COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 10:15 a.m. - - - Bill 090212, an ordinance to adopt the Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2010 to 2015, inclusive. Bill No. 090213, an ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2010 Capital Budget. COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Anna C. Verna, Chair Jannie C. Black Marian B. Tasco, Vice Chair Darrell L. Clarke Frank DiCicco Wilson W. Goode, Jr. Bill Green William K. Greenlee Curtis Jones, Jr. Jack Kelly James F. Kenney Donna Reed Miller Blondell Reynolds-Brown Frank Rizzo Maria Quinones-Sanchez - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Specialists 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Good morning, everyone. This is a public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read the bills before us. MR. McPHERSON: Bill No. 090212, an ordinance to adopt the Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2010 to 2015, inclusive. Bill No. 090213, an ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2010 Capital Budget. Bill No. 090214, an ordinance to adopt the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2010. Bill No. 090215, an ordinance 17 amending Chapter 10-700 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Refuse and Littering," to increase the amount that must be paid in response to certain code violation notices to avoid initiation of further proceedings, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 090218, an ordinance 25 amending Chapter 19-1300 of the 3 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Philadelphia Code, entitled "Real-Estate Taxes," by revising the real-estate tax rate, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 090219, an ordinance 6 amending Chapter 19-2700 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sales and Use Tax and Hotel Occupancy Tax," by revising the rate of tax, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 090220, an ordinance 12 amending Section 10-1001 of Title 10 ("Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity") of the Philadelphia Code relating to the fees charged by the Commissioner of Records by modifying the amount of such fees, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 090221, an ordinance 20 amending Chapter 10-700 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Refuse and Littering" to require certain businesses and property owners to either pay a fee for the City waste-hauling or demonstrate that the business or property owner has a 4 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 private provider of waste and recycling disposal services, all under certain terms and conditions. And today, I guess, we will be taking testimony only on Bill Nos. 090212 and 090213.
Thank you. Who in the Administration will be testifying? Please approach the witness table. (Witness comes forward.)
Good morning. Kindly identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Alan Greenberger, Executive Director of the City Planning Commission. Good morning, Council President Verna and members of Council. Again, I'm Alan Greenberger, the executive director of the City Planning Commission. And with me back there is Gary Jastrzab. 5 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 I'm here today to present for your review and consideration the FY 2010 to 2015 Capital Program and the FY 2010 Capital Budget as recommended by the City Planning Commission at its meetings on March 3 and March 17, 2009. The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter stipulates that the City Planning Commission prepare and submit to the Mayor a recommended Capital Program and Budget. As you know, the recommended Capital Program is a proposed Six-Year Plan for investing in the City's physical infrastructure, community facilities, and public buildings. The Capital Budget is the first year of that spending recommendation. For several months each year, beginning in August, the City Planning Commission staff works closing with the Office of Budget and Program Evaluation, the Department of Public Property, the Managing Director's Office, and City operating departments to prepare the 6 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 recommended Capital Program and Budget. It's a highly collaborative, labor-intensive, and iterative process, and we believe it yields a program and budget that carefully balances the capital needs of the City's facilities with limited resources. As in years past, the availability of new City tax-supported, general-obligation funding for capital projects depends on two factors: One, the City debt limit established by the Pennsylvania Constitution; and, two, the City's capacity to service debts on those borrowed funds. This year, based on these factors, we are able to recommend more new City funding for both the budget and the six-year program than we have in several years: Namely, $63 million for the Capital Budget and $495 million for the Six-Year Plan respectively. This increase will allow us to be more aggressive in our work, which, for the 7 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 most part, addresses long-tern deferred maintenance. 5 -- this says "million," but I think that's incorrect; it should be "billion" -- billion in the budget year. 8 billion in funds from a variety of sources. There are 76 new projects for FY '10 as well as many ongoing projects that we recommend be carried forward from previous years. Generally, unobligated funds as of November 30, 2008, are carried forward to enable the continuation of projects budgeted previously. 5 billion FY 2010 Capital Budget is made up of the following: $63 million, as I mentioned before, will be provided by new 8 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 general-obligation bonds issued by the City of Philadelphia. These bonds are tax-supported. An additional $230 million will come from carry-forward City tax-supported loan funds. Other City sources, including PICA funds, fund pre-finance loans, operating revenue, and revolving funds total $113 million. 3 billion. Funding from other levels of government -- federal, state, and regional sources -- total $711 million. And $82 million will be provided by private sources, the majority of which falls under aviation as passenger facility charges. Throughout our process of developing the recommended budget and program, we focus use of limited capital 9 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 funding on: One, addressing critical life-safety needs and court-mandated requirements; two, providing quality facilities needed to support the delivery of essential public services; and, three, leveraging federal, state, and private resources whenever possible. Importantly, projects included in the recommended Capital Program and Budget advance the Administration's stated Philadelphia Plan to foster economic recovery and jobs, enhance public safety, invest in youth and protect our most vulnerable, and reform government.
I'd like to highlight some of the key projects in the recommended Capital Budget. Capital projects that support fostering economic recovery and jobs include the Commerce Department's commercial development projects, totaling $3 million in state and federal funds, FY 2010, for upgrades to neighborhood commercial centers for curbs, sidewalks 10 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 lighting, landscaping, and other complements to public and private reinvestment. This continues to match a significant amount of previously budgeted City bond funds for commercial corridors. 5 million in federal, state and new City funds for Navy Yard infrastructure and support of public and private redevelopment. Third, SEPTA bridge, track, signal and infrastructure improvements secure access to work and other destinations for Philadelphia's population. In FY 2010, $105 million in state, federal, city and other monies will be used to substantially complete the Market-Frankford elevated reconstruction and make regional-rail substation bridge and signal improvements. 3 million from federal, state, 11 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 private, and city-sustaining funds will enable Philadelphia International Airport terminal expansion and modernization, airfield renovations and additions and enhancements to baggage inspection to provide faster and better service for the growing demand of air traffic in and out of Philadelphia. Capital projects that support enhancing public safety include: $890,000 in new City funds to be used for critical window and door and roof replacements, mechanical and electrical and plumbing renovations in fourteen police stations. 6 million in new City funds for much-needed prison facility renovations, including ventilation and mold-remediation at the Curran-Fromhold detention facility and an automatic-lock security system, critical multi-phase mechanical, electrical, and plumbing restoration, and fire-alarm system at the House of Corrections. 9 million in New city funds will new reconstruction and resurfacing across the City's neighborhoods, as safe streets play a role in its public safety. 3 million total in FY 2010 in new City funds for Recreation Department projects. Free Library improvements for FY 2010, totaling $965,000 in new City funds, will upgrade and enhance libraries serving the public across the City. Included are much-needed HVAC and boiler system replacements at several branches. Fairmount Park site-improvement projects totaling nearly $16 million from multiple sources in FY '10 for drainage improvements on parkland to stabilizing embankments, natural terrain, and pathways, tree-planting, play-area improvements across the City, and new 13 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 amenities on the Parkway. $630,000 of new City funds will fund health-facility renovations at various health centers around the City to improve service, safety, and longevity of buildings. $500,000 in new City funds to replace windows at the Office of Supportive Housing's Woodstock shelter. Last, capital projects that support reforming government include a total of $4 million to fund the Division of Technology's network infrastructure, stabilization, and enhancements for the City's computing foundation, improving business operations across agencies. $500,000 of new City funding will enable energy-efficiency improvements to the newly-created Office of Sustainability. This funding, coupled with carry-forward loans from previous years, will enable energy-efficiency improvements at locations across the City, Energy Star building upgrades, and 14 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 green lights lighting upgrades. Third, SEPTA new payment technologies will be funded with nearly $24 million in state, federal, new city and other government funds. This new fare system will replace the entire array of current collection equipment, providing better service to SEPTA riders throughout the region.
6 million in new City funds and PICA prefinanced funds enable quadplex facility improvements, namely City Hall, the Municipal Services Building, One Parkway, and the Criminal Justice Center through the Department of Public Property for improved business operations. I hope that this sampling of capital projects demonstrates the variety of projects recommended for funding in the budget year and how the FY 2010-2015 recommended Capital Program seeks to make strategic targeted investments in Philadelphia's infrastructure and uses our 15 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 limited resources for the greatest public benefit. Thank you for your attention, and I'll be happy to address any questions that you may have. Please note that the leadership of City departments is present, in addition to representatives from the Office of Budget and Program Evaluation and the Department of Public Property to assist in answering your questions And I might add that, like a Verizon commercial, I have many, many people back here ready are to answer your questions
Thank you very much. Can you tell us what funding has been included in the 2010 Capital Budget from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act?
In order to answer that, I'm going to ask Mark Allen Hughes and Steve Agostini to help give 16 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 you an update of what we know about the American Recovery Act. (Witnesses come forward.)
On the specifics for the Capital Plan, we actually had a fairly significant conversation and discussion internally about what, if anything, we should include in the Capital Plan. And given the uncertainties surrounding the dollars, how they would be distributed, how we would be successful in competing for them, we made a decision not to include any dollars 17 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 from the Recovery Act in this Capital Plan but wanted to hold out that at that point, when we have better information about what we might be eligible for and what we might receive in grants, that we would come forward with an amendment process that would begin with planning and then come back to Council so that you have an ability to see what those projects are that we would be requesting in an amendment.
Can somebody -- and I'm sure Mr. Hughes can -- explain what the application process is that the City must follow to receive these federal funds? And can you tell me if we're actively working with City departments and agencies to maximize the amount of funding the City could possibly receive under the Act? And is there a deadline date that we would have to follow to try to be under the wire, so to speak, under the 18 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Act?
It's a pleasure to be here. Yes, let me answer your series of questions. There are approximately 200 separate funding opportunities in the Recovery Act itself. We've identified a set of those for which we are both eligible by formula to receive funds as well as eligible to apply for competitive funds. Each one of those -- there's about eight in the first category, formula allegations, and about 18 that we've identified so far that we could compete for. Each one of those has a separate set of rules and deadlines. We are aware of the deadlines for each. They tend to 19 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 fall in April and May. Some of them actually have not been announced at this point. But the formula allocations, which we've also identified, which we'll get kind of by entitlement, in several cases, will also require us to, as the Budget Director has suggested, will require us to submit a revised plans. For example, for CDBG: We will amend our comp plan, our comprehensive plan, for CDBG when we submit that. Then the new funds that will be coming from the Recovery through CDBG, that particular case, in that particular case, it's 14 million; those will then be allocated to us through our line of credit. So we are working diligently for each of these eight and eighteen opportunities that I've mentioned so far. We have lead local agencies who are pursuing the application process, who are aware of the emerging guidelines and 20 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 deadlines.
Okay. Mr. Hughes, I know that we've been asking the Mayor for a briefing of the Stimulus Plan, and I know that you've been looking at that very carefully. I don't know if you've been asked as yet, but once the Mayor does put forth our request, I would like you, if at all possible, to brief Council as soon as possible.
Yes, ma'am, I'd be very happy to do that. I'm sorry I was out of town last week for the first round of hearings that you had on that but happy to make up for that absence and --
I know. I hope you had a good vacation. (Laughter.)
Yes, ma'am. I actually came back a little early on the red eye, but while I was there, it was very nice, indeed. 21 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Great. Are any of the projects that are labeled "CN," which are new loans, eligible to be funded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act?
Madam Chair, I think the short answer is: We don't know. I think, as we run through the process, we will identify those opportunities. I'll tell you -- and I think you may be aware of this -- in the runup to the Recovery Act being proposed and adopted by Congress, we provided a number of lists to the U.S. Conference of Mayors as well as our own delegation to give them a sense of what kind of, quote/unquote, shovel-ready projects would be ready for us to begin spending within 30 to 60 days. There are some of those projects in the CN category that we had hoped, if there were dollars made available from the Recovery Act, we could use those 22 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 funds to do. But until we go through the process of looking at the applications and looking at the competitive process, we won't know for sure.
Thank you. Are any items that were funded by the General Fund for materials and supplies in FY '09 being funded out of the 2010 Capital Budget?
Madam Chair, we will go back and look at it, but our first response is no, we don't -- we can't think of anything that would fall into that description that you've given us.
Okay. You know, I think somebody has to explain why it takes so long, so long, for the City to spend its capital dollars. We just keep rolling the capital dollars over from one year to the next, from one year to the next. If the City were to expedite its 23 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 capital spending, wouldn't it be creating jobs and helping businesses and also taking care of many of our dilapidated buildings?
The answer to the last question is yes. And I think the -- what we've been doing is working closely with Public Property -- and we can have the commissioner come up and talk about that, if need be -- to figure out ways to make that expediting happen. And as somebody who was in private practice in architecture for 34 years, I'm very sensitive to the fact that projects are complicated, they often take longer than everybody hopes, for reasons that are technical and related to the circumstances that unfold as a project unfolds. So I don't think it's simply a matter of pushing the projects through; it's also dealing with the realities that (indiscernible) are there any way that we can speed that up are things that we are 24 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 actively talking about.
Well, we can't say that all them are complicated.
Well, you know, no, I'm not going to tell you that all of them are complicated.
I mean, particularly with the Recreation Department. We're not going to get into that, okay?
All right. I see that there are a number of Councilmembers that want to be recognized, and I do have several other questions that I'd like to ask, but I'll take my turn along with everybody else. Again, I'd like to remind my colleagues: With the first go-around, we have five minutes. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones. 25 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, gentlemen. PANEL MEMBERS: Good morning.
First of all, is it accurate to say that we have about $2.5 billion's worth of capital requests in the plan here?
And 1.3 billion of it is water- and airport-related projects?
Madam President, related to a Main Street Economic Recovery Wish List that was produced by your office -- and are you familiar with this list?
Okay. It's 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 about $2.6 billion in wish list there.
And my questions becomes: What is the average carryover time for a project in capital project status? So if we put something on the books or put it in the budget, what is the average time it takes for that project to come to fruition?
Madam Chair and Councilmember, it actually -- depends on the department and the type of project.
And with reference to the sheet, if that's something that you pulled from the Mayor's website, I think that is the collection of items that we provided either in the first or second round to the U.S. Conference of Mayors -- 27 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
All right. And if, tomorrow, our wishes were granted by the federal government, and they said, "Everything you put on that list, whether it's 2 billion or 1 billion, we're going to give you, and the only proviso is that you have to have it done within a specific 90-day window," how are we geared up, equipped to actually implement those kinds of projects in a timely fashion? Because it's my understanding that if we fail to do that, that money returns to a pool where it is reallocated to other cities that are ready.
Councilmember, your question and concern is a legitimate one with respect to our ability to get projects through, sort of a "through-put," if you will. If we were to get that entire 28 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 2.6 billion tomorrow, not only would I go and buy myself a lottery ticket, but I think I would also sort of sit down and say, We've got a big job ahead of us in terms of trying to get all of these projects done. I don't think it's a secret -- I think the chairperson raised that -- that we have had some difficulty in getting some of the projects done in a timely fashion. We've made some changes in terms of our Capital Programs Office, in terms of oversight in order to improve that. I'm sure that at some point, there will be questions regarding that. We understand that that's going to be an issue for us.
And we're going to either have to plan a little more creatively and a little more carefully, we're going to have to sort of bulk up in terms of the staffing to get that kind of sizeable list of projects through. We're 29 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 going to have to do that 'cause I think the worst outcome for this would be for us to turn money back that we were given.
My second part of that question is: If, in fact, the only ones that are able to go are the ones that are on the books and ready to go, how do we do things different, like create green jobs? How do we do things different like stimulate parts of the City of Philadelphia that have been out of the economy by way of their workforce? How do we include all of those worthwhile goes if we're under the clock right now? And if, indeed, we anticipate getting some portion of this list granted, shouldn't we be taking those steps now to tool up so that we can take advantage of this prosperity?
That's exactly right, Councilman. That's much of the work that we are pursuing right now in 30 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 addition to preparing our applications. Let's talk about the specific one you're referring to kind of most specifically. There's $750 million for high- growth industry job-training in the recovery; 500 million of that is set aside for so-called green jobs. We are an active and, I think, well-positioned applicant to compete for those funds, some large share of those funds to support the training pipeline in particular to connect to another piece of the recovery that we're trying to focus on, which is weatherization, because, as you well know, right? every time you weatherize somebody's house, it lowers the electric bill or a gas bill for that homeowner, and it also creates a job for the person who does the weatherization. So it's a double win at least. So this is a challenge that every local and state government is facing across the country to deal with these -- as you've identified, these twin 31 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 and competing pressures. On the one hand, spend it really fast; but, on the other hand, spend it really well because there's lots of transparency and accountability measures that are also a big piece of the recovery legislation. So what we are doing, while we're trying to make strong applications to the federal government, we are also trying to prepare locally with systems change that will allow us, working with the Web, with some of our own agencies, to prepare and strengthen the pipeline around some very specific tasks; in this, preparing people to be building auditors and installers of weatherization.
So in some senses, we will have to hire or engage people to actually -- and I know this is a time where we're talking layoffs, but at some point, we have to -- not to cut our nose off to spite our face, really tool up to be able to implement this stuff. 32 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 And then the final question I have for you is: What is the process by which we purge old projects that, you know, to make sure we aren't building bridges that go nowhere, erecting monuments of nothingness? How do we every now and then go back through the book and say, These are viable projects, these are not viable projects at this time? And how do we reallocate those funds to worthwhile projects?
Good question. One of the things that we are doing -- you know, this is my first time at the Capital Budget, but one of the things I've observed is the same thing that you have observed, that we need to look at these old projects. Now, this year, we did a much more extensive set of interviews with operating departments to find out what was on their books, what do they think they need to do. 33 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 And we did that -- we asked them to do that without saying to them yet what a limit might be of funding, which has been the practice in previous years. We did that specifically so that we could get out on the books exactly what was needed and identify as well the ongoing projects that they were carrying. Our intention, as we move forward into the next budget cycle, is to really look at those old projects, start this process much earlier, start to talk to each and every department about what they're carrying that's old, and put pressure in the system to either do them or push them aside, and then use that allocation else-wise for things that are current and absolutely needed.
I know that -- and I'm going to turn it over to my colleagues, but Madam President, a question of specifics about what projects are ready to go, what projects that we are applying for Stimulus money for? is 34 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 an important one. As we start to readjust and recalibrate what projects are real, I think the involvement of Councilpeople -- and particularly District Councilpeople -- is essential. Population shifts occur, priorities change, and our involvement in that process is critical. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. It is a pleasure to see you here, Mr. Greenberger. You did note that this was your first Capital Budget, and I've enjoyed working with you --
No. I've enjoyed working with you -- 35 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
-- on the Zoning Code Commission and the work you're doing at the Planning Commission. And it's good to see you over here. So I have a specific question about the William Penn Foundation's Commercial Corridors -- eConsult did a report paid for by the William Penn Foundation for LISK called "Commercial Corridors: A Strategic Investment Framework for Philadelphia." And I note that the 10 to -- 15 FY '10 to '15 Capital Program includes a hundred million in federal, state, and local money to provide site improvements to neighborhood commercial centers. And I'm wondering to what extent these recommendations in this study are incorporated into our Capital Program. (Witness comes forward.)
Good morning, 36 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 members of Council. Andy Altman, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Economic Development, and Commerce Director. Just -- Councilman, just one clarification: When you said "commercial corridor" -- I'll speak to the eConsult in a moment, but which line-item in terms of commercial-corridor investment? What was your number?
In the Five-Year Plan -- the or Six-Year Plan, it's 100 million in federal, state, and local government funding to provide site improvements to neighborhood commercial centers, and that would be of the plan.
Yeah. Thank you. I was just looking; I just wanted to make sure I had the right number. We are -- there are a few things. One is, the eConsult study, what that looked at, did an analysis of all of the commercial corridors in the City. And what it tried to get at is, what 37 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 would be the factors to make for a successful commercial revitalization along all of the corridors and kind of came up with a typology of different corridors in the City and the kind of investment strategies you would look at. So we are taking that information -- that was literally just released within the last month; they've been working on it for a couple of years -- and we will be applying that or using parts of it to the extent in terms of how we shape some of these investments. Much of this money, also I should say, is to complete out. There's a lot of commercial-corridor improvements that have been identified with Council offices. And we also have a -- we'll be talking about this, I know, at a future date, but cultural-corridor bond money that's used for commercial-corridor improvements, streetscape improvements, 38 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 facade improvements; there's a whole set of investments that are due to be complete within the next nine months. So the answer is: We have money for next nine months to complete those. And then in the next round of capital improvements, as you can see, to 2015, we'll use that study to help us inform that as well as working with the Council.
I appreciate that the study just came out; I just would hate to see another study done by William Penn and others who were kind enough essentially ignored as we continue with programs that have been existing for five years rather than paying attention to new data and information we have. And next year, I will be asking specifically how what you're doing in neighborhood commercial corridors ties to the report that has been prepared by eConsult in this regard. And I understand it just came out.
Thank you. Everybody's familiar with the PICA 2007 report about capital facilities in Philadelphia. Specifically -- I won't belabor it -- the prisons had priority to repairs of $64 million and priority 1 repairs for 11 million. I note they only got four here. The police department had 47 million, with 22 million in priority 1 and 2 repairs, 32 million for the Fire Department, million for Public Health. 17 We asked a lot of questions 18 about this at the last year's Capital 19 Budget, and I understand that you were not with us, Mr. Greenberger, but members of the Administration, including Mr. Agostino, were. In response to those questions that were asked on March 4th, on March 26th, the Council President received a 40 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 letter from the Capital Planning Office, which said that at the end of FY '08, beginning of FY '09, the City would complete a review of all of the facilities identified in the PICA report and give us their view of what was spent. And, as of today, I don't believe the Council President's office has seen that review. It hasn't been shared with members of City Council. Could you please tell us the status of that promise to complete review of the properties identified in the PICA report?
Gary Knappick from Public Property will answer that. (Witness comes forward.) DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Good morning, members of the Council. I'm Gary Knappick, Deputy Commissioner, Public Property. And, Councilman Green, we looked pretty extensively at that report and tried to identify a number of initiatives 41 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that we could implement. That report was very bullet-pointed. It really didn't represent projects. In the past year, we've undertaken a number of initiatives that were identified in the report. For Police, we've implemented fire-alarm projects at police districts for about 10 1.5 million. 11 Some of these projects are still 12 underway. 13 We've implemented $3.5 million of improvements at the 660 East Erie tactical and warehouse facility. We've done a roof replacement -- or have it underway right now, a roof replacement at the 22nd and 23rd District for 500,000. MEP improvements at six police districts, using PICA money. We're starting up on some improvements at the nine high-crime districts, and specifically Police District 35. 42 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 As far as the Fire Department is concerned, we've implemented fire-alarm and electrical improvements at fire 5 stations. We've also implemented roof 6 replacements at seven fire stations for 7 $1.6 million; at least that's what the 8 budget is right now. 9 In the prisons, we've undertaken 10 Phase III of a $6 million program to 11 improve the PIC facility security system. 12 And, also, I've undertaken a $600,000 13 improvements for the fire-damaged laundry 14 facility. We haven't started the 15 dorm-heating project yet, but we do have 16 the funding set aside to get that moving; we just haven't been able to get that going. Also, for City Hall, we've implemented $3.5 million to complete the sprinkler system in this building. And --
Okay. I understand what you're saying, but my question was, you promised to review for 43 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 City Council a comparison between what PICA said had to be done at those facilities and what in the City's view has to be done at those facilities, and what you're telling me is kind of what you've done. But the reason you weren't able to provide it timely was because the PICA report had just come out, you needed time to investigate it. Where is the review that was promised City Council? That's the question?
Has the review been done or not? That's a simple 44 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 yes or no question. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: If I may, Councilman --
Councilman, we did the review. And, as I said, we'll get back to you on that.
We will get back to you on where we are with that review. We'll go back and look at it.
Madam President, I mean, we have people from the Administration here. That's a simple question. I would like a simple answer to a simple question. Has the promised review that was sent -- a promise made to you March 26, 2008 begun? 45 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Councilma n, may I just say one thing? All of the projects that I mentioned to you were a part of that report and prioritized by us to be --
No, I understand, but this body asked for information. We passed capital budgets and other budgets based on a promise of getting that information at a future date. And then the Capital Budget's passed, yet we never get the information that we requested that we were told we would get as part of a process. And, you know, I'd like answers to these questions that I asked last year before anybody gets my vote on a Capital Budget this year. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo. 46 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Thank you, Madam Chair. In preparing for this committee hearing this morning, I reviewed the plan. Why is there a difference in your presentation this morning versus what's on and 3? They are not even close. Lots of the information that's in the plan isn't even mentioned, or it's been renamed.
Could you just point -- Councilman, do you mind pointing out to me where you're looking?
And looking at an example: Smart population, you do refer to Safe City, but there's no 47 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 consistency to what your presentation is this morning versus what's in the plan.
Okay. I'm being advised that the changes -- the differences you're seeing are simple renamings of categories rather than any changes of substance.
I think this was all a part of just perfecting the language that's used in the Philadelphia Plan to continue to make it more appropriate and understandable.
Obviously, it's caused some confusion on your end so I apologize for that.
But I think the examples cited here are the ones in my testimony. I'm not -- I can't read that fast and sort of know whether that's 48 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 true point by point, but that looks like what I said. And I think the names of the categories, you know, have been moving around a bit but they fundamentally mean the same thing.
Okay, that's good. The point is that we do read this stuff, you know.
There was a change, and I just was curious as to what that change was. Thanks, Madam Chair. (Vice Chairwoman Tasco assumes chair.)
Thank you, Madam Chair. A couple of questions, Mr. Greenberger, on your testimony. 49 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Probably somebody else may have to give the specifics. Towards the end, you talk about SEPTA new-payment technologies.
And providing the fare -- the new fare system will provide better service. Could you or someone tell a little more specifics on that, what the new fare system is, what better service that, kind of thing?
All right. I actually can't, but is there somebody here from SEPTA? Steve, do you want to -- who are you pointing to?
I can tell you that I'm very much looking forward to it, but I'll let them explain the details. 50 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
John Duner, Manager of Capital Budgets for SEPTA. We're still -- at this point, we have a RFP that we put on the street. And the RFP, the way that was designed, we have it -- in the new system, we're looking for what they call "an open architect," so it's not a proprietary system that it can use all of the new -- all of the current type of credit cards and passes that you can swipe as you go by. We -- in the RFP, we left it open for the proposals -- excuse me, for the proposers to kind of inform us what will be the best solution, looking at all the available technologies, looking at the other systems and the credit card technology. So that, right now, we're responding to questions by the various vendors that are interested. And, in essence, we didn't define the system. 51 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 We're leaving it open, we're letting the consultants and the parties that are interested kind of propose to SEPTA what would be the best approach. And our goal is to have a system that is open, that can interact with all the other type of payment processes currently going on, including like, if people go to Wawa just for a small transaction and they have a card, or you go to a gas station, you might have a card that you just have to get near the device.
Okay. I understand a lot of this is still open, and I don't know if this has been discussed yet. You know, in New York, at least on the subways, you just have one way to get through, to swipe the card.
Is that something, do you know, that's also in the works to do away with coins and paper money totally? 52 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Yeah. Paper money totally? No. We will allow for the opportunity to pay fares with paper money.
But the monthly passes and all of those things will be changed, where we expect that people with a credit card or a card that they purchased through -- a SEPTA card that you -- and these cards, like I said, it might not even be a swipe. It might be a card that has the ability to just be in the vicinity of the reader.
But the transfers will go away, the paper transfers will go away. Tokens, we envision, will go away.
And we'll be more into just a credit card-type of approach as well as cash, is where we're headed to.
Thank you. 53 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Thank you very much. One other question while I'm still on time here. You mentioned new amenities on the Parkway. Could you give a little more description of what you're talking about there?
Since we live close to each other, I could have just walked around the corner and just asked you this, Mark, but...
Good morning. Mark Focht, Executive Director of Fairmount Park. Councilman, the improvements that are referenced in the plan are those that were announced by the Governor and the Mayor and the private foundations along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th Street to Eakins Oval.
And they include largely improvements to what we call "the subpoena realm." So new paving, benches, trash, receptacles curbing. It's basically taking the improvements that were made around the swan fountains at Logan Square and across the street in Aviator Park and expanding it to the entire rest of the Parkway.
And that deals with also both the pedestrian and traffic flow -- there's always that kidding about the sidewalk that goes nowhere, somewhere around --
Correct. It actually builds upon the study that was done by the Planning Commission and the Commerce Department and completed two years ago that looked at ways to make pedestrian crossing safer and also strike the balance between vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Okay, all right. Good. Thank you. 55 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 It looks like I still have a little more time, so one last question. I guess this is Public Property. The money for the $7.6 million for the quadruplex facility improvements, the gentleman from City Planning talked about $3.5 million for sprinklers. Is there -- what else would be spent on the buildings here? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Gary Knappick. I believe $4.5 million of that is for completion of the exterior of City Hall and the south courtyard.
So most it would go towards City Hall. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Yes.
Okay, that's good. I'm not complaining that; I was just wondering. Okay, thank you. Thank you Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes 56 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you very much. Are there any funds in this Capital Budget to provide for lighting on all of the floors of City Hall such as exist on the fourth floor here? Because the lighting is very poor and very dark. Are there any funds appropriated for that here?
Not at the moment? Could we get a cost estimate on what that might cost, please?
Thank you. My question goes to , the cultural facilities renovations. And there are funds for the Robin Hood Dell, the African-American Museum, and the Mummers Museum. Where are we on the Dell at this point? The money goes out to 2015. 57 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
I'll let Gary answer that for you. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Good morning, Councilwoman.
Good morning. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Gary Knappick. As far as the Dell is concerned, the Dell has been bid, and we are currently in the construction permitting phase of the job.
So now, this is -- is this 250,000 per year from 2011? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I believe that's for additional improvements. The initial Dell project was really for drainage issues and handicap, with some other amenities in that.
It goes out to 2011? It's going to take that long to spend the money, the $1.2 million? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Councilwo 58 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 man, I believe they were placeholders for additional improvements.
In this budget? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Yes. You're at the out-year, if I'm understanding you correctly.
Well, for additional improvements what would that be, do you suppose? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I think I'd have to get back to you on that, if you don't mind, to speak with our project directors.
And also, Councilwoman, before you get onto your next question, I also want to add that I'm aware that several of you on Council have put some of your own capital allotments into the Dell, and we thank you for that.
And I guess 59 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that's my question too, 'cause it came to about $1.2 million; five of us gave $250,000.
Will that money be used in 2009 to complete the project, the Dell project?
Is that going to be enough money to complete the project? Will that be enough?
Councilmember, the intent was that it would indeed -- the dollars would indeed be used starting in '09. And I think Mr. Knappick can give you sort of an update as to where we are with the Dell currently, what's been done, and what is planned to be done. 60 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 And I think it might even include some bids. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: As I had mentioned, Councilwoman, I'm hoping I'm understanding the question, and I'm sorry if I --
Well, I guess I just want to know the status of the Dell. What is happening at the Dell? Have they started the construction? Is it -- DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Onsite, no, it has not started onsite. It is -- we've applied for permits -- or the contractors have applied for the permits.
So you have selected the contractors? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: The contractors have been selected.
And do you know how much the renovation is going to cost? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Yes, yes.
Okay. 61 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: We exact figures on that.
You have exact figures on that. And the 1.2 million, plus whatever you're going to put in there will be enough? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Yes.
Okay. To complete -- DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: That portion of the work that we've previously discussed, yes.
Okay. And so, then you have additional dollars for the out-years to continue -- DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Yes.
-- with capital improvements to the Dell? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: That's correct, Councilwoman.
Okay. Now, what we would like to do is to have sort of an update on where the Dell is in terms of what the 1.2 million and all the 62 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 other dollars will buy, what we will get at the end of the day and at least have some idea when that work will be done and the Dell will be up and running, okay? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Okay. The schedule right now has been breached a little bit. It's taken us a little -- we had originally anticipated having that done in August -- August, September. But I'd have to get you an update on that because I think it's taken a little bit longer to get our permits.
Well, why does it take so long? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: It's the process right now. And we're looking at some storm-water issues that weren't previously accounted for in that project.
Councilmember, we'll come back with a budget, what we have. I think the budget right now is 63 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 about 5.5 million, with a schedule of the timeframe and where we think there are issues that are outstanding, that may impact on the schedule. We'll bring that back to you.
Let me just ask this question: Who is responsible for costing-out the project and looking at all of the issues that may come up during the course of the construction project so that that cost can be taken in as a part of their overall planning? I mean, who does that? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: That's pretty much done initially. When we conceive of the job, we start out with a general budget for the project just based on our past experience. And after we hire our consultants, our consultants are required to give us detailed estimates on every aspect of the job that's being designed.
Are you saying that the consultants then see or 64 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 know about the storm-water problem? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I'm saying that things are overlooked sometimes, yes.
Okay. Is it something that they should have known about if they were consultants in this field? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I would hope so.
So what is their responsibility for not finding them? I mean, what do they pay? What is the penalty for, I guess, being inept? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Well, if a consultant makes an error or an omission, we look at them for financial restitution.
I'm sorry, but do they give you financial 65 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 restitution? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Generally , the --
Or do you pay them whatever the contract amount is that they're supposed to get? Do you deduct from their contract payments what the penalty might be? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: It becomes a little legal at that point, and we refer that our legal department. But in the matter of something that's missed on a project, it would normally have been a part of that project anyway and the costs associated with it. So it was more of an omission than an error.
I don't know -- if I could add Councilwoman, I don't know any of the details of the contracts and, you know, who saw what or what even the circumstance are. But having done this for most of my life, I can tell that you these are 66 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 sort of tricky legal issues. Perfection, however, is not in the construction world, and in any world really, is not considered sort of the standard of care. And so, owners are always advised, as the City of Philadelphia and any other serious institutional owner does, to carry contingency funds to recognize that sometimes things will get missed. Now, whether they are, you might say, negligible misses, this is where it becomes legal matters with insurance companies and becomes subjects of usually long, drawn-out discussions. I offer that in the context of, I actually don't know any of the details of this one, but it's not as simple as a mistake gets made and a consultant is responsible for the cost, 'cause frankly, if that were the case, there wouldn't be any consultants since what they earn from this projects is far less than what they ultimately cost. 67 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Who is the project matter for the Dell? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Eric Effert (sp?). He's our project director.
Okay. Who is the day-to-day onsite project manager for the Dell? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Onsite?
Yes. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: When they're out in the field, it would be one of our construction inspectors.
And we'll get you a report on it. Once these contracts are done, we'll get you a report on their working schedule and the project-costing so that you have that in front of you.
Okay, thank you. I just want to comment, having gone through a construction of a $5.4 million rec center, the Dorothy 68 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Emanuel Rec Center, having worked with my staff person, who is now a state representative, if she had not been there every week with the meeting -- she convened a meeting every week about the project. We don't have anyone to stay on these contractors and these projects. And so things get missed. If you have someone there on a daily basis or at least a weekly basis sort of like going through the project, we'll be here next year talking about the Dell.
I'm telling you, we need -- and I've talked to the Mayor about project managers on the site so that the work, one, gets done, gets done in a timely fashion, and that errors or mishaps or omissions are caught, because, in the end, it costs more money. And had we not had Sherrell Parker overseeing that project, we would have just -- really, it would have been 69 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 very costly. But at the end of the day, we ended up having money left over because we were very vigilant in that project. And I'm worried about this Dell because I'm not sure who's minding the store.
We understand your concerns. And, yes, in some instances, we probably could have done a better job managing this from its inception, and we need to do a better job moving forward, and we plan to.
Well, I would suggest that we find some way that someone who is held accountable be project managers on all of the City projects 'cause we pay more money because, you know, just the way, Mr. Goldstein [sic], you talked about the whole construction during -- Goldberger, I'm sorry.
70 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Greenberger. I'm sorry.
I mean, we just need to -- the whole, whole, whole process is just one that bears watching, and you need to pay some attention to it.
Councilman Rizzo, did you have a point of order?
I did. And I appreciate the opportunity. In your conversation about the Dell, there was a comment made about water runoff. The Kelly Drive has recently been resurfaced, and whoever was responsible for that did a great job; it's a lot safer roadway, in my opinion. But for years, I've been 71 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 pointing out the water runoff, especially during this time of year and also into the spring and fall that I don't believe is a part of the water runoff problem that you just described at Robin Hood Dell, but the roadway is constantly wet. Nights where it is dips from 45 to freezing, it's a very dangerous highway condition at that location. Could those wet areas that I've been pointing out to the Streets Department and the Managing Director's Office for years, will that be corrected as a result of the repair to the runoff that you just described? or is that an entirely different issue? And if you're not able to answer, I'm sure there is some here from the Streets Department or Water Department that could tell us why, after all that effort to resurface that road, it's already starting to deteriorate from the water runoff and the dangers associated with the water runoff. 72 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I think I'd have to defer that to the Streets Department, Councilman.
Or the Water Department? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Or the Water Department.
Well, I'll -- listen, let us get back to you on that. I would be happy to ask that questing during the hearing --
This is really not germane to the questions that were being asked.
Well, okay, but it was a part of the project at the 73 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Dell to correct some of the water runoff?
Yeah, it's -- it's -- I mean, again, I'm sort of guessing here, but likely, given the length of the Kelly Drive, that whatever solutions are found at the Dell might solve the problem immediately around the Dell, but obviously, that's a big hill coming down for three-and-a-half miles, and so it can't possibly be solving all of it, and I will ask that question --
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, 74 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Madam President. Good morning.
Mr. Greenberger, I'd like to follow up on some points with respects to the Council President's questions on the readiness for the Stimulus dollars.
So it might be good for Mr. Hughes to step back to the table. (Witness comes forward.)
Mr. Hughes, I'm sorry you weren't able to be at our hearing, and I understand we're going to try to reschedule 'cause at that time, we said we would do a follow-up with respects to providing an opportunity for the Administration to lay out its plan. And on several occasions -- and I want to 75 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 say this in a way that I in no way want to appear critical. I'm a little concerned about the resources that you have at your fingertips. There is the potential for a significant amount of money to come to the City of Philadelphia, and I don't know how the inner workings of your department works, but at one point, when the question came up about the Office of Sustainability, they said, "Well, it's Mark Allen Hughes, a phone, and a desk." And you now have an expanded role. And I'm very concerned about your ability to monitor and adequately represent our city as it relates to being able to access this funding, and you probably are too, but you obviously won't say that today. I'm -- when I hear you talk about this process, I don't hear the level of specificity that, frankly speaking, puts us at a comfort level. And I understand that it's a significant 76 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 uncertainty coming out of Washington, but when I hear other municipalities and I even hear other departments -- I mean, at our hearing, SEPTA had a clearly-defined strategy on how they were going to spend their money, the Housing Authority had a clearly-defined strategy on how they were going to spend their money, the School District had two strategies, but they knew how they were going to spend the money. And I guess I hear you talk about process for application. Is it more the application process, or is it the understanding of what we need to be in a position to achieve access? I mean, can you talk -- you know, I have some follow-up questions on some of the things that appear to be somewhat uncertain.
Thank you, Councilman, and I appreciate the spirit of the question about the challenge that certainly exists in trying to get our arms, our collective arms, around the 77 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 recovery. Let me begin my answer to your big question by noting that one of the important differences between the City's strategy for the recovery and some of the other agencies that you mentioned, like SEPTA or the Housing Authority or the School District, is that they have different funding sources largely by formula.
Both regularly and under the recovery. So it's a little bit easier for them to anticipate exactly how much money they would have. And, of course, they also have more singular missions around that, so they've got projects that, you know, could be matched to that predictable formula funding.
No, sir. Not at all. 78 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
'Cause as a former professor, I know you could take up my five minutes in your response.
Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about the five minutes. I'm sorry, excuse me. (Laughter.)
As an example -- and this is actually a little document that the Council President has asked the Fiscal Stability Commission to put together. And, you know, I think it's halfway decent. As an example, in the document, it talks about highways and public transportation -- highways in particular -- and that's one of the things that this was a cornerstone of this administration. It talks about the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission determining projects in the five-county area that will receive support. They say they've determined that; I don't know. 79 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 And then it says, "including million for resurfacings and repair projects in Philadelphia." How -- is that accurate? I mean, do they have an assessment of how much money will be spent in the City of Philadelphia for street resurfacing? which I think is kind of within our jurisdiction to some degree.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. 12 So there's about -- for just on that 13 specific piece, right, there's over 14 100 -- there's almost $150 million that 15 will be allocated to the DVRPC through the region that will come into the City but not under our control; only the piece that you've talked about there, with the Streets, the $15.6 million that will come to the Streets Department for streets repaving, yes, sir, that is all settled.
Okay. So 80 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 I'm saying, when you're asked questions about the Philadelphia recovery dollars --
-- if you kind of answer in that level of specificity, I think it might give people a little more of a comfort level, 'cause you keep saying, "We don't know the formula." And, like, I get a sense of, like, well, do you really -- do you understand what I'm saying?
'Cause I know that you know some things about this 'cause you've been working at it for a while.
So could just kind of let us know and don't keep us in the dark until the end? 81 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Absolutely. And that's why, I just want to point out, in the testimony that was read on my behalf last week at the hearing I couldn't attend, the City is well-organized to take advantage of formula funding, $15.6 million being used to repave City streets. I mean, where we know about specifics, we're trying to report that to you as quickly as possible; that being one example, and I've got others that are both in the testimony that was read last week as well as some stuff that's changed since then.
Let me squeeze out this other question, this last question. And I'm just bringing up examples of some specific natures, like apparently -- and this was actually 82 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 reported in the newspaper -- there is a tax exemption for bond buyers in authorized Economic Recovery Act dollars. In one particular instance, it will save the City $3.8 million on construction projects at the airport. I mean, are you familiar with these types of things?
Yes. In fact, I think I'm probably the source on that. There's a whole set of tax provisions, you know, that represent about 300 billion of the $787 billion in the Recovery Act, so-called stimulus. So we've got, you know, specific things that we're looking at in each of those that are way more complicated than anything on the appropriations side, where I can give you some examples of others. But yes, we are tracking -- especially the Finance Department are tracking those tax provisions and figuring out ways that we could take advantage of them. 83 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
At what point will you be in a position to kind of share that with us?
I mean, we really -- we really want to work with you, but --
-- it's kind of (indiscernible) 'cause you're not giving us anything, so it's kind of --
No, no. The -- my basic strategy has been to share things as soon as they're so concrete that they have some meaning. That's why the --
I mean, we're dealing with a budget right now -- 84 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
But that's when -- that's when -- it's interesting, 'cause that's when the answer is "We don't know yet." And I recognize that that causes some frustration, but sometimes the answer is just "We don't know yet."
Yeah, but sometimes, if you say possibilities. I mean, we don't deal in an exact science here in the government.
So we got to -- like, we really want to know about what the possibilities are.
That's right. And we have some sense of those possibilities. I can tell you, for example, of the competitive -- let me give you 10 just one quick example. Of the 18 11 competitive or discretionary funding 12 opportunities that we are seeking to make 13 applications for, I can tell you three 14 things: 15 I can tell you exactly what the 16 bill specifies is the national pool of 17 funds that we'll be competing for, 'cause 18 that's written in the legislation. I can tell you the exact deadline for the guidance and the applications when it's been issued; and if not, I can tell you who we're waiting on, usually in Washington, to issue Atlanta. And then, third, I can tell you 86 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the exact website that either has the issue guidance on it, which gives all of the rules, or the website at which that guidance will be posted when somebody in Washington makes their financial decision about that. So I can give you the boundaries of what's going to be possible on all of these funding opportunities.
Councilwoman, I believe Councilman Goode also have a point of information. Councilman?
Thank you, Madam President. A quick follow-up to Councilman Clarke. In terms of specificity -- for example, the Central Library project: Is 87 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 it shovel-ready? is it eligible for Recovery funds? how would that rank as a project that possibly could be ready to go, create jobs, already has other funding in place?
Right. That's a great -- thank you, Councilman, and good morning. It's a great question because it lets me kind of make one point here, which is that there really is no 12 provision in the Recovery for building buildings. There is one opportunity to build a building in the entire $787 billion Recovery Act, and it's $255 million in the Department of Homeland Security for firefighter -- it's called "Firefighter Grants" to build stations in municipalities. Everything else is really very different than what many of us originally had in mind, that there was going to be this big opportunity to build things out of the Recovery and that what we needed 88 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 was a list of things to build. But, in fact, the Recovery is not organized that way; instead, it's more things like, are there energy- efficiency opportunities in the design of the Central Library project that would maybe let us supplement something, so we have to look for the ways those pieces can come together.
Just a quick follow-up to that. Is that just true for money that the City directly applies for, or is true for money that's flowing through the State as well?
Well, it's true in general, except for bridges and roads. You're not really building buildings out of the Recovery.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes 89 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Councilwoman Tasco.
So, therefore, by earlier discussion about the Dell, it would not fall into this category. If we could put some green out there, do you think we could get some money for it, if we added some trees and stuff around there?
Yes, ma'am. And good morning, Councilwoman. That's exactly the way we're trying to think about this too. It's how creative can we be? Most of what -- when we call it "green" in the Recovery, frankly, almost everything in the Recovery that's green is really about energy efficiency and conservation. So, you know, given that we're not air-conditioning the Dell, it's difficult to find.
Maybe we could air-condition the stage. All right, I'm just looking for money for the Dell. 90 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, everyone. How are you doing, Rhina? Forgive me. I didn't see you there. I just want to underscore this interest around the Dell. So with the staff persons that's reporting back the budget and the timeframe, also report back who the contractors are and the subcontractors are so that we know that there are some effort, ongoing effort, to ensure MBE WBE participation?
That's fine. Okay. In your testimony, you mentioned a number of departments that you're working with: 91 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Office of Budget and Program Evaluation, Department of Public Property, MDO's Office. The one department that you do not mention is the Office of Sustainability. And when -- what is this -- thanks to Councilwoman Tasco, I'm now a member of the National League of Cities, where they're making stainability a prime issue. And they state, and I quote: "Of the cities that are already engaged in various activities that relate to sustainability, few have coordinated them in a strategic way or incorporated them as part of their strategic planning process." And so with that in mind, help me understand why the Office of Sustainability would not be a part of all that you're doing now?
Actually, it's a good question, and it actually is a part of what we're doing. 92 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 As it is not a -- it is not a spending and department the way the departments that are listed in here for Capital Budget, but the way that the department -- that the Office of Sustainability is really working with everybody to infuse ideas about sustainability pretty much in everything we do. And having made that general statement, Mark, if you want to elaborate on it.
Well, recalling Councilman Clarke's earlier comment, I'll try not to elaborate too widely on it, but in the particular context of the Capital Budget, in fact, I believe it's on and 81, one of the things that the Mayor's Office of Sustainability did is that we organized it during the course of the last ten months. It has absorbed the functions as well as the Capital Budget responsibilities of the former Municipal Energy Office. 93 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
So several lines in there that you may see regarding capital investments around energy efficiency and so on are actually under the purview of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability. So whereas, the executive director is correct that the biggest -- at the biggest scale, we really are working throughout the government as a matrix across all of the operating departments to work with them about sustainability goals and so on. But even within that kind of more complicated picture, we also have a more specific role here regarding energy management and efficiency investments.
Okay. Weatherization. Let me see here. It's a huge opportunity for weatherization: Window, door, roof replacement at police stations; window, door replacement at fire stations. How or what is the process for 94 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 ensuring that these blue-collar, some might call, green jobs, which require only a high school -- in most instances, a minimum expectation of a high school diploma, what is in the system that ensures that those who are underemployed, low-income get that dot connected so that they take advantage of these green jobs with all of these dollars coming down the pike?
Yes, ma'am. That is a great question that's near and dear to our hearts. Perhaps the Mayor's greatest interest in the weatherization opportunity and certainly -- probably even in the entire Recovery opportunity is the -- you have exactly outlined is the opportunity that's represented by that money and that work to diversify the workforce in the City of Philadelphia.
So who's going to be principally responsible for ensuring that that dot's connected?
Principally, it's 95 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the Office of Economic Opportunity.
But also in collaboration with the actual operating department. So OHCD, right? PHCD, which plays an important role in weatherization at this point. And also, one of the things that we've been talking about actually just more recently is about looking for a role for MOCS to play as well --
-- in ensuring that -- weatherization is a very interesting scope of work, right? because it includes getting inside people's houses --
-- to audit those houses for the work that is needed to be done as well as getting inside people's houses eventually to do the work. So there's a level of 96 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 involvement and engagement in the community and in the neighborhoods, 'cause another important thing to remember about this opportunity is that the weatherization funds are not general; they are targeted to households below 200 percent of the federal poverty line.
So, you know, we've got -- the stars are well aligned on this, but looking for who's going to be in the lead under the primary leadership of Deputy Mayor Altman --
-- it's the constellation of housing agencies that current exist and are focusing around this weatherization opportunity.
Okay. Who again is going to be ultimately responsible for the movement at the Dell? Who are Councilmembers to look to for accountability? Because -- who is that?
I think that's 97 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the Department of Public Property, who's managing the project.
Okay, then. This article in the paper that, quote, no place -- (Timer bell rings.)
I'll plant the seed. There's an article in the paper: No place for minorities at center expansion. Or is inexperience the problem? The ongoing issue of MBE/WBE participation or lack thereof. And a view that the City's not pushing the needle to fix that. So I'll plant the seed, and we'll revisit that on the next round. Thank you, Madam Chair. (Vice Chairwoman Tasco assumes chair.)
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. 98 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 I'd just like to get some information on more specific information on fire-station improvements. And I know in the book, it talks about that there's a design to construct multi-phase restorations of kitchens and bathroom facilities at fire stations. 9 But more specifically, the fire 10 station at Germantown Avenue and 11 Carpenter Lane desperately needs -- the 12 floor desperately needs to be repaired. 13 Is that included -- is that included in 14 any of these renovations? 15 And it's been like that for a 16 while. The cement's breaking up, it's 17 crumbling; you can actually see the 18 steel -- the steel bolts, I guess, that 19 goes across the floor where the fire 20 truck backs in, and water runs all 21 through. 22 Can anyone say if that is on the 23 list to be repaired? 24 DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: 25 Councilwoman, Gary Knappick, Public 99 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Property. Would you happen to know the number of that engine company?
I don't know the number; I just know it's on Germantown Avenue at Carpenter Lane. I can find the number. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I believe that's where it has a floor problem.
Excuse me? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I believe there's a floor problem.
Yeah, it's a terrible floor problem. DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Yeah, and there's some water infiltration.
I go there to get gas, and it's been like that now for a couple of years. And, you know, you kind of think that maybe the truck might even fall in it. I mean, it's just getting worse and worse. And so, I just wanted to know if it's on the list to be repaired. 100 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: That is -- if I recall correctly, that is for an out-year that -- I think you'll see a line in there for structural renovations for FY '11 of 400-and-some-thousand dollars. And that is a part of that project.
For Year 11? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: I believe so. Sorry, I don't have --
Can you get the information and forward it to the chair? DEPT. COMM. KNAPPICK: Sure.
And if you need me, I don't -- well, I don't know the number of that particular fire station.
Okay. 101 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Thank you. I have a question too -- a couple of things. I just want to also say that I support Councilwoman Tasco's questions regarding the Robin Hood Dell. You know, many of the District Councilpeople put extra money in the pot to deal with the cost overruns, and we would really like to see the Dell construction started and completed in a timely fashion. Would you forward to the Chair -- I want to get information on the past percentages of minority- and women-owned businesses that have participated in these capital projects. And I'd like a breakdown of the dollar-amount of the contract that was awarded to minorities, women, or disabled firm, and how many no-bid contracts were awarded in 2006 through 2009. And would you please forward to the Chair a list of all no-bid contracts and a breakdown by dollar-amounts of the 102 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 contracts awarded again to minorities, women, or disabled firms.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode. No? Okay, great. We're waiting for Councilwoman Blackwell, but we'll move on to Councilwoman Sanchez. When we do a point of order, it changes the lineup. So that's why the confusion here. So Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate Mr. Allen Hughes kind of giving us a general description around how we're developing these plans 103 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 and particularly how we're outlining shovel-ready projects. Could you explain to me who are all of the people making the decisions? 'cause I want to go back to the point about a list of projects and potential shovel-ready projects. What's the work process? See, I'm trying to understand the organizational chart between the economic money coming in, who's looking at that, and then the interrelationship with the departments around the priority. Can you, again, in your short versions (indiscernible)?
Right. Well, the short version is that, as you can imagine, we really need to rely on the departments themselves. What we're trying to do kind of from the center, if you will, is really just coordinate so that we can build tables like this. But the way that tables get constructed really has to rely on the 104 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 work of the departments themselves -- OHCD and Streets and so on and so on and so on, because they're always going to be much more expert about the funding opportunities that the Recovery represents than, you know, any kind of generalist could be. So that's where the work starts, from the work processes that they already have in place. And the reason why that is a reliable process, I hope, is because the way Congress relied on existing titles anyway for -- to kind of move this money, most of this money -- almost all of it, except for some pieces out of the energy and some about health, IT, information technology -- is coming through familiar channels anyway like CDBG, CSBG and so on and so on and so on.
I guess to Councilman Clarke's point, it would be helpful to us, particularly District Councilpeople, to begin to look at what 105 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 those wish lists are so that we know that there's a pipeline being created. I think, if I understand what Councilman Clarke's concern is, you know, what is considered shovel-ready? And then going back to the list that was requested last year, around what are priority projects? And then how does the Stimulus -- how are you looking at the Stimulus to fill in those priority projects so that we have a sense that this hasn't fallen off people's radars? So I think the issue is communicating that. Even if it is -- as Councilman Clarke said, this is a wish list.
You know, if we got the $2.6 billion, these are the projects that are almost shovel-ready that we could move on. I think that would be helpful to us, and notice you have a chart; I don't know if you're going to be willing to share that with 106 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 everybody else, but...
Well, I absolutely would; I already had shared it. And this -- but this chart is really just about the funding opportunities. It doesn't quite speak to your question, which is about, okay, so that's the funding opportunity, but what might get funded underneath that opportunity if it and when it comes through? And, you know, if you'll allow me to kind of be Council's, you know, advisor on this, my advice would be that you can really rely on -- because, again, because of the existing titles and the existing programs that Congress is using to shove this money down the road towards us, you can -- it's the same conversation you would normally have around projects and with the same people, because it's going to be the existing titles in almost every case. When -- for example, on CDBG, we 107 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 will amend the comp plan that will come before City Council --
-- so that, you know, monitoring the specifics of -- the real details that you care about that just happens to be in my chart is going to take place with the conversations you would normally have with the operating departments around their usual titles.
Okay. Well, into that regard, I think it would be important and helpful to Council, as we go through the departments, to get a list of what those projects are that potentially can be amended if additional economic money comes in. 'Cause then you could see, you know, this is Plan A. Plan B, Plan C. And since the Administration has gotten really good at that, putting for us a Plan A, and this is what happens when some of the Stimulus comes in 'cause I think it would help us kind of identify 108 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that. One of the practices that was started last year as it related to all of the departments was that we would get a listing of the minority participation. And I notice in this Capital Budget -- and I don't know if the Capital Programs Office is going to testify separately -- we did not get a report about last year's participation on minority participation in the Capital Programs Office. And I know that that was a lengthy discussion last year. So is the Capital Programs Office going to report to us? 'Cause you're asking us to support a new Capital Budget Plan, but we haven't really analyzed last year's.
(Addressing Mr. Agostino.) Do you want to speak to that?
Yes. Councilwoman, actually, Public Property has compiled those numbers. We 109 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 anticipated that you would ask for those. Last year, what happened, I think one of your colleagues asked that that be part and parcel of whatever we submitted. But we have those numbers and we'll prepare them for the Chair so that everyone can see them.
Okay. I guess -- and that's why it's kind of a little bit complicated because with all of the new organizational chart, at what point -- I guess you want us to wait -- the Capital Office ultimately is now at Public Property.
Do you want us to wait until Public Property comes up so that we can process questions?
Councilwoman, that's entirely up to you. If you want to do that now, we'd be happy to answer those questions for you.
Well, 110 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 'cause I guess my point to that is, last year, I was -- I asked a lot of pointed questions of the Capital Office, and I know we've since restructured it, so I wanted to -- so I was asking you guys, if you prefer, I can wait until Public Property comes in. No, that's fine, I can wait. But for the record, so folks are prepared, you know, one of the things that I'd like to see when the Capital Office reports is how we've restructured some of the issues related to contract. I know we've gone to the State on some restructuring issues for government and if, in fact, we've looked at our ability to do capital projects, if we've attempted to have conversations about State authorization around how -- our limitations around contracting. 'Cause I want to know what we've done as it relates to that, 'cause it was one of the big issues. And I think it goes back to Councilwoman Tasco's and 111 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Donna Reed and others around how we manage projects, and a lot of that has to do with our contracting structure and the limitations. So I'll be looking for that. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a question with regard to the Youth Study Center. And my question is -- maybe I have two questions about the Youth Study Center. One is that with regard to minority participation, I know I was invited to early meetings; that will be my second question. But during those meetings, Deputy Mayor Gillison, we talked about Macio Cummings, who happens to be here, and the Temple Group, during minority participation. But now I'm told that we're doing that a different way, that 112 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 it's going through the City's EOP Program. I'm just asking how we're handling minority participation. DEPT.
And good morning, Madam Chair. Everett Gillison, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. What we are doing, Councilwoman, is to make sure that we are consistent. The EOP is being made a part of the Youth Study Center bidding process so that we can start to have a mechanism for making sure that our goals are part of the contracting issues. That has already been accepted. It's obviously been worked with the Temple Group, who is the CM on the entire project. And so we are just making sure that our EOP is part of the bidding process. As you know, we had a 113 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 preconstruction meeting, I believe, just last week to make sure that persons -- both women, minority contractors and everyone in the neighborhood -- would be able to understand what the opportunities will be at the Youth Study Center coming up. And we're hoping to go to putting out bids rather shortly so we can move that project along.
Thank you. My other question is: Last week, I received -- I did not know about that meeting, and someone brought me a copy of a list that had no blacks, no 17 blacks, no blacks, no blacks, no blacks, no blacks all the way down. And then they said there was an additional page on front with speakers and that I was listed and that I didn't come, nor did anybody from my office, and that that was announced at a public meeting. Now, obviously, you know, I don't do that. I try to attend meetings, 114 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 but I didn't know about it. Nor would I ever want my community to think I wouldn't participate. And why would I not even want to participate in minority inclusion. So I don't know how that happens, but I wanted to mention that, because if I was written in even on the agenda, which I haven't received -- I was told I was -- then, you know, I'd like us to work more closely together so that doesn't happen. Like I said, I heard I was criticized. "Not only is she not here, but she didn't have anybody from her staff here," when I didn't know anything about it. DEPT.
Well, Councilwoman, I mean, as you know, you and I and the Administration, and we have been working hand in hand to make sure this project moves forward. We look forward to continuing that relationship. I am not aware of the piece of 115 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 paper, nor am I aware of the contact or the information that you're referring to, but I'll be glad to look into it and find out what I can about it.
Thank you, Madam President. Under the section that would allow property acquisition for economic- development organizations, my first question is in the category of Redevelopment Authority or PIDC. How much commercial property is in their inventory, and what is its worth, and what is its projected ability to create tax revenue for the City of 116 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Philadelphia? I asked this question before, and we agreed that it was more appropriate under the Capital Budget portion.
Okay, let me just see if RDA is here. (Witness comes forward.)
My name's Tom Dalfo. I'm with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. Pardon me. I'm a bit under the weather. Our total industrial and commercial inventory right now is approximately 250 acres of property. And it's -- the value -- to some extent, it's a little bit based upon what its potential reuse is, 'cause not all of it, despite the fact that it was purchased for industrial purposes, is probably going to end up being developed that way, is about, on average, about a $100,000 an acre. So 117 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 at 250 acres, that would be about -- $25 million or so would be its value right now
million. 6 And out of that, how much is ready for 7 disposition, ready to be purchased, 8 developed. 9
Okay. And 12 you subtract Parkside, Hunting Park 13 possibly, and American Street, what's 14 left in particular districts around the 15 City of Philadelphia out of that 200 16 acres? 17
If you take 19 our big, industrial parks out of it, 20 what's available? 21
Oh, if you take out 22 our five industrial parks out of it, then 23 there's essentially nothing left. 24 That's -- all of our -- our 25 industrial inventory doesn't represent 118 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the entire industrial inventory for the City; it's just the piece that we own on behalf of the City of Philadelphia.
Do you hold or does the Redevelopment Authority hold its own property?
We hold property through the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development.
Is the Redevelopment Authority available to answer my question?
I was going to offer that. I think we may have to get back to you on that one 'cause I've not seen representatives here.
I know you're new, but "I'll get back to you on that" 119 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 is like one of those questions that -- you know, answers that kind of irk Council people.
How about, I'll talk to somebody in RDA and get you an answer.
'Cause I asked that question before in the Five-Year Plan.
And we have not gotten a answer yet. And I think if we're looking at the possibility of raising taxes on the average citizen, I want to know what we have available to develop so that we know what portion the City can contribute to development and defray some of that potential increase.
And I can tell you, Councilman, also that the Planning Commission has been working with the RDA starting to examine exactly that question: What holdings do they have? 120 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 what are they worth? which ones are worth selling? which ones are worth redevelopment? But I don't have any numbers in front of me to tell you right now.
It would be additionally helpful if you could break that down by Council District.
Excuse me, Councilman. Councilman Green, do you have a point of information?
Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Mr. Greenberger, you just testified that you're working with the RDA to determine where their properties are, what their properties are worth, which of their properties are ready for 121 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 development. Is it your testimony that the RDA does not know the answer to those questions?
Well, you know, somebody -- I mean, I don't understand. What do you -- if they know, then what are you working on with them?
Well, we're looking at -- from the Planning Commission's point of view, we're looking at specific areas and trying to understand sort of in master plan terms how these areas might develop. Some of the properties that are included in the master plan are RDA properties.
Other ones are held by other public entities. And then, of course, the vast majority is held private entity. So from the Commission's point of view, we're simply trying to get a 122 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 hold of exactly in cumulative total what kind of properties might be available and how that impacts a master plan.
Have they shared all of that information? If they have the information, have they shared that with you?
They are -- we have maps that are in our geographic information systems that show who owns what, but we're not convinced that they're reliable enough, that they need to be resurveyed. And so, we're going back to the various departments to make sure that our maps are correct, and I just don't have an answer for you yet as to whether they are -- how accurate they are.
Okay. So before we leave here today, to Councilman Jones's point, could someone from the RDA 123 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 come and answer his questions and answer my questions about whether they know to the answers to the questions that you are working on?
And I'll be happy to sit here as long as it takes so that we can get those answers. Thank you.
Under Capital Programs, you have $8,750,000 carried over for neighborhood commercial centers and site improvements. What does that represent, and how old is that project?
Bear with me a 124 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 second.
There's an additional, what, 17.7 million carried over from FY '08 as well. And I'm trying to find out what the --
Right. Yeah, it starts on -- well, yeah, line 13 starts on 27 and runs through -- well, 14 you're just talking about commercial 15 corridors, right? So it runs through 16 17-E. Just bear with us a second sorry. 17 If this was the Oscars, I'd have to fill air time here, but, uh...
I think we'd rather give you the right answer than the 125 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 fast answer. (Witness comes forward.)
Yes, Councilmember Jones. I'm sorry, we were just going through this 'cause there are some different sources here. So when you see (indiscernible) of State funds and City funds and the ones that are held over, the ones that are remaining, I think the 1.7 -- the 1.7 is for lower Germantown for improvements there. And the remainder -- as you know, there's a number of all of the corridors in the City where we have different sources that are going to them, which we're happy to go through. But, as you know, we have funds allocated -- we have funds that have been allocated and will be -- this represents just a portion of them because they're not General Funds but that are going out for all of the different corridors in the City, as you know: Lansdowne Avenue, Passyunk, Market Street, a whole number of corridors in 126 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the City. This represents -- in terms of the unallocated, there's about $2 million that would go to -- about 1.7 would go to lower Germantown. And there's another site also on 1325 Germantown Avenue that PIDC is involved in that results in the $2 million that we're talking about here.
And the reason why I say this is not so much -- and I don't want to paint the picture that each District Councilperson is worried about their own commercial corridors, but we might be helpful in alerting merchants that, if we're doing site improvements, that there may be a disruption in business flow.
And our partnership with you can give them forewarned ability to kind of adjust 127 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 their businesses accordingly.
Right. No, absolutely. And, Councilman, what I wanted to indicate is that, you know, the Capital Budget for commercial corridors really only reflects a portion of, as you know, the overall commercial-corridor money, so most of that money is still remaining from the commercial-corridor bond issue, commercial corridors, which, as I said earlier, most of those funds should be distributed between now -- or projects would be completed between now and January because, actually, per their bond requirements, they need to go out. And so, you know -- and this represents a portion of it, and we'd be happy to go through that whole schedule with you if you need to.
That and also the age of it. And I understand that Public Property and other departments have been decimated by way of their 128 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 ability to reduce to the budgets that you guys have made for them. But I need to know what that -- what impact does that have on your ability to bid projects, to execute those projects. And then in light of the Stimulus Package -- God knows when that comes -- how we ramp up to be able to handle that.
And that's a repetitive theme by myself and other members of Council. So we want to take a look at how, in the real world, we get this stuff done.
You're welcome. Mr. Altman, do you mind staying at the witness table. I have a question. Line 18-1. Can you tell us how 129 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the $1,135,000,000 in CM Funds are going to be spent? 18-1.
Just so we clarify. Yes. And also PIDC is here because they are the organization that is the -- implementing these. We have a series of Navy Yard improvements; they're mostly in the way of infrastructure improvements. Obviously, there's seawall, improvement there are some greenway improvements, as well as site improvements. Some of these -- for example, there's about a million dollars that's allocated for some improvements around Tasty Bake [sic] site; you know, their new building is being constructed. There's some streetscape improvements. There are about five blocks along the riverfront where there will be 130 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 a greenway as part of a sort of build-out of many of the pedestrian paths and walkways along the waterfront. And the 2 million for the seawall, there's an historic seawall structure that's in danger of collapsing, so that needs to be shored up as part of the improvements. I mean, this is part of the ongoing -- I think what happens is, every year, they're trying to allocate a certain amount of capital improvements so that we can continue to prepare the Navy Yard for development.
Thank you. And from what I believe I heard Mr. Hughes say, that this is one of the projects that could possibly be considered under the Stimulus Program?
Absolutely. I mean, the Navy Yard, we think, can be a potential recipient of a number of the different flows of funds that Mark Allen 131 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Hughes was talking about -- everything from -- and I'm just going through the lists. There are brownfield remediation funds that's a competitive grant that we can apply for, that maybe we would be able to use here. There are research dollars out there to create innovative-energy centers in the country. And we believe the Navy Yard is a perfect place for what's called "a center for distributive energy," which is to actually study how to have a more efficient system for the distribution and management of energy because it's a city within a city. It would be about a $60 million project that PIDC and the City are actively pursuing to make it a research center. So the Navy Yard offers a lot there are a lot of -- there are a lot of different pots here that we can be looking at to try to bring to the Navy Yard.
Great. 132 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Thank you very much. Mr. Hughes, is there anything you would like to add?
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to ask a question about , and that is Penn's Landing improvements. In particular, can someone explain to me where the money -- the 24A, where that 2.7 million is going and... (Witness comes forward.)
Joe Brooks here, from the Delaware Waterfront Corporation will explain that to you. 133 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Thank you, Councilman Green. That $2.7 million represents money from previous fiscal years, FY '09 dollars, I believe. Correct?
Okay. The breakdown is as follows. We had set aside a million dollars for Penn's Landing site- improvement projects, and that was new sewer, public fountain, new equipment for the ice-skating rink at Penn's Landing. We have spent of that money about $82,000 for the sewer line, $230,000 for Great Plaza rehabilitation. An additional 700,000 was set aside for infrastructure improvements to the piles underneath the Great Plaza, a new roof for Pier 9, a composite-sheeting system on the seawall. And of that 700,000 134 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 allotment, we've spent $130,000 of it on a new roof for Pier 9. The final component, about a million dollars set-aside, was for dredging in our marina. We've spent about 700,000 of that, and DRWC fronted some of those monies. So we've incurred about $1,249,000 of that 2.7. We anticipate spending the balance of that, which, I think, breaks out to $1,450,000 on the projects we weren't able to complete with the first allotment. So of the 2.7, we spent 1249. We anticipate drawing down the next 1,450,00 and spending all of that before calendar year 2009 is out on the projects that we weren't able to complete in the previous fiscal year.
It sounds 135 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 like 24-A should be 1,450,00 not 2.7? In other words, you're saying you spent -- of the 2.7, you spent a million.
Okay. So forget what you spent. What's the 2.7 going to be used for?
To pay us back for the money that we had spent and to fund the balance of the projects that we --
Well, it's -- DRWC had fronted those City capital dollars in anticipation of those dollars coming in. The contract was not executed and --
Okay. So once we give you that money, the 2.7, some of which -- 136 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
But even though it's a reimbursement, my question is: How will the 2.7, even though 1.3 of it is a reimbursement, be spent? How are you spending the 2.7 million -- operating, improving? You know.
Councilman, hi. Joe Forken with DRWC. The 2.7 is an existing contact, a city capital contract, and rolled forward. So what Joe was saying was that 1.3 was spent. The existing --
Oh, my name is Joe Forken. 137 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
The remaining 1.4 million of the 2.7 million contract will be spent on the remaining site improvements that were improved in the 2009 Capital Budget.
I'll give that you list; I have it here. And they are: The main-site pile improvement, that was a five-year program, and this was Year 3 of that program that prepares 41 piles a year underneath the main Penn's Landing site. It's the composite sheeting program to protect the marina from silting. It's high-voltage switch gear and power generation for the main Penn's Landing site. It's the replacement of the river and coil system. 138 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 And the remaining of the dredging money for the 300,000 left in dredging.
Okay. So it's your testimony that this 2.7 million will only be spent on those things you just mentioned, and they will all be spent in 2010, as the Five-Year Plan shows.
Okay, thank you. So under 24-2, it's Pier 11 North infrastructure improvements. You've got 1.35 million of CA funds, which I have to remind myself what that is, prefinance loans. What are those dollars going to be spent for?
The Pier 11 program is 750,000 in substructure repairs and improvements to the pier to stabilize the pier and another $600,000 to implement the public park.
Are you aware 139 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 of a engineering study done by a group of former marines who wanted to use private money to make the pier safe, and in that engineering study, the estimate of repairing the pier to make it possible for, you know, development was $2 million?
Councilman, I believe that was a part of the Ton Tavern proposed project, and that 2 million that would be needed to reinforce the bottom of the pier would be for a large building, a load structure that is not currently envisioned for the plans for Pier 11, which is a passive public park. So if, you were going to build the building that was originally discussed, I think, as far as back as '02 and '03, you needed a higher load capacity. I mean, you needed to put more dollars into the substructure. What's envisioned now at Pier 11, again, is a public park. We think the existing dollars that we're 140 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 requesting delivers the load capacities that you need to deliver the park.
Just to close this loop, Madam President, if that's okay? Who's the prefinance loan from? Is that City dollars, or is that from an outside source or...
Okay. And I thought the William Penn Foundation was putting money into that project. I don't see any private source, PB, PO, or PT under that category. How much foundation money will we be spending on Pier 11, and why isn't that reflected in the Capital Budget?
There is private support for both Pier 11 and the Master Plan project. William Penn has pledged a million dollars for both of those programs. At the time, when we had done 141 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the -- Pier 11, I'm sorry. Pier is estimated to be about a $4 million project. So at the time when we did this capital budget, the William Penn money was not yet approved, the grant was not yet approved. And most of that money will go towards the build-out portion of both park and Master Plan.
Okay. So 11 it's a R4 million; you've a million-350 slated for it plus a million?
Plus a million from William Penn and then other sources that the grant process is going very well with.
We have application into the State, for example, for funding. We're very hopeful that we'll receive that.
That could potentially be another million dollars. And we're pursuing a couple of other foundations to -- following behind 142 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 William Penn, are looking to make investments in the waterfront to help close the gap. But what we're doing now -- what this first money is allow us to do the more detailed costing of this so we know exactly what we're raising money for in terms of what we build, because we also have to bring on landscape architects, and we have an RFP -- the Waterfront Corporation has an RFP out to bring in architects so we know what the design is and we know what the total cost of the project is.
Okay. But, you know, I would like reflected in the Capital Plan what the actual plan is that you know about. And if it's 4 million bucks, the Capital Plan you're asking us to approve should say $4 million, even if you're not exactly sure, you know, where the money is coming from. You know, expected grant-funding should be reflected here in this Capital Plan so 143 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that people know the true cost of what it is you're asking us to approve. You know, it looks like a million-350, and it's $4 million. And then that sort of -- the broader question is: When we have an opportunity for a public-private partnership -- and I dropped the ball on this, Deputy Mayor Altman, because you did agree to meet with the former marines, and I have not set up that appointment yet. But if we have somebody willing to spend their own money to renovate the pier. Which will allow public access and green space but will also have an attraction on it that will draw people down to the waterfront, why would we not use private fund and then use grant dollars for the rest of the waterfront plan?
Well, again, as I said, I'd be happy to meet and see what the plan is. I mean -- 144 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
It sounds like they're aware of the plan and you were not when we last spoke, so I would like for them to answer the question.
Councilman, we were aware of the Ton Tavern plan I think as far as back as 2002, 2003, and it was a partnership between old, retired marines. But when we were in discussion with those folks for Pier 11, that partnership broke up. And I believe it was -- Kevin Flynn was one portion, and another portion of marines went the other way. And they weren't a unified body at that point. And then the project seemed to founder and lose --
It's my understanding that the reason the project didn't happen is because they offered to take the pier off your hands, do $2 million of improvements on it, and have something open to the public. And what happened was, the 145 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Penn's Landing Corporation at the time, or whoever controlled the property, said, No, we want $750,000 for a pier that we're now going to spend $4 million improving. So, I mean, it's something that I think we need to look at more deeply.
That's all the questions I have for now, Madam President.
And I'll be glad to close the information gap on that. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam President. I'll be relatively quick 'cause I think we're going to break shortly. Two quick questions. One, 146 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Mr. Hughes, while you come up, I just want to ask a quick question about the neighbor commercial corridor money under the NTI, the number, the amount that's available. And is there a timeline? I know that some of those bonds had timelines in terms of spending.
Yeah. And, actually, I'm just not familiar enough with the question you're asking to actually know the answer myself.
For the streetscape -- the neighborhood commercial corridor streetscape dollars. I know we had done a number of bonds.
And the question is: How much is available? And is there a timeline on the expenditures?
I know there was some timelines on some of the bonds we did, and I just wanted to make sure we're not in jeopardy of losing the 147 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 opportunity.
Right. On the commercial corridor bonds, we have about -- I want to say it's about $30 million outstanding that is all scheduled. And as I was saying to Councilman Jones earlier, that needs to be spent by -- before the 1st of next year. And those are all on schedule to be completed. All of those have been identified.
Yeah. There are a couple that -- what we've done is, we've gone through literally line by line every one of the proposed streetscape expenditures. There are a couple that we think may be problematic in terms of being able to spend those funds in time, and we need to sit down and go through those. It's a small -- it's probably -- of the 30 million, maybe 2 million of 148 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that total might be at risk, and we'll sit down with a couple of Councilmembers in the districts where we think that is and look at where we need to reprogram those maybe to, you know, augment a program that's doing well, for example.
Will there be the possibility of any of that money needing to be reprogrammed to reflect some Stimulus dollars that may be made available? 'Cause it is an infrastructure project.
I know earlier we were talking about some of the CDBG and the Comp Plan, and we may decide that we want to alter that. Will we be in a position to do that? 'cause I know it's such a long lead time in terms of bid solicitations and lining up these projects.
We could look at that. I mean, the other question is whether you just -- you know, if there's 149 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 an existing project that's going, you know, well in a particular streetscape and maybe it's a one or two blocks short and you have a contract in place, you may want to extend it or do more. So we can go through it. (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
I want to make sure that we understand -- I don't know if they need the Stimulus dollars. I assume they don't require a match, but we want the make sure that if there's an opportunity, we don't get caught short.
Yeah. We want to make sure that we maximize our opportunity. Real quick. Mr. Hughs, you gave us this sheet; is it okay if we talk about this?
It wasn't 150 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 publicly distributed, so just I wanted to make sure. On here, you have approximately eligible projects or opportunities, 6 and half of them appear to have a 7 deadline that's within 30 days. And so, 8 should I feel comfortable that these that 9 are in the 30-day timeline, we're going 10 to be okay in terms of meeting those 11 deadlines? 12
Yes, Councilman. 13 That -- my favorite column on that chart 14 before you is the last one, which is 15 local lead. So that there is a deputy 16 mayor and an operating department on each 17 of these -- 18
Yeah. 23 (Indiscernible; parties talking 24 over each other.) 25
No, that's right. 151 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Those are people's initials and department initials so the people who've been tasked are assigned for the follow-up for and meeting those deadlines.
I just want to get a little clarity on this. Sorry for members who don't have a copy of this. It has the U.S. department responsible for distributing the funds. And then you have the funding opportunity, then you have the amount, and then you have dollars listed. Is this the City's request in the third column?
Above that blank row -- and I am sorry. This -- since this isn't really a Capital Budget document, I didn't intend to discuss it, but I'm happy to -- I don't want take 152 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 time away from this, but I'm happy to answer this question, which is that above the blank row is largely formula or other kinds of funding that has been settled. So the amount in the third column above the blank row is the specific amount that will be coming to the city.
Yeah. (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
Below the blank row, that's really a pool of funds that's national.
So we have identified how much money we think we should be eligible for.
That's what our applications will say. We'll be asking for a specific amount. That's right. But we don't know -- see, we 153 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 can't budget around it 'cause we don't know what we will win. We may win less, we may win --
No, we won't -- no, that's why those dates are in there. We won't ask for them until the dates, until the deadline.
Well, almost all the ones that are available now are above that blank row. We've already received those funds.
And then you got one below that. 154 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
That's right. And so under EDA, when it says "available now," that's actually rolling. So there really is no deadline for that. So we're at work on --
So there's no deadline. We can apply but it is -- the money will run out at some point.
Yeah. All right. (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
'Cause, see, I hate to belabor the point, but it's kind of confusing. In one breath, you say that we're not there, we don't know what's going on. Then now I'm seeing, based on your chart, we've actually already submitted requests for money.
So how can we have submitted requests for money if we don't know what we should be asking 155 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 for.
That's a very good question. And let me try to answer that one again, because it is a good question and it's difficult, which is that the recovery is not one thing.
It's many, many, many different things. And so the answer of what we know about or what we don't know is just different, depending on which row of the chart that we're talking about. So for many things, we still don't know; but for some things, we do know. And for even some -- now, let me give you an example, if I may, to further complicate this. Even for things that we do know --
You're doing a good job of that. Go ahead. (Laughter.)
And that's really 156 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the message, right? The fifth row, CDBG, there's something we know: We know the amount because it's allocated by formula.
But the special guidance and regulations that will determine how we can spend those $14 million has still not been issued by HUD.
So we don't know the "on what"; we just know the "how much." Now, for the streets one --
So, all right. (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
Yeah, I'm saying 'cause we I've heard several questions about how much money are we going to get.
And when you 157 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 look at this, you say we have a sense of how much money we're going to get. But then in your testimony or earlier statement, you said we have no idea 'cause you don't know --
I know it's complicated. Let me try again. That's why the very first thing on this chart is the date, today's date. First of all, it changes every day.
Second of all, we do know about the eight lines above the blank row; we don't know about the eighteen lines below the blank row. We know some things, we don't know others. We're trying to figure 'em out as fast as we can. Usually -- I mean, in almost every case, the reason we don't know something is because somebody in Washington hasn't made the decision yet.
But we know what we're asking for according to this. 158 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Has there been an official ask? I mean, have we actually asked for it or have we submitted something?
You know what, let me wait until the break, and then we can -- I can have a better sense of what I want to ask you and you can have a better sense of how you're going to answer it.
'Cause this has been going on for a minute plus my -- the bell rang so I got to --
And, Mr. Hughes, we're going to be breaking for lunch, but I think it would be very helpful if each of the Councilmembers, when we got back, would be given a copy 159 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 of that sheet before you.
Sure. That's my pleasure. Thank you. I'm happy to distribute that. Thank you.
Thank you. Who has a point of information? The Chair recognizes Councilman Green for a point of information.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would just like to ask Mr. Agostino to, after the break, be prepared to answer the questions that I asked during my first session so that we can have answers to those relatively simple questions here today. Thank you.
I'm sorry? 160 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
I'm sorry, Councilmember, but I will not have them this afternoon.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The issue with that, Mr. Agostino, is that last year, during your budget testimony and in written communications to the President, you said that that information would be forthcoming as of a certain time. And now what you're saying is, "We'll get it to you," and it's the same thing that was said last year at this time, and it's not acceptable. You've had a year.
Councilmember, that is not what I said. What I said is that we would get back to you today with an answer to your question. And I'm sorry that you're unable to wait an 161 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 afternoon or a day for that.
Thank you. You'll get back to me today. I appreciate that. That's the first I heard that.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I really wish we could have a more meaningful discussion and cooperation than seems to be reflected in some members of the Administration who are testifying here today.
Thank you. The committee will stand in recess until 1:15. Thank you. (Lunch break taken.) * * * 162 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 (Proceedings resume after lunch break.) (Second-shift stenographer Michele Murphy relieves first-shift stenographer Josephine Cardillo.)
The Committee is now back in session. May I ask what the status is of the new Youth Study Center? Have the bonds been issued?
I think we can reiterate that, sure. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Gary Knappick, Madam President.
Please identify yourself for the record so the stenographer knows who you are. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Gary Knappick, Madam President. Youth Study Center has been issued for bids. The bid questionnaires, which will be the qualification for the contractors, are due on March 31st, and on April 28th -- let me make sure that's 163 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 correct. Yes, April 28th we will be receiving the bids. At that time, we'll know who the contractors are and we'll know the dollar amount.
And then directly to your question, the bonds have not been issued yet. There's a meeting actually this Thursday with PNC Bank to sort of initiate that process.
How much Act 71 funding has been spent on this project?
He, of course, doesn't know off the top of his head, but he's going to dig into his material and find it today and hopefully have an answer before this session is closed.
Thank you. And can you tell us if the City will reimburse itself out of the bond proceeds for the Act 71 funds? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: 164 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 That's the plan.
And that being the case, how will these funds be used and are they budgeted? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Chris Donato will speak to that.
Oh, yes. I was asked by the stenographer to remind all the people in my side to make sure to say your name, because she needs to hear for the first time.
Pull the microphone closer, please. Thank you. 165 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Those funds are not yet budgeted in the program, and there are no projects yet identified for the use of those funds.
There are no 9 projects that are yet identified for those funds.
Madam President, you reminded me, and I don't want to steal Councilman Jones' thunder, but I'll ask the question. The commitment that the Administration made to Council and to the near neighbors of the temporary facility, am I starting to hear that we might not make the schedule to be out of there, the 166 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 temporary facility? (Witness approached witness table.) DEPUTY
Good afternoon, Madam President, and good afternoon, Councilman Rizzo. No. We are still going forward on our timeline, both the timeline that I have made public to both the Councilman, Councilman Jones, and also to Councilwoman Blackwell and as well as everyone, is that we are still on target.
Could you for the record tell us the dates that we committed to be out of there? DEPUTY
We are trying to make sure that we start the project no later than the end of June or early July, and we're looking at a two-year build process. We want to have a shakedown period sometime beginning in July of 2011 and then get into the building no later than October of that year. 167 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
And that temporary facility is currently a state facility? DEPUTY
We have committed to that building being turned over to the community in that area, and the ultimate reuse is going to be part and parcel of a bigger plan that City Planning is actually coming up with working in conjunction with the neighbors that are out there. That's something we've also been working with very diligently with Councilman Jones.
I'd appreciate being communicated with also with that information.
Councilman, I can mention to you that about a month ago we received notice that we were receiving a grant from the state to do the plan for 168 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that area, and in that proposal, it particularly cites that parcel as needing special attention for reuse.
Thank you. Sounds like you're on top of it. Thanks. DEPUTY
You're welcome, sir. The Division of Technology, , network infrastructure stabilization and enhancement, will someone please explain what this means and how the $3.6 million in new funds will be used?
Oh, 40. Sorry. Is Allan Frank here to answer 169 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 for this? (No response.)
Can we come back to that question? We'll see if we can get Allan Frank in to talk about that.
Very well. Under the Fire Department, Lines 31 and 31-A, fire computer communication system improvements, total of $4 million in CR operating revenue. Where are these funds budgeted for in the Operating Budget and what is their funding source?
Line 31-A is a carryover from FY09. Can you tell us why haven't these funds been 170 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 spent?
Council President, we're going to ask Frank Punzo from Public Property to come and answer that question.
All right. What we'll do is, we'll go back to that. We're not going to wait.
The Free Library, the total amount requested 171 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 for the Library in the FY2010 Capital Budget is $14,000,687, of which only 965,000 is new funding. The balance of the 13,722,000 goes as far back as 2002. Why does it take so long for us to spend this money?
We're going -- I'm sorry. We're probably -- I'd like to have someone from the Library come talk to that.
We'll come back to that, too. Would I dare go to the Health Department? Would somebody be here? MR. McPHERSON: Give it a go.
Great. Lines 37 and 37-A are for Health Department equipment and repair, and each 172 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 line is requesting $1.8 million in CR funding. What is the source of these funds and where is it budgeted in the Operating Budget? (Witness approached witness table.)
Don Schwarz, Deputy Mayor for Health and Opportunity and the Commissioner --
Good afternoon. I believe that these are two items. Most of this is for the Philadelphia Nursing Home. It has to do with boilers and other equipment, I believe. No. 19
It would be Lines 37 and 37-A, Doctor. I believe it's .
I'm being told that the Nursing Home is separate. 173 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Council President, I believe these are reimbursements from the state that are then allowed to be appropriated in the Capital Budget for various improvements at health centers, and the maximum amount that we've received in prior years was that 1.8 million.
No. 13 That's each line is requesting. Is it a grant?
It's not a grant per se. I don't know the details behind it, but the Health Department let's us know when they've gotten the reimbursements and then we allocate the funds in the budget. It's generally used for equipment and renovations at the health centers.
I can get more 174 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 details --
Okay. We'll get back to that one, too. Line 37-A is a carryover from FY09. Can you tell us why haven't these funds been spent?
And I would also like an explanation, please, of the previous question in the Health Department.
Thank 175 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 you.
Council President, I have the detail line by line, so I can make it available to you, I can recite it for the record, whatever you would prefer.
Doctor, perhaps we can have copies made and distributed.
Absolutely. I believe that the source of most of this funding is previous years' capital that hasn't been expensed.
Council President, I was informed too that the reimbursements from the state usually occur in May or June and, therefore, the new Line 37 stays unfunded until May or June of this year, and then it carries forward into next year. And that's when 176 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the funds are normally used. If they're not, then that's lapsed. So that's why you'll see two lines, one for FY10 and one to carry forward the funds that we'll get in May or June of this year.
We're going to take your word for that. We'll take your word for that.
I can provide a written summary for you that makes it more clear.
Please. Thank you. The Chair at this time recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
I see that two of the answers just walked in to two of your questions.
Okay. We'll 177 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 wait on those later. That's fine.
Thank you, Madam President. I'll put my question in context. There was an article in the Daily News on March 17th that talked about a contractor in North Philadelphia. He employs African American men and is 12 one of several African American 13 contractors that protested outside of the 14 Convention Center after being shut out of 15 the contracts. When questioned by the Daily News, Mr. Keating, the general contractor for the expansion effort, said, and I quote, "If I have a $500,000 masonry job, I actually think of five guys who can do a job like that. These are guys who have a track record with me," end quote. The reality is, the City no 24 longer has a reach to the Convention Center because we signed off on that once 178 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 they consented to the EOP plan. The broader question is, with all of the infrastructure dollars being proposed, like the $7.5 million to the Navy Yard, 3.6 million to upgrade prisons and $630,000 to renovate health centers, what procedures or processes are in place that will help achieve Mayor Nutter's goal of increasing minority inclusion from 11 percent to 32 percent? Is OEO at the 12 table? Is the Office of Equal 13 Opportunity at your table? 14 (Witness approached witness 15 table.) 16
I was 17 referencing the general contractor who 18 had a legitimate complaint against 19 Mr. Keating, and that's a private sector 20 piece and Council no longer has a reach with that, but government has to lead by example, and so when we look at the infrastructure dollars that are slated to be spent, 7.5 million to the Navy Yard, 3.6 million to upgrade prisons, $630,000 179 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 to renovate health centers, and we look at these pending stimulus dollars, how or what do you have in place that sort of ensures inclusion, thus helping the Mayor achieve his goal of raising the numbers from percent to 32 percent? 8 DEPUTY
Andy 9 Altman, Deputy Mayor for Planning and 10 Economic Development. 11 I'll speak today related to the 12 Office of Economic Opportunity, which 13 is -- we're under the -- within the 14 Commerce Department now, coordinating 15 with Commerce. As you know, Michael Bell 16 is the Director of the Office of Equal 17 Opportunity. 18 We are -- I think the answer to 19 your question, there are two answers. 20 One is, on the local dollars, which is on our capital dollars, the Mayor has convened an office -- an economic opportunity cabinet, and the importance of that is that all of the Deputy Mayors and the Finance Director, the City 180 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Solicitor and Chief Integrity Officer and a number of other members of the cabinet are all part of this, and we are -- the Mayor is holding us accountable to make sure that as these dollars are going out, we are doing everything at the Office of Economic Opportunity, which staffs that cabinet, is bringing forward before the list of all major contracts to make sure that we're meeting goals; in other words, of all the pending dollars that will go out, setting goals and targets with each of the departments, and then the Mayor is holding them accountable to those accounts. Now, on some of the stimulus dollars, I can't speak to all of those, because many of those are dictated by federal guidelines and federal participation. So those dollars that go to the airport or dollars that go through formula through the state, for infrastructure dollars, they tend to be governed by a different set of 181 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 regulations. We're still interacting with them, but there it's less -- it's more they have goals that are set, and our role then is more how do we get people into the pipeline of the opportunities that are created through those new investments.
Okay. Well, if you look at the numbers -- well, let me ask a different question. Is OEO at the table of the Planning Commission? Where I see a number of departments that sit with you, Office of Budget, Programming Evaluation, Department of Public Property, the MDO's Office, is the Office of Equal Opportunity at that table, the Planning Commissioner?
Are you asking are they a member of the Planning 182 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Commission?
Yes. Are they at the table as decisions are made around these capital expenditures?
Okay. Here's a fact that you should be aware of: In 2008, the Capital Program Office, total contract, $24 million, and the amount -- the goal, of course, was -- MBE/WBE dollars were 4 million. The goal was 25 percent. The actual activity was percent, which means the Capital 16 Program Office fell six percent below its 17 goal. 18 (Bell rung.)
With each of the departments that are coming before us as we go through this budget process, a letter is going to go to the Mayor asking departments to come prepared to tell us how you're spending City dollars when it comes to MBE/WBE activity. And 183 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 when I look at 2008, it's abysmal. So it starts with leadership. It starts with leadership at those collaborative sessions making it clear if we're going to be serious about this inclusionary goal, then these numbers really need to begin to look different. So I'm putting that on the record and expecting that when individual departments come before us, you're telling us either what you're doing internally to meet those goals and/or what the numbers are. We have a long way to go. DEPUTY
And I just want to say, Councilmember, we agree and that's why we've restructured this to create the Office of Economic Opportunity and create this equal opportunity cabinet, so that it's been elevated and the Mayor's attention, all the Deputy Mayors, we're literally doing -- going through those numbers, how can we increase those this year, be more 184 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 aggressive and having OEO at the table in those decisions.
Okay. My only final comment is, I am sensitive to the fact that new leadership is new leadership, but there are people in government who have been there for years and are okay with the status quo. So the expectation is with this new goal, that the new leadership will make it plain and make it clear the numbers need to look different. There's some departments I could call out but won't and where it's not new leadership. So it's despicable that we are still having -- Councilman Goode has introduced three dozen bills that deal with inclusion, and unless we raise it here and look at numbers and put them on the record, nothing happens. So it needs to be understood with the new leadership that we're serious about moving the needle. Thank you very much, gentlemen. 185 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam President. I wanted to add one thing that I think is important, going back to the earlier discussion before our break. I think it's real important that the Administration understand that we have some questions that we expect to be answered before we approve this budget, and I think that we are trying -- the fact that we're asking some of these questions I think goes back to the lack of information or communication that's coming from some of the departments. So if this is the only place where we have to ask those questions, this is where we're going to ask them, but I think it's important that for the purposes of the Administration, that they review some of 186 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the large, what I call, large-ticket items that we talked about last year, so that as these departments come forward -- the minority participation being one that we talked about last year that's really important, and we're talking about $2 billion in capital -- those questions should be part of the presentation and for the record. So I think it's important. I wanted to go to the issue of -- and I'm very encouraged by the investment in commercial corridors, but I think for my purposes, it would be very important to look at this Capital Budget from what's carryover, because I think on one hand, we say to folks, money is tight; on the other hand, the Administration has publicly put out some monies for some infrastructure investments, and folks ask me all the time, do we have money, do we not have money. For my purposes, I think it 187 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 will be important that as the list that we requested before around projects by Council District, that we be very specific to what is carryover money and what is new money so that it's clear for us in terms of analyzing the information. Because if you look at this 2010 number, for instance, in some of these investments, it's kind of not in the context of how much of that was leftover money. And so my question specifically is, we're making significant infrastructure investments in our commercial corridors. What are we doing with infrastructure investments for our manufacturers? One of the things that I've heard from the manufacturers -- I have about 6,500 jobs in the district -- is, what is the City's articulated plan, especially with the economic stimulus, for helping manufacturers retain jobs and potentially expand jobs?
I can answer 188 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 a piece of that question, and if we need some more people here, we'll do that. One of the things that we're doing in conjunction with PIDC at the moment is something called the Industrial Land Survey, and essentially that's a comprehensive -- we just saw an interim presentation about it actually this last week, a few days ago. What that is attempting to do is to go through every major industrial corridor in the City. We have about, inclusive of airports -- well, let's do it the other way. Exclusive of airports, 17,000 acres of industrially zoned land, and the consultant team is methodically going through at least 90 percent of that that exists within sort of known industrial areas that the City has identified as such, is identifying who are the businesses that are there, what's active, which buildings are used, which buildings are vacant, how much land is fallow, how much land is in use. And then another 189 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 piece of the consulting team is looking at questions of, well, what are they doing, in what areas is the industrial use happening, which of them are stronger relative to peer cities, which of them are weaker. And the ultimate goal of the study is to start to coordinate which are the industrial segments of the -- which of them are the strongest, which needs support, are they in the right location and is there a better strategy for how to identify them and identify where they ought to be to get sort of the maximum synergy out of uses. Right now it's market driven. People are where they are. This is an attempt to coordinate, use the industrial land we have better, presumably also identify land that is not appropriate anymore for such uses and to start to concentrate these areas a little better, with the belief that they will be more productive and be able to attract more like businesses. That study will be done in approximately June or July. 190 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
I think one of the things that's important to note is, we've designated lands KOZs and others, and I think that we have to use the stimulus as an opportunity, especially where we got to convert brown fields for future development, I'd like to see an articulated plan in terms of what we're going to do with those sites that I believe is ripe for development. With the issue of the planning -- and I think this is very important -- I happen to be the beneficiary -- and I had this conversation with Mr. Altman -- recently of six Wachovia planning grants, recipients who are anywhere between year one and year ten, and it is very important that any consultants looking at redevelopment of these sites meet with the stakeholders, who in many cases have created an infrastructure for development, whose plans need to be somehow recognized by the Planning 191 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Commission in some part or in totality, because unlike your consultant who is going to come in and say this is highest and best use, they've actually done a neighborhood process with community input about what the community would like to see around when we do these conversions. So I think there needs to be strength in communication between the planning and these folks who are doing -- who have been doing it. (Bell rung.)
I have some planning grants that are year seven, who have not communicated with the Planning Commission. There is no kind of articulated sense of where their plans stand as it relates to how the City --
Councilwoman, do you have a contact point that you can share with me on that?
Yeah. The Association of CDCs could do that. And I think this is crucially important 192 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 given that Wachovia has invested millions of dollars in this process. And, again, it's a process that we will never have the resources to duplicate, because it entailed a lot of community discussions and so forth. So I think it's important, and I'm very concerned, because no one disagrees with where you want to go, but I think that there has to be some thoughtfulness to the work that's been done in play, because one of the reasons we have some ripe redevelopment opportunities is because of some of that work, so it kind of needs to be brought together. I'll wait until the next round.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. My interest is in the capital allocations that are going to be for 193 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 bridges. I think it's . And you talk about bridges in Leverington Avenue over the Manayunk Canal and in year FY11 and FY12. I wanted to get some clarity on that, as well as the Montgomery Avenue bridge over the Amtrak facility for 2.6 million and the 59th Street bridge at 59th, I believe, and Lancaster and get a sense of when they're coming online. I know Councilwoman Blackwell has a particular interest in the 40th Street bridge. So while you're updating, you might want to address those items.
Good afternoon. Steve Buckley, Department of Streets. I'm sorry, Councilman. Can you repeat -- the bridge orders was Manayunk?
I've got the list here for you. 194 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 You were looking at ?
There's the Montgomery Avenue bridge -- I think this is on -- Amtrak bridge. There's the Leverington Avenue and Manayunk Canal appropriation and the 59th Street bridge, 59th and Lancaster going over the Amtrak property. Also there was the 40th Street bridge in Councilwoman Blackwell's district.
Thank you, Councilman. The first one, Montgomery Avenue over Amtrak, the project is to remove and reconstruct the existing bridge over Amtrak and CSX. The current construction start date is anticipated to be October 1, 2011, with construction ending on September 30, 2013.
Now, that Montgomery Avenue is which Montgomery Avenue? Where does that intersect? Do you happen to have a better location?
29th and Glenwood. 195 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Well, that will be Darrell Clarke's district. Go ahead, next bridge. I know he's glad to hear that. It's an important bridge, important bridge.
Leverington Avenue over Manayunk Canal and Conrail, this is a rehabilitation of the existing bridge over Conrail, and the current construction start date is anticipated to be June 1, 2011 and construction end date of April 30, 2012.
Councilman Jones, just a moment. Councilwoman Sanchez.
I had a point of information that I think it's important as we talk about capital and Conrail and Amtrak. How is the Administration working -- what's the communication between the Administration and Conrail 196 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 around this situation across the City? Because like Councilman Jones -- and I don't want to go to specific ones -- I'm very frustrated with our inability to get Conrail to move on some of this stuff, and sometimes we're going back and forth for a few thousand dollars. Is there a formal communication and a wish list from them in terms of some of these bridges, which ones should be removed because they're dangerous? Because I'm getting caught in there's talk about litigation. So who is our contact and how are we moving through that? DEPUTY
Good afternoon. Rina Cutler, Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities. I am unaware of specific bridges you're speaking about, so I'm not sure who's talking to whom. There is a somewhat coordinated effort, better with Amtrak than with CSX, but we certainly have the ability to get to CSX and bring 197 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 them to the table. I think part of the problem -- and you will hear it when we talk about the 40th and 41st Street bridges -- we do not control their repair schedule. So part of the problem is when we've got bridges that are going over their tracks, we're going to have to wait until they get us programmed on their list. For bridges that are theirs that are over City streets, if we deem those structures unsafe from our end, then we will communicate that to the appropriate railroad. Most of my dealings with Amtrak are either around City bridge construction issues that I need to go over their tracks or some discussions have happened relative to what their sites and right-of-way look like, which are generally a mess in terms of cleaning.
So we 198 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 don't have a point person that we communicate with? DEPUTY
You can communicate with the Streets Department if you need a point person to communicate with any of those railroad entities.
I guess I want to get to process, because in terms --
I'm sorry. I'll give it to you. Because this is a bridge issue, and I have situations where we have bridges that they had agreed to remove. They don't remove them. So I kind of want to know, do we have a coordinated kind of function with them where we look at these lists? Because what's convenient for them may not be convenient for us as it relates to development. So what's -- DEPUTY
Well, 199 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that may be true. It is unclear to me who you are speaking to at those entities or who they have agreed with to remove certain bridges. So I am assuming you're not coordinating those discussions with the Streets Department or the Bridge Unit, because I am unaware of them.
Okay. Then I need -- we're working on a redevelopment project around the bridge on Allegheny, and Commerce has been involved, so I guess -- that's why I wanted to know what the process is between the City and Conrail, because it doesn't -- DEPUTY
Well, I don't know if the Commerce Department is speaking to Conrail or not. If you have an issue with any of the railroads and you communicate that to my office, we will gladly intervene.
That's 200 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 all right. I'm sorry.
Thank you, Councilwoman Sanchez. I was getting to that. And one of the things that CNN came down and did a special on the aging infrastructure of our bridges with an approximate ten-year backlog on construction, ten years, with the money allocated, with the money appropriated, backlog on construction. And if we're talking about a stimulus package and we're talking about moving this economy forward, if we have the appropriations, yet don't have the administrative capability to communicate, if you look at the bridge at 52nd and Jefferson, we put $80 million worth of construction into the Lowe's Center, yet there are pieces of metal that fall on the streets almost every time someone goes across that bridge, every time a train goes across that bridge, and there is no constant communication, because this has been an 201 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 issue not just in this Administration but in the one before it, and we need to do something differently to get their attention, and maybe it's time for a class-action suit against some of these entities, because these bridges are dangerous. DEPUTY
Yes. Let me respond. I think there are two different issues here, Councilman. The first is, if your issues with Amtrak; that is, an Amtrak bridge, go back to the last Administration, I do not have any recollection of anyone bringing it to my attention or asking me to have a conversation with Amtrak. So before we sue them, I would just prefer to see if we can have a discussion with them. Now, that doesn't mean we won't ultimately have to sue them, but we should at least have a conversation with them first. Secondly, I think there are two different issues you raised, both very good points. The first is, the backlog 202 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 both nationally and in the state and even locally of needs, particularly bridge needs, is astronomical. Most of them are unfunded at this point. While we originally thought -- this was before the stimulus bill got passed -- that it in fact would be an infrastructure bill and, therefore, it would focus much more of the dollars on roads and bridges, the initial infrastructure bill morphed into a jobs bill, which morphed into a-little-bit-of- everything-for-everybody bill, and the problem with it is because its focus was on jobs, they said you have to have projects that you can spend the money within 180 days. (Bell rung.) DEPUTY
And so there is not a bridge project in the world that can clear environmental clearance, much less the rest of the problems to do it. So most of the needs did not get addressed in the stimulus 203 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 bill. I am cautiously optimistic that at some point the federal government will go back to look at an infrastructure bill 5 specifically for roads, bridges and transit.
Well, I guess to my colleague's point, is there a task force, is there a work group that sits around and looks at the condition of our bridges that -- and I don't mean just city, but state and federal, privately owned enterprises that says, Here's the condition of the bridges in the City of Philadelphia, here's where we are, here's where the dollars are, and estimate when construction or groundbreaking will begin? DEPUTY
I think we have a very good handle on the condition and the needs of the City-owned bridges. I think we have a good handle on the condition and needs of the state-owned bridges, and there is a lot of collaboration between the City and 204 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 PennDOT. I do not know the requirements, although we'll check for you, as to how often the railroads are required to do a state-of-good-repair analysis, but I will certainly find that out, and if there is such a report that's been done recently, I will try to get one.
In addition, 40th Street is -- 42nd Street, is it, Councilwoman Blackwell, is a concern and 59th Street. These were the subject of a national CNN story. DEPUTY
And what we'd like to know is just who owns the bridge and was there at 52nd and Jefferson an appropriation meant for that and when are we going to get started, 52nd and Jefferson? DEPUTY
It's not ours. It's a railroad bridge. We believe it's Amtrak, and CSX has one.
I would urge 205 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 you to go out there and just take a look at it. When we went out there -- and I still have the metal stake that was on the ground right below on the pedestrian walkway, and I'm saying to you, God forbid, mother and daughter walk under there and someone gets hurt, then it will draw national attention. But this has been that way in that community for over a decade, and I'm just hopeful that at some point we at least get it on the radar of someone to fix. DEPUTY
I will be happy to try to get some bridge condition information from both CSX and Amtrak, and if necessary, perhaps we might need to have a hearing on that subject.
Madam President? 206 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Yes. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you. Our bridge on 42nd Street opened in '08. Our bridge on 40th Street is not due to open until '11, and our bridge on 41st Street is due to open in 2013, and as my colleague was just saying, Councilman Greenlee, whenever it involves different entities, Amtrak or Conrail or SEPTA, whenever there are different entities involved, it makes it impossible. When I go to meetings, I don't even tell people when the bridges will be fixed. I tell them they're working on it, because you wait ten years to get bridges fixed, which really 207 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 isolates your community and that isolates everybody's community. Anybody who has a bridge knows what I mean. I got three, and it really isolates your community from being involved and it hurts development and everything else. So I would only advocate for a closer process, once funds are allocated, a closer process to move these things along in a more expeditious manner. DEPUTY
We share your frustration, Councilwoman, particularly on those three bridges, which have been in some state of closure for --
-- for a very long time. I think -- and I think you hit it. I mean, frankly, it does take somewhere between, depending on the complexity and the environmental review required, somewhere between six and eight years to do a bridge project. Sometimes 208 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 money is allocated for the design portion, sometimes for preliminary, sometimes for final, and then money obviously for construction. And partly because the money has to be cash-flowed in a certain way is the schedule set and partly it's because -- particularly on the east coast corridor, particularly with Amtrak and CSX, we are but one entity along that corridor that's requesting they close -- that they shut train service off in order to do some level of repair. So from New York truly to Philadelphia through New Jersey, maybe even up to Boston, they work on a schedule which includes all of that region, and so for us -- and also includes those state DOTs as well, all of whom are looking to get into their right-of-way and have them either shut off electrical service or provide their staff as required by their labor contracts to accompany us onto the site. So it is a scheduling 209 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 nightmare, and we have been having some discussions with PennDOT and the railroads to try to figure out if there is a better way or there is a different way to schedule it, because we would, for example, prefer to move 41st Street up, but we are stuck in a cue with Amtrak in terms of when they will give us access to the system. So it is way more complicated, sadly, than it needs to be. But we agree with you, it is a long time.
Absolutely. And since the President allocated money in economic stimulus funds for bridges, everybody who has been waiting all these years is calling again. Well, there's money. And my staff says it's not a matter of money. The money was allocated. Well, I don't tell people that. You can't tell people it's not money and they're still not open and nobody is still working on them. DEPUTY
No. 25 Those bridges, sadly for us, those 210 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 bridges are not eligible for the stimulus money, because we can't spend the money in the next 180 days.
Well, the money is there. The money has been committed for years, you know. I have a staff member whose one of her jobs is bridges, because, as you said, six or eight years it will be good. I mean, we've had ten years waiting for these bridges. So we have a bridge file. You know, it's just sad. I'm glad the President allocated the money, but it's difficult when it's not money. The money is there, but you can't spend it until, you know, now 2013 one bridge and the other is 2011. So thank God one is open. But it's just a process. Things shouldn't take ten years to happen. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. I believe Councilman Clarke had 211 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 a point of information also.
Yes, Madam President. This point of information, I was walking in the room and I heard Councilman Jones reference a bridge that was going to be repaired in my district and I was just wondering which one that was. DEPUTY
Well, I think, Deputy, you should stay up there until my light comes on again since -- what was that? DEPUTY
29th and Montgomery. Commissioner, Clarena, thank 212 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 you. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.
First of all, I see Mr. Lutz in the room, so I'm going to take advantage, because it's coincidence this came up because I was just asked the question. I think it's assumed that every bridge that we see is a City-maintained or a state-maintained bridge. Mr. Lutz, specifically -- and thank you for always being so available when we need to get information. There's a little bridge, a vehicular and a pedestrian bridge in Manayunk in the restaurant district, in Councilman Jones' district, that goes over the Canal, and I was just asked who inspects that, does it get inspected. Because the reason, a very heavy small truck went over that bridge recently and 213 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the people were a little concerned. Do we inspect that little bridge that goes over -- are you familiar with where I am, 4000 Main? It's a parking lot in the back. I think there's a car wash facility back there. Both pedestrians and vehicles go over this little bridge. So is it out of sight, out of mind, or whose responsibility would it be to do that bridge?
Right in the heart of the restaurant district. Maybe 214 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Councilman Jones can help me with this. It is a parking lot, a few-hundred-space parking lot in the back of the restaurant district there, and it's a one-lane bridge that goes over the Canal to connect the parking lot to Main Street. It's on the east side, I guess. Well --
There's a series of bridges that cross the Manayunk Canal there. Some are private, some were built by Fairmount Park. Some at Lock Street, Cotton Street. There is a Connolly Container bridge.
I'll get you the exact address, but my point is, if they're private bridges, do they have requirements to inspect them the same as the City bridge?
Not to my knowledge, Councilman. 215 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Well, we'd better look at that, because some of those bridges --
But they're private, but they're public. You're going to a parking lot, you don't know that it's a private bridge when you're driving over it. DEPUTY
I don't know who regulates them, but it's certainly worth looking at.
Please. And I'll get back to you on the specifics of the bridge that I'm referring to.
Does anyone have any question regarding bridges? (No response.) 216 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Thank you, Madam Chair. There was an Executive Order on August 18, 2008 disestablishing the Capital Program Office. Can you tell me if any efficiencies have been realized by the Administration in dissolving the CPO and transferring its functions to other departments? (Witness approached witness table.)
Madam Chair, Councilmember, Steve Agostini, Budget Director. If I understood your question, the positions that were in the Capital -- formerly known Capital Program Office were transferred to two entities. One 217 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 was Public Property, the other was the Office of Finance, specifically the Budget Office. The project coordination/project management was transferred to Public Property and the budgeting and financial oversight was transferred to Finance and Budget. With respect to the rationale, did I understand your question?
No. I just asked whether there were any efficiencies realized as a result of that.
We're still in the process of absorbing, and, yes, there were some efficiencies. In the '09 rebalancing plan, it allowed a number of positions to be eliminated from both Budget and the former Finance component of Capital Programs Office. I believe the total was about three positions. So we did generate efficiencies in that respect. The similar number of positions -- I actually think a little more than that -- were eliminated in the 218 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 November rebalancing plan from Public Property in order to generate some savings.
Has the dissolution impacted capital planning or program completion?
Councilmember, at the moment, we don't believe so. We are in the process of getting a better handle on our projects. Now, having said that, I will admit to you that there are components of what we were doing as part of capital planning that many of you and your colleagues here have made reference to that is not functioning and had not been functioning in a manner that it should, and we've been trying to improve that over the months since that reorganization took place, better management, better program management, better project management, better budgeting, and that's going to take us some time to improve, but we're working to it. 219 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
And the original intention was to transfer the cost of the people who were in those offices from the Capital Budget to the Operating Budget, and has that continued through the Plan or has that slowed down?
Unfortunately, that has slowed down. As you know, we had anticipated in every year moving forward we would transfer about a million dollars of the capital planning function to the General Fund so as not to be borrowing for those costs. That schedule was in place in the November budget that was brought before you and was adopted by you last spring. In the rebalancing plan, we managed to maintain that. We have not been able to do that for FY10 just given the severity of our financial challenges.
So you expect that in the current budget that you proposed, is that money that -- is it in the current Five-Year budget, the 220 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 continued increase in operating expense as a result of this, or is that not in the five years?
Councilmember, it's not in for FY10. I'd have to go back and look -- and I can do that -- and get back to you on '11 through '14. But it's something we should be doing, as you know, not paying for operating expenses with respect to staff with capital borrowed funds and we'd like to move away from. It's just the severity of the crisis made that difficult.
Okay. If you could, I guess, get back to us on those questions when Budget or Public Property testify.
I actually think I have the answer right now. In '11 through '14 we have not continued that practice. So the '10 budget, which assumes a certain portion for the ramp down, if you will, and not using borrowed funds, that has stopped 221 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 and we've continued that through '11 through '14. And hopefully if the economy improves, that's something we can pick back up. And I believe the funding level is slightly under 4 million. I think it's about 3.8, 3.9 in those years.
The PICA team that created the report in 2007 created a database with information about deficiencies and needed repairs in the facilities it assessed, and the team also designed a preventative maintenance program through which the City could in the future avoid backlogs of repairs it now faces. How, if at all, is the City using this database and preventative maintenance program provided by PICA? (Bell rung.)
Councilmember, a general response on the maintenance and then I will defer to the Commissioner of Public Property or Mr. Knappick. But we do look at the PICA assessments, particularly as they reference Police and 222 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Fire facilities, I believe Prisons as well. The idea was to elevate in our funding prioritization those elements that were high priorities in the PICA plan. So we are using that, and we are trying to get on top of the maintenance as well. But on that, I will turn over to Mr. Knappick and Commissioner Schlotterbeck. (Witnesses approached witness table.) DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Gary Knappick, Public Property. Councilman, we definitely look at that report. We did an analysis of the report relative to the various types, consistencies in the report relative to similarities and HVAC problems at the facilities. Each facility was ranked and we started to put together the types of projects we could do, prioritize those projects, and we implemented the ones we felt that had the highest level of importance within the funding available. 223 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
So the question was to what extent is the City using the database that they provided and preventative maintenance program that they provided to the City? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: That wasn't necessarily a preventative maintenance program. It strictly identified corrections that were necessary to various pieces of equipment, and I do believe -- and I won't speak for the Commissioner on that -- our Facilities area did attack a number of those issues. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Joan Schlotterbeck, Public Property Commissioner. Councilman, we did indeed start right away with any detailed information that they provided us that we could do in-house, so to speak, with the tradespeople that work for me, for our department. We also -- the idea is and will continue to be that we partner up 224 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 with our capital arm so that we have continuing dialogue, standards, equipments, uniform, and the way we provide services will hopefully in the future blend together so that will be -- it will be seamless, and that's the intent.
Okay. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: So we upgraded like --
Is the information you just spoke about in terms of doing the analysis, is any of that in writing? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: We basically took all the information, re-categorized it. It's in spreadsheet form. And for your information also, all the Category problems identified in the report were looked at both by Capital -- the Capital area and the Facilities area and they were taken care of, if in fact they were problems. Not all of them were, though. 225 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Will you please provide anything in writing in this regard about the PICA report, your own analysis of the situation that currently exists to the Chair prior to the testimony that Public Property will give so that we have an opportunity to review it and ask you some more detailed questions about it. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Sure. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Yes.
Thank you. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have two questions. One is regarding the Commerce Department's commercial development project funding for neighborhood commercial centers. I 226 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 could just --
Just hang on. He's walking up here. So you might hang on to the question so you don't have to repeat yourself. (Witness approached witness table.)
Are you ready? Because my clock is ticking, I think. You have to turn it off. Okay. In the Five-Year Plan when you talk about the Commerce activities in the Capital Budget, it talks about -- it says basically that you're going to be doing $3 million in projects for improvements, such as curbs, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and others, but that's a drop in the bucket compared to what we are putting into the Naval Yard, and I just want to know, how many projects do you really think we can fund with 3 million? Because you know streetscape takes a lot of money. You 227 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 can use $3 million in a flash. And then also, just about how many commercial corridors are there in Philadelphia citywide and how much are you going to be -- how many projects are you actually going to fund and is there a maximum amount that these projects can get? I believe you put an RFP out not long ago regarding this, correct? I think you put an RFP out not long ago regarding the commercial development money or the commercial corridor money. So I'll let you answer that. Then I have some comments to make about the Naval Yard that happens to be in Council President Verna's district. DEPUTY
Okay. Let me -- Andy Altman, Deputy Mayor for Commerce and Economic Development. Let me start with maybe going back. Actually, Councilmember Green had inquired earlier about the Econsult study. I think there are -- and I'm going to get this number wrong, 228 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Councilmember, but I think I want to say at least 120. I mean, easily over 100 commercial corridors when you look throughout the City that we've identified. And actually, the Planning Office, the Planning Department has done a study of corridors as well. Does that strike you as roughly --
120 or more. So you're right. The need is substantial for commercial corridors. I mean, they are, as you know, in very different states, and they're very long. I mean, Germantown Avenue corridor is ten miles. I mean, more than that. Let me just add, I mentioned earlier that's not reflected here because some of these dollars are some -- as you can see, there's a combination of state money and federal money and then what's 229 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 in the Capital Program dollars. In the next -- between now and January, we will be spending down what's remaining of the commercial corridor bond money. That's about, as I was saying earlier, something about $30 million that's remaining, all of which is on track to be spent, a portion of which is included in some of these funds that have different matching grants. But those probably cover, I want to say, 30 corridors roughly distributed throughout Council districts. It might be 40 different projects. I can get you the exact number. And those have all, as you know, been worked on, identified with the Councilmembers as to where those expenditures are. You raise a very good point, though, that when those dollars are expended this year, we don't have that same level to continue those investments, whether that's Germantown or Ogontz or Lansdowne or many of the corridors, 230 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Girard Avenue, where we're making investments, and the dollars shown here are, you're right, are a small amount relative to what the demand is. It was, again, just -- I think that's something we need to look at. Unfortunately, as much as we'd like federal recovery dollars, there's not a great source of money for commercial corridors. There's some Community Development Block grant that will be coming in. That's about $14 million of a one-time stimulus, but there are many -- right now we'll be talking to Councilmembers about how to use that and balance between housing and commercial development. But you make a very good point and --
And one of the reasons why that just stuck out at me is that I guess I've been in Council now about 14 years and it just seems like for the last 12 years, minimally 12 years, we have put so much money into the 231 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Navy Yard, and I guess for myself -- and maybe other people might want it too -- I'd like to get an update on what is happening at the Navy Yard, because so much of the City dollars go there. And I knew it was important to begin to renovate it and to keep it in good use, but when does it stop? I mean, it seems like it's a priority, and as a result of that then we don't have -- I think some of those dollars could actually go into neighborhood corridors. Small businesses employ so many people in Philadelphia. What's happening at the Navy Yard? What businesses are there? Have jobs been created? What's going on, and when will our priorities and policies begin to focus and continue to focus on neighborhood commercial corridors and -- I mean, I know the Navy Yard is big. I've been there twice, but what is going on there? So much of our resources go there, and I need them to go on Germantown Avenue. 232 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 DEPUTY
I don't want to admit any bias to Germantown, having grown up there. However, I will say that we should probably ask the Industrial Development Corporation that runs the Navy Yard to give you the full update on what's happening there. I don't know if there's a representative here who wants to do that. There have been a number -- there's been a lot of progress at the Navy Yard. Many of those investments are starting to pay off. (Bell rung.) DEPUTY
The Urban Outfitters headquarters, for example, is probably one of the most successful developments there. I think it's close to a thousand jobs, and they're actually looking to expand, and that's a significant job base that has grown there. There are a number of technology companies that are located 233 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 there. The Ben Franklin Partnership is located at the Navy Yard. The Mayor on Friday, we announced that actually a financial services firm, Penn Capital, is going to be moving from New Jersey to the Navy Yard with 60 employees. And a number of our business attraction efforts, firms from out of the City, are very interested when we take them to the Navy Yard, see it as a great site for either new construction or going into some of the renovated buildings, but as soon as you take them to the Urban Outfitters, as soon as you take them down to that site, which is about 1,200 acres, which is about, as was talked about earlier, about the size of the Central Business District, they see a huge opportunity there. As you know, it has about -- access to the airport within ten minutes. It has access to 95. It has visibility from the freeway, and, of course, it's on the water. 234 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 So in a way, it's a different segment of our economic development program. I don't see it as either/or, because in a way it's a good -- it's a huge land base that is attracting jobs to the City, and those folks are -- actually, many of those employees -- I don't have the numbers now from Urban Outfitters, but when I visited, are living in the City and wage taxes and it's really been a significant benefit. We also -- many of the dollars that we put in for the Navy Yard, as I understand it, are leveraging a lot of federal and other infrastructure dollars. So we talked, for example, about the federal recovery. We're hoping to apply for money to create an Energy Research Institute. It could be about $60 million that we'll aggressively compete for. So I think it's -- I would say it's an important economic development investment. Likewise, I think the investments in the corridors are very 235 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 important. We've been fortunate to have had this resource of the commercial corridor bond money that's put over what will complete 30 million. It's probably put at least close to $50-some million, $60 million into the corridors, and I think we'll have to in the future look for some new sources. So it's not as if we haven't given attention to that and it's been an either/or, but you correctly identified that in the future we do need to look at this. But I think the investments in the Navy Yard are continuing to pay off. I'd be happy to get you from PIDC more detailed information about the job creation, but it's truly impressive. You should -- a visit to the Urban Outfitters I think tells the story quite well.
So does it go like this: There's a business in the Navy Yard that's there and they have employment opportunities. Does that message get conveyed to, let's just say, 236 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the workforce development arm -- I can't remember -- over on JFK? DEPUTY
Yeah, the Workforce Investment Board and the Workforce Development Corporation.
And then they will then help do the recruitment to fill those vacancies; is that the way it's working here? DEPUTY
Well, we're trying where there are matches, we try to -- as I understand, we're trying to evolve the job training efforts where there are openings, and there are also job training dollars that we use and workforce dollars to try to connect, where we can, the opportunities that come in. And every company that comes in, we obviously talk to them about the jobs they have available and see if we can connect them to some of our workforce needs. I can get you -- I can look at the data on that, but --
We 237 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 haven't had that type of meeting. We had a briefing a while back on just the whole process of the workforce development and employment referrals, et cetera. Many offices, people call us all the time looking for employment, and we like -- we have a board in my office where actually each week we put a package together of employment opps that are available, because now more than ever, people are calling. So we want to make sure -- I would like to be informed when there's openings so that we can appropriately refer our constituents to it. I don't think we get that much information from that part of City government. DEPUTY
Okay. We would be happy to facilitate that with PIDC and with all the opportunities. I mean, PIDC is creating -- makes a number of loans to small businesses and is very involved not only in the Navy Yard, but they have an emerging growth fund that 238 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 goes to fund small businesses, as well as their bond programs that helps with non-profits. So we can -- I will talk to them and provide information how to connect those opportunities.
All right. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Just one question. On of the document, you mention the play area improvements. As we approach summer, what are the appropriate ways in which residents can secure funding for these neighborhood play areas? Can you discuss what criteria you might have in place that talks about how you will approach the rehabilitation of the play areas? 239 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 (Witness approached witness table.)
Good afternoon. Mark Focht, Executive Director of Fairmount Park. Councilwoman, the play area improvements that are referenced in our plan here are based upon assessments our staff has done of the 43 playgrounds that are within the Fairmount Park system. We have a staff crew that goes around and maintains our playgrounds, makes replacement parts and minor repairs, and then if a project needs to be elevated to a capital level, it is. And as you see by the levels of funding throughout each of the years, a full playground these days costs around $200,000 to $250,000 with the required federal safety surface and all of the other federal requirements. So this is looking at replacing about one of our playgrounds 240 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 each year.
So that's complete capital replacement. If there's specific needs that a community or a park or yourself have for a playground, they can certainly e-mail my office and I will route that to our playground repair crew.
At what point might a District Councilperson weigh in in that process? I'm just curious. I'm at-large, but I'm curious to know when that connect happens.
At any point in time. I mean, we meet regularly. Stephanie Craighead, who is our Director of Capital Projects, who just had to step out of the room, she meets regularly with Councilmembers if there's a playground repair in their district. We recently replaced a playground at 26th and Pennsylvania Avenue in Councilman Clarke's district. We've done a number of them. We're doing one right now up in 241 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Tacony Creek Park.
So then let me seize the moment. Discuss for me the procurement process for that. Because, again, in relying on this document that I'll be looking at for each department, the numbers don't look favorable for Fairmount Park. So help me understand what the process is for ensuring that there's a level playing ground for women and people of color when it comes to accessing contracting opportunities.
Well, if it's a capital project, it's bid through Public Property, the former Capital Program Office, bid through their set process, and participation is set by the Office of -- the OEO that was spoken about earlier. So a bid will be assembled. It will go from Public Property to OEO. They'll set the percentages, and then it's let by Public Property.
And that 242 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 process became effective when? I think that goes back to Councilman Green's question. When did that new process become effective where Public Property is intimately involved in the process?
Well, when Public Property took over the responsibilities of the Capital Program Office.
Okay. (Witness approached witness table.) COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Joan Schlotterbeck, Public Property Commissioner. Councilwoman, the process is no 21 different for capital than it is for any contracts. I mean, we take the lead from the OEO office. And project-by-project opportunities vary depending on what we're procuring or what service we're 243 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 interested in engaging someone in. So it depends. But we take the lead from them, and from what I understand, this being just six months into this responsibility, that we do a pretty darn good job of meeting the goals that they set for us.
Then help me understand, then. This is broken down by department, but I hear you tell me that the process starts in OEO. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: I mean, the department or the agency looks for something to procure or some service, and then we go through the process of reaching out to OEO and we talk about what we're doing, and together with the department, the agency, they set the goals.
Then is it fair then to have a document that holds departments responsible if the ball starts at the OEO office? That's what I'm trying to get my arms around. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: 244 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Well, I think it's not just one office. I think together we all have to understand what we're trying to accomplish and then do the best we can to engage as many people as we can, minority, disabled, disadvantaged. So I'm not trying to say it's one person's responsibility. It's a collective effort, I would say, but we do get the goals set by that office. But it's usually after meetings and conversations and understanding what we're trying to do.
Okay. I hear what you're saying. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Am I not making myself clear? Because I'm not trying to be --
Well, because ultimately someone has to be held responsible for us not meeting these goals, and if I hear OEO, it starts in OEO, yet each department is listed here as a stand-alone entity, where is the 245 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 accountability placed? And I'm not able to get my arms around that based on your testimony. So that requires more homework on my part, and as departments come before me and as I have a sit-down with the Office of Equal Opportunity, I expect that I will have a better understanding, because ultimately someone has to be responsible for these numbers. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Do you mind if I ask you what you're looking at, because you actually referenced --
This is Minority Business Enterprise Council, Participation By Department, Third Quarter, Fiscal 2008, and it lists all of the departments' actual percentage, highest to lowest. And your department, quite frankly, is soaring, but looking at many of the others, you have zero MBE/WBE. (Bell rung.)
So in instances like that where there's zero 246 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 percent participation and there have been some contracting dollars, I'm at a loss in understanding where is the disconnect. So I need to understand how it works and then connect the dots to how and who is ultimately held responsible. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: And you got the list from the Office of OEO or did you get it from --
I got the list from my guru on this topic, which will be Councilman Goode. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: All right. Thank you.
Because I remember -- I'm looking back at my notes and I believe Councilwoman Miller asked for a report, which we said we would get, on 2006 to 2009, and we ought to look at 247 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the composite picture. I think that's important to do.
Madam President, I actually was going to ask about my bridge, but I got that answer earlier. But as I'm stalling, I'm sure I can think of something else to ask. Actually, with respect to the bridge -- and, again, I want to particularly thank Commissioner Tolson, because I know I've been talking to her about that considerably. The funding will be available in FY11, so that's calendar year '10. Given the condition of the bridge -- and I guess I'm getting ready to get greedy -- is there any way, shape or form that that process can be expedited or phased in? Because the bridge -- Commissioner, I know you've 248 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 seen it. It is, I think, frankly speaking, in jeopardy of actually collapsing in certain portions. I mean, it's just that bad, and I'm not sure that it will last for a whole year. (Witness approached witness table.) COMMISSION TOLSON: Councilman, given the --
Introduce yourself first. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: My name is Clarena Tolson, Commissioner of the Department of Streets. Councilman, given the planning efforts that are required in designing and constructing, repairing a bridge, it is not possible to speed up our efforts or change the timeline that we're working on. You're correct in the time that you gave, and we're going to do our best to stick to that timeline on schedule and on budget.
I 249 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 understand it's over the northeast rail corridor and that complicates it, but I guess at some point we may actually want to consider closing it to vehicular traffic. And I know that's not a good thing, but it is really bad. COMMISSION TOLSON: Closure of a bridge is something that we don't take very lightly. It is inspected regularly, and we will make sure that we have a current inspection or do one very shortly for you to ensure that there are no 14 problems. Should we believe that there is a safety issue or a concern, we will do what is required, and if closure is required, then we'll do that.
Okay. I actually was going to ask a question, but I don't see my friend here. There is an issue -- and I'll bring it up briefly -- about swimming pools. There are proposed to be fortunately a number more pools proposed to be opened than we originally had anticipated, and that's assuming that 250 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 this budget gets voted on, and that's, to a large degree, a lot of assumptions. If those pools are offline for a sustained period of time, which unfortunately probably will be the case, I want to know about the possible mothballing of pools or just direct abandonment, exactly how that works. Because given the financial situation, I just realistically don't think we'll ever open up 73, 74, 75 pools again. So I really would like to have a sense of that strategy. (Witness approached witness table.)
Councilmember, Steve Agostini. Originally when we were looking at the proposal for pools, we had not come to a conclusion as to the number of pools and we thought we were still working with 11. We raised that number, as you know, in the proposed budget to an additional 35. We know that there is 251 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 some capital work that needs to be done. I think there's some filters and some other work that needs to be done for some of them. We're going to have to go back and do an assessment to get a handle on the mothballing of those, as you've put it, that are not going to be funded for the summer that's forthcoming and get a sense of what that's going to cost us and what kind of improvements. We did not include some of those elements, because the Capital Plan got completed before we had made our final decisions with respect to the budget that was brought before you.
I think some of it has to be operating and I think some of it has to be capital, and that's one of the things we have to assess now. I think in some cases we're talking about 20,000 to 50,000 per pool in some of the repairs that we have to do. 252 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Okay. I'll wait until we get into -- although it is somewhat a capital issue, I'm going to want to have a relatively extensive conversation about conversions, and I understand actually I'd asked the Commissioner to get me some information on -- they call them spray grounds now. I know they used to be called spray pools. Different Administration, different name. But it's basically an alternative to swimming pools, and I'm going to want to have some extensive conversations about some of those that may either be mothballed or taken offline forever.
Councilmember, we'll go back and in advance of the Recreation hearing, we'll try to have that for you.
253 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 You're welcome. I would like to go back to a couple questions that I had asked earlier. Division of Technology, Line 25, network infrastructure stabilization and enhancement, will someone explain what this means and how the $3.6 million in new funds is to be used? (Witness approached witness table.)
Council Chair, I'm Allan Frank, the Chief Information Officer. And relative to that capital request, very specifically in Fiscal Year '10, what we're proposing to do is several things to actually improve and upgrade our network and some of the hardware components of the City. Very specifically, we're looking to replace some of our, it's called, disk storage equipment that stores the data of the City. This equipment routinely has to be refreshed. Unfortunately, the life isn't forever, and so a lot of this equipment 254 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 relates to storage. In addition, we're also ensuring that we can do adequate back-up and recovery of our systems should the computers go down and so forth. So there's also monies allocated to make sure that we can do appropriate disaster recovery. The other thing that we're doing -- and which really is 2 million of the total balance -- relates to, frankly, rebuilding our network equipment across the City, which would allow us to be able to increase the speed of our network across all of our facilities. In particular, we're very focused in public safety again to make sure that the Police, Fire and our entire public safety network is up to speed, but also the overall speed of the network, including City Hall and all the other buildings. So what that requires is, we're literally going floor by floor, closet by closet, ripping out equipment to make 255 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 sure that, again, we refresh it, and this will also provide a base for us now to be able to build more efficiencies through systems on top of that. So on the most part, the money is for refreshing of the equipment, surrounding back-up, as well as the network, as well as asset management software to allow us to track all of the pieces of equipment in the City.
It was being reported on TV last evening that there's supposed to be a national virus in the computers tomorrow.
Well, we'll see what happens tomorrow since the whole world really doesn't --
-- exactly know 256 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 what's going to happen. But, yes, the City makes sure that we updated our virus protection throughout the City and that our firewalls and so forth are all patched so that the software itself is up to speed. With that said, it's somewhat unknowable actually what will actually occur tomorrow, but we routinely make sure that our virus protection is up to date. But things do happen.
Thank you. While Mr. Frank is up here, does anyone have any questions he or she would like to ask? Councilman Green.
My question really is, you gave quite a detailed sort 257 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 of forward-looking blueprint when you were before the joint Committee on Labor and Civil Service and Technology. I think that was in December.
And obviously I support your efforts in this area. I think it's very important investments the City needs to make, and it doesn't look to me like -- is that whole plan contemplated being financed by mostly operating dollars rather than any capital dollars? Because there's very little sort of Division of Technology capital projects' money over the course of the six-year Capital Plan.
I'm looking over a five-year period of time. It's a combination of capital as well as, frankly, reinvested savings, which what we'll do is, as we generate savings, we'll be able to leverage that back to invest in the technology. So both those components we're looking at over the 258 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 five-year period to allow us to be able to make some of the investments.
Are there any things that you're doing in terms of projects? For example, one of your plans was to replace 843 servers with approximately 40 servers or 60 servers, something like that.
Is that something that we could do with capital dollars and not operating dollars so that we have more -- I'm just thinking this from a budgetary perspective why we're not using more capital dollars for the changes in infrastructure you're intending to go with so that we can have more money in our Operating Budget.
Councilmember, one of the reasons that we don't have more money is that we have certain capital eligibility guidelines, for which some of the elements of the Plan we simply can't spend capital dollars on, 259 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 and that is a rule that's promulgated both by the Controller's Office and the Budget Office and it is intended to be sure that we're not borrowing for assets that have a useful life of two to three years.
-- with an explanation of what in Mr. Frank's five-year plan can and can't be financed with capital dollars and why --
Just to give you a flavor for that, there is a replacement cycle for desktop computers that we're not going to be able to use capital funding for. There are -- some of the sort of basic wiring we're not going to 260 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 be able to use capital dollars for, but we'll put that in writing for you.
Well, I'm looking at the big picture plan that Mr. Frank has outlined, and many of those investments are capital dollars that far exceed what's in this Capital Budget and I think even under your guidelines probably would meet the criteria. I'm not trying to get in a debate. I'd like to understand. It's okay if we haven't thought of it. Let's think of it now and see if we can add it.
We would welcome another set of eyes, because we went over this in some detail. Mr. Frank's current finance person used to be my Deputy for Capital, so she is probably one of the most familiar with that in the City right now. And we tried to in some cases stretch the rules. But another set of eyes looking at it is always helpful.
I appreciate that. With 30 years of strategic 261 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 underinvestment, I think we can put some capital dollars to work, hopefully.
Thank you. Are there any other questions of Mr. Frank? (No response.)
I'd like to go back to the Free Library. (Witness approached witness table.)
Thank you. I had asked earlier, the total amount requested for the Library in FY2010 Capital Budget is $14,687,000, of which only 965,000 is new funding. The balance of 13,722,000 goes as far back as 2002. 262 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
My question is and will continue to be, why does it take so long to spend your funds?
Chris Donato. I can speak to the Central Library renovations carryforward lines from FY04, 5 and 6. I know those projects are actually in process of being under contract now and should be obligated by the end of this fiscal year.
So all this money has to do with the Central Library?
No; just from FY04, FY05 and FY06, the funding designated for Central Library. The money from FY02 is from a completed project.
From FY02 is a completed project, and they're also using that towards IT renovations at the 263 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Central Library. All that money should be gone by the end of this fiscal year.
I don't know if you'd be able to answer this question. The Eastwick Library has been closed because it apparently has a faulty boiler. Is that being repaired? When will the library be open? Can someone tell me that? (Witness approached witness table.)
The library will be reopened, we believe, in April and it's dependent on the weather, and the boiler has not been repaired.
I don't know the 264 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 answer to that question. It will hopefully be repaired before the next winter season.
I'm smiling and you're smiling. It's my understanding Eastwick was supposed to have been one of the libraries that was supposed to be closed. Now that the libraries are remaining open, I think this has to remain open, too.
And I don't know that -- yes. Did you want to respond? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Yes. Councilwoman, the money for Eastwick, I understand -- I spoke with our Project Director -- was slated for FY11, but we may be able to move some money around from the carryforward funding and get that done.
How much does a boiler cost? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: 265 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Usually I use about $5 a square foot, but I'm not sure of the square footage of that library.
I'm sure you'll find the money. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Yes, ma'am.
Thank you, Madam President. I just have a quick question. Are all City-owned buildings properly cleaned and presentable, well maintained and in good repair? (Witness approached witness table.)
Doctor, while the Commissioner is coming up, do you think this budget will have to be amended so that I make absolutely certain that the money for the boiler is in the budget?
I will rely on my 266 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 colleagues in the Capital Budget Office on that issue, but I hear you and I believe they hear you in terms of the importance of that boiler.
I know people hear, but will they do? COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Joan Schlotterbeck, Public Property Commissioner. I heard you loud and clear, and we will do.
The reason I asked that question, Your Honor -- and it was somewhat rhetorical, because we all know the answer -- Eastwick is certainly not well maintained and in good repair, as one example. There are many other buildings in the City like that. I just would point the Capital Program Office and the Administration to Home Rule Charter 5-900, Functions of the Department of Public Property. "The 267 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Department shall keep clean and presentable, maintain and repair all City buildings and grounds." That is a Charter-mandated requirement for any facility that we own, and so I just -- that is something that an enterprising Councilperson could bring a writ of mandamus about to require the City to fulfill its Charter-mandated obligation. So I just want to stress that the President's -- I wanted to bring home the President's point to your Charter-mandated duties. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner, since I have her up there, last year there was a lot of discussion around the facilities assessment in the City and the task force 268 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 that would even include the School District around facilities and stuff. You don't have to make the presentation now, but is there anything that you will be reporting on when you testify and can we have that before your testimony? COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: We have been discussing it in-house. We've also been meeting with the School District on what, if anything, we have in common and how could we have economies. I will do my best to have something before I come before you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Yes, Madam President. I'm curious to know if there are any departments here that have used MBE/WBEs in a prime contracting opportunity, with the exclusion of 269 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 cleaning contracts. Any department head that can say, yes, we have engaged an MBE, WBE or DBE -- COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: I have. I have.
-- in prime contracts, separate from cleaning contracts? COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: U.S. Facilities is a full-service facilities contract inclusive of custodial, but it's full service.
And full service? COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Meaning maintenance, management, pest control, window washing, the whole ball of wax. They're a professional firm. It's a minority firm. So my three buildings in downtown Center City are serviced by them.
So that's one department out of 39. Any in the professional or construction areas at all 270 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 by any department head? COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: We have folks coming forward. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: Councilwoman, I know your numbers were somewhat different than the ones I have in front of me, because I think -- I believe your numbers are coming from the citywide -- on a citywide basis, but from the Department of Public Property, as far as in FY09 so far, my numbers have us contracting 35 percent MBEC on the professional services side, and, yes, there are occasions where we use --
In a prime capacity? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: In the prime capacity, yes. I have two. I'm just looking through my listing here right now.
Okay. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: The only one I have for FY09 right now is PEZS Architects. That's for a $230,000 271 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 contract. I also have some for smaller orders with Arroyo Engineers, PEZS, CDA Architecture, Schiller and Hearst.
I thank you for that. Sir. COMMISSIONER GIORLA: Councilwoman Brown, Lou Giorla, Commissioner of Prisons. We also employ U.S. Facilities in the capacity of maintenance at two of our newer facilities, Curran Fromhold and Riverside, and they are the prime maintenance contractor at those sites.
Councilwoman, Mark Focht, Fairmount Park. We have traditionally and continually employ on a consultant side for design contracts for many of our projects women or minority-owned firms, such as Synterra Partners Landscape Architects, Logarapi Scapti (ph) 272 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Landscape Architects, who is a woman-owned firm.
Now, that's important to know, because this document does not reflect that fact.
Well, we currently have contracts right now with Logarapi Scapti, who is a woman-certified firm.
So I will amend my letter that is going to the Mayor to ask about prime, because it was essentially focusing on subcontractors that are MBE/WBEs. I think we as a city need to recognize what you have already, that there are people who are MBE and WBEs who have the capacity to do prime work. So that's helpful to know. Thank you very much. DEPUTY
Good afternoon, Councilwoman. Everett Gillison, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. I'm sure that you're aware that we have the Temple Group, who is going to be the prime, and for the Youth Study 273 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Center building that we have already, they're already as the prime CM on that project as we're going forward. So they are the -- and it's a minority contractor going forward on that particular project, which is a huge project. It's basically our first one in this Administration being pushed out in a major way.
So we've heard from four departments. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KNAPPICK: One other one, Councilwoman. Kelly Mallow is the prime for the President's House as well.
Okay. All right, then. I thank you all. It's extremely informative. DEPUTY
Councilwoman, if that was a document that you're going to actually -- did you send that to the Mayor? Because I will ask the Mayor for a copy of it.
It's an MBEC document, June '06. This here says, 274 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Participation by Department, Third Quarter, Fiscal Year 2008. 2008. But it is an MBEC document. DEPUTY
You're welcome. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I wanted to verify, because there has been some talk back and forth, that the Philadelphia Nursing Home is okay, because we know we have no place to send all of those people, that it will remain open. (Witness approached witness table.)
Thank you for asking the question. Don Schwarz. 275 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 At the moment there is no plan to close the Nursing Home.
Doctor, while you're up there, I had asked a question earlier and I don't know that I got an answer that I really understood.
Thank you. On Lines 37 and 37-A, I believe that is $1.8 million for Health Department equipment and repair, and each line is requesting $1.8 million in CR funding. What is the source of these funds and can you tell us where it's budgeted in the Operating Budget, please. 276 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213
Okay. So this is the authorization for expenditure for repairs at the health centers. The funding at the moment doesn't exist. This is the authorization. The appropriation would come at year end, which is one of the reasons for the sequential carryover. When the Health Department has revenue in excess of expectation, we ask Council at the end of the year to appropriate dollars for -- to move dollars into Class 800 for these repairs, and it's how many of the repairs have been done at the health centers. The revenue is generated by the health centers. We have gone through the PICA report for the Health Department, gone through each of the health centers, reinspected all of the findings of PICA and prioritized them, and we will use that prioritized list in the future to determine next in line, if you will, for 277 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 repairs.
Thank you. Any questions of Dr. Schwarz while he's at the table? (No response.)
Thank you, Madam President. I believe you asked some questions that required Frank Punzo or somebody to --
So I had some questions along the same lines, if you want to ask yours first, Madam President.
I think for the Fire Department. Was it 278 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 for the Fire Department? DEPUTY
That's correct. That's correct. Good afternoon, Madam President.
Lines 31 and 31-A, fire computer communication system improvement, total $4 million in CR. Were these funds budgeted for in the Operating Budget and what is their funding source? DEPUTY
As to the identification of the funds, they will be used in order to upgrade not only the Fire CAD, the computer-assisted dispatch, but also to upgrade the ability of the Fire Department data systems to actually do realtime data analysis instead of what has been done traditionally, which is a compilation of 279 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 things by hand. We have now tried to put this into realtime and upgrading the fire systems. We have a current contract that we are trying to get done, both with Northrop Grumman as well as others, with the Department of Technology to help us move the fire from an old system and to basically bring it into the 21st century. That's the way that we are trying to use this, and this money is going to allow us to be able to push that source funding forward. As for the identification of what the fund is for, I'll defer to my colleague, Mr. Agostini.
Madam President, the line item -- it's in Class 800 in the Public Property budget, and it is representative of the 9-1-1 fees that are collected by the state and then sent to 280 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 the City, both the land line and the wireless funds.
How much of that money was carried over from '09?
We don't have the current balance, but we'll provide that to you.
Thank you, Madam President. I have very similar questions on , and that relates to the approximately 21 million in CR funding for 2010 and then the additional 50 million in CR funding through 2015 and where those funds are in the Operating Budget. 281 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 DEPUTY
As far as the 800 megahertz system improvements, obviously we have introduced legislation in order to explain to Council how we are going to -- how the Administration plans on making this rather critical public safety upgrade. There is an aspect of taking the current bill with Motorola and they have -- we're working out the details on the financing for that particular matter. We know that we've identified two different ways of going forward on financing, but I believe the financing itself has been that we will probably end up doing a lease with taking certain 9-1-1 monies and using that as a base in order to go forward, so we will be able to capitalize this in a four-year period. So we're going to be able to have this upgrade being paid for going forward using, again, certain portions of that 9-1-1 money and also the wireless money going forward, as we explained. And all of that will be explained in a 282 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 hearing that I'm sure we're going to have before Council hopefully within the next month or so, because we'd like to get going.
Well, could you explain to me what the upgrade is? DEPUTY
It is moving -- it actually has three or four different moving parts. The first part of it is that as a result of the change in the federal regulations in 2010 and 2011, you have to have the 800 megahertz area as a public safety arena. It's been put together. So we have to move certain parts of the airwaves that are just going to be designated for public safety matters. Currently, our police radio, our fire systems don't operate underground. This system will enable us to upgrade that.
I'm sorry. So just to clarify on your last point, we currently are -- you're saying our police radio system is not currently on 800 283 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 megahertz? DEPUTY
It is -- we are going to the 800 megahertz system. Currently, we're on an analog system and we're going to be moving to the 800 megahertz.
The 800 megahertz is digital and that -- okay. So we're going to go from whatever we're on to 800 megahertz digital? DEPUTY
So what happens is that we have -- this is a multi-tiered matter. We've been working with the school system in order to get certain bandwidth that they will be relinquishing so we'll be able to move certain of our public safety areas to the School District bandwidth. That's going to be part of the Prison's network. We will also be able to use the Police and 284 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 Fire. Their upgrade will allow them not only to have interoperability capabilities, but also above ground and below ground. All of this is happening with an upgrade that's coming on that we're scheduling to put before Council so that we can explain not only all the financing, but how we're doing it, what it will enable us to do and everything else. And I believe that we're at the point of trying to get that before Council within the next month.
Well, this area is of particular interest of mine. You should know that we have fiber. SEPTA owns fiber that's already in every subway. The current proposal by Motorola is far too expensive, considering that SEPTA has fiber that is 70 percent dark that we can ride on to get down into the subways, et cetera. So I would offer you the opportunity to sit down with me before that hearing and describe what's going 285 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 on, what you're proposing in detail, so that you're not surprised by questions at the hearing, because this is an area that I've had interest in for some significant period of time. DEPUTY
I will take that opportunity, Councilman, and I thank you for it. I can tell you that this has been something that, again, I've been actually making sure that we're going out in the right way for some time now myself, and we are trying to make sure that all of our -- that we've answered all the questions. So I'd be glad to take that opportunity.
Most importantly is, I don't want to get stuck with -- even though there's going to be an IP system, I don't want to get stuck with a Motorola-only IP system. In other words, I want to make sure we get radios and other things that allow us to change vendors should we wish in the future. And I understand that the contract that 286 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 you're currently looking at would essentially be IP but would be Motorola-only IP, so that it wouldn't be interoperable with other agencies. It won't allow us to talk to the state and federal government on just an IP-based system where we could switch over and be able to talk to everybody. The radios don't have that. That's the sort of information and dialogue I'd like to have prior to the hearing so I can understand where you're coming from or maybe even give you some thoughts. I was in the industry for a number of years. DEPUTY
Thank you. Any further questions? (No response.)
Seeing none, this Committee will stand in 287 3/31/09 - WHOLE - BILLS 090212, 090213 recess until tomorrow evening at 5:00 p.m. at Ritter Hall in the Walk Auditorium of Temple on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between 13th Street and Broad Street. Thank you very much.
Thank you. (Committee of the Whole recessed at 3:45 p.m.) - - - 288 CERTIFICATE WE HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by us upon the foregoing matter on March 31, 2009, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ------------------------------ JOSEPHINE CARDILLO RPR-Notary Public ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporters.)