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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. THE TIME IS 2:07 P.M. ON DECEMBER 11TH, 20 TWOWRT. WE'LL CALL OUR B SESSION TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL?
>> CLERK: RIGHT. WE HAVE THREE ITEMS TODAY, SO WE'LL TRY TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT ERIK, OVER TO YOU TO GET
US STARTED. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. OUR FIRST ITEM IS OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL HIGH-PROFILE FORECAST. WE DO THIS TWICE A YEAR ABOUT THE ONES SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED AS TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO THE PROPOSED PATH THAT THEY'LL TAKE, WHETHER IT'S B SESSION, AUDIT COMMITTEE, CONSENT AGENDA, TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
THIS IS -- WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL, THESE ARE JUST STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, BASED ON THOSE SOLICITATIONS, AND YOU'VE GOT THAT REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU. TROY WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT IF -- IF THERE'S THINGS YOU WANT TO MOVE AROUND, THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO KIND OF GET THAT FEEDBACK SO WE CAN ADJUST CALENDARS.
IN ADDITION TO THE FORECAST, TROY'S GOING TO SHARE SOME PROPOSED PROCUREMENT CHANGES. AND THE IMPETUS OF THESE CHANGES REALLY GOES BACK TO ABOUT A YEAR AGO AT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, THE CONVERSATION THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD ABOUT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION, OUR PROCESS, AND SOME OF THE PROCUREMENT STATUTES.
TROY'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF PROCUREMENT STATUTES THAT WE'D LIKE TO ADD TO OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT WILL, I THINK, ASSIST US IN MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT PROCESS MOVING ALONG.
ALL OF THOSE -- ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS ARE DESIGNED TO STREAMLINE AND SHORTEN THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS WHILE MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IN SOME CASES, ENHANCE REPORTING THAT TROY WILL TALK ABOUT. SO LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK ON BOTH THOSE FROM THE COUNCIL TODAY, AND KICK IT OVER TO TROY.
TO >> ELLIOTT: MY PRESENTATION'S GOING TO FOCUS ON TWO HOURS. ONE'S GOING TO BE THE HIGH-PROFILE FOACIALGHT.
WE BRING THIS FORECAST TO YOU EVERY YEAR, GIVING YOU KIND OF A PEEK AT THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS AND SOLICITATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ISSUED OVER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2025. AS ERIK MENTIONED, KIND OF GETTING FEEDBACK FROM YOU BASED ON THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THE PATH THAT WE WANT EACH OF THOSE SOLICITATIONS TO TAKE.
THE SECOND ITEM THAT I'LL BE PRESENTING ALSO IS GOING TO BE SOME PROPOSED PROCUREMENT CHANGES, AND LOOKING AT THREE AREAS FOR THESE CHANGES.
THE FIRST OF ALL, IS CHANGES TO THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS.
I'LL GO THROUGH KIND OF SOME KEY CHANGES AS FAR AS THE DEFINITION AND THE PROCESS AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF A HIGH-PROFILE.
SECONDARY WILL BE THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND DELEGATION OF THAT AUTHORITY. AND THEN THE LAST AREA, AS ERIK MENTIONED, WILL BE SOME CHANGES TO OUR PROCUREMENT STATUTES, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALREADY WELL UNDER WAY, BEING PROPOSED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND HOUSE BILLS HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN FILED. KIND OF A RECAP AND SOME BACKGROUND, I THINK Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THESE BEFORE, BUT I THINK THERE'S VALUE TO ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THEM. AS FAR AS THE CURRENT HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION, A HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT OR SOLICITATION AT A MINIMUM IS A MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR DISCRETIONARY CONTRACTS.
THAT WILL KICKOFF THE PROCESS AND THE PATH THAT IT GOES THROUGH, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A MINUTE. SECONDARY, IN ADDITION TO BEING A MILLION DOLLARS OR OVER, DOES SOLICITATION OR DOES A TOPIC HAVE A HIGH-PROFILE OF COMMUNITY INTEREST OR COMMUNITY EXCEPTIONAL INTEREST, AND LASTLY, DOES IT HAVE CONTRACT TERMS OR CONDITIONS THAT ARE NONSTANDARD OR COMPLEX? WE DO NOT INCLUDE OUR LOW BID PROCUREMENTS. THOSE ARE TYPICALLY BASED ON PRICE AND SPEC, AND SO THERE REALLY IS NOT ANY DISCRETION. AND SO WE EXCLUDE THOSE FROM THE CURRENT HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION. SECONDARY, BASED ON HISTORY, WE NOTICED THAT A NUMBER OF HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, THEY WOULD TYPICALLY END UP ON THE B SESSION CALENDAR FOR PRESENTATION. SO WE WANTED TO PUT SOME CRITERIA AROUND THAT, AND REALLY KIND OF HOW IT GOVERNS WHAT IS A SELECT HIGH-PROFILE PROCUREMENT AND WHAT WOULD GO TO B SESSION IN THE FUTURE.
SO A LOT OF THE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE PROCUREMENTS WERE THEY HAD VALUES OVER $25 MILLION, THEY HAD CONTRACT TERMS THAT WERE
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10 YEARS OR MORE, THEY TYPICALLY HAD HIGH LEVEL OF POLICY OR PUBLIC SAFETY IMPLICATIONS, HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER INTEREST OR IMPACT, AND THEN AS FAR AS A CATCH CATCH ALL CATEGORY, PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT. WE KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE INTEREST OF THINGS TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY NOT FALL UNDER THESE BUCKETS BUT WE WANT TO BRING IT FORWARD FOR A B SESSION, SO THAT KIND OF GIVES US THAT ABILITY TO BASICALLY PRESENT THOSE FOR B SESSIONS EVEN THOUGH THEY A MAY NOT MEET SOME OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS. THERE ARE FOUR PATHS THAT A HIGH-PROFILE SOLICITATION CAN TALK, AS ERIK MENTIONED.THE FIRST IS, AS I JUST MENTIONED, THEY CAN -- IF THEY MEET THOSE CRITERIA OR THOSE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE MENTIONED ON THE PRIOR SLIDE, THEN THEY'LL BE PRESENTED FOR A B COUNCIL SESSION. THE SECOND IS WE ALSO PUT IN PLACE AN EXPEDITED PROCESS FOR THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO MEET THEIR AGGRESSIVE TIMELINES FOR THE TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, SO WE WILL BRING FORWARD -- JESUS WILL TYPICALLY BRING FORWARD ON A ROUTINE BASIS SPECIAL AVIATION HIGH-PROFILE BRIEFINGS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING THAT AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE. THE THIRD AREA IS THROUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
AUDIT COMMITTEE IS TYPICALLY GOING TO SEE THINGS AND MEET THE HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION FROM A RANGE OF 5 MILLION TO 25 MILLION, EVEN THOUGH THE HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION STARTS AT A MILLION, THROUGH PRACTICE, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS FROM A MILLION TO 5 MILLION ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE, SO THROUGH PRACTICE AND PROCESS, WE TAKE THINGS TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FROM 5 MILLION TO 25 MILLION. AND IN THE FUTURE, YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE KEY CHANGES WE'RE RECOMMENDING MAKING TO THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS. AND LASTLY, ANYTHING THAT'S TYPICALLY IN NATURE, DOESN'T HAVE ANY POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FROM A MILLION TO 5 MILLION, WE'LL RECOMMEND PLACING THOSE ON THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT AGENDA. FOUR SEPARATE PATHS TO A HIGH-PROFILE SOLICITATION CAN TAKE. AND IN FRONT OF YOU, THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE -- ARE RECOMMENDING 77 HIGH-PROFILE PROJECTS FOR SOLICITATIONS GO THROUGH ONE OF THESE FOUR PATHS. IN FRONT OF YOU, MAYBE A VALUE -- I KNOW YOU HAVE THEM ON THE SCREEN, BUT ALSO WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HANDOUT, BASED ON THE FOUR DIFFERENT PATHS THAT A HIGH-PROFILE SOLICITATION CAN TAKE, THERE ARE FIVE INDIVIDUAL -- THERE ARE FIVE SOLICITATIONS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR B SESSION.
AND IF YOU FOLLOW THROUGH IN THE PACKAGE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE FIVE SOLICITATIONS ARE. PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PRESENTATION, I ORIGINALLY HAD SLIDES THAT HIGHLIGHTED EACH SOLICITATION, IT WAS ABOUT 22 SLIDES, AND I THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD SPARE Y'ALL THE 22 SLIDES AND ACTUALLY JUST GIVE Y'ALL THE HANDOUT IN FRONT OF YOU. AS WE GO THROUGH THESE, AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S GOING TO BE FIVE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR INDIVIDUAL B SESSIONS F YSESSIONS. IF YOU LOOK IN THE PACKAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON PAGE 1 TO 7, IT LISTS THOSE FIVE SOLICITATIONS IN DETAIL.
GOING ALONG WITH THAT THEME, RECOMMENDING FIVE AVIATION B SESSIONS, 24 SOLICITATIONS WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, AND 43 OF THOSE HIGH-PROFILE SOLICITATIONS WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR DIRECT PLACEMENT ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA. IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH THAT AT Y'ALL'S LEISURE, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT MAY BE RECOMMENDED BY CITY STAFF AS BEING DIRECT PLACEMENT ON THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT AGENDA, BUT YOU THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENT PATH THAT ONE OF THOSE SHOULD FOLLOW, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR HAVE YOUR STAFF REACH OUT TO US AND WE'LL MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENT THAT'S Y'ALL WANT TO SEE THAT MAY NOT QUITE ALIGN WITH Y'ALL'S EXPECTATIONS.
AS ERIK MENTIONED, THE OTHER THING, IN ADDITION TO THE FORECAST THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON WERE CHANGES TO THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. THERE WERE SEVERAL OBJECTIVES AND CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION IN MAKING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. FIRST OF ALL, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN MAKING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE ALSO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE SIZE OF THE CITY ORGANIZATION, THE SIZE OF OUR BUDGET, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE, AND ALSO THE VOLUME OF PROCUREMENTS THAT WE MANAGE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
LOOKING AT THESE PROCUREMENTS, AND IDENTIFYING A LEVEL OR A THRESHOLD THAT WE WOULD DELEGATE THOSE ROUTINE PROCUREMENTS TO THE CITY MANAGER, HE WOULD DO THAT BASED ON THE APPROVAL OR THE IMPLEMENT -- THE SPENDING APPROVED IN THE ADOPTED CITY BUDGET AS A CONTROL THROUGH OUR LEGAL APPROPRIATIONS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOALS WOULD BE TO SHORTEN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THESE ROUTINE ITEMS TO, BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE PROCUREMENT ITEMS, GET THE CONTRACTS COMPLETED, THE CONTRACTS OUT ON THE STREET AND THE MONEY FLOWING TO OUR VENDORS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITIES. THIS AS I MENTIONED WOULD REDUCE THE PROCUREMENT WAIT TIMES FOR CONTRACTORS, QUICKER EXCUSE OF CITY WORK.
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AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD IN LOOKING AT THESE -- I GUESS I'M BACKING UP A LITTLE BIT. THIS IS A KEY POINT ON SHORTENING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR ROUTINE ITEMS. WE HAD PARTNERED WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND WE WENT OUT AND HIRED A FIRM CALLED CIVIC INITIATIVES. THEY LOOKED AT OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, THEY MET WITH ABOUT 40 DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTORS, GOODS AND SERVICES CONTRACTORS, AND CAME BACK WITH SOLUTIONS.ONE OF THE KEY THEMES THAT WE FOUND WAS THAT FROM THESE STAKEHOLDERS IS THAT THE CITY IS JUST SLOWING OUR PROCUREMENTS.
IT'S SOMEWHAT P BUREAUCRATIC, AND ESPECIALLY FROM CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS THAT THEY HAD TO KEEP RESOURCES IN RESERVE WHILE THEY'RE WAITING FOR US TO FIGURE OUR PROCUREMENTS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH AN AWARD. SO THIS WAS A KEY THEM WE HEARD AND A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'LL BE SEEING TODAY TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CONCERNS FROM THESE STAKEHOLDERS. ALSO PROVIDES FOR CITY FOCUS ON PROCUREMENTS WITH POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND APPROVAL OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF SPENDING, AND AS I MENTIONED, IT STREAMLINES OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO INCLUDE THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
WITH THAT, KIND OF GOING INTO THE CHANGES, AND THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE -- FIRST TWO CHANGES ARE ON THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS ITSELF.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICE IN GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY AGENDA IS THAT THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE, TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS, AND THEY'RE WHAT WE CALL ON-CALL AND ANNUAL CONTRACTS. AN ON-CALL CONTRACT IS ONE OR MORE CONTRACTORS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS.
JUST, FOR EXAMPLE, ON MONDAY, WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE, THERE ARE TWO ON-CALL CONTRACTS ON THE AGENDA FOR PRESENTATION. AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE AN ON-CALL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND DISPOE SAL FOR 7.5 MILLION AND WE HAVE A SECOND FOR ENGINEERING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS FOR OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THEY'RE ON-CALL, THEY'RE TYPICALLY ARE NOT A LOT OF POLICY CONSIDERATIONS, AND FAIRLY ROUTINE, SO WE USUALLY RECOMMEND THOSE TYPE OF ON-CALL CONTRACTS WOULD BYPASS THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA SPEEDING UP THAT PROCESS. THE OTHER AREA IS ANNUAL CONTRACTS.
ANNUAL CONTRACTS, BY DEFINITION, MEAN THE PURCHASE OF MATERIALS OR SUPPLIES. IT DOESN'T SO MUCH APPLY TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, FOLKS SUCH AS NONPROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS CUSTODIAL OR LANDSCAPING OR HVAC SERVICES, TYPICALLY THEY'RE FAIRLY ROUTINE, THEY MAY BE HIGH DOLLAR VALUE, BUT WE RECOMMEND THAT THOSE ANNUAL CONTRACTS OF THOSE TYPES GO DIRECTLY TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AS WELL.
SO AS I MENTIONED, WE'D RECOMMEND ELIMINATING FROM THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND B SESSION BRIEFINGS, REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT. THEY CONTINUE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST. I THINK THIS IS A KEY POINT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THAT SPIRIT OF THE TRANSPARENCY AND -- WHAT THT DOES, AND JUST GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND, THIS WILL CAMPAIGN FINANCE CODE REFERENCES A HIGH-PROFILE DISCRETIONARY CONTRACT DESIGNATED BY THE CITY AND DOES NOT OTHERWISE DEFINE A HIGH PROFILE.
SO THE MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE CODE DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY STATE A MILLION DOLLARS. BASICALLY, IT'S LEFT UP WITHIN OUR PROCUREMENT
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POLICIES, AND THAT MILLION DOLLARS IS CURRENTLY DEFINED IN OUR PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING MOVING THAT FROM 1 MILLION TO FIVE MILLION. CURRENTLY THAT $1 MILLION IS TIED TO PROHIBITED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, SO ALL OF OUR SOLICITATIONS CONTAIN A BLACKOUT PERIOD, IN THE EVENT IF DESIGNATED AS HIGH-PROFILE, A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE, WE HAVE THAT BLACKOUT PERIOD FOR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.IN THE EVENT THERE ARE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS DURING THAT BLACKOUT PERIOD FOR ANYTHING OVER A MILLION, ANY RESPONDENT THEN WOULD BE DEEMED NONRESPONSIVE. BY MOVING THAT THERE ONE TO 5 MILLION, THAT PROHIBITION WOULD NO LONGER BE IN PLACE FOR SOLICITATIONS BETWEEN VALUES ONE TO $5 MILLION. THAT I WOULD NO LONGER CON -- THEY WOULD NO LONGER CONTAIN THAT HIGH-PROFILE DESIGNATION.
JUST FOR CONTEXT, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE DISQUALIFIED 13 COMPANIES DUE TO PROHIBITIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. THOSE 13 DISQUALIFIED COMPANIES WAS A RESULT OF 25 CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
ON AVERAGE, THEY WERE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $50 TO $2,000.
IF Y'ALL ARE AGREEABLE TO MAKING THESE CHANGES, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE ON-CALLS AND THE ANNUAL CONTRACTS, IN LOOKING AT THIS CHART, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE 26 PROJECTS DESIGNATED AS HIGH PROFILE, 51 OF 77 WOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED HIGH PROFILE.
AT THE BOTTOM LEFT, THOSE THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED GO THROUGH B SESSION WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED, THE LIGHT ORANGE IS THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO BE FORECASTED IN OUR CURRENT '25 FORECAST, WITH THE CHANGES, THE LIGHT BLUE OR GRAY, THAT WOULD BE HOW THEY IMPACT -- OR WHAT OUR CHANGES AS PROPOSED WOULD HAVE. SO FOR B SESSION, NO CHANGE. FOR THE AVIATION, THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION FROM FIVE PRESENTATIONS TO FOUR. THAT'S ACTUALLY AN ON-CALL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, IT WOULD ELIMINATE SEVEN SOLICITATIONS MOVING FROM 24 TO E 17.
THOSE ARE ALL ON-CALLS AND ANNUAL CONTRACTS. THOSE EIGHT ITEMS BETWEEN THE AVIATION AND THE AUDIT MEETING WOULD ALL FLOW THROUGH TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA, INCREASING THE AMOUNT FROM 43 TO 51 GOING TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA. THIS MAY BE MODIFIED BASED ON SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS SHOWN IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES. CHANGING THE HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION FROM 1 MILLION TO 5 MILLION, AND E L LEM NATING ON-NACALLS AND ANNUAL CONTRACTS FROM THE PROCESS. NEXT ARE THE SECONDARY I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS CONTRACTING AUTHORITY. WE LOOKED AT OUR CONTRACTING SPENT, THE NUMBER OF PROCUREMENTS IN IDENTIFIED AREAS WITH RESPECT TO FLEET AND OUR OVERALL SPEND AND WHAT WE'D HAVE TO DRAW A LINE AS FAR AS WHAT COULD BE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
AS FAR AS CONTRACTING AUTHORITY FOR FLEET ACQUISITION, THESE ARE CURRENTLY APPROVED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET BY CITY COUNCIL.
AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF OUR KEY THEMES IS GOING TO BE MAINTAINING OUR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY PROPOSE EXPANDING OUR ANNUAL FORECAST THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY TO INCLUDE ALL THE FLEET ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET. THAT WOULD BE FOR ANY REPLACEMENTS OF OUR FLEET, ANY ADDITIONS TO OUR FLEET, AND GIVE YOU A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THAT BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. THAT WOULD GIVE YOU, AS COUNCIL, AN CUNT THAT IF THERE WERE POLICY ISSUES THAT YOU WANTED TO CONTEMPLATE, THEN WE COULD ACTUALLY INC. INCORPORATE THOSE INTO OUR FLEET BUYS. ANYTHING DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER, WE WOULD RECOMMEND COMING BACK TO YOU ON A QUARTERLY BASES AND ACTUALLY IDENTIFYING THOSE CONTRACTEDS AWARDS, BASICALLY GIVING YOU A LISTING OF THOSE THAT WERE APPROVED, THE AMOUNTS, THE VENDOR, LOCAL AND SBEDA, KIND OF JUST A SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY A WARDED. AS I MENTIONED THIS DELEGATION WOULD BE FOR THE AUTHORITY TO THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE ALL FLEET CONTRACTS. THESE ARE A FLEET ADDITIONS AND REPLACEMENTS THAT ARE APPROVED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
TYPICALLY, THESE ITEMS ARE PROCURED DURING -- THROUGH A LOW BID OR A COOPERATIVE. THERE'S VERY LITTLE DISCRETION.
IT'S BASED ON SPECIFICATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO BIE A RED FIRE TRUCK, IT'S GOING TO BE A RED FIRE TRUCK. IN WORKING WITH BSB AND SOLID WASTE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE CHALLENGES WITH OUR SUPPLY CHAIN, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE'D BE RECOMMENDING THIS.
BACK IN 2023, CITY COUNCIL DID APPROVE AN ORDINANCE DELEGATING THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO BASICALLY CONTRACT FOR FLEETS, ADDITIONS AND REPLACEMENTS THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE SUPPLY CHAIN. WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THOSE IMPACTS TODAY WHEN
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IT COMES TO OUR ORDER BANKS, AND WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE NIMBLE, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE ORDER BANKS -- OR THOSE DEADLINES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING A BEST PRICE FOR OUR FLEET PURCHASES.THIS WOULD REDUCE A NUMBER OF CONSENT ITEMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA. BASICALLY WE'RE ESTIMATING WE'D HAVE ABOUT 32 SOLICITATIONS FOR THE FLEET REPLACEMENTS AND ADDITIONS FOR APPROXIMATELY 620 VEHICLES.
THIS DOES NOT PURELY JUST VEHICLES, THIS WOULD ALSO BE OUR MOBILE EQUIPMENT, ATVS -- THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR ADOPTED BUDGET FOR REPLACEMENT AND AD-ONS.
THERE'S 32 SOLICITATIONS OR 620 BUYS WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT $67 MILLION BASED ON OUR ESTIMATES. THE NEXT ITEM AS WELL WOULD BE EXPANDING THE DELEGATION OF A CONTRACTING AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACTS LESS THAN 2.5 MILLION. THESE FOUR ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED AND HAVE A LEGAL APPROPRIATION APPROVED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET BY CITY COUNCIL. ONCE AGAIN, WOULD RECOMMEND EXPANDING THE ANNUAL FORECAST FOR ALL ITEMS IN EXCESS OF 50,000.
WE DO WORK WITH ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TODAY THROUGH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND WE IDENTIFY ALL PROCUREMENTS IN EXCESS OF $50,000. WE PUT TOGETHER A PROCUREMENT GUIDE THAT IS ACTUALLY DISSEMINATED OR PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE THAT ALL OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ANY CONTRACTORS ARE INTERESTED, THEY CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROCURING OVER THE NEXT YEAR IN EXCESS OF $50,000. AS WITH THE FLEET DELEGATIONS, WE'D RECOMMEND THAT WE COME BACK TO YOU WITH QUARTERLY REPORTING, SO YOU SEE WHAT HAS BEEN DELEGATED AND WHAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED.
JUST LIKE WE DID ON THE FLEET. AS I MENTIONED, THIS WOULD FORMALLY DELEGATE THE AUTHORITY TO THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE CONTRACTS LESS THAN 2.5 MILLION. CURRENTLY, THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE, CAN CURRENTLY EXECUTE CONTRACTS LESS THAN $50,000. THIS WOULD INCLUDE ALL PROCUREMENTS, ALL CATEGORIES, INCLUDING GOODS AND SUPPLIES, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND OTHER SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES LESS THAN $2.5 MILLION.
ULTIMATELY, THIS WOULD SPEED UP THE AM THE ABILITY TO GET THESE CONTRACTS COMPLETED, EXECUTED, OUT ON THE STREET, AND MOVE THE FUNDS THROUGH TO OUR BUSINESS OWNERS. AND IT ALSO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CONSENT ITEMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
I WANTED TO KIND OF SHOW YOU KIND OF SOME STATISTICS ASSOCIATED, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF VOLUME AND THE DOLLAR VALUES.
THIS EXCLUDES OUR FLEET PURCHASES AND JUST FOCUSES ON ALL PURCHASES OTHER THAN FLEET. SO FOR ANY AWARD OVER 50,000, WE ARE ESTIMATING WE HAVE ABOUT 373 SOLICITATIONS OR AWARDS FOR A TOTAL OF $1.5 BILLION. IF DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER UP TO 2.5 OF THAT 373, THAT WOULD RESULT IN 249 ITEMS, HIGH VOLUME, THAT WOULD RUN THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER FOR DELEGATION, BUT ONLY 10% OF THE ACTUAL SPEND OF $143 MILLION. IF COUNCIL WAS AGREEABLE TO A THRESHOLD OF $2.5 MILLION, THEN WHAT WOULD GO ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA WOULD BE ROUGHLY 124 ITEMS, WHICH EQUATES ABOUT 33%, BUT MAINTAINS 90% OF THE SPEND OF THAT $1.3 MILLION. SO WE THOUGHT IN LOOKING AT -- WE LOOKED AT 5 MILLION, WE LOOKED AT 2.5, WE LOOKED AT A VARIETY OF OTHER THRESHOLDS, AND BECAUSE OF THE VOLUMES AND THE STATISTICS, THIS IS WHY WE DREW THE LINE HERE. I WANTED TO KIND OF SHOW YOU THAT IN A LITTLE MORE GRANULAR DETAIL. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT BASED ON THE SOLICITATION CATEGORY, GOODS AND SUPPLIES, PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER SERVICES, AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, THIS -- SEE GOODS AND SUPPLIES, WE HAVE 80 ITEMS. 149 FOR PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER SERVICES. 144 FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, IT TIES TO THOSE 373 ITEMS ON THE PRIOR SLIDE FOR A TOTAL OF $1.5 BILLION.
JUST LOOKING AT GOODS AND SUPPLIES, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THOSE 80 SOLICITATIONS FOR $155 MILLION BASED ON THE PROPOSED THRESHOLD, CITY MANAGER DELEGATING UP TO $22.3 MILLION, 75 OF THOSE 80 ITEMS WOULD BE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER AT A COST OF $28 MILLION. FIVE OF THOSE ITEMS, WHICH WOULD BE HIGH WOULD REMAIN ON CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, 2.5 MILLION AND ABOVE, AT $127 MILLION. AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THROUGH THE REST OF THE SLIDE, IT KIND OF FOLLOWS THAT SAME THEME, THAT HIGH VOLUME, LOW COST ITEMS TYPICALLY ROUTINE IN NATURE WOULD REMAIN WITH THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE LOWER VOLUMES, HIGHER COSTS, WOULD BE PLACED ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA REPRESENTING ABOUT 90% OF THE SPEND.
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AND LASTLY, AS WE WORKED THROUGH WITH THE PROCUREMENT TEAM, THERE WERE FOUR AREAS IN TERMS OF PROCUREMENT STATUTES THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT AND PROPOSING CHANGES TO. A NUMBER OF THESE HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN SOME LEGS WITHIN THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS THE FIRST THREE, BUT PROCUREMENT IS GOVERNED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 252 AND SOME OTHER STATUTES, BUT THIS IS PREDOMINANTLY THE STATUTE THAT WE USE FOR OUR PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING AUTHORITY OF MUNICIPALITIES. SO THESE FOUR AREAS THAT WE'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS INCREASING THE BIDDING THRESHOLD OF 3,000 TO 50,000, CHANGING THAT UPPER LIMIT UP TO 100,000. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT BASICALLY INCREASES OR REDUCES THE NUMBER OF FORMAL PROCUREMENTS THAT WE DO.A FORMAL PROCUREMENT IS ACTUALLY ISSUING FORMAL BIDS, GETTING BIDS IN, RUNNING TABULATIONS VERSUS AN INFORMAL, WHERE WE CAN GET QUOTES FROM TWO HISTORICALLY UNDERUSED BUSINESSES AND GETTING QUOTES TO THESE ITEMS, SO IT WOULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE VOLUMES THAT MY TEAM IS WORKING WITH BETWEEN THAT 50,000 THOUGH 100,000. THE SECOND AREA IN WORKING WITH RAZI AND HIS TEAM LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, IS MOVING THE CHANGE ORDER THRESHOLD FROM 100,000 TO 500,000, WHICH IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH OUR ALIGNMENT WITH OUR JOC AUTHORITY THAT RAZI HAS NOW. LOOKING AT GOODS AND SUPPLIES FROM 50,000 TO 100,000, THERE'S A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF CHANGE ORDERS ACTUALLY OCCUR DURING THE YEAR, AND THIS IS ALSO GOVERNED BY -- FOR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, WE HAVE CONTINGENCIES AND THE SCOPE THAT WAS BID ON.
THE THIRD AREA -- AND SOME OF THESE SEEM RATHER INTUITIVE, WOULD BE ADDING THE ABILITY TO POST SOLICITATION OR ADVERTISEMENT ONLINE.
RIGHT NOW THE CURRENT STATE STATUTE REQUIRES US TO PUBLISH IN ANEWSPAPER PUBLICATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THAT -- ELECTRONIC MEDIUMS. AND THE LAST AREA, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THIS AREA -- OPENING ACTUALLY READS THEM OUT LOUD, HOLDS A FORMAL MEETING, WE'D LIKE TO JUST BE ABLE TO BYPASS THAT AND GO DIRECTLY TO POSTING THEM ONLINE, A RESOURCE FOR OUR VENDORS TO GO LOOK AT AND MOVE FORWARD.
NOW, IN SUMMARY, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS DELEGATION, THE DELEGATION OF ROUTINE PROCUREMENT ITEMS TO THE CITY MANAGER WOULD SHORTEN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THESE ROUTINE ITEMS, GIVE THE STATE ABILITY TO MOVE THESE THINGS QUICKER, NOT ONLY ARE WE FOCUSING ON THE AGENDA PROCESS, BUT MY TEAM AND I ARE LOOKING AT ALL THE BUSINESS PROCESSES THAT LEAD UP TO GETTING THESE THINGS ON THE AGENDA TO BASICALLY REDUCE AND SHRINK THE ENTIRE PROCESS. ALLOW CITY COUNCIL TO FOCUS ON PROCUREMENTS WITH POLICY IMPLICATIONS, CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE MAJORITY OF THE SPENDING AS I MENTIONED ON THE STATISTICAL SLIDES A FEW MINUTES AGO, STREAMLINES THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, IT MAINTAINS TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, THERE'S CONTROLS IN PLACE THROUGH THE LEGAL APPROPRIATIONS THROUGH THE ADOPTED BUDGET, MAINTAINS THE FORECASTING AND REPORTING. THEN THE LAST AREA IS, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT THESE TYPE OF THINGS BEFORE MOVING INTO OUR SAP UPGRADE. TO ACTUALLY GET THAT FOUNDATION REALLY STABLE, WITH ALL THE MAJOR CHANGES, THAT WE CAN ADOPT AND INCORPORATE INTO THE SAP UPDATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
SO IN SUMMARY, NEXT STEPS, AS ERIK MENTIONED, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL ON THE FORECAST AS FAR AS THE PATH THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT EACH OF THESE FORECASTS TAKE. ALSO AS FAR AS AS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR CHANGES IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
IN THE EVENT TH COUNCIL WAS AGREEABLE TO THESE CHANGES OR THERE'S OTHER THINGS YOU'D LIKE US TO LOOK AT WE'D GO BACK AS A TEAM AND REDESIGN OUR BUSINESS PROCESS TO ACCOMMODATE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'D WRAP THESE THINGS UP BY TAKING THEM TO COUNCIL FOR AN ORDINANCE BY CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL, AND ALSO IDENTIFY AN IM IMPLEMENTATION DATE TO MOVE FORWARD. THESE WOULD BE OUR NEXT STEPS, AND MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL
HAVE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TROY, FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN?
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, TROY, AND BEN FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS IN AUDIT COMMITTEE, AND ONE THING THAT I TOOK AWAY, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS DID, TOO, DURING THE BUDGET SESSIONS WAS WE CAN MOVE FASTER ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
AND WHEN WE LOOK -- WHEN I LOOKED AT IT THROUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, SOMETIMES IT WAS MOVING SO SLOW BECAUSE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE COULD HAVE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER OR HAD GONE STRAIGHT TO CONSENT AGENDA WERE, YOU KNOW, WAYLAID IN AUDIT COMMITTEE AND WAITING TO GET THAT ON THE AGENDA AND THE LET ME ASK YOU THIS -- YOU KNOW, POST
[00:30:04]
AND PRE AND ALL OF THIS TYPE OF PROCESS TO GO THROUGH.I LOOK FORWARD TO THESE CHANGES. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME ITEMS, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL CONSENT AG YEN DA THAT I'M GOING TO WANT TO POSSIBLY HAVE MORE CONVERSATION WITH, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY TAKE THE DELEGATION AWAY FROM THE CITY MANAGER, BUT THINGS THAT -- CHILDCARE SERVICES IS ONE OF THEM, THAT IMPACT MY DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY, THAT I'D -- LOOKING AT IS WHAT IS IMPACTING MY DISTRICT DIRECTLY THAT I MIGHT WANT TO SEE ON A CONSENT AGENDA AND GET SOME COUNCILMEMBERS' INPUT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE STILL ON THE RIGHT PLACE, IN ADDITION TO JUST HAVING THE CITY MANAGER DELEGATE THAT.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS -- IS WORKING VERY HARD, BUT A LOT OF THOSE ON-CALL ARE TAKING A LITTLE TOO MUCH TIME, AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE RESPONSES WE NEED. THAT WAS THE OTHER THING I BROUGHT UP TO BOTH BEN AND TROY, IF WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE VENDORS OUT THERE AND CONTRACTORS OUT THERE THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT HOW SUPPLY SA IS WORKING, SEE HOW OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT TRY AND GET -- GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE CITY CONTRACTS. AND WHAT IS IT ABOUT OUR CITY CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING MORE PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THOSE ON-CALL POSITIONS. SO ON THAT, I'D LIKE TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, BUT THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF ONLY A FEW THAT HAVE COME FOR ON-CALL, THAT I THINK IF WE DELEGATED IT TO THE MANAGER AT THAT LEVEL, IT WOULD WORK OUT FINE.
SO I LOOK -- I THINK THESE CHANGES WORK WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE EITHER MOVED TO AUDIT OR THINGS THAT -- TOPICS SPECIFICALLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK ON, BUT ON-CALL HAS BEEN KEY IN TO MAKING SURE WE GET THINGS DONE AND GET THINGS DONE QUICKLY, AND I THINK THIS MOVE IS THE RIGHT MOVE FOR US RIGHT NOW. IF WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS MOVE A LITTLE FASTER HERE, AND IF WE TAKE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT PART OF THE PROCESS -- PART OF THE PROBLEM OF SOME OF OUR CONTRACTS AND PROJECTS MOVING SLOW IS WHAT WE DO HERE, AND SO THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, TROY, AND BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION SO WE CAN MAKE
MOVEMENT ON THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, TROY.
THIS MICROPHONE IS LOUD. THANKS, TROY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
OVERALL, I THINK THIS IS GREAT. YOU KNOW, IT IMPROVES EFFICIENCY AND WE CAN JUST WORK FASTER AND SMARTER.
GOING TO SLIDE 8, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STILL ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR US -- FOR US COUNCILMEMBERS TO SEE UPCOMING CONTRACTS AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN WAS SAYING, IF THERE'S CONTRACTS THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR DISTRICT AND WE MAY WANT TO DISCUSS IT, WHAT IS THAT
OPERATING MODEL GOING TO LOOK LIKE? >> ELLIOTT: WELL, I THINK IT STARTS WITH CONVERSATION TODAY WITH THE FORECAST, WE WOULD EXPAND THIS FOR REALLY ANYTHING OVER $50,000. AS WE PRESENT THAT FORECAST TO YOU, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU OR YOUR TEAM GO THROUGH AND HAVE A PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOU, THEN REACH OUT TO MYSELF, BEN, THE CITY MANAGER, AND THEN WE'D MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S INCORPORATED INTO ONE OF THE FOUR PATHS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT OR HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE.
>> GAVITO: OKAY. SO THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS QUARTERLY FORECAST AND THEN OUR TEAMS AND I WILL DIG IN AND THEN JUST HIGHLIGHT
ANYTHING TO YOU ALL. >> ELLIOTT: AND THE FORECAST WOULD BE MORE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE PRESENT THAT, AND WE COULD COME BACK WITH ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THAT FORECAST.
>> GAVITO: OKAY. WERE YOU GOING TO SAY ANYTHING?
>> WALSH: I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY -- WHAT TROY WAS JUST DESCRIBING, WE'RE GOING TO START DOING QUARTERLY REPORTS ON THE SPEND.
THAT'S NEW. >> GAVITO: OKAY. >> WALSH: THE ANNUAL FORECAST -- BARRING ANY CHANGES, THIS IS THE FORECAST THAT WE HAVE.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS IF WE MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN OUTLINED, THEN THIS REPORT IS GOING TO GET A LOT BIGGER, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE $50,000 AND ABOVE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS ON THE ACTUAL SPEND.
BUT IF THERE'S PARTICULAR SERVICES OR GOODS OR PROJECTS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO YOU, YOU CAN ALWAYS FLAG THEM, BECAUSE THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT DO THEY NEED TO GO TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, WHICH ROUTE DO THEY NEED TO GO
THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
[00:35:01]
YES, AND I MEAN, I LOVE THE EFFICIENCY GAIN THAT THIS WILL HAVE.YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT OFTENTIMES COUNCIL AND CITY BAWR ROCK RASSY ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM FOR WHY PROJECTS MOVE SO SLOW AND ULTIMATELY IMPACT OUR DELIVERY TO RESIDENTS. SO I'M REALLY GLAD ABOUT THAT.
ON SLIDE 11, I WAS CURIOUS, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, WE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS OFFLINE, THAT'S FINE, BUT HOW DOES THIS ALIGN WITH OTHER
CITY'S PRACTICES? >> I CAN ANSWER THAT, PERHAPS.
I WORK WITH AUDITORS. >> GAVITO: I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
>> WALSH: ANDY, DO Y YOU KNOW IF OTHER CITIES HAVE THE HIGH-PROFILE
DEFINITIONS. >> SEGOVIA: OTHER CITIES THAT DO HAVE THAT, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS, BUT WE CAN GET YOU THAT. I DO KNOW I THINK THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT
HAVE THAT DESIGNATION. >> GAVITO: I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
ON SLIDE 14, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THE FLEET CONTRACTS ARE NECESSARY, BECAUSE THEY ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE AND FIRE DO HAVE TOP NOTCH EQUIPMENT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALSO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, SOLID WASTE, ACS, THAT THEY GET WHAT THEY NEED QUICKLY. AND THAT WAS ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANKS SO
MUCH, TROY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> ELLIOTT: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO BE REAL BRIEF. THIS STARTED WAY BACK LAST YEAR, I THINK, OR EARLIER THIS YEAR, I MENTIONED TO ERIK THAT THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT HERE AND DO THESE THINGS QUICKER.
AND HE SAID, WELL, YOU GUYS IN AUDIT TALK ABOUT IT, TALK --
>> SEGOVIA: AND BEN, THIS IS EXACTLY ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING HERE AT CITY HALL, IN MY OPINION. IT DOES TAKE ENTIRELY TOO LONG TO GET OUR DOLLARS ONTO THE STREET, OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES ARE EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED. I THINK WE ALL HEAR IT, ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THESE CONTRACTS THROUGH THE PROCESS, GET THE WORK STARTED AND GET IT DONE. AND SO I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS. I THINK THESE ARE REALLY GOOD CHANGES, IT'S GOING TO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT.
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, AS THE COUNCILWOMAN SAID, ENSURE THAT WE DO HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND THAT COUNCIL CAN PULL ANY ITEM THAT THEY WANT, IF THEY FEEL IT NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION. SO I REALLY -- I LOVE THIS WORK. I THINK IT'S GREAT JOB BY EVERYONE, AND LOOK
FORWARD TO THE CHANGES. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA
GARCIA? >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND SO YOUR TEAM'S STILL SENDING OUT THE ■QUARTERLY REPORTS, RIGHT, OR THEY'RE STILL GOING TO SEND OUT LIKE THE COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER 2025 TYPE -- ALL THAT STUFF, RIGHT? THEY'RE STILL GOING TO
SEND THAT OUT. >> ELLIOTT: YES, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEND OUT THE FORECAST, AND IN ADDITION AS ERIK MENTIONED, WE'LL SUPPLEMENT THAT IF THE COUNCIL WAS AGREEABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD TO THE DELEGATION, WE'D ACTUALLY SEND OUT QUARTERLY REPORTS SHOWING YOU EVERYTHING THAT HAS
BEEN BOUGHT AND CONTRACTED FOR. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
THANK YOU. AND THEN ON THE 1 MILLION TO 5 MILLION, I -- I'M THE ODD BALL OUT HERE, BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S TOO HIGH OF A THRESHOLD, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN SACRIFICE EFFICIENCY FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND WE'RE THE ONES THAT GET VOTED ON AND WE'RE THE ONES THAT GET HELD ACCOUNTABLE, AND SO I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE THE ONES THAT WILL BE SCRUTINIZED FOR IT ANYWAY, SO I FEEL THAT 1 MILLION TO 5 MILLION IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH.
HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THAT NUMBER? >> ELLIOTT: BASICALLY JUST REALLY ALIGNS WITH OUR CURRENT PRACTICE OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
SO TODAY, WE LOOK AT THAT 5 MILLION AS A THRESHOLD IN PRACTICE AND PROCESS, SO IT'S JUST REALLY ALIGNING THE POLICY WITH THE CURRENT PRACTICE.
THAT'S HOW WE ARRIVED AT THAT DOLLAR VALUE. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
AND THEN THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, THE BLACKOUT PERIOD, WAS THAT
A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD? >> ELLIOTT: THE BLACKOUT PERIOD'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR OUR SOLICITATIONS AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, PROBABLY SINCE 2013. SO THAT BLACKOUT PERIOD IS 10 DAYS AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THE AWARD THROUGH 30 DAYS AFTER COUNCIL, SO I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> SEGOVIA: WE'RE NOT
RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGES TO THAT. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
>> SEGOVIA: I THINK WHAT TROY IS EMPHASIZING, COUNCILWOMAN, WITH THESE CHANGES IT WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF THOSE SOLICITATIONS THAT WILL
BE SUBJECT TO THE PROHIBITIONS. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
OKAY. AND THEN ON SLIDE 15, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT I JUST -- I DON'T FEEL TOO COMFORTABLE, AND I UNDERSTAND.
AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED IT BEFORE, I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS -- BECAUSE, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, AIRPORT PROJECTS AND WE DON'T WANT TO SLOW DO DOWN
[00:40:03]
ANY AIRPORT PROJECTS BUT I FEEL LIKE JUST TO EVERYTHING, INCLUDING ALL CATEGORIES, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE ENOUGH. AND SO -- OND R AND THEN ON SLIDE 19, THE CHANGE ORDERS, THAT'S ANOTHER THING I HEAR ABOUT FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, RIGHT. I HEAR ABOUT THE CHANGE ORDERS AND I HEAR HOW THEY'RE ALREADY NOT TOO COMFORTABLE WITH AMOUNT OF CHANGE ORDERS THAT COME TO COUNCIL. AND SO I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE AT THIS TIME, BUT I'M GLAD I'M NOT TAKING A VOTE TODAY. BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL AND I'D BE HAPPY TO JUST TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ONE-ON-ONE ABOUT ALL OF THE CHANGES, BUT THAT'S IT.THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> ELLIOTT: BE HAPPY TO. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, JUST TO CLARIFY, FOR THE AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACTS LESS THAN 2.5 MILLION, THAT THRESHOLD, INCREASING TO 2.5 MILLION FOR THE CITY MANAGER, THAT IS ONLY FOR CONTRACTS THAT WERE A PART OF AN ADOPTED BUDGET, CORRECT?
>> ELLIOTT: THAT THERE'S A LEGAL APPROPRIATION FOR DURING THE ADOPTED
BUDGET, CORRECT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'M TRYING TO THINK OF A CONTEXT IN WHICH WE DON'T -- I MEAN, I GUESS ARPA DOLLARS WAS AN EXAMPLE OF -- WOULD BE -- WHAT WOULD BE A CONTRACT THAT ISN'T APPROVED IN
THE BUDGET. >> WALSH: THAT ISN'T APPROVED.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YEAH. >> WALSH: NO, THIS IS JUST FOR STUFF THAT THE
COUNCIL'S APPROVED. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'M TRYING TO THINK OF AN EXAMPLE OF AN ITEM THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AS PART OF THE
BUDGET IN ADVANCE. >> VILLAGOMEZ: IT COULD BE A GRANT.
IF WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT DURING THE FISCAL YEAR AND IT WAS NOT PART OF THE LEGAL APPROPRIATIONS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THAT COULD BE AN
EXAMPLE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING
THAT WOULD STILL REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL? >> ELLIOTT: IT WOULD.
I MEAN, ONE, YOU WOULD APPROVE THE GRANT. WE'D HAVE THE CHANGE TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE GRANT.
AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, DEPENDING ON THE THRESHOLD. AND ERIK WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY ONCE THE APPROPRIATION'S APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, IS
THE WAY I'D INTERPRET THAT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A HUGE JUMP FROM $50,000 TO 2.5 MILLION.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA SAID ABOUT THE THRESHOLDS BEING STEEP IN OUR OPINION. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BODY OF AUTHORITY AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME IN A FEW YEARS WHERE I THINK WE'VE INCREASED SOME THRESHOLD FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL, AND I DON'T WANT TO -- YOU KNOW, AT WHAT POINT IS THE STOP? AND I DON'T KNOW THAT $2.5 MILLION IS NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE. I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT, I THINK.
GENERALLY FOR EACH OF THE THRESHOLDS THAT WE'RE INCREASING, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE AT A HAPPY PLACE JUST YET. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT, BUT THAT'S MY BROAD SENSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE, BUT $50,000 GOING UP TO 2.5 MILLION IS KIND OF -- IT'S A JUMP. I WONDER AS WELL -- SO FOR THE -- THOSE THAT GO TO A B SESSION, DO THEY ALSO GO TO AUDIT AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. >> ELLIOTT: NO, SIR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I JUST WANTED TO REMIND MYSELF OF THAT. THERE IS ONE ITEM, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THEM ALL, THE ANIMAL VETERINARY CARE HOSPITAL, I THINK THAT'S WORTHY OF A B SESSION. IT'S, I THINK, -- I THINK IT'S AN ISSUE OF HIGH CONCERN AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT. I CERTAINLY AM, BUT I -- OUT OF EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN, THAT'S BEEN MAYBE THE ONLY ONE, BECAUSE I WOULD LOOK NOT AT THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO A DISTRICT, LIKE HEY'S STREET BRIDGE , THE CONNECTORS OR THE INDIVIDUAL FIRE STATIONS, I WOULDN'T LOOK AT THOSE AS PROJECTS MAYBE IN A B SESSION, BUT THOSE FACILITIES THAT ARE CITYWIDE IN NATURE ARE THE ONES THAT I THINK WOULD MAKE SENSE, SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD PROBABLY PULL THAT ONE FOR A B SESSION, BUT ALL IN ALL, THAT IS EVERYTHING ELSE SOUNDS FINE.
THANK YOU A TON. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO CONCUR WITH A COUPLE OF MY COUNCILMEMBERS WHO THINK THAT EXPANDING THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY MANAGER UP TO $2.5 MILLION FOR HIS SIGNATURE TO GET SOMETHING APPROVED IN THE AREA OF FINANCING OR PROCUREMENT OR THINGS LIKE THAT IS A BIG STRETCH. I THINK THAT EXPANDING IT TO MAYBE UP TO 999, $999, STAYING UNDER A MILLION, I WOULD FEEL MORE
[00:45:01]
COMFORTABLE WITH, AT LEAST TO SEE HOW THAT IMPROVES THE PROGRESS OF SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND THESE PROCUREMENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND IF WE COULD THEN SEE HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AND, YOU KNOW, HOW QUICKLY THEY MAY MOVE THROUGH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ELECTED TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE HARD DECISIONS, AND SOMETIMES EVEN EASY DECISIONS.
AND I DON'T THINK OUR AGENDAS HAVE BEEN TOO LONG.
I DON'T THINK -- I REMEMBER GOING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS YEARS AGO THAT LASTED SEVEN HOURS OR LONGER. I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN BEYOND THAT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MORE EFFICIENCIES IN THE WAY WE PROCURE THINGS AND PRESENT THINGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT I THINK IT'S STILL OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THESE THINGS.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT A CONSTITUENT TO ASK ME, WELL, HOW COME YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT $2.4 MILLION EXPENDITURE, AND NOW WE'RE HEARING X ABOUT IT? I WOULD RATHER THINK THAT WE LIMIT THAT RIGHT NOW TO LESS THAN A MILLION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MOVE ON THAT MORE QUICKLY.
THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I WONDERED WHY IT WAS EVEN ON HERE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH MOVING ANYTHING MORE QUICKLY, IT'S SLIDE LECHES. 11 WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. WHY IS THAT EVEN ON HERE? THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MOVING ANYTHING MORE
QUICKLY. >> ELLIOTT: IT DOESN'T. AS I MENTIONED, U IT'S PURELY JUST ALIGNING THE POLICY WITH THE WAY THE CURRENT PRACTICE FUNCTIONS TODAY. TODAY WHEN WE GO TO AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE, WE BRING TO YOU 5 MILLION AND ABOVE. EVEN THOUGH THE DEFINITION IS 1 MILLION AND ABOVE. THIS WOULD JUST BE ALIGNING THE POLICY WITH THE PRACTICE THAT'S IN PLACE TODAY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT. >> COURAGE: WELL, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTS THAT MAY BE THREE OR $4 MILLION COULD EASILY FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF PEOPLE WANTING TO INFLUENCE THAT DECISION THROUGH POLITICAL MEANS, AND IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE THINGS HAPPENING.
I WOULD WANT TO HAVE THE SAME KIND OF PROHIBITIONS WE HAVE TODAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE -- IF WE WANT TO RAISE IT MAYBE TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION, I COULD SEE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT A TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PROJECT, ALTHOUGH AS VALUABLE AS IT MAY BE TO THE COMPANY INVOLVED, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO ENTICE ANYBODY TO EXCEED WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD BE, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST ELIMINATING IT ALL THE WAY UP TO 5 MILLION, I THINK, IS BIGGER THAN WE NEED TO GO.
I WANT TO MAINTAIN THE KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE, WHICH I THINK HAVE SERVED THIS COUNCIL AND PRIOR COUNCILS VERY WELL. SO I HOPE THAT WE DON'T DECIDE TO GO AHEAD AND RAISE THAT TO A $5 MILLION LIMIT WITHOUT DISQUALIFYING PEOPLE. I THINK MAYBE 2.5 MILLION WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS A CEILING ON THAT. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO COMMENTS I HAVE ON THESE. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
COUNCILMEMBER KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE IN ADVANCE. I DON'T ACTUALLY GET A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS CALLING US AND ASKING ABOUT THE $2.4 MILLION CONTRACT THAT WE APPROVED. THE CALL THAT WE DO GET -- SO I THINK THIS IS GREAT. EFFICIENCY IS WONDERFUL TO ME. THE CALLS THAT I DO GET HOWEVER ARE THE CONTRACTORS THAT AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB WELL. AND SO WHAT I -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE POINT OF THIS CONVERSATION, BUT THE PUSH AND THE QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW OFTEN DO WE GO BACK TO EVALUATE ALL OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE GIVE BASED ON METRICS? LIKE DO WE -- AND THERE'S SO MANY, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT. BUT DO WE HAVE A -- I KNOW WE -- LEADERS BEFORE I WAS HERE CREATED THE BAD BIDDERS ORDINANCE, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, HOW DO WE EVALUATE CONTRACTORS SO THAT WE'RE NOT -- LIKE AFTER X AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS -- AND WE DON'T HAVE TO OPEN UP THAT CONVERSATION, ERIK, IF WE WANT TO TABLE THAT, BUT THAT WAS MY
ONLY THOUGHT. >> WALSH: NO, I WAS JUST -- I THINK RAZI WAS
GOING TO TALK ABOUT JUST THE BAD -- >> KAUR: OH, YEAH, THAT
WASN'T MY POINT. WHAT WAS IT CALLED? >> WALSH: RESPONSIVE BIDDERS, BUT I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS BROADLY WHETHER IT'S CONSTRUCTION
OR GOODS AND SERVICES. >> KAUR: YES. >> WALSH: SO I WAS JUST
ASKING TROY TO -- >> ELLIOTT: AND RAZI DOES HAVE THE RESPONSIBLE BIDDER ORDINANCE, BUT BASE ON STATE STATUTE WE DETERMINE IF A BIDDER IS RESPONSIBLE, WE LOOK AT THEIR PAST EXPERIENCE AND HISTORY, THROUGH OUR
[00:50:03]
EVALUATIONS FOR DISCRETIONARY CONTRACTS, THE COMMITTEE TAKES THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE PROPOSED PLAN, AND THEY USE THAT IN THE SCORING. SO IT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, BOTH ON OUR LOW BID FOR OUR GOODS AND SERVICES, AS WELL AS OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICESAND CONSTRUCTION. >> KAUR: SO WE KIND OF EVALUATE ON A FUTURE PROJECT IF THEY COME BACK TO US AND SAY WE WANT TO BID ON THIS AGAIN, THAT'S
HOW OUR EVALUATION TRULY TAKES PLACE. >> ELLIOTT: IT IS.
AND ALSO DURING A CURRENT CONTRACT, IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR PERFORMANCE WE WILL ISSUE CURE LETTERS. IF THAT PERFORM A IS NOT CURED, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE AND GO OUT AND REBID.
>> KAUR: DO WE HAVE AN INTERNAL DATABASE WHERE WE LIST ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOTTEN BIDS AND HOW MANY LETTERS WE'VE SENT THEM OR HOW MUCH ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP -- HOW MANY ISSUES HAVE COME UP, IN AN
EVALUATIVE WAY. >> ELLIOTT: I'D SAY ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, YES. ON THE GOODS AND SERVICES, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A CENTRAL DATABASE, BUT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION
AVAILABLE TO US. >> KAUR: GOT IT. I WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN THAT PIECE. IF THERE'S A WAY TO SHOW THAT IN THE REPORTS OF HOW OUR FOLKS ARE PERFORMING, ANY KIND OF EVALUATION METHOD ON THE CONTRACTS I THINK, IS WHAT I WOULD BE MOST INTERESTED IN SEEING, BECAUSE IT ALSO -- YOU KNOW, EVERY CONTRACT DOES NOT GET EXECUTED PERFECTLY. AT TIMES THERE ARE ISSUES THAT COME UP, BUT IT WOULD HELP US, WHEN FOLKS ARE CALLING US COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING, WE CAN KIND OF PLACE IT TO KNOW, OKAY, THIS IS A ONE-TIMER ROR, OR, NO, WE'VE GOT TO RAISE THIS BECAUSE THIS CONTRACTOR, THIS RESPONSIBLE PARTY IS NOT DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO BE DOING. MY ISSUE IS MORE ON QUALITY VERSUS THE AMOUNT
OF THE CONTRACT THAT THEY'RE GETTING. >> ELLIOTT: GOT IT.
>> KAUR: OKAY. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO?
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, TROY, FOR THE PRESENTATION. OVERALL, I DO SEE A NUMBER OF MOVING PIECES IN HERE THAT DO OFFER EFFICIENCY; HOWEVER, I DO SHARE THE GENERAL SENTIMENT WITH THE INCREASE OF THE 50,000 TO THE 2.5 MILLION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THOSE CONTRACTS, I DO BELIEVE THAT MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE THE EXPECTATION THAT WE ARE PROVIDING DIRECTION AND ASKING QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'LL STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, IF THAT CHANGE IS INCLUDED, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD -- THE 2.5 MILLION IS A HUGE LEAP. SO I'M CURIOUS TO, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED OFF OF THE DIRECTION THAT YOU PROVIDE -- THAT YOU'RE HEARING, RATHER, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE A MEDIUM.
AND LASTLY, REGARDING -- IT'S ON SLIDE. >> NINO: , IF YOU COULD JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND WITH THE ABILITY TO POST SOLICITATION ADVERTISEMENTS ON LINE AS AN OPTION TO REQUIRED NEWSPAPER FOR A REQUIRED BIDDING, WOULD THAT BE AND/OR OR WOULD IT BE IN ADDITION TO.
>> ELLIOTT: IT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO. IT WOULD BE AN OPTION, IT
WOULD BE EITHER/OR. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE ONE THING I HEAR FROM FOLKS WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF THE RE REPRODUCTION OR SOME OF OUR MOM AND POP, THEY SHARE THE OVERALL DIGITAL DIVIDE AND NOT NECESSARILY HAVING ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT REPLACING THAT PHYSICAL NEWSPAPER POSTING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER OR SMARTPHONE, BUT ARE READING THE NEWSPAPER TO STAY UP TO SPEED.
I WOULD BE HESITANT TO REMOVE FROM THE NEWSPAPER POSTING BECAUSE I CONTINUALLY HEAR FROM FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FROM CITY BIDS BUT OFTENTIMES DON'T PURSUE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ?
>> PELAEZ: MIC. THANK YOU. WE STILL HAVE TO POST
OUTFRONT LITERALLY, STAPLE A PIECE OF PAPER. >> SEGOVIA: POST THE
AGENDA OUTSIDE. >> PELAEZ: RIGHT, THE WAY THAT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS HAVE TO DO FROM TIME TO TIME, AND EVEN THEY HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO POST THESE THINGS ONLINE. AND THEY WERE ALSO USED TO HAVE TO POST -- IF I REMEMBER, THEY HAD TO POST IN LIKE SOME NEWSLETTER AS WELL THAT WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE PICKED UP AT THE MAIN OFFICE AND -- I MEAN, AND -- I THINK IT'S 2024, AND WE CAN PROBABLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO POST THESE THINGS ONLINE. I DON'T KNOW WHO READS THE NEWSPAPER. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ASKING TO MODIFY THAT. THAT'S A SMALL THING. I DO THINK THAT $50,000 FOR PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY IS WAY TOO LOW, AND I'VE ALWAYS -- I'VE ALWAYS COMMENTED THIS TO ERIK. AND I'VE ALWAYS ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO TEE THIS UP. THE ANSWER I GOT FROM ERIK US WITH, YOU KNOW, NO BIG DEAL, I WITH ALWAYS PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, IT USUALLY STAYS ON CONSENT, BUT I NEVER REALIZE EXACTLY HOW MANY HOOPS WE HAVE TO JUMP
[00:55:04]
BEFORE WE GET TO CONSENT, RIGHT? AND HOW LONG SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE DELAYED WHEN EVERYBODY KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ON CONSENT, YET NONETHELESS.AND I'LL TELL YOU, AS AN EXAMPLE, THIS COUNCIL'S NEVER PULLED -- AND THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL NEVER PULLED A FLEET VEHICLE PURCHASE CONTRACT, EVER.
AND CAN YOU REMEMBER ONE, ERIK? MAYBE I'M WRONG.
>> WALSH: NO, IT HAPPENS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. >> PELAEZ: I DON'T REMEMBER THIS COUNCIL DOING IT. BUT THE -- I REMEMBER A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, SOMEBODY DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, WHY IT IS THAT WE WERE GOING WITH SOME CONTRACTOR OUT OF OKLAHOMA AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, CAVENDER, BECAUSE I THINK CAVENDER CAME IN SECOND.
AND THE ANSWER WAS GOT WAS THE ANSWER -- YOU KNOW, WAS THE OF COURSE ANSWER, WHICH IS WHEN YOU'RE BUYING FLEET VEHICLES, YOU'VE GOT TO GO WITH LOWEST BIDDER, YOU CAN'T GIVE LOCAL POINTS.
ASIDE FROM THAT, ERIK, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS 2.5 IS A LEAP, BUT I'M ALSO HEARING THAT $50,000 IS PROBABLY NOT HIGH ENOUGH.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU CONSIDER LEO GOMEZ' SPENDING AUTHORITY IS SOMEWHERE ASHED 250 OR MORE, JIM PURSEBACH, IS HIGHER THAN THAT, THE BOARD OF VIA IS HIGHER THAN THAT. THEY'RE DELIBERATIVE BODIES THAT ARE THERE TO OVERSEE, AND I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY'S CITY MANAGER SHOULD NOT BE BOUND BY A VERY, VERY LOW AMOUNT, WHICH JUST GUMS THINGS UP. SO I'M OPEN TO INCREASING IT.
I DO THINK, BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE HEARING TODAY, TOO, IS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBERS ON A COUNCIL BY COUNCIL BASIS TO GET SOME MORE FEEDBACK. THIS IS A REALLY BIG CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD, AND I'D WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CITY DOWN AND ASK YOU SOME MORE QUESTIONS IN THE SEVEN MINUTES I HAVE LEFT.
THANKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM?
>> WALSH: THANKS, MAYOR. SO JUST TO CLOSE OUT THE PREVIOUS ITEM, APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK AND WE WERE TRYING TO -- WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHILE WE'RE BEING EFFICIENT, WE'RE ENHANCING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, SO THAT WAS GOOD FEEDBACK. WE'LL TAKE ALL THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO COME BACK AND CIRCLE UP, BUT I THINK PROBABLY GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE AND BRING THIS ISSUE BACK UP IN 2025.
SO APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK ON THAT. OUR SECOND ITEM TODAY IS A POSTSOLICITATION BRIEFING ON TOWING AND IMPOUND OPERATIONS.
AND JUST A REMINDER, THE COUNCIL, WE DID A PRESOLICITATION ON THIS THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE HAD TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS, ONE FOR POLICE-DIRECTED TOWING AND ONE FOR IMPOUND OPERATIONS.
TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS. AND AS WE TALKED TO THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR, WE WENT OUT FOR SOLICITATIONS AND COMBINED THOSE TWO EFFORTS. THERE'S A LOT OF SYNERGIES THERE.
AND WE THINK THAT WE CAN GET SOME EFFICIENCIES, BOTH IN TERMS OF OVERSEEING THE CONTRACTS, BUT ALSO EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC THAT DEALS WITH THIS -- WITH THIS AREA. THE OTHER PART OF THIS BRIEFING, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE COUNCIL BEFORE, WHERE OUR CURRENT TOWING YARD IS OUT, OR IMPOUND YARD IS OUT NORTH OF LACKLAND, THERE HAS BEEN TALK OVER THE YEARS ABOUT JBSA INTERESTED IN THAT PROPERTY TO EXPAND THEIR MISSIONS AT THAT BASE, SO RICK WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE TAKEN ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE WENT THROUGH THE SOLICITATION, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RICK TO WALK US THROUGH WHERE WE'RE AT.
>> THANK YOU, ERIK, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AS ERIK SAID, MY NAME'S RICK RILEY, I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TODAY I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A POSTSOLICITATION BRIEFING ON TOWING AND IMPOUND SERVICES.
AS A BRIEF OVERVIEW, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT AGREEMENTS, AS ERIK MENTIONED, TWO CURRENT AGREEMENTS, TOWING AND EMBOUND.
JBSA'S INTEREST IN THE GROUND PROPERTY. I'M GOING TO COVER A QUICK PROJECT OVERVIEW AND TIMELINE, THE SOLICITATION AND SCORING OF THAT SOLICITATION IN RESPONSE TO -- THE RESPONSES WE RECEIVED AND THEN A NEXT STEPS. SO LET'S START WITH THE CURRENT AGREEMENT.
TWO CURRENT AGREEMENTS, ONE FOR TOWING AND ONE FOR IMPOUND.
AND ALTHOUGH THEY ARE SEPARATE AGREEMENTS, THEY WORK IN TANDEM WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO YOU'LL SEE THERE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, TOWING, THAT'S RUN BY UNITED ROAD VEHICLE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS, U REAR VIEW MIRROR S, SHORTENED TO VMS, THEY CURRENTLY SUBCONTRACT WITH ONE LOCAL DISPATCH COMPANY AND FIVE LOCAL TOE COMPANIES, AND THEY PROVIDE THOSE POLICE DIRECTED TOW MANAGEMENT SERVICES CLEARING ROADS AFTER ACCIDENTS, RELOCATING VEHICLES IN PREP RAKES FOR A PARADE, THAT TYPE OF THING. THAT CONTRACT BEGAN IN DECEMBER 2015 AND IT'S
[01:00:01]
BEEN EXTENDED TO 2024 WITH MONTH-TO-MONTH OPTOPTIONS AS WE NEGOTIATE THE NEW CONTRACT. THE SECOND CONTRACT IS THE IMPOUND -- WRECKER SERVICE AND THEY SUBCONTRACT WITH AUTO RETURN AND THAT'S THE THAT ALLOWS US TO KEEP TRACK OF IT AND ALLOWS A RESIDENT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEIR VEHICLE IS. THEY'RE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INTAKE, STORAGE AND RELEASE OF IMPOUNDED VEHICLES.THEY MANAGE THE GROWDON PROPERTY TO INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMPLIANCE AS WELL AS SECURITY, AND THEY HOLD WEEKLY AUCTIONS FOR THOSE VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED ABANDON.
THAT CONTRACT BEGAN IN 2017, AND IT'S ALSO BEEN EXTENDED TO 2024 WITH A MONTH-TO-MONTH OPTION, SO THOSE CONTRACTS WITH CURRENTLY RUNNING IN TANDEM WITH ONE ANOTHER WITH THE GOAL, AS ERIK MENTIONED, TO GET THEM INTO ONE SINGLE CONTRACT. SOME ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND ON THE TOWING CONTRACT. YOU SEE THERE, TOWING ARRIVAL TIME, SO WHEN THIS CONTRACT FIRST STARTED IN 2015, THAT ARRIVAL TIME AVERAGE WAS ABOUT 45 MINUTES. AS PART OF THE CONTRACT, WE ASKED THEM TO DO IT IN 20 MINUTES, AND YOU CAN SEE TODAY ON THE HIGHWAY, 13 MINUTES FROM THE TIME AN OFFICER CALLS FOR A TOW TRUCK UNTIL THAT TOW TRUCK ARRIVES ON THE SCENE. THAT GETS OUR OFFICERS BACK IN SERVICE QUICKER, IT'S SAFER FOR THE COMMUNITY AS THAT ACCIDENT IS CLEARED OFF THE HIGHWAY OR A CITY STREET.
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, YOU SEE THE NUMBER OF TOWS, AND SO YOU SEE COVID WHEN THERE WASN'T A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD THERE IN 2020, THE BIG JUMP TO 2021 AS WE STARTED TO COME OUT OF COVID AND THAT NUMBER HAS STEADILY INCREASED, HIGH WATER MARK LAST YEAR OF JUST OVER 59,500. THIS YEAR, THROUGH NOVEMBER, YOU SEE OUR NUMBER, SO YOU CAN EXTRAPOLATE OUT, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE 56 TO 57,000 RANGE THIS YEAR. ON THE IMPACT CONTRACTS, SOME BACKGROUND THERE PERFORMANCE, SO YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES IMPOUNDED HAS STEADILY RISEN. AS THE VEHICLE AUCTIONS ROSE UNTIL 2022, THAT WAS THE HIGH WATER MARK THEN AND THEY'VE STARTED TO COME COUNT.
DOWN. SO THE QUESTION IS, WHY? IT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS, TO EVIDENTIARY VEHICLES, LITIGATION ON VEHICLES, MILITARY HOLDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, WE DON'T WANT TO SELL ANY VEHICLES THAT BELONG TO MILITARY MEMBERS, AND HIGHER RELEASE RATES FOR THOSE PEOPLE OR INSURANCE COMPANIES LIEN HOLDERS THAT ARE COMING TO PICK UP THEIR VEHICLES. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE IMPOUND LOCATION AND JBSA, AS ERIK MENTIONED, IT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LACKLAND JUST SOUTH OF 90, LOCATED SPECIFICALLY AT 3625 GROW DON ROAD. JBSA IS INTERESTED IN THAT PHILADELP FACILITY BECAUSE IT CAN BE A MINUTIA STORAGE AREA. IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO LOAD AMMUNITION FOR TRAINING RATHER THAN FLY ALL THE WAY TO ARIZONA, PICK UP THE AMMUNITION AND FLY BACK TO WHEREVER THAT AMMUNITION IS GOING TO BE DELIVERED.
AND THE CITY IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH JBSA ON THE DETAILS OF THE POTENTIAL OF THE TRANSFER OF THIS LAND. QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT, AS WAS MENTIONED, WE'RE TRYING TO COMBINE THESE INTO ONE SINGLE CONTRACT, SO THE CITY WENT OUT IN AN RFP AND SAID, GIVE ME A CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT OF MUNICIPAL TOWING AND IMPOUND SERVICES THAT CAN DO THE DISPATCHING, POLICE INITIATED TOWING AND RECOVERY, DO TOW MANAGEMENT SERVICE AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT OF HEAVY DUTY ACCIDENTS, HEAVY DUTY ACCIDENTS ARE THOSE ACCIDENTS WHERE AN 18-WHEELER TURNS THE FINE, SILVER CURVE TOO TIGHT AND TIPS OVER AND WE HTOWERS HAVE TO GO OUT AND CLEAN THAT UP.
AND THEN THAT LAST PIECE THERE, THE POSSIBLE RELOCATION OF CITY VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY. THE TIMELINE, AS ERIK MENTIONED, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I PROVIDED THIS COUNCIL A PRESOLICITATION BRIEFING. THE RELEASE DATE OF THE RFP WAS 6 DECEMBER, DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE IS 22 MARCH OF '24. THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE MET FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE END OF MAY, DECIDED AT THAT TIME THAT WE NEEDED TO BRING THE TWO FINALIST AND CONDUCT EVALUATION INTERVIEWS.
WE DID THAT THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY ON THE POSTSOLICITATION PORTION OF THAT. SO -- SORRY.
CITY TOWING AND IMPOUND, WHY DO WE DO THIS? YOU KNOW, -- AUDIO] -- WE TALKED ABOUT PROTECTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY, GETTING THOSE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD, CLEARING THOSE, GETTING OFFICERS BACK IN SERVICE. IT REMOVES THE ABANDONED VEHICLES FROM THE STREET, SO IF YOU'VE GOT A VEHICLE THAT'S ABANDONED, THAT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, WE'LL COME GET IT, TOW IT AWAY, AND THEN WE CAN MEASURE THAT PERFORMANCE. SAN ANTONIO'S THE ONLY CITY IN TEXAS THAT HAS THIS KIND OF SETUP WITH A TOW MANAGER AGREEMENT.
OTHER CITIES ARE PRIVATIZED AND JUST DO IT, AND SOMETIMES IT'S WHATEVER TOW ARRIVES THERE FIRST. SO YOU CAN SEE THE PROBLEMS WITH THAT. FROM AN IMPOUND PERSPECTIVE, WE WANT TO
[01:05:01]
PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY, WE WANT TO GET RESIDENTS REUNITED WITH THEIR VEHICLES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE IMPOUND LOT HAS AN INVESTIGATIVE EVIDENTIARY STORAGE AREA WHAT DID WE LOOK FOR WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR THIS RFP TO ENHANCE WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO? AS I MENTIONED, SAN ANTONIO IS THE ONLY CITY IN TEXAS THAT CURRENTLY HAS A TOW MANAGER TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT. THE FIRST THING WE SAID WAS HOW DO WE AUTOMATE THE LIFE CYCLE OF A TOW, FROM THE DISPATCH REQUEST TO WHEN THAT VEHICLE ARRIVES AT THE IMPOUND FACILITY, THE INTAKE OCCURRED, NOTIFICATION TO THE LANDOWNER AND/OR THE LIEN OWNER. THE SECOND GOAL WAS THE ABILITY FOR THAT RESIDENT TO LOCATE THEIR VEHICLE. YOU'RE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON I-35, SAPD CALLS A TOW TRUCK, IT TAKES IT AWAY TO GROWDON AND YOU CAN NOW TRACK THAT VEHICLE.THE GOAL IS TO TRACK THAT VEHICLE FROM A COMPUTER OR CELL PHONE.
YOU KNOW IT'S EN ROUTE TO GROWDON AND NOW YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR VEHICLE BEFORE NOTIFICATION. YOU RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OR TO RETRIEVE THE CONTENTS OF YOUR VEHICLE. WE WANTED TO INNOVATE OPTIMIZATION OF TOW DISPATCHING. SO THIS IS THE USE OF ALGORITHMS BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TOW TRUCKS AVAILABLE AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL FIVE TOWING COMPANIES HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE SAME SHARE OF TOWS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO TOW. AS FAR AS AN ELECTRONIC RECORD AND AUCTION DATA SYSTEM, THE CURRENT METHOD IS THAT AN OFFER CALLS FOR A TOW TRUCK, HAS TO CALL 9-1-1 DISPATCH. 9-1-1 DISPATCH ENTERS IN THE TOW EXCHANGE DATA INTO THE CMA AND THAT GOES OUT TO THE TOW COMPANIES AND THE TOW COMPANIES RESPOND.
THE ELECTRONIC TOW SERVICE RECORD WILL ALLOW THE OFFICER THROUGH THE OFFICER'S MDT, THE IN-CAR COMPUTER, TO DO THAT REQUEST AND CUT OUT THE 9-1-1 DISPATCHER, FREEING UP THAT DISPATCHER TO MAKE SURE THAT OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT ON OTHER CALLS ARE SAFE AND IF THEY NEED BACK UP ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S A HUGE PIECE. AND A SEPARATE SYSTEM FOR DATA COLLECTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUNDS. PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUNDS ARE THOSE IMPOUNDS WHERE YOU HAVE PARKED ILLEGALLY AT THE PEARL OR AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND A PRIVATE COMPANIES TOWS YOUR VEHICLE AWAY. THE CITY STILL WANTS TO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE HAVE OWNERS WHO REACH OUT TO Y'ALL AND SAY MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED, WHERE IS IT? I GET THOSE E-MAILS AND MY TEAM WILL RESEARCH THAT AND SAY, OKAY, HERE'S WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
SO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CAPABILITY. QUICK SOLICITATION OVERVIEW.
YOU SEE THE NIGP CODES? 260 VENDORS IN THE CENTRAL VENDOR REGISTRY.
WE TARGETED THREE OF THOSE MEMBERS INCLUDED THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, THE FIRE CHIEF, MEMBERS FROM SAPD, ITSD, DEIA, AS WELL AS TXDOT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THEIR FREEWAYS SO WE WANTED THEIR INPUT AS WELL. THE SOLICITATION REQUIREMENTS, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT THE EVALUATION CRITERIA WAS HEAVY ON EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND, AND QUALIFICATIONS. THE PROPOSED PLAN AND PRICING.
POINTS WERE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SBEDA, LOCAL PREFERENCE, AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS HERE IS THAT THERE WAS A SUBCONTRACTOR REQUIREMENT OF 40% OF THE CONTRACT VALUE HAD TO BE DONE BY THAT SMALL, MINORITY, OR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES. INTERESTINGLY BOTH OF THE TWO FINALISTS MET AND EXCEEDED THAT, SO THAT WAS NICE TO SEE. DUE DILIGENCE, AS I MENTIONED, 260 VENDORS NOTIFIED. WE HAD 14 ACTUALLY AT THE PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE. THREE RESPONSES RECEIVED, ONE OF WHICH WAS DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE FOR FAILURE TO MEET THE SBEDA REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE HAD THE TWO MOVE FORWARD. AND OUR DUE DILIGENCE DID NOT TURN UP ANY MATERIAL FINDINGS ON EITHER OF THOSE TWO.
SO AS I MENTIONED, WE MET ON MAY 24, 2024 FOR THE INITIAL EVALUATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE SCORES UP THERE BETWEEN THE TWO RESPONDENTS.
URT AND UR INTERNATIONAL, INC. YOU CAN FOLLOW THAT DOWN AND DUE TO THE CLOSENESS OF THOSE SCORES, THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE DECIDED WE WANT TO BRING THESE TWO IN AND WE WANT TO INTERVIEW THEM. WE DID THAT AND TWO WEEKS LATER ON JUNE 7 WE INTERVIEWED THEM AND IT CHANGED THE SCORES.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE HOW CLOSE IT WAS, WITHIN 7 OR 8 POINTS AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S 25 POINTS DIFFERENCE AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DISCOVERED DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS THAT UR INTERNATIONAL WAS REALLY JUST A SOFTWARE COMPANY.
[01:10:01]
IT DID NOT DO TOW MANAGEMENT LIKE WE NEEDED. THAT REDUCED THEIR SCORES IN THE EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND, AND QUALIFICATION THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY IN READING IT ON PAPER. SO IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONDUCTED THE INTERVIEWS. SOME OF THE KEY FINANCIAL TERMS IS WE'RE NEGOTIATING THIS CONTRACT. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WE'RE STILL UNDER NEGOTIATIONS FOR THIS CONTRACT, NOT ONLY FINANCIAL TERMS BUT OTHER TERMS AS WELL.THERE'S NO CHANGES TO THE CURRENT FEES PAID BY THE PUBLIC.
YOU SEE THERE RIGHT NOW THIS COUNCIL APPROVED THE INCREASE IN FEES IN JUNE OF 2023. LIGHT DUTY SO THAT'S YOUR NORMAL EVERYDAY VEHICLE LESS THAN 10,000 POUNDS. MEDIUM 350. AND THE CONTRACT IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE INCREASES. AS WE SAW IN JUNE OF 2023 WHEN THOSE AMOUNTS HADN'T BEEN INCREASED IN TEN YEARS WE LOOKED AT LABOR COSTS, COST OF INSURANCE FOR THE VEHICLE, COST OF FUEL AND MAINTENANCE. THE COST OF THE ACTUAL TOW TRUCK. WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD THAT IN AS WELL.
IMPOUND FEES, THERE'S A ONE-TIME FEE OF $20. DAILY STORAGE FEE OF $20 PLUS TAX. A NOTIFICATION FEE OF $50 AND THEN THE LAST TWO, THE AUCTION PROCESSING AND THE ONLINE AUCTION ARE PAID BY THE WINNING BIDDER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DECLARED ABANDONED AND SOLD AT AUCTION.
SO ADDITIONAL KEY FINANCIAL TERMS. WHERE ARE YOU TRYING TO GO WITH THIS CONTRACT. IT'S A BIG CONTRACT. TEN-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH TWO FIVE-YEAR OPTIONS. WE WANT TO GET THIS IN AND GET IT WORKING CORRECTLY.
THE CITY WOULD RECEIVE GROSS REVENUES FROM THE IMPOUND FEES AND AUCTIONS AND RECEIVE A PORTION OF THE TOWING FEES AND THE CITY THEN WOULD PAY A NEGOTIATED MANAGEMENT FEE TO URT ROAD TOWING. THAT'S A CHANGE FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW AND THOSE ARE ALL CURRENTLY BEING NEGOTIATED. THE CITY GOAL IS TO REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT REVENUE. YOU SEE THE AVERAGE REVENUE HAS BEEN $6.7 MILLION. WE WANT TO SAY IN THAT SWEET SPOT.
WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ANY REVENUE AS A RESULT OF THE NEW CONTRACT.
RELOCATION OF THE IMPOUND FACILITY. TALKED ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT AND THE PURPOSE AND THE REASON BEHIND IT. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO HAVE ONE OR TWO FACILITIES TO IMPROVE THAT ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT IF YOU LIVE ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN YOU'RE NOT DRIVING ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN TO TRY TO GET YOUR VEHICLE.
IF YOU LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST OR NORTHWEST. WE ARE CURRENTLY IDENTIFYING, EVALUATING IN COORDINATION WITH URT POTENTIAL IMPOUND SITES.
WE HAVE A COUPLE WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT BUT NO ADDITIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
ONCE THOSE LOCATION OR LOCATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED, THE CITY WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERRING THE PROPERTY TO OUR PARTNER, JBSA.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IN JANUARY OF 2025 WE'LL COME TO A SESSION FOR THE COUNCIL TO HOPEFULLY CONSIDER AND APPROVE A TEN-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH TWO ADDITIONAL FIVE-YEAR OPTIONS WITH URT FOR TOWING MANAGEMENT AND IMPOUND OPERATION SERVICES. THIS INVOLVES THE CONTINUED NEGOTIATION AND THE REVISION OF FINANCIAL TERMS THAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW. IT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO FINALIZE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS TO RELOCATE GROWDON AND NEGOTIATE WITH JBSA ON THE TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT WILL BE BRIEFED TO CITY COUNCIL ON POTENTIAL IMPOUND LOCATIONS. THAT CONCLUDES MY BRIEF AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'LL GO START WITH COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, RICHARD FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE COUNCILMAN PERRY AND I STARTED WORKING ON THIS IN 2019 AND IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WORKED ON.
THANK YOU, MARIA AND CHIEF MCMANUS FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO TRUDGE THROUGH THIS.
AND SO THE IDEA OF LET'S WAIT UNTIL THE CONTRACT FINISHES, I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT. I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS ON THAT.
AND THE RESIDENTS WHO USE THIS SERVICE, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SOMETIMES DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND SO THEY JUST HAD AN ACCIDENT OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND A RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLE, ET CETERA.
A LOT OF TIMES EVEN JUST PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN DISTRICT 4, WHEN I TRY TO EXPLAIN WHERE IT WAS, I'M LIKE, HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR CAR IMPOUNDED? THAT'S IN DISTRICT 4. SO THEY'RE LIKE, OH, YEAH. THAT'S SO FAR OUT THERE.
ANYWAY, SO BUT SO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT CHANGES.
THE COMMENTS ON THE CURRENT LOCATION AND THE CONDITIONS. SO I ASKED INITIALLY CITY STAFF TO DO A STUDY FOR THE POSSIBLY RELOCATION AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA HAD CALLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT, ONE, THE ISOLATED LOCATION.
THEY THINK THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LIGHTS OUT THERE. SOMETIMES IT TAKES THEM A
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LITTLE BIT LONG TO GET THEIR VEHICLE AND THEY'RE OUT THERE AND THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE. SOMETIMES THEY WAIT A LITTLE LONGER.SO I LOVE THE IDEA OF KIND OF LIKE TRACKING LIKE YOU TRACK YOUR BAGS AT THE AIRPORT. THAT'S WONDERFUL. BUT THEN ALSO BECAUSE THE SITE IS CURRENTLY ADJACENT TO THE LEON CREEK WATERSHED AND THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT POLLUTION OR SEEPAGE OF THE CONTAMINANTS INTO THE WATERSHED. THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN THE DRIVER FOR A LOT OF THESE RESIDENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU ON LOOKING AT THE NEW SITE. CAN YOU TELL ME IF Y'ALL ARE PRETTY CONFIDENT ON THE NEW SITE OR JUST TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHEN YOU WOULD EVEN THINK THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD COME ONLINE.
>> SO WE'VE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF SITES. THEY'RE ALL UNDER CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW. WE'RE THINKING THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO MAKE THE MOVE.
IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE US 18 MONTHS TO MOVE ALL THOSE VEHICLES.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, COUNCILWOMAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ASKED IS DON'T PUT IT OVER A WATERSHED. DON'T PUT IT NEAR A RESIDENTIAL AREA, AVOID PARKS. SO ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS.
WE HAVE A LEAKER LOT RIGHT NOW THAT WE PUT THOSE VEHICLES IN.
I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR RESIDENTS' CONCERNS ABOUT IS IT CONTAMINATING THE WATERSHED. OUR GOAL IN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT VMS IS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T PUT IT IN ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS, AND WE WON'T.
>> GARCIA: I WOULDN'T WANT TO JUST TRANSFER IT FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER AREA'S CONCERN. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN JUST ALSO THANKS TO JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO. I SEE GENERAL AYALA HERE AND I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR A WHILE ON THAT AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I KNOW THAT THEY NEED THAT. IT'S MISSION CRITICAL FOR THEM TO ACQUIRE THE SITE. I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO
HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANKS, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING. I THINK IT WAS SLIDES 14 AND 15.
YOU MENTIONED -- I NOTICED THEY DIDN'T GET ANY SBEDA OR LOCAL PREFERENCE OR VETERANS
POINTS BUT DID YOU SAY THAT NOBODY GOT ANY POINTS? >> THAT'S RIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN. SO THE PRIME CONTRACTORS, URT INTERNATIONAL AND UR INTERNATIONAL, THEY BOTH DID NOT MEET ANY SBEDA POINTS, ANY LOCAL, ANY VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES. THE KEY TO KNOW IS THAT THEY HAVE 40% OF THE CONTRACT REVENUE HAS TO BE FROM SMALL, MINORITY, WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS.
WE FEEL CONFIDENT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR SMALL, MINORITY, WOMEN-OWNED
BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO. >> HAVRDA: THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
I'M IN SUPPORT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO
HAVRDA. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: COUNCILMAN WHYTE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE ANY CARS ARE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS THAT THEY ARE SPAYED AND NEUTERED. IS THAT OKAY, ERIK? I DO HAVE A QUESTION AND I NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW OFTEN, HOW THE SUBCONTRACTORS ARE PAID. SO OUR LOCAL TOWING COMPANIES, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. UPON THE INVOICE WE PAY, THEN MONEY TRICKLES DOWN THE
FOOD CHAIN HOW? >> SO THE SUBCONTRACTORS ARE PAID TWICE A MONTH AND THEN ANY REIMBURSEMENT THAT OCCURS, SO THE CITY FRONTS THAT MONEY.
THE CITY PAYS ALL OF THOSE TOWING FEES. $210 FOR LIGHT-DUTY TOWS.
PAYS THAT TO THE TOW MANAGER. THE TOW MANAGER PAYS THE SUBCONTRACTOR A PORTION OF THAT MONEY. $7 GOES TO THE CITY AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO THE DISPATCH COMPANY AND TO THE TOW MANAGER AS THE PROFIT MARGIN, IF YOU WILL. THEN WHAT HAPPENS, SO THE CITY GETS REIMBURSED WHEN A VEHICLE IS PICKED UP AT GROWDON AND THAT VEHICLE GOES TO GROWDON AND SAYS I'M HERE TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE AND ALANIZ SAYS YOUR BILL IS $400, A PORTION OF THAT GOES TO PAY THE TOWING. A PORTION OF THAT IS YOUR STORAGE, YOUR IMPOUND, AND YOUR NOTIFICATION FEES. THAT TOWING PIECE IS REMITTED BACK TO THE CITY.
AND SO THERE'S AN OFFSET THERE OF WHAT THE CITY PAID. NOW, THERE'S ALWAYS A DELTA THERE BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THE VEHICLES ARE RELEASED. AND BECAUSE NOT ALL THE VEHICLES ARE RELEASED, THE CITY MAKES UP THAT DELTA THROUGH ITS AUCTION
PROCEEDS. >> PELAEZ: AND THEN IS THERE SOMEWHERE IN THE CONTRACT -- LET'S SAY WE GET ANOTHER -- WHAT IS IT? THE FREEZING STORM URI, IS THERE SOMEWHERE IN THE CONTRACT THAT TALKS ABOUT SPECIAL SITUATIONS LIKE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEED MORE TOW TRUCKS ON THE ROAD.
THERE'S HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR THOSE TOW TRUCKS. IT MIGHT TAKE LONGER TO HOOK UP AND TAKE THE CARS TO THE IMPOUND LOT. WHAT CAN YOU TALK TO ME
[01:20:04]
ABOUT THAT? >> THERE IS THAT ABILITY TO SURGE AND BRING ON ADDITIONAL TOWING COMPANIES TO HELP WITH THAT ISSUE. IF IT WAS TO OCCUR AGAIN.
>> PELAEZ: I MEAN, SURGE I GET. I LIKE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT INCREASED COMPENSATION FOR, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE TOWING CONTRACTS THAT OUR EXISTING SUBCONTRACTORS TO BE OUT ON THE STREET.
>> YEAH, IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE AMOUNT OF TOWS, AS JENNIFER IS REMINDING ME.
IF YOU DO X NUMBER OF TOWS YOU WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR YOUR TOWING COMPANY. BUT THERE IS NO DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN YOU HAVE TO GO OUT IN WINTER STORM URI AND RECEIVING ADDITIONAL FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE'RE IN NEGOTIATION SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY CAN TAKE BACK TO
THEM. >> PELAEZ: IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAD WITH THE CONTRACTORS ABOUT THE CHANGING NATURE OF TOWING AS IT RELATES TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND, YOU KNOW, HOW THOSE FIRES ARE ON A TOW TRUCK OR ACTUALLY
HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN? >> YES, THERE ARE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE THOSE VEHICLES CAN'T BE TOWED LIKE A NORMAL VEHICLE.
WE HAVE TO PUT THOSE UP ON A LIFT TOW TRUCK SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT TOW TRUCK IS AVAILABLE. WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT IMPOUND OPERATIONS AND STORING THOSE VEHICLES AND THE POTENTIAL OF A BATTERY-CATCHING FIRE -- AND I THINK YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR, COUNCILMAN, IF ONE OF THOSE CATCHES FIRE, EVERYBODY JUST KIND OF STANDS BACK AND WATCHES IT BURN.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE DON'T CATCH THE ENTIRE IMPOUND LOT ON FIRE IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT WAS TO OCCUR.
>> PELAEZ: RIGHT. I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE TOW TRUCK.
SOMETIMES THESE FIRES HAPPEN WHILE THEY'RE BEING TOWED AND YOU'VE GOT THIS WHITE PHOSPHORUS FIRE ON I-10. OKAY. WHAT ABOUT GRIEVANCES FILED BY THE SUBCONTRACTORS? ALL OF US HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH TOWING SUBCONTRACTORS AND FOR SOME REASON I GET APPROACHED OFTEN BY THEM. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE UNHAPPY? CAN THEY BRING THAT TO YOU GUYS?
>> IT'S A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH VMS AND THEY HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL HERE ON THE GROUND IN SAN ANTONIO THAT BRINGS ALL THAT STUFF TO US.
AND WE GO OUT -- I GO OUT, IN FACT, EVERY -- TWICE A YEAR TO SIT AT THE TOW INSPECTIONS TO TALK TO THE OWNERS OF THOSE TOW TRUCKS TO MAKE SURE, HEY, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU CAN TALK TO ME DIRECTLY. BE IT MR. CHACON OR WHOEVER IT MAY BE, AND VMS IS THERE AS WELL. I TALK TO THEM AS WELL SO IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS OR ISSUES THEY CAN BRING IT DIRECTLY TO ME AND MY CONTRACT TOW TEAM HAS A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THEM.
>> PELAEZ: YEAH, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS PROTECT THEM AGAINST, YOU KNOW, RETALIATION FOR SPEAKING UP TO US. AND SO I DON'T THINK URT WOULD DO THIS BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FEELING OF OH MY GOSH, WHAT IF I SPEAK UP? I MIGHT GET DINGED BY THE PRIME CONTRACTOR HERE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOOR IS OPEN AND I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT IT IS.
>> IT IS. FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, SINCE 2015 WHEN THIS CONTRACT CAME INTO EFFECT, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY OF THAT. THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE VMS IS OUR CURRENT CONTRACTOR. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE AND
ENLARGE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. >> SURE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
>> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 17, THE -- IT LOOKS
LIKE DECREASES IN REVENUE. JUST WONDERING WHY THAT WAS. >> SO THAT'S REALLY A RESULT OF THE AVERAGE SALES PRICE OF AUCTION VEHICLES DROPPING.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2022 THAT PRICE WAS ABOUT $1200 A VEHICLE AVERAGE.
AND IT IS NOW DOWN TO $960 A VEHICLE. SO THAT'S A 200-PLUS DOLLAR A VEHICLE DROP AND THAT'S A RESULT OF VEHICLE PARTS BEING MORE READILY AVAILABLE
THAN WE WERE WHEN WE CAME OUT OF COVID. >> WHYTE: SAME NUMBER OF
VEHICLES BEING PICKED UP AND IMPOUNDED -- >> AND AUCTIONED, YES, SIR.
>> WHYTE: I'M IN SUPPORT HERE. I THINK WE'VE GOT A GREAT PARTNER IN THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOU ALL WRAPPING UP THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR SELECTED VENDOR AND I THINK THEY'LL DO A GREAT JOB AND I THINK THIS IS GOOD TO GO, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FOR NOW. THANKS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILME WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. EARLY ON I HEARD YOU REFER TO ONE OF THE THREE AND ORIGINAL BIDDERS WAS DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE FOR NOT REACHING THE 40% SBEDA. BUT I NOTICE NONE OF THE BIDDERS GOT ANY SBEDA POINTS. NOW, THE BIDDER THAT YOU DEEMED NON-QUALIFIED, WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT? DID THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET 40% OR THEY
[01:25:06]
COULDN'T GET 40%? >> MICHAEL SINTON WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT. YES, WHEN WE SET A GOAL ON THIS PROJECT, LIKE OTHERS, IT IS A PASS/FAIL REQUIREMENT. THEY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE WHO THEY ARE GOING TO UTILIZE AT THE TIME OF RESPONSE AND IN THIS CASE THEY DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SUBCONTRACTORS THAT WERE SMALL, MINORITY, OR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. ALSO IN THE PRESENTATION YOU SAID THE NEW SYSTEM WE HOPED TO PUT IN PLACE WILL ALLOW THE OFFICER ON THE SCENE TO CALL IN DIRECTLY TO ORDER A TOW AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A MECHANISM, I GUESS, ON THEIR COMPUTER THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO DO THAT.
AND THAT WILL CIRCUMVENT 9-1-1, FROM HAVING TO CALL 9-1-1.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THOUGH IF I WALKED OUT AND SAW MY CAR MISSING, I MAY NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN THERE WAS A TOW SIGN THERE AND I'M GOING TO CALL 9-1-1 AND SAY MY CAR'S BEEN STOLEN. SO HOW DO WE INTEGRATE THOSE TWO SO 9-1-1 CAN SAY WE DON'T KNOW. WE DIDN'T HEAR ANY REPORT ABOUT IT.
OR THEY'LL BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE THAT AND SAY CALL THIS NUMBER AND SEE IF IT
WAS PICKED UP FOR TOWING. >> LET ME BE CLEAR. IN REMOVING THE 9-1-1 DISPATCHER IS ON THE ROAD. AN OFFICER GETS -- YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN 35, COUNCILMAN, AND YOU SEE AN ACCIDENT AND YOU CALL IT IN AND SAY, HEY, I JUST SAW AN ACCIDENT.
OFFICER RESPONDS TO THE SCENE AND SAYS I NEED A TOW TRUCK.
CURRENTLY THE OFFICER GETS ON THE RADIO. THAT DISPATCHER MANUALLY ENTERS IT INTO THEIR COMPUTER AND THAT'S SENT TO THE TOW COMPANY AND THE ALGORITHM SAYS TEXAS TOWING AND RICHARDS TOWING, YOU BOTH RESPOND AND THEY BOTH SHOW UP. NOW THE OFFICER ON THE MDT CAN TYPE IT IN AND WE CUT THE DISPATCHER OUT. SO THAT ELECTRONIC TOW'S SERVICE REQUEST GOES DIRECTLY FROM THE OFFICER'S COMPUTER ON THE SCENE TO THE TOWING COMPANY AND THE ALGORITHM DISPATCHES TOWING COMPANIES. TO YOUR EXAMPLE WHERE YOU COME OUT AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH, MY VEHICLE'S BEEN TOWED, YOU CAN CERTAINLY CALL 9-1-1. YOU CAN CALL 311. THERE ARE WAYS THAT WILL BE REACHED BACK TO US AND SAY DO YOU KNOW WHERE THIS VEHICLE IS? VEHICLE MAY BE LOCATED. IT MAY HAVE BEEN TOWED BY A PRIVATE PROPERTY TOWER AND NOT TOWED BY A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO POLICE-DIRECTED TOWER.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU PARK ILLEGALLY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE THERE'S A NO-PARKING SIGN AND YOU'RE TOWED, IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY TOWER AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO TRACK WHERE THOSE VEHICLES END UP SO WE CAN HELP OWNERS
OUT TO REUNITE THEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES. >> COURAGE: BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT JUST CALL 9-1-1 AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DIRECT LINK.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THERE'S A MECHANISM WHERE 9-1-1, JUST LIKE 311 UNDERSTANDS SOMETHING HAPPENED AND CAN GIVE INFORMATION. AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID IF I WALKED OUT AND MY CAR WAS MISSING, I'M GOING TO CALL 9-1-1 AND SAY MY CAR IS MISSING. IF IT WAS TOWED OR IF IT WAS STOLEN, YOU KNOW, 9-1-1 SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECORD OF IT BEING TOWED SO WE'LL REPORT IT. OR, YEAH, WE DO HAVE A RECORD IT WAS TOWED AND THIS IS WHERE IT WENT. I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT DEVELOPED. ANYWAY, THAT'S A CONCERN I HAVE. AND WITH THE FEES. I NOTICE THE FEES ARE A LIGHT VEHICLE, MEDIUM VEHICLE, HEAVY VEHICLE. CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF
WHAT WOULD BE LIGHT, WHAT WOULD BE MEDIUM? >> LESS THAN 10,000 POUNDS IS LIGHT. THAT'S YOUR NORMAL, EVERYDAY CAR YOU SEE ON THE ROAD.
HEAVY DUTY IS YOUR 18-WHEELERS, YOUR TRACTOR TRAILERS.
MEDIUM IS KIND OF YOUR MOVING VAN TYPE. YOUR TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
SIZE VEHICLE. >> COURAGE: SO MY RAV4 IS PROBABLY UNDER 10,000
POUNDS. >> YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: BUT IT'S GOING TO COST ME $300 THEREABOUTS TO GET IT BACK BECAUSE IT'S $210 FOR THE FEE AND ANOTHER $90 PLUS TAX FOR THE OTHER THREE CHARGES. PRETTY MUCH ANYONE SHOULD FIGURE IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT $300 TO GET BACK THEIR REGULAR, EVERYDAY CAR.
>> THE AVERAGE COST RIGHT NOW IS $380 TO $400 TO GET YOUR CAR BACK.
>> COURAGE: BECAUSE OF A FEW DAYS OF STAYING IN THE STORAGE.
THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. I'M GOING TO CALL ON ME, BECAUSE I'M NEXT.
[01:30:06]
COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO. FIRST OFF, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW ALL IMPOUNDED VEHICLES WILL BE SPAYED AND NEUTERED BEFORE THEY'RE PICKED UP. NO, I JUST HAD REALLY ONE QUICK QUESTION.CAN YOU ALL SHARE THE LOCATIONS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED?
>> COUNCILWOMAN, WE WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. THESE ARE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FINALIZED. OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COUNCIL IS ONCE WE FINALIZE THOSE LOCATIONS WE'LL BRING THOSE TO YOU FOR
CONSIDERATION. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MARIA.
REALLY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT. IF THEY'RE IN OUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO GO SMOOTH WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
>> YES, MA'AM. WE WILL SIT DOWN AND MEET WITH YOU AS WELL AS VMS. THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IF WE WERE TO PUT AN IMPOUND LOT IN YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT, IF YOU WILL.
>> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN -- REALLY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
THE LOCATIONS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY IDENTIFIED ARE NOT PREFERRED LOCATIONS.
WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE WORK IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE HITTING THE MARK IN TERMS OF CONDUCIVE TO SURROUNDING USES, NOT NEAR WATERSHEDS, LIKE RICK AND MARIA TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE WORK BECAUSE THE FIRST ROUND THAT WERE IDENTIFIED I DON'T THINK MEET THE MARK AND I WOULD BE HESITANT TO BRING THEM TO YOU. WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE WORK.
>> GAVITO: SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE
GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR.
I ALSO ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION. DO WE HAVE A WRITTEN POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR THE COMPANIES TO DETERMINE IF THE CAR IS PROTECTED BY THE
SERVICE MEMBER CIVIL RELIEF ACT? >> WE DO NOW, YES, MA'AM .
WE HAVE A WRITTEN PROCESS WHEN A VEHICLE COMES IN WE RUN ALL THOSE VEHICLES AGAINST THE DOD WEBSITE. WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY THAT HELPS US DO THAT.
IF THOSE VEHICLES ARE IDENTIFIED AS POSSIBLY BELONGING TO A SERVICEMEMBER, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY DO OR DON'T BUT IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY, WE PULL THOSE VEHICLES ASIDE AND THOSE VEHICLES SIT. YOU TALK ABOUT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES AUCTIONED IS BECAUSE WE'RE LETTING THOSE VEHICLES SIT SO WE DON'T SELL A MILITARY MEMBER, WHO
IS DEPLOYED, THEIR VEHICLE OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THEM. >> KAUR: AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, RICHARD. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS.
I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING AND PROVIDING TECHNOLOGY-WISE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE HERE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF OUR TRAFFIC. I THINK ONCE WE SEE THIS IMPLEMENTED AND WE SEE THAT OFFICERS CAN GET VEHICLES IN ACCIDENTS OR VEHICLES THAT HAVE STALLED OUT OFF OF THE ROADS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS MOVE MORE SMOOTHLY.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS APPROACH AND BE PROACTIVE ON THIS TECHNOLOGY AS WE LOOK AT DOWNTOWN AND HOW WE PLAN TO DISCUSS THE TRAFFIC ISSUES DOWNTOWN.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST NECESSARY STEP THAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD IN LOOKING AT OUR TRAFFIC ISSUES. THIS IS STEP ONE OF A MULTI-STEP PHASE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET PEOPLE AROUND SAN ANTONIO. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING UPDATES ON WHERE THOSE FUTURE IMPOUND SERVICES WILL BE.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 2? OKAY.
>> WALSH: MAYOR, THE THIRD ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE B SESSION WE HAD SEVERAL WEEKS AGO ON THE THREE-SIGNATURE MEMO ON THE SIX SPECIFIC BOARDS AND
[01:35:05]
COMMISSIONS. COUNCIL HAD A PRETTY ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT EXPECTATIONS AND I SHARED THAT I WOULD WORK WITH ANDY'S OFFICE AND DEBBIE'S OFFICE TO RESPOND TO THAT AND LAY OUT A PROPOSED PATHWAY.DEBBIE AND I DID SEND A MEMO TO THE COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 4.
I COULD RECAP THIS REALLY QUICKLY BUT THE MEMO OUTLINES, AS COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA READ THE CITY CODE DOES OUTLINE A CITY COUNCIL AD HOC COMMITTEE.
IT'S HERE ON THIS SLIDE. AS ANDY, DEBBIE, LIZ, AND I REVIEWED THE COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL, WHILE THERE ARE OVER 90 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WHICH THE COUNCIL APPOINTS, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT, BASED ON THE CONVERSATION, THE COUNCIL FOCUS ON THE SIX BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT YOU ALL IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED THAT DAY. THAT SEEMED TO BE THE FOCUS. I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE RECOMMEND GOING FORWARD. THE THINGS THE COUNCIL TALKED ABOUT THAT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE SHOULD FOCUS ON ARE HOW THE BOARDS ARE ESTABLISHED, THE PREFERRED EXPERIENCE OR QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES, THE MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION. WE ADDED TO THIS BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL HAD. THE REPORTING OR ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S EXPECTED BY THE COUNCIL. WHEN YOU APPOINT THESE BOARD MEMBERS.
REPRESENTATION AND A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE APPLICANTS' PRIOR EMPLOYMENT.
ONE OR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS REFERENCED THAT SIMILAR TO THE STUDYING OF A JOB DESCRIPTION IN ADVANCE OF TAKING APPLICATIONS. SO AS LAID OUT IN THE CODE THE MAYOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO APPOINT A THREE-MEMBER AD HOC COMMITTEE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN. AND THEN THE FIRST REVIEW WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THOSE SIX. I THINK AS SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE, IT'S EASY TO GET LOST IN THE MASSES AND IT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION: DEBBIE, MYSELF, AND ANDY THAT THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE TAKE ON THOSE SIX ITEMS FIRST BEFORE THE SECOND REVIEW OF THE REST OF THEM.
THOSE ARE THE SIX THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, BOTH IN THE CCR AND THE MEMO, THE REVIEW COMMISSION -- THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, OPPORTUNITY HOME, THE HOUSING COMMISSION, CPS, SAWS, AND VIA. AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION, AS WE LAID IT OUT IN THE MEMO, THAT ONCE THE FIRST REVIEW IS DONE OF THE SIX, THAT WOULD COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR A B SESSION AND THEN THE SECOND REVIEW CAN BEGIN AFTER THAT. SO THAT WAS A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE MEMO DEBBIE AND I SENT AND WE COMMITTED WE WOULD COME BACK TODAY TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FULL
COUNCIL. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, ERIK. WE'LL GO INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW.
COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WANTED TO START OFF BY THANKING COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR INITIATING THE DISCUSSION THROUGH THE CCR. I REFERENCED A LOT OF THE ITEMS DURING THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO COUNCIL IN 2019, ONE OF MY FIRST VOTES WAS TO APPOINT VIA BOARD MEMBERS. AND AT THE TIME I WAS LIKE, WAIT A SECOND, HOW DO WE GIVE MORE INPUT? AND I ASKED AT THE TIME AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, WELL, NO, THIS JUST HAPPENS. THEY HAVE A PROCESS ALREADY.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY. I DIDN'T THINK I COULD DO ANY BETTER.
LIKE, FOR THE PROCESS JUST YET BECAUSE I WAS NEW TO THIS.
THEN, AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE HAD TO APPOINT CPS BOARD MEMBERS AND I WAS KIND W OF LIKE, WAIT A SECOND, I HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE CALLING ME AND I HAD PEOPLE CALLING ME THAT WERE REALLY UPSET BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK THAT I WAS GOING TO SUPPORT THEM. I WAS LIKE, WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I HAD A SAY IN THIS YET. I STARTED ASKING MY COLLEAGUES LIKE, HEY, HOW EXACTLY DOES THIS PROCESS WORK? KIND OF LIKE THE SAME ANSWER. I GET IT.
I UNDERSTAND SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING THE CONVERSATION JUST TO MAKE IT MORE PARTICIPATORY. I APPRECIATE THAT THE MAYOR BROUGHT THIS THROUGH THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND THAT HE ADDED -- I HAD REQUESTED AT THE TIME IF WE COULD CONSIDER ADDING WHEN WE TOOK A LOOK AT CPS, SAWS, AND VIA.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THOSE FIRST TWO WERE THE ONES AND I WAS JUST OVERWHELMED AT
[01:40:04]
THE TIME AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER. DIDN'T KNOW.I FEEL LIKE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS IS GREAT, JUST IN GENERAL FOR THE APPOINTMENTS. AND I FEEL THAT WE GET ADVICE SOMETIMES FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE REPRESENTATION AND THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, ESPECIALLY I APPRECIATE THAT FROM MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR QUADRANTS AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND I'M ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE GUIDED BY MY COLLEAGUES. BUT IN THAT FIRST EXAMPLE WITH VIA IN OUR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, I REALLY FELT STRONG ABOUT THIS ONE PERSON AND SO I FELT ALMOST BULLIED BY EXTERNAL FORCES LIKE TO NOT ADVOCATE FOR THAT PERSON. I'M JUST HAPPY WE'RE DOING THIS AND I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO.
IT WAS FOR APPOINTMENT PROCESSES FOR EVERYTHING ELSE AND I NEVER WANT A FRESHMAN COUNCIL MEMBER TO FEEL THE WAY I FELT IN THOSE FIRST FEW MONTHS, RIGHT? AND SO IT WAS JUST KIND OF ALREADY OVERWHELMING. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN ADD A PROVISION TO THAT BARRING SOME OF THE HIGHER-LEVEL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO COUNCIL RACES.
IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT WE APPOINT SOME OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS.
I KNOW SOME OF THAT WILL DEPEND ON THEIR RULES BUT THEY CAN TURN AROUND AND DONATE TO COUNCIL RACES. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ABLE TO DO OR MAYBE JUST KIND OF MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO IF THEY COULD LOOK INTO IT.
BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I FORGOT TO SAY LAST TIME.
THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU, ANDY AND ERIK AND DEBBIE AND THE MAYOR FOR BRINGING THIS -- AND OF COURSE MY COLLEAGUE.
>> WALSH: ANDY CAN CHECK ME ON THIS BUT IF YOU ALL, IF THE COUNCIL CONVERSATION IS YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT CHARGE, IT'S POSSIBLE. THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED WITHIN THE REPORT BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL AT B SESSION.
YEAH. >> SEGOVIA: WE CAN INCLUDE ALSO IF THERE'S ANY INPUT
FROM THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS PROCESS SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
I AGREE WITH THE PHASED REVIEW APPROACH STARTING WITH THE SIX AND TURNING OVER TO THE NINE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK IN ON THOSE BOARDS AS WELL AS THEIR FREQUENCY AND MEMBERSHIP INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVEN'T MET IN A WHILE OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD A MEETING OF SUBSTANCE AND GET A SENSE OF OVERALL DIVERSITY IN REPRESENTATION. I KNOW DEBBIE KEEPS A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION AND IS ALWAYS SHARING HER THOUGHTS DURING OUR ONE-ON-ONES.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I'LL ECHO AGAIN OR REITERATE MY REQUEST.
I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE. I'M INTERESTED IN THE GOALS OF BOTH OF THOSE PHASES SO THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO ME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT COMMITTEE BEING CONSTITUTED. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. JUST BRIEFLY.
GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS. THANKS TO ALL WHO BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
WE GOT TO REVIEW ALL THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SOME OF THEM OF COURSE DO REALLY GREAT WORK AND ARE VERY, VERY NECESSARY. AND OTHERS, YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL KNOW RARELY MEET AND IT'S JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY, FINANCIALLY, EVERYTHING WOULD BE BETTER IF WE LOOKED AT WHETHER OR NOT WE REALLY NEED THAT PARTICULAR BOARD OR COMMISSION. I'M HAPPY WE'RE GOING TO DO THE REVIEW HERE BECAUSE THE WAY I SEE IT IS THIS CAN BE, IF WE DO IT PROPERLY, ANOTHER STEP IN MAKING OUR CITY GOVERNMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT. THANKS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE
GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I THINK YOU HAVE A COUPLE GAVITGAVITOS RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY CLERK AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR LOOKING AT THIS. I DO BELIEVE THAT DISTRICT REPRESENTATION IS CRUCIAL AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS' VOICES ARE HEARD. I JUST REALLY THE ONLY COMMENT I HAD IS I WOULD PROPOSE THAT SINCE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD SHE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THE COMMITTEE, IF SHE'S OPEN TO SERVING.
ALSO BECAUSE WE'RE AT A UNIQUE POINT IN TIME THAT MAYBE WE WOULDN'T PUT MAYORAL CONTENDERS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE SENIOR COUNCIL MEMBER ROLE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN THIS. I HAVE TO SAY THIS OUT LOUD.
THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: I'M GLAD I'M NO LONGER A CONTENDER. [LAUGHTER]
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ONE OF THE THINGS I SEE ON SLIDE -- WELL, I GUESS IT'S THE ONE ON CITY CHARTER.I DON'T SEE ANY REFERENCE TO WHAT THE ACTUAL MAYOR'S AUTHORITY IS TO APPOINT TO OTHER COUNCIL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. I THOUGHT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE THAT SAYS THE MAYOR SHALL APPOINT THIS COMMITTEE OR THAT COMMITTEE. AND SO IF THEY'RE IN THE CHARTER BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT LISTED HERE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE ALSO LOOKED AT AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION SO PEOPLE ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT MAY BE IN THE CHARTER THAT THE MAYOR IS SPECIFICALLY CHARGED WITH APPOINTING, JUST AS A WAY OF US UNDERSTANDING THAT. AM I RIGHT? AREN'T THERE ONE OR TWO?
>> SEGOVIA: THERE'S ONE OR TWO THAT WERE DICTATED BY STATE STATUTE.
THE COUNCIL HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW WE FILL IN THE GAPS IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE MAYOR ULTIMATELY ARRIVES AT A RECOMMENDATION OR AN APPOINTMENT.
BUT WE'LL IDENTIFY FOR THE COUNCIL THOSE THAT ARE GOVERNED BY CITY CHARTER.
RIGHT NOW I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT WE'LL IDENTIFY THOSE, COUNCILMAN. I THINK THE ONES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE DICTATED BY STATE LAW AND NOT THE CHARTER. WE'LL REVIEW THAT.
>> COURAGE: BUT THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW TOO SO THAT IF THERE'S ANY ACTION WE DO WANT TO TAKE, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE TO TAKE THAT ACTION. I APPRECIATE THE GUIDELINES WE'VE GOT LAID OUT HERE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TO KNOW HOW EACH BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED, WHEN, WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAID, IF IT HAD BEEN AMENDED.
AND PART OF THAT IS TO UNDERSTAND DO WE WANT TO SUNSET THAT COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE PURPOSE IT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR X AMOUNT OF TIME AGO NO LONGER IS RELEVANT. SO UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY WERE ESTABLISHED AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS PREFERRED EXPERIENCE. I KNOW IN SOME OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WE OUTLINE A CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE YOU NEED TO HAVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO SERVE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ARE THAT RELEVANT ANYMORE. I SAY THAT SOMETIMES BECAUSE I LOOK AT ZONING COMMISSION OR PLANNING COMMISSION. WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN THOSE POSITIONS TO ADVISE US THAT I DON'T KNOW WE SHOULD BE EXCLUDING JUST AVERAGE, EVERYDAY CITIZENS WHO CAN LISTEN TO THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT. UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR DIVERSITY AND REPORTING ACCOUNTABILITY. AND TO ME THIS NOT ONLY MEANS REPORTING TO MAYBE THE CITY COUNCIL. IF SOMEBODY IS ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION, THEY SHOULD BE REPORTING TO THEIR COMMUNITY, OUT IN THAT COMMUNITY. I CAN THINK OF PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON SAWS AND CPS WHO DO NOT GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. THEY DO NOT SHOW UP AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME WHO DO. MAYBE MANY DO BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE SOME WHO DON'T. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE, WHETHER YOU'RE REPRESENTING A ZONE, COUNCIL DISTRICT, OR PART OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT COMMUNITY YOU NEED TO BE LISTENING TO THAT COMMUNITY AND TALKING TO THAT COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE INCLUDE SOME OF THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN WE APPOINT PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE SO THEY KNOW THAT'S PART OF THEIR JOB. NOT JUST SHOWING UP FOR A COMMITTEE MEETING BUT HAVING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO PRESENT AT THAT COMMITTEE MEETING. REPRESENTATION, REVIEW OF AN APPLICANT'S PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR SITTING IN OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THOSE ARE ALL USEFUL THINGS FOR US TO LOOK AT. I THINK THE TIMELINE IS REASONABLE AND THE PROCESS THAT'S SET UP. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE REMARKS ACCORDING TO THIS. BUT I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, ERIK FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS THE CITY CLERK FOR HER INITIATIVE ON THIS AS WELL. I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND I WOULD ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF EXPLORING A PROVISION IN WHICH WE PROHIBIT THOSE HIGH-PROFILE BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS FROM CONTRIBUTING AND/OR HOSTING FUNDRAISERS FOR ELECTEDS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING OF VALUE TO EXPLORE.
IN TERMS OF TIMELINE, I SEE A STRUCTURE BUT NOT NECESSARILY A TIMELINE.
BY WHICH B SESSION DO WE ENVISION HAVING AN UPDATE ON THE DISCUSSION THAT TAKES
PLACE WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE? >> WALSH: THAT'S REALLY UP TO THE GROUP OF THREE. I COULDN'T SET A DATE BECAUSE IT'S UP TO THE GROUP
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OF THREE AND THE WORK HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ONE MEETING OR TWO MEETINGS.I'M LEAVING THAT TO THE COUNCIL. WHEN THAT'S READY, WE'LL ADD
IT TO THE B SESSION AGENDA. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE MOTIVATION FOR SENIOR MEMBERS VERSUS NON-SENIOR MEMBERS THAT THE CITY STAFF PUT FORWARD. I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING. AND IF IT'S SENIOR FOR THE MOST PERSON THERE. I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE BRING THIS BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IN MARCH AND THAT THE MAYOR APPOINTS WHOEVER HE WOULD LIKE TO THE COMMITTEE. AND WE HAVE -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN MARCH.
BECAUSE WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE BALLOT OR NOT, THIS IS AN ISSUE WE SHOULD DISCUSS BEFORE EARLY VOTE AND ELECTION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BROUGHT -- WHOEVER IS ON THE COMMITTEE, IF YOU COULD BRING IT BACK FOR A B SESSION EARLY IN MARCH, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THAT'S THE TIMELINE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. IF NOT, I THINK WE SHOULD WAIT AND DO THIS AFTER MAY, HONESTLY. SO THAT'S MY INPUT. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND IF SOMEBODY ON THE TEAM COULD GET BACK TO ME ABOUT YOUR SENIOR COUNCIL MEMBER
DESIGNATION. THANK YOU. >> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN, THE SENIOR COUNCILPERSON REFERENCE IS IN THE CITY CODE.
WE DIDN'T DEFINE THAT BUT I WOULD TAKE THAT TO MEAN -- >> VIAGRAN: CAN WE WAVE THAT? DOES IT HAVE TO BE THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN ON THE
LONGEST OR A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN ON MORE THAN TWO YEARS? >> WALSH: I THINK YOU CAN
DEFINE IT AS YOU SEE FIT. >> SEGOVIA: MY INTERPRETATION --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'LL ASSURE THE COUNCIL I'M LISTENING TO ALL YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A HARD AND FAST LAW.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. I'M SORRY.
MY SCREEN FROZE. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I AGREE WITH THIS PROCESS. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. THE 90 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE ONLY APPOINT LIKE 30-SOMETHING.
WHAT ARE THE REST OF THOSE 60? >> THE ONES I REPORT TO YOU EVERY MONTH FOR THE SINGLE-DISTRICT APPOINTEES. THERE'S QUITE A FEW OTHER BOARDS THAT AREN'T CLASSIFIED UNDER SINGLE-MEMBER THAT YOU RECOMMEND AND THE COUNCIL APPROVES. AND THOSE ARE THE AT-LARGE BOARDS. AND THERE'S ALSO ABOUT 25 OR MORE TIRZ BOARDS THAT ARE ALSO INCLUDED WITHIN THE 90. THERE'S A FEW BOARDS THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STATUTORY AS WELL. SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THAT COMMITTEE COULD LOOK AT AND DETERMINE WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT THESE BECAUSE THEY'RE
SPECIAL AND SET THOSE ASIDE IN ANOTHER ROUND. >> KAUR: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE WHOLE 90 LIST SO IF YOU COULD SEND THAT OUT.
AND ALSO FIND OUT HOW THE MAKEUP IS. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE BECAUSE I GET MESSAGES A LOT SAYING, HEY, I'M INTERESTED IN THIS COMMITTEE. WHEN ARE YOU GUYS APPOINTING THEM NEXT? I'M LIKE, I ACTUALLY HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE ONES THAT YOU REPORT TO US ON A MONTHLY BASIS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD TIMELINES AND NOTES AND WHEN THOSE COMMITTEES MEET AS WELL.
LIKE WE'RE APPOINTING SOME RIGHT NOW IN CHEC AND I DIDN'T REALIZE SOME OF THEM GO THROUGH ACTUAL COMMITTEES COMMITTEES I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
BUT I SUPPORT THIS. A LOT OF MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE SO I SUPPORT THEIR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
COUNCILMEMBER APPLAUSE. >> PELAEZ: THANKS, ERIK. YOU HAVE HEARD ME BEFORE TELL YOU I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS BROKEN THAT REQUIRES FIXING BUT IF THERE IS GOING TO BE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, I THINK THAT THE AUTHOR OF THE CCR NEEDS TO BE ON THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE. SO I WOULD SUPPORT SEEING COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO UP THERE DOING THIS WORK. AND ASIDE FROM THAT, I ALSO THINK AS WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AT EVERY ONE OF THESE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE
[01:55:01]
REEMPHASIZE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SENDING UP THERE ARE DOING THIS AND TAKING TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND WORK AND THEY ARE GIVING OF THEMSELVES WHERE WE HAVE GREAT PARKING SPACES AND SALARIES, THEY DON'T. AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN GET A SANDWICH DURING THE MEETING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THEM IN THE ABSTRACT. THESE ARE SAN ANTONIANS WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING AND DOING FANTASTIC WORK. THANKS.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 3? ANDY, THERE'S NO EXEC TODAY? UNTIL TOMORROW?
>> SEGOVIA: NO EXEC TODAY. TOMORROW. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IT'S 4:00 P.M. -- 4:01 P.M. ON THE 11TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2024.
WE ARE ADJOURNED. DON'T FORGET WE HAVE A 5:00 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.