►
Description
This is the Charlotte City Council Workforce & Business Development Committee meeting for May 11, 2020.
To learn more about this committee and more, please visit Charlottenc.gov/citycouncil/committees.
A
Thank
you
for
attending
the
workforce
and
business
development
committee
meeting
a
virtual
meeting,
I'm
glad
that
we
able
to
join
today
and
I
have
with
me.
Tracy
dots.
Excuse
me
I'm,
so
you
say
having
people
in
the
room
with
me.
So
those
that
are
room
with
me.
Can
you
introduce
yourself
and
then
I
like
for
committee
members
to
introduce
themselves
as
well
started
with
my
vice
chair
you're.
B
C
A
A
Everyone
have
a
copy
of
the
agenda
in
front
of
them.
Okay,
so
we
have
four
of
five
items
on
the
agenda
and
two
of
them
are
I
know
a
vital
that
some
of
the
committee
members
have
had
a
lot
of
discussion
about
and
I
have
to
think.
Let
me
start
off
by
staking
the
staff
for
putting
together
great
agenda
for
us
and
those
I
know
in
the
minority
community,
small
business.
Thank
you
for
signing
in
today
and
so
I'ma
turn
it
over
to
Tracy.
As
we
talk
about
the
state
of
economic
development
department,
Tracy
great.
F
Thank
You
councilman
Mitchell
I
wanted
to
start
today,
basically
with
reminding
everybody
that
we
ever
the
past
six
weeks
have
really
been
pivoting
and
had
to
reorganize
new
strategies
based
on
the
world
that
we
live
in
today.
However,
there's
still
a
lot
of
business
that
is
still
going
on
around
economic
development
and
I
just
wanted
everybody
before
we
jump
into
kind
of
this
reposition.
Small
business
initiative.
F
I
wanted
to
take
a
second
and
remind
people
of
our
four
areas
and
a
little
bit
of
what's
going
on
in
those
areas,
that's
similar
to
small
business
and
covin,
but
it's
also
a
little
bit
different,
so
I'm
going
to
start
with
that
slide,
it's
got
a
lot
of
text
on
it,
but
I've
wanted
you
to
see
the
impact
of
what
everything
else
that
we
still
have
going
on
and
if
I
start
at
the
top
left
with
prospective
businesses,
we
are
currently
chasing.
We
have
in
negotiating
six
current
projects.
F
F
We
have
several
other
real
estate
projects
that
continue
to
move
forward.
The
discussions
around
the
transportation
center,
as
well
as
sharp
weight,
Charlotte
Gateway
district
redevelopment
moving
kind
of
counterclockwise
around
business
innovation
holly's
has
been
doing
a
tremendous
amount
of
work
to
help
us
pivot
around
small
business,
and
that
is
the
the
small
business
recovery
task
force.
That's
the
open
for
business
mentorship
micro
business
relief
fund,
the
overall
campaign
that
we'll
talk
about
dot
today
and
the
thriving
the
survive
and
thrive.
F
Excuse
me,
but
also
thinking
about
amp
up
summer
series,
the
small
business
month
of
May
and
efforts
around
there
and
then
continuing
on
to
ongoing
support
with
all
of
our
partners,
as
everybody
is
adjusting
to
this
new
world.
So
tremendous
amount
of
work
that
she
and
her
team
have
been
doing
if
I
keep
going
counter
clockwise
to
the
talent
development.
I
want
to
remind
you
all
that
we
we
started
a
pilot
program
with
the
opportunity,
hiring
grant.
That's
seen
a
lot
of
success
and
I
think
even
leading
to
some
potential
new
business
opportunities
in
Charlotte.
F
Emily
has
also
been
working
on
what
we'll
call
renew
develop
and
launching
it.
It's
a
it's
similar
to
a
piece,
but
another
piece.
We
can
talk
about
it
a
little
bit
later:
new
workforce
strategies
with
a
charlotte
executive
leadership,
council
and
we're
also
launching
a
tech,
talent
study
and
then
all
the
way
at
the
top
right
under
great
places.
We
have
12
potential
p3
projects
going
on
six
takes
and
six
CIP
projects
that
includes
a
ballantine
to
once
we're
looking
at
it
Noda
Midtown
University.
F
We
have
a
whole
new
corridor,
revitalization
effort
that
is
going
on,
that
they
come
that
the
manager
started
to
unroll.
Last
Monday
night
urban
main
moving
into
a
next
phase,
Eastland
mall
I'd
be
remiss
if
I
didn't
mention
that
that
continues
to
move
forward.
All
of
this
is
leveraging
nearing
three
billion
of
investment
yep.
F
So
I
just
I
wanted
everybody
to
know
that
again,
while
we're
living
in
this
new
world
there's
so
many
things
that
we
had
going
on.
Pre
Cova
that
still
continue
to
go
on
that
are
really
good
for
our
community
and
I.
Think
some
others
you'll
even
hear
about
tonight
with
with
Ballentine
on
the
council
agenda,
Thank.
G
A
Alright,
sir
Thank
You
councilman,
ok,
traces
that
thank
you
and
you
mentioned
they.
You
know
the
new
State
William
right
now,
so
I
think
staff
or
all
the
learn.
I
mean
work,
working
from
home
and
stead
of
getting
the
job
done.
I
know
it
is
a
challenge.
So
thank
you
all
so
much
now
small
business
task
force
update.
F
So
this
obviously
has
been
a
tremendous
amount
of
time
and
effort,
not
just
from
economic
development
but
citywide
coordination
working
with
a
lot
of
other
departments
on
some
really
creative
ideas.
What
I'm
gonna
roll
out
for
you
today
is
it's
pretty
lengthy.
It's
the
same
thing
that
will
roll
out
to
the
task
force
tomorrow.
F
So,
like
I,
said,
we've
been
working
around
the
clock
on
this
and
small
business
truly
is
our
backbone
of
our
community
and
we've
been
as
a
team
looking
for
solutions
that
are
gonna
help
today
and
into
tomorrow,
and
this
team
again
internal
as
well
as
external.
We
can
go
to
the
next
slide.
Please
a
little
bit
of
a
snapshot.
We
know
what's
happening
today.
F
Gdp
fell:
4.8%
the
US
economy's
key
drivers,
accounting
for
two-thirds
of
consumer
spending.
The
total
output
fell,
7.5
percent
in
March
initial
kovat
impact.
Economically
sensitive
revenues
has
been
extreme
in
March,
occupancy
taxes
down
70%
food
and
beverage
down
56%
in
April.
The
unemployment
rate
was
at
14
point
7.
We
think
that
that
will
obviously
go
much
higher
on
that
accounts
for
a
million
unemployment
claims
in
North
Carolina,
so
obviously
we're
in
unship,
unchartered
territory
and
I.
F
Think
one
of
the
things
that
we've
learned
can
go
to
the
next
slide
is
that
we,
while
we
think
we
might
know
the
answer
today,
this
is
an
evolving
thing
and
it
requires
a
lot
of
discussion
and
learning
from
one
another
market
experts,
but
also
hearing
from
small
businesses
and
hearing
from
all
of
you,
and
so
today.
We've
responded
by
doing
these
open
discussions,
some
interactive
forums,
research
around
the
country
and
best
practices
and
that's
best
practices
to
how
cities
are
using
their
relief
funds
to
best
practices
for
opening
up.
F
You
know
the
hot
topic
of
today
is
not
going
to
be
the
hot
topic
of
tomorrow
and
staying
on
top
of
that
research
and
then
also
staying
in
close
coordination
with
our
partners
around
the
city
that
are
doing
some
of
these
same
things.
Next
slide,
please
the
main
thing
on
what
we
heard:
companies
we've
overwhelmingly
businesses
needed
to
be
connected
to
the
right
solutions
for
financial
support,
reopening
best
practices
and
networks.
F
F
F
F
Have
a
lot
of
people
seem
to
really
as
resonated
with
people
and
seem
to
really
like
and
then
the
other
one
was
kind
of
where
we
came
up
with
the
open
for
business
campaign,
which
is
a
brand
to
unite
small
businesses
together,
but
also
inform
and
educate
them
who's
open.
What
are
best
practices,
what
are
resources
in
our
community
and
elsewhere
with
that?
F
Let's
go
very
quickly
to
what
we've
done
and
what
we've
done
so
far
and
I've
hit
on
a
little
bit
of
this
is
created
this
open
for
business
brand
and
it's
an
icon
of
solidarity.
If
it's
a
small
business
that
we
can
proudly
display
and
we
intend
to
it
for
it
to
evolve
again
today,
it
was
an
idea
of
connecting
businesses
to
businesses
or
telling
somebody
you're
open
for
business.
We
have
established
weekly
mentorship
series
where
we
focus
on
different
topics
and
bring
panel
of
industry
experts
I'll
hit
a
little
bit
more
on
this
later.
F
We
also
launched
this
interactive
dashboard
and
the
open
for
business
campaign
and
the
micro
business
relief
fund.
The
council
approved
last
month
for
a
million
dollars
to
look
at
some
micro
businesses
in
our
business
corridors
the
mentorship
series,
as
I
mentioned
last
week,
we
did
digital
marketing
I
thought
it
was
very
fascinating
again
people
weren't
talking
about
the
need
for
money
as
much
as
connections
to
resources
that
can
help
them
figure
out
how
to
reposition
online.
How
do
you
grow
in
Instagram?
How
do
you
grab
followers
I
learned
a
lot
personally.
F
Tomorrow's
series
will
be
on
best
practices
on
reopening
and
you
can
see
there
a
list
of
several
others
that
we've
talked
about
next
slide:
the
open
for
business
dashboard
I've
hit
on
a
couple
of
times.
The
intent
we
have
is
to
connect
businesses
to
let
citizens
know
who's
open
who's,
pivoted
their
business
I
constantly
find
myself
constantly
checking
which
restaurants
are
either
open
and
it
changes
on
a
regular
basis.
We
have
over
500
registered
businesses,
almost
20
different
categories
and
over
over
5,000
views.
F
This
would
be
1
million,
as
I
mentioned,
in
grants
for
five
for
companies
that
are
five
employees
and
under
a
hundred
micro
grants
roughly
would
be,
and
then
at
ten
thousand
piece
it
could
be
more
than
that,
and
if
we
don't
do
ten
thousand
for
everybody,
we
have
taken
327
applications
there
were
they
kind
of
stopped
the
application
process.
They're
reviewing
all
of
those
now
we'll
go
through
a
process
on
those
and
hopefully
have
money
out
soon
and
you're
to
date,.
H
F
Think
one
other
layer
that
we
will
put
on
this
is
that
it's
an
equitable
distribution
through
our
corridors
from
geography,
company
types
things
like
that
next
going
into
its.
This
is
our
open
for
business,
but
a
little
bit
more
of
what
we're
going
to
talk
about
today,
which
is
this
larger
strategy
around
an
evergreen
initiative
to
help
small
businesses
survive
in
today's
new
world
and
thrive
and
whatever's
to
come.
Next,
it's
so
important
that
this
is
a
cohesive
strategy.
F
We
will
talk
about
a
lot
of
the
different
initiatives
under
the
strategy
if
we
walk
away
with
anything
today,
you
know
there's
no
pride
of
authorship
in
some
of
these
strategies,
but
I
think
the
important
thing
is
is
that
we
don't
get
so
focused
just
on
today
and
the
survive
that
we
really
do
have
a
comprehensive
strategy,
because
Charlotte
will
come
out
so
much
stronger
will
help
our
companies
survive
today,
but
come
out
stronger
tomorrow.
I.
B
F
So
now,
let's
evolve
into
what's
next,
we
talked
a
lot
about
what
we've,
what
we've
done.
Let's
talk
about
where
we're
going
go
to
the
next
slide,
awesome
as
I
mentioned,
survive
and
thrive,
and
this
is
really
a
quilt
work
of
different
initiatives
that
focus
on
today.
Expanding
programs
connecting
to
partners
creating
an
umbrella
ecosystem
that
evolves
into
tomorrow,
and
that's
keeping
the
momentum
and
helping
businesses
pivot
keep
going.
F
We
have
organized
this
under
a
couple
of
buckets
I
want
everybody
to
see
how
this
might
start
one
way
today
under
survive
and
evolve
and
thrive.
Maybe
it
might
be
something
completely
different,
but
we
have
the
open
for
business
campaign.
It
starts
as
a
website,
but
it
really
evolves
into
a
platform
that
ecosystem
support
is
about
our
partners
today
and
connecting
people
where
our
community
has
come
together.
F
There's
a
tremendous
amount
of
great
work,
that's
going
on
out
there
from
our
partners
to
help
small
businesses
and
we
want
to
help
connect
people
to
those
resources
and
then
later
on,
it
evolves
into
how
our
community
is
together,
how
we
have
United
to
come
together.
Even
more
access
to
capital
goes
throughout
and
then
workforce
is
gonna
go
throughout
as
well.
F
Again,
what
this
slide
is
and
I'm
going
to
spend
a
lot
of
time
on
this,
because
we're
gonna
go
through
each
one
of
these.
These
are
the
more
specific
and
initiatives
again
understanding.
The
broad
buckets
know
proud
of
authorship,
for
the
most
important
is
that
we
really
think
about
this
evolution
of
today
into
tomorrow.
F
If
we
can
keep
going,
we
have
to
survive
and
I'm
gonna
just
go
ahead
and
let's
go
ahead
and
to
the
next
slide
the
open
for
business
website
as
I've
mentioned.
This
is
something
that
the
first
phase
of
is
a
website
that
we're
standing
up.
It's
about
reopening
our
state
economy
that
started
last
Friday
companies
are
experiencing
some
level
of
an
uncertainty
and
they're.
Looking
for
examples
of
lessons
or
strategies
of
what
we've
learned,
how
do
we
connect
them
to
resources
and
how
do
we
connect
them
to
their
fellow
entrepreneurs?
F
So
phase
one
will
be
the
will
be
the
website
and
then
will
continue
to
evolve
that
and
build
more
things
into
that
as,
as
time
goes
on,
phase
two
of
the
website
will
be
the
promotion
of
local
businesses,
also
growing
out
that
mentoring
that
mentorship
series,
we
talked
about
developing
more
business,
resiliency
strategies,
a
job,
connector,
a
workforce
program
platform
and
resources
for
recovery.
So
it
will
incorporate
a
lot
of
these
initiatives
that
we're
talking
about
here
today.
F
The
website
can
be
up
as
early
as
I
think
next
week,
this
phase
two
piece
comes
in
June
ecosystem
partners
support
as
I
mentioned
earlier.
Our
community
has
come
together
and
we're
uniting
in
our
efforts
to
help
small
business.
We
really
want
to
help
support
our
partners.
I
think
they
can
help
grow
capacity
faster
than
we
can
in
starting
our
own
initiatives
in
some
way.
F
So
if
we
can
go
to
the
next
slide
existing
partners
in
grants,
we
have
a
lot
of
great
partners
that
we
have
historically
supported
and
even
some
new
ones
that
we
would
like
to
see
again
they
can
bake.
If
we
can
support
them
baking
growth,
they
can
grow
their
capacity
faster
to
help
more
businesses.
Some
examples
of
those
ready
CLT.
This
is
the
evolution
of
support
CLT.
It's
a
lot
of
great
work
that
Chad
Turner
and
his
team
are
doing.
Central
Piedmont
has
their
small
business
rebound
program.
F
The
Women's,
Business,
Center
and
Prospera
R
can
expand
their
counseling
operations
for
other
small
business
support
programs.
We've
heard
a
lot
of
other
ideas.
What
I
would
encourage
everybody
is,
let's,
let's
keep
tracking
all
the
ideas.
All
the
other
partners
support
them,
make
sure
that
it
makes
sense
under
the
kovat
and
regulations
that
will
have
undercoated
relief
funds,
but
that
that
partner
support
is
so
critical
in
growing
capacity
and
force
in
support
for
our
small
businesses
quickly.
F
Next
slide,
the
business-to-business
grants
I
mentioned
earlier
and
I'm
gonna
I,
walk
through
more
of
an
example
of
this
is
that
a
program
to
help
existing
small
businesses
support
other
small
businesses.
As
we
mentioned
last
week
in
the
digital
marketing
mentor
series,
we
had.
We
have
consultants
saying
some
people
just
need
help,
setting
up
a
website,
there's
plenty
of
small
businesses
or
individuals
in
our
city.
That
can
help
do
that.
That
are
looking
for
work
right
now.
F
Access
to
capital,
putting
capital
in
the
hands
of
small
businesses
that
need
it.
You
go
to
the
next
slide,
the
micro
business
grants.
We
already
know
this
from
our
existing
$1,000,000
that
we've
put
in
micro
businesses,
there's
from
our
records
or
resources.
Six
thousand
seven
hundred
and
ninety
four
businesses
in
Charlotte
that
fall
into
this
category.
F
We're
proposal
that
we
would
make
is
to
expand
this
program
continue
to
use
liske.
It
would
be
a
little
bit
different
than
what
we
have
now.
We
would
expand
it
to
citywide
it
would
we
would
get
this
current
million
dollars
out
the
door
and
then
almost
in
a
way
start
over,
but
not
in
the
timeline
start
over
where
we
would
then
be
able
to
relax
the
CDBG
funds
guidelines
that
we
had
on
the
first
round.
F
Small
business
grants
this
would
focus
on
companies
with
six
to
twenty
five
employees
by
our
research.
This
is
about
three
thousand
six
hundred
and
sixty
eight
small
businesses
in
Charlotte
that
would
qualify
that
is
employing
over
eighty
one
thousand
people
in
Charlotte,
and
this
would
provide
grants
up
to
twenty
five
thousand
with
businesses
from
six
to
twenty
five.
F
Workforce
and
rapid
response
giving
company
helping
the
small
businesses
is
critical.
We
recognize
that,
but
also,
how
are
we
going
to
help
the
workers
that
have
been
displaced
and
coming
up
with
strategies
that
are
immediate,
that
we
feel
like
we
can
pivot
and
then
again
can
evolve
into
that
thrive
strategy.
F
We
have
to
do
something
for
the
worker
if
it
we
feel
like
20%
of
our
workforce
has
been
impacted.
So
the
first
idea
is
around
the
CLT
career
pivot
boot
camp,
and
this
is
a
stand
up
portal
on
the
open
for
business
and
it's
a
boot
camp
and
it
connects
workforce
partners,
educational
partners
and
private
companies
that
can
quickly
produce
materials.
That
would
focus
on
identifying
transferable
skills.
For
somebody
who
might
have
worked
in
a
restaurant
for
the
last
10
years.
F
Maybe
help
them
quickly
pivot
to
go
work
on
the
call
center.
So
it's
gonna
focus
on
things
like
resume
readiness,
social
media
presence,
learning
about
different
industries,
different
places
that
they
could
actually
consider
to
go
and
quickly
change
in
their
career
opportunities.
The
idea
was
that
we
could
launch
this
in
mid-june
and
carry
it
through
the
year
job
placement
coordination,
this
outreach
program
to
local
companies
to
identify
future
job
growth,
and
this
would
leverage
partner
relationships
with
the
CEO
see
and
other
businesses
collaborative
to
inform
the
future
of
work.
F
F
Now
I'm
gonna
move
over
into
the
Thrive,
so
this
is,
if
you
notice
on
this,
we
did
put
timelines
for
each
initiative,
but
I
want
to
make
it
clear
that
very
intentionally
did
not
put.
You
know,
survived
happens
in
30
days.
Drive
happens
in
90
days.
That
kind
of
thing,
because
some
of
these
initiatives
we
can
start
now.
Some
of
them
are
intended
to
be
around
the
thrive
component
of
it,
but
it
they
overlap.
F
There's
a
lot
of
grey
in
terms
of
timing
and
things
like
that
of
when
things
can
start
or
we
can
start
to
stand
them
up
the
open
for
business
website
as
I
mentioned.
This
is
kind
of
initiative
is
evergreen
we
could
take.
It
would
take
it
in
a
phased
approach,
but
the
phase
3
of
the
website
could
be
more
of
that
b2b
dashboard
job
connection
and
a
digital
forum
and
continue
to
grow
that
out.
F
F
And
the
difference
we've
had
things
like
peace
before,
but
where
we're
really
focused
on
this
and
it's
not
it's
not
getting
rid
of
peace.
I
want
to
be
clear
on
that,
but
it's
guaranteed
job
placement,
and
so
it's
cohort
based
career
development,
but
it's
again
trying
to
get
that
up
to
that
guaranteed
job
placement,
and
we
would
want
to
look
at
technologies,
skilled
trades,
train
logistics,
workplace,
sanitation
and
back-office
operations.
F
If
we
look
right
now,
job
openings
in
logistics
and
distribution
are
over
a
thousand
that
are
listed
online
right
now:
skilled
trades,
361
jobs,
advanced
technology,
twelve
hundred
and
nineteen
jobs,
workplace
sanitation,
is
something
that
obviously
we
think
will
come
out
of
kovat.
So
that
gives
you
an
idea
of
where
we're
looking
at,
where
there's
job
openings
and
how
do
we
help
people?
F
F
I
F
A
big
difference,
so
if
we
go
to
the
next
slide,
an
example
would
be
the
technology
training
program.
Will
we
expand
technology
programs
to
place
residents
and
high
demand
technology
jobs?
An
example
of
this
and
councilman
of
a
car
I
can
speak
to
this,
but
when
is
an
example
of
this
in
our
in
our
community
1,500
people
applied
for
50
positions
in
the
current
win
class
and
so
guaranteed
job
placement
high
demand,
career,
good
wages,
good
benefits.
F
The
other
example
is
the
renewed
training
program
as
a
part
of
the
American
cities,
climate
challenge
we-
this
is
a
piece
of
this
where
we
were
launching
or
launched
last
week
in
RFP
supports
goals
around
renewable
energy
energy
efficiency.
So
you
talked
about
mayor
HVAC
jobs,
similar
in
talking
about
that.
If
we
found
that
there
are
a
lot
of
openings
in
that
again
making
sure
that
the
jobs
are
there,
but
launching
this
piece
of
it
as
well.
F
Okay
next
slide
business
innovation
and
the
B
to
C
small
business
accelerator
is
really
its
creative
idea
in
thinking
about
retooling,
small
business
for
a
new
normal
as
we
acknowledge
businesses
are
gonna,
have
to
figure
out
how
to
how
to
pivot
had
a
lot
of
conversations
over
the
past
several
weeks
about
how
to
go.
Cashless
a
lot
of
businesses
aren't
necessarily
entirely
set
up
for
that.
F
What
are
the
new
technologies
that
are
going
to
come
out
of
this
to
help
to
help
businesses,
and
this
would
be
a
virtual
accelerator
where
you
would
lean
on
an
existing
organization
like
a
techstars,
to
recruit
approximately
ten
companies
to
create
technologies,
to
specifically
help
small
businesses
here
in
Charlotte
pivot,
but
also
become
more
resilient?
So
Texters
does
a
concept
like
this
around
the
country,
but
this
one
is
a
little
bit
different
because
the
theme
of
it
is
really
about
helping
Charlotte
small
businesses
pivot.
F
F
They
would
create
it.
We
could
quickly
kick
this
off,
but
they
could
also
help
create
the
technologies.
We'll
talk
about
another
grant
program
that
then
can
be
used
to
work
with
businesses
and
these
two
technologies
so
I'll
connect
it
all
for
you
in
an
upcoming
and
upcoming
side.
Slide.
Excuse
me
next
slide
the
resilient
restart
program,
intensive
resiliency
and
continued
continuity
planning
curriculum
for
small
businesses.
Again.
This
is
really
thinking
about.
F
If
you
think
about
how
we've
done
amp
up
in
passed-
and
this
is
this-
is
kind
of
growing
amp
up
for
resiliency
in
continuity
planning,
so
that
should
businesses
ever
find
themselves
in
a
situation
like
toget
nineteen,
again
they're
better
prepared
for
it
half
our
recommendation
is
that
half
of
these
cohorts
would
be
reserved
for
mws
bees,
and
this
would
come
out
of
the
city's
training
money.
This
would
come
out
of
what
we
would
do
or
Corcovado
a
leaf
money.
I
A
I
We'll
look
at
that,
though
I
think
they're
they're,
two
things
I
would
say
about
that.
One
check
out
whether
or
not
you
can
reserve
for
minorities
and,
like
cetera
et
cetera,
but
the
other
thing
about
it.
If
it's
a
resilient
restart
program-
and
you
look
at
talking
about
the
curriculum
for
small
businesses,
I,
wonder
you
you're
supposed
to
be
responding
to
the
Cova.
A
H
F
The
thrive
business
grants
to
go
to
the
innovate
business,
grant,
which
is
kind
of
the
access
to
capital
and
launch
new
innovative
strategies
and
tools.
Again,
this
was
about
pivoting,
so
perfect,
purchase
new
technology
based
on
you
know
again,
going
cashless
or
things
like
that
or
better
systems
to
keep
better
accounting.
This
is
again
building
on
that
resiliency
and
that
pivoting
to
come
out
of
the
situation
that
we
are
in
right
now.
The
this
grant
could
support
technologies
that
came
out
of
the
b2c
innovative
initiative,
but
also
work
on
things
like
other
consulting
services.
F
How
do
I
set
up
that
website?
How
do
I
do
those
things
to
really
allow
them
to
pivot
and
procure
the
right
technology
to
run
their
business
and
then
the
thrive
hiring
grant
would
go
to
the
next
slide.
Sorry,
this
incentivizes
companies
to
hire
and
put
their
residents
to
work
creates
new
jobs
in
our
city
that
can
provide
opportunities
to
our
unemployed
residents
and
offset
the
expense
of
hiring
those
who
have
retooled
their
careers
and
take
new
opportunities.
F
F
Lastly,
to
round
us
out,
we
just
wanted
to
share
a
testimonial
of
one
of
our
small
business
partners.
Renee
from
Central
Piedmont
they've
been
a
strong
partner
and
they've
really
stepped
up
to
help
small
businesses
and
communities
during
this
this
time.
This
is
all
about
partnership
and
through
this
today,
but
also
how
we
work
together
and
emerge
and
grow
from
this
coming
out,
and
so
we
get
last
to
next
steps.
F
I
think
the
mayor
raises
a
really
good
point
that,
as
we
talk
about
those
initiatives-
and
we
get
hear
from
you
what
you
want
to
move
forward
on
and
the
ones
that
we
like
really
betting,
what
we
can
use
coded
what
we
might
reposition
some
of
our
existing
funds
for
for
strategy.
But
we
really
want
to
rapidly
deploy
the
capital
to
small
businesses
and
resource.
F
We
think
that's
a
first
priority
stand
up
workforce
readiness
again
it's
about
those
employees
as
much
as
that
have
lost
their
jobs
and
finding
new
jobs
as
much
as
it
is
the
small
businesses
and
then
bringing
new
jobs
to
our
city
and
then
again,
this
ending
up
this
open
for
business
platform.
That
can
be
something
that
serves
as
a
essential
resource
today,
but
is
an
evergreen
kind
of
initiative
to
unite
small
businesses
in
our
community
and
then
start
to
prepare
and
execute
on
thrive
initiatives.
A
D
We
had
a
town
hall
last
week
on
small
businesses
and
Polly
had
presented
from
the
city
on
small
businesses,
grants
and
resources
are
available,
and
the
question
that
often
came
up
was
from
businesses
that
are
not
able
to
get
PPP
or
applying
for
other
resources.
How
can
they
get
help?
So
I
think
this.
D
Survive
entire
program
will
certainly
help
those
businesses
who
are
not
getting
other
resources
and,
in
order
to
expedite
that
process,
I
understand
that
we
have
a
third
party
will
be
managing
this
programs.
Is
there
a
fee
associated
with
those
and
what
percentage
of
the
money
is
going
towards
fees?
Yeah.
F
We
are
working
right
now
on
a
breakdown
per
initiative
and
that's
for
both
of
the
grant
program
so
that
we've
we
highlighted
under
thrive
or
excuse
me
survive
and
what
we're
looking
at
under
thrive.
But
yes,
there.
If
we
use
outside
partners
and
outside
resources,
there
are
administration
fees
associated
to
them.
Okay,.
D
So
once
those
fees
have
been
presented
to
us,
could
you
please
share
those
with
us
so
that
we
are
taking
that
into
consideration
to
ensure
the
near
direct
me
as
much
as
possible,
providing
these
resources
in
the
hands
of
the
small
business
owners?
The
second
question
I
have
about
the
technology
program.
I
know,
tax
code
has
mobile.
Chorus
of
pink
tag,
does
not
work
around
workforce
development.
So
are
we
collaborating
with
his
group
or
some
others
that
already
doing
technology
workforce
development
work?
Yes,.
F
Definitely
I
again,
this
goes
with
the
larger
partner
support.
There's
a
lot
of
great
things,
and
when
is
a
perfect
example
of
that
of,
what's
going
on
in
our
community,
where
we
don't
need
to
recreate
the
wheel,
we
can
rely
on
partners
who
already
know
how
to
do
these
and
implement
some
of
these
programs
to
do
that.
So,
yes,
we
are
absolutely
are
working
with
Councilman,
Bukhari
and
others
in
the
community
to
develop
some
of
these
strategies.
That's.
D
Great
I
I
do
know
a
single
mother
who
went
through
their
program
and
had
great
things
to
say
she
was
able
to
get
job
in
financial
services
industry
in
entry-level
technology
at
all,
so
I
hope
that
we
leverage
some
of
their
existing
expertise.
That's
already
out
there.
So
thank
you.
That's
all
Thank
You!
Mr.
chairman,
thank.
B
Yes,
thank
you
for
those
kind
words,
it
means
a
lot
I'm
just
doing
a
quick
statement.
You
know
this
is
very
much
thing.
One
of
those
scenarios
where
staff
and
everyone
you
see
in
the
committee
bar
council
mayor
everyone
partners,
have
been
frantically
working.
It's
been
like
the
Ducks
legs
underwater
I.
Think
a
lot
of
people
in
this
community
have
asked
over
the
last
two
months.
You
know
where
is
City
Council?
B
So
the
list
goes
on
and
on
we've
been
up
in
a
lot
of
supportive
roles,
but
I
would
just
say
kudos
to
staff
and
everyone
working
on
this,
because
this
is
the
moment
where
the
city's
lead
role
has
been
waiting
for
waiting
for
for
a
long
time,
and
that
is
the
ultimate
recovery,
the
jump-starting
of
our
economic
system.
Here
that
is
clearly
in
the
city's
wheelhouse.
B
We
are
going
to
continue
to
partner
with
all
those
great
other
end
that
I
mentioned
to
move
forward,
but
this
is
that
opportunity
for
the
city
to
do
what
it
does
best,
which
is
reject,
start
this
economy
and
what
that
needs
right
now
is
the
fuel
which
is
workforce
and
particularly
small
business
and
I.
Think
what
you
see
here
is
a
really
fast
comprehensive
strategy,
not
a
one
piece
at
a
time.
What
we're
gonna
have
this
grant
or
this
program
it's
like
here's,
the
entire
view.
B
Businesses
need
to
survive
them,
open
their
doors
and
then
thrive
in
the
mid
and
long
term.
Is
they
optimized
and
they
can
exist?
So
what
I
love?
So
much
is
it's
a
bold,
ambitious
plan?
There's
a
lot
of
you
know
holes
to
still
fill
in,
but
it
ties
everything
to
a
purpose.
It
doesn't
say:
hey
we're
just
going
to
dump
out
a
whole
bunch
of
money.
Hopefully
it
finds
the
right
people
they
get
it
and
they
survive.
B
It
ties
that
money
in
specific
initiatives,
whether
it's
workforce,
training,
enhancements
or
retooling
small
businesses
and
helping
them,
as
we've
heard
in
multiple
forums
and
things
that
have
occurred,
a
lot
of
them
just
want
to
know
hey
what
is
it
that?
What
is
it
that
that
I
do
to
pivot,
to
an
e-commerce
type
or
platform
or
go?
You
know,
touchless
on
my
payments
or
have
good
cybersecurity
now
that
I'm
doing
so
much
promoting
here,
each
X,
you
know
digitally
and
I
have
to
sign
them
over
each
month.
B
So
I
think
this
is
really
groundbreaking
approach
to
a
toolbox
that
will
be
there
for
communities
like
blood,
the
the
workforce
and
their
small
business
and
I'm
just
I'm,
proud
of
everyone.
Who's
worked
so
hard
to
get
us
to
this
point,
it's
been
difficult
to
say
the
least,
but
it
will,
in
the
end,
save
people's
jobs
that
will
save
companies.
So
thank
you.
Thank.
A
C
I,
just
like
this
ditto
what
what
everyone
that
said
this
is
exciting.
We
discovered
at
the
very
beginning
that
this
was
a
health
crisis,
but
a
crisis
with
small
businesses.
So
it's
exciting
to
be
a
part
of
you
know
the
city
of
this
team.
That's
really
addressing
the
needs
that
are
out
there.
So
I'm
excited
for
the
next
step.
Thank
You.
C
I
I
I
sent
the
committee
chair
and
several
others
a
note
about
collaboration
with
the
state,
Commerce,
Department
and
I.
Think
that
includes
Charlotte
works
and
especially
I
know
that
I
spoke
with
Danielle
who
chairs
it
and
they
have
a
brand
new
beautiful
facility
that
they've
not
been
able
to
walk
into
and
when
I
think
about
the
idea
of
the
work
force
and
the
retraining
and
all
of
those
efforts.
I
But
I
don't
know
if
they're
ready
to
know
what
they,
what
the
state
boards
of
barber
and
beauticians
are
going
to
require.
Yet
so,
let's
remember,
we
do
need
to
do
some
phasing
as
people
come
on
board
or
come
back
to
open
their
businesses
again,
and
so
those
are
some
of
the
things
that
just
came
off.
The
top
of
my
head
that
we
might
want
to
look
into
I
also
want
to
raise
the
issue
of
a
lot
of
this.
I
I
think
we
need
to
look
specifically
in
any
of
this
workforce
training
that
we
do
that
there
is
a
minimum
wage
that
allows
people
to
be
able
to
not
have
to
live
paycheck
to
paycheck
and
not
pay
their
rep
in
a
situation
like
this
put
themselves
in
situations
where
they
are
more
likely
to
become
ill
with
the
virus
because
of
the
type
of
work
that
they're
doing.
But
yet
the
work
is
essential
and
we're
going
to
put
them
in
that
position.
F
I
I
A
A
So,
committee,
let
me
just
a
level
set
because
I
think
we
have
three
new
members
who
I'm
not
sure
is
aware
of
the
Shalit
business
inclusion
program.
So
I
wanted
to
use
this
meeting
to
kind
of
do
an
introduction
and
then
talk
about
the
work,
that's
in
progress
and
then
has
some
discussion
about
next
steps.
So
I
know
my
vice
chair
and
council
member
asked
me
a
council
member
Johnson.
A
This
might
be
new
council
member
Graham,
but
I
kind
of
this
is
kind
of
a
whole
head,
but
it's
a
passion
for
both
of
us,
and
so
please,
council,
member
Johnson
and
counselor
as
mayor
and
vice
chair.
If
you
have
any
questions,
I
don't
have
to
take
this
some
important
work,
knowing
what
the
staff
is
doing,
but
once
again
it
ties
to
our
small
business.
A
The
discussion
we
just
had
and
we
have
a
great
advisory
council,
CB
IAC,
Charlotte
business-
includes
Advisory
Council
will
work
the
stream
to
heart
with
staff
and
they
have
some
recommendation
they
would
like
for
us
to
adopt
later
on
the
future
meeting.
So
with
that
do
I
turn
it
over
to
Phil
yeah.
Thank
you.
Can
you
deduce
your
dream.
K
K
I
was
formerly
your
budget
director,
but
I've
transitioned
over
the
past
few
months
to
general
services
and
ultimately
on
the
staff
member
accountable
for
the
Charlotte
business
inclusion
program
and
I
am
fortunate
to
have
with
me
today,
KL
or
who
is
our
chief
procurement
officer
and
Thomas
powers,
who's,
Senior,
Assistant,
Attorney,
City,
Attorney
and
so
they're
going
to
do
the
heavy
lifting
okay,
but
before
I
turn
it
over
to
them.
I
want
to
just
put
a
little
context
in
the
room
before
we
get
to
a
program
history
and
some
other
information
about
our
current
work.
K
K
The
program
leverages
city
contracting
opportunities
to
grow,
M,
WS
BES
in
its
design,
specifically
to
a
direct
dress
disparities
and
to
promote
inclusion,
particularly
in
city
contracting.
Over
the
past
18
months,
the
city's
been
consolidating
around
its
procurement
and
contracting
efforts,
and
we've
been
doing
that
to
improve
efficiency
and
effectiveness.
It's
a
part
of
our
ongoing
desire
to
improve
city
functions
and
programs
last
spring
CBI,
which
once
was
a
division
of
Finance,
was
reorganized
under
prakrit
procurement.
It
was
done
so
very
strategically.
K
It
was.
It
was
done
specifically
to
create
a
direct
relationship
between
the
program
CBI
program
in
the
contracting
efforts
of
the
city,
both
from
a
construction
contracting
subcontracting,
but
also
just
purchasing
buying
goods
and
services,
and
then
further
the
city
manager
as
a
part
of
his
FY
2020
budget
reorganized
or
created
the
general
services
department,
where
he
pulled
the
procurement
division
into
ooh
and
under
the
leadership
of
the
general
services
director,
which
also
includes
the
leadership
around
capital
project,
implementation,
and
so
those
are
capital
project.
K
Implementation
is
where
the
majority
of
the
capital
dollars
are
spent,
and
so
now
you're
connecting
CBI
with
the
folks
that
are
responsible
for
the
contracting,
with
the
folks
that
are
responsible
for
making
the
decisions
about
the
projects
that
we
develop
contracts.
For
you
start
to
see
the
synergies
that
are
created
with
the
program.
K
So
this
puts
CBI
that
the
CBI
program
and
its
goals
and
objectives
sort
of
in
the
forefront
of
the
minds
of
the
leaders
that
are
making
some
of
the
operational
decisions
around
contracting
and
purchasing,
which
we
think
makes
us
more
able
to
meet
the
goals
and
objectives
of
City,
Council
and
then
finally,
I
want
to
talk
about
how
this
allows
us
to
leverage
our
purchasing
staff.
It's
not
a
secret
that
we
have
a
few
vacancies
in
in
a
CBI
program,
and
vacancies
are
not
are,
are
not
new
to
us.
K
It's
something
that
that
we
deal
with,
but
having
CBI
organized
under
procurement
allows
us
to
use
our
procurement
agents
or
to
leverage
our
procurement
agents
to
fill
in
the
gaps
when
we
have
them,
and
so
that's
how
the
work
has
continued.
The
work
has
never
stopped
even
during
Kovan
19.
The
work
continues.
Okay,
I'll
talk
a
little
bit
about
some
of
those
results
from
a
contracting
perspective,
and
so
so,
finally,
just
recognizing
that
I
I'm
new
leadership,
so
I'm
kind
of
a
fresh
set
of
eyes.
K
I'm
really
looking
forward
to
working
with
this
committee,
specifically
to
continue
to
refine
the
program,
look
for
opportunities
to
improve,
implement
recommendations
of
past
asperity
studies,
but
also
future
and
and
really
define
with
this
committee
with
cal.
So
what
goal?
What
the
goals
and
objectives
look
like?
What
success
looks
like
so
that
we
make
sure
we
define
program
and
we
bring
back
the
measures
that
can
demonstrate
success,
and
so
with
that
said,
let
me
turn
it
over
to
well.
Let
me
go
through
real
quick
if
we
could
get
to
the
first
slide
the
objective
slide.
K
Let
me
just
review
this
real,
quick,
we're
gonna
we're
going
to
give
an
overview
of
the
purpose
and
history
of
the
program.
We're
going
to
talk
about
disparity
study,
specifically,
why
we
do
them
we're
gonna
Thomas
is
going
to
go
through
quickly.
Some
of
the
the
findings
of
the
disparity
study,
we're
gonna
talk
about
a
schedule
for
the
next
disparity
study
is
within
it,
which,
within
the
division
of
the
future,
and
then
K,
is
going
to
we're
going
to
turn
over
to
cage
she's
going
to
talk
about
its
the
status.
K
The
recommendations
that
have
come
out
of
the
2017
disparity
study
and
highlights
some
of
those
winds
and
strategies
that
were
currently
experiencing
and
then
finally
talk
about
next
steps
for
CBI
policy
development,
particularly
how
we
would
move
policy
through
committee
County
Council.
So
if
that,
let
me
turn
it
over
to
Thomas
powers.
All.
L
Right
if
we
can
turn
to
the
next
lab
Thank
You,
mr.
chairman
members
of
the
committee,
again
Thomas
powers,
senior
assistant
city
attorney
on
behalf
of
your
city,
attorney
Patrick
Baker
I'm,
here,
to
give
a
background
and
kind
of
institutional
information
on
the
CPI
program
before
turning
you
over
to
K
is
going
to
kind
of
give.
You
information
like
I,
said
present
to
future.
So
in
that
regard
again,
cbi,
as
phil's
alluded
to,
is
part
of
the
small
business
development
growth
strategy.
L
This
program
is
based
on
again
13
counties
that
this
council
has
actually
designate
as
part
of
our
metropolitan
and
consolidated
actual
Statistical
Area.
So
we're
talking
about
the
CBI
program
and
we're
talking
about
the
actual
regional
area,
we're
talking
about
not
only
Mecklenburg
County
but
12
other
counties,
including
two
in
South,
Carolina,
Lancaster
and
York,
that
are
part
of
where
we're
spending
most
of
our
this
disco
area.
Excuse
me
combined
statistical
area,
it's
basically
where
we're
spending
about
80%
of
all
of
our
dollars,
based
on
the
disparity
study.
L
So
that's
how
we
came
up
with
that
actual
13
counties
again
CBI
is:
is
monitoring
contracting
those
commitments,
oversee
the
policy
procedures
at
doing
training
and
partnering
again
with
economic
development?
Next
slide,
please!
So
again,
going
back
through
the
history
of
the
CBI
program.
We've
had
variations
over
the
last
40
years.
In
regards
to
the
current
CBI
program,
back
during
the
1980s
until
the
early
2000s,
we
had
what
was
called
a
minority
women
business
development
program.
L
That
program
again
was
in
effect
and
it
was
challenged
in
about
2002,
and
the
council
then
decided
to
actually
dismantle
the
program
due
to
an
outdated
disparity
study,
but
in
its
seed
we
actually
allowed
for
a
small
business
opportunity
program
after
receiving
authorization
from
the
state
that
dent
moved
us
to
the
next
era,
which
was
again
the
small
business
program
between
2003
and
2013.
That
program
again
was
not
a
rage,
race-conscious
or
gender.
Conscious
program.
Again
we
looked
at
all
businesses
from
a
race
neutral
and
gender
neutral
perspective,
then
starting
around
2013.
L
That
is
when
council
adopted
the
new
CBI
policy.
This
current
policy
is
based
on
a
race
conscious,
as
well
as
gender,
conscious
program
that
was
based
on
at
that
time
to
2011
disparity
study.
We
have
completed
again
a
2017
disparity
study
and
at
that
time
we
did
show
that
there
was
an
issue
of
disparity
amongst
women
as
well
as
minorities,
and
that
allowed
us
to
continue
to
have
a
race
conscience
in
gender
conscious
program
next
slide.
Please.
L
Typically,
disparity
studies
are
every
five
years
now
you
can
have
a
disparity
study
that
goes
beyond
five
years,
but,
as
I
alluded
to
in
the
previous
slide,
we
had
a
situation
when
we
were
challenged
for
having
this
barrier
to
study
that
was
10
years
old
and
that
led
to
us
I
get
in
this
paneling
the
program.
So
when
you
get
beyond
5
years,
you're
kind
of
getting
into
the
yellow,
slightly
red
zone
where,
if
we
were
legally
challenged,
a
judge
could
then
say:
I
do
not
believe
you're.
A
disparity
study
is
actually
up
to
date.
L
To
justify
a
program.
Remember,
a
disparity
study
is
a
snapshot
at
the
market
at
the
time
in
which
we're
doing
the
study,
so
it
is
necessary
for
us
to
go
back
every
so
often
every
five
years,
theoretically,
to
make
sure
we
get
a
more
updated
snapshot
in
that
regard,
and
again,
our
current
CBI
program
based
on
race,
conscious
and
gender
conscious
measures
are
set
to
expire
on
January
1st
to
2023,
and
that's
because
of
the
spared
studied
that
this
council
adopted
back
and
Jamie
past,
gives
me
in
2017
all
right
next
slide.
Thank
you.
L
This
slide
here
provides
you
with
a
understanding
of
how
we
were
able
to
legally
justify
this
parity.
What
you're,
seeing
before
you
is
a
goals
versus
no
goals
slide
and
what
it
basically
is
indicating
in
regards
to
what
will
be
the
black
graph
bars
is
when
the
council
went
into
the
market
and
then
set
goals
on
contracts.
Now,
this
is
not
in
a
situation
where
you're,
just
sending
only
mve
goes,
but
this
is
where
the
council
is
setting.
Fbe
goes,
MBE
goes
or
WBE
goes,
I
would
like
to
kind
of
denote.
L
Please,
with
that
I'm
going
to
kind
of
just
go
over
some
of
the
disparity
study,
recomment
findings,
one
of
the
things
that
our
consulted
recommended
was
an
annual
aspirational
goal
of
20.9%
I
want
to
emphasize
that
the
aspirational
goal
is
something
that
is
not
changeable.
It
cannot
be
increased
or
decreased
based
on
the
contract
as
such.
If
we
have
a
situation
where
a
contract
has
no
disparity,
we
cannot
then
set
a
14
percent
arbitrary
goal.
L
That
number
allows
her
to
then
have
the
remedy
section
of
liquidated
damages
for
failure
to
meet
the
goal
or
to
reject
a
bid
for
councils
sake.
But
when
you
have
an
aspirational
you're
saying
that
we
don't
have
actual
disparity,
but
we're
asking
you
to
help
us
try
to
achieve
this
long-term
aspirational
aspect
and
goal
for
the
organization
again,
these
MWF
be
subcontracting.
This
is
where
we're
getting
spending
to
use
I
think
Kay,
we'll
get
into
a
lot
of
that
with
her
presentation
as
well.
L
We're
looking
at
again
the
designated
contract
strategy
of
how
we
go
about
not
only
looking
at
our
firms
for
businesses,
but
how
do
we
make
sure
we're
actually
supporting
those
businesses?
We
looked
at
and
explored
the
fve
certification
and
eligibility,
but
MBE,
as
I
explained,
is
as
a
different
animal
mandatory
contract
and
how
our
data
software
next
slide.
Please,
with
that
being
said,
I
want
to
kind
of
quickly
run
down
the
actual
status
of
the
committee
recommendations.
This
includes
your
CBI
a/c
committee,
as
well
as
the
former
economic
development
committees,
recommendations
that
were
adopted.
L
In
essence,
we
had
a
few
items
that
came
forth.
One
was
the
24
hours
to
finalize
form
three.
This
will
allow
a
contractor
who
is
actually
going
through
the
hard
bid
process
of
trying
to
get
business
part
of
their
actual
bid
package
that
they
can
get
a
verbal
commitment
for
the
actual
engagement
instead
of
having
them
to
try
to
jot
this
all
down
and
submit
it
at
the
time
a
bid.
We
gave
them
24
hours
after
the
fact
to
access
to
put
the
information
on
paper
to
submit
both
the
CBI,
C
and
development.
L
Agree
with
that
again,
we
changed
the
breaking
down
work,
good-faith,
effort
from
15
to
10,
negotiate
in
good
faith,
also
from
15
points
to
10
points.
We
increase
the
duration
of
the
SPE
certification
for
three
years
to
four
and
lower
the
threshold
from
three
hundred
thousand
to
two
hundred
thousand
in
regards
to
setting
of
any
goals
on
a
contract,
we're
also
having
the
aspect
of
breaking
out
our
MBS
from
SPS
in
regards
to
counting
towards
a
contract.
A
First
of
all,
thank
you
so
much
because
I
think
this
is
very
important.
We
talked
about
our
program,
understanding
the
legal
aspect
of
the
program
working
we
defend
so
on.
The
fourth
quarter:
point
that
the
CBI
see
recommend
so
Lucas
trick
of
some
subcontracting
Thresher
open
three
hundred
thousand
two
hundred
thousand.
Does
that
still
make
that
informal?
Or
is
that
a
total
conversation?
Oh,
we
have
formal
contracts
and
informal.
So.
L
For
construction
purposes,
that
is
still
the
informal
range
of
under
state
law
that
is
five
hundred
thousand
dollars
or
more
okay.
So
there's
a
again
kind
of
a
weird
situation
where
state
law
requires
fiver
to
thousands
for
a
formal,
but
they
require
also
goals
to
be
set
at
three
hundred
thousand
or
so
what
we're
doing
is
taking
it
down
to
two
hundred
thousand
or
even
at
the
informal
range
you
still
could
have
goals
side,
even
though
it
may
not
be
at
the
formal
range
and.
L
Not
hearing
in
additional
questions,
we
go
to
the
next
slide
here,
yeah
and
just
to
quickly
again,
there
was
a
few
recommendations
that
were
brought
forth
by
both
CB
ISE
and
both
CB
IC
and
former
economic
development
disagreed
with
those
recommendations,
and
so
they
will
remain
currently
asked.
As
in
the
current
policy,
we
also
did
not
bring
forth
anything
regarding
the
establishment
person
Network
for
EM
WS
and
as
cable.
L
They
kind
of
explained
later,
there's
a
legal
issue
there,
as
well
as
the
duration
and
registration
at
the
bottom,
you'll
see
that
a
lot
of
this
is
because
the
MWBE
certification
is
handled
by
the
state
and
that's
something
where
the
city
would
not
be
able
to
step
on
the
state's
authority.
In
that
regard.
The
expanded
contracts
were
actually
having
pending
legal
review
and
the
mechanics
of
that
program.
A
A
As
a
chair,
the
saying
we
have
not
pulled
those
to
City
Council,
so
staff
of
you
all
accountable,
maybe
in
the
June
timeframe,
for
the
next
meeting
that
we
would
like
to
then
try
to
get
that
on
the
council
calendar
for
approval,
the
cbi,
AC
recommendation,
because
if
you
look
I
think
we
kind
of
like
in
step
yes
from
their
support.
And
yes
from
the
committee,
I
will
say:
committee
members
Eve
have
any
heartburn
with
this
slide.
A
K
L
L
M
M
Well,
you
know
we're
so
happy
to
be
here,
I
think.
The
last
time
we
gave
an
update
to
the
full
council
was
back
in
January
and
Thomas
has
done
a
good
job
of
sort
of
laying
out
everything.
That's
been
in
the
disparity
study,
findings
and
the
recommendations.
If
we
could
maybe
move
up
one
slide
for
the
group,
one
more
please
so,
as
you
can
see,
we
have
a
number
of
policy
provisions
that
are
laid
out
as
well
as
those
recommendations.
M
I
think
that
the
committee
can
read
through
those
and
what
I
want
to
be
able
to
talk
about
necessarily
without
necessarily
doing
a
one.
For
one
of
these
are
the
actions
that
we've
been
taken.
Your
CBI
team,
in
collaboration
with
economic
development,
others
across
the
city,
have
been
working
incredibly
hard
to
make
impactful
changes,
and
so
some
of
the
things
that
we're
doing
we're
talking
about
goal
setting
or
subcontracting
goals
we're
working
very
hard
to
unbundle
contracts.
M
We
were
also
hustling
to
try
and
make
sure
that
this
program
is
not
just
about
subcontracting,
but
every
prime
that
we
can
bring
through
the
door
and
get
a
word
of
contract
is
really
critical
for
success
for
our
m
w
SP
firms
we're
also
looking
at
how
do
we
separate
out
various
types
of
goals
between
the
the
minority
goals,
the
small
business
goals
and
those
types
of
things
that
Thomas
has
really
talked
about
because
many
of
our
M
WSB
vendors?
They
are
both
they're
there.
M
These
programs
is
really
vital
if
we
go
one
more
slide,
I'll
be
happy
to
answer
any
individual
questions
that
some
of
the
other
things
that
we're
doing
is
we
talk
about
creating
targeted
opportunities
for
s
ves.
Only
some
of
this
also
talks
about
our
our
our.
How
we
actually
reach
out
look
for
those
opportunities
and
say
hey.
M
You
know
what
I
want
to
do
business
with
minorities
only
for
this
or
I
want
to
look
at
our
small
business
firms
to
make
sure
that
they
have
an
opportunity
without
having
to
compete
with
larger
primes
when
it's
applicable
and
that's
normal,
even
those
in
from
their
ranges.
We've
got
some
policy
provisions
around
SBA
and
mwv
certification
and
eligibility.
The
component
of
that
that
we
really
have
any
control
over
is
SV.
M
M
If
we
continue
on
down
some
of
the
other
things
that
back
one,
if
you
will
please
so
one
of
the
things
that
we've
been
talking
about
for
a
really
long
time,
is
the
importance
of
our
diversity
management,
software
being
able
to
measure
and
track
for
success.
And
so
that
came
up
as
a
provision
that
we
wanted
to
look
at
and
over
the
past
year
and
a
half,
we
have
been
diligently
implementing
our
betta
gene
out
software,
which
is
officially
known
as
inclusion.
Clt.
M
Clt
and
so
you're
gonna
see
those
that
come
into
play
very
heavily
when
we
begin
talking
about
reporting
data,
the
next
disparity
study
and
where
we
end
up
in
utilization
annually,
going
forward.
I
think
in
all
of
these
categories
of
provisions.
It
is
about
effectively
focusing
on
how
we
advocate
how
we
assist,
how
we
support
REM
wsv
firms
and
so
again,
whether
we're
talking
about
unbundling
or
targeting
or
advocating
or
training.
M
A
M
You
were
there
and
one
of
the
biggest
success
stories
we've
ever
had
in
21
years
back
in
January,
when
we
successfully
were
able
to
actually
award
to
2
into
M
SPE
firms
as
part
of
our
office
supplies
contracts,
and
so
what
we're
really
seeing?
We
begin
to
unbundle.
We
are
actually
working
in
new
years
that
we've
never
worked.
Our
indigo
speed
spin
should
not
just
be
in
construction.
M
If
you're,
a
small
business
or
a
man
re
owned
business
that
you're
not
quite
ready
yet
I'm,
bundling
the
contracts
based
on
scope
so
that
you
can
actually
get
your
foot
in
the
door
and
then
begin
that
process
of
getting
experience,
training
make
those
connections
until
you
continue
to
move
down.
That's
that
spectrum
of
economic
mobility,
so
we're
feeling
very
good
about
the
unbundling
of
contracts
too
and
I.
Think
again
that
ties
into
our
work
of.
If
something
comes
through
the
door
there
there
are
three
or
four
things
that
we're
doing.
M
H
M
We
are
going
to
be
working
on
implementing
what
I
call
a
low
and
no
goals
committee
review,
which
is
if
we
believe,
their
opportunities
that
the
departments
might
not
know
about.
Then
we
will
jump
out
that
will
collaborate
and
partner
with
them
to
enforce
that
opportunity
to
set
those
goals
and
actually
or
those
contracts,
so
incredibly
excited
about
that.
Thank.
A
You
they
go
to
the
data
track
in
a
report
in
the
house.
I
have
to
remember
several
small
business.
What
approach
council
members
say:
I
have
not
received
payment
yet
so,
with
this
software
kind
of
addressed
some
of
those
issues
when
the
prime
hasn't
paid
to
small
business,
it
will
allow
us
to
track
and
see
who
actually
have
received
a
payment.
Absolutely.
M
Okay,
and
so
those
were
the
kind
of
things
that
we're
going
to
continue
to
push
out
with
training,
helping
them
understand
how
to
use
the
system
and
have
that
impact
so
that
we
know
sooner
we're
there,
issues
that
we
can
help
with
in
terms
of
payment,
maybe
implement
some
quick
pay
opportunities.
Some
very
ambiguous
be
struggle
through
30-day
net
and
those
types
of
things
and
a
work
if
the
prime
gets
paid
it.
M
So
let
me
push
forward
just
a
little
bit.
Go
to
the
next
slide.
Please,
let's
just
go
ahead
and
do
one
more
because
I'll
just
say
this
briefly.
On
the
last
slide,
any
of
the
recommendations
at
CBI
C
has
supported
and
previously
economic
development.
Now
WB
DC.
We
have
already
developed
those
into
a
draft
version
of
the
policy.
Those
sections
are
referenced
in
page
14,
so
we
have
already
gotten
those
in
and
have
an
opportunity
to
review
those
and
talk
more
about
those
as
we
go
forward.
M
So
I'd
like
to
just
go
ahead
to
the
next
slide,
because
I
know
that
we're
short
on
time
so
again,
I
want
to
really
talk
about
the
overall
strategies
that
we
have
4
MW
SV
firms,
so
we're
really
focused
on
increasing
and
exceeding
utilization,
those
with
more
contract
awards
and
so
we're
pushing
to
make
sure
that
we
not
only
meet
the
established
goals
that
we
exceed
these
and
in
lots
of
instances
or
whenever
it
happens.
If
a
vendor
comes
in
low,
we
will
work.
M
However
long
we
have
before
council
award
to
get
them
to
move
further
along
into
that
process
to
meet
and
exceed
those
goals,
and
our
staff
is
committed
to
do
that.
We
sit
through
a
number
of
Appeals
and
situations
where
we
have
that
opportunity
to
work
with
them
and
say:
let's
get
out
there
and
hit
that
goal
and
beat
it.
If
you
can
so,
staff
is
hyper
focused
on
that.
We
are
also
championing
access
to
both
prime
and
subcontracting
opportunities.
M
I
know
the
program
is
based
on
subcontract
and
opportunities,
but
I
believe
so
strongly
in
our
NW
SP
firms
in
the
prime
capacity
and
so
I
think
it's
really
critical
that
we're
seeking
those
opportunities,
because
some
of
our
mo
VSP
firms
who
are
in
a
prime
position
they're
leading
the
way,
and
we
need
them
to
take
that
leadership
very
seriously
and
pull
the
rest
of
us.
That's
that's
right.
We're
also
looking
at
creating
paths
for
non-standard
entry
for
diverse
firms
to
participate.
M
There
are
a
number
of
firms
that,
over
the
past
few
months,
they
have
previously
not
been
given
opportunities
to
actually
win
awards.
We've
been
able
to
work
with
departments
and
and
things
as
simple
as
engineering
on
pipe
commodities
technology.
Those
types
of
things
were
coming
forward
with
those
awards
and
it's
making
a
huge
difference.
We're
also
working
really
hard
to
create
diversity
and
inclusion
advocates
across
the
city
we're
connecting
our
procurement
people
with
our
bi
folks
across
the
city,
so
that
we're
shoulder
to
shoulder.
M
You
know
working
towards
having
a
positive
impact,
and
this
this
applies
the
same
sort
of
the
partnership
collaboration
you
have
with
economic
development,
Tracey's
group,
just
anybody
who
has
this
passion
work
to
do
we're
bringing
everybody
together
for
impact.
We're
also
really
really
hard
and
collaborating
with
our
community
partners
in
terms
of
training.
We
believe
it's
important,
so
you
continue
to
create
what
we
call
an
N
WSB
pipeline,
so
whether
we're
talking
about
the?
M
U
PT,
CP
training
base
for
vocational
schools,
masonry
courses
and
welding
courses
at
CPCC,
Johnson,
C,
Smith,
inclusive
procurement,
training
program
and
homegrown
programs
such
as
amp
up
we're
working
really
hard
on
that
training
and
we're
seeing
the
impacts
of
that
we've
actually
seen.
People
go
through
these
courses,
you're
winning
awards
getting
contracts
and
getting
more
business
and
going
on
to
be
more
and
more
successful.
So
if
you
go
forward
one
slide,
so
this
is
always
one
of
my
favorites.
A
M
G
G
M
Absolutely
we've
been
credibly
excited
also
to
include
our
mdsp
firms
in
the
cove
at
nineteen
community
response.
Just
over
the
last
few
weeks,
I've
ordered
more
than
five
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
dollars
in
PPE
supplies
from
them,
which
that
that
is
again
a
new
category
of
work
that
we're
doing
within
the
SPS.
They
traditionally,
as
you
know,
councilmember
Mitchell.
When
you
have
to
bid,
we
have
to
do
low
bids
and
an
emergency
situation
we're
looking
to
these
firms.
They
have
these
supplies
and
we're
automatically
making
those
connections.
M
M
M
True,
we
have
again
continued
to
decrease
that
from
seven
days
in
January
to
five
right
now
and
that
is
continuing
to
improve
with
some
of
the
automating
processes
we
have
in
place
with
our
diversity
management
software
we're
continuing
to
work
on
an
auditing
our
prime
payments.
Again,
this
is
part
of
diversity
management
software,
where
we
can
actually
see
what's
going
into
the
system
in
terms
of
what
we're
paying
out
for
primes
and
their,
what
what
they're
paying
out
for
subs
and
then.
A
Three
quick
points:
if
I
may
committee,
one
I
grew
counsel
my
ground,
the
big
72
million
dollars
just
going
forward.
We
can
always
get
the
breakdown
it's
great,
to
have
the
overall
number,
but
the
question
would
get
in
the
community
how
many
women
I'm
in
the
minority
on
so
I
think
your
breakdown
is
helpful.
The
fourth
bullet
points.
Okay,
you
know,
I've
been
a
big
fan
of
yours.
I
take
them
from
seven
days
to
five
days,
because
I've
been
a
big
issue
in
the
community.
A
Why
is
it
taking
so
long
to
get
certified
for
your
program?
So
thank
you
very
much
and
in
the
last
bullet
point
I
think
to
work.
What
I,
Advisory
Council
means
a
lot.
We
ask
people
to
serve
on
our
committees,
but
to
take
the
input
in
to
partner
with
them
to
solve
a
policy
issue.
I
think
is
just
great
collaboration,
so
whose
staff
in
the
CBI
you
know
so.
M
A
M
So
then,
moving
forward
to
the
next
slide,
please
so
we
are
currently
working
and
finalizing
our
FY
spend
achievements
for
this
year.
We
should
be
ready
to
finalize
report.
I.
Think
one
of
the
last
things
that
we
have
to
do
is
look
at
our
DBE
spin,
but
we
are
looking
at
our
fifth
year
straight
of
an
increased
spending
with
MW
SPS
right
now,
they're
running
final
numbers
on
this,
but
our
new
record
is
128
million
and
some
change.
That's
a
roughly
about
27
million.
More
than
last
the
previous
year,
Wow.
M
So
again,
we'll
be
finalizing
that
in
the
next
few
weeks
and
should
actually
have
that
in
your
report
by
the
end
of
this
fiscal
year
like
and
we've
got
to
go
back
and
include
our
dve
components,
which
are
roughly
close
to
being
finished
right
now.
So
we
expect
that
number
to
increase
and
the
inclusion
overall
to
increase
so
next
slide.
Please
so.
We've
had
lots
of
discussion
about
policy
and
recommendations
from
the
spirity
study
and
those
things
that
both
the
CBI
AC
and
previously
economic
development,
community,
reviewed
and
approved,
and
so
I
named
mr.
Mitchell.
M
You
and
I
had
a
conversation
several
months
ago
about
some
of
the
things
that
we
were
hearing
about
policy.
We
absolutely
need
to
move
forward
with
those
modifications
to
the
policy,
but
one
of
one
of
the
things
that
we
were
cognizant
of
was
concerned
from
both
our
prime
and
M
diversity,
vendors,
that
there
was
there
that
it
was
a
challenge
to
get
through
the
policy
as
it
exists.
Okay,
the
policy
is
very
you've,
got
the
foundational
components,
but
you
have
the
primary
the
prime.
M
It
is
primarily
procedure,
okay,
and
so
we
have
been
working
over
the
last
three
months
to
rewrite
the
policy
so
that
we
can
actually
in
quickly.
We
can
include
those
approve
recommendations.
We
want
to
also
talk
about
how
we
define
and
develop
success
measures.
We've
got
to
get
the
policy
streamlined
for
ease
of
use
to
ensure
that
all
of
our
vendors
understand
it
and
they
can
comply,
and
then
we
actually
want
to
have
a
condensed
policy
and
a
separate
procedure
guide
that
will
allow
us
to
make
changes
on
the
fly.
M
However,
we
need
to
most
of
what
came
out
of
the
disparity
study
is
really
their
procedural
improvements,
and
so
we
feel
like
we
can
be
more
effective
if
we
can
change
how
the
policy
is
set
up
and
we
will
continue
to
be
able,
as
things
come
up
where
we
have
opportunities
much
to
make
those
changes,
that
will
do
it
procedurally
and
hopefully
be
more
effective
and
efficient
and
growing
the
program.
So
we
have
laid
out
the
tentative
schedule
that
Phil
mentioned
previously,
so
we
are
really
looking
at.
M
You
know
over
the
next
60
days
to
finalize
schedule
of
reviews.
Moving
out
potentially
into
August
for
folks
with
full
City,
Council
and
then
implementation
to
September.
However,
we
do
understand
that
you
have
asked
that
we
want
to
go
about
that,
that
a
little
bit
quicker
we,
we
will
absolutely
work
to
that
and
I
think
for
for
us.
Some
of
the
challenges
might
be
the
summer
schedule.
M
A
A
If
we
take
the
CBI,
see
recommendations
been
out
there
over
a
year
and
we
could
bring
them
forth
to
City
Council
in
June
to
vote
on
the
ones
that
was
on
the
slide
to
shoreline
C
Bay
CBI
AC
said
yes,
the
previous
committee
said
yes,
and
so,
if
we
get
that
teed
up
or
committee
meeting
in
June
I
just
want
me
to
be
more
comfortable
and
then
going
to
Council
in
June
for
full
adoption
on
the
six
that
we
showed
on
the
slide.
So
I'll
have
them
feel
I'm
trying
to
divide
them
up.
A
K
It's
not!
It's,
not
a
small
effort
where
we
are
streamlining
a
50
page,
80,
80,
page
policy,
slash
procedural
document
to
potential
10,
page
policy
with
the
procedural
guide
and
so
I
think
we
can
accomplish
what
you're
trying
to
accomplish
by
pulling
out
and
saying
here
are
the
recommendations
that
are
going
to
go
into
that
policy,
and
then
we
can
work
through
the
process
of
filing
and
finalizing
the
policy
getting
that
back
to
this
committee,
reviewed
council
and
then
on
in
in
the
implementation,
and
so
that's
what
this
intends
to
do.
A
You
all
don't
mind:
okay,
okay,
I
think
it
gives
a
lot
just
credibility,
confidence
in
the
community
of
Agra.
This
is
there
and
and
I
like
we
look
at
the
slide.
You
guys
have
already
identified
on
slide
14,
you
identify
what
we'll
be
made
in
the
policy,
so
it's
that
we
just
think
y'all
were
doing
the
legwork.
So
just
get
this
committee
comfortable
on
what
the
impact
of
those
changes
would
mean.
So
it
would
be
nice
at
the
June
meeting.
Let's
take,
for
example,
the
threshold.
What
could
how
many
then
I
mean
other
small
business?
A
Can
we
utilize
dropping
the
threshold
of
$200,000
and
so
there's
example:
I
like
give
bidders
24
hours
to
finalize
the
form,
I
think
that
means
expedite
that
process.
So
if
you
can
bring
it
back
in
oh
and
a
big
one
and
staff,
here's
I
would
like
for
you
all
to
really
dig
in
I.
Think
Vice
Chair,
you
and
I
had
had
some
previous
conversation,
but
good-faith
effort
really
understand
what
good-faith
effort
is
the
point
system
and
the
impact
Thomas.
So
just
give
my
new
commemorative.
A
L
Regards
to
good-faith
efforts,
our
CBI
policy
is
based
on
ten
statutorily
required
good-faith
efforts.
Our
point
system
is
a
little
bit
more
than
what
the
state
requires
which
is
allowed,
but
once
a
bidder
has
met
the
minimum
number
of
points
which
is
50
in
our
CBI
policy,
then
they
have
met
the
necessary
efforts
to
actually
be
awarded
the
contract.
So
the
way
the
legal
system
has
developed
good-faith
efforts
either
meet
the
goal,
which
means
you're
going
to
the
market
X.
L
You
can
find
the
businesses
and
have
them
to
be
part
of
your
contract
or
you
have
this
other
alternate
option,
which
is
you
do
everything
under
the
Sun
to
try
to
meet
the
goal,
but
whatever
reason
you
couldn't-
and
it
shows
that
you
try
to
go
out
there
and
solicit
those
businesses
to
meet
the
actual
government's
request
or
utilization.
So
once
you
have
shown
that
through
our
point
system,
then
a
bitter
should
be
awarded
the
contract
and
regardless
showing
that
they
have
complied
as
much
as
possible
with
with
the
program
in.
A
The
real
conversation
committee-
sometimes
we
see
it
in
the
City
Council
agenda
and
we
get
bears
at
Council.
The
utilization
was
only
8%.
The
goal
was
18
and
then
clearly,
though,
that
award
he
has
made
a
good-faith
effort
and
so
counsel
get
frustrated,
but
legally
they've
done
everything
we
actually
do
so
I
just
want
the
committee.
You
really
get
caught
up
to
speed
on
the
good-faith
favor
the
point
system,
so
I'm
going
to
set
up
any
questions
from
the
committee.
Any
comments.
A
C
C
Mission,
if
you
will
then
the
small
business
task
force.
We
know
that
and
I
and
I
love
the
discussion
and
the
comprehensive
plans
for
the
future
of
Charlotte
and
jump-starting
the
economy.
But
what
do
we
say
to
those
businesses,
the
small
businesses
who
could
not
pay
their
rent,
or
we
know
that
some
of
the
small
business
owners
have
not
gotten
any
assistance
from
the
PPP
they
weren't
initially
eligible
for
unemployment,
so
there
could
feasibly
be
business
owners
out
there
who
have
not
received
any
assistance
or
any
income
since
this
crisis
started.
So
what
what?
C
H
F
Think
what
we
were
trying
to
do
is
absolutely
address
that
in
the
survive
component
and
we
were
trying
to
do
it
in
multiple
ways.
If
you
go
back
and
remember
where
I
mentioned
the
grant
programs
under
survived,
that
was
absolutely
for
that.
I
did
not,
and
staff
did
not
put
dollar
amounts
to.
It.
I
think
that's
more
discussed
amongst
the
task
force,
but
that
is
a
significant
and
critical
component
of
the
survive
piece
of
it.
F
A
F
We
had
said
and,
for
example,
in
the
micro
business
grants
three
to
five
weeks
to
approve
and
war
award
funds
and
that's
conservative
again,
there's
contractual
things
that
we
need
to
do
with
risk
if
they
remain
our
partner,
but
but
the
goal
is
getting
this
out
the
door
as
fast
as
possible.
Thank
you
sure.
Staff.
A
B
Sure
I
was
just
gonna
add
along
the
lines
of
those
last
questions
and
I.
Think
I
could
probably
speak
on
your
behalf
as
well.
Mr.
chair,
because
we've
discussed
this
a
lot
I
think
today
and
tomorrow
is
a
big
milestone
for
the
community
for
everyone.
Listening
there's
been
a
lot
of
heads
down
a
lot
of
collaboration.
We
had
to
build
some
kind
of
framework,
some
kind
of
playbook
right,
because
what
we
didn't
want
to
do
was
start
executing
one
thing
and
say:
ok,
we
did
that
thing.
B
We
execute
another
thing
and
then
a
couple
months
passed
and
then
we
just
did
15
things.
They
don't
connect
and
we
didn't
end
up
making
an
impact.
So
I
think
what
we
did
here
was
this
marks
a
milestone
of
we've
kind
of
got
this
playbook
or
we're
gonna
make
tweaks
around
the
edges,
we're
gonna
figure
out
the
budgetary
pieces
and
they
align.
B
But
one
thing
is
that
I
hope
after
today
and
tomorrow
we
see
a
switching
of
tiers
where
all
of
a
sudden
everyone's,
like
that's
the
direction,
we're
marching
now,
staff
Tracey
Fran,
all
those
folks.
They
can
hit
the
ground
running
and
they're,
not
necessarily
waiting,
1
7
approvals
of
7
different
things.
We,
as
the
committee
members,
can
all
do
the
same.
F
F
A
A
N
N
Thank
you
so
much
for
inviting
me
to
give
an
update
on
small
business
month.
We're
really
excited
that
we
still
have
some
activities
planned.
You
know
we
weren't
able
to
get
together,
for
our
annual
small
business
run,
take
off
of
it
to
celebrate
our
small
businesses
in
person,
but
we're
still
celebrating
virtually
all
months.
So
we're
really
excited
about
that.
I
wanted
to
tell
you
a
little
bit
about
our
31
days
of
this
campaign.
We
do
this
every
year
and
it's
our
way
of
spotlighting
our
local
small
businesses.
N
We
spotlight
one
business
every
day
for
the
whole
month
of
May,
so
be
sure
to
follow
Charlotte
business
resources
on
our
social
media,
and
you
can
see
who
the
business
is.
For
today.
These
businesses
were
nominated
by
our
research
partners
and
we're
really
excited
to
get
to
share
with
everyone
all
the
good
things
that
they're
doing
on
May
the
12th.
We
have
a
survive
and
thrive
webinar.
It
is
our
partnership
with
the
entrepreneurs
organization,
that
is
a
national
organization.
We're
partnering,
with
our
Charlotte
chapter,
to
put
this
webinar
on.
N
It
is
in
partnership
with
the
National
Black
MBA
Association
of
Charlotte,
and
it's
their
way
of
helping
and
asking
the
city
to
help
them
get
more
minority
business
owners
involved
in
their
accelerator
program.
Also
on
May
the
20th
we're
going
to
do
our
kickoff
of
amp
up
the
amp
up
monthly
webinar
series.
My
colleague,
Gary
and
Jackson
has
worked
been
working
very
hard
to
put
this
together.
N
So,
in
addition,
amp
up
curriculum
she's,
designed
this
webinar
series
to
help
the
students
and
amp
up
stay
connected
to
their
three-year
growth
plan
and
she's
worked
with
the
AMPA
advisory
committee
to
come
up
with
topics
for
these
webinars.
The
first
one
you'll
see
is
coming
up
in
May
atrium
health
is
the
partner
on
that
and
then
there'll
be
more
webinars
throughout
this
summer,
so
other
than
that,
we
do
have
a
billboard
again.
Uptown
outside
of
the
epicenter
you'll,
see
the
the
graphic
over
there
on
your
right.
That
is
what
you'll
see
on
the
billboards.
N
Hopefully,
some
folks
walking
around
downtown
will
spot
it.
Take
a
picture
for
me
and
send
there
to
me
I'm
not
getting
downtown
very
much
these
days,
but
hopefully
some
of
you
guys
will
see
it
when
you're
out
and
about
so
we're
really
excited
to
get
to
continue
to
celebrate
our
small
businesses
throughout
the
month
of
May.
We
appreciate
you
following
us
on
social
media
and
retweeting
and
reposting
our
post
for
31
days,
the
biz,
and
we
look
forward
to
getting
together
with
everyone
as
soon
as
possible
to
celebrate
in
person.
Christine
Krista.