* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:02]
          ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. 
          UM, THE TIME IS 9:06 AM ON THIS AUGUST 11TH. 
          UM, GO AHEAD AND COUNT. 
          CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL, UH, WORK SESSION TO ORDER. 
          UH, MADAM CLERK COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. 
          HERE. 
          HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. 
          HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA. 
          HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. 
          PRESENT. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER VEO HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL PRESENT. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER PALATES HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE. 
          AND MAYOR BERG HERE. 
          MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD MORNING 
          [1. 20-4645 Briefing on a proposed ballot initiative to provide a 1/8 cent sales tax for workforce development and higher education under Chapter 379A of the Texas Local Government Code. [Carlos Contreras, Assistant City Manager; Alejandra Lopez, Director, Economic Development]]
EVERYONE. 
          UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON OUR MORNING AGENDA TODAY. 
          UM, THUS BEGINS OUR BRIEF TWO A DAYS, UH, DURING BUDGET SESSION. 
          UM, SO, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET RIGHT TO IT. 
          I'LL, UH, TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER. 
          MORNING MAYOR. 
          COUNCIL. 
          UH, THIS MORNING'S PRESENTATION BY ALEX, UH, IS A CONTINUATION FROM, UM, FROM LAST WEEK'S PRESENTATION ON A PROPOSED ONE EIGHT SALES TAX, UH, INITIATIVE TO FUND WORKFORCE TRAINING AND, UH, LAST DOLLAR TUITION. 
          UH, ALEX, ALEX WILL FOCUS, UH, HER HER PRESENTATION THIS MORNING ON THE POLICY ISSUES THAT THE COUNCIL RAISED LAST WEEK. 
          WE ALSO SENT, UH, UH, OUT A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL MEMO TO THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY ON, ON, UH, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK. 
          WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM, UM, THE, THE, UH, MEREDITH LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE ON THE WEBEX, ALSO IN CASE THERE'S QUESTIONS. 
          AND, UM, JUST ANOTHER REMINDER ALEX WILL MENTION IN THE PRESENTATION, WE HAVE THIS ITEM SCHEDULED ON OUR A SESSION, UH, FOR THIS, UM, THURSDAY FOR THE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION TO PLACE IT ON THE NOVEMBER, 2020 BALLOT. 
          WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ALEX. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UM, TODAY'S BRIEFING IS STRUCTURED TO PROVIDE MORE RESPONSES AND DETAILS, UH, TO THE MAJOR THEMES COMMUNICATED DURING LAST B SET DURING THE LAST B SESSION, LIKE THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          BUT BEFORE WE START, UH, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE, WHICH BUILDS ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PILLAR. 
          WITHIN THE RECOVERY PLAN. 
          THE INITIATIVE WILL SUPPORT BOTH WORKFORCE TRAINING AND TWO AND FOUR YEAR DEGREES. 
          UM, PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO HELP NAVIGATE BARRIERS AND PROMOTE TRAINING AND DEGREE COMPLETION. 
          THEY'LL ALSO RECEIVE REFERRALS TO AVAILABLE SOCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING CHILDCARE AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE, ALONG WITH EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNEXPECTED EXPENSES THAT CAN COMPROMISE A PARTICIPANT'S ABILITY TO FOCUS ON TRAINING COMPLETION. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          DURING LAST WEEK'S BRIEFING, THE QUESTION OF GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE WAS A COMMON THEME. 
          UM, THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE IS ACTUALLY A RESULT OF THE FUNDING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND DEGREE COMPLETION. 
          CHAPTER 3 79 A OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES PROVIDES FOR THE USE OF MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS TO UNDERTAKE THE VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS LISTED ON THIS SLIDE. 
          IN 20 20 12, THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE CREATION OF THE SAN ANTONIO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS CHARGED WITH DEVELOPING EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT SAME YEAR. 
          VOTERS APPROVED AN EIGHTH OF A CENT SALES TAX FOR PRE-K FOR SA, AND CITY COUNCIL HAS CALLED AN ELECTION FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE TAX FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT YEARS, STARTING IN 2021. 
          WHILE CHAPTER 3 79 A ALLOWS FOR MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS TO CONDUCT A VARIETY OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS, MUNICIPALITIES ARE LIMITED TO CREATING ONLY ONE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          FOR THAT REASON, THE PROPOSED SALES TAX REVENUE WILL STILL FLOW THROUGH THE EXISTING MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH WE COMMONLY REFER TO AS THE PRE-K BOARD. 
          AND ALTHOUGH CITY COUNCIL STILL APPOINTS THE PRE-K BOARD AND APPROVES ITS BUDGET FOR PURPOSES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, THE PRE-K BOARD WOULD ACTUALLY CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          CITY COUNCIL WOULD THEN DIRECTLY SET POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WORKFORCE PROGRAM, AND THE CITY MANAGER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THERE WAS ALSO QUESTIONS LAST WEEK REGARDING 
          [00:05:01]
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE. 
          IN ACTUALITY, WE'RE ALREADY ESTABLISHING A VALUABLE COLLABORATIVE NETWORK OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS THROUGH THE RECOVERY PLAN. 
          AND SIMILAR TO THAT PLAN, THIS INITIATIVE WILL INCLUDE INTAKE ASSESSMENT AND REFERRAL SERVICES. 
          THIS APPROACH FOCUSES ON THE RESIDENTS UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND POTENTIAL FOR SKILLED DEVELOPMENT. 
          A POTENTIAL NEW PARTNER TO THIS WORK WOULD BE CAFE COLLEGE. 
          GIVEN THE ADDITION OF TWO AND FOUR YEAR DEGREES AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE UPGRADE PROGRAM, WHICH FOCUSES ON HELPING RESIDENTS WITH SOME COLLEGE CREDIT, COMPLETE DEGREES, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO WILL REMAIN A KEY PARTNER AS THEY ALLOW FOR DIRECT ACCESS TO JOB SEEKERS, UM, THROUGH WE THROUGH WHICH WE CAN INTENTIONALLY MARKET AND OUTREACH TO TARGET POPULATIONS. 
          OUR RECOVERY PLAN PARTNERS ALSO INCLUDE VARIOUS TRAINING PROVIDERS, MOST NOTABLY ALAMO COLLEGES, AS TRAINING OPTIONS WITH PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS PROVIDE FOR A COST-EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE WITH BOTH EFFICIENCIES AND CAPACITY TO SCALE TRAINING OPTIONS WILL BE EXPANDED TO DIRECTLY INCLUDE OTHER HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS. 
          AGAIN, GIVEN THE INCLUSION, THE INCLUSION OF DEGREE PROGRAMS INTO THIS INITIATIVE, ALONG WITH OTHER INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAMS SUCH AS TEXAS FAME, THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE MUCH SMALLER NUMBERS, UM, BUT ARE QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN COMPLETION AND JOB PLACEMENT RATES, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY THE MOST IMPORTANT OUTCOME IN THIS INITIATIVE. 
          THE JOB PLACEMENT FUNCTION IS NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT IN THIS INITIATIVE, THOUGH, GIVEN TODAY'S ECONOMIC REALITIES. 
          MAINTAINING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT ULTIMATELY CONNECTS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO JOBS. 
          EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FACILITATED THROUGH TRAINING PROVIDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SA WORKS ARE A VALUABLE ADDITION TO A PARTICIPANT'S RESUME IN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. 
          AND THERE'S THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS ALSO PROVIDE KEY ACCESS TO EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR RECOVERY INITIATIVE OF OUR WORKFORCE INITIATIVE WILL BE LARGELY INFORMED AND BUILD UPON OUR RECOVERY PLAN WHILE CAPITALIZING ON EFFICIENCIES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          LAST WEEK, THERE WAS ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TARGET POPULATION TO BE SERVED THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE AND HOW WE CAN INTENTIONALLY DESIGN IT TO SERVE THOSE RESIDENTS MOST IN NEED, EVEN BEFORE COVID. 
          THIS CHART SHOWS INCOME LEVELS FOR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT SINCE MID-MARCH, THROUGH EARLY JULY. 
          THE CHART ALSO SHOWS RESIDENTS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BASED ON THOSE INCOME LEVELS ACROSS ALL INCOME LEVELS, BUT MOST NOTABLY AMONG THOSE WITH THE LOWEST INCOME, WE SEE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF RESIDENTS WITH HIGH SCHOOL OR EQUIVALENCY, FOLLOWED BY SOME COLLEGE CREDIT, BUT NO DEGREE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THIS IS OUR TARGET POPULATION. 
          WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 44,000 RESIDENTS THAT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL OR HAVE SOME COLLEGE CREDIT, BUT WE'RE STILL EARNING LESS THAN $10,000 A YEAR. 
          WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 24,000 RESIDENTS WITH SIMILAR EDUCATION LEVELS THAT WE'RE ONLY EARNING BETWEEN 11,020 $1,000 FOR REFERENCE. 
          THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AND IN IS $13,000. 
          SO THIS POPULATION WAS ALREADY STRUGGLING BEFORE COVID, AND IT'S WHO OUR PLAN WILL TARGET THROUGH THIS WORKFORCE INITIATIVE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          ANOTHER THEME OF QUESTIONS LAST WEEK WAS AROUND COMMUNITY OR PARTICIPANT ENGAGEMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INITIATIVES, SPECIFICALLY THE WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM CPPS METRO AND FROM THE UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION, BOTH STRONG VOICES FOR WORKERS AND FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          THEY PROVIDED VALUABLE FEEDBACK TO ENSURE THE INITIATIVES WERE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE PARTICIPANT SUCCESS, NOT JUST BY COMPLETING TRAINING, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AND ACCESSING CAREERS AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. 
          IN ADDITION, AS PART OF THE WORKFORCE OF PILLAR IN THE RECOVERY PLAN, WE'LL ALSO BE CONDUCTING DIRECT RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW BOTH THE EXISTING PROGRAM AND THIS PROPOSED INITIATIVE CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO BETTER SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          COUNCIL WAS ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND METRICS FOR THE INITIATIVE. 
          THE LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED VERY AGGRESSIVE GOALS, UNDERSTANDING THESE ARE ASPIRATIONAL IN NATURE. 
          THE GOAL FOR CERTIFICATE AND DEGREE COMPLETION ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DEGREE COMPLETION WILL TAKE MORE TIME, AND IT DEPENDS ON THE CREDITS A PARTICIPANT ALREADY HAS WHEN THEY ENTER THE PROGRAM. 
          UM, AN 80 TO 90% JOB PLACEMENT RATE IS VERY HIGH, BUT THIS IS A 
          [00:10:01]
KEY COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM, UM, AS IS WORKFORCE RETENTION, WHICH WE WILL MEASURE AT THE ONE YEAR MARK AFTER A PARTICIPANT COMPLETES THE PROGRAM. 
          FROM AN OUTCOMES PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE SETTING A HIGH EXPECTATION FOR WAGE INCREASES, AND IF WE FOCUS ON THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED TARGET POPULATIONS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECREASE OUR POVERTY RATE AND EMERGE FROM THIS CRISIS MUCH STRONGER THAN BEFORE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THE IDEA OF INCLUDING APPRENTICESHIPS AS A TRAINING OPTION WAS ALSO REFERENCED LAST WEEK. 
          THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RIGOR ASSOCIATED WITH APPRENTICESHIPS, AND SOME MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTRATION PROGRAM THAT REQUIRES SPECIFIC TRAINING STANDARDS. 
          SOME OF THE COMMON FIELDS CONSIDERED OPTIMUM FOR THIS TYPE OF TRAINING ARE ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS. 
          YOU'VE GOT LAND SURVEYORS AND EVEN PHARMACY TECHNICIANS, BUT AT ITS CORE, AN APPRENTICESHIP BASICALLY COMBINES PAID ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WITH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. 
          AND WHILE THIS TERM MAY NOT BE COMMONLY USED BY EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS THAT STILL FIT THIS MODEL. 
          EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING WAS A VALUABLE ELEMENT HIGHLIGHTED BY THE LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE, AND AN OPTION FOR INCLUSION IN THIS INITIATIVE COULD BE TO WORK WITH EMPLOYERS THAT PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF TRAINING TO RECEIVE FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR PARTICIPANT TUITION. 
          HOWEVER, SOME ITEMS TO CONSIDER WHEN DOING SO WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THE SKILLS LEARNED, UM, WOULD BE TRANSFERABLE TO VARIOUS EMPLOYERS AND NOT UNIQUE TO SPECIFIC COMPANY, AS THIS WOULD LIMIT A PARTICIPANT'S EMPLOYMENT. 
          OPTIONS ON THE JOB TRAINING IS ALREADY AN OPTION, UM, IN THE RECOVERY PLAN, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OPTIONS TO INCORPORATE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THIS WORKFORCE INITIATIVE AS WELL. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THERE WAS ALSO A NUMBER OF COMMENTS LAST WEEK IN RELATION TO PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS. 
          AT A MINIMUM RESIDENCY WITHIN SAN ANTONIO WILL BE A REQUIREMENT. 
          UM, PARTICIPANTS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS TOWARDS TRAINING AND DEGREE COMPLETION, SIMILAR TO THOSE EXPECTATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND. 
          COMPLETION TIMELINES SHOULD CONSIDER ADDITIONAL FACTORS SUCH AS PARTICIPANTS WORKING WHILE TRAINING. 
          ANOTHER CONSIDERATION MENTIONED LAST WEEK WAS THE REQUIREMENT FOR PARTICIPANTS TO WORK WITH SAN ANTONIO FOR A PARTICULAR TIME PERIOD, OR, UM, REPAYMENT OF TUITION. 
          IF TRAINING IS NOT COMPLETED. 
          THE LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF PENALIZING PARTICIPANTS FOR FAILING TO COMPLETE TRAINING AS EVEN WITH WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, NUMEROUS BARRIERS MAY STILL PREVENT PARTICIPANTS FROM COMPLETING ALSO, MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES MAY PRESENT THEMSELVES AND THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF REPAYING TUITION COSTS SHOULDN'T PREVENT PARTICIPANTS FROM ACCESSING THESE CAREERS. 
          WE DID FIND AN EXAMPLE IN THE NEW YORK STATE PROMISE TYPE PROGRAM WHERE TUITION ASSISTANCE RECEIVED BY PARTICIPANTS THAT TAKE EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE OF THE STATE REVERTS TO A ZERO INTEREST LOAN. 
          BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE GEOGRAPHIES BETWEEN OUR TWO PROGRAMS ARE VERY DIFFERENT, AND THAT MONITORING FOR EMPLOYMENT LOCATION FOR 40,000 PARTICIPANTS AND, UH, POTENTIALLY ADMINISTERING LOAN REPAYMENT FUNCTIONS CAN REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL OVERHEAD EXPENSES. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSION ABOUT EXPECTATIONS FROM OUR PARTNERS. 
          AND WHILE THESE PARTNERS WILL BE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH HELPING US ACHIEVE THE METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH TRAINING AND DEGREE COMPLETION AND EVEN JOB PLACEMENT, THEY'RE ALSO STILL GOING TO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH DELIVERABLES SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE RECOVERY PLAN. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          THE FINAL COMMON AND CONSISTENT THEME HEARD LAST WEEK WAS THE NEED FOR INDUSTRY COMMITMENT TO ACCOMPANY THIS PUBLIC INVESTMENT. 
          FROM THE INITIAL MEETINGS OF THE TASK FORCE, WE SAW COMMITMENT FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS TO COLLABORATE WITH TRAINING PROVIDERS TO IDENTIFY AND DESIGN TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THEIR, THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. 
          THIS COLLABORATION EXTENDS TO PROMOTING JOB OPPORTUNITIES, NOT JUST AFTER SOMEONE COMPLETES TRAINING, BUT ALONG THE WAY. 
          AS LAST WEEK, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBERS  MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THE NETWORKS ARE JUST AS CRITICAL IN LANDING THE JOB. 
          AND LASTLY, WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE, UM, WAS THEIR COMMITMENT TO HIRE PARTICIPANTS FROM THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION AND COMMITMENT THEY CAN MAKE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          IN CLOSING, YOU SEE THAT THIS IS OUR SECOND BRIEFING AND OUR NEXT MILESTONE WILL BE THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION THIS THURSDAY, UH, TO CALL THE 
          [00:15:01]
SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THIS INITIATIVE. 
          UM, AND WITH THAT, MY COLLEAGUES FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, UH, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE, ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, ALEX AND TO OUR CITY STAFF FOR WORKING VERY HARD ON THIS. 
          UM, I WANNA THANK OUR COLLEAGUES ALSO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROSA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, AND I'LL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO THEM BRIEFLY. 
          I DO WANNA MAKE MENTION, THOUGH, UH, WE DO HAVE OUR PARTNERS HERE AT THE TABLE. 
          UH, WE HAVE DR. 
          FLORES, WHO'S THE CHANCELLOR OF H C C D. 
          WE HAVE, UH, DR. 
          CYNTHIA MATSON, PRESIDENT OF TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO, AND DR. 
          TAYLOR. 
          AMY, I BELIEVE IS EITHER HERE OR ON THE WAY, UH, PRESIDENT OF U T S A. 
          WE ALSO HAVE KEVIN VOGEL, UH, PRESIDENT, C E O OF TEXAS TOYOTA MANUFACTURING, UH, HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, WHO'S BEEN DOING AN ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS JOB WITH PULLING THIS TOGETHER WITH US AS WELL. 
          SO ALL OF THEM ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. 
          WE HAD A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION YESTERDAY IN OUR WORK SESSION, UH, THAT I'M SURE OUR COLLEAGUES WILL TALK ABOUT. 
          UH, ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION, UH, ONE OF THE THEMES OF OUR PREVIOUS WORK SESSION WAS THE, UH, LEVEL OF COMMITMENTS FROM THE INDUSTRY TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS THAT MATRICULATED OUT OF THIS PROGRAM END UP FINDING THEMSELVES IN GAINFUL JOBS WITH OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS. 
          AND THERE WAS A RESOUNDING AND UNANIMOUS SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR THAT, UM, TO DO SO HERE IN TOWN, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS, WAS, UM, EXCELLENT. 
          AND, AND THOSE INDUSTRY LEADERS THAT ARE AT TABLE, AT THE TABLE, UH, WORKING ON THIS INITIATIVE ARE GOING TO ALSO BE, UM, GETTING THE COMMITMENTS TO THEIR COLLEAGUES AND OTHER, AND OTHER BUSINESSES AS WELL. 
          SO THIS TRULY, UM, I I WANT TO JUST SALUTE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS. 
          UM, THIS TRULY DOES CREATE A PIPELINE TO GET FOLKS THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED INTO STABLE, UH, STEADY AND SUSTAINABLE CAREERS. 
          SO, UH, INCREDIBLE WORK. 
          THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 
          LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION. 
          LET ME TURN IT OVER FIRST NOW, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRANT. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UH, AND I DO HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALEX AND THE TEAM AND CITY STAFF. 
          IT IS QUITE REMARKABLE HOW, UH, YOU ALL WORK SO QUICKLY AND REALLY YOUR EXPLANATIONS AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL PROCESS, UM, IS, IS TRULY, UM, SHOULD BE COMMENDED. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALEX. 
          UM, TO MY COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT LAST WEEK. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED QUESTIONS. 
          AND I HOPE THAT WE'VE MOVED THE NEEDLE ON SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THEM OR BRING SOME MORE INSIGHT TO YOUR QUESTIONS. 
          AND, AND ALSO THANK YOU STAFF AND TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. 
          'CAUSE EVEN YESTERDAY WHEN WE WERE ON THE CALL, MY QUESTIONS OF GOVERNANCE AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN OUR STRUCTURE, I THINK THAT'S, UM, STILL, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION HERE AND HOW WE HAVE TO DO IT PER STATE, UM, PER STATE, UH, MANDATES AND, AND RULES. 
          UM, I, I HAVE TO THANK THE, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUES ON ONE OF THE, UM, THE SLIDES WE TALKED ABOUT ARE, UM, METRICS AND, AND GOALS. 
          AND THEY ARE, WE, WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION YESTERDAY ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, AND THEY, THEY ARE HIGH, AND I THINK THEY ARE ASPIRATIONAL, BUT I THINK THEY SHOULD BE HIGH BECAUSE, UM, YES, WE ARE ON A FIXED AMOUNT OF MONEY. 
          BUT I THINK WE HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND ONE THING THAT I WILL ALWAYS, UM, WELL, I DON'T BET, BUT IF I WERE TO BET, ONE THING THAT I WOULD ALWAYS BET ON ARE THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEIR SPIRIT, THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, THEIR WORK ETHIC, AND HOW THEY WANT TO SEE, UM, BETTER AND DO BETTER. 
          SO I THINK THAT THESE GOALS WILL BE MET. 
          I THINK IT TAKES ALL OF US TO PUT SKIN IN THE GAME. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE. 
          I ALSO HAVE TO THANK ALL OF THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS WHO SAID THAT THEY WOULD SEND A LETTER THAT THEY WOULD, UM, PUSH HIRING THESE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. 
          UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I, THOSE ARE JUST MY COMMENTS, MAYOR. 
          I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, AND I HAVE TO SAY, I DO, I DO, UH, ENJOY WORKING WITH MY SOUTH SIDE SISTER ON THESE COMMITTEES. 
          UM, 'CAUSE WE HAVE GREAT CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN VIRON FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, AND THANK YOU TO THE TEAM AND CARLOS AND ALEX AND, UM, LORI AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS AND, AND 
          [00:20:01]
BEING VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          UM, I WANNA TAKE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL INCORPORATED TEXAS FAME INTO THIS. 
          I THINK, UH, SOMETIMES TEXAS FAME GETS OVERLOOKED IN, INTO GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO, AND I DO THINK THAT, UM, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ALL, UH, HAD THEM ACKNOWLEDGED IN HERE AS A POTENTIAL PARTNER. 
          I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SAY THAT I, I APPRECIATE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE, UH, THE RESIDENTS. 
          SO, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL HAD MENTIONED THE END USER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND THAT JUST RESONATED. 
          AND WE HAD IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, TALKED ABOUT THE QUALITATIVE ASPECT AND TALKING TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. 
          AND SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION, UH, TO, TO TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, WORK INTO THAT. 
          I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE DISTINGUISHED APPRENTICESHIPS FROM EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND HOW SOME PEOPLE MIGHT CONSIDER IT ONE IN THE SAME. 
          UM, WHEN I WAS REFERRING TO APPRENTICESHIPS, I WAS SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR APPRENTICESHIPS, BUT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE NOT. 
          THEY WERE REFERRING TO SOME LOCAL APPRENTICESHIPS. 
          AND I KNOW BELDEN ROOFING, FOR INSTANCE, HAS A GREAT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT THEY DO LOCALLY. 
          SO, UM, I, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND THEN THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE THOROUGH EXPLANATION ON THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SOMEONE WOULD LEAVE SAN ANTONIO. 
          I, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOCUSING ON TRANSFERABLE SKILLS THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO ONE COMPANY, BUT I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE, UM, THE TIME TO LOOK AT ZERO INTEREST LOANS AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO ACTUALLY MANAGE, UH, OR GET INTO THE BUSINESS OF BECOMING OR OF HAVING SOMEONE PAY BACK A LOAN. 
          SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND THEN ALSO ON THE PREFERENTIAL HIRING OR, UH, NOT NECESSARILY PREFERENTIAL HIRING, BUT UM, UH, AT LEAST MARKETING TOWARDS THESE, THESE FOLKS THAT ARE COMPLETING THIS. 
          I WANNA THANK THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS AT THE TABLE WHO STEPPED UP YESTERDAY AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THIS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT MY COLLEAGUES WERE LOOKING FOR THAT COMMITMENT. 
          AND YOU ALL HAVE, UM, DEFINITELY COME FORTH, UH, TO DO THAT. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL. 
          UH, MAYOR, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. 
          I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WILL BE HAVING AND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS MY COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE. 
          THANKS EVERYONE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ROSA GARCIA, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE, UM, OUR TABLET QUEUES AT THIS POINT, I'M, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO GET CREATIVE AND, AND TRY TO, UH, GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO GO, UH, IN ORDER HERE. 
          AND SO WE'RE GONNA GO DESCENDING ORDER THIS TIME, STARTING IN THE MIDDLE. 
          UH, SO LET ME GO, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GONZALEZ. 
          UM, OKAY, GOOD. 
          CAN I JUST GET MY CHECK? WE HEAR YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          UM, SO I GUESS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I HAVE, UH, SO CAN YOU GO BACK, UM, ALEX TO THE SLIDE WHERE, UM, ABOUT THE, UM, UH, TAR GROUPS AND IT SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, 10,000 OR LESS AND THEN 22,000, UM, I THINK IT'S SLIDE SIX WITH THE BAR CHARTS. 
          YEAH, YEAH, THAT ONE PLEASE. 
          HMM. 
          UM, SO AND SO UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND WAGES. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE IS MISSING FROM THE PRESENTATION, UM, I DON'T SEE A TARGETED EFFORT FOR HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS, UM, UM, WHICH WE KNOW MAKE UP THE 20% OF THE POPULATION LIVING IN POVERTY. 
          IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE CONCERNS, THEREFORE HIGH SCHOOL ATTAINMENT. 
          SO MAYBE THAT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SLIDE I WAS LOOKING FOR. 
          UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT ADDRESSED, UM, UH, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. 
          SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WHERE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A BIG GAP. 
          THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG GAP IN THAT GROUP. 
          UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT OR IF IT GOES TO ONE OF THE OTHERS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          I KNOW. 
          UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IN THE RECOVERY PLAN, THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED, UH, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THAT IS HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY AND BELOW. 
          SO WE ARE TARGETING THOSE FOLKS AND WE, UH, WE HAD A FAIRLY LOW, UM, GOAL, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 5% TO ACHIEVE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY, BUT THAT IS A TARGET FOCUS THAT WE HAVE IN THE RECOVERY PLAN ITSELF. 
          SO IN, IN, IN THE CARES, UM, RECOVERY. 
          IN RECOVERY, CORRECT. 
          IN THE RECOVERY PILLAR WHERE WE'RE SIMILARLY, 
          [00:25:01]
UH, SEEKING TO, UM, TO HELP RETRAIN 10,000 RESIDENTS, THE FOCUS THERE IS HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY AND BELOW . 
          SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THIS IS WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE A, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS, UM, TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF OUR CITY. 
          UM, I, THERE'S, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP. 
          SO I, AND THIS WAS KIND OF MY QUESTION I HAD FOR ERIC ABOUT THE BUDGET THE LAST TIME. 
          IT, IT'S HARD TO, TO, UM, SEE THE DISTINCTION OF WHAT WAS CARES MONEY WAS GENERAL FUND MONEY, AND THEN WHAT IS THIS NEW ONE EIGHT INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT? SO, AND THERE, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF OVERLAP. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD, WHAT IS THE TARGETED AREA? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS FOR A FUTURE MEETING, UM, MAYBE AS WE GO THROUGH, UM, MAYBE THE FINAL BUDGET, WE COULD GET SOME OF THAT BECAUSE, UM, IT'S HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE. 
          UH, AND, UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, AND, AND FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS THE, THAT OPPORTUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT, IF PERHAPS, UM, I, I, I'M AFRAID I'M GONNA RUN OUTTA TIME AND NOT GET TO MY ANSWERS, BUT IF WE COULD GET THAT, LIKE WHAT WAS THE SUCCESS RATE OF THAT PROGRAM, BECAUSE I DID FEEL LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING WE COULD EXPAND IF IN FACT IT WAS SUCCESSFUL. 
          SO LET, LET, LET ME JUST GET TO MY OTHER QUESTIONS AND I'LL HAVE, UM, YOU ALL ADDRESS THAT, UH, WHEN MY TIME'S UP. 
          THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR, UM, UH, PERHAPS, UM, THE GENTLEMAN FROM TOYOTA. 
          UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN TALKING TO PEOPLE, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY OF THE LARGE, ESPECIALLY LARGER EMPLOYERS WERE DOING THEIR OWN WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. AND I THINK SOME OF THEM WERE IN COOPERATION WITH OUR, UM, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, BUT OTHERS WERE STRICTLY INTERNAL, UH, BECAUSE I MEAN, WE JUST CAME OFF OF A VERY LARGE, UH, OR THE LARGEST TIME OF LOW UNEMPLOYMENT EVER, WHERE WE HAD, UH, A LOT OF COMPETITION FOR JOBS. 
          AND SO THEREFORE A LOT OF THE COMPANIES, PRIVATE COMPANIES WERE DOING IN-HOUSE TRAINING, AND THAT EVEN THE MAJORITY OF THE INVESTMENT IN TOYOTA WAS AUTUMN, NOT NECESSARILY, UM, UH, PEOPLE. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THAT. 
          UM, AND, UH, AND MAYBE YOU COULD JUST HOLD TIGHT AND, AND LET ME GET TO MY QUESTIONS, 'CAUSE THEN I'LL RUN OUTTA TIME AND I WON'T GET TO, UM, TO ASK ANY OF THE QUESTIONS SO THAT PERHAPS THEN, UM, THAT GENTLEMAN FROM TOYOTA CAN BE QUEUED UP TO ANSWER SOME OF THAT, THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT INTERNAL TRAINING. 
          UM, AND THE LAST QUESTION, UM, UH, THAT I HAVE, UM, FOR THE TEAM, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, L M O PROMISE, AND THEN WE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE PROJECT QUEST MODEL. 
          UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THE, UM, OF COURSE THE HIGHER ED, UM, TRAINING THAT THE UNIVERSITIES DO. 
          SO IF EITHER DR. 
          MATSON OR DR. 
          UM, UH, AMY, UM, COULD TALK ABOUT HOW, UM, WHAT THEIR ROLE IS IN SORT OF THE, UM, THE, UH, CERTIFICATES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE NOT, THAT THE HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS WOULD NOT BE DOING THAT WORK. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN, UH, DR. 
          ROMO WAS AT U T S A, YOU KNOW, HE WAS PUSHING SOME WORKFORCE INITIATIVES AND, AND THEN DR. 
          AMY CAME, THE FOCUS IS GONNA BE LARGELY, UH, ON FOUR YEAR DEGREES, ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CAMPUS BECAUSE OF, UM, HOW FEW OF OF OUR STUDENTS WERE ATTENDING U T S A, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE 3% COLLEGE ATTAINMENT IN THE DISTRICT. 
          UH, AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THREE UNIVERSITIES, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IN OUR FOOTPRINT WITH ST. 
          MARY'S, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE AND U T S A, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAD THE ALAMO COLLEGES AT ST. 
          PHILIP'S OVER, UM, UH, ON THE SOUTH SIDE. 
          UM, AND STILL, YOU KNOW, VERY LITTLE, UH, VERY FEW, UH, COLLEGE ATTAINMENT OR EVEN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES IN THE DISTRICT. 
          SO, UM, IF YOU COULD, UM, SPEND SOME TIME PLEASE ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          UM, UH, AND, UH, IF I NEED TO CLARIFY THEM, I'LL CHIME BACK IN WITH SOME OF MY QUESTIONS THERE. 
          BUT WITH THE LIMITED TIME THAT I HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS, I'LL, I'LL LEAVE, UM, YOU ALL TO, TO ANSWER THOSE. 
          UM, SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHOMEVER WANTS TO START, UH, WITH, UH, SOME OF THOSE. 
          WELL, COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ, THIS IS, UH, KEVIN VOCALS WITH, UH, TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING TEXAS. 
          SO, UH, THANK, FIRST OF ALL THANKS TO ALL THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY STAFF, AND, UH, ALSO THE MAYOR FOR ALLOWING ME TO 
          [00:30:01]
PARTICIPATE AS JUST A SLICE OF INDUSTRY. 
          SO TO, UH, TO SPEAK TO YOUR QUESTION, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION AROUND BOTH, UH, THIS PROBLEM OF THAT WE HAVE WITH THE 140,000 UNEMPLOYED RESIDENTS AND HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THIS MONEY FROM BOTH THE SHORT TERM, MIDTERM AND LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO, OF COURSE, MY PEERS THAT WERE JOINING FROM INDUSTRY ONLY REPRESENT A SLICE OF OUR VAST ECONOMIC SECTOR, AND THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SPOKE ABOUT ARE TRUE FROM HOW TOYOTA DOES THINGS. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE ARE ONLY REPRESENTING ONE SMALL PIECE OF LARGE CORPORATE INDUSTRY. 
          WHEN WE TOOK THIS IN MIND OF, FOR EXAMPLE, ON SITE HERE, I HAVE 23 OTHER COMPANIES, UH, THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE SAME PROGRAMS THAT WITHIN TOYOTA THAT CAN BE USED AS WELL AS OTHER MANUFACTURERS FROM BOEING OR RACKSPACE, OR THAT ALSO REPRESENTED. 
          SO FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS TRUE AS, UH, OH GARCIA, UH, GARCIA MENTIONED THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO DO SOME HIRING AND THINK THAT THIS IS A FRAMEWORK OF THIS PROGRAM FROM THE FLEXIBILITY OF USING STACKABLE CERTIFICATES, PARTNERING WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS, AND, UH, USING SOME OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND GETTING PEOPLE ENTRY LEVEL TO JOBS OF BOTH FROM THE SHORT TERM TO MIDTERM AND THE LONG TERM THAT THERE IS ROOM TO GROW AND PROVIDE ECONOMIC MOBILITY UTILIZING THIS MONEY EFFECTIVELY TO GET PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WHAT WE BELIEVE IS GOING TO BE REINTRODUCTION OF THE WORKFORCE, OF JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO IN THAT SHORT TERM AND MIDTERM AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING OF LOOKING AT HIRING IN THE NEAR TERM FUTURE, BUT GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO ESPECIALLY MOBILITY FROM THE JOBS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY. 
          AND THROUGH WRAPAROUND SERVICES, A CONNECTIVITY TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR UNLOCK POTENTIAL IS IN THE FUTURE, TO SWITCH CAREERS THAT MAY NOT BE THERE IN THE FUTURE, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD. 
          SO I DO BELIEVE THE FRAMEWORK HAS GOT ALL OF THE ASPECTS AS IT WAS CRAFTED WITH INPUT FROM THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ATTAIN OUR NEEDS AND GROW, ESPECIALLY WITH COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING IN SUCH AS NAVISTAR AND OTHER SUPPLY BASES THAT ARE COMING IN FROM MANUFACTURING THAT ARE GONNA NEED THOSE THAT AREN'T EVEN REPRESENTED AT THE TABLE. 
          SO WHEN WE SPOKE, IT WASN'T JUST SPEAKING FROM OUR POSITION OF CURRENT, BUT SPEAKING OF THE POSITION OF LOOKING AT SA WORKS AND E D F, OF WHAT THOSE UNLOCK POTENTIALS ARE GONNA NEED TO BE QUICKLY AS WE STAND BACK AT THIS ECONOMY. 
          SO I KNOW THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT BROAD BRUSH. 
          I CAN SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SOME THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO SAY IS I WAS VERY PLEASED ABOUT HOW THIS WAS CRAFTED TO BE ADAPTIVE TO WHERE I BELIEVE THE ECONOMIC, UH, SECTOR OF OUR COMMUNITY IS GONNA BE NEED AND PROVIDE ECONOMIC AVAILABILITY POTENTIALLY FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO MOVE INTO DIFFERENT CAREER BASES. 
          I HOPE I ADDRESSED, AND MAYBE THAT DR. 
          FLORES OR DR. 
          IIG, ME OR, OR DR. 
          MASSEN CAN ADDRESS WITH HOW WE CREATED THIS COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. 
          THIS IS, UH, TAYLOR, AMY. 
          UH, THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. 
          UM, I WOULD ALSO VERY MUCH WELCOME, UH, MIKE AND CYNTHIA, UH, OFFERING THEIR THOUGHTS, BUT YOU HAD A, A COUPLE OF VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, U T S A. 
          UM, IT IS TRUE THAT THROUGH OUR CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM, WE OFFER, UM, TRAINING AND CERTIFICATES AND CAREER BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES. 
          WE LAUNCHED SOMETHING BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE COVID CHALLENGE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS FACING AROUND JOB JUMP, STARTING CAREER BUILDING BRIDGES, AND, UH, AND, UM, UH, AND, AND PROGRAMS LIKE THAT. 
          WE HAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND. 
          LAST TIME I CHECKED, WE HAD ABOUT 1200 INDIVIDUALS MAKING USE OF THIS PROGRAM. 
          IT, FOR US, THIS IS NOT A, A MAJOR FEATURE OF THINGS THAT WE TYPICALLY DO, OUR FOCUS ON FOUR YEAR DEGREE PRODUCTION AND GRADUATE DEGREE PRODUCTION. 
          UM, BUT WE ARE DOING SOME THINGS THAT ARE IN THE CERTIFICATE SPACE, UH, AND IN THE TRAINING SPACE. 
          IT'S JUST NOT A, A, A BIG FEATURE IS WHAT YOU FIND, LET'S SAY AN ALAMO COLLEGES DISTRICT. 
          UM, SO, UH, WE, WE DO DO THAT. 
          BUT IN THE CURRENT DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING AROUND THE MODEL GOING FORWARD AROUND THIS VALID INITIATIVE, OUR ROLE PRINCIPALLY AS ONE OF THE FOUR YEAR GRANTING INSTITUTIONS IN THE HIGHER ED, HIGHER EDUCATION COMPLEX FOR THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE, OUR FOCUS IS PRINCIPALLY ON, ON, UH, COLLEGE COMPLETION AT THE FOUR YEAR DEGREE LEVEL USING THE KINDS OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE OFFER TO STUDENTS. 
          AND OF THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE, ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO BE SERVED HERE. 
          UH, WE WOULD BE, UH, AN INSTITUTION PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH A A A FOUR YEAR DEGREE. 
          UM, IF YOU LOOK, AND ALEX, I DON'T RECALL IF THE, THE, THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU YOU PUT ON THIS MORNING, 
          [00:35:01]
UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE WE SAW YESTERDAY. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS THE MODEL ASSOCIATED WITH IT AROUND THE, THE, THE DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO WORKFORCE TRAINING, UPSKILLING CERTIFICATES VERSUS THE COLLEGE GOING COMPONENT. 
          BUT, BUT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, OUR, OUR EFFORT ALONG WITH, UH, A AND M SAN ANTONIO AND ALAMO COLLEGES, WE, WE ALL CLEARLY HAVE A ROLE IN THIS RELATIVE TO THE COLLEGE GOING COLLEGE COMPLETION ASPECT OF IT. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION FULLY AND COMPLETELY, BUT GLAD TO, GLAD TO ELABORATE FURTHER, AND GLAD FOR CYNTHIA AND MIKE TO WEIGH IN, IN, AND GOOD MORNING, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, GONZALES, I, I THINK FROM THE A AND M PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON THE STACKABLE CERTIFICATES, BUT CERTAINLY WITHIN THE FOUR YEAR DEGREE MARK. 
          AND WITHIN THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GENERAL STUDIES DEGREES AS WELL AS OUR VAST DEGREES, WHICH ALLOW, UH, DISPLACED WORKERS, WHICH IS WHERE OUR INITIAL TARGET WAS, WHO HAVE SOME COLLEGE DEGREE CREDIT, EXCUSE ME, TO MOVE SWIFTLY THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WHETHER THEY COME IN THROUGH A STACKABLE CERTIFICATE MODEL THROUGH THE ALAMO COLLEGES OR ONE OF THE OTHER WORKFORCE PROGRAMS LIKE, LIKE A PROJECT QUEST OR DIRECTLY TO US, UH, WITH THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, ET CETERA, THAT ARE BEING REFERENCED ALONG WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMERGENCY AID FOR OTHER UNFORESEEN UH, PROGRAMS. WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER CERTIFICATE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, KEVIN LOCAL'S POINT EXACTLY ON SOME UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST IN SOUTH BEAR COUNTY. 
          OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'RE NEIGHBORS WITH, WITH KEVIN, WE SHARE A, A BORDERLINE THAT WE CAN SEE EACH OTHER AT OUR BACK WINDOWS. 
          AND WITH NAVISTAR COMING IN, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THERE THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO FILL. 
          UM, THE THIRD THING I WOULD MENTION, AND, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST B SESSION, WAS CHILDCARE, UH, DEGREES. 
          AND THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH A NUMBER OF THE, UH, PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ALAMO COLLEGES THAT OFFER THE TWO YEAR DEGREE ON TRAINING AND CERTIFICATES THAT HELP, UH, STUDENTS MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS GETTING THAT, UH, CERTIFICATE THAT ALLOWS 'EM TO MOVE INTO THE TWO YEAR DEGREE PROGRAM, AND THEN ULTIMATELY A FOUR YEAR DEGREE, AND EVEN TO THE MASTER'S LEVEL IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR DISTRICT, IN SOUTH BEXAR COUNTY AND SOUTH SAN ANTONIO TO DEVELOP MORE INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE AREAS. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS, AND I HOPE I PROVIDED ENOUGH, UH, DETAIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. 
          COUNCILWOMAN, THIS IS, UH, MIKE FLOTIS. 
          SO I, I THINK OUR INTENT WOULD TO BE, WOULD BE TO MEET EACH INDIVIDUAL WHERE THEY ARE AND MOVE 'EM FORWARD, UPSKILL 'EM WITH REGARD TO A CREDENTIAL THAT WOULD BE FOR G E D STUDENTS. 
          WE KNOW WE HAVE A SIZABLE POPULATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UH, LIMITED IN JOB OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, EVEN THAT FIRST CREDENTIAL THAT THEY WOULD NEED FOR, UH, SUSTENANCE FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLD. 
          THE OTHER WOULD BE TO ENSURE, AS WE PROGRAMMED HERE, THAT THEY ARE STACKABLE CREDENTIALS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN EARN IN AS LITTLE AS TWO WEEKS ALL THE WAY UP TO TWO YEARS. 
          AND WITH THIS PLAN ALL THE WAY UP TO FOUR YEARS OF CREDENTIAL, SO THEY CAN MOVE UP EACH WAY TO ENSURE THAT IT IS, UH, STACKABLE AND IT PROVIDES THEM WITH A MARKET VERIFIABLE, UH, CERTIFICATION AS PART OF THAT PROCESS. 
          SO FOR EACH NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          UM, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. 
          MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, THANK YOU ALEX. 
          AND, AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, AND THANK YOU, UH, CARLOS, FOR TAKING MY QUESTIONS. 
          UM, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN  AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS AS WELL. 
          UM, THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE, ARE DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO THE OPPORTUNITIES OF EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT FOR THOSE THAT, UM, ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED OR THOSE THAT HAVE A LEARNING DISABILITY OR A FORM OF, OF MEDICAL DISABILITY, AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES OR PROGRAMS ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, POPULATIONS. 
          SO, UM, WITHIN OUR RECOVERY PLAN, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT WE CAN REALLY DISAGGREGATE, UM, INFORMATION AND SET, UM, GOALS SPECIFIC TO THESE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. 
          UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY CONTINUE INTO THIS INITIATIVE. 
          UM, SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'VE ESTABLISHED, UM, GOALS TO SERVE, UH, DISABLED RESIDENTS AND, UM, FORMERLY INCARCERATED JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS AS PART OF THE PROGRAM. 
          SO THOSE CAN ALL BE CONTINUED AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, AND THEN THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR DR. 
          AMY IS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BATCH PROGRAM THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE, WHAT KIND OF RESULTS HAVE YOU SEEN, OR HOW MANY, UM, INDIVIDUALS 
          [00:40:01]
HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PARTICULAR BATCH PROGRAM, AND WHAT ENHANCEMENTS HAVE THEY SEEN? YES, COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. 
          UM, THE, THE INITIATIVE THAT WE LAUNCHED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, WHICH WE ARE CALLING, UM, UH, WE HAD A, A, A SORT OF A CAREER AND FOCUS INITIATIVE, UM, UH, UH, LAUNCH BACK IN MAY. 
          IT'S UP AND RUNNING NOW. 
          WE HAVE BETWEEN THE THREE COMPONENT PROGRAMS, WE HAVE ABOUT 1200 INDIVIDUALS AS THEY UNDERSTAND IT TODAY, WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING, UH, CERTIFICATE, UH, UH, PROGRAMS OR, OR CONTINUING ED, UH, UH, TRAINING, UH, ACTIVITIES. 
          AND THE, THE, IT'S STILL UP AND RUNNING. 
          AND I, I, I COULD GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE DATA ON IT. 
          I, UM, WE JUST LAUNCHED IT. 
          IT'S UP AND RUNNING AND, UH, IT'S WORK IN PROGRESS. 
          I, I'M HAPPY TO, TO, TO GET MORE INFORMATION, BUT I WOULD ALSO SHARE THIS, THAT MUCH OF OUR FOCUS, UH, AS AN INSTITUTION IS IN THE, THE FOUR YEAR AND, AND ABOVE DEGREE GRANTING SPACE. 
          SO THAT'S THE PRINCIPLE AREA OF PARTICIPATION FOR US IN THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE. 
          BUT IN OUR OWN WAY, WE ARE HELPING WITH, WITH, UH, THESE, UM, UH, UH, UPSKILLING, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PROGRAM. 
          SO I'LL GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, WITH THE ALAMO COLLEGES, UM, THE SUMMER SESSION HAD ALREADY BEGUN. 
          DID ANYONE SEE A, UM, UPTICK IN THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE REGISTERED FOR CLASSES THIS SEMESTER OR FOR THE SUMMER SESSIONS? COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN. 
          UH, THIS IS MIKE FLOTIS. 
          YES. 
          SO WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OF 15%, UH, THIS SUMMER OVER SUMMER OF 2019. 
          UM, PART OF THAT WAS ALSO, UH, BECAUSE WE, UH, SCHOLARSHIPED A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF IT, UH, REALIZING THAT STUDENTS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS HAD NEEDS. 
          UM, SO WE SCHOLARSHIPED UP TO THREE COURSES FOR STUDENTS WHO HAD HAD ENROLLED WITH US, UH, THE FOLLOWING FALL OR SPRING SEMESTER SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE ENROLLMENT. 
          COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ANDREW SULLIVAN. 
          WE HAVE SEEN AT A AND M SAN ANTONIO A 23% INCREASE IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT OVER SUMMER OF 19. 
          UH, AS CHANCELLOR FLORES MENTIONED, WE OFFERED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BOOKS, AND WE DID OFFER EMERGENCY AID FOR STUDENTS WHO NEEDED TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY RELATIVE TO C OVID 19. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AWESOME. 
          UM, SO THOSE ARE THE, ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. 
          UM, MAYOR AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE A DISTRICT TWO JOB FAIR THAT IS HAPPENING VIRTUALLY. 
          SO I WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU TO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. 
          ALAMO, THANK YOU TO SA WORKS. 
          THANK YOU TO SAGE, AND THANK YOU TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR ASSISTING US WITH PUTTING TOGETHER THE FIRST DISTRICT TWO JOB FAIR. 
          AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MORNING, IT STARTED AT NINE O'CLOCK. 
          WE HAD OVER 34 EMPLOYERS THAT WERE REGISTERED, AND OVER 261 REGISTERED JOB SEEKERS. 
          SO THAT SPEAKS TO THE NEED THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF. 
          I JUST WANNA LET THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE TO DO THE JOB, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AS WE GO FORWARD. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THAT, AND THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE USING OUR RESOURCES TO PUSH OUR FAMILIES OUT OF PROPERTY AND INTO SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN HAVE BETTER. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME, MAYOR. 
          LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO. 
          UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, SO I GOT SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND, UH, I'LL DO WHAT I CAN TO KIND OF RUN THROUGH THEM AS, SINCE WE'RE ON A SHUT CLOCK HERE. 
          UM, FIRST IS, IS, IS THE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE INITIATIVE CONSIDERED A TYPE A OR B TAX UNDER STATE LAW? UM, AS OF 2010, SAN ANTONIO DID NOT HAVE A TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. 
          DOES SAN ANTONIO CURRENTLY HAVE A TYPE B TAX? ONE, UH, TWO, UH, UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS, INCLUDING DACA STUDENTS, ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL AID. 
          WHICH STUDENTS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED BE BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE COLLEGE RELATED SERVICES UNDER THE WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION PLAN. 
          AND OF COURSE, THE, UH, THE, THE SAMPLE BUDGET LISTED IMPLEMENTATION COSTS THAT $2 MILLION ANNUALLY. 
          UH, WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THOSE COSTS? I THINK THAT WAS ASKED BEFORE 
          [00:45:01]
AS WELL. 
          AND WHY DO THEY NOT INCREASE FROM YEAR TO YEAR? UH, ALSO, HOW MUCH OF THE $67.3 MILLION FROM THE, UH, GENERAL FUND, WHICH ALLOCATED, UH, TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PILLAR. 
          UH, CAN THE CITY COUNCIL STILL VOTE TO MOVE TO OTHER PILLARS LIKE HOUSING SECURITY? UH, I HAD A, A CONVERSATION WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT THIS JUST YESTERDAY, THAT WE HAVE IT KIND OF SEPARATED INTO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, UH, BUT NOT NECESSARILY, UH, YOU NOT NECESSARILY COORDINATED IN TERMS OF HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY START REMOVING SOME OF THAT MONEY WHERE WE SEE THAT THERE'S A GREAT NEED. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, WE'RE SEEING IS, UH, THAT THIS IS A, A QUESTION IN MY MIND OF STABILIZATION. 
          UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS SHOULD BE GUIDED BY, UH, SOME PUBLIC INPUT. 
          AND I THINK A LOT OF THE, THE INPUT I'VE RECEIVED HAS, HAS CENTERED AROUND, UH, THAT STABILIZATION AND THAT ASSISTANCE, UH, SPECIFICALLY DIRECT, DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE. 
          UM, THE CURRENT RISK MITIGATION FUND DOES NOT, UH, UTILIZE ANY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. 
          AND, AND AGAIN, THE, THE, THE FIRST ONE WE DID DOES, WHICH ALLOWS US TO, TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE. 
          THIS ONE DOES NOT. 
          AND, AND, UH, CERTAINLY I'LL KEEP PUSHING. 
          UM, I WILL, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION IS THAT THE PLAN DOES, UH, UH, ASSUME THAT ABOUT HALF OF ITS PARTICIPANTS WILL NEED AN EMERGENCY GRANT PER YEAR. 
          UH, AND WE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE LIKELY PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION PLAN ARE UNDEREMPLOYED OR NOT EMPLOYED AT ALL, YET WE'RE, WE'RE RESERVING, I BELIEVE IT'S $500 GRANT FOR HALF THE PARTICIPANTS. 
          UH, WHY, WHY ARE THERE NOT EMERGENCY GRANTS INCLUDED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS? HOW WILL THE EMERGENCY GRANTS PROCESS WORK? UH, WHAT EXPENSES IS, ARE, ARE, ARE THEY ABLE TO USE IT TOWARDS, AND IS IT DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE? UH, FOR THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT PILLAR, HOW CAN EACH PARTICIPANT EXPECT THEIR $1,000 ALLOCATION BE USED? CAN THE FUNDING BE USED TO COVER THE COST OF LIVING EXPENSES, OR DOES IT JUST INCLUDE PLANS TO DIRECT PARTICIPANTS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES FOR ASSISTANCE? UM, AGAIN, CURRENTLY THE PLAN, UH, INTENDS TO HELP, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY STABILIZED AND LIKELY WON'T BE UNTIL THE PANDEMIC IS WELL IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. 
          UH, IF CONDITIONS DO NOT CHANGE, 29 TO 43% OF RENTER HOUSEHOLDS COULD BE AT RISK OF EVICTIONS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE BASIC NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS LIKE SHELTER. 
          UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I HAVE THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKFORCE. 
          UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT FOLLOWING EVICTION, A A PERSON'S LIKELIHOOD OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS INCREASES MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ARE DIMINISHED. 
          AND THE PROBABILITY, PROBABILITY OF OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT DECLINES, UH, EVICTION IS LINKED TO A NUMBER OF POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES, INCLUDING DEPRESSION, SUICIDE, AND ANXIETY AMONG OTHERS. 
          EVICTION MAKES MAKES IT MORE EXPENSIVE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR TENANTS WHO HAVE BEEN EVICTED TO RENT SAFE AND DECENT HOUSING APPLY FOR CREDIT, BORROW MONEY, OR PURCHASE A HOME. 
          INSTABILITY LIKE EVICTION IS PARTICULARLY DAMAGING TO CHILDREN WHO SUFFER IN WAYS THAT IMPACT THEIR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WELLBEING FOR YEARS. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO PUSH. 
          IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT HAS EXISTED WELL BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC, BUT, UH, IS NOW, UH, RISEN TO THE SURFACE. 
          AND, AND, UH, I DO HOPE THAT WE, WE CAN PUSH FOR, UH, A RENTER'S COMMISSION HERE VERY SOON TO HELP US, UM, OUTLINE, UH, ALL THE INEQUITIES THAT, THAT STILL EXIST AND WILL CONTINUE, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS, THIS PANDEMIC, UH, CONTINUING, UM, TO EXIST FOR, UH, AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME. 
          UM, SO THE QUESTION IS, IS, IS THERE, IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, TAX PLAN THAT CAN, THAT CAN HELP, UM, WITH THE HOUSING MARKET? UH, AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THE NEW, THE HOUSING MARKET IS CHARACTERIZED BY DRASTIC INCREASE IN RENTS, A DECREASE IN NEW HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AND LOW INCOME WORKERS HAVING TO DEDICATE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME TO HOUSING COSTS. 
          UM, AGAIN, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT, UH, THE FORCED REMOVAL EVICTION TO BE A ROBUST PREDICTOR OF JOB LOSS. 
          DISPLACED WORKERS WHO FIND NEW JOBS ON AVERAGE, EARN ROUGHLY 17% LESS THAN THEY WOULD HAD THEY BEEN CONTINUOUSLY EMPLOYED. 
          UM, ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, EVERY TEXAS CITY APPEARS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ADOPT A TYPE B SALES TAX, PROVIDED THE, THE CITY'S COMBINED LOCAL TAX RATE DOES NOT EXCEED 2%. 
          UM, 
          [00:50:01]
UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 5, THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE WOULD 10 20 B WITHIN THEIR LEGAL RIGHT TO CALL AN ELECTION TO USE THE ONE A SINCE SELL SEX FOR THE PURPOSES OF LAND BUILDING, EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES, AND IMPROVEMENT, UH, FOUND TO BE, UH, REQUIRED FOR, SUITABLE FOR THE PROMOTION OF DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          UM, AGAIN, A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MAY INCREASE CHILDREN'S OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. 
          A SUPPORTIVE AND STABLE HOME ENVIRONMENT CAN COMPLIMENT THE EFFORTS OF EDUCATORS LEADING TO IMPROVEMENT, UH, IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. 
          AFFORDABLE HOUSING MAY FOSTER THE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS OF LOW INCOME CHILDREN BY SUPPORTING FAMILY FINANCIAL STABILITY, REDUCING MOBILITY, PROVIDING SAFE, PROVIDING SAFE NURTURING, LIVING ENVIRONMENTS, AND PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT IS FROM THE CENTER FOR HOUSING POLICY. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT US TO, TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY SERIOUS TIME FOR, FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE LIVED IN CRISES EVEN BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC. 
          UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT WE CAN, UH, ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AROUND, UH, THE QUESTION OF STABILIZATION, UH, AS WE'RE TRYING TO PLAN, UM, SOMETHING, UH, LONG-TERM LIKE THIS. 
          READY? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          UM, GOOD PRESENTATION. 
          ALEX. 
          THANKS FOR FOLLOWING UP ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS. 
          UM, I, I, I KIND OF SAID MY COMMENTS LAST TIME ABOUT MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, UM, AND THE, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THIS PROGRAM, WHAT, 140, $150 MILLION, UM, AND PUTTING IT IN LONG TERM REQUIREMENTS, TWO AND FOUR YEAR PROGRAMS. I, I, I STILL HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT. 
          YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED NOW IS, UM, JOBS NOW, AND I, I, I'VE ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS, AND YOU HAD SOME INFORMATION IN THERE, BUT ALEX, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE Y'ALL LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PUTTING TOWARDS APPRENTICESHIPS VERSUS THE TWO TO FOUR YEAR PROGRAMS? WHAT, WHAT'S THE SPLIT? WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE? WE HAVEN'T DEVELOPED SPECIFIC TARGETS FOR THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINING. 
          UM, THIS WOULD BE PART OF THE, UM, WORKFORCE TRAINING. 
          WE HAD IDENTIFIED THE TWO DIFFERENT COLUMNS. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE PART OF WHERE INITIALLY OUR FOCUS IS ROUGHLY 60%. 
          THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT PARTICIPANTS WOULD HAVE, RATHER THAN JUST CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, THERE COULD BE THIS KIND OF COMBINATION. 
          WELL, AGAIN, UH, AND, AND THAT'S WHERE I HAVE MY CONCERNS, IS IT'S, IT'S NOT IDENTIFIED AT THIS POINT. 
          AND, UM, UNTIL I SEE THOSE KIND OF DETAILS, I, I REALLY CAN'T SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM WITH THIS KIND OF MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHING AND PULLING ON THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND, AND I'M, I'M CERTAINLY WANTING TO PUSH MORE IN THE DIRECTION OF APPRENTICESHIPS TO GET PEOPLE TO WORK. 
          NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, THERE'S A NUMBER OF, UH, UH, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY HAVE. 
          HAVE Y'ALL, HAVE Y'ALL REACHED OUT TO THOSE TRAINING PROGRAMS TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN ABSORB AND, AND CAN THEY, THEY BE, UH, OFFERING THE SAME TYPE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THOSE APPLICANTS AND THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE TWO AND FOUR YEAR PROGRAMS, . 
          SO SOME OF THE INDUSTRY, SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS DON'T NECESSARILY PROVIDE THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT. 
          YEAH, THEY, BUT WE DO SEE, YEAH, WE DO SEE GOOD COLLABORATIONS. 
          LIKE I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED, UH, BELDEN ROOFING AND THEIR PROGRAM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY PARTNERING WITH PROJECT QUEST TO PROVIDE, UM, A VERY ROBUST MODEL. 
          UM, SO THERE ARE OPTIONS. 
          THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE. 
          I KNOW WE'VE ALSO BEEN, UM, COORDINATING ALREADY WITH THE A G C AND DOUG MCMURRAY, UM, TO, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE ADDITIONAL OPTIONS AGAIN, AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL VARIETY FOR PARTICIPANTS. 
          YEAH. 
          AND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE MY FOCUS IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET FOLKS BACK TO WORK NOW. 
          AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN, IN THE, UH, TRADES, WE NEED TRADES SKILLED CRAFTSMEN ACROSS THE BOARD RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BIG AREAS THAT WE CAN RECOVER FROM THIS, THIS, UH, PANDEMIC. 
          AS TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WHERE THERE ARE JOBS NOW, GOOD PAYING JOBS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, CARLOS OR, OR ALEX OR SOMEBODY, COULD YOU TALK, COULD YOU CLARIFY THE TIMELINE FOR THE ALLOCATION OF THIS SALES TAX? YES, SIR. 
          MAYOR, UM, THE, THESE FUNDINGS, WOULD, THE, THE FUNDS THAT, THAT 
          [00:55:01]
THIS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR WOULD NOT BEGIN TO ACCRUE UNTIL APRIL OF NEXT YEAR AT THE EARLIEST. 
          UM, AND, AND THE TIMELINE WOULD BE OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD, UH, ENDING DECEMBER, 2025, SO THE FUNDS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. 
          THEN COUNCIL MEMBER, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE APPRENTICESHIP, WE ABSOLUTELY INTEND TO WORK WITH ALL OF THESE ENTITIES. 
          YOU MENTIONED, THE ASSOCIATION GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND OTHERS, CONSTRUCTION TRADES TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL, UM, APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES ON THE JOB, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. 
          WE'RE DOING THAT NOW AS PART OF THE, UM, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PILLAR OF THE RELIEF ACT. 
          AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT IF THIS PROGRAM IS APPROVED BY VOTERS. 
          BUT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, AND WE DO, DO INTEND TO INCLUDE IT. 
          WELL, AGAIN, I, I, THAT'S, YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S THE INTENT. 
          I DON'T SEE IT, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. 
          I THINK WE'RE PUSHING THIS THING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT TOO FAST BEFORE WE HAVE THOSE DETAILS. 
          AND WE'RE PUSHING THIS THROUGH THE SYSTEM BEFORE ALL OF THIS IS VETTED OUT TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE THE, THE PLAN IS GOING ON, SPENDING THIS MONEY. 
          THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY OVER FOUR YEARS. 
          AND AGAIN, UM, UH, I'M, I'M HESITANT ABOUT SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE OF THAT. 
          AND UNLESS I SEE THOSE KIND OF DETAILS, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS AS A BALLOT INITIATIVE AND EXPECTING THE, THE VOTERS OUT THERE TO BASICALLY SIGN A, WHAT I SAY IS A BLANK CHECK. 
          AND THIS, THIS IS, I, I KNOW I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS ALREADY FROM MY NEIGHBORS, UH, IN DISTRICT 10. 
          WHAT, WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT AND WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? AND, AND, UH, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IT REALLY GONNA COST US? AND A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE. 
          AND RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE ECONOMY AND THE UNKNOWNS AND BUSINESSES CONTINUING TO FAIL AND CLOSE THEIR DOORS AND PROBABLY WON'T EVEN COME BACK. 
          UM, PEOPLE, PEOPLE AREN'T, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, FROM WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND HEARING, AREN'T WILLING TO TAKE THAT VOTE, THIS GREAT LEAP OF FAITH THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA REALLY HELP SAN ANTONIO OUT NOW VERSUS FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. 
          AND AGAIN, THE COMMITMENTS BY THE STUDENTS GOING THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, I, I, IT'S NOT IDENTIFIED. 
          OKAY. 
          I SAW THE ONE SLIDE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE ON GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAMS, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT'S TO STOP THEM TO GET A BETTER PAYING JOB, LET'S SAY LIKE IN AUSTIN OR HOUSTON OR DALLAS, UH, THAT WE TRAIN UP AND, AND THEY, THEY MOVE AWAY. 
          SO I STILL HAVE A LOT OF THOSE CONCERNS AND, UH, UH, WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE DETAILS ON THOSE VERSUS, UM, WHAT FOLKS ARE SEEING TO THIS POINT, AND HOPE TO SEE THAT HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 
          UM, I GUESS THIS IS GONNA COME UP FOR A VOTE RIGHT AWAY. 
          AND I'M CONCERNED, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE LACK OF THOSE DETAILS AT THIS POINT. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, YOUR POINT, CARLOS, I JUST WANNA MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR THE, THE FUNDS, UH, THAT WILL ACCRUE DON'T BEGIN TO ACCRUE UNTIL LATE NEXT YEAR. 
          SO WITH RESPECT TO, UH, JOB, UM, STIMULUS NEAR TERM, UH, AND STABILIZATION NEAR TERM, UH, WHETHER IT'S HOUSING OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC RELIEF, UH, THAT'S BEING DONE THROUGH OUR CARESS ACT RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PROGRAM THAT IS EXPENDITURES ALREADY APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THESE FUNDS. 
          AND THESE PROGRAMS ARE MEANT TO SUSTAIN THE EFFORT OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAT DOESN'T REALLY BEGIN UNTIL, UH, ESSENTIALLY SUMMER AND FALL OF 2021. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. 
          . 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UH, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, I CAN CONCUR QUITE A BIT WITH, UH, WHAT MY FELLOW COUNCILMAN PERRY HAS JUST SAID ABOUT CONCERNS I HEAR FROM PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY. 
          UH, IN DISTRICT NINE. 
          THERE ARE A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS I THINK THAT WILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE WE CAN EXPECT, UH, PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THIS ON A BALLOT INITIATIVE IN NOVEMBER. 
          AND I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL. 
          THERE WERE ABOUT, UH, 15 QUESTIONS I HAD SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE. 
          UH, MANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT THERE THERE'S A LOT THAT STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ANSWERED, BUT I WOULD PRESUME OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS THAT SHOULD THIS MOVE 
          [01:00:01]
FORWARD AS A BALLOT INITIATIVE, THAT THOSE QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED. 
          THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE ANSWERED IN, IN VERY GREAT DETAIL. 
          UH, A VERY STRONG COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY AND THE ORGANIZATION THAT'LL OVERSEE THIS EFFORT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT. 
          THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HELP PEOPLE, UH, KEEP MOVING FORWARD IN THIS CHANGING ECONOMY. 
          UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OUTTA WORK NOW, AND THE JOBS THAT THEY HAD ARE NOT GONNA RETURN. 
          THAT COULD BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR SKILLS OR CHANGE THEIR TRAINING, UPGRADE THEIR EDUCATION IN ORDER TO GO AHEAD AND FIND JOBS THAT ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES. 
          UM, I THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE QUESTIONS IN OUR MIND, KNOW, WHAT ARE THOSE JOBS? I, I STILL WANNA KNOW, AND I HOPE IT WILL COME OUT, UH, GOING FORWARD, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OR BUSINESSES WE'RE TARGETING TO TRAIN FOR? WE'VE TALKED IN GENERAL TERMS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THOSE JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE. 
          ONE THING THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS, UH, STACKABILITY, UH, FOR CREDENTIALS. 
          AND, UH, A QUESTION IN MY MIND, DOES THAT MEAN IF SOMEBODY GETS A A TWO WEEK CREDENTIAL, THEN THEY CAN APPLY TO GO AHEAD FOR A 12 WEEK CREDENTIAL, AND IF THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL THERE, THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND APPLY FOR, UH, A TWO YEAR, UH, DEGREE PROGRAM. 
          AND ALL OF THAT WOULD BE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PROGRAM SO THAT SOME PEOPLE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT THROUGH THIS. 
          UH, OR ARE WE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE GET THE KIND OF TRAINING TO GET THEM A JOB AND NOT CONTINUE TO COME BACK FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN HELP MORE PRO MORE PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT I HAVE AND THAT OTHERS MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHAT'S GONNA BE THE PROJECTED COST FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING RETRAINED? UM, IS THERE A COST TO THE INDIVIDUAL OR WILL THE PROGRAM PAY ALL OF THOSE NECESSARY COSTS FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL TRAINING? AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, SUPPORT FOR THAT TRAINING? AND I BELIEVE A LOT OF WHAT I'VE HEARD IS WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WORKING IN SOME KIND OF A JOB WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THIS TRAINING TO UPGRADE THEIR SKILLS. 
          AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, YOU KNOW, THEN, UH, IT, IT STILL CREATES A PRETTY BIG CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH THIS TRAINING. 
          BUT, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD THAT, THAT I STILL DON'T THINK ARE ANSWERED, BUT THAT WE NEED TO ANSWER. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE 8% SALES TAX WAS GOING TO PROTECT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND DEVELOP OUR TRAIL SYSTEM. 
          AND I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE THINGS CONTINUE. 
          AND I KNOW THE CITY IS MAKING A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE THOSE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW, NOW I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S BEEN OVERSEEING THE EDWARDS AFER PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS. 
          AND, UH, I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH HER AND, UH, WITH OTHER CITY OFFICIALS TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE VERY CONCRETE TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF THE AQUIFER. 
          I THINK IF WE CAN DO THAT, WE CAN REASSURE A LOT OF THE VOTERS THAT EXPENDING THIS MONEY FOR TRAINING AND HELPING PEOPLE MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH A, A NEW JOB, UH, IS SOMETHING THEY'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF, BUT THEY'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT THE AQUIFER'S PROTECTED GOING FORWARD, VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY IT'S BEEN OVER THE YEARS. 
          AND THAT, UM, THE TRAIL SYSTEM WILL CON CONTINUE TO BE DEVELOPED, WHICH IS A VERY POPULAR ASPECT OF WHAT THE CITY'S BEEN DOING. 
          AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT A, A TENTATIVE, UH, NOD FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON. 
          THESE KINDS OF THINGS NEED TO BE NAILED DOWN SO THE VOTERS UNDERSTAND. 
          WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO A BAIT AND SWITCH FOR SOME REASON. 
          THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. 
          WE'LL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE TRAIL SYSTEM, BUT WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS AND THE, THE WORK KNOWLEDGE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO LIFT THEMSELVES UP OUT OF POVERTY AND TO GO INTO ANOTHER JOB THAT THEY NEED NOW, BECAUSE MANY OF THEIR JOBS ARE GONE AND, AND THINGS ARE CHANGING. 
          THIS IS A DIFFERENT ECONOMY THAN IT WAS, UH, A YEAR AGO OR TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD THERE ARE NEW BUSINESSES COMING TO SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE GONNA REQUIRE DIFFERENT SKILL LEVELS, DIFFERENT TRAINING, DIFFERENT EDUCATION LEVELS. 
          SO IT'S TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITY TO RAISE THOSE LEVELS TO MANY OF OUR, UH, OUR WORKERS IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          UH, BUT PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO KNOW, UH, WHAT ARE THE DETAILS, UH, IN THOSE PROGRAMS IF, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE VOTING FOR THEM 
          [01:05:01]
IN NOVEMBER. 
          UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE THAT I'M GONNA WORK TO TRY AND FIND SOME OF THESE ANSWERS AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE ANSWERS ARE. 
          AND, UH, WHEN IT GOES TO PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WE'RE DOING THIS OVER A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I WILL NEVER SAY, OH, NO, LET'S NOT LET THE PEOPLE VOTE ON THIS. 
          I THINK THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF INITIATIVE THE CITY'S UNDERTAKING THAT THE PEOPLE OUGHT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING IT, UH, ON THE COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES UP FOR CONSIDERATION. 
          BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE DETAIL THAT HAS TO BE PUT OUT THERE, UH, TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE, THE VOTE AND WHAT IT MEANS, UH, AND ALL THE PROTECTIONS THAT IT'S GONNA APPLY FOR OTHER COMMITMENTS THE CITY HAS. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EZS. 
          THANKS, MAYOR. 
          UM, I, I CAN'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING. 
          UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE AND COUNCILMAN PERRY JUST LAID OUT THAT BOTH OF YOU FELLOWS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AT, AT SETTING OUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS AND, UH, THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA FACE. 
          AND, UM, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THAT, UM, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY. 
          UH, LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID, COUNCILMAN PERRY, IT'S, UM, AND OVER FOUR YEARS, IT'S, UM, IT, IT, IT'S A BIG PRICE TAG, RIGHT? AND AT, AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE GOTTA DO THE MATH ON WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, UM, DO, UM, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO PULL PEOPLE OUT FROM DISASTER, RIGHT? AND, UM, THE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THIS PROGRAM WOULD COST VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT WOULD COST US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO PAY FOR SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, RIGHT? UM, THAT'S THE MATHEMATICS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO, RIGHT? HOW MUCH DOES IT COST US, UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE A WEEK, UH, GO TO THE FOOD BANK JUST TO BE ABLE TO EAT? UM, I MEAN, THAT'S THE, THAT'S AN ACCURATE NUMBER. 
          IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE OR MORE A WEEK, UH, OR SERVED BY THE FOOD BANK. 
          AND SO, UM, I, I THINK WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING BECAUSE DOING NOTHING, UH, IS GONNA, WHAT'S GONNA RESULT IN NOTHING. 
          UH, A ALONG THE SAME LINES AS, AS WHAT COUNCILMAN PERRY, UH, LAID OUT, I THINK THE TRADES, UM, IS, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO FOCUS ON. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL ASK ALL OF YOU TO GO BACK AND, AND READ A PIECE THAT, UH, A FRIEND DOUG MCMURRAY WROTE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HE WAS POINTING OUT THAT 80% OF CONSTRUCTION FIRMS IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FINDING, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO SHOW UP TO WORK AND HELP BUILD BUILDINGS AND, YOU KNOW, BRIDGES AND ROADS AND ALL THAT. 
          UM, AND THEN IN TEXAS IT'S 84%. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ROOFING COMPANY, MIKE BELDEN'S ROOFING COMPANY, BUT, UM, THAT'S JUST ONE ROOFING COMPANY, RIGHT? I, I, WE, MY FIRM WORKS WITH ROOFING COMPANIES ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, AND ALL OF THEM ARE TELLING US THAT THEY'RE HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FINDING WORK. 
          BUT WE'RE HEARING THE SAME THING FROM, YOU KNOW, SOPHISTICATED CONSTRUCTION FIRMS LIKE JORIS CONSTRUCTION AND SUN, TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER FOLKS, UM, WHO ARE TELLING US THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBLEM, IT, IT'S PROBLEMATIC, UM, BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR DECADES, UH, HAS LED TO THIS CRISIS. 
          AND, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A, A, A VERY IMPORTANT EFFORT FOR US TO, TO, UH, REVERSE THAT. 
          YOU KNOW, UM, WE, AS, AS A COUNTRY, HAVE DISMANTLED VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN HIGH SCHOOLS, UM, AND ALL OF OUR TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, UM, WE'VE GOT VERY SAD, DECLINING PARTICIPATION IN UNION APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE POURED ALL OF OUR ENERGY AND RESOURCES INTO COLLEGE PREP CLASSES, WHICH IS FINE. 
          COLLEGE PREP IS FINE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO ARE GETTING TRAINED UP TO SIT IN CUBICLES, UM, AND, UM, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT REALIZE MUCH HIGHER RETURNS, UM, BY GOING AND TRAINING TO BE WELDERS AND ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS AND MACHINISTS. 
          AND SO, I, I DO, UH, CONGRATULATE, UM, ALEX AND STAFF FOR BEING MINDFUL ABOUT THE NEED TO INCLUDE THE TRADES ON THIS ONE. 
          BUT I DO WANNA REMIND YOU ALL THAT, UM, THERE'S A BODY OF PEOPLE OUT THERE READY TO HELP US, RIGHT? AND, UH, THE I B E W, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, AND THE, THE TRADE COMMISSION HERE IN TOWN, UM, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ALLIES, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECRUIT THEM, 
          [01:10:01]
UH, AHEAD OF TIME. 
          LASTLY, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU THIS, MAYOR, AND YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, YESTERDAY. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I SEE THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE NOT TOO DIFFERENT FROM THE, UH, PRE-K FOR ESSAY BALLOT INITIATIVE WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GAVE SAN ANTONIANS THE CHOICE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM THAT WOULD HELP, UM, VULNERABLE FAMILIES AND, YOU KNOW, HELP THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE YEAR OLDS, UM, HAVE A MUCH BETTER FUTURE AND ATTAIN SOMETHING THAT, BUT FOR A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ATTAIN. 
          UM, SAN ANTONIO STEPPED UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MY KID WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THIS, AND I WON'T HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT. 
          BUT I DO SEE, UH, THE FUTURE IMPACT IT'LL HAVE ON THE REST OF SAN ANTONIO, THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT THAT IT'LL HAVE ON, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESSES, LARGE BUSINESSES, UM, BECAUSE MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S BOAT, YOU KNOW, FLOATS, UM, IS, UH, IS A GOOD THING FOR EVERYBODY, RIGHT? UH, AND SAN ANTONIANS WERE SMART, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, FOUND THIS PROGRAM TO BE WILDLY POPULAR. 
          I MEAN, IN THIS INSTANCE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEAR OLDS. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADULTS. 
          UH, AND I, I TRUST SAN ANTONIANS TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION EVERY SINGLE TIME. 
          UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ALL PRESENT THOUGHTFUL BALLOT INITIATIVES AND GIVE SAN ANTONIANS ALL THE ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS, THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE THE RIGHT THING. 
          AND SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I'M GONNA SUPPORT A BALLOT INITIATIVE ON ONE CONDITION. 
          AND THAT IS THAT I GET, UH, TRUSTWORTHY AND CONCRETE ASSURANCES THAT OUR EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION, UM, WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT, UH, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          AND, UM, THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'LL BE HAVING WITH, WITH THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED, UH, GOING FORWARD. 
          I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY THAT, UH, WE COULD IMPERIL OUR EDWARDS AQUIFER, UM, JUST TO DO THIS PROGRAM, BUT I, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TO A PLACE WHERE I'LL FEEL GOOD ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO PROTECT OUR DRINKING WATER. 
          SO, MAYOR, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU THE REST OF MY TIME. 
          THANKS. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PALLI. 
          UM, AND I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH, UM, YOUR, YOUR STATEMENTS, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE AQUIFER. 
          JOHN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE ALLUDED TO THIS. 
          UM, HE AND I, AND, UM, UH, STAFF WILL BE MEETING WITH, UH, DR. 
          ROMERO NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS ON THE FORMULATION OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WILL THEN GO TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH. 
          UH, SO WE WILL KEEP, UH, KEEP EVERYONE APPRISED ON THAT, BUT THAT'S GOOD PROGRESS AND IN SUPPORT OF A SUSTAINABLE, UM, FUTURE FOR THE  FOR PROTECTION PROGRAM. 
          WE'LL GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          AND, UH, I, I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN ELIAS FOR BRINGING UP THE POINT OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. 
          I DO SEE THIS AS A SYMBOLIC AND LITERAL TRANSITION, UH, IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT IN PRIORITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? FOR A LONG TIME, THERE WAS ADVOCACY FOR, FOR, UH, PROTECTING THE AQUIFER, AND THERE STILL IS, UH, SOME, BUT NOW WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, REDIRECTING THAT DEDICATED FUNDING, UH, TO SOMETHING ELSE. 
          SO WE DO HAVE TO HAVE OUR DUCKS IN A ROW WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING CARE OF THE AQUIFER. 
          AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT ONE OF THOSE WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THAT IS BY PLACING SOMEONE ON THE SAS BOARD WHO HAS AMPLE EXPERIENCE IN, UH, CONSERVATION AND, UH, CARING FOR THE AQUIFER. 
          DR. 
          WHO WAS, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY FOR THREE YEARS. 
          AND I HOPE MY, UH, MY COLLEAGUES WILL CONSIDER, UM, HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS, UH, TO CONTINUE WITH AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE TRANSITIONING THE DEDICATED FUNDING. 
          UM, I, UH, ALSO ECHO SOME OF THE, THE COMMENTS ON MY, FROM MY, FROM MY COLLEAGUES. 
          UH, I, I THINK THIS IS ALL TREMENDOUSLY WELL INTENTIONED AND COULD REALLY TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY. 
          UM, I, BUT, UH, I ALSO WANT, UH, SOME REASSURANCES AND SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BEFORE I'M READY TO, TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          UM, THE FIRST DISCUSSION WE HAD ON THIS ITEM WAS LESS THAN A, LESS THAN A WEEK AGO. 
          AND SO I, I WANNA FEEL MORE INFORMED BEFORE WE GO FORWARD. 
          AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T HAVE A DOCUMENT DESCRIBING THE PROPOSAL. 
          WE HAVE TWO POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, ALBEIT FANTASTIC PRESENTATIONS, BUT I'D FEEL MORE SECURE IF, UH, IF I HAD DOCUMENTS FOR, FOR INSTANCE, SOMETHING THAT DESCRIBES WHAT WE MEAN BY WRAPAROUND SERVICES. 
          IT'S NOT WRITTEN, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, ANYWHERE. 
          AND I, I LOOKED AT THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE AND IT DOES NOT TALK ABOUT WRAPAROUND SERVICES. 
          [01:15:01]
UM, SO I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED, UH, AND, AND AGAIN, YOU'VE ASSURED US THAT THAT'S THERE, BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT IN, IN WRITING. 
          UM, ANOTHER, UH, ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS, UH, COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ TALKED ABOUT OPPORTUNITY USE, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, A CONSIDERATION THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY MAKE, UM, GOING FORWARD, IS INTEGRATING THEM INTO THIS PROGRAM. 
          SO, WOULD IT BE, UH, THE OTHER THING I'VE, I'VE REQUESTED MAYOR, AND, AND I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU THE OTHER DAY, AND I'VE TOLD YOUR STAFF ABOUT THIS, IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A TIMELINE OF WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE FROM NOW UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED SO THAT I KNOW WHAT CONSIDERATIONS ARE GONNA BE MADE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US ARE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT, THAT WE FEEL ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO THIS PROGRAM, AND, UH, WE DON'T WANT THEM TO ACCIDENTALLY GET FORGOTTEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. 
          SO WHERE'S THAT TIMELINE? WHERE ARE THE STEPS? IS THIS SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE IN OUR HANDS IN THE, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS? UM, IS THAT POSSIBLE, MAYOR? YES. 
          WE WILL HAVE, UH, THAT TIMELINE DETAILED FOR YOU IN THE THURSDAY PRESENTATION. 
          SO THE DAY WE'RE GONNA VOTE IS THE DAY WE GET TO REVIEW THAT. 
          IT'LL BE PART OF THE THURSDAY PRESENTATION WE PROVIDED BEFORE YOU, UH, FOR YOU BEFORE THAT, UH, AS NECESSARY. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT I, I MENTIONED, UH, TO YOU, MAYOR, WAS THAT, UM, AS LONG AS SAN ANTONIO EXISTS, AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE AN ALAMO AND A RIVER WALK AND A BEAUTIFUL CONVENTION CENTER, WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE SERVICE JOBS IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          UM, AND THAT, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE THOSE JOBS DIGNIFIED AND, UH, AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE A LIVING OFF OF THEM. 
          SO, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER GOING FORWARD. 
          IF WE'RE REALLY SAYING WE WANT TO PULL PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY, THOSE JOBS ALSO NEED TO BE, UH, DIGNIFIED. 
          ONE QUESTION THAT I DO HAVE, UH, TWO QUESTIONS. 
          THE PLAN CALLS FOR A $75 MILLION ONE-TIME APPROPRIATION. 
          UM, IS THAT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, OR IS THAT FROM THE CARES FUND THAT WE ALREADY APPROVED? COUNCIL MEMBER, THE, THIS PLAN DOES NOT CALL FOR A $75 MILLION ONE TIME APPROPRIATION. 
          WE DO HAVE WITHIN THE RECOVERY PLAN, OKAY, A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE THAT HAS $75 MILLION DEDICATED TO WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE'LL TALK SOME MORE ABOUT THAT THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE WE ARE GREAT. 
          AND THEN, UH, YES, I DO WANNA HEAR HOW WE'RE DOING ON THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE INVESTED IN ALAMO PROMISE, WE INVESTED IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND, UH, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS $150 MILLION INVESTMENT. 
          SO IT'S, IT IS A LOT OF EGGS GOING INTO THIS BASKET. 
          SO WE WANNA KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING, UH, ON THEM. 
          THE OTHER THING IS ARE WILL THERE BE STIPENDS IN THIS PROGRAM, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THAT THE PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED, UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE, WE HAVE NOT INCLUDED ACTUAL STIPENDS. 
          UM, INSTEAD THERE'S THIS, UH, FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED BY THE CASE MANAGERS THAT PROVIDE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. 
          OKAY? SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA HELP ME PAY THE RENT, RIGHT? THE, THE EMERGENCY, UH, ASSISTANCE OR, OR HELP ME PAY FOR FOOD, RIGHT? THAT, THAT IS PART OF, SORRY, THE UNINTENDED, UNEXPECTED EXPENSES THAT COME UP, THAT IS PART OF WHAT'S COVERED THROUGH, UM, THE, THIS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. 
          THEY WOULD ALSO BE REFERRALS TO EXISTING PROVIDERS THAT THE CASE MANAGERS WOULD HELP THE PARTICIPANT NAVIGATE. 
          SO WE, WE FOLLOW THE QUEST MODEL COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, WHICH DOES THAT, WHICH PROVIDES, ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFIES THE INDIVIDUAL'S NEEDS, CONNECTS THEM TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP THOSE NEEDS, AND THEN HAS A POOL OF DOLLARS, GENERALLY $500 PER PARTICIPANT THAT THEY SERVE THAT CAN BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 
          SO WE USE THAT MODEL. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I'M STILL HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING IF THERE, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. 
          AND I REALIZE THIS PROGRAM CAN'T DO EVERYTHING, BUT I, I'M JUST HAVING A HARD TIME, UH, FIGURING THAT OUT. 
          AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, I, YOU DID TELL ME THAT U F C W U WAS ADDED TO THIS, AND WHEN I HAD A TALKED TO THE, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A CHAPTER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THEY, THEY HAVE SOME WORKERS, AND THEY, THEY OFFER FREE COLLEGE FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR MEMBERS. 
          [01:20:01]
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I HAVE A, A LOT MORE TO, TO SAY ABOUT, UH, THE REPRESENTATION ON, ON THE COMMITTEE. 
          I, I THINK IT COULD STILL USE A LITTLE BIT MORE BALANCE. 
          AND, UH, SINCE WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF AT THE, AT THE HOUR MARK HERE TO, TO, TO MAKE THIS DECISION, THAT'S WHAT I WANNA SEE IN THE TIMELINE IS WHERE ARE WE GONNA HAVE A PLACE FOR THE WORKERS AND FOR THE USERS WHERE THEIR VOICES WILL BE HEARD AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY HELP SHAPE THIS PROGRAM. 
          BECAUSE UP UNTIL NOW, I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER . 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO REITERATE THE NECESSITY OF ACCOMMODATING AND ENCOURAGING THE PARTICIPATION OF OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY. 
          WE CAN'T FORGET THE DISABLED INDIVIDUALS WHO, UH, MAY HAVE LOST SHELTERED POSITIONS, SHELTERED JOBS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, AND ALSO OUR NEED OF TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE. 
          AT OUR LAST B SESSION, I HAD QUESTIONS REGARDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND JOB PLACEMENT. 
          SO I'M ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THESE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS ARE, ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE PLAN, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM AND, AND ULTIMATELY THE PARTICIPANTS. 
          MY ONLY QUESTION REALLY, UH, IS FOR ANDY. 
          I JUST WANT, UH, TO CLARIFY BY WHAT DATE DO WE NEED TO CALL THE ELECTION COUNCILWOMAN? THIS IS RAY RODRIGUEZ, DEPUTY ATTORNEY. 
          I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE, UH, REQUIRED TO CALL THAT ELECTION ON THE 17TH. 
          OKAY? RIGHT. 
          CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, COUNCILWOMAN? I, I CAN, ANDY? YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I MU I MUST HAVE BEEN ON MUTE. 
          YES, AUGUST 17TH. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UM, THEN I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE, WE CAN GET THAT DOCUMENT, MAYOR ANY, UH, ANY EARLIER THAN THURSDAY, BUT I JUST WANNA, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT CLEAR, UH, IF I'M HEARING ANDY CORRECTLY, WE HAVE TO CALL IT THIS, THIS THURSDAY, OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, VOTE ON IT THIS THURSDAY, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. 
          THAT'S THE ONE SCHEDULED MEETING COUNCILWOMAN? YES. 
          CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA, UH, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME, SOME HESITATION ABOUT, UH, HAVING INFORMATION, SO IF WE COULD JUST GET THE INFORMATION ANY SOONER, I THINK THAT WOULD, UH, HELP US OUT LOT TO BE ABLE TO, TO VOTE THIS COMING THURSDAY. 
          THAT'S ALL. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, EVERYONE FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION. 
          I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER, UH, TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ROCHA GARCIA, AND WE'LL ROUND OUT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS AND, UM, ABSOLUTELY, UH, WE WILL CIRCLE BACK AND, AND, UH, I COMMIT TO YOU ALL TO WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, COUNCILMAN  THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, LOOK AT METRICS AND THAT WE'RE ALWAYS EVALUATING THE DATA AND BEING ABLE TO PIVOT ON INFORMATION. 
          UM, ALSO WE HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, THAT AT, DURING THE WORKING GROUP, AND, UH, THIS IS WITH THE WORKING GROUP WITH I, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE WORKING GROUP WITH THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS, WE HAD MENTIONED POSSIBLY FOCUS GROUP USERS IN MIND. 
          AND SO I THINK TO COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL'S POINT, WE SHOULD PROBABLY, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT OR HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT EARLIER, UM, THAN, THAN LATER. 
          AND THEN, UH, TO THE APPRENTICESHIPS POINT, AND I AGREE, UM, COUNCILMAN PERRY, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GROUPS OUT THERE THAT ARE READY TO HELP US. 
          AND, AND I THINK CARLOS  ALSO MENTIONED THIS, BUT A, B, C, A G C, UM, UH, THE TRADES IN GENERAL. 
          SO, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, DEFINITELY, UM, SOMETHING THAT, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED. 
          UH, AND, AND P FOLKS THAT HAVE A PROVEN RECORD THAT KNOW HOW TO, UM, MAKE THINGS WORK. 
          AND SO I, I, I WOULD LOVE TO MAYBE CONVENE A GROUP, UH, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER, UH, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, MAYBE IT IS, UH, CHAIR, UH, VIA RUN THROUGH THROUGH YOUR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. 
          UM, OR MAYBE IT'S A SUBSET OF THE CURRENT COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO GET THAT DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S CONCERNS, UH, TODAY, AND I THINK THAT THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN WILL ONLY MAKE THIS STRONGER. 
          AND ON THURSDAY, UM, I THINK THAT WE, UH, SHOULD BE, UM, REALLY REAL READY TO, UH, VOTE NOT JUST ON THE, UM, THE CURRENT, UH, PROGRAM, BUT WITH THE REALIZATION THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME FLEXIBILITY, UM, THAT THIS PLAN WAS, UM, PUT TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE WORK OF INDUSTRY LEADERS, WITH THE WORK OF REPRESENTATIVES, LIKE THE FOLKS FROM, UM, COPS, UH, METRO, AND MORE 
          [01:25:01]
IMPORTANTLY THAT IT WAS BASED OFF SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL MODELS LIKE THE ONE THAT IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED THROUGH PROJECT QUEST. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY HAS DONE. 
          THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT, GUESS WHAT? WE HAVE TWO DAYS, UH, OR SO TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. 
          AND I DO THINK THAT WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE A PLAN TO REASSURE MY FELLOW COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT WE WILL NOT LEAVE ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS LINGERING, OR THAT WE HAVE PERHAPS THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE WAITING ON SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE SEE, EVEN AS A RESULT OF THE FIRST ROUND OF MONEY THAT WE INVESTED THROUGH THE FEDERAL CARESS ACT. 
          SO I JUST WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK. 
          I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN, UM, LOTS OF LONG NIGHTS, LONG AFTERNOONS, EVEN THE WEEKENDS, UH, OF WORK PUT IN BY EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS. 
          AND SO I JUST WANNA, UM, REITERATE MY THANKS AND, AND SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN. 
          AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THURSDAY ABOUT THE QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AND I HAVE, AND I AM, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, EVEN RECEIVING SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. 
          FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU ALL, UM, HAVE AN IDEA THAT MAYBE HASN'T BEEN SHARED AND MAYBE YOU CAME UP, UM, WITH AND, AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OFFLINE. 
          SO, THAT'S IT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. 
          UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, OUR CONVERSATION THURSDAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GROM. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          UM, QUESTIONS AND POINTS, UM, FOR CLARIFICATION THAT WAS NEEDED, UM, TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. 
          UM, ABSOLUTELY THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID DISCUSS WITH THE, UM, WITH CITY STAFF AS WELL AS WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH OUR CREEK WASTE SYSTEM? HOW ARE WE DOING THIS WITH OUR, UM, AQUIFER? AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THAT MEETING AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND CONTINUING TO GET THAT, UH, COMMITMENT, UH, FROM SAS AS WELL AS FROM OUR, UM, COUNTY TOO, BECAUSE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT. 
          UM, TO YOUR POINT, UH, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE NEED TO CLARIFY DEFINITIONS, THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND, UH, HAVE THAT CLARIFICATION OF WHAT DOES APPRENTICESHIP MEAN, WHAT DOES WRAPAROUND SERVICES MEAN? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WRAPAROUND SERVICES AT A UNIVERSITY OR IN THE PROJECT QUEST. 
          SO I THINK HAVING THAT, UM, BROAD DEFINITION AND ALSO THAT INCLUSIVE DEFINITION OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT AND CLARIFY THEM FOR, FOR YOU ALL, UH, FOR ALL OF US ACTUALLY, AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR THE TARGETED FOCUS O ON, UH, THAT WE'VE COME TOGETHER WITH, UH, LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION, UH, COMMITTEE AS WELL AS TO THE CO MY COLLEAGUES. 
          WE HAVE THIS TARGET FOCUS SO WE CAN HAVE THE SHORT TERM, MIDTERM AND LONG TERM BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR WORKFORCE AND CARE DOLLARS ARE WORKING ON THE IMMEDIACY RIGHT NOW WITH ON TO JOB TRAINING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND INVESTMENTS. 
          WE ARE DOING THAT NOW THAT IS ONGOING FOR THOSE IMMEDIATE JOBS THAT PEOPLE NEED. 
          AND THEN THIS IS THE CONTINUATION. 
          AND TO HAVE THAT TARGET FOCUS ON THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AND UNEMPLOYED, AND TO OTHER POINTS, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THE ACCOUNTABILITY. 
          IF WE ARE INVESTING THESE DOLLARS, WE NEED TO HAVE CHECK-IN POINTS WITH THE PARTICIPANTS TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, UM, INCREASE THEIR, OR INCREASE THEIR, UH, EARNINGS AND THEN GET INTO A MORE SOLID CAREER PATH MOVING FORWARD. 
          SO THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. 
          WE'LL WORK ON THESE CLARIFICATIONS AND THESE DEFINITIONS, AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON THE NEXT STEPS. 
          UM, BUT THE FIRST STEP IS TO SEE, UM, IF WE GIVE THIS OPTION TO THE VOTERS FOR NOVEMBER. 
          AND, UM, WE HAVE 83 DAYS UNTIL NOVEMBER, BUT WE HAVE JUST TWO DAYS UNTIL THURSDAY. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF, UM, READING AND CLARIFICATION TO BRING FORWARD TO YOU ALL, BUT THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER VIRON. 
          UM, AND ANDY, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME, UM, OUTSTANDING LEGAL QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO JUST, UM, YOUR SUMMARY AND MAYBE, UM, WE CAN ALSO ANSWER THAT MORE IN DEPTH. 
          CORRECT? UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          YES, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO WHAT TYPE OF TAX THIS IS AND WHAT OTHER TAXING AUTHORITY THAT THE CITY MAY HAVE. 
          UH, WE'LL PROVIDE THOSE ANSWERS IN WRITING, BUT REAL QUICKLY, IT'S, UM, THE A AND B, UH, DISTINCTION THAT COUNCILMAN VIN WAS TALKING ABOUT. 
          UH, THAT'S UNDER A SEPARATE STATUTE. 
          WE'RE MAKING THIS, UH, 
          [01:30:01]
TAX, UH, PROPOSAL UNDER THE BETTER JOBS ACT. 
          AND, UH, AGAIN, WE'LL PROVIDE A MORE FULLER ANALYSIS AND, AND OTHER OPTIONS, UH, IN, UH, IN WRITING. 
          SO WE CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FULLY. 
          BUT THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU ANDY. 
          ALRIGHT, WELL, UM, GREAT DISCUSSION. 
          UH, I THINK THERE'S, UH, SEVERAL OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON IN THE INTERIM. 
          UH, AND THEN ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THE THURSDAY CONVERSATION AND VOTE. 
          UM, WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A SECOND SESSION TODAY, UH, AT TWO O'CLOCK. 
          SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO, IT IS A SECOND MEETING. 
          YOU CAN, UH, RECESS, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO RECESS NOW. 
          THE TIME IS 10:37 AM AND WE WILL RECONVENE AT TWO O'CLOCK, UH, FOR OUR BUDGET SESSION. 
          AND, UM, I WANT TO THANK ALSO, UH, KEVIN, UH, DR. 
          AMY, DR. 
          FLORES AND DR. 
          MATSON FOR JOINING US TODAY. 
          UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND WE WILL TALK TO YOU VERY SOON. 
          ALRIGHT, WE'RE RECESSED FOR NOW. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.