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AND WE WILL NOW BE[FY 2023 Budget Workshop: City Council]
GOING TO THE CITY COUNCIL.YEAH, ONE OF THE, I WOULD SAY, BEING BIASED, THE ONE OF THE BEST DEPARTMENTS.
UH, SO AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO WELCOME MS. BERNITA JONES, UH, TO PROVIDE THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PRESENTATION AND SHOUT OUT TO HER WHOLE NEW STAFF 'CAUSE SHE HAS A, A NEW STAFF, UH, WITH A LOT OF FRIENDLY AND NEW FACES.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
THAT'S A RA, THAT'S A RA THANK YOU.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, AND TODAY I WILL BE PRESENTING THE FY 23 PROJECTED BUDGET FOR CITY COUNCIL.
BUT BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY STAFF TO YOU.
ON MY RIGHT, I HAVE MARY HAMILTON, HE DOES THE FINANCIAL ANALYST FOR, UM, CITY COUNCIL.
AND IF MY NEW STAFF WILL PLEASE STAND, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.
THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT TAKE CARE OF CITY COUNCIL EVERY DAY.
THEY MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THEIR NEEDS ARE MET.
THEY WORK REALLY HARD AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON THEIR FACE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THEM.
RIGHT HERE, OUR 16 COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE OVERLOOKING THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE EVERY TUESDAY CONSTITUENTS COME IN AND THEY JUST HAMMER THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THESE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WORKS VERY HARD.
THEY WORK HARD, AND THEY'RE DILIGENTLY LOOKING AFTER THE CITY.
THEY HAVE CIP MEETINGS, THEY HAVE CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS THAT THEY ATTEND.
THEY HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE.
AND I THANK EACH COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
OKAY, NOW THIS IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND IN FY 22 WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 78.4.
78.4 FTES AND FY 23 WE'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE 79.5 FTES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BUDGET FOR FY 23 IS PROPOSED TO BE $13,985,308 FOR CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, THE BUDGET AS YOU GO DOWN, YOU WILL SEE, WILL BE SPLIT BETWEEN 16 COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THAT WOULD BE $491,115.
YOU GO DOWN AND YOU SEE CITY COUNCIL GENERAL, THAT'S $627,466, WHICH IS ALLOCATED FOR THE HEALTH FUNDS AND THE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR STAFF.
THE LAST ALLOCATION IS FOR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.
NEXT WE HAVE THE GENDER AND THE ETHNICITY.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR CITY COUNCIL.
THERE ARE 53 FEMALES AND 26 MALES THAT'S WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE ETHNICITY, WE HAVE 29 WHITE, 29 BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN, 18 HISPANIC LATINOS, AND THREE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS.
AND RIGHT HERE, I'M GONNA DO A COMPARISON AND I REALLY WANNA BREAK IT DOWN BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OPEN AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKS.
SO I TRIED TO BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER ON THIS SLIDE TO
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KINDA EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW IT IS.OUR ADOPTED BUDGET IN FY 22 WAS $13,604,307.
AND THAT WAS SPLIT BETWEEN THE OFFICE AT $468,915.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FY 22 OPERATING BUDGET WAS $7,502,640.
THIS IS THE MONEY THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS USE TO PAY THEIR STAFFS FOR SERVICES AND FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES.
IT ALL OF THIS COMES FROM THEIR OPERATING BUDGET.
SO YOU MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT THAT IS FOR.
THEN YOU HAVE THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND, WHICH IS 5,500,000.
AND THE HEALTH BENEFITS THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER, THAT IS HOW WE COMPRISE OF 13,604,317.
IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET BOOK TODAY, YOU WILL SEE THAT COUNCIL'S BUDGET SEEMS TO HAVE INCREASED, BUT IT HAS NOT.
IT IS 15,000,508 $193 AS OF TODAY.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, A CREDIT OF 5,609.
WE HAD A HOPE ADJUSTMENT OF 3%, AND THAT WAS 130,480.
AND THEN WE HAD A COUNCIL DISTRICT SON CARRY FUND CARRY FORWARD OVER OF $1,779,005.
I WANNA EXPLAIN THE CARRY FORWARD FOR YOU IN CASE SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS.
AND FY 21, ALL OF THE COUNCIL FUND AND THE PROJECTS THAT WERE REQUESTED.
AS YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LOT TO GET THESE DONE.
AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WORK DILIGENTLY.
FIRST OF ALL, IT HAS TO BE REVIEWED BY LEGAL AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TO APPROVE IT.
SO SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER FOR THESE PROJECTS TO GO INTO FRUITION.
SO IF THE PROJECT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY LEGAL AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT WE HAVE NOT PURCHASED THE ITEMS YET, OR THEY HAVE NOT COMPLETED IT, THOSE FUNDS CAN BE ROLLED AND FORWARDED AND CARRIED OVER.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A CARRY FORWARD OF 1 MILLION 7 7 9 0 0 5.
AND THAT IS WHY THE BUDGET LOOKS LIKE IT INCREASED AT THE PRESENT DAY.
SO FOR NOW, WE ARE PROJECTING TO HAVE $13,985,308 IN CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET.
AND THAT COMPRISES AGAIN, OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, 7,857,003 $842.
COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND, 5,500,000, AND HEALTH BENEFITS $627,466.
THESE ARE THE IT, AS I STATED BEFORE THAT, A LOT OF TIMES IT SEEMS AS IF THE BUDGET IS A BIG, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER BUDGET IS MAINLY STAFF AND DRIVEN BY IT.
THAT IS WHY THESE ARE HERE TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE IT DRIVEN COSTS THAT YOU WILL HAVE APPLICATION SERVICES INCREASED BY 30,657.
AND ANY HITS QUESTIONS I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD DIRECT THAT TO HITS.
'CAUSE THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE IT DEPARTMENT.
DATA SERVICES DECREASED BY $11,283.
VOICE SERVICES DECREASED BY $3,244.
VOICE LABORS DECREASED BY $509.
EGIS REVOLVING FUND SERVICE DECREASED BY $25.
VOICE SERVICES WIRELESS INCREASED BY $3,192.
KRONOS CHARGED BACK INCREASED $247.
OVERALL, YOU CAN SEE, AS I STATED, EARLY 91 POINT 39% OF CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TO PERSONNEL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE 7.28%, WHICH IS IN OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGERS.
AND OUT OF THE SERVICES AND CHARGES, 78% IS HITS RELATED CHARGERS.
1.29% IS SUPPLIES, AND THEN YOU HAVE 0.04% FOR EQUIPMENT.
SO THIS IS COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND CARRY FORWARD OVER FROM FY 21.
AS I STATED BEFORE, THERE'S 1,779,000 WORTH OF COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS THAT WE HAD TO CARRY OVER THAT WERE NOT COMPLETED IN FY 21.
WE ARE PROPOSING, WELL, WE ADOPTED 5,500,000 FOR FY 22 AS OF TODAY, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD TO FY 23.
WE WILL KNOW THAT AMOUNT ON JUNE 30TH WHEN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS, WE ARE PROJECTING TO GET ANOTHER 5,500,000 IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND FOR FY 23.
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SLIDE PLEASE.RIGHT HERE ARE MAJOR PROJECTS, AND I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, APPROXIMATELY 350 TO 400 COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE PROJECTS THAT ARE PERFORMED ANNUALLY WITH THIS MONEY.
AND ON HERE, I JUST BASICALLY WE PUT THE MAJOR PROJECTS, PROJECTS THAT ARE, ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND A LOT OF FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR THESE.
SO THEY HAVE INCREASED FROM LAST YEAR AS FAR AS MAJOR PROJECTS ON THESE TWO PAGES.
YOU CAN GO THROUGH AND SEE ALL OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE DOING.
AND AS I STATED, THESE PROJECTS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS TO THE CITY.
THAT'S WHY I SAY THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE WORKING HARD.
WE GO THROUGH LEGAL, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, BUT LEGAL REVIEWS THEM.
THE ADMINISTRATION APPROVES IT.
WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL CONTRACTS ARE ARE, ARE ACCURATE BEFORE WE DO ANY WORK WITH ANY OF THESE MAJOR PROJECTS OR ANY PROJECTS.
THIS IS A SLIDE OF THE PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE STATED ARE THEIR TOP TWO.
THEY HAVE SEVERAL, BUT THIS SHOWS BY DISTRICT WHICH INITIATIVES THEY HAVE STATED TO BE PRIORITIES INITIATIVE AS THEIR TOP TWO.
AND THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS THE AT LARGE COUNCIL, DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, COUNCIL, DISTRICT MEMBERS.
THESE ARE THEIR PRIORITIES AND THEIR INITIATIVES.
LOOKING AT THIS, YOU CAN SEE THAT $4,743,915 ARE ALLOCATED TO HPW.
THAT IS THE COUNCIL DISTRICT'S SERVICE FUND.
AND IT IS BROKEN DOWN BASED ON HOW MUCH MONEY WE ALLOCATED IN FY 22 FOR THESE PROJECTS.
SO HPW AND HPD ARE THE MOST ONES THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED TO.
AND THEN IN THE APPENDIX, WE HAVE THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS BECAUSE AS I STATED, HITS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS REALLY HAS A MAJOR IMPORTANT PART IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S BUDGET.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME AT THIS TIME? THAT WAS SUCH A GREAT PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, MS. V, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
AND OF COURSE, MS. LOVE, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS, ALWAYS BEING THERE.
UM, YOU DO SO MUCH FOR OUR OFFICES, UM, FROM OUR BUDGET MEETINGS TO AGAIN TRACKING, I THINK YOU SAID OVER 400 PROJECTS, UM, THAT WE'RE EACH PUSHING THROUGH ALL OF THE TIME.
SO AGAIN, A HUGE, HUGE APPRECIATION TO YOUR OFFICE IN TERMS OF NEEDS THAT YOU SEE, EITHER FOR YOUR OFFICE SPECIFICALLY OR IS COUNCIL, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE IN THE COMING, UH, FUTURE AS, AS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS? SO I HAVE, UM, CONFERRED WITH SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE SHORT STAFFED AND THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR OFFICE IF THEY COULD HAVE MORE STAFF MEMBERS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY ARE STRETCHED PRETTY WIDE BASED ON ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR OFFICES.
AND THERE ARE MINIMUM FOUR TO FIVE STAFF MEMBERS IN EVERY OFFICE.
AND THE NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THEIR OFFICE WOULD BE GREAT.
AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND IS GREAT AND THEY'VE ASKED FOR MORE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T COMPLETE ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY'RE KINDA WAITING TOWARD THE END BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT THE CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING FOR.
SO, WELL, I I CERTAINLY ECHO THE NEED FOR, UH, MORE STAFF.
I THINK OUR COUNCIL STAFF AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR COUNCIL STAFF.
UM, WE DID A TALLY AND A PULL OF OUR DISTRICT, UH, MOST OF COURSE PER USUAL 3 1 1 CALLS, BUT ALSO MOST CALLS OF A DISTRICT OFFICE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MY STAFF DOES IT, BUT THEY'RE INCREDIBLE.
UM, AND WE COULD ALWAYS, AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERY, AT LEAST DISTRICT OFFICE OF WE COULD ALWAYS USE AND AT LARGE.
AND AT LARGE, WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE.
UM, JUST SO FOR MS. VENITA, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR SALARIES ARE NOT SET BY THE CITY.
YOUR, YOUR SALARY IS BASED ON THE JUDGES AT THE COUNTY? YES.
AND, UM, IN TERMS OF, I MEAN, WE'RE COVERED BY INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE DON'T HAVE THINGS LIKE FMLA, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET, AT LEAST FOR OUR CHIEFS OF STAFF THAT HAD AN EXCEPTION PREVIOUSLY COVERAGE FOR, UH, PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR
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THE PARENTAL LEAVE.I JUST WANTED THAT TO BE CLEAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
YEAH, AND JUST TO BUILD ON THAT QUESTION, THE, THE RECENT HOPE ADJUSTMENT, UH, MS. JONES, IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON THAT, HOW THAT AFFECTED THE SALARIES OF OUR STAFF AND, UH, FOR THAT MATTER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU COULD, I'M SORRY, THE HOPE, THE, THE CITY EMPLOYMENT UNION.
AND WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? IF YOU COULD STATE OUT LOUD FOR THE RECORD, HOW THAT AFFECTED OUR STAFF AND OUR PERSONAL SALARIES? SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THE, THERE'S NO, IN THE INCREASE IS 3%, AND IT IS BASED ON AN AVERAGE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THEIR OFFICE.
AND BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO HAVE THE SAME BUDGET, WE AVERAGE OUT THE HIGHEST OFFICE AND WHATEVER THAT IS, TIMES 3%, THAT IS DETERMINED HOW WE ALLOCATE THE 3%.
AND THAT INCREASES EVERYBODY'S BUDGET THE SAME.
BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT GET A 3%, RIGHT? CORRECT.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU TO YOUR ENTIRE STAFF.
WE LEAN ON YOU ALL FOR SO MUCH, UH, AND KIND OF THE BACKBONE OF OUR OFFICES, WHICH ARE EXTENSION OF ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN EACH DISTRICT AND AT LARGE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, AND YOU ARE DISMISSED.
WE WILL NOW, UH, MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE WILL START WITH THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED.
AND THE FIRST NAME IS MS. SABA BLANDING.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION, A COUPLE, UM, I WAS CURIOUS, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SURVEY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS? UM, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE EFFORTS TO ENGAGE, UH, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT? AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF, IF, IF ANYONE HAS SOME NEW EFFORTS PLANNED FOR THE COMING YEAR.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU MS. BLANDING TO REPEAT THAT A LITTLE SLOWER.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SURVEY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, I WAS ALSO CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE EFFORTS TO ENGAGE YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICTS.
AND I WAS ALSO CURIOUS, WHAT ARE SOME NEW EFFORTS PLANNED FOR THE COMING YEAR? OKAY, SO FOR MY OFFICE, AND I KNOW FOR EVERYONE, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT.
UM, BUT ONE PIECE OF I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT OUR CONSTITUENT RESPONSE TIMES.
UH, WHEN THEY REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE, EITHER BY TELEPHONE OR EMAIL, DO THEY FEEL AS IF THEIR ISSUES AND CONCERNS ARE BEING ADDRESSED PROMPTLY? UM, I THINK THE BEST WAY TO ENGAGE THE CONSTITUENTS IS BY SHOWING UP IN PERSON, WHETHER THAT'S A HOA OR A CIVIC CLUB, BUT PEOPLE LIKE TO SEE YOU ACTIVE AND IN PERSON.
UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AND ALSO A GREAT WAY IN WHICH TO COMMUNICATE AND UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS, UH, FROM THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.
ANYONE ELSE IN A HORSE? YOU WANT TO CHIME IN? AND YOUR THIRD QUESTION, MS. BLANDING? OH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF ANYONE HAD SOME NEW EFFORTS THEY WANTED TO TRY THIS YEAR.
UM, IN TERMS OF ENGAGING CONS, CONSTITUENTS, LIKE IF ANYONE HAD SOME NEW IDEAS, WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE? OH,
UM, WELL, I MEAN, I ALWAYS THINK EFFORTS TO, TO PROVIDE SURVEYS ARE GOOD.
AND I KNOW TRADITIONALLY THERE'S CIVIC CLUB ENGAGEMENT, BUT AS MUCH AS I CAN ENGAGE HERE, CIVIC CLUB, I, MY HUSBAND HAS A MEETING EVERY, EVERY MONTH FOR OUR CIVIC CLUB.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, WHAT Y'ALL LIKE TO TRY.
I THINK MOST OF US LIKE TO GET A LOT OF OUR IDEAS FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO MANY OF THE TIMES THAT YOU SEE US RESPONDING, UH, TO ISSUES OR CONCERNS IS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, UH, YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU AS A CONSTITUENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAYS IN WHICH YOU THINK WE CAN BETTER, UH, COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE WITH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OR SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, MAYBE EVEN NOT TODAY, BUT FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ON WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BEST COMMUNICATE AND ENGAGE WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, MS. BARBARA HERDON.
BARBARA HERDON, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
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AMANDA S SHY, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.UM, AND JUST BRIEFLY, MY LAST NAME IS SHE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UH, SO, UM, MANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE METRICS OR OUTCOMES OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET THAT THEY PUBLISH.
SO AS REPRESENTATIVES OF CONSTITUENTS, DO Y'ALL HAVE TARGET METRICS? UM, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER OUTCOMES? AND THEN I, I HAVE, UH, ANOTHER THOUGHT, WHICH IS THAT THE, THE SLIDE 15 IN TERMS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE CDSF FUNDS, THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, AS A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO EXPRESS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING MORE FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR CASE EDUCATION, DON AND HBL, UM, ALL DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED, UH, UNMET NEEDS THROUGHOUT THESE PRESENTATIONS.
SO I'LL, I'LL RETURN MY QUES TO MY QUESTION, WHICH IS BASICALLY, WELL, WHAT ARE, UH, SOME TARGET METRICS AND OUTCOMES THAT, THAT, UM, THAT Y'ALL HAVE IN MIND? SO AS IT PERTAINS TO METRICS, I CAN SPEAK FOR THE DISTRICT J OFFICE, WHAT WE, WE LIKE TO DO IS PUT OUT INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS AND IDEAS THAT WE HAVE MANY TIMES THAT ARE BRAND NEW.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE.
WE'RE REALLY A RESULTS BASED, UH, OFFICE.
AND SO WHETHER IT'S WITH SUPPLEMENTAL TRASH OR A DISTRICT J PATROL PROGRAM, NEW INITIATIVES THAT HAVE ARE JUST NOW COMING TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, MANY TIMES IT'S GONNA BE BASED OFF THE FEEDBACK, THE ENGAGEMENT, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE RECEPTIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
THE FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK THAT WE HEAR AT THE CIVIC CLUBS AND THE HOA MEETINGS ON IF, IF IT'S BENEFICIAL OR NOT, DO THEY BELIEVE IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR TAX DOLLARS SPENT ON.
AND FOR MOST OF US, I THINK THAT'S HOW WE ARE ABLE TO GAUGE IF A PROJECT IS WORTHWHILE, UH, GOING INTO THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR, UH, TO FUND THROUGH OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS GOING FORWARD.
AND WAS THERE, WAS THERE ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD? UH, THAT WAS MY MAIN QUESTION.
DO ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO SHARE? NONE AT THE MOMENT, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING BEHIND ON TIME, BUT I'M, I'M SURE IF YOU REACH OUT TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THEY WILL COLLABORATE WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, I WANT TO START OFF JUST BY, UM, REALLY, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE LIKE CDSF AND THESE PRESENTATIONS.
'CAUSE I, I KNOW THAT, THAT YOU ALL CREATE A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO WHAT YOU'RE, UH, WHAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ASKING FOR.
SO SOME OF THE ONES THAT I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT AND GLAD TO SEE A LOT OF THE TRASH PICKUP AND DRAINAGE WORK.
UM, THE SENIOR DEVELOPMENT AND BOYS AND CLUB, UH, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND DISTRICT A, THE LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, THE MORE EXPANSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY STREET, UH, STREET LIGHTS AND SIDEWALK STUFF HAPPENING IN DISTRICT F.
UM, SEEING SOME OF THE, THE DIVISION ZERO, UM, AND THEN THE LIKE WIFI ACCESS IS, IS HUGE IN DISTRICT H.
AND THEN THE COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION WORK THAT, THAT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICT, I JUST, SOME OF THE ONES THAT KIND OF STUCK OUT TO ME THAT I, I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
AND NOW TO GO INTO MY QUESTIONS.
SO FIRST, UM, WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF THE APARTMENT INSPECTION REFORM? JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT PROJECT THAT I, I KNOW WE'VE HEARD ABOUT OVER THE YEARS.
AND THEN SECOND, DOES ANY DISTRICT, AND THIS GOES INTO COUNCIL MEMBER POLL'S QUESTION, UM, ABOUT LIKE, ENGAGEMENT WITH CONSTITUENTS.
DOES ANY DISTRICT HAVE GOOD RESOURCES OR PROCESSES EXPLAINING HOW THE CDSF WORKS TO CONSTITUENTS? UM, UH, EXPLAINING LIKE HOW IT WORKS, WHAT PROJECTS ARE PROPOSED AND ELIGIBLE AND THE PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION.
I THINK CDSF IS A, IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO LIKE EX WIDEN THE NET OF HOW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING AND THEN REALLY GETTING ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS OF DIRECTLY PARTICIPATING THERE.
SO YEAH, THAT, THAT'S MY IDEA FOR ENGAGEMENT.
SO REGARDING THE APARTMENT INSPECTION, UM, ORDINANCE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S PENDING AT THE MOMENT.
I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER IS TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT.
AND SO, UH, THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE STILL ONGOING ON THE BEST CONSIDERATIONS FOR THAT.
UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, UM, MANY TIMES WHAT WE DO IS WE REACH OUT TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND ASK THEM WHAT DO THEY LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, RE REGARDING IF IT'S IMPROVED, UH, PARKS, IF IT'S IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE, DO THEY WANT TO SEE MORE POLICE PRESENCE? SO EVERY C COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT IS UNIQUE AND HAS ITS OWN DYNAMICS.
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MANY TIMES THE REQUESTS THAT COME INTO OUR OFFICE FOR THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE, WE PRIORITIZE.AND THEN THOSE ARE WHAT WE SPEND THE DOLLARS ON THROUGH OUR COUNCIL'S FUNDS.
UM, JASON, TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT OUTREACH IN TERMS OF DETERMINING SOME CDSF, I KNOW MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING MY OFFICE, HAVE STARTED EVEN DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, SURVEYS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE FUND AIR MONITORS, UH, THAT ARE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION, BUT WHERE THEY SHOULD GO UP, WE PUT A SURVEY OUT, WE ASK FOR, UH, SUGGESTIONS, AND THE LOCATIONS ARE BEING DETERMINED BASED ON THAT.
I THINK IT'S A WHOLE COMBINATION OF THINGS.
COUNCIL MEMBER NEWSLETTERS, UH, ALWAYS OPEN TO MORE INFORMATION, BUT IT, Y'ALL ARE ASKING SOME REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE DIRECTED, I THINK TO ALL OF US, BUT I THINK THE BEST WAY TO GET SOME OF THOSE RESPONSES OR PROVIDE YOUR SUGGESTIONS IS TO INDIVIDUALLY REACH OUT ON THAT.
AND ALSO, UH, KNOW THAT WE LEVERAGE A LOT OF OUR DOLLARS.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE GET, UM, A MILLION DOLLARS, 500 FOR, UH, MOBILITY AND THEN 500 FOR JUST GENERAL OPERATING, UM, PROJECTS IN OUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LEVERAGE THAT MONEY WITH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, WITH OUR TURS, WITH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.
SO WE TRY TO FIND OUTSIDE DOLLARS, EVEN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PARTNER WITH.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE ABLE TO TURN $100,000 ALLOCATION INTO A $400,000 ALLOCATION JUST BY WORKING WITH OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES, UH, THAT HAVE SIMILAR INTERESTS IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO WE, UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CONSTITUENTS FEEDBACK ON WAYS IN WHICH WE SPEND YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
AND IF THERE'S PARTICULAR PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIKE AND YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE, UH, FOR GOING FORWARD, PLEASE DO.
AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T LIKE OR THAT YOU THINK ARE NOT BENEFICIAL THAT WE'RE SPENDING YOUR TAX DOLLARS ON, LET US KNOW THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT COMPLETES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS.
AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO WELCOME DIRECTOR TINA PAEZ AND VALERIE BERRY TO PROVIDE THE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS BUDGET PRESENTATION.