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>> PELÁEZ: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'VE GOT JUST THREE OF US TODAY BUT THAT'S A QUORUM. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE LATE AND COUNCILMAN WHYTE, WHO KNOWS WHERE COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE IS.
[Approval of Minutes ]
QUORUM. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE FIRST THING IS GO BACK TO SEPTEMBER 26TH AND LOOK AT OUR MINUTES ACKNOWLEDGE
APPROVE THOSE. WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> SECOND.
>> PELÁEZ: ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THAT WAS UNANIMOUS.
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
NOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.HI. WELCOME. >> KAITLIN COWER, ONE OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE DOING THE PRESENTATION.
>> I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY CHAIR, SARA AND THE VICE CHAIR ARE HERE THIS MORNING. ALL RIGHT. SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION IS MOST COMMON KNOWN AS SBAC. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN FEBRUARY OF 2021 AFTER COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FROM COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. SHE RECOGNIZED THAT SMALL BUSINESSES NEEDED TO HAVE AN ONGOING OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE CONCERNS AND SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND A CITYWIDE COMMUNITY INPUT CONFIRMED THAT NEED. THE FIRST MEETING OF SBAC WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2021 AND SINCE THEN THEY'VE HAD OF 2023, THOSE TERMS ARE CO-TERMINUS WITH CITY COUNCIL POSITIONS.
THIS IS A 15-MEMBER COMMISSION. IT CONSISTS OF ONE MAYORAL APPOINTEE, TEN COUNCIL DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS, AND FOUR MEMBERS AT LARGE. THOSE ARE RECOMMENDED BY EWDC.
OF THE TEN COUNCIL DISTRICTS, ALL OF THOSE MEMBERS MUST RESIDE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICT AND MUST BE A MEMBER OF EITHER A SMALL BUSINESS OR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATION. SO EDD SUPPORTS TWO DIFFERENT BODIES, S BOOK AND THE SBEDA COMMITTEE. AT ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL, EVERYTHING THAT FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE SBEDA ORDINANCE IS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF SBAC. THOSE COMMISSIONERS REVIEW UPCOMING POLICIES AND REGULATIONS AND THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING MODIFICATIONS OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS, THEY ENGAGE AND PROMOTE AWARENESS. THEY ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY, BRINGING THAT FEEDBACK TO THE COMMISSION TO HELP INFORM. THEY COORDINATE ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS WITH EWDC AND THEY ADVISE STAFF IN THE PREPARATIONS OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.
THEY'VE BEEN A MAJOR CHAMPION OF SECOND-STAGE PROGRAMMING WHICH WE NOW HAVE AVAILABLE. THEY ALSO WORK WITH OTHER CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT MAY AFFECT SMALL BUSINESSES AS NEEDED. SBAC PROVIDED FRAMEWORK WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE ECOSYSTEM. SOME OF THE MEMBERS EVEN PARTICIPATED IN THE ROUND TABLES LEADING UP TO THE ADOPTED FRAMEWORK.
ONE OF THE MAJORS WITH A ARPA'S SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SOME OF THE FIRST MEETING WERE TO COLLECT FEEDBACK AND THEY WORKED CLOSELY WITH STAFF AND EWDC TO WHAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL. THEY PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON NOISE ORDINANCE, PLACEMAKING AND CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT AND ADVISED THE READY TO WORK TEAM. THEY'VE HAD TWO SUBCOMMITTEES, ONE FOR CON CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION AND ONE FOR BUY LOCAL. SBAC'S COMPOSITION, THE ORDINANCE SPECIFIES A DEFINED COMPOSITION. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE CATEGORIES ON THE LEFT, THERE ARE SPECIFIC SIZES OF SMALL BUSINESSES, SPECIFIC NON-PROFIT REQUIREMENTS AND TARGETED INDUSTRY. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGES IN MEETING THESE REQUIREMENTS AND SOME EXCEPTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE SEVEN MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO SBAC.
THERE ARE SEVEN MEMBERS IN HOLDOVER, AND THEN THERE'S ONE VACANT AT-LARGE POSITION. OOPS, EXCUSE ME. APPLICANTS RECRUITMENT HAS BEEN ONGOING. THERE HAS BEEN A CONCENTRATED EFFORT WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK TO COLLECT APPLICATIONS LEADING UP TO THIS.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 13 APPLICANTS FOR AT-LARGE CONSIDERATIONS.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY WOULD BE ACTION TO ESTABLISH A SUBCOMMITTEE TO REVIEW THOSE APPLICATIONS. THE SUBCOMMITTEE WOULD SHORT-LIST CANDIDATES AND
[00:05:02]
THEN THOSE CANDIDATES WOULD BE INTERVIEWED NEXT MONTH. AND THAT CONCLUDES THEPRESENTATION. >> PELÁEZ: QUESTIONS FOR MS. COWER.
>> >> GARCIA: THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THIS.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE INVALUABLE THE WORK THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO.
WITH THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WERE PRESENTED ON SLIDE 4, HAVE THE CURRENT MEMBERS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW OR MAYBE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SEE IF
THEY WANTED TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE COMMITTEE? >> WELL, THESE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE REVIEWED WITH ALL OF THE MEMBERS DURING AN ORIENTATION PROCESS. WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT SPECIFIC CONVERSATION ABOUT
MAKING CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE. >> GARCIA: I WAS JUST WONDERING. OF THE ONES ON HOLDOVER STATUS, HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE REAPPLIED? AND DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF
12? >> SO THE -- IF THERE'S A RED STAR NEXT TO THEIR NAME, THAT MEANS THERE'S AN APPLICATION ON FILE. AND SO SOME OF THOSE ARE FOR DISTRICT-SPECIFIC POSITIONS. SOME OF THEM ARE FOR AT-LARGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF A DIFFERENT APPOINTMENT WAS MADE WITHIN A DISTRICT, THAT INDIVIDUAL
COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AT-LARGE POSITION. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> VIAGRAN: YES, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS BEEN SORT OF A -- I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD. I'M STILL NOT CLEAR ON EVERYTHING OTHER THAN IT COVERS WHAT SBEDA DOESN'T. THE OTHER ASPECT THAT I AM -- WHO IS -- I NEED TO KNOW WHO IS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE. I DON'T SEE -- DO WE HAVE A TIME LINE? I DIDN'T SEE A TIME LINE FOR WHEN WE WERE GOING TO GET THIS SUBCOMMITTEE STARTED AND WHEN WE WERE GOING TO KIND OF --
>> IT WOULD NEED TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY IF EWDC CHOSE TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES NEXT MONTH. WE WOULD HAVE THOSE MEETINGS THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
>> VIAGRAN: SO UNTIL WE REALLY LOOK AT THE PRIORITIES OF -- AND IF WE COULD GET THE -- MORE SPECIFICS ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE PRIORITIES OF THE SBAC COMMITTEE, MY CONCERN IS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE -- WHERE WE ARE LOOKING IN THE FUTURE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IN TERMS ABOUT INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS AND PRIORITIES. THAT'S MY CONCERN AS WE BRING NEW PEOPLE IN, WHAT -- SETTING THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE COME TO THIS COMMITTEE FROM THE SBAC THAT WE HAVE SENT BACK AND THEN THINGS THAT HAVE COME THAT WE HAVE NOT USED.
SO I'M JUST -- I'M CONCERNED THAT IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO RETAIN AND GET PEOPLE TO DO THAT. AND THE OTHER THING IS I'M STILL -- I'M STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE BUY LOCAL THAT WE DID, AND I KNOW THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. BUT IN TERMS OF THEIR INPUT FOR BUY LOCAL AND MAINTAINING LOCAL, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED ANY OF THAT OR WHAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED IS NOT IN WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF CITY COUNCIL ARE.
SO THERE'S A DISCONNECT RIGHT NOW AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE -- I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT CLEARLY STATED OUR PRIORITIES AND OUR GOALS FOR THIS COMMITTEE. OR THAT THEY ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY CAN DO MORE OR THEY NEED TO DO LESS OR THEY ARE JUST APPROVING WHAT EWDC -- WHAT EDD IS BRINGING FORWARD. I JUST NEED MORE INFORMATION OR MAYBE A ONE ON ONE IN TERMS OF THIS TIME LINE JUST SEEMS TOO QUICK. IT SEEMS TOO QUICK WITH THE FACT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SORTED OUT THE PRIORITIES AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IF WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION BROUGHT FORWARD BY SBAC AND WE DON'T USE IT, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE SEND IT BACK WITH THIS COMMITTEE. AND I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT MY TWO COLLEAGUES AREN'T HERE BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES ON SBAC TOO.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I JUST HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS REGARDING WHO IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SIT ON THESE SUBCOMMITTEES AND WHO IS GOING TO APPOINT THE PEOPLE. AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE COMING IN TO THE FUTURE.
[00:10:03]
SPECIFICALLY IF WE ARE -- THE TALK THAT IS GOING ON REGARDING HOW WE LOOK AT -- HOW WE LOOK AT OUR ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, HOW WE LOOK AT OUR SPORTS ZONE, HOW WE LOOK AT OUR LOCAL CORRIDORS VERSUS OUR BIG-BOX CORRIDORS.I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATION ON THIS AND WE NEED TO HAVE
THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE HERE. SO THANK YOU. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE -- I THINK IT'S FAIR JUST TO MENTION, I'VE BEEN TEXT ING WITH COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO WHO IS AT THE HOSPITAL WITH HER FATHER WHO IS UNDERGOING SURGERY AND WE SEND HER OUR BEST. AS FAR AS THE SUBCOMMITTEE, THE IDEA TODAY IS TO DO TWO THINGS. ONE IS TO APPOINT TWO COUNCILMEMBERS TO TAKE ON THE JOB OF REVIEWING THESE RESUMÉS AND APPLICATIONS AND THEN COMING TO THE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND WHICH OF ALL THE SMART PEOPLE THAT ARE APPLYING ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES WE SELECT TO HELP GIVE ADVICE TO COUNCIL ON THE ISSUES THROWN TO SBAC FOR THEM TO CHEW ON. THE SECOND THING THAT I'M OPEN TO DOING ANY TIME AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THESE COMMITTEES IS TO ACTUALLY -- YOU KNOW, DISCUSS WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, THE IDEA BEHIND HE'S COMMITTEES IS FOR US TO BE AS NIMBLE AS POSSIBLE. I'M OPEN TO ANY DISCUSSION ANY TIME ABOUT -- CAN WE SEE THE LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES, PLEASE? YEAH, SO I'VE LOOKED AT THIS LIST AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID AT THE VERY BEGINNING WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT RESPONSIBILITY NUMBER ONE WAS TO ASSIST OR REVIEW UPCOMING POLICIES AND ISSUES AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES. I MEAN I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE BROAD YOU CAN GET THAN THAT, RIGHT? THAT WAS THE CATCH-ALL FOR THIS COMMITTEE'S WORK AND IT'S UP TO THE CHAIRWOMAN AND THE ACTUAL SBAC TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHICH OF THOSE ISSUES THEY WANT TO TAKE UP.
AND SARA SHAQUILLE, I SEE YOU HERE AND I'VE TOLD YOU IN THE PAST YOU'VE GOT A VERY, VERY LONG LEASH TO BE ABLE TO RUN IN ANY DIRECTION YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS UP THERE ON THAT LIST. I KNOW THAT WE'RE PAST BUDGET NOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE A NEW BUDGET WITH WHICH TO WORK WITH, NEW ROAD MAP.
THE REASON I'M MENTIONING THIS IS BECAUSE THE INVITATION IS STILL THERE FOR SBAC TO RUN IN ANY DIRECTION THAT YOU GUYS DEEM APPROPRIATE.
AND THEN COME BACK. ADDITIONALLY, SARA, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED TO ABOUT WITH YOUR BOARD IS THAT YOUR APPOINTEES NEED TO COME TALK TO THESE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS THAT HAVE APPOINTED THEM. REPORT IN REGULARLY AND THE -- AND THEN GET FEEDBACK FROM US. BUT I'M 100% WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN ON THIS ONE, WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT OR DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO AT ANY TIME ANY OF THE MEMBERS WANT TO BRING UP IDEAS AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN IMPROVE, I'M ALL EARS. AS FAR AS I KNOW, WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A SUGGESTION ON THE FLOOR WHICH IS TO DELAY THE APPOINTMENTS UNTIL WE'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
IS THERE A PRESSING NEED, CAN YOU GUYS NOT MAKE QUORUM FOR SBAC?
IS SBAC CURRENTLY WORKING ON ANYTHING? >> THEY ARE MEETING QUORUM, BUT THAT COULD ALWAYS BE AT RISK, BUT SINCE WE HAVE MEMBERS IN HOLDOVER, THAT --
I'LL LET -- >> SO QUORUM IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN.
PART OF THIS ACTION IS ALSO AT THE REQUEST OF THE CHAIR IN JANUARY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RETREAT AND KIND OF GOAL-SETTING SESSION WITH SBAC.
AND SO THE INTENT BEHIND THIS WAS TO MAKE SURE AS MANY OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS WERE FILLED SO THAT THEY COULD ALL PARTICIPATE IN THIS SESSION WE'RE PLANNING
FOR JANUARY. >> PELÁEZ: THANKS. COUNCILWOMAN.
>> GARCIA: JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION, TODAY WE ARE APPOINTING A SUBCOMMITTEE OF US FIVE TO CHOOSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VACANT.
AND THE REASON THAT -- AND THE REASON THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY WANT TO APPOINT THEM BEFORE IS TO KICK OFF THE YEAR WITH THE FULL RETREAT, RIGHT?
>> YES. >> GARCIA: WHAT'S DIFFERENT? THERE'S REALLY NOTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THE PROCESS, RIGHT?
LIKE WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. >> CORRECT. AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE IDENTIFYING THROUGH THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS SHORT LIST OF THE AT-LARGE CANDIDATES TO FILL THE FOUR SLOTS TO COME FOR FULL INTERVIEW AT EWDC AND GO FORWARD TO
[00:15:02]
COUNCIL FOR APPOINTMENT. >> GARCIA: SO WE'RE NOT CREATING SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE SBAC. WE'RE CREATING A QUICK COMMITTEE HERE.
>> PELÁEZ: I WAS HOPING TO ASK BOTH OF YOU TO SERVE AS THE ONES THAT GO THROUGH THE INTERVIEWS AND DISCUSS WITH YOURSELVES IF YOU ARE WILLING TO DO IT.
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BE -- TAKE THAT ON, I WOULD LOVE IT.
AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, I DO WANT STAFF TO VISIT WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBER ON THIS COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT UPDATING THE GOALS FOR -- AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS COMMITTEE. BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THIS -- ON EWDC WHO FEELS LIKE WE COULD DO BETTER WITH SBAC, THOSE ARE -- THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. SO WITH THAT, I NEED A MOTION TO APPOINT COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA TO
THE COMMITTEE. >> I MOVE. >> I SECOND.
>> PELÁEZ: ALL RIGHT. AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY YES.
>> AYE. >> PELÁEZ: THEY VOTED FOR THEMSELVES.
AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS. I VOTE TOO. WE DOT THAT ISSUE TAKEN CARE OF. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION SURVEY. BRIAN DILLARD, ERIK WALSH'S
SON. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? >> I STILL TAKE IT AS A SOLID COMPLIMENT. THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING. I'M REPORTING OUT ON THE DIGITAL INCLUSION ASSESSMENT. WE DID THIS IN 2019 GOING INTO 2020 SO WE WANTED TO DO AN UPDATE HERE AND THIS IS JUST TO UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE'RE AT. 2020 SURVEY AND REPORT WAS COMPLETED JUST PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. WE WERE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT TO COUNCIL IN JUNE OF 2020.
THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY UTSA. WE'VE DONE THE SAME PARTNERSHIP THIS TIME. WE HAD OVER 6,000 VALIDATED RESPONSES WITH AN AVERAGE OF 500 PER COUNCIL DISTRICT. THOSE NUMBERS LOOK WEIRD BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO COUNT WE ALSO HAD SURVEY RESPONSE COMING FROM THE COUNTY. IN 2023, WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY UTSA. WE HAD A COKE US ON SMALL BUSINESS AS WELL AS OLDER ADULTS. WE CLOSED IT ON APRIL 30TH AND HAD OVER 7800 VALID RESPONSES. YOU WILL SEE THE SPREAD ACROSS REGARDING SURVEY RESPONSES BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
OUR LEADERS IN THERE WAS DISTRICT 1, DISTRICT 3, 4 AND 5.
SURVEY RESULTS, I'LL START OFF WITH ACCESS. 82% OR 440,000 HOUSEHOLDS ARE CONNECTED TO BROADBAND. OVERALL WE'VE INCREASED CONNECTIVITY, ESPECIALLY IN UNSERVED AND UNDER SERVED AREAS. I THINK THIS SHOWS POSITIVE AND INTENTIONAL IMPACT. WE'RE STRATEGIC ABOUT WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY. THE BAR GRAPH THOSE ACCESS RATES IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS. YOU'LL SEE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES FROM 2020 IN A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS, SPECIFICALLY IN THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE LOW EQUITY CONCERNS. REGARDING AFFORDABILITY. THIS IS STILL A CONCERN FOR US. 56% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS ARE PAYING 50 TO $100 A MONTH FOR HOME INTERNET SERVICE. 35% AGREE THEY STRUGGLE TO AFFORD THAT. I'LL POINT TO THE AFFORDABLE PROGRAM.
THEY ARE TRYING TO REUP THAT FOR THIS COMING YEAR. WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK AT ALL LEVELS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE PRESSURE PUT ON THE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO MAKE THAT DECISION AS WE NEED IT. AS FAR AS ADOPTION, DIGITAL LITERACY, 84% OF RESPONDENTS AGREE THEY CAN CONFIDENTIALLY SURF THE INTERNET. AS WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE CONNECTED TO BE ON LINE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SAFE AND SECURE, THAT THEY DON'T FEEL INTIMIDATED BY 2 INTERNET. 75% OF RESPONDENTS HAVE A MOBILE PHONE, BUT 44% GO NOT HAVE A COMPUTER IN THE HOUSEHOLD. AS YOU TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, TELEHEALTH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASSURE RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS. OVER 2800 RESPONSES FROM ADULTS AGE 60%, YOU WILL SEE THE STATISTICS HERE CONTRACT TO CONNECT FINEER TO THE HOME FOR AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS.
WE ARE TACKLING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE. WE WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT ACCESS TO DEVICES AS WELL AS DIGITAL LITERACY IS
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[INAUDIBLE]. ON THE LEFT, YOU WILL SEE THE RESPONDENTS REGARDING DIGITAL BUSINESS TOOLS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA TO WEBSITES. ON THE RIGHT YOU WILL SEE THE CHALLENGES TO ADOPTION. THE HIGH MARK THERE SECURITY AND PRIVACY CONCERNS.THAT HONES INTO THAT DIGITAL LITERACY PIECE AGAIN. OVERALL RESULTS INDICATE THE NEED FOR FURTHER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES AND LEVERAGING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE FORT WORTH FOR GROWTH AND SUCCESS.
TO RECAP, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY IS STILL A CONCERN. AND TARGETED TRAINING PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE A DESIRED NEED FOR OLDER ADULTS AND SMALL BUSINESS. WE ARE DOING THIS WORK.
YOU KNOW THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES HAD ARTS CAN OATS AS WELL AS OASIS TO FOCUS ON OLDER ADULTS. WE ARE CLOSELY WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY HOW WE CAN SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD
IN THIS APPROACH. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SIR. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, BRIAN, DO YOU HAVE LIKE A ONE-PAGER OR A FLYER OR A LINK TO THE DASHBOARD THAT WE COULD SEND
TO OUR RESIDENTS? >> YES, MA'AM, I DO HAVE THE REPORT ONLINE AND WE'LL GET
A ONE-PAGER POSTED AS WELL. >> VIAGRAN: A ONE-PAGER IS GREAT IN MY AREA ESPECIALLY WITH THE SENIORS. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS FOLLOW UP AND SAY WHICH OF THOSE RESULTS MOST RESONATES WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I THINK -- I THINK THE PROVIDERS, ISP PROVIDERS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM. I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE TENTS THAT SET UP AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE JUST RANDOMLY SAYING YOU GET A FREE DEVICE IF YOU SHOW UP FOR INTERNET. THAT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING SOMETIMES.
BUT I THINK AT&T WAS AT ALL OF THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENTS FOR HARLANDALE ISD, CHECKING --E TEACHERS KNOW THEY COULD GET A DISCOUNT TOO. LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW WHO IS THIS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT THEY COULD CONNECT, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
THE KEY IS LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT THE SERVICES ARE. I WORRY THAT -- I WORRY THAT WE NEED TO CONNECT THIS TO MAYBE SOME FINANCIAL LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES, AND I'LL WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE ON THAT. BECAUSE CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT 3 BECAUSE OUR OPTIONS ARE SO LIMITED, IF THEY ARE WORKING AT HOME OR IF THEY -- IF FAIR FAMILY, IF THERE'S MULTIPLE DEVICES CONNECTED, THEY DO NEED THAT HIGHER SPEED INTERNET AND IT DOES GET A LITTLE PRICY. SO COMMUNICATING TO THEM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD WORK WITH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY NEED TO PRIORITIZE IS THAT THAT INTERNET BILL OF $80 OR WHATEVER MAY CONTINUE BECAUSE THEY USE THE INTERNET FOR WORK. SO I'D LIKE TO TRY AND SEE HOW WE COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THEM ON THAT ISSUE AND MAYBE THEY COULD BE A BIGGER VOICE OR ADVOCACY FOR CHOICE ALONG DISTRICT 3. THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO DO FOR THE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS IS LET THEM KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR ARE WORKING FROM HOME AND NEED THOSE FASTER SPEEDS.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S HIGHLY POPULAR CITYWIDE, BUT I KNOW IN DISTRICT 3 IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE THE SOUTH SIDE IN PARTICULAR IS BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL AT THE TECH PORT PLAYING THE VIDEO GAMES IS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING THE E-SPORTS SO THEY NEED THAT HIGHER CONNECTIVITY. AND SO IS THERE IS THE OPTION TO BRING THAT THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL USE THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT OUT THERE. IF YOU COULD GET THAT ONE-PAGER AND THE LINK SO WE COULD SHARE THAT, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM'S EFFORTS AND ALL YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF GAP THAT DIVIDE THAT WE HAVE. I THINK WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT WE'RE KEEPING IT FROM GETTING BIGGER, BUT IT'S STILL THERE. SO THANK YOU
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND FIRST CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIAN DILLARD. I HEAR YOU ARE OFF THE MARKET.
YEAH, HE'S MARRED NOW. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> GARCIA:
CONGRATULATIONS. >> GOT MARRIED ON A FRIDAY MORNING AT THE COURTHOUSE.
>> GARCIA: YES, I HAD TO CONGRATULATE YOU. STILL NOT OFF THE HOOK.
A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM ME. FROM THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET, DO WE HAVE INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY KIND OF LIKE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT REGARDING THE SPEED. AND SO I'D LOVE TO SEE MAYBE A MAP WITH THE ZIP CODES AND THE CONNECTIVITY SPEED. DO YOU HAVE THAT?
[00:25:05]
>> WE HAVE SOME DATA IN THE REPORT THAT REFLECTS THAT. IT'S FAIRLY GENERAL IDENTIFYING IS YOUR INTERNET SERVICE RELIABLE AND IS THE SPEED RELIABLE.
WE HAVE SOME DETAILS ON THAT, I'LL HAVE TO DIG IN TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MAP IT OUT.
>> GARCIA: CAN YOU HELP ME AND IT'S A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE, LOOKS LIKE THERE'S AN INCREASE IN CONNECTIVITY. DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO INFRASTRUCTURE, ADDITIONAL
HOUSING, LIKE WHY? >> I FEEL LIKE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ISPS HAS BEEN REALLY PRODUCTIVE. A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE PRETTY TENSE THERE AND WE'VE REALLY BUILT THAT RELATIONSHIP UP, SPECIFICALLY WITH AT&T.
WHEN WE DROPPED THE RFP IN JULY OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT GAPS.
BETWEEN THEN AND THAT TIME THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO WORKSHOP WITH AT&T TO LOOK AT THEIR MAPS. THEY'VE DONE AMAZING WORK IN THOSE AREAS THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED IN JULY OF LAST YEAR. THEY ALREADY STARTED DOING THE WORK BEFORE WE EVEN CUT THE CHECK. WE'VE EXPANDED THE AREAS& WHICH WE BRIEFED YOU ALL O CONTO ISPS AND FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS.
>> GARCIA: I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED, OUR ISPS IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE BEEN WORKING LATELY A LOT DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THE ISPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THEM. THANK YOU. ON SLIDE 8 YOU SHOWED COST BARRIERS. AND SO FOR THOSE WITH LIMITED OR FIXED INCOMES WHO MIGHT BE HOUSING COST BURDENED OR ENERGY COST BURDENS, I DO KNOW WE'VE HEARD THAT THEY TEND TO JUST FOREGO THE INTERNET. BECAUSE THEY MIGHT THINK THAT THEY DON'T NEED IT OR THERE'S SOMETHING LESS. LIKE MY PARENTS HAVE TALKED ABOUT DO WE REALLY NEED THIS. ON SLIDE 9, DO WE DISAGGREGATE THE DATA ABOUT DIGITAL LITERACY. I'M WONDERING HOW MANY PEOPLE FILLED OUT THIS FORM ON A DESK TOP VERSUS A LAPTOP VERSUS A SMART PHONE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE FILLED THIS OUT IN PERSON LIKE ON ONE OF YOUR PAPER
SUBMISSIONS. DO YOU HAVE THAT? >> I BELIEVE WE DO.
I THINK OUR UTSA PROFESSORS ARE HERE. >> GARCIA: I'M ALSO INTERESTED TO LEARN ABOUT THE 2800 RESPONSES FROM ADULTS WHO ARE 60 YEARS AND OLDER. DO WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN FOR DISTRICTS OF THAT DATA? I'M TRYING TO SEE DO THEY LIVE CLOSE TO A LIBRARY, DO THEY LIVE CLOSE TO A SENIOR CENTER, A PARK, A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT BREAKDOWN.
AND THEN FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SPECIFICALLY, DO WE HAVE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA? I'M TRYING TO SEE IN PARTICULAR IF THERE'S SMALL BUSINESSES WHO NEED MORE ACCESS OR MORE RESOURCES THAN ANOTHER.
SO D4 TRADITIONALLY GETS LEFT BEHIND IN APPLICATIONS IN APPLYING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. SO LIKE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ACCESS TO PROGRAMS FOR LAUNCH SA OR ANY OF THE OTHER SPOS FOR THAT MATTER.
DO YOU HAVE THAT AS WELL? >> AS FAR AS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS, THAT WAS A TOUGH ONE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THIS WAS A GENERAL SURVEY SO THEY RESPONDED WITH HOME ADDRESS AND THEY WERE A BUSINESS OWNER. UNCOURTLY WE CAN'T GET THAT
GRANULAR WITH THAT ONE. >> GARCIA: WHEN IS THE NEXT SURVEY TO BE COMPLETED?
>> WE'LL DISCUSS THAT OFF LINE AND GET IT TO YOU. >> GARCIA: HOW DO WE -- IN D3 AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE. LOTS OF PARTICIPATION. HOW DO WE SEE SOME FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO I KNOW YOU REFERENCED THE UTSA FOLKS WHO ARE HERE TODAY. WHO ELSE DO YOU PARTNER WITH TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT?
>> OUR 200-PLUS PARTNERS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL AS SA DIGITAL CONNECTS, AND OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE.
IT'S BEEN A HUGE SUPPORT FOR THE WORK WE'RE DOING HERE. >> GARCIA: I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED SA DIGITAL CONNECTS. I HAD AN EVENT IN MY DISTRICT AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE ATTENDED. ONE WAS BY EXCELLENT.
WE HAD REACHED -- BY EXCELLENT. THERE WAS A -- ACCIDENT.
THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T SEND OUT TO THEIR 200 PARTNERS AND I WAS THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED. AND I KNOW YOUR TEAM HAD THEY KNOWN BEFORE, AND MY APOLOGIES PUBLICLY TO YOU, BECAUSE HAD YOU KNOWN, I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE PRESSED A LITTLE MORE. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE 200-PLUS PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE -- I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW
[00:30:06]
E.D. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MISTAKE WAS NOT REPEATED.SO -- BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR ALL YOU ALL ARE DOING AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> PELÁEZ: BRIAN, I'M EXCITED FOR YOU. THAT'S GREAT NEWS. DO WE KNOW WHAT THIS YOUNG LADY'S INTENTIONS ARE WITH OUR CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER?
DO WE LIKE HER? >> CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. SO CAN WE GO BACK TO THE BAR CHART THAT SHOWED YOUR RESPONSES BY DISTRICT? YEAH, LISTEN, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN RESPONSES.
TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE INCREASE? >> MORE FOLKS ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM. YOU KNOW, INTERNET CONNECTIVITY IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT AND A NECESSITY, A NECESSARY RESOURCE SO THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEY WANT TO GET IT INVESTED IN.
>> PELÁEZ: DID WE DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO INCREASE RESPONSES?
>> I'LL KEEP POINTING TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS. UTSA, I CAN'T GIVE THEM ENOUGH CREDIT. A LOT OF THEIR STUDENTS STEPPED UP TO THE FRONT HERE AND DID A LOT OF THE OUTREACH FOR US. THOSE 200-PLUS PARTNERS, THEY KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEY'VE HELPED SPREAD THE
WORD. >> PELÁEZ: THE -- WHERE WE WERE, REMEMBER THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. WE HAD NO IDEA HOW TERRIBLE AND BURDENSOME THIS WAS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. YOU CAME ALONG WITH THE DALLAS FED AND REALLY OPENED UP OUR EYES. BACK THEN THERE WASN'T ANYBODY WAS REMOTELY CONVERSANT OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
WHERE WE HAVE TODAY, WE'VE GOT TO CITY COUNCILMEMBERS YOU CAN SAY ARE EXPERTS ON THIS. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN AND COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO, THERE'S NOBODY ON THIS COUNCIL WHO KNOWS THIS ISSUE BETTER.
GOING FORWARD, MY RECOMMENDATION IS, AND PLEASE JUST CONSIDER IT, BUT I HOPE YOU REALLY WILL ADOPT IT, RECRUIT THESE TWO COUNCILWOMAN, PUT THEM ON VIDEO AND GET THEM OUT THERE TO INTERVIEW FOLKS. SEE IF THE MEDIA WANTS TO WRITE UP A STORY. REALLY PUT THEM OUT FRONT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR CONSTITUENTS ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO TV AND RADIO AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY READ THE NEWSPAPER THESE DAYS, BUT SOME OF THEM DO, I THINK.
BUT I DO THINK THERE'S SOME VALUE, RIGHT? AND THESE ARE RECOGNIZED, TRUSTED, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TRUST THEM.
AND SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING SOME FLYER IN THE MAIL BOX, PLEASE FILL THIS OUT, VERSUS COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN TELLING EVERYBODY YOU KNOW ME, THIS IS IMPORTANT, LET'S ALL DO THIS TOGETHER. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT
THAT HAPPENS. >> YES, SIR. >> PELÁEZ: AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, I GOT TO SEE IT PLAY OUT IN PROBABLY THE SWEETEST WAY YOU WILL EVER SEE IT PLAY OUT, BUT IT WORRIED ME. MY IN-LAWS WENT AND GOT NEW PHONES. THEY ARE BOTH IN THEIR LATE 70S AND THEY -- THEY WERE SOLD MORE PHONE THAN THEY NEED WHICH GOT MY KIND OF MIFFED.
I THINK I'M COMMITTING A FEDERAL CRIME BY LETTING MY MOTHER-IN-LAW USE MY NET FLICKS PASSWORDS. THEY WENT TO T-MOBILE AND SAT -- ONE OF THE KIDS WHO SELLS THE PHONE AND HAD THEM SET UP ALL THE APPS, HAD THEM TEACH THEM ALL THE APPS AND THEY'VE BEEN GOING BACK EVER SINCE BECAUSE THEY FORGET.
I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE AT THESE RETAILERS ARE HELPING US SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT. AND BRING ME BACK TO AN AT&T OPPORTUNITY HERE.
I WONDER IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET WITH AT&T AND FIGURE OUT IF AT THEIR RETAIL STORES, WE COULD CATCH SOME INFORMATION AND MAYBE EVEN TOUCH PEOPLE WITH THESE SURVEYS. IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS AND IF WE'RE PARTNERS, LET'S BE PARTNERS IN THIS.
CAN YOU AND I TALK ABOUT THIS? MAYBE OUR FRIENDS AT AT&T MIGHT BE WILLING TO -- EVEN IF ANYTHING, PARTNER WITH US IN CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN.
THE ONES WHERE THE EQUITY MAP GLOWS THE HOTTEST. >> YES, SIR.
>> PELÁEZ: CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RESPONSE RATES. THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
CONGRATULATIONS BEGIN. >> THANK YOU. >> PELÁEZ: WE NOW NEED TO
TALK ABOUT READY TO WORK. MIKE RAMSEY. >> RAMSEY: GOOD MORNING.
[00:35:03]
READY TO WORK. UPDATE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY. GREATLY HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND LET YOU ALL KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT AS FAR AS PROGRESS ON OUR READY TO WORK INITIATIVE.SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR PUBLIC-FACING DASHBOARD. SO IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE HOW THIS PROGRAM IS DOING, GO TO THAT DASHBOARD AND IT'S UPDATED DAILY BY OUR PHENOMENAL DATA MANAGER LAUREN FISHER AND KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE HOW YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT IS DOING. YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED IN TRAINING, RACE AND ETHNICITY BACKGROUND IS, THE GENDERS IN A PROGRAM, THE AGE BREAKDOWN AND WHICH OCCUPATIONS THEY ARE PURSUING.
WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AVAILABLE TO ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME. HERE'S OUR OFFICIAL ARROW CHART SHOWING WE'VE GOT 12,095 PEOPLE THAT HAVE STARTED THE IN-TAKE PROCESS,, ABOUT 7500 ADMITTED INTO READY TO WORK. THIS IS AS OF OCTOBER 23RD , THERE WAS 4726 ENROLLED IN TRAINING. THIS MORNING WE'RE AT 4950-PLUS ARE ALREADY EVEN VOLLEYED IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. 695 COMPLETED. 314 PLACED IN JOBS, UP FROM ONE WEEK AGO TO 327.
OUR PROGRAM GOALS REMAIN THE SAME, 39,000 APPLICANTS COMPLETED THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. 28,000 ENROLLED IN TRAINING. OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, YOU CAN SEE FOR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT IS A PRETTY GOOD EVEN DISTRIBUTION, BUT WE REALLY ARE PLEASED TO SEE SOME OF OUR LOWEST ECONOMIC INDICATOR PLACES WITHIN THE CITY ARE WHERE OUR HIGHEST PARTICIPANTS ARE CURRENTLY. OUR READY TO WORK DEMOGRAPHICS, 65% MALE, 64% HISPANICS, 20% BLACK, 10% WHITE, 6% OTHER OR BIRACIAL.
OUR AGE DEMOGRAPHIC, SOMETHING WE VERY MUCH ARE LOOKING AT DILIGENTLY TO SEE THE LARGE NUMBERS OF YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN 20 AND 39 OR 68% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS FALL IN THAT DEMOGRAPHIC. THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN THE WORKFORCE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO YIELD ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THAT GROUP OF THE POPULATION AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED, THE 50-PLUS GROUP IS 10%. WE'RE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OLDER PEOPLE THAT HAVE ENGAGED WITH THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THEY CONTINUE TO WORK. DEEPER DIVE INTO OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, 602 INDIVIDUALS WHO SELF-IDENTIFY AS HAVING A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY. 532 MILITARY INVOLVED. WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, AN MOU COMING SOON WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW READY TO WORK CAN HELP THIS PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY. 205 FOSTER INVOLVED YOUTH, SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND OUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME LESS THAN $17,000 A YEAR. FOR THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD. WE'RE HELPING OUR TARGET POPULATION DO THIS WORK. READY TO WORK ENROLLMENT. SO FAR 78% OF INDIVIDUALS ARE CHOOSING PATHWAYS THAT LEAD TO CERTIFICATIONS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY SHORTER IN LENGTH THAN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OR BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAMS, BUT THOSE ARE AT 15% AND 7% RESPECTIVELY. SO WHAT ARE PEOPLE CHOOSING? HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE. 43% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE PURSUING CAREERS IN THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR, WHICH IS ALWAYS GROWING HERE AND IN NEED OF TALENT IN SAN ANTONIO.
LOGISTICS. LOTS OF CDL DRIVERS WHICH YOU WILL SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES. AEROSPACE, I WANT TO FOCUS MARKETING EFFORTS ON HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT GREAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THAT SPACE AS WELL AS THE SKILLED TRADES. POPULAR TRAINING PROVIDERS. ST. PHILLIP'S, ALAMO COLLEGES, YOU WILL SEE A THEME UP HERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHICH IS A GREAT CHOICE FOR PEOPLE PURSUING FURTHER EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. UTSA, UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD. A VERY DIVERSE LIST. AND THE TOP ENROLL MANY SPOT, OCCUPATION, HEAVY TRACTOR-TRUCK TRAILER DRIVERS.
YOU CAN MAKE GOOD MONEY AND IT'S VERY SHORT. A LOT OF PEOPLE NEED TO GET BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE NOW AND THAT HAS BEEN AN AREA THAT WE HAVE SEEN A HUGE DEMAND FOR FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS, MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, REGISTERED NURSES, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE, COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, ENTRY LEVEL I.T. ROLE, LPNS, INFORMATION SECURITY, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS,
[00:40:05]
WEB DEVELOPERS AND DIGITAL INTERFACE DESIGNERS. YEAR 2 PROGRESS TO DATE.SO WE ARE RIGHT NOW AT, AGAIN, 327 NOW AS OF TODAY, BUT 314 AS OF OCTOBER 23RD PLACED IN QUALITY JOBS. 68% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING TRAINING. 39%, WE ARE TRACKING ABOVE PACE IN GETTING INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN TRAINING. IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG YEAR FOR READY TO WORK.
ONLY 31% OF THE YEAR AS OF THIS DATE, WE'RE AT ALMOST 40% OF OUR ANNUAL TARGET FOR ENROLLING INDIVIDUALS IN TRAINING. THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
WE ARE REALLY STARTING TO PICK UP MOMENTUM WITH GETTING PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS WHICH IS GOING TO FEED OTHER METRICS DOWN THE ROAD.
SO OUR TALENT PIPELINE AND ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATES. TO DATE, 180 HAVE COMPLETED THEIR HEALTH CARE TRAINING. THERE'S A LOT COMING IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, 886 PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE COMPLETED THEIR HEALTH CARE TRAINING.
WHY IS THIS TRAJECTORY IMPORTANT? BECAUSE IT SHOWS YOU THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND THEIR NEED FOR EMPLOYMENT CONNECTIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE. OUR PARTNERS ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO CONNECT THESE INDIVIDUALS, NOT WAITING UNTIL THEY GRADUATE BUT CONNECTING THEM TO EMPLOYERS NOW SO THEY CAN GET THE ULTIMATE GOAL WHICH IS EMPLOYMENT IN A [INAUDIBLE] SUSTAINED JOB. SO CONNECTING PARTICIPANTS TO EMPLOYERS. VITAL, VIOLATES COMPONENT OF THIS PROGRAM.
-- VITAL COMPONENT. ANA HER AND HER PARTNER HOLD BIWEEKLY MEETINGS WITH EACH OF OUR PARTNERS TO HELP CONNECT THEM TO PLEDGED EMPLOYERS.
OVER 370 NOW. WE'RE WORKING WITH A VENDOR CALLED GREEN LIGHT TO BUILD A SUPPLEMENTARY JOB BOARD WHERE WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY THERE, ALL THE JOB OPENINGS IN OUR LOCAL MSA ALIGNED TO OUR 83 OCCUPATIONS AND OUR EMPLOYERS WILL BE ABLE TO POST JOBS AND PARTNERS WILL BE ABLE TO UPLOAD THE RESUMÉS AND CREDENTIALS OF EACH OF THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS SO WE CAN DO TIGHTER MATCH MAKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE PROGRAM. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT USING THAT TECHNOLOGY THAT SHOULD BE LAUNCHED MID-NOVEMBER TO BEGIN TO EXPEDITE THE CONNECTION OF PARTICIPANTS TO EMPLOYERS. WORK GOES WITH JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO ON A PHENOMENAL MOU WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO.
INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AS THEY UP SKILL EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY SMALL BUSINESSES WHO NEED ASSISTANCE IN THAT ON-THE-JOB TRAINING SPACE WHEN THEY BRING ON A NEW EMPLOYEE. WE LOOK TO ROLL THAT PROGRAM OUT AND START THAT APPLICATION PROCESS IN JANUARY.
SA WORKS AND THEIR TALL HE WANT PIPELINE MANAGEMENT SESSIONS.
THERE'S ONE A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, VERY WELL ATTEND 9.
GREAT FEEDBACK. MAKING SURE THE VOICE OF THE EMPLOYER IS GUIDING THIS.
C CPS ENERGY ALREADY SIGNED ON, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WAS LEADING THE WAY AND ESPECIALLY OUR ITSD DEPARTMENT SAYING WE HAVE NEEDS, WE HAVE POSITIONS WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE FILLING. HOW CAN WE TAKE PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE JUST FINISHED SCHOOLING AND PULL THEM INTO THESE JOBS, GIVE THEM SIX WEEKS TO SHOW THEY DESERVE THAT ROLE AND EXTENDED INTERVIEW, AND IF THEY CONVERT TO A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, THEN THAT COMPANY WILL SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO PAY IT FORWARD AND FUND THE INTERNSHIP FOR THAT NEXT PERSON COMING THROUGH.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CHANGING CAREERS, THEY DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THAT NEW SECTOR, THAT NEW SPACE YET.
THIS IS A WAY TO GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR AND HELP THOUGH THEY BELONG.
THE NEXT OUR TALENT PIPELINE REPORTS WHICH OUR EMPLOYERS GET EVERY TWO WEEKS.
ALL THE PARTICIPANTS COMING OUT OF THAT PIPELINE, THEY GET CONNECTED TO THEIR AGENCY, WHO THEIR POINT OF CONTACT IS SO THEY CAN CONNECT WITH CASE MANAGER.
AND REACH OUT VIA EMAIL, PHONE AND LET THEM KNOW WE'VE GOT A PHENOMENAL JOB VACANCY FOR YOU. IT TELLS WHAT TRAINING PROGRAMS THEY'VE GONE TO AND IF THEY CAN MAKE THAT MANUAL MATCH AND THEY CAN PULL ON THAT PARTICIPANT AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR HIRING PROCESS. THE MAYOR HAS BEEN CONVENING WITH -- AT THE REQUEST OF COPS/METRO HAS BEEN PULLING IN INDUSTRIES BY SECTOR.
HEALTH CARE, CONSTRUCTION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. MANUFACTURING SOON TO COME.
GETTING FIRSTHAND INFO FROM THOSE EMPLOYERS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THEM TO COMMIT TO HIRING READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS. THOSE SESSIONS WILL CONTINUE
[00:45:03]
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO USE EVERY AVENUE POSSIBLE TO GET INFORMATION HOW OUR PARTICIPANTS GET CONNECTED TO EMPLOYMENT. ONGOING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE'RE PROUD OF OUR HOUSING TRUST MOU. THE PARTNERS ARE REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB IN GOING OUT. THIS IS REALLY THEM. WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, RESTORE EDUCATION, PROJECT QUEST, ALAMO COLLEGES, THEY ARE GOING OUT TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL IN THIS PROGRAM AND GET ON THE PATHWAY TOWARDS A FAMILY SUSTAINING CAREER SO THEY CAN GET TO A PLACE THEY ARE OFF THAT HOUSING SUBSIDY AND ACHIEVING THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF BEING ABLE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY. COMMUNITY CHAMPION COLLABORATIVES HAVE BEEN A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH THE NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY.WE HAVE ONE FOR CHILDCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS AS THOSE ARE BARRIERS OUR PARTICIPANTS FACE AND WE'RE TRYING TO BRAINSTORM WITH EXPERTS FOR HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THEIR STRENGTHS TO MAKE THE PROGRAM MORE EFFECTIVE. SO EVERY REFERRAL FROM A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION OR NON-PROFIT WHERE A PARTICIPANT ENROLLS IN READY TO WORK, THERE'S A $100 THANK YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT PERSON IS PREPARED AND GET THROUGH THAT INTAKE PROCESS. WE'VE HAD OVER 200 UNIQUE AGENCIES REFERRING PARTICIPANTS TO READY TO WORK.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR TARGETED AUDIENCE, ESTABLISHED THE TRUST. GUIDING THEM IN THIS DIRECTION IS EXTREMELY VITAL TO MAKING SURE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE PROGRAM THE MOST HEAR ABOUT THEM.
LEARNING AT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY FAIR, GREAT PACKED HOUSE, STANDING ROOM ONLY. LOTS OF GREAT QUESTIONS AND WE'RE PLANNING AN ONGOING SERIES AT OTHER LIBRARY BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANKS TO ONE OF OUR PHENOMENAL BOARD LIAISONS, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, WHO SAID YOU SHOULD GET DOOR HANGERS WITH THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
DAVID NEWMAN IN THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND THEY PUSHED OUT 100,000 IN LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.
WE SAW THE LARGEST SPIKE IN APPLICATIONS FOR READY TO WORK AFTER THESE WENT OUT.
IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPACTFUL, VERY EFFECTIVE. SO WE LOOK TO -- WE TARGETED OUR LOWEST INCOME ZIP CODES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH THOSE DOOR HANGERS TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE PROGRAM THE MOST HEAR BIT. WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE ALAMODOME AND PATRICIA, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US SPACE ON THE BILLBOARD TO DISPLAY THIS READY TO WORK MESSAGE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY DRIVING BY CAN SEE READY TO WORK IS HERE TO HELP YOU LEARN NEW SKILLS AND EARN MONEY.
POINT OF LIFE. THIS IS WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT.
THE PEOPLE WE'RE IMPACTING AND PUTTING ON A TRAJECTORY TO SELF-SUSTAINABILITY.
HE JOINED THROUGH PROJECT QUEST, CDL TRAINING. CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AS A TRUCK DRIVER EARNING OVER $68,000 A YEAR. HIS QUOTE, IF IT WASN'T FOR READY TO WORK, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOST MY HELP. THIS IS WHAT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE MANY MORE SUCCESS STORIES LIKE ERIC AND CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THE TAXPAYERS HAVE CHARGED TO DO IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. THAT CONCLUDES MY
PRESENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> PELÁEZ: COUNCILMEMBER
VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. CAN YOU GO TO SLIDE 3? I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT READY TO WORK AND I'M PLEASED TO SEE THE NUMBERS OF THE DISTRICT 3 RESIDENTS. HOWEVER, ON THIS SLIDE -- IT WAS THE OTHER ONE.
>> ONE -- >> VIAGRAN: RIGHT THERE. I WOULD LIKE A PRESENTATION.
I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 381 OF THE 695 THAT ALREADY COMPLETED EDUCATION AND TRAINING. WHERE ARE THESE 381? WHY AREN'T THEY IN QUALITY JOBS? AND THIS IS BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE 381 THAT IS NOT IN A QUALITY JOB THAT COMPLETED THE EDUCATION PROGRAM.
AND I NEED TO KNOW WHY NOT. THE OTHER STAT I WOULD LIKE IS OF THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, HOW MANY ARE BEING HIRED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE NEED TO -- WE NEED TO SHOW BY EXAMPLE.
AND THERE ARE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE OPEN HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THAT
[00:50:06]
COULD -- THAT THEY COULD COME FROM THIS PROGRAM AND WHY AREN'T THEY.BECAUSE I THINK THEN WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEED TO ADJUST.
BECAUSE OF THE 695 THAT ALREADY COMPLETED EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND 381 ARE NOT IN -- PLACED IN QUALITY JOBS, WHY NOT? IS THE -- ARE THE ONES TAKING LONGER THAN HAVE -- DOING A DIFFERENT PROGRAM? ARE THEY SEEING MORE OPPORTUNITY? IS IT JUST TOO COMPETITIVE FOR THE ONES THAT GET CERTAIN I.T. OR HEALTH CARE? IS THAT WHY? OR ARE THEY JUST NOT GOOD AT INTERVIEWING. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW THAT 381 THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PLACED IS CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED THAT PRESENTATION TO SEE HOW WE IMMEDIATE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS WE MOVE ON.
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO STRESS IS THE STAT -- I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 381 AND WE SEE THE PEOPLE THAT WE KIND OF NEED TO LOOK --O SEE IT'S OUT THERE, BUT OF THE 381 THAT AREN'T PLACED, ARE THEY IN THAT AGE GROUP BETWEEN 50 AND 70.
I THINK THESE ARE STATS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHAT THE TREND IS BUSINESS-WISE. BECAUSE IF I DO HAVE OVER 50, OVER 60 THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY ARE NOT GETTING PLACED BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE OR BECAUSE OF THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
OR MAYBE IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY GET IN THE PROGRAM AND REALIZE THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED. SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. I AM EXCITED AT THE OUTREACH THAT IS BEING DONE AT THE MAYOR'S PARTICIPATION IN THIS.
AND I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND MY WHOLE THEME IS LIKE FINANCIAL LITERACY IS REALLY FINDING WITH THE WOMEN IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY ARE OVERWHELMING -- OVERWHELMINGLY IN THIS PROGRAM HOW MANY ARE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLDS AND HOW MANY WERE IN TWO JOBS BEFORE THEY GOT PART OF THIS PROGRAM. BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I'VE HEARD IN TERMS OF THE SUCCESS STORIES I'VE HEARD IS THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAYBE WERE DOING TWO, THREE JOBS, WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND WERE ABLE TO GET PLACED IN ONE JOB THAT OFFERED THEM THAT. SO I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT HERE, BUT I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO BREAK DOWN -- AND I THINK -- SEE WHAT THE STATS ARE THERE. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO PROMOTE THAT.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE DOOR HANGER INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S WHY SHE HAS A DOCTORATE AND TEACHES. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THE SUCCESS THERE.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU.
AND MIKE, I'VE GOT TO SAY Y'ALL ARE EVERYWHERE. CONGRATULATIONS, LIKE EVERYWHERE I GO I SEE READY TO WORK. THAT CART, THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS EVER. GET READY TO USE IT FOR BLUE SANTA.
YOU HELPED LAST YEAR WITH BLUE SANTA. I NOTICE YOU HAVE 9,000 DOOR HANGERS LEFT OVER. I HAVE A HALLOWEEN EVENT TONIGHT.
IF YOU WANT TO SEND SOME OVER, WE'LL PASS THEM OUT TO KIDS WHO ARE GETTING CANDY.
LIKE I SAID, YOU Y'ALL ARE ALL OVER. YOU SHARED SOME INFORMATION ON THE TESTIMONIES, AND ONE OF THEM YOU SPECIFICALLY CALLED THEM POINTED OF LIGHT, I THINK, RIGHT? -- POINT OF LIGHT. I LOVE HOW YOU HAVE THEM DEFINED AS POINTS OF LIGHT. I FEEL WE NEED TO DO MORE TO TELL THOSE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL. FOR THE GENTLEMAN TO SAY THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO LOSE HIS HOUSE AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO BECOME HOMELESS OR WHO ARE ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ALL HELPED SAVE IN THIS CASE SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, 821 JUSTICE INVOLVED AND THAT'S HUGE.
AND I HAVE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE WHO DOES GREAT WORK IN THIS FIELD WILL BE REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, 821 JUSTICE INVOLVED.
[00:55:03]
BUT THE 622 WITH THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THAT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST CRITICISMS, THERE WAS NO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.THAT MAKES MY HEART HAPPY SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE 205 FOSTER INVOLVED, SO YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THE VULNERABLE POPULATION.
THERE WAS -- I THINK THAT THERE CONTINUES TO BE A WAY TO URGE PEOPLE WHO LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM. I THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THERE'S AN EXPIRATION DATE THAT'S SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. WE'VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM AS SOON AS WE CAN. SO WITH THAT, THE INFORMATION ON SLIDE 7, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE YOU ALL INTEGRATE EQUITY INTO THE PROGRAM A WHOLE LOT. I KNOW WE DISCUSSED AND I MENTIONED IT AWHILE AGO, BUT THE EXPUNGEMENTS AS A HELPFUL TOOL SPECIFICALLY, SO THANK YOU FOR EVEN CORPORATE RATING THAT. ON THE PERCENTAGE OF -- INCORPORATING THAT. IT ALSO GOES BACK TO SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN THE CREATION OF THE PROGRAM. YES, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JUSTICE INVOLVED OR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR FOSTER YOUTH, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST TRYING TO GET SOMETHING ASAP TO IMPROVE THEIR INCOME.
AND SO THAT RESONATES WITH WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLY ON.
SO THAT 78% SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S GREATER INTEREST IN THE SHORT TERM THAN LONG TERM. YOU HAD ELEMENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS UP THERE.
I HAD LUNCH WITH AN EDUCATOR LAST WEEK. SHE HAS A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER HER SO I TAKE EVERYTHING THAT SHE SAYS TO JUST EXTRA DEGREE OF CAUTION OR AWARENESS. AND SHE MADE ME AWARE THAT WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON GETTING PEOPLE TO GO BACK AND TEACH AND THAT WE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS NOW PUT OUT THIS REQUIREMENT WHERE PEOPLE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO PASS A CERTIFICATION TEST AFTER ONE YEAR IN TEACHING. SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WANT TO CHANGE CAREERS TO CHANGE A CAREER, POSSIBLY LEAVE A CAREER TO DO SOMETHING IN TEACHING, BUT THEN THEY ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE AT THAT CERTIFICATION. SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THAT REGARD FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY COULD BE SUCCESSFUL AFTER THE FIRST YEAR? ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THEM PASS THAT EXAM?
>> I'M AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, BUT WHAT WE DO, OF COURSE PEOPLE FINISHING DEGREES WITHIN THE PROGRAM, WE PARTNER WITH REGION 120 FOR THEIR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. A PART OF THAT IS PREPARATION FOR THAT EXAM.
BUT I WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND DIG DEEPER TO MAKE SURE THEY GET IT ON THE
FIRST TRY. >> GARCIA: I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE PERCENTAGE WAS, BUT IT WAS A REALLY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE FAILING.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE HAVING FOLKS THAT WE ARE HELPING THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PASS THAT TEST A YEAR LATER. BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT. I KNOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HELP THE SCHOOLS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I BROUGHT THAT UP TODAY. AND THEN -- I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING TRUST AND THAT MOU WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE THAT'S COMING TO THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT, RIGHT? AND SO HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FOLKS MEET THEM AND TALK ABOUT READY TO WORK IS -- CONTINUES TO BE CRITICAL FOR ME.
AS WELL AS AT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LIST OF THE BRANCHES THAT THEY ARE AT MAYBE SO I CAN HELP PUSH OUT ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE IN MY DISTRICT. THANKS TO SOLID WASTE FOR PUSHING OUT ALL THE DOOR HANGERS. WE HAVE I THINK A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO USE SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS. WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HOLIDAY EVENTS THAT ORION OFFICES DO. JUST AS A REMINDER, EVEN IF YOU GET US THE POSTCARDS, WE CAN PLUG IN ONE MORE TIME AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WHO NEED IT MOST.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OTHER THAN, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND I SEE YOU ALL TRYING AND I SEE YOU ALL JUST TRYING TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW COULD GET A CHANCE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
HARD WORK. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> PELÁEZ: THANKS.
FOR THE NEXT PRESENTATION AND I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO COME BACK ASAP SO THAT WE CAN DRILL DOWN ON SLIDE NUMBER 3. IF WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SAME SLIDE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. SO WHAT I'D LIKE US TO RIGHT CLICK ON AND EXPLODE OUT IS THE -- THE PEOPLE THAT DROP OUT, RIGHT?
[01:00:05]
SO THE PEOPLE WHO START THE INTAKE PROCESS BUT THEN DON'T COMPLETE THE INTAKE PROCESS. THE PEOPLE WHO COMPLETE THE INTAKE PROCESS BUT DON'T GET ADMITTED. PEOPLE WHO GET ENROLLED AND DON'T GET JOBS.I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THE DISTRICTS, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. DO THEY REQUIRE US TO TOUCH THEM MORE? DO THEY REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, MORE ENCOURAGEMENT? IS JUST LIFE GETTING IN THE WAY? ARE THEY BECOMING DISENCHANTED WITH THE PROCESS? IS SOMETHING TAKING TOO LONG FOR THEM? ARE WE INTERVIEWING THEM ON THE WAY OUT? I THINK THAT THERE'S GOLD TO BE MINED THERE. EVEN IF IT'S JUST LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR US ON HOW TO IMPROVE. SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT IDEA HERE, RIGHT, BUT IF WE COULD BREAK THAT OUT -- I'M GOING TO IMPOSE UPON YOU IF YOU DON'T MIND
TO COME BACK JUST WITH THAT ANALYSIS. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> PELÁEZ: AND THE ANALYSIS COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN WAS TALKING ABOUT SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND HE WHAT ARE THE HEAD WINDS HERE SO WE CAN INCREASE THESE
NUMBERS. IS THAT FAIR? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> PELÁEZ: OKAY. THE SECOND THING IS I DIDN'T SEE HALLMARK UNIVERSITY UP THERE. HAVE YOU GOTTEN A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH THOSE FOLKS? EYE VISITED. THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER. THEY ARE IN OUR TRAINING
CATALOG. MUCH SO, ENGAGED WITH THEM. >> PELÁEZ: WITH REGARD TO THOSE EMPLOYERS THAT PLEDGED, MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT PLEDGING, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF THOSE THAT PLEDGED AND DID NOTHING? IN OTHER WORDS, THAT SAID THEY WOULD STEP UP BUT JUST FORGOT THAT AND IS THERE ANY EFFORT ON OUR PART TO REMIND
THEM THAT THEY PLEDGED? >> WELL, THEY ARE GETTING A LIST.
EVERY PLEDGED EMPLOYER ARE GETTING A LIST OF ALL THE TALENT COMING OUT OF THE PROGRAM. IT'S REMINDING THEM, THESE ARE GREAT CANDIDATES, YOU NEED TO GRAB THEM IN AND HIRE THEM. THEY GET OUR NEWSLETTER EVERY MONTH LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROGRAM AND HOW THEY CAN ENGAGE. THEY ARE INVITED TO OUR PIPELINE MANAGEMENT SESSIONS WITH SA WORKS. WE'RE WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS TO HELP TRAIN THE COACHES SO THAT OUR CASE MANAGERS THAT ARE INTERFACING WITH PARTICIPANTS CAN GO OUT TO THEIR SITES AND LEARN WHAT THEIR HIRING PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
THERE'S MULTIPLE CONNECTION POINTS FOR THEM TO HEAR AND KNOW AND ENGAGE WITH THE PROGRAM. BUT IF YOU ARE ASKING ARE THERE SOME EMPLOYERS LESS
ENGAGED THAN MAYBE WE HOPED, THE ANSWER WOULD BE YES. >> PELÁEZ: I SEE THE MAYOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE BACK. I'M OPEN TO BEING TOLD THAT I'M WRONG, BUT WHAT'S TO STOP US FROM -- YOU, MIKE, PROVIDING A LIST TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER OF THOSE EMPLOYERS WHO PLEDGED, WHO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM WORK THEY DO WITH THE CITY OR FOR THE CITY, AND THE MAYOR JUST CALLING AND SAYING HEY, I'M SENDING OVER A LIST, WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU GUYS STEP UP FOR READY TO WORK. HOW ABOUT YOU DO IT FOR YOUR MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER. AT THAT POINT, ALL THE GUYS WHO HAVE MADE MILLIONS FROM US AND WILL FIN TO MAKE MILLIONS FROM US, GETTING A PERSONAL PHONE CALL FROM THE MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER OR THE GUY WHO WRITES THE CHECKS MIGHT BE A POWERFUL PHONE CALL. FOR THOSE EMPLOYERS IN OUR DISTRICT, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE
CALLS TO MY DISTRICT. WHAT DO YOU THINK, MIKE? >> I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY RUN THAT SUGGESTION UP THE CHAIN AND SEE WHAT WE COME BACK DOWN WITH, BUT I THINK
IT'S A GOOD IDEA. >> THE OTHER THING I'LL ADD, DURING THESE CONVENINGS THAT MIKE REFERENCED THAT THE MAYOR IS PULLING TOGETHER, THE CITY MANAGER IS THERE AS WELL. AND THAT TOPIC -- I KNOW SPECIFICALLY IT CAME UP DURING ONE OF THEM ON THE CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE A LOT OF THE COMPANIES WE DO BUSINESS WITH. THERE WAS VERY SPECIFIC REFERENCE I THINK TO ANY KIND OF PREFERENCE THEY WOULD RECEIVE FROM A CONTRACTING PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS ABOUT ADDRESSING THEIR EMPLOYMENT NEEDS AND MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE ARE AND MATCHING THE TALENT TO THOSE NEEDS. THE CONVERSATION IS THERE. I THINK EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO TALK -- WE DON'T HAVE THE LIST NECESSARILY AND WE DON'T KNOW ALL 300 EMPLOYERS OFF THE OPPOSED OF OUR HEAD, BUT ANY TIME WE'RE ENGAGING WITH ANYBODY, ANY COMPANY, YOU KNOW, READY TO WORK IS ALWAYS AT THE FRONT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS.
TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THIS OPPORTUNITY EXISTS. >> PELÁEZ: SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, FOR ME IT'S A, B, C, ALWAYS BE CLOSING. I'M WILLING TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS. I'M GOING TO CALL AND IF THERE'S NAMES I RECOGNIZE,
[01:05:01]
I'M GOING TO CALL THEM, YOU NEED TO STEP UP. I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG OR TACKY ABOUT THAT. IF YOU CAN CIRCULATE TO THE COUNCILMEMBERS. I THINK IT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK MOMENT.THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TELL YOU, IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND HAD NO WHITE HIGHER ON MY HEAD AND I PRACTICED CRIMINAL LAW AND I REPRESENTED A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE IN TROUBLE WITH -- IN THE COURTS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE A LAWYER AND YOU ARE DEALING WITH A DEFENDANT WHO IS UNEMPLOYED IS AS SOON AS THEY MAKE BOND, YOU SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND SAY WE WILL FIND YOU A JOB. BECAUSE BY THE TIME I NEED YOU TO SHOW UP TO A JUDGE, I NEED YOU EMPLOYED. TODAY IT TAKES ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE YOU GET TO YOUR JUDGE AND YOU PLEA OUT. WITHIN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, I BET YOU THAT THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE BAR ASSOCIATION WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLUG THEIR CLIENTS INTO SOME SORT OF TRAINING BECAUSE IT'S POWERFUL TO TELL A JUDGE HE'S NOT EMPLOYED YET BUT HE'S IN THE PROGRAM. MARC WHYTE AND ALL THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS IN TOWN. IMAGINE HOW MANY DEFENDANTS THERE ARE, EVEN IF THEY ARE
TOLD BY THEIR LAWYERS TO DO IT, THEY WOULD DO IT. >> YEAH.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE BEEN TALKING IT FROM THE COURTS ANGLE AND THE PROBATION OFFICERS, BUT THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS IS AN
AVENUE WE HAVEN'T DELVED INTO. >> PELÁEZ: THE COURTS AREN'T GOING TO TELL YOU TIME TO GET A JOB OR THE PROBATION OFFICER DOESN'T CARE, BUT THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY CARES. THE OTHER THING I KNOW NON-CITIZENS AREN'T YOUR TARGET, BUT TO WHAT EXTENT ARE WE HAVING THE CONSULATE HELP US AND SPANISH TV HELP US? BECAUSE EVEN IF -- YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU MAMA, IF THESE SHE'S, YOU KNOW, A FOREIGN NATIONAL BUT HER KIDS ARE AMERICANS, THERE'S NO MORE POWERFUL ADVOCATE THAN MOM, RIGHT? AND EVEN IF MOM DOESN'T HAVE CITIZENSHIP, YOU SHE WILL CALL MIHO AND SAYER FILLING
OUT THIS DAMN FORM. DO WE WORK WITH THE CONSUL? >> NO, BUT I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD IDEA. SOMETHING WE CAN FOLLOW FOLLOW UP ON.
>> PELÁEZ: COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA IS BESSIE'S WITH -- YOU AND I BOTH KNOW, ALL OF US KNOW IF MAMA CALLS AND SAYS YOU ARE FILLING IS THIS OUT, THEY WILL DO IT.
I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOU GUYS. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE PUTTING ALL OF YOUR ENERGY INTO THIS AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TOUCHING THIS, BUT WSA IN PARTICULAR, I'M REALLY PROUD OF YOU GUYS STORE STEPPING UP.
I KNOW Y'ALL'S JOB IS TOUGH AND I'M HIGHLIGHTING YOUR WORK.
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN HAS ONE MORE COMMENT. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, MIKE, I
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SLIDES 8 AND 10. >> 8.
>> VIAGRAN: WHEN YOU COME BACK, WHEN YOU COME BACK, CAN YOU GET US THE INFORMATION OF HOW MANY OF THESE IN THE PROGRAM FOR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AND BACHELOR'S DEGREE HAD -- HAD NO COLLEGE PLANS OR TOOK SOME COLLEGE BUT WEREN'T
ABLE TO COMPLETE IT? >> ABSOLUTELY. >> VIAGRAN: BUT I THINK THAT IS GOING TO ALSO BE KEY IN TERMS OF -- AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND SAYING HISTORICALLY THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN IT HAS BEEN TO START A PROGRAM AND COMPLETE IT. IF YOU COULD BRING THAT IN. AND THEN ON THE POPULAR TRAINING PROVIDERS ON SLIDE 10, I JUST HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO TEXAS TECH, WHICH WAS MY UNDERGRAD. AND YES, UTSA, WHICH IS MY POST-GRAD IS THERE TOO.
BUT TEXAS TECH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT >> VIAGRAN: AND, OF COURSE, TEXAS A&M SAN ANTONIO SITS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE NEED TO WORK ON THOSE NUMBERS, WHICH WE WILL. BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT TEXAS TECH IS THERE AND WE'RE UTILIZING THEM. BUT I THINK ON THE POPULAR TRAINING PROVIDERS, IF WE COULD SEE WHICH ARE -- WHICH ARE -- IS THERE ANY WAY TO BREAK THIS DOWN TO SEE WHICH -- I KNOW THE FOUR-YEAR DEGREES IS GOING TO BE HARDER, BUT IN TERMS OF THE ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, WHAT THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE. AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING LIKE TIMELINE IN TERMS OF OUR ANTICIPATION IS THAT WE HAVE THEM START THE PROGRAM, IF THEY ENTER THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETE THE PROGRAM ON TIME, THIS IS WHEN WE SHOULD SEE THEM IN THE WORKFORCE BY, YOU KNOW, 2027, THINGS
[01:10:06]
LIKE THAT. AND DO THAT WITH A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE ALSO.>> RAMSEY: ABSOLUTELY. >> VIAGRAN: I THINK COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE DO HAVE A TIMELINE TO REACH THOSE GOALS AND TO REALLY SEE THAT ALSO. I THINK IF WE TELL THE STORY, THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT HAD -- THESE WERE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAYBE HAD A DREAM TO GO TO COLLEGE, LIFE HAPPENED, THEY STOPPED, OR THIS WAS NEVER ON THEIR RADAR UNTIL THEY GOT PART -- BECAME PART OF THE PROGRAM.
WE NEED TO TELL THOSE STORIES, TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW WE LIKE TO TELL THE STORIES, AND I LOVE THOSE, OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT GOT THE CERTIFICATION AND WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT, BUT ALSO TELL THE STORIES OF THOSE THAT ARE WORKING TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THEY HADN'T
IMAGINED BEFORE WE STARTED. >> RAMSEY: ABSOLUTELY.
>> PELAEZ: MIKE, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
WE NOW HAVE A BRIEFING ON OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, AND I'LL STOP HERE AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING PATIENT. I KNOW THAT WE PACKED THIS AGENDA TIGHT WITH A LOT OF THINGS, AND -- BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS.
BRENDA? >> HICKS-SORENSON: GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. AS YOU MAY RECALL IN OCTOBER OF 2022, THE CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAME BORK WHICH WE WORKED ON THROUGHOUT THE 2022 YEAR. WE HAD FOUR MAIN GOALS, WHICH WAS REALLY TO LEVERAGE AND ENHANCE THOSE EXISTING EFFORTS, THOSE WERE FOCUSED AROUND, OF COURSE, INNOVATION AND INDUSTRY, PLACEMAKING AND REAL ESTATE, TALENT AND WORKFORCE AND CAPACITY AND RESOURCES.
AGAIN, JUST TO PROVIDE THIS REFRESHER, ANY TIME I TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, WE UTILIZE THIS AS THIS INCLUDES THAT OBJECTIVE THAT WE OUTLINED, WHICH WAS, AGAIN, TO REALLY POSITION THE CITY ON THAT PATH TOWARDS A MORE RESILIENT ECONOMY TO PROVIDE DIRECTION ON COMPETING WITH NATIONAL AND GLOBAL PEERS AND, OF COURSE, TO SPECIFICALLY DEFINE THE ROLE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. YOU'LL SEE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES HERE, AND IT REALLY IS ALL AROUND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. FOR 2023, WE HAD OUTLINED SEVERAL PRIORITY IMPLEMENTATION AREAS AND I'LL GO INTO EACH ONE OF THESE IN MORE DETAIL. YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THE WORK PLAN, THOSE -- AGAIN, THOSE MORE DETAILS, THE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DATA ANALYTICS, REALLY BUILD THAT DATA ANALYTICS AND RESEARCH TEAM.
THE TEAM MEMBERS WERE ADDED AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WORK PLAN FOR THAT. WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST WORK PLAN.
THEY'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK THROUGH THE DIFFERENT TOOLS, THE NEEDS. WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS IN PROCESS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE PUBLIC. ONE WILL BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAUNCH SA, FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT WILL PROVIDE A LOT OF DATA, AGAIN, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, IT'S CALLED SIZE UP, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH WILL BE A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES. DANIEL ETHICS AND BENJAMIN ARE HERE, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DASHBOARD, THEY'LL GET -- BE FEATURED A LITTLE BIT MORE SO. BUSINESS RECRUITMENT RETENTION AND EXPANSION, BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION, I'D PREFER TO CALL IT REALLY STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT. BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION REALLY REFERS TO US BEING INTERESTED IN THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND OR WE'RE TRYING TO RETAIN THEM.
FOR US, IT'S REALLY ABOUT ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD OUT THAT RELATIONSHIP, EVALUATING WHAT ROLE WE CAN PLAY, AND THE GOAL FOR US NOW IN FISCAL YEAR '24 IS TO ROLL OUT A ROBUST BRE BRAM, AND, AGAIN, I'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE MESSAGES AROUND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE'RE MESSAGING BOTH AT A LOCAL LEVEL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AS WELL AS GLOBAL. AND CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT METRO PRIORITY PLAN WHICH IS THE PLAN THAT YOU HAD A PRESENTATION ON RECENTLY. PARTNERSHIPS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS A TEAM SPORT, SO CONTINUING TO ALIGN THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS TO THOSE INDICATES WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND FOCUSING ON OUTCOME BASE MEASURES.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED WAS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS, AND SO WE CONTINUE TO HOST THOSE QUARTERLY DEPARTMENT MEETINGS. SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT THOSE ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS AND THE
[01:15:01]
ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE ARPA IMLE MENTATION STRATEGY, WHICH, AGAIN, YOU FREQUENTLY ARE UPDATED ON. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFTFUND AND THE ABILITY TO ENHANCE THE 0 PERCENT INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM WITH A TOTAL OF $1 MILLION AVAILABLE.THAT WILL BE ROLLING OUT VERY SOON, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE IT'S MESSAGED WHEN THAT RESOURCE IS OPEN AND AVAILABLE FOR APPLICATIONS SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE SURE ANY CONSTITUENTS, SMALL BUSINESSES WHO MAY BE INTERESTED, ARE ACCESSING THAT. AND THEN WE USE THE SAN ANTONIO SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN 20 -- ROLLED OUT IN 2019 AS REALLY OUR PLAYBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. AGAIN, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK WASN'T ABOUT RECREATING THE WHEEL, IT WAS REALLY LEVERAGING ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE, ALL OF THE GREAT STUDIES LIKE SA TOMORROW, THE ECOSYSTEM PLAN, THE METRO PRIORITY PLAN, AND HONING IN ON THOSE AND REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT ROLE WE NEEDED TO PLAY, HOW WE COULD ENHANCE THOSE EFFORTS. SO ADDRESS TO CAPITOL WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT THAT WE'VE CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON.
THE OTHER THING THEY WOULD LIKE TO JUST NOTE ON HERE IS AS WE'RE SHOWING WHAT'S BEEN COMPLETED IN PROGRESS AND ONGOING IS WHILE THIS WORK PLAN WAS DEVELOPED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, IT ALSO DIDN'T CONTEMPLATE A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT WERE ADDED AND REALLY NOT REFLECTED IN HERE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM AND THE SUBSEQUENT GRANT PROGRAM, NOISE MITIGATION GRANT AND SO FORTH, WERE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDED IN THE WORK PLAN, BUT WE CERTAINLY INCORPORATE THAT AND CONSIDER THAT PART OF THAT SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT EFFORTS. THE SBEDA PROGRAM CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD. AS YOU ALL KNOW.
WE'RE IN THE OUTREACH SECTION OR PORTION OF THE STRATEGY AND UPDATING THE DISPARITIES. WE HAD THE DISPARITY STUDY AND WE'RE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE ORDINANCE. MORE INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING ON THAT TO CITY COUNCIL LATER THIS YEAR, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE PLACEMAKING. YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY BEEN BRIEFED ON OUR EFFORTS AROUND THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT, WHICH I WANT TO MAKE SURE AND MENTION APPLICATIONS CLOSE LATER THIS AFTERNOON, SO WE HAVE OUR TEAM DILIGENTLY CALLING APPLICANTS TO GET THOSE FINAL -- THAT FINAL PUSH IN THIS AFTERNOON. AND THEN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLACEMAKING.
OF COURSE, THE VERY FIRST INITIATIVE POLICY EFFORT OUT OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK WAS THE REVISED INCENTIVE POLICY WHICH WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN DECEMBER 4 IMPLEMENTATION IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UNDER STATE LAW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO REVIEW THAT EVERY TWO YEARS, SO WE ARE ALREADY HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD, SO THAT POLICY, WHICH DOES EXPIRE IN DECEMBER OF 2024, WILL BE, AGAIN, CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE IT IS DOING WHAT WE WANTED IT TO DO AND ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO BE COMPETITIVE AS WELL AS WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO ROLL OUT THOSE SECOND-STAGE GROWTH PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE SBIR, STTR, WHICH YOU RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WORK PLAN WAS REVISED TO REALLY FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE SO ON REAL ESTATE, AND, AGAIN, ALL OF THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD PREVIOUSLY WITH BYLAWS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE DID PARTNER WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES ON OUR TIRZ FUNDS AND THEIR POLICY TO REALLY BROADEN THAT AND HONE IN ON THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORT. SO WE HAVE BEEN MOVING FORWARD WITH ALL OF THOSE EF FORTEDS AND FOCUSED ON OUR IMPLEMENTATION AREAS.
AGAIN, BRE IS UP HERE, WE REALLY ARE FOCUSING ON STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT. IT'S REALLY ABOUT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, SO, YOU KNOW, OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY HEARD ABOUT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON RELATIONSHIPS, OUR OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IS BUILT AROUND RELATIONSHIPS, ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. LIKEWISE ON OUR INDUSTRY, IT'S REALLY UNDERSTANDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. SO WE'RE CALLING THOSE OUR STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS AND FOCUSING ON WHAT THAT MEANS. SO YOU'LL SEE OUR BUSINESS RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, INCLUDING THAT FDI FOREIGN EXPANSESIVE INVESTMENT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED IS SOMETHING WE'RE LEANING INTO THIS FISCAL YEAR. OUR SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH TEAM IS NOW FULLY STAFFED. OUR GOAL IS TO TOUCH OVER 7,000 BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES THIS YEAR, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THROUGH PARTNER CONTRACTS. AND, AGAIN, JUST REALLY CONTINUE TO EXPAND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE NETWORK. OUR QUARTER REVITALIZATION NETWORK OPENED UP YESTERDAY WITH THE INFORMATION SESSION.
[01:20:06]
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THE OUTREACH ON THAT, SO WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF YOUR OFFICES TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANY COR CORRIDOR LEADERS THAT YOU WANT US TO BE ENGAGING WITH AND HOPEFULLY GETTING INTO THAT 20-MEMBER COHORT WHICH WILL BE STARTING NEXT YEAR, SO MORE TO COME ON THAT AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THE ARPA FUNDS AND HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE. AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SUPPLY SA IS CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD.YOU SHOULD BE HEARING ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS MAPPING EFFORT VERY SOON. IT WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THEN, AGAIN, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESSES. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT, BUT THERE ARE GAPS WHEN YOU LOOK AT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION, SO CONTINUING TO MEET WITH BRIAN DILLARD, FOR EXAMPLE, AND HIS TEAM, WORK WITH PARTNERS LIKE GEEKDOM, REALLY LOOKING THERE ARE TO ENHANCE THE ECOSYSTEM. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ECOSYSTEM MAPPING THAT WILL INCLUDE BOTH THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AS A -- KIND OF A FORETRACK, IF YOU THINK OF A SUBWAY MAP, THAT WILL HAVE BOTH THE MAIN STREET-TYPE BUSINESSES, THE STARTUP AND GROW TYPE BUSINESSES, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AGAIN, MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON TO CITY COUNCIL ON THAT. AND THEN CONTINUING TO HONE IN ON AND BUILD ON OUR SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES AND HOW WE'RE DOING THINGS. SO CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT OUR RESEARCH TEAM WAS TASKED WITH IS GOING BACK THROUGH THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND DEVELOPING A DASHBOARD.
SO WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GO LIVE ON THE DASHBOARD THAT WAS INTRODUCED AND ROLLED OUT IN SEPTEMBER. OKAY. SO YOU'LL SEE HERE, WE ARE LIVE, SO YOU'LL SEE HERE, THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION TO THE DASHBOARD. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF TABS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, SO WE HAVE METRICS REPORTED FOR OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, INCENTIVE PERFORMANCE, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMY, THE BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM AS WELL AS DEMOGRAPHICS AND TRENDS AND WITHIN EACH OF THESE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER PAGES. SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ARE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE. THESE ARE OUR PROGRAMS. YOU'LL SEE HERE OUR FISCAL YEAR 2024 GOALS. THESE ARE NEW TO US THIS YEAR. WE REALLY WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH CITY LEADERSHIP AND A NUMBER OF PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY REVISED GOALS FOR THE DEPARTMENT BASED ON THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. SO WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BONDING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. OUR TARGET IS 30 PARTICIPANTS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE VISITING WITH 300 BUSINESSES IN THE TARGET GROWTH COMPANIES AND KEY STRATEGIC PARTNERS AS PART OF THAT STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE TARGETING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED BOTH BY OUR PROGRAMS, OUR EFFORTS, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS. SO JUST TO TOUCH UPON A FEW OF THOSE, THE 10 TO 1 RATIO IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S NEW TO US, BUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT AND OUR TARGET IS A 10 TO 1 PRIVATE/PUBLIC. SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE ARE INVESTING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S $10 IN PRIVATE RESOURCES OR OTHER DOLLARS LEVERAGED. YOU'LL ALSO SEE HERE THE LOANS FOR THE 0% INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM, SO BOTH THE VALUE AND THE NUMBERS AS WELL AS OUR CONTRACT DOLLARS WITH OUR SBEDA PROGRAM. THE INCENTIVE PERFORMANCE TAB DELVES INTO THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE CURRENTLY, ON OPENGOV DO LIST ALL OF OUR INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS, ALL OF THE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION IS ALREADY THERE PER CONTRACT, THIS IS AN AGGREGATE VIEW OF THOSE ACTIVE AGREEMENTS. SO I DO WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE TOTAL JOBS REQUIRED AND TOTAL ACTUAL JOBS, KIND OF THAT MIDDLE SECTION, THOSE ARE FOR ACTIVE AGREEMENTS ONLY, AND THAT'S AN AGGREGATE. SO IT'S BASED UPON THAT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, 2021 TO 2020 -- YOU'LL SEE THAT DROP OFF, THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD A NUMBER OF CONTRACTS DROP OFF. SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT -- AND THAT'S ALL IN THE FINE PRINT, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
AND THEN THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT INFORMATION ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS PER THE REPORT THAT DR. STEVE NIVEN HAD DONE LAST YEAR FOR US.
WORKFORCE AND ECONOMY, OF COURSE, WORKFORCE HAS AN AMAZING DASHBOARD FOR
[01:25:02]
READY TO WORK, SO WE WANT TO REFER TO THEIR DASHBOARD FOR ANY READY TO WORK INFORMATION. THE CITY HAS A NUMBER OF OTHER DASHBOARDS, SO ANYTHING THAT'S OUT THERE, WE ARE ALSO DEFERRING TO THEM, BUT HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'LL SEE AN ADDITIONAL TWO TABS, SO THERE'S GENERAL WORKFORCE AND ECONOMY INFORMATION, AND THEN THERE'S WORKFORCE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE IN DETAIL, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS YOU CLICK ON THESE, YOU CAN DELVE INTO THEM IN MORE DETAIL AND SO FORTH. BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM IS ONE THAT I'M PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT. YOU HAVE YOUR GENERAL INFORMATION HERE, BUT THEN YOU LOOK ON THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL, IF YOU RECALL FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM REPORT, THERE WAS MAPS IN THERE ABOUT ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS LENDING. WE WERE ABLE TO RECREATE THAT INFORMATION WITH THE SOURCES AND DO THE 2011 TO 2015 RKT AND THEN THE 2016 TO 2020 COMPARISON.YOU CAN DIG INTO THIS PER CENSUS TRACT BY HIGHLIGHTING SEN TUS TRACT. YOU CAN EITHER DO IT IN THE MAP OR YOU CAN DO IT IN THE TABLE. YOU'LL SEE AS DANIEL JUST CLICKED ON THAT HOW THAT CHANGES, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO TRACK TRENDS. AND THEN REALLY USE THIS INFORMATION TO START TO TARGET AND CONTINUE TO TARGET, BUT REALLY BUILD ON TARGETING THOSE PROGRAMS A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT WE CAN MONITOR.
AGAIN, THESE ARE ONLY PUBLICLY-SOURCED DATA SO IT'S FROM THE SBA -- SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 7A504 SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTION PROGRAMS AND THEN THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT. SO IT'S NOT ALL LENDING, BUT IT'S THOSE MAIN SOURCES. SO TH THIS IS THE ONE THAT WAS INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED, BUT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS AND TRACK AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN DEMOGRAPHICS AND TRENDS ARE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT OUT THERE AND HITS UPON SOME OF THOSE OTHER KEY METRICS THAT WE NEED DEMOGRAPHICS, INCOME AND EDUCATION. YOU'LL SEE ON SOME OF THESE, TOO, THAT -- LIKE ON THE LAST ONE, INCOME, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME COMPARES TO OUR COMPETITOR CITIES. SO, AGAIN, THERE'S DIFFERENT ITEMS IN HERE THAT SHOW OUR COMPETITOR CITIES AND HOW WE TRACK AS WELL. SO THAT'S A REALLY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE DASHBOARD. CERTAINLY DID NOT DO IT JUSTICE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO IN AND CLICK AROUND ON IT, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY HAD A CHANCE. LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, ANY INPUT. WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO IT.
THE TEAM CONTINUES TO BUILD OUT INTERNAL DASHBOARDS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRACK MORE INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND WITH THAT, THAT'S THE
END OF MY PRESENTATION. >> PELAEZ: THANKS, BRENDA.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE PRESENTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
GREAT JOB. REALLY, REALLY, REALLY NERDY.
AND I LOVE IT. BECAUSE THERE'S -- IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE PROVIDED A TOOL FOR PEOPLE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ABOUT WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES AND WHY WE DO IT AND WHAT THE -- WHAT THE DELIVERABLES HAVE BEEN SO FAR AND WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE DIFFICULT PARTS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY RECRUITMENT OF BUSINESSES FROM OTHER PLACES, IS THE PUBLIC DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND TOO WELL HOW IT IS THAT WE DO IT OR WHY WE DO IT, RIGHT? AND I MEAN, YOU'VE LIVED THIS LONG ENOUGH, ALEX, TO WHERE YOU KNOW THAT CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUND, RIGHT? AND SO WHENEVER WE DO LIKE A JCB DEAL OR A NAVASTAR DEAL, THE ACCUSATIONS OF, YOU KNOW, WELL, THIS MUST HAVE BEEN COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA'S COUSIN OR SOMETHING AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON SHE'S DOING THESE CORPORATE GIVEAWAYS AND THERE'S NO GOOD REASON FOR IT.
WELL, THE GOOD REASON FOR IT IS EVIDENCED BY THE METRICS.
THE WHOLE POINT IS JOBS AND JOBS AND JOBS. I THINK THIS PROVIDES THAT TRANSPARENCY THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MISSING, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE CAN'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO ALWAYS ATTEND THESE MEETINGS OR MONITOR THESE MEETINGS. I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO TELL YOU IS THAT WHEN I'M NOT BREAKING MY ANKLE IN KOREA, I'MOR SITTING THROUGH SOME MEETINGS. AND THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD FDI -- SET OF FDI MEETINGS. WE -- WE MADE SOME NEW RELATIONSHIPS, PARTICULARLY I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE ONES WITH SAMSUNG. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT AFTER THESE TRIPS THAT ALL OF US HAVE TAKEN TO GO VISIT AND TRY TO RECRUIT BUSINESSES IN, I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT YOU ALL DO A DOWNLOAD WITH JENNA AND WITH SARA AND WITH SHERRY, RIGHT? SHERRY'S IN THERE AND SHE'S ALMOST LIKE A COURT REPORTER TRANSCRIBING
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EVERYTHING THAT'S SAID IN THERE. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT ISTHE FOLLOW-UP TO THESE. >> HICKS-SORENSON: ABSOLUTELY. SO WE DO DO THE DOWNLOAD. IN FACT, FREQUENTLY THAT DOWNLOAD IS HAPPENING REALTIME AS THOSE MEETINGS ARE OCCURRING. OF COURSE, WE TAKE SIGNIFICANT NOTES. SHAY HOPKINS, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR GLOBAL AND INDUSTRY AND ALFRED ACTUALLY MET WITH ONE OF THE COMPANIES YESTERDAY ALREADY. SOME REPRESENTATIVES -- OBVIOUSLY NOT THE FOLKS FROM KOREA, BUT MET WITH SOME OF THE FOLK WHOSE ARE IN THE U.S.
REPRESENTING ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AROUND OPPORTUNITIES. SO WE -- WE USUALLY DEVELOP A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PLAN. IN THE CASE OF KOREA, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO HAVE A VENDOR THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GREATER SATX, SO CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT DEVELOP A PRETTY ROBUST FOLLOW-UP STRATEGY ON HOW BEST TO LEVERAGE.
WE LOVE TO LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS, SO, OF COURSE, IF THERE'S COMPANIES HERE LOCALLY THAT HAVE RELATIONSHIPS OR INDIVIDUAL WHOSE HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, EITHER SERVING ON THE BOARD, SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SPECIFIC SITUATION, BUT THAT IS -- THAT'S ALWAYS REALLY PART OF THE CONVERSATION BEFORE WE EVERYBODY TAKE A TRIP IS BEING ABLE -- WE EVEN TAKE A TRIP IS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING THE FOLLOW-UP AND YOU'RE LEVERAGING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE ONE-ON-ONE WHILE IN THE
COUNTRY. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST FOR THE RECORD, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONCERN FOR MY DEBILITATING INJURY IN KOREA. YOU KNOW WHO DOESN'T CARE, MIKE SHANNON DOESN'T CARE. HE DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER CALLING.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, ANY QUESTIONS? >> VIAGRAN: YES.
THANK YOU, BRENDA, FOR THE PRESENTATION. I DO LIKE SEEING THE CHECKMARKS AND THE IN-PROGRESS AND THE ONGOING FOR OUR WORK PLAN. I THINK WE DO HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK SPECIFICALLY IN MEXICO WE HAVE TONS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKING WITH THE VALLEY AS WE GO INTO MEXICO, PUEBLA WAS HERE.
LAST WEEK YOUR TEAM DID A GREAT JOB. I WAS ABLE TO VISIT WITH THEM FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE READY TO DO BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE VISIT OVER TO MONTERREY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS PRIMARILY ARTS AND CULTURE, THE OPPORTUNITY THERE, AND THEN REALLY LOOKING AT THE DIRECT FLIGHTS WE HAVE INTO MEXICO AND THE INDUSTRIES, I LIKE FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND SEE HOW WE CAN BRING INDUSTRY AND MORE TRADE. BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE IT. AND MORE WORKING TOGETHER, BUT I THINK WE HAVE NOW THE -- WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY. OPPORTUNITY BEING STRATEGIC, OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS DOWN IN THE VALLEY AND IN CORPUS CHRISTI AS WE LOOK AT OURSELVES AS A REGION.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. I THINK THERE'S ALSO THE TALK -- AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT UP EARLIER WHAT WE TARGET SBAC TO DO IS AS WE GO INTO THESE NEW AREAS, WHERE IS THEIR SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY THERE? SO HAVING LARGER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BIG PICTURE AND WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY IS. IN TERMS OF THE -- YOU KNOW, I -- MY TEAM TOOK A LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD AND GAVE ME SOME STATS, AND, OF COURSE, THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, NOT SURPRISED AT ALL. KNEW THAT THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE, BUT HOW DO WE, AS A CITY, PRIORITIZE THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER SECTION OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW? AND WE SIT -- WE SIT ON TWO SIDES OF THE DAIS AND WE HAVE TWO IDEAS OF WHAT SMALL BUSINESS IS AND WHAT CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION IS. SO I THINK AS A CITY COUNCIL, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUT HOW WE REALLY FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT THE LACK OF ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR SOME OF OUR INDUSTRIES AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE SOUTH IS DETRIMENTAL AND AT TIMES HEARTBREAKING. I HAVE ONE RESTAURATEUR THAT TRIED TO -- TRIED TO, YOU KNOW, GET ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND EXPAND ON ONE OF THE CORRIDORS IN MY AREA. COULDN'T HAPPEN, BUT HAD NO PROBLEM GETTING ACCESS TO CAPITAL ON THE NORTH SIDE AND OPENING UP ANOTHER LOCATION.
AND THAT'S JUST THE REALITY. AND YOU CAN'T BLAME THIS SMALL BUSINESS PERSON AND YOU WANT THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WHERE -- WHERE ARE WE SITTING ON THE SOUTHERN SECTOR WHEN WE CAN'T GET ACCESS TO CAPITAL? SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS ISSUE IN PARTICULAR AND HOW WE MAKE THIS A PRIORITY. AND ALSO JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT
[01:35:01]
CORRIDOR -- AND ALEX HAS BEEN WITH ME ON VISITS TO CORRIDORS -- IS WHEN WE SHUT DOWN A STREET, HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT IMPACT IS FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR MICROBUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST RELYING ON THOSE CUSTOMERS TO HAVE ACCESS. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I THINK THERE'S -- IT'S A LOT THAT WE'VE ASKED YOU TO DO, BUT THIS DASHBOARD IS AMAZING, AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT -- MY TEAM AND I DIGGING DEEPER ONTO THE LITTLE ASPECTS THAT WE CAN HAVE TO ADDRESS -- TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IN OUR AREAS. AND, AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CORRIDORS AND ZONES, THE LOCAL ZONE, THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONE, A SPORT ZONE, YOU KNOW, NIGHT LIFE ZONE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT NOW, BUT -- ENTERTAINMENT, THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE THERE AND HOW WE CAN EXPAND IT AND HOW WE CAN GET THE RIGHT TRAFFIC FLOW AND TRAFFIC PATTERNS IN THERE, TOO. THANK YOU.>> GARCIA: AND THANK YOU, BRENDA. I WAS LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD AND I THINK IT HAS SOME GREAT INFORMATION, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I LOVE THAT IT HAS ALL THE LITTLE THINGS, YOU CAN JUST CLICK ON AT THE TOP AND KIND OF CHANGE AND COMPARE.
I LOVE THE COMPARISON CITIES AS WELL. SO I THINK IT'S VERY USEFUL. I ALSO THINK THAT -- OR I'D HOPE THAT WE CAN TRACK AND ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE MEASURABLE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, RIGHT? AND SO I KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO DO THAT, BUT I I'D LOVE TO SEE IF WE CAN COMPILE THAT DATA. AND ALSO INCLUDE WHERE WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE THERE. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WHAT WAS MISSING -- AND I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHERE WE WOULD PUT IT -- BUT MAYBE A LINK TO PRE-K FOUR SA OR READY TO WORK, ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT IT HAS ITS OWN KIND OF CATEGORY, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S ALL INTERCONNECTED AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROSPERITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THAT WE THINK OF HOW EVERYTHING STARTS, RIGHT, EVERYONE AT THAT PREK INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND THEN ALSO ON SLIDE 7, IT SEEMED LIKE -- IT'S -- THERE'S OUTPUTS THAT ARE KEY ALREADY, BUT I THINK AS COLLECTIVE GOALS UNDER THE DIFFERENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES, IT SHOULD BE LEADING TO A MEASURABLE OUTCOME AND WHAT THE RESIDENTS EXPECT TO SEE, RIGHT, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
AND SO I JUST -- I THINK THAT WE WILL BE SEEING AN EMERGING TREND, AND I JUST HOPE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AS WELL. BUT, YEAH -- SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF, AGAIN, JUST AS THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, RIGHT? AND THEN WHAT ABOUT -- AND WE DID THIS WELL IN READY TO WORK. HOW ARE YOU CAPTURING THE STORIES? I THINK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MENTIONED IT RKT BUT HOW ARE YOU TELLING THE STORIES OF THE COMPANIES OR WHERE ARE YOU TELLING THE STORIES OF THE COMPANIES? AND I'M LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT BRE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE MAYBE GETS -- AND YOU ALL HAVE A FOCUSED EFFORT NOW ON BRES, BUT WILL YOU MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE NEW JAZZY COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING, RIGHT? THEY GET ALL OF THE FRONT-PAGE NEWS COVERAGE, ET CETERA, BUT IT'S THE STORIES OF THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE STAYING, THAT HAVE BEEN HERE, WHERE ARE WE CAPTURING THAT?
OR WHERE DO YOU SEE THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT? >> HICKS-SORENSON: YEAH.
ABSOLUTELY I'M EXCITED YOU MENTIONED THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A REALLY KEY COMPONENT OF THAT ENTIRE STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT PIECE FOR US, WHICH INCLUDES THE FDI, IT INCLUDES THE B RE, IT INCLUDES THE SMALL BUSINESS STORIES. FIKDZ RIGHT NOW WE TEND TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THEM IN PRESENTATIONS TO YOU AND OTHER PARTNERS. WE ARE -- RIGHT NOW, WE ARE WORKING ON OUR REVISED WEBSITE, SO WE'RE IN THAT PHASE, AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN TELL THAT STORY BETTER FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S A KEY PIECE THAT WE HAVE IN THAT NEW STRATEGY WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO ROLL THAT OUT. AND, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH C & E AND ITSD AND WHAT NOT ON THAT. AND THEN WITH THE BRE PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT IS ABOUT THOSE EXISTING COMPANIES WHO ARE DOING SUCH AMAZING THINGS, WE PLAN ON HAVING MORE INFORMATION -- AGAIN, USING SOCIAL MEDIA, ANYTHING THAT THEY ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME PART OF THE STRATEGY THAT SHAY AND TEAM ARE WORKING ON INCLUDE VERY MUCH THAT STORY TELLING. MIKE DOES AN AMAZING JOB, READY TO WORK DOES AN AMAZING JOB, SO MANY OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS IN THE CITY DO AMAZING JOBS, WE HAVE NOT. AND WE HAVE FANTASTIC STORIES TO TELL.
YOU MENTIONED THE LINKS TO PRE-K FOUR SA AND WORKFORCE, I FAILED TO
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MENTION, ON THE BEGINNING OF EACH ONE OF THOSE TABS, THERE IS A "MORE INFORMATION" OPTION, AND THAT'S WHERE WE LINK TO OTHER PARTNERS.SO WE INCLUDE LINKS TO BOTH PRE-K FOUR SA, READY TO WORK, AS WELL AS LIKE
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SO FORTH. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU.
UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING FURTHER, THAT BRINGS US TO AN END OF ANOTHER TERRIFIC MEETING. GREAT JOB BRENDA, ALEX. HIGHLIGHTING OUR CONSULTANTS. YOU GUYS UNDERDELIVERRED
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.