[0:00] >> friendly faces in here.

[0:01] people who care very deeply to

[0:03] want to go around and do some

[0:05] cooking or introductions

[0:07] starting from

[0:09] are left.

[0:11] also, brian parks, you've got a

[0:12] little thing up here. If you

[0:13] want.

[0:18] I don't know why between 2

[0:19] council members for her.

[0:23] >> he's there to our of city

[0:25] council district. One

[0:28] bryant park's counselor's

[0:29] office.

[0:30] >> it afternoon tavern a

[0:31] climber redistricting or good

[0:33] afternoon monet holder and

[0:35] large one

[0:36] afternoon jimmy palooza

[0:37] district 7.

[0:39] >> that's a no reginald

[0:40] gaffney. Enjoy your district.

[0:42] >> good afternoon. When a

[0:43] gauge.

[0:45] >> all right. Thank you all.

[0:47] think before we even really get

[0:48] started, I'd like to do.

[0:50] it's great that like to turn it

[0:53] over to co-chair a review of

[0:55] the chair.

[0:57] >> and I appreciate that.

[0:58] so I guess the reason why we're

[0:59] here, you know, for me lately I

[1:02] have received no mayor has

[1:04] caused numerous states emails

[1:07] and bosses about relief.

[1:10] I'm not sure if you guys know

[1:11] I'm not. We completed a

[1:13] 2 billion dollar budget a few

[1:15] weeks ago and at the end of the

[1:17] meeting,

[1:19] opera polls against

[1:21] legislation, $200,000. As far

[1:24] as really my colleagues,

[1:27] those of course, many thought

[1:29] would have been doing, I guess,

[1:31] came in in the in on budget

[1:32] night. So that's why we're here

[1:34] today to talk about really,

[1:36] you know, some of that all they

[1:37] have received a councilman

[1:38] gaffney. You know, right now

[1:40] rain is high. Gas prices are

[1:43] $4.50 thing, you know, food is

[1:45] high. We need relief.

[1:48] and I question myself and I

[1:49] asked myself, is city council

[1:51] doing enough?

[1:52] you know, so we had this

[1:54] conversation has a couple of

[1:55] weeks ago at budget me. We also

[1:57] had this me and transportation

[2:00] utilities, me so tonight when I

[2:02] would like to discuss with our

[2:04] colleagues to see, are we doing

[2:06] enough, you know, whether this

[2:07] jta, whether that's a social

[2:09] services, whether that's a city

[2:11] council committee. So that's

[2:13] pretty much why we're here

[2:13] today. So thank you, jen.

[2:16] >> nothing think. Thank you,

[2:17] councilmember you. Yeah.

[2:19] I mean, we were we got some

[2:20] great things done by tonight.

[2:22] with the first time in years we

[2:24] got a real funding for

[2:26] affordable housing and it was

[2:27] at that time we kind of stood

[2:28] up and it was just we're mixing

[2:30] a lot of streams and they're

[2:31] having to be some frustrated

[2:32] faces at the moment. So we

[2:33] said, all right, if we're going

[2:34] to do to litija assistance,

[2:36] let's do it outside the budget

[2:38] process.

[2:40] and so here we are outside the

[2:41] budget process.

[2:45] I mean, I was saying it earlier

[2:48] when it comes to funding for

[2:49] emergency funding of any kind

[2:51] in maney. It may mean that we

[2:53] have to go through our our

[2:54] reserves.

[2:55] and the reason we have reserves

[2:57] is it's known as a rainy day

[2:59] fund.

[3:00] I think if you look outside,

[3:01] it's pouring.

[3:02] we got a lot of families.

[3:04] we got a lot of folks in all of

[3:06] our districts that are hurt an

[3:08] and and that's their taxpayer

[3:09] dollars to. And so, you know,

[3:12] I was trying to find out,

[3:13] I believe a lot of us have been

[3:14] kind of research on this,

[3:15] the different methods for

[3:16] utility assistance within the

[3:17] city of jacksonville, jta and

[3:19] our nonprofit partners. And and

[3:22] so it without further ado,

[3:23] I do kind of want to pass it

[3:24] off to as good and see kind of

[3:26] what you know, what are you

[3:27] hearing jta about utility

[3:29] assistance and what kind of

[3:30] programs the you guys and to

[3:33] work with whether be the city

[3:34] or with your outside partners.

[3:36] >> so thank you, chair. Thank

[3:37] you. My name is rene and with

[3:40] jay am and government relations

[3:43] jta. We do have some challenges

[3:46] with our customers. Right now

[3:48] we are seeing that our

[3:50] customers are having

[3:54] trouble paying their bills

[3:57] whenever they have trouble

[3:58] paying their bills. Jta is

[4:00] taking it a step further and we

[4:03] have processes in place.

[4:05] we have programs in place.

[4:08] we have

[4:09] partners that we work with

[4:12] within the city of jacksonville

[4:13] like councilman plusa said.

[4:15] but we also have a list of

[4:18] agencies.

[4:19] >> so we work with.

[4:22] >> the united way we work with.

[4:24] and in our folders here,

[4:25] there's a list of agencies that

[4:27] gaa partners with.

[4:30] we have set up processes with

[4:33] these agencies. So whenever a

[4:36] customer calls and they say

[4:37] they can't pay their bill,

[4:39] we have a manager who was in

[4:41] the audience today and we have

[4:43] our chief customer experience

[4:45] officer who's in the audience

[4:46] today. They have set up a pro,

[4:48] the process where they can

[4:50] assist our customers to call

[4:52] those agencies and get them

[4:55] assistance if they qualify for

[4:57] an

[4:59] so some of those agencies that

[5:01] we work with. There is 2

[5:04] people. There's 3 people that

[5:06] work at those agencies. So when

[5:08] council incluso called me and

[5:10] we talked, we talked about this

[5:11] and

[5:13] share the the amount that you

[5:16] are thinking, it was a little

[5:18] bit concerning because I'm not

[5:19] sure that the agencies that we

[5:22] work with are able to

[5:25] funnel all that money to the

[5:26] customers that jay is it

[5:28] needed.

[5:29] so that's kind of a high level.

[5:32] we do have processes in place

[5:34] for jta customers to call.

[5:38] we have got it on rj a website.

[5:40] we have

[5:42] our customer care. Consultants

[5:43] are very versed and the agency

[5:46] process. And again, we have a

[5:48] manager that works really

[5:50] closely with our customers as

[5:52] well.

[5:53] so I hope that answers your

[5:54] question.

[5:55] >> it does. I think another

[5:56] thing that I've been hearing

[5:57] that amount from folks is,

[5:59] hey, there might be past do a

[6:01] couple months. And I know you

[6:03] guys have some kind of meta

[6:04] payment program stuff like

[6:06] that. Has there ever been

[6:09] and you guys do investigations

[6:10] to see like that number does

[6:11] seem ridiculously high. Let's

[6:13] let's make sure there's not a

[6:14] leaper. Something can give you

[6:16] sort of back pay for that.

[6:17] >> thank you, councilmember.

[6:18] so jay does have energy audits

[6:20] and water audits and those are

[6:23] free service that we have with

[6:25] for customers.

[6:26] we go in and we look to see if

[6:29] your if your meter is

[6:31] registering a high consumption

[6:33] on your water is there is high

[6:36] consumption on your water.

[6:38] we look at that for a month.

[6:41] if it is

[6:42] if it stays high for a month,

[6:44] we will send you a letter and

[6:46] say you have excessive water

[6:48] use.

[6:49] let's look at your bill.

[6:51] let's look at your to see if

[6:53] you have any leaks in your area

[6:55] in your yard. And then if you

[6:58] don't see anything than you can

[6:59] call us and we'll come out and

[7:01] we'll do an audit.

[7:02] so our guys are are gentlemen

[7:05] are very versed in looking at

[7:08] the problems, the challenges

[7:10] that our customers have.

[7:12] if there is a high consumption

[7:14] on the water side,

[7:16] we also have an energy audit

[7:18] side. Where are our gentleman

[7:20] go out and they look at if you

[7:23] have weather stripping around

[7:25] the windows, if you have

[7:26] insulation in your attic,

[7:28] there is a bunch of

[7:29] conservation things that items

[7:32] that we have on jta dot com as

[7:34] well. But that's a service that

[7:36] we have that we can go out and

[7:37] look at your water meter,

[7:39] look at your electric meter and

[7:40] that's a free service that we

[7:42] offer.

[7:43] >> understood. Why are there

[7:45] any other kind of quick

[7:46] questions just for to it go?

[7:47] I do have one question.

[7:48] students hurt in this room that

[7:49] we have like a list of

[7:50] individuals, not names, but

[7:53] approximately how many people

[7:54] this van on a utilities,

[7:56] no nays.

[7:59] I mean, what is it that this is

[8:00] hundreds? I mean, I think,

[8:03] you know, and if we somehow

[8:06] proposed legislation when we

[8:08] go, matt, not colleagues,

[8:09] we need to let them know this a

[8:11] little. We got 3040500 people,

[8:15] families that's behind on the

[8:17] utility's.

[8:18] >> that said through the chair,

[8:19] I'd like to introduce

[8:21] charles moore, dr. Charles

[8:23] moreland. He is our chief

[8:25] customer experience officer.

[8:27] so this program falls under his

[8:29] area and I'll let doctor

[8:31] moreland address them.

[8:32] >> okay, good afternoon,

[8:33] everyone. And let me just

[8:34] simply say from the very

[8:36] beginning and thank you for

[8:37] taking the time to have this

[8:39] conversation around how we can

[8:41] help our customers, our

[8:43] communities, our neighbors,

[8:45] as we all know, there's an

[8:47] alice population that's out

[8:49] there that talks about 39 to

[8:51] 40% of working. People have

[8:53] difficulty pan their bills,

[8:56] rather, it's utilities, rather,

[8:57] is buying groceries, rather is

[9:00] health. And the list goes on

[9:02] and on. And so for us, jay,

[9:05] we're always looking for ways

[9:07] in which we can help our

[9:09] families, our friends, our

[9:11] neighbors, to be able to meet

[9:13] those needs and meet them where

[9:15] they are. So as it relates to

[9:18] how many people are are are

[9:20] maybe struggling to take care

[9:22] of their utility. Bill, I want

[9:24] to get back with you on that

[9:25] just to make sure I have an

[9:26] accurate answer for you.

[9:28] but what I will tell you,

[9:29] and it's give you a little bit

[9:31] of a glimpse that that there is

[9:33] a number and this will give you

[9:35] a glimpse of why that I don't

[9:36] want to be careful with that.

[9:38] so, for example, we talk about

[9:40] pay arrangements a lot of times

[9:42] when people get on pay

[9:43] arrangements. That's because

[9:44] there have been some sort of a

[9:45] difficulty of meeting there.

[9:47] the need monthly their regular

[9:49] just pan their their bill.

[9:52] we have pale arrangements of to

[9:55] 6,719 active payment

[9:58] arrangements right now. So

[10:00] that's a good indicator that a

[10:02] little bit of a red fly for us

[10:04] pay plans. We have people that

[10:06] are on short-term agreements

[10:07] tattooing the pay plan. That's

[10:09] 19,516 active pay plans that

[10:14] are out there now my way where

[10:16] people are leveraging their

[10:18] their leftover of a balance and

[10:21] working through that process.

[10:23] 21,627 current j customers on

[10:28] on my way. And so and then I

[10:30] can go on with that. But you

[10:32] say that there is a healthy

[10:35] number of folks that are having

[10:38] some challenges paying their

[10:39] bills.

[10:42] >> thank you very much. I think

[10:43] it's very helpful. Other

[10:45] another ge related questions

[10:47] you might have. Yeah, mclemore.

[10:49] thank you, jack. And one of the

[10:51] few combat.

[10:52] >> I just need you to repeat

[10:54] the number in regards to the

[10:55] pay arrangements.

[10:59] >> the pairing schmidt number

[11:00] was 6,719.

[11:03] I took payment arrangements

[11:06] and then their pay plans,

[11:07] which is a short-term agreement

[11:09] that provides terms and

[11:10] conditions mutually agreed upon

[11:12] by the customer in jay to pay a

[11:15] pass to that. No later than 51

[11:17] days of the bill day and there

[11:19] there are about 19,516 pay

[11:23] plans for that.

[11:25] >> thank you so much. You're

[11:26] welcome to it through the

[11:28] chair. I know that we do have a

[11:32] myriad of organizations that

[11:34] assist with.

[11:36] >> utility services. Is this

[11:39] liz, this good is it?

[11:41] >> on coca see as to what jta

[11:43] nose or?

[11:47] >> through the chair? The

[11:48] council member clark murray,

[11:50] that is a list of organizations

[11:51] that gaa has a process set up

[11:54] with. Okay. So we've worked

[11:56] with them. We vetted them.

[11:58] we know that there as an

[12:00] organization that can help our

[12:03] customers.

[12:04] >> and when you say process,

[12:05] do you mean any of these type

[12:07] of arrangements that dr more

[12:09] limited?

[12:11] >> so the arrangements dr

[12:12] moreland mention is internal to

[12:14] jta customers.

[12:16] so what you're looking at

[12:18] clinton tyrants like murray is

[12:22] is all of the agencies that jay

[12:26] works with when our customers

[12:27] are behind him pass to. Okay.

[12:29] thank you so much for that.

[12:30] and then I know that.

[12:32] >> this going on the city's

[12:33] website, we have the emergency

[12:34] assistance program and if I'm

[12:36] not mistaken, I think parks may

[12:39] have.

[12:40] >> 2 senior show says I'm

[12:42] looking back as I've been

[12:43] staring at you and even when

[12:44] was she stared at me because I

[12:45] know.

[12:46] >> would you do you have any

[12:47] data for us? Can you come up

[12:49] and talk about that? If you

[12:50] >> have any data through that

[12:51] area, if you don't mind because

[12:53] the city does offer quite a few

[12:55] programs as well, many think

[12:57] it's just I'm sorry going,

[12:59] please but ice. And once again,

[13:03] because this is a large city

[13:05] and we do a lot at the

[13:07] disconnect is making sure that

[13:09] people know about those

[13:10] programs. If you could talk

[13:12] about 2 things at the introduce

[13:14] yourself and of course, you

[13:14] know, your dress,

[13:17] the program itself and how.

[13:19] >> it's communicated to the the

[13:22] to the community at large to

[13:23] know, but to know that this

[13:25] assistance is available for

[13:26] them.

[13:32] >> it'll get there we go.

[13:34] >> good afternoon. 3 robinson

[13:36] chief of senior services.

[13:37] my address is on and through

[13:39] the chair. The program that

[13:41] you're referring to is our

[13:42] emergency heating energy

[13:44] assistance program also known

[13:46] as e he is specifically

[13:48] services, older adults in the

[13:50] community individual 60 years

[13:52] and older. Those funds were

[13:56] available to us through june

[13:57] 30th of this year. Our contract

[14:01] has since expired and we are

[14:03] waiting to renew that contract

[14:05] with the provider was

[14:06] eldersource and their

[14:07] representatives from

[14:08] eldersource here today. We do

[14:11] advertise that a program

[14:13] throughout a multi multiple

[14:17] ways throughout the community,

[14:19] specifically in our senior

[14:21] centers. We provide information

[14:24] the our social media. It is

[14:26] also available on the city of

[14:28] jacksonville's website where

[14:29] individuals can request support

[14:32] the my jax.

[14:34] >> thank you so much for that.

[14:35] do you have any data as to how

[14:36] many seniors you have served?

[14:39] >> so in total, for instance,

[14:41] this year at the conclusion of

[14:43] our contract on june 30th,

[14:45] we had awarded approximately

[14:46] $114,000 in crisis support.

[14:50] we were averaging about if the

[14:53] seniors per month and that

[14:55] contract ran from july one of

[14:58] 2025 to june 30th of 2026.

[15:02] >> thank you.

[15:09] they had to say.

[15:11] >> I do have one question.

[15:12] do just for senior citizens,

[15:14] correct? That's correct.

[15:15] for this year. 6 devices up on

[15:16] all the guide us through the

[15:18] chair. 60 and older are 6 and a

[15:20] look like

[15:22] I don't believe you're eligible

[15:23] that we have.

[15:24] >> now to that end, though,

[15:27] actually, actually the council

[15:30] hold or do you want to chime in

[15:31] on this?

[15:32] >> I do have a question for you

[15:34] said there were 100 in $14,000

[15:36] awarded in crisis support.

[15:38] but how many and folks in

[15:41] elders and the elderly

[15:42] population would actually serve

[15:43] is do we know the number?

[15:45] >> I don't have that number

[15:46] readily available.

[15:48] >> for instance, I have an

[15:50] average number. And on average

[15:51] we were assisting 50 family or

[15:53] 50 seniors per month.

[15:56] >> and do we know when that

[15:58] contract ended with those

[15:59] seniors roll into any of the

[16:01] existing programs where they?

[16:03] >> as those and to my

[16:05] knowledge, it would have been

[16:07] itself elect. We don't auto

[16:08] role individuals into any of

[16:10] the additional programming

[16:11] that's available. There are

[16:13] some caps and limits so it

[16:14] varies from individual to

[16:16] individual.

[16:17] >> understood. Thank you.

[16:19] and I have one more question

[16:20] for renee. So on this, she

[16:23] lists there's a few here,

[16:25] organizations that you will

[16:26] work with the financial

[16:27] assistance before the ones that

[16:29] don't provide financial

[16:31] assistance and you like food or

[16:32] shelter and housing. How do you

[16:34] all work with them to just

[16:35] identify that there is a

[16:37] financial need and then try to

[16:39] help them get food assistance

[16:41] to maybe set why they can't pay

[16:42] their utility bill. I'm just

[16:43] trying to figure out why these

[16:45] additional organizations on the

[16:46] sheet.

[16:49] >> through the chair to

[16:51] councilmember holder said this

[16:52] is a sheet that we give out

[16:54] whenever we have our senior day

[16:54] at j. So we try to incorporate

[16:58] all the information that we can

[17:00] to help our seniors. So this is

[17:02] a pamphlet that's passed out at

[17:03] our senior day.

[17:05] >> ok and dr. Michael morley,

[17:09] if you have an easy question

[17:10] before us.

[17:15] thank you. Thank you.

[17:20] >> this pamphlet is to just

[17:23] provide our seniors and others

[17:25] that come to rj a headquarters

[17:28] with all the wraparound

[17:29] services that could be

[17:30] potentially available to them

[17:32] if they needed not everyone is

[17:34] coming for utility assistance.

[17:36] some folks may be coming to

[17:37] home repair or food assistance

[17:39] or sheltering or veteran

[17:41] services. So we just wanted to

[17:43] provide all of this information

[17:45] and one location for our

[17:46] college visors to be able to

[17:48] provide to the citizens that

[17:49] come in or for the individuals

[17:51] that actually call him jta and

[17:54] looking for and reaching out

[17:55] for information. The next thing

[17:57] I just wanted to mention this

[17:59] about seniors since we were on

[18:00] that conversation, we do singer

[18:03] day the 3rd wednesday of every

[18:06] month over a j headquarters.

[18:09] and so for fy, 26 said just

[18:11] send it. We had 658 seniors

[18:15] that attend it senior day with

[18:17] approximately 70 attending for

[18:20] the first time and 127 of those

[18:25] seniors received 6, $67,233.72

[18:31] and direct utility assistance

[18:33] and fy. 26. So the city and

[18:37] others. That's why you see the

[18:38] city on on this list of

[18:40] partners that are at our senior

[18:43] day activities as well. So we

[18:46] all partner together trying to

[18:48] help our neighbors, our

[18:51] friends, our families, our our

[18:53] community, as best as we

[18:55] possibly can.

[18:58] >> thank you, doctor. And it

[18:59] might just a real quick

[19:01] question at the heap

[19:02] surgery.

[19:04] so those dollars can just go to

[19:06] like one month's worth of

[19:08] assistance. And is it an entire

[19:09] month's worth of

[19:11] payment or do you go to a

[19:12] certain dollar number?

[19:14] >> that threw the chair.

[19:15] what we do is pay their paths

[19:17] do for the electrical portion

[19:19] of their bill. So whatever

[19:20] number that is, whatever that

[19:22] number is, is that it is the

[19:23] past due amount per cent.

[19:25] thank you much.

[19:27] and that can please.

[19:30] >> but before you thank you for

[19:31] that to its employee that I put

[19:33] on record and I want to

[19:36] embarrass and one. But

[19:38] quite often I get calls from

[19:40] constituents.

[19:42] that's 8 when we reach out to

[19:43] these pardons. What is jay a 2,

[19:45] 1, 1, 6, on the city.

[19:48] people not picking up the phone

[19:50] and I know how funding are we

[19:52] call and the doors are closed.

[19:54] so, you know, you know, I'm not

[19:57] sure what happened that that is

[19:58] me in, but I think is critical

[20:01] that we could at least evaluate

[20:03] the process because

[20:05] it's good to have these

[20:06] services. But I promise you if

[20:08] I have a constituent call them

[20:10] are. And it is 15 companies

[20:13] that the term dow but 13 of 14

[20:16] and most willing to be anyone

[20:18] here that they happened to be

[20:20] the column. I 9 o'clock.

[20:21] it'll be hard for them to get

[20:23] assistance and then what they

[20:24] do in this column office.

[20:26] and that's the issues that here

[20:28] that hey, so and that may

[20:29] explain, I'm doing is called

[20:31] the ceo of his company, calling

[20:32] itself, you know, say, hey,

[20:34] no one at picking up. So that's

[20:36] one of the biggest challenges

[20:37] that half as well that the

[20:39] process, these automated

[20:42] dow, 30 dupree's find the top

[20:45] that I it's not working for me.

[20:47] you know, it's I'm not sure

[20:49] what we could do about the

[20:50] partisan evaluate

[20:53] the process. But I think I need

[20:55] to be changed to also want to

[20:57] add one more thing that I think

[20:58] it's very important. I got a

[20:59] lot of calls

[21:01] and a lot of questions and

[21:03] people have asked me while the

[21:05] che go up

[21:07] on a rate

[21:08] and I think it's important to

[21:09] put that our record because

[21:11] that's when the major things I

[21:13] got wind now, could they have

[21:16] waited?

[21:17] >> so it through the chair to

[21:19] councilmember gaffney. First of

[21:20] all,

[21:22] we hear your concerns about the

[21:23] agency's and when councilmember

[21:26] palou so called me about this,

[21:28] I called our manager who who

[21:31] takes care of our customers and

[21:32] our customers assistance

[21:33] program. And I was informed

[21:35] that some of these agencies,

[21:37] they have 2 people, they have 3

[21:39] people. So they don't have the

[21:41] bandwidth to answer the calls,

[21:44] to make the appointments to do

[21:46] the intake, to do what it takes

[21:48] to actually service these

[21:49] customers. So that's that's

[21:52] also a concern that that we

[21:54] might need to look at going

[21:55] forward.

[21:58] if I could.

[21:59] I bring up ted phillips,

[22:02] who is our cf of j. A

[22:05] todd phillips is the one who

[22:07] manages all of our rates,

[22:08] all of our our financials.

[22:11] he's the one who's able to

[22:12] address the reason that j a had

[22:16] a rate increase.

[22:19] >> I don't know if I'm calling

[22:21] for the government. This talk

[22:23] loud. How's that?

[22:24] so, yes, my name is ted

[22:26] phillips on the cfo. Jay.

[22:28] so to your question, why now or

[22:30] write what like it? Why can't

[22:32] we wait a few years, right?

[22:34] so a couple of things. So one

[22:37] we're seeing the same increases

[22:40] that are our consumer customers

[22:42] are right. You talked about

[22:44] fuel gasoline, right? So

[22:49] our trucks

[22:51] drive about 11 and a half

[22:53] million miles every year to

[22:55] service our customers. So we're

[22:57] having to put gasoline and

[22:59] diesel into those trucks just

[23:01] like our customers are having

[23:03] to put gasoline into their car

[23:06] so they can get to work every

[23:07] day, too. So those additional

[23:09] cost we have to pass along.

[23:13] also the fact that we are

[23:15] building a lot of new

[23:17] infrastructure. So

[23:19] right now we're in the process

[23:21] of building a new combined

[23:23] cycle plant, which cost about

[23:25] 1.5 billion dollars.

[23:27] and so that plant, the biggest

[23:30] thing that is going to do is

[23:31] it's going to replace another

[23:33] natural gas plant we have

[23:36] that went into service in 1977,

[23:39] so that that plan is almost 50

[23:41] years old. We are seeing a lot

[23:45] of reliability issues with that

[23:47] plant. And so it is time for

[23:50] us. It's we're late. We should

[23:53] have already replaced plant.

[23:55] and so we're having to pay the

[23:56] debt service on that plan as we

[23:59] borrow money to build it.

[24:00] so

[24:04] our rate, it's a are the way

[24:06] that we have to collect money

[24:08] to pay for that. And I know

[24:10] that I mean, that's not good.

[24:12] but

[24:13] that one is that I mean good.

[24:14] so

[24:16] I hope that helps.

[24:19] >> thank you for one coach.

[24:21] are you thinking when you just

[24:23] voiced is the frustrations that

[24:26] I think we've all heard

[24:27] consistently from our

[24:28] constituents and you did in

[24:30] such a way that I think was

[24:31] as kind as it could be, because

[24:33] I think we all get those calls.

[24:35] and I've heard the same thing

[24:36] about like all this person call

[24:37] that person. There's nothing

[24:38] there, what's going on. And we

[24:40] did just passed the budget.

[24:41] so a lot of these organizations

[24:42] should have some funding right

[24:43] now, which is a good thing,

[24:45] but for the purposes of making

[24:46] sure that we have long-term

[24:48] longevity and making sure that

[24:50] we have the ability to help

[24:52] these families for a while.

[24:54] I think we're going to mean

[24:55] some weird economic times for a

[24:56] while. And the reason why I

[24:58] think this is necessary now is

[24:59] because inflation is higher

[25:00] than it should be. Gas prices

[25:02] are $2 higher. Then they were a

[25:04] year ago, right?

[25:06] I'm gonna blame to see on this

[25:07] one. I am. You can you can not.

[25:11] that's why we're in the

[25:12] position that we're in. The

[25:13] economy is in a very poor place

[25:15] to build. The dollar that

[25:16] people have in their hand is

[25:17] weaker today than it was a

[25:18] while ago. And now everything

[25:19] else is getting more expensive.

[25:21] so I know that we as a city

[25:22] government can do limited

[25:25] staff, we can do utility

[25:27] assistance. Ga needs to make

[25:29] sure that it's able to

[25:31] do power generation. We need to

[25:33] generate our electricity is

[25:34] that we're not beholden to fpl.

[25:37] duke energy, private

[25:39] corporations. That's that's why

[25:41] it's that's why I'm I'm

[25:43] comfortable. The ga is moving

[25:45] forward on some their

[25:46] activities because they told us

[25:48] they would have the past

[25:49] several years. We had prior

[25:50] administrations put us in this

[25:52] position. I'm just going to put

[25:53] that out or what I will say is

[25:55] as we are seeing family

[25:56] struggle now we have the

[25:57] ability out

[26:00] and specially as we wait out

[26:01] this bad economy and maybe

[26:03] other things in dc

[26:04] I do want to bring up, you

[26:06] know, the way that's okay.

[26:08] we do have a limited amount of

[26:09] time in here and I want to make

[26:09] sure that we're digging into

[26:11] the other programs and why.

[26:13] and frankly, I think, you know,

[26:14] credit if you if you can speak

[26:16] to this, some of the

[26:17] frustration that counselor

[26:18] gaffney brought up like,

[26:19] why is it that when some people

[26:21] call you were having issues?

[26:22] and I think I think maybe you

[26:23] can help explain some of that

[26:25] and hopefully help us with a

[26:26] solution.

[26:27] >> to the chair, I'm probably

[26:29] the shortest one. So I was

[26:30] standing name for the record

[26:32] and for the record so that your

[26:34] career to heal my with as chief

[26:37] operating officer with united

[26:38] way of northeast florida

[26:39] addresses on file. Thank you

[26:42] for this conversation again

[26:44] into the chair. First, I'd just

[26:46] like to say and share and that

[26:48] this is a very big in real

[26:51] concern for our community.

[26:53] and I will also show that even

[26:55] before the rate increases,

[26:57] our families have been

[26:59] struggling. And I know that

[27:00] we've we've share that our

[27:01] families can have struggled in

[27:03] the rate increase is going to

[27:04] exacerbate that.

[27:05] what I like to give you are a

[27:06] few dayton numbers from us and

[27:09] give you a little bit more

[27:10] share a little bit more about

[27:11] the process at 2, 1, 1,

[27:13] what I can share with you is

[27:14] that someone at 2, 1, 1,

[27:16] will eventually answer the

[27:18] phone. However, what I can tell

[27:20] you is that depending on the

[27:22] timing of that call are wait,

[27:24] times are longer. And I want to

[27:26] give you a little more insight

[27:28] on the process. So 2, 1,

[27:29] 1, we have a community of

[27:31] community navigation network

[27:33] of partners, probably some of

[27:35] those on your list. One of them

[27:37] is here today. Catholic

[27:38] charities to his family,

[27:40] community services and desk are

[27:42] 3 of our community navigation

[27:44] partners. Right now. We're

[27:46] looking to expand that.

[27:47] what 2, 1, 1, provides is we

[27:50] are the hub, which answers the

[27:53] calls. And also does the priest

[27:55] screening for appointments that

[27:58] we know are available during a

[28:00] current week. So, for example,

[28:02] this week, my colleague in my a

[28:05] staff member who leads to 1,

[28:07] 1, received converse or had

[28:09] conversations with these

[28:10] partners, they indicated based

[28:12] on their funding availability,

[28:14] how many appointments they and

[28:16] also how many appointments and

[28:19] based on those eligibility

[28:20] requirements, every funding

[28:22] source also has a different

[28:23] eligibility requirement.

[28:25] so it is a very complex,

[28:27] wham, because it not only is it

[28:30] about, you know, getting an

[28:32] appointment for a person who is

[28:33] in need of help, but also

[28:34] making sure they're eligible.

[28:36] and we provide that service to

[28:39] these organizations so that by

[28:40] the time they reach the

[28:41] organization, it helps cut out

[28:44] some of the port, the complex,

[28:46] red tape and paperwork. And

[28:48] they already know there are at

[28:49] least look at least eligible as

[28:51] long as they show up with their

[28:52] required paperwork. So that is

[28:54] what we do. And once at the end

[28:57] of the h week on tuesday,

[28:59] those are the calls that we get

[29:01] for emergency financial

[29:03] assistance, people who are

[29:04] aware that they are calling in

[29:07] to give you an idea of the

[29:08] scale of the volume of those

[29:10] calls, we receive an average of

[29:11] about 500 calls on a tuesday

[29:15] and we have 7 individuals

[29:18] fielding those calls. So that

[29:19] is why I say we will answer the

[29:21] call,

[29:22] but there is a wait time and

[29:25] that wait, time on a tuesday

[29:26] can be an average of about 30

[29:28] to 45 minutes. And when we get

[29:30] calls into 1, 1, individuals

[29:32] who called to 1, 1, they have

[29:34] already likely exacerbated many

[29:36] times. They call to one win for

[29:38] the last resort because there

[29:40] are so many other

[29:41] organizations, many of them

[29:43] know those organizations and

[29:44] they may go directly to them.

[29:46] but the community navigation

[29:48] network that I mentioned,

[29:49] they purposely field. Those

[29:51] calls are asked their clients

[29:53] the call to win one for the

[29:54] purposes of us being able to

[29:57] not only collect the data,

[29:59] but also to help navigate that

[30:01] network a little more

[30:02] successfully. The other data

[30:04] point that I'll share with you

[30:05] is just on utility assistance

[30:06] alone in duval county last

[30:09] fiscal year for u.s. Beginning

[30:11] july one through june, 30th,

[30:14] 5100 calls were connected in

[30:17] appointments made to one of

[30:19] these organizations to have the

[30:21] utilities taking care of.

[30:22] so 5,100 people plus did get

[30:26] their needs met at that

[30:27] particular moment.

[30:28] on the other side of that,

[30:30] though, we also track unmet

[30:32] needs in for 2, 1, 1, for us

[30:34] and unmet need means either the

[30:36] funding was no longer

[30:37] available. So we did have an

[30:39] appointment to provide or we

[30:41] didn't have a resource to give.

[30:43] and that number is 1159 unmet

[30:47] need specifically to utility

[30:49] assistance. That doesn't

[30:50] include the other emergency

[30:52] financial assistance we've

[30:53] talked about this is we hear

[30:55] about utilities out. Give you

[30:56] that number. The other thing

[30:58] that I would like to say is

[30:59] that partnership is imperative

[31:01] and that is the reason that 2,

[31:02] 1, 1, united way to win one is

[31:04] in this business because we

[31:06] connect the dots. Our role is

[31:08] at that as a hub is to connect

[31:10] those dots in the community.

[31:11] we are grateful for our

[31:12] partnership with j a we

[31:14] actually provide the

[31:15] appointments for those senior

[31:16] days through 2, 1, 1, so

[31:18] seniors call in to get their

[31:20] appointments for senior day.

[31:23] the other thing that I will

[31:25] mention just in yield the floor

[31:27] back is that

[31:29] hour wait. Times are are also

[31:33] increasing because of a number

[31:36] of of community issues that

[31:38] have increased, including

[31:39] transportation and what we have

[31:41] seen through our data because

[31:43] we capture every day to from

[31:45] every zip code and we can share

[31:47] with every council member here

[31:49] and transportation needs have

[31:52] become increasingly or even

[31:55] more in need. And that has

[31:57] increased on wait times as

[31:58] well.

[31:59] answer any questions.

[32:03] thank you. Appreciate it.

[32:04] >> this is the last time

[32:06] talking. Hopefully one of the

[32:07] things I forgot to mention,

[32:09] I think it's very essential

[32:11] that I mentioned is that

[32:12] decisions and then much of this

[32:14] a question for you, ms elbagir,

[32:15] if you want to trust, you can

[32:17] just to constituents are

[32:19] telling me

[32:20] councilman gaffney, these

[32:21] programs.

[32:22] >> only to be halfway. It be

[32:24] before I get help.

[32:27] you know the stuff, you know,

[32:29] lie. So they they tell me that

[32:31] wanted to get assistance.

[32:33] they have to already be a 30

[32:35] day notice

[32:37] on the door, rather they time

[32:40] and you call me prior to them

[32:42] getting the but they can get

[32:44] assistance. So when they call

[32:46] these programs,

[32:48] well, you've got to have a 30

[32:49] day notice already being

[32:50] evicted.

[32:52] so,

[32:53] you know, like I said, I don't

[32:55] know. That's a question for

[32:56] you. I mean, it's just the

[32:58] issue is a real issue.

[33:01] I don't know how you solve it,

[33:02] but these is typical questions.

[33:05] comments. Concerns like that

[33:06] about it. I don't want to give

[33:08] it the but I got a good way to

[33:11] get help.

[33:13] you know,

[33:15] and I love what I do. What I

[33:17] can tell them,

[33:18] you know, so

[33:20] it's not as part of a lot of,

[33:21] you know, something that we can

[33:22] discuss today. But I think

[33:24] that.

[33:25] >> but to the chair, what I

[33:26] will say in and I think I have

[33:28] other colleagues here who could

[33:29] probably speak for their own

[33:30] areas of business. What I will

[33:32] say to the chair that the

[33:34] answer to your question is

[33:36] flexible funding

[33:38] because most of the time when

[33:40] an organization receives

[33:41] funding a funding source,

[33:43] it is very restrictive. I can

[33:45] speak to my colleagues in the

[33:46] room. We would prefer flexible

[33:48] funding so that we can provide

[33:50] the resources based on a lot

[33:53] more flexibility in the

[33:54] requirements of the

[33:55] eligibility. And so really that

[33:57] is that is my my answer as I

[34:00] speak for the organizations.

[34:02] I know I represent.

[34:06] >> I've heard you speak as

[34:07] passionately about the need as

[34:08] much today. I mr. Help please

[34:11] step every time. I was so

[34:13] sorry. I'm sure that you might

[34:14] have questions for you to do

[34:16] that and get your program right

[34:18] now or through the 2 on

[34:19] programming through your

[34:21] providers

[34:23] that so it's only one month

[34:24] that you guys are providing

[34:25] assistance or could you

[34:26] multiple months of the year?

[34:28] >> no. You mean the people

[34:30] calling to to 1, 1, correct?

[34:32] knows fort for utility

[34:33] assistance for utility bill

[34:35] assistance. So our

[34:37] >> calls come in every day for

[34:39] emergency financial assistance.

[34:42] and once the once a week,

[34:44] every week we funneled the

[34:46] specific community navigation

[34:48] network where we take

[34:49] appointments. And the reason

[34:51] for that is because the need is

[34:54] so high even envision a final

[34:56] the need is at the top of that

[34:58] funnel in the resources are at

[34:59] the end of the final in order

[35:01] to really help navigate the

[35:03] network in the system. We

[35:05] created a process for once a

[35:08] week on tuesdays every tuesday

[35:10] where emergency financial

[35:12] assistance calls come in more

[35:14] regularly and more often

[35:15] because people are aware that

[35:17] they are likely to at least be

[35:21] eligible or if they get through

[35:24] to receive an appointment.

[35:25] if they're eligible first for

[35:26] sale in depending on how many

[35:27] appointments we have available.

[35:29] >> so if I were a pair, could I

[35:30] get multiple

[35:32] the times a year that I can get

[35:33] assistance? If you are a rate

[35:36] payer 5, I'm in need of

[35:37] assistance. Can I call you

[35:39] still around?

[35:40] >> if you are in need of

[35:42] assistance multiple times,

[35:43] it depends on the requirements.

[35:46] most of them do not allow you

[35:48] to receive assistance based on

[35:50] the requirements more than once

[35:51] a year. There's some that

[35:53] actually required once every 2

[35:55] years depends on the resource.

[35:57] >> so if it was if the city

[36:00] were to provide,

[36:02] I'm trying to fit a new thing.

[36:04] this body's trying to figure

[36:05] out

[36:06] if we if we were to put city

[36:08] dollars behind some program,

[36:09] what the united way's 2,

[36:10] 1, 1, program would be the

[36:12] committee navigation network.

[36:13] would it be that to the

[36:14] providers who do direct

[36:15] support? And if so, can we make

[36:17] sure that their program allows

[36:18] for a little more openness and

[36:20] flexibility? How does one do

[36:21] that?

[36:23] >> so what you have bought it,

[36:25] certainly if you were to

[36:27] provide additional support

[36:28] through 2, 1, 1, right now,

[36:30] a united way, our united way to

[36:32] 1, 1, the community navigation

[36:33] that were that is one and the

[36:35] same. I'm looking at my

[36:37] colleague ali center, who's

[36:38] here from catholic charities.

[36:40] right now, catholic charities

[36:42] is the direct resource and

[36:44] partner for the current

[36:46] neighbor to neighbor dollars

[36:48] from j a they receive those

[36:50] dollars directly in there

[36:52] actually is a monthly payout

[36:56] that goes directly to catholic

[36:57] charities. Our role is to

[36:59] schedule those appointments for

[37:01] those emergency assistance

[37:02] calls. If that was something

[37:04] that the city really light

[37:06] would like to do to that span,

[37:07] to be able to prada, did

[37:08] provide additional dollars for

[37:10] our duval county residents.

[37:12] and we would love to be able to

[37:14] use. We would use a similar

[37:15] process, of course, with any

[37:18] additional funding. There will

[37:20] also be increased volume of

[37:22] calls in volume of need.

[37:24] and as I mentioned before,

[37:26] 7 is very already people not

[37:29] quite enough to answer the

[37:30] call. So we with absolutely

[37:32] like to advocate as well for

[37:34] the ability to actually field

[37:36] those additional resources.

[37:38] so

[37:39] >> I appreciate the terminology

[37:41] you're using a thing could be a

[37:42] little bit more strict with us.

[37:44] it's my understanding that if

[37:45] we gave you substantial amount

[37:46] of money,

[37:48] I believe the words yesterday

[37:49] said to me like we could we

[37:50] would it would almost be a loss

[37:52] for us to take on those dollars

[37:53] and we didn't have the staff to

[37:54] be able to process. Absolutely.

[37:56] no. I think you're saying you

[37:57] need more staff at some of

[37:58] these dollars would have to go

[38:00] instead. That is. And what you

[38:01] told me that I just yes,

[38:03] we got to make sure everyone

[38:03] fully understands and the

[38:04] summer.

[38:05] >> that is great chance to the

[38:06] chair. We we could not managed

[38:08] an additional volume of calls

[38:10] or even with additional funding

[38:13] to pay out to those who are

[38:16] being supported by

[38:17] organizations like catholic

[38:19] charities without additional

[38:20] staff support? Absolutely not.

[38:22] not in a very successful way.

[38:24] we'll continue to get calls

[38:26] that we were not able to meet.

[38:27] their needs are quite literally

[38:28] like I think.

[38:29] >> I'm trying to make sure we

[38:30] walk out of here. We have a

[38:31] good idea that the issues that

[38:33] you're hearing that we're all

[38:34] hearing are going to be better

[38:35] addressed by our actions,

[38:37] right? Like it can't just be

[38:40] you. There's more money.

[38:41] but yeah, you're just going to

[38:42] have to keep calling for the

[38:43] next 7 weeks.

[38:45] I know that I've heard from a

[38:46] number of people. There are

[38:47] several months past due.

[38:50] >> by no, by no other issue

[38:51] than just where we are on the

[38:52] economy. And I just want to

[38:54] make.

[38:55] >> we're able to help address

[38:56] those monies to the chair.

[38:57] if I me me, I yield some of my

[38:59] time with. I mean, really,

[39:00] I just want her to share

[39:02] because she didn't have to come

[39:03] here and the u.s. And wanted to

[39:05] make sure because catholic

[39:06] charities, they are doing the

[39:07] work to actually a lay catholic

[39:09] charities has been no, you

[39:10] can't either to

[39:13] I later catholic charities to

[39:15] answer your question about the

[39:17] multiple months.

[39:18] >> so it is true that typically

[39:20] we would only serve somebody or

[39:23] household every 12 months to

[39:25] clarify if they are several

[39:27] months behind on their utility

[39:29] bill. Our goal is to always

[39:31] make them whole. And we work

[39:32] really closely with jta on

[39:34] that. So they may not have paid

[39:35] their bill for 3 months.

[39:37] so in effect, they are getting

[39:38] 3 months of assistance with

[39:39] that one time payment. There's

[39:42] we will work, which as well on

[39:44] things like leaks. And they've

[39:46] been very great to work with us

[39:48] on that. So if we get a bill

[39:49] that's significant, you know,

[39:51] we can kind of work with them

[39:52] on that.

[39:53] but all co

[39:55] and what united way is saying

[39:57] if there was an additional

[39:59] appropriation,

[40:00] we wouldn't be able to do it

[40:01] for free. We need to build the

[40:03] infrastructure in order to be

[40:04] able to actually serve these

[40:06] people. We do need to screen

[40:08] the people, make sure that they

[40:10] are who they say they are,

[40:11] that they're actually leasing

[40:13] the place. They say they're

[40:14] leasing and that takes time and

[40:15] professionals to do.

[40:17] >> and if funding were

[40:18] available, would you say that

[40:19] it's appropriate for the united

[40:21] way, or would you say that you

[40:23] go to

[40:24] the individual providers as

[40:26] well? Or?

[40:27] >> I think if you want the

[40:29] system to work well, it would

[40:31] need to go to both places.

[40:32] 2, 1, 1, needs that

[40:33] infrastructure in order to be

[40:35] able to feel the additional

[40:36] calls. And then whoever is

[40:38] distributing the money would be

[40:39] case managers to be able to do

[40:41] that.

[40:42] to put it in perspective.

[40:43] right now, the neighbor to

[40:44] neighbor program is only about

[40:46] $190,000 a year.

[40:49] and that's not very much money.

[40:52] we're talking about trying to

[40:54] make people whole on their

[40:55] utility bills.

[40:57] council heard dr johnson,

[40:58] thanks for joining us and you

[40:59] have a question.

[41:01] >> actions more and a lot more

[41:03] question comment. I've been

[41:04] keeping up with it. I was in

[41:05] another meeting. Thank you for

[41:06] doing this. First of all,

[41:07] to you guys been getting

[41:08] counseled holder like this is

[41:10] this is so necessary and can

[41:13] sign is if they have and,

[41:15] you know, I want to

[41:17] I do every time seriously.

[41:20] this is a an issue that I know

[41:22] all of us have heard about

[41:23] consistently. Why are we

[41:25] talking about building out

[41:26] infrastructure and going other

[41:27] places when nafta does it

[41:29] already? If I'm not mistaken,

[41:32] there is the lee happ

[41:35] low income energy assistance

[41:36] program. And so they have like

[41:38] he took a lie. He but I knew

[41:40] that never did. I know they've

[41:41] been doing for decades. If

[41:43] they've already got the

[41:44] infrastructure and can do it

[41:45] and that's why we go and try to

[41:46] find other people to do the

[41:48] thing that they already do on a

[41:50] regular basis. What is net net

[41:52] but never cut the northeast.

[41:54] florida community action

[41:55] agency.

[41:56] listen to it.

[41:59] they have a member. Just nation

[42:00] comes up. I guess we could

[42:04] as you know. Okay with that.

[42:11] >> okay. So through the chair

[42:12] to councilman johnson mask was

[42:17] the the mediator for the law he

[42:21] funds about a year ago. Then it

[42:23] shifted to the state of florida

[42:26] to the promise network, the

[42:28] promise network through the

[42:30] state of florida can actually

[42:31] get the funds out a whole lot

[42:33] quicker than nafta because they

[42:34] have the resources to be able

[42:36] to do it. So, for example,

[42:39] when we get a lot of heat fund,

[42:41] cisco, low-income home energy

[42:43] assistance program from the

[42:44] federal government down to the

[42:46] state and when thomas and

[42:48] promise get that, we can get

[42:50] those funds out through them

[42:52] 30 to 45 days. We have of the

[42:56] voucher, the people that are in

[42:58] need of the utility assistance

[43:00] to do not get there disconnect

[43:02] because we know that the

[43:03] boucher is there and the

[43:04] dollars are there and it gets

[43:06] move quicker. Give you a great

[43:08] example and I won't hold it too

[43:09] long. But and they had some

[43:12] some dollars that they needed

[43:13] to repurpose spurlock e for.

[43:15] 23 fy. 23 24 25. It ran through

[43:20] to promise network they

[43:22] provided some funding for for

[43:24] food, for for us at j a to be

[43:26] able to get it out. We were

[43:27] able to help over 14,600 of our

[43:31] her neighbors that need some

[43:33] support.

[43:34] that's because promise was able

[43:36] to move those dollars. Quick us

[43:37] on offense still does their

[43:38] thing as for us trying to

[43:41] manage and, you know, different

[43:43] processes. But the lockheed

[43:45] dollars come directly through

[43:47] promised to us.

[43:49] >> and but to administer them

[43:51] and started to take it over.

[43:52] but to administer those funds,

[43:54] you was still dr. Martin need

[43:55] additional infrastructure for

[43:57] what? You know, we don't

[43:58] administer any of those funds.

[44:00] we do not bring money into us.

[44:02] the money comes through the

[44:04] process to promise and they put

[44:07] the dollars on the individual's

[44:10] bills like they're just kind of

[44:11] paying the bill for the right.

[44:12] we do not take in anything or

[44:14] we utilize our partners that we

[44:16] just talked about that have the

[44:19] get those resources like our

[44:21] neighbor to neighbor program.

[44:22] that's our individual employees

[44:25] given citizens given on their

[44:27] bill, things of that nature,

[44:29] those dollars go directly to

[44:31] catholic charities. That's why

[44:32] she was mentioning has about

[44:34] 190,000 a year. Those are

[44:36] donated dollars to various

[44:38] means go straight there to help

[44:40] our that help our customers and

[44:43] those dollars are generally use

[44:45] doing the senior day for

[44:46] neighbor to neighbor. Thank

[44:47] you, dot councilmember. I would

[44:50] I I think one of the things

[44:51] that I've discovered were not

[44:52] discovered, but I noticed I

[44:54] think all of us can say they

[44:55] can do you not talked about

[44:56] before we're in so many silos

[44:59] and everybody this person's

[45:00] over here in this person's in

[45:01] talking to this group and vice

[45:02] versa. So I think once we do

[45:04] get this legislation ready,

[45:06] we need to those organizations

[45:07] would be to 1, 1, would be on

[45:09] this more and the city's

[45:11] organization neighbor to

[45:12] neighbor the promise network

[45:13] where there was a need to sit

[45:14] in a room with them and say,

[45:15] guys, you got to talk to each

[45:16] other. It is additional funds

[45:18] because the one thing this is

[45:19] as concerning which I've heard

[45:21] over and over and dr moreland,

[45:22] you just said a moment ago,

[45:24] there's like a 30 45 day period

[45:26] to those funds getting there.

[45:27] and if if their energy

[45:28] assistance needs, they're

[45:29] usually needed within the 10

[45:31] day period, if not sooner.

[45:33] so I think that's important.

[45:34] we we take into account.

[45:36] >> understand and thank you for

[45:38] for

[45:39] the bringing all that up.

[45:40] the in my conversations with

[45:42] jta with united way with parks

[45:44] department is parks,

[45:44] recreation, community services.

[45:46] committee services also

[45:48] provides like the funding as

[45:49] well. And so I initially

[45:51] thought, ok, well, we have the

[45:52] city of jacksonville. Let's put

[45:53] the money in the city of

[45:55] jacksonville. But under

[45:56] community service is the only

[45:57] do one payment assistance for.

[45:59] I don't know if it's 10 months

[46:00] or 18 months. It's only one was

[46:02] like, okay. Well, we already do

[46:04] provide some funds for that.

[46:06] so city jax, florida has some

[46:07] dollars to do that for one-time

[46:08] assistance. So then what do we

[46:11] go next? What we have a

[46:12] contract with 2, 1, 1, already,

[46:14] right, that a contract with the

[46:16] city of jackson has been

[46:16] longstanding and they have the

[46:18] network has after talking with

[46:20] jta

[46:22] and parks. That's where they

[46:23] said, like, you know, we we

[46:24] kind already have a

[46:26] relationship in talking with 2

[46:27] on one and obviously going

[46:28] through catholic charities,

[46:29] judicial services and desk.

[46:32] the conversation was more about

[46:34] how the dollar's get the

[46:35] providers to provide that

[46:36] funding to people immediately

[46:38] because they're already getting

[46:39] the calls. Right? I think that

[46:40] was the point is like you just

[46:41] heard from catholic charities.

[46:43] they're getting calls right

[46:44] now. And sometimes they have to

[46:46] say, well, we're out of money

[46:47] are restricted funds and how to

[46:49] use them. I think what my goal

[46:50] is here is to get some

[46:51] consensus from folks on that.

[46:54] we want to do this. I I know

[46:55] that that I believe myself and

[46:57] counsel kathy certainly do what

[46:59] the dollar number looks like if

[47:00] there is infrastructure needs

[47:01] to be built because to the

[47:02] point of what

[47:04] councilman gaffney it said and

[47:05] what we heard from folks in the

[47:06] past,

[47:08] people are calling people are

[47:09] trying to get assistance,

[47:10] but it takes

[47:11] days if not weeks to get a

[47:12] return, see need to another

[47:14] staffer. To that. You're going

[47:15] to get the more funds to

[47:16] administer.

[47:18] you need to hire another person

[47:19] or 2. And if the city did it,

[47:21] that's an fda and it's a lot of

[47:22] money. So it's even better that

[47:23] we go through a 3rd party in

[47:26] this case, possibly, you know,

[47:27] united way and their network,

[47:29] the community avigation at

[47:30] work. So that's that's why I

[47:32] want to make sure we're going

[47:34] down that route is how we make

[47:35] sure the dollar's get out the

[47:37] fastest and make sure that the

[47:38] programs

[47:39] are administered in such a way

[47:41] that like there isn't a

[47:42] restriction that we can and

[47:43] can't get the flexibility as

[47:45] was said earlier.

[47:47] that's that's where I hope to

[47:48] be in this. And so I just did a

[47:51] lot of talking. It's my

[47:54] do we have any comments from

[47:56] from our colleagues, youth

[47:58] coach air first for my chair.

[48:00] >> chair that mr. Pfizer time

[48:02] in regards to funding because

[48:05] we're talking about dumping

[48:06] ahead.

[48:07] >> and you have less is on to

[48:09] the lookouts.

[48:10] >> councilman, larry, you and

[48:11] not your in my mind at all

[48:13] times you are to do you know,

[48:16] we are we are. But please,

[48:18] if you I mean, they're

[48:19] councilmember parks here in a

[48:20] just sentence in a pair like is

[48:23] appealing his own. And I think

[48:24] now this is like a day of the

[48:27] and this morning all of the

[48:29] year and he's the money.

[48:31] and so guy had a spark to tell

[48:33] us where we're going at this

[48:34] catch.

[48:37] >> at this point time as we

[48:38] talk to our meeting, it would

[48:39] have to be from operating

[48:40] reserves. There's not a spot.

[48:41] you know, we just approved the

[48:42] budget. You're not seeing

[48:43] weather a variance that you can

[48:45] take through. So at this point,

[48:46] it would have to be a ratings

[48:47] or reviews. And it depends on,

[48:49] you know, is this going to be a

[48:51] recurring is it's going to be a

[48:52] one-time kind of, you know,

[48:53] to get things going. So I kind

[48:55] of handed over to you on that

[48:56] beats.

[48:57] >> and thank you for the most

[48:58] part. And that was the

[48:59] conversation I have with me

[49:00] today was they would be about

[49:02] 2 million.

[49:03] that's my that's my number that

[49:06] I believe is going to look at

[49:07] him at work is a two-year

[49:08] program.

[49:09] so it's a one-time payment 2

[49:12] years, an additional 300,000

[49:15] for administrative support.

[49:16] the infrastructure needed to

[49:17] help

[49:19] a paper staffing to

[49:20] to get these dollars out path.

[49:23] and every 6 months we get a

[49:25] report

[49:26] and we see how people are being

[49:28] service. I mean, if we're

[49:29] seeing that there was 5100

[49:30] calls last year last year was

[49:33] before gas prices went up to

[49:35] the level that they're at it

[49:36] was before inflation when I

[49:38] think it was ali 3 and now it's

[49:40] at 3, 4, 3, 5, and then

[49:43] we just saw the right height.

[49:46] so

[49:48] I think if we saw 5100 calls

[49:50] last year, especially if we

[49:52] have a program that's really

[49:53] being well administered,

[49:54] this is going to go well into

[49:56] the 8 to 10,000 range. I would

[49:57] think conservatively, frankly.

[50:00] and if that's households and

[50:02] families that need help and we

[50:04] could do it, let's do it.

[50:05] ms ellen believe you're at

[50:07] that.

[50:08] >> so sorry, chair I just

[50:09] wanted to. The calls were

[50:11] actually significantly higher.

[50:12] the calls of the 5100 where

[50:14] where the number of people who

[50:15] receive support who actually

[50:17] got. Yeah, that actually

[50:18] correct. The number of calls

[50:19] week have gotten from duval

[50:21] county is over 46,000 each

[50:24] year, anderson. That's that

[50:25] includes all emerges. The

[50:27] calls, you know, regarding the

[50:28] issue, I just wanted to make

[50:29] that.

[50:31] >> and just very shows that

[50:32] 515100 calls that were just for

[50:34] utility assistance and got that

[50:37] or was at 46,000 calls for is

[50:39] as goes for everything and

[50:40] anything that.

[50:42] >> yes, sir, the to the chair.

[50:44] 46,000 calls for in duval

[50:46] county. That total

[50:48] 5100 of those calls were able

[50:52] to reap because the sense

[50:53] really connected to get their

[50:55] utilities

[50:57] assistance, emergency says.

[50:59] >> okay. And to the to the

[51:00] point earlier about okay,

[51:02] what

[51:04] if dollars are appropriate?

[51:05] and I just gave a number of

[51:06] like everyone not just in

[51:07] showing that

[51:08] if if if you know 2 million in

[51:10] public funds was a contract

[51:13] that out,

[51:14] would it be just to to 1,

[51:16] 1, to be distributed to the

[51:18] providers? That would be the 2,

[51:20] you know, certain number 2,

[51:22] 1, 1, especially administrative

[51:24] support to make sure the calls

[51:25] get out and then a couple extra

[51:27] and then extra dollars to the

[51:28] different organizations.

[51:31] is that how that would work?

[51:32] >> so to the chair, it is

[51:34] there. There are 2 options

[51:36] really united way, of course,

[51:38] as a as a an organization that

[51:40] his partner, we have a grant

[51:42] making, obviously

[51:44] infrastructure already built.

[51:45] so we absolutely can distribute

[51:47] the funds to the partners.

[51:49] I would also agree with eileen

[51:51] that if there is an

[51:52] opportunity, I think in order

[51:54] to expedite to the beginnings

[51:56] of of receiving support so that

[51:58] if the organizations who are in

[52:00] this network, which there are

[52:01] many of us, as we mentioned

[52:03] several in this room, if they

[52:05] were able to receive the direct

[52:07] support along with the

[52:09] additional dollars to help us

[52:11] expand the ability to take

[52:12] those pre screening calls.

[52:14] and that would also be a

[52:15] resource to make it simple.

[52:18] the simpler ways certainly

[52:19] would be to partner with united

[52:22] way. And we would be that co

[52:25] grantee or some grantee for it

[52:27] for you on behalf of the city.

[52:29] we could also do the opposite

[52:31] because I do. Our partners

[52:33] would appreciate the direct

[52:35] support immediately as well.

[52:37] >> I want these dollars to hit

[52:39] the streets as soon as humanly

[52:40] possible. And I think we just I

[52:42] think I want to be comfortable.

[52:44] I think my colleagues, I want

[52:45] to be comfortable with. How

[52:46] does that happen? If you're

[52:48] telling me that's the best way

[52:49] to make it happen. Where then?

[52:51] all right, foot. I also now

[52:53] question a case. We've got

[52:55] multiple providers that do to

[52:57] do all the providers. A sense

[52:58] it is anything like was des 2

[52:59] different than catholic

[53:01] charities that usual services

[53:02] or nafta or nafta, right?

[53:03] like whatever it is a converse

[53:04] because they got there.

[53:05] >> to the chair. So what I will

[53:08] I will save in terms of our

[53:10] partners who only make

[53:12] appointments for which includes

[53:15] the 3 that I mentioned. That is

[53:16] expanding. We will be able to

[53:18] announce those other partner

[53:19] shortly. But for those we make

[53:21] free screening appointments for

[53:24] every partner does do emergency

[53:26] financial assistance, both

[53:28] housing rental kind of housing,

[53:30] stability, related utilities,

[53:32] and every partner generally

[53:35] speaking provides that

[53:37] assistance based on psg

[53:40] dollars. All most of the

[53:41] receive psg dollars and other

[53:43] funding. The majority of the

[53:46] utility assistance that's

[53:49] provided is done through

[53:50] catholic charities. Mainly,

[53:52] of course, is the neighbor to

[53:53] neighbor partner and also

[53:55] because of additional dollars.

[53:56] but the others do provide

[53:57] utility assistance as well.

[54:00] nafta, they are one of the

[54:02] organizations we have referred

[54:04] callers to that they are not

[54:07] one of the organizations we

[54:08] free screen for. They to your

[54:10] point, councilmember count

[54:12] councilman, they are receiving

[54:15] those cars directly in so we

[54:16] don't have any insight to their

[54:19] infrastructure.

[54:20] >> it's because united way does

[54:21] under the 2 in one process.

[54:23] they do all the pre screening

[54:24] before it goes to make sure

[54:26] that people are eligible

[54:27] ferdaus before it comes to the

[54:29] to the

[54:31] organizations that put it out

[54:32] to go ahead.

[54:33] >> and that's where it gets

[54:34] confusing. You got all these

[54:35] organizations doing the same

[54:37] thing in a vice talking to

[54:38] anybody. And so now you have

[54:39] people who don't know whether

[54:40] to call if we're going to say

[54:42] it's been the money is a 2,

[54:43] 1, 1, is it into one needs to

[54:45] be able to partner with all of

[54:46] the agencies, not just one or 2

[54:47] agencies or not just us preset

[54:49] list the partners, but

[54:50] everybody who was doing this

[54:51] work or we need to be doing

[54:53] direct contracts with the city.

[54:54] but I digress. Let me ask

[54:57] board, mr. Parts to the chair.

[55:00] I'm thinking about those that

[55:02] serve the reason I'm a little

[55:03] bit reticent for when it comes

[55:05] to the money that council can

[55:07] do so is is talking about going

[55:08] to use him go into the

[55:10] reserves. Obviously that's a

[55:11] higher threshold to reach to

[55:12] get the funds out of the

[55:14] reserves. The debt service

[55:15] fund. There were some funds

[55:16] that would put are we able to

[55:17] touch those funds without going

[55:19] through the same 13?

[55:20] >> we're past october,

[55:21] september 30. So we're in the

[55:23] new year. There are no debt

[55:24] savings that existed in as part

[55:26] of this year's budget. We

[55:28] changed up how that's.

[55:29] >> I get it. I get my question

[55:31] was I certain understand that

[55:33] the question was out of the

[55:34] debt savings fund, those funds

[55:35] that were there and understand

[55:37] when a new fiscal year did

[55:39] those funds go back into the

[55:40] reserve, go into the reserves,

[55:42] anything that was left falls to

[55:43] the operating users at the end

[55:44] of it, I was trying to find to

[55:45] see if there's any way that we

[55:46] could find. It really did think

[55:48] about that. Yeah, that's the

[55:49] problem where you're at on

[55:50] october 8th, we are 8 days and

[55:53] you don't have that like where

[55:54] in september we can look at

[55:55] what is available with that.

[55:57] you had some of those separate

[55:58] bills that came through and you

[56:00] some of that at the end of the

[56:01] year. But at this point in

[56:02] time, you're basically left

[56:04] with operating serves unless

[56:05] you're going in and saying,

[56:06] I don't want to do this other

[56:07] previewing type of programs and

[56:09] stuff like that. One of the

[56:11] last things I want to say,

[56:12] councilmember, if I may

[56:13] quickly, I appreciate you give

[56:15] me that insight. When we look

[56:16] at this, let's make sure.

[56:18] well, I do understand there are

[56:19] multiple providers in multiple

[56:20] people doing things in

[56:21] different ways. One of the

[56:23] things I think that we do not

[56:24] use enough is technology.

[56:26] I've said before over and over

[56:28] again, their people, whether

[56:29] they go to the library's with

[56:30] their on their phones, whatever

[56:31] the case may be. But some of

[56:33] those some of the reserve

[56:35] reservations can be done in

[56:37] that way. In many ways. I can

[56:38] tell you how many calls they've

[56:39] gotten. And as more does an

[56:41] amazing job and her and her

[56:43] team there, people are calling

[56:45] in literally within 2 minutes

[56:46] of the morning opening of the

[56:48] lines, their appointments or

[56:50] field. So if we are able to use

[56:52] technology so people can book

[56:53] appointments may be whatever

[56:55] the case may be to do it

[56:57] without talking to a person.

[56:58] I think we need to make sure

[56:59] we're looking at that so we can

[57:01] get those funds.

[57:02] >> we want to ask questions as

[57:03] a precaution.

[57:04] >> when I was not a question

[57:05] that we need to do it, it's not

[57:06] a question that something

[57:08] answer. And this morning I

[57:09] right,

[57:10] that's we need to whether it's

[57:11] allocating the resources,

[57:12] whatever the case may be,

[57:14] we need to make sure it's not

[57:15] just someone calling in on the

[57:16] phone saying it to get my light

[57:18] bill paid and they're calling a

[57:19] line that doesn't get answered

[57:21] for a week or 2 because like I

[57:22] said it after a 10 day period,

[57:24] the lights are off.

[57:27] >> thank you. That this year

[57:29] just want to say I have to step

[57:30] out for another meeting,

[57:31] but it did get a chance to

[57:32] digest the 2 million dollars

[57:34] and in support of it and want

[57:36] to wreck. You want to say that

[57:37] I would like to be a coal

[57:39] introduce whatever legislation

[57:41] comes out of this because as an

[57:42] at-large councilmember, I do

[57:44] get all the calls. The same

[57:45] calls a council member. Gaffney

[57:47] is mention looking to me newly

[57:49] elected to fix the problems

[57:50] that haven't been fixed over

[57:52] that period of time. So I am in

[57:54] support. Thank you, everyone

[57:55] for coming out expressing your

[57:56] concerns and thank you to both

[57:58] chance for this meeting.

[58:01] >> thank councilman. We

[58:02] appreciate your time. And we we

[58:03] were supposed to end this at 5

[58:05] mile out of continue to go

[58:07] further. Relied to public

[58:08] comment. Everything goes

[58:11] okay. Excellent. That's gonna

[58:12] make sure the next thing I just

[58:15] to the point of what council

[58:15] member don't talk to johnson

[58:18] was bringing up with somebody

[58:20] credit. You can come back up or

[58:21] or anyone else even eileen as

[58:23] well.

[58:24] >> yeah. Want why is that the

[58:26] method in which we

[58:30] get get recipients are people

[58:32] who are applying? Why is that

[58:34] the method in which we use?

[58:36] I just got a call one day,

[58:37] a call at one time as opposed

[58:38] to using a more automated

[58:39] system.

[58:42] >> to the chair, that is a

[58:44] method that also is

[58:48] use and has venues because

[58:51] technology, of course, is

[58:53] absolutely an investment that

[58:54] requires funding to do so.

[58:56] what I will say to first I

[58:59] wanted to just acknowledge.

[59:01] >> kuzma doctor johnson,

[59:02] your comment about the

[59:04] importance of collaboration.

[59:06] that is absolutely what we do a

[59:09] united way, our network.

[59:10] and actually we have quarterly

[59:11] meetings with organizations who

[59:13] are part of that network in

[59:15] also, the reality is not every

[59:17] organization either.

[59:20] >> also wants to be included in

[59:22] the day at the database or some

[59:24] refer prefer not to be a part

[59:26] of the communion avigation

[59:27] network because it does require

[59:29] ongoing communication

[59:31] collaboration. In addition to

[59:33] we close the loop. So not only

[59:35] do we I partners help the

[59:38] individuals who we're sending

[59:40] appointments to those

[59:42] organizations are also putting

[59:44] that data back into speaking of

[59:46] technology back into a system

[59:48] that lets us know they were

[59:50] successfully helped. And that

[59:52] allows for us to take a look at

[59:54] this data. And this is a

[59:55] system, by the way, a system

[59:57] issue that has been a system

[59:58] issue for a long time and are

[1:00:02] alice community. And thank you,

[1:00:03] dr moreland for your comment

[1:00:04] there because I alice

[1:00:05] community, they're often making

[1:00:08] decisions about what bills even

[1:00:10] pay. They're making day-to-day

[1:00:12] decisions. Do I pay utilities

[1:00:13] first or do I keep a roof over

[1:00:15] my head in? So that is a

[1:00:17] systemic change that is going

[1:00:19] to require coordination.

[1:00:21] and that is why united way is

[1:00:22] actually part of a strategy to

[1:00:25] strengthen that system. It is a

[1:00:27] a lot of hard work because as

[1:00:29] you mentioned, there are a lot

[1:00:30] of partners and it is

[1:00:32] disjointed at times and it

[1:00:34] requires is to really be on

[1:00:36] aligned. But the reality is

[1:00:38] there will be a network that

[1:00:39] does want to be a part of that

[1:00:41] conversation. And there will

[1:00:43] always be some who preferred to

[1:00:45] remain independent. And that's

[1:00:47] that is why it continues to be

[1:00:49] a challenge. But we are

[1:00:50] committed to solving that

[1:00:51] problem as much as possible.

[1:00:54] >> first and I appreciate that

[1:00:55] for one.

[1:00:58] we just got one final. Thank

[1:01:00] you so much for that would let

[1:01:01] me ask. And one of the things

[1:01:02] and I tried to china, you know,

[1:01:04] watch and be a part of this.

[1:01:05] I want as senior citizens

[1:01:08] 2 right now as I see miss holly

[1:01:10] misses holly in the front row.

[1:01:11] I see him as robinson a day

[1:01:14] when seniors are in this space

[1:01:16] ms robison. What are you seeing

[1:01:18] them is how you're dealing with

[1:01:19] that every day when you speak

[1:01:20] to what we're doing to

[1:01:22] specifically address that for

[1:01:23] senior citizens. And the

[1:01:24] question is, can one of the

[1:01:25] organizations like I know as

[1:01:26] robertson, you're dealing with

[1:01:27] this every day with seniors?

[1:01:29] we're in our senior sites

[1:01:30] around the city. What can we do

[1:01:33] to get immediate relief to

[1:01:34] senior citizens, especially

[1:01:35] those who are in your program?

[1:01:36] can you speak to that or what

[1:01:37] isn't needed? What could you do

[1:01:39] in your program?

[1:01:40] >> as she walks about the the

[1:01:41] state state hasn't given the

[1:01:43] money since june. Yeah. Yeah.

[1:01:45] >> it's so we are hearing

[1:01:47] through this year we are

[1:01:49] hearing councilman johnson.

[1:01:50] the need is significant.

[1:01:52] we receive approximately

[1:01:53] anywhere from 40 to 50 calls a

[1:01:55] day from seniors who are

[1:01:57] expressing a need to have

[1:01:59] support for their utility bill.

[1:02:01] as I shared earlier, we are

[1:02:03] awaiting a contract with

[1:02:05] eldersource to be able to

[1:02:07] resume our heat program.

[1:02:10] and so then we are referring

[1:02:12] any individual calls out to one

[1:02:15] of the community partners.

[1:02:20] >> if we didn't have the chief

[1:02:22] operations officer of

[1:02:23] eldersource. Chris, thank you

[1:02:25] all for hosting us and bringing

[1:02:26] attention to this prevalent

[1:02:28] issue. As our colleague ms

[1:02:31] robison stated, we are

[1:02:33] receiving those calls. We're

[1:02:34] likely the

[1:02:37] eldest l the helpline. So we

[1:02:39] get all of the senior elder

[1:02:42] calls that would go to to 1,

[1:02:44] 1, I build a hotline, gets

[1:02:46] those. And one thing we can say

[1:02:48] about the senior population as

[1:02:50] well. We have the working class

[1:02:54] who are experiencing these

[1:02:56] issues.

[1:02:57] seniors, unlike them, have

[1:02:59] fixed incomes. So as things go

[1:03:02] up,

[1:03:03] their income stays the same.

[1:03:04] so the effects and impacts of

[1:03:08] these challenges hit them

[1:03:09] really, really hard. And so the

[1:03:11] choice becomes whether I pay

[1:03:14] utility bill or where they get

[1:03:16] my medication.

[1:03:18] and so we're seeing that so

[1:03:20] much so that we designed

[1:03:22] outside of the state funding

[1:03:23] because we provide the funding

[1:03:26] to the city of jacksonville for

[1:03:28] these the heap services.

[1:03:29] and as rob son stated, that

[1:03:32] contract is being still

[1:03:33] negotiated with the states.

[1:03:36] these services are not

[1:03:37] happening right now for

[1:03:38] seniors. So there is a way to

[1:03:40] get these particular funds to

[1:03:43] seniors right now. It would be

[1:03:46] critical. And we also as

[1:03:48] illness or saw this being an

[1:03:50] issue for years. We designed

[1:03:52] internal program where we

[1:03:54] actually provide utility

[1:03:56] assistance outside of the state

[1:03:57] funding that we get. So that's

[1:03:59] true. Additional grant funding

[1:04:01] has been a drop in an effort.

[1:04:02] and outside of that, we also

[1:04:04] service in additional

[1:04:05] population that don't go to

[1:04:07] through the same scrutiny as a

[1:04:10] state dollars. So because of

[1:04:13] the issues that you pointed out

[1:04:14] earlier.

[1:04:15] >> and I at least want to say

[1:04:16] it's my intention that there

[1:04:18] would be no,

[1:04:20] this will not be income

[1:04:21] restricted or a district in $20

[1:04:24] for for those who need help,

[1:04:28] that that would be mind before

[1:04:30] ivan up to public comment.

[1:04:31] customer america.

[1:04:32] >> yeah, thank you, mister

[1:04:35] chair.

[1:04:37] I'm sitting here in in

[1:04:39] everything that's been stated

[1:04:40] my previous career of

[1:04:42] experience. And so the cry I'm

[1:04:45] very familiar with

[1:04:47] a few nights ago, we were open

[1:04:49] arms and it wasn't an appeal

[1:04:53] for residents who are having

[1:04:56] difficulty, too

[1:04:58] to be there, if you will.

[1:05:01] in my opinion, I thought the

[1:05:03] attendance of support

[1:05:06] if the cry israel he attended

[1:05:09] since poor.

[1:05:10] but what I discovered with that

[1:05:12] experience is that the jta has

[1:05:15] has made a diligent effort to

[1:05:17] address

[1:05:19] the needs of its rate but

[1:05:21] repairs and so and that

[1:05:24] experience, they were

[1:05:26] addressing human behavior,

[1:05:28] which is a big contributor to

[1:05:30] high bills, not just the rate

[1:05:32] increase and so they were able

[1:05:34] to assist some individuals,

[1:05:36] look at their bills in real

[1:05:38] time and guide them as to how

[1:05:41] they too, can begin saving some

[1:05:44] money, if you will.

[1:05:46] I'm not trying to be debbie

[1:05:47] downer here. I think this is a

[1:05:49] very ambitious effort.

[1:05:51] I think there are some

[1:05:52] realities

[1:05:54] if you're able to get 2 million

[1:05:56] out of operating reserves,

[1:05:58] how do you persuade 10 votes

[1:06:01] when you're saying that 300,000

[1:06:03] is going to go to

[1:06:05] administrative costs versus

[1:06:06] helping to pay bill this?

[1:06:10] if you don't change your

[1:06:11] address, eligibility guidelines

[1:06:14] where

[1:06:16] folks have to jump these

[1:06:17] thresholds to be able to get

[1:06:19] help

[1:06:20] once a year or 3 times a year

[1:06:22] or 2 times a year

[1:06:24] how you're going to maximize

[1:06:25] the use of these dollars.

[1:06:28] if you can't have crossed

[1:06:29] communication between the

[1:06:31] different service providers

[1:06:33] because as you heard united

[1:06:35] way, they just navigate,

[1:06:37] they're not distributing funds,

[1:06:39] then how are you going to help

[1:06:41] those folks?

[1:06:42] what we're experiencing is the

[1:06:44] result of an extremely hot

[1:06:45] summer

[1:06:47] winter's coming.

[1:06:49] so we're going to have that

[1:06:50] cycle all over again. So I just

[1:06:53] food for thought as I sit here

[1:06:55] and again, very ambitious

[1:06:57] effort. But these are some

[1:06:59] realities that can can become

[1:07:00] stumbling blocks to achieve

[1:07:02] anything.

[1:07:03] >> no, thank you. Consummated.

[1:07:07] what are some of the u.s.

[1:07:08] government?

[1:07:09] >> yeah, thank you. Opportunity

[1:07:11] at what I do recommend and it's

[1:07:14] up to the body is that

[1:07:17] we might need to have another

[1:07:18] meeting, you know, might be to

[1:07:19] have another notice, meaning

[1:07:20] the next few weeks to try to,

[1:07:22] I guess, figure out the,

[1:07:24] you know, the process itself.

[1:07:26] you know, council and mayor

[1:07:27] brought us some great points in

[1:07:29] the last thing we want to

[1:07:30] brian todd colleagues is a bad

[1:07:32] bill in. We are written or

[1:07:35] requires 13 votes, you know,

[1:07:38] and we had a him and 3 coming

[1:07:40] up.

[1:07:41] >> you know, so I maybe I don't

[1:07:42] know if he's going to be

[1:07:43] urgency. I don't know. Does

[1:07:44] that go through the committees

[1:07:45] what we think? And so what I'm

[1:07:47] suggesting and proposing may be

[1:07:49] recommending,

[1:07:51] maybe nestle going to follow

[1:07:52] and we might need to come back

[1:07:53] again

[1:07:54] and try to figure out some of

[1:07:56] these things that we heard

[1:07:58] today is these issues and

[1:08:00] hopefully we can fix it.

[1:08:01] so we get a better piece of

[1:08:02] legislation. You know, as I

[1:08:04] mean, that they want is

[1:08:05] legislation

[1:08:06] the failed. But we just want to

[1:08:08] have a great product and right

[1:08:10] now that so we have a great

[1:08:12] product the past.

[1:08:17] >> frankly, I I I think this

[1:08:19] was your your eye. You thought

[1:08:21] so I'm like, yeah.

[1:08:22] >> yet whatever you want to

[1:08:23] guide. So I think what will go

[1:08:26] from here and they got public

[1:08:27] comments. And now a lot of the

[1:08:28] colleagues that I mean this

[1:08:30] week, the league to have one

[1:08:31] goal of the meeting they

[1:08:32] minutes few weeks and we could

[1:08:33] try to streamline the first to

[1:08:36] see can we get a better piece

[1:08:37] of legislation? One of the

[1:08:38] things the u.s. Army is I think

[1:08:39] my my colleagues go out,

[1:08:41] our colleagues got have harbor

[1:08:43] when he's talking about in the

[1:08:44] strait of these. You know,

[1:08:45] it's one thing if it's going to

[1:08:47] services and self. But, you

[1:08:48] know, in 300,000 provide for

[1:08:51] another staff, you know,

[1:08:52] if the

[1:08:54] it'll be tough. But, you know,

[1:08:56] you know, so I think that we

[1:08:58] just need to have more diallo.

[1:08:59] you know, so if you can,

[1:09:01] you can call it a notice mean

[1:09:02] maybe not mislead the following

[1:09:04] weekend. I understand the

[1:09:06] point. We need to do this now,

[1:09:07] but I read the we have a great

[1:09:10] piece of legislation.

[1:09:11] >> before we all for its our

[1:09:14] colleagues.

[1:09:15] >> and we have a greater chance

[1:09:16] of passing. It may be that if

[1:09:18] we come back with something

[1:09:20] tangible, right, with still

[1:09:23] stuck on this island piece

[1:09:24] where we just literally heard

[1:09:26] some organizations are doing it

[1:09:27] some or not, we don't know

[1:09:28] where to go. We need to come

[1:09:30] back with something tangible

[1:09:31] that we can look at all of us

[1:09:32] who have to vote on this thing

[1:09:34] around the table. And we can

[1:09:36] say here is what it looked

[1:09:37] like. Councilmember morrow said

[1:09:39] here, the thresholds like

[1:09:40] those. We need some tangible

[1:09:41] that we can work through at the

[1:09:43] next meeting and I think it's

[1:09:44] going to do that.

[1:09:45] >> yeah, I think I think

[1:09:46] meeting next week, right?

[1:09:47] I think we kind of to the point

[1:09:50] of the emergent nature of all

[1:09:51] this. I don't think we want to

[1:09:53] belabor it. I think we know

[1:09:54] that it's in the u.s.

[1:09:57] I'm hearing a lot. Councilman

[1:09:59] gaffney, I believe is hearing a

[1:10:00] lot. I'm sure councilman mary

[1:10:03] and certainly I'm sure you hear

[1:10:04] in alton.

[1:10:06] >> I heard in my household

[1:10:08] half. Yeah, but but

[1:10:11] >> but the to the to the end of

[1:10:12] all your questions, I think,

[1:10:13] yeah, I mean, I think a lot

[1:10:14] more people can eat you want to

[1:10:15] when it comes, the

[1:10:17] administrative support. I mean,

[1:10:18] that's just I think the nature

[1:10:19] of

[1:10:20] we want this thing to work.

[1:10:22] we want to make sure people

[1:10:22] aren't sitting on the phone for

[1:10:24] 7 days like the you know.

[1:10:26] so so I get it. I think I don't

[1:10:27] think you're wrong. I think 13

[1:10:30] is a tough number to get

[1:10:31] through and take a lead on

[1:10:32] that. I do want to dive into

[1:10:35] these ghost beings. I will say

[1:10:37] to everyone in the audience I

[1:10:38] expect to have another meeting

[1:10:38] may be next thursday or friday.

[1:10:40] what will will will figure that

[1:10:41] out and also council latest

[1:10:43] tuesday. So make sure to be

[1:10:44] able to announce that our

[1:10:45] council colleagues are aware of

[1:10:46] it in case they can come as

[1:10:47] well. By then we can get a few

[1:10:49] more answers, I think to some

[1:10:50] of these questions and make

[1:10:51] sure that we can kind of shore

[1:10:52] up some of the some of the

[1:10:53] commentary that was brought up

[1:10:54] today, which I think is

[1:10:56] important. And by the way,

[1:10:57] that still

[1:10:58] puts us in a good position.

[1:10:59] we do. It's unlikely the bill

[1:11:00] tomorrow filing deadline is

[1:11:02] still

[1:11:04] 13 days from now. So like it

[1:11:06] gives us time to kind of put

[1:11:07] something together if we need

[1:11:08] to. And I think we do an

[1:11:09] emergency because of the new

[1:11:10] 13, anyway, you might want to

[1:11:12] run emergency. This is an

[1:11:13] emerging issue. I believe

[1:11:16] it's one of the councilmen

[1:11:17] partner.

[1:11:18] >> thank you. Councilmember

[1:11:20] gaffney mention the fact that

[1:11:21] amendment 3 is looming.

[1:11:23] I am hoping that it will fail

[1:11:26] and I'm working towards making

[1:11:28] sure that it does fail.

[1:11:31] so with that being said,

[1:11:32] italy was to not propose

[1:11:35] anything or actually

[1:11:37] legislation drafted until after

[1:11:40] november. The 3rd, I think that

[1:11:42] would be like it or not to file

[1:11:44] it until after november 3rd.

[1:11:46] >> that too. So make to make it

[1:11:48] more palatable to our

[1:11:49] colleagues. I mean, is that the

[1:11:51] economy is not going to change

[1:11:52] whether amendment 3 are not

[1:11:54] passes and what it will.

[1:11:56] it will cause some other

[1:11:58] colleagues not to have as much

[1:11:59] angst about this bill.

[1:12:05] >> if we file it, though,

[1:12:06] and

[1:12:08] but you which would be the 20

[1:12:10] first is the next filing,

[1:12:11] right?

[1:12:14] the 21st should be the next

[1:12:15] filing means business committee

[1:12:16] week. So we won't get to

[1:12:18] committees remembers. Got to go

[1:12:19] through those first and second

[1:12:20] reading. So we still won't get

[1:12:21] the committee into.

[1:12:22] >> after so it might be a good

[1:12:23] idea to have it. Let's pilot we

[1:12:25] will. We will have to debate it

[1:12:26] so that way because think about

[1:12:28] it. If we wait till after the

[1:12:29] vote and then finally we will

[1:12:31] still have to go through that

[1:12:33] too.

[1:12:34] >> periods like it's got file

[1:12:35] an emergency. And we do want to

[1:12:36] get to these weeds at numbers.

[1:12:38] we could also I was about to

[1:12:39] say, let's have known as being

[1:12:40] next week. I do want to get to

[1:12:41] some public comment cards and

[1:12:42] certain people have been

[1:12:44] waiting.

[1:12:45] >> well, sean taylor,

[1:12:47] come on. Come on up. We're

[1:12:48] going to have you have 2

[1:12:49] minutes to speak, sir, if you

[1:12:50] don't mind afterwards, suzanne

[1:12:52] staff followed by dr reverend

[1:12:55] russell meyer.

[1:12:56] >> go ahead, sir. Yeah, I do.

[1:12:58] and thank you for having this

[1:13:00] meeting.

[1:13:01] I just want to come. We had is

[1:13:02] mean, I mean, this ne-yo talk

[1:13:04] about other things, mr. Khan

[1:13:06] right here is by don't want to

[1:13:07] be close to what we're talking

[1:13:08] about. We need to talk about

[1:13:09] what's going on. Why begins

[1:13:10] program is jay a lot about a

[1:13:13] yelp and the seals all his

[1:13:14] money. But now he's in the

[1:13:15] head. Here we go to the south.

[1:13:17] so I want to hear these

[1:13:20] a jacksonville resident.

[1:13:21] I'm a veteran.

[1:13:23] >> okay. Here tonight is did

[1:13:24] you guy that he was going to

[1:13:25] recently? I received a bill

[1:13:27] from 19 $93. At the same time I

[1:13:29] was even notice from jay tell

[1:13:31] me my deposits going increase

[1:13:33] $886 because my count has been

[1:13:35] experiencing what they call

[1:13:37] risks. Events mean. I've been

[1:13:39] late payments. My my my

[1:13:41] payment. Could a single parent

[1:13:42] got 3 kids at home. Okay.

[1:13:44] it's hard. Also in february of

[1:13:46] 20 foreign profits security.

[1:13:48] what do you know on south korea

[1:13:49] works? You can't you don't get

[1:13:51] the money, you know, uneven to

[1:13:53] determine you disable when they

[1:13:54] determine it takes almost 2

[1:13:56] years. I have no money coming

[1:13:58] in within that time. Okay.

[1:13:59] so now I got it. I got to meet

[1:14:00] this outfit because my life was

[1:14:02] getting cut. They didn't help

[1:14:04] me. It's a real community

[1:14:05] service. The double the

[1:14:07] double-a say we're going to

[1:14:08] double your deposit that out of

[1:14:10] his service with over 15 years.

[1:14:13] okay. So I'm trying to figure

[1:14:15] out where is it helping?

[1:14:16] it had 100 and cdc bounce to my

[1:14:19] next month's bill. I just hate

[1:14:21] them on 9.28. I paid him $500.

[1:14:24] the timely right now today.

[1:14:26] I mean, 583 not immediately on

[1:14:28] an intern. Amanda, great to be

[1:14:30] internal. Then guess what?

[1:14:31] they said they some minimal

[1:14:33] bill. I send it to you guys.

[1:14:34] you know that he does morning

[1:14:35] some in an abuse and october

[1:14:37] 27th. I got to $1800,

[1:14:40] $1800. And then governor sat

[1:14:43] back on on the bottom of the

[1:14:44] site will community-based the

[1:14:47] weather.

[1:14:48] I had a friend.

[1:14:50] he's like to turn off 140,007

[1:14:53] fence. He paid 240 files with

[1:14:55] home thinking it was going to

[1:14:56] be on his case said in a dog,

[1:14:58] you know, they call until you

[1:14:59] meet a $0.07 payments are.

[1:15:05] >> this is said in jacksonville

[1:15:07] got all his money to do

[1:15:08] everything else. 40 million

[1:15:10] dollars you the baby's people.

[1:15:12] it pays people always money.

[1:15:13] this event to do what he didn't

[1:15:15] know a whole lot. You can hunt

[1:15:16] them down out of the year.

[1:15:18] he not even sweating.

[1:15:20] so you went out doing and this

[1:15:21] is what the money is going.

[1:15:22] >> this you're trying to oust

[1:15:24] him to trying to figure out

[1:15:25] what that's not helping people

[1:15:26] right now. That's not helping

[1:15:28] that family and the daylight.

[1:15:29] so could a one game

[1:15:31] won't give him the power to the

[1:15:32] ice and on iraq by family

[1:15:35] dollar young $150 may close in

[1:15:37] city right now than I see the

[1:15:38] lights.

[1:15:39] think about. Cvs and walgreens.

[1:15:41] see the lights on that

[1:15:42] building. Thank you, sir.

[1:15:43] need to get stick around after

[1:15:44] the meeting at appreciate.

[1:15:45] I'm a veteran. Is there a

[1:15:47] disabled veteran and I've got 3

[1:15:48] kids at home.

[1:15:49] >> I want it the humid today.

[1:15:52] >> next, sarah, a project

[1:15:56] suzanne cent. Come on out.

[1:16:01] I assume your doctor, reverend

[1:16:03] russell, my I have.

[1:16:06] >> and the pastor, saint john's

[1:16:07] lutheran church in human

[1:16:08] infield hit to 10th in silver.

[1:16:10] and after you, it's a michel

[1:16:11] rivera. And then john, any

[1:16:13] better?

[1:16:14] yes, I live in a historic

[1:16:18] riverside had a certain

[1:16:20] historic springfield. 28 1% of

[1:16:24] the homes in jacksonville's

[1:16:26] service by jta were built

[1:16:27] before 1970. They were built

[1:16:29] before air conditioning.

[1:16:31] they all need energy

[1:16:32] efficiency.

[1:16:34] when we bought our home,

[1:16:36] I had the funds.

[1:16:37] I spent somewhere between 5

[1:16:39] $10,000 to insulate my home so

[1:16:42] that we brought down our bill

[1:16:43] from $400 a month to $200 a

[1:16:47] month.

[1:16:49] je provides no assistance

[1:16:53] for low-income people are for

[1:16:54] renters to take their

[1:16:58] living spaces and to energy

[1:17:00] efficiency. It doesn't have to

[1:17:02] we need to get to an ethical

[1:17:03] foundation because where

[1:17:05] municipal utility will have to

[1:17:07] play by the rules that investor

[1:17:09] utilities have to play with

[1:17:11] going before the psc. Tampa

[1:17:13] electric provided energy

[1:17:16] efficiency for 32,000 people.

[1:17:18] last year

[1:17:20] I lived in tampa. I one time I

[1:17:22] was able to get a rebate on my

[1:17:27] energy, put $600 of insulation.

[1:17:29] my attic. And I say $2000 that

[1:17:32] month that here on my electric

[1:17:34] bill,

[1:17:35] we don't have an energy

[1:17:37] efficiency program. It's on

[1:17:39] ethical as a community-based

[1:17:42] public utility not to be

[1:17:44] helping.

[1:17:46] 40% of the population have

[1:17:49] affordable bills. Whatever the

[1:17:50] rate is, I have members who are

[1:17:53] behind an extended in except

[1:17:55] for a I have members who who

[1:17:58] who can't go out and borrow the

[1:18:00] money. Yeah, they can get an

[1:18:02] audit, but it dotted just tells

[1:18:04] you what you need to do.

[1:18:05] there's no help for what needs

[1:18:07] to be done. 1300 seniors

[1:18:10] perhaps were helped. This is

[1:18:12] unconscionable.

[1:18:15] jay eas money is the public's

[1:18:18] money. It's not their money

[1:18:20] 140 million a year to the city.

[1:18:22] an extra 40 minute million this

[1:18:25] year. You're talking about

[1:18:26] 2 million coming back to the

[1:18:28] rate payers.

[1:18:29] >> who are in desperate,

[1:18:30] desperate, desperate need.

[1:18:32] where's the ethics? And this?

[1:18:34] where is love the neighbor as

[1:18:36] yourself? I don't see it.

[1:18:38] I would like to see it. I'd

[1:18:40] like my public utility to

[1:18:42] actually love me and the rest

[1:18:44] of the public. And I like the

[1:18:45] city council that oversees it

[1:18:47] to make certain the execute on

[1:18:49] that love and levin public

[1:18:51] means doing right to doing

[1:18:52] justice for everybody in the

[1:18:54] community. Please, please go

[1:18:56] the whole way. Not just an

[1:18:58] inch. Thank you.

[1:19:02] shower there.

[1:19:08] >> good afternoon or good

[1:19:09] evening. Michelle rivera,

[1:19:12] retired navy chief.

[1:19:16] I'm a realtor with keller

[1:19:17] williams led by any houses.

[1:19:22] I live in a community and you

[1:19:23] love love landing in committee

[1:19:25] page. Everyone has are

[1:19:27] complaining about include

[1:19:28] myself about the half

[1:19:30] the high rate that the increase

[1:19:32] in our budget bill.

[1:19:33] my over the past few months,

[1:19:36] I like to bill,

[1:19:37] almost tripled,

[1:19:39] almost tripled in the last few

[1:19:41] months. I've been a home on or

[1:19:42] since 2014 in that community.

[1:19:45] I did receive a letter out of

[1:19:47] the consumption. There may be

[1:19:48] an increase in consumption.

[1:19:51] okay. Let me call to make an

[1:19:52] appointment for somebody come

[1:19:53] on and do an audit. It takes

[1:19:55] over a month.

[1:19:57] why did you why the turnaround

[1:19:59] time so long? In the meantime,

[1:20:02] my bill is increasing and

[1:20:03] increasing.

[1:20:05] it is with all the new

[1:20:06] infrastructure that's going on

[1:20:08] around the city, which I love.

[1:20:09] I love that. You know, you

[1:20:10] know, we're trying to build up

[1:20:12] this city says, because I guess

[1:20:14] that was warren city in

[1:20:15] america.

[1:20:17] but I those additional costs

[1:20:19] coming to us as a residence,

[1:20:22] our goal or the contractor,

[1:20:24] the commercial contractor,

[1:20:25] they not plant put pulling

[1:20:26] their share with jay and 2 to

[1:20:30] subsidize our our cars that

[1:20:33] were the one paying for those

[1:20:34] increased building

[1:20:36] infrastructure.

[1:20:38] can the extra money that the

[1:20:39] council are getting? Can can

[1:20:40] they subsidize with jake's

[1:20:42] honest and you guys do need to

[1:20:44] fix infrastructure, get your

[1:20:46] coding up to date. So beware

[1:20:48] fission with the power.

[1:20:49] but we're paying for it was a

[1:20:51] relief in the these the whole

[1:20:53] time. I sat here

[1:20:55] to listen to relief was the

[1:20:57] only one time my goes up to

[1:20:59] date was still was one payment.

[1:21:02] that's a help.

[1:21:03] we need a total. I look at this

[1:21:06] again because I me for my bill

[1:21:08] to the almost 3 times. More is

[1:21:10] ridiculous.

[1:21:13] very much. Thank you for

[1:21:15] coming. And then john, any

[1:21:23] yes, it is. And

[1:21:25] >> got a h*** land. John.

[1:21:28] jay new knee

[1:21:30] jacksonville's, 83. 56 bascom

[1:21:33] row jacksonville, florida,

[1:21:34] 3, 2, 2, 6,

[1:21:39] you know, I want to start with,

[1:21:41] you know, just year I just came

[1:21:44] from the truth commission

[1:21:45] meeting

[1:21:46] and on the truth commission,

[1:21:48] you know, as amendment 3

[1:21:51] and then this notice

[1:21:55] notice meeting and j a utility

[1:21:57] assistance programs. Will the

[1:21:59] true commissioner coming out

[1:22:00] with a true to your system?

[1:22:02] so jay utility assistance

[1:22:05] programs, northeast florida

[1:22:06] regional council

[1:22:08] find yesterday. Well, I just

[1:22:11] want to share with you.

[1:22:13] this was a notice meeting with

[1:22:14] monet holder

[1:22:16] and it's j. You know, jordan,

[1:22:19] pope one for, you know, and

[1:22:23] term sorry, ogc and where I'm

[1:22:26] going with it is with data

[1:22:28] centers.

[1:22:30] you know, I was asked yesterday

[1:22:32] new look at all 3 television

[1:22:34] networks and data centers.

[1:22:35] it's like hello

[1:22:37] besides how big they are.

[1:22:39] but you know what I was asking,

[1:22:41] which is the small stuff

[1:22:43] data center.

[1:22:46] the reason I'm saying

[1:22:49] is because

[1:22:51] they are small

[1:22:53] and it could be utilized

[1:22:56] in my opinion

[1:22:58] as a revenue stream

[1:23:01] for utility assistance and the

[1:23:03] council districts,

[1:23:07] you know, you talk about

[1:23:09] creating jobs and everything

[1:23:11] else.

[1:23:12] I just wanted to bring that to

[1:23:14] your attention

[1:23:15] and

[1:23:19] it could be just part of an

[1:23:22] answer. And again, jay, like

[1:23:25] you said,

[1:23:26] when just just look into that

[1:23:29] because I will be and I asked

[1:23:31] that yesterday

[1:23:33] and so I can't wait to see jay

[1:23:36] a

[1:23:37] with the smallest that isn't

[1:23:39] yours

[1:23:42] because it's a national news

[1:23:43] story.

[1:23:45] any could be utilized

[1:23:49] for the cake for districts

[1:23:54] assisting

[1:23:55] with this.

[1:23:57] thank you. It's me.

[1:24:04] >> I think we've said a lot

[1:24:06] here today. I think we're kind

[1:24:07] of moving in a similar

[1:24:08] direction. I think what

[1:24:09] councilmember american summer,

[1:24:10] dr johnson, obviously chair

[1:24:14] gaffney and kind of says let's

[1:24:16] catch you on this all the more

[1:24:17] puzzling together. It's a

[1:24:18] little more concrete. I agree

[1:24:20] with that assessment. We do

[1:24:21] have some time to do it like

[1:24:22] tonight. Notice next week next

[1:24:24] week. And I think we'll be in

[1:24:26] touch with many of the folks

[1:24:27] who spoke here today to make

[1:24:28] sure that we're kind of getting

[1:24:29] a better plan, bring down some

[1:24:31] legislation, kind of going that

[1:24:33] route. Any other comments,

[1:24:35] anyone else

[1:24:36] meeting's adjourned.

[1:24:42] I've never heard a sound like

[1:24:43] that.

20261008 Notice Meeting CM Gaffney Jr. CM Peluso RE JEA Utility Assistance Program Brief

Agenda

Transcript