[00:00:08]
>> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. I KNOW MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ARE HERE, BUT THE TIME IS NOW 10:01 A.M. ON APRIL 6, 2026, AND THE MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. >> CLERK:
CHAIR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT. CAN I GET A SECOND -- 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.
(AYES.) >> VIAGRAN: ALL OPPOSED, SAY NO.
MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP, AND FOR THE RECORD, COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ IS HERE, AND SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND START WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
EVERY PERSON ON -- IN PUBLIC COMMENT WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH MELANIE MCCOY. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS, GOOD MORNING, MRS. LOPEZ, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO SPEAK TODAY. IT'S KIND OF WEIRD TO BE FIRST, BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON TWO ITEMS, THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CERTIFICATE AND WORKFORCE ACCELERATION PROGRAM AND ALSO THE VETERAN AND SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. MY NAME'S MELANIE MCCOY, I'M WITH SUPPLY SA, AND THE COAL OF SUPPLY SA IS THE MILITARY PROCUREMENT CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY.
WE REALLY WANT TO, YOU KNOW -- I'M ALSO A VETERAN, AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THESE TWO TOPICS TODAY. FIRST, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WE KNOW IT'S ALREADY HERE, AND YOU GUYS PROPOSING THIS TOPIC TODAY AND THIS ITEM IS EXCITING, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES OUR COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPSKILL AND PRESENT THEMSELVES IN A WAY WHERE THEY HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. WE KNOW THAT MILITARY SPOUSES, SINGLE PARENTS AND SOME OF THE MAYBE TRADE WORKERS, SERVICE WORKERS SOMETIMES HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME BEING COMPETITIVE, BUT I KNOW THIS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOLUTION WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BE COMPETITIVE AND STAND OUT.
FROM SUPPLY SA PERSPECTIVE, I'M EXCITED, BECAUSE I WANT TO HIRE ONE OF THOSE GRADUATES, BECAUSE I HAVE TO FORCE MULTIPLY.
I HAVE A REALLY SMALL TIME, A MIGHTY TEAM AT SUPPLY SA AND WE'RE DOING REALLY GREAT THINGS IN THE PROCUREMENT SPACE, AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE WE GROW OUR CAPACITY AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE UTILIZE AGENTS AND INTELLIGENCE IN OUR TEAM CAN WORK ON THE THINGS THAT AI CANNOT DO, LIKE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S GOING TO BE SUPER IMPORTANT, SO I'M EXCITED THAT YOU GUYS ARE DISCUSSING THIS TOPIC TODAY TO MOVE FORWARD, AND WHEN ONE OF THE GRADUATES IS READY TO BE PLACED, I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HIRE ONE OF THOSE.
I HAVE AN OPEN SLOT WHERE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PLACE THEM AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR US. SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, I'M ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. OF COURSE, NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVELY WORKING ON MY BUSINESS, BUT THERE ARE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING SOMETHING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, RIGHT HERE IN THE BACKYARD.
SO FELLOW VETERANS -- OUT OF THE BACKYARD, THEY CAN BE RIGHT HERE IN AN ACCELERATOR PROGRAM.
AND ALSO WITH THE PITCH COMPETITION, MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S OUT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE INNOVATION, THE VETERANS THAT ARE GROWING THEIR BUSINESSES AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT IS AMAZING.
ONE OF MY FELLOW VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS WHO'S NOT HERE IN THE CITY TODAY WHO WANTED TO SPEAK -- PROPOSING AND BRINGING SOMETHING FORWARD. COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD, SO WE CAN GROW OUR VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UNDERSTAND WHO IS HERE AND GROW THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING, WHICH WILL
FEED THE SUPPLY SA FUND. THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU,
[00:05:04]
MELANIE. FRANCISCO MARTINEZ? >> GOO MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PROBABILITY QUEST.
WANTED TO COME HERE AND ADDRESS KIND OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AS WE TALK ABOUT JOB PLACEMENT AND WORKFORCE ESPECIALLY IN THE I.T.
SECTOR, FOR THE LAST YEAR, MORE SO IN THE LAST FOUR TO SIX MONTHS, WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT AI DISPLACING WORKFORCE. WE WANT TO COMMEND COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS, THE URGENT OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, HAVE THE CONVERSATION, BRING IT TO LIGHT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, LOOK AT OPTIONS THAT WILL HELP CONNECT OUR RESIDENTS WHO MAY BE IN READY TO WORK ALREADY OR WHO MAY BE LOOKING TO START SOME OTHER PROGRAM IN THE CITY, CONNECT THEM TO CAREERS AS WE JUST HEARD FROM SUPPLY SA, WILLING AND READY TO HIRE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING THAT CONVERSATION TO THE FOREFRONT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A CONCERTED EFFORT, BUT IT'S A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO A PROBLEM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TURN THAT PROBLEM INTO A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE CAN EITHER BE PART OF THE PROBLEM, OR SOLUTION, AND I WANT TO THANK THIS COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL FOR BRINGING THAT SOLUTION TO THE FOREFRONT, AND HOPEFULLY GETTING US CLOSER TO IDENTIFYING ONE, IF NOT MORE FOR UPSKILL MOBILITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, FRANCISCO.
GCHTIANNA BURTON. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, MY NAME IS GIANNA, BURTON. I'M THE CEO OF TRISTAR TALENT.
WE'RE A 40-YEAR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BORN AND RAISED. I'M ALSO A LOCAL STEWARD OF OUR WORKFORCE.
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AI ACCELERATION PROGRAM. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT AI IS GOING TO HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY AND THE JOBS WE HAVE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE. IT'S PRETTY REVOLUTION NARY WITH PROGRAMS LIKE READY TO WO WORK , REMOVING BARRIERS FOR SAN ANTONIO CITIZENS TO GET EDUCATION, AND THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT NAY NEED TO GET THAT ON RAMP TO A CAREER. THIS IS A HUGE STEP AND SOMETHING NOT EVERY CITY IS DOING. BUT WHERE EMPLOYERS SIT, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M SPECIFICALLY HERE TO SPEAK TODAY, THE GAP ISN'T JUST THE TALENT, IT'S ALIGNMENT TO REAL HIRING DEMAND, THAT IS A GAP THAT TRISTAR HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE AND GRATEFUL TO CITY IN, AND IT'S A GAP WHERE WE'VE SEEN WHERE YOU PARTNER WITH EMPLOYERS, NOT JUST AS PARTNERS, BUT AS CODESIGNERS AND REALLY GET A COMMITMENT TO HIRING, IT'S WHEN THESE TRAINING PROGRAMS STOP BECOMING JUST TRAINING PROGRAMS AND THEY START BECOMING REAL HIRING ENGINES. AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO REALLY STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AND ALIGNMENT, AND HAVING THEM BE CODESIGNERS AND COMMITTING TO HIRING OUR PARTICIPANTS AND GRADUATES. THANK YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. HENRY GRIFFITH. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE TOPIC OF AI THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I APPRECIATE IT. I AM CURRENTLY A TEAM FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
[01:02:37]
ABOUT VISIT SAN ANTONIO, YOU COME WITH THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.[01:02:40]
I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. BUT HOWEVER WE'RE ABLE TO[01:02:43]
SUPPORT IN THIS SPACE. I THINK I MENTIONED WRITING LETTERS FOR THE[01:02:47]
ALAMODOME, AND I'M NOT KIDDING ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I WAS ON A FLIGHT[01:03:00]
BACK FROM D.C. FOR A GRASS CONFERENCE IN FLORESVILLE, BUT THEY[01:03:06]
COINCIDED IT WITH THE CHERYL CROW CONCERT, SO THEY MADE IT INTO A FUN[01:03:10]
EVENT. I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ON THE PLANE[01:03:15]
FOR A GRASS CONFERENCE IN FLORESVILLE, BUT TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY[01:03:19]
VVISITORS ARE WE GOING TO SEE AS WE SEE THE AIRPORT EXPANSION.[01:03:23]
IT'S STRANGE, RIGHT, GRASS? ANYWAY, MAYBE WE SHOULD[01:03:27]
TRACK THAT, I DON'T KNOW. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE TORONTO FLIGHTS STARTING OUT, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR DIRECT FLIGHTS THROUGH THE AIRPORT -- AND IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF A WAY TO METRIC OR MEASURE AS WE -- AS WE SUPPORT OUR AIRPORT MOVING FORWARD, HOW THAT IMPACTS WHAT YOU'RE DOING, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP US, TOO.AND TO SEE HOW THAT UPTICK IN THE EXPANSION AND EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING, JUST AHEAD OF TIME. ARE YOU -- ARE YOU
TRACKING ANY MEDICAL TOURISM FIGURES AT ALL? >> WE -- FROM A GROUP [INDISCERNIBLE] YES, BUT NOT FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT MIGHT BE COMING IN FOR A MEDICAL PROCEDURE. BUT, YES, FROM A MEDICAL GROUP STANDPOINT.
IT DOES VERY WELL FOR US. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, -- AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN STORIES ABOUT IT REGARDING THE TOURISM CONCERNS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND IF I CAN JUST HAVE A SECOND TO ADDRESS THAT. THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2025, WE DID EXPERIENCE A SEISMIC -- MAYBE -- DOWNTURN IN TERMS OF GROUP BUSINESS SPECIFICALLY INTO SAN ANTONIO. BUT JUST FOR CLARITY AND SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, IT WASN'T AROUND GROUPS NOT WANTING TO BE IN SAN ANTONIO. THEY WERE HERE. AND IT WASN'T THE MEDICAL SEGMENT SPECIFICALLY THAT WE HAD THOSE RUNNING OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER. IN FACT, IN JULY OF 2025, WE WERE THINKING WE WERE
[01:05:04]
GOING TO BE UP ABOUT 2 TO 4% IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN IN TERMS OF OCCUPANCY AND REVENUE. UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, DUE TO TARIFFS AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING, THOSE MEDICAL GROUPS DID NOT PICK UP. TYPICALLY, A MEDICAL GROUP, WHEN YOU SEE THEM, YOU GET VERY EXCITED, ESPECIALLY THE WAY THEY WERE LAID OUT, RIGHT? THEY SPEND MORE, THEY HAVE A HIGHER ADR, AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE, THEY ARE ENTERTAINING OUT AND ABOUT ALL OVER THE RIVERWALK AND SAN ANTONIO, TYPICALLY THEY PICK UP ABOUT 80, 85% IS WHAT YOU ASSUME.THEY PICKED UP 50%. AND THAT'S REALLY A CAUSE OF THAT SHIFT IN TERMS OF THE HOT TAX COLLECTION, AND JUST OCCUPANCY OVERALL IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. SO, YES, WE'RE TRACKING IT. JUST A LOT OF JUST ANOMALIES THAT ARE PLAYING INTO WHAT WE DO, YEAH.
>> SPEARS: SO -- OKAY. SO WHEN WE WERE IN TAIWAN, THEY SPOKE TO US ABOUT THE SPURS AT LENGTH, THEY'RE BIG FANS, HUGE FANS, SO THAT SPEAKS TO SPORTS DIPLOMACY. AND THEN I WOULD TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE ALSO HAVE THE MISSIONS AND WE ALSO HAVE FOOTBALL WITH UT SAN ANTONIO AND THIS WAS MIND BLOWING TO THEM IN TAIWAN. AND THEY'RE REALLY ENTERING INTO THIS SPACE, IT'S KIND OF NEW FOR THEM.
BUT MY QUESTION THEN IS, BEYOND FIFA, WHICH IS GREAT, HOW ARE WE
FOCUSING ON SPORTS DIPLOMACY ON YOUR END? >> SO WE PARTNER WITH SAN ANTONIO SPORTS CURRENTLY IN TERMS OF BRINGING -- OR BEING A PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND BRINGING SPORTS AND EVENTS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE CURRENTLY PLAY IN THAT ROLE IS IN HELPING COORDINATE DATES, IF THEY NEED CONVENTION CENTER SPACE, AND/OR -- MORE SPECIFICALLY, IN THE HOTEL SPACE, GARNERING AVAILABILITY, RATES AND WHATNOT. SO WE WORK IN TANDEM WITH THEM.
I THINK MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FORVIS IT FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO TO TAKE A BIGGER ROLE IN THAT EFFORT, AND I BELIEVE IN THE B SESSION WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON APRIL 29TH. BUT TO YOUR POINT, SWOM SPEARS, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. THE STUFF THAT YOU EXPERIENCED ON THAT FLIGHT, RIGHT, GRASS, ANDS THEN THAT TURNED INTO A CHERYL CROW, KUDOS TO THE ALAMODOME TEAM BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE FALL LINEUP HAPPENING THERE THAT IS DRIVING VISITATION TO OUR DESTINATION AS WELL. BUT TO SAY ALL THAT, WE'RE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK WE'RE ANTICIPATING PLAYING AN INTEGRAL ROLE
AS WE LOOK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN IN VANCE JACKS. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, INCREDIBLE PRESENTATION AS USUAL. I DO HAVE A GRASS QUESTION AS WELL.
>> I DID NOT PREPARE FOR THE GRASS QUESTIONS. THIS IS GREAT.
>> GALVAN: IT'S AJ YEA SENT. I DO WANT TO ASK A BIT MORE QUESTIONS ON WORLD CUP. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WAS, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT DID THE MEETING WITH -- FOR
THE TRADE MISSION TO SPAIN TAKE PLACE? >> WHEN WAS THAT?
>> GALVAN: IT WAS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, RIGHT?
>> VIAGRAN: THAT WAS LAST FALL. >> GALVAN: I WAS WONDERING, I GUESS, ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ROLE WE PLAY IN SAN ANTONIO'S FCS INCREDIBLE IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY, THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT DISPUTE GOING ON THERE, DID ANY OF THAT COME UP THEN OR HAS THAT
BEEN A CONVERSATION? I'M. >> I'M NOT SURE I
FOLLOWED THE CONVERSATION. >> GALVAN: WITH FC PLAYERS, I THINK THEY'RE ON STRIKE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
HAS THAT COME UP AT ALL WITH ANY KIND OF EFFORTS WITH FIFA?
>> NO. THERE WAS NONE OF THAT. WHEN AND LOOK AT THE FACILITIES LOOKED AT THE HOTEL, THEY WERE ENAMORED WITH THE CITY.
THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY. THIS WAS LITERALLY
UNFORTUNATE TIMING AND SCHEDULING. >> GALVAN: UNDERSTOOD.
>> I HATE TO PUT IT ON THAT BUT IT BEHOOVES US TO TAKE A VERY CRITICAL EYE WHEN WE'RE NOT CHOSEN FOR ANY EVENT. AND TO REALLY GET UNDERNEATH IT AND UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN PREVENT THE NEXT ONE. WE LOOKED AT THIS THROUGH A MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND IT KEPT GOING BACK, AS WE ASKED THESE TEAMS, IT KEPT
GOING BACK TO LOCATION OF MATCHES AND SCHEDULING. >> GALVAN: GOT IT.
THAT'S HELPFUL. I'M ASSUMING IT WOULD BE PLAYED AT TOYOTA FIELD?
>> THEY WERE GOING TO PLAY AT TOYOTA FIELD. >> GALVAN: WAS THERE ANY CONVERSATION AS WELL WITH TRANSIT, NOT ONLY LOCALLY WITHIN DOWNTOWN GOING
[01:10:03]
TOWARDS TOYOTA FIELD BUT REGIONAL FROM OTHER MAJOR CITIES?>> I WASN'T DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE INITIAL FIFA BASE CAMP CONVERSATION.
THAT WAS SPEARHEADED BY SAN ANTONIO SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AND SAN ANTONIO SPORTS . BUT YES, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS CONVERSATION REGARDING ALL OF THAT. YOU KNOW, IN AN IDEAL WORLD FOR A BASE CAMP TEAM THEY WOULD HAVE HAD HOTELS ON PROPERTY OF THE ACTUAL FACILITY AND WORLD-CLASS FACILITY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY RAN TO WITH THESE OTHER DESTINATIONS THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OUT THERE THAT YOU HAVE A WORLD-CLASS FACILITY WITH A HOTEL ON PROPERTY THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY TRANSPORTATION. BUT THEY DID. A LONG WAY TO SAY, YES,
THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS. >> GALVAN: I THINK IT'S ALSO PART OF THE MARKETING THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUSH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BRINGING FOLKS IN FROM DALLAS AND HOUSTON AND WAYS WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THAT AND TO LARGER STATEWIDE AND OTHER FEDERAL FUNDING CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO TRANSIT.
JUST -- I DON'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE IT WOULD BE BUT TALK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE LOCALLY TO USE VIA TO GET TO SOME OF THESE MAJOR PLACES AND HOW EASY IT
IS, OUR WALKABILITY DOWNTOWN. >> TRAMEL BROWN WITH VIA IS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS SO THERE'S A CONVERSATION OF HOW TO BUILD A BETTER MOUSE TRAP ALL IN THE SPIRIT OF TRYING TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR DESTINATION.
>> GALVAN: I LIKE THE WAY YOU PHRASED THAT. >> VIAGRAN: IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR OTHER THREE MINUTES NOW.
>> GALVAN: ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK REALLY QUICKLY WAS ON SLIDE 2. DO YOU HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF HOT VERSUS SALES -- I DON'T
KNOW IF PROPERTY WOULD QUALIFY HERE. >> I ACTUALLY DO.
80% OF THAT TAX COLLECTION IS GOING TO BE HOT, PROPERTY, AND SALES WITH EVERYTHING ELSE FALLING OFF. LET ME SEE IF I HAVE THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN HERE.
HERE WE GO. HOT OCCUPANCY MAKES UP 35.7. THE NEXT LARGEST ONE IS SALES TAX AT 28.8. FOLLOWED BY PROPERTY TAX AT 16.6.
CPS ALSO PLAYS INTO THAT WITH 6.2. AND OTHER AT 12.5.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT MONEY WOULD BE GOING AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAD WAS RELATED TO KIND OF GRASS BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE TERM IS HOBBY INDUSTRY. I THINK IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF REGIONAL TOURISM TO SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONNECTIONS THERE. WONDERING A LITTLE BIT MORE -- SOME FOLKS IN MY FAMILY WORK IN THE CARD GAME COLLECTING INDUSTRIES. THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT COME IN FOR TOURNAMENTS THAT TAKE PLACE HERE. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF CRAFTING, A LITTLE BIT OF LAWN CARE AND HOME CARE. DO Y'ALL TRACK THAT KIND OF TOURISM? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED, IS MY QUESTION.
>> IT DEPENDS. SOMETIMES IT'S CALLED TRADE. SOMETIMES IT'S CALLED A GATE SHOW BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE CHARGING FOR ENTRY. A LOT OF THESE CHARGE A REGISTRATION OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. BUT WE DO.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY HAVE GOTTEN PRAGMATIC IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY OUR SELLING AND MARKETING BUT JUST OUR STRATEGY. YOU HAVE THIS ECOSYSTEM HERE IN TEXAS, 45 MILLION NEIGHBORS THAT WILL VISIT AND CONSIDER SAN ANTONIO THEIR SECOND HOME. HOW DO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, NOT ONLY FROM A LEISURE STANDPOINT BUT ALSO FROM A GROUP. SO, YES.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ENSURING THAT WE'RE FISHING WHERE THE FISH ARE.
YOU KNOW, YES WE WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON EMERGING INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS THAT WOULD CONSIDER SAN ANTONIO. BUT THE REALITY IS OUT OF THE 2.4 MILLION INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, 2 MILLION ARE COMING FROM MEXICO. 70 OR 80% OF OUR VISITATION IS LEISURE WITH 78% OF IT COMING FROM TEXAS. YEAH. WE'RE HYPERFOCUSED ON THAT, NOT ONLY FROM A LEISURE STANDPOINT BUT FROM A GROUP STANDPOINT.
BUT WE COULD FIND OUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY FOR COMIC-CONS AND THAT CARD
[01:15:01]
COLLECTING, ABSOLUTELY. >> GALVAN: THE LAST THING I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT LET US KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND HOW WE CAN BE PLUGGED INTO THAT CONVERSATIONS A
BIT MORE. >> THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO KEEP THIS THING GOING BUT IT'S EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. IF YOU HEAR OF ANYTHING, KUDOS TO MAYOR JONES BECAUSE PROBABLY EVERY OTHER WEEK WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY THAT SHE IS PURSUING. SOMETHING ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE THAT IS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SHE WANTS TO SEE IF THEY'LL CONSIDER SAN ANTONIO.
BUT IF YOU HEAR OF ANYTHING, I'LL TAKE ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: COUNCILWOMAN
MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
DO WE WORK WITH OUR LARGE EMPLOYERS TO SEE WHERE THEY HEAD TO CONFERENCES?
>> WE DO. >> GONZALEZ: HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> WELL, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. BUT CERTAINLY AS WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, WE JUST WENT TO S.A. TO D.C., THAT'S WHERE THE CONVERSATIONS ARE, WHERE IS THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY. HEY, I'M A PART OF THIS TRADE OR THIS GROUP IS MEETING THERE. THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING ROTATE AND ASKED ABOUT. IT'S A BIG LOCAL SOURCE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US.
>> GONZALEZ: I'M CURIOUS -- AND MAYBE YOU CAN SEND ME SOMETHING.
BUT WHAT DO THE SPURS' FINALS -- HOW DO THEY HELP OUR CITY AS FAR AS FOR THE WEEKEND? DO THEY COME IN A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE AND AFTER?
>> I DON'T HAVE CONCLUSIVE DATA. BUT THROUGH PLACER AI, WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE A SENSE OF THAT. NO DOUBT WE HEAR IT FROM THE CUSTOMERS SPECIFICALLY COMING IN AND THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO A SPURS GAME.
YOU'LL SEE IT AT THE SPURS GAMES TOO. I DON'T HAVE A CONCLUSIVE ANSWER BUT WE'LL DIG INTO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. IT'S GOOD FOR US.
S.A. TO D.C., ALL THE STAFFERS THERE, THE FIRST THING THEY WERE TALKING
ABOUT IS THE SPURS. >> GONZALEZ: ON SLIDE 7, BEHIND THE SAN ANTONIO --
BEHIND THE PACE, WHAT'S THE PLAN THERE? >> NEW BEATS OLD IN
BUSINESS, EVERY TIME. >> GONZALEZ: SHINY. >> THE SHINY NEW PENNY IS WHERE THEY ARE GOING. SOMEBODY ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY.
THEY'RE LIKE WILL A CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO WORK? HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO REVERSE THIS TREND? AND MY RESPONSE IS HAVE YOU BOUGHT A NEW CAR? YES.
WAS YOUR OLD CAR STILL WORKING? WELL, YES.
WELL, WHY DID YOU BUY THE NEW CAR? BECAUSE I WANTED A NEW CAR.
IT'S THE SAME THING ON THE MEETING SIDE OF THINGS. YOU HAVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, TO YOUR POINT YOU JUST MENTIONED, WHERE IS A NEW PLACE WE WANT TO HAVE A MEETING? WHERE IS A NEW PLACE WE HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE? YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A SHINY NEW PENNY. YOU CAN DRAW AND RESTRATEGIZE -- AND THAT WILL HELP. YOU CAN REDEPLOY YOUR SALES EFFORTS. THAT'S GOING TO HELP. A LASER FOCUS OF HEADS IN BEDS, FISHING WHERE THE FISH ARE, BUT A CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION IS A MUST IN ORDER TO STAY COMPETITIVE. THAT CHART RIGHT THERE IS EVIDENCE OF IT.
I KNOW WE TALK A LOT ABOUT -- JUST REAL QUICK ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL BILLION DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GO AFTER.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WHAT IFS IN THERE.
I HAVE TO GO GET IT. AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENS GLOBALLY, THAT CAN FALL APART. BUT THIS IS HAPPENING TODAY. THAT RIGHT THERE IS HAPPENING TODAY AND IT'S ENDING UP IN HOUSTON, AUSTIN, AND DALLAS.
>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, MARIO AND TEAM FOR THE WORK.
I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING, IN TERMS OF THE TREND AND THE DECREASE.
CAN YOU SHARE WHERE WE STAND IN COMPARISON TO OTHER PEER CITIES?
ARE THERE SOME CITIES FARING BETTER THAN OTHERS? >> GREAT QUESTION.
EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF -- WE'RE NOT INSULATED, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE IT'S SHOWING UP IN OUR NUMBERS. BUT IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE. IT'S A NATIONAL TREND. AND CERTAINLY HERE IN TEXAS.
NOW, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU ARE OTHER TEXAS COUNTERPART CITIES CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
[01:20:06]
IS THE NUMBER OF CORPORATIONS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR BACKYARD.SO THEY ARE ABLE TO GO AFTER THE SPECIAL CORPORATE BUSINESS THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE AS MUCH AS WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE FINDING THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SOMETHING ELSE WE HAVE FOUND ALSO THAT PLAYS INTO THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER IS SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE HOTELS. IN 2019, FOR INSTANCE, WE SAW A LITTLE OVER 400,000 SHORT-TERM RENTALS OF ROOM NIGHTS. 400,000 ROOM NIGHTS GOING INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS. FAST FORWARD TO 2025, THAT NUMBER IS AT 1.1 MILLION.
THAT HAS SHIFTED OUT OF THE HOTELS INTO VERSUS STRS. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING, THEY'RE JUST STAYING DIFFERENTLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WHERE DO WE FALL? WITHOUT HAVING THAT STRONG CORPORATE BASE, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME TYPE OF LAG BETWEEN US AND A HOUSTON AND DALLAS. THERE'S OTHER FACTORS, IT'S NOT JUST THAT.
BUT WHERE OUR SWEET SPOT IS GROUP. WE NEED TO FIND MORE GROUP AND THAT'S WHY THIS INVESTMENT INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER IS SO CRITICAL. THAT ALONG WITH LEISURE. WE ARE TEXAS.
EVERY TEXAN'S SECOND HOME IS SAN ANTONIO AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT. AS MUCH AS WE EXPERIENCED THAT FOURTH QUARTER CALENDAR YEAR LULL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAD A REALLY ROBUST SPRING BREAK, SPECIFICALLY IN THE LEISURE AREA FOCUSED ON THE UNMISTAKENLY SAN ANTONIO, FOCUSED ON THE TEXAS REGIONAL MARKET AND WE WERE NUMBER ONE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE, IN TERMS OF LEISURE COMPARED TO THE TEXAS COMP SET. CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC BUT AT LEAST CURRENT TRENDS THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST CALENDAR YEAR SEEM TO BE
HOLDING THEIR OWN. >> CASTILLO: YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COVERING THAT PICTURE. NOW I'M THINKING ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEE IN SAN ANTONIO DOES HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST PERMITTING FEES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THAT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. BUT ONE LAST COMMENT, CHAIR, IF I MAY.
WE HAD AN EVENT OVER AT ROSEDALE PARK TO HONOR THE INSTALLATION OF A MURAL.
IT WAS A HUGE BOXING EVENT AND ROBERT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONS AND ONE OF THE COACHES CAME UP WITH HIM WITH A BUNCH OF PACKETS AND HE'S SAYING, HEY, THE WORLD BOXING ORGANIZATION, THEY BRING SO MANY FAMILIES AND WE STAY FOR UP TO TWO WEEKS FOR TRAINING, FOR EVENTS. HE'S LIKE HOW CAN WE BE SUPPORTED AND WELCOMED INTO THE CITY IN TERMS OF HAVING THESE EVENTS HERE? AND HE SHARED A COUPLE OF PACKETS BUT HIS POINT WAS YOU HAVE LARGE FAMILIES, LARGE TEAMS COME FROM ALL OVER. I BELIEVE ABILENE IS HOSTING THE NEXT ONE. HE'S LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE THIS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SAN ANTONIO IS HOME TO SO MANY WORLD CHAMPIONS. .LIKE, WE ARE A BOXING MECCA IN THE UNITED STATES AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT LEANING INTO THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE IN TERMS OF HOW CAN WE HOST THESE BOXING EVENTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT BRING SO MANY INDIVIDUALS FOR TWO WEEKS AT A TIME.
AND THEN OF COURSE SHOWCASING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
LIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN DISTRICT 5, IN PARTICULAR, HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF LOCAL GYMS. FOLKS DROP BY JUST TO BUY A SHIRT. THEY WANT THAT SHIRT THAT SAYS BOXER'S STATION OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU
ALL. >> PLEASE. I WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN
WITH THEM, ABSOLUTELY. >> CASTILLO: LASTLY, APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF HOSPITALITY WORKERS. AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED DOWNTOWN IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY FOR EIGHT-PLUS YEARS, I WILL ALWAYS ADVOCATE BRINGING THE SPORTS EVENTS, PARTICULARLY COLLEGE GAMES AND CONCERTS IS WHAT BRINGS IN THE MONEY AND WHAT IMPACTS THE POCKETS OF THE HOSTESS AND THE SERVERS.
LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL ARE ADVOCATING BRINGING THOSE EVENTS TO SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: I WANT TO GO A STEP FURTHER.
I DO AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK BOXING IS THE NEXT THING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AS WE TALK ABOUT SPORTS AND TOURISM. I DO CHAIR THE COMMUNITY
[01:25:06]
COMMITTEE WITH JUSTIN AND THAT'S ONE THING IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED OR SEND SOMEBODY FROM YOUR TEAM AND BE A PART OF A SUBCOMMITTEE SO WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT, THAT'S ONE THING WE CAN DO.WE HAVE A BOARD AND COMMITTEES AND WITHIN THOSE COMMITTEES WE CAN FORM SUBCOMMITTEES TO MAKING SURE WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AND THEY'RE REPORTING TO THE BOARD. THAT'S ANOTHER WAY, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING LOCAL AND YOU'RE LIKE THIS IS WHERE WE NEED -- TERI AND I, WHEN WE FIRST GOT ON, WE DID A BOXING MATCH AT THE DOME. IT TOOK FOREVER FOR IT TO START AND WE WERE THERE AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE. WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT DOWN, IT WAS JUST LIKE A MOVIE.
THAT'S ONE THING, WE NEED TO START BRINGING THAT BACK AS WE SEE THOSE GAPS AND WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO. YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS AND I DO WANT TO BRING UP THE CHAMBER AND THE GREATER CHAMBER IS DOING THAT TEXAS SPACE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE GET THE CHAMBERS TO WORK ON THAT. I KNOW SOUTH TEXAS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP DOES THEIR MAYOR'S CONFERENCE AND THEY'RE AT EMBASSY WITH THAT.
THAT'S HOW WE CONTINUE TO GET THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM. AS YOU MEET WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, GET THEM TO THINK ABOUT THEIR GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS THEY ARE A PART OF AND SEND THEM VISIT SAN ANTONIO'S WAY. THANK YOU, MARIO FOR THAT PRESENTATION. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AT B SESSION. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ON TO ITEM 4.
IT'S A BRIEFING ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CERTIFICATE AND WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PRESENTATION AND WE HAVE
MIKE ALSO. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> THANKFUL TO COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CERTIFICATE AND WORKFORCE PROPOSED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AI IS IMPACTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND WORKERS TODAY.
IT REQUIRES UP SKILLING AS THE TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ILL FINFILTRATE THE WORKFORCE OF OUR COMMUNITY. DEMAND AS ACCELERATED AS THE TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW. AI TRAINING CAN HELP WORKERS.
IT CAN HELP THEM TO BETTER ADAPT TO AUTOMATION, ENHANCE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY, AND HELP THEM TO REMAIN EMPLOYABLE. PROPOSED PLAN OVERVIEW. EVALUATE THE AI SKILLS GAP.
THE CITY'S PROPOSING A MULTI-PHASED PLAN TO ENSURE A METHODICAL APPROACH FOCUSED ON EMPLOYER VALIDATION, TRAINING PROVIDER DUE DILIGENCE, AND OUTCOME ACCOUNTABILITY. IN ADDITION, THE CITY IS EXPLORING CONTRACTING WITH A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE AI WORKFORCE STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS DOUBLES EVERY SEVEN MONTHS AND NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DOESN'T GET LEFT BEHIND.
PHASE ONE IS OF COURSE LABOR, MARKET, AND VALIDATION.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOCUSED ON WHAT THE EMPLOYERS NEED AND WHAT THEY ARE HIRING FOR. THE LAST THING WE WANT TO TELL PEOPLE IS EARN THIS CREDENTIAL AND YOU MAKE X NUMBER OF DOLLARS WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WITHOUT EMPLOYERS VALIDATING THAT DEMAND, WE DON'T WANT TO SET THEM UP FOR DISAPPOINTMENT. TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE TRAINING PATHWAYS CORRESPOND TO HIRING DEMAND, YOU HEARD FROM MELANIE WHO SAID YOU TRAIN THEM AND WE HIRE THEM.
WE NEED TO CO-DESIGN WHAT THIS PATHWAY LOOKS LIKE WITH THEM.
EMPLOYER DEMAND REPORT WOULD BE THE DELIVERABLE. IDENTIFYING VIABLE OCCUPATIONS AND A HIRING FORECAST. KEY ACTIONS.
CONDUCT EMPLOYER OUTREACH TO VALIDATE THE PLAN. IDENTIFY SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONS, APPLIED AI TOOLS, AND ADVANCED AI TECHNICAL SKILLS.
ENGAGE LOCAL MAJOR EMPLOYERS. COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS GAVE US A LIST AND WE'LL EXPAND BEYOND THAT. BUT CPS ENERGY, H-E-B, METHODIST HEALTH CARE, THE PORT, RACKSPACE, AND VIA ARE AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST OF EMPLOYERS TO ENGAGE. IN PHASE 2, TRAINING PROVIDER CURRICULUM REVIEW.
EVALUATE WHETHER LOCAL TRAINING PROVIDERS CAN DELIVER EMPLOYER-ASSIGNED AI INSTRUCTION THAT LEADS TO FAVORABLE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES.
FROM ALAMO COLLEGES AS WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM FOCUSED ON DATA SCIENCE AND
[01:30:03]
AI. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH UTSA ABOUT THEIR OFFERINGS.HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE AND POTENTIAL PARTNERS WITH TRAINING PROVIDERS MAY COME OUT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL.
KEY ACTIONS. ENGAGE POTENTIAL EDUCATION PARTNERS, UTSA, ALAMO COLLEGES. REVIEW. CURRICULUM DESIGN AND CREDENTIAL VALUE IN THE LABOR MARKET. INSTRUCTIONAL CAPACITY.
COMPLETION TIMELINES, COST PER PARTICIPANT, HISTORICAL JOB PLACEMENT OUTCOMES.
IF THAT DATA EXISTS, BECAUSE THESE PROGRAMS ARE NEW, AND ASSESSING THE EXISTING PROGRAMS. PHASE 3, 60 TO 90 DAYS. THESE TIMELINES OVERLAP.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. DEPLOYING MULTIPLE PHASES WITHIN THE SAME TIME-FRAME. BUT DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF APPRENTICESHIPS. THEY ARE CRITICAL AS YOU CAN EARN A SALARY WHILE LEARNING THOSE NEW SKILLS. INTERNSHIPS AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PATHWAYS TIED TO VERIFIED EMPLOYER COMMITMENT. THE FRAMEWORK, IDENTIFYING COMMITTED EMPLOYERS AND PROJECTED HIRING OPPORTUNITIES.
KEY ACTIONS. CONDUCT A ROUNDTABLE SO WE CAN HEAR FIRSTHAND ABOUT WHAT SKILLS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS THEY PREFER. PREFER WILLINGNESS OF EMPLOYERS WHO OFFER APPRENTICESHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS.
PARTICIPATION IN CURRICULUM AND CERTIFICATE VALIDATION. WE NEED TO COMMIT TO HIRING THOSE GRADUATES. USING A TRAINING MODEL AND THEN POTENTIAL EMPLOYER-PAID APPRENTICESHIPS. PHASE 4, PARTICIPANT SUPPORT CRITICAL.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR THE SUPPORT IS THERE SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PATHWAYS AND FIND EMPLOYMENT AT THE END. DEVELOP A INSTRUCT ALIGNED WITH WORKFORCE NEEDS AND EQUITY PRIORITIES . DELIVERABLES.
PARTICIPANT SUPPORT FRAMEWORK, INCLUDING PARTICIPANT PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT MODEL BEING THE KEY DELIVERABLE IN THAT WORK.
DETERMINE PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT AND SUPPORT STRATEGY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PRIME PARTNERS WEBSITE READY TO WORK. EVAPORATE CHILDCARE, TRANSPORTATION, BILINGUAL INSTRUCTION, CAREER NAVIGATION SERVICES WOULD BE CRITICAL. AND COORDINATION TO DETERMINE SUPPORT SERVICE CAPACITY, THE CASE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE, PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT STRATEGY, AND EMPLOYER RECRUITMENT AND STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE THOSE JOBS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE END. PHASE 5, FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND FUNDING ALIGNMENT.
DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY AND WHAT THAT FLEXIBILITY LOOKS LIKE.
THE PROGRAM COST AND FUNDING STRATEGY. EVALUATING GRANT FUNDING OPTIONS TO INCLUDE STATE AND FEDERAL WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. AND PHILANTHROPY PARTNERSHIPS THAT MAY SEE AI TRAINING AS A CRITICAL CORNERSTONE.
PHASE 6. PERFORMANCE METRICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
ENSURE TRANSPARENCY WITH PUBLIC DOLLARS AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES ARE BEING MET THROUGH INTEGRATION THROUGH OUR PUBLIC-FACING READY TO WORK DASHBOARD. DELIVERABLE PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK. KEY ACTIONS. DEFINE PROGRAM SUCCESS.
ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, TRAINING COMPLETION RATES, WHICH CREDENTIALS, JOB PLACEMENT RATES, STARTING WAGES, AND EMPLOYER SATISFACTION AND INTEGRATE IT INTO THAT PUBLIC-FACING DASHBOARD FOR GREATER EXPOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
ESTABLISH AN AI WORKFORCE ADVISORY BOARD. IMPOSE CITY DEPARTMENTS, EMPLOYERS -- THIS IS FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S REQUEST AND THERE CAN BE VALUABLE INSIGHTS GAINED. AND PHASE 7.
[INDISCERNIBLE] RECOMMENDATION AND THOSE KEY ACTIONS WILL REVIEW THE FINDINGS, IDENTIFY THE OCCUPATIONS, THE EMPLOYER PARTNERS WILLING TO HIRE.
THE TRAINING PROVIDERS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING THE OUTCOMES EXPECTED BY THIS COUNCIL AND CONSIDER LAUNCHING A LIMITED PILOT COHORT PRIOR TO SCALING
[01:35:05]
CITYWIDE. THE NEXT STEPS, ALL PHASES OF RESEARCH TAKE SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO COMPLETE. BASED ON THE FEEDBACK AND STAFF WILL PROVIDE REGULAR>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WE KNEW IT WAS COMING AGAIN. I'M GOING TO SAVE SOME OF MY COMMENTS FOR THE END BECAUSE THIS IS A LARGE VISION SORT OF PIECE.
BUT WE'LL START WITH MY MEMBERS' CONVERSATIONS. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST?
COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. >> SPEARS: MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY WITH YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M VERY EXCITED AND FOCUSED ON THIS, AS YOU ALREADY
KNOW. >> YEP. >> SPEARS: THIS IS AN INDUSTRY WHERE I THINK IT'S GOT A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING IN THE PUBLIC BUT IF WE LEAN INTO THIS, WE CAN BE THE PIONEERING CITY ON IT. I WANT TO THANK MELANIE AND FRANCISCO FOR COMING WITH PROJET QUEST AND SUPPLY SA. AND THEN JANA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING WITH TRISTAR. DEAN GRIFFITH, THANK YOU TOO. I JUST SEE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
THE EMPLOYERS ARE ASKING FOR AI SKILLS. AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN BUILD INTO, PROGRAMS WE ALREADY HAVE, QUICKLY. IT'S A SCAFFOLDING TECHNIQUE TO GET OUR WORKFORCE AHEAD OF EVERYONE ELSE. AND I THINK I LIKE THIS CAN BE DONE IN SIX TO NINE MONTHS. I THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO FOCUS ON BEING THE ACCELERATOR AS PART OF A GREATER, PART OF THEIR EDUCATION AND CAREER GOALS. BECAUSE AI IS GOING TO INFILTRATE -- AND IT CHANGES EVERY DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE IN TAIWAN, THIS IS ALREADY A PART OF THEIR FABRIC. SO WE CAN MODEL THAT AND REALLY, AS WE'RE RECRUITING BUSINESSES, HIGH-PAYING JOBS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WE NEED TO HAVE THEM SKILLED UP IN THIS SPACE. IT'S SORT OF SOMETHING THAT WORKS IN TANDEM.
YOU SORT OF HAVE YOUR EMPLOYERS AND YOUR WORKFORCE BUILDING AT THE SAME TIME.
AND GUIDEHOUSE IS READY FOR THIS AS WELL. I TALKED WITH THE ST. MARY'S PRESIDENT AND THE LAW SCHOOL IS READY TO HELP ON THE LEGISLATION SIDE -- BECAUSE THAT'S COMING TOO. AND THEN ALSO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN AI PROGRAMS. SO OUR HIGHER ED IS READY. AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S GROUP.
THEY ARE PRIORITIZING AI. AND WE'RE THE TEXAS CYBER COMMAND HUB.
WE ARE RIPE FOR THE STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT YOU WANT TO PURSUE.
I THINK WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE MOST POSITIONED TO DO THAT.
THIS ISN'T DUPLICATING ANY EXISTING PROGRAMS, IT'S REALLY ENHANCING AND ADDING IN THESE SKILLS THAT I THINK ARE SCARING A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT WE'VE REALLY GOT TO PUSH. IT'S NOT REPLACING YOUR JOB, IT'S JUST YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY WITH THESE SKILLS. SO I REALLY AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS. WE DID THE MOU IN TAIWAN WITH KUMAMOTO, OUR SISTER CITY, AND THEY ARE READY TO INVEST IN SAN ANTONIO . THEY WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO SAN ANTONIO AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE WORKFORCE UP SKILLING THEN
WE CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. >> THANK YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT? COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: I WANT TO COMMEND COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS FOR LEADING THIS INITIATIVE AND HOW TO NAVIGATE AND PROVIDE CLEAR CLARITY. THERE IS A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING IN TERMS OF JOB REPLACEMENT WITH AI. AND THIS PROVIDES SOME CONTEXT AND UNDERSTANDING TO WHAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS, INTEND TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE.
WITH THE PROPOSED PHASES -- I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED IT WITHIN PHASE 3, BUT CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHO IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FACILITATING EACH OF THE
PHASES? >> SO THE CITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FACILITATING EACH STEP OF IT AND REPORTING BACK TO THIS
COMMITTEE ON OUR PROGRESS. >> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT CITY STAFF WILL INITIATE RESEARCH. SO THAT WILL BE DONE
IN-HOUSE, NOT A CONSULTANT TO TACKLE THIS WORK. >> WE'RE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING A CONSULTANT IN TO ASSIST. THIS IS SO BIG AND IT'S
[01:40:02]
MOVING QUICKLY, I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT US TO JUST OUR CAPACITY WITHIN OUR OFFICE.>> CASTILLO: HOW MUCH DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE COST OF AN CONSULTANT?
>> SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $30,000 AND $50,000 IS WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE.
>> CASTILLO: THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANKS, MIKE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: COUNCILMAN GALVAN.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU FOR LEADING ON THIS CONVERSATION.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE TALK ABOUT THE HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS LOOKING INTO WAYS WE CAN UP SKILL OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT AVENUE IS AVAILABLE. I THINK OF HALLMARK UNIVERSITY, WORKING ON HOW TO MAKE SURE THESE PIPELINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE STUDENTS AND EVEN TRYING TO CONNECT WITH OUR K-12 PARTNERS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
TO THE POINT ABOUT FEAR MONGERING AND THE CONCERNS WITH IT, I WONDER IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO UNDERSTAND MORE WHICH PART OF OUR ECONOMIC SECTORS ARE VULNERABLE -- NOT VULNERABLE BUT ARE LOOKING INTO EXPLORING, INNOVATING WITH AI THAT COULD IMPACT OUR WORKFORCE AND WHETHER THOSE FOLKS ARE ABLE TO RESKILL WITHIN THE SAME FIELD OR WOULD HAVE TO TRANSITION OUT IN SOME FORM. OPEN TO KIND OF HAVING THAT CONVERSATION BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
AS WE MAKE SURE THE FOLKS IMPACTED BY AI ARE ABLE TO TRANSITION, NOT DISPLACED.
>> I AGREE. THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT THIS RESEARCH WILL TELL US, WHAT THOSE EMPLOYERS WILL TELL US AND WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE, NOT JUST NOW BUT THREE YEARS FROM NOW. AGAIN, AS THAT TECHNOLOGY
CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE AND CHANGE THEIR JOBS. >> GALVAN: THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HALLMARK AND OTHERS.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE WORK BEING DONE ALREADY. SEEING THE GOOD STUFF THEY'RE DOING BUT TEN YEARS FROM NOW, DO THEY STILL HAVE THAT ROLE THEY WERE PROMISED ORIGINALLY. UNDERSTANDING THOSE TREND LINES WOULD BE HELPFUL AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO PLACE OUR INVESTMENTS HERE. OTHERWISE, I DON'T THINK -- OH. I DID WANT TO ASK THIS. EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM AND THE BUDGET. WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT THE I.T. COMPONENT THERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE I.T. -- HOW READY TO WORK IS STRUGGLING WITH I.T. VERSUS WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE?
IS IT PROGRAMMATIC OR MORE INDUSTRY SPECIFIC? >> I THINK THE STRUGGLE WE HAVE HAD IN I.T. IS [INDISCERNIBLE]. WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO GET INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN THAT SPACE BECAUSE THE EMPLOYERS WANTED SOMETHING THAT READY TO WORK COULDN'T DELIVER. PEOPLE THAT HAD TWO TO THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ALREADY IN FIELD. WITH AI, WHETHER THOSE ARE JOBS DIRECTLY, AS AI PROMPT ENGINEERS OR MACHINE LEARNING ROLES, THE MARKET ISN'T SATURATED YET SO WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF PRODUCING TALENT FOR THOSE SPACES.
ALSO, AI IS PENETRATING ACROSS OCCUPATIONS SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR CHOSEN CAREER PATHWAY IS IT'S GOING TO BE COMMON PLACE TO HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT EMPLOYERS ARE EXPECTING YOU TO KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE AI.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THOSE SKILLS ARE EMBEDDED ACROSS THE
BOARD NO MATTER WHICH INDUSTRY YOU'RE PURSUING. >> GALVAN: I THINK WE HAD A REALLY GOOD LIST OF PARTNERS. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST MICROSOFT AS WELL.
I THINK THEY'RE REALLY GOOD PARTNERS THAT TRY TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL, RELATED TO S.T.E.M. AND CT WORK. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ.
>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS FOR THE CCR. JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 4 ON THE MAJOR EMPLOYERS. JUST IF THERE'S A CONNECTION FROM PHASE 2 TO PHASE 1, I WOULD ASK IF WE COULD INCLUDE THE HIGHER ED TRAINING PROVIDERS SOONER
RATHER THAN LATER SO FOLKS CAN BE READY FOR PHASE 2. >> THAT'S A GREAT
SUGGESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER. . >> GONZALEZ: THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS FOR BRINGING THIS UP. IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS BUT HERE'S SOME THINGS I HAVE IN TERMS OF CONCERNS. DO I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? OF COURSE WE DO. HOWEVER, WE AS CITY OFFICIALS NEED TO LOOK AT OUR POLICY REGARDING AI WITHIN THE WHOLE CITY AND WHAT WE ALLOW OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO USE IT FOR AND WHAT WE -- DO WE EXPECT TO LOSE STAFF BECAUSE -- OR NOT
[01:45:06]
FILL POSITIONS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE OUR STAFF CAN -- AI CAN HELP WITH THIS.I THINK THAT'S KEY. THE OTHER THING IS, AS WE HAVE -- WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AI AND DATA CENTERS AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE DATA CENTER CONVERSATIONS. BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF ENERGY TO RUN AI PROGRAMS. IF WE ARE GOING TO CHAMPION THIS AND WANT TO BE THE LEADERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONSCIENTIOUS DATA CENTER PROGRAM SET UP.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND MOVING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DATA CENTERS IN SAN ANTONIO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DATA CENTER LEADERS, NOT JUST FLY BY NIGHT DATA CENTERS. BUT THERE IS A JOB LOSS.
I WAS AT A FAIR AND A GRAPHIC ARTIST WAS THERE AND HE HAD THIS REALLY GREAT CHRISTMAS CARD AND I PICKED IT UP AND I WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS GOOD.
WHAT DO YOU DO? HE WAS LIKE, WELL, I USED TO BE A GRAPHIC ARTIST BUT I LOST MY JOB TO AI. AND SO WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS. AND THAT WITH THAT, HOW DO WE TAKE OUR CREATIVES, WRITERS, NETFLIX. WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE AI CAN GIVE YOU SOME STORY THAT SOME WRITERS WERE GIVING YOU THAT WERE PRETTY BAD ON THOSE SERIES. BUT PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS.
SO HOW DO WE HAVE THEM NAVIGATE THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY? SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THE PILOT PROGRAM. I'M LEANING TOWARDS THE NINE MONTHS RATHER THAN THE SIX. NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE COULD GET IT DONE AT SIX, IT'S BECAUSE I WANT SOMETHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE -- THAT OTHER CITIES ARE GOING TO LOOK AT AND SAY THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO. SAN ANTONIO TOOK THE TIME TO DO THAT. BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
I DON'T THINK JUST ABOUT NAVIGATING AI BUT ABOUT DIGITAL LITERACY ON BOARD.
LIKE, I AM ASKING SENIORS RIGHT NOW TO GET INTO A CLASSROOM FOR SIX WEEKS AND GO ONLINE AND USE OUR APP. YOU ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO LOOK AT AI.
AND THEY'RE ON FACEBOOK AND THEY'RE BEING TOLD IN SIX WEEKS THEY COULD LEARN TO DO THIS AND LEARN TO DO THAT. BUT IS IT PROFITABLE? DOES IT LEAD TO A JOB? OR DOES IT JUST HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE INTERNET MORE. I REALLY WANT THIS TO WORK WITH THE EMPLOYERS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEED, IN TERMS OF LOGISTICS, AND REALLY CARVE THIS OUT FOR THE JOBS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THE JOBS THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING TO SAN ANTONIO. I DO THINK JCB AND TOYOTA, MANUFACTURING, BUT ALSO JUST, YEAH. THAT CREATIVE. THAT, YOU KNOW, ANIMATED SERIES THAT PEOPLE CAN DO. THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK WE HAVE A POTENTIAL.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT READY TO WORK DOES BUT I THINK AS WE BRING IN THE COLLEGES, AS WE BRING IN HIGHER EDUCATION THAT THEY CAN DO THAT FOR OUR CREATIVE ELEMENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND BEFORE WE GO HIRING A CONSULTANT, I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO EXPLORE WITH THE GRASSROOT EFFORTS THAT DO AN ASPECT OF DIGITAL LITERACY, HOW THEY CAN COME IN AND HELP WITH THIS. BECAUSE I THINK WHETHER IT'S SLR OR PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO BRING THINGS FORWARD, THEY MAY HAVE SOME IDEAS OR SOME NONPROFITS OR GROUPS THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP US WITH THIS WORK BECAUSE OF THE DATA COLLECTION THAT WE CAN TAKE.
BECAUSE AS A FORMER TEACHER AND AS A STUDENT AND AS A GRADUATE STUDENT, I JUST LIKE THE IDEA OF WHAT TIMELINE IT TAKES SOMEONE WHO -- LIKE DIGITAL LITERACY WAS POOR TO NOW THEY'RE AI AND THEY'RE WORKING FOR A COMPANY.
WHAT'S THAT TIME-FRAME AND HOW DID WE DO THAT. IN TERMS OF THE POTENTIAL THERE, I THINK IT'S KEY. I THINK IT COMES TO WORKING TOGETHER AND GETTING THE STAKEHOLDERS. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO CAME AND SPOKE BECAUSE THESE ARE THE LEADERS. I HAVE, YOU KNOW, IF I USE THE AI -- I MEAN, IT'S FOR RIDICULOUS -- IT'S TO CREATE AN IMAGE. WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS FOR YOU TO KIND OF HELP THEM NOT MAKE THEM MORE MARKETABLE . THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE US UPDATES SO WE CAN GET TO THE POINT TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORY. I KNOW THEY'RE DOING THIS IN OTHER CITIES AND THEY ARE NOT COORDINATING THEIR EFFORTS SO THEY'RE GETTING LIKE SIX DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND THEY START TO ARGUE WHO'S GOT THE BEST.
[01:50:02]
WE DON'T WANT TO BE -- IT'S A CITY IN OHIO -- BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE OHIO.THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT.
IF THERE ISN'T ANYTHING ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NO. 5.
>> SPEARS: JUST ONE QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED BRINGING THE GRASSROOTS. MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE MOU MAYBE SAVE MONEY THERE. I DID NEGLECT TO MENTION THAT THEY ARE DOING SO MUCH IN THE EDUCATION SPACE, IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. SO THAT'S EXCITING.
THEY'RE ALREADY READY. THANKS. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT.
ITEM NO. 5. A BRIEFING ON VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT.
THERE IS A STAFF PRESENTATION. >> GOOD MORNING.
ALFRED BRUER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CONSPIRACY FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE INTEREST IN PROGRAMMING FOR VETERANS RELATED TO SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER WANTED US TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT SERVICES WE HAVE NOW AND HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY CREATE A BUSINESS ACCELERATOR AND A PITCH COMPETITION GEARED TOWARDS VETERANS. THE GOAL WAS TO SUPPORT OUR REPUTATION AS MILITARY USA.
TO SUPPORT OUR REPUTATION AS MILITARY USA. ABOUT 8.2% OF OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE ARE VETERANS. 5% OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE VETERAN OWNED.
AND OUR OVERALL POPULATION IN SAN ANTONIO, 10.1% IS A VETERAN OR MILITARY RELATED.
THAT'S FAR ABOVE OUR PEER CITIES WHO COME IN ABOUT 4%, 6%.
SO IT IS A KEY INITIATIVE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND MAKE SURE WE ARE SUPPORTING VETERAN SMALL BUSINESSES. AN ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR THIS IMPACT THAT WAS REQUESTED WAS ABOUT $350,000. COMPONENTS OF THE REQUEST, THERE WERE FIVE OF THEM.
CREATE THAT ACCELERATED TRACK SO THERE'S A 12 TO 16-WEEK ACCELERATOR FOCUSED ON VETERANS THEMSELVES TO PROVIDE FINANCING, SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT INITIATIVES. TO SUPPORT THEM FROM IDEA TO BUSINESS LAUNCH.
INTEGRATED PARTNERSHIPS. CONNECTING THE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE DOING VETERAN-RELATED WORK. MENTORSHIP AND COACHING. PAIR THEM WITH A CURRENT VETERAN BUSINESS OWNER. PAIR THEM WITH AN ADVISOR TO ADVISE ON CREATING THAT BUSINESS. A PITCH COMPETITION. INITIATIVE TO SOLVE AND ACCESS CAPITAL CHALLENGES. PROGRAM EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THIS IS TRACKING YEARLY WHAT PERCENTAGE OF VETERAN BUSINESSES ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT'S THE JOB CREATION OUT OF THOSE VETERAN BUSINESSES, AND RELATED FINANCING. SO, WE ARE DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS RIGHT NOW TO ADDRESS VETERAN SMALL BUSINESSES. WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK UPDATE. THIS IS GOING TO INCLUDE EXTENSIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW. THAT'S JUST KICKED OFF. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VETERANS AND VETERAN BUSINESS-RELATED PARTICIPANTS IN THAT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
AND ALSO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM.
SEEING WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WHAT GAPS THERE ARE AND THAT WILL HAVE A CONNECTION AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT THROUGH A VETERAN LENS AS WELL. ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. CURRENTLY, WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH THE GROSS STAGE GRANTS PROGRAM FOR SECOND-STAGE COMPANIES AND SBIR-FUNDED COMPANIES. THIS IS OPEN TO EVERYONE AND WE WILL LOOK AT TARGETING VETERAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUR MARKETING EFFORTS. LAUNCH SA.
THIS IS THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT CURRENTLY FOR SMALL BUSINESS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING. OVER THE THREE-YEAR CONTRACT, IT'S A $1.7 MILLION INVESTMENT AND LAUNCH SA SERVES AS THAT SMALL BUSINESS HUB.
NOT ONLY FOR VETERANS BUT FOR ALL PEOPLE LOOKING TO START A BUSINESS.
THAT CONTRACT ENDS IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR AND IT HAS SEVERAL RENEWALS TIED TO IT AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THIS GROUP TO DISCUSS THAT RENEWAL.
SO GIVEN OUR INVESTMENT IN LAUNCH SA, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON OTHER CORE SERVICES. LAUNCH SA IS NOT ANOTHER REFERRAL.
IT IS SOMEONE COMING IN, DOING ASSESSMENT, DOING A DETAILED LOOK AT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND THEIR GOALS. AND THEN LAUNCH EVALUATING WHAT THEY NEED AND PAIRING THEM WITH AN ADVISOR TO WALK THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS. BASED ON THEIR GOALS, IT MAY BE A CERTAIN TYPE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. LAUNCH SA WORKS WITH A
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NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THAT PROVIDE THAT FREE OF COST. AND IF WE NEED TO, THEY WILL REFER TO OTHER PARTNERS IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SERVICE IN-HOUSE.I'LL POINT OUT HERE, THAT'S CARLOS. HE IS A VETERAN AND HE HAS BEEN LOOKING THROUGH THAT LENS, LIVED EXPERIENCE SO THEY CAN KNOW WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THAT TRANSITION OUT OF THE MILITARY LOOKS LIKE. EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. THIS IS THE KEY. FIRST YEAR, THERE'S ABOUT 70 EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS.
THIS YEAR WE'RE PUSHING NEARLY 300. THROUGH THESE, THEY ARE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED, THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED AND EVOLVE. THEY STARTED OUT WITH A PROGRAM, WAYPOINT, WHICH IS NOW THEIR CURRENT EIGHT-WEEK COHORT PROGRAM. IT WILL ALLOW SOMEONE TO COME IN WITH AN IDEA AND WALK THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THROUGH ALL THEIR PROGRAMMING AND INITIATIVES, THEY SAW WHAT A VETERAN NEEDS AND ANOTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNER NEEDS IS THE SAME.
THEY STILL NEED THAT SAME BASE TOOL. A NUMBER OF RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE THAT WOULD HELP VETERANS ALIKE. PROGRAM AND OUTREACH ASSESSMENT. THIS IS KEY TO WHAT LAUNCH DOES.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY NEED UNTIL THEY GO AND ASK AND THEY ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND ASSESSING THEIR MODELS. JUST LIKE THE WAYPOINT PROGRAM, THEY MOVED AWAY FROM VETERAN FOCUSED TO EVERYONE.
AND SO THEY ARE CURRENTLY REACHING OUT IN ALL DISTRICTS.
I THINK THERE'S A LIBRARY SERIES IN D6 THIS WEEK. AND THERE SHOULD BE ONE COMING TO EVERY DISTRICT HERE. AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS NEEDING SO THEY CAN HELP FORM THAT PROGRAM.
AGAIN, REFINING THOSE SERVICES BASED ON DEMAND AND DATA.
THEY HAVE A FLEXIBILITY TO DO THIS AND THAT'S THE GOAL HERE.
OFTEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMMUNICATION AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING AWARENESS, MAYBE OF THAT FIRST BARRIER. LOOKING AT HOW WE MAKE THESE PROGRAMS AWARE TO ALL COMMUNITIES, WE CAN USE YOUR HELP TO PUSH THIS OUT TO KEY CONSTITUENTS, LIKE VETERANS.
AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO STUDY VETERAN PROGRAMMING NEEDS AND OVERALL DEMAND IN COORDINATION WITH LAUNCH SA AND GEEKDOM. WE WILL LOOK AT RUNNING SOME PILOT INITIATIVES -- AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.
ALSO, TARGETED MARKETING. WE NEED TO PUSH IT OUT TO THOSE VETERAN GROUPS TO UNDERSTAND, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT RESOURCE IS AVAILABLE.
THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO USE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK TO RUN THROUGH THAT PROCESS, GATHER INFORMATION FROM THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEN ALSO GO THROUGH THAT SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT.
AND THEN PROBABLY BY LATE SUMMER, COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE HERE AND PRESENT THOSE RESULTS. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TRACKING WHAT DEMAND WAS THERE FROM VETERANS. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS AVAILABLE INTERNALLY AT LAUNCH SA. AND THEN INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR PROPOSED RENEWAL THAT WE'LL BRING BACK TO EWD EWCFOR CONSIDERATION IN LATE SUMMER.
WE'RE ALREADY HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. MELANIE DOESN'T KNOW THIS, BUT SHE IS PART OF A GROUP, V SOURCE, WHICH IS A VETERAN-FOCUSED ENTREPRENEUR GROUP. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT LOOPING THAT IN AND BUILDING THAT EARLY-STAGE HUB FOR VETERANS. SO WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOW. FRAMEWORK IS IN PROCESS. AND THEN JUNE/JULY WE'RE GOING TO RUN SOME INITIATIVES, RUN SOME PILOT PROGRAMS, COLLECT THAT DATA AND SEE WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK, AND HOW THAT INCORPORATES INTO THE FUTURE OF LAUNCH SA AND COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE IN LATE SUMMER TO PRESENT OUR
FINDINGS. THAT'S IT. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR VETERANS AND OUR VETERAN SPOUSES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. DO WE HAVE A LIST WITH EWDC IN TERMS OF WHERE THE MARKET --R INTERESTS ARE AND WHERE THERE IS A POTENTIAL MARKET FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES? BECAUSE, AGAIN, IF THEY ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE NORTH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF COMPETITION WHERE GROWTH IS HAPPENING IN THE SOUTH -- FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE SOUTHEAST. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE THING THAT I THINK THEY NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR SOME BUSINESSES THAT HAVE PLANTED THEMSELVES IN THE WEST OR THE EAST SIDE
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AND THEN GROWN FROM THERE. YOU KNOW, MERGING SOUTH. BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A KEY, AS WE TALK TO VETERANS AND ENTREPRENEURS IN TERMS OF WHERE GEOGRAPHICALLY THEY ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY. OR POSSIBLY IN THE CITY WHERE THEY CAN GO OUT TO THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEED.THE OTHER IS WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE DO NEED THE TRADES.
I MEAN, THAT IS CLEAR. IF YOU ARE GOING TO START A SMALL BUSINESS, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT THE EXPERT, IF YOU MANAGE A GROUP THAT DOES ELECTRICAL WORK OR PLUMBING WORK, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED THE TRADES. AND THEY MAY HAVE A BUSINESS BACKGROUND OR BEEN TRAINED. BECAUSE THE MILITARY JUST SEEMS TO BE VERY WELL ORGANIZED AND COORDINATED THAT THEY CAN MANAGE MAYBE A TEAM AND LOOK AT THAT USING THEIR SKILLS THERE. SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US DO THAT IN TERMS OF IF THEY START SOMETHING, LIKE I.T., WHICH WE HEARD IS HARD FOR READY TO WORK TO PLACE, IS REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE MARKET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND WHERE THE NEEDS ARE. AND IN TERMS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, IT MAY LOOK LIKE THIS FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS. BUT AS GROWTH AND CONSTRUCTION COMES DOWN HERE, GIVING THEM A PLAN TO POSSIBLY PIVOT INTO A SUBCONTRACTING JOB WITH ONE OF THE BIGGER CONSTRUCTIONS. IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL THERE BUT I THINK WE NEED TO -- WE NEED TO HAVE ALL THE FACTS OF WHAT OUR CURRENT MARKETPLACE LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND I'M GLAD TO SEE LAUNCH SA, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE?
COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU FOR COMING AND PRESENTING TODAY ON WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING AND HOW WE CAN REALLY FOCUS IN ON VETERANS AND SPECIFICALLY THEIR FAMILIES TOO. WHEN I WAS UP IN S.A. TO D.C., WE WENT TO THE PENTAGON AND WE SPOKE TO THE LEADERSHIP THERE.
THEY WERE SO EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT US FOCUSING ON THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS IS A BIG GAP AND IDENTIFYING HOW WE MARKET TO THEM SO THAT THEY HAVE AWARENESS TO GET INTEGRATED INTO IT. AND TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT, LIKE OFTEN IT'S THE SPOUSES, MAYBE THEY'RE IN ACTIVE DUTY AND THEIR SPOUSE IS DEPLOYED AND THEY'VE GOT TO RUN THE HOUSEHOLD. BUT MAYBE THEY CAN DO SOMETHING IN AI EVEN WITH THE ACCELERATOR. BUT HOW DO WE REACH THAT PERSON? AND THOSE ARE THE STRUGGLES I'M SEEING IN YOUR TIMELINE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE MARKETING PIECE MAYBE BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT DEMAND. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT REACHING THEM.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE, AS MILITARY CITY, USA, THIS SHOULD BE A CORE FUNCTION OF OUR CITY IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILY.
THEY'RE A DIFFERENT SORT OF WORKER. THEY'RE DRIVEN AND -- NOT THAT EVERYONE ISN'T. I'M JUST SAYING WE KNOW THEIR WORK ETHIC.
AND SO THEY JUST MAKE THE BEST, YOU KNOW, ENTREPRENEURS.
AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THAT. I THINK WE COULD SUPPORT 50 TO 75 VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS WITH THIS INITIAL GOAL PILOT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE VETERANS. LOOKING AT MICRO LOANS AND GRANTS AND PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW OUR HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS ARE VERY EXCITED TO DO THIS AS WELL. EVERY TIME I BRING THIS UP TO ANYONE, THEY WANT TO DO IT. THEY WANT TO GET INVOLVED. AND SO I REALLY AM ENCOURAGED TO SEE THAT WE HAVE THIS. I KNOW WE HAVE A LAUNCH SA EVENT IN DISTRICT 9 IN MAY -- AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR VETERANS THERE. TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT TOO.
YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S OFTEN BETTER TO BE LOOKING AT EXPANDING THEIR BUSINESSES INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THEY MAY LIVE.
IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST PLACE TO DEPLOY THEIR BUSINESS. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
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THAT WE'RE CREATING A STRUCTURED PIPELINE FOR THEM AND THAT THERE'S AWARENESS.BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION UP IN D.C. AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO HOW WE SUPPORT OUR VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND ACTIVE DUTY. THE MORE VOCAL AND MORE ACTIVE WE CAN BE IN THIS SPACE, THE BETTER. IT'S ALSO SOMETHING, WE JUST
OWE IT TO THEM. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S WHY HE'S GONE OUT TO THE DISTRICTS. THEY ARE HOUSED AT DISTRICT 1 AT THE LIBRARIES.
IT'S A KEY, KEY FOCUS FOR HIM. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
MEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WE TALKED ABOUT VETERANS LAST WEEK IN REGARDS TO HOUSING, AND THIS WEEK IN REGARDS TO SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS HAPPENING.
WE HAVE VETERAN CENTERS AT EACH OF THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES SO I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY CONNECTION THAT WE COULD HAVE WITH THOSE VETERAN CENTERS TO BRING
THEM IN TO HOW WE MOVE THIS ALONG. >> I THINK THERE'S EVERY OPPORTUNITY. IT'S JUST LIKE THE LIBRARY SERIES.
THEY PARTNER WITH THE LIBRARY, PARTNERING WITH THE VETERAN CENTERS IS JUST
ANOTHER AVENUE. YES. >> GONZALEZ: I DON'T KNOW, DOES LAUNCH SA OR GEEKDOM HAVE ANY KIND OF CURRENT STATS ON SUPPORT OR, YOU KNOW, WHO COMES TO THE DOOR AS FAR AS VETERANS ARE CONCERNED?
>> I KNOW THEY DO HAVE A DETAILED ASSESSMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET
THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. >> THEY DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INTAKE FORM THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME STATISTICS.
>> GONZALEZ: ARE THEY ALREADY MAYBE TALKING ABOUT BETTER WAYS THAT LAUNCH SA
COULD SUPPORT OR -- JUST CURIOUS. >> SUPPORT WHAT,
SPECIFICALLY? >> GONZALEZ: JUST IN GENERAL.
IS THERE A BETTER SETUP THAT LAUNCH SUPPORT COULD HAVE THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE TO OUR VETERAN SMALL BUSINESSES? ARE THEY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE? I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE IT'S A UNIQUE SET OF FOLKS.
>> YEAH. SO FOR US, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THE CONTRACT.
>> GONZALEZ: YOU'RE WITH GEEKDOM? >> MATTHEW ESPINOZA, DIRECTOR OF LAUNCH SA. FOR US, GEEKDOM BEING THE PARTNER -- ORIGINALLY IT WAS WHAT DO WE FOCUS ON, WHAT DO WE SPECIALIZE IN BUT FOR LAUNCH, THERE ARE MANY SMALL BUSINESSES. THIS PAST QUARTER WE BROUGHT ON SOME CONTR CONTRACTORS TO ALW US TO DO MORE OUTREACH. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY IS LOOKING FOR AND VETERAN IS SOMETHING WE WERE EXPLORING ON OUR OWN THAT POPPED UP. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US IS MEETING THE BUSINESS OWNERS WHERE THEY'RE AT. WE RECENTLY HAVE STARTED A PEER GROUP WHERE IT'S GROUPS OF ABOUT TEN BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HELP AND TALK TO EACH OTHER.
WE COULD EXPLORE A VETERAN-ONLY ONE. THE CHALLENGE WITH, I WOULD SAY OUR LINE OF WORK WITH HOW BROAD IT IS, WHEN YOU'RE HELPING A VETERAN START A BUSINESS, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT GROUP OF CHALLENGES AND ISSUES VERSUS TRYING TO GET THEM TO ACCELERATE THEIR BUSINESS. OFTENTIMES, AS YOU START TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS, THE SUPPORT NEEDS LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VERSUS WHEN YOU'RE STARTING A BUSINESS, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO GO THROUGH THE SAME CHALLENGES. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, GETTING THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER, TALKING TO THE VETERANS THAT ARE BUSINESS OWNERS AND TRANSITIONING OUT. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO BUILD WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY. >> GONZALEZ: AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THAT. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. >> VIAGRAN: ANY OTHER MEMBERS? YES. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, ALFRED FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS AGAIN TO COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS.
IN TERMS OF INPUT, I THINK THERE WOULD BE VALUE IN HAVING A BRIEFING WITH THE VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION, IF THAT HASN'T ALREADY OCCURRED.
I KNOW MATT, OUR APPOINTEE, IS JUST A WEALTH OF EXPERTISE AND HAS HIS PULSE ON VETERAN NEEDS IN DISTRICT 5, IN PARTICULAR. I THINK THERE WOULD BE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK IN WITH THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL TO SEE WHAT THEY SEE AS POTENTIAL PATHS FORWARD. IN TERMS OF MARKETING, I'M THINKING ABOUT VETERANS THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED INTO A CIVILIAN OCCUPATION AND ARE NOW SET FOR RETIREMENT.
MY DAD IS ONE OF THOSE AND HE'S ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT CREATING A BUSINESS.
WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, HE DID HAVE ONE. BUT I'M THINKING ABOUT THOSE OLDER VETERANS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY GET PLUGGED IN AS THEY'RE EXPLORING RETIREMENT AND HOW THEY CAN TAP INTO THEIR BENEFITS TO HELP GET A SMALL BUSINESS
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OFF THE GROUND. JUST ENSURING THAT WHEN WE'RE MARKETING WE'RE ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OLDER ADULTS WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT BUSINESS SUPPORT CAN LOOK LIKE FOR VETERANS IN SAN ANTONIO.LASTLY, JUST WANTED TO THANK MELANIE FOR SHARING HER STORY AND ALSO HER PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF BEING A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS BUT ALSO LOOKING TO HIRE LOCALLY, PARTICULARLY THROUGH READY TO WORK. BUT THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR. ONE LAST QUICK THING. I THINK THIS IS A CRUCIAL CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE HERE AT THE CITY IN MAKING SURE WE HAVE THESE PROGRAMS IN LINE SO THAT WAY OUR VETERANS WHO ARE READY TO GO CAN PLUG IN QUICKLY WITHOUT HAVING TO NAVIGATE THE DIFFICULTIES OF WHAT IT MEANS TO CREATE A SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN OUR CITY. WE SHOULD MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, IN PARTICULAR FOR FOLKS READY TO GO, LET'S GET IT DONE. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
EAGER TO SEE HOW WE CAN COORDINATE WITH THE VETERAN AFFAIRS OFFICES.
AND EVEN TO THE POINT ABOUT THE OLDER ADULTS, THINKING ABOUT HOW THE AMERICAN LEGION, HOW WE CAN CONNECT WITH THEM, ALONG WITH THE VFW HALLS AND SOME OF THE VETERANS GROUPS HERE. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE EDGEWOOD VETERANS TOO WHO ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO STAY ACTIVE WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE RELAUNCHING EFFORTS AND I KNOW MY TEAM WILL BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING AT THE LIBRARY. THANK YOU FOR THIS INCREDIBLE WORK AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS FOR PUSHING THIS FORWARD.
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NO.
6. NOW, AS ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CHAIR AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE WILL BE TRAVELING -- I APOLOGIZE THAT I DID NOT DO THIS WHEN WE WENT TO SPAIN. BUT I DID TALK TO COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS AND ITEM 6 IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SAN ANTONIO MISSION TO TAIWAN.
AND JUST WITH SOME THREE MAIN TAKEAWAYS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND JUST BE MINDFUL THAT AS YOU TRAVEL, EVEN IF YOU'RE TRAVELING FOR SOMETHING THAT WASN'T ECONOMIC WORK OR A TRADE MISSION, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND SHARE WITH THE TEAM, WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
SO AT THIS TIME, I AM GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS TO SHARE
SOME TAKEAWAYS AND THEN WE CAN ASK FOR SOME QUESTIONS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE MAYOR, MAYOR ORTIZ JONES, ON A WEEK-LONG TRIP TO TAIWAN. WE VISITED TAIPEI AND KAOHSIUNG. THE PURPOSE WAS TO STRENGTHEN OUR TRADE RELATIONSHIPS AND ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND POSITION SAN ANTONIO IN GLOBAL TECH AND MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAINS. THE DELEGATION WAS SUPPORTED BY THE PARTICIPATION OF MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR'S ECONOMIC SECURITY ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH INCLUDED JIM, HEATHER HANSON, THE PRESIDENT OF BIOMED SA, ERIKA, FOUNDER AND CEO OF FORWARD EDGE AI, WHICH IS A COMPUTING COMPANY AND GREATER:SATX CAME WITH US AS WELL . WE MET WITH THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN AND THEY HOSTED A LUNCH FOR US TO DISCUSS TRADE AND ECONOMIC ALIGNMENT.
EVERY MEETING WE REINFORCED SAN ANTONIO'S ROLE AS A TRUSTED INTERNATIONAL PARTNER IN THE FOUR AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE MAYOR AS PRIORITIES, WHICH IS QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY, AI, BIOSCIENCE, AND SPACE AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.
WE MET WITH MANY MAJOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY GROUPS, INCLUDING THE TAIWAN EXTERNAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THE TAIWAN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION, THE INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY RESEARCH. BUT OUR FOCUS WAS ALWAYS ON BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, TRADE PIPELINES, AND U.S. MARKET ENTRY. WE MET WITH DEFENSE AND TECHNOLOGY FIRMS INCLUDING SEVEN STAR LAKE. THEY SPECIALIZE IN MILITARY COMPUTING EQUIPMENT . WE VISITED TSMC, THE WORLD'S LARGEST DEDICATED SEMI CONDUCTOR FOUNDRY, FACILITATED BY OUR FRIEND AT HELLO TAIWAN.
HE WAS AMAZING ON THIS TRIP. THEY REINFORCED TAIWAN'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN THE
[02:15:06]
SEMI CONDUCTOR'S ROLE IN DEFENSE. WE ENGAGED WITH E-TRON GROUP AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN U.S. INVESTMENT.WE STRENGTHENED TIES WITH KAOHSIUNG THROUGH THE SIGNING OF THEIR TRILATERAL MOU, WHICH COMMITS SAN ANTONIO TO ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT AND ALIGNMENT. SO THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS TRIP WAS SAN ANTONIO IS COMPETING GLOBALLY. TAIWAN'S MODEL IS SHOWING HIGHLY COORDINATED INDUSTRY, TRADE, AND WORKFORCE ALIGNMENT WITH SAN ANTONIO. MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN THE SEMI CONDUCTOR SUPPLY CHAINS. IT'S NOT JUST ATTRACTION BUT SUPPORTING THESE INDUSTRIES AND THE WORKFORCE PIPELINES. THEY ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT. WORKFORCE READINESS IS CRITICAL, WHICH IS IN AI, CYBERSECURITY, AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TRAINING. AND THIS HAS TO ALIGN WITH THE EMPLOYER DEMAND. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALIGNMENT GAP.
WE NEED A STRONGER COORDINATION BETWEEN WORKFORCE, EDD, AND BUSINESS RECRUITMENT EFFORTS. AND TWO-WAY INVESTMENT MATTERS.
SO THEY WANT TO SUPPORT SAN ANTONIO COMPANIES EXPANDING ABROAD WHILE ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL FIRMS HERE TO SAN ANTONIO. SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. THEY WERE VERY FASCINATED BY TEXAS AND SAN ANTONIO, IN PARTICULAR. I FOUND THE PEOPLE TO BE EXTREMELY WARM.
VERY MUCH LIKE US IN SO MANY WAYS. MAYBE THE FOOD'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT IT WAS A WARM EXPERIENCE. THEY WERE EAGER TO TALK TO US. LOVED THE SPURS AND THEY SEEMED TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT US IN SAN ANTONIO. THAT WAS THE TAKEAWAY FROM THE TRIP TO TAIWAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. I THINK MY ONLY QUESTION IS -- I THINK YOUR CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF AI IS ONE OF THE OTHER -- DID YOU SEE ANY OTHER KIND OF FOCUSES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BUT WE MAY NEED TO EXPAND A LITTLE MORE ON DURING THE TRIP, OTHER THAN AI?
>> SPEARS: WELL, YEAH. THEY ARE DEFINITELY TALKING ABOUT -- WELL, WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE BIOMED SIDE, THEY GOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ALIGNS WITH WHAT THEY ARE ALREADY DOING, AMAZINGLY, WITH SEMI-CONDUCTORS. IT'S A SPACE YOU WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT. WHAT WE HAVE AT U.T. SAN ANTONIO AND OUR SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE, FROM BEGINNING TO END, THAT WAS SOMETHING VERY, VERY INTERESTING TO THEM IN THE R&D SPACE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW DO THEY DEPLOY MORE RESOURCES IN -- WELL, IN AMERICA. LET'S SAY SAN ANTONIO. BUT THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO SCALE THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND WHERE ARE THE MARKETS THAT CAN DO THAT. SAN ANTONIO IS UNIQUE IN THAT.
AND OUR MILITARY PRESENCE AND OUR MILITARY CAPABILITIES ONLY STRENGTHEN THAT POSITIONING. WE UP OUR WORKFORCE IN THESE AREAS OF AI AND QUANTUM AND CYBERSECURITY AND ALL THESE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, EVEN FOR THE KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THE SENIORS, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ALL OF IT, ADD IN OUR MILITARY CITY, USA, MILITARY MEDICINE, USA, WE'RE THE PERFECT PACKAGE.
PLUS IT'S FUN TO LIVE HERE AND THEY KNOW THAT. I KNOW SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS ARE COMING OUT OF THIS. POSITIVE THAT THEY ARE.
THEY MAY NOT BE RIPE TO TALK ABOUT BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY COMING.
>> VIAGRAN: GREAT. ANY FURTHER -- NO? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, Y'ALL GET READY TO REPORT TOO WHEN Y'ALL GO TRAVEL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I SEE SARAH AND SHERRY IN THE AUDIENCE AND YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE CONTINUE TO TELL OUR STORY GLOBALLY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE TRYING TO -- FOR ME, DIVERSITY IS KEY. IF OUR MARKETS ARE DIVERSE, WE REMAIN VIABLE AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON IN TERMS OF FOCUSING ON ONE INDUSTRY OR ONE SOURCE. IT DOES NOT WORK.
IT CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT A CITY. BUT SAN ANTONIO IS RESILIENT AND WE HAVE BEEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATION. THE TIME IS NOW 12:20 AND THAT IS THE END OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING. WE ARE ADJOURNED. SORRY.
[02:20:03]
NO. ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.