[FY 2026 Budget Workshop: Administration & Regulatory Affairs on May 19, 2025.]
[00:00:17]
WITH THE ADMINISTRATE, IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS.IT'S LIKE THE GRAMMATICALLY INCORRECT DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
SO, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYBODY AGAIN, SINCE WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES.
WE'VE GOT VICE CHAIR MARIO CASTILLO, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ'S, OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ IS ONLINE.
WE HAVE COUN, UM, STAFF FROM, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER HERE, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER'S, OFFICE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ'S, OFFICE VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, AMY PECK, STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TE MARTHA CASTEX, TATUM'S OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO WELCOME TINA PAEZ, UM, DIRECTOR AND AGAIN, VALERIE BARRY.
SHE'S GETTING A WORKOUT TODAY.
GREAT TO SEE YOU AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
LET'S START AT SLIDE THREE, PLEASE.
YOU'VE HEARD THIS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS.
THE OUTCOME-BASED BUDGET FOCUSES ON STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND WE ALIGN OUR PROGRAMS TO THOSE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU THE THREE OBJECTIVES THAT YOU SEE IN THE BUDGET BOOK FOR A RA AND WHERE OUR EIGHT PROGRAM AREAS FIT WITHIN THOSE OBJECTIVES.
SO, ARA IS COMPRISED OF 18 REALLY DIVERSE BUSINESS UNITS.
WE'VE ORGANIZED THOSE SERVICE UNITS WITHIN THESE EIGHT MAJOR PROGRAM AREAS IN THE BUDGET BOOK.
YOU SAW THESE ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE AS WELL.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS SLIDE IS TO SHOW YOU THAT OUR EIGHT PROGRAMS ARE NOT NECESSARILY NEATLY FITTING INTO ONE SPECIFIC STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, ANIMAL SERVICES AS BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
PLUS, WE BELIEVE THAT WE FIT INTO ALL FOUR OF THESE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES, NOT JUST THREE OF THEM.
PLEASE NOTICE ALSO THAT DEBT SERVICE AND INTER FUNDS TRANSFERS IS NOT NECESSARILY A PROGRAM, IT'S JUST REFLECTS THE TRANSFERS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT WE SERVICE IN OUR AREA.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE BARK TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND THE PARK HOUSTON TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND.
A RA HAD 83 EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE BEFORE APRIL 28TH.
OF THE 83 31 EMPLOYEES, OR MORE THAN 37% OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE RETIRED, THAT WAS ABOUT A $3.9 MILLION SAVINGS.
HOWEVER, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TOOK THEIR NUMBERS ON APRIL THE 20TH.
SO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE TOP BOX ON THIS SLIDE, AND YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, TALLIES WITH WHAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS PUBLISHED PUBLICLY FOR A RA, WHICH WAS 26 EMPLOYEES, AND A SAVINGS OF $3.3 MILLION.
IN THE BOTTOM BOX, WE'RE SHOWING YOU OUR SAVINGS INITIATIVES.
APART FROM THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE WAS THE CONSOLIDATION OF 3 1 1 AND THE PUBLIC WORKS WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL CENTER.
THREE ONE ONE ABSORBED 107 EMPLOYEES INTO ITS ORGANIZATION FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
THEN THE CONSOLIDATED ORGANIZATION, ALL OF THAT FUNDING WAS MOVED INTO THE CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND.
SO THAT WAS A SAVINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND OF ALMOST $7 MILLION FOR FY 26 GOING FORWARD.
THE SECOND MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO CITYWIDE SAVINGS WAS A VERY FAVORABLE NEGOTIATION OF OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE POLICY, WHICH YIELDED A SAVINGS OF ABOUT $4 MILLION FOR THE CITY FOR FY 26.
AS I SAID ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, A RA HAD 31 EMPLOYEES WHO RETIRED ON MAY 1ST OF THOSE EIGHT WERE CONSIDERED CRITICAL ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S CRITERIA FOR CRITICAL EMPLOYEES.
MEANING THAT THEY DIRECTLY SERVE THE PUBLIC, THEIR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES.
FOR EXAMPLE, 3 1 1 AGENTS AND 3 1 1 AGENTS ARE CRITICAL.
SO WE WILL BE ALLOWED TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
HOWEVER, IT'LL TAKE TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO FILL THE POSITIONS BECAUSE THOSE ARE VERY, VERY HARD TO FILL.
NOBODY WANTS TO SIT ON THE PHONE ALL DAY AND LISTEN TO, TO PEOPLE YELL AT THEM.
SO IT'S HARD TO GET TO RECRUIT FOR THOSE.
BUT THEN THERE'S ANOTHER TRAINING OF TWO TO THREE MONTHS.
SO NOW YOU'VE LOST THOSE CRITICAL POSITIONS FOR SIX MONTHS.
SO IT WILL HURT US, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WILL CATCH UP WITH OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
AGAIN, WE DO BELIEVE WHAT WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO FULFILL THOSE SERVICES.
BUT IN A RA, IT'S NOT JUST THE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CRITICAL EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, WE, WHEN PAYROLL WAS CONSOLIDATED, WE STARTED WITH 69 EMPLOYEES PERFORMING PAYROLL ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, BY FY 25, WE WERE DOWN TO 32 EMPLOYEES.
WE LOST SIX MORE TO THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVES.
SO NOW WE HAVE 26 TO SERVICE THE ENTIRE CITY.
THANKFULLY WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES AND EFFICIENCIES, AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE UP SOME OF THAT GAP, BUT THAT'S STILL GONNA PRESENT A CHALLENGE.
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IN PERMITTING, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHO RAN PERMITTING FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, RETIRED, UM, THE RISK MANAGEMENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHO RAN THE PROGRAM FOR 34 YEARS AND NEGOTIATED ALL OF OUR INSURANCE POLICIES.AND SO WE CAN'T BACKFILL THOSE.
SO WE NOW, WE'VE LOST WHAT'S VIRTUALLY IRREPLACEABLE EXPERIENCE AND, AND A LOT OF INTELLIGENCE THERE.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE A LEARNING CURVE FOR WHOEVER COMES INTO THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, MARIA ERSAD HAS TAKEN OVER THE PERMITTING POSITION.
UM, BOTH OF THOSE PARK QIN AND PERMITTING ARE NOT COMBINED.
AND OVER THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION IN RISK MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE CHRIS LUTZ WHO HAS NOW ASSUMED THAT POSITION.
BUT AGAIN, THERE'S A LEARNING CURVE THERE, EVEN THOUGH HE'S BEEN IN THAT DIVISION FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.
UM, ONE AREA WHERE WE WILL BE REQUESTING AN EXCEPTION TO THE FREEZE WILL BE AN ASSET DISPOSITION WHERE WE LOST A THIRD OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
ASSET DISPOSITION BRINGS IN ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR FOR, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, AND THAT'S MAINLY THROUGH VEHICLE AUCTIONS.
WELL, WITHOUT THAT THIRD OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GONE, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRING IN THAT $2 MILLION IN A YEAR BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE TO PREPARE THE VEHICLES FOR AUCTION ANYMORE.
ARAS ORGANIZATION WAS PRETTY FLAT BEFORE THE REORG.
NO EMPLOYEE IN A RA WAS MORE THAN FIVE LAYERS REMOVED FROM THE DIRECTOR EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER.
FOR US, THE BIGGEST IMPACT FROM THE REORGANIZATION WAS IN SPAN OF CONTROL.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, BEFORE THE REORG, 40% OF OUR SUPERVISORS HAD FEWER THAN FOUR DIRECT REPORTS.
AFTER THE REORG, IT'S FEWER THAN SIX EMPLOYEES WERE ORIGINALLY PROMOTED INTO THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE THE CITY HAD NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF CREATING JOB FAMILIES THAT PROVIDE A CAREER LADDER FOR TRULY OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A FRANCHISE MANAGER WHO HAD ONLY THREE DIRECT REPORTS BEFORE THE REORG.
SHE MANAGES ALMOST $150 MILLION IN FRANCHISE REVENUES.
SO HER SCOPE IMPACT, COMPLEXITY OF THAT JOB REALLY DESERVES A HIGHER PAY GRADE.
BUT SHE WAS A FINANCIAL ANALYST, SO THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR HER TO GO.
SO WE RAISED HER TO AN EXECUTIVE MANAGER.
AND AGAIN, IN THE REORG, WE HAD TO UNDO THAT.
WE HAD SET, WE HAD SIMILAR SITUATIONS IN SEVERAL OF OUR PROFESSIONAL GROUPS.
SIMILARLY, IN ENFORCEMENT, THERE'S ONLY TWO POSITIONS FOR ENFORCEMENT.
YOU HAVE A REGULATORY AND THEN YOU HAVE A SENIOR REGULATORY, AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND HAS GAINED EXPERTISE IN THAT AREA, OR THEY'VE GOT EXTRA KNOWLEDGE, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS PROMOTE THEM TO MANAGEMENT.
BUT THEN YOU LOSE A LOT OF THOSE ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 'CAUSE YOU LOSE THE TAXI CAB INDUSTRY.
UBER AND LYFT GET DEREGULATED, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ONLY HAVE THREE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY'RE SUPERVISING.
SO IT WASN'T BY DESIGN THAT THEY HAD A VERY, VERY LIMITED SPAN OF CONTROL.
IT WAS JUST MAINLY ATTRITION AND THERE WAS JUST NOWHERE ELSE FOR THEM TO GO.
SO NOW OUR SPAN OF CONTROL EXERCISE HAS IMPROVED THAT WE HAVE MOVED THINGS AROUND, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT SHORTLY IN A SLIDE.
THE SPAN OF CONTROL ALSO CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO REDUCE MY SPAN.
UM, NO DIRECTOR SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN EIGHT EMPLOYEES REPORTING TO THEM.
SO IN THIS EXERCISE, I WENT FROM 12 TO EIGHT.
RETIREMENTS HAVE ALSO HELPED US TO STREAMLINE.
AS I MENTIONED, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OVER PERMITTING DID RETIRE.
AND AS MUCH AS WE MISS HER AND WE MISS THAT LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND JUST KNOWING THAT THAT AREA WAS TAKEN CARE OF, IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE SOME COMMONALITIES BETWEEN PARK, HOUSTON AND REGULATORY PERMITTING.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE EVEN USED SOME OF THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHEN, WHEN WE HAD, UH, EMERGENCY SITUATIONS HAPPEN.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF MAYBE WE CAN REACH SOME EFFICIENCIES IN ENFORCEMENT WHEN WE DO HAVE, UH, TIMES THAT WE NEED MORE EMPLOYEES, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE'RE DOING ENFORCEMENT ON PETTY CABS AT THE RODEO.
THE ADMINISTRATION COMMUNICATED THEIR EXPECTATIONS RESULTING FROM THE EFFICIENCY STUDY AS WELL AS THEIR FY 26 BUDGET EXPECTATIONS IN THAT MARCH 6TH MEMO THAT ALL OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
FROM THAT MEMORANDUM, WE DEVELOPED THE KEY THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, AND THAT'S WHAT GUIDED OUR REORGANIZATION EXERCISE THIS YEAR.
I'M A VISUAL LEARNER AND SO TO REORGANIZE MY DEPARTMENT, I NEEDED TO SEE EVERY A RA EMPLOYEE ON THE WHITEBOARD, UM, AND EVERY LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT SO THAT WE COULD ARRANGE OUR SPAN OF CONTROL.
SO MY ORIGINAL IDEA WAS OLD TECH.
I WAS GONNA USE YELLOW STICKIES, BUT MY PIO SUGGESTED THESE LARGE MAGNETS, WHICH WAS GENIUS.
WE WROTE EVERY EMPLOYEE'S NAME ON THE MAGNET, THE WHITEBOARD IS MAGNETIC AND WE WERE ABLE TO STICK ALL 511 POSITIONS, WHICH INCLUDED OUR VACANT POSITIONS UP THERE, SEE WHO REPORTED TO WHO, AND THEN MOVE THEM AROUND.
WE ENDED UP REMOVING ALL OF THE VACANCIES, WHICH LEFT US THE 463 THAT WE HAD ON THE ACTIVE ROSTER AS OF BEFORE APRIL 28TH.
SO THEN THE V MEPO HAPPENED IN LATE APRIL.
AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAD 90% OF OUR REORG DONE IN FEBRUARY, BY DOING OUR MAGNET EXERCISE ON THE BIG BOARD ON MAY 1ST, WE MET AGAIN TO REMOVE THE 31 POSITIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEES WHO HAD LEFT AND DID
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OUR FINAL REORG.WE STILL HAVE ROUGHLY 432 EMPLOYEES, SO IT TAKES THE WHOLE BOARD AND IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE IT ON THE SLIDES.
UM, BUT IT MADE IT REALLY EASY WHEN THE CHIEF OF STAFF CAME OVER ON MAY 5TH TO LOOK AT IT TO SEE YES, SPAN OF CONTROL MEETS ALL OF THE CRITERIA AND WE'RE GOOD.
AT ALL LEVELS OF SUPERVISION, WE DID REORGANIZE TO GET THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SPAN OF CONTROL.
AND THIS SLIDE NOW SHOWS MY DIRECT REPORTS BASED ON THE DIRECTIVE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
I NOW HAVE EIGHT DIRECT REPORTS, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER, WITH THE HELP OF TWO RETIREMENTS AND TWO CONSOLIDATIONS.
AND HERE WE RETURN TO THE BUDGET.
SO THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE EXPENDITURES FOR ALL FIVE FUNDS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED BY OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE GENERAL FUND IS HIGHLIGHTED AT THE TOP IN GREEN, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE GONNA BE CUTTING OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BY 9.3 MILLION, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG NUMBER.
IT'S MAINLY DUE TO THE 3 1 1 REORG, WHICH MOVED $6.8 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND COSTS INTO THE CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND.
THE OTHER MAJOR PART OF THE GENERAL FUND SAVINGS IS FROM RETIREMENTS IN IN THE GENERAL FUND.
WE DID SAVE 1.2 MILLION BECAUSE OF THE V MEPO.
UM, THE NEXT PART IS THE PARK HOUSTON SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
THE DECREASE HERE IS THE NET OF THE DECREASE IN THE RETIRING PERSONNEL AGAINST THE INDIRECT COST ALLOCATIONS AND RESTRICTED COST INCREASES.
AND THEN IN THE BARK SPEC SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
AND REMEMBER WITH THE BARK FUND, BARK RECEIVES MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF PARK HOUSTON WHO GIVES MONEY TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THE TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND IS 12.9 MILLION FOR FY 26.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT IN THE BUDGET BOOK AS AN EXPENDITURE TO THE GENERAL FUND AND A REVENUE TO BARK.
THE DECREASE OF THE 509,000 THAT YOU SEE HERE INCLUDES THE ELIMINATION OF THE VENDOR SHELTER CLEANING SERVICE, WHICH IS THE SERVICE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO PROVIDED THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS REDUCTION IN PERSONNEL COSTS DUE TO EMPLOYEES RETIRING.
AND THEN THERE IS THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND BUDGET, WHICH IS $4.4 MILLION LOWER.
AND AS I SAID, THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF OUR VERY FAVORABLE PROPERTY RENEWAL AND UH, THE ONE EMPLOYEE WHO RETIRED TINA PICKETT.
AND FINALLY, THE INCREASE IN CENTRAL SERVICES IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE 3 1 1 CONSOLIDATION.
YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH FINANCE IN THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO SHOW THIS SO THAT EVERYONE COULD SEE IT.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, IT WAS PUT IN CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND.
AND THIS CHART IS JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF SHOWING WHAT WE SHOWED YOU ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
SO THESE BOXES REPRESENT OUR PROPOSED FY 26 GENERAL FUND AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUND EXPENDITURE BUDGETS BROKEN DOWN BY CATEGORY.
THE TOP BOX IS THE GENERAL FUND.
PERSONNEL, OF COURSE IS $10.8 MILLION, 38% OF THE BUDGET.
BUT WHAT'S SURPRISING IS THAT THE LARGEST PIECE OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS THE TRANSFER TO BARK OF $12.9 MILLION.
THAT REPRESENTS 46% OF ARAS GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNT ARE THEN THE LION'S SHARE OF THE REMAINING 8% OF THE BUDGET.
IN THE SECOND BOX, YOU HAVE BARK'S TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET OF 15.5 MILLION.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS THE TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF 12.9 MILLION.
AND FINALLY, THE THIRD BOX SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN FOR PARK HOUSTON, WHERE PERSONNEL IS 39% OF THEIR BUDGET, 23% OF THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, AND THEN THE TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND IS 16% OF THE BUDGET.
AND HERE ARE THE DETAILS FOR THE REMAINING TWO FUNDS.
BOTH OF THESE ARE REVOLVING FUNDS.
THE TOP BOX SHOWS YOU THE BREAKDOWN FOR ARAS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND.
THIS IS, UM, WHERE YOU HAVE ALL OF OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS BUDGETED.
ONLY 2% OF THE FUNDS BUDGET IS PERSONNEL.
97% IS THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS. AND THEN THE BOTTOM BOX IS THE CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND.
FOR FY 26, IT WILL CONTAIN THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET AND FTES FOR 3 1 1 WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE CONSOLIDATION.
A RA WILL SEE AN OVERALL NET INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET ACROSS ALL FUNDS OF ABOUT 2% FOR FY 26.
AND THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS SAW BUDGET INCREASES FOR THE HOPE INCREASES AS WELL AS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AND INDIRECT COSTS.
MOST OF THE REDUCTIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE DUE TO EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT.
SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WON'T GO THROUGH THOSE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE CHANGES THAT ARE UNRELATED TO RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND I'LL POINT THOSE OUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, BARK'S REDUCTION INCLUDES THE REMOVAL FOR THE ONE-TIME SHELTER CLEANING FUNDING THAT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S BUDGET AMENDMENT LAST YEAR.
THE 141% INCREASE IN 3 1 1 DOES THE, IS THE CONSOLIDATION.
THE 13% REDUCTION IN DEBT SERVICE IS THE REDUCTION IN THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO BARK AS WELL AS THE GENERAL FUND FUND TRANSFER FROM FROM PARK HOUSTON.
THE 4% INCREASE IN ON-STREET PARKING MANAGEMENT IS THE INCREASE IN OUR LEASE COSTS.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE TXDOT EXPANSION TO ON PROJECT, THE PROJECT FOR 59 CAUSED US TO MOVE FROM OUR LONG-TERM FACILITY ON MCKINNEY.
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INCREASE IN THOSE LEASE COSTS.AND THEN THE 12% DECREASE IN RISK MANAGEMENT IS AGAIN THE PROPERTY INSURANCE POLICY REDUCTION.
NOW WE MOVE TO DISCUSSION OF THE EIGHT PROGRAM AREAS.
THE FIRST IS THE OVERARCHING PROGRAM CALLED ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, WHERE WE HAVE 55.5 FTES.
THIS IS THE OVERARCHING AREA THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE AREAS WITHIN A RA THAT SERVE INTERNAL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO THIS IS ALL INTERNAL, NOT PUBLIC FACING AT ALL.
YOU HAVE PAYROLL, PUBLIC POLICY, RECORDS MANAGEMENT AND ASSET DISPOSITION FOR CITY ASSETS THAT HAVE ALREADY REACHED THE END OF THEIR LIVES.
THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES FRANCHISE ADMINISTRATION AND THE EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING ALMOST $150 MILLION A YEAR IN FRANCHISE FEES.
AND THIS SLIDE INCLUDES THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROGRAM FOR FY 26.
WE ARE GONNA BE ELIMINATING TWO OF THE EXISTING PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
YOU SEE THOSE WITH NAS IN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN 'CAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY MEASURE OUTCOMES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE TO WITH OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING.
AND ALL OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE BARK ANIMAL SHELTER PROGRAM.
BARK IS FUNDED THROUGH THE BARK SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FROM THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER.
MAINLY BARK'S BUDGET FOR FY 26 IS 15.5 MILLION FOR FY 26.
WE WANTED TO MEASURE PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES AS WELL AS ACTIVITIES THAT DRIVE SHELTER COSTS.
SO IN ADDITION TO OUR TRADITIONAL, UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, WE'VE ADDED TWO NEW ONES.
ONE MEASURES THE PERCENTAGE OF PRIORITY ONE, TWO, AND THREE CALLS THAT OUR ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS CAN ANSWER WITH CURRENT STAFFING.
THESE ARE THE CALLS RELATED TO DANGEROUS DOGS AND AN IMMINENT THREAT TO HUMAN BEINGS.
THE SECOND MEASURES TOTAL SHELTER INTAKE, SINCE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS COMING IN, BOTH REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS COLLECTED BY OUR ANIMAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE FIELD, WHICH IS A MEASURE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT OUR SHELTER STAFF HAVE TO CARE FOR, WHICH DRIVES OUR EXPENDITURES.
THE $16.3 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET YOU SEE HERE FOR 3 1 1 NOW INCLUDES THE 175.9 FTES FOR THE WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL CENTER THAT WAS CONSOLIDATED.
ALMOST ALL OF THESE ARE CALL TAKERS.
OUR, UH, OUR FY 26 AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWER TARGET REMAINS AT TWO MINUTES.
OUR TARGET'S BASED ON NATIONAL CENTERS FOR NATIONAL TARGETS FOR CALL CENTERS, WE MAY NEED TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE NEW WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE EMPLOYEES.
ONCE WE GET A BETTER IDEA OF HOW THEIR WORKLOAD DIFFER, DIFFERS FROM A TYPICAL CALL CENTER, WE DO KNOW THAT THEIR CALLS LAST LONGER BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY RESOLVING PROBLEMS IN THE CALL RATHER THAN HANDING IT OFF.
SO WE'LL HAVE NEW PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THEM IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
OUR GOAL FOR THE CONSOLIDATED CALL CENTER IS TO CROSS TRAIN THESE EMPLOYEES.
WE'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THE WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD BACKUP FOR 3 1 1.
WHENEVER WE HAVE SURGES OF ACTIVITY, WHEN WE HAVE HURRICANES, UM, WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS LIKE THE ASTROWORLD EVENT THAT HAPPENED, THAT TRAGIC EVENT, WE HAD TWO AGENTS THAT WERE ON CALL THAT NIGHT.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THIS, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL WORKFORCE THERE.
SO IN CROSS TRAINING, WE EXPECT TO SEE A LOT OF THESE METRICS IMPROVE ONCE THEY'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET ON THE PHONES AND ANSWER THE SAME TYPES OF CALLS.
CAN, CAN I JUST STOP YOU THERE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW I, I UNDERSTAND THE CONSOLIDATION AND THE CROSS TRAINING.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW, WHAT FUNDS ARE CENTRAL SERVICE REVOLVING PAYING FOR ALL OF THEM? SO THE, THE ENTERPRISE IS, IS HPW, LIKE, SO I EXPLAIN HOW THE CONSOLIDATION OF IT WORKED WITH THE MONEY.
SO THE AND THE ENTERPRISE FUND WILL REIMBURSE THE CENTRAL SERVICES REVOLVING FUND.
SO IT IS ALL, EVERYTHING'S BEING FUNDED FROM THE CUS? CORRECT.
THERE ARE 6.6 FTES THAT ARE BUDGETED IN EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT, INCLUDING THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
NOW OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR IS COREY STOLLMEYER AND HE DOES DOUBLE DUTY AS THE OUTREACH DIRECTOR FOR BARK.
SO HE'S MANAGING AN ENTIRE OPERATIONAL DIVISION AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER WHILE ALSO BEING OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
TWO EMPLOYEES IN THIS PROGRAM ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE CITY'S UTILITY REGULATION EFFORTS AND PARTICIPATING IN THOSE RATE CASES.
AND IN UTILITY LEGISLATION, WE ADDED ONE NEW OUTCOME BASED PERFORMANCE MEASURE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THE CITY SPENDS LITIGATION DOLLARS ON UTILITY RATE CASES.
SO OUR GOAL OVER THE NEXT YEAR IS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW SAVINGS TO THE RATE PAYER FOR THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THOSE CASES.
MY LAST NOTE FOR THIS SLIDE IS THAT THE $2.9 MILLION BUDGET HERE IS NOT JUST FOR 6.6 FTES.
UM, ALL OF OUR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS FOR THE GENERAL FUND ARE CENTRALIZED IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A LARGER NUMBER THERE.
THE ON STREET PARKING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS ALSO KNOWN AS PARK HOUSTON.
TO ALL OF YOU, PARK HOUSTON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING ALL OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC PARKING SPACES AND IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE PARK HOUSTON SPECIAL REVENUE FUND PARK
[00:20:01]
HOUSTON IS A PROPOSED FY 26 EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF 19.8 MILLION.THE 15.5 MILLION THAT YOU SEE HERE IS NET OF A DEBT AND CAPITAL TRANSFER OF 1.2 MILLION, AS WELL AS THE TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND OF 3.1 MILLION.
WE KEPT ALL OF THEIR TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES BECAUSE THEY WERE A GOOD MEASURE OF THE EFFICACY OF PARK HOUSTON'S PROGRAMS, BUT WE ALSO ADDED NEW MEASURES THAT ARE INTENDED TO TELL US HOW WELL OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ARE WORKING TO MANAGE OCCUPANCY IN THREE OF OUR BUSIEST AREAS, WHICH INCLUDE MARKET SQUARE, CITY HALL, AND THE AREA AROUND THE HARRIS COUNTY FACILITIES.
BEST PRACTICES NATIONALLY SAY THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TARGET FOR AN 85% OCCUPANCY RATE WHEREVER YOU HAVE PUBLIC PARKING.
SO OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE TESTING THAT TO SEE IF WE'RE ACHIEVING THAT OR IF WHETHER WE NEED TO TWEAK ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
A RA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING BUSINESS LICENSES TO MORE THAN 60 TYPE OF BUSINESSES.
REGULATORY PERMITTING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COLLECTION OF $15.2 MILLION IN REVENUES FOR THESE PERMITS AND LICENSES.
THE PROPOSED FY 26 BUDGET OF $5 MILLION FUNDS 30.8 FTES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING AND ENFORCING THESE SERVICES.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES $350,000 FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE DATA COLLECTION REGISTRATION PORTAL AND THE STR HOTLINE.
WE ALSO ADDED ONE PERFORMANCE MEASURE TO THIS PROGRAM.
IT'S DESIGNED TO MEASURE HOW LONG IT TAKES TO SERVE A CUSTOMER ON AVERAGE.
COUPLED WITH OUR EXISTING MEASURE FOR WAITING TIME, WE THINK THAT THESE TWO TOGETHER WILL GIVE US A GOOD MEASURE FOR THE OUTCOME OF WHETHER WE HAVE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
AND AGAIN, THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROCURING COMMERCIAL INSURANCE TO MITIGATE THE CITY'S LOSSES FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE FROM NATURAL DISASTERS AND OTHER PERILS.
THIS YEAR, WHILE MANY OF US SAW INCREASES IN OUR PERSONAL INSURANCE, THE CITY'S PROPERTY INSURANCE PREMIUM DECREASED BY 10% AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING OUR $4 MILLION SAVINGS.
THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH PROPERTY AND CASUALTY AND ITS EXPENSES ARE CHARGED BACK TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 20% OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND.
THE REST IS ENTERPRISE AND GRANT FUNDED.
WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THIS GROUP BECAUSE THE THREE MEASURES WE ALREADY HAVE MEASURE THEIR REQUIRED OUTCOMES.
THEY MUST COMPLY WITH FEMA REQUIREMENTS.
THEY MUST NOT ALLOW THE CITY'S INSURANCE TO LAPSE AND THEY MUST FILE CLAIMS TIMELY.
AS I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION, DEBT SERVICE AND INTER FUND TRANSFERS ISN'T REALLY A PROGRAM.
THIS AREA SIMPLY IS THE AREA THAT HANDLES THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS AND TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR REVENUE.
THIS CHART SHOWS YOU ARAS REVENUES BY FUND AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE DETAILS UNDERLYING THIS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS CHART SUMMARIZES THE REVENUES FOR ALL FUNDS ADMINISTERED BY A RA.
THE PROPOSED FY 26 GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF 163.8 MILLION IS A DECREASE OF ALMOST $3.4 MILLION COMPARED TO FY 25, MAINLY BECAUSE OF DECREASES IN FRANCHISE FEES.
YOU HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI LAST WEEK AT HER PRESENTATION ABOUT FRANCHISE FEE REVENUES.
SO IN A MOMENT WE WILL GO TO SLIDE 27 TO DISCUSS THOSE.
BUT MEANWHILE, LET ME QUICKLY DISCUSS THE NON-GENERAL FUND REVENUES THAT ARE ON THIS SLIDE.
THE BARK REDUCTION IS DUE TO THE LOWER TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND THAT I EXPLAINED EARLIER WHERE THE FY 25 ONE-TIME, UM, AMENDMENTS ARE NOW BEING PULLED OUT.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING THE EXPENDITURE DISCUSSION EARLIER, BUT IT'S WORTH REPEATING.
THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND AND THE CENTRAL SERVICES FUND ARE BOTH REVOLVING FUNDS.
SO THEY'RE CHARGEBACK FUNDS, MEANING THAT THE EXPENDITURE IS ALWAYS GOING TO EQUAL THE REVENUE BECAUSE THESE DOLLARS ARE CHARGED BACK TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
NOW LET'S GET BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
I ADDED THIS SLIDE IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS YOU ASKED DIRECTOR DEBOSKY LAST WEEK ABOUT FRANCHISE FEES.
ALL BUT ONE FEE ON THIS SLIDE IS A FRANCHISE FEE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE EXPECT FRANCHISE FEES TO BE DOWN FOR $4 MILLION BY ABOUT $4 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR.
FRANCHISE FEES ARE DOWN BY 1.5 MILLION BECAUSE THIS FEE IS BASED ON KILOWATT HOUR USAGE FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS LAST YEAR, KILOWATT HOURS WENT DOWN.
THAT'S REFLECTED IN OUR FRANCHISE FEE.
SURPRISINGLY, THEY WENT UP OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
TELEPHONE FRANCHISE FEES KEEP DECREASING BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS CUT THE CORD AND MOVED TO MOBILE USAGE AND THE CITY DOESN'T COLLECT FRANCHISE FEES FOR MOBILE USAGE.
CABLE FRANCHISE FEES ARE ALSO DECREASING BECAUSE MOST OF US ARE USING STREAMING SERVICES.
DAVE AND DAVID MENTIONED IT THIS MORNING.
ALL OF US PREFER STREAMING SERVICES.
UM, WE MAY ACTUALLY BE REDUCING THIS BY ANOTHER FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS BEYOND WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
THERE'S A BILL CIRCULATING RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT IF IT GETS OUT BY MAY 23RD, COULD CUT IT BY FOUR AND A HALF MILLION.
AND ULTIMATELY WE COULD REDUCE THIS REVENUE ALTOGETHER TO ZERO BY FY 28.
OUR LAST BIG REVENUE DE DECREASES IN BURGLAR ALARM PERMITS WHERE THE VERY POPULAR RING DOORBELLS ARE SLOWLY ERODING WHAT WAS ONCE A $12 MILLION REVENUE STREAM.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING ANOTHER $284,000
[00:25:02]
DROP FOR FOR FY 26.AND THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT ONE SIMPLY PROVIDE THE NARRATIVE AND MORE DETAIL FOR THE REVENUE CHANGES THAT I JUST COVERED IN DETAIL FOR YOU.
THE NARRATIVE TRACKS WITH WHAT I EXPLAINED TO YOU.
SO I'M NOT GONNA READ THIS TO YOU.
AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE REVENUE DISCUSSION FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE INS AND OUTS.
ONE THING I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS SLIDE, AS OUR REVENUES CONTINUE TO DECREASE AS WE GET PREEMPTED, UM, EVERY SESSION, WE'VE TRIED TO OFFSET THOSE LOSSES BY ADDITIONAL COMPLIANCE AND MORE AUDITING OF OUR FRANCHISES ENFORCEMENT OUT IN THE FIELD TO COLLECT PERMIT AND LICENSE FEES.
AS A RESULT FOR FY 25, WE'RE PROJECTED TO COLLECT ANOTHER $890,000 IN DELINQUENT FEES THROUGH OUR AUDITS AND COMPLIANCE EFFORTS.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU ARAS REVENUE BY PROGRAM AND IT COMPARES FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET TO FY 25 YEAR END ESTIMATE FOUR OF THE EIGHT A RA PROGRAM AR AREAS DO COLLECT REVENUE, BUT BY FAR THE BIGGEST IS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, WHICH COLLECTS 80% BECAUSE IT'S GOT FRANCHISE FEES IN IT.
I TALKED A LOT ABOUT GENERAL FUND REVENUE, SO I WON'T DISCUSS THOSE AGAIN.
AND THE OTHER REVENUE CHANGES FOR BARK AND THE REVOLVING FUNDS WE ALREADY COVERED ON SLIDE 26.
AND THAT CONCLUDES ARAS PRESENTATION.
OUR DEPARTMENTAL RESTRICTED ACCOUNT DETAILS, DEMOGRAPHICS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND OTHER MATERIALS ARE APPENDICES TO THIS PRESENTATION.
DIRECTOR, YOU ARE THE MASTER AT COVERING A TON OF INFORMATION PRETTY QUICKLY.
I DUNNO HOW A RA DOES EVERYTHING THAT IT DOES.
UH, AND THERE'S NO WAY IN A BUDGET HEARING TO COVER IT ALL BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ROLES.
BUT JUST A THANK YOU UPFRONT FOR EVERYTHING THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT DOES.
UH, I'M ASKING EVERY DEPARTMENT THIS DURING A DISASTER.
UH, ARE THERE ANY COSTS THAT ARE INCURRED BY THE DEPARTMENT? UM, I KNOW LOOK, 3 1 1 OPERATORS, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT ALL, BUT THEY'RE CALLED IN, UH, SOMETIMES EVEN WORKING REMOTELY WHEN THEY CAN'T GET IN SAFELY.
ARE THERE COSTS OF OVERTIME RELATED TO THAT OR OTHER TYPES OF COSTS THAT WE INCUR AS A CITY WHEN THERE'S A DISASTER UNDER A RA? YES MA'AM.
WE HAVE THE 3 1 1 OPERATORS ARE WORKING ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS ALL WORK OVERTIME.
WE ALWAYS SCHEDULE AT LEAST 12 TO REMAIN THERE OVERNIGHT WITH THE ANIMALS IN CASE THEY NEED TO BE EVACUATED.
AND WE ALSO PAY FOR ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION.
SAY FOR EXAMPLE, NOW THAT WE'RE HAVING EXTREME HEAT, WE'LL BE PAYING FOR THE TRIPS THAT TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND INTO ANY OF THE SHELTERS THAT WE SET UP.
SO A THE CITY ACTUALLY INCURS COSTS DURING LET'S SAY A HEAT WAVE FOR THAT TRANSPORTATION OR DURING A FREEZE? THE FREE RIDES THAT WE PROVIDE, YES.
UM, IS THAT REIMBURSABLE TRADITIONALLY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED.
WHEREVER YOU'VE HAD A DECLARED DISASTER, IT'S BEEN INCLUDED FOR FEMA.
AND IF, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THE HEAT WAVE NOW IT'S GONNA GET HOTTER AND HOTTER, MORE FREQUENT DAYS OF HEAT.
UM, HAVE WE DONE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH WE THINK THAT COULD BE EXCLUSIVE OF FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT? WE DO HAVE AN ESTIMATE.
UM, AND YOU'LL BE SEEING A CONTRACT THAT'S GONNA BE COMING TO, TO CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE'VE JUST HIT THE $50,000 LIMIT WITH THE PROVIDER AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME TO GET A COUNCIL TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
'CAUSE THERE WILL BE MORE DISASTERS.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL SUBMIT A QUESTION ON THIS, BUT AGAIN, IS THAT AS WE SEE MORE AND MORE DISASTERS, MORE AND MORE EXTREME WEATHER, ARE WE CALCULATING THAT INTO THE BUDGET OR DO WE RELY ON BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND FOR SOME OF THAT? AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON REIMBURSEMENT, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, HOW MANY TOTAL? UH, SIMILAR TO, UH, THE CHAIR'S QUESTION ABOUT THE 3 1 1 CONSOLIDATION? MM-HMM
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT MORE? UM, SO WE'VE COMBINED 3 1 1 AND SOME OF OUR HPW CALL TAKERS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND DID THE AMOUNT OF THREE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS AND HPW CALL TAKERS WHEN WE CONSOLIDATED, REMAIN THE SAME SO THAT WE EXPANDED THE SIZE OF THAT NEW DIVISION, SO, SO TO SPEAK? YES.
AND WERE THERE ANY REDUCTIONS BASED ON THAT OUTSIDE OF THE VRI? NO.
AND I, I SAY THAT 'CAUSE AGAIN, OUR 3 1 1 OPERATORS, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO WHAT THEY DO.
UH, AND WITH THE GAP IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE HIRING, THAT'S ALREADY GONNA BE A CHALLENGE.
'CAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG TO TRAIN SOMEONE.
UH, BUT THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB IN OUR APPRECIATION TO THEM.
TO CONFIRM THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY USED TO BE UNDER YOUR DEPARTMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? AND NOW IT'S BEEN MOVED? YES, MA'AM.
AND, UM, MY, I'LL GO BACK IN QUEUE, BUT AS A RESULT OF THAT, DO YOU AND A RA HAVE ANY RESILIENCY BASED OR CLIMATE MITIGATION BASED GOALS? NO.
[00:30:01]
PLEASE REMIND ME WHERE IT WENT.IS IT PART OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE? IS IT YES, IT'S UNDER ANGELA THE MAYOR? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, MAYOR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, FOR THE 3 0 1 CONSOLIDATION, I THINK THE LAST TIME THAT IT WAS KIND OF PRESENTED HERE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS BARK AND ANIMAL ENFORCEMENT WERE NOT CONSOLIDATED INTO 3 1 1 YET.
HAS THAT BEEN DONE OR ARE THERE TALKS TO CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS FURTHER? SO ANIMAL SERVICES IS INCLUDED IN 3 1 1.
WE DO HAVE AGENTS THAT WERE MOVED THERE, BUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, NONE OF THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.
NOW, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT DOING THAT IN THE FUTURE.
THIS WAS SORT OF THE FIRST TRIAL RUN BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY COMMONALITIES BETWEEN THE GROUPS.
IDEALLY, YOU WOULD WANT TO CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THEM.
WE'LL START WITH BARK QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE FUNDING FOR THE KENNEL CLEANING SERVICES.
SO THAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD UNLESS IT'S RESTORED.
WHAT IMPACT IS THAT GONNA HAVE ON SHELTER OPERATIONS IF IT IS NOT RESTORED? THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT, IT, IT, WE'VE HAD THAT AMENDMENT FOR NOW, IT, IT CROSSED OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
WE WERE HAVING EMPLOYEES WHO, BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO DO DOUBLE TIME AND DOING THE CLEANING DUTIES AS WELL AS WALKING THEM, GIVING ENRICHMENT, GIVING THEM NOURISHMENT, UH, THE ANIMALS BASICALLY STOPPED BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUTSIDE.
THEY WOULD TIE THEM UP OUTSIDE OF THEIR KENNEL AND CLEAN THE KENNEL, PUT THE ANIMAL BACK IN.
SO NOW ANIMALS START GETTING VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE IN THE CAGES.
SO THE EMPLOYEES FINALLY CAME TO ME AND THEY SHOWED ME RIPPED UP FINGERS, PICTURES OF RIPPED UP LEGS.
THE ANIMALS WERE ATTACKING THEM AND THEY WERE NO LONGER ADOPTABLE.
UH, MAYOR TURNER ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED THE CLEANING CONTRACT AND THIS ADMINISTRATION VERY KINDLY ALSO, UM, WANTED TO, WANTED TO GIVE IT TO US.
THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT WITH ALL OF THE CUTS THAT WE'VE HAD.
IT JUST WASN'T, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO KEEP IT.
IT WAS ONE TIME MONEY ALL ALONG, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IF THE ANIMALS AREN'T GONNA BECOME THAT AGGRESSIVE.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR PUTTING SOME CONTEXT AROUND THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS.
I SEE ONE OF YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES HERE IS AROUND, UH, COMPLETING CALLS FOR SERVICE PRIORITIES.
HOW MANY ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS WILL WE HAVE IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR? IN THIS BUDGET? NO.
OFFHAND, OFFHAND, I DON'T KNOW.
HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE, JUDGE? WE CURRENTLY HAVE 24 ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS AND ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER TRAINEES.
UM, THE WHOLE UNIT AS A WHOLE IS 35.
THAT'S SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS BY CASE INVESTIGATORS, ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATORS, AND ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS.
SO Y'ALL, Y'ALL WILL HAVE 35 AND THAT IS WHAT'S TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN YOUR TARGET HERE FOR 95%? CORRECT.
RESPONDING TO THOSE LEVEL OR PRIORITY ONE, TWO, AND THREE CORRECT CALLS.
AND ON CONSOLIDATION WITH THE COUNTY, THIS, THIS IDEA ABOUT BARK AND HARRIS COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES CONSOLIDATING, UM, I, I HEARD THERE WERE SOME TALKS AROUND THIS IN 2020 OR 2021.
COULD YOU PROVIDE A, A STATUS ON JUST WHAT OCCURRED WHERE IT IS NOW? HAVE Y'ALL HAD ANY TALKS ANY, ANY TIME RECENTLY? WE KEEP TRYING.
UH, THE FIRST THING THAT WE TRIED TO DO, UH, IN FY 2021, WE MET WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND WE THOUGHT, LET'S DO SOMETHING EASY THAT WE CAN AGREE ON.
AND WE WERE GOING TO SET UP A LICENSING PORTAL THAT BOTH OF US COULD BE BEHIND BECAUSE ANIMALS DON'T KNOW JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES.
AND, AND NEITHER DO PEOPLE, RIGHT? PEOPLE JUST WANNA GO SOMEWHERE AND GET THEIR LICENSES AND LICENSING IS DOWN SO MUCH.
WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD INITIATIVE.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE COUNTY CHANGED THEIR ADMINISTRATION AROUND THEIR ANIMAL SHELTER AND WE LOST THAT.
JARED RECENTLY STARTED DISCUSSIONS WITH COREY, THE, THE ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR AT HARRIS COUNTY ABOUT DOING THAT LICENSING INITIATIVE AS AGAIN, AS WELL AS AN ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVE.
BUT EVERY TIME WE START, THERE'S A, THERE'S A CHANGE IN THEIR ADMINISTRATION AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET ANY TRACTION.
SO WE'VE BEEN WAITING, UM, JARED ACTUALLY SET UP ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEEDED ON OUR SIDE AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM.
I'LL GO BACK IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
THANK YOU MADAM DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, COVERED IN TERMS OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE INCURRED.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS, AND EVERYBODY SPOKE ABOUT CONSOLIDATION AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS LISTENING TO YOU TENTATIVELY ON, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LOSS OF RETIREMENT,
[00:35:01]
OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOST IN SOME OF THE DIRECTORS POSITIONS WITH THE JOINING WITH THE CONSOLIDATION, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT WOULD BE THE PROGRESSION? YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT PAYMENT, UH, LEVELS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN COMPARISON TO, UM, HOW HIGH THEY CAN GO OR WHERE THEY LIMITED TO GO.SO NOW THAT THE HPW HAS CONSOLIDATED, YOU KNOW, UNDER AR, UH, A RA, SO WHAT, WHAT'S NOW IS DO YOU FORESEE A CHALLENGE IN PROGRESSING PEOPLE BY POSITION, BY SALARY GOING FORWARD WITH THE NEW CHANGES THAT WE'VE INCURRED? I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
IN, IN 3 1 1, WE HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS WHENEVER WE'VE GONE TO THEM AND ASKED THEM FOR, UH, INCREASES UNDER THE PPZI PROGRAM.
BUT YEAH, THERE THERE'S ALSO A LIMITED CAREER LADDER THERE.
EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE 3 1 1 AGENTS AT VARIOUS LEVELS, THAT ONE ALSO CAPS OUT AND EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE TO GO TO A SUPERVISOR.
BUT NOW THE SPAN OF CONTROL CAN BE SO WIDE THAT YOU, YOU CAN PROMOTE SOMEONE TO A SUPERVISOR WITHOUT ALLOWING THAT SPAN OF CONTROL TO BE ONLY THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW AREAS WHERE WE HAD TO DO NO REORGANIZATION.
VIRTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY NEEDED MORE MANAGERS BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION WAS VERY, VERY FLAT.
AND WE NEEDED A MORE OF A HIERARCHY.
BUT IT, BUT THERE, YES, THERE ARE PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SHORTLY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN REGARDS TO, UH, SOME OF THAT BECAUSE 3 1 1 PEOPLE, IT'S A LOT OF TRAINING.
IT, IT IS A LOT OF TRAINING AND IT CAN BE IN HIGH TURNOVER, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE TO, TO DEAL WITH THAT WAS THERE IN 3 1 1, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE STAFFING AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO OVERCOME IT AND FULFILL THOSE POSITIONS TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO 3 1 1.
AND NOW WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CONSOLIDATION, THE WATER DEPARTMENT, UH, HOPING THAT THAT WILL MAKE A MORE EFFICIENT, WHICH IS THE GOAL OF THE MAYOR.
THEY'RE TRYING TO FILL, FULFILL THE EFFICIENCY AND COMMEND YOU FOR, UH, LOOKING AND EXPLAINING THE LAWS, BUT ALSO THAT YOU FELT LIKE THAT WOULD BE BETTER EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE SYSTEM BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT AND THE OBJECT TO DO.
I THINK THE CONSOLIDATION'S ACTUALLY GONNA WORK VERY FAVORABLY FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, LOOKING AT REGULATORY PERMITTING AND, UM, FTES FOR FY 2026 ESTIMATED, UM, AT ABOUT 31, WHAT, UM, WHAT DOES IT COST TO ADD, ADD EACH ADDITIONAL FTE IN THIS SECTION? IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW A BALLPARK FIGURE? IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE LEVEL.
MOST OF THE FTES THAT WE ADD ARE EITHER CUSTOMER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES, WHICH ARE ROUGHLY AT A BASE SALARY.
THERE IS IS IN THE MID THIRTIES.
AND IT'S THE SAME FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT AT A HIGH PAY GRADE.
AND THIS WILL BE THE SECTION THAT, UH, ADMINISTERS THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
AND SO, UM, JUST LOOKING AT THE BIG BOOK, IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, STAFFING, UM, WILL ACTUALLY BE DOWN FROM FY 2025.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
GOES FROM ABOUT 33 DOWN TO 31.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE RETIREMENT.
UM, SO NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO, UM, ENFORCE THESE REGULATIONS.
SO WE HAVE ASKED, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION AND, AND I BELIEVE AT THIS TIME THE CHIEF OF STAFF IS, IS CONSIDERING THE WHOLE WHOLE REORG, PART OF THE REORG WOULD INCLUDE BEING ALLOWED TO BACKFILL THOSE POSITIONS INSTEAD OF LOSING THEM.
YEAH, ALONG THOSE LINES, YOU KNOW, KATHERINE BRUNING, TINA PICKETT, I MEAN, THOSE ARE BIG, THOSE WERE BIG JOBS WITH BIG, THEY WORKED LIKE CRAZY.
UH, UH, ON THE INSURANCE SIDE, WHAT DO WE RELY MORE ON OUR CONSULTANTS OR DO WE HAVE STAFF THERE THAT CAN FILL THOSE SHOES? ARE YOU, ARE YOU PLUGGING IN THAT HOLE? WE HAVE EXCELLENT STAFF TO FILL THOSE SHOES.
THERE WILL BE A LEARNING CURVE.
OBVIOUSLY CHRIS IS, CHRIS LUTZ IS HERE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE IS GONNA BE A LEARNING CURVE.
THANKFULLY, I, I DID ENOUGH OF THAT WITH TINA THAT I CAN HELP HIM WITH IT.
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET ANOTHER WAIVER FROM, UH, THE HIRING FREEZE TO HIRE A STAFF ANALYST FOR THAT AREA BECAUSE THEY REALLY DO SOME ANALYTIC.
[00:40:01]
NEED ANALYTICAL POWER.NO, BECAUSE CHRIS FORMERLY DID ALL OF THAT ANALYSIS FOR THEM AND THEIR BUDGET AND NOW HE, THAT HE STEPPED INTO LEADERSHIP.
HE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THEM ANYMORE.
AND MARIA, I MEAN, I DON'T GET IT, MAN.
YOU ALREADY WORK LIKE CRAZY ON, ON PARKING.
UM, 'CAUSE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH CATHERINE BRUNING SO MUCH ON NOISE NOW ST.
AND, AND ALL, ALL OF THE THINGS.
SO, UM, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT AND, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET SOME YEAH, YOU'RE GONNA DO GREAT, MARIA.
UM, REGARDING PARK HOUSTON PLUS THE PERMITTING CONSOLIDATION.
UM, REMIND ME, DID WE GET ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR THAT OR HOW IS THAT? NO, SO WE'RE, BUT WE ARE MAKING A PITCH TO FILL THE TWO POSITIONS THAT WE LOST TO THE BEMER BOW.
UM, AND THEN DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY NUMBERS? SO WE HAVE PARKING REVENUE THAT WE BRING IN MM-HMM
UM, THAT, THOSE CITATIONS VERSUS COURT DISMISSALS.
DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY NUMBER OF HOW MUCH WE'RE LOSING WITH DISMISSALS AND LOOK AS SOMEONE THAT GETS PARKING TICKETS, I'M NOT SAYING THAT ALL EVERYONE SHOULD GET, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO PAY THE FULL PRICE ALL THE TIME.
AND THERE'S OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR THOSE IN NEED.
BUT HOW MUCH ARE WE LOSING IN MUNICIPAL COURTS WITH DISMISSALS? SO ON THE REGULATORY PERMITTING SIDE, OUR CONVICTION RATE IS 22%.
UH, SO WE'RE LOSING QUITE A BIT THERE DEPENDING ON THE CITATION VALUE.
UH, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER FOR PARK EAST? SO WE ISSUE, UM, ABOUT 210,000 CITATIONS A YEAR.
ABOUT 25 TO 30,000 ARE CONTESTED AT THE HEARING OFFICE.
AND THEN OF THAT LIKE 30 TO 40% ARE ACTUALLY DISMISSED.
SO IT'S PRETTY, IT'S A PRETTY SMALL NUMBER.
IT DOESN'T HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON.
IT'D BE INTERESTING JUST TO SEE AGAIN WHAT WE CAN SUBMIT, BUT THE ACTUAL FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN OF THAT.
IN TERMS OF BARK, AGAIN, MY HAT IS OFF TO THE FOLKS AT BARK, WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS, UM, NOT JUST ABOUT WILD ANIMALS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE CONDITIONS AT BARK.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN VET SHORTAGES IN THE PAST.
THERE HAVE BEEN, THE STAFF IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO BE AS COMPASSIONATE, UM, AS POSSIBLE WITH VERY LIMITED RESOURCES.
ARE WE STILL FACING STAFF SHORTAGES AT BARK? AND CAN YOU ALSO SPEAK TO, WE HAVE THE COST OF BARK THAT WE'RE FUNDING.
DOES THE BARK FOUNDATION BRING ANY FUNDING IN? SO THE BARK FOUNDATION IS ALMOST DEFUNCT.
UH, WE HAD A COMPLETE MANAGEMENT CHANGE AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO REPLACE THE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT YES, THEY PAID FOR AN X-RAY MACHINE.
WHENEVER WE HAVE A NEED FOR ONE BIG EXPENDITURE, A ONE TIME THING, THEY WILL USUALLY FUND IT.
THEY, THEY FUND SOME ONGOING PROGRAMS, BUT GENERALLY THEY'VE BEEN AVAILABLE TO THAT.
THEY HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY STILL STORED.
THE, THE, THE BEST THING THAT WE COULD DO IS REPLACE THO THOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND GET THEM WORKING AGAIN.
SO ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO GET THIS, THE BOARD ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING AT A MUCH HIGHER CAPACITY, THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR MORE FUNDING TO COME IN TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WE ARE DOING AND HOPEFULLY IMPROVE BARK FURTHER.
I MEAN I THINK WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT HISTORICALLY HOW ALL TOGETHER ALL HOW ALL THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN HOUSTON HAVE DONE AND IT, IT HASN'T BEEN A BIG AMOUNT, BUT IT'S ENOUGH THAT WHEN THEY HAVE ONE SPECIAL NEED, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE IT.
AND THE FACILITY ITSELF IS A CHALLENGE.
I, I'M GOING TOWARDS WHAT ARE THE WISHLIST ITEMS? WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL NEEDS THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FILL IN THIS BUDGET? AND DOES THAT INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, A NEW BARK FACILITY AND WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THERE? SO THE NEW BARK FACILITY, UH, GSD TELLS US THAT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR, THEY MAY HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE COUNCIL.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THE ENGINEERING DESIGNS WORKING, SO THEY WILL BE BRINGING SOMETHING TO YOU ON THAT.
THAT NEW FACILITY WILL DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE TALKING TWO OR THREE YEARS DOWN THE LINE BEFORE THAT'S BUILT.
UM, OUR SHORTAGE MAINLY RIGHT NOW IS THE CLEANING CONTRACT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE.
UH, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A STAFFING SHORTAGE.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A STAFFING SHORTAGE AT BARK.
THOSE ARE JUST DIFFICULT POSITIONS TO FILL.
THERE'S NO ADMINISTRATION WHO HAS EVER TOLD US YOU CAN'T FILL POSITIONS.
EVERY ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN VERY SYMPATHETIC TO BARK.
IT'S JUST DIFFICULT POSITIONS TO FILL.
IF I NEED TO GO BACK, I'LL GO TO UM, VICE CHAIR CASTILLO.
MY LAST UH, BARK QUESTION ON THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, ARE THOSE CONSIDERED CRITICAL POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE HIRING FREEZE? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
OR IS IT JUST NORMAL TRAINEES? IT'S JUST THE TRAINEES THAT ARE CONSIDERED CRITICAL.
[00:45:01]
CONTROL OFFICER THAT RETIRED, UH, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ASKING TO, TO BACKFILL.SO THE TRAINEE BECOMES THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, SO FOR PARK HOUSTON, THE FEES WE'RE CHARGING WITH RESPECT TO THE METERS, THE PARKING METERS, WOULD THOSE BE, UH, SUBJECT TO THE FEE STUDY PROCESS IF WE WERE TO LOOK TO INCREASE THEM? NO, THEY'RE NOT.
HOW DO YOU NORMALLY INCREASE THOSE? MARIA CITY CODE, UH, SAYS SET IT BY THE MARKET.
SO TYPICALLY YOU LOOK AT THE MARKET, WHAT THE RATES ARE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT OFF STREET GARAGES ARE CHARGING, OUR RATES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN WHAT AN OFF STREET GARAGE WOULD CHARGE.
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE RESPONSE YOU'D GET IF WE STARTED CHARGING WHAT IS IN A GARAGE.
UH, SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TRY TO LOOK AT OCCUPANCY.
UH, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE NEW OUTCOMES.
SO WHEN IT GETS LIKE CLOSE TO 85%, IT GOES OVER 85%.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING IN THERE.
THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO START BUMPING UP THE RATES.
UM, INVENTORY'S LOW, BUMP UP THE RATES, YOU CAN MAKE THE SPACES AVAILABLE AND YOU GOTTA DO THE OPPOSITE ON THE OTHER STREETS WHERE INVENTORY IS LIKE VERY MUCH AVAILABLE, YOU WANT TO START ADJUSTING THOSE RATES DOWNWARDS.
SO WE HAVE AN ANALYTICS PLATFORM AND WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE, THE PROCESS IN PLACE TO KIND OF START MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION SO THAT WE CAN START MONITORING OCCUPANCY.
AND THEN BASE MARIO, SORRY, YOU PROBABLY NEED TO COME TO THE MIC BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WATCHING ONLINE AND YEAH, SORRY.
SO WITH OUR NEW, UM, TWO NEW OUTCOMES WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT OCCUPANCY, WE WANT TO TAKE A STREET AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT OCCUPANCY STAYS AT LEAST 85% OR LOWER.
'CAUSE THAT MEANS THERE'S A SPACE THERE WHENEVER SOMEONE COMES TO UH, PARK.
AND YOU HAVE TO MANAGE THAT WITH RATES BECAUSE WHEN IT GETS OVER 85%, THAT MEANS IT'S TOO CHEAP AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INVENTORY.
SO YOU START BUMPING UP THE RATE A LITTLE BIT AND YOU DO THE SAME IN AREAS WHERE THE INVENTORY IS LOW, WHERE THERE'S TOO MUCH AVAILABILITY, NOBODY'S PARKING THERE, LOWER THOSE RATES.
SO WE HAVE AN ANALYTICS PLATFORM, WE HAVE THESE OUTCOMES, SO WE'RE GONNA START LOOKING AT THESE THREE AREAS AND HOW WE CAN PUT A PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT COMMUNICATES TO OUR CUSTOMERS THAT HEY, THESE RATES ARE GONNA BE GOING UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE HERE'S THE OCCUPANCY AND THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S AVAILABLE.
UH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING OVER THE NEXT YEAR ON THESE THREE LOCATIONS.
AND THEN FIGURING OUT A WAY TO KIND OF ROLL IT OUT TO THE LARGER, LARGER METER PLATFORM.
COULD, COULD RATES BE DYNAMIC AT ALL? SO RATES CAN BE DYNAMIC.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES WITH THAT WITH REGARDS TO LIKE COMMUNICATIONS WITH CUSTOMERS AND CONFUSION ABOUT, WELL THIS MORNING IT WAS $1 AND NOW IT'S $5 AN HOUR.
UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES.
UH, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS KIND OF THE FORMAT THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT'S PRETTY SUCCESSFUL WHERE YOU MEASURE IT AND THEN YOU MAKE A CASE, PRESENT IT AND THEN MAKE THE CHANGES.
UH, THAT WAY THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS AND YOUR, UM, POLICY MAKERS, EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE MOVING FORWARD.
THE DYNAMIC KIND OF, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT TUMULTUOUS SOMETIMES.
GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
SO THAT GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
UM, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL OFF STREET PARKING METERS IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? OFF STREET? SO WE ONLY METER ON STREET.
SO, UH, AT THIS TIME THERE IS NOTHING IN PARTICULAR, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS PLUGGING GAPS WHERE THE METERS ARE CURRENTLY LOCATED.
SO WE STILL HAVE SOME GAPS IN MIDTOWN.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF GAPS IN SOME OF THE, A LITTLE BIT LIKE EAST DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT DOING THAT.
THERE IS NO FULL BLOWN PLAN TO DEPLOY MORE METERS.
USUALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT THE AREAS WE WORK WITH, THE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, WE LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON, DO THEY NEED THE TURNOVER? DO WE NEED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MANAGE THAT CURB SPACE BETTER? SO THEN WE, WE WORK TO PUT IT IN.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT REALLY, IT'S FOCUSED MORE ON DEVELOPMENT, LIKE WHAT'S DEVELOPING IN THE AREA AND THEN WORKING WITH THOSE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THE CURB SPACE IS AVAILABLE.
AND, AND HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF YOU'RE GONNA EXPAND METERS? IS THERE A PLAN OR DO YOU LOOK AT AN AREA SURVEY IT YEP, WE LOOK AT AN AREA, WE SURVEY IT.
SOMETIMES DEVELOPERS COME TO US, LIKE, UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE AUTRY PARK ON BUFFALO BAYOU, HANOVER AND RICE VILLAGE, WE WORK WITH THOSE DEVELOPERS.
THEY LET US KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING THIS IN AND THAT ON STREET'S GONNA BE IMPACTED.
RIVER OAKS DISTRICT, WE WORK WITH THOSE DEVELOPERS.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THEY COME TO US.
OTHER TIMES THE SURROUNDING AREAS, LIKE MAYBE THE EXISTING BUSINESSES OR RESIDENTS LET US KNOW THAT THERE'S A SITUATION WITH THE, WITH THE ON STREET THERE.
AND THEN WE CAN GO IN AND KIND OF PRESENT SOME OPTIONS TO THEM.
WHETHER IT'S TIME LIMITS, WHETHER IT'S METERS, REALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THAT AREA.
UM, AND MY LAST QUESTION IS, IS AROUND THE, UM, NOISE PERMITS.
[00:50:01]
DOES A RA HANDLE ANY OF THE ENFORCEMENT AROUND NOISE PERMIT VIOLATIONS? IS THAT JUST HPD? THAT'S HPD.I'VE GOT A QUESTION REGARDING THE PARKING.
HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO ALSO CHARGE FOR PARKING ON SUNDAYS? SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE A CODE CHANGE.
RIGHT NOW THE ORDINANCE SAYS, UH, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, UH, 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM IT WOULD REQUIRE A CODE CHANGE.
AND IF THE CODE WAS CHANGED, HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO IMPLEMENT? WE ALREADY OPERATE ON SUNDAYS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PERMITTED AREAS AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE OPERATE ALMOST 24 7 IN FACT, UH, RIGHT NOW.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE OFFICERS IN THE FIELD ON SUNDAYS, SO THAT WOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO DO.
ONE OTHER, SINCE WE HAVE YOU AT THE MIC, ONE OTHER PARKING QUESTION.
UM, SOMEONE POINTED OUT, UH, VERY APTLY, IT LOOKS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE WASHINGTON AVENUE, UH, PARKING DISTRICT, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE DOWN REVENUE THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
WHY? WHY IS THAT? WHY WOULD WE BE USING REVENUE IN THE PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT? YEAH, THERE HAS BEEN A, WE'VE NOTICED A DECREASE IN ACTIVITY SINCE NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
DO WE KNOW WHY PEOPLE MAYBE JUST NOT GOING TO THE CLUBS? MAYBE IT'S JUST WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE GOING TO THE CLUB, BUT NOT AS MANY AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
COULD IT ALSO BE, AGAIN, I KNOW WOULD CONSTRUCTION, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER, BUT NOW WITH METRO AND WASHINGTON AVENUE, I MEAN YEAH, THEY CAN'T, SO WOULD CONSTRUCTION ALSO IMPACT THOSE REVENUES? POTENTIALLY, CONSTRUCTION WOULD DEFINITELY IMPACT THE REVENUES, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE NOVEMBER.
AND THAT WAS PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION YEAH.
SO THAT'S BEEN ON A DOWNWARD TREND.
THEY COUNCIL MEMBER SAID EVERYONE'S MOVED TO SHADY ACRES TO GO TO THE BARS THERE.
UH, ON SLIDE 15, DID WE GET, UH, I DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE YOU SAID, UM, THERE WERE COSTS AFFILIATED WITH THE RELOCATION DUE TO TECH STOCK CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WERE WE REIMBURSED FULLY OR MADE WHOLE FOR THOSE MOVES? LIKE DID THAT, THOSE DOLLARS GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND SO THE DEPARTMENTS REFLECTING, UM, A LOSS, BUT THERE WAS A REIMBURSEMENT OR WE WERE NOT REIMBURSED FOR THE FULL COST OF WHAT IT TOOK US TO RELOCATE.
WE'RE NOT REIMBURSED FOR THE FULL COST, NOT THE FULL COST TEXT WILL REIMBURSE US FOR SPECIFIC COSTS.
SO WE'RE JUST MEETING WITH THEM NOW TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT IT AFTER THE FACT, UM, TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE REIMBURSED.
THEY HAVE SPECIFIC BUCKETS AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM OUR WHOLE LIST, THEN THEY PUT IT IN THEIR BUCKETS AND SEE WHAT, WHAT THEY COULD FIT WHERE.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY LIKE THE MOVING TRUCK, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE TO GET, UH, NEW OVER THERE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA RECOVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS, BUT NOT EVERYTHING.
AND GOING BACK TO PAGE 21, UM, WITH FLEET, UM, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A BULLET THAT SAYS, UH, INCLUDES FUNDING TO REPLACE AGING VEHICLE FLEET.
UM, IS THAT, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.
IS THAT NOT INCLUDED IN FLEET MANAGEMENT'S BUDGET OR WHY IS IT, WHICH LETTER ARE WE ACCOUNTED FOR HERE? 21.
WE'RE A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, SO WE PAY FOR OUR, OUR VEHICLES OUT OF THE, OUT OF OUR FUND.
IT DOESN'T GO FROM, UM, FLEET'S BUDGET.
UH, ON PAGE 27, DIRECTOR, UM, YOU REFERENCED, AND I, I WANNA COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
YOU HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OVER THE YEARS GOING TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, UM, VERY ELOQUENTLY AND CLEARLY EXPLAINING WHAT SOMETIMES THE STATE OR SOMETIMES THE UTILITY COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO DO THAT SHORT CHANGES EITHER THE CITY OR HOUSTONIANS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THERE.
UM, IS THERE REVENUE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, OTHER DE SIMILAR DEPARTMENTS OF A CITY OUR SIZE ARE CAPTURING THAT WE ARE FAILING TO CAPTURE RIGHT NOW IN FRANCHISES? NO.
OR IN OTHER WAYS? NO, I, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY, BUT IN OUR DEPARTMENT WE'VE LITERALLY GONE THROUGH THE CODES OF ORDINANCES FOR ALL THE OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING EITHER IN PERMITTING OR IN THE FRANCHISE AREA.
AND IS THAT, IS IT SOLELY DUE TO STATE PREEMPTION AT THIS POINT? FOR EXAMPLE, WITH STREAMING? IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN CAPTURE FOR STREAMING AS CABLE DECLINES OR HAS THAT BEEN PREEMPTED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO THERE IS A LAWSUIT THAT'S CURRENTLY PENDING.
HOWEVER, EVEN IF WE WIN THAT LAWSUIT, ALL THAT THAT WILL DO IS GET US A ONE-TIME SETTLEMENT ON PRIOR FEES THAT ARE OWED, BUT NOTHING IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE'D HAVE TO FILE AGAIN, UH, FOR MORE, FOR ADDITIONAL
[00:55:01]
TYPE OF ACTION TO BE TAKEN.IS THAT CORRECT? SO THE FEDERAL LAW IS VERY CLEAR THAT ANY SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED OVER THE INTERNET IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE COLLECTED IN A FRANCHISE FEE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE THE STREAMING SERVICES ARE GETTING MOST OF THIS.
AND TEXAS WOULD JUST, WOULD JUST MAKE THAT LAW HERE FOR THESE SERVICES, THE SERVICES STILL USED THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS REWRITE THE DEFINITION OF THAT SO THAT EVEN IF THEY'RE STILL USING THE RIGHT OF WAY, THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM IT BECAUSE THE DEFINITION NOW INCLUDES THEIR SERVICES.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE'LL SUBMIT A LIST, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD IN TERMS OF WISHLIST ITEMS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN HERE OTHER THAN A NEW BARK FACILITY, UH, IT'D BE HELPFUL TO KNOW.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND DIRECTOR.
UM, FRANCHISE FEES, ARE THEY SET BY STATE LAW OR DO WE SET THOSE? SO FRANCHISE FEES ARE EITHER SET BY CONTRACT OR BY STATE LAW.
THE, WE DO HAVE A FRANCHISE FOR ELECTRIC FEES AND GAS FEES, BUT THE STATE LAW SAYS THAT IF WE RENEGOTIATE THE FRANCHISE FOR ELECTRICITY, IT'LL GO TO THE, THE STATE RULES FOR IT, WHICH WILL GIVE US LOWER FRANCHISE FEES.
SO WE'VE STAYED AWAY FROM NEGOTIATING THAT ONE.
THE NATURAL GAS CONTRACT HAS BEEN FAVORABLE TO US WHENEVER THERE IS A VERY COLD WINTER, BECAUSE THAT'S A PERCENTAGE OF CENTERPOINT'S GROSS REVENUES.
UM, TELEPHONE FRANCHISE FEES ARE SET BY THE STATE CABLE.
FRANCHISE FEES ARE SET BY THE STATE SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE FEES ARE SET BY CONTRACT.
THERE IS A BILL PENDING THAT WOULD TRY TO CUT THOSE IN HALF.
UH, YOU HAVE SOME CITIES IN TEXAS THAT ARE CHARGING 25% FRANCHISE FEES.
WE SET OUR FRANCHISE FEES AT THE SAME LEVEL AS OUR OTHER FRANCHISES AT THE TIME THAT THESE WERE CREATED.
SO IT'S ONLY 4%, BUT IF THAT PASSES, THAT WILL BE DOWN TO 2%.
THOSE THAT ARE REGULARLY REGULATED BY THE STATE.
HAVE THEY CHANGED RECENTLY OR HAS IT BEEN A WHILE? SO CABLE WAS CHANGED IN 2005.
UM, AND THERE HAVE BEEN LITTLE TWEAKS SINCE THEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A BILL TWO SESSIONS AGO THAT THEY USED TO PAY US TELEPHONE FEES AND CABLE FEES EVEN IF IT WAS THE SAME COMPANY.
AND THE TWO FOR ONE BILL WAS SENATE BILL 1152.
AND THAT SAID, IF YOU PAY BOTH CABLE AND TELEPHONE, YOU'RE ONLY REQUIRED TO PAY THE GREATER OF, SO THAT CUT $17 MILLION IN FRANCHISE FEES.
AND, AND JUST AN UPDATE, THAT BILL THAT YOU WERE REFERENCING, STATE BILL, UM, SENATE BILL, EXCUSE ME, 9 8 24 IS PENDING IN THE HOUSE.
SO IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR ALL OF US TO CALL OUR LEGISLATORS AND TELL 'EM TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
I, I JUST WANNA END WITH, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR TEAMS. I I, I DID NOTICE OF COURSE, AS WE ALL DID THAT THE BARK BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS ALL WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED, ALREADY WAS CUT A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UNDERSTAND ANIMAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAVE LEFT.
UM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE STRATEGY IS GOING FORWARD TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AT BARK? I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA NEED MORE MONEY, THAT'S FOR SURE.
UH, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH NONPROFITS TO HELP WITH FUNCTIONS AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH KIND OF A, AN OVERALL STRATEGY OR PLAN THAT WE CAN SHOP TO FOUNDATIONS AND, AND PHILANTHROPISTS AND OTHERS THAT WANT TO HELP WITH ANIMAL WELFARE IN OUR CITY? SO WE HAVE A TWO-PART PLAN.
UM, JARED DOES HAVE AN RFP THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH SPD TO GET PUBLISHED AND THAT WOULD IDENTIFY THE NONPROFIT PARTNER.
WE'RE WORK, REMEMBER WE'RE WORKING ALONG A A, A CONTINUUM.
WE WANT TO START WITH A NONPROFIT PARTNER, DO THAT AS A TEST TO SEE IF THAT WORKS.
AND THEN IF THAT DOES, AND IT CAN BE SPUN OFF WELL ENOUGH, THAT COULD EVENTUALLY BECOME THE LGC.
AND THE NONPROFIT PARTNER WOULD BE DOING OUTREACH ADOPTIONS.
ALL THE KIND OF NON-ANIMAL ENFORCEMENT, NON-MEDICAL, YEAH.
WITH THE GOAL OF THAT BEING SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PRESENTED TO FOUNDATIONS AS A BUSINESS PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO THEN GIVE MONEY THAT WOULD SUPPLEMENT OUR ENFORCEMENT FORCE BECAUSE THE CITY HAS TO KEEP THAT PART OF THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENFORCEMENT.
WE HAVE KEEP ENFORCEMENT, BUT SPAY AND NEUTERING, THE, THE ADOPTIONS, THE OUTREACH, THE MARKETING, THE EDUCATION, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
NON-PROFIT THAT WOULD ALL BE NON-PROFIT AND, AND, AND OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE THAT.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND SO THE OTHER PART IS WE, UM, WANT TO WORK WITH A SMALL CONSULTING COMPANY.
WE, WE HAVE SOMEONE IN MIND WHO WOULD HAVE A VERY, VERY SMALL CONTRACT.
BUT WHAT THEY HAVE SAID IS WHEN THE CITY HAS REACHED OUT TO NONPROFIT FOUNDATIONS, NOT NONPROFIT BENEFITS, BUT TO FOUNDATIONS FOR FUNDING, THERE ARE FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO ANIMAL WELFARE, BUT YOU HAVE TO PRESENT A VERY, VERY WELL WORDED BUSINESS PLAN THAT THEY KNOW WILL KEEP THE ORGANIZATION GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
AND SO THIS OR THIS CONSULTING GROUP WOULD HELP US TO DESIGN THAT.
IT'S A, IT'S A FORMER EY PARTNER AND WE'RE WORKING ON THESE TWO PATHS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND BOTH OF THEM ARE, ARE DESIGNED TO, ONE, GIVE US A RELIEF VALVE FOR THE FUNCTIONS THAT THE SHELTER CAN'T PERFORM AS WELL WHEN IT'S DOING ENFORCEMENT AS WELL AS PROVIDE FUNDING.
[01:00:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.UH, ARE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT JACK VALINSKI? YOU SIGNED UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, VALERIE BARRY, EVERYBODY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR CITY AND SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THANK YOU ALL THE OTHER THING.
GLAD TO SEE YOU SINCE SATURDAY.
UM, THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR TALKING ABOUT THE TALENT THAT WE'RE LOSING IN THE CITY.
PEOPLE KNEW A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ANYMORE IF THAT TALENT IS GONE.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I WAS CORRECT.
BARK IS GONNA BE DEFUNDED A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
THIS, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET'S A HALF MILLION THEN WHERE WE END UP, UH, FY 25 ESTIMATE.
I CRITICIZE IT, BUT I LOVE IT.
AND, AND LIKE ANYTHING, THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TRAINING THAT'S NEEDED.
I REPORTED A TRASH CAN AND A COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT THAT WAS OUT IN THE OPEN AND IT WAS CLOSED.
I, I PUT IT UNDER BUILDING AND I CALLED UP AND I SAYS, WHY IS IT CLOSED? THEY SAYS, UH OH, IT, YOU CATEGORIZED IT WRONG AND IT SHOULD GO TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEY SAID, YEAH, YOU'RE CORRECT.
'CAUSE NOW THEY HAVE INSPECTORS, BUT I REALLY WISH THAT ITEMS JUST WOULDN'T BE CLOSED SO EASY.
I KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO CALL BACK, BUT MAYBE DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER ON THAT.
UM, STREAMING, UM, THIS IS A PROBLEM.
I MEAN WE HAVE A APP THAT STREAMS HTV, IT WAS DOWN FOR LIKE FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, NOT A RA, IT WAS HTV AND APPARENTLY WE HAVE TO FUND THAT.
BUT THE STREAMING PLATFORMS LIKE, UM, UH, YOUTUBE TELEVISION DO NOT.
IT'S ONLY OUR SPECIAL APP AND APPARENTLY THAT'S ONLY GONNA LAST SO LONG UNTIL THE FUNDING'S GONE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I HOPE YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING OF THE FUNDING FOR 3 1 1.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IF YOU'RE HAPPY WITH IT, THAT'S FINE.
UM, AND I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THIS CALL CENTER IN TO DO OTHER THINGS.
YOU ALL KNOW HOW BAD IT WAS, HOW MUCH COMPLAINTS WE GOT ABOUT THE WATER DEPARTMENT AND NOT RESPONDING, NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING ANYTHING.
THE WATER DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT'S GOTTEN BETTER.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SET UP A MEETING NOW.
UM, WHICH, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT JUST GIVES YOU THAT EXTRA FEELING OF THEY'RE WORKING ON IT AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE METERS.
BUT, UM, WE REALLY ARE PROUD OF 3 1 1.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS, JACK.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS ONLINE OR IN THE CHAMBER? OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES THE A RA WORKSHOP.
AND WE'LL RESUME IN A FEW MINUTES FOR HFD.