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>> PELÁEZ: ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA WAS LATE AND SHE WILL BE EXPLAINING TO EVERYBODY WHERE SHE IS. NO.
QUORUM. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST ITEM IS TO APPROVE OUR JANUARY 31ST MEETING MINUTES, AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA WAS REVIEWING THEM WHILE EATING HER BURGER.
>>. >> GARCIA: MOVE APPROVAL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OUR SECOND ITEM IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERATION OF CHARGE APPOINTMENTS TO THE RIVERWALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BOARD. WHO IS -- WHO HAS THIS ONE?
>> CHAIR, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS, SOME BACKGROUND TO GIVE ON THIS BOARD.
THE RIVERWALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ADVISORY BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED JUNE 13, 2002 TO ADVICE CITY COUNCIL ON THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND DEDICATED TO CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPROVEMENTS OF THE RIVERWALK. THE BOARD IS COMPRISED OF SEVEN MEMBERS. THREE ARE CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS FROM THE CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, PARKS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
THE OTHER FOUR SEATS ARE AT-LARGE AND THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES TO BE INTERVIEWED TODAY. TWO RIVERBEND TENANTS. THERE IS ONE VACANCY AND ONE MEMBER IN HOLDOVER. ONE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNER THAT IS NOT A RIVER TENANT.
THIS SEAT IS IN HOLDOVER. ONE DOWNTOWN RESIDENT WHO IS NOT A RIVER TENANT, AND THIS SEAT IS AT-LARGE AND VACANT. THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK ADVERTISED FOR VACANCIES BEGINNING MAY 20, 2024 THROUGH THE CITY WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND TVSA.
WE RECEIVED 14 APPLICATIONS. SIX APPLICATIONS WERE ELIGIBLE, EIGHT WERE INELIGIBLE DUE TO CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS. ONE APPLICANT, MARCO BARRIOS, WITHDREW. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE WILL BE INTERVIEWING FOUR OF THE FIVE CANDIDATES. CHRISTOPHER HILL INDICATED
HE WOULD NOT BE ATTENDING IN PERSON AND SENT A STATEMENT. >> PELÁEZ: MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE READY TO INTERVIEW AND I'LL JUST CALL YOU BY NAME IN THE ORDER I SEE YOU ON THIS POLICE. MR. FUHRMANN.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND STICKING AROUND, THEN ALL OF OUR OTHER CANDIDATES WE'RE GOING TO KICK YOU OUT TO OUR SOUNDPROOF OUTDOORS AND WE'LL CALL YOU IN ONE BY ONE AS NEED BE. WALK OUTSIDE, COOL YOUR HEELS AND SOMEONE WILL COME AND GET YOU WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN. ALL RIGHT.
COME ON UP, MR. FUHRMANN. SO WHAT WE USUALLY DO WE GIVE PEOPLE TWO MINUTES TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, GIVE US AN OPENING ARGUMENT, TELL US WHAT YOU NEED US TO KNOW.
>> HI, GUYS, I'M TERRIN. BOARD AND RAISED HERE, WENT TO CENTRAL CATHOLIC.
I'M THE OWNER OF GARDEN BARN KITCHEN EPIDEMIOLOGY ON THE WALK.
I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FIESTA COMMISSIONER AND SIT ON A BUNCH OF OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AROUND THE CITY. GOT A DEEP PASSION AND LOVE FOR OUR BELOVED DOWNTOWN AND ESPECIALLY OUR RIVERWALK AS THE BIGGEST ASSET WE HAVE HERE.
RIVERWALK IS THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST DESTINATION IN TEXAS WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE. BUT YEAH, I HAVE A DEEP LOVE AND PASSION FOR OUR CITY AND THE RIVERWALK THAT RUNS THROUGH IT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR JOB TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT IT, BUT IT'S ALSO OUR JOB TO KIND OF SHEPHERD IT INTO THE FUTURE. BEING ON THESE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT I'M ON, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF REALLY AMAZING IDEAS AND THINGS THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT. AND HERE'S ANOTHER AVENUE I COULD HELP WITH.
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SO -- >> PELÁEZ: SO I'M GOING TO ASK THIS OF EVERY CANDIDATE, BUT IN YOUR MIND, WHAT DOES THIS ADVISORY BOARD DO? AND WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL THINGS THAT YOU ARE SIGNING UP FOR? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING UP FOR. >> I THINK VICTORIA'S EXPLANATION OF IT WAS PRETTY GOOD. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE I GUESS TO ADVISE YOU GUYS ON HOW TO SPEND SOME OF THIS MONEY TO IMPROVE THE RIVERWALK.
LIKE ONE OF THEM BEING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK OF AN AWNING OVER THE ARNESON RIVER THEATER WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION BECAUSE IT GETS KIND OF HOT OUT THERE. I THINK IPW WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFRASTRUCTURES LIKE THE UPLIGHTING AND BRIDGE LIGHTING THAT REALLY ADDS TO THE ALLURE OF THE RIVER.
SO THINGS LIKE THAT. >> PELÁEZ: OKAY. WELL, MY REQUEST IS IF YOU ARE SELECTED, THINK ABOUT THIS, AND I HAVE A FEELING ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WILL AGREE. DURING OUR FIESTA PARADES I NOTICE A LOT OF SPACE THAT'S DARK AND THE WEALTHIEST OF SAN ANTONIO GET TO BE IN THE LIT PLACE WHICH IS THE ARNESON. THE REST OF PEOPLE HAVE TO COMPETE FOR SEATS AND THE BEST ONES ARE WHERE THERE'S LIGHTING AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS SITTING IN THE DARK. MY REQUEST OF YOU AND THE REST OF THE BOARD MAYBE THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE TAKE EXPERIENCE OF IS THE LIGHTING EXPERIENCE NOT JUST AS THEY ARE WALKING BUT IF THEY ARE THERE PARTICIPATING IN BIG EVENTS.
I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER. I'LL HAND IT OFF TO MR. WHYTE WHO HAS SOME HARD-HITTING QUESTIONS FOR YOU. HIT THEM HARD, MARC.
>> WHYTE: ACTUALLY NO QUESTIONS AT ALL. IT'S EFFICIENCY, CHAIR.
>> PELÁEZ: YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY AND YOU TOUCHED ON A COUPLE OF IMPROVEMENTS FROM LIGHTING TO AWNING. CAN YOU SHARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS THE MOST PRESSING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ON THE WALK?
>> I JUST HAD A BOARD MEETING WITH SAN ANTONIO AND OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST TALKING POINTS AS OF LATE IS OUR SUMMERS ARE JUST BRUTALLY HOT.
THERE'S BEEN TALK OF, YOU KNOW, FANS AND A MISTING SYSTEM WHICH IS PROBABLY A STRETCH AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES, BUT TO MAKE THE RIVERWALK -- EVEN THOUGH DOWN ON THE RIVER LEVEL IT'S 5 TO 7 DEGREES COOLER THAN STREET LEVEL AND OBVIOUSLY OUR TOURISM THRIVES DURING THE SUMMER SO THAT PUTS A DAMPER ONTO IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IS THE FABS AND MISTERS OR -- FANS AND MISTERS OR AT LEAST COOLING STATIONS ALONG THE RIVER. I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY WITH TOURISM AND LEISURE TRAVEL AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT TO COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ'S POINT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THERE ARE SECTIONS OF THE RIVER THAT ARE NOT LIT VERY WELL OR THAT KIND OF FALL IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS A KEY POINT AS WELL. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR
THAT. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: I SIT ON THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK HE DOES.
MEDIA, IF YOU COULD HELP ME, YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ADA AND MAYBE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK WE COULD DO TO WELCOME PEOPLE DOWNTOWN AND SPECIFICALLY ON THE
RIVERWALK, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ADDRESS THAT? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION THAT I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD TIME TO REALLY THINK ABOUT. YOU KNOW, BUT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD LOVE TO SIT AND ARE HEAR IDEAS AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO.
>> GARCIA: GREAT. TERRIN, I WOULD VOLUNTEER WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT ON SEVERAL BOARDS AND JUST SEVERAL COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HER NAME IS JANUARY PASEONI ON SO I THINK SHE MIGHT BE A GOOD PERSON SHOULD YOU GET THIS POSITION THAT YOU GET IN CONTACT WITH HER AND SHE
COULD GIVE YOU GREAT IDEAS. THANK YOU. >> PELÁEZ: THAT CONCLUDES
YOUR INTERVIEW. THANKS FOR MAKING THE TIME. >> YES, SIR.
THANKS. >> PELÁEZ: SEE YOU. OUR NEXT -- I WAS GOING TO SAY OUR NEXT CONTESTANT, OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS CHARLIE RILEY.
MR. RILEY, WELCOME TO THE FOREHEAD YUM. YOU HAVE -- PODIUM.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IN ORDER TO NAME OUR
DECISION. >> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'M CHARLIE RILEY, I'M FROM SAN ANTONIO, BORN AND RAISED, WENT TO CENTRAL
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CATHOLIC, WENT ON TO U.T. AND I'M AN ATTORNEY. I'VE BEEN PRACTICING CIVIL LITIGATION FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS INCLUDING A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION SO I THINK THAT THAT BACKGROUND HELPS ME TO BE WELL SUITED FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BOARD. I WORK ON LEXINGTON AVENUE ON ONE END OF THE RIVERWALK.I PRACTICE LAW, OF COURSE, AT THE COURTHOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVERWALK AND LIVE ON KING EDWARD SO I SEE ALL THREE ENDS, I WALK IT ALL THE TIME.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT AND I'VE WITHIN ON THE BOARD FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS. I'D LIKE TO BUILD ON WHAT WE'VE DONE THUS FAR WHICH INCLUDED FINISHING OFF SOME OF THE ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT OUR PREDECESSORS HAD APPROVED THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE RIVERWALK. THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE JUST KIND OF FINISHING OFF OTHER PEOPLE'S PLANS WHICH WAS GOOD TO OVERSEE THAT. BUT THEN WE HAD OUR OWN IDEAS TO DO THE UPLIGHTING ON THE TREES BECAUSE EVERYONE LOVES THE LIGHTING IN THE TREES DURING CHRISTMAS AND WE NOT WHY CAN'T WE HAVE LIGHTING ON THE TREES ALL YEAR LONG. WITH MY OTHER BOARD MEMBER SAM PANCHEVRE WE BROUGHT IT TO FRUITION AND WITH THE HELP OF STAFF IMPLEMENTED IT TO GREAT ACLIMB TO ALL SIDES. I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LA~VILLITA AREA AND THE ARNESON RIVER AREA THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANOTHER TERM ON THIS BOARD.
>> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'VE GOT A REQUEST.
>> SURE. >> PELÁEZ: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS WORRIED ME ABOUT THE RIVERWALK IS THAT THE LIGHTING STRATEGY DOWN THERE NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. SO AS TO GIVE THE BEST EXPERIENCE TO EVERYBODY WHO ISN'T JUST VISITING US, BUT ALSO WHO IS SPENDING THE ENTIRE EVENING LIKE A FIESTA PARADE. AND RIGHT NOW IT STRIKES ME THAT THERE ARE POCKETS OF THAT RIVER WHERE -- AND HONESTLY IT'S WORKING CLASS SAN ANTONIANS WHO AREN'T LUCKY ENOUGH TO SIT AT THE ARNESON THEATER THAT IS BEAUTIFULLY LIT AND HAVE TO SIT IN THE DARK AND IT DOESN'T LOOK SAFE AND DENIES THEM AN IMPORTANT EXPERIENCE TO ENJOY THE RIVER WITH LIGHTS. MY REQUEST WOULD BE IF WE APPOINT YOU TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE BOARD AND SEE IF YOU CAN HELP US START A CONVERSATION ABOUT IMPROVING THE LIGHTING SO THAT THE REGULAR SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST TOURISTS, CAN HAVE THE PHYSICAL FIESTA PARADE -- FULL FIESTA PARADE
EXPERIENCE. >> THANK YOU. AND I WOULD WORK WITH STAFF TO MAKE THEM PRIORITY BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY HAD OTHER PHASES OF LIGHTING WE WERE DISCUSSING. THERE'S A LIMITED BUDGET, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA TO CONTINUE THE LIGHTING AND MAKE IT MORE FUNCTIONAL.
>> PELÁEZ: AND WE CAN EASILY TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF DISTRICT 10'S BUDGET.
[LAUGHTER] COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE? >> WHYTE: YOU DON'T CONCUR
WITH THAT LAST STATEMENT. >> I TAKE IT WHERE I CAN GET IT.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN WANT TO GO CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY. YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A COUPLE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE RIVERWALK. WHAT ARE PROJECTS YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SEE MOVE FORWARD OR GET INITIATED? >> ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IS SOME SORT OF WI-FI, THAT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN USE TO HELP FIND THEIR WAY AROUND, ET CETERA. WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE LIGHTS TO BE MORE CHANGEABLE AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH STAFF ABOUT.
THEY ARE ABLE TO CHANGE IT BUT IT TAKES A LONG TIME SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF -- LET'S SAY YOU'VE GOT TO TEAMS PLAYING THE ALAMO BOWL, YOU COULD HAVE ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER ONE COLOR, ONE THE OTHER. JUST TO MAKE THAT LIGHTING MORE IMPACTFUL. WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT ALWAYS IMPORTANT AND THAT'SS- SOMETHING WE STARTED WITH AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AREAS WHERE WE CAN FIX CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST THE TOURISTS. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES WE'VE BEEN
LOOKING AT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN REAPPOINTMENT. I WANTED TO ASK A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT FAMILY-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES YOU THINK YOU COULD
IMPLEMENT TO GET CURRENT TO THE RIVER.ESIDENTS BACK- >> THAT KIND OF GETS BACK TO THE ARNESON RIVER IDEA AND WE WERE STARTING TO TOUCH ON THAT LAST MEETING.
I KNOW THERE'S A JURISDICTIONAL ISSUE. FOR INSTANCE, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE CONCERTS AND ACTIVITIES DOWN THERE, NOT JUST DURING FIESTA, NOT JUST
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SPECIAL EVENTS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAME ACROSS IS HOW HOT IT CAN BE OUT THERE DURING THE MAIN PART OF OUR YEAR. AND SO WE WERE LOOKING AT MAYBE SOME SORT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO PROVIDE SOME SHADE OR OTHER -- MAKING THAT A MORE USEFUL PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO GO TO EITHER JUST FOR A PICNIC JUST TO SIT BY THE RIVER OR HAVING MORE EVENTS DOWN THERE. THAT WAS ONE IDEA WE HAD.>> GARCIA: GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> PELÁEZ: BYE. OUR NEXT INDIVIDUAL IS MR. SILVA, DOMINICK PEDRO
SILVA. >> GOOD TO GO? >> PELÁEZ: HI.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IS
IMPORTANT AS WE MAKE THIS DECISION. >> PERFECT.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. I'M DOMINICK SILVA, ASSISTANT PRESIDENT AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. BEFORE WORKING AT HABITAT, MANAGING THE THE DOD FOCUSING ON IMPROVEMENTS TO JOINT BASE CHARLESTON'S WATER DISTRICT WHERE I UTILIZED ASSETS SUCH AS FACILITIES, ROADS, PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND REALIGNMENT OF FUTURE MISSION SCOPE. I'VE ALSO HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND ENTITLEMENTS I HOLD A BA AND MASTER'S IN URBAN PLANNING FROM UTSA AND LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO GOODS AND SERVICES WHICH IS WHAT BROUGHT ME HERE TODAY.
LIVING AND WORKING IN DOWNTOWN DISTRICT HAS GIVEN ME A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE RIVERWALK, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY WATERFRONTS IN THE NATION. ALMOST EVERY EVENING I'M USUALLY WALKING AROUND THE RIVERWALK AND WATCHING TRAFFIC COME AND GO. WHILE THE RIVERWALK CONTINUES TO THRIVE WITH ALL THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING, I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR THOUGHTFUL IMPROVEMENTS SO I HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE MY CAPITAL PROJECT AND LAND DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE TO SUPPORT THE BOARD'S EFFORT IN ENHANCING AND MAINTAINING OUR ICONIC SPACE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. >> PELÁEZ: I'M ASKING THIS OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE NEW TO THE BOARD. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, WHAT DOES THIS BOARD DO, ITS FUNCTION?
>> I BELIEVE IT ASSESSES THE CONDITION OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR MAYBE LOOK AT THE FUNDS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE RIVERWALK.
>> PELÁEZ: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY.
FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS A RESIDENT, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING
NEEDS ON THE RIVERWALK? >> PRESSING NEEDS. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A BIT BETTER ACCESS WITH ADA COMPLIANCE. I THINK THERE'S SOME PORTIONS OF THE RIVERWALK THAT JUST ARE NOT TOO FRIENDLY FOR ADA
PEDESTRIANS. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: YOU KIND OF ANSWERED THIS ALREADY WITH THAT QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN DO AS A BOARD TO PROMOTE SOME GREATER ADA ACCESSIBILITY ON THE RIVERWALK?
>> I THINK REALLY IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC AREAS, KIND OF GIVING A NARROW
SCOPE FOR ANY FUNDS THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE. >> PELÁEZ: I'VE DONE A TERRIBLE JOB OF REFEREEING THIS MEETING BECAUSE I FORGOT TO ASK COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN IF SHE HAD ANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE CAN HEAR ME OR NOT, BUT COUNCILWOMAN, ARE YOU -- GOING ONCE, TWICE.
OKAY. HERE'S MY REQUEST. IF WE SELECT YOU TO BE ON THIS BOARD, PLEASE CONSIDER TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT THE LIGHTING SITUATION UP AND DOWN THE RIVER. THE TREES ARE LIT BEAUTIFULLY, ALL THE ASSETS LIT BEAUTIFULLY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SAN~ANTONIOANCE WHEN THEY COME DOWN THERE THAT THEY HAVE A VERY WELL-LIT EXPERIENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, FIESTA PARADES.
THERE'S LOTS OF POCKETS OF THE RIVER I THINK NEED LIGHTING.
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MY REQUEST WOULD BE TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THAT. >> GREAT IDEA.
>> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU. EEL NOW TAKE AN INTERVIEW FROM MR. PANCHEVRE.
DO YOU THINK I SAID THAT CURRENTLY? SAM PANCHEVRE.
PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME FOR US, SIR. >> GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS SAM PANCHEVRE. >> PELÁEZ: THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO SAY THAT. YOU DOT TWO MINUTES TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT TO HELP US MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE
TO MAKE TODAY. GO AHEAD, SIR. >> THANK YOU MUCH.
WELL, TO START, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
AND REAL QUICK, I CAME TO SAN ANTONIO IN '79 IN THE MILITARY.
FOUR YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE, LEFT THE AIR FORCE, BECAME AMERICAN AND STARTED WORKING ON THE RIVERWALK IN '87. I'VE BEEN ON THE RIVERWALK EVER SINCE.
NEVER LEFT. I'VE OWNED RESTAURANTS, BARS, NIGHTCLUBS.
NOW WE ARE DOING A HOTEL, THE AZTEC BUILDING, AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE EARLIER COMMISSIONS OF THE RIVERWALK BACK IN THE '90S, HELPING FORGE SOME IDEAS AND WHERE WE WANTED TO GO WITH THE RIVER. AND I ALSO LIVED DOWNTOWN WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS ALL GROWN. WE LOVE TO WALK EVERYWHERE DOCUMENT AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. IT'S AN AMAZING CITY.
JUST WALKING AROUND YOU FEEL LIKE A TOURIST AND YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE SEEING WHEN THEY COME HERE. IT'S GOT A LOT TO OFFER. PART OF THE REASON THAT I'M INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THESE COMMITTEES IS HE SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SAFETY AND FOR THE PLEASURE AND ENVIRONMENT AND THE ATMOSPHERE WE CREATE ON THE RIVERWALK. IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU GOO TO AN AMUSEMENT PARK, EVERY COUPLE YEARS THEY CREATE SOME TYPE OF NEW ATTRACTION TO KEEP PEOPLE COMING BACK.
AND THE RIVERWALK HAS BEEN A LITTLE STAGNANT FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AND IT'S A GOOD THING MOST OF THE TENANTS ARE THE SAME, OLD-SCHOOL RESTAURANTS, UNIQUE RESTAURANTS, AND IT'S NOT A FULL AMOUNT OF CHANGE FROM MALL USA AND WE DON'T WANT THAT. I THINK WE WANT TO KEEP THE ATMOSPHERE FLUID WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE LOCAL TOUCH SAN ANTONIO HAS TO OFFER.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE AND I WAS PREVIOUSLY ON THIS BOARD, WE CAME OUT WITH THE IDEA TO LIGHT UP THE TREES DURING THE WHOLE YEAR FROM THE GROUND UP.
AS AN ADDITION TO THE CHRISTMAS, YOU KNOW, HOLIDAY LIGHTING, THAT EVERYBODY LOVES TO SEE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IN JANUARY IT'S REMOVED TILL THE FOLLOWING HOLIDAYS, RIGHT? SO NOW WE HAVE THAT AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COMMENTS AND APPRECIATION FOR THAT. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE STILL AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S FLUID. A LOT OF THE RESTAURANT OWNERS HAVE IDEAS AND I'M INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF THEM AS WELL AND WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE. FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE CAN DO MORE LIGHTING ON THE RIVER. LIGHTING IS INEXPENSIVE, IT'S ALSO BEAUTIFUL. IT HELPS A LOT TO CREATE THE THE OTHER THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, WORK MAYBE ON SOME OF THE WAYFINDING. A LOT OF PEOPLE COME AND ASK EVERYWHERE WHERE DO WE GO FOR THIS, FOR THAT. AND I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING VERY BEAUTIFULLY, AN ELECTRONIC TYPE OF WAYFINDER ON STREET LEVELS TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE DIRECT THEMSELVES. IN SHORT, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SERVE ON THESE COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS AND IF YOU WILL HAVE ME AGAIN, I WILL VERY DEPENDENT ON IT AND BE PART OF THE GROUP. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING ON THIS ADVISORY BOARD. YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF IMPROVEMENTS ON THE RIVERWALK. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST PRESSING CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT NEEDED ON THE RIVERWALK? >> ONE THING ON THE RIVERWALK I WOULD SAY IS, WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, THERE'S A FEW THINGS I WOULD SAY. I THINK THE CITY IS -- WORKS ON LOT ON THE RIVERWALK.
I THINK WE NEED MORE VEGETATION. I THINK IT'S LACKING IN SOME AREAS. YOU GO AROUND UNDER THE THE BRIDGES.
EITHER WE COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF VEGETATION THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO ABSORB THE BRIDGE ATMOSPHERE, NO LIGHT AND ALL THAT, BUT YOU WALK AROUND AND GO FROM ONE SPOT THAT'S REALLY PRETTY AND YOU GO TO THE NEXT SPOT AND IT'S VACANT OR BARE.
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OBVIOUSLY LIGHTING IS IMPORTANT. IT CREATES A REALLY GOOD ATMOSPHERE THROUGHOUT THE RIVERWALK. EXPENDING THAT -- EXPANDING THAT TO THE MAIN LOOP AREA I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT GO UP AND DOWN THE RIVER. WAYFINDING, LIKE I MENTIONED, I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. IT'S SOMETHING WE HAD TALKED ORIGINALLY TO START LOOKING INTO. AS ALWAYS -- THERE'S ALWAYS NEW IDEAS YOU GET FROMDIFFERENT BUSINESS. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN REAPPOINTMENT. I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON FAMILY-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES THAT THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE RIVERWALK CAN PUT ON TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE FROM SAN ANTONIO TO THE RIVERWALK.
LOCALS. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE A CITY OF TWO KIND OF BUSINESSES ON THE RIVER OUR DOWNTOWN. WE ARE A CITY OF CONVENTIONS, WHICH IS YOU RECALLLY OUTSIDE THE SUMMER MONTHS. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS ARE REALLY FAMILY ORIENTED. WE GET MOST OF OUR BUSINESS FROM WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS. AND COVID HAS CHANGED A LOT FOR THE BETTER IN CERTAIN WAYS AND MAYBE SOME THINGS NOT AS GOOD, BUT AT LEAST WE SEE IT AS A REFOCUS ON FAMILY ATMOSPHERE. BE ABLE TO OFFER FAMILY PRICINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR KIDS. WHEN IT COMES TO ENTERTAINMENT, WELL, THE RIVER, TO ME PERSONALLY, WHEN I SEE ALL THESE KIDS GET ON THESE BOATS AND GO AROUND THE BOATS, IT'S LIKE A MERRY-GO-ROUND THAT NEVER STOPS.
THAT SOMEBODY COULD BE ALSO ADDED TO. ONE OF THE ISSUES ON THE RIVER IS YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BOATS SOMETIMES, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE FAMILIES. AS A RESTAURANT OWNER ON THE RIVER, WE DO OFFER PRICING FOR KIDS AND MENUS FOR KIDS AND THINGS THEY CAN DO AT THE TABLE AS WELL.
I'M SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THAT HAPPENING TOO. >> PELÁEZ: SO YOU NAILED IT OUT OF THE PARK AS FAR AS THE LIGHTING COMMENTS. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY REQUEST TO YOU IS PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE LIGHTING ALONG THE RIVERWALK PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE'S BIG EVENTS.
A LOT OF WORKING CLASS SAN~ANTONIOANCE SIT IN THE DARK WHILE WEALTHYIER SIT IN THE LIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INTERVIEWING WITH US, SIR, AND THAT CONCLUDES YOUR INTERVIEW. SO PLEASE HAVE A SEAT.
WE DO HAVE A STATEMENT FROM MR. HILL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
EVERYONE. DO I JUST SIT HERE OR -- >> PELÁEZ: WHAT EVERY YOU WOULD LIKE AT THIS -- WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE. WE HAVE A NOTE FROM MR. CHRIS HILL THAT EACH OF YOU HAS IN WHICH HE APOLOGIZED FOR NOT BEING HERE AND TELLS US WHAT HE'S -- WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO HIM.
IS IT SOMETHING WE NEED TO READ INTO THE RECORD OR CAN THE CLERK JUST ACCEPT IT AS
IS? >> THE CLERK CAN JUST ACCEPT IT.
>> PELÁEZ: I OFFER THIS TO BE ADMITTED INTO EVIDENCE. AND THEN THAT REQUIRES US
NOW TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, RIGHT, ALEX? >> YES, SIR, THE ONLY OTHER THING IS SHANNON MILLER, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST IN THE AUDIENCE IF THE COMMITTEE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU
DELIBERATE. >> PELÁEZ: IS IT APPROPRIATE TO TAKE SHANNON WITH US? GREAT. THE TIME IS NOW 2:35 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 24, 2025. OUR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS RECESSING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AS ADVISORY MEMBERS AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.
>> GARCIA:... AND SAM PANCHEVRE FOR THE TWO RIVERBEND LESSEE SEATS.
>> PELÁEZ: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND BUT WE'RE MISSING A COUNCILWOMAN.
SO CAN WE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN IS BACK? YEAH, IT'S NOT YOU. RUBEN, DOES SHE INTEND TO COME BACK?
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PARTICIPATE. DO YOU WANT US TO WAIT? >>
>> CLERK: WOULD YOU LIKE TO TABLE. >> PELÁEZ: THE TIME IS NOW 2:47 ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025, AND THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS NOW OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'RE RECONVENING IN OPEN SESSION AND TOOK NO ACTION DURING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE WE GO. TO MAKE SURE COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN UNDERSTANDS THE
MOTION, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND REREADING IT. >> GARCIA: I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING BELIEVES IS GOING TO BE FIRST TIME PRESENTING TO THIS GROUP. SHE'S ONE OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
>> PELÁEZ: THANKS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS MARGARET TESCANO.
TODAY I WILL BE GOING OVER THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACT BY LARGE CITY-INITIATED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. FIRST I WANT TO START OUT WITH SOME BACKGROUND OF THE THREE PRIOR GRANTS. IN 2022 THERE WAS A NEED TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE NOT ONLY IMPACTED BY COVID BUT WITH CITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
WHERE WE PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL $10,000 TO 135 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND 2023 WE CONTINUED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY GRANT AND 91 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WERE AWARDED GRANTS THAT WERE AVERAGE AROUND $26,000.
IN 2024, WE RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL ARPA FUNDING AND AWARDED 63 SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THE GRANTS AVERAGING $22,000. ALL THESE GRANTS WERE
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ADMINISTERED BY LIFT FUND. HERE ARE SOME WAYS THAT WE'VE STAYED ENGAGED AND GOD FEEDBACK. WE UNDERSTAND IT'S -- GOT FEEDBACK.WE UNDERSTAND -- TO HELP BUILD THE NEXT GRANT PROGRAM FROM LESSONS LEARNED.
AS WE HAVE COMMITTED IN ASSISTING SMALL BUSINESSES TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, HERE ARE SOME FEEDBACK OF -- HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF FEEDBACK THAT WE RECENTLY RECEIVED.
OUR BUSINESS OUTREACH SPECIALIST FOCUSED ON CONDUCTING IN-PERSON SURVEYS WITH BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS FOCUSED ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND CITY STAFF. THEIR BUSINESS CHALLENGES. BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES. CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
AND ACCESS TO OUR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAMS. SO WITH THAT FEEDBACK, WE HAVE RECEIVED AND WE ARE PROPOSING A 2025 CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM. THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED $1.4 MILLION OF GENERAL FUNDS TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION. WE ARE PROPOSING THREE SEPARATE GRANTS WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION, THE ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION AND THE POST- CONSTRUCTION WHICH THE PRE AND POST ARE GOING TO BE PILOT PROGRAMS. FIRST I'M GOING TO START WITH THE ACTIVE GRANTS. THIS GRANT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACT BY CITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
THE BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR THIS GRANT IS ONE MILLION AND THE GRANT AMOUNT IS UP TO $35,000. WHICH CAN ASSIST UP TO 40 SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR BUSINESS-RELATED EXPENSES SUCH AS RENT, MORTGAGE, PAYROLL, AND UTILITIES. SO THE ELIGIBLE CORRIDORS FOR THE ACTIVE PHASE, THESE CORRIDORS ARE IDENTIFIED WITH ASSISTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AS WE ARE TARGETING CORRIDORS THAT HAVE A DURATION OF CONSTRUCTION OF 12 MONTHS OR MORE.
THE TWO CORRIDORS SELECTED ARE ZONA CULTURAL STREETS AND SOUTH ALAMO STREETS.
THESE HAVE BEEN IN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SINCE 2022 AND HAVE SEVERE IMPACT TO BUSINESSES AND WERE ELIGIBLE FOR LAST YEAR'S GRANT. HERE IS THE CRITERIA FOR THE BUSINESSES AS THESE ARE THE SAME CRITERIA AS OF 2024 SMALL BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT GRANTS. THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED COMPARED TO LAST YEAR IS JUST THE CALENDAR YEAR. OF COURSE THEY MUST BE LOCATED IN THE ELIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION ZONE. THEY MUST BE IN THEIR CURRENT LOCATION AS OF JANUARY 21, 2023. THEY MUST SOME A MINIMUM OF 10,000 GROSS SALES IN 2023 AND A 5,000 REDUCTION IN NET REVENUE IN 2024 WHEN COMPARED TO 2023. THEY MUST BE A RETAIL AND SERVICE BUSINESSES THAT REQUIRE FOOT TRAFFIC FOR OPERATION AND MUST BE -- MUST BE SBA STANDARD SIZE AND NOT FILEIL FOR BANKRUPTCY DURING THE TIME OF APPLICATION.
AND THE GRANT APPLICANT MUST BE MAJORITY OWNER OF THE BUSINESS.
THE EXCLUSIONS ARE LISTED THERE IS WHAT WE HAVE APPLIED TO ALL OUR GRANTS.
SO THIS WILL NOT BE A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE GRANT BASE.
THIS WILL BE SCORED ACCORDING TO THE NEED. POINTS REFLECT ON THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT, WHICH IS PRIOR GRANT ASSISTANCE, NET REVENUE LOST, PRE-EXISTING BUSINESS AND THE EQUITY ATLAS INCOME-ONLY SCORE.
NEXT I AM GOING INTO THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION PILOT PROGRAM.
SO BASED -- AGAIN, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM BUSINESSES, WE ARE PROPOSING TO HAVE A GRANT DEDICATED TO THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION. THIS GRANT WILL ASSIST THEM TO ENHANCE THEIR MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. SO THE BUDGET FOR THIS ONE IS $80,000 OR THE GRANT AMOUNT IS 2,000 AND CAN ASSIST UP TO 40 SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE FUNDS CAN BE USED TOWARDS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, SIGNAGE, MARKETING PRODUCTS AND ONLINE DELIVERY SERVICES. THE ELIGIBLE CORRIDOR FOR THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION GRANT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS MARBACH ROAD, AERIAL STREET AND DRAINAGE. THIS IS TO START IN FALL OF 2025.
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NEXT I'M GOING INTO THE POST-CONSTRUCTION PILOT PROGRAM.HERE WE ARE PROPOSING THIS GRANT TO ASSIST THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION. WE WILL BE SUPPORTING THEM BY IMPROVING MINOR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. WE HAVE BUDGETED $120,000.
THE GRANTS WILL BE $5,000 AND ASSIST 24 SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE FUNDS ARE HE WILL VISIBLE FOR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS PAINTING, POWER WASHING, SIGNAGE AND LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING.
THE POST-CONSTRUCTION ELIGIBLE CORRIDOR THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, WE IDENTIFIED THREE OF THEM. THESE THREE ARE BROADWAY STREET CORRIDORS, BULVERDE ROAD AND [INAUDIBLE]. ALL THREE HAVE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION AS OF FALL OF 2024. SO HERE IS THE BUSINESS CRITERIA FOR THE PRE AND FOR THE POST-CONSTRUCTION. THESE ARE VERY STANDARD CRITERIA AS WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS APPLICATION PROCESS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
AGAIN, THE BUSINESS MUST BE LOCATED IN THE ELIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION CORRIDOR.
THEY MUST TO BE REGISTERED AND GOOD STANDING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
RETAIL AND SERVICE BUSINESS THAT REQUIRES CUSTOMER FOOT TRAFFIC FOR OPERATION, MEET THE SBA STANDARDS, BE IN OPERATION IN THE ELIGIBLE CORRIDOR AND NOT FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND THE GRANT APPLICANT MUST BE MAJORITY OWNER OF THE BUSINESS. AGAIN, THE EXCLUSIONS ARE THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAVE FOR THE ACTIVE. SO HERE IS THE MARKETING AND OUTREACH OF WHAT WE'LL BE DOING FOR THESE GRANTS. WE WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC WEB PAGE AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS, WE'LL BE SHARING WITH OUR COMMITTEES AND STAKEHOLDERS.
WE WILL ALSO BE DOING POSTCARDS TO MAIL TO THOSE ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES.
BLOCK WALKING, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS. WE WILL ALSO HAVE INFORMATION SESSION AND APPLICATION DAYS. SO WE WILL BE HOSTING TWO FOR INFORMATION SESSIONS AND TWO FOR APPLICATION DAYS. WE SAW THAT THIS WAS A BIG HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES LAST YEAR AS WE DID HAVE A GREAT TURNOUT FOR BOTH OF THOSE SESSIONS AND FOR THE APPLICATION DAYS. THE APPLICATION DAYS IS IN PERSON SO THEY CAN COME IN FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DOING THEIR -- ALYING FOR THE GRANT. ON THE NEXT STEPS, ON MARCH 19 WE WILL TAKE THIS TO THE B SESSION. ON MARCH 27 WE WILL TAKE THE AGREEMENT FOR CONSIDERATION WITH LIFT FUND TO THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR. SO THE TOTAL ADMINISTRATION FEE FOR THIS IS $185,000. THAT FEE IS FOR THEIR -- ADMINISTERING THE GRANT AS WELL AS REVIEWING FOR FOLLOW-UP AND FOR DISBURSEMENT OF THE FUNDS FOR ALL THREE GRANTS. HERE IS THE PROGRAM TIME LINE.
WILL BE FROM MAY 1 TO MAY 30. BETWEEN MAY AND JUNE, WE WILL HAVE OUTREACH AND MARKETING EFFORTS FOR THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION GRANT.
THE APPLICATION FOR THAT WILL OPEN ON JUNE 2 AND CLOSE ON JUNE 3.
BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER LIFT FUND WILL BE REVIEWING THE PROCESS OF THE APPLICATIONS. THEY WILL BE DOING THE FOLLOW-UPS, NOTIFICATION AND DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. SO ASIDE FROM THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED, WE ALSO HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAMS. SO FOR BUSINESSES THAT MAY NOT RECEIVE A GRANT, THEY CAN ALSO BE PART OF OUR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAM AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT GET THE GRANT. THEY CAN GET THE GRANT AND GET THIS OR IF THEY DID NOT RECEIVE A GRANT, THEY CAN ALSO APPLY FOR THIS.
AGAIN, AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN AN ELIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION CORRIDOR, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2023 AND THEY HAVE BEEN ONGOING SINCE THEN.
SO THIS IS HOW WE MEASURE THE IMPACTS OF THE GRANTS AND PROGRAMS. BY DIRECT ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE FLEE DEDICATED OUTREACH -- THREE DEDICATED OUTREACH SPECIALISTS. UP TO NOW THEY HAVE DONE 45 SITE VISITS AND THEY ALSO DO
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SURVEYS FOR THESE GRANTS. PROGRAM UTILIZATION, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PROGRAMS, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE MEASURE WHO HAS BEEN RECEIVED -- OR PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS. THE GRANT UTILIZATION, IT'S JUST AN OVERALL OF HOW MANY BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE GRANT.AND THE ALLOCATED FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN USED AS WELL FOR THE GRANTS.
THE ASSESSMENT, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SEE THERE, THAT IS REFLECTING ONLY 2023 GRANTS. AS WE DO PRODUCE A 6, 18 AND 36-MONTH SURVEY FOR THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE RECEIVED A GRANT. THEN WE ALSO DO THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN IMPRESSION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEW THIS YEAR AS WE JUST RECEIVED A -- WE HAD RFP LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE A CONSULTANT ON BOARD THAT WILL BE HELPING SUPPORTING MARKETING EFFORTS TO INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC. SO OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT THE SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED DURING ALL PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS THIS CONCLUDES MY
PRESENTATION. >> PELÁEZ: WE'LL JUST START WITH QUESTIONS, AND
COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, IF YOU HAVE ANY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AND HOW RESPONSIVE YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR REQUESTS. WITH OTHER THAN ARPA FUNDING OR THE GENERAL FUNDS, IS THERE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM? AND WHILE YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, I'M THINKING LIKE FOR INSTANCE WE'VE BEEN VERY CREATIVE WITH FUNDING PROPOSALS AND LIKE USING TIRZ AND THE BOUNDARIES, ET CETERA. I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT ELSE
WE'RE LOOKING AT. >> HI, BRENDA. >> HICKS-SORENSEN: SORENSON, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE'VE STRICTLY BEEN FOCUSED ON THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AS THIS SHIFTED FROM ARPA DOLLARS THIS YEAR.
>> GARCIA: THE REASON I WAS ASKING THAT IS BECAUSE -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE FROM PUBLIC WORKS, BUT LAST WEEK WE GOT A PRESENTATION AND WERE TOLD THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION WERE DOING SOME EFFICIENCIES OR LOOKING FOR WAYS WHERE THEY CAN, I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY USE COST SAVINGS.
I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY WAY SINCE THIS IS DIRECTLY TIED TO CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN MAYBE BE MORE CONNECTED TO THE FUNDING.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WILL RESULT IN COST SAVINGS IN A WAY WE CAN REALLOCATE TO THIS. THAT MAY BE TRUE. IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL KEEP IN
MIND. >> GARCIA: AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND A LONG-TERM SOLUTION ESSENTIALLY IN HOW TO KEEP THIS. THERE'S THREE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUTLINED. DO WE KNOW THE ESTIMATED BUSINESSES LISTED UNDER THE -- LIKE THE TOTAL, WHAT IS THE OVERALL TOTAL? IN MY AREA THERE'S 164.
THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED WITH THE $80,000 BUDGET, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S SMALL, IF IT'S 40 BUSINESSES, $2,000 EACH, THEY MIGHT GET A NICE WAY WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT FOR INSTANCE IN DISTRICT 4 NOT ALL THE RESIDENTS I REPRESENT USE SOCIAL MEDIA. SIGN IS GOING TO COST A LOT MORE THAN A DIGITAL AD ON FACEBOOK. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT THE OVERALL TOTAL AND IF THERE IS ANY STRATEGY BASED ON THAT IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A
DIVIDE AND CONQUER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. >> SO WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH IN REGARDS TO THE $2,000 MARK. WE WANTED TO SEE IF THAT WAS ENOUGH -- ENOUGH TO GET THEM STARTED TO GET THEIR FOOT IN THERE.
BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK AND RESEARCH, WE SAW A RANGE BETWEEN 500 AND $2,000 FOR ANYTHING TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA TO MARKETING CONSULTANT IN THAT PHASE.
AGAIN, AS A PILOT PROGRAM, THAT'S USE THE THRESHOLD FOR THE 2,000 TO SEE IF THAT WILL BE ENOUGH TO GET THEM NOT JUST STARTED BUT THROUGH THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION, THAT MARKETING, PROMOTION, IT'S NOT JUST FOR SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE USED FOR SIGNAGE. MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE UBER DELIVERY SERVICES AND THEY CAN USE IT TOWARDS THAT TO BRING UBER TO PICK UP THE FOOD AND GET IT DROPPED OFF
TO CUSTOMERS SO CUSTOMERS DON'T HAVE TO GO THAT WAY. >> GARCIA: I GUESS I WOULD
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HAVE THE SAME ARGUMENT THERE. A LOT OF RESIDENTS I REPRESENT DON'T HAVE HUEBER. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE THINK OF THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL, RIGHT, THAT ARE IN THOSE AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY NON-CASHTRANSACTIONS, FOR INSTANCE. >> COUNCILMEMBER, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD AS FAR AS THE PILOT PROGRAMS, THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED THE BUDGET FOR EACH OF THOSE, THAT WAS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT MARGARET MENTIONED, A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE DOLLARS COULD BE USED FOR AND SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND ALL THE BUSINESSES. AT THE SAME TIME WE DIDN'T WANT TO DEDICATE TOO MUCH FUNDS BECAUSE IT'S STILL A PILOT PROGRAM.
SO WE WERE TRYING TO BALANCE THAT LINE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS TO THE OUTREACH TEAM. I'VE GONE OUT INTO THE FIELD WITH THEM AND SEEN THEM VERY PRESENT WHETHER IN A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING OR BOND PROJECT JUST READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING SMALL BUSINESSES. IN TERMS OF THE FEEDBACK FROM BUSINESSES AND THE CONSTRUCTION DELAYS THAT WAS MENTIONED, HAS PUBLIC WORKS AND/OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFIED ANY TRENDS? ARE THERE ANY TRENDS IN WHICH IT'S THE SAME CONTRACTOR BEING CITED FOR THE DETAILS?
IF NOT CAN WE LOOK FOR ANY FRIENDS FOR THOSE DELAYS? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILWOMAN. LUIS, MARTOS WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
VERY LITTLE WHAT WE DO IN PUBLIC WORKS, NOT ONLY WHAT WE REVIEW THE CONSULTANT, WE REVIEW THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR CONTRACTORS. EVERY TIME A PROJECT IS COMPLETED, THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT COMPLETED TO MAKE SURE THE PROJECT WAS DONE WITHIN SCHEDULE, THAT IT WAS DONE TO THE QUALITY AND EXPECTATIONS THAT OUR CONSTRUCTION SPECS AND PLANS. SO THE NEXT TIME A CONTRACTOR IS BIDDING ON A CITY PROJECT, THOSE SCORES ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE WE AWARD THE NEXT CONTRACT. AS FAR AS TRENDS, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY DONE A STUDY WHERE THERE'S ONE CONTRACTOR, BUT I CAN TELL YOU A CONTRACTOR THAT HAS HISTORICALLY NOT PERFORMED WITH THE CITY WILL
NOT BE GETTING ANOTHER CITY CONTRACT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT CONTEXT. IN TERMS OF THE ELIGIBLE CORRIDORS, ON SLIDE 8 IT HAS ZONO CULTURAL AND THIS PROJECT ABUTS DISTRICT 5 AND IT IMPACTS WHERE THE COMMERCE CORRIDOR WHERE THERE'S GOLDEN STAR AND A COUPLE OF AUTO BODY SHOPS AS WELL. WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE DISTRICT 5 PIECE OF THIS PROJECT, THERE'S STILL EQUIPMENT, OWNER BARRIERS, NOT -- ORANGE BARRIERS.
THAT KIND OF DETERS TRAFFIC OR WALKING TRAFFIC TO GO RIGHT OR LEFT ON FRIO RATHER THAN CONTINUE STRAIGHT DOWN COMMERCE. IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THE DISTRICT 5 COMPONENT WITH THIS PROJECT AREA?
>> YES, WE'LL WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO UPDATE THE MAP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
ABSOLUTELY. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT, BRENDA.
IN TERMS OF THE DISBURSEMENT OF THESE FUNDS, I SEE A COUPLE OF CEOS AND BRIAN AND HIS TEAM HERE AS WELL AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB CANVASSING THE AREA TO GET FOLKS TO APPLY AND SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVE FUNDING WHETHER IT'S THE FACADE PROGRAM. I KNOW SOME HAVE HOSTED WORKSHOPS AND IF EWDC HAS TRACKED THE SUCCESS OF THOSE APPLICANTS RECEIVING SUPPORT AND IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THESE BD OS DOING THE WORK.
THAT'S SOMETHING I'M HOPEFUL TO EXPLORE AND I HAVE THE SAME COMMENTS WITH THE NEXT ITEM. SEEING THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, RESIDENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING SUPPORT AND OFTENTIMES IT'S THESE BDOS THAT ARE FACILITATING THE COMPLETION OF THE APPLICATION. IN TERMS OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE PROHIBITED FROM RECEIVING THE GRANTS, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN EXPRESSED IN OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS, NOT ALLOWING VAPE SHOPS IS SOMETHING I HOPE WE WOULD HAVE CONSENSUS ON THE EXCLUSIONS OF BUSINESSES THAT CAN RECEIVE SUPPORT.
>> I THOUGHT WE DID THAT. >> CASTILLO: AND THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU, BRENDA. >> PELÁEZ: SO IF IT'S MISSING FROM THE LIST, IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE LIST. CAN SOMEBODY VERIFY FOR THE
COUNCILWOMAN. >> YES, THEY ARE EXCLUDED IN THE PRIOR GRANT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY ARE EXCLUDED. >> PELÁEZ: GREAT.
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS. SO I'M HAPPY WE'RE HERE, I'M
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HAPPY WE'RE DOING THIS. I THINK -- I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN, ONE OF THE REASONS WE GOT TO DO THIS IS BECAUSE OF HOW LONG CONSTRUCTION IS TAKING AROUND THE CITY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM NOW FOR SOME TIME.I'M NOT PLACING THE BLAME AT ANYBODY'S FEET, BUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, I KNOW ERIK HAS TAKEN A LOOK AT IT. WE'VE GOT TO FIND WAYS TO EMPLOY CONTRACTORS THAT GET THESE JOBS DONE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
WE'VE GOT TO FIX THINGS. JUST A QUICK ANECDOTE FROM MY DISTRICT, WE HAD A CONTRACTOR THAT WALKED OFF A JOB THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. BUT BEFORE THE JOB GOT DONE.
THAT ADDED SIX, SEVEN MONTHS TO THE PROJECT. THAT CONTRACTOR JUST FRANKLY SHOULDN'T BE HIRED AGAIN BY THE CITY. SO WHETHER IT'S HIRING THE RIGHT FOLKS, CHANGING THE WAY OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OPERATES INTERNALLY, WHATEVER THE HECK IT IS, WE'VE GOT TO GET THESE PROJECTS DONE QUICKER BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR BUSINESSES OR NEIGHBORHOODS TO SUFFER THIS LENGTHY CONSTRUCTION. NOW, WITH NOW, WITH THAT SAID I'M HAPPY WE DID THIS. THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I GOT ELECTED TWO YEARS AGO AND WE GOT THIS MONEY INTO PLACE TO HELP BUSINESSES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE LENGTHY CONSTRUCTION. I WANT TO TALK QUICKLY ABOUT SLIDE 10, THE SCORING CRITERIA, BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS CRITERIA. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. THE MAIN THING WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IS GET THIS GRANT MONEY INTO THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT THE MOST. AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, THOSE ARE THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT THE MOST, THE FOLKS THAT ARE LOSING THE MOST REVENUE.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DURATION UP TOP, I GET IT, I UNDERSTAND, BUT REALLY IT'S ABOUT WHO'S LOSING THE MOST MONEY, WHO IS BEING NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THE MOST BY THE LENGTHY CONSTRUCTION? THE CATEGORY THERE AT THE BOTTOM, THE EQUITY ATLAS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR AND COUNCILMAN PELÁEZ AND I HAD SOME COMMENTS ON IT AND THIS IS WHAT STRIKES ME AS WRONG. THIS EQUITY ATLAS IS BASED UPON WHERE THE BUSINESS IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED, RIGHT? SO YOU COULD HAVE A BUSINESS PHYSICALLY LOCATED ON THE NORTHSIDE, RIGHT, THAT'S NOT IN ONE OF THESE EQUITY ATLAS AREAS WHO WHOSE OWNER LIVES SOMEWHERE ON THE SOUTHSIDE AND LET'S SAY IT'S A MECHANIC SHOP AND HE'S STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT AND HIS BUSINESS HAS BEEN GREATLY AFFECTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON OUTSIDE OF IT ON THE NORTHSIDE. HE MAY NOT GET THE GRANT MONEY SIMPLY BECAUSE HIS BUSINESS IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED ON THE NORTHSIDE AND HE DOESN'T GET THE POINTS.
CONVERSELY, YOU COULD HAVE A CONVENIENCE STORE OR SOMETHING DOWN ON THE SOUTHSIDE THAT IS IN ONE OF THESE EQUITY ATLAS CATEGORIES, RIGHT, AND THE OWNER LIVES LOSES SOME REVENUE, AND THEN THAT GUY IS GOING TO GET GRANT MONEY SIMPLY BECAUSE HIS BUSINESS IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTHSIDE. THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME. WE'RE NOT -- THIS SCORING CRITERIA, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WEIGHT GIVEN TO NET REVENUE LOSS, AND WE'RE GIVING POINTS OUT HERE FOR THINGS THAT I THINK JUST ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS NET REVENUE LOSS.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SCORING CRITERIA ALTERED.
IN TERMS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, LIFT FUND, 13% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, IS THAT NORMAL?
IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT. >> SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
PREVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN IN THE 10 TO 12 PERCENT RANGE. BECAUSE OF THE TWO PILOT PROGRAMS THAT CREEPED UP A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY ON THE POST, AGAIN, WHEN WE DO THE FOLLOW-UP. I SAID WE.
WHEN LIFT FUND WOULD DO THE FOLLOW-UP THEY ACTUALLY GO OUT AND DO SITE VISITS SO
THAT'S WHY IT CREEPED UP A LITTLE BIT ON THAT 13%. >> WHYTE: IS THIS
SOMETHING WE CAN NEGOTIATE WITH THEM ON? >> WE DO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THEM. WE DO KNOW THAT WE SOMETIMES GET THAT -- I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HERE, THAT LOCAL KIND OF PARTNER DISCOUNT, THEY DO DO PROGRAMS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AND WE HAVE LOOKED AT THOSE CONTRACTS, SO WE DO KNOW WHAT OTHER
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COMMUNITIES PAY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE WERECOMFORTABLE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
WELL, AGAIN, IT SEEMS A LITTLE HIGH TO ME, BUT I TRUST -- YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO SAVE US EVERYWHERE YOU CAN, I'M ASSUMING, SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE NEGOTIATE AND GET THE BEST DEALS ON THESE THINGS. LAST QUESTION, IN ONE OF THE BACKUP MEMOS, 13% HIGHER SURVIVABILITY RATE AMONG PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS.
AND THAT IS CITED AS A STATISTIC OF PROGRAM SUCCESS.
ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL DATA WE HAVE TO LOOK AT PROGRAM SUCCESS OR WHY WE'RE HAVING
HIGHER SURVIVAL RATES? >> SO AS MARGARET INDICATED, THIS IS STILL FAIRLY NEW AND SO AS WE DO THE SIX-MONTH TO 18-MONTH AND 36, AND AGAIN OUR RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE TEAM AS THEY'RE FOLLOWING THAT AS WE GET THE ANNUAL DATA WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THIS, BUT AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S NEW, WE SHARED WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. >> COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK ONE STAT THAT DEFINITELY STOOD OUT FOR ME ON SLIDE 21 UNDER THE ASSESSMENTS CATEGORY, BRENDA, WHERE IT SAYS 27% REMAIN OPEN, I KNOW THAT'S A VERY LOW THRESHOLD, BUT WE ARE TRACKING WHETHER THE BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVE THESE TYPE OF GRANTS OR SUPPORT STAY OPEN.
THAT'S THE FIRST MEASURE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HELP THEM GET THROUGH.
>> AS MARGARET INDICATED, THAT'S OFF OF THE SIX MONTHS SURVEY FROM THE '23 PROGRAM, THE SIX-MONTH SURVEY FOR THE '24 PROGRAM WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN APRIL SO WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THE 18 AND THE 36-MONTH, AND THIS IS CONSISTENT ON ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO REALLY TRACK NOT JUST THE SHORT-TERM, BUT THE LONGER TERM IMPACT AS WELL.
>> WHYTE: ARE WE TRACKING THE APPLICANTS THAT APPLY FOR THE GRANTS THAT DON'T
GET IT AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SURVIVE OR NOT? >> SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
WE HAVE ASKED OUR RESEARCH TEAM TO LOOK INTO. >> WHYTE: BECAUSE IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IF THE CRITERIA WAS CHANGED A BIT AND SOME OF THESE COMPANIES THAT MAYBE ARE LOSING MORE REVENUE WERE ACTUALLY RECEIVING THE GRANTS.
MAYBE WE WOULD SAVE MORE OF THOSE BUSINESSES. JUST A THOUGHT.
THANKS, CHAIR. >> PELÁEZ: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? VEE>> VIAGRAN: YES. THANK YOU.
I'M NOT SURE WHO IS UP THERE, I CAN'T TELL, BUT BRENDA AND TEAM IF I CAN GET SPECIFICALLY THE STATS FOR DISTRICT 3, THAT LAST GO AROUND, WHETHER THEY GOT IT, WHO APPLIED, WHO DID, WHO DIDN'T. THE OTHER THING IS TIME FRAME. WHEN THERE IS A SLOWDOWN EITHER BECAUSE EQUIPMENT DIDN'T GET IN OR BECAUSE OF WEATHER OR BECAUSE THEY GOT PULLED OFF A PROJECT TO WORK ON ANOTHER EMERGENCY PROJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TRACKING THAT SO WE CAN FACTOR IN AND LET OUR BUSINESS KNOW -- BUSINESSES KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THAT LIST OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BUSINESSES ON THE NORTHSIDE BUT LIVE ON THE SOUTHSIDE BECAUSE WE HAVE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND LOCATIONS ON THE SOUTHSIDE FOR THEM, AND VICE VERSA, BECAUSE I HAVE HOMES ON THE SOUTHSIDE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING ON THE NORTHSIDE BUT HAVE THEIR BUSINESS ON THE SOUTHSIDE. SO I'D LIKE THAT ALSO IF WE COULD GET THAT LIST.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M JUST GOING TO NEED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION REGARDING DISTRICT 3 SPECIFICALLY, AND THE
TIMETABLES ON THE SLOWDOWNS. THANK YOU, BRENDA. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRENDA, AND MARGARET. THIS CONVERSATION IS ONE OF THREE THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY ABOUT WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DONE AND IS DOING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES. AND YOU KNOW, I LIKE DOING THESE PRESENTATIONS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MAJOR DECISIONS TODAY, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR TO US CONSTANTLY SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND ALEX, THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER FOR US.
>> WE ACTUALLY WERE SEEKING ACTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK, ABSOLUTELY AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PRESENTATION FOR THE COUNCIL AT B SESSION, BUT AT THIS POINT THERE WAS A STAFF REQUEST FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PRELIMINARY PROGRAMS, THE PILOT PROGRAMS FOR SURE THAT WE PUT FORWARD, MAKE SURE
WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. >> PELÁEZ: ANYBODY WANT TO
MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. >> MOTION TO MOVE IT FORWARD
TO THE B SESSION. >> PELÁEZ: MOTION AND SECOND.
[01:05:02]
ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING THIS TO A B SESSION PLEASE SAY AYE.WE'RE NOW GOING TO DISCUSS OUR ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, HI, I'M CAITLIN HOWARD, MANAGER WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TO PRESENT ON THE SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL PARTNERS IN THE ROOM WHO HAVE HELPED TO REALLY BRING THIS FROM A PLAN TO THAT FACE TO FACE ENGAGEMENT WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND BRINGING THIS TO LIFE.
THE PLAN WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2022 AND WORK IMMEDIATELY BEGAN WITH THE GRANT PROGRAMS, FIRST WITH THE COVID IMPACT GRANTS PROGRAM, AND THEN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION GRANTS PROGRAM. THE PHASE 2 PRIORITY FOCUSES ON ACCESS TO CAPITAL, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY AND A COORDINATED ECOSYSTEM.
THE BUDGET IS ALLOCATED INTO FIVE DIFFERENT PRIORITY AREAS WITH A TOTAL BUDGET OF $33.9 MILLION. AND TO NOTE, NEARLY 2,000 PARTICIPANTS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THESE PROGRAMS AS OF FEBRUARY. NOW, THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE METRICS. THESE ARE WHAT WE TRACK MONTH TO MONTH AND ARE SHARED ON THE ARPA DASHBOARD.
WE ARE WORKING ON AN ECOSYSTEM IMPACT STUDY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE NEXT PRESENTATION, BUT THOSE ARE GOING TO MEASURE SOME OF THE OUTCOMES OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND JUMPING RIGHT INTO THE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES, STARTING WITH ACCESS TO CAPITAL. THE FIRST PROGRAM IS THE SECOND STAGE COHORT PROGRAM LED BY THE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ED LOW FOUNDATION.
THE PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF TRAINING HOURS AND CEO ROUNDTABLES TO SHARE AND PROBLEM SOLVE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AMONG PEERS. SO FAR 34 GRADUATES -- PROGRAM HAS SEEN 34 GRADUATES. THE FOURTH AND FINAL COHORT STARTS IN MAY AND THIS PROGRAM WRAPS UP WITH THE RETREAT AT THE ED LOWE FOUNDATION CENTER. AND HIGHLIGHTING ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS, MR. SINGH, HE IS THE OWNER OF VESECA, WHICH IS AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANY.
LIKE MANY PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM HE BENEFITED FROM THE BRAINSTORMING AMONG PEERS AND ADVISEMENT ON AN ACTION PLAN FOR HIS IMPROVEMENTS AND GROWTH OF HIS BUSINESS. ANOTHER ACCESS TO CAPITAL PROGRAM IS THE ZERO INTEREST RATE PROGRAM. YOU ALL I'M SURE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ONE, BUT THE LOANS ARE BETWEEN 500 AND $100,000, AND THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR '25 BUDGET AND BUYDOWN IS ONE MILLION DOLLARS AND IT WAS ALSO ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN FISCAL YEAR '24 AS PART OF THE TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH LIFT FUNDS.
THIS LEVERAGES GENERAL FUND DOLLARS WITH ARPA AND MATCHING FUNDS FROM LIFT FUND MADE POSSIBLE BY WELLS FARGO. TO DATE 115 BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED LOANS AND THAT REPRESENTS FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL.
EDD WILL BE PRESENTING A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE ON THE ZERO INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM LATER THIS SPRING TO YOU ALL ALL. MOVING ON TO CAPACITY BUILDING, WE HAVE THE SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM. THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH SAGE AND THE SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM AIMS TO PROVIDE HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND RESOURCES IN FITS KEL MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS PLANNING AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL WITH THE GOAL OF ENROLLING 80 BUSINESSES FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
THOSE ENROLLED IN BACK OFFICE SUPPORT PROGRAM CAN CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN A 10 WEEK INTENSIVE GOING IN-DEPTH ON VARIOUS AREAS OF FOCUS TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY. RIGHT NOW SAGE IS WRAPPING UP ITS SECOND COHORT AND FINAL COHORT BY THE END OF MARCH. HIGHLIGHTING ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THAT PROGRAM IS MR. JACKSON. HE AND HIS WIFE MONIQUE ARE OWNERS OF FACELIFT CARICATURES AND THEY BENEFITED FROM MAKING NEW CONNECTIONS WITH PEERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS. THEY STARTED A NEW BANKING RELATIONSHIP AND HAVE BEEN CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
NEXT IS ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS, STARTING WITH THE [INDISCERNIBLE] PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH PROSPER WEST AND IT PROVIDES OUTREACH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL ASSISTANCE. THE PROGRAM HAS REACHED MORE THAN 510 UNIQUE BUSINESSES AND THEY'VE DONE THIS PRIMARILY THROUGH BLOCK WALKING AND SITE VISITS. FOUR BUSINESSES WERE CONNECTED TO $100,000 CAPITAL AND THEIR FINAL DELIVERABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM IS TO CONNECT FIVE BUSINESSES TO PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES WHICH THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO ACCOMPLISHING. THIS PROGRAM ENDS IN APRIL. WILL NEW YORK THE NEXT 'EM
[01:10:08]
HE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM IS BDO. THERE ARE SIX PARTICIPATING BDOS IN THIS PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAM FOR BDOS COME WITH THREE CORE DELIVERABLES, WHICH ARE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THEN A PRIORITIZED PLAN AND A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PLAN. LAST YEAR THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PRIORITIZED PLANS WERE COMPLETED AND RIGHT NOW THEY ARE WORKING ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS. THERE WERE $260,000 ALLOCATED TO EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS FOR OPERATIONS AND HOW THEY IMPLEMENT THE PLANS AND THEN THERE'S $95,000 THAT THEY COULD USE FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. AND CURRENTLY THEY ARE WORKING ON WITH THE CONTRACTORS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.MOVING ON TO LOCALISM. UNDER LOCALISM AND MARGARET MENTIONED SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS IN HER PRESENTATION, HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THESE ARE YEAR-ROUND CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE BUYING LOCAL AT THE HOLIDAY SEASON OR DURING OBSERVANCE VAS LIKE SMALL BUSINESS WEEK. THE EDD HAS CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO AS MENTIONED AND THE BUY LOCAL SAVINGS PASS. THIS IS A NEW PARTNERSHIP AND IS CONSISTENTLY LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE WILL BE SOME REMAINING FUNDING FROM THIS PRIORITY AREA WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN WE HAVE GEOGRAPHIC PLACEMAKING SO THAT STARTS WITH THE FACADE AND OUTDOOR SPACES PROGRAM. BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE NEARING COMPLETION. THIS IS A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM, THE AWARDEES ARE FUNDED 25% OF PROJECTS UP FRONT AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FUNDS ARE REIMBURSEMENT BASED ON PROJECT COMPLETION. FOR OUTDOOR SPACES PROGRAM THERE ARE 32 AWARDEES AND ALL ARE EXPECTED TO BE PAID IN FULL BY MARCH. THERE ARE 89 AWARDEES IN THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND ALL OF THESE AWARDEES WILL BE PAID IN FULL BY MAY.
ALSO UNDER THIS PRIORITY AREA WE HAVE REVITALIZE SA, THE CORRIDOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THE SECOND COHORT IS WELL UNDERWAY.
LAST NOVEMBER 18 PARTICIPANTS GRADUATED FROM THE FIRST COHORT.
THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF TRAINING SESSIONS ON LEADERSHIP AND REVITALIZATION STRATEGIES. COHORT MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A 10,000-DOLLAR CHANGE GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS THEY PROPOSE AS A PART OF THE PROGRAM.
FOR THE FIRST COHORT 14 CHANGE GRANTS WERE AWARDED AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING THOSE PROJECTS. LOOKING AT SOME PROGRAMS THAT HAVE WRAPPED UP, AS MARGARET MENTIONED, 63 BUSINESSES RECEIVED GRANTS THROUGH SMALL BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT PROGRAM. ALISON GALVAN, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF ENERGY X FITNESS, SHE USED HERS FOR MARKETING EXPENSES AND TO PAY FOR PAYROLL. AND THEN WE ALSO HAD THE ARPA PORTION OF THE DIGITAL PRESENCE PROGRAM THAT HAS WRAPPED UP. WE ARE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION GRANT PIECE OF IT, BUT 108 BUSINESSES RECEIVED FREE DIGITAL WORK AS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM. MORE THAN 400 COMPLETED SURVEYS. THE SITE IS STILL THERE, THE SURVEYS ARE OPEN AND ANY BUSINESS OF ANY SIZE AND ANY LOCATION CAN RECEIVE ONE OF THESE SURVEYS THAT CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT AREAS THAT THEIR DIGITAL -- THEIR DIGITAL PRESENCE NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. THEN MOVING ON TO NEXT STEPS, LOOKING AT THE TIMELINE. THE MAJORITY OF THE PROGRAMS WRAP UP BY DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. BUY LOCAL HAS FUNDING RESERVED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON OF FISCAL YEAR '26. WE ARE EXPECTING $1.5 MILLION IN SAVINGS AS A PART OF THE PROGRAM DUE TO AN AMENDMENT WITH LIFT, AS WELL AS SAVINGS AND FACADE AND OUTDOOR SPACES PROGRAM AS WELL AS THAT SAVINGS UNDER LOCALISM. WHAT WE ARE EXPLORING AT THIS TIME IS TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDINGS TO THE ZERO INTEREST RATE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR '26.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, I WAS IN A ROOMFUL OF PEOPLE THE OTHER DAY, I FORGET WHERE IT WAS, BUT SOMEBODY RAISED THEIR HAND AND SAID OH MY GOSH, YOU GUYS DEFUNDED PROSPER WEST AND THAT'S TERRIBLE AND YOU GUYS DON'T LIKE WESTSIDE BUSINESSES. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH PROSPER WEST AND I THINK THEY'RE IN THE ROOM, RIGHT? SO WHAT IS -- ALEX OR -- CAN
YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THAT? >> AS FAR AS THE ARPA
FUNDING? >> JUST OUR RELATIONSHIP IN GENERAL, RIGHT.
>> SO THEY, THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ALLOCATED TO THEM, YES,
[01:15:05]
THOSE HAVE BEEN REPURPOSE AND THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ANYMORE. HOWEVER, WHAT CAITLIN MENTIONED IS THEY ARE STILL RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM ARPA DOLLARS AND OUR CONTRACT WITH LISK.THIS WAS WITH SPECIFIC BENCHMARKS IN PLACE. REALLY PROVIDING MORE BOARD TRAINING TO THE ORGANIZATIONS, HELPING THEM DEVELOP STRATEGIC PLANS, PER SE, AND IMPLEMENTATION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AND PROVIDING THEM THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO EXECUTE THOSE PLANS. SO THAT WAS OUR FOCUS TO HELP BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THOSE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS WITH THIS FUNDING OVER THIS PAST YEAR AND MOVING FORWARD FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. A COUPLE OF THINGS, THERE ARE REALLY EXCITING INITIATIVES WITHIN THIS PRESENTATION.
OF COURSE THE FACADE PROGRAM IS ONE NEAR AND DEAR TO DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS.
THEY ARE NOT JUST AT RISK FOR DISPLACEMENT OR PREDATORY REAL ESTATE PRACTICES, BUT THEY'RE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES AS WELL AND THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO IMPROVE THEIR FACADE.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE IMPROVE FACADES IT IMPROVES WALKABILITY, MORE FOLKS VISITING THE BUSINESSES AND SO MUCH MORE. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN SUCCESS AND PARTICIPATION WITHIN THE FACADE GRANT PROGRAM.
AND IN TERMS OF THE 2026 BUDGET, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. DOES EDD ANTICIPATE A BUDGET LINE ITEM TO CONTINUE THIS
PROGRAM WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR? >>
>> ADMITTEDLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE'RE STILL IN EARLY STAGE SO ASSESSING THE PROGRAM AND ALSO WAITING FOR BUDGET GUIDANCE AND FOR THE COUNCIL GOAL-SETTING
SESSION. >> CASTILLO: I'LL SAY IT BEFORE THE GOAL SET, THERE'S A HUGE IMPACT AND I KNOW WHEN I SPEAK TO SMALL BUSINESSES THEY'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT WE CAN WORK ON AND SOME OBSTACLES WITH THE BOTTLENECK WHEN IT COMES TO REIMBURSEMENT, BUT I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE LISTENED TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND ARE WORKING ON SEIZING THAT PROCESS TO RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY SIGNED UP FOR. SO JUST THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.
OF COURSE WITH THE REVITALIZE SA PROGRAM, GLAD TO SEE SEVEN DISTRICT 5 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE PART OF THAT. AND I HAD A COUPLE COME TO MY OPEN OFFICE HOURS TO PITCH WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEEK SUPPORT FOR, SO IT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO SEE ALL THE WORK AND RESEARCH THAT THEY PUT INTO EACH PROJECT. ONE HAD A VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT, HE MENTIONED WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF FOLKS OUT ON THE STREET THAT HAVE ADDICTION, ISSUES, AND BY CONNECTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO RECOVERY AND SERVICES IS INVESTMENT TO SMALL BUSINESSES, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU'RE CONNECTING PEOPLE THAT MAKE DETER TRAFFIC TO SERVICES SO THAT WAY IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN SMALL BUSINESS.
SO IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES FROM ALL THE PARTICIPANTS AND WHAT THEIR HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.
SO GREAT SO SEE THESE PROGRAM EVOLVE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR THE FACADE TRAM. IN TERMS OF THE ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED PROSPER WEST, BUT I THINK MEGAN AND RYAN ARE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THE ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS AND GRATEFUL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND CONTINUING TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. OF COURSE THE [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT IS HERE AND THE WORKSHOPS AND HEARING THE SUCCESS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN THEY REACH OUT AND THE APPLICATIONS THAT THEY SUBMIT ARE SUCCESSFUL. SO JUST I LOVE TO HEAR THE SUCCESS RATES WHEN THEY GO AFTER THE FUNDS. REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT WORK.
AND AGAIN THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT I HOPE THAT BEYOND ARPA FUNDING THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WITH THE 2026 BUDGET AND BEYOND. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> PELÁEZ: I AGREE. COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, CHAIR, YOU KNOW, I TOO WANT TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES, OF COURSE, AND HOPE THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT.
SO HOW ARE WE JUDGING THE SUCCESS OF SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS? AND I'LL JUST SAY QUICKLY BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT, I'M ENCOURAGED BY PROSPER WEST'S NEW LEADERSHIP AND I'VE MET WITH THEM NOW A COUPLE OF TIMES AND REALLY ENCOURAGED WITH WHAT I'M HEARING BECAUSE I THINK THE ORGANIZATION'S ON A NEW PATH AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY CAN GET THINGS TOGETHER IT COULD HELP SMALL BUSINESSES
[01:20:01]
IN OUR CITY. THE REASON I ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO FIND OUT IF THESE PROGRAMS ARE BEING EFFECTIVE IS WE CAN'T -- THIS IS GOING TO TURN TO GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, RIGHT? SOON.AND -- OR AT LEAST SOME POINT IN THE COMING YEARS. AND ALL THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE FUNDED AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON IN THE CITY. SO WE HAVE TO BE REALLY SURE THAT WHOEVER WE'RE GIVING
MONEY TO WE'RE GETTING OUR BANG FOR OUR BUCK. >> SURE.
SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT ACROSS THE BOARD IN OUR DEPARTMENT ARE REVENUE INCREASE, JOBS CREATED, JOBS RETAINED. THE NEXT PRESENTATION I'M GOING TO DO IS ACTUALLY AN ABOUT AN IMPACT STUDY THAT WILL MEASURE THE OUTCOMES OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IN -- LIKE SOME OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS SO THAT WILL BE
VERY INFORMATIVE IN ASSESSING THAT. >> WHYTE: SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUY LOCAL CAMPAIGN. YOU HAVE SOME DATA OR METRICS THAT ARE GOING TO
SHOW US WHAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN? >> ON THAT THE MARKETING TEAM DOES TRACK SOME OF THE METRICS AS FAR AS THE MARKETING PIECE OF THAT.
THAT PARTICULAR ONE IS MORE OF LIKE A GENERAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, BUT WE DID A BUY LOCAL ASSESSMENT, LIKE HOW MANY DOLLARS ARE GOING IN TO --Y BASED ON THE BUY LOCAL PRACTICES. SO WE COULD DO LIKE A REPEAT STUDY OF THAT OR EVEN THAT COULD BE BUILT IN AS A PART OF THE IMPACT STUDY. WHITED WHITE IT'S REALLY MY QUESTION GENERALLY. WE'RE SPENDING MONEY SAYING ON THIS BUY LOCAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND DO WE KNOW THAT IT'S HAVING AN EFFECT OF PUSHING PEOPLE TO BUY LOCAL?
>> SURE. I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF WHERE PEOPLE STAND COMPARED TO WHERE THEY DID A FEW YEARS AGO BEFORE THESE PROGRAMS
REALLY STARTED. GO AHEAD. >> YES.
MY NAME IS CELESTE GARCIA AND I'M MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE AS CAITLIN MENTIONED ARE WORKING WITH AN OUTSIDE CONSULTING FIRM, MARKETING AND CONSULTING, SO AS THAT CAMPAIGN RAMPS UP THEY WILL BE ASSISTING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BUY LOCAL INITIATIVES AS IT RELATES TO TARGETING AND IMPRESSIONS IN TERMS OF WHO IS DOWNLOADING THE BUY LOCAL SAVINGS PASS.
SO THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE TANGIBLE METRICS THAT WILL COME OUT OF THAT CAMPAIGN.
HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OR SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE
METRICS AND STATISTICS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. >> WHYTE: GREAT.
AND ANOTHER ONE HERE, THE ZERO INTEREST RATE LOAN PROGRAM THAT WE'RE DOING.
ARE WE TRACKING THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GETTING THESE LOANS? ARE THEY ALL MAKING IT? ARE SOME OF THEM FAILING? WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?
>> YEAH. THE -- I WOULD HAVE TO PULL SOME SPECIFIC DATA OF MOST RECENT DATA, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING OUR RESEARCH INTELLIGENCE TEAM HAS BEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS OF THE PROGRAM. OF COURSE THE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER WITH LEVERAGING ARPA DOLLARS IN ADDITION TO GENERAL FUND, THE DEMAND IS STILL THERE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND WE ARE TRACKING THE SUCCESS RATE OF THE BUSINESSES. WHITE TO USE A LINE THAT OUR CHAIR ON -- CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE TO USE A LINE THAT OUR CHAIR USES OFTEN, YOU GET WHAT I'M LAYING DOWN.
THIS IS REAL MONEY. IT'S ARPA MONEY, BUT SOON WHEN THE CONVERSATION TURNS TO OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, I KNOW ANYTHING THAT I VOTE FOR, AND I WOULD EXPECT MY COLLEAGUES TO FEEL THE SAME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE RESULTS FROM THESE PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO SAY YEAH, LET'S GIVE SOME MORE OF OUR CITIZENS' TAX DOLLARS TO THAT. AND SO I HOPE WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO THAT.
THANKS, CHAIR. >> WE'RE PICKING UP WHAT YOU'RE LAYING DOWN.
THERE IT IS. >> PELÁEZ: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, THERE SHE IS.
GO AHEAD, MA'AM. >> VIAGRAN: I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> PELÁEZ: OKAY. IN THAT CASE, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO -- OH, YES, I'M SO SORRY. I THOUGHT YOU HAD SPOKEN.
GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THIS. THE ZERO INTEREST PROGRAM ESPECIALLY I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT AND I'M JUST WONDERING IS THAT GOING TO BE FUNDED? I KNOW THAT WELLS FARGO WAS THE PARTNER THAT SAID TO BE FUNDED THAT, ONES OUT IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2025? >> YEAH, LIFT FUND IS WORKING TO -- FOR MATCHING FUNDING TO BRING TO THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS WE'D LIKE TO LEVERAGE SOME ARPA DOLLARS AS WELL. BUT THEY ARE WORKING TO BRING A PARTNER AND A
FUNDING PARTNER. >> HOW MANY IS WELL FARGO -- GO AHEAD.
[01:25:04]
>> THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE STILL UNDERWAY AT THIS MOMENT.
LAST YEAR OVER THE TWO YEAR PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 AND 25 IT WAS 500,000.
>> OKAY, I APPRECIATE IT. AND SO I KNOW WE WERE DISCUSSING ACCESS TO CAPITAL BACK ON THIS COMMITTEE IN THE SPRING OF 2022. AND SO I WAS ADVOCATING AT THAT TIME FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE OF COVID IMPACT GRANTS.
SO I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT EVOLUTION AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE FEEDBACK FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION THAT I ALSO HELPED CREATE IN 2019, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HELP WITH THAT.
AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK INTO, AND MY COLLEAGUES SAID, WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT PRIORITIZATION LEVELS BASED ON METRICS, ROI.
ARE WE ALREADY DOING THAT SO WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING SET FOR EVEN THE MIDYEAR BUDGET
REVIEW IN MAY? >> WE DO AS WE GET QUARTERLY REPORTS, WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT. QUITE HONESTLY, WE TRACK IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT FOR MIDYEAR. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
WE'RE GOING TO GET READY TO HAVE SOME STARK REALITIES. AND WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO INCREASE OR WE WANT TO CONTINUE, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRIORITIZE AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE BASED ON METRICS. SO I JUST WANT TO BE VERY FORTHRIGHT, RIGHT, IN THAT, YES, ALL OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT, BUT HOW ARE WE ENGAGING WITH THE OUTSIDE ENTITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE SHOULD THE CITY NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IN THE SAME LEVEL OF COMMITMENT.
THAT'S WHY I WAS SO SPECIFIC IN ASKING WHAT IS THE LIFT FUND DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WELLS FARGO IS AT THE TABLE OR OTHERS ARE AT THE TABLE. SO I WANTED TO HAVE THAT REALITY IN MIND, SO A PLAN B, PLAN C, IF YOU WILL. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THOSE ARE GOOD COMMENTS.
ALONG THE LINES OF GETTING MEASURABLE RESULTS, RIGHT. AND FIRST OF ALL, DECIDING WHAT RESULTS WE WANT TO EXACTLY WHAT THE MEASUREMENTS ARE, THAT IS THE TOPIC OF OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, RIGHT, ALEX? SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THAT ONE. CAITLIN, YOU'RE UP AGAIN, RIGHT?
>> HELLO AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION WITH THE GOAL OF IDENTIFYING A VENDOR TO CONDUCT AN IMPACT STUDY. THE IMPACT STUDY WOULD BE AN UPDATE TO THE 2020 SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM STUDY WHICH YOU HAVE EAST AUSTIN MANY TIMES AS IT'S BEEN A VERY INFORMATIVE TOOL TO DETERMINE PRIORITIES AND INVESTMENTS FOR SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS SINCE ITS RELEASE.
THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY NEXT STREET AND COMMON FUTURE, AND IT IDENTIFIED AN $8.3 BILLION ANNUAL GAP IN ACCESS TO CAPITAL, DISPROPORTION GNATSLY CONNECTING THE SOUTH AND EAST SIDES. SO THE STUDY ALSO IDENTIFIED SOLUTIONS, PART OF THAT, MORE LENDING DOLLARS AND ACCESS TO FLEXIBLE CAPITAL, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES AND ACCESS AND NETWORKING. SO A COORDINATED ECOSYSTEM ESSENTIALLY. ALSO THE 2022 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK CAME SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND IT FOUND THAT PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT BY SMALL BUSINESSES IS 10% LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND IDENTIFIED EDD AS A CONVENER AND PLAYING A FUNCTION TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS OF THE VARIOUS ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS. THE CITY HAS INVESTED $42 MILLION SINCE 2022 IN SMALL BUSINESSES. THIS IS INCLUDED JUST AS A FEW HIGHLIGHTS, INCREASE INVESTMENT IN THE ZERO INTEREST RATE PROGRAM. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE TODAY. ALSO THE ARPA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, INCREASE INVESTMENT IN LAUNCH SA, THAT'S $1.7 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, AND THAT REPRESENTS THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING EACH YEAR TO THAT PROGRAM SO THERE'S MORE STAFF, MORE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THROUGH LAUNCH SA AND THEY'RE ALSO PLAYING THE ROLE OF A CONNECTOR OF THE ECOSYSTEM. AND ALSO THE LAUNCH SA LINK ECOSYSTEM MAPPING TOOL. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF LIVES AS A RESEARCH TOOL UNDER LAUNCH SA AND IT IS A HUB TO CONNECT THE DIFFERENT ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS. THE REPORT WILL ASSESS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ECOSYSTEM. IT'S ALSO GOING TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF INVESTMENTS MADE IN SMALL BUSINESSES. ACROSS THE ECOSYSTEM SINCE 2020. SO NOT JUST THE INVESTMENTS OF THE CITY, BUT OTHER MAJOR
[01:30:03]
INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S GOING TO ASSESS CURRENT BARRIERS AND GAPS AND THEN PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS.ALL OF THE FINDINGS OF THE REPORT WILL BE SUPPORTED BY QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH AND DATA. THE CONTRACT WILL BE NO LONGER THAN ONE YEAR OR PROJECT COMPLETION, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. THE BUDGET FOR THIS IS $100,000, WHICH IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE EDD GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND THEN LOOKING AT TIMELINE HERE, WE DID SHARE THIS INFORMATION LAST MONTH OR EARLIER THIS MONTH ACTUALLY WITH SBAC AND THEY PROVIDED SOME HELPFUL FEEDBACK FOR US.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN SBAC REPRESENTATIVE ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE FOR THIS RFP. AND THEN WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU ALL TODAY AND PLANNING TO DISTRIBUTE IN RFP IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. CONTRACT APPROVAL IN MAY, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A FINAL REPORT BY DECEMBER, POTENTIALLY A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT AS WE DID SOME RESEARCH AND TALKED WITH SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPECIALIZE IN THESE KIND OF REPORTS DUE TO BOTH THE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE NATURE OF THE REPORT, THEY EXPECT APPROXIMATELY A SIX-MONTH TIMELINE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. IT'S A SHORT ONE.
>> PELÁEZ: GREAT. BECAUSE I SAW THAT ROD MCSHERRI OVER AT UTSA IS ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE DOES THAT MEAN THAT UTSA WOULD BE OUT FROM THE RUNNING OR WOULD THAT -- HOW WOULD IT WORK IF WE HAD ONE OF THEIR ECONOMISTS COME AND
DO THE STUDY? >> POTENTIALLY ANOTHER SCHOOL OF UTSA COULD BE A PART OF IT. HIS DEPARTMENT -- THEY HAVE LIKE A RESEARCH DIVISION THAT SPECIALIZES IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A LINE OF SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO. BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT --
>> PELÁEZ: I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ROD KNOWS THAT SHE'S -- I DON'T WANT HIM SURPRISED LATER IF HIS SERVICE SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, VOIDS THEIR ABILITY TO
PARTICIPATE IN AN RFP. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
>> PELÁEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, DO YOU
HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT, BUT JUST SO THAT I'M CLEAR ON WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE DOING, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW WE'VE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND WHETHER IT'S WORKING OR NOT?
IS THAT IT? >> WELL, COMPREHENSIVELY IT WILL BE WHERE DO WE STAND AS A COMMUNITY WITH THE GAP IN ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND SOME OF THE FINDINGS OF THE PREVIOUS STUDY. SO FIVE YEARS LATER WITH WHERE WE ARE NOW IN THE INVESTMENTS ALONG THE WAY, WHERE DO WE STAND IN THAT GAP.
THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE PRIORITIES. >> AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I'LL ADD THAT A LOT OF OUR RESPONSES TO YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING, WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING WITH THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, A LOT OF THESE METRICS TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE OUTPUT DRIVEN, HOW MANY DID WE SERVE OR THOSE TYPES OF MEASURES. THIS IS REALLY LOOKING ACROSS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, ACROSS OUR ECONOMY, LET'S SAY. HOW HAVE THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS, I MEAN, OVER$30 MILLION, OR WAS IT $40 MILLION, THAT WE'VE PUT INTO SMALL BUSINESSES OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WHAT DID IT CHANGE?
BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BENCHMARK. >> WHICH IS BETTER BECAUSE HOW MANY PEOPLE DID WE SERVE DOESN'T TELL US IF IT'S REALLY HELPING, RIGHT? AND SO I LIKE -- AGAIN, I LIKE THIS. I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S OKAY TO SOME EXTENT TO TRY THINGS. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW IF IT'S WORKING UNLESS YOU TRY IT, BUT WHAT'S NOT OKAY IS TO CONTINUE TO POUR MONEY INTO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WHEN WE HAVE THE DATA TO SHOW THEY'RE NOT WORKING.
SO ANYWAYS, VERY SUPPORTIVE. THANKS FOR DOING IT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU, CAITLIN FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK MY COLLEAGUE HIT THE POINTS THAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE, BUT CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MUCH THIS
STUDY IS GOING TO COST? >> THE BUDGET WE HAVE ALLOCATED FOR IS $100,000, NOT NECESSARILY THAT IT WOULD COST THAT MUCH. IT JUST WOULD -- THE PRICING
WILL BE A FACTOR IN THE SCORING FOR THE RFP. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I GUESS MY HESITANCY, RIGHT, IS THE IMPACT THAT THE $100,000 COULD HAVE ON FACADE GRANTS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR PROVIDING SMALL BUSINESSES TO THAT ACCESS TO CAPITAL. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT ACADEMICS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR RESEARCH, BUT ALSO LISTENING TO THE TRENDS THAT BDOS HAVE SHARED WITH US TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT THE GAPS ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING FOR SUCCESS I THINK HAS A LOT OF VALUE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO STUDY, BUT AT THE
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SAME TIME I THINK THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE FOLKS WHO WORK THE CLOSEST WITH SMALL BUSINESS ABOUT WHAT IS AND ISN'T WORKING AND I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'REVALUING THAT INPUT. >> I BELIEVE THE PLAN FOR THIS PURCHASE IS BOTH DATA AND -- QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE MEASURES AND THAT MAY ALSO BE WHAT TAKES MORE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ALSO SOME OF THAT DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT OVERALL ECONOMIC -- NOT
IMPACT, BUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY MOVED. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR
THAT, ALEX. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> AND THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP ONE OF THE BDOS FROM BIDDING ON THIS, FROM PUTTING TOGETHER A TEAM OF
RESEARCHERS. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA? >> GARCIA: SO THE STUDY WE HAD IN 2020, THIS WOULD NOT JUST BE A REPLICATION THEN OF THAT STUDY?
>> WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SIMILAR INFORMATION, BUT WHAT THAT DID NOT HAVE IS THE IMPACT OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT WILL MAKE IT DIFFERENT.
>> GARCIA: OKAY. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN VOICED.
SO IF IT'S 100,000 AND IF IT'S JUST BEING REPLICATED AND ADDED WITH A LITTLE BIT
OF QUALITATIVE -- WHAT WAS THE 2020 COST? >> THAT I DO NOT KNOW.
ALEX, GO AHEAD. >> WE DIDN'T PAY FOR IT. >> GARCIA: OKAY, THEN DO
FOR THE SAME PRICE. >> JP MORGAN CHASE FUNDED IT.
I WAS LOOKING FOR LELA IN THE AUDIENCE BUT I DON'T THINK SHE'S STILL HERE.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET JPM BEGAN CHASE FOR PAY FOR IT. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
IS THERE ALSO A WAY TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON RESTAURANTS? LIKE WE HEAR SO MANY RESTAURANTS CLOSING, I JUST HAD ONE THAT WAS STRUGGLING IN MY AREA.
BY THE WAY, SHOUT-OUT TO ONE OF THE RESTAURANTS IN MY AREA, BUD JONES, CALLED FOR HELP, RIGHT, AND THE COMMUNITY RESPONDED, BUT ALSO THERE ARE OTHER SMALL BUSINESS, OTHER SOUTHSIDE BUSINESS STEPPED UP, AND THEY OFFERED A DISCOUNT FOR ANYBODY WHO WENT TO GO EAT AT BUD JOES AND I THOUGHT THAT'S AWESOME THAT IT HAPPENED ON THE SOUTHSIDE. SO NEIGHBORS HELPING ONE ANOTHER AND I WAS SO PROUD OF THAT. BUT I'M JUST WONDERING AGAIN, I KEEP SEEING THE RESTAURANTS, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I EAT A LOT. OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHY I WAS LATE, COUNCILMAN, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE COULD BE A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON
RESTAURANTS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER, SO WITH THE INTENT OF THIS ONE IS REALLY TO LOOK AT THAT LARGER ECOSYSTEM. HOWEVER WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF RESTAURANTS AND HOSPITALITY PLAYS. SO ACTUALLY LOOKING INTERNAL RESOURCES WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOME OF THAT ANALYSIS SPECIFIC TO RESTAURANTS.
WE'RE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN AT THAT GRANULAR LEVEL AND WORKING WITH THE TEAM AT WORLD HERITAGE TO PREPARE A REPORT THAT COULD BE SHARED ON THE STATUS OF RESTAURANTS
AND LOOKING AT COMPARATIVE DATA. >> GARCIA: GOT T THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT, ANA. WOULD WE ALSO BE ABLE TO DO WITH THE STUDY ONE ON NON-PROFIT AGENCIES AND THE ONES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DOING -- HANDLING SOME OF THESE SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS? IT'S LIKE BDOSS BUT THERE
ARE OTHERS. >> WE ARE WORKING ON THAT ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT GROUPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEY WILL BE A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS PROCESS.
>> GARCIA: AND WE WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE INVOLVED, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE'RE RELYING ON OVER AND OVER AS WORKING ON FEEDBACK. I KNOW SBAC IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT OUR EXPERTS THAT WE'RE CALLING IN, IT'S NOT THE SAME TEAM OF PEOPLE, CORRECT?
>> YEAH, WE CAN EXPAND THOSE NETWORKS. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL.
AND ALSO IS THIS ITEM GOING TO GO TO A B SESSION BEFORE THE RFP IS RELEASED OR IS IT
JUST HERE? >> IT'S JUST HERE. IT'S NOT CLASSIFIED AS A HIGH PROFILE ITEM. WE JUST WANTED TO RUN THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE FIRST TO MAKE SURE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING IN THE SCOPE THAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE BEFORE WE
RELEASE IT. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> PELÁEZ: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? >> VIAGRAN: YES, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER COMING FROM A CONFERENCE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOOD LETTERS, ENERGY AND WATER, AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IN ■THE NEWSREGARDING TRENDS, MEDICINE, MICROPLASTICS, THINGS LIKE THIS, ARE GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN TO WHAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DO, ESPECIALLY OUR RESTAURANTS AND OTHERS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET AHEAD AND WORK WITH OTHERS ON THAT TREND AND BRING IN [INDISCERNIBLE] FROM THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ON THAT ALSO AS WE LOOK AT THIS -- AS WE LOOK AT KIND OF MAPPING OUT
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OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. SO THANK YOU.I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE.
>> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EXCELLENT WORK.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS. IS THIS AN ACTION ITEM YOU NEED US TO VOTE ON? OKAY. THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF ANOTHER MEETING. THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATIN
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.