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[Workforce-Education and Equity on January 13, 2025.]
[00:00:02]
IT IS 9:04. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MISS, I'M ACKNOWLEDGING COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS, WHO'S COMING IN HERE NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF MY KIND OF SPREAD OUT EVERYWHERE.
WE NEED APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 9TH, 2024 WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THIS MORNING.
WE THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WITH US ONLINE AND OF COURSE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LISTENING TO US ONLINE AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WITH US, BE YOU STAFF OR PUBLIC, WHO ARE WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE MAKE OUR PRESENTATION AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
I AM HAPPY, OF COURSE, TO BE HERE ON THIS FOUNDER'S DAY OF DELTA SIGMA THETA, WHO'S GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, TO CELEBRATE ALSO PARTNERS WHO CELEBRATE THE WORK THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO IN THE CITY WITH THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE AS THEIR AGENDA, REPRESENTS THE CITY OF DALLAS. WE'RE GOING TO START THIS MORNING, [INAUDIBLE], SO THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW THE BRIEFING ITEMS. WE HAVE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS WITH GREATER DALLAS 2025 UPDATE AND WE WILL HAVE THE PRESENTATION ON THE UPSKILLING PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON AS WE TALK ABOUT THE NON-UNIFORM SECURITY OFFICERS.
AND WE'LL HAVE BRIEFING MEMOS, UPDATES ON THE WEEK EVENTS AS IT RELATES TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR CELEBRATION WEEK AND UPDATES ON THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND OTHER INITIATIVES AS IT RELATES TO TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT AFFECT PROCUREMENT SERVICES. SO WE'RE GOING TO START AT THIS TIME WITH THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS GREATER DALLAS 2025 UPDATE.
ASSISTANT. WHO IS MR. DENZEL? OKAY. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR CAROLYN KING ARNOLD AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MEMBERS I'M DEMETRIA ROBINSON WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
I HAVE ALONG WITH ME, RICHARD PEREZ OUR SENIOR RESEARCH AND DATA INDIVIDUAL FROM OUR OFFICE.
GOOD MORNING. IN OUR SLIDE TODAY, WE HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU INFORMATION ABOUT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS GREATER DALLAS. WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVES OUR FUNDING FROM STATE AND FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WE ARE $180 MILLION BUDGET OPERATING SYSTEM WITHIN A SINGLE COUNTY JURISDICTION, WHICH COVERS DALLAS COUNTY. WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, WE PRIDE OURSELVES WITH BEING THE CONVENER OF THE COMMUNITY CONNECTING BUSINESS TO OUR JOB SEEKERS AND PARTNERS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INNOVATORS WITH GOING OUT SEEKING FOR NONPROFIT NONFEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP US OFFSET THE FEDERAL FUNDING LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OPERATE.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE THE OVERSIGHT AND THE OVERSEERS OF COMPLIANCE FOR ALL OF OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMING.
WITHIN OUR SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE ON SLIDE TWO, YOU CAN CHANGE THE SLIDE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. IT GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF I'M SORRY.
I'M ON SLIDE TWO IF YOU DON'T MIND LUIS. THANK YOU.
WE HAVE CORE PROGRAMS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE RED WITH WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.
TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. OUR TRADE PROGRAMS, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, AND ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER PROGRAMS.
[00:05:03]
THESE ARE ALL PROGRAMS TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH GOING BACK TO WORK WITH JOB READINESS TRAINING AND OR SUPPORT SERVICES WITHIN OUR WORKFORCE CENTERS. WE ALSO HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE OPERATING THAT IS CATERED TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED.ALSO, WE PROVIDE CHILD CARE SERVICES, ADULT OR ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY PROGRAMS AS WELL.
[INAUDIBLE]. I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE SLIDES.
JUST HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I KNEW YOU WERE. I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING AT US ONLINE, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT ALIGNED.
AND COULD YOU BRING THE MIC JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND THEN WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU.
WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT. WOULD YOU GO BACK OVER THE POPULATIONS THAT YOU SERVE? DID YOU MENTIONED THE CHILD CARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED? WOULD YOU JUST REPEAT THAT AGAIN? IN THAT WAY, WE CAN KIND OF HEAR YOUR SERVICE POINTS.
I WILL. THANK YOU. SO SOME OF THE CORE PROGRAMS THAT WE OPERATE AS WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT, AND UNDER THAT ACT IT CATERS TO YOUTH AGES 18 TO 24, WHICH WE ARE INDICATING THEM AS AN OPPORTUNITY YOUTH. AND THEN WE HAVE ADULTS, THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN MISPLACED DISLOCATED WORKERS UNDER THAT ACT.
ALSO, WE DO EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES FOR THE TANF, WHICH IS A TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, AND SNAP, WHICH IS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE SOME NEW FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF SEAGOVILLE FACILITY CORRECTION FACILITY AND IT'S SPECIFIC TO THOSE IN DALLAS COUNTY FROM THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY.
IN ADDITION, OUR MAIN SUPPORT SERVICE IS CHILDCARE, WHICH IS ABOUT 80% OF OUR BUDGET.
WE ARE SERVING CHILD CARE INDIVIDUALS THE PARENTS THAT ARE IN TRAINING AND OR EMPLOYED THAT QUALIFY FOR THOSE SERVICES. AND CURRENTLY WE'RE SERVING ABOUT 16,000 CHILDREN PER DAY THAT WE'RE FUNDING THOSE SERVICES FOR.
IN DALLAS COUNTY, WE HAVE A CONSORTIUM THAT CONSISTS OF DALLAS COLLEGE, RICHARDSON ISD, IRVING ISD, WILKINSON CENTER, AND OUR WORKFORCE CONTRACTOR, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RICHARD TO GO OVER SOME OF THE SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU. SO ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS FINDING PEOPLE EMPLOYMENT SO THEY CAN GET BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE.
SO WE DO THAT A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS BY WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS WHO ARE CONSIDERED OUR PRIMARY CUSTOMER IN DEVELOPING THOSE KINDS OF JOBS AND RELATIONSHIPS. SO. OKAY. HOW'S THAT? SO THEY CAN DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS AND CUSTOMERS SO THEY CAN ENTER EMPLOYMENT? I COULDN'T MENTION ON IN ON THE 15TH, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY FOR THE MLK JOB FAIR.
THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT. WITH THAT'LL TAKE PLACE AT FAIR PARK AT THE BRISCOE CENTER.
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THOSE CONNECTIONS TO GET PEOPLE EMPLOYED. BUT THE TALENT DEVELOPMENT WE USE OUR A JOB MATCHING SYSTEM THE STATE OF TEXAS PROVIDES, WHICH IS CALLED WORK IN TEXAS.THAT'S OUR PRIMARY CONNECTOR TO GET PEOPLE EMPLOYED, GET THE JOB POSTINGS FROM EMPLOYERS TO PUT THEM IN THE SYSTEM. AND IT'S THE ONE OUR CUSTOMERS USE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO DO UPSKILLING AND RESKILLING.
SOME OF THE THINGS SOME OF THE RECENT DISLOCATED WORKERS OR PEOPLE WHO JUST EXITED THE WORKFORCE NEED IS JUST A REFRESH OF TRAINING, OR MAYBE EVEN A COMPLETE RETRAINING TO GET BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE, HOPEFULLY TO MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THEY WERE MAKING AT THEIR PREVIOUS JOB. AND WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WORK WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION AND WITH THE DALLAS COLLEGE AND EMPLOYERS TO FUND DIFFERENT TYPES OF INCUMBENT WORKER OR CURRENT WORKER TRAINING TO UPLIFT THE SKILLS OF WORKERS THAT ARE ALREADY EMPLOYED. THOSE ARE CALLED SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUNDS.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WORK BASED LEARNING SKILLS THAT CAN HAPPEN THROUGH THE ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY FUNDS, AND WE DO OFFER CAREER EXPLORATION FOR OUR OLDER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GET THEM AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF EMPLOYMENT WOULD BEST SUIT THEM WHEN THEY EXIT HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU COULD TAKE IT TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU.
THE MOST ONES IN NEED IS TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE.
SO WE CAN FUND DART BUS PASSES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR WIOA AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. WE ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THAT, DO GAS CARDS, IF THAT IS PREFERRED, WE WOULD DO ONE OR THE OTHER AND WHEN SOMEONE'S IN TRAINING OR ABOUT TO ENTER A NEW JOB, SOMETIMES THEY NEED MAYBE SOME TOOLS OR SOME WORK CLOTHES.
WE CAN SPONSOR THAT AND GET THEM THOSE NECESSARY THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL AT THEIR NEW JOB OR CURRENT JOB AND THEN THE LAST TYPE OF SUPPORT IS THE ONE DIMITRI WAS MENTIONING EARLIER.
CHILD CARE SERVICES. THAT IS OUR LARGEST FUNDING STREAM AND PROBABLY OUR MOST IN DEMAND CHILD SUPPORT, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT AND I'LL KEEP GOING WITH CHILD CARE SERVICES.
THERE'S TWO WAYS THAT WE PROVIDE CHILD CARE SERVICES.
ONE IS TO THE CHILD CARE PROVIDERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE TEXAS RISING STAR PROGRAM, WHICH IS A QUALITY RATED PROGRAM. CURRENTLY, WE'RE WORKING WITH PROVIDERS TO HELP THEM ENHANCE THEIR SKILL SETS TO PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY CARE. THE SECOND IS THE FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE FAMILIES WHERE WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT CHILD CARE SERVICE WHILE THEY ARE IN SCHOOL OR AT WORK AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME DATA THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MANY PROVIDERS WE'RE WORKING WITH, OR WORKING WITH OVER 600 PROVIDERS IN DALLAS COUNTY.
THEY'RE ALL ON A RATING SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, IT'S A MANDATORY SYSTEM NOW, SO THEY MUST SIGN UP THROUGH OUR SYSTEM TO BE PART OF THE TEXAS RISING STAR PROGRAM. THERE IS AN OUTSIDE AGENCY THAT IS CONTRACTED BY TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION THAT DOES THE ASSESSMENT OF THOSE PROVIDERS WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME. WE HAVE MENTORS THAT ARE EMPLOYED BY OUR CONTRACTOR CHILDCARE GROUP, WHO MENTOR THOSE PROVIDERS AND PREPARE THEM FOR THAT ASSESSMENT TO BECOME TEXAS RISING STAR.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE 637 PROVIDERS WE'RE WORKING WITH.
178 OF THEM ARE ALREADY TEXAS RISING STAR FOUR, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATING.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE REMAINING TRYING TO BRING THEM UP TO THAT SAME LEVEL.
[00:15:03]
IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. WITHIN THOSE, 637 PROVIDERS WERE ALREADY SERVING OVER NEARLY 16,000 CHILDREN PER DAY. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS CHART SHOWS ON THAT SLIDE.2024 WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
WE WON A NATIONAL AWARD AS WELL AS A STATE AWARD.
THE NATIONAL AWARD WAS A OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH THE DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER AND THOSE WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKFORCE BOARDS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
WE DO ALL KINDS OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH THE CHAMBER FROM SHARED SYSTEMS TO JUST COLLABORATION ON SOME OF THE INDUSTRY EFFORTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS IN BETWEEN. THAT WAS RECOGNIZED BY NAB AS UNIQUE TO THE NATION AND THEY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
ANOTHER ONE THAT WE WON JUST IN DECEMBER AND THIS WAS FROM THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION WAS THE LARGE EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AND WALMART ONE THAT THAT WAS PRIMARILY THEIR ACTIVITY WITH THE LANCASTER WAREHOUSE.
THAT IS A HIGH TECH WAREHOUSE WHERE THE EVERYONE THAT WORKS THERE NEEDS SKILLS IN MECHATRONICS, OR AT LEAST IN AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE ROBOTICS.
THEY PAYS VERY WELL AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS WITH EXCELLENT WAGES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL AS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE WORKFORCE FOR A BIT.
IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THOSE AWARDS, WE DID SERVE A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
JUST THE TOTAL NUMBER OF JOB SEEKERS WE SERVED WAS 31,000 AND EMPLOYERS, THOSE SERVICES WERE 8852. THE TYPES OF SERVICES WE OFFER EMPLOYERS.
I TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. BUT THOSE ARE PRIMARILY JOB POSTINGS AND JOB FAIRS.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THE MLK FAIR, BUT WE HAVE HIRING EVENTS WEEKLY IN OUR WORKFORCE CENTER.
THAT DRAWS PEOPLE TO THE CENTERS TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF OUR SERVICES AND THE TYPES OF SUPPORT THAT THEY CAN GET FROM RESUME WRITING TO JUST TALKING TO SOMEONE IN WITH STAFF ABOUT LABOR MARKET INFORMATION OR CAREER EXPLORATION.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS OR WIOA PROGRAM, WHICH IS WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.
AND WE SERVED 12,299 ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKERS AND 1046 IN YOUTH. NOT EVERYONE GOES TO TRAINING, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT 550 PEOPLE IN OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING WITH WIOA PROGRAM. DEMETRIA TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE CHILDCARE SERVICES PER MONTH, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY, WHICH IS ALSO IN OUR PURVIEW, WE SERVE 6585.
WELL, FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD AT LEAST 12 HOURS OF SERVICE IN OUR PROGRAMS, EITHER IN GED CLASSES OR IS IT ESL, CIVICS, IS ESL, AND ALSO INTEGRATED AND IN THE EDUCATION TRAINING SO WE CAN PUT THEM INTO AN ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR GED AND BEFORE WE GO ON, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF OUR GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, BUT WE DO GET SOME PRIVATE MONEY AS WELL. WE WERE WORKING WITH PROLOGIS, WHICH IS A WAREHOUSE COMPANY THAT'S NATIONWIDE WAREHOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, IS A VERY LARGE INDUSTRY AND HIRES MANY PEOPLE IN DALLAS COUNTY.
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SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY WANTED TO SUPPORT US AND GETTING PEOPLE IN TRAINING, OFFERING FORKLIFT CLASSES FOR FREE OF CHARGE TO THE PARTICIPANTS.SO WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN BOTH PLACING AND GETTING PEOPLE ENROLLED IN THOSE TRAININGS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.
BUT I THINK WE ARE READY TO TAKE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH TALKS ABOUT OUR PLANNING FOR 2025.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO EVERY YEAR IS SUBMIT A STATE PLAN TO THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION THAT TALKS ABOUT THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON, THE INDUSTRIES WE'RE GOING TO TARGET, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S CHANGED IN OUR SYSTEMS. BUT IN ADDITION TO THE STATE PLAN, WE'RE ALSO UNDERGOING A INTERNAL STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE HAVEN'T DONE FOR A FEW YEARS. BUT WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT YEAR TO GET THINGS ON TARGET AND WORK WITH A CONSULTANT TO GET THAT GOING. SO JUST REAL QUICK BACK TO THE STATE PLAN.
WE WILL BE OPENING THAT UP FOR OPEN COMMENT. IN FEBRUARY 19TH.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR ANYBODY OUT THERE, AND WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION FOR OCCUPATIONS WE SHOULD BE TARGETING. WE LIKE TO TARGET OCCUPATIONS THAT PAY AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR.
BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, OFFER AN ENTRY LEVEL INTO SOME REALLY HIGH PAYING AND HIGH GROWING INDUSTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTHCARE. NOT EVERYONE'S GOING TO START AT THE TOP.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE WE'LL CALL THEM ENTRY LEVEL ON RAMPS AND LIKE, FOR A PATIENT AIR EXCUSE ME, PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN OR IN IT, MAYBE SOME CUSTOMER SUPPORT TYPE POSITIONS SO PEOPLE CAN DEVELOP THEIR OWN CAREER PATH.
WE FOUND THAT WORK OFTEN LEADS TO BETTER WORK AND HIGHER PAYING JOBS.
LET'S SEE, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN? NO. OKAY. SO LET'S TAKE THE NEXT SLIDE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO WITH OUR PLAN, AND WE ALWAYS HAVE IN OUR MONTHLY BOARD PACKET, IS JUST A QUICK ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT.
IT'S USUALLY ONE PAGE. THAT FIRST SLIDE ON THE TOP LEFT THAT IS THE TEXAS LABOR PARTICIPATION RATE AND IT'S JUST FOR NOVEMBER. AND IT GOES BACK TO 2017. AND THIS NOVEMBER 24TH, WHICH IS THE MOST RECENT INFORMATION, THE IT IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION FOR THE STATE, WHICH IS A GREAT THING.
DALLAS COUNTY AND THE STATE HAVE REALLY DONE HUGE STRIDES IN THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYED FOR THE STATE. I WANT TO SAY THEY HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST AMONGST ALL STATES FOR THE YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH FOR EMPLOYMENT.
DALLAS COUNTY IS UP THERE AMONGST ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE NATION.
THE ACS SURVEY, WHICH HAD SOME UPDATES IN DECEMBER OF 2024, SHOW THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN POVERTY. THIS WOULD BE THE ALL PEOPLE AS STAYED THE SAME FROM LAST YEAR, AND HAS HAD SOME STEADY DECLINES GOING BACK TO 2018. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE HIGHEST THE HOUSEHOLD MEDIAN INCOME HAS BEEN MAKING SOME STEADY GOALS OF INCREASING.
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THOSE ARE THE TOP TEN POSTINGS FOR NOVEMBER. AND THAT OTHER BAR GRAPH SHOWS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POSTINGS FOR NOVEMBER. GOING BACK A FEW YEARS, THE NUMBER OF NUMBER OF JOB POSTINGS IS NOT AS STRONG AS IT WAS IN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT IT IS POSITIVE AND WE CONTINUE. WE EXPECT TO SEE CONTINUED GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF JOB POSTINGS.I JUST DON'T THINK IT WILL BE AS ROBUST AS SOME OF THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
THINGS ARE STARTING TO SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
AND I WILL TAKE US TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THESE ARE THE EIGHT WORKFORCE CENTERS THAT WE OPERATE. THEY'RE OPERATED WITH OUR CONTRACTOR EQUUS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND THEY ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, ES, TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, REHAB, AS WELL AS THE CHILDCARE GROUP. WE HAVE FIVE WORKFORCE CENTERS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND OUR MOST WE'LL CALL IT OUR MOST ACTIVE WORKFORCE CENTER IS THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER ON MALCOLM X WITH SECOND COMING IN THE NEW REDBIRD WORKFORCE CENTER IN THE REDBIRD MALL AREA.
AND WITH ALL THE COLLABORATION OF DALLAS COLLEGE AND THAT ALSO DRAWS HUGE VISITORS.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CENTER TRAFFIC, WHICH IS A DUPLICATED NUMBER, IS JUST OVER 200,000 PEOPLE.
THE MLK CENTER THAT I WAS SAYING HAD 51,600 PEOPLE WANTING SERVICES FOR THE YEAR LOOKING FOR JOB, LOOKING FOR RESUME ASSISTANCE, GOING IN, NEEDING TO TALK WITH A CASEWORKER, MAYBE FOR ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER AND THE SECOND BUSIEST IS THE RED BIRD WITH 41,109. I THINK WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF OUR SLIDE.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS OUR NEWSLETTER. ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN GETTING THAT WHERE 24 I MENTIONED WAS A GOOD YEAR. IT WAS A YEAR FOR US TO REORGANIZE AND CHANGE THINGS.
SO WE'VE TAKEN A UNIQUE ASPECT IN COMMUNICATIONS.
SO WE'VE BUILT THAT UP. WE'VE HIRED A FEW DEDICATED STAFF, AND THEY'RE PUSHING OUT NEWSLETTERS AND JUST OTHER WAYS WHERE WE CAN GET WORKFORCE INFORMATION INTO THE HANDS OF ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN IT.
AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS THEM.
THANK YOU. WE'LL START WITH CHAIR WILLIS. SHE'S RIGHT HERE WITH US.
THANK YOU. WE JUST GOT THIS. I THINK THIS MORNING.
DID YOU ALL. WHEN DID YOU TURN IT IN TO US? WE WERE.
WE TURNED IT IN ON SUNDAY. YEAH. YESTERDAY. OKAY.
YOU MENTIONED, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHERE CAN THE DRAFT PLAN, THE STATE WORKFORCE PLAN BE FOUND? IS THERE A DRAFT OUT THERE? BECAUSE I SEE YOU'VE GOT A PUBLIC HEARING COMING UP. YES AND IT IS ON OUR WEB PAGE, WHICH IS JUST RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE QR CODE. WFS DALLAS.
COM. OKAY. SO PEOPLE COULD REVIEW IT AND THEN GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON IT AND THEN TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT YOU ALL ARE UNDERTAKING. IT SAYS PROCESS AND TIMELINE, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING ELSE.
SO IT'S NEW. WE JUST STARTED IN NOVEMBER. SO WE HIRED A CONSULTANT.
COMPANY TIP STRATEGIES IS LEADING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
WE HAVE THE NEXT MEETING. AS A MATTER OF FACT ON WEDNESDAY WILL BE MEETING TWO.
IT WILL BE A SEVEN MONTH PROCESS FROM NOVEMBER.
YES. OKAY. SO MAY WE'RE HOPING MAY WILL BE IT.
[00:30:06]
THE CITY OF DALLAS OPERATES UNDER THE MIT LIVING WAGE, WHICH I THINK IS AROUND 1950 PER HOUR.SO AND I UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF THE MARKETPLACE AND EMPLOYERS.
SO THAT'S STILL ONLY ABOUT 77% OF WHAT A LIVING WAGE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE.
WHICH MEANS THAT WHO'S PICKING UP THE TAB FOR WHAT FOLKS NEED TO LIVE? THE COUNTY, THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM, THE CITY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE. SO IS THERE ANY EDUCATION WITH EMPLOYERS ABOUT HOW TO WORK WITH THEM TO INCREASE THAT? AND WHERE ARE THE GAPS? IS IT THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THE WORKFORCE IS SKILLED ENOUGH? JUST TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY CRITICAL. YEAH.
EMPLOYERS ARE SAYING THAT THEY THE THERE IS SKILLS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE.
THE. LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK. THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE OF A SKILLS BASED WORKFORCE MEANING YOU KNOW THEY SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE HEARD IS THEY WANT SOME OF THEIR NEW STAFF TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE SKILLS TO DO THE JOB, AND MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S I THINK HASN'T HAPPENED NECESSARILY IN PRACTICE YET, BUT I THINK I'VE SEEN SOME SMALL STEPS MOVING TOWARDS THAT SPECIFICALLY IN IT, MAYBE RATHER THAN SOMEBODY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, BUT IF THEY HAVE ALL THE IT SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB AND THEY HAVE IT THROUGH A, WE'LL CALL IT AN EMPLOYER RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY ALL THEY WANT, AS WELL AS SOMEONE THAT SHOWS UP ON TIME AND ALL THOSE OTHER TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE HEARING THAT THEY WANT.
EACH INDUSTRY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. HEALTHCARE I THINK HAS TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE CREDENTIALS FOR SOME OF THE MEDICAL STAFF THAT ARE DEALING WITH PATIENTS ONE ON ONE. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE CAME IN TO HELP SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS GET THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, OFTEN OUR WE'LL CALL IT OUR AUDIENCE.
THEY TAKE SOME OF THOSE ENTRY LEVEL JOBS AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE OUR, YOU KNOW, $15 AN HOUR.
WE WANT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE THERE FOR SOMEONE THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE CAREERS OR JUST ENTER THE WORKFORCE, THAT THEY CAN START THEIR CAREER PATH AND MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL, AND WE CAN BE THERE FOR THEM IF THEY NEED THE SUPPORT.
I'LL ADD, IF YOU DON'T MIND. MADAM WILLIS WITH THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE SERVING, IT'S ACROSS MANY POPULATIONS, SUCH AS YOUTH OUR YOUNGER ADULTS, AND ALSO THOSE THAT ARE TRANSITIONING FROM INCARCERATION, THOSE THAT ARE COMING STRICTLY FROM ADULT EDUCATION AND EDUCATION AND LITERACY PROGRAMS THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE ACTUAL GED, SO IT ALLOWS US TO START AT THAT BASIC TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES SO WE CAN FUND THEM.
AND SO WE START AT THE MINIMUM OF 15 TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE I GUESS LESS FORTUNATE AT THAT TIME SO WE CAN GET THEM IN THE WORKPLACE WITH SOME EXPERIENCE SO WE CAN UPSKILL THEM AS WE GO.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DENYING SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG, YOU'RE DENYING SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY'VE SERVED THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY. AND SO I GET IT. IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING YOU GRAPPLE WITH, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO FOCUS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BRINGING IT MORE UP TO WHERE THE MARKET SHOULD BE. AND I WANT TO, JUST AS MY LAST POINT BACK UP TO, I FEEL LIKE I WAS POINTING AT STAFF REGARDING GETTING SOMETHING POSTED ON SUNDAY, BUT I'M GOING TO LOOK BACK AT YOU ALL BECAUSE THIS WAS POSTED ON FRIDAY, AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU ALL WOULD HAVE THIS TO US IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO IT COULD BE POSTED SO WE COULD CONSIDER IT AT LEAST WHEN THE AGENDA ITEM IS POSTED.
THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THAT TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLINE? ALRIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE DON'T HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A VERY INTERESTING PACKET OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WE WILL TRY TO INCORPORATE THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WE MOVE BEYOND THIS PARTICULAR THIS MONTH, BECAUSE WE ARE ON A VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC THAT BEING OF WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND PREPARATIONS AND SO IT'S MULTIFACETED.
I THINK THE QUESTION THAT WE THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I CLARIFY WHAT IS YOUR ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS CURRENTLY? YOU ARE A LOCAL MATCH PARTNER WITH US.
[00:35:06]
LIZ HAS BEEN VERY PIVOTAL IN THAT RELATIONSHIP.ALSO, JESSICA IS PART OF OUR CHILDCARE ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT IS HELD AND WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE THAT COUNCIL AND WE ARE LOOKING TO PARTNER IN OTHER WAYS. LIZ HAS ALREADY EXTENDED THAT INVITATION FOR US TO MEET AND DISCUSS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO STILL ARE GROWING.
WHAT IS MATCH PARTNER MEAN? THAT IS IT HELPS US DRAW DOWN OUR FULL ALLOCATION FOR CHILD CARE DOLLARS AND WE'RE GOING OUT MATCHING THOSE DOLLARS FOR $4 MILLION, TO BE EXACT AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH MULTIPLE PUBLIC ENTITIES TO HELP US DO THAT. THERE IS NO FINANCIAL EXCHANGE.
IT IS REPORTING NONFEDERAL DOLLARS THAT THE CITY MAY BE USING AND AS FAR AS THE CITY MATCHING THOSE DOLLARS, THEY'RE USING CDBG FUNDING TO MATCH. SO THE CLARITY THAT I NEED TO ESTABLISH IS THAT YOU ARE OR YOU ARE NOT GETTING FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
SO WHAT ARE YOU TELLING US? AGAIN, WE ARE NOT GETTING ANY FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS JUST A REPORT. ALRIGHT. SO WHEN YOU SAY CDBG, WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THOSE FUNDS FROM? IT'S THE REPORT. IT'S THE EXPENDITURES FROM YOUR CDBG FUNDING.
SO IT'S NOT ANY FINANCIAL EXCHANGE. SO WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY FUNDING DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY.
SO LET ME COULD YOU COME UP TO CLARIFY? SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE IF THE MONEY IS COMING FROM OUR ALLOCATION, YOU'RE BENEFITING FROM THE DRAW THAT WE'RE GETTING.
SO HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE NOT BEING TOUCHED BY US.
AND THE REASON I WANT TO CLARIFY THIS, BECAUSE AS THE COUNCILWOMAN MENTIONED, IN TERMS OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU YOU HAVE WITH THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE PAYING LESS THAN WHAT WE ADVOCATE FOR AS A CITY. IT'S WE NEED TO GET SOME UNDERSTANDING AROUND THAT.
THANK YOU. CHAIR ARNOLD, I'M JESSICA, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND EMPOWERMENT. SO SPEAKING TO HOW THAT MATCH WORKS, THE CITY OF DALLAS INVESTS FUNDING FROM OUR ALLOCATED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS INTO CHILD CARE AND ALIGNED SERVICES.
WE DO THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR OWN CLIENTS.
WE SERVE THOSE CLIENTS, WE IDENTIFY THEM THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.
WE'VE BRIEFED ON THESE PROGRAMS. I THINK EITHER LAST MONTH OR THE MONTH PRIOR, WE GAVE AN UPDATE ON THOSE PROGRAMS, WHAT WITH THE FUNDING THAT OUR PARTNERS AT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS RECEIVE.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT A LOCAL MATCH FROM PARTNERS, COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS TO ENABLE THEM TO UNLOCK THE FULL AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THEY GET. AND SO AS A PARTNERSHIP MECHANISM, WE REGULARLY REPORT ON OUR EXPENDITURES TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN INCLUDE IT IN THEIR REPORTING TO SHOW THAT THERE ARE LOCAL INVESTMENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE AS A MATCH FOR THE FUNDS THAT THEY RECEIVE.
SO WE NEVER CONTRIBUTE FUNDING DIRECTLY TO THE ORGANIZATION.
WE ARE SENDING THOSE FUNDS DIRECTLY FOR CLIENT BENEFICIARIES.
FOR FAMILY BENEFICIARIES HERE IN DALLAS, HOWEVER, WE ARE AN OPPORTUNITY KIND OF LIKE A LEVERAGE OR A MATCH REQUIREMENT THAT ENABLES THEM TO FULLY DRAW DOWN THE FUNDS FOR WHICH THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCESS BY BEING A PIECE OF THEIR MATCH REQUIREMENT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO THIS IS PERHAPS THIS IS WHAT I NEED.
I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILWOMAN SITTING HERE IS ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT.
I'M SURE. SURE. SHE THAT'S PROBABLY INTERESTING TO WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY. I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING THIS CONVERSATION BACK, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, YOU REALLY DO NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE.
I WOULD SAY TO ME THAT WE ARE NOT STILL FUNDING SOME WAY THIS GROUP, BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S COMING FROM THE FED FEDERAL LEVEL OR NOT, WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN POSTURE IN THE CONVERSATION FOR THOSE DOLLARS TO COME TO US AND THEN YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH WITH OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TODAY TO TODAY, THE QUESTION ABOUT THEIR WORKFORCE GROUP IN TERMS OF THEIR PLANS,
[00:40:01]
THEIR PAYMENT. WE'RE DOING $15, WE'RE DOING $18.WHAT DO WE WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH THOSE INDUSTRIES SO THAT THEY WILL BEGIN TO BRING UP THIS HOURLY WAGE? BECAUSE WHAT I UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT IS THAT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF THE WAY LIFE IS AT THIS TIME.
PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS. THEY'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME WITH CHILDCARE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT. I WAS IN THAT LOOP FOR A WHILE, AND I REMEMBER, WHEN IT WAS $100 A WEEK AND WE WERE ABOUT TO PASS TOTALLY OUT WITH TWO CHILDREN AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE HAD IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT IT WAS SOME YEARS AGO.
SO NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING PROBABLY ALMOST $1,000 A WEEK ARE HAVING TO, AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME WAY OF OFFSETTING THAT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE CLARITY ON THAT.
THE OTHER PIECE IS THAT THE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK HAS TO DO WITH YOUR COMMUNICATION.
HOW DO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION OUT? IS IT ONLY JUST THROUGH THESE CENTERS, OR HOW ARE YOU MARKETING SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW, OR ARE THEY JUST NORMALLY GRAVITATING TO YOU BY WORD OF MOUTH AND HISTORY? SO WE ARE JUST STARTING COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR ORGANIZATION WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY PUBLISH IN AN INTENTIONAL WAY. OTHERWISE, WE HAVE THE EIGHT WORKFORCE CENTERS THROUGHOUT OUR WORKFORCE THROUGHOUT DALLAS COUNTY.
WE HAVE PARTNER AGENCIES THAT ALSO ARE WE DON'T DO DIRECT SERVICES FROM OUR OFFICE, BUT FROM ALL OF OUR CONTRACTORS, EQUUS WORKFORCE FOR SOLUTIONS CHILD CARE GROUP.
AND THEN OUR ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY PARTNERS.
NOW, SOME OF THESE SERVICES ARE MANDATED FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO COME TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT AND OR THEY ARE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. SO, COUNCILWOMAN, DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ON THE LINE? DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ELSE? SO I THINK THE OTHER PIECE I WANT YOU TO JOT DOWN, AND THAT'S FOR STAFF FOR SURE, TO COME BACK ON QUESTIONS AROUND THOSE WHO ARE COMING FOR TRAINING. HOW DO YOU HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE FOR THOSE WHO COME WITH MENTAL CHALLENGES, WHERE SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE LOST ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE OF SOME? WHEN I SAY MENTAL YOU, WE KNOW THIS IS NOT TO STEREOTYPE WHAT WE NORMALLY GROWING UP.
WE CALL PEOPLE CRAZY. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT STIGMA.
MENTAL CHALLENGES CAN BE CAN RUN THE GAMUT. SO DO YOU ALL HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE WHERE YOU'RE WORKING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES? CURRENTLY, WE DO NOT. THE WAY THAT WE'RE FUNDED, BUT WE HAVE REFERRAL PARTNERS THAT WE SEND THEM TO.
ALL RIGHT. SO WHEN YOU REFER, HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES? WE HAVE THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, REHABILITATIVE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION.
SO HOW WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION COMING BACK AND TALKING TO YOU.
BUT IT IS ONE OF THE CAUSES THAT SO MANY FOLKS HAVE MADE DECISIONS THAT THEY HAVE MADE OR ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE SITUATIONS THAT'S CHALLENGING THEM AS THEY TRY TO MOVE UP. I HEARD MR. PEREZ TALK ABOUT WHAT THE INDUSTRY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF OF THEIR EMPLOYEES OR THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH.
BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TOUCH ON THAT CONVERSATION EVEN MORE SO BEFORE WE BRING THEM BACK IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING NOT ONLY THIS AGENCY, IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WE PARTNER WITH, WE CAN KIND OF PUT ALL OF THEM IN ONE GROUP TO MAKE SURE WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT THAT IS A CHALLENGE.
AND I HEAR YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE PRESENTATION AND WORK WITH US ON IS IT WEDNESDAY? AT BRISCOE CENTER. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YES.
THE MLK JOB FAIR? YES. ALRIGHT. SO DO YOU PARTNER WITH ANY OTHER NON-PROFITS AND CHURCHES THAT WILL HOST SOME OF THESE WORKFORCE INITIATIVES JUST TO INTRODUCE YOUR SERVICES OR NOT? THE. YES, WE DO.
[00:45:05]
AND YOU HAVE MADE A DISADVANTAGE. I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON SOME OF THE CHURCHES, BUT.THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. IT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU'RE MAKING $15 AN HOUR OR EVEN 18, I MEAN, YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT YOU KNOW, MUCH OF THAT WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, YOU KNOW, YOU SPENT MUCH OF THAT EVEN IF YOU HAVE REDUCED RENTS.
THEY'RE BACK IN THE SYSTEM OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF OUR CONVERSATION AROUND PUSHING FOR EQUITY, IN TERMS OF OF OUR SALARIES AND JUST QUALITY OF LIFE THAT YOU ARE IMPACTING AND WE'RE IMPACTING THE COURSE OF THE CITY.
BUT WE MUST HAVE PARTNERS BECAUSE WE CANNOT SAVE THE WORLD WITH JUST 15 OF US.
WE CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE IN THIS CITY. BUT I THINK I'M GOING TO CLOSE WITH THIS.
AND BEFORE WE GO ON TO OUR NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS THE SAME THING DEALING WITH OUR QUESTION AROUND OUR UNIFORM, NOT UNINFORMED, UNIFORM, NON UNIFORM OFFICERS, JUST EVEN IN TERMS OF THEIR SALARIES AND THEIR UPSKILLING IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT I THINK FOR THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ARE ONLINE AND FOR SHARE, WHO'S HERE WITH US.
YOU KNOW, I WAS DRIVING IN AND LISTENING TO A SONG.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT IT SAID, THE TITLE, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE WAS THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW WE FUND THINGS THAT WE WANT TO FUND, BUT WE CAN NEVER SEEM TO FUND THE POOR.
THEY NEVER SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY. AND SO I'LL BRING THE WORDS TO THAT SONG WHEN I COME BACK.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT TUPAC WAS SINGING, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS I BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT IT.
IT'S TRUE. WE FUND THOSE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO FUND, BUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED US THE MOST SOMETIMES ARE THE LEAST OF OUR CONCERNS. SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH JUST FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON JUST DOING A BETTER JOB OF US COMMUNICATING WITH YOU.
AND JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
WE ARE READY FOR OUR NEXT PRESENTATION AS COMING UP.
AS THEY'RE COMING UP, I BELIEVE IT'S MISS NINA ARIAS IS GOING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING.
CARMEL FRITZ, SONIA BATTS, HEATHER WOOD, LAURA EDISON.
AS THEY'RE COMING HERE TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS, AND THIS IS JUST FOR STAFF WHO'S LISTENING, WHETHER IT'S STAFF, THE PUBLIC IN ANY INDIVIDUAL IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND FOR THE COMMITTEE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AROUND OUR CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE THAT I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT OF UNDERSTANDING.
SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTIVE WITH US AS WE GET CLARITY AROUND THE UPSKILLING PILOT PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO OUR NON UNIFORMED SECURITY OFFICERS AND WE'RE ASKING LAST MONTH THERE WAS SOME CLOUDS OVER SOME STATISTICS AND HOW MANY BOOTS WE HAD ON THE GROUND AND JUST WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO BE ON A MISSION. IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK IT, WE NEED TO WALK IT AND THE ONLY WAY YOU WE GROW, AND I'M SURE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING WITH THE COMMITTEE WILL BE THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO WE SEE ON THE DAY TO DAY BASIS AND CONTINUE TO GROW OUR OWN AND STRENGTHEN OUR OWN. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT YOU HIT THOSE POINTS AND AS I CONTINUE TO TO REACH OUT TO YOU, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE ARE WORKING ALSO WITH STAFF, THAT THEY ARE GETTING THEIR INPUT ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR TODAY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE READY. GOOD MORNING.
SONIA BHATT, SENIOR HR MANAGER OF THE TALENT ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US BACK TO SHARE SOME UPDATES.
WE RECEIVED QUESTIONS AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS THIS MORNING.
SO ON SLIDE TWO, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL NUMBERS OF NON-UNIFORM SECURITY OFFICERS.
[00:50:03]
THE RANK OF THE CURRENT UNIFORM AND NON-UNIFORM OFFICERS.SALARY AND GRADES, STARTING SALARIES FOR THE NEW OFFICERS AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS IN SERVICES AND THEN WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THOSE NON UNIFORM OFFICERS THAT ARE POSSIBLY INTERESTED IN BECOMING POLICE OFFICERS.
SO THIS MORNING WE HAVE WITH US OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HR, CARMEL FRITZ, WHO'S GOING TO BE LEADING THE DISCUSSION OVER ALL OF THE NUMBERS THAT YOU ALL HAVE REQUESTED AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO HER, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT NINA IS NOT WITH US.
DIRECTOR. NINA IS NOT WITH US THIS MORNING. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING US BACK TO SHARE UPDATES.
CARMEL. GOOD MORNING. KAMAL FRITZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE THREE SOME WE'RE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED FOR DATA ON HOW MANY OF THE DETENTION SECURITY MARSHALS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND HOW MANY VACANCIES AND IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE THREE THERE IS A 110 THAT ARE BUDGETED AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE 37 VACANCIES.
AND THEY RUN ACROSS ALL THREE OF THESE, AT LEAST THE TWO, THE SECURITY AND THE DETENTION.
THERE IS, YOU KNOW, 32 DETENTION OFFICERS. CURRENTLY 12 VACANCIES ARE SHOWING SECURITY OFFICERS, THERE'S 27 ON STAFF AND SIX VACANCIES. SENIOR SECURITY, THERE'S SEVEN AND NO VACANCIES.
AND THEN WE PROVIDED IT ALSO FOR THE DEPUTY MARSHALS.
THAT STRUCTURE ON PAGE FOUR WE PUT IN THE THE AVERAGE SALARY AND TENURE WAS ASKED FOR FOR EACH OF THESE RANKS OR THESE, THESE POSITIONS. SO WE'VE PROVIDED DETENTION, SECURITY, SENIOR SECURITY, DEPUTY MARSHAL, SENIOR DEPUTY MARSHAL. AND IT SHOWS THE RANGE.
NOW THE DATA ON THIS, WE'VE HAD UPDATES TO THE DATA WHICH WE WILL PROVIDE TO YOU.
WE HAVE TWO THINGS GOING ON HERE. THIS DATA WAS PULLED IN 24 OFF OF THE 24 DATA.
WE'VE NOW IMPLEMENTED AN UPDATED SALARY SCHEDULE AS OF ONE 125.
AND THE MINIMUM SALARY OF THE CITY WAS UP TO 1925.
AND WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF PUTTING IN MERITS FOR ALL THE CIVILIAN POPULATION.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU ALL THAT DATA AS WE PROGRESSIVELY GET IT IN.
BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO UPDATE THIS DATA FOR YOU WITH ALL THOSE CHANGES.
LET ME STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. YEAH. WILL YOU BE ABLE TO UPDATE US BY NEXT MONTH? YES, MA'AM. FULLY. WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID. THAT WAS YOUR TESTIMONY? YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES. MERITS ARE GOING IN NOW.
THEY'RE EFFECTIVE. ONE EIGHT. THEY'LL BE SEEN ON 124.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL THAT DATA AND HAVE IT FOR NEXT MONTH.
OKAY. PAGE FIVE WAS THE UNIFORM POLICE OFFICERS IN POSITIONS THAT WAS ASKED FOR.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING ALL THE RANKS UNDER EXECUTIVE POLICE OFFICER.
THERE ARE 1647 OFFICERS, 217 VACANCIES. SENIOR CORPORAL, THERE'S 912, 236 VACANCIES.
POLICE SERGEANT 466. SORRY. YEAH. 460 AND 15 VACANCIES.
LIEUTENANT 87 AND ONE. AND POLICE MAJOR. THERE'S 23 AND IT'S NOT APPLICABLE BECAUSE THAT, RANK IS THAT ONE FOLLOWS UP RIGHT UP UNDERNEATH THE EXECUTIVE.
SO AND THEN PAGE SIX AGAIN SHOWS THE STARTING AND THE RANK STEPS.
OKAY. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE UNIFORM IT'S SET UP DIFFERENT THAN CIVILIAN.
SO THEY'RE ON THEIR RANKS AND STEPS. SO A POLICE OFFICER COMES IN AT A1P WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE STARTING RATE AND GOES THROUGH STEP NINE. THEY GET THOSE STEPS ON THEIR ELIGIBILITY DATE EACH YEAR THEY MOVE THROUGH THAT.
WE DID PUT A NEW SALARY SCHEDULE. THEY RECEIVED MARKET ADJUSTMENTS ON JANUARY 1ST.
THAT NEW SCHEDULE HAS BEEN PLACED IN EFFECT AS WELL.
THAT NEW RATE FOR THE UNIFORM IS 75. I HAVE IT HERE.
75,397 IS THE NEW STARTING RATE FOR A POLICE OFFICER AS OF ONE 125, AND IT SHOWS THE AVERAGE YEARS OF SERVICE IN EACH OF THOSE RANKS. IT'S VERY HARD TO SHOW THE AVERAGE SALARY ON THE POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN STEPS.
[00:55:03]
SO IT'S HARD TO SHOW AN AVERAGE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.OKAY. THERE WERE TWO QUESTIONS POSED. ONE QUESTION WAS, WHAT PROGRAMS ARE IN PLACE IF AN OFFICER WOULD LIKE TO ADVANCE OR POSSIBLY BECOME A DPD OFFICER? WELL, THERE WAS CURRENTLY NOT ANYTHING IN PLACE AND SONIA AND HER TEAM ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO REMEDY THAT AND PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE COMING IN THOSE POSITIONS THAT AREN'T IN POLICE OFFICER, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE TO POLICE OFFICER.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN THAT OVER NOW TO SONIA AND HER TEAM.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT RECRUITING SESSION FOR SECURITY OFFICERS.
LIEUTENANT HEIGHT AND SENIOR CORPORAL VAUGHN AND SENIOR CORPORAL HENRY ARE HERE ALSO.
THEY ASSISTED WITH THIS RECRUITING SESSION. WE HELD IT LAST MONTH ON DECEMBER 18TH.
WE HAD 14 SECURITY OFFICERS ATTEND AND FIVE SENIOR SECURITY OFFICERS ATTEND THIS SESSION AND OUT OF.
THREE SECURITY OFFICERS SHOWED INTEREST IN THE CAREER PATHWAY TO THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, WHICH OUR COMPENSATION TEAM IS MEETING ON JANUARY 18TH, TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION WHERE WE'VE SHARED THAT PROPOSAL BEFORE AND TO MOVE IT INTO THOSE NEXT STEPS.
AND ONCE THAT IS FINALIZED, WE'LL HOLD A SIMILAR SESSION TO EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS TO SECURITY OFFICERS INTERESTED IN MOVING INTO THE MARSHAL'S POSITION. ON SLIDE EIGHT, WE ARE HOLDING ANOTHER DPD RECRUITING SESSION FOR THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY. IT IS GOING TO BE VIRTUAL ONLY, AND AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAVE 31 EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE REGISTERED TO ATTEND.
AND THEY'VE CITED REASONS INCLUDING LEARNING MORE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN APPLYING, SHARING WITH COLLEAGUES AND SHARING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS OUTSIDE OUR ORGANIZATION.
SO THAT ACTUALLY CONCLUDES THE INFORMATION THAT YOU REQUESTED AND WE PRESENTED THIS MORNING, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR US REGARDING THIS INFORMATION.
THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN WILLIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO ONLINE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I SEE COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON HAS HER HAND UP, SO SHE'S VIRTUAL.
SO JUST HOLD ON. I THINK WE CAN HEAR NOW.
OKAY, SO I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. AS YOU MOVE FOLKS INTO THE RANKS AT DPD, WHAT IS OUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SECURITY AND THE, THE DETENTION OFFICERS, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY LOW IN THE CITY MARSHALS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY YOU KNOW, TAKING FROM ONE AND LEAVING ANOTHER WITHOUT ANY MEMBERS.
RIGHT. CARMEL FRITZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR H.R. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PER THE QUESTIONS FOR SECURITY.
SO WITH THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING, WE HAVE CHANGED THE GRADES.
AS OF 125. SO THE GRADES HAVE INCREASED THE MINIMUM.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT AFTER MERIT. LOOK AT THE SECURITY, THE DETENTION SENIOR SECURITY OFFICERS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE. I HAVE GOTTEN, BUT THAT'S NOT. HEY, CARMEN, IS THAT ON SALARY? IS THAT ON SALARY ONLY? YES, THAT'S SALARY ONLY.
OKAY. YEAH. I'M LOOKING AT NUMBERS. SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR RECRUITING FROM WITHIN.
AND SO THOSE 14 WILL MOVE OVER, BUT YOU'VE ALREADY GOT ALMOST HALF IN THE DEPUTY CITY MARSHAL AND HALF OR A THIRD IN THE DETENTION OFFICER. SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO MAKE.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GUT THE SECURITY PART OF THIS IN ORDER TO DO DPD, THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY FILLING BOTH COFFERS AT THE SAME TIME? CORRECT. SO ON THE. OKAY. LET ME TRY TO SEE IF I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
[01:00:04]
SO ON THE DPD SIDE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S SET. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK IN TANDEM WITH SONJA AND HER TEAM AS WE SEE THAT THESE OFFICERS ARE MAKING, YOU KNOW, GOING TO MOVE OR ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUE.WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR SALARY SCHEDULES AND THE CURRENT SALARY OF ALL THE SECURITY OFFICERS, THE DETENTION OFFICERS AND THE MARSHALS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A BALANCING ACT WHEN WE SEE HOW THIS TURNS OUT AND WE SEE THE INTEREST, BUT WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THESE POSITIONS.
I HAVE CURRENT SALARY DATA ON THE SECURITY SECURITY OFFICERS DETENTION, AND I DID AS REQUESTED.
THEY ARE HIGHER. IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT, BUT THEY ARE HIGHER.
THEY ARE ON THE ESPECIALLY ON THE SECURITY AND THE SENIOR SECURITY.
THEY DID WITH OUR RANGE CHANGE. IT CLOSED THE GAP A LITTLE BIT.
CORRECT. OKAY. SO AS THEY MOVE OVER AND THEY BECOME DPD OFFICERS AND WE ADJUST THOSE SALARIES, DO WE HAVE A RECRUITMENT STRATEGY TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO THOSE POSITIONS? WELL, WE WILL HAVE TO CHECK. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR.
AND AS WE MOVE OTHERS TO GET A FULLER GLASS, THIS ONE'S GOING TO BECOME EMPTY.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STAYS FULL TOO AND THIS COULD BE A GREAT YOU KNOW, IF A TRAINING YOU KNOW, A TRAINING GROUND FOR FOLKS. YEAH. AND I'LL PUT THAT ON THE LIST TO CHECK WITH BECAUSE WE'LL PARTNER UP WITH RECRUITING AS WELL.
OKAY AND CIVIL SERVICE BECAUSE THOSE POSITIONS ARE CIVIL.
SO WE'LL PARTNER UP WITH THEM AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT A PLAN CAN BE OKAY.
OKAY. DO WHAT YOU SAID. FILL THE BOTTOM AS THEY MOVE.
YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP THEM. YOU KNOW, WE WANT THEM FULL AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SALARY RANGES BETWEEN I MEAN, THEY MAKE, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE, IT'S RIGHT THERE, 43 THAT'S BARELY LIVABLE AND THAT IS GOING IT'S GOING UP, BUT NOT I MEAN, IT'S GOING UP NOT SIGNIFICANTLY.
HOWEVER WHEN I DO THAT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DOWNSTREAM EFFECT.
I GET IT, THERE'S A TRICKLE. THERE'S A RIPPLE EFFECT.
I'VE GOT SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS. RIGHT. I DO THAT.
SO I GUESS THE THING IS HOW MUCH IS THE FISCAL NOTE ON THIS.
YES, SO I MEAN THAT'LL BE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION AND WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT.
BUT THAT'S JUST THAT WAS JUST MY QUESTION IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL, SO TO SPEAK, THAT WE KEEP IT ALL, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS.
CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU LADIES. APPRECIATE IT.
WE TRY TO SET THINGS SO PETER CAN'T ROB PAUL.
IT'S THE MARKET RIGHT AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO SUCCEED.
YEAH. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE PURE NUMBERS IT'S MY GUT FEELING IT'S SALARY.
SO ANYWAY OKAY THANK YOU LADIES. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ONLINE THAT MAY HAVE COME UP WITH THE THOUGHT.
SO LET'S DO THIS. OH, YOU SAID MR. OH, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT. THE LEFT HAND UP THERE, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.
I THINK YOU NEED TO UNMUTE. GO RIGHT AHEAD. I NOTICED THAT THE FIRST THREE POSITIONS, THE AVERAGE SALARY IS HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST SALARY RANGE AND THE LAST THREE POSITIONS ARE LOWER THAN THE LOWEST SALARY.
HOW CAN THAT BE AN AVERAGE? COUNCILMEMBER RIDLEY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT.
WE'LL UPDATE THAT AS WELL BECAUSE THAT ISN'T THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
[01:05:05]
SO THE AVERAGE SALARY NUMBERS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE IN ERROR, NOT THE SALARY RANGES.THAT'S CORRECT OKAY. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY. SO THIS IS WHERE WE WERE GOING TO ASK FOR THE NEXT MONTH.
I REQUEST A MEMORANDUM TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO WEIGH IN ON QUESTIONS THAT THAT ARE VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ASK AND TIMELY FOR US TO ASK AS IT RELATES TO THE QUESTION AROUND THE EQUITY WITH THE NONE, WHAT YOU'RE CALLING THE NON UNIFORM OFFICERS IN THE POSITION IN WHICH I SIT NOW AND HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT PETER AND PAUL, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT PETER, PAUL AND THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND SECURITY.
THERE'S REALLY NO PRICE WE CAN PUT ON SECURITY.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS CHAIRMAN. BLACKMON MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A NOTE TO THIS, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO ACT STILL WITHIN REASON. AND SO AS WE TALK ABOUT BRINGING FOLKS IN RECRUITING, SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE STILL WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN FOR RECRUITMENT.
BUT THE QUESTIONS I HAVE AROUND ARE WE BRINGING THE FOLKS IN AS WE RECRUIT THEM? ARE THEY COMING IN AS A HIGHER, AT A HIGHER SALARY THAN INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE FOUR YEARS OR FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS? AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ELEMENT OF. A FUTURE VESTED INTEREST IS HOW DO WE HOW ARE WE TREATING OUR TEAM? I DON'T WANT TO SIT HERE AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
AND EVERY TIME THE DOOR OPEN, I'M DOUBLE CHECKING.
I KNOW THEY'VE SIGNED IN AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT I STILL LOOK UP AND I WONDER.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO THIS PROCESS.
YOU WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE, AND I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT MYSELF FOR JUST A MINUTE BECAUSE I CAN.
BECAUSE IF I'M COMING IN AND I HAVE EXPERIENCE AND YOU HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE IN AND YOU ASK ME TO TRAIN THEM, AND THAT HAPPENED TO ME ONCE, YOU PROBABLY KNOW I DIDN'T DO IT, DON'T YOU? I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN BEING TREATED RIGHT, DON'T ASK ME TO DO THAT. NOW, THAT'S A PERSONAL THING.
MAYBE I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT, BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT IS THE TRUTH. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING NOW ABOUT BRINGING FOLKS IN, TRAINING THEM, TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR ASPIRATIONS ARE, HOW THEY CAN BETTER SUPPORT US AS A CITY.
SOME FOLKS MAY VERY WELL TELL YOU, LOOK, I'M HAPPY BEING RIGHT HERE.
IT MAKES THEM A BETTER PERSON. THEY CAN GO OUT AND RECRUIT.
SO NOT TO PREACH TO YOU, BUT IT'S CALLED LIFE AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AND I THINK WE NEED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND PULL THE COVERS BACK AND JUST BE BARE NAKED AND JUST TELL THE TRUTH TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO GET IT RIGHT.
SO WE WILL BE REQUESTING FROM YOU, A COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THAT INFORMATION ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU MOMENTARILY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T PUT ANY UNDUE PRESSURE ON ANYONE.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS RECRUITMENT SESSION ON THE 16TH.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LET FOLKS KNOW.
EVERYONE CAN DO BETTER. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO BETTER IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT AND SO WHEN YOU GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY, THEY CAN'T BLAME ANYONE ELSE BUT THE PERSON IN THE MIRROR.
SO YOUR CONSCIENCE BECOMES CLEAR. YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT.
AND OF COURSE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS SERVING THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS.
SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO WEIGH ON BEFORE WE GO TO THE MEMO? NO, MA'AM. JUST GOOD JOB BY STAFF. AND ALSO, MISS CARMELA, IF YOU WOULD DO ME A FAVOR AND SEND
[01:10:06]
THAT NEW SLIDE UPDATE WITH THE AVERAGE SALARIES TO THE COMMITTEE.THANK YOU AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN DO BOTH PRE AND POST.
THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TEAM. THANK YOU CITIZEN CITY MANAGER.
WE WILL NOW PREPARE FOR THE BRIEFING MEMO FROM THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE.
IS HOLLY HOLT GOING TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION OR IS IT ME WHO WILL BE SHARING? MISS JESSICA GALLISHAW. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. OKAY. WHICH I'M SORRY. I FORGET WHICH MEMO WAS FIRST.
I'M SORRY. THE BRIEFING MEMO ON THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR CELEBRATION WEEK EVENTS.
WE'RE AT THAT TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO KICK THAT OFF ON FRIDAY EVENING AT THE MLK CENTER.
AT THE CANDLE LIGHTING CEREMONY, WHICH IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALPHA SIGMA LAMBDA CHAPTER OF THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INCORPORATED, THIS IS AN ANNUAL EVENT EVERY YEAR THAT KIND OF SERVES TO REALLY BE KIND OF A KICKOFF AND A CEREMONIAL OPPORTUNITY AS WE LEAD INTO MLK WEEK. AND OF COURSE, WE HAD OUR WONDERFUL GALA ON SATURDAY EVENING.
NOW, LOOKING FORWARD, WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
OUR DAY OF REFLECTION, PRAYER, AND DEDICATION IS TAKING PLACE TOMORROW AT 11:00 AT THE MLK CENTER.
WE WILL DO THE TRADITIONAL WREATH LAYING, AS WELL AS HAVING MULTIPLE FAITHS REPRESENTED TO TO HAVE PRAYER AND GENERAL REFLECTION ON DOCTOR KING AND HIS LEGACY. THE JOB FAIR WAS MENTIONED BY WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS TODAY.
THAT IS ON WEDNESDAY, AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR GREAT PARTNERSHIPS EVERY YEAR, IS TO HELP LIVE THROUGH DOCTOR KING'S LEGACY BY HELPING PEOPLE BECOME CONNECTED TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES. OUR YOUTH SHOWCASE, OUR MULTICULTURAL SHOWCASE, SHOULD I SAY, IS BEING HOSTED BY OUR YOUTH COMMISSION ON THURSDAY HERE AT CITY HALL IN THE LOBBY AREA FROM 12 TO 1:00. THE EQUITY INDICATORS SYMPOSIUM IS TAKING PLACE ON FRIDAY MORNING AND THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DAY.
HOSTED BY THE INCREDIBLE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND DOCTOR WILSON AND HER TEAM AND OF COURSE, THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE WITH A FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND THEN ON SATURDAY, WE WILL BE WILL BE HOSTING THE ANNUAL MLK DAY PARADE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ORGANIZATION HELP! AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, AND WE WANT TO INVITE ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE, ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, TO ATTEND THOSE EVENTS. THEY ARE FREE AND SOME OF THEM DO REQUIRE REGISTRATION, BUT THEY ARE FREE.
AND SO WE REALLY HOPE TO SEE FOLKS OUT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PARADE.
HAVE YOU DROPPED THE MIC ON US AS COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY WOULD, WOULD DO? OKAY, SO LET ME JUST FOLLOW UP THEN. SO OF COURSE, SATURDAY NIGHT WE WERE IN ATTENDANCE THERE WITH THE REVEREND NAOMI TUTU, DAUGHTER OF DESMOND ARCHBISHOP ARCHBISHOP TUTU, WHICH I THOUGHT IT WAS A PHENOMENAL SPEECH AND JUST THE WHOLE EVENING WAS GREAT. BUT THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU ALSO WOULD BE BUT ON POST EVENTS, HOW ARE YOU HANDLING THE SURVEYS OR INPUTS SO THAT YOU CAN PREPARE FOR THE NEXT YEAR? YEAH. SO WE'LL TAKE THAT BACK INTO CONSIDERATION IN PLANNING FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. ACTUALLY, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE STARTED TO HEAR FROM FOLKS THAT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER PORTION OF THE GALA WAS TOO LATE IN THE EVENING. PEOPLE WERE HAVING TO MAYBE LEAVE EARLY OR MID KEYNOTE IF THEY HAD BABYSITTER OBLIGATIONS OR OTHERWISE, AND WE ACTUALLY RESTRUCTURED AND REORDERED THE GALA TO HAVE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER BEFORE THE DINNER SERVICE, WHICH IS A LITTLE ATYPICAL, BUT IT DOES ALLOW FOR PEOPLE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO HEAR FROM THAT KEYNOTE IN CASE THEY CANNOT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE END OF THE EVENING. AND SO WE DO TAKE THE FEEDBACK, WE TAKE THE SURVEYS, AND WE TAKE THAT STUFF INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE PLANNING THE EVENTS.
ADVISORY BOARD AND STAFF WILL DISCUSS IN DEPTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
[01:15:03]
PLANNING IN ADVANCE FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S CELEBRATION.ALL RIGHT. LET ME COME BACK. I FEEL TO TO TO FIRST ASKED CHAIRWOMAN WILLIS IF SHE HAS QUESTIONS.
SHE'S SITTING HERE BEFORE I START ASKING QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE CAN GO VIRTUALLY.
SURE. I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT IT LOOKS LIKE AN EXCEPTIONAL WEEK OF EVENTS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARADE AND ALSO THURSDAY'S EVENT WITH OUR WONDERFUL YOUTH COMMISSION AND THE VIRTUAL WORLD.
ALRIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS THERE.
I THINK THE SURVEY IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. WE DID HEAR SOME CONCERNS I, WE WANT I AM THINKING THE TEAM THE MLK BOARD, WE DO APPOINT BOARD. WE DO APPOINT MEMBERS.
AND SO I WILL BE WILL BE APPOINTING A NEW INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE MY INDIVIDUAL HAS HAS MOVED ON TO ANOTHER CITY, BUT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE APPOINTMENTS, IT'S GOOD FOR US TO HEAR AND BRING FEEDBACK TO US AND THEN WE RESPOND TO THAT EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVENT AND I THINK FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW ALSO, BESIDES THE SPEAKER, COULD YOU JUST REALLY ELABORATE JUST QUICKLY.
SO WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP PART OF IT.
MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CORPORATE RECOGNITION.
YES. SO THE TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS, YOU KNOW, BEYOND HAVING A KEYNOTE SPEAKER OF THAT EVENT, ARE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PRESENT AWARDS AND TO PRESENT SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO THE SCHOLARSHIPS GO TO LOCAL YOUTH THEY ARE SELECTED BY AN EVALUATION PANEL, WHICH INCLUDES SOME MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO EVALUATE THE ESSAYS WHICH THEY SUBMIT, THAT ARE USING THE THEME THAT IS SELECTED FOR CELEBRATION WEEK AND SO THOSE ARE SCORED AND THEN ULTIMATELY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AWARDED TO A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS BASED ON THOSE SUBMISSIONS AND THIS MONTH, THIS YEAR, HOW MUCH DID YOU ALL GIVE AWAY? IT WAS OVER $22,000 AND THOSE FUNDS COME FROM SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS AND FUNDS THAT ARE COLLECTED IN TICKET SALES AND OTHER REVENUE. THEY'RE NOT COMING FROM THE CITY DIRECTLY.
THEY'RE COMING FROM THOSE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT TIE IN TO THE GALA.
ALRIGHT. WHO WAS OUR SPONSORS THIS YEAR? WE ARE DEFINITELY I KNOW WE THANK THEM FOR THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO BAIT OTHER WE BAIT THEM BACK IN TO COME BACK.
BUT OUR PRESENTING SPONSORS WERE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN JBJ MANAGEMENT, MATTHEWS AND RUSSELL COMPANY, ME EACH DAY RUSSELL COMPANY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE THE YOUTH THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF.
WE DO THAT EVERY YEAR WITH THE SCHOLARSHIPS YOU HAVE THE SPONSORSHIPS THAT REALLY LEND ITSELF TO THE WORK OF MLK, MARTIN, DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING. SO I THINK IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THE LAST BUT NOT LEAST ON THE PARADE. ARE WE IN THE POSITION THIS YEAR? I THINK I HEARD SOMETHING ON THE RADIO THIS MORNING. WE ARE REROUTING THE PARADE.
WE'RE USING AN ALMOST IDENTICAL ROUTE THAT WAS USED AS LAST YEAR'S PARADE.
SO THE TRADITIONALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS BUT I DON'T KNOW QUITE HOW FAR BACK THIS CURRENT ITERATION GOES, BUT THE PARADE HAS STARTED KIND OF BACK AT HOME AND THEN GONE DOWN MLK BOULEVARD, STRAIGHT INTO FAIR PARK.
LAST YEAR WE HAD TO CHANGE THAT BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT I-45 THAT HAD TORN UP, YOU KNOW, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THOUGH THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS DONE, SOME OF THE SIDEWALKS ARE STILL NOT QUITE FLESHED OUT.
THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, MUDDY AREAS. THERE'S STILL PATCHES WHERE THERE'S PATCHWORK CONSTRUCTION TAKING PLACE AND SO WE DECIDED TO STICK WITH THE PARADE ROUTE THAT WE USED LAST YEAR, WHICH WORKED REALLY WELL, WHICH IS WHERE WE BOTH WE STEP OFF AT THE AT FAIR PARK AT PENNSYLVANIA, GO DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WE TURN AND THEN WE GO BACK DOWN MLK BOULEVARD IN FRONT OF THE CENTER AND BACK INTO FAIR PARK, WHICH HAS THE ADDED BENEFIT OF CREATING THE SAME START AND END POINT FOR THE MANY PARTICIPANTS OF THE PARADE.
SO IT'S REALLY HELPFUL WITH LOGISTICS, AND IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER ON FOLKS NOT HAVING TO PARK IN ONE PLACE AND GET THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, A MILE AND A HALF DOWN THE ROAD WITH ALL THEIR STUFF.
ARE YOU COMMUNICATING THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC? SO WE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING THIS SPECIFIC PARADE ROUTE FROM THE BEGINNING.
THIS ISN'T A CHANGE. IT'S BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE FIRST PARADE.
[01:20:02]
WE, OF COURSE, WORK WITH OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND OUR PARTNER HELP TO GO OUT AND DO OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, IN PARTICULAR AROUND BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT ARE AROUND THE AREA WHERE THAT'S IMPACTED TO, YOU KNOW, LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S COMING TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK, TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE THERE IN THE PARADE ROUTE AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT, WHAT DO YOU DO IN THAT SITUATION? WE SOUGHT FEEDBACK FROM PARTNERS ON SITE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER FROM PAST YEAR PARTICIPANTS AND OF COURSE, FROM THE BOARD. AS WELL, IN TALKING ABOUT THE PARADE AND THE PARADE ROUTE, HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE KIND OF CONTINUED STATE OF THAT ROADWAY, THERE WAS A BIG FACTOR BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY CONCERNED NOT SO MUCH FOR THE PARTICIPANTS ON THE STREET, BUT A LITTLE BIT FOR THE SPECTATORS WHO WOULD BE UP AND DOWN PORTIONS OF THE BOULEVARD WHERE THAT WORK HASN'T QUITE BEEN COMPLETED.
I BELIEVE SO. I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME BILLBOARDS OPPORTUNITIES, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME THAT HAVE BEEN ON PUT ON SOME OF THE CITY CHANNELS AND THE AVENUES THAT THE CITY TYPICALLY HAS FOR OUTREACH.
WE ALSO GENERALLY GET A GOOD DEAL OF KIND OF EARNED MEDIA, ESPECIALLY IN THIS WEEK LEADING UP TO IT, WHERE WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION OUT AS WELL.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MEDIA PARTNERS, RADIO STATION PARTNERS IN PARTICULAR, THAT ARE WORKING WITH HELP TO HELP PROMOTE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARADE. ALL RIGHT. SO, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE I DID HEAR ONE THIS MORNING.
I JUST FIND OUT JUST WHERE WE ARE POSTING THIS, OUR COMMUNICATION, BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HAD THE MEETING, BUT I WILL BE MEETING WITH SOME OF OUR MINORITY PAPERS AND OTHERS AROUND THIS WHOLE EQUITY AND COMMUNICATION, OR JUST ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE CITY, ESPECIALLY AROUND A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT WE HAVE. BUT SINCE IT IS THE SEASON THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY QUESTION.
ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK THAT IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS AROUND WHAT YOU ARE DOING OR WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY I'M GOING TO THANK ONCE AGAIN THE STAFF THAT CONTINUES TO WORK EVERY YEAR WITH THE CHARGE OF TAKING TAKING CARE OF THIS EVENT WHETHER IT WAS THE MLK WHERE WE'RE HERE IN THE BUILDING. I CAME IN, OF COURSE, WITH WATCHING MAYOR ROLLINS DO A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT AND WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF AS AS MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM NEVER STOPPED.
SO THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN CARRYING THIS CHALLENGE FOR A WHILE IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, AND NOTHING IS EVER PERFECT, BUT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ON AND BE STRONG BECAUSE WE GET BETTER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
BUT YOU GET A CHANCE TO HEAR IT FROM FOLKS WHO SAY, OH, IT WAS GREAT.
SO THAT'S GOOD AND STRONG SHOULDERS. BUT IT DOES.
SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THEN WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN JUST TERMS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC, MISS JESSICA? NOT FROM ME, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO ARE YOU, ARNOLD.
JUST REAL FAST. JESSICA. THANK YOU. I KNOW OFTENTIMES STAFF DOESN'T HEAR IT ENOUGH.
OKAY. I SEE THE HEART AND SOUL THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS EVENT.
ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES THAT THE COUNCIL NEVER GETS TO SEE.
THIS COMMITTEE IS NEVER GOING TO GET TO KNOW THAT.
BUT I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS HERE PUBLICLY ON THIS EVENT.
AND OUR TEAM AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER THEY ARE AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY DEDICATED AND HARDWORKING AND CARING AND PASSIONATE AND JUST EVERYTHING.
AND I TRUST THEM SO VERY MUCH. THEY HAVE GREAT IDEAS, GREAT THOUGHTS, GREAT PASSION AND I AM HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM AND WORK WITH THEM. THANK YOU AND I THINK THE MOST THERE ARE TWO MOST POWERFUL WORDS THAT WE CAN USE TWO WORDS.
THANK YOU. AND THEN THE COUNCIL CAN PROBABLY USE THREE.
SO THE NEXT TOPIC HERE DEALS WITH THE NEXT BRIEFING ITEM.
[01:25:04]
IT'S DEALING WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO TAX ASSISTANCE.SO YOU'RE GOING TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AS WELL. YES, MA'AM.
THE FIRST IS THE KICKOFF OF TAX SEASON AND THE FREE TAX PREPARATION PROGRAM.
THE CITY HAS SUPPORTED AND BEEN A PART OF SUPPORTING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED THE CONTRACT AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THE NEXT CONTRACTING PERIOD, AND THAT ITEM WILL BE COMING BEFORE COUNCIL IN AN UPCOMING MEETING, ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT THEY'RE STILL WORKING TO FINALIZE THE SPECIFIC DATE FOR THAT.
SO THE TAX ASSISTANCE, I'LL JUST GIVE A HIGH LEVEL.
ESSENTIALLY, WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT SOMETHING CALLED VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THAT THE IRS CREATED SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THE LOWER INCOME LEVELS ARE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO TRAINED PROFESSIONALS TO HELP THEM PREPARE THEIR TAXES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACCURATE, AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE TRAINED AND ABLE TO ACCESS A VARIETY OF REFUNDABLE TAX CREDITS, OR EVEN JUST GENERAL TAX CREDITS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY BENEFICIAL FOR THEM AND SO THE AIM OF THESE PROGRAMS IS REALLY TO MAXIMIZE THOSE REFUNDS AND HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS GET MORE MONEY BACK INTO THEIR POCKET WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SAVING THEM FROM HAVING TO PAY COSTLY TAX PREPARATION FEES.
SO THERE'S SOME INFORMATION HERE ON THE OUTPUT.
BUT LAST YEAR THE PROGRAM SUBMITTED OVER 11,000 TAX REFUNDS OR RETURNS.
BROUGHT IN OVER $10 MILLION TO THE POCKETS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN TERMS OF REFUNDS SAVED, OVER $4 MILLION IN COSTS TO THOSE MEMBERS.
TAX CREDIT FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND WAS DESIGNED TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKFORCE, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT MAKING QUITE WHAT THEY NEED TO AT AN HOURLY RATE.
THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS EITC, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE ANTI-POVERTY TOOL.
AND WE BROUGHT IN ALMOST, WELL, $2.7 MILLION TO PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROGRAM THROUGH THAT.
SO THIS PROGRAM REALLY IS DOING WHAT IT AIMS TO DO, WHICH IS MAKING SURE TO REACH A LARGE NUMBER OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND HELPING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE MAXIMUM REFUND AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
SO THERE'S SOME INFORMATION ON THIS. AND AGAIN, THE AUTHORIZATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE MEMO OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT PROJECT BY PROJECT? YOU WANT TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT THE PURPOSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY AND WHERE AND WHO WE ARE AFFECTING.
SO LOWER INCOME MEMBERS AND FAMILIES AND IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT BECAUSE THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE THE IT'S FUNDING THAT IT'S MONEY THAT THEY'VE EARNED AND IT'S COMING BACK INTO THEIR POCKETS FOR THEM TO MAKE USE OF. THERE'S REALLY GREAT RESEARCH OUT THERE TOO.
THEY'RE USED TO HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH MAJOR EVENT EXPENSES, LIKE IF YOUR REFRIGERATOR BREAKS DOWN OR CAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND SO PEOPLE REALLY DO COUNT ON THOSE YOUR FUNDS. MADAM CHAIR. CAN I WEIGH IN JUST REAL FAST? YES, SIR. WHEN I WAS TALKING TO JESSICA EARLIER, AND SHE WAS KIND OF DEBRIEFING ME ON THIS ITEM, AND THE FIRST THING THAT RANG MY BELL WAS. THIS IS FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS STAYING LOCALLY, RIGHT? THIS LEVERAGING THAT SHE'S DOING AND SUPPORTING OF THE LOWEST INCOME RESIDENTS IS JUST THAT.
SO WHAT LITTLE DOLLARS THEY DO HAVE FEDERALLY STAY LOCALLY.
AND I WANT TO FOCUS MORE ON THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS BECAUSE THIS IS SO CRITICAL.
WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC MOBILITY. WE JUST HAD A PRESENTATION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOURLY WAGES AND UPSKILLING.
AND THAT'S OR SKILLING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
AND I THINK THE BENEFIT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS IS MOVING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE ECONOMIC PREDATORS, THE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE PREDATORS, TOWARD ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.
AND SO I THINK LET ME, LET ME ASK ABOUT SOMETHING AT THE END OF THE SECOND OR THIRD PAGE OF THE MEMO, IT SAYS THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW NOFA WILL BE DEVELOPED PROMPTLY TO ENSURE CONTINUATION OF SERVICES AND TO SECURE THE BEST POSSIBLE CONTRACT FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AND ITS
[01:30:08]
RESIDENTS. SO I THOUGHT CONTRACTS HAD EXPIRED WITH THESE GROUPS.THEY HAVE NOT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO CONTRACTORS.
WE EXTENDED CONTRACTS IN BOTH BECAUSE INITIALLY WE WERE WORKING AGAINST A SOLICITATION THAT, OF COURSE GOT ROLLING IN THE SPRINGTIME. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL CHANGES IN CHANGES IN THE CITY THAT HAVE MADE US REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE'RE INVESTING OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A TRANSITION TO REDUCE THIS PROGRAM ON THE GENERAL FUND, AND WE HAVE TO REPLACE IT WITH SOME GRANT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
BUT THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE US TO DO AN ADDITIONAL SOLICITATION.
SO THE CONTRACTS AREN'T EXPIRED, BUT THEY ARE OUT OF FUNDING.
AT LEAST ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS HAS NO FUNDING LEFT ON THE CONTRACT, SO THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO OPERATE.
ANOTHER ONE OF THE CONTRACTS, THEY DO ACTUALLY STILL HAVE FUNDING AND ARE STILL OPERATING.
OKAY. AND SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND.
IS THE CITY TRYING TO OPERATE THESE PROGRAMS VERSUS USE A NON PROFIT PARTNER? NO. THIS IS A SOLICITATION. THIS IS A CANCELLATION OF SOLICITATION.
THIS WAS A DIRECTIVE FOR US TO CANCEL THAT PENDING SOLICITATION, WHICH OF COURSE WAS DEVELOPED AND PLANNED IN THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR WITH DIFFERENT FINANCIAL REALITIES. AND SO WE WERE LOOKING AT WAYS TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS OF THE PROGRAM WHILE ALSO MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS CANCELLATION SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT IMPACT. THE FISCAL IMPACT.
AND SO WHEN REFERENCING THE NOFA, THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME GRANT MONIES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE OPERATING, AND WE ARE PLANNING TO SEEK ADDITIONAL PHILANTHROPIC AND GRANT MONIES TO SUPPORT CONTINUED PROGRAMING.
OKAY. WHERE DID THE DIRECTIVE TO CANCEL COME FROM? THAT CAME FROM LEADERSHIP CITY MANAGER. OKAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENLIGHTEN MY COLLEAGUES ON AND I'M SORRY WE DIDN'T GET TO CHAT ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK YOU'RE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS WASN'T PAID FOR FOUR MONTHS AND HAD TO FURLOUGH EIGHT WORKERS BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
AND I BELIEVE THEY'VE BEEN PAID NOW. BUT I'M REALLY, REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
IN FACT, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CFO. I WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING THAT'S OVER 60 DAYS BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, BECAUSE THAT'S UTTERLY RIDICULOUS. SO AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT KIND OF THE BACKLASH FROM THAT.
I WOULDN'T WANT A PARTNER WHO IS DOING SO MUCH GOOD WORK TO THEN HAVE TO SUFFER FOR CONTRACTING WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND THIS ABSOLUTELY HAPPENED. AND IT'S JUST, I MEAN, HARMING THEM.
AND I MEAN, I'M THIS WAS A FAILURE OF CITY HALL ON THE PROCESSING PART OF IT.
THE NUMBERS ARE GOOD AND WE NEED THIS ALL DAY LONG AND WE NEED MORE OF IT.
AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED IF IT'S HAPPENING IN ANY OTHER CATEGORY.
AND THEN ALSO IF IT'S BROUGHT TO BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
HOW WE TREAT SOMEONE FOR BRINGING SOMETHING TO LIGHT.
THINGS ARE GOING WRONG RIGHT NOW. I PROMISE YOU.
AND SO WE NEED THE EYES AND EARS TO LET US KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOOD WORK IS BEING DONE.
SO ANYWAY, I DEFINITELY WANT THIS TO HAVE FURTHER EXAMINATION.
BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAD TO DO SOME RETOOLING.
BUT I ALWAYS I WOULD WANT TO KNOW IF I WASN'T GETTING FOOT TRAFFIC OR SOMETHING, I WOULD WANT TO HELP AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO GET PEOPLE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE DOORS, ETC.. SO ANYWAY, I JUST THINK THIS IS TOO VITAL TO NOT BE RUNNING IT AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE AND TO MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY TO HELP US ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, VERSUS WONDER IF THEY SHOULD.
THANK YOU. VIRTUAL WORLD. COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON.
HI. THANK YOU. CAN I MAKE A SIMPLE SUGGESTION?
[01:35:01]
I MEAN, THIS IS A FIVE PAGE MEMO. IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PRESENTATION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN HERE.AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITIES THIS, THIS THESE ACTIONS.
SO HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME WE CAN GET THIS INTO A MEMO, I MEAN, INTO A PRESENTATION.
BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS I'M LOOKING AT THE 22ND AGENDA.
AND WHAT IS COMING ON ITEM 25. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE AGENDA ITEM.
OKAY, I WILL DOUBLE CHECK AND CLARIFY THAT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER BECAUSE YEAH, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT AND I CAN'T FIND I'VE SEEN A REJECTION OF BIDS FOR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS ONE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING BECAUSE I, TRULY BELIEVE IN THIS, BECAUSE THIS PUTS MONEY BACK INTO PEOPLE'S POCKETS.
AND IT IS A GETTING YOUR GETTING THIS ALL IN PLACE REALLY HELPS THE TRAJECTORY OF A FAMILY.
AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF I'M LOOKING THROUGH IT AND I'M KIND OF TRYING TO RECONCILE.
AND I'M HAVING A HARD TIME KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS COMING FIRST AND WHAT IS COMING SECOND.
SO I GUESS THERE IS THE ONE YEAR TAX PREPARATION.
AND THEN THERE'S THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS.
CORRECT? CORRECT. SO I JUST WAS TOLD IT WAS ITEM 39.
I'M NOT SURE. OH, OKAY. 39. IT SAYS 20. I THINK IT SAYS YEAH, I KNOW IT DOES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED. I APOLOGIZE. OKAY.
NO WORRIES. WELL, ITEM 39 I MADE A MISTAKE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY.
I'M TRULY SORRY. NO, I HEAR YOU. BUT ITEM 39 IS A PARK PROJECT.
OH. WHAT? OKAY. NO. SO WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? OKAY.
CAN YOU GET THAT INFORMATION SENT TO US? AT LEAST TODAY.
SO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT? THIS COMMITTEE. YEAH, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS GOING FORWARD WITH ALL THIS.
SO THAT WAY WE SHUT IT DOWN, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START IT OVER.
SO, YEAH, THE SOLICITATION AS IT'S FRAMED IS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT AWARD.
SO THE THE RECOMMENDATION TO CANCEL THE SOLICITATION AND RETOOL THE PROGRAM WAS SO THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK IN THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF, OF BUDGETING AND SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE A MORE RESPONSIBLE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT FROM A FISCAL PERSPECTIVE.
OKAY. BECAUSE I THINK I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD UTILIZE IT BECAUSE THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM.
IT IS AND IT THE PARTICIPATION HAS HAS BEEN INCREASING, IN PARTICULAR IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE LAST HALF OF THIS FISCAL YEAR FROM SUMMER ON.
AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF A LULL IN A LOT OF PROGRAMS, ACTUALLY.
YOU'D BE SURPRISED. THERE'S A LOT OF LULL IN, YOU KNOW, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, EXCEPT FOR, OF COURSE, HOLIDAY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE VERY UTILIZED AND.
OKAY. BUT YEAH, I SUPPORT THIS AND IF WE WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS UP AND UP AND RUNNING AND ANY HELP WE CAN GIVE YOU AND PUTTING IT OUT, ESPECIALLY IN EAST DALLAS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE COULD PROBABLY USE THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE.
PEOPLE WOULDN'T THINK IT, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF, OF INVESTMENT GOES A LONG WAY. AND I THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF ROI THAT I'M LOOKING FOR BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, THE TAX CREDITS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THAT PUTS MONEY BACK IN THEIR POCKET, WHICH GOES INTO OUR ECONOMY.
THEY GO SHOPPING, THEY GO BUY STUFF. THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY FIX UP THEIR HOME.
SO I AM I ANYWHERE I CAN HELP YOU, JESSICA? HAPPY TO DO SO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. I'LL JUST SAY ON THE TAX PROGRAM, THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE SAID, THAT WITH THESE FUNDS GOING BACK INTO THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS POCKETS, IT'S ALMOST ALL INVESTED BACK INTO, OF COURSE, COMMUNITY RETAILERS AND BUSINESSES.
I THINK THE OTHER PIECE I WANTED TO AND I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH US IN OUR POST MEETING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THIS UNDERSTANDING.
ARE WE ALSO ENSURING THAT THE SERVICES PROVIDE A BILINGUAL RESOURCES? YES. SO THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR IN THE PARTNERS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE SERVICES ARE BILINGUAL.
[01:40:03]
BECAUSE IF TRAFFIC IS SLOW, WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY? BECAUSE WE KEEP DOING THE SAME THING AND KEEP GETTING THE SAME THING.SO YOU WANT TO GET SOMETHING DIFFERENT SO YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YEAH.
SO WITH THIS PROGRAM, OF COURSE. WELL, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. BUT I'LL JUST SAY, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE DO A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS ETC.. I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT ON THE EMPOWERMENT CENTER SIDE THAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO DO IS TO HONE IN ON THE PROGRAMMATIC PARTNERS THAT HAVE THE TYPES OF SERVICES THAT REALLY LEAN WELL INTO FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT WORK.
SO WE PARTNERED THROUGH RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS.
HEY, IF YOU'RE GETTING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, YOU KNOW, LET'S GET YOU STABILIZED AND, OH, MAYBE YOU MIGHT BENEFIT FROM FINANCIAL COACHING. CHECK THIS OUT. WE WORK WITH A HOUSING ORGANIZATION CALLED HOUSING CONNECTOR, AND THEY DO A KIND OF HOUSING NAVIGATION PLACEMENT SERVICES. AND THEY BASICALLY KIND OF SERVE AS A, LIKE A COSIGNER KIND OF FOR RISKY TENANTS. THEY NEGOTIATE WITH LANDLORDS AND THEY KIND OF SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF RISKY TENANTS WHO MAY HAVE AN EVICTION OR OTHER ISSUES ON THEIR RECORD.
WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THAT ORGANIZATION.
ANOTHER SET OF PROGRAMING PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY ON THE FEC SIDE, IS OUR REENTRY SERVICE PROVIDER.
SO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, REENTERING THE COMMUNITY, PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED OR HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN IMPACT FROM INCARCERATION ON THEIR RECORD OR IN THEIR FAMILY.
WE FOUND THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE REALLY ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THIS TYPE OF PROGRAMING.
SO WE TRY TO CREATE IT AS SOMETHING THAT THESE VARIOUS PROGRAMS CAN KIND OF HELP DO THIS IMMEDIATE STABILIZATION AND THEN LIKE FEED PEOPLE INTO THE EMPOWERMENT CENTERS. AND THEN OF COURSE, HAVING TAX ASSISTANCE PAIRED UP AND PARTNERING WITH THE EMPOWERMENT CENTERS AND THOSE PARTNERS ALSO ENSURES THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR FREE TAX PREP. THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE FEE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TEMPTED OR UPSOLD ON A COSTLY REFUND ANTICIPATION LOAN, WHICH CAN COST PEOPLE SOMETIMES LIKE 25% OF THEIR REFUND ON A REFUND ANTICIPATION LOAN JUST TO GET AT THAT URGENTLY.
BUT THROUGH A COACHING CENTER OPPORTUNITY, THEY CAN HAVE SUPPORT FROM TRAINED EXPERTS TO HELP THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, THESE FUNDS, HOW CAN I MAKE BEST USE OF IT AND JUST REALLY HAVE SOMEONE TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF IN THESE REALLY STRESSFUL KIND OF FINANCIAL DECISIONS THAT CAN BE REALLY HARD, YOU KNOW, DO I DO THIS OR THIS? AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS, AND I THINK THAT THE MOST FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIPS SO FAR ARE REALLY THOSE RELATIONAL, NONPROFIT AND PROGRAMMATIC PARTNERSHIPS, MAYBE MORE SO THAN GENERAL OUTREACH.
THE TAX ASSISTANCE IS A BIG GENERAL OUTREACH PUSH AS WELL.
IT'S HARD TO COMPETE WITH THOSE PAID PROVIDERS.
THEY HAVE A LUXURY IN TERMS OF MARKETING AND OUTREACH AND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ON THE STREET DRESSED LIKE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AND SIGNS AND JUST ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF A LOT MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT OUR VITAL SERVICES, OR EVEN THE AARP. THEY ALSO DO SOME SERVICES IN LIBRARIES, WHICH IS FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESIDENT OR CLIENT, BUT THEY ALSO MAKE FREE TAX PREP SERVICES FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE INVESTMENT SPACE OR A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED KIND OF RETURNS.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE TRY OUR BEST TO GET IT OUT THERE, BUT I'M SURE WE CAN DO BETTER.
ALL RIGHT. SO LET ME WALK THAT BACK. ARE YOU TELLING US TODAY THAT YOU ARE DEPENDING ON THOSE PARTNERS TO PUT OUT THIS INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SERVICES? NOT FULLY. WE PARTNER WITH THE PARTNERS TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT.
SO WE WORK WITH OUR COMMS AND MARKETING TEAM, OF COURSE, TO STOP RIGHT THERE WHEN YOU SAY THAT.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THIS HORSE TO COME ON TO THE WATER, TO THE CREEK SO THEY CAN DRINK.
ARE YOU TELLING US TODAY THAT THROUGH WORKING WITH COMES.
WHAT ARE YOU TELLING US? ARE THEY PUSHING OUT INFORMATION THROUGH A PSA THROUGH OUR LOCAL MEDIA PARTNERS? ARE WE DEPENDING SOLELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA? ARE YOU WORKING WITH? ARE YOU SENDING INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR CHURCHES, FOR EXAMPLE? THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES AND I KNOW I REPRESENT SOME OF THOSE.
THE BEST WAY TO GET INFORMATION OUT IS TO GET THROUGH THOSE CHURCHES.
SO ARE YOU DOING LISTSERVS? WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE? HOW ARE WE SHOWING THAT WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY TRYING TO HELP THESE PEOPLE, THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE HELPING WHAT ARE WE DOING DIFFERENTLY WITH THE COMMUNICATION FROM OUR END? YEAH. SO IN THE TAX CENTER, ON THE TAX CENTER SIDE, OF COURSE, THAT'S SEASONAL. THAT'S A LATE JANUARY THROUGH ABOUT MIDDLE OF APRIL, A LITTLE BIT PAST TYPE OF THING WHEN THAT IS REALLY UP AND RUNNING.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF KIND OF DEDICATED FOCUS ON THAT.
[01:45:03]
THE PARTNERS FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES NAMED, OF COURSE, IN THIS AGENDA ITEM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF THE CONTRACT IN PRIOR YEARS AS WELL. BUT WE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PRESS RELEASES AND OUTREACH.I THEY MIGHT EVEN BE PARTICIPATING IN THE MLK PARADE THIS YEAR, I THINK.
SO THIS IS WHAT I THINK YOU CAN DO FOR US. SO WE WON'T BELABOR THE POINT.
AND WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER. GIVE ME A WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.
WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY DOING? HAVE YOU TAKEN ADS OUT OR ARE YOU DO YOU HAVE A CONTRACT WITH ANY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS TO HELP OUR PARTNERS, WHOEVER RECEIVE THESE CONTRACTS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING THEM OUT SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT CONTINUE TO BE SCAMMED? BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENS TO OUR COMMUNITY WHEN THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT, OH MY GOD, I COULD HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE AND HERE. NOW THEY ARE DEEPER IN DEBT BECAUSE OF A SCAM ARTIST AND YOU KNOW, THEY TARGET QUITE A BIT THE LOWER THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE WITH OUR SENIORS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE'RE DOING AND WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND THEN IF WE NEED TO DO BETTER, I'M SURE WE ALWAYS CAN DO BETTER.
BUT THAT WAY WE CAN GET IT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE.
SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND HOW THIS EFFORT IS IMPACTING THE MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING WITH THIS PARTICULAR INCOME. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE RESOLUTION ON.
YES, AND IT IS DEFINITELY OUR GOAL TO GET BETTER.
SO THE GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO HAVE A COLLECTIVE 15,000 REACHED THROUGH THAT VITA OUTREACH.
SO WE'RE HOPEFULLY THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE BILLBOARDS A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PULL TOGETHER A MORE SPECIFIC LIST OF THOSE ACTIVITIES AND TAKE A LOOK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME APPROPRIATE ADS PLACEMENT, EITHER BY THE CITY OR BY THE PARTNER IN TERMS OF OUTREACH.
ALRIGHT. SO IF YOU WILL GET THAT FOR US AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
AND JUST IN CLOSING COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON? NO COMMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, ANY OF THOSE MEMBERS ON BOARD ON THE VIRTUAL? WE CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND THIS. WE CAN ALL DO BETTER AS INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO IT IS NO ATTACK ON ANY STAFF MEMBER IN THAT YOU THAT WORK WITH YOU.
COMMUNITY CARE IS A BIG THOSE TWO BIG WORDS COMMUNITY CARES AND WE DO CARE.
BUT WE ALWAYS BECAUSE OF THE CHANGING TIMES, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO LOOK BACK AND REFLECT, TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, TO STRENGTHEN OUR WORK. BUT THANKING YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT STAFF DOES AND ALL OF US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I KNOW I CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER, AND I'M NOT OFFENDED WHEN I GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE AND TO GROW MORE, TO SHARE MORE. SO THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS.
I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE LAST OF THE THE MEMORANDUMS. IS THAT IT? THE FORECAST? YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT? NO, MA'AM. WE'RE GOING TO MEET AFTER THE MEETING ON THE FORECAST. I DO WANT TO MAKE MENTION THAT IN THE DRAFT POSTED AGENDA THAT WAS INTERNAL, THE ONE THAT'S NOT POSTED TO THE PUBLIC. IT WAS ITEM NUMBER 36 TO MISS BLACKMAN'S QUESTION.
OKAY. IT WAS AGENDA ITEM 36 AS PUBLISHED INTERNALLY FRIDAY.
I'M SORRY I FLIPPED THAT SIX AND NINE, I GUESS WHEN I.
NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. YOU DON'T. WE JUST WE'RE ALL WORKING PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THAT THINGS HAPPEN LIKE THAT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK.
BUT WE DO REPRESENT DISTRICTS THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US.
FROM WHERE YOU'RE SITTING TODAY AND THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDED.
SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS WORK OF
THIS STAFF AS WE ADDRESS THE FUTURE, THE FORECAST AND THE AGENDAS. WITH THAT BEING SAID,
IT IS NOW 10:53 AND THE MEETING OF THE WORKFORCE EQUITY AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE STANDS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.