IT IS DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 AT 1:00 PM.
[Council Government Performance & Financial Management Committee on December 10, 2024.]
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I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO ORDER.THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS OUR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 7TH, 2024.
APPROVAL. IT'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU. NEXT WE WILL MOVE ON TO BRIEFING ITEM A, AND WHILE I ASK FOR A MS. ARIAS TO COME UP, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYBODY SOME CLARIFICATION.
IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING ON THE DIRECT REPORTS TO COUNCIL ON WHICH COMMITTEE? IF IT'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OR THE GPFM COMMITTEE.
WE WILL BE KEEPING THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS FOR THE CITY AUDITOR AND GPFM.
SO I WANTED TO ASK MS. ARIAS TO SPEAK WITH US ABOUT THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH TO SET UP THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR THE CITY AUDITOR.
IF WE MAY HAVE THE POWERPOINT, THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.
NINA ARIAS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO GO OVER THE PROCESS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
BAKER TILLY, FORMERLY MANAGEMENT PARTNERS OR ACTUALLY MANAGEMENT PARTNERS, WAS ACQUIRED BY BAKER TILLY AND IS OUR CURRENT A VENDOR, AND THE CONTRACT THAT IS IN PLACE TO ESTABLISH THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, GATHER THE FEEDBACK FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND OFFER GUIDANCE ON BEST PRACTICES FOR ASSESSING PERFORMANCE OF EXECUTIVES UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT.
BAKER TILLY PROVIDES THAT GUIDANCE TO THE APPOINTED OFFICIALS ON THE PROCESS AND TO COUNCIL TO REACH CONSENSUS AND DEVELOP AN EVALUATION.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS MORE DETAIL ON THE BACKGROUND AND THE CONTRACT HISTORY.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE $133,150 AVAILABLE FOR THIS CONTRACT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, AND AGAIN HERE THERE'S MORE DETAIL ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD MANAGEMENT PARTNERS AND NOW WITH BAKER TILLY AND THE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS OVER TIME IN THE TERMS OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
THE CURRENT PROCESS HAS FOUR STEPS.
THE FIRST STEP IS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE APPOINTED OFFICIALS AND THE COUNCIL TO REACH CONSENSUS ON THE PROCESS AND THE STANDARDS BY WHICH THE PERFORMANCE WILL BE EVALUATED FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.
WE PROVIDE THEY PROVIDE ADVICE.
THE VENDOR PROVIDES ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON BEST PRACTICES AND EVALUATION OF APPOINTED OFFICIALS, AND THEN ONCE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, AND ONCE THE PERFORMANCE HAS COMPLETED, THEN THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE HR DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE ANY MERITS IN OUR SYSTEM AS APPROPRIATE.
SO IF WE WERE TO START IN JANUARY WITH THIS EVALUATION HERE, IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS, AND HERE IS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES WEEK BY WEEK. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS WILL BE TO RECEIVE INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM GPFM.
THERE IS ALSO THE OPTION OF INITIATING A NEW CONTRACT WITH A DIFFERENT VENDOR, IN WHICH CASE WE WILL HAVE TO ADD THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS TIME TO THIS TIMELINE, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
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IF THERE ARE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.I'LL START WITH THE VICE CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
CAN YOU TELL ME THIS BAKER TILLY, EVER DONE OUR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS? OR HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN JAN? IT'S ALWAYS BEEN JAN, AND SO, BAKER TILLY, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY WOULD DO THIS PROCESS.
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE CANNOT USE JAN EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A BAKER TILLY CONTRACT? BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW TO SWITCH HORSES.
I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO STICK WITH JAN.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT JAN DOESN'T WORK WITH BAKER TILLY OR WITH MANAGEMENT PARTNERS ANY LONGER.
IS SHE CONSULTING AT ALL? SHE'S CONSULTING WITH A DIFFERENT CONSULTING FIRM, AND WE CAN'T GET THEM ON CONTRACT.
SURELY THERE'S AN ILA SOMEWHERE.
YEAH. WE WILL NEED TO DO A YOU KNOW.
OH, WE'RE GOING TO DO A BID NOW ON THIS ONE.
BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DOWN WITH JAN.
BAKER TILLY, THAT'LL BE A DISCUSSION TOMORROW MORNING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO STICK WITH JAN.
I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE A HORSE RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO.
I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN DO WHAT FOR THIS ONE? WE COULD DO PROBABLY A SINGLE SOURCE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SEE IF WE COULD DO IT UNDER 50.
THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS BUT I JUST DON'T I, I WOULD LIKE TO STICK WITH JAN.
WELL THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR A FRESH NEW APPROACH AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS KIND OF WORK IS SINGLE SOURCE, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO A PROCUREMENT, AND WHILE I DO UNDERSTAND HAVING DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILT TRUST I AGAIN AM GOING TO WELCOME A NEW PROCESS AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL LEAD US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN MEASURE PERFORMANCE WITH VERY SPECIFIC MEASUREMENTS, SET GOALS WITH VERY SPECIFIC MEASUREMENTS, AS OPPOSED TO MAKING THINGS INTO A POPULARITY CONTEST.
I DO THINK THE POSITION OF THE AUDITOR HAS BEEN MORE METRIC FOCUSED THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS THAT REPORT TO US, BUT I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR THAT IN A NEW CONSULTANT TO HELP US REALLY DEVELOP STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT, AND NOT JUST IN THIS POSITION.
THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GO TO MY ONLINE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MR. RESENDEZ OR MORENO, ANYTHING? SURE. I'LL JUST CHIME IN MEAN, WITH OUR CURRENT RELATIONSHIP WITH BAKER TILLY.
MISS WILLIS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR THIS ITEM? THANK YOU. YES.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON WAS GETTING AT THE PERSON WHO HAD WE HAD WORKED WITH IN THE PAST, JAN PERKINS, WHO NOW IS WITH RAFTELIS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE AN INFORMAL PROCUREMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE COULD BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION TAKEN, BUT I KNOW THAT, AND WHILE I SHARE THE SENTIMENT AROUND BAKER TILLY, I KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ASSOCIATE OF HERS THAT HAD ALSO BEEN ABSORBED AT BAKER TILLY WHEN THEY SOLD MANAGEMENT PARTNERS, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PERSON IS STILL AT BAKER TILLY.
I KNOW THERE'S A DESIRE TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY ON THIS, SINCE IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS SINCE THESE EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD A REVIEW BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THE METRICS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, AND SO IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE NEED A FORMAL PROCUREMENT TO WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN DO THE REVIEWS AND ALSO CONSULT WITH US ON THE OPTIMAL METRICS FOR THIS ROLE, BUT IF THERE IS A WAY TO EXPLORE AN INFORMAL PROCUREMENT, AND ALSO FIND OUT IF THIS OTHER PERSON WITH MANAGEMENT PARTNERS WHO I DO NOT RECALL HER NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ALL WORKED WITH HER IN THE LAST ROUND, IS AT BAKER TILLY.
PERHAPS THAT IS AN INTERIM STEP TO WORK WITH A KNOWN COMMODITY SO THAT THIS CAN GET DONE OUT OF RESPECT FOR THESE EMPLOYEES IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, AND ALSO EMBARK ON A PROCUREMENT THAT WOULD WORK TOWARDS SETTING THE METRICS AND GET ON A MORE REGULAR REVIEW SCHEDULE SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. SO I WOULD ASK MISS ARIAS IF SHE COULD CHECK WITH BAKER TILLY TO SEE IF
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THAT AGENT OR REPRESENTATIVE WHO HAD BEEN WITH MANAGEMENT PARTNERS IS STILL AT BAKER TILLY? ABSOLUTELY. I WILL DO.THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, AND I'LL CONCLUDE BY JUST SAYING I AGREE WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THIS PARTICULAR POSITION THAT RESIDES WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, IS VERY SPECIALIZED AND SO WHOEVER ENDS UP HELPING US DESIGN THE METRICS AND REVIEW PROCESS, I WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD SEEK GUIDANCE FROM, OF COURSE, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, BUT ALSO SOMEONE IN THAT SPECIALIZED FIELD.
ARE YOUR MARCHING ORDERS PRETTY CLEAR? YES. SO I WILL COME BACK TO YOU BEFORE, I MEAN, AS SOON AS I GET THE INFORMATION REGARDING JEN PERKINS AND HER ASSOCIATE AND SEE IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY TO DO IT THROUGH BAKER TILLY.
IF NOT, THEN I WILL GIVE YOU SOME OPTIONS ON HOW TO BRING IN JEN BACK FOR THIS YEAR SO THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HER AS WELL.
THAT'S WONDERFUL, AND AS MISS WILLIS SAID, IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE OUR DIRECT REPORTS HAVE HAD ANY TYPE OF METRICS OR REVIEW PROCESS, AND , YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WE WOULD BE VERY UPSET WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IF THERE WEREN'T THESE REVIEWS GOING ON WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS BELOW THE DIRECT REPORTS.
SO WE'VE GOT TO BE EXPEDITIOUS HERE.
DID YOU HAVE A FOLLOW UP? WELL, I GUESS MY FOLLOW UP IS HOW WOULD IT BE THAT YOU COULD BRING BACK JAN? I MEAN, WE HAVE PROCUREMENT LAWS, AND IT SEEMS NOT LIKELY THAT JUST GOING TO TRY TO FOLLOW JAN WOULD ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE LAW. THE PROCESS WOULD BE WE WOULD NEED TO ISSUE AN INFORMAL PROCUREMENT AND UNDER 75,000, AND THEN JAN'S COMPANY WOULD NEED TO APPLY WITH ANY OTHERS, AND IT WILL BE UP TO COUNCIL TO SELECT WHO THEY WANT TO WORK WITH.
INDEED, WE CANNOT JUST ASSIGN IT TO JAN OR BRING HER BACK.
IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, BUT WHAT I WILL BRING BACK IS WHAT WILL BE THE VENUE TO HAVE THAT AS A POSSIBILITY FOR COUNCIL TO ENGAGE JAN PERKINS FOR THIS PARTICULAR EVALUATION PROCESS.
WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS VERY CLOSELY, BECAUSE IF YOU END UP WITH JAN AS THE FINAL PERSON IN THE PROCUREMENT, I'M GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS WAS SET UP, WHAT THE CRITERIA WERE, WHO WAS SCORING IT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE LEGALLY.
MOVING ON. WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM O NEXT.
WE'VE GOT SOME GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE.
DO YOU WANT TO JUST GIVE US A REAL QUICK UPDATE? I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS ON ALL THE MEMOS, BUT IF WE CAN ASK STAFF TO GIVE US THE CLIFFSNOTES VERSION ON MEMO ITEM O AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR STAFF, I'LL ASK ELLEN IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON, ELLEN MAGNUS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF FAMILY GATEWAY.
I THINK WE'RE HERE TODAY TO CLOSE ONE CHAPTER, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT WE ARE.
I WOULD SAY SUBSTANTIALLY FINISHED WITH THE REPAIRS RELATED TO SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE END OF MAY STORM ON FAMILY GATEWAY NORTH, BUT DURING THAT PROCESS, WHICH I KNOW PROBABLY BRIAN WILL TELL YOU IN DETAIL, WE UNCOVERED SOME ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE DAMAGE RELATED TO THE STORM, BUT WERE MORE INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED THAT NOW NEED ONGOING SUPPORT AND I BELIEVE NEED FURTHER COUNCIL SUPPORT. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO BRIAN AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS COMMITTEE'S SUPPORT IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
AS ELLEN POINTED OUT, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE CONSIDERING OUR REPAIR AND REHABILITATION EFFORTS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE WITH FAMILY GATEWAY.
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OPERATIONS. THE ONLY OUTSTANDING ITEMS FOR US TO SAY WE ARE FULLY COMPLETE ARE TWO ROOMS ON THE FIRST FLOOR THAT ARE OFFICE SPACE I BELIEVE, AND ELLEN CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THOSE WILL COMPLETE FRIDAY WITH A FULL TURNOVER ON MONDAY, AT WHICH POINT THE STORM RELATED WORK WILL BE COMPLETED.AS ELLEN MENTIONED, WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS NOW FROM A PHASE ONE AND A PHASE TWO TYPE SCENARIO WHERE PHASE ONE WAS OUR RESPONSE TO THE INITIAL STORM RELATED DAMAGES THOSE BEING COMPLETE BUT IN PROGRESS OF MAKING THOSE REPAIRS.
WE DID IDENTIFY SOME DEFICIENCIES WITH THE BUILDING THAT NOW INTERNALLY, WE ARE LOOKING AT TREATING IN REGARDS TO OUR NORMAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS OF FACILITY MAINTENANCE FROM A WHETHER IT'S A CAPITAL OR OPERATING PROCESS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE AND HAVING INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS ON THE NEXT STEPS AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD, AND I WOULD EXPECT AT SOME POINT, IN CONSULTATION WITH CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WE WILL COME BACK TO EITHER THIS COMMITTEE OR FULL COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PHASE TWO REPAIRS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED.
APPRECIATE THE UPDATE, COLLEAGUES.
CHAIR MENDELSOHN, COULD YOU JUST IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE ITEMS ARE? SURE. SO FROM AN EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE.
WE DID IDENTIFY THAT THE EXTERIOR MEMBRANE AND I'LL PUT IT IN THE WORDS OF OUR CONTRACTORS AT SOME POINT, WAS INSTALLED IN AN INFERIOR OR INAPPROPRIATE MANNER.
THAT IS ALLOWING WATER PENETRATION INTO THE INTERIOR FRAMING.
THERE IS SOME AREAS OF DAYLIGHTING THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
SO WE HAVE ENGAGED A CONTRACTOR TO GIVE US AN EVALUATION AND PROPOSAL ON THAT EXTERIOR MEMBRANE.
THE OTHER ADDITIONAL ITEMS. SO WE, AS PART OF THE STORM RELATED REPAIRS, WE HAVE PLANNED WINDOW REPLACEMENTS ON 93 WINDOWS.
SO WE DON'T KNOW THE FULL EXTENT YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T OPENED UP EVERY WALL, BUT WE BELIEVE THERE COULD BE SOME FRAMING REPAIRS REQUIRED AS WE BEGIN TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS.
OKAY. THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS PROJECT DONE.
APPRECIATE IT. ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU.
LET'S GO BACK NOW TO BRIEFING ITEM B SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE PROGRAM UPDATES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M CLIFF GILLESPIE, DIRECTOR OF SANITATION.
JOINING ME TODAY IS JUANITA ORTIZ, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SANITATION FOR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
IF WE COULD GO DIRECTLY TO SLIDE THREE, PLEASE.
TODAY, WE'LL BRIEF YOU ON THE CITY'S SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE PROGRAM, INCLUDING AN OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION, DISCUSSION OF ACTIONS REQUIRED TO ALIGN CURRENT FRANCHISE FEES WITH THE NEW BASE RATE, IDENTIFY CHALLENGES, AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.
OUR BRIEFING TODAY IS IN TWO PARTS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JUANITA FIRST TO DISCUSS BACKGROUND AND THE PROPOSED FEE INCREASE.
JUANITA. THANKS, CLIFF, AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
DALLAS'S SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE PROGRAM WAS AUTHORIZED BY CHARTER AMENDMENT IN 2005.
THIS AMENDMENT AUTHORIZED THE CITY TO GRANT NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISES TO BUSINESSES PROVIDING PRIVATE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, TRANSPORTATION, RECYCLING, AND DISPOSAL SERVICES. AN ENABLING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2007.
SORRY. THIS IS THE SLIDE WE'RE ON.
AN ENABLING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2007, REQUIRING ALL SOLID WASTE OPERATORS, EXCEPT THOSE IN THE BUSINESS OF EXCLUSIVELY HAULING RECYCLABLE MATERIALS TO HOLD A FRANCHISE ORDINANCE GRANTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
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NEXT SLIDE. FRANCHISES ARE GRANTED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCES ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND AUTHORIZED A SPECIFIC SOLID WASTE OPERATOR TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN DALLAS.FRANCHISEES HAVE BEEN DEEMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE IN PUBLIC INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL BUSINESS PURPOSE FOR WHICH THE CITY'S PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS ARE USED BY SOLID WASTE OPERATORS. FRANCHISEES MUST COMPLY WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS AND ARE SUBJECT TO ENFORCEMENT ACTION AS APPROPRIATE.
A FRANCHISE FEE IS ASSESSED TO RECOVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMERCIAL WASTE VEHICLES.
NEXT SLIDE. ACTUALLY, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ON SLIDE SEVEN AT THIS POINT.
AS PART OF THE FEE ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER, IN SEPTEMBER, THE BAY SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE FEE WAS INCREASED FROM 4% TO 6% OF FRANCHISEES GROSS REVENUE.
WHILE THE BASE FEE LAID OUT IN THE CITY CODE HAS BEEN INCREASED, THIS DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY INCREASE THE FEE FOR THE EXISTING FRANCHISE ORDINANCES, SINCE THOSE FEES ARE SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED FOR IN EACH INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCE THAT'S GRANTING THEM AUTHORITY TO OPERATE IN THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THE FEE INCREASE FOR EXISTING FRANCHISEES.
THE ADOPTED FY 2425 BUDGET INCLUDES ADDITIONAL REVENUE OF APPROXIMATELY $1.5 MILLION, BASED ON AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF APRIL 1ST, 2025. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS AN ILLUSTRATION OF SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE REVENUE TO THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WITH PROJECTIONS FOR FY 25 AND FY 26. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE ASK FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM GPFM TO ADVANCE THIS MATTER FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES TO INCREASE FEES FOR EXISTING SOLID WASTE FRANCHISEES.
THANK YOU JUANITA. NEXT SLIDE.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE THE TRADITIONAL WASTE HAULERS.
YOU GENERALLY THINK OF COMPANIES LIKE WASTE MANAGEMENT, REPUBLIC, CWD, WASTE CONNECTIONS, ETC, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION COMPANIES HAULING DEBRIS THEY GENERATE FROM THEIR PROJECTS, ROOFERS HAULING WASTE THEY GENERATE FROM THEIR PROJECTS, TREE TRIMMERS, LAWN SERVICES, HAULING WASTE THEY GENERATE FROM THEIR SERVICES, ETC.
NEXT SLIDE. SINCE PROGRAM INCEPTION IN 2007, 244 SOLID WASTE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN GRANTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
199 WERE GRANTED FOR 20 YEAR TERMS, EXPIRING BETWEEN 2027 AND 2031.
SINCE 2015, FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN GRANTED ONLY FOR FIVE YEAR TERMS, OF WHICH 45 HAVE BEEN GRANTED.
COMPANIES AWARDED A FRANCHISE MUST AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE TERMS OF THE GRANTING ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS, AND LISTED BELOW ARE JUST SEVERAL KEY TERMS FOUND IN FRANCHISE ORDINANCES.
NEXT SLIDE. THE PROCESS FOR A COMPANY TO BE GRANTED A SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE IS ILLUSTRATED HERE.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS, AND THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL REQUIREMENTS TO STAY IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE CITY.
IN ADDITION TO A DETAILED APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS AND CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION, FRANCHISEES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT MONTHLY REPORTS AND PAYMENTS TO THE CITY AND AN ANNUAL REPORT.
THEY MUST ALSO MAKE THEIR RECORDS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO THE CITY FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST.
NEXT SLIDE. OF THE 244 SOLID WASTE FRANCHISES GRANTED SINCE 2007, TWO REMAIN IN FORCE.
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108 FRANCHISEES ARE NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE, PER THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE, AND 64 FRANCHISEES ARE NOW VOID OR EXPIRED.NEXT SLIDE. SO, AS YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY INFERRED, ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THIS PROGRAM IS CHALLENGING. THE CURRENT FRANCHISE REQUIREMENTS EXTEND BEYOND PRIMARY WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATORS TO INCLUDE BUSINESSES SUCH AS LANDSCAPING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, AND VARIOUS OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES HAULING WASTE THEY GENERATE THAT'S INCIDENTAL TO THE PRIMARY SERVICE THEY ARE PROVIDING.
ALSO, THE ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK, TOO, IMPOSES A BURDEN FOR SMALL ENTERPRISES WHOSE PRIMARY BUSINESS FUNCTION LIES OUTSIDE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING THE EXTENSIVE APPLICATION AND COUNCIL APPROVAL TIMELINE, MANDATORY MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTING AND PAYMENTS, AND ONGOING AUDIT COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.
NEXT SLIDE. SO NEXT I'LL DISCUSS RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT.
THIS WOULD MEAN AN EXEMPTION FOR THOSE BUSINESSES HAULING WASTE THEY GENERATE SOLELY AND INCIDENTAL TO THEIR OWN OPERATIONS AND USING VEHICLES OWNED, RENTED OR BORROWED FOR SELF HAULING. EXAMPLES INCLUDE LAWN CREWS, TREE TRIMMERS, ROOFERS, ETC., AND FOR BUSINESSES WHO OPERATE WITHOUT ESTABLISHED ROUTES AND WITHOUT COLLECTION BINS, PROVIDING CLEANOUT SERVICES OF PERSONAL PROPERTY FROM RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES NOT INVOLVING CONSTRUCTION OR DEMOLITION, I.E.
I RECOMMEND THAT THE DIRECTOR BE GRANTED THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE A TEMPORARY OPERATING LICENSE TO COMPANIES THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR A SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE AND ARE IN THE QUEUE FOR REVIEW AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
CLARIFY A REQUIREMENT ABOUT WASTE CONTAINER MARKINGS, WHICH IS ALREADY A REQUIREMENT OF FRANCHISEES, BUT CLARIFICATION IN THE CITY CODE WOULD HELP ENFORCE THE REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE FROM THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM FRANCHISE REQUIREMENTS AND POTENTIAL BAD ACTORS.
WE PROPOSE ELIMINATING THE NOTARIZATION REQUIREMENTS ON FRANCHISE APPLICATIONS, WHICH WILL EASE A BURDEN ON BUSINESSES AND ALLOW A MORE STREAMLINED ADOPTION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION AND FRANCHISE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE PAPER SYSTEM STILL IN PLACE TODAY.
MODIFY REQUIREMENTS TO CLARIFY THAT SOLID WASTE COLLECTION VEHICLES MUST MEET ALL STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, AND WILL BE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION BY THE CITY AS APPROPRIATE, WE PROPOSE DELETING THE REQUIREMENT THAT VEHICLES DISPLAY A DECAL ISSUED BY THE CITY.
PRIMARY ENFORCEMENT IS DONE THROUGH WASTE COLLECTION CONTAINERS RATHER THAN THE VEHICLES.
FINALLY, WE PROPOSE THAT LANGUAGE IN THE CITY CODE BE REVIEWED AND AMENDED AS NECESSARY TO CLARIFY THAT FRANCHISEES ARE SUBJECT TO CIVIL CITATIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE FRANCHISE ORDINANCE OR CITY CODE, IN ADDITION TO OTHER REMEDIES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS REMAIN SUBJECT TO FURTHER CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW FOR LEGAL CONFORMITY.
IF SO, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE TIMELINE MOVING FORWARD.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, AND WITH THAT WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
THIS PERMIT AND THE FEES THEY PAY ARE IN ADDITION TO THE COST WHEN THEY ARE DROPPING OFF A LOAD, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM, AND SO PRIVATE SOLID WASTE HAULERS MAY DISPOSE OF WASTE ANYWHERE.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DISPOSE OF WASTE AT A CITY FACILITY.
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IS THERE A REASON FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER EACH? WELL, LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR.OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THESE CHANGES IF WE WISH TO DO SO, BUT WE'RE NOT AUTHORIZING EACH ACTUAL--WE ARE? YES, MA'AM. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, SO THE FRANCHISES, PER THE CITY CHARTER FRANCHISES, SOLID WASTE FRANCHISES MUST BE GRANTED BY ORDINANCE.
SO IF YOU CAN JUST PAUSE FOR A SECOND THERE.
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT THING FOR US TO CHANGE WHEN WE JUST CHANGE OUR CHARTER.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING A LIST? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE IN TEN YEARS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS HAPPENING.
IS THERE A CITY ATTORNEY LIST OF ORDINANCE, POSSIBLE CHANGES AND IF NOT, CAN YOU CREATE A SHARED DOCUMENT FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND START ADDING THEM IN.
SINCE IT'S STILL FRESH ON OUR MINDS, WE COULD PROBABLY, AND WELL, WHENEVER WE DO IT NEXT TO THE CHARTER. OKAY.
FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ARE ALL IDENTICAL.
WELL, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR AT SOME POINT WHAT THAT ADVANTAGE WOULD BE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS.
THEY PUT IN THE INSURANCE, LIKE THIS SHOULD JUST BE DONE AND DONE.
I MEAN, THIS SHOULD BE A FIVE MINUTE PROCESS INSTEAD OF NINE BOXES ON A SLIDE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING A REVISED SLIDE AT SOME POINT THAT HAS A LOT LESS BOXES, INCLUDING IF THEY'RE SUBMITTING A MONTHLY REVENUE REPORT AND FEE.
WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DO AN ANNUAL REPORT ALSO? WOULDN'T IT JUST BE THE ACCUMULATION OF THE 12 MONTHS? ONE WOULD THINK SO. AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE'VE INHERITED, OUR ORDINANCES THAT ARE ADOPTED THAT REQUIRE THE MONTHLY AND ANNUAL REPORTING.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO GOING FORWARD TO ELIMINATE THE ANNUAL REPORT REQUIREMENT.
OKAY. WELL, HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY IN INDUSTRY IS LISTENING SO THAT THEY CAN REMEMBER ALSO TO TELL US TO PLEASE CHANGE THIS BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM EXTREMELY ANTIQUATED. MY NEXT ITEM IS SO YOU SAID THAT THE FUNDS FOR THIS ARE GOING TO THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? IT'S NOT GOING BACK INTO SANITATION.
CORRECT, AND IS NOT DESIGNATED FOR ANYTHING.
YES IT IS. IT IS DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY TO STREET.
YES, MA'AM. SO IN TALKING ABOUT THESE VENDORS, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PICK UP IF IT'S ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL BEFORE 7 A.M..
I KNOW WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT.
CODE COMPLIANCE ISN'T AROUND BEFORE 7 A.M.
TO HEAR IT. SEE IT? BUT OUR RESIDENTS ARE.
HOW ARE YOU ADDRESSING THOSE SORTS OF INFRACTIONS? SO I HAD A SANITATION ENFORCEMENT SUPERVISOR OUT AT 4 A.M.
THIS MORNING, MONITORING FOR A SPECIFIC COMPLAINT THAT WE RECEIVED LATE LAST WEEK.
SO CODE COMPLIANCE GENERALLY IS ENFORCING CITY ORDINANCES AGAINST PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS WITH REGARDS TO THE COMPANIES THAT ARE THE CITY'S FRANCHISEES THAT MAY BE VIOLATING CITY CODE.
WE HAVE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US TO ENFORCE THE CITY ORDINANCES.
SO WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH A NOTICE OF VIOLATION, IT CAN PROGRESS TO CITATION.
THE CITY COUNCIL CAN LEVY CIVIL PENALTIES.
SO THERE'S PLENTY OF TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX.
IT'S JUST AT THIS POINT, THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SO BIG, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO FOCUS IN ON THOSE PRIMARY COMPANIES THAT ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF HAULING SOLID WASTE.
IT'S OUR GOAL GOING FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO BETTER MANAGE THE PROGRAM.
SO ARE YOU ABLE TO LOOK AT SERVICE REQUESTS FOR PICKUP OUTSIDE OF THE HOURS THAT ARE ALLOWED.
[00:35:07]
WHAT WE'RE NORMALLY LOOKING FOR ARE NOISE COMPLAINTS, AND THOSE GENERALLY DO COME BACK TO US THROUGH CODE COMPLIANCE BUT SO YOU'RE GETTING LIKE A MONTHLY REPORT OR A QUARTERLY REPORT.NO. THEY WOULD COME TO US AS AS NEEDED AS THEY COME THROUGH.
YES, MA'AM. AND YOU'RE TRACKING, LIKE, WHO THE VENDOR IS FOR EACH OF THOSE? WHERE WE CAN.
SO IN SOME CASES, IF IT COULD BE A BAD ACTOR, SOMEONE WHO'S AUTHOR OR OPERATING OUTSIDE OF THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THE CITY TO DO SO. THOSE ARE HARDER TO TRACK, BUT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.
WELL, MY DISTRICT IS A VERY LARGE VENDOR.
SO WHAT WE WHAT WE AIM TO DO GOING FORWARD IS FOCUS OUR COMPLIANCE ON THE CONTAINERS, MAKING SURE THEY'RE MARKED WITH THE FRANCHISEES NAME OR TRADE NAME AND ANY CONTAINERS THAT WERE COMING ACROSS THAT AREN'T APPROPRIATELY MARKED.
WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO IMPOUND CONTAINERS THAT AREN'T IN PLACE LAWFULLY.
IT'S NOT A CONTAINER ISSUE, AND IT'S NOT EVEN IT'S THE NOISE, THE EARLY PICK UP.
EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY EARLY IN THE MORNING.
I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON ANY SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS THAT YOU'RE GETTING.
TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE BEING ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP AS WE TALKED ABOUT YOUR PICKUP.
ALLEY VERSUS CURB, WHICH IS I DO THINK THAT ESPECIALLY IN RAISING THESE PRICES, WE OUGHT.
TO CONSIDER ALLOWING THESE FIRMS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALLOW.
A NEIGHBORHOOD TO OPT OUT OF OUR OWN SANITATION PROGRAM IF IT'S NOT MEETING THEIR NEEDS.
THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR BLACKMON.
SO THE WHAT WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO THESE COMPANIES FROM A 4 TO 6% INCREASE? I DON'T THINK I SO I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION FOR YOU SPECIFICALLY TO INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES.
YEAH, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A RANGE.
I DON'T, SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE LARGE COMPANIES THAT ARE IN THE PRIMARY BUSINESS OF SOLID WASTE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GENERATING MOST OF THE REVENUE THAT'S BEING REMITTED TO THE CITY. THE SMALLER COMPANIES, THE 4% IS ALMOST A DE MINIMIS AMOUNT.
I DID LOOK AT I GUESS IT'S CHAPTER 14 OF FRANCHISES.
IT'S LIKE ALL FRANCHISES, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST SANITATION.
I'M SORRY. THAT SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE IN CHAPTER 18.
WASTE. I MEAN, SO IT'S LIKE IF WE AMEND THIS CHAPTER, I'M SORRY.
THE CITY CHARTER. OH, CITY CHARTER.
I'M SORRY. YEAH, I KIND OF AGREE THAT IF IT'S ONE OFFS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, SHOULD WE CREATE A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS FOR A TEMPORARY ONE? BUT I DO WOULD LIKE TO I THINK WE DO NEED TO KNOW THE ONES THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY ON OUR STREETS DOING A LOT OF I MEAN THEY DO CREATE THEY DO SOME DAMAGE TO OUR STREETS.
SURE. BECAUSE I THINK IT IS KIND OF CUMBERSOME IF YOU'RE JUST DOING A ONE OFF ONE, AND LET ME AND JUST TO POINT OUT THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHARTER IS IT GRANTS THE CITY COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE OR AUTHORIZE FRANCHISES.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE CITY TO AUTHORIZE FRANCHISES.
SO IT'S IN CHAPTER 18 THAT LAYS OUT THE EXACT REQUIREMENTS OF SOLID WASTE FRANCHISEES.
SO THAT THERE IS SOME ROOM TO AMEND HOW THE PROCESS IS HANDLED.
RIGHT, BUT IF IT'S WANTING TO DO BUSINESS, LIKE, THEN WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE A MORE FORMAL PROCESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A FEW YEARS AGO, THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A LICENSING PROCESS FOR COMPANIES HAULING RECYCLABLE MATERIALS FROM MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES. SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE CHARTER WOULD SEEM TO.
OKAY. SO THIS GOES INTO EFFECT FOR 125.
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OKAY, AND THEN SO HOW MUCH WOULD BE THAT FIRST YEAR FOR 25? IS IT GOING TO BE 75, HALF A YEAR? CORRECT. WE ESTIMATE 1.5 MILLION ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR FY 25 BASED ON AN APRIL 1ST EFFECTIVE DATE, BECAUSE YEAH, WE NEED SOME MORE INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS.SO IT HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED SINCE.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
JANETTE WEEDON, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
JOINING ME THIS AFTERNOON, IVAN GUEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS ITEM C ON YOUR AGENDA.
MOVING ON TO SLIDE NUMBER THREE.
CITY CHARTER REQUIRES CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL TO TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, AND WE ARE REQUESTING CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL TO TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
ON SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 18TH.
THE BUDGET HAS NOT BEEN AMENDED SINCE SEPTEMBER 18TH.
THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS A REALLOCATION OF FUNDS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO CREATE THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, AS AUTHORIZED BY THE VOTERS ON NOVEMBER THE 5TH. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WAS A SEPARATE DIVISION IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET IS 1.3-1.4 MILLION.
WE ARE MOVING 1.1, WHICH IS THE REMAINING BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
ON SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, STAFF RECOMMENDS AMENDING THE BUDGET ON DECEMBER 11TH.
SIMILAR TO PRIOR YEARS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE BUDGET EACH MONTH.
REPORT THE STATUS BACK TO YOU ALL AS PART OF THE BUDGET MONTHLY BUDGET ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR PREPARED REMARKS AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANYBODY ONLINE? LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
ANYBODY? I'M NOT SEEING ANY NODS.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM E.
ANYONE? I'M NOT SEEING ANY NODS.
ITEM F IS THE I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE.
THIS IS A DECEMBER 11TH AGENDA ITEM FOR FEE STUDY.
I THINK IT'S THE ABANDONMENT FEE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU JUST GIVE US THE JUSTIFICATION ON WHY WE'RE MORE THAN DOUBLING OUR ABANDONMENT FEE? SURE, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT TO ASSIST.
THIS FEE WAS STUDIED AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL FEE STUDY REVIEW.
SO THE RECOMMENDED FEE IS REALLY THE FULL COST RECOVERY, AND SO IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE FEE STUDY.
IT WAS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET.
IT WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S INCLUDED IN TWO SECTIONS.
IN CHAPTER TWO, IT WAS INCLUDED IN ONE SECTION AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE SECOND SECTION, AND SO THIS ITEM ADDS IT TO THE SECOND SECTION OF CHAPTER TWO, AND SO THE FEES WENT UP BASED ON JUST OUR INTERNAL COST OF PROCESSING ABANDONMENTS.
IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. THAT'S CORRECT.
WHY WOULD IT COST DOUBLE MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT IT USED TO COST TO DO AN ABANDONMENT.
SO THE MINIMUM PROCESSING FEE WENT FROM 7800 TO 11,150.
THE ORDINANCE CHANGED FROM 5400.
IT HADN'T BEEN UPDATED, THOUGH. OKAY.
RIGHT. WHY DOES IT COST SO MUCH TO PROCESS AN ABANDONMENT? THROUGH THE COST STUDY.
[00:45:01]
IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE THIS GOES THROUGH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS TO BE REVIEWED.ALSO IN REGARDS TO THE SURVEYS THAT HAVE TO BE REVIEWED, THE APPRAISALS THAT HAVE TO BE OBTAINED AS WELL AS GOES THROUGH CITY ATTORNEY FOR FINAL APPROVAL, THEN ULTIMATELY IT IS PLACED ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
SO LOOKING AT ALL THE TIME FRAMES THAT THE STAFF OF COURSE TOUCHES OR LOOKS AT THE FILE IS THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE DUE TO THE COST STUDY WE DID? YEAH, I JUST STRUGGLE WITH THIS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SOLUTION BECAUSE WE WANT TO WE, AS A COUNCIL ADOPTED A POLICY OF FULL COST RECOVERY, WHICH WE NEED TO DO GIVEN OUR BUDGET SITUATION, BUT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE ABANDONMENT OF CITY PROPERTY.
SO THAT PEOPLE TAKE THAT ON AND THEY START MAINTAINING IT.
SO IT'S NOT A THIS IS AN OVERALL POLICY DISCUSSION, NOT JUST A SPECIFIC ITEM DISCUSSION.
TODAY, BUT IT'S JUST AN ISSUE I HAVE I'D LIKE TO DIG INTO LATER.
CHAIR? OH YEAH, I HEAR SOMEBODY.
YEAH, MR. MORENO, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU. THIS IS FOR STAFF AND I'M TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE MEMO.
DO WE HAVE, IF ADOPTED, DO WE HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ABANDONMENTS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE OR THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED CURRENTLY, THAT THERE'S NOT AN OVERLAP OR THAT WE'RE GIVING AN EXPECTATION TO A DEVELOPER TODAY AND THEN CHANGING IT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN APPLICATION.
GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBER.
I KNOW FROM WHEN THE ABANDONMENT FEES WERE INCREASED, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, THERE WERE SOME IN THE PIPELINE IN WHICH HAD PAID THE I GUESS THE PREVIOUS APPLICATION FEE, WHICH THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN THAT, IN THAT FEE, BUT WHEN THE ACTUAL ABANDONMENT CAME TO COUNCIL, THEN IT WOULD BE BASED ON WHAT THE NEW FEE WAS, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, BUT WE HAVE MADE THE APPLICANTS WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS AWARE OF ANY FEE INCREASES THAT MAY BE AFFECTED.
THIS IS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS UPDATE.
DID I SAY THAT IT'S A TONGUE TWISTER? I'M NOT DOING THAT AGAIN.
SOMEONE HAD QUESTIONS ON THIS.
THANK YOU. WELL, I LOVE SEEING THE FIRST PAGE, WHICH LISTS THE 20 DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS WHERE ALL DOLLARS ARE EITHER SPENT OR ENCUMBERED, BUT THEN YOU TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE AND THERE'S 27 LINE ITEMS WHERE THERE'S FUNDS THAT ARE NOT FULLY ENCUMBERED, AND WHAT I REALLY LIKE IS TO SEE A PAGE AFTER THAT, BUT THERE ISN'T ONE THAT EXPLAINS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 27 AND WHY WE HAVEN'T EITHER SPENT IT OR ENCUMBERED IT AT THIS POINT.
I MEAN, THE BILL WAS SIGNED MARCH 21ST.
WE GOT OUR FIRST TRANCHE, MAY OF 21, OUR SECOND TRANCHE MID 2022, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE SOME VERY LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNTS SITTING OUT THERE, AND I DON'T REALLY WANT TO SIT HERE AND HEAR ALL 27 EXPLANATIONS AT THIS POINT, BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ACTUALLY THE ANSWER FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM.
SO TO SAVE ALL OF US THAT GRIEF, IF YOU COULD POSSIBLY WRITE IT OUT AND MAYBE SEND IT AS A FRIDAY MEMO, I WOULD GUESS I MIGHT NOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER MENDELSOHN FEEDBACK RECEIVED, AND ACTUALLY, WE HAD PLANNED TO BRIEF CITY COUNCIL IN JANUARY WITH A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING A REALLOCATION OF FUNDING, AND AS PART OF THAT RECOMMENDATION, WE WERE GOING TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK REGARDING PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD SO WE CAN PROVIDE AN UPDATE OR WE CAN PROVIDE IT AS PART OF THE JANUARY BRIEFING.
I MEAN, THIS IS 27 ITEMS PLUS WHATEVER ELSE WE'RE BEING BRIEFED ON, AND HONESTLY, WE NEED MORE TIME, AND ESPECIALLY IF, LET'S SAY THERE'S FIVE THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS ON, THAT'S FIVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND SO I WOULD JUST APPRECIATE JUST GETTING THE UPDATE.
NOW, EVEN IF ONE OF THE ITEMS, LET'S SAY THE FIRST ITEM ON HERE IS CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IF YOU SAY THIS ITEM IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR CHANGES IN THE BRIEFING, AND THAT'S FINE, I'LL LEAVE IT ALONE, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE.
[00:50:01]
SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET IT SOONER I THINK THAT WOULD BE PREFERRED.I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT AS WELL.
I WAS CONCERNED AS WELL, AT THE $100 MILLION IN TOTAL UNENCUMBERED ARPA, 107 MILLION ARPA UNENCUMBERED FUNDS. WHAT'S THE IS THERE SOME KIND OF TIMELINE OR DEADLINE ON WHEN THESE HAVE TO BE ENCUMBERED OR AND OR SPENT? SO WE'RE STILL FOLLOWING THE TREASURY DEADLINE OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FUNDS SPENT BY THE 2026 DEADLINE.
SO THAT IS THE GUIDANCE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT AGAIN, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THOSE PROJECTS ARE NO LONGER VIABLE, AND SO WE WILL BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL TO REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS.
SO STAFF WILL BE BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION FORWARD IN JANUARY, AND IF I MAY ADD TO THAT, YOU MAY RECALL, I BELIEVE THERE WAS TWO DIFFERENT TIMES THAT WE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL A PART OF OUR BUDGET ORDINANCE TO REALLOCATE BETWEEN ARPA FUND, WHICH IS A FEDERAL GRANT FUND, AND SWITCH THAT OUT WITH FUNDING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THOSE FUNDS, THAT'S WHAT THE SECOND PAGE IS.
SO WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE WERE DELAYED IN GETTING ENCUMBERED, ETC..
SO BUT WE'RE TREATING THEM THE SAME WITH THE SAME 26 DEADLINE, AND LIKE JANETTE MENTIONED, WE WILL GET YOU AN UPDATE IN JANUARY FOR FULL COUNCIL, AND AGAIN, WE HEARD YOUR COMMENT IF WE COULD DO IT SOONER.
YEAH. SO IT WAS AN EXCELLENT IDEA TO UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE OVERTIME FOR FIRE, AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT, AND HONESTLY, I WOULD HAVE DONE IT RIGHT UP FRONT BECAUSE THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS ALL OF THOSE ITEMS DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A DEADLINE, AND THAT IS LITERALLY WHY OUR JOB IS TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKING SURE THE PROJECTS GET DELIVERED, AND I MEAN, IT'S $100 MILLION, $107 MILLION SITTING THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS.
THERE'S NOT A MEETING THAT DOESN'T GO BY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT NEEDS IN THEIR PARTICULAR DISTRICT OR NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I HEAR FROM JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, WE ALL HEAR ABOUT NEEDS AND OTHER PEOPLE'S DISTRICTS AS WELL, AND SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT DECISIONS WILL BE MADE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOSH, IF YOU CAN'T SPEND IT BY THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT TO SOMETHING THAT'S GOT A MORE URGENT DEADLINE, AND THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, BUILDING REPAIR AND OTHER OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO HAPPEN.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE ASSUMING YOU HAVE THE SIMILAR DEADLINE, EVEN THOUGH, OF COURSE YOU DON'T, BUT THAT DEADLINE SHOULD BE THE COUNCIL AND THAT KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL REQUESTING THIS MONTHLY.
IT KEEPS IT IN FRONT OF US, AND IT KEEPS IT IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON TOP OF IT.
NEXT IS ITEM H, WHICH IS THE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM ON USING CDBG FUNDS FOR LEGAL AID OF NORTHWEST TEXAS.
ANYBODY? NO? ITEM I IS THE CITY AUDITOR'S MONTHLY INTERNAL UPDATE ON AUDITS.
ANYBODY? NO? ITEM J IS REVIEW OF THE FAIR PARK MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
WE CAN GET STAFF UP HERE OR THE AUDITOR.
THIS MIGHT END UP NEEDING SOME CITY ATTORNEY HELP ON THIS TOO.
COULD YOU, MARK, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND JUST EXPLAIN WHAT THIS ITEM IS IN A COUPLE SENTENCES, PLEASE? ALL RIGHT. MARK SWANN, CITY AUDITOR.
THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR FAIR PARK BRIEFING EARLIER, AND YOU HAD REQUESTED THAT WE REVIEW THE AUDIT COSTS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE IN THE CONTRACTS AND GET BACK TO YOU.
SO THIS IS THAT GET BACK TO YOU, AND WE DID LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS WITH THE DIFFERENT PARTIES AND BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ADEQUATE PROVISIONS TO ALLOW AUDITS TO BE CONDUCTED AS NEEDED BUT WE DID BELIEVE THAT THERE COULD BE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDING SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF RECORDS AND JUST IMPROVING FUTURE CONTRACT CLAUSES, AND
[00:55:04]
WE PROPOSED HAVING A STUDY GROUP COMMITTEE BETWEEN THE CITY AUDITOR AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.THE CITY ITSELF CANNOT JUMP OVER FAIR PARK FIRST AND GO AUDIT AND REVIEW THE BOOKS OF OVG OURSELVES.
RIGHT. WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH FAIR PARK FIRST.
FAIR PARK FIRST. OKAY, BUT THROUGH THEM, WE CAN REQUEST AN AUDIT AND GET ANY INFORMATION THAT WE REQUIRE TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT AND DIRECTLY. THAT'S THE HARDEST CHALLENGE FOR US IS I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, THE BUCK STOPS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WITH CITY COUNCIL, AND SO IF WE'VE GOT A SUBCONTRACTOR OF A NONPROFIT THAT'S THREE LEVELS UNDERNEATH US, WE'VE STILL GOT TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
SO ARE YOU IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO WITHOUT GETTING I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP WE CAN GET CITY ATTORNEY IN THE REALM OF LEGALITY HERE, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO REWORK OUR CONTRACTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE BETTER OVERSIGHT FROM A COUNCIL AND A CITY MANAGER LEVEL OVER THE OVG CONTRACT? I DON'T KNOW WHO I'M LOOKING AT.
OH, CONNIE'S ONLINE? MISS TANKERSLEY, CAN YOU HEAR US? HELLO, THIS IS CONNIE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE ME, THOUGH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT. WE CAN'T SEE YOU YET.
YES. SO TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT IMPROVING THE AMENDING THE CONTRACT WITH OVG OR FAIR PARK FIRST SO THAT WE HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER OVG.
IT WOULD REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT BETWEEN THE WITH FAIR PARK FIRST, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THEIR CONTRACT WITH OVG BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SUB-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
SO I HOPE THAT ADDRESSES YOUR QUESTION IF I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY.
WELL I A LITTLE YOU TOUCHED ON IT.
WHAT'S THE WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED PATHWAY MOVING FORWARD FOR FOR US AS A COUNCIL.
IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN? IS THAT YOUR PLAN? SO THE WORKING GROUP THAT HE'S REFERRING TO WAS IN IMPROVING THE AUDIT PROVISIONS.
SO WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE AUDIT PROVISION, HE WAS RECOMMENDING THAT THOSE THREE ITEMS THAT ARE IN HIS MEMO TO PROVIDE MORE EXAMPLES OF WHO WHAT KIND OF THINGS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF THE RECORDS THAT SHOULD BE REQUESTED WHEN WE DO AUDIT, EXERCISE OUR RIGHTS TO AUDIT THE NUMBER WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE AUDIT, LIKE WHO FROM THE CITY REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE RECORDS OR BE PART OF THE REQUESTING GROUP AND THEN OF COURSE, LIKE HOW FAR IT CAN EXTEND TO OUR AUDIT PROVISION IS A GENERAL PROVISION.
WE FEEL LIKE IT'S ADEQUATE IN TERMS OF CAPTURING ALL THAT, BUT IT'S NOT ILLUSTRATIVE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT DOESN'T GIVE EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC RECORDS.
IT DOESN'T GIVE A LAUNDRY LIST OF RECORDS TO THOSE PARTIES, AND SO WE DON'T CALL OUT.
BY THE WAY, IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE ALL YOUR SUBCONTRACTOR CONTRACTS AND ALL OF THEIR RECORDS, AND I THINK WHAT, MARK, WHAT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE BRINGS TO THE TABLE IN A DISCUSSION THAT WE COULD IMPROVE ON IS THAT THEY CAN, FROM A PRACTICAL OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, GIVE US EXAMPLES OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WORK WITH, WHAT KIND OF RECORDS.
WHO ARE THE PARTIES THAT ARE ENGAGED IN WITH OUR VENDORS THAT HOLD THOSE RECORDS, THAT WE COULD IMPROVE ON OUR AUDIT PROVISION AND INCORPORATE BY EXAMPLE? SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO.
HE'S NOT SPECIFICALLY WHILE IT COULD IMPROVE ON THE FAIR PARK FIRST CONTRACT, IT'S MORE OF A GLOBAL IMPROVEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO ALL CONTRACTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT DETAILED ANSWER, AND ALSO, THANK YOU, MR. SWANN, FOR YOUR WORK ON FAST AND DETAILED WORK ON THIS.
VICE CHAIR? GOOD, CONNIE BECAUSE I WAS HOPING THAT WAS THAT WAS GOING TO BE.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE THIS INTO A LOT OF CONTRACTS THAT RECEIVE SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FUND, SOME KIND OF EXTERNAL, I GUESS, FUNDING, NOT FUNDING, BUT RECEIPTS, IF YOU WILL AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE SEEING THAT ACROSS OUR CITY THAT THERE'S KIND OF A LAX IN THOSE PROCESSES.
[01:00:01]
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I THINK YOU KNOW JUST WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.YES, I DO, I WE HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY ENGAGED IN SOME OF THOSE CONTRACTS WHERE WE HAVE HAD SOME IMPEDIMENTS RAISED BY THIRD PARTIES AND THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS, AND I THINK WHAT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS RAISED HAS BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION, AND IT AS I SAID IT CAN BE VERY HELPFUL AND IMPROVEMENT AND AN IMPROVEMENT, AN ENHANCEMENT TO OUR AUDIT PROVISION, AND WE INTEND TO WORK WITH HIS OFFICE TO INCORPORATE AND EXPAND THE AUDIT PROVISION SO THAT IT IS CLEAR TO ANY PARTY THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH THAT THIS IS GOING TO FLOW DOWN TO ANY PARTY THAT YOU ENGAGE TO FULFILL ANY OF YOUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER OUR CONTRACT.
SO IF SOME OF THESE ARE PARKS, PROJECTS OR PARKS, THEN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GO? BECAUSE THEY'RE SEPARATE, RIGHT? SO ARE YOU GOING TO WORK WITH THEM TO GET THIS PROVISION AND SPECIFICALLY TO THIS ONE AND TO OTHERS? SO EVEN THOUGH THE DEPARTMENT FOR SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH THE DEPARTMENT IS UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF THE PARK BOARD, AS FAR AS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS CONCERNED, WE USE THE SAME CONTRACT FORMS AND THE CONTRACT TEMPLATES.
SO WE DON'T DRAFT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
WE USE THE SAME FORMS AND WE USE THE SAME BOILERPLATE PROVISIONS.
WE WOULD CONSIDER THE AUDIT PROVISION AMONG THOSE BOILERPLATE.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, INCORPORATE FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE WHO IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS PROVISION WOULD BE HELPFUL AND BENEFICIAL TO ALL DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE WOULD WE WOULD WE WOULD TRY TO KEEP IT STANDARDIZED.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ARE GOING TO GO ON TO ITEM K.
I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BEGIN TO READ THAT.
IT'S MY BIRTHDAY. BE NICE TO ME.
THE 711 SOUTH SAINT PAUL SURPLUS SALE AND DEMOLITION PROJECT UPDATE.
THE TECHNOLOGY ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT.
CHAIR MENDELSOHN. IT IS MY FAVORITE.
OKAY. SO ON PAGE 39, FIRE ALERTING SYSTEM.
SO FIRST OFF, THE ENTIRE SECTION.
I REALIZE NOW I HAVE NEVER SAID THIS TO YOU, BUT IT NEEDS A START DATE COLUMN.
BRIAN GARDNER INTERIM CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A START DATE ADDED INTO PAGE.
I'D LIKE A START DATE FOR ALL OF THESE, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, MAYBE EVEN SINCE THIS ENTIRE REPORT WAS STARTED, AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND SEE HOW LONG THINGS HAVE BEEN THERE.
WE'VE HEARD FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE SAID, WELL, IT'S ON THEIR LIST, IT'S NOT MOVING, AND I KNOW YOU ARE CONSTANTLY JUGGLING PRIORITIES BECAUSE SOMETHING COMES UP AND IT HAS TO GET FIXED RIGHT AWAY, BUT I STILL THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW LONG IT'S TAKING, BECAUSE YOU MIGHT JUST NEED MORE RESOURCES.
I HEAR THE ASK, AND WE WILL LOOK INTO ADDING THAT TO THE TAR.
OKAY. SO THEN THE UPDATE FOR THE FIRE STATION ALERTING SYSTEM.
SO YOU HAVE DOWN FOR ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE AS PENDING.
SO THE FIRE STATION ALERTING DOES GO TO CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW FOR APPROVAL.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT DISCUSSING WITH THE VENDOR TO GET THAT COMPLETION.
THE INITIAL ESTIMATE WAS 18 TO 24 MONTHS TO GETTING THAT COMPLETED.
THERE ARE SOME BUILDING SERVICE COMPONENTS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IN THIS.
GIVEN WHERE THEY HAVE TO REWIRE AND PUT NEW SPEAKERS AND THOSE KIND OF PHYSICAL PIECES.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THE VENDOR TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO EXPEDITE THAT AS BEST WE CAN, GIVEN THOSE CONSTRAINTS, BUT WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO SHORTEN THAT TIME FRAME.
SO IT'S A VERY LARGE CONTRACT.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S A VERY LARGE COMPANY THAT'S GETTING THE CONTRACT.
[01:05:05]
VENDOR WHO HAS A VERY LARGE OFFICE IN DALLAS AND A VERY LARGE PRESENCE HERE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE TO REWIRE 59 FIRE STATIONS A WHOLE LOT FASTER THAN THAT, LIKE MULTIPLE TEAMS WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY.I'M SORRY. I'VE READ THE SCOPE.
I HAVE FOLLOWED THIS VERY CLOSELY.
OBVIOUSLY, I COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS FREQUENTLY TO ALL SIDES ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE, BUT 18 TO 24 MONTHS, I MEAN, MY HEAD NEARLY EXPLODED. SO I HOPE THAT IN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS YOU HAVE PUT A FINAL DATE THAT IS MUCH, MUCH SHORTER, LIKE NO MORE THAN SIX MONTHS KIND OF THING.
OKAY. SO IF WE COULD GO TO PAGE 39, LOOKING AT THE IMPACT MINUTES BY ISSUE CATEGORY FOR OCTOBER, SEVERITY ONE AND TWO AND SECURITY IS PRETTY HIGH AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE.
YEAH. I'M SORRY, IT'S PAGE 14 OF YOUR REPORT.
THERE YOU GO. I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THAT IMPACT WAS, BUT I WILL GET THAT BACK TO YOU.
AFTER REVIEWING WHAT THOSE INCIDENTS WERE.
OKAY. SO THEN PAGE 21, THIS IS, I THINK, THE MOST ALARMING PAGE IN HERE, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR TECHNICAL DEBT, AND SO YOU'VE IDENTIFIED 403 SERVERS.
THIS IS ON PAGE 21 THAT NEED OPERATING SYSTEM OR APPLICATION UPGRADES, AND THEN YOU REFINED IT SAYING ONE SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT THIS YEAR IS THE ELEVATION OF 116 SERVERS THAT WERE RUNNING OR OPERATING SYSTEMS FROM 2012 OR EARLIER.
SO WHEN YOU ARE SHOWING US THE 46% CRITICAL, 18% HIGH CRITICAL AND 36% LOW.
I MEAN, THIS THIS SEEMS PRETTY ALARMING.
SOME OF THESE AND I WILL SPEAK GENERALLY ON THEY WILL BE FAIRLY EASY UPGRADES DEPENDING UPON THE APPLICATION LEVEL, AND WE CAN GO BACK AND DO THAT. SO THE 403 IS ALARMING.
SO THEY'RE NOT CRITICAL AND VERY HIGH.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT CYCLICAL WITH THE WAY WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEMS WORK.
OKAY. WHAT WOULD BE THE COST TO DO THOSE 403 SERVERS.
SOME MAY BE ALREADY IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE AND THERE'LL BE NO ADDITIONAL COST, BUT WE STILL WANT TO IDENTIFY THOSE AS CRITICAL TECHNICAL DEBT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS. SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE COSTS ASSOCIATED DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF THE APPLICATION.
SO THE 403, THOSE ARE THE 46% CRITICAL.
NO, I WOULD SAY THEY'RE PROBABLY BROKEN DOWN INTO A COUPLE OF THE CATEGORIES SO THAT WE KEEP IT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE VARIANCES ON PAGE 29 AND 30, YOU'VE GOT ALMOST 4.5 MILLION ON THE FIRST SECTION, THE SECOND FUND 766,000 AND THEN 11.7 MILLION ON THE THIRD FUND, AND SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE ANY OF THAT EXPECTED YEAR END FORECAST REMAINING DOLLARS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT ARE IN HERE? YES, MA'AM. WE ARE ALWAYS, AND THAT'S PART OF NOT JUST IT'S STRATEGIC DIRECTION TO ADDRESS TECHNICAL DEBT, BUT IT'S ALSO PART OF THE CITY MANAGER'S STRATEGIC DIRECTION TO ADDRESS TECHNICAL DEBT AND GETTING RID OF AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
OBVIOUSLY, TECHNICAL DEBT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE.
WHAT'S THE OLDEST THING YOU HAVE? PREFER NOT TO BRING IT INTO PUBLIC.
WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT FIRE ALERTING SYSTEM IS USING WINDOWS 97, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND SO IF YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY PROBABLY NEED TO MOVE UP IN THE PRIORITY LIST, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT, AND I HOPE YOU'LL USE THIS MONEY IF YOU NEED OUTSIDE FOLKS TO COME HELP YOU OR
[01:10:08]
WHATEVER YOU NEED, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.IT'S TERRIBLE WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT, BUT IT'S REALLY WORSE WHEN THE WATER GOES OUT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG AT CITY HALL, BUT WHEN IT GOES WRONG, WE ALL STOP, AND SO WE NEED YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN FUNCTIONALITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR US, AND SO, YOU KNOW, OVER 400 SERVERS BEING IN A CRITICAL SITUATION IS ALARMING TO ME, AND SO WHATEVER YOU NEED, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE ASKING US.
YES, MA'AM, AND THANK YOU AND COMPLETELY AGREE.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. THAT WAS ITEM N.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM P, THE HIGH SPEED RAIL DELEGATION TO JAPAN 2024.
SUMMARY OF EXPENSES, AND JUST TO GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE CONTEXT ON WHY THIS IS ON HERE AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WAS A TRIP TO JAPAN, I HAD TWO SEPARATE REQUESTS FROM FOLKS TO JUST GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE TRIP WAS ABOUT AND WHAT THE EXPENSES WERE GOING TO BE, AND WANTED TO INVITE STAFF TO JOIN US UP HERE TO JUST GIVE US A LITTLE HEADS UP ON THE TRIP.
I'LL LET YOU START IT OFF AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
DEBORAH STOKEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER THE SUSTAINABLE PORTFOLIO.
YOU KNOW, AS REQUESTED, WE SUBMITTED A MEMO SUMMARIZING THE COSTS OF THE TRIP AND PROVIDED YOU KNOW, THE FINAL ITINERARY FOR THE FIVE DAY TRIP TO JAPAN.
WE ARRIVED IN TOKYO ON NOVEMBER 7TH, AND HAD A FULL DAY THE NEXT DAY IN TOKYO, WHERE WE WHERE WE MET WITH THE US EMBASSY, THE FOREIGN MINISTER, AND THEN JAPAN CENTRAL.
WE HAD SOME CULTURAL ACTIVITIES THE FOLLOWING DAY.
WE GAVE THE DELEGATION SOME TIME OFF ON SUNDAY, AND BUT I KNOW THAT THE DELEGATION TOOK A LOT OF OF TRIPS AROUND THE, THE TOKYO AREA, AND THEN ON MONDAY, WE TOOK A TRIP USING THE HIGH SPEED RAIL FROM TOKYO TO NAGOYA.
GOT TO MEET WITH MANY INDIVIDUALS ON ON THAT TRIP AND UNDERSTAND TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN WE RETURNED ON TUESDAY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
AS WE INDICATED IN THE MEMO, WE WILL BE PROVIDING A FULL BRIEFING TO TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT GFM HAS ON OUR COSTS OF THE TRIP.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME AN INDICATION? LIKE WHO INVITED US TO GO OVER? HOW WAS IT DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING OVER AS A CITY? YOU KNOW, THE DECISION TO GO TO JAPAN WAS WAS MADE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING READY TO IMPLEMENT THIS O&M OR THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY.
AROUND HIGH SPEED RAIL, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD THE KINDS OF DECISIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER DEVELOPMENT.
BECAUSE THOSE TWO PROJECTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERCONNECT, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE KINDS OF DECISIONS THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS.
OKAY. WHY JAPAN AS OPPOSED TO LIKE CHINA OR LONDON OR SOMEWHERE ELSE? THE REASON TO GO TO JAPAN WAS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON IS THE SHINKANSEN TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS EXCLUSIVE TO JAPAN, WHO WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE GROUND INTRODUCING US TO THE TRAIN SYSTEM AND HOW EVERYTHING WORKS.
WE COORDINATED WITH WITH SEVERAL ENTITIES, BUT THE ENTITY ON THE GROUND WAS THE TEXAS JAPAN OFFICE, WHICH IS THE SAME ORGANIZATION THAT HAS WORKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER DELEGATIONS ACROSS TEXAS, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR WHO WAS THERE IN JULY, AND PLANO AND ESSENTIALLY EVERY DELEGATION FROM TEXAS.
[01:15:04]
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING USES THAT ORGANIZATION ON THE GROUND.WHAT IS THAT ORGANIZATION? IT'S CALLED THE TEXAS JAPAN OFFICE.
WHAT IS THEIR ROLE? LIKE ARE THEY A FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION? IS IT A GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION? THAT I WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO DEFER TO OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOLKS WHO WERE THE DIRECT COORDINATORS.
THANK YOU. JAKE ANDERSON, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
SO ARE THEY A NONPROFIT OR ARE THEY A FOR PROFIT OR ARE THEY GOVERNMENTAL? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY BUT I CAN CONFIRM THAT.
OKAY. I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT LEGISLATIVE TRAVEL, AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'M GOING TO BRING IT UP AT SOME POINT FOR THAT OR THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE AD HOC, BUT I REALLY FEEL LIKE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL BY COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE APPROVED BY THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT AS A STATEMENT.
SO, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE MEMO AND THE BREAKDOWN, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO TRANSPORTATION IN JANUARY, BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE US A HEADLINE, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? YOU KNOW, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT.
FIRST OF ALL YOU KNOW, THE VALUE OF THIS TRIP AND IN ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS WITH WITH JAPAN.
WE HAVE A DELEGATION FROM NAGOYA HERE TODAY THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS TRIP.
THEY ARE SEEKING DIRECT FLIGHT BETWEEN DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND NAGOYA, AND I DON'T I THINK THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THAT CONVERSATION HAD WE NOT JUST RECENTLY, IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS AGO, BEEN IN JAPAN WHERE WE MET WITH THEM AND THEY THEY GAVE US A HEADS UP THAT THIS WAS COMING.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE TAKEAWAY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THESE TRIPS DON'T RESULT IN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS.
IN FACT, WHEN WE MET WITH THE WITH THE US EMBASSY, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A CONTINUED DIALOG AND DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS, AND SO AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO HAVE AS PART OF THEIR PRIORITIES TO GO TO JAPAN ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO I THINK, I THINK THAT WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THAT ASPECT OF, OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AS PART OF THIS TRIP AS IT RELATES TO THE HIGH SPEED RAIL. YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE A LOT OF READING ON THE TRAIN SYSTEM AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT TO EXPERIENCE GOING 200 MILES AN HOUR AND TO SEE THAT JOURNEY FROM TOKYO TO NAGOYA, WHICH WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY A SIMILAR TRIP TO WHAT WE WOULD EXPERIENCE BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
WE ALSO JUST GOT TO EXPERIENCE HOW THEY DO WAYFINDING.
THE OTHER TAKEAWAY IS JUST TO SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES OF BEFORE, WHAT THINGS LOOKED LIKE BEFORE THEY HAD A STATION, WHICH WAS WHAT THEY CALL PHASE ONE, AND NOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IS THEY THINK ABOUT PHASE FIVE, AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST A GLIMPSE OF SOME OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE TRIP.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE USED OUR TIME YOU KNOW, PRETTY WISELY.
WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED EARLY IN THE DAY AND WE ENDED LATE IN THE DAY, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, SO I THINK WE TOOK THE FULL BENEFIT OF BEING THERE AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FULL BRIEFING IN JANUARY.
SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS OUR OVERALL INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY? AND I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE HAVE DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THOSE ARE BEING DROPPED OFF ON A DIRECT FLIGHT OR VERY IS A VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGY BUT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THIS IN OUR OVERALL DALLAS STRATEGY, AND I'M JUST ASKING IT NOW.
[01:20:04]
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE ME THAT ANSWER, BUT I DO THINK SOME OBJECTIVITY PUT IN HOW SELECTIONS ARE MADE, BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE KNEW WHAT INTERESTS WERE AND WHO WOULD GO, AND THEN IT WAS THERE YOU WERE GONE, GOING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, I MEAN, AND YOU WERE THERE REPRESENTING THE CITY, AND YOU WERE REQUIRED TO GO TO EVERYTHING AND BRING BACK THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, ISSUE A REPORT.SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL WENT.
I'VE BEEN ON THE TRAIN BETWEEN MADRID AND BARCELONA.
I THINK IT'S FABULOUS, BUT I DO THINK PUTTING SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS OUR STRATEGY AND THEN WHAT AND THEN WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVITY IN WHO DOES ATTEND AND JUST PUTTING SOME KIND OF UNDERSTANDING AROUND IT? I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY WITH THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR MISSION IS, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THESE INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL IN THAT AIRPORT'S NAME.
YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYBODY ONLINE? MR. CHAIR? YES.
THANK YOU. JUST FOLLOWING ALONG THE SAME LINES AS COUNCILWOMAN.
BLACKMON. I AGREE THAT THERE'S BENEFITS WITH THESE TYPES OF TRIPS, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY THIS PARTICULAR TRIP WAS KEPT UNDER WRAPS FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM OTHER CITY LEADERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT TO KEEP THIS TRIP UNDER WRAPS.
SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, THE I DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. RESENDEZ. VICE CHAIR? I FAILED TO ASK. MAYBE IN YOUR JANUARY BRIEFING, WHEN YOU COME BACK TO TRANSPORTATION, LET'S TALK ABOUT ALL OF OUR INTERNATIONAL TRIPS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN 1 OR 2 THAT'S BEEN TAKEN, BUT THAT'S HOW YOU UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PICTURE IS UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHY WE'RE GOING, AND WHAT ARE WE HOPING OUR OUTCOMES WOULD BE, AND THEN REPORTING AND THEN WORKING THOSE.
I MEAN, THERE IS A METHOD TO THIS MADNESS, AND I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT WOULD HELP PUT SOME LIGHT ON IT, BUT I THINK UNDERSTANDING WHERE HAVE ALL THE WHERE HAS ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY GONE BASED ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND WHY? BECAUSE AGAIN, WE OWN THE AIRPORT WITH AN INTERNATIONAL NAME IN IT.
SO I GUESS IF YOU ALL COULD BRING THAT WHEN YOU DO YOUR AS AN ADDENDUM OR WHATEVER OR APPENDIX TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS ALL OF OUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND WHY WE DID IT AND WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO GET OUT OF IT.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE ON THIS TRIP, AND IN THE ROLE OF DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I KNOW THAT THE INVITATION WAS ALSO EXTENDED TO OUR MAYOR AND OUR MAYOR PRO TEM AS WELL.
SO WITH A LOT OF SOCIETAL PROTOCOL IT WAS IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME ON BEING THE LEAD OF THE DELEGATION AND THAT ACTUALLY HAD A LOT MORE SIGNIFICANCE THAN A CEREMONIAL TITLE.
HERE I WILL SAY THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE HAVE EXPRESSED, DEV, IN THE IMPORTANCE AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TRIP.
I WILL ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON AND THESE TRIPS ARE NOT EASY.
IT WAS A FAST AND FURIOUS ONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS IN OUR TRAVELS.
I THINK THAT ABOUT THE SAME TOUR, IF YOU WILL, WITH THE SAME DELEGATES THAT WE MET WITH.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT JUST HAD RETURNED.
THIS PAST JULY, HE RENEWED AN MOU WITH THE PREFECTURE OF AICHI AND AICHI PREFECTURE ALONE HAS 31 SUBSIDIARIES OF COMPANIES THAT ARE BASED FROM THERE.
HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S AN ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CAPITALIZE ON THESE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND THAT'S WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM IT. I 100% LEFT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I THINK WE WERE SEEKING WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH SPEED RAIL, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK HOLISTICALLY AT GARNERING AND NURTURING THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES, IT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT
[01:25:08]
USED TO. QUITE FRANKLY, EVERYTHING THAT WE DEAL WITH HERE IN THE STATES, WITH OUR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR IS VERY TRANSACTIONAL, AND I REALIZED THAT OUR SHOWING WAS WAS VIEWED AS EXPOUNDING ON OTHER EFFORTS THAT HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE FROM THE GOVERNOR, FROM THE CITY OF PLANO, FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT I WANT TO NOTE THAT I WENT WITH AN INTENT TO LEARN ABOUT RAIL, AND I DID THAT, BUT, MAN, I CAME BACK WITH SO MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGE OF OF WHAT THIS WOULD OPEN UP, WHICH IS WHY I HAD LUNCH TODAY AT DFW WITH THE DELEGATION FROM JAPAN THAT DEB WAS MENTIONING.THAT'S HERE, SPEAKING WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES AND ADVOCATING FOR THIS DIRECT FLIGHT.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT A DIRECT FLIGHT TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE PREFECTURE OF IT THAT I JUST, YOU KNOW, ARTICULATED THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC SYNERGY THAT WE COULD BE CAPITALIZING ON.
SO I THINK THAT THOSE ARE SOME IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS THAT I WANTED TO ADD, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO JUST SEE, I KNOW, DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY LIKE, COMPARATIVE DATA THAT YOU COULD SPEAK TO? BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OF COURSE, LEARNED WHEN WE WERE THERE WAS HOW MANY JURISDICTIONS HAD BEEN ON THIS SAME TYPE OF TRIP.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU WERE ABLE TO COMPARE ANY OF THE COSTS THAT OUR TRIP ACCRUED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THE DELEGATION WE DID SEEK TO GET INFORMATION FROM FROM THE OTHER DELEGATIONS THAT WENT.
WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM ONE OF THE CITIES THAT HAS PROVIDED US WITH INFORMATION.
THEIR AVERAGE COST PER PERSON WAS ABOUT $17,000 PER PERSON, PER YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT OUR TRIP IN COMPARISON WAS WAS CERTAINLY WITHIN A REASONABLE RANGE IN COMPARISON TO THAT PARTICULAR DATA POINT. THANK YOU.
I WOULD SAY COLLEAGUES, I JUST ONE MORE TAKEAWAY GOING INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND SEEING THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF BILLS FILED, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT HIGH SPEED RAIL IN A MORE INTENTIONAL MANNER, INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR THINGS TO TAKE PLACE IN THE BACKGROUND, AND WE'RE WAITING TO SEE THINGS HAPPEN.
A THAT'S NOT HOW THINGS ARE DONE IN JAPAN.
B WE HAVE A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT WHO WANTS TO INVEST ALMOST HALF, IF NOT MORE, OF THE OVERALL PROJECT COST, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $40 BILLION PROJECT, BUT THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S BEING HAD STATEWIDE, AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO MATERIALIZE SOMETHING THAT CANNOT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY, AND FOR US TO NOT LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND BEYOND WHAT THIS IS AS A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, BUT TO FIND COMMON GROUNDS WITH SOME OF OUR RURAL PARTNERS, TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK TOWARDS PRODUCTIVE OUTCOME AT THE LEGISLATURE THIS NEXT SESSION, SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT ALL TEXANS, THE NINTH LARGEST ECONOMY OF OUR ENTIRE WORLD.
WE HAVE THAT RIGHT HERE AT HOME, AND SO I JUST I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS PROJECT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITHOUT US ACTIVELY SEEKING IT TO HAPPEN, DOING LEGWORK WITH THE RURAL COUNTIES THAT THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT, WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR DELEGATES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WILL BE TAKEN FROM SOMEONE ELSE, AND THE EAST COAST AND THE WEST COAST HAVE BOTH. REALLY DROPPED THE BALL ON THESE OPPORTUNITIES, AND IN ADDITION TO THE MEETING TODAY WITH JAPANESE DELEGATION, WE ALSO HAD AN IMPROMPTU MEETING WITH AMTRAK REPRESENTATIVES IN TAMPA DURING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND WE WERE THERE WITH DELEGATION MEMBERS OF BOTH THE HOUSTON COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE NEED TO START BEING VERY INTENTIONAL AND AGGRESSIVE WITH, SO THAT WE CAN SEE A PROJECT LIKE THIS ACTUALLY RESULT IN WHAT IT CAN BRING TO OUR CITY, REGION, STATE AND COUNTRY.
[01:30:04]
I KNOW THAT THIS WAS NOT EASY ON ME, JUST PARTICIPATING, BUT YOU ALL, IT WAS A VERY FLAWLESS TRIP FROM SUNUP TO SUNDOWN, AND I THINK IT WAS EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE AND A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF OUR CITY.THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? CHAIR WEST? YES, CHAIR.
THANK YOU. I TOO, WANT TO THANK DEB FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN GETTING THIS ALL PUT TOGETHER.
STAFF REALLY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHEN IT COMES TO THE SELECTION OF THE HOTEL STAY.
WHO WERE THEY RECOMMENDED BY AND ARE THESE TYPICAL HOTELS THAT DELEGATIONS LIKE OURS WOULD BE ACCOMMODATED BY? YEAH. THANK YOU.
WITH RESPECT TO THE HOTELS WE DID RELY ON THE TEXAS JAPAN OFFICE TO HELP US WITH THOSE. WE SOUGHT TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE ARRANGEMENTS ON OUR OWN.
THE NAGOYA HOTEL IN PARTICULAR WAS WE DESIGNATED THAT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WOULD ONLY HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH STAYING AT THAT PARTICULAR HOTEL, BUT THE HOTELS IN IN TOKYO WERE SELECTED BASED ON THE ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE A DELEGATION OF OUR SIZE AND THE LOCATION AND LOGISTICS BY THE TEXAS JAPAN OFFICE, BUT ALSO TO FIT WITHIN WITHIN OUR PRICING GUIDELINES.
SO I TOO LEARNED SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST TRANSPORTATION.
IT WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVE DEEPER INTO WHAT JAPAN IS LOOKING FOR AND WHAT PARTNERSHIPS THEY ARE LOOKING TO BRIDGE WITH NORTH TEXAS AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOUSTON AND DALLAS AS A MEGA REGION AND BRINGING THE TWO CITIES TOGETHER. I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING MORE AND TO HEARING FROM YOU ON THE BRIEFING THAT'S BEING PREPARED. I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH THE DELEGATION FROM JAPAN THIS THIS EVENING AND JUST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK AND STAFF'S WORK FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
YEAH, AND I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD TO THIS IS TYPICALLY AN EVENT LIKE THIS HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PLAN THIS? AND HOW MANY MOVING PARTS DID IT TAKE FROM OUR STAFF TO COORDINATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE CHECKING EVERYTHING OFF? I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO DEFER THAT TO JAKE TO TALK ABOUT HIS TEAM AND JUST WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO THE TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORKED HARD TO ORGANIZE THE EVENT.
MORENO. TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, A TRIP LIKE THIS WOULD BE PLANNED OVER THE COURSE OF 4 OR 5, SIX MONTHS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PLAN THIS TRIP THROUGH THE HARD WORK OF MAX REYNOLDS AND DEONTAY HARVEY.
IN JUST ABOUT SIX WEEKS, I BELIEVE, AND SO IT WAS.
IT WAS A FAST AND FURIOUS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA SAID EARLIER BUT WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT TEAM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER THIS TRIP IN THAT TIME FRAME.
THANK YOU, AND JUST IN CLOSING AS THIS IS A POTENTIALLY COMING TO DISTRICT TWO IN THE CEDARS AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THOSE MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATED TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT THIS HAS TO FLOURISH, AND MAYBE THE LAST THING I'LL ADD IS WHAT HAS DEVELOPED SINCE THE RETURN FROM JAPAN.
WELL, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE THIS DELEGATION FROM NAGOYA THAT REACHED OUT TO US TO MAKE SURE WE WERE PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES. THEY ALSO WANTED TO VISIT THAT THE SITE OF THE PROPOSED HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION MEET WITH SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF ENCORE AND THE DALLAS INNOVATION HUB, WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ORGANIZE AND ARRANGE AT THE RECEPTION THIS EVENING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN A DIRECT YOU KNOW, OUTCOME OF THE TRIP.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME OUTREACH WITH NEC AND TOYOTA.
[01:35:10]
SPEED RAIL, AND THE CONVENTION CENTER.THANK YOU. ANY FINAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. IT IS 2:38 P.M, AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.