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SUNSET ON YOUR SUNSET, SUNSET, SUNSET.
LISTEN TO THE GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL, A SESSION, SPECIAL SESSION WHERE WE WILL BE CANVASSING THE JUNE 25, EXCUSE ME, JUNE 5TH, 2021.
UH, THE TIME IS 10:25 AM ON THIS 15TH DAY OF JUNE, 2021.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO? COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
WELCOME, UH, FOR GUESTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TO OUR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UH, TODAY IS A RENEWAL, UH, THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN OUR CITY, AND WE'RE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING OUR NEW MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL UP TO THE DAIS, UH, BUT ALSO, UH, SENDING A, A BIG, UH, SENDOFF, UH, AND WELL-DESERVED APPRECIATION TO OUR OUTGOING COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
[1. 21-3997 Ordinance canvassing the results of the June 5, 2021 Run-Off Election held in Council Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9. [Tina J. Flores, City Clerk]]
FIRST AND ONLY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY IS TO CANVAS THE JUNE 5TH, 2021 ELECTION RESULTS.SO LET ME TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK, TINA FLORES, TO GET US UNDERWAY.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS MORNING WE'LL CANVAS THE RESULTS OF THE JUNE 5TH, 2021 RUNOFF ELECTION.
THE TOTAL VOTES CAST, INCLUDING PROVISIONAL AND OVERSEAS BALLOTS, WERE 39,601.
THE TOTAL REGISTERED VOTES FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AS OF, I'M SORRY, TOTAL REGISTERED VOTERS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AS OF APRIL 28TH, IS 379,045 VOTERS.
VOTER TURNOUT WAS 10 PER 10.45%.
UNDER VOTES REPRESENT ELECTRONIC AND PAPER BALLOTS, WHICH WERE NOT MARKED DURING EACH RUNOFF.
DISTRICT OVER VOTES REPRESENT ONE OR MORE MARK ON THE BALLOT REGARDING COUNCIL PLACE ONE.
MARIO BRAVO HAS BEEN ELECTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT ONE.
REGARDING DISTRICT TWO, THERE WERE 4,702 VOTES CAST.
JAYLEN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ HAS BEEN ELECTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT TWO.
REGARDING PLACE THREE, THERE WERE 4,561 VOTES CAST.
PHYLLIS VERAN HAS BEEN ELECTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT THREE.
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AND REGARDING DISTRICT FIVE, THERE WERE 4,342 VOTES CAST.TERRY CASTILLO HAS BEEN ELECTED CITY REGARDING CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE, THERE WERE 18,390 VOTES CAST.
JOHN COURAGE HAS BEEN ELECTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
DISTRICT NINE, THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ARE ELECTED FOR A TWO YEAR TERM OF OFFICE COMMENCING JUNE 15TH, 2021.
MARIO BRAVO, DISTRICT ONE, JAYLEN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
DISTRICT TWO, PHYLLIS
TERRY CASTILLO, DISTRICT FIVE, AND JOHN, COURAGE DISTRICT NINE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, MAYOR.
UH, MADAM CLERK, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME ITEMS TO, UH, CERTIFY THE ELECTION, WHICH, UH, INCLUDES ACTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
ALSO, WE WILL ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM.
UM, SO I'LL TURN IT TO MY COLLEAGUES NOW, UH, TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF THE 2021 JUNE FIVE ELECTION.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE ORDINANCE CERTIFYING THE RESULTS OF THE JUNE 5TH, 2021 RUNOFF ELECTION AND COUNCIL DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3, 5, AND NINE.
UM, AND THIS IS A TRADITION NOW.
SO WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FIRST, UH, FROM OUR OUTGOING COLLEAGUES, AND I'LL CALL THEM IN ORDER, UH, THAT THEY APPEAR ON THE BALLOT.
SO, UM, WITH MIXED EMOTIONS, UH, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM OUR OUTGOING COLLEAGUES.
WE'VE ENJOYED SPENDING A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, UH, WITH OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JADA ANDREW SULLIVAN IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU TO MY MOMMY WHO IS HERE.
UM, WHEN THERE WERE DAYS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD DO THIS, YOU TOLD ME THAT I'M ABLE TO DO WHATEVER GOD ALLOWS ME TO DO.
AND KNOWING THAT THESE LAST TWO YEARS OWE ME NOTHING, NOTHING.
GOD HAS BEEN SO, JUST UNSPEAKABLY GOOD.
UM, AND TO MY DAUGHTER WHO'S HERE, MY NIECE, TO MY GREAT NIECE WHO I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DOING MY LAST COUNCIL MEETING WITH, WHO HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION OF ALL THINGS TO MY STAFF, ERNEST, JC BRYANT, TK JEANNIE, DR.
MURPHY, BRIAN, MR. MILLER, TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, TO MY FAMILY, TO MY CHURCH FAMILY, UH, MR. CRUZ.
YOU, YOU, UM, WALKED AWAY FROM HOMELAND SECURITY TO COME TO HELP ME.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND YOU DID IT OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF YOUR HEART AND REPRESENT DISTRICT TWO TO THE UTMOST.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
TI YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE ONE OF MY GREATEST AND BEST FRIENDS FROM THE AGE OF 12 WHEN I GAVE YOU THE BLUES.
YOU STILL STUCK BY ME EVEN TO TODAY WHEN I STILL GIVE YOU THE BLUES.
AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, LIVINGSTON, WHEN WE HAD NO IDEA HOW WE WERE GONNA ACTUALLY GET THROUGH SOME OF THE HARDEST TIMES DURING RESOLUTION, AFTER RESOLUTION, AFTER RESOLUTION, GOING TO FUNERAL, AFTER FUNERAL, AFTER FUNERAL, YOU NEVER WAVERED.
YOU NEVER SAID IT WAS TOO MUCH.
YOU ALWAYS SAID, I'M HERE, COUNCILWOMAN.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH JC YOU STEPPED IN AND TOOK OVER WHAT WE CALL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
YOU BECAME PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
YOU BECAME PART OF OUR FAMILY.
YOU BECAME PART OF WHAT DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTS.
AND THAT IS THE HOME, THE PRIDE OF THE CHEROKEE, SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL, ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND THROUGH.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
MURPHY, YOU, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
SHE'S ALREADY A WRITER OF MANY DISSERTATIONS, AND SHE JUST REALLY STEPPED IN AND BECAME A POWERHOUSE.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH YOU AND TK MAN.
WHAT CAN I SAY? FROM THE FIRST DAY WE MET AT TEXAS A AND M IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU TOLD ME YOU HAD ASPIRATIONS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS GREATER THAN WHAT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS WAS.
THIS IS YOUR TIME TO STEP INTO YOUR
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PRIZE, STEP INTO YOUR JOY, STEP INTO YOUR POWER, STEP INTO YOUR STRENGTH, WALK INTO EVERYTHING THAT YOUR QUEENSHIP HOLDS FOR YOU.I'M SO THANKFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET.
I'M SO THANKFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO SERVE TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO RIGHT HERE IN DISTRICT TWO.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE, MR. MILLER, UH, WHAT CAN I SAY? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.
THE FIRST THING ABOUT A CAMPAIGN, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO, AND MR. MILLER SAID, I GOT YOU.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC THAT NO ONE IN THIS WORLD SAW COMING.
WE DID SOME UNIMAGINABLE THINGS FOR DISTRICT TWO.
SO WHAT DO WE HAVE TO HOLD OUR HEADS DOWN ABOUT EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU, Y'ALL HOLD YOUR HEADS UP, PUT YOUR CHEST OUT AND SAY, WE DID SOMETHING IN TWO YEARS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IT COULDN'T BE DONE, BUT IT TAKES YOU ASKING.
AND DISTRICT TWO ASKED FOR IT, AND WE GOT IT.
JAYLEN, YOU MADE HISTORY, BABY.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.
YOU STEPPED OUT THERE AND YOU DID SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE AFRAID OF, AND YOU TOOK IT AND YOU RAN WITH IT.
AND YOU ARE THE REASON WHY WE ARE STILL HERE TODAY.
YOU HAVE MORE LIFE AHEAD OF YOU THAN YOU CAN EVER EVEN IMAGINE.
TAKE THIS STEP AND WORK IT AND WORK IT TO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO, WHICH IS BUILD IT AND BRING IT ALL THE WAY HOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A PART OF THE DISTRICT TWO TEAM, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A PART OF THE DISTRICT TWO FAMILY.
I'M HONORED BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DISTRICT TWO IS HISTORY.
WE MADE HISTORY AS BEING THE FIRST ELECTED MAJORITY FEMALE CITY COUNCIL.
WE MADE HISTORY BY DECLARING RACISM, A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
WE MADE HISTORY BY BANNING CHOKEHOLD AND NO-KNOCK WARRANTS.
WE MADE HISTORY BY MAKING SURE DISTRICT TWO HAS A MOMENTUM THAT IS FULL GOING.
WE MADE HISTORY WITH THE FIRST OPENLY GAY BLACK MAN TO SIT ON THIS COUNCIL.
WHEN YOU SAY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS BETTER FOR THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE MADE, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, TO OUR MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME WHEN I WAS ASKING ABOUT EVERYTHING.
AND TO OUR CITY MANAGER, WHEN I GAVE YOU THE BLUES, YOU STILL SAID, I'M GONNA ELEVATE, I'M GONNA PROMOTE, I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS REPRESENTATION THAT LOOKS LIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND YOU TOOK IT AND YOU MADE IT THE BEAUTIFUL THING THAT WE SEE TODAY WITH SO MANY OF OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CONSTANTLY ASKED FOR, AND YOU ALWAYS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MEETING WITH DISTRICT TWO.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE BUDGET TO DISTRICT TWO WHEN PEOPLE WERE ASKING, WHAT THE HECK IS THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT GOD IS GONNA DO IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT GOD IS GONNA DO IN MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY.
WE'VE BROKEN GENERATIONAL STRONGHOLDS, WE'VE BROKEN GENERATIONAL CYCLES.
WE'VE BROKEN THOSE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO SPEAK ON OUR LIFE.
AND TODAY WE STAND IN THE AUTHORITY AND THE POWER OF GOD.
AND WE ARE GONNA DANCE OUR WAY ALL THE WAY UP OUT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON, BUT WE SHALL SEE YOU GUYS HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, WELL, HERE WE ARE AT THE END OF ALL THINGS FOR MY TERM AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT THREE, THE AREA THAT REPRESENTS THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, ME, A LITTLE GIRL WHO GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, WALKING TO SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHOSE GRANDMOTHER WAS A MIGRANT FARM WORKER WHOSE GRANDFATHER WAS STRUNG UP ON A TREE BY THE TEXAS RANGERS, HAS BEEN ABLE TO SERVE A FULL EIGHT YEARS.
ONE OF 11, REPRESENTING THE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WHEN WE TAKE THIS OATH, THIS OATH TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE TAKE ON A SACRED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO TRUST IT.
AND AND FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO TREAT IT.
AS SUCH, I AM SO HONORED AND HUMBLED BY THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE WHO
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CHOSE ME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO TAKE ON THE SACRED RESPONSIBILITY.AND I KNOW THAT THERE WERE TIMES THAT WE DID NOT SEE EYE ON TO EYE ON EVERYTHING, BUT YOU ALL, WE ALL TOGETHER HAVE GROWN.
IN FACT, THERE HAS BEEN A 51.87% INCREASE IN VOTER PARTICIPATION IN DISTRICT THREE FROM THE FIRST RACE IN 2013 TO THE LAST RACE THAT I HAD RAN IN 2019.
YOU TRUST YOUR TRUST TO ALLOW ME TO BE A PART OF THE SACRED RESPONSIBILITY IS HUMBLING.
AND THERE IS A GREAT SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT HAVING LED THE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL HOUSING, JOB CREATING AND EDUCATIONAL RESURGENCE OF DISTRICT THREE AND THE SOUTH SIDE IN THE 2017 BOND, BRINGING OVER $45 MILLION TO OUR AREA, THE GROWTH OF TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO, A GREAT UNIVERSITY, EVERYONE.
UM, AND OF COURSE, BROOKS, THE FIRST FULL SERVICE HOTEL SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN.
THE FIRST MEDICAL SCHOOL EVER OPENED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR SECOND ONE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR FIRST REGIONAL CENTER PLAN THAT WE GOT PASSED FOR SA TOMORROW, OUR FIRST SPAY AND NEUTER FACILITY IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU ERIC, FOR HEARING ME ON THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, WORLD HERITAGE AND OUR WORLD HERITAGE, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE DESIGNATION, THE ONLY ONE STILL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE REVITALIZATION THAT HAS GONE ON THERE.
UM, AND THE COMMUNITY GATHERING, GATHERING PLACE THAT IT IS OUR WORLD HERITAGE WORK PLAN, OUR NEW DESIGN STANDARDS THERE ALL WITH COMMUNITY INPUT BECAUSE IT WAS THE COMMUNITY THAT ALLOWED US TO GET THIS DESIGNATION WITH THE INTANGIBLE HERITAGE THAT WE HAVE OVER $9 MILLION IN SIDEWALKS INVESTED ALL OF OUR, NOT ALL OF OUR, MANY OF OUR STREETS FIXED IN DISTRICT THREE.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO GO ON THERE AND A VARIETY OF JOBS COMING INTO OUR AREA.
OVER 3000 AT LEAST IN DISTRICT THREE OVER THESE EIGHT YEARS.
$24.6 MILLION INVESTED IN 15 MILES OF HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND OUR VIVA SAN ANTONIO HEALTHY COURSE CORNER STORE INITIATIVE TO HELP WITH FOOD INSECURITY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND DISTRICT THREE.
WE HAVE, I HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, ALL 30 OF THEM THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH IN MY TENURE, UH, WHEN I FIRST TOOK OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME SO MUCH AND SHARING THEIR INSIGHTS.
I AM, I TOO AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE FIRST ELECTED FEMALE MAJORITY LED COUNCIL.
I WILL FOREVER CHERISH MY COUNCIL SISTERS, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OUR LAUGHS, OUR DANCING AND OUR GOOD TIMES.
AND TO THE WOMEN WHO ARE TO THE, TO THE WOMEN WHO ARE JOINING THIS COUNCIL.
AND TO THE WOMEN WHO WILL REMAIN.
I ONLY HOPE I WORKED HARD ENOUGH AND FOUGHT THE BATTLES SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT THEM AGAIN.
YOU ARE A COUNCILWOMAN OR A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND BUILD ONE ANOTHER UP BECAUSE WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TEARING US DOWN.
STOP APOLOGIZING FOR ASKING QUESTIONS, ASKING, ASKING.
AND TO CITY STAFF, YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE TEAM.
YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, YOU WORK SO HARD.
AND I ONLY WISH THE ENTIRE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COULD HAVE SEEN HOW HARD Y'ALL WORKED DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
AND I THINK THE LEADER OF THE, THE CITY STAFF FOR THAT.
UM, AND GETTING US THROUGH WHERE, WHERE WE ARE NOW.
I HAVE TO THINK, UH, UH, ALL THE MAYORS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I'LL JUST THINK, UM, MAYOR CASTRO AND MAYOR TAYLOR, I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THE BOTH OF THEM AND TO THE 2013 CREW, WHICH IS MAYOR NURENBERG AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY MOVIES IN OUR TIME ON THIS DIOCESE TOGETHER FROM OUR FIRST TERM, NOT REALIZING
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THAT OUR MAYOR WAS GOING TO RESIGN AND ALL OF THAT CRAZINESS THAT HAPPENED THAT FIRST TIME.AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU THIS ENTIRE TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ FOR YOUR ADVOCACY, YOUR STEADFASTNESS, FOR HELPING ALL OF US CALL OUT EVERYTHING AND WHEN WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER, WHEN WE KNEW WHAT WAS UH, GOING TO HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THESE, UH, PANEL DISCUSSIONS TOGETHER, AND WE DO THINK WE SHOULD TAKE OUR, OUR SHOW ON THE ROAD TALKING ABOUT, UM, LEADERSHIP AND WOMEN AND RUNNING FOR COUNCIL AND MAYOR, I THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME WITH THE LEADERSHIP ROLES THAT YOU HAVE PUT ME ON.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE APPOINTMENTS, BUT MORE THAN THAT, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CARE AND THE CONCERN THAT YOU HAVE FOR SAN ANTONIO AND SAN ANTONIONS.
I WISH PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND AND SEE THAT, WHAT I GET TO SEE IN THESE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIP WITH ME.
UH, I HAVE TO ALSO THANK THE MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND ALL OF MY BOARDING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I WAS INTENTIONAL IN MAKING SURE DISTRICT THREE MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED TO THESE BOARDS.
A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY, UH, COMMISSIONERS ON THE ZONING COMMITTEE ON THE H D R C, ON B O A, ON H D R C.
AND, UM, MR. GEORGE GARCIA ON ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND ALL OF MY BROOKS APPOINTEES.
YOU ALL SACRIFICED YOUR VOLUNTEER TIME TO SERVE, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR CITY TO MY SENIOR CITIZENS.
I WISH I WOULD'VE HAD MORE TIME WITH YOU THIS LAST PANDEMIC.
WE WERE GONNA HAVE SO MANY BIG PARTIES, UM, AND I HOPE I'M INVITED TO THE NEXT ONES.
UM, SO I CAN STILL GO AND DANCE WITH YOU TO ALL MY DISTRICT THREE LEGACY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE STUDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS.
GO AND COME BACK AND LEAD WHEREVER YOU ARE TO MY CAMPAIGN, TO MY CAMPAIGN TEAM WHO HELPED ME GET HERE.
BUT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STAY HERE.
BUT FOR MY INCREDIBLE TEAM AT THE CITY, REUBEN ALDE, CHRIS VILLA, KELLY ROSE, EL SALVADOR, ANNA, DEBBIE, CHRISTIE, ENRIQUE, OR IDA.
UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, THE INCOMPARABLE, UH, DEBRA HOSEY, WHO WAS SO INTEGRAL FOR ME AS I JOINED HERE IN 2013.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR BEING SO MUCH FUN.
BUT WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE RETIRED.
AND, UM,
WHY DO ALL OF MY SECRETARIES RETIRE AFTER ME? SO MY SECRETARIES RETIRE AFTER THEY LEAVE ME.
UM, TO, TO, UM, MELISSA KEO HDA, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT DISTRICT SIX IS GOING TO DO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME SO MUCH ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOR BEING MY DANCING PARTNER WHEN I NEEDED IT.
THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN FOR YOUR PROPHETIC WORD THAT YOU SPEAK OUT OVER THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT.
AND BECAUSE OF IT, THANK YOU TO, UM, MY, UH, SOUTH SIDE SISTER.
UH, I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TOGETHER ON THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE, IT WOULD'VE BEEN WONDERFUL.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA GET SOMEBODY ELSE WHO I THINK IS GONNA BE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE NEW SLATE ON THIS SIDE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
UH, A GREAT, I HAVE TO THANK MY, UM, I HAVE TO ALSO GIVE THANKS TO ALEX LOPEZ WHO IS OUT HERE WHO'S HELPED SO MUCH TO, UM, MARIA VILLA GOMEZ, WHO IS SO SMART AND SO SHARP, AND ALL OF THE TEAM, THE CITY TEAM WHO MADE MY TIME HERE PRODUCTIVE.
SO I THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THE WORK AND THEIR LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT REALLY IS EVIDENT AND TO MY GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES OUT THERE CHEERING ME ON, ESPECIALLY THOSE I RECENTLY LOST MY AUNT CARMEN, MR. RO.
ANNETTE AND OUR SWEET JENNIFER DAVILA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING AND CHEERING ME ON AND MAKING SURE PHYLLIS WON
AND TWO, MY FAMILY, UM, MY COUSINS WHO STAY BY MY SIDE AND HAVE MY BACK.
I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR ME THIS WHOLE ENTIRE TIME
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TO MY AUNTS AND MY UNCLES.NO WILL WANT, NO ONE WILL EVER OUTWORK YOU.
YOUR LOVE FOR OUR CITY IS EVIDENT AND WE WILL NEVER STOP.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD PEOPLE CALL ME A LOT OF NAMES AND A LOT OF THINGS AS YOUR TIME IS ON COUNCIL, RIGHT? BUT ONE THING I NEVER, I ALWAYS TOOK WITH PRIDE WAS WHEN PEOPLE CALLED ME, UM, A RELENTLESS AND A FIERCE ADVOCATE.
AND I GET THAT FROM MY FAMILY AND FROM BEING FROM THE SOUTH SIDE TO MY COUNCIL.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE, LOVE FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS AND YOUR WORK TOWARDS ME AND YOUR OTHER DAUGHTER.
UM, TO MY REAL SOUTH SIDE SISTER, MY COUNCILWOMAN, UH, DAD WOULD BE SO PROUD.
HE LOVED NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
SO, UM, YOU HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO STILL.
AND I AM SO PROUD TO BE HANDING THIS OFF TO YOU.
I KNOW YOU WILL DO GREAT THINGS AND YOU'LL BLOW US ALL AWAY.
SO NOW, AS IS MY CUSTOM MAYOR, I WILL LEAVE WITH A PRAYER AND A BLESSING FROM EPHESIANS 3, 6 19.
I PRAY THAT OUT OF THE LORD'S GLORIOUS RICHES, HE MAY STRENGTHEN YOU WITH POWER THROUGH HIS SPIRIT TO YOUR INNER BEING, SO THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH.
AND I PRAY THAT YOU BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE MAY HAVE POWER TOGETHER WITH ALL THE LORD'S HOLY PEOPLE TO GRASP HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
AND TO KNOW THIS LOVE THAT SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU MAY BE FILLED TO THE MEASURE OF ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD.
UM, MAYOR, UH, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THIS DAIS, UM, I TOLD A STORY ABOUT MY NEIGHBOR WHO PLANTED AN ORANGE TREE FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE.
AND I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT DISTRICT FIVE IS A COMMUNITY WHO SHARES EVERYTHING THEY HAVE.
SO THIS WEEKEND WE HAD A PARTY AT ALMANOR LAKE, AND IT WAS FABULOUS.
UH, ERIC, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, PUT ON AN INCREDIBLE DISPLAY OF ALL THE THINGS THEY CAN DO.
THERE WAS KAYAKING, THERE WAS, THE SWIMMING POOL WAS OPEN.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPLASH PAD.
AND SO I SAW IN THE CORNER A TENT AND ALL THE FISHING POLES LAID OUT, UH, AND ALL THE TACKLE EQUIPMENT.
AND THERE WAS SOME, UH, SOME KIDS ALREADY GETTING TO THE FISHING EQUIPMENT.
AND, UM, MOSTLY RITOS, WHICH WE DON'T SEE A LOT IN, IN, UH, ALMANOR LAKE PARK.
BUT I WAS SO GLAD TO SEE SO MANY KIDS ENJOYING THE FISHING EXPEDITION OR EXPO.
UM, AND SO I TOLD ALL THE CHILDREN THAT WERE AT THE PARK, GO, UH, LOOK AT THE FISHING EXPEDITION.
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXPO.
AND I WALKED OVER AND THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL TENT AND FOOD DISPLAYED, SO PRETTY, UM, THEY HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION OF SANDWICHES.
AND SO I WENT TO THE TABLE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING, AND THERE WAS SOME WOMEN.
AND I SAID, WOW, THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION.
CAN I HELP YOU PASS OUT THE FOOD? UM, AND SHE SAYS, OKAY.
SO I OPENED THE TRAY AND I PASSED THE FOOD ALL AROUND, AND I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE EVERYBODY ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL FISHING DEMONSTRATION.
AND SO LATER I SEE VERONICA MORENO, SHE'S WITH OUR, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND I SAID, OH, VE VERONICA, THE FISHING EXPO IS SO WONDERFUL.
AND SHE SAID THE FISHING EXPO WAS CANCELED.
THEY HAVE ALL THE TACKLE EQUIPMENT AND ALL, AND THE FOOD.
AND SHE SAID, OH, NO, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT OURS.
SO I WALKED BACK OVER THERE AND I SAID, WHO, WHO ARE THE SPONSORS? ARE YOU ALL PART OF THE EVENT HAPPENING TODAY? AND SHE SAID, NO, WE JUST CAME FISHING WITH OUR FAMILY
UH, BUT, UM, WE WERE JUST SO HAPPY TO SHARE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE.
WE WILL SHARE EVERYTHING WE HAVE, UH, WHETHER YOU INTENDED TO OR NOT.
UH, BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF, OF THE DISTRICT FIVE
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COMMUNITY.UH, WE WILL SHARE EVERYTHING, UH, EVEN IF IT'S, UH, EVEN IF IT'S THE VERY LITTLE, UM, THING THAT WE HAVE.
UH, AND ONE THING ABOUT MY TREMENDOUS STAFF HERE ON THE COUNCIL IS THAT THEY EACH WERE SO CONNECTED TO THE DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY.
SO, CAN I JUST PLEASE ASK FOR MY DISTRICT FIVE STAFF TO PLEASE STAND FOR JUST A MINUTE.
THEY'RE ALL SITTING RIGHT HERE AT VICTOR LANDA.
AND JUAN VALDEZ AND SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ, UM, HAVE MOVED TO OTHER, UM, CITY, UH, ELECTED OFFICES.
SO I JUST, I I, BUT I DO WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR TEAM, UH, AND WHY WE WERE SO AWESOME.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS A CONNECTION TO DISTRICT FIVE.
SO DORA HAS SPENT HER LIFE AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES.
SHE HAS WORKED WITH, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS IN ALMOST EVERY CAPACITY.
AND ALL OF IT INCLUDED DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, DANIEL MESSA SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD ON CUMBERLAND, UH, IN THE COLLINS GARDENS AREA.
JEAN RODRIGUEZ SPENT HIS LIFE IN THE SOUTH SIDE, IN SOUTH SAN, UH, AND HE, UM, SINGLE-HANDEDLY INTEGRATED COLLINS GARDENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
HE'LL TELL YOU THE STORY ONE OF THESE DAYS.
UH, VICTOR LAND'S FAMILY HAD A GARAGE, UH, RIGHT, UH, ON THE, UH, CORNER OF, OF COLORADO.
AND COMMERCE AND ROSALINDA HAS LIVED ALL OVER DISTRICT FIVE, INCLUDING, UH, CASTIANO HOMES.
AND OF COURSE, THERESA MENENDEZ, UM, HAD HER FAMILY BUSINESS, A RECORD SHOP IN MAR HILL ON, UH, THE, UH, EDGEWOOD SIDE.
AND EVEN JOAN, MY SECRETARY, UH, LIVES IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND SO IT'S REALLY BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE WERE, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH.
AND WHILE MY STAFF HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE, UM, AND INCREDIBLY DEDICATED TO ME, THE REASON WHY WE DID SO MUCH IN DISTRICT FIVE IS BECAUSE THEY REALLY LOVE THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE GIVEN THEIR HEART AND SOUL AND THEIR ENTIRE LIFE'S WORK FOR THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND I JUST GOT TO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF ALL THAT WORK.
UM, DANIELLE AND CHUCKLE MET AT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND IT IS, UM, IT IS REALLY BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH.
UM, AND, UH, MY, UH, MENTOR, UM, JUAN VAL, UH, JUAN SOLIS, WHO'S A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, OF COURSE, SPENT LOTS OF HOURS MENTORING ME AND WORKING WITH ME THROUGH THE MOST COMPLICATED ISSUES.
AND MY HUSBAND, KEVIN BARTON, UH, WHO SERVED AS VOLUNTEER STAFF TO ME, UM, HELPED ME WRITE THE EQUITY BUDGET, HELPED ME COLLECT DATA, ALWAYS, UM, JUST, UH, SUCH AN INCREDIBLE, DEDICATED TEAM, UM, THAT I HA AND, AND IT IS AN INCREDIBLE FEELING TO BE SUPPORTED BY SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE.
UM, AND TO, UH, OUR, UH, INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TERRY CASTILE, I HOPE YOU FEEL THE LOVE THAT I DID, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE.
I HOPE YOU FEEL SUPPORTED BY ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND YOU.
UH, MANY OF THEM WERE HERE FOR ME ON MY VERY FIRST DAY, AND I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MR. VALLES, WHO'S SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND MR. VALLES, WILL YOU PLEASE STAND? MR. VALLES WILL BE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, 100 YEARS OLD.
HE'LL BE 100 YEARS OLD IN AUGUST.
UH, AND HE READS ME POETRY AND TAKES ME FOR COFFEE, UM, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ME.
I HOPE THAT I CAN LIVE TO BE 100 YEARS OLD AND STILL LOVE THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS HE DOES.
UM, AS I WIND, UH, UH, MY, MY TIME HERE AND MY, I, MY, UM, MOMENTS ON THE COUNCIL, I HAVE SPENT SOME TIME GETTING TO KNOW THE CITY STAFF, UM, AND SOME WORDS TO MY INCOMING, UH, COLLEAGUES, MY INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ALL OF YOU COMING IN.
AND, UM, BRAVO AND TERRY AND, UM, JAYDEN JAYLEN, UH, AND MS. VRAN.
UM, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WORDS OF ADVICE.
UM, IT TOOK ME A VERY LONG TIME TO REALLY APPRECIATE THE
[00:35:01]
CITY STAFF, TO APPRECIATE ERIC AND ALL OF HIS TEAM.UH, THEY ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.
UH, AND WE REALLY DID SEE THE BEST OF THIS CITY DURING THIS PANDEMIC, UH, LEAD LED BY OUR INCREDIBLE MAYOR, RON NUREMBERG, UH, BY ERIC AND HIS TEAM, AND THIS INCREDIBLE CITY COUNCIL, UM, THAT I THINK WE DID MORE FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAN ANY OTHER BIG CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
WE GAVE MORE, I DO WANNA GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WE DID MORE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
EVERYBODY JUMPED TO THEIR FEET TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS TAKEN CARE OF IN THE CITY.
AND IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING GROUP, UH, TO BE WITH TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR REALLY STEPPING IN, UM, AS A MOTHER OF YOUNG CHILDREN, UH, ONE OF WHOM IS HERE TODAY.
HE GOT TO COME 'CAUSE HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SIT QUIETLY.
UH, BUT, UM, THE PANDEMIC WAS VERY HARD FOR ME, UH, AS ANY MOM OF YOUNG CHILDREN KNOWS.
UH, AND IT WAS A TIME THAT I HAD TO STEP BACK A LITTLE.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IT WAS A, UH, BEING SHELTERED AT HOME WITH THREE YOUNG CHILDREN AND A MOTHER, UH, WAS A VERY HARD, UH, UM, TIME.
AND SO I REALLY WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO COULD STEP UP AND SUPPORT DURING THAT VERY CHALLENGING TIME.
IT WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE RIDE.
AND, AND WHILE I AM, UM, LAST NIGHT, I HAD AN EPIPHANY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR ALL THIS TIME THAT I'M NOT READY AND I'M NOT READY.
AND I WANNA DO OVER, I WANTED TO REDO THE LAST YEAR.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T GET TO DO THE PARTIES AND WE DIDN'T GET TO DO THE CELEBRATIONS.
UM, SO I'M TELLING YOU ALL NOW, HAVE THE PARTIES TAKE THE TRIPS, TAKE THE TIME, MEET THE PEOPLE, SPEND TIME IN RELATIONSHIPS.
POLITICS IS REALLY JUST ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, UH, BUILDING THEM AND ALSO GROWING THEM.
THERE'S NO SHORTCUT TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME, UH, LITTLE BY LITTLE EVERY DAY TO REALLY BUILD THEM.
AND I JUST AM SO EXCITED TO, TO, UM, TO, TO TAKE A STEP BACK.
UH, IT'S BEEN, UM, LAST NIGHT I HAD A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION.
SO MANY OF YOU ALL CAME TO CELEBRATE WITH ME, AND I THOUGHT, PERHAPS BETTER TO LEAVE ON A HIGH NOTE.
AND SO I WILL LEAVE, UM, READY.
AND, UH, SO EXCITED TO TURN OVER THE DISTRICT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, TERRY CASTILLO, AND WISH HER THE VERY BEST, UH, HOPE THAT SHE FILLS THE LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT I HAVE.
UM, HOPE THAT SHE RECOGNIZES THAT PEOPLE WILL SHARE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU BENEFIT FROM THE WONDERFUL LOVE OF THIS COMMUNITY AS I HAVE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
THANK YOU TO MY MOTHER WHO ALWAYS SAID, YOU SHOULD EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING IN THIS LIFE.
AND WHEN MY BROTHER PASSED AWAY IN 2009, LIKE MANY OF YOU ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED, I HAD A, A SEARCH FOR MEANING IN MY LIFE.
AND I REMEMBER THINKING THAT IF IT HAD BEEN ME AND NOT HIM, I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING MEANINGFUL.
UH, AND NOW I CAN SAY WITH THE GREAT PRIDE, UM, THAT I HAVE LED A MEANINGFUL LIFE AS YOUR DISTRICT FIVE REPRESENTATIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE ORDINANCE.
UH, SO WE'LL GO IN ORDER OF OUR DISTRICTS.
UM, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND, UM, SO I, I SAID THIS BEFORE LAST WEEK, AND I'M SAD THAT WE ARE NO LONGER GONNA BE A MAJORITY FEMALE COUNCIL, AND I'M GONNA MISS YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
UM, BUT I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU SOMETHING FUNNY THAT WAS SAID TO ME.
AND GARRETT BERGNER DID NOT TELL ME THAT THIS WAS OFF THE RECORD.
SO, UM, HE TOLD ME, HEY, DOES THIS MEAN, I SUPPOSE IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO START FIST BUMPING AND YELLING BOYS RULE? AND THEY SAID, NO, IT'S NOT, BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE FIVE OF US HERE.
AND SO, ANYWAY, SO THAT WASN'T, UH, ON THE, OR YOU DIDN'T TELL ME OFF THE RECORD.
UM, BUT JUST ALSO LETTING YOU ALL KNOW THERE'S STILL FIVE OF US, YOU GUYS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE STILL GONNA BE ALL ABOUT GIRL POWER, DON'T WORRY.
[00:40:01]
JUST START OFF BY SAYING, UM, AND BY THE WAY, WE WON'T MAKE ANDY NERVOUS THOUGH, BECAUSE EVERY TIME ALL THE WOMEN GOT TOGETHER, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A QUORUM.AND SO, IN FACT, THERE'S SOMETHING VARIED IN A SPECIAL TIME CAPSULE THAT ANDY DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT.
UH, AND HE'LL FIND OUT IN 50 YEARS THAT WILL MAKE HIM EVEN MORE NERVOUS.
AND SO, UM, TO MY SOUTHSIDE SISTER, UH, I AM SO HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU.
I'M SURE I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT A POLICE STATION IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN FROM, FROM PHYLLIS.
I'M GONNA ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ALWAYS TELL ME, UM, TO STOP APOLOGIZING.
AND SO I'M, I'VE BEEN LEARNING.
AND SO FROM, UM, I HAVE TO SAY MY WEST SIDE, WERA, UH, I'M GONNA MISS YOU.
AND SO, UM, I'VE LEARNED THE MEANING OF MANSPLAINING FROM YOU.
AND SO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT MANSPLAINING WAS.
AND SO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO SHALL REMAIN, UH, UNNAMED TODAY WAS MANSPLAINING.
AND SHIRLEY'S LIKE, AND THAT'S MANSPLAINING.
RIGHT? AND SO I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU ALSO, NOT JUST MANSPLAINING, NOT JUST TO STOP APOLOGIZING, BUT ALSO THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO YOUR, UM, COMMUNITY.
UM, AND BY THE WAY, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU DO SUCH A GREAT JOB.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC WITH THE KIDS.
YOU MAKE ME WANNA HAVE ANOTHER BABY IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER.
SO WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, YOU DID IT RIGHT? SO, SO GOOD JOB.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY THAT, UH, SCOTT BALL AND SCOTT BALL IS IN HERE, UM, TOOK THIS FABULOUS PICTURE LAST WEEK AND IT WAS HILARIOUS, UM, BECAUSE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ IS BEING HER PASSIONATE SELF.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT, BUT ANDY WAS BRINGING US BACK DOWN TO WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND SO COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ IS SHOOTING OFF THE, JUST CRAZIEST EYE OVER TO ANDY.
BUT THE BAD THING IS THAT I'M READY TO BACK HER UP IN CASE SHE THROWS DOWN.
AND SO I AM STILL HERE TO, JUST TO SUPPORT YOU IN WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU NEED.
UM, BUT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, JADA, I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE JUST SUCH A CALMING PRESENCE ON CAMPUS, ON, ON COUNCIL.
AND EVERY TIME I FELT DOWN OR OVERWHELMED, WHICH I TRY NOT TO LET PEOPLE ONTO, YOU WERE THERE AND YOU KIND OF SENSED IT.
AND SO YOUR PRAYERS, UM, WERE ALWAYS WELCOME.
I AM, UM, HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU FOR TWO YEARS.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP, SHOWING UP UNTIL THE VERY END.
YOUR SUPPORTERS, YOUR NETWORK.
YOUR TEAM IS HERE ALSO WORKING.
THEY WERE JUST GIVING HER INFORMATION, MAKING SURE SHE WAS SUPPORTED, AND MAKING THOSE VERY LAST, UM, COUNCIL DECISIONS.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ON HER TEAM, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DID.
IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT YOU ALL WORKED VERY, VERY HARD UNTIL THE VERY END.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, ALL OF YOU FOR SHOWING UP.
UM, AND THEN TO MY NEW COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, MARIO BRAVO, I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU.
BURGUNDY, YOU DID A GREAT JOB IN SUPPORTING, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL.
AND I'M HAPPY THAT, UH, COUNCIL MOM CONTINUES HER TERM.
SO I'LL GET TO WORK WITH COUNCIL MOM AGAIN.
SO, PHYLLIS, YOU, UH, ARE, ARE MY, MY, UH, MY NEW SOUTH SIDE SISTER, BUT IT'S OKAY.
WE WON'T LEAVE OUR OUR SOUTH SIDE SISTER OUT.
WELL, MAYBE YOU COULD BRING HER AS A PLUS ONE OR SOMETHING, AND SHE DOESN'T FEEL LEFT OUT.
SO, UM, AND THEN TERRY, I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORK WITH YOU.
SHE HAS A, ANOTHER CHIEF OF STAFF.
UM, SHE HAS A FEMALE CHIEF OF STAFF.
AND SO I'M REALLY JAZZED ABOUT THAT.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE ALREADY MADE GREAT MOVES, JAYLEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU.
YOU SAW YESTERDAY, I ALREADY STARTED.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VOICE IS COUNTED AND THAT YOUR PRESENCE IS KNOWN.
AND, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I'M JUST GONNA MISS YOU ALL.
AND I'M GONNA, I'M LIKE THE, THE VETERAN ON THE THIRD FLOOR NOW, WHICH IS WEIRD 'CAUSE I WAS A ROOKIE LAST YEAR, AND SO I'M SO, SO GONNA MISS YOU ALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DID FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WE WORKED TOGETHER DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND I COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A BETTER TEAM TO WORK ALONGSIDE.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CRAZY CALLS LATE, OR THANK YOU FOR MY TEXT MESSAGES WHEN I ASKED, HEY, CAN YOU WEAR TEAL FOR THIS? HEY, CAN YOU WEAR, YOU KNOW, ORANGE FOR THAT? OR WHATEVER IT IS.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE
[00:45:01]
FOR ME.COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER KI HAU.
UM, EVERY DAY OF, OF MY VERY BLESSED LIFE WITH HUMILITY, I TRY TO LEARN, UH, I'LL, I WOULD, NO MATTER HOW MUCH EDUCATION OR EXPERIENCE A PERSON HAS, YOU CAN ALWAYS LEARN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UM, FROM MY COLLEAGUES, FROM MY COMMUNITY, UM, FROM MY DISTRICT, MY BEAUTIFUL CITY, MY BEAUTIFUL HOMETOWN.
AND, UM, AND EACH ONE OF YOU, I, I LEARNED FROM COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN TO RELY ON MY FAITH MORE, TO REALLY HAVE THAT, UM, UNWAVERING FAITH.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN AND ROCHE GARCIA AND I CAME ON TOGETHER.
AND, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA
IT'S, IT'S BEEN A, A TUMULTUOUS COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT IN, IN ALL OF THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN WAS STEADFAST AND TRUE TO HER COMMUNITY, AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, UH, RELIED ON HER FAITH.
SO I, I REALLY LEARNED THAT FROM YOU.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FROM, UH, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME FROM COUNCILWOMAN VIETNAM.
I LEARNED TO NEVER, EVER BACK DOWN RELENTLESS IS, UH,
RELENTLESS IS, UM, IS ONE WORD.
UH, FEARLESS IS WHAT I WOULD USE, YOU KNOW, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA LOOK AT HER ANYMORE 'CAUSE I'M GONNA START CRYING
BUT, UH, I, YOU PUT THE SOUTH SIDE ON THE MAP, AND FROM FROM YOU, I TAUGHT, I, I LEARNED, I'M SORRY, THAT ADVOCACY, THAT, THAT FEARLESS FIERCE ADVOCACY.
AND, UM, YOU ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT IT'S ALWAYS THE RIGHT TIME TO FIGHT, TO ADVOCATE, AND TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP FOR COMMUNITY, YOUR COMMUNITY, JUST BECAUSE IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.
AND SO, I, I LEARNED THAT, AND I THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME FOR COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
I LEARNED IT IS TOTALLY OKAY TO BE YOUR ASSERTIVE, FIERCE, PASSIONATE, BRIGHT COLOR, WEARING LATINA SELF
AND I, I, WHEN I DECIDED TO RUN FOR COUNCIL, PEOPLE TOLD ME, YOU CAN'T DO IT.
AND I WOULD POINT OVER HERE AT MY NEIGHBOR AND SAY, HEY, SHE DID IT.
YOU KNOW, SHE'S RUNNING A BUSINESS.
AND, UM, SO YOU GAVE ME THAT CONFIDENCE.
AND I, I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU, YOU KNEW THAT.
BUT WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, ROUGH DAYS, AS WE ALL KNOW ON A CAMPAIGN, MY HEAD WAS KIND OF DOWN TO PEOPLE TELLING ME I COULDN'T, I COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF, OF, OF MY LIFE.
UM, YOU, YOU BROUGHT MY HEAD BACK UP AND REMINDED ME THAT I COULD.
I, I, I WILL ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR, FOR INSPIRING ME IN THAT WAY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME TO MY INCOMING COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, MARIO, PHYLLIS, TERRY, AND JALEN.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW EAGER I AM TO LEARN FROM EACH ONE OF YOU.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO, TO KNOW MOST OF YOU ALREADY.
BUT, UM, EVERY DAY, I, I COMMIT TO LEARNING FROM YOU AND LISTENING TO YOU AND, AND HEARING YOU AND, UM, AND, AND, AND YOUR REPRESENTATION OF YOUR DISTRICT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING FROM YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND, UH, I DO HAVE A FEW WORDS TO, TO SHARE WITH OUR OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND I, I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS CAUGHT A LITTLE BIT OFF GUARD.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE YOUR MOMENT TO TALK.
UM, I'LL TRY MY BEST TO, TO SUMMARIZE THE FEW YEARS OF WORKING WITH YOU AND WHAT I'VE APPRECIATED THE MOST.
UM, I'LL START OFF WITH, UM, COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN.
I'VE ALWAYS TOLD YOU THAT YOU'RE A NATURAL MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY YOUR, YOUR CALLING IN LIFE.
UH, BUT TODAY WHAT YOU SHOWED US AGAIN IS THAT YOU ARE THE EPITOME OF GRACIOUSNESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, SHARING THAT, UH, MODELING THAT FOR US.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M LEARNING FROM, FROM YOU.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR PUSHING THIS COUNCIL ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES, INCLUDING GUN SAFETY, INCLUDING POLICE REFORM, AND THAT RESOLUTION THAT, THAT TOOK US A WHILE TO, TO GET THROUGH.
BUT RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED THAT WITHOUT YOU.
AND I WILL COMMIT TO YOU THAT I WILL CONTINUE PUSHING THAT ISSUE ALONG, UH, TO TRY TO CREATE SOME, SOME JUSTICE FOR THOSE MANY WHO DESERVE IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
[00:50:02]
UM, TO, TO THE SENIOR COUNCILWOMEN.UH, I WANNA TELL YOU THAT WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL, YOU TWO KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
AND YOU, YOU, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, BUT YOU ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER WOMEN I'VE EVER KNOWN.
UH, THERE IS, UH, A POWER THAT FOLLOWS YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.
THERE'S, THERE'S A STRENGTH, AND THERE'S A NO NONSENSE.
AND I AM THE, THE RELENTLESS, FIERCE ADVOCATE.
THE, I'M NOT TAKING ANY BSS FROM ANYBODY, UH, ATTITUDE, UH, THAT YOU HAVE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS, I WAS, I WAS DISCIPLINED TO BE A GOOD LITTLE GIRL.
AND THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS SHOCKING TO ME.
AND, UH, AND I LEARNED FROM IT.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTE ROLE MODELS FOR ME IN, IN THAT SENSE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I FOLLOWED YOU AROUND, LIKE A PUPPY DOG, TRYING TO LEARN EVERYTHING I ABSOLUTELY COULD FROM YOU.
I HAD A, WHAT I CALL A PROFESSIONAL CRUSH ON COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, UH, BECAUSE OF HER ADVOCACY ON TRANSPORTATION.
AND SHE DIDN'T CARE WHAT, WHAT ANYBODY THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
UM, I WILL, AND THEN COVID CAME.
UH, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY, UH, MISS THAT ABOUT YOU.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED BY YOUR ABILITY TO BALANCE, UH, SO MANY THINGS IN YOUR LIFE, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR FAMILY, UH, AND OF COURSE, UH, YOUR COUNCIL WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THAT ROLE MODEL FOR, FOR TEACHING ME AND FOR LETTING ME WORK WITH YOU THESE PAST FEW YEARS.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN BE ARAN, UH, AGAIN, YOU PUT THE SOUTH SIDE ON THE MAP LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN SAID.
AND, UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UH, WORKING WITH ME.
I, WE HADN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UH, BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP UNTIL THE PANDEMIC BECAME, UH, BEGAN.
AND WE REALIZED WE WERE SO MUCH ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT CAME TO THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING SO RECEPTIVE, UH, SO COLLABORATIVE.
AND IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU, ME, AND OUR COUNCILWOMEN, THAT WE HAVE DEFIED WHAT WAS EXPECTED IN TERMS OF WHO WAS VACCINATED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR US, WE WOULD'VE SEEN THE SAME, UH, BUSINESS AS USUAL, UH, NORTH SIDE RESIDENTS, NO OFFENSE.
I ALSO REPRESENT THE NORTH SIDE, ONLY NORTH SIDE RESIDENTS BEING VACCINATED.
BUT BECAUSE OF, UH, OUR WORK TOGETHER, UH, WE CAN SAY THAT THE SOUTH SIDE WAS VACCINATED TOO.
UM, THERE IS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S NOT WITH US TODAY, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT HE HAS CONTRIBUTED, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE CERTAINLY WOULD'VE LIKED TO SEE HIM HERE, BUT, UH, IT, IT CANNOT GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT, UH, WITHOUT HIM, MANY THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY DURING C O V I D.
SO, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME IN RECOGNIZING SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF COUNCILMAN VINNO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, WE WERE UP HERE ON THE DAAS, AND A QUESTION WAS ASKED IF C P SS WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SHUTOFFS, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THAT SAME DAY C P S.
UH, AND THAT WAS COUNCILMAN WHO ASKED THAT QUESTION.
AND THAT SAME DAY C P S ANNOUNCED IT WOULD ISSUE A MORATORIUM ON, UH, CUTOFFS.
UH, AND THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY SASS.
SO I WANNA THANK THE COUNCILMAN FOR BRINGING THAT ISSUE UP.
UH, HE ALSO CHAMPIONED, UM, THE LARGEST EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE NATION.
AND THANKS TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVING THAT, OF COURSE, AND FOR THE STAFF FOR DOING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE JOB IN IMPLEMENTING THAT.
BUT HE WAS, HE WAS NO DOUBT THE BIGGEST CHAMPION, UH, FOR THAT, FOR THAT CAUSE.
AND HE BROUGHT TO US A PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS INNOVATIVE, BUT APPARENTLY WAS ALREADY IN USE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RENTERS HAD, UM, HAD DUE PROCESS BEFORE THEY WERE, UM, THEY LEFT OFFICE.
AND HE FOUGHT TO ENSURE THAT RENTERS HAD A VOICE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AS WELL.
UH, THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE I JOINED COUNCIL.
THOSE ARE THE MOST RECENT ONES THAT I REMEMBER.
BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY GOOD AS YES.
UH, COUNCILMAN FOR, UH, FOR ALWAYS BRINGING COMPASSION TO, TO THE WORK, UH, THAT YOU DID HERE.
UM, AND, UH, TO THE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS, MARIO, UH, TERRY, PHYLLIS JAYLEN, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
EACH OF YOU BRINGS SOMETHING SO SPECIAL THAT THIS COUNCIL
[00:55:01]
WILL BENEFIT FROM.I CAN ALREADY THINK OF A NUMBER OF THINGS I I AM GOING TO GO LOBBY YOU FOR, AND THAT I WANNA WORK WITH YOU ON.
UH, IF I HAVEN'T STARTED ALREADY, UH, YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM ME SOON.
UH, BUT, UM, I, I THINK WE SHOULD WORK MORE IN TEAMS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I THINK EACH OF YOU HAVE, UH, HAVE THE ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, THANK YOU, UH, TO THE COUNCILMAN WHO ARE STEPPING OFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YES, I FOUND A TIE IN MY CLOSET SOMEWHERE.
UH, AND, UH, BUT I, I WANT TO, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING ME A BETTER COUNCIL, MAN.
UM, AND SO YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, BUT I'M GONNA DO SOME MANNY SPLAINING.
UH, THE, UH, THEY REALLY, THEY REALLY DO, UM, REBECCA AND SHIRLEY AND, AND JADA, YOU HAVE SOME OF THE SHARPEST ELBOWS I'VE EVER, EVER EXPERIENCED.
UM, AND, UH, YOU GET THINGS DONE AND YOU GET THINGS DONE UNAPOLOGETICALLY, AND YOU GET THINGS DONE, UM, WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY.
UM, AND NOBODY CAN DENY THE FINGERPRINTS THAT YOU'VE LEFT ON THE CITY.
UM, I, I'M SAD TO SAY, UH, THAT MY, UH, MY FRIEND AND, AND MY BROTHER AND MY COLLEAGUE ROBERT TREVINO, IS NOT HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT IF, IF HE'S WATCHING, UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO IS GOING TO ALSO, UH, DENY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS FINGERPRINTS ARE PERMANENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, HE HAS HELPED FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESS, OUR SAN ANTONIO CONSTITUENTS WITHOUT HOMES, UM, THOUSANDS OF THEM HAVE ROBERTO TRIN TO THANK FOR, UM, NOT FALLING FURTHER INTO THE CRACKS.
AND, UM, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PULLING THEMSELVES OUT OF IT.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE, THIS WHITE ROOF PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL PROUD OF, AND WE'LL ALL CONTINUE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE ROBERTO REINO TO, TO THANK, UH, DURING OUR C I D CRISIS, UM, BECAUSE ROBERTO WAS INSISTING THAT WE FUND THEM.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST TO NAME A FEW MORE IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS, RENTERS RIGHTS, UM, AND THE RIGHTS.
AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SINGLE MOMS AND BATTERED WOMEN IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, HE'LL LEAVE A, A FOREVER MARK ON THERE.
LASTLY, I'LL TELL YOU, OUR VERY OWN EMPLOYEES, UH, MY STAFF, HIS STAFF, AND EVERY STAFFER, UH, WHO WORKS FOR ALL OF US CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE STAFFERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE WORKING FOR THE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE, UM, HIM AND HIS TEAM TO THANK FOR, UM, BENEFITS AND FOR, UH, GOOD PAY AND FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, UH, AND, AND, AND FOR BEING ABLE TO BE RECOGNIZED THE WAY THAT THEY'VE, THAT THEY'VE DESERVED.
UM, AND LASTLY, UH, MY COMMENTS ARE TO THE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I, I ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST ONE THING TO BEG OF YOU, AND THAT IS, UH, PLEASE MEET WITH EVERYBODY, UH, AND PLEASE LISTEN TO EVERYBODY WITH VERY OPEN MINDS.
UM, I, I, I'M STILL LEARNING, UH, THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO I REPRESENT UP HERE IS, UH, MUCH LARGER THAN, THAN I THINK.
UH, AND SO I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN THIS ROOM, UM, JUDGE ROSIE GONZALEZ FROM ACROSS THE STREET IS HERE, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHAMPION.
UM, AND, UM, VISIT WITH HER, LEARN ABOUT WHAT SHE'S WORKING ON, UM, LEARN ABOUT WHAT SHE SEES, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE DAY WE'VE GOT, UM, THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS UNION AND THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION.
THEY, THEY REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS TOO.
THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM LIVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND THEY HAVE, UH, OPINIONS THAT ARE VALUABLE AND, UM, THEIR POSITIONS ARE WORTHY OF MERIT, AND THEY MERIT, UH, YOUR, UM, YOU'RE LISTENING TO THEM.
WE'VE GOT, UM, MICHELLE TAMI HERE.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US SHOULD BE TALKING TO HER AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.
MICHELLE, SOMETIMES YOU DRIVE ME NUTS AND I DRIVE YOU NUTS, BUT I LEARN FROM YOU.
UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET TO, UH, EXCHANGE IDEAS.
UM, OUR FRIENDS FROM AFSCME WHO REPRESENT THE CITY EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 12,000 PLUS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO WORK FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHO COME TO WORK AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND THAT I, I CAN'T, UH, FORGET ALSO THAT ERIC WALSH AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM OF PEOPLE, THOSE 12,000 TEAM, UM, TEAM MEMBERS, THEY'RE SANTON, THEY'RE STUCK ON 2 81 AND I 10, JUST LIKE YOU ARE, AND THE REST OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND THEY'RE RELYING ON YOU TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.
ALSO, REMEMBER THAT THESE FOLKS STEPPED UP DURING THE STORM, UM, AND, UM, THEY WANT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS ALSO, AND THEY WANT CLEAN WATER, AND THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, ROADS WITHOUT POTHOLES.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DON'T BE AFRAID TO TALK TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE MEDIA.
UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY DRIVE US ALL NUTS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, AN IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PLEASE BE OPEN TO THEIR IDEAS.
RICHARD BETAS IS SITTING HERE, UH, FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT GUY KNOWS MORE ABOUT BEING A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAN ANYBODY I'VE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IN SAN ANTONIO.
BUT ALSO, HE REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT CONSTITUENCY THAT I HOPE THAT MY THREE MEMBERS WILL LISTEN TO.
LASTLY, UM, THE, UH, THE TRADE UNIONS
[01:00:01]
ARE HERE, UH, COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA.I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU GUYS HERE.
THESE FOLKS RELY ON US TO MAKE SURE TO REMEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW, WORK IN SAN ANTONIO IS, NEEDS TO BE DIGNIFIED AND SAFE.
UM, AND NOT, AND I KEEP SAYING LASTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY HERE IN TOWN.
PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN BUILDINGS UNLESS SOMEBODY BUILDS THEM.
AND THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT BUILD THEM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE TALK TO THEM, LEARN FROM THEM.
EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING TO TEACH US AND INCLUDING ME.
AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU AND LEARNING ALONG YOU, ALONG, ALONG WITH YOU TO BETTER SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND, UM, THIS IS LIFE AND DEATH THAT WE'RE DOING UP HERE.
AND I, I'VE, I'VE READ A LOT ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ABOUT.
I'VE GOTTEN TO TALK TO SOME OF YOU, UH, MARIO, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, I CAN'T THINK OF, UH, OF, OF A BETTER PREPARED GROUP OF PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE UP HERE, UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO KICKING ASS WITH YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER AYAS, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
IT IS, UH, AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE ON THIS CITY COUNCIL TO SERVE WITH THE PEOPLE I'VE SERVED WITH FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AND FOR THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN ON.
UH, AND I THINK ALL OF US FEEL THE SAME WAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE LEAVING AND THE CONTR CONTRIBUTIONS THEY'VE MADE, UH, NOT ONLY TO THE CITY, BUT TO ME PERSONALLY.
I HAVE TO START OFF BY, BY, UM, LOOKING BACK AT, UH, SHIRLEY GONZALEZ, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, SHE SAID, COUNCILMAN, I WANNA HAVE COFFEE WITH YOU SOMEDAY.
WE WENT AND MET ON A COFFEE SHOP ON WEST SIDE, AND SHE TALKED TO ME ABOUT HER PLANS FOR STREETS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND SHE EASILY EDUCATED ME AND CONVINCED ME OF THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING AT STREETS AND IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH WHAT WE DIDN'T CALL IT THE END, BUT THROUGH WHAT WE CALL IT TODAY, AN EQUITY LENS.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST BIT OF EDUCATION I THINK I RECEIVED ON THIS COUNCIL.
I, I RECEIVED A LOT OF EDUCATION, UH, FROM COUNCILMAN GRO BECAUSE OF HER GRIT AND THEIR DETERMINATION AND HER COMMITMENT TO THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I, I, AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM KNOW THAT IF THEY DEALT WITH ME IN MY FIRST COUPLE YEARS, BECAUSE WHEN SOME DEVELOPERS CAME TO ME A FEW TIMES, SAID, WELL, WE'D LIKE TO PUT SOME APARTMENTS UP ON IN YOUR DISTRICT, OR WE'D LIKE TO DO SOME BUILDING IN YOUR DISTRICT.
I SAID TO THEM, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE SOUTH SIDE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE SOUTHEAST AND THE SOUTHWEST AND THE EAST SIDE? YOU KNOW, THEY NEED MORE BUILDING AND MORE CONSTRUCTION THERE.
BUT I'VE WATCHED THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, AND I'VE BEEN AMAZED AT THE, THE WORK AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT, UH, REBECCA HAS SHOWN.
UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT BENEFITS ALL OF US IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU TWO HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
AND I, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UH, I, THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT HAD JADA REMAINED ON THIS COUNCIL, SHE WOULD'VE CONTINUED TO CONTRIBUTE IN OUTSTANDING WAYS AS WELL.
AND I KNOW YOUR TIME OF CONTRIBUTING TO THIS COMMUNITY, OR TO WHATEVER COMMUNITY YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH IS GOING TO CONTINUE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH.
AND, AND SO FOR THE THREE WOMEN WHO WERE LEAVING, UH, IT CREATES A HOLE, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT I, I LOOK AT THE NEW MEMBERS COMING IN, AND I REALIZE THERE ARE GONNA BE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA FILL THOSE HOLES, AND THEY'RE GONNA FILL THEM VERY WELL.
I WANNA SAY ABOUT, UH, OUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER WHO ISN'T HERE TODAY.
I USED TO WATCH THE WORK, UH, THAT ROBERTO DID.
AND, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT ONE IS A, A VERY UNIQUE DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S THE CENTER OF THE CITY AND THERE'S SO MUCH BUSINESS AND COMMERCE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES ALL AROUND IT.
IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE EDGE OF MY DISTRICT AND OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE EAST SIDE AND THE SOUTH SIDE.
I USED TO CALL HIM, UH, THE MAYOR OF DISTRICT ONE BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS GOING PLACES AND DOING THINGS.
UH, SO ROBERTO, YOU'VE GOT A, I MEAN, UM, UH, MARIO, YOU'VE GOT A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS YOU TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY, BUT HE DID MAKE SO MANY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY.
SO ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH A UNIQUE PART OF MY SERVICE AND THE SERVICE TO THE CITY.
UH, I, I'M JUST PROUD TO HAVE SERVED WITH YOU AND I'M, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO MAKE, UH, GREAT IMPORTANT, UH, UH, INPUT AND SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOURSELF WITH ME IN THIS COUNCIL, UH, AND TO THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[01:05:01]
YOU'LL FIND OUT AS YOU GO ALONG THAT THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN.YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD THAT PHRASE, AND YOU'LL HEAR IT TOO.
YOU'RE GONNA BE, UH, DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR THAT YOU'RE ON COUNCIL TRYING TO LEARN EVERYTHING.
AND THERE IS A LOT TO LEARN, AND THERE'S A LOT TO UNDER, I'M TO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T.
AND IT'S GONNA BE INCUMBENT UPON YOU TO TRY AND HELP INFORM AND EDUCATE YOUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO DON'T AGREE, YOU CAN HELP THEM UNDERSTAND.
OR AT LEAST WHEN YOU MAKE THAT DECISION, THEY'LL KNOW YOU'VE GIVEN IT THE THOUGHT AND THE CONSIDERATION IT DESERVES, EVEN IF THEY MAY NOT AGREE WITH YOU.
SO, IT'S A BIG JOB, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, YOU NEED TO BE THE NEIGHBOR FOR EVERYBODY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THE KIND OF PERSON WHO LISTENS, WHO SHARES THOUGHTS, WHO SHARES IDEAS, BUT ALSO YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT A COUNCILMAN FOR ONE DISTRICT IS A COUNCILMAN FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
BECAUSE THE DECISIONS WE MAKE UP HERE IN THIS DIAZ EVERY DAY, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
AND WE MAY NOT ALL BE 11 TO ZERO VOTES.
WE MAY BE 10 TO ONE, SOMETIMES
BUT I THINK ALL OF US GONNA ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HOW WE SEE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST WANNA OFFER MY HELP, UH, IN ANY WAY I CAN.
AND I'M SURE YOU'LL GET THAT FROM EVERYONE WHO'S REMAINING ON THE COUNCIL.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND BEST OF WISHES TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS LEAVING.
WELL, I GOTTA TELL YOU A LITTLE SECRET.
JOHN AND I DID THIS, UH, VULCAN MIND MELD BEFORE THE, BEFORE COMING OUT HERE.
'CAUSE HE SAID BASICALLY WHAT, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
BUT, UH, I'LL POINT OUT A FEW LITTLE THINGS HERE.
ALSO, JADA, EVER SINCE THAT FIRST BREAKFAST WE HAD, UH, TOGETHER, THAT WHERE YOU'VE BEEN AND WHERE YOU'VE GOTTEN TO TODAY IS AMAZING.
AND YOU HAVE DONE AN AWESOME JOB.
AND I GOTTA REMINDER TO EVERYBODY THAT 10 AND TWO HAVE A VERY LONG BOUNDARY THERE.
AND WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE DID DO SOME WORK TOGETHER ON PROMOTING THAT AND WORKING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THOSE DISTRICT LINES.
SO I, I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT.
YOU'RE ONE OF OUR BEST ORS UP HERE ON, ON GETTING THE WORD OUT ON WHAT YOU FEEL AND WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.
UH, I THINK THAT'S AWESOME AS WELL.
IF, IF Y'ALL EVER NOTICED ON COUNCIL MEETINGS, MAN, SHE WOULD GIVE ME THAT EYE.
AND I, I WOULD SAY, UHOH, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG HERE? WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? BUT, UH, LOOKING BACK AT IT IN 2017, AND I'VE ALWAYS REMEMBERED THAT, REMEMBERED THAT YOU WERE THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT CAME TO MY, UH, ELECTION PARTY THAT NIGHT.
AND I'VE ALWAYS REMEMBERED THAT.
AND, UH, I RESPECT YOU FOR THAT.
I RESPECT EVERYTHING THAT, UH, WE DISAGREED ON.
AND OKAY, JOHN SAID IT, THERE'S A LOT OF 10 TO ONE VOTES UP HERE, OKAY? SOMETIMES 10 TO TWO, OKAY? SOMETIMES 10 TO TWO.
I'M ABLE TO GET SOMEBODY TO COME ALONG WITH ME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT BUSINESS.
AND YOU HAVE TO SEPARATE THAT HERE ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND FOR THE NEW FOLKS COMING IN, IT'S ABOUT BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT PERSONAL ISSUES OR PERSONALITIES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU GOTTA LOOK AT YOUR DISTRICT, AND YOU, AS JOHN SAID, YOU GOTTA LOOK AT THE WHOLE CITY.
SO, UH, I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND I, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO DO THAT.
AND LOOKING AND WORKING WITH EVERYBODY HERE ON THE COUNCIL, I, I THINK EVERYBODY DOES A GOOD JOB OF THAT, OKAY? MAYBE ONCE IN A WHILE, NOT, BUT, UH, IT'S OKAY.
UH, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE FOR THE CITY FOR EIGHT YEARS.
THAT'S TRULY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND, UH, BEST OF LUCK TO YOU DOWN, OKAY, GREAT.
GOING INTO AGGIE LAND, YES, DOWN AT TEXAS A AND M THAT I LOVE THAT.
UM, AND THEN SHIRLEY, UM, IT, I GOTTA TELL, TELL YOU A STORY.
SHIRLEY INVITED ME OVER TO HER HOUSE, KEVIN, FOR, FOR, UM, COFFEE AND SITTING DOWN TALKING TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
SO I GOT UP THERE AND, UH, GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SHE HAD FOUR PLACE SETTINGS.
AND SHE SAID, OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA BRING YOUR, YOUR WIFE.
[01:10:01]
I SAID, SHIRLEY, I'M SINGLE.SO, UH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO HER AND TO ME ALSO
AND THEN, THEN YOUR PERSONAL TOUR OF DISTRICT FIVE THAT YOU GAVE TO ME AND SHOWING ME, UH, WHERE THE ISSUES ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE WORKING FOR AND WORKING TO IMPROVE.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.
ALSO, SHIRLEY, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA MISS ALL OF YOU, AND YOU'VE ALL MADE SUCH HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS CITY, AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO, I KNOW Y'ALL WILL STAY ENGAGED AND BE, UM, I KNOW Y'ALL WILL PROBABLY EVEN GIVE ME A CALL ONCE IN A WHILE.
UH, BUT NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND, AND, UH, SOME COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT COUNCILMAN TINO AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S TWO ON THE COUNCIL THAT PROBABLY HAD THE MOST OPPOSING VIEWS ON POLICY, IT WAS PROBABLY ROBERTO AND MYSELF.
BUT IF YOU LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT WE REALLY AGREED ON AND FOUGHT HARD FOR.
SO, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL POSITION IS ALL ABOUT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PERSONALITIES, IT'S NOT ABOUT PERSONAL ISSUES.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOUR DISTRICT AND WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND MARIO PHYLLIS GOT IT RIGHT THAT TIME.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, I, I WOULD SAY MY ONLY ADVICE TO YOU IS LISTEN, LISTEN TO ALL THE INPUT THAT YOU GET ON ANY PARTICULAR ITEM OR POLICY.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE GOT THESE MACHINES UP HERE, THIS, THIS LITTLE, UH, TV SCREEN.
WHEN YOU PUSH THAT BUTTON, YES OR NO, OR ABSTAIN, YOU'RE TELLING THE WORLD HOW YOU STAND ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE.
SO MY ADVICE IS LISTEN AND MAKE THE BEST INFORMED DECISION THAT YOU CAN.
YOU'RE YOUR OWN COUNCIL PERSON.
EACH ONE OF US UP HERE ONLY HAS ONE VOTE.
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER.
VOTE THE WAY YOU THINK YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR NOT ONLY YOU, BUT YOUR DISTRICT AND THE CITY AS WELL.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU PUSH THAT BUTTON, IT'S ALL DONE.
AND YOU WALK AWAY, LEAVE THAT BEHIND AND LOOK FOR THAT NEXT ISSUE THAT YOU NEED TO BE WORKING ON.
OKAY? SO WITH THAT, UH, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.
IT'S BEEN, LIKE JOHN SAID, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH Y'ALL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WAS DOING THIS LITTLE CRYING THING AT, AT THE BEGINNING.
UH, I'M, I'M REALLY GONNA MISS THAT WORKING WITH Y'ALL AND THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE MADE, AND FRIENDSHIPS WE'VE MADE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, I HAVE A FEW THINGS I WANNA SAY, BUT I WON'T TAKE VERY LONG.
UM, FIRST, UH, IT IS, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG OR SHORT YOUR TENOR IS UP HERE ON THE DAIS, IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN THE CITY, NO MATTER WHAT DISTRICT YOU SERVE IN.
UM, BUT IT'S ALSO A GREAT SACRIFICE ON THOSE WHO WALK THAT PATH ALONG WITH YOU, FAMILY, FRIENDS, UH, SPOUSES, CHILDREN, AND SO TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE DEPARTING, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR GIVING YOUR LOVED ONES TO OUR COMMUNITY ALL THOSE YEARS.
UM, I'VE WATCHED THIS GROUP GROW TOGETHER DURING A VERY EXTRAORDINARY TIME FOR ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY, AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK OUT OVER THE, UH, UNITED STATES DURING THIS VERY DEVASTATING 16, 18 MONTH PERIOD, UH, SAN ANTONIO SHINES IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, UM, THROUGH COLLABORATION, UM, THROUGH COMPASSION, THROUGH PUTTING OUR RESOURCES WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE AND WHERE OUR VALUES ARE STATED.
UM, JOHN'S STAYING WITH US, THANK GOODNESS.
UM, BUT HE'S ALWAYS REMINDED EVERY ONE OF US THAT, UM, YOU'RE NOT JUST A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR DISTRICT, YOU'RE A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
[01:15:02]
THIS GROUP HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT I AM GRATEFUL, UH, FOR THAT COLLABORATION.UM, I'VE GONE TO A FEW PARTIES OF YOURS NOW, UH, TO BE ELECTED FOUR TIMES IN DISTRICT FIVE, WHERE THERE ARE ENORMOUS GENERATIONAL CHALLENGES, SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND VISION THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, AND I WOULD SAY THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THE DIRECTION OF DISTRICT FIVE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FOR THE BETTER COUNCILWOMAN VIRON.
UM, WE'VE NOTED MANY TIMES, UM, YOUR FIERCENESS, UH, I THINK YOU AND AND SHIRLEY, UH, BOTH DEMONSTRATE THAT, UH, BETTER THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINED, UH, THE FIERCENESS OF THE CAUSES THAT YOU TAKE UP.
UH, BUT IT IS TRUE THAT THE MOMENTUM THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO HAS CHANGED THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF OUR COMMUNITY FOREVER, IN VERY POSITIVE WAYS.
AND, UM, I KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE COLLABORATION, UH, ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
WE NEVER SEE EYE TO EYE ON EVERY SINGLE ISSUE, BUT, UM, I WANNA SAY FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE VERY MUCH COME TO RESPECT AND, AND ADMIRE THE WAY YOU GO ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR TEAM, UH, INCLUDING ME.
AND I'M GRATEFUL, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ANDREW SULLIVAN, UH, YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED GRACE UNDER FIRE.
UH, YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED, UM, WHAT IT TAKES TO GIVE TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT I THINK COUNCILMAN GRA SAID THAT, UM, YOU SHOWED UP EVERY TIME, YOU SHOWED UP ALL THE WAY TO THE END, UH, FIGHTING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE, UH, IN A PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED THAT UP HERE.
COUNCILMAN TREVINO, UM, DEMONSTRATED A LEVEL OF PASSION AND FORETHOUGHT FOR THIS CITY, UH, THAT I'M GRATEFUL FOR, NEVER YIELDING FROM A DIFFICULT FIGHT, AND BEING WILLING TO TAKE UP THE DIFFICULT CAUSES IS SOMETHING I ADMIRE AND RESPECT ABOUT HIM.
UM, ALL FOUR OF OUR COLLEAGUES, I'M GONNA MISS GREATLY.
UH, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, UH, HOWEVER LONG OR SHORT YOU GET TO SPEND WITH PEOPLE UP ON THIS DIET, WE ARE IN SOME VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGES TOGETHER.
BUT COLLABORATING AND, AND HAVING ONE VISION, AND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY HAS A CHANCE TO THRIVE, IS SOMETHING THAT BRINGS PEOPLE CLOSE TOGETHER.
SO, UH, AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'VE SPENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE, THE PASSION AND AND DRIVE THAT YOU BROUGHT TO YOUR WORK.
UH, I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW YOU, UH, AND I'M EVEN MORE, UH, APPRECIATIVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, FOR THIS CITY, UH, TO OUR INCOMING COLLEAGUES.
VERY MUCH LOOKING FOR YOU TO TAKE FORWARD TO YOU TAKING YOUR SEATS.
UH, I'VE KNOWN, UH, A COUPLE OF YOU FOR A WHILE.
UH, A COUPLE OF YOU I'M GETTING TO KNOW, UH, MARIO JALEN, PHYLLIS TERRY, UH, THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, UH, A PUBLIC SERVANT, UH, CAN BE GIVEN, UH, ON THE EVE OF THEM TAKING OFFICE, IS TO KNOW WITH CONFIDENCE THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO THE WORK, UH, THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT IN THE TIME AND THE EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'VE WATCHED YOU OVER THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS OR YEARS, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG IT IS, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT IN THE WORK AND MAKE YOUR COMMUNITIES PROUD.
AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALONG THE WAY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE.
UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A RENEWAL.
UH, IT'S ALSO A CHANCE TO SAY, UH, UH, A GOODBYE OF SORTS.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, UH, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOU BEING HERE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, GRA OF COURSE, I HAVE A QUESTION, MAYOR.
UM, IS ERIC GONNA SAY ANYTHING? AND, UH, THEN, AND THEN NUMBER TWO, Y'ALL, PLEASE DON'T FORGET OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SUBSTATION IN THE EAST, WEST CORRIDOR.
UM, WELL, IF YOU ASK HIM A QUESTION, HE'LL BE COMPELLED TO ANSWER.
ERIC, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? I WILL NOW, COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER.
UM, JUST BRIEFLY, AND I, I SHARED THIS WITH SOME OF YOU LAST WEEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, UH, IN GOOD TIMES AND IN CHALLENGING TIMES, UM, I THINK IT'S, AT LEAST MY VIEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL DO DOWN HERE, UH, IS A, UM, IS A TEAM SPORT.
UM, THIS IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL SPORT.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK MANY OF YOU TALKED ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS, THE HARD WORK, THE DEDICATION, THE, THE ASKING, THE QUESTIONS THAT HAPPENS.
UM, AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY TEAM, UM, I WANT TO THANK THE OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOUR LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE IN GOOD TIMES, IT'S IMPORTANT,
[01:20:01]
IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN CHALLENGING TIMES.UM, AND THE LAST 15 OR 16 MONTHS HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN CHALLENGING.
UM, WE GOT THROUGH THIS BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT OF THIS CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, UM, WE WILL MISS ALL OF YOU DEARLY.
UM, MANY OF YOU, ALL, ALL FOUR OF YOU LED KEY EFFORTS.
UM, AND, UM, THERE'S CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL GO THROUGH THOSE TIMES, WILL BE TIMES AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT, UH, WILL MATTER, UM, AND MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, DON'T FORGET, COUNCILWOMAN, I, WE, I'M SURE ON THE LIST OF BOND PROJECTS, THERE WILL BE THE SOUTH, SOUTH SIDE SUBSTATION,
UM, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT YOU AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOUR FUTURE COLLEAGUES TALKED ABOUT.
UM, AND, UM, NO DOUBT THAT THAT WORK WILL BEGIN AS SOON AS YOU'RE SWORN IN THIS WEEK.
AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
UM, AGAIN, ON BEHALF, NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, BUT ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY ORGANIZATION, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, COUNCILWOMAN, RINE, YOU, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AGAIN? WELL, NO, I'M KIDDING.
AS OUR MOST SENIOR, UH, AND OUTGOING COLLEAGUE, THAT'S APPROPRIATE THAT SHE HAS THE FINAL WORD, BUT I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION NOW.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF, UH, ITEM ONE, WHICH IS THE, UM, ORDINANCE CANVASSING THE RESULTS OF JUNE 5TH, 2021, RUNOFF ELECTION.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE YOU SEPARATELY.
AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT PLAQUES, UH, FOR THE OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CERTIFICATES OF ELECTION FOR THE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR, OUR SWEARING IN, WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO EFFECTIVELY TAKE THEIR SEATS.
SO, JUST ONE MOMENT, IF EVERYBODY CAN JUST HANG TIGHT.
ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
[01:25:14]
MARIO BRAVO.UM, NOW OUR CITY CLERK IS GONNA TAKE A POINT AT THE PODIUM IF WE CAN HAVE OUR INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, UH, STEP UP FOR THE SWEARING IN.
CAN YOU APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE? HI, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ALL TO RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE'LL DO THE STATEMENT OF APPOINTED OFFICIAL FIRST.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY, THAT I DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, OR PROMISED TO PAY, PAID, OFFERED, OR PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE, ANY MONEY OR A THING OF VALUE, OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE, OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE OF ABOVE.
AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, OR AS A REWARD OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT.
OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
Y'ALL HAVE ONE MORE, ONE MORE
IF YOU CAN PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLACE AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
[01:30:01]
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM, OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE, OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE, COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT THREE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS.
AND THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THIS STATE.
CAN YOU, WILL THE NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT ON THE DAIS.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
AS OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKE THEIR SEATS, UH, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH.
UH, BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE, UH, I'LL OFFER THE FLOOR, UH, TO MY NEW COLLEAGUES.
IF, UH, ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS, UM, WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO, DISTRICT ONE.
IS THIS THING ON? WELL, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T PREPARE A SPEECH BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SO BUSY WORKING, TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING READY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE.
I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY, UH, FOR RAISING ME AND GIVING ME THE BACKGROUND NECESSARY, THE FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK, UM, ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT ONE FOR BELIEVING IN ME AND OUR VISION TO BE ABLE TO TREAT THE PUBLIC AS A PARTNER, AND TO LISTEN AND TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE GOT, WE WORKED HARD TO GET HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP WORKING HARD.
AND, UH, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE COLLABORATIVELY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN FOR DISTRICT ONE AND FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I'D LIKE, WHERE'S STACY JONES? STACY STANDING UP IN THE BACK OVER THERE.
STACY, THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO BE MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER EARLY ON.
YOU KNOW, DISTRICT ONE IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED TO PEOPLE IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY AND, UH, THEY TOLD US WHAT THEY WANTED.
THEY WANTED A MORE VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
THEY WANT A MORE LIVABLE DOWNTOWN, A MORE WALKABLE DOWNTOWN.
AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S THE CATCH? AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, STACEY AND I TALKED TO THEM AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DID IT.
WE JUST SWORE AN OATH, RIGHT WHERE WE WERE TOLD, YOU KNOW, YEAH, YOU, I DID NOT PROMISE ANY SEAT.
BUT, UH, STACEY EARNED A SEAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE THE VERY FIRST DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL OFFICE TO HAVE A COUNT, A STAFF MEMBER WHO'S DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY AND BUILDING A MORE VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE STACEY JONES.
SO I'M GLAD TO HAVE HER ON MY STAFF, AS WELL AS MARIO YANO, WHO'S GONNA BE JOINING US, AS WELL AS OUR CHIEF OF STAFF.
THANK YOU BURGUNDY FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS PROCESS.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS ABOUT ME, BUT, UH, MY LITTLE BROTHER BACK THERE, UM, WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM, FROM HIGH SCHOOL, WE TOOK A SEMESTER OFF.
I TOOK A SEMESTER OFF FROM COLLEGE, AND WE WENT UP TO ALASKA AND WE WORKED ON A FISHING BOAT.
AND, UH, THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, OFF OF DUTCH HARBOR IN THE BERING SEA.
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AND WE WORKED 16 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.AND THAT JOB WAS EASY COMPARED TO WORKING FOR MY DAD BECAUSE WE HAD GROWN UP WORKING SO HARD.
UH, AND SO WE'RE GONNA WORK HARD FOR YOU.
I'M GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE, MY NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT ONE WORK SO HARD FOR US TO GET HERE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING HARD WITH YOU ALL AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE NOT TO CALL ME COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT INTO TITLES.
I'M YOUR FRIEND, I'M YOUR PARTNER, AND I'M HERE TO SERVE WITH YOU ALONGSIDE YOU.
UM, AND STAFF HAVE BEEN RESISTANT TO THAT.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, ERIC, IF I'M GONNA HAVE TO PASS AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING.
WELL, I, I'M, I'M GONNA WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH YOU ALL TO GET TO SIX BOATS.
UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, UH, MY FRIEND MICHAEL AMICHI ISS HERE TODAY, UH, I REMEMBER HE, HE DID A SUMMER ABROAD IN, UH, EUROPE, IN, UH, OR I GUESS A SEMESTER OR A YEAR.
AND I WENT AND MET UP WITH HIM BEFORE WE MET UP.
I, I FLEW INTO ENGLAND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WAS TO BE HONEST, BECAUSE THIS WAS, UM, 22 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, BUT I REMEMBER SEEING AN INSCRIPTION ON A WALL THERE SOMEWHERE.
AND I'M GONNA GET THE, I'M NOT GONNA PARAPHRASE IT CORRECTLY, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT SAID, WHOMSOEVER AMONG US SHALL BE OUR LEADER.
AND THAT STUCK WITH ME, AND THAT'S GONNA BE MY APPROACH GOING FORWARD, WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
I WANTED MY FIRST WORDS TO BE THANK YOU.
UM, I DIDN'T GET HERE BY MYSELF.
UM, I HAD AN AMAZING, AMAZING TEAM WHO GAVE HOURS, HOURS OF THEIR PERSONAL TIME, UM, WHO TOOK OFF WORK IN SOME INSTANCES, PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN STOOD FOR.
AND WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN WAS ABOUT WAS WORKING CLASS, REGULAR PEOPLE, AND THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST TO US.
I COULD NEVER THANK MY TEAM ENOUGH, AB I COULD NEVER.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA CONTINUE FOR MY ENTIRE TERM TO WORK HARD AND PROVE TO YOU WHY YOU BELIEVED IN ME.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORTED ME, UM, GAVE ENDORSEMENTS.
UH, TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT IS ONE THAT STANDS OUT.
UM, SAN ANTONIO, DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA.
UM, THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND, PUT MAILERS.
GOT TO BE ON MY FIRST MAILER WITH THE MAYOR
UH, AND I HAVE TO THANK MY FAMILY.
UH, MY HUSBAND COULDN'T BE HERE, HE'LL BE HERE LATER.
UM, BUT NO ONE SIGNS UP TO BE A POLITICAL SPOUSE.
AND I OWE SO MUCH TO HIM FOR PUTTING HIMSELF OUT THERE AND FOR HITTING DOORS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE.
HE'S AN INTROVERT LIKE ME, SO HE DIDN'T WANNA DO IT EITHER.
BUT THANK YOU TO HIM AND THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY.
Y'ALL WILL GET TO MEET THEM LATER AS WELL.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO THE OUTGOING COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, I REMEMBER JANUARY 29TH, 2019 WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT WE, JANUARY 21ST, 2019, UH, WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT WE HAD MET.
AND I SAW A WOMAN WHO OVERCOME SO MUCH WHO CAME FROM THE EAST SIDE, WHO REPRESENTED EAST SIDE VALUES, WHO WAS A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHO WAS A VETERAN, WHO WAS A SINGLE MOTHER AND WAS DOING AMAZING THINGS AND WANTED BETTER FOR HER COMMUNITY.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT I SAW IN YOU THEN I DO SEE IN YOU NOW.
AND I, I HOPE THE BEST FOR YOUR FUTURE.
I ALSO HAVE TO THANK DISTRICT TWO.
'CAUSE DISTRICT TWO IS THE ONE THAT PUT ME HERE.
DISTRICT TWO IS A DISTRICT OF WORKING CLASS, REGULAR ASS PEOPLE.
AND MY FIRST TIME CUSSING ON THE DIETS TOO, UM,
AND I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF, UH, MEDIA REQUESTS AND WHATNOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, JALEN MADE HISTORY.
AND IT WASN'T ME WHO MADE HISTORY.
[01:40:01]
THE DISTRICT ELECTED THE FIRST OPENLY GAY BLACK MAN TO CITY COUNCIL.FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THE FIRST OPENLY GAY BLACK MAN IN ALL OF THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HOLD AN ELECTED OFFICE.
BUT I'M NOT THE FIRST OPENLY L G B T Q MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, BEFORE ME THERE WAS EL G**O, WHO WAS COUNCILWOMAN
SHE WAS COUNCILWOMAN OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND, UH, JUST THE OTHER DAY, UH, SHE SENT ME A LETTER.
AND IN IT SHE OUTLINED HER EXPERIENCES, UM, HER HOPES, UH, WHAT SHE HOPED FOR ME ADVICE.
AND I HOPE THAT FOR THE FUTURE, FOR ANY OF THE, ANY PEOPLE WHO SHARE IDENTITIES, ANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEEL REPRESENTED, I HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE, THIS OPENS A DOOR FOR YOU BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY WHO CAME BEFORE ME WHO OPENED THIS DOOR.
I'M GONNA BRING MY EXPERIENCE AS THE SON OF TWO VETERANS, UM, THE OLDEST OF SEVEN, UM, A GRAD STUDENT.
I'LL BE FINISHING, UH, MY GRAD WORK WHILE ON THE DAIS.
UM, AND I'LL BRING MY EXPERIENCE OF BEING A TEACHER.
AND THIS TERM, THESE NEXT TWO YEARS ARE GONNA BE FOR MY KIDS, FOR MY STUDENTS WHO HAVE SHARED STORIES WITH ME THAT HAVE MADE ME CRY, STORIES AND EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE MADE ME LAUGH, AND THOSE STORIES THAT I CAN LOOK ON FONDLY WITH A SMILE.
MY TERM IS GONNA BE ABOUT THE KIDS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THIS PAST YEAR, WHO ARE NOW A GENERATION OF STUDENTS AND KIDS MORE DEPRESSED AND MORE MENTALLY, UM, STRUGGLING MENTALLY WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, UM, THAN EVER BEFORE.
UM, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A LOT THIS YEAR.
MY TERM'S GONNA BE ABOUT THE PARENTS WHO SEND THEIR KIDS WALKING TO SCHOOL AND PLACE THEIR TRUST IN THE SYSTEM TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND TO PROVIDE OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
MY TERM IS GONNA BE ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY STUDENTS' EYES AND THE OPTIMISM AND HOPE THAT THEY DESERVE TO HAVE AND THEY DESERVE TO MAINTAIN.
THAT'S WHAT MY NEXT TWO YEARS WILL BE ABOUT.
AS A TEACHER, I'VE GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE MY STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD THAT EXISTS.
AND NOW, AS COUNCILMAN, I'LL BE WORKING EVERY SINGLE DAY TO BUILD A CITY THAT THEY DESERVE.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR PUTTING ME HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UH, JUST TO MAKE, TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, I JUST NEED TO THANK THE VOTERS OF DISTRICT THREE.
THEY ARE THE BEST ASSET AND RESOURCE OF THE DISTRICT, THE RESIDENTS, THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY CAME OUT IN FORCE THIS ELECTION.
THEY GOT OUR MAYOR REELECTED, NO PROBLEM.
AND THEN THEY GOT IT DONE FOR ME IN THE RUNOFF.
AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THEM.
LETTING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO KNOW THAT DISTRICT THREE IS, IS ON THE MOVE THAT WE ARE THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND FUTURE, AND THAT WE ARE READY TO LEAD THIS CITY OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
I NEED TO THANK THE CAMPAIGN TEAM, LANA KAY, UM, CHASE, BEN, UH, THE HENRY, THE, THE TEAM THAT GOT ME HERE.
AND TO ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND ALL THOSE OUT THERE, UH, GROUNDWORK WINS ELECTION.
AND I SHOULD HAVE STOLE REBECCA'S SPEECH, BUT THAT THEY ARE, UH, KIND OF, THEY WERE RELENTLESS.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE PASSIONATE.
UH, NOBODY WORKED HARDER THAN THEM, BOTH ON THE VIA GRAND SIGN AND THE ANGELINI SIDE.
AND HERE WE ARE TODAY, AND I WANNA JUST THANK THEM SO MUCH TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
I AM READY TO WORK AND MEET WITH EVERYONE.
I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU, SOME OF YOU FOR LONGER THAN EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE I WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE AND I'M READY TO GET STARTED AND TO WORK, ESPECIALLY ON THIS DIGITAL DIVIDE AND GETTING BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIGITAL LITERACY AND DIGITAL ACCESS TO THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND I KNOW TOGETHER WE CAN GET IT DONE.
UH, HISTORY IS BEING MADE TODAY.
I'M SITTING NEXT HERE TO JAYLEN, AND WE'VE HAD HUSBANDS AND WIVES BE ON THIS COUNCIL.
WE'VE HAD FATHERS AND SONS, BUT NOT TWO SISTERS.
AND I DON'T THINK BACK TO BACK.
SO I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE DOING THIS HERE TODAY.
[01:45:03]
UM, IT, IT'S JUST AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY, BUT I COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN HERE WITH SOME KEY PEOPLE.THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DID.
DRIVING ME AROUND DURING COUNCIL, I MEAN DURING THE, UH, CAMPAIGN TO MY MOTHER COUNCIL MOM, WHO IS SO EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THIS HAPPEN, UH, TO MY SISTER, WHO WAS A ROLE MODEL AND A MENTOR, UH, AND WHO'S ALWAYS HERE IN SPIRIT TO MY FATHER, WILLIE VRAN, WHO SERVED THIS CITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS, WHO IGNITED THIS PASSION FOR US TO SERVE AND UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT THIS INSTITUTION IS.
I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALLALL THIS EVENING AT 6:00 PM UH, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I'M EXTREMELY HUMBLED THAT THE WORKING PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE HAVE, UM, SELECTED ME TO WORK FOR THEM AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE.
THIS DISTRICT FIVE SEAT BELONGS TO US, THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE, TO THE PEOPLE THAT I WENT TO THEIR DOORS AND WAS, AND WERE DISHEARTENED AND HAVE LOST TRUST IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
THIS SEAT BELONGS TO THE FOLKS THAT SAID, NO, THANK YOU.
UM, AND I AM HONORED TO ENSURE THAT WE PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS.
AND I, I'M EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL FOR MY FAMILY WHO TOOK DAYS OFF, WEEKS OFF TO SUPPORT US AT THE POLLS, TO KNOCK ON DOORS AND TO OUR GREAT CAMPAIGN TEAM WHO HAD A PHENOMENAL GROUND GAME.
AND ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN ROBERT TREVINO FOR BEING A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT LEADERSHIP IS.
UM, AND I ALWAYS LOOK TO HIM, UM, FOR LEADERSHIP AND AS MANY PEOPLE DID IN DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA THANK COMMUNITY, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORTED OUR CAMPAIGN FROM THE GET GO.
UM, STATE REPRESENTATIVE DIEGO AL, THE SAN ANTONIO, D S A TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT, AND SEVERAL LABOR UNIONS.
UM, AGAIN, I AM EXCITED TO GET TO WORK AND THANK YOU TO ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO REACHED OUT RIGHT AWAY, UM, OFFERING SUPPORT AND READY TO GET TO WORK.
ALRIGHT, UM, THE NEXT, UH, ITEM THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF TODAY, UM, IS THE NEW ROLL CALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
PRESENT COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER PHYLLIS VERAN.
HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER ADRIANA ROCHE GARCIA.
HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER TERRY CASTILLO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MELISSA CAVEO HARTA.
HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY ELAS, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN COURAGE HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CLAYTON PERRY HERE.
OKAY, UH, THE ONLY ITEM FOR OUR NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THIS MORNING IS TO SWEAR IN OUR MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE FIRST TERM.
AND THAT WILL BE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MELISSA CAO HDA.
SO IF YOU COULD APPROACH THE PODIUM AND MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE TERM, UM, YEAH, CAN YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND FOR ME? I STATE YOUR NAME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM MAYOR, PRO TEM, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FROM JUNE 15TH, 2021 FROM JUNE 15TH, 2021 THROUGH AUGUST 24TH, 2021 THROUGH AUGUST 24TH, 2021 OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR PRO TEMP.
UM, THAT IS EVERYTHING WE HAVE FOR THIS MORNING.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN COME BACK, IT'S 6:00 PM TONIGHT FOR OUR CEREMONIAL INAUGURATION.
UH, IN THE MEANTIME, AS, UH, WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.
THE TIME IS 12:15 PM ON THIS, UM, 15TH DAY OF JUNE, 2021.
I DO, AS FOLKS FILTER OUT, I DO NEED THE COUNCIL TO STAY BACK.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PHOTO, UH, FOR THE NEW TERM.
[01:50:01]
GET A CHANCE TO DO IS THANK MY WIFE AND MY FAMILY FOR HELPING ME GET ELECTED.IF YOU'RE LISTENING IN, HONEY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T FORGET
AND, UH, I WANTED TO THANK MY STAFF FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, UH, FOR, FOR OUR DISTRICT.
AND THANK MY NEIGHBORS FOR MY REELECTION.
UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BACK FOR THE INAUGURATION.
AND COUNSEL, IF YOU CAN HANG BACK ON THE DAIS, WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE OATH.