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Q&A
Connected Communities program funding
1:42:23
·
4 min
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez inquires about the funding for the Connected Communities program, which is part of the digital equity roadmap. Matthew C. Fraser explains the funding process and compares it to other initiatives like Big Apple Connect.
- The Connected Communities program has baseline funding of about $214,000 through Parks in FY26 and out years.
- Gutiérrez expresses concern about the limited funding and lack of funding beyond FY25 for aging libraries.
- Fraser explains that funding for these initiatives is handled year-to-year, similar to Big Apple Connect.
- The process involves evaluating stable projected needs before incorporating them into the baseline operating expense.
- Fraser emphasizes that this approach is common for many of OTI's strategic initiatives.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:42:23
So I'm a fan obviously because we've done that.
1:42:30
For under the same road map, under initiative six, the plan relies on collaboration with the connected communities program as well as the section on public computer centers.
1:42:43
Is is that correct?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:42:45
That's correct.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:42:46
Okay.
1:42:48
So the connected communities program has baseline funding of about 214 through parks in f y twenty six and the out years.
1:42:59
I'm telling you that.
1:43:00
Yeah.
1:43:00
Okay.
1:43:01
I'm with you.
1:43:03
It doesn't seem doesn't strike me as, like, a a big amount of funding.
1:43:07
It's but I we don't see it funded throughout beyond the out years of f y twenty five through aging libraries.
1:43:15
Is there a reason why can you can you speak to that?
1:43:20
You know, this is a big announcement that you all made.
1:43:22
We don't fundings.
1:43:24
How do you intend on securing the funding in the out years both the Department of Parks and the aging or aging or libraries?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:43:31
So very similar to what we saw with Big Apple Connect funding.
1:43:35
Funding on these scales are handled year to year And when we get to a space where we have a stable projected need, then that becomes a part of our baseline operating expense, but it takes some time for us to get there.
1:43:50
As it stands right now, just being part of the annual funding process, it follows the same path as many of our strategic initiatives.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:43:58
Say that last part again?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:43:59
It follows the same path as many of our strategic initiatives.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:44:03
Okay.
1:44:03
But there's no I guess because this wasn't reflected in the preliminary budget and this announcement was made after, think my flag is like how how can you tell it will be how can you guarantee that it will continue to to roll out in this way that it will be funded in out years?
1:44:20
And so it's kind of like a risk or risky game in that you will, you know, you kind of do it piece by piece.
Matthew C. Fraser
1:44:28
Yeah.
1:44:28
I I think for us it it works very similar to how pretty much all of the new initiatives that we launch work working year to year on funding and where funding
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:44:39
Are you referring to OTI initiatives or just
Matthew C. Fraser
1:44:42
in the OTI initiatives.
1:44:43
Yeah.
1:44:44
A lot of our initiatives we go year to year in funding and then a lot of the funding that we secure is based on savings that we actualize.
1:44:51
So we've been very successful over the last couple of years of striking large enterprise deals where it doesn't require a net new change to our operating budget.
1:45:01
We just reclaim money by being smarter with by using the existing money that we have.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:45:05
What are can you can you name one initiative where that is that happened?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:45:10
We established TLAs total license agreements with matter of fact, we total license agreements with Cisco, Microsoft, all across the board where we've essentially secured the same sets of services, got a higher quality of support, but by unifying the city spend under one umbrella, we get it for a cheaper price.
Michelle Ann Blomingville
1:45:33
Mhmm.
Matthew C. Fraser
1:45:33
Very similar to what we're doing with mobility like the t mobile deal.
1:45:39
Every agency pretty much had its choice around which devices they got and which carrier they went to.
1:45:44
By unifying that our purchasing ability under a majority carrier, we were able to save millions annually.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:45:56
And that is the same as this where it's year to year?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:45:59
So initially the mobility funding is year to year meaning that every agency has funding in their own pot and they provide it to OTI towards the end of the year as we true up bills and so on and so forth.
1:46:14
Very similar to new initiatives like we've done in the past like Big Apple Connect, that funding appears year to year until we baseline it.