[00:00:09]
>> ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS NOW 10:00 A.M. AND THE MEETING OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK.
>> VIAGRAN: GREAT. I WILL BE ALLOWING MEMBERS TWO ROUNDS OF COMMENTS PER ITEM WITH THREE MINUTES THE FIRST ROUND AND THEN THREE MINUTES THE SECOND RO ROUND, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. ARE THERE ANY CORRE CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I'VE GOT A MOTION, AND A SECOND.
ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
MADAM CLERK. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO
SPEAK? >> CLERK: WE HAVE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK
FOR THIS MEETING. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 2 THROUGH 5.
THEY'RE FINAL INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, DO ANY MEMBERS WHICH TO POLL AN ITEM ON CONSENT FOR DISCUSSION? I DON'T BELIEVE MARC DID EITHER. OKAY.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT THE AUDITS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'VE GOT A MOTION.
AND A SECOND. I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AY AYE. ALL OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. WE HAVE ONE ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSID CONSIDERATION, MADAM
CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 6. >> CLERK: ITEM 6 IS APPROVAL T PROCEED WITH SCHEDULING ONE CONTRACT FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION FOR CAPITAL DELIVERY DEPARTMENT TO CONSTRUC A NEW ANIMAL CARE SERVICES VETERINARY HOSPITAL, A 2022 BON PROJECT AND RENOVATIONS TO THE EXISTING CLINIC LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 FOR AN
ESTIMATED TOTAL VALUE OF $15,322,500. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT.
GREAT. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. MIKE, THE FLOOR IS YO
YOURS. >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING.
COMMITTEE CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MIKE SHANNON, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CAPITAL DELIVERY DEPARTMENT AND I'LL PRESENT ON POST SOL SOLICITING BRIEFING AT AN EXCITING PROJECT FOR ACS FOR THE NEW VET HOSPITAL AND GO THROUGH IT HERE.
SO WE DID A COMPETITIVE CO PROPOSAL ON THIS PROJECT, A 2022 BOND PROJECT FOR A NEW ANIMAL CARE SERVICES VET HOSPITAL ON THE EXISTING CAMPUS OFF OF HIGHWAY 151 IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 6, AND I'LL GO BACK.
THE PROJECT IS PRETTY EXCITING. IT'S ABOUT 14,000 PLUS SQUARE FOOT NEW VET HOSPITAL. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL, IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED NEAR THE END OF 2027 WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF JUST OVER 15 MILLION, AS MENTIONED, IT'S A 2022 VOTER APPROVED BOND PROJECT AND A NEW CONTRACT FOR US. WE DID DO A SCORING PANEL. WE LOOKED AT CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED BACKGROUNDS, QUALIFICATIONS, OF COURSE, THE PROPOSED PLAN, P PAST PERFORMANCE WITH US. WE DID HAVE TWO RESPONSIVE BIDDERS OUT OF 7 THAT DID SUBMIT BIDS TO US, FIVE WERE U UNRESPONSIVE, BUT WE HAD A CLEAR FAVORITE, A CLEAR SELECTED VENDOR A WITH A HIGH SCORE OF 83.14. THIS DOES HAVE SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS AT 20%, SO THAT'S INCLUDED WITH THIS CONTRACT.
SO JUST LOOKING AT THE OVERALL PROPOSALS AND SUBMITTED RESPONSES.
WE DID REACH OUT TO OVER 340 VENDORS, 13 VENDORS COME TO OUR PRESUBMITTAL CONFERENCE, 7 OF THEM RESPOND, AND BID ON THE PROJECT, BUT 5 WERE DEEMED NONRESPONSIVE, DIDN'T MEET THE SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS, NO MATERIAL FINDINGS FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OR DUE DILIGENT REVIEW. I WILL MENTION THAT THIS ONE -- WE DID ACTU ACTUALLY -- THIS WAS OUR SECOND TIME PUTTING THIS OUT ON THE STREET DUE TO SOME OF THE CHANGES, THE ORDNANCE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF, SO THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE PUT IT OUT, AND THIS WAS WHAT WE GOT BACK.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE, AND I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VENDOR SELECTION.
I HAVE ACS LEADERSHIP HERE TODAY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE
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PROJECT. >> VIAGRAN: GREAT. CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ITEM SO WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION? I'VE GOT A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. MIKE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK THIS IS ONE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD AS WE MADE THE CHANGES TO SBADA THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GO OUT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. I'M GLAD THAT WE HAD PEOPLE INTERESTED AND THAT 7 PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD.
I'M A LITTLE D DISAPPOINTED IN THE FAILURE TO MEET THE 20%, BUT I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE MAYBE AT A COUNCIL OR ECONOMIC WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT ABOUT HOW WE HELP GROUPS MAKE THAT SMALL BUSINESS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE -- THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT TO MAKE TH THAT. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE TWO GROUPS THAT MOVE FORWARD. I THINK VENDOR A SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PR PRICE.
SO IF THEY HAD GOTTEN THE 10 POINTS, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AT A 93.
>> CORRECT. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. >> AND JUST TO LOOK AT THAT ONE, THERE WAS POINTS ALLOCATED IF THE PRIME RESPONDENT WAS A SMALL BUSINESS AS WELL, BUT THE POINTS HAS TO DO WITH SUBCONTRACTORS AS WELL. SO VENDOR A IS NOT A SMALL BUSINESS AS A PRIME, BUT THEY WILL MEET THE SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING GOALS, VENDOR B WAS, BUT THAT DIDN'T PUSH THEM CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE SELECTED
BASED ON THE OTHER CRITERIA. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHO THESE TWO GROUPS WERE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S DEALING WITH THAT WHERE WE WAI WEIGH THE EXPERIENCE AND TIME MANAGEMENT, BUT I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS SO WE WANT TO GET IT DONE RIGHT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THEM. DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SE SECOND. DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO CHIME IN ON THIS ISSUE? NO? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
THEN. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. NO OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 7. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE
CAPTION FOR ITEM 7. >> CLERK: ITEM 7 IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY
AUDITOR REPORT AU24-007 AUDIT O CSF VISIT SAN ANTONIO CONTRACT. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
CAN WE GET A STAFF PRESENTATION? >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL GO DER RAZZ. I WAS THE MANAGER A ASSIGNED TO THE PROJECT AND I'LL BE PRESENTING THE RESULTS THE RESULTS OSTEOID ITSELF FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO. THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO DETERMINE IF CSF IS MONITORING THE COMPLIANCE FOR KEY TE TERMS. OVERALL WE CONCLUDED CSF IS MONITORING THE VISIT SA CONTRACT HOWEVER IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE IN A COUPLE OF AR AREAS, FIRST IN MONITORING THE OUTS OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES FOR HOSTING OBLIGATIONS, AND SECOND, FOR OBTAINING DOCUMENT SUPPORT TO VALIDATE THE DATA PRESENTED IN THE QUARTERLY MET TRICKS REPORT AND THE KEY MET TRICKS FOR EVENTS MANAGED BY VISIT SA.
OUR TESTING ALSO DETERMINED VISIT SA IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE KEY TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. IN ADDITION, THE HOTEL OCCUPIESSY TAX AND TO TOURISM PUBLIC PAYMENTS MADE MONTHLY TO VISIT SA ARE APPROVED AND ACCURATELY REPORTED IN SAP.
ALSO EXPENDITURES FROM VISIT SA ARE REASONABLE, AND LASTLY TOOLS BY VISIT SA IS APPROPRIATE. WE DID MAKE A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE TEAM, THE FIRST IS REGARDING HOSTING OBLIGATIONS.
CSF IS NOT ADEQUATELY MONITORING THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES DUE FOR HO HOSTING OBLIGATIONS. THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR CSF TO ENSURE THE OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES ARE PROPERLY MONITORED AND TRACKED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AD8.4 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE.
OUR SECOND AND FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS REG REGARDING THE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE MET TRICKS REPORT. CSF IS NOT OBTAINING DOCUMENT REPORT TO VALIDATE THE ACCURACY OF THE DATA PROVIDED IN THE METRICS REPORTS OR KEY METRICS BY VISIT SA FOR THE EVENTS MANAGED.
OUR RECOMMENDATION HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THEY PERIODICALLY OBTAIN AND
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REVIEW RELEVANT AND SUFFICIENT SOURCE DOCUMENTATION TO VALIDATE THE EXISTENCE, ACCURACY, AND COMP COMPLETENESS OF THE DATA AND KEY METRICS PROVIDED BY VISIT SA. CSF MANAGEMENT HAS AGREED WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALREADY PROVIDED AN ACTION PLAN WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN OCTOBER.AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. CSF MANAGEMENT IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT THE AUDIT SO WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION? I HAVE A MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT. SO THE ONLY -- THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MICHAEL. SO .
>> CHAIR, COULD WE HAVE STAFF COME UP LIKE WE DO IN AUDIT AND PROVIDE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT. THE DIRECTOR, JUST KIND OF GO OVER AT A LEVEL THE FINDINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AT THE AUDIT
REPORT. OKAY. >> VIAGRAN: PATRICIA.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. YES.
WE DID ACCEPT THE FI FINDINGS, WE PROVIDED A MANAGEMENT RESPONSE.
I CAN TELL YOU FOR THE FIRST FINDING, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED PAYMENT FOR THOSE FOUR ACCOUNTS THAT WERE DELAYED, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. THE TPID HOSTING OBLIGATIONS WERE PRE PRESENTED IN 2024, SO WHEN THE AUDITORS CAME IN, WE WERE JUST IMPLEMENTING THAT PROCESS OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO GO ABOUT ACCEPTING A TPID HOSTING OBLIGATIONS. WE HAD A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR HOSTING OBLIGATIONS, THAT WE HAVE THE 2.5 MILLION OR $3 MILLION FUNDING SOURCE, AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT, AGAIN, WHEN THE AUDITOR CAME IN, WE WERE JUST IMPLEMENTING THAT PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE HOSTING OBLIGATIONS FROM THE T TPID FUND. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE MONITORING THOSE CLO CLOSELY, WE HAVE RECEIVED PAYMENT FOR ALL OF THOSE FOUR EVENTS OR ACCOUNTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE AUDIT. AS FAR AS THE SECOND FINDING IN THE KEY METRICS, STAFF HAS BEGU VALIDATING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF TH THOSE REPORTS.
BY THE END OF THIS -- BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE VALIDATED ALL OF FISCAL YEAR 25. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, ALSO, WE MEET WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO VERY -- YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
I AM INVOLVED MOST OF THE TIME ON THE MONTHLY BASIS, I AM PRESENT AT THE MONTHLY MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS ALL OF THIS INFORMATION THAT IS ON THE KPI REPORT OR ON THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES REPORT, AND THEN OUR STAFF, OUR SALES DIRECTOR MEETS WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO STAFF GOING OVER ALL OF THE LEADS, LOST BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT IS DEFINITE EVENTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AND SOMETIMES EVEN ON A DAILY BASIS TO DISCUSS THAT. SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THOSE -- WITH THAT DATA. BUT NOW BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, WE WILL BE GETTING AND WE ARE GETTING NOW SPREADSHEETS WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHAT'S BEEN VALIDATED, IT'S CONSISTENT. IT -- IT'S ACCURATE, YOU KNOW.
AND WE HAVEN'T FOUND ANY ERRORS ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED NOW THAT WE HAVE VALIDATED IT. I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> VIAGRAN: NO. THANK YOU, PATRICIA. AND I SIT ON THE BOARD, NOW PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
I WORKED FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE CRM THEY USE TO MONITOR SOME OF THIS, AND IT IS -- IT IS CUMBERSOME, AND THEY MAKE YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING, AND ANYTIME YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE. SO I KNOW SOME OF OUR SALES TEAM HOLDS ON TO THINGS ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE IN A VERY COMPETITIVE GAUCHUATION REGARDING HOSTING OBLIGATIONS WHEN THEY HAVE TO ENTER IT BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE TO ENTER IT AGAIN, THEY CHARGE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE -- AND I WANT TO THANK BUDDY AND THE TEAM, MICHAEL FOR YOUR EFFORTS BECAUSE I WANT TO MA MAKE -- I THINK THE AUDIT HELPS US MAKE SURE THAT WE AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND PATRICIA, THAT YA'LL REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE HOSTING OBLIGATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMPETE AND WE'VE SEEN THE REPORTS AS A COUNCIL, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMPETE AS AUSTIN COMES BACK ONLINE WITH THEIR CONVENTION CENTER, AS DALLAS AND HOUSTON MAKE CHANGES T TOO. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE
[00:15:02]
WHAT WAS FOUND, WE MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN USE THIS IN TERMS OF, WELL, IF AND WHAT AS WE NEED TO COME BACK REG REGARDING HOSTING OBLIGATIONS AS THEY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK -- I THINK, YOU KNOW, TOURISM, WE KNOW, IS ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE ECONOMIC GENERATORS HERE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE AN ACTION PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND ADDRESS THE. DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY -- YES, MARC.
COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE AUDIT.
THIS WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. YOU KNOW, I -- SOMETIMES WHEN I SEE THESE THINGS, THOUGH, I GO BACK TO REALLY WHAT I THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, WHICH IS HOW ARE WE BEST SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY, AND ARE WE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR CITIZENS. AND SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS REPORT AND SAW TH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE -- OH, I'M JUST READING A LINE FROM IT.
CSF DOES NOT OBTAIN SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR THE METRICS IN VISIT SA QUARTERLY METRICS REPORT. THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT BEGINS TO WORRY ME BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF TAXPAYER MONEY THAT GOES TO VSA, TO PERFORM A VERY IMPORTANT TAS TASK; RIGHT? WHICH IS, AS THE CHAIR SAID, TO TOURISM IS KEY TO OUR ECONOMY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET MORE OF IT, AND IS VSA, YOU KNOW, USING THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE SOURCE DOCUME DOCUMENTATION, I GUESS, ISN'T G GETTING TO OUR -- MAYBE NOT TO VSA IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THEN CERTAINLY NOT OVER -- NOT OVER TO THE CITY.
AND THE RECOMMENDATION SAYS THE CSF DIRECTOR E ENSURES DEPARTMENT PERIODICALLY REVIEWS AND ANALYZES THE SOURCE DOCUMENTATION.
WE'RE GETTING THE SOURCE DOCUMENTATION, BUT JUST NOT EARLY ENOUGH, IS
THAT FAIR? >> WELL, THERE'S TWO. FOR THE TPID HOSTING OBLIGATIONS, THE CONCESSIONS THAT UTILIZE THOSE CONCESSIONS, THERE'S A DELAY GETTING THE INFORMATION. BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN A CLIENT IS PROVIDED A T TPID HOSTING OBLIGATION, IT'S BASED ON ROOM PI PICKUP, AND SO VISIT SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE HAVING TO WAIT ON VISIT SAN ANTONIO, VISIT SAN ANTONIO IS HAVING TO WAIT ON THE HOTELS TO BASICALLY OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION. SO THERE'S A DELAY IN THAT. THAT'S ONE. AS FAR AS THE KPIS, THE SECOND FINDING ON THE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE MEASURES REPORT, WE WERE GETTING ALL OF THE KPIS AND THE DATA.
WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS, AND SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT. IT WAS JUST THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING SPREADSHEETS TO SAY, LOOK, THESE ARE ALL OF THE NUMBER OF LEADS, NOW WE ARE. IF THERE WAS, LIKE, 87 LEADS ON A PARTICULAR MONTH FOR ALL OF THE EVENTS, LEADS THAT ARE BASICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS NUMBER, BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T -- WE REVIEW ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT, IT'S JUST THAT WE WEREN'T G GETTING THE BACKUP INFORMATION TO SAY THIS 87, THIS IS THE LIST OF
EVENTS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. >> WHYTE: SO WHAT'S THE PLAN?
>> THE PLAN IS NOW WE ARE GETTING THOSE SPREADSHEETS TO SAY THIS IS THE LIST OF EVENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT CORRESPONDS TO THIS NUMBER, OF LEADS OR DEFINITE EVENTS OR WHATEVER ELSE THE
MEASURE IS. >> WHYTE: SO THIS LINE HERE THA SAYS WITHOUT ORIGINAL SOURCE DOCUMENTATION CSF CANNOT EVALUATE THE ACCURACY OF THE METRICS WITHIN THE QUARTERLY
REPORT. >> UH-HUH. THAT PROCEED SHEATHE N
NOW, WE'RE GETTING THAT PROCEED SHEATHE. >> WHYTE: WE ARE GETTING IT.
OKAY. SO THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF. THE NEXT PARAGRAPH SAYS EVENTS MANAGED BY VSA ARE NOT PROPERLY SUP SUPPORTED.
WHAT ACTUALLY DOES THAT MEAN? >> I THINK SOME AREAS IN THE SIMPLE VIEW SOFTWARE THAT THEY USE TO RECORD ALL OF THE INFORMATION MIGHT HAVE NOT HAD MAYBE ATTENDANCE INFORMATION LIKE THAT, AND THAT INFORMATION -- IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO GET FROM THE MEETING PLANNER IF THEY DON'T PROVIDE IT AT THE END. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN A HURRY TO BASICALLY LEAVE TOWN TO GET TO THEIR NEXT EVENT, AND THEY MIGHT NOT GET, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL ATTENDANCE FOR THE MEETING OR MIGHT NOT GET INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE WAITING ON THE MEETING PLANNER TO OBTAIN. SO IT MIGHT BE OR IT MIGHT BE, LIKE MARIO
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EXPLAINED TO ME EARLIER, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN ANOTHER PAGE, BUT MAYBE THE AUDITOR DIDN'T IDENTIFY THAT OR DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, FIND IT IN THESOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE. >> WHYTE: SO THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF THE INFORMATION WASN' PLUGGED INTO THIS SIMPLE VIEW SYSTEM?
>> CORRECT. >> WHYTE: OKAY. AND EVENTUALLY IT GETS
THERE. >> OR IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, IN ANOTHER AREA IN THAT SYSTEM BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE AUDITORS REVIEWED IT, THEY DIDN'T IDENTIFY THAT. BUT, YES, THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO -- TWO DIFF
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, SCENARIOS. >> WHYTE: MARIO, I SEE YOU JU
JUMPING UP. >> YEAH. I COULD PROBABLY GIVE A
LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT, IF THAT'S OKAY. >> WHYTE: SURE.
>> THE WAY OUR SIMPLE VIEW CRM FUNCTIONS IS THERE'S TWO AREAS YOU COULD ENTER THIS INFORMATION, FOR THE AUDIT FOCUSED ON WAS IN THE LEAD PORTION OF THE CRM, WHICH IS THE INFANT STAGES OF THE SALES NEGOTIATION. SO TYPICALLY, A MEETING PLANNER AT THAT POINT IS GIVING YOU VERY BASIC INFORMATION, BASICALLY LOOKING FOR DATA AVAILABILITY, NUMBER OF HOTEL ROOMS, AND SPACE. AND THAT'S THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF INFORMATION YOU NEED TO START THE SALES PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT GETS LOADED INTO THE LEAD PORTION, IF YOU WILL, OF THE CRM.
NOW, THERE'S MULTIPLE FIELDS IN THE CRM TO COUNCILWOMAN'S VIAGRAN'S KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE CRM, THERE'S 40 OTHER FIELDS YOU CAN ENTER.
TYPICALLY A MEETING PLANNER IS BUSY. THEY WON'T GIVE YOU -- WE'LL ASK BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY BUT THEY'RE JUST GIVING YOU THE BASICS. AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE SALES PROCESS, YOU THEN GET INTO THE CONTRACT STAGE, NOW WE'RE NOT JUST CONSIDERING SAN ANTONIO, WE ARE DEFERENTIALLY LOOKING AT SAN ANTONIO, THAT AREA OF THE CRM GETS MORE POPULATED WITH SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS MISSING AS PERTAINING TO THE AUDIT FROM THE LEAD PORTION, AND THEN CERTAINLY WHEN THE -- THE LIFE CYCLE HAS COME TO NOW IT'S MEETING IN SAN ANTONIO, IT'S ACTUALIZED IN SAN ANTONIO, NOW ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WASN'T IN THE LEAD PORTION OF THE CRM IS DEFINITELY IN THE IN THE PICKUP PORTION OR THE ACT ACTUALIZED PORTION OF THE CRM, AT THAT POINT, IT'S COMPLETE, AND THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT, THAT FINAL LIFE CYCLE IS WHAT WE USE TO CREATE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORTS, SO THAT'S -- THAT WAS THE DISCONNECT. THE LEAD PORTION IS ALWAYS GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE NOT THE MOST AVAILABLE INFORMATION, ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT YET FROM THE MEETING PLANNER.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. YEAH. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST MOVING FORWARD, I THINK FROM A STAFF PERSP PERSPECTIVE, AND AS WE MONITOR THIS CONTRACT GOING FORWARD AND MARIO AND I TALKED ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY. WHAT I THINK THE CIT CITIZENS CARE ABOUT IS THE RETURN ON INVES INVESTMENT; RIGHT? AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE A DIRECT LINE FROM THE DOLLARS BEING SPENT TO THE BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT'S BEING GENERATED BY THE WORK THAT VSA DOES. AND SO THIS INFORMATION, I THINK, IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS ROUND OUT THAT PICTURE, AND S SO, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE AUDIT. AND MARIO, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN DOING SINCE YOU'VE BEEN IN THE TOP SPOT, AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADEQUATELY MONITORING THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF THE DOLLARS THAT VSA USES. THANKS, CHAIR.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO R REMIND YOU WHILE YOU'RE THERE, MARIO, THIS IS HOTEL OCCUPIESSY TA TAX; RIGHT? THAT VISIT SAN ANTONIO WORKS THROUGH, WE DON'T HAVE A LINE ITEM FOR THEM CURRENTLY, AND THE OTHER ASPECT IS I THINK FROM WHAT WE HEAR TODAY AS WE GO AND WE LOOK AT THE AUDIT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WITHIN THE INDUSTRY THAT THE NUMBERS -- IF WE JUST GIVE HEADS IN BEDS NUMBERS AND THE MEETING PLANNER FINDS OUT WE'RE PUTTING THIS FORWARD AS WHAT WE DO, THEY DON'T LIKE THAT, THEY WANT TO BE IN CONTROL OF WHAT THEIR ATTENDANCE WAS FOR THEIR CONFERENCE, SO THERE'S THAT LINE THAT WE HAVE TO WALK, SO I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, DO WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OF IT'S JUST HEADS IN BEDS, HO HOSTING OBLIGATIONS WITH THE HOTELS, BECAUSE WE KNOW NOW PEOPLE ARE USING AIRBNB, THEY'RE STAYING IN OTHER LOCATIONS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE -- WHAT THE MEETING PLANNER GIVES US ISN'T NECESSARILY REFLECTIVE OF WHAT IS -- AS WHAT WE WANT -- TO NEED, THAT
HEADS IN BEDS SITUATION. >> YEAH. THE MEETING PLANNER, IT BEHOOVES THEM NOT TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL THEY CAN.
>> VIAGRAN: YES. >> TYPICALLY IN THE LEADS SECTION YOU MIGHT
[00:25:01]
NOT HAVE AVERAGE DAILY RATE PUT IN THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU THE MAXIMUM THE ATTENDEE CAN PAY. THEY WANT YOU TO COME BACK WITH THE BEST RATE. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THIS TYPE OFCONVERSATION. SO THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: COUNCILMEMBER SP
SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I LOVE VISIT SAN ANT ANTONIO, AND SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS AUDIT. I THINK IT CAME OUT REALLY WELL. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH SIMPLE VIEW? HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN USING IT? DO YOU LIKE IT?
>> IT'S BASICALLY THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IN TERMS OF DESTINATION, MARKETING, AND ORGANIZATIONS. FOR ALL OF ITS FAULTS, IT'S AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET. THERE'S OTHER SALES FORCE APPLICATIONS, BUT SIMPLE VIEW IS PROBABLY THE MOST RECOGNIZED, IN ADDITION TO IT HAS A VERY FUNCTIONING ECONOMIC IMPACT CALCULATOR THAT'S A PART OF THAT PLATFORM THAT YOU NEED WHEN EVALUATING THE BUSINESS TO MAKE SURE -- TO COUNCILMAN WHYTE'S POINT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BET IT G GETTING THE BEST ROI. IT'S NOT PERFECT BUT
IT'S THE BEST WE HAVE. >> SPEARS: BEST WE GOT. OKAY.
I SAW IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE MEETINGS WILL INCLUDE THE USE OF A SHARED REPORTING MECHANISM, TRACKER OR GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ON THE ANNUAL REPORTING THAT WE SUBMIT ALSO TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OBVIOUSLY, THROUGH PATRICIA'S OFFICE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN SHARING IS AN EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW OF AN EXCEL WORKSHEET THAT PULLS ALL THE DATA FROM THE REPORTS, THE SOURCE DATA WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING. IT'S CUMBERSOME, IT'S A LOT; RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THAT -- BUT WE, ALSO THROUGH OUR CHECKS AND AMBULANCES, AND AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN POINTED OUT, WHEN WE'RE REPORTING TO THE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT STEP, AND IT'S ALWAYS THERE. TO PATRICIA'S POINT EARLIER THERE, IN ADDITION TO WHEN WE'VE ALWAYS SHARED THE EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION.
WE PROBABLY TALK MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK, FEELS LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY AT LEAST, SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT GIVE AND TAKE ON THAT INFORMATION, WHAT WE'RE NOW PROVIDING IS NOW ALL THE CUMBERSOME STACK OF PAPER, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE CRM OR PR PRINTED IT WILL GO ALONG WITH THE EXECUTIVE OV OVERVIEW FOR THEIR AU AUDITING AS WELL.
>> SPEARS: OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU.
MY LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE TPID DELAY. IS THAT JUST .
>> YES. >> SPEARS: SHOULD WE JUST EXPEC WITH THAT SORT OF THING, THAT
COULD BE AN EXPECTED DELAY IN PAYMENT. >> I LOVE THAT QUESTION.
IT'S A SOURCE OF DOING BUSINESS. IT'S A FUNCTION OF DOING BUSINESS. AS MUCH -- AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE FOR BUSINESS TO BE NICE AND NEAT AND FIT IN THIS COMFORTABLE BOX AND FOLLOW THE TERMS OF AN AUDIT, THAT'S JUST NOT HOW THE BUSINESS FUNCTIONS; RIGHT? TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT EARLIER AND PATRICIA'S COMMENTS THE -- A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH IS YOU'RE WAITING ON THE CUSTOMER TO WRAP UP THEI AUDIT, RIGHT, FOR THEIR PAYMENT.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS ANY TYPE OF HOTEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM WE HAVE, ANY TYPE OF HOSTING OBLIGATION PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GROUP. THE GROUP IS NOT GOING TO GET A DOLLAR FROM US THAT'S NOT NEGOTIATED AHEAD OF TIME WITHIN THE DPA, THE BOOKING AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM, AND IT'S ALWAYS TIED TO THE ROOM NIGHT PICKUP. SO IT BEHOOVES THEM TO GO THROUGH AND COUNT EVERY SINGLE ROOM THAT'S MEETING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THAT TAKES TIME ESPECIALLY WHEN TALKING ABOUT CITY WIDE THAT HAS ROOMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO HOTELS, WAITING FOR THE PICK, S THAT AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSOLIDATE -- RECTIFY THE BOOKS, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON DATA FROM THE MEETING PLANNER. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET -- EVER FIX THAT COMPLETELY, FULL TRANSPARENCY, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO AT LEAST IMPROVE ON IT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PROCESS.
>> SPEARS: OKAY. I UNDERSTAND. GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: YES.
>> SO I THINK THIS QUESTION MAY BE MORE FOR THE AUDIT TEAM, BUT I'LL DEFER TO YOU GUYS, SO WHEN YOU DO THE AUDIT, DO YOU CONSIDER IF THESE ARE DISCREET THINGS THAT YOU'VE CAUGHT OR IF THERE HAS BEEN A R REOCCURRENCE IN THE PA PAST, AND IN THIS CASE, HAVE WE SEEN LACK OF CONTROLS IN THE PAST AROUND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES OR THE METRICS THAT THEY SPOKE OF? OR IS THIS THE FIRST
TIME WE'VE SEEN THIS? >> OKAY. IN THIS CASE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE AUDITED VISIT SA, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION
[00:30:02]
FROM A REOCCURRENCE PERSPECTIVE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT WHEN WE DO THE FOLLOW UP WORK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO VALIDATE SOME OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING TO CORRECT AND IMPROVETHESE PROCESSES. >> PERFECT. AND WOULD THAT BE
INCLUDED IN THE TEXT OF YOUR REPORT? >> IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ON THE FOLLOWING MET TRICKS THAT WE PRESENT, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT MONTH, SO IT'LL BE A STATUS AUDIT WIDE FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS UP
TO A CERTAIN TIME. >> PERFECT. THANK YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: YEAH. AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE AUDIT TEAM BECAUSE THIS WAS -- YOU KNOW, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY, VERY FAMILIAR WITH SIMPLE VIEW, SO I KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T WORK AS EASILY BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LO LONGER A CITY DEPAR DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS -- KEEPING TRACK WITH THEM, AND WHAT'S INTERESTING, AS WE SEE MOVING FORWARD WITH AUDITS, WE'RE AUDITING SOMETHING WE'RE IN A PARTNERSHIP IN CONTRACT WITH, ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT, AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD KIND OF TEST BECAUSE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL SEE MORE OF THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS WHERE WE'RE WAITING ON THE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY SIDE, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO FIT WITHIN OUR -- WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THE AUDIT ARE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STICK WITH WHAT OUR STANDARDS ARE AND WHAT OUR EXP EXPECTATIONS ARE WITHIN THE CITY. SO, BEN, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT. WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ANY OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.
THAT COMES -- WE ARE AT THE END . >> CHAIR.
I HAVE JUST ONE OTHER NOT RELATED ITEM. I WANTED TO MENTION THAT OUR NEXT -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGENDA IT SAYS THE NEXT ME MEETING DATE IS JANUARY 7, I THINK WE'LL CANVAS YOUR CALENDARS AND SEE IF WE CAN PUSH THAT A LITTLE BIT JUST SO WE CAN MEET POSTING REQUIREMENTS AND YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK AT INFORMATION BEFORE WE MEET. SO WE MAY SLIDE THAT A WEEK OR TWO BUT WE'LL WORK WITH
STAFF TO GET THAT R RESCHEDULED. >> VIAGRAN: SO THE NEXT MEETING RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING AT THE SECOND OR THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY IT'LL BE A SPECIAL MEETING, WE WILL EVENTUALLY GET THIS, GUYS, WHERE WE'RE CONSISTENT, BUT IT IS -- IT WILL BE AFTER THE NEW YEAR, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE POSTED -- WE'RE PO POSTING AND FOLLOWING THE RULES THAT WE HAVE FOR OPEN MEETINGS ACT. THE TIME IS NOW 10:33:00 A.M., MEETING IS NOW ADJO
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.