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>> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 2:01 P.M.
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2025, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BUDGET WORK SESSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL
>> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. THE MEETING IS TO HEAR ABOUT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION AND ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ERIK, OVER TO YOU. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE'LL START OFF WITH RENE FREE DA, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR AND THEN WE'LL TRANSITION TO ALFRED MARTINEZ, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET OFFICE WHO WILL COVER THE BALANCE OF THE PRESENTATION. RENE?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M RENE FREDA AND I'M THE CITY'S DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IS DHARNLGED WITH ATTRACTING, -- CHARGED WITH ATTRACTING, DEVELOPING, RETAINING OUR DIVERSE AND SKILLED WORKFORCE.
OVERSEEING THESE INITIATIVES OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR CRYSTAL STRONG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR NATALIE BULLOCK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IRMA MEDORES AND ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR CHRISTINA HERNANDEZ.
HERE'S A LOOK AT THE BUDGETED RESOURCES THAT WE USE TO SUPPORT OUR COSA FAMILY. OF THE $252 MILLION DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, THE VAST MAJORITY, 94%, OR 237 MILLION, IS IN THE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT'S FUND, WHICH IS USED TO PAY CLAIMS FOR OURSELF-FUNDED MEDICAL PLANS FOR THE CITY AND LGC STAFF. THE REMAINING 6% OF OUR BUDGET IS FOR DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS. THAT 6%, OR 15.9 MILLION, IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE VARYING DIVISIONS OF HR, WITH 30% GOING TOWARDS PERSONNEL SERVICES AND 35% COVERING DEPARTMENTAL ASSESSMENTS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, UNEMPLOYMENT, I.T. AND REAL ESTATE. WHETHER WE'RE BUILDING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, ENCOURAGING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, REDUCING WASTE OR EDUCATING OUR YOUTH, OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING ON OUR MISSION OF PROVIDING QUALITY CITY SERVICES. OUR COSA WORKFORCE INCLUDES 13,723 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS, OF WHICH ABOUT 4700 ARE UNIFORMED AND ABOUT 8900 ARE CIVILIAN. OF THOSE CIVILIAN POSITIONS, ABOUT 8500 ARE FULL-TIME, WITH ABOUT 400 BEING PART-TIME. THE FY '26 BUDGET CONTINUES TO FUND THE BROAD RANGE OF BENEFITS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
WHEN SOMEONE JOINS THE COSA FAMILY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THEM THROUGH THEIR CAREER AND INTO RETIREMENT BY OFFERING THEM DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND GED PREP, WE HOPE TO CONTINUOUSLY GROW THEM, ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE A LARGER CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND EARN A LARGER PAYCHECK TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY. WE'RE ALSO HELPING -- COMMITTED TO HELPING EMPLOYEES IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH THROUGH OUR HEALTH BENEFITS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT YOU SEE HERE. OUR GENEROUS LEAVE PACKAGE THAT INCLUDE 13 HOLIDAYS, ANNUAL LEAVE, COSA LEAVE, ALLOWS A BALANCE.
NEW EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE 27 PAID DAYS OFF IN THEIR FIRST YEAR ALONE. AND FINALLY OUR RETIREMENT BENEFITS THAT INCLUDE A PENSION THROUGH TMRS WITH A TWO TO ONE MATCH AND RETIREE HEALTHCARE ALLOW US TO ENSURE THAT IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE, OUR EMPLOYEES CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A COMFORTABLE RETIREMENT. EACH OF OUR BENEFITS EXIST FOR THE BENEFIT OF EMPLOYEES, TO HELP THEM IMMEMEET THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS, TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND NAVIGATE THROUGH THE MANY OBSTACLES THAT WE EACH ENCOUNTER IN LIFE.
WHETHER IT'S UTILIZING TUITION REIMBURSEMENT TO SECURE THEIR DREAM JOB, TAKING PARENTAL LEAVE WHEN GROWING THEIR FAMILY OR UTILIZING A VIA BUS PASS TO GET TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK.
CONNECTING EMPLOYEES TO THEIR BENEFITS CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES. PICTURED HERE, BRITTANY BARNS IN AN CAL CARE SERVICES, SHE BEGAN WORKING WITH THE CITY IN 2017.
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SINCE THAT TIME, BRITTANY'S BEEN PROMOTED MULTIPLE TIMES SERVING AS A LEAD ANIMAL CARE OFFICER AND A LEAD LIVE RELEASE COORDINATOR.SHE UTILIZED OUR TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND OUR STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS AND WE'RE PROUD OF BRITTANY FOR COMPLETING HER MASTER'S FROM UCHT IW IN 2020. BRITTANY WAS ALSO ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SHORT-TERM LEAVE PROGRAMS WHEN SHE STARTED HER FAMILY AND HAD HER FIRST CHILD NATHANIEL IN 2023. WE'RE EQUALLY PROUD OF ROGELIO SAN MIGUEL PICTURED ON THE RIGHT. HE STARTED OFF IN AN APPRENTICE PROGRAM IN 2021. OUR APPRENTICE PROGRAM IN SOLID WASTE AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES ALLOW PEOPLE WHO, WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED TO COME IN OR GAIN EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE FOR PROMOTED POSITIONS. HE JOINED SOLID WASTE AND WAS ABLE TO SECURE HIS CDL AND SINCE THAT TIME HAS RECEIVED TWO PROMOTIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. ON TOP OF THAT, HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ST. CITY'S GEAR UP WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR DRIVERS AND WAS ABLE TO LOSE OVER 100 POUNDS, COME OFF BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINE AND OBTAIN A ONE YEAR DOT MED CERT REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN HIS CDL POSITION. ENSURING THAT WE HAVE FAIR AND COMPETITIVE PAY IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE. OUR EMPLOYEE PAY IS PRIMARILY STRUCTURED ACROSS TWO PAY PLANS. PAY PLAN A INCLUDES EMPLOYEES IN THE CLERICAL, PARAPROFESSIONAL, MAINTENANCE, SKILLED CRAFT AND TECHNICIAN EVMEEO CATEGORIES. PAY PLAN A EMPLOYEES MOVE THROUGH THEIR RANGE BASED ON TIME IN THEIR POSITION.
PAY PLAN B PRIMARILY ININCLUDES EMPLOYEES IN THE PROFESSIONAL AND MANAGERIAL. NAY MOVE THROUGH THEIR RANGE BASED ON THEIR JOB EXPERIENCE. IN FY '23 WE PERFORMED A MARKET STUDY ON ALL OF OUR OVER 900 JOB TITLES. THIS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT PAY RANGE MOVEMENT, BASED ON OUR BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS AT THE TIME, WHEN THE PAY RANGES SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT, EMPLOYEES WITH VARYING TENURE AND EXPERIENCE ALL FOUND THEMSELVES RELATIVELY LOW IN THE RANGE.
IN FY '24 AND FY '25, THE CITY INVESTED MORE THAN $13 MILLION TO MAKE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS, TO HAVE PEOPLE SLATED WITHIN THEIR RANGE BASED ON THEIR APPROPRIATE TENURE OR EXPERIENCE. THE INITIAL GOAL WAS TO CONTINUE COMPRESSION AND HAVE EMPLOYEES IN PAY PLAN A OBTAIN THE RANGE MAXIMUM AFTER 10 YEARS IN A POSITION AND THOSE IN PAY PLAN B TO OBTAIN THE RANGE MIDPOINT AFTER GAINING 10 YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ASKING OUR EMPLOYEES THEIR OPINION AND USING IT TO DRIVE OUR DECISION-MAKING. WE HEAR FROM THEM IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, TO INCLUDE CONVERSATIONS WITH EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION LIKE ASK ME, WITH OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THROUGH HR LISTENING SESSIONS, WHERE I MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH SMALL GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES FROM ACROSS THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND THROUGH OUR BIANNUAL EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I HEARD THIS YEAR: EMPLOYEES SHARED THAT THEY WANTED US TO CONTINUE OFFERING WAGE GROWTH THAT RECOGNIZES TENURE AND EXPERIENCE. THEY ALSO SHARED THAT BASED ON THE MESSAGE DELIVERED LAST FISCAL YEAR BY CITY MANAGER E ERIK WALSH, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT AN INCREASE IN HEALTH CLAIMS COST IS NECESSITATING AN INCREASED TO PREMIUMS; HOWEVER, THEY ASKED THAT WE ATTEMPT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PREMIUM INCREASES NOT NEGATE ANY WAGE INCREASE THAT IS APPROVED. AND FINALLY, OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE STRESSED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY TO THEM WAS RETAINING CITY JOBS AND AVOIDING LAYOFFS.
THE FY '26 BUDGET INCLUDES 50 MILLION EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION INCREASES. THIS 50 MILLION INCREASE TO EMPLOYEE BASE WAGES INCLUDES THE PROPOSED 2% INCREASE TO CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH THE 8% INCREASE TO FIRE EMPLOYEES THAT BECOMES EFFECTIVE 10 SLA 10/1 AND THE 4% THAT BECOMES EFFECTIVE APRIL 1ST OF 2026 FOR OUR SAPD OFFICERS. AT THE END OF OUR LAST COMPLETE FISCAL YEAR, THE AVERAGE BASE COMPENSATION FOR OUR FULL-TIME CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WAS $63,097. THE AVERAGE BASE COMPENSATION FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS WAS $72,936, AND THE AVERAGE COMPENSATION FOR OUR
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POLICE OFFICERS WAS $81,696. BUT BASE COMPENSATION IS NOT A COMPLETE REPRESENTATION OF THE PAY THAT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE.ON TOP OF THEIR BASE SALARY EMPLOYEES MAY RECEIVE OVERTIME, LEAVE BUY BACK OR ALLOWANCES SUCH AS A UNIFORM ALLOWANCE OR SKILL PAY.
THE AVERAGE CASH COMPENSATION FOR A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS $66,887. WHEN YOU FACTOR THE VALUE OF THEIR BENEFITS, THE AVERAGE OVERALL TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE JUMPS TO $91,084. THAT NUMBER IS 164,867 FOR UNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS AND $168,381 FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
IN FACT, FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN COMPENSATION FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, THE CITY SPENDS AN ADDITIONAL 39 CREPTS ON BENEFIT -- CENTS ON BENEFITS.
FOR EVERY DOLLAR AND COMPENSATION WE SPEND ON UNIFORMED EMPLOYEES THE CITY SPENDS AN ADDITIONAL 62 CENTS ON BENEFITS. WHILE THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FOR ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OUT OF A -- AT A COST OF ABOUT 13 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS, I HEARD FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF YOU ASKING FOR CONSIDERATION FOR A 3% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE. THAT OPTION IS REPRESENTED HERE, A 3% ACROSS THE BOARD RESULTS IN AN INCREASE TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN COMPENSATION OF ABOUT 2.9 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND AND 6.3 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS. I ALSO HEARD THERE MAY BE A DESIRE TO SEEK A COMPENSATION ALTERNATIVE THAT PROVIDED A HIGHER PERCENTAGE INCREASE TO OUR LOWER WAGE EARNERS. AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT DISTANCE BETWEEN EMPLOYEES THAT WE BEGAN TO DEVELOP THROUGH OUR COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS AND THAT $13 MILLION THAT WE SPENT OVER THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS.
THE ALTERNATIVE PRESENTED HERE WAS BORN OUT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH ASK ME, MONDO AND CAROL AND CHRISTY AND OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
IT PROVIDES A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD, AS MENTIONED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AS WELL AS A 7.50 INCREASE TO BASE. THIS RESULTS IN AN INCREASE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND COMPENSATION OF 3.37 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND AND 7.48 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS.
UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, BECAUSE EVERY ONE MOVES EQUIDISTANCE, WE MAINTAIN THAT DISTANCE WE CREATED IN OUR INITIAL COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS, OUR LOWEST WAGE EARNERS WOULD EARN A 4% BASE WAGE INCREASE.
SO, AGAIN, THAT RESULTS IN 4% INCREASE FOR THOSE AT ENTRY WAGE, ANYBODY EARNING $75,000 OR LESS WOULD SEE A 3% OR GREATER INCREASE.
THOSE EARNING OVER 75,000 WOULD RECEIVE LESS THAN A 3%, BUT IN NO CASE WOULD ANYONE RECEIVE LESS THAN A 2.21% INCREASE. SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, 80% OF OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE WOULD ENJOY AN INCREASE ABOVE 3%.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER REPRESENTATION OF WHAT I'VE SHARED HERE.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE FAR LEFT-HAND SIDE, THOSE AT ENTRY WAGE WOULD RECEIVE A 4% INCREASE. AND THAT 770 BASE INCREASE WOULD RESULT IN -- 750 BASE INCREASE WOULD RESULT IN A FOUR% ABOVE WHAT WAS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. . SO TO SUMMARIZE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET CONTAINED A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD AT A COST OF 13 MILLION, ACROSS ALL FUNDS. THE THREE% AC ACROSS THE BOARD PRESENTED TODAY COMES AT A COST OF 19 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS, AN INCREASE OF 6.31 MILLION. AND THE THIRD ALTERNATIVE, A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD WITH A 750 BASE SALARY INCREASE IS AT A COST OF 20.57, AN INCREASE OF 7.48 MILLION OVER WHAT IS CONTAINED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SWITCHING GEARS TO HEALTHCARE FOR A MOMENT, AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE TAKE PRIDE IN OFFERING BENEFIT PLANS THAT MEET OUR EMPLOYEES VARYING HEALTHCARE NEEDS. ALL EMPLOYEES HAVE THE OPTION TO CHOOSE BETWEEN OUR HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE LOWER COST CONSUMER CHOICE PLAN OR OUR NEW
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VALUE PPO PLAN. CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES CAN ALSO SELECT A THIRD OPTION, THE BLUE ESSENTIALS HMO PLAN. OURSELF-INSURED MEDICAL PLANS ARE AD I MINISTERED BY BLUECROSS/BLUESHIELD, OUR EMPLOYEES PAY PREMIUM FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS UNDER ALL THREE PLANS.THEY CAN INSURE THEIR DEPENDENTS FOR AGREE UNDER CONSUMER CHOICE OR ELECT TO PAY PREMIUMS FOR DEPENDENTS UNDER THE NEW VALUE PLAN FOR UNIFORMED OFFICERS. A 10% TO UNIFORMED PREMIUMS CONSISTENT WITH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. IN SPEAKING WITH EMPLOYEES, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION SURROUNDING THE IMPACT OF A 2% INCREASE TO PAY, COUPLED WITH A 5% INCREASE TO PREMIUMS. WITH THE 2 PE 2% ACROSS THE BOARD, THE SMALLEST PAY INCREASE ANNUALLY WOULD BE SEVEN STRAIGHT DOLLARS. THAT NUMBER GROWS -- $748. THE HIGHEST ANNUAL PREMIUM INCREASE IS $384, IMPACTING 80 EMPLOYEES. AS YOU CAN SEE, NO EMPLOYEE'S UPSIDE DOWN AS THEIR PAY INCREASE EXCEEDS THE PROPOSED INCREASE TO PREMIUMS. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE, YOU SEE THE PROPOSED PREMIUMS AND THE MONTHLY INCREASE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MONTHLY INCREASE RANGES FROM 86 CENTS A MONTH FOR EMPLOYEE ONLY IN THE CONSUMER CHOICE PLAN, TO $31.97 A MONTH FOR A FAMILY IN NEW VALUE. 58% OF OUR EMPLOYEES WOULD SEE A MONTHLY PREMIUM INCREASE OF LESS THAN $5.93% WOULD SEE A PREMIUM INCREASE OF LESS THAN $15. ALL EMPLOYEES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SWITCH BETWEEN PLANS DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT THAT BEGINS ON OCTOBER 6TH, AND AS A DEPARTMENT, HR'S PREPARED TO WORK WITH EMPLOYEES TO IDENTIFY IF THERE ARE LESS EXPENSIVE OPTIONS THAT MAY MEET THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. WE'RE VERY EXCITED, WE'VE RECENTLY LAUNCHED BENEFIT FOCUS THROUGH SAP, WHERE EMPLOYEES, DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT, WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO CHOOSE A GUIDED SELECTION PROCESS. UNDER THAT GUIDED SELECTION PROCESS, IT WILL PULL IN THEIR ANNUAL SALARY, THEIR CLAIMS COST OVER THAT YEAR AND THEIR PREMIUMS, AND IT WILL PROVIDE THE OPTIONS TO SHOW THEM WHETHER THEY COULD HAVE GOT EQUIVALENT COVERAGE FOR THEIR NEEDS IN A LESSER EXPENSIVE PLAN. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE OFFERING THAT THIS YEAR SO THAT IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO IS OVERPAYING FOR INSURANCE, THEY CAN GET A CLEAR PICTURE OF THAT THROUGH BENEFIT FOCUS. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FREDDY MARTINEZ
FOR THE PRESENTATION ON ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS. >> THANK YOU, RENE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME'S FREDDY MARTINEZ, I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. IT'S MY PLEASURE TODAY TO PRESENT ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, COVER DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVEN'T COVERED THUS FAR IN THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS WE'VE HAD TO DATE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE ASSISTED WITH THIS PRESENTATION. THEY'RE ALSO ALL AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION. SO THIS IS THE "YOU ARE HERE" SLIDE.
NOW THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM RENE IN EMPLOYEE COMPENSATIONS AND BENEFITS, WE'VE COVERED 96.1 OF THE $4 BILLION PROPOSED BUDGET THROUGH THE FIRST, I GUESS, NINE AND A HALF WORK SESSIONS THUS FAR.
FOR TODAY, I'LL FOCUS ON THE REMAINING 157.4 MILLION, HOWEVER KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS AS THOSE FUNDS ARE SUPPORTED BY ALL OTHER CITY FUNDS. THE 157 IS REPRESENTATIVE OF EXCLUDING THOSE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS. THIS IS COMPRISED OF 21 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES THAT PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICES, OPERATING SUPPORT AND INTERNAL SERVICES TO THE CITY.
SO HERE'S A LIST OF ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS. SO WE HAVE DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS, THE FIRST ONE, COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDES 3-1-1 CUSTOMER SERVICE, CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THE NEW OFFICE OF RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY, THE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE AND THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE.
AND I WON'T RATTLE OFF ALL THE OTHER ONES, BUT WE HAVE OPERATING SUPPORT SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, COMMUNICATIONS
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ENGAGEMENT, THE MILITARY AND VETERAN'S AFFAIR. THEN ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE INTERNAL SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, BUDGET, FINANCE AND INNOVATION, JUST TO NAME A COUPLE. NEXT I'LL GO INTO EACH DEPARTMENT IN GREATER DETAIL. FIRST I'LL START OFF WITH 3-1-1 CUSTOMER SERVICE. 3-1-1 CONNECTS RESIDENTS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE READY TO ASSIST WITH SERVICE REQUESTS SUCH AS FIXING POTHOLES, STRAY ANIMALS, TRAFFIC ISSUES, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND MANY OTHER CITY REQUESTS. THEIR FY '26 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 5.2 MILLION. THERE IS ONE RIGHT SIZING OF A LITTLE OVER 59,000 THAT RIGHT SIZES THE TEMPORARY SALARY'S BUDGET WITHIN THE 3-1-1 DEPARTMENT HOWEVER THERE IS NO IMPACT TO SERVICES. THIS IS RIGHT SIZES BASED ON HISTORICAL SPENDING.ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT-HAND CORNER YOU'LL SEE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BUT FOR 3-1-1, I WANT TO CALL OUT BETWEEN THE FIRST TWO, THAT THEY'RE ANTICIPATING TO ANSWER OR RECEIVE OVER 1 MILLION CALLS FOR FY '25 AND FY '26. ABOUT A QUARTER OF THOSE CALLS ARE BEING HANDLED BY THE VIRTUAL AGENT, WITH A 96% ANSWER RATE, 3-1-1 ESTIMATES AN AVERAGE WAIT TIME OF APPROXIMATELY 25 SECONDS FOR FY '25 AND TO MAINTAIN THAT IN FY '26. NEXT UP IS CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS, OR KRSM CDO AS WE CALL THEM. THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF LA VILLITA, MARKET SQUARE, THE CITY'S PARKING GARAGES AND LOTS, RIVERWALK OPERATIONS, SPECIAL EVENT COORDINATING AND THE LEASING OF CITY FACILITIES AND BOTH THE COST AND FOR LEASES WHERE WE RECEIVE REVENUE FROM TENANTS.
THEIR BUDGET THIS YEAR IS ABOUT 33.6 MILLION WHICH SUPPORTS 156 POSITIONS.
WITHIN THE RESTRICTED FUNDS AT 16.1, 9.4 IS FOR THE PARKING FUND, 2.6 FOR MARKET SQUARE, 2.7 IN THE RIVERWALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, AND 1.3 MILLION FOR THE CITY TOWER AND GARAGE FUND. YOU ALSO NOTE THERE THAT THAT'S 4.4 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS LINED UP FOR FY '26 AND THOSE INCLUDE A $2 MILLION REPAIR AT RIVERWALK GATE 3, ALSO 1.4 MILLION FOR RIVERWALK SIDEWALK RENOVATIONS, 800,000 TO CONTINUE STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE HOUSTON STREET GARAGE AND FINALLY 230,000 FOR RIVERWALK STAIR CASE RENOVATION. NEXT IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION. THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROTECTS AND CELEBRATES THE CITY'S HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, ARCHITECT KEURL AND CONTARCHITECT LOGICAL RESOURCES. THEIR BUDGET FOR FY '26 AS PROPOSED TOTALS 3.5 MILLION, WHICH WOULD FUND 22 POSITIONS.
WE DO HAVE A PROPOSED REDUCTION OF ABOUT 179,000, WHICH PROPOSES TO ELIMINATE TWO VACANT POSITIONS, AS WELL AS SOME RIGHT SIZING OF SOME CONTRACTS AND COMMODITIES. NEXT IS THE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE. THEY WERE ESTABLISHED IN FY '24 AND IT INCLUDES NINE POSITIONS AND A BUDGET OF 1.55 MILLION. THE OFFICE WORKS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS SYSTEMATIC FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND THAT ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, MAJOR PROGRAMS INCLUDED FOR '26 INCLUDE THE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PLAN, DOWNTOWN CAMERA PROJECTS AND THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM. AND YOU CAN SEE FOR '26, THE OFFICE IS TARGETING TO COMPLETE 50 GOOD NEIGHBOR ASSESSMENTS WITH 25 OF THOSE PROPERTIES ABATED. NEXT UP IS THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE FY '26 PROPOSED BUDGET CONSOLIDATES THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THE CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICE INTO ONE OFFICE. TO BETTER ALIGN THE WORK CURRENTLY BEING COMPLETED BY THE TWO OFFICES. SOME OF THEIR FY '26 GOALS WOULD BE TO ADVANCE MUNICIPAL SOLAR, RETROFITS, EVS AND RESILIENCE HUBS.
ALSO TO DELIVER AND UPDATE THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN AND TO START THE IMPLEMENTATION DASHBOARD IN FY '26. THEIR $16.2 MILLION INCLUDES 3.2 FROM THE RESILIENCY EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY FUND, 3.2 MILLION FROM THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND AS WELL AS 9.1 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE 9-1-1 MILLION IN CAPITAL 9.1 MILLION-WILL BE INSTALLING ROOFS AND SOLAR PANELS ACROSS 42 MUNICIPAL SITES.
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. OUR LAST COMMUNITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE. THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE PROGRAMS INCLUDE MANAGING THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTER, AS WELL AS THE MISSION MARQUEE SPANISH AND THE SPANISH GOVERNOR'S PALACE.THEIR 3.2 MILLION BUDGET FUNDS 14 POSITIONS AS WELL ASPIRATING COSTS FOR THE NEW WORLD HERITAGE CENTER THAT OPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, HIGHLIGHTED THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, THEY ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY 50,000 ATTENDEES AT THE MISSION MARQUEE FOR THE OUTDOOR FAMILY FILM SERIES, FARMER'S MARKETS AND OTHER FAMILY EVENTS.
NOW I'LL MOVE ON TO SOME OF OUR OPERATING SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS.
FIRST IS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THEIR WORK INCLUDES REPRESENTING THE CITY IN ALL LEGAL MATTERS AND PREPARING DOCUMENTS, CONTRACTS AND LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CITY.
THEIR FY '26 BUDGET TOTALS 22.0 MILLION AND IT FUNDS 93 POSITIONS.
THERE IS A RIGHT SIZING REDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 289,000 BASED ON SOME HISTORICAL SPENDING PATTERNS AS WE LOOKED AT THEIR BUDGET.
AND THEN UNDER PERFORMANCE MEASURES, YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF DARK PROPERTIES REVIEWED AND THE PERCENT CLOSED WILL STAY CONSISTENT TO THE CURRENT YEAR. NEXT IS THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PERFORMING FINANCIAL PHYSICAL COMPLIANCE AND OTHER AUDITS AS CORRECTED BY THE S CITY COUNT.
80% OF THEIR AUDITS THAT HOLD PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS ARE RELATED OR ADVANCED DEGREES. EACH YEAR THE CITY AUDITOR PREPARES AN ANNUAL PLAN THAT IDENTIFIED AUDITS FOR THE UPCOMING PHYSICAL YEAR AND THEY PROVIDE TRAINING TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD. WITH A PROPOSED BUDGET OF 3.5 MILLION, THE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO ISSUE 34 AUDIT REPORTS IN FY '26. NEXT IS OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, THE CITY CLERK FACILITATES CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, MANAGES MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS, REGISTERS AND ISSUES BIRTH AND DEATH CERTIFICATES, OVERSEES MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND OPERATES THE U.S. PASSPORT OFFICE AS LOCATED IN CITY TOWER.
THEIR TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET IS 9.2 MILLION. THIS INCLUDES 1.4 MILLION IN FUNDING TO FUND A POTENTIAL BOND ELECTION IN FY '26, AND THEN ALSO JUST A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS ON THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, THERE IS A MANDATE FOR ABOUT 135,000 WHICH ADDS ONE POSITION AND OPERATING COST FOR THE NEW MUNICIPAL ARTS MUSEUM THAT'S SLATED TO OPEN IN THE FALL.
WE ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET ARE A CUM OF NEW REVENUES. THE FIRST IS TO ESTABLISH A VERIFICATION OF BIRTH AND DEATH FEE. THE BIRTH RECORD FEE WOULD BE 22.
AND THE DEATH RECORD FEE WOULD BE $20 AND ALSO TO ESTABLISH A 10-DOLLAR PER RECORD SEARCH FEE. NEXT IS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE LED BY THE CITY MANAGER, OF COURSE, WHO OVERSEES THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE CITY AS WELL AS THE OVER 13,700 EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY.
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR FY '26 HAS A $4.3 MILLION BUDGET WHICH SUPPORTS 15 POSITIONS. COMMUNE DAITIONS AND ENGAGEMENT ARE C & E.
C & E INCLUDES THE COMMUNICATION TEAMS THAT HANDLES ALL MEDIA, MARKETING AND MESSAGING FOR THE CITY. THEIR CREATIVE SERVICES TEAMGEMENT AND DESIGNED FOR THE CITY'S CREATIVE ASSETS.
C & E ALSO COMPLETES REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ON THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT AND PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION AND LIVE PROD CASTS SUCH AS CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. C & E, THEIR FY DWIKS PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 10.2 MILLION WHICH INCLUDES FUNDING IN THE GENERAL FUND AND PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND WHICH PROVIDES CAPITAL RESOURCES FOR THE CITY'S PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNELS. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES ONE REDUCTION OF ABOUT 43,000 OF THE RIGHT SIZING OF THEIR CONTRACTS AND COMMODITIES BASED ON '24 SPENDING PATTERNS. YOU'LL SEE THERE ON THE RIGHT IN THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT C & E PROCESSES OVER 30,000 OPEN RECORDS REPORT ANNUALLY, AS WELL AS HOSTING OVER 100 COMMUNITY EVENTS EACH YEAR AMONG OTHER THINGS. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, DEVELOPING THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY THAT'S APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, AND PROVIDING GRANT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CITY DEPARTMENTS. FOR FY '26 THEIR BUDGET TOTALS 1.6 MILLION THAT SUPPORTS SIX POSITIONS, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE WORK THEY DID THIS YEAR DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THERE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
OVER 2200 STATE BILLS WERE TRACKED BY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, SUPPORT BUDGET TOTALS
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17.4 MILLION. THIS SUPPORTS 19 POSITION FOR OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL AS THE 99 POSITIONS FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION. MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, MVA, COLLABORATES WITH MILITARY PARTNERS TO ENHANCE MISSION READINESS, PROTECT INSTALLATIONS, ADVOCATE FOR MILITARY ISSUES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS SUPPORT VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET IS 5.7 MILLION IN FY '26, 700,000 APPROXIMATELY FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND 5 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE 5 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING IS FOR THE DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY PROJECT, WHICH AIMS TO RENOVATE A BUILDING AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO TO CONSOLIDATE SOME POSITIONS FROM VIRGINIA TO MOVE HERE. MVA PLANS TO MAINTAIN THEIR 266 MILITARY MISSION PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL AS CONDUCT ABOUT 1400 VETERAN RECOGNITION OUTREACH EVENTS NEXT YEAR.MY FAVORITE SLIDE, THE BUDGET OFFICE, PRETTY SIMPLE, RIGHT? SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE FACILITATE THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS, PRODUCE MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS. WE ALSO REVIEW ALL REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL A SESSION ITEMS AND WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION ON COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS.
OUR $3.7 MILLION BUDGET COVERS THE 20 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE BUDGET OFFICE. NEXT IS BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES.
BSD AS WE REFER TO THEM PROVIDE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL SERVICE. THEY MAINTAIN AND REPAIR THE CITY'S LIGHT DUTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE FLEET AND THE ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF CITY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. BUDGET TOTALS 150.1 MILLION, FLEET SERVICES, EQUIPMENT RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS THE CITY TOWER FUND. AND THERE'S ANOTHER $9.6 MILLION TARGETED IN CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDING. $67MILLION FUND FOR FY '26, THAT INCLUDES FUNDING TO REPLACE 566 VEHICLES IN FY '26 WHICH INCLUDES JUST A SAMPLING OF THOSE WOULD BE POLICE CRUISERS, AUTOMATED SIDE LOADERS FOR SOLID WASTE, VARIOUS SEDAN AND HEAVY TRUCK REPLACEMENTS AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES.
WITHIN THEIR $9.6 MILLION CAPITAL BUDGET, THERE'S $5 MILLION FOR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS. NOW, SOME OF THESE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT IN OTHER PRESENTATIONS SUCH AS SOME OF THE REPAIRS WE'RE SEEING AT OUR FIRE STATIONS, THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS AT THE FRANK GARRETT AND CAFÉCOLLEGE FACILITIES AND THE COLIN BRANCH LIBRARY HVAC REPLACEMENT.
THERE'S ALSO FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE AT CITY TOWER TO REPLACE THE UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE TANK AT THE NORTHWEST POLICE SUBSTATION, ANOTHER ROUND OF ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AT VARIOUS CITY FACILITIES, SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT WENT IN THAT $9.6 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECT BUDGET.
NEXT ST THE COMPLIANCE OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS. SO THEY MANAGE THE CITY'S DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE, LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND SPANISH INTERPRETATION SERVICES, AS WELL AS PROVIDING TECHNICAL AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE. THEIR FY '26 BUDGET IS PROPOSED AT 2.7 MILLION, INCLUDES 17 POSITIONS, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS A REDUCTION IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY 500,000.
THIS ELIMINATES TWO VACANT POSITIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS RIGHT SIZING CERTAIN CONTRACTS AND COMMODITIES BASED ON HISTORICAL SPENDING. THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THEY PROVIDE ACCOUNTING SERVICES, FINANCIAL SERVICES, PROCUREMENT SERVICES, THEY WORK ON -- WITH OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES, CPS AND SAWS, THERE IS A COMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTION SECTION WHO PERFORM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND CITYWIDE DEPARTMENT PROCESS OR CONTRACT REVIEWS AND THEN FINANCIAL OPERATIONS WHICH PROVIDES VENDOR SUPPORT AND OUR PRE-IUM MAIL SERVICES ARE ALSO INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. THEIR FY '26 BUDGET IS 33.5 MILLION, WHICH SUPPORTS 190 POSITIONS. WITHIN THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET DOES ELIMINATE FIVE POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND RIGHT SIZES CONTRACTS AND COMMODITIES WITH NO IMPACT TO SERVICES.
ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT, THE PURCHASING AND GENERAL SERVICES FUND INCLUDED 380,000 TO REPLACE TWO OF THE COLOR PRINTERS AT THE PRINT SHOP.
SOME OF THEIR GOALS ARE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON THE TRANSITION OF PAYING OUR VENDORS WITH CHECKS TO ACH AND WIRES, GETTING THAT PERCENTAGE
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INCREASED, AND ALSO TO INCREASE OUR ON-TIME PAYMENTS TO OUR VENDORS.HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT TO 90% NEXT FISCAL YEAR. NEXT IS THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION, SO YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION THIS YEAR WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW BUDGET REVIEWS , BUT THEY EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITY PROCESSES TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND AT THE END TO SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY AND IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
THEY DO INTERNAL CONSULTING VIA COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS, THERE'S EMPLOYEE TRAINING DUE TO THE INNOVATION ACADEMY AND THERE ARE RESEARCH AND PARTNERS SUCH AS THE R & D LEAGUE.
THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 1.5 MILLION, FUNDS EIGHT POSITIONS.
PROPOSED REDUCTION OF 175,000 IN R & D FUNDING WITH THE REMAINING 75,000 IN FUNDING THAT'S ANTICIPATED THEY WOULD DO TWO TO FOUR RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH THAT FUNDING. ANOTHER GOAL OF THE INNOVATION -- OFFICE OF INNOVATION IS THROUGH NEXT YEAR'S COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS IS TO IDENTIFY $5 MILLION OF POTENTIAL SAVINGS FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, THEIR IRE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR DIGITAL GOVERNMENT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE -- AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING DATA CENTER OPERATIONS, ALL THE ENTERPRISE APPLICATION AND SUPPORT RESPONSIBILITY, PUBLIC SAFETY AND COURT SYSTEMS, AND THEN PORTFOLIO AND PROJECT DELIVERY WITH GOVERNANCE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 1.67 MILLION FOR 356 POSITIONS. THEY DO HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS WITHIN ITSD, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS $1.2 MILLION OF MANDATES. THIS IS TO FUND CONTRACT INCREASES SUCH AS THE PHYSICAL SECURITY SERVICE FOR THE CARE, MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE SUPPORTS OF OUR ELECTRONIC SECURITY SYSTEMS, THE RENEWAL OF THE MICROSOFT ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT AND THEN THE COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH SYSTEM FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND LICENSING FEES THAT WE HAVE TO PAY IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES $4.6 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS.
THIS ELIMINATES FIVE VACANT POSITIONS. IT ACCOUNTS FOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATION SAVINGS, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I.T. REALLY DID A GOOD JOB WITH. THEY SCRUBBED ALL THEIR CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIATED NEW CONTRACTS AND WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SAVINGS WITHIN THEIR BUDGET THROUGH THAT PROCESS. WE'RE ALSO DECOMMISSIONING THE MAIN FRAME SYSTEM THIS YEAR, THAT SHOULD BE FULLY OFFLINE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AND ALSO I.T. IS REDUCING SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CAPACITY FOR OUTSIDE STAFF. AND ALL THIS SHOULD BE WITH MINIMAL IMPACT TO SERVICES. THE OFFICE OF SERVICE MANAGEMENT FOCUSES ON PROGRAMS TO PREVENT INJURIES AND COLLISIONS TO PROTECT CITY ASSETS.
SUPPORTS 29 POSITIONS WITHIN THE GENERAL LIABILITY AND WORKERS COMPENSATION FUNDS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN PERFORMANCE MEASURES THEY ANTICIPATE DOING ABOUT 500 FACILITY SAFETY INSPECTIONS ANNUALLY.
I'M FINDING I LIKE TO REVIEW THE NONDEPARTMENTAL BUDGET AS WELL AS THE TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS. SO THIS IS THE NONDEPARTMENTAL BUDGET THAT'S LOCATED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF THE MAJOR EXPENSES THAT ARE THERE.
THEY INCLUDE $8.4 MILLION FOR SALES TAX COLLECTION EXPENSES, SO FOR THE 400 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS OF SALES TAX REVENUE WE RECEIVE, WE PAY THE STATE A 2% FEE BASED OFF THOSE REVENUES THAT WE COLLECT.
THERE'S ALSO $6.2 MILLION FOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND UTILITIES FOR CITY HALL, MUNICIPAL PLAZA, THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER AND CITY TOWER.
5.1MILLION TO THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE ESTIMATE'S CITY SHARE OF THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT FY '26 BUDGET WHICH IS BASED OFF THE PRO RAT THAT SHARE OF THE MOST WE SENT ACTUAL OVERALL TAX LEVY.
WE HAVE 1.7 MILLION -- THE CARVER COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER, 614,000 FOR THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, 285,000 FOR CREDIT CARD FEES AND THEN 273,000 FOR VARIOUS ASSOCIATION DUES THAT THE CITY'S A PARTICIPANT IN. SO IN TOTAL NONDEPARTMENTAL FOR '26 WOULD BE 27.7, AND THEN THE BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES A REDUCTION OF 600,000, AND THESE ARE JUST RIGHT SIZING ON SOME OF THE LINE ITEMS AND PROPERTY DISPOSITION, PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND BUILDING REPAIRS.
THEN WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, THERE ARE $7 MILLION IN TRANSFERS, SO THESE ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY THE 2.8 MILLION EDWARDS AQUIFER DEBT
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PAYMENT. YOU HEARD FROM HOMER GARCIA YESTERDAY EXPLAINING THE 10-YEAR, $10 MILLION A YEAR WARD AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. SO TO FUND THAT DEBT FOR '26, THE GENERAL FUND IS SUPPORTING THAT WITH 2.8 MILLION. THE GENERAL FUND ALSO SUPPORTS THE RESILIENCY ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY FUND THROUGH A TRANSFER OF 2.4 MILLION. WE ALSO HAVE 1.6 MILLION TO TRANSFER TO SUPPORT FACILITY MAINT PA INNOCENCE AND A COUPLE OTHER SMALLER ONES WHERE WE'RE SUPPORTING SOME POSITIONS IN THE DSD AS WELL AS THE SOLID WASTE FUND FOR PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT.. SO WITH THAT, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. THERE'S REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL 21 DEPARTMENTS BEHIND ME AND MYSELF INCLUDED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EFFORTS AND PARTICULARLY ON THE [INDISCERNIBLE] TO MAKE OUR CITY AN EMPLOYEE OF CHOICE. IN PARTICULAR THERE WAS LOTS OF DISCUSSION, IT'S COME UP IN MANY OF THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS AS WE THINK ABOUT OFFSETS AND TRADEOFFS THERE BEING A REAL COMMITMENT TO ENSURE WE'RE EXE COMM COMPENSATING OUR WORKFORCE APPROPRIATELY.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT OF THE COMPRESSION PIECE.
MY FRAME OF REFERENCE, THIS IS NOT UNFAMILIAR, AT THE PENTAGON WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MOST JUNIOR FOLKS THAT WOULD BE EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES THE HASHEDDEST WE CAN COMPENSATE MORE THAN OTHERS UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS OF COMPRESSION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHICH FRANKLY WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT. LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE.
SO KIND OF JUST LAYING FLAT FOR US WHY WE -- IF WE WANTED TO DO MORE FOR OUR JUNIOR FOLKS OR THOSE EARNING LESS, HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT IN LIGHT OF THE COMPRESSION CONSIDERATIONS THAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> YEAH. SO MAYOR, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE EVALUATED BECAUSE WHEN WE -- AGAIN, THREE YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID OUR CITYWIDE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS AND EVERY POSITION WAS AFFECTED BY A MARKET SHIFT, IN ORDER TO FUND THAT MARKET SHIFT OF THE RANGES, WHAT WE DID IS WE GUARANTEED PEOPLE THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE. SO IF THEIR RANGE SHIFTED SIGNIFICANTLY, EVERYBODY MOVED UP TO THAT MINIMUM. SO MAYBE SOMEBODY WITH 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND SOMEBODY BRAND-NEW TO THE CITY BOTH MOVED TO THAT MARKET MINIMUM. THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE STARTED -- AND TWO YEARS AGO, WE TOOK INDIVIDUALS WHO AT THAT TIME -- AUDIO] -- HAD MET FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE MIDPOINT AND PEOPLE WITH 10 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE MAX. AND WE STARTED TO CREATE THAT DIFFERENTIATION. THEN LAST YEAR WE CAME BACK WITH ADDITIONAL COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS AND WE TOOK ANYBODY WHO HAD HIT 10 OR FIVE YEARS THAT YEAR TO THOSE SAME POINTS. OUR RANGE IS WITHIN PLAY PAN A ARE STILL RELATIVELY SMALL BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED THAT ENTRY WAGE TO $18. SO THERE'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TENURED EMPLOYEE AND A LESS TENURED OR, BETWEEN, SAY, A FIRST LEVEL SUPERVISOR AND THEIR EMPLOYEE. SO WE LOOKED TO SEE, WAS THERE ANY GREATER INCREASE THAT YOU COULD GIVE A LOWER WAGE EARNER AND NOT IMPACT COMPRESSION, AND THERE WASN'T.
BECAUSE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN -- THERE WERE VERY SMALL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAYBE WE'RE BOTH MAINTENANCE WORKERS AND I'M A THREE-YEAR MAINTENANCE WORKER AND YOU'RE A SEVEN-YEAR MAINTENANCE WORKER AND ANY DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE RECEIVED HAD ONE PASSING THE OTHERS.
AND WE PULLED LOTS OF REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES OF THAT.
THIS YEAR, I'LL TELL YOU THERE ARE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE EXPECTING THE NEXT ROUND OF COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTT S, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE WHO HIT FIVE AND 10 YEARS THIS YEAR, AND THOSE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS AREN'T INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET A BECAUSE THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL 1.47 MILLION. MY HOPE IS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING COMPRESSION THIS YEAR, THAT WHATEVER DECISION WE MAKE HERE, IT DOESN'T UNDUE THE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS WE'VE ALREADY DONE, SO THAT WHEN WE ARE FINANCIALLY ABLE WE CAN BEGIN THOSE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS AGAIN AND NOT HAVE TO RELEVEL SET. BECAUSE IT WAS, AGAIN, ABOUT $13 MILLION TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'D ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR. AND SO WHAT THIS DOES BY SHIFTING EVERYBODY EQUIDISTANCE, WE'RE MAINTAINING THAT ALIGNMENT IN OUR PAY STRUCTURE, AND THEN WE CAN PICK IT UP AGAIN IN
FUTURE YEARS, IS MY HOPE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLA NAIN. WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME ON SLIDE 17 IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORKFORCE DISTRIBUTION LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT, ONE, THE PAY SCALE, WHO GETS WHAT PERCENTAGE-WISE, BUT HELPING JUST US UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IS 80% OF THE WORKFORCE, IN FACT, UNDER 130K, RIGHT? THAT KIND OF DISTRIBUTION HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AND WHO WE'RE ACTUALLY MOST IMPACTING.
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>> I THINK -- LET ME FIND THE SLIDE. IF YOU GO TO SLIDE 15, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU IS BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT 80% OF OUR WORKFORCE, OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE WOULD RECEIVE GREATER THAN 3%, THAT'S EVERYBODY EARNING UNDER 75,000, SO YOU CAN TELL THAT OF OUR CIVILIAN
WORKFORCE, 80% IS 75,000 AND UNDER IN BASE SALARY. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.
THANK YOU. ON THE -- ON SLIDE -- ACTUALLY, FOR MR. MARTINEZ -- LET ME ACTUALLY SAY ONE MORE THING.
I KNOW WITH HAVE A LOT OF THE WORKFORCE THAT ARE ALSO VETERANS, AND, AGAIN, AS WE'RE KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THE VERY DIFFICULT FISCAL VEERMT WE'RE GOING INTO, AND MAYBE MR. RAYELA HAS SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS, BUT HELPING OURSELVES BY HELPING ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO -- IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY SIGN UP FOR VA BENEFITS, THEY NEED TO DO SO, RIGHT? THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY. AGAIN, WE VISITED WITH DR. FLYN AT THE VA, AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN REDUCE WHAT WE PAY OUT OF CITY COFFERS IN LIGHT OF THOSE SERVICES, ONE, ALREADY BEING AVAILABLE, AND THEM ALREADY HAVING ACCESS TO THAT. AND HONESTLY, I THINK THERE MAY EVEN BE A BENEFIT IN HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR DISABILITY IS, TO BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THOSE BENEFITS THAT THEN WE ARE NOT ON THE HOOK FOR PAYING FOR. SO I'D WELCOME HEARING MORE ABOUT KIND OF WHAT THAT OUTREACH LOOKS LIKE NOW AND WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE. AND, AGAIN, THE REAL DOLLARS AND CR CENTS COULD BE SAVES AS WE ENSURE THAT OUR WORKFORCE IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OTHER HEALTHCARE OPTIONS THAT COULD COVER THEIR EXPENSES.
>> THAT IS DEFINITELY OUTREACH WE CAN DO. ABOUT 12% OF OUR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS CURRENT OR FORMER MILITARY MEMBERS. AND SO WE COULD DO THAT OUTREACH TO DETERMINE IF -- AND HOLD -- WE HOLD BENEFITS LEARNING SESSIONS, BOTH DURING WORKING HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS SO PEOPLE CAN BRING THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PARTNER WITH GENERAL --
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MAYOR.
WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO THE APPROXIMATELY 1900 VETERANS THAT ARE PART OF OUR WORKFORCE HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WHAT WE COULD DO IS CERTAINLY ESTABLISH BEXAR COUNTY WHO HAS THE EXPERTS ON BENEFITS BRING THEM DOWN AND PARTNER WITH HR AND BRING THEM DOWN HERE TO LOOK AT THEIR BENEFITS. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, A LOT OF VETERANS WILL NOT CLAIM THEIR COMPENSATION BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER TOO PROUD OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW. AND SO WE CAN -- WE CAN CERTAINLY SET THAT UP.
>> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU, SIR. >> WALSH: MAYOR, THE OTHER ASPECT OF THIS, AND RENE CAN ADD TO IT, BUT IF THOSE VETERANS HAVE
ACCESS TO TRICARE. >> MAYOR JONES: YEP. >> WALSH: AS WE DO THE OPEN ENROLLMENT, THEY TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND THEY'RE NOT ON OUR HEALTH PLAN. AND AS THAT POPULATION CHANGES, MAKING SURE DURING THOSE OPEN ENROLLMENT SESSIONS -- AND GENERALLY, THEY KNOW
TRICARE A LOT BETTER THAN WE DO. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH.
>> WALSH: BUT ENSURING THAT THEY'RE USING THAT AS PRIMARY COVERAGE
RATHER THAN US. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S MY POINT.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE IDEAL OUTCOME. YEAH.
MR. MARTINEZ, WHY DO WE ANTICIPATE -- THIS IS ON THE WORLD HERITAGE SLIDE. WHY DO WE ANTICIPATE SO FEW CREATIVE CITY OF GASTRONOMY PROGRAMS IN '26? OR WHY IS THAT THE
TARGET, RATHER? >> T >> THAT I'LL HAVE TO
DEFER TO -- >> MAYOR JONES: OH, GREAT.
I ASK THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF REVENUE FOR US AND IT'S SUCH A -- BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A UNIQUE IDENTIFIER, WHY WE WOULD TARGET FEWER.
>> RIGHT. MY NAME IS -- GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR.
MY NAME THE COLLEEN SWAIN, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE. THAT PERFORMANCE MEASURE IS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF PRESENTATIONS, CHEF EXCHANGES AND EVENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE ENGAGE IN LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
>> MAYOR JONES: UH-HUH. >> SO THIS PAST YEAR UNTIL NOW, I'VE SERVED AS THE COORDINATOR FOR ALL OF THE CREATIVE CITY'S INTERNATIONALLY.
WITH THAT -- AND PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS DEPUTY COORDINATOR.
SO DURING THOSE PAST TWO YEARS THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN INVITATIONS AND INTERACTION. I ANTICIPATE THAT MAY DECLINE AS I ROTATE OFF BEING THE COORDINATOR, AND WITH REGARD TO CHEF EXCHANGES, JUST BECAUSE KIND OF THE OVERALL STATE OF THINGS, THERE -- WE ANTICIPATE THERE MAY BE A
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DECLINE IN INVITATIONS AND PEOPLE COMING TO THE U.S.WE WANTED TO BE CAUTIOUS, BUT WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO AS WE DID PREVIOUSLY, WE WILL INCREASE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY EXCHANGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND WE CAN DO SOME THINGS VIRTUALLY.
>> MAYOR JONES: LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID. WE ANT PAYMENT LESS FEWER FOLKS -- I MEAN, FEWER FOLKS WANTING TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHICH WE THINK WILL IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO CONDUCT CREATIVE CITY GASTROOMY
PROGRAMMING? >> FOR CHEF EXCHANGES. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.
>> ADDITIONALLY, AS COORDINATOR, WE RECEIVED A LOT -- A LOT OF INVITATIONS TO DO PRESENTATIONS. AND SO THAT -- AS I ROTATE OFF THE BOARD -- OR OFF BEING COORDINATOR, WE ANTICIPATE THAT MIGHT
DECREASE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. WELL, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A UNIQUE IDENTIFIER FOR US, WITH SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, I WAS THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE AMBASSADOR LUNCHEON, THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS NOT ONLY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS BUT FOR OUR CITY.
AND WE KNOW THAT -- WHAT THAT COMES BACK TO US MANY TIMES OVER BY CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THAT, SO IF THERE WERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE UP THAT GAP, OR AT LEAST GET TO WHERE WE WERE LAST TIME, I THINK WE WOULD WELL SERVE OURSELVES TO TRY TO DO THAT, SO WELCOME THOUGHTS
AND DOCUMENTATION ON HOW TO DO THAT. >> DEFINITELY.
WE WILL WORK TO DO THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.
MR. MARTINEZ, ON SLIDE 15, THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOLKS, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT -- OR MAYBE IT'S JEFF COYLE, WHOEVER WANTS TO DO THAT -- BUT HAVING ENGAGED BOTH AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND STATE LEVEL, WELCOME UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, HOW WE JUDGE THE ROI OF THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE USE THERE AND HOW WE DETERMINE THAT'S THE
RIGHT ONE MOVING FORWARD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, SALLY [INDISCERNIBLE] THE DIRECTOR FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO EACH OF THE FIRMS THAT WE OUTSOURCE AND ENGAGE TO DO THE LEGISLATIVE WORK INCLUDES PERFORMANCE MEASURES MATRIX.
AND SO THAT INFORMATION, AS IT'S BEING MEASURED, IS EXCHANGED BETWEEN US AND THE CONSULTANTS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU AS
WELL. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I MEAN, AS WE ARE ANTICIPATING, AGAIN, MAJOR CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN PARTICULAR, MAKING SURE WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT TEAM AND HOW DO WE -- UNDERSTANDING WHO WE'VE GOT AND NEXT TO BIPARTISAN FIRM PER SE, BUT MAYBE IN PARTICULAR ON THE PROGRAMS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO REALLY NEED HELP WITH WOULD BE IMPORTANT. SO WELCOME, AGAIN, HOW WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE MOST EFFECTIVE TEAM IN D.C. AS WELL AS IN AUSTIN.
THANK YOU. ON SLIDE 21 FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHAT WERE THE FIVE POSITIONS THAT WERE -- THAT WERE CUT?
>> THERE ARE THREE POSITIONS IN THE COMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTION OFFICE. THERE'S ONE RATE ANALYST AND ONE PROGRAM MANAGER.
>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. AND THEN ON THE COMPLIANCE OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS DEPARTMENT, THE 500,000 REDUCTION IS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT OFFICE'S -- OF THAT OFFICE'S BUDGET. AND GIVEN FRANKLY SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTED BY, LET'S JUST SAY, CHANGES IN THE LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT, THIS OFFICE MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT. SO WELCOME UNDERSTANDING WHY SUCH A SIGNIFICANT CUT TO THIS -- TO THIS OFFICE. I KNOW YOU'RE ELIMINATING TWO VACANT POSITIONS, BUT WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE OVERALL CAPACITY TO ANSWER THESE KINDS OF REQUESTS, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE MAY ONLY
INCREASE? >> SO I'LL ASK DR. MATA TO TALK ABOUT THE
IMPACT. >> HELLO, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. DR. JENNIFER MATA, DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE, OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS. WITH REGARDS TO THE POSITIONS, THE REDUCTION IN POSITIONS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES, SOS THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY EFFECT ON THE CORE SERVICES THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IS PROVIDING AT THIS TIME. CAN YOU REPEAT THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, I'M SORRY, IT WAS ON THE SIDE.
>> MAYOR JONES: YEAH. I MEAN, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISABILITY AND LANGUAGE ACCESS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU, NDO ORDINANCE, ET CETERA, SOME OF THE THINGS WHERE WE MAY ANTICIPATE INCREASES AND NEEDS FOR YOUR SERVICES, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE REDUCTION IN YOUR OFFICE HELPS US MEET THAT NEED. WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES, MANY OF THESE ARE BASED ON -- MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING IT, BUT THIS IS ALL JUST BASED ON MEETING LEGAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, IS THAT
RIGHT? >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.
AND SO BASED ON WHAT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED HERE, YOU ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO
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MEET INCREASED NEED, POTENTIALLY? >> YES.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO MEET NEED, SO THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR, SEE IF THERE IS A NEED TO MAYBE REVISIT THIS AT A LATER DATE, BUT AS WE STAND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE MEETING OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS AND OUR DISABILITY ACCESS PERFORMANCE METRICS.
>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. WHAT DOES IMMIGRANT INCLUSION LOOK LIKE?
>> IT CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF ONE STAFF PERSON, THEY ARE THE LIAISON THAT IS NOT ONLY CONNECTING CITY SERVICES, BUT ALSO CONNECTING EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CITY SERVICES. SO RIGHT NOW THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A THREE-YEAR IMMIGRANT INCLUSION PLAN.
THEY'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO LOOK AT THE CITY SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO FIND THOSE
GAPS WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE IMMIGRANT INCLUSION. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.
THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR, IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE PIECE TO THAT. OF THE 500,000 IN REDUCTION, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS GOING TO BE THAT SECOND BULLET WHICH RIGHT SIZES THE CERTAIN LINE ITEMS TO REFLECT HISTORICAL SPENDING.
SO THE COMPLIANCE, OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS DEPARTMENT IS A RELATIVELY NEW DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR A FEW YEARS, SO AS WE NOW HAVE HISTORICAL SPENDING PATTERNS FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO RIGHT SIZE SOME OF THEIR CONTRACTS AND COMMODITIES TO REFLECT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN SPENDING.
>> MAYOR JONES: I MEAN, THIS IS TRADITIONALLY EEO STUFF, RIGHT? SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A NEW OFFICE, MAYBE DONE IN A
DIFFERENT WAY OR -- DIFFERENT OFFICE? >> NO, THIS IS THE FORMER
DEI OFFICE. >> YES. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR VIAGRAN, OH, WHO HAS STEPPED OUT. OKAY.
OH, OKAY. COUNCILMAN WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR.
I WANT TO BEGIN JUST CAN SOMEBODY -- IS THERE A TOTAL WE HAVE, ERIK, OF ALL THE MONEY WE'VE SAVED WITH THESE BUDGET DEPARTMENT EFFICIENCY REVIEWS? MY TOTAL IS 8.4 MILLION. DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT?
>> WALSH: IS THAT YOUR TOTAL TODAY OR -- >> WHYTE: LEADING -- OOH,
LEADING -- LEADING UP TO TODAY. >> WALSH: NO, IT'S MORE THAN THAT. WE'LL RUN A QUICK TOTAL FOR YOU.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. SO IT'S MORE THAN $8 MILLION.
SO I, AGAIN, WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SORT OF A PRECURSOR TO THE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT MORE IN THE FALL. AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANT MONEY THAT WE'RE FINDING, THAT WE CAN NOW PUT TOWARDS THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. AND SO I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH THESE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR WORK IN THAT REGARD. I ALSO WANT TO JUST MAKE A COMMENT TO THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION. MY OFFICE GOT TOGETHER WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND WE HAVE A PENDING CCR REGARDING FORMULATING AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGIC PLAN OR POLICY FOR OUR CITY. I'M ALL FOR LOOKING AT AI AND FINDING OUT HOW WE CAN USE IT TO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT HERE AT OUR CITY -- WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT, OF COURSE, IT'S GOT TO BE DONE IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER, RIGHT? WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE CALLING THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING THEY'RE TALKING TO A HUMAN, LET'S SAY, AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT. AND SO I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES THAT JOINED WITH ME IN THIS EFFORT. I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS CCR FORWARD, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO ENTAIL WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INNOVATION TO REALLY CRAFT THAT POLICY. THIS OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THIS OFFICE DO? WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF WORK? AND IS THIS OFFICE RESPONSIBLE FOR
COORDINATING WITH AMERICAN GATEWAYS? >> THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS OFFICE -- OH, EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, FOR THE QUESTION.
THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS OFFICE WAS CREATED IN 2008 WITHIN THE BUDGET ORDINANCE. THE OFFICE WORKS WITH -- I'M SORRY, I GOT A LITTLE
NERVOUS HERE. >> WHYTE: YOU'RE FINE. YOU'RE WHINE.
>> THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS OFFICE WORKS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, AS I NOTED EARLIER, TO STRENGTHEN CITY SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANT INCLUSION.
THEY ALSO TOUCH BASE WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSESS HOW WE ARE INCLUDING IMMIGRANTS WITHIN THE DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES, AND YOUR SECOND QUESTION IS WHETHER THEY WORK WITH AMERICAN GATEWAYS?
>> WHYTE: YES. >> THEY DO WORK WITH AMERICAN GATEWAYS IN THE SENSE THAT THEY DO MEET WITH THEM , ATTEND THEIR MEETINGS, BUT WE DO NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR AMERICAMERICAN GATEWAYS NOR DO WE
[01:00:06]
RECEIVE FUNDING FROM AMERICAN GATEWAYS. SO THEY ARE A COMMUNITY PARTNER IN THE SENSE THAT WE DO HAVE DISCUSSION TO ASSESS THE SITUATION FORTHE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO. >> WHYTE: ARE YOU SAYING YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRANT FUNDING.
>> NO, WE DO NOT. >> WHYTE: WHICH DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
AMERICAN GATEWAY FUNDING. >> WALSH: IT'S IN THE DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING. IT'S PROPOSED TO BE AN EXTENSION OF EIGHT MONTHS IN FISCAL YEAR '26 IN ALIGNMENT WITH ANY FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. AND THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS, I UNDERSTAND, WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A LOOK ATMENT AND I WILL REITERATE MY POSITION THAT THIS CITY SHOULD NOT BE USING OUR CITIZENS' TAX DOLLARS TO PROVIDE LAWYERS REALLY FOR ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE COULD HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT GET SUED THAT NEED LAWYERS. ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR THEM? I JUST -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY -- WHY IT'S A CORE FUNCTION AND WHERE IT IS IN THE CHARTER THAT SAYS WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING LAWYERS FOR ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE.
FINALLY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT -- TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS FOLKS.
AND RECENTLY, I THINK IT WAS THIS MORNING, I WAS SENT THIS ARTICLE REGARDING -- I GUESS THE MAYOR HAS -- HAS RETAINED AN OUTSIDE -- MAKE SURE I GOT IT RIGHT. AN OUTSIDE CONSULTING GROUP TO DO
COMMUNICATIONS. DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT? >> MAYOR JONES: YOU DO,
COUNCILMAN. WHAT'S THE QUESTION? >> WHYTE: I'M GETTING
THERE. >> MAYOR JONES: GET THERE.
>> WHYTE: I'M TRYING TO GET SOME BACKGROUND. SO THE MAYOR HAS HIRED AN OUTSIDE GROUP FOR, I BELIEVE, $10,000 A MONTH TO DO COMMUNICATIONS.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? >> MAYOR JONES: LET ME JUST -- LET ME LAY IT FLAT, YOU CAN ASK ME, BECAUSE IT'S MY
CONTRACT. >> WHYTE: HOLD ON. >> MAYOR JONES: LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. YEAH. SO LIKE OTHER MAYORS, RIGHT, WHO HAVE HAD DEDICATED COMMUNICATION'S SUPPORT, THIS IS A CO COMS SUPPORT THAT IS BEING PROVIDED COMMISERATE AT THE SAME LEVEL OF PAY THAT PREVIOUS MAYORS HAVE HAD.
SO SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT, SAME LEVEL OF FUNDING AND IT'S A BRIDGE UNTIL WE CAN BRING SOMEONE FULL-TIME ON. THANK YOU.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. AND SO IT'S $10,000 A MONTH.
>> MAYOR JONES: IN LINE WITH WHAT PREVIOUS MAYORS HAVE PAID WITH THEIR OWN COMM SUPPORT, CORRECT. IF YOU'D LIKE -- I THINK THE.
>> WHYTE: YOU WANT ME TO ASK THEM OR YOU? >> MAYOR JONES: YOU ASK ME. I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
IF YOU'D LIKE HISTORICAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT OTHERS HAVE BEEN PAID, YOU CAN BE PROVIDED THAT. AND I'M TELLING YOU WHO
WOULD PROVIDE IT FOR YOU, COUNCILMAN. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
ALANNA -- >> WALSH: COUNCILMAN, ASK YOUR QUESTION, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND GET IT TO YOU. WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT
ALANNA ON THE SPOT. >> WHYTE: OKAY. MY QUESTION IS, IS THE COST $10,000 A MONTH IS MY FIRST QUESTION? MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS THE GROUP THAT WAS HIRED A LOCAL GROUP OR WHERE -- WHERE ARE THEY BASED? MY THIRD QUESTION IS, IS THIS SOMETHING DONE WITH CAMPAIGN MONEY OR IS THIS TAXPAYER DOLLARS? AND THEN MY FOURTH QUESTION IS, IF IT'S TAXPAYER DOLLARS, IS THIS -- WHERE IS THIS PROVIDED FOR IN THE BUDGET? DOES ERIK -- DOES YOUR OFFICE HAVE TO APPROVE IT
OR HOW DOES THIS GET INTO THE BUDGET? >> WALSH: WE'LL GET THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL ANSWER THE LAST ONE.
SO WHEN -- THAT FUNDING IS OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE BUDGET, JUST LIKE
YOU ALL HAVE YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
>> WALSH: THE PROCESS -- AND IT HAPPENS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, THE PROCESS TO UTILIZE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITHIN YOUR BUDGETS HAS TO BE AUTHORIZED BY ME. SO IN THE CASE OF THIS CONTRACT, THIS WAS REVIEWED, VETTED, APPROVED BY ME, AND EXECUTED.
BUT WE'LL GET YOU ANSWERS TO THE FIRST THREE QUESTIONS.
>> WHYTE: SO -- AND THEN YOU HIT ON A FOLLOW-UP POINT I WAS GOING TO MAKE. SO OUR OFFICES CAN USE OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, BUT
IT'S GOT TO BE VETTED THROUGH YOU. >> WALSH: YOU ALL DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SPEND MONEY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS, AND SO I'M THINKING ABOUT -- SORRY, COUNCILWOMAN KAUR, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE PARALLEL WORLD THAT WE WORKED IN FOR S SAN PEDRO SPRINGS TO DO ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IN THAT CASE, I APPROVED THOSE, AND THAT WAS FOR A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARSS IN WORK THAT WAS BEING DONE FOR SAN PEDRO SPRINGS.
[01:05:04]
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFF, BUT YOU ALL DO NOT HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORITYTO DO THAT. >> WHYTE: GOT IT. >> WALSH: THAT'S A PROCUREMENT ISSUE AND IT'S GOT TO COME THROUGH THE MANAGER'S OFFICE.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. AND SO WILL THIS CONSULTING GROUP BE COORDINATING WITH OUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM OR IS THIS STRICTLY
SOMEBODY WORKING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE? >> WALSH: WELL, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE -- YES, THEY WOULD COORDINATE WITH THE CITY.
YES. >> WHYTE: WITH THE CITY'S TEAM.
OKAY. >> WALSH: AND WE'LL GET YOU ANSWERED TO THE FIRST
THREE. >> WHYTE: OKAY. THAT'S ALL I GOT.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR GALVAN?
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY, AS WELL AS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORKED REALLY HARD WITHIN THE LAST PRESENTATION. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD WORK THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK Y'ALL DID, NOT ONLY FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT ALSO THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO YEAR ROUND.
IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO ENCAPSULATE THAT WITHIN ONE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE WORK Y'ALL DO.
STARTING OFF WITH THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PRESENTATION, I DEFINITELY WANT TO ECHO MY SUPPORT FOR OPTION 2, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET OUR CITY EMPLOYEES PAID AND ADJUSTED TO THE COST OF LIVING TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. I KNOW IT'S TOUGH IN THESE TIMES AND I THINK IT'S -- I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR OUR WORK SESSIONS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE KIND OF REQUEST OUR WHOLE BODY HAS MADE AND SEE HOW THIS FITS AND I THINK THIS ONE HAS TO BE TOP OF THE LINE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO SAID IT TWO WEEKS AGO OR A WEEK AGO ABOUT SOME OF THESE REDUCTIONS WE'RE SEEING WITHIN STAFFING, BUT ALSO INCREASED WORK, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES ADEQUATELY TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT WORK AS WELL AS THE COST OF LIVING. I THINK IT WAS VIAGRAN, RIGHT? I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, MAKE SURE, BUT...
I THINK THAT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT LINE OF THINKING AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT PACE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I GUESS, SOME OF THAT COMPRESSION CONVERSATION -- DATA. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PRESENTED TODAY, BUT IN A FOLLOW-UP WHAT THAT COMPRESSION LOOKS LIKE WITHIN MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS, BETWEEN SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS, AS WELL AS DIRECTORS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS. YOU KNOW, I VALUE EVERYONE'S WORK AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S GETTING PAID FAIRLY BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMPRESSION RATE IS NOT TOO DISTANT BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTED FORS AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN, SO I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS IF WE CAN. . AND I THINK THAT'S IT ON THAT. I WANTED TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR OPTION 2.
AND I'M GRATEFUL, TOO, TO SEE THAT WITH THESE OPTIONS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE INCREASING WAGES, BY HAVING PEOPLE SURPASS THOSE WAGE INCREASES.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT WORK. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS ARE NOT GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, RIGHT? THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK IN GETTING THERE, NOT ONLY TO HR BUT EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, TOO. ON THE LAST PRESENTATION, HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. FOR OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, I KNOW THERE'S THE PIECE ABOUT REDUCTION AND VACANT BUILDING STAFF. I KNOW THIS BODY'S TALKED A LITTLE ABOUT VACANT LOTS WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE VACANT BUILDING PROCESS.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ABOUT MORE SCRUTINY ON VACANT BUILDINGS, SO DO WE ANTICIPATE ANY REDUCTION IN MEETING THAT DEMAND WITHIN OUR CITY TO ADJUST VACANT CITY -- WITH THIS REDUCTION IN STAFF?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M SHANNON MILLER, DIRECTOR OF OHB.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO. WE ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE THE STAFFING -- BECAUSE THE VACANT POSITION, WE'VE HAD A VACANCY IN THE PROGRAM FOR A WHILE, AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO COVER THE EXISTING PROGRAM AREA
WITH THE STAFFING AS PROPOSED. >> GALVAN: GOT IT.
THANK >> GALVAN: A QUESTION FOR THE COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT LISTS ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ON OUR CITY PROGRAMMING, BUT I WANTED TO ASK HAS THAT OFFICE, HAVE Y'ALL EVALUATED THE WORK OF THE PARKS PROGRAMMING, YOUTH PROGRAM AND THEIR IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND OUR COMMUNITY OR HAS IT SOLELY BEEN FOCUSED ON THIS WORK SO FAR?
>> WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH AUTOMATED REPORTING ON GUN VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY . WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE THESE OTHER
PROGRAMS. >> GALVAN: OKAY. SO THAT WORK MAY BE WITHIN THE
PHASE 3? >> YES. >> GALVAN: I THINK WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS INCLUDING YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS HELP IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY SOMETIMES IN DIRECT WAYS BUT ALSO IN A PROACTIVE WAY.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE MORE OF THAT DATA COMING UP. THANK YOU.
FOR INNOVATION, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE RND PROJECTS.
[01:10:03]
I KNOW ON THE SLIDE IT MENTIONS TWO OF THE FOUR PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED WITH THE REMAINING FUNDING. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOSE TWO PROJECTS ARE DONE.IS THAT PROJECT COMPLETED AND WE'RE NOT DOING ANYMORE RESEARCH?
>> SO THAT'S A LINE ITEM. SO THAT FUNDING CONTINUES EVERY YEAR.
>> GALVAN: GOT IT. OKAY. WHAT ARE THE PAST PROJECTS THAT
HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THAT SO FAR? >> WOW.
THERE'S BEEN ALL KINDS OF THINGS. IN THESE RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE COMING THROUGH A MASTER RESEARCH AGREEMENT. IT'S NOT ONLY THROUGH THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION'S FUNDS. DEPARTMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN RESEARCH PROJECTS AS WELL BUT THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION SPEARHEADED THAT MASTER RESEARCH AGREEMENTS.
WE'RE PROUD OF THAT. THEY'VE STUDIED STRAY ANIMALS AND HOW TO BETTER CAPTURE AND ESTIMATE WHERE THEY ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED PRESIDENT PARKS DEPARTMENT AND HOW THEIR EQUITREE PROGRAM WORKS. IT'S ABOUT EVALUATING EFFECTIVENESS. OR JUST KIND OF FORWARD THINKING, KIND OF EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW WAYS OF, TO YOUR POINT, THE PUBLIC SAFETY. ARE THERE PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD BE RESEARCHING THAT MIGHT HELP IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
>> GALVAN: GREAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN THE WORK WE TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING BACK WITH RESIDENTS OR EVEN THE APPLICATION PROCESSES AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE [INDISCERNIBLE] AND EVEN TO COUNCIL OFFICES. I KNOW I ALSO SAW THE GOVERNANCE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY WITHIN I.T. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS WERE HAPPENING WITHIN YOUR OFFICE OR -- UNDERSTANDING HOW THOSE PIECES GO TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER OFFICES TOO. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU DO THAT KIND OF WORK? IS IT OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL THAT ARE ASSISTING IN THIS OR DOES IT SOLELY GO INTO YOUR
OFFICE BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS? >> IT'S BOTH.
ONCE WE SET UP THE MASTER RESEARCH AGREEMENT A FEW YEARS AGO, WE SET UP A PORTAL WHERE THEY CAN SELF-DIRECT. THEY CAN FIND ALL THE PAPERWORK THEY NEED.
THEY CAN RUN WITH IT. THEY DON'T NEED US BUT IF THEY WANT TO WORK WITH INNOVATION, WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT. SOMETIMES IT LOOKS LIKE MATCHMAKING THEM WITH RESEARCHES. WE HAVE A WHOLE RESEARCH PORTAL WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND PUT IN A COMMUNITY INTEREST FORM AND WE CAN FACILITATE MATCHMAKING. WE HAVE FUNDS SO IN SOME CASES WE CAN SHARE A CONTRACT. LIKE THERE WAS A CONTRACT WITH THE LIBRARY.
THEY PAID FOR HALF, WE PAID FOR HALF TO STUDY SOMETHING. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST DIRECTED OUT OF THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION. THERE'S A LOT OF VARIETY BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD DEPARTMENTS BACK FROM DOING IT THEMSELVES.
>> GALVAN: OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
LET ME SEE IF I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. ON SUSTAINABILITY, I KNOW IN THE FY24-25 BUDGET THERE WAS SOME POINTS MADE IN THERE ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE MULTIYEAR RESILIENCY PLAN FOR THE CITY. WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT PLAN AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THOSE TWO. >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS LARA AND I'M THE CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER AND UPCOMING CHIEF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER STARTING OCTOBER 1ST. I'M GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION AND I'M GOING TO ASK DEB TRANSITION. FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF IN THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT INTERNAL FOCUS OF ESTABLISHING WHAT RESILIENCE MEANS FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
UNDERSTANDING THE KEY SHOCKS, WHICH ARE THE MAJOR DISRUPTIONS TO OUR SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS UNDERLYING STRESSES THAT IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS. WE HAVE DEVELOPED PRELIMINARY RESILIENCE ASSESSMENT AS WELL AS A KEY SET OF TOOLS THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS CAN ADDRESS TO ENHANCE RESILIENCY BOTH INTERNAL AND AS WELL AS COMMUNITY RESILIENCY. IT IS A CORE COMPONENT OF THE SA CLIMATE READY AND UPDATE OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. AND WE WILL BE WORKING IN THE NEW OFFICE TO INTEGRATE THOSE TWO TO NOT JUST FOCUS ON CLIMATE ACTION BUT ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE AND ADAPTABILITY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE FACING WITHWITH, YOU KNOW, MORE OF THE IMPACTS THAT OUR COMMUNITY ARE FACING DAY-TO-DAY. DEB? YOU'RE GOOD?
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> GALVAN: I THINK SO.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THAT -- IS THAT GOING TO BE A PUBLIC REPORT OR IS THAT
INTERNAL WORK WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS? >> WE CURRENTLY HAVE A DRAFT REPORT. IT'S BEING REVIEWED BY DEPARTMENTS FOR THE VALIDITY OF
[01:15:04]
THE INFORMATION AS WELL AS THEIR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM.THE GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL AND THE PUBLIC AS PART
OF THE SA CLIMATE READY UPDATE AS WELL. >> WALSH: COUNCILMAN, WE'LL PROBABLY WORK THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS AND LIKELY BRING IT TO A B SESSION FOR THE
FULL COUNCIL. WE'LL GET THAT SCHEDULED. >> GALVAN: GREAT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I KNOW WE HAD A CONVERSATION IN MAY WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE ABOUT THE CLIMATE PLAN UPDATE AND SO EXCITED TO SEE HOW THESE ARE COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE MOVING IN LOCKSTEP. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR
NOW. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, RENEE AND FREDDIE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK OF EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT FREDDIE PRESENTED ON. THE DISTRICT 5 TEAM VALUES THE DIRECTOR AND THE WORK IN SERVING OUR RESIDENTS. BEGINNING WITH THE CIVILIAN BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION.
I JUST WANT TO THANK ERIK AND RENEE FOR MEETING WITH AFSCME. I KNOW DURING THE GOAL SETTING SESSION THAT WAS A REQUEST WE HAD. THAT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL DO FACILITATE, BUT PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU ALL HAVE COME TO CONSENSUS WITH WHAT A PATH FORWARD LOOKS LIKE. SO I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU ALL CO-CREATED WITH AFSCME IN TERMS OF THE 2% AND THE 750 LUMP SUM TO ALL FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME PAID SALARIES. JUST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WORKING TOWARDS THE RESOLUTION. MOVING OVER TO THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, I DID HAVE A SIMILAR QUESTION, AS COUNCILMAN GALVAN, REGARDING THE VACANCY WITH THE VACANT BUILDING ROLE. THIS IS A SHARED PRIORITY FOR MANY OF US AND IT'S A HUGE ISSUE IN DISTRICT 5. I JUST WANT TO ENSURE AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH VACANT STRUCTURES THAT THE OFFICER HAS THE SUPPORT HE NEEDS IN TERMS OF ENSURING WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS ADDRESSING THESE VACANT STRUCTURES AND NUISANCES IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> CASTILLO: I APPRECIATE THAT.
I KNOW OUR TEAM'S WORKING ON A CCR REGARDING VACANT STRUCTURES AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH SUPPORT TO HELP ADDRESS THAT CONCERN IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WITH THE WORLD HERITAGE, JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR INVITING COUNCIL OUT TO AN EVENT OVER AT THE SITE. IT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE.
GOT TO LISTEN TO A PANEL IN TERMS OF HOW THE WHOLE VISION CAME TO FRUITION.
JUST GRATEFUL FOR LEADERSHIP WITH THE WORLD HERITAGE TEAM AND OF COURSE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND HER PREDECESSOR IN BRINGING THAT TO FRUITION. GREAT TO HEAR THE QUESTIONS THAT THE MAYOR ASKED IN TERMS OF HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT FORWARD. EARLIER TODAY I WAS AT A SITE VISIT ON RAY STREET AND WE WERE THERE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT BUT WHAT WAS GREAT IS THEY WERE DOING -- PUBLIC WORKS WAS ALSO OUT THERE DOING THE COOL PAVEMENT.
JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
AT THE QUINTANA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING YESTERDAY, I GOT A QUESTION SAYING THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN DOING GREAT WORK IN THE QUINTANA NEIGHBORHOOD, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND. ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANY CUTS IN THE SERVICES THE PROGRAMS OFFICER? IF SOMEONE CAN HELP CLARIFY WILL WE SEE A DECREASE IN PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES?
>> CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE ARE GOOD RESOURCE-WISE FOR THE SOUTH SAN WORK. THE FIRST YEAR WAS PLANNING.
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTATION. AND $25 ARE GOING TO BASICALLY BE SETTING THE STAGE FOR IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH '26. I THINK IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE FUTURE BUDGET YEARS, BUT THE WORK IN SOUTH SAN AND
QUINTANA WILL CONTINUE. >> WALSH: JUST BROADLY, BECAUSE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THERE WAS A LARGE FOCUS ON THE COOL PAVEMENT PROJECT THAT WAS -- ALL THE WORK THAT WAS DONE OVER THE SUMMER. YOU KNOW, I'LL PUT A PIN IN THE ISSUE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS UPCOMING YEAR IS HOW WE'RE SCHEDULING OUT THE STREET MAINTENANCE AND THE SMP. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE BUT WHERE THOSE AREAS WHERE ROADS ARE BEING MAINTAINED, SHOULD THE QUESTION, SHOULD WE JUST BE APPLYING THOSE APPLICATIONS AS PART OF THE WORK.
WE HAVE $122 MILLION IN THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR FOR STREET MAINTENANCE SO I DON'T THINK -- YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR'S EFFORT WAS FUNDED THROUGH THAT OLD REES FUNDING.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE PROGRESS WE MADE, PARTICULARLY THIS YEAR IN DISTRICT 3, 4 IN
THOSE AREAS OF HIGH HEAT AWARENESS. >> CASTILLO: APPRECIATE THAT, ERIK. THANK YOU. IN TERMS OF THE CITY CLERK'S
[01:20:03]
BUDGET, PLEASED TO SEE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE FUNDING FOR A POSITION FOR THE MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES. REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT MOVE ALONG AS WELL.I JUST WANT TO THANK DEBBIE AND HER TEAM FOR ALL THEY DO, WHETHER IT'S BIRTH CERTIFICATES OR TAKING NOTES OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MINUTES. IT'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND WE JUST REALLY VALUE YOU ALL. AND THEN ALSO GREAT TO SEE THE GRANTS THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING AFTER IN TERMS OF THE MUNICIPAL ARCHIVE MUSEUM.
JUST REALLY GREAT TO SEE THERE'S SUPPORT IN THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
LASTLY, I DID SEE, CRAIG, WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT THERE'S FIVE VACANT POSITIONS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE ZEROED OUT. I KNOW THERE'S ONGOING CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE, THE COUNCILMAN'S CCR ON AI. DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH THE TEAM YOU HAVE NOW WHILE THERE'S A DESIRE AND EXPECTATION FROM COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WHETHER IT'S AI OR TO FURTHER REVIEW SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET PRESENTATION?
>> CRAIG HOPKINS, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER. THE WAY WE PRIORITIZED OUR BUDGET REDUCTIONS WAS REALLY BASED ON CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO WHAT WE DID IS DEPRIORITIZED SOME THINGS THAT WERE MORE AROUND PLANNING AND STRATEGY AND SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE REDUCED GOING FORWARD.
THE CORE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE REFERRED TO BEFORE, WE ARE FULLY STAFFED AND READY TO GO. BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATION TO HAVE ABOUT HOW
WE WANT TO USE THOSE GOING FORWARD. >> CASTILLO: I WILL BE PUTTING FORTH AN AMENDMENT TO SUPPORT AND BRING AMERICAN GATEWAYS TO WHERE THEY WERE IN
THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE . THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR
VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO I'LL START WITH SLIDE 16. THANK Y'ALL BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK -- I'M SORRY. RENEE'S SLIDE 16.
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION. BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WHOLE TIME. AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE WHEN I SEE A 4% INCREASE FOR SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. SO WHEN CONSENSUS AND COLLABORATION HAPPENS -- THANK YOU, AFSCME FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. AND ON THERE -- IF YOU GUYS WOULD STAND UP SO I COULD GIVE Y'ALL A WAVE. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK. Y'ALL HEARD ME LOUD AND CLEAR ON WHAT I WANTED AND I THINK THIS IS KEY ON SLIDE 16 WHAT I LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF THAT 20%/80%.
IF WE COULD GET A BREAKDOWN BY DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE -- MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES. I THINK WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE SOLID WASTE THAT HAS A 97%, YOU KNOW, APPROVAL RATE OR THE LIBRARY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE WHERE THEY SEE THIS ON THE SCALE. I KNOW WHILE SOME OF THE PEOPLE DON'T THINK MERIT PAY IS WORTH, YOU KNOW, IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HELP WITH COMPRESSION, I DO THINK WE NEED TO START MOVING TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION. THANK YOU, RENEE FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB AND MAKING SURE WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES. I'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION WITH ALL OVER 22 DEPARTMENTS AND I'LL TAKE EACH DEPARTMENT LINE BY LINE.
I'M JUST KIDDING. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. [LAUGHTER] I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU KIND OF HAVE HEARD FROM ME BEFORE.
CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS. I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE PARKING SITUATION THAT WE HAVE. I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE KEY. I THINK OUR OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY NEED TO BE PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY NEEDS TO BE TALKING TO A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY. BUT THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR ABOUT WHERE WE HAVE THE WALKABILITY, WHERE WE ARE MAKING MONEY AND WHERE WE CAN MAKE MORE MONEY BECAUSE OF THE GARAGES. AND I WON'T BRING UP MY LEAST FAVORITE GARAGE BUT, ERIK, YOU KNOW WHICH ONE I DON'T LIKE. ON THE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE, I REALLY AM APPRECIATIVE OF THIS AND THAT WE'RE STAYING HERE WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
BUT I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT HOW, EVEN THOUGH WE FACE A BUDGET CRISIS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE DOLLARS TOWARDS THOSE AGENCIES THAT HELP WITH THIS PROCESS.
[01:25:02]
SO ANY FEDERAL GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE? ANY PUBLIC-PRIVATE WE CAN WORK FOR TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE GOING OUT FOR FOUNDATION DOLLARS, I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GIVE THEM THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO DO THAT.>> LOOKING FOR GRANTS TO FUND OPPORTUNITIES WAS IN OUR CHARTER AND UNFORTUNATELY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES EVAPORATED A LITTLE BIT OVER THIS PAST YEAR.
WE'LL SEE HOW THAT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP. I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH ACADEMIC PARTNERS WHO ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS SPACE TO BEAR US IN MIND IF THEY SEE
ANYTHING THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. >> VIAGRAN: GREAT.
THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. AND THAT GETS ME TO MY NEXT DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY .
YOU KNOW, BOTH OF THE CHIEFS, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
WE DO THE SYMPOSIUM EVERY JANUARY AND I LOVE THAT EFFORT.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ALSO HEAR UNIVERSITIES ARE KEY.
THAT'S HOW I BEGAN WITH THIS SYMPOSIUM, WHICH WAS WITH TEXAS A&M SAN ANTONIO AND TEXAS A&M COLLEGE STATION. SO ARE WE LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK WITHIN? AND THIS IS WHERE I KEEP ON SAYING WE NEED COLLABORATIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS. BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT METRO HEALTH ARE DOING.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING IN HOUSING THAT WE CAN LOOK FOR DOLLARS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESILIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH ALSO MEANS OUR FOOD, OUR ENERGY, OUR WATER, THE HEAT ISLANDS THAT WE'RE DOING. ARE WE CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING THERE? >> YES, COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO MAP OUT THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS THAT WE ARE TAKING CITYWIDE ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALIGNMENT AND LEVERAGING FUNDS INTERNALLY, AS WELL AS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES EXTERNALLY.
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL GRANTS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU HEARD. NOT AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES THERE CURRENTLY BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR WHAT, YOU KNOW, NEW OPPORTUNITIES ARISE IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE.
>> VIAGRAN: AND I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY AT THE NEW BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES COMING IN, WHETHER IT'S JCB, WHETHER IT'S THE SOLAR OVER ON BROOKS' CAMPUSES.
WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH THEM AND BRING PRIVATE DOLLARS INTO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL THIS YEAR AND MAKING SURE WE MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN OF COURSE COLLEEN WITH THE WORLD HERITAGE.
I DO WANT TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENT THAT WE NEED TO GET CREATIVE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT CREATIVE CITY OF GASTRONOMY PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S -- I LOVE THE IDEA OF -- MORE YOUTUBE CHANNELS. RIGHT NOW Y'ALL HAVE A TAMALE DEMONSTRATION.
I'M NEVER GOING TO MAKE THAT TAMALE BUT IT'S A NICE VIDEO. BUT I THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY THERE AND I THINK LOCALLY GOING AROUND TO PHILADELPHIA AND MAYBE NATIONALLY TO WHERE THE CITIES ARE AND ENCOURAGING SOME OF OUR OTHER TEXAS CITIES TO LOOK FOR DESIGNATIONS.
BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER DESIGNATIONS WITHIN UNESCO THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY GET.
AND THEN ON THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I SEE THAT THERE'S A RIGHT SIZE THERE AND I DO -- LIZ, YOU ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE DEPARTMENTS TOO BECAUSE YOU KEEP US OUT OF SO MUCH TROUBLE. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE DOLLARS OUT THERE, BECAUSE OF MUNICIPAL COURTS, THAT THERE ARE CASES OUT THERE THAT WE DO NEED TO PURSUE.
SO I THINK I AM ALL FOR RIGHT-SIZING BUT IN TERMS OF DART CASES, IN TERMS OF LANDLORDS THAT ARE OUT OF TOWN THAT DON'T EVER COME AND CHECK ON THEIR PARTNERS, WE NEED TO START TAKING MORE ACTION ON THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THE TEAM READY TO DO THAT IF WE START GOING AFTER PEOPLE THAT ARE HABITUALLY JUST STACKING UP THE BILLS AND THE FINES. DO WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY? DO YOU HAVE THE TEAM READY TO
DO THAT? >> YES, COUNCILWOMAN. LIZ PROVENCIO WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. YES. WE'RE PREPARED TO GO FORWARD AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THOSE COLLECTIONS DO NOT COME TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
BUT NONETHELESS, FOR PURPOSES OF HAVING TO DO THE WORK, THERE WILL BE NO IMPACT ON SERVICE
WITH THE DECREASE. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, IN TERMS OF PREPARING THAT CASE AND PREPARING IT TO MOVE IT FORWARD, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE
[01:30:04]
MEDIATION, IN PARTICULAR WITH SOME OF MY CASES I HAVE HAD BEFOREHAND, BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT OF THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RIGHT-SIZE BUT WE MAKE SURE OURTEAM IS READY. SO, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I THINK THERE'S STILL A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD.
THERE ARE SOME LINE ITEMS I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS. MY MAIN POINT I THINK WAS THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, SO I'M HAPPY THERE. BUT I HEAR MY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR NEEDS ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S FUNDS AVAILABLE.
AND I DO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THOSE AND HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION NEXT WEEK BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS ON THURSDAY. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE ALREADY MADE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT POINTS THAT I'M JUST GOING TO GET TO ECHO.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO SAID, YOU GUYS WORKING WITH AFSCME AND COMING TO AN AGREEMENT. AND WHAT I THINK IS A GREAT SOLUTION.
SO I WANTED TO ECHO HER COMMENTS THERE. AND YOU CAN JUST DO THAT AGAIN IN THE SPRING WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH SAPOA, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO OF COURSE SUPPORTING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU ALL ARE BRINGING TO US TODAY THERE.
JUST STARTING WITH SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS. ACTUALLY, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, RENEE, ON HR STUFF. DO WE TRACK, LIKE ON A QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL BASIS, WHICH POSITIONS ARE NOT GETTING FILLED OR HOW MANY OFFERS ARE
BEING DECLINED ON CERTAIN POSITIONS? >> WE DO TRACK THE NUMBER OF DECLINES ON POSITIONS IF THEY'RE POSTED. WE COULD WORK WITH BUDGET TO DETERMINE WHAT POSITIONS ARE VACANT BUT THEY MAY BE VACANT BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING HELD FOR TURNOVER, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR RECRUITMENT DIVISION.
>> KAUR: DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEPARATE OUT VACANCIES BY OUR CHOICE VERSUS
VACANCIES BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT PERSON? >> WALSH: NO.
WE GIVE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THE AUTHORITY AND LATITUDE TO W. SO IT COULD CHANGE MONTH TO
MONTH, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS. >> KAUR: IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE DECLINE OFFERS THEN. IF YOU COULD PRESENT THAT OF HOW MANY OFFERS WERE DECLINED LAST YEAR. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF THE -- I KNOW SOME OF US HAVE FACED THAT WITH LGC BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF THAT WAS ALSO RELEVANT FOR YOU GUYS. AND THEN I WANTED TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT ABOUT MERIT-BASED PAY. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT PERFORMANCE PAY BEFORE AND WANTING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY -- WE TALKED ABOUT IT, I FEEL LIKE, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CAPACITIES AS WELL. SO THINKING ABOUT HOW FROM LEADERSHIP DOWN WE CAN START IMPLEMENTING THAT. EVEN IF WE STARTED OFF AS A PILOT FOR ONE DEPARTMENT OR SOMETHING, AND PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT WAY FOR HR. BUT LET'S JUST FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL HELP ALSO FOR SOME OF THESE COMPRESSION ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP. ALL RIGHT.
SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. I ALSO WANTED TO SHOUT OUT OUR CITY CLERK.
I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ALREADY DID. BUT Y'ALL ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. I'M PRETTY SURE ALL 11 OF US THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH THE ELECTIONS TOO. [LAUGHTER] BUT I WANTED TO SAY Y'ALL DO GREAT WORK. I THINK SOMETIMES YOUR WORK GOES UNDERESTIMATED FOR WHAT ALL YOU DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T JUST HELP WITH MEETINGS. THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON IN THE BACKGROUND. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL STAFF OR COUNCIL LIAISON OFFICE BECAUSE THEY DEFINITELY HELP US FROM EVERYTHING FROM LIKE ADVIL IN THE MORNING TO MAKING SURE WE ARE FULLY FED.
I KNOW THEY GET THE BRUNT OF OUR REQUESTS BUT MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT, WE DEFINITELY NEED THEM. ALL RIGHT. SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS. OHP -- I WANT TO ECHO THE VACANT BUILDING.
THAT, I THINK, IS JUST STARK FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG -- IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR SO MANY OF OUR DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY OUR INNER-CITY DISTRICTS.
I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD THREE PEOPLE NOW BE LIKE I HEAR YOU'RE SAYING IT'S OKAY BUT YOU CAN TELL THERE'S THAT FEELING OF THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HURTING CAPACITY THERE.
AS FAR AS SUSTAINABILITY GOES, THE DEPARTMENT -- I ACTUALLY CALLED ERIK WHEN I HEARD THE DEPARTMENTS WERE BEING CONSOLIDATED. THE ONLY REASON WHY THAT WORRIED ME, UNLIKE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, I AM LIKE WHEN WE CONSOLIDATE DOES THAT MEAN THEY'RE NOT INDIVIDUALLY EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT? AND ERIK HAS REASSURED ME THAT THIS IS GOING TO MAKE Y'ALL STRONGER AND WE NEED TO HOLD TO THAT.
THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT FEELS LIKE WITH THE RE,S FUNDING AND THE CHANGES -- AND PARTICULARLY
[01:35:09]
WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT YOU ALL COULD BE MORE NEGATIVE IMPACTED.ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WE CUT LAST YEAR -- I KNOW WE'RE STILL DOING, DOUG TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE SOME OF THOSE REALLY INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT WERE TRULY COMMUNITY BUILT THAT I THINK COULD MAKE A LONG-TERM IMPACT.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN MENTIONED STRATEGIES BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL REALLY BELIEVE IN THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING. WE CANNOT MINIMIZE IT.
AND EVEN WHEN IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BRING IT UP.
WHETHER THAT'S MAKING ALL OUR FLEET ELECTRIC SOON, YOU HAVE TO PUSH US.
THIS IS ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN SUPER EXCITING GOING TO ALL THE EVENTS RIGHT NOW. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE POR VIDA PROGRAM? WE RECENTLY ASKED ABOUT THIS. THIS WAS -- I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES KNOW -- BUT THIS WAS PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGES HEALTHY EATING. THAT WENT THROUGH METRO HEALTH AND WAS A KEY PART OF OUR CERTIFICATION IN GETTING OUR TITLE OF CITY OF GASTRONOMY. AND IT'S GOING AWAY.
IS IT GOING AWAY? CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ON THAT?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, FOR THAT QUESTION. COLLEEN SWAIN, DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE. WE DON'T MANAGE THAT PROGRAM. POR VIDA EXISTED BEFORE WE RECEIVED THE DESIGNATION. WHAT WE DID WAS IN 2022 WE WORKED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO EXPAND IT SO THAT IT NOT ONLY COVERS HEALTHY ITEMS ON THE MENU BUT ALSO WORKING WITH REWORKS, THEIR SUSTAINABILITY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO -- WE HAVE EIGHT RESTAURANTS THAT ARE DESIGNATED AS CREATIVE CITY OF GASTRONOMY RESTAURANTS .
>> VILLAGOMEZ: I JUST WANTED TO ADD THE PROGRAM IS NOT GOING AWAY.
WE DID HAVE A REDUCTION IN FUNDING SO THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT WON'T BE ASSISTING THE RESTAURANTS. WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING TOGETHER THE RECIPES BUT THEY'RE REVIEWING THOSE MENUS AND MAKING SURE THE PROGRAM CONTINUES.
>> KAUR: MAYBE -- I KNOW I'M NOT ON CHEC BUT MAYBE THIS CAN GO TO AN UPDATE TO THAT COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN SEE, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD AND THAT IT'S NOT AFFECTING OUR STATUS WITH THE CITY OF GASTRONOMY. FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE LOVE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, BUT PARTICULARLY THE ONE THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT IS DART. DART WAS A FOCUS LAST BUDGET AND MAYBE THE BUDGET BEFORE AND OUR COMMUNITY THINKS IT'S SUPER HELPFUL. I THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT WAY TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM WITHOUT MAKING -- IT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM I THINK IN THE RIGHT WAY IN A HOLISTIC, COMPREHENSIVE WAY.
BUT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I HAVE SEEN IS SOMETIMES WE GET A PROPERTY THAT'S ELIGIBLE FOR DART AND WE'VE GOT TO SCHEDULE THEM LIKE A MONTH OUT. THERE IS A -- IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME. THERE'S A LOT OF BACKLOG I THINK, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN FOR DART. YES, YOU GUYS ALWAYS WORK WITH US AND TRY TO BUMP THINGS UP IF IT'S URGENT. DO YOU GUYS FEEL LIKE WE'RE SUFFICIENTLY STAFFED FOR DART?
>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, COUNCILWOMAN. WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU IN TERMS ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZED AND WORK THROUGH WITH HOW THAT GETS DONE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE STAYING IN SYNC WITH WHERE THE PRIORITIES LIE.
>> SEGOVIA: IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, THE DART PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH LED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING SAPD, DHS, SOLID WASTE THAT -- AND WE USE THAT TEAM TO PRIORITIZE WORKING WITH YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE, WHAT THE DART PROPERTIES ARE WE NEED TO TACKLE. WITH A LOT OF THINGS, ALWAYS THE NEED OUTPACES THE RESOURCES. BUT WE TRY OUR BEST WE CAN TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROPERTIES, AGAIN, WORKING WITH COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
>> KAUR: YEAH, YOU GUYS DO THAT. YOU DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF IT.
I JUST FEEL LIKE IF THERE IS A NEED, OBVIOUSLY NOT IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE BUT IN THE NEXT ONE, MAKING SURE WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADDRESS THAT. BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF US SEE THE VALUE IN THAT PROGRAM. IT'S HELPED US ADDRESS SOME PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN REAL CHALLENGES FOR SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. ONE OTHER QUESTION FROM THE ACCESS COORDINATOR POSITION. I'M NOT SURE IF MAYBE THIS IS IN THE DEIA DEPARTMENT -- OR THE RIGHT TERM, COMPLIANCE. COA. SORRY.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT IN PUBLIC. COA. DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
NOTION ON THE ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR POSITION? >> I'M SORRY.
COULD YOU CLARIFY THE QUESTION? >> KAUR: ACCESS COORDINATOR
[01:40:03]
POSITION. ARE WE CUTTING THAT POSITION? >> YES.
THAT POSITION HAS BEEN REDUCED. >> KAUR: ARE WE SURE WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS -- WE GOT AN ADVOCACY LETTER FROM ONE OF OUR NONPROFITS SAYING THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT DISABILITY SUPPORT.
>> AS WE STAND, WE ARE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT CORE SERVICES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ASSESS AND MONITOR THE SITUATION TO SEE IF WE DO NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THE POSITION AGAIN. >> KAUR: THOSE SUBGROUP POPULATIONS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AND WE DID SO MUCH WITH THE I SPEAK CARDS AND DOING A LOT WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT STAFF IN PLACE TO HELP SUPPORT OUR SUBGROUP POPULATION SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY.
>> WALSH: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO US TO REACH OUT SO WE CAN EXPLAIN.
>> KAUR: THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> YES, YES, OF COURSE.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN. >> KAUR: YEAH.
AND I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THE LAST THING, I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT ABOUT THE PARKING STRUCTURE. ERIK, WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN SO
LET'S WORK ON THIS PARKING APP. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN
MEZA GONZALEZ. >> SEGOVIA: MAYOR, CAN I ASK LIZ TO COME UP AND MAKE A
CLARIFYING POINT ON EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION? >> THANK YOU, ANDY.
JUST BY WAY OF CLARIFYING, WE ARE HAPPY AND ALWAYS WELCOME TO AFSCME'S INPUT.
ONE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT WE HAVE TO STAY WITHIN IS NOT RECOGNIZING EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS FOR PURPOSES OF NEGOTIATING. WE JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY WELCOME AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. BUT WE'RE PROHIBITED IN RECOGNIZING EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS UNLESS STATUTORILY ALLOWED.
WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE COMPARISON YOU MADE, FOR PURPOSES OF FIRE AND POLICE, THOSE ARE STATUTORY
PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW US. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
QUICK, ON THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR OPTION 2.
GLAD TO SEE THAT RENEE AND HER TEAM WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH AFSCME.
AND ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT NO EMPLOYEES WILL BE UPSIDE DOWN IN THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. ON THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, A QUICK SHOUT OUT -- I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE MENTIONED THIS BUT EMILY AND HER TEAM DO SO MUCH FOR ME AND MY TEAM AND EVERYBODY ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH FLOOR SO WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND ALSO TO OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE FOR ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS DO.
WE KNOW YOU SITTING IN FRONT OF US, THERE'S A LOT BEHIND ALL OF THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. FOR THE CCDO SLIDE 5, THE DOWNTOWN -- THE 16.1 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS. WHAT DOES THAT SERVE? I MISSED THAT.
>> SO THE 16.1 IN RESTRICTED FUNDS ARE COMPRISED OF THE PARKING FUND, THE RIVER WALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, AND MARKET SQUARE. I CAN GIVE YOU THAT .
SO THE PARKING FUND IS APPROPRIATIONS IN A PROPOSED BUDGET OF $9.4 MILLION.
$2.6MILLION FOR MARKET SQUARE. 2.7 FOR THE RIVER WALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
I FAILED TO MENTION THERE'S 1.3 WITHIN THE CITY TOWER AND GARAGE FUND.
>> GONZALEZ: THE RESTRICTED MEANS? >> IT COULD ONLY BE USED FOR PURPOSES. PARKING, THAT'S JUST TO OPERATE OUR PARKING GARAGES AND LOTS.
WE CAN'T TAKE THAT AND USE IT FOR OTHER GENERAL FUND TYPE OF SERVICES.
>> GONZALEZ: AND THEN WHAT IS REDUCE EVENT FUNDING BY 20%? >> SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS -- THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THAT IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS RUNNING AUDIO VIDEO EQUIPMENT FOR THE ARNESON THEATRE. THE REST OF IT IS 20% REDUCTION IN EVENT FUNDING FOR VARIOUS
EVENTS AT THE CCDO OFFICE SUPPORTS. >> GONZALEZ: DOESN'T
ELIMINATE -- >> DOESN'T ELIMINATE ANY. NO.
>> WALSH: THOSE TWO ITEMS WERE ACTUALLY APPROVED AT THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S FIRST COUNCIL MEETING AT THE END OF JUNE. IT WAS WORK AT ARNESON RIVER
THEATRE. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. AND ON THE 311 CUSTOMER SERVICE, DOES THAT 5.2, THAT INCLUDES THE MAINTENANCE OPERATION OF THE APP ITSELF
TOO? >> IT'S EVERYTHING INCLUDED. YEAH.
>> GONZALEZ: AND THEN ONE LAST ONE ON SUSTAINABILITY. THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION, ARE THOSE INTERNAL FUNCTIONS? >> COUNCILWOMAN, THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT IS PREDOMINANTLY OUR MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY'S ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND AS WELL AS THAT
[01:45:02]
DIVISION ALSO IS OVERSEEING OUR MUNICIPAL SOLAR PROGRAM AS WELL.>> GONZALEZ: AND THAT FUND IS? >> IT'S A REVOLVING FUND ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2011 USING FUNDS AND CPS REBATES. BASICALLY WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN IMPROVEMENTS IN CITY UTILITIES, QUANTIFY THE SAVINGS, AND THOSE DOLLARS ARE CAPTURED AND
REINVOLVED BACK FOR MORE PROJECTS. >> GONZALEZ: YOU SAID
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION? >> SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT. CURRENTLY THEY ARE OVERSEEING OUR BLINK CONTRACT FOR MUNICIPALLY -- OUR PUBLICLY-ACCESSIBLE EV CHARGING STATIONS, AS WELL AS OUR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM WHICH HAS THREE INITIATIVES.
ONE IS THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN. ONE IS THE EXPANSION OF OUR PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE EV CHARGING . AND WE HAVE AN E-BIKE PILOT PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS THAT'S CURRENTLY ONGOING.
>> GONZALEZ: GREAT. REQUEST YOU SEND ME MORE INFO ON THAT ONE?
>> YES. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN
SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I JUST WANT TO STARTRT WITH THE COMPENSATION.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR PROGRAMS, LIKE THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND STUDENT LOAN ASSISTANCE? LIKE MEETING OUR DEMAND THERE?
>> STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE IS ABOUT 700 FOR THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND TUITION REIMBURSEMENT HAS BEEN ABOUT 200 EMPLOYEES. >> SPEARS: DO WE KNOW KIND OF LIKE AN AVERAGE OR OUTLAY FOR THAT PER PERSON? I KNOW IT VARIES.
>> WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT. >> SPEARS: MY NEXT QUESTION IS -- I KNOW YOU SAID EMPLOYEES WON'T BE UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE PREMIUM INCREASES, BUT IS THAT
TRUE IF THEY HAVE FAMILY COVERAGE? >>
>> SPEARS: OKAY. THANK YOU. THE CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS. SO IS THE ARNESON RIVER THEATRE IN GOOD SHAPE? ARE WE MAINTAINING THE PLUMBING AND -- I WAS JUST THERE AND WE HAD TO MOVE A DANCE
PERFORMANCE. >> YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL. JOHN JACKS, DIRECTOR FOR CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS THIS AV EQUIPMENT. THE AV EQUIPMENT THERE IS UTILIZED NOT ONLY BY US BUT PRIMARILY SOME OF OUR PARTNERS THAT USE THAT FACILITY. IN THE PAST, BECAUSE OF THE DECLINE OF THAT EQUIPMENT, WE'VE HAD TO KIND OF MITIGATE THAT BY GOING OUT AND CONTRACTING AND RENTING EQUIPMENT. SO THE ITEM THAT YOU ALL APPROVED IN JUNE GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS UP GRADING ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT AT THAT FACILITY. AND THAT WORK STARTED THIS WEEK .
THAT WILL BE A BIG HELP FOR NOT ONLY PEOPLE ATTENDING BUT THE PARTNERS THAT PUT ON THOSE
EVENTS. >> SPEARS: GOOD. AND THEN SO THE CITY TOWER GARAGE ELEVATORS THAT ARE OUT UNTIL JANUARY. ARE WE --
>> I'M NOT SURE. THE ELEVATORS AT CITY GARAGE ARE WORKING FINE.
DSD IS DOING AN UPGRADE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ALEXANDER MARTINEZ WITH BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES. THE CITY TOWER GARAGE ELEVATOR IS GOING TO BE OUT FOR ABOUT FOUR WEEKS FOR REPAIRS. SO ONCE IT RECEIVES THE REPAIRS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR RENOVATION THAT IS PART OF OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. WE'RE GOING TO RENOVATE ALL THE ELEVATORS ON THE CITY TOWER GARAGE AND ALSO FOR THE BUILDING. THAT IS GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A
YEAR AND A HALF. >> SPEARS: WE'LL ENSURE OTHER ACCESS, LIKE ADA ACCESS AND
HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT? >> WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE THE STAIRWELLS IN THE MEANTIME
AND USE THE OTHER TWO ELEVATORS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. >> SPEARS: THAT SOUNDS SUPER FUN. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE. I JUST WOULD LIKE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 50 NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS THAT YOU HELD.
LIKE, YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO PULL THIS. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IF YOU COULD GET ME INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THEY WERE, WHERE THEY WERE, HOW THEY WERE ATTENDED,
[01:50:02]
AND HOW THEY WERE MARKETED. SO THAT PROJECTION WAS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND THAT WAS ADJUSTED FROM 50 EVENTS TO 30 DUE TO THE SIZE OF MY STAFF AND THE ROBUST ENGAGEMENT WE WANT TO HAVE. THOSE ARE 30 ENGAGEMENTS FOR FY26.THERE WILL BE ONE IN EACH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT AND THERE WILL BE TWO IN TEN SELECTED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHICH WERE SELECTED FROM THE CITY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF GOOD NEIGHBOR PROPERTIES LOCATED IN THOSE AREAS. SO THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAD MULTIPLE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROPERTIES IN THEIR VICINITY AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE SELECTED FOR THE ROBUST ENGAGEMENTS FOR FY26. THEN IN FY27 WE'LL ROTATE TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS BASED ON THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROPERTY DATA.
>> SPEARS: SO DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SEND OVER SHOWING THAT?
>> I DO HAVE A SCHEDULE AND WE'RE STILL ATTEMPTING TO SCHEDULE THE CITYWIDE COUNCIL EVENTS WITH STAFF BUT I DO HAVE A SCHEDULE I CAN SHARE WITH YOU.
>> SPEARS: THANK YOU. COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT. THE BUDGET FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT FUND, THE CAPITAL OUTLAY WENT UP BY $2.5 MILLION SINCE 2024.
DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE PLANNED PROJECTS? >> I CAN GET THAT BREAKDOWN FOR
YOU. >> SPEARS: OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TOO, ELENA. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. SO IT INCLUDES SOME TELEVISED MEETING EQUIPMENT FOR PRODUCTION SPACES, AN HVAC REDUNDANCY SYSTEM TO SUPPORT TVSA EQUIPMENT.
CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT AND UPGRADING STUDIOS AS WELL AS L.E.D. WALLS FOR STUDIOS TO PLAY GREEN SCREENS. WE CAN PROVIDE YOU A FULL BREAKOUT OF THAT.
>> WALSH: WE'LL INCLUDE AN EXPLANATION. THE FUNDING FOR THAT EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADE IS STATUTORILY RESTRICTED. IT'S FUNDS THAT WE COLLECT FROM CABLE BILLS. YEAH. CABLE BILLS.
AND IT HAS TO BE SPENT ON THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF OUR TELEVISION EQUIPMENT, THESE
CAMERAS, AND SO FORTH. >> SPEARS: WHICH CABLE COMPANY?
>> WALSH: ALL OF THEM. >> SPEARS: THIS IS A WHOLE NEW CAN OF WORMS.
WELL, AWESOME. >> WALSH: WE'LL INCLUDE A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPLANATION.
>> SPEARS: THANK YOU. >> COUNCILWOMAN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, WE HAVE ABOUT $450,000 BUDGETED EACH YEAR AND WE SPEND ABOUT THAT MUCH
ANNUALLY. >> SPEARS: GOOD. I MEAN, I'M GLAD OF IT.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW. THANK YOU. I REALLY JUST WANTED TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS. YOU'RE ONE OF THE LOWEST FUNDED BUT MOST IMPACTFUL. AND CONTRIBUTING $51.3 BILLION TO OUR ECONOMY IS HUGE.
SO, WELL DONE. THANK YOU. >> I DON'T GET ANY OF IT.
[LAUGHTER] >> SPEARS: YOU DON'T GET A PERCENT? ANYWAY, EXCELLENT. AND THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO. >> ANGUIANO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
21 DEPARTMENTS IS A LOT SO KUDOS TO Y'ALL FOR FIGURING OUT THESE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.
BOTH EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, I'LL JUST FULLY SUPPORT MY -- OR THE OPTION 2 WITH A 2% PLUS 750 BASE INCREASE. YEAH, THAT ONE. BECAUSE I THINK DURING THE TIME WHEN OUR CITY IS EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF CAPACITY DUE TO REVENUE SHORTFALLS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST SUPPORT THE PEOPLE BEHIND ALL THE WORK AND WHO DO THE WORK IN THIS CITY.
I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT ONE. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MARIA VARGAS FOR PROVIDING EXCELLENT WORK TO ADDRESS SAFETY ISSUES TO ACHIEVE A HOLISTIC AND COORDINATED RESPONSE TO PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
ANY TIME OUR TEAM HAS COME TO YOU WITH A CRIME OR SAFETY ISSUE, YOU DO THOROUGH RESEARCH AND YOU'RE VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERNS OF OUR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN
ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO RENEE AND FREDDIE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. I ALSO DO WANT TO STOP AND THANK OUR CITY CLERK AND ALL OF HER TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO. AND ALSO FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR SUPPORT STAFF, I KNOW THAT WE -- I GUESS WE CAN BE A DEMANDING BUNCH EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. ON THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND
[01:55:04]
COMPENSATION, THANK YOU TO HR AND EVERYONE INVOLVED ON COMING TO AN AGREEMENT ABOUT OPTION 2 ON SLIDE 16. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH DOING MORE. WE KNOW THAT AS BUDGET DEFICITS HAPPEN, WORKLOADS INCREASE AND RESOURCES DECREASE. SO IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH SO I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THINGS WORK TO SEE AND PROTECT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IN THE BEST WAY WE CAN.SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS THERE. I WAS ALSO GLAD TO SEE ON SLIDE 12 OUR FIREFIGHTERS' AVERAGE WAGES WENT UP AFTER ALL OF OUR EFFORTS LAST YEAR BY MANY OF THESE MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL, WHETHER COUNCIL MEMBER OR ON STAFF, TO SECURE A GOOD DEAL FOR THEM. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THAT.
ON SLIDE 10, I DID HAVE SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE HEAR FROM CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND IT IS TO -- IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE TENURE AND EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. IF SOMEONE OBTAINS A DEGREE WHILE WORKING HERE THEIR COMPENSATION SHOULD BE REFLECTED FOR THAT ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION.
AND OFTENTIMES IT'S NOT. OR IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO GET IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TO GET HIGHER DEGREES AND THEN IT'S USUALLY A WOMP WOMP BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY PAY FOR IT.
DEFINITELY WANTED TO SHARE THAT FEEDBACK. FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, ON 311, IS THERE A REASON WE'RE NOT DOING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS ANYMORE? I KNOW IT WASN'T IN THE PRESENTATION BUT IT WAS IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT.
>> COUNCILWOMAN, YES. ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE PHONE? WHEN SOMEONE CALLS US AND THERE'S AN E-MAIL THAT'S BEING SENT OUT? THOSE ARE STILL BEING DONE, MA'AM, AND WE DO KEEP TRACK OF THOSE METRICS.
I'M NOT AWARE IF THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM. >> GAVITO: YEAH, IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT IT SAYS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, OVERALL QUALITY OF 311.
SO IT STOPPED IN FISCAL YEAR '25. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THAT
WAS ABOUT. >> COUNCILWOMAN, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
THAT'S THE CITYWIDE CUSTOMER SURVEY, COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WE DO.
THAT WAS 311'S SCORE THE LAST TIME WE DID IT. WE TYPICALLY DO IT EVERY OTHER YEAR. IT WAS 91% IN FY24. WE DID NOT DO ONE THIS YEAR.
WE WILL THIS COMING YEAR. >> GAVITO: THAT WAS A CITYWIDE SURVEY AND THAT WAS
311'S SCORE? >> ABOUT ALL THE SERVICES. COMMUNITY SATISFACTION WITH
CITY SERVICES. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THAT CONTEXT IS HELPFUL.
FOR CCDO, I SEE THAT ONE OF THE METRICS IS THE TONNAGE OF TRASH REMOVED FROM THE RIVER CHANNEL. I WAS CURIOUS WHAT STEPS CCDO IS DOING TO BE PROACTIVE FROM
PREVENTING TRASH FROM GETTING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? >> SO JUST TO EXPLAIN THAT REAL QUICK. THAT IS TONNAGE OF TRASH REMOVED BY ONE OF OUR BOATS.
WE HAVE A BOAT THAT'S SPECIFICALLY DEDE DESIGNED TO REMOVE TRASH FROM THE RIVER. PUBLIC WORKS, THROUGH THEIR STORMWATER PROGRAM, HAS PROGRAMS TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING. THERE'S COVERS ON STORM INLETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO TRY TO CAPTURE THAT TRASH BEFORE IT GETS IN THE RIVER.
THERE'S A TRASH COLLECTION DEVICE AT THE HEAD -- AT THE TOP OF DOWNTOWN ON SAN PEDRO CREEK TO TRY TO CATCH THAT TRASH BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE RIVER.
AND OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER AT THE RIVER AUTHORITY ON DIFFERENT KIND OF MARKETING PROGRAMS AND CAMPAIGNS TO PREVENT TRASH FROM ENTERING THE RIVER.
>> GAVITO: YEAH. AND REALLY THAT'S WHAT I'M LEANING ON IS JUST MORE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LITTERING, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE SHOWING DISRESPECT FOR YOUR CITY. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A SENSE OF PRIDE INSTILLED IN SAN ANTONIANS AGAIN TO NOT LITTER. AND ONE OF THE BEST PLACES FOR THAT IS THE RIVER WALK.
SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR HERE.
>> SURE. YEAH. AND AT THE RIVER EDGE WE'VE DONE A LOT WORKING WITH CENTRO. THEY HELP PICK UP TRASH.
USUALLY A STORM EVENT IS HOW THAT ENTERS THE RIVER. THAT'S A KEY AREA TO FOCUS ON.
>> GAVITO: I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I MENTIONED THIS IN ONE OF THE OTHER BRIEFINGS -- AND THIS IS FOR C&E. MY DISTRICT 7 OFFICE WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL ON SOME SORT OF CAMPAIGN AND PUSH ABOUT AGAIN PEOPLE HAVING PRIDE AND NOT LITTERING IN OUR CITY.
WE SEE THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN. WE WANT AN EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGN SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T LITTERING
[02:00:08]
ON OUR STREETS AND WATERWAYS. WE SPEND SO MUCH EFFORTS, WHETHER IT'S BASURA BASH OR PICKING UP TRASH AND IT WOULD BE NICE FOR US TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WAYS WE CAN PREVENT THIS CITYWIDE. THANK YOU.FOR OHP, I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM.
I KNOW -- WE FLOW THAT VACANT BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN A THORN IN A LOT OF OUR SIDE.
WE KNOW THAT THEY ATTRACT CRIME AND LOWER NEARBY PROPERTY VALUES.
I'M NERVOUS ABOUT ELIMINATING THAT POSITION BUT ALSO TOO, SHANNON -- I THINK IT'S SHANNON. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT POSITION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR?
>> YES. IT WAS -- IT'S ONE OF THE CASE MANAGER POSITIONS.
BASICALLY THERE ARE CASE MANAGERS THAT TAKE THE CASES ON GEOGRAPHY, GENERALLY.
AS YOU KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE ASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AND SO BASICALLY WE'RE GOING TO DIVIDE IT UP DIFFERENTLY. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER STAFF POSITION THAT DOES -- THAT SUPPORTS ALL OF THE CASE MANAGERS WITH INSPECTIONS.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE ACTUALLY HAD ANOTHER EMPLOYEE OUT ON EXTENDED LEAVE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME SO WE'VE KIND OF BEEN OPERATING AT THE SAME LEVEL FOR A WHILE.
AND SO WE DO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE CASELOAD.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH ANDY'S TEAM TO PROCESS MORE CASES IN MUNICIPAL COURT. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO GET BETTER ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE THAT
WAY AS WELL. >> GAVITO: OKAY. YEAH, THAT IS HELPFUL CONTEXT.
I'D STILL WANT TO PUSH BACK ON ELIMINATING THAT SPECIFIC POSITION, JUST BECAUSE VACANT BUILDINGS, IT MAY HAVE BEEN Y'ALL MEETING THAT SATISFACTORY LEVEL BUT I FEEL FOR A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I IT IS NOT A SATISFACTORY LEVEL SO I WOULD HATE TO BE ONE OUT ESPECIALLY ON A NUISANCE PROBLEM FOR MANY OF US. I KNOW ALSO TOO WE HAD RECENTLY WROTE A MEMO TO INCREASE THE FINES AND FEES ON OUR ABSENTEE PROPERTY OWNERS.
I THINK A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED THAT. SO EVEN WITH Y'ALL'S RECOMMENDATIONS STILL HIKING THEM UP, BECAUSE THEY ARE PROBLEMS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
ON THE COMPLIANCE, OPPORTUNITY, AND ACCESS SLIDE, MELANIE RAISED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF THE ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST POSITION .
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS REDUCTION WILL HAVE NO IMPACT
ON ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY? >> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN. AS I NOTED EARLIER, WE ARE STILL MEETING OUR CORE SERVICES. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STAFF POSITION, IT HAS BEEN VACANT OVER A YEAR SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE THE WORKLOAD
THAT WE ARE GETTING TO CONTINUE OUR CORE SERVICES. >> GAVITO: SOUNDS GOOD.
THAT'S FAIR ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH IF THAT COMMUNITY HAS ANY
CONCERNS. >> YES, OF COURSE. I WOULD EXPECT NO LESS.
>> GAVITO: AWESOME. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR MUNGIA.
>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AT ONE OF OUR BUDGET MEETINGS WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE FRONT-FACING ROLES, LIKE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, ANNUAL CARE OFFICERS, HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATORS . HOW DO YOU BASE THE MARKET DECISION ON COMPENSATION FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES? I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE SEEING IS IT'S A TOUGH JOB, THERE'S HIGH TURNOVER, AND THERE ARE SOME LESS EXPENSE LATERAL MOVEMENTS THAT THEY CAN MAKE WITHIN THE CITY. HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE SALARY FOR THOSE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES
AND EMPLOYEES. >> WHEN WE LOOK AT MARKET, WE HAVE PURCHASED THE MERCER SALARY SURVEY, WHICH IS THE LARGEST PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR WAGE SURVEY.
WE ALSO BENCHMARK AGAINST OTHER CITIES. AND THEN WE LOOK TO SEE -- WE DO LOOK AT THE VACANCY RATE, THE TURNOVER RATE AS IT COMPARES TO OTHER POSITIONS.
>> MUNGIA: OUTSIDE OF JUST GENERAL CITYWIDE PAY INCREASES, HAVE THOSE SPECIFIC ROLES HAD ANY ADJUSTMENTS IN PAY OR HAZARD PAY CONSIDERATIONS BASED ON THE TURNOVER?
>> NONE OF OUR CITY POSITIONS HAVE HAZARD PAY, PER SE. THEY ARE PART OF THE POSITIONS THAT WERE EVALUATED FOR MARKET TWO FISCAL YEARS AGO. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT
[02:05:01]
THE HISTORY OF THEIR PAY TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF MARKET INCREASE THOSE POSITIONSGOT. >> MUNGIA: I THINK THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS ARE OUT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE ARMED EITHER. AND THEY'RE USUALLY CONFRONTING VERY AGGRESSIVE OR UPSET PEOPLE. OR IN SOME CASES, OBVIOUSLY, VERY AGGRESSIVE DOGS.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY WORTH LOOKING AT. AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CORE FUNCTIONS THAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE ASKED TO BE INCREASED OR THOSE METRICS TO BE IMPROVED UPON. I JUST WONDER AT SOME POINT IF WE COULD TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THAT ALSO. AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN KAUR MENTIONED THIS BUT I THINK ALL OF OUR OFFICES HAVE HAD SOME CONCERNS OR ISSUES WITH LGC. BEING A FORMER LGC EMPLOYEE, I KNOW JUNE WILL BE A VESTING PERIOD FOR THOSE WHO WERE HERE AT THE INCEPTION OF THE LGC.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT THE STATUS OF OUR LGC EMPLOYEES.
MAYBE DO A SUBCOMMITTEE AGAIN. JUST EVALUATE WHERE WE ARE, THE POSITIONS, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT. AND IF WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT SYSTEM, MAKING SURE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WELL INFORMED ON THAT ALSO. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THAT'S SOMETHING COMING UP. AND I THINK ALMOST EVERY SINGLE COUNCILMEMBER HERE AGREES WITH THAT. IT'S DUE TIME FOR A REVIEW ON THAT.
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. AS CCDO, JOHN JACKS, IF YOU COULD COME UP REAL QUICK. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THEY MET WITH A NUMBER OF US ALSO, BUT THE MARKET SQUARE TENANTS ASSOCIATION HAS MET WITH US AND THEY ARE DEALING WITH A LOT OF ISSUES WITH CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AROUND THERE.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE EXTENDED THE LEASE FORGIVENESS OR SOME SORT OF PROGRAM.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW LONG YOU HAVE EXTENDED THAT TO AND WHAT THE PLAN IS AFTER THAT'S DONE?
>> SURE. THAT'S THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH TO HOPEFULLY COINCIDE WITH THE END OF THE CONSTRUCTION IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
>> MUNGIA: PUBLIC WORKS IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION THIS MONTH?
>> I THINK JOHN IS GOING TO ADDRESS THAT. >> COUNCILMAN, THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION. YEAH, THE CURRENT SCHEDULE IS BEING COMPLETED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THEY ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING ON THAT.
YOU CAN EXPECT DE LA ROSA AND CUSTOMERS TO FEEL VERY DIFFERENT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE QUESTION IS WHAT DOES SANTA ROSA LOOK LIKE?
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CLOSE . >> MUNGIA: IF IT'S NOT DONE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE
WILL EXTEND IT FURTHER? >> WALSH: WE HAVE TO EVALUATE THAT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT FUNDING IN THAT MARKET SQUARE. AND SO I THINK THAT WILL BE A FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH THE TENANTS OVER THERE AND ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL.
>> MUNGIA: IT IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, CORRECT? >> WALSH: YES.
>> MUNGIA: BUT WE CAN ADD TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND. >> WALSH: SURE.
IT'S JUST GOT TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE. >> MUNGIA: I JUST MENTION THAT BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTIONS IN THE BUDGET AND OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEY'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IT HAS TO GO BACK BUT NOT 0 TO 100 IN ONE MONTH.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP. I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S ADVOCACY FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE QUINTANA NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HAVE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF THOSE MEETINGS. THE STAFF IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT AND HELPFUL TO THEM AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE YOUR COMMITMENT THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET SOME RESOURCES TO GO INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOME LONG-LASTING SUPPORT.
>> YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. THE KEY TO THAT PROGRAM IS THE CITY HAD COMMITTED SOME FUNDING TO IT BUT WE'RE LEVERAGING IT WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF MOMENTUM. SO WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. >> MUNGIA: GREAT. YOU HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT THAT AREA THAT ARE VERY COMMITTED ALSO. LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP WITH THAT ALSO. I JUST ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO GENERAL AYALA.
WE MET EARLIER THIS MORNING AND I KNOW LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE IS IN DISTRICT 4.
WE HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF VETERANS ACROSS THE CITY IN DISTRICT 4 AND SO YOUR MISSION TO KEEP THE BASES HERE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMY AND TO THE LIVELIHOOD OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ADVOCACY.
>> THANK YOU. >> MUNGIA: YOU'RE WELCOME. AND DR. MATA, IF YOU COULD COME UP REAL QUICK. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND YOUR OFFICE. AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE IMMIGRANT INCLUSION.
BECAUSE WHILE THAT HAS BECOME AN EXTREMELY POLITICIZED ISSUE HERE IN THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN THREE TRAILERS FOUND IN MY DISTRICT.
[02:10:05]
ONE RESULTING IN ONE OF THE LARGEST CASUALTIES THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN.TWO OF THOSE HAPPEN TO BE RIGHT BEHIND MY FIELD OFFICE ON QUINTANA ROAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT TO MAKE IT A SAFER PLACE FOR EVERYBODY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. >> MUNGIA: ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR KAUR.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST COULD NOT BELIEVE I FORGOT TO HIGHLIGHT MY FAVORITE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT'S C&E. ALANNA, I JUST LOVE THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I FEEL LIKE I'M WITH COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. EVERY DAY WE HAVE A NEW FAVORITE DEPARTMENT. BUT ALANNA, YOU HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
YOU ARE SUCH A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM. I KEEP SAYING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE -- IF WE HAVE UNLIMITED RESOURCES, IT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT REQUEST, ERIK, BUT I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE MORE SUPPORT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND YOU DO IT WITH SUCH PASSION AND HEART. AND YOU'RE REALLY GREAT AT COLLABORATING WITH OUR OFFICES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE NEED.
AND REALLY EMBODY HOW CAN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.
WE HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING A LOT ON HOW TO BETTER CONNECT 311, OUR SYSTEMS THAT WE USE.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A SLOW PROCESS BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE AND WITH CRAIG AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS CAN SIGN UP, GET THE UPDATES THAT THEY NEED AND THEY WANT. SO THAT WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY OF A STREET THAT'S NOT GETTING DONE WELL ENOUGH -- WHICH IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS NEW DEPARTMENT -- BUT IN THE EVENT THAT IT DOES, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IN AN EFFICIENT WAY. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT SHOUT OUT. AND ALSO WITH THE CCDO REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER JUST BROUGHT UP, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT MARKET SQUARE AND LA VILLITA. I KNOW WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THEY ARE TREASURES TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE.
I UNDERSTAND DSD'S ENTERPRISE FUND BUT TAKING A LOOK AT THE COMPARISONS OF THOSE TYPES AND SEEING WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO BETTER SUPPORT THEM. BECAUSE I MEAN THEY COME TO US AND THEY REQUEST THAT. WE WANT THEM TO THRIVE, SO MAYBE JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT STRUCTURE IS FOR THEM. THINKING ABOUT THAT WOULD BE
HELPFUL. THAT'S ALL. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR
GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON. DEFINITELY THE POINT COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO MENTIONED ABOUT EDUCATION OBTAINED WHILE BEING A CITY STAFF MEMBER IS CRUCIAL TO SEE HOW WE CAN INCREASE THE PAY AND ACCOMMODATE THE KIND OF WORK THAT THEY DO.
WE KNOW TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR THE FOLKS WHO DO UTILIZE IT, IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE RECEIVING THE PAY THEY DESERVE FOR HAVING AN EDUCATION THAT TYPICALLY DOES ALIGN WITH THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. I ALSO WANTED TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER KAUR'S PIECE ON SUSTAINABILITY. I ALSO HAD SOME CONCERNS OF WHAT IT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE WITH RESILIENCY JUMPING IN. I THINK IT'S A NATURAL FIT BUT ON THE POINT OF [INDISCERNIBLE] IS TO BREAK DOWN SILOS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS ARE HAPPENING. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HAVING THEM GO OVER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T IMPACT THAT WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. TO THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE HAD ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS, OTHER PLACES THAT CAN HAVE SOME OF THESE THINGS DONE. I WANT TO EXPRESS THAT CONCERN A LITTLE BIT. OF COURSE I WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE CITY CLERK FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO. JUST THE PRESENTATION YOU GAVE US, FOR THE RECORD, IS JUST BEAUTIFUL TO ME. BUT ALSO THE MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES MUSEUM, I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT AS A HISTORY PERSON MYSELF THAT FREQUENTLY LOOKS AT OLD ORDINANCES WE HAVE IN PLACE.
LOOKING AT THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE PAST TO HELP INFORM THE WORK WE DO HERE IS ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THE CITY CLERK DOES AND I ENJOY USING.
FINALLY, I WANT TO SHOUT OUT OF COURSE EVERYONE AT THE LGC STAFF, EMILY, ALL THE FOLKS ON THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR'S TEAM, AS WELL AS THE BEST TEAM, DISTRICT 6, AND ALL THE STAFF THERE. WHETHER THEY'RE HERE AT CITY HALL, TEZEL ALL THE WORK THEY DO IS CRUCIAL AND IMPORTANT TO THE WORK WE DO FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING OR HOA MEETING OR COMMUNITY EVENT OR ON THE PHONE WITH ME, ALWAYS RECOGNIZING THAT THE STAFF REACHED OUT AND GOT IT SOLVED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE PAST GOT THINGS DONE, FRANKLY.
BUT HAPPY WE HAVE THE TEAM WE HAVE NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
THERE ARE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN A B SESSION OR POSSIBLY AN A
[02:15:02]
SESSION ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND AS TECHNOLOGY GROWS.THAT'S THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES.
I KNOW COUNCILMAN WHYTE SITS WITH ME ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND WE'RE ALWAYS GETTING REQUEST FOR RFPS AND CRMS AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO DIG DEEPER ON WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH IN RESTRICTED FUNDS THERE. AND WE KNOW -- I AM FULLY AWARE HOW WELL THEY DO WITH SECURITY BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME USER-FRIENDLY AND DASHBOARD CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE AS A COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT. SO I WANTED TO BRING UP THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING, WHICH I HEARD MENTIONED BY A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, MYSELF, AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THE LGC SUBCOMMITTEE TO BRING FORWARD NEW POSITIONS SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE OPTIONS.
BUT I THINK, YES, THE TIME IS NOW FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AS A FULL LGC BOARD, BECAUSE WE ARE THE LGC BOARD, AND TALK ABOUT OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THERE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT. I THINK EVERYBODY COULD GIVE A LITTLE MONEY FROM OUR BUDGET TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A LUNCH THAT DAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS I LIKE TO SEE AS WE LOOK AT FUTURE BUDGETS IN TERMS OF WHO'S GOT RESTRICTED FUNDS, HOW ARE WE USING THOSE RESTRICTED FUNDS, AND ALSO WHERE WE CAN CUT -- NOT CUT BUT REALLY JUST GET THE
MOST FOR OUR DOLLAR. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN
CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
LASTLY, I WANTED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO DR. KAUR'S POINT ABOUT THE DART PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE MANY NUISANCE PROPERTIES WITHIN DISTRICT 5, AND I'M TOO SURE IF IT'S THE BUDGET OR STREAMLINING BUT HOW WE CAN HOLD INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE THAT NEED TO BE.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LGC SUBCOMMITTEE.
I WASN'T ON IT, IT WAS DR. ROCHA GARCIA, BUT I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN RECONVENING.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH INTERNSHIP POSITIONS THAT EACH COUNCIL OFFICE HAS.
OUR OFFICE HAS HAD OLDER ADULTS EXPRESS INTEREST IN THE INTERIM POSITION TO RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS.
LASTLY, I DO WANT TO SUGGEST THAT IN TERMS OF THE MARKET SQUARE VENDORS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY WITH THE TIRZ THAT OVERSEES DOWNTOWN, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY IN THE CASE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION RUNS LONGER, THAT THE TIRZ COULD
OFFSET THE COST. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR PRESENTERS. THANK YOU FOR AGAIN ALL THE HARD WORK AS WE LOOK TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. '26 IS NOT THE CHALLENGE, IT'S '27. APPRECIATE THE WAYS YOU HAVE WORKED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN COVER THE GAP THIS TIME AND MAKE SURE OUR FOLKS ARE WELL COMPENSATED AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY MOVING FORWARD.
BEFORE WE CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS A POINT.
ANDY, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOUR OFFICE HAS NEVER APPROVED A CITY CONTRACT EXPENDING
RESOURCES FOR CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES? >> SEGOVIA: I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH, MAYOR. BUT I CAN SAY WE SCRUTINIZE THAT PRETTY CLOSELY.
NO, WE MAKE SURE THAT AS WE ENTER INTO CONTRACTS, THAT WE ADDRESS ANY POLITICAL ACTIVITY
THAT SHOULD NOT BE FUNDED FROM CITY FUNDS. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE A PERSONAL ISSUE WITH A LEGAL CONTRACT, THAT IN DISPARAGE OR NEEDLESSLY QUESTION THE PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY OF THE CITY STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO WELL SERVE OUR CITY. THE TIME IS NOW 4:20 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2025. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALL PURSUANT TO 551.071.
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>> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NEW 5:09 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2025, AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OFFICIAL SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW 5:09 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, AND THIS MEETING IS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.