Jan 04, 2021 Work Session

[00:00:05]

[INAUDIBLE] IS WORKING TOO, GOOD.

EXCELLENT. OK, WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 4TH, TWENTY TWENTY ONE WORK SESSION FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.

THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR, SO I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND NEW YEAR. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED INTO OUR AGENDA FOR THE EVENING.

THE FIRST ITEM, EXCUSE ME, FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM ONE, PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION. AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ANYONE REGISTERED TO SPEAK TONIGHT THE LAST TIME I CHECKED. SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD IF IF SOMEBODY DOES POP UP.

UM, BUT I THINK CARMEN HAD GIVEN ME THE LIST EARLIER.

SO ANYWAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO CONSIDER THE AGENDA.

[2. Consider the Consent Agenda]

I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED ONE FROM COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS TO PULL ITEM 2C.

SO WE WILL HAVE THAT ITEM PULLED AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY FOR TOMORROW.

IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS, IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW AHEAD OF TIME.

WE WILL GET THOSE, MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STAFF TO REPORT ON THOSE ITEMS. AND THAT WILL MOVE US ON TO ITEM THREE VERBAL BRIEFINGS, ITEM THREE, INTRODUCTION OF

[3A. Introduction of Assistant City Manager for Development]

MR. BRADFORD, I'M THINKING YOU'RE LEADING US IN.

YES, SIR. WELL, I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE TO YOU JUDSON REX.

YOU CAN CALL HIM JUDD.

I HAVE CALLED HIM JED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES ALREADY.

BUT I THINK THE THING THAT IMPRESSED ME MOST ABOUT ABOUT JUDD WAS THE DAY BEFORE WE INTERVIEW THE NEWSPAPER IN DENISON RAN A BIG ARTICLE ON WHAT A GREAT CITY MANAGER THEY HAD. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW HE PULLED THAT OFF.

BUT WE HAD WE HAD A WONDERFUL INTERVIEW WITH JUDD AND CONTINUED OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM AND ARE EXCITED TO HAVE HIM HERE TO LEAD OUR DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND MORE PRECISELY, PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON OUR REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

THE CITIZENS WERE VERY GENEROUS AND ALLOWED US ALMOST 50 MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR TWENTY NINETEEN BOND PROGRAM FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND A BIG PART OF JUDD'S JOB WILL BE PUTTING THAT MONEY TO WORK.

AND SO, MAYOR, I'M GOING TO LET HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT LED TO HEAR HIS OWN VOICE RATHER THAN MINE.

BUT WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM HERE.

VERY GOOD. GO AHEAD, SIR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS. MR. BRADFORD, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT GREAT INTRODUCTION.

AND I GUESS TIMING IS EVERYTHING, RIGHT? WHEN SOMETHING IS MEANT TO BE I GUESS THINGS JUST WORK OUT.

AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO JOIN TEAM GARLAND AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

AS BRIAN ALLUDED TO, I RECENTLY FINISHED A STINT AS CITY MANAGER OF DENISON, TEXAS, WHERE I SERVED FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS.

AND PRIOR TO THAT, I MANAGED A SMALL COMMUNITY IN VIRGINIA.

I'M ORIGINALLY FROM UTAH, RECEIVED MY FORMAL EDUCATION IN CITY PLANNING BOTH AT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY AND AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.

AFTER WORKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN THE PLANNING FIELD, I MADE A TRANSITION INTO CITY MANAGEMENT WHERE I FOUND A LOT OF JOY SERVING COMMUNITIES, HELPING THEM FIND SUCCESS IN GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPORTANTLY, REDEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S REALLY WHERE MY PASSION LIES AND WHERE I FOUND A LOT OF SUCCESS.

ON THE PERSONAL SIDE, MY WIFE JENNIFER AND I JUST CELEBRATED OUR 19TH ANNIVERSARY LAST MONTH AND WE HAVE THREE WONDERFUL DAUGHTERS, LAUREN, CHLOE AND OLIVIA, AGES 15, 12 AND 6.

SO I'M THE LONE MAN IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND I CAN DO A PRETTY MEAN BRAID IF YOU ASK MY DAUGHTERS. SO WE ENJOY SPENDING TIME TOGETHER, PLAYING GAMES, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, HIKING, BIKING, SPORTS, REALLY ANYTHING TOGETHER WE ENJOY.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE IN GARLAND.

IF YOU REVIEWED MY RESUMÉ, YOU'LL NOTICE A FEW KEY WORDS THAT WERE ON THERE THAT KIND OF DESCRIBE MY LEADERSHIP STYLE AND PHILOSOPHY, TEAMWORK, COLLABORATION, VISION, ENGAGEMENT.

ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS REALLY ATTRACTED TO THIS POSITION IS THAT I FOUND AN ORGANIZATION THAT VALUES THESE THINGS WHERE THEY'RE TEAMWORK, COLLABORATION AND SUPPORTED

[00:05:02]

AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, NOT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME UP, BUT AS YOU GET TO KNOW ME AND THE THINGS THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT, YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT THREE THINGS VERY OFTEN WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT.

AND THEY KIND OF CENTERED AROUND THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE ROLE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN TALKING ABOUT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO CREATE PLACES AND SPACES WHERE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE LIFE, WHERE THEY WORK, WHERE THEY PLAY, WHERE THEY GO TO SCHOOL, WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY DRIVE, WHERE THEY WALK.

NO OTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT HOLDS THIS RESPONSIBILITY.

AND THERE'S REALLY THREE THINGS THAT HELP US KIND OF BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS FACT THAT WE CREATE THESE SPACES AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE LIFE.

THE FIRST IS VISION. WE NEED TO HAVE A VISION OF WHAT DOES GARLAND LOOK LIKE AND FEEL LIKE IN THE FUTURE, WHAT TYPES OF PUBLIC SPACES LOOK LIKE, WHAT HOUSING IS AVAILABLE? HOW TO HOW DO PEOPLE GET AROUND OUR COMMUNITY? WHAT AMENITIES DO THEY GET TO EXPERIENCE? YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT SAID THAT WITHOUT VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH.

IT'S OUR JOB AS STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC'S RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN A VISION OF THE COMMUNITY AND ONE THAT PROVIDES FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. SECOND THING IS I REALLY LIKE TO FOCUS ON HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WHETHER THAT'S CITIZENS OR DEVELOPERS.

THE IDEA THAT HOW WE DO THE THINGS WE DO IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE DO IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. PROCESS IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE OUTCOME.

WHO'S AT THE TABLE? ARE WE INCLUDING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES? ARE WE LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING THE PUBLIC AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS? AND THIS MEANS EMBRACING THIS ATTITUDE OF GETTING TO YES, YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY THAT QUITE A BIT. WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS AND DEALS.

EVERYTHING I DO, I DO WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO GET TO YES, FINDING THAT MIDDLE GROUND THAT'S GOING TO HELP HELP US BE SUCCESSFUL AND FINALLY EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN AN EXPERIENCE BASED ECONOMY.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE NEED TO GIVE THOSE WE WORK WITH AND EXPERIENCE.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPERS AND GARLAND, WAS IT A FAIR EXPERIENCE? WAS IT A CONSISTENT EXPERIENCE? DID WE ACT WITH URGENCY, NOT HASTE, BUT URGENCY AND VISION? DO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PARTNERS WITH US IN HELPING DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, WE'RE SUCCESSFUL.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT PROSPECTS LOOK AT WHEN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO COME TO A COMMUNITY LIKE GARLAND.

WE NEED TO GIVE THEM AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THAT DECISION FROM THE FIRST VISIT, FIRST PHONE CALL TO CITY HALL, ALL THE WAY TO THE GRAND OPENING.

ANYONE CAN GO ONLINE AND FIND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT GARLAND.

WHERE WE MAKE THE REAL DIFFERENCE IS HOW WE TREAT THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE TABLE WITH US. AND SO I'LL KIND OF LEAVE THAT THERE AND JUST REALLY CONVEY MY EXCITEMENT TO BE HERE IN GARLAND AND APPRECIATE THE WARM WELCOMES THAT I'VE RECEIVED AND LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU ALL MORE AND HELP MOVE THE COMMUNITY FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU. VERY GOOD, SIR.

AND I KNOW THAT IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS, I BELIEVE YOUR PLAN IS TO REACH OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HAVE SOME ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM SO THAT AS WE ALL WILL GET TO KNOW, YOU VIRTUALLY FOR THE TIME BEING.

BUT I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU AND I HAVE HAD SO FAR, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE CITY.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING FOR WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.

THANKS, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE

[3B. COVID-19 Response Update and Further Actions]

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.

IT SEEMS SEEMS LIKE FOREVER AGO THAT I TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT COVID-19.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE VERY BRIEF AS I GO OVER THE ROUTINE STATISTICS THAT WE PROVIDE. WE'VE GOT A SHORT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ON THE STATUS OF VACCINES.

SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS RAPIDLY AND TRY TO GET TO THAT.

[00:10:01]

SO THESE ARE THE STATISTICS THAT YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I GUESS EVERY COUNCIL MEETING SINCE MARCH.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE INFECTION RATE CONTINUES TO BE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.

THE DAILY NUMBER OF CASES IS CERTAINLY MUCH, MUCH HIGHER THAN WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

AND WE'VE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REPORTED COVID-19 RELATED FATALITIES SINCE THE LAST MEETING IN DECEMBER.

AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, THE TOTAL CASE COUNT STANDS AT JUST OVER EIGHTEEN THOUSAND.

YOU SEE IT IN THE BLUE NUMBER THERE AT THE VERY TOP EIGHTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT. THE GOOD NEWS IS THE LION'S SHARE OF THOSE CASES CONTINUE TO REPRESENT FOLKS THAT HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19.

SO FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN INFECTED, THEY'VE PROGRESSED THROUGH THE ILLNESS TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE CONSIDERED RECOVERED AND HOPEFULLY BACK TO NORMAL LIVES.

THE DEATH RATE I MENTIONED, THE DEATH COUNT, I'M SORRY, I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.

WE'VE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF DEATHS REPORTED OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

I WILL SAY THE LION'S SHARE OF THOSE INVOLVE FOLKS WITH SIGNIFICANT UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THIS THIS DISEASE, AS MOST DISEASES DO PREY ON INDIVIDUAL WEAKNESSES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THAT JUST REALLY SEEM TO LEND THEMSELVES TO SEVERE INFECTION OR DEATH.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO RISE.

OF COURSE, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE ON THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE VACCINATION PHASE TO END THIS PANDEMIC. SO I KNOW THAT CAN'T GET HERE QUICK ENOUGH FOR YOU ALL IN THE PUBLIC.

AND I SHARE THAT OPINION.

WE WANT TO GET VACCINES IN OUR ARMS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

SO THE FINAL NUMBER THERE, THE ACTIVE CASES, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN INFECTED BUT ARE NOT YET CONSIDERED RECOVERED.

NOW, I WILL SAY THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY OVERSTATED BECAUSE THE CASE COUNTS HAVE BEEN SO HIGH. WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING OUR ENERGY ON CONTACTING INFECTED INDIVIDUALS RATHER THAN FOLLOWING UP ON THOSE THAT HAVE MET INTO MONITORING.

SO WHEN WE HAVE TO CHOOSE, WE WANT TO CHOOSE TO CONTACT THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN INFECTED AND GET THEM ISOLATED OR QUARANTINED.

SO WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF ACTIVE CASES.

THE CURRENT COUNT IS FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR.

BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OVERSTATED.

AND I HOPE THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WEEKS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FOCUS MORE ATTENTION ON RECOVERIES AND LOWER THAT NUMBER TO PROBABLY WHAT IS A MORE ACCURATE FIGURE.

AND FINALLY, THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT ILLUSTRATES CASES BY COLLECTION DATE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHAT WE'LL CALL THE SECOND PEAK, WHICH REALLY STARTED IN OCTOBER, MAYBE EVEN LATE SEPTEMBER.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF HIT PERHAPS A PLATEAU, BUT WE REALLY AREN'T SEEING A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES. AND OF COURSE, IT'S NO SECRET THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN THAT TRAVEL OVER THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAYS OR MAYBE NOT JUST TRAVEL, BUT INTERACTION WITH WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS MAY PROLONG THAT SECOND PEAK.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MISTIE TO FINISH HER PART OF THE PRESENTATION . OK, ANY QUESTIONS FOR JASON BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? OK, I SEE. SORRY--.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.

OK. THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, MISTIE, GO AHEAD.

YES, SIR. SO TRYING TO MOVE AND IT WON'T LET ME MOVE.

OK, HERE WE GO. SO WE'LL START WITH TEXAS CASES AND THEN GO THROUGH THE COUNTY NUMBERS AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COMPARE THOSE WITH THE NUMBERS THAT JASON GAVE YOU, JUST LIKE WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS REPORTS.

SO WITH TEXAS CASES, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE FIFTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX NEW CONFIRMED CASES, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTEEN CONFIRMED CASES FOR THE STATE.

THAT'S UP ABOUT TWO HUNDRED SIXTY ONE THOUSAND CASES FROM THE LAST REPORT.

WE HAVE FIFTY TWO NEWLY REPORTED FATALITIES, BRINGING THAT TOTAL, UNFORTUNATELY, TO TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE.

AND THAT'S UP ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND FROM THE LAST REPORT.

[00:15:04]

AND AGAIN, COMPARED TO LAST REPORT, THAT'S ABOUT FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND MORE CASES.

AND FOR STATE HOSPITALIZATION, TOTAL STAFF TO BED COUNT IS SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE, THAT'S THE NUMBER THERE IN THE MIDDLE ON THE FIRST ROW WITH ELEVEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY TWO BEDS BEING AVAILABLE.

SO THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL OCCUPANCY RIGHT NOW TO FIFTY TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SIXTY ONE.

THAT'S DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM THE LAST REPORT.

BUT THAT'S TOTAL OCCUPANCY, NOT RELATED NECESSARILY TO THE NUMBER OF COVID PATIENTS.

THAT NUMBER IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SO OUT OF THE FIFTY TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SIXTY ONE PATIENTS, THERE ARE TWELVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY ONE THAT ARE CONFIRMED COVID-19 PATIENTS.

SO AND THAT NUMBER IS UP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

IT'S THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY ONE MORE THAN LAST REPORT.

BRINGING THE TOTAL OF COVID-19 PATIENTS COMPARED TO ALL OTHER PATIENTS TO ABOUT TWENTY FOUR PERCENT. COMPARING THAT TO THE DALLAS COUNTY NUMBERS, DALLAS COUNTY REPORTS TOTAL ACTIVE CASES, THAT INCLUDES A PROBABLE NUMBER.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE TWO NUMBERS THERE IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER.

SO THE TOTAL NEW CASES THEY REPORTED TODAY WAS FIFTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY.

FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY CONFIRMED COVID-19 PATIENTS.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, I'M SORRY, NOT PATIENTS COVID-19 CONFIRMED CASES.

AND THEN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY OF THOSE ARE PROBABLE CASES.

THEY'RE CONFIRMED DEATH COUNT IS UP TO ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT, AND THEN FOR A TOTAL CUMULATIVE CASE COUNT FOR THE COUNTY AT ONE SEVENTY NINE, FIVE NINETY FOUR. THIS BRINGS US TO THE DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITALIZATION INFORMATION.

SO A NUMBER OF LICENSED BEDS REPORTED ON TODAY'S REPORT WAS SIX THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY AND HOSPITAL CENSUS FOR DALLAS COUNTY IS FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT.

THAT'S TOTAL CENSUS.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LEFT NUMBER.

OUT OF THOSE IS ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN ARE COVID PATIENTS.

SO THAT IS A TWENTY THREE POINT THREE NINE PERCENT RATIO.

AS FAR AS VENTILATOR USAGE, THAT'S IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER, ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

WE HAVE TOTAL AVAILABLE VENTILATORS AT FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE, AND THAT'S A COMBINED AVERAGE USAGE RATE OF ABOUT 50 PERCENT.

LOOKING AT THE AVAILABLE STAFF BEDS FOR INPATIENTS, RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY AVAILABLE STAFF BEDS AND TWENTY ONE OF THOSE ARE AVAILABLE ADULT ICU BEDS IN DALLAS COUNTY. LOOKING AT THE CONFIRMED NUMBER OF COVID-19 PATIENTS OUT OF THE ONES THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED AND VENTILATED, IT'S TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PERCENTAGE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS ASKED OF ME A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL VENTILATED PATIENTS THAT HAVE COVID IS TWENTY SIX PERCENT. THIS IS JUST A ZOOMED IN VERSION OF THE GRAPH THAT'S IN THE CENTER OF THIS, SO WE TOOK IT FROM THE PEAK THAT YOU SAW IN LATE JULY AND THEN WE JUST PULLED THAT OUT SO THAT YOU CAN SEE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, SO THERE'S TWO LINES ON THIS GRAPH.

ONE, THE ORANGE LINE IS THE PERCENT OF ALL IMPATIENCE WITH COVERED.

THE RED LINE IS THE PERCENT OF COVID PATIENTS COMPARED TO HOSPITAL CAPACITY.

SO THAT'S ALL PATIENTS AND AVAILABLE BEDS.

SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBERS.

THE REASON FOR THE DIFFERENCE, WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN REPORTING THE PERCENTAGE OF COVID VERSUS ALL INPATIENTS AND THEN THE STATE CAME OUT AND THEY WERE COMPARING THE NUMBER TO ACTUAL CAPACITY AND THAT'S THE NUMBER THEY WERE BASING WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE IN THE HIGH RANGE FOR THE COUNTY AND FOR THE TRAUMA REGION.

SO THAT'S WHY WE STARTED REPORTING BOTH.

SO RIGHT NOW, THE LAST SEVEN DAYS, WE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE 15 PERCENT MARK, WHICH WAS WHAT THE GOVERNOR LOOKED AT FOR INCREASED RESTRICTIONS AND SO JUST TODAY'S NUMBER WAS RIGHT AT FOR THE ORANGE LINE, THE PERCENT OF ALL PATIENTS WITH COVID WAS AT TWENTY THREE POINT THREE NINE PERCENT.

AND THEN THE RED LINE BEING THE HOSPITAL CAPACITY WAS AT TWENTY POINT SIX ZERO PERCENT.

THIS IS A COMPARISON.

SO THIS IS OUR TRAUMA SERVICE AREA, THAT'S 'E' IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE MAP THERE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE DOTTED RED LINE, WHICH IS THE 15 PERCENT FOR SOME TIME NOW. THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT JASON WENT OVER EARLIER.

AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR GARLAND FUNDED TESTING SITES, SO FOR TOTAL TESTS AT THIS POINT, WE'VE WE'VE HAD FOURTEEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND THREE OF THOSE TESTS, THREE I'M

[00:20:04]

AND THEN WE ARE AWAITING RESULTS ON FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THREE.

SO THAT'S THE CONFIRMED NEGATIVES.

THERE IS ELEVEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED NINETY THREE.

AND THEN FINALLY, OUR STAFF IMPACTS, SO RIGHT NOW, WITH WHAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR, WE'VE HAD A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID AND RETURNED TO WORK AND THEN CURRENT STAFF IMPACTS.

WE HAVE FIFTY EIGHT THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.

THAT'S THE PINK COLUMN ON THE LEFT AND FOUR PENDING COVID TESTING RESULTS.

THAT'S THE SECOND AND THEN SIXTY TWO THAT ARE EXCLUDED DUE TO RISK EXPOSURES, BRINGING TOTAL EXCLUSIONS RIGHT NOW TO ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE PART OF THE PRESENTATION WHERE JASON IS GOING TO DISCUSS VACCINATIONS. AND IF I CAN UNMUTE.

OK, SO I'VE GOT JUST A FEW SLIDES TO RUN THROUGH ON VACCINATIONS AND MISTIE IF YOU CAN GO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S NO WAY TO PACK ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN HERE THAT THAT'S GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO HIT THE HIGH POINTS THAT INCLUDE THE DSHS DISTRIBUTION PLAN WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR PLAN LOCALLY FOR THE GARLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FOLLOWED BY CURRENT ELIGIBILITY GROUPS.

SO WHICH PORTIONS OF THE PUBLIC ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINES, THE LIMITED SUPPLY OF VACCINES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE COMING WEEKS.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE IN A NUTSHELL, THE DSHS, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, THEY ARE MANAGING COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.

SO THE BASIS OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND IT'S NOT JUST TEXAS, IT'S STATEWIDE.

BUT THE GOAL OR THE PLAN IS TO UTILIZE THE LOCAL PROVIDER NETWORKS THAT MANY OF US GET FLU SHOTS FROM EACH YEAR, WHICH IT'S A WISE PLAN BECAUSE THERE IS A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT IN MOST YEARS SERVES ALMOST HALF OF AMERICANS BY PROVIDING A FLU SHOT.

SO THAT'S GREAT. WE'VE GOT A SYSTEM THAT CAN DEAL WITH ALMOST HALF THE POPULATION.

OF COURSE, THE SHORTCOMING IS THERE'S THE OTHER HALF OF THE POPULATION THAT DON'T GET ANNUAL FLU SHOTS.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF CAPACITY IN TERMS OF STAFFING AND FACILITIES TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE VACCINES. THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO MAKE.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS COME IN, WHICH CERTAINLY INCLUDES US.

THIS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, MEDICAL PROVIDERS, DOCTORS OFFICES, HOSPITALS, ANY MEDICAL PROVIDER CAN ENROLL IN THIS SYSTEM.

AGAIN, THAT'S DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

THERE'S A WEB PAGE TO ENROLL.

I WILL SAY THAT ENROLLMENT IS EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING.

IT REQUIRES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF DETAIL IN TERMS OF POPULATION SERVED, DEMOGRAPHICS OF POPULATION SERVED, VACCINE STORAGE AVAILABILITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE TO GATHER TO SUCCESSFULLY ENROLL.

THERE ARE SIXTY FIVE PROVIDERS IN GARLAND THAT ARE SOMEWHERE IN THAT PROCESS OF BEING ENROLLED. NOW, NOT ALL SIXTY FIVE OF THEM ARE APPROVED, BUT THERE ARE SIXTY FIVE PROVIDERS SOMEWHERE ALONG THAT PROCESS.

THE GARLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE LOCAL PROVIDERS THAT'S ACTUALLY APPROVED.

SO AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE RECEIVED VACCINE AND THERE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS THAT ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WHICH IS GREAT.

WE WANT WE WANT AS MANY PROVIDERS FOR OUR PUBLIC TO ACCESS THIS VACCINE THROUGH AS POSSIBLE. THAT'S THE FEWER PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE AND HOPEFULLY SHORTER WAITING TIME FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

THE NEXT BULLET THERE, THERE'S JUST A FEW GARLAND PROVIDERS THAT HAVE RECEIVED COVID-19 VACCINE. OF COURSE, THE FIRST INITIAL WAVE OF VACCINES WAS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY GIVEN TO HOSPITALS. GARLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECEIVED OUR FIRST DISTRIBUTION THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS. THERE WAS ANOTHER SMALL DISTRIBUTION LAST WEEK, AND THUS FAR THIS WEEK WE'VE NOT SEEN ANY INFORMATION ON VACCINE ALLOCATIONS FOR WHAT'S CALLED THE WEEK FOUR WHICH IS THIS WEEK. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO INFORMATION THERE.

OF COURSE, AS I SAID, OUR ROLE IS GOING TO BE TO FILL THE GAP OF RESIDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE A MEDICAL PROVIDER HOME.

SO NOBODY THAT THEY ROUTINELY GO TO FOR MEDICAL CARE OR FLU VACCINES, OTHER VACCINES.

[00:25:04]

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO JUST A FEW DETAILS ABOUT OUR DISTRIBUTION PLAN LOCALLY.

WE HAVE OF COURSE, IT'S PROBABLY NO NEWS TO YOU ALL THAT THE GARLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY, DR. TIM LAMBERT, IS ALSO THE HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR SACHSE AND ROWLETT.

AND SO THROUGH INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, WE PROVIDE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES TO THOSE THREE JURISDICTIONS GARLAND, ROWLETT, AND SACHSE.

WE HAVE A STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT BEGAN MEETING LAST FEBRUARY REALLY WHEN COVID-19 FIRST ARRIVED ON THE SCENE OR SHORTLY AFTER IT FIRST ARRIVED ON THE SCENE.

JUST A QUICK LIST OF FOLKS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT GROUP.

OF COURSE, OUR DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR GARLAND AND ROWLETT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS, AS WELL AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

A KEY PLAYER THERE IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND REALLY THE REASON THAT THAT WE HAVE THE THREE JURISDICTIONS UNDER ONE HEALTH AUTHORITY IS BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, COVERS ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS.

SO THEY'RE A KEY PLAYER HERE.

AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT.

OF COURSE, OUR PUBLIC AND MEDIA AFFAIRS GROUP, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE WEB PAGE AS UP TO DATE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO USE THAT IS THE MOST ACCURATE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR COVID-19 VACCINE.

AND THEN, AS YOU CAN EXPECT, THERE'S NUMEROUS OTHER SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS LIKE I.T.

OR OUR TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT THAT'S HELPED DEVELOP TRAFFIC SCHEMES FOR DRIVE THROUGH EVENTS.

IT'S BEEN A BIG UNDERTAKING OVER THE PAST 11 MONTHS AND WE'VE GOT A BIG JOB AHEAD OF US.

SO THE THREE JURISDICTIONS, THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT ARE GOING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR VACCINATION EVENTS.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT LARGE EVENTS WILL BE HELD AT GISD FACILITIES, SPECIFICALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT A HBJ STADIUM AS A PRIMARY VACCINATION SITE.

AND WE SPENT ABOUT TWO HOURS ON A ZOOM MEETING TODAY WITH CHIEFS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS FROM ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS ACTIVELY PLANNING MASS VACCINATION OPERATIONS POTENTIALLY AT THAT FACILITY. WE THINK THAT WITH THE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN PULL TOGETHER AS A GROUP, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN VACCINATE UP TO EIGHT THOUSAND RESIDENTS PER DAY, PROVIDED THAT THE VACCINES ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO US.

AND RIGHT NOW, OUR INITIAL ALLOCATION WAS NINE HUNDRED VACCINES AND WE GOT AN ADDITIONAL ONE HUNDRED VACCINES IN WEEK TWO TO MAKE A THOUSAND.

AND WE HAVE JUST OVER TWO HUNDRED LEFT TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE 1A/1B GROUP.

SO I GUESS THE POINT OF THAT LINE OF DISCUSSION IS THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THESE BIG EVENTS UNTIL WE GET LARGE ALLOCATIONS OF VACCINE.

AND FRANKLY, WE GET VERY LITTLE NOTICE.

I REALLY CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE AN IDEA OF WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON A REGISTRATION PLATFORM, AN ONLINE REGISTRATION PLATFORM.

WE'RE WORKING OUT A FEW DETAILS TO FINALIZE THAT PLATFORM.

WE HOPE TO HAVE IT AVAILABLE VERY SOON IN THE NEXT IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

AND THEN FINALLY, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE WEB PAGE HAS THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF CALLS, WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED, LOTS OF EMAILS. AND WE'RE URGING FOLKS WE'RE FOCUSING A LOT OF ATTENTION ON KEEPING THAT WEB PAGE UP TO DATE SO THAT FOLKS CAN HAVE FAITH THAT THAT'S THE MOST UP TO DATE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR VACCINE DISTRIBUTION IN GARLAND.

JUST REAL QUICK NOT TO GET TOO FAR AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT THESE ARE THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW QUESTIONS ON BOTH THE VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED NOW, THE PFIZER AND MODERNA VACCINES, BOTH OF THOSE ARE TWO DOSE VACCINES.

SO YOU HAVE TO GET THE INITIAL DOSE AND THEN A BOOSTER DOSE AT TWENTY ONE DAYS WITH PFIZER, TWENTY EIGHT DAYS WITH MODERNA.

THERE IS A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO COORDINATE THE SECOND DOSE OF THE BOOSTER DOSE FOR THESE VACCINES. SO THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT IS A HANDOUT THAT EACH VACCINE RECIPIENT GETS.

IT DETAILS A V-SAFE PROGRAM OR APP THAT CAN BE DOWNLOADED ON A SMARTPHONE.

AND THAT PROGRAM WILL PROMPT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME FOR A BOOSTER SHOT IS DUE.

IT'LL ALSO SEND YOU MESSAGES FREQUENTLY IN THE DAYS AFTER YOUR FIRST INITIAL VACCINE

[00:30:09]

AND THE GOAL THERE IS TO DETECT SIDE EFFECTS.

IF THERE ARE COMMON SIDE EFFECTS, SUCH AS FEVER, HEADACHES, SORENESS AT THE INJECTION SITE, REALLY THE GOAL THERE IS TO GAIN AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE ON COMMON SIDE EFFECTS TO THE VACCINE.

SO THE V-SAFE APP IS ONE WAY THAT RESIDENTS CAN DOWNLOAD THAT.

THEY CAN USE THAT TO NOT ONLY KEEP UP WITH SIDE EFFECTS AND REPORT SIDE EFFECTS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO USE THAT TO KNOW WHEN THEY'RE DUE FOR THEIR NEXT DOSE.

THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT IS A FRONT AND BACK PHOTO OF THE VACCINE RECORD.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A CDC CARD.

SO THAT'S NATIONWIDE.

NO MATTER WHERE YOU GET A COVID-19 VACCINE IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET A CARD THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS.

AND THE IDEA BEING THAT FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED CAN TAKE THIS CARD ANYWHERE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE PLACE THAT YOU GOT YOUR FIRST SHOT.

YOU CAN TAKE THIS CARD ANYWHERE AS PROOF THAT YOU RECEIVED THE INITIAL VACCINE.

AND IT PROVIDES THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF BOOSTER SHOT YOU WILL GET AND WHEN YOU'RE DUE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THE GROUPS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE, YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY HEARD ME TALK ABOUT GROUP 1A OR PHASE 1A AND PHASE 1B.

PHASE 1A IS THE FIRST TIER.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST PRIORITY GROUP.

THOSE INCLUDE HEALTH CARE WORKERS, CERTAINLY HOSPITAL WORKERS, LONG TERM CARE FACILITY STAFF AND RESIDENTS.

SO LONG TERM CARE FACILITY, I MEAN NURSING HOMES, MANY ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, GROUP HOMES AND THE LIKE. OF COURSE, SCHOOL NURSES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PHASE 1A, AS WELL AS FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTING SICK PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL.

AND THERE'S A HANDFUL OF OTHER GROUPS.

BUT ESSENTIALLY THAT GROUP IS THE FRONT LINE WORKERS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE EXPOSED TO COVID-19 AS A PART OF THEIR JOB DUTIES AND IN THAT GROUP REMAINS THE PRIORITY GROUP.

PHASE ONE B IS THOSE FOLKS ARE ELIGIBLE, BUT PHASE ONE A REMAINS THE PRIORITY GROUP.

SO PHASE ONE B ARE PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER OR PEOPLE 16 AND OLDER FOR THE PFIZER VACCINE AND 18 AND OLDER FOR THE MODERNA VACCINE WITH AT LEAST ONE CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITION THAT PUTS THEM AT RISK FOR SEVERE ILLNESS.

NOW THERE'S A LIST OF CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AN EXAMPLE LIST OF CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT FIT THAT CATEGORY.

BUT IT IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST.

SO BOTH OF THESE GROUPS, FOLKS CAN FIND THE EXACT DEFINITIONS FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES. THEY CAN FIND LINKS ON OUR GARLAND WEB PAGE.

THEY'RE PROMINENT ON OUR VACCINE WEB PAGE.

SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF WHETHER YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR A VACCINE, THESE TWO GROUPS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.

AND THE EXACT DEFINITIONS OF WHO FALLS INTO EACH CATEGORY CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEB PAGE.

OF COURSE, AS VACCINES BECOME MORE AVAILABLE, ELIGIBILITY WILL EXPAND.

WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITION FOR A PHASE 1C.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE NEXT GROUP IS GOING TO BE.

LIKELY, IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE GROUPS, PUBLIC WORKS TYPE FOLKS THAT KEEP THE WATER AND ELECTRICITY ON, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT.

AND AS SOON AS THAT INFORMATION IS RELEASED, CERTAINLY WE'LL LINK TO IT ON OUR WEB PAGE.

AND AS I'VE SAID A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE, OUR WEB PAGE IS THE MOST UP TO DATE SOURCE OF INFORMATION. AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VISIBILITY ON WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET ADDITIONAL VACCINE ALLOCATIONS OR HOW MANY VACCINES ARE GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO US.

THE FIRST ROUND OF VACCINES, WE GOT ABOUT FORTY FIVE MINUTES NOTICE FROM THE TIME WE WERE NOTIFIED UNTIL THE TIME THEY WERE DELIVERED.

SO I KNOW THE STATE IS JUST AS OVERWHELMED AS EVERYONE ELSE IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH FIELD THESE DAYS. BUT I MENTIONED THAT JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE VIRTUALLY NO VISIBILITY ON WHEN ADDITIONAL VACCINES WILL BE AVAILABLE AND HOW MANY DOSES WE'LL GET.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE WEB PAGES UP TO DATE AS POSSIBLE AS THIS EVOLVES.

SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND IS DSHS, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, ASKED ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE MASS VACCINATION CLINICS.

[00:35:01]

THEY REALLY WANTED TO PUSH THIS VACCINE OUT THROUGH LOCAL PROVIDERS.

WELL, I SENSE THAT THE STATE IS UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE OF THE PERCEPTION REALLY NATIONALLY THAT THIS VACCINE IS NOT BEING ROLLED OUT RAPIDLY ENOUGH.

SO I ANTICIPATE MASS VACCINATION EVENTS BEING PROMOTED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL SOON.

I MADE A COMMITMENT OVER THE WEEKEND THAT IF THE STATE WILL PROVIDE US WITH 20 THOUSAND DOSES PER WEEK, WE WILL ADMINISTER THOSE.

THAT'S A TALL ORDER. BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN LIVE UP TO IT.

AND WE ARE IF AND WHEN THAT OCCURS, WE'RE GOING TO BE PREPARED TO DO IT RAPIDLY.

AND THEN FINALLY, VACCINATION CLINICS FOR SPECIFIC PRIORITY GROUPS WE WILL CONTINUE TO SCHEDULE THOSE PROMPTLY ONCE ADDITIONAL VACCINE IS ALLOCATED.

AND BY PRIORITY GROUPS, I MEAN PRIMARILY WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES THAT ARE IN GROUP 1A, THE PRIORITY GROUP.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VACCINES TO VACCINATE THAT GROUP.

SO WE'VE GOT A WAITING LIST THERE.

WE'VE GOT FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE YET.

THEY'RE IN GROUP 1A, SO AS WE GET ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS, NOT ONLY WILL THEY BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN GROUP ONE B THOSE 65 AND OLDER, BUT WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE FOR THE PRIORITY GROUP.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE LAST SLIDE.

AND I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOTS OF QUESTIONS AND I WILL DO MY VERY BEST TO ANSWER.

LOTS OF FOLKS QUEUED UP.

MISTIE, IF YOU COULD ANSWER YOUR SCREEN FOR ME, PLEASE.

AND COUNCIL, I KNOW WE'VE GOT SEVERAL, SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE.

AND JUST ANOTHER UPDATE, THIS MORNING, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH REPRESENTATIVE BUTTON, WHO, AS WE ALL KNOW, REPRESENTS A LARGE PORTION OF THE CITY OF GARLAND.

I WAS ABLE TO BRIEF HER ON OUR MASS VACCINATION PLAN AND KIND OF RELAY SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE BEEN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR THIS TYPE OF EVENT FOR WEEKS NOW.

AND SO I WAS ABLE TO BRIEF HER ON OUR PLANS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO HER THAT FOR US TO ENGAGE THAT PLAN, AS JASON SAID, WE NEED A RELIABLE, STEADY SUPPLY OF VACCINE.

SO SHE TOOK THE INFORMATION THAT I GAVE HER AND SHE HAS COMMUNICATED THAT BACK TO AUSTIN, TO CHIEF NIM KIDD WHO IS OVER THE TEXAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS BRIEFED HIM ON OUR PLAN AND THAT WE'RE READY TO MOVE.

I HAVE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO CHIEF KIDD AS WELL TODAY.

AGAIN, AS JASON SAID, HE'S GOT A LOT OF OTHER CITIES PROBABLY CONTACTING HIM AS WELL.

BUT I HAVE SENT COMMUNICATION TO HIM THAT I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY, EXUBERANT, TO BRIEF HIM ON OUR PLANS AND MOVE THIS THING FORWARD AS RAPIDLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM HIM, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH HIM AND REPRESENTATIVE BUTTON AGAIN TOMORROW.

AS FAR AS THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, AS FAR, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE SUPPLY ISSUE.

SO ANYWAY, MOVING FORWARD, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS, JASON.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT BRIEFING.

YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.

LET ME JUST JUST GO THROUGH THEM ALL AND THEN YOU CAN ADDRESS THEM.

SORT OF PIGGYBACKING ON THE MAYOR'S LAST COMMENT.

ANY DISCUSSION IF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO DO THESE MASS VACCINATIONS AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES POSSIBLY COMING FROM THE STATE? THAT'S A QUESTION, ANY CONVERSATION THERE.

MY NEXT QUESTION IS, JASON, YOU INDICATED THAT THE ONLINE REGISTRATION PROCESS WOULD BE READY PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

IS THAT JUST FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND ONLY OR WOULD THAT INCLUDE THE TRI CITIES? MY NEXT QUESTION IS YOU MENTIONED.

THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE EIGHT SIXTY FIVE MEDICAL PROVIDERS IN GARLAND, WILL THERE BE A

[00:40:07]

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW DOWN IN DISTRICT FOUR, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE. THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.

AND SO CAN YOU ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS? I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT, TO THE EXTENT, MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE, IS ACCURATE INFORMATION.

SO THAT CLEARINGHOUSE, I THINK IS A CRITICAL SOURCE.

OK, THANK YOU, JASON. AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.

THEY'RE ALL VERY GOOD AND I WILL.

I MADE A FEW NOTES HERE, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THEM IN THE ORDER.

SO IN TERMS OF STATE RESOURCES, I KNOW THE MAYOR TOUCHED ON HIS COMMUNICATION WITH OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES.

FRANKLY, WE DON'T EXPECT A LOT OF RESOURCES IN TERMS OF MANPOWER FROM THE STATE.

WE ARE POOLING TOGETHER RESOURCES.

THAT WAS REALLY THE PRIMARY GIST OF THE MEETING THAT WE HAD TODAY WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS WAS TO WE'VE IDENTIFIED WHAT WE THINK ARE APPROPRIATE NUMBERS OF STAFF IN PARTICULAR ROLES, WHETHER IT BE A REGISTRATION CHECKPOINT OR FOLKS ACTUALLY ADMINISTERING VACCINES OR TRAFFIC CONTROL OR MANY OTHER TASKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED AT THESE EVENTS.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED ACTUAL NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE THINK WE'LL NEED IN EACH ROLE TO VACCINATE UP TO EIGHT THOUSAND PEOPLE A DAY.

AND OF COURSE, THE MODEL THAT WE'VE SETTLED ON IS SCALABLE.

SO IF WE GET EIGHT THOUSAND, IF WE HAVE ENOUGH VACCINES TO ADMINISTER EIGHT THOUSAND, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

IF WE ONLY HAVE A THOUSAND VACCINES, WE CAN SCALE THAT MODEL DOWN TO, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE MUCH LESS STAFF, BUT STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROPERLY VACCINATE A THOUSAND PEOPLE.

SO, WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF THE THREE JURISDICTIONS THAT WE CAN BRING TO BEAR IN TERMS OF THESE MASS VACCINATION CLINICS.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY NO SURPRISE BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IT'S NATIONWIDE.

EVERY COMMUNITY AND JURISDICTION IN THE NATION IS IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN PLANNING FOR THIS, THEY'RE RAPIDLY PLANNING FOR IT NOW.

AND BUT I WILL SAY THAT I BELIEVE WE'RE WELL-POSITIONED.

WE'VE BEEN PLANNING THIS WITH STAKEHOLDERS FOR MONTHS.

WE VISITED HPJ STADIUM BACK IN THE SUMMER WHEN IT WAS HOT.

SO IT'S BEEN ON OUR MIND.

WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING. WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHEN.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE RAPID PROGRESSION OF EVENTS HAS SURPRISED ME.

BUT I'LL GIVE YOU AN ASSURANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR LEVEL BEST TO VACCINATE WITH URGENCY WHENEVER WE GET VACCINES, NO MATTER THE QUANTITY.

SO THE NEXT QUESTION, THE ONLINE REGISTRATION PROCESS.

SO THAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS IN ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS AND THE WAY THAT, OF COURSE, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS DONE THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS DONE CONTACT TRACING FOR ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS.

NOW THE NUMBERS THAT I REPORT TO YOU ALL ARE JUST FOR GARLAND, THEY DON'T INCLUDE THE NUMBERS FROM SACHSE AND ROWLETT.

BUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUP MADE THE DECISION TO TREAT RESIDENTS OF ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS AS ONE AND TO NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE THREE.

SO THE ONLINE REGISTRATION PROCESS WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE THAT FOR ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS AND RESIDENTS FROM THE JURISDICTIONS WILL HAVE THAT REGISTRATION LINK OR PLATFORM, I SHOULD SAY, AVAILABLE TO THEM.

THE LIST OF PROVIDERS IN GARLAND, THERE IS ACTUALLY A LINK ON OUR CITY WEB PAGE THAT TAKES A BIT OF NAVIGATION, BUT IT'S A LINK TO A STATE WEB PAGE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT LIST OF SIXTY THREE PROVIDERS AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEIR STATUS IS IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS TO BECOME WHAT'S CONSIDERED ENROLLED, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE. AND SO THAT LIST IS EVER CHANGING.

[00:45:02]

I LOOKED AT IT JUST THIS MORNING.

THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT IT, WE ONLY HAD FORTY ONE PROVIDERS THAT WERE AT SOME POINT IN THAT PROCESS. SO OVER THE PAST WEEK OR TEN DAYS, WE'VE HAD, WHAT IS THAT, AN ADDITIONAL TWENTY TWO PROVIDERS BEGIN THE PROCESS, WHICH IS ENCOURAGING.

IN TERMS OF CLEARINGHOUSE FOR VACCINES AND GARLAND, WE DON'T HAVE A BIG ROLE IN VACCINE COORDINATION AMONG THE POTENTIALLY SIXTY THREE PROVIDERS IN GARLAND THAT ARE GOING TO HELP DISTRIBUTE VACCINE AT SOME POINT.

WE ARE A SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THEM.

WE ARE A SOURCE OF GUIDANCE.

IF THEY NEED HELP NAVIGATING THE PROCESS TO BECOME AN ENROLLED VACCINE PROVIDER, WE ARE ENCOURAGING THEM TO ENROLL.

BUT IN TERMS OF I GUESS, I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT IS IN TERMS OF OVERSIGHT, THE OVERSIGHT FOR THAT GROUP OF PROVIDERS OR ANY PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE IS REALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL. NOW, OF COURSE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROMOTE PROVIDERS TO ENROLL.

WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO DO THAT. WE'VE HELPED SEVERAL ENROLL.

AND TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN COORDINATE, WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO DO THAT.

WE'VE ALREADY VACCINATED SEVERAL EMPLOYEES OF OF MANY OF THE PROVIDERS LOCALLY.

SO HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY BETWEEN THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE FOR [INAUDIBLE] VACCINATIONS AND THE OTHER PROVIDERS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ROLLING, WE HOPE TO HAVE A PRETTY A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE NET TO CATCH, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, TO DISTRIBUTE VACCINES WIDELY ACROSS THE THREE JURISDICTIONS.

I HOPE I HIT ON ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS THERE.

YES, YOU DID. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR.

COUNCIL MEMBER AUBIN? THANKS, MAYOR.

MR. CHESSHER, I JUST GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.

ON THE HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING OR HAD ANY CONTACT ABOUT I KNOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECENTLY PASSED ABOUT SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS FOR VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.

DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHETHER WE'LL BE GETTING SOME OF THAT MONEY TO FACILITATE SOME OF THIS DISTRIBUTION PROCESS? HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING? I HAVE NOT.

OK, AND MY CONCERN THERE IS THAT IF WE'RE ALREADY AND, I'LL SAY THIS, YOU ALL ARE DOING AN ADMIRABLE JOB AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

I KNOW IT IS VERY MUCH KIND OF SURFING THE WAVE AND INFORMATION CHANGES DAILY.

IT IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME THAT VACCINES JUST SHOW UP OUT OF NOWHERE WITH NO NOTICE THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE PLAN.

BUT I KNOW THAT AT LEAST FOR NOW, THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO BE.

BUT IT CONCERNS ME THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF RIGHT NOW TO DO CONTACT TRACING AND DETERMINING WHO IS RECOVERED FROM COVID, THAT WE'RE KIND OF A LONG WAY FROM ALSO BEING ABLE TO ADMINISTER A THOUSAND VACCINES A DAY.

SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN GET ANY FEDERAL HELP TO ALLOW US TO EXPAND OUR CAPACITY, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

IF I COULD INTERRUPT YOU. I BELIEVE MR. BRADFORD HAS SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.

YES. COUNCILMAN AUBIN, THOSE ARE EXCELLENT QUESTIONS AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT WE HAD ABOUT NINE MILLION DOLLARS OF CARES ACT FUNDING THAT WAS LEFT OVER, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE IT UNDER THE GUIDELINES THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE.

SPECIFICALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR POLICE AND FIRE SALARIES, NOT JUST OVERTIME, BUT SALARIES.

SO, OF COURSE, THOSE FUNDS WERE ALREADY BUDGETED.

AND SO WE ENDED UP WITH JUST UNDER NINE MILLION DOLLARS OF CARES FUNDS.

AND SO THAT IS THE POT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE USING TO FUND THESE OPERATIONS.

AND MATT WATSON IS GOING TO BE GIVING YOU A FULL REPORT ON THAT NEXT WEEK OF THE WORK SESSION. BUT THAT IS OUR SOURCE OF FUNDING HERE.

SECOND, I TOLD THE ORGANIZATION THIS MORNING THAT WE'RE TREATING THIS LIKE A TORNADO IN THAT WE'RE PULLING RESOURCES FROM ALL OVER THE ORGANIZATION TO MAKE THIS WORK.

AND THIS ORGANIZATION REALLY EXCELS WHEN WE HAVE THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS AND WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE VERY USED TO OPERATING OUT OF THEIR PARTICULAR BOX.

AND SO THAT TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ROWLETT AND SACHSE, AT THIS POINT, WE THINK WE

[00:50:09]

AND I GUESS WHILE I'VE GOT THE MIC, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THAT THIS EFFORT IS LITERALLY 24/7 AND HAS BEEN GOING ON NONSTOP OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND OVER THE WEEKENDS.

AND A LOT CHANGE JUST THIS WEEKEND.

AND I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF MISTIE GARDNER AND JASON CHESSHER.

THEY HAVE JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN PLANNING FOR THIS AND PULLING TOGETHER THE LOGISTICAL DETAILS.

AND WE AS A CITY ARE JUST VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BOTH.

THANK YOU, MR. BRADFORD, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

ON THE... YOU KNOW, I COMPLETELY SUPPORT US RUNNING A MASS VACCINATION SITE, THIS IDEA OF HAVING 60 DIFFERENT PROVIDERS, I THINK IS JUST A RECIPE FOR COMPLETE CHAOS.

AND I'VE SEEN EVIDENCE OF THAT ALREADY WITH WITH REPORTS OF PEOPLE CALLING AROUND CONSTANTLY CALLING PROVIDER AFTER PROVIDER AFTER PROVIDER AFTER PROVIDER, TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO HAS VACCINES AND THEN DOING IT THE NEXT DAY OR WAITING ON HOLD FOR HOURS OR WAITING ON LINE, TRYING TO JUMP INTO ONE OF THESE ONLINE LOTTERIES.

SO I REALLY HOPE THAT THE STATE WILL SEE THE VALUE IN RUNNING MASS VACCINATION SITES, WHETHER IT'S GARLAND OR NOT.

SO WE CAN JUST WE COULD JUST GET SHOTS INTO ARMS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S ALSO, I THINK, CREATING A LOT OF CONFUSION.

YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO GET VACCINATED.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY OUGHT TO TALK TO.

I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT WELL YOU OUGHT TO GO TO YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER, BUT I'VE GOT MEDICAL PROVIDERS TELLING OTHER FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WELL, LOOK TO YOUR CITY OR WHATEVER.

AND SO I DO HOPE THAT IT ALL GOES AND THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, AND WE ENCOURAGE THE STATE TO LOOK AT MASS VACCINATION SITES FOR DISTRIBUTION.

I HAVE SOME CONCERNS.

THE ONLINE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO DON'T HAVE REGULAR ONLINE ACCESS, WHO DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHO AREN'T GOING TO GET THIS INFORMATION. WHO AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOG IN.

AND I CAN SEE THAT PARTICULARLY AMONG 1A GROUPS AND AMONG OUR REAL POOR FOLK AND SO, SORRY, THE 1B, THE ELDERLY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF FACILITY WITH THIS INFORMATION.

SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT? AND THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE, HAVE WE LOOKED AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, SENATOR ROMNEY SUGGESTED EARLIER OR LAST WEEK THAT MAYBE ONE THING TO DO WOULD BE TO TAKE PEOPLE BY BIRTH DATE OR SOMETHING.

SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT INSTEAD OF NEEDING A TICKET THAT THEY HAVE TO GO ONLINE FOR, THEY HAVE A DAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THEY WOULD SHOW UP.

IF YOU'RE BORN ON THE 3RD OF A MONTH OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, HAVE WE LOOKED AT ANYTHING LIKE THAT SORRY, THOSE WERE LONG QUESTIONS.

I GUESS I'LL TRY TO TAKE THAT IN REVERSE ORDER.

WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON A REGISTRATION SYSTEM BECAUSE AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

AND I DON'T MEAN TO INDICATE THE TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT YOU MENTIONED BY BIRTH DATE OR THE FIRST LETTER OF LAST NAME OR ANYTHING.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THAT.

THE ONLY CONCERN THAT I HAVE ABOUT THOSE IS SINCE THE VISIBILITY, SINCE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE VISIBILITY IN THE NUMBER OF VACCINES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET OR WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM. THE ONE THING THAT I'VE TRIED TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO DO AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THE REST OF THIS PANDEMIC WITHOUT DOING IT IS I DON'T WANT TO PROMISE VACCINES THAT I CAN'T DELIVER.

AND I KNOW THE PUBLIC IS AT THEIR WIT'S END BECAUSE WE YOU KNOW, WE AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE ASKED AND BOTH THE STATE OF TEXAS AND NATIONWIDE, WE'VE ASKED FOR. YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY EXTREME SACRIFICES FROM OUR FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES AS WELL.

AND I KNOW THERE'S I THINK I HAVE A SENSE OF THAT FRUSTRATION.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S HIGH RISK FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN PENT UP FOR 11 MONTHS AND THEY'RE SICK OF IT AND THEY WANT A VACCINE.

THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO RESUME THEIR LIFE.

AND AGAIN, THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE AND WE'RE GOING TO ROLL THIS

[00:55:04]

MR. AUBIN, YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT.

NOT EVERY POPULATION HAS ONLINE ACCESS.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT AS THOUGH THAT'S AN ACROSS THE BOARD EQUALIZER IT'S NOT.

WE'VE BRAINSTORMED ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO REACH THOSE FOLKS.

WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO ADD A PHONE BANK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS, INCLUDING MY MOM, THAT'S IN THE SIXTY FIVE OR OLDER GROUP WHO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY NOT PLUGGED IN ONLINE.

SO THEY NEED DIFFERENT AVENUES TO SORT OF GET IN LINE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, TO GET THEIR PLACE IN THE REGISTRATION PLATFORM.

AND WE'VE BRAINSTORMED ON THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.

AND IF WE IDENTIFY PATHWAYS TO CONNECT WITH THOSE PEOPLE, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS, AS YOU SAID, WE'VE GOT TO GET VACCINES IN ARMS. AND I SAID ON DECEMBER 23, VACCINES BREAK PANDEMICS AND WE'VE BEEN RUNNING FROM COVID FOR 11 MONTHS. AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I'M SICK OF IT.

I'M READY TO START FIGHTING BACK.

AND VACCINES ARE THE WAY TO DO THAT.

SO I'M AS MOTIVATED AS I'VE EVER BEEN DURING THE COURSE OF THIS PANDEMIC TO GET VACCINES IN ARMS. AND WE'RE CHOMPING AT THE BIT, AS SOON AS WE GET MORE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ACTION ON OUR PART. I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK, I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE REACH COMMUNITIES THAT MIGHT BE MORE DIFFICULT TO REACH, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE USING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO GET WE'RE GOING TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN VACCINATED AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

AND FINALLY, I'D ADD THAT AS WE LOOK AT THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RUN A MASS VACCINATION SITE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT HESITATE IF WE NEED MORE PEOPLE.

WE ARE BLESSED WITH A COMMUNITY HERE IN GARLAND THAT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO PITCH IN IN TIMES OF GREAT NEED.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

I MEAN, IT'S LIKE A WAR EFFORT, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD FOLKS DOZENS IF NOT 100 FOLKS PITCHING IN TO HELP WHEN WE HAD THE TORNADO 14 MONTHS AGO.

AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE THAT SAME THING HERE.

WE'LL HAVE NO SHORTAGE OF FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO.

AND I KNOW OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE DONE THIS, TRAINING PEOPLE TO TAKE MEDICAL DATA OR EVEN TO GIVE SHOTS. I WOULDN'T WANT TO GIVE ANYONE A SHOT, BUT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO I DO HOPE THAT WE LEVERAGE THE REALLY WONDERFUL COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE VOLUNTEER SPIRIT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SIR.

AND I'M NOT SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I PUT A LOT OF TRUST IN YOU, BUT I'M NOT SURE I'M GOING TO PUT A SYRINGE IN YOUR HAND AND ROLL UP MY SLEEVE.

[LAUGHTER] "LET ME TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT LAST VOTE." ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN HEDRICK, THANK YOU.

MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE IT.

JASON, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANT ME TO ALL AT ONCE OR ONE BY ONE, BUT I'LL START AT THE TOP HERE. I'M LOOKING AT THIS GARLAND WEB PAGE WE HAVE SET UP AND IT SAYS WE'VE RECEIVED A THOUSAND VACCINES AND WE'VE ADMINISTERED SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY AS OF THE END OF DECEMBER. I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT ALL OF OUR VACCINES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED, THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED. IS THAT THE CASE? SO WE ARE REPORTING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VACCINES DISTRIBUTED AT THE END OF THE PRECEDING WORKDAY. SO WE HAD NEW YEAR'S DAY, WHICH WAS FRIDAY, WHICH WAS NOT A WORKDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY. SO THE THIRTY FIRST WAS THE LAST DAY, THE PRECEDING WORK DAY IN TERMS OF TODAY.

NOW, AS OF TODAY, LET'S SAY WE ADMINISTERED EIGHTY SEVEN DOSES TODAY, WHICH LEAVES US WITH A COUNT OF I BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO BE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE DOSES, AND WE'VE GOT TARGETS FOR THOSE DOSES AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO HIDE THE FACT THAT IT WAS A BIT OF SURPRISE THAT WE GOT DOSES ON DECEMBER TWENTY THIRD AND IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A STRUGGLE TO IDENTIFY GROUPS OVER THE HOLIDAYS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE VACCINES.

BUT I SUPPOSE THAT'S WHAT THREE FOURTHS OF THEM HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED.

AND I EXPECT THOSE FINAL DOSES OUT OF THAT THOUSAND TO BE DISTRIBUTED RAPIDLY AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET THEM IN ARMS. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BLESSED WITH ADDITIONAL DOSES TO TARGET MORE ONE BE FOLKS, THOSE 65 AND OLDER. I'M GLAD YOU HAVE TARGETS ALREADY SET OUT FOR THEM.

[01:00:02]

ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THOSE LARGE EVENTS AND HOW YOU HAVE NO NOTICE. AND LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT DECEMBER, WE GOT ONE HUNDRED OF THEM AND VERY LITTLE NOTICE.

GIVEN THAT ALL OF THESE VACCINES REQUIRE REFRIGERATION AND THAT SORT OF THING.

IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT IF WE GET A LARGE AMOUNT OF VACCINES, THAT WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT, HEY, TOMORROW WE'RE HAVING THIS BIG VACCINATION EVENT COME, OR WILL THE ONLINE SYSTEM BE READY? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TIMING IS BETWEEN WHEN WE GET THEM AND HOW LONG THE VACCINES ARE GOOD IN THE REFRIGERATED STATUS BEFORE THEY GO BAD.

THAT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT'S PART OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN [INAUDIBLE] DETAIL IS YOUR STORAGE CAPABILITIES, AND RIGHTLY SO.

THE STATE WANTS TO KNOW HOW MANY VACCINES THAT YOU CAN FREEZE AND HOW MANY VACCINES THAT YOU CAN REFRIGERATE. NOW WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT SPACE TO FREEZE MORE THAN THREE THOUSAND VACCINES AND WE'VE GOT SPACE TO REFRIGERATE A MINIMUM OF TEN THOUSAND VACCINES.

THE MODERNA VACCINES, OF COURSE, YOU ALL I'M SURE THEY'RE MUCH EASIER TO HANDLE.

THEY CAN REMAIN IN A REFRIGERATOR FOR UP TO 30 DAYS, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE REFRIGERATION UNITS AT THE CITY CARE CLINIC THAT WE'VE NOT.

WITHOUT GOING INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MONTHS LONG TRACK RECORD OF DAILY TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS FOR REFRIGERATOR BEFORE IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR VACCINE STORAGE, SO IT'S A LONG, DRAWN OUT PROCESS TO DO THAT WORK.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO BOOST THAT STORAGE CAPABILITY.

BUT, OF COURSE, THE PFIZER VACCINE, THAT'S THE ULTRA COLD STORAGE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY SHIPPED IN CONTAINERS THAT CAN ACT AS THE REFRIGERATION UNIT FOR UP TO 30 DAYS, PROVIDED THAT YOU ADD DRY ICE ON FIVE DAY INCREMENTS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS THAT WE LOOKED INTO IN TERMS OF VACCINE STORAGE.

I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN STORE ENOUGH VACCINES TEMPORARILY TO KICK OFF THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS. AND OF COURSE, THE GOAL IS TO TRY TO GET THEM IN ARMS JUST ALMOST AS RAPIDLY AS WE RECEIVE THEM. AND NOW, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE I WANT TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST THAT JUST BECAUSE WE'VE SAID THAT WE CAN ADMINISTER TWENTY THOUSAND DOSES A WEEK, I HAVE NO EXPECTATION OF GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR THAT NUMBER OF VACCINES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.

I MEAN, WE'RE STILL EARLY IN THIS, VERY, VERY EARLY IN THIS VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PHASE.

AND OF COURSE, PRODUCTION IS RAMPING UP NATIONALLY AND WE CAN EXPECT MORE AND MORE DOSES OVER TIME. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A THOUSAND ON OUR FIRST TWO ALLOCATIONS.

AND I WOULD EXPECT IT TO GROW GRADUALLY, RATHER EXPONENTIALLY, AT LEAST EARLY ON.

THANK YOU AND ALSO I'VE SEE ON THIS THAT TOM THUMB AND KROGER HAVE RECEIVED SOME VACCINES . DOES GARLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOW THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED OR THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PLANS THAT THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT AND HAVE THEIR OWN ONLINE SYSTEM.

I JUST BRIEFLY LOOKED AT TOM THUMB WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING IT, AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN REGISTRATION SYSTEM ON THEIR WEBSITE.

SO THE WAY THAT THE PROCESS IS SET UP STATEWIDE, EACH ONE OF THOSE PROVIDERS OPERATES INDEPENDENTLY. SO WE HAVE VISIBILITY OF HOW MANY VACCINES THAT THEY GET.

AND WE HAVE VISIBILITY OF HOW MANY VACCINES.

LET ME BE PRECISE HERE.

WE HAVE VISIBILITY OF HOW MANY VACCINES THAT THEY HAVE ENTERED INTO THE STATE DATABASE.

ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A VACCINE PROVIDERS IS EVERY TIME YOU GIVE AN INDIVIDUAL A VACCINE, YOU HAVE TO ENTER THAT INDIVIDUAL'S INFORMATION, THE VACCINE RECIPIENT, YOU HAVE TO ENTER THEIR INFORMATION INTO A STATEWIDE DATABASE, WITHIN TWENTY FOUR HOURS.

WE CAN SEE HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL SETS OF INFORMATION HAVE BEEN ENTERED BY, AS YOU SAY, TOM THUMB OR ANY OF THE OTHER PROVIDERS.

NOW, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS HOW MANY DOSES THEY'VE ADMINISTERED AT ANY GIVEN POINT. BUT I GUESS TO GET BACK TO YOUR OVERARCHING QUESTION, REALLY THE WAY THAT THE STATES SET UP THIS DISTRIBUTION, EACH PROVIDER IS REALLY INDEPENDENT.

AND AS I SAID EARLIER, I BELIEVE TO MR. WILLIAMS' QUESTION, WE HAVE ASSISTED SOME PROVIDERS IN TERMS OF GUIDANCE ON WORKING THEIR

[01:05:06]

BUT WE DON'T HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER ANY OF THEM.

THEY'RE ALL SUBJECT TO THE SAME GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE SUBJECT TO, WHICH IS GROUP ONE A ARE THE PRIORITIES AND IF YOU RUN OUT OF FOLKS IN GROUP ONE A TO GIVE VACCINES TO THEN GROUP ONE B ARE ELIGIBLE AND THOSE RULES APPLY TO US.

THEY APPLY TO TOM THUMB AND GARLAND.

THEY APPLY TO, YOU KNOW, PLACES IN EL PASO, HOUSTON, ANYWHERE ACROSS THE STATE.

ONE MORE QUESTION I KNOW I APPRECIATE YOU ALSO PUT OUT THE YOUTUBE VIDEO THAT YOU DID RECENTLY AT THE END OF DECEMBER TALKING ABOUT THE VACCINE.

AND ONE THING YOU MENTIONED THERE IS THAT IF YOU TAKE THE VACCINE IT WILL PREVENT YOU FROM TAKING THE DISEASE BACK HOME TO YOUR FAMILY.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY HOW VACCINES WORK.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S THE CASE, THAT YOU WON'T INFECT THE FAMILY.

IF YOU HAVE THE ANTIBODIES, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK HOME.

IS THAT TRUE? WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY TO A HUGE DEGREE DIMINISHES THE RISK OF TAKING IT HOME . NO VACCINE IS PERFECT.

I GUESS LET ME BACK UP AND START OVER BY SAYING NO VACCINE IS PERFECT.

THE STUDIES THAT I'VE SEEN JUST, YOU KNOW, VERY INITIAL STUDIES ON I BELIEVE IT'S THE MODERNA VACCINE INDICATES SOMEWHERE NEAR A 60 PERCENT EFFICACY RATE AFTER THE FIRST DOSE.

SO, IF I INDICATED THAT IT IS A FAIL-PROOF WAY TO NOT TAKE THE DISEASE OUT OF YOUR FAMILY, THEN THAT WAS MY MISTAKE.

IT IS A WAY TO DIMINISH GREATLY DIMINISH THE RISK OF TAKING THE DISEASE HOME TO YOUR FAMILY. BUT I DIDN'T INTEND TO INDICATE THAT IT'S FAILSAFE BECAUSE, AS I SAID, EVEN A VACCINE IS NINETY FIVE PERCENT EFFECTIVE.

YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT FIVE OUT OF 100 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE RECEIVED BOTH DOSES THAT CAN GET SICK AND INFECT OTHERS.

SO WE NEED TO, I'VE GOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE VACCINE, BUT NO VACCINE IS 100 PERCENT SURE. AND I MEAN THAT 95 PERCENT CERTAINLY DOES A LONG WAY TO GIVING US THE MAGICAL HERD IMMUNITY THAT WE'RE ALL HOPING FOR.

SO I APPRECIATE IT.

AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND ALL THE LONG HOURS YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING IN. I'M GRATEFUL AND I'M SURE THE CITY OF GARLAND IS GRATEFUL AS WELL. AND I JUST WANT TO FINALLY SAY I SUPPORT HAVING THE MULTI DISTRIBUTOR APPROACH IN THIS. I THINK THAT THE SHOTGUN APPROACH IS BEST.

IF WE TAKE A CITY OF GARLAND POPULATION, WE DO TWENTY THOUSAND VACCINES A WEEK, IT'S GOING TO TAKE 12 WEEKS TO GET IT DISTRIBUTED TO EVERY CITIZEN IN GARLAND.

SO I THINK HAVING AS MANY PROVIDERS TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY AS POSSIBLE, I'M FOR THAT APPROACH.

WE GET 60. IF WE GET 120 PROVIDERS TO SIGN UP, I'D BE HAPPY TO GET AS MANY, LIKE I SAID, AS MANY VACCINES IN AS MANY ARMS AS POSSIBLE AND AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SIR. COUNCILMAN MCNEAL.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, JASON, AND THANK YOU MISTIE AS WELL.

AND JASON, I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK BREAK.

MISTIE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

WITH THE FLUCTUATION OF ICU BEDS, HOW REAL TIME IS THAT INFORMATION GETTING BACK TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO RESPOND, IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT OF THURSDAY, AN EMERGENCY, HOW REAL TIME IS THAT INFORMATION GETTING BACK TO OUR EMS INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THEY COULD IDENTIFY THE CLOSEST UNIT TO TAKE MAYBE A TRAUMA PATIENT? SO THAT'S REPORTED DAILY.

THE HOSPITAL REPORTS COME OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR THAT DAY, EACH HOSPITAL REPORTS EVERY MORNING AND THEN THEY TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO RAMP UP THE REPORT AND SEND IT OUT.

BUT THEN EACH SHIFT MORNING, THE HOSPITALS ARE ACTUALLY THEY GO THROUGH THE MEDICAL CONTROL AND THEY ADVISE ON AVAILABILITY OF BED CAPACITY.

SO THEY KNOW STARTING AT ANY GIVEN SHIFT WHICH HOSPITALS ARE ON DIVERT AND WHICH ONES AREN'T BASED ON THEIR BED CAPACITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND JASON, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING AVAILABLE LAST WEEK AND BRINGING ME UP TO SPEED, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

KIND OF WANTING TO ELABORATE ON COUNCIL MEMBER AUBIN QUESTION.

THE ONLINE REGISTRATION, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S VIA ANY DEVICE, PHONE OR LAPTOP OR? THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

I HAVE NOT SPECIFICALLY ASKED THAT.

I WILL GET THAT INFORMATION AND I WILL GET THAT TO YOU TOMORROW.

OK, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I DEFINITELY CONCUR THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME POPULATION, SOME MEMBERS OUT THERE THAT MAY NOT HAVE THAT, BUT THEY MAY HAVE A PHONE, THEY MAY NOT HAVE A LAPTOP. AND THEN ALSO I'M ASSUMING THAT THE APP WILL BE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

WOULD THAT BE ACCURATE? I KNOW THAT I PROBABLY NEED TO GET DOROTHY TO EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS BETTER.

[01:10:03]

AND WHEN YOU SAY I GUESS IF YOU DON'T MIND BACKING UP YOUR FIRST QUESTION, OUR INTENT IS TO MAKE THAT PROCESS AVAILABLE BY PHONE.

SO FOLKS WITH A WITH A CELL PHONE THAT'S NOT A SMARTPHONE OR FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE A PHONE AT ALL OR A MOBILE PHONE ANYWAY, JUST HAVE A LANDLINE.

WE ARE WORKING ON A PROCESS TO MAKE THE REGISTRATION PROGRAM FOR THEM AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT WORKS ON ALL SMARTPHONES, WHETHER IPHONE OR ANDROID.

I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I'M IGNORANT WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MOST PART.

BUT I HAVEN'T ASKED THAT QUESTION, BUT I WILL AND I WILL GET YOU THE ANSWER.

THANK YOU, SIR. AND AGAIN, WE'RE ALL LEARNING.

SO DEFINITELY JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE.

THE OTHER ITEM WITH THE INPUT, THE POTENTIAL OF THE MASSIVE SITES THAT WE DO, THE MASS VACCINATIONS, ARE WE LOOKING AT JUST BUSINESS HOURS TO DO VACCINATIONS? ARE WE LOOKING AT 12 HOUR DAYS OR ARE WE LOOKING AT WEEKENDS AS WELL? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE IN THE PRELIMINARY STAGES ON THAT, BUT ANY KIND OF PROJECTIONS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING? WE'VE REALLY AND AS YOU SAID, WE ARE IN THE PRELIMINARY STAGES, SO WE'VE REALLY NOT EVEN ESTABLISHED TENTATIVE DATES AND TIMES AT THIS POINT.

WE HOPE TO WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE SET INTERNALLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

BUT LOGISTICALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER FOR US TO DO THIS WITH GUIDELINES, SO AND OF COURSE, WE'RE AT THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE DAYLIGHT IS MOST LIMITED.

WE HAVE EIGHT OR NINE HOURS OF DAYLIGHT.

SO BY AND LARGE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE DAYLIGHT HOURS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, ANYWHERE FROM SEVEN TO SIX.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WEEKEND CLINICS.

AND JUST AGAIN, WITHOUT HAVING ESTABLISHED DEFINITIVE SCHEDULES, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WE'VE GOT TO DO THIS WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT TO THE PUBLIC.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WORK 8-5 AND MAY NOT BE TO GET OFF THEIR JOB OR MAYBE THEY WORK DISTANT, THEY WORK OUT-OF-GARLAND.

AND SO WE HAVE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND HOW TO AND HOW TO BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AND I THINK YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE VACCINATION CLINICS WITH HOURS OUTSIDE OF JUST EIGHT TO FIVE MONDAY TO FRIDAY.

THE BULK OF THEM MAY BE EIGHT TO FIVE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

BUT I THINK WE CERTAINLY WE CERTAINLY FEEL COMPELLED TO PROVIDE IT OUTSIDE OF THOSE AREAS AS WELL. AND JUST MAYBE A SUGGESTION THAT I KNOW BECAUSE OF RESOURCE LIMITATIONS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO EVERY WEEKEND, BUT IF WE COULD DO MAYBE EVERY OTHER WEEKEND AND THAT WAY, SOME OF OUR INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE AN OPTION THERE.

SO IF WE COULD JUST KIND OF FLUCTUATE.

AGAIN, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE PRELIMINARY STAGES.

AND THEN FINALLY, OBVIOUSLY, WITH MEDICATIONS BEING WHAT THEY ARE AND I KNOW THE DATA ON THE VACCINES IS STILL BEING COLLECTED, ARE THERE ANY MEDICATIONS THAT WE KNOW THAT CITIZENS NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND THAT THEY MAY NEED TO MAKE THEIR PROVIDER AWARE OF THAT MAY HAVE AN ADVERSE REACTION? WE JUST KNOW SOME FRIENDS OF OURS HAVE HAD SOME CONFLICTS THERE, BUT DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY DATA OUT THERE.

THAT IS ANOTHER REALLY GOOD QUESTION, AND I CAN ACTUALLY ANSWER THAT ONE FOR YOU.

SO THE MODERNA VACCINE REALLY ONLY HAS ONE CONTRAINDICATION.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CONTRAINDICATION MEANT UNTIL I GOT INTO THE WORLD OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

THAT MEANS A REASON TO NOT GIVE THE VACCINE SO THAT CONTRAINDICATION IS ANY ADVERSE REACTION, AND WHEN I SAY ADVERSE REACTION, I'M TALKING ABOUT AN ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION, ONE THAT REQUIRES YOU TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OR RECEIVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE.

IF YOU HAD A REACTION TO ANY VACCINE IN THE PAST, LIKE THAT, A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION, OR IF YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY TO ANY OF THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF THE MODERNA VACCINE.

AND THOSE COMPONENTS ARE LISTED ON THE FACTSHEET, WHICH IS LINKED ONLINE, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU SHOULD NOT RECEIVE THE VACCINE.

NOW, FOR WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING, THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY DISCUSS VACCINATION WITH THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION.

AND WE'RE MAKING THEM AWARE OF THAT WITH LITERATURE THAT WE PROVIDE FOLKS WHEN THEY GET VACCINES. AND WE'RE MENTIONING THAT TO THEM AS WE GIVE THEM THE VACCINE.

SO THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THAT.

IF THEY STILL WANT THE VACCINE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM THE VACCINE.

THE ONLY FOLKS THAT SHOULDN'T RECEIVE THE VACCINE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE HAD THAT THAT SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION TO VACCINES OR COMPONENTS OF THE MODERNA VACCINE.

[01:15:05]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM MORRIS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND JASON, ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTION WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN HEDRICK ALREADY TOUCHED ON.

SO YOU HAD EARLIER SAID THAT YOU HAD ABOUT TWO HUNDRED DOSES OF THE MODERNA THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN USED.

AND WHEN YOU WERE TALKING TO COUNCILMAN HEDRICK, YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD TARGETS FOR THE TWO HUNDRED THIRTY THREE DOSES THAT WERE LEFT.

SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING MANY MORE DOSES AND HAVING THEM JUST RAPIDLY GO INTO ARMS, IF WE HAVE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE DOSES IN HAND RIGHT NOW, THESE TARGETS THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM, ARE THEY THEY LINED UP? ARE THEY NAMES AND PEOPLE WHO ARE SCHEDULED? OR I GUESS I'M JUST A LITTLE HESITANT TO SAY WE CAN PUT IN EIGHT THOUSAND A DAY IF WE'VE GOT TWO HUNDRED THIRTY THREE SITTING HERE.

SO GREAT POINT, GREAT QUESTION.

SO, WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON WELL, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, FOUR GROUPS WITH THE PRIMARY VACCINES. SO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND SCHOOL NURSES, WE FOCUSED ON THEM WITH THE DRIVE THRU CLINICS.

NOW, THOSE DRIVE THRU CLINICS WERE HELD THE WEEKEND BETWEEN NEW YEAR'S AND CHRISTMAS, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIME FOR MOST PEOPLE TO COME GET A VACCINE.

SO THAT WAS THE FOCUS LAST WEEK TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK, THAT WAS THE FOCUS. IN THE AFTERNOONS OF LAST WEEK WE SCHEDULED VACCINATION EVENTS FOR LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES, SMALLER LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES THAT HAD NOT CONTRACTED WITH WALGREENS OR CVS AS PART OF THE NATIONWIDE LONG TERM CARE FACILITY VACCINATION PROGRAM.

WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE SITES THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET TO LAST WEEK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SCHEDULE THIS WEEK.

I WON'T NAME THE FACILITY, BUT WE JUST GOT NOTICE TODAY THAT THE FACILITY WITH OUR WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION IS EXPERIENCING AN OUTBREAK.

THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO BE VACCINATED BY CVS ON FEBRUARY 9TH.

WE'RE GOING TO VACCINATE THEM SOONER THAN THAT.

SO THAT'S THEY UNKNOWINGLY BUMPED THEMSELVES TO THE TOP OF THE LIST AND THAT'S TO REPRESENT OVER 60 PEOPLE, RESIDENTS AND STAFF GET VACCINATED.

WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT STRAGGLERS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO COME TO THE THREE CLINICS LAST WEEK.

THE SAME THING WITH GISD NURSES.

THE SAME THING WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

SO I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, MY GOAL WAS TO ADMINISTER A THOUSAND DOSES LAST WEEK.

NOW, I WANT TO SAY OUR STAFF DID A GREAT JOB AND IT WASN'T FOR LACK OF EFFORT ON THEIR PART. BUT I'M BEYOND CONFIDENT THAT WE'VE GOT GROUPS AND FOLKS IDENTIFIED TO RAPIDLY ADMINISTER THOSE DOSES, AND WE'RE KIND OF AT A POINT WE TALKED ABOUT PERHAPS TARGETING THE ONE B GROUP WITH THE REMAINING DOSES.

BUT NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THIS URGENT ISSUE WITH THE LONG TERM CARE FACILITY AND OTHERS, WE'RE SORT OF SHIFTING AND WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE REMAINING ONE A GROUPS IN HOPES OF RECEIVING ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENTS OF VACCINE FOR AN ADDITIONAL ONE B OFFERING.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE CAN PULL THAT OFF BY THE END OF THIS WEEK IF WE GET NOTIFICATION OF VACCINES IMMEDIATELY.

BUT MORE THAN LIKELY, IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT WEEK.

AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO PROMISE VACCINES, UNLESS I HAVE THEM IN HAND AND--.

GREAT AND I THINK THAT'S WISE.

I JUST I HATE THAT WE HAVE TWO HUNDRED THIRTY THREE IN HAND WITH SO MANY PEOPLE CALLING FOR THEM AND THAT WE AREN'T BLOWING THEM OUT THE DOOR.

AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS SOME MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO GET THE I MEAN, IF WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW WAITING FOR THEM, THEN, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T--DO WE HAVE A WAITING LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED IN? WE HAVE A WAITING LIST FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED.

WE HAD THE LION'S SHARE OF THE DOSES THAT WE GAVE TODAY WERE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THAT

[01:20:02]

WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT TWO DOZEN FIREFIGHTERS THAT WANT THE VACCINE, THAT DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO IT LAST WEEK.

WE'VE GOT MORE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.

AND THEN AGAIN, THOSE SMALL LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES, GROUP HOMES THAT THOSE ARE.

I KNOW THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO EAT UP THOSE DOSES.

I GUESS, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARDER SCHEDULING THOSE THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

AND I DON'T MEAN THAT DISPARAGE THE GROUPS.

THEY'VE GOT TO DO THEIR OWN INTERNAL PLANNING SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE EVERYBODY THERE, ALL THE STAFF THERE AT ONE DAY.

I JUST EXPECTED THAT TO GO FASTER.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE EXPRESSING AS WELL.

I JUST EXPECTED THAT TO GO FASTER.

BUT YEAH, I THINK REALITY'S KIND OF SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE AND WE'RE REALIZING NOW THAT IT'S MORE THAN JUST US SCHEDULING THEM; THEY HAVE TO GIVE THEIR OWN DUCKS IN A ROW IN TERMS OF HAVING EVERYBODY ON SITE AND OF COURSE, DOING IT OVER THE TWO WEEKS SURROUNDING CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S.

IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

YEAH, YOU'VE DONE GREAT AND IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

SO, YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AND CHAOS THAT HAPPENED WHEN THE GOVERNOR SUDDENLY ANNOUNCED THAT, OH, AND ONE B CAN GET VACCINATED NOW.

IT'S LIKE, WHAT? AND APPARENTLY THAT WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THAT PEOPLE WERE RUNNING INTO THE SAME PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE VACCINES FOR ONE A, BUT THE PEOPLE AREN'T LINING UP. THEY'RE NOT.

AND SO WE'RE SITTING HERE HOLDING THEM, TRYING TO WAIT.

SO, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN DOING A WHOLE LOT OF WAITING, I WOULD JUST.

IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET THEM INTO PEOPLE'S ARMS, WHOEVER THEY ARE, IF THEY ARE QUALIFIED RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, WHATEVER WE CAN DO AND, YOU KNOW BEST IN THIS AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT, I HATE HAVING US HAVE ANY IN HAND THAT AREN'T QUICKLY GOING INTO ARMS AT THIS POINT. SO AND THE OTHER THING IS ECHOING WHAT COUNCILMAN AUBIN SAID ABOUT PEOPLE WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS, I HAVE QUITE A FEW IN MY DISTRICT, BOTH WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS AND ALSO WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

HAVE WE CONSIDERED THE USE OF ROBO CALLS TO GET WORD OUT AS WHICH RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME, BUT AS VACCINES BECOME AVAILABLE, SPINNING THAT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO REACH SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE, THEY ARE HARD TO REACH AND THE CITY PRESS DOESN'T COME OUT VERY OFTEN.

SO GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL A CERTAIN NUMBER IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PHONE BANKS TO GET ON THE LIST TO BE VACCINATED OR.

I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER REALLY AWESOME AND EXCELLENT WAY TO REACH A LOT OF OUR OFFLINE RESIDENTS. SO IF WE HAVE CARES ACT MONEY ROBOCALLING IS FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE AND RIGHT NOW, THANKFULLY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT LEAST I'M NOT GETTING OVERWHELMED ANYMORE WITH DISGUSTING POLITICAL CALLS.

SO THIS MIGHT BE A BETTER TIME THAN OTHERS.

BUT THAT WAS JUST THAT WAS JUST A THOUGHT, BECAUSE SOMEHOW OR OTHER, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET WORD OUT. AND A LOT OF THE ELDERLY ARE THE VERY ONES WHO DON'T HAVE ONLINE ACCESS.

AND THEY'RE THE ONES I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO PUSH TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE.

SO. AND WE HAVE NOT FLESHED THAT THAT IDEA OUT, BUT THE IDEA OF ROBOCALLS WAS, I GUESS, ROBOCALLS, IT WAS A DIFFERENT PLATFORM THAT HAS BEEN USED IN THE PAST THAT WAS DISCUSSED. BUT WE'VE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLESH THAT OUT.

BUT IT IS A GREAT IDEA AND ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND COUNCIL MEMBER AUBIN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE OF FOLLOW ON QUESTIONS.

JASON. I GUESS, FOLLOWING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MORRIS, THE IDEA OF ROBOCALLS, HAVE WE ALSO CONSIDERED PUTTING INFORMATION INTO UTILITY BILLS.

THAT HAS NOT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IN THE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS TODAY, THAT HAS NOT COME UP . I GUESS THE, YOU KNOW, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO IT.

I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO BENEFITS AND NEGATIVES, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FLESH OUT IF WE FEEL LIKE THAT IS WORTHWHILE.

OF COURSE, THE POTENTIAL DOWNSIDE THERE IS THE LAG TIME BETWEEN.

[01:25:06]

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSED; WE WILL DO SO.

IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LAG TIME AND OTHER STUFF, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT TAKES YOU KNOW, ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SIX MONTHS TO VACCINATE THE POPULATION.

AND BASED ON CURRENT RATES OF VACCINATION, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THAT SAY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT ON TRACK TO GET IT DONE FOR [BARKING] MY DOG AGREES--NOT GET IT ON TRACK FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS.

THE CDC REPORTS TODAY FIFTEEN POINT FOUR MILLION VACCINES DISTRIBUTED, BUT WITH LESS THAN FIVE MILLION HAVE BEEN PUT INTO ARMS. AND SO WE'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL.

AND SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO GET INFORMATION OUT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD, ALTHOUGH WE DO RUN THE SAME PROBLEM THAT EVERYTHING IS INDEPENDENT.

TOM THUMB IS INDEPENDENT FROM--WE'RE ONLY SENDING OUT INFORMATION TO REGISTER FOR OUR CLINIC, AND IF IT DOESN'T BECOME A MASS VACCINATION CLINIC, THEN WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE SHOW UP LOOKING FOR A VACCINE.

I DON'T KNOW. AND TO ME, I GUESS THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

I TOTALLY RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND, COUNCILMAN HEDRICK'S POSITION ON THE SUPPLY SIDE OF A WIDELY DISTRIBUTED TYPE THING.

BUT WITH THE DEMAND AS IT'S DRIVING THE DEMAND SIDE JUST ABSOLUTELY NUTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE CALLING AROUND EVERYWHERE.

AND SO I HOPE I MEAN, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I HOPE OUR WEBSITE AND OTHER STUFF TELL PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, BY THE WAY, YOU SHOULD ALSO REGISTER FOR PROBABLY EACH OF THESE SIXTY THREE OTHER PROVIDERS IN CASE ONE OF THEM GETS THE VACCINE BEFORE WE DO.

BUT I DO HOPE OUR WEBSITE, AND OTHER INFORMATION TELLS PEOPLE THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THAT WE GET IT ALL OR THAT WE'RE SOMEHOW RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRIBUTING IT TO TOM THUMB OR OTHER PLACES.

SO WE MAY NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT AT LEAST WHAT IS CURRENTLY OUR ROLE AND WILL HOPEFULLY CHANGE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO NOTE JUST.

BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE TAKING THE VIRUS HOME AND STUFF LIKE THAT AT THE MOMENT, THERE ARE NO STUDIES THAT HAVE COMPLETED ON THE TRANSMISSIBILITY OF THE VIRUS OR ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

AND I JUST WANT TO GET CONFIRMATION OF THAT.

YES, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY ANY STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED RELATED TO THAT.

I THINK WE'LL SEE SOME SOON, BUT IT'S PROBABLY STILL A BIT TOO EARLY TO HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONCLUDE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

THERE'S SOME EVIDENCE THAT THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE DOES HAVE THAT EFFECT THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED IN THE UNITED STATES, IT HAS BEEN APPROVED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

BUT THE TWO VACCINES THAT ARE CURRENTLY APPROVED HERE, WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE OF THAT.

SO PEOPLE, EVEN IF THEY GET THE VACCINE, THEY STILL NEED TO CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND WEARING MASKS AND OTHER THINGS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME POSSIBILITY THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU WOULDN'T GET SICK, THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET OTHER PEOPLE SICK.

HOPEFULLY, AS YOU SAID, WE'LL HAVE SOME EVIDENCE ON THAT SOON.

BUT THAT'S WHERE WE STAND TODAY.

DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE UPTAKE RATE IS? I KNOW WE CAN'T TELL THAT WITH RESPECT TO GENERAL POPULATION, BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, ARE WE GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINE HESITANT? I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE WE HAD GOOD PARTICIPATION ON THE THREE DAY EVENTS THAT WERE TARGETING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

OF COURSE, THE PROBLEM AGAIN, THERE IS I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT THE NORMAL AVAILABILITY OF THOSE FOLKS TO GET THE VACCINE IS REFLECTED IN THE WEEK THAT IT WAS PROVIDED.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, A WEEK BETWEEN THE HOLIDAYS AND CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S, I DO KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DOZEN FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE DURING THAT WEEK, EXPRESSED INTEREST IN GETTING IT THIS WEEK, SO.

I'M SORRY TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT JUST YET.

OK. AND OF COURSE, WE MAY HAVE SOME FIREFIGHTERS WHO GET VACCINATED ELSEWHERE.

SURE. IF THEY LIVE OUT IN FORT WORTH OR SOMETHING AND GET VACCINATED OUT THERE.

SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR.

[01:30:03]

OK, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JASON, JUST TWO QUESTIONS.

ONE, I'VE HAD SEVERAL EMAIL FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES ABOUT THE VACCINE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S MANDATORY OR NOT, CAN YOU CLEAR THAT UP? I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT AND EVERYTHING I'VE RESEARCHED, BUT THERE'S CIRCULATING AND THAT'S PART OF THE CIRCULATION OUT THERE THAT SOMEBODY.

YOU KNOW, UP IN THE SKY IS GOING TO MAKE THIS MANDATORY.

CAN YOU ADDRESS WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU HAVE AT THIS POINT TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION? SURE. GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF SIMILAR CONCERNS.

UNDER THE GUIDANCE THAT THE STATE HAS GIVEN US AS AN ENROLLED PROVIDER.

WE CAN'T MANDATE THIS VACCINE TO ANYONE.

NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE IT'S UNDER EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION.

SO THERE'S NO MANDATE.

WE CAN'T ENFORCE A MANDATE FOR ANY GROUP THAT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

NOR WOULD WE WANT TO.

IT'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S I UNDERSTAND FOLKS.

I'VE GOT FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR HESITANCY TO ACCEPT THE VACCINE.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A BIG PORTION OF THE PUBLIC OUT THERE THAT YEAH THEY MAY BE ON THE FENCE. AND I WOULD IF I CAN ELABORATE ON YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE FOLKS TO SEEK OUT.

WE'VE GOT LINKS ON OUR WEB PAGE.

THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION ON THE CDC WEB PAGE AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES WEB PAGE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ON THE FENCE, IF YOU'RE UNSURE WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO GET THE VACCINE, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THOSE WEB PAGES THEY GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION IN VERY UNDERSTANDABLE FORMAT.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A VIROLOGIST TO UNDERSTAND IT.

IT'S REALLY PRESENTED WELL AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

AND IF THAT DECISION IS THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE VACCINE, WE RESPECT THAT.

WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

WE WANT AS MANY OF THE PUBLIC MEMBERS TO TAKE THE VACCINE AS POSSIBLE.

SO, AGAIN, THOSE THAT ARE ON THE FENCE, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. AND HOPEFULLY THAT DECISION WILL BE TO ACCEPT THE VACCINE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET IT TO THEM RAPIDLY.

JASON, AND ONE OTHER JUST SUGGESTION, AND I'M GOING TO DATE MYSELF WITH THIS COMMENT ON MOBILE UNITS AS A POSSIBLE VEHICLE TO INCREASE PENETRATION.

I REMEMBER THE BOOKMOBILES.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS CALL REMEMBERS.

THE MAYOR DOES THE BOOKMOBILE AND KIDS WHO DID NOT HAVE LIBRARIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS DID NOT HAVE BOOKS. THAT BOOKMOBILE PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS IN THOSE DEPRESSED COMMUNITIES TO GET THAT.

SO I WANTED TO THROW THAT IDEA AS A POSSIBLE IDEA TO INCREASE PENETRATION AS A POSSIBLE OPTIONS ONCE AND WHEN THE VACCINE IS AVAILABLE.

AND THANK YOU, SIR, WE DISTRIBUTE A LOT OF FLU VACCINE THAT WAY EACH YEAR TO CHURCHES OR COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME DURING THIS VACCINATION PHASE OF THE EPIDEMIC WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO DRILL DOWN TO THOSE GROUPS TO GET AS COMPREHENSIVE A COVERAGE AS WE CAN.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU SUGGESTING IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THANK YOU SIR. WE, HAVE CLEARED THE QUEUE AT THIS POINT. I WILL JUST SAY GREAT QUESTIONS AND GREAT, GREAT EFFORT AT GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

AND JASON, AND MISTIE, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS THROUGH ALL OF THIS.

AND AS FAR AS THE PLANNING AND, YOU KNOW, THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE INTERNALLY IN BEING ABLE TO DO THIS MASS VACCINATION, WE'RE TESTING IT.

WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T JUST START THINKING ABOUT IT LAST WEEK. AND I WILL TELL YOU YOUR CONFIDENCE AND OUR CONFIDENCE IN YOU.

I HAD NOT PLANNED ON SPENDING MOST OF THE MORNING SPEAKING TO A STATE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT WHAT OUR PLAN WAS, BUT HAVING THE INFORMATION AND THE CONFIDENCE TO EXPRESS THAT

[01:35:06]

AND I WILL ALSO BE REACHING OUT.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE OTHER STATE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ALL HAVE A PIECE OF GARLAND. I'LL BE COMMUNICATING THAT WITH THEM TOMORROW AS FAR AS OUR PLANS AND OUR PLANNING AND OUR PLAN IN HOPES THAT WE CAN GET THIS SUPPLY ISSUE IN HAND.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

AND WE'VE COME A LONG WAY TO GET TO THIS POINT.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT TO GET TO THIS POINT.

AND WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT AT THE END, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE A PLAN TO GET THERE.

AND SO THAT IS TO SAY TO ALL OF YOUR CREDIT FOR STICKING WITH THIS AND TAKING CARE OF IT.

SO THANK YOU ALL COUNCIL AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK RECESS, PLEASE.

LET'S HAVE EVERYBODY BACK AT 7:45 PLEASE SEVEN FORTY FIVE.

GOOD EVENING. WE ARE COMING BACK FROM RECESS FOURTH 2021 WORK SESSION FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE AT ITEM THREE C TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY COMMITTEE

[3C. Transportation, Infrastructure and Mobility Committee Report]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE JUST HAVE ONE ITEM TO BRING BACK TO THE COUNCIL, AND I'LL LET MR. LUEDTKE INTRODUCE IT.

HE'S GOT A BRIEF SLIDESHOW AND THEN I'LL JUMP IN WITH SOME COMMENTARY AFTERWARDS.

VERY GOOD, MR. LUEDTKE. THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO SHARE MY SCREEN HERE.

EVERYBODY SEE THAT YES SIR.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND COUNCILMAN AUBIN, I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE.

THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO DIFFERENT FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.

WE'VE GOT ONE IS THROUGH THE RTC THAT IT'S A REQUEST FOR PROJECTS HERE THAT'LL BE DUE AT THE END OF THE MONTH. AND THEN ALSO WE RECEIVED SOME FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS.

AND I'LL GO BRIEFLY OVER THAT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING I CAN EXPLAIN, AT LEAST ON THE HIGH LEVEL.

TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS ARE NOT DOLLARS, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY, CREDITS OR TOKENS, IF YOU WILL, THAT YOU CAN USE IN LIEU OF YOUR LOCAL MATCH.

SO THEY'RE ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEY'RE ISSUED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TOLL ROADS IN THE REGION.

AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES THAT WHEN YOU BUILD A TOLL ROAD, THEY'RE NOT HAVING THAT IS A ROAD THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY HAVE FUNDED.

THEY'RE NOT PUTTING ANY MONEY IN.

AND SO AS A REWARD FOR THAT, THEY'RE RECOGNIZING THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY TO THE REGION. AND SO THEY DO THAT IN THE FORM OF THESE TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS. THEY ARE DISTRIBUTED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS AND ALSO TO TXDOT.

AND THEY'RE USED, LIKE I SAID, FOR THE LOCAL MATCH.

SO IF YOU HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT AND YOU WANT TO USE THESE CREDITS, NORMALLY YOU WOULD SPLIT THAT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND AGAIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE 80 PERCENT OF THE MONEY.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE 20 PERCENT OF THE MONEY.

SO IN A MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT, YOU WOULD PROVIDE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND YOU WOULD BUILD A MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT. THIS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES THE EIGHT HUNDRED MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR IN THIS EXAMPLE, BUT INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO PUT IN TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND, WE WOULD SAY, OK, WE'LL USE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF THESE CREDITS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THEN PROVIDES THE FULL MILLION.

AND SO WE GET ESSENTIALLY GET THE PROJECT AT NO COST TO THE LOCAL ENTITY.

THE STATE AND IS IN PARTICULAR IN THE [INAUDIBLE] TEND TO USE THESE CREDITS IN LARGE CHUNKS ON VERY LARGE PROJECTS IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

BUT THE COG HAS PROVIDED THESE TWO CITIES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS IN EXCHANGE FOR US

[01:40:01]

THERE'S 20 POLICIES THAT THE COG AND THE RTC HAVE SAID, HEY, THESE ARE GOOD POLICIES THAT WILL HELP US TO MEET OUR GOALS IF YOU ADOPT THESE POLICIES.

AND SO WE SUBMITTED THESE FOR THREE YEARS NOW, THIS IS WE'RE IN THE THIRD YEAR AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY ARE DOING ANYWAY.

WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR TO MEET THESE OTHER THAN SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, TELL THE COG THAT WE WE'VE MEET THESE GOALS AND THESE GOALS.

FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE'RE A MEMBER OF DART.

SO BY SUPPORTING TRANSIT IN THE REGION, THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP DOING. SO WHAT WE USE THE TWO YEAR, TWO PRIOR YEARS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THE FUNDS, WE USE THEM ON SHILOH ROAD FROM KINGSLEY TO MILLER, WHICH IS THE NEXT SECTION NORTH OF THE PART WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE PART IN YELLOW IS THE PART THAT'S BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW AND BEING HOPEFULLY WILL BE DONE SOON IS KINGSLEY TO 635 AND THE NEXT SECTION IN BLUE IS THE NEXT SECTION.

I WAS JUST DISCUSSING THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 20 MILLION DOLLARS OF FEDERAL FUNDS PUT ON THIS PROJECT TO BUILD THAT SECTION.

IT'S BEING IN ALIGNMENT, STUDIES BEING DONE FOR THAT AND ALSO FOR THE RED RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT'S READY TO MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION AND THAT'S GOT CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS READY TO BUILD IT.

THE NEXT SECTION AND WOULD BE FROM MILLER JUST PAST WALNUT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE MONEY FOR RIGHT NOW.

AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS MAYBE WHY DO WE WANT TO USE THIS ON SHILOH ROAD? ONE OF THE REASONS WOULD BE THAT THESE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS.

FEDERAL DOLLARS COME WITH A LOT OF PAPERWORK, A LOT OF STRINGS.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO, A SMALL PROJECT WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS.

AND SO YOU WANT TO TRY TO PUT YOUR OTHER FEDERAL DOLLARS ON THE LARGER PROJECTS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF PAPERWORK INVOLVED.

AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH PAPERWORK ON A SMALL, PROJECT IS ENDS UP BEING NOT NOT VERY WORTH IT. SO BUT SHILOH ROAD IS THE MOST CONGESTED CORRIDOR IN GARLAND, WHEN WE DID THE BOTTLENECK STUDY IT, NEARLY EVERY MAJOR INTERSECTION ON SHILOH WAS A BOTTLENECK AND IT WAS A BOTTLENECK NOT JUST BECAUSE IT NEEDED TURN LANES.

WE COULD FIX SOME OF THE PROBLEMS AND MAKE IT BETTER WITH SOME TURN LANES.

BUT UNTIL WE IMPROVED THE THROUGHPUT ON SHILOH BY ADDING ANOTHER THROUGH LANE.

THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT THAT WE CAN REALLY DO TO IMPROVE THE CONGESTION AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS, AND THAT OCCURS AT NEARLY EVERY MAJOR INTERSECTION ALONG SHILOH FROM 635 ALL THE WAY UP TO 190.

THE OTHER THING ABOUT IMPROVING SHILOH'S IS IT'S NOT JUST IMPROVING, SHILOH, WHEN WE WIDEN IT, IT ACTUALLY THE EFFECTS OF SHILOH BEING CONGESTED AFFECTS THE ADJACENT THOROUGHFARES LIKE JUPITER AND NORTH GARLAND AVENUE OR GARLAND AVENUE JUST AS MUCH BECAUSE AS SHILOH GETS CONGESTED, THEN PEOPLE MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT MAJOR ARTERIAL AND JUST CAUSE MORE CONGESTION THERE. SO IF WE IMPROVE THIS IT'LL HELP THE WHOLE REGION.

IT ALSO AFFECTS EAST WEST CONGESTION, BECAUSE AS YOU HAVE LESS TIME OR YOU NEED MORE TIME FOR YOUR MORE SOUTH MOVEMENTS, YOU HAVE LESS TIME TO GIVE TO YOUR EAST WEST MOVEMENTS IN TERMS OF YOUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

SO BY SOLVING THE SHILOH PROBLEM IT'S SOLVING REALLY THINGS IN THE EAST, WEST, NORTH AND NORTH SOUTH DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE CORRIDOR.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION, TOO, IS THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO GO AWAY.

I MEAN, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT COVID AND ALL THAT.

THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES WENT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID.

BUT WE DO EXPECT THAT.

WE ALL HOPE THAT THINGS WILL GET BACK TO NORMAL AT SOME POINT.

TRAFFIC VOLUMES WILL RETURN.

AND I WILL SAY, EVEN AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES IN THE PM PEAK ARE REALLY CLOSE TO, IF NOT WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE ALL THIS STARTED.

DURING THE DAY IT'S BECAUSE WE CAN TELL BECAUSE THE AM PEAK HAS NOT COME BACK YET, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING AROUND. THEY'RE STILL DOING ERRANDS IN THE AFTERNOON.

SO THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES THEY ARE DIFFERENT NOW, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY LOWER.

[01:45:03]

THAT'S A ROUGH ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE ALIGNMENT STAGE, BUT.

AND WE HAVE ABOUT ONE AND A QUARTER MILLION TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS, AND THAT WOULD TRANSLATE TO ABOUT SIX AND A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD HAVE AVAILABLE TO PUT ON THIS PROJECT.

SO THE REMAINING FUNDS IS JUST UNDER 30 MILLION DOLLARS.

SPLIT THAT SPLIT OUR 20 PERCENT MATCH WITH DALLAS COUNTY ON THAT 30 MILLION DOLLARS THAT MAKES OUR CONTRIBUTION ABOUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS AND THE REST WOULD BE ABOUT TWENTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE AMASSED FROM THE GOVERNMENT, FROM ITS OTHER FUNDING SOURCE.

SO, THE TOTAL PROJECT OF THIRTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS THAT WOULD BASICALLY COST US THREE MILLION DOLLARS. SEEMS LIKE A GOOD DEAL TO ME.

BUT THAT'S, WHAT I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU FOR A REQUEST.

[LAUGHTER] THANKS, PAUL.

MAYOR, IF I CAN JUMP BACK IN.

SO [INAUDIBLE] WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THAT THE RTC HAS MADE A CALL FOR PROJECTS AND SO WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR THIS PROJECT.

THE APPLICATION DATE, I THINK IS, AS PAUL MENTIONED, THE END OF THIS MONTH.

WE'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO PUT FORWARD ANY OF THIS MONEY RIGHT NOW.

ACTUALLY, THE CONSTRUCTION TIME FRAME FOR THIS, I THINK PAUL WE SAID IS 24 OR 27.

PROBABLY AFTER 2026 OR LATER, MOST LIKELY.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF FUTURE.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A COMMITMENT FOR AN AUTHORIZATION TO GO AHEAD AND APPLY FOR THIS FUNDING. I THINK WE'LL HAVE A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING IT.

IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WITH BOND PROJECTS.

AND MANY OF YOU RECALL, WE HAD AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT SHILOH ROAD AS PART OF THE BOND. AND WE FUNDED THE CITIES PORTION UP THROUGH UP TO MILLER.

AND THIS IS A PORTION NOW THAT WOULD TAKE US UP TO THE NEW VA HOSPITAL.

AND SO I THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.

BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT NORTH SOUTH ROAD THAT GOES ALL THE WAY TO 190.

BUT THIS IS NOT THE COUNCIL SPENDING FUNDS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON WE HAVE ASKED STAFF.

THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMITTEE ASKED STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT, OF COURSE, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING, AND PARTICULARLY IF THERE'S MORE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING BETTER ACCESS TO THE VA HOSPITAL. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES NOW, BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE THE APPLICATION NOW.

THIS IS SOMETHING FOR THE CITIES PORTION THAT WOULD BE, AGAIN, ESTIMATED AT THREE MILLION.

IT COULD BE MORE OR LESS, DEPENDING ON COUNTY INVOLVEMENT AND OTHER THINGS.

THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO A FUTURE BOND PACKAGE IN ALL LIKELIHOOD. AND SO WHENEVER WE DO THE NEXT BOND, WHETHER THAT'S TWENTY FOUR, TWENTY SIX, OR TWENTY FIVE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED TO BE INCLUDED THEN.

SO I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYTHING.

SO WE JUST NEED COUNCIL SUPPORT TO MAKE THE APPLICATION.

AND I THINK ANY TIME, AS MR. LUEDTKE SAID, IF YOU CAN GET PAYBACK ON YOUR DOLLARS OF 12 TO ONE.

THAT'S ABOUT THE BEST INVESTMENT OF MONEY THAT YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE.

SO WITH THAT MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. MR. LUEDTKE OR I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

VERY GOOD. WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER HEDRICK.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I FULLY SUPPORT THIS.

I THINK THIS IS GREAT WHERE WE GET THIS KIND OF MATCH FOR YOUR MONEY.

I PULLED OUT MY OLD BOND STUDY COMMITTEE BINDER HERE AND SHILOH ROAD WAS PROJECTS OPTIONS. IT WAS 16, 17, 18 AND 19.

YOU JUST THAT ALONE THOSE PROJECTS ALONE WERE SHILOH ROAD THAT WE HAD UP FOR DEBATE DURING THE BOND STUDY COMMITTEE.

SO I THINK GETTING THIS KIND OF DEAL WILL MAKE OUR DOLLAR STRETCH EVEN FURTHER.

AND THERE'S NO COMMITMENT AT THIS TIME.

LET'S GO FOR IT. ALL FOR IT.

LET'S MAKE THAT APPLICATION.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT COUNCIL.

WE'VE CLEARED THE QUEUE ON THIS.

YOU'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION AND THE REQUEST.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS OPPOSITION TO US MOVING FORWARD WITH MAKING THE APPLICATION ON THIS PROJECT? COUNCILMAN MCNEAL.

[01:50:01]

JUST A REAL QUICK QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN AUBIN.

OBVIOUSLY IS THAT JUST CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD ITSELF? DOES THAT INCLUDE ANY POTENTIAL SIGNAGE? MR. LUEDTKE CAN PROBABLY BETTER ANSWER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WE'VE ALREADY ASKED FOR SIGNAGE ON 635 WITH RESPECT TO SHILOH ROAD AND WITH RESPECT TO THE VA HOSPITAL BEING THERE. BUT I'M SURE THESE PACKAGES DO YOU CONTAIN TYPICALLY IT'S THE WHOLE ENCHILADA, INCLUDING THE SIGNAGE, IS THAT CORRECT MR. LUEDTKE. . YEAH, IT WOULD CERTAINLY INCLUDE SIGNAGE.

AND YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE'RE WORKING WITH TXDOT AND NTTA ON SIGNAGE TO THE VA HOSPITAL.

BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY INCLUDE ALL OF THE SIGNAGE BUT THAT INCLUDES ALL THE DESIGN RIGHT OF WAY PURCHASE.

REALLY EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED IN THIS PRICE.

PERFECT. THAT WAS THE JUST OF MY QUESTION WAS AROUND THE VA, BUT THAT NEW JEWEL BEING HERE, DEFINITELY AS MUCH PUBLICITY THAT WE COULD GIVE THAT THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, COUNCIL I DON'T SEE ANY OPPOSITION TO US MOVING FORWARD, SO.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF YESES POPPING UP, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY NO'S OR ANY HEAD SHAKING, SO HERE'S MINE. JUST FOR THE RECORD, LET'S SHOW THAT AS UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH THE APPLICATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL. AND THAT WILL MOVE US TO ITEM THREE D OFFICE OF

[3D. Office of Fair Housing Overview & Recommendations]

KRISTEN, ARE YOU OUT THERE? I AM. THERE YOU ARE.

THANK YOU FOR WAITING FOR US.

ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE MY SCREEN? YES, IF YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE FULL SCREEN MODE WE WILL BE READY TO GO.

ALL RIGHT. SO EXCUSE ME.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.

TONIGHT, I WILL BE PROVIDING YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND CONCURRENT EFFORTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

EXCITING THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.

JUST WANT TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND ON THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING.

SO THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING ACT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT IT BASICALLY PROTECTS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN THE SALE OF RENTAL OR FINANCING OF HOUSING.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVEN PROTECTED GROUPS AS A PART OF THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING ACT.

AS OF 1997, GARLAND ADOPTED IT'S OWN FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE, WHICH BASICALLY MIRRORS THE FEDERAL ACT BUT ALSO ADDS AN ADDITIONAL COVERAGE FOR AGE DISCRIMINATION.

AND IN THE SAME YEAR THAT THE FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE WAS ESTABLISHED, GARLAND ALSO BECAME WHAT WE CALL A FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS BASICALLY AN ARM OF THE FEDERAL HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PROVIDING INVESTIGATION, OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE FOR RESIDENTS AND POTENTIAL RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK POINT ON WHAT TYPE OF OWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS ARE COVERED UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.

FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES IN PARTICULAR, A PROPERTY OWNER OR MANAGER HAS TO HAVE AT LEAST FOUR RENTAL PROPERTIES TO BE COVERED UNDER OUR ORDINANCE.

BUT THE FAIR HOUSING ACT REALLY COVERS ANY INTERACTION, ANY DECISIONS AROUND WHERE PEOPLE LIVE. SO WHETHER THEY ARE RENTING, WHETHER THEY ARE SEEKING HOME LOANS, THEY HAVE MORTGAGES, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION DEVELOPERS, ANYONE THAT BASICALLY IS DRIVING DECISIONS AROUND HOUSING COULD BE COVERED POTENTIALLY UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OR THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE. SO JUST SPECIFICALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE, SO UNDER HUD, ANY FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT.

SO AS WE RECEIVE CASE REFERRALS, AS WE RECEIVE INTAKE FROM HUD, BASED ON THE RESOLUTION OF THOSE CASES, HUD PROVIDES REIMBURSEMENT RANGING ANYWHERE FROM FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS PER CASE, UP TO EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS PER CASE, DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, ANY FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE REQUIRED TO BE AUDITED BY HUD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING QUALITY INVESTIGATIONS AND THAT THEY ARE CONDUCTING OUTREACH.

[01:55:01]

I DO WANT TO MAKE A POINT.

SO AS OF FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF GARLAND'S FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE HAVE INVESTIGATED OVER 800 CASES.

BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE BECAUSE NONE OF THOSE CASES HAVE RESULTED IN REASONABLE CAUSE REQUIREMENT ESTABLISHED BY HUD.

AND SO JUST TO SHED A LITTLE LIGHT ON THAT, IF WE RECEIVE REFERRALS OR INTAKE REQUESTS FROM CITIZENS, OR POTENTIAL CITIZENS IN THE CITY THAT FEEL THAT THEY'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, THEN HUD GIVES US GUIDELINES ON HOW WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND HOW WE GET TO A CONCLUSION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE DISCRIMINATION ACTUALLY OCCURRED.

SO THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY, FOR THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT, NONE OF THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED HAVE MET HUD'S REASONABLE CAUSE REQUIREMENTS.

WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN JUST A SECOND.

SO AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT JUST CONTINUING DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF CASES THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED EITHER THROUGH HUD OR THROUGH DIRECT COMMUNITY REFERRALS.

SO IF YOU CAN SEE SINCE TWENTY FIFTEEN, JUST KIND OF A DOWNWARD TREND ON THE NUMBER OF CASES RECEIVED.

AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, BECAUSE THE CASE LOADS HAVE BEEN REDUCING, THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE NOT RECEIVING THE SAME LEVEL OF REIMBURSEMENTS OR WE'RE NOT RECEIVING THE SAME LEVEL OF REIMBURSEMENT, WHICH MEANS THAT OPERATING COSTS AND PERSONNEL EXPENSES START TO EXCEED THE CASES THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SUBMITTING.

AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, HUD HAS BASICALLY GIVEN THE CITY SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR INCREASING THAT A LARGE PORTION OF WHAT THE CASELOAD ACTIVITY IS GENERATED FROM IS OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. SO WHEN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE WHAT DISCRIMINATION LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT MAY BE COVERED, THEN THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO RAISE THEIR HAND AND IDENTIFY AN ISSUE.

BUT AS A PART OF HUD'S ONGOING REVIEW AND THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING SERVICES OFFICE HAS REQUIRED AUDITS FROM HUD, THERE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST SEVERAL DEFICIENCIES NOTED IN THAT PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING LACK OF ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT, THE QUALITY OF INVESTIGATIONS WITHIN THAT [INAUDIBLE] CASES, LACK OF EFFECTIVE OUTREACH, AND THEN ALSO A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN CASES.

SO BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF DEFICIENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE PROGRAM EARLIER THIS YEAR, MARCH OF TWENTY TWENTY, THE CITY ACTUALLY SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OF THE FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UNDER HUD.

AND I'M GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY DOES AND WHAT THE INTENT WAS FOR REQUESTING THAT ON A VOLUNTEER WITHDRAWAL.

SO BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF DEFICIENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE PROGRAM, THE FAIR HOUSING OFFICE WAS ACTUALLY PLACED ON TWO PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN, IDENTIFYING WAYS TO INCREASE CASES, WAYS TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATION QUALITY, WAYS TO GENERATE INTEREST THROUGH OUTREACH. AND AS A RESULT OF THOSE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLANS, THE DEPARTMENT FROM TWENTY FIFTEEN TO TWENTY NINETEEN WAS NOT ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MEET THOSE STANDARDS.

AND SO HUD, WHO HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE SINCE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT, BASICALLY MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND HOW TO GET THE DEPARTMENT BACK ON TRACK.

AND IN REVIEWING THOSE OPTIONS, THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT THE VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION.

SO THAT IS INTENDED TO BE A TEMPORARY MEASURE TO ALLOW REALIGNMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN WE ALSO TOOK SOME VERY IMMEDIATE ACTION AT THE START OF THIS YEAR.

SO ONE WE LOOKED AT REDUCING OPERATING COSTS.

AT THE TIME, THEY WERE INITIALLY TWO FULL TIME EMPLOYEES SUPPORTING THAT PROGRAM.

SO WE HAD ONE STAFF REDUCTION AND THEN THE REMAINING EMPLOYEE THAT WAS IN THE DEPARTMENT WAS ORIGINALLY TASKED WITH INVESTIGATION, BUT HAS BEEN SINCE REALIGNED TO HANDLE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW IS UNDER THE GENERAL FUND AND SINCE WE ARE NOT RECEIVING ANY REIMBURSEMENTS FROM HUD.

AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT EXCUSE ME, OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS SHIFTED TO MYSELF.

[02:00:07]

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE A VERY SPECIFIC POINT THAT ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY A HUD FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE CITY DOES STILL HAVE ITS OWN ORDINANCE.

THAT MEANS IF A RESIDENT OF GARLAND OR A POTENTIAL RESIDENT FEELS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE UNDER THE CITY'S ORDINANCE. ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF 2020.

IT ACTUALLY WAS A RESULT OF SEVERAL YEARS OF HUD, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GUIDING THE DEPARTMENT, PROVIDING DEVELOPMENT, SEVERAL PERSONNEL CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE YEARS, SEVERAL LEADERSHIP CHANGES.

BUT FROM THAT, WE HAVE WHAT, IN MY OPINION, IS A VERY GOOD BASELINE OF HOW WE MOVE THE DEPARTMENT FORWARD. SO BEING A PART OF HUD'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WE BASICALLY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE HAD TO REINVENT THE DEPARTMENT.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WE RECEIVED AS FAR AS HOW TO INVESTIGATE CASES WHERE CASES COME FROM, WHAT TYPE OF LETTERS AND NOTIFICATIONS WE SEND, ALL OF THAT WAS BUILT AROUND HUD INFRASTRUCTURE. SO ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES HAS BEEN A PRIMARY FOCUS AS WELL AS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. AND AGAIN, MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOCUSING ON SOUND INVESTIGATION.

I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WITH YOU.

SO WITH US NO LONGER BEING A PART OF HUD WE HAD TO REINVENT HOW WE WOULD MANAGE ALL OF OUR CASES, DOCUMENTATION, WHAT OUR NOTIFICATIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE, HOW THE CITY WOULD HANDLE ITS OWN CONCILIATION PROCESS, SINCE WE NO LONGER HAVE THE HUD GUIDANCE AS OUR DIRECTIVE.

SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE VERY EARLY IN THE YEAR, RIGHT BEFORE COVID HIT ON TO ESTABLISH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES FOR THE FULL LIFECYCLE OF A COMPLAINT OR INVESTIGATION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, SO THE THING THAT I'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY AND I'VE BEEN PARTNERED, ASSIGNED TO THIS DEPARTMENT SINCE EARLY, 2020 THE THING THAT WE HEAR CONSISTENTLY IS JUST REALLY A CONFUSION AROUND WHAT IS FAIR HOUSING. IS IT HOUSING ASSISTANCE? IS IT SECTION EIGHT? IS IT PART OF THE OTHER CITIES DEPARTMENT? SO WHAT THE FOCUS HAS BEEN IS REALLY PROVIDING EDUCATION AND CLEAR NARRATIVE AROUND WHAT THEIR HOUSING CHARGE ACTUALLY IS.

SO COMPLETELY REBRANDING THE DEPARTMENT, PROVIDING SOME VISUALS WHERE PROTECTED INDIVIDUALS COULD ACTUALLY SEE THEMSELVES AND THE STORIES THAT WE'RE SHARING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM.

SO WE'VE TRIED TO TACKLE THAT IN EVERY WAY THAT WE COULD, EVEN WITH SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH COVID SO SOCIAL MEDIA, THE CITY WEBSITE CITY PRESS INTERNAL PARTNERS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT, SENDING IT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE STILL HERE, BUT ALSO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TRUE CHARGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS. THERE ARE A FEW MORE EXAMPLES, SO FOR THE PROTECTED CLASSES THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT CAMPAIGNS THAT WE'VE PUSHED OUT CONSISTENTLY EVERY MONTH SINCE THESE ROLLED OUT EARLIER IN 2020, BUT BASICALLY TELLING A STORY SO THAT THOSE THAT MAY BE IMPACTED OR THOSE THAT MAY BE PROTECTED UNDER THE CITY'S ORDINANCE CAN ACTUALLY SEE SOMETHING AND UNDERSTAND THE NARRATIVE THAT, OK, WELL, THAT MAY BE ME OR HEY, THIS MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO ME. SO I WAS JUST REALLY TRYING TO PAINT A PICTURE SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS A PROTECTED ACTIVITY UNDER FAIR HOUSING.

WE'VE ALSO TRIED TO LEVERAGE SOME EXISTING CITY OBSERVANCES AND PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, DURING VETERANS MONTH, WE PUSHED OUT THIS COMMUNICATION THAT REALLY CATERED TO OUR VETERAN POPULATION.

BUT TALKED ABOUT EVICTIONS RELATED TO PTSD OR SERVICE ANIMALS OR OTHER THINGS THAT MAY BE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES FOR VETERANS.

AND THEN COMING UP IN MARCH, WE HAVE A PROGRAM PLANNED WHERE WE'LL BE PUSHING COMMUNICATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ANIMAL SERVICES SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE AND WILL NOT BE CHARGED FOR HAVING A SERVICE ANIMAL OR HAVING A DISABILITY

[02:05:07]

AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.

SO AS THERE ARE CITY PROGRAMS OR CITY PLATFORMS THAT MAY HAVE TARGETED GROUPS THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO, WE ARE PARTNERED WITH THOSE INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.

WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE ARE PUSHING OUT HAS SOME MULTI-LANGUAGE OPTION, SO IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO TARGET POTENTIAL RESIDENTS OR CURRENT RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY, WE'VE ALSO BEEN REACHING OUT TO PROPERTY MANAGERS, APARTMENTS AND ASSOCIATIONS THAT WILL DEAL WITH REAL ESTATE, BASICALLY GIVING THEM TOOLS TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND COMMON CHALLENGES, KIND OF CHALLENGES WITH COMPLIANCE POLICIES THAT THEY MAY HAVE IN PLACE THAT ARE DISCRIMINATORY WITHOUT REALIZING IT, BUT KIND OF GIVING THEM SOME GUIDANCE. AND AGAIN, MULTI LANGUAGE, CAMPAIGNS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS AND LANDLORDS WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING.

ALL RIGHT, AND THE SOUND INVESTIGATION, SO THE COMPLAINT CYCLE FOR A FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT STARTS WITH INTAKE.

SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL FEELS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST RIGHT NOW UNDER THE ORDINANCE, THEY BASICALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE A STATEMENT AND SIGN A DOCUMENT THAT KIND OF STARTS THE INVESTIGATION OR FACT FINDING PROCESS.

AND THEN FROM THAT, THE WAY THAT INTAKE IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS WE IMMEDIATELY REACH OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, HAVING TO FIND A PARTNER IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT TAKES THE LEAD ON THE INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING ANY FOLLOW UP COMMUNICATIONS.

WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH FAIR HOUSING CASES, WE'RE OFTEN DEALING WITH ATTORNEYS OR ATTORNEY REPRESENTATIVES FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT OWN MULTIPLE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

SO THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE BEHIND THEM.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THAT RIGHT IN THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS.

WE ALSO PARTNER WITH ANY OF THE PROPERTIES WHERE THERE MAY BE POTENTIAL IMPACT TO THEIR POLICIES OR PRACTICES TO HELP THEM REACH COMPLIANCE.

AND THEN IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED OR DISCRIMINATION IDENTIFIED FOR THE PARTY, THEN WE WORK TO CONCILIATE THAT IF THERE'S ANY FINANCIAL RELIEF.

AND SO AS A PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE ALSO INCLUDE FOLLOW UP AUDIT AND RETRAINING.

AND THIS PROCESS MIRRORS WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IF WE WERE STILL ASSOCIATED WITH HUD.

SO EVERYWHERE THAT WE'VE HAD TO REINVENT, WE'VE MIRRORED SOME OF THE HUD PROCESS SO THAT WHEN AND IF WE DO TRANSITION BACK TO A FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE HAVE FOUND PRACTICES THAT MIRROR WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND THEN I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY MENTION A FEW FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS, THOUGH, ON WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY IS WE HAVE VERY GOOD PROCESSES IN PLACE FOR HANDLING AND INTAKE HANDLING INVESTIGATIONS, HANDLING OUTREACH, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS WE GET PAST SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS OF COVID FOR INSTRUCTOR LEAD OPTIONS AS WELL.

BUT AS I MENTIONED, THE THING THAT WE HEAR MOST OFTEN IS FAIR HOUSING.

OH THAT'S SECTION EIGHT OR FAIR HOUSING ISN'T THAT A RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

AND SO THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME CONFUSION AROUND WHAT THE CHARGE OF THE DEPARTMENT IS.

THE FEEDBACK ALSO WITHIN THE CITY IS THAT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS AND NEEDS ASSISTANCE, WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHO TO SEND THEM TO.

SO THE CITY HAS THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

IT HAS HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT IT HAS NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY AND IT HAS FAIR HOUSING. AND SO THE CALLS THAT WE GET MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ARE FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THE SAME FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS.

SO ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I'M MAKING AND COME BACK FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IS POTENTIALLY RENAMING THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT IT IS MORE CLEARLY DIFFERENTIATED FROM THE OTHER HOUSING DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.

AND SO IN OTHER FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND I HAVE FOUR LISTED HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, THEIR FAIR HOUSING OFFICE FALLS UNDER THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

FOR DALLAS IT FALLS UNDER THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

FOR DENTON IT FALLS UNDER THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

AND FOR AUSTIN, IT FALLS UNDER EQUAL EMPLOYMENT AND FAIR HOUSING.

SO A FEW OF THE SUGGESTED NAMES AND AGAIN WE WILL COME BACK FOR FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS FOR THE GARLAND FAIR HOUSING OFFICE, POTENTIALLY OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND

[02:10:01]

HOUSING SERVICES, OR SECTION EIGHT OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT INDIVIDUALS MAY CONFUSE WITH FAIR HOUSING.

FOR THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION AND AGAIN, WE'LL COME BACK FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION WOULD BE TO PROVIDE SOME UPDATES TO THE ORDINANCE AS IT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE LATE 90S TO INCLUDE CURRENT OR PROPOSED REGULATIONS AROUND PROTECTION SO EXPANDING THAT, TO INCLUDE SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AND THEN ALSO ADDING SOME WORDING THAT WOULD ELIMINATE OR REDUCE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIOR HOUSING STATUS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE QUALIFIED.

SO IF I HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS OR IF I'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED BUT I MEET ALL OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, THEN IT MAY POTENTIALLY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND THAT TO CLEARLY ENSURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN EXPANDED SERVICES, SO, YES, THE DEPARTMENT HAS IN THE PAST RECEIVED FUNDING UNDER HUD, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OPTIONS AND SEVERAL COMPLIMENTARY SERVICES OR PROGRAMS OR EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FIT AND MIRROR WELL WITH THIS DEPARTMENT. SO DISABILITY SPECIFIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

AND THAT IS I'M POINTING THAT OUT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OVERWHELMINGLY THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT WE RECEIVE ARE DISABILITY RELATED.

SO A LANDLORD NOT PROVIDING ACCESS OR CHARGING SOMEONE FOR A RAMP OR NOT PROVIDING ACCOMMODATION. AND THAT IS TRENDING NATIONWIDE.

JUST KIND OF THE WAY THE COMPLAINTS COME IN.

THAT'S LARGELY THEY ARE DISABILITY RELATED.

ALSO, POTENTIALLY ANY ADA OR ACCESS REQUEST FOR CITY FACILITIES COULD POTENTIALLY BE A PART OF FAIR HOUSING, DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION THAT THE DEPARTMENT GOES.

ALSO FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION OF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE OR PLEDGE PROGRAMS FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, WHERE BASICALLY THEY WOULD GO THROUGH REQUIRED TRAINING.

BUT SIMILAR TO AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT, THEY WOULD INCLUDE THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE REFERENCE AND THEIR PLEDGE FOR COMPLIANCE AND EQUAL HOUSING ACCESS ON THEIR LEASE AND OTHER DOCUMENTS WITH THE SAME TRAINING AND PARTNERSHIP.

OF COURSE, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.

EXPECT AN ONGOING INCREASE IN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND THEN EVENTUALLY PROVIDING POTENTIALLY EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY INDEX FOR THE CITY.

JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WE HAVE, WHAT THE TRUE IMPACT OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS AND WILL BE AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM.

AND THE GOAL WILL EVENTUALLY BE TO BE REINSTATED UNDER HUD.

I WILL SAY THAT IT IS AN INCREMENTAL PROCESS.

IT'S NOT GUARANTEED.

I HAVE REMAINED IN CONTACT WITH HUD CONSISTENTLY PROVIDING THEM INCREMENTAL UPDATES ON WHAT OUR PROGRESS HAS BEEN.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM FALLS AGAIN UNDER HUD IS GOING TO BE DETERMINED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

BUT WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH OUR REGIONAL HUD CONTACTS AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING TO GET THE PROGRAM BACK ON TRACK.

ALL RIGHT, AND WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.

VERY GOOD. IF YOU CAN UNSHARE YOUR SCREEN FOR ME.

ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, KRISTEN, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ANY QUESTIONS? OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS GOING TO COME EXCUSE ME AS WAS MENTIONED IN THE PROGRAM, IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO COME BACK TO US AT SOME POINT.

COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. THANKS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW.

YES SIR GO AHEAD. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK KRISTEN FOR HER EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, AND I WANT TO THANK SHE AND OUR CITY MANAGER FOR THE TERM I'LL USE IS REVITALIZING OR REINVENTING OR AT LEAST BRINGING THE BLUEPRINT FOR REINVENTING AND REVITALIZING THIS PROGRAM.

[02:15:05]

BUT OVERALL, THIS IS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO YOU, KRISTEN, FOR WORKING ON THIS.

THIS DEPARTMENT HAS EVOLVED THROUGH THE YEARS.

THE FEDERAL PIECE OF THIS AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, IT EVOLVES THROUGH THE YEARS ALSO.

BUT THE OPTIONS THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT HERE ARE CERTAINLY WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION.

SO MOVING FORWARD, I'M OPTIMISTIC.

AND THIS PROGRAM, I'VE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AS THE PROGRAM HAS EVOLVED THROUGH THE YEARS.

WHERE'S THE PROGRAM GOING? SO I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, GIVING COUNCIL OPTIONS ON HOW TO STRENGTHEN THIS PROGRAM AND LASTLY, I TALKED ABOUT TALK ABOUT THE REBRANDING, I THINK THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE STILL IN COMMUNITY WHO WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN CRAFTING AND THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE BACK IN 1997.

SO IT IS CERTAINLY A TOOL AND HAVING [INAUDIBLE] CONVERSATION AND SEEING ORDINANCES AND TALK TO COUNCILS IN ANOTHER CITY'S, I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE AHEAD OF THE CURVE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND THAT'S A PROACTIVE MOVE IN THIS PROGRAM.

SO I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOUR EFFORT.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOU, KRISTEN AND BRIAN.

THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES SIR.

WE LOOK LIKE WE CLEARED THE QUEUE.

SO DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE OF WHEN THIS IS GOING TO START COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL? I MEAN, HAVE YOU WORKED THAT PART OUT YET? I THINK I WILL DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER ON WHEN THIS ITEM SHOULD COME BACK SO THAT I'M NOT MISSPEAKING.

OK. CITY MANAGER ANY PREFERENCE ON WHEN THIS ITEM COMES BACK BEFORE COUNCIL? SORRY, I WAS HEARING EVERY THIRD WORD, KRISTEN, BUT I THINK I GATHERED THAT THE QUESTION IS WHEN DO WE BRING THIS BACK.

AND ARE WE GOING TO BRING IT BACK IN PIECES, YOU KNOW AS WE PROGRESS, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING FOR US TO LOOK INTO AS FAR AS FUTURE.

YEAH, I THINK I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS THIS IS GOING TO BE EVOLVING FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO. AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU PROBABLY IN TWO OR THREE PIECES, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE VERY POLICY INTENSIVE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO WANT YOU TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH IT.

I, VERY ENCOURAGE IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.

AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IS TRULY EFFECTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AGAIN. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THERE.

BUT AS I SAID, THERE'S A NUMBER OF POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH AND THAT YOU ENDORSE AND SO I SEE THAT COMING BACK TO YOU OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. AND YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE THIS AGAIN PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS.

OK, VERY GOOD. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? I SEE NONE.

THANK YOU, KRISTEN. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, THAT MOVES US ON TO ITEM FOUR ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.

[4. Announce Future Agenda Items]

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THE CAR RACING AND THE DONUTS ON STREET CORNERS.

[02:20:04]

OK, I WILL SECOND THAT AND WE WILL SEND THAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. ANY ADDITIONAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.

ALL RIGHT, THAT WILL MOVE US TO ITEM FIVE, COUNCIL WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[5. Council will move into Executive Session]

COUNCIL. I BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE LINK FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'LL TAKE A QUICK RECESS, AND WE WILL RECESS THIS WORK SESSION.

LET'S HAVE EVERYBODY ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:40, PLEASE.

EIGHT FORTY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.