Committee Hearing, March 23, 2010

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, March 23, 2010 10:15 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN MARIA QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILLS 100115, 100116, 100117, 100118, 100131 and 100141 - - - 2

Good morning, everyone. This is the continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read the resolution and/or bills that we will be considering. MR. McPHERSON: Resolution 10 100141, providing for the approval by the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a Revised Five Year Financial Plan. Bill No. 100115, to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2011 to 2016 inclusive. Bill No. 100116, to adopt the Fiscal 2011 Capital Budget. Bill No. 100117, adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2011. And Bill No. 100118, amending The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Finance, Taxes and Collections," by adding a new Chapter 19-3600, entitled "Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax." And Bill No. 100131, amending 3 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Chapter 10-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Refuse and Littering," by providing for a sanitation fee. And today we're taking testimony on Bill No. 100117.

Thank you. And our first witness? MR. McPHERSON: Is the Managing Director's Office. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good morning. Welcome.

Good morning. Ready?

Yes. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Good morning. My name is Camille Barnett. I'm Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia and it's a pleasure to be here this morning with you, Council. Despite a number of fiscal 4 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. challenges, this Administration, working with the City Council, has accomplished much. While I know that Deputy Mayors and Commissioners and department heads will outline these achievements in their own testimony, I want to take this opportunity to thank them and you for your dedication to the City and to our residents. You'll recall that last year my office reorganized its budget to better reflect the Administration's structure of government. Rather than using eight divisions that applied to various aspects of government, we reduced the number of divisions to five to better reflect operational realities. One division is assigned to each of our Deputy Mayors and to the First Deputy Managing Director. In the last year, some of our accomplishments in our office are maintaining some very important programs for public safety, particularly the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership and also 5 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. the Community Life Improvement Program, or CLIP. Despite the Great Recession, we have also expanded PhillyStat, which continuously improves our operations through performance management, and we've improved the services of our 3-1-1 Contact Center and initiated several other reforms with the help of the Private Sector Outreach Board. I'll talk a little bit more about these later in my testimony. 9 million and it maintains the same organizational approach that I've just described. Fiscal Year 2011's budget represents a net increase of 240,000, which is directly related to the expansion of the Clean Philly Program through expansion of activities for CLIP. This budget also contains several reductions, most notably the continuation of the reduction of 3-1-1's overnight shift. As part of the City's technology consolidation efforts, 6 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. we've transferred 202,733 to the Department of Technology for personnel, contracts and materials, and these transfers are primarily in the Office of Emergency Management. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Opportunity composes a small portion of our budget. The proposed allocation for this division is 540,000, all of which is derived from the General Fund. This money supports the salaries of five staff members. Three of those positions are in the Department of Health or with the Department of Health and two are assigned to the Department of Parks and Recreation. These in Parks and Recreation operate independently of the Health Department, but we have put them in the Office of Health and Opportunity for simplicity's sake. 6 million. Five point six of this amount is derived from the General Fund, while 7 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. over seven million derives from various grant funds. The operating sections of this office that are funded through the Managing Director's Office budget include the Criminal Justice Coordinating Office, the Office of Emergency Management, the Police Advisory Commission and the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership. All of these programs, of course, have the primary focus of making the City a safer place. In support of economic recovery, the budget also contains funding to continue programs for the Office of Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders, where ex-offenders are offered the opportunity to learn new job skills. The Youth Violence Reduction Partnership will continue their successful investment in Philadelphia's youth. The Office of Transportation and Utilities proposes a total allocation 8 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. 7 million. The grant funds here represents 440,000 of this total budget. The allocation also represents over a 500,000 increase, which again relates to the expansion of the CLIP program through the Clean Philly fee.

The Community Life Improvement Program continues to improve the appearance and image of the City of Philadelphia by educating residents about exterior property maintenance codes, enforcement of such codes and, when warranted, nuisance abatements. Compliance rates of property owners that receive exterior property maintenance violations, we're pleased to report, have continued to rise, and as more people are complying with our codes, this allows us to expand our operations geographically with limited resources. Although graffiti and vacant lot abatements have declined this year, we're finding new effective ways of addressing this neighborhood nuisance. One of the things 9 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. we're particularly pleased with is our Blight Detection Camera Surveillance Initiative, which uses solar-powered, motion-sensitive mobile cameras that capture clear, crisp pictures of illegal activity, such as graffiti, vandalism and illegal dumping. These high-resolution cameras are able to clearly show a vehicle's license plate even in total darkness. Thus far, we've issued $300 12 tickets to illegal dumpers. 13 Another new venture for CLIP is 14 the partnership between the Philadelphia 15 Prison System and our Community Services 16 Program to use non-violent offenders to 17 assist with the cleaning of vacant lots through the City of Philadelphia. This partnership creates additional resources to assist with the removal of trash, debris and overgrowth of weeds on vacant lots. The Office of Sustainability composes the majority of the Economic Development Division of the Managing 10 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Director's Office budget. 5 million. Only 604,000 of these funds are within the General Fund, while a million nine are generated from grant revenues. Some of these grant funds are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Specific projects for my budget include efforts to improve energy efficiency in municipal buildings, development of the energy management capacity, employee education and training aimed at reducing energy consumption, and the monitoring and reporting of the City's Greenworks Plan. Additional projects can also be found in other departments' budgets. The remainder of the Managing Director's budget is within the Administration Division. This division provides policy direction, efficiencies and ensures accountability for the delivery of services. Services in this portion of the budget include support for 11 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. mini city halls, the Office of Labor Standards, our administrative functions and, most notably, PhillyStat and 3-1-1. We also support various advisory boards in this portion of our budget. 9 million and includes 935,000 in grants revenue. The Council knows that on December 31st in 2008 we launched Philly311 in an effort to streamline and consolidate service requests into one contact center. While ultimately successful, as the Pew Foundation documented in their recent report, the system had some challenges and has made progress in its first year. By better training our agents and replacing those employees that did not meet expectations, we have reduced our wait time. By instituting an Interactive Voice Response system, callers may receive directory assistance or general information without having to 12 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. speak to an agent. Improvements in technology have allowed 3-1-1 and service departments to communicate more effectively and have improved service delivery to City residents as a whole. Now, though 3-1-1 has significantly improved, we still need additional improvements. This budget anticipates investing $500,000 in an implementation plan to determine what additional technology and telephone improvements are necessary to enhance our department's interface with work order systems and our callers' experience.

We are also actively working with the service departments to ensure communications and systems are working appropriately. PhillyStat was designed to provide accountability for performance. It accomplishes this by quantifying what good performance is for a department and regularly checking in to see if improvement projects are progressing. 13 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Data provides the evidence of how well the departments are doing. Accountability for performance through PhillyStat is not measured solely on a department-by-department basis. Larger strategic goals of the Administration that cross departmental jurisdictions are also covered, such as progress on the Greenworks sustainability plan, our work on minority, disabled and women-owned business contracts, risk management, summer programs for youth and other such topics. The Private Sector Outreach Board is a volunteer group consisting of corporate executives that have dedicated their time to the City and to our departments to help solve some of our most difficult problems. Chaired by Judee von Seldeneck, the Board has helped implement many of the projects defined by the reform teams that I mentioned in last year's hearings. These projects range from the implementation of a business 14 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. portal in the Department of Licenses and Inspections, to customer service training for 3-1-1 operators, to the implementation of a shared services model for human resources functions. The Private Sector Outreach Board has been a valuable resource, and I thank them for their time and experience. I specifically also want to thank Councilmen Kenney and Green for their leadership and guidance on the Private Sector Outreach Board. In a similar vein, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Steering Committee, on which Councilman Jones participates, has been instrumental in guiding our investment choices. I'd like to take this opportunity to also briefly describe our minority, women and disabled business participation. The Managing Director's Office is committed to supporting this Administration's goal of percent 25 minority, woman and disabled-owned 15 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. businesses in participation in City contracting. The goal for Fiscal Year '11 for the Managing Director's Office is percent. 6 Before I conclude, I'd like to 7 touch on some of the potential service 8 reductions should the proposed revenue 9 enhancements fail. 3 million of reductions. 12 What this would mean for our office is 13 that not only would CLIP services not be 14 expanded, CLIP would actually be reduced. 15 The Anti-Graffiti Paint and Supply 16 Voucher Program would be eliminated, and 17 there would be a drastic reduction in the 18 purchase of supplies and equipment and 19 the distribution of free bags and gloves 20 for community clean-ups. Professional services contracts for the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership and our Town Watch program would also be reduced or eliminated. Third, the reduction in Police 16 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. overtime for the Youth Violence Reduction Program would also be eliminated. Roughly, 250,000 would be eliminated from our contracting services, and this 250,000 is a portion that we expect to dedicate to the reform efforts that I mentioned earlier. In addition, three staff positions would be eliminated in our Economic Development and our Health and Opportunity Divisions. 3 million. On a personal note, I would like to thank you for your support and dedication and ideas. It has been a pleasure working with you and an honor serving the people of Philadelphia. I'll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Thank you very much. You're requesting $295,000 in professional services for economic 17 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. development. Can you tell us how these funds will be used?

Yes. In the economic development professional services, we have several projects. The utility database management is $64,000. Greenworks coordination with PIDC is $70,000. Energy audits and consulting are $50,000, and consultants for Greenworks implementation, $111,000. All of our economic development professional services contracts are in support of our Greenworks Plan.

Thank you. You're requesting $2,527,000 for economic development in Fiscal 2011. Can someone explain how these funds will be used and the economic benefit the City will receive and how has that been reflected into the Proposed Five Year Plan?

I have with me John Farrell, who is our Assistant 18 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Managing Director, and he's the one who put the budget together, so he'll give you the preliminary answer and then I've asked Alan Greenberger to also come up and explain the impact on economic development.

Thank you.

Good morning, Madam President, members of Council. My name is John Farrell. The primary funding for the Office of Sustainability, which comprises the vast majority of the Economic Development Division of our budget, there are two staff positions in there for the Office of Sustainability. One runs the Solar Philadelphia Program and the other one is administrative support for the office, and the rest of the money is almost entirely composed of that Class 250, professional services, that the Managing Director just described. The other Class 200 money that's not 19 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. dedicated for that is for small administrative purposes. The biggest use, I believe, is Zipcar and for copier leases.

One of the things that we've done with the Office of Sustainability is to combine it with what was formerly known as the Municipal Energy Office, which was in the Managing Director's Office. So a lot of our energy conservation programs are funded now as a sustainability program, which falls under the broad category of economic development.

On of your testimony, you mention a $240,000 increase for the Clean Philly program. On your budget schedule for increases and decreases, you show an increase of $500,000 for this program. Which is it?

The 240,000 is a net figure. So the 500,000 is the amount that's increased in CLIP, but we have 20 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. decreased the budget by the amount that we've transferred for the IT consolidation, and so the net of those two basic actions is the 240,000 increase.

You indicate that you're transferring $202,000 to the Division of Technology. Can you tell us the number of people and their titles that are being transferred?

All of these are Assistant Managing Directors and they're all from the Office of Emergency Management. Do you want their names or do you just need their titles?

I think the titles would be fine.

They're the folks who are doing technology in the Office of Emergency Management now and they would be transferred to the Division of Technology.

I'm sorry. How many did you say there were? 21 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

There's three people, Assistant Managing Directors, and there are several other small amounts for licenses and other kinds of technology-related contracts.

What are the Class 200 items that are being transferred?

There's a list of several that range from $500 to $13,000, and John can give you the detail of those, if you'd like.

Certainly. From Class 209, we're contributing from four different divisions. From Division 21, it's $13,000. From Division 40, it's $500. From Division 42, it's $4,500, and from Division 43, it's $5,000. In Class 216, Division is 21 contributing $2,000. Class 266 of Division 21 is $3,000. In Class 282 of Division 42 is $3,000.

Can you tell us what are the materials and 22 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. supplies that are being transferred?

Certainly. These are all from Class 427, which I believe is the Computer Equipment line. From Division 21, we have $2,115. Division 42 is $5,000, and Division 43 is --

When you talk about "divisions," I'm not too clear on that.

I apologize, Council President. Division is the 13 Administrative Division of the Managing 14 Director's Office. Division 40 is the 15 Economic Development Division. Division 16 42 is the Public Safety Division, and 17 Division 43 is the Transportation and 18 Utilities Division. 19

Thank 20 you. 21 At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, Dr. Barnett. 23 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Good morning.

First -- and we don't give out compliments real easy around here, but I want to thank you for your dedication and service over the last two years and to specifically note for the record that in the area of transparency and efficiencies and clear direction, you provided a guiding light from your office. When we look at PhillyStat, and a lot of members don't admit that we do, but we learn from those sessions that you do, and I can clearly tell you that the first budget testimonies by your department heads and Commissioners, there was a stark improvement in the second year. They were ready for us, and that was good. Also, the increase in proficiency and technology in 3-1-1 was -- and it's growing pains, and we all know it, but it is growing, and so that is important. And, finally, when it came to a 24 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. chaotic and hectic stimulus situation, you and Mr. Agostini provided clear direction as captains of that ship, and the City is better for it. So we thank you for that.

Thank you, sir.

Now that the good part is over.

I knew there was something else coming.

I'll ask you some real questions. One, to the degree that the CLIP program has been a valuable asset to at least my office and probably many other members, to what degree can the stimulus money Jobs Program that we are anxiously trying to get an application in be used to complement what we're already doing with the non-violent offenders from the Prison System? Is there a way to keep those alleys and driveways, which are private property, which cannot be utilized by City municipal workers, can 25 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. we kind of get our heads around how we can better utilize them in that regard? It will help Councilpeople around the City. (Witness approached witness table.)

I'm going to ask Tom Conway, who manages that program, to respond.

Madam President, members of Council, my name is Thomas Conway, Deputy Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia. With regards to the stimulus money, we did meet with the Mayor's Office with regards to acquiring roughly about individuals to work in the 19 Community Services Program. Also met 20 with the Prison officials with regards to acquiring non-violent prison participants with regards to cleaning vacant lots, removing graffiti and also cleaning alleyways.

So is that 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. like we're going to use the stimulus money?

Yes.

Yes.

Because I only have five minutes, so short answers are better.

The good news is we're going to use the non-violent offenders from the Prisons three times a week at two separate locations.

But are we going to get regular people from the neighborhoods also connected to that?

That's our hope, is we want to engage the community to create large-scale clean-ups throughout the City of Philadelphia, working with Councilmembers and also community organizations and business associations throughout the City.

Because as we look at revenue enhancements, which are never popular, if we can 27 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. correspondingly increase services that we have not been able to address in the past, it gives us at least a rational argument about that. So I appreciate that. Can we also create or are we working towards the warrant nuisance piece, which my colleague Councilman DiCicco started the broken window theory? Are we incorporating that -- a lot of the CDCs and community folk out there want to get these nuisance properties either turned over to the City so they can be put back in reuse. Are we kind of working with that to complement what we're doing on our clean-ups?

With regards to the acquiring of properties?

If we're seeing a property that is vacant and is a blight in the community on an otherwise great block, can we start to use those ticketing processes to kind of either pry the owner into maintaining the property 28 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. or get it in City inventory so that we can put it back out there and get someone to develop it?

What happens when we do visit a private either piece of land or property in the City of Philadelphia, we start the violation process, which the Inspector goes out, documents the violation with pictures. We send the owner a violation notice. We give them either ten to 30 days to comply the violation. If they don't comply the violation, then they send City crews to abate the nuisance, and they do receive a bill. Everything that we go out to and send City crews on, they do receive a bill. If they do not pay the bill, then we do place a lien on the property, and once there's enough liens placed on a property, then the City could actually acquire the property.

I guess what I want you to do is suggest to this body 29 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. how we can improve the regulations laws so that we can expedite that process without violating the property owners' rights. But it has come to a point where we have to do something in a quick manner, because it is a cancer on otherwise good blocks, and block captains that I come in contact with become increasingly more frustrated with the inability to move an owner to do the right thing.

I think a large part of that problem is that some of the property owners are deceased. There's just vacant lots and vacant properties that we do not know who the owner is. We need to look into a solution to either create some type of larger tax or abatement fee to acquire these properties, so when they are ready to be developed, the liens are already in place and we can actually just move on it.

You're a front-line guy. Tell us what we need to 30 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. do to help you. I have for you, Dr. Barnett, I want you to on the record tell the next person to occupy that seat what lessons learned that you, as Blondell Reynolds Brown would say, do you take from this -- and this is a teaching moment for them -- and what we need to be aware of as a Council as to obstacles or things that can make the next job done by the next Managing Director a little better.

Great. Thanks.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.

Thank you, Madam President. Let me echo, thank you for your services to the City, Dr. Barnett.

Thank you.

On 3-1-1 I know in the beginning I think it was 24 hours; is that right? 31 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

That's right.

Tom, you don't have to go anywhere. I'll have a question.

He's got stuff for you, too.

I'm sorry. It was hours? 10

It was 24 hours, 11 and we reduced that in the last budget 12 reduction cycle and we're continuing that 13 into Fiscal Year '11. So it will not -- 14 at the current budget level, 3-1-1 will 15 have its current hours, not 24 hours a 16 day. 17

And that 18 goes up to what time now? 19

Well, let's see. 20 It's 8:00 until 6:00 -- 8:00 to 8:00 and 21 then on Saturdays, it's 9:00 to 5:00. 22

And nothing 23 on Sunday? 24

Nothing on Sunday. 32 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Is there voice mail? I mean, if they have a problem, can they leave --

No. We were advised that voice mail is really a very difficult way to follow up on 3-1-1. If you'd like more information about that, I can bring Rosetta up, but at this point, they would have to call back.

And then to sort of piggyback that, does that cause more people to call 9-1-1, the fact that they can't get through 3-1-1?

We haven't noticed that that has happened. The reason that we chose the hours that we did is, we looked at the number of calls that we get by hour and by day of the week, and we reduced the hours where we get the fewest calls. And so far, our experience is is that it's not increasing things during those hours to 9-1-1 and people are just calling back when the 3-1-1 center is open. 33 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

And what message do you get when they're off? Is there something that comes on?

It says something about the hours -- it says what the hours are and encourages the callers to call back.

Okay. All right. Thank you.

They're not going to let you off.

This is good, Tom. We're not putting you on the spot here. Again, thank you for all you do. I know we all talk to you many times, Mr. Conway, so we appreciate it. Just this Blight Camera Surveillance Initiative, is that the same thing that Councilman Clarke had talked about? Is that the same cameras that he has with the -- that I think were put in the high-crime areas?

No. It's different. 34 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

This is different? Okay. Can you explain that a little bit for us?

These are solar-powered, motion-sensitive, blight-deterrent cameras. They can be easily moved and located to different locations throughout the City. We worked with the Streets Department and we created what's called the Dirty Dozen of short dump hot spots, which is dumping of debris and trash, and what we do is, we place about two or three cameras at that location. What happens is, the motion -- the vehicle sets off the motion-sensitive camera. It takes a picture. We can zoom in to the license plate, catch the perpetrator actually in the act with regards to the picture of it. It does work in darkness, which is very effective and efficient, because a lot of these locations that they do short dump are out of the way, and they erode streets. And I believe it was 17 35 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. tickets, 17 $300 tickets were issued. We do send the picture out with the ticket, so it's --

Sort of like the Parking Authority does with the red light?

Yeah. Not that they want it, but hard for them to disagree with the case that we have.

Okay. Great. Thank you. One last thing. On your new venture, as you call it, for CLIP with the partnerships, now that hasn't happened yet; that is something you're putting together?

That has not happened yet, correct.

And am I right if the budget is -- somehow you don't get your full allocation, that would be one of the things that probably you would have trouble continuing or moving towards? 36 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Yeah.

All right. Thank you. Thanks again. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.

Thank you, Madam President. Good morning. Let me start off by echoing the sentiments of my colleagues. We really have watched and paid attention to your laser-beam focus on the Managing Director's Office, particularly 3-1-1, and for moving the needle on that new initiative. So we thank you for that.

Thank you.

And let me say that the mark of a true professional is consistency, and Tim Conway over the years I've been here has been a real professional around the CLIP program. 37 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Tom Conway. Forgive me.

I get it all the time.

It's Tom, not Tim.

That's my rich uncle.

So there's a universal view that you're very responsive, and we appreciate that.

Thank you.

Are there plans to increase the vacant lot abatements next fiscal year?

That's what part of the additional funding is going to be used for, to increase the vacant lot clean-up program as well as graffiti removal with about 20 to 25 temporary seasonal employees.

That's part of the improvements with the Clean Philly fee. So there's an additional 500,000 that is going to CLIP for expanded 38 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. services out of that fee.

And how do those lucky lots become lucky to be part of the expansion? What criteria or factors do you consider?

Well, what happens with a lot of the vacant lots that are called into either 3-1-1 or your offices, we do have to follow the process with regards to the inspection process and having a violation written, so on and so forth. But what we're looking to do is actually with the new initiative and the partnership with the Prison officials is to be more proactive, to work with the community organizations and go out and sweep and clean several hundred vacant lots at one time.

Okay. I have questions regarding the OEO, but I know my Councilman colleague here also has questions on that. So let me segue back to Councilman Jones' last question. Managing Director, if you had 39 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. to pick one, two or three top priority considerations, challenges or recommendations that you would offer to your successor, what would they be?

Well, I think that continued improvements in 3-1-1 will really serve the City well. We've started it and miraculously with a very limited investment and we have made great strides, but to make this the kind of customer-focused government that you want, additional improvements will be needed in 3-1-1, including investments in technology. I'd like for us to go back to the hours. I'd like for us to 17 think regionally. I'd like for us to be 18 more connected with hand-held technology 19 that City workers have. All of these 20 kinds of things are possible with 3-1-1, 21 and I encourage you to continue the 22 improvements in 3-1-1. 23 I would also encourage you to 24 continue the focus on performance management through PhillyStat, really 40 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. paying attention to the results that you're getting for the dollars the taxpayers are giving us. And, thirdly, I think substantial reform in the way people do business in the City of Philadelphia, the way the government works is going to require substantial investment in technology. The biggest impediment that we have now to improving the way we work is that we don't have adequate technology. So I'm very encouraged with the Capital Budget proposals to improve our investment in technology, and I would urge the City Council to pay attention to making sure that those investments really do happen, because I think it will pay off for us and for our citizens.

Cite an example on where added needed technology improves the outcome.

Right now in the City of Philadelphia all of the workforce fills out paper time sheets. So we fill 41 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. out and sign paper time sheets for all the people who work in the City of Philadelphia. There's no reason that can't be an automated system. There's no 6 reason that that can't be tied in to our financial system, to our payroll system, to our pension system as well. And it's one of the top priorities recommended by the Private Sector Outreach Board, and it will be one of the things that we work on with the investments in technology that are anticipated in the Capital Budget this next year. That will save not only a lot of time, but it will also free up a lot of people who are now spending most of their time in a manual process of filling out paper time sheets. That's just one of thousands of things like that that we can improve.

In those -- agreed 2,000 percent. The only footnote I would add is, putting my former teacher hat on, is consideration for those citizens who come to apply for 42 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. work and simply don't have the skill-set for managing or manipulating technology. So that would be a great movement of the needle as long as we create a circumstance where we accommodate those citizens who simply come ill-equipped to manage technology.

That's a good point. Additional training and capacity building is an important part.

Okay. The clock hasn't struck yet, so let's go to the last page of your testimony where you say, and I state, The Managing Director's Office is committed to supporting the Administration's goal of percent 18 minority, women and disable-owned 19 businesses. 20 I live in a world where you 21 listen to what people say, then you watch 22 what they do. So cite for me what that 23 means, what "commitment" means. What 24 strategies or tactics or new practices 25 are in place to ensure that that goal is 43 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. met?

Well, first of all, I'll tell you about the action that supports it. In Fiscal Year '9, our percentage was 16.6 percent, and this year so far our percentage is 27 percent. So we feel that it's a very doable goal to reach another percent. 10 We work with the Office of 11 Economic Opportunity with every 12 professional service contract or other 13 contract that we submit to encourage 14 participation. We've also gone through a 15 process with the Office of Economic 16 Opportunity to identify vendors that we 17 have not used that we know about so that 18 we're not -- we're building the list that 19 we choose from, as well as the kinds of 20 things that we've been doing in the past in choosing from the existing list.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

44 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, Ms. Barnett and staff. I have a couple questions. Can you tell me the difference between the Clean Philly Program and the Keep Philly Clean? What's the difference?

The Clean Philly Program are those packages of services that we have associated with the Clean Philly fee. So it would include trash collection, rubbish collection, leaf collection, as well as expansion of the Community Life Improvement Program.

That's the Keep Philly Clean, correct?

Yes.

Well, what's Clean Philly?

Clean Philly --

Or is it 45 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. the same?

Well, they're very similar. The Clean Philly Program is a work with volunteers and other organizations to try to encourage people to keep the place clean, either with construction or with neighborhood clean-ups or others.

Like through the Philadelphia More Beautiful Campaign?

Yes. That's exactly right.

Okay. Last year in your testimony there were four priorities on the first page - economic recovery and jobs, enhancing public safety, investing in youth and protecting the most vulnerable Philadelphians, and reforming government. So this year -- and of all those four priorities, two of them to me are very important, and public safety has always been a number one priority for me, and as 46 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I'm even more interested in public safety. It seems to be that many good programs centered around youth violence prevention have either been cut or are some of the first programs to be cut, and I guess it disturbs me that you mention that the YVRP program would be cut. I would think that that program should be a priority. Of those four priorities, we're continuing to talk about economic recovery and jobs and reforming government and putting lots of money in IT and then cutting in youth. Is there some reason for that? Isn't youth and protecting our citizens a priority?

Let me first --

Through violence prevention.

Let me first say I'm so glad that you read those goals, because those goals continue to be our goals, and I want to be clear about what 47 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. we're doing with the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership. Our proposal is not to cut it. If we -- we were asked to talk about what our seven and a half percent cuts would be, and in the seven and a half percent cuts, which we are not recommending, we would have to cut the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership. We also have some additional people here to talk to you about that, if you're interested in hearing some more.

I am. (Witness approached witness program.)

We eliminated the AVRP program and we just can't keep eliminating these youth programs. DEPUTY

Good morning, Councilwoman. Everett Gillison, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. Good morning, Council President and all other members of Council. We agree totally with you, 48 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Councilwoman. We are not proposing to cut it at all. As a matter of fact, as you know both in my briefings with you and also with my stated position, we should try to expand whenever necessary. That program in particular is one that is very near and dear to my heart. I know it works. It has the track record and the performance that works. I've actually invited some people here who are youth partners to talk about the effect of that program, so if you'd like to have them come up.

Yes. That would be very good. Because I know it works too and it just disturbed me that I see that there's a potential for cuts, additional cuts, in youth violence. DEPUTY

Well, they're only a potential.

Particularly when we have -- what are we calling those, the children that are meeting like on South Street? 49 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Flash mobs.

Yeah. We have all that going on and we're talking about youth violence. DEPUTY

Yes. Is Mr. Thompson here? As Mr. Thompson comes forward, I'll just give you some of the background on him. Mr. Thompson is years old. 13 He is currently living in Upper Darby, 14 but he has been living in the 19th 15 District for quite a long time. YVRP 16 still visits him at his new address, and 17 he lives with his mother and is the 18 youngest of eight siblings. He does have 19 an adult arrest history for gunpoint 20 robbery. He served 20 months in jail, and he was active at one time with a gang that was at 56th and Master. He's been shot, but the person that he actually has been dealing with is a street worker. His street worker, who is Matue Swann 50 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. (ph), who is also present. But I could just have him talk to you about not only the efficacy of this program, but also its use and how we are using this investment to change lives. (Witness approached witness table.) DEPUTY

So if, Mr. Thompson, if you'd like to, Councilwoman Miller. Just speak into the -- just say your name.

How you doing, everybody? My name is Alan Thompson. I'm here to basically tell everybody that ever since I've been in this program, like everything been going on the street bad for me. Being as though when I wasn't in the program, I was getting in a lot of things, getting shot, getting shot at, not going to school, not listening to my mom. And basically ever since I met my street worker, Mr. Swanns, and -- at first I was having a little trouble, then I just started getting on the right page, 51 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. and ever since then, I took my GED test, because I had never finished school, and I'm waiting for my results now. I'm taking a trade for construction, and basically I'm trying to do the best I can. DEPUTY

I believe that you're part of YouthBuild?

Yes. That's the school I go to. DEPUTY

And you're interested in a construction job as you get out?

Yes. DEPUTY

Thank you.

So how old are you now, your age?

I'm 20 years old.

20.

Yes.

And you became involved with YVRP, what, 15, 16? 52 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. How old were you then?

No. I just started that since I've been home, 19.

Okay. And it's a valuable program, correct?

Yes.

Good. That's great. We want to continue to hear good things about you.

Yes.

All right? Good. Thank you.

You're welcome. DEPUTY

Thank you, Mr. Thompson.

Councilwoman, your time is up.

I know. I know, but I just figured -- all right.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, Dr. Barnett. How 53 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. are you?

Good morning. I'm fine. Thank you, sir.

Thank you for the kind words in your testimony. I want to say it's been a pleasure to work on the Private Sector Outreach Board with you and to get to know you over the past couple of years. It's been a delight working with you and all of the different initiatives going on in your office. You are our first professional Managing Director, I think, in the City's history, and we will certainly miss the benefit of that experience, but I hope I'll be able to call you once in a while if I have questions about various things.

I would expect nothing less.

That's great. Anyway, I'm sad that this is your last budget, but now I don't feel bad about cutting the Managing Director's 54 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Office to the bone.

Yeah. Okay. What a reward.

I just have specific questions that I've been asking everybody, and it's really about currently vacant positions or positions that have been unfilled for a while, et cetera. So I ask people detail, how long positions have been vacant, what specific job duties will be fulfilled by the position and how those job duties have been handled while positions have been vacant. The budget detail indicates several new or vacant positions that are budgeted to be filled. Starting with the new positions, the detail indicates an Assistant Managing Director position in the Administration Division. The detail shows that the position was vacant as of January. Has the position been filled?

Yes, it has been filled. It's in 3-1-1. 55 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

What is the salary for this position?

Seventy thousand.

What are the duties of this position?

Assisting with the operations of the Contact Center.

And how were those duties performed prior to that person being hired?

We had additional people who left the employment in the Contact Center and so those duties were transferred to our new hire.

So you have a net reduction or are you planning to fill those positions?

No. We just filled the position. It was vacated and we filled it.

It was vacated and you filled it, okay. While it was vacated, were those functions being performed? 56 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Not adequately. That's why we filled it.

Okay. What would be the consequences of eliminating that position?

I think that it would damage the ability of the 3-1-1 Contact Center to perform.

Okay. There are three new Assistant Managing Director positions in the 3-1-1 Customer Contact Center. What are the salaries for these positions?

Two of them are at 40,000 and one of them is at 29,000. The one at 29,000 has been filled.

And the other two have not?

Have not been filled.

What are the job duties?

Hold on. Let me get the Contact Center Director up here. 57 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. (Witness approached witness table.)

You'll see that many of our vacant positions are in the Contact Center, so I'd like for you to hear directly from our Contact Center Manager, Rosetta Lue.

Great.

Good morning, Madam President and City Council. The positions that we have in the Contact Center are support positions. The three positions you're speaking of, one was filled already and we have two more that are vacant.

And what are the duties of these people in those positions?

For the Assistant Managing position, one of them is to oversee the Quality Assurance Program, which is critical in a contact center.

Who is doing that now? 58 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

It's sporadic, so it's between the supervisors and also another person when they have the opportunity to, but there's no 6 consistency right now.

Okay. And can you make it consistent among the supervisors?

We've tried to make it consistent among the supervisors. The issue we have is, as a start-up organization, there are a number of things on the supervisors' plate that sometimes they can't consistently monitor for quality assurance as we would like to.

How many supervisors are there?

Right now we have four supervisors.

Do they take calls also?

They do go on the phone to handle calls when we have peak 59 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. call volumes.

There's a new 40K Administrative Assistant position in the Health and Opportunity Division. What are the job duties of that position?

That's a position that was established last year as assistance for Michael DiBerardinis, who is the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation.

And who is doing these duties now?

He currently has an administrative -- I don't know what he's called, whether it's a Chief of Staff or Administrative Aide who is helping with those positions now, with those duties now.

What would be the consequences of not hiring that person?

Well, that would be less administrative support for the Commissioner. 60 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Okay. It appears there were four 3-1-1 Contact Center agent positions in January. Have those been filled?

One moment. (Witness approached witness table.)

Good morning again. Those positions have just recently been filled.

What's the salaries?

The salaries are around 36,000.

What's the consequence of eliminating those positions?

I would say as we compare this year, January and February of this year to last year, we've had a 50 percent increase in call volume. Without those additional positions, we will have customers remaining in queue or on hold for longer periods of time and we would 61 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. be unable to perform the basic service of the Contact Center.

I have additional questions, Madam President, but I'll come back.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.

Thank you, Madam President. Good morning.

Good morning.

Mr. Conway. (Witness approached witness table.)

How you doing today?

Good.

Tom, the issue with respect to vacant lots -- and I want to thank you for your quick response when we call and ask for some assistance on various issues. 62 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Vacant lots and graffiti removal, ideally if you were in a position to get a significant number of employees traditionally during the season, which is the summer months, how many could you use, if someone said right now you can have a whole bunch of --

Sky's the limit? When we first initiated the program back in, I think, 2001, 2002, we had roughly a hundred employees just solely for the vacant lot program, and that year we did clean roughly 31,000 vacant lots.

With the hundred?

With the hundred employees, yes.

Were you able to get to all of the lots during the course of the year?

We were able to get to all the lots one time that year.

But unfortunately given -- if you can get 63 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. 200, 300 employees this summer, would you be able to accommodate the supervision?

Not at this time, no. 6

No? What would it take for you to accommodate the supervision?

We would need to create more supervisor positions. We actually need more equipment and vehicles to transport them.

All right. The reason I ask this, because the potential availability of the stimulus workers as a result of the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation, I believe they're going to be asking for 5,000 slots to provide opportunities to for-profit, non-profit, CDCs and I understand the City. What's the maximum we can get? Because our concern is that -- and I know Councilman Jones has been working on this as a team member of the City stimulus 64 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. program -- that it could conceivably, assuming that every organization took four employees, that we'd be looking for 1,200 employers. So we really need to be in the position to get a few employers that will take a lot of people, and I just thought about the ability of the City to have these people going to work, cleaning graffiti, which, as you know, is closely approaching out-of-control proportions, and vacant lots. What's your interaction with, I guess, Jenny -- what's her name?

Jenny Sporado (ph)?

Jenny Sporado.

Yes, we did meet with Jenny, and at this time, with the current funding level that I do have, we were able to come up with a number of about 25.

Twenty-five? 65 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Twenty-five.

You got to do more than that.

But also keep in mind we are going to be working with the Prison System.

You do what? I'm sorry.

The Prison System with regards to non-violent offenders. Three days a week we're going to have prison folks coming out to assist with cleaning the vacant lots, and that's at two separate locations. So that will be six additional teams this year.

Okay. I guess my point is is that I want to -- my preference, if we can get people jobs -- and I forget how much they pay, up to $13 an hour?

Thirteen dollars, yes.

I really would like to maximize that opportunity, 66 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. because the worst thing we can do is not take advantage of stimulus dollars. And I think apparently the match, the City's match, is percent, but the 20 percent 6 can be supervisory. 7

Right. The 8 in-kind contribution of the supervisor 9 counts as the in-kind match. 10

So I guess 11 I'm saying, is there a way that we can go 12 way beyond the 25? 13

I mean, at this 14 time, we would need to hire additional 15 supervisors for sure. With regards to 16 equipment, we don't have that on hand 17 right now. We actually have to get 18 vehicles to transport the individuals, 19 which is a large portion of the 20 operation. Logistically --

Point of information.

-- it would be very hard to set up in a short period of time, because I do believe the funding is 67 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. set to expire at the end of September unless it was approved for additional funding.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Green for a point of information.

I'd just like to help out Councilman Clarke, if I can.

I wasn't aware I needed help.

No, I don't mean it that way. Couldn't current employees serve as supervisors even though we're not making them supervisors, and instead of having half your crews or send out three of your regular people or two of your regular people or one of your regular people and ten other kids, as one example? And another -- there are school buses that are empty during the summer. I mean, we have to get creative in order to make sure we are able to take 68 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. advantage of the stimulus dollars, and I keep hearing the same bureaucratic response, which is, Here is the problem, and what I'd like to hear you say is --

Point of information.

-- we'll find a solution.

Madam President, point of information.

I'm finished.

Thank you. I was actually --

Can I respond to that?

No. I was actually in the process of getting to that point before the Councilman assisted me, to ask about some creative ideas. I just wanted to make sure that I knew what the problem was before we talked about potential solutions, although I concur with the Councilman, but I was going to 69 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. get there eventually. If we're talking about a short term, because I understand right now it conceivably will expire in September, but there is likelihood that they may continue, because Congresswoman Schwartz is apparently a key member of that committee that funds that particular program. There's a likelihood that it will be extended. As Councilman Green said in my stead, could we come up with a significant strategy, a creative strategy, on expanding those opportunities? Because I would hate to think that we lose opportunities to put a lot of people to work and do good things and getting the City clean and sending the message to these knucklehead graffiti artists, is what they call themselves, that we're not going to allow them to continue to deface our city. And as long as we continue not to respond, they're going to basically take the position that 70 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. they run this city, they own this city and continue to aggressively mar the looks of our city. So can we kind of sit down and talk about that? Because I just hate to have to send the money back.

Absolutely.

Because at the rate we're going, we're not going to get the 5,000 slots.

No, and I think, again, the logistics of it, it's not as simple as just putting the individuals in the bus. There's safety issues, liability issues and, of course, supervision issues. Roughly, you need about six employees to one supervisor with regards to doing vacant lots in the City of Philadelphia.

I understand.

So you're talking about a substantial number of folks that we need to hire to supervise them in a 71 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. very short period of time. I mean, it's not saying it cannot happen, but --

Well, my understanding that there are a number of other organizations that do that work, like Self, Incorporated --

Self Help.

-- beyond the City workforce -- Ready, Willing and Able -- that we can count on them, that we can funnel that workforce through us and have them subcontract, not for money purposes but subcontract that activity in terms of supervisory, in terms -- I mean, Ready, Willing and Able, they have buses. Self has buses, transportation. I mean, we got to get creative. I mean, there are ways of doing this, and I hate to think that just because we can't transport people to the vacant lots or the graffiti removal site that we lose this opportunity.

Well, I'd definitely love to sit down and explore 72 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. it with you.

Can we, please?

Yes, sir.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, Dr. Barnett.

Good morning.

I just want to go over a few things that you mentioned in your testimony. I was surprised that -- you may have to have a 7.5 reduction in your budget, but I was surprised that you're going to pick on one of the programs that I think has been doing a tremendous job in the City of Philadelphia. And at this time, I'd like to commend your Deputy, 73 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Mr. Conway, for doing an excellent job running it. It's a good department. We always -- any time we call there, we had I think an immediate and timely response to our service needs. I would like to know -- you mention that the reduction would cause you to reduce the Graffiti Paint and Supply Voucher Program. Would this reduce any personnel? Would there be a reduction in personnel?

No, there would not be any reduction in personnel.

Just supplies?

It will be supplies.

Do you know how much you would save on this?

It would be 150,348 for the reduction in the purchase of equipment and supplies and a reduction of an additional 290,681 for the free bags and the gloves for community 74 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. clean-up.

How much would that be?

290,681.

So it's around 450,000, somewhere around there, the savings. Could you specify the list of contracts that would be eliminated?

Are you speaking specifically of --

No. I'm talking about the roughly, you say, 250,000 would be eliminated.

Yes. That reduction is in the professional services that support the implementation of reform team implementation, probably in the time and attendance system, but there are several other reform initiatives that need to be implemented and would require an investment.

Okay. I would just like to get on to your 3-1-1 75 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. system. You mention here you're investing approximately 500,000 in capital dollars. Are you spending that now? Is that budgeted?

No. That's allocated for --

That's what you're contemplating?

Yes. That's what is allocated in the school year '11.

And this is another study, in other words?

It is more than a study. It is an implementation plan. We have to do an assessment of what we need, and we need to look at both our telephone technology as well as our information systems technology. We'll do that, and the 500,000 ought to also enable us to begin the implementation based on that analysis.

How are your personnel trained for 3-1-1? We have some problems. For instance, I want to 76 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. give you one. One of my staff members called the information -- one of our constituents called, for instance, and it was about a stray animal. Your operator searches the knowledge center, I believe?

Correct.

And they in turn, the operator would notify the person to call PACA. Now, PACA hasn't been around for at least over a year, a year and a half. So I'm thinking about updating. How is your system updated as to getting the updated information to give a constituent?

That's a good question. Our staff works with the various departments and agencies within the City and outside of the City to ensure our knowledge base is updated with accurate and correct information. Whenever it is found that the information in our system is incorrect, we have a knowledge base liaison that actually contacts the agency to ensure that we get 77 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. the correct information in our system. So that's how that process works.

Can you repeat that?

The knowledge base is updated by contacting either the department or the agency who first provided --

When do you do this?

We do it every day, on a regular basis. We'll contact agencies if we find out -- right now we have over 4,000 articles in our knowledge base systems, and sometimes the information that we have, the departmental information may have changed, and what we do is, we contact the department or the department may contact us to provide us updated information within our systems.

If you do that every day, why wouldn't your operator know that PACA has been out of 78 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. business and the current information would be to contact the SPCA? And I'm sure that there have been probably, oh, I don't know, in a month's time, there probably could be 100, 150 calls made to your operator.

I will go back and research and find out what exactly is in our knowledge base and bring that answer back.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.

Thank you again, Madam President. What I want to know is with the deregulation of electric coming in '11, we pay for a lot of street lights, and Councilman Clarke and I, at his leadership, have begun to look at the process of an authority that would put the City of Philadelphia in a better 79 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. position to negotiate energy rates, but is there a plan out of your office to deal with this impending budgetary impact?

Yes, and Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler will describe our preparation. (Witness approached witness table.) DEPUTY

Good morning. For the record, Rina Cutler, Deputy Mayor, Transportation and Utilities. Councilman, we are in the process of trying to complete a business plan in anticipation of electric rates, caps, coming off at the end of the year. We have recently hired, through a grant, a new energy manager. The gentleman we hired is paid for out of our funds. His previous employment was procuring energy for Amtrak as well as several school systems in New Jersey. So we are completing a plan in 80 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. order to go on the street and do the purchasing of energy for the City sometime before the end of the year.

And have you put together some scenarios? If left unchecked -- we don't have a real big discount with PECO at this point, do we? DEPUTY

We have a reasonably good --

What is reasonable? DEPUTY

I think we're paying -- currently, it's a 15 percent discount that will obviously go away at the end of the year.

What is our energy consumption by way of electric annually now? DEPUTY

How much are we consuming?

How much do we use? DEPUTY

I do not have that number, Councilman. It is 81 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. actually handled out of -- it will be handled out of individual departments going forward as of, I believe, July. It is currently all within Public Property, I believe.

Okay. DEPUTY

For the 12,000 meters that are the City buildings.

But not just that, we also pay for street lighting, correct? DEPUTY

We do, but it is part of the overall City -- the bill for street lighting, I believe, is just in excess of about $3 million a year, and I believe there's another -- don't hold me to it, but around a million for traffic signals as well.

So we're talking about, minimum, round-about figures, five million. I won't hold you to that, but if we're talking about $5 million and a 15 percent increase, that's 82 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. substantial. And as Councilman Clarke's visionary plan to look at these options, we're talking about the triangle complex as an example of how we can reduce our energy consumption, and it may have ramifications if we start talking about police stations, fire stations, rec centers, and I know we did the Novesco -- is that Invesco? DEPUTY

We did an ESCO.

Inesco? DEPUTY

ESCO.

ESCO. And they are looking and auditing or looking at how we audit those buildings. I think all of that information, as we start planning our Five Year Plan, is probably equal in importance if we start accompanying gas prices and consumption of heating bills, as important second only to our staffing costs. DEPUTY

Well, I think that's correct. We are -- in fact, 83 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. the numbers you just talked about for street lights and the number I talked about for street lights and traffic signals is actually a very small part of the City's overall energy consumption in all of its buildings. There are 12,000 individually metered City-owned buildings.

Can you give us a rough estimate of what that is? I would hope you would provide that figure to the President, but can you give us a rough estimate of what we're talking about? DEPUTY

I think it's around $37 million for the current fiscal year. So that is before the caps come off.

So with a 15 percent possible increase there and possibly other utility companies to follow, our planning going forward is as important as our labor negotiations, to say the least. We have the ability, if 84 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. we do this right -- and I've had some preliminary conversations with Councilman Clarke, and, again, I give him kudos for his forward thinking -- to eventually reverse that and even sell energy back to the grid. DEPUTY

Well, I mean, I think there are a number of different issues here. In order to sell energy back to the grid, we need to be producing it, and I think there are a variety of ways that we are currently looking at in terms of putting a business plan together as to whether we go out into the wholesale part of the business or whether we purchase it on the retail part of the business, how we manage both the conservation side, which is through the Office of Sustainability, or the procurement side, which will run through my office. So I think there are a lot of moving parts to it, but certainly with 12,000 individual meters and rate caps 85 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. coming off, I would agree with you that the future procurement of power is going to need to be managed very tightly in order not to become another budget buster for us.

Just as a closing comment, as Transportation Chair and Public Utilities, we need to look at that holistically to see whether or not some of these utilities can work out in the reverse of us being purveyors, sellers of energy to smaller municipalities. DEPUTY

I'm happy to have a conversation about it. I think the City needs to be somewhat cautious about becoming a utility, because I think there are some severe risks financially to becoming a utility and having to manage our own version of non-payment. And so I do think there are -- there is one version which really has us become a provider of energy ourselves. There's another version that has us be able to 86 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. produce some of our own power and sell the excess back to the grid after we've used our own. There's another version where we will need to figure out what alternative energy sources are that we want to pick up and try to wean ourselves a little more off electricity. So I think there are a variety of pieces to it. It is my office's hope that within the next two months, we will have a business plan drafted, and at that point, we are planning on holding a briefing for Council before anything else.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and with deregulation, it's going to become a necessity, but I also think it is the birth place of opportunity, and if we look at this correctly, some of the low-income people in the City of Philadelphia may be the unintended or intended beneficiary of your work. So I'm going to be looking at what you do 87 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. with an eye towards it's deregulation on us, but it's also deregulation on the rest of the citizens in the City of Philadelphia. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.

Thank you, Madam President. Is there anything else either one of you might want to say on Councilman Jones' question or concern regarding -- DEPUTY

Energy?

Yes. DEPUTY

Well, I do think it's going to become a fairly big focal point for the Administration and the City, not only because we're likely to have to pay more in terms of procurement, but the how we procure it, the who we procure it from, and all of 88 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. which utilities are regulated by the PUC. And so I think there are a lot of pieces to it. I would agree I think there also needs to be a fairly major public information program. I think it's pretty clear to me at this point that the public is not -- they may be aware that electric caps come off, but they're not necessarily aware that they can go out into the market and procure energy, or should. PECO will have a rate, as they are required to do under the PUC legislation, but it will be a rate of last resort. We do not expect that that is the best rate anybody can get. And so I think part of what needs to happen going forward is, there really also needs to be a public information campaign that starts to prepare the citizens for that pretty dramatic way of doing business is really going to change for them.

Who do you think might be best suited to undertake 89 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. the massive -- that would be a massive deep reach to help citizens get ready for this? Should it be the City? Should it be the Office of Consumer Affairs? Should it be PECO? Because then you have to look at who is going to foot the bill 8 for that. So who do you think is best suited? DEPUTY

Well, I think the message is the simpler one. Obviously the cost of that public information campaign, I am hoping, is not in fact borne by the City. So I think there are a number of mechanisms by which citizens can and should be informed and whether they are the utility company itself. Much of the advertisement you're seeing now is from additional energy providers, not PECO, who want to come into the market. And so you're just starting to see advertisements going to citizens in order to get them to change their provider from PECO. So I think 90 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. there is a way to corral all of the folks who wish to provide energy to residents and businesses in Philadelphia, and that hopefully will be part of the business plan as well.

When do you anticipate completion of the plan? DEPUTY

Within 60 days.

And is there any model of some other municipality that is doing this right already? DEPUTY

There are several. We are the last, I think, of the big cities who have a rate cap still in place.

Such as? Just a couple of examples. DEPUTY

We've been meeting with folks in Boston and Baltimore and at least in the northeast corridor, Washington, DC, because their energy rate caps came off some months 91 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. ago, some years ago. So we are trying to follow their models as well.

Okay, then. Thank you. My five minutes is not up?

No. 8

Okay, then. Three hundred eighty-seven thousand nine hundred fifty dollars was in overtime by the Transportation and Utilities, holiday overtime. What might that have been attributed to?

There's overtime for Police in the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership, and there is additional overtime in CLIP.

Okay. Speaking of Police, with the recent -- and I know that discussions are preliminary under the leadership of Councilman Frank DiCicco, but with this new dilemma the City is facing, flash mobs and young people communicating via the social network, and there's a 92 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. decrease in the budget -- let me get this right. I believe I saw a decrease in the budget for the supervision of supportive high-risk youth. Now, that decision, I'm sure, was made prior to this new dilemma that the City is facing with young people. So has there been any discussion internally to reconcile that, that budget decrease with this new dilemma with young people?

I think the budget decrease that you're referring to is what we would have to do if we took the seven and a half percent cuts. Our proposal doesn't include those cuts. So our proposal to you is that the funding remain there. And Deputy Mayor Gillison can talk about some of our recent efforts with the Police in terms of dealing with flash mobs.

Okay. Please. (Witness approached witness table.) 93 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. DEPUTY

Yes. As you know -- again, Everett Gillison, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. Yes. We have been meeting not only with various merchants, as Councilman DiCicco knows, have been both e-mailing and doing our own sense of social networking in order to make sure that we keep ahead of this as much as we can. But, yes, the Police Commissioner, myself, the Mayor, we've been discussing different ways of increasing the flexibility of the force that is down in that area. We want to make sure that we keep a citywide presence, because we have to be able to move and move quickly once we get the intel. What we really need to do is have parents do what they did just this other day, they told us about what was going on, because they were monitoring their children, and we had an additional way of finding out and we were able to move quickly to move the resources to 94 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. where we anticipated the problem would be. If we did not have that, it takes time to actually bring that on. I know that we have been able to bring additional undercover units into the Center City area, along the South Street area and even in Manayunk in anticipation of things that may have happened or that we were tipped off about. But we are trying to be as vigilant and as quickly to respond to these things that is brought to our attention.

So there is a connect with the School District, I know. DEPUTY

Yes. Yes. Obviously we are connected with the School District. We have a connection with the various associations around the City and we use Town Watch to be able to get some additional information. We are trying to be as flexible as possible without trying to be overly 95 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. dramatic in our response as we go forward.

Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. I have a couple questions for Tom Conway and the CLIP program. (Witness approached witness table.)

Hi. How you doing?

Good.

I think you do a great job.

Thank you.

But, Tom, remember you and I had a discussion when -- you know that my staff does a lot of vacant lot clean-ups with the 96 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. community groups, et cetera, and many times they have a problem with not having the proper equipment or enough of that. Remember we had a conversation and you talked about liability, and I'm saying, Well, they're City workers also. So have you figured out what to do when we need to borrow equipment from you so we can maybe do the job in half the time?

We're talking about creating a partnership with the prison participants and community organizations and your office. This actually came out of what you were stating and also Councilman Clarke with regards to how do we work together, because you understand there is just 40,000 vacant lots in the City of Philadelphia. There's no way that the City is going to be able to clean and maintain them by ourselves. So with your suggestion of getting equipment and having your office, our office work 97 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. together and also bring in the prison participants into it, I mean, our goal is to go out on weekends and just have massive clean-ups in Council districts and neighborhoods throughout the City of Philadelphia.

So then there has been a system set up where we can borrow needed equipment?

Well, we're going to go out there with you. We'll have somebody from our staff be out there with you during the clean-up. So you will be able to get equipment out there.

Okay. Well, I guess that works. How many people are you bringing in from the prison to help on -- you said three times a week?

We have three times a week at two separate locations. I don't have an exact number. About 20 each day. So that's 60 workers per week, additional workers. 98 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc.

Well, this week on Friday we're doing a clean-up at a playground, and so if in fact we needed help, which I don't know that we do, we're trying to get other resources, but if we do, who do we call? Just you?

You can contact me.

Okay. I have some other questions regarding 3-1-1. Thank you, Tom.

You're welcome. (Witness approached witness table.)

Hi. Good morning.

Good morning.

I forgot your name. What's your name?

I'm Rosetta Carrington Lue.

Rosetta, 99 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. was there anything you learned or thought you might change based on the Call Center's response in handling of the numerous calls during this largest snowstorm of our lifetime?

Yes. I mean, we've had three opportunities to get better at it. So one of the things that we learned as part of this is the critical need for us as a department and as a city to work together so we can have information for the customers when they call us up front. That has helped so much in being proactive and letting the citizens know what's going on and what the City is doing about it. Because we will get the same questions over and over again, and working with the Streets Department, the agents were more prepared to answer those questions for those constituents.

Because I got good information. I got good feedback, particularly one -- actually, I was just at a community meeting last week 100 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. and someone said that she used the e-mail system and got a very quick response to the issue of cleaning and shoveling her street. And then I've also -- and we receive all kinds of calls. I mean, I had one call where a person called my home and asked me to give her the Mayor's personal phone number because she was so outraged over her street not being cleaned and her attempts to communicate that with 3-1-1 and she couldn't get a live person on the phone. And most of the time when people call me, I will call just to see for myself. On that particular day, I never got a live person on the phone after making two calls and being on hold for quite some time, and I knew you were overwhelmed. I didn't know whether you had enough staff. I just didn't know what, but I know that that was surely a challenge and an opportunity to learn and do something different.

Correct. Correct. And you're correct in your assessment. 101 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. For example, we would normally get maybe 2,500, 3,000 calls a day. On some days we were hitting 18,000 calls coming through the Contact Center. So the agents -- and we were all hands on deck. We were in the Walk-in Center, doing e-mails, web self-service, people were calling. There was just a lot of customers calling in on particular days that we were not able to handle them within an adequate time period.

What would you do different?

In a catastrophic situation like this, I think there is not a lot you can do very differently except communicate to the customers externally via radio, public service announcements, the web, again, the Contact Center, because they're calling us. But I think that whole communication plan really needs to be developed and looked at, even with the employees, making sure the employees understand what's going on. 102 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Those are the things that we need to concentrate on when we're dealing with catastrophic situations like those.

All right. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. That bell sure goes off really quick.

The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. Good morning. I'd just like to follow up on the flash mobbing issue. (Witness approached witness table.) COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I happened to be in Center City Saturday. I went to the orchestra and then went for a late dinner at a restaurant at Broad and Locust, and I was literally in the middle of the crowds that were coming north on Broad obviously coming from South Street. I didn't know what it was. Originally I thought it was a bunch of kids that were 103 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. coming from one of the theatres, maybe there was a concert going on. And I will say that the majority, the vast majority, of the kids that I saw were well-behaved and well-mannered. As you know, we always get one or two knuckleheads that begin to start problems, and then the mob mentality takes over. I didn't see any incidents of violence, until somewhere around 11:30 when it looked like about police 13 vehicles were traveling south on Broad 14 Street trying to meander through the 15 traffic, because at that time of night 16 with all the theatres being let out and 17 the restaurants, Center City was packed. 18 And when I first got there, I really felt 19 good. I felt good about being in the 20 City. It was alive. The weather has changed. People were coming out enjoying themselves. And then it just turned into a situation that certainly did not make it very comfortable. I have received dozens and 104 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. dozens of e-mails since that incident, and what concerns me is not only the bad publicity that we receive, but the folks that I'm getting it from primarily are Philadelphians who live in the vicinity of Center City, South Street, who have seen lots of times different problems. We have Mardi Gras and other incidents. But I've never seen or heard the concern of the magnitude that I've seen over this weekend. People are fearful. I mean, really fearful for their livelihoods. Mostly everyone has suggested to me or told me that they are done going into Center City on a weekend and they will never go back to South Street to shop or dine. And these are people who live within a block or two of South Street. So I'm only saying that so that my colleagues understand the seriousness of this situation. A flash tells you it's in, it's gone and it goes away. This is the third, maybe fourth such 105 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. incident that we've had in the last couple of months. DEPUTY

Four months. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I talked to the Mayor yesterday a couple of times about it, and what I'm asking my colleagues is to think about what I'm about to say. I did talk to a couple of my colleagues earlier this morning. I think what we need to do is to put a human face on this issue, maybe by way of the clergy, maybe by way of going out to the schools -- and not necessarily for people who are in public office like ourselves or the police -- to go out and try to talk to these kids about the negative impact that this is having on our city, which ultimately will cost all of us revenues and possibly loss of jobs. Most of the people who work in the service industry, about 85 percent of the people who work in the service industry in our city, come from our 106 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. neighborhoods. So when an incident happens at Macy's and people decide that I'm no longer going to shop at Macy's, that means that sales are down, which translates into less business, which means that Macy's will then begin to cut staff. That staff are people who are cousins and aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers who live in these neighborhoods. I had a conversation with the regional manager for Macy's on the East Coast a couple weeks ago, came into a meet-and-greet type thing, and it wasn't specific about the flash mob, but obviously we got into that conversation. I talked to the Mayor about this yesterday, and I'm just offering it, and I'd ask my colleagues to think about this a little bit further. If there is a way in which we can encourage the hotel industry, the entertainment industry and obviously the retail folks to talk to some of their employees and ask if they 107 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. would act as ambassadors, if you will, to go out into the schools and talk to these kids about this fun thing that you think is neat is going to have a devastating effect on the livelihoods of most Philadelphians who -- all Philadelphians, for that matter, but primarily for the Philadelphians who work in our service industry, especially in the core of Center City. I think that's the message that we need to get out. I've gotten calls from reporters from New York and other places. I've refused to discuss the issue with them, because it just makes this situation worse. But I can show you e-mails. A lady who lives on Fitzwater Street, who -- I can't remember the name of her company. She works in Center City. She has a mini convention coming in in June, 800 people. She has already put a blast e-mail out telling all her folks who are coming here not to go to South Street, stay out of Center City, 108 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. find other venues to go and enjoy yourself, because Center City is dangerous. And this is a Philadelphia person, who is that afraid by bringing this convention, that she will be held somewhat responsible for not alerting the folks who are -- the conventioneers who are coming in for this convention. Again, I really didn't want to kind of get into this in a public way, but I think it's the only way really to get this message out. This is a very, in my opinion, a very serious situation, worse than Mardi Gras, because Mardi Gras happens once a year, and we've weaned ourselves away from that. We've gotten past it. But this occurrence could happen literally on a weekly basis, and if we don't do something -- and I'm not suggesting we're not. There's no 22 criticism here -- we're going to lose Center City. I am that concerned. And I really believe that we will lose our Center City. It's that bad. 109 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I couldn't agree with Councilman DiCicco more so. I think he has made some very, very good points, and I think it's something that I think the City and all of us have to look at to see how we can resolve that problem. I really do. Doctor, I know that you'll be leaving us soon and I want to thank you for your last two years of service.

Thank you.

I really do. I appreciate all the things that you've done for us. This is something that I brought up last year and I just want to 110 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. know if you had any additional thoughts about it. It's about removing the animal care and control out of the Health Department, because my good doctor, frankly, they don't give a damn. Now, I don't say that maliciously. I really don't. I think if Dr. Schwarz were here, he would give me a hundred reasons of higher priorities, and I would agree with him. This shouldn't be a high priority for them. They have the health of this whole city that they have to take care of, and I understand that. But I mentioned this last year, if you had any thoughts about removing it and putting it somewhere else that would make more sense than putting it in the Health Department.

We have Susan Kretsge here from Health and Opportunity, and I'd like to ask her to talk about some of the things that they're doing with animal care and control to improve the situation. I will say that we did look at 111 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. this. It is a fairly typical organizational arrangement in cities to have animal control involved with general public health. So I'm not sure that changing its organizational location would, by any magic way, make a difference in how we're doing it, but I do take your concerns and ideas about how we can better manage it and where it is to heart, and I'd like to ask one of the representatives here to let you know some of those things that we're doing to try to address your concerns. (Witness approached witness table.)

I'm Susan Kretsge. I'm here representing Dr. Schwarz, who had to be in Washington, DC today. The Health Department has spent, over the last year, a lot of time and energy looking at how animal control operations are handled and looking to improve them, and I know, Councilman 112 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. Kelly, you're familiar with much of this. We have a contract in place with the SPCA. We continue efforts to become a no-kill city. There has been an informal group advising the Health Department on ways to better manage animal control, and that is becoming the formal Animal Advisory Committee, and I know that you will be serving on that as appointed by the Council President as an ex-officio member. We have done a lot of work reaching out to animal advocacy groups, people who maybe in the past had a somewhat hostile relationship with the Department. We have reached out to embrace them, because we are very committed to doing the best that we can around animal control activities and around the public safety issues related to that. I would mirror what the Managing Director said about where this 113 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. activity generally is housed within city governments. Often it is in the public health department or in a public safety area. The Department is very committed to working with all those interested to improve our efforts around this area.

Have you contacted any other cities to see how they handle animal control?

I can speak for the Health Department and say that they have spoken to other cities. I'm unable to give you any detail on that. I know when the Health Department is here to give their budget --

That's where most of my questions will be anyway. So I don't want to belabor the --

I'll make sure that they're prepared to answer that.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

114 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.

Thank you, Madam President. I might need Mr. Frank up here. Real quick question. City Council, a number of members in Council, have been talking about enhancing the technology with Council internally. We've expanded our website, and I know a number of Councilpeople, actually Councilwoman Tasco and Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez, are looking at some of the models in New York, CouncilStat. And you know, as we said, we are an independent branch of government, so we always look at ways of improving our internal situation. How difficult would it be if Council wanted to set up a system comparable to 3-1-1, but it would be a 4-1-1 number for Council, so you wouldn't have to figure out what Councilperson number to call or the tech staff or 115 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. whatever? You just call a particular number, 4-1-1. I kind of like that 4-1-1, because that's information.

Yeah, information. How difficult would it be? Well, one of the things that we've done, particularly with 3-1-1, is to work with Councilwoman Sanchez to look at CouncilStat in New York, and our Director, Rosetta Lue, has gone with the Council staff on a number of occasions to New York to see what their model is, and I'd like for her to talk a little bit about how CouncilStat works there. My sense is is that the best way to do this is to make sure that any of the information in CouncilStat is also coordinated with 3-1-1 stats and vice versa. As we do now --

What do you mean by that?

Well, right now what we do is, we give each Councilmember regular reports on what kinds of issues 116 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. are in your district or citywide that we're getting through 3-1-1.

Doctor, I only have like five minutes. I don't want to use up my time talking about 3-1-1. Can I get --

Yes. We'll talk about CouncilStat.

That will take up all my five minutes.

Sorry.

The trip to New York, we actually saw their CouncilStat application, and what they're doing, they have not centralized it so the constituent calls one number. They're still keeping those individual Council offices within New York.

Is that by choice?

That's by choice. That's by choice. But what they have done, though, is actually purchased an application, a computer customer service 117 3/23/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100117, etc. type of application, where it's centralized. So within those Council districts, they can actually pull the stats together of all the calls that are coming into the individual offices and begin to see a trend as to why customers or constituents are calling each individual Council office. So individually you may not -- you may have a small view of what's going on within your area, but what they have done is been able to aggregate that information across, I think it's, 52 boroughs or 52 districts within New York. They've been able to aggregate that data to say, Hey, there is a problem not just in my area but also in these other areas as well. So that's how they're using that CouncilStat information. It's really for Council.