Nov 06, 2024 City Council B Session

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO DO A REAL SLOW ROLL, RIGHT? THE TIME IS 2:08 P.M. ON THE SIXTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024. WE'RE ON CLIFF? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER, OUR B SESSION. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU

READ THE ROLL SLOWLY? >> CLERK:

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. WE'RE JUST MOMENTARILY WAITING, OUR CITY MANAGER. WE DO HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. ALEX, I'M... WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON TODAY'S B

[ ITEMS  ]

TODAY? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S CORRECT, MAYOR.

WE HAVE ONE ITEM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO IF WE CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND, WE DO HAVE A 5:00 PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. SO ERIK, WE'RE READY TO

GO. >> WALSH: GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

TWO ITEMS TODAY. WE'LL KICK OFF WITH A BRIEFING ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE GUIDELINES. ONE OF OUR JOB CREATION TOOLS THAT WE UTILIZE HERE, THIS -- THESE GUIDELINES UNDER STATE LAW HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL EVERY TWO YEARS, AND LAST TIME THE COUNCIL ADJUSTED THESE -- THIS ORDINANCE, WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON ALIGNING THE GUIDELINES WITH OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND SIMPLIFYING IT IN TERMS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR PARTNERS. SO BRENDA IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THIS ITEM, THIS PROPOSAL. WE ARE ANTICIPATING BRINGS THIS TO COUNCIL BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. IT HAS BEEN TO COMMITTEE,

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BRENDA TO KICK US OFF. >> HICKS-SORENSON: GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU, ERIK, AND THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR BEING HERE. I'M BRENDA HICKS-SORENSON, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. AS MENTIONED, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE JOB CREATION, WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE JOB CREATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, THESE ARE CHAPTER 312 AND 380 UNDER THE STATE STATUTES.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY FOCUSED ON TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS ENSURING THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE VARIOUS PURPOSES THAT WE WANTED TO REALLY FOCUS ON AND IMPLEMENT.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IN THIS SLIDE IS ALL OF THE VARIOUS TOOLS, RESOURCES AND ITEMS THAT REALLY HAVE BEEN TOUCHED SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2023, SO THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT TODAY WE ARE FOCUSED ON THAT PORTION THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED WITH JOB CREATION. SO WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT INCENTIVES, IT'S REALLY OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO BALANCE, THAT COMPETITIVENESS AS ERIK MENTIONED, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN COMPANIES AND INCLUDE REINVESTMENT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

OF COURSE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS A NET POSITIVE ECONOMIC AND FISCAL IMPACT ON THE CITY, AND THEN HOW DO WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE? WHEN WE DID THIS TWO YEARS AGO, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON PRIORITIZING THOSE HIGHER WAGED JOBS AND THE COMPETITIVENESS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE RECOMMENDING WE CONTINUE THE EMPHASIS.

AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, ENSURING THAT IT'S TIED TO THOSE KEY AREAS, AGAIN, ENSURING WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB, AND THEN CONTINUE TO BE STREAMLINED. THE GOAL HERE -- YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC

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SO JUST HIGH LEVEL, AND I'LL GOO INTO THE KEY REVISIONS HERE MOMENTARILY, BUT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON SOME ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES, SOME PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES, AND THEN JUST SOME CLARIFICATION OF THE LANGUAGE, LESSONS LEARNED, SO TO SPEAK, FROM THE LAST TWO YEARS.

SO WHILE THIS PRESENTATION IS FOCUSED ON THE PROPOSED REVISIONS, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF KEY PIECES THAT REMAIN IN THE PROPOSAL, AND THAT'S THAT -- FOR THOSE PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION, AT LEAST 10% OF THE SOFT AND HARD COSTS FOR THAT PROJECT NEED TO BE INVESTED IN SMALL, LOCAL, WOMEN, MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE 10% OF THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, MEANING THAT THE EQUIVALENT OF 10% OF THE ESTIMATED ABATEMENT OR REBATE NEEDS TO BE REINVESTED INTO THE WORKFORCE IN EITHER WORKFORCE TRAINING, CHILDCARE OR TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.

SO THOSE REMAIN. SO, AGAIN, THE FOCUS IS THEN ON THE REVISIONS.

SO WHILE THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A POLICY REVISION AS FAR AS THE 100% OF JOBS REQUIRED TO BE PAID AT THE COSA MINIMUM WAGE AND 90% OF THE JOBS REQUIRED NEED TO BE PAID AT 80% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME, WHAT IS CHANGING IS THE HOURLY AMOUNT THAT WE'RE STARTING AT.

SO CURRENT INCENTIVE POLICY IS AT 17.50 FOR THE COSA MINIMUM, AS YOU KNOW FROM THE '25 BUDGET THAT, IS NOW $18 AN HOUR.

THE CURRENT -- 80% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME IN THE CURRENT POLICY WAS AT $20.54, THAT NUMBER IS NOW $22.92, SO THE TWO CHARTS REFLECT NOT A POLICY CHANGE, BUT REALLY THE UPDATES TO WHAT THOSE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE.

WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AS A REVISION IS REQUIRING THAT ALL EMPLOYEES, BOTH EXISTING AND NEW, BE PAID THOSE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, THOSE MINIMUM WAGES. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT'S CURRENTLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO -- ADDING ANOTHER 200 JOBS, THE CURRENT POLICY AND INCENTIVE AGREEMENT WOULD FOCUS ON THOSE NEW JOBS ONLY. WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT ALL 400 OF THOSE JOBS WOULD BE IMPACTED AT THE WAGES, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING THAT THESE WAGES BE INDEXED ANNUALLY.

SO THE CURRENT POLICY HOLDS STEADY AT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE $20.54.

WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT THAT'S ADJUSTED ANNUALLY TO REFLECT THAT CHANGE IN THE MEDIAN INCOME. SO OUR CURRENT POLICY HAS THE MATRIX FOR ELIGIBILITY. AND THIS IS -- AND FOR WHAT THE EARNINGS ARE, AND WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE CONTINUE THIS.

AND I DO HAVE AN EXAMPLE, SO I'LL GO INTO THIS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT THE ONLY THING IS CHANGING IS, AGAIN, THOSE HOURLY WAGES. AND IF THE INDEXING DOES MOVE FORWARD AS PROPOSED, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THAT TIER REALLY FOCUSED ON THE PERCENTAGE, BUT WE USED THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS HERE JUST TO REFLECT WHAT THOSE ARE.

SO QUICKLY JUMPING -- HOW WE USE THIS MATRIX IS -- WITH THE EXAMPLE PROJECT OF XYZ, THE BASE WAGE IS $30 AN HOUR, CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF 110 MILLION. JOBBED CREATES OF 100, AND THEY ARE A TARGET INDUSTRY WITH I.T./CYBERSECURITY. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE MATRIX THERE, YOU'LL SEE THAT PER THE WAGE, THEY'RE IN A TIER 2 EARNING AT LEAST $28 AN HOUR. AGAIN, THE EXAMPLE'S 30.

THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IS A TIER TWOWRS AT OVER -- AT 110 MILLION, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF JOBS IS OVER THAT 50. SO AT 100.

SO WE ALLOW FOR -- IF THE COMPANY IS IN WHATEVER THE HIGHEST TIER IS, THEY'RE ABLE TO EARN THAT BASE AMOUNT. SO IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT AT 110 MILLION, THE BASE IS AT THAT TIER 4 LEVEL OF 50%. AND THEN WE CONTINUE THE EXCEPTIONAL ENHANCEMENTS OF 10% IN ONE OF THE REGIONAL CENTERS, AN ADDITIONAL 10% IF A TARGET INDUSTRY, AND AN ADDITIONAL 10% IF A COMBINED EQUITY SCORE IS 7 OR HIGHER. AND OUR EXAMPLE, JUST TO MAKE IT SIMPLE, THEY'RE A TARGET INDUSTRY, SO THAT'S A PLUS 10. SO -- HIGHLIGHT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT AND THE TAX REBATES, THE

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SO THE 22.92 FOR HOURLY WAGE, CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF AT LEAST 10 MILLION AND THEN AT LEAST 50 JOBS. AND THEN THE REST BECOMES THE "OR." ONE OF THE OTHER CHANGES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS SPECIFIC TO REMOTE AND HYBRID EMPLOYEES. ADMITTEDLY THIS HASN'T COME UP A LOT, BUT IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A DISCUSSION, THAT NOT JUST US HERE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH, BUT THAT OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE -- ARE LOOKING AT AS WELL.

SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT FOR CHAPTER 312, TAX ABATEMENTS, WE ALLOW NO MORE THAN 5% OF THE FULL-TIME JOBS TO BE HYBRID, BUT THEY STILL NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE PROJECT SITE AT LEAST TWICE PER WEEK. FOR 380, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY UNDER STATE LAW, AND HERE WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THE EMPLOYEES NEED TO SPEND AT LEAST 60% OF THEIR ANNUAL HOURS AT THE PROJECT SITE OR RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE ETJ OR BEXAR COUNTY.

THE FOCUS ON THE HYBRID EMPLOYEES IS, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THE EMPLOYEES BEING HERE, SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS, ALL OF THOSE INDIRECT BENEFITS THAT WE GET THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENTS IN THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

SO OUR CURRENT POLICY, OF COURSE, PROTECTS THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, AND AS WE CONTINUE, WE KNOW WATER IS A REALLY IMPORTANT RESOURCE, BUT POWER IS BECOMING THAT NEXT TOPIC. IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, TRENDS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITIES, I BEL EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEIR POWER, AND, OF COURSE, SAN ANTONIO IS NO DIFFERENT. SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT FOR POWER INTENSIVE USERS, WHICH CPS DEFINES AS THOSE USERS REQUIRING OR ARE PROJECTED TO USE 40 MEGAWATTS OR MORE, THAT THEY ARE AT A LITTLE BIT HIGHER JOB CREATION IMPACT.

AND, AGAIN, THE FOCUS ON THAT IS THIS IS REALLY MEANT TO BE JOB CREATION INCENTIVES. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE ARE -- CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE JOB CREATION.

AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED TO CPS AND WORKED WITH THEM ON.

SOME OF OUR PARTNERS ACROSS -- WELL, HERE LOCALLY, BUT ACROSS THE STATE, ARE ALSO LOOKING AT EXCLUDING CERTAIN TYPES OF USERS, BUT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WE REALLY FELT JUST REQUIRING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER JOB NUMBERS MADE SENSE.

SO I MENTIONED STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, I'LL TOUCH UPON THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE DID INVITE OUR LOCAL LABOR UNIONS TO MEET WITH US TO DISCUSS THE INCENTIVE POLICY.

AFTER WE HAD A BRIEFING, THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE RECEIVED A LETTER THAT INCLUDED SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

YOU'LL SEE HERE SAFETY STANDARDS SPECIFIC TO OSHA TRAINING, OSHA 10 AND OSHA 30 TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS, HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS REQUIREMENTS, AS WELL AS LOCAL HIRING AND PREVAILING WAGES. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE CURRENTLY DO ASK THAT THE CONTRACTORS REPORT ON THEIR WAGES THAT ARE PAID ON THE SITE IF CONSTRUCTION IS INVOLVED.

WE ARE -- BASED ON ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK AFTER WE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE ITEMS. IT REALLY GOES BACK TO COMPETITIVENESS AND, AGAIN, HAVING THE RIGHT TOOL. AND BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THESE ITEMS. SO SPEAKING OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, YOU'LL SEE HERE THE LIST OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, EITHER SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS OR BROADER CATEGORIES, WITH WHOM WE MET WITH.

OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT OCCURRED THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, AND FOLLOWING THE FEEDBACK, WE HAD ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS, YOU'LL SEE, IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE, SO EVERYBODY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE 80% MEDIAN INCOME.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BASE WAGES AND INDEXING, THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE NEUTRAL, BUT OVERALL POSITIVE IN SUPPORT OF, IN THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BALANCE THE COMPETITIVENESS, BUT PROVIDING THAT IMPACT AND VALUE TO THE WORKFORCE AND TO THE COMMUNITY.

HYBRID/REMOTE WORK, QUITE A BIT OF SUPPORT FOR THAT.

IN FACT, THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE WENT THROUGH THE

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THE ONLY CONCERN -- AND THAT'S REALLY WITH EVERYTHING -- WAS JUST THE EASE OF COMPLIANCE. WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT BALANCE BETWEEN COMPETITIVENESS, TRANSPARENCY, ENSURING, AGAIN, COMMUNITY IMPACT, AS WELL AS THE COMPLIANCE, WHAT THIS MEANT FOR THOSE END USERS. I DID NOT TOUCH UPON THE TAX ABATEMENT -- OR THE CAPPING OF THE TAX ABATEMENT VALUE, BUT WE CURRENTLY ARE ABLE TO CAP THE TAX ABATEMENT AMOUNT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A COMPANY'S ABLE TO EARN, YOU KNOW, 80% AND WE DO THE CALCULATION, AND LET'S JUST SAY THAT'S $5 MILLION ON THEIR PROJECT, WE CAN CAP THAT AS THAT $5 MILLION. IT IS NOT, THOUGH, EXPLICIT IN THE POLICY, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S VERY EXPLICIT IN THE POLICY, AND WE'LL BE DOING THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE HISTORICALLY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY CAPPED THE PROJECTS, BUT WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND THEN POWER-INTENSIVE USERS, A LOT OF INTERESTING CONVERSATION, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON THAT. WE CERTAINLY HEARD, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, ANY IMPACTS ON USERS THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, BUT, AGAIN, AS WE CONTINUE TO ALIGN WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES OF YOURSELVES AND WHATNOT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SA CLIMATE READY, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND THEN FINALLY ON THE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS, AGAIN, AS MENTIONED, WE DID APPROACH ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS AFTER WE HAD THAT FEEDBACK.

WE DID HAVE A FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION WITH THE LIUNA COLLEAGUES JUST TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT. AND REALLY THE EMPHASIS WAS COMPETITIVENESS CONTINUING TO USE THIS AS THE APPROPRIATE TOOL.

SO WHILE DEFINITELY SOME SUPPORT, INTEREST IN HAVING CONVERSATIONS JUST ENSURING THAT IT'S THE RIGHT TOOL THAT'S BEING USED.

SO HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOTH THE CHAPTER 312 AND 380 REVISIONS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING. AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE SUMMARY ON THE RIGHT SIDE FOR THE PROPOSED GUIDELINES.

AS ERIK MENTIONED -- SORRY, IF PENDING FEEDBACK TODAY, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION POTENTIALLY LATER THIS MONTH, BUT DEFINITELY PRIOR TO THE END OF THE YEAR AS THE CURRENT POLICY DOES EXPIRE AT THE END OF 2024.

AND THEN WE WOULD LOOK AT IMPLEMENTATION IN JANUARY OF 2025.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. WE'LL TAKE TWO OF THESE -- THESE TWO ITEMS SEPARATELY, SINCE THEY'RE DISTINCT CONVERSATIONS, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION NOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRENDA, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

LET ME GO AHEAD AND START WITH COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.

>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, BRENDA. THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO OUR ECONOMIC INCENTIVES POLICY IS TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES, CREATE JOBS, STIMULATE INVESTMENT.

I THINK I SEE THAT HERE, SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK Y'ALL DID.

THE UPDATES ARE MORE, I THINK, THAN ABOUT JUST ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A RESILIENT, COMPETITIVE AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY FOR SAN ANTONIO, SO ALSO, OF COURSE, CREATING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND BENEFITING ALL OUR RESIDENTS. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT -- I THINK IT WAS SLIDE 11, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE INCENTIVES THAT LIUNA BROUGHT UP, THAT BASIC OSHA SAFETY COURSES, 10 FOR NEW HIRES, 30 FOR OLDER HIRES, PRIORITIZING LOCAL, THE HEAT-ILLNESS PREVENTION, ALL OF THAT YOU SAID WAS NOT THE RIGHT TOOL, BUT I QUESTION WHY SAFETY NOT THE RIGHT TOOL. I MEAN, SAFETY SHOULD ALWAYS BE PART OF OUR TTOOLBOX, SO I HEARD YOU SAY TWICE THAT IT'S

NOT THE RIGHT TOOL, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. >> HICKS-SORENSON: YEAH, SO THIS IS SPECIFIC TO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. BUT WE -- WE CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH THE CORPORATION THAT'S RECEIVING THE INCENTIVES. SO IF THERE'S CONSTRUCTION INVOLVED, YOU'RE THEN TALKING ABOUT INDIRECT RELATIONSHIPS, SO THAT KIND OF FURTHER ARM'S-LENGTH AWAY. AND SO IT BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT, AND EVEN WITH THE PREVAILING WAGES, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVING THOSE REPORTS, THE COMPANIES ARE A LITTLE -- YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AND THEY HAVE CONTROL. AND SO IT BECOMES LESS -- LESS ABILITY TO CONTROL, AND POTENTIALLY THEIR INCENTIVES, SOME SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS ARE THEN AT RISK IF WE INCORPORATE IT INTO

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THIS. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. I'M LESS CONTROL WITH THEIR CONTROL THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR SAN ANTONIANS THAT ARE WORKING HERE. I THINK THAT IF WE -- I THINK IT IS THE RIGHT TOOL. I'M GOING TO SAY I DISAGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT -- OR THE RECOMMENDATION, AND I THINK WE SHOULD ADD IT IN. BUT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE SAN ANTONIANS THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK AND WE WANT TO PROTECT THEM.

SO I'LL ASK YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES THINK, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ADD IN SAFETY AT ALL COSTS. I THINK IT'S PROTECTING OURSELVES, PROTECTING OUR EMPLOYEES AND IF IT MEANS THAT A COMPANY HAS TO JUMP AN EXTRA -- THROUGH AN EXTRA HOOP, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S KIND OF A LOW-LEVEL HOOP. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, OUTLANDISH THINGS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, SO... THAT'S -- THAT'S MY TAKE ON THAT. I DO WANT TO BRING UP JUST ALSO THE PROPOSED UPDATES ARE PLACING AN EMPHASIS ON HOW WE HANDLE THE POWER INCENTIVE PROJECTS, WHICH I THINK IS SMART. THERE'S A LOT OF SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, SUSTAINABILITY AND RELIABILITY IN MY DISTRICT AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE DATA CENTERS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO, AND I'M APPRECIATING THAT WE'RE LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION FOR ENERGY.

THANK YOU. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE

GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, BRENDA, TO R THIS PRESENTATION. JUST A COUPLE QUICK COMMENTS. ON SLIDE 5, I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE ALIGNMENT OF WAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR TAX ABATEMENTS AND REBATES.

I ALSO SUPPORT CHANGING TO ANNUAL INDEXING AND APPLYING THE WAGE REQUIREMENTS TO EXISTING AND TO NEW EMPLOYEES. WE KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE COST OF LIVING AND MEETING BASIC NEEDS RIGHT NOW, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. REGARDING THE STRATEGIC JOB GRANTS, WHAT SORT OF ORGANIZATIONS TYPICALLY RECEIVE THESE?

>> HICKS-SORENSON: SO THESE TEND TO BE SOMETHING WE HAVE KIND OF HELD ASIDE, IF SOMEBODY ISN'T NECESSARILY HAVING THE $10 MILLION INVESTMENT. SO WHAT YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT IS OFFICE GOING INTO AN EXISTING -- AN OFFICE USER GOING INTO AN EXISTING OFFICE FACILITY THAT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE -- KIND OF THE CAPITOL INVESTMENT, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT 150% OF THE CITY MEDIAN INCOME, THEY'RE DEFINITELY THOSE HIGHER PAYING JOBS THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT. SO IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TOOL THAT WE

HAVE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE POLICY. >> GAVITO: OKAY.

THAT MAKES SENSE. ON SLIDE 6 WITH THAT MATRIX AND ENHANCEMENTS, IT'S POSSIBLE FOR BIS BUSINESSES TO RECEIVE 100% TAX ABATEMENT,

CORRECT? >> HICKS-SORENSON: YES. THEY WOULD NEED TO BE AT AT THE TIER 6 LEVELS AND THEN EARN ALL OF THOSE EXCEPTIONAL

ENHANCEMENTS. >> GAVITO: AND HAVE WE HAD COMPANIES THAT DO

THAT. >> HICKS-SORENSON: WE'VE ONLY DO TWO PROJECTS AT THIS. OUR GOAL IS TO DO AS FEW INCENTIVIZED PROJECTS AS WELL. WE'D LOVE TO JUST BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH OUR OVERALL PLACE AND PEOPLE. WE HAD TWO.

WE HAD ONE COMPANY THAT COULD HAVE EARNED OR DID EARN UP TO 100%.

THAT WAS THE TOYOTA PROJECT. IN THAT CASE, YOU MAY RECALL BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE SITUATION WIT THEY'RE ACTUALLY CONTRACTED FOR

65%. >> GAVITO: OKAY. GOT IT.

SORRY. THE HOUSE ALARM WAS GOING OFF.

IT'S FINE. ALL RIGHTY. AND THEN LET ME SEE.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE 10, THE POWER-INTENSIVE USERS BECAUSE Y'ALL WERE SAYING, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SEEING SO MANY DATA CENTERS MOVE IN.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THESE POWER-INTENSIVE USERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO CREATE 200 FULL-TIME JOBS, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> HICKS-SORENSON: YES. ALL OF THE JOB CREATION THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN

THESE INCENTIVES ARE FULL-TIME POSITIONS. >> GAVITO: OKAY.

>> HICKS-SORENSON: I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT ANY POWER-INTENSIVE USERS WITH THOSE JOB CREATION NUMBERS.

>> GAVITO: AND HOW DID Y'ALL ARRIVE AT THE 200? >> HICKS-SORENSON: SO, AGAIN, TRYING TO BE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, WE JUST WENT TO THE TIER 2 LEVEL. SO A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AMOUNT, A LITTLE BIT MORE

SCRUTINY WITH THE PROJECT. >> GAVITO: OKAY.

ON SLIDE 12, WHAT CONCERNS WERE RAISED FROM STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE

PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS? >> HICKS-SORENSON: SO REALLY, AGAIN, WE CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH THE CORPORATION, AND SO

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WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AGAIN? YOU'RE NOW RELYING ON ARM'S-LENGTH OR MORE KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS FOR REPORTING, AND WHEN THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT SOMEBODY'S INCENTIVE, THAT RAISED A CONCERN.

>> GAVITO: OKAY. >> HICKS-SORENSON: AND, AGAIN, THEN JUST WHAT DOES -- WHAT DOES --

GET INTO EVEN SOME OF THE MORE DETAILS OF IT. >> GAVITO: GOT IT.

OVERALL, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THESE CHANGES. AND THANKS FOR THE

PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE?

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE -- AND ON SLIDE 12, YOU HAVE CHECKS, X AND A COUPLE OF DASHES.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE CIRCLE DASH ON BASIC WAGES INDEXING

POWER-INTENSIVE USERS REPRESENTS TO US? >> HICKS-SORENSON: YEAH.

SO THOSE WERE -- THE CHECKS WERE PRETTY WELL CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD. THE OTHER ONES WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE NEUTRAL.

YOU HAD SOME GROUPS THAT FELT REALLY STRONGLY ONE WAY, AND YOU HAD SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT FELT VERY STRONGLY ANOTHER WAY.

SO VERY MUCH -- AND IT WAS BALANCED, YOU KNOW, SO AS WE LOOKED AT BALANCING POWER-INTENSIVE USERS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE THERE.

YOU HAD SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND COHORTS ACROSS THE CITY THAT WERE, LIKE, VERY MUCH WE NEED TO BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, LET'S MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN YOU HAD OTHERS THAT WERE, LIKE, THIS IS A REALLY VALUABLE RESOURCE, LET'S PROTECT IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

>> COURAGE: UH-HUH. >> HICKS-SORENSON: SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT THAT MEANT. AND THE X IS WHERE A MUCH MORE OF THE FEEDBACK WAS -- WAS TO NOT MOVE FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION.

>> COURAGE: OKAY. WITH THOSE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS -- WELL, LET ME GO BACK. WHEN DID THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT BEGIN?

>> HICKS-SORENSON: SO MOST OF OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WAS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, PRIOR TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

THE ORIGINAL STAKEHOLDER, THE ONLY GROUP THAT WE HAD NOT MET WITH AT THE TIME OF --

ONLY A 60-DAY PROCESS. SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. >> HICKS-SORENSON: FOR SPECIFIC ON THE REVISIONS. WE DO CAPTURE FEEDBACK

ALL ALONG AS WE WORK PROJECTS. >> COURAGE: AND HOW MANY MEETINGS DID THE STAKEHOLDERS HAVE OR HOW MANY CONTACTS WERE MADE

TO GET STAKEHOLDERS' INPUT? >> HICKS-SORENSON:

IN AUDIO] >> COURAGE: MORE THAN ONCE.

>> HICKS-SORENSON: SO WE DID OFFER -- SO WE HAD A ROUND TABLE -- WELL, WE HAD MULTIPLE ROUND TABLES, SO LIKE THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE INVITED TO A ROUND TABLE. EVERYBODY HAD AN OPTION FOR ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP. IN THE CASE OF -- BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS, I RECEIVED THEM THE MORNING OF EWDC, WE DID GO BACK TO THE STAKEHOLDERS FOR

SOME ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP. >> COURAGE: SO THE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS WEREN'T ON THE TABLE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DISCUSSIONS THEN, WERE THEY?

>> HICKS-SORENSON: CORRECT. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THEY CAME IN KIND OF LATE. WERE THEY SENT TO ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS?

>> HICKS-SORENSON: SO WE -- I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST.

WE DID DO -- I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE-CHECK, BUT WE DID SEND A FOLLOW-UP OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US AND ASKED IF THEY COULD PROVIDE FEEDBACK. WE ALSO ADDED -- AT THE TIME WE INITIALLY DIDN'T HAVE GENERAL CONTRACTORS OR ASSOCIATIONS AS PART OF OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUP, SO WE DID ADD THEM BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK.

>> COURAGE: JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT A LOT OF WHAT YOU WERE PRESENTING EARLY ON WAS -- WERE THINGS THAT YOU HAD DONE RESEARCH ON, HAD KIND OF PRESENTED BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT THESE WERE GOOD THINGS TO CONSIDER, BUT THE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS CAME IN KIND OF LATE, AND I'M JUST WONDERING, DID EVERYBODY HAVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THOSE TO MAYBE TALK IT OVER WITH THE LABOR UNION PEOPLE, TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY WERE COMING WITH, OR WAS IT JUST, OH, WE'VE GOT THIS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND, OH, NO, WE DON'T NEED THAT.

SO I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS GIVEN THE SAME REASONABLE CONSIDERATION AND EVERY STAKEHOLDER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT INTO THAT INPUT AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT NOW.

ANYWAY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AS FAR AS WHB WE LOOK AT

[00:30:01]

>> HICKS-SORENSON: NO. AGAIN, OUR INCENTIVE POLICY -- SO THE MINIMUM TO MEET QUALIFICATIONS FOR TAX ABATEMENTS AND REBATES, AT LEAST WHAT WE CALL THE TRADITIONAL, IS THEY NEED TO HIT THAT HOURLY WAGE OF 22.92, 10 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND THEN AT LEAST 50 JOBS.

NOW, FOR POWER-INSENSITIVE USERS, WE'RE PROPOSING THE NEXT

LEVEL OF 200 JOBS. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL MY

QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> WHYTE: YEAH, BRENDA, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I DON'T HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE -- YOU ANSWERED MOST OF THEM IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT -- WHEN WAS THAT, LAST WEEK, I THINK, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT JUST QUICKLY, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE AND STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION. ON THE POWER-INTENSIVE USERS, WE'RE MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET THE INCENTIVES, RIGHT? AND I THINK THEY'VE STRUGGLED TO GET THE INCENTIVES IN THE PAST, AND NOW WE'RE MAKING IT HARDER.

IS THAT FAIR? >> HICKS-SORENSON: SO BOTH -- SO WE ARE HAVING A HIGHER LEVEL OF SCRUTINY WITH THE TWO -- OR WITH THE 200 JOBS, SO HIGHER LEVEL OF CRITERIA. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BOTH JCV AND TOYOTA WHO DID -- WERE THE TWO INCENTIVIZED PROJECTS WITH THE CURRENT POLICY, ARE BOTH CONSIDERED POWER-INTENSIVE USERS, SO IN GENERAL FOR POWER-INTENSIVE USERS, IT IS THAT HIGHER LEVEL, BUT IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC INDUSTRY OR QUESTION -- OR --

>> WHYTE: YEAH, NO, NOTHING SPECIFIC, AND I THINK I MENTIONED THIS AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK, RIGHT, THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT RAISING -- OR THE INCREASED SCRUTINY, AS YOU PUT IT, ON THESE POWER-INTENSIVE USERS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THEM, AND THEY ADD TO THE TAX BASE IN OUR CITY AND WE DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE THEM FROM BEING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THAT IS MY CONCERN, BUT OVERALL, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE HERE. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

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

THANK YOU, BRENDA, FOR THE PRESENTATION. WHILE OTHER CITIES MAY BE WILLING TO CUT CORNERS FOR WORKERS IN THE SAKE OF COMPETITIVENESS, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO CENTER OUR CONSTITUENTS IN THIS POLICY. WE TOUT OURSELVES AS A CITY K CREATING AND SUPPORTING HIGH-WAGE JOBS AND SUPPORTING BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS AND WE GET THERE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS BY THE BETTER WORK INITIATIVE AND AMENDING THIS POLICY. SO I CHALLENGE WHAT LIUNA HAS RECOMMENDED, THAT THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT TOOL TO GET US THERE.

AND IN TERMS OF THE MAY ELECTRICS APPLICATION, AS I MENTION -- MATRIX APPLICATION IN REGARDS TO TIER 2 FOR $28 OR $25 MILLION OR 200 JOBS, I BELIEVE THAT THE "OR" SHOULD BE AM MEMBEREDDED TO "AND" TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CREATING THOSE 200 JOBS WITH AN INCENTIVE WITH SUCH A HIGH INCENTIVE. SO THAT'S AN AMENDMENT THAT I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES CAN BE SUPPORTIVE SEEING. AND THEN I ALSO SUPPORT WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA MENTIONED, REGARDING THE SAFETY COMPONENT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THOSE OSHA REQUIREMENTS IS NOT JUST BETTER FOR THE WORKER, BUT FOR THE EMPLOYER AS WELL, RIGHT? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS AND POTENTIAL OSHA VIOLATIONS, ENSURING THAT WE'RE PUTTING SAFETY FIRST, I THINK, PROTECTS THE EMPLOYER. SO I WOULD CHALLENGE US NOT INCLUDING THAT PIECE THERE. IN TERMS OF THE SUBSIDY FOR HIGHER ENERGY CONSUMPTION, I SHARE SIMILAR CONCERNS, GIVEN WHE WE LOOKED AT THE CPS RATE STRUCTURE, IT IS RESIDENTIAL RATEPAYERS WHO ARE SUBSIDIZING THESE LARGER CONSUMERS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BEFORE WE TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS, I KNOW YOU CITED A COUPLE OF INDUSTRIES THAT ARE HIGH-ENERGY USERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE METRICS ON HOW MANY JOBS THEY'VE CREATED AND THE LOWEST WAGE THAT'S OFFERED IN TERMS OF CONTRACT WORKERS AS WELL, RIGHT? BECAUSE OFTENTIMES MOST COMPANIES WILL CONTRACT LABOR, AND THEN THAT WAY THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE CITY'S MINIMUM WAGE IS A TREND I'VE SEEB, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT WITH

[00:35:03]

MONITORS ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS. >> CASTILLO: AND IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING WITH THE SAFETY TRAINING COMPONENT, WOULD YOU ALL NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE

BEEN INCENTIVIZED ARE WITHIN COMPLIANCE? >> HICKS-SORENSON: SO AS WE WORKED WITH THE COMPANIES, OR HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS, I MEAN, I THINK WE WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO PULL THAT STRING AND SEE WHAT THAT CAPACITY IS. WHEN I TALK ABOUT COMPLIANCE, I'M ALSO TALKING ABOUT ON THE COMPANY'S SIDE, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE DIRECTLY CONTRACTING WITH XYZ CORPORATION, AND THIS IS THE COMPLIANCE MATTER FOR BASICALLY THOSE CONTRACT SUBS AND SO FORTH. SO JUST FIGURING OUT HOW WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT. AND I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, AND I WAS REMINDED OF THIS, THAT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT ON THESE CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS IS THAT THE COMMERCIAL VERTICAL CONTRACTORS FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT THEY ARE DOING IT, SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS THEN HOW

THAT'S TRACKED WITH THEM. >> CASTILLO: YEAH, I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, RIGHT, WE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TO INITIATE SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BY LIUNA.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE, ESSENTIALLY IMPLEMENTED SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, SO I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEARN HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE AND, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, THEY INCREASED THEIR LOCAL HIRE PROVISIONS, AND IT HAASN'T SCARED ANY COMPANIES AWAY, SO I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR US TO LEARN AND STRENGTHEN THE POLICY AND, IN TURN, RIGHT, IT JUST STRENGTHENS OUR WORKFORCE WHICH IS OUR CONSTITUENCY.

SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I'M EAGER TO HEAR THE POINTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES RAISE REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED BY LIUNA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. ERIK.

>> WALSH: I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION FOR BRENDA AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS, DEPENDING ON WHAT ENDS UP SHAKING OUT IN TERMS OF THE FINAL GUIDELINE THAT GOES TO COUNCIL, WE MAY NEED ADDITIONAL RESOWRSZS TO DO COMPLIANCE IN GENERAL, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

BUT PROBABLY TOO PRELIMINARY FOR US TO MAKE ANY SORT OF ESTIMATES UNTIL WE'VE HAD THE LARGER CONVERSATION WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL

TODAY. >> HICKS-SORENSON: AN I WOULD JUST LIKE TO JUST ADD, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF OUR COLLEAGUES TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY HAVE TRACKED IT, AND DID GET SOME SIGNIFICANT FEEDBACK ON THEIR POLICIES AND HOW THEY'RE APPLYING THEM. AND THE IMPACT THAT

THEY'VE HAD AS WELL. >>

RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, BRENDA, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. DO WE DO AN ANALYSIS ON WHAT INCENTIVES OTHER CITIES ARE OFFERING FOR THEIR PACKAGES?

IS. >> HICKS-SORENSON: YES. SO AS PART OF IN ADDITION TO OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WE ALSO DO A REVIEW OF ALL OUR COMPETITOR CITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF BENCHMARK CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND THEN AS WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER, WE MONITOR THIS AND TRACK THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, NOT JUST WHEN IT'S TIME TO RENEW, JUST TO SEE WHAT KIND OF NEW INITIATIVES, WHAT OUR COMPETITORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DOING, SO WE DO MONITOR THAT.

AND WE DO HAVE THE SUMMARY OF WHERE WE STAND IN ALL OF THIS.

>> KAUR: YEAH. I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT. DO YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SYNOPSIS THAT YOU COULD SHARE WHERE WE STAND COMPETITIVELY.

>> HICKS-SORENSON: YES. WE'LL FOLLOW UP, WE TRACK THE WAGES, THOSE KEY ITEMS. WE CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.

>> KAUR: I SAW ON THE TAKE HOLDER LIST THAT YOU TALKED TO FOLKS ABOUT THE INCENTIVES. DID WE TALK TO COMPANIES ABOUT -- I KNOW SOMETIMES IN THE ANALYSIS THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, YOU LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE INCENTIVES.

DID YOU TALK TO THEM AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK. >> HICKS-SORENSON: SO WE DO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OTHER PROJECTS AND SEE ANYTHING WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT KIND OF IMPACTS. ANY OF THE WAGE CHANGES OR WAGE INDEXING, WE WENT BACK TO SOME PROJECTS JUST TO SEE WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE. WE ALSO, AS WE NEGOTIATED A COUPLE OF CONTRACTS WITH THE CURRENT INCENTIVE POLICIES AS ERIK MENTIONED, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A COMPLETE KIND OF REVAMP OF THE POLICIES A COUPLE YEARS AGO, SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE TRACKING THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT HAD. SO AS WE NEGOTIATED, WE CERTAINLY TOOK THAT FEEDBACK IN AND THAT ALSO PLAYED INTO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES.

[00:40:04]

PROCESS WITH BOTH JCV AND TOYOTA. >> KAUR: AND WHAT WAS THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM SOME OF THOSE COMPANIES THAT YOU

TALKED TO OR WORKED THROUGH WITH THIS. >> HICKS-SORENSON: SURE.

I MEAN, IN GENERAL, EVERYBODY WANTS TO MAKE IT AS STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE, AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT WANTING TO MAKE SURE OUR POLICIES ARE TRANSPARENT, AND THEY WANT THE SAME. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF IMPLICATIONS THEY HAVE. WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPLIANCE AND WHAT DOES THIS REPORTING MEAN, TYPE OF THING. SO JUST CONTINUE TO BE AS STREAMLINED AND SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN WE DO GET FEEDBACK, AND SARA RUSH FROM GREATER SAXT IS HERE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN A COMPANY COMES TO US WE'RE AT THAT FINAL STAGE.

YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED BEING -- CONTINUING TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. SARA AND THE GREATER SATX ARE LOOKING AT THEM WHEN THEY'RE FIRST STARTING THEIR SEARCH. SO THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING AT 60 COMPANIES, SO THEY GET A LOT OF FEEDBACKS FROM SITE CONSULTANTS AND THE COMPANIES AS WELL, AND SO WE GET THAT INFORMATION.

>> KAUR: THE NEXT TIME, OR YOU CAN SHARE, IF YOU HAVE SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK THAT YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE HOW THAT'S IMPACTED THE UPDATES

YOU'VE MADE, THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO SEE. >> HICKS-SORENSON: SARA CAN CERTAINLY ADDRESS IT, I WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF TIME.

>> KAUR: YEAH, I'LL JUST ASK ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN SARA CAN RERESPONSIBILITY TO THAT. HAVE WE CONSIDERED -- I LIKE THE PUSH TO REMOTE -- OR ALLOWING MORE REMOTE JOBS BUT I ALSO WANT TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO HELP MOVE THEIR REMOTE EMPLOYEES HERE OR KEEP THEM HERE IF THEY'RE CONSIDERING MOVING.

HAVE WE CONSIDERED ANY, YOU KNOW, COMPONENT AROUND THAT.

>> HICKS-SORENSON: THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE EXPLORED.

WE TOOK A DEEP DIVE OF THAT TWO YEARS AGO. THERE'S OTHER COMMUNITY LIKE TULSA, OKLAHOMA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS A PRETTY ROBUST PROGRAM FOR REMOTE WORKERS TOE ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO THEIR COMMUNITY, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE LOOKED AT. GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WE MADE TWO YEARS AGO, WE WANTED TO JUST KIND OF PAUSE AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THAT, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE CONTINUED TO M MONITOR AND FEEL THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING IS ADDRESSING KIND OF WHAT

WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. >> KAUR: GOT IT.

THANKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.

>> KAUR: I THINK SARA WAS GOING TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'M SORRY. >> SARA RUSH, WITH GREATER SATX. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. I THINK THE QUESTION AROUND COMPETITIVENESS AND HOW DO WE STACK UP, WHAT FEEDBACK DO WE GET FROM COMPANIES IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME -- THESE COMPANIES, PARTICULARLY THE LARGE ONES, ARE DEALING WITH COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND EVEN GLOBALLY ON INCENTIVES.

SO BASICALLY THE FEEDBACK TO BE EASY TO WORK WITH, WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT AND CLEAR, SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, AND THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN THAT PROCESS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO COMPLIANCE. SO SIMPLICITY FIRST AND FOREMOST.

AGAIN, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER ON WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM. A COMPANY NEVER WANTS TO WALK INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH A CITY AND HAVE TO BACK OUT OF THAT AGREEMENT OR AREN'T IN A POSITION WHERE THEY COULD MAKE GOOD ON IT.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FEEDBACK. I WOULD SAY THAT FROM A COMPETITIVENESS STANDPOINT FOR THE CHANGES THAT COUNCIL MADE TWO YEARS AGO TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO INCENTIVES, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT PAY OFF IN HOW WE'RE BEING PERCEIVED WITH SITE SELECTORS AND COMPANIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE LOOKS. OVER THE LAST THREE, THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR MONTHS WE'VE SEEN BETWEEN TWO AND 3X THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS THAN WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY, MONTH OVER MONTH.

AND SO WE'RE RESPONDING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. WE'RE GETTING MORE LOOKS, WE'RE GETTING MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO NEGOTIATE, AND HAVING THESE TOOLS IN PLACE MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.

>> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. >> OF COURSE.

>> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.

>> WALSH: MAYOR, JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY ALSO.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD. >> WALSH: THE REMOTE AND HYBRID EMPLOYEE PROPOSED CHANGE IS -- IS REALLY AN ALLOWANCE WITH LIMITS,

[00:45:01]

AND SO WE'RE NOT REALLY INCENTIVIZING REMOTE WORK.

WE'RE ALLOWING IT WITH SOME LIMITS, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT

CLARIFICATION. COUNCILMEMBE R PELAEZ? >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU.

I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT HOW THESE PROPOSALS WILL IMPACT, YOU KNOW, THE WORKERS, BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW IT IMPACTS THE CONTRACTORS AND I SAW LAUREN MANDEL IN THE ROOM, AND LAUREN, IF YOU CAN COME UP HERE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

YOU AND I HAD SPOKEN EARLIER, LAUREN, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU'VE LIVED WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LESS THAN 24 HOURS, IS THAT

RIGHT? >> YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. WE WERE BRIEFED BY BRENDA AND HER TEAM MONDAY MORNING, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE INITIAL THOUGHTS FROM OUR MEMBERS, BUT HAVEN'T REALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DIG INTO WHAT WE CAN LIVE WITH AND WHAT WE CAN -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, FIGHT, ESSENTIALLY.

>> PELAEZ: OKAY. I MEAN, I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, SO CAN YOU REACT NOW BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR MEMBERS?

>> SURE. WE'VE GOT A MEMBER HERE THEY'LL MAYBE ASK -- I'M JOINED BY MICHELLE DAVIS FROM ABC WHICH IS ANOTHER GENERAL CONTRACTING TRADE ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS MARK BOBLET FROM MARKSMAN GENERAL CONTRACTORS, BUT IN OUR INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, I THINK, ONE, SPEAKING TO THE HEAT ILLNESS PORTION OF IT, YOU KNOW, HB 2127 IS UNCLEAR.

YOU KNOW, IT PASSED, I KNOW IT'S TIED UP IN THE COURTS, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT IS GOING TO BE, BUT THAT'S TECHNICALLY UNENFORCEABLE. THE OTHER THING ON THE OSHA 10 AND THE OSHA 30 PARTS IS, YOU KNOW, WE -- OUR COMPANIES, OUR MEMBERS ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING THEIR MEMBERS SAFE. THEY'RE ALREADY DOING OSHA 10 AND OSHA 30 TRAINING. OSHA 10 IS NOT QUITE AS MUCH OF A BIG DEAL AS OSHA 30. YOU KNOW, OSHA 30 IS A $5,000 COURSE. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, AND IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPPOSED TO IT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED.

AND SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THOUGHTS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

I THINK RIGHT NOW I KNOW THE CURRENT POLICY, BRENDA, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, SAYS 10% NEED TO BE HIRED FROM THE LOCAL AREA OF WORKERS ON THE PROJECTS, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS? NO?

OKAY. >> HICKS-SORENSON: 10% OF ANY SOFT AND HARD COSTS SPENT NEED TO BE SPENT WITH SMALL WOMEN MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

>> AND WHAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION FROM -- >> PELAEZ: WELL, LET ME JUMP IN HERE, I DON'T WANT TO TURN INTO AN INTERROGATION AT THE PODIUM. I JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS.

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU AND YOUR GROUP NEED IN ORDER TO SYNTHESIZE THIS, ABSORB IT AND GET BACK TO STAFF ON, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS WILL CONCRETELY

IMPACT YOUR INDUSTRY? >> I MEAN, WE NEED A COUPLE WEEKS, YOU KNOW, THREE WEEKS OR SOMETHING TO REALLY GET A FEEL FROM ONE OF THE -- AUDIO] WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO OUR MEMBERS AND SAY, HEY, WHAT CAN WE LIVE WITH, WHAT CAN WE NOT LIVE WITH.

IT IS NOT ABOUT US WANTING TO PROTECT CORNERS OR NOT PROTECT OUR MEMBERS -- OR PROTECT WORKERS. OUR COMPANIES AND OUR MEMBERS PRIORITY, THEY NEED FOLKS TO DO THE WORK, TAKING CARE OF THEM IS NOT ONLY THE SMART BUSINESS MOVE, IT'S THE RIGHT MOVE.

AND SO WE JUST HAVE NOT HAD A LOT OF TIME TO PROCESS IT.

I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO TAKE IT TO MY BOARD YET. >> PELAEZ: THANKS.

SO IS THIS AN ACTION ITEM? IT'S JUST A BRIEFING, SO WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING IT TO GO TO A SESSION TODAY OR ANYTHING?

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO THIS IS SET TO BE VOTED ON THE 21ST.

>> WALSH: NO, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL, BUT THE TIMELINE I THINK SHOWED A SESSION ON THE 21ST. TODAY'S SESSION IS JUST TO GET FEEDBACK TO SEE

WHAT FORM IT TAKES, IT'S BROUGHT ONTO THE AGENDA. >> WALSH: RIGHT.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO ARGUE THAT POINT WITH YOU, MAYOR, BUT IT'S REALLY

[00:50:03]

IF WE NEED TO PIVOT AND ADJUST THE TIMELINE, THE KEY IS BY THE END OF THE

CALENDAR YEAR. >> PELAEZ: IS IT BY THE CALENDAR YEAR BECAUSE OF

STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO PASS THESE RULES. >> WALSH: YES.

>> PELAEZ: SO IT'S NOT LIKE SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO BRING THIS IN JANUARY

ASSUMING PEOPLE WANT TO REVISIT IN JANUARY. >> WALSH: RIGHT. WE'VE

GOT TO DO IT IN DECEMBER. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START OUT BY THANKING BRENDA AND HER TEAM AND ALSO MATT TO MEET AND DISCUSS.

I'LL START OFF WITH A REALLY QUICK HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION.

AND THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR ANDY, RIGHT? AND SO -- BUT UNDER THE CURRENT BIDDING AND CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE COULD AWARD EXTRA POINTS FOR SUBMISSIONS THAT ALREADY INCLUDE THAT SAFETY, CONSTRUCTION SAFETY COMPONENT, SO LIKE A POINT OF 20%, OR TWO POINTS OF 40, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, ANDY? CAN WE DO THAT IF THEY HAVE COMPLETED EITHER THE OSHA 10 OR OSHA 30?

>> SEGOVIA: IS THE QUESTION, CAN WE ADD POINTS IN TERMS OF

THE -- >> GARCIA: UH-HUH. >> SEGOVIA: THE ANSWER IS

YES, YOU CAN, COUNCILWOMAN. >> GARCIA: AND WE COULD MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION, OR WE COULD AS THE CONTRACT COMES UP.

>> SEGOVIA: UNDER THIS PROGRAM, YES. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.

AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE IF WE COULD INCENTIVIZE OUTSIDE OF THE EDIF, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE -- AND IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO MANY LABORERS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SEE, HOW COULD WE WORK WITH IT?

ARE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE. >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S WHY I CLARIFIED, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CITY SOLICITATIONS, WE OO R TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. AND THE ANSWER'S STILL YES.

>> GARCIA: GOT IT. AND SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US EXPLORE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND SEE IF WE COULD START OFF WITH THAT.

I THINK WE'RE IN A COMPETITIVE LABOR MARKET AND I'M SURE THAT THERE'S ALREADY OTHER PEOPLE OFFERING DIFFERENT ENTRY WAGES, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ABOUT CODIFYING THIS IN A MANNER, RIGHT, THAT WE CAN SEE.

BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, SINCE MATT IS HERE, MATT, CAN YOU COME UP AND HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARRIVED AT THE OSHA 10 VERSUS OSHA 30, OR JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> ANLSZ.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL. MY NAME'S MATT GONZALES, I'M THE BUSINESS MANAGER LABORS, LOCAL 1095. WE REPRESENT 900 MEMBERS IN CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE CONTRACT. AND SO I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT RESPONSES, COMMENTS TO THIS. AS IT RELATES TO OSHA 10 AND OSHA 30. OSHA 10 IS THAT ENTRY-LEVEL SAFETY AND HAZARD AWARENESS COURSE. OSHA 30 IS INTENDED FOR FOREMEN, SUPERVISORY, SUPERINTENDENT PERSONNEL. AND SO ON ONE HAND, I HEAR THAT INDUSTRY IS ALREADY DOING IT. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. SO IF IT'S NOT AN ISSUE AND THEY'RE ALREADY DOING IT, WHY WOULD THE CITY NOT THEN ADOPT THIS AS A BASIC STANDARD FOR ITS -- THE WAY IT OPERATES. AND WHAT IT EXPECTS IN RETURN FOR COMPANIES SETTING UP SHOP AND USING TAXPAYER MONEY. SO THAT'S THE SAFETY COMPONENT. THE PREVAILING WAGE, AND THE RECENT UPDATES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, LIST A LABORER IN OUR AREA AS 19 TO $13 AN HOUR. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO SURVIVE ON AND PROVIDE FOR A FAMILY. SO I CERTAINLY ENDORSE SETTING IT AT PREVAILING WAGE, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN CRAFTS THAT DO PREVAIL, TYPICALLY YOUR LICENSED TRADES, PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS AND SO ON, OR TIE IT TO THE ENTRY WAGE OF THE $18 AN HOUR INDEXED. SO I SUPPORT THAT.

AS WE TALK ABOUT LOCAL HIRE, I THINK IT VERY EASILY DOVETAILS INTO SA READY TO WORK AND IT ENHANCES THE A THE ABILITY FOR SAN ANS TO FIND NOT JUST A JOB, BUT A LEGITIMATE FAMILY-SUSTAINING JOB AND AS A CITY I THINK WE SHOULD ALL PROMOTE THAT. LOCAL HIRE, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S JUST GOING TO BOOST IT. THE HEAT ILLNESS, IT DOVETAILS INTO SAFETY ONCE AGAIN, WHICH FOR PROJECT OWNERS, IT'S TO THEIR BENEFIT. THE INCREASE IN SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE JOB SITE WILL THEN PLAY A ROLE INTO REDUCING ON-SITE ACCIDENTS, IT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT ON TIME AND PERHAPS UNDERBUDGET. SO IT'S A NET POSITIVE AS BRENDA MENTIONED EARLIER, AND THAT'S THE WAY WE SERVICE THE COMMUNITY AS SHE ALSO MENTIONED.

[00:55:04]

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MATT. I APPRECIATE YOU KIND OF JUST DIGGING INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT. THANK YOU.

AND SO ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT I HEARD IS THAT IT'S A MATTER OF COMPLIANCE, RIGHT? AND SO HOW WE TRACK AND INVESTIGATE THE INSTANCES OF NONCOMOM. NONCOMPLIANCE, DO WE TAKE A SIMILAR APPROACH TO THE NDO OR DO WE FOLLOW THE STRATEGY WITH THE ONE WE ADOPTED WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. QUON IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO GET A LITTLE BIT CREATIVE AND SEE HOWELLS WE CAN DO THAT, BUT JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. AND I JUST -- I DON'T

KNOW IF -- WHO WANTS TO ANSWER THAT. >> WALSH: WELL, IF WE HAVE COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND RULES IN AN INCENTIVE GUIDELINE, IT CAN'T BE

LIKE THE STICKER EXAMPLE. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.

OKAY. >> WALSH: BECAUSE MATT JUST SAID IT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAXPAYER MONEY. SO THERE ARE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, SO WHATEVER THE STIPULATIONS ARE, WE WOULD HAVE TO -- WE WOULD NEED TO -- WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO, AND I THINK YOU ALL WOULD WANT US TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENSURING COMPLIANCE ON ALL THE RULES IN EXCHANGE

FOR THE -- THE INCENTIVE AGREEMENT. >> GARCIA: I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF OUTSIDE THE BOX. WHAT CAN WE DO?

>> HICKS-SORENSON: YEAH, AND SO, AGAIN, THE CONTRACT IS WITH THE COMPANY. AND THEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THEN ANYTHING THAT WE REQUIRE ON THE CONTRACTOR -- BE BETWEEN THE COMPANY, THE CONTRACTOR AND THEN ALL OF THE SUBS AND GOING THROUGH, AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO, AGAIN, COLLECT ALL THAT INFORMATION AND THERE'S -- THERE IS TAXPAYER DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, SO WE DO NOT -- THIS IS ALL PERFORMANCE-BASED. SO WE MONITOR EVERYTHING THAT'S WITHIN THAT CONTRACT BEFORE A COMPANY RECEIVES A SINGLE PENNY

OF THE AWARD. >> GARCIA: ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, BRENDA.

AND SO JUST -- AND BEFORE I FORGET, ON THE OSHA TRAINING, IS THAT AVAILABLE TO ALL WORKERS, REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STA STATUS?

I THINK MATT MIGHT KNOW THE ANSWER. >> YES.

ANY INDIVIDUAL, DOCUMENTED OR UNDOCUMENTED, HAS THE

ABILITY TO GO OBTAIN OSHA 10. >> GARCIA: OKAY.

>> THERE ARE UNION AND NONUNION ENTITIES THAT PROVIDE THAT.

THERE'S ONLINE CAPABILITY, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO GET THAT. THE ONLINE COURSES, THEY RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO MAYBE $90, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE 5,000 CAME INTO PLAY A MOMENT AGO FROM PREVIOUS SPEAKER, BUT THEY ARE REASONABLY

PRICED. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MATT.

THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. T THANK YOU, MAYOR.

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

COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MATTHEW, FOR MEETING WITH ME AND THE LABORERS OF LOCAL 1095. IN TERMS OF THE HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION REQUIREMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE I DO CONSTANTLY THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS OUR WEATHER ISSUES, OUR CLIMATE ISSUES, THE EXTREMES THAT WE'RE SEEING.

AND IF IT DOESN'T FIT HERE, BEFORE WE MEET AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE IT PRESENTED WHERE WE THINK IT WOULD FIT. AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WITHIN METRO HEALTH. THE OTHER FOR THE -- THE OSHA 10 AND OSHA 30, I REALLY DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST CONSTRUCTION -- IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS THAT CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST AND MOST PREPARED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, SO I REALLY WOULD ALSO THEN LIKE TO SEE IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF IF IT'S NOT -- IF THE BURDEN IS -- IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE ASK OF ALL THOSE COMING IN AND DOING PROJECTS S THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH READY TO WORK OR ONE OF OUR UNIVERSITIES OR WORKING IN WITH THE UNION, THAT WE GET THAT TRAINING THAT THEY NEED, OR IF IT HAS TO BE PROJECT-SPECIFIC OR WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE DO THIS PROJECT? SO THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS I ASK, AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.

I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE.

YOU'VE TAKEN A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT. THE -- AND I GUESS MY "AND/OR" OR "AND" OR "OR/AND" REQUEST IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM

[01:00:05]

SO I -- I'M STRESSING, AGAIN, THAT I WANT TO GET -- WE HAVE TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. AND IF WE NEED TO MOVE IT TO THAT FIRST WEEK OR SPECIAL, SECOND A SESSION, I'M READY TO DO THAT, BUT I NEED SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF FOR THE PARTS OF TOWN THAT I KNOW GREATER SATX IS PROMOTING THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS, I FEEL, LIKE PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST TO THE SOUTHWEST HAVE THE SAME SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY HAVE UP IN THE NORTH, AND THAT IS NOT THE SAME.

WE HAVE TCEQ PROBLEMS ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT WE KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN THOSE MEETINGS, WHERE -- WHERE THE DUMPS WERE, WHERE THE RECYCLING CENTERS ARE THAT WERE CLEARED OUT. SO WE KNOW WE HAVE TCEQ ISSUES IN OUR AREA, BUT BUSINESSES ARE LOOKING FOR LARGER AREAS TO HEADQUARTER AND TO DO MANUFACTURING AND TO BUILD, AND I JUST -- I DON'T -- I NEED SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY ON THIS SLIDE, ON SLIDE 6, TO HELP US GET THERE. SO MAYBE WE CAN -- WE CAN WORK ON THAT BEFORE WE TAKE THIS UP AND MAYBE I CAN GET THE ANSWERS ON THE OSHA 10 AND OSHA 30, ESPECIALLY ABOUT HEAT ILLNESS, ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS

THIS WITHIN THE CITY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

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

I STILL DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD ENOUGH CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN TIE ALL THESE NEW BUSINESSES WHO COME TO SAN ANTONIO WITH OUR READY TO WORK PROGRAM.

I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE SAID AS INCENTIVES FOR DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE INTERNSHIPS OR WE WANTED THEM TO SET UP APPRENTICES.

I KNOW THROUGH READY TO WORK WE HAVE INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICES, WE HAVE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING THAT WE WORK WITH. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD US SAY THOSE ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THE PACKAGE THAT WE ASK A BUSINESS TO UNDERTAKE.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING TRAINED AND CERTIFIED BUT WE HAVE COMPANIES THAT SAY, WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE FIVE YEARS' EXPERIENCE SO WE'RE GOING TO HIRE THE PERSON WITH THE EXPERIENCE. I THINK PART OF THE INCENTIVE FOR BUSINESSES THAT WE ATTRACT TO THE CITY SHOULD BE THAT THEY AGREE TO HIRE A MINIMUM OF LET'S SAY IT'S A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO HAVE 200 EMPLOYEES.

[01:05:02]

THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF INTERNSHIPS OR APPRENTICES THAT WE AGREE TO BRING INTO THEIR COMPANY SO THAT WE GROW THE VALUE OF READY TO WORK BY HAVING COMPANIES BRING THESE PEOPLE IN AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY THEY WORKED.

WE NEED TO HIRE MORE. INSTEAD OF SAYING WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO WORK SO WE'RE GOING TO HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE. SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE INCENTIVE. 1% ON A COMPANY THAT SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO BRING IN 500 PEOPLE, THAT'S HIRING FIVE PEOPLE FROM READY TO WORK.

BUT THAT CAN SET A STANDARD THAT OTHER COMPANIES SAY, HEY, LET'S HIRE MORE OF THEM. SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE MORE TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHY IT ISN'T BUILT IN AS KIND OF AN INCENTIVE.

GIVE A TAX BREAK. >> IN THE CURRENT INCENTIVE POLICY, I MENTIONED THAT 10% WRAPAROUND SUPPORT. THAT DOES INCLUDE WORKFORCE, THAT DOES INCLUDE A TIE TO READY TO WORK. WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH MIKE AND THE TEAM, OUR OFFICES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER SO MIKE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE JCB RECRUITMENT. AS JCB MOVES FORWARD WE FULLY EXPECT THEY WILL HIRE READY TO WORK. THEY HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH THAT.

TOYOTA IS ANOTHER ONE. WE DO INCLUDE READY TO WORK PLEDGES AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT AS WELL AS THE 10% WRAPAROUND SUPPORT FOR WORKFORCE.

>> COURAGE: SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WITH THESE NEW AGREEMENTS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD AND FAST NUMBER THEY SHOULD HIRE OUT OF READY TO WORK?

>> NO. >> COURAGE: THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

WE OUGHT TO FORCE THE ISSUE OF SAYING IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A TAX INCENTIVE, BECAUSE WE'RE USING TAX DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THIS TRAINING, THEN YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE 1%. ONE PERSON OUT OF 100. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BUILD IN A SCALE WHERE IF THEY SAY WE'RE GOING TO BUILD UP TO 200 OVER THREE YEARS, WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIRE THAT 1% THE FIRST YEAR. BUT MAYBE WITHIN THAT FIRST TWO OR THREE YEARS YOU AGREE TO TAKE THEM ON AS LONG AS THEY ARE TRAINED AND

CERTIFIED TO DO THE JOB. THAT'S IT, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: JUST BRIEFLY BECAUSE I THINK MS. MANDEL COVERED WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

I THINK THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, SOMEBODY REFERENCED CUTTING CORNERS, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DO THAT. I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY DILIGENT ABOUT WORKER SAFETY, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN.

HB 2127, OF COURSE I THINK SOME OF WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE HERE IS GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO 2127 AND ANYTHING ADDITIONAL MAY BE AS WELL. THE FINAL POINT I'LL MAKE ON THE LUNA LETTER, THE HIRING OF 50% OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, I ALSO WANT AS MANY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS HIRED AS POSSIBLE. BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE UNREALISTIC AND SO, YOU KNOW, 50% SEEMS FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT TO ME.

THAT'S IT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

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

I WANTED TO THANK THE CONSTRUCTION FOLKS WHO HAVE EMPHASIZED THAT THEY ARE DILIGENT ABOUT WORKER SAFETY. I HEAR THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE INDUSTRY.

WITH THAT I DON'T SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE WITH CODIFYING IT WITHIN THIS POLICY. LASTLY, I WANTED TO THANK MATT AND HIS TEAM.

I HAD ONE QUESTION FOR MATT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. MY QUESTION IS IF YOU'VE SEEN OR WORKED WITH CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WHO DO BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO BUT ARE FOLLOWING THESE PROPOSED PROVISIONS IN OTHER CITIES?

>> SO WE HAVE BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL CONTRACTORS THAT WORK IN SAN ANTONIO AND AROUND THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. AS BUSINESS PRACTICES THEY PROVIDE REST BREAKS AND OSHA 10 REQUIREMENTS. WE, AS THEIR PARTNER UNION, HELP FACILITATE GETTING THAT TRAIN TO THOSE FOLKS, AT NO COST TO THEM.

I DO WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION. A MOMENT AGO I QUOTED THE PRICE FOR THAT ONLINE TRAINING BETWEEN 60 AND 90. THAT'S FOR THE OSHA 10.

FOR CLARIFICATION, OSHA 30, FOR ONLINE PRICING, I JUST CHECKED AND IT'S IN THE

BALLPARK OF $160 TO $180. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MATT.

[01:10:02]

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

COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: I KNOW THERE WAS AN ISSUE YEARS AGO.

WOULD THIS STILL CONTINUE TO EXCLUDE PROJECTS THAT ARE MEDICAL RETAIL? PROTON INTERNATIONAL, FOR EXAMPLE. SO I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK.

I DO BELIEVE MEDICAL IS STILL EXCLUDED SO I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT,

PLEASE. >> PELAEZ: AGAIN, IF IT IS EXCLUDED I'LL TELL YOU THIS COUNCILMEMBER VOTED TO EXCLUDE ANYTHING LIKE THAT EVER.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL EVER VOTING TO EXCLUDE THOSE KINDS OF EMPLOYERS. AND I WOULD NEED TO MAKE SURE.

THAT'S MY REQUEST. IS THIS A POLICY ADOPTED BY A PREVIOUS COUNCIL? BY THAT, I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANTED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A VERY LARGE MULTI-SPECIALTY IMAGING CENTER ON THE SOUTHSIDE, THEY WOULD NOT, EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD EMPLOY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, THEY MAY NOT QUALIFY FOR A SINGLE INCENTIVE, EVEN THOUGH THERE COULD BE 200, $300 MILLION IN CAPITAL X BECAUSE THEY SERVED PATIENTS WHO COME IN THE FRONT DOOR, THEY WOULDN'T QUALIFY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS . THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO AVOID. EVEN IF IT'S NOT A $200 MILLION CAP X, AN MRI CLINIC WITH TAKE UP TO $10 MILLION OF CASH TO BUY ALL OF THOSE MACHINES, THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED A RETAIL MEDICAL FACILITY.

I DON'T WANT OUR POLICIES TO INTERFERE WITH OUR ABILITY TO PUT A SOPHISTICATED MEDICAL OUTPATIENT FACILITY IN YOUR DISTRICT AND YOUR DISTRICT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE THAT WASN'T US ADOPTED A POLICY LIKE THAT.

>> I STAND CORRECTED. SO RETAIL OPERATIONS, INCLUDING STORES SELLING GOODS AND SERVICES ARE SPECIFICALLY LISTED AS EXCLUDED BUT NOT MEDICAL.

WE WOULD LOOK AT IT THOUGH AS A "BUT." AS ANY PROJECT, WE LOOK AT

THE "BUT FOR" TO ENSURE IT IS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST -- ANYWAY, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TRYING

TO AVOID HERE RIGHT, BRENDA? >> YES. >> PELAEZ: THE SECOND THING, ERIK, I NOTICED THAT -- ANYWAY, WHEN YOU SAID THE 21ST, I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DECEMBER 21ST. WE'VE GOT THIS SET FOR

NOVEMBER 21ST, RIGHT? >> WALSH: THE POWERPOINTS ARE NOVEMBER 21ST.

BUT THAT AGENDA IS NOT POSTED AND IT'S STRICTLY RELIANT UPON TODAY'S

CONVERSATION. >> AS LONG AS WE DO IT BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR AND STAY IN COMPLIANCE.

I'M SORRY. I CUT YOU OFF. >> PELAEZ: I JUST WANT TO GIVE THIS INDUSTRY AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIGEST THIS, TO TALK TO THEIR OWN MEMBERS, TO REALLY KIND OF CHECK TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO DO TO THEM.

I MEAN, ANYBODY WHO IS WATCHING THIS PROBABLY KNOWS THAT WE WILL PROBABLY ALL ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE ONE OF THE BIGGEST INDUSTRIES IN THIS CITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DIG INTO IT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE PASS IT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNFAIR, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT A MONTH. AND EVEN IF WE DO VOTE ON THIS NOVEMBER 21ST VERSUS DECEMBER 19TH, THESE DON'T KICK IN UNTIL 2025.

REALLY, WE WOULD JUST BE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE THIS AMONGST THEIR OWN INDUSTRY. DO YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH DOING IT DECEMBER 19?

>> WALSH: NO. JUST BASED ON THE CONVERSATION SO FAR THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO -- THAT I'M HEARING THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP AND THAT'S ONE OF THEM AND THAT'S GOING TO

TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? I JUST WANT TO OFFER A FEW THOUGHTS AND UNDERSCORE WHAT WAS LAST SAID.

I AGREE. I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO WORKSHOP THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, ERIK, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE LAST-MINUTE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE OFFERED. I WISH THOSE WERE OFFERED A LITTLE BIT SOONER SO WE COULD BE PAST THE WORKSHOPPING BUT WE HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT MORE. A COUPLE OTHER NOTES, THOUGH.

THIS FRAMEWORK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE WHAT SARAH SAID.

WHEN WE ADOPTED THE FRAMEWORK, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY A MENU OF INCENTIVES THAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE PREQUALIFIED FOR IF THEY MEET THEM, IT ALLOWED OUR CITY MANAGER TO GO AHEAD AND RESPOND TO LETTERS OF INTEREST -- TO PROPOSALS WITH LETTERS OF INTEREST VERY QUICKLY.

WE WERE TAKING THREE-PLUS MONTHS TO RESPOND TO RFPS, WHEREAS TODAY WE'RE DOING IT IN A MATTER OF ONE TO TWO TO THREE DAYS. THAT'S WHY THE PIPELINE HAS GREATLY EXPANDED. WE HAVE A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES COMING TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE THIS FRAMEWORK. AND SO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FRAMEWORK FROM THE COMPANY'S PERSPECTIVE IS THAT IT IS PREDICTABLE.

THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. THAT BEING SAID, WHETHER IT'S A MEDICAL COMPANY OR

[01:15:07]

MY QUESTION TO THE COUNCIL, SHOULD WE REDEFINE WHAT WE MEAN BY CITY-FUNDED CONTRACTS? IF WE'RE OFFERING CITY TAXPAYER INCENTIVES , ESSENTIALLY THAT'S A CITY-FUNDED. IS THAT ANOTHER POSSIBLE ROUTE TO ADDRESS THE HEAT BREAK PART . I WOULD NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OSHA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE EMPLOYER'S PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS THE WORKER.

BASED ON LAST YEAR'S DISCUSSION ON HEAT BREAKS AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE HEARD TODAY, WE DO CARE ABOUT SAFETY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT JOBS ARE BEING DONE HERE, AGAIN, HOPEFULLY BY LOCALS. I DON'T SEE THAT AS A REQUIREMENT EVEN IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS. IT'S A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT.

SO IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, EVEN IN WHAT WAS PRESENTED AS THE AMENDMENT.

BUT WE WOULD WANT THOSE LOCAL EMPLOYEES TO BE -- TO HAVE THE HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS FOR SAFETY. SO I DO THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, ERIK, TO GET BETTER PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE SPECIFIC ONES. BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD START AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME POSSIBLE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN REACH THAT GOAL, NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM ITSELF. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE TO ITEM 2? COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THIS BACK A LITTLE BIT SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO

ADDRESS THESE AMENDMENTS. >> WALSH: WE'LL COME IN DECEMBER.

THEY WILL NOT BE ON THE NOVEMBER 21ST AGENDA. AND, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO RECAP. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE GROUP REGARDING CONSTRUCTION, THE OSHA, THE WAGES, THE LOCAL HIRING, THE HEAT SAFETY, ALLOWING OTHERS TO HAVE -- OTHER INDUSTRIES TO HAVE SOME FEEDBACK TIME. WE'LL CERTAINLY DO THAT. THE OTHER ONE THAT I HEARD THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK INTERNALLY IS ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE READY TO WORK. AND SO WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME INTERNALLY ON THAT AS WELL. AND THEN PACKAGE THIS BACK UP TO COME BACK TO THE

COUNCIL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH, IN THAT PROCESS, ERIK, IF YOU CAN GIVE US -- I ASSUME BRENDA IS GOING TO DO THIS -- BUT GIVE US A SENSE OF OUR PEER CITIES, WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND REQUIRING IN SIMILAR PROGRAMS.

>> WALSH: YEP. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK WE'RE READY FOR ITEM

2. >> WALSH: MAYOR AND COUNCIL, SO THE SECOND ITEM IS A PRE-SOLICITATION BRIEFING ON A READY TO WORK SOLICITATION.

A LARGE PART OF OUR PROGRAM EXECUTION INVOLVES PARTNERING WITH LOCAL TRAINING PROVIDERS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LOCAL EMPLOYER HIRING AND TALENT.

THE INTENT IS TO FURTHER LEVERAGE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDERS POSITIONED IN THE LOCAL WORKFORCE ECOSYSTEM AND REALLY TARGET THEIR EXPERTISE IN NOT ONLY THE PRODUCTION AND TRAINING OF TALENT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE JOB PLACEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS. AND YOU ALL WILL REMEMBER THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING WE HAVE CONTINUOUSLY TRIED TO IMPROVE.

THIS WILL BE A BIG PART OF MIKE'S CONVERSATION HERE WITH YOU.

IT'S A PRE-SOLICITATION BRIEFING SO WE WANTED TO GET SOME INPUT FROM YOU ALL BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE SOLICITATION. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MIKE TO

WALK US THROUGH IT. >> THANK YOU, ERIK. MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. READY TO WORK, JUST A REMINDER OF WHY WE INVESTED INTO THIS PROGRAM. INCOME EQUALITY, LOW EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, LARGE POPULATION OF PEOPLE OF COLOR. THESE ARE NOT ISSUES UNIQUE TO SAN ANTONIO. EVERY MAJOR CITY IN THIS COUNTRY IS TRYING TO OVERCOME THESE BARRIERS AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT THEY BRING.

AND OUR READY TO WORK IS STRIVING TO CREATE A WIN-WIN, HELPING PEOPLE TO GET HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, BETTER SKILLS SO OUR EMPLOYERS CAN HAVE THE TALENT THEY NEED TO GET THE WORK DONE. THE BALLOT PROPOSITION, HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, 70% OF THE VOTERS SAID YES, DIVERT THESE FUNDS TO INVEST IN HUMAN CAP CAPITAL TO HELP OVERCOME THESE ISSUES. GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

[01:20:10]

STRATEGIC PROGRAMS, SEEKING TO REDUCE POVERTY THROUGH TARGETED SOLUTIONS, BEING ALIGNED TO EMPLOYER DEMAND WITH THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED. AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT WE BENEFIT THOSE POPULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED. AND NO ENTITY CAN DO IT ALONE SO COLLABORATION WAS GOING TO BE CRITICAL. SO THE SALES TAX PROJECTIONS.

ACTUALS TO DATE, 12.9, 46.7 IN '22. 49.1 COLLECTED IN '23.

AND WE'RE PROJECTING TO COLLECT $3.5 MILLION FOR A TOTAL THROUGH DECEMBER 31 2025 OF $239.3 MILLION AND READY TO WORK PROGRAMMING IS CURRENTLY PROJECTED TO SUNSET IN 2029. SO THE OVERVIEW. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM WITH WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS BASED OFF THE PROJECT QUEST MODEL.

TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR CREDENTIALS, ASSOCIATE DEGREES, BACHELOR'S DEGREES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM. REFERRALS TO LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO OFFER ADDITIONAL LONG-TERM ASSISTANCE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THEN THE SCALE, UNPRECEDENTED ENGAGEMENT TO OUR WORK. THAT'S HOW WE ACHIEVE JOB PLACEMENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE CENTRAL DATA PLATFORMS, WE KEEP OUR DATA UP TO DATE IN CURRENT VIEW OF COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.

SO THE SCALE, 39,000 TO BE INTERVIEWED. 28,000 PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED AND 15,600 COMPLETERS PLACED IN WELL-PAYING JOBS LOCALLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

SO THE SOLICITATION. SO THE SCOPE, SELECTED RESPONDENT WILL SERVE AS READY TO WORK PRIME PARTNERS. CURRENTLY WE HAVE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO IS OUR LARGEST CONTRACTOR FOLLOWED BY ALAMO COLLEGES.

AND THEN PROJECT QUEST AND RESTORE EDUCATION. TRAINING READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS THROUGH IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAMS, PERFORMING INTAKE AND ASSESSMENTS, CONDUCTING REFERRALS, PROVIDING THAT WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, AND TRAINING COMPLETION CONFIRMATION AND JOB PLACEMENT AND VERIFICATION.

THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, MYSELF, ALEX LOPEZ, JOE MORGAN, LORI ZAMORA, AND JENNIFER CANTU. JERRY GRAEBER, OUR VICE CHAIR, FORMER CHAIR OF THE READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD, AND ROGERS O BRYANT CONSTRUCTION ARE REPRESENTATIVE . THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE HEAVILY FOCUSED ON THE TRACK RECORD AND THE JOB PLACEMENT RECORD OF THE RESPONDENTS TO THIS RFP BECAUSE THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN JOBS. SOLICITATION WILL BE AN RFP.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR PROPOSALS FROM THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMITTEE.

THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH A ONE-YEAR OPTION ALIGNING WITH THAT TIMELINE.

ESTIMATED VALUE ABOUT $32.5 MILLION FROM THE READY TO WORK SALES TAX FUND.

SOLICITATION OVERVIEW. EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND. 30 POINTS.

THE PLAN, 25 POINTS. PRICING AT 20 POINTS. LOCAL PREFERENCE, 10 POINTS.

VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS PREFERENCE PROGRAM, 5 POINTS.

SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, 5 POINTS. MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, 5 SBEDA 5% SUBCONTRACTING GOAL IS A CONDITION OF THE REQUIREMENT. AFTER COLLECTING FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL, WE'LL GET ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM OUR ADVISORY BOARD. AT THE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING WE PLAN TO RELEASE THE SOLICITATION ON NOVEMBER 25. RECEIVE THE PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE SESSION WILL HAPPEN DECEMBER 11. QUESTIONS ON DECEMBER 16.

DUE DATE, JANUARY 22. AND THEN NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS THROUGH MARCH 7. POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING, MAY 7. AND COUNCIL CONSIDERATION, MAY 22, 2025 WITH A CONTRACT START DATE IN JUNE 2025. ALL THAT ALIGNS WITH THE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AT THAT POINT IN TIME AS OUR THREE-YEAR INITIAL AGREEMENTS EXPIRE. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR GIVE YOU ANY

CLARIFICATION. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, MIKE. THANK YOU TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS AT GREATER SATX.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK, ROMANITA. WE'LL MOVE INTO DISCUSSION.

COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU,

[01:25:02]

WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT BRINGING IN MORE PARTNERSHIPS TO BOOST ENROLLMENT IN READY TO WORK. I AGREE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO PROCEED.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ALL TALK ABOUT GETTING KIND OF A ROCKY START BUT THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM AND YOU MENTIONED IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.

I DON'T WANT US TO GET COMPLACENT WITH BEING AN UNPRECEDENTED PROGRAM.

WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH. WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO SET THE GUIDANCE FOR WHO IS ELIGIBLE, WE SET A SOLID FRAMEWORK.

NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GROW ENROLLMENT, IS THERE ANYTHING KEEPING US FROM

UPDATING AS A COUNCIL THOSE GUIDELINES? >> TYPICALLY THE AGE

REQUIREMENT? >> HAVRDA: ANY KIND OF GUIDELINE.

>> WE CAN ALWAYS LOOK TO ADJUST. AND THIS BODY, YOU KNOW,

WOULD HAVE VERY STRONG INPUT INTO WHAT THAT DIRECTION. >> HAVRDA: I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN WE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OUR MILITARY. IT'S THEIR SPOUSES AS WELL?

>> YEP. MILITARY, THEIR SPOUSES, THEIR DEPENDENTS WHO EXTENT

TO BEXAR COUNTY. >> HAVRDA: OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS BUT WITHIN BEXAR

COUNTY. WHAT WERE THE LOGISTICS? >> RERAN IT THROUGH OUR ADVISORY BOARD AND FEEDBACK. THAT WAS THE INITIAL MECHANISM AND WE BROUGHT IT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL IN A PRESENTATION FOR THE BUDGET AS THAT EXPANSION TOOK

PLACE. >> HAVRDA: THE BALLOT LANGUAGE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HAVING A SPECIFIC AGE OR THERE'S NO PROGRAM DETAIL ON THE BALLOT

LANGUAGE ABOUT AN AGE REQUIREMENT, CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> HAVRDA: SO I'M A PROPONENT OF LOWERING THE AGE BELOW 18 TO AT LEAST HIGH SCHOOL AGE. 14 ON UP. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL STUDIES ARE SHOWING WE START JOB TRAINING AS EARLY AS HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY BOOSTING JOB PLACEMENT. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADAPT OUR PROGRAM SO WE'RE SETTING UP GENERATIONS OF SAN ANTONIANS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO READY TO WORK AND LITERALLY BE READY TO WORK OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL.

>> IT'S POSSIBLE. THERE ARE CTE PROGRAMS SET UP IN HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO THROUGH OUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

IF WE WERE TO AGREE THAT THERE WAS AN AGE REDUCTION IN THE CURRENT 18-YEAR-OLDS AND I HAVE TO PREFACE IT WITH THAT BECAUSE THE CURRENT STATE IS 18 YEARS OLD. IF WE WERE TO PARTNER WITH THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THERE ARE CTE PROGRAMS AND ALIGN THOSE PROGRAMS TO JOBS THAT EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE CAN BUILD A PATHWAY FOR THOSE STUDENTS INTERFACE WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS, LEARN ABOUT WHAT THOSE OCCUPATIONS OFFER FOR THEM AS WORKERS SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THOSE COMPANIES AND MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORK IS. SO IF THEY CONTINUE TO EARN ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS THEN THEY COULD BE IN A POSITION TO GAIN

EMPLOYMENT HERE LOCALLY WHERE THERE'S A DEMAND. >> WALSH: I THINK THE KEY WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S A PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT.

BECAUSE THAT WAS TRAIN FOR JOBS DURING COVID. THAT WAS THE HALLMARK FOUNDATIONAL CORNERSTONE OF THE TASK FORCE. AND SO I THINK IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND I'M REMEMBERING A B SESSION THAT WE HAD REMOTELY, THAT THE COUNCIL HAD REMOTELY.

BECAUSE I WAS SITTING IN MY OFFICE BY MYSELF. AND, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT JOB PLACEMENT, JOB READINESS, AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMING AND HOW IT WAS -- AND THIS WAS AS THE COUNCIL WAS DEBATING WHAT TO PUT ON THE BALLOT. I THINK, AS MIKE SAID, ANDY AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER. I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS AND EVEN MORE DEPENDENT UPON WHAT IS THE PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT. IT COULD BE DIFFERENT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF INDUSTRY OR JOB. IN FACT, THAT PROBABLY COULD

HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH IT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. >> HAVRDA: AGREED COMPLETELY. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE RIGHT PROGRAM AND RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS. APPRENTICESHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, TRADES, ALL OF IT.

I'LL SAY THAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON THE DAIS -- IT'S BEEN A WHILE NOW BUT MAYBE ABOUT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CHARTER AMENDMENTS -- TALKED ABOUT SHIFTING SOME READY TO WORK DOLLARS TO YOUTH. WE REMEMBER AT THOSE CHARTER AMENDMENT TALKS THERE WAS A LOT OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT. A LOT OF THOSE GROUPS SHOWED UP TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AFTER WE SAW THAT OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IS TO LOOK AT READY TO WORK.

I THINK THAT IT WILL -- I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF

[01:30:01]

I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE 4. I THINK THIS CATCHES ALL THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND I VERY HEAVILY ADVOCATE THAT WE LOOK AT AS A COUNCIL AND THE ADVISORY BOARD, WE LOOK AT INCREASING, EXPANDING THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THERE'S SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND REALLY NOT LOOKING AT ONE PARTICULAR ONE.

I THINK WE HAVE TO START WITH EXPANDING THAT SCOPE. AND I ALSO THINK, YOU KNOW, IN ONE OF THE EARLIER SLIDES YOU MENTIONED UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY AND THEY ARE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT SPECIFIC ZIP CODES OR SPECIFIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EVEN. IT'S THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

EXPANDING AT LEAST FOR A PILOT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU.

THANKS, MAYOR. >> WALSH: JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, MAYOR. COUNCILWOMAN, YOU'RE TALKING GENERALLY ABOUT READY TO WORK, THE WHOLE THING, NOT THE SOLICITATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY WARRANTS THE BOARD TO GO THROUGH AND THE STAFF AND EVEN PROBABLY A COUNCIL DISCUSSION ABOUT ALTERNATIVES AND PATHWAYS.

>> HAVRDA: I THINK IT COULD BE THE SOLICITATION. I'M NOT RULING IT OUT, IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT. I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO WARRANT A BIGGER DISCUSSION.

>> WALSH: I WOULD RECOMMEND, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, THAT WE TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH. BECAUSE THIS SOLICITATION IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE AND THOSE ARE FOR THE EXISTING POPULATIONS THAT -- WE'VE GOT 9,000 PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE. SO WITH THE EXISTING FOLKS. WE CAN DO TWO THINGS AT ONCE. WE NEED TO INITIATE THAT CONVERSATION AT THE BOARD LEVEL AND FIGURE OUT A SCHEDULE AND COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR A

CONVERSATION. >> HAVRDA: WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THIS? I THINK THE LAST SLIDE HAD A TIMELINE. I MEAN, IS THAT NOT ENOUGH TIME TO INCLUDE THAT DISCUSSION WITHIN THIS SOLICITATION PROCESS?

>> WALSH: WHAT YOU'RE RAISING WAS NOT CONTEMPLATED IN THIS SOLICITATION.

SO THIS IS JUST -- EVEN IF WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY CHANGES, THE COUNCIL DIDN'T MAKE ANY CHANGES, WE NEED THIS FOR THE CURRENT PRODUCTION. WE'VE GOT 9,000 AND WE'VE GOT MORE COMING. BUT I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP -- I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP IS OPENING UP ANOTHER AVENUE TO UTILIZE THE DOLLARS, HOPEFULLY WITH A PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT FOR ANOTHER POPULATION. SO IT'S AN ADDITIVE ON TOP OF EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED MULTIPLE STREETS TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL, REGARDLESS OF THE POPULATION OR THE AGENCY BRACKET.

BUT THIS WE NEED REGARDLESS. THIS SOLICITATION. AND I THINK WE CAN DO THEM

ALL AT ONCE, IN PARALLEL. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO -- >> HAVRDA: I DON'T WANT

THAT CONVERSATION TO BE HELD UP BY THIS. >> WALSH: WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD, MAYBE AT A COUNCIL COMMITTEE CONVERSATION. AND THEN WITH THE FULL COUNCIL IN THE FALL.

I MEAN, IN THE SPRING BECAUSE YOU GUYS DO THE BUDGET.

>> HAVRDA: AND THE PUBLIC PROCESS AS WELL. >> WALSH: YEP.

>> HAVRDA: THANKS. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

I WILL ASK YOU TO REITERATE WHAT YOU JUST SAID AS FAR AS WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE. I WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ADJUSTING THE AGE REQUIREMENT TO INCLUDE ALL THOSE ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN TEXAS, PARTICULARLY YOUTH.

AND SO I'M WONDERING -- AND THE REASON WHY I THINK OUR KIDS AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE STUDENTS THAT I RUN INTO -- JUST LAST WEEK I RAN INTO MAYBE SIX OF MY STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT PLACES AND THEY WERE ALL WORKING AND IT WAS GOOD TO SEE AND MAKES ME FEEL VERY, VERY OLD, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL OUT OF COLLEGE AND WHATNOT NOW AT THIS POINT. SO IT'S MAKING ME ANXIOUS. WHEN I WAS TEACHING, I REMEMBER MANY OF MY STUDENTS WERE WORKING AT 14, 15 YEARS OLD, WHETHER THEY WANTED TO OR BECAUSE THEY HAD TO TO HELP PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY.

[01:35:01]

OF IT IS FOR YOUTH. >> WALSH: I THINK YOU ALL ARE BRINGING UP SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO. AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S BAD BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN CONTEMPLATED OR DISCUSSED BY YOU ALL AS A GROUP, THE BOARD. I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO DEFINE WHAT TYPE OF PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT. THIS GOES BACK TO THE CONVERSATIONS THE COUNCIL HAD AS THEY PUT IT ON THE BATTLE LAST TIME. THIS IS A TRAINING AND JOBS PROGRAM . THE ISSUES YOU ALL ARE BRINGING UP PROBABLY WARRANT A LITTLE BIT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE INTENDED TARGET IS, WHETHER IT IS INDIVIDUALS, PROGRAMS, INDUSTRIES, TRAINING PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN NARROWLY FOCUS ON THAT. WE NEED ADDITIONAL TRAINING PROVIDERS ON THE GROUND NOW FOR THE CURRENT POPULATION. SO I THINK WE COULD DO IT IN PARALLEL.

I THINK IT HAS TO BE DEFINED. IT IS NOT A YOUTH READY TO WORK -- THIS IS STRICTLY THE CITY MANAGER'S OPINION, OKAY? READY TO WORK WAS NOT A YOUTH FUNDING MECHANISM, PER SE.

AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS -- AND COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CHARTER CONVERSATIONS AT THE TIME. THAT REALLY DEALT WITH ALL THINGS YOUTH RELATED. AND ARE THERE ASPECTS OF A READY TO WORK PROGRAM THAT COULD BE CREATED THAT ALLOWS FOR THOSE IN THE TEEN YEARS AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL OR THE KIDS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, TO GO THROUGH A PROGRAM THAT GETS THEM INTO A PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT. BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO DO THAT. AND IF WE HAVEN'T DONE IT, I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SOLICIT FOR IT. I DON'T KNOW IF MIKE COULD EITHER.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT'S, I THINK, THE MAIN ISSUE.

I DON'T SEE IT AS ANY DIFFERENT FROM THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE ALREADY DO. THE DIFFERENCE IS THE TYPE OF APPLICANTS THAT WE WOULD GET FOR THIS. THEY WOULD NEED TO BE QUALIFIED TO WORK WITH CHILDREN AND TO PROVIDE TRAINING LIKE THAT. AND SO MAYBE THERE ARE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE READY AND EQUIPPED TO DO THAT AND MAYBE THERE'S NOT.

AND SO BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE PROGRAM,

NECESSARILY, OR WHAT MAKES IT THAT DIFFERENT. >> WALSH: BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROGRAMMING RIGHT NOW DESIGNED FOR 14-YEAR-OLDS OR 15-YEAR-OLDS. IT WASN'T CONTEMPLATED ORIGINALLY IN THE TASK FORCE. NOW, COULD IT BE EXPANDED? YES.

I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL COULD HAVE AND WITH THE BOARD AND THE STAKEHOLDERS TO FIGURE OUT IS IT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN FIRST. NUMBER TWO, THE EMPHASIS HERE IS ON JOB PLACEMENT.

NOT TRAINING OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN AN AREA JUST TO TRAIN THE INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER IT IS A 32-YEAR-OLD OR A 17-YEAR-OLD. IT IS DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO TRAIN AND PLACE PEOPLE IN JOBS. AND THE PLACEMENT OF JOBS IS HAVING THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE EMPLOYERS.

ALL TYPES OF EMPLOYERS IN THAT AREA. I'M NOT SURE WE WOULD KNOW

[01:40:04]

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I HEAR YOU AND I THINK MAYBE A COMPROMISE THERE WOULD BE -- AND IT'S A PREVIEW OF A CONVERSATION THAT COUNCILWOMAN KAUR AND I WERE HAVING. BUT THERE ARE 16, 17-YEAR-OLDS WHO ARE READY TO BE PLACED IN JOBS AND THAT MIGHT BE A POTENTIAL. SO I JUST WANT TO CHALLENGE THAT A LITTLE BIT. I GUESS THE LAST QUESTION/COMMENT IS GOING TO BE WHAT IS EVERY STEP THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO GET US THERE?

AND SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN PARALLEL? >> THE FIRST STEP, WE NEED TO CONNECT WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, PRIMARILY THE BOARD, THE READY TO WORK BOARD. BRIEF THEM ON THIS CONCEPT OF EXPANDING INTO THE YOUTH, WHETHER IT'S 16, 17-YEAR-OLDS OR DOWN TO 14-YEAR-OLDS.

GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND PERSPECTIVES AS FAR AS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, WHAT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THEM AS THEY EXIT THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS. WHICH INDUSTRIES AND WHICH OCCUPATIONS MAKE THE MOST SENSE. AND THEN COME BACK WITH A PLAN FOR THIS IS HOW WE COULD IMPLEMENT THIS. AS FAR AS TIMELINE GOES, I AGREE WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

IT MAY NOT FIT WITHIN THIS CURRENT TIME-FRAME HERE BUT I THINK WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THAT WORK, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. WE'VE GOT OUR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING NEXT WEEK SO WE CAN BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT SOUNDS GOOD. APPRECIATE IT.

OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. READY TO GO.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

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

COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL ADDED THOSE MAPS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE AND IT'S A GOOD REMINDER WHY WE NEED TO ADDRESS GENERATIONAL POVERTY IN OUR CITY AND HOW THE CITY'S BEEN REDLINED AND HOW WE GOT HERE.

THAT SAID, I KNOW THAT READY TO WORK HAS HAD SOME CHALLENGES MEETING ITS GOALS. I STRESS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THESE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BE USED AS EFFECTIVELY AND AS EFFICIENTLY ■AS&-ÚPOSSIB, READY TO WORK HAS FOUND ITS LEGS. WE HAVE OVER 1500 PEOPLE PLACED IN JOBS RIGHT NOW FOR GREAT OUTCOMES FOR INCREASES IN WAGES BUT WE WANT TO INCREASE THAT PACE.

IF WE PICK THE PACE UP, NOW THAT OUR PRIME PARTNERS HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO SERVE THIS POPULATION, I THINK THAT ADDITIONAL PARTNER WOULD HELP TO EXPEDITE THAT.

>> GAVITO: HOW MANY ADDITIONAL PARTNERS ARE Y'ALL SEEKING THROUGH THE

SOLICITATION? >> IT DEPENDS ON THE RESPONSE AND HOW GOOD THOSE PROPOSALS ARE. IT COULD BE ONE, IT COULD BE TWO OR THREE BASED UPON THE

RESPONSES THAT WE GET FROM THE COMMUNITY. >> GAVITO: WHO ARE THE CURRENT PROVIDERS OF THIS SERVICE AND ALSO, TOO, WHICH ORGANIZATIONS DO YOU

ANTICIPATE WOULD APPLY? >> WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO IS OUR LARGEST CONTRACTOR.

ALAMO COLLEGES, PROJECT QUEST, AND RESTORE EDUCATION.

THEY ARE OUR FOUR PRIME CONTRACTORS. ANY EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTION IN THE COMMUNITY COULD APPLY. SOME NAMES THAT ARE ABSENT THAT COME TO THE TOP OF MIND, OF COURSE, UTSA. GOODWILL.

HALLMARK. THERE'S A NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONS THAT COULD

SOLICIT. >> GAVITO: YEAH. YOU KNOW, I AGAIN WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CONTRACTS WILL EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO HIT READY TO WORK'S GOALS AND THAT THE AWARDEES WILL UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY. >> GAVITO: THANKS SO MUCH. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE

GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MIKE FOR THE PRESENTATION.

A COUPLE OF THINGS. IN TERMS OF SCOPE AND SOLICITATION, I THINK THERE WOULD BE VALUE IN WEIGHING IN WITHIN THE RFP PROCESS THE AMOUNT OF GRADUATES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PLACED. IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING AS WELL. AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE TO EWDC WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO DIVE INTO THOSE NUMBERS AND DEMOGRAPHICS.

I THINK THERE WOULD ALSO BE VALUE IN GIVING SUPPORT IF THEIR SERVICES INCLUDE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CERTIFIED PROGRAMMING. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEING. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR THE

[01:45:08]

OSHA CERTIFICATION FOR OSHA 8 OR 30? >>

>> CASTILLO: WONDERFUL. GIVEN THE CONVERSATION AND THE STATS ON THE GRADUATES THAT WE'RE SEEING HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING PLACEMENT, ARE WE TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL IF THERE'S AN APPLICANT WHERE THEY'RE FOCUSED ON AN INDUSTRY THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING SUCCESS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WEIGHING IN WITH THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE?

>> WALSH: THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD IS DEALING WITH, THE ADVISORY BOARD IS DEALING WITH NOW AS WELL, WITH THE EXISTING PROVIDERS.

>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT. THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING THE JOB FAIR IN DISTRICT 5. I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO A HANDFUL OF GRADUATES AND LEARN WHAT THEY GOT THEIR CERTIFICATION AND/OR DEGREE IN AND LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT SOME OF THEM ARE FACING. GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING ALL THESE PIECES. THANK YOU.

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

COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. I DO THINK THAT ANY MODIFICATIONS TO AGE CAPS OR THE SCOPE OF READY TO WORK NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE READY TO WORK BOARD. WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THOSE PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD BE GIVING UP THEIR TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND JOBS TO HAVE INPUT IN HOW THIS IS EXECUTED AND DESIGNED AND HOW IT'S MEASURED AND SO I DON'T WANT US TO BACKDOOR THAT PROCESS. NUMBER TWO, THEY ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON JOB TRAINING AND JOB CREATION SO TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT WITHOUT GETTING THEIR INPUT WOULD BE A MISTAKE ON OUR PART. WE HAVE, ADDITIONALLY -- I THINK WE GOT AN AGREEMENT WITH OUR FRIENDS AT COPS/METRO AND PROJECT QUEST THAT THIS PROJECT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE FOR ADULTS. LAST TIME I HEARD I HEARD NO EXPRESSION OF WILLINGNESS ON THEIR PART TO CHANGE THE DNA OF PROJECT QUEST.

I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT US LOWERING THE AGE TO HIGH SCHOOL KIDS. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS APPROACHED BY A COMPANY RECENTLY CALLED COHERENT CYBER. WE'RE BEATING AROUND THE BUSH AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM. THEY CAME TO ME AND SAID THAT THEY HAD MET WITH COUNCILWOMAN ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA AND SHE WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THEIR PROPOSAL. I TALKED TO COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA AFTERWARDS AND SHE WAS THE OPPOSITE OF ENTHUSIASTIC.

THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NEED MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS TO PUT TOGETHER THE PILOT PROGRAM BUT TOTAL THEY WOULD NEED 5. AND IF THEY DIDN'T MEET THE MARK WITH THE 1, THAT'S OKAY. THEY WON'T ASK FOR THE 5.

THE PILOT PROGRAM SOUNDED SOMETHING LIKE WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH CLOSE TO 10, MAYBE MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT BUT WHEN ASKED CAN YOU NAME THEM, NO, NOT A SINGLE ONE IS WILLING TO PUT THEIR NAME ON A PIECE OF PAPER. COHERENT CYBER SAID MIKE RAMSEY IS ENTHUSIASTIC, CAN YOU PLEASE TALK TO MIKE RAMSEY. MIKE, LAST WORD I WOULD EVER DESCRIBE THE WORD OF HOW YOU REACTED WAS ENTHUSIASTIC. COHERENT CYBER TOLD ME THEY HAD MET WITH ADRIAN AT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND HE WAS EQUALLY ENTHUSIASTIC.

I HAVE YET TO GET A CALL FROM ADRIAN TELLING US, HEY, LET'S MAKE SURE TO LOBBY FOR COHERENT CYBER GETTING A MILLION DOLLARS FOR A PILOT PROGRAM TO TRAIN HIGH SCHOOL KIDS. I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYBODY OUT THERE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THIS OTHER THAN TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY. I WILL SAY THAT BEFORE WE CHANGE THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT OR THE GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT WE ENTERED INTO WITH COPS, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH COPS. ADDITIONAL, UTSA, A&M, AND ALL THE OTHER HIGHER EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS CAME TO US KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THIS WAS AN ADULT TRAINING PROGRAM AND JOBS PROGRAM. WE DID A DEAL WITH THEM AND TO CHANGE THE DNA OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD THEIR BUY-IN WOULD BE -- DO VIOLENCE TO THE TRUST THEY HAVE WITH US AND OUR WORD WITH THEM. LASTLY, THE BALLOT MAY NOT HAVE HAD AN AGE RANGE BUT THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT THEY VOTED FOR AND THEY VOTED FOR AN ADULT PROGRAM. ONE THING WE DO SEE IS YOU DON'T HAVE A RECRUITMENT PROBLEM. YOU'VE GOT A JOB PLACEMENT PROBLEM.

AND SO ADDING TO THE BODY OF PEOPLE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR JOBS, I DON'T THINK IS THE SOLUTION. THE SOLUTION IS FINDING THE JOBS WE WOULD HIRE SO MANY MORE PEOPLE IF THEY WERE JUST 18. AND AS OPPOSED TO 35 OR 40 OR 50 LIKE THE ONES WE ARE TRYING TO PLACE. THAT'S NOT HAPPENING EITHER.

[01:50:01]

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

COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. JUST BRIEFLY ON THE RFP HERE, IS THIS A SMALL COMPANY THAT WOULD DO THIS, AN INDIVIDUAL OR WHAT?

>> NO, THESE ARE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDERS IN OUR ECOSYSTEM.

>> WHYTE: OKAY. AND FOLKS WE'VE WORKED WITH BEFORE OR HAVEN'T OR WHAT?

>> FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE HAD PARTICIPANTS THAT WERE ENROLLED IN THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS THAT PRODUCED RESULTS GETTING PEOPLE PLACED IN JOBS.

>> WHYTE: OKAY. AGAIN, WE DID THIS PRESENTATION THE OTHER DAY AND YOU ANSWERED A BUNCH OF MY QUESTIONS THERE. I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON SLIDE 8. THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS NOT BEING REQUIRED. WHY IS THAT? THAT'S THE FEEDBACK WE GOT

FROM OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR THE SOLICITATION -- OH. >> TYPICALLY IN THE SOLICITATION, IN ORDER TO ALLOW MORE COMPETITION, A LOT OF COMPANIES MAY NOT HAVE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IT'S A BARRIER TO THEM ACTUALLY PROPOSING. IN A LOT OF OUR SOLICITATIONS WE ARE NOT REQUIRING THE AUDITED FINANCIALS BECAUSE OF A BARRIER TO THEM AND AN INCREASED COST OF THEM PROPOSING ON THE SOLICITATION.

>> WHYTE: I'M ALL FOR MAKING THINGS EASIER AND MORE STREAMLINED WHEN WE CAN

BUT THIS IS $32.5 MILLION POTENTIAL INVESTMENT HERE. >> APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING BUT WE DO LOOK AT OTHER THINGS. WHEN WE DON'T ASK FOR THE FINANCIALS, WE LOOK AT THE DUNN AND BRAD STREET. WE DO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN

SOUND FINANCIAL CONDITION THROUGH OTHER METHODS . >> WHYTE: OKAY.

I HOPE SO. THAT'S ALL I GOT ON THIS, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.

>> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION, MIKE.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SO ARE WE DOING THIS BECAUSE THE CURRENT -- YOU MENTIONED TO COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO THAT THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO EXPAND THE WORK. ARE OUR CURRENT PROVIDERS

BACKLOGGED? >> I WOULDN'T CALL IT BACKLOGGED BUT WE HAVE FOUND A PACE THEY ARE OPERATING AT AND WE WANT TO INCREASE THAT PACE.

IF WE ADD ANOTHER PARTNER WE COULD GET PEOPLE INTO TRAINING PROGRAMS AND INTO

JOBS QUICKER. >> KAUR: LET'S TAKE PROJECT QUEST.

COULD THEY NOT JUST PARTNER WITH HALLMARK TO GET FOLKS INTO THE HALLMARK CERTIFICATION TRAINING AND STILL BE THE PROVIDER THAT'S BASICALLY WALKING THEM

THROUGH THAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> KAUR: SO -- OKAY.

THIS IS THE CONCERN THAT I HAD WAS IF I'M A HALLMARK, AM I USING THIS -- NOT SAYING THAT HALLMARK WOULD DO THAT. MAYBE I SHOULD TAKE THAT EXAMPLE OUT. HOW ARE WE PREVENTING THEM FROM SUBSIDIZING THEIR

CURRENT PROGRAMMING WITH READY TO WORK DOLLARS. >> PART OF IT WOULD BE THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN GETTING THROUGH SCHOOL.

WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT POPULATION, AS WE DO NOW. ALSO FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE RECRUITING PIPELINE THAT MAY BE LOOKING AT HALLMARK AS AN OPTION WHO MAY SAY I CAN'T

DO THIS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT. >> KAUR: PLUS THE REQUIREMENT THEY HAVE TO PLACE THEM AFTERWARDS. YOU CAN'T JUST EDUCATE THEM,

YOU HAVE TO PLACE THEM. >> EXACTLY. >> KAUR: THEN I WILL ECHO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S COMMENT ABOUT IT BEING REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO PLACE. BECAUSE AS AN EDUCATION INSTITUTION THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY ACTUALLY HAD TO

DO EVER. >> CORRECT. >> KAUR: AND THEN THE SECOND COMPONENT TO THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT THE CERTIFICATIONS THAT THEY ARE TAKING ON, WE HAVE JOB PROVIDERS ON THE OTHER SIDE. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS BUT ARE WE CONTINUING TO GET MORE COMPANIES WILLING TO

[01:55:03]

TAKE THESE TRAINED EMPLOYEES? >> IT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT AND A PART OF THE SOLICITATION WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP IN THAT EFFORT BECAUSE, AGAIN, PART OF THE CRITERIA IS WHAT EMPLOYER RELATIONSHIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN WALK INTO JOBS POST-GRADUATION.

AGAIN, THE CITY IS THE BROKER AND FACILITATOR. THE PRIME PARTNERS ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS. >> KAUR: SOME OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AREN'T GOING TO BE VETERAN OWNED, SBE, AND MINORITY, WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE NONPROFIT, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET THOSE CERTIFICATIONS. GIVEN WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE REPRODUCTION FUND WITH THIS, I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT COMES UP AGAIN WHERE THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF POINTS WHERE MANY PROVIDERS MAY NOT BE

ELIGIBLE FOR. >> WE WORK WITH OUR SBEDA OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE OF HOW THEY CAN MEET THAT CRITERIA, HOW THEY CAN BE CREATIVE WITHIN THEIR SUBCONTRACTOR IN ORDER TO GET IT ACCOMPLISHED. BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE WAIVING THAT OR IT BEING AN ISSUE THAT WE DON'T ATTEMPT TO GET THEM TO MEET.

>> KAUR: DID YOU WANT TO -- >> NO, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION NOT TOO LONG AGO WE DID MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THE LOCAL PREFERENCE ORDINANCE TO WHERE A NONPROFIT IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THOSE POINTS.

THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT. FOR THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, WE DID ALLOW POINTS FOR A NONPROFIT. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE

WOULD REQUEST GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNCIL. >> KAUR: LOCAL PREFERENCE THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR BUT NOT THE SMALL BUSINESS, 15 POINTS FOR SMALL

BUSINESS. >> NO. >> KAUR: I KNOW WE REQUIRE THAT BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE EVALUATION CRITERIA, SPECIFICALLY SOLICITING NONPROFIT PARTNERS. YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY NOW SCORING OUT OF 85 POINTS AND SO EVERYTHING ELSE IS WEIGHTED A LOT HIGHER.

JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. AND THEN SPECIFICALLY ON THE PROPOSED PLAN AND BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS, CAN WE PUT MORE SPECIFIC POINTS AROUND EXPERIENCE WITH PLACEMENT OR PARTNERSHIPS EXISTING WITH JOB PROVIDERS.

IS THAT AN ABILITY TO DO THAT? >> AS PART OF THAT

BACKGROUND, ABSOLUTELY. >> KAUR: SO WE CAN SAY 5 POINTS --

>> WITHIN THE GROUP. >> KAUR: GREAT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT.

ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, IS THERE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE

INCLUDED IN THAT EVALUATION COMMITTEE? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IS THERE A LIMIT, TROY? IS THERE A LIMIT? >> NO, MA'AM.

THERE'S NOT A LIMIT. WE DO LOOK FOR REASONABLE AMOUNTS SO THAT SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT COORDINATING SCHEDULES AND GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER, BUT

THERE IS NOT A LIMIT. >> KAUR: IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DIVERSITY ON THAT EVALUATION COMMITTEE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH READY TO WORK, MAYBE IT'S EVEN SOMEONE -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE SOMEONE THAT IS EITHER A CURRENT PRIME CONTRACTOR -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

BUT SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DOING THE WORK. I REMEMBER THE CEO OF PROJECT QUEST RETIRED. MAYBE HE WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON TO ADD, JUST TO THINK ABOUT SOMEONE THAT HAS EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK OF WHAT IT TAKES TO

GET SOMEONE FROM START TO FINISH THROUGH THE PROGRAM. >> GOTCHA.

UNDERSTOOD. THAT'S A VERY GOOD INSIGHT AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT CURRENTLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF OUR PRIME PARTNERS.

WE CAN PUT THAT REQUEST OUT THERE TO DAVID AND SEE IF HE WOULD BE WILLING.

>> KAUR: AWESOME. THE LAST THING I KNOW WE'RE SOLICITING MORE PARTNERS BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE NOTICED WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DATA IS THE PROGRAMS, THE PRIME PARTNERS ARE HAVING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EFFICACY AND I THINK THERE ARE REASONS FOR THAT BUT AS WE ARE GOING INTO EVALUATION, KEEPING THAT IN MIND. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR OUR NEW PARTNERS TO HAVE AS HIGH OF EFFICACY AS SOME OF OUR PARTNERS CURRENT, AND MAKING SURE WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT. THE LAST THING I'LL TALK ABOUT IS THIS AGE CONVERSATION THAT'S OCCURRING. AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ THAT I HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS TOO ON SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE COMING UP. BUT FOR ME, THIS IS NOT ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION.

THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, TO ADDRESS GENERATIONAL POVERTY, WE HAVE TO, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GO CRADLE TO CAREER AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH. AND SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS INITIATIVE WAS SUPPORTED FOR GETTING WORKFORCE TRAINING. AS I TALKED TO ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEY ACTUALLY USED THIS INITIATIVE FOR FOLKS WHO AREN'T CURRENTLY ON THE COLLEGE PATHWAY GRADUATION. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THE SAISD FOUNDATION OR SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONS MIGHT BE A GOOD PARTNER, AT LEAST FOR FOLKS GRADUATING AND DON'T WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE BUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO SUPPORT SOME OF THEIR ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING CTE WORK FROM LIKE THE TWELFTH GRADE. THOSE FOLKS, IF SOMEONE STARTS A PROGRAM IN THE

[02:00:08]

I WOULD BE OPEN TO EXPLORING A CONVERSATION OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

I DO STILL BELIEVE OUR K-12 PROVIDERS NEED TO BE DOING CTE WORK, AND THEY ARE, BUT I ALSO THINK SINCE WE HAVE THIS AMAZING PROGRAM AND WE WANT TO SEE IT GROW AND WE HAVE FUNDING, WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR POPULATION SO THAT YOU'RE NOT 50 TRYING TO GO THROUGH A COMPLETE CAREER CHANGE BUT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER IN THE PIPELINE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANKS FOR YOUR WORK, MIKE. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK WE BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD POINTS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL BUT HOW THE SYSTEM IS WORKING OR HOW IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO ADJUST, I THINK IS A FAIR QUESTION. I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON FOR A MINUTE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUTH. I WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM THAT WAS DEVELOPED AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKFORCE SO THEY COULD UPGRADE THEIR SKILLS, UPGRADE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN MORE. BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY. A LOT OF KIDS ARE DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL.

A LOT OF KIDS ARE NOT GETTING JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO OTHER ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING VIOLENT CRIME.

SO THERE'S A REAL LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO AS A CITY. WE NEED TO SET UP A YOUTH COMMISSION ON OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL EXPLORE FROM THE POVERTY PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE OPPORTUNITY OF DEVELOPING CHANCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO AHEAD AND BE PREPARED TO GO OUT ON THEIR OWN.

BUT THAT'S MAYBE A LITTLE SEPARATE BUT KIND OF TIED INTO WHAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT HERE. BUT GETTING BACK TO THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL.

I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE LOOKING FOR ONE COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION TO COME OUT OF THIS. THAT THERE COULD BE TWO OR THREE. DO THE CURRENT JOB PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE -- I BELIEVE THERE'S FOUR OF THEM -- DO THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE SAME SCOPE OF SERVICES OR

ARE THEY ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT? >> IT'S THE SAME SCOPE OF

SERVICES FOR ALL FOUR OF OUR CONTRACTOR PARTNERS. >> COURAGE: YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF BRINGS UP A QUESTION BECAUSE ONE OF THEM DOES NOT HAVE IN-HOUSE TRAINING.

THEY GO OUT AND GET TRAINING SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO DO IN-HOUSE TRAINING. SO THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY ALL

HAVING TO DO THE EXACT SAME SCOPE. >> THIS WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR THIS CONTRACTOR. BUT FOR AN EXISTING PRIME PARTNER, THEIR SCOPE OF WORK

IS ALL THE SAME AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE A RESTRICTION. >> COURAGE: IT'S NOT THE SAME AS THIS ONE. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.

>> YES. >> COURAGE: YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE SOMEONE WHO SAYS, WELL, I'LL WORK WITH A CERTAIN INDUSTRY. AND WE HAVE A BROAD NUMBER OF INDUSTRIES. SO I HOPE THAT WHOEVER COMES IN AS A PARTNER WILL HAVE THEIR FINGERS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIES, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT THEY CAN HELP US MOVE PEOPLE INTO A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, NOT JUST ONE OR TWO.

OR, IF THEY DO HAVE ONE OR TWO, I THINK WE NEED MORE THAN ONE PROPOSAL COMING FORWARD THAT WE ENGAGE WITH. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE HOW MANY DIFFERENT POTENTIAL

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AS A LIST THAT PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE FROM? >> 83 OCCUPATIONS.

>> COURAGE: 83. BRINGING IN MORE PROPOSALS THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE REACH THOSE OPPORTUNITIES I THINK IS GOOD. I GUESS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. BUT DO WE -- ARE WE GOING TO SET ANY KIND OF EXPECTATIONS OF HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS THIS PROPOSAL IS GOING TO BRING IN?

>> YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: AND HOW MANY THEY ARE GOING TO GET INTO

THE JOB MARKET. >> YES, SIR. 4,000 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE INTAKE PROCESS, EQUATING TO ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE ENROLLING IN TRAINING.

AND, AGAIN, WE WANT ALL OF THEM PLACED IN JOBS BUT 80% OF THOSE PLACED IN JOBS.

>> COURAGE: WE'RE SAYING MINIMUM YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND SOLICIT PARTICIPATION FROM 4,000 PEOPLE AND TRY AND WORK TO MAKE SURE 3,000 GET IN AND HOPEFULLY COMPLETE THAT TRAINING. AND 80% OF THOSE PEOPLE GET JOB PLACEMENT.

>> YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THOSE KINDS OF NUMBERS. COULD A PARTNER THAT'S

[02:05:03]

>> NOT FOR PLACEMENT BUT THEY COULD WORK WITH THEM TO REFER THEIR PARTICIPANTS TO THEM FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND THEY WOULD PARTNER WITH THEM ON PLACEMENT. BECAUSE THE ONUS AGAIN IS ON THAT PRIME PARTNER RESPONSIBLE FOR CASE MANAGEMENT TO ASSISTANT THAT PARTICIPANT IN GETTING A JOB. BUT THAT TRAINING PROVIDER, IF THEY'RE GOING TO SCHOOL THROUGH ONE OF THESE NEW PARTNERS THAT COME ON BOARD HAS A PHENOMENAL PLACEMENT TO HELP THEM GET PLACED, THEY WILL BE BENEFICIARIES OF THAT AS WELL.

>> COURAGE: THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL START OFF BY THANKING MIKE.

WE HEARD THIS CONVERSATION YESTERDAY SO I'LL GO OFF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD YESTERDAY. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR TAXPAYERS. AND SO IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE IT'S VERY SPECIFIC. I'M SURE ANDY WOULD REQUIRE SOME SORT OF AN ADJUSTMENT.

AND SO WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OFFLINE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY --

ACTUALLY, IF YOU WANT TO ANSWER NOW. >> SEGOVIA: COUNCILWOMAN, AS ERIK POINTED OUT, I THINK THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SPECIFICS BUT I CAN ENVISION A PROGRAM THAT COUNCIL HAS TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF INVOLVING YOUTH OR HIGH SCHOOL THAT WOULD FIT WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE STATUTE, THE PARAMETERS OF

THE BALLOT AND THE PRINCIPLES HE TALKED ABOUT. >> GARCIA: A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE COULD INCLUDE IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT, I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A PUSH FOR INCLUDING EXACTLY THIS, THE INVESTMENT IN OUR YOUTH. AND IT WOULD BE FOR DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, NOT JUST FOR JOB PLACEMENT, ET CETERA. BUT IN THE MEANTIME I DO THINK IF WE TAKE THIS UP FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION AT OUR COMMITTEES -- AND WE MEET REGULARLY SO THERE'S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AGENDIZE IT.

WE SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AN ORGANIZATION I FEEL FLIES UNDER THE RADAR, AND IT'S SA WORKS. THEY ARE HERE AND HAS THIS INCREDIBLE PROGRAM WITH ALAMO SCHOLARS. THEY'RE EMBEDDED WITHIN COMPANIES. THEY ESSENTIALLY DO INTERNSHIPS.

I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE HIRED BECAUSE ONE OF THEM WAS A FORMER STUDENT OF MINE AND SO I HAVE EXPERIENCED -- I DON'T WANT US TO LEAVE THEM OUT OF THE CONVERSATION OR THINK ABOUT HOW WE DO HAVE SOME PARTNERS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK ALREADY, RIGHT, THAT WE COULD CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE.

THE REASON THAT I'M FOCUSING ON SA WORKS IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO ONE INDUSTRY THEY HAVE LITERALLY THROUGH WHAT THEY DO, RIGHT, GREATER SATX, THEY KNOW WHERE THE NEED IS AND THEY KNOW THE EMPLOYERS. AND SO I JUST FEEL LIKE IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT UP AT ANY ONE OF OUR COMMITTEES -- I KNOW COUNCILMAN PELAEZ CHAIRS THE EMPLOYER SUBCOMMITTEE.

SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING, RIGHT, JUST TO CONSIDER HOW DO WE FOCUS ON THAT.

AND THEN THE REASON THAT I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE IN THE DASHBOARD, THE READY TO WORK DASHBOARD, WE HAVE AN AGE GROUP OF 15 TO 19. BUT WE ARE NOT SERVING UNDER 18. SO I THINK THAT MIGHT BE MISLEADING BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD 63 PARTICIPANTS OF 16 THROUGH 19. I DON'T KNOW IF WHEN ORGANIZATIONS ARE LOOKING AT THAT THEY'RE THINKING, OH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR READY TO WORK, RIGHT, IF THEY'RE JUST JUDGING BY THE DASHBOARD.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO MENTION THAT YESTERDAY SO JUST FYI, MIKE. BUT I DO THINK THAT SOMETHING LIKE PUTTING LANGUAGE ON TO A CHARTER OR MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR YOUTH IS CRITICAL. AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW -- THAT'S THE ULTIMATE PUBLIC INPUT, PEOPLE VOTING FOR THIS ON THE BALLOT, JUST LIKE THEY DID FOR READY TO WORK. I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND I'M READY TO UNDERTAKE THAT CHALLENGE HOPEFULLY SOON TOGETHER WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES.

BUT I ALSO -- YESTERDAY YOU ACKNOWLEDGED ALEX LOPEZ AND ALEX ISN'T HERE IN THE ROOM.

SHE WAS LEADING THE INITIAL EFFORTS WITH TRAIN FOR JOBS AND THEN WITH READY TO WORKS AND VICTORIA SHOEMAKER. THESE LADIES AND MIKE RAMSEY PARTICIPATE REGULARLY ON A GROUP. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE GREAT CITIES AND SO I DO FEEL THAT WE NEED TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT. YOU PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED ALEX YESTERDAY BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT VICTORIA IS DOING A GREAT JOB WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS. ONE OF OUR MAJOR PARTNERS -- AND COUNCILMAN PELAEZ REFERENCED THIS ALREADY. THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THIS, THE PROJECT QUEST.

SO I THINK THEY'RE CELEBRATING 35 YEARS THIS DECEMBER.

THEIR ROI, 234%. AND SO THAT WAS WITH AN AVERAGE INVESTMENT PER

[02:10:06]

BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT PROJECT QUEST IS DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. THEY HAVE DONE THIS FOR 35 YEARS.

IT'S BEEN FOCUSED ON ADULTS. BUT I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE THINGS THAT DR. KAUR IS SAYING. I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I WAS APPROACHED AND I WAS TOLD $1.1 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE $5 MILLION. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED. MAYBE WE CAN HAVE AN OFFLINE CONVERSATION AND I'LL DEBRIEF YOU ON MY CONVERSATION. I DO THINK THE PROBLEM ISN'T THE ENROLLMENT RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE COMPLETION. BY THE WAY, THAT'S A PROBLEM ACROSS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THE COLLEAGUES RATE.

BUT THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR US AND FOR TAXPAYER PURPOSES, IT'S JOB PLACEMENT. WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT DASHBOARD, I THINK THAT THE FOCUS REALLY NEEDS TO BE ON THAT JOB PLACEMENT. COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO MADE A GOOD POINT A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE LAST BRIEFING.

AND SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE PLACED IN JOBS.

AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL ADDED THAT TO THE DASHBOARD, RIGHT? SO SHE WAS ASKING HOW FAST ARE WE PLACING PEOPLE IN JOBS.

IT'S 59% WITHIN SIX MONTHS NOW. IT'S 77% WITHIN 12 MONTHS, RIGHT? BUT WE KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKING A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO TRAIN AND SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I FEEL LIKE THANK YOU FOR MAKING THOSE INCREMENTAL CHANGES, RIGHT, IN THE PROGRAM TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE PLACED. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE SLOWLY.

CAN YOU BRING UP THAT FUNNEL YOU SHOWED US YESTERDAY? DO YOU HAVE THAT? I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING IT ON THIS GO-AROUND. BUT IF YOU HAVE IT AS A BACKUP SLIDE. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE CRITICAL FOR OUR -- FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE -- NOT EVERYBODY IS ON EWDC. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL -- OH, YOU DON'T HAVE IT. THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SLIDES FROM YESTERDAY. DEFINITELY SOME OF THE CATEGORIES ON THERE WERE

HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION -- >>

>> GARCIA: OH, YOU DO HAVE IT. WE CAN SEE THE TALENT PIPELINE, HOW LONG THEY'RE TAKING IN THESE PARTICULAR AREAS.

AND THIS IS THE COMPLETION DATES. SO WITHIN ONE YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 1277 GRADUATED FROM HEALTHCARE.

IS THAT -- >> COMING. THERE'S GOING TO BE A WAVE COMING.

>> GARCIA: EXACTLY. BUT WE WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 12 77.

THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING, ERIK . WE HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE GRADUATING. I FEEL LIKE OUR BREAD AND BUTTER RIGHT NOW FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS TO DO WITH LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO IN TWO WEEKS, IN SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER IT IS. AND SO I FEEL LIKE BEING ON THAT SUBCOMMITTEE, THAT IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT. WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP IT GOING. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON THAT.

THIS PROGRAM SUNSETS IN 2029 AND SO WE REALISTICALLY PROBABLY HAVE TO START THINKING OF THAT SEPARATE PROGRAM THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE IS TALKING ABOUT, FOR INSTANCE. AND FOCUS IN ON THAT. BUT THEN I ALSO ASKED IF WE COULD INCLUDE THE CURRENT NUMBER OF JOBS. I WANT TO THANK YOU, MIKE, BECAUSE ABOUT A YEAR AGO I HAD A CONVERSATION. AND DR. KAUR MENTIONED HALLMARK UNIVERSITY. HALLMARK WAS NOT PARTICIPATING.

THERE WAS SOME RED TAPE. MIKE RAMSEY HELPED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT MIKE RAMSEY DID BUT WE NEEDED THIS AND SO HALLMARK UNIVERSITY IS NOW PARTICIPATING AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS ADMINISTRATIVELY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET THROUGH THE TRAINING AND THEN PLACED INTO THESE JOBS. AND I APPRECIATE ALSO THAT IN THIS RFP THAT WE CAN ADJUST EVEN CURRENT CONTRACTS AND BASED ON COMPETITION, ESSENTIALLY. SO THE WAY THAT ONE IS PRODUCING AND MAYBE ANOTHER IS UNDERPRODUCING, RIGHT? AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT. AND EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE SLOW, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE DEFINITELY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE TWO

[02:15:02]

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY IN READY TO WORK OR IN SOME OTHER AREA.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MIKE. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND COUNCILWOMAN KAUR ASKED ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT -- AND I BROUGHT THIS UP AT ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING WE HAD FOR IGR, IS THAT AS WE ARE HELPING PEOPLE, UNDERSTANDING THEIR LIVING SITUATIONS AND HOW THIS TRAINING AND THESE OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT IMPACT THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY, THEIR MEDICARE, THEIR BENEFITS. BECAUSE I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW IF MAYBE WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THEN THE PLACEMENT PROBLEM IS IF THEY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL CUT DOWN THEIR BENEFITS. SO IF WE COULD KEEP TRACK TO HAVE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I KNOW I JUST SENT A REFERRAL OVER TO YOUR OFFICE BUT THEY WERE TELLING ME, NO, THIS MIGHT NOT WORK. IT MAY GIVE HIM TOO MUCH MONEY. AND I WAS LIKE, BUT HE NEEDS MORE MONEY.

I THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT IN THAT SITUATION AND THEN UNDERSTAND HOW WE TAKE THIS TO OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BOTH FEDERALLY AND AT THE STATE AND HOW WE GET HELP FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THESE FINANCIAL SITUATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR IF THAT'S IMPACTING

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

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. REAL QUICK, BEFORE I GET TO THE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE. SORRY IF I MISSED IT, BUT ARE THESE NUMBERS CUMULATIVE

OR DOES THE 986 -- >> THAT IS CORRECT. THEY ARE COMBINED.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION OUTSIDE OF THAT BUT I DID WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING, CHAIR.

BECAUSE I DO THINK SOMETHING UGLY WAS JUST DONE A FEW MINUTES AGO IN WHICH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TRIED TO INSINUATE THAT TWO OF US WERE TRYING TO DISGUISE AN EFFORT TO GET AN ORGANIZATION FUNDING BY SAYING THAT WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE AGE LIMITS. AND I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT IS NOT TRUE.

I HAVE NEVER MET WITH THE CYBER ORGANIZATION. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME WHO GETS THE FUNDING. I WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN READY TO WORK AND SO THERE'S THAT. I THINK THAT'S UGLY AND I DON'T APPRECIATE BEING DRAGGED INTO WHATEVER ASPIRATION OF MAYORAL BATTLES AND WHATNOT EXIST RIGHT HERE. I'M NOT A PART OF THAT, SO DON'T DRAG ME INTO IT. THERE'S ONLY ONE OF US HERE, I THINK, WHO HAS USED THEIR POSITION ON THIS DAIS TO ADVOCATE FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE A PART OF AND BENEFIT OFFIFINANCIALLY FROM. I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

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

I'M GOING TO WRAP THIS UP BECAUSE THIS HAS GONE A LITTLE BIT OVER THE EDGE, EVEN FOR ME. A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST, I THINK I NEED TO RESTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM AND WHAT IT'S ACCOMPLISHING.

MIKE, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE SOME INCREDIBLE WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO REALLY GET THIS PIPELINE MOVING. AND IT IS MOVING. BUT I'LL JUST AGAIN REMIND FOLKS EVERY CHANCE I GET THAT THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, THIS IS QUITE OFTEN THE LAST RESORT FOR FINDING A PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT.

AND WE KNOW AND WE KEEP SAYING, AND QUITE OFTEN WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT -- AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SAN ANTONIO STILL STRUGGLES WITH GENERATIONAL POVERTY. GETTING PEOPLE INTO A PIPELINE THAT GETS PEOPLE INTO A JOB THAT PAYS BETTER THAN A POVERTY WAGE. THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS THAT WHEN THOSE AVENUES EXIST IT IS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH IT FOR THAT PARTICIPANT TO GET THROUGH SUCCESSFULLY BECAUSE OF ALL OF LIFE'S BARRIERS. AND SO IT TAKES TIME. BUT MIKE AND HIS TEAM HAVE PROVEN THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THIS DONE BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY GOT 2500 FOLKS OR SO COMPLETED SEVERAL -- ALMOST 2,000 EMPLOYED AT THIS POINT.

ANYWAY, THE PROGRAM IS SUBSTANTIAL AND IT'S AT SCALE.

THE FUNDING WILL SUNSET IN 2029. BUT AS COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA SAID, THIS IS HAVING A TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO READ THE REPORT, THE STUDY THAT WAS RELEASED AS PART OF THAT PRESS

[02:20:06]

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH READY TO WORK.

SO WITH REGARD TO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT EXPANDING SERVICES, I AGREE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT CHANGES TO THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM ARE DONE BY THE EXPERTS AT THE TABLE WHO WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY APPOINTED TO BE THAT ADVISORY BOARD. BUT I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUTH SERVICES. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO IS LEADING AN EFFORT RIGHT NOW TO IDENTIFY GAPS IN YOUTH SERVICES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY SO WE WILL POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, I DO BEYONDWHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.

I WOULD ASK THAT WE LEND SOME SUPPORT TO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO TO DO THAT WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE GAPS ARE.

I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS NOT THE REVENUE STREAM TO DO IT.

VOTERS WERE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT THEY EXPECTED FROM THIS PROGRAM.

I THINK IT'S PERFORMING, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT SLOWER THAN I OFFICIALLY STATED OR THAT WE INITIALLY ANTICIPATED. BUT IT IS MOVING.

AGAIN, THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO REACH PARTICIPANTS.

THAT BEING SAID, THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO BE PART OF THIS. MAYBE PERHAPS THAT WOULD REQUIRE US AT SOME POINT TO REEVALUATE THE AGE. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE TO MEET THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THIS PROGRAM. ONE OF WHICH IS JOB PLACEMENT.

SO IF THERE IS A PROGRAM OUT THERE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, GETTING FOLKS BASED ON, AGAIN, EQUITY, WHICH IS PART OF THE PRINCIPLES, INTO JOBS THAT ARE IN DEMAND THAT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK THESE CYCLES OF POVERTY, HAVE THEM SUBMIT FOR THIS SOLICITATION. THERE'S NO REASON WHY THEY CAN'T.

I MEAN, IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE RFP, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THEM AS A NEW PROVIDER. THAT'S WHAT THIS SOLICITATION IS ALL ABOUT. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY PROVIDER OUT THERE, IF YOU THINK YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PROGRAM, GET MORE PEOPLE WHO DESPERATELY NEED MORE OPPORTUNITIES INTO JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SUBMIT.

DON'T LOBBY COUNCIL, JUST SUBMIT AND WE CAN INCLUDE THEM IN THAT PROCESS.

I THINK THAT'S IT. WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET ME GO AHEAD AND BRING US IN.

[EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the Presidio Conference Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ]