Mayor’s Remarks:
1. Water levels in Southern Taiwan are concerningly low. I urge concerned departments to practice water-saving measures. Recycled water should be used for public construction projects whenever possible. Groundwater excavated during public or private construction projects can be appropriated as tap water if it meets relevant specifications and standards. Concerned departments should further promote the use of recycled water because the usage rate of recycled water remains comparatively low in Tainan City.
2. By now, many people have received the government’s NTD $6,000 cash subsidy in their bank accounts. Scams pertaining to the withdrawal and usage of subsidies are frequent. I ask the Police Department to collaborate with departments such as the Tax Bureau to raise public awareness of scams. The Bureau of Education should also help raise awareness through schools by having students remind family members to exercise caution when withdrawing and spending subsidies, which will decrease the number of people who fall victim to scams. I ask the Social Affairs Bureau to promote scam awareness among middle- to low-income households. Let's do our best to thwart scams and protect the public.
3. Colleagues at the Public Works Bureau, please keep an eye on the construction work for improving pedestrian walkways for Madou Elementary School and ensure that the project is on schedule.
4. All municipal bureaus are independent entities and thus have the right to issue official documents independently. Should a bureau or department need to issue an official document in the name of the municipal government, the document must first be approved by the head of the department, who is responsible for the content of the said document. I urge the Secretariat to pay special attention when stamping and approving such documents. If announcements made by bureaus and departments are in the name of the municipal government, it should be for a particular reason and not just out of habit. The Research, Development and Evaluation Commissions should include the handling of official documents in its year-end evaluations of all municipal departments.
Announcements
1. The Bureau of Education’s report on school lunches and dietary education work (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) I would like to thank our colleagues at the Bureau of Education for their hard work. Although Tainan covers a large area, 93.63% of schools have their own in-house school lunch system, the highest in all of Taiwan. By integrating in-school kitchens with central kitchens, the issue of supplying school lunches in rural areas is solved. In addition, the quality and nutritional value of school lunches are also improved.
(2) I ask the Bureau of Education to continue promoting the establishment and improvement of central kitchens. Please also gradually increase the number of neutralists to safeguard the sanitation and nutritional value of school lunches while easing the load of administration work on teachers.
(3) For my reference, I ask the Bureau of Education to compile a report detailing the weight loss trends for overweight junior high and elementary school students in Tainan.
2. The Tax Bureau’s report on the outcome of promoting public participation (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) The effective use of taxpayers' money is extremely important. Of course, the municipal government has a limited amount of funding, which is why public-private partnership is an excellent way of promoting public participation in infrastructure. Some successful cases of public-private partnerships in Tainan include smart parking meters, Sinying Hospital’s Beimen Branch, and Hayashi Department Store. Currently, 44 public-private partnership projects are under contract, equating to an investment value of NTD $76.5 billion. I thank the Tax Bureau for its efforts.
(2) As Taiwan's cultural capital, we should continue to work on utilizing and revitalizing historical sites, public property, and architecture. By doing so, we can elevate the overall quality of education, culture, and the financial situation in Tainan. I ask the Tax Bureau to keep up the good work in this regard.
(3) If any of the public participation cases are eligible for the Golden Thumb Award, concerned departments should sign up before the end of May.
(4) I ask the Secretary-general to convene a meeting with the Bureau of Sports and concerned departments and discuss strategies for attracting investment in the operation and transfer project for Annan Water Sports Training Center.