February 18th City Council Meeting

by The San Marxist, posted in Meetings

This is a big week! Malachi Williams, that weird Data Center thing you’ve heard about, and Council outlines their hopes and dreams for the next year. Like, how about a Crime Prevention office that is outside of SMPD and the incarceration system? And lots more! It’s very exciting.

Let’s do this!

Hours 0:00 – 2:03:  Citizen comments on Malachi Williams, lots of details on the new Data Center proposal, and a little on Council compensation and travel budgets.

Hours 2:03 – 2:33: Council gets to outline the coming year’s priorities, and they’re dreaming big: A tenant’s bill of rights! A non-police office of crime prevention!  And so much more. 

Bonus! 3 pm Workshops:  Fixing the city utility assistance program, and the last little bit of Covid money.

That’s all I got! Enjoy.

2 thoughts on “February 18th City Council Meeting”

  1. This may be a stupid question but why can’t city staff handle Utility assistance?  Thanks,Ana Juárez 

    Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

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    1. I honestly don’t know!! That’s a very good question. In fact, we’ve done it before, where we just wiped out the delinquent balances across the board.

      Theories:

      1. historically, Councils weren’t terribly interested in making the money overly accessible, and Community Action was giving utility assistance from other sources, so they just felt like it was easiest to add to that.
      2. They’re used to giving money to nonprofits on the premise that nonprofits are more embedded in the community and connect with people in need, and they haven’t stopped to question that in this particular case. (Of course, when it comes to utilities, they have the most direct access with customers in need!)
      3. Probably some staffing costs? But in general, simpler systems work best, and this would be far simpler than doling money out to four different agencies, who then give it right back to us.

      I really think that no one has stopped to consider this thoroughly.

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