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>> VIAGRAN: OKAY. THE TIME IS NOW 10:01:00 A.M. O NOVEMBER 10, 2025, AND THE MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC AND WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL.
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS TO THE ? CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MOTION CARRIES. MADAM CLERK, ARE THERE ANY
CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM OF PUBLIC COMMENT? >> NO, CHAIR, NOBODY SIGNED
UP. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. ITEM 2 IS THE UPDATE ON THE READY TO WORK ON-THE-JOB AND INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM.
IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION? >> THERE IS.
>> VIAGRAN: GREAT. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> THANK YOU.
MADAM CHAIR. GOOD MORNING. ON THE JOB WORKER TRAINING AND INCUMBENT TRAINING INCLUDES THE OPPORTUNITIES TO INCLUDE EMPLOYERS TO OFFERING DIRECT TRAINING TO READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE SKILLS, IN THE ROLE TO RAMP UP TO FILL THE JOBS AND REQUIRE NEW SKILLS TO BE VALUABLE TO THE EMPLOYERS.
A WIN WIN FOR BOTH THE EMPLOYERS TO IMPROVE BUSINESS OUTCOMES AND WWORKERS WHO GET TO EARN MONEY WHILE WORKING. SO ROUND 1, WE START AT INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING TWO YEARS AGO WITH THE FIRST AGRE AGREEMENTS BEING ABOUT 20 MONTHS AGO, AND WE HAD 6 SMALL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE IN OJT, 14 LARGE BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE, 32 PARTICIPANTS SERVED BY SMALL BUSINESSES, 255 BY LARGE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE DOLLARS SPENT ON AVERAGE PER PARTICIPANT FOR BOTH OF THOSE CATEGORIES, AND IN INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING, 6 SMALL BUSINESSES SERVED. 88 PARTICIPANTS, AND LARGE BUSINESSES, 5, AND 231 PARTICIPANTS SERVED, AND THAT DATA IS OF NOVEMBER 3, 2025. WE HAVE ABOUT DOZEN EMPLOYERS THAT ARE STILL FINISHING OUT THE FIRST ROUND OF PILOT PROGRAM, SO WE EXPECT TO SEE A FEW MORE NUMBERS COME IN AS THOSE EMPLOYERS CONTINUE TO TRAIN INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THESE RESOURCES. SO IN THOSE ROUND 1 OUTCOMES, ABOUT 74% OF THE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PARTICIPANTS, NEW HIRE, SO OJT, BRAND NEW HIRES INTO THE COMPANY, HAD A RETENTION RATE OF ABOUT 74%. INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING, BEING EXISTING WORK FORCE WITH THAT EMPLOYER FOR LONGER THAT 6 MONTHS.
93% RETENTION RATE FOR EMPLOYEING BEING TRAINED WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
WAGE GROWTH ON AVERAGE ABOUT $24.87, WHICH FOR SAN ANTONIO AND FOR US, READY TO WORK INITI INITIATIVE, IS OUTS OUTSTANDING STARTING AT THAT RATE IN YOUR NEW JOB, AND ENDING WAGE OF $25.32, SO YOU DIDN'T SEE MUCH WAGE GROWTH IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, AND IWT, STARTING WAGE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS BEING TRAINED WAS $32.07 AN HOUR. A 23-CENT INCREASE. AND THEN THERE WAS MORE TIME BECAUSE, AGAIN, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE ENDING NOW, SO WE'RE HOPEFULLY WE SEE MORE SALARY INCREASES AS MORE TIME GOES ON.
PROMOTIONS AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT. IN OJT, 7 INDIVIDUALS WERE PROMOTED THUS FAR AT 3% OF THOSE NEW HI HIRES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FOR NEW HIRES CO COMING IN, AGAIN, LESS THAN SIX MONTHS ON THE JOB, THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS THEY CONTINUE TO SHOW THEIR VALUE TO THEIR EMPLOYERS, AND INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING, 20 PROMOTIONS TO DATE, ABOUT 6% OF ALL IWT PARTICIPANTS.
ROUND 2. SO THIS LAST BUDGET CYCLE IN FY25.
THERE WERE 77 EMPLOYERS THAT WERE AWARDED 5.9 MILLION TO TRAIN 2,537 WORKERS, SO SCALING UP SIGNIFICANTLY IN WHAT ARE OUR CONTRACT CHYLE EXPECTATIONS ARE, WHICH ARE BEING EXECUTED AS WE SPEAK, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE OUTCOMES FOR THOSE TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE ON WITHIN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEAR. AND THEN WE'RE PREPPING FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR ROUND 3 AND THE FY26 BUDGET, AND WE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE THE BENEFITS OF THESE PROGRAMS. SO FOR THE PARTICIPANT, THEY GET TO EARN MONEY WHILE THEY'RE LEARNING AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING IS NEW HIRES, NEW TO THEIR ROLES AND IN THIS ITERATION, THEY HAVE TO BE READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE GONE
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THROUGH THE TRAINING AND LOOKING FOR THE FIRST JOB, ACCESS TO INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND MENTORS. EMPLOYER RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS AND TRAINING.CAREER ADVAN ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND FOR EMPLOYERS, ACCESS TO A TRAINED TALENT POOL. IMPROVED RETENTION, IMMEDIATE PRODUCTIVITY, AND COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO HELP DEVELOPMENTAL WENT. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AWARD, AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF CONTRACTS THAT WE HOPE TO BEGIN TO OPEN UP THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR, THEY MUST BE A READY TO WORK PLEDGED EMPLOYER, THEY HAVE TO PAY AT LEAST $20 PER HOUR WITH THESE NEW HIRE POSITIONS, AND THEY MUST HIRE FROM THE GRADUATE POOL WITHIN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, AND THE POSITION MUST BE A FULL THYME APPROVED JOB WITH BENEFITS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPROVE THE TRAJECTORY OF THOSE NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANIES. AND FOR OJT, $3 MILLION IS THE TOTAL BUDGET THAT WE HAVE IN THE FY26 BUDGET FOR THIS WORK, THE MAX MUM PER BUSINESS IS $100,000, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE REIMBURSED AT A HIGHER RATE, 75%, LARGE BUSINESSES ARE REIMBURSED AT 50%. READY TO WORK TRAIN'S, WE CAN REIMBURSE, FOR THE TRAIN ANIES, WE CAN GET IMBURSED UP TO $15,000, INCENTIVIZE EMPLOYERS TO BE SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYERS, AND DOING SO WILL HELP THE PARTI PARTICIPANTS THAT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY, CONNECTED TO EMPLOYMENT, AND SHOW THEM THEY HAVE THE APTITUDE, THE SKILLS, THE ABILITY TO THRIVE IN THE WORKPLACE. WE ANTICIPATE 12 MONEY READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS TO BE TRAINED THROUGH THE OJT R RESOURCES, 25 SMALL BUSI BUSINESSES ARE OUR TARGET, AND 20 LARGE BUSINESSES IS HOW WE BELIEVE THAT THE FALL IS GOING TO BREAK WHEN THE CONTRACTS WERE AWARDED. INCUINCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING.
CAREER ADVANCEMENT BENEFITS FOR THE PARTICIPANT, CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND, INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS AND TRAINING. EARN WHILE THEY LEARN, EMPLOYERS GROWING TALENT FROM WITHIN, IMPROVED RETENTION, STABILIZED WORK FORCE, AND PREVENTS LAYOFFS IF THE EMPLOYER REQUIRES NEW SKILLS FOR THE EMPLOYEES, THESE INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING DOLLARS CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN HELP PREVENT HAVING TO LET PEOPLE GO BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE SKILLS.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS, BECAUSE SKILLED WORK FORCE ATTRACTS NEW BUSINESS TO THE COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT WITHIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS ASK WHEN THINKING ABOUT GR GROWING OR RELOCATING, WHERE WILL I GET MY TALENT. THIS HELPS TO TRAIN TALENT INTERNALLY WHEN THEY COME TO SAN ANTONIO. WORK FORCE STABILITY, AND HIGHER WAGES.
ELIGIBILITY FOR INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING FOR THIS PROPOSED ROUND 3 OF AWARDS THAT WE PLAN TO ROLL OUT MUST BE A READY TO WORK PLEDGED EMPLOYER, MUST PAY AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR, WHICH IS A CHANGE FOR ROUND 3, WE'RE KIND OF ITERATING AND SHIFTING AS WE GO BASED ON FEEDBACK WE HEAR. A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE A CHALLENGE MEETING THAT $20 AN HOUR THRESHOLD AND MAYBE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL IT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T PAYING $20 AN HOUR.
SO WE WANT TO HELP MORE SMALL BUSINESSES PARTI PARTICIPATE, SO WE'RE P PROPOSING TO REDUCE THE PAY FOR INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING TO START AT $15 AN HOUR. THIS IS WHY IT MAKES SENSE. YOU WANT TO TRY TO HELP EMPLOYEES MAKING LESS MONEY TO MAKE MORE. SO IF WE DIP INTO THE $15 AN HOUR POOL. AND THEY GAIN SKILL TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE $20 AN HOUR MARK, IT'S DOING SERVICE TO THAT INDIVIDUAL AND HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INITIATIVE. MUST BE A FULL TIME EMPL EMPLOYEE, HAVE TO BE AN A APPROVED JOB. MUST INCLUDE AN INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL AS PART OF THE TRAINING, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE EMPLOYABLE AS A PERSON AND MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT EMPLOYER, SO THEY CAN BE MORE COMPETITIVE IN A JOB MARKET TO GET A BETTER JOB.
MUST DEMONSTRATE A 3% WAGE INCREASE WITHIN THE CONTRACT TERM, AND THIS'LL BE WRITTEN INTO THE AGREEMENTS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE MORE PEOPLE GGETTING WAGES, AND CONTRACT CHYLE LANGUAGE WILL DICTATE THAT AND, IN ORDER TO E ENFORCE, 50% OF THE TRAINING COST WILL BE REIMBURSED AT THE CONCLUSION OF TRAINING AND CREDENTIAL AWARD.
AND THEN THEY WON'T GET THE NEXT 50% UNTIL WE VERIFY WAGE INCREASE IS GIVEN.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EMPLOYERS ARE REINVESTING DOLLARS BACK INTO THEIR EMPLOYEES. SO INCOUPLE BENT WORKER TRAINING DETAIL.
$3 MILLION IN THE TOTAL FY BUDGET. MAXIMUM AWARD, $100,000 PER BUSINESS PER TRAINEE, READY TO WORK, MEANING SOMEONE HIRED ON AS A READY TO WORK PARTICIPANT AND THEY'VE EXCEEDED THEIR 6 MONTH MARK AND THAT EMPLOYER WANTS TO MOVE THEM UP THE CAREER LADDER, THEY CAN UTILIZE OUR FUND TO GET THAT JOB IN THE ORGANIZE. UP TO $5,000, FOR NONREADY TO WORK, MEANING INFORMS
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SOMEBODY WITH THE COMPANY THEY'RE LOOKING TO UPSCALE. SMALL BUSINESSES CAN BE REIMBURSED 75% OF THE 5,000, AND LARGE BUSINESSES, 50% UP TO THE $5,000, AND REIM REIMBURSEMENTS, AGAIN, PAID OUT IN TWO MILESTONES, AT TRAINING COMPLETION HALF, AND THEN HALF ONCE THEY ACTUALLY REINVEST IN THAT EMPLOYEE WITH THE RAISE.PARTICIPANTS TRAINED, WE ANTICIPATE 350 AREN'T READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE A JOB WILL BE TRAINED, RESCALED AND UPSCALED BY THAT EMPLOYER, AND NONREADY TO WORK, WE ANTICIPATE ABOUT 100. BUSINESSES SERVED, 25 LARGE BUSINESSES WE'RE PROJECTING, AND 35 SMALL BUSINESSES. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MAY HAVE.
>> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MIKE. I THINK -- I APPRECIATE THIS. I THINK COUNCILMEMBERS -- AND I KNOW THIS IS FOR BR BRIEFING PURPOSES ONLY, BUT I THINK AS WE HAVE THE COUNCILMEMBERS A ASK, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR DISTRICT SPECIFIC OR ZIP CODE SPECIFIC RESULTS, AND THEN TECHNOLOGIES, AND THE ADVANCED MANUF MANUFACTURING, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WE HAVE ON THE -- IN DISTRICT 3 WITH TOYOTA AND INTERNATIONAL AND J JBC, AND ALL THE TOYOTA AFFILIATES. AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE COST OF LIVING AND ONGOING INFLATION FACTORS TO AVERAGE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I THINK WE WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES THE FIRST ROUND, AND THEN ANOTHER 3 MINUTES THE SECOND ROUND, AND I'M GOING TO LET -- WHICH COUNCIL COLLEAGUE WANTS TO GO FIRST, AND THEN YOU TA TAKEOVER. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, MIKE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE A COUPLE OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROGRAM WITHIN THE PRESENTATION, PARTICULARLY FOR THE READY TO WORK JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVED TRAIN ANIES. WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS IS THEY HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH RECORDS WILLING COMPLETING PROGRAM AND TRAINING, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXPECTATION OF GETTING THOSE PEOPLE PLACED, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS OF WHO'S HIRING AND MAINTAINING A WAGE. SO GREAT TO SEE THERE'S AN INCENTIVE TO GET BUSINESSES ON BOARD WITH TAPPING INTO THIS POOL BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES OR FOLKS AT GRADE SCHOOL WILL. WE KNOW FOLKS ARE READY TO WORK AND HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SKILL SET. SO GOOD TO SEE THE INCENTIVE TO HELP FOLKS TAP INTO THE POOL. ON MONDAY I WAS WITH A NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND CONNECTS THE DOTS FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES WITH INCARCERATED INDIV INDIVIDUALS.
AND THAT WAS THE THING, I GOT THIS PROGRAM, BUT NOW RUNNING INTO THE BARRIER OF SOMEONE TR TRUSTING ME TO REENTER THE WORK FORCE, AND HIGHLIGHTING THE PURPOSE OF THAT ONE INCOME CAN UPLIFT A FAMILY, SO REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE THE WORK OF YOUR TEAM ON THAT INITIATIVE, AND THEN OF COURSE THE QUESTION I HAVE, AND WITH THE WRAP AROUND SERVICE, ALL PARTI PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE WRAP
AROUND SERVI SERVICES; CORRECT. >> CORRECT.
THEY WILL. >> CASTILLO: WONDERFUL. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MIKE, THANK YOU, TEAM.
COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE FOR THE PRESENTATION. INCREDIBLE WORK GOING O ON.
VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD, IT SEEMS TO BE GOING WELL. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD, SLIDE 3, BASED OFF THE ROUND 1 OUTCOMES, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, LARGE BUSINESSES SEEM TO BE DOING MORE OF THE WORK, BUT I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE OF SCALE, AS ALWAYS, I WANTED TO AS ASK -- I KNOW YOU MENTIONED WAGE PIECE OF SMALL BUSINESSES, ARE THERE ANY OTHER BARRIERS YOU'RE SEEING WITH TH
THESE? >> WAGE IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
MARGINS ARE TIGHT. THEY HAVE BIG STAFFS, DON'T HAVE AN HR DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE WITH OUR TEAM. SO WE WANT TO TAKE SOME OF THE LEG WORK OUT OF IT. SO BESIDES WAGES, IT'S THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING WITH THE CITY. UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE. UNDERSTANDING THE PA PAPERWORK, HOW TO DO THAT PROCESS, SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS EMPLOY RESOURCES FROM OUR TEAM. TO MAKE HELP MAKE SURE THEY'RE AN EXTENSION FOR THE HR DEPARTMENT FOR THAT COMPANY. GIVING THEM A LIST OF TALENT COMING OUT, GI GIVING THEM LIST TO GRADUATE, HELPING THEM LOOK AT JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND SEE WHAT THE MATCHES ARE IN THE READY TO WORK PIPELINE, AND OUTSIDE OF THE WAGES, THE NEXT HURDLE IS HAVING STAFF.
THEY'RE BUSY RUNNING THEIR BUSINESS, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO ENGAGE AND CONNECT TO OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE
ECOSYSTEM. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. THAT MAKES SENSE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO ASK, SEEING THE PLACEMENT RATE. I FORGOT WHAT THAT WAS ON, BUT IT WAS REALLY HIGH, SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING. AND I THINK JUST THE LAST LITTLE PUSH TO THE END, RIGHT, TO GET TO THE TARGET GOAL, WHAT STRATEGIES ARE WE LO LOOKING AT FOR THAT, THE SAME KIND OF WORK OR W WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO PIVOT IN EITHER FORM FOR SMALL OR LARGE BUSI
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BUSINESSES. >> AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT THEY SEE THE RETENTION AND WAGES BEING INCREASED. THE CONTRACT CHYLE CHANGES AND INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING AGREEMENTS WHERE THEY'RE ONLY G GETTING HALF OF THE MONEY UP FRONT WHEN THEY FINISH THEIR TRAINING AND EARN THE CREDENTIAL. THE ORE HALF COMES AFTER THEY GIVE A RAISE, AND WE THINK THAT'LL HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT OF THE WAGE INCREASES THROUGH THE INCUMBENT WORKER PROGRAMS. BECAUSE IT'S BEING COD PAID IN THE PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE TO DO SO.
>> GALVAN: GOT IT. THAT'S GREAT. AND ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I GUESS I WANTED TO MENTION TOO WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK RIGHT NOW IS A VERY INTE INTERESTING TIME IN TERMS OF THE LABOR MARKET, WHETHER JUST BECAUSE OF THE TREND SINCE COVID OR BECAUSE OF LARGE ECONOMIC CHA CHANGES AND POLICY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IS THAT -- ARE YOU SEEING ANY IMPACT THERE, THROUGH NOT THIS PROGRAM BUT THE GENERAL READY TO WORK PROGRAM OVERALL BECAUSE OF THOSE SHIFTS
AND WHAT DO THOSE LOOK LIKE. >> ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S TOUGH. I MEAN OUR PARTNERS ARE TELLING US -- NOT JUST FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED POPULATION, BUT IN GENERAL, EMPLOYERS ARE SLOWING THEIR HIRING PROCESS, THAT RATE OF HIRING INDIVIDUALS HAS SLOWED DOWN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. IT'S MORE COMPETITION FOR OPEN JOBS, WE SEE THAT WITHIN THE CITY. WE POST A JOB, YOU KNOW, AND IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, A JOB THAT YOU TYPICALLY GET 50 APPLICANTS FOR, YOU'RE GETTING 120 APPLICANTS FOR, AND SO I THINK THERE'S MORE COMPETITION IN THE LABOR MARKET, WHICH WHY WE HAVE TO UTILIZE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS TO HELP PUSH OUR PROGRAMS TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.
>> GALVAN: GOT IT. THANK YOU. >> SPEARS: APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE, BUT I'M READY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU WERE HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY FIRST QUESTION IS -- CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THE WRAP AROUND SERVICES FOR SINGLE PARENTS, AND JUST SPECIFICALLY I'M THINKING ABOUT CHILD CARE.
THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT ALL ACROSS THE CITY, EVEN FOR DOUBLE INCOME FAMILIES, CHILD CARE IS JUST ASTROICALLY EXPENSIVE FOR EVERYONE, AND IT HITS THE SINGLE FAMILIES -- SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES EVEN HARDER, SO IF WE COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK THIS IS A HUGE BARRIER FOR KEEPING PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE.
>> ICON CUR. WE RECOGNIZED THAT EARLY ON WITH READY TO WORK.
OUR LARGEST POPULATION POOL WERE SINGLE PAR PARENTS, SINGLE MOMS, SPECIFICALLY, SO WE MADE AN ADJUSTMENT EARLY O ON -- I WOULDN'T SAY EARLY ON, BUT LAST YEAR, TO HELP ACCOMMODATE THE INFLUX OF SINGLE PARENTS IN THE PROGRAM AND RECOGNIZE IF THEY'RE RESPONDING TO ALLOW ANY SINGLE PARENT LIVING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WRAP AROUND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, AND THAT'S A HUGE MOVE FOR US BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE GREAT NEED THAT SINGLE PARENTS FACE, PARTICULARLY IN CHILD CARE. WE HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM WITHIN READY TO WORK RIGHT NOW THAT COVERS THE COST OF CHILD CARE FOR PARENTS AND SINGLE PARENTS WHO ARE ON THAT STATE WAIT LIST FOR THE CHILD CARE VOUCHERS.
SO IF THEY'RE IN READY TO WORK AND THAT WAIT LIST CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 9 MONTHS TO A YEAR OR LONGER, AND THEY'RE WAITING ON THAT STATE VOUCHER TO COME THROUGH, WE CAN COVER THE COST OF THE CHILD CARE THROUGH READY TO WORK. THANKFULLY CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED AND APPROVED US TO DO SO IN THIS PILOT PROGRAM, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE COULD HAVE A DEEPER REACH AND HAVE MORE FAMILIES PARTICIPATE.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE IS COMPL COMPLICATED.
THE CHILDCARE HAS TO BE LOCATED AT A SPACE THAT IS CONVENIENT FOR THAT PARENT TO GET THAT CHILD BARBACK AND FORTH TO. SO CONVENIENT TO WHERE THEY LIVE, WORKING, OR GOING TO SCHOOL, AND A LOT OF TIMES THE CAPACITY THAT EXISTS WITHIN SAN ANTONIO ISN'T ALWAYS ALIGN WITH THOSE THREE THINGS. SO FINDING QUALITY CHILD CARE WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY LEARNING, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WATCHING THEM, BUT ACTUALLY LEARNING BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SO MUCH BRAIN DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. DR. SARAH BARRETT TALKS ABOUT THIS, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN A QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SO THEY DON'T FALL BEHIND WHEN THEY START SCHOOL, SO THAT FACTORS INTO IT, SO HAVING ENOUGH CHILD CARE CAPACITY IN THE RIGHT LOCATIONS IN TOWN THAT WOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR THE PARTICIPANT BASE, EVEN THOUGH THE MONEY IS THERE IS A RESOURCE WE NEED TO OVERCOME SO MORE PARTICIPANT CANS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHILD CARE DOLLARS.
>> SPEARS: CAN YOU THINK OF WAY THAT THIS BODY COULD HELP YOU I THAT REGARD OUTSIDE OF THE FU
FUNDING, OBVIOUSLY? >> IT'S CHALLENGING. I THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIABLES IN THE CHILD CARE EQUATION, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP CHILD CARE BUSINESSES WHO ARE TYPICALLY AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, TO TRY TO HELP THOSE CHILD CARE CENTERS TO HAVE BETTER MARGINS, OPEN UP MORE SLOTS, AND ADDITIONAL SLOTS ARE WHAT'S NECESSARY FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GO THAT MAY BE CONVENIENT.
>> SPEARS: OKAY. >> AND, COUNCILMEMBER, I'LL ALSO SHARE THAT
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PRE-K FOR SA AND DR DR. BARRETT, THEY HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED THE SHARE SERVICE ALLIANCE THAT FOCUSES ON DOING WHAT MIKE JUST DESCRIBED, WORKING WITH EXISTING CHILD CARE CENTER, HE HELPING THEM IMPROVE ON QUALITY, WHICH THEY HAVE ALREADY TRACKED WAGE INCREASES OF THEIR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THEM MORE TRAINING AND PROVIDE -- INCREASE THE QUALITY OF THE CHILD CARE THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING. THEY'VE ALSO SEEN INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF SLOTS, NUMBER OF SEATS THAT THESE FACILITIES -- FACILITIES THAT THESE CENTERS CAN PROVIDE, SO I BELIEVE THE NUMBER -- THERE'S DOZENS OF CHILD CARE CENTER, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A NUMBER, BUT I CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THAT PROGRAM, AND ALSO, A CHILD CARE ST STUDY, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, WE DID THAT EARLY IN THE YEAR OR LATE LAST YEAR, IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN A COUPLE DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO -- ACTUALLY, NO. IT WAS A&M SAN ANTONIO THAT DID THIS FOR US SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR CHILDCARE, SO I'LL GET BOTH OF THOSE TO YOU. >> SPEARS: SO WE HAVE MECHANISM
IN PLACE, THEY JUST NEED TO SCALE, MAYBE. >> THERE NEEDS TO BE SCALE THAT -- IT'S SUCH A COMPLICATED SYSTEM BECAUSE INEV INEVITABLY, LIKE MIKE MENTIONED, OWNERS OF THE FACILITY DON'T HAVE THE CAPITAL, THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND. WAGES TEND TO BE LOW, WHICH KEEPS THEM AT, YOU KNOW, VERY TIGHT MAR MARGINS, AND IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO HIRE PEOPLE. SO THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT IMPACT IT, BUT I THINK THE MODEL THAT DR DR. BARRETT HAS RUNNING RIGHT NOW, IT REALLY IS IMPROVING EFFECTIVE, NOT QUITE AT SCALE, DEFI DEFINITELY NOT AT THE SCALE WE NEEDED, BUT IT IS SHOWING PROGRESS.
>> SPEARS: OKAY. LET'S WAIT FOR THE NEXT ROUND.
>> CASTILLO: GREAT. DID EVERYBODY GET A -- ANYBODY WANT A SECOND
ROUND? >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. MIKE.
SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER CONS SPEARS. >> SPEARS: SORRY.
ONE MORE THING. ARE THE 70/7, THE IN THE FIELDS WE HAVE, THE AI AND SEMI CONDUCTORS, ARE WE TRANSLATING THESE TRAINED DOLLARS INTO REAL JOB PLACEMENT AND WAGE GROWTH, ARE WE S SEEING THAT TREND
OCCURRING? >> FOR ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, IT'S 100% JOB PLACEMENT, THEY HAVE TO HIRE THESE INDIVIDUALS TO FULL TIME PERMANENT ROLLS WITH THAT NEW EMPLOYER, UTILIZING THE SKILLS THEY GAINED WHEN WE TRAINED WITH READY TO WORK. AI, I BELIEVE IN INCUMBENT-WORKER TRAINING SPACE, ESPECIALLY SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE BUSINESS PLACES ARE GOING TO BE UTILIZING THESE DOLLARS TO HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR EXISTING EMPLOYEES KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE AI WITHIN EX EXISTING ROLES, BECAUSE THOSE WILL BE THE NEXT VITALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE BUSINESSES, TO WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND HOW TO UTILIZE THE TOOL TO MAKE THEIR BUSINESS MORE
HOSPITABLE. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: THANKS, MIKE, AND FOR MY STAFF AND I'D INVITE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS, KIND OF G GETTING THEM ON THE DASH BOARD WITH ALAMO WORK FORCE SOLUTIONS SO THAT SOME OF THIS DATA RE REGARDING ZIP CODE SPECIFIC AND DISTRICT SPECIFIC AND JOB INDUSTRY SPECIFIC, OUR STAFF CA GO ON, LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN HAVE IT READY FOR QUESTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS ALSO.
THE CHILD CARE DESERT, AS WE MENTIONED IN THAT NEEDS, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING THAT I THINK EXCITED ABOUT THAT, WHERE WE'RE AT HERE, MAKING SURE OUR STAFF KNOWS WHERE TO LOOK FOR THAT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO AN INVITE OUT FOR THEM, READY TO WORK TO DO AN INVITE OUT AND HAVE LUNCH AND MAYBE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT COULD POOL OUR RESOURCES AND PROVIDE LUNCH FOR THE STAFF. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT.
ITEM 3 IS PROPOSED -- ITEM 3 ON THE PROPOSED REVITALIZED SA CORRIDOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION?
>> YES. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'LL ALFRED BREWER, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR SA DEVELOPMENT AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT REVITALIZE SA PROGRAM.
WE HAD 14 PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPATE AND GRAD GRADUATE, THEY WERE EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROGRAM, AND LET'S JUMP INTO IT. SO TWO YEARS AGO, WE LAUNCHED THE PILOT PROGRAM OF REVITALIZE S SA, IT WAS A PROGRAM FUNDED BY $1 MILLION OF ARPA FUNDS, IT ALLOWED US TO ENGAGE UP TO 20 PARTICIPANTS, IT WAS A 9 MONTH LEADERSHIP PRO PROGRAM, FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL THAT ALLOWED INDIVIDUALS
[00:25:04]
TO IDENTIFY CORRIDORS AND MOBILIZE RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE CITY, NOT JUST THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT OTHER PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT R RESOURCES, TO ENGAGE AND DEVELOP SPECIFIC CORRIDORS FOR THE BENEFIT OF INCREASING BUSINESSES, FOOT TRA TRAFFIC, AND OVERALL BEAUTIFICATION OF THE SPECIFIC CORRIDORS. THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO APPLY FOR A CHANGE GR GRANT. THIS WAS $10,000 GRANT THAT ALLOWED THEM TO IMPLEMENT WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING IN THAT PRO PROGRAM. AND TO DATE, WE HAVE HAD 32 PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH YEARS, 18 IN THE FIRST, 14 IN THE SECOND, AND 22 OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS HAVE CHOSEN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROJECT. CURRENTLY, 10 ARE IN PROCESS, AND WE HAVE 12 FROM THE LAST CORRIDOR THAT -- PROGRAM THAT HAVE WRAPPED UP. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OF THOSE CORRIDORS, THERE IS REPRESENTATION OF OVER 3,000 BUSINESSES IN THOSE CORRIDORS, SO THERE IS AN IMPACT WE'RE SEEING, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE LONG-TERM IMPACT. AND SOME OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE LAST TWO YEARS ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL. ONE, LEVEL UP, THAT WAS FOCUSED ON DOWNTOWN CORRIDORS, FOCUSED ON BRINGING EDUCATION TO BUSINESSES OR INDIV INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD LIKE TO START A RETAIL OPERATION, A RESTAURANT OPERATION, WITH THE GOAL OF FILLING SOME OF THESE EMPTY STORE FRONTS IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO. SECOND, WE HAVE BEAUTIFICATION, A MURAL. A MURAL DOES A LOT FOR A CORRIDOR.IT ADDS, YOU KNOW, THE AESTHETIC TO GROW BUSINESS AND ATTRACT CUSTOMERS. THIS ONE FOCUSED ON HEALTH RESOURCES AND SHARING THOSE, PROVIDING THOSE HEALTH RESOURCES WAS SORT OF THE BASE FOR ECONOMIC HEALTHY CIT CITIZENS ARE HEALTHY AND STRONG WORKERS.
AND THEN THIS NEXT ONE, EMPOWERMENEMPOWERMENT RESILIENC SUMMIT.
IT'S AN EXCITING ONE AND ONE THAT SHOWS WHAT THIS PROGRAM CAN DO.
IT STARTED IN COHORT 1 WITH SORT OF BEAUTIFICATION AND REALLY REAWARENESS OF THE AWARE, AND TODAY, THIS ACTUALLY -- THIS SATURDAY, WE'LL SHARE THE INVITE INFORMATION, BUT IT'S A CONTINUATION FROM THE COHORT TO PARTICIPANT, AND SO THEY HAVE PULLED TOGETHER ALL SORTS OF RESOURCES, SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE, HEALTH RESOURCES, RESIRESILIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY, SO IT'S SORT OF A CONGLO CONGLOMERATE -- REG REGROUPING OF SOME OF THESE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN HAVE HAPPEN FOR A CORRIDOR, BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE A MURAL HERE, FACADE HERE, IT'S EVERYTHING COMING TOGETHER, SO THAT'S EXCITING AND WE CAN SHARE AFTER THIS. OUTCOMES, WE TALKED ABOUT OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAM, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS. WE HAVE OUR TRADITIONAL 6, 18 MONTH, 36 MONTH SURVEYS TO CATCH UP WITH THE PARTICIPANTS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM, BUT THIS IS MORE OF A LOOK AT HOW IT'S IMPACTING THE CORRIDOR.
SO WE HAVE PULLED DATA FOR A BASE YEAR OF 2022, 2023, TO LOOK HOW VALUES ARE INCREASING IN PROPERTY AND DECREASING IN CRIME RATES.
THE NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES INCREASING, AND THEN BUSINESS SURVIVABILITY, THAT'S ONE WE CAN TRACK RIGHT NOW AND CONTINUE TR TRACKING TO SEE THE IMPACT MOVING FORWARD. FOR THIS YEAR OR THE NEXT CONTINUATION OF THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE A SM SMALLER BUDGET, $500 $500,000, AND SO WE'VE ADJUSTED BASED ON THE BUDGET, BUT ALSO ON THE INPUT FROM THE COHORTS. WITH THE BUDGET, WE ARE SCALING DOWN TO 15 PARTICIPANTS. THAT'S ABOUT AVERAGE FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN YEAR 1 AND YEAR 2. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO ENHANCINGRE FOCUS ON MAIN STREET AMERICA'S FOUR-POINT APPROACH. WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH MAIN STREET, PULLING BACK A LITTLE BIT ON OUR THIRD PARTY CONSULTANTS AND JUST, I GUESS, DOUBLING DOWN ON MAIN STREETS 45 YEARS OF EXPERTISE AND DEVELOPING AND REFINING CORRIDOR PROGRAMS. WITH THIS YEAR, WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING AN INCREASE OF MEETINGS AND PARTICIPATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS. THIS WAS SOMETHING WE HEARD FROM PREVIOUS COHORTS THAT THEY REALLY WANTED TO LEARN MORE.
THEY GOT EXCITED ABOUT THE INTERVIEWS AND SORT OF ONE OR TWO HOURS WE HAD SET UP WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND THIS YEAR, WE ARE DEDICATING 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR ENG ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT PROGRAMS LIKE READY TO WORK, LEARN ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PLANS WE HAVE, THE REGIONAL PLANS, AND JUST SO THEY CAN SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS AND MAYBE NOT RECREATE THOSE EFFORTS THAT ARE ALI ALIGNED. THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SCALE BACK THAT GRANT AMOUNT TO $5,000. WE'VE MET WITH THE
[00:30:04]
NUMBER OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND MAIN STREET AMERICA, AND WE FEEL THAT'S STILL A GOOD NUMBER TO USE FOR A GRANT.IT'S STILL EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THIS IS MEANT TO BE A SHORT TERM, JUST QUICK TEST OF THEIR PROGRAM SO THEY CONTINUE ON.
AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ACTUAL MAIN STREET FOUR-POINT APPROACH. IT'S MORE TACTICS. WORKING WITH THEM TO GET OUT AND EXECUTE ON THIS. WE'RE STILL FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP, BUT LEADERSHIP TAKES TIME, AND SO WE WANT TO PUT FOCUS ON THE TACTICS THAT THEY CAN USE WIT WITHIN, YOU KNOW, THE SIX MONTHS AFTER THEY HAVE -- FINISH THE PROGRAM. SO IT'S FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC VITALITY. THAT'S UNDERSTANDING R RESOUSOURCES, INCENTIVES, AND OTHER FINANCIAL TOOLS THEY CAN USE. DESIGN, THAT'S TACTICS ON HOW TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU GET THE MOST IMPACT OUT OF.
IS IT A MURAL, SOME PLANTS, JUST LITTLE DETAILS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN PROMOTION, BRINGING AWARENESS TO THE CORRIDOR, AND THEN LASTLYING, ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE S SEEING WITH THE COO TAN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BR BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER, ORGANIZING T KNOWING WHO TO TALK TO AND BRINGING THE DECISION MAKERS AND THE DEDICATED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOGETHER. THIS IS A NEW ADDITION, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THROUGH -- WE'VE STARTED THROUGH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF FOLKS, AND SO WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S NEW RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT. THEY HAVE AN EXISTING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY'S CATALYST. THEY ARE FOCUSED ON BUILDING RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THIS.
SO WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM. THEY'VE LOOKED AT OUR PROGRAM, PROVIDED SOME FEEDBACK, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A FULL DAY PROGRAM ON HOW TO BUILD RESILIENCY INTO PROJECTS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING THOSE PROGRAMS, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TACTICS AND BUILD IT THROUGHOUT. SO HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS COME OUT OF THIS WITH RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY BUILT INTO THOSE. AS FOR TIMELINE, FOR THE REMAINDER YEAR, WE'LL WORK WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA TO FINALIZE THE PARTNERSHIP AND MOVE INTO JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
DO TWO MONTHS OF COHORT RECRUITMENT AND THE SELECTION PROCESS, AND THEN IN M MARCH, WE'LL LAUNCH THE PROGRAM, AND THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WE'LL OVERLAP WITH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, HAVE THEM -- SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, IMPLEMENT THAT PROJECT, AND THEN WE'LL DO WHAT WE DID LAST WEEK, A GRADUATION AND PROJECT SHOWCASE FOR ALL TO COME AND SEE THE EXCITING PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER. SO RECOMMENDATIONS TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AND FOR -- AND TO CONTINUE TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH MAIN
STREET AMERICA FOR THE $245,000. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAVE A MOTION, CAN I GET A MOTION -- I MEAN I HAVE A -- I NEED A MOTION. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REVITALIZE SAN ANTONIO CORRIDOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND CHANGE GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE EDD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACT FOR MAIN STREET FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM?
>> GALVAN: MOTION TO APPROVE. >> VIAGRAN: I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE CAN BEGIN CONVERSATION. WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU CHAIR, AND ALFRED FOR YOUR PRESE PRESENTATION.
YOU MENTIONED PART OF THE COMMUNITY BEING PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM AND THEN THE SECOND COHORT WITH PETER ALSO BEING THE PARTICIPANT TO OV OVERSEE WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE ON THE COO TAN THAT CORRIDOR. A AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S SO MUCH ENERGY AND OPPORTUNITY THAT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS BEING ACTIVE, BUT THE FACILITATION OF THE MAIN STREET AMERICA, AND YOU KNOW THE SUMMIT THAT'LL BE THIS WEEKEND WILL NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHT SUSTAINABILITY BUT ECONOMIC IMPACT, HEALTH IMPACTS, AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH GOING ON, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS HAS BEEN, LIKE, THE FACILITATOR OF BRINGING IN CONVENING NEIGHBORS, AND THIS IS THE AREA I SHARE WITH DISTRICT 4. SO PETER, EXCITE BEING A D4 RESIDENT. HE'S DOING A LOT OF HELP TO IMPROVE KATANA, DESPITE DISTRICT 5, SO I THINK IT'S DOING WHAT IT WAS INTENDED TO DO IN TERMS OF PLANTING SEEDS TO HELP REVITALIZE AR AREAS.
BUT WHAT I VALUE MOST ABOUT REVITALIZE, THIS CORRIDOR PROGRAM, RAT RATHER, IS THAT IT'S ORGANIC WITH COMMUNITIES ORGANIZING AND FACILITATING THE DIRECTION OF WHAT THE REVITALIZATION LOOKS LIKE. I THINK FOR DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS, THEY'RE BEING TOP DOWN, SOMEONE IN THIS SEAT TELLING THEM WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE'RE SEEING FOLKS CONVENING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED, AND WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS NOW WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IMP IMPROVEMENTS, SO
[00:35:01]
MATERIAL IMPACTS NOT JUST FOR SMALL BUSI BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND THERE, BUT NOW FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL, SO REALLY EAGER TO SEE THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE FUNDS, AND MY EXP EXPECTATION AND HOPE IS THAT ANOTHER PARTICIPANT FROM KATANA IS SELECTED FOR THE NEXT COHORT TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING THINGS MOVE ALONG AND IT'S COMMUNITY DRIVEN, SO GRATEFUL FOR YOURWORK FROM YOUR TEAM AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. >> THANK YOU, AND I FAILED TO MENTION THAT WE'RE INCLUDING SOME OF THE COHORT PARTICIPANTS AS THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED, THIS IS WHAT I WISH I KNEW, AND SO WE'LL KEEP THAT GOING AND REALLY CONTINUE IMPROVING THE PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.
I HAD A COUPLE QUES QUESTIONS. THE FIRST WAS THE CHANGE GRANTS. WHAT WAS THE AVERAGE FUNDS THAT HAPPEN FOLKS
RECEIVED? >> THE FULL $10,000. >> GALVAN: WHAT WAS IT SPENT ON?
>> ANYTHING FROM ART ARTWORK, MURALS, TO SIGNAGE, MARKETING, ANYTHING THAT WAS ABLE TO PULL TOGETHER THE PROGRAM, BUT ACTUALLY PROMOTE IT AND THEN COORDINATE WITH OTHER R RESOURCES LIKE SOME OF THOSE TACTICS, MURALS, I'M TRYING TO THINK. THERE WAS A -- LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. A SMALL BUSINESS FAIR, THERE WAS A HEALTH FAIR, SO PAYING THESE -- HELPING ALLOW THESE PARTICIPANTS TO JOIN IN
ON THOSE THINGS COST FREE. >> GALVAN: GOT YOU.
JUST PLACE MAKING SUPPORT. >> YEAH.
AND SOME OF IT COULD BE LIGHTING. LIGHTING AND
INFRASTRUCTURE TOOLS. >> GALVAN: GREAT. GREAT TO HEAR.
AND I THINK ON COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO'S POINT ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF ENJOY SEEING WITH THIS AS WELL IS THAT THE FIRST STEP OF FACIL FACILITATING, AND THEN GOING INTO OKAY WE NEED LIGHTING HERE TO MAKE IT ACTIVE. WE NEED TO CHANGE SOMETHING ELSE, TO BE ACTIVATED IN SOME FORM. ACTIVATE SOMETHING ELSE, WHATEVER IT IS, THAT'S SOMETHING I'M EXCITED FOR AND I WANT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE EVEN LIKE A COMPILATION OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM MULTIPLE COHORTS ABOUT WHAT WERE THE COMMON TRENDS AND WHAT WERE MAKING THOSE BARRIERS TO REVITALIZATION OR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ON OUR END.
OF COURSE OTHER BARRIERS WE NEED TO KEEP TRACK O OF, COORDINATION, BUT PARTICULARLY AROUND THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT OF WALKABILITY, WHATEVER IT IS SO WE CAN SEE THOSE AND MAYBE BE A BIT MORE PROACTIVE BRING THIS TO A LARGER SCALE FOR OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY, TOO, AND JUST OVERALL WHERE WE SEE NATURAL MARKETS APPEAR, HOW TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE BETTER SUPPORTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH WITH BETTER IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP GROW AND THRIVE, BUT THE BUY-IN OF THE COMMUNITY, OF COURSE. ONE LAST THING I WANTED TO ASK I GUESS WAS ON SLIDE -- IS IT 4? IT HAD SOME OF THE -- YEAH. SOME OF THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON SOME OF THIS -- HOW IT'S GOING WITH THE CURRENT COHORTS OR ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES WE'RE SEEING THAT ARE TAKING PLACES WITH THIS WORK?
>> IT'S TOO SOON. WE DO HAVE THE BASE DA DATA, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU JUST TO SEE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT I THINK IT'LL TAE MAYBE ANOTHER YEAR THAT WE CAN START SEEING IT AS THAT DATA COMES IN.
BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LAST YEAR AND THE CADENCE, BUT I CAN GET
THAT FOR YOU. >> GALVAN: THAT'D BE GREAT. I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THAT GOES ON WITH THE BENCHMARKS OR MILESTONES LOOK LIKE.
BUT OTHERWISE THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, CHAIR, I' IN THE SAME VEIN AS MY COLL COLLEAGUES HERE. I DO WANT TO ALSO SEE -- I WAS GOING TO ASK, HOW ARE WE TRACKING THE -- EVERYTHING ON SLIDE 4, HOW ARE WE TRACKING SPECIFICALLY WHICH CORRIDORS ARE IMPROVING AND THEIR LONG-TERM IMPACTS TO THOSE FOUR ITITEMS, SPECIFICALLY PROPERTY VALUE AND CRIME REDUCTION AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO ACT ON TO REALLY HELP R REVITALIZE THOSE CORRIDORS.
I THINK IT'S TRULY EFFECTIVE. THIS IS REALLY IMPACTFUL IF WE DO THIS REALLY WELL, SO I'M GLAD YOU'VE GOT A PARTNER IN THE RESILIENCE CITY CATA CATALYST. YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO
A ONE DAY PROGRAM WITH THEM. >> YEAH.
THEY'LL COME IN AND BRING RESOURCES THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER
COMMUNITIES. >> SPEARS: OKAY. THAT'S GOOD.
SO I SAW THEN, TOO, THAT WE HAVE A $5,000 MAR MARKETING ALLOCATION.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE HIGHER BUSINESS PARTICIPATION.
I THINK THERE'S 3,146 BUSINESSES ON THE CORRIDOR, AND THEN ONLY 22 CHANGE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW. SO CAN WE -- HOW ARE WE GOING TO USE THAT MONEY TO MARKET, OR IS THAT ADEQUATE MONEY TO MAR
MARKET? >> I THINK SO. I THINK THAT MONEY IS MORE TO MARKET FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, AND WHEN THEY DO THAT APPLI
[00:40:05]
APPLICATION, WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TOK IN A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, SO WHERE THEY COULD MAKE THE MOST IMPACT TO THE MOST BUSINESSES, AND SO WITH THAT, WE CAN HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN WITH YOU FOR YOU -- FOR SMALL CORRIDORS OF HOW MANY BUSINESSES, BUT REALLY, IT'S ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL OVER THE BUSINESS, AND THEN THAT INDIVIDUAL GAINS THAT LEADERSHIP AND TACTICS TO BRING ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES TOGETHER TO ACT AS A UNIFIED CORRIDOR TO HELP EVERYONE TOGETHER.AND SO, I GUESS, THE MARKETING DOLLARS WE WOULD USE AS TO PUSH O OUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ANY NEWS MEDIA OR OTHER SOSOURCES TO MAKE SURE IT
GETS BROAD RECEPTION. >> SPEARS: DO YOU THINK THAT'S ENOUGH MONEY FOR THAT?
>> I'M NOT SURE. I THINK SO, YES. >> SPEARS: YOU DO.
>> WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, AND BASED ON THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, THAT'S GOOD FROM WHAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED. AND THEN ALSO, REALLY A LOT OF THIS IS WORD OF MOUTH NOW, AND COHORT PARTICIPANTS HAVE TOLD US THIS PAST WEEK, I'VE GOT A PERSON WHO WOULD REALLY BE GOOD FOR THIS
PROJECT. >> SPEARS: THAT'S THE BEST ADVERTISING.
>> CR COUNCILMEMBER, I'LL SHARE IT'S BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES TO HAVE COUNCILMEMBERS INCLUDING IN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE YA'LL TEND TO KNOW WHO THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE IN YOUR CORRIDORS THAT WOULD CONSIDER PARTICIPATION IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO REALLY, THE MARKETING -- THE DOLLARS THAT WE NEED TO SPEND AREN'T THAT MUCH, IT IS VERY MUCH WORD OF MOUTH.
>> SPEARS: OKAY. SO MAYBE -- IS THERE A WAY WE COULD -- YOU COULD HELP US TO DO THAT BETTER, MEDIA KITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I -- ON THE BORDER BETWEEN 5 AND 3, WE HAD AN EVENT HAPPEN WITH A CALIENTE HOT CLASS AND A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THERE, AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE TWO MEMBERS CAME TOGETHER AND BROUGHT THAT THERE. I THINK THEY USE SOME OF THEIR DOLLARS TO GET E VEHICLES TO KIND OF SOLVE PEOPLE AROUND TO DIFFERENT ARTS BASES. SO IT WASN'T A FAIR, YOU ACTUALLY WENT TO THE SHOPS AND CASA PINK WAS ONE OF THEM, AND NOW CASA PINK VOLUNTEERED SOME COFFEE FOR ONE OF OUR UNITED WAY GIFTS. SO I THINK IT'S -- IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL, IT IS GOING TO BE WORD OF MOUTH.
I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF A MEDIA KIT FOR COUNCILMEMBERS AND FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOC ASSOCIATIONS IN TERMS OF IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THIS OUT, LET'S MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE BR BRANDING THAT IDENTIFIES THIS AS A REVITALIZE SA PROGRAM AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING -- I THINK WE COULD BE VERY STRATEGIC WITH THESE $5,000, SO LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF THIS MEETING.
THE TIME IS NOW 10:44, AND THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.