Saint Paul Audit Committee to order a roll call, please. Committee member. Prevents Do Farnsworth. Center here. Ciaran Acre here. Believe comes PRESIDENT Kim and and the stories are excused, MR. French Worth is going to be here Jst before we dive I want to take a moment to do 2 things. One, I want to recognize our brand new committee member and let MR. Prescott have just a second to. Introduce himself to. Everybody hasn't introduced himself to attempt because anybody that's just it's a few words about yourself and we're so happy to have Sure. Thank you. Chair met Gretzky Inter morgue for Councilmember. I was here is aide. I believe when the audit committee was was drummed up and created. So have been
aware of that. But happy to be here as a member for for the short term over the summer and learn about all the great work doing. Thanks for being here. And I happen to know that you have the kind of inquiring mind that value of the audit committee. Not that and inquiring minds are welcome. A lot of questions here and I know you do, too, which is great. And then also just want to take a just learned today that MR. McCarthy is going to be leaving us for another wonderful opportunity. Wants a better opportunity. Another opportunity at league Minnesota Cities in MAY. And it has just been such a pleasure to get to work with John. I'm sure we'll talk more as I said, other meetings about this. But w're just so happy for you. And also so said to be losing you and grateful that you are able to participate and be. Leading with us on this project that
we're about to hear about it. Well, thank you. Council PRESIDENT, thank you very much. Committee chair. And it's been it's been a great opportunity to work on this in particular is something that from the very beginning, my career, the longtime that have been with the city of worked on the said the It feels like a very sort of fitting thing to be revving up towards the end of my time here. So I appreciated opportunity to work. It's wilder, folks. It's been a great and Adrian and happy to hear about this as well. Today. Certainly hope it wasn't just using this topic that caused you to the side this is the perfect bookend. That's with the surf rescue as you'll see. One of the things we talk about often on the audit committee is that while we have the power and authority anything w want we really can't. If we don't have department by and if we don't
have the department leader who believes in what we're trying to do believes and continuous improvement and is themselves willing to ask questions about their own work in that inquiry and MR. McCarthy, someone who's who has always done that and has been willing to do that with us on project. Thank you again with that. We have Dr. Heather break here from Wilder research. Who is our time research partner, entertainer, to do our audits. I think when we first started when you were first in line with the committee, we were kind of contracting some new every time that took about a year the tone and we decided that sufficient. See him program operations, which is what we should be all about. So change course. So this is the conclusion of Wilder second audit with us giving a bit of background just to get
MR. Pratt's get to speak and we're really excited to have DR. Brett here to talk about the work and share your findings. So thank you so much for being here. Thanks, Congratulations on both sides. Super excited and Yeah. And you have an amazing team. So hello. It has been absolute Yeah. So I 2 things. You've got a full report. It is really in its sort of draft form. That's what sort of some intentionality. So we've heard from the ops, financial Services staff given us feedback, they're continuing to give us feedback. So we will continue to make some adjustments and some its we expect you all have feedback today and we're happy to continue to take sort of edits around that. I think has a set up to potentially come in MAY at some point, too, the city council meeting. And so I would say kind of up until right before that. We're happy to take your head. It's your adjustments, your
feedback, to continue to do a So this is really going to be in service to it was fast. It's meant to be in service to the audit committee and service to the city. So we wanted to be as as sort of how utility as possible. The other thing I will say you all know there's sort of story maps. I would encourage you to take some time to reach into those and wander around and dig around and check things and see what you think and consider and all that kind of stuff. So there's a link in the report to the story map. And that's something we'll spend a little bit of time looking at today. But it is really something I would encourage you to, you know, get some popcorn, a beverage. And like just wander through that I think it will be illuminating and the team, our GIs specialist Justin Hollis, who developed is also happy to
handed over to the city to transition it to help the out. It's something that the city would like to keep and then develop some sort of mechanism for just doing some data refreshed moving forward. But we're so excited he loves doing this. We left being able to see gave us approximately 1072 pieces feedback about So we're continuing to try to adjust. So I don't want it to be tool of srvice, even for this particular part of see it in the future. If that is helpful. So I think just a lot of excitement other while their team so those are my 2 kind of high-level pieces. I'm gonna kind of went through power point I will say you're likely to ask me questions that I do not know the answer to. And so if you do and it's going to pin it and have our team help me sort of Loo back and will impact for U.S. To be able to give some hope to back to you when
you have questions. All right. This follows the same thing that we did for somebody give you a little bit of a mess. It's overview. Gonna talk a little bit about. kind of high-level finding some more specific findings were actually gonna the stand in the feedback that individual interviewees gave us. So we'll spend little bit of time looking at some quotes will step into the story map just to take a peak and then welcome here. You're sort conversation and feedback here. here we Is this why is this not here help? So a big thank you. I think that goes without saying Michelle Shannon, not on a John have been fantastic in We have spent extra amount of time with Michelle Chan and so special. Thanks there for got to think, Deb, please pass along. Our thanks to dad who our Ed mentioned has had
approximately 27 conversations with really grateful grateful to the applicants who spent time with us sharing. I'm grateful to the Cip committee members spent time sharing grateful to the councilmember and former city staff. And you are always just fabulous. So it's a and a huge thank you to my colleagues, Audrey and Justin. I did approximately 3% of this. They did 97% of this. I'm probably the least suited to be up here right now. Here we go. Okay. So our gaze thinking about just effectiveness and improvement opportunities in the community project Cip process rights. The Ivies big lots of pieces were focused, particularly on sort of that. Community project portion
of this work at the audit committee's sort of recommendation really focused on kind of the process. It so focused on the community engagement portion of the process and focused on equity. And you will see us not answer a lot of stuff with regard to equity but surface. Lots of questions for you to continue to consider. So is it working as intended with some changes in place? And as is effective was sort of our overarching questions but really keying on those particular focus areas. So we did 3 things this time around just from a method, Spanish points or festered a whole bunch of documents with us. You can see kind of the outline of what they specifically were in the report. So we did a review of those that summary kind of what those documents were in
said as an appendix, a of the report. Talked t 17 folks. I think our original, we 16 and I was like we some home can add, even though we're quantitative and qualitative research or so. We're that 17. So staff applicants committee, member City Council and a former member of years office staff said the interview guide that we used as an appendix b and aain, that was Co created based upon the audit committee's feedback. But really based upon assesses feedback about what what do they really want to sort of dig n hunker down around it? So try to tune there. And then the story map was built based upon data shared by the staff. Again, we'll continue to take feedback. So if we still didn't get that right, I'm thinking particularly about Madeleine Shannon, jst tell us and we'll continue to tune that data. So but its meant to really be a visualization. So think about that at District Council level. Think about word level. It's meant to be a
visualization up against some of the traffic and crash data that exists. It's meant to be a visualization up against areas of concentrated poverty. So just some some considerations as you're thinking about those questions around equity and projects and again, might be a useful tool for folks to see or use over especially if you're thinking about future future So and it's got data from the last 3 cycles of the 2021. 22 23 24 25 cycle sitting inside it. The link is an Appendix ii through pull that up and spent some time All hope Ciso key findings from an opportunity vantage point. Everyone is super excited about continuing to mature this process. I think it's something around which folks feel like they've got access to resources and that got opportunity for meaningful
changes in their communities. And so I think just a lot of enthusiasm for continuing to lean into this and think about it from an equity ability manage point and accessibility and transparency vantage point. All your committee members are really excited about being ambassadors but need some more support to be able to do so. Need a little bit clear direction to be able to do so. The offense staff who are and I will say this out loud, managing a whole lot of stuff, managing multiple parts of the big c eyed the cycle in every 2 year window. So really do have a lot coming at them. Appreciate that. There are some needs and they themselves, I think, really want to lean. And I'm thinking about simplifying the pocess, aligning funding cycles, what that implementation timeline
looks like and just getting really, really clear about communications and accountability. So I think a lot of enthusiasm from that team, all You got Apple can still really ready to reapply we're playing GOD or apply for another project if they feel like they've got a better connection to the tools, kind of the timelines and the resources here. So lots of enthusiasm from from those individuals and from the projects in communities that they are representing. Challenges. It still feels complex and confusing. Even for folks who are kind of seasoned in this space. There's not a really clear owner about that public outreach orientation. I think there wasn't tension. It seems at the beginning of this most recent cycle. But I think
there was still really inconsistent engagement and some mist opportunities. And that was sort of universal feedback from from everyone. That application itself still owes favoring individuals who got some skills have got some insider knowledge. So there's an opportunity for some tuning of that application and this question about equity equity goals still not really clearly defined. So all. How are you thinking about prioritizing funding for underserved communities? And what does that look like when you say that word underserved? Does that So we're going to dig into those pieces of all start talking a process community engagement. We're gonna talk equity. And will step into some quotes just for you to kind of stand in that feedback together. So. So again.
Used to be sort of a big process. There was a lot of engagement across all of the different kinds of projects that would come in department projects, individual community projects doing some separation, really community projects felt like they had sort their own lanes, some additional support that the process itself would feel more inclusive. So not folks who could spend big dedicated time and evenings doing all that kind of waiting through. So meant to and so increase the sense of fairness for those community projects. But I think has. Also simultaneously felt like that complicated and that I think Times is feeling overwhelming for folks. So applicants are experiencing the process opaque. I'm not knowing kind of you to contact
what happens after submitting. I do want to hold a side right now. In the office team was really clear to make sure we said this out loud. Your most recent cycle where you had to open it back up for additional creates sort of a recency effect and help people are talking about this experience that created this increased level of complexity, tricking shorten timelines. I don't know what's happening or my application is I can't hear back from folks in part because, you know, offenses not staffed for this level of engagement with this collective of him. And so that mismatch and especially most recently that reopen short period. You're you're you're going to feel that recency and what this looks like and what we didn't do in those
interviews with say, hey, can you step back and think about 2 seconds ago or 3 cycles ago versus the most recent cycle? Let it wash over that. I think hold that sort of something that you want to have is a contest to a factor as we're making our way. Yeah, DR. Both for my own refreshing, my memory and for those MAY not be familiar. Can you MR. Your someone just. In 2 sentences. Remind us what why that happened or what happened about the reopening. Sure. Council, PRESIDENT And MAY also want staff. I don't remember exactly details here, there's afirst initial round and there are a few words that didn't. We did not have any representation from proposals from certain words. And once we kind of identified that issue had a kind of a long back and forth with the
council, the mayor's office and staff and decided that the best course wants to re open it up and really kind of aggressively do some more targeted outreach to make sure that we could have representation from all wrds. You know that. Yeah, that created a new and different challenge with process was totally different from in way produce a bat and there was a lot of confusion around. Well, I wasn't in the first round. Does that mean I'm treated differently and that kind of things. Thank you remember now. yes, they should have a through which folks are viewing this and it's sort of that recency And again, I think the you know, even staff team highlighting, you know, internal funding timelines, the way the budget
process works. And hosting a engagement oriented of community facing process, holding both of those things. At the same time. And this has a really strict deadlines and timelines. And this takes a lot investment relationship building continued curation, lots of looping back and follow up. Those 2 things sometimes sort this map so that alignment. So and getting clear about which of those things is the priority will continue to I think, really important as soon as the audit committee and as the city continues to evolve the process. some quotes us on the board of the District Council, the city, and even I find this extremely opaque felt I was flying blind. There are a lot of shifting deadlines that were difficult to keep track of and communicate. I think they even had to reopen the proposal period after after it
already closed. I didn't see any of this information until pretty late in the process through mine together rather quickly. You're going to feel that sense of like Virgin c and not feeling like you've got enough time to figure out all of these pieces and parts show And that's where that process really was just like open and close and sort of a month. A month is not long enough. I don't really believe that about this long enough to open a process and have a deadline of think that all of the marketing. And questions can appropriately happen in that time frame. You know, here what happens? Nobody expected. Tell you with the Cip committee recommended trying to weed through a budget and figure out if your project is included or not difficult. There's a gap in communication just because I'm on the committee, doesn't you know, I have ownership to communicate
with the mayor's office. There wasn't a consistent point of contact and that created gaps. So from a community engagement vantage lots of folks kind of couldn't tie Dana 5, who is? The primary accountable? Human for engagement and which is the primary office accountable for Engagement. Committee members and district councils seem underused and really kind of lack clear guidance about. Here's what I'm expecting. You're doing. He district councils. Here's what I'm expecting you to be doing. And the and the geography that you are representing outreach happening too late and communication materials hard to navigate. So I think just that like again, I think folks are invested in the process. It's those sort of peace is wrapping around the process that we're that we're challenging. You didn't always know that the committee hearings right away. Sometimes
it was like, oh, there's a meeting tonight. Can someone go? There are a lot of community groups that just don't know. This process exists. It can't always be on the committee to get the word out, which is discordant with the notion that committee members should be ambassadors sort of as part of this process. You have to be part of a district councilor have inside knowledge. It's hard for someone new to know how to even begin. Who is accountable for engagement of all the questions in the section section of our interview. Questions. That's the one I struggle with the most. There's been confusion about who owns piece of communication. We imagine finance would lead, but the mayor's office became more involved. So that sort of this team is that this team
is that both teams. What does that look like from a coordination? The communication manage point. We should be clear about committee members roles. They're supposed to represent their communities and share information back. But many don't know that we'll have the support to do so. We do ask committee members to talk with neighbors, community groups and district councils. Some of that definitely happens. But these are volunteers, many with full-time jobs and families. And they only receive a $25 per meeting stipend. So sort of the the mismatch in expectations between. Committee members and what they have the capability to do is part of this committee and the sort of support and structures and additional resources to do so. And then that last portion that we sort of dug into equity and inclusion. There's a shared desire to fund
projects and honor represented areas. But the process still favors repeat applicants for more resourced neighborhoods, sort of that that one of those mismatches that I think you all observed early fsa, certainly sort of scene the thinking about ways to alter the process toward something that balances that out. Equity is interpreted different ways. Some view it equal world representation. Others as need based investment. You can imagine we are going to call that. We are going to highlight that. So you really do have 2 sets of. Sort of perspectives And I think everybody that we talked to if they had a perspective
that was this really understood the other perspective or vice versa home. So it wasn't really a one is. Writer, one is wrong. It was, hey, we've got to start to make. Some calls are for going to do both. We've got to lean into how we think about doing both data is epected in proposals but not made accessible understandable for most applicants nights. That if you want folks to be doing data-driven applications, her, your neighboring that in a different way that feels much more community facing. It's hard to know where to start or whether it was even allowed to apply. Feels like it's not really meant for us unless you already know the system. People who know how to navigate City Hall, those are the ones who get through. It shouldn't be that way. Feels like the projects that get picture from places where people already know how to talk to the city. What about neighborhoods that don't have
that kind of access? I don't know if the decisions are based on who needs it most. i've seen great ideas from smaller organizations that don't go anywhere. And I don't know why. There's always a tension between wanting geographic diversity and money to fund the highest quality proposals. But those don't always come from tiny neighborhoods and we don't have a system in place to bridge that gap. The database, the data pieces really missing from the current community proposal process. They are encouraged to bring in data. But we don't give them any signposts for help finding it. I think we should be careful not to dismiss a project just because it doesn't comment was crash statistics or citations. A lot of what people are responding to his what they see every day in their neighborhoods. We say we want equity driven proposals, but we haven't created the user
friendly way for community members to plug n the platform still favors people who've done this before. All right. So what to do about it. So most of these recommendations came. In some way directly from the folks that we had conversations with or through sort of simmering some of what was said and we tried to do what we did for the previous round of this work and sort of say here's probably high-priority stalls, your stuff. That's probably secondary and then hear things that probably the sort of longer play. We resisted the urge to do low hanging fruit. I can see the chair looking at me. in part because this one is complex. And because there are some
resourcing pieces here that I think have to be surfaced before you can come back to sort of the the super low hanging fruit. I do think some of those high priority options could be ordered in such a way that you're like, oh, I think we're going to lean into this in tis first. But again, just like you did with parking reckon with the library teams looking to to say, we probably think it's this This one MAY be first as we think about that discernment. But that's a spot where we just didn't step into a dream like to just take that section of report. Yes, so we did so. So it's all the fruit is higher up a right Jck. So I'm going to say kind of, you know, high level. There's a lot of detail in the report about the sort of specificity there but I'll just kind of do that sort of
the flyover. So. Clarifying roles and responsibilities across the process. You heard that a lot. I think particularly. What the mayor's office is responsible for offense is responsible for what you can and can't expect from Cip committee members. Right? Like I think those those 3 years that have your first round, just that roles and responsibilities something worth discernment. Certainly the team was like, you know what, we should be documenting the current process, right? There should be the book or the Notebook or the folder so that when it passes from one best team member to te next team member, there's a really clear kind of guide book to be following a guidebook to be tuned as you continue to get more feedback. Recommendation to launch some sort of pre application sames to screen for some feasibility and
increase accessibility. So instead of everything all at once in an application that can feel overwhelming. Something that is shorter. Simpler for folks to sort of submit 4 and then can receive some feedback, technical systems, a little bit of sitting discerning as as it relates to kind of moving through the rest of that application process, I think related the roles and responsibilities but worth a really direct call out a lead for outreach and communication. So thanks The city has got multiple routes for engaging with community. And I think what appears to be missing, certainly in this
most recent rund was leveraging all of those routes. And so thinking about somebody who really can lean into leveraging all of those all of those different routes. And this felt a little bit like a whole lot o stuff that had to come through a pretty narrow funnel. And so thinking the exact opposite about that. Can there be someone who's coordinating but leveraging all of those different ways of thinking about engagement? All reinforced the availability of direct technical support. So there's lots of you know, I think use and materials and guidance and past applications. So reinforcing all this stuff is out there and making sure
folks who are applying appreciate that and then enhancing that availability, right? So folks recommended even more things to help support that process. Then what is already in place. But want to be clear that a lot of that is there. And so really making sure as part of that engagement process that folks are aware that they feel comfortable in that space wandering through that, pulling those things using that stuff, that there's that sort of support. But again, some other things can be also great to have this this and this thinking about the builds there. All structure and support for Cip committee members. There's sort of this implicit Cip committee member should be ambassadors but without the tools, the tricks of the trade, the template of the training and certainly
without the resources and the time to do that. And so, if that is the place more, the broader city wants to lean toward those committee members really thinking about what that looks like just structure and support vantage point. That application process transparent and predictable. Again, I think you're hearing a little bit of this like, hey, it open for a month. It was a scramble. I didn't know what happened. I do think o does have the practice patterns we respond to folks. We let them know. We look back with them. But when that process was pinched, this most recent time around, it felt for folks who are applying like they just didn't have a sense for what was going on to really committing to. The rules of how you actually want around the process and sort of
deeply leaning into that simplifying standardizing that application. It does feel overwhelming for folks. So thinking about that up against kind of this, this pre application and what that what that process looks like. So some high priority lean into some of the process secondary priority recommendations. Strengthen that engagement infrastructure be on the District Council. So see any committee members, district councils. again, a lot of other mechanisms that the city uses to engage with community. There's a lot of standing engagement mechanisms that exist within neighborhoods and communities. And so thinking about leveraging with the city's already got going on. But also what exists inside the neighborhoods and the
places and spaces that the city is seeking to sort of hear from her be attached to. Back to this and again. It s is managing. 5 big process is every two-year cycles. Just thinking about the funding and implementation timelines. There was a lot of like Henry stretch this out a little bit. Could we go to every other? Is there some way too? Slow this And I don't mean that in judgmental way. I mean that. And they like community moves at a particular pace. And so this should be aligned with the pace community moves that not the pace that the city needs to move that. And so thinking about what is that alignment look like? I think it's just an open. Question back to you all. But some alignment there. Thinking about that objective data to prioritize funding equitably and there was feedback from the committee members about that review process. What should would could that look like? And does need to feel
like an objective I'm sort of orientation if so, what's the mechanism that should be used actually, to be able to evaluate those applications? Thinking about internal coordination and long-term planning. You're going to see a little bit of a hat tip to start thinking about kind of a 5 year plan. How do you want? Community engaged in something that looks a little broader as a companion to and their specific projects. And just thinking about that cip process, even in its in a way that feels accessible and inclusive, right? It is, you know, sort of English, only high technical need is not community facing and some of its aspects. And if it wants to be what are the specific things that could be undertaken under to be able to do that work? And again, I appreciate that, sir, broader city question and so MAY need to be nested as part of the hay. Here's where the city's headed in trying to make more of what is made available to folks in Saint Paul as accessible and inclusive as
possible. Long play future considerations. Kind of that five-year strategic planning cycle. So backing up the level. Maybe that's a different companion, complimentary alternatives mechanism for including folks and some of this broader planning. There's a lot of stuff that comes out as part of this community project. Those little teeny stuff and then there's stuff that feels a little bit bigger. Some MAY be doing a little bit of discernment into larger stuff. Really smaller staffs. As a way to concentrate some of competition and into places where it actually feels more reasonable, all small projects. We're going to look at together all midsize and larger projects. What think about together the other companion consideration. There
was like, you know, there's a million bucks or a little over a million depending upon the cycle. That's not a lot to do a lot. So maybe say it could be one of these 3 to 5 things that you could come in around. So if these 3 to 5 kinds of things are things that you and your communities are navigating and you need additional spport from the city around. That's what you could cme in around. Not it could be absolutely anything. So some of that like are there ways to adjust with the sizes of the final look like? Build internal staffing capacity of best teams. It's really clear to say like we are, we're here in workload and so going up to the ceiling and workload with the existing humans and what's coming at them is probably not a sustainable way to retain staff and to really build that
sort of engagement thinking about there's got to be a resource conversation here and that can come in a variety of different ways. But to suggest all of these needed changes without having that open conversation. And I think it's something that probably would be disingenuous as it relates to just the humans that you have around this table during this work and thinking about engagement, technical assistance and c id coordination. I will say, too, John and Madeleine and shells credit. I mean, Michelle, in particular is expert in engagement. So it's not like they don't have experts engagement sitting inside the team that was very intentional staffing. But this teen. Especially this year. But just in general has a lot going on and a lot to navigate. And so
I think we just we wanted to be really transparent about that. Source question. All think about the number of Program types. Again, you've got sort of the big city process. You've got this princess, you've got others. If you want to be doing all of those across in the same cycle that you are do you want to be thinking about those is often on? Are there ways to think about see, I'd be more systematically across the collective again, we looked at one particular pathway, but is there a broader ci? The power station want to And there is kind of a, you know, a sort of he's a dashboard about these projects, but thinking broadly, that dashboard across the entire set of all of these projects where they are, how they move and how that is transparently shared across the city was one of sort of
suggestions, Justin thinking about ongoing transparency and equity. It MAY be that in these communities, they're not a lot sort of community projects, but there MAY be lots of other things. And so allowing the city to be able to see that investments to be able to see that. And then. St. Ice. So I'm just going to sort of a roll what this looks like and we will adjust the timeline. I think this is one Dustin initially built it. You quite literally scroll down. You can just let it kind of role wash oer you. So a little bit of an overview. Some table information about who the phones, what came in. The team said, hey, we love to see some examples some examples. Now show up in here.
Just so folks can get a sense for what's the variety of things that actually are in the space. And then lots of data by lots of different sort of cuts. So submissions and again, you can look by kind of round. And to look by Ward. So that was one of the questions that we'd be able to look that way. Start to see this sort of in a different fashion's would have put the clusters of submission by. Particular community. I'm thinking about those district councils. Just what does that look like? Submissions funded, not funded across those words. Just so folks can get a sense for what that looks like. And again, something that. If you pick on him sort of a different spots, get a load, a
different Just you can start to see what that looks like. Where they're coming from. And tried to do some disposition adjustment. So again, this is a place where as you go through it, you're like it's really not clear what the boundaries look like or that color is terrible or this needs to look like this again, we're happy to. To take some feedback at some point in the were gone. But we're happy to continue take some feedback just because we had so much fun building this. And I think we learned so much as w were going through this process. And I we have until 8.15, minutes before your presentation 15 minutes will be like Justin. One more thing. going to be like, got a little
Let's So awards themselves. By funding cycle. By District Council. And then one things I think you all know that we did was just pull some of that data. Just to see. And it's something where you can sort of. Again. Take a look at some of those hot spots just from the safety vantage point. Thinking about areas of concentrated poverty. So we were thinking about what are ways that you think about equity. So and again, the team that built this is the team that runs the Minnesota Compass set really thinks about just like the big Texas state on all that data behind the scenes. So they're leveraging some of that is they're pulling some of the stuff in here. And then leveraging data that you all make available. So the city doesn't really cool data available for folks who want to get their like GIs nerd on. And all I say that with a lot
of a lull. Again, so a chance to kind of see what does this look like and using that? That capability to kind move back and forth just so folks can start to get a sense for what this. Looks like. Land So this is really thinking some of sept had sort of the interest by the mayor's office and but it looks likes to set up you know, here's the data we'd like you to be leveraging. And here's the stuff that we would like to motivate community projects coming in. Population density. We're just and just like added, Stephen Addison, when you all were like, what about so? And so we were like, okay, all racial and ethnic diversity. Whether or not there's young people. So kind of that, you know, is Consideration again? That's disconnect in use. Not in school and not the labor
Force. He's a magician. Crime patterns of crime. Projects by Ward. I could keep going. You'll see we are only halfway through what all this looks like. So I would encourage you to just spend some time with this. I think the other thing is. And then it does go. Ward by Ward writes, a really does kind of like dig in deep. You can sort of wander through from that vantage point so we the other thing as you're thinking about this work moving forward, any of this is hopeful for future project to use again. We've got a team that's mounted this. There have handed over to the city and say, you know, just enough put put these data here. This can be part of the technical assistance offered to community projects, just being able to kind of wander through the It's still likely going to
require some human conversation investment there, but at least making that available in a way that feels a little less like it's so difficult to technically consume something. To be happy to do so. All right. I'm going to pause now and say. That's your overview. You've got a big report. You have a lot kind of simmer in. I just consider I have certain some kind of afternoon meant. So just to sort of think about so. Questions, reactions, stuff. You wanted to see that you're like what in the world or adjustments and again, happy to receive those now or if. You want to send them me is happy to send those to us. And we'll just we've just been kind of taking it. It says that common making adjustments so happy to do that. Leave it to you all to set. If you want to set some. By the state. We love to hear just because we're happy to continue to
make adjustments. S and again, a huge thank you to John and his team for welcoming, incredibly honest with us. Everybody we interviewed was but this team was like, I'm really glad you're up in here because we know we need to continue to to evolve this work. It's a quality we like in our financial services professionals thank you so much for this is really giving us a lot to chew on and just MR. McCarthy, thank you to your team. I'm sure people of questions and comments so hearing you that. You MAY not have all the answers now, but I would open up the conversation for people's comments. Questions, reactions, but love also staff's thoughts and reaction. So you're hearing what's you know, residents doesn't
whatever. Then I think we should set a deadline for formal feedback to be respectful your time. So. Prescott, sure, thanks. Jeremy even calling back to what you mentioned the beginning. The fact that presses like these are only as valuable as sort of the folks who are involved, they're willing to be open and honest, even to your point is well, and I just can't speak highly enough to all being all the engagement, a conversation that had to go into this like just rlational nature of it. But just the sheer amount and the volume and quantity of work that went into it. And of you know, proud Ward for resident Jenrick at get to be on the microphone. So I get to say I and both equal parts heartbroken for us as a city. But very happy for you that you have an opportunity able
to pursue. But I I probably won't emotionally be over for a while. So I'll stop talking about it. But I the just a huge shout out to acknowledging something like this from city staff and even from the council said even as a community member, when I haven't been in the official city roll. This is a process where it's like. Certain people have an appreciation works to know someone who can help you learn how it works. And if you don't, you're kind of guessing or you're flying blind. And so I appreciate that. The humility, we are sort of all showing in just admitting, hey, we want this to be better. I have vivid memories of when we even split out the city process in the community process. You know, I know there's been so many eras of this this program. So well, definitely dig into the
report. Love the story map feature because I'm like to think I've good reading comprehension. But the visual learner part of me endlessly curious that again. So just really appreciate all the work. And will be a fantastic way for me to get my feet wet on audit committee. So appreciate Thanks, MR. Prescott Yeah, welcome. Glad you're us. Each year it. Comments questions. That's just you know. Thank you. Chair. An so Dr Britta, just commend you for an amazing report. And thank you to you and your team at Wilder. For everything for us to dig into. I'm just one of the things I'm really pleased with the recommendations that I'm seeing that just seem to make a lot of sense. There's a lot
So a lot for us to think about Indian to like we're talking about. I wanted to maybe ask a question about one of them to say about documenting the current process and is components. I wondered if there was anything in your documentation from doing engagement that would be helpful to share with the team. So help them in doing this recommendation. Would there be materials like that sharing back so they don't have to start from scratch or you know, is there materials like that that would be helpful for them. Good question. Yeah, I mean, I think the things happy to with the team is share back your transcripts. I don't think that's something that we're going to share out broadly. But I do think for the team to have internally. Your transcripts that
really we're kind of sort of overview of process observation of those pieces and parts. So I think that we certainly can share that back. In fact, you know, on many levels that is that is yours. So I do think we would be really clear that that only goes t the to the So but I think the transcript, I think would be helpful. I would say just for the staff, I think we're not going to share the transcripts from other humans, just because I think we ought to be really sort of thoughtful about that. But certainly that all of this, all of the versions kind of our ntes internally. We can share all that stuff. Back with with fest team is a little bit of a starter and I hope they will recognize themselves in this recommendation because this really was in a set of they're like, hey, you know, we really
do want to make sure we're good stewards of this. And so capturing this so that we can continue to make adjustments moving forward. But again, I'll reinforce that requires some dedicated time, too. Do that capturing that documentation. It's always like the most important thing for us to do. And it's the least like thing for us to be doing right as professionals. But I think that creating some intentional space for that to happen. That happy to feed back to te team. Everything that we have in hand. Just want to comment, too. I'm pleased to see it at top of the list of high priority recommendations because, yes, it is. Kind of the tedious stuff and no ones MAY be excited about doing it. But I think it
really gets to the root cause of some of the issues have been talking about that you're finding that that if these things were taken care of. That would lead to more, you know, positive through this And then charity I just had to logistical question about. So given the, you know, unclear roles and responsibilities. What our thoughts are about, you know, which department who's going to be MAY be responding just something that item want to put you on the spot of having an answer right now. But thinking about But just thinking about is it Pacific City Department. That
will be responding with a plan or a shared. You know, putting that out? No, it's a really aggressive a saucer. And I also agree that it's it's really I think, important insight that that in the documentation does lie the solution to a lot of these, that you have to get some of these other things done in order to fully document the process. You have to know who the point person is engagement for our weather. So I think that's really astute things the Internet at sort of turn to you. It doesn't seem like. Anyone is saying. O Fs shouldn't be continue to be lead department I have to admit that as I was listening to this is the king self. Community engagement isn't necessarily fest. The bread and butter per se. But does it seem to you like make sense for these recommendations and the follow-up to be continue to be
owned by the department. Maybe the mayor's. I mean, because it is a good point that. That's also an issue with taking these forward. Turn to cry. Iguess I would say probably, you know, you to send the process has lived within the office for decades. It seems like at least from and the time that I started here and it does make some sense to continue at their. I really do think. And, you know, this is a key of recurring theme in the report around the communication and outreach clearly needs of a key honor. And I think probably all of the office staff that were interviewed probably said that in different ways. And so I you know, think for bribes sort of response to this and kind of
recommendations coming out from staff and think it does make sense to come from office. Recommendations MAY be office no longer owns this piece to our office. Clearly splits this peace between the council and the administration in this way. So I think in terms of like action, saying is the right word, operational icing, his recommendations that MAY be more than one department. But I think, you know, kind of continued ownership of the overall process to make sense with an office. So the first person we call the talk about this can be an office and tat person MAY phone a friend to come in and and talk about who should own these different pieces as we move And we MAY make some recommendations where it might make sense for someone else to on specific pieces of that it wants that right. I think that right off outreach is maybe not necessarily our bread and
butter. I think we have been pretty intentional about trying to build that into some of our job descriptions and are hiring processes. And so I do think we've we've improved a town in that area, redo the budget engagement activities every year. And so our team has gotten much better at that than when I started. And it was just sitting down a spreadsheet. And still, I do think there's there's opportunities to be really clear about who is best suited for this work and what piece of it shut still on and what should be maybe on some hot Yeah, that's really good point. And even take back that, you know, it's not your bread and butter per se or that there's not skilled their I was thinking, guess more about. Sort of DR. But to your point, where is there already so much engagement happening
anyway? And it could just not be one more task on your constrained team and just go to somebody who's already so talking about things and we just those opportunities for. Yet this rescued yet turn a to that point. I fully agree with the way you just spoke to it in the way folks are discussing it here because I. I've long felt that we sort of just expects every city department and every staff member in tat department, too, by default. No. And and be an expert in and specialize and engagement like we do these community meetings where someone has to present road reconstruction and for some reason we want like some street engineer to have to grapple with, like very angry, upset people that aren't really asking technical questions that mostly just
upset and want to be listened to. But it's we sort of just it's assumed that ay random department staffer has to be not only be specialized in skilled at it that they have to do it. They have to go out and get you all that. And they have to get complain to and cheered on and like, you confronted. And we sort of just expect that's part of what comes with every one of our Specialist Department staff members wear we you know, we are used to the risk of we're in this and you use that to get you know that and people complain to you and it's normal. But do expected like every single department staff members sort of just the thing. We all just pretend isn't true, but it is kind of fix it. So I appreciate the level naming it that folks are placing because there
certainly are plenty of for very, very expert and engagement are better and engaging te gnesen there and they know how to do it. But we sort of expect everyone to be fully expert at it the spread of training or support. So I just I very much support that conversation. MR. A plan. Thank you, chair maker really briefly, because I think this has been a really interesting conversation and don't need to repeat. A lot of things are already been said that and thanks to Dr Brittain your team for this report. Looking forward to I'm reading more through the draft report and agree in terms of the deadline for feedback. Submit that wasn't just for this committee but other bodies as well. And I think on the on
the engagement conversation, which I've actually been really interested applying that all other sorts of things that I do. I think you think to the last point, yes, agreed in terms of down to the individual have to use and positions. I do think, you know, in general that perhaps and I'm really and no place to say this. I'm gonna say it can stomach on Texas conversation, but thinking about, you know, shared understanding of community engagement, responsibilities by department. I think the conversation ended up kind of getting there anyways from when I originally wrote it down. But I think that makes sense in the context of something like this, where, course, there's a cross departmental collaboration, responsibility are responsibilities that are
necessary for a process like this to be successful. And so looking forward to folks reactions to this conversation we had ad the recommendations around engagement in here because I think that really is it's clear that that really is at the core unrelated to a lot of these other recommendations. So, yeah, I just think this was a really, really well done report. I'm kind of I'm involved in a star grant right now for the first time in a while. And thinking a little bit about this in relation to that process. And so that's been that's been interesting. And I think there's lessons that you know, could be learned and taken from these identify opportunities, opportunities and challenges and applied to other related or to my related
to pain, in your processees in the city. So I think this will be helpful from from that standpoint as well. And looking forward to certainly taking time with the reports and adding in any whenever her by whatever the deadline us. So thank you, MR. PRESIDENT. I just have one comment and one question. But pressure limit myself to that in the moment. I have one coming I have more in a I really like the pre application is I think that is brilliant. I think because in some ways and what I've heard and vary. Only barely familiar with the details about this process works. But I've heard from some is that. You're sort of expected to you're applying for a project that is going to be a. Public project on public land and you're sort of expected to both know what the community needs and also have
this as you referenced in here, technical knowledge of how to do it. And I had a district council recently applied for a particul intersection, particular testing safety improvement and basically public works kind of came back. And think I think what happened was what they were proposing just wouldn't make sense. But something else would make sense. And so that latter thing was what ended up being funded. But the District Council felt like what we've proposed. This other and public works at a single that doesn't that doesn't work. And so we're sort of expecting the impossible of the community member to both know what the community needs and also be the technical expert that knows the right fix. That's kind of. Unfair. So with it seems to me that application phase might be able to do. And this also relates to the equity concerns like, you know it especially if you're a time
resourced, other otherwise constrained. To think that, you know how to propose to the city, what they should do with certain parcels. It seems like that would allow. Especially those questions were very straightforward and just basically sharing your idea and maybe some data if you have it to let the committee and then the technical department that would relate to. Find the ones that, you know, we're basically it's like a that's a great idea. And now will help develop the concept to talk about the How your survey, Dana, find the problem and then the departments are engaged in helping figure out the solution. It just seems like it could do so much to address a lot of the concerns that you've raised here and that we've that I've been hearing about so as say, Bravo, I'm like the real one really resonates. I'm thinking about it. Maybe come directly from
the staff that came from the office south, right like that. So that like just to what if we backed up a little bit and did this kind into your point might address some of those things that tricky. For folks coming I with this application process now I really, really like And then question is the story map is so cool and I can't wait to dive into it. I know that you are not going take a position on, for example, how she defines But it would be helpful. It seems to have some pros summaries of what those within those data So I don't know if like those paragraphs on the side just describe it or if they also have findings. But for example, I mean, just looking at the green and red bar graphs, I can tell that not every word is equally successful in their
applications and having that literally written out some of your findings, not from interviews, but from the data I think what really ground us in what that story map is meant to convey. Yeah. And there's a little you will see in the story. Matt, there's some merit is that we can. I can take that back to the team and we can. To a past that then and right where we need amplify what that narrative. It looks like just to, you know, sort of fee that a little bit of the mayor back from from the data like a you know, here. Here's what you sort of see. And that yet in that story map. Okay. As I read the new no equity could mean that it could mean that I find myself asking will react
either of like. Look at it, however you want, but it what are we actually doing? Great. That's just one thought control other comments or And then we should. Let's talk about Deadline. I think from staff, Newman. Thanks to anchor first want to start by thanking Heather teammates was fantastic to work with reviewing your and brief like very much a very collaborative back and forth and we very much felt trust from the very beginning with your team, which is why I think we were so willing to. You know, bear all of the challenging pieces because your, you know, your team built, trust them. And it was it was really, I think, helpful for us to take a step back in a very structured way that we don't often have the opportunity t. Just wanted to
again, thank you for that. And we're really pleased with the report and have been digging into the story map as well. Results of those as they've come back. I wanted to, as i guess now is kind of getting close to being on the way out. And as the old guy with like institutional knowledge talk a little bit about how we started this, which actually was a joint council and administration and finance project to say we've been doing to be the same way since the 70's it was radical at the time. And now it was very, today. And we took, you know, a lot of time, a lot of staff time to to create a new model that had sort of broad support. And I think one of the things that we talked a lot about when we did that was
let's not wait another, you know, 40 years before we reopen this. And so this is year 3. And I think we've learned a ton and those 3 years and it was really great to to say, ok, all right, let's let's stop now. Instead of again, 40 years later and take stock of what's going well and what hasn't. And so really pleased to have had the opportunity to do it because, you know, thinking about the folks who let it go for 40 years. And I was one of those people. You just can be really hard to take the time to stop and look at what's going on. What's not and seeing some of the quotes here. I'm like, GOD, those are some of the things that we heard about the old process that we're really trying hard effects. Things like, ok, we missed the mark on some of these. So, you know, these are great recommendations on how to
continue to improve. So thank you for the for the opportunity to do it. And thanks for the partnership. Thank you again open this year. Okay. Well, I am open suggestions and we are over time just 2 weeks. Give us time. I mean, I know people are going to do the college paper thing and probably the last minute. Best Thanks to to what constituencies I guess just to clarify is this feedback deadline applying to. I think all of us on the committee and staff and with an internal. just because this is going for him, this is the final report to the council to snow, right? Right. Right. Yeah. That's fine. Too It's plenty to have Dr break come before the full Council on MAY 14th. It's a not to mess. You want to
change about one week. I don't because MAY 14th and then yes, that Prince likely need about a week to be fine so that will work out that all 14 deadline will be fine. So that if you needed to give me any final final feedback stacking show Dr her team. I wouldn't. I'm looking at Monday. MAY 12th. That's the final final. The summit I apologize. But you get a kid days why do we need more? Could you could have a home when we when we say a week from now for our. For our feedback for the first time and then you're saying we get. Another final version and get attention back. Final Okay? Yeah. Yeah. That's a case Okay. So that weight. And we'll e-mail this all out. I think that gives us So thank you. Thank you, Doctor Brett, Dr Cuts that this regard.
Thank you and your team giving you a promotion and you're welcome to stick around and hear about how we're going to find a brand new community adviser. But you don't have to because we're going about that now very briefly, because we're already over with So that's this. And the hand part of you, by the way, just as we're transitioning to that, we did lose Dean and a master's. Everyone knows just from the committee, not from if you anywhere. Scary. And we are going to recognize her council meeting tomorrow. So if anyone wants to tune in at 3.30, though, the resolution presented to her thinking her and, you know, just several knows what you get for your service on the audit committee full recognition at council. I think for Ellen Brown, I wrote a red, a limerick like in the moment on was excellent. Thank you. But we've after an team
since then. So it was a great limerick. But I feel like you guys should Okay. Thank you. And like us very briefly through the plan, Sharon Acres, we are months behind that. I think we're back on So that that the full of are the majority of members can join the twenty-second and we'll be using the full meeting to interview candidates. I propose thing that we interview between 3 to 5 applicants so that we can pay sit out depending on the number of questions that we are going to ask, I will email the group here. The last the question that we use the lost interview and feel free to modify it or do questions I do. You don't think it's necessary because I think that would address how long are? In addition to take, I think what we did the last interview we were past time because we had
a full calendar that day. We had 2 nba potential vendor So we made cut that down to 5 minutes per person. And that was really, really short so I take any recommendation from the group here to how long we should that. Okay to each of you on. That would be helpful for me to determine the calendar for that. Just to let you know, we did receive 10 applications. So I will be 40 that to the full numbers. And I was also set a conflict of interest forms. They can fill it all. If wife's e-mail you the applications. So we got 10 applications and we need to choose 3 to 5 of them to invite. I commend and how are you thinking we should make that selection? Well, the last I think that we've had a pretty clear idea of they wanted to invite. And I would just say, give us your top. Top of the candidates and that and if there are over that, I
think we've numbers please email me. Only me so that we don't violate open meetings. Law. So you're going to send all of the applications. And then when you include a deadline for when we need to get your top 3, so much deadline you see in front of you I hope. 2. I get my car apologize. So we enough to you today by the end of the week. Then I would give you about. 2 weeks to give me your final selections and that will bring us to. This MAY 6 to give me a final top 3 candidates and 6. Okay. And at the top to be a over and we have 5. I you make it enough time to interview to tell everybody that they're
coming on Okay. And we've business better hall meeting. Next on a committee meeting is the 20th. It's been meeting interviewing as the plant. Because abusing the 12th Schedule that you should take some time. And as a couple pollitt help and I if there's any questions or concerns that MR. Thanks to acre really briefly. So I think I'd likely will be out of town on the 20th, which is fine to me and just is what it is. Something think we were polled for this month. spot. So I'm just saying, I don't know. I Annika anything with the 20th. But likely better town but also participated in the process as much as possible as a small chance that remote might be possible. But I'll let you know by Pauline, I would have enough time to ntice And then what do you save of conflict
of interest form? What is that? What's the function of that? ensure that that if you know, a particular candidate that you would not give preferential treatment. So you're just stating that you won't there. I think we all feel about the last thank you. And I go to 58 by our first meeting in JUNE, which is to council to present in forest. Yes, lot of efforts. great. Any other questions or comments. Was with thank you so much for work on this bill forward to seeing our 10. 10 is exciting. I will tell my colleagues that we have chosen more than one adviser in the past because limited to a number of Pfizer. And so we like all time states. But thanks,
everyone. We are