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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A QUORUM.
JUST WAITING FOR A KEY MEMBER OF THE TEAM TO GET HERE.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I THINK WE HAVE OUR TEAM FIELDED T TIME IS 2:11 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2024. WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE ROLL? >> CLERK:
[ ITEMS ]
MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. WE HAVE -- LET ME TURN IT
OVER TO CITY MANAGER ERIK WALSH. >> WALSH: AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS ELOQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO -- AND FREDDY MARTINEZ, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET OFFICE, WILL BE WALKING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. IN THE AUDIENCE ARE ALL THE ZERO OTHER EXECUTIVES REPRESENTED AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS
PRESENTATION. READY, FREDDY? >> YES, SIR.
THEY'RE LETTING ME DO THIS AGAIN, TWO YEARS IN A ROW, SO LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT? SO GOO AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. AS THE MANAGER MENTIONED, MY NAME'S FREDDY MARTINEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND TODAY I'M HERE TO PRESENT ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WANT TO BEGIN FIRST BY THANKING ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN DOING AN INDIVIDUAL SLIDE FOR EACH DEPARTMENT AND THEY WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL FOR PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER.
AS ERIK MENTIONED, THEY'LL BE HERE AFTER THE PRESENTATION TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. I'LL START OFF WITH THE RECAP OF WHERE WE STAND TODAY. THUS FAR WE'VE HELD EIGHT BUDGET WORK SESSIONS COVERING 23 DEPARTMENTS AND/OR TOPICS.
AS OF TODAY WE'VE PRESENTED 96% OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, OF THE $3.96 BILLION PROPOSED BUDGET. I'LL FOCUS ON THE REMAINING 158.3 MILLION, HOWEVER THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS AS THOSE ARE SUPPORTED BY OTHER CITY FUNDS.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS COMPRISED OF 20 DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES, PROVIDING COMMUNITY SERVICES, OPERATING SUPPORT AND INTERNAL SERVICES TO THE CITY. BUT BEFORE WE GO INTO EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THE 20 DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES THAT I'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY. SO ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE TOTAL FY '25 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 464 MILLION, WHICH IS A $24.7 MILLION INCREASE FROM THE FY '24 ADOPTED BUDGET OF 439.3, OR ABOUT A 5.6% INCREASE FROM THE 24 '24 ADOPTED BUDGET.
ON THE RIGHT IS A SUMMARY OF THE POSITION COUNTS FOR THESE DEPARTMENTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE FY '25 IS SHOWING A DECREASE IN THREE POSITIONS THAN WE HAD IN FY '24. HERE'S A LISTING OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WE'LL BE COVERING TODAY, SO -- PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN SEE THEM LISTED THERE WHERE THEY INCLUDE 3-1-1 CUSTOMER SERVICE, CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THE NEW OFFICE OF INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY AND THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE. NEXT I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR OPERATING SUPPORT SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE CITY TO ATTORNEY, COMMUNICATIONS ENGAGEMENT AND OTHERS.
AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT INTERNAL SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS, EXAMPLE OF THOSE ARE FINANCE, ITSD AND THE BUDGET OFFICE. AND THEN AT THE END, I'LL WRAP IT UP WITH A COUPLE OF SLIDES. NEXT I'LL GO INTO EACH DEPARTMENT IN GREATER DETAIL. SO, WE'LL START WITH 3-1-1 CUSTOMER SERVICE. 3-1-1 CONNECTS RESPECTS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT'S ARE READY TO ASSIST WITH SERVICE REQUESTS SUCH AS POTHOLES, STRAY ANIMALS, TRAFFIC ISSUE, SOLID WASTE COLLECTIONS AND
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MANY OTHER CITY REQUESTS. THEIR BUDGET TOTALS 5.1 BILLION OR 2.8% INCREASE OVER 24 DATE. THIS HAS NO IMPACT TO CITY SERVICES OR SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE. ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE SOME PERFORMANCE MEASURE HIGHLIGHTS.AS YOU CAN SEE, 3-1-1 WILL RECEIVE NEARLY 800,000 CALLS THIS YEAR, AND THEY ANTICIPATE SURPASSING THAT NUMBER IN FY '25.
WITH A 96% ANSWER RATE, 3-1-1 ESTIMATES AN AVERAGE WAIT TIME OF 43 SECONDS THIS YEAR WITH A TARGET OF 45 SECONDS IN FY '25.
SPEAKING OF THE ANSWER RATE, I DO WANT TO SHARE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY 3-1-1. PAULA STALLCU PURK IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THESE THREE SLIDES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, 3-1-1 HAS INCREASED THEIR ANSWER RATE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THIS YEAR THEY WILL HIT THEIR GOAL TO ANSWER 96% OF THE CALLS RECEIVED. THE VIRTUAL AGENT IMPLEMENTED IN JULY 2023 HAS ASSISTED WITH THIS ANSWER RATE AND IS ABLE TO ASSIST WITH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION. AS T A RESULT, THIS ENHANCES HELPING RESIDENTS WITH CALLS FOR SERVICE. 3-1-1 WORKED WITH I.T. TO IMPLEMENT A QUICK AND EASY YES/NO BUTTON FOR FEEDBACK.
THIS IS IN AN E-MAIL THAT RESIDENTS RECEIVE WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION. THIS NEXT SLIDE IS AN ACTION CODE UPDATE.
LAST FALL 3-1-1 WENT THROUGH A PROCESS TO REVIEW ALL ACTION CODES FROM THEIR MAJOR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS. YOU SEE THEM LISTED HERE, DSD, SOLID WASTE, PUBLIC WORKS AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
THESE ACTION CODES ARE UTILIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT WHO DOCUMENT AND CLOSE WORK ORDERS. THESE ACTION CODES COMMUNICATE TO THE RESIDENTS THE ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERN.
THE NEW CODES BETTER DESCRIBE THE ACTIONS TAKEN.
IN THE MIDDLE COLUMN ARE THE OLD ACTION CODES AND THE REVISED ONES ARE ON THE RIGHT, UNDER NEW ACTION CODES AN THEY'RE MUCH MORE DESCRIPTIVE THAN THEY WERE IN THE PAST. FINALLY, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN AGING REPORT. EACH MONTH 3-1-1 SENDS OUT AN AGING REPORT TO THEIR DEPARTMENTS PROVIDING A SUMMARY OF CLOSED REPORTS AND REMAINING OPEN REPORTS. THIS SHOWS THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2024. OVERALL T CITY HAS CLOSED 96% OF THE SERVICE REQUESTS RECEIVED FISCAL YEAR TO DATE. .
NEXT IS CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS OR CCDO.
CCDO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF LA VILLITA AND MARKET SQUARE, PARKING AND RIVERWALK OPERATIONS, SPECIAL EVENT OPERATIONS AND THE LEASING AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION OF VARIOUS FACILITIES AND LEASES. THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CCDO TOTALS 35.6 MILLION OR APPROXIMATELY A 5 MILLION INCREASE FROM THE FY '24 BUDGET.
THIS IS DRIVEN BY $3.4 MILLION INCREASE IN CAPITAL PROJECT FUND RELATED TO THE TOWER OF THE AMERICA CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
THE GENERAL FUND PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES REDUCTIONS SUCH AS ELIMINATION OF OVERTIME SHIFTS FOR SCOOTER ENFORCEMENT AND THE MAIPT NEPS AND UTILITY COST OF FOUNTAINS -- FUND INCLUDES A REDUCTION OF ONE POSITION AND OPERATING EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT LOT. AS YOU RECALL THE MUNICIPAL COURT LOT TRANSITIONED TO A FREE PARKING LOT IN FY '24, AND THE SECOND EFFICIENCY THERE IS ELIMINATION OF 50 PARKING METERS THAT WILL BE REPLACED BY A PAY BY APP PLATFORM AND THAT WILL ELIMINATE MAINTENANCE FEES FOR THOSE MEET RES, SO THERE'S SAVINGS THERE AS WELL. NEXT IS THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
THEY PROTECT AND CELEBRATE THE CITY'S HISTORIC, CULTURAL, ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES. OHP'S PROGRAMS INCLUDE -- PROGRAM. THEIR BUDGET TOTALS $3.6 MILLION WHICH IS AN 8.6% INCREASE FROM THE FY '24 BUDGET. THIS INCLUDES, YOU'LL SEE ONE POSITION -- ONE POSITION INCREASE IN THEIR BUDGET.
THIS IS A REORGANIZED POSITION WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND TO ADD SUPPORT FOR -- PLAZA PROJECT. GENLS THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURES YOU'LL SEE A PROJECTED INCREASE IN ACTIVITY FOR VACANT BUILDINGS AND ANNUAL DECONSTRUCTIONS. NEXT IS THE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE WHICH IS ESTABLISHED IN '24. IT INCLUDES EIGHT POSITIONS, OF WHICH FOUR WERE ADDED IN FY '24. THREE FOR THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM AND ONE FOR GRANTS COORDINATION. THIS OFFICE WORKS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS SYSTEMATIC FACTORS THAT
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CONTRIBUTE TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SAN ANTONIO RESPECTS. MAJOR PROGRAMS FOR THEM INCLUDE THE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PLAN AND THE GOOD NGOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM.THE INCREASE HERE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FULLY FUNDING THE POSITIONS THAT WE ADDED IN FY '24. AND THEN UNDER THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURE, WE HAVE A COUPLE NEW ONES. SO THEY'LL ANTICIPATE TO COMPLETE 50 GOOD NEIGHBOR ASSESSMENTS AND PROCESS SIX GRANT APPLICATIONS, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL.
NEXT IS THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE, WHICH IS OUR LAST COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO HE HIGHLIGHT TODAY. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE MANAGING THE BOARD HERITAGE WORK PLAN, AS WELL AS FACILITY MANAGEMENT AS THE NEW WORLD HERITAGE CENTER, THE MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA AND THE SPANISH GOVERNOR'S PALACE. THEIR $2.6 MILLION INCLUDES AN INCREASE FULLY FINANCING THE NEW FOUR POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED IN '24, AND THE FULL FUNDING IS IN '25. THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD PICTURE THERE OF THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTER WHICH IS ANTICIPATED TO OPEN IN JANUARY OF 2025. YOU ALSO SEE THAT THEY ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY 50,000 ATTENDEES AT MISSION MARQUEE EVENTS AND ALSO THERE'S A COUPLE NEW PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR '25. THEY GEARING TO BE TRACKING THE SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR WORLD HERITAGE AND MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA EVENTS. NOW I'LL MOVE ON TO THE OPERATING SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS. WE'LL START WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEY'RE WORK INCLUDES REPRESENTING THE CITY IN ALL LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND PREPARING DOCUMENTS, CONTRACTS AND LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CITY. THEIR FY '25 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 22.8 MILLION WHICH IS A 20.9 INCREASE FROM FY '24 THIS IS DUE TO AN A INCREASE IN CLAIMS INCREASED IN THE GENERAL LIABILITY FUND.
THE ONE ADDITIONAL POSITION IS REORGANIZED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND TO CONTINUE PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR MUNICIPAL COURT, COURT LITIGATION, CODE VIOLATIONS, OPEN RECORD REQUESTS AND OTHER SERVICES.
UNDER THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF DARK PROPERTIES REVIEWED AND STAY CLOSED STAY CONSISTENT WITH FY '24 TARGETS AND ESTIMATES. NEXT IS THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE. THE CITY AUDITOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PERFORMING FINANCIAL, FISCAL COMPLIANCE AND OTHER AUDITS AS DIRECTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITY OPERATIONS.
THE CITY AUDITOR PREPARES THE ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN THAT IDENTIFIES AUDITS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. AND THEY PROVIDE ETHICS TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD. WITH THE FY '25 PROPOSED BUDGET OF 3.5 MILLION, THE CITY AUDITOR PLANS TO ISSUE 36 AUDIT REPORTS IN FY '25. NEXT IS THE CITY CLERK AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
THE CITY CLERK FACILITATES CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, MANAGES MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS, REGISTERS AND ISSUES BIRTH AND DEATH CERTIFICATES, OVERSEES MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND OPERATES THE U.S.
PASSPORT OFFICE AND CITY TOWER. THEIR BUDGET IS ABOUT 4 MILLION MORE THAN FY '24. THIS IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE 2.6 MILLION THAT WE ARE FUNDING TO CONDUCT THE THREE POTENTIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN FY '25 WHICH INCLUDE THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION, THE MAY GENERAL ELECTION AND A POTENTIAL JUNE RUNOFF ELECTION.
28,000 TO PROVIDE THE NEW VIELT L RECORD SYSTEM AND 1.3 MILLION IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE ARCHIVES DIGITIZATION PROJECT.
THE ONE POSITION YOU SEE IN THE CITY CLERK IS REALLOCATION FROM THE FINANCING DEPARTMENT FROM REFERENCE DESK AT CITY TOWER, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE MOVING FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
IN ADDITION, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED REVENUE CHANGES. A NEW $25 BURIAL TRANSIT PERMIT FEE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE DISE THE DECEASED WITHIN TEXAS AT. INTRODUCING A $10 NOTARY FEE FOR THE PUBLIC AND CITY EMPLOYEES AND ADJUSTING THE PASSPORT PHOTO FEE FROM 15 TO $17. THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET IS 4.2 MILLION OR APPROXIMATELY 100,000 LOWER THAN FY '24.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE ELIMINATION OF TWO VACANT EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT POSITIONS AND THOSE DUTIES WILL BE ABSORBED BY OTHER STAFF. THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT INCLUDES A COMMUNICATION TEAM THAT HANDLES MEDIA, MARKETING AND MESSAGING FOR THE CITY. THEIR CREATIVE SERVICES TEAM OVERSEES BRAND MANAGE AND DESIGN FOR CITY-CREATED ASSETS. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO COMPLETES REQUEST FOR INFORMATION UNDER PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
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WHICH REDIRECTS A VACANT POSITION TO CREATIVE SERVICES TO IMPROVE THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR DEPARTMENT REQUESTS. ALSO SEE ANY PROCESSES ABOUT 80,000, OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS ANNUALLY, OPERATES OVER [INDISCERNIBLE] OVER 100 COMMUNITY MEETINGS ANNUALLY.NEXT IS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, DEVELOPING THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, AND PROVIDING GRANT TECHNICAL ASSISTANT TO CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THEIR TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET FOR '25 IS PROPOSED AT $2 MILLION OR ABOUT 400K MORE THAN FY '24. THE INCREASE ACCOUNTS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUIRED TO REPRESENT THE CITY AND ITS INTERESTS DURING THE 89TH STATE LEGISLATION IN 2025. THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO REDUCES FUNDING FOR THE CITY'S MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR THE GREATER AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO CORRIDOR COUNCIL. WITH THESE INVESTMENTS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS TARGETING AN 80% SUCCESS RATE AT DEFEATING HARMFUL LEGISLATION OPPOSED BY THE CITY DURING THE NEXT STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. HERE'S MY FAVORITE SLIDE.
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT, SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR 19 POSITIONS FOR OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICES, AS WELL AS THE FUNDING FOR THE 93 LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION POSITIONS. THIS IS A 3.3% INCREASE COMPARED TO THE '24 ADOPTED BUDGET. NEXT UP IS MILITARY AND VETERAN'S AFFAIRS. EXCUSE ME. MVA COLLABORATES WITH MILITARY PARTNERS TO ENHANCE MISSION READINESS, PROTECT INSTALLATIONS, ADVOCATE FOR MILITARY ISSUES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENTS AND SUPPORT VETERANS AND THAISH FAMILIES. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET PROVIDES FUNDS TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN OR MAY HAVE BEEN ALIGNED BY BASE REALIGNMENT OR POTENTIAL CLOSURE ACTION.
THE BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES FINDING FOR THE HEROES AND MILITARY SPOUSE PROGRAM WHICH HAS A GOAL OF [INDISCERNIBLE]. WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
ALL RIGHT. THIS ONE MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE.
THE BUDGET OFFICE. THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE BUDGET, WE FACILITATE THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS, WE PRODUCE MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPO REPORTS WITH THE ASSISTANT OF FINANCE. WE APPROVE FOR COUNCIL A SESSION ITEMS AND WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION ON COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS. OUR BUDGET WILL TOTAL THREE APPOINTMENT 6 MILLION OR 3.7 INCREASE FROM FY '24. BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES, THEY PROVIDE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL SERVICES FOR MOST CITY FACILITIES T MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF THE CITY'S FLIGHT DUTY AND ADMINISTRATION FLEET AND THE ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF CITY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. THEIR FY '25 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 125.2 MILLION, COMPRISES CITY SERVICES, FLEET SERVICES, EQUIPMENT E RENEW AND REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THE 25 CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDING INCLUDES 5 MILLION FOR THE CITY'S FUNDING AFFECTING THE OPERATING DEPARTMENTS THAT WE PRESENTED, THERE'S ALSO 2.8 EAR MARKED FOR CITY TOWER DEFERRED MAIPT NEBS.
HOWEVER YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A DECLINE FROM FY '24 TO '25 AND THAT'S THE RESULT OF THE COMPLETION OF THE CITYWIDE ROOFING PROJECT IN 2024.
NEXT IS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY OFFICE.
DEIA MANAGES THE CITY'S ACCESS OFFICE, LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES TO INCLUDE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND SPANISH TRANSLATION SERVICES.
200 TRAINING ON DEIA TOPICS. DEIA ALSO RESPONDS TO NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE COMPLAINTS WITH THE GOAL OF RESPONDING TO THEM WITHIN 10 DATES OF RECEIPT BY THE CITY RIGHTS MANAGER.
THEIR BUDGET IS A SLIGHT DECREASE OF 2.4% OF THE '24.
THIS IS DRIVEN BY THE COMPLETION OF THE LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN, AS THOSE FUNDS ARE NO LONGER NEEDED. WE ALSO DID SOME RIGHT SIZING OF SOME OF THEIR BUDGETS WHICH ACCOUNT FOR THE R REST OF THE DECREASE. OUR NEXT DEPARTMENT IS FINANCE.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT INCLUDES ACCOUNTING SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE FINANCIAL REPORTING, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PAYROLL, AND CITY WIDE ACCOUNTING. FINANCIAL SERVICES, SUCH AS INVESTMENTS, BANKING DEBT, [INDISCERNIBLE] COLLECTIONS AND AD VALOREM TAXES.
OUR PROCUREMENT SERVICES, WHICH ARE CENTRALIZED FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR ALL CITY ACTIVITIES.
THERE'S A PUBLIC UTILITIES DIVISION, WHICH INCLUDES OVERSIGHT OF CITY UTILITIES, TELECOM AND OTHER UTILITY COMPANIES IN SAN ANTONIO. FINANCES, COMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTION DIVISION PERFORMS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND CITY WIDE PROCESS OR CONTRACT REVIEWS.
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FINANCIAL OPERATIONS PROVIDES ITS VENDOR SUPPORT FOR THE CITY.AND THEN FINALLY, THE PRINT AND MAIL, WHICH PROVIDES OUR CENTRALIZED PRINT AND MAIL SERVICES. THE FY '25 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 33.5 MILLION OR 3.1% INCREASE FROM FY '24. THE DECREASE OF FOUR POSITIONS YOU SEE THERE ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MOVE OF THE ONE POSITION FROM FINANCE TO CLERK THAT I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A REORGANIZATION BETWEEN FINANCE AND THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, AND THEN ALSO A -- ANOTHER REORGANIZATION BETWEEN FINANCE AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND THEN ON THE REDUCTION, THERE IS ONE ADDITIONAL POSITION THAT'S PROPOSED TO BE ELIMINATED, AND THAT IS THE POSITION THAT HAS NO IMPACT TO SERVICES AS HOT REVENUE COLLECTIONS ARE NOW ADMINISTERED THROUGH A CONTRACTED AGENCY.
ONTO THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION. THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION EVALUATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITY SERVICES AND BUSINESS PROCESSES TO IMPROVE PROCESS EFFICIENCY TO SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY AND IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. THEY ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH INTERNAL CONSULTING, EMPLOYEE TRAINING THROUGH THE INNOVATION ACADEMY FOR CITY STAFF SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP PROBLEM-SOLVING CONSULTANTS WITHIN OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THROUGH RESEARCH AND PARTNERSHIP SUCH AS THE R & D LEAGUE. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 1.7 MILLION WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 500,000 LESS THAN THE FY '24 ADOPTED BUDGET. AND THIS IS DUE TO THE REORGANIZATION OF SMART CITY'S TEAM MEMBERS TO THE I.T. DEPARTMENT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE GOAL NEXT YEAR IS FOR THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION IS TO IDENTIFY AT LEAST 5 MILLION IN COST SAVINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS EFFICIENCY REVIEWS.
NEXT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS SUCH AS THE DIGITAL GOVERNMENT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, SECURITY FOR ALL CITY BUSINESS SYSTEMS, MAINTAINING OPERATIONS AND CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING DATA CENTER OPERATIONS, ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS AND SUPPORT, PUBLIC SAFETY AND COURT SYSTEMS, AND PORTFOLIO AND PRODUCT DELIVERY AND GOVERNANCE IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET IS APPROXIMATELY 122 BILLION WHICH REPRESENTS 4.3% INCREASE FROM THE '24 ADOPTED BUDGET.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR I.T. INCLUDE 1.2 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY 290,000 FOR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. TEXT MESSAGING SOFTWARE WHICH WILL PROVIDE A STREAMLINED PROCESS TO ANSWER FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT RECEIVED BY THE CITY UTILIZING A CLOUD-BASE SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION. I.T.'S POSITION INCREASES BY THREE DUE TO THE TRANSITION OF THE SMART CITY'S TEAM FROM INNOVATION.
THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, THEIR FOCUSED ON PROGRAMS TO PREVENT INJURIES AND COLLISIONS AND PROTECT CITY ASSETS. THEY MANAGE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND OVERSEE THE CITY'S WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAM AND GENERAL AND AUTO LIABILITY PROGRAMS. THEIR FY '24 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 35.6 MILLION OR A 3.4% INCREASE FROM FY '24.
THIS IS DUE TO EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS, REORGANIZATION OF ONE POSITION FROM THE FINANCE TO THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT THAT I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. ONE PERFORMANCE MEASURE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE NUMBER OF FACILITY SAFETY INSPECT SHUPS, THAT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN FY '25. SO THAT CONCLUDES THE 20 DEPARTMENTS, JUST A COUPLE NOTES ONION DEPARTMENTAL, THE FY '25 NONDEPARTMENTAL PROPOSED BUDGET IS 26 MILLION OR A DECREASE OF 7.5% OR 2.1 MILLION FROM THE '24 BUDGET. THIS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE FUEL AND GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY AMOUNTS THAT ARE PART OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET. SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NONDEPARTMENTAL BUDGET INCLUDE 8.3 MILLION FOR SALES TAX COLLECTION FEES, WHICH IS A 2% TAX -- OR EXCUSE ME, A 2% COLLECTION FEE CHARGED BY THE STATE FOR THEIR COLLECTION OF SALES TAXES. 6.3MILLION FOR CITY HALL, MUNICIPAL PLAZA, INTERNATIONAL CITY AND CITY TOWER MAINTENANCE, 4.8 MILLION TO THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE ESTIMATED CITY SHARE OF THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT FY '25 BUDGET. THIS AMOUNT IS BASED ON THE PRO RATA SHARE OF THE MOST RECENT PRIOR ACTIVITY OF THE OVERALL TAX LEVY. THERE'S ALSO 1.7 MILLION FOR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION SERVICES, ABOUT 890,000 IN DUES, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND OTHERS. AND FINALLY, THERE'S ABOUT 285,000 IN CREDIT CARD FEES. GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS,FE SO FOR GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS, THERE IS A REDUCTION FROM '24 TO '25, WHICH IS ABOUT A DECREASE OF 12.1 MILLION. AND THESE ARE BECAUSE OF THE THINGS YOU SEE UNDER THE HIGHLIGHT SECTION THERE, 6 MILLION OF
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SIDEWALKS, 3.8 MILLION FOR PARK SHADE STRUCTURES AND 1.8 MILLION FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT. THOSE THREE ITEMS ARE BEING MOVED TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET, SO IT'S -- REDUCING IT FROM THE TRANSFERS WITHIN THE JOURNAL FUND. THERE ON THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE TRANSFER HIGHLIGHTS. 9.8MILLION IN FUNDING GETS TRANSFERRED FOR THOSE OPERATIONS. THERE'S 1.4 MILLION FOR FACILITY MAIPT NEPS. THE NEXT YEAR'S EDWARDS AQUIFER DEBT PAYMENT OF 1.2 MILLION, 175K TO FUND TWO POSITIONS IN ISD AND 60,000 TO THE SOLID WASTE FUND FOR PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT THAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE GENERAL FUND.SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE, JUSTINA AND I AND DIRECTORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENTS PRESENTED ARE HERE AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, FREDDY.
LOTS IN HERE, SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT IS PULLED OUT BY MY COLLEAGUES. WE'LL GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED WITH
COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ? >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOOD PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE THE SMALL DEPARDEPARTMENTS AND THE ONES THAT SORT OF FIT INTO THE MISCELLANEOUS BUCKET, WITHOUT YOU GUYS, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO RUN THIS OPERATION, SO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE REPRESENTED IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY, THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR DEDICATION TO MY CONSTITUENTS. I REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE REQUEST, ERIK, AND I THINK OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS WILL BRING IT UP. A WHILE BACK WE -- SOME OF US GAVE UP AN LGC POSITION IN ORDER TO FUND A GRANT TO CASA. I'VE REACHED A POINT WHERE I THINK THAT I NEED TO LEVEL THAT UP AND GET ANOTHER LGC POSITION IN MY OFFICE IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO CONSTITUENT SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES CALLS THAT ARE COMING IN. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I APPRECIATE EVERY DEPARTMENT. I'LL START OFF WITH THE EASIEST ONES, AND BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES, YOU HAVE ON THE SLIDE THE DISPOSITION OF CITY VEHICLES. AND I WANTED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE WE WERE ASKED BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A PORTABLE DIAPER CHANGING STATION, THAT THEY TAKE AROUND TO ALL OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, TO SEE IF WE COULD CONSIDER AS A CITY HAVING A DONATION OF SOMETHING TO PULL IT, RIGHT, TO PULL THAT TRAILER. AND SO -- BUT HOW DO YOU ALL MAKE THAT SELECTION? SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. MR. JORGE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. WE HAVE A PROGRAM WITHIN THE BUILDING AND DEPARTMENT SERVICES, WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR WHERE WE SEND ANY EQUIPMENT THAT IS NO LONGER NEEDED BY THE CITY.
THAT EQUIPMENT IS SENT THROUGH THAT CONTRACTOR AND THROUGH AUCTION, ALL THE EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES, TRACTORS, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DISPOSING OF IS
AUCTIONED OUT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
>> WE HAVE IN THE PAST WITH APPROVAL OF COUNCIL, BEEN ABLE TO DONATE SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT. IN SOME CASES, FOR EXAMPLE, MULTIPASSENGER VANS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES NO LONGER NEEDED, THOSE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT, THOSE TYPE OF VEHICLES HAVE BEEN DONATED TO NONPROFIT AGENCIES. WE HAVE A WAY, ACCORDING TO THE ESTABLISHED RULES OF DISPOSITION, AS LONG AS WE GET A FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THE PARTICULAR ASSET THAT IS BEING DONATED, THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN DISPOSED OF
WITH APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
THANK YOU, JORGE, SO I'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO IT. I THINK MY STAFF WAS ALREADY STARTING THE PROCESS WITH DHS AS WELL TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THAT SUPPORT TO DISABILITYSA, THEIR MOBILE CHANGING STATION GIVES ACCESS TO KIDS WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE RODEO OR FIESTA, AND SO THEY JUST GOT IT LAST YEAR. AND SO THEY JUST WERE TRYING TO SEE HOW THAT HAPPENED. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HAANSWER, JORGE, I APPRECIATE YOU. UNDER PARKING OPS AND THE MAIPT NEPS FUND, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE MUNICIPAL COURT LOT FEE.
WE WERE DOING A VIDEO WITH JUDGE OBLEDO THE OTHER DAY AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT, I THINK, WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A PRICE POINT ON THAT, SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT FREE, WHOEVER HAD THAT IDEA. I JUST REALLY VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
AND THEN UNDER THAT SAME DEPARTMENT, I SEE THAT SOME OF THE METERS IT
[00:30:05]
LOOKS LIKE ARE GOING TO BE GOING ABOUT. SO THE PARKING APP THAT WE HAVE -- BY THE WAY, WHOEVER RUNS THAT APP, I THINK IT'S A GREAT APP.SO IT'S EASY TO USE. YOU CAN INPUT YOUR DIFFERENT VEHICLES AND THEN JUST PAY DIRECTLY WITH A CREDIT CARD. SO KUDOS TO THAT APP.
BUT DOES THAT MEAN THAT THOSE AREAS ARE NOW GOING TO BE FREE?
>> COUNCILWOMAN, JOHN JACKS WITH CCO, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS JUST REMOVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO IT WILL STILL BE A PAY TO PARK SYSTEM, BUT YOU JUST YUSE THE APP. THESE ARE IN AREAS KIND OF OUTLYING PARTS OF DOWPT THAT DON'T SEE A LOT OF PARKING FREQUENCY, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO WE'RE
MOVING OVER TO AN APP SYSTEM. >> GARCIA: THAT MAKES SENSE. SO IT WILL JUST BE SIGN SAJ WITH A QR CODE AND
SOMETHING -- >> EXACTLY. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN -- WELL, AND ACTUALLY, THAT LEADS ME TO ANOTHER QUESTION. SO IF YOU -- I MEAN, WHAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS? LIKE WHAT HAPPENS AT THAT POINT? LIKE WHERE CAN YOU GO AND PAY FOR THAT AREA?
>> SO IT'S THROUGH A MOBILE APP. AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT -- THAT WAS A CONCERN EARLY ON WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO GO TO,
LIKE, CREDIT CARD ONLY. >> GARCIA: SURE. >> AND WE'VE REALLY NOT SEEN AN ISSUE WITH THAT. WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A PROBLEM, BUT WE DISCOVERED THAT WE DON'T REALLY SEE A LOT OF REQUESTS OR CONCERN ABOUT HAVING TO USE A MOBILE DEVICE FOR PARKING. BUT THESE ARE AREAS THAT ARE -- THERE'S VERY CLOSE PARKING IN PROXIMITY THAT IS FREE, THAT IS NOT RESTRICTED, SO THIS ISN'T REALLY THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF FREE AVAILABILITY JUST AROUND THE CORNER IN A LOT OF
PLACES, TOO. >> GARCIA: GOT IT. I THINK I KNOW SOME OF THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY REFERRING TO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOHN.
>> SURE. >> GARCIA: THE OTHER ITEM IS THE DISABILITY OFFICE -- NO, IT'S -- YES, IT IS. SO I'M SORRY, DEIA, DIVERSITY, EQUITY INCLUSION ACCESSIBILITY OFFICE.
SO I HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY, I WAS MEETING OVER AT BRACKENRIDGE PARK, AND SOMEBODY WAS TELLING ME THAT THEY WERE THERE DURING EASTER WITH A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD THAT BECAME VERY, VERY ANXIOUS BECAUSE OF THE CLAPPERS. AND SO I DIDN'T -- AND THEY SAID THAT THEY SUBMITTED A FORMAL COMPLAINT, AND THAT NOTHING WAS DONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT THAT, BUT WHEN I SAW THIS TODAY, I THOUGHT, OKAY, WAIT A SECOND. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT -- YOU KNOW, MAYBE -- LIKE HOW DOES SOMEBODY KNOW TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AT A PARK OR THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN AREAS OF PARKS, ET CETERA, JUST LED ME DOWN THAT WHOLE AVENUE.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN PARK
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN. THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE DOES RECEIVE COMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO CITY -- CITY SERVICES AND CITY LOCATIONS. I DO RECALL THAT COMPLAINT.
I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU FOR THE -- WITH THE EXACT DETAILS OF THE
COMPLAINT. >> GARCIA: SURE. >> BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT
THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE DID RESPOND. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
THANK YOU. >> BUT THAT WAS QUITE A FEW MONTHS AGO, BUT I
WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE. >> GARCIA: PERFECT.
I'D JUST LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE COMPLAINT PROCESS IS LIKE WHEN WE RECEIVE IT, WHAT HAPPENS, HOW LONG BEFORE SOMETHING TAKES ACTION, HOW LONG DOES IT TALK FOR YOU TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION POSSIBLY TO COUNCIL FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF.
>> USUALLY IT TAKES ABOUT 30 DAYS TO RESPOND, BUT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND RIGHT NOW DUE TO STAFF CAPACITY ISSUES. RIGHT NOW IT'S TAKING ABOUT 60 TO 90 DAYS AND IT REALLY DOES DEPEND ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE, SO MOST OFTEN THE DISABILITY ACCESS COMPLAINTS WILL COME IN, THEY'LL BE REVIEWED BY THE STAFF, AND THEN THEY WILL MAKE AN ASSESSMENT
ON HOW TO PROCEED. >> GARCIA: WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS PER DEPARTMENT? AND LIKE MAYBE WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT RECEIVES
THE MOST COMPLAINTS IS? >> SURE. WE CAN CERTAINLY GET
THOSE TO YOU. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THEN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, I NOTICED THERE WAS AN ITEM IN THERE FOR A REDUCTION OF -- I GUESS IT WAS DUES TO THE AUSTIN/SA-CORE DORE COUNCIL. AND SO CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. I SEE SALLY. HEY, SALLY.
>> HI, COUNCILWOMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN PASSED THE BIPAR SAN INFRASTRUCTURE -- SO THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE COULD TO BE -- HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE MAKING
[00:35:01]
SURE THAT WE WERE ENGAGED WITH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE REGION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE TRACKING EVERY POSSIBLE DOLLAR THAT WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THE CORRIDOR COUNCIL WAS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DURING THE LAUNCH OF BILL. WE PARTICIPATED. SINCE THEN, AS YOU KNOW, WE OR ABOUT MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE BILL OPPORTUNITIES.WE CURRENTLY -- AND EVEN BEFORE THE PARTICIPATION ON THE CORRIDOR COUNCIL, ALL ARE EXISTING PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED ITEMS. THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WILL CONTINUE, COUNCILWOMAN. THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND -- AUDIO] -- CURRENTLY HAPPENING INCLUDES TXDOT, SAMCO, THE MPO, VIA TRANSIT AND ACOG, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ADDRESSES THE INTEREST AREAS OF OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNICATION, THE COORDINATION WILL CONTINUE. THAT IS A REDUCTION IF COUNCIL PASSES IT, WE WON'T BE DUES PAYING MEMBERS, BUT ALL THE PARTNERS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN THE CORRIDOR COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE AND
COORDINATE WITH THEM. >> GARCIA: SO IT'S REDUCED TO 50,000.
WHAT DID WE PAY BEFORE? >> SO WE IT WAS 50,000.
WE'LL NO LONGER BE PAYING OUR DUES AS MEMBERS BUT THE COORDINATION WITH THE
EXISTING PARTNERS WILL CONTINUE. >> GARCIA: BUT THAT COUNCIL IS STILL GOING, OR STILL GOING TO BE IN EXISTENCE?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. THEY'RE STILL AN ENTITY, THEY'RE STILL A BODY, THEY HAVE OTHER MEMBERS THAT ARE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION.
THE CITY, IF COUNCIL APPROVES IT, THE REDUCTION, WE WON'T BE
DUES PAYING MEMBERS OF THE CORRIDOR COUNCIL. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
GOT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SALLY.
I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN FOR 3-1-1 SPECIFICALLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, POLL PAULA. YOU AL ALWAYS SEND US A REPORT. I TELL EVERYBODY TO CALL 3-1-1, EVERYONE THOUGH THEY DON'T HAVE -- MAYBE SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER TO SUBMIT ONLINE OR THROUGH THE APP, BUT THEY KNOW THE NUMBER 3-1-1, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL PUT SO MUCH EMPH EMPHASIS ON THAT.
I KNOW THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVEL, I KNOW WE HAD SUBMITTED A LOT OF PROGRAM INCREASE, AND SO WE JUST WANTED -- SO LIKE WE ADDED READY TO WORK -- THERE'S JUST A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ASK 3-1-1 TO DIVERT OVER TO OTHERS, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED?
>> DEFINITELY. I THINK WITH THE 96% ANSWER RATE, THERE'S STILL CAPACITY THERE, AND WE WANT OTHER DEPARTMENTS ALSO TO THINK ABOUT HOW 3-1-1 CAN HELP, BECAUSE WE ARE THAT FIRST PLACE AND FIRST CONNECTION TO
CITY SERVICES, SO DEFINITELY. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
AND THEN CAN YOU TELL ME MAYBE WHY WE FELL SHORT OF THE 2024 TARGET?
WAS THERE JUST NOT THAT MANY CALLS COMING IN? >> SO THERE'S TWO THINGS, RIGHT? SO CALL VOLUME, AND IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE -- THE ONE BIG THING THAT ACTUALLY LED TO QUITE A NUMBER OF CALLS LAST YEAR WERE THE CHANGE IN GARBAGE SERVICE DAYS AND THE WHOLE REORGANIZATION OF THE ROUTES, AND SO WE SAW THAT LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A LOT OF CALLS. BUT THE ACTUAL VOLUME THIS YEAR, IT IS DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE ATTRIBUTING FACTOR WHERE WE'RE STILL GETTING QUITE A NUMBER OF CALLS IS THE FACT THAT THE IVRS, AS WE MENTIONED, THE VIRTUAL AGENT, IS ACTUALLY HANDLING A LOT OF THOSE PHONE CALLS FOR US, SO THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY HAVING TO COME INTO THE QUEUE.
SO WE'RE STILL GETTING TO THE PHONE CALLS, THOUGH. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, PAULACH I'LL CHIME BACK IN. THANKS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, FRED, FOR THE PRESENTATION. FIRST, I WANTED TO START OFF BY THANKING THE CLERK'S OFFICE. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THEIR SPACE AND SEE THE INNOVATIONS THAT THEY'RE MAKING, BUT WHAT I WAS MOST IMPRESSED BY WAS THE REDUCTION IN WAIT TIME TO ACCESS BIRTH CERTIFICATES. I THINK OFTENTIMES WE DON'T CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT DOCUMENT, BUT AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WE HAD A CONSTITUENT WHO NEEDED TO DEMONSTRATE PROOF OF GUARDIANSHIP, AND HE WAS VERY STRESSED, RIGHT? HE HAD TO START A NEW JOB SO HE WAS ON PROBATION.
HE COULDN'T REALLY REQUEST TIME OFF TO GO GET A DOCUMENT THAT HE REALLY NEEDED, BUT IT WAS A STREAMLINED PROCESS. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK DEBBIE AND THE TEAM, THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR REDUCING THAT WAIT TIME.
AND INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY FOR THESE MUCH-NEEDED VITAL DOCUMENTS. I WANTED TO SHIFT OVER TO NOT NECESSARILY 3-1-1, BUT IT OVERLAPS WITH INNOVATION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE DATABASES THAT EACH DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIELD OFFICES USE VARY, RIGHT? THERE'S 3-1-1, SOME OF OUR TIMES USE IQ, AND OFTENTIMES THERE'S NOT ACCESS TO THE SAME NOTES. I'M NOT TOO SURE IF INNOVATION IS POTENTIALLY FOR -- IF THERE'S A DATABASE THAT [INDISCERNIBLE] ALL THE TOOLS THAT EACH OF THEM PROVIDE AND POTENTIALLY JUST HAVE ONE DATABASE, BECAUSE FREQUENTLY WE'RE REACHING OUT TO CODE, AND
[00:40:05]
THEY'RE GREAT AT PROVIDING US THOSE NOTES, BUT I THINK IT WOULD STREAMLINE EFFORTS IF THERE WAS ONE DATABASE WHERE WE COULD ACCESS NOTES AND UNDERSTAND WHY CASES ARE CLOSED. AGAIN, RIGHT, STAFF'S REALLY GREAT AT SHARING THOSE NOTES, BUT I THINK JUST HAVING ACCESS WOULD HELP STREAMLINE A LOT OF PROCESSES AND ALLOW US TO RESPOND TO CONSTITUENTS IN A TIMELY MATTER. IS THAT SOMETHING INNOVATION CAN EXPLORE?HAS INNOVATION EXPLORED THAT? >> HI, COUNCILWOMAN, JOHN PATEREK HERE, GOOD TO SEE YOU, REMOTELY. SO AS YOU'RE AWARE, WHEN WE WORK THROUGH THE CONSTITUENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE THAT EXISTS TODAY, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL THAT INTEGRATED BACK TO LAG-IN, RIGHT, TO THE 3-1-1 SYSTEM, BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY OF OFFICES HAVE CHOSEN TO USE ANOTHER TOOL. SO WE CAN WORK TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT INNOVATION DID IN THE PAST EXPLORE IT, AND CRAIG'S TEAM HELPED DEPLOY A TOOL THAT WAS LINKED BACK TO LAG-IN, BUT I THINK A DIFFERENT CHOICE HAS BEEN MADE. SO WE CAN WORK ON THE
FUTURE STATE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, RIGHT, FOR OUR FIELD OFFICES TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE VARIANT DATABASE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MORE DETAILED NOTES ON CASES ARE.
IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO HAVE A LICENSE AND/OR ACCESS TO VARIANT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES WORK. AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET TEAM, I CAN'T THANK Y'ALL ENOUGH.
Y'ALL ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE. I WANT TO THANK JUSTINA FOR FACILITATING THE YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL AND ASK IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH COMPONENT OR WERE YOU ALL ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS ADEQUATELY -- I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT WAS THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES THAT HELPED COVER THE YOUTH BUDGET
TOWN HALL OR WAS THAT THE BUDGET TEAM? >> HI, COUNCILWOMAN.
THE -- DHS COORDINATED THAT, MOST OF IT, AND THEN THEY COORDINATED AMONGST THE DEPARTMENTS TO HELP FACILITATE THAT YOUTH TOWN HALL.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, JUSTINA. AND IN THAT CASE, IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT TO HELP FACILITATE THE CONTINUATION OF THAT, IF IT'S FOR DHS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF.
AND I WANTED TO MOVE OVER TO START -- I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE DART CCR THAT MY OFFICE DRAFTED WILL GO TO COUNCIL COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH SUBSTANTIAL FINES FOR DART COST RECOVERY, AND I THINK IT COULD BE USED THE CCR, RIGHT, IS REQUESTING THAT -- ASSISTANCE, BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE [INDISCERNIBLE] PROCESS TO SUPPORT AN ADDITIONAL CODE OFFICER, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION TAKING PLACE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. THANK Y'ALL.
MAIRPZ THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
CAN WE GO TO SLIDE 20 REAL QUICK. I JUST WANTED THE RECORD TO SHOW THAT I AM, IN FACT, TALLER THAN COUNCILMAN MARK WHYTE.
NO, I -- CAN WE GO TO SLIDE 5, ACTUALLY. .
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE SHOES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THE 96% ANSWER RATE, DOES THAT INCLUDE CALLS
OUTSIDE OF OPERATING HOURS? >> THOSE ARE CALLS THAT
ARE ANSWERED BETWEEN 7:00 A.M. TO 11:00 P.M. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY.
WHAT -- I GUESS WHAT STOPS US FROM ACHIEVING SOMETHING HIGHER THAN NIX, 97, 98? I KNOW 96 IS A REALLY HIGH A GRADE, BUT I'D
LOVE 100. >> WE'LL WORK TOWARDS 100.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE?
>> I THINK REALLY IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT KIND OF INITIATIVES THE CITY MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTING. IT DEPENDS ON STAFFING LEVELS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT AFFECT THE ANSWER RATE.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE -- I MEAN, I THINK 96, OBVIOUSLY, YOU SEE THAT
THAT'S REALLY WELL, SINCE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YES,
CONGRATULATIONS. >> SO E WELL OO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT.
>> >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST SWORN IN, I BELIEVE 84, 86% WAS OUR ANSWER SO YOU GUYS HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS PROGRESS. I HEAR A SECRET PASSCODE
BEING SHARED. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, COUNCILMAN, THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE PHONE CALL, IT STARTS RINGING AND THEN DINNER'S ON THE STOVE OR THE CHILD IS CRYING AND THEY HANG UP.
THOSE GET COUNTED AGAINST US. 100 MAY BE DIFFICULT TO REACH, BUT OBVIOUSLY PAULA'S MAKING GREAT PROGRESS -- AND GOING BACK A FEW YEARS, WE WERE HEARING THAT PEOPLE ARE WAITING TOO NG LO, THEY WERE GETTING FRUSTRATED AND HANGING UP WHEN OUR CALL RATE WAS LOWER.
SO THE INVESTMENTS WERE MADE IN THE STAFF, AND THEN THE TECHNOLOGY TO
[00:45:02]
HAVE THE VIRTUAL AGENT ANSWERING INFORMATIONAL QUESTIONS, AND THAT'SWHAT'S DRIVING THE NUMBER UP. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: FOR SURE. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO -- JUST THE FINAL POINT, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I BELIEVE I HEARD FROM COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO IS THE NEED TO INTEGRATE, YOU KNOW, THE DATA THAT CODE, PUBLIC WORKS, 3-1-1 AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WHEN THEY INPUT STUFF INTO THEIR CASE WORK DATABASE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO HAVE ACCESS. AND I KNOW THAT WE EXPLORED PREVIOUS SOFTWARE THAT WAS NOT FAVORED BY ANY OF -- BY MANY OF OUR COUNCIL AIDES, AND SO IF THERE'S A WAY -- AUDIO] -- I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE.
>> DEFINITELY. AND I'LL ADD, IF YOU DON'T MIND, OBVIOUSLY OUR SYSTEM IS INTEGRATED WITH THE THREE BACK-END SYSTEMS AND THE NOTES THAT ARE ENTERED IN THE -- BY ALL OF THE RESPECTIVE STAFF, ALL OF THOSE NOTES COME BACK TO US, AND SO I'LL JUST CIRCLE AROUND WITH ALL OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS. I KNOW SOME OF YOU ALL -- I'M ALREADY TOUCHING BASE WITH, BUT GOING BACK IN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE THAT IS, WE KNOW HOW TO GET TO THAT, WE -- THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO SEE THAT, BOTH ON THE WEB PORTAL, AS WELL AS WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOGGED INTO THE VARIANT
APPLICATION, SO WE'LL DEFINITELY CIRCLE BACK. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU. >> WALSH: I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD, COUNCILWOMAN KAUR BROUGHT THIS UP A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT IT ON MONDAY. WE'LL DOUBLE BACK, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S THERE, IT'S JUST GOING TO REQUIRE SOME CHANGES. AND THAT -- I THINK IT'S INTUITIVE AND WOULD MAKE A WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE TO HAVE THE COUNCIL OFFICE TIED INTO THAT SYSTEM AND
NOT A SEPARATE SYSTEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: COOL. COOL.
I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATIVE COMMUNITY SAFETY A LITTLE BIT. SUPER, SUPER EXCITED OF THIS -- THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE THUS FAR. WE'VE BEEN WORKING COLLECTIVELY WITH NEIGHBORS, MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES AND SAPD TO FIND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO A LOT OF OUR GREATEST COMMUNITY SAFETY NEEDS, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE GRANT APPLICATIONS AS A PERFORMANCE MEASURE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINDING THE NEED FOR FUNDING FOR THINGS LIKE SECURITY CAMERAS, FUNDING YOUTH PROGRAMMING, OTHER INVESTMENTS LIKE THAT. AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT KIND OF GRANTS ARE WE APPLYING FOR? I GUESS IT'S BEEN -- WE'RE EXPECTING TWO THIS YEAR, BUT WHAT KIND OF GRANTS ARE WE SEARCHING
FOR AND APPLYING FOR, I GUESS, ULTIMATELY? >> SO THE PRIORITY COMING UP FOR FY '25 IS TO LOOK FOR GRANTS SPECIFICALLY TO PROVIDE HOUSING, EDUCATIONAL, VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLNESS, SPECIFICALLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A HISTORY OF VIOLENT CRIMINAL OFFENSE, OR THEY'RE RECENTLY INCARCERATED.
AND THAT IS TO SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT PHASE THREE FOCUSED DETERRENTS, WHERE WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE SMALL PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO DO COMMIT VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHO ARE AT RISK OF COMMITTING THAT CRIME OR BEING VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME THEMSELVES, AND SO PART OF FOCUS DETERRENT, IT'S BEING ABLE TO OFFER THESE INDIVIDUALS OPPORTUNITIES AS ALTERNATIVES TO MAYBE CRIM MY NOGENIC LIFESTYLE OR THEY'RE EXPERIENCING BARRIERS TO QUALITY JOB, EDUCATION, SKILLS, HOUSING STABILITY IS A HUGE ONE. YOU NEED STABLE HOUSING IN ORDER TO LOOK AT THESE OTHER GREATER THINGS, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR HIERARCHY OF NEEDS, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PURSUING THAT, OR TARGETING THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CAN HELP WITH THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR FOCUSED DETERRENCE FOR VIOLENT CRIME OFFENDERS
IN SAN ANTONIO. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL. I DID NOT KNOW THE ANSWER WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION, SO I AM REALLY EXCITED WITH THAT ANSWER. I AM -- WAIT, WHAT AM I MOVING ON TOO? I'M ALSO WONDERING IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES -- SO SAY THOSE GRANTS AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND I SEE COAPPLICATIONS. WOULD WE COAPPLY WITH, SAY, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BIG MOMMA SAFE HOUSE?
>> THAT IS CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY, YES. AND AS AN EXAMPLE, THE TWO THAT WE DID THUS FAR WERE COAPPLICATION WITH METRO HEALTH FOR COMMUNITY-BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION.
AND THEN WE ALSO DID APPLICATION WITH ACS FOR TRANSITIONAL PET SHELTER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SAMPLES, JUST AS EXAMPLES OF IF TWO WE DID THIS
YEAR. . >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: BEAUTIFUL.
I WANT TO THROW PARKS OUT THERE AS MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
APPLICATION. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'LL MOVE ON TO C & E. YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR SOME TIME NOW.
OVERALL, DO YOU FEEL WE'RE IMPROVING OUR ENGAGEMENT, AND SOMETHING I NOTICED, AS WE -- WHEN WE'VE RELEASED SURVEYS ON HOT BUTTON ISSUES LIKE THE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE LIKE THAT, WE SEE IT REACHES MORE RESIDENTS THAN OUR PLANNED ENGAGEMENT LIKE THE BUDGET SURVEYS, AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO -- I MEAN, I HATE... I DO WONDER IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE ON THOSE MORE
CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS THAT -- >> WALSH: WELL, THEY'RE MORE CONTROVERSIAL, AND THEY'RE LIKELY COMING FROM OUTSIDE
[00:50:02]
SAN ANTONIO. SO I THINK IT'S HARD TO COMPARE HORSE CARRIAGE TOTHE ANNUAL BUDGET SURVEY, I THINK. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WOULD DISAGREE BASED ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
>> WALSH: I WOULD DISAGREE ALSO. BUT GO AHEAD.
>> I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND ALSO HOW WE'RE PRESENTING IT. THE HORSE DRAWN CAR RAJS WAS FOR BOTH TOURISTS AND RESPERESIDENTS, AND SO WE HAD A VERY DIVERSE AUDIENCE.
THE BUDGET SURVEY, IF YOU WILL, IS MORE AIMED AT RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. WE'VE LEARNED SOME LESSONS WITH OUR SURVEYS OVER THE YEARS IN KEEPING THEM SHORT AND SWEET AND AS FEW QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE, BUT STILL ALLOWING PEOPLE TO VOICE
WHAT THEY NEED TO VOICE IS DEFINITELY THE GOAL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I GUESS -- AND I'M GOING TO PUT MY COMS AND MARKETING HAS ON FOR A SECOND AND REFRAME THE QUESTION OR REFRAME WHAT I THINK IT WAS GETTING AT WHICH IS, PEOPLE SEEMED TO REALLY CARE AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, AND I THINK THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SEE IN THE NEWS AND THE THINGS THAT MOST -- THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST INTERESTING TO THEM.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A DEEPER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE GET RESPECTS WHO MAYBE DON'T ALWAYS ENGAGE -- OR DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH CITY SERVICES, HOW DO WE MAKE THEM CARE TO THAT LEVEL? AND HOW DO WE ENGAGE THEM IN A WAY THAT'S MEANINGFUL TO THEM, SO THAT'S NOT A RIGHT NOW QUESTION TO ANSWER, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO ALWAYS
BE THINKING ABOUT. >> AGREED. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR C & E. I DO WANT TO ECHO THE REQUEST I HEARD, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NATURALLY WHERE -- THIS IS REALLY LOUD. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NATURALLY WHERE AFTER THE YEAR WAS UP, ONCE WE DID THE FTE INCREASE FOR COUNCIL AIDES THAT IT WOULD JUST BE RESTORED TO EACH COUNCIL OFFICE.
IT SEEMS THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE, BUT I APPRECIATED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND MAY HAVE EVEN JUST BEEN LAST YEAR, BUT I APPRECIATED THAT THERE WERE SOME OF US WHO EXPRESSED THAT WE HAD GREAT NEED IN OUR COUNCIL OFFICES AND WE WERE RECEIVING A LOT OF CALLS, AND SOME OF US -- PROBABLY THE MINORITY OF US NEEDED AN ADDITIONAL FTE.
AND AT THE TIME, THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO DIDN'T SAID I WANT TO SUPPORT THAT, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, USE MY FTE OR THE FUNDS THAT WOULD FUND MY FTE AND SUPPORT THIS NONPROFIT THAT I VALUE. AND NOW THAT THEY'RE AT THE POINT OF NEED, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THAT FTE RESTORED. REGARDING I.T., SO COMPUTERS SEEM TO BE A HUGE NEED. AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET A COMPUTER FOR ALL STAFF MEMBERS, INTERNS AND IT SEEMS -- I DON'T KNOW THAT OTHER OFFICES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. IT GOES EVEN DEEPER TO THINGS LIKE E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND THE LIKE. AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT IS IT THAT IS NEEDED TO FILL THAT GAP? AND TO SPEED THAT PROCESS UP.
>> I'M SORRY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE GAP AGAIN FOR ME, PLEASE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO THE TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR AN OFFICE TO GET THE NEEDED -- THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'S COMPUTERS, WHETHER
IT'S E-MAILS, THAT KIND OF STUFF. >> SO THE TIME FROM WHEN YOU REQUEST EITHER SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE TO IT ACTUALLY SHOWS UP AT THE DESKTOP IS ACTUALLY DRIVEN BY TWO THINGS. MY TEAM, THE ABILITY TO REQUEST IT, FINANCE IT AND ORDER IT. AND THEN THE ABILITY FOR THE VENDORS TO DELIVER IT. WE'VE BEEN USING SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES IN THE PAST AS OUR EXCUSE FOR A LOT OF THIS BECAUSE IT WAS TRUE. IT'S REALLY NOT THE EXCUSE GOING FORWARD.
IT HAS REALLY CLEARED UP. SO PRIMARILY THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS GET YOUR REQUIREMENTS RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW THE THINGS NEED TO EITHER BE BORROWED, WE CAN EXPEDITE THINGS THAT ARE SHARED WHILE WE BUY NEW.
SO IT DEPENDS WHAT THE PURCHASE IS AS WE GO FORWARD.
TRADITIONALLY WE NEED TO BE BETTER ABOUT EXPLAINING THAT TO YOU
DEPENDING ON THE THING YOU'RE ASKING FOR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, THAT'S GOOD TO HERE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS.
I KNOW THAT OUR TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT Y'ALL DO. I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT 3-1-1. YOU KNOW, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF OUR TEAMS BEING LOOPED INTO VARIANT AS WELL, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES -- AND IT'S A FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, RESPECTS ARE TELLING US AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, YEAH, I CALLED 3-1-1, NOTHING HAPPENED ABOUT IT. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE CALL.
SO THEN WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO YET ANOTHER THING AND CALL OUR OFFICE TO ESCALATE IT. SO I THINK THE MORE SEAMLESS THAT WE CAN COORDINATE AND SEE THE STATUS OF THEIR ISSUE, THE BETTER FOR US.
AND I ESPECIALLY HATE IT. I CAME FROM RACKSPACE, WHICH WAS GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. SO ASKING SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING AGAIN IS HORRIBLE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND SUBMITTING A PROBLEM. WE HAD A GREAT
[00:55:02]
CONVERSATION WITH [INDISCERNIBLE] THIS MORNING ABOUT ACS CASES.THIS CONTINUES TO BE A BIG PROBLEM WHEN THEY'RE CALLING 3-1-1 ABOUT ACS CASES. DO YOU HAVE ANY -- CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS THAT HAPPENS WHEN RESPECT RESIDENTS WHO CALL 3-1-1 ABOUT AN ACS CASE, LOOSE DOG OR ANYTHING, WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
>> SO WHEN A RESIDENT CALLS 3-1-1, OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO KNOW IS WHERE IS THE ISSUE AND WHAT IS THE CONCERN THAT YOU HAVE.
>> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUE, IT GETS TRIGGERED TO A DIFFERENT SERVICE REQUEST TYPE AND A DIFFERENT -- EACH SERVICE REQUEST TYPE HAS ITS OWN, WHAT WE CALL SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT, SO ITS OWN RESPONSE TIME, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUES. EVERY SINGLE SERVICE REQUEST HAS AN SLA.
WE ALL KNOW THAT SOME SLAS RIGHT NOW ARE JUST NOT BEING MET.
WE UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT. WITH EVERY SERVICE REQUEST, THE RESIDENT DOES GET A CONFIRMATION NUMBER.
THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US, MAKES IT EASIER WHEN THEY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, WITH YOUR OFFICE TO FOLLOW UP SPECIFICALLY ON THAT PARTICULAR CONCERN. IF THE WORK ORDER IS OPEN AND THERE IS A DIFFERENT CALL, WE MIGHT MAKE A NOTE ON THE REQUEST, WE MIGHT ENTER A WHOLE NEW REQUEST ENTIRELY, DEPENDING ON IF THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED.
SO WE DO ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENT TO KEEP CALLING US, TO JUST MAYBE SOMETHING HAS CHANGED. AND IF IT'S CHANGED, THEN IT BECOMES, YOU KNOW, A NEW WORK ORDER, RIGHT? IT BECOMES -- AND WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET ACS KNOW THAT IT'S CHANGED. SOMETHING HAS CHANGED, RIGHT? SO THAT CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE RESTHE RESIDENT AND US AND THAT PARTICULAR WORK ORDER, AND THAT PARTICULAR ANIMAL. AND, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND, ENGAGE OUR QA TEAM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR QA TEAM AND HOW THAT TEAM IS GETTING ENGAGED ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT CAN'T QUITE GET ADDRESSED, WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LITTLE BIT ONE-ON-ONE FOLLOW-UP WITH THE DEPARTMENT --
HANDLED. >> GAVITO: AND I THINK REALLY PART OF THE ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE CANNING RESIDENTS, WHO ARE PROBABLY ALREADY TAKING IN A DOG OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THEY SEE A LOOSE DOG, AND WE'RE SAYING HEY, YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US, LIKE THAT'S PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE RESIDENT, WHICH I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE FRUSTRATED.
>> YEAH. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, A D DOG THAT HAS BEEN CAPTURED, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ENCOURAGE, BECAUSE AS A RESIDENT, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE DOG, IF YOU HAVE OTHER ANIMALS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LOWER PRIORITY.
AND I'M SURE MIKE CAN COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITIES OF HIS CALLS, BUT THOSE TRAPPED ANIMALS, YES, YOU CAN CALL US, BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY LOWER PRIORITY, AND WE DON'T ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE IN THOSE ANIMALS. WE KNOW WE DON'T WANT THEM NECESSARILY ROAMING ON THE STREET, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY A CONCERN.
>> GAVITO: YEAH. >> I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING, BUT... I KNOW THAT WE DISCUSSED IT'S THIS MORNING.
>> YEAH, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE AGAIN. I KNOW WE GET ALL OUR CALLS REALLY FROM 3-1-1. THEY'RE DISPATCHED TO OUR TEAM AND THEN PRIORITIZED, BUT AS MENTIONED, EVEN RECENTLY, SOME OF THE CALLS WERE KIND OF REVISING OUR SCRIPT AND OUR PERFORMANCE TO GET OUT THERE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER, MAKING CONTACT WITH THAT OWNER SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE TRAPPED AND CONFINED CALLS.
SO ANY FEEDBACK YOU HAVE, WE HEAR IT A LOT FROM RESIDENTS AS WELL, WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT QUICKER SERVICE, SO WE WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON
THAT. >> GAVITO: OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD.
THANKS, MIKE. ALSO REALLY QUICK, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE TO THE 3-1-1 MOBILE APP. DO WE KNOW WHAT PLANS ARE
IN PLACE ON THE EXPANDED APP CAPABILITIES? >> YES.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW APP. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN TESTING. WE EXPECT TO LAUNCH THAT AT THE END OF AUGUST, INCLUDES NEW USER EXPERIENCE, NEW FUNCTIONALITY, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THE APP THAT MAYBE -- THEY WERE THERE, THEY WERE JUST KIND OF
HIDDEN. >> GAVITO: YEAH. >> SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THOSE ENHANCEMENTS. >> WALSH: OCTOBER.
YOU SAID AUGUST. >> OCTOBER. PARDON ME.
>> GAVITO: WE'RE EXCITED. I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS THAT WOULD LOVE HELPING TEST WITH THE APP AND ALL TRYING TO BE THAT NUMBER ONE SPOT. REALLY QUICK, YOU TOUCHED ON THE VIRTUAL AGENT. I KNOW WE'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT -- RESIDENTS. DO WE -- DO WE HAVE DATA TO SHOW -- I KNOW THAT YOU ANSWERED COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA'S QUESTION ON IT REDUCING OUR CALL VOLUME, BUT DO WE HAVE DATA TO SHOW HOW OFTEN THE PROBLEMS ARE
ACCURATELY REPORTED? >> I DO NOT HAVE REPORT. I DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE ANY TIME -- AND IT WAS FUNNY, BECAUSE OVER THE WEEKEND, I WAS AT A PUBLIC MEETING AND TALKED TO A PERSON, AND, YOU KNOW, AT ANY TIME
[01:00:05]
OBVIOUSLY ANYBODY DOES NOT NEED TO INTERACT WITH THE VIRTUAL AGENT.THEY CAN SAY CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY CAN SAY AGENT AND GO STRAIGHT INTO OUR QUEUE, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT IS HANDLING.
AND THIS YEAR, IF WE LOOK AT THE SEPTEMBER NUMBERS, I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GOING TO BE AT 200,000, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE HANDLING ABOUT 200,000 PHONE CALLS. SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF -- WHETHER IT'S GARBAGE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I PUT OUT, WHAT CAN I PUT AT MY CURBSIDE.
IT'S THOSE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT BEFORE WERE COMING INTO THE 3-1-1 CALL CENTER FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO HANDLE, BUT NOW ARE BEING HANDLED BY THAT VIRTUAL AGENT. WE CAN GET YOU A REPORT
ON WHAT THOSE TOP QUESTIONS ARE. >> GAVITO: YEAH, I'D LOVE TO JUST SEE -- I'M GLAD THAT IT'S HANDLING THE CALLS, BUT I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HOW IT IS ADDRESSING THE
>> GAVITO: WHICH I THINK ARE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
>> NO, NOT FOR SERVICE REQUEST. CORRECT, IT'S FOR INFORMATION. THESE ARE DEFINITELY CALLS FOR INFORMATION.
>> GAVITO: GOT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, PAULA.
FOR THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY'S HERE FOR THAT. HEY, SHANNON.
WHAT IS ADDITIONAL POSITION THAT IS BEING ADDED?
>> SO THE POSITION IS A REORGED POSITION FROM A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT AND IT WILL SUPPORT -- IT'S ACTUALLY AN EXISTING POSITION THAT'S FULLY FUNDED BY THE -- BECAUSE IT SUPPORTS THE BOND PROJECT, WHICH IS THE ALAMO, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN EXPANDED TO SUPPORT THINGS LIKE THE HOLIDAYS ON HOUSTON INITIATIVE AND STARS AND STRIPES ON HOUSTON AND OTHER KIND OF MAJOR EVENTS THAT WE'RE HELPING TO PLAN AND EXECUTE, AND SO IT IS ALSO TAKING ON OTHER TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS LIKE THAT.
ALSO LIKE HEMISFAIR, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ONE OF OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS THAT WE WORK ON AS A DEPARTMENT. AND SO THAT POSITION IS TAKING ON ADDITIONAL SPECIAL PROJECTS LIKE THAT.
>> GAVITO: SO JUST MOSTLY DOWNTOWN FOCUS THEN? >> SO FAR, YES.
>> GAVITO: OKAY. YEAH, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS -- AND WE COULD TALK FURTHER, IS ABOUT VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM. I KNOW WE HAVE SO MANY VACANT BUILDINGS ALL THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. AND THESE VACANT BUILDINGS CREATE ISSUES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, RESIDENTS ARE UPSET WITH THEM, THEY TURN INTO UNSAFE STRUCTURES, THEY HAVE CODE VIOLATIONS, USUALLY ATTRACT OUR UNHOUSED POPULATIONS, WHICH CAN CREATE FIRE HAZARDS AND STUFF. SO KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THIS POSITION IS GOING TO FANCY THINGS LIKE HOUSTON STREET STUFF AND NOT NECESSARILY, LIKE, STUFF THAT WE NEED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, LIKE VACANT BUILDINGS
BEING ADDRESSED. >> SO THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM, WE ACTUALLY ADDED A POSITION TO THAT PROGRAM WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE BUDGET, SO WE TOOK A POSITION FROM A DIFFERENT DIVISION AND ADDED A POSITION TO WORK ON ENHANCING THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM. I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF STAFF TURNOVER IN THE PROGRAM, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WENT TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND PROMOTED, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THEM, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO GET STAFFED BACK UP.
SO WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A LAG IN SOME OF OUR VACANT BUILDING CASE MANAGEMENT OVER THE LAST YEAR, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT REASON, BUT WE ARE BACK STAFFED AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS EXCITING, AND WE'RE LIKE REALLY WORKING TO ENHANCE, ESPECIALLY ENFORCEMENT. AND SO WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE GOING TO MUNICIPAL COURT.
OBVIOUSLY OUR MAIN PRIORITY FOR THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM IS NOT TO FILE CASES, IT'S TO GET BUILDINGS BACK INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO WE ALWAYS TRY FIRST TO WORK WITH THE OWNERS, TO BE A PARTNER, TO GIVE THEM RESOURCES, CONNECT THEM WITH OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, POTENTIALLY.
YOU KNOW, KIND OF HELP THEM NAVIGATE, BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE OWNERS THAT THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED. AND SO THE ONLY THING IS
ENFORCEMENT. >> GAVITO: SO THEN HOW ARE Y'ALL HOLDING ABSENT
OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE? >> SO ULTIMATELY, WE TAKE CASES TO MUNICIPAL COURT. AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS.
ENABLE THOSE CASES TO GET INTO -- IN FRONT OF MUNICIPAL COURT MORE QUICKLY, AND SO WE'VE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR THOSE CASES TO GET IN FRONT OF COURT -- OF THE COURT.
THE FRUSTRATING THING FOR EVERYONE IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU GO TO MUNICIPAL COURT, THE OUTCOME IS NOT -- LIKE THE COURT DOESN'T GET TO TELL THEM OR MAKE THEM FIX IT. IT'S REALLY ABOUT MORE FINES. AND SO WE THEN TAKE THAT TO USE AS LEVERAGE TO HELP -- HELP THEM SEE THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.
AND SO JUST RECENTLY -- JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENTER INTO A COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT WITH A VACANT BUILDING THAT'S BEEN A BIG PROBLEM. AND IT HAS VERY STRICT TIMELINES, AND BECAUSE THEY AGREED TO THAT IN WRITING, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO MUCH STRONGER ENFORCEMENT IF THAT DOESN'T
[01:05:01]
>> GAVITO: I WOULD BE CURIOUS ON SEEING THAT TIME LINE ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO ADDRESS THESE BUILDINGS. FROM SOUP TO NUTS, FROM THE BEGINNING OF A CITATION TO IT BEING HANDLED IN MUNICIPAL COURT BECAUSE THESE VACANT BUILDINGS ARE HUGE PROBLEMS FOR ALL OF US AND YOU WILL THE DANGERS -- ALL THE DANGERS THEY BRING
AND THE CALLS FROM RESIDENTS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. >> WALSH: IN TERMS OF THE FOLLOW-UP, WE'LL ALSO ON THE TIME LINE, WE'LL ALSO WORK WITH JUDGE OBLEDO AND GET STATS ON MUNICIPAL COURTS CASES AND THE RESOLUTION KIND OF IN THE SAME FORMAT SHE SHOWED TO YOU IN THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. I DON'T THINK SHE SHOWED THE CATEGORY YOU AND SHANNON ARE
TALKING ABOUT. >> GAVITO: SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS. I'M GOING TO JUMP RIGHT IN WITH 311. THE QUICK QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR 311 IS THE TOTAL CALLS IN 2024 WERE APPROXIMATELY A MILLION, BUT THE REQUEST PROCESS WERE
ONLY 342,000. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? >> THESE ARE SERVICE REQUESTS THAT ARE PROCESSED BY THE 311 OPERATORS, SO WE KNOW FROM ALL OF OUR CALLS THAT COME IN, OUR -- ABOUT 45% OF OUR CALLS ACTUALLY TURN INTO SERVICE REQUESTS.
THAT'S FROM 311. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SERVICE REQUESTS IN TOTAL, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES. THERE'S CALLING INTO 311, THERE'S PUTTING IN THROUGH THE MOBILE APP OR WEB PORTAL. THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS A SERVICE REQUEST CAN GET GENERATED AS WELL AS THOSE BY CODE ENFORCEMENT, CODE
ENFORCEMENT PROACTIVE. THERE'S DIFFERENT CHANNELS. >> KAUR: IS THERE LIKE A
CASE CLOSED NUMBER FOR THE REST OF THOSE REQUESTS? >> WELL, THEY ARE ALL CASES WORKED AND IN OUR SYSTEM. I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M UNDERSTANDING.
>> THEY ALL HAVE A NUMBER AND A CLOSURE. THERE'S JUST -- THERE'S JUST THREE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY ENTER THE SYSTEM. PHONE CALL, APP, OR ONLINE.
>> COUNCILWOMAN, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS ANSWERING, I THINK SO.
WE GET 800,000 PHONE CALLS, BUT HALF OF THEM ARE INFORMATION CALLS.
>> KAUR: NOT SERVICE REQUESTS. >> WHAT TIME IS THE LIBRARY OPEN, WHEN IS MY TRASH PICKED UP. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF CALLS BEING HANDLED BY THE VIRTUAL AGENT, THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR INFORMATION.
THE WORK ORDER REQUESTS ARE ALWAYS HANDLED BY A CALL TAKER.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S OFF-LOADED THOSE INFORMATION CALLS.
>> CORRECT. AND JUST ONE MORE NOTE, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO GET 800,000 PHONE CALLS, BUT NOT ALL -- 45% OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE SERVICE REQUESTS THAT WE PROCESS. WE'RE STILL HANDLING LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
>> KAUR: HOW MANY SERVICE REQUESTS ARE WE GETTING? ARE THOSE THE -- THE SERVICE REQUEST PROCESS THAT 100% OF THE SERVICE REQUESTS WE'RE RECEIVING?
>> CORRECT, YES, MA'AM. >> KAUR: THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR CCDO. SO ONE OF THE METRICS THAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, DO WE ACTUALLY START TRACKING CUSTOMER OR OR OR CAN WE START TRACKING CUSTOMER TRACK AT MARKET SQUARE, LA~VILLITA.
>> WE DO PARTNER WITH UTSA TO USE THEIR PLACER, SO WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT LIKE ACCOUNT FOR EVERY TIME SOMEONE OPENS A DOOR BUT WE CAN GET DATA FROM THEM TO GIVE US AN ESTIMATE HOW MUCH FOOT TRAFFIC IS GOING THROUGH THOSE FACILITIES.
>> KAUR: IT COULD BE GREAT TO SEE THAT DATA. I'M CURIOUS WHAT ARE THE WAYS WE COULD INCREASE SOME OF THE FOOT TRAFFIC THERE PARTICULARLY AS WE WRAP UP THE CONSTRUCTION AROUND BOTH OF THOSE AREAS AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE VENDORS. HOW DO WE GET THEM UP TO SPEED WITH WHAT'S NEW AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I AGREE. >> KAUR: WHAT IS THE REVENUE THAT COSA EARNS FROM THE RIVER BARGE TICKET SALES?
>> RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME. I DON'T KNOW IN JUSTINA HAS
THAT IMPACT NUMBER. >> KAUR: YOU CAN FOLLOW UP.
THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU.
>> KAUR: SEE NEAL, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO I JUST LEARNED FROM THESE METRICS THAT YOU MANAGE ALL OF OUR ORRS.
>> YES, WE DO. >> KAUR: THAT'S WILD. >> IT IS.
>> TEAM IS SO SMALL AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATION ENGAGEMENT AND
[01:10:05]
I'VE NOTICED IT MORE AND MORE RECENTLY. AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET YOU THE RIGHT SUPPORTS. DO THE DEPARTMENTAL PIOSREPORT UP TO YOU? >> NOT DIRECTLY TO US, BUT WE DO COORDINATE MONTHLY PIO MEETINGS AND WE ARE ALL IN CONTACT AND CONNECTION FOR THAT CONSISTENCY.
>> KAUR: I KNOW THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED AND WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER THINKING ABOUT AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE DEPARTMENTS MORE EFFICIENT IS HOW DO WE GET THAT CORD NATIONS. I THINK WE -- COORDINATION. WHEN WE SEE SURVEYS THAT LOOK SO DIFFERENTLY, HOW DOES ONE SURVEY THAT HAS SUPER USER FRIENDLY ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, ALL THE THINGS WE WANT TO SEE AND OTHERS DON'T NECESSARILY MEET THE MARK. WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE OF THAT COORDINATION THERE.
I KNOW ERIK YOU ARE NODDING BUS YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
AND THE LAST THING, I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, WOULD REALLY LOVE TO FIND YOU THE RIGHT TOOLS TO DO YOUR JOB MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. WHETHER IT'S A CITYWIDE WE CAN USE FOR CONTACT OR MAYBE EVEN REPLACING THE SA SPEAK UP PORTAL AND FINDING SOMETHING MORE STRONGER.
WHATEVER YOU NEED, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO LET US KNOW SO WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT.
>> KAUR: I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU ON MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT.
I JUST WANTED TO FORCE YOU TO STAND UP THERE. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> KAUR: NONE OF US COULD FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU AND YOU GET THE -- I AM ASSUMING YOU GET TO HEAR ALL OF IT FROM ALL OF US AND I DO IT WITH A SMILE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. I'M GOING TO SIT BACK DOWN
NOW. [LAUGHTER] >> KAUR: I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION -- JUSTINA, ARE YOU GOING ON THE GIVE A RESPONSE?
>> OUR PROJECTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 IS ABOUT 11.4 MILLION.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. FOR A QUICK QUESTION ON FINANCE, I NOTICE THAT -- ABOUT 14% OF OUR PAYMENTS AREN'T BEING PAID ON TIME. I THINK IT WAS LIKE WE WERE ONLY AT 86%. WHY ARE WE DELAYED ON THE REST OF THOSE?
>> THERE IS A COUPLE THINGS. ONE, I THINK WE ARE VERY CUSTOMER FRIENDLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR VENDORS. IF WE GET AN INCORRECT INVOICE, WE HAVE THE CHOICE OF SENDING IT BACK TO THEM. WE ACTUALLY
AUDIO] MORE THAN THEY SHOULD BE. >> KAUR: THERE'S STILL A LOT OF VENDORS THAT ARE BEING PAID BY CHECK. WHAT CAN WE DO TO MOVE THAT
OVER TO ACIH? >> WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW CONTRACT Y'ALL APPROVED A WEEK OR TWO AGO AND WORKING WITH THAT VENDOR. IT'S GOING TO BE AN IN-TAKE PROCESS AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM CHECK TO ACH.
RIGHT NOW BASED ON THESE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF VENDORS THAT ARE ON ACH, IT DOES ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 13%% ON ACH BUT 50% OF
TRANSACTIONS. >> KAUR: EFFICIENCY. THANK YOU.
A QUICK QUESTION FOR DEI AND ACCESSIBILITY. I WAS AT THE PRESENTATION FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS TASK FORCE. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NEXT STEPS? THERE WAS A CARD THAT SAYS THIS IS THE LANGUAGES I
PREFER. >> THE I SPEAK CARDS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND TRANSLATED INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUT AT CERTAIN VENUES. WE ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING H.R. APPROVAL ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE WHICH WILL HELP CITY DEPARTMENTS ESTABLISH A PLAN FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
>> KAUR: I DOVE THAT. COULD WE GET SOME OF THOSE CARDS TO PASS OUT TO THE
COMMUNITY? >> SURE. OF COURSE.
>> KAUR: I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS REQUESTED AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT EXECUTION OF THAT. SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. >> WALSH: DR. MATA, DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT? IT'S A SIMPLE TERM, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE
COUNCILWOMAN IS TALKING ABOUT. >> THE I SPEAK CARDS, THEY ARE JUST SMALL CARDS THAT PEOPLE CAN CARRY WITH THEM, PUT THEM IN THEIR WALLET AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT SYMBOLS THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE WHO ARE LIMITED ENGLISH
[01:15:02]
PERMISSION TO POINT AT WHATEVER SERVICE THEY NEED AND STATES I SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE AND IT'S TRANSLATED INTO THEIR LANGUAGE, HAS A QR CODE THATIS CONNECTED TO SERVICES. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK LAST QUESTION AND I'M GOING TO GET THIS IN IN ONE ROUND. FOR INNOVATION -- NOT FOR YOU, SORRY. REALLY QUICK FOR INNOVATION. JUST MY QUICK QUESTION IS LIKE THIS BOTTOM BOX IS BLANK FOR INNOVATION. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT PROJECTS THE INNOVATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST YEAR.
>> WALSH: REMEMBER, INNOVATION WENT THROUGH A TRANSITION IN MAY.
SO WE'RE RETOOLING WHAT THEIR FOCUSED ON. NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS. WITH A GOAL OF 5 MILLION IN SAVINGS. THAT'S IN WORKING WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE.
THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE RETOOLING IT. THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE FOCUS IN THE PAST, BUT WE'RE GOING
TO GET BACK TO NORMAL HERE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. I NOTICE YOUR OFFICE DIDN'T
HAVE ANY PERFORMANCE MEASURES IN THE -- >> WALSH: MY PERFORMANCE IS EVERY DAY AT THE COUNCIL MEETING AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN ANSWER SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATIONS, OF COURSE.
I'M GOING TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE FTE THAT A COUPLE PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED.
WE -- AS YOU KNOW, ERIK, WE TALKED A COUPLE YEARS AGO FOUR, MAYBE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS GAVE UP THAT NINTH FTE FOR -- TO GIVE THE FUNDS TO CASA AND DISTRICT 10 GAVE MONEY TO A STREETS PROJECT. BUT AT THE TIME IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I WENT BACK TO LISTEN TO THE TRANSCRIPT AND THE MAYOR SAID AT THE END OF IT IT WAS CLEAR AND MUD AND HE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WHEN I HEARD THE TRANSCRIPT. I THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING THE POSITION BACK IN TWO YEARS, BUT I UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR AT THIS POINT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE POSITION BACK. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE NINTH POSITION BACK. MAINLY TO MAKE IT EQUITABLE SO ALL COUNCIL OFFICES HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF FTES. AND OF COURSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRICT IS COVERED AS FAR AS CONSTITUENT SERVICES. THAT'S MY FORMAL REQUEST FOR THAT. MOVING OVER TO THE SELECTOR, I DO HAVE -- CITY CLERK, I DO HAVE A QUESTION -- THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT DIGITAL ARCHIVING.
IS THAT THE RIGHT TERM? >> YEAH. THE PLAN DEBBIE PROPOSED.
>> HAVRDA: IF WE DID IT THE WAY IT WAS PROPOSED, IT WOULD TAKE MANY, MANY YEARS TO MAKE EVERYTHING DIGITAL AND THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR IT TO BE NARROWED DOWN TO FIVE OR SIX YEARS. I'M MAKING SURE, IS THAT IN THIS BUDGET?
>> WALSH: YES. >> HAVRDA: I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS THERE.
THANK YOU. AND THEN FOR 311, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT, BUT THE 96%, THAT WAS SLIDE 5, CAN WE GO TO THAT? THE 96%, IT SAYS THE PERCENTAGE OF CALLS HANDLED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE. I'M WONDER WAG THE DEFINITION IS HANDLED IS. DOES THAT MEAN 96% OF THE CALLS WERE RESOLVED, ISSUES
WERE RESOLVED. >> 96% OF THE PHONE CALLS. THE CALL COMES INTO THE CUE AND THE RESIDENT WAS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PARTICULAR CONCERN.
FROM THOSE PHONE CALLS, SOME ARE CALLS FOR INFORMATION, VERSUS SOME OF THOSE
TRANSLATE TO SERVICE REQUESTS. >> HAVRDA: WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SERVICE CALLS WERE RESOLVED? THE ISSUE WAS TAKEN CARE OF?
>> WELL, IF YOU GO TO THE AGING REPORT IN TERMS OF OUR SERVICE REQUESTS --
RESOLVED ON THE PHONE. >> HAVRDA: WELL, NO, NOT NECESSARILY -- YES, BY PHONE TOO, BUT SO IF YOU CALL, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT A POTHOLE, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE SERVICE CALLS -- LIKE NOT JUST A QUESTION OVER THE PHONE, I'M ASKING FOR AN
ACTION TO BE TAKEN, WHAT PERSONAL WERE TAKEN CARE OF? >> CURRENTLY FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE WE ARE CLOSING 96% OF THOSE PHONE CALLS. RIGHT?
>> HAVRDA: MAYBE I'M NOT BEING CLEAR. >> HOW MANY WERE RESOLVED,
RESOLVED. >> HAVRDA: THE ISSUE THEY WERE CALLING ABOUT WAS
RESOLVED, NOT THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT HUNG UP AND -- >> I THINK WE USE THE WORD WERE COMPLETE, HOW MANY OF THOSE ON THATUALLY GO AND FIX TE POTHOLE.
I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW. THAT IS DATA WE'RE STILL
SORT OF DIGGING INTO. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. >> BUT WE CAN PRODUCE
[01:20:03]
SOMETHING FOR YOU. >> HAVRDA: THAT'S A NUMBER THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.
THE 96% WHEN I SAW THAT FIRST, IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM COMMUNITY. AND IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE, BUT THE -- WHAT WE HEAR A LOT IS THE CASES GET CLOSED WHEN THEY CALL OR ON THE APP AND THERE'S A LOT OF DISSATISFACTION PARTICULARLY WITH THE APP, THEY ARE SEEING IT'S CLOSED, BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE POTHOLE ON THE GROUND. WHAT'S THAT NUMBER AND HOW DO WE GROW THAT NUMBER. I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT I KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE TRENDING UPWARDS AS FAR AS TAKING CARE OF THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO'S BUSINESS, BUT WE STILL GET A LOT OF CALLS ON THIS. AND I THINK WE ARE AT OUR BUDGET MEETING SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THAT YOU PUT IT IN THE APP OR YOU CALL AND THERE IS A -- 20 MINUTES LATER THE ISSUE IS CLOSED. WE SAID WELL, SOMETIMES THERE'S BEEN 20 CALLS ON THIS, YOU WEREN'T THE FIRST CALL, SO I CAN SEE THAT, BUT WE NEED TO BREAK THAT DOWN BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME, RIGHT? ALSO ON THE APP, IS THERE A WAY TO SHOW THAT IT'S BEING CLOSED.
IF I CALLED A POTHOLE YOU CAN SEE SOMEBODY OR YOU CAN CALL AND SAY NO, WE ALREADY GOT THIS CALL, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. AND THEN WHENEVER THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED, OKAY, WE RESOLVED IT. I KNOW YOU GUYS CAN'T CALL BACK, BUT WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. CAN WE USE THAT TO SHOW IF YOU GO BACK IN AND SAY I OPENED THIS CALL AND IT GOT CLOSED BECAUSE IT GOT
RESOLVED OR NOT? >> YES, MA'AM. DEFINITELY.
IN THE APP OR IF YOU CALL, YOU GET A LINK OR YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE APP AND YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THOSE CLOSURE NOTES. IT GETS BACK TO CLOSER NOTES AND WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE WHEN THEY -- YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY ARE DOCUMENTING, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IT'S CLOSED BECAUSE A DUPLICATE.
THE ACTUAL CLOSER NOTE SHOULD SAY DUPLICATE REPORT. YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THOSE NOTES THAT THE DEPARTMENTS -- YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE DEPARTMENTS DOCUMENT THOSE WORK ORDERS, THOSE NOTES COME BACK INTO THE SYSTEM AND YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THAT WHETHER YOU ARE ON THE APP OR CLICKING A LINK FROM EMAIL.
>> HAVRDA: THIS IS AN EXAMPLE ON THE SLIDE. >> CORRECT.
A TRAFFIC SIGN I PUT IN WHEN I WAS MY WAY TO THE BUDGET MEETING.
>> HAVRDA: I SEE AT THE BOTTOM YOU HAVE WERE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE.
DO YOU HAVE DATA ON THAT? >> WE DON'T. WE CALL IT THE NEW -- QUICK AND EASY WAR -- EASY WAY FOR A RESIDENT TO GIVE US -- LOUVER THE DEPARTMENT ADDRESSED THE CONCERN. THOSE ARE THE NEW REPORTS THAT OUR QA TEAM, OUR NEW QA TEAM BEGINS TO WORK ON THOSE. SO WE IMPLEMENTED THAT QUICK AND EASY YES/NO BUTTON ON AUGUST 6TH. SINCE THEN THERE HAVE BEEN 133 NOS OF WHICH -- 108 HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. I CALL THEM RESOLVED BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ONE OF MY QA TEAM MEMBERS HAS COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY WITH THE RESIDENT TO ADDRESS WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TRULY ADDRESS THE CONCERN.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN THEY NEED TO -- THEY ARE LETTING US KNOW THE ISSUE WASN'T ADDRESSED AND THIS YES/NO BUTTON IS A QUICK AND EASY WAY.
>> HAVRDA: THAT'S GREAT. DO YOU HAVE THAT FOR 311 ITSELF?
>> WELL, FURTHER DOWN IN THE SURVEY WE HAVE GENERAL FEEDBACK SURVEY THAT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DID 311 HANDLE YOUR REQUEST EFFICIENTLY, WAS THE
AFTERNOON WAIT TIME. WE HAVE THOSE -- >> HAVRDA: CAN YOU DO THE
QUICK AND EASY THING JUST FOR 311? >> NO.
HOWEVER, WE ARE WHEN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING AND WORKING ON THAT AFTER-CALL SURVEY AND THAT WILL MEASURE HOW 311, THIS PERSON THAT YOU SPOKE WITH, HOW THAT
CALL WAS HAND. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. >> WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
IMPLEMENTING THAT. >> HAVRDA: BUT YOU CAN'T USE THIS FOR 311?
THIS KIND OF YES/NO? >> I GUESS YOU COULD, BUT THE INTERMITTENT WAS WERE YOU SATISFIED -- THE INTENT WAS WERE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE.
DID THE AGENT HANDLE THE -- >> HAVRDA: MAYBE I CAN DO --
>> LET ME TRY TO CLEAR IT UP. WE DO SATISFACTION MEASURING FOR 311 THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SURVEY. I THINK IT WAS 81% SATISFACTION RATE. THERE'S A SURVEY YOU CAN TAKE WHEN YOU GET THIS CLOSURE EMAIL. THAT TRACKS 86% SATISFACTION RATE.
THIS YES/NO WAS INTENDED TO BE AN IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK LOOP.
THAT PERSON THAT GOT A CLOSED CASE EMAIL AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED COULD TELL US IMMEDIATELY AND IT GETS ROUTED TO PAULA'S QUALITY
[01:25:06]
ASSURANCE TEAM AND TRIES TO SEEK RESOLUTION. SOME OF THE TIME IT'S A MATTER OF EXPECTATIONS. RESIDENTS CALL IN A LOOSE DOG, THEY WANT IT PICKED UP RIGHT AWAY, BUT ACS PUTS THAT DATA INTO THEIR SCHEDULE FOR DOING SWEEPS.IT'S SOMETIMES A MATTER OF EDUCATING THE RESIDENT. >> HAVRDA: I REQUESTED A -- WE GET THE MONTHLY REPORTS AND I REQUESTED A HEAT MAP OF WHERE THESE INCIDENTS WERE HAPPENING. IT WAS SUPER HELPFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT REGULARLY. THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO
ME. >> THANKING MY PARTNERS ATITY FOR DOING THOSE.
>> HAVRDA: I DO THINK 311 IS WORTH THE INVESTMENT SO THANKFUL WE'RE INCREASING IT. I WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK THE SPRINGFIELD AUDITOR KEVIN JUST BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE THAT MUCH LONGER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR FIRE AUDIT SAID ON PAGE 5. I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CANDID AND HOPEFUL AND YOUR SHOES ARE GOING TO BE HARD TO FILL. I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I THINK OUR GREAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE CITY GOVERNMENT BETTER HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO ME SO THANK YOU.
THAT'S IT. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU.
>> HAVRDA: THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO
HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: KEVIN, I ECHO THOSE COMMENTS HAVING BEEN HERE A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR, YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE CITY GOVERNMENT RUN BETTER AND MORE TRANSPARENTLY IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF SAYING THANK YOU TO PEOPLE, EMILY, YOU ARE NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING. I HAVE YET TO FIND A REQUEST TO YOUR OFFICE THAT HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED AND FULFILLED WITH A SMILE, AND IT'S TRULY REMARKABLE HOW YOU TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY HERE, SO THANK YOU. THE SAME FOR YOU DEBBIE AND YOUR GROUP. REALLY GREAT WORK AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ASSISTANCE.
NOW LET ME SAY SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WON'T LIKE. TAXPAYER-FUNDED LOBBYING.
I GOT A REAL PROBLEM WITH IT. I THINK WHAT THIS REALLY AMOUNTS TO IS FORCED SPEECH. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO SUPPORT A POLITICAL CANDIDATE, YOU CAN DONATE TO THAT CANDIDATE. YOU WANT TO SUPPORT SNICKERS, YOU CAN BUY A BAR. YOU WANT TO SUPPORT TARGET, YOU CAN GO AND SHOP AT TARGET. BUT HERE WE'RE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON LOBBYISTS TO GO TO AUSTIN THAT ARE OFTEN LOBBYING FOR AN AGENDA NOT SUPPORTED BY THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR CITY IS LOBBYING FOR AND YOU WANT TO STOP PAYING YOUR TAXES IN PRO TEST, THEN SOMEBODY SHOWS UP AT YOUR DOOR TO TAKE YOUR PROPERTY.
IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE COMING YEAR, $465,500, IF I HAVE THAT RIGHT, IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON LOBBYISTS TO GO UP TO AUSTIN TO PROMOTE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SAY IS A CITY AGENDA, BUT WHAT ALL TOO OFTEN I BELIEVE AMOUNTS TO A POLITICAL AGENDA. AND I AM OKAY ADVOCATING IN AUSTIN FOR ALL SAN ANTONIANS, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE ALWAYS DO THAT. AND, AGAIN, I THINK SOME OF THESE LOBBYING EFFORTS WITH OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AMOUNTS TO FORCED SPEECH AND IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT. WITH THAT SAID, A MILLION DOLLARS IN DUES IT LOOKS LIKE TO DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE CUT ONE OUT THIS YEAR.
HOW DID WE DECIDE WHICH OF THOSE GROUPS WE WERE CUTTING OUT?
>> WALSH: SO THE SAN ANTONIO-AUSTIN CORRIDOR, AS SALLY MENTIONED, WE
[01:30:06]
REENGAGED WITH THEM DURING B.I.L. THERE HAS BEEN NO DEMONSTRABLE CHANGE IN THE EVOLUTION OR ACCESS TO B.I.L. FUNDING.THAT'S WHY THAT ONE ROSE TO THE TOP IN TERMS OF A PROPOSED REDUCTION IN THE
BUDGET. >> WHYTE: AND DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING OUR BANG FOR THE BUCK WITH ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS WE'RE A PART OF?
>> WALSH: WELL, I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THE COUNCIL SHOULD TALK ABOUT
AND MAYBE, JUSTINA, LET'S GO THROUGH THE LIST OF -- >> WHYTE: WELL, I DON'T WANT -- I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TIME TO DO IT ALL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'VE GOT SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. BUT I GUESS GENERALLY HOW DO WE DETERMINE IF WE ARE GETTING THE BANG -- OUR BANG FOR OUR BUCK WITH ALL THESE GROUPS THAT WE'RE PAYING ALL
THESE DUES FOR? >> WALSH: WELL, I THINK PART OF IT IS THE FEEDBACK YOU'LL GET FROM STAFF, LIKE THE AUSTIN CORRIDOR, SAN ANTONIO-AUSTIN CORRIDOR.
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, YOU ALL APPROVED A RESOLUTION TO PLACE A MEMBER ON THE BOARD. I THINK THERE'S A VALUE HAVING THE 7TH LARGEST CITY RENTED ON THAT. FROM MY POSITION. BUT THAT'S A POLICY CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL OUGHT TO HAVE AND I THINK THERE IS SOME VALUE IN GOING THROUGH THOSE MEMBERSHIPS AND EVERYBODY WEIGHING IN WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S
SOMETHING YOU THINK WE SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON. >> WHYTE: JUST LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING A REVIEW OF DELEGATE AGENCIES AND BEOS AND DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH THERE, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WE'RE PAYING DUES TO AND SAY WHAT DID WE GAIN OUT OF THIS OVER THE PAST YEAR. LGC POSITION, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERY DISTRICT HAS EQUAL REPRESENTATION IN TERMS OF HOW MANY FTES WE HAVE, SO I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT 311 AND THE METRICS THERE -- AGAIN, I'M GLAD MEMORIAL DAY -- COUNCILMEMBER HAVRDA BROUGHT THAT UP.
I WOULD SAY -- I WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE METRICS WE'RE ASSIGNING TO EACH DEPARTMENT AND SEE IF THEY ARE REALLY VALID METRICS.
LET ME JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE HERE. ON THE -- WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, IT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF OUR METRICS IS NUMBER OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES, DEATH CERTIFICATES OR PASSPORTS, YOU KNOW, ISSUED.
OR HOW MANY PEOPLE ASK FOR PASSPORTS. THE METRICS REALLY HERE, IN MY OPINION, SHOULD FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND THEN TIMELINESS IN TURNING AROUND WHATEVER THE PRODUCT IS THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE LOOKING FOR.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE. SO I THINK MAYBE ACROSS THE BOARD WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR METRICS AND MAKE SURE THEY REALLY ARE JUDGING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND THE
EFFICIENCY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN EACH DEPARTMENT. >> WALSH: I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME, BUT I'LL ADDRESS THAT AT THE END IF YOU WANT ME TO. I'LL AGREE WITH YOU, BUT I'VE GOT SOME OTHER
COMMENTS. >> WHYTE: THAT'S GREAT. WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE THERE SOMEWHAT. OKAY. LET'S SEE.
MY LAST POINT HERE WAS ON -- WAS ON THE VACANT BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.
COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO MENTIONED IT A BIT. MY QUESTION I THINK IS DO WE --S COMPARE TO LAST YEAR, AND DO WE -- I REMEMBER LAST YEAR WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH BUSINESSES MAYBE LEAVING DOWNTOWN. IS THAT STILL GOING ON? I MEAN WHY ARE THESE VACANCIES SEEMINGLY CONTINUING TO RISE?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY -- THAT THEY ARE RISING ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM DOES NOT APPLY CITYWIDE.
THERE ARE PROGRAM AREAS. THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, BUT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE CITY. AND SO LIKE DOWNTOWN, THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT IS IN -- LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, NEIGHBORHOOD
[01:35:06]
CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, CITY-INITIATED TIRZ DISTRICTS, A BUFFER AROUND ACTIVE MILITARY BASES. YOU MAY HAVE VACANT BUILDINGS IN SOME OF YOUR DISTRICTS THAT AREN'T IN THE PROGRAM. AND WHAT WE FIND IS THE NUMBER OF VACANT BUILDINGS IN THE PROGRAM AREA REMAINS RELATIVELY CONSTANT BECAUSE A NEW BUILDING MIGHT BECOME VACANT, BUT ANOTHER BUILDING BECOMES OCCUPIED OR NO LONGER SUBJECT. SO SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED AND WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2015, THE PROGRAM AREA HAS INCREASED, BUT DISCOUNTING FOR THE CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM AREA, THE NUMBER OF VACANT BUILDINGS OR THE RATE OF>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> WALSH: I DENTAGRA -- DISAGREE ON THE EFFICIENCY. HOPEFULLY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN AWAY IF YOU SPENT TIME WITH THE 760-PAGE DOCUMENT, WE HAVE TRIED TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF NOT ONLY FOCUSING ON THE GENERAL METRICS BUT ALSO THE WORKLOAD. AND THOSE ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES.
THE WORKLOAD, YOU ARE RIGHT, WE DON'T CONTROL WHO DIES AND WHO GETS BORN, BUT -- BUDGET. BUT THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE LITERAL WORKLOAD THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS GOING THROUGH. SO AS MANY THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO THAT ARE ASPIRATIONAL, AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH -- REMEMBER THE 5,000 TRAFFIC REQUESTS THAT WE GET A YEAR, THE 85,000. SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO THE EFFICIENCY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS, NOT JUST THE INPUT. THE INPUT IS A CRITICAL PART TO JUST REALIZING HOW MUCH THIS ORGANIZATION DOES. AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REAL FINISH LINE ON METRICS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THAT TO THOSE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS MEASURES NEXT YEAR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND I BELIEVE WE ALL GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO OPT IN TO HAVING THE NINTH FTE. THE OTHER THING IS TALK ABOUT ZERO BALANCED BUDGET AND ZERO BALANCED THIS. YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S START WITH THE LGC. LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICES ON THAT. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MYSELF AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE THAT SITS TO THE LEFT OF ME, YOU WILL SEE OUR BUDGET INCREASE BECAUSE OUR NEED IS GREATER BECAUSE OF THE AREA WE'RE IN. BECAUSE THE RED LINING HISTORICALLY WE HAVE SEEN. SO IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, WE CAN MEET AS LGC AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND MAYBE OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE AS MANY STAFF AS WE NEED ON THE SOUTHERN SECTOR. THAT'S MY OPTION FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, JEFF, IF YOU COULD COME UP, AND THE ONE THING IS, I LOOKED AT THE BUDGET AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS SAID WHICH I'LL LEAVE THE MEDIA TO VERIFY, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TO ADVOCATE IN THIS CLIMATE -- AND I KNOW WE PAY DUES TO NLC WHICH IS A GREAT PORTION, BUT WE ARE -- ONE, WE ARE COMPETING FOR A LOT OF GRANTS FEDERALLY, AND THEN ALWAYS IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION -- AND I KNOW YOU ALWAYS TELL US THAT'S WHERE BILLS GO TO DIE IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH THE 89TH, BUT AGAIN WE ARE SEEING REAL THREATS TO CITY AND LOCAL CONTROL. SO CAN YOU KIND OF JUST SHARE A LITTLE OF, ONE, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TO GET WHAT WE NEED DONE, AND TWO, I THINK WE HAD A GREAT FIRST IGR COMMITTEE MEETING AND WE'RE SETTING THAT PART. AND JUST IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW WE WORK WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CITY THAT HAVE DIFFERENT
PRIORITIES. >> THERE'S A LOT SO I'LL BE QUICK.
BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD ARGUE OUR CITY AGENDA IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. YOU ALL WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AS A COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHAT POSITIONS YOU WANT US TO ADVOCATE UP THERE AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK BACK
[01:40:03]
AT OUR LAST AGENDAS, YOU WILL NOT FIND BIG POLITICAL FIGHTS AND SO FORTH, WE'RE FIGHTING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I THINK THE BODY WOULD AGREE IS IN OUR INTEREST AS A COMMUNITY. WE HIRE LOBBYISTS BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY. THE LEGISLATURE IN TEXAS IS IN SESSION EVERY OTHER YEAR.OUR BUDGET GOES UP AND DOWN EVERY OTHER YEAR SO WHEN WE'RE NOT IN SESSION WE DON'T PAY CONSULTANTS UP THERE. WE BRING THEM ON TO ADVOCATE FOR US. AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN IGR, 8,000 OR SO BILLS GET FILED EVERY SESSION. ABOUT A QUARTER OF THEM, 20 TO 25% OF THEM IMPACT CITIES IN SOME WAY SO THAT'S 2,000 BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING. SALLY'S TEAM IS FIVE STAFF MEMBERS, VERY SMALL, STATE AND FEDERAL. SO WE HIRE CONSULTANTS TO BE EXTENSIONS OF OUR TEAM UP THERE. THEY KNOW THE PROCESS, THEY KNOW MEMBERS OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEY HELP US NAVIGATE AND MANAGE THAT WHOLE PROCESS. IF THE STATE ULTIMATELY DID BAN OUR RIGHT TO HIRE CONSULTANTS, WE WOULD HAVE TO STAFF UP THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND THEY WOULD BE FULL TIME AND SOME OF THEM MIGHT LIVE IN AUSTIN WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN SESSION. SO WE'VE SEEN THAT AS THE MONTHS COST EFFECTIVE -- MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY. THE INTERESTS WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THE CAPITAL HAVE MANY MORE RESOURCES THAN WE DO. THE GROUPS THAT WANT TO UNDO OUR PAYDAY LENDING ORDINANCE HIRED DOZENS OF LOBBYISTS. THE DRUPES THAT WANT TO UNDUE OUR TELECOM BILLS, OUR TREE ORDINANCE SO THEY CAN CHOP DOWN TREES FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENTS ARE VERY WELL FUNDED AND REPRESENTED, AND WE'RE LIKE A LITTLE BAND OF MERRY CITIES UP THERE WITH OUR TEAMS TRYING TO DEFEND ULTIMATELY THE RIGHT OF YOU AS LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR SAN ANTONIO.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, JEFF, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING IS WE'RE NOT ALWAYS AT ODDS WITH THE STATE.
I MEAN GOVERNOR AB GOVERNOR ABBOTT JUST SENT KUDOS HOW WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY AND THERE IS A COMMON GROUND THAT WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE TO FIND.
THANK YOU -- SO THE NEXT PORTION IS HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO GET REVENUE FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF NOTES FOR CNE, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON THE SURVEY.
I THINK WHEN DEPARTMENTS COME TO YOU AND ASK YOU TO DO A BIGGER SURVEY THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF MOVE DOLLARS FROM THEIR BUDGET TO YOUR BUDGET.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS CNE OFFERS SOME CONSULTING HELP WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HIRING OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND THAT WE REALLY GET GROUPS AUDIO] IN TERMS OF SURVEYS, GETTING DIFFERENT OPINIONS. THE OTHER IS INNOVATION.
WHILE I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PIVOT THAT INNOVATION IS MAKING, I THINK, AGAIN, WE NEED TO TALK MORE TO EACH OTHER WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE STREAMLINE AND GET THINGS DONE EFFECTIVELY. AND FINALLY, JOHN, WITH CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT, THE REVENUE COLLECTED -- AND YOU DON'T NEED TO COME UP.
THE REVENUE COLLECTED FROM THE PARKING OPERATIONS I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US MAXIMIZE THAT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WHAT WE OPERATE STILL IS EFFICIENT AND WE'RE GETTING THE MAXIMUM DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY ON THOSE EVENTS DOWNTOWN. AND I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OH, IS THERE GOING TO BE ENOUGH PARKING DOWNTOWN, THERE WILL BE IF WE GET THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY IN. THE OTHER IS THE SPECIAL EVENTS AND THE PERMITS THAT WE USE FOR DOWNTOWN. I THINK WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO FILM OR INFLUENCERS THAT WANT TO STAND ON THE MARRIAGE ISLAND AND DO SPOTS THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE --G APPROPRIATELY. FOR THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE SOMETIMES DO THAT WITH PARKS, BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF CENTER CITY, WE'RE REALLY SEEING AN OPPORTUNITY THAT PEOPLE WANT TO USE THEIR DOWNTOWNS.
AND THEN FOR 311, GREAT JOB. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE DASHBOARD. MAYBE THE AI SAYS IF YOU ARE NEAR A COMPUTER, GO TO PUBLIC WORKS DASHBOARD. AND FIND, YOU KNOW THAT. SO I THINK THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ONLINE TOO. AGAIN, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, I WANT
[01:45:02]
A A SPECIAL BRIEFING WITH THEM BECAUSE I THINK THE BUDGET IS FINE, BUT I DO HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS AS WE GO INTO THESE SITE PLANNER ATTACKS AND -- CYBER ATTACKS AND THE TRENDS THERE. AND THEN DIVERT, EQUITY INCLUSION, I WANT TO APPLAUD THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND THE WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH THE HEARING IMPAIRED COMMUNITY. THE ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS MOBILITY ISSUES.AND DO WE HAVE -- OR CAN WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AT OUR CITY BUILDINGS AND KIND OF ASSESS THEM OR GRADE THEM FOR DIFFERENT MOBILITY ISSUES? SO I KNOW WE'RE LIKE OH, ELEVATORS AND I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE SURE OUR ELEVATORS WORK IN ALL OUR BUILDINGS, BUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE SIGNAGE THERE AND MAKING SURE IF WE HAVE WORKERS OR JUST VISITORS THAT HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES, WHERE DO OUR BUILDINGS RANK. BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES THERE'S -- THERE'S EMPLOYEES THAT MAYBE HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN TO THEM AND THEN THEY JUST -- THEY ARE WALKING A LITTLE SLOWER OR STAIRS, IT'S NOT AS EASY TO TAKE THE STAIRS, SO IF WE COULD WORK ON THAT WITH THE MOBILITY ISSUES.
AND MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS. GENERAL, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. I REALLY WANT TO SEE HOW WE CAN EXPLORE AND MAYBE LOOK AT WORKING MORE WITH OUR LOCAL VFWS. AND MAKING SURE THAT WE COLLABORATE. I THINK WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB RIGHT NOW, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST TALK, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES ON HOW WE CAN GET OUR VFWS INVOLVED MORE. DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT OR -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD PUT THEM MORE ON A COMMITTEE OR WE SHOULD PUT THEM ON ONE OF YOUR COMMITTEES OR IF -- HOW WE CAN ENGAGE THEM A LITTLE MORE IN WHAT WE DO.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. WE DO ENGAGE THEM.
THE COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS AND ALL OF YOU HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMISSION ARE VFW MEMBERS. WE DO OUTREACH TO THEM ALL.
I JUST TALKED TO 76 -- I JUST TALKED TO A COUPLE OF OTHERS, BUT WE DO ENGAGE WITH THEM. THEY HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES, AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT, A LOT OF THEM ARE FUNDING, AND WE DO TRY TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE TO FIND FUNDING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR NOW. THEY HAVE MEMBER ISSUES AND THEY ARE MAINLY -- IT'S THE OLDER GENERATION THAT JOINS THE VFW'S.
YEAH, WE DO INVOLVE, WE DO REACH OUT TO THEM ALL THE TIME.
THEY ARE ON OUR CONTACT LIST. I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 32 AROUND THE CITY, OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. YOU ALSO HAVE THE PURPLE HEART ORGANIZATION, DISABLED VETERANS, SO WE DO REACH OUT TO THEM AND WE'LL WORK WITH
YOUR TEAM IF THERE'S OTHER YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO. >> VIAGRAN: OPERATION DESERT STORM AND VETERANS FROM THE '90S, THEY ARE STARTING TO AGE AND NEEDING ASSISTANCE SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE VFWS ARE GOOD
LOCATIONS TO HELP WITH THAT ALSO. >> I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, ALL OF YOU AND THE VIRTUAL ONES TO REALLY LEVERAGE THAT -- YOUR COMMISSIONER THAT YOU HAVE ON THE COMMISSION OF VETERAN AFFAIRS.
I ASKED THEM TO MEET WITH YOU REGULARLY AND I THINK THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD PULSE ON WHAT THE ISSUES OF COMMON CONCERN ARE WITH THE VETERANS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, ALL YOUR DISTRICTS HAVE HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH THEM. YOU ARE RIGHT, THE OLDER GENERATION, THEY WILL GO INTO THE VFW, THE YOUNGER GENERATION GOES IN AND SAYS WHAT'S -- I CAN'T GET MY APP UP OR THESE KINDS OF THINGS. A A GENERATIONAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE AND I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THAT. AND THAT'S INCOME THAT COMES IN, YOU KNOW.
SO ANYWAY, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. ERIK, YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING?
>> WALSH: BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE, THE DUES, WE HAVE $901,000 SET ASIDE FOR DUES IN THE '25 BUDGET. 613,000 OF IT IS OUR PAYMENT TO CENTRO THE P.I.D. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT LINE ITEM IS TO THE CENTRO P.I.D. ACOG IS 108,000, MAYOR'S COMMISSION OF WOMEN, 15,000, NLC36000, NATIONAL FORUM FOR BLACK PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS 15,000.
[01:50:01]
TML66000. AND THE U.S. CONCERNS OF MAYORS 45,000.THE BALANCE OF IT, 613, IS ALL THE P.I.D. SO WE PROBABLY COULD CATEGORIZE THAT DIFFERENTLY, IT'S NOT ALL JUST DUES, IT'S PROPERTY OWNERS DOWNTOWN AND GOES BACK TO CLEANLINESS AND ADDITIONAL WORK THAT CENTRO DOES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: JUST TO INTERJECT, BURIED ON THESE SLIDES ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WAS THE FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS JUST IN ONE YEAR THAT WAS RECEIVED IN SAN ANTONIO. VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS COMPETITIVE, NOT FORM YOU LAIC. WE ARE COMPETING IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY AGAINST ALL OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, SIMILAR SIZES, SOME OTHERS, TO GET OUR FAIR SHARE DOWN IN SAN ANTONIO. JUST ON THE FEDERAL ADVOCACY SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM SALLY'S SHOP AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT GOING WITH ON
WITH THE STATE AS WELL. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. PAULA, I WANT TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THE NEW ACTION CODES THAT YOU HAVE.
THEY CERTAINLY MAKE IT MORE CLEAR AS TO WHAT'S BEEN DONE OR WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE OR HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN FINISHED OR ADDRESSED. YOU KNOW, THE CLOSED OR REQUESTS COMPLETED LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED AND OFTENTIMES WE WOULD GET CALLS SAYING, WELL, THEY SAID THIS IS CLOSED, BUT I STILL SEE THE THING OUT THERE. SO THIS HELPS A LOT. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
NOW, YOU SAID THAT THERE'S ABOUT 800 CONTACTS WITH 311 IN A YEAR?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> COURAGE: OKAY. AND YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT
350,000 OR UP TO 400,000 ARE ASKS FOR SERVICE TO BE DONE. >> CORRECT.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. NOW, YOU MENTION THERE WERE I THINK THREE OR FOUR
DIFFERENT METHODS OF INPUT INTO 31 WHAT ARE THEY AGAIN? >> IT'S IT'S THE MOBILE APP, THROUGH OUR WEB PORTAL SO PEOPLE CAN GO ONLINE AND WE CAN PROCESS WORK ORDERS THROUGH THERE THAT THE CITIZENS GO IN AND, OF COURSE, THOSE THAT ARE PROCESSED THROUGH -- BY CALLING 311. OF COURSE YOUR OFFICES AS WELL. UTILIZING THE APPLICATION AND PUTTING IN WORK ORDERS.
>> COURAGE: AND THEN YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE VIRTUAL --
>> SO THE VIRTUAL AGENT DOESN'T ACTUALLY CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST.
THE VIRTUAL AGENT ANSWERS A PHONE CALL WHEN A PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT IS RELAYED
BACK TO THE RESIDENT THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE OTHER LINE. >> COURAGE: BUT THE PORTAL
DOES BOTH, IS THAT RIGHT? >> THE PORTAL, YOU CAN CREATE SERVICE REQUESTS,
YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: AND THEN THE 311 APP, THEY REPORT SERVICES. DO THEY ALSO ASK FOR INFORMATION?
CAN YOU ASK FOR INFORMATION BACK? >> NO, NOT REALLY, YOU ARE
PROCESSING SERVICE REQUESTS THROUGH THERE. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
NOW, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY YOU ARE REDOING A NEW APP. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> CORRECT. WE'RE UNDER AN ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.
>> COURAGE: HOW DIFFERENT WILL IT BE, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WE HAD AN ORIGINAL 311 APP AB IT CHANGED A LITTLE BIT. IS THIS GOING TO LOOK
DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT. >> IT WILL BECAUSE WE'RE REBRANDING TO OUR CURRENT BRAND. FROM A BRANDING PERSPECTIVE IT IS GOING TO LOOK MORE LIKE SOME OF THE BRANDING RIGHT NOW WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IN TERMS OF THE SERVICE REQUESTS THAT YOU CAN DO THE LAYOUT IS GOING TO BE MORE IN A TILE FORMAT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE KINDS OF SERVICE REQUESTS YOU CAN MAKE THROUGH THE APP. THERE'S GOING TO BE A BRAND-NEW RESOURCES TAB. THAT RESOURCES TAB WILL GIVE YOU QUICK LINKS TO DIFFERENT CITY WEBSITES, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE MORE -- THAT'S MORE OF THE INFORMATIONAL -- THAT MAY BE WITHIN THE APP. BUT IN TERMS OF PROCESSING THE SERVICE REQUESTS, WE'RE ADDING I THINK ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN THERE, WE FEEL THERE'S THAT GAP AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING THOSE.
>> COURAGE: I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANYTHING COMING TO COUNCIL.
WAS THIS PUT OUT FOR BID? IS THIS A NEW COMPANY OR WHAT?
>> NO, OUR CURRENT MOBILE APP, THE VENDOR THAT WE HAVE IS THE VENDOR WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SINCE JULY OF 2018. THERE WAS A TRANSFER FROM THE ORIGINAL MOBILE APP VENDOR TO THE NEW BETTER FUTURES INSTITUTE WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. BUT THAT CONTRACT, I MEAN IT'S STILL THE SAME APP WE
HAVE BEEN USING. >> COURAGE: SO IT'S THE SAME CONTRACT, JUST ASKING
FOR SOME UPDATES? >> CORRECT. IN '22, THERE WAS A -- IS
[01:55:05]
WHEN THE NEW AGREEMENT WAS APPROVED, AND PART OF THAT AGREEMENT WAS FUNDING ALLOCATED AS WELL AS HOURS FOR ENHANCEMENTS, AND THOSE ENHANCEMENTS WILL HAPPEN NOW, WE'LL PROBABLY DO A FEW MORE NEXT YEAR OR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.WITH A MOBILE APP, YOU'VE GOT TO BE ALWAYS ON IT AND CHANGING AND UPDATING AND SO
JUST TO STAY CURRENT. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THANK YOU.
JOHN, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT CCDO. AND I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH OR TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU INTEGRATE WITH CENTRO SAN ANTONIO ON ACTIVITIES,
EVENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. >> ALMOST TO A DAILY BASIS.
WE HAVE CLOSE INTERACTION WITH CENTRO IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT REGARDS, WHETHER IT'S CLEANING SIDEWALKS OR DISCUSSING WHAT PLANS TO PUT IN -- PLANTS TO PUT IN THE POTS DOWNTOWN. AND THEN BIGGER MORE LONG-TERM EFFORTS RELATED TO PLANNING EVENTS, WE COORDINATE A LOT WITH THEM. THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN HOLIDAYS ON HOUSTON A LOT. WE'LL HELP SHANNON WITH THAT AND CENTRO IS A BIG PART OF
THAT. >> COURAGE: THERE ARE REGULAR COSTS?
>> THERE ARE. IT USUALLY DEPENDS ON THE EVENT.
THERE ARE SOME ACTIVATIONS THAT ARE SOLELY FUNDED BY CENTRO THAT JUST THEY DO.
THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT THAT WE DO, MOVIES IN THE PARK. WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE A BIGGER, BETTER EVENT IF WE PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS INCLUDING CENTRO.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. THANK YOU. LET'S SEE.
SHANNON, I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
I THINK ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT WAS OUR EFFORTS TO SAVE MATERIAL THROUGH DECONSTRUCTION. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESULTS OF OUR DECONSTRUCTION EFFORT. HOW IS IT TODAY AND WHAT HAS
BEEN THE BENEFIT. >> SURE. SO WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF MATERIAL DIVERTED FROM THE LANDFILL AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAM.
ABOUT 100,000 POUNDS OR 50 TONS OF MATERIAL HAS COME TO THE MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER ITSELF, BUT THEN A LOT OF OTHER MATERIAL FROM THE DECONSTRUCTIONINGS IS GOING AND BEING REUSED PRIVATELY. OUR MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER IS THE LAST STOP BEFORE THE LANDFILL. IF YOU ARE CONSTRUCTING A MATERIAL AND YOU WANT TO USE THE MATERIAL WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT OR YOU CAN SELL IT TO SOMEONE. THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES WHERE THAT MATERIAL MIGHT END UP. SO WE'RE REALLY THE LAST RESORT SO THAT MATERIAL DOESN'T END UP IN THE LANDFILL. WE ALSO HAVE HAD JUST AS A REMINDER THE DECONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE, THE DATES THAT TRIGGER THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DECONSTRUCTION. THOSE DATES EXPAND IN JANUARY OF 2025, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE ANTICIPATION OF ADDITIONAL DECONSTRUCTIONS EACH YEAR BECAUSE NOW NEWER BUILDINGS WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE DECONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENT IF THEY ARE
APPROVED FOR REMOVAL. >> COURAGE: SO WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT WHOEVER WANTS TO TEAR DOWN A HOME NEEDS TO FOLLOW THE DECONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE IF THEIR HOUSE
FALLS INTO THAT CATEGORY. >> EXACTLY. >> COURAGE: AND THAT'S
GOING TO EXPAND NEXT YEAR. >> YES. >> COURAGE: SO IT'S NOT AS
MANY OLDER BUT EVEN SOME OF THE LESS OLD HOMES. >> RIGHT.
SO RIGHT NOW THE INITIAL PHASE 1 THAT WAS APPROVED IN '22, THAT IS BUILDINGS THAT ARE 1945 OR EARLIER IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND 1920 OR EARLER CITYWIDE.
THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE TO WHERE THE CITYWIDE DATE IS 1945 OR EARLIER AND IF IN AN HISTORIC DISTRICT OR NCD IT'S 1960. IT'S JUST SINGLE-FAMILY.
THAT WILL INCREASE THE VOLUME OF MATERIALS. AND THE PRIMARY OUTLET FOR THOSE MATERIALS HAS BEEN EITHER REALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
THE MATERIALS GO IN AND ALSO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADMINISTERED BY
NEIGHBORHOODS. >> COURAGE: A PROPERTY OWNER DECONSTRUCTS ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE, THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH IT.
>> EXACTLY. IT'S THEIR MATERIAL. >> COURAGE: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR THE RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICE COULD ANSWER THIS, BUT WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM FOR PAYING OUT LEGAL SETTLEMENTS THAT THE CITY IS INVOLVED IN?
[02:00:03]
WHICH DEPARTMENT OR WHICH FUND OR WHATEVER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, FIRST ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY. COUNCILMAN, IT'S A TWO-PART ANSWER, BUT BECAUSE IT'S -- IT COMES FROM TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WE COVER THE LEGAL DEFENSE COSTS WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IS BASED ON ASSESSMENT THAT COMES THROUGH THE ENTIRE CITY DEPENDING UPON THEIR CLAIMS HISTORY OVER A FIVE-YEAR TERM.
SO THE ACTUAL COST OF THE SETTLEMENT WILL COME FROM RISK, WHICH IS -- THEY GO THROUGH THAT ASSESSMENT AS WELL AND THEN THE DEFENSE COSTS WILL BE PAID FROM THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. >> WALSH: LET ME ADD TO THAT IS CORRECT COUNCILMAN, THERE'S AN ANNUAL ASSESSMENT, ACTUARIAL REVIEW OF LIABILITIES AND POTENTIAL LIABILITIES THAT IS PART OF WHAT LIZ IS DESCRIBING, AND THAT'S DONE ANNUALLY AND THEN WE APPORTION OUT THAT EXPENSE TO ALL OF OUR OPERATING DEPARTMENTS AND GETS UPDATED ANNUALLY. BOTH FOR GENERAL LIABILITY AS WELL AS WORKER COMP.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. I GUESS MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO WHEN A DEPARTMENT HAS A VACANCY THAT MAYBE LASTS A WHOLE YEAR, WHAT HAPPENS TO
THOSE UNUSED FUNDS? >> COUNCILMAN, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE HISTORY OF ATTRITION IN EACH GIVEN DEPARTMENT.
LARGE DEPARTMENTS LIKE PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THEY HAVE WILL HAVE MORE POSITIONS VACANT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO WE HAVE AN ITEM IN THE BUDGET THAT REDUCES IN FACT THE SALARIES ALLOCATED TO THAT DEPARTMENT FOR THAT BUDGETED ATTRITION. WE CALL THAT A TURNOVER RATE. SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT SO WE DON'T HAVE EXCESS FUNDS AT
THE END OF THE YEAR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT'S INTERESTING.
>> WALSH: ON THE BACK END OF THE FISCAL YEAR WITH THE TURNOVER RATE BUILT IN, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SPENT WHEN THE CLOCK HITS MID MIGHT AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, THAT MONEY GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND REMOVED.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: IS THAT A FORMULA OR IS THERE A SYSTEM THAT --
>> VILLAGÓMEZ: WE DO A PERCENTAGE, COUNCILMAN, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DEPARTMENT. YOU HAVE VERY SMALL DEPARTMENTS LIKE HISTORIC PRESERVATION THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A BUDGETED TURNOVER, BUT LARGE DEPARTMENTS WE DO DEPENDING ON THE SIZE LIKE A 5% OR 3% OF THEIR TOTAL PERSONNEL BUDGET IS A TURNOVER RATE. AND WE DO AN AVERAGE OF THE POSITIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED
IN THAT DEPARTMENT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WAS HOPING FOR A MORE PERFECT SYSTEM THAT I COULD GET TO SEE -- I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING COOLER THAN THAT.
[LAUGHTER] EVERY YEAR I -- NOT THAT IT'S NOT COOL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. >>
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: EVERY YEAR I ASK FOR A LIST OF VACANCIES BY DEPARTMENT AND THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF VACANCY, SO I'M WONDERING IF I COULD GET THAT IDEALLY A COUPLE DAYS AHEAD OF OUR AMENDMENT SESSION. I THINK THAT WOULD BE ALL,
MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I'LL START OFF, I THINK ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID NLC WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND THAT'S INCORRECT AND I SIT ON THE BOARD SO I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO CORRECT THAT. AND SO IT'S ONE OF THE FIVE LOWEST DUES THAT THE CITY PAYS. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT THAT FOR THE RECORD.
AND THEN -- AND I WANTED TO APPRECIATE THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE.
THIS PAST WEEKEND WE HAD THE CELEBRATION WITH THE MISSIONS AND WE INVOLVED THE OFFICE OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. AND IF YOU ALL HAVEN'T HEARD TIM AS EMCEE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO LISTEN BUT I THINK HE HAS A LOT OF COMPETITION AGAINST MANNY ON HIS DAD JOKES. HE DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB, BUT HAD TO WAIT A LITTLE TIME TO TELL REALLY COOL DAD JOKES. I DO HAVE A QUESTION -- I WANTED TO APPRECIATE -- THANK YOU, SALLY. I HAD ASKED YOU A QUESTION.
ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT GOALS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IS LEVERAGE OF PARTICIPATION AND COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE THE SUCCESS OF PASSING OUR CITY PRIORITIES. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING ON ACOG WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE ORGANIZATION WE PAY THE MONTHS TO, 108,000.
GETTING TO WORK WITH ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES IS IMPORTANT AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU EVERY TIME I WORK WITH SOMEONE, THEY SAY THAT OUR TEAM IS GREAT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A PUBLIC KUDOS ON THAT. [APPLAUSE]
[02:05:01]
THEY KNOW SALLY. YEAH. SO EVERYBODY KNOWS SALLY, I FEEL LIKE. JEFF, YOU GET GOOD KUDOS TOO.I WANTED TO SAY THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOTICING AND THEY LOOK FOR SAN ANTONIO TO BE THE LEAD AND SOME OF THESE SURROUNDING CITIES. YESTERDAY WE HAD THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT. BECAUSE OF THE WORK SALLY DOES, I FEEL I GOT THE VOTES OF A LOT OF THOSE ENTITIES. I REPRESENT THE CITY OF BALCONES HEIGHTS, THE CITY OF LIVE OAK. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK, TEAM EFFORT AND IT TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER FOR IF PRIORITIES THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT EVERY ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I BELIEVE IN THE WORK TNL AND NLC DOES.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS -- THAT AGENCY, THE CERTIFICATION AGENCY. EARLIER THIS YEAR I WAS CONTACTED WITH A SMALL BUSINESS AND THEY HAD MOVED THE DEADLINE AND DIDN'T TELL THEM A DEADLINEEA WAS MOVED.
THERE WAS I THINK SOME LEADERSHIP ISSUES GOING ON. WE PAY THEM 50,000 A YEAR.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW WE LEVERAGE THAT AND HOW WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM SO THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DO GET SOME ADDITIONAL HELP
FROM THEM. >> WALSH: I'LL HAVE ALEX OR BRENDA COME SEE YOU BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE SUPPLY SA ALLOCATION. THAT 50,000 PROBABLY HASN'T INCREASED IN QUIT SOME TIME SO THAT AGENCY HAS STRUGGLED WITH LEADERSHIP ISSUES.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY RECRUITING RIGHT NOW FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THE FUNDING FOR THAT AGENCY IS SHARED BETWEEN 13 OR 14 DIFFERENT PUBLIC ENTITIES.
ALL THOSE ENTITIES HAVE AGREED TO INCREASE FUNDING AND -- ACTUALLY THE CEOS, I'VE AGREED TO BE ON THE PANEL TO INTERVIEW FOR THE NEW DIRECTOR.
>> GARCIA: I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I FEEL IT WAS UNTAYLOR WITH THAT MUCH MONEY WE PAY FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES NOT TO BE ALERTED WITH ENOUGH TIME OF THE CHANGES. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I DIDN'T SEE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL. CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MUCH WE PAY? OH, IT'S THROUGH GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT. YOU CAN GET THAT TO ME LATER, JUSTINA. KEVIN, I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE -- JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. I HAVE NOR QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT -- NO QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS ON TOP OF THINGS.
YOU MEET WITH US ABOUT THE AUDIT PLAN. WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO REPLACE YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EMILY OTHER THAN YES, I AGREE TO THE FTE AS WELL. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU THAT SAME THING, LIKE LAST WEEK I HAD A SHOE ISSUE AND I WAS LOOKING FOR GORILLA GLUE OR MASKING TAPE BECAUSE LIKE MANY OF THE LADIES HERE WITH HEELS WE GET STUCK ON THE BRICKS OUTSIDE. I THINK THAT WAS DESIGNED BY A MAN THAT DOESN'T WEAR HEELS. SO EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING FOR GORILLA GLUE BECAUSE OF EMILY. EVEN ON THOSE OTHER DUTIES, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO RUN HOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EMILY. AND THEN, YEAH, OKAY, PERFECT. SOUND GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO ASK I.T.
HOW DO WE CONSIDER GOING ABOUT ADDITIONAL APPS FOR THE DEPARTMENT? I LEARNED ABOUT A E-BODY GUARD APP THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING SIMILAR CALLED BRIGHT SKY.
IS THAT PART OF YOUR TECHNOLOGY AREA AND PART OF THAT INNOVATION TO TELL, I DON'T KNOW, PD OR HEALTH, SOMEONE, THERE'S THESE AWESOME APPS.
>> I'M IN CHARGE OF AWESOME APPS. THE BEST WAY IS WORK WITH EMILY OR WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND PUT THAT IDEA ON THE TABLING AND WE'LL EITHER DO THAT AS A PROTOTYPE AND SEE IF SOMETHING -- WE'LL TALK
ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT. >> GARCIA: OH, MY GOSH, SO EXCITED.
>> I DIDN'T SAY WE WOULD DO IT. >> COURAGE: IT'S NOT A
NO -- >> GARCIA: IT'S NOT A NO. WE COULD JUST CHANGE THE QR CODE FROM COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ'S THAT'S ALREADY ON THERE AND MAYBE ADD
REDIRECTION TO THIS APP, DOWNLOAD THIS APP. >> GIVE YOUR IDEAS TO EMILY.
>> GARCIA: GOT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> WHYTE: COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: WE'LL AGAIN ON THE TAXPAYER ---BRIEFLY AGAIN ON TAX-PAIR FUNDED LOBBYISTS, JEFF, I AGREE WITH YOU FOR THE MOST PART THAT THE MAJORITY -- AND I'VE GOT THE -- I'VE GOT THE
[02:10:04]
88TH, THE 86TH AND THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS IN FRONT OF ME IN TERMS OF WHAT IT WAS THAT OUR CITY WAS LOBBYING FOR. AND I AGREE WITH YOU LARGELY THAT A LOT OF THIS STUFF ALL SAN ANTONIANS WOULD WANT IT, BUT THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL THINGS IN HERE, RIGHT? AND YOU LOOK AT SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION IMPROVING ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. YOU'VE GOT SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY TO PREPARE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE.AND THE ONE WE DELIGHTED LAST YEAR ON HB 2127 REGARDING LOCAL CONTROL AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A POLITICALLY DIVISIVE ISSUE IN AUSTIN -- DEBATED ON LAST YEAR. MY POINT IS THAT I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE USING OUR CITIZENS' TAX DOLLARS TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S FORCED SPEECH AND IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK
AT. >> COUNCILMAN, I THINK WE ALSO AGREE WITH YOU LARGELY THAT THE PROGRAM SHOULDN'T BE MADE UP OF WHAT I WOULD CALL RADIOACTIVE ISSUES.
WE ALL MAY HAVE INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS ABOUT THINGS. THIS IS REALLY MEANT TO BE AN AGENDA FOR THE COMMUNITY. ON THAT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, WHAT THAT RESULTED IN US SUPPORTING WAS NOT ABORTION -- THERE WAS NO REAL DISCUSSION IN TEXAS ABOUT ABORTION LAW, IT WAS ABOUT EXTENDING MEDICAID COVERAGE POSTPARTUM FOR WOMEN TO -- IT WENT FROM 60 DAYS TO 12 MONTHS. SO WOMEN ON MEDICAID WERE FINDING THEIR COVERAGE CUT OFF 60 DAYS POST-PARTUM UNTIL THAT LEGISLATION, AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THAT, WE SUPPORTED THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN.
IT WASN'T TO ENGAGE IN THE SORT OF CULTURE FIGHT. WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND I KNOW -- WHOLE BODY AGREES IS TO THE BENEFIT OF SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
>> WHYTE: YEAH, AND LOOK, I'LL JUST SAY IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES UP IN AUSTIN WHO DEALT WITH SOME OF OUR FOLKS AND THEIR LOBBYING EFFORTS, I'M PRETTY FIRM AND CONFIDENT IN MY BELIEFS THERE WERE VERY POLITICAL ISSUES THAT OUR FOLKS ADVOCATED ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER ON.
BUT, AGAIN, TO ME OUR CITIZENS WANT THEIR MONEY SPENT ON AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE FORCED TO HAVE -- HAVE THEIR DOLLARS SPENT ON ADVOCACY ON ISSUES THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN.
OF COLLABORATION IS THERE WITH VISIT SA? >> OUR OFFICE COORDINATES WITH VISIT SA QUITE A BIT. I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT DATA ON HOW OFTEN BECAUSE THAT'S WITH OUR MARKETING MANAGER AND OUR DIRECTOR, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WE HAVE A REGULAR RELATIONSHIP IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT MULTIPLE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S
A TRUE PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT SA. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
AND ON INNOVATION, WE TALKED ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY IN AUDIT.
WELL, LET ME ASK MORE GENERALLY, ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC ISSUES WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR TO IMPROVE GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY?
OR PROGRAM EFFICIENCY ANYWHERE? >> INTERIM INNOVATION OFFICER. YEAH, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE BUDGET OFFICE TO GET OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS UNDERWAY MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A SET OF THEMED DEPARTMENTS SO WE CAN FIND THE REDUNDANCIES BETWEEN THEM. WE'VE DONE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWERS IN THE PAST, THIS IS NOT A NEW THING.
PEEVE DONE IT PRE-PANDEMIC AND CURRENTLY UNDERWAY WHERE THAT.
>> WHYTE: OKAY, THANKS. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA'S QUESTION ABOUT SISTER CITIES. IT'S MANAGED BY GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE HAVE $110,000 FOR ENGAGEMENTS THROUGH THE ARTS AGENCIES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: JUSTINA, THAT'S NOT THE MEMBERSHIP DUES, THAT'S
[02:15:05]
ENGAGEMENT -- OKAY. ERIK? >> WALSH: COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING UP IF YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SOME OF OUR CONTRACTORS ARE ENGAGING IN ACTIVITY ON OUR DIME FOR THINGS THAT THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO, THEN I GUESS I NEED TO KNOW THAT. NOW, A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WE EMPLOY HAVE OTHER CLIENTS, SO IT MAY BE HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE LINE IS AT. BUT IF YOU'RE HEARING THAT -- FROM OTHERS THAT THAT LINE IS GETTING BLURRED, THEN I NEED TO KNOW THAT SO WE CAN ADDRESS IT
AND ADDRESS IT PROMPTLY. >> WHYTE: AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE THINGS THEY
ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO. THAT'S REALLY MY POINT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: AND MY QUESTION. >> WALSH: WELL --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD AND FINISH YOUR THOUGHT, ERIK, THEN I'VE GOT
SOME COMMENTS. I'VE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY. >> WALSH: I DON'T WANT TO TAKE YOUR TIME, MAYOR. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE AND ULTIMATELY WE'VE GOT CONTRACTS AND THEY ARE EMPLOYED TO DO THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. AND EVEN THE PERCEPTION THAT THERE MAY BE BLURRING THAT LINE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CORRECTING THAT AND MAKING IT VERY CLEAR IN THAT
AUSTIN ENVIRONMENT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: I WOULD LIKE KIND OF TO ECHO WHAT -- I'M SORRY, THE CITY MANAGER SAID. IF WE COULD GET A LIST OF KIND OF WHO WE'RE -- WE MET WITH, IF THE ALLEGATIONS IT WAS THE LAST SESSION BECAUSE I HAVE GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT SIT ON BOTH AISLES. SO IF IT IS A CONTRACTOR, YES, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT IF IT WAS JUST -- I WANT TO KNOW WHO THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE, IF THEY ARE FROM OUR DELEGATION, IF THEY ARE FROM
ANOTHER REGION. >> IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE WITH 2,000 BILLS THEY GO THROUGH NUMEROUS COMMITTEES. SOME ARE MEMBERS, SOME ARE NOT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LIST OF MEETINGS, BUT WE DO A POST-SESSION RECAP OF WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR AND WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT WASN'T. THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS SETTING ASSIGN CONSULTANTS, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DECIDE WHAT OUR ISSUES SOON.
WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR THINGS WE WANT, WE'RE DOING WHAT THIS BODY TELLS US.
>> VIAGRAN: NO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS IN IGR COMMITTEE BECAUSE I HAD NOT HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTORS THAT LOBBY FOR CHAMBERS ALSO. AND SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET TO THE ROOT OF WHO THESE
PEOPLE ARE. >> YOU WANT OUR CONSULTANT TEAM?
>> VIAGRAN: GO AHEAD AND GIVE US YOUR CONSULTANT TEAM.
>> THAT GOES TO COUNCIL. WE'RE ON AN EXTENSION, IT'S OUR LAST ONE.
AFTER THIS SESSION WE'LL HAVE TO PUT IT BACK OUT FOR RFP AGAIN.
IT'S THE SAME TEAM WE USED LAST SESSION AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT IN THE
FOLLOW-UP. >> VIAGRAN: BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS AND I DON'T THINK THAT ISSUE IS A PARTISAN ISSUE SO THE PARTISAN PART WE DEFINITELY WANT TO KEEP OUT. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. I'LL WRAP US UP.
I MEAN JEFF, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. THERE IS NOTHING THAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY THAT THIS COUNCIL DOES NOT APPROVE.
EVERYTHING THAT'S IN OUR AGENDA GOES THROUGH A CITY COUNCIL VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, SPEAK UP. IF YOU ARE OUTVOTED, THAT'S HOW DEMOCRACY WORKS. BUT I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT NEARLY EVERYTHING THAT'S IN OUR AGENDA ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IS VIRTUALLY UNANIMOUS BECAUSE WE TRY AND STAY IN THAT MIDDLE LANE TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE ARE SPENDING OUR RESOURCES AND TIME ON ARE CLEARLY WHAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WANTS.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THE NOTION OF TAXPAYER-FUNDED LOBBYING WHICH HAS BECOME A POLITICAL CAUSE DEJOUR FOR SOME MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND SOME ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE CITIES GOING UP TO THE LEGISLATURE AND MAKING THE CASE IN CONTRAST WITH WHAT SOME OF THEIR SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBYISTS WANT THEM TO ACCOMPLISH. WE HAVE TO HAVE ADVOCACY AT THE LEGISLATURE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TOO, TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF AVERAGE CONSTITUENTS WITH ALL THE WELL-FUNDED LOBBYISTS, WHETHER IT'S NAME YOUR INDUSTRY, THAT IS GOING TO GET ANDCT THE BENEFITS THAT THEY WANT THAT IN MANY CASES ARE AT THE
COST OF LOCAL TAXPAYERS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND SO WE NEED THAT HELP BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BILLS THAT ARE FILED EVERY SINGLE
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SESSION. AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT ARE FULL-TIME THAT CAN GO SIT AND WATCH WHICH -- WHICH PIECE OF LENG SL LEGISLATION THAT HAS A RIDER THAT'S GOING TO UNDO OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL ZONING AROUND OUR MILITARY BASES, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHICH IS ALWAYS UNDER ATTACK AT THE LEGISLATURE. SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO AND LOBBY FOR. I GET IT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THE MARGIN THAT SOME OF US MAY NOT AGREE WITH, BUT WE HAVE OUR DAY ON THE DAIS EVERY TIME WE PASS THAT AGENDA. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE WANT TO GO FORWARD, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO HEAR OUR FOLKS MAKE SURE ARE HEARD AT THE LEGISLATURE IN COMMITTEE AND ON THE FLOOR, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IS IN OUR AGENDA. AND IF THINGS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR YOU, MAKE SURE YOU SPEAK YOUR MIND AT THAT TIME.I ALSO HAVE A FEW THANK YOUS I WANT TO MAKE. THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT MEMBERSHIP DUES. IT'S BEEN MY VIEW THAT SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE BELONG TO, IN PARTICULAR NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, THEY GIVE US A PERSPECTIVE, SOME EXTERNAL VALIDATION.
COUNCILMAN KAUR BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, ERIK, YOUR METRICS WHICH HAVE GONE THROUGH EBBS AND FLOWS CITY MANAGERS OVER THE YEARS.
ONE OF MY -- ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I LOOK FOR IN TERMS OF HOW WELL OUR CITY IS DOING AND IN PARTICULAR HOW WELL OUR CITY MANAGER IS DOING IS HOW OUR EXECUTIVES AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES FUNCTION.
AND WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES SEE FROM OUR CITY IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHETHER IT'S IN WASHINGTON, IN AUSTIN, OR GOING TO OTHER CITIES, CONSTANTLY WE ARE COMPLIMENTED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR TEAM. SALLY, SHERRY, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, THEY ALL WANT TO BE LIKE SAN ANTONIO.
THEY -- THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HOW DO YOU GUYS GET SO MUCH DONE OUT OF SO LITTLE. AND SO TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE AND THE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU HIRE, YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE'VE GOT TO, OBVIOUSLY, CONTINUE -- MAKE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS, BUT ERIK, YOU'VE ASSEMBLED AN INCREDIBLE TEAM, THEY ARE HY HIGH PERFORMERS, THEY MAKE OUR CITY LOOK GOOD AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY HEARING THAT FROM OUR PEERS AND FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO TO ME, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO BE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE METRICS FOR YOUR SUCCESS THEY WILL ALWAYS BE LOOKING AT. AND COUNCILMEMBER KAUR WANTED TO CHIME IN, I CONVINCED HER NOT TO, BECAUSE SHE DID WANT TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE THANK OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF THAT'S PART OF THIS PRESENTATION AS WELL. THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR CITY. GREAT JOB, EVERYBODY. I THINK AT 4:33, WE ARE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.