[FY 2024 Budget Workshop: Mayor's Office]
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WE WELCOME CHIEF OF STAFF MARETTE HUNTER, WHO WILL NOW PROVIDE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FISCAL YEAR 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET CHIEF, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES.
FIRST, LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND TO SERVE THEM AND THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.
UM, I AM EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FY 24 BUDGET, AND AS THIS WILL BE MY FINAL BUDGET PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF MAYOR TURNER AND THIS ADMINISTRATION.
UH, SERVING AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF HAS DEFINITELY BEEN MY HONOR, AND BEING A PART OF AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM LIKE THE MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE STAFF, UH, HAS REALLY BEEN A HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ALL OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO PLEASE STAND AND BE ACKNOWLEDGED.
UM, WE WILL BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION ON SLIDE THREE.
SO IF YOU COULD ADVANCE TO THAT SLIDE, PLEASE.
HERE IS THE FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION CHARTS S SUMMARIZED IN OUR MAYOR'S OFFICE DIVISIONS.
SO WITHIN THESE DIVISIONS WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, EDUCATION, CONSTITUENT SERVICES, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, COUNCIL RELATIONS, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, THE VETERAN AFFAIRS OFFICE, THE AGENDA OFFICE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT THESE SPECIAL EVENTS AND HOUSTON CABLE TELEVISION, CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ARE LISTED HERE AS I WILL DISCUSS OUR TOTAL BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
THIS ORGANIZATION CHART REPRESENTS 81.1 FTES, UH, OR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS BUDGETED IN FY 24.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE PREPARED ITS BUDGET WITH THE CONSOLIDATION OF FOUR PROGRAM AREAS, AND THESE PROGRAM AREAS WERE ALIGNED WITH THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES.
SO, EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT COMPRISES MOST OF OUR EXECUTIVE AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND IS ALIGNED WITH THE MAYOR'S PRIORITY OF SOUND, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, SPECIAL EVENTS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ARE ALL PART OF THE TOURISM, UM, UM, TOURISM PROMOTION, AND ALSO ALIGNED WITH SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
HOUSTON CABLE TELEVISION IS ALIGNED WITH COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PRIORITY BY HELPING TO ENSURE THAT INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS IN AND AROUND HOUSTON ARE DISSEMINATED IN AN EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FASHION TO ALL.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AS YOU SEE LISTED THERE, DEVELOPS IMPLEMENTS AND MANAGES CITYWIDE PRIORITIES AND PROCEDURES AIMED AT ATTRACTING AND EXPANDING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN HOUSTON.
SO SEVERAL ECONOMIC TOOLS ARE IN PLACE TO HELP US FACILITATE THAT, INCLUDING OUR TAX INCREMENT, REINVESTMENT ZONES, TAX ABATEMENTS, AND OUR IKE DIGITAL KIOSK PROGRAM.
WHILE DEBT SERVICE AND THE INTERFUND TRANSFERS ARE NOT A PROGRAM WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, IT IS LISTED HERE AS IT CAPTURES THE EXPENDITURES OF THE INTERFUND TRANSFERS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND THE TRANSFERS TO HOUSTON TELEVISION.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE LISTED HERE, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS REFLECTIVE OF ONE PRIORITY LINED UP UNDER A PROGRAM OR A PROGRAM LINED UP UNDER A PRO A PRIORITY.
PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS OVERLAP INTO MULTIPLE PRIORITIES, UH, SUCH AS OUR YOUTH SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION.
IT ALIGNS WITH BOTH THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PRIORITY AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY
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PRIORITY.AND AS YOU CAN SEE, SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REPRESENTS OUR LARGEST PRIORITY, MAKING UP 74% OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE PROPOSED $36.5 MILLION BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES IN THIS, UH, FY 24 BUDGET.
THIS SLIDE ACTUALLY DOES, UH, SUMMARIZE THE EXPENDITURES IN OUR PROGRAMS AND, UH, THEIR FY 22 ACTUALS, THE FY 23 BUDGET AND THE ESTIMATE AND THE FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO AS YOU'LL NOTICE, THE VARIANCES FOR EACH OF THE PROGRAMS ARE LISTED THERE FROM THE FY 23 BUDGET.
THE CABLE TELEVISION DIVISION PROJECTS AN EXPENDITURE DECREASE, AND THAT IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE PROJECTED DECREASE IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT PEG REVENUES.
AND THIS IS THE REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR CABLE PROVIDERS.
SO BY AGREEMENT WITH HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE, THE CITY PAYS, WE ACTUALLY PAY A PORTION OF OUR PEG REVENUES TO HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE TO OPERATE OUR PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL.
SO A REDUCTION IN THE REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE CITY RESULTS, UH, IN A REDUCTION IN OUR PAYMENT TO HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
THE $308,000 INCREASE IN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT IS DUE TO HOPE, OBLIGATIONS, OTHER PERSONNEL PROJECTIONS SUCH AS PROJECTED TERMINATION PAY AND RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
THE $717,000 INCREASE IN THE TOURISM PROMOTION FUND IS DUE TO AN INCREASE IN THE CITY'S PAYMENT TO OUR HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE, UM, FROM THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS.
UH, ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT NUMBER IS MUNICIPAL PAY INCREASES AND RESTRICTED, UH, ACCOUNTS, WHICH WE DO NOT CONTROL.
THESE NEXT FIVE SLIDES WILL COVER OUR PROGRAMS, UH, IN DETAIL WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND FIRST, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT CABLE TV.
THIS PROGRAM EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATES TO THE PUBLIC RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING MUNICIPAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS CITY COUNCIL AND SUCH AS THIS, UM, BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THE PROGRAM IS PRIMARILY FUNDED FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT FUNDS FROM OUR CABLE PROVIDERS, AS I INDICATED, AND THE PROPOSED FY 24 BUDGET IS $6.1 MILLION, INCLUDING OPERATING EXPENDITURE AND A FEW CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 18.48 FTES IN THIS PROGRAM, AND THERE ARE A FEW PERFORMANCE MEASURES LISTED, UH, ON THE SLIDE, UM, LISTING WAYS IN WHICH HOUSTON CABLE TELEVISION WILL MEASURE ITS PERFORMANCE, ITS GROWTH, AND ITS EXPANSION INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ITS REACH AND ITS INCREASE IN VIEWERSHIP.
UH, NEXT WE'LL DISCUSS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM HAS SIX FTES BUDGETED FOR FY 24, AND THIS PROGRAM BUILDS ON THE CITY'S STRENGTHS TO PROMOTE EXISTING BUSINESSES AND RETAIN JOBS TO FACILITATE BUSINESS EXPANSION AND RECRUIT NEW BUSINESSES TO THE CITY.
BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, IS, IS VERY COMPETITIVE RIGHT NOW.
AND AS SUCH, THE CITY PARTNERS WITH SEVERAL OFFICES TO HELP FACILITATE, UH, THE WORK THAT WE DO.
THE TEXAS OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HARRIS COUNTY, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, AND THE BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.
ALL OF THESE ARE UTIL, UH, HELP US TO, UM, REACH OUT AND TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES TO, UH, COME TO HOUSTON, BUT TO ALSO BE ABLE TO GROW WHILE THEY ARE HERE.
UH, THIS PROGRAM IS PROJECTED TO BRING IN GENERAL FUND REVENUES OF APPROXIMATELY $27.4 MILLION FOR FY 24, UH, WITH AN EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF FAR LESS THAN THAT, UH, LESS THAN $1.1 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.
SO A WONDERFUL RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
UH, FOR FY 24, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A FEW MEASURES FOR CURRENT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, SUCH AS THE DIGITAL KIOSK PROGRAM.
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HERE WE'LL DISCUSS THE EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT PROGRAM, AND AS I INDICATED, THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES MANY OF OUR STATUTORILY REQUIRED ADMINISTRATIVE AND OUR EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT SERVE THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES THE MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES, THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION, COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL RELATIONS, THE AGENDA OFFICE, AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE VETERAN AFFAIRS, HOMELESS INITIATIVES AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THIS PROGRAM IS BUDGETED FOR 30.7 FTES AND AN EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF $5.45 MILLION.
A FEW OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE LISTED BELOW, INCLUDING THE DECOMMISSIONING OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, WHICH WE EXPECT TO INCREASE, UM, NEXT YEAR, AND THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF YOUTH JOBS PROVIDED THROUGH OUR HOWARD HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.
THE TOURISM PROMOTION PROGRAM INCLUDES THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
AND THIS PROGRAM'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PRODUCE AND PERMIT EVENTS FOR THE CITY, SUCH AS CITYWIDE AND NEIGHBORHOOD FESTIVALS, PARADES, GALAS, AND HOTEL CELEBRATIONS.
UH, IT HELPS TO IDENTIFY SYNERGIES BETWEEN HOUSTON BASED COMPANIES AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS FOR GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES TO COORDINATE TRADE MISSIONS ABROAD AND FACILITATE INBOUND TRADE MISSIONS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO HOUSTON, AND ALSO TO DEVELOP POLICIES AND OVERSEE CONTRACTS AND CULTURAL SERVICES FOR OUR CIVIC ART PROGRAM, TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATIONS, DONATIONS TO THE CITY'S ART COLLECTION, COMMUNITY MURALS, AND OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS.
UH, THIS PROGRAM AREA IS BUDGETED FOR 26 FTES AND A TOTAL BUDGET OF $21.5 MILLION.
THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES PROVIDES A LOOK AT THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE ENGAGE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY AND MANY CREATIVE ASPECTS, UM, IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, A NUMBER OF OUR EVENTS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE, UM, AS WE MOVE INTO, UM, UH, FY 24.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, DEBT SERVICE AND THE INTER FUND TRANSFER IS NOT A MAYOR'S OFFICE PROGRAM IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE OTHER, UH, FOUR THAT I'VE DISCUSSED, BUT THIS AREA DOES REFLECT THE INTER FUND TRANSFERS WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSFERS RELATED TO THE $2.3 MILLION AND THAT 2.3 MILLION IS BROKEN DOWN BY 2 MILLION TO THE TOURISM UM PROMOTION FUND FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND $300,000, UM, TO HOUSTON CABLE TELEVISION FROM THE MAYOR'S HOT RESERVES.
THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE EXPENDITURES FOR ALL FUNDS ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UH, THE GENERAL FUND SHOWS AN EXPENDITURE INCREASE OF $423,000 OR 5.2% OVERALL, AND THAT IS OVER THE FY 23 BUDGET.
HOWEVER, THIS INCREASE DOES INCLUDE THE NET ADJUSTMENTS FOR CONTRACTUAL MUNICIPAL HOPE PAY INCREASES RELATED PERSONNEL EXPENSES, AND THE NET INCREASE FOR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
THE $268,000 DECREASE IN HOUSTON TELEVISION SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS AGAIN, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE DECREASE IN THE CITY'S PAYMENT TO OUR PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL, UM, FOR PROVIDING SERVICES, UH, FOR OUR PUBLIC ACCESS.
UM, HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE CONTRACT.
AS STATED EARLIER, PER OUR CONTRACT, THE CITY PAYS A PORTION OF OUR REVENUE RECEIVED FROM THE CABLE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HMS, AND THE REVENUE IS PROJECTED TO DECREASE IN 24.
UM, THUS OUR PAYMENT TO HMS IS PROJECTED TO DECREASE.
AND JUST TO ADD UP ADDITIONAL NOTE HERE, UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THOSE REVENUES HAVE CONTINUED TO DECREASE
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AND WE EXPECT THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN FOR FY 24.IN THE TOURISM PROMOTION SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WE PROJECT AN INCREASE OF 717,000 IN EXPENDITURES OR 3.4% FROM THE FY 23 BUDGET.
THIS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE INCREASE IN THE CITY'S NET RECEIPTS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND THUS THE CITY'S PAYMENT TO OUR HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE PARTNER IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE.
SO OTHER INCREASES IN THIS FUND ALSO INCLUDE MUNICIPAL HOPE OBLIGATIONS AND RELATED PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES.
UM, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF ALL OF OUR FY 24 PERSONNEL VERSUS NON-PERSONNEL BUDGETED EXPENSES OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS THREE FUNDS.
SO TO ELABORATE, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE GENERAL FUND IS 65% PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES AND APPROXIMATELY 24% OF THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND IS FOR TRANSFER TO SUBSIDIZED SPECIAL EVENTS.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS, THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS COMPRISE 8% OF THIS BUDGET, LEAVING ONLY 3% OF THE BUDGET FOR SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
THE HOUSTON TELEVISION SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS 27% PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES.
ABOUT 21% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET IS FOR CONTRACTUAL PAYMENT TO HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE OF THE REMAINING PORTION, 52% IS A CATEGORY, UH, LABELED AS OTHER, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE ALMOST 3.2 MILLION FOR THIS IS PLANNED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, SUCH AS THE TERMINAL RENOVATION ROOM, WHICH IS ONGOING, UH, COMPLETION OF CITY COUNCIL RENOVATIONS, UH, BRINGING IN NEW TECHNOLOGY AND, UM, UPGRADES TO OUR CONTROL ROOM.
SO ALL OF THAT IS PLANNED TO OCCUR, UH, THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND LASTLY, THE TOURISM PROMOTION.
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS 15% EXPENDITURES AND 81%, UM, 15% PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES AND 81% NON-PERSONNEL.
UM, THIS FUND IS WHERE WE RECEIVE OUR HOT TAX REVENUE.
SO HOUSTON FIRST IS PROJECTING, UH, RECEIPTS OF $93 MILLION IN FY 24, AND THIS WOULD BE A $3 MILLION INCREASE OVER, UM, FY 23.
THEREFORE, ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL CHARGES SEEM MINOR IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER EXPENDITURES OF 79% OF THE BUDGET, UH, FOR PAYMENT TO THE ARTS PARTNER PER THE HOT AGREEMENT SUPPLIES SERVICES, RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, UM, ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 5% OF THE BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE FUND.
THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES OUR REVENUES FOR THE FOUR PROGRAM FUNDS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FROM OUR FY 23 ESTIMATE, AND THE CABLE TELEVISION HAS THE DECREASE, OF COURSE, OF APPROXIMATELY 74,000 FOR FY 24.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS DUE TO THE DECREASE OF THE PEG UH, REVENUES.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS PROJECTING AN INCREASE OF $888,000 IN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ASSESSMENT REVENUE DUE TO AN EXPECTED INCREASE IN THE TAXABLE VALUES, UM, BY $7.6 MILLION.
SO WHILE THE $40,000 INCREASE IN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT IS CALCULATED TO A SIGNIFICANT PERCENT INCREASE, UM, I'LL, I'LL EXPLAIN THAT THIS INCREASE IS DUE TO THE ESTIMATED COLLECTION OF OF CANDIDATE FEES FOR A CITY OF HOUSTON ELECTION THAT'LL BE HELD IN NOVEMBER OF 23.
SO AS YOU'RE AWARE, UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL ELECTION, THIS REVENUE IS COLLECTED EVERY FOUR YEARS, THEREFORE WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR IT FOR FY 23.
SO FINALLY, OUR TOURISM PROMOTION PROGRAM, WE ARE ESTIMATING AN APPROXIMATE $649,000 INCREASE IN REVENUE FROM FY 23 ESTIMATE, AND THE INCREASE IS PRIMARILY DUE THE PROJECTED INCREASE OF HOT REVENUES.
SO THERE'S ALSO AN INCREASE IN THE TRANSFER OF THE GENERAL FUND FOR SPECIAL EVENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE MUNICIPAL HOPE OBLIGATIONS, THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
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UH, IS A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE REVENUES.AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE GENERAL FUND REMAINS PRETTY CONSISTENT, UH, WHILE TOURISM AND PROMOTION WAS IMPACTING, UH, IN FY 22 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND IS SHOWING SIGNS OF A GREAT COMEBACK.
UM, HOUSTON CABLE TELEVISION IS DECLINING AS A RESULT OF THE PEG REVENUES, BUT THIS, UM, THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU A VERY GOOD PICTURE OF HOW WE'VE PRETTY MUCH REMAINED, UH, CONSISTENT.
UH, THIS SLIDE IS BASICALLY A NARRATIVE OF THE REVENUE CHANGES THAT I DISCUSSED FOR SLIDE 13, SO THE CHANGES FOR GENERAL FUND CABLE TELEVISION AND THE TOURISM PROMOTION.
ALRIGHT, THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FY 24 BUDGET.
AND FOR YOUR REFERENCE, WE HAVE INCLUDED IN OUR OFF IN THE APPENDIX, THE OFFICE DEMOGRAPHICS, UH, AND ALL OF OUR FY 23, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UH, WHICH ARE SIGNIFICANT.
AND THAT'S FOR YOUR PLEASURE AND THANK YOU, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, OUR EXECUTIVE STAFF IN CHAMBERS WHO CAN ADDRESS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS REGARDING THEIR PARTICULAR FOCUS AREAS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE ANDY ICKEN, WHO IS HERE, SUSAN CHRISTIAN OVER OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, TED IRVING FROM CABLE TELEVISION AND MANY OTHERS.
AND SITTING NEXT TO ME IS OUR, UM, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, VALERIE BERRY.
WELL, CHIEF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU.
AND THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION, THE TEAM THAT'S SITTING BEHIND YOU FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK, UH, WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER AS A TEAM.
YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE INDEPENDENT OFFICES UP HERE THAT HAVE OUR OWN PRIORITIES AND VISION, BUT CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE COLLABORATION OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERY SINGLE THING, WE FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE CITY FORWARD.
AND IT'S REALLY THE EFFORTS, UH, BY YOU ALL THAT TRULY HELP US BE ABLE TO DELIVER RESULTS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND, UH, VERY PROUD TO SERVE ON THE SAME TEAM AS YOU ALL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL EVERYONE DOES ON AN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THAT THAT YOU MENTIONED.
UH, THIS IS JUST A COMMENT YOU'VE GOT GREAT.
UM, YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BUT A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT GETS DONE, LIKE I KNOW BY VERONICA WEATHERSPOON ANSWERING 5 MILLION PIECES OF MAIL AND THINGS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS TOO.
AND VETERANS PROGRAMS. I'D LIKE, I WONDERED IF YOU COULD ADD SOME PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR SOME OF THE OTHER FUNCTIONS.
YOU COVERED HOMELESSNESS AND, AND HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BUT THERE'S SO MANY FUNCTIONS I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING SOME NUMBERS ON, ON THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THAT.
JUST, JUST AS A COMMENT, IF YOU COULD ADD SOME PERFORMANCE MEASURES RIGHT.
TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE OTHER, UM, YEAH, OTHER FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I LIKE VETERANS PROGRAMS. WE DO A LOT AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW WE'RE KIND OF INCREASING THOSE OR DOING MORE OR WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THERE.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY WE TRIED TO LIST A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR SURE.
IT'S HARD TO FIT EVERYTHING IN.
IT'S HARD TO FIT EVERYTHING IN.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WANNA POINT OUT AND, AND VERY PROUD OF ALL OF OUR OFFICES, BUT THE VETERAN AFFAIRS OFFICE JUST REALLY HAS PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
I MEAN, THEY HAD A FIRST OF THEIR KIND A FIRST OF ITS KIND, UH, TOWN HALL MEETING FOR VETERANS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THE PAST YEAR, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS MOVED UP IN RANKING FOR NUMBER 12 TO NUMBER FIVE TO NUMBER FIVE, UM, IN MAJOR US CITIES, UH, BEST PLACES FOR VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS.
YEAH, I REMEMBER I WAS AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE THAT WAS JUST PHENOMENAL.
AND OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT, UM, HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH THROUGH OUR EDUCATION OFFICE AND HOW MANY STUDENTS OR THAT WE PROVIDE JOBS FOR.
AND THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN INCREASING EVERY YEAR.
BUT WHAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IS HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT OFFICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP GENERATE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE CITY.
I MEAN, HELPING TO LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS AND BRING THOSE DOLLARS IN TO BENEFIT CHILDREN.
UM, I MEAN THE BEZOS ACADEMY SCHOOLS, UH, COMING INTO HOUSTON, WE HAVE FOUR OF THEM.
AND THIS IS FREE, YOU KNOW, PRESCHOOL THAT'S MAJOR FOR HOUSTON.
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AND I, I'D SAY WE'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THAT MANY AND WE'RE LOOKING TO DO EVEN MORE.UM, OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE.
I MEAN, THEY'VE, THEY'VE, THEY'VE HAD A, YOU KNOW, A LOT TO TOW OVER THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
BUT I WILL SAY HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING HOME, YOU KNOW, TO FROM FEDERAL DOLLARS, UH, FOR ROADS, FOR STREET IMPROVEMENTS, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. UH, THEY'VE REALLY WORKED HARD AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE IN MANAGING AND GIVING OVERSIGHT TO OUR ARPA FUNDS, I MEAN, PROVIDING QUARTERLY REPORTS TO ALL OF COUNCIL MANAGING THE WEBSITE THAT'S PUBLIC FACING ON THE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST PHENOMENAL THE WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, SUCH A SMALL STAFF IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
WELL, THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK ALL THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND SINCE WE'VE, WE'RE SWITCHING TO OUTCOME BASED BUDGETING, I THINK PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE, ARE SOMETHING WE WANNA LOOK AT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET BETTER AT THIS AS THE YEARS GO ON, BUT, UM, UM, EVERYBODY, YOU DO A WHOLE LOT WITH FEW PEOPLE.
SO AS, AS YOU WERE SAYING, THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR, YOUR FINAL BUDGET PRESENTATION, UH, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AS IT'S STRUCTURED, HAVING ABOUT SIX, SEVEN MONTHS LEFT, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE VISION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO FINISH OFF ON A POSITIVE NOTE, ENSURE THAT WHATEVER, UH, LEGACY PROJECTS MAY BE OUT THERE ARE, UM, IF NOT COMPLETED, AT LEAST STARTED, AND WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS AN ADMINISTRATION AS YOU FINISH OUT THE, UH, REMAINDER OF THE TERM? RIGHT.
WELL, WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF REALLY WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON.
I'D SAY, UH, ONE OF THE PRIORITIES, UH, IS COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
AND NOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN INGRAINED WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES AND PEOPLE ARE ADVOCATING FOR PROJECTS TO BE DONE IN THEIR AREA, I SAY, UM, ALL OF OUR EFFORTS RIGHT NOW ARE ON BRINGING THOSE PROJECTS TO FRUITION.
I MEAN, BRINGING THEM TO COMPLETION AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AT LEAST BY DECEMBER OF 23.
SO COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UH, IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE ONE PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING IN THERE, BUT HOW THAT PROJECT SERVES AS A CATALYST FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR IN THOSE AREAS.
SO I'D SAY THAT THAT WAS A PRIORITY OF OURS FOR SURE.
UM, ALSO WITHIN CABLE TELEVISION, I'VE SPOKEN SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE DECREASE IN THE PEG REVENUES, UH, THAT WE'RE EXPECTING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WE HAVE NOW BROUGHT ON A STAFF PERSON WHOSE POSITION IT IS TO HELP TO GENERATE REVENUE, OUTSIDE REVENUE TO COME INTO THAT OFFICE, TO SHORE UP THAT BUDGET.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC, UH, TV.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, REGARDING, UH, COUNCIL AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, WE'VE GOT, LIKE I SAID, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, UH, WITH THE KIOSK PROGRAM.
I THINK THE FIRST YEAR WE ARE EXPECTING TO BE ABOVE THE MINIMUM THAT OUR CONTRACT STATED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE.
AND I THINK THE MINIMUM IS 979 THOU 75,000.
I THINK THIS YEAR WE'RE PROJECTING TO GO OVER THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT REVENUES COMING IN FROM THAT OFFICE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, BUT WE CAN TURN AROUND AND DO SOMETHING ELSE WITHIN THE CITY.
SO, UM, JUST THE MAYOR IS NOT STOPPED.
HE IS LOOKING TO FINISH ALL THE WAY TO THE END AND HE'S DRIVING US TO, TO DO THE SAME PARKS, OUR 50 BY 50 PARKS INITIATIVE, LOOKING FOR THAT TO COME, TO, COME TO FRUITION WITH MANY OF THE PARKS AND AT LEAST THE 22, WE KNOW FOR SURE IN EACH OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 23.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
UH, WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP AND, UH, THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER THAT WILL, WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM, MR. DAVID MOORE.
THAT COMPLETES THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
KUDOS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR ALL YOU DO.
WE WILL NOW TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND WE WILL BE BACK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.