Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Two ninety three, is your boy wild? Wayne coming out?
Said on a big old Friday. So much energy in
the city right now. Jazz Fest is here, started on yesterday,
got a big weekend ahead. But what we do on
the last Friday of the month, we get a chance
to talk with our mayor. It's called on the Air
with the Mayor with Mayor Helena Moreno, and I have
(00:22):
her before she dances out the jazz Fest on the line.
How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I'm doing great? How are you, man?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I'm excited, I'm excited. A lot going on and mostly
all good. So you you're gonna have a good time today.
I'm sure headed out to the fest. Man, But you
have reached one hundred days benchmark for your mayorship. So
how have things been going.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I mean it's been a it's been it's been fast,
you know, I mean we've been moving fast. Time has
gone fast. I can't believe it's already been one hundred days.
And as soon as we got in Wayne, as you saw,
we just started getting right to work. And one of
the things that I've noticed, obviously very quickly getting into
the Mayor's office is that now I have the ability
(01:07):
to call the shops. I was asked yesterday by some reporters,
you know what is a difference from being a legislator
to now being the executive.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, when you're a legislator.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
You have to move forward with you know, passing laws
or ordinances, and if you really want anything done, you
have to go and ask the mayor or the governor
to get things done for you.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Right. Well, now I have the.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Ability to just go get things done, which is why
I could come in and I could direct public Works
to say, your priority is going to be turning on
the lights, your priorities is going to be smoothing out
the streets. We could go to safety and permits and
say you guys got to get your act together, and
I'm putting in a new manager in place right now.
And we reduced the amount of time you know, to
(01:51):
get permits out building permits.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
That used to take forty days, we've reduced that down
to fourteen.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Created the infrastructure coordinating councils that we have everybody at
the table when we're talking about our infrastructure projects to
have a real level of coordination so these projects.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Get done on time, which is similar to what we
did during Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Because that level of coordination shouldn't just happen when there's
a big event or a Super Bowl coming.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
It should happen year round.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
That's what the people of the city deserve.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
So we started moving quickly on a variety of different
things and overall, you know, obviously, I'm proud of what
we've accomplished in the first one hundred days, but there's
so much more to do and I'm really excited about
more more.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Good work to come.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
And I'm really proud of my leadership team too, because
they know the pace that I like to work in.
They know that I like to accomplish things, they know
that I like to win, and they're they're in it
fighting every single day to make sure that we have
a better city.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And that's what we need. We definitely need a better city.
We deserve it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
That's right, you too.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
You're making some things happen with those things that you
just mentioned. Are those part of your eighteen executive orders
that have been issued so far, so.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
A little bit related. For example, one of the things that.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I need done is I need to hire fifty Department
of Public Works employees so that they can start my
street paving program because I'm bringing a lot of the
street maintenance work in house so that we can get
it done faster.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
It actually creates a lot of cost savings.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
And we have to have a real routine maintenance program
in our city if we really want to be transformative
about what.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Our streets should be.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
And so with that, what we noticed is that it
was taking forever to try to onboard fifty new Department
of Public Works employees because we realize that there are
like seventeen steps to try to onboard somebody. Okay, what
and yes, yes, and they're.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Not all running, you know, all at the same time.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's like you complete step one and then you go
to step two, and then you go to step three.
And so I'm like, we can't have processes like the
stalling the progress that we.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Need to move forward with immediately.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
And so one of the executive orders was about cutting down,
you know, some of the processes to hire folks, and
so that's that's in the in process right now, and
we're already cutting down some of the steps that need
to be taken. And where we're now at the point
I think we're hiring right now twelve or thirteen employees
(04:35):
right now, but we really cut down the time period
where it was going to take us, you know, two
to three months to try to hire twelve to thirteen
people to several weeks. And so that's one of the
executive orders that I signed. I also signed another one
because I always hear so much about of course, we
need to have a real revamp of.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
NORD and be able to as many opportunities.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
For recreation across the city as possible, and so one
of the things that we put together is a task
force to figure out those things. One, how do we
create as many recreation opportunities? Two is there a possibility
where we potentially merge some of the employees who are
working on grass cutting and maintenance in park and parkways
(05:24):
and also do it, and also the NORD employees who
are doing that same work. We merge the workforce altogether
to better deploy workforce, to make sure that our fields
are better maintained, that our community centers are better maintained.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
We're looking at things like that.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And then of course the other big piece too that's
been in the news lately is making sure that we.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Have safe playgrounds across the city.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
You've probably seen how there's been concern about lead levels
in some of our playgrounds, so taking a look at
how do we create a plan to eradicate the lead
from our playgrounds.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
And I will say this that as.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We started to take a look at this issue, our
Congressman Troy.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Carter right off the bats, stepped up.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I asked them for a five million dollar earmark to
help me start cleaning up some of these playgrounds, and
he has put that five million dollars into the appropriation bill.
So I appreciate, you know, Congressman Carter helping us out
with that as well.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
I think that is of the utmost importance. I'd seen
some studies in the past about those lead levels in
the form of projects and other land areas and just
how how detrimental they are to people's cognitive health over time.
So hundred percent, yeah, that's an important one. And I
think some people don't always know the history of some
(06:43):
of these areas. We've built so much over you know,
the last century on spaces that probably should have been
cleaned up or maybe not even used for some of
these type of things. So I think that is an
important and I'm glad that you were able to team
up with Troy Carter for that as well, so congratulations
on all the things that you're doing, keep us abreast
(07:05):
of the executive orders, how you streamline the government in
the city and any other initiatives, because we are on
the air with the mayor, so you gotta love it.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Well, look, I appreciate you letting me come on and
talk about all the different issues happening. And of course
you know, we've been successful as well up in the
up in the legislature with our sewage and water Board
bill as we try to work to get more local
control of our sewage and water board so that we
can provide better outcomes for.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
The people of the city across the city.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
You know, as far as transparency and accountability, that's been
a little lacking or a lot lacking. So we really
hope that by getting the city council, uh as the
as the folks who can you know, through this legislation
start bringing in the sewage and water board to answer
question and potentially even approved budgets and contracts. I think
(08:03):
that we'll get better outcomes across the city.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So that's really important as well.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah, and that's another case of that's over a century
of issues that have gone on with what goes on
with Soldier waterboard and the pipes and what's going on
in our city because a lot of this stuff is antiquated,
so we got to figure out how to bring it
up twenty twenty six. So glad to see that happening.
So on a lighter note, today is jams Fest. What
(08:30):
are you going out there to see? And what are
you going out there to eat?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Today? Well?
Speaker 4 (08:35):
I cannot wait. I'm so excited to get out there.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I was telling you earlier that I've been eating very
light today.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
I Am not even kidding.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I mean literally earlier today I was thinking, I'm like,
what am I going to have for lunch?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
And then I went and grabbed like.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
A couple of rice cakes because I know I'm going
to be eating heavy tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
So I can't wait to get out there.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
And of course have the soft shell crab pool Boy
that is my favorite. I mean I run over there,
I gotta go get of course my favorite strawberry lemonade
that's like, you know, a ten.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I then I have to go, you know, uh, hit
the hit the.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Art vendors, because I like to make sure that I'm
in on the first weekend, so I look at all
the stuff that's available before everybody starts buying up the
good stuff, you know, I like to head over there
and then, you know, just just walk around and enjoy myself.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I can't wait.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
I'm so excited this is this is one.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Of my favorite times of year, and I look forward
to seeing everybody out there.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, big shout out to Sean Paul. I'm a huge
reggae lover. I heard him do sound check earlier. He
was doing this thing. Dj Iri Spins is gonna do
a great job and uh there there's just a plethora
of Da Tonight batist as well, so it's gonna be
a lot going on. Have a good time out there
(10:05):
once again. Thanks for calling in and sharing with us today.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
All right, Wayne, you'd be good. I'll see you at
Jazz Festival.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
There is on the air with the Mayor Mayor Helena Moreno,
we'll be back. It's Q ninety three.
Two ninety three, is your boy wild? Wayne coming out?
Said on a big old Friday. So much energy in
the city right now. Jazz Fest is here, started on yesterday,
got a big weekend ahead. But what we do on
the last Friday of the month, we get a chance
to talk with our mayor. It's called on the Air
with the Mayor with Mayor Helena Moreno, and I have
(00:22):
her before she dances out the jazz Fest on the line.
How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I'm doing great? How are you, man?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I'm excited, I'm excited. A lot going on and mostly
all good. So you you're gonna have a good time today.
I'm sure headed out to the fest. Man, But you
have reached one hundred days benchmark for your mayorship. So
how have things been going.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I mean it's been a it's been it's been fast,
you know, I mean we've been moving fast. Time has
gone fast. I can't believe it's already been one hundred days.
And as soon as we got in Wayne, as you saw,
we just started getting right to work. And one of
the things that I've noticed, obviously very quickly getting into
the Mayor's office is that now I have the ability
(01:07):
to call the shops. I was asked yesterday by some reporters,
you know what is a difference from being a legislator
to now being the executive.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, when you're a legislator.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
You have to move forward with you know, passing laws
or ordinances, and if you really want anything done, you
have to go and ask the mayor or the governor
to get things done for you.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Right. Well, now I have the.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Ability to just go get things done, which is why
I could come in and I could direct public Works
to say, your priority is going to be turning on
the lights, your priorities is going to be smoothing out
the streets. We could go to safety and permits and
say you guys got to get your act together, and
I'm putting in a new manager in place right now.
And we reduced the amount of time you know, to
(01:51):
get permits out building permits.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
That used to take forty days, we've reduced that down
to fourteen.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Created the infrastructure coordinating councils that we have everybody at
the table when we're talking about our infrastructure projects to
have a real level of coordination so these projects.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Get done on time, which is similar to what we
did during Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Because that level of coordination shouldn't just happen when there's
a big event or a Super Bowl coming.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
It should happen year round.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
That's what the people of the city deserve.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
So we started moving quickly on a variety of different
things and overall, you know, obviously, I'm proud of what
we've accomplished in the first one hundred days, but there's
so much more to do and I'm really excited about
more more.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Good work to come.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
And I'm really proud of my leadership team too, because
they know the pace that I like to work in.
They know that I like to accomplish things, they know
that I like to win, and they're they're in it
fighting every single day to make sure that we have
a better city.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And that's what we need. We definitely need a better city.
We deserve it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
That's right, you too.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
You're making some things happen with those things that you
just mentioned. Are those part of your eighteen executive orders
that have been issued so far, so.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
A little bit related. For example, one of the things that.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I need done is I need to hire fifty Department
of Public Works employees so that they can start my
street paving program because I'm bringing a lot of the
street maintenance work in house so that we can get
it done faster.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
It actually creates a lot of cost savings.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
And we have to have a real routine maintenance program
in our city if we really want to be transformative
about what.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Our streets should be.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
And so with that, what we noticed is that it
was taking forever to try to onboard fifty new Department
of Public Works employees because we realize that there are
like seventeen steps to try to onboard somebody. Okay, what
and yes, yes, and they're.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Not all running, you know, all at the same time.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's like you complete step one and then you go
to step two, and then you go to step three.
And so I'm like, we can't have processes like the
stalling the progress that we.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Need to move forward with immediately.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
And so one of the executive orders was about cutting down,
you know, some of the processes to hire folks, and
so that's that's in the in process right now, and
we're already cutting down some of the steps that need
to be taken. And where we're now at the point
I think we're hiring right now twelve or thirteen employees
(04:35):
right now, but we really cut down the time period
where it was going to take us, you know, two
to three months to try to hire twelve to thirteen
people to several weeks. And so that's one of the
executive orders that I signed. I also signed another one
because I always hear so much about of course, we
need to have a real revamp of.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
NORD and be able to as many opportunities.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
For recreation across the city as possible, and so one
of the things that we put together is a task
force to figure out those things. One, how do we
create as many recreation opportunities? Two is there a possibility
where we potentially merge some of the employees who are
working on grass cutting and maintenance in park and parkways
(05:24):
and also do it, and also the NORD employees who
are doing that same work. We merge the workforce altogether
to better deploy workforce, to make sure that our fields
are better maintained, that our community centers are better maintained.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
We're looking at things like that.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And then of course the other big piece too that's
been in the news lately is making sure that we.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Have safe playgrounds across the city.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
You've probably seen how there's been concern about lead levels
in some of our playgrounds, so taking a look at
how do we create a plan to eradicate the lead
from our playgrounds.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
And I will say this that as.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We started to take a look at this issue, our
Congressman Troy.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Carter right off the bats, stepped up.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I asked them for a five million dollar earmark to
help me start cleaning up some of these playgrounds, and
he has put that five million dollars into the appropriation bill.
So I appreciate, you know, Congressman Carter helping us out
with that as well.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
I think that is of the utmost importance. I'd seen
some studies in the past about those lead levels in
the form of projects and other land areas and just
how how detrimental they are to people's cognitive health over time.
So hundred percent, yeah, that's an important one. And I
think some people don't always know the history of some
(06:43):
of these areas. We've built so much over you know,
the last century on spaces that probably should have been
cleaned up or maybe not even used for some of
these type of things. So I think that is an
important and I'm glad that you were able to team
up with Troy Carter for that as well, so congratulations
on all the things that you're doing, keep us abreast
(07:05):
of the executive orders, how you streamline the government in
the city and any other initiatives, because we are on
the air with the mayor, so you gotta love it.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Well, look, I appreciate you letting me come on and
talk about all the different issues happening. And of course
you know, we've been successful as well up in the
up in the legislature with our sewage and water Board
bill as we try to work to get more local
control of our sewage and water board so that we
can provide better outcomes for.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
The people of the city across the city.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
You know, as far as transparency and accountability, that's been
a little lacking or a lot lacking. So we really
hope that by getting the city council, uh as the
as the folks who can you know, through this legislation
start bringing in the sewage and water board to answer
question and potentially even approved budgets and contracts. I think
(08:03):
that we'll get better outcomes across the city.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So that's really important as well.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah, and that's another case of that's over a century
of issues that have gone on with what goes on
with Soldier waterboard and the pipes and what's going on
in our city because a lot of this stuff is antiquated,
so we got to figure out how to bring it
up twenty twenty six. So glad to see that happening.
So on a lighter note, today is jams Fest. What
(08:30):
are you going out there to see? And what are
you going out there to eat?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Today? Well?
Speaker 4 (08:35):
I cannot wait. I'm so excited to get out there.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I was telling you earlier that I've been eating very
light today.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
I Am not even kidding.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I mean literally earlier today I was thinking, I'm like,
what am I going to have for lunch?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
And then I went and grabbed like.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
A couple of rice cakes because I know I'm going
to be eating heavy tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
So I can't wait to get out there.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
And of course have the soft shell crab pool Boy
that is my favorite. I mean I run over there,
I gotta go get of course my favorite strawberry lemonade
that's like, you know, a ten.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I then I have to go, you know, uh, hit
the hit the.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Art vendors, because I like to make sure that I'm
in on the first weekend, so I look at all
the stuff that's available before everybody starts buying up the
good stuff, you know, I like to head over there
and then, you know, just just walk around and enjoy myself.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I can't wait.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
I'm so excited this is this is one.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Of my favorite times of year, and I look forward
to seeing everybody out there.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, big shout out to Sean Paul. I'm a huge
reggae lover. I heard him do sound check earlier. He
was doing this thing. Dj Iri Spins is gonna do
a great job and uh there there's just a plethora
of Da Tonight batist as well, so it's gonna be
a lot going on. Have a good time out there
(10:05):
once again. Thanks for calling in and sharing with us today.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
All right, Wayne, you'd be good. I'll see you at
Jazz Festival.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
There is on the air with the Mayor Mayor Helena Moreno,
we'll be back. It's Q ninety three.
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