Apr 21, 2021 Governance Committee on 2021-04-21 09:00 AM

[00:00:04]

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

TIME IS 9:04 AM AND WE'LL CALL THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.

UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD WE START WITH A ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.

PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE HERE.

AND MAYOR NUREMBERG.

HERE.

MAYOR, WE HAVE A

[1. 21-3184 Approval of the minutes from the City Council Governance Committee Meetings on February 9, 2021 and February 19, 2021.]

ALRIGHT.

UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 9TH AND FEBRUARY 19TH, 2021.

HAVING REVIEWED THOSE MINUTES, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THEIR APPROVAL.

MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

SECOND.

OKAY.

THERE'S A MOTION BY COURAGE, A SECOND BY GONZALEZ.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT.

MOTION CARRIES.

[2. 21-3178 Briefing and possible action on a Council Consideration Request (CCR) from Councilmember Gonzales regarding the creation of an annual City Holiday to honor Cesar Chavez. [Ben Gorzell, Chief Financial Officer; Renee Frieda, Interim Direction, Human Resources]]

UH, FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS TODAY, WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS, UH, ALL GENERATED CCRS.

UM, SO WE'LL START WITH ITEM TWO, RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ HAS REQUESTED CONSIDERATION OF THE ADDITION OF A CAESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY TO THE CITY'S CURRENT HOLIDAY SCHEDULE.

UM, THIS HOLIDAY WOULD BE OBSERVED ON THE LAST MONDAY IN MARCH IN HONOR OF HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

UM, IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY, STAFF, UH, SURVEYED THE SEVEN MAJOR CITIES ALONG WITH CORPUS.

UM, AND WHAT THAT SURVEY REVEALED IS THAT THERE WERE THREE CITIES WHO DID IN FACT OBSERVE CAESAR CHAVEZ ON HIS BIRTHDAY IN MARCH.

AND THOSE CITIES INCLUDED SAN DIEGO, SAN JOSE AND PHOENIX.

THE, THE TEXAS CITIES THAT WE SURVEYED TO INCLUDE AUSTIN, HOUSTON, UH, FORT WORTH AND CORPUS DID NOT OBSERVE A CAESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY.

HOWEVER, DALLAS OBSERVED CAESAR CHAVEZ ALONG WITH THEIR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAD SCHEDULED.

SO THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS 13 PAID HOLIDAYS.

THOSE CITIES THAT WE SURVEYED, UH, HAD HOLIDAYS NUMBERING FROM SEVEN TO 12.

UM, SO FACTORS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY WOULD BE THAT ADDING A HOLIDAY INCREASES OUR COUNT TO 14, AND YOU'D ALSO WANNA CONSIDER THE ADDITIONAL COST OF PAYING THE PREMIUM PAY OF TIME AND A HALF FOR ANY OF OUR ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES SCHEDULED TO WORK ON THAT DAY.

AND THE ADDITIONAL MONIES, UH, REQUIRED TO BANK A HOLIDAY SO THAT THEY COULD OBSERVE THAT DAY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

UM, AN ALTERNATIVE FOR CONSIDERATION COULD BE FOLLOWING THE SUIT OF DALLAS AND OBSERVING, UH, UH, CAESAR CHAVEZ'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT ON OUR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY THAT'S CURRENTLY SCHEDULED IN SEPTEMBER.

I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

UH, RENEE, UM, LET ME TURN IT FIRST TO COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, WHO INITIATED THE REQUEST FOR A C C R, UM, AND COUNCILWOMAN.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, AND, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVING US A FEW ALTERNATIVES.

UM, I'M SORRY TO SAY, I CAN'T SEE WHO WAS SPEAKING IN MY SCREEN, UM, IN, DURING THE PRESENTATION.

COUNCIL GONZALEZ? IT WAS, IT WAS RENEE FRIDA, THE INTERIM HR DIRECTOR.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I AM, UM, LOOKING AROUND HERE, AND THERE WAS LIKE NO POPUP THAT SAID HE WAS SPEAKING.

OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I, I DON'T, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM, UM, THE FOUNDATION TO SPEAK ON THE ISSUE? I DON'T KNOW IF ERNEST IS, UH, ON THE CALL.

I DID NOT SEE HIM OR, UH, ANY OF THE PEOPLE.

BUT, UM, IF, IF NOT, THEN LET ME JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.

WE'VE BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATING, UH, SO SAR CHAVEZ, UH, THE MARCH FOR 25 YEARS.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE MARCH HAS GROWN, AND OF COURSE WE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THIS ACKNOWLEDGED, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CITY.

WE ARE A CITY OF 65% NOW LATINO.

UM, WE ARE A CITY THAT THAT REALLY RESPECTS, UH, OUR, OUR WORKERS.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK, UM, DONE, UM, BY SO CHAVEZ AND THE MOVEMENT FOR, UH, FARM WORKERS, UH, AND LABOR.

AND SO, RENEE, COULD YOU, UM, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT'S DONE, UM, IN OTHER CITIES, UH, FOR, UM, AND IN INCLUDING THAT IN THE LABOR DAY CELEBRATION OR, OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

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SO, YOU KNOW, IN THE THREE CITIES THAT I MENTIONED, SAN DIEGO, SAN JOSE, AND PHOENIX, THEY ACTUALLY DO HAVE A CAESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY THERE IN MARCH.

UM, IN DALLAS, I DON'T KNOW KNOW HOW, WHAT CELEBRATIONS EXIST IN THE CITY, BUT ON THEIR CALENDAR FOR THEIR HOLIDAYS, IT'S LABELED AS THE CAESAR CHAVEZ LABOR DAY HOLIDAY.

I SEE.

UM, YEAH.

UH, SO CAN I, UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, THE, UM, THE, UH, IN INCORPORATING IT, UH, THIS INTO SOMETHING THAT ALREADY EXISTS IS OBVIOUSLY THE EASIEST THING TO DO.

UM, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT SORT OF RESOURCES ARE REQUIRED FOR ADDING AN ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY? YOU, YOU SORT OF MENTIONED TIME AND A HALF, BUT DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER TO THAT? I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER FOR THE ADDITI.

THE ADDED COST, YOU KNOW, A A COST, THE COST FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES TO EITHER OBSERVE WORK OR BANK A HOLIDAY IS SIGNIFICANT.

IT'S AROUND $3.9 MILLION.

A LOT OF THAT'S ALREADY BUDGETED IN THE SALARIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE OBSERVING IT.

THE ADDITIONAL COST COMES FROM THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

WHEN YOU'RE, OR YOU'RE THINKING SOLID WASTE 9 1 1, OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE GETTING THAT TIME AND A HALF TO COME IN AND WORK.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT PREMIUM PAY FOR WORKING, WE ALSO BANK THEM, UH, EIGHT, THE EIGHT HOUR HOLIDAY SO THAT THEY CAN OBSERVE IT AT A LATER DATE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE INCREMENTAL COST COMES.

OKAY.

SO IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOR, UM, UH, SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, COUNCILWOMAN, ONE, ONE THING THAT I WAS GONNA SUGGEST ALSO IS THAT, UH, AS PART OF THE, THE RECOMMENDATION TODAY, WE COULD LOOK AT AS, AS RENEE TALKED ABOUT, WE, WE DID SURVEY THE OTHER CITIES.

WE HAVE 13 PAID HOLIDAYS, UM, AND WE COULD, UH, REFER THIS TO THE BUDGET PROCESS AND LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME ADJUSTMENT THAT CAN BE MADE.

UH, REMEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN, UH, WHEN I PROPOSED THE BUDGET, UH, WE INCLUDED JUNETEENTH AS A CITY HOLIDAY, AND WE DID THAT BY, UH, SWAPPING ONE OF OUR EXISTING HOLIDAYS.

UM, AND SO THAT COULD BE ANOTHER CONSIDERATION THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET THIS SUMMER.

UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK.

UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD, UM, CONSIDER THAT, UM, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AS A, AS A OUR CITY, BUT ALSO CITIES, UM, AROUND THE, THE COUNTRY ARE, ARE, ARE RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, SOAR CHAVEZ AND OTHER, UH, UM, PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, UH, THROUGHOUT, UM, FOR LABOR MOVEMENTS AND, AND FOR OTHERS.

SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSIDERATION, UM, TO SEE WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE.

UM, SWAPPING ONE SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I, I, I ALSO SORT OF LIKE THE IDEA OF THE, UM, LABOR DAY AND MAKING THAT ACKNOWLEDGED AND PERHAPS HAVING THAT WAY WE HAVE A, A, UM, A, UH, SORT OF CELEBRATION AND EDUCATION, UH, SURROUNDING THE ISSUE.

SO, UM, I, I'LL SORT OF LEAVE IT AT, WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT MAYBE COULD GO TO A COMMITTEE, LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE, UM, TO, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILWOMAN? UM, OR DID YOU, I'M SORRY, ERIC, DID YOU DO THE JUNETEENTH JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY OR WAS THERE A DISCUSSION AROUND THAT? IT WASN'T, IT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY, THE HOLIDAYS ARE SET BY THE, UH, PROPO BY THE BUDGET ORDINANCE EVERY YEAR.

AND SO, UM, I MEAN, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT THAT GOVERNANCE, UH, DIRECT THE STAFF TO PURSUE THE ALTERNATIVES OF EITHER SWAPPING OR LOOKING AT THE LABOR DAY, UM, UM, CO RECOGNITION, UM, AND BRING BACK COUNT, UM, UM, BRING BACK A SOLUTION, UH, WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

THAT WAY IT GETS SET WITH THE REST OF THE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE.

UM, OKAY.

THANK YOU.

LET ME TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY, UH, ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, BEFORE I MOVE TO, UM, TO, TO SEND IT BACK TO THE STAFF OR COMMITTEE.

UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.

UH, GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU SHIRLEY, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

UH, LET ME ASK, UH, OF THE STAFF, UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT AS A CITY TO SUPPORT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING MARCH.

WHAT KIND OF COMMITMENT AS A CITY HAVE WE MADE TO SUPPORTING THE, UH, CESAR CHAVEZ MARCH THAT'S HELD EVERY YEAR? YOU ANSWER WHAT COUNCILMAN? I WAS WAITING TO SEE IF, OKAY.

OH, OKAY.

YEAH.

UH, COUNCILMAN, WE, WE, UH, WE HAVE FUNDS SET ASIDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET.

UM, AND, UM, I, I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'M NOT REMEMBERING THE EXACT AMOUNT.

IT IS NOT AS LARGE A MARCH

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UM, AND, AND SO THAT'S INCLUDED OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.

RIGHT.

BUT I KNOW WE DO SO MUCH MORE IN PROMOTING, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING AND I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY DOES MUCH TO PROMOTE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, CESAR CHAVEZ.

AND, YOU KNOW, UH, NOW WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT HAVING TWO VERY SIGNIFICANT HOLIDAYS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT REPRESENT, UH, OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WITH BOTH JUNETEENTH AND MARTIN LUTHER KING.

BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY COMMITMENT TO CELEBRATING ANY HOLIDAY THAT RECOGNIZES THE HISPANICS, UH, AND, UH, THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN CONTRIBUTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M KIND OF SENSITIVE TO SEEING IF WE CAN DO MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT SWAPPING OUT A HOLIDAY BEFORE.

UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, IT'S KIND OF CONCURRENT WITH, UH, WHAT SHIRLEY WAS SAYING.

I'D LIKE TO GET A REAL GOOD FISCAL ANALYSIS OF WHAT IT WOULD COST FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND LET STAFF OFF AND PAY EXTRA FOR OTHER STAFF TO, UH, WORK BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A HOLIDAY.

AND THEN I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD COST, UH, FOR OUR SUPPORT FOR THE MARCH, AND ANY, ANY POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WE COULD PUT INTO THAT.

'CAUSE IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT A HOLIDAY, IF WE WERE, THEN I WOULD THINK WE WOULD WANT TO PUT MORE SUPPORT INTO ITS CELEBRATION SOMEWHAT, EVEN IF IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, $10,000 TO HELP PROMOTE IT OR WHATEVER.

SO I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.

AND I THINK IT SHOULD GO TO THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, CULTURAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE, BECAUSE ALSO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PUBLIC INPUT.

AND I THINK THAT WAY IF WE HAVE, UH, RESEARCH BY THE STAFF AND WE HAVE, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO BE CONSIDERED, WE CAN HAVE MORE PUBLIC INPUT ON THAT TOO.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I'M LEANING ON THIS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ HAD A COMMENT DURING COUNCILMAN COURAGES.

UM, OH.

SO I THANK YOU.

IT WAS 75,000.

UH, WE, I RECENTLY HAD AN INCREASE.

I ADDED A REQUEST.

IT HAD BEEN 25,000 FOR MANY YEARS.

WE INCREASED IT TO 75,000, UH, OVER THE YEARS.

AND SO THAT'S UN UNLESS THERE'S ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY THE POLICE THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF, THAT WAS WHAT WAS WHAT I REQUESTED IN THE BUDGET FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.

THANK YOU.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.

MM-HMM.

.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

I MUST ADMIT, I WAS A LITTLE BIT JEALOUS THAT YOU CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA AND I, AND I DIDN'T.

SO, I, I WOULD LOVE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, WHETHER IT'S, UH, RENAMING OUR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY, OR HAVING IT HAPPEN IN MARCH.

I'M, I'M THOROUGHLY S SUPPORTIVE OF IT.

AS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ALL OFF ON LABOR DAY, WE DON'T REALLY, UM, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE WORKERS' RIGHTS AND ALL THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WORK THAT WAS DONE FOR THE FIVE DAY WORK WEEK, FOR THE EIGHT HOUR WORKDAY, FOR, UH, UNIONS AND ORGANIZING.

AND, UH, AND I, I THINK THAT GETS LOST ON, ON LABOR DAY.

SO IF WE ARE GOING TO INTEGRATE IT WITH LABOR DAY, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO REALLY CONSIDER HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE WORKERS, WORKERS' RIGHTS.

I ALSO, UH, WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE THIS TO A COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY, UH, FOR, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

I THINK WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LATINO, UM, WORKERS' RIGHTS.

WHEN, WHEN THE U F W WAS WAS FORMED, IT WAS, UH, MOSTLY, YOU KNOW, LATINO WORKERS, UH, SORRY, MY DOG SUDDENLY HAS DECIDED SHE NEEDS TO GO OUTSIDE.

UM, LA LATINO WORKERS WHO WERE, WHO WERE ON THE FRONT LINES.

AND IN ADDITION TO WORKING FOR, FOR PAY, ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF THIS ORGANIZING WAS THE SPREAD OF PESTICIDES WHILE PEOPLE WERE IN THE FIELD, WHILE THE WORKERS WERE IN THE FIELD.

SO, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS, UH, FOR, FOR WORKERS.

AND I, I, I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN WORKERS HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE CITY.

SO I'D BE, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT UP IN, IN MY COMMITTEE AND WOULD MOVE TO DO SO IF ANYBODY WERE WILLING TO SECOND

[00:15:01]

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.

UM, THANK YOU.

YOU, UM, BROUGHT THE C C R, UH, FOR, FOR MY SIGNATURE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU REACHING OUT.

AND, UH, I SIGNED IT RIGHT AWAY.

SO SOME OF THESE CCRS WE THINK THROUGH AND WE HOLD ONTO AND WE RESEARCH.

AND THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT, YES.

SO CSEP, RIGHT? AND SO, ABSOLUTELY, UM, EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.

UM, I DO, UM, AGREE THAT, THAT, THAT THE FOCAL POINT WITH THIS, UH, DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME MORE EDUCATION.

UH, AND SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CSEC CHAVEZ, UM, UH, CELEBRATIONS HAVE, HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED.

SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, ERNEST MARTINEZ, WHO HAS BEEN, UH, SPEARHEADING, UH, THAT EFFORT RECENTLY AFTER THE, THE PASSING OF, OF, OF HIS FATHER.

UM, HE'S DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.

IF YOU ALL DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WATCH THE VIRTUAL CELEBRATION THIS YEAR, IT WAS PHENOMENAL.

AND SO, UM, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO, TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, COVID, PUT SOMETHING ON PAUSE.

SOMETHING AS SIGNIFICANT AS IT IS.

BUT WE ARE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY AS A COUNCIL TO SEE HOW WE COULD, UH, MAKE SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

SO I REALLY HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS OTHER THAN, THAN THANKS.

AND I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE.

I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT EITHER GOING TO, UH, FULL COUNCIL OR TO THE CULTURE COMMITTEE, OR TO COUNCILMAN'S, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL'S HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.

UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, UH, ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO GO, GO FORWARD THROUGH THE COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN, UH, SEE WHAT ELSE IT'S, THAT WE CAN, UM, CONTRIBUTE TO IT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA.

LET ME TURN IT BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.

NOW, UH, AND, AND BEFORE I DO THAT, JUST, UH, AGAIN, REITERATE MY SUPPORT.

UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

UM, GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR IT BEFORE, UH, YOUR TENURE IS THROUGH, BUT I, I HAVE LONG THOUGHT THAT THE CITY DOES NOT, UH, DOES NOT DO ENOUGH, UH, TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF, OF CESAR CHAVEZ IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO HIS IMPACT AND LABOR RIGHTS AND, UM, EQUAL RIGHTS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY.

SO, UH, IT'S HIGH TIME AND FULLY SUPPORTIVE MOVING THIS THROUGH.

SO, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, YOU HAVE BEFORE, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO, UH, FROM THE, UH, SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES.

UM, I, I DO, UH, UH, I THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, FOR SUGGESTING WE TAKE IT TO YOUR COMMITTEE.

I THINK THAT SOUNDS, UH, APPROPRIATE.

AND SINCE YOU'RE HERE AND YOU'VE OFFERED, UM, AND, UH, I THINK YOU MADE A MOTION TO TAKE IT TO YOUR COMMITTEE, AND WHICH I CAN SECOND, OR IF I NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE IT OVER, UH, TO, UM, UH, THE, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE, UH, I WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION.

I PROCEDURALLY, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS, 'CAUSE I THINK SHE MADE THE MOTION, BUT, UM, WHETHER WE MOTION, MOVE OR SECOND, UM, I, I THINK, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO HAVE, UM, UH, TO REALLY SEE WHERE WE CAN GO WITH, UH, UH, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING, UM, MORE COMMUNITY INPUT AND ALSO, UM, SORT OF JUST COM UH, UM, COMMUNITY, UM, BUY-IN TO THE IDEA THAT, THAT WE CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY.

OKAY.

IF I CAN JUST ASK, UH, EITHER COUNCIL MEMBER, SANDOVAL OR GONZALEZ TO VOICE A MOTION PROACTIVELY, WE'LL PUT THAT ON THE FLOOR, AND THEN EITHER ONE OF YOU THEN CAN DO THE OTHER, THE HONOR OF THE SECOND.

GO AHEAD.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

I'LL MOVE TO, UM, TO TAKE, UH, THE ITEM TO, UM, THE HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE AT THE EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.

SECOND.

ALRIGHT.

OKAY.

THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER TWO TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.

UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.

ALRIGHT, ERIC, AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT BRIEFING AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL IN TIME FOR THE BUDGET, UM, PROCESS IN SEPTEMBER.

YES, SIR.

YEP.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION

[3. 21-2937 Briefing and possible action on a Council Consideration Request (CCR) from Councilmembers Trevino and Perry for creation of a Noise Ordinance Task Force to review and make recommendations to the Noise Ordinance, Chapter 21 Article III, of City Code. [Roderick J. Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Michael Shannon, Director, Development Services Department]]

ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UM, THIS IS MIKE SHANNON, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR.

UH, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST.

UH, THAT CAME IN, UH, IN MARCH, UH, FROM COUNCILMAN TRAVINO AND COUNCILMAN PERRY.

AND IT WAS, UH, UH, ASKING, UH, THE CITY TO CREATE AN A NOISE ORDINANCE TASK FORCE.

SO, UM, UH, THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST ASKED US TO CREATE THAT TASK FORCE TO COMPLETE A REVIEW OF

[00:20:01]

AND REALLY ASK US TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY RECOMME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, UM, IN THE AREAS OF THINGS LIKE NOISE THRESHOLDS, UH, HOURS, UH, SPECIFYING THE NOISE THRESHOLDS, UH, IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, UH, MAYBE, UH, LOW FREQUENCY NOISE BASE AND FREQUENCIES PENALTIES, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ENTERTAINMENT ZONES.

UH, SO THAT WOULD BE THE CHARGE OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE TASK FORCE.

AND REALLY WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM IS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE ADJUST THE NOISE ORDINANCE TO, UH, POSSIBLY IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOME BUSINESSES.

UH, THIS IS REALLY SOME FOOD BEVERAGE ENTERTAINMENT, UH, BUSINESSES THAT ARE PREVALENT, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, UH, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO, UH, WE WANT BUSINESSES TO THRIVE YET AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CREATING LOUD NOISE IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING, LATE HOURS AND NIGHT, UH, THAT CAN BE A DETRIMENT, UH, TO CERTAINLY THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO, UH, CURRENTLY, CERTAINLY OUR NOISE ORDINANCE IS, IS ON THE BOOKS.

UH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF IS HERE.

OF COURSE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, RECEIVES, UH, THOSE CALLS GENERALLY, UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THOSE COME IN LATE AT NIGHT, EARLY MORNING, AS I'VE MENTIONED.

UM, UH, S A P D WILL INVESTIGATE, UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY GIVE WARNINGS, TAKE READINGS WITH THE NOISE METERS, UH, AND ISSUE CITATIONS IF NEEDED.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THIS TASK FORCE AS, AS MENTIONED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THE TASK FORCE, UH, WAS CALLED OUT TO BE A PRETTY BALANCED TASK FORCE OF ABOUT 15 MEMBERS.

UM, SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFYING, UM, SOME NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS.

I THINK KING WILLIAM OAK PARK, NORTHWOOD AND TOBIN HILL.

UH, THEY'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES RECENTLY, SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN THOSE, UH, BUT GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD APPOINTMENTS AS WELL THAT CAN BE APPOINTED, UH, FROM THE CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE, UH, STAFF, UH, ALSO, UM, THE ST.

MARY'S BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, UH, FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, AND THEN CERTAINLY S A P D CODE ENFORCEMENT AND CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AND, UH, THE C C R DID ASK US TO ONCE FORMED, UH, WHICH WE THINK WE COULD DO NEXT MONTH, IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, UH, GENERALLY WITHIN ABOUT 90 DAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, BE ABLE TO BRING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO, UH, THE CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE.

SO, UH, WE, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WOULD BE, UH, SOMETIME IN AUGUST.

SO, UH, WE, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS, WE RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CREATION OF THE TASK FORCE TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UH, UH, TO BETTER HARMONIZE BUSINESSES AROUND NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND THE NOISE ISSUES THAT, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING.

UH, SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MIKE.

THIS WAS A C C R, UM, INITIATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY AND COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.

UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, NEITHER ONE OF THEM IS PRESENT, BUT HAVE BOTH SUBMITTED, UM, STATEMENTS TO BE READ.

MADAM CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THAT? AND IF SO, COULD YOU READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'LL READ THE FIRST STATEMENT AND AURORA WILL READ THE SECOND.

THIS IS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.

GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES.

I WANTED TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT C C R WRITTEN BY COUNCILMAN RENO AND MYSELF RELATED TO THE CREATION OF A NO ORDINANCE TASK FORCE TO REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY'S NO ORDINANCE.

THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR THE DISTRICT 10 OFFICE.

THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT THE DISTRICT 10 OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR MANY YEARS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OAK PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, OAK PARK NORTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

TOGETHER, WE HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US TO HELP NEIGHBORHOODS IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY SHARE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO COMMERCIAL VENUES THAT CATER TO LIVE MUSIC AND THE NIGHTLIFE.

WE WANTED TO REEVALUATE OUR CURRENT NOISE ORDINANCE AND POTENTIALLY MAKE CHANGES THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS THE COMMERCIAL VENUES TO BETTER COEXIST.

I'M GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR DRAFTING THE C C R INVITING ME TO BE THE CO-AUTHOR.

I BELIEVE THE MAKEUP OF THE PROPOSED TASK FORCE AND THE C C R WOULD BE FAIR AND BALANCED, AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS WILL HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SHAPE THIS POLICY GOING FORWARD.

I APPRECIATE YOUR FAVORABLE ACTION ON THIS ITEM TODAY, TO SEND IT TO THE CULTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE FOR, FOR FOR FURTHER REVIEW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

COUNCILMAN CLAYTON PERRY, DISTRICT 10, AURORA, THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE CREATION OF A NOISE ORDINANCE, TAX TASK FORCE CHAPTER 21, ARTICLE THREE, WHILE WILL INTENDED, HAS NOT MET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND EVERYONE, INCLUDING OUR CITY STAFF, RECOGNIZES THIS, INCLUDING OUR CITY STAFF, RECOGNIZES THIS POTENTIAL

[00:25:01]

THE REOPENING OF BUSINESSES SHUTTERED BY C OVID 19 HAS ONLY MAGNIFIED NOISE ISSUES AND POPULAR NIGHTLIFE SPOTS LIKE SOUTHTOWN OR THE STRIP NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE KING WILLIAM AND TOLIN HILL ARE SOME OF THE MOST FREQUENT PATRONS OF NEARBY BUSINESSES.

BUT UNDERSTANDABLY, THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBLE, REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PEACE DURING THE QUIET HOURS.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESSES WANT TO BE VIABLE AND GROW, YET KNOW A MAJOR PART OF THEIR SUCCESS.

IT'S DEPENDENT ON THE SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

NEITHER WANT TO DE DEMONIZE THE OTHER, WHICH IS WHY I AM GRATEFUL.

A DIVERSE GROUP OF NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS, THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, AND THE NORTH ST.

MARY'S BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THIS TASK FORCE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE COLLABORATION AND IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON AREAS LIKE LOW FREQUENCY NOISE AND ENFORCEMENT HOURS.

SINCE THERE ARE LEGAL AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TIED TO NOISE AND NOISE VIOLATIONS, WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE CODE ENFORCEMENT.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK THANK MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN PERRY, FOR HIS THOUGHTFULNESS ON THE POLICY, WHICH HAS AN IMPACT ON RESIDENTS' QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THE VIABILITY VI VITALITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.

AND I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMITTEE SUPPORT ON MOVING THIS ITEM FORWARD AS IT PROVIDES MORE CLARITY AND CONSISTENCY ON A CONCERN SHARED BY NEIGHBORHOODS AND ABUTTING BUSINESSES.

RESPECTFULLY, ROBERTO.

C ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, SO LET'S GET INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW.

WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA.

HEY, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU, UM, MIKE AND AND CHIEF FOR BEING ON, UM, I THINK TO MY COLLEAGUES RE THIS FORWARD.

I'M, I'M WONDERING THE C C R IS WRITTEN AND IT'S VERY PARTICULAR TO SOME OF THESE AREAS.

IS IT JUST ENTERTAINMENT AREAS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO COVER? UM, BECAUSE I, I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT EXPANDING THAT POSSIBLY.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW, UH, I'LL, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE, THE TWO COUNCILMEN, UM, UH, THAT ARE NOT HERE.

UH, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE RIGHT NOW, THAT THAT DROVE THIS ISSUE.

BUT I THINK WE SEE IT AS WE WOULD, WE WOULD UPDATE AN ORDINANCE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY, RIGHT? AND HOWEVER THE TASK FORCE SEEMS APPROPRIATE, I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SAY THESE RULES ARE FOR THIS SECTION, AND THESE RULES ARE FOR THAT SECTION.

SO I HOPE THAT'S ON POINT WITH .

COUNCILMAN PERRY INTR.

WELL, , I, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, I CAN CONFIRM THAT FROM COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S STANDPOINT, HIS FOCUS WAS ON THE ENTERTAINMENT AREAS.

BUT AS, UM, MIKE POINTED OUT, IT PROVIDES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A MORE COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE, UH, OUR ENTIRE NOI NOISE ORDINANCE.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, I WAS WONDERING THE 44,468 CASES, UM, OR NOT, I'M SORRY, CALLS, WE, WE HAD 56 MISDEMEANOR NOISE VIOLATION CITATIONS.

THOSE 44,468 CASES THAT WE RECEIVED SINCE JANUARY, WERE NOT SPECIFIC TO THIS AREA, WAS ALL OVER THE CITY.

AM I CORRECT? I BELIEVE SO, YES.

COUNCILWOMAN? YES.

CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THE CITYWIDE THOSE COMPLAINTS AND THE MEMO, THE 40 OVER 40,000 COMPLAINTS CHIEF, IT'S, UM, 44,468 CITYWIDE.

CITYWIDE.

OKAY.

PERFECT.

SO, THANK YOU, CHIEF.

I DO WANNA ADD SOMETHING.

I HAVE, UM, I HAVE A VETERAN THAT RESIDES IN, IN THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD IN, IN DISTRICT FOUR.

AND HE HAS, UM, HAD A PROBLEM, UM, WITH, WITH LOUD MUSIC, UM, REGULARLY, WE, WE'VE SENT SAFE OFFICERS, ET CETERA.

SO, UM, UH, I DO THINK THAT WE ARE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY.

UM, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE ALSO HAVE VETERANS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE AUDIENCE HERE.

WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR VETERANS SUFFER FROM P T S D.

AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO WHAT I, I, WHATEVER COMMITTEE IT GOES TO AND LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT THAT, THAT THAT COMMITTEE TAKE UP, UM, THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE OUR VETERANS IN, IN, IN, IN THIS AS WELL.

AND SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD WORK WITH MAYBE OUR, OUR OFFICE OF MILITARY AFFAIRS TO FIND A, A, A LIAISON OR SOMEONE WHO CAN, UM, REPRESENT THAT THE MILITARY, UH, OR THE, THE, THE, THE RETIRED VETS SPECIFICALLY.

UM, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION.

AND, AND OTHER THAN THAT, UH, MAYOR, I WOULD, I WOULD MOVE THAT, UM, WE, WE, OR I WOULD MOTION THAT WE MOVE THIS TO THE CULTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

OKAY.

THERE'S A

[00:30:01]

UM, LET'S CONTINUE DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER.

K.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

AS, AS A SECOND.

OBVIOUSLY, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

UH, AND GOD, 44,000 COMPLAINTS ABOUT NOISE OR, OR SOUNDS DISRUPTING PEOPLE, UH, IS QUITE A FEW.

AND I WOULD IMAGINE SOME OF THOSE HAVE TO DO WITH CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT WE'VE MOVED FORWARD WITH A C C R ON TRYING TO LIMIT THE SOUNDS OF CONSTRUCTION IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND MIKE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

UH, I THINK SOMEWHAT THIS COULD BE INTEGRATED IN WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, BUT HOW FAR ALONG ARE WE ON THE C C R ABOUT, UH, CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES? IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

SURE.

AND, UH, YES, COUNCILMAN, AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD STARTED WORK ON THAT BACK IN LATE 2019 AND, AND MADE SOME PROGRESS, UH, ALONG WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS AT THE PANDEMIC.

AND I THINK I SHARED WITH THIS, UM, UH, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE RIGHT BEFORE OR AFTER THE FREEZE WEEK, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE HAVE BEEN PUT ON HOLD.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS HAS AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT IS THE NOISE ORDINANCE THAT I KNOW THIS C C R FOCUSES A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF THE CURRENT ISSUES SURROUNDING, UM, THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE ENTERTAINMENT AREAS.

UH, WE DO, WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT THIS IS, UH, YOUR C C R NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS SOME WAY SOMEHOW, UH, WE THINK THE TASK FORCE AND SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS THAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO, UH, WILL BE OPEN TO THAT AND WILL LIKELY DO THAT.

SO I THINK THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LOOK AT IT.

I THINK, UH, AS ANDY MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT HOLISTICALLY, UH, NOT JUST FOR ONE AREA, ONE ISSUE, UH, BUT THE CURRENT ISSUES AT HAND.

SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE LIKELY, UH, UH, LOOKING AT THOSE TOGETHER.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

MAYOR, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.

UH, THANK YOU.

I THINK PROBABLY ANYBODY ON THIS, UH, ON THIS WEBEX CALL HAS BEEN DISTURBED BY LOUD NOISES IN OUR COMMUNITY, CONSTRUCTION WISE, UH, MUFFLERS, UH, RACING MOTORCYCLES, UH, FIREWORKS THAT HAPPENED ON, YOU KNOW, DECEMBER 29TH AND 30TH.

SO I THINK THEY, THEY ALL DESERVE A GOOD REVIEW.

UM, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT, UH, TO, TO LOSE THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARTICULAR C C R.

I THINK THERE IS A VERY, UH, SPECIFIC THING THAT IT'S GOING AFTER, AND IT'S THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, UH, VENUES, UH, LIKE RESTAURANTS AND, AND BARS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SURROUND THEM.

AND I THINK THE SOLUTIONS IN THAT AREA ARE GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE SOLUTIONS TO, UH, CONSTRUCTION NOISES AND, UH, AND LOUD MOTORCYCLES LIKE, WHICH IS MY PROBLEM, NOWHERE WHERE I LIVE.

BUT I, I DO WANT US TO, IF WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE NOISE ORDINANCE, I THINK IT'S, IT'S WORTH EXPLORING ALL THOSE ISSUES.

SO, UH, MIKE, COULD YOU TALK TO US, MIKE ROD, COULD YOU TALK TO US ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT GO ABOUT DOING THAT, ENSURING THAT WE'RE ALSO ADDRESSING THE, THE OTHER NOISE ISSUES? WELL, UH, SURE.

COUNCILWOMAN, I THINK, UM, THE, THE WAY I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, ANTICIPATING THIS IS, YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS C C R ALONG WITH, UH, THE ONE THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE REFERENCED DOES GIVE US A LITTLE BIT SPECIFIC, UM, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK AT, UH, I THINK BY THE FACT THAT THE C C R ASKED US TO COME BACK WITHIN 90 DAYS, WE CAN ONLY, WE CAN ONLY TACKLE SO MUCH IN 90 DAYS.

SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THESE, THESE ITEMS FIRST, BUT IN THE, IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THE BIGGER ELEMENTS OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, ROD DRIVING HIS HARLEY DAVIDSON BY YOUR HOUSE LATE AT NIGHT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT TYPE OF NOISE DURING THE DAY, HE DOES IT ALL DAY LONG.

YEAH, ALL DAY LONG.

UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, BY, BY THE END OF 90 DAYS OR THE END OF THE SUMMER, WE MAY HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR SOME CHANGES, BUT THAT MAY LEAD US INTO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK AFTER THAT.

SO I THINK BY GIVING US THAT TIMEFRAME, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON REALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO, BUT ALSO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE ORDINANCE AS WELL.

SO THAT, THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT IT.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, HAND, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS YOU MIGHT HAVE, WE'D HAPPY TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.

YEAH.

WELL, WELL, THAT'S MY THOUGHT IS THAT THE OTHER ELEMENTS, UM, LIKE THIS VETERAN STUFF AND, AND P T S D AND THE CONSTRUCTION, THAT THOSE ELEMENTS DON'T GET LOST WHEN THIS GOES TO, TO CULTURE AND, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.

UH, AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AT A GIVEN TIME, AND IF YOU TRY TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING VERY WELL.

I JUST, UH, DON'T WANT THE OTHER ELEMENTS TO, TO GET LOST.

THOSE WOULD BE MY ONLY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU.

[00:35:01]

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SANDOVAL, UH, CHIEF, I THINK I SEE YOU IN A QUEUE.

DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING HERE? YES, SIR.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I, I THINK THIS TASK FORCE, UH, IS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT, IT, IT HELPS, IT WILL HELP, I BELIEVE, UM, IN THE POLICE SERVICES DISCUSSION, UH, AND HELP US DETERMINE MAYBE WHICH, WHICH ENTITY WOULD BE THE BEST ENTITY TO RESPOND TO THESE NOISE COMPLAINTS, UH, ONCE WE GET FINISHED WITH THIS TASK FORCE WORK, IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO APPROVE IT.

THANK YOU, CHIEF, UH, ERIC, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY EXACTLY WHAT THE, WHAT THE CHIEF, UM, INTRODUCED IS THAT AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS POLICE SERVICES REVIEW, YOU KNOW, REALLY TO COUNCILMAN CURTIS'S POINT OVER 44,000 CALLS A YEAR, UM, MAYBE AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS RELOOK OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, MAYBE THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE AND, AND NOT ALWAYS HAVE THEM GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO IT COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL STAFFING OR ELEMENT, UH, IN, IN MIKE'S DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, DOING IT ALL AT ONCE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, WELL, WE HAVE A, A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND NOW TO MOVE TO, UH, CULTURE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WITH ITEM NUMBER THREE.

SO THAT IS THE, UH, EXTENT OF OUR DISCUSSION.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER, IF POINTS, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THAT, UM, MOTION.

SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[4. 21-3165 Briefing and possible action on a Council Consideration Request (CCR) from Councilmember Pelaez on developing Latin American Relationships and Sisters Cities in Central and South America. [Alejandra Lopez; Assistant City Manager and Interim Director, Economic Development]]

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, I BELIEVE THAT IS THE, UM, C C R THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMAN ELIAS IN JANUARY REGARDING, UH, RELATIONSHIPS, UH, SISTER, POTENTIAL SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.

UM, THIS C C R EXPLAINED THAT SAN ANTONIO WOULD BENEFIT FROM RAISING OUR INTERNATIONAL PROFILE IN THESE, IN THESE REGIONS BY LEVERAGING OUR EXISTING CULTURAL, ACADEMIC, MILITARY, AND ECONOMIC TIES.

UM, AND, UM, SIMILAR TO THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH CITIES IN EUROPE AND ASIA AND AFRICA AND, AND MEXICO, AS WELL.

AS A REMINDER, THE CITY, WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE 11 SISTER CITIES AND FRIENDSHIP CITIES.

AND IN ADDITION, IN 2019, WE DEVELOPED A METRO PRIORITIZATION PLAN THAT INFORMS A LOT OF OUR INTERNATIONAL WORK.

AND THAT'S CURRENTLY WHAT STAFF IS USING FROM BOTH A CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE.

THE PLAN, THIS INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY, IT FOCUSES ON FIVE DIFFERENT CITIES THAT RANKED HIGHLY AMONG MULTIPLE INDUSTRY TARGETS.

THEY INCLUDE TOKYO, SEOUL, FRANKFURT, TORONTO, AND MEXICO CITY.

AND THE LAST TWO OF WHICH ARE ALSO OUR U S M C A PARTNER CITIES.

UM, HOWEVER, DEVELOPING LATIN AMERICAN, UH, RELATIONSHIPS IN SISTER CITIES IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, IT'S NOT PART OF OUR CURRENT STRATEGY, BUT IT COULD BE MODIFIED, THE STRATEGY COULD BE MODIFIED IN ORDER TO ADD SCOPE FOR DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS IN THESE REGIONS.

AND SO FOR THIS REASON, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BE REFERRED TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THIS.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU, ALEX.

UM, THIS IS, UH, C C R, UH, INITIATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PIA, WHO I BELIEVE IS ON, UH, THE LINE HERE WITH US.

SO, COUNCIL MEMBER, PIA, IF, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANKS, MAYOR.

I, UH, I HEARD SOMETHING TODAY, UH, THAT COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SHIRLEY GONZALEZ MENTIONED, AND I, I LOVED IT BECAUSE, UH, IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT ALL OF US HAVE.

OUR, HAVE THE SAME FRIEND IN COMMON.

IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT AARON BLY AND I HAVE OFTEN, AND, UM, THAT IS, IS SAN ANTONIO A CITY WITH 64% OF LATINOS? OR TO LOOK AT ANOTHER WAY? ARE WE A LATIN AMERICAN CITY? UM, I BELIEVE IT'S THE LATTER.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, WE WERE THE NORTHERN TIP OF LATIN AMERICA.

UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR RELATIONSHIPS, OUR CULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS, UH, OUR FORMAL ONES, UM, THEY'RE SPREAD OUT ALL OVER THE GLOBE, EXCEPT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SOUTH OF MEXICO CITY, WHICH IS FINE.

UH, BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE NINTH LARGEST ECONOMY ON THE PLANET, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR ECONOMY'S BIGGER THAN BRAZIL.

UM, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT WE'VE GOT STRENGTHS, UM, LIKE OUR LANGUAGE, LIKE OUR CULTURE, LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR EDUCATION, UH, INSTITUTIONS AND OUR MILITARY, UH, CONNECTIONS.

UM,

[00:40:01]

AND I, AND I APPRECIATE ERIC, UH, AND, AND ALEX, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THEIR CONCESSION THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR FLEXIBILITY AND TO EXPAND.

UM, I, I WILL REMIND YOU ALL THAT.

UM, WE'VE GOT ARMY SOUTH IN SAN ANTONIO.

ARMY SOUTH HAS 32 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITH EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY IN LATIN AMERICA WHERE WE BRING IN LATIN AMERICAN, UH, MILITARY LEADERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND SOLDIERS AND CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS TO TRAIN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

UM, EVERY UNIVERSITY THAT WE'VE GOT IN SAN ANTONIO HAS A FORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH DIFFERENT CITIES AND DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS IN LATIN AMERICA.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THE MAYOR AND I WERE TALKING EARLIER TODAY, IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TOYOTA THAT DIDN'T START WITH, YOU KNOW, AN AIM TOWARDS, UH, BRINGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM JAPAN HERE, THAT STARTED WITH AN AIM TOWARDS JUST CREATING FRIENDSHIP.

UM, AND THAT FRIENDSHIP LED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT BIG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECT THAT WE FOUND ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.

UM, I WAS JUST IN FLORIDA, AND IF YOU, UH, AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND FLORIDA, UM, THEY HAVE FULLY EMBRACED THEIR, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE STRENGTHS THAT WE ALSO HAVE AND, YOU KNOW, SOLIDIFIED SOME IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS AS FAR AS TOURISM GOES.

UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, AND I'LL STOP HERE, UM, SO IS HOUSTON, SO IS DALLAS, SO IS AUSTIN.

SO, OF A LOT OF OTHER CITIES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING AND CREATING MORE RELATIONSHIPS IN, IN LATIN AMERICA.

I THINK THAT, UH, THE TIME HAS COME FOR US TO BE INCLUDED IN ONE OF THOSE CITIES, UH, WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'LL BE WELCOME AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO WELCOME THEM.

I'LL STOP THERE.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER S ALRIGHT, UM, LET'S GO INTO DISCUSSION NOW, UM, ON THIS ITEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.

UM, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN PELE, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO EXPLAIN YOUR C C R.

AND THANKS FOR REACHING OUT, UM, IN SUPPORT.

AND I WAS, UH, SUPPORTIVE.

I SIGNED ON TO, ONTO THE C C R IDEA.

I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR UNIVERSITIES, UM, BENEFIT GREATLY FROM HAVING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS.

AS A A PROFESSOR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY STUDENTS, UM, LEARN A LOT FROM THEIR INTERNATIONAL, UM, COLLEAGUES.

AND SO, UM, I AM AM GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK WITH STUDENTS.

UH, THERE'S UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVEL STUDENTS THAT, UM, WE GET TO LEARN, UH, FROM.

AND SO THEY HAVE GREAT IDEAS AND, AND BRING GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK THIS JUST SOLIDIFIES THAT COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, AS A CITY.

SO I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS OTHER THAN TO, UM, MOVE THIS FORWARD TO, UM, THE, I THINK IT'S THE CULTURE COMMITTEE AGAIN, THAT, OR ACTUALLY NO ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

UH, AND I'M, I'M SORRY, UM, THERE WAS A MOTION TO MOVE IT TO ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

OKAY.

WAS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

OKAY, SECOND.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT WAS GONZALEZ.

OKAY.

UH, THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND TO MOVE ITEM FOUR TO ECONOMIC WORKFORCE COMMITTEE.

UH, LET'S MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION.

I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCILMAN PALAIS BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

UH, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE, ARE HOLDING VERY GOOD RELATIONS WITH MANY OF THE OTHER SISTER CITIES AND FRIENDSHIP CITIES, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE A BETTER PARTNER WITH CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.

AND SO, UM, I AGREE AND, AND WOULD BE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM SHERRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, UH, SOME OF THAT MIGHT ENTAIL, BUT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT FROM HER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

UM, SHERRY, GO AHEAD.

DID YOU WANNA RESPOND TO THAT? UH, UH, ALL I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT, UH, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT TEXAS, THERE ARE IN TEXAS, NOT TOO MANY SISTER CITIES WITHIN LATIN AMERICA.

AND SO PRIMARILY THERE IN HOUSTON, PRAIRIE VIEW AND AUSTIN.

AND, UH, IT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT JUST ACROSS THE US OVERALL, THERE ARE DEFINITELY FEWER SISTER CITIES IN LATIN AMERICA THAN WE EXPECTED TO SEE.

UH, SO THERE'S DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.

AND, UH, THERE ARE VARIOUS COUNTRIES THAT HAVE

[00:45:01]