Stretches 4 and a half miles from Fishermans Wharf to the ball park in mission bay this was built over 15 years ago but each renovation project we try to enhance the seawall in particular the area from Howard Street to washington street and the Ferry Building area protects a lot of private assets particularly the downtown but the public the muni and the bart tube and the sewer and Water Systems there are so its a high priority were investigating the caliber of the seawall to withstand the elements and there are 4 departments mr. Sharp in a unique study in mission bay and creek to see the nukes that can come up for flooding on the ground that is rolled into the creek. Youll hear more about it in the coming years with you but the budget provides the funds for the studies i know that rising sea level add to our budget significantly but i want to say only that pdr space im hoping that mission rock and the area allows Companies Like Small Businesses as well im happy to say that are last yea
Audience to pose questions. Here we go with our panel number one. We are looking at the vision. We will explore innovative practices and partnerships. Our first speaker will be the Senior Program officer at the bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Hoping to have leon mac, director of el paso Public Library. Unfortunately she had a family emergency and was not able to the year. We are excited to have clarence anthony, executive director of the National League of cities. We will start out with her. Well, thank you, director. The national museum, Library Services for holding this hearing. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about the experience that the bill and ellen Gates Foundation has had with in china access to technology through Public Libraries and our vision of our libraries can drive personal and Community Development. Today the foundation is composed of many programs and initiatives. Helping farmers in africa strengthen their crops, improving the educational system in the United
Okay with that. But i also think it is important that we look at our existing stock, housing authorities is not necessarily directly run by the city, but there are a huge number of vacant units and the fact that we now have a number potentially to rehabilitate those units and make Homeless Individuals a priority there, especially homeless families which there is a shelter in my district and these with no shower, with no ability for these families to get prepared for school or work or anything else. So i just think its insane that we are looking at entities with hotels that have an stock that we can invest money in where we have those Properties Available and give individuals those priorities with properties. This is the first step in that direction but the next supplemental which im hoping to get support for is a supplemental to rehabilitate the vacant Public Housing development all over our city and allow Homeless Individuals receive priority and access into those development. Im read
20th Century Technology to 21st century highspeed Broadband Technology. Its a reallocation of resourcef resources are never easy and never pleasant but they are essential if we are to keep pushing forward. We are moving to broadband to the person at the library. Its not just an external connection but its how do you get using wifi to the individual in a library . We are bringing the application and administrative process into the 21st century as well by using the same kind of ride band tools and we are focusing on fiscal responsibility. The key is not just more money although if more money is warranted we will deal with that but the key is money well spent by encouraging consortia, by creating longer support. So you can have longer contracts with lower rates and by establishing a system of reference phrasing so people know what is a fair price . We dont expect librarians to be Telecom Experts and able to go out there and haggle with Telecom Companies so how do we help in that regard .
Thank you gentlemen. That was a great way to start. I will ask our panel number one to join me here on the odium. First of all i would like to say thank you very much to chairman wheeler and to tom for being with us. We are very honored. Were moving onto the Panel Discussion portion of our program. I want to remind everybody that this hearing is being live cast, and viewers are in courage to submit questions via twitter. We also have some cards on your chairs if you have questions that you want to submit. We have a staff member who will be picking up those questions fter each panel. We will also have a chance for members of the audience and our virtual audience to pose questions. Here is what we are looking at with our first panel, the vision, what happens when we get it right. We will examine why partnerships and investments in broadband make a difference. We will have a senior officer at the bill and Melinda Gates oundation. We are hoping to have the had of the El Paso Public Library