[00:00:06] >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS NOW 2:05 2:05:00 P.M. ON JANU JANUARY 27, AND THE ME MEETING OF ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE. GREAT. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. ARE THERE ANY CORRE CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> VIAGRAN: ALL OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE GOT PUBLIC COM COMMENT. MADAM CLERK, ARE THERE ANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM FOR -- ON ITEMS FOR PUBLIC COM COMMENT? >> CLERK: THERE'S NO ONE WISHIN TO SPEAK. >> VIAGRAN: GREAT. OKAY. SO WE HAVE OUR REMAINING AGENDA ITEMS, BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION, LET'S BEGIN WITH ITEM NUMBER 2. AND THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 GROWTH STAGE GRANT PROGRAM. IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION? YES. THERE IS. ALL RIGHT. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SARAH, I'M THE BUSINESSED A ADV ADVANCEMENT COORDINATOR WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2026 GROWTH STAGE GRANT PROGRAMS. SO THE STATE HAS AUTHORIZED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO MANAGE LONE AND GRANT PROGRAMS THROUGH CHAPTER 380 POLICY. THROUGH THAT, WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE APPROPRIATEUATED THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET, A PORTION OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUNT TO THIS FUND TO HELP WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THOSE THAT CATALYZE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION. THIS CAN BE COMPANIES WHO HAVE SCALABLE INCREASES IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FOR ST STARTUPS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY'S TARGETS INDUSTRIES. FOR THIS YEAR'S FISCAL 2026 BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT DID $1 MILLION TO CONTINUED GRANT STAGE PROGRAMS. IN FEBRUARY OF 2023 WE PRESENTE TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON RECOMMENDATION ON SEVERAL PILOT GRANT STAGE PROGRAMS, THESE WERE TO SUPPORT THE COMPANIES THAT SHOWED SC SCALABLE INCREASE -- OR SCALABL GROWTH IN THEIR COMPANIES. THIS COULD BE THROUGH EXPORT ORIENTED BUSINESS OR STA STARTUPS WHO HAD DEMONSTRATED GROWTH IN COMMERCIALIZATION. AND THE GOAL WAS TO RETAIN AND GROW HEADQUARTERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. THERE'S A COUPLE FACTORS FOR THIS, ONE, HEADQUARTERS ARE AN IMPORTANT CATALYST FOR RETAINING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND THEY WORK TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR HUBS HERE IN THE CITY. AND SO THE GOAL OF THESE GRANT PROGRAMS WAS TO CREATE A CONTINUOUS BUSINESS GOAL. SO THIS ALLOWED FOR THESE COMPANIES TO HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL THAT MAY BE PREV PREVIOUSLY WASN'T THERE, AND EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT GROWTH PLANS TO GET TO TH THE -- GET THEM TO THE NEXT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT. THIS WAS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE GENERATED TO PROMOTE THOSE LONG-TERM RELATI RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSI BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO I'LL START WITH OUR SECOND STAGE GRANT PROGRAM. WE HAVE THE SURVEY DATA FROM SIX MONTHS NOW THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EFFECT. WITH THAT, WE AWARDED A TOTAL OF $450,000 OF FUN FUNDING, TO A TOTAL OF 9 GRANTEES. FROM THE SIX MONTH SURVEY DATA, WE HAD 4 OUT OF 9 REPORTED REVENUE GROWTH IN THOSE PAST SIX MONTHS SINCE THE EXECUTION, AND A COM COMBINED TOTAL OF $7.06 MILLION IN CUMULATIVE REVENUE GROWTH FROM THE COMPANIES. AND THESE COMPANIES ARE THOSE THAT DEMONSTRATED, AGAIN, THAT THEY WERE EXPERT ORIENTED BUT HAD TWO YEARS OF REVENUE OR EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ALSO SUBMITTED A WRITTEN GROWTH PLAN TO SHOW THE BUSINESS MODEL AND MARKETING PLAN WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEY WERE A APPROVED BY THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL. THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO MENTION HERE, PARTICULARLY COWBOY TECHNOLOGIES WHO HAD USED THE FUNDING TO EMPLOY DIFFERENT MARKETING STRATEGIES THAT THE COMPANY PREVIOUSLY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TOO. THIS OPENED UP A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM ON THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SIDE, AND IT'S NOW GOING TO BE SOMETHING THEY CONTINUE TO USE DOWN THE LINE, AND [00:05:05] MARK THEIR BUDGETS FOR BECAUSE IT HAD SUCH A TR TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR PIPELINE, ON THEIR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPANIES HERE WHO HAD AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE ADDED WITH THE GRANT FUNDING, AND THIS WAS PIVOTAL TO OPENING UP CAPACITY FOR THE BUSI BUSINESS, WHETHER THAT BE TO APPLYING FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTS OR EXPANDING THEIR SENIOR OPERATIONS AND LEADERSHIP. SO THAT WAS OUR SECOND STAGE GRANT PROGRAM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING SOME PROPOSED GUIDELINE CHANGES FOR THIS YEAR'S FU FUNDING. NOW, FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS, WITH THE GRANTEES OF THIS PROGRAM, AND ALSO JUST ON OUR DAILY BUSINESS RETENTION AND GROWTH VISITS THAT WE DO WITH COMPANIES TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT NECESSARILY CAN WE TWEAK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, AND WHAT MIGHT EXPAND THE POOL OF APPLICANTS TO HELP WITH THE INTENTION OF THIS PROGRAM? AND SO THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING A SLIGHT CHANGE TO THE EMPLOYMENT LEVELS FOR THE -- EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROGRAM. WE'RE LOOKING TO RECOMMEND 100 EMPLOYEES OR LESS, WHICH IS -- AGAIN, TO HELP WITH TARGETING THE STARTUP COMPANIES WHO MAY HAVE A SMALLER EMPLOYMENT RANGE BUT ARE STILL CAPABLE OF DEMONSTRATING, YOU KNOW, THAT GROWTH POTENTIAL FOR A SECOND STAGE COMPANY. AND WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE WAGE REQUIREMENT FOR NEW FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. PREVIOUSLY SET AT $17.50 AN HOUR, WHICH WAS THE MINIMUM WAGE AT THAT TIME, AND NOW WE'RE RECOMMENDING $20 AN HOUR TO MEET THE -- TO ALIGN WITH OUR READY TO WORK OJT PROGRAM REQUIREMENT OF $20 PER HOUR AS WELL, SO JUST TO CONTINUE THAT ALIG ALIGNMENT, WE'VE RECOMMENDED THAT ADJUSTMENT. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO ADJ ADJUSTING THE INDUSTRIES FOR THIS GRANT PROGRAM TO FOCUS ON OUR FIVE STRATEGIC INDUSTRIES AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THAT'S MOBILITY, CORPORATE SERVICES, BIO SCIENCE, IT AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS OUR MOBILITY, IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT, OR CORPORATE SERVICES. EXCUSE ME. NOW, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO RECOMMEND A MAXIMUM OF $100,000 PER GRANTEE FOR THIS, AND THIS IS, AGAIN, TO EXPAND THE GROWTH POTENTIAL HERE, THIS MONEY CAN BE USED FOR ADDITIONAL EQUI EQUIPMENT, AND AN ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER MARKETING STRATEGIES, THINGS THAT WILL GE THEM TO THAT NEXT LEVEL, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT $100,000 CAN AMPLIFY THE EFFECTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THOSE ECONOMIC MULTIPLIERS WE'VE SEEN WITH THE PREVIOUS PILOT PROGRAM. NEXT, I'M GOING TO DISCUSS OUR SBIRSTBR PROGRAMS. SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS ARE LED BY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND WE HAD A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM THAT BIGGY BACKED OFF THE BACK OF THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS. NOW, THESE ARE FEDERAL CONTRACTS GIVEN TO STARTUPS THAT ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE HAVE LESS THAN FIVE HUNDRED EMPLOYEES AND HEAD QUARTERED HERE IN THE U.S. IT'S NONDILUTED FUNDING, AND SO THIS IS CRITICAL FOR STARTUP COMPANIES WHO DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LET GO OF EQUITY IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'S ALSO A REALLY GREAT WAY TO MEET WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND GET VETTING FROM APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AGENCIES WITHIN THEIR SUBJECT MATTER FIELD. AND SO WE HAD OUR SBIR MA MATCHING PROGRAM IN 2024 WHICH AWARDED 11 TOTAL GRANTS, AND A TOTAL PROGRAM FUNDING OF $581,000. WE HAD A GRANT AMOUNT OF SUCCESS WITH THIS PROGRAM, AND I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON SOME EXAMPLES I EXPERIENCED MEETING WITH SOME OF THESE COMPANIES AND DISCUSSING WITH THEM THROUGH THE REPORTING AND SURVEY DATA, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT O OF, HONESTLY, REALLY INNOVATIVE AND GROUND BR BREAKING TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GOING ON HERE IN SAN ANT ANTONIO. THESE COMPANIES HAVE USED THE FUNDING TO PROVIDES ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR STAFF, THEY'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH UTSA, AND SO THERE'S BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THEIR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF THINGS AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONS. SIGMA MAP I CAN SPEAK ON, THEY HAVE A GRANT WITH FEDERAL AGENCY ON SPATIAL O ONICS AND HIRED A PH.D. STUDENT WITH UTSA AND STATISTICS, AND WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS IS THEY'RE HELPING TO DEVELOP SOME ANALYSIS THAT HELPS THEM LOOK AT THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF DNA USING STATISTICS AND APPLYING THAT TO PHARMACEUTICAL OUTCOMES. SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE, YOU [00:10:05] KNOW, THESE FUNDS REALLY FREES UP A LOT OF THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE OPERATION SIDE OF THINGS, BUT ALSO THE RESEARCH SIDE OF THINGS. SO WE'VE HAD A REPORTED GROWTH OF REVENUE OF $3.36 MILLION, AND, AGAIN, 8 OUT OF 11 -- OF THESE GRANTEES HAVE REPORTED RE KNEW GROWTH. SO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS HERE. THESE ARE GRANTEES THAT CONTINUE TO DO WORK ON THE FEDERAL SIDE OF THINGS AND CONTINUE TO ALSO DEMONSTRATE GROWTH WITHIN SAN ANTONIO. FOR THESE PROPOSED GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATION IN FISCAL YEAR 2026, WE'RE RECO RECOMMENDING A SLIGHT CHANGE ON THE TIME OF AWARDING. SO INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUS SBIR/STTR AWARD AT TIME OF APPLICATION, WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THEY HAVE AN EXISTING REWARD WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THIS IS TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE FACT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID PAUSE ON THE PROGRAM IN OCTOBER OF 2025, AND SO WE WANT TO BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT NEW -- YOU KNOW, OF NEW INFORMATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT MAXIMIZING THE PHASE 2 AWARD TO -- UP TO $100,000 BASED ON THE COMPANY'S NEED AND SUBMITTED BUDGET, AND THIS IS REALLY TO HELP WITH THE RELATIVE DIFFERENCE OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS FOR PHASE 1. TYPICALLY, THESE AWARDS ARE UP TO $250,000, AND FOR PHASE 2, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM $2 MILLION, $3 MILLION, SO WE JUST WANT TO BE REF REFLECTIVE OF THAT IN OUR PROGRAM, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING NEEDS FOR THAT PHASE 2 AWARD. FOR THE PROGRAM BUDGET FOR THE GROW GROWTH STAGE GRANT, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A SPLIT OF THAT $1 MILLION BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE PROGRAMS OF $500,000 EACH BETWEEN THE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM AND THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM. AND THIS WAS, AGAIN, A DECISION BY US BASED ON THE COMPANY NEEDS HERE AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT POOLS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE IF THIS WERE TO LAUNCH. FOR TIMELINE, SO WE DID HAVE SOME ROBUST CONVERSATIONS AT TH SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE EARLIER IN JANUARY AN SHARED THIS PROGRAM WITH THEM. ADDITIONALLY, IF THIS WERE TO BE APPROVED, WE WOULD LAUNCH OUR MARKETING PLAN IN EARLY FEBRUARY, SPRING, AND THEN WITH APPLICATIONS TO TENTATIVELY OPEN IN EARLY MARCH, WE WOULD THEN HAVE APPLICATIONS CLOSE, STAFF REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS IN SPRING, MAY TIME PERIOD, AND THEN WE WOULD TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDED APPLICANTS BACK TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE MID-JUNE OF 2026. ANY THAT GET APPROVED WOULD THEN BE TAKEN TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION IN AUGUST OF 2026 WITH AN ESTIMATED FULLY EXECUTED AGREEMENT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2026. SO THAT'S OUR PROJECTED TIMELINE. FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION -- OR OUR DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATION TODAY IS TO APPROVE THE GROWTH STAGE GRANT PROGRAM FOR A TOTAL BUDGET OF $1 MILLION. THIS FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED F FY2026 PROPOSED GROWTH STAGE GRANT PROGRAM? >> MOTION TO APPROVE THE GROWTH STAGE GRANT PROGRAM PROPOSAL. >> VIAGRAN: I'VE GOT A MOTION, AND A SECOND. WE CAN BEGIN CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, SARAH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK THE ONE -- THE ONE THING -- THE SLIDE I WANT TO GO BACK TO ON -- IN TERMS OF -- I THINK IT WAS JUST SLIDE NUMBER 7 OF THE 8 OF THE 11, AND THEN -- OH, 4 AND 7. SO WITH THE SECOND STAGE GRANT AWARDS AND RESULTS TO DATE, WE SAW -- AND I KNOW THIS WAS JUST A S SIX-MONTH SURVEY, A 4 OUT OF 9, AND THEN WE SAW AN 8 OUT OF 11. SO I KNOW THIS IS A MONTH TO DATE, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THE REVENUE ISN'T GOING TO GROW, BUT IF WE COULD GET IN A MEMO FORM JUST KIND OF WHAT SOME OF THE PRO PROBLEMS -- WHY THEY DEDIDN'T SEE IT WITHIN THIS SURVEY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO LOOK AT IS I IT -- DO WE NEED TO THEN REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE OF THEIR COMPANIES OR JUST SET OUR EXPECTATIONS THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST THREE YEARS FROM THE INVESTMENT STAGE TO THE REVENUE GROWTH STAGE, OR IS IT THEY DIDN'T SEE REVENUE GROWTH BECAUSE THEY WERE ADDING ON NEW EMPLOYEES, HAD TO PAY FOR DIFFERENT [00:15:06] BENEFITS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S THE ONE THI THING -- JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING DOESN'T GROW IN REVENUE DOESN'T MEAN THAT D DID NOT -- THERE WASN'T GROWTH, BUT THEY HAD TO STAY COMPETITIVE, HAD TO HIRE A FEW MORE PEOPLE OR INVEST IN MORE MARKETING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO IF WE COULD JUST HAVE AN EXPLANATION ON WHAT WE SAW JUST BECAUSE IF WE SEE SOME CHARACTERISTICS ON THE REVENUE GROWTH WHERE IT WAS LIKE, MAN, IT DIDN'T WORK, WHEN WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS REGARDING THE NEXT ROUND, MAYBE WE WANT TO LOOK A LITTLE MORE DISCERNINGLY WHERE A COMPANY SITS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SECOND STAGE GRANT AWARDS AS THE ECONOMY GETS TIGHTER AND THINGS GET MORE DIFFICULT, THEY'RE GOING STRICTLY OUT OF -- FOR DOLLARS THAT ARE RELATED TO STATE OR FEDERAL FU FUNDINGS, THAT'S ANOTHER THING IS GETTING PAID MIGHT BE SLOWED DOWN QUITE A BIT, AND THAT COULD DO THAT. SO OTHER THAN THAT, NO I APPRECIATE THE CHANGES. FOR THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THE ONE THING, IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR BOTH GUIDELINES, YOU HAVE 100 EMPLOYEES OR LESS, THAT'S FULL TIME EMPLOYEES; CORRECT. >> YEAH. SO IT WOULD BE 100 EMPLOYEES OR LESS, AND THAT'S PART TIME AND FULL TIME. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> AND THEN WHEN YA'LL MAKE THE DECISION, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S INTO CONSIDERATION HOW MANY ARE PART TIME AND HOW MANY ARE FULL TIME, BUT TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. >> YEAH. SO WE REQUEST A DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THEY HAVE THE EMPLOYEES ON THE ROLES DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. YES. THAT WOULD HELP. AND THEN WITH THE SBI SBIR/STTR MATCHING GR GRANT, THEY HAVE 40 EMPLOYEES AND LESS, IF WE COULD SEE THAT ALSO. >> UH-HUH. >> VIAGRAN: AND I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT MAY HAVE QUESTIONS. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR AND SARAH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M SUPPORTIVE TO THE ADJUSTMENTS PARTICULARLY THE $20 AN HOUR IN BENEFITS, BUT SIMILAR TO THE BE OF THE CHAIR, PLEASED TO HEAR WE'RE REQUESTING HOW MANY FULL TIME AND PART TIME EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY'RE APPLYING TO PARTICIPATE WITH THIS PROGRAM. WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE APPLICANTS STAY WITHIN THE CITY DURING THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM, WITH THIS PILOT HAVE YA'LL IDENTIFIED ANY APPLICANTS THAT DID LEAVE AFTER COMPLETING THE PILOT? >> NOT AT THIS TIME, NO. SO WE -- THEY STILL R REMAIN IN SAN ANTONIO, THE BUSINESSES YOU SEE. NOW, WE HAVE TO, AGAIN, ADMINISTER THE FINANCIAL REPORTS AND THE SURVEYS AT THE 6 MONTH, 12 MONTH AND 18 MONTH INTERVALS AND CONTINUED CHECK IN TO SEE IF THEY'RE HERE, BUT FOR THE SAKE, NO COMPANIES HAVE LEFT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING TRACKED AS WELL. ARE WE TRACKING HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE LOCAL, AND HOW MANY MAY BE WORKING REMOTELY. >> YES. SO WE DO HAVE PART OF THE APPLICATION IS AR ARE -- IS THEIR LOCAL WORKFORCE. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE THE CURRENT STIPULATION OF IF THAT EMPLOYEE IS REMOTE OR NOT, BUT WE CAN CONSIDER THAT IN THE FUTURE FISCAL YEAR 26 APPLICATION. >> CASTILLO: AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE TIMELINE. LET'S SEE. WHEN THE APPLICATIONS OPEN, WILL YOU ALL COME BACK TO THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE? OR WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? >> YEAH. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTING TO COME BACK HERE EARLY SUMMER. SO WE'RE HOPING THOSE APPLICATIONS LAUNCH SUCCESSFULLY AND THAT WE CAN CLOSE ONCE WE'VE REACHED THAT EXHAUSTIVE FUNDING LEVEL OF RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SO WE WOULD THEN COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH OUR RECOMMENDED APPLICANTS FOR THE -- FOR EACH PROGRAM RES RESPECTIVELY. >> THANKS. AND WHEN THAT COMES BACK TO THE COMMITTEE IN MID-JUNE, THE INFORMATION THAT THE CHAIR REQUESTED, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AS WELL AS THE LOCAL HIRES AS WELL. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AN THANK YOU, SARAH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOCUSING IN ON OUR KEY SECTORS HERE, JUST MAKES SENSE FOR GENERAL GROWTH HERE. I DID WANT TO ASK A QUESTION THOUGH ABOUT THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE BEEN TRACKING IT OR IF WE CAN REVIEW IT. HOW MANY RECIPIENTS ARE WITHIN EACH CLUSTER BUCKET. >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T HAVE THE DATA O [00:20:01] ON, THAT BUT I KNOW WITH SBIR, YOU'RE DEALING MAINLY WITH IT OR BIO SCIENCE COMPANIES. AND SO THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT WITHIN THE SBIR MATCHING GRANTEES FOR THE SECOND STAGE, I'D HAVE TO GET A BREAKDOWN FOR YOU ON THAT. BUT THESE ARE ALL COMPANIES WHO ARE HEAD QUARTERED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND A LOT OF THEM WERE ALSO FEDERAL CONTRACTORS AS WELL. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. THAT'S HELPFUL. JUST SO WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANY DIFFERENT TRENDS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE WAGE CHANGES AS WELL AS WELL AS THE REQUEST FROM THE CHAIR, AS WELL AS COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, THE LOCAL HIRING AND THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE PART TI TIMERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN REQUIRE IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD REQUIRE SOME KIND OF EMPLOYMENT HERE PERSONALLY. I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BUILD I GUEING THAT KIND OF ECONOMIC BASE HERE, BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE THE HQ HERE, FOR THE STAFF HERE. >> YEAH. AND SO FOR -- THIS MAY NOT BE EXPLICIT IN THE GUIDELINES HERE TODAY, BUT IN THE GUIDELINES OF WHAT WAS DRAFTEDS AND OUR PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS, IF THERE WAS A NEW EMPLOYMENT, IT HAD TO BE AT THE PROJECT SITE, AND THAT PROJECT SITE WOULD HAVE TO BE LOCATED IN SAN ANTONIO. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. THAT'S HELPFUL. YOU SAID FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT? >> YES. FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT. >> GALVAN: OKAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD HERE. LET ME SEE. HOW LONG ARE THE -- EACH AGREEMENT TYPICALLY LA LASTING. I KNOW THE PHASES FOR THE SBIR IS DIFFERENT. BUT HOW LONG IS THE SECOND STAGE ONE. >> SO THAT WAS AN AGREEMENT TERM OF ONE YEAR. AND WE WOULD REQUIRE THOSE SURVEYS AT 18 MONTH AND 36 MONTH EVEN THOUGH THE TERM WAS COMPLETE. >> GALVAN: OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. ONE LAST THING I WAS GOING TO SAY WAS, YOU KNOW, I THINK SIMILAR TO THE FOCUS ON THE LOCAL HIRING, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO -- WELL, THEY'RE ALSO HERE, SO THAT'S ONE THING, SO THE HQS ARE STILL -- HO HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE STAYING HERE AND KEEPING THAT BUSINESS HERE. IS THERE ANY KIND OF R RECAPTURE AGREEMENTS OR IN THE GUIDELINES ITS ITSELF? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE, EVEN IF IT'S AN MO WITH THAT, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT -- IF THEY DO END UP LEAVING, THAT WE CAN RECAPTURE SOME OF THAT INVESTMENT IN THEM. THESE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU COUN COUNCILMAN. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON THE $20 PER HOUR. I WAS CURIOUS, ARE THOSE $20 FOR THE GRANT -- THAT'S FOR THE GRANT FUNDING OF THE -- FOR THE GRANTS? >> SO IT WOULD BE ANY NEW ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES THAT THEY HIRE AFTER E EXCUSHION OF THE GRANT AGREEMENT. >> GONZALEZ: BUT -- OKAY. >> AND THESE WOULD BE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. >> SO THE BUSINESS ITSELF DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY THE $20, IT'S JUST FOR THE PROGRAM. >> IT WOULD BE ANY ADDITIONAL STAFF HIRED AFTER THE AGREEMENT IS EXECUTED. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. AND THEN I NOTICED THE WAGE ALIG ALIGNMENT WITH READY TO WORK. SO THEY DO ESSENTIALLY BECOME PARTNERS TO READY TO WORK IF THEY FULFILL THAT. >> THAT'S A GOOD WE QUESTION. SO WE DO TRY TO CONNECT BUSINESSES. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT'S GREAT OF PERFORMING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE COMPANIES. MANY OF THESE SECOND STAGE COMPANIES AND SBIR COMPANIES HAVING ENGAGED WITH READY TO WORK IN SOME WAY, WHETHER WE, YOU KNOW, REQUEST THAT THEY PLEDGE WITH READY TO WORK OR ARE CONNECTED TO THEM TO WORKFORCE PROGRAMS, BUT IT'S CURRENTLY NOT A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY PROCEED TO ENGAGE WITH READY TO WORK PROGRAMS. >> IS THERE A WAY TO CONNECT -- TO MAKE NOT A REQUIREMENT -- WELL, YES I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO BE A REQUIREMENT, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO -- IS THERE A WAY TO FORMALLY ALIGN WITH READY TO WORK THEN? OR ? >> SORRY. I CAN KIND OF JUMP IN A LITTLE BIT HERE, AND I KNOW, JOEL YOU'RE RIGHT THERE AS WELL, BUT MY THOUGHT ON THAT, COUNCILMEMBER, IS THAT ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROCESS THAT THAT'S SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENT APPLICATION PROCESS, DO WE WANT TO CROSS POLLINATE THE TWO? YES, ABSOLUTELY, AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY FOR THOSE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT TO AUTOMATICALLY ENROLL THEM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SHOW, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO TEACH THAT PERSON, WHAT SKILLS IS THAT EMPLOYEE GOING TO LEARN, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST TO REITERATE HERE THE CH CHAIR'S POINT ON THE 4 OUT OF 9 GRANTEES THAT [00:25:01] REPORTED REVENUE GROWTH, JUST LESS THAN HALF. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM IN THE RIGHT WAYS AND MAKING SURE BEFORE THE PROGRAM LIKE THIS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN ALSO SEE ON THE HORIZON FOR THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, GROWING AS A COMPANY, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US. AND THEN AS THIS RELATES TO BIO SCIENCE, I KNOW THIS ISN'T AN INDUSTRY THAT WE NECESSARILY INCENTIVIZE? CORRECT. >> WE DO WITH OUR INDUSTRY OF BIO SCIENCE AND CATALYST, YES. >> GONZALEZ: COULD YOU SEND A REPORT ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WIT THAT. >> ON THE INDUSTRIES? OR ON THE TYPES OF INCENTIVES? >> GONZALEZ: BOTH. >> OKAY. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. THOSE WERE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU. I THINK YA'LL HAVE A LOT OF KIND OF FOLLOW UP INFORMATION, BUT WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 GROWTH STAGE GRANT PROGRAM, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3. IT'S AN UPDATE ON TARGET OCCUPATIONS FOR THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, AND THERE IS A STAFF PRESENTATION. >> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOEL MORGAN, I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE ADMINISTER THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM. LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN. SO, AGAIN, THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM HAS AND CONTINUES TO MAKE ADJ ADJUSTMENTS BASED UPON WHAT EMPLOYER NEEDS ARE DIRECTED AS WELL AS SOME OF THE DIRECTION THAT YA'LL ARE GIVING US AS WELL. WE'VE BRIEFED COUNCIL ON SOME OF THESE UPDATES ON NOVEMBER 12 AND DECEMBER 11 AT SESSION, SPECIFICALLY, LOOKING AT OCCUPATIONS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO BE TR TRIMMING DOWN THE OCCUPATION POOL WE CURRENTLY HAD. BASED UPON THOSE BR BRIEBRBRIEFINGS, THE BOARD CREATED A WORKING GROUP THAT STARTED LOOKING AT THE D DATA EXTENSIVELY COME NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR THROUGH JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THAT WORKING SESSION PRODUCED A NUMBER OF OCCUPATIONS THAT WERE BEING SET UP FOR REVIEW, AND ULTIMATELY, UP FOR APPROVAL TO BE REMOVED. JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE FULL BOARD TOOK THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS PRESENTED BY COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER AND ACTUALLY DECIDED TO REMOVE OCCUPATIONS. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND REVIEW THOSE NOW. SO NINE OCCUPATIONS AT THAT JANUARY BOARD MEETING WERE A APPROVED TO BE REMOVED. YOU CAN SEE UP ON THE SCR SCREEN, BUT I'LL REVIEW IT WITH YOU. TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSE INDUSTRY. COMPLIANCE OFFICERS WAS SET TO BE REMOVED. DIET TICIANS, NUTRITIONISTS, MRI TECHS, MEDICAL, NATURAL SCIENCE. MACHINISTS. ROOFERS. PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISERS. SECURITIES. SALES AGENTS. THESE WERE SUGGESTED FOR REMOVAL AND ULTIMATELY R REMOVED BASED FOR UN UNDERPERFORMING AND UN UNDERUTILIZED WITHIN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, SO THEY WEREN'T MEETING PL PLACEMENT OUTCOMES AS WELL AS GRADUATION RATE OUTCOMES AND/OR THE MARKET WASN'T STRONG. WE WERE UTILIZING DATA FROM GREATER SATX TO LOOK AT CAST REPORTS AND DETERMINE WHAT THE FORECAST WOULD BE FOR SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO, AGAIN, THE BOARD DETERMINED THAT IT WAS -- THE COURSE OF ACTION WE SHOULD TAKE WOULD BE TO R REMOVE. SO THAT, AGAIN, HAPPENED IN JANUARY. PRIOR TO THAT, SEVERAL MONTH BACK, 11 WERE ACTUALLY R REMOVED PRIOR TO THAT. SO, AGAIN, WE WANT TO ILLUSTRATE THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS BODY HAS BEEN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS. WE'VE BEEN ANALYZING AND LOOKING AT THAT PROGRAM FROM THE SAME LENS SINCE ITS INCEPTION BUT WITHIN THE LAST 18 MONTH THERE'S BEEN AN AGG AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING OUT A GOOD PRODUCT FOR THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. IN SPECIFIC, 11 OCCUPATIONS THAT WERE REMOVED PRIOR TO THESE LAST NINE, YOU CAN SEE PHLEBOTOMISTS. OPERATIONS RESEARCH ANAL ANALYSTS. COMPUTER HARD WORRY. ENGINEERS. BOOKKEEPS ACCOUNTING. MEDICAL SECRETARIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS. COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGERS. INFORMATIONAL SECURITY ANALYSTS. COMPUTER NETWORK SUPPORT SPECIALISTS. NETWORK AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATORS. WEB DEVELOPERS, AND DIGITAL INTERFACE AND GENERAL OPERATIONS MANAGERS. PRIOR TO THAT, THERE WERE TWO THAT WERE ALSO REMOVED, ANALYST MANAGEMENT AND PARALEGALS WERE ALSO REMOVED FOR A TOTAL OF 22 OCCUP OCCUPATIONS SINCE INCEPTION, WHICH HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE OFFERING IN THE CATALOG. [00:30:01] SO THAT LEAVES US WITH A GRAND TOTAL OF 62 READY TO WORK OCCUPATIONS THAT ARE STILL ACTIVE. WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR THOSE 62 TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DELIVERING ON THE METRICS THAT HAVE BEEN SET FORTH. WE ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT REMOVING OCCUPATIONS THAT ARE UN UNDERPERFORMING, BUT LOOKING TO PUT MARKETING AND EMPHASIS BEHIND THOSE THAT ARE DOING WELL. >> SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CUTTING THOSE THAT ARE DOING POORLY, BUT ABOUT BUILDING UP AND LIFTING UP THE ONES WE KNOW HAVE STRONG SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYERS AND ARE PERFORMING WELL. SO THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 20 OCCUPATIONS IN SPECIFIC THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO TARGET, AND TO MARKET, TO PUSH OUT EVEN GREATER OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THESE ARE OCCUPATIONS THAT ARE PER PERFORMING AT LEAST AT 70% + OR ABOVE, WITH REGARDS TO A APPROVED JOB PLACEMENT WITHIN SIX MONTHS. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE A HEAVY EMPHASIS UP HERE ON EDUCATION, THERE'S SOME MANUFACTURING. THERE'S SOME TRADES THAT ARE ALSO LISTED ON THERE. IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE YOU CAN SEE CARPENTERS. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. AND HEALTHCARE ON HERE. PARAMEDICS. LVNS, NURSES, RAD TECHS. THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THERE ARE SOME GOOD PROGRAMS THAT ARE PERFORMING WELL AND WE'RE LOOKING TO BUILD THOSE UP. AND THAT IS OUR REPORT. ANY QUESTIONS? >> VIAGRAN: THIS ITEM IS FOR BRIEFING ONLY. I AM HEARING -- WHAT I DON'T SEE ON THERE BUT WHAT I'M HEARING WE HAVE A NEED FOR IS COURT REPORTERS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. ARE WE WORKING WITH THEM ON ANY WAY TO MAKE TH THAT -- AND I KNOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING, BUT WE STILL NEED PEOPLE FOR THE BIGGER CASES. AND IF -- I ALWAYS SAY IF THE COURTHOUSE SLOWS DOWN, IT KIND OF SLOWS DOWN WHAT WE DO ON PART HERE AT THE CITY. DO WE HAVE ANY INTEREST AT LOOKING AT THAT OR MAYBE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON LOOKING AT HOW WE GET MORE COURT REPORTERS. >> EXCELLENT QUESTION. ACTUALLY, COURT REPORTING CAME BEFORE THE ADVISORY BOARD LAST YEAR, EARLY LAST YEAR, AND A PRESENTATION WAS MADE FROM ACD, ONE OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PRO PROVIDERS AS WELL AS A LIGHT CAST REPORT WHERE WE WERE DIGGING IN AND LOOKING AT THE FORE FORECASTING. AT THAT TIME, THE BOARD DECIDED THERE WASN'T ENOUGH -- THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH POSITIONS THAT WOULD BE OPENING UP TO SUPPORT BRINGING IT ON, BUT IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT. THE WAGES WERE QUITE STRONG WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED, AND THERE IS OPPORTUNITY, BUT THE BOARD AT THAT TIME DEEMED IT WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO GO FORWARD. >> VIAGRAN: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK -- I THINK TH COUNTY IS NOT HIRING BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE, YOU K KNOW? AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING IS IF WE DO THAT, AND YOU CAN GO OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS, WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAGES AND THE FACT THAT AS WE HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION WITH NEW JUD JUDGES, I AM HOPING THAT THE -- THE JUDGES THAT ARE IN THE COURTHOUSE START TO MOVE A LITTLE FASTER. SO THE -- I JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT ON THE RADAR. THE OTHER IS, IS THERE WORK OR COORDINATION WITH THE MILITARY IN TERMS OF VETERANS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY MAY HAVE, IN TERMS OF MILITARY TRAINING, AND IF WE COULD HAVE A TARGET OCCUPATION THAT HELPS TRANSITION, SO IF THEY WERE A MEDIC IN THE MILITARY, CAN WE -- CAN WE LOOK AT GETTING THEM SOMETHING WITHIN THE MEDICAL FIELDS HERE THROUGH THE READY TO WORK, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT TOO AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN THE OTHER TARGET OCCUPATION THAT I -- AND KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT YET BECAUSE IT SEEMS SO NEW, IS AS WE LOOK AT HUMANS TO KIND OF HELP WITH THAT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PIECE, AND I KNOW IF WE COULD BE CUTTING EDGE AND SEEING WHAT PROGRAMS ARE OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES DO OR SOMETHING THAT, YOU KN KNOW, IS A SIX-WEEK COURSE, AND IT COULD BE ADJACENT TO SOMETHING ELSE, WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT ALSO, AND THEN, OF COURSE, TO END WITH DIGITAL IS -- LIKE WE HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WE HAVE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS NOW THAT HELP WITH THAT, AND THAT MIGHT BE WHERE YOU -- WE COMBINE, AND IF WE COULD DO A SI SIX-WEEK CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. I DON'T KNOW WHO'S HI HIRING OTHER THAN IN TERMS OF DIGITAL NAVIGATORS, I THINK METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES IS LOOKING AT THAT, POSSIBLY A.A.R.P. [00:35:04] FOR THE SENIORS, AND THEN OTHERS THAT OFFER SOMETHING A, OR MOVING ONLINE, WE MAY NEED TO PARTNER WITH THOSE. SO THOSE ARE MY THOU THOUGHTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I -- I UNDERSTAND THAT THE OCCUPATION REMO REMOVAL -- SOME OF TH THE -- SOME OF THE CATEGORIES THAT I SEE -- THE OCCUPATION TITLES, IT SEEMS LIKE FOR SOME OF THEM, THEY MAY BE HAVE MORE PEOPLE ENTERING THE FIELD, AND THE OTHER THING IS I THINK IT'S SO FAST THE WAY WE'RE SEEING WITH THE TECHNOLOGY WHERE THE -- LIK AT BOOKKEEPING, ACC ACCOUNTING, AUDITING, AND CLERK, A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S ONLINE NOW AND THE REALITY OF THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO HE HEARING FROM MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? RIC. COUNCILMAN GALVAN. SORRY. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE IMPORTANT SUCCESSES FOR READY TO WORK. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE LAST TWO SLIDES. I DO WANT TO KNOW IF WE CAN GET THE RAW NUMBERS OF THE NUMBER OF JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED THROUGH EACH OF THE OCCUPATIONS AND SECTORS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS EVEN IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE. THE IMPACT WE'RE HAVING THROUGH READY TO WORK ON THE SECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY ON EMPLOYING, TRAINING AND EMPLOYING HEALTHCARE WORKERS, TRAINERS, SO IF WE COULD GET THOSE NUMBERS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE THAT DATA. THE PROGRAM HAS MATURED ENOUGH NOW HAVING DATA IS NOT A PROBLEM. WE HAVE PLENTY OF DATA ON WHAT'S OUT THERE, WHAT THE INTEREST LEVELS ARE AND WE TAKE CENSUS ON THE EMPLOYS AND WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING ON TOO. >> GALVAN: THAT'S HELPFUL. I DON'T THINK I HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS ON THAT. LET'S SEE. I MEAN, OF COURSE WITH THE PHASING OUT OF THE OTHER ONES, OTHER OCCUPATIONS, SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT AT B SESSION, SO I APPRECIATE THE DEEPER DIVE, THE NEXT STEPS OF IT, ESPECIALLY THE IT ONES, IT'S A KEY SECTOR AND AN IMPORTANT SECTOR, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM RESIDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE READY TO WORK PROCESS AND THE STRUGGLE TO GETTING INTO THAT INDUSTRY IS DIFFICULT, AND YEAH. I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE. I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> IF I COULD ADD SOMETHING I DIDN'T MENTION DURING THE PRESENTATION, BUT EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE BEING REMOVED, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY IF EMPLOYERS COME TO THE BOARD AND SAY, HEY, WE ARE INTERESTED, EVEN FOR O ONES THAT ARE REMOVED, TO SET UP WHAT WE CALL COHORT TRAININGS OR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS WHERE THEY CAN COME IN AND SAY I WILL HIRE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS OFF THIS PROGRAM, AND THE BOARD WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO PIVOT, SO IT'S BEING REMOVED, GENERALLY, BUT IF AN EMPLOYER COMES AND EXPRESSES INTEREST, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO REENGAGE. >> GALVAN: THAT'S GREAT. GREAT TO HEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: GREAT. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, JOEL FO THE PRESENTATION. I THINK THIS IS A NECESSARY STEP TO ENSURE THAT READY TO WORK CONTINUES TO PLACE SYRINGES IN JOBS, AND 3,013 INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN JOBS. THAT'S IMPACTFUL. SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN TERMS OF JOB PLACEMENT. WITH THE SECTORS OR THE OCCUPATIONS RATHER THAT ARE BEING ELIMINATED, I THINK THIS WAS A NECESSARY STEP, AS I ALREADY MENTIONED. I'M REMINDED OF ONE OF THE JOB FAIRS WE HAD IN DISTRICT 5 AND THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF FOLKS WITH IT CREDENTIALS OF SHARING THEIR STORY NOT GETTING A CALL BACK, HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH PLACEMENT, AND WITH THESE RESOURCES AND PROGRAM, WE SHOULD BE SETTING FOLKS UP FOR SUCCESS, AND I THINK WITH THIS WE'RE IN A BETTER POSITION TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE BET BET G GETTING A BETTER TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S WORK ON THE OTHER END. THE CHAIR TOUCHED ON A COUPLE OF POINTS, BUT I'M CURIOUS, IF YOU'VE FOUND IN TERMS OF SEC SECTORS, LIKE WITH IT AND HEALTHCARE, IS IT OVERSATURATION, KEY INDUSTRIES OR BUSINESSES HAVE LEFT, WHAT HAVE YA'LL FOUND IN TERMS OF WHY THERE'S BEEN DIFFICULTY WITH PL PLACEMENT WITH SOME OF THESE CERTIFICATIONS? >> IT'S KIND OF A MIXTURE OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, QUITE FRANKLY, IN SOME CASES, THERE'S SATURATION WITH SOME POCKETS SPECIFICALLY ON THE IT SIDE, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS GETTING WITH EMPL EMPLOYERS AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALIGNING TRAINING WITH WHAT THE EMPLOYER IS LOOKING FOR, INSTEAD OF PRODUCING CERTIFICATES NOT TAR TARGETED TO SOME OF THE KEY EMPLOYERS WE WORK WITH. THAT'S BEEN A FOCUS, ACTUALLY, FOR THE DEPARTMENT FOR 18 MONTHS AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE FRUITS OF THAT, WE'VE HAD A STRONG LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS WITH REGARDS TO PL PLACEMENT ON THAT FOCUS. BUT, AGAIN, WE CAN'T TIE IT SPECIFICALLY TO OV OVERPRODUCING. [00:40:02] ALTHOUGH, ILL TELL YOU WE ARE LOOKING AT NOT JUST TRIMMING DOWN OCCUPATIONS BUT THE TRAINING PROVIDERS DIRECTLY WITHIN THOSE OCCUPATIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ADHERING. SO THERE'S A DOUBLE TR TRIMMING THAT GOES ON, YOU HAVE THE OCCUPATION AND THEN THE TRAINING PROVIDERS UNDERNEATH SO ANALYZING BOTH OF THOSE AT THE SAME TIME. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND OF COURSE AS COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN MENTIONED, RIGHT, A LOT OF THE SUCCESS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WITH US TO SEE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THOSE FOLKS WHO GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM. >> DEFINITELY. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: I HAD A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF ON FUTURE PRESENTATIONS YOU CAN PROVIDE THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANTS IN EACH OF THESE AREAS, JUST T TO -- YOU KNOW, A COLUMN THAT SHOWS HOW MANY ARE PARTICIPATING. I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL. AND THEN THE -- THE INDUSTRIES THAT WERE R REMOVED, THOSE FOLKS IN THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN PROGRAMS, NOTHING EFFECTS THEM; CORRECT. >> GREAT QUESTION, NO IT DOES NOT. EVEN THOUGH THE OCCUPATION ITSELF IS BEING REMOVED, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED WILL RECEIVE THE SAME LEVEL OF CARE AND ASSISTANCE AS ANYONE ELSE. JUST NOT GETTING MORE INDIVIDUALS. >> GONZALEZ: JUST NOT GETTING MORE. YEAH I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT. AND THEN I THINK THIS IS -- I S WORK, AND I REALLY BELIEVE THERE'S A READY TO PART AND THE WORK PART, AND THIS IS THE FOCUS ON THE READY TO PART; RIGHT? MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING THESE PARTICIPANTS READY TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE, TRAINED PROPERLY WITH HIGH PAYING -- READY TO ACCEPT THE HIGH-PAYING JOBS, SO I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION ON THE READY TO PART BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF THAT YET, IT'S BEEN FOCUSED ON THE OTHER -- ON THE WORK PART. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. THANKS. >> THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. THIS ITEM WAS FOR BR BRIEFING ONLY. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. ITEM 4 IS AN ITEM TO ESTABLISH A WORK GROUP TO EXPLORE THE SALES OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BRANDED MERCHANDISE TO PROMOTE SAN ANTONIO'S GLOBAL VISIBILITY AND GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE. THIS ONE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. BUT I PUT -- I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS A PRESENTATION, BUT I DO BELIEVE ALEX IS GOING TO SPEAK ON THIS. >> YES, MA'AM, AND IT'S REALLY JUST TO OPEN UP A DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMITTEE ON THIS ITEM. CHAIR VIAGRAN HAS REFERENCED IT IN THE PAST AND THE OPPOR OPPORTUNITY. IN THE BACKGROUND MEMO WE TRIED TO REFERENCE -- WE HAVE HAD SPECIFICALLY A CITY STORE THAT WAS AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, C COOPERATED -- WE'VE HAD CITY STAFF INVOLVED IN SOME OF THIS WORK, VISIT SAN ANTONIO LEADING THIS WORK, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS THAT DESIGN, PRODUCE, AMAZING MERCHANDISE THAT COULD EASILY BE SOLD, AND WE DEFINITELY KNOW THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. BUT REALLY, IT WAS ABOUT DISCUSSING WITH THIS COMMITTEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO EXPLORE FURTHER, AND IF SO, WHAT KIND OF EXPERTISE WOULD WE WANT TO HAVE IN THAT WORKING GROUP IF WE WANT TO DO THAT TYPE OF RESEARCH. WE DID BRING A COUPLE SAMPLES SO THAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO THINK OF, LIKE, WHAT ARE WE REALLY TALKING ABOUT? I KNOW THE CHAIR IN THE PAST HAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LAPD OR N NYPD, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMETHING WITH OUR POLICE AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE JUST OTHER ITEMS THAT WE OFTEN GIVE AWAY AS GIFTS FOR -- ON DIGNITARIES, WE'VE GOT COMMEMORATIVE ITEMS THAT OFTEN TIMES WE'RE TOLD CAN YOU BUY THAT? NO, YOU CAN'T. WE MAKE A COUPLE OF TH THEM. SO IT COULD BE THAT EXTREME ALL THE WAY FROM SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO TAKE HOME IF YOU'RE VISITING SAN ANTONIO AND YOU WANT SOMETHING LIGHTWEIGHT THAT YOU COULD TAKE BACK TO YOUR FAMILY. HAVING THINGS THAT ARE BRANDED, MARKETED WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SPECIFIC, EITHER LOGOS OR BRANDING. YEAH. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. CAN YOU SHOW US SOME OF THE ITEMS? LOW LOW >> IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU'RE TRAVELING AND YOU NEED SOMETHING LIGHT, THESE ARE COURT COASTER WITH THE CI CITY'S HYDRO FOIL ON THEM, SO THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THESE ARE A COUPLE OF T-SHIRTS THAT PARKS AND REQ PRODUCES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THEM. THEY DO THE DIFFERENT TILES. SO FOR DIFFERENT YEARS. THAT WAS 24. I THINK THIS ONE WAS 23. IT'S GOT, LIKE, A WHISTLE ON THEM. SORRY. [00:45:05] OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE PRODUCES THESE FOR INTERNATIONA DIGNITARIES THAT VISIT US. IT'S A COMMEMORATIVE TIE. THIS HAS THE ALAMO, ALL THE MISSIONS ON HERE, AND THEN THERE'S USUALLY A MATCHING SCARF ALSO ON THAT. BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY BUY THESE ANYWHERE. THESE ARE JUST SOMETHING THAT WE OFFER AS GIFTS. SO THESE ARE KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT -- JUST A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE IF THIS IS WHAT YA'LL WOULD CONSIDER. THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY -- OTHER CITIES DO IS HAVE, NOT A STORE FRONT, BUT JUST A VIRTUAL PRESENCE WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE ITEMS LISTED AND PEOPLE COULD ORDER FROM THERE, AND YOU -- I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROCESS IS CALLED, BUT THEY BASICALLY MAKE THEM AS YOU ORDER THEM. SO THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE COST AND THE CHALLENGE WITH KEEPING AN INVENTORY, AND ALL OF THE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING A STORE FRONT AS WELL, WHICH OUR FRIENDS THAT HAVE OPERATED STORE FRONTS IN THE PAST WILL TELL US THAT IT CAN BE QUITE CHALLENGING TO DO THAT PART. SO THAT -- I'M -- THERE'S A COUPLE OF US HERE, ME, MARIO IS BACK THERE, WITH VISITSAN ANTONIO, WE'VE GOT CHOLINE WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH THE STORE AS WELL. CRYSTAL JONES WITH ARTS AND CULTURE, WE'VE BEEN BRAINSTORMING ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, SO IF WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HERE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, THANK YO ALEX. SO AS WE LOOK AT THE NEW AIRPORT AND WHAT WE HAVE COMING THERE, AS WE TALK ABOUT CITIES, LIKE LOUISIANA, AND ORLANDO, THAT IF YOU TALK -- OR NEW ORLEANS I SHOULD S SAY. NEW ORLEANS AND/OR LAN AND ORLANDO.IF YOU TALK ABOUT T. PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF BRANDING. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WANTED TO BRING UP ON THE TASK FORCE. OF COURSE I WILL SIT ON THE TASK FORCE BECAUSE I SIT ON THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD AND IT WAS MY IDEA, SO I DON'T WANT TO BURDEN THAT WITH YA'LL, BUT I WOULD LIKE ANOTHER COUNCILMEMBER TO VOLUNTEER, BUT THIS IS REALLY A TIME JUST TO -- FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF WHO YOU THINK SHOULD SIT ON IT. WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE TOO BIG, AND THEN ALSO ESTABLISH MAYBE ANOTHER TIME WHERE WE COME BACK WHERE THE GROUP COMES BACK WITH WHAT OUR GOALS ARE SO THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN REVIEW THAT. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO TEAM, MARIO AND JUSTIN ARE HERE. WE DID DO A VISIT SAN ANTONIO STORE WHERE THERE WERE TONS OF MAGNETS AND THINGS, BUT NOTHING WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LOGO, IN PARTICULAR, BUT COLLEEN CAN SPEAK OF WHEN THEY HAD THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO STORE, AND THEN CRYSTAL CAN SPEAK TO HOW WE ENGAGE SOME OF OUR ARTISTS AND DOING THAT. AS YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL COURTS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF BRANDING. I'VE -- THEY'VE GIVEN US A PAIR OF SOCKS, I BELIEVE. THEY HAVE SOME REALLY NICE BAGS. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE FIESTA MEDALS. WE'VE ALL DONE OUR OWN STICKERS. SO THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW WE PUT THIS ONLINE FOR OTHERS TO KIND OF USE AND HOW WE TRADEMARK, AND THEN WE'LL GET LEGAL INVOLVED TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE MONEY IF WE -- IF IT BECOMES A HIT AND GOES, YOU KNOW, WORLDWIDE. EVERYBODY WANTS A VISIT SAN ANTONIO T-SHIRT WHERE WE WOULD PUT THESE DOLLARS, WHICH I MEAN TOWARDS THE GENERAL FU FUND, BUT WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. SO I WOULD LOVE YOUR I INPUT, AND YOU'RE ALL MORE THAN WELCOME TO ASK ANYBODY HERE QUESTIONS. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS CONVERSATION HERE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BITS AND PIECES. IT'S SOMETHING I HOLD NEAR AND DEAR BECAUSE I WANT EVERY LIBRARY SHIRT POSSIBLE. BUT IN TERMS OF THE DIRECT QUESTION OF WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE PART OF THIS TASK FORCE OR GROUP, I THINK OF COURSE ARTS MAKES SENSE TO ME. VISIT SAN ANTONIO MAKES SENSE. I ALSO THINK WORLD HERITAGE COULD BE A PART OF THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY MANAGE SOME OF THE MOST ICONIC STRUCTURES HERE. I ALSO THINK ACS, PERSONALLY. I THINK THEY HAVE AN I INCREDIBLE GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM AND MAR MARKETING TEAM THAT IS ABLE TO CAPTURE WHAT A LOT OF OUR -- SOME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENTS IN OUR CITY ARE. SO GETTING EXPERTISE FROM THAT GROUP WOULD BE GOOD. I WON'T GO TOO MUCH INTO WHAT THE DESIGNS SHOULD BE AND LOOK LIKE, BUT [00:50:01] OVERALL WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME FROM THIS IS OF COURSE THE REVENUE, IF POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO THE SENSE OF PRIDE THAT I THINK RESIDENTS CAN GET ABOUT THEIR I HEART THE LIBRARY OR PLACES THEY'VE GONE TO THAT'S A PUBLIC FACILITY TO GIVE THAT SENSE OF PRIDE AND I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE RIGHT WORD FOR IT. SOMETHING THAT CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF IT, THIS IS PART OF OUR EVERYDAY LIFE, THAT'S WHAT PUBLIC GOVERNMENT IS AND CITY GOVERNMENT IS. NOT A BIG ENTITY, SOMETHING THAT DOES NATURAL -- THE WORK WE DO EVERY DAY, EVEN THE GARBAGE PICKUP, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN'T NEGLECT AND OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED. SO TRY TO CAPTURE THAT FEELING OF PRIDE IN CIVIC GOVERNMENT IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR BUT I THINK I'LL STOP THROUGH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. CHAIR. I APPRECIATE THE IDEA ESPECIALLY GETTING INTO THE AIRPORT, PARTICULAR TO COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN, I BELIEVE ANIMAL CARE SERVICE HAS A GREAT MARKETING TEAM AND MUNICIPAL COURTS HAS IDENTIFIED A REALLY INTERESTING SWAG, I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF IF IT'S AT AN AIRPORT, MUNICIPAL HAS A BLANKET, IF YOU'RE AT AN AIRPORT YOU NEED A BLANKET, AND THE ITEMS THEY'RE ORDERED IN SWAG IS U USEFUL, AND IT'S NICE TO HAVE FUNCTIONAL SWAG, NOT SOMETHING YOU BUY AND THROW AWAY. AND SO I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY -- I'M TH THINKING ABOUT OUR FIRE STATIONS; RIGHT? EACH FIRE STATION THEY COME UP WITH THEIR OWN DES DESIGN, OWN SLOGAN, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COME UP WITH ONE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT'S WHAT THE FIREFIGHTERS BELIEVE REPRESENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON A T-SHIRT WOULD BE GOOD AND THEN OF COURSE THE LIBRARY ALSO WITH SMARTY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY WITH SWAG THERE AS WELL. SO JUST REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND THEN OF COURSE WHAT ITEMS COME TO FRUITION, REALLY EXCITING. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: I'LL SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE IS. NO. THIS IS GREAT. I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION, AND, YEAH, ANY OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT OUR LIBRARIES I THINK WOULD BE GREAT. CONEY LIBRARY IS IN DISTRICT 8 SO I'D WEAR A T-SHIRT THAT SAYS CONEY LIBRARY ANY DAY. AND THEN THE ARTIST, ALL THE ARTWORK WE HAVE AT THE CITY. IF THERE'S A WAY TO WORK WITH THEM TO HAVE PRINTS AVAILABLE AT THE AIRPORT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD FOR THEM AS WELL, AND I THINK -- YEAH, AND I MEAN IF YOU'VE TRAVELED RIGHT TO NEW YORK OR SOMETHING, YOU ALWAYS SEE THOSE NYFD SHIRTS AND JUST SOME GENERIC S SAFD SHIRTS WOULD BE GREAT. AND, YEAH, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, AND HAPPY TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN NEEDED NECESSARY. THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: I -- YES. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: IF NO ONE ELSE VOLUNTEERS I WOULD LIKE VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE. >> VIAGRAN: YES. YES. SO WE HAVE OUR TWO SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM -- OUR TWO MEMBERS, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND MYSELF. NOW, I DID GET A LIST -- BEFORE WE -- AND I WILL CHECK WITH COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS IF THERE'S ANY OTHER -- WE DID GET A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS. IS THERE ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT YA'LL THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE OR ANY -- WOU TO BRING IN BUSINESS PEOPLE NOW OR WAIT UNTIL THE INITIAL GROUP STARTS IS MY NEXT QUESTION TO YOU. SO THE -- AS THE TWO OPTIONS THAT ALEX BROUGHT US WAS WE DO VIRTUAL OR DO WE LOOK AT A S STORE, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT US TO COME WITH ITEMS AND IDEAS FIRST AND THEN WE CAN HAVE EWDC POSSIBLY LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT -- WHAT TWO DIFFERENT STORE OPTION -- TRADEMARK OP OPTIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE NEED TO DO TRAD TRADEMARKS AND BRING IN MEMBERS FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, POSSIBLY VENDORS. SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YA'LL WANTED TO SEE PRODUCT BEFORE OR HOW WE INTEGRATE THE ART PIECE BEFORE WITH JUST A SMALL GROUP FOR THE CITY OR IF WE WANT TO BRING IN PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT. >> CHAIR, WHAT I WOULD SHARE IS THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT I ARTICULATED. ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME UP QUITE A BIT AS WE WERE JUST BRAINSTORMING IS JUST -- NOT JUST, BUT THE CONCEPT OF LICENSING THESE THINGS AND SELLING THEM IN ALREADY EXISTING RETAIL OPTIONS. SO, YOU KNOW THERE'S JUST -- [00:55:03] THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD BE DONE. WE KNOW WE'VE GOT THE IDEAS AND THE CREATIVITY, BUT W WE -- WE'RE -- THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE DO, OPERATING RETAIL. LIKE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE EXPERIENCE IN, SO AT WHAT POINT DO WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH THAT LEVEL OF EXPERTISE. >> GALVAN: I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME, WHETHER DIFFEREN FOCUS GROUPS IN THAT WAY AND THEN MERGING THEM TOGETHER. IT'LL TAKE TIME TO FIGURE THAT OUT. WHAT WORKS FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO CREATE THAT. IT MAKES SENSE BUT IF THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT, THAT'S GREAT. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT ELSE TO BE ON THERE AT THE MOMENT. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. SO WE'LL MEET INITIALLY AS THE GROUP THAT'S BEEN BRAINSTORMING, AND THEN FROM THERE, WE'LL -- WE'LL KEEP YOU GUYS U UPDATED REGARDING THE FOCUS GROUP WITH THE R RETAIL PIECE ON IT, AND THEN IF WE NEED IDEAS FROM YOU ALL ABOUT WHO WE BRING IN FOR RETAIL, WE CAN DO THAT TOO THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE. AND SO WE'LL SEND OUT A CALENDAR DATE OF WHEN WE CAN MEET AND HOPEF HOPEFULLY -- WHAT WAS THE DATE I SAID? ALEX, THAT WE WERE GOING TO REPORT BACK TO EWDC? WAS IT MARCH? OKAY. WELL, WE WILL REPORT -- THIS GROUP WILL REPORT BACK TO YOU BEFORE WE, OF COURSE, MOVE FORWARD TO THE FULL COUNCIL SO YOU GUYS CAN GET AN ID IDEA. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR VOLUNTEERING. THIS WAS -- WE NEED TO TAKE A MOTION -- I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T EVEN DO THE -- SO WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WORK GROUP TO EXPLORE THE SALE OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BRANDING AND MERCHANDISE. CAN I GET A MOTION? CAN I GET A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE TIME IS NOW 3:02, AND THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.