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Q&A
Council Member Riley questions OMB on 311 staffing, Big Apple Connect, and Department of City Planning vacancies
2:54:05
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3 min
Council Member Kevin Riley questions OMB representatives about 311 staffing, the Big Apple Connect program, and Department of City Planning vacancies. The OMB team provides responses on hiring plans, future funding considerations, and efforts to address staffing issues.
- 311 call takers are exempt from the hiring freeze, and the agency is working to fill 30 vacant positions.
- Funding for Big Apple Connect beyond FY 2025 is under consideration, with the program high on OMB's priority list.
- Additional funding and staffing have been allocated to the Department of City Planning to address vacancy rates and support neighborhood planning efforts.
Kevin Riley
2:54:05
Thank you, chair.
2:54:07
Good afternoon, executive director GI and your team.
2:54:12
I just have three really quick questions.
2:54:14
First one is on 311 headcount.
2:54:17
The 311 delivers fast and easy access to government services and information to all New Yorkers.
2:54:25
In the preliminary plan, three zero one had 386 budgetary positions in fiscal twenty twenty five, while the actual headcount as of January 2025 is three fifty six, which is leaving the agency with 30 vacant positions to fill.
2:54:41
Has the hiring fee freeze for been lifted for three one one, and does the administration anticipate these vacancies be filled by the end of twenty twenty five?
Kenneth Godiner
2:54:50
Yes.
2:54:52
Three one one call takers are exempt from the two for one.
2:54:55
The agency is working to hire the the folks and fill those vacancies.
2:55:01
I think it's their goal, if if if not their expectation, that that those will be filled.
Kevin Riley
2:55:06
Thank you.
2:55:07
Next is Big Apple Connect.
2:55:09
The preliminary plan includes $31,300,000 in fiscal twenty twenty five only for Big Apple Connect program.
2:55:17
Big Apple Connect is a program that was launched in September 2022 to deliver reliable, high speed Internet to NYCHA residents for free.
2:55:26
Why isn't there any funding allocated for Big Apple Connect after fiscal year twenty twenty five?
2:55:31
And the contract for Big Apple Connect are set to expire at the end of this calendar year.
2:55:36
Does the administration plan to extend Big Apple Connect beyond 2025?
Jacques Jiha
2:55:41
Again, this is like all the other program we discussed earlier with respect to the cliffs.
2:55:48
We will make an assessment and make a recommendation to the mayor, but our goal is to make sure that the program continues.
2:55:55
But again, we have to look at the available resources, but it's on our radar.
2:56:02
It's very high on our list of things to needs to deal with, but again, at this moment in time, as you know, I can't tell you for sure, but we're working on it.
Kevin Riley
2:56:12
I'm happy to hear it's high on the radar knowing that we're in a society now that technology is extremely important.
2:56:18
Just wanna make sure we're providing those resources for our NYCHA residents.
2:56:21
And lastly, for city plan the Department of City Planning, I know within the city of yes, we negotiated some neighborhood plans.
2:56:30
In the preliminary budget, there was additional $1,100,000 in the city's fund for fiscal year twenty twenty six and two point $2,000,000, excuse me, for fiscal year twenty twenty seven, twenty twenty eight.
2:56:41
But DCP is seeing a vacancy rate of 13.3, and they do feel like this will affect their opportunity to do their citywide neighborhood proposals.
2:56:52
Is there any way that OMB is trying to fix this vacancy rate within DCP?
Jacques Jiha
2:56:58
I would let Tara.
Tara Boirard
2:57:01
We've added a substantial amount to DCP as as you mentioned.
2:57:05
So there was eight heads and $800,000 that were being added specifically for technical staff.
2:57:10
This is planners as well as IT and additional money for seeker process in order for them to do environmental impact statements.
2:57:19
So we're we are working with them regularly and monitoring their vacancy rate and how they're managing.
Kevin Riley
2:57:24
Alright.
2:57:24
Thank you.
2:57:25
Thank you, chair.
Justin Brannan
2:57:26
Thank you, council member Riley.
2:57:28
Questions from council member Brewer followed by Nurse and then Ressler.