Page 328 - FortWorthFY22AdoptedBudget

Horizon Issues

investigations into complaints of discrimination, as well as those conducting the actual investigations. Recruiting
potential employees with this particular type of experience can be very challenging.

Reliance on Grant Funding: The Civil Rights Enforcement Division’s reliance on federal funding is a serious concern.
Organizational changes at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as policy changes related to the criteria for processing employment
and housing complaints, has impacted the organization in the past and is expected to continue to do so.
Unanticipated governmental shutdowns, and reductions in federal funding, have a significant impact on the ability
of this Division to handle caseloads, and pay payroll and program costs. The uncertainty around future funding
will only prove to inhibit service delivery.

Availability of Staffing to Perform Essential Functions: With the creation of the new Department of Diversity and
Inclusion, the community has high expectations to see substantive change in the equitable delivery and provision
of city services and social justice. However, when the Department was created, only one new position was added
and two positions (one of which is part-time) were reprogrammed, to carry out equity analysis and support
activities necessary to reduce and eliminate racial disparity gaps in the key areas of criminal justice, economic
development, education, governance, health, housing, and transportation, as outlined in the Race and Culture
Task Force Recommendations. It is also the same three individuals responsible for the development and
implementation of a city-wide equity policy. The limited staffing available to support this important work is not
sufficient to provide the high quality, effective and timely policies, programs, and activities necessary to
successfully meet community expectations.

Economic Development
The long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still unknown but will be significant if we continue to see
business closures. The department will continue to work with our partners to support small businesses in Fort
Worth recognizing that we will need to look at short-, mid-, and long-term strategies.

Implementation of the Economic Development Strategic Plan has been slowed due to COVID-19 small business
relief efforts in FY21. We will be partnering with TIP Strategies to complete a "refresh" of the strategic plan in light
of the pandemic and progress to date. This update will allow staff to better prepare for future business
recruitment and retention.

Additionally, capital maintenance at the James E. Guinn Campus, including parking lot replacement, roof, and
HVAC replacement, will need to be addressed.

Financial Management Services
The Financial Management Services Department expects to address the following issues in FY2022 and beyond,
which result in some level of budgetary and/or operations impact;
· Financial and cyber fraud threats continue to increase in frequency and sophistication resulting in the
need for continuous training and awareness on the latest in fraud trends and relevant preventative best
practices;
· Continue implementation of newly promulgated GASB standards, including the implementation of GASB
Statement No. 87, which substantially revises existing standards on lease accounting and financial
reporting;
· Completing City-wide Revised Administrative Regulations for procurement card purchases, capital
projects (both Procurement and Accounts Payable), and revenue collections;

Page 328 of 581