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THE TIME IS 9:12 AM ON THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH, 2021.
AND, UH, LET ME BE YOUR FIRST TO SAY IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK.
UH, GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE IN THE CHAMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STILL BEING MINDFUL OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE AND WEARING MASKS.
UH, BUT WE DO HOPE THAT THIS IS, UM, THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, IN TERMS OF CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THE TIME AGAIN IS 9:12 AM AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION TO ORDER.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN, HERE IN PERSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER CODO.
I'M HERE, PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
[1. 21-2581 Invocation]
BEFORE WE GET STARTED TODAY, UM, A FEW OF US, UH, THIS WEEKEND SPENT SOME TIME AT A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR TITO BRADSHAW, WHO WE KNOW IS LOST ON OUR STREETS.ONE OF MANY TO, UH, ONE OF MANY, UNFORTUNATELY, WHO HAD BEEN LOST ON THE STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO OVER THE YEARS.
AND AS WE LEARNED LAST NIGHT, WE LOST ANOTHER CYCLIST ON OUR ROADWAYS, THIS, THIS YESTERDAY EVENING.
AND SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO START, UH, OUR SESSION TODAY WITH A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE.
UM, LET ME START BY, UH, ASKING COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA TO WELCOME OUR INATE.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE REVEREND ALLEN FORD, PASTOR OF GRACE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
REVEREND ALLEN FORD IS A NATIVE OF LAKEVIEW, SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE RECEIVED HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND GRADUATED FROM LAKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL.
HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, WHERE HE SERVED HONORABLY FOR FOUR YEARS AND DEFENDED HIS COUNTRY IN DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, AND DESERT, CALM OF THE GULF WAR.
IN 1993, REVEREND FORD GRADUATED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COLLEGE, ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO, WHERE HE RECEIVED A BUSINESS DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER ACCOUNTING.
IN 1996, HE JOINED GRACE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF REVEREND AARON BRASSFIELD, JR.
IN 1997, HE BECAME A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF REVEREND DR.
WALTER STARK'S, PASTOR REVEREND FORD WAS LICENSED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ON OCTOBER THE 18TH, 2000 AND LATER ORDAINED ON DECEMBER 19TH, 2003.
REVEREND FORD GRADUATED FROM THE BILLY GRAHAM SCHOOL OF EVANGELISM IN AUGUST OF 2008.
IN OCTOBER OF 2009, HE RECEIVED A CERTIFICATION FROM THE FAMILY DYNAMICS INSTITUTE AND IS NOW A CERTIFIED MARRIAGE FACILITATOR.
HE IS A 2017 GRADUATE AND FELLOW OF STEPHEN OLFORD CENTER FOR EXPOSITORY PREACHING IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE PASTORAL CARE SPECIALIST PROGRAM AT VISION INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA.
REVEREND FORD RECEIVED HIS HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE IN THEOLOGY FROM THE EL FORD THEOLOGICAL BIBLE COLLEGE IN DILLON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE IS THE FOUNDER OF GRACE INSTITUTE
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AND THE TRANSFORMING WORLD PEACE, UH, PREACHING IN, UH, CONFERENCE.THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING HERE.
REVEREND FORD AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH, DR.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'RE DOING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IF I MUST SAY, ME AND MY WIFE JUST SIT BACK SOMETIME AND WE MODEL AT THE THINGS THAT YOU AND CITY COUNCIL HAS DONE TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE, KEEP IT STRONG, AND TO KEEP IT HEALTHY.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING HERE, AND WE PRAY THAT YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE BOW IN YOUR PRESENCE.
WE THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THE GREAT THINGS YOU HAD DONE IN OUR LIVES.
WE THANK YOU FOR THESE CIVIC LEADERS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE VISION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK.
EVEN WHEN THEY'RE WEAK, YOU MAKE 'EM STRONG.
WE THANK YOU, FATHER FOR THE GRACE, BECAUSE YOU MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND INTO OUR LIVES, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.
YOU'VE GIVEN INSIGHT, YOU'VE GIVEN WISDOM, YOU'VE GIVEN US KNOWLEDGE TO HELP EACH OTHER OVERCOME.
AND THANK YOU FOR CIVIC LEADERS AND CLERGY COMING TOGETHER TO HELP BUILD A BETTER TOMORROW FOR SAN ANTONIO TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR LOVING US WITH A EVERLASTING LOVE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU LOVE THAT WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
AND SO WE PRAY THAT LOVE WOULD ABOUND IN THIS CITY, THIS GREAT ALAMO CITY, THAT WHEN OTHERS COME INTO THIS CITY, THEY CAN SEE WHAT UNITY AND WHAT GRACE AND MERCY IS ALL ABOUT.
AND SO WE GLORIFY YOU, YOU WHO PUT UP KINGS AND SAT DOWN KINGS, YOU WHO CALL THOSE THINGS THAT BE NOT AS, OH, THEY WERE, WE PRAISE YOUR HOLY UNRIGHTEOUS NAME.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE ASK YOU WHEN OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL LEADERS GET WEAK, PUT STRENGTH IN THEM.
WHEN THEY GET WEARY, HOLD THEM UP WHEN THEY NEED PEACE, GIVE 'EM YOU A PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.
AND WHEN TIMES GET HARD FROM THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES SPEAK THROUGH THEIR EARS AND WHISPER IN THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WEEPING MAN DO IT FOR NIGHT.
WE THANK YOU HEAVEN FATHER, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ALL THAT YOU WILL DO NOW BEST BLESS US AND HELP US TO BE STRONG SAN ANTONIO STRONG, THAT WHEN THINGS COME OUR WAY, LIKE C OVID 19 AND ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS, WE WILL RISE UP, RISE UP AS ONE BEING ABLE TO OVERCOME.
WE THANK YOU, WE LOVE YOU, AND WE PRAISE YOU.
[2. 21-2584 Pledge of Allegiance]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH PASTOR FORD.[3. 21-2585 Approval of Minutes from the City Council Meetings of February 3, 2021, February 4, 2021, and February 10, 2021]
ALRIGHT, UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 3RD AND FOURTH AND 10TH.AND AS YOU KNOW, WE, UH, HAVE OUR DIA SYSTEM BACK WORKING.
HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY SEES THAT.
UM, I'M GONNA NEED FOLKS WHO ARE REMOTE TO, UH, RAISE THEIR HAND.
UM, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FOR THOSE MINUTES.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 3RD, FOURTH, AND 10TH.
AND FOLKS WHO ARE REMOTE, IF YOU WOULD JUST SIGNAL WITH A HAND AND AN I, AYE, AYE.
AND THEN LIKEWISE, UH, A NAYYY, UH, IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, BUT I SEE NONE, SO, OKAY.
ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GET STARTED TODAY, UM, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY, UH, POINTS OF PRIVILEGE, SO WE'RE
[CONSENT AGENDA]
GONNA GO RIGHT INTO OUR AGENDA TODAY.UM, LET ME ASK FIRST, UH, FOR MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS TO PULL OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA SO FAR.
WE HAVE ITEMS 12, UH, EXCUSE ME, ITEM FOUR AND ITEM 12.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO HEAR FOR OBJECTION? UH, ITEM 13.
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS FOR INDIVIDUAL
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CONSIDERATION? ALRIGHT, IF THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT.THAT'S ALL ITEM SAVED FOR FOUR, 12 AND 13.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. UM, LET ME GET INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW.
SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA MOVING FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU MAYOR FOR APPOINTING ALEJANDRA ALEX LOPEZ TO THE BROOKS, UH, BOARD.
I THINK WITH HER LEADERSHIP ON THERE, IT'S GOING TO GO VERY FAR.
SO THANK YOU MAYOR AND WELCOME ALEX.
YEAH, JUST I'LL TELL YOU LATER, BUT JUST LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF LONG HEART ATTACK.
YEAH, WORKED YESTERDAY IN A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEM SAVED FOR 14, 12, AND 13.
[12. 21-2183 Ordinance approving an amendment to the agreement with Communities in Schools of San Antonio to increase the compensation by an additional $66,000.00 for a total amount of $216,000.00 during the renewal period for additional services related to the provision of behavioral mental health counseling for youth and/or their families affected by domestic violence for a term ending June 30, 2021. [Mario Martinez, Assistant Director, Health]]
WE'LL START OUR AGENDA.I'M GONNA TAKE, UH, ONE ITEM OUT OF ORDER, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF GUESTS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE STREET NAME CHANGE OF A PORTION OF SOUTH MEDINA TO CARLOS MARTINEZ DRIVE.
GENERALLY LOCATED BETWEEN T PICO STREET AND CHIHUAHUA STREET.
THE ESTIMATED REVENUE OF $1,643 AND 88 CENTS WILL BE DEPOSITED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FISCAL YEAR 2021.
ADOPTED DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND.
UM, AND, UH, MIKE, IS THERE A PRESENTATION? I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ONE, UH, LOADED UP.
IS THAT RIGHT? IF, IF NOT, I CAN JUST KIND OF BRIEF IT AND HAND IT OVER TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE.
ANY LUCK? YEAH, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE, BUT IF NOT, I, YEAH.
HOW ABOUT I JUST TEE IT UP FOR YOU? UH, GO AHEAD.
UH, SO THIS ITEM IS JUST A STREET NAME CHANGE AND, UH, THAT PROCESS, ANY STREET NAME CHANGE GOES THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO, UM, MY PRESENTATION WOULD'VE JUST GONE THROUGH, UM, THE APPLICATION CAME IN IN DECEMBER.
IT WAS SUBMITTED BY THE VE VETERANS ENTERPRISES, AND IT WAS REALLY JUST TO CHANGE THE STREET NAME FROM SOUTH MEDINA TO CARLOS MARTINEZ DRIVE.
UH, I KNOW THERE'S SOME, UH, FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON IT TODAY.
AND THE PROCESS IS VERY SIMPLE.
UH, IT'S JUST 350 FEET OF STREET.
UH, THERE WERE NO ADDRESS CHANGE, SO NO, NO, UH, BUILDINGS ADDRESSED.
UH, WE DID SEND NOTICE TO TWO OWNERS, UH, THAT ARE ALONG THIS BLOCK AND TO ONE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BUT WE DID GO THROUGH THE H D R C, UH, THE HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, BACK IN FEBRUARY, BOTH RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
AND, UH, WE'RE HERE TODAY, UH, THE FISCAL IMPACT, IT'S $1,600 PAID BY THE APPLICANT, UH, TO, UH, REDO A COUPLE OF STREET SIGNS AND, UH, WE CERTAINLY WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL TODAY.
THANK YOU, UH, MIKE FOR THE, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND SO FOR OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE, UH, WE CAN SEE THE PICTURE OF GOD LOSS, UH, HERE IN THE BACKGROUND.
IN FACT, MIKEY MIGHT BE BLOCKING IT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK YOU CAN TELL JUST FROM THE PICTURE WHAT A KIND, UH, PERSON THAT HE WAS.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU ALL WHO DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET HIM, I'M GONNA GIVE A BIT OF BACKGROUND, UH, BEFORE HIS FAMILY AND STAFF COME UP TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF.
MR. CARLOS MARTINEZ WAS A C E O OF THE AMERICAN GI FORUM, NATIONAL VETERANS OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR 48 YEARS, UP UNTIL HIS PASSING IN 2020, MR. MARTINEZ HAD A HUGE LOCAL AND NATIONAL IMPACT FOR HIS EFFORTS TO HELP VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
MR. MARTINEZ HAS A LONG HISTORY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
HE WAS BORN OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS FROM MEXICO, RAISED IN DISTRICT FIVE.
HE PLAYED BASEBALL AT LANIER, GRADUATED FROM LANIER,
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AND EARNED BOTH HIS BS AND MS IN BUSINESS FROM O UH, FROM OUR LADY OF THE LAKE, UH, AND ALWAYS WORKING TO, UH, GET HIS DEGREES.HE WAS A VERY HARDWORKING, DEDICATED PERSON.
HE ENLISTED IN THE MILITARY IN THE AIR FORCE DURING THE VIETNAM ERA, AND WAS AN F ONE FIGHTER JET CREW CHIEF.
THE VETERAN SERVICES STARTED AS A, AN, UM, HE STARTED AS AN OUTREACH WORKER FOR AMERICAN GI FORUM, AN OFFICE OUT OF HIS CAR.
HE WAS APPOINTED C E O IN 1974 AND BEGAN BUILDING THE NATIONAL VETERANS OUTREACH PROGRAM.
HE PIONEERED HOUSING SERVICES FOR VETERANS FOR 28 YEARS, AND HE HOSTED ANNUAL AFFAIRS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND HELPED MORE THAN 400,000 VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
HE WON NATIONAL AWARDS FOR HIS INNOVATION IN HELPING HOMELESS VETERANS.
HE ADVISED FIVE PRESIDENTS ABOUT VETERANS ISSUES, PRESIDENT CARTER, REAGAN, BUSH, CLINTON, AND BUSH JR.
HE TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES AND ESTABLISHED A RESIDENT CENTER FOR BUS FOR VETERANS, WHICH PROVIDES TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR VETERANS.
SO IF ANYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO GO DOWN TO THE VETERAN'S OFFICE, AND I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE OVER THE YEARS, UH, YOU WOULD'VE BEEN GREETED BY GODLESS AND HIS INCREDIBLE STAFF.
UH, AND MANY OF YOU ALL, OR PERHAPS MAYBE JUST A FEW OF US LEFT HERE ON THE COUNCIL, WILL REMEMBER THAT FOR A TIME, UH, WE ACHIEVED VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, UH, THE ERADICATION OF VETERAN HOMELESSNESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
FUNCTIONAL, WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME PEOPLE UNACCOUNTED FOR, BUT FOR A TIME BECAUSE OF GODLESS, HIS TREMENDOUS EFFORTS, UH, WE COULD SAY AS A CITY THAT WE HAD ENDED VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF HIS INCREDIBLE DEDICATION AND HIS WORK GODLESS, UM, WAS AN INCREDIBLE MENTOR, UH, AND, AND JUST REALLY AN INCREDIBLE CITIZEN.
AND, UM, NAMING THE STREET, UH, IN HIS HONOR IS REALLY THE VERY LEAST WE COULD DO.
AND I WAS SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU ALL, UM, TO INITIATE THIS.
I KNOW THE FAMILY SAID IT WAS A VERY FAST, UH, TRANSITION, BUT I WAS, UH, REALLY WANTED TO DO IT, UM, MYSELF, UH, BECAUSE I JUST HAVE BEEN SO INSPIRED BY HIM.
AND AS HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM IN OUR CITY AND GROWING PROBLEM, AND WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS, GALOS HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS FOR 48 YEARS.
UH, AND IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO, UH, DO THIS RECOGNITION IN HIS HONOR.
I KNOW, UM, A FEW OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, BUT BEFORE I TURN OVER THE MICROPHONE, UH, LET ME MAKE SURE I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND, THANK YOU, UM, MY COLLEAGUES.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, MAYOR, I, I'LL TURN OVER THE MICROPHONE.
THE GUEST INVITED TO SPEAK, UM, YOLANDA SANCHEZ AND ROBERT FLORES.
UH, MY NAME IS YOLANDA SUAREZ AND I AM THE INTERIM PRESIDENT, UH, AND C E O.
AND I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK ALONGSIDE CARLOS FOR THE LAST 43 YEARS BEFORE HE PASSED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT CARLOS DID PASS OF COVID, UM, AS WELL AS HIS WIFE.
HE, HE LOST HIS WIFE ABOUT 30 DAYS BEFORE.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, CARLOS, AS MS. GONZALEZ, UH, MENTIONED, UH, FOR 48 YEARS, HE LED THIS ORGANIZATION, THE AMERICAN G F FORUM, NATIONAL VETERANS OUTREACH PROGRAM.
AND BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP THERE, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.
HE WROTE A MISSION STATEMENT IN THE LATE SEVENTIES, UH, THAT HE WOULD BUILD AT LEAST A HUNDRED, UH, UNITS OF HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY THAT HE WOULD BRING PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WOULD SERVE VETERANS, UH, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND, UM, THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
HE ALSO WROTE IN THAT MISSION STATEMENT THAT HE WOULD, UH, DEVELOP, UH, INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES AS A NONPROFIT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE, UH, REVENUES AND PUT 'EM INTO, UH, SERVICES FOR, UH, THE C THE, UH, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND ACTUALLY, WE ALSO OPERATE IN OTHER CITIES, AND AS WELL, WE HAVE IN OTHER STATES.
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EVERYTHING HE WROTE IN THAT MISSION STATEMENT.UM, WE NOW HAVE SEVEN, UH, CORPORATIONS THAT ARE NONPROFITS INTER INTERLOCKING.
AND WE HAVE 170, UH, UNITS OF, UH, HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY.
WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL CENTER FOR HOMELESS VETERANS THAT, UH, HAS 80 TRANSITIONAL BEDS AND 60 SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY APARTMENTS.
HE ALSO, UH, IN NAMING THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF, OF, UH, STREET IN, UH, CARLOS MARTINEZ DRIVE IS JUST SO APPROPRIATE BECAUSE RIGHT NEXT, WHERE THAT STREET RUNS IS A, IS THE VETERANS ENTERPRISES, ENTERPRISES OF TEXAS.
THIS IS A CORRUGATE, UH, MANUFACTURING BUSINESS THAT HE CREATED.
HE, HE ESTABLISHED THIS BUSINESS, UH, WITH OUR FIRST, UH, ORDER TOOK ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO GET THERE FOR THIS FIRST ORDER, BUT WE GOT OUR 14 MILLION, UH, PRODUCT ORDER FROM THE US POST OFFICE, WHICH WE STILL OPERATE.
WE HIRE DISABLED VETERANS TO DO THESE JOBS.
UH, HIS, AGAIN, HIS IDEA WAS ALWAYS SERVING THE COMMUNITIES, SERVING THE VETERANS, UH, AS A VETERAN HIMSELF.
AND, UM, WE NOW REAP THOSE BENEFITS FOR HIS DEDICATION TO THE MISSION.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE, UH, WHAT I CALL HIS PURPOSE AND PASSION FOR THIS, FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THE ORGANIZATION.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF YOU KNOW HIM, REMEMBER HIM, AND KNEW THAT HE WAS A VERY HUMBLE PERSON.
AND, UM, HE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO DO THOSE, THOSE, UH, ASSURE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE VETERANS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, HIS TWO DAUGHTERS, SISTERS, AND BROTHER, YOU WANNA STAND UP? LADIES, STAND UP AGAIN.
MR. FLORES, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? OH, OKAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'D LIKE TO, UH, SHARE THEIR REMARKS AS WELL.
LEMME START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
AND, UM, THANK YOU TO THE MARTINEZ FAMILY.
THANK YOU TO THE AMERICAN GI FORUM.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
UM, ON BEHALF OF VETERANS, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE THE AMERICAN GI FORUM IN OUR LIVES.
UM, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR DD TWO 14 WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET ADVOCATION AND ADVOCACY TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR, YOUR CLAIMS AND YOUR FILES TO HELP YOU FIND A PLACE TO LIVE TO HELP YOU JUST NAVIGATE BECOMING A CITIZEN AND A CIVILIAN AGAIN.
UM, THE AMERICAN GI FORUM DOES THAT FOR US.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE THERE, UH, TO HAND OUT, UH, THOSE DUFFEL BAGS THAT WE WOULD CARRY ON ACTIVE DUTY, AND WE GAVE THEM OUT TO THE HOMELESS, UM, THE BLANKETS AND JUST THE COMBAT BOOTS AND UNIFORMS AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE JUST TAKE FOR GRANTED.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE AMERICAN GI FORUM DOES EACH AND EVERY DAY.
UM, THEY HELP YOU GET BACK INTO SCHOOL.
THEY HELP YOU FIND YOUR, YOUR BENEFITS THAT YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
EVERYTHING THAT A VETERAN NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FATHER'S HEART, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT HE DID, THAT THE AMERICAN GI FORUM.
I WILL NEVER FORGET WALKING THROUGH THE DOORS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE.
AND TO YOUR FATHER'S HONOR, THIS IS JUST A PART OF CONTINUING THE LEGACY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PERSONALLY MEETING HIM AND WORKING WITH HIM ON AN INITIATIVE THEY WERE TRYING TO DO UP IN, UH, DISTRICT 10, AND GOT TO KNOW HIM QUITE WELL.
AND, UM, WHAT A GREAT INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE HE TRULY WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WORKED FOR THE AMERICAN VETERANS.
AND, UH, WE SHARED, UH, UM, OUR ROOTS ALSO WITH BEING MEMBERS OF THE AIR FORCE.
AND, UM, SO WE HAD SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS THERE.
AND, UH, I REALLY ENJOYED HIM AND REALLY APPRECIATED THE THINGS THAT HE WAS DOING FOR
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OUR VETERANS HERE IN THE US.SO, UM, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH, AND, UM, GOD BLESS YOU.
UM, AND, UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ FOR, UM, BRINGING THIS TO COUNCIL, UH, WITH, UH, IN AN EXPEDITED MANNER, WHICH I THINK IS, UH, VERY DESERVING.
UH, YOU MADE A COMMENT THAT IS A GREAT PICTURE OF MR. MARTINEZ.
UM, WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM WITH THAT SMILE.
UM, WE KNOW HOW HARD HE WORKED FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR ALL VETERANS.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING ALSO OUR FIGHT AGAINST VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, UH, THAT WOULD NOT HAVE, UH, NEARLY BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE HARD WORK OF CARLOS.
WE KNOW THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES OF BEING A MILITARY COMMUNITY, UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST AN INSTITUTION.
IT'S MADE REAL BY THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN TOIL ON BEHALF OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND CARLOS WAS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE PACK.
SO, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, TO THE FAMILY, UH, AND TO OUR ENTIRE VETERAN COMMUNITY, UH, MAY CARLOS'S MEMORY BE PERMANENT AND MAY HIS HONOR BE RES ALWAYS, UH, RESTORED, UH, BY THOSE WHO REMEMBER HIM, UM, AND DO HIS WORK.
AND, UH, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, THIS IS THE VERY LEAST OF WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, BUT WE KNOW HIS LEGACY WILL REMAIN IN OUR CITY.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 12.
[4. 21-2590 Briefing and possible action on legislation filed in the 87th Regular State Legislative Session, an update on the status of proposed legislation and its impact on the City of San Antonio, and an update on the status of potential federal stimulus funding made available through the American Rescue Plan. [Jeff Coyle, Assistant City Manager]]
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM FOUR.THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
ITEM FOUR IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON LEGISLATION FILED IN THE 87TH REGULAR STATE LEGISLATIVE C SESSION, AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND ITS IMPACT TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF POTENTIAL FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDING MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
ALL RIGHT, UH, ERIC, I DON'T SEE YOU BEHIND THE SCREEN THERE.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
IT'S, UH, CERTAINLY GOOD TO BE BACK IN PERSON AND, UH, AND SEE EVERYBODY IN THREE D UH, THIS MORNING'S.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, IS A BRIEFING.
UH, PART ONE WILL BE BY JEFF COYLE ON, UH, RECENT ACTIONS, UH, GOING ON AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
AND, UH, PART TWO WILL BE AN UPDATE FROM ANNA BRADSHAW ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
UH, LAST WEEK, AS YOU HEARD, UM, THERE ARE, UH, A NUMBER OF HIGH PROFILE SUMMARY, UH, ISSUES AT THE LEGISLATURE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
UH, TODAY'S FOCUS WILL BE ON LEGISLATION THAT WAS HEARD IN THE COMMITTEE SINCE LAST THURSDAY.
AND ANY ISSUES OF INTEREST, UH, THAT MAY HAVE MOMENTUM THAT WE NEED TO BRING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL.
WE ARE NOW ROUGHLY AT THE HALFWAY POINT, UH, OF THE, THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.
AND, UM, UM, MANY THINGS WILL BEGIN TO START PICKING UP SPEED AS WE GO.
UH, THROUGH THE REMAINING PART OF THE, UM, OF THE SESSION, THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR MORE WEEKS OF HEAVY COMMITTEE ACTIVITY, AND THEN ACTION WILL MOVE TO THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE FLOORS.
SO THE TEAM HAS CERTAINLY CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS TO ADVOCATE FOR AND AGAINST LEGISLATION.
SO WE'LL HEAR FROM JEFF FIRST, UM, AND THEN HE'LL HAND IT OFF TO ME.
I'LL, UM, UH, GIVE SOME, UH, OPENING REMARKS ON HONEST PIECE AND THEN, UH, GO INTO ANNA ON, UH, JEFF.
I ASSUME MY MIC IS WORKING, UH, ANOTHER BUSY WEEK AT THE STATE CAPITOL THIS WEEK.
SO WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON WHAT, WHAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE WE TALKED LAST THURSDAY.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST THIS WEEK WAS THE HEARING ON SENATE BILL 10, UH, THAT WOULD BAN LOBBYING BY CITIES AND COUNTIES ONLY.
UNLIKE THE HOUSE BILL, THIS ONE JUST, UH, TARGETS CITIES AND COUNTIES.
A, UH, COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE BILL WAS, UH, FLOATED JUST HOURS BEFORE THE HEARING REALLY DIDN'T CHANGE THE, THE CENTRAL, UH, PURPOSE OF THE BILL.
AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE, WHAT THE BILL DOES IS SAY THAT A CITY OR A COUNTY MAY NOT SPEND ANY PUBLIC DOLLARS TO SEEK, UH, TO INFLUENCE INDIRECTLY OR DIRECTLY LEGISLATION PENDING BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.
AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HIRE CONTRACT LOBBYISTS.
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO ANY TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT USES A LOBBYIST AND, UH, STAFF LIKE MYSELF.
IF WE SPEND MORE THAN 26 HOURS PER QUARTER, UH, AT THE LEGISLATURE, UH, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT EITHER.
WE'D ONLY BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
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NOW, STAFF THAT DOESN'T SPEND A SUBSTANTIAL TIME AT THE CAPITOL, THIS WAS ONE OF THE CHANGES, WOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP THERE.SO IF OUR SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR CAME UP ONE DAY DURING THE SESSION ON A BILL THAT RELATED TO SOLID WASTE THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD BE ALLOWED.
I JOKED, UH, THAT, UH, THAT 26 HOUR THRESHOLD IS VERY LOW, THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES DO THAT MUCH TIME IN ONE DAY.
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
UM, NONETHELESS, UH, UH, A BAD BILL.
UM, WE, UH, WERE ONE OF 25 OR SO, UH, CITIES AND COUNTIES, SMALL TOWNS, MEDIUM LARGE, THAT TESTIFIED ON TUESDAY NIGHT.
UH, THE, UH, AS A REMINDER, THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL IS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO HE HANDED THE MIC OVER TO HIS VICE CHAIR, OUR SENATOR, JOSE MENENDEZ, TO RUN THE MEETING WHILE HE LAID OUT THE BILL.
UH, I, MY TESTIMONY, THEY FINALLY GOT TO ME ABOUT NINE 30 AT NIGHT, AND A LOT HAD BEEN SAID.
SO I FOCUSED ON, ON TWO THINGS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THE TESTIMONY IF YOU WANT IT.
UH, BUT THE, THE FIRST BEING THIS FALSE PREMISE THAT WE ARE UP THERE LOBBYING AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF OUR OWN CONSTITUENTS.
I TALKED ABOUT ALL THE EFFORT THAT GOES INTO BUILDING OUR AGENDA, ALL THE WORK WE DO WITH THE COMMUNITY, ALL THE PRESENTATIONS WE GIVE, AND THEN THE WEEKLY UPDATES I GIVE TO EACH OF YOU IN A PUBLIC MEETING, UH, HERE, UH, TO, TO ARGUE AGAINST THAT POINT THAT WE ARE SOMEHOW HURTING OUR OWN TAXPAYERS.
UH, THE SECOND PIECE WAS, A LOT WAS MADE DURING THE HEARING ABOUT, UH, LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM SMALL TOWNS OR WHATEVER, WHO HAD COME TO THE HEARING AND WERE THERE TO TESTIFY.
AND THE AUTHOR KEPT SAYING, WELL, YOU'RE HERE AND THE BILL ALLOWS YOU TO BE HERE, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
AND SO I EXPLAINED THAT IT'S, IT IS A, A, A SIGNIFICANT OVER SIMPLIFICATION OF WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS.
IT'S HARDLY ENOUGH JUST TO SHOW UP FOR THE HEARING, BUT THE BILL MOVES, IT CHANGES, IT GOES FROM COMMITTEE TO COMMITTEE, IT GOES TO THE FLOOR.
AMENDMENTS ARE MADE, AND, AND MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT THOSE AMENDMENTS WILL BE.
THERE'S A VERY LONG, COMPLICATED PROCESS JUST FOR ONE BILL.
AND WE, UH, CITIES TRACK, UH, TYPICALLY ABOUT 2000 OF THE 7,000 THAT GET FILED.
ALL TOLD, UH, WE THINK WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD HEARING.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW THE MAKEUP OF THE, UH, THE, THE POSITIONS OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT THIS POINT.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SENATOR MENENDEZ AND, AND GUTIERREZ AND ZINI, WHO ARE ALL ON THE COMMITTEE, AND THEY'RE KEEPING US POSTED.
BUT, UM, UH, WE, WE DID THE BEST WE COULD IN, IN PRESENTING OUR CASE.
AND, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO BILL BY THE SAME AUTHORING COMMITTEE THAT WOULD JUST REQUIRE MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND OUR LOBBY EFFORTS THAT WE SUBMIT, UH, ITEMS TO THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION, THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA BE A STANDALONE ITEM, THAT OUR LEGIS, OUR LOBBYIST CONTRACTS BE STANDALONE ITEMS BEFORE YOU.
GENERALLY, THE BILL WAS OKAY, BUT IT ALSO CREATED A PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION WHERE ANY CITIZEN WHO, ANYWHERE WHO BELIEVES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE VIOLATED ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF, OF THAT BILL IF IT WERE TO BECOME LAW, COULD FILE SUIT.
AND IF THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL, THEY WOULD GET ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COURT COSTS AND SO FORTH.
SO IT HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR CREATING A LOT OF LITIGATION UNNECESSARILY.
AND, AND SO WE RESISTED SUPPORTING THAT TRANSPARENCY BILL BECAUSE OF THAT CLAUSE.
AND MANY, MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES SAID THE SAME THING.
THE HOUSE, UH, VERSIONS OF, OF THESE HAVE NOT MOVED SINCE WE TALKED LAST, SO WE'RE IN A, A STANDSTILL.
UH, ANOTHER BILL IN THE SAME COMMITTEE TUESDAY NIGHT, HAD TO DO WITH OUR E T J.
UH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY A REFILE FROM LAST SESSION.
AND BASICALLY, IT, IT'S A SENATOR CAMPBELL BILL, AND IT PREVENTS CITIES FROM ISSUING ANY FEES OR FINES IN THE E T J IF, UH, IF THE AREA HAS, UH, VOTED NOT TO BE ANNEXED OR HAS D DIS ANNEXED.
UH, AND WE DON'T ON PRINCIPLE HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.
WE DO HAVE WATER QUALITY REGULATIONS IN THE E T J THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ENFORCE, AND THERE WAS AN EXCEPTION IN THERE FOR THAT.
AND LAST SESSION, WE FOUGHT VERY HARD TO GET AN AMENDMENT ADDED THAT WOULD PROTECT THOSE MILITARY BUFFER AREAS, THE FIVE MILE ZONES AROUND OUR BASES WHERE WE DO HAVE REGULATORY AUTHORITY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN THE CITY.
UH, THIS TIME, SENATOR CAMPBELL INCLUDED THAT AMENDMENT IN THE BILL FILED.
SO, UH, GENERALLY YALO WENT TO THE CAPITOL, GAVE VERY BRIEF TESTIMONY SAYING, WE ARE OKAY WITH THIS.
WE APPRECIATE THE AMENDMENT, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IT GETTING STRIPPED OUT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE SENATOR FOR LISTENING TO US.
AND HE SUBMITTED A LETTER FROM THE J B SS, A COMMANDING GENERAL, TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AS WELL.
UM, THIS WEEK, YESTERDAY ACTUALLY, WAS THE HEARING ON THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE, ONE OF THE BILLS I TOLD YOU ABOUT LAST WEEK.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT REQUIRES COUNTY APPROVAL OF THE, UH, CITY PURCHASE OF ANY PROPERTY FOR A, FOR HOMELESS HOUSING, A HOTEL, A SHELTER, UH, WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, IT, IT WAS THE SAME BILL AS THE SENATE.
IT WAS HEARD YESTERDAY IN HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS, WHICH AGAIN, WE
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HAVE FOUR SAN ANTONIO MEMBERS ON IT.UH, WE, UH, WENT BY ALL THEIR OFFICES TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE ISSUE.
WE SUBMITTED A LETTER FROM OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, AND, AND WE SPECIFICALLY TALKED, UH, WITH REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL, WHO, UH, ALWAYS EXPRESSES A GREAT INTEREST IN THIS TOPIC.
UM, THIS REMAINS A, A REALLY A, A, A FIGHT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY, UH, OVER A HOTEL THAT AUSTIN PURCHASED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
SO, UH, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE OUR POSITIONS WERE, WERE CLEAR.
AND ON THE RECORD LAST THURSDAY WHEN I WAS TALKING TO YOU, UH, WAS THE HEARING FOR A BILL THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH SAS, UH, THAT THE MAYOR HAD EXPRESSED TO US A, A GOOD YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WHICH IS WE GET A WHOLE SERIES OF OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS EVERY YEAR FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCED UTILITY CUTOFFS OR WHO ARE SEEKING, UH, UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
UH, WE DON'T TECHNICALLY HAVE THOSE RECORDS AT THE CITY, BUT SAWS DOES, AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO RELEASE THEM, WHICH PUTS THOSE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, IF THEY'RE IN A POSITION OF NEEDING UTILITY ASSISTANCE, THEY'RE IN SOME SORT OF BIND, UH, PUTS THEM IN A POSITION OF RECEIVING ALL SORTS OF SOLICITATIONS FROM COMPANIES WHO SOME MAY HAVE GOOD INTERESTS, MANY OTHERS MAY NOT.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH SAS TO FILE A BILL THAT WOULD PROTECT THE INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT FOLKS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE OR HAVE HAD THEIR UTILITIES CUT OFF.
MAYOR, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'VE CARED ABOUT A LOT AND HAVE TALKED TO REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL.
IT WAS HEARD LAST THURSDAY, AND IT WAS ALREADY VOTED OUT THIS WEEK.
A COUPLE OTHER BILLS I WANT TO TOUCH ON.
THE, THE, UH, BROADBAND BILL CONTINUES TO MOVE, UH, RAPIDLY.
UM, WE ARE STARTING TO COMMUNICATE TO THE LEGISLATURE THAT, UH, CREATING A BROADBAND OFFICE AND MAPPING AND A GRANT PROGRAM IS NOT ENOUGH.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT HAVE FLOWED TO STATES FOR BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT ARE PUMPED INTO THIS PROGRAM.
WE THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY WILL DO, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN.
AND, UM, AND I ALSO, UH, I RECEIVED A CALL THIS WEEK FROM OUR, UH, JOINT CITY COUNTY ELDERLY AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC, UH, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE BENEFIT TO SENIORS WHO, WHO NEED ACCESS TO THE DIGITAL WORLD.
AND SO I'VE TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER A RESOLUTION WHERE THEY CAN EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT.
UH, AND THAT WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE I USED IN THE LOBBYING HEARING ABOUT HOW WE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY ON ISSUES.
UM, A BILL, UH, 1474 RELATED TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
INITIALLY, WE WERE NOT VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE INITIAL BILL JUST BASICALLY SAID, YOU MUST CHOOSE ONE COMMISSION TO VOTE ON HISTORIC, UH, DESIGNATIONS.
YOU CAN'T SHOP AROUND BETWEEN PLANNING AND ZONING AND HISTORIC DESIGN AND REVIEW TO GET THE ONE COMMITTEE THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE.
UM, I, I'VE WORKED WITH SHANNON MILLER AND HER TEAM, AND, AND THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT.
WE RUN THINGS THROUGH HISTORIC DESIGN AND REVIEW ANYWAY, BUT THE BILL CHANGED AND ADDED A CONDITION THAT, UH, ANY CHURCH WITHIN A HISTORIC DISTRICT MAY OPT OUT, UH, WHICH CREATES A SPOT ZONING ISSUE WHERE A CHURCH, WHICH IS OFTEN A HISTORIC ANCHOR OF A, OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WOULD BE HELD TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS, WOULD NOT HAVE TO PRESERVE THE PROPERTY, UH, WITHIN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO WE'VE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REGISTER A POSITION, UH, FORMALLY, BUT WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL AND WITH OTHER MEMBERS, UH, ABOUT OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
UM, SHANNON HELD A BRIEFING THIS MONDAY, UH, THIS PAST MONDAY THAT I PARTICIPATED IN WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATIONISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE ISSUE.
AND SO, AS THIS BILL MOVES TO THE HOUSE FLOOR AND ULTIMATELY THE SENATE, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING WITH MEMBERS TO TRY TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT PIECE, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T CREATE PROBLEMS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN THIS LAST BILL DOES NOT HAVE MOMENTUM, SO FORGIVE THE TITLE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I SHARE, OTHER THAN THE LOBBYING BILL, THIS IS ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
THIS IS THAT, UH, NON-VOTER APPROVED DEBT BILL THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO, UH, CAPTURE THAT UNDER THE DEBT PORTION OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE.
IT HAS NOT MOVED IN COMMITTEE.
WE CONTINUE TO PRESS ON COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THERE WERE BILLS POSTED FOR NEXT WEEK TO BE VOTED OUT, AND IT WAS NOT ON THE LIST.
SO, UM, WE CONTINUE TO BE HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
TWO OTHER THINGS, THIS IS NOT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BUT THE HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, UH, RELEASED WHAT THE MEDIA AT THE CAPITOL, UH, CHARACTERIZED AS A SCATHING REPORT ABOUT THE STATE'S RENT RELIEF PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY THAT IT'S, IT'S A MORE THAN $1 BILLION PROGRAM FEDERALLY FUNDED, AS YOU KNOW.
AND, UH, AND THERE HAVE BEEN 170,000 APPLICATIONS SO FAR, AND THEY'VE ONLY DOLED OUT RELIEF TO 250 INDIVIDUALS.
SO I SAY THAT TO YOU, UH, AS, AS A REASON FOR ALL OF YOU TO BE PROUD ABOUT
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WHAT WE'VE DONE LOCALLY AND HOW WE'VE DELIVERED IN, IN GETTING RELIEF TO THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE STATE PROGRAM HAS HAD SOME TROUBLES.NOW, IN FAIRNESS, IT LAUNCHED RIGHT BEFORE THE, UH, WINTER WEATHER EVENT, AND THEY'VE HAD SOFTWARE ISSUES THAT WERE ALL CAPTURED IN THE REPORT, BUT NONETHELESS, IT HAS UN UNDERPERFORMED TO DATE.
UM, ANOTHER BILL THAT HAS NOT YET HEARD A HEAR GOTTEN A HEARING, SO I DON'T KNOW IT'S PROSPECTS, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF IT.
THE SENATE BILL 2 64 FROM SENATOR MENENDEZ, IT WOULD CREATE A STATE AGENCY SIMILAR TO THE, UM, STATE AGENCY FOCUSED ON CANCER RESEARCH IN TEXAS.
IT WOULD CREATE A STATE AGENCY TO STUDY EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, VACCINES.
IT WOULD CREATE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE FUNDED BY BONDS IF APPROVED BY VOTERS ALL OVER THE STATE.
SO IT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT, UH, THAT WOULD GO BEFORE VOTERS TO ISSUE UP TO $3 BILLION IN BONDS TO CREATE, UH, THIS STATE AGENCY, THE TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE HERE LOCALLY, HAS BEEN FUNDAMENTALLY INVOLVED IN PUTTING THIS BILL TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH SENATOR MENENDEZ.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER MET WITH, UH, LARRY SCHLESINGER AND THAT GROUP THIS WEEK.
AND WE HAVE EXPRESSED OUR FULL THROATED SUPPORT, UH, TO SENATOR MENENDEZ OFFICE, UH, IF AND WHEN THAT BILL, UH, GETS A HEARING.
AND THEN FINALLY, WHILE WE'RE ON THE HEALTHCARE TOPIC, UH, NOT IN THE SLIDES, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.
THERE WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY BY A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF HOUSE MEMBERS, UH, ON HEALTHCARE RELATED BILLS.
THEY SPECIFICALLY LAID OUT A DOZEN DIFFERENT BILLS THAT HAVE THE SPEAKER'S SUPPORT.
UH, ONE IS THE, UM, POSTPARTUM, UH, COVERAGE THAT I TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.
ANOTHER IS A, A TELE TELEMEDICINE TELEHEALTH BILL.
UH, ANOTHER IS A, UM, WOULD ALLOW HOME HEALTH PROVIDERS TO GIVE VACCINES TO HOME BOUND SENIORS.
UM, ANOTHER, UH, CREATES AN OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY FOR THE STATE.
SO A NUMBER OF POSITIVE BILLS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TRACKING AND KEEPING YOU, UH, INFORMED ABOUT.
BUT, BUT THEY ALSO, THE OTHER TAKEAWAY OF THIS IS THAT IT APPEARS THAT THE IDEA OF A, UH, TEXAS ADOPTION OF MEDICAID OR EXPANSION OF MEDICAID CONTINUES TO BE GETTING PUSHED ASIDE FOR MORE OF A PIECEMEAL APPROACH TO ALL OF THIS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS OF THE SPEAKER ABOUT THAT, AND HE DEFERRED ON MOST OF THEM AND SAID, LOOK, IF, IF THEY, IF IT GETS TO THE FLOOR AND IT, WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, WE'LL DEBATE THAT THEN.
BUT FOR NOW, THESE ARE THE BILLS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, UH, MOVING.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST HEARD THIS MORNING THAT THE, UH, RAY LOPEZ BILL, REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ BILL, THAT WOULD ALLOW MEDICAID, UM, B A M C TO BILL, UH, UNDER MEDICAID, UH, IS SET FOR A HEARING ON TUESDAY.
UH, THE MAYOR HAD SENT A LETTER LAST WEEK, PRESSING THE CHAIRMAN OF, OF THE HUMAN SERVICES TO COMMITTEE TO GET THAT BILL ON THE AGENDA, AND IT IS NOW FOR TUESDAY.
SO I'LL BE WORKING WITH JUAN AND OUR PARTNERS AT J B SS A TO MAKE SURE WE ARE, UH, EXPRESSING OUR SUPPORT THERE.
AND SO WITH THAT, ERIC, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
UH, AS WE GO INTO THE SECOND PART, UM, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF AN OPENING HERE, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, I WAS REFLECTING AS I WAS WALKING OVER THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
WE WERE IN A MUCH DIFFERENT POSITION.
AND AS ANA WILL SHARE WITH YOU IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, UH, IT'S THE SAME, UH, AT, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN VERSUS THE CARES ACT, UH, THAT WAS APPROVED BY CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT LAST YEAR.
UM, WE ARE STILL WAITING, UH, AWAITING, UH, ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
BUT WE DO KNOW, UM, THAT, THAT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, UM, CERTAINLY HAS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE SHOULD BE, UH, BE CAREFULLY REVIEWING, UM, AND GOING THROUGH A VERY DELIBERATIVE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT IS THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE FUNDING STREAMS, UM, THAT WILL, THAT ARE FLOWING OUT OF THIS BILL, UH, OUT OF THIS LEGISLATION, UH, TO MULTIPLE PARTNERS POTENTIALLY.
AND SO, UNDERSTANDING THAT WILL BE CRITICAL AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, THE BALANCE, UH, THAT WE WILL STRIKE HERE, THE DIFFERENCE THAT I SEE BETWEEN THIS TIME LAST YEAR AND, AND, AND AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, IS THAT THE, THE RELIEF PROGRAM AND THE FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THE CARES ACT WAS VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF TIME.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY REMEMBERS YOU GUYS, THE COUNCIL HAD THREE BACK-TO-BACK MEETINGS IN THIS ROOM TO SET PRIORITIES.
AND ON THE FOURTH WEEK, YOU ADOPTED THE PLAN.
AND, AND, AND, AND THAT WAS OUR GUIDEPOST FOR THE YEAR.
IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT, UH, UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
AND, AND WE WILL, UH, UM, ANNA WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES.
I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UM, AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION TO HELP, UH, TO, TO IDENTIFY WHAT OUR DESIRED OUTCOMES
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ARE.UM, MOST OF THIS MONEY THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, UH, HAS A THREE AND A HALF YEAR TIMEFRAME, UH, NOT NINE MONTHS, LIKE LAST YEAR.
AND, AND I THINK LEVERAGING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE MAY HAVE.
I WAS ON A CALL YESTERDAY WITH A FOUNDATION, UM, AND, AND THERE I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF LEVERAGING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE MAY HAVE WITH PARTNER AGENCIES, WHETHER IN THE PUBLIC OR IN THE NON-PROFIT WORLD.
SO, UM, THIS MORNING'S PRESENTATION, UH, ANA WILL KIND OF WALK THROUGH WHAT WE KNOW AND KIND OF WHAT OUR PLAN IS AT THIS POINT.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A LARGE TOPIC FOR, FOR THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS, ANA, MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE TODAY IN PERSON.
UM, AS ERIC MENTIONED, I'M GONNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE WITH WHAT WE KNOW AS FAR AS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
UM, SO THIS BILL WAS SIGNED JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A MONTH AGO.
IT'S A $1.9 TRILLION PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
WE'VE BEEN MONITORING IT SINCE IT WAS BACK, UM, AT THE HOUSE AND SENATE, AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT WITH OUR FEDERAL, FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THIS VERY LARGE BILL.
SO IT DOES PROVIDE FUNDING IN SEVERAL AREAS, INCLUDING THOSE FUNDS TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST FUNDING WE'VE RECEIVED DIRECTLY SINCE THE CARES ACT.
UM, IT WILL BE A ADMINISTERED, AGAIN, THROUGH THE TREASURY, BUT WE KNOW AT THIS POINT THE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DIFFERENT AND HAVE, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN HOW WE'RE ABLE TO USE THESE FUNDS.
SO, JUST TO GIVE SOME LARGER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILL, AGAIN, $1.9 TRILLION.
IN ADDITION TO THE FUNDS FOR STATE AND LOCAL, WE KNOW THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
THERE ARE DOLLARS GOING TO K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS AND HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S BOTH MORE OF A TRADITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER AND SEWER, AS WELL AS BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, UTILITY ASSISTANCE FUNDING, UM, THE CONTINUANCE OF THE EMERGENCY PAID SICK LEAVE CREDITS.
SO THIS WAS ADDITIONALLY, UM, CAME THROUGH THE FAMILY'S FIRST ACT WHERE IT AUTHORIZED THE, UH, THE LEAVE FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY COVID, UM, AS WELL AS DIRECT STIMULUS PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS.
AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE P P P PROGRAM, WHICH IS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL $7.2 BILLION TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES, UM, AND SPECIFIC FUNDING FOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
SO, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE, THE STATE AND LOCAL RECOVERY FUND.
SO ROUGHLY ONE FIFTH OF THE TOTAL ALLOCATION IS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE BREAKOUT BETWEEN STATES, COUNTIES, UM, AND BOTH METRO AND OTHER CITIES.
SO, SAN ANTONIO WOULD FALL UNDER THE METRO CITIES, AND THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING DISPERSED USING A MODIFIED C D B G PROGRAM, WHEREAS COUNTY FUNDING IS BEING DISTRIBUTED BASED ON POPULATION ALONE.
SO THERE YOU'LL SEE A PROJECTED AWARD FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OF APPROXIMATELY $326 MILLION, UM, AND BEXAR COUNTY AT $388 MILLION.
AGAIN, THESE ARE PROJECTIONS THAT WERE RELEASED BY CONGRESS.
UM, TO DATE, THE CITY HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY OFFICIAL AWARD FROM THE TREASURY.
SO THESE ARE ESTIMATES WE'RE OPERATING OFF OF.
UH, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE LOOKING AT OVER $700 MILLION FLOWING INTO THE SAN ANTONIO BEAR COUNTY REGION.
SO IT DOES REPRESENT A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST IN THAT ONGOING RECOVERY.
UH, ANOTHER DIFFERENCE IN THIS BILL IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE RELEASED IN TWO TRANCHES.
UM, IT IS EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE THE FIRST TRANCHE 60 DAYS AFTER APPROVAL OF THE BILL, SO PROBABLY WITHIN THE MONTH OF MAY, UM, AND THE SECOND TRANCHE A YEAR LATER.
AND THEN, AS ERIC MENTIONED, THESE FUNDS ARE EXPECTED TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
SO WITHIN THE BILL ITSELF, IT DOES PROVIDE SOME BROAD DEFINITIONS OF ALLOWABLE USES OF THE STATE AND LOCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
UM, FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, IT DOES ALLOW FOR LOST REVENUE RECOVERY.
THIS IS A CRITICAL DIFFERENCE COMPARED TO THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS, WHICH EXPRESS EXPRESSLY DID NOT ALLOW THE USE FOR REVENUE RECOVERY.
UM, SIMILAR TO THE C R F FUNDS, IT DOES ALLOW FOR USE, UH, UM, TO ADDRESS ONGOING C OVID 19 RELATED EXPENDITURES, UM, AS WELL AS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHER HARD HIT INDUSTRIES.
UM, GOING BACK TO THE, IN, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING ALLOCATED, UM, WITHIN THIS BILL, YOU, WE ARE ALLOWED TO USE THESE FUNDS TO ADDRESS BOTH WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IT PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
SO, AGAIN, TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO TYPES OF FUNDING, UM, AGAIN, UNDER THE, THE C R F, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY SHORT TERM, UM, INJECTION INTO LOCAL, UH, GOVERNMENT BUDGETS TO, TO ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE CONCERNS OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE ONLY HAD NINE MONTHS TO SPEND THOSE, AS OPPOSED TO THE LOCAL RECOVERY FUNDS WHERE WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS TO SPEND THEM.
UM, C R F WAS RELEASED, STOLE AT ONCE THE LOCAL RECOVERY
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FUNDS IN TWO TRANCHES.UM, THE C R F FUNDS, THE COUNTY RECEIVED WHAT WAS NET OF THE CITY'S ALLOCATION.
SO WHEREAS THE CITY RECEIVED THE $270 MILLION, THE COUNTY RECEIVED AROUND $80 MILLION.
SO WITH THE LOCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, AS I SHOWED YOU, THOSE AMOUNTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL OVER $700 MILLION COMING INTO TO THE REGION.
UM, AND AGAIN, BEING ABLE TO USE THESE, THESE FUNDS FOR REVENUE REPLACEMENT IS, IS A CRITICAL DIFFERENCE.
SO BOTH BROOKINGS INSTITUTE AND THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION HAVE RECEIVED, UH, RELEASED SOME, SOME GUIDANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS ON TO CITIES ON HOW TO BEST LEVERAGE THESE FUNDS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY CREATED BY THEM.
AND, AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF, OF THE KEY FINDINGS THAT WERE ACTUALLY IN BOTH OF THEIR FINDINGS.
UM, THE FIRST BEING TO FOCUS ON REBUILDING THAT FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY.
WE KNOW THAT OUR REVENUES WERE IMPACTED BY C OVID 19 ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
AND BECAUSE THESE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR REVENUE, UM, REPLACEMENT, UH, A FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THAT AREA TO ENSURE THAT THE STABILITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY OF OUR BUDGETS, UM, SECOND, TO AVOID ADDING NEW PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ONGOING FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS.
SO WHILE WE DO HAVE THREE AND A HALF YEARS TO SPEND THESE FUNDS, THEY ARE ONE TIME IN NATURE, UM, THERE'S NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT, THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THINKING OF HOW CAN WE USE THESE FUNDS FOR ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE ONGOING YEAR OVER YEAR EXPENSES, UM, TO, AGAIN, TO, TO ENHANCE OUR BUDGETARY STABILITY.
AND THIS REALLY WORKS WITH THE FIRST ITEM OF SPREADING OUT THE FUSE OF THOSE FUNDS OVER THE ENTIRE THREE YEARS.
UM, AGAIN, THE, THE DIFFERENCE WITH C R F BEING, WE ONLY HAD THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFUL IN HOW WE USE THOSE FUNDS.
AND, AND G F O A HAS EVEN NOTED THAT RATING AGENCIES WILL LOOK AT HOW CITIES USE THESE FUNDS TO DETERMINE THEIR CREDIT ANALYSIS, AND ARE THEY SPREADING THEM OUT TO STABILIZE THEIR BUDGETS FOR THE LONG TERM.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, TO PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
I SHOWED YOU LOTS OF AREAS WHERE THE FUND FUNDING IS GONNA COME FROM, AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT ALL GONNA COME TO THE CITY.
SO HOW CAN WE WORK WITH THE OTHER PARTNERS WE HAVE IN THE REGION TO LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS MOVING FORWARD? I DID WANNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO TALK ABOUT REVENUE LOSS.
UM, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, LIKE MANY OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUSINESSES AND EVEN RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY C OVID 19.
UH, WE'VE EXPERIENCED REVENUE DECLINES IN THE GENERAL FUND, IN THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, AND IN OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDS, INCLUDING THE AIRPORT.
UH, AND ON THIS CHART, YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE COMPARED OUR REVENUES COLLECTED IN 2019 TO BOTH, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND 2021, THAT THE ESTIMATED IMPACT IS ABOUT $250 MILLION.
OF THAT 39 MILLION HAS BEEN IMPACTED IN THE GENERAL FUND.
WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT 125 MILLION IMPACTING THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, AND 82 MILLION IN OUR OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDS, INCLUDING THE AIRPORT.
THE USE OF OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE REVENUE LOSS PROVIDES THE CITY THE ABILITY TO MITIGATE FUTURE PLAN REDUCTIONS FOR 2022, RESTORE OUR BUDGET STABILITY, AND POTENTIALLY AVOID, UH, FUTURE REDUCTIONS IN OUR OTHER FUNDS, INCLUDING THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND.
SO THERE ARE THE OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES WITHIN THE VERY LARGE BILL THAT WE KNOW WILL BE COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE KNOW SOME OF THESE FUNDS WILL COME DIRECTLY TO THE CITY, BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE KNOW SOME OF THEM WILL BE GOING TO K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS TO VIA AND, AND TO THE COUNTY.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE FULL DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE BILL, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE, THESE FUNDS WILL BE, U CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THOSE ONGOING NEEDS THAT WERE INITIALLY ADDRESSED USING THOSE C R F DOLLARS.
UM, SO WITH, WITHIN THIS BILL, THERE ARE LOTS OF DEDICATED FUNDING STREAMS, AND INSTEAD OF HAVING TO ALLOCATE FROM THAT TRANCHE GIVEN DIRECTLY TO THE CITY, IT IS, UH, WE NEED TO LOOK TO LEVERAGE THESE MORE, MORE SPECIFIC USE DOLLARS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE FUNDING COMING TOGETHER.
SO IN THE LONG RUN, IT CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THOSE LOCAL RECOVERY DOLLARS TO ADDRESS OTHER NEEDS THAT HAVE EMERGED BEYOND THOSE LISTED.
SO AS FAR AS A PROPOSED, UM, STRATEGY FOR THE USE OF FUNDS AT THIS POINT, UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND ADDRESSING THOSE REVENUE LOSS ISSUES AND, AND, AND APPROPRIATING SOME OF THIS FUNDING FOR REVENUE LOSS REPLACEMENT.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE REBUILDING THE STABILITY IN OUR BUDGET, UM, AND THEN ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PRIORITIZE THE
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ONGOING NEEDS, UH, THAT IDENTIFYING STRATEGIC PROJECTS TO FURTHER WHAT WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED WITHIN OUR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN.THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN IS STILL GOING ON.
WE'RE STILL MONITORING IT AND SPENDING AND, AND WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO USE THESE FUNDS TO, TO FURTHER THAT, UM, IS, IS SOMETHING WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
AND THEN DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS TO LEVERAGE AND AUGMENT THAT FUNDING.
AGAIN, THERE'S SO MUCH OUT THERE AND TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHO ARE THE PLAYERS AND HOW TO WORK WITH THEM IS GOING TO HAVE A, AN IMPACT ON, ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR FEDERAL FUND, UH, PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THE FUNDING.
TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FUNDING OR ANY NOTIFICATION OF FUNDING, BUT WE WOULD EXPECT WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS, UM, WITHIN THE BILL, THERE ARE SOME, UM, IN SOME AREAS IT IS DIRECTED TO GET THE FUNDING OUT IN 60 DAYS.
SO WE WOULD LOOK IN THE MAY TIMELINE TO UNDERSTAND MORE IN, IN TERMS OF THE, THE AMOUNT COMING TO THE CITY.
UM, WE WILL VALIDATE THE, THE REVENUE LOSS PROJECTIONS.
UM, THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE WE'RE REALLY WAITING FOR THE, THE TREASURY GUIDANCE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THOSE PARAMETERS, AND IN ORDER TO DETERMINE, UM, WHAT IS OUR ELIGIBLE REVENUE LOSS TO BE REPLACED, UH, THEN PRIORITIZING THOSE ONGOING NEEDS, IDENTIFYING THE POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS, UM, IN DEVELOPING A PROCESS IN ORDER TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS, AND TO BE ABLE TO KEEP YOU INFORMED ALONG THE WAY AS WE ULTIMATELY, ULTIMATELY MOVE FORWARD, UM, TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS AND, AND HELP THE COMMUNITY.
MAYOR, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
AND OF COURSE, JEFF AND I ARE HERE FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, ANA.
AND, UM, JEFF, LET ME FIRST START WITH THE, UM, WITH THE UPDATE ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T, UM, NEED YOU.
UH, I THINK THE TEAM'S BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB.
I THINK THERE'S, UM, UH, SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF SURPRISE THAT IT'S NOT AS BLOODY YET.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD REST ON THAT.
UH, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE WILL LIKELY BE A, UH, SPECIAL SESSION.
AND SO AS WE ARE, UH, WORKING ON THE BILLS RIGHT NOW, I DO THINK THAT THE I G R UH, COMMITTEE IS GONNA BE VERY BUSY, UH, AND WORKING TOWARDS AN AGENDA, UH, FOR A POTENTIAL SPECIAL SESSION THAT INCLUDES, UH, REDISTRICTING AND, AND MANY, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE SUCCESSFULLY STAVE OFF, AT LEAST IN THE, IN THE ORIGINAL SESSION.
UM, LET ME GO TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND WHAT WE'RE, UH, LOOKING AT HERE AS WE GET MORE CLARITY ON, ON THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS, JUST AS WE DID LAST MONTH IN TAKING A STEP BACK AND TALKING ABOUT OUR BOND PROGRAM AND WHAT KIND OF STRATEGIC OUTCOMES WE WANT TO ACHIEVE, UH, BEYOND JUST A LIST OF PROJECTS, I DO THINK THAT, UH, THIS IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON WITH REGARD TO HOW WE ALLOCATE THE VARIOUS RELIEF FUNDS, UH, FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, AND THESE OTHER DOLLARS THAT ARE IN, IN MORE SPECIFIC, UH, FUNDS.
SO, A COUPLE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND.
UM, NUMBER ONE, AS AS YOU BOTH STATED, THERE ARE MULTIPLE REVENUE STREAMS, UH, GEARED TOWARDS TACKLING SOME OF OUR CRITICAL NEEDS.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE AROUND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, I THINK IS OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T, UM, INADVERTENTLY BEGIN TO SPEND MONEY, NUMBER ONE THAT ISN'T PERMITTED, BUT ALSO, UH, TWO THAT IS DUPLICATIVE OF SOME OTHER REVENUE STREAM THAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE SECOND, UH, IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING.
SO, UH, I'VE ALREADY BEGUN CONVERSATIONS WITH JUDGE WOLF.
I EXPECT THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE MANY DEEP CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE COURT, AS WELL AS OTHER AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL COVERING OUR BASES, BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT, UH, TWO OF US STANDING ON THE SAME BASE.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT HAS, UH, THAT PROVIDES US A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS WE'VE SEEN DURING THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PROGRAM.
IT WAS THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WORKING TOGETHER, UH, COLLABORATIVELY AS ONE UNIT, UH, THAT ALLOWED US TO, UH, DO SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE THINGS, INCLUDING, UH, THE LARGEST EMERGENCY HOUSING RELIEF PROGRAM, UH, IN THE STATE, FOR SURE, PERHAPS EVEN IN THE NATION, UH, ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WORK THAT WE DID, UH, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, TAKING THAT SAME APPROACH OF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER AGENCIES, UH, AS A COLLABORATIVE UNIT, UM, AS WE DETERMINE THE BEST USE OF THESE FUNDS, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT, UH, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD ALSO, I THINK, UM, STRATEGICALLY ABOUT
[01:00:01]
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.UH, WE ARE COMING OFF OF A DEVASTATING CRISIS, ACTUALLY, MULTIPLE CRISES.
AND CLEARLY SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
UH, WE ALREADY KNEW THEY WERE THERE.
UH, BUT THIS CITY, UH, THIS COMMUNITY HAS REALLY RALLIED AROUND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES OF OUR, OF OUR CITY AND OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AS WE LOOK TOWARDS WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE, UH, A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND HOW WE RECOVER FROM THIS CRISIS, I WOULD ASK FOR US TO, TO THINK THE SAME.
UM, WORKING TOGETHER, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING OPPORTUNITIES, THINKING ABOUT THE LOCAL REVENUE THROUGH OUR BOND PROGRAMS, OUR ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE STATE AND FEDERAL RELIEF THAT IS GONNA HAVE TO BE UNWOUND A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF THE RULES AND REGULATION.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO BE DELIBERATIVE, TO BE THOUGHTFUL, BUT ALSO TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, UH, AND FOR, UH, ENSURING THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUFFERING SO LONG DURING THIS CRISIS ALSO RECEIVE, UH, FULL RELIEF AND RECOVERY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.
I, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP A PROCESS, ERIC, UH, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND, UM, PERHAPS AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE BUDGET SEASON, WE'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY.
UH, BUT THE GOOD NEWS THERE IS THAT, UH, THESE FUNDS, UH, HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE OF, UM, 2024.
IN TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES, UM, OR MY PEERS, UH, IN OTHER CITIES, UH, THEY'RE ALSO, UH, GONNA BE TAKING A VERY DELIBERATIVE APPROACH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY THO THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, UH, BEFORE THEY EMBARK.
SO WE'LL DO A LOT OF THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
I'D ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO DIG IN, UH, AND TO BE PREPARED FOR, UM, PERHAPS SOME COMPLICATED BUDGETARY CONVERSATIONS OVER, OVER THE INTERVENING PERIOD.
SO, UH, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.
UH, THE LAST THING I DO WANNA SAY THOUGH IS THANK YOU TO OUR I G R TEAM, UH, JEFF, UH, SALLY, ANA, EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING IN THE I G R STAFF, ALONG WITH OUR COMMITTEE, UH, CHAIRMAN PIAS.
THE REASON WHY, UH, WE ARE RECEIVING SUCH LEVEL OF RELIEF, UM, IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT LOCAL LEVELS, IS BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK OF PEOPLE.
UM, ON THIS TEAM, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST VOCAL AND ACTIVE I G R UNITS IN THE STATE, AND THE BIG CITIES OF TEXAS HAVE BEEN THE MOST VOCAL ADVOCATES FOR LOCAL RELIEF IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE'RE HEARING THAT FROM, UH, FROM OUR DC PARTNERS AS WELL AS OUR, OUR STATEWIDE PARTNERS.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR SAN ANTONIO.
UH, IT'S ALSO GOOD NEWS FOR AMERICA.
AND, UH, A HARDY, UH, THANK YOU.
AND WITH THAT, LEMME TURN IT OVER TO OUR CHAIRMAN COUNCIL MEMBER PLY.
ONE, JEFF AND ANA AND SALLY GUYS ARE DOING YEOMAN'S WORK.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU, I'M DAYS EVEN UP AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THAT STORIES BEING TOLD, UH, THAT SHOULD ALSO NOT, THE SACRIFICE OF YOU GUYS MAKING AND LEAVING IN OUR OWN FIELD IS NOT GOING ON UNNOTICED.
I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US AS WE SPEAK TO OUR VOTERS AND OUR TAXPAYERS OUT THERE, UH, THAT WE REMIND THEM THAT THE MONEY THAT IS COMING FROM WASHINGTON, DC AND THE MONEY THEY'RE COMING BACK FROM, UH, AUSTIN, THIS IS NOT NEW MONEY OR MONEY.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WE'VE PAID IN THE FORM OF, UH, PAYROLL TAXES, INCOME TAXES, GASOLINE TAX.
THIS IS MONEY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PAID BY US, SENT TO WASHINGTON, AUSTIN.
IF WE DON'T GET IT BACK, SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA GET IT.
I DON'T THINK SAN ANTONIO LOOK FAVORABLY UPON THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR MONEY TO UPGRADE, UH, VIRGINIA'S AIRPORT, UH, OR
AND THIS IS OUR MONEY THAT IF WE DON'T GET IT,
SO, WITH THAT SAID, THE ONLY WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING THAT MONEY BACK WITH THE HELP OF THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE HIRE, THE LOBBYISTS IN DC, AUSTIN, UH, ANYBODY, TO SUGGEST SOMEHOW THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF OUR OWN FOLKS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THERE'S NO CLUE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING.
UM, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, CREATION OF REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY THAT ONLY EXIST, I HIRED THE RIGHT SET OF LOBBYISTS TO GO TWIST ARM.
PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO KEEP, UM, THAT CLOSED AIR FORCE BASE,
[01:05:01]
UM, THRIVE, RIGHT? UM, LOBBYISTS HAVE HELPED OTHER BASES HERE GETTING BRACKED LOBBYISTS HELP US HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT VIOLENCE AND SWIM ATTACKS SEEMS TO BE REAUTHORIZED.LOBBYISTS, HELP US EDUCATE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF NONS SANITATION STAFFERS, AGENCY HEADS, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM OTHER, UM, AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP SAN ANTONIO IN MIND.
BECAUSE OUR WELLBEING CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR, UM, THESE EVIDENCED BY THESE NUMBERS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY, LET'S BRING HOME HUNDREDS, MILLIONS OF
FOOD FOR OUR MOST IS EXPANSION AND REPAIR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, MONEY FOR DISASTER.
SO JUST LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST, BECAUSE OF OUR LAWS, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OUR OWN TAX DOLLARS FROM THE CARES ACT.
NOW, THE A R P THINGS LIKE SMALL BUSINESSES REMIND YOU, THIS
I KNOW THAT THERE'S THESE, UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PIA.
UM, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I DID ALSO FORGET TO THANK ONE OF OUR KEY MEMBERS UP THERE IN AUSTIN, TOO.
AND, AND SO LET ME THANK CHRISTINE WRIGHT, WHO'S DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
SHE'S NOT HERE BECAUSE SHE'S, UH, KICKING BUTT UP IN AUSTIN.
UM, LET ME GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
CHRISTINE WRIGHT WAS FIRST ON MY LIST TO THANK HER AND ALL OF HER WORK.
AND I WOULD SAY SHE'S PROBABLY GOING THROUGH SOME BLOODY FIGHTS RIGHT NOW, UM, ON A DAILY BASIS, JUST BEING UP THERE.
SO I WANT TO THANK HER FOR ALL OF HER WORK.
I, I DO WANNA START WITH THE, UM, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE HERE AND LOOKING AT OUR PROJECTED AWARDS AS, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY'S PROJECTED AWARDS.
AND TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, IT WAS OUR VOICE COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND WE WERE RELENTLESS IN MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD TO SAY THAT WE NEEDED THESE DOLLARS TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE CITIES, ALL CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES OF ALL SIZES, UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT MONEY TO GET BOTTLED UP OR, UM, STUCK AT THE STATE.
AND SO THAT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.
AND I KNOW, UM, WHAT WE HAVE OUTLINED HERE.
ANNA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT AND THE PROCESS.
AND TO YOUR POINT, WE DO NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
SO I'M GLAD THAT'S PART OF, OF, UM, HOW WE ARE GOING TO OUR STRATEGY WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS IN LEVERAGING AND AUGMENTING ALL OF THE FUNDING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA AND I WERE JUST ON A HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, I THINK TWO DAYS AGO, TALKING, GETTING AN UPDATE ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, BUT ALSO THE AMERICAN JOBS PLAN.
AND I KNOW THAT N L C DOES THESE MEETINGS EVERY SINGLE FRIDAY BECAUSE WE KNOW THINGS ARE CHANGING, OR WE GET UPDATES EVERY SINGLE WEEK SO THAT THEY HAVE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR US.
SO THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE, ARE IN IT AND WORKING THROUGH THAT.
SO I KNOW I'M LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET AND JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE MAYBE IN THE PAST WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESSNESS, WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR LINE ITEM BUDGET FOR HOMELESSNESS.
HOW CAN WE USE THESE, UH, FEDERAL DOLLARS WHEN IN THE TRANCHE OF HOMELESSNESS TO DEAL WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE, WITH THE CITY AND OUR BUDGET IN PARTICULAR.
I KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO PUT ON THE LIST IN THINKING ABOUT, UH, PRIORITIES WHEN WE'RE, WHEN, UH, ONE OF THE AREAS WAS, LEMME GET THIS RIGHT, IT WAS ABOUT, UH, WATER AND THE WATER LINES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS AT LOW INCOME WATER AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE.
AS WE LOOK THROUGH THAT, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE, UH, TALKING TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS
[01:10:01]
AND SEEING HOW MUCH WE CAN GET FOR THAT.UM, LOW INCOME WATER AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT LINES, INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER LINES IN THE SOUTH, IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF SAN ANTONIO OR SOUTH OF FOUR 10, WHERE WE NEED THIS ACCESS.
AND THE FAMILIES AREN'T JUST LIVING BY, UM, THOSE RIOS PLANT, BUT ACTUALLY HAVE LINES TO CITY WATER THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE, UM, A VERY BIG CHARGE OR BURDEN TO THEM FINANCIALLY TO GET CONNECTED TO CITY LINES.
SO MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE, GETTING ACCESS TO WATER, UM, THAT WAY.
AND, UH, AND WORKING WITH FINDING THE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND DOLLARS FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON, UH, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR, OUR, OUR DOLLARS HERE.
SO THAT'S, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS AND WHERE WE CAN, WE CAN LEVERAGE THE DOLLARS FIRST, AND THAT'S THEIR, UM, RECOMMENDATION, THE BROOKINGS, BUT ALSO N L C TO USE ALL OF THOSE OTHER TRANCHES OF FLOWS OF INCOME BEFORE WE START, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IT TOWARDS OUR OWN CITY, UM, BUDGET.
SO I THINK, OR USING THAT MONEY FOR IT.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, THE COUNTY ON THIS.
'CAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF COORDINATION TALKING TO ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS YESTERDAY, KNOWING THAT WE CAN DO A LOT TOGETHER IN COORDINATION.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHY WE HAVE OUR I G R COMMITTEE TOO, TOGETHER.
AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT AND THE TRANSPORTATION BILL THAT WE'RE COMING FORWARD WITH.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND A LOT OF YES, RESCUING FOR THE CITIZENS AND SAN ANTONIANS IN TEXAS AS, UH, THE CHAIR WAS MENTIONING THAT THIS IS HERE AND WE HAVE PAID OUR TAXES, AND THAT'S TAXES, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO I HAVE TO DO MY, UH, ALSO THANK PRESIDENT BIDEN AND ALL OF THOSE WHO VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS, SO WE CAN HAVE THIS AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STATE.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STATE HERE, PLEASE.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, THE BROADBAND MONEY, UH, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, WELL, BROADBAND AND EMERGENCY HOUSING AND EVICTIONS AND THESE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT COME DOWN TO THE, THE, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO I KNOW AT THE, ALSO IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, WE HAVE BROADBAND DOLLARS COMING IN THERE, BUT I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COORDINATED WITH THE STATE AGAIN.
SO WHAT ARE, WHERE'S THE STATE COMING TO PUT THAT MONEY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALREADY, YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT, BUT CAN YOU GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ON THAT, PLEASE? SURE.
COUNCIL, AND IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND A, AND AN IMPORTANT ONE, A NUMBER OF THE FUNDING STREAMS IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, AS WELL AS THE RELIEF PACKAGE FROM DECEMBER FLOW TO STATES, UH, NOT DIRECTLY TO LOCALS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL OF THEM.
BROADBAND BEING ONE, THE, THE STATE HOUSING, UH, FUNDING BEING ANOTHER.
UM, I, I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT, THAT BROADBAND MONEY IS NOT GOING TO BE USED.
UH, I, I THINK IF THIS WORKS THE WAY IT SHOULD, THE LEGISLATURE IS CREATING AN OFFICE, BROADBAND STATE BROADBAND OFFICE, CREATING A SERIES OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE, THE PROCESS OF GOING OUT AND MAPPING THE WHOLE STATE, UH, CREATING A GRANT PROGRAM WITH SOME, UH, PARAMETERS AROUND DEDICATING GRANTS TO AREAS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED.
THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE, IN THE BILL.
AND SO IN THEORY, WHEN THE LEGISLATURE PASSES THIS, IT WILL HAVE STOOD UP AN OFFICE AND A PROGRAM THAT, THAT THEN THE STATE CAN USE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS IT'S RECEIVED TO DELIVER ON.
WE THINK THAT'S HOW IT'LL WORK, BUT, UH, BUT WE DON'T WANNA TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE STARTED TO WORK THAT INTO OUR MESSAGE THAT WE WANNA SEE THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS COME DOWN AND PLUG THE GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'LL BE A BIG FIGHT BETWEEN RURAL AND MAYBE IN URBAN CORES WHERE THERE IS DISPARITY IN THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE, UM, CONTINUING TO MAKE OUR ISSUE OF THAT, THAT DISPARITY WITHIN THE URBAN CORE THAT EXISTS TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
THIS CONVERSATION STARTED BEFORE THE SESSION BEING FOCUSED ON RURAL.
AND THE, THE, THE, THE NEEDS IN URBAN COMMUNITIES ARE RECOGNIZED NOW, I THINK IS FAIR TO SAY.
THE BUILD IS NOT BETWEEN RURAL, RURAL OR URBAN.
IT BASICALLY IDENTIFIES AREAS WHERE, UH, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS.
[01:15:01]
THAT COULD BE URBAN, RURAL OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.SO IS THERE ANY OTHER CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, UH, DEALING WITH ERCOT AND CHANGING THE, OR MAKING IMPROVEMENTS? UH, YES AND NO.
I DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK, SO I, I DIDN'T FRESHEN UP ON THAT BEFORE WE WALKED IN HERE.
BUT THERE WERE BILLS THAT CHANGED THE GOVERNANCE OF IT, UH, GOVERNANCE OF P U C, AND I BELIEVE ERCOT AS WELL.
I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK, BUT WHERE THEY REQUIRE THE BOARD TO BE FROM TEXAS, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THEY EXPANDED THE P U C BOARD FROM THREE TO FIVE, THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT A, UH, CHANGE TO THE MARKET STRUCTURE THAT ERCOT CREATES IN THE STATE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL DEBATE AROUND THAT.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES AT THE REAL HIGHEST LEVELS THAT THE LEADERSHIP WOULD BE DEALING WITH.
BUT, UM, WE'VE NOT SEEN LEGISLATION.
I, I'M NOT AWARE OF LEGISLATION MOVING THAT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF REALLY ADDRESSES THE MARKET FORCES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRISIS IN FEBRUARY.
SO YOU MENTIONED, UM, SO YOU DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT ANY VOTER SUPPRESSION BILLS COMING FORWARD.
IS THAT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T MOVEMENT ON IT THIS WEEK OR JUST RIGHT.
SO, UM, THE SENATE BILL, AS YOU KNOW, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, PASSED THE SENATE, SENATE BILL SEVEN.
UH, SINCE THEN, I GUESS THE, THE, THE DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK RELATED TO THAT HAVE BEEN SORT OF OUTSIDE THE LEGISLATURE.
A NUMBER OF OF LARGE COMPANIES HAVE SPOKEN UP AND EXPRESSED, UH, OPPOSITION TO IT.
UM, YOU SAW PROBABLY WHAT HAPPENED IN GEORGIA WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PULLING ITS ALL-STAR GAME OUT OF THE STATE.
UH, NOT THE SAME LEGISLATION, BUT, UH, THEY'RE TYPICALLY THROWN IN THE SAME BUCKET.
UM, THE, UH, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HELD A, A VERY FIERY PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK ATTACKING ANYBODY WHO MIGHT QUESTION THESE, UH, VOTER INTEGRITY BILLS.
UH, AND THAT GENERATED A LOT OF ATTENTION.
UM, BEYOND THAT, I HAVEN'T SEEN A WHOLE LOT OF LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT ON IT.
THE SENATE BILL WILL MOVE TO THE HOUSE.
THE HOUSE BILL, AS YOU RECALL, HAD, UH, BEEN TRIPPED UP BY SOME PROCEDURAL ERRORS IN COMMITTEE AND, AND, UM, SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO WATCH THAT.
THE COUNTY, UH, IS OUR, IS OUR LEAD ON THIS.
THE ELECTIONS ARE A COUNTY FUNCTION.
SO I'M, CHRISTINE AND I ARE TALKING TO MELISSA.
AND, AND, AND WORKING WITH THEM ON THEIR POSITIONS.
AND I KNOW THEY DID PUT SOMETHING, THEY DID SEND SOMETHING, A RESOLUTION, OR THEY PASSED IT ON TUESDAY.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA ASK THAT WE CONSIDER A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORTING THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS AT, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, SO WE CAN COVER EVERYTHING, UM, STATE AND FEDERAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
THAT'LL MAKE YOU STOP TALKING, WON'T IT? UM, YEAH.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION, ANA AND FOR THE TEAM FOR DOING ALL THAT WORK ON THIS.
A COUPLE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE A R P PRESENTATION.
THERE IS A SUMMARY OF REVENUE LOSS.
UH, YOU'VE GOT GENERAL H O T AND RESTRICTED.
COULD YOU REMIND ME WHAT SOME OF THE RESTRICTED LOSSES WERE? UH, THOSE RESTRICTED LOSSES WOULD BE IN OUR PARKING FUND, THE MARKET SQUARE FUND, UM, MARIA.
OH, MUNICIPAL COURT FINES AND FEES.
AND SO I, IN THE PRESENTATION, IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, VERIFYING, UH, VALIDATING THE REVENUE LOSS AND POSSIBLY USING IT, USING THE REVENUES TO REPLACE THAT.
SO, UH, DO YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, A FULL REPLACEMENT OF THAT OR A, IF, IF YOU CAN, OR A PARTIAL REPLACEMENT, AND THEN USING THE REST OF IT FOR THESE, SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED? UH, YES.
COUNCILWOMAN, WHAT WE ARE AN ANTICIPATING IS THAT IT'LL BE A FULL REPLACEMENT OF REVENUE LOSS.
SO ON THE SLIDE THAT ANNA SHOWED, THERE WAS $250 MILLION THAT IS ESTIMATED IN REVENUE LOSS.
THE AIRPORT IS GETTING SPECIFIC FUND TO ADDRESS AIRPORT NEEDS.
SO IF YOU REMOVE THAT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $175 MILLION BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, AND OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDS.
SO A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL WOULD BE TO ALLOW FOR THE FULL, UH, REPLACEMENT OF THAT REVENUE LOSS.
WITH THAT SAID, ONCE WE GET THE GUIDANCE FROM THE US TREASURY, WE WOULD LIKE TO VALIDATE OUR ESTIMATES, UH, ONCE WE HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON WHAT'S ELIGIBLE IN, IN THE CALCULATION AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT ON, UM, YOU LISTED OTHER POTENTIAL, UH, CATEGORIES OF FUNDING THAT WOULD COME,
[01:20:01]
OR THINGS THAT IT COULD BE USED FOR? SORRY, LET ME GET, UH, SLIDE, UM, SLIDE 10.OTHER POTENTIAL A R P FUNDING TO COME COMING TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND ON THAT YOU HAVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT OR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THE COUNTY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, OVERSEES THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, BUT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT MONEY GOING THERE OR HERE, ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE HELPFUL? YEAH, THE, THE BILL DOESN'T, UM, SPECIFICALLY OUTLINE WHERE THE FUNDS WITH FLOW COUNCILMAN, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THAT THERE'S $4 BILLION ALLOCATED WITHIN THE BILL.
WOULD LOVE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THAT'S GOING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, POLICE REVIEW.
I THINK THAT COULD BE A, THAT COULD HELP US DESIGN WHERE WE GO WITH, WITH THAT.
SO, WELL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL ADD JUST THAT, THAT, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION I WAS ON YESTERDAY, BECAUSE AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH THE MEADOWS THROUGH TRACK MM-HMM.
I'M, I'M JUMPING UP AND DOWN INSIDE OF ME.
YOU JUST CAN'T SEE IT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY ON THIS TYPE OF FUNDING, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, REPLACING REVENUE LOSS, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARTS OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH WAS AFFECTED WAS OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
RIGHT? UH, AND IF WE WERE TO REPLACE IT, UH, CAN WE USE THIS MONEY IN A, UH, AS OPPOSED TO A LOW BID, DO A C S P TYPE OF BID? IF WE WANTED TO USE THE MONEY FOR STREETS, I KNOW I'M, I'M, I'M JUMPING TO A LOT OF CONCLUSIONS HERE, BUT, BUT WHAT I'M GETTING AT, HOW CAN WE KEEP THIS MONEY LOCAL AND GIVE OURSELVES LASTING IMPROVEMENTS, ALMOST LIKE A WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION IF WE'RE ABLE TO, TO REPLACE IT, BUT THE MONEY WOULD HAVE TO STAY LOCAL IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY FLEXIBILITY IN THAT WAY? COUNCILWOMAN? I THINK THAT IS GREAT INPUT FOR US AS WE ARE DEVELOPING A STRATEGY ON HOW TO USE THOSE FUNDS.
AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THE GUIDANCE FROM THE US TREASURY, BUT WE CAN INCORPORATE YOUR INPUT, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF US PREPARING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL.
AND THEN I, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON SOME BILLS.
JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, FOR GIVING US A QUICK UPDATE ON 41 39, THE OFFICE FOR HEALTH EQUITY, THE CREATION OF THAT.
DO YOU SEE THAT GETTING ANY MOMENTUM AND HOW CAN SOME OF US GET INVOLVED IN TESTIFYING FOR IT? I DO.
UM, IT, IT, UH, THIS PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY WAS WITH THE SPEAKER AND WITH A SIGNIFICANT, UH, WITH A GROUP OF SIGNIFICANT MEMBERS, I WILL SAY BIPARTISAN, UH, MEMBERS IN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPONSOR OF THAT BILL IS REPRESENTATIVE GARNET COLEMAN, AND HE'S A CHAIRMAN IN THE HOUSE.
UM, UH, I HAVEN'T STUDIED THAT BILL CLOSELY AT THIS POINT.
I, I KNOW THAT HE, SEVERAL SESSIONS AGO, PASSED A BILL THAT CREATED A DISPARITY TASK FORCE.
AND SO THIS SORT OF REBRANDS THAT, AND I, AND I BELIEVE ADDS SOME OTHER ELEMENTS TO IT.
SO WE'LL GET A REPORT ON THAT AND, AND SHARE IT WITH YOU.
SO WHEN IT COMES UP FOR HEARING, WE'RE HAPPY TO COMMUNICATE THAT, UH, FOR ANY OF YOU WHO WANT TO COME UP.
UH, AND I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT STORY TO TELL ABOUT OUR FOCUS ON HEALTH EQUITY HERE.
UM, SO SHORT ANSWER IS WE CAN DO ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN.
WE CAN REGISTER SUPPORT FOR IT, WE CAN SUBMIT A LETTER FOR IT.
AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO DO, WE'LL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT AND KEEP YOU INFORMED.
I, I WOULD, IF THERE'S ROOM FOR THAT IN OUR, UM, IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YES, HEALTH IS A HUGE FOCUS ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN LASTLY, I, I DID SPEAK TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE I G R ON THIS, BUT, BUT I DID JUST WANT TO ASK IF YOU COULD PROVIDE US AN UPDATE ON HB 1911.
IT'S A BILL THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE 21 AND OVER TO CARRY WITHOUT A PERMIT.
AND WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS MOMENTUM.
[01:25:01]
UH, GUN RIGHTS IS NOT IN OUR STATE PROGRAM.UH, SO WE'RE NOT TRACKING THAT AS CLOSELY OKAY.
I CAN GO LOOK IT UP AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE IN PAST SESSIONS.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, LOOSELY CALLED CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY, MEANING THAT YOU DON'T NEED A LICENSE TO CARRY A GUN, YOU JUST HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, WHICH TAKES AWAY THE REGULATION OF FIREARM POSSESSION.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THAT BILL DOES.
UM, WITH ALL OF THE THINGS ON THE PLATE THIS SESSION, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A REAL, UH, A REAL ISSUE.
UM, SO IT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF MAKING IT THROUGH.
IT MIGHT NOT, I HATE TO PREDICT, BUT MM-HMM.
SO IN THIS SESSION WHERE THAT'S NOT REALLY A MAJOR FOCUS, UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, BUT OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR INSIGHT ON THAT.
AND, UH, YES, PLEASE KEEP US APPRISED ON THE HEALTH EQUITY OFFICE BILL.
WOULD LOVE TO BE HELPFUL IN THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER ROTO GARCIA.
THANK YOU TO ANA AND JEFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BY THE WAY, JEFF, JEFF, WHOEVER TOOK YOUR, UH, WHOEVER'S YOUR ACTION PHOTOGRAPHER, UH, DID A GREAT JOB.
YOU ALL LOOK LIKE THE JUSTICE LEAGUE, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, GENERAL AYALA AND YOU AND SENATOR MENENDEZ.
UM, SO, SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME THE OTHER DAY TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON.
I KNOW THAT YOU WERE MAKING A GOOD USE OF YOUR DRIVE TIME TO AUSTIN, SO, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M ALSO INTERESTED SPECIFICALLY IN US ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESS.
THERE'S, IN THE SLIDE SLIDE NUMBER SIX, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESS HOUSEHOLDS AND HARD HIT INDUSTRIES.
TELL ME ABOUT THE HO HOUSEHOLDS PART IN THERE.
UM, WAS THERE A REASON THAT, THAT, THAT WAS INCLUDED? I'M, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MAYBE LIKE, UM, HOW IT WAS GROUPED INTO THAT.
SO, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, THAT IS INCLUDED WITHIN THE USES OF THE BILL.
UM, IT, IT, IT'S THE PROVISION.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE GUIDANCE FROM THE TREASURY TO DEFINE WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, AND SO WE CAN MAKE PLANS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE GONNA GIMME THE SAME ANSWER, SUPPORT FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
AND SO DO THEY AT LEAST HAVE DEFINED WHO ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE? ARE WE GOING WITH THE C D C GUIDE GUIDELINES ESSENTIAL WORKERS? NOT AS DETAILED AS THE C D C, NO.
AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE WAITING FOR GUIDANCE IN THAT ONE.
AND THEN ALSO YOU HAVE HERE THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED IN IN TWO.
DO YOU ANY INSIGHT ON MAYBE WHEN, SO THE FIRST TRANCHE, IT'S SPELLED OUT WITHIN THE LEGISLATION THAT THE TREASURIES TO RELEASE IT WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE BILL BEING SIGNED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING MID-MAY TIMEFRAME.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM THE TREASURY.
UM, IT'S EXPECTED THAT THE CITY WOULD NEED TO CERTIFY THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE THE FUNDS ACCORDING TO THE BILL, AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THAT CERTIFICATION NOTICE YET.
THE SECOND TRANCHE WOULD BE RELEASED ONE YEAR FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF THE INITIAL, SO MAY, 2022.
THE NEXT ITEM THAT I HAVE IS ON SLIDE NUMBER 11.
YOU TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
HOW DO YOU, UM, ANTICIPATE DOING THAT? AND THEN HOW SOON WILL WE GET OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGED? I, I'LL ANSWER THAT ONE.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK WE DON'T HAVE THAT COMPLETELY FIGURED OUT.
THIS IS, THESE ARE KIND OF PROPOSED GUIDEPOSTS TO START THINKING ABOUT, BUT HOW WE DO IT, UM, AND, AND I'M GONNA, I'LL ECHO KIND OF WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, THAT DELIBERATIVE APPROACH.
WE DO NEED TO REMEMBER AT SOME POINT AS WE, AS WE PLAN THIS OUT, UH, THERE'S GOTTA BE AN ELEMENT OF ENGAGEMENT.
PART OF THAT COULD BE NOT ONLY THROUGH PARTNERS, BUT THE COMMUNITY.
IT COULD BE, UH, TARGETED SECTORS OF, OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
BUT, BUT, BUT BEYOND THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, WE'VE DONE NO PLANNING.
WE WANTED TO AT LEAST PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN THIS MORNING.
ERIC, I'D, I'D ASSUME THAT YOU'D AT LEAST BE FOCUSED ON APPLYING THE EQUITY LENS, CORRECT? OH, YEAH.
WELL, JUST LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF THE EQUITY ATLAS AND THE APPLICATION OF THAT TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED OUTCOMES.
AND THEN, UM, WILL WE BE GETTING QUARTERLY UPDATES OR HOW, HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT KIND OF LIKE, IT'S PROGRESS? AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB ALREADY WITH THE FUNDING THAT WE DID RECEIVE.
SO ARE WE EXPECTED TO JUST KIND OF FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS ON THIS AS WELL? YOU KNOW, UM, I, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY, I THINK IT COULD POTENTIALLY WILL LOOK DIFFERENTLY.
REMEMBER THE, THE, THE POSITION WE WERE IN LAST YEAR WHERE MONTHLY WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE BY DECEMBER 30TH WE HAD ZERO.
SO, SO IT WAS LIKE A MINI BUDGET PROCESS EVERY MONTH THAT THE, THE LENS WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH NOW OR THAT THE, THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING LOOKING THROUGH IS A MULTI-YEAR PERIOD.
[01:30:01]
I, I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FUNDING IS, IS FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN IS THREE AND A HALF YEARS, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE FI THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL FUNDING THROUGH THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE EFFORT THAT'S GOING ON UP IN DC RIGHT NOW, OR POTENTIAL FUNDING THAT COMES THROUGH THE STATE, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONE OF THOSE, UH, REVENUE SOURCES WILL HAVE A LAYERING EFFECT.
AND WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD MOVE THOSE PIECES AROUND.
I THINK OUR PLAN SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE SET OUT OVER FIVE YEARS.
AND, AND SO THOSE REGULAR REPORTS SHOULD BE ALIGNED WITH WHAT THAT PLAN IS AND, AND AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
AND THEN, UM, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S GONNA BE SPECIFICALLY OVERSEEING THIS? I, I, I THINK ANNA, UM, MIGHT HAVE, DID YOU RECEIVE A PROMOTION? ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING BOTH? I, I JUST WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS GONNA BE SOMETHING WERE YOU'RE STEALING MY THUNDER COUNCIL WOMAN.
SCRATCH THAT QUESTION A LITTLE.
AND THEN, UM, SO THANK YOU ANNA, THAT'S IT FOR YOU.
UM, JEFF, I UNDERSTAND, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS MY FIRST GO AROUND AT THIS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE THERE WAS A, A CALL FOR LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR DIFFERENT AREAS, UM, AND, AND MY OFFICE ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY LETTERS OF SUPPORTS THAT SUPPORT THAT WE COULD OFFER.
UM, AND I THINK I HAD ALREADY VOLUNTEERED.
IF YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM ME, LET ME KNOW.
BUT ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GET FROM COMMUNITY THAT WOULD HELP YOU MAYBE IN ANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR? UH, SURE.
UM, I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'M NOT, THERE'S SO MANY BILLS.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONES WE CAN, BUT CHRIS, UH, YOU ALL, YOU ALL CORRECTLY COMPLIMENTED CHRISTINE WRIGHT.
WHEN I SAT DOWN, SHE REMINDED ME OF TWO THINGS.
THE, UM, THE HEALTH EQUITY OFFICE BILL HAS BEEN HEARD IN COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S PENDING RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I THINK IF THAT'S AN AREA OF INTEREST FOR ANY OF YOU, WE WOULD, WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE AND WOULD WORK WITH YOU ON PUTTING A LETTER TOGETHER.
IT COULD BE SIGNED BY SEVERAL OF YOU OR INDIVIDUAL, EITHER WAY TO HELP MOVE THAT ALONG.
UM, UH, BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY OTHER BILLS THAT WE CAN, UH, THAT WE CAN ADD YOUR SUPPORT TO.
AND, UM, AND MAYBE IN OUR CONVERSATIONS EACH WEEK ON THE DRIVES BACK AND FORTH TO AUSTIN, WE CAN TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA WEIGH IN ON, AND, AND IT'S ALWAYS VALUABLE AND HELPFUL.
UM, I'M INTERESTED IN HB 7 93, AND, UM, I WORKED WITH, UM, UH, LEO PACHECO, UH, ON THAT.
AND IT'S TO EXPAND THE DRUG FREE ZONE, UM, AROUND SCHOOLS.
AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT STUCK, IT STUCK AT, AT SOME COMMITTEE LEVEL, BUT ANYWAY, SO, UM, SO I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THAT AS WHY I WASN'T PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD GREAT, EVEN IF IT OUT OF THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROTO GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
UM, BEFORE GETTING INTO THE LEDGE, UH, I WANNA FIRST FOCUS ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAS NOT, UH, DISPERSE FUNDS TO THE LOCAL LEVEL YET, BUT WILL WITHIN 60 DAYS OF ENACTMENT, UM, ON UTILITY ASSISTANCE THE PAST WINTER, WE, WE BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THE TEXAS HEAT WILL, WILL IMPACT THEIR ENERGY USAGE.
WE'VE EVEN OPENED UP CONCERNING REPORTS, UH, CAME OUT STATING, SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING, UH, RESUMING DISCONNECTS IN THE SUMMER AS A HUNDRED THOUSAND OH 93.
MY ASK IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, THROUGH THE LOW INCOME ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING, DRINKING WATER PROGRAMS FOR MOST VULNERABLE RATE, WE HAVE DATA ON HOW CHILDREN THOSE RELY ON ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WE SHOULD WORK WITH C P S.
SO I'M SURE THAT THEY HAVE POWER AS WE GO INTO THE SUB C F S ENERGY WORK WITH US ON
I BROUGHT THIS UP, SERVICES COMMITTEE,
A LOCAL MORE DISCONNECTS WOULD HELP MOST RESIDENTS, FEDERAL FUNDS ARE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN A HUNDRED DEGREE WEATHER.
UH, REGARDING EVICTION, Y'ALL HEARD THE STATE COURT EFFECTIVELY DECIDED NOT EVICTION MORATORIUM IN TEXAS
[01:35:01]
WITH THE COURT'S DECISION AND SUBSEQUENT CONFUSION, FAMILIES WILL BE DISPLACED.THE STATE'S EVICTION PROGRAM LAGGING.
SO FOLKS WILL RELY LOCAL EMERGENCY PROGRAM MORE THAN EMERGENCY EMERGENCY CITIES LIKE AND SAN MARCOS POLICIES, WHICH DRASTIC EV EVICTIONS FILINGS IN 2020,
SO AS FAMILIES RELOCATION ASSISTANCE NEEDS TO HAVE, WE WILL SEE FAMILIES OVERALL HOMELESSNESS.
HOW MUCH IN OUR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH YOUR AUDIO.
CAN WE PUT A TIME, DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC, HOWEVER.
HELLO? YEAH, WE, WE GOT YOU BACK NOW.
SEE WHERE I LEFT OFF? I, I THINK I ASKED, UH, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION? YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE, THE A R P FUNDS, THE NEW ALLOCATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY OR IN THE, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS? YES, TODAY.
SO IN THE A R P FUNDS THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE AN ALLOCATION SPECIFICALLY FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT MAY COME TO THE CITY THAT MAY INCLUDE THAT AS A ELIGIBLE EXPENSE.
SO AS WE GET THE GUIDELINES AND AS WE BUILD A STRATEGY FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION, UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE.
SO, SO HOW MUCH DOES THE CITY HAVE THE CITY CURRENTLY HAVE? I WILL GET YOU THAT NUMBER.
I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER WITH ME IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, IF I UNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION.
WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
WELL, CAN WE, CAN WE ANTICIPATE USE ANTICIPATED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING VOUCHER FUNDS UP OUR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE? COUNCILMAN IF, UH, WE STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH YOUR AUDIO, BUT I BELIEVE YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, IF WE'RE ANTICIPATING FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, I'M ASKING IF WE CAN HOUSING VOUCHER FUNDING.
I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING YOUR, YOUR QUESTION THROUGH THE AUDIO SYSTEM.
COUNCILMAN, UH, COULD WE TRY SOMETHING? COULD YOU TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA FOR ME AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN HEAR YOU CLEAR? SORRY TO INTERRUPT, SIR.
JUST KEEP YOUR AUDIO CONNECTION GOING OR COULD YOU GIVE A TESTING? TESTING 1, 2, 1, 2.
WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, SIR.
LET'S, UH, LET'S GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, I THINK THIS IS VERY ENCOURAGING TO HEAR, UH, THE FUNDING THAT'S COMING OUR WAY.
ONE QUESTION, THOUGH, I THINK HAS BEEN EXPRESSED, AND I HOPE WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ON IT, IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE STATE DOING WITH SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT IT'S RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY? AND, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THAT'S COMING DOWN TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT, UH, THE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE? UH, YOU KNOW, A GOOD EXAMPLE, I THINK IS THE, UH, THE HOUSING, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT THE STATES
[01:40:01]
PUT TOGETHER.YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THAT MONEY FOR, UH, A YEAR AND BY THE TIME THEY PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER, IT'S JUST NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE.
UH, AND I'M, I JUST WONDER IF WE'VE ASKED THE STATE TO GIVE US A, UH, AN OVERALL IDEA OF HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE FOR PROGRAMS, UH, THAT CAN BENEFIT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEARD, UH, A WHILE BACK THAT THERE IS STILL, UH, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THAT FIRST, UH, UH, CARES FUNDING THAT WASN'T SPENT.
AND THERE WERE OBJECTIONS TO THE LAST, UH, BILL THAT WAS PASSED IN MARCH BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE WAS BILLIONS THAT WEREN'T SPENT.
WELL, IF WE'VE GOT A FEW BILLION NOT BEING SPENT IN TEXAS, I'D SURE LIKE TO KNOW WHY.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I WANNA, UH, SAY I AGREE WITH, UH, WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING ABOUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME FOR US TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THE INTRICACIES OF THE MONEY THAT'S, UH, THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.
AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE'LL BE GETTING SOME UPDATES ON WHAT OUR CURRENT BUDGET, UH, FORECASTS ARE FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
UH, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT FOR SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING UNDER THE, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO WORK ON THE COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS.
UH, CERTAINLY THE COUNTY HAS, UH, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, THEY CONTROL THAT MONEY.
BUT I HOPE THAT, UH, SINCE THAT MONEY THEY'VE RECEIVED IS BASED ON POPULATION FOR EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN THE COUNTY THAT WILL HAVE THAT KIND OF COLLABORATION TO DECIDE WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS OF, OF SPENDING THAT.
BUT ALSO, UH, I HOPE THAT WE HEAR RELATIVELY SOON WHAT ALL OF THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, UH, ARE GOING TO BE.
I THINK IT WAS ON SLIDE 10, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, OTHER POTENTIAL SOURCES THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE, UH, THAT ARE GOING TO, UH, IMPACT A LOT OF THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
UH, HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE, PUBLIC HEALTH ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AIRPORT ASSISTANCE, CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE, HOME OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY ASSISTANCE.
ALL OF THOSE SOURCES OF INCOME I UNDERSTAND ARE OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AT $326 MILLION.
SO THERE COULD BE ANOTHER A HUNDRED, 200, $300 MILLION IN FUNDING IN THOSE AREAS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT IS GOING TO BE BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN SPEND THE 326 THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.
SO, I'M, I'M ANXIOUS TO HEAR US DEVELOP OUR PLANS FOR ALL THE REST OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
I DID WANNA MENTION THAT AS SOON AS THE CITY, UM, LEARNED OF THE STATE'S RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE REACHED OUT TO THEM IMMEDIATELY TO SEE HOW WE COULD PARTNER WITH THEM.
UM, THE CITY WAS IN A UNIQUE POSITION IN WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME ON EARLY ON, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAD A PROGRAM SET UP.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP 85,000 FAMILY MEMBERS STAY IN THEIR HOME HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO AS SOON AS THAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS ANNOUNCED TO THE STATE, WE CONTACTED THEM, GAVE THEM THE LESSONS LEARNED.
SAME THING WE DID WITH THE COUNTY.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY, WE ADMINISTER THEIR FUNDS FOR THEM.
WE HAVE LET THE T D H C A KNOW THAT IF THEY'D LIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADMINISTRATE THE FUNDS FOR THOSE RESIDENTS IN BEXAR COUNTY.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT AN OFFER AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
I HOPE THEY TAKE US UP ON THAT.
JUST ONE OTHER THING TO RESPOND.
UH, IT, IT, UH, A ONE MONTH FROM, UH, FROM THIS WEEK, UM, ON MAY 5TH, WE'LL BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL WITH OUR ANNUAL FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST, WHICH WILL KIND OF FILL IN SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF THE LATEST PROJECTIONS AND UPDATES, UH, WITH OUR OWN FINANCIAL PICTURE, WHICH I THINK WILL BE A GOOD FOUNDATIONAL EXERCISE.
IT IS ANYWAY, ANNUALLY, BUT, UH, ESPECIALLY MORE SO GIVEN WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
HE WANTED TO, UH, CLARIFY SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON A PREVIOUS QUESTION.
YOU'D ASKED ABOUT MOMENTUM ON HB 1911.
UM, CHRISTINE JUST NOTIFIED ME THAT BILL DID GET VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.
IT WAS THE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UM, I JUST LOOKED AT THE WITNESS LIST.
THERE WERE, UH, ALMOST FOUR PAGES OF, UH, PEOPLE IN SUPPORT OF IT.
MOSTLY INDIVIDUALS, BUT A FEW,
[01:45:01]
UH, OPEN CARRY, TEXAS AND N R A WAS A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THERE WAS A MUCH SMALLER LIST OF PEOPLE AGAINST IT.AGAIN, MOSTLY INDIVIDUALS AND MOMS DEMAND ACTION AND, UH, A FEW GROUPS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WE, IT HADN'T BEEN ON SOMETHING WE'RE TRACKING CLOSELY, BUT I WANTED TO CORRECT MY ANSWER 'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
AND, UM, I THINK MY QUESTIONS ARE MOSTLY REGARDING THE, UM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ANNA, FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK.
UM, YOU HAVE DONE A VARIETY OF THINGS AT THE CITY, AND BECAUSE, UH, I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE AND I MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO PROPERLY THANK YOU FOR, UM, BEING SO FLEXIBLE AND VERSATILE IN YOUR ASSIGNMENTS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING, UM, SUCH A STEADFAST MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL IN THIS TIME TO HAVE SUCH A STEADY GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, YOU AND MARIA AND JEFF, AND OF COURSE ERIC.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, ALL YOUR WORK.
UM, SO MY QUESTIONS ARE, ARE JUST, I THINK COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL SORT OF ASKED THE QUESTIONS ABOUT REPLACEMENT.
UM, BUT COULD YOU GIVE SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, OR MAYBE I'LL ASK YOU AND YOU TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS LOST SO MUCH FUNDING AS A RESULT OF THE DEC DECLINE IN OUR HOT TAX, AND WE COVERED IT AS MUCH AS WE COULD.
BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE AS A REPLACEMENT? UM, WELL, UM, THE, THE GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE RELYING UPON IS THE GUIDANCE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BILL.
SO THERE ISN'T A LOT OF DETAIL, BUT IT SAYS REVENUE RE NOT THAT BE GOOD ENOUGH.
NO, IT, IT WON'T BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL FOLLOW UP WITH VERY DETAILED GUIDANCE THROUGH THE TREASURY.
'CAUSE THEY, THEY DID THAT OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH THE, WITH THE PREVIOUS, AND THEN THEY CONTINUED TO ADJUST THE GUIDANCE AS TIME WENT ON THAT ARE ALL AUDITABLE.
BUT YOUR POINT, UM, REMEMBER THE, THE, THE, UM, UH, THE ARTS ARE A, A FUNCTION OF THAT TOTAL OPERATIONAL FUNDING SOURCE THAT, THAT HOT TAX.
AND SO, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS NOT A PROPOSAL THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S MAKING, BUT LET'S USE AN EXAMPLE THAT WE, THAT WE PUT A DOLLAR BACK OF REVENUE REPLACEMENT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE HOT FUND.
THEN THAT DOLLAR OF REVENUE, BECAUSE WE'VE BALANCED THE BUDGETS NOW ON THE HOT TAX SIDE, THAT FUND IS DONE WORSE THAN WE ANTICIPATED THIS YEAR.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME GROUND WE NEED TO MAKE UP, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE FORECAST.
BUT, BUT IN ITS PUREST SENSE, I MEAN, IF WE, IF WE SET, IF WE REPLACE A DOLLAR, THEN THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE STOP DOING, LIKE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, ACTIVITY AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, WE HOPE WILL SWING BACK UP.
SO EXPENSES WILL, IT'LL, IT'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO LOOK OUT, OUT OVER AT LEAST THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
BUT, BUT THAT DOLLAR OF REVENUE ALSO FLOWS THROUGH AND COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT V S A, IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT ARTS FUNDING.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF THAT, UH, THAT APPROACH THAT WE'LL NEED TO TAKE TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH HOW WE DO THAT GOING FORWARD RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT FOR THE CHALLENGE THAT WE, WE'VE GOT IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, UM, WE'VE BALANCED ALL OUR BUDGETS.
AND SO WILL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIVE US THE ABILITY TO REPLACE THAT REVENUE OVER TIME? DOES IT NEED TO BE DONE ALL AT ONCE? DOES IT NEED TO BE DONE TWICE IN LINE WITH THE PAYMENTS? BUT ULTIMATELY, I THINK IT GIVES US THE, THE, THE REASON WHY THE, THE REVENUE RECOVERY IS IMPORTANT.
AND IT SAYS THIS IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BILL AND THE G F O A AND THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO STABILIZE THEIR FINANCIAL POSITIONS GOING FORWARD FOR THE FUTURE.
AND PART OF THAT STABILITY IS BEING DELIBERATE, DOING IT OVER TIME AND MAKING THE CONNECTIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING ON HOW THEY ALL IMPACT POTENTIALLY OTHER THINGS.
WELL, UM, IF I'M NOT HERE BY THE TIME WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS, UH, I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT WE INVEST HEAVILY IN OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, UM, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, A CULTURALLY VIBRANT CITY.
UM, AND SO THAT YOU'LL, THAT'S MY, UH, 2 CENTS FOR THAT ONE THAT TIME COMES.
UM, AND I GUESS, UM, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE ABOUT, UM, WELL, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE SORT OF RELATED TO THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH A DECLINE, UM, WHAT MIGHT THAT RECOVERY LOOK LIKE? BUT LET, LET ME ASK YOU THEN MORE, A MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE COULD FUND,
[01:50:01]
UM, NEED TO BE SHOVEL READY IF THEY'RE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, IS THAT, UH, WELL, THAT IS PART OF, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.UM, UH, WE ARE THAT, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THE, IS THE PRESIDENT'S INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, WHICH, UH, FRANKLY ENCOMPASSES A NUMBER OF THE, UM, OF THE ISSUES IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, BROADBAND ACCESS TO, TO CARE, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND JEFF, I'M GONNA LOOK OVER TO YOU ON THE TRANSPORTATION, ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE, IF, HAVE THEY GIVEN THAT GUIDANCE SPECIFICALLY, OR WE, IS THAT JUST OUR ESTIMATE OF WHAT THEY, WE THINK IT'S JUST BEEN THE BROAD CONGRESSIONAL LANGUAGE AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AT I G R, UH, THIS COMING WEDNESDAY ON SOME OF THE UPCOMING INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE CAPITAL MONEY IN THE A R P IS VERY LOOSELY DEFINED AT THIS POINT.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? UM, WELL, I MEAN, SO I, I GUESS, I MEAN, WHAT I AM UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY, UM, NOT CLEARLY DEFINED, UM, BUT WE HAVE SUCH A STRONG LEGAL TEAM AND SUCH A STRONG, UM, G P A THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WORKING IN OUR FAVOR TO, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE BEND THE RULES, JUST SIMPLY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STRETCH THE PARAMETERS.
UM, IF, IF THEY CAN BE VERY SPECIFIC TO OUR CITY BECAUSE, UM, WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT US, WE ALL KNOW, IS THAT WE ARE A, A CITY OF GASTRONOMY.
UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST DESTINATION IN THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURAL, UM, ITEMS. AND SO WE SHOULD USE THAT TO OUR ADVANTAGE AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE USE WHATEVER FUNDS WE HAVE TO ENHANCE OUR CULTURAL, UM, ASSETS.
SO I, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO, TO GET AT.
I MEAN, OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF WORK FOR DRAINAGE AND, AND FOR, UH, STREETS AND BRIDGES AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT, UM, UH, I JUST, I, I HOPE THAT SOMEHOW WE CAN MAKE CULTURE FIT IN THAT CATEGORY SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER.
SO, UM, I, I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I, I MENTIONED THAT, AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO, UM, ON A SIDE NOTE, THANK THE AUDIO TEAM.
THAT SOUND IS REALLY GOOD IN HERE.
I THINK IT'S NEVER BEEN AS GOOD AS IT IS TODAY.
SO FOR, UM, ALL THE PEOPLE WORKING, UH, YEAH, THANK YOU.
UM, THE QUIET, UH, BEHIND THE SCENES PEOPLE, UH, AND ALSO WE HAVE A NEW DESKS AND ALL THESE THINGS HERE, SO THAT'S VERY NICE.
UM, THAT'S WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING WE COULD NEVER QUITE GET RIGHT IN OUR, UM, VIRTUAL MEETINGS WAS THE AUDIO OF, OF EVERYBODY PRESENT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND THAT WILL LEAD ME TO MY QUESTION REGARDING BROADBAND.
UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW CONNECTIVITY, UM, COULD, COULD YOU, REGARDING THE BROADBAND, I, I HAVE ALWAYS, UM, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THAT IS DEPENDENT ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UM, HOW, COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT HOW THAT MIGHT WORK IF WE KNOW THAT THERE'S FUNDING FOR BROADBAND? UM, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING STRICTLY INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, LIKE IN THE GROUND STREETS AND, UM, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOME DISCREPANCY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE FACT THAT THAT'S A PRIVATE, UM, UTILITY.
UH, AND I LOOKED BACK TO MAKE SURE CRAIG AND BRIAN ARE BOTH HERE.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL STEP IN AND HELP ME.
UM, BUT AS A GENERAL RULE, UH, ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE STATE LEGISLATION ACKNOWLEDGES IS NOT JUST ACCESS, MEANING FIBER IN THE GROUND THAT PEOPLE CAN PICK UP IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THAT IT'S AFFORDABLE, UH, THAT THERE'S DIGITAL LITERACY THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
UH, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE LANGUAGE SUGGESTIONS WE'VE BEEN MAKING.
UH, AND, AND THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE IN THE BILL ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S A PRIVATE SECTOR INDUSTRY, UH, EFFORT.
FOR THE MOST PART, THE LAST FEDERAL RELIEF PACKAGE IN DECEMBER HAD, IF I RECALL, $3 BILLION THAT INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS COULD TAP INTO IF THEY LOWERED THE MONTHLY COST FOR FOLKS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN PRESSING OUR LOCAL PROVIDERS, AND I BELIEVE AT AND T HAS CONFIRMED THEY ARE GOING TO SEEK THAT FEDERAL FUNDING AND OFFER DISCOUNTS.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM, UH, CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS YET.
UH, CRAIG, WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO ADD? ANYTHING? AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'VE DIRECTLY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS, I'VE ALWAYS NOT BEEN ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW THAT WORKS WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH RELIANCE ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN PARTICULAR, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME COMPETITION AMONG THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AND, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY, I THINK WE ACTUALLY, AT LEAST THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HANDED OUT DEVICES.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.
SO MA'AM, WE STILL HAVE A GREAT RELIANCE ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THIS WHOLE MODEL.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT IN OUR CLASSROOM PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON HERE RECENTLY
[01:55:01]
BEING PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALSO HELPING US FOCUS ON THE STUDENTS.BUT AS WE THINK OF BROADER, SORRY, BROADER BROADBAND FOR THE STATE, UH, I THINK THE WORK THAT THE INNOVATION TEAM HAS DONE AROUND OUR 15 NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR SPECIFIC COMMUNITY WILL STILL FALL IN PLACE INSIDE OF THIS RURAL BROADBAND CONVERSATION.
AND WE'LL STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE TELECOMS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO TARGET SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE WE WANT TO GO FIRST.
WE MAY, AS THE CITY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FIRST, BUT WE'LL USUALLY GO TOGETHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
SO, UH, TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THIS, ONE THING I'M WONDERING IS IF IT'S SOMEONE CAN SPEAK TO ME ON FUNDING FOR FOOD, UH, FOR THE FOOD BANK OR IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL U SS D A DOLLARS TO ASSIST OUR FOOD BANK? THAT'S A A GREAT QUESTION.
YES, THERE IS FUNDING WITHIN THE BILL TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY.
UM, I CAN GET YOU THAT EXACT AMOUNT, UM, FOLLOW UP WITH YOU WITH THAT AMOUNT.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT, I KNOW, UH, PREVIOUSLY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS AND WORKING WITH GETTING THOSE INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT MENTAL HEALTH IS, IS A PRIORITY.
SO I KNOW THERE'S 420 MILLION WITHIN THE, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
DO WE KNOW IF WE ARE GONNA BE USING ANY OF THOSE DOLLARS TO RE UM, IGNITE THE CONVERSATION OF MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES? I, I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE WE WANNA UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FUNDS ARE GOING SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE PARTNERS TO, TO BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ALSO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES FOR THE P P P FUNDING, WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR IN-HOME BUSINESSES DIDN'T QUALIFY BASED ON THE, THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE STRINGENT GUIDELINES.
DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE GUIDELINES HAVE CHANGED TO INCLUDE SMALLER BUSINESSES AND IN-HOME BUSINESSES? UM, ALEX LOPEZ IS HERE.
I THINK SHE CAN ADDRESS THAT ONE FOR YOU.
THEY ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE ELIGIBILITY WITH THE SECOND, UM, THE SECOND BATCH OF FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE, AND THE DEADLINE FOR THAT WAS ALSO EXTENDED TO MAY 31ST.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY MARCH 31ST, SO THEY'VE EXTENDED THAT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, AND WITH THE FEMA VACCINATION SITES, I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WAS LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION OF MASS VACCINATION SITES, OR WE WEREN'T APPROVED FOR ANY, BUT WITH THE FEMA VACCINATION SITES, ARE THEY'RE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP THROUGH THE STATE, OR ARE ARE THEY THE SAME THING? ARE, UM, COUNCILMAN ARE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING MAYBE AT THE DOME VERSUS THE FEMA SITES THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME IN WITH BOTH THE VACCINE AND THE PERSONNEL TO, TO OPERATE THEM.
AND, UM, WHAT MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO DO, LIKE US, HAVE BEEN TO WORK WITH OTHER PARTNERS TO, AND, AND VOLUNTEERS TO STAFF.
AND OUR ALLOCATIONS FOR VACCINES WEEKLY COME FROM THE STATE ALLOCATION.
AND SO THEY HAVE, UM, INCREMENTALLY CHANGED OVER TIME.
UH, BUT, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE MARKET DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE, THE FEMA TEAMS BROUGHT THEIR OWN VACCINE.
AND SO I'LL ADD THOUGH, COUNCILMAN ALSO THAT THE BILL CONTAINS FUNDING FOR FEMA, UM, FOR THEIR DISASTER RELIEF, WHICH IS COVERING VACCINATION EXPENSES AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO, UM, IF YOU'LL RECALL, BACK IN, IN FEBRUARY, UH, COUNCIL APPROVED THE BUDGET FOR OUR VACCINE PROGRAM AT $27 MILLION WITH 13.9 COMING FROM A C D C GRANT AND THE REMAINDER TO BE FUNDED WITH FEMA.
SO THAT FUNDING OR THAT REIMBURSEMENT WE'D SEEK FROM FEMA WOULD BE COVERED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THE FUNDING FOR THAT IS IN, IS IN THE A R P.
UM, AND THEN WHEN IT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, THE K THROUGH 12 PROGRAM AND THE FUNDING THEY'RE RECEIVING, THEY HAVE SPECIFICALLY 800 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR HOMELESS YOUNG PEOPLE.
DO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE DOLLARS WILL COVER UNDER THAT K THROUGH 12 FOR THE HOMELESS, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? NO, MA'AM.
NOT AT THIS TIME, BUT, UH, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON.
UM, AND THEN ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE, UM, EITHER GOING TO EXPIRE OR IS THERE TALK ABOUT EXPANDING, IS THERE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WILL BE GOING, UH, OR IS IT JUST UNDER THE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT, OR HOW DOES UNEMPLOYMENT WORK NOW? SO THIS BILL EXTENDS THE, THE PANDEMIC, UM, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
BUT BEYOND THAT THERE, THERE'S NOTHING, UM, THAT I KNOW OF AT THIS POINT THAT WOULD
[02:00:01]
EXTEND THEM.SO IT'S ONLY THE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S ONE WE WILL, WE'LL WORK WITH THE STATE TO IDENTIFY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, DISTRIBUTE THAT FUNDING.
AND WHEN WE FIND OUT THAT INFORMATION, WILL WE BE ABLE TO START REACHING OUT TO OUR, OUR HOMEOWNERS OR HOW DO WE WORK WITH THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX OFFICE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO HOMEOWNERS? UM, THAT'S ONE WHERE, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UM, AND I DUNNO IF LORI HAS ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT, BUT AS SOON AS WE FIND OUT, WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK WITH, WITH OUR PARTNERS TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THOSE WHO NEED THE ASSISTANCE.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO VETERAN RETRAINING MONEY.
UH, DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT PLAYS INTO THE SAN ANTONIO READY TO WORK PROGRAM? UM, ALEX, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY INCORPORATED ANY OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES INTO OUR READY TO WORK PLANNING YET.
UM, THE CURRENT PROGRAMS, UH, THAT SUPPORT VETERAN RETRAINING WORK THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE BOARD.
SO THAT MIGHT BE HOW THIS ALSO GETS ALLOCATED, BUT WE'LL JUST STAY ON TOP OF IT TO SEE HOW WE CAN COMBINE.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT ACCESS NOT ONLY TO BROADBAND, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR, OUR OLDER RESIDENTS AND EVEN SOME, UM, DISABLED THAT AREN'T ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO DEVICES.
SO DO WE KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA BE EXPANDING THE FREE CELL PHONE OR ANY REBATES FOR TABLETS AND COMPUTERS FOR THOSE THAT NEED, UM, ACCESS TO DEVICES? UH, CRAIG AND BRIAN, UH, SORRY.
UH, THE DECEMBER RELIEF ACT, THAT MEANT THE MONEY THAT I JUST MENTIONED A SECOND AGO, THAT PROVIDERS COULD TAP INTO, ALLOWS, UM, UP TO A $50 PER MONTH DISCOUNT ON SERVICE AND UP TO A $100 ONE TIME DISCOUNT ON A DEVICE.
SO FOR PROVIDERS THAT, THAT AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT FEDERAL PROGRAM, THE FEDERAL DOLLARS WOULD FLOW TO THE PROVIDER AND THEY COULD OFFER THOSE DISCOUNTS THEN TO CONSUMERS.
UH, CRAIG'S OFFICE HAS BEEN, UH, VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE WE HELP AT AND T AND WHOEVER ELSE DECIDES TO PARTICIPATE, COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE PENDING, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THEY ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.
IT, IT, I WANT TO GET YOU BACK UP HERE.
GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL INTERESTED IN THE STORM EVENT.
WHAT'S THE LATEST UP AT THE LEGISLATURE ON THAT, THAT, UH, DISCUSSIONS OR THOSE DISCUSSIONS UP THERE? SURE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING BEYOND LAST WEEK'S.
THERE, THERE MAY BE, BUT NO MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS FROM WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.
SO, AS A REMINDER, THE SENATE PASSED AN OMNIBUS BILL THAT, THAT WRAPPED, UH, A WHOLE SERIES OF SOLUTIONS INTO IT.
AND, UH, AND C P SS, UH, TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT OF IT AND GENERALLY FELT THAT IT WAS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THE HOUSE HAS BROKEN IT UP INTO A SERIES OF BILLS, UH, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
ONE ADDRESSES THE RESTRUCTURING OF ERCO, P U C THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
ANOTHER CREATES A STATEWIDE ALERT SYSTEM.
UM, I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE OTHERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THAT'S WHERE, WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE SENDING TO THE OPPOSITE CHAMBER, SORT OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO TACKLE THE PROBLEMS. ONE OMNIBUS BILL AND ONE SERIES OF LOW BILL NUMBERS FROM THE HOUSE.
IN, IN, IN THOSE PACKAGES IS, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT, UH, CUSTOMER RELIEF AS FAR AS CUSTOMERS HAVING TO PAY THESE, PAY THESE BILLS.
UM, AND, AND I, AND I JUST REMEMBERED ONE OTHER PIECE OF THE HOUSE BILLS IS WEATHERIZATION.
THERE WERE TWO BILLS RELATED TO THAT, BUT, UH, ON THE CUSTOMER RELIEF, THERE'S A BILL THAT PROHIBITS, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THESE WHOLESALE PROVIDERS, COMPANY THAT HAVE COMPANIES THAT HAVE VARIABLE RATES ON WHAT YOU PAY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE HEARD THE HORROR STORIES OF THE $16,000 BILL IN NORTH TEXAS.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO DO AWAY WITH THOSE, UH, TYPE OF PROVIDERS.
THE, THE REPRICING BILL, UH, WAS THE ONE THAT LOOKED LIKE THE, THE, THE WAIT OFF FOR RELIEF.
AND IT WAS GONNA BASICALLY, UH, ORDER ERCOT TO REPRICE THE FEBRUARY 17TH THROUGH 19TH CHARGES WHEN THE LOAD SHEDDING HAD STOPPED, AND YET IT STAYED AT $9,000.
A MEGA KILOWATT, FORGIVE ME, UM, THAT, UH, THAT BILL PASSED THE SENATE IN GLORIOUS FASHION, AND THEN IMMEDIATELY WAS STOPPED IN THE HOUSE WITH THE SPEAKER SAYING,
[02:05:01]
WE DON'T THINK LEGALLY WE CAN DO THAT.THE ARGUMENTS IN ALL THE TESTIMONY AROUND THAT BILL WERE THAT IT WERE, IT WAS NOT GONNA END UP OFFERING ANY RELIEF TO CONSUMERS.
IT WAS GONNA MOVE DOLLARS BETWEEN GENERATORS AND, AND ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS.
SO, C P S WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE BENEFITING SIDE OF THAT LEDGER, UH, BUT A, BUT A NET EFFECT WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, SORT OF THE SAME DOLLARS OWED STATEWIDE, UH, FROM THE STORM.
SO IS THERE ANY TALK ABOUT RESURRECTING THAT IN THE HOUSE SIDE, OR, OR WHERE IS THAT AT? I THINK THE REPRICING ISSUE IS DEAD.
IS, IS THE SIGNAL THAT THE, THAT THE SPEAKER, UH, CONVEYED TO THE SENATE? UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH C P S ON THESE BILLS.
THEY KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THIS MUCH BETTER THAN WE DO.
UH, AND PERHAPS IF THE CHAIRMAN AGREES, WE COULD INVITE C P S AT A, AT AN UPCOMING I G R MEETING, AND THEY COULD GIVE US A BETTER, UH, EXPLANATION THAN I CAN GIVE.
YEAH, I I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL HAPPEN HERE SOON, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND WHAT, WHAT THOSE FUTURE BILLS MAY LOOK LIKE, IF IT, IF IT HAPPENS.
AND ERIC OR MARIA, I DON'T KNOW WHO, WHO, UH, CAN ADDRESS THIS, BUT, UH, REMEMBER THAT $50 MILLION THAT WE MOVED OUT OF THE STREETS PORTION, OUT OF THE, UM, I THINK IT WAS A 2021 PROGRAM.
WHERE'S THAT REFLECTED ON HERE? BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE.
YEAH, THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CHART.
COUNCILMAN, THIS IS JUST, I'M SORRY.
IS IT, OR IS IT NOT? IT'S NOT.
WHY IS IT NOT? THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE REPRESENTS REVENUE LOSSES IN THE GENERAL FUND, HOTEL CAPACITY, TAX, AND RESTRICTED FUNDS.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE GENERAL FUND, YOU HAVE A COMBINATION OF SALES TAX REVENUES THAT WE LOST, THE RIVER OF ARTS REVENUE, MUNICIPAL COURT FINES.
SO THE EXPENSES ARE NOT REFLECTED HERE.
I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET, WE HAVE A REDUCTION OF ABOUT $16 MILLION TO THE STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AS A PLAN REDUCTION.
THE, IF WE WERE TO USE, UM, THIS, UM, FUNDING TO REPLACE REVENUE LOSS, WE CAN MITIGATE THOSE CUTS THAT WERE PLANNED FOR 2022.
BUT DIDN'T WE ALSO DO THAT IN THE 21? I, I SEEM TO REMEMBER $50 MILLION BEING CUT OUT OF THE OUT OF THE STREETS PROGRAM.
ARE WE GONNA GET THAT REIMBURSED ALSO? UH, OR CAN WE CA COUNCILMAN YOU? YOU'RE, YES.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE PROJECTS WE DELAYED THIS TIME LAST YEAR, RIGHT? YES.
SO, SO AS MARIA POINTED OUT, NUMBER ONE, THAT'S, THAT'S AN EXPENSE, UM, AND NOT A REVENUE LOSS.
UH, NUMBER TWO, THOUGH, REMEMBER, WE, WE RE IN THE 21 BUDGET, WE BUDGETED ALL 50, ALL THOSE STREET PROJECTS BACK INTO 2021.
AND WHAT MARIA IS DESCRIBING IS WE STILL, IN OUR TWO YEAR BALANCE BUDGET, ANTICIPATED NEEDING TO MAKE, UM, A 40 UP TO $49 MILLION WORTH OF WORTH OF ADDITIONAL, UH, CUTS IN THE 2022 BUDGET.
16 MILLION OF THAT WAS DESIGNATED AS STREETS.
BUT IF, IF WE, IF WE RECOVER REVENUE, THEN OUR 2022 BUDGET, UH, PICTURE CHANGES A LOT.
AND, AND IF YOU'LL RECALL THE DECEMBER REPORT, FINANCIAL REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, BASED ON HOW WE CLOSED THE YEAR, UH, IN 2020, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL WAS THAT WE SET ASIDE AND NOT DO FOR NOW ANY FURLOUGHS IN 2022 AS CITY EMPLOYEES, OR MAKE ANY CUTS TO THE STREET BUDGET AND KEEP IT WHOLE.
UM, BUT, BUT, BUT THAT $50 MILLION DELAY WAS AN EXPENSE AND IS LIKELY NOT GONNA BE ELIGIBLE AS A REIMBURSEMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
WELL, MIGHT NOT BE, BUT I, I, I THINK WE NEED TO, BECAUSE THAT'S REVENUE LOST THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO PUT INTO OUR STREET, AND THIS IS TERRIBLE.
I DON'T LIKE IT EITHER, COUNCILMAN.
IT'S BETTER THAN, IT'S BETTER THAN SITTING IN MY OFFICE BY MYSELF THOUGH.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UH, I'D LIKE SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND, AND YEAH, RUN THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS WITH ME SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND MY POINT BEING IS I THINK WE NEED TO REIMBURSE OUR STREETS PROGRAM BY THAT MONEY THAT WE MOVED OUTTA THAT PROGRAM TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET BACK IN 21 THIS YEAR, AND FOR 22.
SO THAT, THAT'S MY POINT ON, ON THAT ISSUE.
SO IF WE COULD TAKE A LOOK CLOSER, LOOK AT THAT, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
AND THEN, UH, ON THIS NEXT, UH, GROUP OF MONEY THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING, UM, I, I'M CERTAINLY LOBBYING FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AGAIN, AS OF TODAY, 39.8% OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE
[02:10:01]
SHUT THEIR DOORS.THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO CLIMB.
THE FIRST TIME I REPORTED THAT WAS BACK IN SEPTEMBER, IT WAS ONLY 37%.
WE NEED TO SHOW SOME MORE ACTION IN THAT AREA.
IF YOU REMEMBER, UH, THE FIRST TIME WE PUT THIS OUT ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, WE ONLY HAD THAT WINDOW OPEN FOR A SHORT TIME, AND WE GOT OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF REQUESTS FROM SMALL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT 'EM.
AND WE ONLY FUNDED, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT AROUND $20 MILLION.
AND, UM, I, I, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE BUSINESS SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF GRANTS OR LOW INTEREST LOANS TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE.
JUST THINK IF WE HAD REVERSED OUR THINKING A LITTLE BIT WAY BACK WHEN, HOW MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES COULD HAVE STAYED OPEN INSTEAD OF CLOSING THEIR DOORS AND LAYING OFF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UM, I, I, I'M, I'M BAFFLED ABOUT THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THIS, THAT THE NUMBER OF FAILURES IS STILL CLIMBING.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT ON THIS NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING COMING, COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND HELP OUT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT, UH, WE'VE, IN MY OPINION, WE'VE SHORTCHANGED AND WE COULD HAVE KEPT A LOT OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THIS CITY HAD WE PAID A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION AND GIVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE FINANCIAL HELP.
WELL, NOT A LITTLE BIT, A LOT MORE FINANCIAL HELP TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT AND REALLY PUT THE EMPHASIS ON, ON THIS NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING.
UH, I, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MAYBE ERIC OR, OR, WELL, OR MARIA, CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO ALLOCATE A CHUNK OF THAT, UH, TO, AND, AND SEND IT OVER TO S AND SAWS, UM, TO HELP WIPE THE UTILITY THAT THEY'VE BEEN CARRYING.
LAST I CHECKED, I THINK IT WAS $97 MILLION IN BAD DEBT.
AND I, I, IS THAT SOMETHING COUNCILMAN? UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UM, THAT, THAT IS, UM, THAT, THAT'S A POTENTIAL AREA.
I MEAN, YOU SAW IN ON A SLIDE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE IS BROADLY REFERRED TO.
WE ALSO AWARE THAT, UH, THE UTILITIES MAY GET, UH, SOME DIRECT FUNDING, UH, THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, WHERE THAT DIDN'T OCCUR LAST YEAR.
SO CLOSE COORDINATION, AND I'VE, AND, AND BEN GOEL HAS BEEN IN, UH, CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE UTILITIES.
I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN TO, UH, AT LEAST MR. PUENTE ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE COORDINATED EFFORTS IN A POTENTIAL LEVERAGING OPPORTUNITY, UH, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THE DISCONNECTS AND THE PLANS, UH, THAT THE UTILITIES WILL NEED TO MAKE AT SOME POINT.
AND THERE ARE, UH, WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM ON THAT INFORMATION, SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY.
AND IT'S, IT'S A NOT A LIMITLESS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT C P S AND SAWS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT BAD DEBT.
AND SO AT SOME POINT, I DO WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU, ERIC, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS, UH, TO HELP THEM.
IF, IF, IF WE ARE GONNA BE, IF NOT, THEN UNDERSTAND, UM, WHY NOT.
ALSO, I WILL CALL YOUR ATTENTION THAT IF OTHER SUBURBAN CITIES, IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN, ISN'T IT? NO, WE HEAR YOU.
IF OTHER SUBURBAN CITIES AROUND US ARE GETTING THEIR ALLOCATION, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IS THERE A WAY TO LEVERAGE THEIR AND OUR FLOOD, UH, OR WATER CONTROL PROJECTS BY PARTNERING TOGETHER? POSSIBLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE RULES ARE AND WHAT THOSE ALLOCATIONS ARE.
I, I, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE GETTING DIRECT ALLOCATIONS.
UM, I'M NOT, I'M NOT AWARE IF THEY'RE GETTING THAT OR IF THEIR AMOUNTS ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT TOTAL COUNTY ALLOCATION, SINCE IT INCLUDES THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF BEXAR COUNTY.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR, FOR
[02:15:01]
YOU, ERIC.I'LL SAY THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME WE MEET UNTIL DISCUSS THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS, THE HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE.
AND WE'RE, UH, I, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF CITY COUNCIL AND MY COLLEAGUES, UH, FOR, UH, FOR BEING THAT FLEXIBLE THE FACE OF, OF, OF THIS FLUIDITY.
AND SO, UH, I ANTICIPATE THAT NEXT WEEK WHEN JEFF BRINGS US AN UPDATE, IT MAY VERY WELL BE VERY
AND SO, UH, I, I DO THINK IT'S THE PUBLIC TOLD US WE'RE, UH, DEPENDING ON THAT INFORMATION, UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, WHAT WE TALK ABOUT TODAY DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S, UH, IN SET IN STONE.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME BACK IN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
I, I JUST WANTED TO, TO CHIME BACK IN ON COUNCILMAN PERRY'S, UH, REQUEST TO TRULY LOOK AT HOW WE ARE ASSISTING OUR, OUR BUSINESSES.
AND ONE THING THAT I'VE CONTINUOUSLY ASKED IS IF WE LOOK AT REVAMPING OUR TURS GUIDELINES TO INCLUDE, UH, ALREADY EXISTING BUSINESSES INTO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH RENTAL AND LOCATION ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND SO I WANNA SEE, UM, MAYBE WORKING WITH LORI OR, OR, UM, ALEX, HOW WE CAN TRULY LEVERAGE THE TURS FUNDING THAT WE HAVE TO SPEAK, SPEAK TO OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY HERE ON THE GROUND AND LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO CHIME BACK IN ON.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER GRA.
UM, JEFF, I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.
A LOT OF US ARE READY TO SERVE IN WHATEVER CAPACITY TO GO UP TO AUSTIN TO TESTIFY WHEN WE NEED TO.
AND I KNOW EDUARDO AND, AND THANKFULLY THEY SEND THE, UM, WEEK UPDATE OR THE, THE, OR IF IT'S MORE, THEY SEND IT, UH, MORE FREQUENTLY.
BUT IF YOU DO HAVE THE COMMITTEE HEARINGS OR WHEN THEY'RE SET, IF YOU CAN ALSO SEND THAT TO US SO WE CAN START MAKING THE CHANGES TO OUR AVAILABILITY, UH, WHEN POSSIBLE.
UM, MY TEAM SENDS ME A, A COMMITTEE, UH, SCHEDULE EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT FOR THE WEEK AHEAD.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, UH, IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T GIVE A LOT OF NOTICE.
AND WE DON'T KNOW WHICH BILL WILL COME UP AT THE COMMITTEE AT WHAT TIME, AND SO, RIGHT.
THEY USUALLY DO CLARIFY, THEY DO STATE THE BILLS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S WITH A SOMETIMES 48 HOURS NOTICE.
UH, BUT, BUT WE CAN START SENDING YOU THOSE ALSO IF THEY'RE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO IDENTIFY ONES THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SURE.
OR WHICHEVER ONES THAT THE, THE AREAS THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE WANNA STAY FOCUSED ON, SO, OKAY.
UM, UH, WE EXPECT A LOT MORE, UH, UPDATES OVER THE, OVER, UH, THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
BUT GO AHEAD, JOE, OR GO AHEAD ERIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO SHARE THIS AT THE END.
UM, AND, AND COUNCILWOMAN, UH, RUCHA GARCIA, UH, MENTIONED IT DURING HER, HER Q AND A, BUT, UH, ANNA BRADSHAW HAS DONE AN EXTREMELY, UM, AWESOME JOB, UH, IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING THAT'S BRAND NEW AND THAT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T LOOK BACK AND, AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE DID IT LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, MOST OF YOU'LL RECALL THAT ANA WAS ON TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT TO THE COUNCIL OFFICE WHEN EMILY WAS OUT ON MATERNITY LEAVE.
UM, THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, UH, HIT, AND, UH, WE NEVER LEFT, LET HER LEAVE THE BUILDING.
AND SHE JUMPED INTO THE ROLE, HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.
SHE IS, UH, HAS BEEN PROMOTED, AND IT'LL BE INCLUDED IN AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE COUNCIL LAST WEEK.
BUT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER TODAY SINCE SHE WAS GIVING HER PRESENTATION.
SHE WILL BE AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH ALL OF YOU KNOW HAS, UM, UM, GROWN AND WHOSE WORK HAS CHANGED, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO CHANGE, AND ANNA WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THAT TEAM.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO OVER THERE, AND I'M COMPLETELY CONFIDENT THAT, UM, SHE'LL BE, UH, UM, AS, AS VALUABLE OVER THERE AS THERE AS SHE WAS TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS WE DEALT WITH A LOT OF THESE ISSUES, ALL OF THESE ISSUES OVER THE LAST YEAR.
SO I WANTED TO THANK HER, BUT ALSO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
UH, ANA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THE RECOVERY RESILIENCY PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THIS PROCESS THAT'S UNDERWAY.
UM, I SEE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO'S IN THE QUEUE, BUT WE NEED HIM TO TURN ON HIS SCREEN IN ORDER TO GET THE, THE FLOOR.
[02:20:01]
OKAY, GO AHEAD.WELL, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY, UH, STAFF TO TURN OFF MY VIDEO, SO, UM, I'LL PICK UP WHERE I LEFT OFF.
UH, IS SOUND GOOD? YES, WE HEAR YOU.
SO, UH, REGARDING RE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE LESS THAN A MILLION.
UH, MY ASK IS THAT WE, WE LOOK AT, UH, USE USING SOME OF THE ANTICIPATED RENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING VOUCHER FUNDING TO BEEF, BEEF UP RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
UM, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ON HOMELESSNESS, UH, OF THE 5 BILLION.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY ARE PROJECTED TO RECEIVE 20.3 MILLION AND 2.5 MILLION RESPECTIVELY.
COULD SAN ANTONIO SET ASIDE APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE PROJECTED ALLOCATION TO USE IT TO ACQUIRE, DEVELOP AND RENOVATE EXISTING HOTELS, MOTELS TO BE USED FOR HOMELESS POPULATION? UM, AND SO THE, ALSO, THE, THE 10 MILLION WOULD IMMEDIATELY SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE BY PROTECTING THEM FROM THE ELEMENTS, INCLUDING COVID.
IT WOULD ALSO, UH, SIGNIFY A MORE TANGIBLE SHIFT TOWARDS BECOMING A HOUSING FIRST CITY.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA KEEP GOING WHILE I GOT GOOD AUDIO, UH, REGARDING OUR CITY REVENUES LOST.
I, UH, APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ REGARDING THE ARTS AND CULTURE.
UH, WE KNOW ARTS AND CULTURE AGENCY FUNDING WAS ONE OF THE FIRST REDUCTIONS, AND OUR ARTS PARTNERS IMMEDIATELY FELT AND STILL FEEL THE IMPACT OF THE 20% CUT.
UH, SO I, I AM GRATEFUL THAT THAT ARTISTS WERE ABLE TO GET SOME RELIEF THROUGH THE CITY, BUT MORE IS NEEDED.
AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE CAN EXPLORE WAYS TO FIND THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO REPLENISH ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR, UH, REGARDING TEXAS LEGISL, UH, ALLEGED.
UH, JEFF, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE IN HOUSE BILL? 8 91.
A BILL THAT WOULD PROVIDE FREE BIRTH CERTIFICATES TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL STAND.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.
I, WE FAILED TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, THE BERNAL BILL, THE ONE YOU JUST MENTIONED, IS IN THE SAME POSITION RIGHT NOW.
IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE HAS NOT GOTTEN A HEARING.
I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL HAS BEEN ASKING THE CHAIR TO SET IT, AND IT, IT HAS NOT YET TO DATE.
HOWEVER, ANOTHER COMMITTEE URBAN AFFAIRS HEARD A BILL THAT DOES ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING, UH, FROM AN AUSTIN MEMBER, REPRESENTATIVE GINA HINOJOSA.
UH, THAT BILL WAS HEARD YESTERDAY, AND, UH, WE'VE TALKED REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL'S OFFICE, UH, SINCE, AND HE IS GOING TO SIGN ON AS A CO-AUTHOR TO THAT.
SO THAT MAY END UP BEING THE VEHICLE THAT MOVES FORWARD AND ACCOMPLISHES THE SAME, THE SAME GOAL, WE HOPE.
WELL, I WANT TO THANK, UH, REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL FOR DOING THAT.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT OF, UH, REPRESENTATIVE HOAN.
UH, JEFF, WHERE DOES, WHERE DOES SSB SEVEN STAND? HOW DOES THE C HOW HAS THE CITY STAYED AT ALL POSITION ON THE ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY? UM, SB SEVEN WAS THE, UH, THE VOTER BILL.
IT, IT WENT OUT OF THE SENATE LAST WEEK ON A PARTY LINE VOTE.
IT WAS A LONG, UH, DEBATE, UM, WITH DEMOCRATS ARGUING THAT IT WAS A VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL AND REPUBLICANS ARGUING THAT IT WAS A VOTER INTEGRITY BILL.
UH, IT MOVES OVER TO THE HOUSE NOW, AND I'LL HAVE TO CHECK.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN, UH, SET FOR A HEARING IN THE, IN THE OTHER CHAMBER YET.
UH, WE, UH, WE REGISTERED OPPOSITION, UM, UH, FOLLOWING THE COUNTY'S LEAD, UH, ON THAT.
AND, UM, AND THAT, THAT'S THE EXTENT OF IT.
UH, THANK YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR HARD WORK.
I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN BELI AND COMMITTEE ON ON THIS WORK.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALSO, UH, SUPPORT OUR STATE LEADERS ON ALL THE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, HOMELESSNESS RELATED, UH, LEGISLATION AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, AND, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
WE'LL BE, UH, WATCHING VERY CLOSELY AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPDATE NEXT WEEK.
[13. 21-2474 Ordinance approving an Interlocal Cooperation Contract with the Texas Department of Public Safety reimbursing the San Antonio Police Department $150,000 annually for five years for a total contract amount of $750,000 for support services in connection with the Texas Anti-Gang Program. [Maria Villagomez, Deputy City Manager; William McManus, Chief of Police]]
UH, LET'S MOVE NOW TO ITEM 13.I BELIEVE THIS ONE'S PULLED FOR RECUSAL ITEM.
YEAH, GO AHEAD, MADAM CLERK, ITEM 13 IS A ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS OF SAN ANTONIO TO INCREASE THE COMPENSATION BY ADDITIONAL $66,000 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $216,000 DURING THE RENEWAL PERIOD FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES RELATED TO THE PROVISIONS OF BEHAVIORAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR YOUTH AND OR THEIR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR A TERM ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2021.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA FOR THE WORK THAT SHE DOES ON THE COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOL.
UM, AND THEN BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE KNOW THAT MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR YOUTH HAVE BEEN, UH, IT'S, IT'S JUST ESCALATING.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE YOUTH SUICIDES AND JUST MORE DEPRESSION WITHIN OUR YOUTH.
AND SO I AM EXCITED THAT THIS IS COMING FORWARD.
[02:25:01]
ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 13.UH, SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE.
AND FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA IS RECUSED, PLEASE VOTE.
I, THIS SUSPENSE IS KILLING EVERYBODY.
[14. 21-2613 City Manager's Report]
THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? AND, AND DON'T GO ANYWHERE.
WE DO HAVE AN EXACT SESSION TOO, BUT GO AHEAD, ERIC.
UM, TWO ITEMS. UM, UM, MAYOR COUNCIL, UM, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO I TALKED ABOUT HOW WE HAD GATHERED BACK UP AS A TEAM TO RE-REVIEW OUR RETURN TO WORK AND OUR REOPENING PLANS.
AND I WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A HIGHLIGHT AND WE'LL SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR OFFICES TODAY.
I MEAN, AS, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO ADAPT AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, UH, AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND, AND WHILE THE REDUCTION IN, IN, IN SERVICES WAS NECESSARY, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF OUR SERVICES, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN MISSED, BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY STANDPOINT, BUT, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT FROM THE EMPLOYEES, UH, STANDPOINT AS WELL, HAVING, UH, CAREFULLY REVIEWED, UM, AND PLANNED, UM, UH, THE, THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL TODAY THAT BEGINNING ON MONDAY, APRIL 12TH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL, UH, RESUME PREVIOUSLY CLOSED IN-PERSON PUBLIC FACING SERVICES AND REOPEN, UH, PUBLIC ACCESS, UH, WITH COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, SOCIAL DISTANCING MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED.
WE CERTAINLY WANNA CONTINUE TO REQUIRE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, THAT, UM, EVERYONE IS SAFE AND HEALTHY.
UM, WE WILL HAVE PLENTY OF SIGNAGE.
UM, THIS WILL INCLUDE, UH, LIBRARY ACCESS.
UH, IT WILL INCLUDE OUR SENIOR CENTERS.
WE WILL BE USING SIX CENTERS TO REOPEN.
UM, AND FOCUSING ON, UM, UH, MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER, UM, OUR, UH, PAVILIONS, UH, WILL BE ABLE TO BE, UH, UH, RENTED.
UM, AND OUR SWIMMING POOLS WILL REOPEN, UM, OUR TWO OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, FOR AFTERSCHOOL AND RECREATION RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE, THE, UH, HUMAN SERVICES, THE LIBRARY PARKS AND REC, UH, CRAIG AND DAVID WHO LED THIS EFFORT, UH, DR.
WU BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL AND CAREFUL TO OPEN THESE FACILITIES.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE VIDEO, THAT, UH, WE WILL SHOW TODAY.
THERE'S SOME THINGS OF OUR BUSINESS THAT WE'VE CHANGED, UM, AS A RESULT OF THE LAST YEAR.
AND THOSE THINGS WILL PROBABLY KEEP BECAUSE THEY ARE CONVENIENT.
UM, THEY, UH, THE PUBLIC, UM, HAS ENJOYED THEM.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S CHANGED, UH, HOW WE DO WORK.
AND I SUSPECT, UH, AS MARIA AND I TALKED EARLIER, THAT THIS WEEK THAT WILL BE A THEME THAT WE WILL SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET THIS SUMMER.
UM, BECAUSE, UM, THERE ARE EFFICIENCIES AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROACH OUR WORK.
BUT I WANNA THANK, UM, THE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO BE PREPARED.
I KNOW THERE ARE SERVICES THAT, UH, ARE THOROUGHLY NEEDED.
WE WILL MONITOR IT, UM, AND TAKE ANY NECESSARY ACTION TO, UM, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND THEN, UH, FINALLY MARRY THE EMPLOYEE VIDEO OF THE WEEK.
UH, REALLY KIND OF SPOTLIGHTS OUR LIBRARY TEAM.
AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE VIDEO HOW THE LIBRARY'S CHANGED WHAT THEY DO.
AND A LOT OF THAT, UH, I SUSPECT WILL CONTINUE, UM, UH, EVEN, UH, EVEN WHEN IN-PERSON BEGINS.
AND, UM, THEY'VE, THEY HAVE, UH, CHANGED THE WAY THEY DO WORK AND THE WAY THEY INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M CERTAINLY PROUD OF RAMIRO AND THE TEAM.
THEY HAVE, UH, WE KIND OF REDISCOVERED LIBRARIES IN THEIR PLACE IN COMMUNITY.
SO NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION WHERE WE RECOGNIZE THE ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
OUR LIBRARY STAFF TRANSFORM LIVES BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
I JUST LIKE THE INSTRUMENTALS AND YOU KNOW, LIKE HE WAS VERY, I SEE US AS TEEN SERVICES LIBRARIANS SERVING A LOT OF DIFFERENT ROLES.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE ARE FACILITATORS.
[02:30:01]
YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH TEENS TO MAKE THEIR IDEAS COME TO FRUITION.THE BIGGEST THING WE'VE LEARNED OVER THIS PAST YEAR IS THAT OUR TEENS HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY LOVE, YOU KNOW, THESE VIRTUAL CLUBS THAT THEY LOVE BEING ABLE TO VOLUNTEER WHILE THEY'RE AT HOME.
THE FORM IS YOURS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT.
WE OFFER SEVEN PROGRAMS A WEEK, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
UM, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT REALLY TOUCHES ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST THAT THE TEENS HAVE IDENTIFIED.
WE CAME UP WITH CONTACT FREE PICKUP.
WE DECIDED TO ALLOW OUR PATRONS TO PLACE ITEMS ON HOLD ONLINE OR TO GIVE US A CALL.
AND WHEN THEY SHOW UP AT THE LOCATION, THEY CALL AND SAY, I'M HERE.
I'M READY TO PICK UP MY ITEMS AND STAFF, PLACE THOSE ITEMS IN A BAG OUTSIDE ON A TABLE, RATHER THAN TAKING THEM TO THE CAR JUST TO MINIMIZE THE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER.
WE ALSO DECIDED TO HAVE COMPUTERS BY APPOINTMENT AT NINE OF OUR LOCATIONS.
AND WE SELECTED THOSE LOCATIONS BASED ON COUNCIL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IN PEOPLE'S HOMES.
WE DO THE COMPUTER APPOINTMENT FOR AN HOUR, AND THEN ONCE EVERYONE LEAVES, WE DO A DEEP CLEANING OF THE COMPUTERS.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL, UM, VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. ONE OF MY FAVORITE RIGHT NOW IS GAME TIME LIVE.
THIS IS A PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL AGE KIDDOS WHO ARE VISITING THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION WITH OTHER KIDS.
NEVER HAVE I EVER, IT'S REALLY NEAT COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN LIBRARIANS AND THEN THE KIDS ARE FROM ALL OVER, UM, THE CITY AS WELL.
WE EVEN SOMETIMES HAVE PEOPLE FROM, UM, OUT OF SAN ANTONIO.
CAN WE DO THAT? I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN US THAT THERE ARE AREAS FOR THE LIBRARY TO GROW AND WE QUICKLY PIVOTED TO BRING THOSE ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT I THINK WILL CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
AND, UM, ALSO I'VE JUST, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE BACK AND TO HEAR ABOUT OUR LIBRARIES OPEN SOME OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES.
UH, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EACH OTHER IN PERSON.
AND IF YOU ALL NOTICE, I'M TRYING TO MAKE MY THANK YOUS A LITTLE BIT AS I CAN BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TIME, THEY'LL GIMME LIKE THREE MINUTES AND I WON'T HAVE TIME.
UH, SO THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MY DEAR FRIEND RE ELISE, I VALISE GONZALEZ MESSA FOR HER WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARD.
UH, UH, SO JUST A WONDERFUL EXAM.
WHERE IS SHE IN THE HOUSE? ALRIGHT, COME ON UP.
COME ON UP SO WE CAN SEE YOU AT LEAST, UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE REMARKS, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN SEE YOU, UH, AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AND FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT FOREVER.
I, I HAVE THOUGHT SHE WAS A WOMAN OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND ALSO HER FAMILY AND HER CHILDREN.
UM, SHE'S NOT ONLY A VERY HARDWORKING WOMAN AS HER MOTHER WAS, UM, BUT AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN IN HER OWN RIGHT.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, AT LEAST WE GET TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FINALLY IN PERSON IN THE FLESH.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
UM, ERIC, WHICH SENIOR CENTERS, WE WILL GET IT TO YOU COUNSEL WHEN I CAN'T FIND MY LIST RIGHT HERE.
I BET MELODY OR SOMEBODY KNOWS.
SO, UM, IT WILL BE THE, I'M I'M GONNA DO THIS BY DISTRICT.
UH, WESTON SENIOR CENTER WILL OPEN THE DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER WILL OPEN, SOUTHSIDE LYONS WILL OPEN, UM, IN DISTRICT.
SO BOTH, UM, NORM OIL AND PRESA SOUTH.
UH, DISTRICT FIVE CENTERS WILL OPEN THE DISTRICT SIX CENTER WILL REMAIN A VACCINE SITE.
THE LOPEZ, THE, UH, GRIFFIN WILL REMAIN A VACCINE SITE AS WELL.
AND THE BOB ROSS IS CLOSED CURRENTLY FOR RENOVATIONS FROM THE FLOODING.
AND SO, UM, THAT SHOULD BE, UH, OPEN RELATIVELY SOON, BUT IT'LL, WE STILL PROBABLY HAVE A MONTH OR TWO TO GO ON THAT.
AND THEN THE NORTHEAST CENTER WILL OPEN.
[02:35:01]
SO, UM, IF OUR CENTERS OPEN OR JUST A LIMITED NUMBER IN OUR COMMUNITY, WILL OUR SENIORS BE ABLE, WAS IT ONLY OPEN TO THOSE SENIORS AT THAT FACILITY? OR WILL SAY SOME OF MY SENIORS WHO, YOU KNOW, CAN'T GO TO THE LVS BECAUSE IT IS A VACCINATION SITE, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO GO TO ANOTHER SENIOR CENTER? THEY WILL, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT THEY ONLY GO TO ONE SO THAT THEY CHOOSE THE CENTER AND THEY STAY WITH THAT.BUT WE WILL BE LIMITING CAPACITY QUITE A BIT ALSO AT FIRST.
AND SO, UM, WE WON'T, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE EVERYONE BACK AT ONE TIME, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN THAT SOME CAN GO IN THE MORNING, SOME CAN GO IN THE AFTERNOON SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE THERE.
AND WILL COMMODITIES AND THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION, IT WILL REMAIN THE SAME AT THE OTHER CENTERS.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A PHENOMENAL TEAM THAT ARE GOING TO, AND PROBABLY ALREADY COMMUNICATING WITH THE SENIORS AT THEIR CENTERS, LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AS WELL, TRACK, ET CETERA.
I THINK I WANT TO CRY BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE MY SENIORS IN THEIR SENIOR CENTER BEFORE I WAS OFFICE COUNCIL.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED AND I'M VERY EXCITED TOO.
THAT MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA IS GOING TO BE OPENED.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT WITH OUR, UM, MERCADO AS WELL AS OUR, UM, OUR, OUR, FOR OUR VENDORS THAT ARE THERE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WANTED TO START WITH THEIR VENDING, UH, VENDORS AGAIN.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR WORK AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
OH, ONE LAST THING, ERIC, WHAT ABOUT OUR, UM, YOUR, OUR, OUR TEAM MEMBERS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS? HAVE THEY BEEN VACCINATED IN ORDER TO WORK AT THESE CENTERS? UM, SOME OF THEM HAVE, UM, COUNCILWOMAN, I'M SURE.
UH, BUT NEXT WEEK WE HAVE THREE DAYS NEXT WEEK SET ASIDE FOR, UH, EMPLOYEES TO GO, UH, AGAIN ON MONDAY ACTUALLY TO GO TO THE DOME TO GET VACCINATED.
UM, REMEMBER MOST OF OUR POLICE FIRE, UM, A LOT OF OUR METRO HEALTH WERE VACCINATED EARLIER, BUT, UH, WE'RE MAKING ACCOMMODATION NEXT WEEK TO, UH, FOLD THEM, UH, EMPLOYEES, UH, REST OF THE EMPLOYEE WORKFORCE INTO, UH, VACCINATION CLINICS NEXT WEEK.
COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRAND COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND ALSO WANTED TO, UM, EXPRESS MY CONGRATULATIONS TO EVA LEE.
SO I WAS, UH, REALLY NEAT TO SEE, UM, A GREAT WORK GETTING RECOGNIZED.
UH, ALSO IT'S NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK AND YESTERDAY WE HAD, UM, UH, AN EVENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK AND WITH D H SS AND THEY BROUGHT THESE GREAT LITTLE BOOKS AND THEY'RE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND THEY'RE SUPER CUTE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TEAM FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
AND SO THEY HAVE CUTE LITTLE RECIPES IN THERE WITH, UM, UH, SESAME STREET, UH, CHARACTERS.
AND SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THAT YOU PICK ONE UP AND, AND GIVE IT TO YOUR FAVORITE CHILD.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, HEY ERIC, UH, MS. DURHAM IN THE, IN THAT LIBRARY VIDEO, I THINK IT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS DANCING.
LIKE, I WANNA, I WANNA ASK IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF HER SESSIONS, BECAUSE I WANNA SEE THAT RECORDING
NO, THERE ARE NO RECORDINGS TO THAT COUNCIL.
AND THERE WILL NOT BE A, THERE WILL NOT BE A WEEKLY VIDEO OF THAT EITHER.
UM, AND THEN LAST, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES TEAM.
SO, UM, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES KNOW OTHERS DON'T.
UM, OUR FIELD OFFICE, UM, WAS WAS HALF DESTROYED BY THE WINTER STORM BECAUSE OF A PIPE THAT BUST.
AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO GO BACK EARLIER AND, UM, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, BUT THE BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES TEAM JUST IN TIME FINISHED EVERYTHING.
SO WE'LL BE RESUMING OUR, OUR OPERATIONS AT THE FIELD OFFICE ON MONDAY AS WELL.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK THAT TEAM.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY THANKS ON TO, UH, CITY STAFF ON REOPENING THESE FACILITIES.
THEY'RE LONG OVERDUE, LONG AWAITED, AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME ALMOST EVERY DAY, WHEN ARE WE GONNA OPEN THE LIBRARIES? WHEN ARE WE GONNA REOPEN THE SENIOR CENTERS? SO THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS AND, AND, UH, I'M GONNA GET THIS OUT RIGHT AWAY TO MY NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND GET THOSE THINGS GOING AGAIN.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, SEND A SHOUT OUT TO MARIAN THOMAS AND HER VOLUNTEERS OF THE BLESSED ANGELS COMMUNITY CENTER.
THEY SERVE 2,173 FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND SENIOR CENTERS, SENIOR CITIZENS, UM, FOOD BAGS, AND EACH FOOD BAG HAD OVER A HUNDRED POUNDS OF FOOD IN 'EM.
AND THAT SHOWS THE INITIATIVE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION PUTS OUT IN SUPPORTING THOSE THAT
[02:40:01]
REALLY NEED THE HELP.SO THANK YOU MARIAN AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOU, ALL THAT YOU DO AND YOUR VOLUNTEERS THAT YOU SET UP, UH, ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS OVER THERE.
SO SHOUT OUT TO BLESSED ANGELS COMMUNITY CENTER.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HEAVY, UH, RESPONSIBILITY LAID ON ME TODAY AS MAYOR PRO TEM.
UH, AND THAT IS TO RECOGNIZE THE BIRTHDAY OF OUR MAYOR RON NUREMBERG, COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
AND AS CUSTOMARY SET BY THE MAYOR, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO GO AHEAD AND SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU AND MANY MORE.
LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH BETTER IT SOUNDS IN PERSON.
SO I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY WHO CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY WHILE WE WERE VIRTUAL, BUT THAT WAS GREAT, JOHN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
I I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TEAM.
IT'S, UH, AMAZING THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FIRST AND ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE.
AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, TO OUR DISTRICT TWO SENIORS.
YOU ARE COMING HOME, UM, TO YOUR DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER AND I CANNOT WAIT TO DANCE WITH YOU GUYS ONCE AGAIN.
UM, SO WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT ALSO, UM, JUST REMEMBER THAT THE BAPTIST MINISTERS UNION, ALONG WITH, UH, UNIVERSITY OF INCARNATE WORD AND SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH ARE STILL DOING VACCINATIONS AND WE WANT YOU TO BE, UH, PROTECTED AS YOU GO BACK AND HAVE FUN, BUT CONTINUE TO BE SAFE, VIGILANT, AND, AND JUST PROTECT YOURSELVES.
UM, ALSO BECAUSE THIS IS STILL APRIL AND POETRY MONTH, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEND IN YOUR MY LIFE AND DISTRICT TWO POETRY, UH, SUBMISSIONS SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE HERE IN DISTRICT TWO.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
AND, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYBODY WHO'S, UH, MADE TODAY POSSIBLE.
GETTING BACK TO, UH, THE CHAMBERS IS NOT, UH, A SMALL FEAT AFTER BEING VIRTUAL FOR SO LONG.
THE CREW, G P A, DID A GREAT JOB.
UM, AND ALSO THE NEW DIOCESE LOOKS GREAT.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY, AND, AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR CONTINUING TO WEAR YOUR MASK.
UM, AND ALSO I'LL JUST ADD THANK YOU, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ FOR RECOGNIZING MY CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, WHO, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
BUT, UH, SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE MEMBER OF OUR TEAM AND LEADS OUR STAFF EXCEEDINGLY WELL.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH IISE, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
[Executive Session]
UH, WITH THAT WE ARE ADJOURNING OUR A SESSION, BUT THE TIME IS NOW 1150.ACTUALLY, WE'RE NOT ADJOURNED YET.
SO 11:55 AM ON THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH, 2021.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 A DELIBERATE DISCUSS ITEMS THAT WERE POSTED TODAY ON CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR APRIL 7TH, 2021, BUT NOT REACHED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072, REAL PROPERTY AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ISSUES OR RELATED OR ADVICE RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LITIGATION INVOLVING CITY C OVID 19 PREPAREDNESS AND LEGAL OPTIONS UNDER 5 5 1 0.071.
YES, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I CAME.
AND, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR, UH, COUNSEL WILL BE HELD IN THE B ROOM.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
THE TIME IS 1:06 PM ON THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH, 2021.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OUR A SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL IS TAKING A VERY BRIEF BREAK, UH, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MINUTES.
WE'LL START THE SPECIAL SESSION AT ONE APPROXIMATELY ONE 10.