Sep 03, 2024 Sesión de Trabajo del Presupuesto del Consejo de la Ciudad

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION. TIME IS 2:04 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2024.

CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK.

>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELCOME, EVERYONE. WE HAVE -- I'M TRYING TO SEE HOW MANY.

FOUR DEPARTMENTS. SO RIGHT OVER TO YOU, ERIK. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE'LL START OFF WITH HUMAN RESOURCES AND EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, TRANSITION INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THEN TO LIBRARY AND WE'LL WRAP UP WITH PLANNING.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS RENEE AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING THE BUDGET ON CITYWIDE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. AS YOU KNOW, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING ON THE MISSION OF PROVIDING QUALITY CITY SERVICES.

TODAY I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE EFFORTS WE'RE MAKING AS AN ORGANIZATION TO RECOGNIZE AND REWARD THEIR DAILY CONTRIBUTIONS.

OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF ABOUT 13,839 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS WITH ROUGHLY 4600 OF THOSE BEING FOR UNIFORMED AND THE REMAINDER BEING CIVILIAN. IN FY25 THE PROPOSED CIVILIAN POPULATION INCLUDES 8,681 FULL-TIME AND 515 PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.

AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ASKING OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR OPINION AND USING WHAT THEY SHARE TO HELP DRIVE OUR DECISION MAKING.

WE HEAR FROM THEM IN A VARIETY OF WAYS TO INCLUDE HR LISTENING SESSIONS, COSA CARE ROAD SHOWS, CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, AND WITH OUR INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS LIKE AFSCME, NAPE, THE PARK AND POLICE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE FIRE AND MECHANICS ASSOCIATION . OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE FEEDBACK THEY PROVIDE. PERSONNEL SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, MAKES UP 67% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. THIS YEAR THE BUDGET INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL $55 MILLION IN COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES ALL ALL FUNDS. THIS INCLUDES $23.9 MILLION FOR OUR 9,196 CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES. $18.6 MILLION FOR OUR 1800 FIREFIGHTERS.

AND $12.9 MILLION FOR OUR 2700 POLICE OFFICERS. THE NEXT SLIDE SHARES THE AVERAGE AND MEDIAN SALARIES FOR OUR VARYING EMPLOYEE GROUPS.

THESE NUMBERS ARE REFLECTIVE OF DIRECT CASH COMPENSATION WHICH INCLUDES SALARY, OVERTIME, AND INCENTIVES. THE AVERAGE FIREFIGHTER SALARY IS $108,900.

THE AVERAGE POLICE OFFICER'S SALARY IS $110,516. AND THE AVERAGE FULL-TIME CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE EARNS $65,125 IN DIRECT COMPENSATION.

FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON CIVILIAN SALARIES, THE CITY PAYS AN ADDITIONAL 37.7% IN BENEFIT COSTS. FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON UNIFORM SALARIES THE CITY PAYS 61.7% ON BENEFITS. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THAT IS A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF $467 MILLION IN BENEFITS SUCH AS RETIREMENT, SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE, AND ACTIVE AND RETIREE HEALTHCARE. AS YOU KNOW, COMPENSATION FOR POLICE AND FIRE EMPLOYEES ARE DICTATED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. OUR UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS WILL RECEIVE A 4% INCREASE ON APRIL 1. AND BASED ON OUR TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, FIREFIGHTERS ARE SLATED TO RECEIVE A 7% INCREASE THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1.

FOR FY25 WE'RE PROPOSING $18.5 MILLION TO PROVIDE A 3% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FOR OUR FULL AND PART-TIME CIVILIAN AND LGC EMPLOYEES. WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING $2.7 MILLION TO CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS AND THIS YEAR WE'LL BE MAINTAINING OUR ENTRY WAGE AT $18 PER HOUR.

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BUT LAST YEAR WE EVALUATED ALL 264 JOB TITLES WITHIN PAY PLAN A AND MADE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS. EMPLOYEES WITH 5 TO 9 YEARS OF TENURE IN THEIR CURRENT JOB TITLE WERE GUARANTEED THEIR PAY RANGE MIDPOINT. EMPLOYEES WITH 10 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE OF TENURE IN THEIR CURRENT JOB TITLE WERE GUARANTEED MAX OF THE RANGE.

FOR FY25, WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT COMPRESSION FOR THOSE WHO ARE ACHIEVING 5 OR 10 YEARS IN THEIR JOB TITLE PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1. THESE EMPLOYEES WILL BE GUARANTEED THEIR RESPECTIVE MIDPOINT OR MAX OF THEIR PAY RANGE.

IN FY24, ONLY 50% OF OUR PAY PLAN B JOB TITLES WERE REVIEWED TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS COMPRESSION. IN FY25, WE'LL BE REVIEWING THE REMAINING 50% OF PAY PLAN B JOB TITLES AND COMPRESSION WILL CONTINUE TO BE ADDRESSED.

MOVING EMPLOYEES WITH 5 TO 9 YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE TO 25% OF THEIR RANGE AND THOSE WITH 10-PLUS YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCING TO 50% OF THEIR RANGE.

COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS, EXCLUDING THOSE FOR OUR GENERIC JOB TITLES, WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OCTOBER 1. RECOMMENDED COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS IN GENERIC JOB TITLES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE APRIL 1. MARKET REVIEWS.

SO AS YOU REMEMBER IN FY23, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2008 WE HAVE DONE A COMPREHENSION MARKET REVIEW. AT THAT TIME OUR EMPLOYEES RECEIVED BETWEEN A 2% AND 15% MARKET ADJUSTMENT. NOW THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED COMPRESSION, BEGINNING NEXT YEAR, WE WILL REVIEW ALL JOBS FOR MARKET APPROPRIATENESS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. BUT AS ALWAYS WE WILL CONDUCT AD HOC MARKET REVIEWS AS NECESSARY WHEN WE'RE EXPERIENCING HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TURNOVER OR WE HAVE OTHER INDICATIONS OF A MARKET SHIFT.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ESTABLISHES THE RULES REGARDING WHETHER EMPLOYEES ARE SUBJECT TO THE OVERTIME PROVISIONS OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT.

EXEMPT STATUS IS DETERMINED BY BOTH THE SALARY AND DUTIES TEST .

IN JULY OF 24 THE DOL INCREASED THE MINIMUM SALARY TO BE EXEMPT AND INELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME. IT MOVED FROM 35,568 TO 43,888.

AGAIN, THAT MOVE HAPPENED IN JULY. BEGINNING IN JANUARY, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT NUMBER INCREASE ONCE AGAIN TO $58,656.

THAT WILL IMPACT ABOUT 873 FULL-TIME POSITIONS ACROSS 107 JOB TITLES AND WILL RESULT IN AN ANTICIPATED $2.8 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL OVERTIME COSTS.

NOW TO MITIGATE THE BUDGET IMPACT, WE HAVE WORKED WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ADJUST PAY RANGES WHERE APPROPRIATE TO MAINTAIN EXEMPT STATUS. ADJUST WORKING SCHEDULES AND WORKLOAD DISTRIBUTION. AND, FINALLY, WHEN OVERTIME WAS UNAVOIDABLE WE HAVE INCLUDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING WITHIN THE BUDGET. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT SAVINGS CONTRIBUTIONS, THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTHCARE MAKE UP THE LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PERSONNEL SERVICE COSTS.

THE FY25 BUDGET INCLUDES $218 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR OUR SELF-FUNDED HEALTHCARE.

THE BULK OF THIS IS TO COVER $182 MILLION IN OUR ANTICIPATED MEDICAL AND PHARMACY COSTS. OUR CLAIMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO TREND UPWARDS WITH MEDICAL ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE BY 6% AND PHARMACY BY 10.9%.

DESPITE RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS WE'VE MANAGED TO REDUCE OR MAINTAIN PREMIUMS SINCE 2018 AND ONCE AGAIN WE'RE PROPOSING NO INCREASE IN PREMIUMS FOR FY25.

OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS TO HELP EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND THE ACTIONS THEY CAN TAKE TO HELP REDUCE HEALTH CLAIMS AND MITIGATE THE PREMIUM INCREASE THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING FOR FY26.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY RETAIN THE TALENT WE HAVE BUT THAT WE ALSO STRIVE TO ATTRACT TOP TALENT THAT IS DIVERSE AND REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.

WE CONTINUE TO TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO REMOVE IDENTIFIED BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE PARTNERING WITH EXTERNAL AGENCIES AND THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION TO FOSTER INCLUSIVE HIRING OPPORTUNITIES.

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AND IMPLEMENTING HIRING EVENTS TO ALLOW APPLICANTS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR MULTIPLE POSITION VACANCIES ACROSS THE CITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN OUR EMPLOYEES. BY ENSURING A COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PACKAGE, EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH AND REMOVING IDENTIFIED BARRIERS, WE CAN CONTINUE TO REALIZE OUR GOAL OF BEING AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRENDA WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY. MY NAME IS BRENDA HICKS-SORENSEN AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

TODAY I'LL REVIEW THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. BUT BEFORE DOING SO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM.

I WILL TOUCH UPON KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHT A FEW KEY STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS. I WILL END THE PRESENTATION WITH A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE ARPA-FUNDED SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO OPERATE UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ACCEPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN OCTOBER 2022.

THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS FOUR DIVISIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES AND AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE ENGAGED IN PLACEMAKING WITH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS OF COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND BRING INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION TO SAN ANTONIO THROUGH OUR AWARD-WINNING SISTER CITY PROGRAM.

AS WE CONTINUE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, OUR EFFORTS HAVE EVOLVED TO ADDRESS STAKEHOLDER NEEDS. OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 WORK PLAN, WHICH DROVE THE REQUESTED BUDGET, REFLECTS THAT EVOLUTION.

WE CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH, BUILD, AND MAINTAIN STRONG RELATIONSHIPS TO SUPPORT BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT EFFORTS. EMPHASIS WILL CONTINUE ON THE SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH EFFORTS AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION. WE CONTINUE TO KEEP A PULSE ON KEY GLOBAL MARKETS AND TO WORK TO ELEVATE SAN ANTONIO'S REPUTATION AS A GLOBAL LEADER.

IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE WILL UPDATE THE METRO PRIORITY PLAN TO FURTHER SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS. IN A FEW MINUTES, I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL DO A DEEP DIVE ASSESSMENT OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.

THE FISCAL YEAR '25 PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE OUTLINED PRIORITIES AND REPRESENTS A REALIGNMENT OF INVESTMENTS. I WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAIL IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES BUT DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE 37% DECREASE IN RESTRICTED FUNDS.

THE DECREASE REFLECTS A REDUCTION OF FUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVES. THIS WILL NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON EFFORTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WHICH I WILL TOUCH UPON FURTHER.

INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS $1.4 MILLION IN GENERAL FUNDS TO CONTINUE THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANTS, WHICH HAVE, UP TO THIS POINT, BEEN ARPA FUNDED. I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE ECOSYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS THEM.

SINCE 2021, $27.6 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED AND THE ENVIRONMENT HAS CONTINUED TO SHIFT. REFLECTIVE OF THE CONTINUED EVOLUTION, WE RECOMMEND SHIFTING OPERATIONAL FUNDING FROM THE THREE GEOGRAPHICALLY-BASED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS. THESE DID NOT RECEIVE GENERAL FUNDS IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUT ARE INCLUDED IN THE LIST CAPACITY AUDIO] TO THE SIX-MEMBER BDO ALLIANCE. ARPA FUNDS WILL BE UTILIZED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO SUPPORT ONGOING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE ALLIANCE.

ADJUSTMENTS ARE ALSO RECOMMENDED TO THE INVESTMENT IN THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SUPPLY SA. BOTH WORK PLANS HAVE BEEN EVOLVING AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE CURRENT NEEDS.

THE THREE STAFF POSITIONS REFLECT THE MOVEMENT OF STAFF MANAGED BY THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE BEING FULLY SHIFTED TO WDO. AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, WHILE

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RELATIONSHIPS ARE CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS AND THE SELECTED PERFORMANCE METRICS REFLECT THAT. WE ARE INCREASING THE TIME COMMITTED AND NUMBER OF VISITS AS IT RELATES TO BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION EFFORTS.

WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR SMALL BUSINESS ENGAGEMENTS AND OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS, BUILDING LOCAL CONNECTIONS BUT ALSO ATTRACTING A GLOBAL AUDIENCE.

I WILL TOUCH UPON OTHER PERFORMANCE METRICS AS I HIGHLIGHT SOME SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE PRESENTATION. THESE FISCAL YEAR 2024 ESTIMATES ARE PER THE PROPOSED BUDGET BUT ANY REVISED ACTUALS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL BUDGET DOCUMENT. WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BIOMED SA AND GREATER SATX, WHO ARE FOCUSED ON ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS AND SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT . LIKE RECENT YEARS, $635,000 OF THE FUNDS FOR GREATER SATX WILL BE PERFORMANCE BASED WHILE THE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT PORTION SUPPORTS CONSULTING CONTRACTS IN PRIORITY MARKETS. GREATER HAS FOCUSED ON SHIFTING THE TRAJECTORY OF THE PROJECT PIPELINE OF THE PAST FEW YEARS WITH EMPHASIS ON HIGH-PAYING JOBS.

WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT COMPANIES LIKE JCB TEXAS COMMITTING TO CREATE OVER 1500 HIGH-PAYING JOBS IN SAN ANTONIO. THE EXPANSION OF TOYOTA, WITH THEIR 500 STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXISTING BUSINESSES. WE, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, DID NOT ACHIEVE THE 530 BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION VISITS THIS YEAR WITH AN ACTUAL YEAR-END ESTIMATE OF 355. WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE ENSURE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR US AS WELL AS ENSURE IT IS A PRIORITY FOR OUR PARTNERS. ALSO IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE WILL BE REVISING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE POLICIES TO CONTINUE OUR FOCUS ON QUALITY JOB CREATION. OUR SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENTS HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON FOUR PRIORITY AREAS. ACCESS TO FLEXIBLE CAPITAL, SUSTAINABILITY IN RESILIENCY, ACCESS IN NETWORKS, AND ECOSYSTEM COORDINATION. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO HIGHLIGHT SOP SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THOSE PRIORITIES. THE 0% INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFTFUND, PAYS DOWN THE INTEREST RATE ON LOANS WHICH RANGE BETWEEN 500 AND $100,000. PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES HAVE ACCESS TO A 34% HIGHER AMOUNT OF CAPITAL THAN TRADITIONAL LOANS AND THE OVERALL DEFAULT RATE OF THE PROGRAM IS MUCH LESS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

THE PROGRAM HAS A GENERAL FUND BASE BUDGET OF $250,000 AND HAS BEEN AUGMENTED WITH ARPA FUNDS IN BOTH FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND 2025. LIFTFUND PROVIDED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BRING THE TOTAL TO $1 MILLION IN BOTH YEARS. EVEN WITH THE INCREASED RESOURCES THIS YEAR, THE PROGRAM DID RUN OUT OF FUNDING AND WE ANTICIPATE SIMILAR HAPPENING AGAIN NEXT YEAR. THE INVESTMENT DID, HOWEVER, SUPPORT 68 BUSINESSES WHO WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE $2.5 MILLION IN CAPITAL.

WHILE THE TARGET HAD BEEN 70 LOANS FOR $2.3 MILLION IN CAPITAL.

WE WILL BE WORKING WITH LIFTFUND TO DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANY, ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD BE MADE TO THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SAN ANTONIO'S SMALL BUSINESSES.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES $200,000 FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS BARRIERS TO ACCESSING CAPITALLING PRIORITIZING THOSE THAT HAVE PRIVATE OR PHILANTHROPY INVESTMENTS. SUPPLY SA WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN COORDINATION WITH APPROXIMATELY 15 LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCIES.

THE REGIONAL COLLABORATION WILL TRANSFORM THE SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL CERTIFICATION AGENCY WHICH WILL BEGIN DOING BUSINESS AS SUPPLY SA.

THIS ORGANIZATION WILL BE IN COMBINATION WITH AN INCREASE IN AGENCY FUNDING FROM APPROXIMATELY $400,000 TO $1.2 MILLION ANNUALLY. OF WHICH WE PROPOSE CONTRIBUTING $125,000. THE PURPOSE OF SUPPLY SA WILL BE TO ASSIST THE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY BY IDENTIFYING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDING SUPPORT TO ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THEIR RESPONSE.

IN ADDITION TO STRENGTHENING LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION ACTIVITY, SUPPLY SA WILL ALSO INCLUDE PROCUREMENT NAVIGATION SERVICES, CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.

ACCESS TO FREE RESOURCES, REGARDLESS OF YOUR LOCATION, IS A TOP PRIORITY.

BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND HOW TO USE THEM CAN OFTEN BE

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FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE SURVEY, BUSINESSES RECEIVED A REPORT DETAILING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THEIR ONLINE PRESENCE. TO DATE, OVER 380 BUSINESSES HAVE TAKEN THE ASSESSMENT SURVEY WITH A SUBSET OF SMALL BUSINESSES BEING ABLE TO ACCESS FREE DIGITAL WORK THROUGH THE PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM BEGAN WITH $550,000 IN ARPA FUNDING BUT WE WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE AN ADDED $150,000 IN GENERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES LOCATED IN CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS.

I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE $33.9 MILLION ARPA FUNDED SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, OF WHICH $29.7 MILLION HAS BEEN COMMITTED OR SPENT TO DATE.

OF THAT, $21.3 MILLION HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED IN CASH GRANTS DIRECTLY TO SMALL BUSINESSES. THE REMAINING $4.2 MILLION IS ALLOCATED TO THE CONTINUATION OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

THE CITY HAS UTILIZED THESE ARPA FUNDS TO INVEST IN SEVERAL ONE-TIME PROGRAMS. THE HOPE WITH MANY OF THESE, PARTICULARLY THOSE PROGRAMS OPERATED BY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IS THAT THE ARPA CAPITAL WILL ACT AS SEED FUNDING FOR THEM TO LEVERAGE OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THE ARPA FUNDS WERE UTILIZED TO AUGMENT A FEW EXISTING EFFORTS SUCH AS 0% INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM OR THE BUY LOCAL CAMPAIGNS. AND AS HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER, THE CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT GRANTS ARE PROPOSED TO TRANSITION FROM ARPA TO GENERAL FUND IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK DONE BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND OUTLINE THE PATH FORWARD IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO KATHY.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER.

I'M KATHY DONNELLAN, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY.

FIRST I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY.

NEXT, I'LL SHARE HOW WE TRACK AND MEASURE THE LIBRARY'S PERFORMANCE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY. I'M ALSO EAGER TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR PROGRESS ON OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN AND A BRIEFING ON AN ONGOING EFFORT TO EXTEND OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH BEXAR COUNTY FOR LIBRARY SERVICES.

THEN I HAVE AN EXCITING NEW INITIATIVE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT LAUNCHES TODAY, ACTUALLY, REGARDING OUR SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD. FINALLY OUR BOARD OF

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OUR AMAZING TEAM OF 561 STAFF MEMBERS USE ALL OF THESE TOOLS TO DELIVER SERVICE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR MISSION AND THEY LIVE OUT THE ORGANIZATION'S VALUES EVERY DAY. SOMETHING THAT IS WOVEN THROUGHOUT WHAT OUR TEAM DOES EACH DAY IS JOY AND CURIOSITY. IF YOU EVER NEED A MOOD BOOSTER, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ATTENDING A LIBRARY BUBBLE PARTY, WHICH IS WHAT THIS PHOTO IS FROM. THIS WAS OUR SUMMER WITH SAPL KICKOFF PARTY AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. OKAY. NOW WE GO FROM BUBBLE PARTY TO BUDGET. THIS SLIDE HAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE LIBRARY'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. LIBRARY'S PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF 2.7%, AND I'LL SHARE WITH YOU IN A MOMENT THE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED.

THE LIBRARY ALSO HAS TWO MAJOR SUPPORT GROUPS: THE FRIENDS OF THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION.

OUR GROUPS FUND RAISE FOR SERVICES INCLUDING OUR LIBRARY BUILDINGS.

BOTH GROUPS MAKE AN ANNUAL DONATION AND DUE TO THEIR PLANS FOR FISCAL 2025, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN GRANTS IS ANTICIPATED. WITH RESPECT TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE AMOUNT PLANNED TO BE SPENT IN FISCAL 2025 IS DECREASING SLIGHTLY BUT NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AND REPRESENTS THE TIMING OF SPENDING ON OUR PROJECTS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.

IN TERMS OF NEW FUNDING, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF $1.3 MILLION.

ONE FULL-TIME TRAINING OFFICER POSITION IS PROPOSED TO OPEN OUR EIGHTH LEARN AT SAPL LOCATION A AT THE LAS PALMAS LIBRARY. LEARN AT SAPL IS OUR ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE HELP AND GROUP CLASSES FOR JOB SUPPORT, DIGITAL LITERACY, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. THE BUDGET FOR THE LIBRARY COLLECTION WILL ALSO INCREASE BY $73,000, WHICH WILL MAINTAIN OUR PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE PER RESIDENT AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF $4.06. THIS INCREASE IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL INVESTMENT IN THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTION TO KEEP IT CURRENT, RESPOND TO COMMUNITY DEMAND, AND TO HAVE A COMMUNITY RESPONSIVE COLLECTION. CAPITAL OUTLAY IS PROPOSED IN AN AMOUNT OF $1.2 MILLION IN THE BUDGET WHICH INCLUDES FUNDING TO REPLACE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE END OF LIFE. THE SIGNIFICANT ANNUAL INVESTMENT ALLOWS US TO KEEP FURNITURE AND TECHNOLOGY UP TO DATE AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT MANAGES 28 BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND KEEPING THOSE LOCATIONS UP TO DATE AND COMFORTABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS A PRIORITY.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A TOTAL OF OVER $3 MILLION FOR CAPITAL AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS. THE LIBRARY HAS A FACILITIES PLAN THAT PROGRAMS NEEDS BASED ON THE EXPECTED LIFE CYCLES OF BUILDING SYSTEMS SO THAT PROJECTS ARE PRIORITIZED EACH YEAR FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS. THIS YEAR FUNDS ARE PROPOSED FOR HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR-CONDITIONING PROJECTS AT BROOK HOLLOW, COLLINS GARDEN, CORTEZ, AND JOHNSTON BRANCHES . ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE A NEW ROOF FOR THE WEST FALL BRANCH, RENOVATIONS TO THE RESTROOMS, SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CORTEZ BRANCH, AND REPLACEMENT OF THE 29-YEAR-OLD FREIGHT ELEVATOR AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE PROPOSED IN ADDITION TO THE PROJECTS FUNDED IN FISCAL '24 FOR HVAC IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY NOW, WHICH INCLUDES, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE MAVERICK AND CODY BRANCH LIBRARIES.

THE LIBRARY CAREFULLY MEASURES PERFORMANCE AGAINST GOALS TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDS INVESTED IN SERVICES ARE WELL SPENT AND THE COMMUNITY WELL SERVED.

FOR THE LIBRARY, THERE ARE FOUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.

CIRCULATION, WHICH IS CHECKOUT OF DIGITAL AND PHYSICALLY ITEMS FROM THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTION. HOURS OF TECHNOLOGY USE INCLUDES THE HOURS USED AT PUBLIC COMPUTERS AT THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS THE HOURS USED OF WI-FI AT THE

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AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR ANNUAL CIRCULATION HAS RECOVERED SINCE PRE-PANDEMIC AND HAS NOW EXCEEDED PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN THE LIBRARIES WERE CLOSED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS DURING THE SHUT DOWN AND THEN AS LIBRARIES HAS TO METER ACCESS, THE PROPORTION OF USE OF THE DIGITAL COLLECTION INCREASED. LIBRARY CHECKOUTS OVERALL ARE INCREASING AND THE PROPORTION OF THE USE OF DIGITAL COLLECTION IS ALSO GROWING AS A PERCENTAGE.

IN FISCAL YEAR 2019, PHYSICAL CIRCULATION MADE UP 77% OF CHECKOUTS.

DIGITAL WAS 23%. NOW, DIGITAL CIRCULATION MAKES UP 41% OF THE TOTAL.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE DIGITAL COLLECTION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PHYSICAL COLLECTION, IT JUST INDICATES A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY CUSTOMERS ARE USING THE COLLECTION OVERALL. WE SEE A SIMILAR TREND FOR HOURS OF TECHNOLOGY USE WITH INCREASES YEAR OVER YEAR. THE LIBRARY SYSTEM HAS 28 COMPUTER LABS ACROSS THE CITY. HOURS OF TECHNOLOGY USE IS A KEY MEASURE REGARDING THESE COMPUTER CENTERS. PRE-PANDEMIC, HOURS OF COMPUTER USE WERE MADE UP BY ONE-FOURTH OF PC SESSIONS AND WI-FI REPRESENTED THE OTHER THREE-FOURTHS.

NOW THE PROPORTION HAS SHIFTED WITH WI-FI MAKING UP 87% OF THE HOURS OF TECHNOLOGY USE. VISITS IS THE LIBRARY'S THIRD KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURE. VISITS REFERS TO PHYSICAL VISITS TO THE LIBRARY LOCATIONS. SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY, LIKE OUR PEERS, IS NOT SEEING A RETURN TO THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL VISITS THAT HAPPENED PRE-PANDEMIC.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BAR GRAPH ON THE LEFT, THERE WERE 3 MILLION VISITS IN FISCAL '23 TO SAPL, AND THAT'S COMPARED TO 5.3 MILLION IN 2019.

THIS TREND IS BEING SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE A PEER COMPARISON SHOWING THAT ALL OF OUR PEERS THAT WE COMPARE TO HAVE SEEN THE SAME TREND IN A REDUCTION OF VISITS. BUT AMONG ALL OF OUR PEERS, ONLY SAN DIEGO HAS A HIGHER NUMBER OF VISITS IN 2023. THIS CHANGE IS IN HOW USERS ARE USING THE LIBRARY BUT IT DOES NOT DIMINISH THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR BRICK AND MORTAR LIBRARIES.

THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS REMAIN AN IMPORTANT WAY TO DELIVER IN-PERSON LIBRARY SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.

THE LIBRARIES ALSO SERVE AS VOTE CENTERS, PLACES TO STAY COOL, AND AS A VENUE FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS LIKE THE YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL THAT WAS HELD AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY THIS PAST SATURDAY.

IN ADDITION TO KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE DATA, THE LIBRARY CONSISTENTLY EXAMINES AND UPDATES ITS PLANS FOR SERVICES, RESOURCES, AND WORK INITIATIVES. IN THAT VEIN, A NEW LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE LIBRARY'S GOVERNING BOARD OF TRUSTEES THIS YEAR. THIS PLAN WILL GUIDE THE WORK OF THE LIBRARY THROUGH 2029. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN WAS INFORMED BY A DATA-DRIVEN COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND INCLUDED LIBRARY STAFF AND LIBRARY BOARD ENGAGEMENT. FOUR PILLARS ARE OUTLINED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN. THESE ARE FOUR AREAS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. EACH OF THE EIGHT STRATEGIC GOALS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN RELATE TO ONE OR MORE OF THESE PILLARS AND THESE REPRESENT THE AREAS OF FOCUS FOR OUR SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC. THE LIBRARY WILL BE PUBLISHING THE FINAL STRATEGIC PLAN DOCUMENT SOON AND WILL MAKE IT WIDELY AVAILABLE, BOTH PRINT AND DIGITALLY. AS PART OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION TODAY, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A SPECIFIC ITEM RELATED TO LIBRARY SERVICES TO THE REGION. SINCE 1936, THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY AND BEXAR COUNTY HAS HAD AN AGREEMENT FOR THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY AS PART OF THE CITY TO EXTEND LIBRARY SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF BEXAR COUNTY.

THIS MEANS LIBRARY SERVICES ARE EXTENDED TO BOTH RESIDENTS IN UNINCORPORATED BEXAR AS WELL AS INCORPORATED CITIES IN BEXAR COUNTY OTHER THAN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. CURRENTLY COUNTY USE OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS 26% OF LIBRARY CIRCULATION. THAT IS NON-CITY/COUNTY USERS MAKE UP 26% OF THE

[00:35:05]

IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE CONTRACT FOR FISCAL '25, THE CITY REQUESTED A FEE OF $3.5 MILLION. THIS WAS A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT A FEE OF $3.5 MILLION IS INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY'S BUDGET TO CONTINUE THE CONTRACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. THIS ILA IS PLANNED FOR INCLUSION IN THE CITY'S CLOSING ORDINANCE AS PART OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL PROCESS OF THE FISCAL '25 BUDGET. WE WILL START NEGOTIATIONS SOON FOR FUTURE YEARS, CONTINUED SERVICE, A FEE FOR SERVICE BASED ON USE, AND A MULTIYEAR AGREEMENT REMAIN THE GOALS OF THAT NEGOTIATION. I ALSO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU AN EXCITING INITIATIVE LAUNCHING TODAY AS PART OF SEPTEMBER'S NATIONAL LIBRARY CARD CAMPAIGN TO SIGN UP NEW USERS. WE ARE UNDERTAKING OUR OWN CAMPAIGN. PATRONS SIGNING UP FOR A LIBRARY CARD CAN SELECT ONE OF SEVEN BRAND-NEW DESIGNS FOR THEIR CARD. THESE NEW CARD DESIGNS REFLECT THE DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE CITY AND SO THE LIBRARY CARD CONTINUES TO OFFER BOTH A TRADITIONAL LIBRARY CARD -- AND YOU CAN PICK ONE OF THESE NEW DESIGNS -- AS WELL AS THE OPT-IN ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD.

THAT INCLUDES THE CUSTOMER'S PICTURE. THERE ARE MANY CHOICES BASED ON THE CUSTOMER'S PREFERENCE. AND YOU CAN TRADE IN YOUR LIBRARY CARD FOR A NEW CARD IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE OF THESE DESIGNS. THE LIBRARY TEAM WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOUR OFFICES TO SEE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. AS A RECAP, THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVES ALL OF BEXAR COUNTY WITH A FOOTPRINT OF LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. USE OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS TRENDING UP AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ROSE IN THE LAST COMMUNITY SURVEY TO 96%.

THE LIBRARY'S PROPOSED BUDGET MAINTAINS PER CAPITA SPENDING ON THE COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND MATERIALS AND INCLUDES $1.3 MILLION IN NEW PUBLIC SERVICE RESOURCES OVERALL. THE LIBRARY'S STRATEGIC PLAN THROUGH 2029 IS FINAL AND IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEGUN. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT THE LIBRARY'S PROPOSED BUDGET TO YOU FOR THE FINAL PART OF OUR PRESENTATION TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE JUSPREET KAUR, WHO IS THE CHAIR AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 8. SHE'LL SHARE WITH YOU SOME CLOSING REMARKS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER.

MY NAME IS JUSPREET KAUR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE APPOINTED BY EACH OF YOU TO SERVE AND LEAD THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. AS MS. DONNELLAN LAID OUT, THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT OUR PATRONS HAVE RATED SO WELL, 96% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN THE LAST SURVEY. I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND GRATITUDE TO THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL, AND THE MAYOR FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT IN OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. YOUR DEDICATION TO ENHANCING EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY IS INVALUABLE. THESE RESOURCES ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE LIBRARIES ARE MORE THAN JUST BUILDINGS FILLED WITH BOOKS.

THEY ARE VIBRANT HUBS OF KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

IN ORDER TO CONTINUE OFFERING THESE VALUABLE SERVICES, WE NEED ROBUST AND SUSTAINED FUNDING. LIBRARIES PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT FOSTER LIFELONG LEARNING, SUPPORT LITERACY, BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY PROTECT THE FREEDOM TO READ. ACCORDING TO THE CITY CHARTER, THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS AN OBLIGATION TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY. BUT SEEING THE IMMEASURABLE IMPACT THAT THE LIBRARY HAS ON THE COMMUNITY MAKES THE WORK OF OUR VOLUNTEER BOARD EXTREMELY REWARDING.

I CAN CORRELATE A NUMBER OF CITY INITIATIVES THAT WILL BE FORTIFIED BY THE LIBRARY, SUCH AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. THE MORE WE INVEST IN OUR LIBRARY SERVICES, THE MORE WE CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, ENSURING FOOD SAFETY, RICH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALL OF

[00:40:02]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. BRIDGETT WHITE, DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. MY PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, OUR FISCAL 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET, SA TOMORROW, THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION PROGRAM, AND THE DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL 2025 PERFORMANCE MEASURES . HERE WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON ARE RUDY NINO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. BOBBY HAMILTON, ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR. AND THREE STAFF WHO OVERSEE THE DEPARTMENT DIVISIONS YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE. CHRIS, PRISCILLA, AND ZEKE. THIS FISCAL YEAR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PLANNING DEPARTMENT UNDERTOOK THE PLANNING PROCESS AND FOLLOWED UP ON THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM THE SURVEY . AS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS GROWN, THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS EVOLVED AND WE WANTED TO ENSURE CONTINUED ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S MISSION STATEMENT.

AS A RESULT OF THAT PROCESS, WE UPDATED OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND IDENTIFIED THE THREE DEPARTMENT GOALS SHOWN HERE WITH STAFF WITHIN OUR THREE DIVISIONS COMMITTED AND WHICH THE REMAINDER OF MY PRESENTATION SPEAKS TO THIS AFTERNOON.

AS FAR AS THE DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL 2025 BUDGET, IT REFLECTS A 26.5% DECREASE FROM THE FISCAL 2024 BUDGET. THIS IS DUE TO EXPENSES SUCH AS THE ONE-TIME SA TOMORROW PHASE 4 FUNDING WE RECEIVED IN FISCAL 2024 BUDGET BEING REMOVED.

AND OUR POSITION COUNT REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM FISCAL YEAR 2024.

AS YOU KNOW THE CITY ADOPTED THREE SA TOMORROW PLANS IN 2016 CONSISTING OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. THE SA TOMORROW PLAN AIMS TO ADDRESS THE FORECASTED GROWTH OF 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE IN BEXAR COUNTY BY 2040. JUST IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS WE HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING LARGE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY EACH YEAR SINCE THE SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS ADOPTED.

THE DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADOPTED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUBAREA, CORRIDOR, AND REVITALIZATION PLANS, AS WELL AS UPDATING GROWTH POLICIES AND MANAGING CITY-INITIATED REZONING THAT IMPLEMENTATION THE PLANS. THE SUBAREAS ARE 30 UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIES AND INCLUDE 13 REGIONAL CENTERS IDENTIFIED AS EXISTING OR EMERGING HUBS OF EMPLOYMENT AND ACTIVITY. AND 17 COMMUNITY AREAS THAT ENCOMPASS EVERY PART OF THE CITY OUTSIDE OF THOSE REGIONAL CENTERS. AS THE ADOPTED 2016 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE A FUTURE LAND USE MAP, THE 30 SUBAREA PLANS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT WILL RESULT IN THE FIRST CITYWIDE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. AS SUBAREA PLANS ARE DEVELOPED, THEY ARE DONE AROUND A PLANNING FRAMEWORK THAT ADDRESSES THE TOPICS OF LAND USE, FOCUS AREAS, MOBILITY, AMENITIES AND PUBLIC SPACE, HOUSING, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE AND CHALLENGES TO ADDRESS AROUND THESE TOPICS. ALL WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING EACH AREA COMPLETE COMMUNITY. FRAMEWORK RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED INTO A PLAN FRAMEWORK MAP AND EXPANDED UPON THROUGH EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSES, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SPECIFIC STRATEGIES.

THE SUBAREA PLANS INCLUDE A VISION AND GOALS, NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILES AND PRIORITIES, AND IMPLEMENTATION SECTIONS AS WELL AS MAPS AND GRAPHICS FOR EACH OF THE FRAMEWORK ELEMENTS. DEVELOPMENT OF ALL SUBAREA PLANS IS DONE WITH INPUT FROM COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. THIS INPUT IS RECEIVED FROM A RANGE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INITIAL OUTREACH, MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, INSTITUTIONS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, PLANNING TEAMS MADE UP OF COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE A SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLAN AREA, COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE NOTICES ARE MAILED.

OUTGOING OUTREACH, ONGOING OUTREACH WITH INTERACTION WITH ALL TYPES OF STAKEHOLDERS. FOCUS GROUPS, IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF ISSUES, NEEDS, POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, AND PRIORITIES RELATED TO A SPECIFIC TOPIC OR AUDIENCE.

AND COMMUNITY INTERCEPT EVENTS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AS WELL AS MEDIA, ONLINE RESOURCES, AND DISTRIBUTION LISTS, AND PROJECT WEBSITES.

[00:45:02]

IN ADDITION, THE ADOPTED PLANS INCLUDE NEEDED AND DESIRED IMPROVEMENTS IDENTIFIED BY STAKEHOLDERS DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS AND SERVE AS A WAY TO ALIGN PROPOSED SPENDING WITH GROWTH AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. ONE GREAT EXAMPLE OF A PLAN BEING IMPLEMENTED IS THE BROOKS AREA REGIONAL CENTER PLAN .

ADOPTED IN 2019, THE PLAN FRAMEWORK FOR THIS PLAN IS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE.

IN ADDITION TO CITY-LED REZONING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD STABILITY IN THE AREA, SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT HAS OCCURRED THAT FURTHER THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES ADOPTED. IN FACT, IN THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM, THE BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REQUESTED AND RECEIVED BOND FUNDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO SIDNEY BROOKS DRIVE, ONE OF THE STREETS IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN AS A PRIORITY FOR PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE. THE SUB-AREA PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH BEGAN IN 2017, HAS A MULTI-YEAR WORK PLAN.

EACH PHASE INCLUDES SIX AREAS WITH 24 MONTHS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNED DEVELOPMENT. IN 2018 THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE CATEGORIES WERE ADOPTED SO THAT ALL PLANS ARE USING THE SAME LAND USE CATEGORIES AND ASSOCIATED ZONING. UNFORTUNATELY, COVID-19 CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DELAYS FOR ALL THE PLANNING PHASES. HOWEVER, TO DATE, 11 SUB-AREA PLANS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL. FIVE OF THE PHASE 1 PLANS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED WITH A FINAL PLAN, THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY AREA PLAN, EXPECTED TO BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. ALL SIX PHASE 2 PLANS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AND ALL SIX PHASE 3 PLANS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.

AND WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON PHASE 4. THE COMMUNITY KICKOFF MEETING WAS HELD IN JULY. UNLIKE THE PRIOR THREE PHASES, WHICH INCLUDED REGIONAL CENTERS, PHASES 4 AND 5 ARE MADE UP OF LARGER PLANNING GEOGRAPHIES IN ALL COMMUNITY AREAS. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION PROGRAM THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN OVERSEEING FOR SEVERAL YEARS. IN PLACE SINCE 2015, THE PROGRAM IS TO ENCOURAGE THE RENEWAL OF PERRIN BEITEL-NACOGDOCHES CORRIDOR AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

HOWEVER, AS THE PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN 2014, AFTER A 2013 MARKET STUDY, STAFF WILL BE WORKING ON AN UPDATE OF BOTH THE MARKET STUDY AND REVITALIZATION PLAN THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AS WELL AS COMPLETING DESIGN STANDARDS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED IN THE AREA REGIONAL CENTER PLAN ADOPTED IN 2022.

THIS IS IN ADDITION TO UNDERTAKING A WORKSHOP TO CONDUCT AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF CRIME DATA AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS AND COMPILE A REPORT OF THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN AREAS OF INCREASED CRIME WITHIN THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION AREA.

ALTHOUGH $250,000 HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR REDUCTION IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, $500,000 IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAM ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE ONGOING ENHANCEMENT GRANT PROGRAM AND COMPLETION OF IDENTIFIED IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS LANDSCAPING AND WAYFINDING IN THE ADOPTED AREA REGIONAL CENTER PLAN IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.

THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE MEASURES TIE BACK TO THE GOALS PREVIOUSLY SHOWN ON SLIDE 3. ALTHOUGH A SMALL DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUB-AREA PLANS AND REZONING OF AREAS THAT ALIGN REZONING WITH ADOPTED AND FUTURE LAND USE PLANS. AS THE AREA CONTINUES TO GROW OUR WORK PLAN WILL INCLUDE COORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNERS SUCH AS SAWS AND CPS AND ALSO BEXAR COUNTY AS THEY SEE REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT REQUIRE THE CITY'S CONSENT. AND OF COURSE GOOD PLANNING REQUIRES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AS AREAS WE ENGAGE WITH THROUGHOUT THE SUB-AREA PLANNING PROCESS ARE MUCH LARGER THAN PRIOR AREAS. WE WILL EMPLOY VARIOUS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO REACH AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE SO THEY TOO CAN HAVE A VOICE IN THE AREAS THEY LIVE IN. SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE ANTICIPATE COMING BEFORE YOU WITH SEVEN SA TOMORROW PLANS. THE REMAINING PHASE 1 PLAN AND SIX PHASE 3 PLANS.

PLANNING PROJECTS TO IMPLEMENT SA TOMORROW SUCH AS GOLIAD ROAD, BANDERA ROAD PHASE 2 AND ETJ LAND USE PLANS. THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I, AS WELL AS THE OTHER DIRECTORS WHO HAVE PRESENTED THIS AFTERNOON, ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS ON OUR RESPECTIVE FISCAL 2025 BUDGETS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.

BRIDGETT, IF YOU COULD STAY RIGHT THERE. EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.

THIS IS ALWAYS THE SET OF DEPARTMENTS THAT REMINDS ME HOW COMPLICATED AND COMPLEX

[00:50:03]

PLAN IS GOING TO BEGIN IN FY25? >> NO, THE WEST SIDE PLAN IS A PHASE 1 PLAN. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT PLAN SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2017.

WE HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US SINCE SHE BECAME IN OFFICE AND WE'RE ACTUALLY VERY HAPPY, GIVEN THE ROLE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS PLAYED IN DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR PLAN, IT'S JUST REALLY BUILDING THE TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY, I WOULD SAY. THAT'S THE REASON WHY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG.

SO WE REALLY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THEY HAVE HAD

AS WE PLAN IN THAT AREA. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK IT WAS MAYBE THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. YOU MENTIONED FY25 FOR ONE OF THE SUB-AREAS AND YOU MENTIONED THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY PLAN. MAYBE I'M REFERRING TO IT WRONG. WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU DOING FY25 FOR THAT PARTICULAR

AREA. >> SO FOR FISCAL '25, WE'LL BE COMPLETING THE PLAN.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COMPLETION AND COMING TO COUNCIL.

>> YES, SIR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOT IT.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN A TON OF WORK, COMMUNITY WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT. THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS I WOULD LOVE TO BE HERE WHEN

IT'S FINALLY COMPLETED. WHEN IS IT COMING IN? >> THE GOAL IS TO GET IT TO

COUNCIL IN ABOUT AUGUST OF NEXT YEAR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO

I'LL MISS IT. >> YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: A FULL DECADE GOES BY AND I CAN'T VOTE ON THE LAST PLAN. I'LL OFFER MY OPINIONS AT THAT POINT. BUT GREAT WORK. I HOPE TO SEE IT CONTINUE.

AND I WOULD ALSO AGAIN REITERATE MY REQUEST THE SA TOMORROW PLAN. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLANS, IT'S ALMOST BECOME A JOKE. EVERY YEAR IT'S A JOKE HOW MANY PLANS WE HAVE.

SOME OF THEM SIT ON THE SHELF. BUT ALL OF THE PLANS, IN MY VIEW, HAVE BEEN ALIGNED WITH OUR SA TOMORROW EFFORT. AND SO TO GET AN UPDATE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THE REGIONAL PLANS, WITH THE SUB-AREA PLANS, WITH THE MULTIMODAL PLAN BECAUSE, AGAIN, ART IS GOING TO BE DIGGING NEXT YEAR. OUR CLIMATE PLAN. SEEING HOW ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS RELATE TO THE COMMUNITY'S VISION, WHICH AGAIN POINTS BACK TO WHAT WE ARTICULATED IN SA 2020. ALL THIS IS IN ALIGNMENT.

NOT ONLY OUR CITY BUT OUR COMMUNITY BUT WHERE WE ARE WOULD BE A VERY VALUABLE USE OF TIME , ERIK. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PUBLIC SUMMIT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A COUNCIL BRIEFING, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BUT I DO THINK A CHECK-IN IS APPROPRIATE NOW THAT WE'RE AT THE TAIL END OF APPROVING THESE AREA

PLANS. >> WALSH: YEAH, MAYBE MAYOR WE CAN GET THROUGH BUDGET AND PULL IN THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS AND MAYBE IT'S MORE THAN A COUNCIL BRIEFING. MAYBE IT'S ON A SATURDAY OR AN EVENING.

BUT WE'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND A TIMELINE FOR THAT IN THE FALL.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH. RUDY NINO WAS A YOUNG MAN WHEN HE STARTED THIS THING AND NOW HE'S A SEASONED PROFESSIONAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE. LIBRARY IS DOING FANTASTIC. JUSPREET IS OUR CHAIR.

I APPOINTED HER FIRST, MANNY, SO SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING THERE AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNTY DIGGING IN AND HELPING US TO FUND THE LIBRARIES COMPREHENSIVELY GOING FORWARD. RECOGNIZING CITY RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO SUBSIDIZE, YOU KNOW, THE UNINCORPORATED AREA'S USE OF LIBRARIES. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING PATH FOR THAT. EDD.

CAN YOU COME ON UP, BRENDA? FIRST, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T INTRODUCE TO THE PUBLIC, TO OUR COMMUNITY GENERAL FROM MUNICH. HE WILL BE WORKING IN SAN ANTONIO IN MY OFFICE AND WITH THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OFFICE FOR A YEAR IN A BRAND-NEW PROGRAM

[00:55:03]

SO, BRENDA, SPEAKING OF INTERNATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CULMINATIONS OF ALL THE OUR INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION IS INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO I USED TO SAY -- AND I KNOW THE FIGURE IS WRONG -- BUT A HUGE PORTION OF OUR GDP GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR WAS FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND EXPORT-IMPORT ACTIVITY FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE FOREIGN-OWNED BUSINESSES. THESE ARE LOCALLY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MARKETS THAT GO BEYOND OUR BORDERS.

DO WE TRACK THAT NUMBER? AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE OVER TIME?

CAN WE GET SOME INFORMATION ON THAT? >> HAPPY TO SHARE THAT.

I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE ITEMS WE DO INCLUDE IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DASHBOARD, AS WE LOVE DASHBOARDS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. AND SO RECOGNIZING THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT I MENTIONED TIM IS FROM IS PARTICIPATING IN IS NAMED RITA JO LEWIS.

SHE IS PART OF THE EX-IM BANK SO A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS, A LOT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES RELY ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE BUILDING CULTURAL CONNECTIONS WITH CITIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THESE ARE VERY VALUABLE FOR LOCAL JOBS.

THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS ON THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANTS.

WE WERE FUNDING THIS THROUGH ARPA. WE ARE NOW FUNDING THIS THROUGH GENERAL FUND. WE'LL SPEND EVERY DIME OF THAT BECAUSE BUSINESSES NEED IT. MY CONCERN REMAINS -- AND I REALLY WANT US TO REEVALUATE THIS. THE BETTER WAY TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF CONSTRUCTION IS TO USE THOSE DOLLARS TO SPEED UP CONSTRUCTION. SO I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW MOVING THIS GENERAL FUND WHERE FRANKLY YOUR DEPARTMENT NEEDS MORE FLEXIBILITY AND TOOLS FOR INCENTIVES. WHAT LITTLE THEY DO HAVE, THEY'RE USING EFFECTIVELY, GIVEN THE NEW STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.

BUT, AGAIN, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION, I WOULD PREFER IF WE FOUND A WAY TO PULL FROM CAPITAL AND/OR NOT DO IT AT ALL AND INSTEAD USE THOSE FUNDS TO SPEED UP OR SHIFT, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVIZING OR PROVIDING CARROTS TO CONTRACTORS WHO ARE GOING TO FINISH THE JOB FASTER THAN THEY PERHAPS ESTIMATED. AND WE NEED THEM TO. AGAIN, I'LL JUST PUT THAT ON THE TABLE. I THOUGHT I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU -- ACTUALLY, I DO, BRENDA. LIFTFUND. WE'RE STAYING FLAT WITH LIFTFUND BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE LOW-INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM IS GOING QUITE WELL.

WE'RE FLAT, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF OUR BUDGET'S PRETTY TIGHT THIS YEAR.

BUT WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS PROGRAM GOING? >> SURE.

SO THIS WAS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WAS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ARPA FUNDING AND THE BASE BUDGET IS $250,000 IN GENERAL FUNDS AND THEN WE HAD ADDITIONAL ARPA DOLLARS, BOTH '24 AND '25. AND THEN LIFTFUND WAS ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME INVESTMENT AS WELL. SO THAT WAS WHAT BROUGHT IT UP TO THE MILLION DOLLARS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH HOW THIS PROGRAM IS AND ANY CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, WHEN THE ARPA FUNDS RUN OUT, WE DO ANTICIPATE IT GOING BACK TO THE $250,000.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. I'LL PUT MY STAKE IN THE GROUND.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOT SEE THIS PROGRAM SHRINK. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT GROW, IN FACT. BECAUSE THIS IS VERY VALUABLE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING AGAINST OTHER INVESTMENTS TO GROW SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO THIS WOULD BE A FAR BETTER USE OF DOLLARS, IN MY OPINION.

THAT'S ALL. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BRENDA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION WAS BROUGHT TO US DURING THE SAME MEETING WHERE WE HEARD THE LIBRARY PRESENTATION. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO MOSTLY FOCUS ON AND THAT IS WHEN WE TALK TO SITE SELECTORS -- THIS IS NOT NEW. WHEN WE TALK TO SITE SELECTORS THEY TELL US THAT IT'S LESS ABOUT THE CASH INCENTIVES OR TAX INCENTIVES AND MORE ABOUT THE QUALITY

[01:00:06]

AND WHEN YOU SEE THESE MAJOR HEADQUARTERS MOVE FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BEAUTIFUL PARKS. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WALKABLE CITIES. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PLACES THAT OFFER SOME KIND OF CHARACTER THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES CAN ENJOY. ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IN THE DISCUSSION IS WHERE ARE THE LIBRARIES AND AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE PARKS. AND LIBRARIES CONTINUE TO BE A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PLACE, EVEN THOUGH FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ PHYSICAL BOOKS.

AND WE HAVE -- I REMEMBER MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I SERVED ON THE LIBRARY COMMISSION THAT PHIL HARDBERGER IMPANELED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.

WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE NETWORK OF LIBRARIES AND THEN A COLUMNIST ATTACKED THE PLAN BY STARTING OFF BY SAYING THE LITERATI ARE AT IT AGAIN, FORCING PEOPLE TO READ. BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS RARE. RIGHT NOW IT'S THE ATTACKS ON THE QUOTE, UNQUOTE LITERATI AND WANTING TO SEE MORE PEOPLE READ HAS BECOME LOUDER AND MORE PREVALENT.

WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT WITH THE FACT THAT TEXAS HAS THE FOURTH LOWEST LITERACY RATE IN THE NATION, WHERE ONE IN FIVE ADULTS LACK BASIC READING AND WRITING SKILLS AND WE ARE AT THE VERY, VERY BOTTOM OF THE LIST OF PRETTY MUCH EVERY EDUCATIONAL METRIC COMPARISON FROM STATE TO STATE. WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALSO THE FOURTH LOWEST IN THE NATION AS IT RELATES TO LIBRARIES IN OUR CITIES. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A COINCIDENCE THERE, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU START LISTENING TO WHAT OUR LEADERS IN AUSTIN TALK ABOUT AND TODAY BANNING BOOKS CONTAINING THE VOICES OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IS WHAT PASSES FOR LEADERSHIP IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. AND THREATENING LIBRARIANS WITH PROSECUTION FOR DARING TO ENCOURAGE MY KIDS, YOUR KIDS, MY NEIGHBORS, DARING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO READ IDEAS THAT MIGHT CHALLENGE WHAT THEY HEAR, YOU KNOW, FROM OTHER FOLKS. THAT'S WHAT PASSES FOR LEADERSHIP AT THE GENERAL -- THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. AND FEAR MONGERING OVER BOOKS THAT CONTAIN UNCOMFORTABLE HISTORICAL FACTS AND GETTING PEOPLE -- LITERALLY GETTING THEM SO WORKED UP TO WHERE THEY'RE OUT THERE BURNING BOOKS IS WHAT PASSES FOR LEADERSHIP HERE AT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERN'S OFFICE HERE IN TEXAS. IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE LIVING IN UPSIDE DOWN UNIVERSE WORLD WHERE SUPPOSEDLY LEARNED MEN UP THERE IN AUSTIN THINK THAT THE INTELLECTUAL PURSUIT OF JUST KNOWING MORE, THINK THAT FREEDOM OF THOUGHT IS BAD, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. AND YET THOSE ARE THE REALITIES WE ARE FACED WITH AND ALL OF THIS LIP SERVICE THEY PAY TO THIS IDEA OF FREEDOM, THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THAT FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY IS HEARTBREAKING.

I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMEMBER THAT THE LIBRARIANS WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE NOW MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AND THEY ARE LITERALLY THREATENED.

WE KEEP SEEING MORE AND MORE EFFORTS TO MAKE THEM SCARED OF DOING THEIR JOBS.

AND YET THEY STILL SHOW UP TO WORK AND OUR SAN ANTONIO LIBRARIANS STILL SHOW UP TO WORK IN THE FACE OF THOSE THREATS AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IDEA, THIS EXPERIMENT, THIS AMERICAN EXPERIMENT ONLY SURVIVES IF IDEAS ARE FREE. THIS IS MY VERY, VERY LONG ROUNDABOUT WAY OF SAYING I'M PROUD OF OUR LIBRARIANS AND I'M PROUD OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WEAR THE SAN ANTONIO I.D. CARD ON LANYARDS AND GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THEY COULD PROBABLY BE MAKING MORE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE BUT THEY CHOOSE TO SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORS THIS WAY. JUSPREET, YOU AND YOUR COMMISSIONERS AREN'T JUST HELPING PEOPLE READ AND PLEASE REPORT TO THEM IT'S NO EXAGGERATION THAT YOU GUYS ARE HELPING SAN ANTONIO BE A MORE ECONOMICALLY-COMPETITIVE CITY AND EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR WE INVEST IN THESE LIBRARIES IS AN INVESTMENT, NOT JUST IN FREEDOM, BUT IN BRENDA'S WORK TO ATTRACT COMPANIES

THAT WAS IT. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

[01:05:01]

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, RENEE, BRENDA, KATHY, AND BRIDGETT FOR THE PRESENTATION. STARTING OFF WITH EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR A 4% COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT VERSUS THE 3% COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT? I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT $2.7 MILLION HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENT.

THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM EMPLOYEES ABOUT THEIR TENURE WITH THE CITY AND HOW THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ADJUSTMENT QUITE YET.

GRATEFUL TO SEE THEY'LL BE SEEING THAT SOMETIME IN APRIL.

IN REGARDS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I WANTED TO THANK BRENDA AND HER TEAM FOR GIVING US A BRIEFING AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE.

I DO SHARE SIMILAR PRIORITIES IN REGARDS TO INCENTIVES FOR CONSTRUCTION.

I THINK, NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND DRAINAGE AND SO FORTH, BUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LAS PALMAS LIBRARY, DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS ARE EAGER TO GET BACK INTO THAT SPACE, NOT JUST TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES BUT TO ACCESS THE HEAT AND THE CENTRAL AIR AND ALL THE RESOURCES WITHIN THAT SPACE.

AND WE'VE BEEN PATIENT WITH THAT PROJECT MOVING FORWARD BUT I'M STARTING TO GET JUST AS CONCERNED AND FRUSTRATED AS MY CONSTITUENTS ARE. I KNOW FOLKS ARE WORKING ON IT BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT WAYS WE CAN INCENTIVIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE PROJECTS SO THAT WAY BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN CONTINUE TO ACCESS THEIR COMMUNITY SPACES. WITH THE FUNDS FOR THE 0% INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM, GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT'S GETTING USE. I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE YOU ALL HAVE WORKED TO FILL THAT GAP FOR SOME OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL OR COLLATERAL NECESSARY TO QUALIFY FOR THE ZERO INTEREST LOAN.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THOSE CONCERNS INTO CONSIDERATION AND FINDING A WAY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. FURTHER, THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DISTRICT 5 SMALL BUSINESSES.

GREAT TO SEE IT CONTINUE INTO THE FISCAL 2025 YEAR. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OVERALL WHERE THE CITY HAS INVESTED IN STOREFRONT GRANTS, JUST TO SEE WHERE WE'RE SEEING A CONCENTRATION, WHO'S APPLYING, WHO MAY NOT BE RECEIVING THE GRANTS. JUST TO HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING.

I'M ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THROUGH ARPA THAT OUR BDOS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT THROUGH THE LIFTFUND. PROSPER WEST RECEIVED ONE OF THEIR BRIEFINGS ON THEIR STRUCTURAL PLANNING, SO JUST GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT THOSE PIECES ARE MOVING FORWARD. IN REGARDS TO PLANNING, JUST WANTED TO THANK BRIDGETT.

AS BRIDGETT MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING I PARTICIPATED IN PRIOR TO BEING ON COUNCIL. I WOULD ATTEND THE WEST SIDE PLANNING MEETINGS AND EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND CHRIS IN PARTICULAR WHO HAS BEEN GREAT IN LEADING AND FACILITATING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AS WELL AS BEING AMENDABLE TO COMMUNITY INPUT. AND IT'S BECAUSE, AS BRIDGETT MENTIONED, YOU CAN'T HAVE COMMUNITY PLANNING WITHOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO WHY WE'VE SEEN THE WEST SIDE PLAN MOVE A LITTLE BIT SLOWER BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GREAT AT ENSURING THAT WEST SIDE RESIDENTS' THOUGHTS AND INPUT ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE PLAN. EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITY VOICE IS INTEGRATED THERE. I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, BRIDGETT. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FUNDS TYPICALLY -- ARE USED TO SUPPORT?

>> SO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR -- SO FOR SA TOMORROW WE HAVE A CONSULTANT, BECAUSE FOR EACH PHASE WE'RE DOING SIX PLANS PER PHASE. WE DO 3-D MODELING, ENHANCED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. WE ALSO DO SPANISH TRANSLATION AND DUAL-LANGUAGE WEBSITES FOR OUR PLANS, ONCE COMPLETE. THAT'S FOR SA TOMORROW.

SO IN TERMS OF THE REDUCTION FROM FISCAL YEAR '25 TO '24, THE CONTRACTUAL ALSO INCLUDES A REDUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR. SO THAT'S PART OF WHY THERE IS A REDUCTION OF $1.55 MILLION. 1.7 IN CONTRACTUAL BUT THEN WITH OTHER ADJUSTMENTS IN THE BUDGET, IT TOTALED OUT TO $1.55 MILLION.

>> CASTILLO: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2024 AND 2025 WE WON'T SEE ANY IMPACTS WITH TRANSLATION SERVICES OR ANY OF THOSE CONSULTING PIECES?

>> NO. WE RECEIVED A PHASE 4 FUNDING IN FISCAL 2024.

SO WE'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY FUNDS FOR ANY OF THE SA TOMORROW PHASES.

PHASE 5 WILL REQUEST THAT IN 2026. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU,

[01:10:01]

[LAUGHTER] BUT AS SOON AS I GET THOSE TURNED IN, I'LL CONSIDER GETTING ONE OF THOSE NEW UPGRADED CARDS. I'VE BEEN BUSY READING THE BUDGET BOOK. BUT, REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE HVAC IMPROVEMENTS AND DESIGN.

AGAIN, YOU ALL HIT IT. AND MY COLLEAGUES OFTEN EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. OVER THE WEEKEND I MET NEIGHBORS AT THE MEMORIAL BRANCH LIBRARY AND HAVING THE COMMUNITY ROOM THAT YOU CAN RENT WAS JUST ACCESSIBLE, EASY TO RESERVE.

AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO USE IT FOR A SPECIFIC ALLOTTED TIME AND GET THROUGH OUR MEETING AND THEN CHECK OUT MORE BOOKS. BUT, ULTIMATELY, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUSTIN ON MY TEAM IS RECOMMENDING.

WHO DOESN'T LOVE THE SPURS? LOVES TO READ. I'M CURIOUS IF THERE COULD BE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS TO DESIGN THESE LIBRARY CARDS.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE A LOT OF PARTICIPATION IN. IF THERE'S A WAY WE COULD PILOT IT IN DISTRICT FIVE AND USE THE FUNDS, HAPPY TO HELP SUPPORT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.

BUT IT'S JUST REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE NEW DESIGN ON THE CARDS. BUT THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. >> I WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE WE'RE FINE-FREE.

THERE'S NO FINE FOR THE OVERDUE BOOKS. BUT YOU CAN PAY US IN SOME KARMA POINTS BY SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT SEPTEMBER BEING NATIONAL LIBRARY SIGNUP MONTH.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO GET OUT THERE AND SIGN UP FOR A LIBRARY CARD.

>> THANK YOU. IT'S LIKE THREE DAYS LATE. IT'S NOT THAT BAD.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.

THERE'S A WARRANT OUTSIDE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.>E GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THESE PRESENTATIONS. I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION. I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO STILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH SPENDING WHILE GIVING OUR CIVIL UNION EMPLOYEES A 3% INCREASE IN RAISES. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN PAY AND REMAIN INVESTED IN THEIR WORK AT THE CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

REFERRING TO SLIDE 3, I SEE THE GENDER BREAKDOWN AND I'M GLAD THAT THE GENDER BREAKDOWN FOR CIVILIANS ISN'T TOO FAR OFF. BUT I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE BREAKDOWN IS FOR WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT. DO WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.

OKAY. IF YOU CAN GET THAT TO US, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE.

MOVING ON TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRENDA, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. EDD DOES SO MUCH ESSENTIAL WORK TO AID IN EQUIPME ECONOMIC GROW.

I HAVE HEARD CONCERNS FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME IT CAN TAKE TO RECEIVE AN AWARD. OBVIOUSLY THESE SMALL BUSINESSES NEED THESE FUNDS AND THEY'RE ON PRESSING TIMELINES, SO HAVING TO WAIT SEVERAL MONTHS OR IN ONE CASE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR CAN REALLY HINDER THEM SIGNIFICANTLY, WHICH IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF OUR GOAL.

SO WHAT -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY EDD DEPARTMENT -- WHAT IS THE EDD DOING TO IMPROVE THE

TIMELINES? >> FOR TRADITIONAL GRANTS LIKE THE CONSTRUCTION GRANT AND THOSE OTHER CASH GRANTS, THE TIMELINE HAS BEEN PRETTY QUICK. WE USUALLY LAY THAT OUT.

WE'VE ALWAYS MET THOSE TIMELINES. I THINK YOU'RE REFERENCING THE OUTDOOR SPACES A AND THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS. WE DID EXTEND THE APPLICATION WINDOW INITIALLY FOR THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT BY A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO ALLOW FOR A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL CORRIDORS. AND THE REVIEW PROCESS DID TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

THERE WAS A LOT MORE INFORMATION NEEDED FROM THE BUSINESS OWNERS, FOR EXAMPLE.

THERE WAS A LOT MORE BACK AND FORTH THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED. WE PULLED IN ADDITIONAL STAFF TO SUPPORT THAT. IN FACT WE PULLED IN SIX ADDITIONAL STAFF SO THAT WE COULD SUPPORT THAT. AND THEN JUST QUITE HONESTLY, WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE CITY PROCESSES TOOK US A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY -- THE APPLICATION WINDOW IS NOT CONTINUING FOR THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT OR OUTDOOR SPACES. THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE NOW IS THE AWARDS HAVE BEEN MADE AND THE BUSINESSES ARE MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. SO THAT'S NOT AN ONGOING.

[01:15:04]

ONE OF THE INSTANCES I WAS THINKING OF IS CITY FUNDS WERE GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE BDOS AND GOING TO THE SMALL BUSINESS AND THEY WAITED OVER A YEAR AND SHOWED ME SOME OF THE BUREAUCRACY. I FELT HORRIBLE FOR THEM. WE WERE MAKING LIFE PRETTY TOUGH

ON THEM. >> WELL, HONESTLY, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WE NO LONGER

CONTINUED THAT PROGRAM IN FISCAL YEAR '24.>> COUNCILMEMBER ALDERE GAVITO: I SEE YOU'RE ASKING FOR A BUDGET INCREASE. I ALSO SEE WE MISSED THE MARK ON ACHIEVING SOME GOALS -- SOME OF THE GOALS IN THIS PAST YEAR. SO I WANTED A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO THAT.

FOR INSTANCE, THE NUMBER OF STAFF HOURS DEDICATED TO BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION. OUR TARGET WAS 1500 HOURS BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT JUST ONLY A

THOUSAND. >> YEAH. SO, THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM FOR US, HISTORICALLY. THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION WAS DONE THROUGH CONTRACT RELATIONSHIPS WITH BIO MED ASSAY AND GREATER A ASSAY . THE FIRST YEAR THE DEPARTMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN THE PROGRAM. WE DID NOT START IT AS SOON AS WE HAD INTENDED TO WHEN WE CALCULATED THESE NUMBERS. WE ANTICIPATED AN OCTOBER START. WE DID NOT START DOING BUSINESS UNTIL FEBRUARY. A BIG PART OF THAT WAS STAFF TRAINING AND M MAKING SURE WE HD RESOURCES ALIGNED. WE WORKED WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY THAT KEY POINT OF CONTACT SO WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH A BUSINESS AND THEY HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT LIBRARIES, WE HAVE THAT POINT OF CONTACT AND THEN BUILDING THAT SYSTEM OUT AND THEN BUILDING THOSE EXPECTATIONS OUT, BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT WARM HANDOFF AND WE DON'T FOLLOW UP, THEN WE MIGHT

AS WELL NOT DO THE PROGRAM.>> CE GAVITO: BECAUSE I'M SEEING THE NUMBER OF HOURS DEDICATED TO BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION AND THE NUMBER OF VISITS WAS LOWER, TOO.

SO THOSE ARE BOTH CORRELATED? >> YES. IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR HOURS PER

VISIT BECAUSE OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.>> COUNCILMEMBER E GAVITO: REALLY WE JUST STARTED

LATER THAN WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE. >> WE STARTED LATER AND I MENTIONED SIX STAFF BEING PULLED OVER TO HELP WITH FACADE GRANTS. MOST OF THOSE STAFF WERE ALSO

IDENTIFIED FOR THOSE BUSINESS RETENTION EXPANSION PROGRAM. >> AND WE HAD NEVER DONE BRE, PER SE, ON OUR OWN. WE WOULD WORK THROUGH OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO DO THAT.

AND IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE THOUGHT ABOUT AS WE PUT TOGETHER THE WORK PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR

'24. EDD SHOULD BE DOING THOSE BRES ON A NORMAL BASIS.>> COUNCILMEME

GAVITO: SO IT'S A NEW SKILL SET. >> IT IS FOR US.

WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS. THIS INCLUDES OUR PARTNER CONTRACTS AND THEIR EXPECTATIONS. AND SO NONE OF US HAVE HIT OUR MARKS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AS WELL.>> COUNCILMEMBE GAVITO: OKAY. I ALSO SAW THAT WE MISSED THE MARK ON THE JOBS CREATED OR RETAINED BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS BY THE CITY OR ITS PARTNERS.

THE TARGET WAS 6,225 AND WE ARE AROUND 4600. >> YES.

THAT, NUMBER IS WITH OUR PARTNER. I MENTIONED IN MY PRESENTATION THAT A LOT OF THE WORK -- ALIGNING THAT PIPELINE AND FOCUSED ON THOSE MORE QUALITY JOBS. SO I WOULD RATHER US AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY FOCUS ON QUALITY OF JOBS VERSUS QUANTITY.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT GREATER HAS DONE AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE LAST FEW YEARS

AGO.>> COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO: I WONDER -- I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.

SHOULD WE REFINE OUR TARGETS TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO? >> THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE HAVE, THE GREATER CONTRACT IS PERFORMANCE-BASED AND WE WILL BE ON THE CALENDAR TO START TALKING

ABOUT THAT AS WE LOOK FORD WITH >> THAT CONTRACT WILL COME TO COUNCIL IN DECEMBER?

>> USUALLY JANUARY/FEBRUARY. >> AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT DATE, IT WILL GO THROUGH COMMITTEE. WE'LL TIGHTEN DOWN THOSE MEASURES AND TARGETS.

>> THANK YOU. AND COULD WE -- CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF TANGIBLE BENEFITS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM OUR SISTER AND FRIENDSHIP CITY RELATIONSHIPS?

>> TOYOTA IS PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE. THAT STARTED FROM A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP. WE CONTINUE TO REALLY HONE IN ON THAT RELATIONSHIP.

WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE EXPANSION, WHILE IT WAS COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER LOCATIONS

[01:20:01]

I NEED TO PUT A PLUG IN FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THEY'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE WORKFORCE THAT THEY HAVE AND OVERALL THE SUPPORT. AND REFERENCED THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEM, THE FACT THAT WE VISIT JAPAN ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE EXAMPLES. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EXCHANGES.

OTHER PROJECTS, KOREA IS ANOTHER MARKET, OCI IS A COMPANY THAT WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH IN

DISTRICT 3 AND EXPAND AND TAKE ADVANTAGE ON THAT.>> COUNCILMEME GAVITO: DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE INVEST IN THE SISTER AND FRIENDSHIP CITY RELATIONSHIPS A YEAR?

>> WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT SPECIFICALLY. FOR US IT'S REALLY -- SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE TRADE MISSIONS, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT THOSE INTERACTIONS.

AS YOU SAW ON THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE FRIENDSHIP CITIES OR CITY SISTERS JUST TO CHECK A BOX. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT. WE REALLY LOOK AT THOSE

ENGAGEMENTS AND MAKE SURE THOSE ARE QUALITY ENGAGEMENTS.>> COUNE GAVITO: AWESOME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT WAS HELPFUL. THANKS SO MUCH.

MOVING ON TO THE LIBRARY, I SEE THAT Y'ALL ARE ACHIEVING OR EXCEEDING ALMOST ALL THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT. I KNOW WHEN YOU WERE GOING FROM BUBBLES TO BUDGETS, YES, I LOVE TAKING MY GIRLS TO THE LIBRARY. WE ALWAYS HAVE A REALLY GOOD TIME. I JUST -- I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT -- IN DISTRICT 7, OUR VERY OWN MAVERICK LIBRARY IS WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING FOR A LITTLE OVER HALF A YEAR NOW.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HAVE THAT HVAC SYSTEM INSTALLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WE ARE -- OUR OFFICE IS GETTING CALLED DAILY ABOUT THIS. JUST BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE AT THE LIBRARY CONSTANTLY, LIKE Y'ALL SEE IN Y'ALL'S NUMBERS. I JUST WANTED A QUICK UPDATE ON

THAT HVAC SYSTEM. >> ABSOLUTELY. SO THE FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE MAVERICK HVAC SYSTEM WAS FUNDED AS A FISCAL '24 CAPITAL PROJECT. WE'VE COMPLETED DESIGN AND NOW

THE CONTRACT WILL BE GOING FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION.>> COUNCILMEMBERE

GAVITO: OKAY. LIKE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO? >> IT SHOULD BE WITHIN THE NEXT

COUPLE OF MONTHS.>> COUNCILMEMBE GAVITO: AWESOME. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.

>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MOIR. MAYOR.

I'LL START WITH PLANNING. WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT GROWTH IN THIS CITY.

IT'S LITERALLY WHAT YOU DO, HOW YOU FORECAST FOR US. I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR WHEN I SAY IF WE DON'T PLAN CAREFULLY, THAT GROWTH COULD BE MORE OF A HEADACHE THAN A BENEFIT. IN A LOT OF WAYS WE ARE EXPERIENCING THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. AS YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT GROWTH IS SUSTAINABLE, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING HERE, NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN. A LOT OF YOUR PLANNING HERE TODAY IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IN THAT, WE HAVE TO DISCUSS OUR ROLE IN THE BIGGER REGION. SO, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE PLANS, YOU'RE FOCUSED ON INSIDE SAN ANTONIO BOUND BOUNDARIES, BE YOU CONSULTING WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS?

>> YES. WE ARE. WE HAVE A DIVISION OF REGIONAL PLANNING. WE HAVE THREE DIVISION. CITYWIDE LOOKS AT DEVELOPING OUR SUBAREA PLANS INTERNAL TO THE CITY. AND THEN WE HAVE A REGIONAL PLANNING DIVISION THAT COORDINATES, LOOKING AT BEXAR COUNTY.

WE WORK FROM THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION SIDE AS WELL, LOOKING AT LES LEGISLATIVE ISSUES. SO THE REGIONAL PLANNING DIVISION IS FOCUSED ON THAT,

OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, SO TO SPEAK. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE REGION? WHAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO?

>> WE WORK WITH BEXAR COUNTY. WE WORK WITH -- WHEN WE WORK WITH SAUS AS WELL, THEIR CCNS ARE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. FOR US IT'S THE STATE AS WELL.

BECAUSE THERE ARE ISSUES AT THE STAY LSTATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PARTNERS AND THE REGION, WE LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF -- AND ALSO WORKING WITH OUR -- PRISCILLA, WHO IS THE MANAGER OVER THE REGIONAL PLANNING DIVISION, WORKING WITH AUSTIN AND LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO WILL IMPACT WHAT WE DO.

>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT. AUSTIN, LAREDO, EVEN CORPUS,

[01:25:04]

>> YES. ACTUALLY, AS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE 7TH-LARGEST CITY, WE MEET ANNUALLY WITH 30 OTHER PLANNING DIRECTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

AND IN THAT MEETING, WE HAVE FORT WORTH, DALLAS, HOUSTON. SO WE TALK REGULARLY ABOUT THE

ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR TEXAS CITIES. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THAT'S IMPORTANT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, MAYBE, REGULAR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE REGION, NOT NATIONALLY. ALTHOUGH THAT WILL IMPACT US, I UNDERSTAND.

BUT THE REGION AROUND US IS GOING TO IMPACT US MORE IMMEDIATELY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAD. FOR THE -- GOING BACK TO THE -- I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE FIRST PRESENTATION WE GOT? HR, RIGHT.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE LARGEST WORKFORCES IN THE CITY, I THINK WE'RE THE FOURTH-LARGEST, H-E-B, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ACRONYM TO BE A BIG EMPLOYER HERE.

BUT, OBVIOUSLY THAT COMES WITH A BIG RESPONSIBILITY, OVER 13,000 EMPLOYEES.

I'M THANKFUL TO SEE THE 3% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS, RIGHT? I'D LIKE TO SEE FOUR. I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE UNION WA. I'D LIKE TO GET TO THAT POINT BY THE NEXT BUDGET. I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT YOU FOCUSED ON THE COMPRESSION ISSUE. THIS CAME UP A FEW YEARS AGO. I BELIEVE YOU GUYS FOCUSED INTENSELY ON IT AND WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S BEING RESOLVED.

IS THAT REVIEW COMPLETE? THE COMPRESSION ISSUE? >> COUNCILWOMAN, WE WILL HAVE DONE ANYBODY WITH FIVE IT NINE E YEARS OR TEN PLUS EFFECTIVE APRIL 1.

IS THAT FULL COMPRESSION, NO. YOU COULD STILL BE WITHIN ONE TO FOUR YEARS EARNING THE SAME.

BUT WE HAVE MADE STRIDES FOR EVERY SINGLE POSITION IF YOU ARE AT LEAST FIVE TO NINE YEARS OR

TEN PLUS OF EXPERIENCE. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. REAL QUICK, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW AFSCME TO GO INTO THE NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION TO GIVE A FEW

MINUTES OF PRESENTATION? >> RIGHT NOW, OUR NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION IS JAM-PACKED FULL.

I GIVE A PRESENTATION, THE CITY MANAGER GIVES A PRESENTATION. WE'VE BEEN ASKED THAT OF ALL OF OUR CIVILIAN UNIONS. WE GO OVER OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND HOW EMPLOYEES CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT, WHICH HAS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ASSOCIATIONS.

AND WE'VE GIVEN A TABLE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF ORIENTATION SO THAT OUR FOLKS CAN GO OUT AND VISIT

WITH AFSCME. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: HOW MANY OTHER UNIONS ARE THERE?

>> THERE'S NAPE, THERE'S THE FIRE AND POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THERE'S THE FIRE

MECHANICS ASSOCIATION. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: ASIDE FROM THE UNIFORMED OFFICERS, BECAUSE

THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT ORIENTATION? >> NO, THE POLICE OFFICERS COME

TO THE CIVILIAN. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: NOT PD AND FD.

HOHOW MANY TOTAL? >> FOUR. >> WE COULDN'T GIVE FIVE MINUTES

FOR EACH? >> THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION TO COVER.

THAT'S WHERE YOU LEARN ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS, ABOUT YOUR TMRS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AT THIS POINT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY THAT WE HAVE. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: I DON'T TOTALLY BUY THAT. WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT. SO, GOING -- THANK YOU.

GOING ON TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S OVERALL PROSPERITY AND OUR PARTNER WITH GREATER. I'M IN LINE WITH NOT FUNDING ALL OF THOSE AGENCIES. I'VE GONE ON RECORD AS SAYING WE SHOULDN'T JUST CONTINUE TO FUND AGENCIES THAT AREN'T PERFORMING. I INCLUDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES IN THIS.

WE SHOULD SPREAD FUNDS OUT AND GIVE THEM TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NEWER AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO HELP THEM GROW. JUST REAL QUICK, THE WOMEN AND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS TARGET

FOR NEXT YEAR IS 24.9%. IS THAT FOR CITY CONTRACTS? >> YES.

AND THAT INFORMATION IS BASED ON AVAILABILITY THROUGH THE DISPARITY STUDY.

>> CABELLO HAVRDA: OKAY. AND THEN SIMILAR TO SOMETHING COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE DIDN'T MEET THE GOALS FOR CREATED JOBS. I THINK WE HIT 4600.

NUMBER 1, A CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY? THE TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS 6,000.

WHAT ARE WE CHANGING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL NEXT YEAR? >> AS WAS DISCUSSED, WE HAVE BEEN -- GREATER SATX HAVE BEEN MAKING THAT SHIFT IN THE PIPELINE TO THAT WE'RE FOCUSED MORE ON QUALITY OF JOBS VERSUS QUANTITY OF JOBS. AS THAT SHIFT HAS HAPPENED, WE'VE SEEN INCREASES IN THE PIPELINE. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PARTNERS AT

[01:30:03]

AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT PIPELINE BUILD ON NOT JUST QUANTITY BUT QUALITY, WHICH IS WHY WE ONLY DID A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN FISCAL YEAR '25 FROM THE GOAL OF '24.

>> CABELLO HAVRDA: GOOD NEWS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LIBRARIES.

YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST BASIC BUT IMPORTANT CITY SERVICES. I HAVE TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUTOUT TO MEMORIAL LIBRARY. THAT'S THE ONE I GREW UP GOING TO IN DISTRICT 5.

THOSE -- A LOT OF THESE LIBRARIES ARE GETTING LONG-NEEDED UPDATES THROUGH THE BOND. WE ARE FOCUSED ON THAT. I'M THANKFUL.

VERY QUICKLY, IS THE INTENT OF THE ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD WITH THE PICTURE TO BE ABLE TO USE IT

AS A VALID ID? >> IT'S UP TO OTHER ENTITIES WHETHER THEY ACCEPT THAT FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE THAT THEY'RE USING IT FOR. IT IS INTENDED TO GIVE ONE MORE RESOURCE TO CUSTOMERS WHERE IF THEY NEED SOMETHING THAT HELPS THEM IN THOSE MATTERS, THAT THEY

HAVE THAT. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. LIBRARY IS DOING THEIR PART.

YOU'RE OFFERING THE ENHANCED ID. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A QUESTION FOR THIS MORNING, FOR POLICE.

IS THAT SOMETHING THE POLICE WILL USE? >> IT IS.

IT'S AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF ID IN THEIR POLICY. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: FANTASTIC.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR, ONE THING.

COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WAS ASKING, WE HAVE A 3% FOR CIVILIANS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. IF WE -- THE COST OF AN ADDITIONAL 1% TO GO TO 4% WOULD BE $6.2 MILLION ALL FUNDS, $2.8 MILLION OF THAT IN THE GENERAL FUND.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> $6.2 MILLION ALL FUNDS.

OF THAT, 2.8 OF IT IS IN THE GENERAL FUND. >> MAYOR NIREN

NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE: THANKS.

I GUESS FIRST OF ALL, STARTING WITH EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION. GETTING EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO HAVE -- ERIK, I MENTIONED THIS IN OUR MEETING THE OTHER DAY. GETTING EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF FTES I THINK IS IMPORTANT. SO, I'M CERTAINLY FOR THAT.

REGARDING INCREASE IN PAY FROM THE 3% TO 4%, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT AS WELL. I THINK OUR FOLKS REALLY WORK HARD.

IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO COMPENSATE THEM MORE, I WOULD BE FOR THAT. LIBRARY -- I THINK Y'ALL JUST DO A GREAT JOB. MY FOLKS IN DISTRICT 10 LOVE GOING TO THE LIBRARY AND LOVE THE SERVICES THAT Y'ALL PROVIDE. AND SO I DON'T HAVE MANY COMMENTS THERE OTHER THAN, GREAT WORK AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I REALLY THINK WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUS. WE ARE 18% POVERTY RATE IN THE CITY, IT HAS NOT CHANGED FOR A DECADE. WAGES ARE STAGNANT.

OUR MEDIAN INCOME IS 16 GRAND LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WE NEED TO EMPLOY MORE PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY. AND THOSE THAT ARE EMPLOYED, WE NEED TO GET THEM BETTER WAGES.

WAGES IN TEXAS ARE RISING 4.6%, PBUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, ONLY 3.7%.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW I WOULD TELL YOU IS TENUOUS AND NOT GREAT AND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO REFERENCED SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE METRICS IN TERMS OF MISSING OUR JOB CREATION GOALS. AND THE SAME WITH RETENTION VISITS.

AND WE TALKED, I GUESS LAST -- WAS IT LAST WEEK AT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING -- ABOUT HOW THE TARGET HOURS DEDICATED TO BUSINESS RETENTION IS JUST 1500, WHICH IS REALLY LESS THAN ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE. AND SO THAT'S AN AREA WHERE I

[01:35:06]

AND I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY ASK ABOUT BIMBO BECAMERIS. BAKERIES, A COMPANYTHAT'S LEAVI.

THEY HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE THE '90S AND IT HAS DECIDED TO CLOSE ITS SAN ANTONIO OPERATION.

THEY HAVE OTHER LOCATIONS HERE IN TEXAS. AND WHAT STRUCK ME IS THAT WHEN THEY WERE LEAVING, ONE OF THEIR EXECUTIVES SAID THAT THEY'RE LEAVING -- AND TO GO TO MARKETS THAT ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT THEIR FUTURE GROWTH. WERE THERE ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH BIMBO BAKERIES BEFORE THEY LEFT, AND IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> I KNOW THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS, BUT I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE SPECIFICS.

I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME. >> COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE: THAT'S OKAY. WE CAN FOLLOWUP OFFLINE. THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE I WONDER, WHEN I LOOK AT THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION NUMBERS, IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE GET A HEADS-UP ON AND IF THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO ENGAGE WITH

A COMPANY LIKE THAT BEFORE THEY MAKE THAT ULTIMATE DECISION. >> SO, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SUBSCRIPTION DATABASES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IDENTIFY WHEN LEASE RATES OR WHEN LEASES ARE EXPIRING, A WHOLE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT METRICS AND MARKS IT WWEKEEP TRACK OF SO THAT WE CANE PROACTIVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE INDICATORS AS YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND. WE JOKE ABOUT EAVESDROPPING WHEN YOU'RE AT THE RESTAURANT, IF YOU HEAR SOMEBODY TALKING ABOUT THEIR COMPANY NOT DOING SO GREAT.

SO WE TRY TO LOOK AT IT FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS SO THAT WE CAN BE PROACTIVE IN MEETING WITH OUR COMPANIES. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THOSE THAT WE MISS OR WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, OR THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DISCLOSE OR SHARE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE: OKAY. THANK YOU. CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION . . . I MENTIONED AT THE PUBLIC WORKS BRIEFING LAST WEEK THAT I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR ON FINDING WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE THESE COMPANIES TO GET THEIR CONSTRUCTION DONE QUICKER.

I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE CARROTS AND STICKS WHEN IT RELATES TO THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THE STORIES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WHERE WE'VE HAD BUSINESSES CLOSE DOWN BECAUSE OF -- THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE LENGTHY CONSTRUCTION GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THEIR FACILITY. I THINK, THOUGH, WE CAN DO BOTH. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MONEY IN THIS BUDGET TO INCENTIVIZE THESE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO FINISH QUICKER, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SHOULD COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION FUND.

I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO BOTH, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS AN AREA -- PROVIDING JOBS AND GOOD-PAYING JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE -- THERE'S REALLY -- OTHER THAN PUBLIC SAFETY, THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT. CREATING A CLIMATE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE BUSINESSES CAN THRIVE, WHERE THEY CAN GROW AND PAY THEIR PEOPLE MORE IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE A FOCUS OF OURS. I MENTIONED IT LAST WEEK.

COUNCILMAN PELAEZ AND I WERE AT THE BUSINESS FORUM SEVEN OR EIGHT MONTHS AGO AND THE ROOM WAS FULL OF PEOPLE. THERE WAS AT LEAST 40 OR 45 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THERE.

AND THEY DO NOT FEEL LIKE WE AT THE CITY COUNCIL ARE PRIORITIZING THEM OR THEIR BUSINESSES. AND SO, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EFFORTS OF CITY STAFF IN THIS REGARD, BUT I WANT US TO DO MORE. AND I WANT OUR BUDGET, MOVING FORWARD, TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF JOBS, AND WAGES, AND PUTTING MORE MONEY IN OUR PEOPLE'S POCKETS. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION IN

THAT REGARD MOVING FORWARD. THANKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,

COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> ROCHA GARCIA: THANK YOU, BRENDA, AND THE EDD TEAM FOR THE UPDATES. Y'ALL KEEP US REGULARLY UPDATED, BUT ONE THING I WANTED TO FOCUS ON, ON PAGE 381 OF THE BUDGET, WAS THE SAME THING THAT

[01:40:04]

METRICS AND HOW WE'RE NOT MEETING THE MARK ON B.R.E. SINCE LAST YEAR.

AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, I MENTIONED THIS. AND I WAS VOCAL ABOUT IT.

I GOT CALLED BY SOMEONE. AND I WAS REASSURED THAT WE WERE DOING SOMETHING.

AND THAT OUR PARTNERS WERE DOING IT. BUT THIS BRINGS IT TO MY ATTENTION THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE PAYING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IF THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO -- WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. BUT I APPRECIATE THAT OUR EDD TEAM HAS STEPPED IN NOW AND IS WORKING TOGETHER WITH THEM. BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE THAT DISTRACTS THEM FROM THEIR BUSINESS THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.

SO I WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THAT AND SAY I'M DISAPPOINTED, BECAUSE I'VE ASKED ABOUT IT.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S OUR TEAM. I THINK THAT OUR TEAM CAN'T DO EVERYTHING. I WAS REASSURED THAT B.R.E. WAS A COMPONENT OF SOMEONE ELSE'S CONTRACT. AND THIS NOW GIVES ME ENOUGH FIRE TO SAY HEY, I WAS RIGHT.

I WAS RIGHT LAST YEAR. I'M RIGHT THIS YEAR AGAIN. NOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE NOTICING IT. SO WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE CAN DO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I CLEARLY REMEMBER IN THE CONTRACT IT SAYING THAT THERE'S SEVERAL VISITS.

AND I KNOW THAT I EVEN ASKED IS THE M MAYOR GOING TO THOSE VISI. I WAS TOLD, ABSOLUTELY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STAY ON TOP OF THAT. THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION, ERIK WALSH AND TEAM, BECAUSE IT GIVES ME SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING.

I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS AS A PRIORITY OF THIS COUNCIL. AND I KNEW THAT WITH THE ARPA FUNDING, THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE EFFECTIVE IN SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE BROUGHT UP.

AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS ALLOCATION, I WAS WONDERING WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN PARTICULAR FOR IMPLEMENTATION FOR OUR EDD STRATEGIC PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN OUR ECOSYSTEM REPORT. HOW ARE WE GOING TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND SAY THESE ARE SOME OF THE KEY AREAS THAT WE'RE STILL GOING TO FOCUS ON EVEN WHEN ARPA GOES AWAY?

HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING? >> WHAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT EVERY YEAR IS DEVELOPING A PRIORITY IMPLEMENTATION AREA. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT THAT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, WHICH WAS BUILT ON THE METRO PRIORITY PLAN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO BE UPDATING, THE ECOSYSTEM STATEMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS. AND WE UTILIZE THESE PRIORITIES THEN TO SUPPORT OUR BUDGET REQUEST AND THEN VICE VERSA, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT. SO YES, AS WE IDENTIFIED, THERE IS GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE.

BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANT TO DO THAT ASSESSMENT. WITH THE 30 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS IN ARPA FUNDING, THERE'S $27.6 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED IN THE SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURLE ECOSYSTEM SINCE 2021. WE CAN CONTINUE TO SHIFT WHERE

THOSE RESOURCES GO REGARDLESS OF WHAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE. >> ROCHA GARCIA: I APPRECIATE THAT YOU MENTIONED THE ARPA FUNDING. IT WAS AN INITIAL TURBO BOOST THAT WE GO. THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.

I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO BDOS AND REDUCTIONS IN PARTICULAR. WHEN DID WE HAVE -- I'M TALKING ABOUT WE AS EDD -- HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE BDOS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY WERE

GOING TO HAVE SOME REDUCTIONS COMING? >> SO, THE CONVERSATIONS WERE MORE INDIRECT VERSUS DIRECT, BUT WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN FISCAL YEAR '24 ABOUT THAT FUNDING SHIFTING OVER TO THE CONTRACT. SO AGAIN, WE HAD MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE DID NOT PROVIDE TO THEM. AND IT WENT TO THE LIST CONTRACT. AND THEN WHEN THE BUDGET WAS PROPOSED, THERE HAD BEEN SOME INDICATION THAT THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE ARPA, WORKING WITH LISC, PART OF THAT IS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. SO, FUNDRAISING, MAKING SURE STRATEGIC PLANS, FISCAL, ARE ALL, KIND OF, IN ORDER SO TO SPEAK SO THAT THEY COULD LOOK AT OTHER RESOURCES.

SO THOSE WERE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY PART OF THAT LISC CONTRACT.

AND THEN WE DID CONFIRM THAT WE WERE NOT RECOMMENDING ANY FUNDING IN FISCAL YEAR '25 ONCE

THE BUDGET WAS PRESENTED. >> ROCHA GARCIA: THANK YOU. WHAT FACTORS WERE CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF RIGHT-SIZING THAT YOU ALL HAVE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SAEDC AND FOR THE SUPPLY ASSAY?

>> SURE. AS WE'VE CONTINUED TO EVOLVE WITH THAT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND REALLY PUTTING INTO PLAY THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES, REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK AT WHAT IS THE WORK PLAN FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

[01:45:03]

ALREADY MADE SOME CHANGES IN FISCAL YEAR '24 TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF MORE PLACE-MAKING, THOSE GEOGRAPHIC CORRIDORS. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE A REDUCTION OF 150,000 FROM THE 200,000 GENERAL FUND REQUEST. AND THEN THIS PAST YEAR A LOT OF TIME WAS SPENT WITH THE 15 OTHER EXPOEXPOPARTNERS HONING IN ON TK PLAN.

SO THERE HAD BEEN THE $500,000 PLACEHOLDER. NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT AND THE BEER AND LOINTERLOCAL AGREEMENTR REVIEW, WE CAN ADJUST THAT NUMBER AGAIN FOR THE ACTUAL

PROGRAM. >> ROCHA GARCIA: AND THE NEXT ONE WAS THE REALLOCATION OF THE POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE UP THERE. ONCE THE FUNDING, THE READY TO WORK IS EXHAUSTED, WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE POSITIONS AND EVEN TO OTHER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

OFFICE POSITIONS? >> I CAN ADDRESS THESE POSITIONS.

THESE ARE GENERAL FUND POSITIONS. I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WOULD SHIFT BACK OVER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT AT THAT TIME, WHICH IS IN PART WHY THEY'VE BEEN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO OTHERS REGARDING GRANT-FUNDED POSITIONS.

>> ROCHA GARCIA: DO YOU KNOW WHAT OTHER OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES ARE BEING CONSIDERED, AND HAVE YOU ALL -- OR EVEN THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENH INNOVATION TO TRY TO SEE WHAT

ELSE WE CAN DO FOR POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS? >> THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS. I KNOW WE THREW OUT A NUMBER OF IDEAS TO THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION WHEN IT WAS REQUESTED, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

>> ROCHA GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN -- I APPRECIATE YOU WITH ALL OF THE HELP WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS FORUM LAST WEEK. AND SO YOU ALL WERE JUST FULLY PREPARED TO ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS. AND I THINK I RECALL ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK IT'S COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAID THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH MONEY.

THERE'S ALWAYS SO MUCH NEED. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL TRYING TO MAKE AS MUCH POSSIBLE.

I GOT MY LIBRARY EARRINGS ON TODAY. THEY'RE BOOK EARRINGS.

I GOT THEM FROM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AT THE EVENT. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THAT. I'VE ASKED THIS SINCE 2019 WHEN I FIRST JOINED COUNCIL.

DO WE HAVE ANY PROGRESS ON THE SMALL BUSINESS DIRECTORY? >> SOME -- I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE THIS. SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE'LL BE ROLLING OUT WITH THE LAUNCH ESSAY RELAUNCH NEXT MONTH INCLUDES THOSE DATABASES. AND SO THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF TOOLS PROVIDED. AND ONE OF THOSE IS A LIST THROUGH ZOOM COMMUNITY THAT WILL INCLUDE BUSINESSES. AND WE DO HAVE THAT MAPPED BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

YOU CAN LOOK UP BY TYPE OF BUSINESS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE COFFEE SHOPS, NAICS CODES, THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN PULL UP BUSINESS TYPES.

IT GIVES A LOT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE REVENUE. SMALL BUSINESSES CAN USE THAT AS THEY'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING OUT THEIR MARKETING PLAN OR THEIR STRATEGIES.

>> ROCHA GARCIA: I HOPE THAT WE CAN -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN CROSS-TABULATE IT, BUT ALSO WITH THE APP. I TALKED ABOUT THE APP. I LOVE THAT.

THE 4600 NEW JOBS -- CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT INDUSTRY ACCOUNTED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE JOBS

THAT WERE BROUGHT? >> ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. >> ROCHA GARCIA: GOT IT.

AND THEN CAN YOU ELABORATE ON HOW THE REVENUE GROWTH FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE GIVE

ASSISTANCE TO WILL BE MEASURED? >> SURE. STARTING IN FISCAL YEAR '24 WE IMPED WITH ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH SMALL BUSINESSE- INCLUDING THOSE DIRECT TO SMALL BUSINESSES. WE ASKED THAT THERE WAS A SURVEY TAKEN AT SIX MONTHS, 18 MONTHS, AND 36 MONTHS, INCLUDING QUESTIONS ABOUT REVENUE GROWTH, EMPLOYMENT SIZE, SO THAT WE CAN TRACK THE CHANGES FOR THOSE BUSINESSES. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE IMPACT

OF OUR RESOURCES INVESTED. >> ROCHA GARCIA: THANK YOU. FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT WE CONNECTED TO CAPITAL, DO WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN BY COUNCIL DISTRICT OR CENSUS TRACT?

>> WE CAN ASK FOR THEM. >> ROCHA GARCIA: HOW MANY UNIQUE BUSINESSES IN TOTAL DO

YOU THINK THAT SA HAS WORKED WITH SINCE THE BEGINNING? >> I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON

THAT WITH THE UNIQUE BUSINESSES. >> ROCHA GARCIA: NO PROBLEM. AND THEN I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE THE MOBILE OUTREACH IN THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.

I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S EXTRA SUPPORT COMING IN THAT AS WELL. MOBILE OUTREACH FOR LAUNCH SA?

>> SO, THE LAUNCH SA STAFF, THEY'RE NEW IN FISCAL YEAR '24, NEW TO US.

[01:50:05]

OFFICE HOURS AND PROVIDE THAT ACTIVITY. >> ROCHA GARCIA: THANK YOU,

MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.

COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I REALLY DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

NO NOTES. I WILL SAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION GRANTS, OUR REQUEST THAT HAS MADE IT WAY TO THIS POINT WAS TO FIND A PERMANENT NON-ARPA METHOD TO FUND THE GRANTS.

CONGRATS TO MY CO- CONSPIRATOR, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. IF WE OFFER MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THESE CONTRACTS TO DO MAJOR PROJECTS, AND WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEM, CITY STAFF WILL INSPECT THE PROJECT AND FIND THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG. THE CONTRACTOR HAS TO RIP IT UP.

IT'S NOT AN INCENTIVE PROBLEM, IT'S AN UNPREPARED CONTRACTOR PROBLEM.

IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN DISTRICTS IN THE INNER CITY. IF WE WANT TO DIRECT THE FINES TO THE GRANTS, I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. I'D BE WILLING TO LOOK AT WHICH PROJECTS SHOULD BE LOW BID VERSUS NOT. WE NEED BETTER CONTRACTORS AND WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR OUR PROJECTS TO BE STEPPING OFF POINTS OR PRACTICE PROJECTS.

I WONDER IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE PART OF THE SCORING COMMITTEES OR FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS WITH CONTRACTORS ON THE FRONT END. THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY, I SUPPOSE. I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AT THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE WHERE WE CAN MAYBE GO IN-DEPTH ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF PROJECTS AND WHERE THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THAT COMMUNICATION.

FOR LIBRARY, I WON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, I DON'T THINK. BUT AS WAS SAID BEFORE, MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY RELY ON THEIR LIBRARY FOR ACCESS TO THE INTERNET FOR SCHOOL, TO COMPLETE JOB APPLICATIONS, TO APPLY FOR SERVICES, TO COMPLETE WORK TASKS AND TO ACCESS KNOWLEDGE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY SPACE. LIBRARIES ARE A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, A HEALTH EQUITY ISSUE, AN EMPLOYMENT ISSUE, EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY, SO MUCH OF THAT.

I CAN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW EXCITED MY DISTRICT IS FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE CARVER LIBRARY. SO EXCITED FOR IT. I DO WANT TO EXPRESS A FRUSTRATION. THE COUNTY, AGAIN, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A CITY THING. THE COUNTY MAKES UP 26% OF LIBRARY USE, BUT CONTRIBUTING ONLY 6% OF COST. WE'RE GETTING THE SH SHORT END F THE DEAL.

ERIK, WE MET WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND STAFF. WE ASKED WHY THEY HAD A TOTAL OF 0 PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT. THEIR RESPONSE WAS WE AS THE CITY DID NOT FUND COUNTY PROJECTS. SO DESPITE THE FACT H THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS PAY COUNTY TAXES, THEY ARE NOT GETTING THEIR TAXES WORTH. THEY GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SERVICES, SUBTRACT WHAT THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTES, $12 MILLION IN UNTAXED SERVICES.

THIS WOULD MORE THAN COVER OUR BUDGET DEFICIT AND PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE OUR LIBRARIES. ACCESS TO BOOKS ESPECIALLY IN A STATE THAT'S BANNING BOOKS.

ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION. WE DON'T WANT TO LIMIT.

SO, WE DON'T WANT TO LIMIT ACCESS BY COUNTY RESIDENTS BUT WE DO HAVE TO FIGURE SOMETHING BETTER OUT. I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE 3.5 MILLION.

FOR MY BESTIES IN THE MEDIA, I HAVE A PITCH. WHY IS THE COUNTY NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CITY RESIDENTS WHO ARE PAYING COUNTY TAXES? WHY DO THEY HAVE SO FEW INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? WHY WILL THEY NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIBRARIES THEIR CONSTITUENTS ARE USING? IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO REPORT ON CONFLICT, THEIR LACK OF INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THE CONFLICT.

MOVING ON -- >> ON THAT, EVERY CITY PROJECT'S IN THE COUNTY.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEY WE ARE INVESTING IN THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY IS NOT INVESTING IN US.

FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION, I THINK OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT THESE PAST FEW YEARS AS IT RELATES TO THE REQUEST. THEY'VE ASKED FOR FAIR AND COMPETITIVE WAGES, HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE, COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS, ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASES, NO INCREASES TO PREMIUMS. ANY EMPLOYEE WOULD RIGHTLY BE CONCERNED TO HEAR OF A BUDGET DEFICIT AND WONDER HOW THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR WORK, WHETHER THAT MEANS LAYOFFS OR ELIMINATION OF VACANT POSITIONS WHICH COULD LEAD TO IMBALANCED WORKLOADS.

BUT WE MANAGED PRETTY WELL, THIS BUDGET. I HOPE OUR EMPLOYEES FEEL THEY ARE A PRIORITY FOR ALL OF US. I STRIVE TO BE STRONG AND COMPETITIVE AS AN EMPLOYER WHO

[01:55:02]

EVEN WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, A LIVING WAGE, MINIMUM WOULD BE $22.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US INCREASE THAT. I BELIEVE OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE EARNED MORE THAN A 3% ADJUSTMENT, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT POLICE AND FIRE.

OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES EARN THE LEAST AND RECEIVE THE LEAST GRATIFICATION.

SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT A 4% ADJUSTMENT WOULD LIKE LIKE AND WHERE STAFF MIGHT RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL EFFICIENCIES. THAT'S A REQUEST I'VE HEARD A COUPLE TIMES.

I HAVE A MEMBER OF MY TEAM ON MATERNITY LEAVE. I CAN'T WAIT FOR HER TO COME BACK, BUT I FEEL IT'S NOT BEEN ENOUGH TIME. I HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM OTHER -- MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXTENDED PARENTAL LEAVE.

I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PREPARE FOR THAT REQUEST AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR FUTURE BUDGETS. YOU'LL REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION, ERIK.

I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, OUR IMPACT IS BY CITY OPERATIONS, THE TYPES OF THINGS I SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT. MY PEERS ARE WANTING TO START FAMILIES AND LOOKING FOR EMPLOYERS WITH FERTILITY BENEFITS.

THERE'S A LOT OF BIG EMPLOYERS THAT WE'RE COMPETING WITH THAT HAVE FANTASTIC BENEFITS.

DURING THE BUDGET GOAL-SETTING SESSION THERE WAS A CONSENSUS ON COUNCIL TO EXPLORE THOSE BENEFITS. IT WOULD COME AT A GREAT COST. I'M NOT EXPECTING THAT RIGHT NOW. BUT THEY COULD MAKE US AN ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYER FOR A POPULATION THAT'S OFTEN NEGLECTED IN TEXAS, NOT JUST MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, BUT ALL OF THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH IN INFERTILITY, WHICH IS OE IN EIGHT AMERICANS.

I WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE OUR CHARGE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, IS HOW CAN WE BE AN EMPLOYER THAT LEADS ON THESE ISSUES. I REPRESENT A VERY LARGE COMMUNITY THAT EXISTS NOT JUST WITHIN MY DISTRICT BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CHALLENGE TO BE ONE OF THE BEST EMPLOYERS FOR LGBTQ+ FOLK. AND THAT INCLUDES RELEVANT BENEFITS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GENERALLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR THOSE IN OUR CITY, INCLUDING THE NEARLY 14,000 EMPLOYEES, TO START FAMILIES.

THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR A MEMO, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO READING WHAT Y'ALL'S TAKEAWAYS ARE. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH PLANNING.

ACTUALLY, I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH TH THE POVERTY RATE, BECAUE IT WAS BROUGHT UP.

AND WHILE THE RATE SAYS IT HAS REMAINED STAGNANT, I DON'T WANT KTHESE NUMBERS SAID WITHOUT GETTING IN DEEP. 7474.4 OF OUR HOUSEHOLDS IN POVERTY ARE FAMILIES.

52.7% ARE SINGLE MOTHERS. SO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMICS AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH, IF WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT 52.7%, WE'RE GOING TO FAIL OUR COMMUNITY.

IF WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING DOES, WHAT METRO HEALTH DOES FOR THESE SINGLE MOTHERS, THEN WE ARE GOING TO FAIL.

SO YOU CAN SAY IT'S ALL ABOUT ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BUT WHAT I NEED IS ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES OUT AND UNDERSTANDS THAT THE MAJORITY OF POOR PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE WOMEN. SO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEET THEIR NEEDS? WE DO NEED TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO RETAINING BUSINESSES, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE, WE WANT TO KEEP. SOME OF THESE, MAYBE THEY WEREN'T TREATING WOMEN SO WELL AND THEY NEEDED TO GO. THOSE ARE DEEPER DIVES AND OTHER QUESTIONS WE NEED TO ASK WHEN WE DO THIS. WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT. THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR.

WHAT WRO BROUGHT UP THE CONVERSN THAT COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA HAD MENTIONED.

WE NEED TO GO BACK AND SEE WHO ARE HELPING OUR SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES, OUR SINGLE MOTHERS IN PARTICULAR. SO, I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE EFFORT THAT EWDC HAS DONE.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT CONTINUING TO HELP -- LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION. WHICH OF THESE ARE FAMILIES THAT ARE SUPPORTING -- MY FATHER HAD A SMALL BUSINESS. ALL THE AUNTS AND UNCLES AND COUSINS WORKED THERE.

[02:00:04]

BUT MAYBE IT'S HARDER OR MORE DIFFICULT IN OLDER INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO -- IT NEEDS TO TAKE TIME AND IT NEEDS TO BE LONGER.

IF YOU'RE IN A NEW-BUILD AREA WHERE YOU HAVE MAIN LINES -- LAST WEEK WE LEARNED IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MAIN LINE IT'S GOING TO COST YOU $20,000 TO GET CONNECTED.

MAYBE IT MOVES FASTER. BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN WHAT USED TO BE JUST THE HARLAND COMMUNITY, OR SUNNY SPOKE, IT'S GOING TO BE SLOWER. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AGAIN AT THAT CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION. RENEE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE EMPLOYEES.

I THINK WITH READY TO WORK WE NEED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION, PROBABLY WITH YOU, ERIK, IN TERMS OF HOW WE GET THE UNIONS PLUGGED IN.

I WOULD -- I'M FOR HAVING A UNION/CITY COUNCIL LUNCHEON WHERE THEY CAN MEET US FOR NEW EMPLOYEES. SO MAYBE WE DO A TWO-DAY EVENT OR A MULTI-DAY EVENT WHERE WE WALK IN AND THE UNIONS GET TO TALK TO THEM AND THEY GET TO TALK TO THEIR COUNCIL DISTRICT, BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT THAT WILL CALL AND REACH OUT. THEY'RE HESITANT TO TELL ME THAT THEY'RE A CITY EMPLOYEE WHEN THEY'RE ASKING FOR ME TO FILL THAT POTHOLE, BUT I WANT THEM TO KNOW WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM.

IF WE CANNOT DO THE RAISE FOR THE SALARIES THIS YEAR, IT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY NEXT YEAR TO GET THEM TO THAT 4% AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THE OTHER IS LIBRARIES, HVAC SYSTEMS. I'VE SEEN THIS PROBLEM IN MY SENIOR CENTER.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO CHAMPION FOR THE HVAC. I DO WANT US TO CONSIDER MAYBE IF THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WE'RE WITH IS NOT WORKING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT DOING A LITTLE BETTER. THE TEMPERATURES ARE ONLY GETTING HOTTER, SO WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THOSE -- THAT FOR OUR CITY BUILDINGS. AND IT MAY BE GOING LARGER OR JUST REPLACING IT MORE OFTEN, WHICH I KNOW Y'ALL DON'T LIKE TO HEAR, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GET SOME PEOPLE IN TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP THESE LIBRARIES COLD IN THE SUMMER AND WARM IN THE WINTER AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO START COSTING MORE.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A BIGGER STRESSOR ON THE EQUIPMENT. I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION OUT THERE WITH THE COUNTY. THERE'S MANY WAYS TO CLIMB THAT MOUNTAIN AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALL GET TOGETHER AND FIND A WAY. AND I LOVE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING WITH THE NONUSERS. YOU CAN JUST -- I PLEDGE TO DO MY PART, WHETHER IT'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA, TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO WALK INTO THE LIBRARIES.

I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT. ZONING -- COME ON UP. SO IT'S PLANNING, BUT YOU HAVE ZONING STAFF ON THERE. SO, HOW ARE Y'ALL WORKING WITH THE DSD?

HOW DOES THAT WORK? >> WE WORK CLOSELY WITH DSD. THE REZONING STAFF THAT WE HAVE WORKED TO REZONE. SO THE ADOPTED SUBAREA PLANS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ZONING IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ADOPTED FUTURE LAND USE PLAN. WE WORK WITH DSD IN TERMS OF ZONING CASES THAT THEY WILL SEND THEM OVER TO US FOR REVIEW AS IT RELATES TO AREAS WITHIN SUBAREAS, BUT WE ALSO CONSULT WITH THEM ON DIFFERENT CASES. AND WE ALSO HAVE AN S.O.P.

>> VIAGRAN: IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE SA TOMORROW PLAN WHERE YOU IDENTIFY HOW HARD -- IF WE COULD BRING UP THE REGIONAL PLAN SLIDES, 6 AND 7 -- WE COULD START WITH 6.

THAT'S BROOKS. BROOKS, I LOVE. YOU KNOW THAT.

HOWEVER, WE HAD STREETS THAT JUST STOPPED. WE HAD OLD INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE HAD MILITARY-GRADE INFRASTRUCTURE. SO IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN BEING IN A PLACE THAT HAS ALREADY THE INFRASTRUCTURE ESTABLISHED, SOMETHING NEWER, SOMETHING THAT WAS BUILT IN THE '70S OR THE '80S, HANG AR9. DO WE HAVE A WAY WHEN DEVELOPERS

[02:05:18]

OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE? DO WE COMMUNICATE THAT? >> YES.

A LOT OF TIMES WE DO HAVE DEVELOPERS AND THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING TO DEVELOP WITHIN SUBAREAS ON THE PLANNING TEAMS. AS WE NEAR THE END OF THE PROCESS THEY'LL COME IN TO SAY WE'RE INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK TO TRANSITION FROM ADOPTION OF THE PLAN. SO, THERE IS DEFINITELY COMMUNICATION.

ALSO, WITH THE PLANS THEMSELVES, WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MOBILITY SECTION WE DO IDENTIFY BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT THOSE AREAS WHERE WIL THERE IS A NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

SO WE DO SHOW THAT IN THE PLANS. >> VIAGRAN: MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE DO A LITTLE MORE COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE C&E DO IT.

BECAUSE SA TOMORROW CAN GET VERY COMPLICATED AND IN-DEPTH. SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO MARKET IT BETTER WHEN WE'RE TALKING REGIONAL PLAN VERSUS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ACTUAL ZONING CHANGES. AND ALSO, GETTING MORE WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICE IN TERMS OF WHAT SORT OF DESERTS WE DO HAVE. BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW, IF A DEVELOPMENT COMES INTO BROOKS AND THEY WANT TO BUILD MULTIPLE HOUSES AND THERE'S THOSE DEVELOPMENTS THERE, I'VE GOT ONE HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW. BUT IT'S THERE, MISSION TRAIL BAPTIST, URGENT CARE.

IF YOU GO ON THE OTHER SIDE CLOSER TO DISTRICT 4, WE'RE HURTING FOR HOSPITALS.

WE'RE HURTING FOR CHILDCARE. WE'RE HURTING FOR GROCERY STORES ON THAT SOUTHWEST SIDE OF MILITARY DRIVE. I THINK WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE WANT TO BRING THIS OR DEVELOPERS ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT, IF THEY'RE RUNNING INTO TROUBLE AT ZONING, IT'S BECAUSE -- NOT JUST BECAUSE OH, WE DON'T HAVE THE STREETS. I DON'T HAVE THE AMENITIES FOR ANOTHER SUBDIVISION.

I HAVE MISSION LAGO STILL WAITING FOR AN H-E-B. THAT'S THE ONE THING WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE. WE'RE GROWING SO FAST IN THE SOUTHERN SECTORS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BRING IN THE RETAIL. THIS IS WHY WE'VE GOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE AND GREATER SATX, BECAUSE THEY STILL WANT THE RETAIL. SOME OF THEM ARE SHOPPING ONLINE, BUT A LOT OF THEM LOVE TO GO TO STORES. SO THEY NEED THE RETAIL.

THEY NEED THE CHILDCARE CENTERS. THEY NEED THE HEALTH STRUCTURE. SO THAT'S JUST ONE THING AS WE

MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR, JUST ONE -- KIND OF ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN WAS SAYING, I KNOW THAT WE'RE PROBABLY 18 MONTHS AWAY FROM IT. BUT IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE REGIONAL CENTERS AND THE REGIONAL PLANS, AND THE SUB-PLANS, ONE OF THE THINGS -- I THINK BRIDGET ALLUDED TO IT IN HER PRESENTATION -- THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL COULD ALSO LOOK AT IN THE 2027 BOND PROGRAM. AND I KNOW AS WE START THOSE PROCESSES, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT, THAT BOND SELECTION PROCESS, THE LIST IS ALWAYS A LOT BIGGER THAN WE HAVE -- THAN WE CAN AFFORD. BUT PART OF THE EFFORT ORIGINALLY OF THIS PLANNING EFFORT WAS TO IDENTIFY THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT EITHER WHEN PARTNERING WITH DEVELOPMENT OR HOUSING, OR THINGS THAT -- INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MAINTAINED OR NEED TO BE EXPANDED, THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE '27 BOND PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL IS AWARE OF -- THERE'S BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEED. BUT THAT'S JUST ONE INPUT PHASE OF THAT DECISION-MAKING THAT THE

COUNCIL WILL MAKE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, ERIK.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.

>> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I'LL START OFF WITH BRENDA WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE DOING GREAT IT MEANS WE HAVE TO KEEP SETTING THE TARGETS EVEN HIGHER.

I NOTICED IN SOME OF OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT THE -- WE WERE OUTACHIEVING TARGETS IN 2024 BUT OUR GOALS WERE STILL A LITTLE BIT LOWER. ON THE ENGAGEMENT SIDE, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ON THIS VERSUS THE -- NONUNIQUE DEVELOPMENT, SMALL BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT

[02:10:03]

>> SURE. SO, THE 2024 TARGET OF 8,470 MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS OF SOME PARTNER CONTRACTS THAT WE ENDED UP NOT EXECUTING. SO THIS IS SPECIFIC TO SMALL BUSINESS ENGAGEMENTS. AND SO THAT'S THOSE TOUCHPOINTS. WHEN WE GO DOOR, BLOCK WALKING, WE SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRAMS. WE CONNECT THEM TO CAPITAL.

THOSE COUNT AS THOSE ENGAGEMENTS. THE DEEPER-DIVE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE PROVIDE THAT SUBSTANTIVE IS INCLUDED IN THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION, FOR EXAMPLE. SO IN THIS CASE, THE 8,470 ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL PARTNER CONTRACTS EXECUTED. THE 9,000 IS OUR AMAZING BOSS TEAM CRUSHING IT AS THEY WERE OUT THERE WORKING WITH -- A LOT OF THIS WAS FACADE GRANT.

THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT APPLICATION -- APPLICANTS AND THE OUTDOOR SPACES APPLICANTS NEEDED A LOT MORE ASSISTANCE. AND SO THIS WAS REALLY OUR BOSS TEAM OUT THERE DOING A LOT OF THAT HAND-HOLDING AND WORKING WITH THEM FOR THOSE APPLICATIONS.

SO, KNOWING OUR PROPOSED BUDGET DIDN'T INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTS HEADING INTO FISCAL YEAR '25 WE WANTED TO ADJUST THIS TO REFLECT THAT. THIS WOULD BE STRICTLY --

PRIMARILY OUR BUSINESS OUTREACH SPECIALISTS. >> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD DO IF NOT THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, ONE UNIQUE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING AND ACTUAL CONVERSATIONS. BECAUSE I WENT OUT WITH THE BUSINESS -- THE TEAM AND LEFT FLYERS. I DON'T KNOW THAT FLYERING, IF WE'RE COUNTING THAT AS AN ENGAGEMENT IS A TRUE ENGAGEMENT. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO TALK TO -- MAYBE THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER OR SOMETHING THEY CAN CALL TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION RATHER THAN JUST A FLYER LEAVE. IF THERE'S A COUPLE OF SUB CATEGORIES THAT WE CAN SPLIT THAT UP TO, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND ALSO UNIQUE SO THAT IF WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE SAME PERSON. AND THEN ABOUT THE REVENUE GROWTH, THE 10%.

I LIKE THAT WE HAVE THIS AS AN OUTCOME. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MEASURE THAT. IT'S A SURVEY RESPONSE QUESTION. SO THEY SAY -- THEY'RE INDIVIDUALLY SELF-IDENTIFYING AS THAT. HOW ARE WE -- THIS ALSO KIND OF MAKES IT SEEM -- IF YOU JUST READ THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD BE SAYING THAT ALL OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE INCREASING BY 10% REVENUE WHICH IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF GROWTH IN TODAY'S MARKET. ARE THERE ANY OTHER BETTER WAYS THAT WE COULD MEASURE THIS GOAL?

>> SURE. SO -- WELL, THIS IS AN AVERAGE. SO WE MIGHT SEE SOME SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE AT 7%. WE MIGHT SEE SOME THAT ARE AT 0.

AND SOME THAT ARE QUITE A BIT HIGHER. SO THIS WAS AN AVERAGE OF ALL OF THOSE THAT RESPONDED IN THE SURVEY. WE ARE CONTRACTUALLY INCLUDING IT IN THE SURVEY TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE -- IN ANY CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE WITH THESE SMALL BUSINESSES IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE RESPONSE. IT IS PART OF THEIR COMPLIANCE PIECE TO RECEIVING FUNDING FROM US. AND THEN THIS IS A HANDFUL.

THESE ARE JUST SIX OF THE PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED.

WE IN THAT SURVEY, ARE TRACKING A NUMBER OF THINGS. WE'RE ALSO WITH OUR RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE TEAM UNDERTAKING A BUSINESS ANALYSIS AND DEEP DIVE OF BUSINE BUSINESSES FROM 2018 3

TO LOOK AT THE LARGER TRENDS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY. >> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: IF WE COULD SEE THE ANALYSIS FOR AT LEAST THE DISTRICT 1 BUSINESSES, WE'D LOVE TO SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW WE'RE GETTING TO THIS 10%. AND THEN I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR'S PUSH ON -- AND A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES ALSO MENTIONED THE 0% LOAN PROGRAM.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE ARE HEARING RIGHT NOW FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, SO WANT TO REITERATE SUPPORT. FOR THE CONSTRUCTION GRANTS, I AGREE COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE THAT WE CAN DO BOTH IN TERMS OF TRYING TO PUT DOLLARS IN FOR COMPLETING THE PROJECT SOONER. FOR THE LAST RUN OF CONSTRUCTION GRANTS, THERE WAS CHALLENGES.

THIS TAKES A LOT OF CAPACITY. ERIK WAS SAYING WE SHOULDN'T BE IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING GRANTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW WE'VE ONLY GIVEN OUT $800,000.

THERE'S 50 GRANTS THAT ARE STILL BEING VETTED. ONE OF THE REQUESTS WE'VE MADE IS FOR LOOSENING THE REQUIREMENTS AROUND HOW WE'RE GIVING OUT MONEY IN TERMS OF REVENUE, OR HOW MANY YEARS OF REVENUE THEY HAVE TO SHOW AND PROFIT AND LOSS.

ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THOSE DOLLARS AND THIS ADDITIONAL ONGOING PROGRAM SO WE CAN TRULY HELP ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED?

>> SO AT THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING LAST FRIDAY WE SHARED

[02:15:02]

AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S TEN ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS THAT YIENEED TO BE REVIEWED.

OTHERWISE, ALL APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED. WE EXPECT T THOSE TEN TO BE ELIGIBLE. THOSE FUNDS WILL BE OVER-EXTENDED BUT WE'LL USE SOME OF THE ARPA FUNDS TO SUPPORT THOSE. BUT WITH ANY GRANT CRITERIA WE TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT. WE'LL WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CONSTRUCTION GRANT PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY SAW.

AGAIN, WHAT KIND OF RESPONSES WE'RE GETTING AND SO FORTH SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT FOR ANY

FUTURE GRANTS. >> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: I'D LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE RESPONSE IS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAYS WE COULD USE SOME OF THE ARPA FUNDS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR FOLKS THAT ARE -- MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE TWO YEARS OF REVENUE LOSS WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SAY THE CONSTRUCTION DIDN'T IMPACT THEM. THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT. AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WAS THE GOAL THAT'S DOWN AT 25%. IS THAT THE HIGHEST OUR GOAL CAN BE FOR THAT?

>> THE GOAL IS BASED ON THE DISPARITY STUDY AND THE AVAILABILITY.

>> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: OKAY. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THANK YOU.

JUST REALLY QUICKLY, ON HR. A QUICK QUESTION FOR SLIDE 12. WHEN YOU GUYS DID THE COMPARISON FOR CITY STAFF FOR MARKET APPROPRIATENESS DID WE INCLUDE LGC EMPLOYEES IN THAT MARKET

APPROPRIATENESS STUDY AS WELL? >> WE DID. >> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: GREAT.

SO, THE 2-15 PERSPECTIVE MARKETT ADJUSTMENT, THOSE EMPLOYEES WERE INCLUDED?

>> CORRECT. SOME PEOPLE GOT MARKET ADJUSTMENTS AND WE DID FULL

COMPRESENTATION. >> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU. LASTLY, HAVE WE LOOKED AT OFFERING -- I THINK WE HAVE GREAT BENEFITS A. IS THERE A WAY FOR NONPROFITS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS -- THE AREA FOUNDATION WILL ALLOW YOU TO BE A SUB-GRANTEE OF THEIRS. IS THERE A WAY FOR FOLKS ACCESS IN THE COMMUNITY OUR BENEFIT POOL? HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT DOING A

PROGRAM LIKE THAT? IS THAT JUST NOT POSSIBLE? >> YOU CANTHERE MAY BE IRS ISSUS AROUND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. I WILL SAY THAT -- THIS ISN'T -- I'LL WAIT.

>> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: YOU CAN SEND ME A FOLLOWUP ON THAT. THE LAST THINGS -- I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO SUPPORT YOU ALL IN THE GROWTH. I DO ECHO SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE COUNTY PORTION.

THAT WAS A CHALLENGE. WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF IN THE NEXT ROUND, MAYBE MARIA AND H HER TEM CAN FIND SOME ROOM IN THAT TO HELP GET US TO A BETTER DEAL ON THAT.

AND THEN I DO WANT ONE OF THOSE NEW CARDS. I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY COOL.

GOOD ADDITION. AND THE LAST THING, A QUICK QUESTION ON PLANNING.

THE MAYOR MENTIONED THIS, BUT WE GET THIS A LOT. WE GET A LOT OF CONFUSION WHEN I'M AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS. GIVEN EVERYTHING, PEOPLE GET CONFUSED ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PLANS. WHAT ARE WE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF A COMMUNICATIONS PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO SHARE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SA TOMORROW, BETWEEN OUR TOD PLANNING AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO OVERLAP, WHAT'S GOING TO TAKE PRECEDENCE?

WHAT'S THE MESSAGING AND HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AS A PLANNING DEPARTMENT WITH PHASE FOUR, WE'VE ACTUALLY DELAYED THE PHASE FOUR PLANNING PROCESS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT CROSSES OVER A FEW OF THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE ONGOING -- WORKING ON THE TOD PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE PLANNING FATIGUE AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PROJECT, WHICH IS ANTICIPATED FOR COUNCIL ADOPTION IN DECEMBER, IS COMPLETE SO WE CAN EXPLAIN HOW THAT FEEDS INTO THE SA TOMORROW PLANNING PROCESS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN WE KICKED OFF PHASE FOUR WAS THE QUESTION ON WHAT IT IS. AND SO WHAT WE INTEND TO DO AS PART OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS WAS TO HAVE A SEPARATE ONE-ON-ONE MEETING, SO TO SPEAK, ON WHAT SA TOMORROW IS, WHAT THE TOD SINGLE MIS ANDEXPLAINING THE WHY. AS PART OF ■THE TOD PROCESS, THERE WAS A SESSION ON THE LAND

[02:20:02]

SO THERE WAS THAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT WE HAVE DELIBERATELY PAUSED, THERE'S AN OVERLAP SO WE CAN SAY THIS IS DONE AND THIS IS HOW IT FEEDS INTO THAT PHASE FOUR. WE DO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH C&E. AS WE CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT THAT PHASE FOUR PROCESS, OUR PLANNING PROCESS, WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPLAIN THE WHY AND HOW ALL THESE PLANS -- WHAT THEY ARE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER KAUR: THANK YOU. JUST THE LAST COMMENT I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE MAYOR MENTIONED AT TOWN HALL, BUT C&E -- THEY ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH ON THEIR PLATE. IF WE CAN CONSIDER A PLAN IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, I THINK THAT

WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,

COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON EMPLOYEES' SALARIES. ON -- I THINK IT'S SLIDE 7 ON CITYWIDE BENEFIT COSTS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A MISTAKE OR WHAT, BUT I SEE THAT UNDER UNIFORM -- I BELIEVE POLICE AND FIRE -- THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY SOCIAL SECURITY?

WHY IS THAT? >> THERE IS -- CORRECT, COUNCILMAN.

SO, THEY PAY THE FICA TAX. THEY MAY THE MEDICARE, NOT THE SOCIAL SECURITY.

I'M LOOKING AT ERIK, WHO MAY HAVE MORE HISTORY THAN I DO IN TERMS OF THE WHY, BUT IT IS

ACCURATE. >> THAT GOES BACK TO THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION, COUNCILMAN.

WHEN THAT WAS CREATED, INITIATED, THOSE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS WERE DONE AND THEY

ELECTED OUT OF SOCIAL SECURITY. >> COURAGE: SO DO THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF A 401(K) OR A MATCH

THAT THE CITY PUTS IN TO ANY OF THOSE? >> NO, THEY'VE GOT THE PENSION.

THE CITY FUNDS -- THE EMPLOYEES PAY ONE-THIRD. THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION IS LIKE 25%? AND THEIRS IS 12.5%. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO 457 CONTRIBUTIONS, LIKE ANY EMPLOYEE. BUT ALL THAT GOES TOWARDS THE

FIRE AND POLICE PENSION. >> COURAGE: SO CIVILIANS DON'T HAVE TO -- THEIR PENSIONS.

>> THEY DO. SO, LIKE ERIK MENTIONED ON THE UNIFORM SIDE, THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PENSION IS 24.6%, ALMOST 25%. THAT IS THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION.

THE EMPLOYEE MATCHES HALF OF THAT. ON THE CIVILIAN SIDE IT'S ABOUT 13% IS THE CITY CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE EMPLOYEES PAY 6% OF THEIR SALARIES GOES INTO THE PENSION. SO, OVERALL THE UNIFORM PENSION BENEFIT IS RICHER THAN THE CIVILIAN. AND AS ERIK MENTIONED, THEY ELECTED OUT OF THE SOCIAL

SECURITY. >> COURAGE: THE CIVILIAN PENSION IS THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM RUN BY THE STATE? OKAY.

BUT RIGHT NOW, POLICE OR FIREFIGHTER ACTUALLY WALKS HOME WITH 6.5% MORE IN THEIR PAY

BECAUSE THEY DON'T PAY SOCIAL SECURITY, RIGHT? >> WELL, THEY'RE PUTTING IN

12.5% INTO THE PENSION. >> COURAGE: OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I SEE. THANK YOU. >> YEAH.

>> COURAGE: THAT'S ALL I HAD ABOUT THAT. LET ME ASK ABOUT PLANNING.

MS. WHITE. THE PLANNING FOR THE CITY'S MASTER PLAN REALLY WAS INITIATED

IN 2016, BUT ACTUALLY BEGAN I GUESS IN 2017, IS THAT RIGHT? >> THE COMP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN S

ADOPTED AUGUST 2016, WE INITIATED IN FISCAL 2017. >> COURAGE: HOW MUCH DO WE PAY

FOR THE CONSULTANT TO WORK ON THIS TODAY? >> I CAN TELL YOU

>> AND SO JUST FOR PHASE 4 THE CONSULTANT IS ABOUT 1.3. >> COURAGE: OKAY.

WHAT ABOUT THE FIRST FEW PHASES ALL TOGETHER? >> SO FOR PHASE 1 IT WAS 1.4. BUT WE ALSO HAD TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL PROFILE AND PRIORITIES, AFTER THE MEDICAL CENTER WAS ADOPTED. SO WE ADDED A PROFILE AND PRIORITIES. WE ALSO HAD ADDITIONAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE START OF THE SUB-AREA PLANNING PROCESS TO EXPLAIN WHAT SA TOMORROW AND THE SUB-AREA PLANNING PROCESS WAS. PHASE 2 WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER. AND THEN PHASES 3 AND 4 WERE BOTH 1.3.

>> COURAGE: WHAT DO YOU ESTIMATE IS GOING TO BE THE FINAL COST FOR THIS PLAN?

[02:25:06]

>> CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING 30 PLANS, ABOUT $15 MILLION FOR 30 PLANS.

>> COURAGE: DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS THAT MUCH. >> FOR CONSULTANT.

OH, 5.3. >> CURRENTLY FOR CONSULTANTS THROUGH PHASE 4 IS ABOUT $5.3 MILLION AND WE'LL SPEND ABOUT $1.4 MILLION FOR THE PHASE 5.

>> COURAGE: SO WHAT WOULD BE THE WHOLE THING? >> ABOUT $6.7 MILLION.

>> COURAGE: THAT SOUNDS BETTER THAN 15. >> I WAS ADDING A LITTLE TOO

MUCH THERE. >> COURAGE: NOW, THERE ARE 30 REGIONAL PLANS, REGIONAL AND COMMUNITY. HOW MANY HAVE COMPLETED AND BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE

COUNCIL? >> 11. >> COURAGE: I THINK I SAW THERE MAY BE A NOTE FOR SOME MORE COMING BEFORE THE COUNCIL THIS NEXT YEAR?

>> SEVEN. >> COURAGE: SEVEN OF THEM MAY?

>> YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: SO THAT WOULD BE UP TO ABOUT 18 OUT OF 30.

>> YES. >> COURAGE: SO ABOUT 60% SHOULD BE COMPLETE.

>> YES. AND EACH PHASE IS SIX. >> COURAGE: WHEN DO YOU

THINK THE WHOLE PLAN WILL BE COMPLETED? >> OUR GOAL IS TO GET ALL 30

SUB-AREA PLANS COMPLETE BY >> COURAGE: THAT'S 12 YEARS -- OF COURSE, THROW OUT TWO BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING DURING COVID. BUT THAT'S TEN YEARS TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND PART OF IT WILL BE 11 YEARS OLD BY THE TIME WE FINISH THE LAST PART. I HOPE THAT, IF WE EVER DO THIS AGAIN, WE CAN FINISH IT IN A LOT SOONER THAN 12 YEARS TO GET THE JOB DONE. I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S TAKING A LONG TIME AND THINGS CHANGE A LOT IN TEN YEARS. AND SO WHEN WE FINISH THIS IN 12 YEARS WE'LL HAVE A COMPLETE PLAN, PARTS OF WHICH ARE 11 OR 12 YEARS OLD. HOPEFULLY IT LASTS. ANYWAY, THE EXPENSE, THOUGH,

$6 MILLION SOUNDS REASONABLE. >> COUNCILMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT. THE PLANS ARE DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY INPUT.

SO AS WE SPOKE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WEST SIDE, THE COMMUNITY AREA PLAN, THEY TAKE ABOUT 24 MONTHS. WE HAVE A PLANNING TEAM SO WE HAVE ABOUT 12 TO 15 PLANNING TEAM MEETINGS. WE HAVE FOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AT LEAST FOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. WE HAVE PUBLISH A PUBLIC DRAFT SO THE COMMUNITY SEES HOW THE ENTIRE PLAN FITS TOGETHER. WE TAKE THEIR INPUT AND THEN WE PUBLISH AN ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT THAT MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH COUNCIL.

GIVEN THE FACT THAT THESE PLANS HAVE TO DO WITH LAND USE AND AREAS OF ZONING COMPONENT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE LAND USE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SUPPORT IT BECAUSE THEY'RE

THE ONES BASICALLY PUTTING IT TOGETHER. >> COURAGE: THAT BRINGS UP A POINT I WANT TO MAKE. THE COMMUNITY HAD A LOT OF INPUT BUT WHAT I NOTICED SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE IS THAT A LOT OF SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT WANT TO DEVELOP A LOT OF THE LAND IN THOSE AREAS TEND TO THINK THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES. AND THEY KEEP SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE PLAN OR I WANT TO DO X OR I WANT TO DO Y.

I NOTICED A LOT OF TIMES THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE STAFF, WHO SAID NO. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PLAN CALLS FOR.

SO WE END UP GOING BEYOND WHAT A PLAN WAS INTENDED TO DO BY THE COMMUNITY.

SO I JUST MAKE THAT A POINT WHEN WE SAY WE'RE DOING SOMETHING AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SO LONG TO DO IT. THE COMMUNITY KIND OF FORGETS WHAT THEY PROBABLY WANTED BUT THE DEVELOPERS KNOW WHAT THEY WANT. AND SOMETIMES THOSE DON'T GO TOGETHER VERY WELL. ANYWAY, THAT'S THE LAST POINT I WANTED TO MAKE.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I THINK, AS I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT, IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE WE ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO ENSURE THE RETENTION OF THE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WAS SURPRISED WHEN YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE BAY CREEK CLOSING DOWN IN ADVANCE OR WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY AND OVERCOME THE REASON WHY THEY WERE LEAVING.

IT BOTHERS ME THAT WE LOSE ANY BUSINESS IN THE CITY AND WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THEM CLOSE DOWN. RESTAURANTS HAVE BEEN CLOSING DOWN PROBABLY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN HARD FOR THEM TO RECOVER. ANYWAY, I HOPE WE WORK HARDER ON BUSINESS RETENTION. NOW, I KNOW WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES, OVER $30 MILLION.

[02:30:03]

AND LET'S ASSURE THAT WE MADE GOOD INVESTMENTS WITH THAT MONEY THAT HAVE KEPT THOSE BUSINESSES AROUND, WHETHER IT'S A RESTAURANT OR A RETAIL SHOP OR WHATEVER IT WAS. AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT INDUSTRIES ARE WE FOCUSING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON? I KNOW WE BROUGHT IN SOME MANUFACTURING BUT THERE'S SERVICE AND RETAIL AND FINANCIAL AND HOTEL AND HEALTH AND BIOSCIENCE AND TECH AND CYBER. WHAT ARE WE FOCUSING ON OUR

EFFORTS OR ARE WE JUST SHOTGUNNING? >> WE HAVE TARGET INDUSTRIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL OF THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BIOSCIENCE IS ONE.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, CORPORATE SERVICES. EARLIER WHEN I WAS ASKED WHAT MOST OF THOSE JOBS WERE, THEY HAPPENED TO BE IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR PIPELINE LOOKS LIKE --Y "OUR," THE COLLECTIVE GROUP.

WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A SHIFT. MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BE COMING LATER THIS YEAR. SEVERAL OF WHICH WILL BE HYPING OFF OF PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE. WHILE THE JOBS HAVE BEEN MORE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, WE ARE SEEING THAT SHIFT IN THAT PIPELINE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.

>> COURAGE: I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF THE PIPELINE.

>> SURE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MENTION THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT BIMBO BUT IT'S NOT THAT WE DIDN'T MEET WITH THEM, I JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT AVAILABLE. AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP. SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE GET FROM COMPANIES IS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL. JUST AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION VISITS, WE DO WANT TO BE

CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT THE INFORMATION WE GET. >> COURAGE: EXCUSE ME FOR

MAKING THAT ASSUMPTION. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WORRIES ME IS WE MIGHT FALL INTO THE TRAP OF LOOKING AT POLICY INITIATIVES AND TREATING THEM LIKE SACRED COUSIN AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SINGLE POLICY INITIATIVE THAT'S EVER BEEN PUT FORTH THAT DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE QUESTIONED FROM TIME TO TIME. I VOTED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR TO ASK WHAT METRICS WE SHOULD SET FOR OURSELVES AND WHAT LONG-TERM GOALS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE IMPACTING AND CHANGING LIVES HERE.

I UNDERSTAND OUR TARGET FOR 2025 INCLUDES FIVE ACTIVATIONS, 50 SIGNS DEPLOYED, 100 VSA MEMBERSHIPS, AND THREE PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS.

BUT THAT'S REALLY SHORT TERM AND NONE OF THESE SPEAK TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE IMPACTING PEOPLE IN A REAL WAY. AND MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU, BRENDA -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT BUT I DO THINK THIS COUNCIL DESERVES SOME KIND OF STRUCTURED ANALYSIS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE SOLVING A PROBLEM OR WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, FEELING GOOD BY HANDING OUT SOME MONEY FOR PEOPLE'S INCONVENIENCE. LET'S CALL IT WHAT IT IS BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL THAT JUST WANTS TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE IT FEELS GOOD. COULD I IMPOSE UPON YOU TO MAYBE COME BACK TO MY COMMITTEE AND PRESENT US WITH A PLAN ON HOW TO MEASURE LONG TERM WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF, LET'S SAY, IN 5 YEARS, 10 YEARS,

20 YEARS, IF WE KEEP IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO LEARN. I WOULD LOVE TO BRING THAT BACK.

I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THAT ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT, GIVEN ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO SMALL BUSINESSES, NOT JUST THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION. WE WILL BE UNDERTAKING AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF THE INVESTMENTS DIRECTED TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESSES THIS NEXT

YEAR. >> PELAEZ: ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO AVOID IS FUTURE COUNCILS LOOKING BACK ON THIS PROGRAM AND SAYING, WAIT, WHY DID THEY DO IT? AND THE ONLY ANSWER BEING IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVING UP THE CASE FOR CONTINUING TO DO IT.

AND IF THIS PILOT PROGRAM IS INDEED A PILOT AND IF THERE'S LESSONS TO BE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH FRONTLOADING THE QUESTIONS SO WE CAN WORK TOWARDS DEVELOPING ANSWERS. OKAY.

THE SECOND THING I'LL MENTION IS THE MAYOR AND I, AT OUR TOWN HALL, WERE CHALLENGED BY SOMEBODY WHO WAS SITTING ON THE FRONT ROW AND HIS QUESTION WAS, LOOK, I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I'M PART OF THIS COMMUNITY OF BDOS.

[02:35:01]

WE HAVE A -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $34 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDS HANDED OUT IN VERY QUICK ORDER FOR BUILDING, CORRIDOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, FACADE IMPROVEMENT, 0% INTEREST LOANS, BUY LOCAL, CONSTRUCTION GRANTS. YOU CAN'T LOOK AT THAT AND SAY THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE BUSINESS SUPPORT OR THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU DON'T MEAN IT. ANYBODY OUT THERE IS TELLING YOU WE DON'T SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS, HASN'T BEEN WATCHING WHAT WE'RE DOING OR TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU THAT SOMETHING IS UNTRUE IS TRUE. SO THE OTHER THING ALSO IS I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE SLIDE DECK DOES AN INJUSTICE, BECAUSE IT'S JUST A SNAP, THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES YOU HAVE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF DEALS CLOSED, BRES AND ALL THAT, YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT '24. WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT OUR '24 PERFORMANCE -- THERE IT IS. OUR '23 ACTUALS AND, YOU KNOW, OUR TARGETS GOING FORWARD. THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY SMALL SNAPSHOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEALS BECAUSE THE LONG LIFE CYCLE OF THESE THINGS.

I BELIEVE IT DOES AN INJUSTICE TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT -- THIS SLIDE DOES AN INJUSTICE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO YOUR DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY GET A PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON AND HOW WE'RE SUCCEEDING IS IF YOU HAVE MORE COLUMNS ON THAT TABLE. I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED, GDP GROWTH OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, 76%. OR $70.5 BILLION IN SAN ANTONIO.

TODAY WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES OF ANY MAJOR CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. AND SINCE I'VE BEEN ON CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH GREATER SATX, WE'RE LOOKING AT 31,622 NEW JOBS DIRECTLY THROUGH CORPORATE RECRUITMENT AND 109 PROJECTS CLOSED, TOTALING $7 BILLION IN CAP X. THAT'S NOT NOTHING. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND

YOUR TEAM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.

COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'LL START BACK UP WITH THE LIBRARY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, KATHY.

I REALLY ENJOY YOUR EVENTS AND IT'S AWESOME TO SEE SO MANY KIDS EXCITED ABOUT READING. I TRIED THAT HUMAN BUBBLE AND YOU SHOULD JUST TAKE THAT EVERYWHERE AND EVERYBODY SHOULD DO IT. BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CALCULATION OF THE COUNTY'S PAYMENT. DO WE ALSO CONSIDER THE POPULATION GROWTH AS WE PROJECT, LIKE, DO YOU START THINKING ABOUT INCOMING

COMMUNITIES THAT ARE COMING. DO YOU PROJECT THAT AS WELL? >> YES.

SO WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED TO THE COUNTY IS A FORMULA FOR THEIR PAYMENT, BASED ON USE.

AND SO IT'S REALLY USE OF THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTION. THAT WOULD BE BASED ON OUR BUDGET. SO THE PERCENTAGE OF USE OF THE COLLECTION BASED ON OUR

BUDGET IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. >> GARCIA: BUT WE'RE NOT THINKING THERE'S SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS COMING AROUND AND THEY'LL BE -- WE DO USE

THAT TO AN EXTENT? >> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET EVEN. BUT TO YOUR POINT -- AND WHAT THE LIBRARY HAS DONE WITH THE COUNTY IS LAY OUT A --F GETTING THERE FOR 5 YEARS, 7 YEARS, AND I THINK 8 YEARS.

KNOWING THAT AS GROWTH CONTINUES, THE PRESSURE ON THAT 26% IS GOING TO KEEP GOING UP. AND PART OF THE RATIONALE IS THE SOONER WE ADDRESS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW THE BETTER POSITION THEY'LL BE AND WE'LL BE TO BE ABLE TO

HANDLE AND ADDRESS FUTURE GROWTH. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.

THANK YOU. I LOVE THE NEW CARDS AND I'M WONDERING IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO ASK FOR A CARD, IS THE PROCESS DIFFERENT FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS VERSUS

NON-SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS? >> IT IS NOT DIFFERENT. IT'S THE SAME PROCESS.

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY ONLY QUESTIONS

FOR LIBRARY. >> WALSH: RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT.

RIGHT NOW IT'S THE SAME. >> GARCIA: I'LL GO OVER TO PLANNING.

[02:40:01]

THAT WAS ASKING ABOUT C&E ENGAGEMENT. I DO THINK THAT YOU ALL NEED SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BUT MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR ERIK.

LIKE, HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHICH DEPARTMENT GETS THEIR OWN PIO VERSUS WHO JUST GETS

SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT? >> WALSH: OH, GOSH. SOME OF THAT HAPPENS OVER TIME. I'LL TELL YOU THAT I'M PROBABLY MORE INCLINED TO CENTRALIZE AS MUCH AS THAT HAS POSSIBLE. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

EVERY FINANCIAL ANALYST AND ACCOUNTANT IN THE CITY, NO MATTER WHERE THEY WORK, REPORTS TO FINANCE. EVERY PROCUREMENT PERSON IN EVERY DEPARTMENT REPORTS TO A CENTRAL PROCUREMENT. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

BUT SOMETHING THAT WE MAY LOOK TO DO IN THE FUTURE. >> GARCIA: DO WE HAVE A DEPARTMENTAL UPDATE FROM C&E? WE DON'T.

>> WALSH: IT'S ON THE BIG UPDATE, WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.

>> COUNCILWOMAN, I WILL SAY THAT WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER, IRIS, WHO

WORKS CLOSELY WITH C&E AND SHE DOES AN AWESOME JOB. >> GARCIA: SHE IS

INCREDIBLE AND SHE IS AT ALL THE MEETINGS. >> GARCIA: THAT'S IT.

I'M GOING TO GO OVER TO EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION JUST REALLY, REALLY FAST.

DO WE EVER CONSIDER -- HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED A SURCHARGE FOR ANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE WHO CHOOSES TO COVER A SPOUSE WHO HAS ACCESS TO THEIR OWN

HEALTHCARE, LIKE THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYER? >> THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE

CONSIDERED IN RECENT YEARS. >> GARCIA: DOES THAT HAPPEN?

DO YOU KNOW? >> VILLAGOMEZ: MY RECOLLECTION, WHEN WE DID THE EXERCISE OF THE LEGACY TASK FORCE BACK IN 2013-2014, WE LOOKED INTO THAT. WE DECIDED NOT TO MOVE BARD WITH THAT.

WE DID INSTEAD A TOBACCO SURCHARGE FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT SMOKE.

OTHER EMPLOYERS DO IT. WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT SINCE THEN.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT BUT WE DID EVALUATE IT BACK THEN.

>> GARCIA: OKAY. AND THEN ON THE MARKET REVIEWS, IS THREE YEARS INDUSTRY STANDARD? REVIEWING EVERY THREE YEARS FOR MARKET RATE.

>> IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR CONSULTANT, MERCER, THAT'S WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED.

>> GARCIA: WHAT FACTORS ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL MARKET REVIEWS? ARE YOU THINKING OF ALSO OF TURNOVER RATE OR LENGTH OF VACANCY?

>> RIGHT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.

COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: BRIEFLY WANT TO ASK A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST CORRECT MYSELF ON SAN ANTONIO POVERTY RATE. IT HAS GONE DOWN 2% SINCE 2012. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ACCURATE THERE.

IT IS STILL THE SECOND HIGHEST RATE IN THE STATE. QUICK QUESTION FOR LIBRARIES. DISTRICT 10, SIMS LIBRARY, THEY NEEDED SOME ELECTRICAL UPDATES AND THINGS. DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE?

>> YES. WE HAVE A FUNDED RENOVATION PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO BE

COMPLETED IN 2025. >> WHYTE: IN 2025. OKAY.

MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THE CONSTRUCTION WAS SUPPOSED TO START ALREADY BUT IT HASN'T.

>> YEAH. I CAN GIVE YOU A FULLER UPDATE.

WE CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOUR OFFICE ON THE SCHEDULE FOR THAT

BRANCH. >> WHYTE: THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

>> OKAY. >> WHYTE: SECONDLY, WITH PLANNING, ROLLING OAKS REGIONAL PLAN, IS THERE ANY IDEA WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE ADOPTED ?

>> THAT WILL BE PART OF THE PHASE 3 PLANS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.

I BELIEVE IT MAY BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH PLAN IN THE SCHEDULE.

SO IT WOULD BE THIRD QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2025. >> WHYTE: OKAY.

GREAT. AND IN CLOSING I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M ENCOURAGED BY THIS CONVERSATION AND THE EMPHASIS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND I HOPE THAT A LOT OF WHAT WAS SAID HERE TODAY TRANSLATES INTO SOME ADDITIONAL EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ARPA MONEY THAT WE SPENT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WELL THAT OF COURSE IS GOING AWAY SO IT'S GOING TO BE INCUMBENT UPON THIS COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE OUR CITY DOLLARS TO THIS EFFORT GOING FORWARD.

AND SO I HOPE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND FOCUS OUR MONEY HERE RATHER THAN

[02:45:05]

IN SOME OTHER PLACES. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. I THINK THAT'S EVERYBODY WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

ANYBODY ELSE WAITING IN QUEUE? ERIK, DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE

US OUT? >> WALSH: YEAH, JUST ONE THING.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT TALKED ABOUT THE BUSINESS RETENTION. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THAT BECAME A NEW EFFORT FOR US THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE WERE FUNDING THROUGH OUR CONTRACTED PARTNER. IT WAS NOT, IN OUR EYES, A PRIORITY. AND PART OF THE RATIONALE AS WE WENT THROUGH THE MEASURES FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET -- AND YOU'VE SEEN IT. YOU SEE THAT IN A COUPLE OF BRENDA'S. IT'S THE CITY AND OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS.

AND WE DID THAT FOR A REASON. ONE, BECAUSE WHETHER WE'RE PAYING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR AN OUTSIDE AGENDA, THAT EFFORT IS IMPORTANT.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE JUST IN LESS THAN A YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL TAKE ON MORE OF AND RELY UPON LESS WITH OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS. I THINK WE'RE BETTER AT IT. I THINK WE'LL STAY MORE ON SCHEDULE. I THINK BRENDA AND HER TEAM ARE MORE INCLINED TO DO THAT AND BE CONSISTENT. AND I THINK IT'S BETTER TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BE THE FRONT PERSON OR FRONT AGENCY WHEN THERE'S AN INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE OR A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. SOMEWHERE ELSE WITHIN THIS ORGANIZATION, IT'S EASIER TO PLUG IN. BUT I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A BIG PRIORITY OF THE COUNCIL'S AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT RESOURCES INTO BECAUSE WE CAN'T -- I SHOULDN'T SAY "WE CAN'T." I'M NOT SURE AUDIO] IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STILL MAINTAIN THAT AS A PRIORITY.

SO WE'RE SHUFFLING FOLKS AROUND WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND TRYING TO HIT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN POINTS THAT THE COUNCIL'S APPROVED, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THAT BUSINESS RETENTION. I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE PROBABLY IS YOU SEE THOSE CONTRACTED ENTITIES COME FORWARD AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, LESS OF AN EMPHASIS THERE AND MAYBE WE DON'T PAY THEM AS MUCH AND WE HOLD ON TO THAT MONEY AND DO SOME OF THAT WORK OURSELVES.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ERIK, I'LL TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER.

BUSINESS RETENTION EXPANSION, THIS IS REALLY JUST CONSTITUENT SERVICES FOR BUSINESSES. I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS SPEAKS REGULARLY WITH BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY. ASK THEM WHAT'S GOING ON. ARE THERE ANY CHALLENGES THE CITY CAN HELP ADDRESS? WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT A BIG PRODUCTION.

BRENDA AND I WERE AT EY THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK. THOSE ARE SCHEDULED EVENTS WHERE WE TALK TO SPECIFIC PEOPLE BUT EVERY DAY YOU'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY OUR NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS FEEL WELCOMED AND SUPPORTED BUT ALSO OUR BUSINESSES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON, WE NEED TO KNOW IT. IF THEY WANT TO MEET WITH ERIK, IF THEY WANT TO MEET WITH ME OR SOMEBODY ELSE IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OR WHATEVER, USE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THAT CONVERSATION. BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION IS WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY. IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A SCHEDULED MEETING ON A CALENDAR. GREAT CONVERSATIONS.

I THINK THAT'S IT. SO THE TIME IS 4:53 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2024.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANKS, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.