[ ITEMS ]
>> MAYOR JONES: LET'S GO. WE HAVE TWO ONLINE. GREAT. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE TURN ON -- THANK YOU. MADAME CLERK -- THE TIME IS NOW 9:03 A.M. ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. >> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR JONES: THANKS, MADAME CLERK. THIS MEETING WILL BE REVIEWING THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS: HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. MARIA, OVER TO YOU. >> VILLAGOMEZ: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MAYOR, AS YOU MENTIONED, TODAY WE HAVE FOUR DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE TAKE THE FOUR PRESENTATIONS AND THEN WE OPEN IT FOR QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S GREAT. >> VILLAGOMEZ: WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH HUMAN SERVICES. MELODY WOOSLEY, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES WILL BEGIN WITH THE PRESENTATIONS. >> WOOSLEY: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MELODY WOOSLEY, HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR. I WILL PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON THE HUMAN SERVICES PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET, INCLUDING OUR SERVICE AREAS, THE BUDGET, PROPOSED REDUCTIONS, DEPARTMENT CHANGES, AND DELEGATE AGENCY INVESTMENTS. HUMAN SERVICES AND OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES PROMOTE LIFELONG SUCCESS BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES, EFFECTIVE SERVICES, AND CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THESE ARE FOCUSED ON CHILDREN, YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND OLDER ADULTS. OUR WORK SERVES OVER 140,000 ANNUALLY BY ADDRESSING POVERTY, FINANCIAL INSTABILITY, AND UNDER OR UNEMPLOYMENT. CHILDREN'S SUCCESS INITIATIVES FOCUS ON SCHOOL READINESS, HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPROVING HOME AND SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS. THROUGH CHILDCARE QUALITY INITIATIVES AND HEAD START AND EARLY H HEAD START PROGRAMS. YOUTH PROGRAMS HELP YOUNG PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS THROUGH THE AMBASSADOR SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, NEXT-LEVEL OPPORTUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM, AND PROJECT WORTH . WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OCTOBER LAUNCH OF A NEW SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION CURRICULUM IN 16 SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS AND EXPANDING CONNECTIONS WITH MUNICIPAL COURT AND SAPD AROUND NEXT LEVEL, WHICH WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. FAMILY STRENGTHENING EFFORTS PROMOTE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY BY HELPING RESIDENTS REDUCE DEBT, BUILD SAVINGS, AND ACCESS RESOURCES DURING CRISIS. THIS YEAR THE VITA PROGRAM WILL PREPARE AN ESTIMATED 30,000 TAX RETURNS AND RETURN $38 MILLION BACK INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. AND WE ARE COORDINATING WITH READY TO WORK AND SAPD TO CONNECT POLICE ACADEMY CADETS UNDER FINANCIAL STRAIN WITH SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO HELP THEM COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING. AND FINALLY, OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS IMPROVE HEALTH AND REDUCE ISOLATION THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS AND PARTNER AND MEAL PROGRAM SITES. IN 2027, WE ANTICIPATE THAT 26,500 SENIORS WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN OUR MEAL
PROGRAM, FITNESS CLASSES, ARTS AND CRAFT CLASSES, COMPUTER EDUCATION, ALL THE WHILE MAKING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS. 91% OF PARTICIPATING SENIORS IN THOSE PROGRAMS INDICATE THAT THEY FEEL IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND/OR EMOTIONAL HEALTH. A NEW PILOT WITH WELLMED FOUNDATION WILL COLLECT INDIVIDUAL HEALTH DATA THROUGH SCREENINGS AT ENROLLMENT AND PERIODICALLY OVER TIME TO COMPARE CHANGES. AND WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR FINANCIAL COUNSELING PROGRAM AND PROTECT OLDER ADULTS FROM FRAUD, ABUSE, AND EXPLOITATION. THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPOSED HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET IS $98.8 MILLION WHICH INCLUDES GENERAL FUND, DELEGATE AGENCIES, AND GRANT FUNDS. THE BUDGET REFLECTS A $3.8 MILLION INCREASE OVER 2026 FROM INCREASES IN GRANT FUNDING, ADDED FUNDING FOR PERMANENT EXTENDED HOURS PROGRAMMING AT SENIOR CENTERS, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTIAL-YEAR MANDATES FOR THREE BOND-FUNDED PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED NEXT SUMMER AND IN THE FALL OF 2027. HUMAN SERVICES UNDERWENT A COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS IN FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH LED TO $683,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 SAVINGS. AND AN ADDITIONAL $2.5 MILLION IN PROPOSED FY 2027 REDUCTIONS. WITH THAT, A TOTAL OF $3.2 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS IS PROPOSED IN FISCAL YEAR 2027, WHICH INCLUDES ELIMINATING TWO VACANT POSITIONS, SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP AND OUTREACH FUNDING, CLOSING THREE PART-TIME NUTRITION SITES, AND IMPLEMENTING LINE ITEM AND CITYWIDE REDUCTIONS. OVERALL, THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET REFLECTS A NET INCREASE OF $81,000 TO THE HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL FUND. THE CITY HAS FUNDED THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1989. SINCE THEN, OTHER LOCAL TUITION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THE CITY FUNDS ALAMO PROMISE AND READY TO WORK. THIS EFFICIENCY PROPOSES TO REDUCE $2.2 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP AND OUTREACH FUNDING. IT WOULD IMPACT OVER 3300 STUDENTS, FRESHMEN THROUGH SENIORS, WHO ARE RECEIVING OR EXPECTING TO RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP. 45% OF SCHOLARSHIP PARTICIPANTS ATTEND ALAMO COLLEGES AND GENERALLY ARE ALSO ENROLLED IN ALAMO PROMISE. THIS PROGRAM CHANGE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE CAFE COLLEGE. THE BUDGET PROPOSES MOVING A PORTION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP OUTREACH FUNDS TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR CAFE COLLEGE. AND ENHANCE FOCUS ON COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING, ENGAGING STUDENTS IN READY TO WORK, AND TUITION AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS AS WELL AS FAFSA ASSISTANCE, SAT AND ACT PREP. IT TRACKS COLLEGE AND CREDENTIAL ACHIEVEMENT BY COHORT. FOR THE 2019 SIX-YEAR COHORT, 1,372 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ENROLLED IN COLLEGE. AND BY 2025, 23% HAD EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND SOME EARNED BOTH A BACHELOR'S AND A MASTER'S DEGREE OVER THAT TIME PERIOD. 53% EARNED A CREDENTIAL OR CERTIFICATE, AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, AND THOSE HIGHER DEGREES AS WELL. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES CLOSURE OF THREE HUMAN SERVICES PART-TIME NUTRITION SITES DUE TO LOW PARTICIPATION. DARNER, SOUTH SAN, AND HARLANDALE BREYER. SOUTH SAN CLOSED LAST FALL FOR RENOVATIONS AND HAS NOT REOPENED. CITY-OPERATED NUTRITION SITES COST SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PER PARTICIPANT AND OFFER FEWER SERVICES THAN WHAT IS AVAILABLE AT OUR NEARBY COMPREHENSIVE SITES. 97% OF RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY THIS CLOSURE LIVES WITHIN A 5-MILE RADIUS OF A COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTER. THREE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS IMPACTED DO NOT LIVE WITHIN THE FIVE-MILE TRANSPORTATION RADIUS OF A
CENTER. HOWEVER, DHS WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION AS NEEDED TO THEIR CLOSEST CENTER. THIS MAP SHOWS THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE THREE PART-TIME SITES PROPOSED FOR CLOSURE. IN RELATION TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE CENTERS AND NUTRITION SITES, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNER-OPERATED PART-TIME MEAL PROGRAM SITES. IT REFLECTS NEW AND EXPANDED SITES COMING ONLINE, INCLUDING THE KENWOOD MULTIGENERATIONAL CENTER, WHICH WILL REOPEN WITH MORE SPACE, FULL-TIME HOURS, AND COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING IN FALL OF 2028. WE ALSO ANTICIPATE NEW PARTNER SENIOR MEAL SITES AT THE ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER IN 2027. THOSE WOULD SERVE AN ADDITIONAL 135 OLDER ADULTS. THE FISCAL YEAR '27 BUDGET ALSO ADDS 952,036 PART-TIME CITY POSITIONS TO MAKE PERMANENT EXTENDED HOURS PROGRAMMING AT OUR COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT 4200 OLDER ADULTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN EXTENDED HOURS PROGRAMMING IN FISCAL YEAR '27 WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE OF 357. PARTIAL YEAR BOND MANDATES ADD SIX POSITIONS AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING TO MANAGE THE RENOVATED ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER. DHS STAFF WILL MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THE CAMPUS AND ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER NONPROFIT, NOW UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF WEST CARE TEXAS, WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE CAMPUS' ANCHORED TENANT. NEW FISCAL YEAR 2027 FUNDING ALSO SUPPORTS A TOTAL OF SEVEN POSITIONS FOR TWO MONTHS TO ONBOARD AND TRAIN NEW STAFF AND PREPARE FOR THE OPENING OF KENWOOD AND WEST END MULTIGENERATIONAL CENTERS IN THE FALL OF 2027. THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING OF $11.4 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND AND GRANT CONTRACTS FOR 72 DESIGNATED ESSENTIAL AND DISCRETIONARY DHS-MANAGED DELEGATE AGENCY AWARDS, WHICH WERE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 21, PENDING ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF TARGETED HUMAN SERVICES INVESTMENTS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND SUPPORT KEY COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. DHS MANAGES THE PERFORMANCE THROUGH A RESULTS-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK AND AGENCY PERFORMANCE DATA IS AVAILABLE ON THE HUMAN SERVICES CONSOLIDATED FUNDING DASHBOARD. THE FISCAL YEAR 2028 BUDGET PROPOSES A REDUCTION OF $5.1 MILLION IN DISCRETIONARY FUNDING FROM THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING POOL. IN FISCAL YEAR '27, THESE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS WILL SUPPORT 48 PROGRAMS ANTICIPATED TO SERVE OVER 9300 PARTICIPANTS. AN ESTIMATED 70% OF PARTICIPANTS TO BE SERVED THROUGH DISCRETIONARY AWARDS RESIDE IN COUNCIL DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5. FISCAL YEAR 2027 DELEGATE AGENCY CONTRACTS END SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 AND DO NOT HAVE A RENEWAL OPTION. WITH THE PROPOSED REDUCTION OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDING IN 2028, A NEW FUNDING PROCESS WILL KICKOFF THIS FALL LED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS ALDERETE GAVITO AND MEZA GONZALEZ AND END WITH APPROVAL OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2028 BUDGET. THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL TURN THE CLICKER OVER TO CLAUDE JACOB, METRO HEALTH DIRECTOR. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MY VERY GREAT LEADERSHIP TEAM, WHO'S SITTING BEHIND ME, FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATIONS. >> JACOB: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M DR. CLAUDE JACOB, DIRECTOR OF METRO HEALTH. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR FY27 DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR FANTASTIC LEADERSHIP TEAM, STAFF, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS SUPPORT TO BRING YOUR OUR PROPOSED BUDGET. I'LL START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED BY A SNAPSHOT OF
THE ONGOING INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT OUR TEAM ON THE GROUND. FINALLY, I'LL WALK THROUGH THE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS INTENDED TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION OF SERVICES FOR AREA RESIDENTS. A REMINDER THAT WE ARE A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ONE OF NINE HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THIS PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF HOW WE ARE ORGANIZED. THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE INCLUDES THE CENTER FOR POLICY AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCE. THE OFFICE OF EPI ANALYTICS AS WELL AS OUR WORKFORCE TEAM. IT INCLUDES THE ADVANCED LABORATORY TESTING . THIS UNIT ANCHORS OUR DISEASE SURVEILLANCE FUNCTIONS. THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION PROMOTES HEALTHY BEHAVIORS, NOT JUST THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BUT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL ACTIVITIES THIS THIS HOUSES OUR WIC PROGRAM, SUPPORTS OUR CHRONIC DISEASE PROGRAMMING, AND ANCHORS OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION. THE ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND OPERATIONS DIVISION HELPS TO PREPARE AND PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AGAINST HEALTH HAZARDS AND OVERSEES THE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS FUNCTIONS. THESE REPRESENT OVER 40 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT HELP TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASES AND INJURY AS WELL AS PROMOTE HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES. OVER THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I'LL PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGET AS WELL AS WALK THROUGH THE IMPACTS OF THE REDUCTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. SO THE PROPOSED FY27 BUDGET IS $80 MILLION AND REFLECTS A STAFF OF 552 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS. THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION AMOUNTS TO $45.8 MILLION SUPPORTING 452 STAFF WHILE THE GRANTS SUPPORT 296 STAFF THE PIE CHART SHOWS A BREAKDOWN ACROSS OUR VARIOUS DIVISIONS AND UNITS. KNOW THAT THIS REFLECTS LEVEL FUNDING IN COMPARISON TO FY26. ALSO LAST YEAR WE WERE ONE OF THE FOUR DEPARTMENTS THAT WENTS THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW. AT THAT TIME, $4.4 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS WERE REFLECTED IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET. AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES $1.2 MILLION IN LINE ITEM ADJUSTMENTS. JUST KNOW THAT FOR THIS YEAR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION INCLUDES OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION, CHRONIC DISEASE AND MATERNAL CHILD, INFANT, AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND ACCOUNTS FOR 43% OF OUR BUDGET. THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION SERVES AS THE LARGEST SECTION REFLECTING THE STRONG INVESTMENT OVER THE YEARS. A LARGE PROP ACCOUNT FOR 26% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET. THIS INCLUDES IMMUNIZATIONS, THE LAB, THE STIS, HIV SURVEILLANCE, AND MORE. OUR MOST RECENT INVESTMENTS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS INCLUDE THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCE AS WELL AS THE CENTER FOR POLICY AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENT WHICH ACCOUNT FOR 13% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET. SO WITH THIS, THIS SLIDE OUTLINES A PROPOSED REVENUE ENHANCEMENT FOR FY27 RELATED TO MOBILE FOOD VENDOR INSPECTIONS. THE CHANGE IS DRIVEN BY HOUSE BILL 2844 WHICH SHIFTED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SALE OF MOBILE FOOD PERMITS FROM LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO THE STATE OF TEXAS EFFECTIVE JULY 1 OF THIS YEAR. AS A RESULT OF THIS LEGISLATION, THE CITY CAN NO LONGER CHARGE MOBILE FOOD VENDORS FOR THE PERMITS THEMSELVES. HOWEVER, OUR DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT REGULATORY FUNCTION. THE STATE WILL CONTRACT WITH THE CITY TO PERFORM INSPECTIONS, ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, AND RESPONSES TO LOCAL COMPLAINTS INVOLVING MOBILE FOOD VENDORS. THE CITY WILL THEREFORE RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS WORK RATHER THAN COLLECTING THE PREVIOUS LOCAL PERMIT FEES. SO FOR FY27, THE STRUCTURE IS BASED ON THE TIERS. CHIPS, CRACKERS, CANDY, BOTTLED SOFT DRINKS AND WATER, THE RATE WILL BE $250 PER INSPECTION GENERATING $25,750 IN NEW REVENUE. THE SECOND TIER IS PREPACKAGED. POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS THAT INCLUDE PRE-PACKAGED DELI MEATS, SEALED DAIRY PRODUCTS, MEATS, AND POULTRY. THE RATE WILL BE $350 FOR INSPECTION, GENERATING $3500. LASTLY, OPENLY HANDLED FOOD THAT INCLUDE COOKED HAMBURGERS, HOT DOGS, SAUSAGES, TACOS, QUESADILLAS
AND OTHER PREPARED ENTREES. THIS WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $224,000. COMBINED, THESE ARE EXPECTED TO GENERATE $254,000 IN FY27. THIS IS NOT A NEW CITY PERMIT FEE BEING IMPOSED ON MOBILE FOOD VENDORS. THE LARGEST SHARE OF THE PROJECTED REVENUE, $224,000, OR NEARLY 88% OF THE TOTAL COMES FROM THE INSPECTIONS OF THE VENDORS THAT HANDLE FOOD, LIKE FOOD TRUCKS. THIS REFLECTS THE LARGER VOLUME OF REGULATORY OVERSIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH THESE OPERATIONS. NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT THE IMPACTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED REDUCTIONS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. HERE WE SUMMARIZE THE FY27 BUDGET REDUCTIONS AND SHOW THE STRATEGIES USED TO ADDRESS THE DEPARTMENT'S REQUIRED BUDGET REDUCTIONS. AGAIN, THE THREE TIERS, THE LEFT SIDE LOOKS AT EFFICIENCIES. THE MIDDLE TALKS ABOUT GLIDE PATH SUPPORTED BY THE 1115 WAIVER FUND. THEN WE HAVE THE REDUCTIONS. $3.4 MILLION TOTAL. JUST KNOW THAT THE PROPOSED FALL INTO THESE THREE CATEGORIES. $800,000 IN COST TRANSFERRED TO THE MEDICAID WAIVER FUND AND $1.9 MILLION IN PROGRAM AND STAFFING REDUCTIONS. AND I'LL WALK THROUGH THESE. JUST KNOW THAT EACH OF THESE REPRESENTS RIGHT SIZING OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. WE'RE LOOKING AT LEASE SPACE ACROSS OUR SERVICE AREA. THE GLIDE PATH FOR THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER SUSTAINING OUR EFFORTS OVER THE COURSE OF A THREE-YEAR WINDOW. I'LL SPEND MOST OF THE TIME TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE REDUCTIONS ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT UNITS. SO, THE NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES MORE DETAIL ON THE PROGRAMMING AND STAFFING FINANCIAL SAVINGS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THESE REDUCTIONS TRANSLATE INTO CHANGES IN SERVICES, STAFFING, PARTNERSHIPS, AND A TIMELINE FOR SOME OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES. THIS SLIDE ALSO SHOWS RELATED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE TEN DISTRICTS. AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR IMPACTS ARE TIED TO CITY SERVICES AND THESE ARE NOT MANDATED SERVICES. SO THIS IS NOT A MANDATED SERVICE. COMMUNITY NUTRITION. THIS LOOKS AT $400,000 REDUCTION TO THE COMMUNITY NUTRITION PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDES THE ELIMINATION OF A TOTAL OF FOUR POSITIONS, ONE VACANT AND THREE FILLED POSITIONS. BECAUSE THREE OF THESE POSITIONS ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED, THIS REPRESENTS A MEANINGFUL REDUCTION IN STAFFING CAPACITY. AS PART OF THE REDUCTION, THERE IS AN ONGOING CONSOLIDATION WITH THE DIABETES PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAMS WILL MOVE TOWARDS ONE INTEGRATED CURRICULUM. THE INTENT IS TO MAINTAIN CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION WHILE OPERATING WITH FEWER RESOURCES AND REDUCING THE DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS. IT ALSO MEANS THE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE TO BE MORE FOCUSED IN WHAT WE PROVIDE. THE SAME LEVEL OF SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. THE REDUCTION ALSO SUNSETS THE POR VIDA PROGRAM WHICH SUPPORTS 24 RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE CITY. POR VIDA HAS WORKED WITH SERVICE PARTNERS TO PROMOTE HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES. ENDING THE PROGRAM MEANS OUR DEPARTMENT WILL NO LONGER PROVIDE THE SAME STRUCTURED SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP TO THOSE PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS. IN THIS CATEGORY, WE'LL REVIEW THE IMPACTS OF THE CENTER FOR POLICY AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENT. THIS IS NOT A MANDATED SERVICE. THIS IS A LARGEST SINGLE LINE ITEM REDUCTION IN THE DEPARTMENT AND $692,000. IT REPRESENTS 34% OF THE CENTER'S OPERATING BUDGET PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR. THIS REDUCTION ELIMINATES THREE POSITIONS, MEANING A DIRECT LOSS TO STAFFING CAPACITY THAT WILL REQUIRE THE REMAINING TEAM TO PRIORITIZE AND REDISTRIBUTE SOME RESPONSIBILITIES. THE PROGRAM IMPACTS THAT OUR STAFF WILL TAKE ON WILL ALSO IMPACT OUR MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND OUR CAPACITY TO CONVENE THE PRENATAL WORK GROUP. THAT SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. THIS PROVIDES A MECHANISM FOR ALIGNING STAKEHOLDERS AROUND PRENATAL CARE GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE CAN CO-LOCATE THE STAFFING FUNCTION WITH OUR HEALTHY START PROGRAM AT THE DEPARTMENT. THIS REDUCTION ALSO ENDS IN OUR MATERNAL MORTALITY PILOT PROJECT. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE MATERNAL HEALTH AND MATERNAL MORTALITY CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS. ENDING THE PILOT LIMITS METRO HEALTH'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE MATERNAL HEALTH NEEDS. MATERNAL MORTALITY
AGE OF 40 WHO ARE AFFECTED MORE THAN THREE TIMES AS OFTEN AS YOUNGER GROUPS. FINALLY, THE REDUCTION ELIMINATES MANY GRANTS PROVIDED TO EMPLOYERS. THIS SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS [INDISCERNIBLE] PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. ELIMINATING THESE GRANTS REDUCES OUR ABILITY TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE. JUST KNOW THAT WHAT WILL BE ONGOING ARE THE FREE ONLINE CERTIFICATIONS MADE AVAILABLE BY AREA NONPROFITS AND PROVIDERS. JUST KNOW THAT THREE GENERAL FUND POSITIONS REDUCED WERE CREATED AS PART OF OUR SA FORWARD INITIATIVE TO ESTABLISH THE NETWORK OF PARTNERS AND ESTABLISH A NEED FOR IMPROVING ACCESS TO CARE. THIS PILOT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD. NOW BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACTS OF THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL. THE PROPOSED REDUCTION IS APPROXIMATELY $180,000 ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL. THIS IS NOT A MANDATED SERVICE. THIS WOULD REDUCE ONE POSITION THAT'S TETHERED TO THE GENERAL FUND THAT SUPPORTS THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL, COMMUNITY HEALTH INITIATIVES, WHICH INCLUDE AREA BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS AS WELL AS A STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. A KEY PARTNER IS THE SAN ANTONIO BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH WHICH SUPPORTS HUNDREDS OF LOCAL EMPLOYERS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO ASSIST WITH COORDINATING PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE INITIATIVES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO AND THE GREATER BEXAR COUNTY. IN ADDITION TO OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE. JUST KNOW THAT YOU SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WHICH EMPOWERS YOUTH IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12 TO PROMOTE HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLES ACROSS LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH PEER LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE PROJECTS WITHIN LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM HAS GRADUATED OVER 700 STUDENT AMBASSADORS AND OVER 600 STUDENT MENTORS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2012. YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN. THE LARGEST POOL OF PARTICIPANTS FOR EACH OF THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS HAVE BEEN FROM DISTRICT 9 FOLLOWED BY DISTRICT 1, 3, 4, AND 8. THIS FINAL SLIDE OUTLINES THE OPERATIONAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM AND THE ELIMINATION OF FOUR VACANT POSITIONS. THE COMBINED REDUCTIONS AMOUNT TO APPROXIMATELY $657,000. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A MANDATED SERVICE BUT TETHERED TO OUR CORE FOUNDATIONAL CAPABILITIES AT THE DEPARTMENT. THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM COMPONENT AMOUNTS TO $301,000. THIS REDUCTION WOULD ELIMINATE THREE FILLED POSITIONS. THESE POSITIONS SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO COLLECT AND MONITOR PERFORMANCE, INFORMATION, COORDINATING REPORTING, AND HELP PROGRAMS TO USE DATA TO ASSESS WHETHER THEY ARE MEETING PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. KNOW THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN SHAPING A CULTURE OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST DECADE AT THE DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE KEY INITIATIVES UNDERWAY IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INTENDED TO STRENGTHEN AND STANDARDIZE HOW OUR DEPARTMENT TRACKS PERFORMANCE ACROSS PROGRAMS. WE'LL ADJUST OUR INTERNAL STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS IN ORDER TO STAY ON SCHEDULE. ALTHOUGH THE TRAINING COMPONENT TO ONBOARD STAFF WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE SPRING AND INTO THE SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR. THIS REDUCTION WILL ALSO CHANGE THE FREQUENCY OF INTERNAL PERFORMANCE REPORTING FROM MONTHLY TO QUARTERLY. PROGRAMS WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT AND MONITOR PERFORMANCE BUT FORMAL DEPARTMENTAL-LEVEL REPORTING WILL OCCUR LESS FREQUENTLY. THIS ALLOWS THE DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN AN ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE WHILE ADJUSTING THE WORKLOAD TO REFLECT REDUCED STAFFING CAPACITY. ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS PUBLIC HEALTH REACCREDITATION. WE BECAME ACCREDITED IN 2019 AND REACCREDITED THIS FALL. THAT IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM THAT IS ONE IN FOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE MET THOSE NATIONAL STANDARDS AND MEASURES. ACCREDITATION REQUIRES ONGOING DOCUMENTATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MEET THESE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH STANDARDS. WITH THE REDUCED MANAGEMENT CAPACITY OF THAT TEAM, THE DEPARTMENT WILL NEED TO DETERMINE HOW TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS EFFICIENTLY WHILE BALANCING OTHER OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES. WITH REGARDS TO THE VACANT POSITIONS, THIS REDUCTION IS IS APPROXIMATELY $356,000 ASSOCIATED WITH FOUR VACANT POSITIONS. BECAUSE THESE POSITIONS ARE ALREADY VACANT, MOST OF THEIR DUTIES HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED TO EXISTING STAFF. THIS HELPS MINIMIZE IMMEDIATE SERVICE DISRUPTION BUT IT ALSO MEANS EXISTING STAFF AND TEAMS ARE ABSORBING THESE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN OR THE CHIP, THE STAFFING REDUCTION WILL
DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR DASHBOARD UNTIL NEXT SUMMER . THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE CHIP HELPS IDENTIFY WORK AROUND THE PRIORITIES. THE FOUR PRIORITIES ARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, FOOD INSECURITY, HOUSING INSTABILITY, AND PRENATAL CARE. THE DASHBOARD PROVIDES A MECHANISM FOR TRACKING PROGRESS AND INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AROUND THOSE PRIORITIES. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BEXAR COUNTY HEALTH COLLABORATIVE FOR THE ONGOING PARTNERSHIP FOR IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WITH THAT, THIS CONCLUDES MY FORMAL PRESENTATION. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THE STAFF FOR THEIR SUPPORT WITH DEVELOPING NEXT YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET. DESPITE THE LOOMING CHALLENGES, THIS BUDGET REFLECTS THE INVESTMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT. LET ME TURN THE PODIUM TO JOHN GRAY FROM ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT. WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOLLOWING THE FINAL PRESENTATION . THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. JOHN GARY, DIRECTOR FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. I WANT TO START BRIEFLY BY THANKING MY EXECUTIVE STAFF AND SUPPORT STAFF THAT HELP PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER, WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR BUDGET OFFICE. ALSO, VERY GRATEFUL FOR OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR BOARD, WHICH A FEW OF THE MEMBERS ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GET STARTED. JUST A QUICK AGENDA. DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW. OBVIOUSLY OUR PROPOSED BUDGET UPDATE ON OUR NEW HOSPITAL THAT'S BEING CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON CAMPUS. AND THEN A LITTLE UPDATE ON OUR PROGRAM PERFORMANCE. JUST TO START OFF, THESE ARE OUR -- OUR DEPARTMENT IS BROKEN UP INTO OUR FIELD OPERATIONS, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR FIELD RESPONSE. OUR SHELTER AND PLACEMENT, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE OF THE ANIMALS INSIDE THE FACILITY AS WELL AS PLACEMENT OF THOSE ANIMALS. OUR SUPPORT SERVICES ARE OUR BEHIND THE SCENES STAFF THAT DO THAT WORK TO ENSURE THAT RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATING AND WORKING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO RESIDENTS. AND OUR CLINIC OPERATIONS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY HEAVY FOCUSED IN THE VETERINARY CARE AND SPAY AND NEUTER THAT WE OFFER ON CAMPUS AND ON OUR TWO OFF-SITE CLINICS. AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INTAKE TEAM. IN 2023, ACS IMPLEMENTED ITS 2023 STRATEGIC PLAN. THE FIVE FOCUSED AREAS ARE SUPPORT A SAFE COMMUNITY, PROTECT THE SAFETY AND HUMANE TREATMENT OF PETS, FOSTER POSITIVE CONNECTIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY, CHAMPION A HEALTHY AND THRIVING WORKFORCE, AND SUPPORT PLACEMENT OF PETS FOR LIFE. SO THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. IT'S ABOUT $38 MILLION WITH A TOTAL POSITIONS OF 254. THIS IS ABOUT A $4.2 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT IS MADE UP FROM OUR FIELD SERVICES, ABOUT 30% IS OUR FIELD SERVICES TEAM THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE SPEND, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER 24% ON OUR CLINIC OPERATIONS, WHICH HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE SPAY AND NEUTER THAT WE'RE DOING. $5.3 MILLION SPENT ON SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES, SPECIFICALLY. THIS NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO GO OVER OUR REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS. WE PRIMARILY FOCUS ON DANGEROUS AND AGGRESSIVE ANIMALS. WE DID FEEL LIKE IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO RACES THESE FEES TO HELP GET THEM RIGHT SIZED TO WHAT THE COST OF THOSE AREAS ARE. AS WELL AS THE SELLERS PERMITS. WE BELIEVE THERE WILL BE MINIMAL IMPACT TO MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WITH THESE PERMIT INCREASES. THEY DO REFLECT GETTING CLOSER TO RECOUPING THE COSTS OF THE SERVICES. THE NEXT SLIDE IS ANOTHER LIST OF CONTINUED REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS. MOST OF THOSE HAVE TO DO WITH THE DANGEROUS DOGS AND THE FEES THAT COME ALONG WITH DANGEROUS DOGS. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO NEW FEES. ONE WOULD BE A DANGEROUS DOG INSPECTION. CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO FEE FOR WHEN WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR A DANGEROUS DOG. WE HAVE FEES FOR EVERY OTHER PERMIT EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE. I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES, ESPECIALLY THE FOLLOW-UP AND COMPLIANCE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT. AND THAT WE CHARGE THE OWNERS APPROPRIATELY FOR THAT. THE SECOND ONE IS THE WARRANT IMPOUND FEE. THAT IS A PROPOSED $150 FEE
FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE UNCOOPERATIVE, THAT REQUIRES US TO GET A WARRANT. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK THAT GOES INTO THOSE WARRANTS AND GETTING THEM PROCESSED. LASTLY, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE RAISED THE -- PROPOSING TO RAISE THE FEES ON THREE OF THE VACCINES THAT WE HAVE. MINIMAL IMPACT TO OUR RESIDENTS. WE STILL OFFER FREE VACCINE CLINICS NEARLY EVERY WEEKEND TO OUR RESIDENTS. THIS WILL MOSTLY BE IMPACTED TO THOSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE RECLAIMING THEIR ANIMALS FROM THE SHELTER. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST INCREASE TO THAT REVENUE IS ABOUT $52,000. I WANT TO GO OVER THE REDUCTIONS. ABOUT $346,000 IN REDUCTIONS. MOST OF OUR REDUCTIONS ARE GOING TO BE DUE TO ABOUT $244,000 OF THAT IS DUE TO RIGHT SIZING VARIOUS LINE ITEMS, KENNELS AND MEDS. THINGS TO DO WITH TRAVEL AND EDUCATION. THERE'S ABOUT $42,000 IN AUDIO] RESCUE PARTNER INCENTIVE PROGRAM. THAT IS -- THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THAT PROGRAM. IT'S REALLY JUST RIGHT SIZING TO THE AMOUNT WE'RE CURRENTLY SPENDING TODAY. WE DO BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT THROUGH OUR NON-PAID PARTNERS AS WELL AS WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN A NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS THAT WE'RE DOING, WHICH WE'LL HIGHLIGHT LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION. LASTLY, A REDUCTION OF ONE ANIMAL CARE ATTENDANT. THAT'S ABOUT $59,000. REALLY, THE IMPACT THAT THIS REDUCTION WILL HAVE IS THAT A LONGER TIME FOR OUR NON-PUBLIC AREAS TO GET CLEANED. THEY WILL PROBABLY BE CLEANED LATER IN THE DAY. THOSE POSITIONS ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR TURNOVER OF THE KENNELS IN ORDER TO GET ANIMALS THROUGH THE SYSTEM FASTER. WE MAY SEE A SLOW IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FOR NEW ANIMALS COMING IN. THIS SLIDE IS AN UPDATE ON THE HOSPITAL MANDATE. WE'RE EXCITED THAT THIS IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WE JUST STARTED GOING VERTICAL LAST WEEK. THAT CONSTRUCTION IS DUE -- THE NEW SECTION OF THE HOSPITAL IS DUE TO BE DONE IN THE SPRING OF 2027. ONCE THAT PIECE OF THE HOSPITAL IS DONE, WE WILL MOVE INTO THAT. THEN THE CURRENT 3,000 SQUARE FEET THAT WE ARE OPERATING AND THE CLINIC WILL BE RENOVATED. THAT SECOND PIECE OF THE PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN THE FALL OF 2027. THERE WAS A MANDATE THAT CAME ALONG WITH THOSE POSITIONS -- WITH THAT HOSPITAL THAT ADDED TEN NEW POSITIONS FOR $388,000. THEN ABOUT $1.5 MILLION IN NEW NON-PERSONNEL FUNDING THAT WILL BE CONTRACT VETERINARIANS AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES THAT COME ALONG WITH OPERATING A NEW FACILITY. JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, OUR CURRENT FACILITY IS ABOUT 3,000 SQUARE FEET. THE TOTAL OF THE NEW HOSPITAL BUILDING AS WELL AS THAT RENOVATION IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 17,000 SQUARE FEET. AND THEN ALSO I WANTED TO MENTION, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON AGREEMENT TO HAVE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS TAKE ON THE OPERATION OF THE EAST SIDE CLINIC. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO THE CITY AND IT ALSO ALLOWED US TO REDIRECT THAT FUNDING FOR THAT OFF-SITE CLINIC TO REDIRECT IT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1.12 MILLION TOWARDS THAT HOSPITAL MANDATE SO WE CAN OPERATE INTO THE NEW HOSPITAL. I THINK MOST OF YOU HERE AT THE TIME KNEW THAT THE PLAN ALL ALONG WAS TO HAVE OUTSIDE PARTNER AGENCIES RUN THOSE TWO OFF-SITE CLINICS AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR OUR EAST SIDE CLINIC. OUR LAST SLIDE IS REALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM PERFORMANCE. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR. WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN ALL OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE MEASURING IN OUR METRICS. OUR CRITICAL CALL RESPONSE RATE IS UP FROM LAST YEAR FROM 86% TO 93.4%. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE JUST CAME OFF OF JUNE AND JULY, WHICH HAD 98 AND 97% CRITICAL CALL RATES, OUR HIGHEST IN HISTORY. DANGEROUS DOG CASES, WE'RE ESTIMATED TO FINISH AT 522, ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR. OUR TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS STILL AROUND THAT 520. WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THOSE DECREASING AT THIS TIME. SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES, WE'RE GOING TO FINISH WITH JUST UNDER 41,000. OUR TARGET FOR LAST YEAR WAS 41,000. A LOT OF THAT HAS TO BE DO WITH HAVING THE VETERINARIANS TO DO THOSE SURGERIES EVERY DAY. AND THEN OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE. WE INCREASED OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE BY ANOTHER 2% THIS YEAR. WENT UP FROM 86 TO 88%. VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM. LARGELY THAT IS DUE TO THE
LAST METRIC I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS OUR ADOPTIONS. WE ESTIMATE TO FINISH AT 7200 ADOPTIONS. ABOUT A 28% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAMS. VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR STAFF FOR BEING ABLE TO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT WAYS TO BRING RESIDENTS INTO OUR SHELTER AND TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THOSE ADOPTIONS IN THAT WAY. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION FOR ACS. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO AMIN TOHMAZ FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. >> TOHMAZ: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AMIN TOHMAZ, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. MY PRESENTATION WILL TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW, 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET, REVENUES PERFORMANCE FOR BOTH FUNDS, THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ENTERPRISE FUND. AND FINALLY, 2027 PROPOSED REDUCTIONS. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CONSISTS OF THREE DISTINCTIONS, LAND DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR PLATTING, ZONING, POLICY ADMINISTRATION, TREE PRESERVATION, TRAFFIC REVIEW, SHORT-TERM RENTALS, AND STREET LIGHTS. THE SECOND IS BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DIVISION. IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PLAN REVIEWS, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL INSPECTIONS. ALSO WE HAVE SOME TEAMS THAT ARE COMBINED. THEY DO EXPECTATIONS AND PLAN REVIEW. AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST DIVISION IS CODE ENFORCEMENT, RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN -- I'M SORRY. TO ENFORCE THE MAINTENANCE CODE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE HAVE AREA OFFICERS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO DO THAT. BUT THEN WE HAVE SPECIAL TEAMS SUCH AS THE ZONING AND LICENSING TEAM, NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT TEAM, AND THE GRAFFITI TEAM. WE ALSO HAVE UNIQUE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE PROACTIVE DEPARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM AND THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR '27 IS $74 MILLION. IT AUTHORIZES 507 POSITIONS. 157 OF THOSE IS GENERAL FUND AND 350 IS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THE $74 MILLION IS DIVIDED INTO $20 MILLION FOR GENERAL FUND AND 54 FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THE PIE CHART SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE FEES. JUST TO MENTION, AS OF TODAY WE HAVE 67 VACANCIES IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN TOTAL. 59 IN THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE AND 8 CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PERMITS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. AS, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS ENTERPRISE FUND, IT WAS CREATED IN 2007 AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO UTILIZE THE REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. OUR REVENUE REALLY IS RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT SO IT FLUCTUATES WITH THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. IF WE LOOK AT THE CHART HERE, THE GREEN LINE IS THE COMMERCIAL NEW AND EXISTING COMMERCIAL PERMITS. THOSE FLUCTUATE BUT OVERALL IT'S SOMEWHAT STABLE COMPARED TO THE BLUE LINE IS NEW RESIDENTIAL. PRIOR TO COVID, WE WERE ALWAYS HOVERING AROUND 3,000 TO 3500 NEW RESIDENTIAL PERMITS. BUT DURING COVID, IT SKYROCKETED TO RECORD HIGH. AND THEN IT STARTED GOING DOWN AFTER THAT. THE REASON FOR THE SPIKE WAS THE HISTORIC LOW INTEREST RATES, WHICH ALLOWED MORE CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN AGAIN A DIP DOWN IN 2023. BUT THEN IN '24 IT REBOUNDED AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS DUE TO THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND THE STEADY POPULATION GROWTH IN SAN ANTONIO. SO WHAT WE ARE ESTIMATING IN '27 IS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO '26, KIND OF REALLY FLAT RIGHT NOW. IF WE COMPARE US WITH OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, OVERALL THE OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, WE DID LOOK AT AUSTIN, CORPUS, DALLAS, EL PASO, FORT WORTH, AND HOUSTON AND THEY ALL ARE SEEING ROUGHLY THE SAME IMPACT WE HAVE. OUR PROPOSAL FOR REVENUE ENHANCEMENT IN 2027, LET ME START WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING AN IMBALANCED BUDGET AND IT IS DUE TO THE PERMITS AND OBVIOUSLY THE INCREASE IN OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS. VEHICLES, GAS, EMPLOYEES, THINGS LIKE THAT. WHAT WE DID IS WE IMPLEMENTED A STRATEGIC PLAN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER 1, 2025 WE IMPLEMENTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO FREEZE 42 POSITIONS.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE UP TO 59 POSITIONS TOTAL IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. WE ARE STILL HAVING AN IMBALANCE. SO WE COLLABORATED WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY. WE WORKED WITH REAL ESTATE COUNCIL OF SAN ANTONIO, THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS, ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS. I REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND EFFORT. ABOUT 90% OF OUR PERMITS COME THROUGH THOSE GROUPS AND THEIR MEMBERS SO WE REALLY WANTED TO WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE WE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR THEM AND FOR US. SO WE EVALUATED ALL THE OPTIONS. WE PROVIDED FIVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE STABILIZE THE FUND WITHOUT IMPACTING OUR SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT THAT WE AGREED UPON WITH THEM A WHILE BACK. AND THE SOLUTION THAT WE RECEIVED CONSENSUS FOR IS 35% INCREASE BUT IT'S DIVIDED OVER THE THREE YEARS. SO THIS YEAR IS 15% INCREASE ON PERMITS WITH 1% SURCHARGE. NEXT YEAR 12% AND THE THIRD YEAR IS 8%. WE COMMITTED THAT WE WILL DO A DEEP DIVE AND REEVALUATE OUR FEES EVERY THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF WAITING 18 YEARS, AS HAS HAPPENED NOW. SO THE LAST TIME THE FEES WERE UPDATED, 87% OF THE FEES WERE UPDATED IN 2008. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS EVERYBODY WAS PAYING CHEAP PERMITS FOR 18 YEARS. BUT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT IT AND WE'RE GOING TO EVALUATE EVERY THREE YEARS. IF COUNCIL APPROVED THIS ON SEPTEMBER 17, THE FEE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OCTOBER 1. THIS IS SHOWING THE PROPOSED REVENUE. IT'S SHOWING THE CURRENT FEES AND THE INCREASED FEE FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS THE 15%. THE ONLY TWO THINGS HERE THAT ARE NOT 15% IS THE SURCHARGE, AS I MENTIONED IT'S 1%. IT GOES FROM 3% TO 4%. AND THEN THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. TYPE TWO GOES FROM 450 TO $1,000. THOSE FEES ARE FOR THREE YEARS. THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS COVER A THREE-YEAR PERMIT. THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTIONS TEAM IS DOING REALLY GOOD. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE FROZEN 42 POSITIONS, ORIGINALLY IN OCTOBER AND NOW WE HAVE 59. WE ARE STILL MEETING ALL OUR SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS WITH EVERYTHING. SO WE ARE WITHIN THREE DAYS OF THE RESIDENTIAL CYCLE. WE ARE MEETING THAT. AND ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE ARE GETTING THE REVIEWS IN 16 DAYS OUT OF OUR GOAL OF 18. INSPECTIONS, WE WANT TO DO 95% -- DO THE INSPECTIONS ON THE DAY REQUESTED. ACTUALLY WE ARE AT 99% RIGHT NOW. LAND DEVELOPMENT IS KIND OF VERY SIMILAR. WE ARE MEETING ALL OUR SLAS AS WELL. SO WE ARE AT 12 DAYS OUT OF 20 FOR MAJOR PLATS, FIVE DAYS OUT OF TEN FOR MINOR PLATS. AND TEN DAYS -- I'M SORRY. EIGHT DAYS OUT OF TEN FOR ZONING VERIFICATION LETTERS. SO NOW I WANT TO MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL FUND. THIS IS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE. SO BEFORE I TALK ABOUT THE REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT WE WERE TASKED TO LOOK AT EVERY PROGRAM WE HAVE AND TO DO AN ANALYSIS AND MAKE SURE WE ARE COST RECOVERING THAT PROGRAM. SO WE DID THAT. EVEN WITH THE INCREASES -- PROPOSED INCREASES YOU ARE SEEING HERE, WE ARE NOT MEETING 100% BUT WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THAT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM FEE IS $100 PER UNIT PER YEAR. WE ARE PROPOSING TO MOVE IT TO $200. IT IS ONLY FOR THE APARTMENTS THAT DON'T COMPLY WITH CODE. IF THEY COMPLY WITH CODE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THIS PROGRAM. MOBILE LIVING PARK, WE ARE RECOMMENDING GOING FROM $35 TO $36. DANGEROUS PREMISE AND VACANT LOT ADMINISTRATION FEE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO GO TO $300 TO $250. USED AUTO PARTS AND METAL RECYCLING FACILITIES, FROM $1,000 TO $5,000 AND GARAGE SALES, FROM $16 TO $20. LOOKING AT CODE ENFORCEMENT PERFORMANCE, THEY ARE DOING REALLY GOOD AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES. BUT THE TIER 1 IS KEY HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS. OUR RESPONSE TIME IS TWO DAYS AND WE ARE MEETING THAT THIS YEAR. TIER 2 IS ALL THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE VIOLATIONS. OUR GOAL IS UP TO THREE DAYS.
WE ARE MANAGING TO RESPOND IN TWO DAYS. WE HAVE A GOAL OF COMPLIANCE RATE. WE NEED TO CLOSE CASES, 90% OF THE CASES WITHIN 45 DAYS. WE ARE ESTIMATING TO GET THAT DONE, ABOUT 91% WITHIN 45 DAYS. OUR GOAL IS 65%. WE ARE ESTIMATING TO HIT THE MARK ON 76% PROACTIVENESS. AND THE ABATEMENT TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE TO ABATE GRAFFITI SITES. 55,000 OF THOSE. WE WILL EXCEED THAT. FINALLY, TALKING ABOUT THE REDUCTION. SO, WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT TEAM AND IT CONSISTS OF EIGHT EMPLOYEES, ONE SUPERVISOR, TWO DANGEROUS PREMISES OFFICERS, AND FIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. OUR PROPOSAL IS TO ELIMINATE TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, WHICH THEY ARE VACANT TODAY. SO WE HAVE THOSE TWO VACANCIES RIGHT NOW. IF WE DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE CASES THAT THIS TEAM DOES BY 40%. WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM 3500 TO 2200 CASES. WHICH MEANS WE ARE REDUCING OUR SWEEPS BY 10. TODAY WE DO 20 SWEEPS, TWO PER DISTRICT. BY ELIMINATING THE TWO POSITIONS, WE WILL GO DOWN TO 10. EACH DISTRICT WILL HAVE ONE SWEEP. WE ANTICIPATE ALL OUR GOALS WILL BE MET. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE GAP BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS, THE 3500 AND THE 2200 WILL TURN INTO A 311 CALL, REACTIVE CALLS. OUR NUMBER OF THE CASES WILL INCREASE BY 2%. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE, THE BUDGET OFFICE AND MY TEAM. I HAVE AN AWESOME TEAM. ONE OF THE BEST DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN THE NATION. WE HAVE ALL THE NATIONAL RECOGNITION. WE HAVE THE INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION SERVICES. WE HAVE THE ISO CERTIFICATION. WE ARE THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION. I'M PROUD OF THE TEAM. THANK YOU. AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MARIA. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE PRESENTATIONS WERE THOROUGH. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE IS RECOGNIZED. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HOPE Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME. IT SAYS I'M HAVING CONNECTION ISSUES. LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN'T. >> MAYOR JONES: WE CAN HEAR YOU. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO PRESENTED. REALLY APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATIONS. I'M GOING TO TRY TO MOVE THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. FOR HUMAN SERVICES, ON THE DELEGATE AGENCIES, THE REDUCTION IN 2028. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT GOES INTO THIS BUDGET ORDINANCE OR JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING DOING NEXT YEAR BUT NOTHING IS PUT IN WRITING OR FINALIZED UNTIL NEXT YEAR. IS THAT RIGHT? >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, COUNCILMAN. THIS IS A PLANNED REDUCTION FOR FISCAL YEAR '28. COUNCIL WILL NOT TAKE ACTION UNTIL NEXT FISCAL YEAR. >> WHYTE: OKAY. GOT IT. ON THE SENIOR CENTER EXTENDED HOURS, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT THAT INVESTMENT. SENIOR CENTERS ARE SO IMPORTANT AND HAPPY THAT WE'RE MAKING THAT INVESTMENT FOR THE EXTENDED HOURS. ON CLOSING THE PART-TIME NUTRITION SITES, I KNOW THIS WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION BUT THIS WAS REALLY DONE THROUGH OUR CITY'S OWN COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW. IDENTIFYING THAT WE WERE SPENDING NEARLY $3,000 PER PARTICIPANT AT THESE SITES. YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TIMES AND I'M GLAD WE DID THESE BUDGET REVIEWS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, TOUGH DECISIONS AND CUTS THAT WE COULD FIND THROUGH THESE REVIEWS. SO I DO SUPPORT THAT. AGAIN, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THIS. FOR HUMAN SERVICES, WE'VE GOT TO REALLY MAKE CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD IN THIS DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING. I UNDERSTAND THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO GREAT WORK BUT AGAIN WE CANNOT BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE AND SO THE CUTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT YEAR I THINK WILL BE IMPORTANT TO THAT YEAR'S BUDGET. AND I THINK THERE'S POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL ROOM TO CUT THERE AS WELL. FOR DSD, I APPLAUD DSD FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ON THE PERMITS. I FILED A CCR A YEAR OR SO AGO TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PERMITS, SEE IF SOME ARE OUTDATED, NOT NEEDED, NEED TO BE UPDATED.
AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY I THINK WHAT WE FOUND HERE IS THAT WE HADN'T UPDATED THESE FEES FOR A LONG TIME, IS THAT RIGHT? >> VILLAGOMEZ: THAT IS CORRECT, COUNCILMAN. >> WHYTE: YEAH. SO WHAT SORT OF POLICY DO WE HAVE AS A CITY. I KNOW THERE'S OTHER CITIES, LIKE DALLAS, THAT HAVE POLICIES WHERE THEY REVIEW ALL FEES AT LEAST ONCE WITHIN EVERY FOUR-YEAR PERIOD. DO WE HAVE ANY SORT OF POLICY LIKE THAT? AND DO YOU THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE? >> VILLAGOMEZ: COUNCILMAN, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE REVENUE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS NECESSARY. IN THE CASE OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BEING AN ENTERPRISE FUND, WE HAD NOT RECOMMENDED INCREASES TO THE FEES DUE TO THE FACT THAT THAT BUDGET WAS BALANCED AND THERE WAS NO NEED TO INCREASE THOSE REVENUES. IN THE GENERAL FUND, AS WE SET PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET, THERE'S AN APPETITE TO INCREASE FEES. GIVEN THE SITUATION IN OUR BUDGET, WE RECOMMENDED INCREASES THAT WE HADN'T RECOMMENDED IN THE PAST. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE REVIEW THOSE REVENUES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. >> WHYTE: SO ALL OF THE FEES THAT WE ISSUE AS A CITY ARE REVIEWED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, COUNCILMAN. >> WHYTE: OKAY. ON THIS SAME TOPIC -- AND I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT WHEN WE MOVE DOWN TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. BUT, YOU KNOW, DALLAS, FOR INSTANCE, WITH ITS ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND HOW THEY DO THEIR FEES, IN THEIR BUDGET BOOK -- AND I DID FILE A MEMO WITH A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES A FEW MONTHS AGO TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DIFFERENT STYLE, DIFFERENT LAYOUT IN OUR BUDGET BOOK. BUT JUST TO TALK ABOUT DALLAS ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR FEES IS THEY LAY OUT WHAT THE CURRENT FEE IS. THEY LAY OUT WHAT THE COST OF DELIVERING THE SERVICE IS AND THEN WHAT THE NEW FEE IS AND THEN WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE FULL COST THEY'RE RECOVERING WITH THEIR FEES. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO HERE SO THAT NOT ONLY COUNCIL BUT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THAT? >> VILLAGOMEZ: WE CAN DO THAT, COUNCILMAN. WE HAVE A SEPARATE REVENUE MANUAL THAT IS HUNDREDS OF PAGES, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF FEES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU MENTIONED IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE AND THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE ARE INCREASING. SO WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT TO THE REVENUE MANUAL. THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. WE CAN POST THAT ONLINE AS WELL. >> WHYTE: YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT WE HAD OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL AND WE AGAIN GOT A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE SAYING, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE BETTER SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING SPENT HERE IN TERMS OF -- WITH RESPECT TO EACH DEPARTMENT. I'LL AGAIN ASK FOR NEXT YEAR. BETTER LAY THIS OUT FOR PEOPLE. I THINK WOULD REALLY BE BENEFICIAL. PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THIS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW. AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A BUDGET DEFICIT. SO HOW WE CAN BETTER LAY OUT FOR PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING SPENT, RATHER THAN JUST TELLING THEM TO GO ONLINE TO SOME MASSIVE SYSTEM THAT, IN SOME CASES, IS HARD TO USE. I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT. AND WITH RESPECT TO THE FEES, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THE PERCENTAGE OF THE COST RECOVERY IN THE BUDGET BOOKS I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. I GUESS FOR DSD, MOVING FORWARD, I DON'T LIKE THE REDUCTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT TEAMS. THESE FOLKS DO PROACTIVE, ON THE GROUND WORK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ADDRESSING CODE VIOLATIONS AND OTHER QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES. AND SO THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I WOULD HAVE SAID I THINK WE NEED TO BE INVESTING MORE,
FRANKLY. AND FROM SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE GOT LAST NIGHT AT OUR TOWN HALL, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WANT MORE IN TERMS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT AND CLEANING UP SOME OF THE THESE ISSUES. FOR ACS, JOHN. ARE WE -- I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO ASK THIS, OTHER THAN BY SAYING ARE WE TRYING TO BECOME A NO-KILL CITY? >> COUNCILMAN, WE CHOSE NOT TO USE THE TERM NO-KILL HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE DO HAVE A GOAL OF A 90% LIVE RELEASE RATE, WHICH WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT, IN OTHER CITIES, OF NO KILL. >> WHYTE: LET ME TELL YOU WHY I'M ASKING THIS. IN THE LAST TWO DAYS -- I'LL JUST SPEAK ABOUT YESTERDAY. I HAD SOME FOLKS COME TO OUR --R OFFICE HOURS. AND THEY SHOWED ME HOW, OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR INTAKE PROJECTED FOR THIS YEAR -- >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. >> WHYTE: IS IT NOT ON? >> MAYOR JONES: IT WAS OFF FOR A BIT. YOU'RE FINE NOW. GO AHEAD. >> WHYTE: SORRY. IT SHOWS THAT OUR INTAKE RATE IS REALLY DOWN, JOHN. AND THESE PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME THAT THEY BELIEVE WE ARE PURPOSEFULLY PICKING UP LESS ANIMALS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS BEING A NO-KILL CITY. IS THAT RIGHT? >> THAT'S COMPLETELY FALSE, COUNCILMAN. WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE ALL OF OUR CALLS AND DUE TO THE NUMBER OF HIGH-VOLUME CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE OUT OF PRIORITY CALLS, THE WAY WE OPERATE WITH OUR STRAY DOG PICKUP IS WE TAKE IT FOR DATA PURPOSES, WE GATHER THAT INFORMATION. AND THEN THEY USE HEAT MAPPING TO RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS TO DO SWEEPS. WE ARE ABOUT 1500 LESS ANIMALS SO FAR WHAT WE'RE PROJECTED TO TAKE IN THIS YEAR. YES, WE'RE SEEING A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS ENTERING THE SHELTER. BUT I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO REMIND YOU THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO I PROVIDED A REPORT TO THE COUNCIL THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN CALLS FOR SERVICE, BOTH IN STRAYS AND IN AGGRESSIVE CRITICAL/NON-CRITICAL, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING HIT AND KILLED ON THE ROADWAY. YES, WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A DECREASE IN OUR INTAKE BUT HOWEVER, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY IS STILL OUR PRIMARY FOCUS. WE SPEND A LOT OF PROACTIVE EFFORTS WITH OUR SPAY AND NEUTER THAT WE'RE DOING NOW TO HELP REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS. HOPEFULLY THE REASON WHY WE'RE SEEING THAT REDUCTION IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB. >> WHYTE: OKAY. THANK YOU. FINALLY, FOR METRO HEALTH, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE METRO HEALTH FOR FINDING THE $3.4 MILLION IN EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCTIONS THAT THEY FOUND. YOU KNOW, CONSOLIDATING COMMUNITY NUTRITION WITH THE DIABETES PROGRAM UNDER ONE CURRICULUM, ELIMINATING A VACANT LEASE, RIGHT-SIZING TRAVEL AND TEMP SERVICES ARE REALLY EXACTLY THE KIND OF DISCIPLINE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO SEE ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS. AND SO CLAUDE, I COMMEND YOUR TEAM AND THANK YOU, GUYS FOR DOING THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. COULD WE START WITH MELODY, DHS? COULD YOU GO TO THE SLIDE ON CONSOLIDATED FUNDING IMPACTS OR REDUCTIONS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED? >> WOOSLEY: 9, I THINK. >> VILLAGOMEZ: SLIDE 10. >> MUNGIA: SO, I DO HAVE A BIG CONCERN AND PROBLEM WITH THIS REDUCTION PLAN. I'M GLAD YOU PROVIDED THIS TABLE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE WERE ALL ASKING FOR. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS HERE AND YOU SEE WHO'S MOST IMPACTED BY THOSE CUTS, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NO SURPRISE IN DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5, WHICH IS PRETTY SAD TO SEE. I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES, SOME OF WHOM
HAVE CONSISTENTLY USED THE LINE THAT THIS BUDGET CAN'T BE ALL THINGS FOR ALL PEOPLE. AND THEN YOU SAY THAT IN THIS CONTEXT IT MEANS IT'S NOT FOR DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5. >> MAYOR JONES: HANG ON A SEC. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA OR COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, PLEASE MUTE YOURSELF. [LAUGHTER] COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE MUTE YOURSELF. >> MUNGIA: SLIDE 10, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT BACK UP. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS BEING RECOMMENDED WHEN IT IMPACTS FIVE DISTRICTS SIGNIFICANTLY. AND ONLY MAYBE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS REDUCTION. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS LOOKED AT. BUT I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS GOING TO PASS THE FULL COUNCIL WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5 WILL BE BOOTED OFF SOCIAL PROGRAMS. I WOULD ASK US TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT US, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN AND SENIORS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH STRUGGLES. THAT'S VERY SAD TO SEE THAT. SO I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THIS COUNCIL TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THAT CUT. TO MY COLLEAGUES ALSO WHO ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH NONPROFITS AND TALKING ABOUT FUNDING, I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST INCLUDING SOMEBODY FROM DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5 BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE MOST AFFECTED BY THOSE CUTS. I WOULD STRONGLY URGE SOMEBODY ON THIS SIDE TO BE INCLUDED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS. CAN WE GO TO METRO HEALTH. CLAUDE, CAN YOU COME UP HERE? CAN YOU GO TO THE POR VIDA SLIDE, PLEASE? >> JACOB: I THINK THAT WOULD BE -- >> VILLAGOMEZ: SLIDE 7. >> JACOB: YES. >> MUNGIA: SLIDE 7? WELL, WHEN IT GETS UP THERE, I UNDERSTAND WHY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BEING CUT. I'M ALSO JUST DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE'S NOT A SINGLE ONE IN D4 THAT WAS ACTIVATED OR WORKED ON. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION WAS THERE OR WHAT THE OUTREACH LOOKED LIKE, BUT VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THERE WAS NOTHING FOR DISTRICT 4. OF COURSE NOW THERE WILL BE NOTHING FOR ANYBODY. CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE REDUCTIONS IN YOUR ACCESS TO CARE? RIGHT HERE. SO YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME STATISTIC FOR BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH. COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? >> M?>> JACOB: YES, IT ELIMINATES THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR RESULTS IN EQUITY. BUT THE STAT THAT I MENTIONED WAS ENDING THE PILOT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS MATERNAL MORTALITY WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS BLACK WOMEN AND MOTHERS OVER THE AGE OF 40 WHO ARE AFFECTED MORE THAN THREE TIMES AS OFTEN AS YOUNGER GROUPS . >> MUNGIA: I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO MOVE THINGS AROUND YOUR DEPARTMENT BUT KNOWING THAT STATISTIC THAT YOU JUST SAID, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE RECOMMENDING TO END THIS PROGRAM. >> JACOB: SO JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS PROGRAM, THIS COMPONENT WAS ONE OF THE PRIORITY AREAS FOR IN THAT. THIS IS NOT A DIRECT SERVICE. IT'S TIED TO BUILDING CAPACITY WITH A NETWORK OF AREA PROVIDERS. WE BUILT A TEAM BUT THIS ALLOWS US TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACTS. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT, RELATIVE TO MANDATED SERVICES OR OTHER PRIORITY SERVICE AREAS. >> MUNGIA: DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? >> MAYOR JONES: PLEASE FREEZE THE TIME. >> TATE: JUST TO CLARIFY THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE AND THAT HAS A PRENATAL COMPONENT TO IT. IT'S THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON ON THE MATERNAL HEALTH THAT WOULD BE ENDED. >> MUNGIA: AGAIN, THAT STATISTIC YOU SAID, ENDING THAT PROGRAM DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, CERTAINLY. I CERTAINLY HOPE THOSE FOLKS STAY IN METRO HEALTH WITH THOSE POSITIONS. BUT THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION. AND YOU'RE RECOMMENDING ENDING THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM? >> JACOB: SO THAT PROGRAM IS TIED TO THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL. WE HAVE ONE STAFFING FUNCTION TIED TO THE GENERAL FUND. AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES ANCHORED TO THE MAYOR'S FITNESS PROGRAM. THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR IS ONE KEY INITIATIVE. I SHOWED A MAP OF THE
COUNCIL DISTRICTS WHERE WE HAVE THE STUDENT PARTICIPANTS. >> TATE: SO THIS STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT FROM THE HUMAN SERVICES THAT PROVIDES THE INTERNSHIPS FOR THE SUMMER. >> MUNGIA: OKAY. >> TATE: THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT'S DONE BY THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL THAT WORKS WITH TEENS TO DO HEALTH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. >> MUNGIA: GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS THINKING IT WAS. THANK YOU, CLAUDE. JOHN, IF YOU CAN COME UP REAL QUICK. AND THEN AMIN. YOU KNOW, JOHN, OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS GETTING INCREASES, I FULLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE GETTING AN INCREASE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT. I THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY ESSENTIAL SERVICE TO THIS DEPARTMENT. IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE STATISTICS THAT YOU HAD FOR CRITICAL CALL NUMBERS. I FORGET WHICH SLIDE THAT WAS. SO WHILE THAT'S COMING UP, YOU HAVE GOOD NUMBERS FOR SURE, CRITICAL CALL RESPONSE. THAT OBVIOUSLY WAS A PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY. WHAT IS THE NON-CRITICAL CALL RESPONSE RATE LOOK LIKE? >> RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 38.5% IS WHERE OUR NON-CRITICAL CALL RESPONSE, WHICH IS UP FROM 16% WHEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF ADDING OFFICERS AND DOING ALL THAT. >> MUNGIA: THAT'S GOOD. I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE DO BUDGET CUTS AND WE PLUS-UPS IN DEPARTMENTS, IN TRYING TO GET UP TO A NON-CRITICAL CALL RATE THAT'S HIGHER IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME IN D4. WE HAVE A LOT OF STRAYS IN DISTRICT 4. Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING FANTASTIC WORK WITH ALL THE OUTREACH. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO OF THE SESSIONS THAT YOU'VE DONE IN MY DISTRICT CALLED THE PET CARE CONNECT, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD. AND OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN MY DISTRICT. WE HAVE A LOT OF STRAYS AND THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR IN WHAT WE DO. JUST THIS MORNING MY GIRLFRIEND WAS WALKING OUR DOG -- BY THE WAY, WE ADOPTED OUR DOG FROM ACS. WE DID OUR PART OVER THE SUMMER. AS SOON AS I PICKED OUT THE DOG, THEY WERE LIKE, THAT'S YOURS. YOU CAN'T PUT IT BACK IN THE KENNEL. WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH REX. THIS MORNING SHE WAS WALKING HIM ON OUR STREET AND A STRAY CAME UP AND SHE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT. WE DON'T WALK DOWN RAY ELLISON BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A STRAY SOMEWHERE ON THAT STREET. A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO CALL IN STRAY CALLS LIKE THAT. SO EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS ARE DOWN, I THINK IT'S ALSO BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT CALLING IN. AND THEN ONCE WE'RE TELLING THEM THAT WE NEED YOU TO CALL IN FOR DATA PURPOSE, LIKE WE WILL NOT GO OUT THERE IF YOU CALL THAT IN, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CALL IT IN. I DEFINITELY NEED AS MUCH HELP AS POSSIBLE ON OFFICERS, FROM THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, TO ENSURE WE'RE MEETING AS MANY CALLS AS POSSIBLE. AND SO I'M ALSO, YOU KNOW, CURIOUS ABOUT THE REDUCTION OF THE SHELTER POSITION. IF THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT INTAKE CAPABILITY, THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. WHEN Y'ALL ARE FULL, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PICK UP A STRAY. AND SO I JUST WORRY ABOUT THAT ONE REDUCTION THAT YOU HAVE THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE KENNEL SPACE. AND THEN REAL QUICK, THE CANINE BUILDING THAT WE GOT BACK FROM CANINE AT ACS FACILITY. IS THAT BEING USED FOR KENNEL SPACE? >> YES, IT IS. IT HAS ABOUT 24 INDOOR/OUTDOOR KENNELS AND ANOTHER 6 THAT ARE ONE-SIDED KENNELS THAT WE USE FOR MOMS AND NURSING PUPS. IT'S NICE THAT WE HAVE THAT NOW. YES, IT DOES CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAPACITY. >> MUNGIA: IS IT AT CAPACITY OF WHERE IT COULD BE AS FAR AS KENNEL SPACE? >> YES. THOSE 24 KENNELS ARE USED AND RECENTLY WE CONVERTED THAT TO OUR INTAKE BUILDING. IN THE PROCESS NOW OF CHANGING OUR PROCESSES TO WHERE ANIMALS THAT COME IN WILL NOW GO THERE TEMPORARILY BEFORE MOVING TO THE MAIN KENNEL. IT IS ACTUALLY INCREASING OUR CAPACITY. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU. I SAW RITA. THANK YOU, RITA FOR BEING HERE, MY ACS APPOINTEE. YOU GO TO MORE BUDGET MEETINGS THAN JUSTINA DOES. AMIN, IF YOU CAN COME UP REAL QUICK. I HAVE 47 SECONDS LEFT. IMPACT ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU ALL HAVE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE IMPLEMENTED. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR? >> TOHMAZ: WE COMMITTED TO BRING BACK SOME UPDATES TO THE PCDC VERY SOON. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT SINCE WE GOT THE APPROVAL TO ADOPT THAT STRATEGIC PLAN. WE WILL PRESENT ALL THE UPDATES TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AFTER WE GET DONE WITH THE BUDGET. >> MUNGIA: WELL, I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF YOU ALL GETTING ADVANCED IN BETTER TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ONE OF THE PROVIDERS WHO HAS REACHED OUT AND KIND OF ASKED -- KIND OF DID A DEMO
FOR SOME OF US. I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER KAUR IS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. HOWEVER WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU I THINK WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THAT PLAN AND GETTING SOME GREATER TRANSPARENCY FOR US. >> TOHMAZ: APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL Y'ALL'S WORK IN GETTING THESE PRESENTATIONS READY. I'M GOING TO START WITH DHS. OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW SENIOR CENTERS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO SUPPORT THE REDUCTION OF HOURS. I HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT WITH SOME OF THE SENIORS AT THE DORIS GRIFFIN SENIOR CENTER. WE JUST KNOW IF WE'RE NOT SEEING FOLKS THERE FROM 7:00 TO 8:00, BUT EVERYONE SEEMS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. WITH THE THREE PART-TIME NUTRITION CENTERS CLOSING, I'M ALSO WONDERING WHAT THE CCR TO EXPAND TRANSPORTATION TO SENIOR CENTERS, IF SOME OF THOSE FOLKS CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE NEXT -- THE CLOSEST SENIOR CENTER WHEN THAT CCR COMES TO FRUITION. >> WOOSLEY: I DON'T THINK IT WILL INCREASE TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY FOR OTHER CENTERS. BUT WE ARE HOPING TO DO THAT THROUGH ONE OF THE 2027 DELEGATE AGENCY CONTRACTS WITH THE NORTHEAST CO-OP. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WORK WITH THEM TO PICK UP PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE -- >> GAVITO: EXACTLY. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING THE TRANSPORTATION OUTSIDE OF THAT FIVE-MILE RADIUS, THAT WILL HELP OFFSET THE POTENTIAL OF SOME OF THESE NUTRITION CENTERS CLOSING. I KNOW THAT'S NOT AN EASY DECISION. THANK YOU. ON PAGE 508 OF THE BUDGET BOOK, CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN THE ADDITION OF 42 POSITIONS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2027? I SEE IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 THERE WAS 159 POSITIONS AND THEN IN 2027 THERE WAS 201. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WERE THESE RESIDENT-FACING POSITIONS? ARE WE LOOKING AT REDUCING THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL? WHAT ARE THOSE POSITIONS? >> TATE: IN FISCAL YEAR 2026, THE MAJOR REDUCTION IN THEIR -- IN THAT POSITION, AS WE REORGANIZED ABOUT 36 POSITIONS TO CREATE THE HOMELESS DEPARTMENT. AND THEN FROM '26 TO '27, THE ADDITION IS DRIVEN BY THE SENIOR CENTERS -- CONTINUING THE EXPANDED HOURS AT THE SENIOR CENTER. THAT'S ABOUT 36 POSITIONS. AND THEN OUR MANDATES ARE ABOUT 13 POSITIONS. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME REDUCTIONS AS WELL. >> GAVITO: OKAY. YEAH, AND REALLY, AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, REALLY LOOKING AT THE REDUCTIONS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL VERSUS RESIDENT-FACING POSITIONS. LET'S SEE... ONE OTHER QUICK QUESTION. WHAT IS THE OVERALL COST OF THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM? DO WE HAVE ANY ROI DATA ON THAT? >> TATE: THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS ABOUT $150,000. WE SERVE ABOUT 200 KIDS DURING THE SUMMER THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. >> GAVITO: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO $150,000, 200 KIDS? GOT IT. REALLY QUICK, FOR METRO HEALTH. CAN YOU EXPAND ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ASPECT UNDER THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE? >> JACOB: YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. WE ARE ONE OF THE NATIONALLY-FUNDED INITIATIVES CALLED THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT. IT ALLOWED US TO ESTABLISH A DEDICATED TEAM AT THE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS NOW OUR FOURTH YEAR. FOR RECEIVING THAT FEDERAL GRANT. IT ALLOWS US TO DO A BETTER JOB RECRUITING AND RETAINING STAFF FOR THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ANCHORED TO THE CDC. THERE ARE 107 GRANTEES NATIONWIDE AND WE ARE A DIRECT GRANTEE. >> GAVITO: OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH. ALSO, TOO, FOR ME I'M JUST LOOKING AT -- LIKE ON SLIDE 4, JUST WAYS THAT WE CAN CUT ADMINISTRATION COSTS. INSTEAD OF RESIDENT-FACING SERVICES. I'M WONDERING, TOO, IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE COULD CONSOLIDATE IF WE COULD HAVE DATA ANALYTICS THAT SERVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS . THERE'S NO -- DON'T FEEL YOU NEED TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. I'M BRAINSTORMING. PRIOR TO BEING ON COUNCIL, JUST IN -- LIKE AT RACKSPACE AND USA, YOU HAVE A SHARED SERVICES MODEL WHERE PEOPLE ARE DOING DATA ANALYTICS FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE WAYS WE COULD LOOK AT DOING THAT HERE TOO. REALLY QUICK, ALSO TOO, I HAD SOME FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
ON THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL. WHAT ARE THE DELIVERABLES THERE? >> JACOB: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. SO THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 16 YEARS. IT'S TETHERED TO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES. BUT THE DELIVERABLES ARE ABOUT ENGAGING STUDENTS. THE REFERENCE TO STUDENT AMBASSADOR, THAT'S AROUND EDUCATING SIXTH TO TWELFTH GRADERS BY PROMOTING HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES. WE DO INVEST IN MENTORSHIP FOR THOSE STUDENTS. THAT'S ONE MAJOR COMPONENT. THE OTHER IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE TETHERED TO THE SAN ANTONIO BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH. THEY ARE A MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION TIED TO AREA BUSINESSES. THEY DO PROMOTE WORK-SITE WELLNESS INITIATIVES AND SO THEY ARE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL. THE DELIVERABLES ARE ABOUT DOVE TAILING AND AMPLIFYING THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS MOBILIZING AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS. THE DELIVERABLES ARE TIED TO RECRUITMENT OF STUDENT AMBASSADORS OR MENTORS AROUND DIFFERENT PROJECTS ANCHORED TO A NUMBER OF THESE TOOLS BUT WORKING WITH AREA BUSINESSES TO PROMOTE HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES. >> GAVITO: BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY HARD DELIVERABLES, OTHER THAN AWARENESS? >> JACOB: IT'S PRIMARILY PREVENTION. >> GAVITO: NO OFFENSE, MAYOR BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S -- SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE JUST HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE MORE NICE TO HAVE THAN NEED TO HAVE RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SLIDE 12 OF METRO HEALTH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SEEING THAT THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST DECADE. I THINK WE'RE FEELING IT. I KNOW Y'ALL GET GRANTS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF TOO. I KNOW ALL THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOBLE BUT I THINK OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT PROGRAMS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR RESIDENTS AND HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON OUR RESIDENTS AND STICK WITH THAT. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, DR. CLAUDE. REALLY QUICK, JOHN, FOR ACS. I KNOW THAT Y'ALL'S BUDGET IS ALL GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. WHAT ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN LOOK AT FOR GRANTS, WHETHER STATE OR FEDERAL GRANTS? ARE THERE SPAY AND NEUTER GRANTS WE COULD BE GOING AFTER? >> YES. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTS. WE DID HAVE A STATE SPAY AND NEUTER GRANT THIS YEAR THAT WE DID APPLY FOR. UNFORTUNATELY, WE WEREN'T CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE CITIES TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THAT STATE GRANT. WE WORKED WITH OUR GA'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHERE THAT MAY BE AND CAN WE DO ANYTHING MORE TO TRY TO GET THAT FUNDING. WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A GRANT THIS YEAR FROM THE ASPCA THAT INCREASED OUR PET NETWORKING TEAM AND OUR FOSTER TEAM. A LOT OF THE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE GET WOULD BE FOR LIFE-SAVING PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THEY ARE TYPICALLY DONE BY NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, THAT'S THEIR PRIORITY. WE HAVE ALSO APPLIED FOR TWO OTHER GRANTS. ONE WATT ASPCA AND ONE WITH THE PET CO-FOUNDATION. WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING THOSE OUT. >> GAVITO: THAT'S HELPFUL. I THINK JUST DEPARTMENTS IN GENERAL, WE NEED TO BE BULLISH IN GETTING OUTSIDE FUNDING TO HELP SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT FURTHER -- ANY OF Y'ALL'S GRANT APPLICATIONS, PLEASE LET US KNOW. IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW THE POSITIONS ARE BROKEN UP FOR THE ACS STAFF? LIKE, WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS HOW MANY ACOS, HOW MANY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, HOW MANY VET TECHS, KENNEL TECHS? >> YES, WE HAVE THAT. >> GAVITO: IF WE COULD FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL . AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I REALLY WANT TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS SO WE CAN REDUCE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD VERSUS RESIDENT-FACING POSITIONS. I'M CURIOUS HOW MUCH REVENUE DOES ACS FOREGO THROUGH THE WAIVED ADOPTION FEES? >> WELL, I WOULD HAVE TO GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SAY. I WILL SAY THAT IT IS A COST OF LIFE-SAVING. IF WE DID NOT DO THAT, WE WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS WE DO, WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY IMPACT THAT LIVE RELEASE RATE END UP COMING BACK TO ACS. >> THAT'S INTERESTING. I WAS THANKFUL ENOUGH TO BE A PART OF A SURVEY THAT WAS DONE NATIONALLY WHEN I WAS IN OKLAHOMA CITY. ACTUALLY THERE'S PROOF THAT SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN WHETHER THERE'S A FEE OR NO FEE. THEY STAY IN THE HOME THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. THEY SEE THE SAME AMOUNT OF VETERINARIAN CARE. SO THAT MYTH HAS BEEN BUSTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, WHICH IS WHY SO MANY SHELTERS ARE DOING THE FEE-WAIVED ADOPTIONS NOW. >> GAVITO: I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE OUR NUMBERS
BUT ALSO TOO TO SEE THE AMOUNT THAT WE FOREGO BY DOING THE FREE SERVICES. LET ME SEE. ON SLIDE 10 IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT THE ADOPTIONS HAVE GONE UP, ALONG WITH THE LIVE RELEASE RATE. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN I FIRST JOINED COUNCIL, OBVIOUSLY WE KNEW THAT ACS WAS UNDERFUNDED, EXTREMELY UNDERFUNDED SO WE HAVE ALL BEEN MAKING THE RIGHT STEPS TO GET IT RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND WE JUST NEED TO KEEP THE GAS ON THE PEDAL. I'LL GO ON ROUND TWO. >> VILLAGOMEZ: MAYOR, MAY I? >> MAYOR JONES: PLEASE. >> VILLAGOMEZ: MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A COMMENT FROM COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO. WE WILL PROVIDE THE POSITIONS FOR ACS. THOSE ARE OUT IN THE FIELD CONDUCTING OPERATIONS VERSUS THOSE IN ADMINISTRATION. I JUST WANTED TO INDICATE THAT AS PART OF OUR PROCESS OF REVIEWING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, WE EVALUATE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR OPERATING POSITIONS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THEM WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON RUNNING THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, EITHER THROUGH TECHNOLOGY OR SUPPORT. SO YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE SEND THE BREAKOUT THAT THE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATION COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF OPERATING POSITIONS IS MUCH LOWER. BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT CONTEXT. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. >> MAYOR JONES: THANKS, >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: WHO PERFORMS THAT ANALYSIS? >> THE DEPARTMENT AND THE BUDGET OFFICE. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: I WANT TO COME BACK -- I MEANT TO DO IT EARLIER, BUT I WANT TO COME BACK TO WHAT COUNCILMAN RAISED IN REGARDS TO $5 MILLION REDUCTION TO THE AGENCIES, AS PROPOSED, THAT IS A KEY ASPECT OF HOW THE BUDGET CLOSES OVER TWO YEARS; CORRECT? SO THIS IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT NEXT YEAR, IT COULD CHANGE NEXT YEAR, BUT AS YOU ARE PROPOSING, THAT ONLY WORKS IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU HAVE TO ASSUME AN 8.3% INCREASE OVER TWO YEARS; RIGHT? THIS ONLY CLOSES IF YOU INCLUDE THE $5 MILLION REDUCTION IN '28 TO DELEGATE AGENCIES; CORRECT. >> SO MAYOR THE PLAN INCORPORATES THE $5 MILLION AS A REDUCTION. I WOULD REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT WE ARE PROJECTING A $4 MILLION ENDING BALANCE AT THE END OF 28 TO BETTER POSITION US FOR 2029, SO THAT IS INCORPORATE THE IN THAT PLAN WITH THAT ADDITIONAL BALANCE. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. TODAY IS A HEAVY DAY AS WE ARE HERE. I THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE PRES PRESENTED. I AM DISTURBED BY THE CUTS THAT WE SEE WITHIN HUMAN SERVICES AND METRO HEALTH, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IMPACTS THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 3 AND THE DISTRICTS FROM 1-5. DOING THE MATH, WHICH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE MCKEE RODRIGUEZ KNOWS, I DON'T LIKE TO DO THE MATH, BUT JUST FROM THE REDUCTIONS OF SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS AND THE REDUCTIONS TO THE DELEGATE AGENCIES FOR THE FUNDS, THAT'S OVER 8,000 PEOPLE IMPACTED, AND THAT'S NOT ALREADY WHAT WE'VE LOST FROM METRO HEALTH WHEN FEDERALLY THEY CAME IN AND CUT. SO I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I'VE CONTINUALLY SAID IF WE'RE GOING TO COMPETE LIKE THE OTHER TEXAS CITIES THAT PEOPLE MENTIONED, WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR VARIABLE RATE AND OUR PROPERTY TAXES BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE FUND THINGS AND THEY HAVE BEEN RAISING PROPERTY TAXES THROUGHOUT THESE PAST 33 YEARS, AND WE HAVEN'T. AND SO WE SIT HERE, AND WE'VE MADE DUE WITH WHAT WE'VE HAD, BUT WE ARE -- WE NEED -- IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH THIS, AND WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE TOUGH, WE NEED TO GENERATE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE NEED MORE JOBS, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED. MY CONCERN WITH THE CUTS THAT WE HAVE TODAY IS IT SEEMS TO BE IMPACTING THE YOUTH, AND THE YOUTH CAN'T WORK -- UNLESS THEIR FAMILY HAS A BUSINESS, THEY CAN'T WORK UNTIL THEY'RE 16, OR THEY DO, YOU KNOW, GARAGE SALES AND SIDE THINGS THAT THEY GET PAID CASH IN. AND ALL OF THIS SEEMS TO IMPACT, I KNOW FOR ME, IS GOING TO IMPACT THE YOUTH WHO CAN GO TO T THE -- CAN'T GO TO THE POLLS RIGHT NOW AND SAY HEY THIS IS WHAT I WANT, THIS IS WHAT I NEED. AND THEN THE OTHER ASPECT FOR METRO HEALTH IS IT'S IMPACTING WOMEN AND THEIR HEALTH AND SINGLE MOTHERS.
SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO DO THIS, THE $5.1 MILLION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT THAT VARIABLE RATE, SEE WHAT WE CAN RESTORE IN SOME OF THESE. SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERS IN PARTICULAR. I KNOW WE GIVE TO ALAMO PROMISE, I KNOW WE GIVE TO OTHER SCHOOLS, OTHER UNIVERSITIES HAVE THAT, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST GETTING THEM INTO THE DOORS OF A JUNIOR COLLEGE, AND THEY NEED THAT -- AND THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE NOT TO GO, AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE $500 -- BECAUSE IT'S LIKE $500 TO $750 THAT SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERS DOES, SO THAT'S, LIKE, BOOKS OR FEES OR GET TING THEM THERE. SO IT'S NOT -- BUT IT'S IMPACTFUL FOR A COMMUNITY THAT IS TRYING TO GET TO THE NEXT STEP, AND, YES, A LOT OF THEM ARE APARTMENT DWELLERS, AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT I JUST -- I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE PRESENTED HERE TODAY. I DON'T KNOW -- AGAIN, I EMPATHIZE -- AND I'M SORRY. I MEAN, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND DSD PROJECTS AND SEE IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE COULD CHANGE THAT TIMELINE UP. I KNOW -- AND YOU KNOW THIS. I MEAN, MY RESIDENT WON'T BE HAPPY WITH THE LOSS OF CODE OFFICERS EITHER. SO THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION WE'RE IN, AND WE NEED TO LOOK ON -- AT OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENTS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THESE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT ARE USING SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS NEED TO BE INVESTED IN BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL TOO. SO I THINK -- I'M HOPING I CAN GET THE REST OF MY COUNCIL TO AGREE -- COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO AGREE THAT WE NEED THAT VARIABLE RATE BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET BACK FOR A WHILE, BUT RIGHT NOW, WHATEVER WE CAN SALVAGE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING HEALTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE, I THINK WE NEED TO TRY TO, SO I WOULD -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESTORE THE WHOLE $5 MILLION, BUT AT LEAST HALF BACK INTO THOSE FUNDS, SO INSTEAD OF THE 8,000 PLUS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED, IT'S ONLY 4,000 PLUS. SO I UNDERSTAND MY COMMITMENT IS TO CONTINUE TO -- BECAUSE THE MAYOR IS IN THIS COUNCIL TOO. THEY NEED TO GET OUTSIDE. THERE IS A RIPPLE EFF EFFECT. IF WE DO NOT INVEST IN THE YOUTH, THEN THEY BECOME PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT ON THE STREETS UNSUPERVISED, AND THEN THERE'S -- POLICE GET INVOLVED. IT'S JUST A CYCLE THAT I HAVE SEEN LIVING ON -- IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, LIVING AND BREATHING? TIN THAT 1-5 AREA THAT I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS ALSO. SO IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT IN ORDER TO GET MORE PRESENTATIONS TO SEE WHERE CUTS HAPPEN, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO -- I WAS PREPARED -- I UNDERSTOOD WE WERE GOING TO LOSE A LOT FROM METRO HEALTH BECAUSE OF THE ADMINISTRATION, WHAT I WASN'T PREPARED FOR WAS THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE THAT THAT IS I FEEL TAKING US BACKWARDS TO WHEN WE REDLINED THIS CITY IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND SO THAT'S -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS, I KNOW YA'LL ARE TRYING TO DO YOUR BEST WITH A DIFFICULT SITUATION, BUT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN THAT THESE DELEGATE AGENCIES IMPACT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING HELP FROM WHERE WE USED TO BEFORE. SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS -- OR I FEEL I HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES -- BETWEEN THAT ELEMENTARY FIFTH TO HIGH SCHOOL AGE IN THE C CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC, TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY, AND WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO HELP THEM. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO AMOUNT STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY. I'LL JUMP INTO DHS FI FIRST, MELODY, I KNOW. WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THIS OVER THE PAST YEAR, OF COURSE RECOGNIZE THE COST OF THE CENTERS AND RECOGNIZE THE COSTS FOR DARNEL IN PARTICULAR. OF COURSE IT'S STILL A PRIORITY FOR MYSELF AND MY COMMUNITY TO MAINTAIN THIS AND LISTENING TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS WORKING THROUGH,
IDENTIFYING THOSE THINGS, BUT I WANT TO REITERATE, BUT ONE THING I DO WANT TO ASK YOU, CAN WE GET THE YEAR TO YEAR -- YEAR OVER YEAR DAILY ATTENDANCE OF THAT SITE SINCE THE OPENING? I JUST WANT TO KIND OF SEE IF THERE'S ANY TRENDS THERE. I KNOW THE DRAFT PRESENTATION HAD A DIFFERENT NUMBER THERE, BUT NONETHELESS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. OVERALL, THIS IS A BIG PRIORITY FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW TH THAT, PARTICULARLY AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE MAJOR THINGS THAT KEEPS COMING OUT OF IS A FULL SERVICE SENIOR CENTER AND EVEN MULTIGENERATIONAL, SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF -- IT FEELS INTE INTERESTING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, WE NEED THIS THING HERE, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE THE NEED HERE BUT ALSO TAKING THE ONE WE HAVE HERE AWAY. I UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, THE COST, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AND SIT RIGHT FOR OURSELVES, I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT FOR ME OR THE RESIDENTS OR FOLKS OUT OF THE AREA WHO COME HERE BECAUSE OF THE CULTURE THAT'S BEEN BUILT THERE. ANY WHO, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW, JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO LAY OUT. BUT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT SENIOR SISTER TECH, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A RESIDENT ABOUT COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE CENTER BEING DISCONTINUED DUE TO FUNDING. IS THAT SOMETHING UNIQUE TO THE CENTER? ARE YOU AWARE? OR SOMETHING ACROSS THE BOARD YOU'RE SEEING WITH THE BUDGET? >> WE DO HAVE WAITING LISTS ON SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS, SO IT VARIES BY SISTER WHICH ONES ARE MOST POPULAR. SO WE HAVE LIMITED THE NUMBER OF TIMES A SENIOR CAN SIGN UP FOR A CLASS THAT WAY WE'RE ALLOWING SENIORS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING IT TO ROTATE THROUGH, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY CAN SIGN UP AGAIN FOR THE CLASS. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. SO NOTHING IS BEING CUT ACROSS THE BOARD OR REDUCED. >> NO. NOT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE CENTERS NOT AT ALL. >> GALVAN: OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL OF MY MAJOR COMMENTS FOR YOU. I THINK SAPD IS ONE I ALSO CAUTION -- JUST VERY PROTECTIVE OVER A LITTLE BIT JUST TO LAY IT FLAT, $6,700 FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 1500 FOR PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES ALL LOCALLY IN OUR CITY, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN ECHOED OR MENTIONED WE HAVE INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS HERE, IN OUR CITY, PROMISE PROGRAMS, ALAMO COLLEGES AND OF COURSE PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES DO A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS TOO, BUT THERE IS STILL THAT G GAP; RIGHT? EACH PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT. WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION AT THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE, AND ALL OF THE WAYS THAT OUR LANDSCAPES HAS SH SHIFTED TO MAKE ACCESS FOR ACCESSIBILITY FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS WHO ARE ON THE LOW ER END IN TERMS OF INCOME. AND THE KEY THING HERE, RIGHT, IS COST OF ATTENDANCE, WE COULD TALK ABOUT TUITION SUPPORT, THAT'S NEEDED AND A HIGH COST, BUT TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, BOOKS, OTHER FEES THAT AREN'T COVERED. COLLEGE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE THOSE ARE COMPREHENSIVE TALKING ABOUT THE BOOKS PROGRAM THAT I'M TH THANKFUL FOR, FOR MY OWN EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY, BUT WE HAVE OTHER STRIDES TO MAKE FOR OUR FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES AND SUCH THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO THEM. SO THE COSTS ARE PUT ON THEM FULLY, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE TOUGH. SO IT HELPS CLOSE THE GAP COMING FROM INNER CITY ISDS. I KNOW NORTH CITY STAFF USED TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR A LITTLE WHILE CHANGING WITH THEIR OWN FUNDING. I MEAN, WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS COMING OUT. OF COURSE THE RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT SERVED BY THIS WHO ARE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS, TRYING TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION, THROUGH THEIR FAMILY IN EDUCATION, SO IT'S A CRITICAL TOOL WE HAVE HERE AND OF COURSE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE OVER TIME HERE. WITH THIS PROGRAM AND HOW WE WANT TO CONDUCT OUR HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY NO MATTER THE AGE, I THINK IT'S TOUGH FOR THIS ONE GIVEN STUDENTS ARE EXPECTING THIS SUPPORT THIS OCTOBER BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE D DOLE THEM OUT, SO I WOULD LIKE TO NOT PULL THE RUG OUT FROM THESE STUDENTS CURRENTLY, IF WE COULD AVOID THAT. I MEAN I THINK WE HEARD IT FROM GREATER SRTX, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THIS IS THE CRUCIAL DETERMINING FACTOR FOR SAN ANTONIO SECURING MAJOR EMPLOYERS AND THINGS OF THE SORT, IT'S OUR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT RATE, PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER EDUCATION ONE, SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO SUPPORT THE WORK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITH THE BUDGET WE HAVE TO KEEP DOING THAT, AND THAT WAS MORE OF A STATEMENT, MELODY. THANK YOU. BUT BEYOND THAT, THOSE ARE A BIG PART OF DHS. BEYOND THAT, GOING INTO METRO HEALTH, I SHARED A LITTLE BIT OF THE CONCERN WITH THE FITNESS COUNCIL AS
WELL. I THINK IT STARTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT. I DO WANT TO ASK A LITTLE BIT, I KNOW ANOTHER COLLEAGUE ASKED A LITTLE BIT WHAT'S BEEN THE WORK DONE HERE, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE FINANCE COUNCIL BRIEF AND ALSO PROVIDE A LIST ABOUT ANYTHING CREATED THERE'S A SLIDE ABOUT THE HEALTH COMMITTEES THROUGH THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY EXAMPLES YOU HAVE. >> SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO JUST KNOW THAT THE MAYOR'S FINANCE COUNCIL TETHERED TO THE DEPARTMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT ALIGN WITH SA FORWARD, THESE ARE SCHOOL-BASED INITIATIVES WHERE STUDENTS DO NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, IDENTIFY BY PROJECTS WE PAIR THEM UP WITH EITHER MENTORS OR OUR STAFF, WE HAVE THE ONE DEDICATED STAFF FUNCTION THAT'S TIED TO THIS, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IT'S ABOUT PEER MENTORING, THERE ARE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE ADVOCACY, INITIATIVES, WHETHER IT'S WELLNESS, MENTAL HEALTH, ANY ACTIVITY, COMMUNITY GARDENING, SO THEY DO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL AND THEY SHOWCASE PROJECTS EACH YEAR, SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE WAY FOR THE STUDENTS EARLY ON TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND WE DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. >> GALVAN: RIGHT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE'RE IN THE TOUGH MOMENTS WE HAVE TO TRY TO ADJUST SOME OF THESE GAPS HERE AND THESE GOOD PROGRAMS WE HAVE. IS THERE -- HAVE YA'LL TALKED WITH THE APPOINTEES OR PARTICIPANTS ABOUT WHAT THAT WORK CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK LIKE BEYOND TH THIS? IS THIS PART OF THE PLAN -- ADOPTED THIS W WAY, IS THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION YOU WILL BE HAVING? >> YES. WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WITHIN THE MAYOR'S COUNCIL THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT SCENARIO PLANNING BUT MY TASK IS TO SHARE WITH YOU THE IMPACTS WE HAVE NOT PLAYED OUT WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE INCLUDING WHETHER OR NOT AREA BUSINESSES WOULD TAKE ON THE WORK. >> GALVAN: UNDERSTOOD. THAT'S THE KEY STEP HE HERE; RIGHT? IF THERE'S ANY BUSINESSES OR EVEN SCHOOLS THEMSELVES, ANY STAFF -- OF COURSE THEY'RE ALL STRETCHED ON THEIR END BUT EXTERNAL PARTIES TO ASSIST WITH THIS WORK THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE IT'S ACCOMPLISHING A LOT OF WORK WE HAVE HERE, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ONE OF THE KEY ONES IN DISTRICT 6 IS THE BIKE CLUB THAT ENCOURAGES SAFE BIKE RIDING AND GETS STUDENTS OUT ABOUT IN THE STREETS IN A POSITIVE WAY AND SO THINGS LIKE THAT ARE A GOOD FEEL TO HAVE, GOOD PRODUCTIVE USES OF OUR STUDENTS' TIMES BUT AL ALSO, RIGHT, IF THERE'S WAYS WE COULD ADJUST SOME OF THE COST THERE AND SEE IF WE COULD GET EXTERNAL PAT NEARS TO HELP OUT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, SMOOTH TRANS TRANSITION, SIMILAR WITH THE SCHOLSCHOLARSHIP. I THINK THAT'S ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM ON ACS. I'LL SAY JUST OUTRIGHT ABOUT THE VACANT POSITION WE'RE LOOKING TO PULL BACK ON, IT MAKES ME A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, I KNOW IT'S A VACANT POSITION AND THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT JUST SEEING THE IMPACT IT COULD HAVE ON THE CLEANING OF KENNEL, KENNEL SPACE, IMPACT TO ADOPTIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF I FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PARTICULAR ONE JUST BECAUSE THAT'S A KEY ISSUE FOR MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY AND ANY KIND OF IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO -- ANY KIND OF DAY-TO-DAY IMPACT OF THE SHELTER IN GENERAL I AM WEARY ABOUT. BUT I WANT TO ASK JOHN REALLY QUICKLY, WHAT'S THE NONCRITICAL CALL RESPONSE RATE YEAR OVER YEAR? I KNOW THAT WAS NOT WHAT THE BIG FOCUS IS ON THE MOMENT BUT ONE RESIDENTS ASK A LOT ABOUT. DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION? >> I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE YEAR TO YEAR, CURRENTLY IT'S ABOUT 38.5% AND THEN I CAN TELL YOU IN 2023 OR 2024 WHEN WE ADDED THE OFFICER ONLY 16% SO I CAN'T TELL YOU GROWTH FROM THERE. >> GALVAN: I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN ONGOING WORK, WE HAVE LIMITED SPACE FOR KENNELS, AND SPAY NEUTER HELP WITH THOSE PIECES BUT I UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT THE BUDGET, WHAT'S NE NEEDED TO INCREASE THAT RATE, IT'S BEEN A BIG CONCERN TO THE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DANGEROUS DOG NEARBY THEM, DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A DANGEROUS LOOSE ANIMAL OR A LARGE GROUP OF ANIMALS WALKING AROUND, SEEM FRIENDLY, NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM, SO BEING ABLE TO REDUCE THE RATE HOWEVER WE CAN TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT BUDGET AND THIS ONE WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> YEAH. AND WE CAN DO THAT. YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THE PROACTIVE EFFORTS WE'RE DOING IS THE REAL APPROACH. I THINK WE NOW KNOW IN THE ANIMAL WELFARE INDUSTRY IS THAT THE OLD CAPTURE, EUTHANIZE DOESN'T WORK, WE DID IT FOR DECADES, AND WHEN I STARTED, THAT'S HOW WE DID IT, SO THE PRODUCTIVE METHODS LIKE PET CARE CONNECT ARE GOING TO BE THE PROGRAMS THAT I THINK IF WE'LL MAKE THE IMPACT IN ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY ROAMING FREE IS EXP EXPANDING THOSE. >> GALVAN: THAT'S GREAT TO SEE THE SCALE TOO HELP US OUT TO DETERMINE THE PATHWAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, ALL FOR WO WORKING REALLY HARD ON THESE PRESENTATIONS, I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PURPLE LINING IN THAT THE DHS PRESENTATION I
NOTICED THAT WE STILL HAVE HEAD START FUNDING WHICH THIS TIME LAST YEAR I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO SURE SO A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS AMISS ALL OF THIS CONVERSATION. I'LL START OFF WITH SA SAEP. SO IF YOU COULD COME UP AND BRING UP SLIDE FIVE FOR ME, I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAD ALREADY MENTIONED THIS, AND I MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I APPRECIATE THIS BREAKDOWN OF THE RECIPIENTS, I DID WANT TO SHOUTOUT THAT DISTRICT 4 HAS THE MOST AMOUNT OF RECIPIENTS FROM 2025, BUT FOR THE MATH HERE, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE. SO $2.2 MILLION, BUT IF YOU CALCULATE THAT 3349 WITH 45% OF IT FOR $600 PER YEAR, AND 15% AT 1500 PER YEAR, THAT DOESN'T MA MATCH THE 2.2 MILLION SO ARE YOU SAYING THEY RAISE THE EXTRA MONEY? >> YEAH. SO THE ACTUAL SCH SCHOLARSHIP FUND IS $2.2 MILLION FROM THE CITY AND WHATEVER THEY'RE ABLE TO RAISE OUR DEVELOP FROM THE YEAR AND THEN THEY'LL PROVIDE THE SCHOLARSHIPS TO THAT POINT. >> SUKH KAUR: GOT IT. SO TOTAL RECIPIENTS, NOT NECESSARILY THE ONES WE'RE SUPPORTING WITH OUR DOLLARS. >> YES. >> KAUR: SO I THINK FOR THIS , AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE HAVING IS WITH ALAMO PROMISE, WHICH IS LAST DOLLAR SCHOL SCHOLARSHIPS, SO THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE FIRST BEFORE ALAMO PROMISE JUMPS IN AND BECAUSE THEY'RE 45% OF THAT BUDGET, ONE WAY I THINK WE COULD GET TO A MEDIAN OR COMPROMISE IS TO GIVE THEM 55% OF THEIR BUDGET THIS YEAR, JUST ASSUMING THAT THEY HAVE A SIMILAR TREND WHERE THEY'RE SPENDING 40% TO 45% OF THEIR BUDGET FOR ALAMO PROMISE KIDS, THAT WE LET ALAMO PROMISE HANDLE THOSE AND WE FOCUS ON THE OTHER PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION FOR AMENDMENT FOR SAPD TO GIVE THEM 55% BASED ON 2025 MEMBERS AND LOOK AT 2026 OBVIOUSLY THE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD THERE CAN LOOK THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT IF WE HAVE TO COME TO A COMPROMISE, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONSIDERED FOR THE AMENDMENT PROCESS. I'M ALSO PIGGY BACKING ON THE DELEGATE AGENCY CONVERSATION, I KNOW THAT'S FOR NEXT YEAR, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR IT AS BUDGET CONVERSATIONS GO ON MAYBE WE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, MARÍA, TAKE THAT OUT OF THE PROPOSED PLAN SO THAT WE JUST DECREASE OR ANY REVENUE INCREASES THAT COME UP THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM ALL OF THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE CONSIDER REMOVING THAT FROM THE PROPOSED PLAN NEXT YEAR. I WANT TO SAY, IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE 10 ON THE DHS PRESENTATION. I KNOW IT'S HARD, AND DR. JACOB, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING TO THINK ABOUT THE PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS WE HAD TO CUT, BUT JUST, LIKE, A LITTLE BIT OF RECOGNITION FOR THE WORK THAT OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND, WE'RE ONLY FUNDING A SMALL PART OF THE ACTUAL TOTAL FUN FUNDING; RIGHT? SO WE'RE GIVING $5 MILLION, BUT OUR DOLLARS ARE BEING LEVERAGED. SO WHEN WE PUT MONEY INTO THESE ORGANI ORGANIZATIONS, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GO A LOT FURTHER WITH OUR DOLLAR, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE A $500 ESSENTIALLY RATE OF RETURN FOR EACH PERSON THAT'S BEING HELPED WITH THESE DOLLARS. $5MILLION HERE GOES A LOT FURTHER THAN SOME OF OUR, UNFORTUNATELY OUR LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING ALL OF THE WORK FOR; RIGHT? IT TAKES UP A LOT OF STAFF CAPACITY WHICH COSTS OUR PROGRAMS -- BECAUSE WE'RE 100% COVERING TH THEM. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE ME THINK OF, ONE, THIS CREATES THE CASE OF MORE EVEN TH THINKING OF WHY WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT SUPPORTING THIS, BUT ALSO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE WERE DOING AT METRO HEALTH THAT WE COULD FIND NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP TAKE ON IF WE PROVIDED SUPPORT. SO COUNCILMEMBER MEN MENTIONED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM THIS SIDE, I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE TO HELP WITH THE DELEGATE AGENCY CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO ASK SOME OF OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO SAY WOULD SOMEBODY BE WILLING TO TAKE ON THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AS PART OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING IN SCHOOL. IS THERE A HEALTHY NUTRITION PROGRAM THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND AND SUPPORT RATHER THAN TAKING IT ALL ON INDIVIDUALLY. SO DR. JACOBS MY ONLY COMMENT TO YOU IF YOU HAVE GUIDANCE FOR THE DELEGATE AGENCY TEAMS HOW COULD WE PUT THAT INTO YOUTH SUCCESS BUCKET FOR PROCESSES AS WE GO THROUGH THE FALL. FOR ACS, CAN WE ACTUALLY BRING UP -- I THINK IT'S SLIDE 6. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE, LIKE SOME OF THESE -- THIS IS TRICKY; RIGHT? SO FOR LITTER PERMITS, HOW DO WE ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE TO APPLY AND DO LITTER PERMITS?
LIKE IS THERE ANY WAY FOR US TO MEASURE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING LITTERS AND HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY GETTING PERMITS? >> WELL, IT WOULD ALMOST BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIGURE THAT NUMBER OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE SPREAD OUT EVERYWHERE BUT WE KNOW IT'S SIGNIFICANT. THE NUMBER -- YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TELL BY THE FEW THAT WE SELL EVERY YEAR THAT IT'S VERY, VERY LOW COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF LITTERS BEING BORN. >> KAUR: OKAY. BUT NO WAY FOR US TO FIGURE OUT AND HOW AND HOLD FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE? IT'S JUST TOO MUCH -- I DON'T KNOW. DO OTHER CITIES DO A GOOD JOB OF THAT? I'M ASSUMING LIKE -- OR AT LEAST IF WE COULD FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY ADDING A CHART. I KNOW IT'S INCLUDED IN THE AGGRESSIVE ANIMAL, SAME THING AS LAST TIME, HOW ARE THERE ONLY FIVE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO FILL OUT THIS THAT ARE PAYING THIS FEE, JUST CURIOUS TO SEE HOW WE COULD GET THESE NUMBERS UP A LITTLE BIT MORE IF THERE'S AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM OR WAY, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WE COULD USE. >> THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, IT WOULD TAKE A TEAM OF, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS, DOING RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THE ONLINE PO POSTS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF CRITICAL CALL RESPONSE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT. >> KAUR: OKAY. AND THEN SLIDE 10 ON THIS, WHY ARE TARGET FOR OPTIONS DECREASING IN 2027? >> WELL, MOSTLY BECAUSE WE SAW THAT NUMBER INCREASE SO DRAMATICALLY THIS YEAR THAT THAT WAS OUR TARGET FOR LAST YE YEAR, AND WE JUST MAINTAINED IT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE ABLE -- IT WAS GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE FOR US. >> KAUR: THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS, JOHN, WHEN WE RAISE THE BAR, WE'VE GOT TO RAISE IT MORE, AND WE DON'T HAVE FIRE TODAY BUT THEY KNOW THIS, WHEN WE RAISE THE BAR I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO SAY -- BECAUSE THAT'S THE REAL GOAL YOU MENTIONED EARLIER WE'RE NOT TECHNICALLY A NO-KILL BUT WE WANT LIVE RELEASE, WE WANT FOLKS TO ADOPT THESE DOGS OR THESE PETS SO WE SHOULD TRY TO FIND MORE COUNCILMEMBER MONEY IT GOING TO YA AND SEE IF WE CO COULD -- I WOULD THINK ABOUT RAISING THAT GOAL TO 7500 AND THEN IF WE DON'T. COME BACK AND HIT IT SAY HEY WE WERE REALLY ADDRESSIVE WITH THE GOAL BUT WITH THE NEW SPAY AND NEUTER CENTERS, WHICH I KNOW ARE AT LEAST WORKING FOR OURS THAT WE HAVE AND THE OTHERS, I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE EFFICIENCIES WITH THE D2 SITE TOO BUT WITH THE HOSPITAL, I FEEL LIKE WE CAN -- IS THE HOSPITAL GOING TO BE ONLINE THIS YEAR? >> BY 27. >> KAUR: OKAY. SO SEE IF WE COULD MAYBE INCREASE THAT TARGET TO SHOW THAT WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY GROWING. AND THEN THE LAST TARGET I HAD FOR YOU IS I KNOW THE FEES -- SORRY, THIS IS BACK ON SLIDE 7, SOME OF THESE FEES FOR, LIKE, VACCINES ARE INCREASING, THOSE ARE TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE INDIVIDUAL ADOPTING; RIGHT. >> NOT THE ADOPTERS, THERE'S ONLY -- THERE'S AN ADOPTION FEE THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THAT, SO THE ADOPTERS WON'T FEEL IT, IT'LL BE FOR PEOPLE RECLAIMING THEIR PETS, DANGEROUS, AGGRESSIVE, ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING RECLAIMED OR BITES RECLAIMED FROM THE SHELTER, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SEE THOSE FEES. >> KAUR: OKAY. SO NONE OF OUR ADOPTION FEES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ARE CHANGING. >> CORRECT. >> KAUR: OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT, JOHN. I'LL START ON DSD, I OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE MOST AMOUNT FOR DSD, I KNOW, AMINE, THAT YOU LOVE ME. I'LL START BY ECHOING COUNCILMEMBER MANGY YA, HE'S THE ONE THAT CONNECTED ME ON THIS, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF A DATA NERD I AM SO I'LL SEND YOU THE DEMO SO YOU CAN SEE THE VIDEO OF THIS COOL SOFTWARE I UNDERSTAND WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO AN RFP, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S FUNDING FOR THE RFP INCLUD ED IN THE BUDGET. ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT DOES -- AND COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO TALKS A LOT ABOUT VACANT LAND AND STRUCTURES AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY, IT LAYERS ALL OF OUR CITY ON MAPS WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD IMAGINE. IT COULD PULL FROM EXCEL ALL OF THE CODE ISSUES, IT COULD PULL FROM -- AND ACTUALLY PULL ACS DATA FOR SPAY AND NEUTER, AND MAKE WHATEVER WE WANT PUBLIC AND KEEP WHATEVER WE WANT INTERNAL, SO WE COULD SHOW SPECIFIC THINGS TO THE COMMUNITY, LOOK AT HIGH VOLUME CA CALLS FOR VIOLENT CRIME AND HELP US WITH VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PLAN, I THINK IT'S A GREAT COOL, THEY QUOTED, LIKE 200K FOR IT, SO I KNOW AGAIN RFP ADDITIONAL THINGS BUT I WANT TO SEE IF IT'S IN THE BUDGET. >> THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO FUND A POTENTIAL SOFTWARE SOLUTION, COUNCILWOMAN, AND WE'LL FOLLOW ALL PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES AND RULES. >> KAUR: DON'T BREAK ANY LAWS. OKAY. I'LL BUZZ BACK IN. THANKS. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. I THINK WE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND HERE WITH THESE DEPARTMENTS, BUT JUST SOME QUESTIONS, I'LL START WITH DHS. ON THE -- I KNOW THIS IS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS IN 28, THE 9350, IS THERE -- AND I
ASKED THIS I THINK IN GOAL SETTING, I GUESS IS THERE A CAPACITY WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND TO SHEPHERD THOSE 9350 INTO THOSE RESOURCES? INSTEAD OF -- ARE WE C CUTTING THEM COMPLETELY? OR ARE THOSE 9350 FI FINDING RESOURCES AND OTHER PROGRAMS? >> SO THEY WOULD BE FI FINDING RESOURCES ELSEWHERE. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DO CITY-OPERATED PROGRAMS HAVE THE CAPACITY, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY NOT FOR 9,000 PARTICIPANTS. IF THERE'S A CASE WHERE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM IS NOT RECEIVING FUNDING ANY LONGER , AND THEY CAN'T FIND CAPACITY ANYWHERE, THEN WE WOULD POTENTIALLY HELP REACH OUT TO OTHER AGENCIES TO MOVE CLIENTS. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. I MEAN, THAT'S CONCERNING IN JUST THAT THE BOOM BOOMER RANGE IS GOING TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT, SO WHERE DOES IT LAND AND HOW HARD DOES IT LAND? I KNOW THIS COULD BE TWO YEARS OUT BUT I THINK IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF WHATEVER WE CUT. I THINK THE IMPACT WE'LL SEE DOWN THE ROAD AND THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME. SO THIS IS IN 28, BUT I THINK IN THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE ON DELEGATE AGENCIES, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT -- IN DISTRICT 8 WE'VE GOT UT SAN ANT ANTONIO, THEIR COLLEGE OF -- I THINK IT'S -- WHAT IS IT? HEALTH COMMUNITY AND POLICY. WE HAVE METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES, I KNOW ONE OF THEIR TAR TARGETS IS FOOD SECU SECURITY, AND SO HAVE WE ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR CAPACITY LOOKS LIKE? >> WE HAVE NOT. BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE DO OVER THE COMING YEAR AS WE PREPARE FOR ANOTHER PROCESS G. >> GONZALEZ: YEAH. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESULTS, EQUITY, MATERNAL HEALTH VERSUS METRO HEALTH, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE JUST -- THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS THERE WITHIN THE MEDICAL CENTER THAT I HOPE WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH; RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HAPPENED OR NOT OR. >> JUST TO PUT IN CONTEXT, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PLAN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARTNERS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THAT, SO THE BEXAR HEALTH COLLABORATIVE WHICH INCLUDES HEALTHCARE MINIST MINIST MINISTRIES AND OTHER PROVIDERS, SO KNOW THE PRIORITY AREAS WE HAVE STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE PRENATAL CARE, FOOD INSECURITY, HOUSING INSECURITY, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SO WE'RE NOT ALONE, BUT TO ADD TO THE CONTEXT IN TERMS OF THE CHIP. >> GONZALEZ: AND WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, I GUESS FOR METRO HEALTH ON SLIDE 8 FOR THE PILOT PRO PROGRAM, IS THERE ANY SORT OF ISSUE STOPPING KIND OF MIDSTREAM ON THE DATA? >> YES. OKAY SO FOR THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE RESULTS AND EQUITIES FOR THE PILOT. SO THAT IS TIED TO A BROADER NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PROVIDERS, SO WE'RE EARLY IN THAT, AND THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE IMPACTS BY VIRTUE OF OUR STAFFING COMPONENTS. SO THE ALLIANCE ITSELF WOULD GO AWAY, BUT THE ONGOING WORK AROUND THE PRENATAL WORK GROUP WOULD CONTINUE. >> GONZALEZ: AND WHO WOULD CONTINUE THAT WORK? THOSE OTHER PARTNERS? >> YES. THAT'S THE TASK RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ONE OF MANY. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. I'LL GO BACK. SORRY. ON THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP SLIDE 5. THEY'RE -- OUTSIDE, I GUESS, COUNTY, THEY MADE UP, LIKE, THE THIRD HI HIGHEST AMOUNT OF RECIPIENTS. SO DO THE SCHOLARSHIPS EXTEND TO -- HOW ARE THE -- OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOLKS CONSIDERED IN THIS? >> WELL, PART OF IT IS BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SO WE HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MOSTLY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND PARTLY IN BEXAR COUNTY, AND SO WE DON'T ASK THE PARTNERSHIP TO GO IN AND TALK TO THE STUDENTS AND SAY, OH, IF YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY'RE COMBINED, THERE ARE A FEW COUNTY PEOPLE THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. >> GONZALEZ: CAN YOU BREAK THAT NUMBER DOWN FOR ME? I MEAN, SEND A MEMO OR SOMETHING. >> YEAH. WE'LL BREAK IT DOWN. ALSO, THEY DO RAISE FU FUNDING SEPARATE FROM THE CITY FUNDING.
THIS YEAR THEY'RE PAYING OUT ABOUT $2.4 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS, $2.1 MILLION OF THAT IS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SO THEY COULD USE THAT OTHER $300,000 TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY. >> GONZALEZ: YEAH. IF YOU COULD JUST SEND SOMETHING. >> WE'LL RECORD THEM TO BREAK THAT DOWN. >> GONZALEZ: AND THEN ON THE 90 DISTRICT 8 STUDENTS BECAUSE I THOUGHT NORTH SIDE AND NORTHEAST ISD WERE NOT ELIGIBLE, AND THOSE STUDENTS IN DISTRICT 8, SO JUST CURIOUS WHERE THOSE KIDS ARE . >> SO THIS IS FROM 2025. I THINK NORTH SIDE WAS STILL IN THE PROGRAM FOR 2025, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THEY WEREN'T. >> GONZALEZ: IS THERE A REASON WHY THEY WEREN'T? >> THEY DIDN'T -- THEY DECIDED TO DROP OUT. >> GONZALEZ: OH, OKAY. >> EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYS A FEE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE SERVED. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. >> SO BOTH OF THOSE DROPPED OUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. I THINK ON -- I THINK THAT'S IT ON DHS. FOR METRO HEALTH ARE -- SORRY -- JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE MAYOR'S REPORT AS WELL, I SAW THAT THE I THINK THE OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS IS ALSO MAYBE THE THIRD HIGHEST HERE OR SECOND HIGHEST OF STUDENT AMBASSADORS, AND SO IS THAT ALSO BASED ON THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT? WHAT IS THAT? >> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND WE WANTED TO GIVE A SNAPSHOT ACROSS THE DISTRICTS BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE PARTICIPANTS FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. >> GONZALEZ: COULD YOU ALSO SEND A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THEY COME FROM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> WE COULD PROVIDE TH THAT. YES. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. I THINK -- AND THEN REALLY QUICKLY WITH DSD, I THINK IT'S SLIDE NINE OR FIVE, THE REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS, IF WE COULD BE THE ENTERPRISE FUND, WOULDN'T THAT BE SO LOVELY? SO DOES ANY OF THAT -- DOES THAT HELP US IN THE GENERAL FUND IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM? DOES IT TAKE PRESSURE OFF OF US IN ANY WAY? >> NO. WE CANNOT -- >> GONZALEZ: YEAH. YEAH. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE PROGRAMS. >> UNFORTUNATELY, NO. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. OKAY. ON SLIDE FIVE, IT'S JUST A LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS, I APPRECIATE THE NOTE, 90% OF THE PERMITS COME FROM THE GROUPS YOU WORK WITH, BUT I THINK MORE IS ALWAYS -- WELL, IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE SAN ANTONIO DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION JUST TO INCLUDE THEM IN THAT, WOULD THERE BE VALUE IN DOING THAT? >> WE DID NOTIFY THE PROACTIVE ASSOCIATION, AND WE'LL MEET WITH THEM THIS COMING WEEK. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. ARE THEY PART OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP? >> YEAH. SO THE SPECIFIC GROUP WE IMPANELED FOR THIS IS FOCUSED ON BUIL BUILDERS; RIGHT, MANAGE ONCE COMPLEXES ARE BUILT SO THEY'RE PLUGGED INTO OTHER GROUPS BUT NOT NECESSARILY ON THE BU BUILDING PERMIT SIDE. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. I THINK FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, THE MAIN THING THAT I -- I AGREE ON THE PROACTIVE METHODS. I THINK THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY THE MOST HELPFUL, AND I'M CURIOUS ON THE EDUCATION SIDE OF HOW WE'RE JUST EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY IN EVERY WHICH WAY POSSIBLE ON LOOSE AND DANGEROUS DO DOGS, I MEAN, THIS BECOMES NATIONAL NEWS ANYTIME THIS HAPPENS N NOW, AND SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD SHARE OFFLINE OR IN A MEMO AS WELL, BUT I REALLY -- I WAS AT A -- WHERE WAS I AT A SCHOOL EVENT AND EVERY KID -- EVERY GRADE I MET WITH, IT WAS CAREER DAY, SO SORRY. AND I HAD FOUR CLASSES AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE KIDS KNEW ABOUT THE COLOR OF THE BINS. I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, BUT I FEEL THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME MAJOR EDUCATION EFFORTS ON THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES SIDE WHEN IT COMES TO -- AND I KNOW WE DO IT, BUT I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE ARE DOING IN THAT SPACE. >> CERTAINLY. WE COULD DEFINITELY PUT SOME INFORMATION TOGETHER FOR YOU. MOST IS DONE THROUGH INVITE, THROUGH COST OF TEAM, WE GO OUT TO SCHOOLS WHEN REQUESTED, AND THEN WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT PERSON WHO DOES THAT AS WELL. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, HOW DID IT
GO FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH DEPARTMENT AND HUMAN SERVICES, YESTERDAY WE HAD A BUDGET TOWN HALL AND HAD A WIDE NUMBER OF PROFIT LEADERS SHARE WHAT THE WORK, THE VALUE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF US TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE IMPACT OF OUR DELL BEGAN AGENCIES, SO SIMILAR TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT, YOU KNOW, CAUTION WITH THE REDUCTION OF $5 MILLION TO OUR DELEGATE AGEN AGENCIES, I SHARED THAT CONCERN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND AS I ASKED MARIE TO EXPLAIN YESTERDAY AT THE TOWN HALL TO EXPLAIN AND DEFINE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, WHAT THOSE ARE, THE IMPACT OF OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT PATH SUPPORTED DELEGATE AGENCIES, I SEE FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE THE CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT CENTER SO CONNECTING OUR YOUTH EXPERIENCING TRAUMA TO ASSISTANCE, AND CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT FOR EXAMPLE WHAT THE CENTER PROVIDES TO OUR CONSTITUENCY. >> SO CHILDREN'S BER BEREAVEMENT CENTER IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF A PARTICPARENT OR A PARENT BEING TAKEN FROM THE HOME. THEY PROVIDE GRIEF COUNCILLING, THEY WENT TO UH VALUE DAY, SOMERVILLE, OR THE CHURCH, SO, YEAH, THEY RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE THERE DAY-TO-DAY. >> CASTILLO: CAN YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT THEIR WORK WITH FOSTER YOUTH. >> SEETON HOME OFFERS A PLACE TO GO FOR YOUTH WHO ARE PREGNANT OR PARENTING AND ARE UNDERGAUGE. THEY ACTUALLY ARE WARDS OF THE STATE, THE STATE PROVIDES PARTIAL FUN FUNDING, AND CITY FUNDING PROVIDES ENH ENHANCED PROGRAMMING. >> CASTILLO: AND LASTLY, SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AUTISM COMMUNITY NETWORK. >> SO THE AUTISM COMMUNITY NETWORK HELPS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO MAY -- OR WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM OR WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED OR ARE GOING TO THAT LONG PROCESS TO GET TO THAT DIAGNOSIS, AND THEY HELP THEM ACCESS THE TREATMENTS THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BAD AND WORKING. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT MEL MELODY, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE DELEGATE AGENCIES IN THE PAST BECAUSE THESE ARE INVALUABLE RESOURCES THAT I KNOW THAT CONSTITUENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RELY ON IT AND BASED ON SLIDE 10 OF COURSE IT'S THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS IN 1-5 THAT LEAN ON THE SERVICES AND SUPPORT. SO THANK YOU, MELODY. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF THE WORK WE DO REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY, MY UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT I'VE HAIRED FROM SOME OF THE NONPROFITS IS THAT OFTENTIMES SAFE OFFICERS OR SOMEONE AT A SUBSTATION WILL THEN GIVE REFERRALS TO SOME OF THESE DELEGATE AGENCIES, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INTERSECTION OF THIS WORK AND NAVIGATE HO HOMELESSNESS, AND WE LOOK AT THEIST, AND THESE PARTNERS PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN ENSURING OUR FOSTER YOUTH DON'T GO DOWN INCARCERATION, HOMELESSNES, ENSURING PARENTS WHO ARE OVERWHELMED HAVE ACCESS TO CARE FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE AUTISM OR LOOKING TO GET TESTED AND THEN MANY REENTRY SERVICES AS WELL. SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR WORK ON THAT BUT WANTED TO LEAVE THAT FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF DELEGATE AGENCIES THESE AREN'T NICE TO HAVE THEY'RE MUST HAVE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, SO AS WE NAVIGATE THE CONVERSATION, THE REDUCTION, YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE -- IT WOULD -- I WOULDN'T BE DOING MY PART IF I DIDN'T ADVOCATE FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES BECAUSE AGAIN THE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF INNER CITY RESIDENTS THAT RELY ON THEM, AND THEN OF COURSE SA YOUTH, ALL THEY DO FOR GETTING THE YOUTH ON THE CORRECT TRACK, CONNECTING THEM WITH GEDS, READY TO WORK, AND OF COURSE THE GOOD SAMARITAN THAT SERVES GENERATIONS, THEY'RE PLUGGING IN YOUTH AND SENIORS TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND RESTORING HOPE BECAUSE GOOD SAMARITAN HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP THROUGH THEIR ADVOCACY. SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE TWO PIECINGS. WHAT I AM HAPPY TO SEE IN THE BUDGET FOR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WERE THE FUNDS FOR THE POSITIONS OF WEST AND HOPE ENACTMENT CENTER. MANY DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS LOVE GOING TO THAT SENIOR SISTER. SO I LOVE THAT YOU'VE EARMARKED FUNDING FOR THOSE POSITIONINGS. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO METRO HEALTH, OF COURSE THIS -- THE -- WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF REDUCTIONS IS SOMETHING THAT GIVES OUR TEAM PAUSE GIVEN THE HIGH HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT WE SEE. AND I WANTED CLARIFICATION FOR STANDUP SA, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE WILL NOT SEE REDUCTION IN TERMS OF FOLKS OUT IN THE FIELD WITH STANDUP SA.
>> NO, MA'AM. THAT IS TETHERED TO GENERAL FUND. BUT SUPPORTED BY MY TEAM AND I HAD A CONVERSATION, A COUPLE MEETINGS WITH REPRODUCTIVE ADVOCATES AND ASKING IN TERMS OF STI CARE, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE, CAN YOU SHARE WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET WHERE FOLKS CAN CONTINUE TO GET TESTED FOR STI, SO ON, SO FORTH. >> SO OUR COMMUNAL DISEASE DIVISION ANCHORS THE SHARE OF THAT, SO FOR HIV, WE DO HAVE THE CLINIC STAFF, THAT IS A MIX OF FEDERAL GRANTS AS WELL AS A GENERAL FUND, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE -- WE JUST KNOW THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IN THE ARRAY OF SCREENING SERVICES, WE DO HAVE A MOBILE OUTREACH TEAM THAT SUPPORTS THAT WORK IN GENERAL, SO JUST KNOW THAT WE STAY COMMITTED TO THOSE SERVICES, AND THAT IS IN CONNECTION TO AN AREA PROVIDERS TO MAKE SURE REFERRALS ARE IN PLACE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, DR DR. JACOB. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> CASTILLO: I WANTED TO MOVE TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES , AND THANK JOHN AND KAREN SPEAR WHO'S OUR APPOINTEE TO ACS WHO HAS PULSE OFTEN ALL THINGS ANIMALS, NOT JUST D5 BUT ALL THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND SERVING AS OUR LIAISON FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WHICH IS INVALUABLE, AND OF COURSE YESTERDAY AT BUDGET TOWN HALL WE HAD ANIMAL ADVO ADVOCATES THAT COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEIR QUESTION WAS IN TERMS OF PICKING UP STRAY ANIMALS WHAT MY COMMITMENT WOULD BE, AND WHAT I SHARED WITH THEM, IT'S CONTINGENT UPON A PROPERTY TAX ADJUSTMENT TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET. WHAT WOULD BE IN VALUE IN TERMS OF RESPONSE TO AGGRESSIVE ANIMALS IF WE COULD RECEIVE DISTRICT SPECIFIC DATA I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND -- YEAH WITH CRITICAL CALL DATA. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE A BR BREAKDOWN PER DISTRICT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, SIMILAR TO COUNCILMEMBER MANGY YA WITH THE REDUCTION OF THE ANIMAL CARE POSITION THAT IT MAY LIMIT INCOMING ANIMALS GIVES ME CONCERN BECAUSE STRAY ANIMALS CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE IN DISTRICT 5 AND I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN IDENTIFY FUNDING TO SUPPORT THAT POSITION. ABOUT HOW MANY ANIMALS DO WE EXPECT -- WE WOULD NOT HAVE SPACE FOR WITH NO LONGER HAVING THAT POSITION? >> IT IS A CHALLENGE, I WILL SAY. IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO GIVE YOU THAT NUMBER, AND IT MAY NOT IMPACT IT AS MUCH AS WE THINK, I THINK THE MORE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS GOING TO BE NONPUBLIC AREAS GETTING CLEANED LATER THAN AFFECTING CAPACITY. >> OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISTRICT JOHN. AND THEN I WILL BE BRIEF WITH CODE COMPLIANCE, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE COST RECOVERY FEES YOU SAVED MY STAFF AND I TIME ON TWO COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUESTS SO THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR IDENTIFYING WAYS TO RECOUP COSTS. IN ADDITION IT TO THAT I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE FUNDING FOR THE SOFTWARE THAT PULLS ALL TYPES OF DA DATA. YEAH. I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. MY TEAM DID REQUEST DIST DISTRICT-SPECIFIC DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CASE LOAD PER CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER THIS MAY NOT BE A BUDGET QUESTION BUT CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND ARE CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT OR BASED UPON CASE LOAD PER DISTRICT? >> BASED ON -- THEY ARE DISTRICTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY BASED ON CASE LOAD AMOUNTS SO SOME DISTRICTS HAVE MORE CODE OFFICERS THAN OTHERS, THAT'S HOW WE MANAGE TO DISTRICT THE WORKLOAD TO MAKE SURE NOBODY IS OVERLOADED AND WE GET TO EVERY CALL WHEN WE RECEIVE IT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WAS ASKING THAT BECAUSE TYPICALLY AT THE WEST HOPE AND ACTION COMMUNITY MEETING RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF 5 AND 1 AND IT SEEMS LIKE AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF WORK, AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR QUOTE OFFICERS HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, AND I'M LAUGHING BECAUSE THIS IS A HUGE SHIFT FROM MY FIRST BUDGET CONVERSATION WITH CODE COMPLIANCE. SO I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND THE SUPPORT TO ENSURE THEY HAVE A MANAGEABLE WORKLOAD IN TERMS OF THE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE COCOMPLIANCE CASES. >> WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE COVERED. BUT THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS, PLEASE. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. ITHANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. I'M -- I'M GOING TO START WITH HUMAN SER SERVICES. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE SENIOR CENTERS EXTENDED HOURS ON SLIDE 7. LET ME GET OVER HERE.
REALLY HARD HERE TO -- AND IT'S A DIFFICULT CLIMATE, OBVIOUSLY, RIGHT, BUT A LOT OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID, I HAD SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS O ON. SO HEAD START PROGRAM. I THINK ON PAGE 508 IN THE BUDGET BOOK, AND 511. WHAT ARE -- CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS ON THAT 7.9 MILLION. >> RIGHT. SO INCOME CONTRIBUTIONS FOR HEAD START ARE -- YOU KNOW, WOULD BE PART OF MY TIME, PART OF OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE TIMES. IT'S ALSO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES THAT WE PROVIDE THE PROGRAM IN, AND WHERE THE CLASSROOMS ARE. SO WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GENERATE A VALUE TO THOSE THINGS AND USE THEM, AND WE CERTIFY THAT EVERY TIME WE SUBMIT AN INVOICE FOR PAYMENT. >> OKAY. ON SLIDE 3. >> COUNCILMEMBER, IF I COULD CLARIFY ONE THING, THE ONE YOU SEE IN THAT PIECE, IT'S FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SO IT'S NOT CITY STAFF TIME, IT'S FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. >> IT'S FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OKAY. OKAY. SO SLIDE 3, CAN YOU -- MAYBE NOT TODAY, ARTICULATE WHICH OF THESE PROGRAMS -- WHICH PROGRAMS ARE REQUIRED, AND WHICH ARE MORE DISCRE DISCRETIONARY? I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS THAT WE'RE DOING, SO IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT LAID OUT MORE CLEARLY FOR ME. AND THEN ON SLIDE NINE, YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES DASHBOARD, DO YOU HAVE THE RESULTS FROM THE -- OR WHAT ARE THE RESULTS BASED ACCOUNTABILITY OUTCOMES? I CLICKED ON IT, AND IT HAD A HIKE INCREASE ON HO HOMELESSNESS SERVICES. SO I DON'T SEE THAT REALLY ADDRESSED HERE. >> WELL I DON'T -- HOME HOMELESSNESS SERVICES WILL BE COVERED IN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY AND SERVICES BUDGET PRESENTATION. FOR US, FOR THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE MANAGE, THAT DASH BOARD SHOWS THE PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT AGENCIES CONTRACTED TO WORK ON AND WHAT THE END RESULT IS FOR THE -- YOU KNOW, THE POINT IN TIME THAT THE DASH BOARD LOOKS AT. >> SPEARS: OKAY. SO ALL THE OTHER NUMBERS ON THERE REPRESENT THE DELEGATE AGENCIES? OKAY. AND THERE THERE'S NO CROSSOVER NECESSARILY. >> NO. THEY'VE BEEN SEPARATED WHEN THE DEPARTMENT MOVED OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT, HUMAN SERVICES. >> SPEARS: OKAY. ON SLIDE 10, I -- THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY, I AGREE. HOWEVER, I DO SEE THE DRAMATIC IMPACT ON DISTRICTS 1-5, AND I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY FOR YOU TOES ASCERTAIN WHICH OF YOUR DELEGATE AGENCIES ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN THEIR RETURN ON INVESTMENT, AND IF THERE'S SOME THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LARGELY USED. I MEAN, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. THAT WOULD REALLY IMPACT THOSE DISTRICTS, AND I -- I JUST THINK WE'VE GOT TO FIND WHO'S DOING THE BEST JOB, WHICH PROGRAMS MAY BE ARE AREN'T -- WE COULD GET BY OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD DO. SO IF WE COULD GET A MORE DETAILED BREAKOUT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, AND SPECIFICALLY WHO THEY'RE SERVING AND ALSO THE OPERATIONAL IMPACTS THAT WILL HAVE ON YOUR DEPARTMENT. >> WE CAN DO THAT. >> SPEARS: AND THEN LET'S SEE. I THINK THAT'S IT FOR YOU. THANK YOU, MELODY. >> THANK YOU. >> SPEARS: ON METRO HEALTH, THANK YOU, DR. JACOB FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I REALLY JUST WANTED TO KNOW ARE WE WORKING CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH, OR UT HEALTH, WELL THEY'RE COMBINED TO ALLEVIATE ANY FINANCIAL PRESSURES WE'RE EXPERIENCING? >> THANK YOU. WHEN YOU SAY WORKING DIRECTLY, THEY ARE MEMBERS OF A COLLABORATIVE, SO THE BEXAR COUNTY HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, BUT WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU ASKING? >> SPEARS: I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE INTEGRATION AND HOW EXACTLY WE'RE WORKING ALONGSIDE THEM. >> YEAH. SO I'M NOT AWARE OF FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BUT WE DO COLLABORATE ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES
INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. >> SPEARS: SO I THINK WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HOW WE COULD ALLEVIATE THAT IN REDUNDANCY OF EFFORT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW WE'RE COLLABORATING IN THAT SPACE BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS OVER AT THE COUNTY THAT WE'RE DOING HERE , AND IF THERE'S REDUNDANCY OR THINGS WE DO BETTER THAT THEY DON'T AND VICE VERSA, WE START LOOKING AT HOW TO DO THAT IN A BETTER WAY. >> YES. WE DO WORK WITH THEM AS PARTNERS ON THE GROUND AND LOOK AT AND ENSURE THE ALIGNMENT OF EFFORTS. >> SPEARS: ALIGNMENT OF EFFORTS. OKAY. >> AND THIS ONE, I'M JUST VERY CURIOUS ABOUT, PAGE 477 OF THE BUDGET BOOK, IT'S THE BUY EMBRBIO TERRORISM GRANT. WHAT WOULD BE OUR END KIND THERE? >> I CAN SEE THAT IN MORE DETAIL BECAUSE I SEE THAT AS AN ALLOCATION FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, SO WE COULD FIND OUT AND PROVIDE THAT. >> SPEARS: AND DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IN -- GIVEN HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET COMES FROM SO MANY GRANTS, DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE GRANTS? SO WE HAVE OVER $33 MILLION, AT LEAST FOR NEXT YEAR, AND WE'VE SEEN AT LEAST A LEVELING OFF, BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, SO WE'RE CONFIDENT FOR THESE -- FOR THE SUPPORT WE RECEIVE FOR OUR GRANTS. >> SPEARS: THAT'S GOOD. I LIKE THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. JOHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ANIMAL WELFARE IS IMPORTANT ACROSS THE CITY. EVERYBODY LOVES THEIR ANIMALS, YOU KNOW? BUT THEY ALSO CARE A LOT ABOUT BEING SAFE IN THE STREETS. I KNOW STRAY ANIMALS AND -- ARE A PROBLEM, A HUGE PROBLEM, SO FOR ME, YOU -- YOU'RE MORE INCLINED TOWARDS THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT AS MUCH AS WE'RE WANTING TO DO ADOPTIONS, I'M REALLY VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SO LET ME START HERE. 339 IN THE BUDGET BOOK. SO I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 339 IN THE BUDGET, AND I SEE PERSONNEL HAS GONE UP, CONTRACT CHYLE SERVICES HAS GONE UP QUITE A BIT, WHY IS THAT? >> A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE VETERINARIANS WE HAVE AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH OUR -- THE PROVIDING SPAY NEUTER, AND THEN ALSO OUR RESCUE PARTNERS. >> SPEARS: SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING MORE SPAY AND NEUTER THEN? >> WITH THE HOSPITAL YES WE ANTICIPATE SPAY AND NEUTER TO GO UP ABOUT 2,000 SURGERIES. >> SPEARS: OKAY. THAT'S A LOT. THAT'S GOOD. AND INSURANCE WENT UP AS WELL, IS THAT DUE TO THE HOSPITAL AS WELL? >> THAT I'M NOT SURE. >> NO, COUNCILWOMAN, THAT IS OUR SELF-INSURANCE RELATED EXPENSES, SO THAT INCLUDES EXPENSES LIKE OUR IT ASSESSMENT, OUR LIABILITY AND WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE, FUEL EXPENSES IN THE CASE OF ACS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A BR BREAKOUT OF THAT, SE SELF-INSURANCE CATEGORY. >> SPEARS: IT WENT WAY UP, SO I DID NOTICE THAT. OKAY. SO I WAS LOOKING AT TOO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE AGGRESSIVE DOG FEE OR THE NEWT NAUSEA FEES, I SAW THAT AS PART OF YOUR AUDIT THAT WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING A WAY TO RECAPTURE THAT, THE WAIVING OF THOSE YOUTH NAUSEA FEES ON THOSE ANIMALS. HAVE YOU F FIGURED THAT OUT OR KNOW WHEN IT'LL BE IMPLEMENTED IN. >> WELL, THOSE FEES ARE A LOT OF TIMES WAIVED IN AN EFFORT TO GET THE DOG SURRENDERED TO US. SO IT DOES -- WE WORK WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS. YOU KNOW, OUR PRIMARY GOAL WITH THOSE ANIMALS IS TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS, AND SO THE FEES BEING WAIVED FOR THOSE ARE IN MY MIND WORTH THE COST IN ORDER TO GET THAT ANIMAL OFF THE STREET. >> SPEARS: SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AUDIT? >> WE WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AUDIT. THEY'RE NOT SAYING WE CANNOT WAIVE THE FEES, BUT -- SO
WE'LL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THE AUDIT HAS. >> SPEARS: OKAY. I'LL JUST COME BACK AROUND FOR ROUND 2. THANKS. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. >> RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. STARTING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, AND I WON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I BELIEVE, BUT MORE SO COMMENTS FOR MY COLLEAGUES. CONCENTRATING CUTS IN AREAS THAT NEED INV INVESTMENT THE MOST I THINK IS A PROBLEMATIC WAY TO VIEW THE BUDGET DEFICIT. WE HAVE TREMENDOUS DISPARITIES ACROSS THE CITY AND IN DISTRICTS LIKE MINE WE'RE SEEING HIGHER RATES OF POVERTY, HOME INSECURITY, LOWER MEDIAN INCOMES, POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES AND MO MORE, AND TIME AFTER TIME YOU SEE A SPLIT ON THIS DIE WHY IS, THOSE WHO SEE THAT WE WILL NOT THRIVE AS A COMMUNITY WITHOUT INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND THOSE WHO DON'T SEE VALUE IN THESE PROGRAMS AND LACK THE FORESIGHT NECESSARY TO LEAD US THROUGH CHALLENGING DECISIONS LIKE THIS ONE AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A SURPRISE TO ANYONE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD WILL BE THOSE IN DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3, 4, AND 5, AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THE IDEA THAT WE'RE CUTTING FAT AND TRIMMING DOWN, THERE WILL BE AN EFFECT. WE'RE NOT ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE, AND I'VE HEARD THAT FROM A FEW COUNCILMEMBERS, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE SUPPORT THE WORK OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE THAT HELP US ACHIEVE BETTER OUTCOMES. CITY WIDE. WE INVEST IN THE WORK OF NONPROFITS SO THAT THEY CAN ACROSS THE CONCERNS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY AS AN ORGANIZATION TO INVEST. WE THEN SEE A SIGNIFICANT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, NOT JUST COST WISED, BUT INCLUDING REDUCED CRIME, HOMELESSNESS, HIGHER EMPLOYMENT, HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MORE. YOU DEFUND THE NONP NONPROFITS THAT SERVE OUR RESIDENTS MOST IN NEED YOU THEN HAVE THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OR PROGRAMMING, AND YOU VERY QUICKLY MAKE A VULNERABLE POPULATION MUCH MORE SO. THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T PAY RENT, FIND EMPLOYMENT, CHILD CARE, GROCERIES BUT NEED TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN SITUATIONS OF DESPERATION. WHEN WE START CUTTING AWAY AT THESE PROGRAMS YOU'LL SEE POOR OUTCOMES DOWN THE LINE, AND THEN WHEN CRIME GOES UP BECAUSE A COMMUNITY IS HURT AND VULNERABLE AND NEEDY BUT NOT RECEIVING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED YOU'LL BE ASKING FOR MORE POLICE OFFICERS TO POLICE THESE PROBLEMS AWAY, WHICH WE SEE TIME AND TIME AGAIN DOES NOT WORK. SO I WOULD REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT THESE INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FAT TO BE TRIMMED. THAT INCLUDES INVESTMENT IN METRO HEALTH. I AM CONCERNED BY SOME OF THE REDUCTIONS IN METRO HEALTH AND A COUPLE AREAS SPECIFICALLY. I'LL NAME THAT RATES OF CHRONIC ILLNESS ARE NOT THE SAME ACROSS THE CI CITY, INCLUDING DIABETES, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CONSOLIDATE THESE PROGRAMS WITH OTHER MAJOR DISCUSSIONS AND PROGRAMS LIKE NUTRITION AND FOOD ACCESS, THEY'RE DIST DISTINCTLY SEPARATE, THOUGH THERE ARE SOME INNATE CONNECTION POI POINTS. I DON'T CARE HOW WE COULD BE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT OR IMPACTFUL WITH THESE KINDS OF CUTS AND ULTIMATELY REDUCING OUR -- I THINK WE'RE ULTIMATELY REDUCING OUR RETURN ON THESE PROGRAMS BY DOING SO. I'LL QUICKLY ADVOCATE FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND. I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE PROVIDING PREVENTATIVE BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER SCREENINGS, STI AND HIV TESTING, TREATMENT AND EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES, PREGNANCY TESTS, CONDOMS AND OTHER HEALTH ITEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FU FUNDING RESTORED AND INCREASED. SEVERAL CARE PROVIDERS ARE REQUESTING A FUND OF $1 MILLION, I KNOW THAT'S CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS WITH A SIGNIFICANT RETURN. MOVING ON TO ANIMAL CARE SER SERVICES. THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S BEEN A PRIORITY OF MINE SINCE I WAS FIRST EL ELECTED IN 2021 AND I'M PROUD OF THE PROGRESS WE AS A CITY HAVE MADE BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO GO, WE HAVE RESIDENTS WHO CAN'T WALK TO THEIR MAILBOX WITHOUT A STRAY DOG APPROACHING THEM AND LITTLE LADIES IN THEIR HOUSES TRAPPED BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DOG BARKING AT THEM OUTSIDE THEIR DOOR AT THEIR OWN PROPERTY. SO WHEN WE DISCUSS ACS, WE'RE WORKING STILL TO ACHIEVE BASIC SERVICE LEVELS SUCH AS PERCENTAGE OF CALLS ANSWERED BUT EVEN WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE AREN'T NECESSARILY MOVING TOWARDS A VISION, AND I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FRUSTRATION FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SO WE'RE NEITHER STRIVING TO BE A NO-KILL SHELTER BUT ALSO NOT, YOU KNOW, WORKING TO MAKE OUR CITY FREE OF STRAY AND ROAMING DOGS, AND SO OUR INVESTMENT IN THE ABSENCE OF THESE TWO GOALS AND A CLEAR STRATEGY TO GET THERE ARE LEADING TO SOME PROGRESS, BUT ULTIMATELY, THE FEELING THAT THE PRIORITIES OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED AND IT'S ERODING CONFIDENCE IN OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO WORK EXT EXTREMELY LA HARD.
I'LL ADD WE CAN'T AFFORD TO SLOW DOWN INVESTMENTS IN ACS BECAUSE OUR PROBLEM HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRODUCE EXPONENTIALLY, AT LEAST INITIALLY BEFORE REACHING THAT CARING CAPACITY. SO WE NEED GREATER INV INVESTMENT IN SPAY AND NEUTER AS WELL AS PET OWNER EDUCATION AND RESOURCES AND SO I WILL ASK YOU TO EXPLAIN THE REDIRECTING OF FUNDS RELATED TO THE SITE CLINIC IN A BIT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE AREN'T JUST TRANSFERRING CAPACITY FROM ONE ORGANIZATION TO ANOTHER AND REDUCING THE ECOSYSTEM OF CARE BY RELOCATING A PARTNER INTO ONE OF OUR FACILITIES. SO I WILL ALSO BE LOOKING AT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AT THIS SITE. WE LEASE ONE OF THE UNITS THERE, AND THERE'S ANOTHER UNIT AVAILABLE, AND SO I'LL HOPE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND A STRATEGY BY THE END OF THE BUDGET SEASON BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY INTE INTERESTED IN. I WILL THRILLED TO SEE THE VETERINARIAN HOSPITAL MY TEAM AND I CHAMPIONED AS PART OF THE BOND WILL OPEN NEXT YEAR, AND I THINK THAT WILL LEAD TO MANY IMP IMPROVEMENTS AS IT RELATES TO ANIMAL WELFARE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES ACROSS THE CITY AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENTS THAT WILL HAVE A CITYWIDE IMPACT AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL RECOGNIZE THAT. I'LL ALSO FLAG THAT TEN POSITIONS AT $388,000 IS KIND OF CRAZY TO ME. $38,000 IS NOT LIVABLE AND WITH DEPARTMENTS LIKE ACS WHERE THE STAKES ARE HIGH AND NEEDS ARE GREAT, WE NEEDS A WELL COMPENSATED, WELL TAKEN CARE OF WORK WORKFORCE, AND SO I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THAT IN A BIT, AND LASTLY ON THE ISSUE, WE FUNDED THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A SECOND ACS CAMPUS, I KNOW THE DIRECTOR AND MEM MEMBERS OF LEADERSHIP TEAM WERE AT THE TOWN HALL, I ASKED FOLKS TO RAISE THEIR HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO ACS CAMPUS IN DISTRICT 6, 6 OR 7 PEOPLE IN A PACKED ROOM RAISED THEIR HANDS, AND THE PROBLEM IS A ACS IS NOT ACCESSIBLE, AND I BELIEVE A SECOND CAMPUS WILL GO A LONG WAYS IN HELPING US INCREASE OUR STRAY AND ROAMING ANIMAL, AND INCREASE CONFIDENCE IN ACS. SO I'LL ASK WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT STUDY. AND THEN MOVE TO DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES. IN 201, MY FIRST SUCCESSFUL BUDGET AMENDMENT WAS THE STREET LIGHT GAP INDEX WITH FUNDING TO ADDRESS THOSE GAPS. BECAUSE OF THAT WE'VE BEEN PROACTIVE AS AN ORGANIZATION IN FUNDING THESE LIGHTS WHERE THEY'RE MOST NEEDED WHERE FOLKS HAVE TO REQUEST IT. AND I'M WORRIED THIS PROGRAM IS BEING CUT IF IT IS IN FACT TRUE THAT THERE'S NOT FUNDING ALLOCATED CURRENT LY, AND I BELIEVE MOVING FROM A PROACTIVE APPROACH IS COUNTER INTUITIVE AND NOT THE WISEST, SO I WOULD LIKE US TO REVISIT THE STRATEGIES AND THIS IDEA WITH THIS DEPARTMENT AND ANY OTHER AREAS WHERE WE'RE DOING THE SAME. I DO HAVE TO REPEAT SOMETHING I FOUND FUNNY EARLIER, COUNCILMEMBER WHITE SAID I DON'T LIKE THE CUTS AND WE NEED TO INVEST MORE, AND THE REALITY IS THAT AS IT STANDS WITH THE EXISTING TAX RATE PROPOSAL, THIS WILL BE CUT. THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT, WITH NO TAX RATE INCREASE, FUNDING REALLY WON'T BE RESTORED. AND SO IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU CAN'T -- THAT YOU CA CAN'T -- YOU CAN'T SUPPORT THE FUNDING THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO GET TO THIS POINT AND TO FUND THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU CARE AB ABOUT, BUT YOU ALSO WANT US TO CUT EVERYTHING ELSE. LIKE YOU ASKED FOR THIS, YOU ASKED FOR THESE CUTS. THAT'S JUST HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES WHEN YOU ASK STAFF TO MAKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CUTS AND YOU'LL SEE LOSSES THAT YOU FIND UNACCEPTABLE AND I NEED YOU TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE ON SOME ACTUAL SOLUTIONS. I DO WANT TO REITERATE I CANNOT SUPPORT ANY CUTS TO STAFF, AND I'LL ADD THAT UNDER THE CURRENT HIRING FREEZE WE WILL NO LONGER BE REPLACING STAFF WHO LEAVE THEIR POSITIONS AND SO BY ASSIGNING DUTIES FROM VACANT POSITIONS TO OTHER EMPLOYEES WE'RE NOW INCREASING THE WORKLOAD AND LIKELY NOT INCREASING COMPENSATION FAIRLY, AND SO IF WE CUT ANY POSITIONS AND ARE NOT FILLING THOSE POSITIONS THAT BECOME VACANT, WE'LL BE LO LOSING MORE PEOPLE THAN WE INITIALLY INTENDED ESPECIALLY IN POSITIONS WITH HIGH TURNOVER RATES SO THIS WILL BE CHALLENGING FOR DEPARTMENTS LIKE ACS, AND SO I JUST WANTS TO ADVISE AGAINST THAT. I THINK THE ONLY DEPARTMENT I HAD QUESTIONS FOR WAS FOR JOHN WITH ACS. SO COULD YOU FIRST ADDRESS THE -- I GUESS THE RELOCATION -- THE REALLOCATION OF FUNDING FROM -- OR REDIRECTING OF FUNDS FROM THE EAST SIDE CLINIC TOWARDS THE VETERINARIAN HOSPITAL AND WHAT DOES FILLING -- HOW DO WE -- WHO'S GOING THERE TO THAT FACILITY AND HOW IS THAT NOT TAKING CAPACITY FROM WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND JUST MOVING IT INTO OUR CA CARE, AND THEN WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE STUDY ON THE SECOND ACS CAMPUS. >> FIRST, REDIRECTING THOSE FUNDS, IT ACTUALLY IS -- NOW THAT THE PARTNER AGENCY WILL
BE OPERATING THAT CLINIC, THE HOSPITAL MANDATE ACQUIRED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INCREASED STAFFING, SO RATHER THAN HAVING TO OPERATE THAT CLINIC AND THEN STILL HAVE THAT $1.12 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL STAFFING IN MEDS AND CONTRACTS, WE WERE ABLE TO USE THAT FUNDING THAT WE WERE USING AT THE -- AT THAT EAST CLINIC. THE PARTNER THAT WE WORK WITH WILL BE RUNNING THE -- WILL BE FULLY OPERATING THAT EAST CLINIC AND ACTUALLY PROBABLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES THAN WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE JUST BECAUSE THEY SPECIALIZE IN DOING THAT. SO ACTUALLY, WE SHOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN SERVICES BY MOVING THAT $1.12 MILLION TO THAT HOSPITAL TO INCREASE SERVICES THERE ON OUR CAMPUS AND THEN HAVING THIS PARTNER RUN THAT -- RUN THAT OTHER CLINIC WILL ALSO -- THAT CLINIC WILL HAVE INCREASED SERVICES DUE TO THEIR CAPABILITIES BEING GREATER THAN OURS. >> RODRIGUEZ: TO MAKE THAT SIMPLE, ARE THEY HIRING MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE ON THE OPER OPERATIONALTY OF THIS CLINIC OR RELOCATING SERVICES FROM A FACILITY THEY OPERATE OUT OF AND IT'S NOW HAPPENING IN OURS. >> NO. THEIR PLAN IS TO OPERATE BOTH, THE ONE THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN, AND THE ONE THEY'RE TAKING ON WITH US. >> RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. AND THEN LASTLY THE STUDY. >> RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF -- WE DID THE RFP, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE VENDOR TO FINALIZE AN AGREEMENT FOR IT. >> RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. ON THE SECOND ROUND. COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR, JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR DSD. I MEAN, CAN WE GET A FOLLOW UP ON THE VACANT BUILDING CASE RATES WITHIN FY2026 I KNOW WE MOVED THAT WORK INTO D DSD, I WANTED TO SEE WHAT THE WORK HAS BEEN LIKE OVER THE LAST YEAR. AND THEN ON THE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS CAN YOU REMIND ME, IS THIS A SEPARATE TEAM FROM THE REGULAR KIND OF CODE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE IN EACH DISTRICT? >> WHICH TEAM? I'M SORRY. >> GALVAN: THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENFORCEMENT TEAMS. >> SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENFORCEMENT TEAM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SWEEPS WE HAVE FOUR CODE OFFICERS THAT THEY DO THE 20 SWEEPS AND THE FOUR SPECIAL SWEEPS IN THE YEAR, AND AGAIN IF WE ELIMINATE TWO POSITIONS WE'RE REDUCING 20 SWEEPS TO TWO SWEEPS SO EACH DISTRICT GETS TWO SWEEPS EVERY YEAR. >> GALVAN: MY QUESTION WAS, THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE STANDARD, LIKE CODE OFFICERS. >> THEY ARE SPECIAL TEAMS STANDARD FROM THE AREA OFFICERS, THAT'S CORRECT. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. THAT'S HELP. AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY VACANCIES WITHIN OUR STANDARD CODE TEAMS? >> WE HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHT VACANCIES THROUGHOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY -- NO, WE HAVE EIGHT TOTAL, BUT ARE THEY ALL AREA OFFICERS? SIX AREA OFFICERS. >> GALVAN: OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY. AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS ON THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE FUND IF WE COULD GET DATA ON THE USAGE OF IT IN 2026 AND ANY DISCREPANCIES THERE BETWEEN ANY DISTRICTS. I THINK WE'VE BEEN S SEEING THAT MORE THE PAST COUPLE YEARS SO WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY LOOK AT ADDRESSING -- OR ASSESSING THOSE NEEDS A BIT DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR. AND A LITTLE BIT MORE TOO IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF DETAIL WE CAN GET ON THAT ON WHAT CASE IS BEING ADDRESSED LARGELY OVERGROWN GRASS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ANY DOLLAR AMOUNTS ASSOCIATED THERE, AND IN PARTICULAR, I GUESS, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED A CITATION WITH THIS PROGRAM WERE ABLE TO GET ASSISTED IS ANY KIND OF -- FUNDS OUT AFTER THE CITATION, PEOPLE LEFT OUT OF THE PROGRAM THAT COULD NOT USE IT ANYMORE? OR ALL THE FOLKS WHO CITED QUALIFIED FOR IT, ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE I GUESS WAS MY ULTIMATE QUESTION. >> SO THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE FUND, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO GET A CITATION, BUT THEY NEED TO HAVE A VIOLATION, SO IF THERE'S A VIOLATION OR WE ISSUE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION, AND THEN BUT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE CODE COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE FUND, A FUND WE HAVE, IT'S VERY SMALL, ABOUT 15,000, THAT ONE IS THEY NEED TO GET A CITATION AND THEN GO BEFORE A JUDGE, AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICER, AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE WILL HELP THEM OUT WITH THAT $15,000. BUT THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE FUND IS -- THEY DON'T NEED TO GET THE CITATION, BUT THEY NEED TO HAVE A VIOL VIOLATION. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. AND IN THAT VEIN, ARE THERE ANY CASES WHERE THE FUNDING HAS EXPIRED AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE SUPPORT AFTER THE VIOLATION HAS BEEN. >> SO FAR WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THAT NOW, WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT 1500 LEFT OUT OF THE $100,000, SO WE HAVE ABOUT 9 CASES, THE APPLICANT S WHO APPLIED AND BEFORE WE AUTHORIZE ANY OF THEM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MONEY. WE HAVE ABOUT 15,000, I THINK WE CAN DO MAYBE TWO OF THEM WITH THAT AMOUNT AND THE REST WE'LL HAVE TO PAUSE UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
>> GALVAN: OKAY. GOT IT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU HAVE ON THAT. >> WE'LL PROVIDE DET DETAILS. THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. LAST COUPLE OF QUES QUESTIONS. OF COURSE I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO'S QUESTION ABOUT SOME OTHER PROGRAMS WE HAVE ON MATERNAL HEALTH AND REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH HERE IN THE CITY. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT ONES IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE AS WELL, I THINK OVERALL, CLAUDE IF YOU COULD GIVE US A LIST OF SOME OF THOSE PRO PROGRAMS, THE PARTICIPANTS THEY SERVE, TOTAL FUNDING ALLOCATED TOWARDS THOSE INCLUDING STI PREVENTION OR SUPPORT ALONG WITH ANY KIND OF MATERNAL FAMILY HEALTH, THE HEALTHY START AND WIC PRO PROGRAMS AS WELL, AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION DATA, SOME OF THAT IS IN RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS BUT I WANT TO COMPILE IT EASIER FOR MYSELF. WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? >> YES. WE CAN PULL THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU. >> GALVAN: OKAY. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ONES -- I NEED TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION FOR DHS, CAN YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC WORTH FOUNDATION, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT AT THE YOUTH TOWN HALL, I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD GET MORE DETAILED INFORMATION TO FOLLOW UP AS WELL. >> SURE SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRAINING SAISD COUNSELORS TO WORK WITH STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY ON EMOTIONAL SUPPORT -- SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS, DECISION-MAKING, LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, ALL TO WANT POINT OF REDUCING VIOLENT ACTIVITIES, REDUCING TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AND THOSE KIND OF CHALLENGES. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: THANK YOU. I HAD A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, BUT FIRST I DID WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING BECAUSE AS COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ SAID SOME OF US SAY WE CAN'T BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. YEAH OUR CITY BUDGET IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. TO ME IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY OR LIVING AFFORDABILITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WILLING TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES ON FOLKS. LIKE IT -- WE NEED TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. AND, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK -- I AGREE THAT I DO THINK THAT SOME OF THESE CUTS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5, BUT THE ONLY WAY WE GET OUT OF THIS BUDGET CRISIS IS TWO W WAYS ONE IS TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES OR TWO REALLY INVEST IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TO ME, WE HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OUR ECONOMIC OUTCOMES AS A CITY BECAUSE WE'LL BE BACK IN THIS SAME SPOT IN THREE OR FIVE YEARS OF HAVING TO RAISE TAXES AND THEN PEOPLE ARE REALLY GOING TO FEEL THE HURT THEN. A COUPLE OF OTHER QUICK QUESTIONS. JOHN GARY, I LEFT OFF ON ACS. I KNOW THAT THE FEES THAT WERE INCREASED. I BELIEVE WE JUST GOT SOME FEEDBACK THAT ARLINGTON HAS A FEE -- GIVE ME TWO SECONDS. OH, I THINK IT WAS $500 FOR A DANGEROUS DOG, AND SO I THINK OURS WAS $150 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I'M TRYING TO -- YEAH. FORT WORTH CHARGES $500 PER YEAR FOR A DANGEROUS DOG. IS THERE A REASON WE'RE NOT CHARGING THAT MUCH? >> THAT AMOUNT WOULD SURPASS OUR COST TO RECOVER. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT BY COST TO RECOVER? NOT. >> YEAH. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHARGE MORE THAN WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THAT? >> I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK INTO WHAT FORT WORTH IS DOING AND SEEING WHY ARE THEY ABLE TO CHARGE $500 FOR A DANGEROUS DOG. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE DIFERENCE WOULD BE THAT MUCH, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND SO WE COULD HIKE UP THE FEES ON THE PEOPLE THAT -- WE DON'T WANT DANGEROUS D DOGS OUT. I MEAN, A RESIDENT JUST GOT ATTACKED IN MONTH CELLO FROM TWO DANGEROUS DOGS GOT OUT, ATTACKED A GUY WALKING HIS DOG, AND THEN SOME OTHER GUY GOT ATTACKED AS WELL. AND SO, YEAH, I MEAN, WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THESE DANGEROUS DOGS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO IF WE COULD LOOK INTO THAT, BUT WE HAVE STATS ABOUT ARLINGTON, HOW THEY CHARGE $50 A YEAR PER LICENSE WHICH IS A STATE MINIMUM, BUT THEN THE PERSON HAS TO PAY $200 UP FRONT AND $55 FOR EACH INSPECTION FOR FOUR TIMES A YEAR. SO THEY'RE DEFINITELY RECOVERING A LOT OF COSTS, WHICH I THINK WE SHOULD DOUBLE DOWN ON. ALSO, TOO ON CODE -- THANK YOU, JOHN GARY.
FOR DSD, I DO AGREE WITH A COUPLE OF MY COLL COLLEAGUES. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE CALLED IT OUT, CUTTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT TEAM THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS, DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 10. WE KNOW THAT PROACTIVE SWEEPS ARE CRUCIAL, WE KNOW THAT RESIDENTS ALSO, TOO, I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT VACANT STRUCTURES, AND I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I ARE WORKING ON VACANT PROPERTY BU BUILDINGS AND I DEFINITELY WANT US TO CONTINUE EXPLORING HIKING UP THE FEES ON THOSE, THE VACANT STRUCTURES BECOME TOXIC IN NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY CAUSE A LOT OF ACTIVITY WE DON'T WANT TO SEE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, AGAIN, IF WE COULD INCREASE THE FINES TO DETER THAT BEHAVIOR, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD EXPLORE DOING. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, PLEASE. >> SUKH KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO REITERATE SUPPORT FOR THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND IF WE COULD INCREASE IT AT LEAST AT THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WAS FIRST INITIATED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO A COUPLE YEARS AGO. AND REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR THE STREET LIGHT PROGRAM. WE INCREASED THAT LAST YEAR , AND HAVE MADE REALLY SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU COULD PRESIDE IN A MEMO HOW MANY LIGHTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THAT INCREASED FUNDING AND WHAT THIS PAUSE IS FOR AND WHY, AND HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS AT LEAST THE ONES THAT WE KNOW ARE EASY TO INSTALL SOLAR, OR HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEGATIVE OPPOSITION BASED ON THE ENTIRE LIST THAT YOU HAVE. SO YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT IN A FOLLOW UP MEMO. FOR THE REST OF DSD COMMENTS , IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE 10 ON THE CODE PRESENTATION -- OR ON THE DSD PRESENTATION. SO THIS STATISTIC OF COMPLETED WITHIN 45 DAY COMPLIANCE RATE OF 90% IS A LITTLE MISLEADING BECAUSE WE HAVE NO IDEA WHICH CATEGORIES THOSE ARE. FOR EXAMPLE, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, WE KNOW WE ARE GOOD AT THAT AND WE CAN COMPLETE THAT IN A DAY. SO JUST JUDGING -- AND I'VE KIND OF MENTIONED THIS TOO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERMITTING AT P PCDC, YOU HAVE TO BREAK DOWN YOUR WORK IN DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND SHOW US THE RESULTS IN THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT WE'RE NOT AT A 90% COMPLIANCE RATE IN DISTRICT 1 BECAUSE WE TRACK HOW LONG OUR CASES GO WHEN, LIKE, CARS IN FRONT OF LOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO SEND ME THE COMPLIANCE RATE BROKEN UP BY DIFFERENT CATE CATEGORIES AND ACTUAL TARGETS BY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BECAUSE, YES, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT SHOULD BE 100%. GRASS -- WHEN WE SEND VIOLATIONS FOR GRASS, THAT SHOULD BE 100% COMPLIANCE, BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE AT THAT RATE, AND I THINK THOSE OUTLIERS ARE INFLATING THIS NUMBER, WHICH, IN MY -- FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN DSD CASES IS NOT THE RIGHT, LIKE, GOAL THAT WE'RE SETTING ON SLIDE 11, I WANTED TO -- LI LIKE, I JUST WANTED YA'LL TO SEE THIS IS WHY PUBLIC WORKS AND DSD ARE MY TWO TOP CALLS. LOOK AT THIS. WE ARE AT 1700 CASES IN -- AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S -- THERE'S NO TITLE TO THIS CHART. THIS IS CASES ADDRESSED? >> YES. THAT'S CORRECT. FY25. >> SUKH KAUR: YES. SO IF YOU LOOK AT FY AND ARE AT FY26, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF D DSD CALLS THAT WE'RE G GETTING AND TRACKING ON A DAILY BASIS, AND SO THE REDUCTION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR THIS IS REALLY CONCERNING TO ME. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BREAK DOWN OF WHO IS ASSIGNED FOR WHICH DISTRICT, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED THAT, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE I BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW CODE OFFICERS ARE BEING TRAINED AND SUPPORTED TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TOO MANY CASES, BUT HOW MANY THEY ARE ADDRESSING, SO I WOULD LIKE TO -- YOU CAN REMOVE THE NAMES BUT JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE CODE OFFICERS ADDRESSING CONCERNS AND HOW ARE THEY GETTING TO A GOOD AMOUNT OF CASE LOAD? GO AHEAD, YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING. >> YEAH. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THIS TABLE IS VERY SPECIFIC TO THE SWEEPS THAT WE ARE DOING, SO THIS IS ALL PROACTIVE, THIS IS NOT CALLS WE GET THROUGH 311, THESE ARE PROACTIVE CASES WHEN WE DO THE SWEEPS, TALK ABOUT THE 20 SWEEPS. >> KAUR: OKAY. SO LET'S PUT HEADINGS ON OUR TABLE AS WE PRESENT SO WE KNOW. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE OVERALL CODE CASES LOOK LIKE ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE ASSIGNED. YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR FAVORITE CODE OFFICER STEVEN WHO I ALWAYS MENTION WHO IS AT EVERY LOS ANGELES HEIGHTS ME MEETING SO GOOD ABOUT RESPONDING TO EMAILS NEVER LEAVES US UNREAD AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THAT KIND OF LEVEL OF SERVICE FROM ALL OF OUR CODE OFFICER S AND WHAT IS OUR PLAN TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE USING HIM AS AN EXEMPLAR TO TRAIN OR
SUPERVISE THE REST OF THE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT SAME RESPONSE RATE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. REALLY QUICKLY, I WANTED TO SHOW THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL SLIDE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ON BAC BACKUP, OR IF YOU COULD PULL IT UP, WERE YOU ABLE TO UPLOAD IT? OKAY. COULD YOU PULL THAT FOR COMMUNITY? BECAUSE WE GOT A CALL ABOUT THIS, AND THIS JUST S SHOWS YOU WHY SHORT-TERM RENTAL RATES ARE GOING UP, THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF CALLS THAT SAPD HAS HAD TO SERVICE IN FISCAL YEAR -- THAT SHOULD BE FISCAL YEAR 26 -- OR THAT'S THE PROJECTED FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, 172,000 CALLS, AND SO THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY, THIS IS WHY COSTS ARE GOING UP, I KNOW THERE'LL BE SOME QUESTIONS, WE'LL DISCUSS AT OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL TONIGHT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN I CALL SAP D AND I'M SAYING HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE STR PERSON AT DSD TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN OUT TO THIS ADDRESS 12 TIMES AND THE ANSWER WAS NO. SO THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAPD AND DSD IN TERMS OF WHEN THEY'RE GOING OUT, IT'S THREE VIOLATIONS BUT IF AN OFFICER IS NOT ACTUALLY GIVING A VIOLATION, THAT'S NEVER GOING TO GET TO OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL COMPLIANCE PROGRAM, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH THAT, AND I JUST HAD ONE LAST QUICK THING, SORRY I KNOW MY TIME IS UP BUT FOR THE PROACTIVE INSPECTION ACTION PROGRAM, WE HAVE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH SEVERAL PARTICIPA APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN DISTRICT 1 AND I'VE ASKED FOR NUMBERS FINES OF HOW MUCH THEY WERE CHARGED AND PAID THE LAST MEMO DID NOT INCLUDE HOW MUCH THEY WERE CHARGED AND PAID BECAUSE IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANYTHING, THEN GIVING FINES WON'T GIVE US IMPACT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. >> MAY I? >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: YES, PLEASE. >> I WANTED TO VERIFY ON THAT BACKUP SLIDE WE SHOWED THE 172,000 IS THE CALLS ASSOCIATED WITH SAPD CALLS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CALLS WAS 3,194 BASED ON FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL DATA. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. CAN YOU PULL UP SLIDE NUMBER 9 FOR OUR DSD. I MEAN, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT GARAGE SALES BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS ONE OPPORTUNITY, AND I CONSTANTLY GET CALLS ON DISTRICT 3 ABOUT PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD DO THE TECHNOLOGY WHERE MAYBE WE HAVE THE RESIDENTS PURCHASE THEIR THREE GARAGE CELLS AND THEN GET THEIR FOURTH ALL AT ONCE, MAYBE FOR, LIKE, 10% OFF OR SOMETHING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND THEN THAT WAY I COULD THROUGH NEWS L LETTERS OR CNE COULD SEND OUT HEY FIRST QUARTER IS ENDING, IF YOU BROUGHT YOUR YEARLONG GARAGE SALE PERMITS, IT'S TIME TO USE THEM BECAUSE I THINK THIS WOULD HELP CODE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE PERMITS THAT ARE ABLE TO DO IT IN THE QUARTER, AND THEN JUST TRYING TO ACTIVATE THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY ONLY USE IT THAT ONE QUARTER, BUT HAVING THEM PURCHASE IT OUTRIGHT. THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT, PROBABLY IN ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT, AND MAYBE EVEN PLANNING, AND THEN BRING IT TO A B SESSION IS OUR VENDORS THAT LIKE TO BE ON THE SIDE OF OUR ROAD, AND THIS IS FROM THE PEOPLE SELLING WOOD TO THE PEOPLE SELLING T-SHIRTS, WHAT SORT OF PERMITTING THEY HAVE BECAUSE THAT IS -- THAT'S PRIMARILY A CASH OR A CASH APP ONLY BUSINESS, AND JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KIND OF MA MAKING THEM GET A GARAGE SALE PERMIT TOO. I HAVE ONE LOCATION WHERE THEY SET UP, LIKE, TWO STALLS FULL OF THINGS, AND IT'S -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THINGS WHERE I WOULD PREFER THEM TO GO TO THE FLEA MARKET OR GO TO TRADER'S VILLAGE OR FIND SOMETHING TO DO THAT THERE, BUT THEY'RE ON THE SIDE OF MY ROADS CAUSING TRAFFIC PROBLEMS ALL ALONG MILITARY DRIVE SO I WANT TO LOOK AT THAT WHERE WE TALK GARAGE SALE PERMITS BECAUSE I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS TO GET MORE FUNDING. MARÍA, WHEN PARKS COMES UP, I WOULD LIKE TO S SEE -- I KNOW THAT THERE IS A NUMBER OF PARKING VIOLENCES WITHIN THE PARKS, MAYBE SEE WHAT -- IF WE COULD GET COMMUNITY INPUT THROUGH IT, THAT'S LIKE YES, RAISE THOSE VIOLATIONS FOR PEOPLE DOING X, Y, AND Z, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FINE. SO I KNOW -- I KNOW WE HAD -- WE COULD GO ONLINE OR GO TO HEB TO GET OUR GARAGE SALE P PERMITS BUT IF YOU TOLD ME I COULD BUY ALL OF MY GARAGE SALE PERMITS AT ONCE AND GET MY FOURTH FREE, I WOULD DO THAT AND I WOULD JUST NEED TO BE REMINDED TO PICK A DATE TO HAVE A GARAGE SALE BECAUSE WE HAVE -- I HAVE A NEIGHBOR EVERY WEEKEND SHE'S HAVING A
GARAGE SALE. SO I -- BUT I DON'T CALL HER IN BECAUSE SHE'S MY NEIGHBOR. >> SO MAY I RESPOND TO SOME OF THAT? SO IF YOU PURCHASE THREE GARAGE SALES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YOU GET THE FOURTH FOR FREE EVEN IF YOU DON'T DO IT AT ONCE, BUT WE WILL LOOK AT IF EVERYONE CAN PURCHASE THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL LOOK FOR THAT. FOR GARAGE SALES THAT'S FOR RESIDENTIAL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SELL WHAT THEY HAVE BUT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE OTHER ONE, I CALL IT A PEDDLER'S PERMIT, POTENTIALLY THEY PUT NEW STUFF TO SELL, THAT'S NOT A GARAGE SALE, THAT'S A PEDDLER'S PERMIT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO CRACK DOWN ON THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN BUT WE'RE NOT CATCHING ALL OF IT. >> VIAGRAN: AND I APPRECIATE IT. AND WHAT I DO WANT TO SEE IN TERMS OF THE PEDDLER'S PERMIT, SEE IF THIS SESSION WE GET ANYTHING FROM -- I KNOW WE'RE NOT HAVING THE ONLY PROBLEM. I'M PRETTY SURE OTHER BIG TEXAS CITIES ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, SO I'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING COMING FROM THE STATE LEVEL BEFORE WE CREATE POLICY IN SAN ANTONIO AND THEN THE STATE TELLS US WE CAN'T DO THAT. SO I'LL BE MONITORING THAT TO WORK WITH THAT BECAUSE IF WE -- IF WE KEEP WANTING TO MAKING PAYOFFS WE'LL KEEP HAVING PEDDLERS. SO THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR, WHERE WAS I? OKAY. BACK TO YOU, JOHN. SO CAN -- I WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN -- TRIPLE DOWN, I GUESS, WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE SLIDE TEN, A BREAKDOWN BY DISTRICT. LET ME SEE. YES. I DO THINK WE SHOULD BE CHARGING HIGHER FEES ON THE DANGEROUS DOGS, AND I JUST WANT TO SEE THAT BEING A TOP PRIORITY, GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS SO PEOPLE COULD WALK AROUND IN NEIGHBORHOODS SAFELY. COULD YOU ALSO ARTICULATE THE NONP NONPROFITS? DOES THAT COST US ANYTHING FOR THEM TO OPERATE AT OUR FACILITY? >> WE DO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH NONPROFITS THAT WE DO PAY FOR, THINGS LIKE SPAY AND NEUTER SERV SERVICES, AND PAY THEM TO PULL ANIMALS FROM US AS WELL. WE PAY A FEE FOR THEM TO PULL ANIMALS FROM THE SHELTER. >> SPEARS: THAT'S SO CONFUSING TO ME. THAT SEEMS BACKWARDS BECAUSE THEN THEY'LL TURN AROUND AND SELL THE DOG. OKAY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE WHERE THERE'S MORE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINICS AROUND OR WHERE WE'LL PUT MORE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINICS, I DON'T KNOW THAT DISTRICT 9 IS AWARE OF ANY. I SUPPORT A LOT OF SPAY AND NEUTER. I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. IT'S IMPORTANT WORK. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. AMINE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU'LL HEAR MORE SOFT SAME PROBABLY FROM ME, SHORT-TERM RENTALS. SO I SEE -- I KNOW A LOT OF THIS CAME UP ATTONE HALL, WILL THIS FEE INCREASE THEN GO TO SAPD, SINCE THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPLEMENTING. >> WE'LL STAY AT DSD, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO ISSUE THE PERMITS. >> IF I MAY, THE CALLS THAT WE'RE RECOVERING, COUNCILWOMAN ARE THREE COMPONENTS, SO WE HAVE INSPECTORS IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE HAVE THE PERMITTING TEAM IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND, AND IN THE GENERAL FUND WE HAVE THE POLICE COMPONENT AS WELL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO THE REGISTRATION. SO THE REVENUE THAT WE'RE CHARGING IS GOING TO BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND AND THE GENERAL FUND. >> OKAY. GOOD. CAN YOU TELL ME TOO WITH THE CURRENT BALANCE OF UNPAID FEES WHAT THE DANGEROUS CLEANUP IS ON PAGE 9 AND THE VACANT LOTS. DO WE HAVE ANY UNPAID? I'M JUST WONDERING -- HERE IS MY CONCERN, REPEAT OFF OFFENDERS, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD SCALE IT, THE MORE THEY DO IT, AND THEY GO AND PAY THEIR FEE AND THEY DO IT AGAIN, LIKE UNACCEPTABLE, WE SHOULD HIT THEM HARDER BECAUSE IT'S CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL DETER THAT, AND
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE GOING ON IN MY DISTRICT A LOT, SO IS THERE A WAY TO REMEDY THAT? >> YES, MA'AM. SO THIS FEE HERE IS THE ADMINISTRATION FEE, SO ANY TIME WE SEND OUR CONTRACTOR TO ABATE A PROPERTY OR CLEAN IT, TODAY WE HAVE THE $250 AS AN ADMIN FEE FOR US TO DO THE PAPERWORK AND KEEP UP WITH IT. WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE IT TO $300. NOW, IF THEY DO VIOLATE THE CODE EVERY TIME, WE DO ISSUE CITATIONS FOR THEM, AND THOSE CITATIONS ARE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING CITATIONINGS, FIRST IS $300, $500, AND THEN $1,000 AFTER THAT, SO IT DOES GO IN INCREMENT? >> SPEARS: CAN WE MAKE THOSE HIGHER? >> THAT'S CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE QUESTION. >> SPEARS: WELL, I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT WORKING ENOUGH. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T CARE AND THEY'LL JUST GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM, PAY THE FE FEES, AND THEY JUST DON'T CARE, AND THA THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING, AND NEVER REMEDY THE SITUATION. >> SO, COUNCILWOMAN, I'M WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THERE IS A MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT THE STATUTE, THE TEXAS STATE STATUTE IN THIS CASE, CHAPTER 54 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SETS THE MAXIMUM THAT WE AS A CITY CAN CHARGE, EITHER THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICER OR A MAXIMUM FOR THE CLASS E MISDEMEANOR CASES. >> SPEARS: AND WE CAN'T DO THIS OUTSIDE OF THE CITATION ONCE THE CITATION IS ISSUED? >> THE QUICK ANSWER, NO, WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE STRICT TERMS OF THE STATUTE AND WHAT IT ALLOWS THE CITY TO DO. >> SPEARS: OKAY. I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: CAN YOU COME UP HERE REAL QUICK. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STREET LIGHT SITUATION. IS THERE FUNDING FOR NEW STREET LIGHTS IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET. >> AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTS IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, BUT WE -- WE HAVE INSTALLED SO FAR 1,467 LIGHTS, AND WE HAVE 87 IN THE PIPELINE TO BE INSTALLED, SO THAT EQUATES TO 1,554 LIGHTS. >> MUNGIA: GOT YA. THAT'S GOOD FOR ME. I SUPPORT HAVING MONEY FOR STREETLIGHTS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR THAT WAS BEING PROPOSED AS A CUT BECAUSE AS WE GO AROUND TO RESI RESIDENTS; RIGHT? THEY CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT LIGHTING IN THE STREETS, AND EVEN WHEN WE'VE -- I HOPE YOU ALL REALIZE, RIGHT, WHEN WE FINISH OUR STREETLIGHT GAP, WHENEVER THAT IS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REVISIT THE UDC AND TALK ABOUT INCREASING THE STANDARD FOR LIGHTING BECAUSE THE EXISTING CODE DOESN'T MEET THE COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS. SO A LOT OF TIMES I GO TO MY RESIDENTS AND S SAY -- IF I WERE TO SAY WE'RE NOT FUNDING STR STREETLIGHTS THEY WOULD QUESTION WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES PUT TING THAT BACK IN SOME CAPACITY ESPECIALLY BECAUSE NOW MORE THAN EVER IT'S EASY WITH THE SOLAR LIGHTS WE HAVE WITH THE CONTRACT WITH INSTALL AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GET RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION , SO IT'S EASIER NOW TO INSTALL STREET LIGHTS SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD TAKE AWAY FUNDING FOR STREET LIGHTS. THAT SEEMS LIKE A CORE CITY SERVICE. >> COUNCILMAN, I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT, IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE ADDED FUNDING TO INSTALL STR STREETLIGHTS, THAT HAS BEEN FUNDED OUT OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET, AND THIS YEAR, GIVEN OUR CAPACITY IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, WE DID NOT RECOMMEND AN ALLOCATION FOR STREET LIGHT INSTALLATION. >> MUNGIA: SO WE'VE DONE STREET LIGHTS WITH DEBT IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. >> CORRECT. >> MUNGIA: OKAY. SO, AGAIN, I THINK MOST OF US WERE INTERESTED IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT INCREASING THE -- OUR DEBT CAPACITY FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, SO THAT WOULD CERTAINLY -- I WOULD ASK US TO REVISIT THAT TO GET MORE LIGHTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN I DO SUPPORT -- MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED SOME FUNDING MAYBE ALLOCATED TO SOME HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS THAT FOCUS ON WOMEN'S HEALTH, MATERNAL HEALTH, I SUPPORT THAT ALSO, I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE STATE OF AFFAIRS HERE LOCALLY. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. PLEASE. >> GONZALEZ: QUICK QUESTION, ON THE DHS BUDGET, I FORGOT TO ASK, THERE'S A CAPITAL OUTLAY, I THINK, THERE'S GOING FROM 194 IN 26 TO 903 -- A 903,000. EXCUSE ME. >> THE INCREASE IS DUE TO ADDITIONAL COMPUTERS BEING
REPLACED. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEM BER CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> CASTILLO: A COUPLE FOLLOW UP POINTS, I WANT TO BE SURE SINCE WE'RE SHOUTING OUT CODE COME PLAINS MARCUS BARBARA IS PHENOMENAL, AND I KNOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN DISTRICT 5 ARE RECEPTIVE TO THE INFORMATION HE'S SHARING AND HE'S EDUCATIONAL FOR VIOLATION AND COMPLIANCE, SO GRATEFUL FOR HIM AND THE FOLKS THAT WORK IN DISTRICT 5. I DID HAVE SOMETHING FOR STAFF TO CONSIDER WITH THE FEE FOR GARAGE SA SALES, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE FROM 2 OR 3 FOR STICKERS, WHEN YOU ISSUE THE PERMIT, YOU'RE IS ISSUED TWO STICKERS TO PUT ON SIGNS THAT SAY YARD SALE HERE, IF YOU COULD CONSIDER INCREASING TO THREE STICKERS, THERE WOULD BE MORE VALUE THERE. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE DATA FOR CITYWIDE CODE COMPLIANCE CASES FOR CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS, I'M SEEING TOP FIVE ALLEYWAY, IN DISTRICT 5, THAT'S WHY WE ALLOCATED FOR ALLEYWAY MAINTENANCE FUNDS BECAUSE THAT'S AN ISSUE, BUT I'M CURIOUS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY, AND THIS MAY BE BEYOND A BUDGET TO EXPLORE HOW MANY -- WHAT ARE THE ESTIMATED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ALLEYWAY MAINTENANCE AND VALUE IN EXPLORING WITH POTENTIALLY SELLING THAT ALLEY TO A BUDDING PROPERTY OWNER? I KNOW I HAVE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE SAID IF I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERGROWN VEGETATION IN THE ALLEY, LIKE, WHY DID A CAN'T I JUST OWN IT OR MOVE MY FENCE; RIGHT? SO I THINK THERE'S VALUE TO REDUCE THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH ALLEYWAY MAINTENANCE IF THERE ARE BLOCKS THAT ARE INTE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THAT ALLEYWAY AND TAKING OWNERSHIP SINCE THEY'RE ACCOUNTABLE FOR LITTER AND OVERGROWN VEGET VEGETATION, SO I WANT TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD EXPLORE THROUGH A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST OR SOMETHING WE COULD SEE WITHIN PDCD, AND SEE THE IMPACT AND POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS THERE, AND THEN AGAIN TO REITERATE. THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND ASK THAT HAS BEEN MADE, AND THOSE ARE MY LAST COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. JUST CONFIRMING, COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ ON THE SECOND ROUND? NO. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. OKAY. THANK YOU, AGAIN, MARIE Y THE ENTIRE STAFF FOR THESE CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH ACS, PLEASE. JOHN GARY, ON THE -- I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS, A KEY PART OF THIS IS UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH SPAY AND NEUTER WE CAN DO TO ALLEVIATE UNFORTUNATELY THE NUMBER OF -- ONE THE SAFETY ISSUE BUT ALSO THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT HAVE TO BE EUTHANIZED SO I KNOW THE TARGET FOR FY27 IS 42,000, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT'S A GOOD TARGET? >> WELL, WE'RE BASING THAT OFF OF WHAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO HERE. SO THEN THAT CAPACITY, IT IS -- WE DO MORE SPAY AND NEUTER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN SAN ANTONIO BUT THERE IS A CAPACITY ISSUE FOR THE NUMBER OF VETERINARIANS WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, AND SO THAT NUMBER IS KIND OF BASED OFF OF THAT, WHAT CAPA CAPACITYWISE WE BELIEVE WE COULD ACCOMPLISH. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: SO THAT NUMBER IS BASED ON THE CAPACITY OF THE NUMBER OF VETERINARIANS WE COULD EMPLOY TO DO THIS WORK? >> CORRECT. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: DO WE HAVE ANALYSIS THAT SHOWS US WHAT WOULD BE THE ACTUAL NUMBER IF WE WANTED TO AFFECT THE TRAJECTORY IN OUR COMMUNITY OF ANIMALS DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE OF SPAY AND NEUTER TO ACCOMPLISH? >> WE DON'T, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHELTERS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY STRUGGLE WITH, SO WE DON'T KNOW AN EXACT NUMBER, NO. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: I WOULD WELCOME ANALYSIS THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THIS IS AT SOME POINT A RESOURCE ISSUE AS YOU WELL KNOW SO UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING US JUST UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT NUMBER IS 75K, THE RIGHT NUMBER IS 80K TO REALLY EFFECT THIS DAVID ASKED ME TO MENTION WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REDOING -- HAVING ANOTHER FREE ROAMING DOG STUDY WE DID ONE BACK IN 2019 SAYING THERE'S 34,000, WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF
WORKING ON AN AGREEMENT WITH A COMPANY THAT WILL BE COMING IN THE FUTURE TO DO ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ANAL ANALYSIS, SO THAT SHOULD GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF WHETHER OR NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE MAKING PROCESS, IS IT 34,000, HIGHER, OR HAVE WE SEEN A REDUCTION. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID, HIRING ANOTHER CLINIC TO DO FREE AND NEUTER WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR PROGRESS. >> NO. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON A FREE ROAMING DOG STUDY WHERE THEY'LL GO THROUGH AND DO A STUDY IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FREE ROAMING DOGS WE HAVE. THAT STUDY WILL ALLOW US TO COMPARE TO THE ONE WE DID IN 2019 THAT SAID 34,000 ANIMAL S AND SHOW WHETHER OR NOT OUR EFFORTS IN SPAY AND NEUTER AND OTHER EFFORTS ARE MAKING AN IMPACT OR NOT. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: I LOOK FORWARD IN UNDERSTANDING THAT. AND FOR EVERYONE'S CONTEXT AND THIS IS AN ISSUE I GET THE MOST EMAILS ON, IF NOT THE SECOND BUT THE COST TO EUTHANIZE VERSUS THE COST TO SPAY AND NEUTER, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? >> IT'S DEFINITELY CHEAPER TO EUTHANIZE THAN SPAY AND NEUTER. YOU'RE PAYING A VETERINARIAN, A STAFF TO DO THE SURGERY, SO IT DOES COST MORE TO SPAY AND NEUTER THAN TO EUTHANIZE. THE REASON SPAY AND NEUTER IS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OVEREUTHANIZING ONE, YOU'RE SAVING THE LIFE OF THE ANIMAL BUT MAKING A LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHEREAS IF WE WENT TO OLD SCHOOL MENTALITY OF CAPTURE, EUTHANIZE, IT WOULD CONTINUE TO CONTINUE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: I WOULD LIKE SOME ANALYSIS THAT WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS A NUMBER THAT WILL AFFECT OUR STRAY SECRETARY OF STATE RI IN THE COMMUNITY. I MEAN, HOW MANY OF THE TARGET -- THE 42,000 -- HOW MANY OF THOSE -- COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE BASED ON PERSON'S SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS? SOME OF THOSE ARE BEING SPAYED AND NEUTERED AT ACS, WITH ADOPTION, THOSE THINGS TOO. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. IF THAT IS -- DO YOU KNOW, IF THAT IS THE RESOURCE CONSTRAINT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP US, IF THAT IS -- AGAIN, THAT'S WHY THE ANALYSIS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW MANY DO WE NEED TO COMPLETE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO AFFECT THE TRAJECTORY IS THE COST BENEFIT JUST HIGHER FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THOSE FREE, KIND OF IRRESPECTIVE OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO PAY JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS SO MUCH UNFORTUNATELY ON IS IT EUTHANIZE SIDE BUT ALSO ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE. 'I WOULD WELCOME SOME ANALYSIS BEFORE THE END OF THIS BUDGET SEASON TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT MORE WE COULD DO IN THIS. THANK YOU. PLEASE. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU. ON THE USED AUTO PARTS LICENSE, THAT WENT FROM $1,000 TO $5,000. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT JUMP, ONE, BUT IT ALSO PUTS US OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER LARGE CITIES. HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THAT NUMBER? >> SO AS I MENTIONED IN MY PRESENTATION, WE WERE TASKED TO DO A COST RECOVERY ANALYSIS ON THE PROGRAM, SO WE LOOKED AT IT, WE DO HAVE A SUPERVISOR, TWO CODE OFFICERS WHO WILL RESPOND AND DO MONTHLY INSPECTIONS ON THOSE LOCATIONS FOR RECYCLING FACILITIES AND USED AUTO PARTS. SO WHEN WE ADDED THE COST FOR THEM AND A LITTLE BIT FOR ADMINISTRATION COSTS ON TOP, IT ENDED UP TO BE A LOT HIGHER, ACTUALLY. EVEN THE $5,000 WILL NOT GET US EXACTLY AT 100%. >> MAYOR JONES: WHEN YOU ALSO COMPARED IT TO THE OTHER CITIES, THAT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY'RE CHARGING. >> AS WE HIT A VIOLATION ON OUR METAL RECYCLERS WE HAVE A DIFFERENT CADENCE THAT OUR OFFICERS VISIT. ONCE A VIOLATION IS RECEIVED BY ONE OF THESE METAL RECYCLERS, THERE ARE DAILY VISITS, MID-DAY VISITS, END OF DAY VISITS. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE BECAUSE OF THEIR IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT CADENCE SETS US APART FROM THOSE OTHER CITIES, WHICH IS WHY THE COST OF SERVICE MODEL IS DIFFERENT. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S HELPFUL CONTEXT. THANK YOU. IS THAT THE SAME FOR THE METAL RECYCLER'S LICENSE WHICH IS SIMILARLY MUCH, MUCH HIGHER THAN OTHER CITIES? >> CORRECT. MANY OF THESE LOCATIONS HAVE BOTH OF THOSE LICENSES. IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH THE TYPE OF MATERIAL THEY'RE RECYCLING. THAT'S THE REASON THAT IT'S ACROSS BOTH OF THEM. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. I WANTED TO, AS WE THINK ABOUT KIND OF THE SECOND AND THIRD INTENDED, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF SOME OF THESE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A USED AUTO PARTS RESELLER, RIGHT, BY HAVING SUCH A HIGH FEE, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT THEM TO BE COMPLIANT. OF COURSE THAT'S THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE WANT. BUT IF WE'RE HAVING SUCH A HIGH FEE, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE PUT SOME OF THESE FOLKS OUT OF BUSINESS, THE VERY
KINDS OF PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDING SOMETHING IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT NEED ENTITIES AT THAT LEVEL. IF YOU'RE NOT BUYING A USED ITEM, YOU'RE HAVING TO BUY A NEW ITEM WHICH IS ARGUABLY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE COST RECOVERY MODEL BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCES, POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES ON THESE PROVIDERS GIVEN CERTAINLY THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS RIGHT NOW BUT WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY BUSINESSES OUT OF BUSINESS AS A RESULT OF THE CHARGES. >> UNDERSTOOD. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH. OKAY. >> MAYOR, ABSOLUTELY, WE WANT TO BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO, NO ARGUMENT THERE. I THINK THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RENEWED EMPHASIS ON THESE BUSINESSES AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE BALANCE OF NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION AND YOU KNOW, A REASONABLE FEE THAT COST RECOVERS FOR US. THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE LANDED THIS YEAR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT. IF THERE CONTINUES TO BE VIOLATIONS FROM THESE COMPANIES, WE ARE GOING TO RAMP UP ENFORCEMENT AND THAT NUMBER MAY GO UP NEXT YEAR, JUST TO BE REALLY CLEAR. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK BY SOME OF THE FOLKS ON THIS BODY TO GET US WHERE WE ARE TODAY. >> MAYOR JONES: APPRECIATE THAT. THANKS, JOHN. ON HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH, OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE QUITE RELATED. WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE UNFORTUNATE REDUCTIONS, IT ALSO JUST KIND OF BIG PICTURE, MARIA, UNDERSTANDING HOW WE'RE DOING THIS. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE LOOK AT HEALTH, WHEN MELODY PRESENTED AND WHEN WE LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, AT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IN THE BUDGET BOOK IT'S PAGE 467, WE MAKE AN ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF -- NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS RECEIVING CASE MANAGEMENT. SO IN FY '26 WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE, FY '26, WE EXPECT THAT TO BE 2300 -- THANKS, DR. JACOB. $2300, THAT BEING 25%. THEN IN FY '27 WE ANTICIPATE THAT SAME NUMBER, 2300, BUT THAT PERCENTAGE ONLY BEING 20% OF THE CASELOAD. SO BASED ON THAT, WE ARE EXPECTING 25% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS RECEIVING CASE MANAGEMENT? IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT ASSUMPTION AND CERTAINLY ONE WE WANT TO RESOURCE FOR, BUT CERTAINLY HAS IMPLICATIONS AS WELL FOR POLICE AND OUR FUNDING TO DELEGATE AGENCIES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THE NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS RECEIVING CASE MANAGEMENT. NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW BUT HOW WE ARE COMMUNICATING THAT TO ALL THE OTHER STAKE HOLDERS ACROSS THE CITY FOR WHOM WOULD BE RESPONDING TO THAT, ADDRESSING IT, AND OF COURSE, THE OTHER COMMUNITY STAKE HOLDERS THAT WOULD HAVE A RESPONSE PIECE TO THAT, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT NOW, OTHERWISE WE WILL LOOK FOR A FOLLOW-ON RESPONSE. BUT THOSE KIND OF BIG ASSUMPTIONS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE LAYING THOSE FLAT ACROSS ALL PLANNING. CERTAINLY IS POLICE ACCOUNTING FOR THAT KIND OF RESPONSE? ARE WE TALKING WITH OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS, WITH THAT KIND OF INCREASE IN OUR COMMUNITY? WE ARE LEVEL SETTING ACROSS, IT'S IMPORTANT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING OR COMMENT. >> SURE. VERY BRIEFLY, WE ARE PART OF THE CITY/COUNTY COLLABORATIVE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, NOT JUST THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BUT ALSO BEXAR COUNTY, NON-PROFIT PROVIDERS AND THE MEDICAL FIELD AS WELL, SO WE SHARE THE CHALLENGES, WE SHARE THE DATA. SO WE STAY PRETTY ENGAGED WITH THE ECOSYSTEM THAT PROVIDES SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. >> MAYOR JONES: AND THAT'S SUPER HELPFUL. I THINK, THOUGH, WHEN WE ARE MAKING RESOURCE DECISIONS AS A CITY, ON THINGS RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IF YOUR OPERATING ASSUMPTION IS WE WILL SEE A 25% INCREASE IN THIS, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL. THANK YOU. OKAY. DR. JACOB, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR CHART AS WELL, THE NUMBER OF VACCINATIONS ADMINISTERED BY IMMUNIZATIONS PROGRAM, WE SEE A DECREASE BY A THIRD FROM WHAT WE WERE PROVIDING IN FY '25. FY '25 WAS 15,325. FY '27 TARGET IS 10,000. IS THAT BASED ON WHAT WE ARE RESOURCING FOR OR IS THAT BASED -- CERTAINLY I KNOW THERE'S BEEN UNFORTUNATELY A BIT OF A DECREASE IN REQUESTS FOR VACCINATIONS BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT IS THE DROP BASED ON, PURELY OUR RESOURCING? >> JACOB: YES. YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE CUTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH FEDERAL GRANTS SO WE'RE ADJUSTING. WE DID LAST YEAR MAKE A COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE WE
REALLOCATED SOME CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN OUR IMMUNIZATION CLINIC BUT JUST IN GENERAL, THERE ARE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS. THAT'S WHY WE SEE A MINOR DROP TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE'LL BE ADMINISTERING FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. HOW ARE WE THEN, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE FUND IN OUR COMMUNITY, SOME THROUGH THE HUMAN SERVICES SPACE, HOW ARE WE UNDERSTANDING WHAT A THIRD OF A DECREASE IN OUR FUNDING FOR IMMUNIZATIONS COULD MEAN IN OTHER AREAS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SPACE? >> JACOB: YEAH. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S A MOVING TARGET. WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF TO SOME OF THE FISCAL DISRUPTIONS, WHETHER IT'S OUR STAFFING CAPACITY OR REALLOCATING RESOURCES. WE ARE SEEING AT LEAST ON THE GRANT SIDE A RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. WE DID EXPERIENCE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT GROWTH DURING THE PANDEMIC FOR A FEW YEARS, AND THAT'S LEVELED OFF. SO IN TERMS OF THE IMPACTS OF THE OTHER UNITS MEANS TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION OF SERVICES FOR AREA RESIDENTS. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. SO TO THE IDEA OF WE DON'T QUITE YET UNDERSTAND WHAT A THIRD OF A DECREASE IN IMMUNIZATIONS CONDUCTED THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY WOULD MEAN, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE TAKING THAT REDUCTION FOR MY AMENDMENT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE -- BECAUSE THAT'S THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, CORRECT? THAT DECREASE? WANT TO MAKE SURE. >> MAYOR, THE PERFORMANCE METRICS REFLECT ALL FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING GRANTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR THE VACCINATIONS THAT YOU ARE MENTIONING IN FISCAL YEAR '25, WE DID 15,000 AND WE HAD AN ESTIMATE FOR '26 OF 9,000 AND WE ARE ESTIMATING 10,000 THE FOLLOWING YEAR. WE'LL CLARIFY BUT I THINK THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR GRANTS THAT WERE ONE-TIME FUNDING. >> SO IN 2025, WE HAD ABOUT 5.3 MILLION DOLLARS OF VACCINE-RELATED GRANTS. THE IMMUNIZATION AND VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM WHICH WAS A CDC BRIDGE GRANT, WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT. SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND '27. >> MAYOR JONES: I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE FOR ME, THOUGH, KIND OFIRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH US PERFORMING A THIRD LESS IMMUNIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY? IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, IN FACT, HAVE TO, IN YOUR MEDICAL JUDGMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH JUDGMENT, IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY GO IDENTIFY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS,IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM, IF WE FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT UNDERSTAND THERE TO BE BENEFIT AND CONTINUING AT THAT LEVEL, I WOULD WELCOME HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT HOW WE WOULD BACKFILL THAT. BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY BASED ON YOUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT, DR. JACOB, ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S IN THE BEST PUBLIC HEALTH INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY. >> JACOB: THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST IN BROADER CONTEXT, OBVIOUSLY THE CORE FUNCTION IS ABOUT MITIGATING THE SPREAD OF DISEASE AND INJURY SO WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO NATIONAL OUTBREAKS, LOCAL OUTBREAKS. TO YOUR POINT, AGAIN, WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING AT LEAST A FUNDING STREAM BUT OUR TASK IS MAKING SURE THAT WE REALLOCATE RESOURCES WHERE NECESSARY TO MITIGATE ANY OUTBREAKS HERE LOCALLY. >> MAYOR JONES: UNDERSTOOD. I'M NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT BUT I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT IN TERMS OF SURVEILLANCE AND AWARENESS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING AS WE ALL UNFORTUNATELY REMEMBER COVID QUITE WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT QUICKLY CAN SURPASS OUR CAPACITY TO RESPOND AND ADDRESS. SO IN THE INTEREST OF IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM PUBLIC HEALTH, I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE US MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FUNDING THAT AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL AND DR. JACOB, I WOULD WELCOME IF YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THAT IS WHAT THE HIGHER NUMBER WAS, 15,000 IN FY '25, THEN WE FUND TO THAT. >> MAYOR, IF I MAY. >> MAYOR JONES: PLEASE. >> WE CAN INCLUDE THIS IN THE FOLLOW-UP MEMO. BUT WHAT YOU SEE IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT ARE THE VACCINES PERFORMED BY METRO HEALTH. WE WILL PROVIDE THE LARGER ECOSYSTEM IN THE CITY TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT OTHER ENTITIES ARE DOING COMMUNITY-WIDE. >> MAYOR JONES: VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. JUST BECAUSE THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION BY DISTRICT HERE, WOULD WELCOME KIND OF WHO IS RECEIVING MOST OF THOSE THINGS. THOSE SERVICES BY DISTRICT. THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, DR. JACOB, THE FEDERAL GRANT FOR THE HEALTHY TEXAS MOTHERS AND BABIES, I UNDERSTAND IN FY '25 THAT WAS $70,000. IN FY '26 AND '27 IT WAS ONLY $35,000. CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT DECREASED FUNDING IS? >> JACOB: YES, WE WILL GET YOU THE DETAILS ABOUT THAT AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT WHAT PAGE IS THAT EXACTLY? >> MAYOR JONES: 472. >> JACOB: OKAY, GOT IT. OKAY. ONE SECOND.
>> SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THAT GRANT IS $85,000 AND IT'S BEEN AT $85,000. IT'S JUST A DIFFERENCE IN THE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. >> MAYOR JONES: SURE. YEAH. NO, AND THIS IS -- THANK YOU FOR THAT. VERY HELPFUL. THIS GETS TO KIND OF THE SAME POINT, THOUGH, THAT I'M MAKING, WHICH ISIRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THE FUNDING IS LOST, BECAUSE WHEN THERE ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE THINGS NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT FALLS ON US AND THAT FALLS ON THE LOCAL PROVIDERS TO RESPOND TO THAT. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THERE'S A DECREASE IN THE FUNDING. I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT IS AND THEN WE MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO ABSORB THAT RISK OR NOT, THEREBY IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL OTHER SOURCES TO FUND THESE THINGS, RIGHT, WHETHER WE, IF ABLE, ARE ABLE TO TAP MORE INTO THE 1115 MEDICAID WAIVER OR ELSEWHERE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE DONE, IT'S REALLY JUST A NUMBERS EXERCISE, BUT WE NEED A MUCH STRONGER ARTICULATION AND I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD IT IN MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS, WE DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND THEN OF COURSE, HOW WE CAN MITIGATE THOSE AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S JUST A RESOURCE ISSUE. OKAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO UNDERSTANDING HOW THE DECREASE IN THE FUNDING FOR THE HEALTHY TEXAS MOTHERS AND BABIES PROGRAM, WHAT THAT HAS MEANT IN OUR COMMUNITY. AGAIN, WE ARE TALKING $35,000. I MEAN, THIS IS -- >> MAYOR, IF I MAY. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THERE'S NO DECREASE IN THE FUNDING FOR THE HEALTHY TEXAS MOTHERS AND BABIES. THE AMOUNT IS THE SAME. IT'S JUST THE ALLOCATION IS DIFFERENT. SO WE GOT MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE AND LESS MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT $85,000 IS THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR. >> MAYOR JONES: SO WHEN WE LOOK ON PAGE 472, OKAY, DIFFERENT THAN -- OKAY. SO WE ARE PLUSSING UP AS A RESULT OF THE DECREASED -- OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO MORE, THOUGH, RIGHT? I WOULD WELCOME UNDERSTANDING THAT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY BUT THE IMPACTS ARE SIGNIFICANT AND OF COURSE, I THINK A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THAT PIECE IN LIGHT OF THE PROGRAM THAT IS BEING DEFUNDED. OKAY. THE $2 MILLION THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO, THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM WHICH IS -- I KNOW WE'RE IN THE LAST YEAR OF PROVIDING THAT $2 MILLION WHICH IS POSITIONING QUOTE METRO HEL TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ACADEMIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY? >> JACOB: THIS IS AGAIN, A FIVE-YEAR COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE TO THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR WITH THE THIRD COHORT. THE DESIGNATION OF AN ACADEMIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS NOT A FORMAL DESIGNATION. IT'S A PRACTICE. SO WE HAVE FORMAL AGREEMENTS, MOAS, MOUS WITH ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS THAT INCLUDE THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. IT'S A WAY THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS. WE HAVE BENEFITED IMMENSELY BY HAVING NOT ONLY INTERNS COME TO OUR DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO MATTER EXPERTS AND FACULTY TO DO THE WORK, TO AUGMENT OUR WORK. >> MAYOR JONES: UM-HUM. OKAY. I SAW THAT WE HAVE FEWER HEALTH CLINICS IN SCHOOL-BASED SETTINGS. 2025, WE HAD 459. OUR TARGET IN '27 IS GOING TO BE 377 WHICH IS ALMOST A 20% INCREASE. IS THAT ALSO JUST -- >> JACOB: IT WAS TIMING EXECUTING THE CONTRACTS. AGAIN, THIS IS THE LION'S SHARE IS SUPPORTED BY THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER AND SO NOW WE HAVE AT LEAST A COMMITMENT TO SUSTAIN THE ENTIRE SUPPORT FOR THE ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM, BUT AT THAT TIME, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, A FEW OF THEM WANTED TO AT LEAST COMMIT TO SCREENING ACTIVITIES BUT THE WORK CONTINUES. IT'S JUST THAT OUR METRO HEALTH TARGET, THE NUMBER OF CLINICS HAS DROPPED A BIT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. JUST TO CLARIFY, THE COMMUNITY WORK IS STILL BEING DONE. IT'S JUST, WE HAVE LESS CONTRACTS BUT THE PARTNERS ARE STILL DOING THE WORK? >> SURE. WE'RE JUST DOING LESS OF IT. WHICH IS THE RESULT OF DECREASED FUNDING. IS THAT CORRECT? >> JACOB: IT'S THROUGH THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER. >> MAYOR JONES: GOT IT. THANK YOU. >> JACOB: THERE WAS A QUESTION EARLIER IN THE SPRING ABOUT THAT FUNDING. WE HAVE NOW SECURED FOR THE NEXT THREE FISCAL YEARS. >> MAYOR JONES: GOT IT. THANK YOU. SO ON THIS EXAMPLE, THE 459
THAT WE WERE DOING IN 2025, IT'S THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE BEING PROVIDED, WE'RE JUST PROVIDING LESS TOWARD THAT? >> JACOB: FEWER CLINICS BUT THE WORK IS STILL ONGOING WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITY PROVIDERS. THIS IS THE METRICS, SPECIFIC TO METRO HEALTH. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. I GUESS IT'S THE END OF THE DAY, IS IT FEWER KIDS THAT WE ARE SERVING? >> JACOB: NO. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. I SAW IN YOUR METRICS THE NUMBER OF 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THAT THE SA CORE TEAM RESPONDS TO IN FY '26 LOOKS LIKE 5800, IN FY '27 THE TARGET IS JUST 5,000, WHICH IS ABOUT A 13% DECREASE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT IS? >> YES, MAYOR. JESSIE HIGGINS, CHIEF MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER. WE'VE KEPT THE TARGET KIND OF SIMILAR EVEN THOUGH OUR ACTUALS THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN HIGHER. IT'S BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAN 911 AND ALSO WITH THE DIVERSION CENTER, WE'RE INTERESTED IF THOSE THINGS MIGHT CHANGE THE ACTUAL LANDSCAPE AND HOW MANY CALLS GET SENT TO AN ACTUAL RESPONSE BY A TEAM. SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO INCREASE IT EVEN THOUGH WE HAD SEEN AN INCREASE IN THIS YEAR, IF THE LANDSCAPE MIGHT ACTUALLY CHANGE THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT WE WERE WORKING ON WHEN WE SUBMITTED THESE METRICS. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. I THINK SOMETHING, ON SOMETHING SO SIGNIFICANT, THOUGH, MENTAL HEALTH INSTANCES AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, I THINK WE WOULD WANT TO SEE SOME DATA FIRST, THAT SOME OF THOSE APPROACHES WERE WORKING AND HAVING THE INTENDED EFFECT BEFORE WE TAKE THAT OFF, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY SEEN TOO MANY UNFORTUNATE AND NEEDLESS CIRCUMSTANCES AS A RESULT OF THAT. SO I THINK MY AMENDMENT WOULD BE THAT WE FUND IT TO WHAT WE HAD INITIALLY. >> YES, MAYOR. THE FUNDING AND THE PROGRAM AND THE WORKLOAD WON'T CHANGE. WELL, THE WORKLOAD MAY CHANGE. BUT THE PROGRAM AND THE STAFFING AND NONE OF THAT IS UP FOR CHANGE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. >> SO IT WAS MORE ABOUT IF THE FRONT DOOR INTO SA CORE CALLS WHICH ARE 911 CALLS THAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH THAT GET SENT TO RESPONSE CHANGES, THEN THE AMOUNT THAT THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY RESPOND TO WOULD CHANGE. BUT THE STAFFING, THE FUNDING, THE PROGRAM, ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE AT ALL. SO IF THOSE OTHER INTERVENTIONS, THE DIVERSION CENTER OR ANYTHING ELSE, DO OR DO NOT HAPPEN OR HAPPEN DIFFERENTLY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE ACTUAL STAFFING IN THE PROGRAM IS EXACTLY THE SAME. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. >> SO I EXPECT THE NUMBERS CAN STAY THE SAME AS THEY HAVE BEEN THIS YEAR. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. SO YOUR FUNDING AND YOUR ASK FOR PERSONNEL AND FOR FUNDING IS THE SAME IF YOU'RE FUNDING FOR 5800 IN FY '26 AND THE SAME FOR 5,000 IN FY '27? THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. >> MAYOR, IF I MAY. YOU BRING A GOOD POINT. WE WILL REVISE THAT GOAL. BECAUSE THERE'S NO DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AND THERE'S NO DECREASE IN FUNDING. SO WE WILL MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL OF OUTPUT WE HAVE IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. >> MAYOR JONES: 5800? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THE CENTER FOR POLICY AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, IN PARTICULAR ON THE MENTAL -- EXCUSE ME, THE MATERNAL MORTALITY PILOT, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S EARLY ON, DIDN'T REALLY GET OFF, BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE HAD IT BEEN FULLY FUNDED? >> JACOB: YES, THANK YOU. THIS IS PART OF A MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENT WE HAD TIED TO SA FORWARD AND THE PRIORITY AROUND IMPROVING ACCESS TO CARE. IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS, WE HAD A TEAM TASKED WITH DEVELOPING POLICIES, LOOKING AT TRAINING MODALITIES, AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO ENHANCE PROGRAMS AND REFERRALS, SPECIFIC WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY OF OB-GYNS, MIDWIVERY AROUND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELING, SO IT'S PART OF A BROADER PILOT THAT WE HAVE LAUNCHED OVER THE PAST YEAR. THAT WOULD BE SUNSET. AGAIN, THE ACTUAL PILOT, COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR RESULTS IN EQUITY WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS REDUCTION. THE ONGOING COMMITMENT WOULD BE TO SUPPORT THE PRENATAL WORK GROUP WHICH IS ONE OF THE FOUR PRIORITY AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. AGAIN, WE ARE ONE OF MANY SO WE WOULD BE FORFEITING OUR STAFFING SUPPORT FOR THE ONGOING WORK FOR THAT PARTICULAR WORK GROUP. THE WORK WOULD BE CONTINUING BUT WE WOULD NOT BE STAFFING IT. >> MAYOR JONES: I UNDERSTAND WE WOULDN'T BE STAFFING IT BUT WE INITIALLY SAW VALUE IN PARTICIPATING IN THAT BASED
ON THE OUTCOMES WE WERE HELPING TO ACHIEVE, CORRECT? >> JACOB: THAT IS CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: CAN YOU HELP US QUANTIFY WHAT THAT, WHAT WE ARE NOW NOT GETTING AS A RESULT OF NOT FUNDING THAT? >> JACOB: I'M GOING TO INVITE DR. WU. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY HOW MANY SESSIONS OR SERVICES BUT KNOW THIS WAS PART OF THE DESIGN OF THIS INITIATIVE, THIS PILOT. IT'S DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY. >> MAYOR JONES: I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT EXPECT THAT. QUANTIFICATION WOULD BE NUMBER OF MEETINGS ATTENDED BUT RATHER, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF, I MEAN, THE CITY OBVIOUSLY HAS A REALLY IMPORTANT VOICE WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING THIS AND BEING ABLE TO NOT ONLY HELP THEN SHAPE OUR FEDERAL AGENDA BUT ALSO SHAPE OUR STATE AGENDA. SO I'M SURE ALSO WE WERE A KEY VOICE IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES THAT THE COLLECTIVE BODY IS TRYING TO PURSUE. SO I WOULD LIKE US TO HELP, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE OUTCOMES ARE AS IT RELATES TO OUR PARTICIPATION AND FUNDING. >> JACOB: THE SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES WE ARE LOOKING AT CLINIC PRACTICES AND POLICY CHANGES, IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY TO REFERRAL RESOURCES. WE'RE LOOKING AT INCREASED PROVIDER KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLSET AROUND PROVIDING EQUITABLE CARE, LOOKING AT SUSTAINED PRACTICES, AGAIN, AND POLICIES, TAKEN UP BY OUR PROVIDER NETWORK, IMPROVE PATIENT/PROVIDER TRUST AND LOOKING AT ENHANCING COMMUNITY-WIDE AWARENESS AROUND THIS PILOT PROJECT. THE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES WERE REALLY ABOUT IMPROVED MATERNAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS AS WELL AS REDUCED DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO CARE AS WELL AS THE EXPERIENCE IN OUTCOMES. THAT'S TIED TO OUR LOGIC MODEL BUT THAT WAS THE INTENT. >> MAYOR JONES: APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. ON THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. I SAW WE HAVE A 31% INCREASE IN FINANCIAL COUNSELING FOR THE SENIORS, IT LOOKS LIKE. 418 OR RATHER, INCREASE, EXCUSE ME. YEAH, 31% INCREASE IN FINANCIAL COUNSELING. SO 418 IS WHAT WE SAW IN 2025 AND THEN 550 IN 2027. ARE WE SEEING AN INCREASED NEED AMONG OUR SENIORS FOR THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE AND DO WE ANTICIPATE AN EVEN GREATER NEED WHEN WE SEE THESE IMPENDING CUTS IN MEDICARE, MEDICAID, CHIP AND SNAP? >> YES. WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONLY BEEN OFFERING THE FINANCIAL LITERACY TO SENIORS IN THE CENTERS FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW. AND WE HAVE SEEN MORE PARTICIPATION IN THAT EVERY YEAR. I THINK PART OF THAT IS DUE TO NEED. YOU KNOW THE COST OF HOUSING HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE TO PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOMES. SO WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK AROUND THAT. AND JUST HELPING THEM GET THROUGH AND MAKE ENDS MEET. BUT ALSO, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH ON FRAUD, WASTE -- NOT FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE BUT FRAUD ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF SENIORS. SO WE'RE GIVING SENIORS THAT NEED HELP EITHER WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT, UNDERSTANDING THE SCAMS OR MITIGATING THE DAMAGE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. IS 550 THEN IN '27 BASED ON THE DEMAND OR IS THAT JUST BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE ALLOCATED THE FUNDING FOR? I MEAN, IS THE DEMAND REALLY 1,000 OR IS IT 2500? >> IT'S BASED ON OUR CAPACITY WITH THE CASE WORKERS THAT WE HAVE AND ALSO INCLUDES OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE WORK WITH THE SENIORS. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE, THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE REDUCING, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IF ANY OF THOSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT -- YOU'RE SEEING -- IT'S A VACANT POSITION NOW BUT IT WAS A PROGRAM MANAGER THAT YOU'LL BE REDUCED BY JUST ONE, RIGHT? >> YES. THAT'S OUR FAITH-BASED LIAISON. THAT WORK HAS BEEN PICKED UP BY COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL AS REALLY, EVERY DIVISION IN OUR DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH FAITH-BASED ENTITIES. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL SERVICES OR THE FINANCIAL COUNSELING TO OUR SENIORS BUT ALSO TO YOUR POINT ABOUT PREVENTING SOME OF THIS FINANCIAL ABUSE AGAINST OUR SENIORS, THAT IS I THINK MONEY WELL SPENT. IN TERMS OF ONE, PROTECTING THOSE FOLKS BUT ALSO MAKING SURE
SO IN TERMS OF AN AMENDMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THIS CAPACITY AT OUR SENIOR CENTERS, WHEREVER THEY NEED TO BE IN YOUR JUDGMENT. THIS IS JUST MONEY THAT PAYS FOR ITSELF. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEEDED TRANSPORTATION AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE SITES BEING CLOSED, BUT WHEN I ALSO LOOK AT WHO IS BEING, WHICH POSITIONS ARE BEING REDUCED, YOU HAVE THREE FILLED CHAUFFEURS. ARE THOSE THE SAME FOLKS THAT WOULD BE DOING THE DRIVING OR ARE THESE DIFFERENT CHAUFFEURS? >> NO. SO WITH THE THREE PART-TIME SITES BEING CLOSED, WE HAVE THREE PART-TIME CHAUFFEURS THAT WOULD BE, POSITIONS WOULD BE ELIMINATED. WE HAVE VACANCIES FOR THE INDIVIDUALS. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. >> MAYOR, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE ANSWER IS NO. THE CUTS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE RELATED TO THE LOW PARTICIPATION IN THE PART-TIME NUTRITION CENTERS AND WE HAVE OTHER CHAUFFEURS AND THE COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS THAT WILL BE PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO THE IMPACTED SENIORS. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T JUST KIND OF DOING A LITTLE BIT OF A SHELL GAME, BECAUSE WE HAD TALKED EARLIER ABOUT POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT SOME OF THE DELEGATE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION WHEN AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE REDUCING THREE CHAUFFEUR POSITIONS. I SHARE MY COLLEAGUES'S FOCUS ON WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING THE CITY POSITIONS AS BEST ABLE. >> WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THAT DELEGATE AGENCY MONEY TO HELP US SERVE SENIORS WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF THE FIVE-MILE RADIUS. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. POINT OF CLARIFICATION, FOR DR. JACOB, ACTUALLY, I SAW IT ON YOUR METRICS. ONE OF YOUR OUTCOMES YOU LOOK AT IS NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THE WIC PROGRAM. WHAT IS THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THAT AND SNAP? IS IT THE SAME GROUP OF FOLKS? >> SAME GROUP OF FOLKS. THERE ARE SNAP-ELIGIBLE CLIENTS IMBEDDED WITHIN THE WIC PROGRAM. THAT'S OUR LARGEST SINGLE GRANT WE HAVE. >> MAYOR JONES: I APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW MANY, WHAT THE IMPACTS OF THE CUTS IN SNAP ARE MEANING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TO YOUR POINT, 13%, 14% REDUCTION JUST IN BEXAR COUNTY ALREADY. SO I THINK THERE MAY BE, BUT ACTUALLY THE THING THAT WAS ALSO INFORMATIVE ABOUT YOUR INFORMATION, TABLE, WAS THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN AT 50% OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE ENROLLED IN SNAP. THAT WAS SURPRISING TO ME CONSIDERING WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE FREEZE, SNAP FREEZE LAST YEAR, THAT WAS $50 MILLION A MONTH JUST IN SNAP BENEFITS THAT COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY. SO FOR US TO NOT EVEN BE AT 50% OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT OUR COMMUNITY LOSES OUT ON AS A RESULT OF OUR FOLKS NOT BEING ENROLLED IN THAT. HOW CAN WE HELP YOU OR HOW DO WE NEED TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY BETTER ENROLL IN THOSE THINGS? I KNOW THE FOOD BANK DOES THIS BUT THIS REALLY SEEMS LIKE BECAUSE AS WE TALKED ABOUT HERE, WE EITHER PAY FOR IT ONE WAY OR WE PAY FOR IT WITH THE DELEGATE AGENCIES. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT NOW, BUT IF THERE'S STAFF THAT IS DEDICATED TO HELPING PEOPLE ENROLL IN SNAP BECAUSE THAT AGAIN, NOT ONLY PAYS FOR THAT POSITION BUT BRINGS MORE MONEY INTO OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO DO THAT. >> JACOB: WE'RE NOT ALONE. WE WORK WITH AREA PROVIDERS, WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST WIC PROVIDERS IN THE CITY. JUST KNOW WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT ELSE WE CAN OFFER IN THE COMPLEMENT OF OTHER STAFF WE HAVE AT THE DEPARTMENT. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. ONE SECOND. DOCTOR JUST REMINDED ME WE BUILT CAPACITY BY ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF TO HELP WITH ENROLLMENT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. >> JACOB: SNAP ENROLLMENT IN PARTICULAR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I KNOW AS WE ARE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THE METRICS AND OUTCOMES, BUT YOU KNOW, A REAL INTENTIONAL FOCUS, WE SHOULD STRETCH. 70% OF OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT, ENROLLED IN SNAP THAT'S ELIGIBLE, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR. OF COURSE WE DEDICATE ENERGIES TOWARDS THAT. MARIA, MY FEEDBACK WOULD BE LET'S MAKE SURE OUR METRICS, WHEN IT COMES TO ENROLLMENT IN THAT PARTICULAR, WOULD BE -- IS COMMENSURATE GIVEN HOW MUCH MONEY IS POTENTIALLY ON THE TABLE FOR US IN OUR COMMUNITY BY DOING SO. >> ONE THING IF I CAN COLLAR FIESHGS I CLARIFY, I BELIEVE WE PROVIDED A TABLE THAT SHOWS SNAP-ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS. THE SNAP CASES IS ONE HOUSEHOLD AND WITHIN THAT, THERE MAY BE MULTIPLE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THAT HOUSEHOLD SO THAT SNAP ELIGIBLE IS THE
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD. INCLUDED IN THAT ONE CASE. >> MAYOR JONES: UNDERSTOOD. IF WE ARE STILL HALF OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE RECEIVING IT, RIGHT, THEN WE NEED TO, I WOULD THINK, DEDICATE SOME RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING AFTER THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT BUT JUST NOT ENROLLED. >> WE CAN PROVIDE THAT IN FOLLOW-UP. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION ON THE DELEGATE AGENCIES. THEY DO SUCH IMPORTANT WORK WHICH IS WHY IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO, WHERE WE CAN, BACKFILL THEM AND NO SECRET, I THINK A GREAT SOURCE OF THAT IS THE READY TO WORK MONEY, ESPECIALLY EVEN THOSE THAT WE KNOW THOSE ENTITIES THAT CAN BE PLUSSED UP WITHOUT AN ELECTION TO CHANGE THE FUNDING OF THAT. LET ME JUST REITERATE MY AMENDMENTS BASED ON SHORING UP SOME OF THOSE ENTITIES. BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT CUTS BUT IF WE ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT READY TO WORK MONEY, WE CAN ACTUALLY PLUS UP MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SUCH IMPORTANT WORK. I WILL START OFF WITH THE ONE THAT MY COLLEAGUES, NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES REFERENCED, SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. I WOULD NOT ONLY LIKE TO RESTORE THAT MONEY, THE FUNDING THAT WE HAD IN FY '26, I WOULD LIKE TO DOUBLE THAT MONEY. SO $4.2 MILLION FROM THE READY TO WORK MONEY IN FY '27 AND FY '28. I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THAT. NEXT LEVEL, THESE FOLKS DO GREAT WORK WITH OPPORTUNITY YOUTH. AGAIN, FOLKS THAT ARE IN A QUALIFIED PROGRAM THAT DO JOB TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT. I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT INCREASING THEIR FUNDING TO $275K, FROM $275K TO $500K A YEAR BOTH IN FY '27 AND '28. GOODWILL NORTHWEST JOB PLACEMENT DO GREAT WORK AS WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY WORKING WITH A VERY VULNERABLE GROUP. I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THEIR FUNDING, $150K IN '27 AND '28. RESET, WHICH IS THE YWCA OF SAN ANTONIO, THEY DO CASE MANAGEMENT AND JOB TRAINING SERVICES, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INCREASE THEIR FUNDING FROM READY TO WORK, USING THE READY TO WORK MONIES TO $150K IN FY '27 AND '28. I DON'T REMEMBER WHO, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED THE GREAT WORK THAT IT STARTS WITH YOUTH DOES. THIS IS OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, WORKFORCE READINESS TRAINING, WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THEIR FUNDING TO $150,000 IN FY '27 AND '28. OPPORTUNITY TO BACKFILL USING READY TO WORK MONEY TO BACKFILL SOME OF THE GENERAL FUNDS THAT ARE USED BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THAT ORGANIZATION INCREASED TO $4 MILLION USING READY TO WORK MONEY BOTH IN FY '27 AND '28. THEREBY FREEING UP $2 MILLION IN '27 AND '28 AND I WOULD LIKE TO USE THAT IF MY COLLEAGUES AGREE TO SHORE UP THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE ACCOUNTS. I WOULD ALSO, IN TERMS OF AMENDMENTS, I THINK THE -- I'M THANKFUL WE HAVE A SUPERB UT SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM, BUT I MEAN, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, UT SAN ANTONIO'S OPERATING BUDGET IS $975 MILLION A YEAR. THEY'LL BE OKAY WITHOUT OUR FULL $2 MILLION CONTRIBUTION IN LIGHT OF DR. JACOB, SOME OF THE CUTS THAT ARE PROPOSED JUST FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION. SO MY AMENDMENT WOULD BE REDUCING THE $2 MILLION CONTRIBUTION IN FY '26, REDUCING THAT TO $200,000 AND THE BALANCE OF THAT BEING UTILIZED TO RESTORE THE FUNDING FOR CENTER FOR POLICY HEALTH AND IMPROVEMENT, INCREASING -- WELL, ACTUALLY YOU JUST MENTIONED THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE IN FUNDING TO SA CORE RESPONSES. HOWEVER, IF THERE'S BENEFIT TO INCREASING THE LEVEL OF THAT TO 5800, YOU KNOW, TO 7500, I THINK THAT'S MONEY WELL SPENT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RESTORE, UTILIZE THE BALANCE OF THAT $1.8 MILLION RESTORING THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM. I THINK WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL, BOTH IN TERMS OF LACK OF AWARENESS AND LACK OF FUNDING, WE NEED TO HELP OURSELVES AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GATHERING THE INFORMATION, GETTING THAT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY
AND AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. WE ONLY DO THAT IF WE HAVE AWARENESS. SO THAT'S THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM RESTORATION, PLEASE. THE COUNCIL MEMBER KAUR BROUGHT UP AN IMPORTANT POINT WHICH IS WE ISSUE THESE FINES. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE CHALLENGED IN ACTUALLY COLLECTING THOSE, THEN WE MIGHT NOT BE HELPING OURSELVES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO I WOULD ASK MARIA AS PART OF THE DEBT MANAGEMENT PRESENTATION, IF YOU COULD HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF THE FEES THAT WE HAVE ISSUED ARE STILL OUTSTANDING, AND THEN WHAT PROCESS HAVE WE PUT IN PLACE SO THAT WE DON'T -- WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL COURT FINE EXERCISE AGAIN, WHICH IS GOING AFTER THESE THINGS YEARS, YEARS, YEARS AFTER THE FACT. SO I WOULD WELCOME UNDERSTANDING KIND OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT BUT ALSO HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT PROCESSING THOSE AND COLLECTING THOSE MUCH SOONER. I WANT TO THANK ALSO ON THE DELEGATE AGENCY PIECE, AS A RESULT OF THE STAFF'S VERY HELPFUL ANALYSIS, THANKS AGAIN, ALEX, THAT WAS ABOUT $4.5 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM READY TO WORK. I SENT A LETTER AND I'M THANKFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT SUPPORTED IT BUT LOOKING AT ACTUALLY ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES, ABOUT 16 OR 17 THAT ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN SOME FORM OF WORKFORCE TRAINING, JOB READINESS, THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY ALSO QUALIFY FOR FUNDING FROM READY TO WORK. AGAIN, WE HAVE VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS BUDGET TO PLUS UP BUT WE HAVE ALL SPOKEN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT DELEGATE AGENCY WORK SO I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE RESPONSES ABOUT WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO PLUS UP FURTHER THERE. OKAY. FINALLY, THIS IS TOUGH, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER GALVAN SAID THE OTHER DAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL MONEY HERE. I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL AND I THINK JUST JUDICIOUS IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT THIS AND OUR SUCCESSORS IN THE FUTURE AND OUR CITY IN THE FUTURE. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ISSUING DEBT FOR STREET LIGHTS OR WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DECREASING THE FUNDING FOR SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SO CRITICAL TO PUBLIC HEAALTH AND THE LONG-TERM STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE MONEY THAT WE FOREGO AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE INITIATIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND SHORTLY, ON NOVEMBER 10TH, WE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON SEVERAL TIRZ ITEMS. AS NOU, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PROPERTY TAX WE COLLECT BUT FOREGO TO INCLUDE EXTENDING THE MID-TOWN TIRZ TO 2060. ANNUALLY THAT'S ABOUT $12 MILLION WORTH OF PROPERTY TAX THAT WE FOREGO. I HOPE WE REMEMBER THESE DEEP CUTS WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT FOREGOING PROPERTY TAXES IN THE FUTURE TO ENSURE THAT AS INEQUITIES EXIST. THAT MEANS WE'VE GOT TO BE AS JUDICIOUS AS POSSIBLE WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT DOES NOT. I WOULD ENCOURAGE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH FOR THE MID-TOWN TIRZ FUNDING. I MEAN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT RED-LINING CONSTANTLY. WHEN YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 20 YEARS SHORTER SOUTH OF 90 THAN IT IS NORTH OF 90, I DON'T KNOW IF PROPERTY TAXES FOR AN ANIMAL HOSPITAL AT THE ZOO IS TRULY THE BEST USE OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES. MARIA, WOULD YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS? >> NO, MA'AM. >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE STAFF. REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD