[00:00:01]
WE WILL NOW TRANSITION TO[ Houston FY2023 Budget Workshop: Houston Health ]
HOUSTON HEALTH AND DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS AND DARREN ASHER.AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, VICE CHAIR.
WOULD YOU STEP IN THE SEAT? COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON? ONE MINUTE.
AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO WELCOME DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS AND DARREN ASHER TO PROVIDE THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
AS YOU SAID, I'M STEVEN WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT OUR GENERAL FUND AND SPECIAL, UH, FUND BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.
I WANNA START BY INTRODUCING MY STAFF THERE BEHIND ME, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
UH, I HAVE WITH ME, UH, JUDY HARRIS, WHO'S CHIEF OF STAFF AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
UH, ALSO, UH, DARREN ASHER, WHO'S OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND ADMINISTRATION.
ALSO IS AMBER HAGUE, WHO'S, UH, BEHIND ME ALSO, WHO DOES ONE PART OF OUR ADMINISTRATION.
UH, UH, STEPPING IN FOR OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IS DR.
FAITH FOREMAN, UH, WHO'S, UH, ADMINISTRATIVELY OVER THAT UNIT RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH PORTFOLIO RE, WHO'S OUR PIO AND COUNSELOR LIA LIAISON.
UH, AL ALSO WITH ME IS MY ASSISTANT, RANDY PRESSLEY, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PATRICK KEY OVER ENVIRONMENTAL.
UH, NAOMI MACIAS, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, FOR CLINICAL AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER OPERATIONS.
DR. SHANNON BIVINS, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
EVELYN SCHAFER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES AND, AND, UH, FINANCIAL DIVISION MANAGER, SHAMEIKA MARSHALL.
AND I WANNA EXPRESS PUBLICLY MY GRATITUDE, UH, FOR THE STAFF THAT, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, ALTHOUGH FOR Y'ALL, THINGS MIGHT SEEM RELATIVELY CALM IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH RATES OF COVID SLOWLY RISING, WE'RE STILL PROVIDING TESTING AND VACCINATION SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE RESETTING THESE, THE SERVICES, UH, THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND TRANSITIONING TO WHAT WE WOULD CALL POSSIBLY A NEW NORMAL.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF US REALLY KNOWS WHAT, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT IS.
WITH VISION, MISSION, AND GOALS, UH, OUR MISSION IS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELLBEING OF HOUSTONIANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY LIVE.
UH, IT'S, IT'S NOT PRACTICAL TO TRY TO DO PUBLIC HEALTH ALONE.
UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS WERE CERTAINLY INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR ONGOING COVID RESPONSE, UH, CERTAINLY RELATED TO TESTING AND, AND VACCINATIONS AND THE, THE CRITICAL FOR EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS WITH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T THINK THAT WE, WE, WE CAN DO IT ALL.
WE EXIST IN PUBLIC HEALTH TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE, TO PREVENT SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, TO PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTHY LIVING AND REDUCE BURDEN OF CHRONIC DISEASE, WHICH MOST PEOPLE DIE FROM.
UH, PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING THROUGH HUMAN SERVICES, IMPROVE HEALTH OF MOTHERS, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN, AND PREPARE TO RESPOND TO DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES.
AND CERTAINLY WE TRY TO DO THAT, UH, IN A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE.
THIS IS A FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, AND OUR GENERAL FUND THAT SUPPORTS 374 POSITIONS WITHIN OUR SPECIAL FUNDS SUPPORTS 285 POSITIONS, WHICH TOTALS ABOUT 660 FTS BETWEEN THOSE TWO FUNDS.
OUR ADMINISTRATION, I'LL TELL YOU, IS JUST 9.9% OF THE GENERAL FUND, ESPECIALLY, UH, UH, FUNDS.
BUT I HAVE TO ADD IN OUR GRANT FUNDS, OUR GRANT FUNDS SUPPORT 675 POSITIONS.
AND THIS IS NOT INCLUDING, UH, CO COVID SOURCES, UH, THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE APPROXIMATELY $63 MILLION.
THAT WILL BE A TOTAL FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS OF ABOUT
[00:05:01]
1,336 FTES.FOR FLORIDA, THE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION IS 7.6% OF THAT.
WELL, WE HAVE COVID, UH, WITH THE $91 MILLION THAT WE HAVE ANNUALLY FOR COVID, YOU NEED TO ADD ANOTHER 485 POSITIONS TO THAT.
BRINGING, UH, TOTAL POSITIONS WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NOW TO 1,821 FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, ADMINISTRATION OF ALL OF THAT IS STILL REDUCED TO 6.3% OF OUR BUDGET.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE OUR, I, WITHOUT ADMINISTRATION, WE CAN'T REALLY GET THE JOB DONE.
I'M RE I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
ALTHOUGH IN SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SCALE AND PROGRAMS LIKE OUR DON OUR REENTRY PROGRAM SEE TO SUCCEED.
OUR, OUR SCALE SHOULD CERTAINLY BE MUCH BROADER TO MATCH THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM, OF THE CONDITION THAT EXISTS HERE IN, IN AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS A SUMMARY OF OUR MAJOR SERVICES, DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS PUBLIC HEALTH WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SERVICES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR GENERAL FUND PRIMARILY SUPPORTS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, WHICH HAS FOOD SAFETY, SPECIAL WASTE, AND POOLS.
OUR CLINICAL SERVICES AT OUR FOUR HEALTH CENTERS, OUR 11 MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, AND HOPEFULLY IN 2020, UH, THE 2023 BUDGET YEAR, AND WE'LL ADD ON A LEAF AND, AND WITH THE NEW SUNNYSIDE FACILITY, THANK GOD, AND A REGIONAL LAB.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN RED, THERE'S LIMITED OR NO GENERAL FUND SUPPORT FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. TB, IMMUNIZATIONS, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH C TO SUCCEED, WHICH PROVIDES FREE VISION EXAMS AND GLASSES TO CHILDREN.
MY BROTHER'S KEEPER REENTRY, CERTAINLY WIC IS A GRANT FUNDED PROGRAM.
ALL OF OUR COVID OPERATIONS AND TESTING AND VACCINE IS SUPPORTED BY GRANTS.
ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT I DID MENTION ARE PRIMARILY SUPPORTED THROUGH GRANTS AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
YOU WANT THIS SLIDE LISTS, STATE AND LOCAL CODES AND ORDINANCE THAT MANDATES SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, SUCH AS DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY SERVICES, AND VITAL STATISTIC.
CHAPTER 1 21, THE PUBLIC HEALTH REORGANIZATION ACT AUTHORIZES MUNICIPALITIES TO ENFORCE LAWS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH.
RECEIVE GRANTS APPOINT A LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, AND THAT WOULD BE DR. DAVID PER OUR LOCAL OR ORDINANCES.
CHAPTER 21 AND 22 ESTABLISHES THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SUBSEQUENT ORDINANCES ESTABLISHED CERTAIN PROGRAMS SUCH AS AIR POLLUTION AND, AND VITAL STATISTICS.
THE MEDICAL NATURE OF OUR OPERATIONS REQUIRE SPECIALIZED, UH, LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION.
THIS HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON RECRUITMENT INTENTION, GIVEN OUR PROXIMITY TO THE MEDICAL CENTER.
AS, AS I MENTIONED IN THE PAST, OUR DEPARTMENT WAS THE FIRST HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN TEXAS TO BECOME ACCREDITED.
WE WAS THE SECOND MAJOR CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO BECOME, UH, FAB ACCREDITED.
UH, WE, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE BECAME RE-ACCREDITED, AND WE ARE ACCREDITED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO 2026.
UH, WITH THE ACCREDITATION, HOPEFULLY WE CAN DEMONSTRATE INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, AND CREDIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC, TO THE FUNDERS, CERTAINLY TO YOU AND PART PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS BY WHICH WE WORK WITH.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATION THAT ARE REQUIRED.
OUR BUSINESS REQUIRES CERTAIN LICENSES AND CERTIFICATION.
OUR, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR LABORATORY AND PHARMACY.
OUR, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR LAB DOES NOT ONLY SUPPORT OUR CLINICS, BUT IT'S A SPECIALTY LAB SUPPORTING 17 SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
OUR STAT LAB PROVIDES ONSITE LAB TESTING IN OUR SPECIFIC MULTI-SERVICE CLINICS.
THE BUREAU OF LABORATORY SERVICES PROVIDE A VARIETY OF CLINICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING AND SUPPORT OF VARIOUS, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR LEAD TB, EPI, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, H-I-V-S-T-D, UH, OUR, OUR WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE.
AND I WANNA REALLY HIGHLIGHT WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE, UH, BECAUSE IT HAS, UH, IT HAS REALLY GOTTEN NATIONAL ATTENTION.
UH, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH RICE, UH, THANKS TO CAROL HEAD KNOCK AND PUBLIC WORKS AND HER FOLKS, THEY'RE VERY COOPERATIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC, HAVING THEIR STAFF ACTUALLY COLLECTING THOSE SAMPLES.
UH, UH, WE, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN A SOURCE OF SUPPORT FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITHIN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE WANTING TO GET INTO WASTEWATER TESTING BECAUSE THEY SEE OURS AS A MODEL.
UH, GIVEN THAT THE, THE, THE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, UH, WASTEWATER SYSTEM AS IT EXISTS WITHIN, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE CITY.
UH, OF COURSE, UH, WITH WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE, WE'RE ABLE TO PREDICT COVID-19
[00:10:01]
TRENDS FROM ONE TO TWO WEEKS BEFORE OTHER SURVEILLANCE, UH, METRICS LIKE TESTING.UH, AND OF COURSE, WE USE THAT INFORMATION TO GUIDE OUR STRATEGIES RELATED TO, TO COVID.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT, UH, EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS ARE LOW NOW, WE'RE STILL CONCERNED WITH, UH, SEVERAL GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS WITHIN THE CITY WHERE THERE ARE LOW VACCINATION RATES, UH, COUPLED WITH OTHER SOCIAL ECONOMIC, UH, CHALLENGES.
HOPEFULLY, UH, YOU WILL BE BE SEEING A NUMBER OF, UH, UH, CONTRACTS, UH, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PARTNER WITH MORE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO, UH, HAVE FURTHER REACH INTO THOSE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES.
I, I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS PRESENTATION FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS, AND I HAVE TO ALWAYS DO THIS SLIDE, UH, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, THE GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT AND THE, THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OVERALL.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE CITY'S NET FUND, UH, GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
IT'S ONLY FOUR FOUR $40 MILLION.
UH, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S 20 20 23 TARGET IS $65 MILLION.
2 MILLION OF THAT IS TO COVER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE GENERATE $25.6 MILLION IN, IN, IN, IN REVENUE.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET THAT NET, NET THAT NUMBER FROM.
AND IT'S ALSO TO NOTE THAT THE $40 MILLION INVESTMENT, UH, NN 19 MILLION IS IN RESTRICTED FUNDS, WHICH MEANS THAT I ONLY HAVE CONTROL OF $20 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND TO REALLY DO PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMMING.
UH, AND THAT'S OF A, A, A BUDGET OF 160, UH, $5 MILLION TOTALLY, IF YOU INCLUDE OUR, OUR, OUR GRANTS AND OTHER SPECIAL FUNDS.
OUR REVENUES BY FUND FUND 100 REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $3 MILLION IN REVENUE, AND IT'S RELATED TO MULTIPLE GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF COVID-19 THAT ARE GENERATING ADEN ADDITIONAL INDIRECT COST RECOVERY.
WHEN WE BRING IN GRANTS, WE HIRE PEOPLE, WE ACTUALLY INCREASE THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE OF INDIRECT COSTS.
THIS REVENUE IS DRIVEN DIRECTLY BY OUR ABILITY TO HIRE GRANT STAFF, WHICH MEANS THE MORE GRANT STAFF WE HIRE, THE MORE INDIRECT DOLLARS WE CAN ACTUALLY DRAW DOWN FROM THE GRANTS AND FUND.
20 20 0 2, AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION REFLECTS A ONE-TIME TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER, UH, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE EXPENSES.
THIS PROGRAM, STAFF ACTIVITY ACTIVITY ACTUALLY GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO COVER THE PROGRAM EXPENSES FUND 2010 REPRESENTS A REDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY $3.1 MILLION IN REVENUE DUE TO THE 1115 WAIVER ACTUALLY COMING TO AN END.
WE ARE SLATED TO GET OUR LAST PAYMENT IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
OVERALL, IN OUR BUDGET, YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN REVENUE OF $2.2 BILLION.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE ACTUALLY IS A HIGHLIGHT OF, UH, REP THE SUMMARY OF REVENUE BY FUND.
I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THAT BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I CAN ACTUALLY TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THOSE FUNDS AND FUND 100, THE EXPENDITURE BREAKDOWN.
OF COURSE, 60% ARE THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS PERSONNEL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, ORAL HEALTH AND CLINICAL STAFF, AND THE HEALTH CLINICS LABORATORY MULTI SERVICE CENTERS.
IT'S REALLY A REPEAT OF WHAT I SAID BEFORE.
14 40% OF THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS NON PERSONNEL ITEMS. UH, OF THAT, I'D JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT ONLY 18% OF THE NON-PERSONNEL FUNDS SUPPORT DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS.
WE PRIMARILY RELY ON GRANT AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TO MAKE END, END ENDS MEET, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, BUYING EQUIPMENT, UH, SUPPLIES AND, AND, AND SERVICES.
THIS SLIDE IS A SUMMARY, SO I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WHICH BREAKS IT DOWN BY DETAIL.
UH, ALL FUNDS HIGHLIGHT EXPENDITURE HIGHLIGHTS AND FUND ONE 1000 EXPENDITURES INCREASED BY $5.5 MILLION DUE TO $1.2 MILLION IN HOPE AND PENSION INCREASES $1.6 MILLION FOR NEW A LEAF FACILITY, WHICH ONLY REPRESENTS, UH, THE THIRD TIME IN 18 YEARS THAT I'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN GENERAL FUND MONEY FOR PROGRAMS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE ONLY OTHER TWO TIMES WAS, UH, WHEN, UH, WE NEEDED MORE, UH, OVERTIME AND JAIL HEALTH, WHICH IS, WAS A, A MANDATED SERVICES.
AND WE GOT A CUT IN FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR OUR TB SERVICES, AND WE NEEDED TO BACKFILL SOME
[00:15:01]
OF THOSE DOLLARS.SO I'M GRATEFUL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE THIRD TIME IN 18 YEARS, UH, FUND 2002 INCREASES INCLUDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EXPANSION OF OUR AAA VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM.
OF COURSE, THAT'S GRANT FUNDED, UH, FUNDS IN 2008 2009.
THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND FUNDS IN 2 20 10.
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, BUT AS I SAID, WE'RE GETTING LAST PAYMENT FOR THAT IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
FUND 2023, A SPECIAL WASTE FUND REFLECTS A TRANSFER 11 FTES TO THE HEALTH SPECIAL REVENUE FUND OF FROM 20 20 20 0 2 AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ATTEMPT TO, UH, REDUCE EXPENDITURES.
UH, REALLY THIS IS REALLY CHARGING A PORTION OF CON CONSUMER HEALTH STAFF TO THIS FUND.
PERSONNEL VERSUS NON-PERSONNEL AND FUND 2002.
THIS IS A CATCHALL FUND USED TO MANAGE REVENUE THAT IS GENERATED FOR A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS. UH, THIS IN THIS INCLUDES ENVIRONMENTAL CON CONSUMER HEALTH, THAT OUR R-F-I-I-D PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY THE RFIDS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE, UH, THE F THE THE FOOD TRUCKS, UH, UH, OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS THAT I MENTIONED, EAR EARLIER.
MEDIC MEDICAID ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMING, WHICH IS REALLY, UH, WHICH BASED ON A COST REPORT THAT WE ARE DUE FOR PROVIDING SERVICES RELATED TO, UH, MEDICAID, UH, CLIENTS, AND ALSO VITAL RECORDS.
UH, 54% OF ALL FUNDS SUPPORT PERSONNEL.
UH, THIS IS RELATED TO THE ISSUANCE OF AMBULANCE PERMITTING.
SUPPORT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM BY SITTING ASSISTANT VETERANS SERVICES STAFFING TO SUPPORT PARKING GARAGE AT OUR STADIUM FACILITY AND STAFF TO SUPPORT NON-DIRECT SERVICES PAID FOR, FOR WITH MEDICAID DOLLARS SUCH AS BILLING.
46% OF THOSE ARE OF, OF THOSE FUNDS IN THAT OF, OF ARE NON PERSONNEL ITEMS. 3% IS IN RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
UH, THE 72% IS FOR NON SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACTS.
AND BASICALLY THAT'S USED IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TO REPLACE OBSOLETE, UH, EQUIPMENT IN OUR RFID PROGRAM.
AND, UH, DIGI TO, TO OPERATE OUR DIGITAL HEALTH ONLINE FOOD MANAGERS CLASS.
IN LABORATORY SERVICES, THIS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
THE REVENUE FROM THIS FUND SUPPORTS OUR LAB OPERATIONS AND PROVIDES FUNDING FOR LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AND LABORATORY, UH, AND, AND, AND LABORATORY SERVICES.
UH, A LOT OF OUR GRANTS I'D LIKE TO MENTION ACTUALLY SUPPORT SOME OF OUR LABORATORY SERVICES, TOO.
UH, BUT THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTIVE, UH, PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONNEL ON SWIMMING POOLS.
69% OF THE SUN FUNDS SUPPORTS PERSONNEL, 31% SUPPORT, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES, INCLUDING MANDATORY EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND, AND TESTING SUPPLIES.
FUND 2010 ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.
I WANNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT THIS FUND HAD ACTUALLY DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
THIS 1115 WAIVER SUPPORTS, UH, BOTH WAIVER, UH, PROGRAMS, WHICH AND ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH CORE SERVICES.
IN THE PAST YEARS, WE HAVE USED THESE FUNDS TO SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS, GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS, SUCH AS LABORATORY SERVICES, TB CONTROL, MAINTENANCE, CONTRACTS, AND CLINIC SUPPLIES.
THIS FUND HAS BEEN A LIFESAVER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OPERATION AND ALLOWED US TO BE RESPONSIVE IN EMERGENCIES.
OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE HAVE MINIMIZED THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF GENERAL FUND REDUCTIONS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BY USING THESE FUNDS.
WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 200 FTES SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS FUND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
WE HAVE PUNT PROGRAMS, AS I SAID EARLIER, LIKE SEE TO SUCCEED, PROJECT SAVE SMILES, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, REENTRY SUPPORTED LAB SERVICES, OUR DON PROGRAM, CHRONIC DISEASE, AS WELL AS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION.
THESE FUNDS ARE LIMITED, SO IN THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS A RESTRUCTURING PLAN TO REDUCE BOTH FTES AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE FUND 24 23 SPECIAL WASTE FOR OUR FOG PROGRAM.
UH, BASICALLY THIS FUND SUPPORTS OUR FAST SOIL AND, AND, AND GREASE INSPECTIONS.
IT INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR 48.3 FTES.
THE FUND IS 84% PERSONNEL AND SUPPORT.
16% OF THE FUND SUPPORT OPERATIONS, UH, 36% IS ALLOCATED TO RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, AND 64% IS ALLOCATED
[00:20:01]
TO SUPPLY SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT.UH, 2023, BUDGET, EXPENDITURE AND NET CHANGES.
OKAY, OF COURSE, THE FIRST SECTION COVERS THE 61, UH, $0.1 MILLION, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT FY 2122 BUDGET, EXCUSE ME.
UH, SECTION TWO COVERS THE OPERATIONAL OPERATING BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.
UH, YOU SEE, UH, IN THAT ADJUSTMENTS FOR OUR 1115 WAIVER, OUR IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFER FUNDS, AND ALSO WHERE WE HAD RECEIVED SOME COUNCIL UH, FUNDS.
THE THIRD SECTION, UH, CONTRACTUAL MANDATED ADJUSTMENTS RELATED TO BENEFITS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, AND OUR NEW AILEY FACILITY, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UH, THE FOURTH SECTION IS TO PROPOSE BUDGET INCLUDES $2.2 MILLION TRANSFER TO THE SPECIAL HEALTH REVENUE FUND FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSUMER HEALTH.
THOSE ARE TO FUND THOSE, TO TRANSFER THOSE 11 POSITIONS TO THAT COST CENTER.
UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET MINUS OPERATING ADJUSTMENTS, PLUS MANDATED ADJUSTMENTS EQUAL TO A BUDGET OF $65.6 MILLION, WHICH IS A 7.4% INCREASE IN OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
THE NEXT SLIDE GIVES OUR BUDGET HISTORY.
PROBABLY NEED TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IF YOU NOTE IN FY 19, THE ADOPTED BUDGET DOES WHAT DIDN'T INCLUDE JAIL HEALTH.
BUT REMEMBER, WE HAD TO OPERATE JAIL HEALTH FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR BECAUSE THE JOINT PRO JOINT PROCESSING CENTER DIDN'T OPEN, UH, FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND FY 22, THE ESTIMATE INCLUDES A 1.2 RESTRICTED ACCOUNT ADJUSTMENT FOR THE $750,000 HOPE ADJUSTMENTS, UH, AND FY 21.
UH, JUST SO THAT, UH, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DID THERE.
UH, IN THAT FISCAL YEAR, WE REDEPLOYED GENERAL FUND STAFF TO WORK COVID.
AND SO WE BUILT THOSE EXPENSES TO THOSE COVID GRANTS, WHICH RESULTED IN, UH, A REDUCED EXPENDITURES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, AND IN FMI 22, YOU'LL ALSO SEE, UH, UH, THAT RESULTED IN THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS INCREASE, UH, WHICH BASICALLY IT IS GONNA CHARGE US MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED BECAUSE WE BROUGHT ON MORE PEOPLE AND MORE COMPUTERS.
UH, THAT, THAT PRETTY MUCH EXPLAINS THAT, UH, THAT'S THE END OF MY FINANCIAL BUDGET PRESENTATION, UH, FOR FY 23.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, WHAT ARE THE AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT HAVE THE LOW VACCINATION RATES? I, I'M NOT GONNA GUESS WHY, WHY DON'T I SEND YOU THE MAP THAT WE HAVE? UH, YOU KNOW, UH, DURING THE HEIGHT OF COVID, WE ACTUALLY DID A WEEKLY REPORT, UH, SHOWING, UH, AREAS THAT, UH, WERE CONCERNED.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE TARGET AREAS, JUST THEY, THEY WERE WHAT WE CHARACTERIZE AS HIGH COVID VULNERABILITY, UH, AREAS BASED ON AN INDEX THAT WAS PRODUCED BY, DEVELOPED BY CDC.
YEAH, IF YOU COULD SEND THAT TO ALL OF OUR OFFICES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, LET'S GO BACK TO, YES, YOU DO HAVE SOME AREAS THAT I'M, I'M SURE IT, UH, LET'S GO TO SLIDE EIGHT, PLEASE.
SO, TO GET CLARIFICATION ON THIS SLIDE AGAIN, UM, WITH 40 MILLION, YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO GENERATE REVENUES OF 25 MILLION.
SO IF WE WERE TO ALLOCATE MORE DOLLARS TO YOU FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO ALSO GENERATE MORE REVENUE? PROBABLY NOT BECAUSE, UH, THE AREAS THAT GENERATE THE REVENUE ARE PRIMARILY IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AREA WHERE WE'RE COLLECTING FEES, UH, FOR, FOR PERMITS.
IF I HAD MORE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, OF COURSE I WOULD SPEND THEM IN PROGRAMMATIC AREAS.
I, I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON CHRONIC DISEASE.
I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON, UH, UH, UH, VIOLENCE, YOUTH VIOLENCE, AND I, I, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ALSO FOCUS MORE ON MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH ISSUES.
SO, COMPARISON FOR THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WE ALLOCATE ESTIMATED.
HOW MANY DOLLARS WILL YOU GET IN GRANTS? I, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GET.
WE'RE GONNA GET, UH, ABOUT $65 MILLION IN THE COMING YEAR IN GRANTS.
AND, AND THAT'S ALL OVER THE MAP.
UH, WE WILL HAVE PROBABLY ABOUT $91 MILLION IN, IN COVID DOLLARS,
[00:25:01]
BUT THOSE DOLLARS ARE GONNA END IN ABOUT A YEAR.SO THE, THE $65 MILLION YOU'LL GET IN GRANTS, IS THAT INCLU, INCLUDING THE COVID DOLLARS, OR NO? NO.
SO OUTSIDE OF THE COVID DOLLARS, YOU'RE STILL GONNA GET AROUND ESTIMATED $65 MILLION IN GRANTS? YES.
AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE USUALLY GET.
OUR, OUR BUDGET FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN RUNNING ABOUT, WHAT, $160 BILLION WITHIN THAT RANGE FOR EVERYTHING, SPECIAL FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS, AND GRANTS.
YOU WANT TO, UH, USE YOUR MICROPHONE, MR. AS HE FOR EVERYTHING, SPECIAL FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS, AND GRANTS BY 1 65.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE 1115 WAIVER RESTRUCTURING AND ADJUSTING AND MOVING PERSONNEL FROM THAT FUND, CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR CLARITY? SO YOU'RE MOVING PERSONNEL FROM THE 1115 WAIVER THAT WE WERE USING TO PAY FOR THEIR SALARIES TO, WHERE'S THAT MONEY COMING FROM NOW? WELL, AND I'M, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, BUT THE, THE GENERAL FUND DOESN'T SUPPORT SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS THAT I THINK OUR DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE RUNNING.
UH, BACK STARTING IN, I THINK 2011, 2012, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCESS THE 1115 WAIVER FUNDS.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING ON PROGRAMS, UH, THAT I THOUGHT, UH, WE NEEDED TO BE RUNNING WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FOR INSTANCE.
EXAMPLES, SEE TO SUCCEED ARE, ARE MY BROTHER'S KEEPER PROGRAM.
UH, OUR REENTRY PROGRAM IS, IS FUNDED BY THE 1115 WAIVER.
UH, SO WHEN THOSE, THE 200 POSITIONS I MENTIONED, I'M, WE, I CAN'T JUST PUT THEM ON THE GENERAL FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND CAN'T ABSORB THEM.
SO I WILL HAVE TO FIND, UH, OTHER RESOURCES IF WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE SERVICES.
IF I'M NOT ABLE TO RECRUIT, RE RECOUP, UH, ENOUGH REVENUE, UH, WE WILL HAVE TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THOSE SERVICES.
SO AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR GRANTS AND OTHER WAYS TO PAY FOR THEM? WE'RE NOT MOVING ANYBODY TO THE GENERAL FUND.
MY BOSS WOULDN'T LET ME DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
UM, IT, SOMETHING THAT I'VE TALKED TO PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO INSPECTIONS IS WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OR A HOUSE THAT NEEDS CERTAIN INSPECTIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING SEPARATELY.
SO CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WELL THAT HAS BEEN, UM, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS BEING INSPECTED KIND OF ALL AT ONCE? YEAH, I, I THINK WE HAVE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO, UH, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, BECAUSE SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A COMPLAINT WILL COME INTO ONE DEPARTMENT OF THE OTHER.
AND, UH, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH THAT THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S OUR SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND KNOW TO BRING THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN.
I, I THINK THAT THE WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE, UH, INITIATIVE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR DEPARTMENT ARE WORKING WELL TOGETHER.
ONE THING THAT, UH, IT'S IN THE WORKS, I HAVEN'T REALLY TOLD STAFF ABOUT THIS, BUT THEY'LL KNOW NOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN IS, UH, WE WERE, UH, CAROL AND I WERE OUT AT AN, AT AN EVENT RELATED TO LEAD, AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY BROADEN THOSE ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF JUST THE AGE OF THE HOUSES.
AND IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO, WE'RE PASSING EMAILS BACK AND FORTH TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE GONNA APPROACH THIS.
YOU GOOD? COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
VICE CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU'VE DONE DURING C UM, ON SLIDE FOUR.
UH, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS, AND I WANTED TO BE CLEAR NOW, A LOT THOSE GRANT FUNDS DO COME WITH ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS BUILT IN.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPORTING ALL OF THOSE WITH GENERAL FUND ADMIN? NO, NO.
YEAH, WE, WE COULDN'T SUPPORT ALL.
AND THEY, AND THEY HAVE VARYING PERCENTAGES, I'M SURE, OF ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.
UM, HOUSTON PERMITTING, AND YOU DO, I, I RARELY GET ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOUSTON, PART OF THE HOUSTON OF HOUSTON PERMITTING.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU, I MEAN, I KNOW SWIMMING POOL SAFETY, AND THEN WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO LIKE AT HPC? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY FTES ARE OVER THERE IN THE PERMITTING SYSTEM FROM HEALTH? NO, I DON'T, BUT PATRICK? 4, 4 4 TOTAL? YES.
AND ON TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, YOU MENTIONED THAT AS WE ARE SEEING DECREASES IN COVID AND THE GRANTS, YOU KNOW,
[00:30:01]
FUNDING.I MEAN, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT SOME OF THE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES OR SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE'VE TAKEN ON WILL NOT NO LONGER BE, I MEAN, HOW LONG DO THE, HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE MOST OF THE COVID RELATED TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES? WELL, AN INTERESTING THING HAS HAPPENED DURING COVID, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS POINT, UH, IN OUR OTHER PROGRAMS, WHETHER THEY'RE GRANT FUNDED IN SOME GENERAL FUND POSITIONS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANCIES ON THAT SIDE.
SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING OH, GOOD.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, UH, FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE, THERE IS A FIT.
UH, WE DON'T WANT, WANT TO RUN THE RISK OF LETTING EVERYBODY GO, AND THEN WE GO IN SURE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ENGAGING IN SOME CROSS TRAINING.
AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA ASK, UM, THE, THE KINDER AND HOBBY SCHOOL STUDY, UM, THAT TALKED ABOUT A TALE OF TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT CAME OUT IN DECEMBER, UM, DID RECOMMEND SOME AREAS, UM, WHERE WE COULD POSSIBLY DO AN MOU WITH THE COUNTY.
NOT TALKING ABOUT ING DEPARTMENTS OR ANYTHING
UM, BUT IF NO IS BETWEEN US, SO I CAN'T GET OVER THAT.
BUT IF YOU COULD OPINE A BIT, UM, THEY LIST SEVERAL AREAS OF OVERLAP AND DISEASE CONTROL AND, AND PREVENTION, DENTAL SERVICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH, WOMEN IN CHILDREN'S HEALTH, NUTRITION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PROGRAM, PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS, PO POLICY, AND PLANNING AND FINANCE ADMINISTRATION.
I MEAN, COULD WE START SMALL WITH SOME MOUS? AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, LIKE WITH AIR, AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND STUFF LIKE THAT WITH THE COUNTY, BUT WHERE COULD WE DO AN ADDITIONAL MOU TO POSSIBLY GAIN EFFICIENCIES ONE DAY? OKAY, I'M GONNA MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT BECAUSE THEY MADE A COMMENT PUBLICLY THAT SOMEBODY TOLD ME ABOUT.
I WASN'T VERY PLEASED WITH THE REPORT BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK THAT THEY ACCURATELY, UH, REPRESENTED THE, THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS.
WHEN THEY LOOKED AT OUR IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM, THEY COMPARED OUR PUTTING SHOTS IN ARMS AND THE COUNTIES PUTTING SHOTS IN ARM.
THAT IS A MINOR PART OF OUR IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM.
WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF THE PROVIDERS WITHIN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
WE ARE A STATE CONTRACTOR THAT HAVE TO MONITOR OUR VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM AND ALL OF THAT.
NONE OF THAT STUFF WAS INCLUDED.
AND SO I THINK THEY FELL SHORT OF THAT.
BUT TO, TO THE CORE OF YOUR QUESTION, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE COUNTY.
WE MENTIONED OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UH, UH, THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER STUFF.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE THAT THEY JUST MISSED.
WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID.
UH, MY STAFF DID SEND ME RESPONSES, BUT THEY WEREN'T THAT COMPLIMENTARY, SO I DIDN'T SEND THEM.
UH, BUT THERE, BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS COME UP WITH AN MOU THAT REALLY WILL, WE WILL FORMALIZE THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS ACTUALLY, UH, MODELING IT AFTER, UH, UH, AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND I LIVE THAT LIFE FOR A YEAR, FOR YEARS.
AND SO I KNOW HOW THAT CAN BE MODELED.
I'D APPRECIATE JUST BEING KEPT IN THE LOOP ON THAT.
FIRST OFF, UM, I REALLY WANNA RECOGNIZE THE DEPARTMENT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR EVERYTHING DURING COVID.
UH, WE QUICKLY TALK ABOUT COVID AND TALK ABOUT SHOTS IN ARMS, BUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOU AND THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, NOT ONLY AN UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL PANDEMIC, BUT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE.
I MEAN, Y'ALL WERE AT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE TO THAT.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID AND CONTINUE TO DO.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT, IT'S STILL ONGOING.
BUT ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS YOU CONTINUE TO RUN.
WORKING WITH MY OFFICE ON THE LEAD SURVEY THAT WE DID IN FRIEDMANS TOWN, UM, EVEN JUST ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW, TRYING TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE FORMULA SHORTAGE ISSUES.
UH, YOU ALL CONTINUE TO BE THOSE, THAT FIRST LINE OF RESPONSE AND CARING FOR HOUSTONIANS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
TO THAT POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MENTIONED IT, HOW MANY HOUSTONIANS DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SERVE? WELL, THERE ARE DIFFERENT ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON THE, ON THE PROGRAM.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART, OUR DEPARTMENT COVERS ALL OF HOUSTON, SO THE TOTAL POPULATION OF HOUSTON.
BUT FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS, WE COVER ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY.
THE IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ONE WOULD THINK THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS ONLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IT'S NOT.
WE ARE THE, THE, THE STATE'S POINT FOR IMMUNIZATIONS WITHIN ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY.
[00:35:01]
FOR OUR LABORATORY SERVICES, AND I MENTIONED THIS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A 17 COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA.SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON, ON, ON, ON THE PROGRAM.
BUT OUR CORE IS HOUSTON, OUR SEED TO SUCCEED PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS, WE SERVICE ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE REGION, NOT JUST H-I-S-D-I.
I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER IN THE CONTEXT.
UH, I'M GONNA SWITCH GEARS REALLY QUICKLY.
I'M GONNA A ASK AN UNPLEASANT QUESTION.
UM, LOOKING AT PAGE NINE, UH, THE SWIMMING POOL SAFETY FUND, I AM NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROGRAM.
AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT, UH, I DON'T WANNA BE ASKING THIS QUESTION, I DON'T WANT US TO BE IN THE POSITION WHERE WE AREN'T GONNA HAVE POOLS OPEN THIS SUMMER.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF POOLS OPEN.
DOES THAT IMPACT, UH, THE POOL SAFETY FUND IN TERMS OF OPERATION OR WHAT'S NEEDED THERE? WE, WE WILL, UH, UH, PATRICK KEY IS OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AND SHORTLY AFTER HE CAME IN, UH, NAOMI MACIA, UH, WHO IS NEWLY APPOINTED ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WAS ACTUALLY OVER, UH, CONSUMER IN THAT.
BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE, UH, DEVELOPED A STRATEGY WHERE WE CROSS-TRAIN PEOPLE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHEN SWIMMING POOL SEASON, UH, ARRIVED, WE WERE ABLE TO REDEPLOY STAFF TO ACTUALLY EN ENSURE THAT POOLS WERE INSPECTED.
IT'S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WHERE I, I GET CALLS FROM MY NEIGHBOR IF MY COMMUNITY POOL IS NOT OPEN OR THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH IT.
SO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE ALLOCATED HERE ARE STILL BEING UTILIZED, EVEN THOUGH THE PUBLIC POOLS MAY BE LIMITED IN OPERATIONS.
WE, WE, WE INSPECT, UH, PARKS, POOLS.
ACTUALLY, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I CAME HERE.
UH, JOE AND HIS FOLKS WERE INSPECTING THEIR OWN POOLS, AND WE HAD AN AGREEMENT THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST IF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD INSPECTED ALL OTHER PUBLIC POOLS, INSPECTED PARKS, POOLS, ALSO.
I, AND I'M NOT ALL I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THE QUESTION.
I'LL PUT YOU BACK IN THE QUEUE.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UM, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FOR JUST ALL YOUR WORK AND JUST THE PARTNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY OFFICE WORKED CLOSELY WITH YOU.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET, GETTING, WE GETTING THE, UM, CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM ROLLED OUT AND OTHER INITIATIVES.
SO JUST THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF, UM, FOR JUST YOUR COMMITMENT.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE MAJOR SERVICES, AND, YOU KNOW, I SEE ALL THE SERVICES THAT YOU, YOUR MAJOR SERVICES UNDER HUMAN SERVICES, THE HIGHLIGHTED ONES IS JUST DISTURBING TO SEE THAT NO, THAT THERE'S NO DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR, UM, GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR THESE SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, LIKE AGING AND DISABILITIES AND REENTRY PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS HUMAN SERVICES.
AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, HOW MANY GRANT WRITERS DO YOU HAVE? 'CAUSE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE SPENDING ALL YOUR TIME WRITING GRANTS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, USUALLY IN HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, THE FOLKS THAT WRITE THAT, UH, DIRECT THE PROGRAMS, WRITE THE GRANTS.
WE DON'T HAVE SPECIAL GRANT WRITERS EXCEPT, UH, SOMETIMES OUR, OUR, OUR PLANNERS OR, UH, ANALYSTS WILL WRITE GRANTS.
BUT YOU'LL FIND PEOPLE ALL OVER OUR DEPARTMENT WRITING, WRITING GRANTS.
AND THEN, SO LIKE, AND THEN I KNOW RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, ANYWHERE FROM, I KNOW WE, THERE WAS A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE ARPA DOLLARS.
SO DOES THE BUDGET INCLUDE THOSE DOLLARS, OR IS IT NOT INCLUDED? WE DIDN'T INCLUDE OPERA DOLLARS IN THIS THING.
WE DID NOT INCLUDE THE OPERA DOLLARS IN, IN, IN THIS REPORT BECAUSE WE, WE WERE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
IT WOULD ONLY ADD $2 MILLION TO THE BUDGET.
WELL, WE NEED THE THANK I'M TALKING ABOUT FROM MY DEPARTMENT,
BUT I'M AT, YOU ONLY CAN ADD 3 MILLION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1 MILLION FOR, FOR REENTRY.
AND THEN I THINK A HALF MILLION FOR, UH, CREDIBLE MESSENGER, AND THEN MAYBE ANOTHER MILLION.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, I'LL, I'LL SUBMIT A QUESTION TO Y'ALL RELATED TO THE POOL FUND, SO WE CAN JUST, I CAN UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT LASTLY, DIRECTOR, YOU'VE ALREADY FLAGGED, UM, SOME OF THE NEEDS.
AND WHAT I'M ASKING EVERY DEPARTMENT IS, IS WE LOOK AHEAD, WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED BY THE CITY BASED ON REVENUE CAPS AND OTHER THINGS.
UM, BUT LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF ON THE HORIZON FOR THE NEEDS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I MENTIONED THE AREAS THAT I THINK NEED MOST SUPPORT.
[00:40:01]
IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED A FURTHER INVESTMENT IN.MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH ISSUES AND CERTAINLY, UH, YOUTH BALANCE ISSUES.
UH, UH, BUT THE THING THAT ALL ALSO THAT WE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ARE SOME OF THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE TO CLIENTS IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL, REGARDLESS OF THE CORE PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE ACCESSING.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, FOR YEARS, EVEN IN OUR A PROGRAM AS CHORUS TB, UH, OUR, OUR STAFF HAD TO FIND SOURCES FOR FOOD, SOMETIMES HOUSING, TO ENSURE THAT THE CLIENTS WERE READILY ACCESSIBLE SO THAT THEY COULD TAKE THEIR TB MEDICINE.
AND, AND THAT'S FOR THE OVERALL PROTECTION, UH, UH, OF, OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO JUST SAY, YES, WE NEED MORE GENERAL FUND MONEY AND LEAVE YOU WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, AGGRESSIVELY, UH, LOOKING FOR, UH, INCREASED REVENUE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE, UH, STATEWIDE, LOOKING AT THE TRANSITION FROM THE 1115 WAIVER.
UH, THERE IS AN UNCOMPENSATED CARE FUND.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO DRAW DOWN FUNDS ON, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE CONTINUE TO SEEK GRANTS.
WELL, DIRECTOR, I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
UH, WE THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UH, WE HAVE IMMENSE APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK, UH, THAT CONTINUES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, THAT WAS A, UH, A TIME OF REAL UNCERTAINTY AND A TIME THAT WE WERE CONTINUOUSLY MOVING, UH, CONTINUOUSLY TRYING TO REACT, AND FROM SETTING UP THE TESTING SITES TO TEST, TO SETTING UP THE, UM, VACCINE VACCINE SITES, ALL THE LOGISTICS THAT WENT ON WITH THAT, UH, THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ENTIRE STAFF AND TEAM, WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
WE HAVE FOUR VIRTUAL SPEAKERS AND TWO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.
WE'LL START WITH THE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST IS MELISSA MARTINEZ.
MELISSA MARTINEZ, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
JILL GROSS, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE, THE HEALTH PRESENTATION.
IT'S REALLY CONCERNING TO KIND OF HEAR HEALTH COMEBACK YEAR AFTER YEAR SAYING THAT THEY REALLY COULD DO QUITE A BIT IN TERMS OF SAY, CHRONIC DISEASE, YOUTH VIOLENCE AND MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, UM, WITH, WITH MORE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
I'M INTERESTED, 'CAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD PRIORITIZE IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMING.
HAVE YOU PRICED OUT ANY PROGRAMS FOR THESE AREAS THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED DURING FISCAL YEAR 2023 AND THEN SECOND.
UH, AND, AND BECAUSE YOUTH VIOLENCE, OF COURSE, SEEMS LIKE AN ISSUE THAT WE, WE SHOULD REALLY CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
SECOND, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS ANNOUNCED AND APPROVED DURING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, DON'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED YET.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE AREN'T HOUSED THERE, BUT ARE THOSE INITIATIVES HOUSED WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? AND THEN WHY IS IMPLEMENTATION, UH, SEEMINGLY DELAYED? I'M GONNA START WITH YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
UM, MANY TIMES THE PRIORITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA BE LED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY'RE THE ONES TO IDENTIFY CERTAIN PROGRAMS, UM, THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE BENEFICIAL, AND THEY WILL PUT THOSE IN AS LINE ITEMS FOR US TO CONSIDER AND, UH, PUT FORTH.
UM, OF COURSE THERE CAN ALWAYS BE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AND ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR, UM, ADVANCING THOSE PROGRAMS. BUT THAT DISCRETION REMAINS AT, UH, WITH THE DIRECTOR.
AND YOUR SECOND QUESTION WAS, MY SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS THAT WERE ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR, RIGHT.
ALL OF THE OTT TEAMS THAT WERE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS ALTERNATIVE RESPONDERS.
AND THEN, SO ARE THOSE HOUSED WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? AND THEN WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION? WHY IS IMPLEMENTATION,
[00:45:01]
UH, TAKING A WHILE? WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION, THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE YOU THE SPECIFICS.SO IF YOU WANT TO PLEASE, UH, SEND US THAT QUESTION VIA EMAIL TO DISTRICT E@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU SHORTLY.
UH, I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT I.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO MY, UH, KIND OF SADNESS TO HEAR THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE SUPPORT FOR, UM, PROGRAMS THAT THE, UM, SPEAKER REALLY CARED ABOUT C TO SUCCEED REENTRY, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, THINGS LIKE THAT FOR, UM, UM, ARE LOSING MONEY.
UH, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE 1115 WAIVER? UM, AND THEN, YEAH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO HELP CONTINUE THE SUPPORT OF THESE PROGRAMS? SO THE SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAMS NOT ONLY COME FROM, OF COURSE, THE GENERAL FUND, BUT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE DIRECTORS DO LOOK TO GET, UM, GRANT DOLLARS THAT FUND MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS WHERE WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND, AND IDENTIFY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN SUPPORT, UH, SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO REENTRY OR FIRST RESPONDERS, I KNOW MY, MY OFFICE IS ALLOCATED DOLLARS TOWARDS THE MY BROTHERS KEEPER PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN ASSIST AND ALSO SUPPLEMENT, UH, THE DEPARTMENT WITH SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, UH, ASK ABOUT SUPPORT FOR, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, PROGRAMS. UM, IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY INITIATIVES THAT WOULD FALL UNDER HOUSTON HEALTH FOR THAT? I BELIEVE THERE ARE, BUT LET US MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOU A SPECIFIC ANSWER ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT THEY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND MANY OF US HAVE, UM, AN INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE DOLLARS OF PROGRAMMING TOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UH, SO PLEASE SUBMIT THAT ANSWER DIRECTLY TO DISTRICT E@HOUSTONTX.GOV AND WE WILL RESPOND PROMPTLY.
I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UM, ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE YESTERDAY, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ASKED THE CHIEF OF POLICE WHAT WE SHOULD DO ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THEN A SPEAKER SHARED THAT THEY WERE A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I DID NOT HEAR ANYONE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEM WHAT WOULD'VE HELPED THEM.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A HEALTH ISSUE.
AND MY QUESTION IS, WHAT EFFORTS IS THE CITY MAKING TO ENGAGE SURVIVORS IN, UH, ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER TO ADDRESS INTERRUPTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, NOT JUST ONCE IT'S HAPPENED? AND THEN WHAT IS BEING DONE TO SPECIFICALLY HELP SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF HOUSTONIANS IN POSSESSION OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS? ACCORDING TO THE 2020 M-M-M-R-C REPORT, TEXAS HAS A 35 MATERNAL DEATHS AND 100,000.
TO GIVE SOME PERSPECTIVE, THE NATIONAL MATERNAL MORTALITY MORTALITY RATE FOR 2020 WAS 23.8 DEATHS PER 100,000 LIFE BIRTHS COMPARED WITH THE RATE OF 20.1 AND 2019.
AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE CURRENT AND UPCOMING RESTRICTIONS TO ACCESSING ABORTION HEALTHCARE.
UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, I KNOW, UH, WITHIN THE MAYOR'S NEW ONE SAFE HOUSTON PLAN, I BELIEVE HE DIRECTED, UM, A MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT CAME THROUGH.
UM, THE CARES ACT, NO MATTER OF FACT, ARPA DOLLARS.
UM, AND SO THE, THAT'S ONE WAY IN WHICH WE AS A COUNSELOR ARE TRYING TO ASSIST, UM, WITH PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES, UM, ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BUT I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, DID YOU WANNA CHIME IN? HAVA, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AND THIS IS JUST A FEW EXAMPLES AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP.
UM, I THINK THE CITY IS TRYING TO LEVERAGE ALL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, NOT JUST CITY OF HOUSTON, INCLUDING THE, UM, HARRIS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNCIL.
UH, GOING BACK TO COVID, AND I CAN SPEAK FROM COVID ON RIGHT.
THE, UH, UH, NO COVID ABUSE PROGRAM.
UH, SO WHAT WE FOUND IS WITH DOMESTIC ABUSE, UH, A LOT OF, UH, SURVIVORS WERE TRAPPED AT HOME WITH THEIR
[00:50:01]
FAMILIES MOTION TO EXTEND.UM, SO THE CITY LAUNCHED AND BROUGHT TOGETHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, TO LAUNCH THAT, UH, WORKING WITH HAWK TO DO ONLINE REPORTING, UH, TEXTING SERVICES, ANYTHING TO GET THE WORD OUT AND ALSO EDUCATE AND HELP.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE MAYOR ADDED IN THE, UH, INTO THE OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, A SPECIFIC CHARGE.
NOW ALSO TO INCLUDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THAT.
SO THAT IS NOW IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS A PERMANENT, UM, UH, OFFICE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THROUGHOUT COVID, THE ADDITIONAL HOUSING FUNDING THAT WE PROVIDED, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE THE ISSUES WITH, UM, WITH HOUSING DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU CAN'T KEEP EVERYONE IN A SHELTER.
AND THERE WAS AN INCREASED NEED.
UH, SO CITY FUNDING, COUNCIL FUNDING, UH, HOTELS, UH, ADDITIONAL SERVICES, JOB TRAINING THAT WAS ACTUALLY LAUNCHED.
PARTNERSHIPS TO ACTUALLY TRAIN PEOPLE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, YOU END UP IN A CYCLE BECAUSE YOU ARE DEPENDENT ON THAT ABUSER FINANCIALLY.
UH, SO THE CITY'S ACTUALLY STARTING TO FOCUS ON JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS. UH, AND WE CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
UH, THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS, BUT THAT'S JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.
UH, NOT JUST THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, IMMEDIATE FUNDING TO DART HPD, BUT THE, UH, HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO TAKE IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE.
ARE YOU ALSO, UH, STUDYING THIS WITHIN YOUR WOMEN'S COMMISSION? UH, IS THIS ONE OF THE, UH, ACTION ITEMS THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT? UM, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION 'CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S A INDEPENDENT COMMISSION UNDER THE CHARGE OF THE MAYOR, BUT I DO BELIEVE THEY ARE LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE AS WELL.
IT'S REMAINING AT THE FOREFRONT IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, UH, THE CITY'S SUPPORTING HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER AND THEIR EXPANSION, UM, OF THEIR NEW CAMPUS THAT'S GOING TO BE IN DISTRICT D.
UH, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF EXTRAORDINARY WORK HAPPENING IN THAT SPACE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS, MR. MR. BRODERICK BUTLER.
UH, I RESPECT THE HEALTH DIRECTOR'S DETAILED RESPONSES TO NUMEROUS MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE IF HE COULD HAVE DONE THE SAME FOR THE FOUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, BUT IF I WERE HERE TO ASK HIM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM THAT LIST THAT HE GAVE US WITH ALL THE RED LETTERING, WHAT HIS PRIORITIES WOULD BE.
SO IF YOU WANNA PUT YOURSELF IN HIS SHOES AND TELL ME WHAT HIS PRIORITIES WOULD BE FOR FUNDING FOR THE UNFUNDED PROJECTS THAT HE HAS, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THAT.
LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY COUNCIL MEMBER TAHA JACKSON.
UM, TODAY SHE STOOD 10 FEET TALL FOR ME BECAUSE SHE EMBODIED THE SAYING THAT THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN AND WOMEN TO DO NOTHING.
DID YOU HAVE I DIDN'T HEAR A QUESTION IN ANY OF THAT.
I SAID TO GIVE ME THE PRIORITIES FROM THE LIST OF THE UNFUNDED THINGS THE HEALTH DIRECTOR SHOWED THE SCREEN.
NO, YOU, YOU SAID TO PUT OURSELVES IN THE SHOES OF THE DIRECTOR.
YOU GUYS ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
SO YOU WANT, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK US DIRECTLY, HE ASKED DETAILED QUESTIONS OF EACH OF YOU AND GAVE DETAILED ANSWERS TO EACH OF YOU, TO THE QUESTIONS YOU GAVE.
WE DON'T HAVE, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO SINCE HE IS NOT HERE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN GIVE THESE ANSWERS.
ONE THING, MR. WE CAN'T TALK OVER EACH OTHER.
SO IF YOU COULD GIVE ME THESE ANSWERS FOR THE LIST OF THE TOP PRIORITIES, HE WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM OFF THAT LIST OF UNFUNDED THINGS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
IF YOU CAN, YOU CAN DIRECTORS REPORT TO THE MAYOR.
WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, REPORT TO THE PUBLIC.
SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR US, THEN YOU CAN GIVE THAT TO US.
NOW, WE CAN TAKE YOUR QUESTION AND SUBMIT THAT OVER TO THE DIRECTOR TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO YOU FROM HIS STANDPOINT.
BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA STEP IN HIS SHOES.
AND THE REASON IN WHICH YOU ALL ARE SPEAKING TO US AS A COUNCIL IS BECAUSE WE REPORT TO YOU THE DIRECTORS REPORT TO THE MAYOR IN HIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND SO THEY WERE ASKED TO LEAVE, AND THAT'S WHY THEIR QUESTIONS ARE BEING REPORTED TO US FROM THE PUBLIC.
OKAY? SO IF YOU HAVE A DIRECT QUESTION TO US, WE CAN ANSWER.
IF NOT, IF THE QUESTION IS FOR THE DIRECTOR, WE WILL SUBMIT FOR YOU AND THEN WE WILL PROVIDE THAT RESPONSE.
I'M HERE TO TALK TO THE DIRECTOR.
SO THEREFORE, THERE'S A FLAW IN THAT LOGIC OF, WELL, WHO I PROVIDE THE QUESTION TO.
HE ANSWERED DETAILED QUESTIONS FROM YOU, AND HE COULDN'T DO THE SAME FOR US BECAUSE HE WAS DISMISSED.
SO THEREFORE, THAT IS A FLAW IN
[00:55:01]
THIS WHOLE PROCESS.AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GO HERE, BUT SINCE WE ARE, THAT'S A FLAW IN THIS PROCESS.
EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE STOOD BEFORE US ARE COMPENSATED VERY WELL.
AND THE QUESTION PREVIOUSLY THAT I WANTED TO SAY THAT THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR SAID HE GAVE A STERLING LIST OF PEOPLE THAT HE LOST.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD'VE SAID TO HIM? COMPETENCY GETS COMPENSATION.
AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BUILD UP PEOPLE THAT LEAVE YOU AND GO TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND DIFFERENT SECTIONS AND EXEMPLARY, AND SHOW THAT I WAS PRODUCED BY THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD'VE SAID TO HIM.
WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT PRESENTATION.