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Council Member Brewer raises concerns about large agencies' cash flow issues
0:56:36
ยท
3 min
Council Member Brewer expresses serious concerns about large agencies facing significant cash flow problems due to delayed payments from the city. Director Flores acknowledges the issue and outlines efforts to address it.
- Brewer cites an example of an agency owed $30 million with only ten weeks of payroll left
- She emphasizes the urgency of the situation, especially given potential federal funding concerns
- Director Flores assures that her office is available to help resolve issues and is working on streamlining processes
- Flores mentions a coordinated effort with OMB and City Hall to address these challenges
Gale A. Brewer
0:56:36
Okay.
0:56:37
And then same problem, maybe only anecdotal, but the larger agencies even Gale, I only got ten weeks left of and that sounds like a lot, but it's not a payroll.
0:56:47
And I got $30,000,000, this is an example, that the city owes me.
0:56:51
I don't even know what to say to that.
0:56:53
Now that might be we didn't you know, and they claim often that it's because of the slowness of, as I call it, crossing the t's and dotting the i's.
0:57:02
So I guess what I don't know, madam chair, whether it's maybe you have to haul in all the ACCOs and and something because I I know there's maybe when there's turnover, you know, in the ACCO world, then you can't keep up with doing all the training.
0:57:18
But there's something.
0:57:20
It's so deep.
0:57:21
And now, of course, with the, you know, federal concerns, people really panic.
0:57:25
Maybe ten weeks of payroll becomes five weeks of payroll.
Lisa Flores
0:57:28
Yep.
Gale A. Brewer
0:57:29
And and then you're really in deep trouble.
Lisa Flores
0:57:31
Yeah.
0:57:31
Councilman I don't know.
Gale A. Brewer
0:57:32
I don't know.
0:57:33
I I I'm almost afraid to walk down the street.
Lisa Flores
0:57:37
I I
Gale A. Brewer
0:57:38
may not have as many nonprofits as you, but I got a lot.
0:57:42
Go ahead.
Lisa Flores
0:57:43
I would say, as you know, councilmember, I I am always an open door, open book for any nonprofit or anyone who wants to call and and discuss these things with me and try to get things fixed.
0:57:56
I would say that it's it's it is the the number of individuals to to finish a process is not limited to the ACCOs, right?
0:58:08
And that's part of what we're doing in earnest at the direction of city hall and in partnership with Mons and OMV is really starting now, even in more detail than we have in the past, each step of the process and who are the individuals who are doing this process in a way that we can, a, again, where we can streamline and make the pathway smoother, that's our job to do as oversight, but also provide them with the tools to do that, whether it's training, whether it's directives.
0:58:36
And it is all hands on deck.
0:58:39
Yes.
0:58:40
If they're not for profits, and I know this is not necessarily soothing to say, but if they're not for profits that are reaching out to you, we are a % available in partnership with Mons and OMB and the agencies to hunt down whatever we can hunt down and and unlock those funds.
Gale A. Brewer
0:58:54
I could give everybody your cell number, but I I don't think I wanna do that.
Lisa Flores
0:58:57
Most of those people have it, so I'm I'm happy to share it with you.
Gale A. Brewer
0:59:01
But I'm just saying, as you know, the answer is not to call you or me.
0:59:04
The answer is to try to fix it.
Keriann Pauls
0:59:05
Absolutely.
Gale A. Brewer
0:59:06
And so you're saying by the end of the year or beginning of next year, people will find difference.
0:59:14
Now that makes it you'll do that, but that doesn't mean the agencies are gonna be upped up speed.
0:59:19
I'm just saying.
0:59:20
That's the problem too.
Lisa Flores
0:59:21
I I will say and and you and you know this council member.
0:59:24
The agencies are working so hard.
0:59:29
And I I really have to give, credit to the agencies who are, since COVID, have been just nonstop, meeting the needs of the city of New York, and as they should, but they are committed to doing this work.
0:59:42
I would say that the coordinated effort that in the reengagement and energy of the coordinated effort with Michael Sadio at OMV and City Hall, I hope you're gonna continue to see, positive changes.
Gale A. Brewer
1:00:00
The only other thing I'll stop is fun for the city of New York.