[0:23] >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS AISHA CHUGHTAI AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE [0:29] BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, JUNE 16th, 2025. [0:35] BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING I WANT TO OFFER A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS, STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE TO [0:43] ENABLE GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THESE BROADCASTS INCLUDE REALTIME CAPTIONING AS A [0:49] FURTHER METHOD TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR PROCEEDINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. THEREFORE, ALL SPEAKERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL [0:54] OF THE RATE OF THEIR SPEECH SO THAT OUR CAPTIONERS CAN FULLY CAPTURE AND TRANSCRIBE ALL [1:00] COMMENTS FOR THE BROADCAST. WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO MODERATE THE SPEED AND CLARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS. ADD AT THIS X I WILL [1:10] ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL SO WE CAN VERIFY THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. [1:15] >> PAYNE. >> PRESENT. >> VETAW. >> PRESENT. >> ELLISON IS ABSENT. OSMAN IS [1:21] ABSENT. CASHMAN IS ABSENT. JENKINS IS ABSENT. CHAVEZ. [1:27] >> PRESENT. >> CHOWDHURY. >> PRESENT. >> PALMISANO. >> PRESENT. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. [1:34] >> PRESENT. >> AND CHAIR CHUGHTAI. >> PRESENT. >> THERE ARE NINE MEMBERS PRESENT. >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM. I'LL ALSO [1:40] REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE USING SPEAKER MANAGEMENT TODAY, SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SIGN IN. [1:47] COLLEAGUES BEFORE WE TAKE UP OUR AGENDA I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE [1:52] HARDBREAKING LOSSES OUR STATE AND COMMUNITY ARE HOLDING RIGHT NOW. EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING, MINNESOTA STATE HOUSE SPEAKER [1:58] MELISSA HORTMAN WAS ASSASSINATED IN HER HOME BY SOMEONE IMPERSONATING A LAW ENFORCEMENT [2:03] OFFICER. HE ALSO TOOK THE LIFE OF SPEAKER HORTMAN'S HUSBAND, MARK HORTMAN. HE ALSO ATTACKED [2:10] SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN AND HIS WIFE YVETTE WHO WERE RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL AND ARE THANKFULLY [2:15] STABLE AND RECOVERING FROM SEVERE INJURIES. I KNOW WE'RE ALL DEVASTATED BY THESE HORRIFIC [2:22] ACTS OF VIOLENCE, THANKFULLY AND PERPETRATOR WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY LAST NIGHT. THE GRAVITY OF LOSS SPEAKER [2:29] HORTMAN AND MARK'S DAUGHTER SOFIA'S LEFT WITH, THAT SENATOR HOFFMAN AND YVETTE'S DAUGHTER HOPE IS LEFT WITH, AND THAT ARE [2:37] OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND STATE ARE LEFT WITH IS ENORMOUS, SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF US TO [2:44] SHARE IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THESE TRAGEDIES BEFORE WE CONTINUE TO OUR AGENDA. THANK YOU ALL. [3:43] COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY THE FIRST ITEM IS RELATED TO ADJUSTING THE [3:50] 2025 CONSOLIDATED ACTION PLAN. I WILL ASK MATT BOWER FROM THE [3:55] FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO COME UP AND PRESENT ON THIS ITEM. [4:02] WELCOME, MR. BOWER. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CHUGHTAI, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. BUDGET COMMITTEE, MATT BOWER, [4:08] FINANCE AND PROPERTY SERVICES, AND I'M HERE TO REQUEST AN AMENDMENT TO THE 2025 GENERAL [4:14] APPROPRIATION BUDGET RESOLUTION TO ACCOUNT FOR IN THE SCHEDULE 4 OF THAT BUDGET, THE ACTUAL HUD [4:20] AWARDS THAT THE CITY IS SLATED TO RECEIVE FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN [4:26] DEVELOPMENT. THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT YOU HAD IN DECEMBER [4:31] CONTAINED AN ESTIMATED AWARD AMOUNT FOR EACH OF THE FOUR GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVED UNDER [4:37] THIS HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN PROGRAMMING. THE NET CHANGE IN THE BUDGET IS ABOUT [4:45] $35,000 INCREASE. THERE IS SLIGHT INCREASES TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, AND THE HOME INVESTMENT [4:51] PARTNERSHIP GRANT. VERY SLIGHT DECREASES IN THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, AND THE HOUSING [4:58] FOR -- HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS GRANT. THESE INCREASES OR DECREASES TO THESE [5:05] RESPECTIVE BUDGETS WILL BE APPLIED TO CERTAIN PROGRAMMING [5:10] LINES WITHIN THE SCHEDULE 4 IN ACCORDANCE WITH KIND OF HUD PROGRAMMATIC CONSIDERATIONS, AND [5:17] THEN THE, JUST THE GENERAL BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS OF, AND PRIORITIES APPROVED BY THIS [5:24] COUNCIL. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK TO HAVE THAT RESOLUTION [5:33] ADOPTED. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, MR. BOWER. COLLEAGUES S T, IS THERE ANY [5:40] DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? [5:46] NOT SEEING ANY, JUST MR. BOWER, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE, THE [5:53] PROCESS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH IN REVIEWING THE GRANTS, [5:59] FEDERAL GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS, AND HOW, WHAT TYPE OF IMPLICATIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE FOR [6:05] THIS ACTION TODAY. I KNOW THAT'S A PROCESS THAT'S ALSO BEING LESS BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S -- LED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SO I'M HAPPY [6:11] TO ASK DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY ABLESON TO SPEAK TO THEM AS [6:16] WELL. >> YES, SO CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THIS [6:22] APPLICATION FOR THESE FUNDS, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING THAT FOR HUD RIGHT [6:28] NOW. THIS LIKE ANY OTHER, THE RECEIPT FEDERAL GRANT AGREEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS GO THROUGH [6:35] REVIEW BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE ARE REVIEWING SOME ASSURANCE LANGUAGE THAT'S [6:41] ASSOCIATED WITH THESE GRANTS AND [6:46] POTENTIAL EITHER APPLICABILITY FOR THE CITY IF WE WERE TO SIGN OFF ON THOSE. THAT'S CURRENTLY [6:53] UNDER REVIEW, AND ONCE THAT REVIEW IS COMPLETED, WE'LL EITHER, YOU KNOW, WE'LL EITHER PROCEED WITH THE APPLICATION OR [6:59] WE MAY COME BACK WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS. [7:06] >> WONDERFUL. AND JUST SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR, WE'RE MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE SUN SOLIDATED ACTION PLAN, [7:11] NOT BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE SIGNED OFF O ON -- NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE [7:19] FINALIZED AGREEMENTS WITH THE RELEVANT FEDERAL AGENCIES, BUT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE AWARDS [7:26] THAT WE MAY -- WE ARE LIKELY TO RECEIVE SHOULD EVERYTHING GO [7:32] ACCORDING TO PLAN. IS THAT ACCURATE? >> KRECORRECT, YES. >> AND SHOULD WE END UP IN A [7:37] SITUATION WHERE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO AGREE ON TERMS OF THE, THE [7:47] AGREEMENTS WITH, WITH THE RELEVANT FEDERAL AGENCIES, WHAT TYPE OF GAP WOULD WE SEE IN, IN [7:56] OUR BUDGETS FOR THESE, FOR THESE [8:03] PROGRAMS. >> THESE PROGRAMS THAT THIS BUDGET COVERS IS ABOUT [8:09] $17 MILLION IN THE BUDGET, AND OBVIOUSLY IF WE WERE ABLE TO -- [8:16] WE WEREN'T ABLE TO AGREE TO ANY TERMS OR WERE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, FIND OURSELVES IF A BUSINESS [8:22] WHERE WE WEREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THEM AND NEEDED TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER MAKE A CHANGE OR INITIATE A CHANGE OR DO, DO AN [8:34] ALTERNATIVE, ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS WITH THESE GRANTS, YEAH, WE [8:39] WOULD, THAT WOULD BE A MANAGEMENT REVIEW FIRST AND THEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE [8:45] COUNCIL WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON, ON NEXT STEPS. AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF [8:52] THOSE STEPS ON THEIR ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET. BUT AT THIS POINT, [8:58] IT'S PREMATURE TO KIND OF SPECULATE WHAT THOSE, THOSE COULD BE, BUT, AGAIN, THE, AS [9:11] WITH ANYTHING, THEY'RE ALWAYS PROSPECTIVE BUDGET, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING AT THIS POINT, STILL WITH PRESUMING WE'LL BE [9:18] ACCEPTING THESE TO GET THE BUDGETS IN PLACE SO DEPARTMENTS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING AND CAN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE PLANNING [9:25] AS THEY DO MUCH AS WE DO IN DECEMBER WHEN WE GIVE THESE DEPARTMENTS THEIR PROSPECTIVE [9:31] BUDGET DIRECTIONS. SO. >> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I MEAN, I ASK BECAUSE $17 MILLION IS QUITE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF [9:39] MONEY, AND I KNOW THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING ENTERPRISE-WIDE WITH SEVERAL OF [9:44] THE DIFFERENT FEDERAL AWARDS THAT WE RECEIVE TO PROVIDE PRETTY CRITICAL LINES OF SERVICE [9:49] TO OUR RESIDENTS. SO THERE IS A LOT ON THE LINE, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS ALONG WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S [9:55] OFFICE AND ALL THE RELEVANT STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WORKING VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY TO [10:02] MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE CRITICAL LINES OF SERVICE, AND, AND ARE HOLDING [10:09] OUR VALUES IN OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE AWARDS THAT WE RECEIVE. THANK YOU. I'M NOT SEEING ANY [10:15] FURTHER QUESTIONS, SO BEFORE WE CONTINUE TO APPROVAL OF THIS [10:20] ITEM, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED IN THIS COMMITTEE BY COUNCILMEMBERS [10:26] OSMAN AND JENKINS, AND SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM. DO I [10:32] HAVE A SECOND? THAT ITEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND [10:37] SECONDED, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. [10:42] THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE AYES HAVE IT [10:47] AND THAT MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 2 ON [10:53] OUR DISCUSSION AGENDA, WHICH IS THE 2026 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. [10:59] I WILL INVITE DESTINY, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION FOR THE CITY [11:07] CLERK'S OFFICE, CASEY CARL, OUR CITY CLERK, AND ROBERT TIMMERMAN OUR CITY AUDITOR TO COME UP AND [11:13] BEGIN THIS PRESENTATION. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT AND [11:18] MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS CASEY CARL. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS [11:23] CLERK FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. AS INDICATED WE'RE TO PRESENT THE 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL [11:30] BUDGET WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY OF COUNCIL AND OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR. THE PRESENTATION WILL BE LED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF [11:36] ADMINISTRATION, AS THE CHAIR INDICATED, WITH CITY AUDITOR ROBERT TIMMERMAN HERE TO DISCUSS THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PROPOSALS. [11:42] WE ALSO HAVE WITH US OUR DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS AND VOTER SERVICES, KATIE SMITH TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE [11:48] MAY HAVE ABOUT OUR SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2026 [11:54] GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION. WE APPRECIATE THIS IS A FULL DAY GIVEN THIS WEEK'S SHORTENED SCHEDULE, SO WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO PUSH THROUGH OUR PREPARED [12:00] PRESENTATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND WITH THAT, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MS. ZHANG. [12:11] >> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS DESTINY GANG, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION FOR THE LEDGE [12:17] SLATTIVE DEPARTMENT. TODAY I WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE LE [12:22] LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT 2026 BUDGET REQUEST. PURSUANT TO CITY CHARTTHER LEGISLATIVE [12:27] DEPARTMENT IS A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE GENERAL OVERSIGHT OF THE CITY [12:33] COUNCIL. THE DEPARTMENT ENCOMPASSES THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE OFFICES OF CITY CLERK, CITY AUDITOR, AND ITS PURPOSE IS TO [12:39] PROVIDE INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE COUNCIL'S OFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE, POLICYMAKING, AND [12:45] OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS. THE CITY CLERK IS THE HEAD OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES. AS [12:50] SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, IN 2025, THE DEPARTMENT HAS A TOTAL OF [12:58] 114 FTEs. THESE POSITIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO THE THREE MAJOR DIVISIONS AS FOLLOWS. CITY COUNCIL LAZ 41 FTEs, CITY [13:06] CLERK HAS 65 FTEs, THIS INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF POLICY AND RESEARCH, AND OVERSIGHT AND [13:12] EVALUATION. CITY AUDITOR HAS EIGHT FTEs. THIS CHART SHOWS [13:20] THE HISTORICAL TREND OF THE LEGISLATIVE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES. ALTHOUGH THE POLICY AND RESEARCH AND OVERSIGHT AND [13:25] EVALUATION DIVISIONS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK EARLIER THIS YEAR, THEIR FUNDING IS STILL SHOWN [13:31] UNDER THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY AND ENSURE CLEAN YEAR END [13:38] RECONCILIATION. STARTING IN 2026, THESE FUNDS WILL BE REFLECTED UNDER THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK. THIS CHART PLACES [13:49] THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CITY'S OVERALL GENERAL FUND BUDGET [13:55] BASED ON DATA FROM OPEN GOV FROM THE APPROVED 2025 BUDGE. IT EXCLUDES SPECIAL REVENUE, [14:01] INTERNAL SERVICE, ENTERPRISE, AND CAPITAL FUNDS. AS SHOWN, THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT [14:06] ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.8% OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. FOR [14:12] CLARITY, DIVISION AREAS ARE BROKEN OUT INDIVIDUALLY. THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK REPRESENTS [14:17] THE LARGEST SHARE AT 1.9%. THE COMBINED COUNCIL AND AUDITOR [14:22] DIVISIONS MAKE UP ABOUT 2.4% OF THE CITY'S TOTAL GENERAL FUND [14:29] EXPENDITURES. THESE HIGHLIGHT THE DEPARTMENT'S STRONG VALUE ROUTED IN CORE DEMOCRATTING [14:35] FUNCTIONS LIKE COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WHILE REPRESENTING A RELATATIVELY SMALL PORTION OF [14:41] THE OVERALL BUDGET A. UNIQUE ASPECT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS THE IMPACT OF ELECTION RELATED COSTS WHILE THE [14:47] ELECTIONS AND VOTER SERVICES DIVISION HAS A STABLE BASIS BUDGET FOR FULL-TIME STAFF, RENT, AND OPERATIONS, THE COST [14:53] OF ACTUALLY RUNNING AN ELECTION CAN REPRESENT NEARLY HALF OF THE CLERK'S TOTAL PROGRAM BUDGET IN [14:58] A GIVEN YEAR. THIS VARIABILITY IS TIED TO THE FOUR-YEAR ELECTION CYCLE, WHICH CAUSES [15:05] SIGNIFICANT SWINGS IN ANNUAL SPENDING BUTS IT'S ALSO A CRITICAL FUNCTION. AFTER ALL, GOVERNMENT BEGINS AT THE BALLOT [15:10] BOX AND MINNEAPOLIS HAS A LONG-STANDING AND PROUD TRADITION OF DELIVERING HIGH [15:17] QUALITY, ACCESSIBLE ELECTIONS SERVICES TO ITS RESIDENTS. ON [15:24] THIS SLIDE YOU SEE THE 2026 CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL FOR BOTH THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK AND THE CITY COUNCIL. I WANT TO NOTE [15:29] HERE THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK OFFERS SEVERAL KEY OPERATIONAL DIVISIONS, DOCUMENT SOLUTION [15:34] CENTER, INFORMATION GOVERNANCE, POLICY AND RESEARCH, OVERSIGHT, AND EVALUATION, LEGISLATIVE [15:39] SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS, WHILE SEPARATING OUTS THE ELECTIONS AND VOTER SERVICES. LOOKING [15:48] AHEAD OF 2026 THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK IS REITERATING A ONE-TIME FUNDING REQUEST OF $6.2 MILLION IN ADDITION TO ITS STANDARD [15:54] ELECTION AND VOTER SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET. THIS SUPPORTS [16:03] THE 2 2 2026 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION. HERE YOU SEE THE 2026 [16:09] CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR. TO MEET THE GROWING DEMANDS OF ITS [16:17] OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES, THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR IS REQUESTING ONGOING FUNDING OF [16:23] $573,000. THIS FUNDING WILL ENABLE THE CREATION OF THREE NEW POSITIONS. NEXT WE'LL AUGUST [16:28] THROUGH EACH SUPPLEMENTAL [16:34] REQUEST. FIRST ELECTION AND VOTER SERVICES REQUESTS. IN 2026, OUR ELECTION RELATED [16:39] ACTIVITIES ARE SET TO INCREASE STEADILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, CULMINATING IN A SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL PEAK DURING THE [16:46] NOVEMBER GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION. TO PREPARE FOR THIS CRITICAL [16:52] MOMENT, WE ARE SUBMITSING A ONE-TIME FUNDING REQUEST OF $6.2 MILLION. THIS INVESTMENT [16:57] WILL SUPPORT A COMPREHENSIVE ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING 159 TEMPORARY WORKERS [17:04] TO MANAGE ADMINISTRATIVE, LOGISTICAL, AND TECHNICAL TASKS. [17:10] 2200 ELECTION JUDGES TO STAFF POLLING PLACES, ENSURE COMPLIANCE, AND ASSIST VOTERS. [17:15] A ROBUST NETWORK OF EARLY VOTE CENTERS COMPRISING OF ONE CENTER THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR 46 DAYS, [17:22] TWO CENTERS THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR 14 DAYS, AND SEVERAL POP-UP VOTING LOCATIONS TO INCREASE [17:28] ACCESS. AND CRUCIALLY STAFFING FOR EXPENDED SERVICES, SERVICE HOURS IN ALIGNMENT WITH CITY [17:34] COUNCIL'S POLICY DIRECTION TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND VOTER SUPPORT. NEXT CITY AUDITOR [17:40] ROBERT TIMMERMAN WILL PRESENT ON THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR'S 2026 REQUEST. [17:49] >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI AND BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I AM CITY AUDITOR [17:55] ROBERT TIMMERMAN, AND I AM GOING TO EXPAND ON MY VISION FOR THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR. AS YOU [18:01] KNOW, THE CITY AUDITOR AND ITS OFFICE IS A ROLE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY, AND [18:06] RESIDENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE INVESTMENTS YOU MADE TWO WEEKS AGO TO ADD FOUR POSITIONS TO THE [18:12] OFFICE WAS THE FIRST OF TWO STEPS TO FUND A SPECIAL REVIEW AND ADVISORY SERVICES DIVISION [18:18] AND TO RIGHT SIZE THE STAFFING RESOURCE NEEDS OF THE OFFICE. TODAY I WILL OUTLINE WHAT NEEDS [18:23] TO BE DONE TO FINALIZE YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE ONLY INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE BODY THAT REPORTS PUBLICLY ON THE [18:30] CITY'S COMPLIANCE AND PERFORMANCE. IF YOU RECALL, WHEN MINNEAPOLIS' GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WAS REORGANIZED [18:35] THROUGH THE VOTER APPROVED CHARTER AMENDMENT IN 2021, JUST ONE POSITION WAS CREATED, AND THAT WAS THE CITY AUDITOR [18:44] POSITION. WITH THIS, CAME A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY AUDITOR, AUDIT COMMITTEE, AND [18:50] CITY COUNCIL TO EFFECTIVELY FUND THE OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS PROVIDED BY MY OFFICE. GOING TO GO INTO [18:59] JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, AND THEN HIGHLIGHT THE THREE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT I'M [19:05] REQUESTING AS A PART OF THE 2026 [19:10] BUDGET. AS IPRIEVE DPLASLY MENTIONED INTERNAL AUDIT HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS TO FOCUS HEAVILY ON PERFORMANCE AND [19:16] COMPLIANCE AUDITING. MY HOPE IS TO CREATE A NEW DIVISION, A SPECIAL REVIEW AND ADVISORY SERVICES DIVISION, THAT WILL [19:21] HELP US MEET THE GROWING DEMAND OF AFTER ACTION REVIEWS AD HOC [19:27] ADVISOREE SERVICES AND REQUESTS THAT THE COME FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AUDIT COMMITTEE AND THE [19:35] ADMINISTRATION. GOING INTO THE BACKGROUND HERE, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AS YOU'RE AWARE IS MADE UP OF TWO CITY [19:42] COUNCILMEMBERS, ONE PARKS BOARD MEMBER, AND FOUR COMMUNITY [19:47] MEMBERS. TH THE CITY [19:53] CHARTER -- ADOPTS THE AUDIT CHARTER, THAT DEFINES THE OFFICE'S PURPOSE, MISSION, [19:59] AUTHORITY, AND INDEPENDENCE. IT ALSO ADOPTS OUR ANNUAL WORK PLAN. MY OFFICE PERFORMS RISK [20:08] BASED INDEPENDENT OBJECTIVE ASSURANCE AND. WE INVESTIGATE ALLEGEDS ABUSE, FRAUD, AND [20:14] WASTE, INVOLVING CITY RESOURCES, WE MONITOR AND ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CHARTER, ORDINANCES AND [20:22] OTHER APPLICABLE LAW AND WE MONITOR AND ASSUREADSHERENCE TO SOUND AUDIT PRACTICES APPLICABLE [20:29] TO MUNICIPALITIESICATE WHICH THE AUDITOR DESIGNATES WITH THE UTAUDIT COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL. [20:34] FIGY WE MINIMIZE FINANCIAL OPERATIONAL REPUTATIONAL, STRATEGIC, AND OTHER RISKS. THE [20:39] CODE OF ORDINANCES INDICATES THAT THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR SHALL PROVIDE INDEPENDENT, [20:46] OBJECTIVE ASSURANCE AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO EVALUATE AND IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITY OPERATIONS. HERE ARE A FEW [20:55] OF THOSE CODES. THE OFFICE HAS A DUTY AND OBLIGATION TO PLAN, [21:01] DIRECT, ORGANIZE, AND SUPERVISE THE WORK OF THE OFFICE. THE CODE ALSO PRESCRIBES A DUTY TO [21:08] THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE FOR THAT STAFFING AND OTHER RESOURCES NEEDED FOR THE EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE [21:15] OFFICE'S WORK. THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE CURRENT STRUCTURE. IF YOU REMEMBER FROM [21:23] MS. SWRANG'S SLIDES IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER WE HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS CURRENTLY. THIS IS [21:33] MILD COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR SISTER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE [21:40] COUNTRY. WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT AS I MENTIONED, AND THAT IS ON THE LOW -- SIGNIFICANTLY [21:46] LOW END OF THE SPECTRUM WHEN YOU CONSIDER STAFFING, RESOURCES IN SIMILARLY SIZED CITIES. NOW OF [21:52] COURSE THERE ARE NUANCES TO THE STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES [21:58] OF AUDIT IN ALL CITIES. SOME HAVE AN OIG FUNCTION, SOME HAVE AUDIT, BUT UP UNTIL THE VOTER [22:04] APPROVED STRUCTURAL REALIGNMENT, MINNEAPOLIS HAD NEITHER AND WE HAD JUST ONE TO THREE INTERNAL [22:11] AUDITORS SO I AM GLAD THAT YOU'RE MAKING THE INVESTMENTS IN THIS OFFICE AND IN THE [22:17] OVERSIGHT. THE NEW DIVISION THAT WE'VE TALKED ABILITY, THE SPECIAL -- ABOUT, THE SPECIAL REVIEWS AND ADVISORY SERVICES [22:22] DIVISION WILL PROVIDE PROGRAM EVALUATION, COMMUNITY SAFETY AUDITS, SPECIAL REVIEWS, [22:28] INCLUDING AFTER ACTION REVIEWS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND AD HOC ADVISORY SERVICES. THEY WILL [22:33] ALL BE CONDUCTED WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE AND RIGOR AS OUR INTERNAL AUDITS. THE [22:43] POSITIONS THAT I'M LOOKING FOR IN 2026 ARE THREE AS PREVIOUSLY [22:50] MENTIONED. ONE IS THE DEPUTY CITY AUDITOR. THIS POSITION WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO MYSELF. [22:57] THESE ARE ESTIMATED SALARIES BECAUSE JAQ TO DEVELOP THE POSITION AND THE CLASSIFICATION [23:04] IS NECESSARY, BUT WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT TO BE AT $239,000. THIS IS A POSITION [23:09] THAT THE CITY CODE ALLOWS FOR [23:17] APPOINTMENT. ANOTHER OF THE POSITIONS IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW DIVISION. THE SALARY ESTIMATE HERE IS 208,000. THIS [23:24] IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL AUDIT [23:29] SERVICES. AND THE FINAL OF THE THREE POSITIONS IS AN INTERNAL AUDITOR IN THE NEW DIVISION. [23:36] THIS WILL BE SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF AN AUDITOR 2, 3, OR 4. CURRENTLY AUDITOR 3 AND 4 DON'T [23:42] EXIST, BUT I AM LOOKING TO ADD THOSE AS CLASSIFICATIONS TO HELP [23:49] WITH RETENTION AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE MANAGING OUR RESOURCES [23:55] AND SUPPORTING THE STAFF THAT CURRENTLY IS IN THE OFFICE. THE IMPACT WITH THIS WOULD BE [24:03] ROUGHLY $124,000. SO WITH THE NEW STRUCTURE, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS, EXPANDING FROM THE [24:08] EIGHT POSITIONS WE CURRENTLY INTO 15 TOTAL. YOU CAN SEE THAT [24:14] THE GREEN ARE THE POSITIONS THAT YOU RECENTLY APPROVED, AND THE ORANGE ARE THE POSITIONS THAT [24:20] I'VE DISCUSSED TODAY. SO I'LL [24:26] TRANSITION IT BACK TO CITY CLERK TO FINISH UP THE PRESENTATION FOR THE 2026 BUDGET PROPOSAL. [24:35] THANK YOU. >> NOW THAT WE'VE OUTLINED THE [24:41] NEEDS OF BOTH THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK AND THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR I WOULD LIKE TO WALK YOU [24:46] THROUGH HOW WE PLAN TO SUPPORT OPERATIONAL SUCCESS AND ENSURE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT ACROSS THE [24:51] DEPARTMENT. TO DO THIS, WE CONDUCTED A THOROUGH REVIEWF OF OUR BASE BUDGET AND IDENTIFIED AREAS OF REDUNDANCIES. BY [25:00] REPURPOSING THOSE FUNDS WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS CRITICAL PERSONNEL NEEDS AND STRENGTHEN OUR CAPACITY THROUGH THE FOLLOWING KEY CHANGES. ONE, 12 [25:08] POSITIONS ARE BEING RECLASSIFIED ACROSS KEY DIVISIONS TO BETTER ALIGN TALENT WITH PURPOSE, IMPROVE ROLE CLARITY, AND [25:13] SUPPORT OUR LONG-TERM STRATEGIC DIRECTION. TWO, ENHANCING CAPACITY IN THE LEGISLATIVE [25:19] SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS DIVISION BY DIRECTING RESOURCES TOWARD AREAS OF GROWING OPERATIONAL [25:25] DEMANDS BY ESTABLISHING THREE NEW FTEs THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE ADD PROCESS. [25:32] THREE, REALLOCATING FUNDS TO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT ELECTED OFFICIAL ORIENTATION, [25:37] STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. FOUR, [25:43] TRANSITIONING ELECTION PERSONNEL FROM .75 ROLES TO PERMANENT 1.0 [25:48] FETMODEL. THIS IS REDUCING RELIES ON CONSISTENTLY REQUESTING FOR ONE-TIME FUNDING [25:54] AND ENSURING A CAWBTNUITY AND ESSENTIAL ELECTION RELATED WORK. FIVE, WITH THE RECENT COUNCIL [26:01] ACTION TO REALLOCATE FOUR FTEs TO THE CITY AUDITOR, THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK HAS COMMITTED TO TRANSFER ONGOING FUNDS TO THIS [26:07] ACTION TO ENSURE THAT OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR HAS THE CAPACITY IT NEEDS TO PROVIDE AUDIT SERVICES [26:13] TO THE CITY. THESE CHANGES DO NOT INCREASE OUR BUDGET, AND REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO [26:20] RESPONSIBLE BUDGETING, SUSTAINABILITY, AND ALIGNING STAFFING WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S [26:27] EVOLVING PRIORITIES. AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, WITH THE CHANGES [26:33] IN PERSONNEL,INT 2026 THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF 124 FTEs. THESE [26:38] POSITIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR DIVISIONS AS FOLLOWS. [26:43] CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE 41 FTEs, CITY CLERK WILL HAVE 68 FTEs, CITY AUDITOR WILL HAVE [26:51] 15 FTEs. WITH THAT, NEXT CITY CLERK CASEY CARL WILL ADDRESS UNANTICIPATED COSTS THAT HAVE [26:56] EMERGED IN 2025. [27:02] >> MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, THE SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU SHOWS AS MS. XIONG INDICATED A NUMBER OF [27:08] UNPLANNED EXPENDITURES THAT THE DEPARTMENT EXPERIENCED JUST THIS YEAR. OUR REASONING FOR INCLUDING THIS IS TO SHOW THAT [27:14] THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT ROUTINELY TAKES ON COSTS NOT DIRECTLY TIED TO THE WORK OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT BUT WHICH [27:21] ARE HONESTLY MUCH MORE OF AN ENTERPRISE-WIDE EXPENDITURE. I THINK COUNCILMEMBERS ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS THAT OUR [27:27] DEPARTMENT OFTEN IN FACT I'D SAY FREQUENTLY STEPS UP TO HELP ADDRESS UNANTICIPATED NEEDS ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE. SO AS [27:33] YOU CAN SEE OVER JUST THE PAST SIX MONTHS, ON THIS SLIDE, WE'VE ABSORBED OVER $800,000 IN [27:39] UNANTICIPATED COSTS OF THIS NATURE. WE INCLUDED THIS SLIDE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE [27:45] LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT DOES ITS PART TO HELP CONTRADICT TO THE LARGER NEEDS OF THE CITY ENTERPRISE BEYOND THE CORE FUNCTIONS IN RESPONSIBILITIES [27:50] THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO US UNDER CHARTER IN LAW. THAT FACT IS SOMETIMES MISSED WHEN WE DISCUSS [27:56] OUR BUDGET AND OUR OPERATIONS, AND SO WE NOT ONLY HANDLE OUR CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE [28:01] DEPARTMENT, WHICH YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH AND WHICH MS. X IONG AND MR. TIMMERMAN EXPLAINED [28:09] BUT WE PARTNER WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS UNDER PRISEWIDE NEEDS SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THAT INTO THE [28:15] RECORD. WE DO TAKE OUR OBLIGATION AS STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYERS' INVESTMENT IN THIS CITY SERIOUSICALLY AND THE [28:22] ALLOCATIONS THE COUNCIL GIVES US EACH YEAR AS SERIOUS AS WELL AND WE DO OUR BEST NOT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT BUT [28:27] TO THINK LARGER ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENTERPRISE AND THROUGH THE ENTERPRISE TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE. AND SO [28:35] WITH THAT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ON THIS SLIDE WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO ADDRESS [28:42] IN TERMS OF THE FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN FORECAST TO US BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND IN LINE WITH THE MAYOR'S DIRECTION TO ALL [28:51] DEPARTMENTS WHAT WE WOULD ABSORB AS A REDUCTION TO OUR BASE BUDGET IN THE 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL [28:56] PROCESS, AND AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, THAT TOTAL IS 1.7% OF A [29:02] REDUCTION. IT EQUALS APPROXIMATELY $445,000. WE ARE PROPOSING TO TAKE THAT OUT OF [29:08] THE CLERK'S OPERATING BUDGET. THIS PLANNED REDUCTION COVERS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, MEANING [29:13] THAT WITH THIS 1.75% REDUCTION, IT ADDRESSES REDUCTIONS THAT [29:19] INCLUDE THE CITY COUNCIL, THE OFFICE OF CLERK, AND THE OFFICE OF AUDITOR. SO IN TERMS OF IMPACT, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS [29:25] REDUCTION WOULD REDUCE THE DEPARTMENT'S DISCRETIONARY NONPERSONNEL RELATED OPERATIONS. [29:30] SO WE'RE THINKING CONTRACTS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AT THIS POINT, [29:35] WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THE DELIVERY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S [29:41] CORE SERVICES BECAUSE OF THIS REDUCTION. AND BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD, MADAM PRESIDENT, OR [29:46] MADAM HA VICE PRESIDENT, IN YOUR BRIEFING MATERIALS WE ALSO PROVIDED YOU A DOCUMENT THAT WAS ENTITLED WHO WE ARE. I WANTED [29:51] TO TAKE JUST A MINUTE TO EXPLAIN THAT DOCUMENT. AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS BY [29:57] THIS BODY ABOUT THE NEED FOR DEPARTMENT BUSINESS PLANS, WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN SOME OF THE [30:02] CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES. I KNOW PRESIDENT PAYNE IS INTERESTED IN SEEING BUSINESS PLANS RETURN TO THE CITY AS A [30:08] CRITICAL MANAGEMENT CONTROL FUNCTION AS WAS DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS. THIS DOCUMENT IS OUR ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP THAT BUSINESS [30:15] PLAN FOR THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. THOUGH I MUST POINT OUT THIS FIRST IT RAIGDZ IS FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON THE CLERK'S OFFICE. AS YOU CAN SEE, [30:23] THE DOCUMENT IDENTIFIES OUR SHARED PURPOSE, OUR HIGH LEVEL STRATEGIC OUTCOMES, OUR [30:28] OPERATING VALUES, AND DETAILS ABOUT EACH OF OUR MAJOR DIVISIONS AND LINES OF BUSINESS. FOR EACH OF THE DIVISIONS, WE [30:34] HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH A BRIEF NARRATIVE ABOUT OUR CORE FUNCTIONS, DETAILS ABOUT THE [30:39] BUDGETARY IMPACT OF THOSE DIVISIONS WITHIN THE LARGER CONTEXT OF OUR DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A HIGH LEVEL [30:45] SSERIES OF GOALS FOR EACH DIVISION THAT WILL LEAD TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC [30:50] PERFORMANCE METRICS AGAINST OUR DEPARTMENT'S ESTABLISHED GOALS. WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED ALL OF THE TEAMS IN EACH OF NEWS NEWS DWIZS [30:58] AND PROVIDE A 2NDS ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND FINANCING ISSUES [31:04] AND -- WE HOPE THIS DOCUMENT PROVIDES SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHT INTO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WE LOOK [31:10] FORWARD TO FURTHER BUILDING OUT ON THIS BASED DOCUMENT OR TEMPLATE I'D CALL IT. FOR EXAMPLE BY ADDING THE SPECIFIC [31:17] METRICS FOR EACH OF OUR DIVISION'S GOALS AND THEN TYING THAT WORK BACK TO STRATEGIC GOALS AND PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED [31:23] BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THE CITY ENTERPRISE. WITH THAT, [31:29] WE'VE COMPLETED OUR PREPARED PRESENTATION, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, AND WE ARE ALL [31:34] AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MIGHT HAVE. >> THANK YOU, ALL. CLERK CARL, [31:40] AUDITOR TIMMERMAN, AND DIRECTOR XIONG. THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND WALKING US THROUGH YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET [31:46] ALONG WITH PROVIDING THAT SECONDARY DOCUMENT OF H. I'VE [31:52] HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT. IT'S THOROUGH AND CONCISE. COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY [31:58] QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I WILL NOTE THAT WEAV WE'VE ALSO [32:03] BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN AND SEEING SEVERAL COLLEAGUES JUMPING INTO QUEUE SEE WE WILL BEGIN WITH -- SO WE [32:10] WILL BEGIN WITH COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I GUESS BEFORE I BEGIN I'M GOING [32:16] TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS MIGHT BE A LITTLE FOGGY TODAY DUE TO THE TRAGEDIES [32:22] OF THIS WEEKEND. MY FIRST [32:28] QUESTION IS ABOUT ELECTIONS. I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ABOUT [32:34] THE $6.2 MILLION ONE-TIME REQUEST FOR ELECTION SERVICES SLIDE 5 MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR. BUT [32:44] MS. XIO NUX G PRESENTED ON SLIDE 8 THAT THIS IS MAYBE STILL A ONE-TIME REQUEST, CAN YOU JUST [32:49] CLARIFY THAT? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER P PALMISANO, [32:54] YES IT IS A ONE-TIME REQUEST AND YES IT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTAL SO THIS IS JUST SIMPLY IDENTIFYING THAT IT IS A [33:00] ONE-TIME REQUEST. IT DOES EXIST. AT THIS POINT, THE AMOUNT WE REQUESTED IS REFLECTED AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE AND WOULD [33:07] ALLOW US TO DO THIS WORK FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION. I'LL LET OUR DIRECTOR MS. SMITH EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS. THE [33:13] ELECTION'S BUDGET REALLY HAS TWO COMPONENTS, AND SO THIS IS THAT SECOND COMPONENT, WHICH DEALS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF A [33:18] SPECIFIC ELECTION IN A CYCLE. >> WELCOME, DIRECTOR SMITH. IF YOU'LL FIRST BEGIN BY [33:25] INTRODUCING YOURSELF. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CLERK, CARL AND THANK YOU TO CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND MEMBERS OF [33:30] COMMITTEE. MY NAME'S KATIE SMITH. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS AND VOTER SERVICES WITH THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. [33:36] THIS ONE-TIME FUNDING IS ALREADY REFLECTED WITHIN OUR REQUEST AS [33:41] DESCRIBED THE $6.2 MILLION IS THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUIRED TO RUN THE GIEWB TOWURIAL [33:48] ELECTION ON TOP OF OUR STANDARD ANNUAL BUDGET. OUR STANDARD ANNUAL BUDGET ACCOUNTS FOR THINGS LIKE OUR PERMANENT [33:53] STAFFING, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE YEAR IN YEAR OUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT TYPE OF ELECTION. THIS [34:00] $6.2 MILLION REFLECTS THE NEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR SPECIFICALLY FOR RUNNING THE PRIMARY AND THE [34:05] GENERAL. IT'S THE TEMPORARY WORKERS THAT WILL BE ADMINISTERING EARLY VOTING, [34:10] ADMINISTERING ALL OF OUR FUNCTIONS THAT ARE TESTING ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT AND GETTING ALL OF OUR ITEMS SENT IN AND [34:16] RETURNED AND ACCOUNTED FOR. IT'S ALL OF THE ELECTION JUDGES THAT ARE SERVING AT THE POLLING PLACE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TIED [34:25] TO REALLY JUST THAT ONE YEAR SO IT'S TO SUPPLEMENT THE ONGOING. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER [34:31] ELECTION RELATED QUESTIONS AS WELL. >> THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY ELECTION RELATED QUESTIONS BUT THANK YOU. AND DIRECTOR, I [34:37] UNDERSTAND THE WAY ELECTION CYCLES WORK, THIS IS NOT REALLY DISCRETIONARY OR UP TO US. THIS [34:42] IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF DIFFERENT ELECTIONS AND THE KIND OF STAFFING THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT IT. AND TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY. [34:50] I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THE UNPLANNED COSTS WERE SPOKEN ABOUT AT THE END. THE [34:58] $856,000 OF UNPLANNED COSTS, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WAS COVERED THIS YEAR? WAS IT [35:04] OUT OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT GENERAL OPERATING, OR WAS IT OUT OF THOSE [35:11] DISCREEINGARY FUNDS? >> MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, THESE ARE ABSORBED WITHIN THE CLERK'S [35:16] OFFICE GENERAL FUND, SO WE ROUTINELY WILL HAVE YEAR-END [35:23] FUNDING AVAILABLE DUE TO UNFILLED VACANT POSITIONS, SO WE CAN REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS, [35:30] TRAVEL, TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHICH WE HAVE ROUTINELY NOT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AS A [35:38] CLERK'S OFFICE. FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE WE THEN WILL USE THAT TO [35:43] FUND REALLY NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT WORK I'LL JUST RETBR TO THE FIRST ITEM ON HERE, THE LIMS ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT. SO [35:51] WE'RE VERY PROUD OBVIOUSLY OF LIMS AS A SYSTEM OF RECORD NOT JUST FOR THE COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTIES BUT FOR ALL OF OUR [35:56] BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WHICH INCLUDES NOT JUST INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR MEETINGS AND CALENDARS AND NOTICES BUT THEIR [36:02] AGENDAS, THEIR RECORDS, THEIR MINUTES, AND THEIR REPORTS. WE FOUND OUT THROUGH FEEDBACK THROUGH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT [36:08] THERE WERE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF ACCESS FOR THOSE WHO NEED ACCESSIBLE DEVICE TO ACCESS LIMS [36:13] AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT. SO WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN ON A PRIORITY BASIS AN ACCESSIBILITY [36:20] AUDIT USING OUTSIDE FIRMS TO WORK WITH BOTH MY OFFICE AND OUR VENDOR DATA NET WHO DEVELOPS [36:25] LIMS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOROUGHLY EVALUATED AND TESTED EACH PAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT [36:30] IS COMPLIANT WITH WEB STANDARDS FOR ACCESSIBILITY. THE ESTIMATED TOTAL IMPACT OF THAT [36:36] IS ANYWHERE UP TO A $200,000 IMPACT SO THAT WAS UNPLANNED. AND WE WILL SHIFT [36:42] MONEYS INTERNALLY TO PRIORITIZE THE COMPLETION OF THAT AUDIT, AND THE CONVERSION OF ALL OF OUR [36:47] PAGES IN LIMS TO BE ACCESSIBLE WITH NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR [36:53] ACCESSIBILITY. >> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT EARLIER THAT THESE COSTS ARE FOR THINGS THAT SUPPORT THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE. [37:00] IF YOUR BUDGET WAS CUT BY 1.7%, AS YOU OUTLINED ON ONE OF THE LATER SLIDES THAT WOULD IMPACT [37:05] THE ABILITY TO COVER THESE UNPLANNED COSTS IN THE FUTURE, IS THAT RIGHT? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR. IT WOULD [37:11] AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO COVER SOME BUT NOT ALL OF THIS. WHAT REALLY WILL OFFSET US IS WE'VE [37:16] MADE A PRIORITY WITH MS. XIONG AS ALL OF YOU KNOW HAS A BACKGROUND IN HUMAN RESOURCES TO [37:23] FILL OUR VACANT POSITION. SO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IT'S BEEN A TRADEOFF OF DO WE FILL [37:28] VACANT POSITIONS OR DO WE REAPPLY THOSE VACANCIES SAVINGS [37:33] TO OPERATING NEEDS. I HAVE PRIORITIZED OPERATING NEEDS NOT JUST FOR OUR DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO WHERE WE PARTNER WITH THE [37:39] ENTERPRISE. THAT'S UNFAIR TO THE STAFF, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY'RE CARRYING EXTRA WORK. IT'S ALSO MEANING SOME WORK THAT [37:44] THIS BODY HAS PRIORITIZED I'LL SAY FOR EXAMPLE OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY DON'T GET [37:50] FILLED. AND SO WE ARE NOW PRIORITIZING FILLING OUR STAFF POSITIONS THAT WILL REDUCE A [37:57] SIGNIFICANT VARIABLE THAT WE'VE USED AND LEVERAGED TO USE OPERATING FUNDS, AND SO THE [38:02] FILLING OF THOSE VACANT POSITIONS COMBINED WITH THE REGUCKS IN OUR BASE BUDGET [38:08] WILL -- REDUCTION IN OUR BASE BUDGET WILL AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO HANDLE A LOT OF THESE UNPLANNED AND UNANTICIPATED COSTS INTO THE FUTURE. [38:14] >> THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR I HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT AUDIT BUT I THINK [38:20] I'LL GET BACK IN LINE AND LET OTHERS TAKE A TURN HERE. >> THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL. THANK [38:26] YOU. COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CHUGHTAI. ACTUALLY GOING OFF OF THAT KIND [38:34] OF RESPONSE TO COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO'S QUESTION, I DID NOT [38:40] SEE ALSO THE COMS ROLE THAT COUNCIL HAD FUN FUNDED LAST [38:50] CYCLE, UNLESS YOU CAN POINT IT OUT TO ME. I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND IN TERMS OF IT BEING A MAJOR NEED FOR THIS [38:55] BODY, IN TERMS OF HOW WE SHARE OUT THE WORK THAT'S GOING FORWARD, AND SMILES SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT FULLY CONNECT WITH [39:02] THE CITY'S OVERALL COMMS DEPARTMENT AND REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE KEPT UP TO DATE ON WHAT [39:12] WE'RE ALSO DOING AS A BODY AND GETTING OUR NEWS BITES. I WANT TO GET A SENSE OF I KNOW YOU ALL [39:17] ARE PRIORITIZING VACANCY SAVINGS FOR OPERATING COSTS BUT ALSO KNOWING THAT THIS BODY DID [39:22] PRIORITIZE THAT POSITION AND WANTED TO GET A SENSE OR STATUS UPDATE ON HIRING ADVANCEMENT OF THAT PARTICULAR ROLE. [39:28] >> THANK YOU. THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY, ON THIS SCREEN YOU'LL SEE THE THIRD [39:35] BULLET UNDER 12 RECLASSIFICATIONS. THE MANAGER OF OUTREACH AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES, THIS IS THAT JOB. SO THIS IS THE JOB [39:42] THAT WILL HANDLE COMMUNICATIONS, OUTREACH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ACTIVITIES OF THAT NATURE. [39:47] IT IS BEING RECLASSIFIED FROM AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL LIAISON, WHICH WE WERE GIVEN IN THE BUDGET [39:52] PROCESS AT A LOWER GRADE TO A MANAGEMENT LEVEL POSITION. WE ARE USING SOME OF THAT [39:58] DISCRETIONARY MONEY TO OFFSET THE DIFFERENCE IN COSTS BETWEEN THE TWO GRADES, AND WE'LL OPEN UP RECRUITMENT, MS. XIONG IS [40:06] LEADING THAT RECRUITMENT AND THAT EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE PRIORITIZED THIS AS SOMETHING TO GET DONE [40:12] THIS SUMMER. THAT POSITION WILL OVERSEE THE TWO CONSTITUENT SERVICES COORDINATORS THAT WE HAVE ON STAFF ALREADY, AND INTO [40:18] THE FUTURE WE HAVE AS WE'VE PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY ON FUTURE BUILD-OUT IN A 10-YEAR PLAN OF [40:24] THIS, WE SEE ONE OR TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT FILL OUT WHAT WOULD BE THEN THE NEW TEAM OR DIVISION OF OUTREACH AND [40:31] CONSTITUENT SERVICES, WHICH WOULD HANDLE COMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA RELATIONS, COMMUNITY [40:36] ENGAGEMENT, OUTREACH AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. IT WOULD BE OUR DEPARTMENT'S PRIMARY ENTERPRISE AND LIAISON [40:42] INTO THE ADMINISTRATION WITH RELATED AGENCIES THAT WOULD INCLUDE AS YOU NOTE THE CITY COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, THE [40:48] NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, OUR 3-1-1 SERVICE CENTER, THE MAYOR'S CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM, AND [40:54] OTHERS. SO IT IS THIS POSITION HIGHLIGHTED ON THIS SCREEN THAT IS KEY TO THAT FUNCTION BEING [40:59] DEVELOPED AND THE FIRST BEING HIRED. >> YEAH, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO TALK MORE WITH COUNCIL [41:05] LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF HOW WE LANDED HERE IN TERMS OF AND ALSO WHEN YOU FINALIZE THE JOB [41:10] DESCRIPTION AROUND IT. I'M HEARING THE COMMS PRIORITIES [41:16] THAT THIS BODY, THAT STILL WILL BE DELAYED IN THE ROLLOUT OF [41:21] THIS NEW DIVISION OF SORTS WHERE THIS MANAGER WILL BE HEADING UP OR DEVELOPING. [41:28] >> COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT, VERY QUICKLY, NO. THOSE COMMUNICATIONS FUNCTIONS ARE ALSO PART OF THIS PERSON'S [41:34] RESPONSIBILITY. THEIR PORTFOLIO WILL INCLUDE COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA RELATIONS. OUTREACH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND [41:41] CONSTITUENT SERVICES. SO ALTHOUGH THE TITLE DOESN'T SAY COMMUNICATIONS, THAT IS ONE OF THE TOP FUNCTIONS THAT THEY WILL [41:47] BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING FOR THE COUNCIL IN THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. [41:53] >> GREAT. STILL ONCE THE JOB DESCRIPTION IS FINALIZED IF WE CAN GET A COPY OF THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE ALSO THAT IS [41:59] EXPLICITLY SHARED. MAYBE YOU DO PERCENTAGE OUTLINES OF HOW THAT WORK WILL FUNCTION IN THIS ROLE, SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE. [42:06] SOMETHING ELSE TO, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PIECE. JUST A [42:13] COMMENT -- OH, I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY ON THIS -- AND ALSO THE SLIDE YOU JUST TRANSITIONED FROM. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING [42:20] A CONVERSATION IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE AROUND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S NEW [42:25] OPINION REGARDING STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FULLER CONVERSATION OF IF THAT'S GOING TO ALSO IMPACT [42:32] EITHER UNPLANNED COSTS OR THE COST FOR ESSENTIALLY THE OPINION THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEYS ARE NOW [42:38] SAYING THAT WE CAN NO LONGER DO STRATEGIC PLANS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. SO I [42:44] KNOW WE HAD BRIEF CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMIE COMMITTEE AT [42:53] THE END OF DECEMBER, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON GETTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PRESENT ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAVE I [42:58] WOULD SAY CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS, BUT, I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF [43:03] WORK TO REALLY SOLIDIFY LIKE OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES AHEAD OF NEXT YEAR, AND WANT TO [43:09] GET VERY CLEAR OF HOW THE CITY ATTORNEY'S NEW OPINION WILL IMPACT THAT AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, AND THEN THE [43:17] FINANCIAL, LIKE, REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT. SO THAT STILL FEELS LIKE THAT MIGHT BE IN FLUX BASED OFF OF WHERE WE GO FROM THOSE [43:25] CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CAO'S OFFICE. >> MR. CHAIR, I'LL JUST SAY, I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER WONSLEY. I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU [43:32] OFFLINE AND HELP IN TERMS OF BRINGING FORWARD SOME CLARITY ON THAT ISSUE. I'VE HAD THE [43:38] OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY ATTORNEY ANDERSON AND WITH HER CHIEF DEPUTY, [43:44] MR. ABELSON AND I THINK WE ARE CLOSER IN ALIGNMENT THAN MAYBE THAT HAD APPEARED IN THE PAST, SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW UP [43:50] WITH YOU AND APPRECIATE THE NOTE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT AS WE FINALIZE OUR BUDGET. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT I WILL [43:58] RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. [44:03] >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, CLERK CARL FOR THE PRESENTATION AND MS. XIONG. I [44:08] WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMS PEPIECE AS WELL. I [44:15] UNDERSTAND THIS IS MANAGING THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM. I DO FEEL LIKE CONSTITUENT SERVICES IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COUNCIL OFFICES DO VERY WELL, [44:22] BUT WHAT WE CAN'T NECESSARILY DO IS COORDINATE WITH THE COMMS [44:27] TEAMS OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY IN EMERGENCIES. I MEAN, WE SAW THIS TESTED OVER THE WEEKEND [44:32] ABILITY HOW MUCH INFORMATION IS BEING SHARED TRANSPARENTLY WITH US SO WE CAN SHARE IT [44:38] TRANSPARENTLY WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, AND IN THE VACUUM OF CORRECT INFORMATION COMES MISINFORMATION AND [44:43] DISINFORMATION, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EVEN MORE IN OUR CITY. SO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME FOR THIS POSITION WHICH I THINK OUR LEADERSHIP HAD [44:49] FORESIGHT ABOUT WHEN THEY BUDGETED FOR IT YEARS AGOEIS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL ACCURATE [44:55] INFORMATION TO OUR CONSTITUENTS IN A TIMELY WAY AND WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY GIVEN ANY SUPPORT TO DO THAT. SO I WANT TO F MAKE [45:01] SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT GIVEN LIKE 10% OF THEIR WEEKLY HOURS TO DO [45:07] THIS WHEN IT'S CLEARLY I THINK FOR A LOT OF US A VERY IMPORTANT THING WE WANT FOR THIS PERSON TO DO. SECONDLY WANTED TO ASK [45:13] ABOUT THE BODY C WORN CAMERA EXPENDITURE THAT WAS PUT ON [45:19] THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT OR ASKED OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. WHAT WAS THE CIRCUMSTANCE AROUND THAT? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN [45:28] CASHMAN YEARS AGO THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HANDLING THE PROCESSING AND RELEASE OF DATA [45:33] GATHERED THROUGH POLICE BODY WORN CAMERAS WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO [45:38] THE CITY CLERK'S AFTER TO THE INFORMATION GOVERNANCE DIVISION SO THE FIRST TRANSITION WAS TRANSFERRING RESPONSIBILITY FOR [45:44] DATA PRACTICES REVIEW RESPONSE FROM MPD WHICH HAD THEIR OWN UNIT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE. AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT CAME THE [45:50] TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR BODY WORN CAMERA. THAT WAS SENT TO US AS A ONE-TIME PILOT [45:56] PROJECT, AND SO WE'VE HAD TO ABSORB SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME TEMPORARY [46:02] WORK AND SOME INITIAL WORK ON DECIDING WHAT TYPES OF SYSTEMS THE CLERK'S OFFICE NOW NEEDS TO INVEST IN AS WE TAKE ON THE [46:08] RESPONSIBILITY FOR HANDLING THE PROCESSING OF REQUESTS THAT INVOLVE DATA COLLECTED THROUGH [46:13] BODY WORN CAMERAS. AND I WILL NOTE BECAUSE I CAN SEE THIS WILL OPEN UP ANOTHER DISCUSSION, [46:21] THERE ARE LAWS THAT AFFECT DATA THAT ARE COLLECTED THROUGH BODY WORN CAMERAS WORN BY PEACE [46:27] OFFICERS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAWS THAT AFFECT OTHER PUBLIC [46:33] SERVANTS WHO MAY WEAR BODY WORN CAMERAS. AND THOSE ARE DIFFERENT, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE AN IMPACT ON THE CITY [46:39] ENTERPRISE AND PARTICULARLY ON OUR DATA PRACTICES UNIT THAT HAS [46:45] THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR, YOU KNOW, REVIEWING AND PROVIDING LEAD RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE ENTERPRISE IN THAT REGARD. SO [46:50] THIS IS MONIES THAT WE PUT INTO THAT ONGOING PILOT PROJECT AS A [46:55] ONE-TIME NEED OF $68,000 I'LL [47:01] SAY IN ORDER TO HELP SUPPORT THE TRANSITION FROM MPD TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE. >> OKAY, AND WHERE WILL THAT [47:07] EXPENSE LIVE ON AN ONGOING BASIS GOING FORWARD? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, IT WILL LIVE WITHIN THE INFORMATION [47:13] GOVERNANCE DIVISION OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WHICH IS THE CENTRALIZED AGENCY WITHIN THE [47:19] CITY ENTERPRISE RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDLING PROCESSING, RECEIVING, AND RESPONDING TO DATA REQUESTS. SO IT WILL BE HOUSED WITHIN OUR [47:26] OFFICE. I ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE A FUTURE BUDGETARY REQUEST FOR SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT THAT ARE [47:32] NECESSARY WHEN IT WAS TRANSIITIONED TO US WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD REQUIRE SO [47:37] WE GOT A ONE-TIME PILOT PROJECT FUNDING AMOUNT, AND SO THAT [47:42] PROJECT FUNDING WILL EXPIRE. THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL MONEY WE HAVE PUT INTOO THAT PROJECT. WE WILL HAVE TO COME FORWARD IN THE [47:48] FUTURE TO THE COUNCIL TO ASK FOR AN ONGOING AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND POSSIBLY PEOPLE. [47:53] >> MM-HMM AND THAT'S NOT IN THE ASK FOR 2026? >> IT IS NOT RIGHT NOW, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, BECAUSE [47:59] WE'RE STILL FINISHING THAT PILOT PROJECT. WE HAVEN'T EVEN DEVELOPED AND ACQUIRED A SOFTWARE SYSTEM YET. [48:04] >> OKAY. THANKS. MY LAST QUESTION IS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, WHICH IS ABOUT THE [48:10] SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENT, LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT WHO WE ARE, . CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHO [48:15] HELPED THIS TEMPLATE AND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF IT IS? AND HOW YOU EXPECT OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO [48:20] USE IT. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. I'M REALLY THRILLED THAT YOU ASKED [48:25] IT. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK COUNCIL PRESIDENT PAYNE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM AS THIS WAS, THIS [48:30] WAS A SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CLERK AND [48:36] LEADERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT CHUGHTAI. THIS CAME UP WHEN WE [48:42] DID OUR ANNUAL ROLLOVER, AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THE FINANCIAL POLICIES AND THE FINANCIAL [48:47] POLICIES EXPLICITLY NAMED BUSINESS PLANS AS PART OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR A VALID ROLLOVER [48:54] REQUEST, AND WE CAME TO LEARN THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE BUSINESS PLANNING IN ROUGHLY A DECADE IT [49:00] SOUNDS -- YEAH, ROUGHLY A DECADE. AND SO I HAD A VERY STRONG BELIEF THAT WE EITHER [49:07] NEEDED TO RESTART THIS PROCESS OF BUSINESS PLANNING, OR AMEND [49:12] OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES. I THINK WE -- WHAT WE WANT OUT OF THIS IS SOME CLARITY AS TO WHY MONEY [49:19] IS GETTING SPENT OR NOT GETTING SPENT, AND HAVING THAT ALIGN WITH BROADER SET OF GOALS TO A [49:27] STRATEGIC PLAN. SO WE'RE KIND OF ITERATING TOWARDS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING [49:34] PROCESS BY MODELING WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AT ENTERPRISE LEVEL THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE AGENCY OVER. SO THAT'S [49:41] WHAT THIS DOCUMENT REPRESENTS. >> OKAY. THANKS. I'M WONDERING [49:46] IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A PART IN HERE THAT REALLY REFLECTS LIKE THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE BUDGET. [49:52] IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET AT IS AN INDICATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT [49:57] ABOUT HOW CLEAR CUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS IS AND HOW MUCH LEEWAY THEY HAVE. [50:02] >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, THIS IS EVEN IN PRACTICES A WE SEE WE FELT THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS [50:09] ROLE WAS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE, AND OUR DEPARTMENT LEADER HAD A [50:15] BROADER OPERATIONAL VIEW AND PRIORITIZED USING SOME OF OF [50:20] THAT VACANCY SAVINGS FOR THINGS WE MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE VISIT INTO. THIS IS OUR ABILITY TO BRING [50:25] MORE ALIGNMENT TO THOSE TYPES OF DECISIONS. >> OKAY. TANKS. AND I KNOW [50:32] OUTCOMES, REFLECTING OUTCOMES OF DEPARTMENTAL WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND I'MWI I'M WONDERING IF THAT NEEDS TO BE [50:37] FLUSHED OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE I DO SEE THAT IT'S AT THE TOP, OUR STRATEGIC OUTCOMES [50:42] IN A VERY TOP LINE WAY. IS THAT THE LEVEL OF OUTCOMES THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING FROM ALL [50:48] DEPARTMENTS? OR ARE YOU WANTING MORE LIKE FINE GRAINED OUTCOMES FROM VARIOUS BUDGET LINES? [50:54] >> MR. CLERK, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS? I'LL SAY THIS IS AN ITERATIVE DOCUMENT, AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO INCLUDE [51:01] ACTUAL MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE KPIs WITHIN THIS TYPE OF DOCUMENT, BUT MR. CLERK, IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK TO IT. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT [51:06] AND THROUGH THE CHAIR. COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, I HOPE I SAID THIS WHEN I INTRODUCED THE [51:12] CONCEPT IN MY REMARKS, BUT AS THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAS SAID IT'S AN ITERATIVE PROCESS. THIS IS OUR FIRST ATTEMPT TO START [51:18] THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING NOT ONLY OUR BUSINESS LINES BUT THEN WHAT DO THOSE BUSINESS LINES DELIVER, WHAT SERVICES ARE THEY [51:24] DOING, WHAT OUTCOMES DO WE SEEK TO ACHIEVE THROUGH THOSE. SO ELECTIONS AND VOTER SERVICES IS [51:30] A BUSINESS LINE. ONE OF ITS MOST IMPORTANT OUTCOMES IS THAT WE TABULATE AND COUNT EVERY [51:37] BALLOT ACCURATELY, RIGHT? SO THAT OUTCOME THEN WILL HAVE METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. [51:42] WE'VE WORKED WITH BOTH OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT INNOVATION TEAM BUT ALSO INTERNALLY WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE [51:48] RESEARCH AND OVERSIGHT TEAM TO SORT OF BUILD THE HIGH LEVEL FRAME AND NOW WE NEED TO GO INTO [51:54] EACH OF THOSE GOALS OR CORE OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE BUSINESS LINES TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC [52:00] METRICS THAT WILL SHOW US DID WE ACHIEVE THAT OUTCOME, DID WE ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. AND THEN [52:06] ALIGN BOTH RESOURCES, MEANING PEOPLE AND MONEY, AND SYSTEMS, AND TOOLS, BUT ALSO WHAT WAS OUR [52:11] EFFECT, WHAT DID WE ACHIEVE IN THAT AREA. >> OKAY, SO YOU'RE PLANNING TO [52:17] FLUSH THAT OUT FOR THE VARIOUS BUSINESS LINES OF THE DEPARTMENT? >> CORRECT. >> GREAT. AND THEN WHEN WOULD [52:23] YOU PRESENT THAT OR WOULD YOU PRESENT IT TO US? IN COMMITTEE OR WOULD IT BE LIVING SOMEWHERE [52:28] ELSE? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE CONTROL OVER OURSELVES, WE ARE MODELING WHAT [52:33] I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, AND SO FOR [52:38] OUR PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE AND REVISIT ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT [52:45] WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AS PART OF THE FULSOME BUDGET PROCESS, WE HAVE MORE [52:51] DETAILS TO SHARE. SO BECAUSE WE REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, WE GET THIS PRELIMINARY HIT AT ALL OF YOU TO SAY HERE'S A -- WHAT WE [52:59] THINK, BUT WHEN ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS COME FORWARD, WE SHOULD ALSO COME FORWARD AGAIN, AND THAT WILL BE A CHANCE FOR US [53:05] TO HAVE A HOPEFULLYMORE UPDATED AND MORE FULL-TIME EXAMPLE TO SHARE WITH YOU. [53:10] >> OKAY, I APOLOGIZE. I HAVE JUST A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT. SORRY IF I MISSED THIS IN THE VERY BEGINNING, BUT WHAT THE, OUR [53:17] CULTURE SECTION SUPPOSED TO REALLY TELL US? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'LL SAY FOR ME IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO SHOW [53:24] THAT IN OUR DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE TWO SORT OF OPERATING CULTURES, AND THEY DRIVE HOW WE WORK. WHEN WE ARE HERE IN THE [53:31] CHAMBER PORE WHEN WE'RE IN FRONT OF VOTERS OR DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC, WE ARE WHAT I CALL ON STAGE. BUT WE HAVE A VERY [53:37] COLLABORATIVE, MORE INFORMAL OFF STAGE OR BEHIND THE SCENES CULTURE WHERE WE WANT OUR STAFF [53:44] TO BE INNOVATIVE, TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS DIVISIONS, AND SO IT'S A WAY OF BOTH RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE TWO [53:50] DIFFERENT TYPES OF CULTURES DEPENDING ON WHAT SETTING WE'RE IN AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT ALSO SO THAT THE STAFF, THIS IS [53:56] NOT JUST A DOCUMENT FOR COUNCIL, IT'S A DOCUMENT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL, CAN SAY, [54:02] OH, THAT'S WHY. SO THAT'S WHY WE TAKE SERIOUSLY WHEN WE HAVE OURCLERKS MEETINGS AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CLERK, AND WE TRAIN ON THE [54:08] PROCEDURES THAT GO INTO COUNCIL AND WE TALK ABOUT THE FORMALITY AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, THAT'S AN ON STAGE PERFORMANCE. THERE IS [54:14] THE OFF STAGE, WHICH IS THE CLERKS MEETING REGULARLY, TALKING TOGETHER. WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED [54:19] AT YOUR COMMITTEE? HOW DOES THAT AFFECT MY WORK? SO IT'S BOTH ON STAGE AND OFF STAGE [54:28] DUOLTY OR REALITY OF THE LEGISLATIVE CULTURE. [54:33] >> THAT'S CLEAR. LASTLY THE TITLE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT WHO WE ARE. WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO [54:40] RENAME IT LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT BUSINESS PLAN TO CLARIFY THEIS [54:47] CLARIFY THAT THIS IS A BUSINESS PLAN. THE TITLE WHO WE ARE, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR. I'LL NOTE [54:52] THAT AS ONE. THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS THIS STARTED EARLY ON BEFORE THE BUSINESS PLAN CONVERSATION STARTED, AS A WAY [54:57] OF BRINGING ON NEW EMPLOYEES.I. WE'RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF TRANSITION AND CHANGE AS YOU ARE AWARE, SO IT [55:04] STARTED OUT AS AN ORIENTATION SORT OF HERE'S WHO WE ARE THAT YOU'RE JOINING AND IT MORPHED INTO A LOT OF STUFF THAT REALLY [55:10] WOULD INFORM A BUSINESS PLAN. AND SO PROBABLY DOES MAKE SENSE TO CHANGE HOW WE REFER TO IT. [55:17] >> GREAT, I CAN UNDERSTAND THE TWO PURPOSES OF IT AND THE REASON FOR CALLING IT WHEN IT'S SHARED WITH THE TEAM AND [55:22] BUSINESS PLAN WHEN IT'S BEING PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. NEXT I WILL [55:29] RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANTED A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH [55:37] THE AUDITOR ABOUT SOME OF THESE REQUESTS FOR AUDIT. THANK YOU, [55:44] DIRECTOR TIMMERMAN. BACK ON I THINK IT WAS SLIDE 15, YOU NOTE [55:51] THAT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS EIGHT FTEs. DOES THIS INCLUDE [55:57] THE FOUR NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE JUST APPROVED LAST CYCLE? [56:03] >>> CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, NO, IT DOES NOT. SO THE SLIDE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW DOES [56:10] INCLUDE THOSE, SO THE GREEN BOXES INDICATE THE POSITIONS THAT WERE RECENTLY PASSED. IT [56:16] WAS THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TRAINING MANAGER, TO MEET NEEDS OF OUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. [56:22] IT'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND IT'S TWO OF THE AUDITORS IN THE NEW DIVISION [56:27] THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED. >> RIGHT SO REALLY YOU HAVE 12 EVEN IF THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HIRED AND BROUGHT INTO YOUR [56:34] OFFICE, YOU DO HAVE 12. >> CORRECT. >> COLLEAGUES, I UNDERSTAND THE AUDITOR'S VISION, BUT IN THIS [56:41] BUDGET CRISIS, I STRONGLY OBJECT TO ASKING FOR ANOTHER THREE [56:46] POSITIONS IN AUDIT, ALL NEXT YEAR. THIS BODY, NOT ME BUT [56:52] THIS BODY GAVE THEM FOUR POSITIONS LAST CYCLE. FOUR. ONE FROM CPED, ONE FROM REG [56:59] SERVICES WHICH IS THE ONE I HAD THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH. IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THAT ONE. AND TWO FROM MPD. LET'S GIVE [57:06] THIS DEPARTMENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THESE NEW POSITIONS IMPACT THEIR CAPACITY BEFORE [57:13] SUGGESTING MORE. THAT WOULD BE SEVEN NEW POSITIONS IN SIX MONTHS. WE HAVE SEEN TIME AND [57:20] TIME AGAIN WHERE DEPARTMENTS OR DIVISIONS TRY TO GROW TOO FAST, TOO QUICKLY, AND IT DOESN'T GO [57:28] WELL. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE MET WITH THE MAYOR ABOUT BUDGET PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW THAT [57:34] THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING BY ASKING HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS TO DECREASE [57:41] COSTS. THESE ACTIONS RUN VERY MUCH AFOUL OF THIS, AND I CAN'T [57:47] SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE OF IT. THANK YOU. [57:53] >> THANK YOU. I'M NOT SEEING OR -- I'M GOING TO GIVE ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE [57:59] ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN QUEUE, BUT I PUT MYSELF IN QUEUE JUST HAD A [58:06] COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OR MAYBE COMMENTS INSTEAD. YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO REFERENCE THAT THAT [58:11] SLIDE IN WHICH WE GO OVER UNPLANNED OR UNANTICIPATED COSTS [58:18] THAT WERE ABSORBED BY THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT AND YOU [58:24] KNOW $856,000 WORTH. AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF [58:31] THINGS HERE THAT I MEAN, I BELIEVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE UNPLANNED EVENTS THAT LED [58:38] TO, TO ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT BUDGET [58:44] ARE IMPORTANT, AND WERE REALLY NECESSARY INVESTMENTS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE. YOU KNOW, [58:49] ONE THAT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME [58:55] IS THE TEMP FOR CLOSED CAPTIONING AND MONITORING THAT THAT PROCESS. YOU KNOW, OUR [59:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING SERVICES AND OUR BROADCAST SERVICES ARE MANAGED BY THE CITY'S [59:08] COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, AND SO THIS WAS A COST THAT REALLY SHOULD'VE BEEN INCURRED BY THE [59:15] COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND WAS INCURRED BY US TO PREVENT, [59:20] TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL [59:25] PROBLEMS WITH OUR CLOSED CAPTIONING SERVICES, SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN IN PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY TO [59:31] OUR COMMUNITY. SO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE MADE THIS INVESTMENT. REALLY GRATEFUL [59:37] THAT THE LEADERS OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT MADE THAT CHOICE, BUT YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF UNANTICIPATED COSTS [59:43] THAT I BELIEVE WILL OFTEN COME UP OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THE 2026 INAUGURATION CATCHES MY [59:49] ATTENTION, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT, IS AN [59:55] ENTERPRISE-WIDE THING. THE INAUGURATION, THE PRIMARY, YOU [1:00:03] KNOW, PRINCIPLE THAT SPEAKS AT THE INAUGURATION IS REALLY THE [1:00:08] HIGHLIGHT OF THAT EVENT, IS THE MAYOR, AND SO BUT THIS IS A [1:00:13] PRETTY SIGNIFICANT COST THAT WE INCUR AT THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT INCURS, SO YOU KNOW, [1:00:18] I'M GRATEFUL THAT THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CHOOSE TO STEP UP EVERY TIME, THE ENTERPRISE HAS A NEED [1:00:26] THAT'S URGENT, AND YOU KNOW, I HOPE IN THE FUTURE THESE ARE [1:00:32] MOMENTS WHEN THESE CHOICE POINTS ARE PRESENTED TO THE LEADERS OF [1:00:38] OUR LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE [1:00:43] DOING OUR FAIR SHARE INSTEAD OF GIVING AND GIVING AND GIVING, [1:00:48] AND HAVING TO PUT OFF MAKING KEY [1:00:54] INVESTMENTS IN CORE LINES OF BUSINESS AND SERVICE. WITH THAT, I AM NOT SEEING ANY [1:01:00] FURTHER DISCUSSION, SO I WILL MOVE APPROVAL OF DIRECTING THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND VICE [1:01:05] PRESIDENT TO TRANSMIT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR. DO I HAVE A SECOND? [1:01:11] >> SECOND. >> THAT ITEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. [1:01:21] >> COUNCILMEMBER PAYNE. >>> AYE. >> WONSLEY. >> AYE. >>> RAINVILLE. [1:01:28] >> NO. >>> VETAW. >> NO. >> ELLISON IS ABSENT. OSMAN. [1:01:36] >> AYE. >>> CASHMAN. >> AYE. >> JENKINS. [1:01:42] >> NAY. >>> CHAVEZ. >> AYE. >>> CHOWDHURY. [1:01:49] >> AYE. >> PALMISANO. >> NO. >> VICE CHAIR KOSKI. >> AYE. >> AND CHAIR CHUGHTAI. [1:01:56] >> AYE. >> THERE ARE EIGHT AYES AND FIVE NAYS. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES. OUR [1:02:04] FINAL ITEM TODAY IS A RECEIVE AND FILE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON [1:02:10] COMPLETED SOLICITATIONS AND CONTRACTS -- >> EXCUSE ME. THERE IS ONLY 12 OF US HERE. [1:02:16] >> SO SEVEN AYES AND FIVE NAYS. >>> SORRY, SEVEN -- EIGHT EYERS [1:02:23] AYES AND FOUR NAYS. >> SORRY, I MISSPOKE 72 THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT. SO ON, ON THE MOTION TO [1:02:30] DIRECT THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MYSELF TO TRANSMIT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR, [1:02:35] THE, THAT WAS APPROVED 8-4. OKAY. BACK TO OUR FINAL RECEIVE [1:02:42] AND FILE ITEM. SO THIS IS COMPLETED SOLICITATIONS AND [1:02:50] CONTRACTS UNDER $175,000 FROM 2015 TO 2025. PAM FERNANDEZ, DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT, WILL BE [1:02:55] SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM. WELCOME, DIRECTOR. [1:03:03] >> VICE CHAIR CUSKY AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS PALM FERNANDEZ AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT. SO AS [1:03:10] THE CHAIR MENTIONED, THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS RELATING TO TEN YEARS OF DATA OF [1:03:18] CONTRACTS THAT OR PURCHASES THAT ARE UNDER $175,000. SO THAT [1:03:25] $175,000 IS NOT A MAGIC NUMBER. THIS IS THE STATE OF STATUTE [1:03:33] ALLOWED LIMIT FOR CITIES. SO THIS IS THE 471.345 THAT IS THE, [1:03:42] THAT IS THE STATUTE THAT ALLOWS [1:03:47] ANY MUNICIPALITIES TO HAVE PURCHASES UNDER $175 TO BE DONE IN AN INFORMAL METHOD. SO WHEN [1:03:54] WE SAY INFORMAL METHOD, IT WILL STILL BE A BID. IT WILL STILL BE AN RFP, BUT IT IS LIKE IN A [1:04:02] MORE, A LITTLE MORE TOWARDS LIKE OUR TARGET MARKET PROGRAM OR LIKE OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES GETS [1:04:08] A CHANCE TO DO IT. OKAY, SO I'M [1:04:15] SORRY, I DON'T HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TODAY, SO I BROUGHT A PDF SO I'M GOING TO BE GOING [1:04:22] LIKE THAT A LITTLE TOO MUCH. SO THE COUNCILMEMBER KOSKI'S LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVE WAS FOR [1:04:29] LIKE A FEW DIFFERENT ITEMS. AND SO THE WAY I'M DOING THIS PRESENTATION IS I'M GOING TO GO [1:04:35] THROUGH EACH DIRECTIVE SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW THE ENTIRE [1:04:42] NUMBER ONE DIRECTIVE. THERE ARE THREE PIECES TO THAT ONE, AND I'M PRESENTING HERE MOSTLY THE [1:04:47] PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES PURCHASES. SO THOSE ARE OUR TWO MAJOR [1:04:54] CATEGORIES. THEN THERE IS LIKE COMMODITIES AND YOU KNOW OTHER DIFFERENT TYPES OF PURCHASES, WHICH IS NOT THE SUBJECT OF THE [1:05:03] PRESENTATION TODAY. SO WHEN WE [1:05:10] DO THE SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASES, THAT THE IS THE UNDER $5,000, THAT IS THE PROCESS THAT I'M [1:05:15] GOING TO TALK ABOUT FIRST. THE APPLICABLE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ANYTIME WE DO AN [1:05:24] UNDER $5,000 PURCHASE IS THE FIRST OF ALL IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH A TARGET MARKET PROGRAM VENDOR. IF THERE ARE YOU KNOW [1:05:29] THREE OR FOUR VENDORS WHO CAN PROVIDE THAT ONE. AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS THE SMALL DOLLAR [1:05:35] PURCHASES PROCEDURE. THIS PROCEDURE IS SET BY THE CHIEF [1:05:41] FINANCIAL OFFICER. SO SHE COULD, YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE $2500 AND NOW WE HAVE $5,000, [1:05:47] AND ALSO THIS IS ALL BECAUSE LIKE YOU KNOW THE PRICE OF THE THINGS ARE GOING UP, SO [1:05:54] $2500 REALLY DOESN'T GET US OR GET THE DEPARTMENTS ANYWHERE SOMETIMES SO WE JUST NEED TO, WE [1:06:00] JUST HAD TO RAISE THAT ONE TO $5,000. AND THIS FINANCE OFFICER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO [1:06:06] CHANGE THAT AT ANY TIME. DEPARTMENT STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE [1:06:12] FOR THIS PURCHASE -- THESE PURCHASES, AND PROCUREMENT IS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THAT ONE. HOWEVER, WE ARE INDIRECTLY [1:06:20] INVOLVED IN THE SENSE THAT THESE PURCHASES CAN BE MADE BY PURCHASING CARDS, SO IT HAS A [1:06:26] LIMIT THAT THESE SMALL PURCHASES CAN BE MADE AT OR THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER. [1:06:36] PROCUREMENT IS INVOLVED AT THE, IN THE PAYMENT LEVEL, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, IF PURCHASING CARD ISSUES THEN WE ARE INVOLVED BUT [1:06:43] IT'S NOT THE APPROVAL IS STILL RESTRESS WITH THE DEPARTMENT. [1:06:53] SO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVE NUMBER 1B WAS THE PROCESS FOR PURCHASES [1:06:58] BETWEEN 5,000 AND $175,000. AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE [1:07:04] INFORMAL LIMITS, SO THE CITY CAN CREATE ITS OWN PROCEDURES FOR BUYING THESE THINGS. SO HERE [1:07:11] THE DEPARTMENT STAFF WILL WORK WITH PROCUREMENT STAFF ON ALL [1:07:16] PURCHASES ABOVE $5,000 AND UP TO $175,000, AND INFORMAL BID OR AN [1:07:22] INFORMAL RFP WILL BE CREATED. IN, IF THERE ARE THREE OR MORE [1:07:28] TARGET MARKET PROGRAM VENDORS, THEN THAT PARTICULAR PURCHASE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TARGET [1:07:34] MARKET PROGRAM VENDORS, AND THEY GET TO BID ON IT FIRST. IF THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH VENDERS IN [1:07:43] THE TMP POOL THEN WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO ALL VENDORS AVAILABLE IN THE TMP, PLUS ANYBODY ELSE [1:07:49] THAT IS INTERESTED. I MEAN, IT'LL BE LIKE AN OPEN EVENT ANYWAY. ANYBODY CAN, ANYBODY [1:07:57] CAN APPLY FOR IT. AND THEN THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED. IF IT IS A BID, THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED FOR [1:08:04] THE LOW RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, AND THIS IS THE CASE WITH ANY COMMODITIES AND [1:08:10] CONSTRUCTION PURCHASES. IT'LL BE A LOW BID SITUATION, AND THAT IS PER THE STATE STATUTE. AND [1:08:15] THE OTHER ONE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, IF THEY MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT [1:08:21] WE STATED IN THE RFP THEN THEY WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL BE CHOSEN THAT WAY SO PRICE IS NOT [1:08:27] THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES. IN THE [1:08:37] SELECTION OF THE COMMODITIES CONSTRUCTION OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, IT'S ALL APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OR THEIR [1:08:43] DESIGNEE, AND PROCUREMENT STAFF. THE SELECTION OF THE CONTRACTOR [1:08:48] FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS MADE ENTIRELY BY THE PROCUREMENT -- BY THE DEPARTMENT [1:08:55] STAFF BECAUSE PROCUREMENT STAFF IS NOT ALWAYS THE EXPERT ON, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN TYPE OF PURCHASES [1:09:00] LIKE I.T. FOR EXAMPLE. WE WON'T BE THE EXPERTS ON TELLING THEM LIKE WHO IS THE BEST VENDOR FOR [1:09:06] IT. AND A CONTRACT OR A PURCHASE ORDER IS PUT IN PLACE BY PROCUREMENT STAFF, AND THE [1:09:13] DEPARTMENT STAFF AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND TOO THE DEPARTMENT STAFF MANAGES THE [1:09:20] WORK OF, UNDER THE CONTRACT. IT'S NOT PROCUREMENT. SO THERE IS A CONTRACT MANAGER FOR EVERY [1:09:27] CONTRACT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, INITIATE, AND THAT PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE [1:09:33] CONTRACT, MAKING SURE THE WORK IS DONE, THE INVOICES ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED ON TIME. [1:09:47] NUMBER 1C IS ABOUT THE TARGET MARKET PROGRAM PURCHASING PROCESS. I ALREADY MENTIONED [1:09:53] THAT YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE THREE VENDORS WHO CAN PROVIDE THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICE, THEN [1:09:59] WE CALL THAT A TMP PURCHASE OR A TMP OPPORTUNITY. THERE ARE [1:10:05] ABOUT 2700 SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE 13 COUNTY METRO AREA THAT IS ALREADY REGISTERED WITH US, SO [1:10:12] THAT IS A, THAT'S A PRETTY NICE, YOU KNOW, BUCKET OF SMALL [1:10:18] BUSINESSES THAT CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS HAS. SO THE PROGRAM IS GOING REALLY WELL. IT'S A RACE AND GENDER NEUTRAL PROGRAM. [1:10:26] AND ALL PURCHASES UNDER 175 WILL [1:10:34] GO TO THE TMP VENDORS FIRST. THAT IS SOMETHING I WANTED TO NOTE FIRST SPECIFICALLY IS WHEN [1:10:40] OUR PURCHASE, INFORMAL SHORT LIMIT WAS LOWER, SAY LIKE 50,000 [1:10:45] OR $100,000, THAT MANY LESS PURCHASE -- PURCHASING OR [1:10:51] CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITY WENT TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES. SO THAT 124* REASON THAT AS SOON AS [1:10:56] STATE ELEVATED THAT NUMBER FROM 100 TO 175, OUR CITY LEADERS [1:11:02] FOLLOWED THAT ONE BECAUSE THEN THAT WAY WE COULD BRING MORE PURCHASES, MORE BUSINESSES INTO [1:11:08] THE TMP POOL. OKAY? SO [1:11:14] $175,000 RIGHT NOW IS REALLY GOOD AND YOU KNOW WHEN THE STATE CHANGES THAT AGAIN, OR RAISES [1:11:20] THAT AGAIN, I ASK THAT WE FOLLOW THE SUIT BECAUSE IT'S HELPING THE SMALL BUSINESSES. LAST [1:11:27] YEAR, 2024, WE DID $53.5 MILLION WORTH OF BUSINESSES WITH THIS [1:11:34] TARGET MARKET PROGRAM. SO THAT NUMBER WAS $40 MILLION IN 2023. [1:11:40] SO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. AND SIGNIFICANT PARTICIPATION. A LOT OF INTEREST FROM DEPARTMENTS [1:11:46] IN UNBUNDLING CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES IN MAKING SURE THAT THE SMALL BUSINESS ARE GETTING THEM. SO THE [1:11:59] LEGISLATIVE NUMBER TWO ASKED FOR A REPORT DETAILING ALL COMPLETED SOLICITATIONS AND CONTRACTS [1:12:07] UNDER $175,000 FROM 2015 TO [1:12:12] 2025. SO WHEN WE WERE DOING THIS 10-YEAR REPORTING, AS YOU [1:12:18] KNOW, LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE LIKE AN ELECTRONIC PURCHASING SYSTEM [1:12:23] UNTIL LIKE FEBRUARY OF 2019. SO WE PULLED THIS DATA FROM TWO [1:12:28] DIFFERENT SYSTEMS WHERE ANYTHING PRIOR TO 2019 WAS MANUAL. WE [1:12:35] DIDN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T SOURCE LIKE EVERY PURCHASE IN THE CITY EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A CENTRALIZED PROCUREMENT [1:12:44] OFFICE. SO FROM 2019 ALL PURCHASES WOULD COME OVER LIKE THROUGH A WORK FLOW ELECTRONIC [1:12:50] WORK FLOW, EVERYTHING WILL COME TO PURCHASING IF IT'S OVER $5,000. SO THAT IS HOW, THAT IS [1:12:56] WHY LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT, LOOK AT THAT REPORT, SOMETIMES THE 2015 DATA IS LIKE IN SINGLE [1:13:04] DIGITS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA BUT WE PULLED EVERYTHING WE CAN INTO THOSE REPORTS. SO THERE ARE 1, TWO REPORTS THERE. [1:13:11] THERE ARE LIKE ONE IS 81 PAGES AND THE OTHER I THINK IS ABOUT 50 PAGES LONG. BUT THAT SHOWS [1:13:18] YOU ALL THE CONTRACTS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AS 1A AND [1:13:25] 1B. IT'S ATTACHED TO THE RCA. [1:13:37] SO THE LEGISLATIVE NUMBER 3 WAS AN ANALYSIS OF PROCUREMENT TRENDS COMPLETE, INCOMPLETED [1:13:44] SOLICITATIONS. SO THERE ARE LIKE MANY QUESTIONS UNDERNEATH THAT ONE, AND I'M [1:13:50] GOING TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH THEM. SOME OF THEM, THE NUMBERS ARE ON THE SLIDES, AND SOME OF [1:13:57] THEM IT'S TOO BIG SO IT'S IN AN EXHIBIT THAT IS WITH THE RCA. [1:14:03] SO PROCUREMENT METHOLDS USED CITYWIDE FOR PROFESSIONAL CITY SERVICES CONTRACT YOU CAN SEE HERE. DIRECT AWARD BY [1:14:08] DEPARTMENT MEANS LIKE THERE WAS NO SOURCING PROCESS USED FOR THAT ONE FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU [1:14:15] KNOW THAT WE HAD, MAYBE THERE WAS LIKE UNIQUE, UNIQUE, YOU [1:14:21] KNOW, SPECIALTY CONSULTING SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OR, AND THEN THEY DO LIKE YOU [1:14:28] KNOW SOME KIND OF SOLE SOURCING OR LIKE A SINGLE SOURCING PROCESS FOR THAT ONE SO THOSE [1:14:33] ARE THE DIRECT AWARDS THAT YOU SEE THERE. AND THEN THE ININFORMAL RFP THAT IS AGAIN [1:14:39] LIKE THE, INFORMAL EVENTS THAT WE PUBLISHED THE ARE LIKE OPEN [1:14:44] TO EVERYBODY. AND THEN THE TARGET MARKET PROGRAM ALSO YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY OF THEM WERE [1:14:51] TARGET MARKET SPECIFIC ONES. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS ARE USUALLY WE DON'T HAVE LIKE A [1:14:57] LOT OF VENDORS IN THAT ONE, WITH THE SPECIALTY THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, SO PROFESSIONAL [1:15:04] SERVICES CONTRACTS ARE, LIKE, LITTLE LOWER IN THE TARGET MARKET PROGRAM PARTICIPATION. [1:15:14] THESE ARE THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS UNDER $175,000 AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE DATA FROM [1:15:23] MID-2019 THROUGH 2025 MARCH 31st. SO MAJORITY OF [1:15:33] OUR INFORMAL BIDS ARE GOING THROUGH TMP SO 206 OUT OF 249 ACTUALLY WERE TMP PARTICIPATED [1:15:41] EVENTS. AND THEN INFORMAL BIDS WHERE WE HAD TO OPEN IT UP FOR EVERYBODY WAS JUST 43. SO [1:15:51] DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACTS CITYWIDE. THIS IS PROVIDED IN THE EXHIBIT NUMBER 2 WHICH ARE [1:15:58] ALSO LIKE MANY PAGES LONG, BUT YOU CAN SEE, LIKE, WHICH [1:16:04] DEPARTMENTS HAD AND HOW MANY CONTRACTS YOU'LL SEE THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS OUR NUMBER 1 DEPARTMENT [1:16:10] WITH THE MOST CONTRACTS. THIS [1:16:20] IS THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES CONTRACTS CITYWIDE INFORMATION SO THIS IS EXACTLY HOW THE [1:16:26] PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ONE IS PROVIDED TO EXCEP IT'S A LITTLE [1:16:31] TOO LONG. LEGISLATIVE NUMBER [1:16:40] 3C, FREQUENCY OF EACH PROCUREMENT METHOD USED BY DEPARTMENT. SO THIS PARTICULAR ONE WILL SHOW YOU HOW MANY OF [1:16:46] THEM WERE LIKE TMP SPECIFIC AND YOU KNOW INFORMAL OR DIRECT [1:16:56] AWARDS. AND THE SAME THING FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES HERE. SO [1:17:07] 3D WAS ASKING ABOUT NUMBER AND NATURE OF CONTRACT AMENDMENTS [1:17:13] HERE. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, LIKE THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRACTS THAT [1:17:19] WERE AMENDED AND YOU KNOW THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR AMENDMENTS. SO ON THE [1:17:24] PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SIDE, IT WAS MOSTLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY [1:17:30] NEEDED LIKE ADDITIONAL TIME TO COMPLETE THE SERVICES. THEN IT WOULD BE JUST A TIME EXTENSION [1:17:35] OR THEY NEED LIKE A LITTLE MORE MONEY TO COMPLETE THE WORK. SO IT'S USUALLY LIKE YOU KNOW THE [1:17:42] CONTRACT MANAGERS ARE ESTIMATING THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED AND THE MONEY THAT IS NEEDED, AND SOMETIMES IT MAY GO A LITTLE BIT [1:17:49] ABOVE, AND ANYTIME, IF IT GOES ABOVE $175,000, IT IS COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL. OKAY, FOR [1:17:56] APPROVAL. SO IT IS, YOU ARE SEEING IT WHEN SOMETHING GOES OVER THAT INFORMAL THRESHOLD. [1:18:04] SO OVERALL, IT IS LIKE A 24% OF [1:18:10] OUR 20 2,990 CONTRACTS GOT [1:18:16] AMENDED ON THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SIDE. FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, IT IS WAY LESS AS YOU [1:18:22] CAN SEE. IT'S ONLY LIKE .09%, WHICH IS LIKE 2 OUT OF 2,207 [1:18:31] CONSTRUCTION PURCHASE ORDERS OR CONTRACTS WERE AMENDED. AND USUALLY THAT IS BECAUSE, LIKE, [1:18:37] YOU KNOW, YOU ASK SOMEBODY TO DO A WORK, AND SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE A DEMOLITION FOR EXAMPLE, THEY [1:18:43] GO IN AND THEY'LL FIND SOMETHING ELSE BURIED UNDERNEATH OR LIKE MAYBE BAD SOIL OR SOMETHING LIKE [1:18:49] THAT, SO THEY HAVE TO CLEAN OUT ALL OF THAT AND WE HAVE TO PAY ADDITIONAL. SO THAT IS, THOSE [1:18:55] ARE SOME OF THE TIMES THAT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT MIGHT GET [1:19:05] AMENDED. SO NUMBER OF UNIQUE VENDORS AWARDED CONTRACTS EACH [1:19:11] YEAR FROM 2015 THROUGH MARCH 31st, 2025. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT, [1:19:18] NUMBER OF UNIQUE VENDORS. SO WE UUSED 1,706 VENDORS TO CREATE [1:19:25] THE 2,990 CONTRACTS OVERALL. SO WE HAVE A GOOD PARTICIPATION, [1:19:31] GOOD NUMBER OF VENDORS ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THE CITY [1:19:38] BUSINESS. IN THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AREA, THE NUMBER OF UNIQUE VENDORS WERE 221, AND THE [1:19:45] TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACTS WERE 2200. AND THE REASON FOR THIS ONE IS LIKE THESE ARE LOW BIDS. [1:19:53] YOU KNOW, SO ONLY THOSE FOLKS THAT CAN AFFORD TO SUBMIT LOW [1:20:00] BID IS GETTING THAT CONTRACT. SO THE NUMBER OF UNIQUE VENDORS IS LOWER, AND THE VENUE COMPARE [1:20:06] WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACTS. NUMBER OF INSTANCES [1:20:14] WHERE THE SAME VENDOR WAS AWARDED MULTIPLE CONTRACTS IN THE SAME YEAR. SO THE [1:20:21] PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS I HAVE ATTACHED EXHIBIT NUMBER 6 AND HAVE MARKED UP THE UNIQUE OR [1:20:27] THE SAME VENDOR THAT WAS AWARDED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR PROFESSIONAL [1:20:33] SERVICES, IT'S MAYBE 2 OR THREE AT THE MOST IN ANY YEAR. BUT [1:20:39] FOR CONSTRUCTION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE NUMBER IS A LITTLE [1:20:44] HIGHER AND THE REASON FOR THAT ONE IS AGAIN IT'S A LOW BID. AND YOU WILL ALSO SEE LIKE IN A [1:20:51] CERTAIN VENDORS ARE GETTING LIKE MAYBE YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 20 OR LIKE A LARGE NUMBER OF [1:20:57] CONTRACTS. THE REASON FOR THAT ONE AGAIN IS THESE ARE SMALL WORKS, AND A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD [1:21:03] BE THE WATERLINE REPAIRS CLOSE TO THE RESIDENCES OR THE SEWER LINE REPAIRS. EACH OF THESE [1:21:09] WORKS ARE LIKE BIDDED SEPARATELY, SO WE DO HUNDREDS OF BIDS OF JUST FOR THAT ONE [1:21:15] BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO EACH ONE SEPARATELY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COST IS EXACTLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, [1:21:23] WHAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY COST. SO [1:21:33] WE WERE ASKED LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW [1:21:38] THE CITY CAN IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICE. SO I WOULD REQUEST [1:21:45] THAT I NEED YOUR HELP IN UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU SEE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OR [1:21:53] TRANSPARENCY IS MISSING BECAUSE IN OUR OPINION, LIKE THIS GOES THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PURCHASE [1:21:59] GOES THROUGH MANY APPROVES FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO FROM PROCUREMENT WHEN IT'S OVER [1:22:06] 5,000. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW LIKE YOU KNOW WHERE IS THAT [1:22:12] TRANSPARENCY ISSUE OR AN ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUE THAT YOU'RE SEEING AND THEN WE CAN WORK ON [1:22:17] THAT ONE. SO THERE IS [1:22:22] TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS YOU KNOW LIKE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRESENTED TO TARGET MARKET PROGRAM, AND THIS ONE WE ARE [1:22:29] DOING IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM SO WE HAVE ALL THE T MP VENDORS MARKED BY CATEGORY, SO EVERY [1:22:35] TIME WE WANT TO DO A BID, THOSE CAN BE PULLED AUTOMATICALLY AND [1:22:41] AN INVITATION IS SENT TO THEM WHETHER THEY CAN COME IN AND BID -- WHERE THEY CAN COME IN AND BID FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. [1:22:50] AND SO CHAIR WONSLEY'S REQUEST, THE PURCHASING ORDINANCE IS [1:22:55] BEING REVISED TO PROVIDE A QUARTERLY REPORT OF ALL THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS [1:23:01] UNDER $175,000. SO I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE YOU YOU KNOW, A VIEW [1:23:07] INTO, LIKE, WHAT IS GOING THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT UNDER ONE 75 IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE [1:23:13] INTERESTED IN. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION HERE. [1:23:20] I HAVE ADDITIONAL LINKS PROVIDED IN HERE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, [1:23:26] AND ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE THE OPEN GOV PORTAL. IT'S [1:23:32] WORKING, SO ANYTIME YOU WANT TO SEE ANY INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO TMP OR ANY CONTRACTS, IT IS OUT [1:23:38] THERE. I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. [1:23:43] >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. COLLEAGUES, ARE [1:23:49] THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO THIS PRESENTATION? I'LL FIRST RECOGNIZE VICE CHAIR [1:23:55] KOSKI FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR, AND [1:24:00] I JUST GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS AND YOUR TEAM. I KNOW IT WAS A [1:24:07] TREMENDOUS UNDERTAKING TO DO A 10-YEAR LOOKBACK, SO I'M JUST BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK. I [1:24:12] KNOW I DID SEND YOU A FEW QUESTIONS LAST WEEK, AND I KNOW YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET BACK TO ME, BUT I JUST ON THE RECORD [1:24:18] WANTED TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS OF, AND SO, THE FIRST ONE IS IN THE PRESENTATION PART [1:24:26] NUMBER 3D, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S EASY TO GO BACK TO THAT, IT'S OKAY IF YOU CAN, BUT YOU TALK [1:24:34] ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE AMENDMENTS, AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REITERATE, BECAUSE [1:24:39] WHEN I FIRST SAW AMENDMENT, I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU [1:24:44] RECLARIFIED TO ME THAT AMENDMENT CAN MEAN A COST CHANGE, IT CAN BE A TIME CHANGE, THAT AN [1:24:50] AMENDMENT DOESN'T JUST MEAN COST, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, [1:24:55] DO YOU KNOW IT SAYS I THINK IT WAS 24%, WE SAW DID HAVE [1:25:01] AMENDMENTS, WHETHER IT WAS A TIME CHANGE OR A COST CHANGE. I'M WONDERING WHAT THE AVERAGE COST OF A CONTRACT AMENDMENT [1:25:09] WAS, AND IF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION, AND IF THERE WERE ANY AMENDMENTS THAT STOOD OUT, [1:25:15] UNUSUALLY LARGE OR OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF A TYPICAL OR REASONABLE CHANGE, WHETHER DUE TO TO A [1:25:21] SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE OR C COST OR EXTENSION OF TIME OR SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN SCOPE OF [1:25:28] DELIVERABLES. >> OKAY. TO CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND VICE CHAIR KOSKI, IT IS A LITTLE [1:25:34] BIT HARD TO KIND OF REASON OUT THAT AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A PERCENTAGE OR AN AMOUNT. BUT [1:25:40] WHAT I COULD SAY IS THAT USUALLY THEY ARE VERY SMALL. USUALLY [1:25:45] THEY ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, EXTENSION OF TIME OR IT WILL BE LIKE AN ADDITION OF THE [1:25:51] SAME SCOPE. SO WE DON'T ALLOW ANYBODY TO ADD ONTO LIKE A NEW SCOPE TO OUR CONTRACT NORMALLY. [1:25:59] AND IF IT IS, THEN IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PRC COMMITTEE AND ALL OF THAT TOO. BUT WHAT I [1:26:05] COULD SAY IS THAT THEY ARE NORMALLY LIKE VERY LITTLE CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT, BUT YOU [1:26:11] WILL SEE COUPLE OR LIKE MAYBE A FEW OF THEM THAT ARE I.T. [1:26:18] CONTRACTS OR TECHNOLOGY RELATED. IT'S NOT -- I'M NOT SAYING LIKE [1:26:23] I.T. DEPARTMENT BUT TECHNOLOGY RELATED CONTRACTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE SOMEONE WOULD HAVE STARTED A PILOT PROJECT, [1:26:29] AND THIS IS LIKE BEYOND 2019, LIKE SOMEBODY WOULD'VE STARTED A [1:26:34] PILOT PROJECT, THEN IT BECOMES LIKE, OKAY, NOW WE CAN GET OUT OF THAT ONE BECAUSE IT'S TOO [1:26:40] MUCH INTO THE SYSTEM. AND THEN SO WE DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND GET A [1:26:46] GOOD PRICE FOR THAT ONE, AND THEN KIND OF EXTEND THAT CONTRACT, INCREASE THAT CONTRACT. YOU WILL SEE THAT [1:26:51] THOSE KIND OF CONTRACTS IN THE PAST T THAT HAPPENED. BUT NOW WE DON'T ALLOW, YOU KNOW, [1:26:57] PILOT PROJECTS FOR THE MOST PART BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'LL GROW [1:27:03] IN THE CITY SYSTEM. SO WE ASK THEM TO DO AN RFP EVEN IF IT IS A SMALL ONE. AND ANOTHER, YEAH. [1:27:10] >> OKAY. >> I'LL SAY THAT, YEAH. >> OKAY, AND THEN JUST, THERE, LIKE THE OVERALL COST OF THAT, I [1:27:16] KNOW THE 24% ISN'T ALWAYS A COST INCREASE, BUT IS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO THAT WE CAN ATTACH TO [1:27:22] THAT OR IS THAT TOO DIFFICULT TO CONFIGURE? >> WE CAN DO THAT. WE CAN [1:27:29] PROVIDE YOU THAT INFORMATION. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. THE NEXT QUESTIONS I HAVE ARE RELATED TO [1:27:34] THE EXHIBITS SPECIFICALLY. EXHIBIT 1, THERE APPEAR TO BE A NUMBER OF CONTRACTS LISTED WITH [1:27:41] TOTAL AMOUNTS EXCEEDING THE $175,000ING THERESHOLD. ADDITIONALLY SOME OF THE THESE [1:27:47] HIGHER VALUE CONTRACTS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PROCURED USING METHODS DESIGNATED FOR CONTRACTS UNDER [1:27:53] THAT THRESHOLD. CAN YOU CLARIFY WHY THESE CONTRACTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT AND EXPLAIN THE [1:27:59] PROCUREMENT RATIONALE FOR THAT? >> OKAY, THROUGH CHAIR, CHUGHTAI [1:28:05] AND VICE CHAIR KOSKI, THE REASON IS THE SAME THAT I WAS JUST MENTIONING. IT IS LIKE SMALLER [1:28:12] CONTRACTS STARTIING A AS A PILOT PROGRAM AND THEN GROWING INTO SOMETHING BIGGER. [1:28:17] >> OKAY, GOTCHA. >> IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE, SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ONE TOO. [1:28:23] >> OKAY, THANK YOU, THAT'S HELPFUL. >> YEP,. >> THERE WASN'T A LOT. THERE JUST WERE ALL OF A SUDDEN 300 [1:28:29] AND I UNDERSTAND AND I COULD SEE THAT, I COULD GO BACK IN LIMS AND I COULD TRACE THAT BACK TO US APPROVING IT, I JUST WAS -- [1:28:37] JUST WAS WONDERING WHY IT WAS CAPTURED IN THE REPORT, SO THANK YOU. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF [1:28:43] CONTRACTS ARE MISSING AN ENTRY IN THE EVENT TYPE FIELD. WHICH WE UNDERSTAND REFLECTS A [1:28:49] PROCUREMENT METHOD. THESE OMISSIONS SPANS ACROSS THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THIS INFORMATION [1:28:54] IS MISSING AND WHETHER IT WAS NOT RECORDED OR AVAILABLE? [1:29:00] >> SO CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND VICE CHAIR KOSKI, IF ANY -- ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS AVAILABLE [1:29:06] IN THE SYSTEM IS PUT INTO THIS REPORT, SO IF YOU ARE SEEING A [1:29:13] BLANK AREA ANYPLACE, IT'S BECAUSE THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN A DIRECT AWARD CONTRACT OR IT [1:29:18] MIGHT'VE BEEN LIKE A SOLE SOURCE, SINGLE SOURCE TYPE CONTRACT. AND ANYTHING BEYOND [1:29:24] 2019 LIKE MID-2019 AND BEYOND, WE DON'T HAVE AN EVENT, YOU [1:29:31] KNOW, EVENT INFORMATION. >> OKAY. >> BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN OUR ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. [1:29:36] >> OKAY. >> FOR THAT. >> SO IT'S NOT LIKE A DROP-DOWN THAT'S REQUIRED OR ASKED? >> NO, THERE WAS NO SYSTEM. [1:29:42] >> OH, RIGHT. >> MANUAL, PAPER. >> THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> OKAY, IN EXHIBIT NUMBER 2, [1:29:49] OVER THE PAST DECADE, THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE AND STEADY DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF [1:29:54] PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS UNDER $175,000 ROUGHLY FROM [1:30:01] ABOUT 400 TO FEWER THAN 200 IN RECENT YEARS. CAN YOU PROVIDE [1:30:06] INSIGHT OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS DRIVING THIS TREND? IS THE REDUCTION DUE TO POLICY CHANGES, [1:30:12] BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, SHIFTS TOWARDS OTHER PROCUREMENT METHODS, JUST INCREASE COST OF [1:30:20] INITIAL CONTRACTS, OR ANY OTHER REASONS. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI, VICE CHAIR KOSKI, ALL OF THE REASONS THAT [1:30:26] YOU JUST MENTIONED, FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS A POLICY CHANGE GOING FROM, YOU KNOW, LIKE A [1:30:33] LOWER INFORMAL THRESHOLD TO THE $175,000. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS LIKE COST FOR [1:30:39] EVERYTHING HAS INCREASED. SO DEPARTMENTS ARE REALIZING THAT IF THEY START A CONTRACT UNDER [1:30:46] $175,000 ANNUAL BUDGET INFORMAL RFP THEY WILL HAVE TO COME BACK, YOU KNOW, GO TO, IF THEY WANTED TO GO OVER THAT AMOUNT, THEY [1:30:53] HAVE TO GO THROUGH ADDITIONAL STEPS, SO THEY WOULD START WITH AN OVER 175 PROCESS, SO THAT [1:30:59] THEY ARE, IF IT COMES UNDER 175, THAT'S OKAY, BUT IF IT'S OVER [1:31:04] 175, THEY ARE SAFE TO PROCEED WITHOUT LOSING MUCH TIME. [1:31:10] >> OKAY. AND REMIND ME AGAIN WHEN WE MADE THE CHANGE FROM 100,000 TO 175, WHTD STATE? [1:31:18] >> IT WAS DECEMBER OF 2018, SO WE STARTED IN 2019, [1:31:23] JANUARY 1st. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I NOW HAVE JUST TWO MORE [1:31:28] QUESTIONS. EXHIBIT NUMBER 3, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY WHAT THE DATA NOT AVAILABLE CATEGORY REPRESENTS IN THIS DATA? [1:31:36] >> YEAH, DATA NOT AVAILABLE IS THE ONE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE EVENT INFORMATION, LIKE WAS IT A [1:31:41] BID OR WAS I IT AN RFP, WE DON'T HAVE THAT. [1:31:47] >> OKAY, PERFECT. AND IN EXHIBIT 7, YOU MAY HAVE JUST ANSWERED THIS AT THE VERY [1:31:52] END OF YOUR PRE PRESENTATION BUT I WANTED TO RECLARIFY. THIS [1:31:58] IS ABOUT THE VENDORS OVERALL LIKE THE MULTIPLE VENDORS. SO FIVE VENDORS STAND OUT WITH [1:32:04] NOTICEABLY HIGHER NUMBERS OF CONTRACTS, EACH HAVING OVER 20 CONTRACTS OVER MULTIBLE YEARS. I JUST PULLED OUT 20. [1:32:10] I DIDN'T -- IT'S KIND OF HARD TO MAKE A DECISION, BUT JUST DID 20 AS A -- CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE A [1:32:16] BREAKDOWN OF THE PROCUREMENT METHOD MOST FREQUENTLY USED, AND ADDITIONALLY, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHETHER THE HIGH VOLUME OF [1:32:24] CONTRACTS IS DUE TO VENDORS USING SPECIALIZED SERVICES OR BEING TOP PERFORMERS. BUT I [1:32:30] HEARD YOU ALSO SAY THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, I'M USING MY HOUSE AS AN EXAMPLE, AND YOU WENT IN AND [1:32:35] DID A PROJECT RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND THEN YOU DO A PROJECT NEXT DOOR, AND THOSE ARE ALL UNIQUE, IS THAT THE CASE OR [1:32:41] ARE THERE OTHER REASONS TOO? >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI, VICE CHAIR KOSKI, THAT IS THE REASON. SO [1:32:46] LIKE THE LENGTH OF THE PIPE I'M JUST SAYING I'M NOT THE TECHNICAL EXPERT ON THIS ONE, BUT THE LENGTH OF THE PIPE [1:32:53] BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE HOUSE PROPERTY LINE WOULD BE LIKE DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT [1:32:58] PEOPLE AND SO LIKE WATER PUBLIC WORKS WOULD BID EACH OF THAT WORK SEPARATELY, SO THAT THEY [1:33:04] GET, YOU KNOW, AN EXACT COST OF WHAT IT WOULD BE BECAUSE I THINK IT MIGHT GO INTO OTHER COSTS YOU [1:33:10] KNOW THAT IS RELATED TO THE CITY OR THE RESIDENTS. SO THEY WILL [1:33:16] DO THAT VERY EXACTLY VERY DILL CDILIGENTLY THEY WILL [1:33:22] DO THAT ONE. AND ALSO YOU WILL SEE VENDORS GETTING MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS, THEY ARE [1:33:29] TMP VENDORS TOO. THERE ARE 11 OR 12 OF THEM THAT DOES THAT KIND OF WORK. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. AND AGAIN, [1:33:34] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE THOROUGH RESPONSE TO THIS LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVE. I'M VERY [1:33:39] GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER [1:33:45] PALMISANO FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MS. FERNANDEZ FOR [1:33:53] THIS PRESENTATION. I HAD NO DOUBT YOUR REPORT HERE WOULD REFLECT THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPARENT SYSTEM AND THAT [1:33:59] CONTRACTS UNDER $175,000 FOLLOWED AN OPEN AND A [1:34:05] COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION PROCESS. YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS [1:34:11] COULD YOU HELP EXPLAIN WHAT AN INFORMAL BID IS AND HOW IT DIFFERS FROM AN RFP AND THAT [1:34:16] GOES FROM EARLIER SLIDE 6 IN YOUR PRESENTATION. I READ IT AS [1:34:21] MEANING THERE IS STILL A TRANSPARENT PROCESS THAT IS LED BY PROCUREMENT. BUT IS THAT [1:34:27] ACCURATE? >> THROUGH CHAIR CHUGHTAI AND COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, YES, THAT IS CORRECT. EVERYTHING [1:34:35] OVER $5,000 TO $175,000 NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT EVENT, YOU KNOW, WE CALL IT AN EVENT, WHICH COULD [1:34:41] BE A BID OR AN RFP. SO RFP IS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AND BID IS FOR COMMODITIES AND [1:34:48] CONSTRUCTION. SO THAT INFORMAL, FORMAL WORDING COME FROM, YOU KNOW, THE STATUTE WHERE THE [1:34:58] $175,000 AND UNDER, THE CITIES CAN ACTUALLY PUT THEIR OWN PROCEDURE FOR PURCHASING THOSE ITEMS. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT [1:35:04] INFORMAL IS COMING FROM. BUT SO ANYTHING UNDER $175,000, WHETHER RFP OR BID, THEY BOTH WILL BE [1:35:13] INFORMAL. >> MM-HMM. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE SEEMS LIKE THESE SMALLER CONTRACTS DON'T GO BEFORE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, AND FROM [1:35:19] WHAT I SAW, IT LOOKS LIKE, AND FROM THE TIME I HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS, THAT MANY OF THEM ARE WATER RELATED, LIKE [1:35:26] EMERGENCY REPAIRS, LIKE REPLACING LINES AND PLUMBING STUFF. >> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. [1:35:31] >> SO THEY'RE BOTH URGENT AND CRITICAL. >> YES. >> I'M CURIOUS, DO YOU HAVE A [1:35:37] SENSE OF THIS? I'M NOT ASKING FOR FOLLOW-UP ON IT, BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR CONTRACTS [1:35:43] UNDER $175,000 GO TO OUR TARGET MARKET PROGRAM VENDORS? [1:35:50] >> OKAY, I -- CHAIR CHUGHTAI, COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER HERE. I [1:35:56] MEAN, I HAVE THE NUMBERS HERE BUT NOT THE PERCENTAGE. [1:36:02] >> SURE. I MEAN, I'M CURIOUS, I GUESS, FOR THAT MATTER, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF ANY OF OUR CONTRACTS GO TO TARGET MARKET [1:36:07] PROGRAM VENDORS. BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF A QUESTION I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IN THESE URGENT [1:36:13] CRITICAL KINDS OF BID TYPES SCENARIOS THAT ISN'T THE TOP [1:36:19] PRIORITY THE TOP PRIORITY IS TO LIKE GET A BROKEN WATER MAIN FIXED. >> COUNCILMEMBER PALMISANO, THAT [1:36:25] IS CORRECT. UNDER $175,000, THAT REALLY HELPS THE DEPARTMENTS TO GET THEIR [1:36:32] BUSINESS GOING BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL ON EACH OF THOSE KIND OF PURCHASES, THAT WOULD BE VERY [1:36:39] HARD FOR DEPARTMENTS TO MOVE. >> YEAH. JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, [1:36:46] DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY HOURS OF STAFF TIME IT TOOK TO PREPARE THIS INFORMATION AND [1:36:51] THIS PRESENTATION? >> SO WE WORKED ALMOST THREE MONTHS ON THIS ONE, AND WE HAD [1:36:57] LIKE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS ONE AS WELL. [1:37:02] >> YEAH. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M A LITTLE SENSITIVE TODAY ABOUT CIVILITY AMONGST [1:37:08] ELECTEDS, BUT I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO BE REALLY REASONABLE WITH CITY STAFF HERE, AND I [1:37:14] HIGHLY QUESTION IF IT WAS A GOOD USE OF OUR CITY RESOURCES AND TIME WHEN OUR DEDICATED CITY [1:37:20] STAFF HAVE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO. AND I'D LIKE TO [1:37:25] POINT OUT THAT GATHERING THIS INFORMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN IMMEASURABLY EASIER FOR OUR STAFF IF THEY HAD AN UPDATED, [1:37:31] FUNCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM ON WHICH TO DO IT. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BEG [1:37:37] MY COLLEAGUES NOT TO TAKE FUNDING FROM THIS IMPORTANT PLATFORM UPGRADE AGAIN, THE ERP [1:37:44] RESOURCE CUT FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET IS WHAT I'M REFERRING TO. WE HAVE NEEDED THIS FOR YEARS, [1:37:51] AND EVERY SINGLE DELAY PUSHES OUT OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF IT EVEN FURTHER. THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE PRETTY EASY [1:37:58] INFORMATION TO PULL IF WE HAD THAT UP AND RUNNING BY NOW. IN MY OPINION, THIS WAS A [1:38:04] MONUMENTAL WASTE OF THIS DEPARTMENT'S TIME TO HAVE TO PULL THIS DATA TOGETHER AND PRESENT IT IN CHARTS. I'M NOT [1:38:09] QUITE SURE WHAT PURPOSE THIS SERVES, BUT I'M SURE THE AUTHORS HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO SAY [1:38:15] ABOUT HOW IT'S USEFUL. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE. THANK YOU. [1:38:24] >> COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I REALLY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THIS. I WAS [1:38:30] LOOKING FOR SOME THINGS THATT WE'VE BUDGETED FOR THAT WERE UNDER THIS THRESHOLD TO SEE WHO THEY ENDED UMGOING TO AND I [1:38:36] COULDN'T FIND THEM IN THIS LIST, SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP ME FIGURE OUT EXACTLY [1:38:42] WHO WAS AWARDED THE M HATE CRIME PREVENTION TECHNICAL [1:38:48] ASSISTANCE GRANT UNDER $175,000 AND WHO WAS AWARDED THE ZERO WASTE COMMUNITY INNOVATION GRANTS, WHICH IS ALSO UNDER THAT [1:38:56] THRESHOLD. >> CHAIR CHUGHTAI, VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER CASHMAN, I'M, I [1:39:01] WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. >> DO YOU KNOW WHICH EXHIBIT THEY WOULD BE IN OF THE SEVEN? [1:39:07] >> IT WOULD BE -- IF IT IS HERE, IT WOULD BE IN THE EXHIBIT 1A AND 1B. [1:39:15] >> MM-HMM. OKAY. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE GONE OUT THIS YEAR AS FAR AS I'M [1:39:20] AWARE, AND SO I DIDN'T SEE THEM HERE SO IF I COULD NOTE THIS FOR FOLLOW-UP IT WOULD BE GREAT TO [1:39:25] BE IDENTIFIED WITH WHERE THEY ARE SINCE THESE WERE THINGS THAT, ONE THAT I AUTHORED, ONE THAT I COAUTHORED AND THAT WE'RE [1:39:31] EAGER TO SEE, YOU KNOW, DELIVERED IN THE COMMUNITY. SO FOR THE CLERK, IT WAS THE HATE [1:39:37] CRIME PREVENTION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT, AND THE ZERO WASTE COMMUNITY INNOVATION [1:39:43] GRANT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT [1:39:50] PAYNE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER CHAVEZ. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT [1:39:56] CHUGHTAI. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONEERE. I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY A GOOD USE OF STAFF TIME AS WE ARE IN THIS [1:40:03] NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE. IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT WE ESTABLISH REALLY FORMAL WAYS [1:40:11] THAT WE BAKE OVERSIGHT INTO EVERY SINGLE SING THAT WE DO. I THINKED THE INPREVIOUS GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE THAT [1:40:17] OVERSIGHT WAS MORE ASSUMED BECAUSE COUNCIL DID HAVE MUCH MORE POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER SOME OF THESE DECISIONS. NOW [1:40:24] WE'RE PRETTY FAR REMOVED FROM THE TYPES OF DECISIONS THAT GO INTO APPROVING THESE CONTRACTS, [1:40:30] AND SO BY BAKING THIS PROCESS IN, PARTICULARLY IN ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL. I THINK [1:40:37] SPENDING THREE MONTHS UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE LEVEL OF WORK LOOKS LIKE, GREATLY INFORMED WHAT THAT REQUEST IS [1:40:43] LOOKING LIKE, AND HELPING US ESTABLISH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AROUND DEVELOPING THAT INFORMATION, AND FRANKLY, [1:40:49] THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT IS HELPFUL TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR TO LOOK AT [1:40:55] OUR CONTROLS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS BECAUSE I THINK [1:41:01] ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE CONTROLS IN PLACE HERE, WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER ON THOSE CONTROLS, AND IT [1:41:10] IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A NEW ERP SYSTEM TO STREAMLINE THESE TYPES OF REQUESTS AND I'M REALLY [1:41:15] GRATEFUL THAT YOU KNOW WE WERE ABLE TO DISCOVER THROUGH ACTUAL SOME SCRUTINY ON THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT TO LEARN THAT WE CAN [1:41:20] ACTUALLY STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT ERP SYSTEM BY PARTNERING WITH THE [1:41:26] STATE AND THEIR MSA AGREEMENT WITH THE SOFTWARE PROVIDER. SO JUST GIVING THAT CONTEXT. [1:41:31] >> THANK YOU. >> WONDERFUL. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE IN QUEUE. I WILL ASK IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ONE FINAL [1:41:39] TIME, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. NOT SEEING ANY. I WILL -- THANK YOU [1:41:45] SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND THE LEAD UP TO IT, AND FOR ANSWERING [1:41:50] QUESTIONS AS DILIGENTLY AS YOU WERE ABLE TO. SO REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, [1:41:55] DIRECTOR. >> THANK YOU. >> I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT REPORT. [1:42:02] AND WITH THAT, COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TODAY, AND IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, [1:42:07] WE STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.