONS OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE AREA AROUND THE FROST BANK CENTER, AND THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LACK OF INVESTMENT IN THE EAST SIDE, AND WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE TO DO THAT, AND WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN ELSEWHERE.
IT'S STILL A PRIORITY FOR ME, AND IT'S STILL A PRIORITY FOR MY CONSTITUENTS THAT WHILE THIS IS, WHILE THESE, UH, WHILE THERE'S SPECULATION, THAT THERE'S A TARGETED EFFORT ON OUR END TO, UM, TO SPUR SOME AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A PRIORITY OF MINE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW YET, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS.
I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FULFILL SOME OLD PROMISES.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, YEAH, SO JUST TO REITERATE, UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT IN PUBLIC WORKS THAT 1.4 MILLION IN, IN ARPA FUNDS.
THAT, THAT I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER IF WE COULD SORT OF FENCE OFF.
UM, FOR OUR, WHILE THE COUNCIL DISCUSSES OUR, OUR, UH, CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION C C C R.
UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR RAISING THAT, UM, ON THE, UH, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS, UH, IT'S THIS COSA CARES PROGRAM.
AND MY QUESTION IS, THE COSA CARES.
IT SAYS, OFFERS IMMEDIATE STREAMLINED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND INCREASED EDUCATIONAL OP OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMPASSION FATIGUE AND, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
HOW IS THIS POSITION DIFFERENT THAN THAT SPOT THAT WE HAVE FOR THE, THE THRIVING WORKFORCE, A C SS AND THE WELLNESS ENHANCEMENT POSITION FOR, FOR THE SA FIRE DEPARTMENT? RIGHT.
THIS, THIS IS BENEFITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO THE COAST OF CARES, UH, AND, AND ACCESS TO A, TO A LICENSED CLINICIAN IS THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO PREVIOUSLY THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE TOUTED THAT THERE WAS 24 HOUR ACCESS.
UM, BUT WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT IS YOU WOULD CALL AN OPERATOR, THEY, AND THEY WOULD ANSWER THE PHONE 24 HOURS A DAY AND CONNECT YOU WITH A CLINICIAN WITHIN 48 HOURS.
WE'RE WORKING NOW TO CONTRACT WITH A NEW E A P THAT WILL BE BRANDED AS COSA CARES, AND THEY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE THE LICENSED CLINICIAN ANSWERING THAT PHONE LINE 24 HOURS A DAY.
SO THAT'LL JUST BE ONE ADDITIONAL RESOURCE THAT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE, ALL CITY AND EVERY MEMBER OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
UM, ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, I SAW ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, I THINK IT WAS PAGE, UM, UH, THERE, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN JOBS CREATED AND RETAINED LAST YEAR.
UM, I THINK THE NUMBERS WERE, UH, OUR TARGET WAS 5,200 AND WE ONLY, AND, AND THE NUMBER ACTUALLY WAS 3,500 YEAR TO DATE, SIR.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S, UM, ARE WE THINKING WE'RE GONNA MEET THE 5,200 OR, OR ARE WE A LITTLE BEHIND? NO, SIR.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE DOING THAT.
UM, THIS IS, THOSE NUMBERS ARE INCLUDED WITH OUR PARTNER CONTRACTS.
SO, UM, GREATER S A T X, FOR EXAMPLE, BIOMED SAY, A NUMBER OF OUR PARTNERS REPORT JOB CREATION, PRIMARILY GREATER SS A T X.
UM, AND WE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, DON'T ANTICIPATE HITTING THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WHY DO WE THINK WE'RE DOWN? AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR 2024 GOAL IS ACTUALLY TO CREATE 6,200, UM, JOBS AND RETENTION.
SO, SO HOW, WHY ARE WE LOW AND HOW ARE WE GONNA GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE? YES.
SO JUST LIKE WE WENT THROUGH AN INTERNAL REFOCUS THIS PAST YEAR, BASED ON OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, GREATER S A T X HAS UNDERTAKEN THE SAME THING.
UH, THEY, THEY DID THEIR STRATEGIC PLANNING REALLY LAUNCHING RIGHT PRI RIGHT BEFORE COVID.
UM, AND THEN AS WE WERE COMING OUTTA COVID, THEY BROUGHT ON SOME NEW STAFF
[01:15:01]
AND REALLY CHANGED THE, THE DIRECTION AT THEIR GOING IN.AND SO LIKE ANY SHIP, IT DOESN'T TAKE OVER, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT TO KIND OF CHANGE THE DIRECTION.
UM, SO THE FOCUS HAS BUT BEEN MUCH MORE STRATEGIC, TARGETED MORE ON HIGHER PAYING JOBS, UM, REALLY BUILDING THE LEAD PIPELINE.
UM, AND SO WE SEE THOSE REPORTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE HAVE REGULAR CONVERSATIONS ENGAGED IN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UM, AND THAT THE TRAJECTORY IS CHANGING.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT.
AND, AND, UM, DURING BRENDA'S PRESENTATION, SHE NOTED THAT THAT CONTRACT IS A PERFORMANCE CONTRACT.
SO IF THEY DON'T MEET THE GOALS OF WHICH WE'VE CONTRACTED FOR, AND WE'RE NOT PAYING THEM FOR THE, FOR THOSE ELEMENTS.
AND LOOK, I SAID IT I THINK LAST WEEK, BUT AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US USE OUR RESOURCES MORE STRATEGICALLY.
UM, AND I KNOW I CITED THAT MILKEN INSTITUTE STUDY THAT HAS US, UH, 62ND, I THINK OUT OF 200 BIG CITIES IN, IN, IN WHAT THEY SAY, THE 200 BEST PERFORMING CITIES WERE SOMEHOW NUMBER 62.
AND IT, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK IN DEPTH AT THE STUDY, IT'S LOOKING AT HOW CITIES USE THEIR RESOURCES TO BEST PROMOTE GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR CITIZENS.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US REDIRECT SOME OF THE DOLLARS OUT THERE, UM, TO MORE EFFORTS, UH, TO HELP THESE, THESE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AT LEAST THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING, UH, TO HELP THEM SUCCEED.
UM, ON SLIDE EIGHT, IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, WE HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA PARTNERSHIP WITH FOUR SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL ME BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT? SURE.
I'M GONNA ASK ON A BRANCH SHADOW, PROVIDE SPECIFICS ON THAT.
SO, THROUGH OUR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PILOT, WE PARTNERED WITH FOUR LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS.
UM, AND THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE TOOLS WE TOOK TO THOSE BUSINESSES IMPACTED.
SO THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM TO HELP ADVERTISE THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR RESTAURANT OR THEIR ESTABLISHMENT.
SO JUST ANOTHER WAY TO HELP THEM, LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THEY'RE STILL OPEN AND PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT BECAUSE THAT IS A FREQUENTLY USED CHALLENGE, UH, CHANNEL FOR, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS TO FIND OUT ABOUT LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS IS ONE OF THE FOUR, UH, SOMEONE NAMED, I THINK ALEXIS WITH 20 SOMETHING SA.
SO MY QUESTION HERE IS, IS HOW WE GO ABOUT LOOKING AT WHO WE PARTNER FOR SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, BECAUSE MY OFFICE DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON, ON 20 SOMETHING SA AND IT'S NOT HARD TO FIND, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SOCIAL MEDIA THERE, YOU SEE LOBBYING EFFORTS FOR PROPOSITION A.
YOU SEE SCANTILY CLAD FEMALES ON THE SITE.
YOU SEE, UM, DRUG USE ON THE SITE.
YOU SEE POLITICAL STATEMENTS CRITICIZING ACTUALLY OUR OWN MAYOR AS WELL AS OTHER TEXAS POLITICIANS.
AND I GUESS MY POINT IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT RESEARCH WE ARE DOING TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH, BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH INTO WHO OUR, WHO OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WHO OUR PARTNERS ARE.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE FOUR.
THE OTHER THREE COULD, COULD BE PERFECTLY FINE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD REPRESENTATION, UM, OF OUR CITY TO BE PARTNERING WITH FOLKS THAT ARE PUTTING THAT STUFF ONLINE.
COUNCILMAN, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
I WANNA JUST START OFF WITH THE, UM, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS FIRST REALLY QUICK.
UM, LET'S SEE, ON SLIDE FOR, I DID WANNA JUST COMMENT THAT I'M GLAD TO SEE OUR UNIFORMED EMPLOYEES GET THE WELL-DESERVED PAY RAISES.
UH, WE CAN'T UNDERSTATE THE WORK THAT THEY DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS EVERY DAY.
I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO THAT THERE ARE EMPLOYEES WHO FACE MORE OF A MENTAL LOAD THAN OTHERS.
SO I WANNA ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE OUTLETS AND ACCESS TO HELP.
[01:20:01]
IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL ARE DOING THAT.I JUST WANT TO, UH, PLACE EMPHASIS ON THAT.
UM, I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT CIVILIAN COMPENSATION.
AS IT RELATES TO THE ENTRY WAGE.
ON SLIDE 12, IT SAYS ENTRY WAGES ARE INCREASING TO $18 AN HOUR.
IS, IS THAT COMPARATIVE? WHAT, WHAT IS THAT LIKE TO THE REST OF THE CITIES IN TEXAS? UM, WE ARE AT OR ABOVE THE OTHER CITIES, THE ONLY ONE WHO'S COMING IN HIGHER THAN US IS, UM, AUSTIN.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE, UH, THE, THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENTIAL, I THINK THEY HAVE PROPOSED RIGHT HERE TOO.
THEY HAVE PROPOSED $20 AND 60 CENTS, WHICH WOULD BRING THEM TO 1888 WHEN, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO DOLLARS.
UH, BUT WE'RE WELL ABOVE HOUSTON.
THAT, UM, UH, IS AT 15, WHICH IS $14 IN SAN ANTONIO DOLLARS.
AND DALLAS, IT'S AT 1727 IN SAN ANTONIO DOLLARS.
ALSO, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THE QUESTION, UM, THAT, UH, COUNCIL MC CASTILLO ASKED EARLIER.
SO Y'ALL SAID IT WAS 53 DAYS FROM JOB POSTING TO HIRE.
IS THAT CORRECT? ON AVERAGE? WHAT IS, WHAT IS HE'S, UH, TURNAROUND TIME ON THAT? DO WE KNOW? JUST TOTALLY CURIOUS AND WE COULD TOTALLY FOLLOW UP LATER.
I, WE DON'T KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT AS EASY TO GET THAT OUT OF PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS.
UM, BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF, OF THINGS IN THE, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EXPEDITING THAT WE'VE DONE TRAININGS WITH SUPERVISORS, TALKING ABOUT MAKE SURE YOU'VE CREATED YOUR PANEL AND RESERVED YOUR ROOM.
WHERE ARE THE, WHERE IS EVERY TIME THAT WE CAN CUT A DAY OUT OF OUR PROCESS YEAH.
GET THIS MOVING FOR, BECAUSE EVERY DAY IS ONE MORE DAY THAT WE MAY LOSE A EXACTLY.
THAT'S EXACTLY, AND WE'RE AWARE OF THAT.
I DID, UH, WANT TO ECHO, ECHO COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ'S REMARKS.
UH, ALL OF US ON COUNCIL RELY ON THE EXPERIENCE AND RELATIONSHIPS OUR TEAMS HAVE BUILT WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
AND I'D LOVE FOR US TO LOOK DEEPER IN HELPING, IN HELPING US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS PAY OUR TEAMS COMPETITIVELY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WANNA EXPRESS MY INTEREST IN DISCRETIONARY PAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH L G C ON THE PAY RANGES.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN HELP PUSH FOR PAYING OUR TEAMS ACCORDINGLY.
AND I, AND I'M ALSO DID WANNA GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO AFSCME.
I SEE, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESS ON THE COMPRESSION ISSUE, YOU KNOW, STILL WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK, UH, IT'S A LARGE TESTAMENT TO THEIR ADVOCACY OVER THE YEARS TOO.
UM, MOVING ON TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THIS.
UM, IN LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION, I'M SEEING GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK BEING DONE, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR SMALL MINORITY, UH, WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ON SLIDE 10 WITH THE ARPA IMPLEMENTATION FUNDS.
I'M ESPECIALLY THANKFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE FOR THE ADDITION OF THREE NEW CORRIDORS IN DISTRICT SEVEN FOR THIS FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL, UM, TO BEGIN FLYERING OUR BUSINESSES TO APPLY FOR THIS IMPACTFUL PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SUPPLY SA AND THE GREAT WORK BEING DONE THERE.
DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE ON WHEN THAT WILL BE READY? UH, SO RIGHT NOW, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONGER TERM INITIATIVE.
UM, IT'S A VERY ITERATIVE PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL AS IN THE LONG RUN.
AND THIS CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE TOOLKIT IS AWESOME.
DID YOU MENTION IT'S ONLINE? YES, IT'S AVAILABLE, UM, IN BOTH PRINT, OBVIOUSLY IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH, AS WELL AS ONLINE IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH.
GATO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA.
AND I'LL GO WITH MY QUESTIONS TO E D D NOW.
AND SO, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, UM, WHITE BECAUSE I WAS, I WAS WONDERING, UM, WHO OR HOW THE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS WERE GONNA BE PAID, AND SPECIFICALLY HOW MUCH? SO I THINK THAT IT GOES ALONG WITH, WITH YOUR QUESTIONING.
I WASN'T ENTIRELY SURE, UM, HOW MUCH, BUT I, UH, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY STUDENTS TO BECOME INFLUENCERS 'CAUSE THEY GET PAID A LOT OF MONEY, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS WORRIED.
I WAS LIKE, WELL, HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING THEM? SO, UM, SO JUST IF, IF WE CAN GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THERE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND THEN THE CREATION OF THE DATA MANAGEMENT TEAM.
UM, HOW DOES, HOW HAS IT HELPED? AND EVEN IN THE LAST THREE QUARTERS, UM, SO I CAN JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HIT ABOUT 17,833 IS THE TOTAL CONTRACTS FOR THE FOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, INFLUENCERS.
UM, THE, SO IT, WITH THE DATA TEAM, UH, WE BROUGHT THE TEAM ON BOARD IN SPRING, LATE SPRING.
[01:25:01]
WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE DEEP DIVES INTO THINGS LIKE THE MILLIKEN TO UNDERSTAND, UH, AGAIN, REALLY START TO BENCHMARK.UH, YOU'LL BE SEEING FAIRLY SOON A DASHBOARD FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE FINAL STAGES OF THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN REALLY WORKING WITH OUR TEAM.
SO AS WE ROLL OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ROBUST BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM, THE, UH, BUSINESS AND INTELLIGENCE TEAM IS REALLY DIGGING INTO ALL OF THE, THE SECOND STAGE COMPANIES, THE GROWTH COMPANY, MEDIUM SIZED COMPANIES IN OUR TARGET INDUSTRIES, ALREADY CURRENTLY LOCATED HERE, UM, TO IDENTIFY FOR OUR, UH, INDUSTRY AND GLOBAL TEAMS TO GO VISIT.
UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, SPECIFICALLY GLOBAL TEAMS BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING IF WE'RE GONNA, IF WE'RE EXPECTED TO EXPAND OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE, AND IN PARTICULAR HOW WE'RE LEVERAGING OUR SISTER CITY PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPAND CITY BUSINESS.
SO WE DON'T PLAN ON, UM, EXPANDING OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT TEAM, HOWEVER, WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING AT REALLY HOW DO WE DOUBLE DOWN WITH THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A SISTER CITY IN KOREA.
UM, SO WE HAVE RECENTLY, UH, PARTNERED WITH GREATER SS A T X FOR, UM, REALLY EXPANSION OF OUR KOREA CONTRACT FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT.
SO CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THE METRO PRIORITY PLAN, UH, REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE CAN EXPAND THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE'RE EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS IN MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA, UM, PARTICULARLY COLUMBIA.
AND SO WE'RE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF A CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT IN GREATER S A T X AND I SAW ROMANITA EARLIER, UM, SO I, I, I KNOW THAT THEY WORK A LOT ON GLOBAL, SO I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE, LIKE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PROTOCOL JUST ISN'T UNDER THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, FOR INSTANCE.
UM, 'CAUSE I FEEL IT'S, IT'S MORE PROTOCOL THAN, UH, BUSINESS, UH, IN, IN MY OPINION.
AND, AND SHERRY DOES WONDERFUL WORK.
UM, I THINK IT'S MORE RELATIONSHIP BASED, SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY, UM, PLANS TO KIND OF INCREASE THE, THE, THE GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE AND ACTUALLY HAVE THEM DO, UM, BUSINESS.
BUT I GET IT AT GREATER S I T X IS, IS WORKING ON THAT.
AND, AND I, UM, HAVE HEARD THEIR STRATEGY AND I'M, I'M ON BOARD WITH IT, UM, IS I ASKED ABOUT A SMALL BUSINESS DIRECTORY, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
IS IT STILL IN PROGRESS? UM, SO I BELIEVE YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT THE LISTING OF BUSINESSES.
UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, OUR BUSINESS RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE TEAM HAS IDENTIFIED A RESOURCE, AS YOU KNOW, THIS HAS INCREDIBLE, UH, DIFFICULTY TO GET THIS KIND OF INFORMATION.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING ON EXECUTING A CONTRACT FOR A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE THAT WILL PROVIDE US SOME MUCH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
WE ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS ON WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WE CAN PULL FROM THEM, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, DBAS DOING BUSINESS AS.
AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM, I SEE THAT IT'S PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR.
ARE, ARE WE ANTICIPATING THAT'S GONNA COME A, A RECURRING REQUEST IN THE BUDGET? UM, THAT'LL, RIGHT NOW IT'S BEEN A PILOT PROGRAM, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE THAT, UH, AND WOULD CERTAINLY BRING FORWARD ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWING THEM.
AND THEN FOR THE CAPACITY BUILDING AND BONDING ASSISTANCE, HOW MANY OF THE 11 PARTICIPATING FI UH, FIRMS HAD SUBMITTED BIDS BEFORE THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE PILOT PROGRAM? WE'LL HAVE TO PROVIDE FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
WHAT I, I THINK JUSTINA WAS GONNA ADD SOMETHING.
I JUST WANT ON THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM THAT IS RECURRING.
BEGINNING AND END THIS YEAR MM-HMM.
SO EVEN BEYOND NEXT YEAR, WE'RE THINKING, OR I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF THE WAIT AND SEE.
SO IT'S, IT'S IN OUR FISCAL, IT'S IN OUR, UH, PLAN OKAY.
AND THEN ON, UM, SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, THE RESTRICTED FUNDS, UM, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND AND STARBRITE AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER FUNDS? YES.
SO IT INCLUDES OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND, STARBRITE, AS WELL AS, UH, TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES FUND THAT HELP WITH THE BOND PROGRAM.
AND JUST CLOSELY RELATED, HOW MUCH OF THE RESERVE IS, IS ALLOCATED TO E D D THEN? SO WE HAVE ABOUT THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE INCENTIVE FUND IS ABOUT 7.8 MILLION OF THAT AMOUNT.
7 MILLION IS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, ACTIVITIES, ABOUT 800,000 IS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, LEMME GO AHEAD AND DO E O D C FIRST.
SO BRENDA, I THINK THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN WHITE
[01:30:01]
BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD, UM, POINT, AND THAT IS, I THINK THE, UH, PURPOSE OF E O D C IS TO DEVELOP BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.UH, AND I SURE WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN, UH, MUCH MORE EXPLANATION OF, YOU KNOW, WOULD'VE BEEN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT WOULD JUSTIFY THE SPENDING THAT WE HAVE ON E O D C.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY BUSINESSES WERE STARTED, HOW MANY BUSINESSES WERE RETAINED, HOW MANY JOBS WERE CREATED, HOW MANY JOBS WERE SUSTAINED, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE LEVEL OF COMPENSATION THAT THESE JOBS HAVE BEEN BRINGING TO THE CITY.
UH, I THINK THOSE ARE KEY METRICS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT E O D C.
UM, BUT LET ME FOCUS ON THE BUDGET.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, WHAT PERCENTAGE, UH, OF THE BUDGET IS GENERAL FUNDS AND WHAT PERCENTAGE COMES FROM GRANTS OR, OR OTHER FUNDING? SO OUR BUDGET IS, UM, PRIMARILY GENERAL FUNDED.
THERE IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DO HAVE SOME ARPA DOLLARS, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, WELL, THAT'S, THOSE, THAT'S OUR FUNDING, GENERAL FUNDING ARPA.
SO IT'S LIKE 99% GENERAL FUND.
SO THE ARPA IS, UH, VERY LITTLE OF, IT IS ACTUALLY USED FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
WE HAVE TWO STAFF MEMBERS THAT WERE ADDED TO SUPPORT THE $32.4 MILLION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S ALL PROGRAMMING AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAMS. SO THERE AREN'T ANY STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR.
UM, SO WE, WE DO LOOK AT WHAT VARIOUS GRANTS THERE ARE OUT THERE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE GRANTS.
SO WE DO CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE OPEN FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED THIS, BUT YOU'VE GOT 9.7 MILLION IN RESTRICTED FUNDS IN THE BUDGET.
WHAT ARE THOSE FUNDS FOR BEING RESTRICTED, SO TO SPEAK? WELL, JUSTINA, SHE JUST ADDRESSED THIS, SO INCLUDED IN THE RESTRICTED FUNDS, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND, WHICH IS ABOUT $7.8 MILLION.
SO THAT IS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THE, UH, STARBRITE INDUSTRIAL FUND IS ABOUT 1.7 MILLION, AND THAT'S FOR, UH, INVESTMENTS THAT WE MADE IN TOYOTA AND THE, AND WHEN THAT DEVELOPMENT CAME ON, THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT FROM THE CAPITAL UH, MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, OUR SERVICES, THERE'S TWO POSITIONS IN THERE.
AND THOSE HELP WITH THE BOND, UH, WITH THE BOND PROJECTS.
COULD YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH, UH, OUT OF THAT IS DEDICATED TO READY TO WORK? SO ABOUT 800,000 IS FOR, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND THAT'S INCLUDING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND.
I HAD A, A REQUEST TODAY, UH, FROM THE FAIR CONTRACT COALITION FOR $5 MILLION FOR SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTION.
UH, AND WHEN MIGHT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE KINDS OF CONSIDERATIONS? I GUESS I'M ASKING A CITY MANAGER SENSE, SOMETHING NEW, AND THIS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TIME.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, ERIC? UM, I, WELL, I THINK WE ALL GOT COPIED ON THAT EMAIL, BUT I HAVEN'T OPENED IT YET, SO.
BUT, SO IF THAT'S A REQUEST THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO CONSIDER, AND AS WE GET TO, UH, AMENDMENT TIME, IF, UH, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS TO ADD TO THE LIST, UM, YOU KNOW, WE START, AS WE START WITH AMENDMENTS, WE START WITH A LONGER LIST.
UM, BUT I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT EMAIL, UH, FROM, UH, FROM THE F C C THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT HR NOW.
UM, LET ME ASK, FIRST OF ALL, ARE WE FINISHED WITH OUR COMPRESSION WORK? IS THAT COMPLETE? NO, IT IS NOT.
SO WHAT DO YOU FORESEE GOING FORWARD, UH, IN THAT AREA? WELL, THIS NEXT YEAR WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE 50% OF OUR, UH, PAY PLAN B EMPLOYEES THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THOSE STEP EMPLOYEES THAT DID NOT RECEIVE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
I HEARD THE CITY MANAGER SAY SOMETHING LIKE $58 MILLION NEXT YEAR, OR 50 SOMETHING MILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR ADDITIONAL OR SUPPLEMENTAL, UH, EMPLOYMENT, UH, ADDITIONAL OKAY.
WITHIN OUR $3.7 MILLION BUDGET ALL FUNDS.
UM, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW MANY YEARS WE ARE LOOKING AT, IN A, LIKE A STEP PLAN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UH, YOU, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER I SAID WE NEED TO PROVIDE A PLAN THAT SHOWS LONGEVITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY.
AND THE LAST PLAN WE HAVE IS A, LIKE A EIGHT STEP PLAN.
[01:35:01]
HOW DO PEOPLE PLAN FOR A 20 YEAR CAREER PLUS, UH, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT AND SEE THE POSSIBILITY FOR A 20 YEAR CAREER DOWN THE LINE.IS THAT ALONG THE LINES OF THE THINKING THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH? ABSOLUTELY.
SO AS WE, AS WE, UH, MOVE TO WORK THROUGH COMPRESSION, WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE, UH, REWARD LONGEVITY AND IN INCREASE PEOPLE'S WAGE GROWTH AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THEIR CAREER OF THE CITY.
AND IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A COMBINATION OF COMPRESSION AND A LONGEVITY.
UM, COULD IT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEE SALARY IS RIGHT NOW, EXCLUDING UNIFORMED, UH, POLICE AND FIRE? FOR OUR FULL-TIME CIVILIANS, OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEES MAKE ON AVERAGE $58,000.
UM, I THINK THAT REALLY CONCLUDES THE, THE COMMENTS I HAVE.
I, I DO WANNA SAY I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE MOVING UP TO $18 PER HOUR.
WHERE DOES THAT PLACE US AMONG MAJOR EMPLOYEES FOR A STARTING SALARY? I THINK THAT WE'RE REALLY COMPETITIVE AT THAT $18 AN HOUR.
WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEM HIRING PEOPLE AT THAT ENTRY LEVEL POSITION.
SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT AT OR LEADING THE MARKET WITH, WITH OUR $18.
UM, ONE, UM, AND WE'LL INCLUDE IT IN THE FOLLOW-UP MEMO, BUT PROBABLY IF IT'S NOT UP TODAY, BUT WE ALSO, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS ONLINE, WE WILL BE UPDATED, UM, ALL OF THE 2022 SALARIES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, UM, AND WILL ENCAPSULATE, UM, THAT, UH, THAT ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE AVERAGE.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT BETWEEN CIVILIAN POLICE, FIRE AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, AND, AND YOU, YOU, RENEE, YOU DID NOT, AND YOU DID NOT SAY THIS, BUT, UM, SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL WHERE WE STAND AGAINST OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES HERE ON THAT ENTRY WAGE AGAIN? UM, OUR ENTRY OH, WITH HERE LOCALLY.
SO WE, WE ARE MOVING TO, TO $18, UH, C P S IS AT $18.
SAS IS CURRENTLY AT 1760 AND BEXAR COUNTY IS AT 1754 THERE.
ONE THING I FORGOT TO ASK IF I JUST HAVE A MOMENT LEFT.
AND THAT IS, UM, HOW MUCH E O D C FUNDS ARE WE GIVING TO DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE DEAL WITH? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO AS PART OF THE BUDGET, WE HAVE ABOUT 6.3 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES.
AND THAT'S, UM, FOR QUEST AS WELL AS, OR PROJECT QUEST, AS WELL AS, UM, ALMO PROMISE.
BUT THAT'S ALL OUT OF THE E O D C FUND.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT E O D C FUNDS? THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING ABOUT.
THERE'S, UH, OUT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND.
YEAH, THERE'S, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE A SLIDE UP DELEGATE AGENCIES.
SO IT'S THERE, IT'S ABOUT 800,000, BUT THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT MIKE, UM, THAT'S ALL ABOUT 800,000.
I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO, QUICK QUESTION ON THE, UM, STEP PAY PLAN B.
ON THAT SLIDE, IT SAYS, UM, EMPLOYEES WITH AN ESTIMATE ABOUT 10 YEARS WILL BE AT MIDPOINT.
AND HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO OUR L G C EMPLOYEES? BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED IT WAS EIGHT PLUS THE MINIMUM.
SO ARE WE ON THE SIMILAR, UM, ARE OUR EMPLOYEES ON A SIMILAR PAY PLAN AS THIS ONE? THEY ARE ON, UH, SIMILAR TO OUR PAY PLAN B? YES.
BUT WE HAVE OUR OWN KIND OF SET OF RULES BECAUSE IT'S, UH, WE DECIDED THEM ON L G C THE SAME RULE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAME RULE AS CITY POST.
SO SIMILAR, JUST NOT EXACT, RIGHT? Y'ALL MADE THE MO Y'ALL MADE THE MOVE TO ADDRESS COMPRESSION SOONER THAN US.
SO, UH, THE L G C EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY HAD ABAN ADVANTAGE OF, UH, WE VALUE THE EXPERIENCE AT A HIGHER LEVEL OKAY.
AND MOVE THEM FURTHER ALONG IN THE RANGE, BUT IT, IT SHOULD MIRROR WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR PAY PLAN B.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, GREAT JOB ON ADDRESSING THE 4% COAL.
I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY OUR AFC MEMBERS.
SO EXCITED THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING THAT.
OR I GUESS IT'S NOT A GOAL, IT'S JUST A 4% RAISE.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO RE ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER GTO AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ'S REQUEST AROUND DISCRETION FOR COUNCIL, UM, FOR COUNCIL STAFF.
THINK, WELL, KIM GTO GAVE IT TO YOU, SO I JUST TAGGED ONTO HER.
AND SO WANNA TALK TO, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REAL QUICK? SORRY.
UM, SO, UH, WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM, AND SO SPECIFICALLY YES.
I WANTED TO KNOW, DID WE GET ANY FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PILOT AND FROM THE BUSINESSES TO SEE WHETHER THIS WAS HOW THEY WANTED TO USE OUR
[01:40:01]
FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION? UH, SO AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING A SURVEY RIGHT NOW TO THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH, WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM AND WHATNOT.UM, PRIOR TO BUILDING THE PROGRAM, UH, WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION, WE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESSES WHO WERE BEING IMPACTED TO HELP BUILD IT.
SO NOW WE'RE EVALUATING HOW IT'S GOING.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, WHAT WE REALLY WANNA GET TO IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING IN ADVANCE, SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY, UM, BEING IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION, BUT REALLY IN THE PLANNING STAGES.
SO WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND THEN WORKING WITH THE BUSINESSES AT THAT POINT IN TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
A YEAR, TWO, THREE YEARS OUT, I DOUBLED DOWN ON THAT, WHICH MEANS WE ALL NEED TO KNOW FROM PUBLIC WORKS WHEN OUR, UH, PROJECTS ARE COMING ONLINE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THINGS IN ADVANCE.
I WANTED TO RE ECHO THE COMMENTS MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE 1.4 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR, UM, CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANT FUNDING, WHICH I SOMETIMES WE GET CONFUSED WITH BETWEEN THE TWO.
BUT IN BOTH INSTANCES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY TALK TO SPAC, BUT TALK TO, UM, ACTUAL BUSINESSES WHO ARE ON THE GROUND AND BEING IMPACTED BY THIS AND HAVING THEM AT THE TABLE TO SAY WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WANT.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE PREVIOUSLY DID THE GRANT PROGRAM, THERE WAS A LOT OF 'EM THAT WERE EXEMPT AND WEREN'T ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THE FUNDING.
UM, AND SO SPECIFICALLY FOR LAUNCH SA, IS THE FUNDING REMOVED FOR LAUNCH SA FOR THIS YEAR? ARE WE NO LONGER SUPPORTING THAT ORGANIZATION? UH, SO FOR LAUNCH SA WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF, UH, WRAPPING UP A SOLICITATION AND WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD THE NEGOTIATED CONTRACT FAIRLY SOON.
SO IT IS BUDGETED FOR, IT IS BUDGETED GOING FORWARD.
I JUST, 'CAUSE I WANTED TO ALSO ECHO WHAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAID ABOUT NEEDING, WANTING TO SEE HOW MANY JOBS ARE BEING CREATED, BUT ALSO HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE BEING CREATED.
AND I KNOW THERE WAS THAT PICTURE IN, I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE PICTURES WITH THE BEIGNET STAND, WHICH IS A DISTRICT ONE, UM, BUSINESS, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE LAUNCH ESSAY GRANTEES.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, AND THEN CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UH, CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION FUNDS? WHAT ARE THOSE BEING ALLOCATED FOR? THAT WAS ON? YEAH, SO WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, IN ARPA FUNDING.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE PLACEMAKING, UH, KIND OF BUCKET WITHIN THE ARPA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UH, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA TO ROLL OUT.
IT'S REALLY A QUARTER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
UH, AND SO MORE INFORMATION WILL BE COMING OUT ON THAT.
WE RECENTLY PRESENTED TO THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ROLLING THAT OUT.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY A, A 20 MEMBER, UP TO 20 MEMBER COHORT GROUP, AGAIN, FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP, THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION, UM, HOW DO YOU ENGAGE YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, UNDERSTANDING DISPLACEMENT, A WHOLE VARIETY OF TOPICS WILL BE COVERED.
UM, AND SO REALLY LOOKING AT THAT TO LAUNCH IN EARLY 2024.
CALENDAR YEAR 2024, YOU'LL BE COMING BACK TO US WITH DETAILS ON KIND OF WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT.
SO YOU'LL ALL RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE MARKETING, THE INFORMATION, AND THEN ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL SPECIFICS ON THAT.
AND THEN FOR THE SUPPLY ESSAY PAGE, THE LAST QUESTION I REALLY HAD WAS, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS IS CHANGING AND LIKE, WHAT ARE THE CHANGES? UH, IT'S, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S CHANGING FROM FISCAL YEAR 23 TO 24.
UH, SO REALLY 23 WAS THE INITIAL YEAR OF IT.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF BUILDING THE FOUNDATION CONVERSATIONS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S 14 PARTNERS ENGAGED.
SO IT'S, UH, A LOT OF, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHERE EVERYBODY IS AT AS WE MOVE INTO.
SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, OUR DIRECTION WAS REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT WE CAN DO INTERNALLY.
UH, SO WE DID ISSUE THAT SOLICITATION FOR A REVIEW OF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
UH, AND AGAIN, SHOULD BE BRINGING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION BEFORE TOO LONG ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN A LOT OF THE RESOURCES IS GOING TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THAT.
AND THEN LIKEWISE, UH, KINDA MOVING INTO FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, THERE WILL BE A BUSINESS PLAN, UM, FUNDING AND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS WE ANTICIPATE BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR OKAY.
FOR ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THE LAST THING, UM, WITH THE FAC, UH, GRANTS, LIKE THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT.
GRANT, I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GTO GOT SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, LIKE HER DISTRICT HAS KIND OF FORGOTTEN IN THE INITIAL CONVERSATION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S ALWAYS STREETS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THESE GRANT PROGRAMS. AND SO I'M WONDERING, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT WHICH GRANT, WHICH STREETS ARE APPLICABLE FOR WHICH GRANTS? AND LIKE, ONE STREET SOUTH LIKE AVIOS IS EXCLUDED, AND THEN WE HAVE THAT COMMUNITY WONDERING, SO HOW DO WE KIND OF BALANCE THAT? OR THE PI WAS EXCLUDED FROM THIS GRANT BECAUSE I'M GUESSING IT WAS PI AREA.
[01:45:01]
AGAIN, WE, WE LISTENED TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE INPUT WE RECEIVED FROM CITY COUNCIL, UM, BACK IN JANUARY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THESE PROGRAMS. FEBRUARY, MARCH, THE FOCUS WAS ON CONSTRUCTION, UH, CONTINUES TO BE OBVIOUSLY.AND SO AS WE WERE REALLY DEVELOPING THE CRITERIA BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN WHAT WAS SUB SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL WAS TO FOCUS ON THOSE, THOSE AREAS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
SO THOSE CORRIDORS 17 HAPPENED TO BE IDENTIFIED IN THE FACADE GRANT PROGRAM.
UM, AS WELL AS THOSE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE LEVERAGING PREVIOUS WORK.
UH, SO THOSE TARGETED CORRIDORS THAT WE HAD THE PLANNING EFFORTS FROM AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT WAS A PROCESS WITH CITY COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT IN OKAY.
SO FAR, I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR TEAM.
WE WERE ABLE TO GO BLOCK WALK WITH, UM, YOUR TEAM MEMBERS TO ACTUALLY PASS OUT THAT INFORMATION AND THERE WAS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CORE COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF GENERAL QUESTIONS.
FRIDA AND I CAN GET THIS OFFLINE, IS I'M CURIOUS TO HOW MANY, UH, CHILDREN CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE FROM ONE MONTH TO 18 YEARS OLD AND ONE TO FIVE.
UH, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THE LARGER CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD IN ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE VOTED TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO TO CONDUCT A SURVEY REGARDING CHILDCARE DESERTS.
UM, AND, AND I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? HOW MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE CHILDREN AND NEED TO IDENTIFY ACCESS TO CHILD CARE? UM, AND, AND, RIGHT.
YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT ACCESS TO CHILDCARE.
UM, AND I'M JUST THINKING OF THE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL ISGS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SCHOOL CLOSURES, RIGHT? AND THESE VACANT BUILDINGS THAT ARE SET UP FOR CHILDCARE FACILITIES, UM, THAT MAY BE ACCESSIBLE, UH, TO US.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S STILL PLANNING THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT I, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
AND I DIDN'T ASK ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS, BUT I DID HAVE AN IDEA.
THERE IS ONE, UM, I FOUND HIS, UH, HANDLE IS AT RON UNDERSCORE NURENBERG
UM, HE, HE MIGHT BE A GREAT TOOL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, ALL JOKES ASIDE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION WAS THE PROGRAMMING WITHIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I, I'VE MADE IT A POINT, THIS BUDGET CYCLE, TO REALLY STRESS EQUITY AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT MAY BE ONE OF THE ONES THAT I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, IS ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF EQUITY.
UM, LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND, UM, THE QUARTERS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE AND WHO GOT ALLOCATED FUNDING, AND THERE WERE ONLY TWO ON THE NORTH NEW BRAUNFELS CORRIDOR.
AND IN ABOUT TWO DAYS ON A FINISHED PROJECT, WE'RE ABOUT TO GO RIP UP THE, RIP IT UP AGAIN BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR DIDN'T DO QUALITY WORK THE FIRST TIME.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY MAYBE ONLY TWO, UH, BUSINESSES ON THAT COURT ON NORTH NEW BRAUNFELS GOT, UH, FUNDING.
BUT IT'S STILL A PROBLEM TO ME THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE OF THE CITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, LACK OF INVESTMENT THAT SPANS DECADES AND VERY FEW, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHOULD BE QUALIFIED AND SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FUNDING DID.
AND SO THEN WHEN I'M, WHEN IT MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR ME THEN TO LOOK AT PROGRAMS LIKE THE FACADE, UM, AND THE OUTDOOR, UH, OUTDOOR PATIO RENOVATION, THAT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, THEN MY, I'M CONCERNED THAT BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT ARE LESS PRIMED AND PREPARED TO RECEIVE FUNDING.
AND THEN ARE WE AS A CITY REALLY ACHIEVING EQUITY WHEN WE CONTINUE TO, WE MIGHT BE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN HIGH EQUITY AREAS.
WE MIGHT BE INVESTING GREATLY IN THE WEST SIDE.
IT'S NEEDED, BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA LEAVE BEHIND FOLK ON THE EAST SIDE.
AND THAT'S OF GRAVE CONCERN TO ME.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M, UH, VERY WORRIED ABOUT.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR US TO, I WOULD LIKE MAYBE TO SEE A PLAN OF HOW WE ACHIEVE EQUITY THERE.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE BUSINESSES IN THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER, UNDER INVESTED AND NEGLECTED ARE GOING TO RECEIVE A FAIR SHARE AND FAIR CAN BE SUBJECTIVE.
UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, I THINK THE, AND I, I KNOW WE ALL GOT THE LETTER FROM THE FAIR CONTRACTING COALITION.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, AND I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T YET OPENED IT YET, ERIC, BUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY SHOULD THE $5 MILLION ACHIEVE? AND THEN I AM LOOKING AT THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW ON A PAGE 317, UM,
[01:50:01]
AND I STILL SEE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, SMALL BUSINESS.UH, IT SAYS PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 24 6, 6 0.6 MILLION.
IS THAT THE MONEY THAT WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED AND IT JUST HASN'T BEEN SPENT? OKAY.
SO IT HASN'T BEEN SPENT, SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION FROM SOMEWHERE.
MAYBE I'LL READ THE LETTER A LITTLE BIT MORE THOROUGHLY, BUT I WOULD WONDER WHERE WOULD IT BE BEST USED? THAT'S IT, THAT'S MY QUESTION THERE.
I GUESS THE, FOR HR THEN, SOMETHING I'D BE INTERESTED IN, AND I'M, I WOULD, I KNOW WE DON'T OFTEN TALK ABOUT BENEFITS AND WE DON'T TALK ABOUT, UM, THINGS RELATED TO OUR EMPLOYEE FROM THIS LENS.
BUT THINKING ABOUT PARENTAL LEAVE, UM, OURS IS, I I BELIEVE IT'S SIX WEEKS RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT ACCURATE? UM, I KNOW AUSTIN RECENTLY EXTENDED THEIRS TO 12 WEEKS.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE, I THINK THAT WE AS A SOCIETY ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF VALUING EMPLOYEES TIME OFF AND THEIR NEEDS, UH, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A FAMILY AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR OWN, UH, AND HEALING PROPERLY.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, WHAT IMPACTS DO WE THINK THAT WOULD HAVE? WOW.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED WAS IN HEALING PROPERLY MM-HMM.
SO, UM, BOTH PARENTS WILL RECEIVE THE SIX WEEKS OF PARENTAL LEAVE, BUT THE BIRTHING MOTHER ON TOP OF THAT, RECEIVES A HUNDRED PERCENT OF PAY FOR, FOR A PARTICULAR PERIOD OF TIME UNDER OUR SHORT TERM DISABILITY TO RECOVER FROM THE MEDICAL, UH, IMPACT OF CHILDBIRTH.
UM, I I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT AUSTIN HAS DONE.
UM, UH, I KNOW THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE, UH, HAVE TAKEN FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE SIX WEEKS.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CONTINUE TO, TO REVIEW.
AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE YET REACHED THIS POINT, BUT HAVE WE EVER HAD A, UM, SAY A DIRECTOR LEVEL, UH, EMPLOYEE GO ON LEAVE, PARENTAL LEAVE IN RECENT? WE HAVE, AND THEN DO WE GET AN INTERIM? WE USUALLY DO DIRECTOR MAY OR MAY NOT.
SO I ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE NOW WE MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE L G C AND CITY EMPLOYEES, AND OUR DIRECTOR WOULD BE A CHIEF OF STAFF.
IF A CHIEF OF STAFF AND THE L G C WERE TO, UH, TAKE PARENTAL LEAVE, WOULD WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE AN INTERIM AND HOW IT, I AM INTERESTED IN HOW WE REALLY MAKE, MAKE THINGS, UH, COMPARABLE.
AND I KNOW IT'S A HYPOTHETICAL THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, AND IT'S OF IN IT'S JUST OF INTEREST.
I, I'M JUST INTERESTED IN THAT.
I THINK THAT PROCESS EXISTS AND YOU AND I CAN TALK ABOUT IT OFFLINE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER GRAND.
I JUST WANNA ECHO, UM, WHAT COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ SAID ABOUT EQUITY.
I THINK IF YOU HAVE NOT, AND WE SHARE A BORDER ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, AND I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE GRANTS, WE CANNOT DO JUST A ONE, ONE IN ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
WE ARE LOOKING AT AREAS THAT, UH, DON'T HAVE, AREN'T GONNA DO OUTDOOR IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE THEY SIT ON A BUSY CORRIDOR.
I'M THINKING OF LA CHINITA THAT AREN'T GOING TO, UM, NECESSARILY BE ONLINE AND HAVE THAT ONLINE PRESENCE.
SO I REALLY WANNA LOOK AND SEE THAT WE CAN HELP AND KEEP LOCAL AND GET DISTRICT THREE, UM, SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS IN DISTRICT TWO SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS.
'CAUSE I, WE ARE SEEING AN INFLUX AND I THINK ABOUT SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE OF THOSE, UM, THOSE BIG CHAIN RESTAURANTS, WHICH MY RESIDENTS LOVE, BUT I DO WANNA KEEP THE WHOLE LOCAL ASPECT ALSO IN CERTAIN CORRIDORS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THAT.
I ALSO WANNA ECHO WHAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO SAID REGARDING, UM, THE CHILDCARE AND GETTING THE DATA ON TERMS OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND WHAT, WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS IN TERMS OF, UM, THEIR, THE CHILDREN AT HOME.
BECAUSE WE, WE ARE SEEING THAT CITYWIDE ABOUT THAT BEING A, UM, A DETERMINANT FOR WOMEN AND HOW THEY MAKE THEIR DECISIONS IN MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE KNOW THAT WOMEN DO STRUGGLE, UM, WITH POVERTY, THAT THEY DO STRUGGLE WITH MOVING FORWARD.
UM, LATINAS AND, AND BLACK WOMEN IN PARTICULAR FIND IT MOST CHALLENGING.
SO I, I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCILMAN NOR GARCIA'S ASK FOR KIND OF THE BREAKDOWN OF, OF WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE.
MY BELIEF IS WE NEED TO GET THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT HAVE STARTED AT, YOU KNOW, THE, AT A, AT AN INTERN LEVEL
[01:55:01]
MOVE, MOVE UP AND GET THOSE MANAGERS, AND GET THOSE PROJECT DIRECTORS AND GET THOSE DIRECTOR POSITIONS IF WE WANNA SEE EQUITY GO THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.AND SO, UM, THAT'S JUST MY, MY CONTINUED, UH, SUPPORT IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOW WE LOOK AT THIS EQUITY LENS THROUGH A, A HOLISTIC VIEW.
YEAH, BRIEFLY, JUST TO ECHO, UM, COUNCILMAN COURAGES POINT ON THIS, UH, ON THIS LETTER THAT WE GOT, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, WE'RE GONNA, IT'S AN OPEN MEETINGS ISSUE ACCORDING TO OUR ATTORNEY.
SO WE'RE GONNA BRIEF, UH, COUNSEL AND EXEC, UM, ON THAT ISSUE.
WELL THEN I'LL JUST SAY GENERALLY THAT IF WE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE LAGGING BEHIND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IN HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES WE STILL HAVE THAT ARE SHUT DOWN FROM C O V I, UM, WE NEED TO DO SOME, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
AND SO, AGAIN, IF WE CAN ALLOCATE SOME MORE RESOURCES TO THIS EFFORT, UH, I THINK OUR CITIZENS WOULD BE BETTER OFF.
I DON'T, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR OUR DISCUSSION TODAY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO, UH, OUR DEPARTMENTS HR AND E D D FOR THE BRIEFINGS.
[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: ]
ARE GONNA GO BRIEFLY INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.SO THE TIME IS NOW 4:01 PM ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2023.
CITY OF COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHEN I'LL MEET EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND DELIBERATE TO DISCUSS SOME FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 8 0 8 7, EXCUSE ME, SECTION 5 5 1 0 8 7, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE FOR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.072.
CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY UNDER SECTION 5 5, 1 0.071 FOR LEGAL ISSUES OR ADVICE RELATING TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY AND LITIGATION, EXCUSE ME, AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS UNDER PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
TIME IS 4:08 PM ON AUGUST 29TH, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN AND OUR MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.