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WE WILL NOW TRANSITION TO HUMAN[FY2023 Budget Workshop: Human Resources]
RESOURCES SINCE WE ARE MORE THAN AN HOUR BEHIND.WE ARE FOREGOING OUR BREAK TO BE RESPECTFUL OF DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES, SO WE'RE SELF-SACRIFICING TODAY.
WE DO HAVE A FEW SNACKS IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT I'M HELPING WITH Y'ALL'S WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS HR IS HERE.
I LOVE IT THAT THAT'S HOW WELL WE DO IT.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DIRECTOR JANE CHEEKS AND CARLA COLEMAN, AS THEY WILL PROVIDE THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT BUDGET PRESENTATION.
NO, WE APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR GETTING TARGET A GOOD HORSE ON THE DAY THAT I HAVE TO, UH, PRESENT, BUT, UH, CARLA, CARLA HAS MY BACK.
UM, I WANNA, UH, THANK YOU ALL AND GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I, ALONG WITH CARLA COLEMAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HR FINANCE, ARE PLEASED TODAY TO PRESENT OUR FY 23 HR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
I'M ALSO ENJOYING BY MY EXECUTIVE STAFF, WHICH I'LL INTRODUCE SHORTLY.
UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS OVER 21,000 EMPLOYEES AND HR TOUCHES EVERY ONE OF THEM, WHETHER IT'S FACILITATING HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ENHANCING WORKPLACE SAFETY, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, CARING FOR INJURED WORKERS, WORKING TOWARDS PAY EQUITY OR RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING.
WE NEVER FORGET THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF OUR DEPARTMENT'S NAME.
OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE CAREERS IN AN EFFICIENT AND COST EFFECTIVE MANNER, ALL WHILE COMPLYING WITH A VARIETY OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL MANDATES.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, I HAVE 10 DIVISIONS.
WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THEM MORE IN DETAIL, FURTHER IN THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
BUT LET ME PAUSE FOR TWO SECONDS JUST TO INTRODUCE MY TEAM.
ELISA FRANKLIN BROCK IS MY CHIEF OF STAFF.
DARREN HILTON IS MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HR OPERATIONS.
CARLA COLEMAN IS MY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
CHARLES SMITH IS MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT.
VERONICA DAVIS IS MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BENEFITS.
KATINA SWIFT IS MY CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER.
VELMA LAWS IS THE ASSISTANT CHIEF POLICY OFFICER.
ABDI SADECKI IS MY DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION MANAGEMENT.
BOB JOHNSON IS MY COMPENSATION MANAGER, AND LESLIE DENTON ROACH IS OVER HR COMMUNICATIONS.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T INTRODUCE AISHA ROBERTS AS THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER HR OPERATIONS AND STEFAN ALTRA OVER, HE'S THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECT DIRECTOR OVER RISK MANAGEMENT.
I ALSO HAVE THE TEAM THAT TIRELESSLY HELPED ME PUT THIS BENEFITS BUDGET TOGETHER.
SO CARLA, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM? YES, MY TEAM.
SO THIS IS THE CORE TEAM THAT ACTUALLY WORK LATE NIGHTS IN PUTTING THIS BUDGET NUMBERS TOGETHER.
SO WITHOUT THEM, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PRESENT HERE TODAY.
SO I THANK YOU AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK THAT THEY PUT IN.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A DIVERSE RANGE OF STATUTES, WHICH WE MUST COMPLY TO.
OUR GOAL IS TO ADMINISTER ALL COMPLIANCE INITIATIVES IN A MANNER THAT MAXIMIZES, THAT MINIMIZES RISK AND MAXIMIZES COMPLIANCE WITH EACH STATUTE, THUS SHIELDING THE CITY FROM POTENTIAL PENALTIES AND LEGAL COST.
MAYOR TURNER OFTEN SPEAKS ABOUT INCREMENTALIST.
HE STATES WE SHOULD BE TRANSFORMATIONAL.
WE MADE SOME MAJOR STRIDES HERE IN THE HR DEPARTMENT IN FY 22, 1 BEING THE PASSAGE OF THE PRENATAL, PARENTAL AND INFANT
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WELLNESS OR ORDINANCE.THE NEXT ONE WILL BE ONE OF OUR LARGEST PROJECTS, THE HR ONE PROJECT, WHICH IS A COLLABORATION WITH DIRECTOR KENT AND THE HITS TEAM AND DIRECTOR PAEZ IN THE PAYROLL TEAM, WHERE WE WILL IMPLEMENT SUCCESS FACTORS AND EMPLOYEE CENTRAL.
WE ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING A NEW PLATFORM BENEFITS FOCUS FOR OUR BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION.
WE WILL MAKE HISTORY WITH THE BENEFIT FOCUS IMPLEMENTATION BY FINALLY RID OUR VALUED RETIREES OF A PAPER INTENSIVE PROCESS OF ELECTING AND CHANGING THEIR BENEFITS.
BOTH SUCCESS FACTORS AND BENEFIT FOLKS.
FOCUS WILL OFFER MOBIL THE MOBILITY FUNCTION, WHICH IS CRUCIAL IN OUR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.
ANOTHER MAJOR PROJECT IN HR IS ZERO IS POSSIBLE.
IT'S CALLED ZIP OUR SAFETY PROGRAM.
WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN LEADING SAFETY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM BY PROVIDING ALL EMPLOYEES FROM DIRECTORS TO FRONTLINE WORKERS, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ZERO ACCIDENTS ARE TRULY POSSIBLE.
WE ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING SEVERAL NEW TECHNICAL SERVICES TO ASSIST US IN PROVIDING A HIGHER LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUCH AS ANALYTICAL DATA THROUGH POWER BI.
WE ARE, WE WITH OUR STRONG COMMITMENT TO TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT, THE FOOTPRINT WE WILL LEAVE ON OUR ORGANIZATION WILL BE A MODEL OF HOW HR SHOULD CONDUCT BUSINESS IN MUNICIPALITIES FOR YEARS TO COME.
TODAY, WE WILL PRESENT OUR FY PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE HAVE REVIEWED THE SERVICES OF H THAT HR PROVIDES TO OUR CLIENT DEPARTMENT AND INTEGRATED ALL THE HR FUNCTIONS RESIDING IN THE GENERAL FUND INTO OUR CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND.
THE MAYOR'S HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM WILL BE THE ONLY THING THAT WILL REMAIN IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
THIS WILL ALLOW MORE EFFICIENCY, EXCUSE ME, MORE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES FOR HR.
NOW I WILL TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO MY CFO TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET FURTHER.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CHEEKS, AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MAYOR PERTER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE FUNCTIONAL CHART FOR HR, WHICH IS PROPOSED A BUDGET OF $514 MILLION, AND IT FUNDS 448.7 FTES.
AND THIS IS DONE THROUGH FIVE FUNDS.
WE HAVE A GENERAL FUND, TWO REVOLVING FUNDS, AND TWO INTERNAL SERVICES FUND.
IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE ARE PROPOSING A BUDGET OF 1.5 MILLION TO FUND 152.7 FT E FOR THE HARA HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM.
THEN IN THE REVOLVING FUNDS, WE HAVE THE CENTRAL SERVICE REVOLVING FUND, WHICH THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 38 MILLION AND IT FUNDS 185 FTE, AND THE BUDGET IS 8% OF THE COMBINED HR BUDGET.
THEN THE OTHER REVOLVING FUND IS THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND, WHICH THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 45 MILLION AND IT FUNDS 60 FTES AND IT REPRESENTS 9% OF THE COMBINED HR BUDGET.
AND THEN FROM THE INTERNAL REVENUE, UH, INTERNAL SERVICES FUND, WE HAVE THE HEALTH BENEFIT FUND, WHICH IS BUDGETED AT 428 MILLION, AND IT FUNDS 51 FTES AND IT REPRESENTS 85% OF HRS BUDGET.
AND LASTLY, THE LONG-TERM DISABILITY FUND, WHICH IS BUDGETED AT 1.6 MILLION, REPRESENTS LESS THAN 1% OF THE, OF THE, OF THE HRS BUDGETED FUND, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THIS IS THE FUNCTIONAL CHART FOR, UH, THE GENERAL FUND.
AND AS I, I MENTIONED, THE ONLY THING FUNDED HERE IS THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH FOR 1.5 MILLION, AND IT FUNDS 152.7 FTES OR 509 POSITIONS.
WE HAVE EXPECTING 500 INTERNS AND NINE CAREER COACHES.
THIS IS THE CENTRAL REVOLVING FUND FOR HR AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS $38 MILLION, AND IT FUNDS 185 FTES IN SEVEN UH, DIVISIONS.
WE ARE INTEGRATING THE HR GENERAL FUNDS, UH, OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS INTO THIS FUND.
IN ADDITION TO THE HR FUNCTIONS, UH, CORE
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FUNCTIONS THAT THIS BUDGET HOLDS, WE ALSO HAVE THE BUDGET FOR CONTINGENT WORKFORCE AND FOR THE TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY.THIS IS THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 45 MILLION AND IT FUNDS 60 FTES AND THREE MAJOR FUNCTIONS MANAGED BY TWO DIVISIONS.
THE SAFETY AND THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUNCTIONS ARE MANAGED BY THE HR RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION, AND THEIR MISSION IS TO CREATE A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT BY ELIMINATING WORKPLACE HAZARD, UH, REDUCING THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORKPLACE INJURIES, AND BY BEING ADVOCATES TO OUR INJURED WORKERS.
THIS IS THE HEALTH BENEFIT FUND, AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 428 MILLION, AND IT FUNDS 51 FTES AND FOUR MAJOR, UH, FUNCTIONS MANAGED BY FOUR DIVISIONS.
THIS BUDGET HOUSES ALL THE BENEFIT PLANS FOR THE CITY, WHICH INCLUDES THE MEDICAL AND THE PHARMACY PLANS, THE SUPPLEMENTAL PLANS SUCH AS DENTAL, VISION, LIFE INSURANCE, UH, LIFE, UH, DEPENDENT CARE, FLEXIBLE SPENDING, AND TWO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS FOR RETIREES OVER 65.
AND THE LONG-TERM DISABILITY FUND WAS, WHICH IS BUDGETED AT 1.6 MILLION.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND THIS FUND IS MOSTLY DETERMINED BY AN ANNUAL ACTUARY EVALUATION, AND IT HAPPENS AT YEAR END.
NOW, THIS IS THE REVENUE SLIDE, UH, FOR MOST DEPARTMENTS, AND THIS CHART COMPARES THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR WITH THIS CURRENT YEAR'S ESTIMATE.
UM, SO I WANNA SAY THAT HR IS NOT A REVENUE GENERATING DEPARTMENT.
SO OUR REVENUES ARE PRODUCTS OF CHARGEBACKS TO THE DEPARTMENTS FOR ACTUAL PROGRAM AND SERVICES AND BASED ON UTILIZATION, AND ALSO IS BASED ON, IT'S A PRODUCT OF CONTRIBUTION FROM EMPLOYEES, RETIREES, AND CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS AN INCREASE OF 9.5% OR 45 MILLION.
NOW, THIS, UH, SLIDE COVERS THE KEY DRIVERS THAT INCREASES THE PROPOSED REVENUES, BUT THEY'RE THE SAME KEY DRIVERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY INCREASING THE EXPENSE SITES.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THEM LATER IN THE EXPENSE SITES BECAUSE THEY'RE EXACTLY THE SAME AS WE'RE NOT A REVENUE GENERATING DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS IS THEEND, UM, BUDGET FOR HR, AND THIS CHART COMPARES THE FY 23 PROPOSED BUDGET WITH THIS YEAR'S CURRENT BUDGET.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE 23 BUDGET IS PROPOSED WITH AN INCREASE OF 23 MILLION OR 4.7%.
THIS SLIDE ACTUALLY HAS THE KEY DRIVERS FOR BOTH THE REVENUE AND THE EXPENSES, AND THIS 23 MILLION IS BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS.
SO WE SEE FIRST THE GENERAL FUND THAT HAS A DECREASE OF 2.5 MILLION OR 62.1%.
AND MAINLY THIS IS TO, UH, THE MERGER OF THE HR OPERATIONS ACTIVITIES AND THE GENERAL FUND WITH A CENTRAL SERVICE REVOLVING FUND.
SO THE ONLY THING LEFT IN THE GENERAL FUND IS THE HAR HOUSTON YOUTH.
THEN THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS THE CENTRAL REVOLVING FUND, WHICH INCREASED BY 6.9 MILLION OR 20%, AND THE INCREASES ARE DUE TO, UM, INCREASE UTILIZATION IN IN TEMPORARY SERVICE PERSONNEL.
AND WE ALSO ADDED THIS YEAR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICER, UH, RANKING EXAM FOR CAPTAIN AND SENIOR PA CAPTAIN.
WE ALSO HAVE PERSONNEL INCREASES DUE TO HOPE AND BENEFITS AS WELL COST INCREASES FOR TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES THAT DIRECTOR CHEEKS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND INCREASED BY 6.1 MILLION OR 15%, MOSTLY DUE TO CATASTROPHIC HIGH CLAIMS RELATED TO, UH, COVID.
WE ALSO HAVE PERSONNEL INCREASES IN THIS FUND AS WELL.
AND THEN THE HEALTH BENEFIT INCREASE OF 13 MILLION OR 3.1 IS MOSTLY DUE TO PREMIUM RATE INCREASES OF 6.5% FROM 3.4% LAST YEAR.
WE ALSO HAVE CO HIGH CLAIM COST IN THIS, UM, FUND RELATED TO COVID AND PERSONNEL INCREASES IS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR BENEFITS AND HOPE.
AND THEN THE LONG-TERM DISABILITY ALSO HAS, UM, AN INCREASE IN RATES, WHICH INCREASE THE BUDGET BY 85,000 OR 5%.
BUT THE INCREASE IS MOSTLY DUE TO PARTICI PARTICIPATION COUNT INCREASES, WHICH DRIVES THE CLAIM INCREASES AS WELL.
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NOW, IN THE NEXT SIX SLIDES, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE HRS BUDGET ALLOCATED BETWEEN PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONNEL COST.IN THIS SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET, COMBINED BUDGET OF 514 MILLION.
IT ALLOCATES 7% OF THIS BUDGET TO PERSONNEL TO FUND 448.7 FTES.
AND THIS IS DONE WITH $34 MILLION.
THEN THE 93% REMAINING OF THE BUDGET GOES TO NON-PERSONNEL EXPENSES OR OTHER EXPENSES FOR 480 MILLION.
OUT OF THIS 480 MILLION, 76% IS ALLOCATED TO CLAIM EXPENSES FOR THE BENEFIT FUNDS.
THEN, UM, 11% GOES TO OTHER HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS, WHICH INCLUDE SUPPLEMENTAL PLANS AND RETIREES PLANS.
THEN IT GOES TO WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIMS FOR 8%, AND THE REMAINING OF THE BUDGET GOES TO OTHER SERVICES, SUPPLIES, AND RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
THIS ONE IS THE ALLOCATION OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR HAR HOUSTON YOUTH, AND IT ALLOCATES 98% OF ITS BUDGET TO PERSONNEL TO FUND 152.7 FTES OR 509 POSITIONS, AND THE REMAINDER OF THE BUDGET OF 31,000, UM, YOU FIND IT ALLOCATED TO OTHER SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
THE REVOLVING FUNDS BUDGET, WHICH IS SET AT 38 MILLION, ALLOCATES 53% OF THAT BUDGET TO PERSONNEL TO FUND 185 FTES, AND THEN THE REMAINING 47% TO FUND THE OTHER PERSON NON-PERSONNEL COST OF 18 MILLION.
OUT OF THIS 18 MILLION, 87% OF THAT GOES TO OTHER SERVICES FOR 16 MILLION, AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AND SUPPLIES.
THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND BUDGETED AT 45 MILLION, ALLOCATES 15% OF THAT BUDGET TO PERSONNEL FOR 60 FTES, AND THEN 85% GOES TO NON-PERSONNEL EXPENSES.
AND OUT OF THIS 38 MILLION, WHICH IS REPRESENT 85%, 97% OF THAT IS JUST CLAIMS EXPERIENCE.
AND THE REMAINDER YOU WILL FIND IN OTHER SERVICES RESTRICTED AND SUPPLIES, WHICH IS JUST 13% OF THAT BUDGET.
HERE YOU SEE THE HEALTH BENEFIT, WHICH IS BUDGETED $428 MILLION.
ONLY 1% OF THAT BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TO PERSONNEL FOR ONLY 50, FUNDING 51 FTES.
THE REST OF THIS BUDGET, WHICH IS FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO EIGHTY 7% OF THAT IS ALLOCATED TO HEALTH BENEFIT CLAIMS. THEN 12% OF THAT IS ALLOCATED TO THE OTHER HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS, SUPPLEMENTAL PLANS AND RETIREES, AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO OTHER SERVICES, RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AND SUPPLIES.
LASTLY, WE HAVE THE LONG-TERM DISABILITY FUND, WHICH HAS NO PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO 98% OF THE 1.6 PROPOSED BUDGET GOES TO FUND CLAIMS EXPENSES, AND THE OTHER 2% GOES TO TPA FEES AND ACTUARIAL SERVICE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS THE NET CHANGE FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR HR.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, HR FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR HAS TWO COMPONENTS, THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND THE HAR HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM.
THIS BUDGET WAS REDUCED BY A NET REDUCTION OF 20,000 FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO RESTRICTED ACCOUNT HOPE AND HEALTH BENEFIT.
IT FURTHER HAS A REDUCTION OF 2.5, AND THAT IS TO MERGE THE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE GENERAL FUND INTO THE CENTRAL SERVICE REVOLVING FUND.
AND THE ONLY THING LEFT IN THIS BUDGET IS 1.5, WHICH FUNDS THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH.
SO THE NET CHANGE FROM 22 TO 23 IS A REDUCTION OF 62.1%.
THIS CONCLUDES THE FINANCIAL, UH, PRESENTATIONS FOR THE BUDGET AT HR, BUT I PASS BACK TO DIRECTOR CHEESE FOR CLOSING REMARKS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY EXECUTIVE STAFF AND EVERY HR EMPLOYEE FOR THE HARD WORK THEY PUT IN CONTINUOUSLY EACH DAY TO SERVICE OUR CLIENT DEPARTMENTS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALSO, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US AS WE CONTINUE TO OPTIMIZE OUR HR JOURNEY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US TODAY? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
UH, FIRST OFF, DIRECTOR TO YOU AND
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YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.UH, IT HAS CERTAINLY NOT BEEN AN EASY FEW YEARS.
UH, I WAS LOOKING BACK OVER THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU LISTED, UM, AND EVEN WHEN I APPROACHED YOU A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, ONE PARENTAL LEAVE, WHICH IS A MASSIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUT EVEN INCLUDING, UM, ADDITIONAL INSURANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS LIKE, UM, HEALTHY BABIES, HEALTHY PREGNANCY.
BUT ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, UH, YOU DEALT WITH COV, YOU DEALT WITH IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM FOR TESTING FOR THE CITY YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT IN IT KRONOS, AND THOSE ISSUES CHALLENGE AFTER CHALLENGE AFTER CHALLENGE, AND YOU ALL CONTINUE TO SERVE.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, UM, AGAIN, JUST SPOTLIGHT MY APPRECIATION FOR YOU AS A DIRECTOR.
UH, YOU ALWAYS TAKE OUR CALLS, UH, YOU WORK WITH US, OF COURSE, UNDER MAYOR TURNER'S LEADERSHIP.
BUT THANK YOU FOR PUSHING THE BALL FORWARD FOR THE CITY, UH, IN LEADING THE WAY, AGAIN, AS A CITY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
AND AGAIN, TO YOUR ENTIRE STAFF.
I'M LOOKING AT A FEW IN PARTICULAR.
IT'S JUST A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
OH, AND I HA I FORGOT TO ASK MY DEPARTMENT QUESTION THAT I ASK EVERYONE.
DUE TO THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS CURRENTLY FACED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHAT ARE NEEDS THAT ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS BUDGET THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO BE AWARE OF? WHAT NEEDS THAT ARE NOT, UM,
UM, YOU KNOW, I, COUNCIL MEMBER, I WANNA TELL YOU, UM, I'M SURE EVERYBODY IS HAVING STAFFING ISSUES.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, HR IS NOT, UM, IS, IS, IS THE SAME FOR HR.
WE, WE ARE DILIGENTLY, UH, TRYING TO STAFF OUR VACANCIES.
AND, AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT IS CHALLENGING, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY, BUT THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO STAFF UP.
WELL, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING IN THE PARTNERSHIP, IN YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH, DIRECTOR CHEEKS, THIS HAS BEEN A REAL TOUGH TWO YEARS FOR ME AND MY WIFE.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A TOUGH TIME.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES I, I, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE INNER WORKINGS OF HOW IT GOES, SO I JUST GO TO YOU.
AND, UM, I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR IT.
AND I'M, I'M THANKFUL THAT, UH, YOU'RE THE HEAD OF THIS DEPARTMENT AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
AND I THANK ALL OF YOU WITH, UH, WITH, WITH HUMAN RESOURCE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLY, SALLY ALCORN, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
IN THE CENTRAL SERVICE REVOLVING FUND, THE $12.3 MILLION IN CONTINGENT WORKFORCE CONTRACTS.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THOSE ARE? SPECIFICALLY? THE ONE FOR THE GENERAL FUND? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
ONE FOR, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, ONE'S FOR SPECIAL REVOLVING FUND.
WE ESTABLISHED THAT LAST YEAR WHEN WE SAW THE NEED OF GRANT FUNDED, UM, DEPARTMENTS ACTUALLY INCURRING MORE STAFFING, AND WE HAD BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.
SO ACCORDING TO THOSE, UM, BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AND THEIR OPERATIONAL NEEDS, THAT'S WHY IT'S INCREASING.
SO PRIMARILY COVID RELATED THEN? WELL, AT THE BEGINNING IT WAS COVID RELATED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GRANTS THAT ARE STILL COVID RELATED FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS.
I MIGHT ASK FOR SOME MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
IN THE HEALTH BENEFITS FUND, THE, UH, INCREASE $25 A MONTH, I BELIEVE, IN THE LIMITED PLAN.
IS THAT JUST IN THE KELSEY PLAN, THAT, UH, EMPLOYEES WILL BE PAYING $25 A MONTH MORE TO ADDRESS THE 6.5% INCREASE? OR ARE THOSE IN ALL, ACROSS ALL PLANS? SO THE $25 SURCHARGE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $25 AS IT AS IT'S DESCRIBED IN THE, UM, FOR THE LIMITED PLAN.
SO YES, THAT IS ACROSS, IT IS, IT'S ACROSS, IT'S ACROSS THE, YEAH.
SO THAT, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL TO TOWARD THE PREMIUM THAT THAT EMPLOYEES WILL PAY YES.
MA IN THE NEXT YEAR TO, TO ADDRESS THE RISE IN THOSE COSTS.
AND THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER OR ALCORN THAT WE, WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A CHARGE TO THE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE, UH, UP UNTIL NOW WE HAVE DONE, UH, ZERO FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
SO THE CITY HAS BEEN ABSORBING ANY INCREASES, AND THIS IS PASSING THAT ONE.
THERE IS A LINE ITEM WITH THE HEALTH
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SURCHARGE $2.9 MILLION.WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? SO THOSE ARE, UH, EXPENSES THAT WE BUDGET FOR ANY WELLNESS, UM, ANY, ANY WELLNESS REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVE.
AND SO AS WE RECEIVE IT, WE HAVE TO EXPENSE THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN THAT LINE ITEM.
I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT ANSWER.
LIKE IT, WE'RE CALLING IT A, A HEALTH SURCHARGE $2.9 MILLION EXPENDITURE.
SO THAT'S THE NAME OF THE ACCOUNT, BUT THOSE ARE EXPENSES THAT WE'RE BUDGETING FOR ANY WELLNESS.
SO THERE'S A REVENUE COMPONENT TO THAT EQUALS TWO EXPENSES.
SO IF THERE'S ANY WELLNESS REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE FOR HEALTH ASSESSMENTS NOT COMPLETED.
THEN WE PUT, SO THOSE ARE, THAT, THAT'S PEOPLE THAT DID NOT COMPLETE THEIR HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND TIME.
SO THEN WE PUT IT BACK INTO $2.9 MILLION WORTH OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T DO THAT.
WHERE'S, WHERE'S THE SPOUSE SURCHARGE LINE ITEM? IT'S INCLUDED IN THE REVENUE IN THE CONTRIBUTION SIDE.
I'D LIKE TO GET AN AMOUNT FOR THAT SPOUSE SURCHARGE THAT WE'RE GETTING ANNUALLY.
I'LL, I'LL SUBMIT THE REST ONLINE.
I SORT OF ASKED THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE HAD OUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE SEEING NOT ONLY IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IN CORPORATE AMERICA AS WELL AS WORKFORCE CHALLENGES, TRYING TO GET NEW EMPLOYEES, TRYING TO MAINTAIN EXISTING EMPLOYEES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, I'M SURE YOU GET INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PRE-EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWS, AND HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GETTING INVOLVED IN A LOT OF EXIT INTERVIEWS TO FIND OUT WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING AND GOING ELSEWHERE IF THEY CHOOSE THAT OPTION.
WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BACK YEARS AGO WHEN, WHEN THE WORKFORCE WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN PRE COVID, I THINK A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING THAT, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU INTERVIEW POTENTIAL APPLICANTS, AND I'LL ASK YOUR DEPARTMENT LEADERS FOR THIS AS WELL, AND WHEN YOU TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT WHY THEY'RE LEAVING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND GOING ELSEWHERE, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DYNAMICS THAT COME INTO PLAY, SALARY, VACATION.
SOME ARE LOOKING FOR TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES, MAYBE THAT THEY DON'T GET HERE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND, AND FAMILY LIFE BALANCE ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ADDRESSED JUST ABOUT A MONTH AGO WITH, UH, PARENTAL LEAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HAVE US MAINTAIN AND ATTRACT EMPLOYEES.
WHERE DO YOU SEE RETIREMENT BENEFITS COME INTO PLAY WHEN YOU TALK TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LEAVING TO GO TO CORPORATE AMERICA? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
YOU, YOU SPECIFICALLY SAID RETIREMENT, UH, BENEFITS.
SO IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH RESPECT TO RETIREMENT BENEFITS, THEY ARE NOT NORMALLY THE DRIVING FACTOR FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LEAVING THE CITY.
MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY COMING INTO THE CITY, SIR, IT, THEY ARE LOOKING AT OUR SALARY AND OUR BENEFITS.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING PRIVATE SECTOR ARE ATTRACTED TO OUR BENEFITS.
ONE, BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY ARE CHEAPER.
THEY ARE CHEAPER THAN WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE PAYING RIGHT OUT OF THEIR POCKET IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CITY CONTRIBUTES TO THOSE, TO THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE RETIREMENT, UM, WE ARE MILLENNIALS AND I, AND I SAY THAT, DO NOT GIVE THEM A BAD RAP.
THEY ACTUALLY ARE, UH, THEY ARE EMPLOYEES WHO WANT TO TO WORK AND THEY WORK VERY, VERY HARD.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR MONEY AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET PAID.
AND, AND THAT, AND RETIREMENT, UH, IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT AWAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN, IN MY WORLD, UM, PEOPLE LOOK FOR SALARY, FAMILY LIFE BALANCE WITH PROPER VACATION, MEDICAL COVERAGE, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO GIMME MY MONEY TO TODAY AND GIVE ME A COMFORTABLE LIVING TODAY WHERE I CAN DO THINGS AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME TIME OFF AND SPEND WITH MY, MY WIFE OR MY HUSBAND WHEN WE HAVE KIDS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE LOOK AT THE NEXT 30 YEARS WITH OUR LONG-TERM LIABILITY IN THE CITY, IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO NOT HAVE IT GROW IS TO MOVE TO A DIFFERENT BLENDED TYPE RETIREMENT PLAN.
BUT WHEN YOU DO THAT, AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO START REDUCING YOUR EXPENSES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 40 YEARS WHEN A LOT OF FOLKS LIKE ME WILL BE, YOU KNOW, IN ANOTHER WORLD AND NOT COLLECTING THE RETIREMENT PAY THAT, THAT WE COLLECTED OR OTHER EMPLOYEES.
[00:30:01]
ADDRESS THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE BUYING SALARY, WHO ARE BUYING FAMILY LIFE AND ARE NOT BUYING RETIREMENT, AREN'T WE LOSING WHEN WE DON'T RAISE SALARIES TO COMPENSATE FOR A DECREASE ON THE BENEFITS SIDED, THE BENEFITS BEING THE RETIREMENT PAY, THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION BENEFIT PLAN VERSUS MOVING TO SOME TYPE OF A BLENDED 401K OR WHAT OTHER STATES AND CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES ARE DOING IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR? UM, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S A QUESTION WE NEED TO EXPLORE.BECAUSE IF OUR YOUNG MILLENNIALS, AS YOU CALL 'EM, ARE NOT BUYING DEFINED BENEFITS AND ARE BUYING, GIVE ME MORE MONEY TODAY AND LET ME MANAGE MY RETIREMENT.
WE WE'RE SELLING STUFF, THEY'RE NOT BUYING, THUS THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME TO US.
THUS THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE TO GO TO CORPORATE AMERICA.
WHERE GUESS WHAT, THEY WILL BE DEALING WITH 4 0 1 KS, NOT DEFINED BENEFITS.
SO MY, MY ARGUMENT ON THIS, AND BEFORE I LEAVE IN A YEAR AND A HALF, I'D LOVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DRIVES THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON TODAY.
AND IF IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, I, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, WELL STICK WITH IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE BUYING WHAT WE'RE SELLING.
THEY'RE NOT BUYING THE DEFINED BENEFIT.
THEY'RE BUYING, GIVE ME MORE MONEY TODAY.
GIVE ME A GOOD FAMILY LIFE BALANCE.
I WANT SOME GOOD VACATION AND I WANT PARENTAL LEAVE WHEN I HAVE KIDS FOR 12 WEEKS OR WHATEVER THAT IS.
AM I, WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU SEE IT EVERY DAY.
WELL, LET, LET ME TELL YOU THAT OUR PENSION IS, IS, IS VERY ATTRACTIVE, SIR.
AND, AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT PENSION PLANS DO WE HAVE FOR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING TODAY? IS IT FOUR OR FIVE? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FOUR.
SO THE DEFINED BENEFIT IS, IS STILL GOOD.
LET ME, LET ME TELL YOU, JUST GIVE ME TWO SECONDS OR TWO MINUTES.
NO, YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD.
NO, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE HUNGRY.
WE'RE ONLY RUNNING AWAY BY AN HOUR AND A HALF, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UH, WHAT I WANNA WANT, I DEFINITELY WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT I MIGHT HAVE ANSWERED THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UH, TWO YEARS AGO BEFORE COVID CAME.
SO, UM, BEFORE WE, BEFORE COVID HIT, WE PRE COVID, WE DID NOT HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE RETIRING.
WHEN COVID STARTED, WE HAD TWO TO 3% MORE PEOPLE RETIRING.
THEY WERE LIKE, LISTEN, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA LEAVE NOW.
BUT ONE THING I WANNA TELL YOU THAT REALLY AFFECTED THIS, EVEN THE MILLENNIALS, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE, PEOPLE NOW ARE LOOKING AT THEIR FAMILY LIFE DIFFERENT BECAUSE PEOPLE DIED.
VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR COWORKERS THAT ARE NO LONGER HERE.
MOTHERS, FATHERS, SISTERS, BROTHERS, ALL OF THEM.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT WORK DIFFERENTLY.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE DEFINED BENEFIT.
OUR, WE, WE, WE HAVE DONE WELL WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, RAISING UP OUR SALARIES, STABILIZING THE PENSION, AND DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW TO, TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST COMING TO THE CITY.
IT IS TRULY BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY HERE IN THE WORKPLACE.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE, THE PENSION IS STILL, UH, VERY APPEASING TO EVEN MILLENNIALS.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THAT THE, THE, THAT COVID ACTUALLY CHANGED THE WAY PEOPLE THINK.
RIGHT NOW, INDIVIDUALS ARE LOOKING AT OUR BENEFITS FROM, UH, HAVING MORE MENTAL STABILITY WITHIN THE WORKPLACE.
OUR BENEFITS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
YOU KNOW, OUR WELLNESS IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY ATTRACTING PEOPLE BECAUSE WELLNESS IS BIG IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO WHEN THEY COME AND SEE HOW ROBUST OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM IS, HOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR BENEFITS, BENEFITS, AND HOW WE PAY SUCH CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE MENTAL STABILITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IN THE UNITED STATES, HOW WE LOOK AT MENTAL STABILITY, WHETHER YOU ARE YOUNG, WHETHER YOU ARE MIDDLE AGED, OR YOU ARE MORE TENURED, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING PAID ATTENTION TO VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MAYOR PRO TEM, SHE'S THE VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
I KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, MY THING IS WE HAVE FOUR SEPARATE RETIREMENT PLANS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT STUDYING A FIFTH PLAN? AND THAT FIFTH PLAN WILL BE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T VALUE RETIREMENT PLAY ON THE DEFINED BENEFIT SIDE, THEN I'M NOT GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU, BUT I'M GONNA PAY YOU X PERCENT MORE, 5%, 10% TO WHAT ARE PEOPLE GONNA DO? WHAT
[00:35:01]
WILL PEOPLE CHOOSE MY AGE? THEY'RE GONNA CHOOSE A DEFINED BENEFIT, OF COURSE.BUT I THINK THE NEW EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE GETTING AREN'T VALUING AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE SELLING, WE'RE SELLING THAT WE CAN GIVE 'EM MORE ON THE BASE SIDE.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS THING WILL SOFTEN OUT IN A NUMBER OF YEARS AS YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT RETIRE AND MOVE AWAY FROM THE DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE A CONSULTANT LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW THIS PLAYS NOT ONLY IN THE OTHER GOVERNMENT ARENAS, BUT ALSO IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHERE ARE WE LOSING THE PEOPLE TO, ARE WE LOSING THEM TO HARRIS COUNTY? ARE WE LOSING THEM TO CHEVRON? YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOSING THEM TO AND WHY ARE WE NOT COMPETITIVE? IS IT SALARY THAT'S DRIVING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE SURELY NOT, YOU KNOW, GONNA LEAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A GREAT SALARY PACKAGE.
MAYBE THEY'LL STAY FOR THE DEFINED BENEFIT.
I, I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT THAT YOU'RE MAKING AND I THINK BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THEY LOOK AT, UM, THEIR OWN LIFE TRAJECTORY AND THEIR OWN SAVINGS AND THEIR OWN CURRENT LIFESTYLE AND WHAT THEY MAY CHOOSE.
SO I THINK THAT IS INTERESTING.
UH, FROM A HR PERSPECTIVE THOUGH, WE KEEP HEARING LIKE THE GREAT RESIGNATION.
UM, DOES THE CITY OF HOUSTON PUT FORTH NON-COMPETES FOR NEW HIRES? SO IF A PERSON COMES IN, IN A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT, UM, ARE WE ABLE TO, ARE WE ABLE TO PUT FORTH A NON-COMPETE CLAUSE OR A MANDATORY STAY CLAUSE THAT IF YOU GET HIRED HERE, YOU MUST STAY FOR X AMOUNT OF TIME? OR IF YOU DO LEAVE, YOU CANNOT, UH, TAKE ANOTHER JOB IN A SIMILAR FIELD? DO WE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO THAT? DO WE DO THAT? WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT ON, WE DO.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME ANSWER THE QUESTION.
NO, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INSTANCES THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD, UM, LOOKED AT WHAT LEGAL, UH, BECAUSE OF SOME INCENTIVES THAT, THAT ARE OUT THAT THEY, THAT YOU ARE ASKED THAT, HEY, IF YOU TAKE THIS INCENTIVE, WE INSPECT YOU, WE EXPECT YOU TO DO THIS.
BUT THAT IS JUST UNDER SOME OF THE INCENTIVE PLANS, NOT A, NOT A REGULAR HIRE.
IS IT, IS IT ALLOWABLE THOUGH? IS IT, IS IT, IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH LEGAL THROUGH THE YEARS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS PERMISSIBLE? WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED IT UNDER THE REALM OF JUST REGULAR HIRES TO THE CITY.
I'D HAVE TO DISCUSS IT MORE WITH LEGAL, BUT AS I SAID, WE HAVE USED IT WITH RESPECT TO INCENTIVE PLANS, WHICH ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE INCENTIVE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN JUST COMING ON BOARD.
SO I'VE DEALT WITH THAT ON BOTH SIDES.
IF YOU PAY AN INCENTIVE UPFRONT AND SOMEONE AGREES TO SIGN A NON-COMPETE AND THEY LOSE AND THEY LEAVE TO GO TO A COMPETITOR OR WHATEVER IT IS, THEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO BACK.
BUT AS THE STATE OF TEXAS IS A STRONG RIGHT TO WORK PLACE, UH, GOOD LUCK BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ENFORCEABLE.
SO, AND, AND VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, IF YOU JUST INDULGE ME, I, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT RETENTION IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S A FACTOR HERE IN THE CITY.
AND WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE, AND AS WE ARE HIRING, WE HAVE TO KEEP THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY ARE WANTED SO THAT THEY NO LONGER WANT TO LEAVE THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO US AS A CITY THAT WE INVEST AND WE ARE DOING THAT WITHIN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IN TRAINING FOR OUR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN THE STATISTICAL DATA THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE BECAUSE OF MONEY.
THEY LEAVE BECAUSE OF THEIR SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN TRAINING.
I HAVE A NEW CHIEF FINAN, I'M SORRY, A NEW CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER THAT'S HERE THAT HAS SET UP A VERY ROBUST PROGRAM AND WE ARE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRAINING OUR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS TO, TO HELP WITH UNDERSTANDING AND BEING MORE EMPATHETIC AS THEIR, THEIR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO DEAL WITH THE EMPLOYEES SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT REVOLVING DOOR.
UM, SO THE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE SO MANY, UM, ATTRACTIONS, EVENTS, UM, ALL TYPES OF, UH, THINGS THAT COME TO OUR CITY
[00:40:01]
THAT WE AS A CITY ARE A PART OF.AND WE COULD PROBABLY PACKAGE TOGETHER AS SOME TYPE OF INCENTIVE FOR EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO CERTAIN DIFFERENT ATTRACTIONS, EVENTS, SPORTING, SPORTING GAMES, CONCERTS, WHATEVER.
RIGHT? THE CITY OF HOUSTON I THINK SHOULD LEVERAGE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES, UH, WHETHER IT'S HOUSTON FIRST, WHETHER IT'S THE DIFFERENT, UM, SPORTING VENUES OR WHATEVER, SO THAT WE CAN FIND AS MANY PERKS TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT AS, AS A COMPANY, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER YOU PACKAGES TO WHERE YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS, THAT, AND A THIRD FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY OR WHOEVER, RIGHT? JUST LIKE IF YOU'RE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO THINK OF AS MANY PERKS AS POSSIBLE TO LURE YOU INTO WANTING TO WORK FOR THEM.
BUT WE, AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH EVERYBODY, RIGHT? AND EVEN AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ALWAYS GET ALL TYPES OF, UH, INVITATIONS AND ALL TYPES OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN ENGAGE AND PARTAKE IN THE THINGS THAT HOUSTON HAS TO OFFER.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO LEVERAGE OUR ABILITY AS A CITY WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PACKAGES IN PLACE THROUGH HR TO WHERE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SOME OF THESE THINGS AS WELL, TO, TO, TO MAKE THEIR JOBS AND THEIR, THEIR DUTIES MORE ATTRACTIVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, PAUL, YOU, YOU ARE EXACTLY CORRECT.
AND THE, AND THE HR DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED THAT WE, WE ALREADY HAVE ONLINE AND MAYBE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S BIGGER SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES SEE IT.
WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE ROCKETS, THE TEXANS, UH, FOR DISCOUNTS.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE A CITY OF HOUSTON'S DISCOUNT PAGE THAT SHOWS, UH, EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON ABOUT THOSE PERKS.
NOW DO WE NEED TO DO MORE? WE ARE TRYING TO DO MORE RIGHT NOW, AND WE DO, WE ARE LEVERAGING EVERYTHING THAT COMES TO US WITH REFERENCE TO GIVING OUR EMPLOYEES DISCOUNTS FROM TAKING THE KIDS TO THE DIFFERENT CIRCUSES AND THOSE TYPE THINGS.
SO WE'LL JUST MAKE IT BIGGER ON OUR WEBPAGE, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
WE HAVE, UH, FOUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST WE'LL GO TO IS MR. DOUG SMITH.
JASON, JUST COME TO THIS MIC RIGHT HERE, SIR.
I I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE, ON THE PAID LEAVE.
UH, AND I, I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IS, IS REALLY GOOD FOR THE CITY.
FIRST, SOMETHING THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT KIND OF PUSHED US TOWARD, TOWARD YOU ALL WAS A, A QUESTION ABOUT A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYEE PAY.
HAS HR DONE SUCH A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ON EMPLOYEE PAY ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS? IF SO, LIKE WHERE CAN WE FIND IT AND WHAT NEEDS HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED? SO, AND, AND THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT COMES FROM PAGE SEVEN.
HOW WAS THAT ONE AND A HALF MILLION FOR HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH DECIDED? AND THEN WHAT OUTCOMES CAN WE ANTICIPATE FROM SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THAT FUNDING? I, I CARE A LOT ABOUT YOUTH PROGRAMMING, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN EXPAND HOW HOUSTON YOUTH AND, AND REALLY KIND OF BUILD ON THAT.
'CAUSE THAT HAS, THAT 1.5 MILLION HAS BEEN STATIC FOR, FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW AT LEAST.
SO, UM, LET ME START WITH YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
UM, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS IN REFERENCE TO THE, UM, COMPARATIVE, UH, THE COMPARATIVE PAY ANALYSIS.
SO, UM, PER THE FINANCIAL POLICY, YES.
UH, WE JUST COMPLETED THAT, UH, ANALYSIS.
SO WE WILL BE DOING A PRE PRESENTATION TO THIS COUNCIL IN THE, IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
SO WE, WE DID IT ON, UH, FIRE, POLICE AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, AND NOW WE WILL DO A PRESENTATION AS PER THE FINANCIAL POLICY TO COUNSEL AND THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.
UM, WITH REFERENCE TO HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER, WAS IT COUNCIL MEMBER GREEN, THAT ACTUALLY STARTED THE 1.5 MILLION FOR, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH.
AND SO THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN THE BUDGET, UH, FOR A LONG TIME.
THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THAT 1.5 MILLION.
WE ACCEPTED WHAT WAS GIVEN TO US, OF COURSE WE WOULD BE GLAD TO DO
[00:45:01]
MORE WITH MORE, BUT THAT HAS JUST BEEN WHAT HAS BEEN ALLOTTED FOR THE YOUTH FOR, FOR THE CITY, UH, FOR SINCE THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH.AND WHAT OUTCOMES COULD WE EXPECT FROM INCREASING THAT FUNDING? UM, WELL RIGHT NOW WE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE, BY BRINGING HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH INTO THE CITY'S BUDGET, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF, OF YOUTH THAT COULD COME IN AND WORK HERE AT THE CITY.
SO, UH, WHEN WE STARTED, WE WERE RIGHT AT LIKE A LITTLE OVER 400.
NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE, BECAUSE IT'S IN-HOUSE TO BRING IN 500 AND THEREFORE ALSO BRING IN THE COACHES.
WE BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE YOUTH ARE ACTUALLY TAUGHT HOW TO, WHEN THEY GO OUT THERE, WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
SO WE GO ONE STEP FURTHER BY ACTUALLY HAVING THEM COMING TO CLASS, ACTUALLY SHOWING THEM WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THEM.
SO THAT CAN ONLY BE BIGGER AS AS OUR FUNDING INCREASES BECAUSE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT, UH, CHILDREN AND, AND YOUTH LEARN BY EXAMPLE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THEM TO REACH THEM.
SARAH BLANDING, ONE MINUTE PLEASE.
YES, I JUST WANNA SECOND, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW YOU CONTINUE TO EXPAND.
YOU'VE KIND OF ANSWERED THEM SOME WAY, BUT I JUST WANNA OPEN THE FLOOR TO, TO FILL IN.
UM, WHAT ARE THE CITY'S GREATEST STAFFING NEEDS AS YOU SEE THEM? UM, OH NO, IT WASN'T.
WHAT ARE THE CITY'S GREATEST STAFFING NEEDS AS YOU SEE THEM? AND WHAT WOULD YOU NEED, NOT JUST WORKING WITHIN YOUR CURRENT LIMITATIONS, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT AN IDEAL WORLD, UM, TO INCREASE STAFFING AND RETENTION TO FULLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN ALONG WITH THAT IS OUR TEMPORARY, UH, EMPLOYEE EXPENDITURES ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM, I KNOW TO SOME EXTENT YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY ANSWERED THAT.
WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS AND HOW CAN WE INCREASE RETENTION AMONG CITY EMPLOYEES? AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR THE ANSWER, NOT JUST LIKE WORKING WITH THE LOAVES AND FISHES YOU HAVE, BUT LIKE, IF SOMEBODY PERFORMED A MIRACLE AND YOU ACTUALLY HAD WHAT YOU NEEDED TO FEED THE CROWD.
UM, L LET ME SAY THAT, UH, IN, IN ANY ENTITY, UH, CITY GOVERNMENT YOU ARE, YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, NEED MORE FUNDING.
UM, AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE, THE CITY'S BUDGET IS, IS WHAT WE HAVE.
AND, AND LIKE YOU SAY, IF WE WERE GIVEN MORE MONEY, I'M SURE WE, WE'D HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
UM, BUT WE HAVE, UH, SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS, EVEN WITH THE STAFFING LEVELS THAT WE HAVE.
OUR, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WORK HARD, THEY WORK SMART TOO.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF, IF, IF I GOT MORE MONEY, THE DEPARTMENTS I, I, I DON'T HIRE, YOU KNOW, I HIRE FOR THE WHOLE CITY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE TO SPECIFY THE SPECIFIC NEEDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M THE PERSON THAT HAS TO GET THE PEOPLE IN THERE.
UH, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND FIRE.
I CAN'T BECAUSE, BECAUSE THE CHIEFS KNOW WHAT THEY NEED IN THEIR DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT I'M SURE IF ANY DEPARTMENT WAS THE FUNDING WAS INCREASED THAT WOULD ASSIST THEM IN GETTING MORE PEOPLE.
IS IT AGAIN, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE STRETCHED.
I SAY EVERY DAY THEY SACRIFICE, UM, THEIR, THEY SACRIFICE WHAT THEY MAKE, THEY SACRIFICE THE HOURS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ON DUTY, BUT THEY STILL PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVANTS TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, WISH WE COULD HAVE MORE MONEY, BUT UNTIL THEN WE'RE GONNA KEEP PROVIDING WHAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE.
THANK YOU MR. BERNARD BUTLER, LAST PUBLIC SPEAKER.
BUT HE'LL ASK FIVE QUESTIONS IN A MINUTE THOUGH, RIGHT? UH, THANK YOU MADAM DIRECTOR.
UH, THANK YOU IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT APOLOGIES LADIES, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK.
I'M GONNA SPEAK THROUGH YOU IF THAT, UM, LET'S CALL A THING, A THING.
I CONCLUDED THAT IT IS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN UNDERSTAFFED, THAT IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT PRIORITIZATION.
UM, WHEN YOU RECEIVE LESS SERVICES, EVERY CITIZEN SHOULD ASK WHEN THEY CALL.
EVERY CITIZEN SHOULD ASK WHEN THEY CALL A DEPARTMENT, ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED? BECAUSE THIS IS HOW COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE, UH, BECOME UNDERSERVED FOR SO LONG.
[00:50:01]
RESIGNATIONS.IT'S NOT ABOUT TIGHTENING BUDGETS, IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT COVID.
THESE THINGS JUST EXPOSED A SITUATION THAT EXISTED.
AND I WILL SAY AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE CITIZENS TOO.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE EVERYTHING SHOWS UP, BY THE TIME WE GET THERE, TOO MANY PRIORITIES.
AND DIRECTORS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PRESENTATION.