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Q&A
Discussion on increasing IBSP funding and its potential uses
1:10:33
·
155 sec
Council Member Amanda Farías initiates a discussion about increasing funds for Industrial Business Service Providers (IBSPs). She asks about the rationale behind a 50% increase and how the additional funds would be utilized.
- Leah Archibald from Evergreen explains that the funds would primarily go towards staff salaries and increased overhead costs.
- Osagie Afe from Long Island City Partnership emphasizes the need for additional staff and expanded services.
Amanda Farías
1:10:33
Thank you, folks, for testifying.
1:10:35
This this is for any of you to answer.
1:10:39
I I know we've spoken about this.
1:10:41
I think now is, like, the 2nd fiscal year that we're trying to see where we can get increases.
1:10:46
Can we talk a little bit more about why increasing the funds what that allocation looks like increasing it by 50%, whether that's the total pot or individualized pots?
1:10:58
And outside of, like, inflation and rent and insurance and things like that, what could the funds be utilized for?
Leah Archibald
1:11:08
I can I can start?
1:11:09
You know, it's My I have I have a really great staff.
1:11:14
You guys have probably met some of them.
1:11:17
I have essentially 0% staff turnover.
1:11:20
Like, people start working for Evergreen and they never leave.
1:11:24
So I've got staff that have been I've been there for, like, you know, 20 years, you know, we've, you know, my my lowest tenured staff member has been there for 7 years.
1:11:34
Right?
1:11:35
So most of my staff has been there for, like, 15, 10 years.
1:11:41
During this time, we've had no increase in the IBSP funding line.
1:11:46
Mhmm.
1:11:47
I could not have kept these people on staff today at the levels that I was at at their salaries from 10 15 years ago.
1:11:58
They wouldn't be working for me.
1:12:00
Right?
1:12:01
Like, so the the money that's coming in from the city is the same.
1:12:04
The as Sagay points out, you know, the deliverables are growing, but and and, like, the needs of my team increase.
1:12:13
Right?
1:12:14
So, in order to to, you know, accommodate their increased salaries and this is the big number.
1:12:19
Right?
1:12:19
It's the people that do the work.
1:12:22
You know, I've had to draw from other sources, and we've been for fortunate with our our real estate as we get a little bit of, any profit from that, I can pour into our operating organization.
1:12:34
So we're fortunate to be able to do that.
1:12:37
But our rent has gone up.
1:12:39
Our insurance you know, everybody's insurance is up 40%.
1:12:44
And but most importantly, and the biggest number is my salaries have gone way up.
1:12:48
But, it's important to me to have really awesome staff.
1:12:52
And so, I simply just have to find the money to pay them.
1:12:56
So, really, if you know, where would the money go?
1:13:00
It would go to salaries, Really very, very predominantly.
1:13:04
And then, you know, some of it to the increased overhead costs.