[00:00:01]
MR. ARE WE READY? IT IS 1:03 WE CALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO ORDER AT 1:03.
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, MOTION FOR THE MINUTES.
SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED ITEM CARRIED? WE'RE GOING TO BE BRIEF TODAY.
I THINK WE GOT A VERY SHORT AGENDA TODAY.
I KNOW Y'ALL GOT MANY THINGS TO DO.
Y'ALL BE AT ANOTHER PLACE BESIDES HERE.
THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM A, DEVELOPMENT SERVER MONTHLY UPDATE.
ANDREW AND VERNON, GOOD TO SEE YOU MR. YOUNG. GOOD START.
YOU CAN START ANYTIME YOU GET READY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMITTEE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PERMITTING DEPARTMENT.
TODAY WITH ME, I HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VERNON YOUNG, WHO WILL BE ASSISTING ME.
HERE'S OUR PRESENTATION OVERVIEW AND THE TOPICS WE'LL COVER TODAY.
NEXT SLIDE. KICKING OFF WITH TECHNOLOGY.
OUR POSSE SOFTWARE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IS IN PROGRESS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS MORNING WE HAD OUR OFFICIAL KICKOFF HERE AT CITY HALL, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT AT THAT MEETING WE HAD THE VENDOR, THE CONSULTANT, VARIOUS LEADERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND OF COURSE, DSD.
ALSO, FROM THE TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT, WE ARE GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT OUR PERMIT CUSTOMER QUEUING SYSTEM FOR OUR PERMIT CENTER IN APRIL OR LATE MAY. THIS WILL HELP US ANALYZE THE VISITORS, THE VOLUME AND HOW LONG THEY'RE ACTUALLY WAITING.
WE ROLLED OUT OUR CALL CENTER CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND IT'S BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED.
SOME OF THE NEW STAFF IS BEING TRAINED.
THIS SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP US TO RECORD, LISTEN TO AND AUDIT CUSTOMER CALLS.
NEW SINGLE FAMILY PERMITS CREATED FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS AN INCREASE FROM 112 TO 194.
NEXT SLIDE. OUR RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING TURNAROUND TIMES FOR NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE DECREASED THAT ALL THE WAY TO NINE DAYS.
ALSO, AS A SIDE NOTE, ANY PERMITS THAT WERE SUBMITTED THAT DID NOT REQUIRE REVISIONS WERE PROCESSED AND ISSUED IN SEVEN MEDIAN DAYS.
THIS GRAPH INDICATES THE NUMBER OF NEW COMMERCIAL PERMIT PROJECTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
BASICALLY THE PARENT PERMIT FOR PROJECTS.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, THE NUMBERS THERE ARE REFLECTED FOR THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEARS.
COMMERCIAL REMODEL AND MASTER PERMIT VOLUME.
YOU CAN SEE THESE. THESE ARE ALL THE PERMITS THAT COME UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE MASTER OR THE PROJECT PERMIT OR THAT ARE INDEPENDENT STANDALONE REMODEL PERMITS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE VOLUME IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH AT 339.
THIS SLIDE INDICATES OUR DEPARTMENTAL PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
AS YOU SCROLL THROUGH THIS TABLE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF SUBMITTALS IN THE FIRST FIVE ROWS AND BELOW THAT THE NUMBER OR THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS FOR THE INITIAL REVIEWS.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT OUR PERFORMANCE GOAL IS 15 DAYS, TEN DAYS AND ONE DAY FOR THE SECOND TEAM.
UPDATE ON HIRING AND RECRUITING.
AS YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE PROGRESSIVELY FORWARD WITH FILLING ALL OF OUR VACANCIES.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE WELL, AT THE TIME OF THIS PRESENTATION WAS PUT TOGETHER, WE HAD 66 POSITIONS.
I BELIEVE THE LATEST REPORT THAT I RECEIVED LAST WEEK IS DOWN TO 53.
[00:05:04]
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.THE LAST TIME WE MET, YOU ASKED FOR A LIST OF THE VACANCIES BY JOB TITLE.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE BOND OFFICE HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER IN HELPING US COMPLETE THE DESIGN FOR PHASE ONE, AND WE'RE SLATED TO MOVE IN LATE MAY OF THIS YEAR.
ESTIMATED COMPLETION FOR THE FIRST, SECOND AND NINTH FLOORS ARE AT THE END OF JULY.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HOST OUR POP UP SATURDAY EVENTS TO ALLOW HOMEOWNERS, CONTRACTORS AND BUILDERS TO COME IN AND GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH US ON SATURDAYS.
APRIL 15TH, WE HOSTED ONE AND WE ONLY HAD FIVE WALK IN CUSTOMERS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH TAX SEASON, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT A BETTER TURNOUT.
THE NEXT ONE WILL BE HOSTED IN MAY, ON MAY THE 20TH.
WE'VE GOTTEN POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THAT ENGAGEMENT.
BRITTA ANDREYCHUK AND HER TEAM TO DEVELOP A COMMERCIAL PERMITTING DASHBOARD, AS WE DID WITH RESIDENTIAL, SO THAT WE CAN MORE OPENLY AND TRANSPARENTLY DISCLOSE HOW WE'RE DOING WITH COMMERCIAL PERMITS.
AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT ROLLED OUT IN JULY.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE MATRIX GROUP AND ROLL OUT A PROGRAM THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS. AND OF COURSE WE'LL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE BOND OFFICE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS AS WE TRANSITION TO 7800 NORTH STEMMONS.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
MYSELF AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VERNON YOUNG ARE HERE FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE CAN DO SOME REVERSE A VIRTUAL START WITH [INAUDIBLE] ANY QUESTION? I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
CHAIRMAN MCGOUGH, ANY QUESTIONS.
GO TO MY LEFT. CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ, MAYOR PRO TEM CAROLYN ARNOLD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE OUR COMMERCIAL NUMBERS START HITTING THIS REPORT AND THIS UPDATE.
SO I HAD A QUESTION ON WELL, IT SAYS PAGE 71.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS TIED TO, BUT IT'S COMMERCIAL REMODEL PERMIT VOLUME.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE KIND OF LEVELING OFF WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS.
BUT THAT SURGE IN MARCH AND APRIL WAS PRETTY HIGH.
I MEAN, IS THAT DO YOU THINK THAT JUST SORT OF WAS THE COVID UNCORKING OF A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING ON PROJECTS? OR I MEAN, DO WE THINK WE'RE EVER GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT LEVEL OR WAS THAT THAT JUST LOOKS LIKE A BIT OF AN ANOMALY.
COUNCIL MEMBER THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
TYPICALLY, OUR SUMMER MONTHS DO GET BUSIER, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, DECEMBER WAS RELATIVELY HIGH AS WELL FOR US AND THEN IT KIND OF DECREASED. WE'RE HOPING THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO TREND UPWARD, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP THIS DATA IN MIND TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, IT WILL BOUNCE BACK.
I WILL DEFER TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VERNON YOUNG TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY INSIGHTS.
I WAS NOT HERE LAST YEAR, BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING HE'S AWARE OF THAT I'M NOT.
VERNON YOUNG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
[00:10:02]
GREAT QUESTION. AND SO THIS THIS CHART POINTS TO THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLY BUSY, THE BUSIEST I'VE SEEN IT IN MY 28 YEAR CAREER.AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE SAME THING WITH RESIDENTIAL.
AND SO I BELIEVE THESE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS THE SUMMER MONTHS MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE INCLUDING STAKEHOLDERS.
THE INDUSTRY DID THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE CRAFTED COME FROM THE CITY, FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT, OR WAS THIS FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM THAT HAVE BEEN HONED AND NOW IT'S TAKING IT BACK TO THEM? COUNCIL MEMBER OUR DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH THE MATRIX GROUP.
THEY PROVIDED A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THEM AND WE WANT TO SHARE IT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT POINTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF SEE TAILORED INTO THE PROGRAM.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU, YOU AS WELL.
BUT THE IDEA IS TO ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO USE A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL TO SELF CERTIFY THEIR OWN PLANS.
OKAY. SO MATRIX IS THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION.
I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TOOL YOU WERE USING.
OKAY. ON THE HIRING AND RECRUITMENT AREAS, I SEE YOU OVER THERE.
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION BECAUSE I DID GO THROUGH AND REVIEW, I THINK AT THE GPFM MEETING YOU ALL HAD REFERENCED THE INCENTIVES OR THE NEW PROGRAMS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TO HELP WITH RECRUITMENT, AND WE REVIEWED THOSE.
BUT WHAT IS THE TIMING FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO SEE THAT PLAN AND WHEN WE WOULD EXPECT TO ACTIVATE THAT? SOME OF THE MAIN NARVAEZ DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
SOME OF THE STRATEGIES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED RIGHT AWAY AS THEY DO NOT REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
HOWEVER, MOST OF THE STRATEGIES DO REQUIRE EITHER ADDITIONAL POSITIONS OR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SO IT WILL BE OCTOBER 1ST UPON APPROVAL DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU ADDING ALL THE BREAKDOWN ON SLIDE TEN FOR THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
IS ARE THERE ANY OF THESE POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT THAT COULD BE FILLED WITH OUR THIRD PARTY PARTNER? COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE THIRD PARTY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE REOCCURRING WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH OUR THIRD PARTY REVIEWERS AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE REASON WHY WE'RE CONTINUING TO PUSH OUT PERMITS A LOT FASTER IS BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING OUR STAFF WITH THEIR SERVICES.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THEM.
I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION PARTLY.
LET'S JUST USE THE THIRD PARTY FOR THIS PARTICULAR JOB FUNCTION INDEFINITELY.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WHERE WE WOULD ACTUALLY RETIRE A POSITION NUMBER, BUT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS CONTINUE JUST TO SHIFT THAT WORKLOAD TO THEM, MONITOR THEIR TURNAROUND TIMES.
BUT OUR GOAL IS TO FILL ALL THESE POSITIONS.
DOES THE FINISH OUTS FOR RESTAURANTS AND OFFICES, DO THEY FALL UNDER COMMERCIAL REMODELS OR ARE THEY ARE THEY IN THESE NUMBERS OR IS THIS LIKE, WHERE WHAT EXACTLY FALLS UNDER THE DEFINITION OF A COMMERCIAL REMODEL AND WHAT DOESN'T? COUNCIL MEMBER THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I'M GOING TO ASK ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VERNON YOUNG, WHO OVERSEES OUR INTAKE TEAM, TO HELP KIND OF HISTORICALLY DEFINE HOW OUR CURRENT POSSE SYSTEM CLASSIFIES THAT SCOPE OF WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER WES, GREAT QUESTION.
[00:15:08]
OKAY, SO IF I'M LIKE A RESTAURANT OWNER WHO'S COMING IN, I'M GOING INTO A NEW SPACE FOR NEW FOR ME, BUT AN OLD SPACE THAT WOULD FALL UNDER COMMERCIAL REMODEL.THE CONCIERGE, I KEEP BRINGING THAT UP.
HOW ARE WE DOING? AND TELL ME THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE WHERE WE ARE? COUNCIL MEMBER WE HAVE ACTUALLY DESIGNATED FOR CONCIERGE OR LIAISONS OR PERMIT PILOTS, WHICHEVER TERM YOU PREFER. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO EACH INDIVIDUAL GROUP.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE ONE FOR THE PERMIT COUNTER AND C OF O.
WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND THE POSITIONS TO STAND UP TO MORE PROJECT COORDINATORS OR CONCIERGE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND ALSO FOR THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PLAN REVIEW.
SO WE DEFINITELY WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU ON THAT.
BUT IT'S WORKING RELATIVELY WELL.
FOLKS SEEM TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTED TO THEIR NEW ROLES IN RESPONSIBILITIES WHERE IN THE PAST WHERE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR YOUNG WAS ADDRESSING AN ISSUE, NOW IT'S ACTUALLY BEING HANDED OFF TO THE CONCIERGE WHO WALKS THE CUSTOMER THROUGH WHATEVER PERMITTING NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE.
SO WHEN THEY WALK IN THE BUILDING IS THE CUSTOMER IDENTITY NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED.
DO THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE? SO WE DID SEND OUT MEDIA NOTIFICATIONS.
HERE'S OUR CONCIERGES AND TOOK PICTURES, PHONE NUMBERS, EMAILS AND SHARED THAT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.
BUT ALSO WHEN YOU COME INTO 320 EAST JEFFERSON, THERE IS A WORKSTATION RIGHT UP FRONT THAT EVERYONE SEES AND THAT PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE TO GUIDING THE CUSTOMER TO THE RIGHT PERSON.
HOW MANY TEAMS DO WE HAVE? 1 OR 2 NOW? COUNCIL MEMBER WE HAVE TWO Q TEAMS. ONE Q TEAM THAT TAKES ON PROJECTS 10,000FT² OR GREATER.
THEN OUR SECOND Q TEAM, WHICH WAS TAILORED TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS START UP, IS ANYTHING LESS THAN 10,000FT² AND HOW MANY IS IN THE QUEUE IS WAITING TO GET IN THE Q Q TEAM.
NOW THEY DO HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE THAT DATA HERE NOW, BUT WE CAN MAKE IT KIND OF SIMPLE.
DO WE HAVE A A BACKLOG OF PEOPLE WAITING ON GETTING IN THE QUEUE TEAM OR WHAT? I MEAN, WHERE ARE WE? COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS.
GREAT QUESTION. CURRENTLY FOR THE SECOND TEAM, THERE'S NO BACKLOG AGAIN.
WE'VE BEEN RUNNING IT SINCE THE END OF JANUARY, SO WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 910 A MONTH.
THE ORIGINAL TEAM, THEY'VE BEEN RUNNING ABOUT 20 1520 DAYS FROM THE TIME I WANT TO SUBMIT TO THE TIME THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO HOLD HOLD A MEETING AND AGAIN THERE'S NO PER SE BACKLOG IN GETTING THAT SERVICE, GETTING IN FRONT OF THAT SERVICE.
IF YOU LOOK AT TODAY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND WE GO BACK A YEAR FROM NOW.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? THAT WE STILL GOT MORE BUSINESS COMING TO THE CITY NOW.
WE'RE NOT LOSING BUSINESS TO COME TO CITY NOW, BUT WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING.
BUT WE STILL DID $14 BILLION WORTH OF NEW CONSTRUCTION OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER THERE IS NO ONE SPECIFIC ANSWER TO THAT.
IT WAS A COLLAGE OF EFFORTS, FOR EXAMPLE, DEFINING KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS, ESTABLISHING PERFORMANCE GOALS, TRAINING OUR STAFF, RECRUITING NEW STAFF.
AND THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE WAS PARTNERING AND ENGAGING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
OKAY. AND WHAT IS OUR POSITION OF ENGINEERS? I MEAN, WE'RE STILL SHORT.
I MEAN, ARE WE SHORT AND WHAT IS OUR PLAN? COUNCIL MEMBER I THINK WE'VE DONE A RELATIVELY GOOD JOB OF RECRUITING ENGINEERS.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN GO TO THIS TABLE.
FOUR. ENGINEER, ASSISTANT, FIRE PROTECTION AND ENGINEER ONE FIVE.
[00:20:02]
AND THEN I CAN'T SPEAK ENOUGH ABOUT THE GREAT JOB HR IS DOING TO SUPPORT US AND HELPING US ONBOARD THESE FOLKS AND BRING THEM TO THE DEPARTMENT.AND SO IT'S BEEN A TEAM EFFORT AND IT SHOWS IN THE NUMBERS.
SO HOW MANY WE SHORT DO WE NEED NOW, IF YOU SAID RIGHT TODAY, HOW MANY ENGINEERS DO YOU NEED RIGHT TODAY? I BELIEVE LOOKING AT THE TABLE, FIVE, FIVE.
CAN I GET SOMEBOYD FROM HR, PLEASE? THANK YOU. WE FIND ENGINEERS SHORT.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE PAY RANGE FOR ENGINEERS? THE PAY SCALE. WHAT IS WHAT IS THE MARKET AND WHERE ARE WE IN THE RANGE WITH THE CITY? ARE WE I HEAR WE'RE NOT COMPETITORS.
I THINK WE'RE WAY BELOW THE MARKET.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE RANGE.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
ANY NARVAEZ, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
OUR PAY FOR ENGINEERS IS ABOVE AND IS COMPETITIVE COMPARED TO THE MARKET FOR MUNICIPALITIES.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE COMPARE TO THE PAY THAT WE GIVE, THE PAY THAT AN ENGINEER WILL GET IN ANY OF THE CITIES IN TEXAS, LARGE AND SMALL MUNICIPALITIES, WE ARE AHEAD OF THAT PAY.
WE MAY BE BEHIND PAY FOR ENGINEERS IN THE MARKET AT LARGE, AND WE HAVE PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS WAS TALKING ABOUT HAVE TO DO WITH LOOKING AT POSITIONS THAT ARE HARD TO FILL, SUCH AS ENGINEERS AND ESTABLISHING A PAY RATE THAT IS COMPARABLE TO THE MARKET AS A WHOLE.
SO IT'S A SIZABLE AMOUNT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
OKAY. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION, YOU KNOW, I ASKED THIS QUESTION NUMEROUS OF TIME.
I UNDERSTAND WE ARE COMPETITORS IN THE MARKET WITH PUBLIC AND MUNICIPALITY.
BUT IN ORDER TO TO GET MORE PERMIT FASTER, WE ARE SHORT IN ENGINEERS.
YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT TURN THE WHEEL.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING MORE BUSINESS THAN THE OTHER CITIES IN AMERICA.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, WE STILL HAVE A BOTTLENECK.
SO MY QUESTION AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT THIS TO MY COMMITTEE WAS WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? SO IF WE HAVE AN ENGINEER SITTING THERE AS A $125,000 A YEAR, DO WE GOT TO MAKE THAT NUMBER TO GO TO $175,000 A YEAR? WHAT IS THAT DESPERATE? AND THAT'S THE KEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRACK THOSE HERE.
BUT ALSO THE KEY IS CAN WE KEEP THEM HERE ALONE? THE VOLUME IS GOING UP AND WE GET MORE WORK.
WE CAN PAY HIGHER MONEY, BUT WHEN THE VOLUME GOES BACK DOWN, WE GOT AN ISSUE THERE.
SO THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
YES, WE WE HAVE DONE A STUDY AND HAVE THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY TO BRING THE ENTIRE STAFF AND FUTURE ENGINEERS AND HARD TO FILL POSITIONS IN GENERAL IS ABOUT $2.5 MILLION.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU. IT'S ABOUT $2.5 MILLION.
SO IN THE ENTERPRISE FUND, WE SHOULD HAVE THE BUDGET TO COMPENSATE THAT.
IF WE DO COME TO SAY THAT IN THE ENTERPRISE FUND, WE CAN WE CAN CREATE MORE PRODUCTIVITY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET MORE PERMITS OUT THERE AND GET MORE THE BOTTLENECK WE CAN UNPLUG.
AND THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN WILLIS.
YOU KNOW, FOR WORKING WITH HER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET A NUMBER.
AND WE NEED TO GET THAT NUMBER FAST.
WE GET THAT NUMBER BETTER OFF WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING A BOTTLENECK BECAUSE ANDREW, DO YOU AGREE THAT ENGINEER IS READY TO HOLD UP SOME OF THESE PROJECT? SO COUNCIL MEMBER RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE SOME INEFFICIENCIES ON THE ENGINEERING SIDE, NOT ONLY
[00:25:01]
FROM WATER, WASTEWATER AND DRAINAGE, BUT ALSO FROM THE FIRE PROTECTION SIDE.AND SO I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MISS NINA IN HER ENDEAVORS.
AND TO SUPPORT IT, WE NEED TO KNOW WE, THE POLICY MAKERS, WE DO THE BUDGET.
IF WE DON'T KNOW, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT YOU IN HR? WE CAN'T SUPPORT YOU. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
AND SO IF WE GOT A NUMBER BREAKING DOWN, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
AND THAT WAY WE'LL GET THIS OFF MY COMMITTEE.
AH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN WEST FOR INQUIRING ON THIS ISSUE.
SAME THING WITH THESE RIGHT HERE IS WE IN THE MARKET ARE PAYING THESE SALARIES.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW THAT CATEGORIZE THE PROJECT COORDINATOR THE TECHNICIANS RECORD KEEPING WHATEVER ARE WE IN THE MARKET.
ARE WE NOT IN THE MARKET? WITH THESE 53 DIFFERENT PEOPLE WE NEED TO HIRE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST HERE ON THE SALARIES HERE OR THE COMPARABLES WITH OTHER MARKET LEADERS OR OTHER CITIES FOR THAT FOR THAT MATTER.
BUT A LOT OF THESE VACANCIES ARE ACTUALLY A RESULT OF PROMOTIONS OR LATERAL MOVEMENTS.
AND SO FOR US, IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO HIRE FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION AND BRING THEM HERE.
I THINK THAT OUR SALARIES ARE VERY COMPETITIVE COMPARING TO WHERE I USED TO WORK.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE HOW WE ATTRACT MORE FOLKS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE MENTIONED AND RECOMMENDED AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS AN INCENTIVE PAY PROGRAM WHERE YOU COMPENSATE YOUR STAFF FOR BECOMING CERTIFIED CODE PROFESSIONALS OUTSIDE OF THEIR PRIMARY DISCIPLINE.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL ALSO BE A RECRUITING TOOL AS WE CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE THESE VACANCIES.
OKAY. SO THE STATEMENT THAT YOU JUST MADE WAS THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING PROMOTED OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROMOTIONS AND I'M LOOKING TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR YOUNG JUST IN CASE HE WANTS TO CHIME IN HERE.
AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS ALTHOUGH SOMEONE GETS PROMOTED, IT CREATES A VACANCY ON ANOTHER TEAM.
AND SO I AGREE SOME OF THAT IS SALARY.
OKAY. SO BACK TO THE BASIC QUESTION.
THE EMPLOYEES THAT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
ARE THEY AGAIN PROMOTED OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT TO SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN LEAVE A VACANCY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS, AND SO WE'VE HAD THE MAJORITY OF THE PROMOTIONS HAVE BEEN INTERNAL AND STAFF GOING FROM A LOWER GRADE LEVEL TO A MORE RESPONSIVE GRADE LEVEL.
WE'VE HAD A FEW THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED OUT.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF ENGINEERS THAT HAVE GONE OVER TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO ON MAY 10TH, WE'RE HAVING A JOB FAIR THAT'S OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A GREATER NEED TO BRING IN FOLKS FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT ARE IN THE INDUSTRY THAT ARE EXCITED AND WANT TO UNDERSTAND CUSTOMER SERVICE FIRST. AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT ANGLE.
OKAY. SO I GUESS MY CONCERN IS IT'S A POSITIVE CONCERN.
IF I GOT 53 VACANCY, THEN I'M TRYING TO FILL.
HOPEFULLY I DON'T HAVE EX AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN THAT VACANCIES GOING OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT.
[00:30:02]
AND THAT'S THE QUESTION THERE.THEN ALSO, I BRING NEW PEOPLE IN THERE BECAUSE IF YOU LOSING YOUR SENIORS, YOUR EXPERIENCE OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT, YOU GOT TO TRAIN SOMEONE ELSE TO COME INTO THE DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS IF I MAY ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WE THE PLAN THAT WAS RECOMMENDED AND APPROVED BY TC AND WILL BE COMING TO YOU AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAYBE SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOU GOING OVER THE DETAILS OF THAT PLAN INCLUDE PROVIDING PAYMENT TO THE HARD TO FILL POSITIONS AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AT A LEVEL IN WHICH IT'S GOING TO MAKE THOSE POSITIONS MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN ANY OTHER POSITION AT THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE THAT THIS IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ENTERPRISE FUND AND A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE IT IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, SO IT SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, RAISING FEES OR WHETHER ANY TO DO IS COST RECOVERY.
SO IF YOU COMPETING WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND YOU HAVE THE FUNDING, YOU GOT TO PAY THE MARKET RATE AND TO COMPETE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SAY WE DID $14 BILLION WORTH OF NEW PROJECT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO IF WE'RE NOT PAYING, WE'RE NOT GEARED UP WITH THE PERSONNEL, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE IT.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU MARKET IT.
WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING TO PROMOTE THAT? BECAUSE I THINK WE GOT THE NUMBER ONE.
I THINK WE GOT THE BEST. BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN DO? CITY HALL IS OPEN.
YOU CAN DO BUSINESS AT CITY HALL.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HOW ARE YOU PROMOTING? HOW YOU GETTING THAT OUT THERE? COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAVE TWO COMMUNICATION OFFICERS THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY 100% DEDICATED TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THEY SEND OUT MONTHLY NEW NEWSLETTERS THEY PROMOTE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY EVEN NOW WE'RE I THAT I'M AWARE OF, WE'RE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT IN THIS REGION THAT ISSUES SAME DAY NEW SINGLE FAMILY PROJECTS. THE DAY YOU COME IN, YOU WALK OUT WITH YOUR PERMIT.
WE'RE DOING THAT WITH OUR Q TEAM.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE FANTASTIC WORK WE'RE DOING.
WELL, I THINK YOU'RE DOING A MARVELOUS JOB.
THANK YOU, BERLIN. THANK YOU, ANDREW.
AND I DON'T WANT TO BE OUT THERE THAT WE ARE THE NEGATIVE BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET PYRAMIDS.
DON'T GET PROJECT CITY HALL CANNOT FUNCTION.
IT'S A MEMO. WAS BCD AND E, DO ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTION ON BCD? I'LL START OUT WITH MAYOR PRO TEM.
I SEE YOU THERE. ARE YOU GETTING THE QUESTION ON BCD? NO, THANK YOU, CHAIR. OKAY.
COUNCILMAN WEST. YES, THANK YOU.
JUST ON THE ITEM B, IT'S THE MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE GATEWAY TIFF DISTRICT.
WHAT'S ONCE THIS IS IF THIS IS PUSHED FORWARD TODAY, THEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE.
AND THEN WOULD IT IMMEDIATELY TAKE EFFECT OR WHEN WOULD THE NEW BOUNDARIES TAKE EFFECT? KEVIN SPATH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE THE PARCELS AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY VALUED ON THE TAX ROLLS FOR 2023.
AS OF JANUARY 1ST, THEY WOULD GO IN UNDER THAT TAX, THAT BASE YEAR VALUE, AND THEN NEXT YEAR THEY WOULD THE INCREMENT WOULD BE CALCULATED BASED ON NEXT YEAR'S VALUE.
[00:35:03]
DART SERVICE FACILITY, CORRECT? MOST OF IT. SIX AND A HALF ACRES OUT OF THE SEVEN ACRES IS THE DART MAINTENANCE FACILITY.HAS THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNICATION THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF FROM CITY STAFF WITH DART RECENTLY ON DART TRYING TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE, I DON'T KNOW, A LITTLE MORE THOUGHTFUL FOR THAT SITE THAN WHAT THEY HAVE THERE NOW.
WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH DART STAFF IN RECENT WEEKS.
THEY'VE THE ONLY THING THEY'VE TOLD US IS THAT THEY'VE STARTED AN INTERNAL STUDY OF THE OF THE OPERATIONS OF DART, ENTIRE OPERATIONS, AND WHETHER THAT FACILITY WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME IDEA ON WHETHER THEY CAN RELOCATE THAT FUNCTION ELSEWHERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT STUDY IS GOING TO TAKE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER FINANCIAL TOOLS THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE? GIVEN THE FACT THAT DART TYPICALLY HOLDS ON TO THEIR LAND, THEY WOULD PROBABLY LEASE IT OUT IF ANYTHING ELSE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER TOOLS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE OTHER THAN THE TIFF? TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACTIVATE IT.
WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS NON TIFF FUNDED SOURCES FROM THE CITY.
AND THOSE ARE VERY LIMITED, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT OUR OFFICE ADMINISTERS.
RIGHT. IS THERE ANY REASON WHY A DART SERVICE FACILITY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER THE OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE CITY? NO. OKAY.
THANK YOU. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY. IT IS NOW 1:40.
I'LL CALL THE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.