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WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION.
UH, WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER AT 2:04 PM ON THE SIXTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER COR? COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER ILLA GRANT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER RETE GATO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE EVER PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE MAYOR NIERENBERG HERE.
I WANNA FOR NOTE THAT COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ IS, UH, ONLINE.
CAN YOU HEAR US? COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ? I CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK BEFORE WE GET STARTED, UH, I KNOW THERE'S SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE COME OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
JUST AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT IS AT 5:00 PM YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO SIGN UP FOR THAT? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT IN HERE, THOUGH.
IT'S A COUNCIL WORK SESSION DISCUSSION.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER FOR FOLKS WHO ARE HERE FOR THAT AND TO MY COLLEAGUES.
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GET STARTED NOW.WE'VE GOT, UH, A FEW THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
TURN IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
SO THIS, UH, BUDGET PRESENTATION IS ON ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'VE NOT COVERED SO FAR.
UM, UH, FREDDY, UM, WILL BE WALKING US THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION.
IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US TODAY ARE ALL THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT ARE EAGERLY AWAITING, UH, QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
FREDDY OH, AND THEN WHEN FREDDY'S DONE, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, UM, I'M GONNA LAY OUT THE, THE, UH, THE PLAN FOR NEXT WEEK.
WE'VE GOT TWO BUDGET WORK SESSIONS AND BUDGET ADOPTION.
SO A LOT OF WORK NEXT WEEK, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AT THE END.
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THEM.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, JUST A LITTLE BRIEF SUMMARY ON, UM, THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR FY 24.
AS YOU'LL RECALL, THE TOTAL, UH, FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET IS $3.7 BILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 9.1% HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR YEAR OR THE CURRENT YEAR.
UM, THE BUDGET IS MADE UP OF THREE DIFFERENT, UH, COMPONENTS OR FUNDS.
OUR LARGEST WOULD BE THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THE LARGEST OPERATING DEPARTMENT AT 1.6 BILLION AND SUPPORTS BASIC CITY SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS, AND THE LIBRARY.
WE ALSO HAVE RESTRICTED FUNDS, WHICH TOTAL 1.33 BILLION, WHICH INCLUDE FUNDS SUCH AS THE AIRPORT, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, HOTEL, OCCUP, OCCUPANCY TAX, OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AS WELL AS GRANTS.
AND FINALLY, THE THIRD COMPONENT WOULD BE OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM, WHICH FOR F Y 24 IS 798 MILLION, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY COMPOSED OF OUR 2022 BOND PROJECTS AND OUR AIRPORT PROJECTS AS WELL.
THUS FAR, WE'VE HELD NINE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS COVERING 23 DEPARTMENTS OR TOPICS, BUT TODAY WE'RE GONNA, UH, LOOK AT THE, UM, THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH MAKE UP ABOUT $149.5 MILLION.
UM, BEFORE TODAY, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE, UH, PRESENTED 96% OF THE $3.7 BILLION CITY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
SO TODAY I'LL FOCUS ON THE REMAINING 149.5 MILLION, AND THAT'S COMPRISED OF 20 DEPARTMENTS OR OFFICES, WHICH INCLUDE, UH, OPERATING SUPPORT, INTERNAL SERVICES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE AREAS.
HERE'S A LISTING OF THE 20 DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY.
THEY INCLUDE NINE WITHIN OPERATING, OPERATING SUPPORT, SEVEN WITHIN INTERNAL SERVICES, AND FOUR WITHIN COMMUNITY SERVICES.
LET'S BEGIN WITH OUR OPERATING SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.
OPERATING SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES TO BOTH THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
THE TOTAL F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THIS GROUP IS $62.3 MILLION, AND IT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR 241 POSITIONS.
I'LL BRIEFLY GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE, UH, DEPARTMENTS.
WE'LL START OFF WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHICH THEY REPRESENT THE CITY IN LEGAL MATTERS AND ADVISE ON LEGAL ISSUES.
WE ALSO HAVE THE CITY AUDITOR WHO PROVIDES ASSESSMENTS ON CITY PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN THAT'S ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK SUPPORTS CITY COUNCIL, MANAGES MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS, AS WELL AS VITAL RECORDS, AND OPERATES A CITY'S PASSPORT FACILITY.
THE CITY CLERK ALSO OVERSEES MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION, AS WELL AS CO AS WELL AS COMPLETING REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION.
THEY ALSO MANAGE THE CITY'S GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION CHANNELS AND PROVIDES SERVICES TO CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
UH, MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS.
THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO ADVOCATE FOR MILITARY ISSUES AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVEL,
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AS WELL AS SUPPORTING INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.UM, ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS GROUP AS THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND ALSO CITY MANAGER.
BUT, UM, WE KNOW WHAT THEY DO.
RIGHT? SO, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S A $62.3 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH IS A, UH, 0.7% OR $500,000 DECREASE WHEN COMPARED TO THE F Y 23 ADOPTED BUDGET.
THIS IS DUE TO A COUPLE THINGS.
THE FIRST BEING THAT IN F Y 24, THERE ARE NO MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS PLANNED, AND THERE ARE NO STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS PLANNED.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT 23 TO 24, THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $1.9 MILLION.
THAT DECREASE IS OFFSET BY INCREASES FOR, UH, CIVILIAN COMPENSATION, AS WELL AS ONE ADDITIONAL POSITION THAT WILL BE IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THAT THAT POSITION WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE, UH, TO THE DART AND GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM.
NOW, LET'S GO OVER TO THE SEVEN.
THE DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE UP INTERNAL SERVICES, INTERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES PRIMARILY TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, HOW THEY DO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
OVERALL, FOR THIS INTERNAL SERVICE GROUP, THE PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS $291.8 MILLION AND INCLUDES 871 POSITIONS.
INCLUDED IN THIS GROUP ARE DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS OUR BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
B E S D IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR CITY BUILDINGS, INCLUDING THE CITY TOWER, UM, OPERATING MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, AND THEIR F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS $127.1 MILLION.
WE ALSO HAVE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY WITH A TOTAL BUDGET OF 3.2 MILLION D E I A CENTRALIZES THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO PRIORITIZE AND OPERATIONALIZE ACCESSIBILITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, DEPARTMENTS AND SERVICES.
INNOVATION MANAGES PROJECTS SUCH AS THE INNOVATION ACADEMY, SMART CITIES PROJECTS, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AS WELL AS DIGITAL INCLUSION IN INITIATIVES.
THEIR TOTAL BUDGET FOR F Y 24 IS $2.2 MILLION.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE FINANCE AND BUDGET WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING FINANCIAL SERVICES TO THE CITY FOR F Y 24.
THE PROPO BUDGET INCLUDES $32.4 MILLION FOR FINANCE AND $3.5 MILLION FOR THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
NEXT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
THEY PROVIDE SECURE, RELIABLE, AND RESPONSIVE ENTERPRISE LEVEL TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
THEIR BUDGET FOR F Y 24 TOTALS 89.9 MILLION.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE RISK MANAGEMENT, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE PREVENTION OF INJURIES AND COLLISIONS, THE PROTECTION OF OUR CITY'S ASSETS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SOUND SAFETY PROGRAMS FOR THE WELFARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS.
THEIR FY 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET IS $33.5 MILLION.
NOW THE $291.8 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS A INCREASE OF ABOUT TWO POINT, EXCUSE ME, 23.8 MILLION OR 8.9%, UM, FROM THE F Y 23 ADOPTED BUDGET.
THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, DUE TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
UM, FIRST, UM, THE F Y 24 BUDGET REFLECTS THE, UM, REALLOCATION OF ALL PROCUREMENT DIVISIONS, OR EXCUSE ME, PROCUREMENT POSITIONS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WE HAD OTHER DEPARTMENTS COME UP AND SPEAK.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A $9.8 MILLION INCREASE IN THE EQUIPMENT RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND FOR 424 VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS IN F Y 24.
THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 35 VEHICLES ABOVE THE F Y 23 BYLA, AND IT ALSO, UH, ACCOUNTS FOR ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN COSTS.
IT INCLUDES REPLACEMENTS SUCH AS AMBULANCES AND FIRE TRUCKS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, CRUISERS AND MOTORCYCLES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AUTOMATED SITE LOADERS AND BRUSH COLLECTION EQUIPMENT FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS OTHER HEAVY TRUCKS, KENNEL TRUCKS, VANS, AND OTHER, UH, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
OTHER FACTORS THAT LEAD TO THE, THE INCREASE INCLUDE, UM, INCREASES IN OUR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AGREEMENTS FOR ENTERPRISE WIDE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT.
WE, THERE IS ALSO AN INCREASE WITHIN RISK MANAGEMENT FOR PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR THE CITY, AND ALSO HERE WHERE THERE ARE INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN COMPENSATION ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.
THE F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR INTERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS INCLUDES 871 POSITIONS, OR AN INCREASE OF 27 POSITIONS FROM F Y 2322 OF THESE 27 ARE AN INCREASE FOR FINANCE DUE TO THE CITYWIDE, UM, REORGANIZATION OF PROCUREMENT LIKE POSITIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
THERE ARE THREE POSITIONS FOR A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY.
TWO POSITIONS FOR THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE AND ONE POSITION DEDICATED TO DATA ANALYSIS.
AND FINALLY, THE PROPOSED BUDGET ADDS TWO POSITIONS IN BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES FOR THE ST.
MARY'S POLICE SUBSTATION OPENING IN 2024.
NOW, MOVING ON TO THE FOUR DEPARTMENTS AT MAKE UP COMMUNITY SERVICES.
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE STRUCTURED PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY OVERALL.
THE F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 34.7 MILLION
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AND INCLUDES 207 POSITIONS.DEPARTMENTS IN THIS GROUP INCLUDE CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS, C C D O, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF LA VITA MARKET SQUARE AND OTHER CITY-OWNED FACILITIES.
THE MANAGING OF DOWNTOWN PARKING ASSETS AND PARKING REGULATIONS, OVERSIGHT OF THE RIVERWALK AND BARGE CONCESSION CONTRACTS, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING A SAFE AND CLEAN DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
CDOS FFY 24, PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 25.5 MILLION.
NEXT IS THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
O H P IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFEGUARDING THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THAT PRESERVES SAN ANTONIO'S UNIQUE SENSE OF PLACE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND AUTHENTICITY.
THEIR F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 3.3 MILLION.
NEXT, WE HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS CHARGED WITH CREATING A SAFE, EQUITABLE, AND MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR SAN ANTONIO.
THEIR FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 3.8 MILLION.
AND FINALLY, IN THIS GROUP WE HAVE THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE.
THEY PROMOTE THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE DESIGNATION BY ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.
IN ADDITION, WORLD HERITAGE ALSO MANAGES THE MISSION MARKE PLAZA AND THE SPANISH GOVERNOR'S PALACE.
THEIR F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 2.1 MILLION CHANGES IN COMMUNITY SERVICE INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF 2.5% OVERALL, OR ABOUT 900,000.
406,000 OF THIS IS IN THE WORLD.
HERITAGE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE NEW WORLD HERITAGE CENTER THAT WILL BE OPENING, UM, NEXT YEAR, AND ALSO SOME ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION OF MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA.
AND THE REST IS MADE UP OF, OF, UH, PRIMARILY CIVILIAN COMPENSATION INCREASES.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES INCLUDES 207 POSITIONS, OR AN INCREASE OF FOUR POSITIONS FROM F Y 23, AND THE INCREASE OF FOUR POSITIONS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE WORLD HERITAGE POSITIONS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE NEW WORLD HERITAGE CENTER.
FINALLY, A SUMMARY OF SOME OF OUR NON-DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
THE F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET IN NON-DEPARTMENTAL TOTALS, 26.1 MILLION, WHICH IS A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM THE F Y 23 ADOPTED BUDGET.
HIGHLIGHTS IN, IN NON-DEPARTMENTAL INCLUDE $8.2 MILLION FOR SALES TAX COLLECTION EXPENSES.
THIS IS TO PAY FOR THE 2% COLLECTION FEE TO THE STATE FOR THEIR, UH, COLLECTION OF SALES TAXES THAT ARE REMITTED TO THE CITY.
WE ALSO PAY $3.9 MILLION TO THE BARE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AS A PART OF THEIR, UH, ANNUAL BUDGET.
UM, 1.9 MILLION FOR TAX COLLECT TAX, PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION FEES THAT WAS PAYABLE TO BEXAR COUNTY, 1.2 MILLION FOR INTERNATIONAL CENTER MAINTENANCE.
WE ALSO HAVE 1 MILLION FOR GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY RESERVE.
THIS CAN BE USED FOR ANY UNFUNDED NEEDS THAT ARISE DURING THE YEAR, BUT OF COURSE, IT'S SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL, UH, VOTE THROUGH AN ADOPTED ORDINANCE.
NEXT, WE HAVE ABOUT 572,000 IN VARIOUS ASSOCIATION DUES, 285,000 IN CREDIT CARD FEES.
AND FINALLY, 150,000 IS FUNDED, UM, IN GENERAL FUND NONDEPARTMENTAL FOR THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE.
KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT'S, UH, FUNDED THROUGH THE ARTS AND CULTURE BUDGET FOR A TOTAL, UH, FUNDING AMOUNT OF 250,000, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION BUDGET DIRECTOR JUSTINA TATE AND I ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION.
AS THE MANAGER MENTIONED, WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PRESENT TODAY TO ASSIST WITH OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL SEND IT BACK TO ERIC.
UM, SO, UM, LAST NIGHT WE HAD OUR FINAL TOWN HALL IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, SO WE WILL BE PREPARING, UH, A REPORT FOR THE COUNCIL EARLY NEXT WEEK ON ALL THE TOWN HALLS AND WHAT WE HEARD.
UM, THE OTHER ASPECTS OF, UH, IN PREPARATION FOR NEXT WEEK'S MEETINGS, WE HAVE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS ON TUESDAY THE 12TH, AND ON WEDNESDAY THE 13TH IN ADVANCE OF COUNCIL ADOPTION ON THE 14TH.
UM, WE ARE PREPARING, UH, POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS THAT WE HEARD AT THE WORK SESSIONS FOR THE, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND, UH, PLAN ON RELEASING A MEMO TO THE COUNCIL ON MONDAY, UM, AFTER WE GET OUR LATEST, UM, UM, UM, RECEIPTS OF SALES TAX AND C P SS REVENUE OVER THE WEEKEND.
UM, AND WE'LL, AND, AND SO WE'LL UPDATE THOSE TWO REVENUE SOURCES AS WELL AS IT'S THE INITIAL DRAFT OF AMENDMENTS WE HEARD, AND, AND WE'LL SEND THAT TO COUNCIL ON MONDAY.
THAT'LL BE A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR THE COUNCIL THAT I KNOW THERE'LL BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ON TUESDAY.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT LIST WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AND EVOLVE, BUT IT'LL BE A GOOD STARTING POINT, AND OUR HOPE IS TO HAVE THAT OR NOT.
WE WILL HAVE THAT TO YOU ON MONDAY AFTERNOON SO THAT YOU'RE PREPARED FOR TUESDAY'S CONVERSATION, UM, THAT, UH, WHATEVER HAPPENS OUTTA TUESDAY WILL EVOLVE AND UPDATE THE COUNCIL WITH ANOTHER DOCUMENT FOR THE WEDNESDAY WORK SESSION, UM,
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SO THAT YOU'RE PREPARED.AND THEN, UM, AND THEN, UM, MOVE ON TO BUDGET ADOPTION ON THURSDAY.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF, UM, UH, WORK NEXT WEEK, AND I WANTED THE COUNCIL TO BE AWARE THAT WE ARE PREPARING THAT MEMO, AND YOU'LL GET IT ON MONDAY WITH OUR LATEST REVENUE AND AMENDMENT, UH, IDEAS THAT WE HEARD HERE AT THE, AT THE WORK SESSIONS.
AND THANK YOU FREDDY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AS A REMINDER, BEFORE TODAY WE WENT THROUGH, UH, WHAT IS ABOUT 96% OF OUR CITY BUDGET.
UH, SO THIS IS THE, UH, REMAINING 4%.
AND SO I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, ERIC, UH, OR FREDDY, UH, BUT JUST TO KICK THE TIRES ON THE CONVERSATION, GET THINGS GOING.
ERIC, UM, SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE TOWN HALLS NOW.
HOW MANY HAVE WE HAD? WE HAD NINE BECAUSE, UH, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT AND DISTRICT NINE HAD A JOINT ONE, SO WE HAD, WE HAD NINE.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEND A REPORT OUT, UM, ON THE FEEDBACK AND THE HOW THOSE THINGS WENT? UH, YES SIR.
I GUESS JUST FROM A HIGH LEVEL PERSPECTIVE, UH, WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR AS WE GO INTO THE LAST WEEK? I MEAN, WE'RE BASICALLY ROUNDING THIRD AT THIS POINT, UH, FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS.
ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD BE, UM, CONSIDERING? ANY MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS FROM THOSE TOWN HALLS OR ANYTHING? WELL, I MEAN, I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE CHANGED THE FORMAT OF THE TOWN HALLS AND, AND, AND FRANKLY I THINK IT HELPED, UM, IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF INPUT THAT WE GOT FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE OVERALL REPORT, UH, VERY CONSISTENT WITH, UH, THE BUDGET SURVEY AND THE COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
UM, NOT A LOT OF OUTLIERS IN THAT SENSE.
UM, AND I WOULD, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR, THE MONDAY MEMO IS OUR ATTEMPT AT WHAT WE HEARD.
IT'S NOT, IT'S JUST A STARTING POINT.
UM, WE'RE GOING OVER THAT LIST.
I'M HAVING THE DEPARTMENTS REVIEW IT AND E L T, UM, BUT WE, WE PAID VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AS WE WENT THROUGH THOSE TOWN HALLS.
SO IT'S JUST A STARTING POINT.
I KNOW THAT TUESDAY ONE WILL START TO FILL OUT.
YEAH, AND I, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT FLYING BLIND HERE, SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS, UM, PRODUCED, GIVEN INPUT FROM THE PRE PROPOSED, UM, COMMUNICATIONS AND, AND, UH, PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.
UH, BUT I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE WOULD BE, IS THERE ANY MAJOR AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT THAT FOLKS HAVE SEEN WITH THE BUDGET SO FAR BASED ON THESE TOWN HALLS AND, AND HOW HAS THE ATTENDANCE OVERALL IN ALL THE TOWN HALLS? UM, I THINK ACROSS THE BOARD ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN UP AT ALL THE TOWN HALLS.
UM, D TWO HAD D TWO, UH, IS RIVALING D 10 FOR THE BIGGEST TURNOUT THEY HAD.
THEY HAD A GOOD SIZED CROWD LAST NIGHT.
UM, BUT OVERALL ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN UP AND, AND THAT'LL BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT, UH, TO COUNCIL.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO OUR CONVERSATION NOW.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
THANK YOU FRED, FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
UM, IT WAS THE BUDGET TOWN HALLS WERE A GREAT TIME TO CHANNEL IN MY INNER OPRAH, UH, FACILITATING THIS CONVERSATION.
SO SHOUT OUT TO WHOEVER PROPOSED THAT FORMAT.
UM, A A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH THE, THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WHAT I OBSERVED IS THAT WITH GOVERNMENT, UH, NOT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, WITH MILITARY FAILURES, RATHER WE'RE SEEING, UH, A REDUCTION.
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME, UM, WHAT THE JUSTIFICATION IS FOR THAT AND ARE THERE OTHER AVENUES OF RESOURCES THAT ARE GOING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT? COUNCILWOMAN THE REDUCTION IN MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS IS DUE TO A, A GRANT THAT WAS RECEIVED IN F Y UH, 22, UM, A DEFENSE, UM, I HAVE IT HERE.
ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE, ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT.
WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY $5 MILLION MM-HMM.
SO THE SPENDING HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 22.
AND SO THERE'S WILL BE LESS SPENDING IN 20 IN, EXCUSE ME, IN 23, THERE'LL BE LESS SPENDING IN 24.
THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND.
UH, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THE WORK OF OUR CITY AUDITOR, KEVIN, UH, FOR HIS CONTINUED WORK.
AND I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
WE SEE THE ADDITIONAL CITY ATTORNEY SUPPORT FOR THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, UH, WITH THE D E I A OFFICE AND THOSE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
CAN SOMEONE WALK ME THROUGH WITH THOSE, WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, THOSE NEW ROLES WE'LL PROVIDE? GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IN TERMS OF THE POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED, THE DATA ANALYST POSITION IS A POSITION THAT WILL HELP US TO ALIGN CITYWIDE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
WHAT WE'VE COME TO FIND IS THAT A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING EQUITY WORK AND, UM, THROUGH OUR B E T SWAP PROCESS, WE ARE BEING MADE AWARE OF THESE EQUITY, UH, THE EQUITY MEASURES THAT ARE IN ACT THAT THEY ARE ENACTING.
BUT IT WOULD BETTER SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS IF WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE TO HELP US
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ALIGN OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.HELP US TO IMPROVE EQUITY DRIVEN DATA SO THAT WE CAN MEASURE SUPPORT AND STRENGTHS OVER TIME.
IN TERMS OF OUR, UM, POSITIONS FOR THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE, UM, WE, UM, OUR DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE DEALS A LOT WITH COMPLIANCE, ESPECIALLY WITH A D A COMPLIANCE.
THEY LOOK AT A, AT 5 0 4 AND 5 0 8, UM, CO COORDINATING.
AND SO WE HAVE A TEAM THAT IS WORKING TO, UH, ENSURE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OUR, UH, RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE BOARD.
THEY'RE ABOUT COMPLIANCE AND INCLUSIVE DESIGN.
THEY'RE ABOUT, UM, OFFICIAL OPINIONS, POLICIES, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND AT THIS TIME, THEIR CAPACITY IS LIMITED IN TERMS OF SERVING ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY, UH, RESIDENTS.
IF SHE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE SPECIFICS AS TO HOW HER TWO, UM, POSITIONS WILL BE, UH, USED.
I OVERSEE THE CITY'S DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE.
SO OUR TWO POSITIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR OFFICE ARE TO HANDLE SOME OF THE INCOMING REQUESTS AND NEEDS THAT WE HAVE RELATED TO AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING.
UM, SO ONE POSITION WILL BE FOCUSED ON THAT IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH, UM, SOME NEW STANDARDS, OBVIOUSLY IN DESIGN PLANS FOR THE HOUSING BOND PROJECTS.
OUR OTHER POSITION IS GONNA BE FOCUSED ON DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY, AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE NEW DESIGN, UH, STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT TO HAVE IMPLEMENTED, UM, AND APPLICABLE FOR US, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT'LL BE COMING ONLINE IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
AND THEN, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE A D A COMPLIANCE AND THAT ROLE MM-HMM.
WHAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE POSITION IS WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO TACKLING THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE INCREASE N AND I P MM-HMM.
UM, DO YOU ALL HAVE THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT ON, UM, I, I KNOW IT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE, RIGHT? BY BY LAW MM-HMM.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A VERY CLOSE WORKING PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND HONESTLY WITH ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENTS MM-HMM.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PART OF THAT TEAM THAT IS LETTING THEM KNOW WHERE WE HAVE BARRIERS, WHERE WE HAVE KNOWN BARRIERS, AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE PRIORITI PRIORITIZATION OF ALL THOSE PROJECTS.
AND SO PUBLIC WORKS, THAT TEAM IS REALLY THE FINAL DECISION OF WHICH PROJECTS GET CHOSEN.
BUT A D A COMPLIANCE AND KNOWN BARRIERS ARE DEFINITELY PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
JUST, JUST ONE THING, UM, COUNCILWOMAN, SO DE DE DEBRA IS BEING VERY MODEST.
SO WE, WE HAVE NOT, WE HAVE NOT, UH, CHANGED THE SIZE OF THAT STAFF AND GIVEN EVERYTHING WE DO MORE IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND REHAB, UH, A $1.2 BILLION BOND PROGRAM, A LARGER NAMP PROGRAM, UM, IT WAS CRITICAL THAT WE INCREASED THE SIZE OF STAFF.
I REMEMBER LAST YEAR, PART OF THE BUDGET, WE INCREASED SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE OTHER STAFF IN SOME DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DELIVER, UH, THE, THE $1.2 BILLION BOND PROGRAM.
WE DID NOT LOOK AT A D A AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT BACK THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, BUT SHE'S, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE LOADED HER UP AND HER STAFF A LOT AND, AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESOURCES.
THAT WAS THE BASIS BEHIND THE RECOMMENDATION.
SHE'S NOT GONNA SAY IT LIKE THAT, BUT I WILL
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FREDDY FOR THE, THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL START OFF REF RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THAT ADDITIONAL POSITION, IS THAT THE, OR I THINK, I KNOW THAT IT'S THE POSITION ASSOCIATED WITH DART AND THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, AND SO I'M WONDERING, ARE THE CANDIDATES GONNA BE REQUIRED TO HAVE LIKE, EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING OR A SIMILAR PROGRAM? UM, LIKE DART THE, THE, UH, THE QUALIFICATIONS, UH, COUNCILMAN OBVIOUSLY WILL MATCH WHAT WE'RE, THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THAT NEW POSITION TO PLAY A VERY MUCH A COORDINATOR ROLE FOR OUR DART ACTIVITIES, BUT PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THERE'S STRONG LINKAGE WITH OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM SO THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING AT CROSS PURPOSES AND ACTUALLY WORKING IN A COMPLIMENTARY WAY TO MAKE SURE WE MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT THAT ROLE THAT YOU ALL HAVE CREATED.
THEN I HAVE A QUESTION IN GENERAL, AND I THINK THIS IS, UM,
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MORE FOR ERIC AND I, I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE, I HAVE EVER UNDERSTOOD.HOW DO YOU, UM, DECIDE LIKE TO, TO CREATE NEW DEPARTMENTS OR LIKE TO DIVIDE SOME UP? LIKE HOW DO YOU DO THAT? LIKE WHO WHO, WHO GIVES YOU THAT RECOMMENDATION? OR IS IT LIKE YOU JUST SAY, HEY, I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT? WELL, UM, THERE'S NONE OF THAT IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.
I THINK THE LAST BIG ONE WE DID WAS COLLAPSING ALL OF THE, UM, D I A EFFORTS BECAUSE YOU HAD DEBORAH AND HER TEAM IN PUBLIC WORKS.
YOU HAD LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY IN C N E, YOU HAD EQUITY SEPARATELY.
UM, YOU HAD THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT WE, WE ADDED INTO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND SO AS WE WENT THROUGH THE YEAR, UM, IT'S ACTUALLY RESEARCH IN THAT CASE THAT ANDY AND LIZ DID ABOUT OTHER CITIES ON HOW WE SHOULD STRUCK THEM.
SO GENERALLY THERE'S SOME WORK DONE ON THE FRONT END.
UM, WE, WE DID, WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY NEW DEPARTMENTS OR REORGANIZATIONS AS PART OF THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT USUALLY IT'S NOT DONE NECESSARILY IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
IT'S EXECUTED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT GENERALLY THAT PLAN IS THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, DURING THE YEAR.
SORRY, I JUST HAD THAT QUESTION.
AND THEN, UM, I, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A, A REORG, IT SOUNDED IN POSITIONS RELATED TO PURCHASING, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE JUST TO, TO STREAMLINE IT AND, AND JUST BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
AM I CORRECT IN THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THEY'RE VERY, TODAY, UM, PROCUREMENT POSITIONS ARE FUNDED BY VARIOUS, VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT WHERE THEY'RE HOUSED.
AS PART OF THIS REORGANIZATION, THEY'RE ALL GONNA COME BACK UNDER THE FINANCE UMBRELLA AND BE, UH, FUNDED OUT OF THE PURCHASING AND GENERAL SERVICES FUND.
WELL, THAT MAKES SENSE, ESPECIALLY SEEING THE BUDGET, ESPECIALLY SEEING THE BUDGET FOR CREDIT CARD FEES AND STUFF.
UM, UH, THERE'S 424 VEHICLE REP, UH, PLACEMENTS THAT ARE PLANNED.
AND SO YESTERDAY WE WERE AT A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING AND ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS TOLD MY RESIDENTS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A VS IN THE SOUTH SUBSTATION, BUT THAT THE NORTH SUBSTATION DID.
UM, BUT ARE YOU ALL ALSO LIKE AT THAT LEVEL EQUIPMENT? LIKE TECHNICALLY IT'S A VEHICLE, RIGHT? IT'S AN A T V.
DO Y'ALL DO THAT AS WELL? WELL, WHAT'S IN THE BY LIST ARE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT IN 24, BUT I'LL LET, UH, I'LL LET THE DIRECTOR BE AS THE ANSWER THAT.
SO JUST QUICKLY, UM, COUNCILMAN, WE DO HAVE, WE DO REPLACE ATVS AS PART OF THE REPLACEMENT FUND.
I KNOW YOU, YOU WERE READY TO ANSWER THAT TOO.
UM, SO, AND THEN, UH, I THANK YOU COUNCILMAN CASTILLO ASKED A QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING, UH, MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, THEY HAVE THREE POSITIONS AND I JUST WORRY BECAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF VETERANS.
WE'RE MILITARY CITY U SS A AND I DON'T KNOW, LIKE, I ALWAYS JUST WORRY FOR GENERAL YELLER AND THE TEAM AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH.
I MEAN, I KNOW HE'S VERY CAPABLE AND SO THINKING GENERAL
LIKE, DO THEY TELL YOU ERIC, OR DO YOU NOTICE? I MEAN, WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE AN AIR FORCE, UH, COLONEL REPORTING TO THE MARINE GENERAL, SO
NO, I MEAN, UH, THAT WASN'T THERE, THERE WAS ONE ASK THAT THAT MILITARY AFFAIRS HAD, AND IT WAS TO CONTINUE THE, UM, PROGRAM, THE SPOUSE PROGRAM, AND LAST YEAR WE SET ASIDE 150,000.
UM, WE'RE GONNA PIVOT THAT A LITTLE BIT, UH, SELFISHLY AND, UM, ACT AS OUR OWN RESOURCE AND HIRE WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, THERE'S STILL SOME FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
I WILL SAY THAT THE D A GRANT THAT IS NOT REFLECTED THERE.
UH, THE COUNCIL WILL LIKELY BE BEING BRIEFED, UH, HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
WE ARE PURSUING THAT SAME GRANT AGAIN AS IT RELATES TO A POTENTIAL NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MILITARY ON.
UM, AND THEN C N E, UM, AND IT'S A SIMILAR, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S DETERMINED, LIKE HOW DOES THE DEPARTMENT THAT NEEDS SPECIFIC PIOS, HOW DO THEY GET DETERMINED? IS IT BECAUSE IT'S MORE TECHNICAL IN NATURE OR LIKE WHO GETS JUST REGULAR C N E AND WHO GETS A DESIGNATED DEPARTMENT? P I O WELL, WHILE ALANA COMES UP HERE, I'LL, I'LL ANSWER THIS.
SOME OF THE LARGER DEPARTMENTS, UH, HAVE THAT ASSIGNED P I O WITHIN THEIR, WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN THERE'S A VARIETY OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT RELY UPON C AND E, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UM, THE LARGER DEPARTMENTS, THE PUBLIC WORKS HAVE, HAVE THEIR OWN STAFF, BUT, BUT THEY ALL HAVE TO REC, THEY'RE ALL REQUIRED TO COORDINATE THROUGH, THROUGH C AND E AND, UM, AND, AND WE HAVE PERIODIC ANA, UM, ORGANIZES PERIODIC MEETINGS SO THAT WE'RE ALL DEALING WITH THE MEDIA THE SAME WAY OR OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS, UM, AND, AND WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING ELSE.
SO IT'S ABOUT HALF AND HALF RIGHT
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NOW OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN DESIGNATED PIOS AND THE ONES THAT C AND E SUPPORTS.BUT WE DO ACT AS A CENTRAL HUB, AND WE ALSO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS, AS ERIC MENTIONED, JUST TO BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND ALANA, WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, UM, IN THE BUDGET BOOK, YOU ALL HAVE PERCENTAGE OF CITYWIDE NEWS RELEASES, UM, AS A MEASUREMENT ON EARNED MEDIA COVERAGE.
AND SO JUST NOT JUST AS CITYWIDE, IT'S NOT CITY COUNCIL.
LIKE IT'S NOT THE PRESS RELEASES THAT WE SEND.
IT'S THE ONES THAT OUR DEPARTMENT SENT.
AND THEN, UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS ON EQUIPMENT AND HOW DO WE REPURPOSE, UM, THE EQUIPMENT IN LIKE AT T V S A AND, AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF? SO WE USE WHAT WE CAN FOR THE LIFE OF IT, AND THEN WE REPLACE IT AS NEEDED.
AND I SEE CRAIG HOPKINS IN THE BACK AND UM, UH, AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A TAG TEAM FOR YOU ALL.
UH, AND BRIAN DILLARD TOO, BUT LIKE, SO TECHNOLOGY, WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON RENTING STUFF, LIKE FOR AUDIO VISUAL, LIKE FOR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT EVENTS.
AND SO, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
I HAD THIS WONDERFUL TAX, UM, PROPERTY TAX WORK SHOP.
WE HAD LIKE 300 PEOPLE THERE AND THERE WAS NO TRANSLATION EQUIPMENT.
UM, BECAUSE I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, I DON'T WANNA GET ANYBODY IN TROUBLE, BUT THERE IS NO TRANSLATION EQUIPMENT.
RIGHT? AND SO, BUT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, IS IT THAT IT WAS BEING USED SOMEWHERE ELSE? LIKE, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, IF IS THAT LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT ALSO LIKE TO, TO BE EFFICIENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND OUR, UH, RESOURCES FROM OUR FUNDS.
SO THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY, THEY MANAGE ALL OF OUR INTERPRETATION SERVICES.
I KNOW THEY HAVE ONE, OR ACTUALLY TWO KITS OF TRANSLATION EQUIPMENT THAT EACH DEPARTMENT OR COUNCIL OFFICE CAN REQUEST ALONG WITH THOSE INTERPRETERS.
AND MAYBE THEY WERE JUST OUT, SO, UM, SO OKAY.
BUT WELL, AND IF WE SEE, IF WE SEE THAT THERE'S, UM, WE HAVE OVERLAPPING EVENTS LIKE THAT.
THEN, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HAS A CAPITAL BUDGET WHERE THEY CAN MAKE EQUIPMENT PURCHASES PER SE.
AND THEN, UM, CRAIG, THIS ONE IS, IS FOR YOU AND I ASKED THIS ABOUT THE COMPUTERS, LIKE THE, ONCE WE, LIKE LIBRARY PRESENTED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO LIKE 400 SOMETHING.
UM, AND I WAS ASKING LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE, OR, UM, HOW DO WE MAKE THE BEST USE OF THEM IN OUR COMMUNITY? YEP.
SO ALL LAPTOPS AND DESKTOP COMPUTERS, ABOUT 2000 A YEAR.
WE PROCESS THROUGH, UH, ON A FOUR OR FIVE YEAR LIFECYCLE.
THAT'S ABOUT WHAT THEY LAST YEAR.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THE END, UH, WE ACTUALLY REMOVE THE HARD DRIVES AND THEN WE WIPE THE COMPUTERS AND WE HAVE A, UH, LOCAL VENDOR WHO TAKES THOSE FROM US.
THEY REPURPOSE 30% OF THOSE BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY INTO NONPROFITS.
ABOUT 10% ARE SALVAGE AND THE OTHER 60% ARE FOR THEIR, FOR THEM TO REFURBISH AND MAKE MONEY TO MAKE THEIR, MAKE THEIR MONEY BACK OFF OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE THAT CONTRACT IN PLACE FOR THEM.
SO, UM, BUT WE DON'T, SO THEY DON'T PAY US.
SO WE GET 30% OF THOSE WIND UP BACK IN THE COMMUNITY IN NONPROFITS, AND THEN THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY OFF THE OTHER 60% SO THEY CAN HAVE SOME PROFIT.
AND SO, AND I'LL START OFF JUST, UM, THANK YOU, UH, DEBRA, AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING A WHOLE LOT, UH, WITH THE, JUST THE, YOU YOU MENTIONED THE HOUSING COMPONENT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF YOUR WORK.
YESTERDAY I MENTIONED TO THE LIBRARY THAT I WISH WE HAD A BRAILLE COLLECTION 'CAUSE I WENT TO LIBRARY THAT HAD A WHOLE BRAILLE COLLECTION.
UM, SO ANYTHING THAT, THAT WE CAN DO TO BE HELPFUL TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE DIGITAL ACCESS COMPONENT.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT, LIKE IN, IN MY CLASSROOM AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE, UM, PREPARED FOR THAT.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK, UH, YOU SEE THAT MAYBE WE ARE, WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING? OR HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH, WITH THINGS THAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? SO THAT IS ACTUALLY JUST PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING.
UM, WE REGULARLY, UM, HAVE, UH, MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT, UH, CITIES ON A D A COORDINATORS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE KEEP TRACK, UH, THROUGH WEBINARS AND DIFFERENT BEST PRACTICES THAT WE'RE NOTIFIED OF.
SO WE DO THAT AND THEN WE SHARE THAT WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
I'LL COME BACK TO MAYOR SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER KIO.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION, FREDDY.
UM, I THINK IT'S FUNNY THAT IT'S, THIS ITEM IS CALLED ALL OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS
UM, BUT E EVERY ONE OF YOU IS, IS SO IMPORTANT TO US, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
UH, I WANTED TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT ON THE MILITARY AFFAIRS BUDGET.
THE GRANT THAT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE WAS, WAS ALMOST $2 MILLION, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
IT WAS A STATE GRANT, AND IT WAS BASED ON A REQUIREMENT FROM THE JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO COMMANDER, UH,
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FOR SOME INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.AND LIKE ERIC WAS SAYING, UH, WE'VE APPLIED FOR ANOTHER ONE, UH, FOR THIS YEAR TOO.
WE'VE ALSO APPLIED FOR A FEDERAL GRANT, UH, TO SUPPORT THE PUBLIC WORKS.
WHEN DO WE KNOW IF WE WOULD GET THOSE GRANTS? UH, WE'LL FIND OUT PROBABLY IN OCTOBER ON THE DAG GRANT.
AND THEN ON THE, UH, FEDERAL GRANT, UH, DEFENSE COOPERATION COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
WE PROBABLY, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FIND OUT LAST WEEK, WE'LL PROBABLY FIND OUT PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND IT'S, UH, FOR A PROJECT FOR, AGAIN, MATCHING PROJECT WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
SO IF WE GET THOSE, THOSE, UM, GRANTS, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE, HOW ARE WE DISPLACING, UM, THE MONEY? OR ARE WE WELL, IF WE GET THE GRANTS, THEY'LL COME TO COUNCIL FOR ACCEPTANCE MM-HMM.
BUT ARE WE DISPLACING, UH, IS THERE KIND OF A PLACEHOLDER IN CASE WE DON'T GET THOSE GRANTS OR WE JUST NOT DOING THAT WORK? NO, IT'S, IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, SO WE WON'T OKAY.
AND THE DAG GRANT IS THE STATE GRANT, AND IT'S TIED TO ANOTHER J B S A PROJECT, UM, THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
ARE THESE THE ONES THAT WE, UM, WELL, I'LL TAKE IT OFFLINE, BUT, UH, I THINK WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THESE WHEN WE WENT TO THE PENTAGON, RIGHT? UM, OKAY.
UM, SO I, I, MY CONCERN THEN IS, UH, YOU, YOU MENTIONED, I THINK ERIC, UM, WE'RE MOVING THIS, THE SPOUSAL LIKE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS UNDER THE CITY.
DID I HEAR THAT CORRECTLY? IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, UH, OKAY.
OURS, I MEAN, WE INITIATE, WE'RE THE FIRST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND MM-HMM.
AND SO WE ADMINISTER IT WITH THE, UH, US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO THEY'RE HIRING OUR HEROES, UH, UH, PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WERE YOU SAYING THAT, UH, THAT WE WERE GONNA MOVE UNDER THE CITY? DID I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT JUAN FACILITATES, OR WHAT HIS OFFICE FACILITATES IS THE HIRING WITH OTHER EMPLOYERS.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS HIRE THEM AT THE CITY.
OH, HIRE THEM AT THE CITY? YES.
NOW, BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S STILL SOME LEFTOVER MONEY FROM THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO RATHER THAN EXPAND, UM, THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER EMPLOYERS IN TOWN, DO THAT INTERNALLY AND HIRE THOSE FOLKS HERE AT THE CITY.
SO THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD WORKING WITH HR TO FILL 'EM WITH HIRING OUR HEROES, UH, WITH SPOUSES, MILITARY SPOUSES.
AND I KNOW YOU, UH, GENERALLY ELLIE, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT, UM, LIKE LICENSED RECIPROCITY MM-HMM.
I'M SURE HIGH PRIORITIES HERE, RIGHT? YEAH.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE.
AND DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE WERE ALSO ADVOCATING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RECIPROCITY WAS INCLUDED IN SOME OF THESE BILLS.
I UNDERSTAND NOW, BUT WE ARE STILL WORKING TO, WITH OTHER EMPLOYERS TO H TO HOUSE, I MEAN, TO HOUSE, TO, UH, EMPLOY SPOUSES, RIGHT? WELL, UH, WITH SOME OF THE LEFTOVER MONEY, YES.
UH, WE ARE, BUT FOR THIS, OKAY.
UH, THE NEW, THE FUNDING THAT WE ASKED FOR IS WE'RE JUST GONNA CONCENTRATE RIGHT NOW ON FILLING CITY, UH, POSITIONS, WHICH I THINK, UH, WE CAN THAT'S GREAT.
I AM TAKING A TALLY OF EVERY TIME YOU GUYS SAY LEFTOVER MONEY, BY THE WAY.
UM, UH, THERE WAS, UH, A DECREASE IN TRANSPORTATION AS WELL.
UM, ABOUT ALMOST HALF A MILLION.
WHAT DO WE KNOW? WHERE WOULD, WHERE WOULD THAT DEFICIT BE? COUNCILWOMAN? THAT'S ALSO IN GRANTS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
IT WAS A GRANT THAT WE DIDN'T GET.
UM, AND THERE WAS ALSO SOME, PARDON ME, LEMME JUST GET TO MY NOTES HERE.
UM, ACTUALLY CORRECTION, THAT'S NOT IN GRANTS.
THERE WERE SOME, UM, ONETIME FEES TO PRO IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WAS, I NEEDED.
SO IT, THAT WAS PART OF THE, THE, UH, REDUCTION AND THEN ALSO IN THE PARKING FUND, THE TRANSPORTATION HAD SOME DOLLARS THERE.
THAT'S BEEN REALLOCATED, UH, BACK TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT DECREASING IT.
UM, MY LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE M O U THAT WE HAVE WITH U T S A.
HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN SAN ANTONIO? WE JUST HAVE A REALLY, IT'S A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT, UM, WE HAVE SUCH GOOD, UH, A LOT OF GOOD UNIVERSITIES IN SAN ANTONIO.
I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR OTHER QUESTION.
SO THE REDUCTION, IT'S A SLIGHT REDUCTION, BUT IT WAS 'CAUSE OF A GRANT MATCH.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE OUR COMMITMENTS TO THAT MATCH.
SO WE'VE, WE NO LONGER NEED THAT MASTER.
THIS IS THE ONE FOR TRANSPORTATION.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE M R A WITH U T SS A MM-HMM.
OF COURSE, THEY HAD A LEADERSHIP CHANGE.
SO WE ARE, I PATIENT WITH THEM, BUT WE WEG ENGAGED WITH THEM AND ALSO UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER WILL WAY ALONG THE PATH TO ESTABLISHED AN M R A WITH THEM.
SO THOSE OUR TWO UNIVERSITIES.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERY UNIVERSITY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE OUT TO MY ALMA MATER, TO ST.
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WE HAVE ALU, WE HAVE THAT'S RIGHT.ME AND MARIA AND I ARE SAYING GO RAT LOOPS, BUT, UM, BUT ALL OF THE, THE, THE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, I MEAN, WE HAVE TRINITY HERE.
THERE'S A WAY TO KIND OF YES, MA'AM.
YOU KNOW, JUST ENGAGE EVERYBODY AND WHAT WE CAN, AND, AND THOSE DON'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE AN M R A.
SO WE'RE DOING SOME WORK WITH ULU RIGHT NOW.
AROUND CLIMATE, UH, IMPACT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL GO THROUGH SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN M A.
BUT IDENTIFYING WITH U T S A, WE HAD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF CONTRACTS WITH M OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
SO WE IDENTIFIED THAT M A IS PROBABLY A BETTER WAY TO GO THAN INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT.
UM, LET ME LOOK AT THE, UH, ASK THE QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
HOW DOES THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PAY OFF LAWSUIT SETTLEMENTS? WHERE ARE THOSE FUNDS ACCOUNTED FOR? WE HAVE, UH, UH, AN ACCOUNT FUND 75, WHICH PROBABLY BEN CAN BETTER ANSWER, BUT, UH, WE PAY IT OUT OF THAT FUND COUNCILMAN.
AND, UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL APPROVES ALL SETTLEMENTS THAT ARE OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE PROCESS IS THAT, UH, WE WORK, UH, WITH, UM, UH, WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR TEAM, UH, ASSESS IT, WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE WORK WITH RISK MANAGEMENT, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THEY'RE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING.
IS IT UNDER THE RISK MANAGEMENT BUDGET? IS THAT WHERE THAT MONEY IS? CORRECT.
SO IT'S UNDER OUR LIABILITY FUND.
SO THOSE CLAIMS ARE INCLUDED IN LIABILITY FUND.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE WORKERS' COMP CLAIM.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THOSE LISTED ANYWHERE.
WHERE WOULD WE JUST SEE THEM? WHAT DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THOSE? SO IT'S PART OF RISK.
IT'S PART OF RISK MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS YOU'LL SEE A PORTION OF IT UNDER CITY ATTORNEYS.
SO THAT 33.5 MILLION OR THE EXTRA OR WHATEVER IT INCO, IT INCORPORATES THOSE FUNDS ALSO THERE.
AND COUNCILMAN, WE MEET PRETTY REGULARLY WITH BEN AND THE RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM, AND IN FACT, I HAVE TO GIVE KUDOS TO BEN.
WE'VE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF MEETINGS THAT WE TAKE.
WE MONITOR THAT PRETTY CLOSELY.
UM, AND WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THE 22 POSITIONS, UH, IN FINANCE, I SEE THERE, THEY'RE REALLY, UH, LIKE A TRANSFER POSITION.
IS THAT RIGHT? WHERE WERE THE 23, UH, FINANCE POSITIONS COMING FROM? IT? IT IS.
THEY WERE, UM, THEY'RE BEING RELOCATED FROM A, A VARIETY OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO HISTORICALLY WE'VE HAD FINANCE PERSONNEL IN DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY PROVIDING PROCUREMENT SERVICES.
WE'RE REORGANIZING THOSE INTO A CENTRAL FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT ALL OF THOSE OTHER BUDGETS LOST ONE PERSON AND A SET OF SALARIES FOR THEM? THEY DID.
THEY LOST, THEY LOST THE, UM, POSITION COMPLIMENT, BUT THROUGH THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, WE'RE GONNA BE CHARGING THEM BACK FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
I SEE WE, UH, HAVE FUNDING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND I THOUGHT HISTORIC PRESERVATION WAS FUNDED THROUGH HOT TAX.
DO I MISUNDERSTAND THAT? UH, YES, SIR.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS, UH, FUNDED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO ISN'T THIS SOME MONEY THAT GOES FROM HOT TAX INTO THAT? YOU MAY BE THINKING, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, JUSTINA.
SO LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE HOT TAX IS ALLOCATED, AND THAT'S HISTORY AND PRESERVATION.
SO THAT FUND HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT THAT FUNDS OUR, UM, HISTORIC RIVER WALK.
IT FUNDS LATA, SO SOME SPANISH GOVERNOR'S PALACE.
SO THIS FUNDING RUNS THE OPERATION, BUT THE OTHER FUNDS ARE WHAT? THAT OPERATION DISPERSES FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS, THINGS? NO, SO WITH THE, THE FUNDING FROM THE HOT, UM, HELPS TO FUND OPERATIONS AND SECURITY AT THE RIVERWALK.
LATA, UH, SPANISH GOVERNOR'S PALACE.
AND SO THOSE FUNDS, SO THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, I NOTICED WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE, UH, 424 VEHICLES THAT WE'LL BE REPLACING IN THIS BUDGET.
HOW MANY OF THOSE VEHICLES ARE GOING TO BE LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES OUT OF THAT, OUT OF THOSE 4 24? OR HOW MANY ARE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT OUT OF THOSE 4 24? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAJOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M JORGE PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES.
WE HAVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT 209 POLICE VEHICLES THAT ARE GONNA BE PURCHASED.
UM, WE HAVE A SLEW OF AMBULANCES, 15 AMBULANCES,
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FIRE TRUCKS, LADDER TRUCKS, REAR LOADERS, AND FOR, UM, UH, UH, STREET SWEEPERS FOR PUBLIC WORKS SANITATION ROLL-OFF VEHICLES FOR SOLID WASTE AS WELL OF A S L.SO WE HAVE A DETAILED BY CATEGORY AND IT ACTUALLY COVERS THE ENTIRE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SOME OF THESE ARE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES.
I, I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT, THAT THE VEHICLES FOR ALL OF THESE WERE PURCHASED OUT OF DEPARTMENTAL FUNDS AND NOT OUT OF, UH, OUR OWN BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT FUND.
WELL, WE HAVE A FUND THAT'S A PARTICULAR FUND, IT'S CALLED EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND THAT IS MANAGED BY BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES.
AND OUT OF THAT FUND IS WHEN WE ACTUALLY GO OUT, PURCHASE NEW VEHICLES AND DO THE REPLACEMENT, UH, FOR A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN TOTALED IN AN ACCIDENT, FOR EXAMPLE, OR VEHICLES THAT ARE DUE FOR REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF MILEAGE OR YEARS OF SERVICE.
WE CHARGE, THERE'S A TRANSFER OF FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE'RE A LEASE AGENCY.
SO WE'RE LEASING THOSE VEHICLES TO THE DEPARTMENTS EVERY, EVERY MONTH.
THAT'S A CHARGE FOR THAT USE AND THAT THAT FUNDING COMES DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT COUNCILMAN, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE INITIAL PURCHASE OF THAT VEHICLE COMES OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET.
THE LEASE THAT, THAT, UH, OR THE INTERNAL CHARGE THAT JORGE IS DESCRIBING GETS BUILT INTO THAT OPERATING BUDGET.
SO WHEN IT'S TIME TO REPLACE THE PUBLIC WORKS TRUCK OR THE SOLID WASTE TRUCK, OR THE E M S UNIT THAT WE HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE PURCHASE PLUS WHAT WE AUCTIONED THE VEHICLE FOR.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SOUNDED A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME.
I THOUGHT WE AUTHORIZED LIKE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT MONEY TO BUY TRUCKS.
NOW WE'RE SAYING WE'RE BUYING TRUCKS OUT OF THIS FUND.
UH, IT, IT ALMOST SOUNDS DUPLICATE TO ME.
THE SAME THING WITH POLICE VEHICLES.
SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BETTER.
WHEN WE ADD A VEHICLE TO THE FLEET, THAT INITIAL ACQUISITION COMES OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING BUDGET.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE ADDING AN E M S UNIT, RIGHT? THAT E M S UNIT COMES OUT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GENERAL FUND DOWN THE ROAD.
WHEN THAT E M S UNIT IS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT, THAT REPLACEMENT COMES OUT OF THE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND.
AND WE SAVE MONEY, IF YOU WILL, THROUGH THAT LEASE ASSESSMENT EVERY MONTH THROUGHOUT THE LIFECYCLE OF THAT E M S UNIT.
SO WHEN IT'S DUE FOR REPLACEMENT, WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BANK TO REPLACE IT AND WE'RE NOT HAVING TO PAY THAT REPLACEMENT COST OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET ALL AT ONCE.
BUT WE'RE SMOOTHING THAT OUT OVER THE LIFE OF THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
I'M STILL A LITTLE, UM, CONFUSED.
I'D LIKE TO MAYBE HAVE THIS BUDGET, UH, COPY OF THIS SENT TO ME TO BREAK IT DOWN AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT TRANSFER.
UM, ACTUALLY MY QUESTION WAS, IS PIGGYBACKING OFF OF COUNCILMAN COURAGES, UM, QUESTION ABOUT THE VEHICLES.
SO, AND, AND MAYBE IT'S GONNA BE ANSWERED WITH THAT BREAKDOWN AS WELL.
I'M MOSTLY COMING AT IT FROM THE ANGLE OF, FROM ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M PUSHING FOR MORE, UM, BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ENOUGH VEHICLES FOR THE A C S PATROL OFFICERS TO BE OUT THERE AND DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
SO FOR THOSE, UM, NEW POSITIONS THAT WE'RE ADDING, WE ALREADY ORDERED THAT EQUIPMENT.
UM, WE DID THAT AS PART OF AFTER THE MIDYEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT WAS APPROVED IN ANTICIPATION THAT THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL.
AND, AND JUST GOING OFF OF WHAT YOU SAID, THAT IS NOT IN THIS BUDGET 'CAUSE THIS IS FOR REPLACING VEHICLES, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
I HAD A QUESTION ON, ON SLIDE SIX ABOUT THE DART, UM, ATTORNEY THAT'S GONNA BE ADDED.
HOW MANY PROPERTIES WERE DARTED IN 2023? GOOD AFTERNOON, JORDAN.
THIS LAST YEAR WE HAD 45 PROPERTIES INSPECTED.
UM, ARE WE, UM, EXPECTING AN INCREASE IN THAT WITH THE ADDITION OF THIS ATTORNEY? YOU KNOW, I HOPE SO.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE, I THINK ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE DUTIES WE WANNA DO WHEN WE DO OUR DART INSPECTIONS, SOMETIMES RECIDIVISM.
SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE WITH THIS NEW ATTORNEY WILL BE ABLE TO GO BE ABLE TO BETTER MONITOR, UH, PAST
[00:50:01]
INSPECTIONS.UH, RIGHT NOW WE COUNT ON OUR DART TEAM MEMBERS TO BRING BACK, PAST, PAST, UH, PROPERTIES, UH, TO ENSURE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER NUISANCE PROPERTIES RELATED TO THOSE.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS, UH, THIS NEW DART TURN WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER MONITOR THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN TO ADD WHAT, UM, UM, JOE JUST INDICATED THE FACT THAT WE STARTED THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM MM-HMM.
UH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE ARE IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES THAT NEED TO BE DARTED OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO, OR THEY ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS, IF YOU WILL.
SO THIS NEW, THE TWO NEW PROGRAMS IN THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE ADDING IS ENHANCING OUR MONITORING ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH PROGRAMS. OKAY.
UM, AND FINALLY, ONE LAST QUESTION FOR THE DE I I MAY HAVE GOTTEN THOSE LETTERS MIXED UP.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK ON THE DATA ANALYSIS POSITION AND WHAT DEPARTMENTS THEY'RE GONNA BE SERVING? AND I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, IN 3 1 1 'CAUSE WE HAVE ADVOCATED FOR A DATA SCIENTIST IN THE PAST FOR, FOR THE 3 1 1 DEPARTMENT SO THAT OUR COUNCIL OFFICES CAN BE SEEING AND MONITORING THREE ONE ONE CALL TRENDS IN EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS, UM, PROACTIVELY.
SO D E I A CURRENTLY WORKS WITH ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS THROUGH THE BUDGET EQUITY TOOL AND THE, UH, SWOT ANALYSIS MM-HMM.
SO IN TERMS OF OUR DATA ANALYSIS, THIS PERSON WILL HAVE A REACH THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THROUGH THIS TOOL, WITHIN THAT TOOL.
CITY DEPARTMENTS REFLECT ON EQUITY AND HOW THEY ARE DRIVING EQUITY ME MEASURES WITHIN THEIR OWN DEPARTMENTS, PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.
AND THEN WE REVIEW THAT AND OFFER STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, AND, AND ANALYSIS.
SO THIS PERSON, UH, WOULD WORK WITH 3 1 1.
AND THIS PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, WORK WITH THEM THROUGH THAT SPECIFIC TOOL.
AND WHERE WE ARE AT RIGHT NOW IS OPENING UP THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS TO WHAT THOSE SPECIFIC MEASURES WOULD BE.
SO I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC MEASURES, BUT THAT'S WHERE, WHERE, UH, WE WOULD BE WITH IN TERMS OF ALIGNING OUR, OUR MEASURES.
UH, AND COUNCILWOMAN, I'LL JUST ADD, UM, TO YOUR COMMENTS.
IN PAST BUDGET SESSIONS, THERE IS A DATA ANALYST POSITION BEING ADDED TO THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON 3 1 1 3.
ONE ONE HAD MADE THAT BUDGET REQUEST AND IT WAS FOLDED INTO THE GOOD NEIGHBOR EFFORTS.
SO THEN WE WOULD, OUR COUNCIL OFFICES WOULD WORK WITH A GOOD NEIGHBOR, DATA ANALYST SO THAT WE CAN PROACTIVELY SEE TRENDS IN OUR DISTRICT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTE, VETO COUNCIL MEMBER CORE.
UM, SO I'LL, WE'LL START WITH D E I A AND DR.
SO FIRST OF ALL, IT'S BEEN REALLY EXCITING TO BE ON THE SIDELINES WATCHING THIS DEPARTMENT GROW, RIGHT? STARTING WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND SEEING THE MERGER AND HOW YOU ALL HAVE REALLY MADE AN IMPACT.
AND THE BUDGET EQUITY TOOL, IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE, ALSO WONDERFUL TO SEE YOUR WORK PLAN.
THE THING THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IS, DO YOU HAVE THE ENOUGH STAFFING WITH THIS NEW BUDGET ANALYST COMING IN TO PROACTIVELY MEASURE ORDINANCES? SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN AN ORDINANCE COMES TO US, IF IT HAD ALREADY AN EQUITY INDICATOR OR ANALYSIS DONE BEFORE PASSING, RIGHT? AND, AND I WILL TELL YOU, I WOULD WE EVER HAVE ENOUGH STAFF DEALING WITH HISTORICAL INEQUITY? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLY NO.
RIGHT? AND I, I DON'T SAY THAT TO, TO JUST BLOW OFF ANY, YOU KNOW, MAKE ANY EXCUSES FOR MY TEAM, BUT MY TEAM IS WORKING TO SEE WHERE WE CAN FILL THOSE GAPS, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE DO SEE ORDINANCE COME UP, WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEM AND ENSURE THAT OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND AND OUR VARIOUS ENTITIES ARE, ARE WORKING TO, TO CREATE PROGRESS THERE, RIGHT? SO WE ARE, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2022, RIGHT? SO WE ARE A FAIRLY NEW DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE, UH, BROUGHT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, OFFICE OF EQUITY, THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE, THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE, UH, THE IMMIGRATION LIAISON OFFICE, AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE.
AND SO THEREFORE, ALL OF THESE TEAM MEMBERS, RIGHT? WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND HAVING THESE MEETINGS, DISCUSSING ALL OF THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH OR AS MUCH AS WE CAN, HAVING TO DO WITH EQUITY, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
SO, SO, UH, WE ARE TRYING, OH, I, YEAH, WE ARE.
IT WASN'T INTENDED TO SAY THAT WE WEREN'T.
AND THE, UH, THE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT I HAD FOR NEXT YEAR POTENTIALLY IS AS YOU GO INTO THE BUDGET, UM, BUDGET PRESENTATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, IF EVEN ON THE SLIDES AND THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE BEING OFFERED, THERE WAS THE EQUITY ANALYSIS PRESENTED WITH THE BUDGET IN TANDEM.
AND COUNCILMAN
[00:55:01]
MATA VERY QUICKLY ON THIS, UM, QUESTION BECAUSE PART OF WHAT THE DATA ANALYST POSITION IS DESIGNED TO DO IS TO HONE IN ON SPECIFIC METRICS FOR DEPARTMENTS AND SERVICE DELIVERY TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY THE INTENT OF WHAT IT MAY BE WITH THE PROGRAM, BE IT THROUGH ORDINANCE OR OTHERWISE, IS CLEARLY STATED, BUT HOW DO WE MEASURE THEN THE OUTPUT OF THAT? AND SO WHILE I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE ON THE FRONT END OF AN ORDINANCE, BUT THAT'S THE WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING IN TERMS OF NOT JUST EQUITY, BUT LANGUAGE ACCESS, DISABILITY ACCESS AND IMMIGRATION.UM, OUR IMMIGRATION LIAISON AS WELL.
SO IT'S THAT SPEC SPECIFICITY THAT, UM, WE SEEK TO HONE IN ON, UM, AS, AS THE WORK GETS DONE AND THE SERVICES ARE DELIVERED.
AND SO IF THERE ARE KEY PERFORMANCE ME MEASURES, RIGHT? WE ALWAYS HAVE ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON, UH, BASED ON THIS ACTION, WE EXPECT THE, THIS OUTPUT AND THEREFORE THIS OUTCOME.
UM, AND THEN COMING BACK TO IT TO SAY HOW ACCURATE WERE WE EXACTLY.
DO WE HIT, WERE WE OFF? SO, UM, JUST TRYING TO EMPHASIZE THE, THE NEED FOR BOTH A PROACTIVE AND A REACTIVE MEASURE OF ANALYSIS.
AND SO ALONG THAT SAME LINE, LIZ, IF YOU WANNA STAY UP THERE, UM, SO I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE WRITTEN INTO THIS DATA ANALYSIS POSITION THAT SAYS SA 2020 ON IT.
UM, AND SA 2020, AN ORGANIZATION IS NOT RECEIVING FUNDING THIS YEAR.
SO ARE WE EXPECTING TO NOW INHERIT SA 2020 IN THIS POSITION? NO.
WHAT WE INTEND TO DO IS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SA 2020 DATA IN, IN THOSE INDICATORS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE ONE OF MANY PARTNERS THAT PROVIDE INFORMATION AS TO THOSE INDICATORS.
UM, WE WILL ALSO MAKE THAT OUTWARD FACING SO THAT ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO SEE THAT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
SO THEY'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE ARE SENDING.
OR THAT WE, WE ARE, I GUESS, AGGREGATING.
SO, AND FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I KNOW I WASN'T AROUND WHEN ESSAY 2020 WAS FOUNDED, I KNOW THERE'S SOME QUESTIONING ABOUT, UM, KIND OF WHAT THE, THE LOGIC BEHIND DOING INTERNAL DATA ANALYSIS VERSUS KEEPING IT EXTERNAL.
AND SO CAN YOU JUST TALK FOR A FEW MINUTES ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THAT AND WHETHER WE'RE TRYING TO, HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE OUR OWN KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS PER SE? SO I'LL SPEAK TO THE INTERNAL, UM, TRACKING.
AND SO AS WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, THE GREAT, UM, THE GREAT POINT THAT WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF HAVING BEEN ABLE TO BUILD ON THE EQUITY OFFICE YEAR AFTER YEAR AND NOW HAVING THE COM COMBINATION, UM, OF ALL THE EXPERTS IN THE D E I A OFFICE, IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR DEPARTMENTS WITH TOOLS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY THAT INTEND TO HAVE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES.
THE QUESTION NOW BECOMES HOW DO WE MEASURE THOSE OUTCOMES? AND JUST AS SORT OF, WE WENT THROUGH, IT'S GONNA BE A DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT ANALYSIS TO BE ABLE TO, TO DETERMINE HOW WE MEASURE THAT, UM, AND WHAT WE LOOK TO YEAR AFTER YEAR TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE'VE MET THOSE GOALS.
AND SO FOR PURPOSES OF THE DATA ANALYST, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE A VERY DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC, UM, EXERCISE, BUT WILL INFORM THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL SET AS A COUNCIL FOR PURPOSES OF COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THAT OUTWARD FACING INFORMATION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF JEFF WANTS TO ADD ANY MORE TO THAT.
JUST TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE SA 2020 PIECE.
THE SA 2020 TRACKS ABOUT 50 COMMUNI COMMUNITY INDICATORS.
UM, THE CITY IS THE DATA SOURCE FOR ABOUT 10 OR 11 OF THEM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE THINGS THAT WE REPORT TO YOU, UH, EACH YEAR.
THE, THE RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING RATE, UH, THE, UH, UH, FAMILY, FAMILY RELATED VIOLENCE, UM, UH, VISION ZERO, IT'S A TRAFFIC FATALITY, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE PROVIDING THAT DATA.
UH, WE'RE PART OF, YOU KNOW, 25 PLUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE DATA.
WHAT, UH, D E I HAS EXPLAINED BETTER THAN I CAN IS THAT BY INVESTING IN OUR INTERNAL DATA ANALYSIS CAPABILITIES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DIG DEEPER THAN THAT AND, AND WE'LL STILL REPORT THE HIGH LEVEL NUMBERS, BUT BE VERY MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON THE CITY SERVICES AND HOW OUR ORGANIZATION IS EFFECTIVELY, UH, AFFECTING THOSE INDICATORS.
I, IN GENERAL, I THINK MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD AGREE THAT THE COMMUNITY VISIONING PROCESS IS IMPORTANT AND THAT WE WANNA CONTINUE LOOKING TO IT FOR HOW WE SHOULD BE GROWING AS A CITY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISTAKENLY TELL THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BECOME SA 2020, BECAUSE THAT IS, UM, NOT THE INTENT, IS WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING.
AND, UH, JUST AS ANOTHER POINT ON THAT, UH, DATA ANALYST PIECE, I THINK WE'VE, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OR I'VE MENTIONED IT PREVIOUSLY, BUT I DO THINK, UH, AS A DATA NERD, DATA ANALYSTS
[01:00:01]
ARE MORE POWERFUL WHEN THEY'RE TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND SOLVE FOR SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.AND SO WE'VE, WE'RE ADDING A COUPLE IN A FEW DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE A WAY TO CONSOLIDATE THOSE UNDER A CHIEF DATA OFFICER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
AND WHILE CRAIG'S COMING UP HERE, UM, AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, UH, LOGIC BEHIND THAT FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THEY, THEY NEED TO START WHERE IT'S AT AND UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS.
IT, IT HAPPENS, NO OFFENSE TO THE BUDGET ANALYST BEHIND ME, THE BUDGET ANALYST DISCONNECTED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS LOSE FOCUS.
SO YOU, YOU'RE SEEING A TREND AT D E I A GOOD NEIGHBOR 3 1 1 TO HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT WE DO BECAUSE HE'S GOT, HE'S GOT SOME DATA FOLKS AND, AND MAYBE BUILDING UP TO SOMETHING THAT'S A LOT MORE ROBUST IN TERMS OF REPORTING NOT ONLY TO MANAGEMENT AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT TO THE PUBLIC AND DEPARTMENT HEADS AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE DECIDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AND WHERE SHOULD WE BE DOING IT? YEAH, YEAH.
I'LL JUST OFFER THAT WE ARE USING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE APPROACH, HUB AND SPOKE, IF YOU WANNA THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
SO THE IT TEAM OWNS THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY'RE THE DEEP DATA SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE.
WE OWN THE PLATFORM GOVERNANCE.
WE HAVE A CHIEF DATA OFFICER NAJI TAB WHO REPORTS TO ME.
AND SO WE'LL MANAGE THAT AS A CITY.
AND THEN THE DATA ANALYSTS, WE WANT THEM SPRINKLED OUT IN THE DEPARTMENTS SO THEY CAN BE EMBEDDED IN THE, IN THE DEPARTMENTS DOING THAT WORK AS LONG AS THEY WORK AS A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHETHER THEY'RE ALL UNDER ONE ORGANIZATIONAL UMBRELLA OR NOT, IS NOT IMPORTANT TO ME.
AS LONG AS THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER UNDER THE SAME POLICIES AND STANDARDS AND PRACTICES HER.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE LIKE 10 DIFFERENT TABLEAU DASHBOARDS.
THEY'RE ALL GONNA, AND ACTUALLY THEN WE'LL HAVE NONE.
'CAUSE TABLEAU IS NOT OUR STANDARDS.
AND SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN ENTERPRISE PLATFORM AND STANDARDS THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING IN THE SAME PLATFORM.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I, JUST AS A REALLY QUICK QUESTION.
I JUST WAS WONDERING ON THE, A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A MILLION ON SLIDE 11 FOR CREDIT CARD FEES AND ASSOCIATION FEES.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THOSE WERE.
I WAS LIKE, DO WE HAVE AMEX PLASS RUNNING AROUND EVERYWHERE? I'M SORRY.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE ASSOCIATION DUES AND CREDIT CARD FEES WERE.
PROBABLY, JUSTINE TALKED TO THE ASSOCIATION DUES, BUT ON THE CREDIT CARD FEES AS FOURTH NON-DEPARTMENTAL, THOSE ARE THE FEES THAT WE GET CHARGED FROM OUR CREDIT CARD VENDORS TO PROCESS THE FEES, CROSS PROCESS THE CREDIT CARDS.
OH, LIKE THE 3% CHARGES IT, AND IT VARIES, BUT IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE IN THE TWO TO 3% RANGE.
COUNCILWOMAN, THE ASSOCIATION DUES ARE FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS, UH, ACOG ALAMO, AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
OH, IT'S, UM, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAD, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS AND OTHERS.
AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO E ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S, UH, COMMENTS ON INCREASING SUPPORT FOR GOOD NEIGHBOR AND DART.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SEEING SOMETHING THAT WORKS AND THEN GROWING IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CORE COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
UM, FOR THE INNOVATION, UM, DEPARTMENT, ONE THING THAT STRUCK ME HERE WAS THE NUMBER OF PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, HAS THERE, HAS THERE ALWAYS BEEN A GOAL OF THREE? UH, YES.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS, UH, FOR A TEAM OF TWO.
AND HONESTLY, ONE OF THOSE TWO IS MANAGING OUR INNOVATION ACADEMY PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE KIND OF LIMITED TO THREE.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE BIG PROJECTS.
'CAUSE MY QUESTION OF COURSE WAS GONNA BE WHY, WHY ONLY THREE, RIGHT? I MEAN, THESE PROJECTS CAN BE USED, I THINK YOU'D AGREE TO MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT LEANER, LEANER, AND MEANER.
AND WE ARE LEANING ME, WE'RE LEANING NICE.
IN, IN THE, IN THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION.
UH, I WILL POINT OUT THAT INNOVATION ACADEMY WAS DEVELOPED A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO FILL THAT GAP.
SO THROUGH THAT, YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE THREE, UH, UH, COHORTS OF 30, UH, THAT COME OUT OF THAT EACH YEAR.
THOSE ARE REALLY INTENDED TO BUILD THAT TALENT IN-HOUSE, THOSE IN-HOUSE CONSULTANTS, THOSE PROBLEM SOLVERS.
SO THEY LEARN ABOUT DATA ANALYSIS, USER-CENTERED DESIGN PROCESS REDESIGN THROUGH LEAN SIX SIGMA.
SO REALLY TRAINING THOSE FOLKS IN-HOUSE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST DEPENDENT UPON THE TWO FOLKS IN OUR TEAM.
UM, LOOKING, LOOKING AT THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, I WAS LOOKING AT, UH, AT THE 3 1 1 PERFORMANCE MEASURES, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF INTERACTIONS, CALLS ANSWERED, THE RATE, THE SERVICE LEVEL.
BUT WHAT ABOUT MEASURING, UM, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OR ARE, ARE WE ACTUALLY SOLVING THE CUSTOMER'S PROBLEMS? THAT'S A GREAT CRES QUESTION.
ONE OF THE ADDITIONS, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR IN THE
[01:05:01]
3 1 1 BUDGET IS A, IS A SMALL TEAM WHO IS GOING TO, AND LEMME BACK UP.WE ARE REVAMPING THE EMAILS THAT YOU RECEIVE WHEN YOU OPEN A 3 1 1 CASE, SO THAT WHEN THAT CASE IS CLOSED, THERE'S AN EASY, WERE YOU SATISFIED? YES.
AND THOSE THAT ARE NO GO INTO A BUCKET THAT A SMALL TEAM IS GONNA, IS GONNA FOLLOW UP ON WITH DEPARTMENTS WITH THE RESIDENT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
THERE IS A LOT OF, THERE IS A POST, UH, 3 1 1 CASE SURVEY HAPPENING NOW, BUT IT'S SORT OF AN OPTIONAL THING THAT YOU CLICK THROUGH.
WE WANNA PUT IT RIGHT IN CENTER IN FRONT OF THE RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY TELL US WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE HAPPY.
AND THEN IF NOT, WE GO FIGURE OUT WHY NOT.
UM, AND, AND ONE MORE THING ON, ON ON INNOVATION.
HOW DO YOU GUYS, UM, PICK WHICH DEPARTMENTS TO, TO LOOK TO, TO INNOVATE? YES, SIR.
SO, UH, IN THE PAST AND CURRENTLY, WE REALLY DEPEND ON CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE, E L T, AND OUR CITY MANAGER TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE SOME, UH, NOT PROBLEM AREAS, BUT SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE, UH, NEED TO ADDRESS.
SO WE TYPICALLY TAKE DIRECTION FROM THERE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE NOW ADDING KIND OF A FOCUS ON WHAT'S COMING OUTTA THAT INNOVATION ACADEMY.
THOSE CANDIDATES, THEY ACTUALLY BRING IN THEIR OWN PROJECTS FROM THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
SO SOME OF THOSE ARE VERY LARGE PROJECTS THAT THEY NEED SOME SUPPORT WITH.
SO WE'RE THERE TO COACH AND CONSULT ON THOSE TOO.
BUT, UH, ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO, UH, MR. WALSH TELLING US WHAT TO DO,
THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE WORKING CONSTANTLY.
IF IT'S NOT MEASURED, WE'RE NOT DOING IT.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED HERE WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE F Y 23 ADOPTED BUDGET AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND MAYBE I'M JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING, UM, WHAT I'M READING, BUT, UH, UN UNDER THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WE HAVE PERCENTAGE OF TRAINING ATTENDEES WHO INDICATED UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION CONCEPTS.
AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, THE RESULT WAS 75%.
AND THEN I LOOKED AT THE PRO PROPOSED BUDGET IN 2024, AND UNDER 2022 ACTUALS, IT SAYS, NA, WHAT, WHAT AM I, WHAT AM I MISSING THERE? WHY, WHY IS IT NA, HE'S REFERRING.
OKAY, HE'S REFERRING, I HAVE THE, OKAY.
UH, YOU'RE REFERRING TO PERCENTAGE OF TRAINING ATTENDEES WHO INCA INDICATED INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION CONCEPTS.
UNDER THE 2022 RESULT, IT SAYS 75%, UM, UNDER THE, THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 2023, AND THEN 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET UNDER 2022 ACTUALS.
IT SAYS, NA, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU COUNCILMAN TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOESN'T HAVE THE, THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE RECITING, BUT, UM, WE'LL GET THAT ANSWER TO YOU.
UM, SECOND QUESTION HERE IS, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE'VE GOT A PERFORMANCE METRIC FOR PERCENTAGE OF REQUESTS SUPPORTED FOR INTERPRETERS OR TRANSLATIONS.
UM, AND WE DIDN'T, UM, WE HAD IT IN ONE YEAR AND, AND NOT IN THE, IN THE NEXT, IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? HI, I'M EMILY YAFFE.
I'M THE MANAGER FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE.
UM, SO THE ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED OVER, ACTUALLY, I'M NOT SURE THEY, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED OVER FROM WHEN IT WAS MANAGED THROUGH C AND E.
UM, BUT WE'VE CHANGED THE PROCESS, UM, FOR REQUESTING INTERPRETERS.
SO WE ARE SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE THEIR REQUESTS SO THAT WE AVOID ISSUES OF, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THERE WAS A MEETING CHANGE OR THE LOCATION CHANGE, UM, BUT TO SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS AND HAVING THEM MANAGE THOSE REQUESTS.
SO THAT PERFORMANCE MEASURE WAS NO LONGER VALID AT THAT POINT.
SO A QUESTION REGARDING REGARDING A D A, UM, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT, WHAT PUBLIC WORKS DOES TO STAY A D A COMPLIANT WITH, WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND WHAT THESE TWO NEW, UM, DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE POSITIONS ARE GONNA BE DOING? SO THE DIFFERENCE IS REALLY THAT WE ARE, UM, THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, AND WE SERVE AS THAT TECHNICAL ADVISOR FOR ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
SO WE ARE IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE DESIGN PROJECTS AND
[01:10:01]
MEETINGS PROVIDING DESIGN REVIEW GUIDANCE, AS WELL AS ANSWERING ANY KIND OF, UH, QUESTIONS THAT THE PROJECT MANAGERS MAY HAVE.SO THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM IS ACTUALLY THERE TO ACTUALLY BUILD AND IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT.
WE'RE THERE TO GIVE GUIDANCE ON DESIGN STANDARDS AND WHERE THERE MIGHT BE CONFLICTS.
SO BEFORE THESE TWO NEW POSITIONS, HOW, HOW, HOW DID WE, HOW DID WE DO THIS? HOW DID WE STAY A D A COMPLIANT
THE POSITIONS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE ARE TO HANDLE SOME OF THE NEW WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO, UM, FROM THE COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE POSITIONS IS GONNA BE FOCUSED ON AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING.
AND SO HOUSING DESIGN REVIEWS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BY OUR OFFICE BEFORE BECAUSE THE CITY HAS NOT HAD A HOUSING BOND BEFORE.
SO ALL OF THOSE MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE GETTING BUILT, WE ARE GONNA BE, UH, LOOKING AT THOSE DESIGN PLANS, PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND INPUT ON, UH, UNIVERSAL DESIGN, AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT IT MEETS FAIR HOUSING DESIGN STANDARDS.
THE OTHER, UH, POSITION IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY.
AND SO WE'VE NEEDED TO VAMP THAT, UH, UH, INCREASE.
UM, WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL STAFF TO DEAL WITH THE INCREASED REQUEST AS THE I TSD DEPARTMENT IS REMOVING TOWARDS THE SA.GOV.
WE'VE BEEN MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN OUR ACTUAL PLATFORM, THE SA.GOV WEBSITE.
AND NOW WE NEED TO GO INTO PHASE TWO AND WORK ON OUR DIGITAL CONTENT AND HOW WE'RE DOING THAT.
SO OUR STAFF IS NOW LOOKING AT ALL OF THE CONTENT THAT IS GETTING UPLOADED, THE VIDEOS, THE DOCUMENTS, THE REPORTS, THE DASHBOARDS THAT ARE COMING OUT.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE INCREASED A REQUEST FOR THAT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY UP ABOUT 150% FROM LAST YEAR IN JUST DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY REQUESTS.
SO ONE POSITION IS GONNA FOCUS ON THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE OTHER ONE IS GONNA FOCUS ON HOUSING.
AND IF I MAY, COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, DEBBIE'S TEAM HAS DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB OF KEEPING UP WITH THE CITY IN TERMS OF JUST THE NUMBER AND BREADTH OF PROJECTS THAT SHE'S BEEN, THAT HER TEAM INPUTS ON.
WE HAVE A HUGE AIRPORT EXPANSION PROJECT.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE TYPE OF WORK IN WHICH THE TWO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WILL HELP AS WELL.
AT LEAST GIVE HER MORE FLEXIBILITY TO HANDLE THAT.
YEAH, WE, WE HOPE TO REALLOCATE OUR WORKLOAD FOR THAT.
UM, THE NEW PROPOSED POSITION, UH, FOR, IS IT A DATA ANALYSIS AND, AND, AND EQUITY POSITION? IS THERE ANYBODY THAT'S CURRENTLY DOING THAT? WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? RIGHT NOW? WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT? YES.
NO, NOT, NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE NEED.
AND I SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, OFFICE OF EQUITY AND OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO WORK WITH WHAT WE ARE GIVEN THROUGH BY CITY DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT.
SO THEY WILL GIVE US WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT GIVE US SOME OF THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BUT IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT CITYWIDE AND TRYING TO CREATE THOSE, WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE SPECIFICALLY DOING THAT.
AND, AND I WILL ADD, THE REASON WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS POSITION IS BECAUSE OUR STRENGTH ISN'T THE DATA ANALYSIS.
WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT OFFERING SUPPORT.
WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT LOOKING AT THE THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT D E I A MEANS.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS, THAT'S WHERE WE DO NEED, UH, ASSISTANCE.
I'M GONNA, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT THAT'S $20 MILLION OR, UM, FOR CE CENTER CITY.
AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE PARKING, OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE FUND, WHICH IS ALMOST $10 MILLION.
DO WE COMPARE THAT TO LA PARKING OR WHAT OTHER PARKING, UM, UH, AGENCIES ARE, ARE GETTING DOWNTOWN? UH, JOHN JACK, C C D O, UH, NO COUNCILWOMAN.
WE HAVEN'T DONE A DIRECT ANALYSIS TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE BUDGETS FOR, UM, SOME OF THE PRIVATE, UM, GARAGES OR COMPANIES.
I THINK SHE'S TALKING ABOUT RATES.
'CAUSE IT SAYS WE ARE MAKING, UH, WHAT, HOW MUCH ARE WE MAKING PER PARKING SPACE? UH, IT, IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE, THE TYPE OF SPACE.
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF OUR, UM, PARKING GARAGES, WE HAVE A FLAT RATE FOR $10, WHICH IS FOR ALL DAY.
UM, DEPENDING ON, UM, HOW MANY TRANSIENT PARKERS WE MAY HAVE IN A CERTAIN AREA.
UH, METERS ARE THE SAME THING.
IT DEPENDS ON REALLY THE DEMAND.
WHAT IS THE DEMAND IN THAT AREA? SO SOME THE RATES VARY DEPENDING ON, ON LOCATION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU OVERALL,
[01:15:01]
UM, WE DO COMPARE OUR RATES TO THE, UM, TO THE PRIVATE, UM, COMPANIES THAT ARE HERE IN TOWN OR DOWNTOWN ANYWAYS.AND GENERALLY OUR RATES ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THOSE.
SO MY, MY CONCERN IS, I DON'T LIKE THE, THE IDEA THAT CITY CENTER IS GOING UP, THAT THEY'RE GETTING 0.3%, BECAUSE I REALLY THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONEY DOWNTOWN THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE INCREASING THAT BUDGET, ESPECIALLY IN PARKING.
THE OTHER THING IS, I, I KNOW WE RENT OUT THE, UM, LOT ACROSS THE WAY TO, FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THE ONE WE CALL THAT THE G SS A LOT, I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE, WE HAVE A AGREEMENT WHERE WE CAN USE THEIR, UM, PROPERTY SERVICE.
I, AND, AND I, I, I'M, I WORRY THAT WE'RE UNDERSELLING THAT.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THOSE ARE CONTRACT THAT'S CONTRACTED LABOR OR CITY STAFF LABOR.
'CAUSE I WAS THERE THIS WEEKEND FOR SAN JAPAN, AND IT WASN'T FULL.
AND I'M LIKE, THIS SHOULD BE FULL.
UH, THERE WERE TONS OF PEOPLE, UH, DOWNTOWN AND I'M LIKE, WHY ISN'T THIS LOT FULL? UM, AND WHAT IT IS, WHAT IS IT ABOUT IT THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT FILLING THAT LOT, ARE YOU? WHICH, WHICH LOT SPECIFICALLY? I'M SORRY.
THE ONE ACROSS FROM THE GRAND HYATT AND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO MY CONCERN IS THAT THE PARKING GARAGE IS, I FEEL LIKE THE STREET PARKING, BECAUSE WE'RE USING AN APP, WE'RE MAKING MONEY THERE.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THE PARKING GARAGES AREN'T MAKING THE MONEY THAT THEY NEED, THEY SHOULD BE MAKING, UM, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE FULL.
AND AS SOON AS ONE SPACE IS EMPTY, THE PARKING ATTENDANT SHOULD BE UP THERE AND LETTING ONE CAR IN.
UM, SO I REALLY, I REALLY AM, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING MORE MONEY TO CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT WHEN WE, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION ON PARKING, OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE FEES, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE GARAGES ARE CONCERNED.
SO, UM, WHEN WE PUT, WHEN BUDGETS COME, BUDGET AMENDMENTS COME FORWARD, WHICH I KNOW THEY WERE, THEY WILL, UM, THIS, THIS BUDGET, WHICH $20 MILLION IS JUST A LOT FOR, FOR DOWNTOWN.
UM, I, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND I NEED TO THINK IN TERMS OF PARKING GARAGE SPACES, NOT THE STREET SPACES, NOT THE FLAT LOT SPACES.
THOSE ARE EASIER TO SEE, BUT THE ONES THAT NEED STAFF AND MAINTENANCE, ARE THEY MAKING WHAT A LAZ PARKING GARAGE IS MAKING IS, IS MY QUESTION.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE COUNCILWOMAN JUST HIGH LEVEL REAL QUICK.
SO THE 20 MILLION INCLUDES GENERAL FUND, UH, MARKET SQUARE AS WELL AS OUR PARKING FUND.
THE PARKING FUND APPROPRIATIONS ARE SLIGHTLY DECREASING AS A RESULT OF US PAYING OFF OUR DEBT IN 2024.
SO THAT DEBT PAYMENTS, NO, WE'LL BE MAKING A SMALL DEBT PAYMENT, BUT THE PARKING FUND APPROPRIATION IS, WILL BE GOING DOWN COMPARED TO 2023.
AND, AND IT'S STILL THAT CENTER CITY IS GOING UP AND, AND IT'S, THERE'S JUST A LOT GOING ON DOWNTOWN THAT I'M, I'M LIKE, WE SHOULD BE GANGBUSTERS WITH, WITH PARKING GARAGES.
AND THE, THE ONE, THE OTHER THING IS, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE GOING DOWNTOWN TO LIKE, I WANT THEM USING VIA, I WANT THEM USING PARK AND RIDE.
THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER QUESTION.
AND, AND I JUST, I JUST, AM I, I WANNA SEE MORE OF THE PARKING OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE FUND SPECIFICALLY FOR THE GARAGES.
UM, THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR, FOR THAT IN TERMS OF, UH, CITY CENTER, CITY DEVELOPMENT.
BRIAN, INNOVATION, BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME, YOU ARE DOING SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE, BUT WHILE I HAVE YOU UP HERE, HOW DOES IT LOOK AT THE STATE LEVEL? WHAT DOES IT, WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO DO? OTHER THAN, I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU ONE EXTRA STAFF PERSON TO JUST COORDINATE ALL OUR GRASSROOTS PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK, BUT HOW DOES IT LOOK AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WE MOVE FORWARD? DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR BUDGET TO GET US IT TO THE TABLE? YES.
AND I KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE ALREADY AT THE TABLE, BUT TO GET US FUNDS, RIGHT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WORK PLAN THIS YEAR FOR OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION TEAM IS REALLY FOCUSING ON STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT.
UH, WE KNOW WE'VE CREATED PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS IN THIS EFFORT, REALLY FOCUSING IN ON THAT, IDENTIFYING HOW DO WE UTILIZE EACH OTHER IN A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTIVE MANNER IS SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED IN ON.
WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE.
I'LL POINT TO SALLY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
SHE'S HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL IN GUIDING US IN THAT DIRECTION AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE NEED TO DO IT.
WE'RE ALSO UTILIZING SA DIGITAL CONNECTS IN THAT EFFORT.
[01:20:01]
REALLY CREATED THOSE RELATIONSHIPS FOR US AND MAINTAINED THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD US UP.SAN ANTONIO IS STILL LEADING THE WAY WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL INCLUSION, WHEN IT COMES TO THE STATE.
I, I GOT TO SPEND SOME TIME IN LA, UH, WITH DESTINATION CRENSHAW AND WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY DO HAVE SOME VERY INNOVATIVE IDEAS.
WHAT I'M HOPING IS OUR, IN OUR INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS HERE WILL TAKE HEEDED WHAT'S COMING IN OUR, IN OUR MEGA CITIES LIKE LA AND, AND START TO BE MORE COOPERATIVE WITH US, BECAUSE YEAH, LA AND LA COUNTY IS LOOKING AT GOING INTO THE, UM, INTO THE FIBER BUSINESS.
AND I KNOW ERIC'S LIKE, WE'RE NOT GOING INTO THE FIBER BUSINESS THAT FACE, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS, AS WE LOOK AT, AT DOING THESE DIGITAL DIVIDES.
I'M LIKE, HEY, WE'RE INTO WATER, ELECTRICITY, WHY NOT? BUT, UM, I, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM AND, AND SEE, MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE THAT FORWARD.
I, I'LL, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, SINCE YOU MENTIONED ISPS, I'LL SAY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AT AND T HAS GROWN OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF TREMENDOUSLY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE BATTLES YEARS AGO.
UH, WE ARE HOLDING STRONG WITH THEM NOW, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THEIR CHANGE IN TONE AND THEIR PRODUCTIVENESS AND THIS AND THIS AREA.
AND JUST TO, BECAUSE SALLY KNOWS AT THE STATE LEVEL, ISPS DON'T WANNA PAY FOR USING OUR STREETS, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
UM, I WAS GONNA ADD THAT ACTUALLY COUPLE
AND THEN, UH, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
I AM SO GLAD ABOUT THESE NEW OFFICE SPACES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THIS IS THE FUTURE OF CORPORATE, AND I'VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE, IS EVERY FORTUNE 500 FORBES COMPANY ON THE LIST IS MOVING, IS MAKING THIS A PRIORITY? SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A CITY LEAD.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE, UH, ANALYST TO DO THAT.
I'M HOPING, AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T TELL ME NOW, BUT IN TERMS OF THE TURNAROUND TIME, NOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE IN TERMS OF JUST A SMALL PROJECT KIND OF ONE THAT COUNCILMAN, UM, GARAVITO, UH, BROUGHT UP, UM, JUST 3 1 1 CALLS.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TURNAROUND TIME WOULD BE TO GET US SOME OF THAT INFORMATION? RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND AND I, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT ONE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH OFFICE OF OF INNOVATION, BRIAN'S HERE TO ALIGN SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE ARE PULLING OUT FROM OUR B E T SWATS TO PUT ONTO HIS DASHBOARD.
SO WE HAVE, WE'RE GONNA MEET IN THREE WEEKS, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA MEET IN THREE WEEKS TO COME UP WITH AT LEAST, UM, A LIST OF SOME OF THOSE, UH, INDICATORS OR THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE CAN START TO, TO ADDRESS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THINKING ABOUT THE B E T SWATS PROCESS, I MEAN, OFFICE OF EQUITY WILL BE MEETING WITH DEPARTMENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE DEVELOPED AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BE CREATED.
BUT, BUT I WILL SAY WE WILL HAVE A SMALL BATCH VERY SOON.
BECAUSE I THINK AS, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDING WHAT, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA AWARD MONEY AND WHAT GRANTS THEY'RE GONNA PUT OUT THERE, THAT WE, WE ARE READY WITH DATA AND INFORMATION TO GET THAT DONE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT, UM, AND I, I'M JUST, I'M GLAD TO SEE ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS GROWING AND, AND THE GOOD JOB OF MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS.
UM, AND OF COURSE THE WORLD HERITAGE, GOTTA GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT.
WE'RE HAVING THE WORLD HERITAGE FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND, AND ANY ADDITIONAL STAFF WE COULD HAVE TO HELP WITH THAT AND MAKE THAT SUCCESSFUL.
UM, COUNCILMAN NORRA GARCIA AND I WERE AT A STAKEHOLDER BRE UH, BREAKFAST THIS MORNING AND THOSE THAT WANNA BE INVOLVED WITH THAT STORY JUST KEEPS GROWING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE EFFORTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER VILLAGRA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALS.
UM, ERIC, I'M, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE $3.9 MILLION SPEND FOR, UM, FOR B AD.
WHAT DO WE GET FOR THAT AND WHY DO WE SPEND $3.9 MILLION? YEAH, THAT'S OUR ALLOCATED PORTION OF SUPPORTING THEIR BUDGET.
AND THEN $1.9 MILLION FOR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION.
UH, HOW, HOW IS IT THAT WE EAT THAT COST AND NOT THE PERSON WHO'S DEFAULTING ON THEIR TAXES? THE WAY THE PROPERTY TAX WORKS, AND MAKE SURE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BUT WE HAVE A DELINQUENT, UM, PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION CONTRACT WITH, UM, WITH LINEBARGER.
THEY BASICALLY COLLECT THE TAXES AND THEY TACK ON THE FEE AND THE PENALTY TO THE PERSON'S TAXES.
SO, AND THEN WHAT WE REMIT IT BACK TO THEM.
AND THEN, UM, I'M SEEING THAT THERE'S 8.2 MILLION FOR SALES TAX COLLECTION.
[01:25:02]
SO THE 8.2 MILLION IS, IS TWO, WE PAY A 2% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE TO THE STATE FOR COLLECTING THE SALES TAX, AND THEN THEY REMIT IT BACK TO THE CITY.UM, I, I SEE THAT OUR BUDGET FOR COMMS AND ENGAGEMENT IS GOING UP.
I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BEAT THE HORSE AGAIN AND, UH, REMIND YOU, ERIC, THAT WE'VE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, RIGHT NOW TO WORK WITH VIA, UM, ON, UH, BUYING OUT THAT CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE OR, UH, FIGURING OUT A WAY TO PARTNER WITH THEM SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE MORE RELEVANT MESSAGING, UM, FOR THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO MESSAGING THAT, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO GET OUT THERE.
UH, AND MAYBE FEWER CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER MESSAGING, UH, ADS THAT REALLY ADD NO VALUE TO, UH, THIS ORGANIZATION OR VIA SISTER'S GONNA KILL ME WHEN SHE HEARS THAT.
UH, THEN, UM, AS FAR AS RISK MANAGEMENT, THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 2.9 INCREASE OF $2.9 MILLION.
IS THAT AN INCREASE ATTRIBUTABLE TO INCREASE IN PREMIUMS, OR IS THAT ABOVE AND BEYOND PREMIUMS? SO WE HAD AN INCREASE IN OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE PREMIUMS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT, UH, INCREASES IN MISMANAGEMENT.
ALRIGHT, BECAUSE I DID SEE ON SLIDE EIGHT, IF WE CAN SEE SLIDE EIGHT REAL QUICK.
UM, SLIDE EIGHT MENTIONED PROPERTY INSURANCE INCREASE.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THEN, UH, JEFF, UM, I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE, WE'VE MENTIONED, I SAY 2020 TWICE DURING, OR THREE TIMES DURING THE CONVERSATION, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE BECAUSE WE'VE ALL READ A LOT ABOUT IT.
UM, I, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT PERFORMANCE MEASURES WERE PUT IN PLACE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO GO ALONG WITH THE CONTRACT SO WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT SUCCESS WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE, UH, FROM THE CUSTOMER'S POINT OF VIEW.
UM, WERE THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS, WHAT WERE THEY AND, UM, HOW DID THEY PERFORM ON THE SA 2020 CUSTOMER? YES, SIR.
THERE ARE, UH, FOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
LET ME MAKE SURE I GET THEM RIGHT HERE.
UM, ONE IS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF U NEW USERS TO THEIR WEBSITE.
THE SECOND WAS, UH, INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT VISITORS SPEND ON THEIR WEBSITE.
THIRD WAS THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT.
AND FOURTH WAS THAT 100% OF THE CITY'S INDICATE DATA SOURCED INDICATORS ARE RELEASED IN JANUARY WITH THE REST.
UM, THIS CURRENT YEAR, THEY MET TWO OF THE FOUR.
HOW'D THEY DO LAST YEAR? I'M SORRY? HOW THEY, THE YEAR BEFORE, DO YOU KNOW? UH, I DON'T HAVE LAST YEAR BEFORE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, WERE THEY MADE AWARE THAT THEY WERE MISSING THE MARK? WELL, THE FISCAL YEAR HASN'T ENDED YET, BUT THESE ARE ALL BASED AROUND JAN.
ACTUALLY, LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.
THESE, THIS IS THEIR, UH, REPORT TO US OF THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS.
WHY ARE THOSE METRICS IMPORTANT? UM, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING VALUE FOR THE CONTRACT.
UM, I THINK PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE IMPORTANT ACROSS ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND CONTRACTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT'S HOW WE HOLD CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL.
UM, I, I, I SAW SOME REPORT THEY SUBMITTED RECENTLY, UM, THROWING SHADE, LIKE THE KIDS LIKE TO SAY, UH, THIS BUDGET, UM, THE, UM, YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THAT, BUT I, CAN YOU, CAN YOU UNPACK THAT FOR ME A LITTLE BIT? UH, THERE WAS A REPORT RELEASED THURSDAY, UH, NIGHT.
UM, ACTUALLY NOT TO US, THE CITY DIDN'T RECEIVE IT.
WE GOT A CALL FROM, FROM MEDIA ASKING ABOUT IT AND FOUND IT ON, ON TWITTER.
UM, BUT IT WAS A, A CRITIQUE OF THE CITY'S PERFORMANCE METRICS.
UM, WE, I'LL SAY F FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S, UM, THAT'S IN ON ONE LEVEL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING OVER THE YEARS OF SA 2020 IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
UM, ON ANOTHER LEVEL, IT WAS NOT COORDINATED WITH US.
AS YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS BEGAN IN APRIL.
UH, AND THAT REPORT WAS RELEASED NOT WITH US, NOT TO US, TWO WEEKS OUT FROM ADOPTION.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE MAIN CRITICISM WAS OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AND RECOGNIZED BY BOTH, UH, THE BLOOMBERG FOUNDATION THIS YEAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, OUR DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING.
UH, AND FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CITY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION, WE HAVE, UH, THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION FOR THE SAME THING.
SO, UM, THE COUNCILMAN WAS ASKING, COUNCILMAN WHITE WAS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT PERFORMANCE METRICS.
WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING TO, BUT, UM, BUT WE ASK OUTSIDE GROUPS TO EVALUATE AND REVIEW US AND, AND, AND CONSISTENTLY GET HIGH MARKS.
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN HERE AT, AT THIS CHAIR FOR SIX YEARS NOW, AND I REMEMBER, UM, DISTRICT SEVEN'S PREDECESSOR AND DISTRICT FORCE PREDECESSOR ALWAYS TALKING TO US ABOUT HOW WE ALL, WELL, HOW WE NEEDED TO ASPIRE TO BE, UM, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WASN'T JUST DATA INFORMED, BUT THAT HAD THE IN-HOUSE ABILITY TO DIVE INTO THE DATA LAKE AND THEN SYNTHESIZE THAT DATA AND COME OUT WITH ACCURATE, UM, ANALYSIS.UM, AND I'M SIX YEARS LATER, I THINK WE'VE REACHED THAT POINT.
I THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'VE DEVELOPED THE TOOLS IN-HOUSE AND NECESSARY, AND WE'VE BROUGHT IN, UH, THE NECESSARY TEAM UP TO AND INCLUDING A, A MENTION THAT I JUST HEARD ABOUT US.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S TIME TO, YOU KNOW, GET A DATA OFFICER IN HERE RIGHT.
TO REALLY, UM, TACKLE THIS, UH, AT THE, AT THE NEXT LEVEL.
BUT I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE THERE AND I'M COMFORTABLE, UM, WITH, UH, D E I, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE HELM AS IT RELATES TO THESE INDICATORS AND THESE METRICS.
AND, UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I'M, I'VE, I'VE GOT A COMFORT FEELING THAT, THAT YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE READY.
AND I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT INTO GETTING READY.
AND SO, MAY I READ A QUICK EXCERPT FROM BLOOMBERG'S, UH, CERTIFICATION? THIS TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SAN ANTONIO IN RECENT YEARS, STAFF HAS BEGUN WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY TO BUILD A DATA ORIENTED CULTURE WITH A FOCUS ON FOUNDATIONAL PRACTICES, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE AND ANALYTICS, EVALUATIONS AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS A HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE PLACE WHERE SILOS ARE BEING DISMANTLED IN FAVOR OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT TAP INTO AND CULTIVATE TALENT.
SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS EXACTLY TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IT'S A BEEN A PRIORITY ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION FROM THE CITY MANAGER DOWN TO ALL OF US.
UM,
UM, WE, WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES, BUT AS YOU CAN TELL BY SOME OF THE BUDGET ASKS AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE DID AS PART OF GOOD NEIGHBOR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE, UH, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THERE'S NO FINISH LINE, RIGHT? IT'S GREAT THAT I C M A AND BLOOMBERG IS RECOGNIZED US, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER, UM, IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING AND UTILIZING THAT DATA.
AND I'M CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE THAT ONE OF MY 11 BOSSES SAID, WE DO A GREAT JOB AND WE'RE SO GREAT, BUT, AND I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR BECAUSE CONDITIONS WILL ALWAYS CHANGE AND ISSUES ALWAYS ADJUST.
AND, AND WE NEED TO, AND WE'RE A BIG ORGANIZATION AND WE NEED TO BE A LOT MORE NIMBLE, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
THE, UH, THE WHAT WORKS CITIES, UH, IS A, A CERTIFICATION THAT'S INTENDED TO HELP CITIES THRIVE WITH DATA.
THEY BASICALLY COME IN AND DO A, A MAJOR REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
UH, TWO YEARS AGO IN 2021, WE HAD A SILVER CERTIFICATION.
THEY TALKED ABOUT OUR BUDGETY EQUITY TOOL, OUR, UH, APP TO HELP STUDENTS ACCESS THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AND OUR, UH, DATA ANALYTICS TRAINING ACROSS, UH, DEPARTMENTS TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING RESIDENTIAL OUTCOMES.
UH, THIS YEAR, AS I MENTIONED, THEY, THEY MOVED US UP TO GOLD CERTIFIED, WHICH THEY SAY IS THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR DATA-DRIVEN, WELL-MANAGED LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU MEANT, MAYOR? ABOUT THE CONTEXT OR AIR? YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA MENTION THE, THE CITY WAS PART OF THE INAUGURAL COHORT OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS, UM, BLOOMBERG CITY DATA ALLIANCE.
UH, I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK ON ONE THING.
I BELIEVE COUNCILWOMAN VRAN HIT ON A, A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
AND I'M LOOKING AT CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS FOR SECURITY AT MAVERICK PLAZA, WHICH IS, UH, CALLING FOR ROUGHLY OVER $122,000.
THAT ADDS OVERNIGHT SECURITY AT NAVITA.
FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, I DON'T SERVE ON PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I REMEMBER THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT RELOCATING THE PARK POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S A DECISION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE? UH, YE YES, MA'AM.
THAT, UM, IN FACT THAT BUILDING'S ABOUT READY TO OPEN, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
THIS IS PRIVATE CONTRACT SECURITY COUNCIL.
AND THIS, IS THIS FOR EVENTS OR WILL THE SECURITY BE PRESENT WHETHER IT'S RESERVED OR NOT? UH, YES MA'AM.
AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND THE MEETING MINUTES FROM A INNER CITY TOURS MEETING WHERE, UH, IT WAS APPROVED TO ADD, UH, SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS TO THE, THE PLAZA.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE HEIGHTENED SECURITY, UH, I KNOW PDS VERY PRESENT BIKE PATROL'S ALWAYS AROUND, UM, THE PARK AND AROUND THE PLAZA.
UM, AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE TOTAL COST, RIGHT? IT IS WITHIN THE, THE, THE TID.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY
[01:35:01]
WHERE WE CAN, UH, TASK VISIT SA TO ABSORBING SOME OF THOSE COSTS.UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S ALREADY CAMERAS THAT ARE GOING TO GO INTO PLACE, PDS VERY PRESENT AND VISIBLE IN THAT AREA.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT $120,000, UM, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE DOLLARS GO BEYOND DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY WHEN VISIT ESSAYS RECEIVING SO MUCH.
AND I LOOK AT $122,000, THAT'S ROUGHLY, UH, 19 FOUR-WAY STOP SIGNS FLASHING, FOUR-WAY STOP SIGNS, RIGHT? SO EVERY DISTRICT CAN GET ONE, UH, IF IT'S SINGLE STOP SIGNS THAT ARE FLASHING 76 STOP SIGNS.
SO A AGAIN, RIGHT, THERE'S SO MUCH BEING ABSORBED IN THIS AREA, AND I WANNA ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING A GREATER IMPACT BEYOND DOWNTOWN.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE, IT'S WITHIN THE, THE TOURIST, UH, IMPACT ZONE.
UH, AND VISIT US A IS RECEIVING SO MUCH, CAN WE DELEGATE THAT TO THEM TO ABSORB THAT COST? UH, SINCE IT IS WITHIN, UM, THEIR PURVIEW WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF VISIT SAN ANTONIO? WELL, IT, IT ENCOMPASSES THEIR AREA WHERE THEY'RE TAKING HOT TAX DOLLARS.
RIGHT? BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN HAVE D S A, CAN WE, CAN WE TASK THEM WITHIN? NO, I DON'T DON'T THINK WE CAN TASK THEM TO DO THAT, BUT SO, SO WE CAN VISIT WITH THEM ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, THE PARK, THE, THE CAM AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP.
I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE, THE, THE INNER CITY TOUR HAD APPROVED CAMERAS IN THE PARK MM-HMM.
IT'S 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S A BIT EXCESSIVE, UH, AND RIGHT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT VISIT SA TAKES ON, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS DEVELOPED BY CITY ORDINANCE, BUT IF WE CAN'T TASK THEM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT THOSE DOLLARS.
'CAUSE THAT'S OVER $30 MILLION.
UH, AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO, TO DELEGATE AS WE SEE FIT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND, UM, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE ASK.
UM, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, I SIT ON THE VISIT SA BOARD AND SO I, I AGREE.
I I WOULD THINK THAT 122 IS, IS MINOR, BUT, UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE ASK.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, FOR DR.
AND I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU, DR.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
LIKE YOU'LL, YOU TOOK OVER THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT, UH, BUT THEN YOU ALSO TOOK OVER THE TASK OF THE N L C DIVERSITY, UM, INITIATIVE SPECIFICALLY, UM, TO GET WOMEN TO APPLY TO, UH, CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND I KNOW YOU WORKED REALLY HARD WITH, UH, DEBBIE'S TEAM AS WELL, AND SO I WAS SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO HOST THAT, UM, THE OTHER DAY OVER ACROSS THE STREET, AND THERE WAS SO MANY WOMEN INTERESTED.
SO, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS THERE.
UM, I DO, UH, WANNA ASK AND, AND I, UM, WANTED JUST TO, I USE ESSAY 2020 ALL THE TIME.
UH, THE WEBSITE, I SEND PEOPLE THERE ALL OF THE TIME.
UM, I USED IT DURING MY L S A CLASS.
I KNOW L S A CLASSES ARE USING IT.
ALEX, FOR SENIOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CLASSES ARE USING IT.
UM, I FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO AN OUTSIDE SOURCE AND I CONSIDER THEM SOMEWHAT OF AN OUTSIDE SOURCE, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH THEY, THEY, THEY STILL GOT FUNDING.
UM, AND SO I, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WEREN'T GONNA RECEIVE FULL FUNDING OR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE, WELL ACTUALLY THEY WEREN'T GONNA RECEIVE FULL FUNDING.
SO I, UH, MISTAKENLY MADE THE ASSUMPTION, UM, THAT IT WAS GONNA BE CUT, BUT NOT LIKE ENTIRELY CUT.
UM, AND SO, UH, SO I, AND I, I HAD THIS CONVERSATION ALREADY.
I, I MENTIONED TO JEFF COYLE, UM, THAT I JUST, I I THOUGHT IT WAS, UH, JUST SO MUCH THAT IT WAS LIKE ENTIRELY CUT.
RIGHT? AND SO FOR THE FUTURE, RIGHT, IN, IN YOUR POSITION AS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESS, I'M WONDERING LIKE HOW YOU ADVISE DEPARTMENTS IF THEY'RE RECOMMENDING FOR SOMETHING TO BE CUT, UM, CAN WE GIVE THEM SOME AMOUNT OF TIME SO THAT THEY COULD ADJUST TO THEIR BUDGET? AND THE REASON THAT I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE ANOTHER ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT HAS BEEN CUT, UM, AND THIS ONE WASN'T ENTIRELY, BUT BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS, AND TODAY I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH D H SS AND D H S WAS EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE INTRICACIES INVOLVED.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, WITH BIG BROTHERS OR BIG SISTERS, IT'S 53% CUT.
AND SO HOW DO YOU EMBED YOUR WORK, YOUR EQUITY, RIGHT, AND INCLUSION TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE STILL ARE COVERED IN ALL OF THE ASPECTS BEFORE THE BUDGET CUTS COME.
LIKE DO YOU GET TO TO, TO BE A PART OF IT YET OR NOT? UH, WE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN A PART OF THAT YET.
AS, AS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE ARE OFFERING SUGGESTIONS AND, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, BUT I WOULD WELCOME A DISCUSSION WITH, WITH WHOMEVER MIGHT BE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF THAT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.
[01:40:01]
YEAH.AND SO IF WE, WE COULD DO ANYTHING.
AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST, UH, LIKE AN EQUITY THING.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW THAT ALL OF US HAVE, UH, DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, WE CHAMPION AND ET CETERA.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR LIKE OUR STUFF, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO ADVOCATE FOR.
BUT THEN SOME OF THESE THINGS COME OUT AND LIKE, WAIT A SECOND, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS ENTIRELY RIGHT, LIKE FOR THAT EXAMPLE.
SO I, I WANTED TO CHECK WITH YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION FOR YOU.
AND THEN BACK TO THE I T S D THING.
AND, AND THEN CRAIG, UM, I JUST, IF IF SOMEBODY MAYBE COULD CIRCLE BACK ON THE BUDGET MEMO ON THE RESPONSE MEMO, JUST IN GENERAL WHAT THE FULL POLICY IS ON REPLACEMENT IN GENERAL.
I KEEP ASKING JUST FOR COMPUTERS, BUT IT'S NOT JUST COMPUTERS.
LIKE WHAT DO WE DO WITH MOBILE PHONES? LIKE I, I'M JUST WONDERING, RIGHT.
SO JUST, JUST A QUESTION AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY ENOUGH TIME, BUT YES, AND I'LL CLARIFY THAT ANY MOBILE DEVICES, LAPTOPS, OR ANY IT HARDWARE GOES THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN CAN WE GET A STATUS UPDATE ON OUR WEBPAGE ON SAN ANTONIO.GOV? LIKE DID WE FINALLY, LIKE IS IT DONE ENTIRELY? IS EVERYTHING ON THE NEW WEBSITE? OH, SORRY.
THIS NEW STATUS OF THE WEBSITE, IS IT ALL COMPLETE? LIKE EVERYBODY? IT'S NOT ALL COMPLETE.
WE'RE MOVING DEPARTMENT AT A TIME, BUT EVERY SIX WEEKS WE MOVE A DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU'LL SEE SOME BIG ONES LIKE THE UH, SAPD WEBSITE HAS JUST MOVED OVER, UH, AND RECENTLY.
AND SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE EVERYBODY TO SA DOT COV.
AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND WE'LL DO A A, WE CALL IT A BACKLOG, WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND.
AND THEN CAN I JUST TELL YOU DEBORAH IS AWESOME? OH YEAH.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, ACCESSIBILITY, WE HAVE APPLIED TO ALL OF OUR DIGITAL ASSETS.
AND WE USED TO HAVE SCORES IN THE SIXTIES ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY ON OUR WEBSITE.
THEY ARE ALL IN THE NINETIES ON THE NEW SA.GOV WEBSITE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND THEN I HAD QUESTIONS ON, UH, PRE-K FOR ESSAY, BUT NOBODY'S HERE.
RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED OTHER DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, THAT YOU ADOPTED THAT BUDGET IN JUNE? YES.
THEY STARTED JULY ONE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THEN I'M, BUT IF THERE'S SOME FOLLOW UP, WE CAN, I'LL, I'LL, SO WE CAN TALK.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
UH, AND I, I JUST WANTED TO CHIME BACK IN ONE 'CAUSE IT'S ACCESSIBILITY, NON ACCOUNTABILITY.
COUNCILMAN NOR GARCIA LET ME KNOW AND, AND I, YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT YOU PUT IN, UM, FOR ACCESSIBILITY REGARDING SOME OF THE STREET DESIGN WITH THE BRICK PAVEMENT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SEEING WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE HOUSING.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
WHAT ARE Y'ALL IDENTIFYING ONE OF THE BIG, ONE BIG CHALLENGE THAT MAY COST MORE MONEY IN THE FUTURE FOR HOUSING? BECAUSE AS WE LOOK AT OUR HOUSING BUDGET, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT TOO.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DEVOTE THE TIME TO LOOKING AT ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH OUR PARTNERS LIKE WE NEED TO.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE GOALS OF OUR POSITION WITH THESE NEW POSITIONS IS TO REALLY, REALLY, IS REALLY EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY, LISC, SALSA, UH, HOUSING TRUST.
AND SO, UM, SO WE CAN GET TO SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT NEW STAFFER, I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND WHAT IS THAT EXTRA COST.
I'M, I'M ALL ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE RIGHT NOW AND WHICH IS WHY, UH, ERIC, THE NEXT THING I'M GONNA ASK IS FLEET MAINTENANCE.
UM, I, IF I, IF WE COULD IN THAT FOLLOW-UP MEMO, GET A, AN IDEA OF, I, I KNOW WE'VE GOT WHAT, 424 VEHICLES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED OR ADD-ONS, BUT WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, WHEN WE BUY AGAIN, THAT WE'RE NOT BUYING VEHICLES THAT ARE JUST NOT PROBLEMATIC.
UH, ESPECIALLY THE VEHICLES THAT TRANSPORT OUR SENIORS.
I, I NEED THOSE FULLY FUNCTIONING, UM, NO PROBLEMS WITH THE DOORS OPENING.
AND OF COURSE OUR SOLID WASTE ALSO.
HOW MANY LAWYERS DO WE HAVE ON STAFF HERE? I THINK WITH THE ADDITIONS WE HAVE 66 60.
UM, AND JUST FOR COMPARISON, I THINK DALLAS HAS 101 AND, UM, HOUSTON HAS, I THINK WE JUST GOT NUMBERS ON HOUSTON.
AND, UM, THE LAWYERS HERE, THERE'S, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE A PRIVATE FIRM, RIGHT? WHERE THERE'S BILLABLE HOUR REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THESE FOLKS JUST WORK WHEN THE WORK'S THERE.
[01:45:01]
UH, ABSOLUTELY COUNCILMAN, WE HAVE, UH, ALL OUR ATTORNEYS HAVE A FULL PLATE IN TERMS OF SERVICING OUR DEPARTMENTS.AND I HAVE TO SAY THEY WORK AS HARD AS JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER IN-HOUSE FORTUNE 50 OR JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER, UH, SIZE FIRM WHERE THE, IF YOU COMPARE US TO OTHER FIRMS, I THINK WE'RE THE SECOND, IF NOT THE SECOND LARGEST FIRM IN THE CITY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON, UH, THIS ITEM? UH, YOU WANT US TO WRAP US UP, ERIC, ON PROCEDURE FOR NEXT WEEK? YEAH, I'LL JUST RECAP.
WE HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP MEMO THAT'S COMING TO THE COUNCIL TODAY.
UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF FOLLOW UPS FROM TODAY THAT WE'LL GET OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
UM, AND, UM, WE WILL, UH, START, UH, ON MONDAY WITH THE REPORT ON THE TOWN HALLS, BUT THEN ALSO MY REPORT ON, UM, THE STARTING POINT FOR AMENDMENTS AND AN UPDATE ON SALES TAX AND C P SS, UH, AFTER WE GET THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
WE'LL GET THAT OUT TO THE COUNCIL ON MONDAY AFTERNOON.
ALRIGHT, UH, DON'T FORGET, UH, 5:00 PM PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, TIME IS 3:50 PM ON THE SIXTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.