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[MUSIC] >> GOOD EVENING.

[1. Public Comments on Work Session Items]

[00:00:09]

WELCOME TO THE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2021 WORK SESSION OF THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.

THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS, AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT MADAM SECRETARY? [LAUGHTER]

>> WE DO NOT MAYOR LEMAY.

>> THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 2,

[2. Consider the Consent Agenda]

CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THIS WILL BE FOR TOMORROW NIGHT.

IT IS CONSIDERABLY SHORTER THAN LAST WEEK'S.

I HAVE NOT HAD ANY REQUESTS TO HAVE ANY ITEMS PULLED TO BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY, BUT [NOISE] IF WE DO, IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW.

THAT WAY WE MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT STAFF HERE TO ADDRESS IT.

[NOISE] WE'LL MOVE ON TO WRITTEN BRIEFINGS, ITEM 3.

[3. Written Briefings]

ITEM 3A, CONSIDER ASSISTANCE REQUEST FOR NON-PROFIT SPECIAL EVENT 2021, WHEELS OF HOPE CAR SHOW.

[NOISE] ITEM 3B, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY MATCHING GRANT GUIDELINES UPDATE.

[NOISE] ITEM 3C, PROJECTS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY FOR RELAY ROAD CYCLE TRACK, FROM GREENBELT PARKWAY TO LAKE RAY HUBBARD.

[NOISE] ITEM 3D, NAMING SCHOOL ROAD CONDEMNATION.

THAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD TO VERBAL BRIEFINGS ITEM 4A,

[4A. COVID-19 Briefing]

COVID-19 BRIEFING.

[NOISE] JASON?

>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THIS IS A BIT OF AN ABBREVIATED UPDATE, SINCE WE WERE HERE JUST A WEEK AGO.

WE DON'T A LOT OF CHANGES IN TERMS OF NUMBERS.

I WILL START OFF BY SAYING THAT THIS IS [NOISE] THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK THAT WE'VE SEEN A DROP IN THE NUMBER OF CASES WEEK OVER WEEK.

IF YOU LOOK BACK TO THE WEEK BEGINNING AUGUST 29TH, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 1246 CASES REPORTED THAT WEEK.

NEXT WEEK BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 5TH, 938, AND THEN THIS LAST WEEK, WHICH BEGAN SEPTEMBER 12TH, WE HAD 846, SO A TOTAL OF 400 FEWER CASES OVER THAT THREE WEEK PERIOD, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.

[NOISE] ALL THAT TO SAY, WE SEEM TO BE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE HAVE REPORTED.

THE CASE TRENDS ARE [NOISE] CERTAINLY TRENDING DOWNWARD.

YOU SEE THE CURRENT NUMBERS HERE WE'VE SURPASSED 37,000 TOTAL CASES.

WE'VE ADDED OVER THE LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE THE TOTAL COUNT WAS FIVE DEATHS, WHICH IT'S UNFORTUNATE WHEN WE ADD ANY DEATHS, BUT THAT TOO SEEMS TO BE SLOWING UP A LITTLE BIT.

WE STILL HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF ACTIVE CASES IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE STILL COMMUNITY SPREAD, BUT THANKFULLY THOSE ACTIVE CASES ARE GOING DOWN.

THIS IS THE STAFF IMPACTS SLIDE AND THIS IS NOT SHOWING UP VERY WELL, SO I'M GOING TO SKIP [LAUGHTER]

>> LOOK, I'M GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME. [LAUGHTER]

>> I'M GOING TO SKIP TO THE GRAPH.

YOU ALL, I'M SURE RECALL SEEING THIS BEFORE.

THIS IS A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE [NOISE] IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON [NOISE] THE CITY OF GARLAND EMPLOYEES.

YOU CAN SEE THAT CERTAINLY WE'RE NOT TRENDING UPWARD AT LEAST IN TERMS OF STAFF IMPACTS, PERHAPS A SLIGHT DOWNWARD TREND, IF NOT AT LEAST FLATTENING OUT.

GOOD NEWS, THEY'RE NOT THAT DISSIMILAR FROM WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF CASE REPORTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

I SKIPPED A SLIDE THERE.

VACCINE UPTAKE CONTINUES TO TRICKLE ALONG, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT.

WE'RE NOT SEEING A HUGE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR NEW VACCINES.

THIS LAST WEEK, WE GAVE OUT 290 TOTAL VACCINES.

NOW, THAT'S BOTH FIRST DOSE, SECOND DOSE, OR BOOSTER DOSE.

JUST UNDER 300 VACCINES FOR THE LAST WEEK, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE THE EXACT SAME NUMBER AS THE PRIOR WEEK.

SO FAIRLY STEADY DEMAND FOR VACCINES, BUT WE'RE STILL THERE PROVIDING THEM TO ANYONE THAT'LL TAKE THEM.

[00:05:03]

THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE'VE SURPASSED 40,000 TOTAL VACCINES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

NOW, AGAIN, THAT ONLY REPRESENTS THE VACCINES THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED AS A DEPARTMENT, IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VACCINES THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED BY OTHER MEDICAL PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY PHARMACIES.

GLAD TO REACH THAT THRESHOLD.

IN TERMS OF VACCINE EVENTS, THESE HAD BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR US THESE OFFSIDE EVENTS.

OF COURSE, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC IS OPEN TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, 7: 30 - 5: 30 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

BUT, WE ALSO SEND STAFF OUT ALMOST DAILY AND SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A DAY FOR THESE POP-UP EVENTS.

AS YOU SEE THE SEVERAL THAT WE HAVE UPCOMING ARE OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, THESE ARE SECOND DOSE EVENTS FOR THOSE HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE DO HAVE AN EVENT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE, GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE POP-UP CLINICS, LOCATION, TIMES, THAT THING, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEB PAGE AND IT'S UPDATED REGULARLY.

WE'VE GOT JUST A FEW OF THE EVENTS OVER THIS PAST WEEK WHERE WE RANGED FROM A LOW OF TWO DOSES PROVIDED UP TO 34.

YOU CAN SEE PARTICIPATION VARIES, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GLAD TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY PROVIDING THESE VACCINES.

THE DRIVE-THROUGH SITE, THERE'S I GUESS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I NEED TO MENTION RELATED TO THIS.

YOU ALL HAVE PROBABLY SEEN IN THE NEWS SAY, I GUESS IT WAS OVER THE WEEKEND ON FRIDAY, THE FDA ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET AND RECOMMENDED BOOSTER DOSES.

THIS IS FOR PFIZER, BOOSTER DOSES OF PFIZER FOR FOLKS 65 AND OLDER.

THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND BOOSTER DOSES FOR FOLKS UNDER 65 WHO ARE GENERALLY HEALTHY, WHO DON'T FALL INTO THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CATEGORIES.

THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF, I SUPPOSE IT WASN'T A SURPRISE ON FRIDAY.

BUT, CERTAINLY EARLIER IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND BACK PRIOR TO AUGUST, WE HAD ANTICIPATED VACCINES, BOOSTER DOSES BEING RECOMMENDED FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.

I WILL SAY THAT THAT ADVISORY GROUP MEETS REGULARLY.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN OUT FRIDAY ONLY REPRESENT WHAT'S CURRENT IN TERMS OF VACCINE STUDIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THOSE STUDIES.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT VACCINES BOOSTER DOSES WON'T BE RECOMMENDED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE FOR FOLKS UNDER 65.

IF AND WHEN THAT OCCURS, CERTAINLY WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR LEVEL BEST TO MAKE VACCINE ACCESS AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR CITIZENS.

IN TERMS OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH SITE, THE RESULT PROBABLY WILL BE A BIT OF A DELAY [NOISE] IN OPENING THAT SITE.

THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT THE AGE ELIGIBILITY FOR PFIZER WILL BE LOWERED TO FIVE SOMETIME IN THE MIDDLE TO LATTER PART OF OCTOBER.

CERTAINLY, WE WOULD EXPECT AT LEAST A SLIGHT INCREASE IN VACCINE DEMAND AT THAT TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THOSE VACCINES.

I THINK I MENTIONED IT AT THE LAST MEETING, WE'RE WORKING WITH GISD TO SEND TEAMS OUT TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IF AND WHEN THOSE, THE AGE ELIGIBILITY IS LOWERED SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE VACCINES TO THOSE KIDDOS.

OF COURSE, IT'LL TAKE PARENTAL CONSENT, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY FOR PARENTS TO GET THEIR KIDDOS VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MISTY AND LET HER TALK ABOUT HOSPITALIZATION.

>> GOOD EVENING, SAME INFORMATION THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING, BUT WE TRIED TO DO IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS TIME.

THOSE GRAPHICS WITH THE STATE SEEM TO BE GETTING MORE CONFUSING, NOT LESS SO WE CHANGED IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

AS FAR AS THIS SLIDE, IT IS TALKING ABOUT THE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND THAT'S TRAUMA SERVICE AREA E, WHICH IS THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS AREA.

THE MAP IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER IS JUST THAT, IS THE MAP OF ALL THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREAS.

THE FIRST BOX THERE SHOWS 3,077 PATIENTS.

THAT IS ALL OF THE PATIENTS THAT ARE IN HOSPITALS THAT HAVE LAB-CONFIRMED COVID-19 AND THAT PERCENTAGE FOR TOTAL HOSPITAL CAPACITY IS AT 22.71.

IF YOU'LL REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IN THE GRAPH ON THE BOTTOM SHOWS THE LAST 30 DAYS.

IT'S JUST THE TREND RELATIVE TO THAT 15 PERCENT.

THE 15 PERCENT WAS CONSIDERED HIGH BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER 32,

[00:10:05]

WHICH WAS ISSUED A YEAR AGO, ALMOST NOW OCTOBER OF 2020.

THAT'S WHAT THAT LINE IS REFERENCING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE 22.71 AND THEN THE HIGHEST THAT WE'VE BEEN WAS BACK IN JANUARY JUST FOR REFERENCE AT 27.75.

DOWN BELOW AT THE VERY BOTTOM IS THE SAME DEPICTION BUT IT'S FOR DALLAS COUNTY INSTEAD OF TRAUMA SERVICE AREA E JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

AS OF YESTERDAY, THE NUMBERS USUALLY RUN ABOUT A DAY BEHIND WERE AT 17.06 FOR DALLAS COUNTY AND THAT PET NUMBER OF LAB-CONFIRMED COVID-19, THAT'S THE NUMBER TO THE RIGHT THERE, 895 FOR DALLAS COUNTY YESTERDAY.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO SHOW THE SAME INFORMATION AS FAR AS THE PERCENT OF COVID PATIENTS VERSUS HOSPITAL CAPACITY AND THEN A COMBINATION OR AT LEAST A COMPARISON WITH ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES IN THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREA.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE COUNTY WHICH IS FINE AND THAT'S BELOW THE 15 PERCENT THIS POINT.

THIS IS THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS.

I CUT IT OFF, I APOLOGIZE.

ON THE LEFT IT'S MAY OF LAST YEAR, SO A LITTLE OVER, I GUESS ALMOST LIKE A YEAR-AND-A-HALF NOW SHOWING THE SPIKES BUT TODAY'S NUMBERS ARE ALL THE WAY ON THE RIGHT.

SO THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS FOR DALLAS COUNTY 895.

THAT PERCENT, THE ORANGE 18.63 IS THE PERCENT OF ALL INPATIENTS WITH COVID COMPARED TO THE 17.06, WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS COMPARED TO HOSPITAL CAPACITY.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO COMPARE THAT REMAIN CONSISTENT.

FOR THE LOCAL TESTING, QUICK UPDATE ON THAT SAME AGENCIES ARE COORDINATING.

WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH DALLAS COUNTY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES RELATIVE TO A TESTING SITE COMING HERE AND THAT IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE IT WILL BE A PRIVATE VENDOR VERSUS A FEDERAL SITE AND WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE AGREEMENT SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW THAT.

AS SOON AS WE GET THAT, THAT'LL GO TO LEGAL FOR REVIEW.

THEN THE VACCINATION REQUIREMENT IMPLICATIONS.

A LOT OF INFORMATION HAS COME OUT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY NOT A LOT OF WRITTEN INFORMATION.

WE HAD ANOTHER CONFERENCE CALL LAST WEEK WITH THE WHITE HOUSE.

BASICALLY, OSHA WILL BE LOOKING AT PRIVATE SECTOR INFORMATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WILL BE CONSIDERING PUBLIC SECTOR.

SO WE ARE WAITING THE EMERGENCY TEMPORARY STANDARDS.

THEY HAVE ALREADY RELEASED WHAT THEY EXPECT THOSE TO BE, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN WRITING YET.

SO AGAIN BUSINESSES, 100 PLUS EMPLOYEES MANDATING VACCINATIONS OR WEEKLY NEGATIVE TESTING AN THEN PAID TIME OFF FOR THOSE TO GET VACCINATED AND THEN RECUPERATE WHEN NECESSARY.

ON THE 24TH WE ARE EXPECTING SOME EXECUTIVE ORDERS OR AT LEAST GUIDANCE ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS, BUT AGAIN NOTHING IN WRITING FOR EITHER GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

ALL THAT IS STILL PENDING.

WITH THAT, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM?

>> GO AHEAD [OVERLAPPING]

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS IT.

>> YOU'RE UP. GO AHEAD.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD EVENING.

I THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED GREAT WORK.

JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

JASON, THE POP-UPS THAT HAD BEEN DONE AT THE SCHOOLS, ARE THOSE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND IS THERE IS ANY DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS THAT HAD TO BE UNDERTAKEN SINCE ITS ON A GISD CAMPUS? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? IS IT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC? IF SO, HOW ARE THEY IN DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS AND REQUIREMENT SINCE ITS ON GISD CAMPUSES?

>> LET ME GET BACK TO THAT SLIDE.

WHEN WE DID THESE POP-UPS, MOST OF THE POP-UP EVENTS ARE OPEN EVENTS, BUT THERE ARE SOME AND THE SCHOOLS ARE A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CALL CLOSED EVENTS.

THEY'RE NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC JUST BY NATURE OF THE LOCATION.

IN THE CASE OF SCHOOLS, THEY CALL FOR OBVIOUS SECURITY CONCERNS.

THEY PREFER THAT WE NOT OPEN THOSE UP TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

TO ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION, NO.

THE SCHOOLS ARE CONSIDERED CLOSED.

WE WOULD PREFER THAT THE PUBLIC GO TO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC OR ANOTHER POP-UP EVENT AND NOT THESE.

I GUESS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A CLOSED EVENT WOULD BE, THERE'S SOME BUSINESSES THAT WE'VE PROVIDED POP-UP EVENTS THAT JUST AREN'T SET UP FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.

A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CLOSED EVENTS. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

>> OKAY.

>> THANK YOU, BECAUSE I WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION.

SO THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC.

MY NEXT QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBER OF INDICATORS ON STUDENT CASES OF COVID? DO WE GET ANY DATA FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR FROM A HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN DALLAS, DO WE?

>> WE ACTUALLY DO.

[00:15:01]

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTUALLY HAS AND I APOLOGIZE.

I FEEL FOOLISH FOR NOT HAVING LOOKED AT THAT BEFORE THE MEETING.

I HAVEN'T REFRESHED MY INFORMATION ON THAT THIS WEEK, BUT THE SCHOOL DOES HAVE A VERY GOOD TRACKER ON THEIR WEB-PAGE, A COVID TRACKER THAT LISTS CASES AT EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL AND THEN RECORD AND FACULTY.

CASES OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY AT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND THEN A TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES FOR THE DISTRICT.

OF COURSE, OUR STAFF, OUR EPIDEMIOLOGIST, IS IN DAILY CONTACT WITH THE GISD NURSING EMPLOYEES OR STAFF FOR BOTH CONTACT TRACING EXCLUSIONS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

WE'RE VERY CLOSE COMMUNICATION, A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP THERE AND FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THOSE NUMBERS, THE GISD WEB PAGE IS GOING TO BE YOUR BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION.

I KNOW THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING THAT UP TODAY.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU SIR.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM HEDRICK.

>> THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN ATTRIBUTE THE DROP IN CASES TO THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS?

>> YEAH. THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF SPECULATION ON WHAT'S CAUSED THAT DROP IN CASES.

MY EXPERIENCE TELLS ME THAT IT'S PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF MANY FACTORS.

PROBABLY FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE DELTA VARIANT.

DISEASES SEEK THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH, I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM, BUT I'M TRYING TO THINK OF A DIFFERENT WORD.

THOSE WITHOUT IMMUNITY, WITH NO DEGREE OF IMMUNITY, NO NATURAL IMMUNITY FROM A PRIOR INFECTION OR NO VACCINATIONS.

[NOISE] AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN OUR SOCIETY, THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT DON'T FIT INTO EITHER OF THOSE TWO CATEGORIES IS DIMINISHING RAPIDLY BECAUSE [NOISE] WE GOT, WHAT 70? HOW MANY MILLION AMERICANS FULLY VACCINATED? I WANT TO SAY [OVERLAPPING]

>> SIXTY THREE PERCENT.

>> A HUGE NUMBER OF AMERICANS FULLY VACCINATED, SO THAT PROVIDES A GOOD DEGREE OF IMMUNITY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, UNVACCINATED FOLKS WHO'VE ALREADY BEEN INFECTED AND HAVE A DEGREE OF A NATURAL IMMUNITY.

IN MY ESTIMATION, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST REASON.

THOSE TWO IN COMBINATION, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST REASON WHY WE'RE SEEING A DROP IN CASES.

NOW, NO DOUBT THE NOTORIETY OF THE DELTA WAVE AND THE ENHANCED MASKING REQUIREMENTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS.

I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH THE IMPACT OF DISEASE CONTROL.

I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH THOSE MEASURES, THE IMPACT OF THOSE MEASURES ON DISEASE CONTROL BUT IN MY ESTIMATION, THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE TWO BIGGEST FACTORS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DIMINISHING NUMBER OF CASES.

HOPEFULLY THOSE FACTORS WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH THE NUMBER OF CASES.

>> THANK YOU SIR.

>> THANK YOU SIR.

>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR JASON OR MISTY? NO? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM [NOISE] EXCUSE ME,

[4B. Tele Meetings]

ITEM 4B TELE MEETINGS.

I'M ABOUT TO ASK WHO WAS GOING TO DO THAT AND YOU SHOW UP.

>> YES, SIR.

>> [LAUGHTER].

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY, REQUESTED TO DISCUSS THE OPTION OF WHAT WE'VE LISTED AS TELE MEETINGS, BUT THAT'S HAVING A COMBINATION IN-PERSON COUNCIL MEETINGS AND REMOTE OR ZOOM COUNCIL MEETINGS, HAVING COUNCIL MEMBERS BEING ABLE TO DO EITHER OR DEPENDING ON THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THE ISSUES AND I'VE GOT BASICALLY THREE MAJOR POINTS THAT WE LOOKED AT WHEN WE START EXAMINING THIS.

THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE THE LEGAL ISSUE.

CAN WE DO THIS AS A CITY UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT? OF COURSE IN CONSULTING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, LEGALLY, WE CAN.

THERE'S NOT A QUESTION THERE.

IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED LEGALLY.

SECOND OF ALL, IF COUNCIL CHOOSES TO DO THIS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT, BUT AT SOME POINT YOU WOULD HAVE SOME POLICY ISSUES TO DECIDE OF HOW MANY, HOW OFTEN, WHAT WOULD BE THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

BEEN SOME PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT BE HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS, WOULD IT BE IF YOU'RE OUT OF TOWN, WOULD IT BE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS? YOU AS A COUNCIL WOULD HAVE SOME POLICY CONSIDERATIONS TO DECIDE, OF COURSE, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, AND THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES THERE AND SOME STATUTES THERE TO FOLLOW,

[00:20:01]

BUT THERE ARE SOME POLICY LEVEL DECISIONS TO BE MADE IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO THIS ROUTE.

[NOISE] THE THIRD ITEM WOULD JUST BE SIMPLY THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUES.

I WILL TELL YOU IS WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS NOT ONLY HERE INTERNALLY, BUT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING ACROSS THE STATE AND ELSEWHERE TO SEE CAN IT BE DONE.

I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO IT.

I THINK THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE.

BUT I DO THINK, AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME CHALLENGES TO WORK THROUGH.

WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH OUR SYSTEM HERE.

WITH THE AGENDA, WITH THE MICROPHONES, WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE IN HERE.

WE HAVE INITIATED AN ENTIRE REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

I THINK AT LEAST PART OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IS WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE SYSTEMS HERE.

WE HAVE, OF COURSE, THE VOTING SPEAKER, MICROPHONE, TOUCHSCREEN MONITORS THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU AS ONE ENTIRE SYSTEM, WE HAVE OUR AGENDA QUICK SYSTEM THAT IT POPULATES THE AGENDA THAT COMES IN, THAT'S A SOFTWARE THAT COMES IN.

WE HAVE OUR BROADCASTING SYSTEM FOR CABLE TV.

NOW WE'VE IMPLEMENTED AND ADDED IN THE ZOOM CAPABILITIES, THE AUDIO VISUAL, AND THE TECHNICAL, THE HARDWARE, THE SOFTWARE TO DO THAT.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE SWAGIT WHERE WE POST OUR VIDEO STREAMING OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.

WE'RE TRYING TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THOSE TO HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER.

THEY WEREN'T DESIGNED AS ONE SYSTEM AND I THINK THAT'S CAUSING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

I KNOW YOU'RE ALREADY AWARE OF THOSE.

WE'VE BEEN DOING ZOOM MEETINGS OFF AND ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IF YOU DO REMOTELY, IF YOU HAVE SOME WI-FI ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S AT HOME OR ELSEWHERE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.

BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD.

I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS TOWARD THE WORK.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A MANUAL SYSTEM THAT WE PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INTEGRATE AND DO ZOOM.

WE'VE ADDED KARMA POTTER TO HELP MANAGE THE ZOOM FOR THE CITIZENS THAT ARE ON.

WE WOULD HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES THERE.

IF WE HAVE BOTH COUNCIL AND CITIZENS ON ZOOM, OF COURSE, COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND INTERACT AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, THE CITIZENS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL AS WE BRING THEM IN.

THERE'S JUST MORE LOGISTICS TO MAKING THAT WORK.

IS IT POSSIBLE? YES. IS IT CHALLENGING? YES. I WAS JUST CHECKING MY NOTES TO SEE IF I HAVE COVERED EVERYTHING THERE.

AGAIN, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO TO ANALYZE HOW WE INTEGRATE ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS AND TRY TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

AS IT EXISTS CURRENTLY, I THINK IT WOULD STRUGGLE AS WE TRY TO PUT ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND MAKE IT WORK UNTIL WE CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE ISSUES WE'RE HAVING WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM.

FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE, GET THOSE CLEARED UP, AND THEN WORK TOGETHER TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THE REST OF THESE SYSTEMS. I'VE HEARD OF ONE OR TWO OTHER CITIES THAT ARE DOING IT.

BUT OF COURSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT CORE SYSTEMS, DIFFERENT SOFTWARE, DIFFERENT HARDWARE THEY MAY NOT USE AGENDA QUICK, WE USE INTENT DIGITAL FOR OUR NEW TOUCHSCREEN MONITOR SYSTEM.

THEY MAY NOT USE SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DO.

THE EXACT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU INTEGRATE THAT TOGETHER.

THOSE ARE THE THREE CHALLENGES.

THE LEGAL ISSUES ARE NOT AN ISSUE, IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE. WE CAN DO THAT.

THEY ARE JUST POLICY ISSUES FOR YOU-ALL TO DECIDE.

THAT'S NOT A CHALLENGE.

IT WOULD JUST BE LEFT TO US TO WORK THROUGH THE TECHNICAL ISSUES, TO SOLVE THAT INTEGRATION OF MULTIPLE SYSTEMS AND TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU-ALL AND TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THE CITIZENS AS WELL.

WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> COUNCIL AUBIN.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I GUESS NOT SO MUCH QUESTIONS AS JUST, GARLAND HAD BEEN SCHOOLED [INAUDIBLE].

>> YEAH.

HANG ON. JUST REAL QUICK.

POINT ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENING IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE PUNCHING IN, THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE SYSTEM THAT IS KNOCKING PEOPLE OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

IF YOU PUNCH IN AND THEN YOU PUNCH BACK OUT BECAUSE YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND OR SOMEBODY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

WHEN YOU PUNCH OUT,

[00:25:02]

FOR SOME REASON IT IS BLINKING EVERYONE OUT.

RIGHT NOW I HAVE COUNSELOR ROBIN.

BUT I SAW AT ONE POINT COUNSELOR [INAUDIBLE] COUNSELOR MORRIS WERE IN THE QUEUE.

IF YOU ALL CAN PUNCH BACK IN.

>> I'M STILL IN.

>> THE MICROPHONE IS ON. I GUESS IT [INAUDIBLE].

>> WELL, NO, YOUR MIC'S NOT ON BUT [OVERLAPPING]

>> I THINK MY MIC IS ON.

>> WELL, BUT IT'S NOT.

COUNSELOR AUBIN, GO AHEAD. SORRY.

>> THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR YEARS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.

BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS IT JUST NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A BAND-AID SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T WORK SO WELL IN THE MEANTIME OR THAT HAS SOME ISSUES THEN WE HAVE IT.

IF WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE CALLING IN ON ZOOM AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO ZOOMS. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO ZOOM FOR YEAR AND A HALF, BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS AND WE CAN'T FIND A WAY AROUND IT, WHETHER SOMEBODY REMOTELY HAS TO HOLD PADDLES OR DO WHATEVER.

IF YOU CAN, JUST MAKE IT SO, MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I ASKED ABOUT THIS.

WE ASKED ABOUT THIS LIKE SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN WE KNEW THAT THE ORDER IS WE'RE GOING TO BE ENDING AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE STARTING OVER AGAIN TODAY.

THAT MAKES ME EXTREMELY UPSET BECAUSE WE'RE NOW IN SEPTEMBER.

WE'RE MEETING IN PERSON UNDER ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR DURING THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC THAT PUTS EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AT RISK.

APPARENTLY, I DON'T WANT TO GET OVERLY POLITICAL ON IT.

BUT THE FACT OF MATTER IS I DON'T WANT ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE PUT TO A DECISION.

IF THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID OR IF THEY TEST POSITIVE FOR IT, GOD FORBID.

THAT EVEN IF THEY'RE ASYMPTOMATIC, MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT THEY WOULD JUST STAY HOME, BUT THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO NOT BE ABLE.

WE'VE SEEN THE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S ALL THERE.

THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO BE DISENFRANCHISED.

WE CAN GET INTO ALL THE OTHER POLICY STUFF LATER ABOUT WHATEVER.

BUT CLEARLY TO ME, IF YOU'VE HAD A COVID EXPOSURE, IF YOU'RE POSITIVE FOR COVID, YOU SHOULDN'T BE COMING HERE TO COUNCIL.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPEAR REMOTELY AS LONG AS WE'RE STILL LEGALLY ABLE TO DO IT.

MY UNDERSTANDING ON THE LAW IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM HERE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE FIVE PEOPLE HERE.

IS THAT CORRECT, MR. CITY ATTORNEY?

>> [NOISE]

>> THE LAW ACTUALLY CHANGED TWO SESSIONS AGO.

IT'S JUST A PRESIDING OFFICER NOW BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION GARLAND IS IN.

WE FALL INTO A CERTAIN BRACKET.

>> TO ME FOR NOW, MEDICAL ISSUES OR IT.

IF YOU'VE HAD EXPOSURE BECAUSE IT PUTS EVERYONE ELSE AT RISK AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAD THIS ISSUE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

WE HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO SURE AS HECK SEEMED LIKE THAT PERSON MIGHT HAD COVID.

WAS CERTAINLY QUITE SICK AND DETERMINED TO COME TO COUNCIL ANYWAY, THEN A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE GOT SICK.

THAT'S JUST NOT A RISK, THAT BECOMES A RISK TO THE OPERATION OF THE CITY.

I THINK WITH ALL URGENCY, WE NEED TO MAKE THAT OPTION AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE.

I UNDERSTAND IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT AND IT MAY BE CLUNKY AND PARTS OF IT ARE UNDER MODERN SYSTEMS. RELATIVELY RIDICULOUS.

IF I WASN'T HERE, THERE HAD TO BE A SCREEN RIGHT HERE THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE ME OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE OR WHATEVER.

BUT WHATEVER IT TAKES.

I KNOW WE HAVE VERY VERY SMART PEOPLE BACK IN OUR TECH ROOM AND LET'S JUST TELL THEM MAKE IT SO.

I KNOW THAT THEY CAN.

IF THEY HAVE TO DUCK TAPE AND CHEWING GUM IT, THEN WE'LL GET IT DONE.

BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS AVAILABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE JUST FOR THE GREATER HEALTH OF EVERYONE HERE IN THIS ROOM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU SIR. COUNSELOR MORRIS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M NOT GOING INTO A LONG THING.

THIS MIKE IS HOT. I'M GOING TO BACKUP.

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.

WE ACTUALLY RAISED THIS ISSUE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND IT WOULD HAVE HELPED US NOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN WORKED OUT THEN.

I KNOW IT'S DOABLE.

I KNOW IT'S TECHNOLOGY.

I'M TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS THING, BUT IS IT ALL THE MICS ON?

>> [BACKGROUND]

>> I CAN'T SEE IT.

[00:30:01]

I NEVER TOUCHED THE DIAL. I HAVE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN.

[BACKGROUND]

>> IT'S JUST FEED BACK FROM EVERYWHERE.

OKAY. [LAUGHTER] ANYWAY, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED, AND I THINK WE SHOULD PURSUE IT AGGRESSIVELY WITH ALL SPEED, WITH ALL ENERGY, AND NOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

I WOULD APPRECIATE ALREADY HAVING THIS IN PLACE AND LIFE HAPPENS.

WE'VE ALL BEEN RUNNING AS FAST AS WE CAN BUT YEAH, I AGREE.

WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE.

THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BASS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WHEN WE PROCEED WITH THIS, WHEN WE'RE LOGGED IN VIA ZOOM OR WHATEVER THE FORMAT IS, WHEN WE'RE LOGGED IN REMOTELY, THAT WE WOULD BE CONSIDERED PRESENT FOR VOTING AND SUCH.

JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT, PERFECT.

THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU, MITCH.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM HEDRICK.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS MAY BE EARLY FOR POLICY DECISIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A POLICY THAT THERE WOULD BE NO REMOTE MEETINGS FROM LABOR AND DELIVERY WARDS OF HOSPITALS.

[LAUGHTER].

>> WE TOLD YOU TO COME IN.

[LAUGHTER]

>> I COULD'VE MADE TO THE MEETING TOO, IT ENDED BEFORE THAT. THANK YOU.

[LAUGHTER].

>>THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCILOR BASS, YOU'RE BACK IN THE QUEUE OR NOT.

>> NO, SIR.

>> I THINK I HAVE A BUTTON FOR THAT. THAT WORKS.

OBVIOUSLY, LET'S PROCEED WITH PULLING THE SYSTEM TOGETHER THE WAY WE NEED TO.

I DON'T RECALL.

I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS POLICY WISE, HOWEVER LONG AGO THAT WAS, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF IT, FRANKLY.

I REMEMBER SOME OF THE DETAILS OF IT.

WOULD THAT POLICY THAT WE WERE WORKING ON PREVIOUSLY, WOULD IT NEED TO BE COMPLETELY SCRAPPED AND START OVER OR IS THERE PARTS OF THAT THAT WE CAN STILL WORK FROM TODAY? IF WE BROUGHT THAT POLICY BACK FOR REVIEW, I'M GUESSING WE'D PROBABLY NEED TO MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS, BUT WOULD IT NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REWRITTEN IS MY PROBLEM.

>> I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK PROBABLY THERE'LL BE A FEW ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT THE COUNCIL HAVE TO MANAGE AND COME UP WITH.

BUT I THINK WE COULD TAKE THAT AND WORK FROM THAT AND POTENTIALLY BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION AS A FINALIZED [OVERLAPPING].

>> I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO COMMITTEE.

I THINK IF WE CAN BRING THAT BACK INTO NEXT WORK SESSION AND LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CAN MAKE ANY UPDATES THAT NEED TO BE HEARD BEFORE THEY GETS BACK TO US AND THEN WE CAN WORK IT OUT FROM THERE.

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

>> DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEM WILLIAMS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST ONE THING, SCOTTS, I HAVEN'T MENTIONED, THE DISTRICT IS DOING THIS [INAUDIBLE]?

>> YES, SIR.

>> RATHER THAN REINVENT THE WHEEL, WE GET SOME INPUT SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THAT OR NOT.

[OVERLAPPING] BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I THINK WE CAN BORROW FROM THAT AND NOT HAVE TO COME FROM SCRATCH [OVERLAPPING] THIS PROCESS.

>> THE PROCESS WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT [OVERLAPPING].

>> THEY ALSO HAVE EXISTING POLICY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE.

I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE EXISTING POLICY THAT GUIDES THIS PROCESS.

I DON'T KNOW ALL OF IT, BUT I'VE SEEN A PORTION OF IT.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS PERHAPS WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND BORROW SOME PIECES.

WHATEVER YOU THINK IS BEST TO USE OUT OF THAT RATHER THAN HAVING TO START FROM SCRATCH.

>> YES, SIR. I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT BEFORE, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.

AGAIN, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME OTHER CITIES DOING THIS ALREADY.

WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT THOSE.

OUR CHALLENGES ARE STRICTLY HARDWARE, SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY.

THE PROCESS TO GET THROUGH IT, I THINK WE'VE GOT WORKED OUT FOR THE MOST PART OTHER THAN THE POLICY LEVEL ISSUES.

WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET THE SYSTEM WORKING AND OUR OTHER SYSTEMS ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT WORK.

ALL ZOOM IS EASY, ALL IN PERSON IS EASY.

COMBINING THEM FROM A TECHNOLOGY IS WHAT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE AND WE CAN.

WE'VE JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT THOSE INTERCONNECTED PIECES TO MAKE IT WORK TOGETHER.

WE'LL MAKE IT A TOP PRIORITY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ON THIS ITEM? I SEE NONE. THANK YOU.

[00:35:02]

>> GOT IT.

>> THAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD TO ITEM 4C,

[4C. Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Procurement]

HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS PROCUREMENT.

>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ESPECIALLY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM WILLIAMS FOR THE INVITE TONIGHT TO SHARE THE HUB PROCUREMENT PROGRAM WITH YOU.

WHEN WE HEARD PROCUREMENT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES.

YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE DBE, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

THERE'S A WNBE, WOMAN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, BUT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED [NOISE] OR OFTEN JUST OVERLOOKED ON PUBLIC CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

THESE BUSINESSES ARE 51 PERCENT OWNED BY BLACK AMERICANS, HISPANIC AMERICANS, ASIAN-PACIFIC AMERICANS, NATIVE AMERICANS, AMERICAN WOMEN, AND SERVICE DISABLED VETERANS AS OF 2014, THEY WERE ADDED TO THE LIST AS WELL.

AT THE CITY, WE'VE TAKEN A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT INCLUSION, OUTREACH, AND OPPORTUNITY.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES US TO CONTACT TWO HUBS IN OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS.

ONLY TWO HUBS AND IT'S ONLY INCLUDED IN PROCUREMENT THAT ARE BETWEEN $3,000 AND $50,000.

THAT'S A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THE HUB BUSINESSES.

WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO HERE AT THE CITY IS FOR THE CATEGORY OF SPAN FOR ANY HUB THAT IS IN DALLAS COUNTY, WE WILL CONTACT THEM IF THEY ARE ON THAT LIST.

IF THERE ARE 100 HUBS ON THE LIST, WE DON'T PICK THE TWO, WE CONTACT ALL 100 AND WE DON'T COUNT THAT AS $50,000 EITHER.

IF IT'S A $1 MILLION CONTRACT, A $20 MILLION CONTRACT, IT DOESN'T MATTER, THEY GET THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE FEEL CASTING A WIDER NET CREATES MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE BUSINESSES.

WE CAN SEE THAT IN OUR ANNUAL HUB SPEND FROM A 2018 TO 2020, WE INCREASED THE SPEND APPROXIMATELY 26 PERCENT FROM $20 TO $27 MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH THE HUBS.

OVER FOUR YEAR EXPERIENCE THAT WAS EVEN HIGHER IS 36 PERCENT FROM 17 MILLION TO 27 MILLION OVER FOUR YEAR TIME, THIS ANNUALIZED HUB SPAN THROUGH THE PURCHASE ORDER SYSTEM.

I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIRECT HUB CONTACTS FROM THE CMBL.

THE CMBL, THIS A CENTRALIZED MASTER BIDDERS LIST IS MAINTAINED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THE CULTURE WHERE WE ACCESS THE HUB BUSINESS INFORMATION.

IN 2020, WE CONTACTED 935.

A DIRECT CONTACT MEANS THEY RECEIVE A PERSONALIZED E-MAIL FROM THE BUYER IN CHARGE OF THAT SOURCING ACTIVITY.

THE BUYER REACHES OUT TO THE HUB AND SAYS, "HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO PURCHASE.

THIS IS WHERE YOU GO TO FIND THE BID OPPORTUNITIES." WE DID THAT ON A PERSONAL BASIS 935 TIMES.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM NOTIFIES HUBS ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS, WE CONTACTED ANOTHER 1,000 HUBS SO THAT YOUR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM IN 2020, SO THAT NUMBERS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 2,000 HUBS THAT WE CONTACTED LAST YEAR.

I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK THE P-CARD SPEND.

THIS IS OUR PROCUREMENT CARD WE HAVE AT THE CITY.

AN INFORMAL PURCHASES LESS THAN $3,000 WE CAN PUT ON THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT CARD.

WE SPENT CLOSE TO $16 MILLION LAST YEAR JUST ON P-CARD SPEND.

THAT'S AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED CATEGORY, BUT CERTAINLY WORTH POINTING OUT.

WE ALSO DID A SPEND ANALYSIS TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE HUB DOLLARS ARE GOING AND FAR ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE ARE PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION.

THIS IS A RESULT OF CITY COUNCIL'S PRIORITY TO DO THE STREETS AND THE ALLEYS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THOSE CONTRACTS HAVE BROUGHT A LOT OF HUB BUSINESSES TO THE TABLE.

BEFORE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CONTRACTS TO REALLY TRACK THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE GETTING NOW.

BUT EVEN IN THIS ECONOMY, WE'RE TRACKING A LOT OF GITHUB BUSINESSES AND THEY'RE PERFORMING VERY WELL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

IT'S ALSO WORTH POINTING OUT NUMBER 3, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING AND NUMBER 7, ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES BECAUSE FOR WHATEVER REASON, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS A BARRIER TO ENTRY FOR MANY HUB BUSINESSES.

BUT THROUGH OUR OUTREACH AND INCLUSION EFFORTS, WE HAVE A LARGER VARIETY OF HUB BUSINESSES THAT ARE ON THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SHORTLIST, AND WE USE THESE GUYS VERY FREQUENTLY.

WE'VE DEVELOPED AN INFORMATION GUIDE FOR HUB SUPPLIERS.

YOU CAN SEE IT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN.

WE TELL THEM HOW TO REGISTER WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS TO BE A HUB.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE A HUB.

WE ALSO DIRECT THEM TO OUR ELECTRONIC BIDDING PLATFORM,

[00:40:01]

SHOW THEM WHERE TO GO TO GET THE BIDS AND HOW TO GET THE BIDS.

WE'VE ALSO PUT TOGETHER AN ASSISTANCE DIRECTORY TO PARTNER THEM WITH THE VARIOUS CHAMBERS AND ASSOCIATIONS THAT CAN HELP GUIDE THEM AND DIRECT THEM IN THEIR BUSINESS.

WE STARTED IN 1989 WITH A VERY BASIC DBE POLICY.

IN 1995, WE PIVOTED TO MORE OF A PROCUREMENT INCLUSION MODEL.

I BELIEVE IT WAS 2009, WE HAD A CONSULTANT COME IN AND LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE PROGRAM AND MOST OF THE FINDINGS THEY CAME UP WITH OR WHAT TODAY'S PROGRAM IS BASED ON AND WE FEEL HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH THE OUTREACH EFFORTS.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, COVID HAS REALLY TAKEN ITS TOLL ON THE ABILITY TO MEET WITH PEOPLE IN PERSON.

THE CHAMBERS AND ASSOCIATIONS HAVE STOPPED ALL THEIR IN-PERSON BIDDINGS.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM JSON WE MAY HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS COMING UP.

MAYBE THINGS ARE STARTING TO TURN AROUND.

WE HAVE ZOOM FATIGUE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, BUT WE'RE STILL PARTICIPATING IN ZOOM MEETINGS WITH THESE VENDORS AND WE'RE STILL GOING INTO THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCES AND TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO REACH OUT.

BUT THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SETTING CROSS TABLE FROM A POTENTIAL HUB BIDDER AND TELL THEM WHAT A GREAT PLACE [INAUDIBLE] TO DO BUSINESS WITHIN.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD THAT DAY COMES AGAIN.

FOR THE MEAN TIME WE'LL KEEP STAYING IN CONTACT THROUGH E-MAIL AND PHONE CALL AND JUST CONTINUE OUR OUTREACH TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO BRING THEM INTO GARLAND TO DO BUSINESS WITH US.

[NOISE] WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO REVISIT ANY OF THE SLIDES WHERE YOU'RE ASKING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

>> VERY GOOD. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM WILLIAMS.

>> THANKS MAYOR. THANKS SIR. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> YES, SIR. MY PLEASURE. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> NOT OFTEN THAT YOU VISIT US, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THIS UPDATE.

EXCELLENT JOB. [NOISE] WOULD YOU GO BACK TO THE P-CARD SLIDE, PLEASE?

>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE WE GO.

>> OKAY. CAN YOU SHARE WITH OUR PUBLIC SOME OF THE MECHANICS OF HOW THIS WORKS? IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE POTENTIAL VENDORS OR SERVICES, BRIEFLY WHAT WOULD THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE USING THIS APPROACH WHICH IS P-CARD?

>> ONE OF THE BEAUTY PARTS ABOUT THE P-CARD PROGRAM IS, THERE AREN'T ANY EXTRA HOOPS THEY HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH TO REGISTER OR CERTIFIED WITH AN OUTSIDE AGENCY BECAUSE MOST OF YOUR VENDORS, WHETHER IT'S SMALL BUSINESSES, MINORITY, OR OTHERWISE, ACCEPT P-CARDS.

IT'S A MUCH FASTER WAY TO GET THESE VENDORS PAID AND THEY'RE CAPTURED AUTOMATICALLY THROUGH THE P-CARD SYSTEM AS FAR AS WHAT THEIR BUSINESS CLASSIFICATION IS.

IF YOU LOOK HERE, THERE ARE SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS, THAT'S MORE OF A SBA TYPE OF CERTIFICATION, BUT THE HUB PROGRAM IS NATIONAL, IT'S NOT CONTAINED IN JUST TEXAS.

WE CAN REACH OUT TO VENDORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH THE P-CARD PROGRAM.

THIS WAS VERY INVALUABLE DURING THE COVID LAST YEAR, TRYING TO GET PPE SUPPLIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

WE RELIED VERY HEAVILY ON THE P-CARD PROGRAM AND HUBS ACROSS THE NATION TO GET THOSE SUPPLIES TO US.

THE P-CARD PROGRAM IS VERY EXPANSIVE AND IT IS VERY INCLUSIVE.

>> MY SECOND QUESTION IS, WOULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM? THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESSES, I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT, ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.

[NOISE] I KNOW WHEN WE WERE IN PERSON, I KNOW WE USED TO HAVE SESSIONS, AND TRAININGS, AND BRIEFING AND THEN INFORMATION SESSION, AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT NOW.

TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW AS FAR AS OUTREACH AS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?

>> YES. SIR, RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT AS A LOT OF OTHER CITIES ARE, WE'VE STARTED REACHING OUT TO OTHER CITIES TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO ENHANCE THEIR PROGRAMS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NETWORKING, A LOT OF REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE WITH THE OTHER CITIES TO SEE WHAT'S WORKING FOR THEM AND HOW THEY'RE STAYING IN CONTACT WITH THEIR VENDOR COMMUNITY.

ANOTHER REALLY TERRIBLE THING THAT'S HAPPENED IS SO MANY OF THE VENDORS AREN'T EVEN IN BUSINESS ANYMORE.

[NOISE] WE'VE GOT TO REALLY GROUND-UP GO BACK OUT AND TRY TO FIND THE VENDORS AND HELP THEM GET STARTED AND HELP THEM GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.

FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR OUR PARTICIPATION RATE WAS ONLY ABOUT FIVE PERCENT.

THAT'S SAYING THAT OUT OF ALL THE BIDS WE SENT OUT, WE ONLY GOT ABOUT FIVE PERCENT RESPONSE AND I BLAME THAT HEAVILY ON JUST THE FACTS SO MANY BUSINESSES WERE EITHER CLOSED OR JUST OUT OF BUSINESS.

SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO WORK WITH CITIES, PARTNER WITH THEM, AND HOPEFULLY GET BACK IN PERSON WITH THE VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS AND VARIOUS CHAMBERS.

THAT'S WHERE WE HAD THE MOST SUCCESS.

WE HOSTED JOINT TRAINING SESSIONS WITH ALL THE OTHER CITIES AROUND HERE AND ALL THE CHAMBERS, AND THAT'S A BIG MISSING PIECE RIGHT NOW.

>> MY LAST QUESTION IS, ON THE SAME SLIDE, WOMEN OWN BUSINESSES.

I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE IT AVAILABLE TONIGHT, BUT CAN YOU PROVIDE US WITH A PROFILE BREAKDOWN, GOING BACK TO YOUR FIRST OR SECOND SCREEN,

[00:45:03]

BREAKDOWN ON WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AS IT RELATES TO THE CATEGORIES FROM YOUR SECOND SCREEN HERE? IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST OR SECOND SCREEN.

>> YEAH. I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

>> THE IDENTIFIABLE HUB BUSINESSES.

WE'VE GOT WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES WITHIN THAT GROUP, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE BASED ON THE CRITERIA OR THE IDENTIFICATION OF A HUB BUSINESS? DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION?

>> I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

THE INFORMATION THAT WE KEEP IN THE FINANCE SYSTEM WAS WHERE THESE NUMBERS WERE PULLED FROM.

IT DOES NOT CAPTURE THAT BY CATEGORY, I'M SORRY TO REPORT.

[OVERLAPPING] IT JUST CAPTURES IF THEY ARE A HUB OR NOT.

IT DOES NOT HAVE IT BROKEN OUT FURTHER.

THE REASON THIS IS BROKEN DOWN, THIS IS FROM THE P-CARD COMPANY AND IT'S HOW THE VENDOR REGISTERS.

BUT IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO REGISTER, IT'S EITHER A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN IF YOU'RE A HUB VENDOR.

>> OKAY. WELL, I DON'T HAVE IT, THEN I WILL THROW THAT QUESTION.

MY LAST QUESTION REALLY IS [NOISE] THE PERFORMANCE END OF IT.

I KNOW I'VE BEEN AROUND A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WHEN THIS PROGRAM FIRST CAME OUT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE POINTS OF DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE WERE UPGRADING THIS POLICY WAS THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND THIS KIND OF THING.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE QUALITY OF SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY HUB BUSINESSES? BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION YEARS BACK [INAUDIBLE] THIS PROGRAM.

SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT WE AS A CITY ARE GETTING AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE LEVEL AND LEVEL OF SERVICES WE ARE RECEIVING AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM?

>> YEAH. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN A PERCEPTION IN THE PAST THAT A HUB BUSINESS FOR WHATEVER REASON DOESN'T PROVIDE AS GOOD A QUALITY OF SERVICE OR PRODUCTS, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.

THESE ARE HARDWORKING AND BUSINESS OWNERS, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, AND OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT SOME OF OUR BETTER PERFORMERS, ESPECIALLY ON CONSTRUCTION, HAD BEEN THE MINORITY ON BUSINESSES.

THEY'VE REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.

WHEN WE WERE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING QUALIFIED BIDDERS TO COME IN, THEY REALLY FILLED A VOID BECAUSE AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE WERE BEHIND ON THOSE CONTRACTS AND WE HAD THESE COMPANIES COME IN AND THEY PERFORM WELL, THEY HAVE GOOD EQUIPMENT, GOOD PERSONNEL, AND WE'VE HAD NO ISSUES I CAN REPORT.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NOW WE WILL GO TO ITEM 5,

[5. Announce Future Agenda Items]

ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING? I SEE NONE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A PROCESS IF YOU HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BRING IT FORWARD.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 6,

[6. Council will move into Executive Session]

COUNCIL WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072 AND 551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS.

THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF SEVERAL TRACKS OF REAL PROPERTY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES LOCATED IN VARIOUS PLACES WITHIN THE CITY UNDER 551.072, AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT MATTERS CONCERNING PRIVILEGED AND UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION RELATED TO SAME UNDER 551.071.

AT THIS POINT, WE WILL RECESS OUR WORK SESSION AND WE WILL RECONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SHOULD BE A QUICK TURNAROUND THIS EVENING.

LET'S TRY TO BE BACK HERE AT 7:55. THAT SHOULD GIVE US ENOUGH.

>> THAT SHOULD GIVE US AN HOUR AND FIVE MINUTES.

[LAUGHTER] 7:55? I'M GOOD.

>> EXCUSE ME. LET'S TRY 6:55. HOW ABOUT THAT? 6:55. [NOISE] WE ARE IN RECESS [LAUGHTER] [MUSIC]

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.