Feb 25, 2020 Innovation and Technology Committee

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GOOD AFTERNOON.

WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

CHAIRMAN PALIS, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.

COUNCIL MEMBER CAVEO VARDA HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE, CITIZEN MEMBER DEANNE COYAR.

HERE, CITIZEN MEMBER DIRK ELMENDORF, CITIZEN MEMBER WILL GARRETT.

CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU KEEPING TRACK OF WHO'S HERE AND WHO'S NOT.

COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SULLIVAN CALLED US EARLIER TODAY AND LET US KNOW THAT, UM, SHE'S TAKING CARE OF HER MAMA TODAY.

UH, HER MOM WASN'T FEELING WELL, AND SO, UM, HOPE THAT HER MOM RECOVERS SOON AND WE SEE HER BACK, UM, UH, HERE HELPING US OUT AGAIN VERY SOON.

SO WITH THAT, UH, WE'VE

[1. 20-2232 Approval of the January 28, 2020 Innovation and Technology Committee Meeting Minutes.]

UM, SO MOVED.

OH, COUNCILMAN HDA.

JUST MOVED TO APPROVE.

UH, ANY SECONDS.

OH, WE GOT A SECOND.

FROM, UH, DEAN CUE.

THANK YOU.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, APPROVING THE MINUTES? AYE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NOT HEARING ANY OPPOSITION.

UH, WE, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES.

UM, OUR

[2. 20-2225 Staff briefing regarding Status of Poverty Report recommendation related to fostering integration of asset-building and social safety net services. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Melody Woosley, Director, Human Services]]

UM, WHO'S GONNA GIVE THAT TO US? IS THAT GONNA BE MELODY HERE? HI, MELODY.

COME ON UP.

SO, GOOD AFTERNOON.

SO THIS ITEM WILL PROVIDE A QUICK BRIEFING ON THE STATUS OF POVERTY REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

AND ALSO, UM, IT PROVIDES RECOMMENDED AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER AROUND POVERTY.

AND SO, LAST SEPTEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU RELEASED A 2018 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, ONE YEAR ESTIMATE DATA.

AND ACCORDING TO THAT REPORT, SAN ANTONIO RANKED HIGHEST FOR POVERTY RATE AMONG THE 25 MOST POPULOUS METROPOLITAN AREAS.

IN RESPONSE, HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH COLLABORATED TO DEVELOP THE STATUS OF POVERTY REPORT BUILDING ON PREVIOUS EFFORTS, REPORTS, AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE ISSUE OF POVERTY, INCLUDING THE ASSET FUNDERS NETWORK INSIGHTS, ASPIRATIONS, AND ACTION REPORT.

THIS PRESENTATION IS THE SECOND OF SEVEN TO COUNCIL COMMITTEES, AND THE DATA AND RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED ARE SPECIFIC TO THE CHARGE OF THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE.

AS I THINK YOU ARE ALL PAINFULLY AWARE, NEARLY 20% OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS LIVE IN POVERTY.

OUR POVERTY RATE HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY HIGHER THAN THE REST OF THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY FOR YEARS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE POVERTY RATE FOR HISPANICS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAT FOR WHITE NON-HISPANIC RESIDENTS WHOSE POVERTY RATE EXCEEDED 21%.

WHILE THE RATE OF POVERTY FOR NON-WHITE HISPANICS IS LESS THAN, UM, YES, RATE OF POVERTY FOR NON-WHITE HISPANICS IS LESS THAN 11%.

WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE LIVING IN POVERTY THAN MEN, ESPECIALLY IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND RATES OF WOMEN IN POVERTY ARE HIGHER IN TEXAS THAN THE NATION TODAY.

THE CITY SPENDS ABOUT $450 MILLION ANNUALLY ON PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE OR RELIEVE POVERTY, POVERTY AND THE ECONOMIC MOBILITY BARRIERS, UM, INCLUDING EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION, LIBRARY, SCHOLARSHIP AND TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO THE REPORT PROVIDES A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE DATA ACROSS ISSUE AREAS THAT IMPACT MOBILITY AND ECONOMIC SEGREGATION SUCH AS EDUCATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HEALTH.

THE SLIDE IS INCLUDED IN EACH PRESENTATION BECAUSE EDUCATION ATTAINMENT IS CLOSELY CORRELATED TO POVERTY AND IMPACTS OUTCOMES ACROSS EVERY ISSUE AREA.

18% OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA COMPARED TO ONLY 12.7% NATIONALLY, ONLY 16% HAVE OF HISPANICS IN BEXAR COUNTY, AND 26% OF AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

COMPARED TO 43% OF WHITE NON-HISPANIC RESIDENTS.

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANT POVERTY EXIST IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT IN THE CITY.

BUT THIS MAP CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THAT RESIDENTS IN THE WEST, SOUTH, AND EAST PARTS OF THE CITY HAVE A MUCH LOWER AVERAGE EDUCATION ATTAINMENT THAN RESIDENTS TO THE NORTH, AND THEREFORE ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS OF CONCENTRATED POVERTY.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS FOLLOW THE SAME TREND WITH WEALTH, INCOME, AND ASSET ACCUMULATION CONCENTRATED IN THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE CITY.

AND ACCORDING TO THE URBAN INSTITUTE, COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, SAN SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS HAVE LOWER MEAN CREDIT SCORES, HIGHER DELINQUENT DEBT, AND LITTLE OR NO SAVINGS.

THE MEAN CREDIT SCORE OF RESIDENTS IN PREDOMINANTLY NON-WHITE ZIP CODES IS

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THIS INCREASES THE COST OF FINANCIAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND REDUCES ACCESS TO CREDIT, WHICH IS A PILLAR OF ASSET BUILDING.

ADDITIONALLY, 35% OF RESIDENTS IN PREDOMINANTLY NON-WHITE ZIP CODES HAVE MEDICAL DEBT IN COLLECTION STATUS COMPARED TO 18% IN WHITE ZIP CODES.

AND THIS GAP IS LARGER IN BEXAR COUNTY THAN IT IS IN THE STATE AND US OVERALL IN THE DOMAIN OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THE REPORT FINDS THAT 91% OF LOW INCOME RENTERS AND 70% OF LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE COST BURDENED SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING EXPENSES.

HOME OWNERSHIP, WHICH IS THE GREATEST SOURCE OF ASSET ACCUMULATION FOR MOST HOUSEHOLDS, IS ALSO DISPROPORTIONATELY LOW FOR AFRICAN AND HISPANIC RESIDENTS.

MOREOVER, 70% OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND 62% OF HISPANIC RESIDENTS ARE RENTERS COMPARED TO 54% OF NON-WHITE RESIDENTS.

POVERTY IS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED TO POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES.

ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE CHILDREN IN BEXAR COUNTY EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCES FOOD INSECURITY.

SAN ANTONIO HAS A HIGHER RATE OF RESIDENTS RECEIVING CASH ASSISTANCE AND FOOD STAMPS THAT THAN TEXAS AND THE US AND THIS ALSO MEANS THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET, FAMILIES MUST APPLY A ROLE, ENROLL AND RE-CERTIFY IN MULTIPLE BENEFIT PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO ACCESS, TIME CONSUMING AND HAVE RIGID ELIGIBILITY.

THESE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE A BARRIER TO ACHIEVING FINANCIAL STABILITY IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE YOU LIVE MATTERS.

IT PREDICTS EDUCATION, SUCCESS, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES.

IT ALSO IMPACTS LIFE EXPECTANCY.

WOMEN IN THE HIGHEST INCOME QUARTILE HAVE A FIVE, HAVE MORE, ARE EXPECTED TO LIVE FIVE YEARS LONGER THAN THOSE IN THE BOTTOM QUARTILE.

AND THERE IS A 10 YEAR DIFFERENCE FOR MEN IN FROM THE TOP QUARTILE TO THE BOTTOM QUARTILE.

AND THIS MAP SHOWS THE CORRELATION BETWEEN POVERTY AND DIABETES, HOSPITALIZATIONS BY ZIP CODE.

AS WITH THE EDUCATION MAP, THE DARKER BLUE, PURPLE, AND GREEN AREAS REPRESENT THE WORST OUTCOMES AND ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE WEST, EAST, AND SOUTH OF THE CITY.

THE CITY INVESTS OVER A HUNDRED, 450 MILLION, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, FROM LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS.

UM, AND THESE ARE IN STRATEGIES THAT IMPACT THE WELLBEING AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY OF RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MORE THAN 150 MILLION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD LIBRARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS, 29 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOUSING STABILITY RELATED INVESTMENTS.

AND 36 MILLION IS SPENT TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING HAVEN FOR HOPE AND POLICE MENTAL HEALTH UNITS.

AND SO UNDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE STATUS OF POVERTY REPORT INCLUDES 15 RECOMMENDATIONS ACROSS FIVE CATEGORIES.

AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE ASSET FUNDERS NETWORK REPORT.

AND, UM, THEY INCLUDE FOCUSING ON EQUITY BY ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO THE HIGHEST NEED POPULATIONS, FOSTERING INTEGRATION OF ASSET BUILDING AND SOCIAL SAFETY NET SERVICES, ENHANCING THE SAFETY NET FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, EXPANDING ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT SUPPORT ASSET BUILDING AND, AND PROTECTION, AND OFFERING ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ENHANCE VIABILITY AND OUTCOMES.

THREE, INTERRELATED RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE FOSTERING INTEGRATION BETWEEN ASSET BUILDING AND SOCIAL SERVICES CATEGORY ARE PROPOSED FOR, UM, REVIEW BY THIS COMMITTEE, EXPANDING INVESTMENTS IN ASSET BUILDING HUBS TO PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN COORDINATING THE ACCESS AND REFERRAL BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY NETWORK TO SERVICE PROVIDERS, INVESTING IN REFERRAL SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY TO STREAMLINE REFERRAL PROCESSES.

AND I WOULD ADD, HELP US TRACK THE OUTCOMES OF CLIENTS ACROSS, UM, ASSET BUILDING AND HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDERS.

AND THIRD, TO NURTURE PEER LEARNING KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION THROUGH THE CONVENING POWER OF THE CITY AND PHILANTHROPY TO FACILITATE, UM, GREATER LEARNING ABOUT ASSET BUILDING TOPICS, TRENDS, AND INNOVATIONS.

AND SO WITHIN THESE BO THESE BROAD POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, STAFF ARE PROVIDING OPTIONS, UM, THAT WOULD EXPAND AND ENHANCE OUR CURRENT WORK FOR THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE.

THESE OPTIONS ARE PRESENTED TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT RESONATES WITH YOU.

WHAT WOULD YOU, YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRIORITIZE TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF POVERTY POTENTIAL AREAS, UM, INCLUDE DEVELOPING A PLAN TO EXPAND THREE EXISTING FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR REFERRAL NETWORKS WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY

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AND ALSO WHILE PRIORITIZING THE POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCE AND THE NEED FOR FOLLOW UP AMONG, UH, RESIDENTS AND CLIENTS.

AND THIS IS A BIG LIFT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES, BUT THERE ARE GOOD EXAMPLES BOTH LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATES CLIENT SYSTEMS ACROSS MULTIPLE AGENCIES.

IN THE THIRD OPTION IS TO STRENGTHEN COORDINATION THROUGH DELEGATE AGENCY LEARNING COLLABORATIVES AND THE FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE ACTION TEAMS, UM, THAT WOULD INTENTIONALLY INCORPORATE ASSET BUILDING, UM, BEST PRACTICES WITH SOCIAL SERVICES, BEST PRACTICES.

AND SO AS I MENTIONED, UM, THIS COMMITTEE IS THE SECOND OF SEVEN STOPS FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

WE ANTICIPATE COMPLETING THOSE BY THE END OF MARCH, AS WELL AS CONDUCTING AN ESSAY SPEAKUP SURVEY TO GET COMMUNITY-WIDE INPUT ON PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES RELATING TO POVERTY.

AND WITH AN EMPHASIS ON, ON GETTING THAT INFORMATION FROM LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS.

WE WILL ALSO BRIEF OTHER COMMUNITY FUNDERS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE POVERTY IS NOT JUST A CITY ISSUE, IT'S A COMMUNITY-WIDE ISSUE, AND THE CITY CANNOT ADDRESS IT ALONE.

ONCE EACH COMMITTEE HAS IDENTIFIED THEIR PRIORITY STRATEGIES, WE WILL IDENTIFY A DEPARTMENT LIAISON TO WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE ON RELEVANT TOPIC AREAS AND SPEAKERS FOR FUTURE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES OF ALL SEVEN COMMITTEES TO A B SESSION IN APRIL.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY FORMAL PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MELODY.

THAT WAS, UH, EXCELLENT.

UH, LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN AND, UH, INVITE MEMBERS TO ASK QUESTIONS.

COUNCILWOMAN, CHARLIE, HARVARD.

THANK YOU.

CHAIR.

IS THERE A SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE EIGHT, UM, THE CATEGORIES, UM, THE EIGHT MAJOR FRAMEWORKS? SO THERE'S A SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE FIVE MAJOR CATEGORIES.

OKAY, THERE YOU GO.

THERE'S FIVE.

OKAY, I'M SORRY.

UM, SO I'VE, I'VE ASKED A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ECONOMIC ELASTICITY FROM THE DIOCESE BEFORE, AND I'M GONNA INVITE YOU TO, TO RESPOND TO THAT.

BUT, UM, REALLY WANTED, IF YOU CAN FOCUS ON HOW, HOW THIS CONVERSATION, THIS, THIS STUDY, HOW IT, HOW THAT PHENOMENON IS SHOWN HERE, RIGHT.

ECONOMIC.

SO, UM, BOTH THE ASSET FUNDERS NETWORK REPORT, IT'S SPENT A LITTLE MORE TIME ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING THROUGH THE POVERTY REPORT ARE ADDITIONAL DATA POINTS THAT, UM, REALLY REFLECT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE MAP.

AND SO I THINK, UM, AS YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT, UM, DATA POINTS AND MAPS AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, UM, AND WHAT THEIR OUTCOMES ARE, THAT TO ME IS A REFLECTION OF, UM, HOW DIFFICULT ECONOMIC MOBILITY IS.

SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT, UM, UH, I MENTIONED ECONOMIC ELASTICITY.

ELASTICITY, I'M SORRY, I MAY HAVE SAID IT TOO QUICKLY.

.

OKAY.

YEAH.

UM, AND I GUESS I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT TERM ACTUALLY.

HOW ONE VARIABLE CAN CONTROL, UM, OR THE RIGHT, OKAY.

HOW VARIABLES WILL IMPACT EACH OTHER AND HOW WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT BEHAVIOR.

RIGHT.

WELL, IT'S, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, CORRELATION BETWEEN EDUCATION AND POVERTY CHANGING, UM, EDUCATION ATTAINMENT CHANGES YOUR, UM, YOUR PATH OF SUCCESS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE CASE WITH, UM, ASSETS ACCUMULATION AS WELL.

CREDIT SCORE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO CREDIT, YOU'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME, BUILD ASSETS, AND THAT CHANGES THE, THE PATH FOR REALLY, UM, GENERATIONS AND ENTIRE FAMILY.

THANK YOU.

I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO MORE, UH, ACTION QUESTIONS, LESS THEORETICAL.

UM, SO HOW WILL WE, HOW CAN WE CREATE AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS, UM, AFTER THIS STUDY DERIVED FROM THE VARIANCE REPORTED WITH BETWEEN THE, THE FRAMEWORKS? SO I THINK THERE ARE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW THAT CAN BE, WE CAN BUILD ON.

UM, WE ALSO WOULD, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR INTEREST AREA IS AS A COMMITTEE, WE WOULD, UM, DO MORE RESEARCH, IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES, BRING IN, UM, SPEAKERS FOR YOU ALL TO HEAR FROM THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S OUT THERE, WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK TOGETHER MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE WE GO.

THERE'S, THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS WE CAN, WE HAVE THREE, UM, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS RIGHT NOW.

UM, THOSE COULD BE EXPANDED, THEY COULD BE ENHANCED TO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, A GREATER ARRAY OF SERVICES.

ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO MAKE THOSE, UM, HUBS, CENTRALIZED HUBS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS SERVICES AND REFERRALS IN A BETTER WAY.

UM, THIS COMMITTEE, THE IDEA IS WHAT, YOU

[00:15:01]

THEY DON'T HAVE TO, UM, STAND IN LINE OR, OR WAIT A MONTH FOR AN APPOINTMENT.

IT'S, UM, IT'S QUICK AND IT SAVES THEM TIME.

AND SO PROGRAMS LIKE THAT AND THOSE KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY FIXES, UM, CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS CAN REFERRAL.

UM, TECH TECHNOLOGY REFERRAL FIXES WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU SEE, UM, MAYBE YOU SEE A PHYSICIAN AND THEY REFER YOU TO A, SO A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY FOR A SERVICE.

THEY CAN, THROUGH A ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, PUT THE REFERRAL, SEND THE REFERRAL TO THAT AGENCY, FOLLOW UP ON IT, KNOW WHEN THE CLIENT COMES BACK, IF THEY'VE ACCESSED IT.

UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN PROVIDE TO, UM, INTEGRATING SERVICES.

UM, THAT'S WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE.

I THINK THE SPEAKERS, AND, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL THAT FOR MY OWN EDUCATION AND THE EDUCATION OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROCESS.

WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THIS OVERNIGHT, UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF, UM, KIND OF AN END RESULT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE, UM, A DIFFERENCE TO THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES OF OUR, OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OF COURSE, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS ALL ABOUT .

UM, SO SECONDLY, WITH REGARD TO PREVIOUS REPORTS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, MENTIONED, UH, CONVERSATIONS MENTIONED, WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT PROGRAMS, AND YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED SOME, RIGHT? UM, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING MAYBE, MAYBE FOCUSED ON WHAT HAS REALLY WORKED AND WHAT WE TAKE FORWARD? I ALSO, BEFORE YOU ANSWERED THAT, I REALLY LIKE APPRECIATE THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, UM MM-HMM.

, I GUESS IT'S, UM, CENTERS.

CENTERS, RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE THAT, I THINK THAT A FAMILY CAN ATTEND THAT AND THAT COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN.

SO THAT'S EXCITING.

I GO BACK TO MY, WHAT, WHAT, HOW BEEN DOING THAT WORKS.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A, A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE, WE SEE THE IMPACT IN, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES WILL, OR A INDIVIDUAL WILL ATTEND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE OF THREE COUNSELING SESSIONS AND WE CAN SEE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DEBT, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY GOAL.

UM, BUT ALSO, UM, INCREASING CREDIT SCORES, WE'RE ABLE TO PULL CREDIT REPORTS AND, UM, AND EVEN SAVINGS.

AND SO WE ENCOURAGE, EVEN WHEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF DEBT, WE'RE STILL ENCOURAGING SAVINGS, UM, WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT WORK.

SO THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.

I THINK PRE-K FOR SA UM, PRIMARILY SERVES LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND THEY'RE SEEING AN IMPACT THERE.

UM, THAT I, THAT YOU'VE HEARD SEVERAL TIMES AND, AND HEAD START IS ANOTHER PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE, WE ARE SEEING AN IMPACT.

WE HAVE, UM, FAR FEWER EARLY HEAD START SLOTS THAN HEAD START SLOTS, BUT WHEN, AS WE'RE ABLE TO SEE FAMILIES FROM THE TIME THEIR CHILD IS SIX WEEKS OLD UNTIL THEY'RE FIVE WEEKS OLD, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JUST SEEING THE GROWTH IN THE CHILD'S EDUCATION, UM, AND SCHOOL READINESS, BUT WE'RE SEEING THE CHANGE IN THE FAMILY.

UM, WE'VE HAD PARENTS THAT HAVE ACHIEVED DEGREES, UM, WHILE THEIR KIDS ARE ATTENDING HEAD START, UM, PARENTS WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS, UH, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SERVICES AND REDUCE THEIR DEBT AND INCREASE THEIR SAVINGS.

WE'VE ALSO HIRED HEAD START PARENTS WHO'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR, UM, C D A OR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, OR EVEN BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, UM, WE CAN IMPACT POVERTY.

I, I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT, UH, WE HAVE ALREADY A LOT OF RESOURCES AND WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS, I HOPE, WITH THIS STUDY, GREATER RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TO THE MEMBERS OR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM, BRINGING 'EM TO THE TABLE IS DIFFICULT.

ARE YOU GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S KNOCKING ON DOORS, RIGHT? GOING TO WHERE THEY ARE.

IS THAT, ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT? SO ONE IS, WE'LL BE, UH, REALLY TARGETING THAT POPULATION FOR THE ESSAY SPEAKUP SURVEY TO GET THAT INPUT.

BUT ALSO, UM, AND AGAIN, HEAD STARTS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

WE HAVE A PARENT POLICY COUNCIL, AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT COUNCIL IS MADE UP OF CURRENT HEAD START PARENTS WHO PROVIDE INPUT, UM, CONSISTENTLY REGARDING HOW THE PROGRAM IS OPERATED, WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES THEY NEED, WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES THEIR CHILDREN NEED.

UH, WE DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR SENIORS NOW.

THEY'RE NOT, UH, THERE'S NOT AN INCOME REQUIREMENT FOR SENIORS, BUT WE DO SERVE A NUMBER OF LOW INCOME SENIORS, AND THEY ALL HAVE, ALL OF OUR SENIOR CENTERS HAVE ADVISORY COUNCILS WHERE THE SENIORS CAN, UM, PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO US, AGAIN, ON THE TYPES OF SERVICES THEY WANT IN THE CENTER TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND THE, THE

[00:20:01]

SO THERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO DO THAT, AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO INCORPORATE THE CONSUMER VOICE.

AND ARE YOU PARTNERING WITH, UH, NONPROFITS TO, TO HELP GET THAT WORD OUT OR TO GET RIGHT, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE DOOR? WE ARE, WE, UM, WE WORK WITH OUR NONPROFITS, UM, EXTENSIVELY ON WHENEVER THERE'S AN INITIATIVE THAT WE WANNA PUSH INFORMATION OUT ON, THEY HELP US WITH THAT.

IF WE'RE SEEKING, UM, INFORMATION ON HOW PROGRAMS ARE IMPACTING CONSUMERS, UM, WE GO TO THE DELEGATE AGENCIES FOR THAT.

SO THEY'RE, THEY ARE A GREAT RESOURCE AND THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

MM-HMM.

, THANK YOU.

COUNCILWOMAN.

UM, COUNCILMAN PERRY, YOU GOT ANYTHING FOR US? OF COURSE.

, ABSOLUTELY.

BRING ON THE WISDOM.

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

MELODY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.

UH, AND AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE, I'M, I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN SLIDE NUMBER NINE, AND THIS KIND OF COVERS THE GAMUT OF WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT SERVICE AREAS ON, UH, WHERE WE'RE GIVING HELP, WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL RESOURCES TO, TO FOLKS HERE IN TOWN.

DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, LIKES, SIZE, CITIES THAT WE COULD BENCHMARK ON TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH IN EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE APPLYING TO THE LOCAL FOLKS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

TEXAS, I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT OTHER TEXAS BENCHMARK.

THOSE ARE WE, ARE WE, ARE WE PROVIDING MORE OR LESS THAN OTHER CITIES? AND MM-HMM.

, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR COMPARISONS ON, ON, ON, I FORGET WHICH CATEGORY IT IS, BUT WE'RE ABOUT ON PAR WITH, UH, HOUSTON AND DALLAS ALSO.

WHICH CATEGORY WAS THAT? I, I FORGET WHICH SLIDE THAT WAS.

UM, YEAH.

UH, SLIDE SEVEN, WHERE THAT WAS A FOOD STAMP THING WE'RE YES, PRETTY MUCH ON PAR WITH DALLAS AND HOUSTON.

AND, UH, IT WOULD JUST BE GREAT TO BENCHMARK ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES TO SHOW WHERE WE STACK UP.

SURE.

AND DO WE NEED TO ADD RESOURCES INTO THESE AREAS? AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I LOOK AT, UH, PARTICULARLY HOMELESSNESS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE, OR I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION SEVERAL TIMES, HOW MUCH, HOW MANY RESOURCES, LOCAL, FEDERAL, AND STATE ARE GOING TO THE HOMELAND HOMELESSNESS THING? AND I'VE, IT STARTED OUT AT 80 MILLION, THEN IT'S DOWN TO 50 MILLION, NOW IT'S DOWN TO 36 MILLION.

I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET A HANDLE ON WHAT THOSE NUMBERS MEAN AND WHAT DOES THAT INCLUDE IN THOSE NUMBERS, BECAUSE, UH, THIS FIGURE HERE, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS AND I, I THINK IT WAS HOMER THAT, UH, I ASKED AT ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING HOW MUCH TOTAL RESOURCES WE GIVE TO THE HOMELESS.

AND HE SAID 80 MILLION, AND I REMEMBER YOU SAID ONE TIME BEFORE 50 MILLION.

SO I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUR NUMBERS STRAIGHT HERE ON WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE GIVING TO THIS, TO, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HELP HELP PEOPLE OUT.

AND WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THESE NUMBERS, HOW MUCH IS THAT TOTAL, TOTAL, UH, UM, RESOURCES GOING TO THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE ON OTHER, OTHER ISSUES, HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO DOUBLE THAT? WOULD WE GET, WHAT WOULD OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT BE? WOULD BE, HOW DO WE GAUGE THIS? HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, HOMELESSNESS, AGAIN, I DON'T CARE IF WE'RE SPENDING $120 MILLION, WOULD WE REALLY REDUCE THAT, THAT NUMBER OF HOMELESS FOLKS OUT THERE AND COMMENSURATE TO THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES WE'RE PUTTING TO IT? AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THAT LINE'S GONNA STAY FLAT, AND IT'S NOT GONNA GO UP OR GO DOWN.

IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA STAY RIGHT THERE, BUT HOW MUCH MORE RESOURCES ARE YOU GONNA PUT TO THAT? AND I WOULD SUBMIT THAT THAT'S PROBABLY IN EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES, THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU GET PUT INTO IT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANY APPRECIABLE IMPROVEMENTS.

SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR TO, AGAIN, MY FAVORITE THING IS RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

MM-HMM.

, WHAT ARE WE REALLY GETTING OUT OF THIS? AND ARE WE GETTING THE HELP TO WHO NEEDS, WHO NEEDS IT? AND ARE WE GETTING THE RESULTS FROM THOSE RESOURCES BEING PUT INTO THESE CATEGORIES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I FOCUSED IN ON THIS SLIDE.

AND, UH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TECHNOLOGY WISE, RIGHT.

TO HELP HELP THIS SITUATION OUT.

SURE.

SO, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S MY BIGGEST COMMENT.

SO THANK YOU, MELODY.

THANK YOU.

THANK

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU, MS. CLAIRE.

OKAY.

UM, COUPLE THINGS.

UH, THANKS FOR, UM, THANKS FOR SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT SENIORS.

I DID READ THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT, AND I DIDN'T, I GOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT, AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T SEE OLD PEOPLE MENTIONED.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS, UM, ZEROING IN ON WAS THE SINGLE MOTHERS AND THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY, RIGHT.

TALKING POINTS.

AND SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR ABOUT THE HEAD START AND KEEP INVESTING IN STEM PROGRAMS, BUT ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT COMES TO MY ORGANIZATION, THE, THE PERSONA THAT I SEE OVER AND OVER THROUGH OUR REFERRAL IS THE GRANDPARENT RAISING A GRANDCHILD, UM, AND HOW THAT'S CONNECTED TO THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY AND THE INCARCERATION AND ALL OF THE OTHER PAIN POINTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

UH, SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO JUST FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO, TO GET IN THERE AND ROLL UP HER SLEEVES WITH, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE OVER 60 WHO ARE NOW HAVING TO GO BACK TO WORK AND LIKE REENTER SOME SORT OF PROGRAM TO, TO LEARN HOW TO USE COMPUTERS BECAUSE THEY'RE RAISING CHILDREN THAT LIKE ARE GONNA TO SCHOOL USING COMPUTERS.

UM, BECAUSE WHEN I HEAR ABOUT PROGRAMS, WHATEVER THE, WHETHER IT'S VIA REIMAGINED OR THE CCPS APP, OR THE THREE ONE ONE.ORG, IS THAT THE, IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO DO THAT, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CELL PHONE.

THERE'S ALWAYS THAT.

BUT EVEN THOUGH THERE'S THIS HUGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT NOW HAVE A CELL PHONE, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE LITERACY, RIGHT? IT'S ALWAYS BACK TO THE THREE LEGS OF THE, OF THE STOOL OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

AND THEN THE, ALSO, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POVERTY, HOW THAT RELATES TO DIGITAL INCLUSION, IS THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY CONNECTED TO THAT WITH THE FINANCIAL SECURITY PART? I RUN INTO SAN ANTONIANS ALL THE TIME, WHO, WHO WERE BORN WITH BAD CREDIT.

SO ONCE THEIR FAMILY, YOU KNOW, DESTROYED THEIR CREDIT BECAUSE POVERTY VARIED, THEN THEY START USING THEIR CHILDREN'S NAMES TO ESTABLISH CREDIT.

SO YOU, IT'S NOT HARD TO GO OUTSIDE AND RUN INTO SOMEONE THAT FOUND OUT ONCE THEY WENT TO COLLEGE THAT THEIR CREDIT HAD ALREADY BEEN RUINED.

AND IT, THERE'S NO SHAMING GOING ON WITH THAT.

IT'S JUST LIKE, THAT'S WHAT GENERATIONAL POVERTY DOES.

LIKE, THERE'S, THERE'S MULTIPLE STUDIES OUT OF BALTIMORE ABOUT THAT, THAT ISSUE AROUND FINANCIAL SECURITY.

SO THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PHONE TO GO GET INTERNET.

'CAUSE IN ORDER TO GET INTERNET, YOU HAVE TO HAVE CREDIT CARD AND EMAIL AND GOOD CREDIT.

SO THERE'S ALL THESE BARRIERS THAT I WANT US TO CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE INVITATION TO SPEAKERS.

I LOVE Y'ALL WORKING WITH NONPROFITS BECAUSE I WORK FOR NONPROFITS, SO I'M GONNA PLUG THAT IT'S HARD WORK.

UM, BUT I, I BELIEVE WE'RE DOING GOOD WORK FOR THE SPEAKERS TO CONSIDER ON THIS ISSUE.

HAVE YOU ALL CONSIDERED REACHING OUT TO JORDANA BARTON WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE? SO A WHILE BACK, SHE DID A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT AND HOW THOSE FUNDS COULD BE APPLIED TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE.

MM-HMM.

AND BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT, BUT NOT JUST BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT, LIKE ALL THE THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED HELP LIFTING UP.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW THE CITY COULD REALLY CONSIDER THE C R A CREDITS RIGHT.

TO, TO REALLY TACKLE SOME OF THESE PAIN POINTS.

THAT'S A GREAT, WE ACTUALLY, ON THE WALK OVER HERE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT REPORT.

SO, UM, WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.

AND THAT WOULD BE, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

WELL, MELODY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WHEN THE POVERTY REPORT CAME OUT, ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED THE MAYOR TO DO WAS TO TASK THIS COMMITTEE, UM, THE WAY HE WAS GONNA TASK OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, UH, POVERTY HEAVY LIFT.

AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT HE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION.

AND, UM, I, I'M EXCITED THAT THIS, THIS COMMITTEE'S GONNA HAVE A ROLE IN ATTACKING THIS PROBLEM FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE.

I, I WILL SAY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, EMILY'S HERE AND, UH, I THINK SHE WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT ALL OF THESE THREE EFFORTS THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA UNDERTAKE IN THIS COMMITTEE ARE ALL DEPENDENT UPON SOLID DATA.

AND NOT JUST HAVING A LOT OF DATA, BUT ALSO HAVING A PRETTY SOLID PLAN ON HOW WE DIGEST THAT DATA, RIGHT.

AND ACCESS THAT DATA.

AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE MORE LATER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, WHAT THE PLAN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT PURITY OF DATA, RIGHT? AND THAT WHAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE THE, IF WE'RE MAKING DATA INFORMED DECISIONS, THAT THE DATA THAT WE'RE USING IS AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.

UM, THE SECOND THING I'LL TELL YOU IS THAT IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS, BUT KEY TO ALL OF THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SERVING POOR SANTON, IS THAT WE ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT, LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN SAID, TO GO WHERE THEY ARE AND MEET THESE SAN ANTONIANS WHERE THEY ARE, AS OPPOSED TO EXPECTING THEM TO COME TO US.

UH, THE MODEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, PUT UP A CONTACT US PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE, AND THEN HOPE THAT SOMEBODY KNOWS HOW TO HOPE THAT SOMEBODY KNOWS HOW TO REACH IT AND HOPE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE ALL THEIR WAY TO THERE, OR AT LEAST DISCOVER IT.

UM, THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T WORK.

UH, AND INSTEAD GOING TO THEM WHERE THEY ARE, WHEREVER THEY ARE, UM, IS THE SOLUTION TO MAKING SURE THAT WE EXPOSE, UH, THEM TO ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE OFFER.

BUT AT, AT THE SAME TIME, GOING TO THEM MEANS THAT

[00:30:01]

AND TAKE IN THEIR SUGGESTIONS.

WE MAY THINK WE KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT THEY KNOW, UM, EVERYTHING, UH, ACCORDING TO THE LENS THAT THEY SEE THE WORLD THROUGH, RIGHT? AND LASTLY, UM, NOT ONLY ARE WE PREPARED TO LISTEN TO THEM, BUT DO SOMETHING WITH WHAT WE HEAR FROM THEM.

UH, AND SO I'LL BE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCORPORATE INTO ALL OF THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ENGAGEMENT PIECE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AS ROBUST AS THE SUBSTANTIVE SERVICES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THINKING OF OFFERING.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, MELODY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR HELP.

UM, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, THE NEXT PRESENTATION.

[3. 20-2231 Staff briefing on the Open Checkbook effort. [Troy Elliott, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance Department]]

AND SO LET ME TEE THIS UP.

WHO'S GONNA BE GIVING US THAT ONE? IS THAT, UH, TROY? TROY, YEAH.

TROY, COME ON UP.

UM, LEMME TEE THIS UP.

UH, ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I GOT TO SPEND SOME TIME IN DENVER AND MEET WITH SOME, UH, OF THEIR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THERE.

AND THEY WERE VERY EXCITED, UM, TO SHOW OFF THEIR, WHAT THEY CALLED THEIR DIGITAL CHECKBOOK OR THEIR MUNICIPAL CHECKBOOK.

AND IT WAS THEIR NEW TRANSPARENCY TOOL, UM, THAT THEY'D IMPLEMENTED THAT HAD JUST BECOME VERY POPULAR.

AND THERE'S BEING USED BY A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER CITIES AND, YOU KNOW, BEING COPIED BY OTHER CITIES AS A WAY TO ENHANCE PUBLIC TRUST.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE THEORY IN, IN DENVER WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO HAVE A, A, A DYNAMIC GREAT CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE COMPONENT OF THAT, OR ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE INGREDIENTS TO THAT RECIPE WAS, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC TRUST, RIGHT? AND TRANSPARENCY.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ASSUME THAT GOOD GOVERNMENT WAS MORE ACCOUNTABLE, MORE OPEN AND MORE ACCESSIBLE, WELL THEN YOU HAD TO BE MORE OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.

AND ONE THING THAT GOVERNMENTS WERE, HAVE NOTORIOUSLY ALWAYS BEEN BAD AT IS JUST PROVIDING, UM, INFORMATION AND OTHER INFORMS OTHER THAN SPREADSHEETS.

UH, YOU KNOW, AND SO RIGHT NOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO FIND OUT HOW IS THE CITY SPENDING MONEY, IF CLAYTON PERRY SAYS, LOOK, I WANNA FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ALL THIS MONEY WE'RE SPENDING GOES TO REALLY DO A, A RETURN ON INVESTMENT ANALYSIS, IT'S HARD TO FIND THAT DATA IF YOU'RE NOT A CITY COUNCIL PERSON WITH A STAFF WHO CAN GO DIG IT UP FOR YOU.

UM, AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

SO I ASKED YOU ALL TO LOOK AT IT AND, UM, YOU, YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING US THAT PRESENTATION NOW, SO THANK YOU.

WE ARE, AND, AND FORTUNATELY WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE BRIAN DILLARD AND CRAIG AROUND BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE KIND OF INNOVATIVE BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A SPREADSHEET, AND, YOU KNOW, ME BEING AN ACCOUNTANT, THAT'S WHAT YOU, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.

SO HOPEFULLY TODAY WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH A KIND OF A NEW WAY TO BE TRANSPARENT, UM, AND PROVIDE AND HIT SOME OF THOSE MAIN GOALS AS FAR AS HOW TO MAKE IT USEFUL, HOW TO MAKE IT FLEXIBLE, AND HOW TO MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR, UM, OUR CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO.

UM, AND TODAY, EXACTLY LIKE YOU JUST SAID, CHAIR, UM, OUR OPEN CHECKBOOK IS A SERIES OF SPREADSHEETS.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S OUT THERE TODAY, YOU HAVE BASICALLY STARTING IN 2014 BY MONTH, YOU HAVE SEPARATE SPREADSHEETS OUT THERE THAT ACTUALLY ARE A CHECK REGISTER THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHO WE PAY, HOW MUCH WE PAY, AND WHEN WE PAY IT, THEY'RE VISIBLE.

IT'S, IT'S, UM, PLAIN VANILLA, IT'S NOT VERY FLEXIBLE, AND IT'S HARD TO GET TO.

SO HOPEFULLY, UM, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THAT HERE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES, KIND OF DRILLING DOWN.

AND WHEN YOU ACTUALLY DRILL DOWN INTO ONE OF THOSE LINKS, WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY IS THE PAYMENT DATE.

YOU HAVE OUR PAYEE, YOU HAVE THE PAYMENT METHOD, AND YOU HAVE THE PAYMENT AMOUNT.

AND QUITE HONESTLY, PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THOSE FIELDS AREN'T VERY USEFUL TO OUR CITIZENS WHEN WE PAY THE BILLS.

I'M NOT SURE THEY CARE.

THEY PROBABLY CARE THE YEAR WE PAY OR THE MONTH THEY, WHAT THE PAYMENT METHOD IS.

IS IT A CHECK, IS IT A C H PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF RELEVANCE OR PROBABLY OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED INTO THOSE.

AND THAT ACTUALLY, THOSE TWO CATEGORIES MAY ALSO PROVIDE SOME, UM, SOME FRAUD RISK.

UM, AND WHAT WE WANT TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE IN THE FUTURE CHECKBOOK IS REALLY PROTECTING OUR VENDOR INFORMATION AND PROTECTING THE CITY FROM FRAUD SO THAT A PERSON CAN'T USE THIS INFORMATION, UM, TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP A PERSONA, OUR FISH, UM, AND COME IN AND ACTUALLY, UM, BASICALLY STAND IN THE SHOES OF A VENDOR, UH, AND SAY, HEY, I'M X, Y, Z VENDOR AND, UM, I NEED TO CHANGE MY PAYMENT DETAILS.

AND SO HERE WE GO.

SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THAT A LITTLE BIT, UM, TO ACTUALLY PROTECT THE VENDOR'S INFORMATION AND OUR, UM, AND THE CITY, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT THROUGH A TOOL THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

AND SO THROUGH THE OPEN CHECKBOOK OF THE FUTURE, WE'RE GONNA ADD THE CHECKBOOK REGISTRY TO OPENGOV, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ALLOW MORE VISIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND ADDITIONAL FILTERING OPTIONS SO THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PUBLIC CAN EASILY SEARCH FOR THE DATA THEY NEED.

THIS WILL KIND OF SHOW YOU KIND OF ONE SCREEN.

THE NEXT THREE SCREENS WILL KINDA SHOW YOU HOW THE DATA WILL PRE BE PRESENTED AND BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SO THE NEW CHECKBOOK DATA IS GOING TO HAVE THE FISCAL YEAR ONLY,

[00:35:01]

IT WILL HAVE THE MONTH IN WHICH IT WAS ACTUALLY ISSUED.

IT WILL HAVE THE PAYEE AND THE SERVICE.

AND I THINK THIS IS, THE SERVICE IS PROBABLY THE MOST VALUABLE TO OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR.

IS IT A CONTRACTUAL SERVICE? IS IT A GOOD, IS IT CONSTRUCTION? SO KIND OF GIVE THEM THAT FLEXIBILITY AND THAT ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY BUYING, UM, FROM OUR VENDORS.

AND OF COURSE THE PAYMENT AMOUNT.

UM, THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FILTERABLE, SEARCHABLE, AND DOWNLOADABLE BY OUR CONSTITUENTS WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT.

VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.

BUT ON THE NEXT SCREEN, PROVIDE THEM SOME GRAPHICAL VISUALIZATION THAT'S NOT THERE TODAY.

AND THIS IS ONE, ONE SCREEN THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY, IT'S A LITTLE, UM, GIVES THEM SOME FLEXIBILITY AT SOME OF THE DROPDOWN FIELDS.

THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEARCH BY FISCAL YEAR, UH, THROUGH A GRAPHICAL VISUAL VISUALIZATION THROUGH MONTH, THE PAYMENT AMOUNT.

AND THEN WITHIN EACH OF THOSE BARS, THEY ACTUALLY DRILL DOWN INTO THE TYPE OF PAYMENTS AND THE PAYEES OR THE SERVICE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY MORE FOR SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY WANTS TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OR HARDCORE USER, UM, NOT REAL FRIENDLY.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY ON THE NEXT SCREEN TO BASICALLY PROVIDE PRE-DEFINED AND CONFIGURABLE VIEWS TO TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT SERVICES ARE WE PAYING FOR MONTH? SO THEY CLICK ON THAT LINK, IT'LL BRING UP THE, UM, INFORMATION IN A GRAPHICAL REP, UH, REPRESENTATION OR VISUALIZATION THAT ACTUALLY SAYS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PAYING.

AND YOU CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THAT DETAIL.

YOU CAN ALSO DO SUMMARIES BY DISBURSEMENT BY MONTH, AND THEN WHO IS RECEIVING PAYMENTS? AND THIS IS ALL PURELY CONFIGURABLE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DEFINE AND ACTUALLY PRESENT OUT THERE ON THE WEB.

SO THAT IS A REAL SHORT PRESENTATION CHAIR, BUT THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE PLAN ON GOING.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THIS ACTUALLY DEFINED AND AVAILABLE BY OCTOBER.

THERE IS SOME DATA CLEANSING THAT WE NEED TO DO ON THE BACKEND TO MAKE THIS AVAILABLE.

UM, IF THERE'S ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE, THEN WE'D BE GLAD TO HEAR THAT AND TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILWOMAN HDA HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.

THANK YOU.

ON SLIDE SIX, UM, YOU NOTICED, AND YOU NOTED THE SERVICE CATEGORY THAT YOU ADDED.

JUST READING THROUGH THAT, IT'S NOT, UM, TERRIBLY SPECIFIC.

IF YOU'RE A GENERAL COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT'S READING THAT YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WOW BRANDING, WHAT, WHAT PROJECT THEY, THEY, UM, BUILD FOR.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO ADD MORE SPECIFICITY TO THE, WE LOOKED AT THAT, AND AS YOU DRILL DOWN INTO THE DATA, IT DOES BECOME, THERE'S, THERE AREN'T A LOT OF STANDARDS TO ACTUALLY DEFINE WHAT THE SERVICE THAT'S BEING PROVIDED ON OUR CONTRACTS TO START WITH.

WE THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT STARTING PLACE BECAUSE THERE IS SOME, THERE'S SOME STANDARDIZATION AROUND THE DATA AT OUR GENERAL LEDGER LEVEL, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPLORING ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS ACTUALLY TAKING IT OUT TO MORE DESCRIPTIVE.

BUT THIS, I THINK IS A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR US AND A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE PRESENT TODAY.

I AGREE.

YEAH.

IT, IT'S JUST, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE MORE TOWARDS A PLACE WHERE MORE, UM, THE, THE SERVICE IS MORE DESCRIPTIVE.

IT, IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF MEANING WHEN YOU JUST READ RENTAL OF OTHER EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? UM, BUT IF WE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION NOW THAT WE'VE CREATED THAT, THAT CATEGORY, I THINK, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING CERTAINLY WE CAN DO.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK ON THAT, UM, ON STANDARDIZATION OF THAT DATA AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY ENTERING THEIR CONTRACTS, THERE'S A STANDARD WAY TO DO THAT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

AH, THANK YOU SIR.

TROY, THIS IS GREAT.

I THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT THOUGH.

UH, YOU, YOU SAID THAT THIS IS, YOU CAN SORT IT ANY KIND OF WAY OR, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUP.

I'M ASSU ASSUMING YOU COULD, LIKE ON SLIDE FOUR, I COULD GO TO CLARK CONSTRUCTION.

WOULD I HAVE TO, COULD I CLICK ON THAT AND IT WOULD SORT ALL THE PAYMENTS THAT WENT TO CLARK CONSTRUCTION? OR, I MEAN, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU GROUP OR HOW COULD I GO IN AND, AND GROUP, LET'S SAY TO CLARK OR ANY, ANY OFFICE DEPOT OR ANYTHING TO SHOW WHAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THEM OR PAID TO THEM OVER TIME IN THE FUTURE? YOU'LL CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

TODAY IT'S SOMEWHAT LIMITED BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE DATA OUT ON THE, UM, THE WEB THAT'S CATEGORIZED BY MONTH BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY SEARCH WITHIN A CERTAIN MONTH.

TO DO THAT TODAY, YOU'D HAVE TO DOWNLOAD EVERY MONTH INDIVIDUALLY.

YEAH.

AGGREGATE IT AND FILTER IT.

BUT IN THE FUTURE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT BY PAYEE BY THE CATEGORIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ALSO BY THE YEAR AND THE MONTH.

SO YOU WILL HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO ACTUALLY CATEGORIZE IT, UM, FILTER IT AND ACTUALLY VISUALLY DISPLAY IT, UM, MONTH OVER MONTH.

AND THEN YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT IF YOU NEED TO AS WELL.

GOT YOU.

OKAY.

GREAT.

UH, WHEN, WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO BE? AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE SOME DATA CLEANSING THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE BACK END, AND WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY FINALIZE THE DESIGN.

IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO MOVE IN, WE'LL CERTAINLY DO THAT.

WE'RE THINKING PROBABLY THE SEPTEMBER OCTOBER TIMEFRAME WILL BE READY FOR PRIME TIME.

YOU MEAN DESIGN, ARE WE DOING THIS IN-HOUSE OR HAVE WE CONTRACTED THIS OUT? THIS IS IN-HOUSE.

THIS

[00:40:01]

AND SO WORKING WITH THEM TO ACTUALLY CONFIGURE THE MODULE AND WHAT YOU SAW TODAY ON THAT ONE SLIDE, I THINK IT WAS ON SLIDE SEVEN, IS ACTUALLY KIND OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

AND WE'LL BE FURTHER REFINING THAT.

I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR US IS ACTUALLY CLEANSING THE DATA ON THE BACKEND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT'S BEING SHOWED IS PRESENTABLE.

NOW THAT, THAT SLIDE LOOKS GREAT, UM, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU'RE GONNA BE CATEGORIZING OR GROUPING, UM, THE PAYEES ON THIS, IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE, SHOW THAT, SHOW THAT IN SOME A, A METRIC SHOWING HOW THE LINE GOES, IS IT GOING UP OR DOWN OR STAYING THE SAME ACROSS TIME, THAT KIND OF THING.

AND IT DOES HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO IT VISUALLY.

OKAY.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, ON THAT SLIDE, IF YOU WANTED TO SEE PAYEES BY MONTH, IT ACTUALLY, UM, YOU SEE WITHIN EACH OF THOSE BAR GRAPHS, YOU SEE A DIFFERENT LINE OR SLICE FOR THE PAYEE, AND THEN YOU CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THE PAYEE AND GET MORE DETAIL AS WELL.

OKAY.

SO YOU MADE AN INTERESTING COMMENT SOMEWHERE HERE ABOUT, UH, UH, IT'S KIND OF TALKING ABOUT SECURITY AND WITH THIS KIND OF INFORMATION OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THERE'S NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK.

ANY SECURITY ISSUES WITH THAT ON TRYING TO HACK IN OR GO THROUGH A, A BACK DOOR OR WHATEVER TO, UM, GET TO THESE PAYMENTS THAT ARE GOING OUT TO THESE, THESE VENDORS? THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A SECURITY ISSUE AND PROBABLY MORE SOMETHING FOR CRAIG TO SPEAK WITH, BUT THIS ACTUALLY RESIDES SEPARATE FROM OUR S A P FINANCIAL DATA FROM THE ACTUAL DATABASE.

OKAY.

SO IF YOU GOT TO IT, YOU COULDN'T ACTUALLY GET INTO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION ON THE BACK END.

IT'S SEGREGATED SEPARATELY.

OKAY.

AND, UH, EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.

WHO, WHO'S WHO, WHO WILL, WHO WILL BE USING THIS? ACTUALLY THIS WILL BE A TOOL THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC.

UM, IT'LL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE WITHIN PROBABLY TWO TO THREE CLICKS TO ACTUALLY DRILL DOWN AND ACCESS THIS INFORMATION.

UM, IT'S A TOOL USEFUL PROBABLY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS TO SEE IF THERE'S AN INTEREST IN A PARTICULAR VENDOR PAYEE AMOUNT CATEGORY THAT WE PAY.

UM, AND IT'S, UM, AND THIS, ACTUALLY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY STARTED WAY BACK WITH THE ORIGINAL IN 2014 WITH THE, UH, COMPTROLLER'S TRANSPARENCY.

UM, THERE WAS AN AWARD THAT THEY PROVIDED US AND WE ACTUALLY, THAT'S WHERE THE CURRENT TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE CAME FROM.

UM, BUT MOSTLY IT'S GONNA BE USED FOR THE PUBLIC.

HOW MANY INQUIRIES DO YOU GET? NOW, I'M ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO CALL OR SEND IN A REQUEST TO GET THIS KIND OF INFORMATION THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT.

JUST THE SPREADSHEET FORM THAT I SHOWED ON SLIDE FOUR IS AVAILABLE.

AND, AND IF THEY WANT INFORMATION ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO SEND IN AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST.

AND HOW MANY DO WE GET A YEAR? UH, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO, TO GUESS.

UM, AS FAR AS THE HITS ON THE WEB, COULDN'T TELL YOU AS FAR AS ACCESS TO INFORMATION.

I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET THAT.

OKAY.

WELL, I'M, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE SPENDING ON THIS? IT'S AN IN-HOUSE PROGRAM, BUT STILL WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT ON IT SO FAR, AND HOW MUCH MORE TO GO? THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN, AND AGAIN, I'LL DEFER TO CRAIG, HE'S NOT HERE, BUT FOR THE MODULE, WE ALREADY OWN IT.

UM, SO THE MOST OF IT'S GONNA BE IN-HOUSE STAFF RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE DEDICATED TO IT.

RIGHT.

WELL, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ARE WE REALLY SPENDING ON, ON THIS PROGRAM? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE INTERESTING OVER TIME TO FIND OUT IS ANYBODY ACTUALLY USING IT? DID WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO HAVE A, A G WHIZZ PROGRAM OUT THERE? BUT NOBODY'S REALLY USING IT, SO I'D LIKE TO TRACK THAT NUMBER.