[00:00:06]
THIS IS THE EQUITY, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, HOUSING, HEALTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
[Roll Call]
DR. BENSON. I'M BEING THE CHAIR. BARBARA SHANKLIN IS GOT EXCUSED ABSENCE. WE HAVE DAN SIMES AND JENNY. MOVIE WILL REACH. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD YET FROM MARCUS AND. TAMMY, BUT THEY MIGHT BE POPPING IN IN A MINUTE. TODAY ON AGENDA, WE HAVE. MARYLAND ROBINSON. ARE YOU? I GUESS[1. ID 25-0465 THRIVE BY 5 LOUISVILLE – Reylene Robinson, Trive by 5 Louisville]
YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF THE THRIVE FIVE BY FIVE. YES. WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE GOOD PRESENTATION, SO WE'RE KIND OF ANXIOUS TO SEE IT. WELL, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY AND TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT WE ACTUALLY SHARED WITH A GROUP OF PROVIDERS LATE LAST WEEK AS WE ROLL OUT OUR PILOT PROJECT, WHICH APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN, BUT JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THE PILOT, HOW THE INVESTMENTS FROM LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL WILL BE UTILIZED, AND KIND OF WHAT OUR PATH FORWARD IS. SO I CAME ONTO THE ORGANIZATION SIX MONTHS AGO AND REALLY STARTED TO DIG INTO THE WORK. AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS TO NAIL DOWN OUR MISSION AND VISION SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR PATH FORWARD. AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, THAT MISSION IS WE ARE MAKING EARLY LEARNING A TOP PRIORITY FOR LOUISVILLE, BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CITY. OUR VISION IS TO CREATE CULTIVATE THE IDEAL ECOSYSTEM IN WHICH OUR CHILDREN BEGIN LEARNING, LEADING TO A BRIGHTER AND MORE PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR ALL. JUST TO KIND OF REMIND EVERYBODY WHERE WE HAVE STARTED. YES, YES. EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND. WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY TWO OF OUR OTHER MEMBERS, TAMMY HAWKINS AND MARCUS. WINKLER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO, MAYOR GREENBERG CREATED THE MAYOR'S EARLY LEARNING ACTION GROUP TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE EVERY THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD IS IN A QUALITY PRE-K SETTING IN OUR CITY? YOU ALL MADE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, NOT THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, BUT THE ONE BEFORE THAT, A $5 MILLION. WE HAD AN ALLOCATION OF MINERAL SEVERANCE FUNDS FROM THE STATE OF $520,000. THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL INVESTMENTS FROM THE CITY INTO THIS AREA, FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS, AND WE'VE RAISED APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL PRIVATE FUNDING. ALL OF THIS CAME TOGETHER TO CREATE THRIVE BY FIVE, WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT 500 1C3. WE HAVE THREE MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS. THOSE ARE EARLY LEARNING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WE KNOW THAT WORKFORCE IS A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO CREATING AN IDEAL ECOSYSTEM. LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND FACILITIES, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES. ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO FLOW INTO FAMILY, CHILD CARE HOMES AND PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOL CENTERS. FROM THE MELODY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, OUR GOALS WERE RECRUITING, DEVELOPING, DEVELOPING, AND RETAINING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS WITH THE WORKFORCE, PROVIDING RESOURCES TO ENHANCE AND MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND CONNECT FAMILIES TO AFFORDABLE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRESCHOOL OPTIONS.AND THIS IS HOW WE PLAN TO GET THERE. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO MAXIMIZE THE CURRENT SYSTEM AS IT IS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN PROVIDE THAT ARE IN SERVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY FREE OR LOW COST IN THE CITY, THOSE WOULD BE JCPS, HEAD START AND BEZOS ACADEMY.
THAT LEAVES ABOUT 82% OF THE NUMBER OF THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. THIS IS ONLY THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS IN THE CITY TO BE SERVICED OR TO LEARN IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ENVIRONMENTS.
OUR WORK IS TO ALIGN EXISTING EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION WORK, EXPAND ACCESS INTO COLLECT, COLLECT DATA AND EVALUATE THE PILOT PROJECTS. SO I'VE SPENT A LARGE AMOUNT OF MY TIME IN
[00:05:11]
CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY. I'VE BEEN TO PROBABLY OVER 90 OF THEM AT THIS POINT, AND LISTENING TO WHAT THE PROVIDERS ARE SEEING, WHAT PARENTS HAVE NEEDS FOR, AND TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK, WE KNOW THAT PARENTS OVERWHELMINGLY ARE NOT AWARE OF ASSISTANCE OPTIONS, WHICH ARE FEDERALLY FEDERAL FUNDS WITH STATE MATCHING FUNDS INCLUDED.THERE IS A NEED TO CREATE A CONVENING ORGANIZATION. THIS SORT OF CONNECTS THE DOTS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES AND PARTS, AND OUR SITES ARE NOT FULL. I'VE BEEN TO A NUMBER OF THEM. I, I OF THE ONES THAT I'VE BEEN TO IDENTIFIED PROBABLY 500 OPEN SPOTS FOR CHILDREN. SO THIS REALLY BROUGHT ME TO A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS A FULLY SUPPORTED SECTOR LOOK LIKE. THAT MEANS FAIR AND COMPETITIVE WAGES AND BENEFITS, EQUITABLE ACCESS, HIGH QUALITY, SAFE AND DEVELOPMENTALLY RICH CLASSROOMS, ROBUST PUBLIC ROBUST POLICY AND FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR PILOT PROJECT IS CALLED IS CALLED QUALITY PLUS. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY USING THE CURRENT QUALITY RATING SYSTEM THAT IS IN PLACE FROM THE STATE, WHICH IS CALLED THE KENTUCKY ALL STARS. BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE QUALITY MEASURES THAT WE CAN LAY OVER TOP OF THAT TO ENSURE THE BEST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CHILDREN. SO AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PILOT PROJECT, QUALITY PLUS WILL REFER TO US EVALUATING WHAT WHEN YOU HAVE A FULLY SUPPORTED SECTOR, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT COMPETITIVE AND FAIR WAGES? HOW DO WE CREATE CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE CAREER PATHWAYS FOR INDIVIDUALS? POSITIVE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THOSE DOING THE WORK, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ALL STARS RATING, AND WHAT IS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE AT THOSE CENTERS? AND IF I DIDN'T SAY IT BEFORE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME ON ANY SLIDE WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. SO QUALITY PLUS HAS TWO EQUALLY IMPORTANT WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THE PILOT PROJECT. WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON INVESTING IN THE PILOT PROJECTS, WHICH WILL BE IN 26 SITES ACROSS THE CITY AND SOME GENERAL SECTOR INVESTMENTS. AND SO WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO CENTERS, TO THE WORKFORCE, TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT ONLY IN PILOT SITE, BUT WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING OTHER ASSISTANCE FOR THEM. THE FIRST AREA WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON IS THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PIECE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE MEAL GROUP, THIS. AND SO I BROKEN EACH OF THE SLIDES OUT WITH THE TWO SEPARATE INVESTMENTS. SO THRIVE CENTER PILOT PROJECT INITIATIVES AS WELL AS SECTOR WIDE INVESTMENTS. SECTOR WIDE INVESTMENTS MEANS THAT ANY PROVIDER OR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR IN THE CITY CAN ACCESS THESE PROGRAMS. FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE FIRST AREA WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON IS KENTUCKY ALL STARS. THRIVE WILL BE WORKING IN OUR PILOT PROGRAM WITH SITES OF ALL STARS LEVELS. OUR IDEA IS, IS THAT IF YOU'RE AT A ONE STAR LEVEL, WE HAVE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO INCREASE YOUR STARS LEVEL. WE ARE GOING TO HELP THOSE SITES WHO ARE 1 OR 2 STARS, TO INCREASE THEIR LEVEL TO THREE OR 4 OR 5 STARS. WE ALSO HAVE HEARD HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO MAINTAIN A HIGHER LEVEL LEVEL OF QUALITY RATING. SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE SITES WHO HAVE THREE, FOUR AND FIVE STARS AND HELPING THEM MAINTAIN THEIR STAR STATUS. THESE FUNDS WILL BE IT WILL BE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR PROVIDER SPECIALISTS AND THE OWNER OR THE DIRECTOR OF THE SITE TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE QUALITY INITIATIVES. WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE ON HOW DO WE WRAP SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTS AROUND THE CENTERS THAT ARE IN THE QUALITY PLUS IMPROVEMENT PILOT. THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A PLAN FOR LONG TERM GROWTH IN THE SMALL BUSINESS,
[00:10:02]
MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE BANKABLE, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S ACCESS TO CAPITAL SO THAT WE CAN INVEST IN THE SITES CURRENTLY DOING THE WORK AND HOPEFULLY GET THEM TO EXPAND.ANOTHER PIECE OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE QUALITY PLUS PILOT IS A BONUS STRUCTURE, AND SO THAT INCLUDES BONUSES. IF YOU INCREASE OR MAINTAIN YOUR ENROLLMENT. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE BECAUSE IT IS FOCUSED ON THE IDEAL ENROLLMENT OF THE CENTER AND NOT THE LICENSED CAPACITY. SO WE'RE DO SITES FEEL THAT THEY CAN OFFER THE BEST QUALITY EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN IN THEIR CENTER? WE HAVE HEARD FROM NEARLY ALL OF THE SITES THAT WE'VE BEEN AT. THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE THEY CAN OFFER QUALITY CARE IN THE LICENSED CAPACITY. WE ARE GOING TO OFFER A BONUS FOR INCREASED CAP ENROLLMENT, AND PART OF THIS CAP THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, IT'S A FULL SECTOR INITIATIVE, IS THAT WE HAVE STARTED FAMILY NAVIGATION SERVICES, AND WE ARE NAVIGATING FAMILIES TO THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE CARE. SO WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES WHO CANNOT BE RECEIVE SERVICES THROUGH JCPS OR THROUGH HEAD START, ACTUALLY DO QUALIFY FOR CAP. SO HOW DO WE GET THOSE INTO THOSE FAMILIES APPROVED AND INTO THE CAP SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT? AND SO PART OF THE PILOT PROJECT IS WE ARE GOING TO BE HELPING THE CENTERS RECRUIT CAP FAMILIES SO THAT THEY CAN INCREASE THAT. THOSE NUMBERS ALSO QUALITY PLUS STANDARDS AROUND STAFFING, RETENTION, ADDITIONAL TRAINING, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND CHILDREN MEETING THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES. THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF SITES IS THAT STAFF HAVE SIGNIFICANT COST, WITH SOME PEOPLE HAVE CO-PAYS AND WITH THE OVERAGE TO MEET WHERE CAP ENDS AND THE CENTER CHARGES, THERE IS A MECHANISM AT THE STATE WHERE STAFF CAN APPLY FOR CAP. THEY ACTUALLY GET AN INCOME EXCLUSION, BUT THERE'S SOME STIPULATIONS ON HOW THAT WORKS. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH DCC TO MAKE SURE EVERY CHILD, EVERY PERSON WORKING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IS DOES NOT HAVE A COST FOR THEIR CHILDCARE, FOR SECTOR WIDE INVESTMENTS. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FAMILY NAVIGATION SERVICES.
WE'VE CREATED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDCARE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO HELP FAMILIES GET APPROVED FOR CAP WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE, THEREBY MAXIMIZING CAP RESOURCES. WE WILL HAVE A RESOURCE HUB ON OUR WEBSITE FOR BOTH PARENTS AND PROVIDERS, AND THEN CAP NAVIGATION. ICAP IS A PROGRAM THAT IS FROM THE STATE THAT WORKS WITH CORPORATIONS TO OFFER A CHILDCARE BENEFIT TO THEIR STAFF, AND IT'S IT'S A SHARED COST STRUCTURE. SO HOW DO WE GET MORE LOCAL CORPORATIONS, SMALL BUSINESSES, LARGE BUSINESSES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND ESSENTIALLY LOWERING THE COST SIGNIFICANTLY, THE PARENTS HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. THE NEXT PART OF THIS IS THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. WE HAVE THE FUTURE READY SCHOLARSHIP FUND. THIS IS PILOTING A PROGRAM WHERE INDIVIDUALS COULD WORK TOWARDS A SCHOLARSHIP OF THEIR CHOOSING AND WORK IN A EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHILE THEY'RE DOING SO. WE HAVE A CLASSROOM SUPPLY FUND, AND THIS IS IN WORKFORCE, BUT IT'S ALSO IN FACILITIES BECAUSE IT KIND OF GOES TO BOTH HELPING, MAKING SURE THAT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THEN THAT THEY'RE NOT SPENDING MONEY OUT OF THEIR POCKET TO PAY FOR THOSE. AND LASTLY, THE URBAN SENIORS JOB PROGRAM. WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE ON WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO PLACE THE URBAN SENIORS INTO CHILDCARE FACILITIES. AND MAYBE THEY'RE NOT NOT A LEAD TEACHER, BUT THEY CAN CERTAINLY HELP SERVE LUNCH. AND THEY COULD ROCK BABIES WHEN THEY'RE CRYING, AND THEY COULD HELP KIDS GET TO THE BATHROOM AND SUCH. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE ON INCORPORATING THAT INTO OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS
[00:15:01]
ABOUT THIS IS THE DATA HAS SHOWN THAT THE BEST WAY TO REDUCE THE STRESS OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR IS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL HANDS IN THE CLASSROOM. AND SO THIS IS REALLY SPEAKING TO THAT PART. THE FUTURE READY PIECE IS REALLY ABOUT ATTRACTING NEW WORKFORCE INTO THE SECTOR. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES BUILT INTO THE PILOT PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO ATTRACT NEW WORKFORCE AND PROVIDE RESOURCES ALL AROUND. AS FOR SECTOR WIDE INVESTMENTS, THE UPLIFT FUND IS SOMETHING THAT WE LAUNCHED IN JULY. WE'VE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE TO IT AND THIS IS REALLY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD EDUCATION EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WORKING TO GET A CREDENTIAL OR A DEGREE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. AND WE'VE HEARD THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT CAN STOP THEM FROM DOING THAT. IT COULD BE WE'VE PURCHASED A NUMBER OF LAPTOPS SO PEOPLE CAN DO THEIR WORK WHILE THEY'RE AT HOME ON THE WEEKENDS. WE HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS GOING IN TO USE THE COMPUTER AT THE CHILDCARE CENTER, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THAT BARRIER AND GIVE HER SOME ADDITIONAL HOURS AT HOME. BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE IS AN ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WORK IN A EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T COVER IF THEY HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL IN THE EVENINGS OR ON THE WEEKENDS OR OR ANY HOURS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, THEY NEED TO STUDY. SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING TO SUPPORT THEM IN ACHIEVING THEIR EDUCATION GOALS AROUND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WE WILL HAVE A WORKFORCE ELEVATE ELEVATION CAMPAIGN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THAT FIGURED OUT, BUT WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE SORT OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUE THAT THESE ARE EDUCATORS. THIS IS A CRITICAL JOB IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BABYSITTING HERE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOM TEACHING OUR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS THE VERY CRITICAL THINGS THAT THEY NEED. AND THAT'S HOPING TO RECRUIT ADDITIONAL PEOPLE INTO THE WORKFORCE. AND THEN SOMETIME IN 2026, WE WILL BE LAUNCHING A FUND TO HELP EDUCATORS AND DIRECTORS PAY FOR THEIR TRAINING COSTS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE PAYING FOR THOSE OUT OF POCKET. LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, IS OUR FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT PLAN. FOR THE QUALITY PLUS PILOT PROGRAM. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE STARS PROGRAM TO HELP MAINTAIN THEIR STARS RATING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A COHORT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WENT THROUGH ONE SESSION. THAT WAS AN ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS OF THEIR FACILITIES AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO CREATE THE MOST IDEAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. FROM THE FIRST COHORT, WE HAVE MADE A NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS INTO THOSE FACILITIES, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A SECOND COHORT STARTING IN JANUARY THAT WILL HELP THE CENTERS. WITH THAT, THERE WILL BE A FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT FUND THAT IS AVAILABLE. IT WILL OPEN IN JANUARY THAT IS AVAILABLE TO ALL CENTERS IN THE CITY, AND THAT'S THE PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT SECTOR THAT THAT WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THOSE. AND THEN WE KNOW THAT EMERGENCIES ARE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR OUR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS. AND SO HELPING THEM WHEN A REFRIGERATOR GOES OUT OR WHEN A PIPE BUSTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THAT AS WELL. SO HOW WE WILL OPERATE. UP UNTIL JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, I WAS THE ONLY STAFF MEMBER AT THRIVE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO TO STAFF UP IN ORDER TO MAKE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PARTS A REALITY. OUR LARGEST TEAM WILL BE THE FAMILY NAVIGATION TEAM.JUST IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. SORRY, JUST IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS WE WERE OPERATING, WE HAD WELL OVER 60 REQUESTS FROM PARENTS WHO NEEDED HELP EITHER NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM FOR SUBSIDIES OR JUST FIGURING OUT WHERE IS A PLACE THAT THEY COULD PUT THEIR CHILD.
OVERWHELMINGLY, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FIRST REQUESTS WERE ALSO FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS. SO A CRITICAL PART OF. I MEAN, IT'S EXACTLY WHO WE'RE AIMING FOR. THE CRITICAL PIECE OF US GETTING CHILDREN IN AN EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS FOUR YEAR OLDS. AND SO WE'VE PRIORITIZED ALL OF THEM IN OUR CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE FAMILIES. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT
[00:20:02]
DIFFERENT THAN JUST PROVIDING A RESOURCE. WE'RE SPENDING SIGNIFICANT TIME ON THE PHONE WITH FAMILIES, ASKING THEM QUESTIONS LIKE, IS THERE ANY SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE CHILD? IS THERE A PART OF TOWN THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU? IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN, ARE YOU REQUESTING THAT THEY ALL GO INTO THE SAME LOCATION? BECAUSE IF A CENTER ONLY HAS A PLACE FOR A FOUR YEAR OLD AND THE FAMILY HAS A FOUR YEAR OLD AND AN 18 MONTH OLD, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY HELPFUL. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE IT IN A REAL WAY TO ASSIST THE FAMILIES. AND THEN WE'RE HIRING A DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND TWO PROVIDER SPECIALISTS THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE WORKING IN THE CENTERS. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM IN CENTERS TEN HOURS A MONTH TO HELP THE PROVIDERS, HELP THE EDUCATORS DOING THE WORK WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES THEY MAY NEED. AND WE ARE REALLY ADAMANT ABOUT PULLING FROM EXISTING RESOURCES. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO RECREATE THE WHEEL. AND SO THAT MIGHT BE PULLING IN FORESEE FOR A TRAINING THAT THE STAFF MIGHT NEED, OR PULLING IN CHILDCARE, WHERE IF THERE'S SOME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS. AND SO REALLY TRYING TO MAXIMIZE MAXIMIZE EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE AND HAPPENING WITH THE QUALITY PLUS PILOT, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON 26 SITES. IT IS OUR HOPE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE SITE FROM EVERY METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT INCLUDED, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY USE ALL OF YOUR HELP IN GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT. WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN SEND YOU AFTER THIS MEETING TO SEND OUT TO ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.KENTUCKIANA WORKS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PARTNER AND CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PARTNER. AS WE LOOK AT INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ATTRACT NEW INDIVIDUALS INTO THE WORKFORCE, LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTS, BUT ALSO THE URBAN SENIORS JOB PROGRAM, WHICH WE FEEL IS A CRITICAL PIECE TO OUR WORKFORCE. ISSUE FOR CS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER UP TO NOW, AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO WORK TO FIND, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THEY PROVIDE TRAININGS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE FUNDING FOR AND SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE IN WAYS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING? AND JUST HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THAT? THE DIVISION OF CHILDCARE HAS BEEN REALLY OPEN TO TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL. ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS TO ALLOW THE THRIVE FAMILY NAVIGATORS TO PROCESS FAMILY CAP APPLICATIONS, CREATING A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL CDF EYES THAT'S STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT OUR LOCAL CDF EYES WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. AND WE'RE HAVING VERY PROMISING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. AND THEN OUR POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH THEM TO RECRUIT NEW INDIVIDUALS INTO THE WORKFORCE TO MAXIMIZE THE FUTURE READY SCHOLARSHIP, BUT ALSO, AS STUDENTS ARE, ARE INTERESTED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DEGREES? HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY EXPRESS AN INTEREST IN THAT, THAT THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF, THAT THEY ARE GETTING APPROVED FOR THE STATE SCHOLARSHIP THAT'S ALREADY PAID FOR? OUR GOALS FOR WORKFORCE TO ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND REWARD REWARD, REWARD EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS LOWER THE TURNOVER RATE AND LOWER STRESS, AND INCREASE JOB SATISFACTION FOR FACILITIES, PROVIDE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE, EXPAND AND MAINTAIN QUALITY. CONNECT PROSPECTIVE AND ESTABLISHED CHILD CARE CENTERS WITH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES. CONNECT PROSPECTIVE AND ESTABLISHED CHILDCARE CENTERS WITH CLEAR GUIDANCE FOR BUILDING AND EXPANDING FACILITIES. INCREASE QUALITY STANDARDS BASED UPON FACILITY AND INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WE WILL BE PILOTING A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT FOR FAMILIES SOMETIME IN 2026.
WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT THE DETAILS ON ALL OF THAT, BUT IT WAS A MAJOR PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND A PATH THAT THE GROUP SAW CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT. AND AND IT WILL BE PILOTED IN 26. AND THEN THE ENHANCED BONUS AND PAY STRUCTURE FOR EARLY LEARNING PROVIDERS. BASED UPON OUR CURRENT ALLOCATIONS, IT WOULD TOTAL OUT TO ABOUT LITTLE BIT UNDER $4 MILLION FOR CURRENT SECTOR INVESTMENTS AND THEN A LITTLE OVER LITTLE UNDER
[00:25:04]
$700,000 FOR NEW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES. AND THAT'S REALLY THE NEW PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING INTO THE WORKFORCE. SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION, AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE QUESTIONS FROM YOU ALL AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS. THANK YOU. THAT WAS PRETTY PRETTY INVOLVED.ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MARCUS. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I'VE GOT KIND OF A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. SO FIRST OF ALL IN, I APOLOGIZE. I CAME IN JUST A MINUTE LATE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS ON YOUR FIRST SLIDE, BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR GOALS IN TERMS OF EITHER TOTAL NUMBER OF PROVIDERS, A TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED AND WHAT THE TIMELINE FOR THAT IS? YES. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES GOING ON FOR THE QUALITY PLUS PILOT INITIATIVE THAT WILL TARGET 26 CENTERS. AND THE FUTURE READY SCHOLARSHIP HAS A TOTAL OF 20 PERSONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PILOT IN THAT PROJECT. AS FAR AS SECTOR WIDE INVESTMENTS, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO QUANTIFY JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OF THE RESOURCES. I CAN TELL YOU WE HAVE MADE NINE FACILITY INVESTMENTS UP UNTIL NOW, AND WE'VE HAD 26 APPLICATIONS TO THE UPLIFT FUND, WHICH IS THE BARRIER REMOVAL FUND. BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE JUST GOTTEN STARTED PROBABLY SINCE AUGUST. SO WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE SECTOR AND TAKING PART IN THOSE. BUT WE SINCE WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS SORT OF FUNDING, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WILL ACTUALLY TAKE PART IN IT YET. YEAH. SO I GUESS AND I UNDERSTAND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A NEW ORGANIZATION, RIGHT? YOU'VE NOT BEEN IN THIS ROLE ALL THAT LONG. YOU MENTIONED YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, HIRED YOUR SECOND EMPLOYEE. WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNCOVER IS THINKING ABOUT THE SORT OF LONG TERM ROADMAP, LIKE, WHAT DO YOU SEE IN ORDER TO MAKE EDUCATION AVAILABLE FOR ALL THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS IN THE COUNTY, IS THAT A FIVE YEAR TIME HORIZON? IS THAT A 30 YEAR TIME HORIZON? LIKE, WHAT SORT OF A GOAL AND THE INVESTMENT NEEDED? I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET THERE IN NO LESS THAN FOUR YEARS. I THINK THAT THAT IS VERY AMBITIOUS, THOUGH. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 16,000 CHILDREN AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME. BUT LOOKING AS A WHOLE, 16,000 INDIVIDUALS, WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPOTS HERE OPEN IN THE SECTOR.
AND SO BUILDING ADDITIONAL SPOTS, CREATING ADDITIONAL ACCESS IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T COME OVERNIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT QUALITY INITIATIVES. AND SO WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SITES OPENING RANDOM CENTERS. WE WANT THEM TO BE QUALITY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT CHILDREN MEETING THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES THROUGH OUR PILOT PROJECT AND HOW DO WE GET THERE. AND SO IF WE'RE INVESTING IN IN CENTERS AND X, Y, AND Z, HOW DOES THAT ULTIMATELY AFFECT THE AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES? IF WE REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVERY THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD BEING IN AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING, THAT'S GOING TO BE THAT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TIME DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT IF WE CAN START MAKING INCREMENTAL CHANGES TO THAT AND WE CAN GET THE CHILDREN INTO SITES WHERE THEY ALREADY QUALIFY, WHERE THEY MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED, WE CAN MOVE QUICKER ON THAT. I'VE GOT TWO MORE QUESTIONS, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR. SO THE FIRST IS I THINK IT WAS YOUR THIRD SLIDE. YOU HAD SORT OF THE BREAKDOWN OF CENTERS. IT STARTED WITH JC HAD HEAD START AND THEN PRIVATE CENTERS. DO YOU COUNT LIKE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE CHILD CARE IN THEIR HOME IN THAT PRIVATE CENTER AS WELL? OKAY. PERFECT. YES. IT'S IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKFORCE FOCUS THAT YOU HAVE. HOW MUCH OF YOUR FOCUS IS ON OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN SORT OF THE PRIMARY GROWTH IN OUR POPULATION. YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S OVER 100 LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT JC.
SO DO WE HAVE A FOCUS ON DEVELOPING THE WORKFORCE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AS WELL, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTS WHERE ENGLISH MIGHT BE A SECOND LANGUAGE, ALSO HAVE ACCESS AND ARE ENTERING THE LABOR POOL IN THIS THIS AREA. YES. SO WE ARE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH FAUCI ON THIS AREA. THEY ARE THE COMMUNITY EXPERTS IN FAMILY CARE HOMES AND HAVE BEEN HAVING
[00:30:05]
CONVERSATIONS ALONG WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTER ABOUT HOW CAN WE HELP THEM TO OPEN THESE CENTERS. WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME OBSTACLES IN THE LICENSING PIECE, BUT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE KIND OF ON A ONE BY ONE BASIS, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THE REAL WORK HAS TO HAPPEN AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, WITH FAMILIES, WITH CENTERS, WITH OTHER PROVIDERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO GET INTO THE SECTOR. SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING. PERFECT. THANK YOU. AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAD IS, I KNOW THE MAYOR OF CINCINNATI, I BELIEVE A FEW YEARS AGO, HAD PRIORITIZED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR PATH AND HOW WE COMPARE TO WHERE THEY ARE BOTH FROM A IMPLEMENTATION PERSPECTIVE, FUNDING PERSPECTIVE? WHAT LESSONS CAN WE TAKE FROM THEM? YEAH, ANY SORT OF COMPARISONS? I MENTIONED CINCINNATI, BUT IF THERE'S ANOTHER MODEL THAT WE'RE MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED TO, THAT'S FINE TOO. NO, I ACTUALLY TALKED TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JACKSON A LOT IN CINCINNATI, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN. THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENCES FROM CINCINNATI MOVED THROUGH THIS. THEY DID DO A SCHOOL LEVY. SO THEIR PARTNERSHIP IS WITH CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THEY HAVE A FOCUS ON THE PRIVATE PROVIDER COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT THERE I MIGHT GET THIS WRONG, BUT THEY'RE PROBABLY THEY'RE FIVE PLUS YEARS INTO IMPLEMENTATION. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE QUITE AT TEN. SO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 5 AND 10. AND THEY ARE HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF SUCCESS WITH GETTING FAMILIES INTO THE SYSTEM AND GETTING CHILDREN INTO CARE. IT'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THEM AND WE SPENT SOME TIME IN CINCINNATI WITH THEM, THEY KEPT TELLING US, FAMILY NAVIGATION IS WHERE YOU ALL NEED TO DO THE REAL WORK. AND I THINK IT'S ALL FINE FOR US TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. BUT IF FAMILIES DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET TO THEM AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS CLEAR AS WE MIGHT THINK IT WOULD BE FOR THEM TO GET APPROVED OR TO ACCESS THE PORTAL AND HAVING PEOPLE TO WALK THEM THROUGH THAT IS REALLY WHERE THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE DO THE WORK. ANOTHER REALLY BIG TAKEAWAY FROM CINCINNATI WAS HOW WE ARE WORKING WITHIN THE SPACE WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.THIS IS ALSO AN AREA THAT WE HAVE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM PROVIDERS. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT NEED. THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE HAVING BEHAVIORS THAT MAY NOT QUALIFY FOR THE JC PROGRAM. MAYBE THEY ARE JUST SLIGHTLY BELOW, YOU KNOW, QUALIFYING FOR AN IEP, BUT THE CENTERS NEED RESOURCES TO HELP WITH THAT AND WHAT THOSE RESOURCES LOOK LIKE.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT WITH THEM. IT COULD BE A SENSORY ROOM. IT COULD BE WEIGHTED BLANKETS. IT COULD BE A SPECIAL ADAPTATION PIECE THAT GOES INTO A CLASSROOM. THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET THERE, BUT THOSE WERE SOME GREAT TAKEAWAYS THAT WE GOT FROM THE TEAM IN CINCINNATI. THANK YOU. I'LL JUST MAKE ONE PLUG. IF YOU'VE GOT A CHALLENGE WITH REACHING PEOPLE OR PEOPLE HAVING KNOWLEDGE, I MEAN, THERE'S 26 OF US HERE THAT SEND A REGULAR NEWSLETTER. YOU KNOW, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU'VE GOT AN INFOGRAPHIC THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO SEND, I'M SURE MOST, IF NOT ALL OF US WOULD BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT IN IN A FUTURE NEWSLETTER TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. WELL, TAMMY, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WELL, PROBABLY LIKE NOBODY IN HERE. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW THAT I AM THE DAYCARE GURU, RIGHT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY IS I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD SAID ABOUT RESOURCES. I KNOW THE LAST TIME THAT YOU WERE IN FRONT OF US, I HAD MENTIONED THE SAME THING ABOUT ECHOING OFF MY COLLEAGUE ABOUT SENDING OVER, YOU KNOW, THINGS, MARKETING MATERIALS SO WE CAN PUT THOSE OUT. ONE THING THAT I AM VERY WELL AWARE OF WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDCARE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS, RIGHT, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT AT ALL OUT OF YOU GUYS IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WHEN IT COMES TO THRIVE BY FIVE. AS FAR AS THE BUSINESS ASPECT, WHERE ARE YOU ALL? I GOT A FEW QUESTIONS. SURE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. WHERE ARE YOU ALL LOCATED AT? WHERE'S YOUR OFFICE AT? SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE ARE A STARTUP ORGANIZATION IN THE VERY TRUEST SENSE OF THE OF THE WORD. AND SO WE JUST WE RECEIVED A SPACE THAT WAS DONATED THAT IS OUT BROWNSBORO ROAD, RIGHT NEAR THE VA
[00:35:01]
HOSPITAL. WHAT'S THAT ADDRESS? 4910 BROWNSBORO ROAD, SUITE 230. OKAY. AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THAT LEASE? A FEW WEEKS, A FEW WEEKS, YEAH. OKAY. SO SO A FEW WEEKS. AND HOW MANY DAYCARES HAVE YOU CONNECTED WITH SINCE YOU GOT FUNDING FROM METRO GOVERNMENT? I HAVE PERSONALLY VISITED OVER 90, PERSONALLY VISITED, BUT I MEAN GOT A CONNECTION WITH CONNECTION LIKE A LIKE A COMMUNICATION. YEAH. LIKE YOU SAID THAT YOU NEEDED RESOURCES TO HELP PUSH THIS.RIGHT. SO IF YOU'VE CONNECTED WITH 90 DAYCARES LOCALLY, RIGHT. YES. SO YOU HAVE THAT DATA FOR THE 90 DAY CARES, RIGHT? YES. I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT IT WASN'T UNTIL PROBABLY FOUR WEEKS AGO THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET A LIST OF ALL OF THE EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR THE CENTERS IN IN LOUISVILLE. SO IT WAS FOUR WEEKS AGO. YEAH. OKAY. SO I WILL ALSO SAY THAT I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WE DON'T JUST WANT TO MARKET FOR THE SAKE OF MARKETING. WE WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WAS LAID OUT WELL THOUGHT THROUGH AND THAT WE HAD THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ROLL OUT. HOLD ON FOR A SECOND. WE WE'VE GIVEN YOU 30 MINUTES, RESPECTFULLY. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND LIKE I SAID, I UNDERSTAND DAYCARE VERY WELL AND I KNOW HOW IT SHOULD BE MARKETED OUT. I'VE BEEN HAVING MY DAYCARE OVER 20 YEARS, AND WHAT I'M LOOKING AT NOW IS, IS WE'VE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY BELIEVED IN YOU. I, I KNOW I WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT TRULY BELIEVED IN THIS INITIATIVE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, A START UP BUSINESS THAT WE GAVE FUNDING TO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WHETHER YOU GET IT ALL AT ONCE OR WHETHER YOU GET IT IN IMPLEMENTS, YOU'RE JUST NOW GETTING OFFICE SPACE. FOUR WEEKS AGO, YOU'RE JUST NOW CONNECTING WITH 90 OTHER BUSINESSES. YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH FOR, I THINK ALL DAYCARES SHOULD BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH FOUR CS, BUT NOT TO ADVOCATE, NOT FOR ADVOCATE FOR THEIR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, FOUR CS, THREE CS, YOU KNOW, IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BEZOS ACADEMIES, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR ME, I'M FOR ME. I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT IF I, IF I RECEIVED I DON'T CARE IF IT'S $400,000 OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS IN, I DON'T SEE ANY MOVEMENT, YOU KNOW, AND I'M COMING WITH THE SAME ENERGY THAT I CAME WITH ADVOCATING FOR THIS FUND. THERE'S BEEN NO MOVEMENT AT ALL. AND FOR TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO GO TO THIS INITIATIVE, AND THERE'S BEEN NO MOVEMENT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GOOD, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT IS A LOT OF DAYCARE OUT HERE THAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE FUNDING THAT YOU ALL GET. THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO THRIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? WE JUST IT HAS BEEN ME UP UNTIL TWO, A FEW WEEKS AGO. AND I HIRED YOU. YES. SO YOU'RE THE ONLY EMPLOYEE THAT'S BEEN EMPLOYED. AND YOU SAID UP UNTIL HOW LONG AGO? JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. OKAY. SO HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU HIRE? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, BEFORE YOU CAME TO VISIT US, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN MOVING ALONG PRETTY FAST. SO. SO HOW MANY FROM A WEEK AGO HAVE YOU HIRED? SO WE HIRED TWO ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS TO DO WHAT ONE OF THEM IS A FAMILY NAVIGATOR, AND ONE IS AN EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR. WHAT DOES THAT EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR DO? SHE IS HELPING WITH THE OUTREACH TO THE CENTERS, BECAUSE I WAS JUST BEING INUNDATED WITH A LOT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ALL OF THAT. AND SO THAT IS INCREASING, HELPING GET SIFT THROUGH ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR PILOT CENTERS.
WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING THOSE, FIELDING ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FOR THE UPLIFT FUND, WHICH HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE JULY 15TH, AND JUST HELPING COORDINATE ALL OF THOSE. WE ARE FAMILY NAVIGATION RIGHT NOW IS OUR LARGEST INITIATIVE. IN ADDITION TO THE QUALITY PLUS PILOT, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT REALLY, I WANT THIS TO BE ON THE RECORD. YOU KNOW, IT JUST BAFFLES ME HOW WE GO AFTER, YOU KNOW, WE GO AFTER NONPROFITS THAT'S BEEN DOING BUSINESS FOR 5 OR 6 YEARS. WE PUT THEM UNDER SO MANY STIPULATIONS AND CONTRACTS. AND THEN HERE WE HAVE A NONPROFIT WHO JUST HAS NOT MOVED AT ALL. WELL I'M DONE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF THAT THRIVE IS NOT MAKING DECISIONS
[00:40:02]
ON INVESTMENTS THAT ARE NOT WELL THOUGHT THROUGH. WE TAKE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE IDEA THAT WE'RE USING PUBLIC DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE. BUT BUT IT DON'T TAKE ALMOST TWO YEARS TO DO THAT. IT HASN'T BEEN TWO YEARS. WE RECEIVED YEAH, WE JUST GOT THE MONEY IN DECEMBER AND I CAME ON IN FEBRUARY, SIX MONTHS TO DO THAT. WELL, WE ARE I AM DOING AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN AS A STAFF OF ONE NOW, THREE TO GET EVERYTHING LIFTED AND TO LISTEN TO WHAT OUR PROVIDERS NEED. AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO REMIND HER, BUT THIS IS THIS IS MY PROFESSION. THIS IS WHAT I DO. SO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRPERSON. SO I HEARD YOU VISITED 90 LOCATIONS, RIGHT? DOES THAT MEAN ALL 90 OF THOSE ARE NOW THE THRIVE BY FIVE LOCATIONS? OR THOSE ARE JUST ONES YOU'VE VISITED TO POTENTIALLY PARTAKE IN IT? SO WE CONSIDER ALL ALL LOCATIONS IN THE CITY THRIVE CENTERS, AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING THROUGH A VARIETY OF AVENUES. WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE AN APPLICATION PROCESS OPEN FOR OUR QUALITY PLUS PILOT PROJECT, WHICH IS SLATED FOR 26 OVER, RIGHT? YES, AND THAT'S SLATED TO BEGIN OCTOBER 1ST. AND THOSE 26 SITES, ARE YOU LIMITING THAT TO ONE PER DISTRICT OR IS OKAY? YES, THAT IS OUR HOPE. WE HAVE TALKED TO CENTERS IN EVERY SINGLE PART OF THE CITY, AND HOPE THAT ALL OF THEM WILL BE HAPPY AND APPLY FOR THE FUNDING, AND WILL BE WANT TO BE PART OF THE PILOT PROJECT. AND I THINK AS AS COUNCILMAN WINKLER SAID, IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION OF NOT ONLY HERE'S WHAT THE PILOT PROGRAM IS, BUT IS HERE'S THE APPLICATION PROCESS. IF YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY, I GUESS, FIRST WEEK INTO SEPTEMBER, BUT IF THAT CLOSES IN THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER, IF YOU CAN GET THAT OUT TO US AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN SHARE THAT, THEN THOSE THAT ARE WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS CAN SEE IT, THEN OBVIOUSLY, IF WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THRIVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, I DO KNOW AS AS COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS DID SAY, THAT I KNOW THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED THE FUNDS IN DECEMBER, BUT SEEING THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE DO WANT TO HELP SEE WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO GET THIS MOVING ACROSS SO WE CAN GET AS MANY OF OUR KIDDOS INVOLVED IN AN AREA AND SUPPORT THOSE FAMILIES. AND NOT JUST THE FAMILIES, BUT EACH OF US COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE THE FAMILIES, WHETHER THEY BE TOUCHED BY NEEDING A CHILD CARE, OR THEY NEED EMPLOYMENT OR SOME SHAPE OR FORM. YES, WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO YOU TODAY. WE HAD IT ALREADY TEED UP TO GO OUT TO YOU GUYS AFTER THIS MEETING. OKAY. YEP. AND SO ONE MORE QUESTION AFTER THAT 26, WHAT IS YOUR NEXT GOAL OR DO YOU HAVE THAT YET. SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET. OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUOUSLY EXPAND ON THE QUALITY PLUS PILOT PROGRAM, AND HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT ROUND IT WON'T BE A PILOT PROGRAM. IT WILL BE A FULL FLEDGED PROGRAM THAT THE SITES CAN ALY T, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT CINCINNATI HAS DONE. AND THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THEM AS WELL. AND HOW LONG IS THE PILOT PLANNED FOR? TWO YEARS. OKAY, MR. CHAIR, I KNOW THAT. CAN WE POSSIBLY SEE MAYBE IN SIX MONTHS, A YEAR? COULD WE ASK FOR YOU ALL TO COME BACK AND GIVE A FEEDBACK ON HOW THE PILOT IS GOING? ABSOLUTELY.PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THE TIMELINE. RIGHT.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ESTABLISHING A NEW PROGRAM THAT THERE'S THERE'S AMPLE TIME. I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET, YOU KNOW, WE FUND A PROGRAM AND WE EXPECT RESULTS IMMEDIATELY. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, FROM THE THE BUDGET HEARING DISCUSSIONS, THE FIRST PHASE OF WHAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON IS CAPACITY BUILDING, CORRECT. IN TERMS OF ACQUIRING TRAINING MORE PROVIDERS TO SET UP THE CENTERS. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TO GET CERTIFIED? SO THAT'S A STATE PROCESS IN IN DOING THAT, I THINK THAT IT CAN VARY DEPENDING ON THE SIZE AND THE LOCATION AND ALL OF THAT. BUT WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH DCC ABOUT HOW CAN THRIVE HELP FACILITATE THAT QUICKER. HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDCARE ON THINGS AS SIMPLE AS PROVIDERS AREN'T GETTING THEIR PAYMENTS, AND WHAT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THAT IS. AND SO TAKING A REALLY PERSON FOCUSED APPROACH TO HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH EACH OF THE SITES AND AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THEM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SITES WHO ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESSES AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT, LIKE, WHY DID C-CAP GET CHANGED AND HOW THEY CAN'T TAKE MORE CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET THE PAYMENTS ON TIME AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO WE'VE PROBABLY WORKED WITH 15 TO 20
[00:45:03]
CENTERS ON CAPACITY BUILDING IN THAT AREA TO GET THEM STABILIZED AND TO DO THAT WORK.I GUESS THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS WHAT IS THE ABILITY TO LIKE A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS SEEM LIKE ONE ON ONE CHALLENGES. RIGHT? AND SO HOW CAN YOU DO THIS AT A SCALE THAT'S IMPACTFUL, EVEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PRESENT IT ON THE ONE PERSON YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, HAD A LAPTOP ISSUE. AND SO THEN WE HELPED HER TAKE CLASSES AT NIGHT. LIKE I WORRY ABOUT HOW YOU CAN DO THAT IN ANY SORT OF SCALE THAT'S IMPACTFUL. AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY HELPING THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. BUT YOU NEED TO HELP HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS TO BUILD THE SORT OF CAPACITY THAT WE NEED, YOU KNOW, TO EDUCATE ALL THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. AND I JUST SORT OF HAVING A HARD TIME SQUARING THE CIRCLE OF SEEING THE RUNWAY.
GETTING TO THERE FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND BEING ABLE TO DO ANY OF THIS AT SCALE BEYOND SORT OF THE ONESIE. TWOSIE. YEAH. SO SCALE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE WERE ACTUALLY IN A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION EARLIER TODAY TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE SCALE THIS UP? I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE FOCUS HAS BEEN THE 500 SEATS THAT WE KNOW ARE OPEN, GETTING CHILDREN PLUGGED INTO THEM, GETTING FUNNELING CHILDREN TO HEAD START. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT WORK FOR PROBABLY FOUR WEEKS NOW, IF NOT LONGER. AND UNFORTUNATELY, PARENTS ARE OUT HERE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR RESOURCES. AND SO UNTIL WE CAN BUILD A SYSTEM WHERE EVERY PARENT KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE TO GO, EVERY PROVIDER KNOWS EXACTLWHERTO GO THE NEEDELP WITH A FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.E'RE G TO H TO OR TS VE MROORT OFYSTEM TO LPVERYBODY RISE UP. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE IN OUR PROVIDERS, AND GETTING THEM FULL WILL ALSO HELP STABILIZE THE SECTOR, RIGHT. THAT WILL HELP US RECRUIT ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE. THAT'S MORE REVENUE THAT'S COMING INTO THEM. SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVE 500 SPOTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING CHILDREN THROUGH IS REALLY ABOUT THE BUSINESS SYSTEM AND THE SCALE AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DON'T KN WHAT IT LOOKS LIK WHEN WHEN SITES ARE NOT FULL. SO I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, A TIMELINE ON FULL SCALE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT, AND I HOPE TO HAVE A CLEAR DIRECTION WHEN WE COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS, BECAUSE THAT JUST TAKES 16,000 CHILDREN IS A LOT OF CHILDREN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN QUALITY SETTINGS. AND AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON QUALITY. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I WANT TO CLEAR UP SOMETHING. NORMALLY WHEN PEOPLE COME TO METRO GOVERNMENT AND WHEN THEY ASK US FOR FUNDING, THEY HAVE A PLAN, RIGHT? THEY HAVE A PLAN AND THEY HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION. ANYONE THAT IS A DAYCARE OWNER, THEY INVEST IN THEIR OWN BUSINESS, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN POSSIBLY DO TO TO STAY THRIVING, WHICH MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO TALK TO PARENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO FIND ALL SORTS OF RESOURCES FOR THEIR OWN INVESTED BUSINESS. RIGHT. WHAT I'M HEARING AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU ALL IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DRAGGING YOUR FEET.
IF YOU WOULD HAVE INVESTED PROBABLY MORE PHILANTHROPY DOLLARS AND DOLLARS OF YOUR OWN, THEN THIS THIS BUSINESS WOULD HAVE BEEN ON GO. WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO DAYCARES, THERE'S DAYCARES ALL OVER THE CITY THAT NEED HELP. IT. I MEAN, I MEAN, IT JUST IS I MEAN, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF ABOUT THESE CLASSES AND THESE THE CCS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO GET, YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND GET THOSE RESOURCES. YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND FIND OUT WHO GRADUATED, WHAT HELP THEY NEED. THAT'S THAT'S A SMALL PORTION OF THIS PROCESS. IT'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GRADUATING EVERY DAY FROM THESE SCHOOLS WITH A C.C.C OR THAT'S GOING TO SCHOOLS. SO I'M JUST LOST IN THE DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MAYBE IF YOU WOULD HAVE HIRED SOMEBODY THAT HAD A KNOWLEDGE, A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF DAYCARE, MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE DROVE THE PROGRAM SO YOU WOULD KNOW. I THINK THAT I THINK THAT THAT'S THE HOLD UP WITH THIS. I JUST DO, YOU KNOW, DO I BELIEVE IN YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, ARE PROBABLY TRYING TO DO? YES, DAYCARES NEED HELP, BUT YOU GOTTA YOU YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH. THERE'S JUST NO WAY THAT FOR YOU TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE FOR ALL THESE CLASSES. NO, IT DON'T TAKE THAT LONG AND YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHOOLS. SO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW
[00:50:03]
BEFORE TODAY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEND YOU AS MANY RESOURCES AS I HAVE SO YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, GET ON A BIKE AND GET TO IT BECAUSE I WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS AND I WAS THE BIGGEST SUPPORTER.BUT TO ME THIS JUST HAS BEEN DRUG OUT. SO I KNOW IT. YOU KNOW, I WAS IN DAYCARE BUSINESS FOREVER. AND WHEN YOU A DAYCARE OWNER AND YOU PUT INVEST YOUR OWN MONEY, YOU'RE THRIVING EVERY DAY, ALL DAY. SO THESE DAYCARE OWNERS, I'M SURE IT WOULD TAKE NOTHING IF YOU DON'T REACHED OUT TO 90 DAYCARES. THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON WHY YOU DO NOT HAVE A CLUE ON WHO'S GRADUATE GOING TO THE SCHOOL. I THINK IT'S AN UNFAIR ASSUMPTION THAT I DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT DAYCARE AND COMMUNITY IS ABOUT, START TOO. BECAUSE THAT'S AI PLAN THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT. I NEVER INTERRUPTED YOU WHEN WE GAVE YOU 30 TO 45 IMPATIENTLY. SO JUST RESPECT ME. LIKE I'M LIKE, I RESPECTED YOU. BUT FOR ME, LIKE, I WAS JUST SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GO TO SCHOOL FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, PARENTS IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DAYCARES. PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT. I'M JUST SEEING WHERE THERE'S WHERE THE GAP IS WITH YOU AND THESE DAYCARES. I WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THAT, THOSE GAPS, HOW DO WE CLOSE THE GAPS? LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. I'M NOT IN THE DAYCARES, BUT I KNOW ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EDUCATION. THE YOUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE GETTING FROM THE FOUR, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS OR FROM THE DAYCARES. BASICALLY, IF A MOM'S HOME WITH THEIR KIDS, THEY MIGHT WANT THEM TO COME. BUT MOSTLY WE'RE TRYING TO HELP PARENTS WHO ARE PUTTING THEIR KIDS IN DAYCARE TO HELP THEM FURTHER THEM ALONG SO THEY'RE READY TO GO TO SCHOOL. SO HOW MANY HOURS A DAY WOULD WOULD A 3 OR 4 YEAR OLD BE INVOLVED IN A STRUCTURED SCHOOL? SO IT VARIES. SO JCP'S HAS A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF HOURS AND HEAD START HAS OURS. THRIVE IS NOT OPERATING CENTERS. WE'RE HELPING SUPPORT THE SECTOR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CAP IS TEN HOURS A DAY, THAT THEY COULD BE AT A CENTER. THAT GIVES SOME TIME BEFORE A PARENT HAS TO GO TO WORK AND AFTER A PARENT GOES TO WORK. BUT THAT'S A STATE REGULATED NUMBER THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM IN. SO I GUESS THERE'S A CURRICULUM YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH. AND, AND AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER OR YEAR OR WHATEVER, HERE'S WHAT A 3 OR 4 YEAR OLD SHOULD BE ABLE TO. COMPLETE, I GUESS. I MEAN, I ALWAYS HAD A WHEN I TAUGHT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAD TO DO A CERTAIN THING. AND IF THEY DIDN'T DO IT, THEN WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAD TO DO SO. AND IN TEN HOURS, NOBODY CAN GO, NOBODY CAN LEARN, YOU KNOW, THAT LONG. BUT IT'S GOT TO BE A POSITIVE THING OF LEARNING IN A IN A POSITIVE SETTING. AND AS AS COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS WAS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIP, MY STUDENTS ALWAYS ACHIEVE MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE EVER THOUGHT BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY COULD TRUST ME AND I. THEY KNEW THAT I'D HELP THEM. AND SO THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THE DAYCARE, THOSE ARE POTENTIAL TEACHERS FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE THERE FOR ONE THING. AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO THEY CARE ABOUT THE, THE, THE CHILD. SO THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN A BETTER EFFORT THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW. AND SO. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT BUT TO ME, BEING IN EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, I TAUGHT FOR 28 YEARS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I'VE ALWAYS HAD IS THE LEFT HAND USUALLY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING, AND YOU END UP SPINNING YOUR WHEELS ON THINGS THAT MAYBE IF EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT WE WERE GOING LIKE, COUNCILMAN HOPKINS WAS SAYING, YOU CAN'T YOU. THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE YOU CAN GET THERE. AND WE NEED A LITTLE BIT BETTER DIRECTION OF KNOWING HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO WHERE WE AND THAT WE CAN MAYBE HELP. TO ME, THE GOAL, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE ALWAYS WANTING TO THROW DARTS AT EVERYBODY. BUT SOMETIMES IF YOU GET ON THE SAME SIDE AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET NO, NO DARTS AT YOU, THAT WE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT MORE. AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HELPING A YOUNG CHILD REACH HIS POTENTIAL. ABSOLUTELY. SO SIX MONTHS WOULD
[00:55:07]
BE, YOU KNOW, A GREAT TO SEE MORE. COUNCILMAN HAWKINS KNOWS A LOT. AND AS YOU OFFERED TO SAY, I'LL COME AND TALK TO YOU. SHE COULD PROBABLY HELP YOU. IN A LOT OF WAYS THAT MAYBE YOU'RE NOT MAYBE EVEN CONSCIOUS OF. YEAH, ALMOST EVERYBODY CAN HELP SOMEBODY. WE HAVE MET SO. AND I KNOW. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO AND THEN REALLY ALL OF US YOU KNOW TO ME WHEN YOU'RE SAYING 26 TO ME, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A CERTAIN PART OF THE CITY NEEDS MORE HELP THAN SOME OTHERS. AND TO ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP THE MOST, AT THE MOST AT THE TIME. AND MAYBE NOT ALL 26 OR MAYBE TEN. YOU KNOW, IT STARTS OFF WITH SOMETHING THAT THAT YOU YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY THAT YOU CAN FIND OUT THIS ISN'T WORKING. HERE'S THE WAY WE OUGHT TO GO. AND YOU KEEP, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A PLAN, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE IT BETTER. YEAH. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TONIGHT. TODAY? YES. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I APPRECIATE THEIR HELP. I NEED HELP WHEN I'M HERE. SO* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.