Q&A
CORE's OTPS budget utilization and community engagement funding
1:49:18
·
4 min
Council Member Williams inquires about CORE's Other Than Personal Services (OTPS) budget utilization for FY24. Linda Tigani explains that CORE was only able to use a partial amount of the $395,000 allocated for OTPS costs. The budget is primarily used for community engagement activities, which started after the release of draft community equity priorities on May 13th.
- CORE underspent on OTPS budget due to delayed start of community engagement activities
- Funding is used to pay organizations for hosting or participating in community conversations
- Organizations are requesting increased funding for hosting community conversations due to the effort required
Nantasha M. Williams
1:49:18
Okay.
1:49:19
Turning to the operational components of the budget.
1:49:23
FY 20 4 doctor budget allocated 3 $95, 000 to OTPS cost, which is meant to cover necessary supplies equipment and utilities, etcetera.
1:49:31
Was Core able to utilize the full budgeted amount?
Linda Tigani
1:49:36
We were only able to utilize a partial amount.
1:49:40
That particular budget is used for community organized and engagement activities.
1:49:47
We started our work paying public, paying the public, so paying organizations, to participate in community organization in community conversations, either host them or invite core after the draft community equity priorities were released, which means we've only had from May 13th up until the this day to plan with organizations.
1:50:11
While they're absolutely excited, they've joined introductory sessions, they've joined facilitation sessions, we are now in actual, sort of, like, date mode, and the dates that we're getting from groups is really all set for July.
1:50:26
And group are setting their schedule.
1:50:28
They're preparing for their own end of year activities.
1:50:31
And so because of that, we we underspending in our OTPS, which we expect to spend down in the first quarter of FY 24 because of the number of engagements that we already have on the calendar.
Nantasha M. Williams
1:50:46
Okay.
1:50:46
And OMB, you you didn't receive
Crystal Hudson
1:50:51
a pay
Nantasha M. Williams
1:50:51
for OTPS.
1:50:54
Like, are you going to be able to have that same line item going into the next fiscal year or was your budget decrease?
Linda Tigani
1:51:03
We will have the same line item going into the next fiscal year.
1:51:08
And we have already flagged that we anticipate needing additional funds when we began talking to community organizations this year about funding community conversations.
1:51:21
They said that we need to increase the amount.
1:51:23
That the number that we were offering So it's $1750 to host a conversation, which means we would train 1 of your community member to lead a conversation on the priorities.
1:51:37
1 of our team members would be in the room, and 1 of our commissioners would be in the room.
1:51:41
Because we do want commissioners to be in the room when people are voicing, what their concerns are, and any reflections they have to the equity priorities.
1:51:51
We then offered a $1000 for any organization that can create the conversation, and then 1 of our team member would host it, which means they're doing all of the outreach.
1:52:03
They're getting the food.
1:52:04
They're making sure that people are in the room.
1:52:06
Each conversation should have 15 to 20 people.
1:52:10
And then the 1 requirement across both of those options is that community members must be paid for their time.
1:52:17
No less than $15, either in a gift card and whatever process the organization deems best.
1:52:25
I've received several calls saying that both of those amounts are low because of the amount of time it takes to ensure that you have 15 to 20 people in the room.
1:52:36
And so they rightfully so are asking for additional funds to host a community conversation, and we would like to be able to meet that request because they are doing the hard work of getting people in the room and getting folks to meet with us and and commissioners.
Nantasha M. Williams
1:52:53
Yes.
1:52:53
I concur with that.
1:52:54
I sent a mailer.
1:52:57
I did emails.
1:53:00
We had got another organization to do canvassing of, like, hundreds of doors for a town hall that hosted a few weeks ago, and there was only, like, 20 plus people that showed up.
1:53:13
When thousands of doors got like snail mail, they got Canvas, and I did a robocall, and I did emails.
1:53:22
So, yes, it is a challenge to really bring people out.
1:53:27
So I would concur with that for sure.
1:53:32
Was core or does core have adequate office space where it's current current staffing levels and and projected staffing levels?