Budget Committee September 26, 2023   9/26/2023

Discussion

• • Emily Koski
  • 00:00:21
    Good morning.
  • 00:00:22
    My name is Emily Koski and I'm the chair of the Budget Committee.
  • 00:00:24
    I'm going to call to order a regular committee meeting for Tuesday, September 26th.
  • 00:00:28
    At this time, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll to verify the presence of a quorum.
• • SPEAKER_09
  • 00:00:32
    Councilmember Payne?
  • 00:00:33
    Present.
  • 00:00:34
    Wonsley?
  • 00:00:35
    Present.
  • 00:00:35
    Rainville?
  • 00:00:36
    Present.
  • 00:00:37
    Vita?
  • 00:00:38
    Present.
  • 00:00:39
    Ellison is absent.
  • 00:00:40
    Osman is absent.
  • 00:00:42
    Goodman is absent.
  • 00:00:44
    Jenkins is absent.
  • 00:00:45
    Chavez?
  • 00:00:46
    Present.
  • 00:00:47
    Chig Tai is absent.
  • 00:00:49
    Johnson?
  • 00:00:50
    Present.
  • 00:00:51
    Vice Chair Palmisano is absent.
  • 00:00:53
    Chair Koski?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:00:54
    Present.
• • SPEAKER_09
  • 00:00:54
    There are seven members present.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:00:56
    Let the record reflect that we have a quorum.
  • 00:00:58
    Today we will continue hearing presentations from city departments on the mayor's 2024 recommended budget.
  • 00:01:03
    On the agenda today is the Human Resources and Information Technology departments.
  • 00:01:07
    We will begin the presentation from the HR department.
  • 00:01:10
    Here to present is our Chief Human Resource Officer, Nikki Odom.
  • 00:01:14
    Welcome.
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:01:15
    Thank you.
  • 00:01:18
    Chair Koski, Council members, good morning.
  • 00:01:22
    My name is Nikki Odom.
  • 00:01:23
    I'm the Chief Human Resources Officer.
  • 00:01:25
    I am here to present the recommended human resources budget today.
  • 00:01:32
    The Human Resources Department has three main priorities.
  • 00:01:37
    First, to position the city as an employer of choice and hire talented, diverse employees so that the city's workforce reflects the demographics of the community we serve.
  • 00:01:50
    Second, to offer meaningful and satisfying careers for all employees through an inclusive and respectful workplace and competitive compensation and benefits.
  • 00:02:03
    Third, and third,
  • 00:02:04
    to ensure that HR operational and compliance functions are adequately resourced in order to maintain efficient operations.
  • 00:02:15
    In HR's current structure, most of our resources reside in Business Partner Services Division, which is basically a catch-all for anything that is not benefits, labor, learning, or communications.
  • 00:02:28
    By the end of November, we will have restructured our department to look like this.
  • 00:02:33
    Please note two new divisions or centers of excellence, Talent Acquisition and the HR Investigative Unit, or what we are calling HRIU.
  • 00:02:42
    Human Resources is asking for an increase in the Human Resources budget to permanently hire eight full-time employees across key functions, including operations, investigations, talent acquisition, and classifications and compensation.
  • 00:02:59
    This investment is crucial to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction of our workforce and community.
  • 00:03:06
    This investment is necessary for three reasons.
  • 00:03:09
    First, we are facing a fiercely competitive labor market.
  • 00:03:14
    The labor market is evolving rapidly, and we face stiff competition for qualified talent in a variety of fields.
  • 00:03:22
    To attract and retain top talent, we must enhance our HR capabilities.
  • 00:03:27
    Second, employee wellbeing.
  • 00:03:29
    Our current HR team is stretched thin, which can lead to delays in addressing employee concerns and needs.
  • 00:03:35
    Expanding our HR department will allow us to provide better support to our employees, improving their morale and overall wellbeing.
  • 00:03:43
    Third, city services.
  • 00:03:46
    An efficient HR department is essential to maintain and enhance our city services.
  • 00:03:51
    It ensures that our employees have the resources, support, and motivation to perform at their best, resulting in better services to our residents and your constituents.
  • 00:04:02
    For the positions we are requesting are currently ARPA funded, with funding ending at the end of this year.
  • 00:04:08
    Four positions are new in order to meet the increased workforce demand necessary to improve client service and compliance, and take affirmative steps toward making the City of Minneapolis an employer of choice.
  • 00:04:21
    Specifically, the eight positions are identified here in red.
  • 00:04:25
    There is a BPS HR associate that's currently ARPA funded.
  • 00:04:30
    In HR operations, there's a strategic communications coordinator, which is currently ARPA funded.
  • 00:04:36
    We are asking for two investigators, which is new.
  • 00:04:42
    In talent acquisition, we're asking for two HR representatives.
  • 00:04:46
    One is currently ARPA funded.
  • 00:04:49
    And in total comp, we're asking for a senior benefits project manager and a class and comp
  • 00:04:55
    These requests are the direct result of the hiring and investigative audits as well as the need to adapt the city's human resources function to address current and future labor market challenges and compliance concerns.
  • 00:05:17
    This is the HR model that is employed by high-functioning organizations.
  • 00:05:22
    In the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities, you will find a version of this HR model.
  • 00:05:30
    That's because it works.
  • 00:05:31
    My research has uncovered that post-pandemic organizations were primarily sticking to this model.
  • 00:05:38
    Therefore, I am moving the city's HR department closer to this model by creating two separate divisions or centers of excellence, a talent acquisition organization and a human resources investigative unit.
  • 00:05:50
    Moving to this model will do a number of things.
  • 00:05:53
    It helps address issues identified in the hiring and investigations audits.
  • 00:05:58
    It'll help us use resources efficiently.
  • 00:06:01
    It will help us deliver results more quickly.
  • 00:06:04
    It will help us optimize costs, improve the quality of your services, and gain access to the right expertise at the right time.
  • 00:06:14
    As you can see, despite being strapped for resources, HR has had some great outcomes, especially in the area of hiring diverse candidates and increasing the diversity of the city talent pool.
  • 00:06:31
    Every division of our department has had some impressive wins and I did want to highlight a win from every single department.
  • 00:06:42
    These risks are the reasons that we have asked for a significant increase in FTEs for this budget cycle.
  • 00:06:51
    A few highlights on this slide.
  • 00:06:53
    In 2022, our department saw a 42% turnover rate.
  • 00:06:57
    I think everyone can agree that in an organization as complex as ours, an inability to retain staff is simply not sustainable.
  • 00:07:06
    With your assistance, we were able to address part of the problem with a wage adjustment and I thank you all for your support in that.
  • 00:07:13
    This is our attempt to address the second part of that problem, workload and burnout.
  • 00:07:19
    In collaboration with IT and Finance, HR has begun the process of replacing our HR information system.
  • 00:07:26
    This is a huge undertaking for our department and will require us to devote one full-time employee to the part project.
  • 00:07:33
    In addition, every department in HR will heavily be involved in the selection and implementation of this system.
  • 00:07:40
    As you know, we currently have a patchwork of systems, some more effective than others, which makes reporting difficult.
  • 00:07:49
    It takes days or weeks for us to gather and verify data, which delays your ability to make decisions that will impact the enterprise.
  • 00:07:59
    We have all heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results.
  • 00:08:05
    The bottom line is that the viability of the city and the services it provides will require the best talent, the best practices, and creative solutions that place Minneapolis among its peers as a first-class city.
  • 00:08:20
    We simply cannot get there if we do not evolve and innovate our hiring and recruitment practices, our HR systems, and the way we retain institutional knowledge.
  • 00:08:34
    By permanently adding eight full-time employees to our HR department in critical areas, we will not only enhance our ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent, but we will also ensure that our employees are well supported.
  • 00:08:48
    This, in turn, will lead to improved city services and increased satisfaction among our constituents.
  • 00:09:02
    HR's budget has remained flat despite a drastic increase in workload, which is not sustainable.
  • 00:09:10
    This chart is a little bit misleading because the jump you see in 2022 was due to ARPA dollars, which we used to attain some additional help, including staff and temp help, consultants for classification and compensation studies, retention incentives for employees, COVID testing,
  • 00:09:29
    expansion of free mental health services for employees and their families, a recruitment and marketing campaign to attract talent to the city.
  • 00:09:41
    Once ARPA funding expires, however, HR service levels will drop dramatically because we will have less people to service the enterprise.
  • 00:09:49
    If HR cannot provide the basic level of service that our employees deserve, they in turn are unable to serve our residents.
  • 00:09:58
    We currently have four vacancies and one temporary vacancy tied to ARPA.
  • 00:10:02
    I will discuss each and where we are in the hiring process.
  • 00:10:06
    First, we have a labor relations position, associate position,
  • 00:10:10
    that closes at midnight tonight.
  • 00:10:13
    We currently have 137 applicants for that position and first round interviews are scheduled next week on October 4th and 5th.
  • 00:10:22
    Next we have an HR associate position that closed Sunday.
  • 00:10:26
    We currently have 151 applicants for that position.
  • 00:10:29
    First round interviews are also scheduled for next week.
  • 00:10:33
    We have a workforce data analyst position.
  • 00:10:35
    This position is responsible for pulling data for our public data requests.
  • 00:10:40
    and to help us make workforce planning decisions.
  • 00:10:44
    We are currently conducting interviews for this position.
  • 00:10:47
    The next position is an HRIS specialist, which actually is no longer a vacancy.
  • 00:10:52
    The hiring for that position is complete and we have somebody starting on Monday.
  • 00:10:57
    And then finally, we have an HR representative who, if our budget proposal is approved, will round out the talent acquisition team.
  • 00:11:06
    Currently, this is an ARPA funded position that has not been backfilled.
  • 00:11:10
    because I don't want to hire someone and then let them go at the end of the year when ARPA expires.
  • 00:11:16
    Next, I will move to division updates.
  • 00:11:22
    Good governance requires good data, which is why we must invest in our HR
  • 00:11:27
    system infrastructure.
  • 00:11:29
    HR operations has three major updates.
  • 00:11:32
    As I mentioned previously, we are hiring a data analyst.
  • 00:11:35
    We have seen an increase of 200% in public data requests.
  • 00:11:39
    The replacement of our HR information system and HR's ability to gather and interpret data.
  • 00:11:45
    Finally, the HR investigative unit will be separate from HR operations and separate from HR business partner solutions and will become its own center of excellence.
  • 00:12:00
    Good governance also requires reliable and timely investigations that people can trust.
  • 00:12:07
    That is why we need an investment into our investigation infrastructure.
  • 00:12:10
    2022 saw a 39% increase in investigations.
  • 00:12:16
    Good investigations are both a skill and an art.
  • 00:12:20
    The investigation audit requires that we rethink how HR investigations are handled.
  • 00:12:26
    A dedicated investigations team will enable us to address workplace issues,
  • 00:12:31
    misconduct and conflicts promptly, impartially, thus fostering a safer and more harmonious workplace environment.
  • 00:12:40
    Beginning October 1st, the HRIU will become a separate center of excellence within HR.
  • 00:12:46
    The investigators in this group are experienced and will be required to have standardized training.
  • 00:12:52
    They will be devoted to this work without distractions, and as a separate entity, this team will be able to maintain objectivity.
  • 00:13:00
    A fully staffed team will allow us to expedite investigations and bring them to completion more quickly.
  • 00:13:07
    We are also implementing a case management system for complaint routing and triage.
  • 00:13:13
    This should lead to a better employee experience and increased confidence in the complaint process.
  • 00:13:20
    We are moving to a team of four who will investigate all kinds of employee misconduct, not just AD H&R complaints.
  • 00:13:29
    And this is kind of
  • 00:13:31
    what our past situation has been in the investigative unit and what we're going to for our new Center of Excellence.
  • 00:13:39
    Again, that begins on October 1st.
  • 00:13:44
    The changes that I am proposing for our Business Partner Solutions Division is the first step, I believe, in tackling our employee retention and organizational cultural issues.
  • 00:13:55
    The major change in HR Business Partner Solutions is the creation of two Centers of Excellence
  • 00:14:00
    Talent Acquisition, and the HRIU, thus removing that work from BPS.
  • 00:14:06
    Creation of these teams will allow BPS to focus on retention and culture issues as well as strategic HR work like succession planning, career pathways, and manager training and development.
  • 00:14:18
    Ultimately, I think that this will be the key to help solve our retention and culture issues.
  • 00:14:24
    Right now, we never get to culture or retention issues because we are constantly putting out fires in other areas.
  • 00:14:31
    This should give BPS the space to focus on these issues and I think these issues have been barriers to the city being an employer of choice in recent years.
  • 00:14:46
    If we want to become an employer of choice, we have to rethink how we recruit and onboard.
  • 00:14:51
    This is essential for any organization that expects to compete and hire in today's labor market, especially in Minnesota where unemployment rates were recently at a historic low.
  • 00:15:03
    Do we have the right people in place to solve tomorrow's problems?
  • 00:15:07
    What problems do we anticipate in five years?
  • 00:15:10
    We need to be strategically planning so that we are acquiring the right talent now.
  • 00:15:17
    We have started that process, and I hope that you invest in our efforts to continue it.
  • 00:15:22
    To remain competitive in recruiting top talent, we need a strong talent acquisition team capable of reaching the best candidates and guiding them through the hiring process.
  • 00:15:32
    We need to be directly and passively sourcing candidates.
  • 00:15:36
    To do that, we have to build relationships with schools and other professional organizations.
  • 00:15:41
    Again, something that HR has not had the time to do because we have been under-resourced.
  • 00:15:46
    Plus, the turnover in the enterprise and the tight labor market have significantly increased the amount of hiring we do annually.
  • 00:15:54
    Until recently, the city has had one recruiter in HR.
  • 00:15:58
    Now we have two, but that still isn't enough for a city of our size.
  • 00:16:02
    This team will be developing a standard onboarding process for new employees as well.
  • 00:16:08
    We need to ensure that candidate and new hires are having a positive experience.
  • 00:16:13
    For some, this is their first interaction with the city, and we need to make a good impression.
  • 00:16:18
    It impacts the city's reputation.
  • 00:16:20
    And for many candidates, it will be a deciding factor on whether they choose to work here or to work somewhere else.
  • 00:16:27
    I'm happy to report that this team is in its infancy, but they have already had some great wins.
  • 00:16:36
    For instance, the city is certified as an age-friendly employer.
  • 00:16:41
    The purpose of the certified age-friendly employer program is to assist job seekers over 50 by identifying those employers committed to objectively considering them for appropriate employment free of ageism.
  • 00:16:55
    Certified age-friendly employers want age 50-plus candidates to know that they are valued for their knowledge, experience, maturity, reliability, and productivity.
  • 00:17:10
    A skilled and adaptable workforce is essential in promoting economic growth within the city.
  • 00:17:16
    In order to keep our workforce competitive, we need to create a culture of continuous learning and development.
  • 00:17:22
    Our Learning and Development Division plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges.
  • 00:17:27
    Investing in the development of city employees is essential for job satisfaction and retention.
  • 00:17:34
    This leads to cost savings, such as reduced turnover costs, increased productivity, and more efficient operations.
  • 00:17:41
    Moreover, well-trained employees provide higher quality services to city constituents.
  • 00:17:47
    Therefore, investment and training does not just benefit employees, but our entire community.
  • 00:17:53
    This year, our L&D team has assisted the REIB department with the city's first racial equity survey.
  • 00:18:00
    Our annual engagement survey, which is implemented and managed by L&D, will launch next month.
  • 00:18:05
    And the L&D team is working closely with our Talent Acquisition Center of Excellence in creating and implementing a standard orientation program for all new employees.
  • 00:18:15
    I have also asked the L&D team to begin working on a standard management training for all new managers here at the City.
  • 00:18:24
    LND will continue to manage metamorphosis leadership training.
  • 00:18:28
    The second cohort will launch in a few weeks, I believe on October 18th.
  • 00:18:32
    This is a one-time expense.
  • 00:18:35
    This training equips top-level leaders with the knowledge and skills to create an internal workplace culture that is anti-racist,
  • 00:18:42
    engaged in fostering and engaged in fostering racial repair.
  • 00:18:46
    This is the cornerstone of our culture work here at the city and prepares our city leadership to challenge current systems and to adopt inclusive practices to nurture equity and eliminate racial disparities in the city.
  • 00:19:05
    Again, good governance requires good data.
  • 00:19:09
    We need
  • 00:19:10
    accurate classification and compensation data, which includes accurate market survey data.
  • 00:19:17
    Right now, the fate of the enterprise rests on one person.
  • 00:19:21
    It is simply not sustainable, and it is not fair to her or her well-being.
  • 00:19:28
    Therefore, we need additional resources and classifications and compensation.
  • 00:19:32
    Accurate job classifications are crucial for fair compensation and efficient resource allocation.
  • 00:19:39
    Expanding this function will help us classify positions correctly, ensure equitable compensation, and ensure equitable compensation, excuse me.
  • 00:19:49
    This will help us review, adjust, and optimize employee compensation structures, making our city more attractive to prospective employees and fair to existing ones.
  • 00:20:00
    Again, let me be clear, we have one person dedicated to classifications and compensation.
  • 00:20:05
    If we lose her, the enterprise is in trouble.
  • 00:20:09
    Not just HR, the city.
  • 00:20:13
    We can't hire someone off the street to just do her job.
  • 00:20:17
    Our comp and class system is obviously very complicated.
  • 00:20:19
    Every time a new position is created or there is a promotion or a collective bargaining agreement is negotiated, the city calls on one person.
  • 00:20:29
    She is present at the bargaining table for most, if not all, of our 22 bargaining units, and her work is essential for getting the city accurate data to get us to the bargaining table.
  • 00:20:39
    Her workload has increased by 60%.
  • 00:20:42
    She needs help.
  • 00:20:44
    Her job has dramatically expanded in this labor market.
  • 00:20:48
    Our benefits work has also dramatically increased.
  • 00:20:51
    As you can see by the metrics, due to more benefits and wellness offerings,
  • 00:20:56
    and onboarding and offboarding requirements due to increased turnover, our benefits work has exploded.
  • 00:21:08
    The Labor Relations team plays an indispensable role in addressing labor market demands, fostering employee satisfaction, and ensuring efficient public services.
  • 00:21:19
    LR also plays an important role in advocating for fair wages and competitive benefits for city employees, ensuring that labor practices are in compliance with legal regulations,
  • 00:21:31
    Labor Standards and Collective Bargaining Agreements resolving labor disputes and preventing disruptions that can negatively impact public services and maintaining a positive public image of the city by ensuring stable labor relations and making sure that labor relations are productive.
  • 00:21:51
    Employees that are satisfied and engaged deliver quality services to the community.
  • 00:21:57
    Our LR team is fully staffed and has brought 21 of our 22 bargaining agreements current.
  • 00:22:05
    LR is currently publicly bargaining with the Police Federation for the first time in history, the complexity of which cannot and should not be underestimated.
  • 00:22:16
    Our LR team has been doing great work and I expect that to continue now that our team is fully staffed.
  • 00:22:22
    There is a nationwide crisis in the retention and recruitment of officers, and HR is trying to be proactive and creative in positioning the city as an employer of choice in public safety as well as non-public safety positions.
  • 00:22:40
    It is no secret that attracting and retaining talented public safety professionals
  • 00:22:45
    is
  • 00:23:05
    and Public Safety positions, incentivize employees in public safety positions to remain employed at the city at a time when there is a labor market shortage and competitive employers are offering higher compensation and incentives, and to directly address the staffing and resources risks identified in the 2023 risk assessment.
  • 00:23:30
    We have contracted with a vendor to create a multi-year recruitment strategy, which will initially focus on hard-to-fill public safety positions
  • 00:23:39
    but will expand to a recruitment campaign for the city at large.
  • 00:23:43
    The work is expected to be completed in Q2 of 2024.
  • 00:23:46
    The contracted cost is $950,000 which will include a recruitment video, social media posts, direct mailings, flyers and posters, text messages and emails, again to be used over multiple years.
  • 00:24:03
    We anticipate another $300,000 for ad and video placement.
  • 00:24:08
    Additional initiatives are being considered in coordination with the current contract discussions between the City and the Police Officers' Federation of Minneapolis.
  • 00:24:18
    HR routinely works with Finance and Budget, the budget office, to support changes in collective bargaining agreements.
  • 00:24:31
    In conclusion, I urge you to consider and approve the proposal to revise our HR budget.
  • 00:24:38
    This investment in our workforce will have far-reaching positive effects for our city, its employees, and its residents.
  • 00:24:45
    I am confident that this decision will contribute to our continued success and prosperity.
  • 00:24:50
    Thank you for your time, attention, and consideration.
  • 00:24:55
    Any questions?
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:24:56
    Thank you.
  • 00:24:58
    We do have several Council Members in queue.
  • 00:25:01
    I'll start with Council Member Wonsley.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:25:03
    Thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 00:25:05
    Thank you, Director.
  • 00:25:06
    And in terms of my first question, it actually builds upon the information that you just shared around recruitment.
  • 00:25:16
    I know a couple weeks ago we received a presentation from Interim COO Heather Johnson.
  • 00:25:21
    around O.P.S.
  • 00:25:22
    and particularly the $19 million in which the states awarded the city for public safety.
  • 00:25:31
    It was articulated that those funds were being transferred over to H.R.
  • 00:25:37
    dealing with recruitment and retention.
  • 00:25:39
    Is this the source of funding that's going to be supporting these initiatives that you just laid out?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:25:46
    They are.
  • 00:25:47
    Excuse me.
  • 00:25:48
    Madam Chair, Council Member, yes they are.
  • 00:25:51
    And I'll go to this slide.
  • 00:25:54
    Yes.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:25:55
    all $19 million.
  • 00:25:57
    I know you just listed out two particular items for hiring a contractor and then potential ad placements.
  • 00:26:05
    And then you mentioned there's going to be probably some retention discussions with figures during the, I'm assuming, police contract negotiations.
  • 00:26:15
    Is the assumption that all of those actions or activities will absorb the entire $19 million that the state awarded us?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:26:25
    Madam Chair, Councilmember, we are unsure of what will cost what.
  • 00:26:33
    I think all options are on the table in terms of initiatives for recruitment and potential incentives.
  • 00:26:41
    In terms of specifics, that's something we can't know.
  • 00:26:45
    And in terms of specifics for particular strategy, that information is
  • 00:26:54
    Private under the Data Practices Act so I would have to refer to the City Attorney's Office, but you know, obviously we can have Closed session discussions about strategy and that's something that I can't comment on in public But at this point point we don't know exactly what will be needed in order to move these initiatives forward
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:27:19
    This might be a follow-up question for interim COO then, because I'm still confused in terms of, from my understanding, the Minneapolis delegation and our state lawmakers really want to see this money be used towards advancing comprehensive public safety solutions, not be absorbed by increased spending just by law enforcement or retention bonuses and recruitment, which we have invested in heavily.
  • 00:27:41
    over the past year just for one department and I'm very surprised to hear that those dollars were not directly transitioned
  • 00:27:50
    to the actual department that championed comprehensive public safety, which is the Office of Community Safety.
  • 00:27:56
    So maybe interim COO can speak to why there was a decision as opposed to having those dollars be transferred to the place where they could do that comprehensive work.
  • 00:28:06
    It seems like we're tying them into recruitment and retention bonuses for one particular department.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:28:16
    Madam Chair, Councilmember Wonsley, I think we would look at the budget holistically.
  • 00:28:24
    Specifically, there are a lot of different things in the general fund in the mayor's budget and recommended budget that
  • 00:28:30
    that speaks to the alternatives and those mostly are ongoing funding sources and so this is a one-time funding source and so I think what we try to do is align one-time funding sources with one-time costs and so this would be so most of the alternatives pieces that you're talking about and as you as you mentioned that statute had just that was one of the alternatives it wasn't the only alternative but a lot of that other funding is that ongoing within the general fund so does that speak to your
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:28:59
    From my understanding with the mayor's budget, the ongoing cost is often associated with personnel, which I'm understanding there's going to be some staff positions.
  • 00:29:07
    and the
  • 00:29:29
    of the goals of that state public safety dollars around comprehensive public safety.
  • 00:29:35
    Again, there are, it seems like, some one-time items that could have been supported by this $19 million revenue.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:29:44
    Chair Kaske, Councilmember Wonsley, some of those items that you referenced in PMI have been, the pilots have now become permanent as you are aware, for example, the behavioral health crisis pilot is now permanent and that's within the Neighborhood Safety Department with ongoing funding.
  • 00:30:01
    In terms of other one-time funding right now currently in PMI they do have some grant money that is sufficient to handle the pilots that they're currently working on But we can get you more information on that if you'd like but right now We feel like the money is sufficient for that in addition to neighborhood safety There's other items there.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:30:24
    I know we've had an ongoing conversation around contractors one to see increase again It just seems very weird
  • 00:30:31
    And I'm noting a concern that we're taking $19 million that also could have been supported or supporting other comprehensive solutions that has not been laid out.
  • 00:30:42
    I get, you know, there's pilots that might have grants, but neighborhood safety, there's still development around how we implement the Safe and Thriving Report.
  • 00:30:50
    this could have been an opportunity to champion that and right now I'm hearing we're tying up 19 million dollars to a police contract around retention and recruitment unless there's other public safety personnel that's also undergoing labor negotiations.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:31:06
    Chair Koski, Councilmember Wonsley, there is both one-time and ongoing funding related to the implementation of the Off Telly Report, excuse me, the Safe and Thriving Communities Report within the mayor's budget and so this is something that's going to have to be phased in over time.
  • 00:31:23
    I think that probably you're
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:31:24
    your question is better addressed to the Office of Community Safety when they give their budget presentation in terms of what those specifics are but so I'm just answering sort of in a generic that there are additional funds related to that both one time and ongoing so is there a memo that could be put together because for minors again from the mayor's budget what I saw was we're purposing of existing FTEs and addition maybe a few and not really programmatic support around some of the non-armed programs
  • 00:31:54
    that would be helpful to have knowing why we're, if there could have been a portion of that 19 million, that could be used to support that.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:32:04
    Councilmember Koski, Chair Koski, Councilmember Wonsley, what I will do is I will refer your question to the Office of Community Safety.
  • 00:32:11
    I will chat with them and make sure they cover that in their budget presentation for you.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:32:15
    Okay, thank you.
• • SPEAKER_13
  • 00:32:17
    Thanks for the question.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:32:18
    Thank you.
  • 00:32:18
    Next I have Councilmember Choctaw.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:32:22
    Thank you, Madam Chair, Director Odom.
  • 00:32:24
    I really appreciate your very thorough presentation.
  • 00:32:28
    I learned a lot from it and want to thank you deeply for your time.
  • 00:32:34
    I want to go back to this question around the $19 million in one-time public safety aid allocated to the City of Minneapolis from the state this past session.
  • 00:32:47
    From what I see in your presentation, slide 23, slide 24, the one that we're at and the one before this, I don't exactly see, or let me rephrase, those $19 million are being allocated to the labor relations division within HR.
  • 00:33:05
    Am I understanding that correctly?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:33:08
    Not specifically labor relations, but we always keep kind of a reserve for collective bargaining negotiations for revisions to wage adjustments.
  • 00:33:28
    So I wouldn't say it's for labor relations specifically,
  • 00:33:33
    because as I mentioned, we also have, we're also using some of that for a marketing and recruitment campaign that will be for the entire city.
  • 00:33:43
    So I think it's kind of like a stand-alone.
  • 00:33:46
    I'll have to point to Justin for that.
• • SPEAKER_01
  • 00:33:55
    It's house and labor relations.
  • 00:33:58
    That's where those dollars are placed.
  • 00:34:00
    They're spread over a couple years and the
  • 00:34:03
    Department and City will determine how they're spent.
  • 00:34:05
    but that's just where they're placed within the budget is labor relations.
  • 00:34:07
    So you see that increase for budget for the 24 amount.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:34:11
    Understood.
  • 00:34:12
    So maybe I am misunderstanding the chart then on slide 12, which shows, you know, the total amount of money that has been allocated to HR.
  • 00:34:25
    And so, you know, like the 2021 actual 2022 actual 2023 budget and 2024 budget.
  • 00:34:35
    Where do I see $19 million on this chart?
• • SPEAKER_01
  • 00:34:44
    You won't see it on this chart.
  • 00:34:46
    You'll see a portion in 2024.
  • 00:34:48
    The remainder is in 2025 and 2026.
  • 00:34:50
    So if you look at our five-year financial direction, the entire $19 million is spread over those three years.
  • 00:34:55
    It's just shy of $1 million that's in 2024.
  • 00:34:58
    That's the increase in labor relations programs specifically.
  • 00:35:01
    The remainder amount is in 2025 and 2026.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:35:04
    Okay, so we plan to spend this $19 million, $1 million of it in 2024, then the $18 million that's remaining is going to be spread out between 2025 and 2026.
• • SPEAKER_01
  • 00:35:17
    I say that's a fair representation of how it's budgeted currently.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:35:22
    Got it, understood.
  • 00:35:23
    Now, one-time funding, right, like that means we're not investing in say hiring more staff because we have one-time dollars, we don't want to hire somebody that we can't keep on, understood.
  • 00:35:36
    So logically, I understand this as this aid is largely going to be used for the campaign that you described, $900,000 for ad placement, video creation, $300,000 for additional ads, I believe.
  • 00:35:51
    That makes sense to me.
  • 00:35:55
    The remainder of that money presumably will be used for retention bonuses.
  • 00:35:59
    That seems like a reasonable assumption to make with one-time retention money.
  • 00:36:06
    Am I understanding that correctly?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:36:07
    I would say all options are on the table.
  • 00:36:10
    All options.
  • 00:36:11
    However, I can't say specifically that that's where the money will go.
  • 00:36:17
    I mean, we don't honestly know.
  • 00:36:20
    Got it.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:36:20
    Yes.
  • 00:36:24
    I know that we've done several retention bonuses throughout my time, which is almost two years now.
  • 00:36:35
    Can you speak to the efficacy of retention bonuses?
  • 00:36:39
    I know we've done, for example, a $5,000 retention bonus for police officers that stayed with the department through, I think it was the end of
  • 00:36:48
    last year.
  • 00:36:49
    What is the impact on retention as a result of a one-time bonus like that?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:36:56
    Madam Chair, Council Member, that is information that I will be happy to get to you.
  • 00:37:03
    I would say this though, I know right now in the marketplace, those are the tools, one of many tools that various municipalities and cities across the country are using in order to
  • 00:37:17
    attract and maintain public safety talent.
  • 00:37:21
    And so in order to be competitive for that talent, I think it's something that we have to consider, seriously consider.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:37:30
    Understood.
  • 00:37:33
    Understood.
  • 00:37:39
    Please let me know if this isn't something you can actually speak to in a public setting, but as we're thinking about retention bonuses and using one-time aid for attention bonuses, my interpretation of that is that that money isn't just going to be used for attention bonuses for
  • 00:37:56
    for our employees in the Minneapolis Police Department, but also for our employees in the Fire Department and 911.
  • 00:38:05
    Is that accurate to your understanding of how we're thinking about using those resources?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:38:11
    Madam Chair, Council Member, as you suggested, we obviously cannot talk about specific strategy, but I would say the way that it's couched right now, I mean, it's open to any public safety group.
• • Aisha Chughtai
  • 00:38:27
    Okay, thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:38:30
    Thank you.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:38:31
    Thank you, Chair Kotski.
  • 00:38:34
    In regards to slide number 10, where you mentioned the database system, what is that?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:38:46
    or HRS system?
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:38:47
    Yes.
  • 00:38:49
    It says it's outdated.
  • 00:38:51
    From what I recall during the ARPA budget process, I believe Council approved an amendment to get a new system.
  • 00:39:00
    Is a new system being created or contracted out for development?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:39:04
    Madam Chair, Council Member, yes.
  • 00:39:08
    So we are right now in the process of putting a work group together, well actually the work group is together, and we're working on an RFP.
  • 00:39:17
    And so we are doing that in collaboration with finance and IT.
  • 00:39:24
    So, yes, that work is underway, and we're looking forward to choosing a vendor so we can move forward to implementation.
  • 00:39:33
    We're really excited about that.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:39:36
    That's good to hear.
  • 00:39:37
    In thinking of slide number 18, where there was a focus on talent acquisition, it was interesting to see that there was a 2% increase in BIPOC
  • 00:39:50
    applicants as of year to date.
  • 00:39:53
    I'm interested in knowing HR's perspective of why it seems to be a trend that we're not, as an enterprise, super appealing, it seems to BIPOC potential applicants.
  • 00:40:10
    Even in light of this crease, it seems like that's relatively small in comparison to some of the other figures here.
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:40:17
    Madam Chair, Council Member, I think that's a fair assessment.
  • 00:40:21
    However, you know, in 2022, the increase of BIPAC applicants was six percent.
  • 00:40:27
    So, I mean, I realize that these are not double digit numbers, but, you know, to me, it's encouraging to kind of have a steady increase year over year.
  • 00:40:36
    And we've had that since, I believe, 2021 or 2022 since we were 2020 or 2021 since we started tracking year over year applications.
  • 00:40:45
    since 2020.
  • 00:40:45
    We've had an increase year-over-year in both applications and hires.
  • 00:40:51
    I think we can't ignore the last bullet on that slide, which is the 17% increase in hires year-to-date, and that's just year-to-date.
  • 00:40:59
    We still have basically a quarter left.
  • 00:41:02
    So I think we're doing well despite being under-resourced.
  • 00:41:09
    However, I'm really excited about our new talent acquisition group.
  • 00:41:13
    We have plans to go to places and spaces that we haven't been able to go before and make relationships with, for instance,
  • 00:41:23
    professional organizations of color that cater to BIPOC professionals.
  • 00:41:31
    And so, like I said, this group is in its infancy.
  • 00:41:35
    They've done quite a good job already.
  • 00:41:38
    They're not fully staffed at this point.
  • 00:41:40
    They won't be fully staffed until the end of November.
  • 00:41:44
    It's something that is on my mind always and just trying to make sure that our process is fair and that we are giving all candidates a fair look is a priority of mine.
  • 00:41:58
    really expect to see these numbers increase.
  • 00:42:01
    I kind of mentioned some of the numbers and applications that we've been receiving lately in the hundreds.
  • 00:42:08
    So I find that to be very encouraging as well.
  • 00:42:10
    So I'd say more to come.
  • 00:42:12
    I'm hoping to have even better numbers for you next year.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:42:16
    And that's good to think through some of the strategies around increasing that representation.
  • 00:42:21
    But as interim COO gave the presentation on PS a couple of weeks ago, what was also included in that presentation is the fact that while we might be working to increase that representation, we cannot keep people here.
  • 00:42:35
    So it's also the retention piece.
  • 00:42:37
    And specifically, there's a disproportionate representation of the same demographic of BIPOC
  • 00:42:42
    So I can imagine a couple reasons why that's happening and that someone addressed here of this place might not have the best, often sometimes hostile, maybe not close to an anti-racist workplace culture, which is leading to my next question.
  • 00:43:07
    with the HR investigative unit because I've heard that be a place of concern where employees, employees of color in particular, often struggle to have their complaints be recognized or taken serious.
  • 00:43:22
    From my understanding in the past, we've often outsourced this work to a contractor.
  • 00:43:26
    It's a thought with investing in this HR investigative unit, we would just do that work or investigations in-house.
  • 00:43:33
    or will there be a hybrid model where we'll still potentially work with a consultant and now have in-house staff to kind of support those complaints?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:43:43
    Madam Chair, Councilmember
  • 00:43:46
    We will primarily do the work in-house.
  • 00:43:49
    However, there are going to be situations where it is inappropriate for HR to investigate, right?
  • 00:43:57
    So obviously, you know, anything in the legislative branch, we shouldn't be, HR should not be investigating ourselves.
  • 00:44:06
    and so there will be situations and sometimes you just need maybe for legal reasons somebody's completely outside of the enterprise to look into something because you might need to use that report in court or something later.
  • 00:44:22
    So we have contracted with a number of law firms who will assist in those situations but for the most part the day-to-day
  • 00:44:34
    I want to point out that I think it's important to note that this group is going to be on its own.
  • 00:44:48
    I mean, they're in HR, but they are not a part of, for instance, BPS.
  • 00:44:53
    So they don't have personal relationships with the folks that they are investigating.
  • 00:45:00
    So my hope is that that will increase the objectivity, but also, like I said, this group is going to undergo a lot of training.
  • 00:45:10
    Robin Howard, who's our director of HRAU, is very adamant that these investigations are done timely, that they're done professionally.
  • 00:45:19
    and that they're well investigated and well written and that these folks undergo very heightened training in order to do them well.
  • 00:45:28
    So yes, this creation of this team is in response to some of the concerns or opportunities that I have heard as well.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:45:39
    And then just to follow up on that piece too, it seems like pairing some of the recruitment or retention efforts and really addressing
  • 00:45:49
    the very despairing workplace culture we've somewhat normalized in this enterprise.
  • 00:45:53
    There's an ongoing partnership with Metamorphis, so really excited to see this one-time expense to support that training.
  • 00:46:02
    From my understanding, too, there was a report that Metamorphis did around some strategies where maybe this is coming from in terms of recommendations.
  • 00:46:12
    Is there a way to receive a copy of that report?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:46:15
    Madam Chair, Council Members, I will check into that for you.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:46:19
    Okay, yeah, and I know I followed up with Interim COO Johnson about this a couple of times several months ago, so it'll be good to see if we could also see that report.
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:46:31
    Madam Chair, Council Member, I also wanted to point out by separating talent acquisition and the investigations from our generalists, our BPS unit, I also think that that will help, I'm hoping that that will help some of our retention issues when they focus on things like career pathways in development.
  • 00:46:53
    So some of the reasons I've heard for folks leaving is a belief that there's really nowhere to go, that there's no future here.
  • 00:46:59
    And so we really just haven't had a chance to tackle the retention issues because we've kind of been, like I said, putting out fires in other places.
  • 00:47:08
    So moving those things out of BPS will allow BPS to really start focusing on those culture and retention issues.
  • 00:47:14
    So my hope is that we will see some strides come next year when we restructure that division.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:47:21
    Okay, awesome.
  • 00:47:22
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:47:23
    Thank you.
  • 00:47:24
    I just also wanted to note Council Member Tugdai joined us, asked a question about Council Member Ellison and Council Member Goodman who now is up for a question or comment.
• • SPEAKER_11
  • 00:47:33
    Thank you.
  • 00:47:33
    I just have a comment, Ms. Odom.
  • 00:47:35
    I feel like your department has been working under a lot of stress and it's under resourced and asked to do a lot.
  • 00:47:44
    I have personally been involved in working with a number of employees like many of us have who would like to be reclassified, who
  • 00:47:51
    believe that they're not paid fairly or who see others who are getting pay increases and wonder where theirs is and that puts a lot of stress on your team.
  • 00:48:00
    I just wanted to thank you and your team for graciously continuing to move forward while you're understaffed, under-resourced and your employees are getting crushed from everyone who is unhappy at a time at which your job is to recruit people to the city and retain them
  • 00:48:17
    in other words, make them happy.
  • 00:48:19
    And so I believe as you know, a new in a way, HR director, you walked right into the fire and have done so with incredible grace and dignity.
  • 00:48:28
    And I just wanted to thank you and your team for your very hard work.
  • 00:48:31
    Thank you very much.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:48:34
    Thank you.
  • 00:48:34
    Now Councilmember Payne.
• • SPEAKER_08
  • 00:48:37
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:48:38
    Yeah, I'm wondering if you could help clarify something for me.
  • 00:48:41
    I've heard you say both, you know,
  • 00:48:44
    we can't discuss certain things in public and everything's on the table and I think there's I'm trying to understand our role here because I don't recall taking any formal action on that 19 million dollars on what it will or won't be used for and it's my understanding that it's actually our role to do that and so
  • 00:49:06
    How are these dollars getting allocated under what authority?
  • 00:49:10
    And when we're talking about all options on the table, what are these, like, do we need to have a closed briefing?
  • 00:49:15
    Because it's my understanding that none of those dollars can be spent without our approval.
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:49:21
    Madam Chair, Council Member, so we did have one closed session.
  • 00:49:27
    I believe that more are to come.
  • 00:49:30
    So I think that's all I can say in a public forum.
• • SPEAKER_00
  • 00:49:37
    Chair Koski, Councilmember Payne, the budget process is the action by which the council will be accepting those dollars formally.
• • SPEAKER_08
  • 00:49:47
    Okay, so long story short, the options that are on the table are going to be resolved through our budget amendment process.
• • SPEAKER_00
  • 00:49:57
    Chair Koski, Councilmember, yes, this is the forum by which you can accept those dollars.
  • 00:50:02
    And they are left, you know, purposely somewhat open ended so that labor relations can do their due diligence on how to best apply them.
• • SPEAKER_08
  • 00:50:11
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:50:13
    Thank you, Councilmember Vita.
• • Katie Cashman
  • 00:50:16
    Thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 00:50:17
    I just quickly wanted to thank you, Director Odom, for the presentation.
  • 00:50:21
    You and I have been in conversation since you started here at the city.
  • 00:50:26
    And so it's good to see you put together a presentation that talks about all the things we've discussed, especially around recruitment and retention.
  • 00:50:37
    I also want to remind my colleagues that our actions here on the dais really plays a huge role
  • 00:50:45
    and how we recruit and retain folks for the city enterprise.
  • 00:50:50
    And, you know, accusations being thrown out at people and lies and those things really have a detrimental effect on the staff that we retain and we recruit.
  • 00:51:04
    So I thank you for
  • 00:51:06
    for continuing this work, continuing to commit to getting us the best of the best here at the City of Minneapolis.
  • 00:51:14
    The people of Minneapolis deserve the best of the best.
  • 00:51:17
    It's been a tough few years for our city, but your commitment and your staff's commitment and the supporting
  • 00:51:26
    Council members and support, you know, all of those who support and understand how important human resources is as a department and how important it is to shift how people feel when they work here.
  • 00:51:40
    And you get that.
  • 00:51:41
    You really do.
  • 00:51:42
    I've had extensive conversations where you talk me through exactly what the problems are and the changes you need to make and the people you need on your staff to make those changes.
  • 00:51:55
    You have my full support.
  • 00:51:57
    I'm with you on turning this around.
  • 00:52:00
    We have to do all we can.
  • 00:52:01
    I mean, we need every tool in the toolbox at this point.
  • 00:52:04
    And so the Ward 4 office is here to support you and to help you along the way.
  • 00:52:10
    If there are things that need to change along the way, let's do it.
  • 00:52:13
    You know, if we add and take away throughout this time, I'm committed to that for sure.
  • 00:52:19
    So thank you for the presentation and thank you for the commitment.
  • 00:52:23
    Thank you very much.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:52:25
    Thank you, Councilmember
  • 00:52:40
    public safety recruitment and retention.
  • 00:52:42
    From my understanding, a key theme that was also underscored in the Minnesota Department of Human Rights report is one piece or key piece of why retention of officers is quite hard is because we've allowed a culture of racism, violence, and misogyny to basically run rampant in that department.
  • 00:53:04
    And there was numerous examples that was articulated.
  • 00:53:08
    in the investigations report, which I'm assuming there's going to be some implications in the consent decree, too, around how we're addressing, you know, the culture of that department.
  • 00:53:17
    In light of that, is the, you know, labor relations team also taking into consideration some of those themes that were noted in the MDHR investigations report?
  • 00:53:30
    as we're looking around strategies, not only just for recruitment, but what I've often heard is, again, you know, why would an officer that is trying to be a, quote, unquote, good apple come to a department that has allowed Derek Chauvins to exist for years?
  • 00:53:46
    So is that something that you all are also taking as a piece of information as you're doing kind of strategy work?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:53:53
    Madam Chair, council members, I cannot discuss strategy in a public forum.
  • 00:53:59
    However, I will say that obviously those things are considerations.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:54:07
    Okay, let me rephrase the question because we have talked about consent decree strategy in a public setting.
  • 00:54:12
    So is HR doing anything regarding implementation process or has a hand in the consent decree process as you know it today?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:54:20
    Madam Chair, council members, yes.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:54:24
    In what capacity?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:54:27
    Madam Chair, Council Members, if we're talking about, again, labor relations strategy for a particular negotiation, that is, excuse me, private data and the data practices act, and therefore I can't speak to it in a public forum.
  • 00:54:43
    But we will have
  • 00:54:46
    a role obviously in a lot of the training changes that are recommended.
  • 00:54:53
    Obviously we are going to be a key in supporting all of the new personnel that's coming on to
  • 00:55:02
    implement a lot of the changes in both the settlement agreement and the consent decree.
  • 00:55:07
    So HR certainly will be there to support those folks and make sure that they're onboarded and make sure that they have what they need.
  • 00:55:14
    So we do have a hand and like I mentioned in the training.
  • 00:55:18
    So I mean, I know it's not like maybe as direct as other departments, but I don't think it diminishes the importance of our support in that regard.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:55:28
    and also just following up on that piece too.
  • 00:55:30
    Is there any kind of restructuring of the vetting process to make sure that we don't repeat the fiasco that happened earlier this year where the officer from Virginia who had a history of misconduct somehow had that not somehow that got reduced or minimalized as he was hired on and of course caused a lot of concerns of
  • 00:55:55
    If we are recruiting officers, are we recruiting those that are trying to live up to ethical standards?
  • 00:56:02
    Has there been any restructuring around that process in HR in light of that incident?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:56:07
    Madam Chair, Council Members, yes, there has been.
  • 00:56:10
    Now, I was not here, so I cannot speak to whatever happened in the past, but yes, that is something that we are looking into, and I also have some ideas in terms of recruiting the talent that we would like to see at the city long term.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 00:56:32
    Okay, awesome.
  • 00:56:33
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 00:56:34
    Thank you.
  • 00:56:35
    Council Member Chavez.
• • Jason Chavez
  • 00:56:36
    I just want to remind the public that the City Council all unanimously funded the police department, all 13 of us did.
  • 00:56:44
    We met the requirement of the 731 officers and the goalpost seems to be shifting that the actions we say here on the dais are the reason we have recruitment issues.
  • 00:56:52
    We funded the police department.
  • 00:56:54
    We did our jobs.
  • 00:56:55
    I think it's up to the mayor to address the recruitment issues we have right now in the police department.
  • 00:57:00
    So I just wanted to make that public statement so everybody could know and the public could understand it's not a council issue.
  • 00:57:05
    The second thing I did have a question in regards to
  • 00:57:08
    Committee.
  • 00:57:26
    give the money to do this work and it's important and that isn't a sufficient answer for me and my constituents to know that we're going to spend millions of dollars on something we don't know we're doing.
  • 00:57:35
    So I don't know if it's like briefings that you're going to have to schedule with the council, but I need to see a plan and I don't see that plan right now.
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:57:43
    Madam Chair, Council members, as I mentioned, we had one briefing already.
  • 00:57:48
    More will be coming as we get further along in the process.
  • 00:57:54
    However, there's a reason we don't want to publicly mention our strategies and there's a reason that it's protected by the Data Practices Act.
• • Jason Chavez
  • 00:58:12
    Thank you, and I'm assuming that's just for the public, but as Council members, we are going to be given that information, the plan from the administration of what these dollars are going to be used for exactly.
  • 00:58:21
    Am I correct in that analysis?
• • Nikki Odom
  • 00:58:23
    Madam Chair, Council Member, that is my understanding correct.
• • Jason Chavez
  • 00:58:27
    Okay, I would hope so.
  • 00:58:28
    Thank you.
• • Linea Palmisano
  • 00:58:30
    Council Member Palmisano.
  • 00:58:34
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 00:58:37
    I want to agree and reiterate the comments that Councilmember Vita made earlier, and I do agree with Councilmember Chavez.
  • 00:58:48
    We on this dais do play a big role on the culture and the perception of the employee environment here in our city.
  • 00:58:55
    Councilmember Osmond isn't here this morning, but is one of the colleagues of mine that I've personally worked with in recruiting new officers into our department.
  • 00:59:07
    I want to mention, as it's specific to recruitment of law enforcement,
  • 00:59:15
    that the openings here in our city, the opportunity that exists to come and join our police department right now are significant and the attraction by people who would be maybe lateral moves or people looking at a career in law enforcement is about all kinds of specialization.
  • 00:59:37
    and mobility and growth.
  • 00:59:41
    Some of the laterals that Councilmember Osman and I were looking to have a conversation with were interested because they knew that in the smaller departments that they were in at that moment,
  • 00:59:54
    There isn't an opportunity to specialize in a certain type of investigations.
  • 00:59:58
    There isn't an opportunity to do a certain kind of work that they believe they're good at and they want to hone their talents.
  • 01:00:05
    Some people in other departments see that there are people ahead of them and that their promotability is really dependent on somebody else retiring, right?
  • 01:00:15
    And that looks a far way out.
  • 01:00:16
    There are a lot of openings on our police department, as everybody knows, but
  • 01:00:21
    These are people that want to come and be the face of the future, not the past.
  • 01:00:28
    And I think it's really important that we all are working on that.
  • 01:00:32
    And I know that Councilmember Osmond isn't the only one.
  • 01:00:34
    I know Councilmember Vita and Goodman and others in Rainville are strong advocates of getting
  • 01:00:41
    additional people into our city in all kinds of ways.
  • 01:00:46
    But I think it's important to talk about this outside of confidential labor discussions at the city and these are some of the roles.
  • 01:00:54
    I have a policy aide in my office who liked the idea of coming out of the home and into a work environment.
  • 01:01:05
    You know, one of the challenges maybe that we have as a city is that
  • 01:01:09
    So much of our work is about showing up.
  • 01:01:13
    You cannot do many of these jobs from your living room table.
  • 01:01:17
    You can't stay at home and do many of these jobs.
  • 01:01:19
    We need people to show up and to be face-to-face with members of the public, face-to-face out there on the street in public works jobs.
  • 01:01:28
    And that is a flexibility that we can't maybe offer as much as other kinds of job opportunities out there.
  • 01:01:35
    But there is an
  • 01:01:37
    interest in people wanting that kind of interaction and wanting that kind of environment and community.
  • 01:01:43
    And I am appreciative, Ms. Odom, Director Odom, of your efforts and trying to show that in that positive light.
  • 01:01:53
    And I encourage us all to do so as well.
  • 01:01:55
    Thank you.
  • 01:01:56
    Thank you.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:01:57
    Thank you.
  • 01:01:57
    Oh, I see Council Member Walmsley.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:02:01
    Yeah, just last comment.
  • 01:02:03
    I'm really, really looking forward to having either the study session or closed briefings, or it might just have to happen at the negotiations sessions that are open to the public now around the police contract, because I know you're referencing the Data Practices Act in terms of how we can talk about our strategy.
  • 01:02:23
    but we are actually talking about our strategy publicly and that's actually great through the contract bargaining website through the proposals that are now online which in the city's own proposal right now for the police contract it reflects exactly what you're saying right now of a commitment towards having bonuses or incentives so we're already moving in that direction that has already been shared publicly that does not seem to be in violation of the Data Practices Act
  • 01:02:50
    and the City Council.
  • 01:02:59
    and it does actually say here now like the installment of those incentives over a three-year period.
  • 01:03:05
    It'll be really good for this body to think through.
  • 01:03:07
    As you mentioned earlier, does it really warrant $19 million when we could be investing in other ways of supporting unarmed safety personnel that's doing critical public safety work in our communities?
  • 01:03:20
    And it seems like as Council Member Payne highlighted and you affirm, this might be just action that has to happen at the budget period.
  • 01:03:28
    which is very clarifying.
  • 01:03:30
    But I think having those follow-up briefings and either closed sessions or even participating in these police contract negotiations now that they're public will be great spaces to continue this conversation so we can take appropriate action and make sure
  • 01:03:46
    we're not continuing this theme of giving MPD a blank check or rewarding them for being one of the most fiscally draining departments on the city enterprise right now.
  • 01:04:03
    So I at least want to highlight there's a couple of ways in which we can engage and I look forward to your follow up as well so we can continue having what seems to be a very critical conversation around the future of these $19 million revenue funding.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:04:18
    Thank you.
  • 01:04:19
    Not seeing any further discussion from my colleagues here.
  • 01:04:23
    I just want to also reiterate my gratitude, Director Odom, for this presentation.
  • 01:04:28
    A few things I'm really excited, and I just think your leadership has shown, but you see on slide number seven, evolved HR service model.
  • 01:04:37
    I know that this is a huge undertaking and has taken an incredible amount of time and effort and
  • 01:04:42
    is bringing on so many to believe in the way that you see the future of HR at the City of Minneapolis and I just want to say thank you for that and for bringing that as part of your presentation so that we here can understand what your vision is and your plan to go forward.
  • 01:05:00
    So I just want to tell you how much that was so helpful to see.
  • 01:05:03
    I love seeing this investment in our HR information system and then hearing about the collaboration with finance and IT.
  • 01:05:11
    As you know, we've asked a lot of questions that I know that that system and collaboration would be so much easier.
  • 01:05:20
    through a
  • 01:05:38
    your team and the city of Minneapolis when it comes to human resources.
  • 01:05:44
    And just as a follow up and we will continue follow up, but there was a few of them.
  • 01:05:48
    One was about the metamorphosis report.
  • 01:05:51
    Also I heard about you saying that you could follow up on a study on retention bonuses and the success that you have seen in municipalities and then also we can connect about some of these briefings too so that we can talk a little bit more about that.
  • 01:06:05
    funding as well.
  • 01:06:06
    So thank you so much for being here and appreciate all that you've done for the city.
  • 01:06:12
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
  • 01:06:14
    Next we have the Information Technology Department.
  • 01:06:17
    I'll invite our Chief Information Officer Paul Cameron to give that presentation.
  • 01:06:20
    Welcome.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:06:32
    Good morning, Chair Koski, members of the Budget Committee.
  • 01:06:36
    I'm Paul Cameron, the CIO for the city.
  • 01:06:39
    I'm here to present to you the mayor's recommended 2024 supplemental budget for the IT department.
  • 01:06:46
    There are no new budget requests included in this presentation.
  • 01:06:50
    IT was involved with the presentation a couple weeks ago to this body on the MDHR Settlement Agreement budget request.
  • 01:06:57
    That request included one additional FTE which you will see reflected in this presentation.
  • 01:07:07
    The IT department is comprised of eight divisions with 99 FTEs recommended in the 2024 budget.
  • 01:07:15
    We are currently operating with eight vacancies and we are actively recruiting to fill those positions.
  • 01:07:21
    On the org chart, you can see the breakdown of FTEs by division.
  • 01:07:26
    All of the divisions report to me.
  • 01:07:29
    The divisions are infrastructure, security services, the project management office, collaboration services, enterprise data and solutions, business services portfolio, customer support and relations, and vendor management and contract services.
  • 01:07:52
    So moving on to the priority objectives.
  • 01:07:54
    So we have three priority objectives.
  • 01:07:57
    The first is to maintain system health.
  • 01:08:00
    The city enterprise utilizes dozens of major business systems.
  • 01:08:04
    We partner with city departments to ensure that these applications are current, secure, stable, supportable, resilient and meet the needs of the users.
  • 01:08:17
    The second priority objective is creating a secure computing environment.
  • 01:08:22
    The threats to city data and reputation are ever-present.
  • 01:08:26
    To protect against this, we strive to implement a robust framework of cybersecurity measures including firewalls, regular software patching, employee awareness training, access controls, and continuous monitoring.
  • 01:08:42
    The third priority objective is enterprise platform adoption.
  • 01:08:46
    We strive to ensure that city staff can easily access tools and data to promote data-driven decision-making and trustworthy, transparent information sharing.
  • 01:08:58
    We continue to invest in the people, skills, and outreach related to our major platforms.
  • 01:09:09
    Moving on to the achievements and risks from 2023, I'd like to summarize them now and I'll provide additional details on these as I discuss the metrics and outcomes of the individual budget programs.
  • 01:09:22
    So we completed multiple major system upgrades.
  • 01:09:27
    We have streamlined our internal processes for creating RFPs.
  • 01:09:34
    We have hit major milestones related to our managed services RFP.
  • 01:09:39
    We've continued the rollout of the mobile device management program.
  • 01:09:44
    We are implementing role-based access controls.
  • 01:09:48
    We have multiple initiatives related to the settlement agreement.
  • 01:09:52
    We created the 311 dashboard in partnership with the 311 service center.
  • 01:09:58
    We continue to partner with Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Schools on digital equity efforts.
  • 01:10:06
    We are partnering with city departments on transforming public website content.
  • 01:10:12
    The main risk I want to highlight is around attracting and retaining talent.
  • 01:10:17
    Employees in the IT department are not limited to working in the public sector, and our employees are in high demand across multiple industries.
  • 01:10:27
    To help address this, we have internal DEI efforts underway within equity and inclusion boards.
  • 01:10:33
    We are always looking for training opportunities to keep our staff skills current, and we're also working to create more promotional opportunities for the existing staff.
  • 01:10:49
    The Information Technology Department has a recommended 2024 budget of approximately $49.7 million.
  • 01:10:57
    Each color on the chart represents a program area in IT.
  • 01:11:01
    I will discuss each program area in more detail in the coming slides.
  • 01:11:06
    I do want to note that the larger size of the workforce enablement services and infrastructure services programs reflect where we account for software, hardware and managed services contracts.
  • 01:11:19
    The difference in the 2023 and 2024 budgets is primarily due to rollover dollars that are included in the 2023 budget related to technology projects and the ARPA funds for digital equity.
  • 01:11:34
    There were no budget reductions for 2024.
  • 01:11:36
    Once again, our recommended FTE level in 2024 is 99 and we currently have eight vacancies.
  • 01:11:48
    Next, I will go through each of the three program areas and highlight goals and accomplishments.
  • 01:11:58
    For the Workforce Enablement Services Program, this includes the Project Management Office, Vendor Management and Contract Services Division, as well as the Business Services Portfolio.
  • 01:12:11
    The goals for this program are to provide administration enhancements and support for citywide application, lead organizational improvements through strategic initiatives and project management, manage citywide enterprise contracts to realize savings and increase productivity, provide process and operational efficiencies to support the evolving needs of the city while upholding fiscal responsibility.
  • 01:12:41
    Moving on to the metrics, data and outcomes and accomplishments.
  • 01:12:46
    The divisions in this area are responsible for maintaining a health score for major business systems.
  • 01:12:51
    The score helps us maintain a roadmap for major systems that take into account the technology maturity, budget considerations, contract and procurement dependencies, as well as the functional capability.
  • 01:13:06
    The teams here completed over 25 major upgrades on software systems Including ones to the CAD 911 system and the Maximo asset management system They have completed work on over 50 contracts and contract amendments year-to-date And then we are partnering with HR and finance payroll on the system replacement and
  • 01:13:30
    This group is leading the effort on the IT Managed Services RFP.
  • 01:13:34
    We are currently in contract negotiations and expect to have something in front of the Council early next year.
  • 01:13:47
    The Infrastructure Services Program includes the Security Services Division, Customer Support and Relations Division, and the Infrastructure Division.
  • 01:13:57
    The goals for this program are to enable a stable, secure and responsive technology environment for the city by providing the hardware, software, systems, computing devices and support.
  • 01:14:12
    They also provide a friendly place for city employees to go for technology help.
  • 01:14:18
    Moving on to the metrics, data, outcomes and accomplishments.
  • 01:14:22
    This team completed a major upgrade of the CAD 911 server and network infrastructure.
  • 01:14:29
    This was done in conjunction with the software upgrade I mentioned on the previous slide.
  • 01:14:34
    The Security Division has developed a security awareness training program for the enterprise.
  • 01:14:40
    They have also implemented mobile device management for all new mobile devices and created a model for role-based access controls.
  • 01:14:49
    This will improve security and simplify new employee onboarding.
  • 01:14:53
    We are implementing the role-based access department by department.
  • 01:14:58
    We have implemented smart lockers for equipment delivery and pickup near the tech hub on the 10th floor of the public service building.
  • 01:15:06
    We've received a lot of positive feedback around the flexibility this offers employees.
  • 01:15:12
    We have also completed a Microsoft Teams conference room pilot with rollout underway in collaboration with property services.
  • 01:15:27
    The Decision Support Services program includes the Collaboration Services Division and the Enterprise Data and Solutions Division.
  • 01:15:37
    The goals for this program are to enable strategic decision making across the city through the use of timely data, analytics, software platforms and expertise.
  • 01:15:49
    We look to improve transparency and communication with the residents of Minneapolis as well as protect the privacy of residents.
  • 01:15:57
    We also look to provide collaboration tools and support to the city enterprise to enable innovative solutions For metrics data outcomes and accomplishments one of the main areas I want to highlight is the work these teams have done to support the settlement agreement They were instrumental in creating a public safety data mart that was used to provide data to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the Department of Justice
  • 01:16:24
    This is foundational work that will be built on over the coming years for how the police department can do their analysis, create transparency, and be more prepared to answer questions.
  • 01:16:37
    In addition, the collaboration team has created a website framework for the searching, consuming, and providing feedback on police department policies in an inclusive way.
  • 01:16:49
    This includes support for five different languages.
  • 01:16:56
    We collaborated with regulatory services to create an online rental license payment portal.
  • 01:17:02
    We are working with all departments on public website content conversion to ensure the city website meets ADA standards.
  • 01:17:11
    We are partnering with Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Schools on digital equity
  • 01:17:17
    We are having an impact with the Digital Navigator program.
  • 01:17:21
    Digital Navigators are technology experts who can help guide residents to participate in programs, acquire computing devices, and receive training.
  • 01:17:31
    We have over a thousand devices for distribution with a match for Minneapolis residents from Hennepin County next year.
  • 01:17:39
    Then we continue to partner with the 311 Service Center
  • 01:17:43
    on improvements to the 311 dashboard that was rolled out earlier this year.
  • 01:17:53
    I know I highlighted work for each of the program areas and I would like to acknowledge that very little in the IT department happens without the work of all eight divisions collaborating together.
  • 01:18:04
    There have been many changes and unexpected events that have affected all of us.
  • 01:18:08
    The resiliency shown by the department is something I am proud of.
  • 01:18:12
    The employees in the department are passionate in their desire to make a positive impact on the enterprise and the community.
  • 01:18:19
    Thank you for your time today and I will now stand for questions.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:18:23
    Thank you, Director Cameron.
  • 01:18:25
    I have Councilmember Wonsley first in queue.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:18:28
    Thank you, Chair Koski.
  • 01:18:30
    On the decision support services slide, I wanted to see if you could speak a little bit more about what the Public Safety Data Mart would do in regards to the settlement agreement.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:18:44
    Chair Koski, Councilmember Wonsley, thank you for the question.
  • 01:18:47
    If you think of the data mart as a place in which we are combining data from all of the public safety systems into a repository and working to make that data so that it is
  • 01:19:07
    easier for data analysts to use.
  • 01:19:10
    And so we think of the data analysts in the police department that are being hired as part of the settlement agreement.
  • 01:19:17
    They will use the data mart in order to create the reports and the dashboards and the visualizations that are part of that sort of feedback cycle within the settlement agreement.
  • 01:19:30
    In addition, I would say there is a sort of a public facing version of the data mart so you create the the internal private like the internal city data one and
  • 01:19:44
    and then from that working with the Clerk's Office, with the Minneapolis Police Department is what data, how do we anonymize and make that data available for public consumption.
  • 01:19:54
    That public version of the data mart is what is feeding the dashboards that are on the Minneapolis data source on the city website today.
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:20:05
    That's really exciting to hear.
  • 01:20:06
    I know that lots of Council members would love to have more access points around data trends within MPD outside of just waiting for the quarterly reports that they provide to the Public Health and Safety Committee.
  • 01:20:22
    So this is really exciting to hear that there will be
  • 01:20:26
    More importantly, a public interfacing tool around that.
  • 01:20:29
    And kind of building on that too, I'm assuming the website framework might be complementing that.
  • 01:20:36
    Will that just be also like a public interfacing, I guess, tool to capture feedback for?
  • 01:20:43
    It seems like feedback on the police department.
  • 01:20:47
    So like the public having a venue to share their thoughts or whatever perceptions.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:20:53
    So Chair Koski, Councilmember Wonsley, I would encourage you to go check out the website now.
  • 01:21:00
    You can see where the policies are published.
  • 01:21:03
    You can filter on different
  • 01:21:08
    there's a lot of them and so it's like you can filter on different sort of subject groups within there there are links to the five languages as well as a link to provide feedback to the MPD around it so the content of that you know the police department is largely responsible for the content what we've done is try to provide that framework and a website publishing tool in partnership with them to put that information out there and available to the public
• • Robin Wonsley
  • 01:21:36
    I will note, is there a way you could send the link to us, to this webpage that you're referring to?
  • 01:21:43
    I'm on the city of Minneapolis links and it's given me kind of the run around of like police public safety investigations and settlement agreement.
  • 01:21:52
    Not sure which tab has the information that you're
  • 01:21:55
    and the City Council.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:22:17
    Thank you.
  • 01:22:18
    And I just not seeing any other questions.
  • 01:22:20
    I just had a quick clarifying question.
  • 01:22:22
    I see the FTEs.
  • 01:22:23
    You spoke to this, the one going from 98 to 99, and that is for this work that you're describing.
• • SPEAKER_06
  • 01:22:30
    Chair Koski, yes, that is the one FTE that was included for IT within the settlement agreement budget request.
• • Emily Koski
  • 01:22:38
    Thanks.
  • 01:22:39
    I appreciate that.
  • 01:22:40
    All right.
  • 01:22:40
    Not seeing any other questions.
  • 01:22:42
    So thank you so much for this presentation.
  • 01:22:45
    Appreciate your time today.
  • 01:22:47
    Thank you.
  • 01:22:48
    Seeing no further discussion at this point, I'll direct the clerk to file these presentations.
  • 01:22:53
    Our next Budget Committee meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, September 28th at 10 a.m. That day, we are set to hear from 311 Service Center, Communications, and our Neighborhood and Community Relations team.
  • 01:23:05
    With that, we've concluded all business to come before the committee today, and without objection, we stand adjourned.
  • 01:23:10
    Thank you.