[FY 2024 Budget Workshop: Administrative & Regulatory Affairs]
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JUST A REMINDER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET QUESTION WORKSHOPS, UM, WORKSHOP QUESTIONS IN A WORD DOCUMENT AND UPLOADED TO SHAREPOINT AND DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO PROVIDE RESPONSES WITHIN 48 HOURS, OTHER THAN A RA WHO'S BEEN PROVIDED RESPONSES WITHIN 24 HOURS.
DEPARTMENT RESPONSES WILL ALSO BE UPLOADED TO SHAREPOINT.
SO WELCOME DIRECTOR TINA PAEZ, WHO WILL NOW PROVIDE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS A RA BUDGET.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.
UH, LET'S BEGIN ON SLIDE THREE, PLEASE.
I'LL GO ON AND, AND HE'LL CATCH UP.
SO A RA IS COMPRISED OF 18 DISTINCT AND WIDELY DIVERSE BUSINESS UNITS HOUSED WITHIN EIGHT PROGRAM AREAS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE 3 1 1, WE HAVE THE BARK ANIMAL SHELTER, UTILITY REGULATION, RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, PUBLIC PARKING, CITYWIDE PAYROLL, BUSINESS LICENSING, RISK MANAGEMENT, AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.
SO WHERE I WAS WAS ON PAGE THREE WHERE YOU HAVE ALL OF THE PICTURES OF ALL OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS IN A RA.
SO NOW WE'RE MOVING TO PAGE FOUR.
SO AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM OTHER DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS OVER THE PAST WEEK, AS WE IMPLEMENT OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO FOCUS ON THE BIGGER PICTURE, THE CITY'S PRIORITIES OF SOUND, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCE, AND HOW THE PROGRAMS THAT A RA OFFERS ALIGN WITH THOSE PRIORITIES AND HOW WE MEASURE OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES AGAINST THOSE PRIORITIES.
SO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES, WE'LL DISCUSS A'S EIGHT UMBRELLA PROGRAM AREAS UNDER WHICH ALL 18 OF OUR BUSINESS UNITS FUNCTION.
I SHOW ALL EIGHT OF THOSE HERE WITHIN THEIR PRIORITY BOXES.
OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER BOX THAT YOU SEE HERE IS NOT REALLY A PROGRAM AREA.
IT'S FOR DEBT SERVICE AND TRANSFERS.
UM, THE DEBT SERVICE AND INTER FUND TRANSFERS REFLECT THE TRANSFERS THAT BARK THAT PARK HOUSTON MAKES TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT THE GENERAL FUND MAKES TO BARK.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE AGAIN ON THE EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE SLIDES.
THE BIG TAKEAWAY ON THIS SLIDE IS THAT ARAS RESPONSIBILITIES SPAN MULTIPLE CITY PRIORITIES.
AND IN A MOMENT I'LL SHOW YOU THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET THAT'S ALLOCATED TO EACH OF THE OBJECTIVES OR PRIORITIES DESCRIBED HERE.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT THE LION'S SHARE IS SPENT IN SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
AND WITHIN THAT PROGRAM, RISK MANAGEMENT REQUIRES THE MOST FUNDING, 59% OF ARAS $114 MILLION EXPENDITURE BUDGET.
THESE ARE THE SAME EIGHT PROGRAM AREAS I SHOWED YOU ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THE MOST TYPICAL INCREASES ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENT IS PROBABLY 3% IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, AND THAT'S THE MUNICIPAL PAY RAISES.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE SOME RAISES FOR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
SO THE CHANGES THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU ON THIS SLIDE ARE THE ONES THAT GO BEYOND THOSE CATEGORIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT ANIMAL SERVICES, THAT'S BARK, THERE'S A 12% INCREASE TO BARK.
THAT INCLUDES THE 3% MUNICIPAL PAY INCREASE AND RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING FOR CONTRACT ESCALATIONS, FOR EVERYTHING FROM PET FOOD TO MEDICATIONS, PLUS APPROVED FUNDING FOR THE TARGETED SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS. SIMILARLY, THE 11% THAT YOU SEE IN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT INCLUDES THE SAME MUNICIPAL PAY RAISES AND THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNT INCREASES.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FOR EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT, YOU'RE SEEING THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS FOR ALL THE A RA GENERAL FUND UNITS, NOT JUST FOR THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE WE BUDGET ALL THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS IN THE EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT PROGRAM.
SO THE INCREASE IN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT INCLUDES ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT WAS TRANSFERRED TO EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT FROM ANOTHER A R PROGRAM.
AND SO THE FUNDING YOU SEE HERE REFLECTS THAT.
AND THE LARGEST INCREASE THOUGH IS IN RISK MANAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR OFTEN TALKS ABOUT FACING SEVEN DECLARED DISASTERS.
SINCE HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE, THE CITY HAS RECOVERED $109 MILLION IN INSURANCE OVER THE LAST SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS THAT HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE.
SINCE HARVEY, THE CITY HAS INCREASED OUR COVERAGE TO $200 MILLION THIS YEAR.
THE CITY'S PREMIUM IS $24.6 MILLION FOR THAT 200 MILLION, BUT THAT'S COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S PREMIUM
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OF 19.4 MILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 27%.SO THE 32% INCREASE THAT YOU SEE FOR RISK MANAGEMENT, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS THAT 27% PREMIUM INCREASE.
BUT FOR THAT ALMOST 30% INCREASE IN PREMIUM ARAS OVERALL EXPENDITURE BUDGET INCREASE FOR FY 24 WOULD'VE BEEN AROUND 5%.
SO THE FIRST OF OUR EIGHT PROGRAM AREAS IS AN OVERARCHING PROGRAM CALLED ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS, AND IT INCLUDES MANY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES THAT A RA PROVIDES TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, SUCH AS CITYWIDE PAYROLL, RECORDS MANAGEMENT, POLICY MANAGEMENT, AND THE DISPOSITION OF CITY ASSETS.
THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES FRANCHISE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS FOR COLLECTING ABOUT $160 MILLION A YEAR IN FRANCHISE REVENUES.
THERE ARE 62.9 FTES BUDGETED IN ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS WITH A BUDGET OF ABOUT $12.6 MILLION.
THIS SLIDE INCLUDES THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THIS LARGE ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS PROGRAM.
THERE ARE NINE PERFORMANCE MEASURES HERE, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT WE WANTED TO REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE BUSINESS UNITS WITHIN THIS UMBRELLA AND WE WANT TO REFLECT THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR EACH OF THOSE UNITS.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO PAGE EIGHT.
ALL OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE BARK ANIMAL SHELTER.
BARK IS FUNDED THROUGH THE BARK SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND FOR FY 24 BARK'S, PROPOSED BUDGET IS $15.2 MILLION.
OF THAT 15.2 MILLION BARK RECEIVES A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF $12.3 MILLION.
LIKE ALL PUBLIC ANIMAL SHELTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BARK HAS STRUGGLED POST PANDEMIC.
WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO FILL VACANCIES.
WE'RE RUNNING ROUGHLY AN 18% VACANCY RATE, PARTICULARLY AMONG OUR VETERINARIAN SERVICES AND OUR ADOPTION, OUR RESCUES AND OUR FOSTERS HAVE DROPPED DRAMATICALLY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, EVEN THOUGH OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES REFLECT HIGHER ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY AND THAT'S SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER ENFOR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY, LIVE RELEASE HAS DECREASED FROM PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS AS OUR RESCUES AND OUR FOSTERS ARE AT CAPACITY.
NOW WE'LL GO TO PAGE 9 3 1 1 IS THE A RA PROGRAM WITH WHICH MOST OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST FAMILIAR, THE $6.7 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 3 1 1 INCLUDES FUNDING FOR 77.9 FTES, OF WHICH MORE THAN 60 ARE CALL TAKERS.
LAST YEAR, HR DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB FOR US HAVING MULTIPLE JOB FAIRS AND HIRING ON THE SPOT.
AND YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED IN OUR FY 23 AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWER OF LESS THAN A MINUTE.
BUT YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT FOR FY 24, WE'RE BUDGETING FOR TWO MINUTES FOR OUR AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWER.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE'RE ALREADY SEEING A LOT OF OUR NEW HIRES QUITTING.
THEY'RE GOING TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THEY'RE GOING TO OTHER CALL CENTERS.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING OUR AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWER SLOW DOWN FOR THIS YEAR.
THERE ARE 5.9 FTES THAT ARE BUDGETED IN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT.
ONE OF THEM, OF COURSE IS OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND HE DOES DOUBLE DUTY AS THE OUTREACH DIRECTOR FOR BARC.
SO HE ACTUALLY MANAGES AN ENTIRE OPERATIONAL DIVISION AT BARC AS WELL AS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL A RA COMMUNICATIONS.
THE $2.6 MILLION BUDGET THAT YOU SEE HERE IS NOT FOR F 0.5 0.9 FTES.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S HUGE FOR 5.9 FTES.
HALF OF THAT AMOUNT, $1.3 MILLION IS FOR OUR RESTRICTED ACCOUNT INCREASES.
AS I TOLD YOU EARLIER, WE WE COMBINE ALL OF THOSE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS THAT ARE IN THE GENERAL FUND INTO ARAS EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHY THAT'S A REALLY LARGE NUMBER.
ACTUALLY, I NEED TO QUIT SAYING, OH LOOK, IT'S ACTUALLY SHOWING.
OKAY, SO WE'RE NOW ON SLIDE 11.
PARK HOUSTON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PUBLIC PARKING SPACES THROUGH THE PARK HOUSTON SPECIAL REVENUE FUND PARK.
HOUSTON HAS A PROPOSED FY 24 EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF ALMOST $23 MILLION.
SO THE 14.9 MILLION THAT YOU SEE HERE IS THAT $23 MILLION NET OF THE $1 MILLION PAYMENT TO DEBT SERVICE FOR THEIR METERS.
AND THE $7 MILLION TRANSFER THAT'S MADE TO THE GENERAL FUND, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR FY 22 PERFORMANCE MEASURES VOLUMES TOWARD THE END OF THE PANDEMIC.
WERE STILL VERY LOW ACROSS ALL OF OUR METRICS FOR PARK HOUSTON, BUT ON THIS SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC, PARKING HAS RETURNED TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS AND IN AREAS LIKE WASHINGTON AVENUE, WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO SEE NUMBERS THAT ARE HIGHER IN PRE PANDEMIC.
SO WE EXPECT TO SEE A HIGHER NUMBER OF METER TRANSACTIONS IN FY 24, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THIS POSITIVE TREND IN PARKING, BUT BECAUSE ON MAY 31ST WE WILL BE ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AN APPROVAL OF EXTENDED METER HOURS ACROSS THE CITY.
A RA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING BUSINESS LICENSES AND PERMITS FOR MORE THAN 60 TYPES OF BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS PERFORMING ALCOHOL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT VER VERIFICATIONS.
SO THE PROPOSED FY 24 BUDGET OF 4.8 MILLION FUNDS, 33.8 FTES WITHIN OUR PERMITTING AREA.
IN ADDITION TO OUR CITY OF HOUSTON BURGLAR ALARM PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COLLECTION OF $14.4 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
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PLEASE.THE FY 24 GENERAL FUND PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM IS $499,000, WHICH INCLUDES GENERAL FUND FUNDING FOR THREE FTES.
NOW, THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE SIZE OF THIS DIVISION.
THERE ARE OTHER EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY ARE FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS.
THE GENERAL FUND FUNDS THREE OF THEM.
THIS PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN AND HOUSTON CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
ARAS RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROCURING COMMERCIAL INSURANCE TO MITIGATE THE CITY CITY'S LOSSES FROM NATURAL DISASTERS AND OTHER EVENTS.
THE SINGLE LARGEST EXPENDITURE INCREASE THIS YEAR IN A'S BUDGET IS THE CITY'S PROPERTY INSURANCE PREMIUM OF $25 MILLION, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE BASE PAY FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A 27% INCREASE OVER THE 23 PREMIUM PREMIUM.
MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY RENEWED YOUR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE THIS YEAR.
SO YOU'VE SEEN FOR YOURSELVES THE 20 TO 60% INCREASES IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SEEING.
THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY REVOLVING FUND, AND ITS EXPENSES ARE CHARGED BACK TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
APPROXIMATELY 23% OF IT OF THIS COST IS SPREAD TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO NOW WE'VE HIT DEBT SERVICE AND INTER FUND TRANSFERS.
AS I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION, DEBT SERVICE AND INTER FUND TRANSFERS IS NOT A PROGRAM AREA PER SE.
THE AREA SIMPLY REFLECTS DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS AND INNER FUND TRANSFERS.
SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSFERS REFLECTED IN THIS $20.3 MILLION IS ARE A $12.3 MILLION TRANSFER TO THE BAR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FROM THE GENERAL FUND, A $7 MILLION TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND FROM PARK HOUSTON, AND A $1 MILLION DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT FOR PARKING METERS FOR PARK HOUSTON.
THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES ARAS EXPENDITURES FOR ALL FUNDS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED BY OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE GENERAL FUND IS HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU IN GREEN AT THE VERY TOP.
ARAS PROPOSED FY 24 GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF 34.4 MILLION REFLECTS AN INCREASE OF 1.3 MILLION COMPARED TO OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
OF THIS AMOUNT, 444,000 IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE HOPE INCREASES AND THE RELATED HEALTH AND PENSION BENEFITS.
THERE'S ALSO 84,000 IN RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, INCREASES 107,000 FOR THE CITY SECRETARY DIGITIZATION PROJECT, AND $48,000 FOR THE PAYROLL CHARGE BACK TO THE CENTER REPORT SYSTEM.
THE REMAINING 590,000 OF THIS $1.3 MILLION INCREASE WAS TRANSFERRED TO BARK AS PART OF THE BARK, UM, TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND IT PAYS FOR THE BARK SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS, THEIR CONTRACT ESCALATIONS AND THE BASE PAY INCREASES THAT WE JUST GAVE THE BARK STAFF VETERINARIANS TO TRY TO RETAIN THEM.
THE NEXT LINE IS PARK HOUSTON.
THE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES FOR PARK HOUSTON OF COURSE INCLUDES THE MUNICIPAL PAY RAISES AND THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES THE ADDITIONAL FTES FOR THE EXTENDED METER HOURS THAT YOU'LL BE APPROVING HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, FOR FY 23, THE TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND HAD ONLY BEEN PROJECTED AT $5.5 MILLION BECAUSE WE WERE STILL REELING FROM WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PANDEMIC.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT FOR FY 24, WE WILL BE INCREASING THE TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND TO ITS PRE PANDEMIC LEVEL OF $7 MILLION.
BARK IS THE OPPOSITE OF PARK HOUSTON.
RATHER THAN TRANSFERRING MONEY TO THE GENERAL FUND, BARK RECEIVES A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF $12.3 MILLION.
YOU'LL SEE IT IN THE BUDGET BOOK AS AN EXPENDITURE TO ARAS GENERAL FUND AND A REVENUE TO THE BARK SPECIAL FUND.
THE INCREASE OF $1.6 MILLION FROM FY 23 INCLUDES THE HOPE INCREASES, OBVIOUSLY INCREASED SPENDING FOR SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS, CONTRACT ESCALATIONS, AND OF COURSE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
AND FINALLY, THE BULK OF THE CHANGE THAT YOU SEE IN THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND, PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND IS WHERE OF COURSE OUR INSURANCE GROUP IS LOCATED AND WHERE OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE.
SO THE BULK OF THAT PERCENTAGE THAT YOU SEE, THAT'S ALMOST 32% IS THE 27% INCREASE IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND THIS IS JUST A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF OUR PROPOSED FY 24 GENERAL FUND AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BUDGETS.
THE FIRST PIE CHART IS THE GENERAL FUND.
AS YOU CAN SEE, PERSONNEL IS 52% OF THAT BUDGET.
THE $12.3 MILLION TRANSFER TO BARK IS 36% OF THAT.
AND THEN THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS REPRESENT THE LION'S SHARE OF THE REMAINING 12%.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE NUMBERS THAT ARE ALREADY E EARMARKED FOR OTHER THINGS OR THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGA OBLIGATIONS OR PERSONNEL, ONLY ABOUT $537,000 OUT OF OUR TOTAL $34.4 MILLION BUDGET IS NOT EARMARKED FOR SOMETHING AND, AND IS NOT ALREADY OBLIGATED.
MEANING THAT THAT 1.7% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS AVAILABLE TO SERVICES OR SUPPLIES THAT WE MIGHT NEED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THE SECOND PIE IS BAR'S TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET OF 15.2 MILLION, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH IS THE $12.3 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND EMBARK'S BUDGET.
64% IS DEDICATED TO PERSONNEL EXPENSES.
AND FINALLY, THE THIRD PIE IS THE PARK HOUSTON FUND.
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BUDGET IS ONLY 33% OF THEIR TOTAL BUDGET.30% IS THE $7 MILLION TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THESE ARE TWO GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FY 24 BUDGET FOR THE TWO REVOLVING FUNDS THAT WE MANAGE IN THE FIRST PIE.
THE GREEN PIE IS THE BREAKDOWN FOR ARAS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ONLY 3% OF THAT BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TO PERSONNEL.
THE OTHER 96% IS CONTRACTUALLY DEDICATED TO THE COMMERCIAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS. THE CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND IS THE PINK PIE ON THE RIGHT.
IT HAS NO FTES BECAUSE IT'S JUST BASICALLY A PASS THROUGH FUND.
IT'S USED TO CENTRALIZE VENDOR PAYMENTS FOR CITY CONTRACTS FOR POSTAGE AND EMPLOYEE TRANSIT CHARGE BACK DEPARTMENTS USE IT FOR DIRECT USAGE WHEN IT'S DONE THROUGH THIS FUND.
IT SHOWS YOU ARAS REVENUES BY THE SAME EIGHT PROGRAMS. SEVEN OF THE EIGHT A RA PROGRAM AREAS PRODUCE REVENUE.
BUT BY FAR THE BIGGEST ONE IS ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS, WHERE 96% OF THE REVENUES COME FROM FRANCHISE FEES.
SO THE APPROXIMATE $1.5 MILLION INCREASE THAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE NET OF THREE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE INCREASES ELECTRICITY, FRANCHISE FEES, GAS FRANCHISE FEES, AND SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE FEES AGAINST THREE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE DECREASES, WHICH IS YOUR, UM, ACCESS LINE FEES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE CUTTING THE CORD AND USING MOBILE SERVICES, CABLE FRANCHISE FEES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STREAMING SERVICES AND NETWORK NODE INSTALLATIONS BECAUSE THE 5G DEPLOYMENT DIDN'T GO AS QUICKLY AS ANY OF THE PROVIDERS HAD THOUGHT THEY WOULD.
SO WHEN YOU NET THOSE THREE AREAS OF INCREASED REVENUES AGAINST THREE AREAS OF DECREASED REVENUES, YOU HAVE AN OVERALL NET INCREASE OF $1.5 MILLION IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS PROGRAM.
THE NEXT INCREASE IS ANIMAL SERVICES, AND THAT'S JUST DRIVEN BY THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT BARK RECEIVED FROM MUNICIPAL PAY INCREASES, SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS, AND OTHER CONTRACT ESCALATIONS.
REMEMBER THAT IT APPEARS AS REVENUE HERE BECAUSE IT'S COMING IN FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THE REVENUE INCREASE IN ON-STREET PARKING REFLECTS THE REVENUE THE CITY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE WHEN WE EXTEND THE METER HOURS BEYOND 6:00 PM CITYWIDE.
AND FINALLY, THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH PROPERTY AND CASUALTY, AND ITS EXPENSES ARE CHARGED BACK TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO THE 8.9 MILLION YOU SEE HERE IS NOT ACTUAL REVENUE TO THE CITY.
THAT IS JUST THE CHARGEBACKS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM, FROM CHARGING ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR PORTION OF THE PREMIUM.
AND THIS CHART IS JUST A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE REVENUES WE JUST DISCUSSED.
THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT ONE SIMPLY PROVIDE THE NARRATIVE AND MORE DETAIL FOR THOSE REVENUE CHANGES THAT YOU SAW ON SLIDE 19.
THIS DESCRIBES THE ELECTRICITY, TELEPHONE, CABLE, AND ET OF GAS AND SOLID WASTE TRENDS THAT I WAS TALKING TO YOU ABOUT.
AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE REVENUE DISCUSSION FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THE ONLY THING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT AS REVENUES HAVE CONTINUED TO DECREASE, AS THE STATE HAS TAKEN AWAY MORE AND MORE OF OUR AUTHORITY OVER THE RIGHT OF WAY, WE HAVE SOUGHT OTHER WAYS TO BRING IN REVENUE.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH COMPLIANCE AUDITS FOR OUR FRANCHISES AND BY GETTING OUT IN THE STREETS AND PERFORMING ENFORCEMENT SO THAT PEOPLE WILL PAY THEIR PERMIT AND LICENSE FEES.
FOR FY 23, WE ARE PROJECTED TO COLLECT ABOUT $745,000 IN DELINQUENT FEES THROUGH OUR COMPLIANCE AND AUDIT EFFORTS.
THAT CONCLUDES A'S PRESENTATION.
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR DEPARTMENTAL RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND OTHER MATERIALS ARE INCLUDED AS APPENDICES.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL GET IN TROUBLE IF I START CALLING, UH, SOME OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS OUT.
BUT FOR ALL OF THE ONES THAT WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY, UH, HOW QUICKLY YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO TURN CERTAIN THINGS AROUND FOR THE SAFETY OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS, UH, JUST WORKING WITH US.
SO DIRECTOR A RA HAS THIS MASSIVE UMBRELLA, UH, RIGHT FROM 3 1 1 TO BAR TO PART, I MEAN ALL OF IT.
SO WITH THAT, UH, VERY QUICKLY ON PAGE FIVE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN, UM, THE ONLY DECREASE I SEE IS A PERCENTAGE CHANGE UNDER THE BYLINE FOR RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
WHY IS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY THINK, RIGHT, AS WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THIS, WE WOULD SEE MORE FUNDING FOR THAT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN? THAT'S AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS IN UTILITY REGULATION AND SHE WAS TEMPORARILY TASKED, UM, BEFORE PRIYA GOT HERE TO REPORT TO WHEN, WHEN PRIYA CAME IN, SHE WAS STILL THERE AND SHE DOES ALL OF THE REPORTING FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
BUT MOST OF HER RESPONSIBILITIES ARE UTILITY REGULATION.
SO DURING THE REORG, SHE GOT PULLED OUT OF THERE AND PUT INTO UTILITY REGULATIONS.
BUT THAT EMPLOYEE STILL DOES ALL THE REPORTING FOR MORES.
SO THERE'S NOT A LOSS IN TERMS OF NO, UH, STAFF TIME.
IT'S JUST A, A REALLOCATION ELSEWHERE.
UM, ON ON PAGE 13 UNDER THE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY SLIDE, UH, AGAIN, PHENOMENAL WORK AND I REALLY APPRECIATE UNDER, UM, BASED BUDGETING THE, THE
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REAL NUMBERS HERE RIGHT, THAT WE CAN POINT TO TO SAY, YES, THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED OR NOT.UM, IS THERE A REASON WE'RE ONLY AIMING FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL, UM, CAP ITEMS IN PROGRESS OR COMPLETED? UM, BRIA IS NOT HERE.
SHE HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY.
SO SHE CAN TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY WHAT THOSE FOUR ARE.
BUT YOU GOTTA REMEMBER WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST SET UP THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE AND THE RESILIENCE OFFICE UNDER MARISSA AND UNDER LAURA, THEY HAD A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT.
AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GET MORE THAN 60 OF THOSE ACTIONS DONE.
BUT SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS WERE, YOU KNOW, JOINED SOME ORGANIZATION.
NOW YOU'RE REALLY GETTING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY.
AND SO PRIYA'S TEAM IS FOCUSING ON MANY, MANY OF THOSE INITIATIVES.
SOME OF THEM ARE POLICY INITIATIVES, SOME OF THEM ARE MUCH, MUCH BIGGER SCALE LIKE PARTICIPATING IN THE MILLION TREE PLANNING PROGRAM.
SO WHAT SHE PUT ON HERE WAS WHAT SHE KNEW SHE COULD ACCOMPLISH DURING THE FISCAL YEAR VERSUS EVERYTHING THAT'S STILL OUTSTANDING.
WE'RE NOT EXPECTING THAT THERE'S ANY LOW HANGING FRUIT LEFT.
AND I'LL FOLLOW UP, BUT AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HER AND HER TEAM ARE DEALING WITH OTHER THINGS RIGHT NOW AND UH, I'M SENDING MY BEST TO THEM.
UH, GOING BACK TO BARK REALLY QUICKLY, UH, YOU HAD TOUCHED ON IT, BUT I MISSED IT, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, THE REASON WHY THE RELEASE RATE IS GOING DOWN, LIVE RELEASE RATE IS GOING DOWN.
UM, OUR RESCUES AND OUR FOSTERS USED TO PULL PRETTY HARD FROM BARK DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT STOPPED.
'CAUSE REMEMBER THE SHELTER CLOSED FOR A WHILE AND THEN WHEN WE REOPENED, YOU HAD TO DO IT BY APPOINTMENT.
YOU STILL HAVE TO DO IT BY APPOINTMENT.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE, THE FOSTERS AND THE RESCUES THAT ARE AT CAPACITY AND THEY CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE ANIMALS.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT BARK WITH AN 18% VACANCY RATE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS.
YOU HAVE TWO THINGS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
TRANSPORT USED TO BE THE THING THAT SAVED ALL RIGHT? BUT NOW APPARENTLY EVERYONE'S DISCOVERED COLORADO AND COLORADO'S PUTTING THE BRAKES ON A LOT OF THAT.
WE ALWAYS KNEW WE COULDN'T TRANSPORT OUR WAY OUT OF THIS SITUATION, BUT IT'S BECOME MUCH TIGHTER.
SO WE DO HAVE PARTNERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER AREAS THAT ARE MUCH, MUCH FURTHER, BUT THE REALITY IS SHELTERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE STARTING TO SEE THE SAME TREND.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE IN THE MID EIGHTIES IS, IS A BIT OF A MIRACLE.
AND I THINK IT SPEAKS TO WHAT THE STAFF IS DOING, BUT WE'RE ONLY EXPECTING THIS TO GET WORSE.
NO, AND AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING FROM A LOT OF THE FOSTER AND RESCUE GROUPS AS WELL.
UH, LASTLY, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY ENGAGED AND I'LL SAY VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
SO IN UM, ISSUES RELATED TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW, AND I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION OF LEGAL, THERE'S MULTIPLE BILLS IN THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON, UM, OUR ABILITY EITHER TO RECOUP COSTS OR COLLECT FEES OR EVEN THE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS.
AGAIN, THE BURDEN MAY FALL MORE ON THE CITY NOW TO DO CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE WERE NOT REQUIRED TO DO PREVIOUSLY.
UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THAT AND WHETHER OR NOT WE KNOW HAVE ANY WAY TO PROJECT WHAT THE COST OF THAT MAY BE IF PA IF THOSE BILLS ARE PASSED? AND I'M SPEAKING VERY VAGUELY 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU JUST HAVE DEALT WITH SO MUCH.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A FEW EXAMPLES THAT COME TO MIND.
SO WITH WITH THE COST, IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE MOST OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, LIKE WITH 2127 AND 2266, SINCE THEY'RE PREEMPTING SO MUCH OF THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY THAT FOR EXAMPLE CATHERINE'S GROUP DOES, IT COULD BE LIKE WHEN THE UBER LEGISLATION PASSED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD TO, TO SAY TO 16 PEOPLE, WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU ANOTHER PLACE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYMORE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE CITY WILL, WILL COMMENCE ANY LITIGATION ABOUT WHETHER THE STATE ACTUALLY HAD THE RIGHT TO DO THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GOING.
SO IT'S STILL FAR TOO VAGUE FOR US.
BUT FOR US IT WOULD BE MORE OF, OF A LOST COST OTHER THAN THE LITIGATION.
THERE WOULD BE SIMPLY THINGS THAT THE CITY COULDN'T DO ANYMORE.
SO THERE COULD BE A COST ON THE HPD SIDE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN ENFORCEMENT HAS TO GO UP.
'CAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU USED TO WITH, WITH THE NEW NOISE ORDINANCE OR EVEN WITH THE BYOB ORDINANCE THAT'S COMING TO COUNCIL, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE IN THE PERMITTING AREA.
BUT HPD WILL SUDDENLY HAVE THE LARGER BURDEN ON THE UTILITY SIDE.
UM, THANKFULLY I HAD BRIEFED ALL OF YOU ON OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE UTILITY SIDE.
SO SB 10 15, THANKFULLY THE MEDIA GOT A HOLD OF IT AND WE GOT A VERY FAVORABLE AMENDMENT.
BILL KELLY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF NOT SITTING DOWN AND, AND HE KEPT CHARGING AHEAD.
SO 10 15, WE GOT ORIGINAL JURISDICTION BACK.
WE STILL HAVE TO PARTICIPATE AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT IT'S NOT THE PARTICIPATION THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FROM ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL.
WE STILL KEEP OUR ORIGINAL JURISDICTION WITH ALL OF THE LEGAL RIGHTS THAT THAT HAS, BUT THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL OTHER BILLS THAT ARE GONNA END UP, MEANING THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CITY'S NOT GONNA BEAR THE COST FOR IT, ALL OF THE RATE PAYERS WILL.
SO I HEAR ONE WE WILL HAVE LOST POTENTIALLY SOME IN TERMS OF REVENUE FEE CONNECT COLLECTION.
THAT'S A, THAT'S, THAT IS A COST, THAT'S A POTENTIAL YES.
THAT WE WOULD LOSE OUT ON REVENUE FOR.
BUT THEN AGAIN, IF SOME OF THESE BILLS PASSED, THERE MAY BE AN ENFORCEMENT ASPECT OF THIS WHERE WE NEED EVEN MORE PERSONNEL TO GO OUT BECAUSE WE WON'T
[00:25:01]
NECESSARILY HAVE THE TOOLS, UH, FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.AND NO PERMITTING REVENUES COMING IN TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DID I HEAR YOU SAY 27% INCREASE IN COMMERCIAL? UM, YES MA'AM.
INSURANCE IS THAT, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT INCREASES DO WE USUALLY SEE YEAR OVER YEAR? WE HAVE HAD BEFORE AS HIGH AS 16%, 15% GENERALLY IN THE PAST, IT WASN'T THIS BAD.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY IS YOU HAD A LOT OF CAPITAL LEAVE IT.
REMEMBER, INSURANCE IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL IN THE MARKET, THOSE INCREASES ARE GONNA BE MUCH LOWER.
BUT THEY HAD 166 BILLION IN CAPITAL LEAVE THE MARKET.
SO SUDDENLY THERE IS, THOSE INVESTORS ARE LOOKING ELSEWHERE TO PUT THEIR MONEY THAT'S LESS RISKY BECAUSE THEY QUITE FRANKLY TOOK A BATH WITH ALL THE NATURAL DISASTERS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD.
WE PARTICIPATE IN, WE GO TO, WE, WE DO THIS AT LLOYD'S.
UM, SO 27% FOR THE CITY SEEMS LIKE A LOT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PORT, THE PORT RENEWED AT A 60% INCREASE.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER GULF COAST ENTITIES THAT RENEWED AROUND WHERE WE ARE, 25, 30% RANGE, 40 50% RANGE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CITIES THAT AREN'T IN THE GULF COAST, SOME OF THEM STILL HAD VERY HIGH INCREASES BECAUSE THEY HAD VERY, VERY HIGH LOSSES.
BUT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE ACTUALLY BREATHED THE SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN WE GOT THE QUOTES.
ON, UM, BARK SPECIAL REVENUE IN, IN SPECIAL INITIATIVES, LOOKING AT THE LINE ITEMS, THERE WAS, THERE'S AN INCREASE IN, IN, UH, MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS.
I I, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S, THAT WAS MAYBE JUST WHERE IT WAS CATEGORIZED.
IT'S LIKE FROM 800,000 TO LIKE ONE OR 1.15 MILLION.
I CAN ASK IT ONLINE IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT THERE, BUT I'M ASSUMING IT'S A, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF, IF THERE WAS A CONSULTANT HIRED OR IF THAT'S PART OF OUR SPECIAL INITIATIVES LIKE SPAY AND NEUTER OR WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? DO YOU PUT THE SPAY NEUTER CONTRACTS IN MANAGEMENT CONSULTING? BECAUSE THE MAYOR DID GIVE US A BIG BUMP FOR THAT THIS YEAR.
I FIGURED THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT IT WAS.
AND THEN ON PARKING AND TRANSFER, THAT TRANSFER TO $7 MILLION, IS THAT, UH, GREATER THAN, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LOOK YET.
IS THAT MORE THAN WE USUALLY DO, UM, TO THE GENERAL FUND OR IS THAT SEEMS THE SAME AS WHAT WE DO TO GENERAL ED.
IT'S THE SAME AS WHAT WE DID PRE PANDEMIC.
I THINK ONE YEAR WE GAVE AS MUCH AS WHAT, NINE $10 MILLION? BUT OUR STANDARD WAS $7 MILLION.
IT'S JUST DURING THE PANDEMIC IT WENT REALLY LOW.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT 3 1 1.
SO OF COURSE WE, YOU KNOW, CHANGED TO ANOTHER, A NEW SYSTEM AND THEN CHANGED BACK TO THE OLD SYSTEM.
SO HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE SPEND CHANGING AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE OLD SYSTEM AND IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET THAT'S LINGERING AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THAT TRANSFER BACK TO THE OLD SYSTEM? SO WE, WE ARE STILL ON THE NEW SYSTEM, THE ONE THAT ACCENTURE INSTALLED.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE CHANGING IS THE APP.
BECAUSE WHAT HAD BEEN DONE AS WE WERE TRANSITIONING TO THE NEW SYSTEM IS THERE WERE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT C CLICK FIX.
BEFORE THAT WE THOUGHT OPTIMIZING THIS FOR MOBILE, THE ACTUAL WEBSITE WOULD GIVE EVERYONE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE WEBSITE THAT YOU'D HAVE AT YOUR DESK.
BUT IT WOULD BE OPTIMIZED FOR MOBILE CUSTOMERS DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
SO WE WENT, WE DID GO BACK TO SEE CLICK FIX WITH SOME ENHANCEMENTS AND IT'S IN SOFT LAUNCH, BUT CUSTOMERS ARE GENERALLY HAPPY WITH THAT.
LET ME ASK CHARLES IF HE KNOWS WHAT THAT COST WAS.
THERE WAS NET SAVINGS WHEN WE LEFT FIX, UH, AND THEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FIRST YEAR THOUSAND.
SO THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET AS FAR TO NO GO WITH THIS NEW.
UM, AND THEN INTERNALLY FOR 3 1 1, WE SWITCHED FROM LA TO CHRIS.
DO, WERE THERE ANY COST SAVINGS? UM, BY SWITCHING OVER, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS JUST SPEAKING TO.
OH, THAT'S, NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WERE JUST SPEAKING TO.
YEAH, NO, THERE, THERE WAS NO COST SAVINGS.
IT'S JUST A BETTER SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES MORE OF THE TRACKING THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN GETTING AND LAGGING HAD LAGGING WOULD NOT, IT DOES NOW, BUT AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE DOING THIS, PROCUREMENT LAGGING WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING, UM, AS A WEB SERVICE.
AND WE REALLY WANTED SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE HOSTED ON CITY SERVERS ANYMORE BECAUSE WE KEPT RUNNING OUTTA SPACE.
TWICE DURING THE BUDGET HEARING, WE'RE KEEPING ACCOUNT, UM, THE GOING, UH, PIGGYBACKING ON COUNCIL MEMBER PECK REALLY QUICKLY, UM, BECAUSE WE DO GET A LOT OF CALLS RELATED TO 3 1 1.
UH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE CORE SERVICES THAT WE'RE, WE ARE ALL UTILIZING IS IS HOUSTON RESIDENTS THE, UM, CALL TIME, UH, SORRY, THE AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWERING.
YOU HAD MENTIONED BRIEFLY WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO GO UP.
[00:30:01]
I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT, BUT AGAIN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY? AND ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO TRY TO DIRECT FOLKS TO ONLINE AND APP PLATFORMS TO KIND OF MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE CALL WAIT TIMES? SO I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION FIRST.UH, THE REASON THAT IT'S GOING UP, 3 0 1 HAS A 19% VACANCY RATE RIGHT NOW.
SO OUR SWEET SPOT IS 40 AGENTS ON THE FLOOR ANSWERING CALLS IF IT DROPS BELOW 40 AGENTS.
SO I THINK YESTERDAY'S NUMBERS I SAW IT WAS THERE WERE ONLY 33 AGENTS.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWERS START TO CREEP UP AND ON SOME DAYS YOU MAY SEE IT GET UP TO LIKE FIVE MINUTES, WHEREAS LAST YEAR YOU NEVER SAW IT OVER A MINUTE.
I MEAN, IT WAS RARE, BUT LAST YEAR WE HAD 46 AGENTS ON THE FLOOR.
SO WE ARE GONNA DO SOME MORE JOB FAIR FAIRS THIS YEAR.
OUR STAFF IS ALREADY TALKING TO HR ABOUT DOING THOSE.
BUT YOU STILL HAVE THAT SEVEN WEEK TRAINING PERIOD WHERE YOU CAN'T PUT THEM ON THE FLOOR.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LAG IN THAT.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE KEPT THAT TWO MINUTE PERFORMANCE MEASURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS, ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO MITIGATE AND DRIVE THEM TO IT? SO HITS IS, UH, HIRING A CONSULTANT RIGHT NOW TO SORT OF MAP OUT THE PROCESS TO DEAL WITH THE BACKEND, THINGS THAT FRUSTRATE PEOPLE, THE FACT THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, CASES GET CLOSED OR THEY CAN'T TRACK SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CLOSED OVER HERE AND IT WAS GIVEN ANOTHER NUMBER.
SO WE'VE BEEN IN SOFT LAUNCH FOR THE NEW APP FOR A WHILE.
ONCE THEY GET THAT DONE AND HITS HAS TOLD US THAT'LL BE DONE THIS YEAR, WE HAVE A MAJOR MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT'S PLANNED AND THE MAYOR HAS FUNDED IT SO THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND START EDUCATING PEOPLE TO DOWNLOAD THE APP BECAUSE THE MORE PEOPLE USE THE APP AND TAKE PICTURES OUT AS THEY'RE DRIVING AROUND, THE LESS PEOPLE WILL BE CALLING.
AND AGAIN, I, I DO WANNA EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION, ESPECIALLY TO OUR 3 0 1 1 OPERATORS.
UH, I'VE WALKED THE FLOOR BEFORE.
I ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF TO DO THE SAME.
THEY ARE LIKE WALKING ENCYCLOPEDIAS.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY WANNA GIVE THEM CREDIT.
NO ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
SO THE THING THAT WAS CONFUSED ME EARLIER IS YOU WATCHED IT ON TV, Y'ALL WERE TRANSPOSED AND I'M SITTING HERE FOR 10 MINUTES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT HAPPENED.
DID ANYBODY NOTICE THAT TO ME HOW THEY WERE REVERSED? AND I STILL CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
I KNOW SHE'S LIKE THE MATRIX, YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW THAT, ABBY? SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
IT'S ALWAYS, WE'VE GONE THROUGH WHAT 11 OF THESE NOW.
YOU'RE, YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB AND Y'ALL ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND YOU'RE A WONDERFUL PERSON.
I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT SUCCESS DOWN THE ROAD AND BO BOTH YOUR, YOUR NEW MARRIAGE AND YOUR EDUCATION.
SO THOSE ARE TWO GREAT THINGS THAT I ADMIRE ABOUT YOU.
CAN I TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLY ARE ENTITLED TO NOT DIRECTORS? UM, 10 YEARS AGO TODAY, UH, WE DID OUR FIRST BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR YOU.
IT, YOU WERE, YOU WERE FRESH ON COUNCIL 10 YEARS AGO AND I HAD JUST BECOME A DIRECTOR ON MAY 1ST.
AND YOU WERE SO KIND AND YOU'VE BEEN KIND EVER SINCE.
IT'S JUST ABBY CAYMAN THAT GIVES ME SO MUCH GRIEF.
WELL, AND SALLY ALCORN, THANK YOU SIR.
IT'S ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE ON TV GOING, WOW, LOOK AT THIS.
WE WRAP UP THE DAY WITH A RA GOD BLESS.
AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE CITY.
I NEVER GIVE ALWAYS AMY, AMY CAYMAN.