[00:00:03]
[D2 Budget Town Hall on 2021-08-26 6:00 PM]
EVENING.MY NAME IS JALEN MICKI RODRIGUEZ, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR OF SERVING AS COUNCIL PERSON FOR THIS CULTURALLY DIVERSE, CULTURALLY CULTURAL, CULTURALLY DIVERSE, CULTURALLY RICH, HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT PART OF TOWN, THE EAST, THE NE, THE NORTHEAST, UH, DISTRICT TWO, AND LOOKING OUT AT THE CROWD.
I SEE THAT REPRESENTED BY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I'M SO PROUD BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF PARTICIPATION THAT I LOVE TO SEE NOW FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, CITY STAFF HAS BEEN PREPARING THE BUDGET AND I WILL VERY QUICKLY GET INTO THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
I AM THE SEVENTH COUNCIL PERSON IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, AND I KNOW THAT OFTEN DISTRICT TWO HAS FELT LIKE THE NEGLECTED STEPCHILD.
WE HAVE FELT AS THOUGH THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OWED TO US HAVE NOT BEEN.
SO, BUT LUCKILY WE HAVE A DETERMINED CITY STAFF THAT WHEN WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE LEADERSHIP THERE, THEY DO STEP UP AND THEY DO APPLY A LENS OF EQUITY.
AND I AM EXCITED TO SEE THAT TODAY THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE DOES APPLY A LENS OF EQUITY, MEANING THE DISTRICT TWO IS GETTING OUR FAIR SHARE.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, THAT MEANS LOOKING AT AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED HISTORICALLY, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN INVESTED IN, AND THAT INSTEAD OF GIVING EACH DISTRICT AN EQUAL SHARE OF PIE, THE DISTRICT TWO GETS A LITTLE BIT LARGER.
AND IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, WE SEE THAT SINCE THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WHILE WORKING ON THE BUDGET, MY PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO MAKING SURE THAT OUR STREETS, OUR DRAINAGE, OUR SIDEWALKS, OUR STREETLIGHTS, WE GET THOSE.
AND SO I'M EXCITED THAT THIS GO AROUND.
ONE OF MY INITIATIVES IS STREETLIGHT INDEX IS ALLOTTED FOR IN THIS BUDGET.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHERE EVERY SINGLE STREETLIGHT IS, WHERE THERE IS NOT ANY STREET LIGHTING, AND WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO APPLY GRADES TO EVERY SINGLE STREET BASED ON HOW WELL LIT IT IS.
AND FROM THERE, APPLY A LENS OF EQUITY TO ENSURE THAT THE DARKEST SIDES OF TOWN, MEANING THE EAST, THE WEST, AND THE SOUTH SIDE, WE GET AN EQUITABLE AMOUNT OF STREET LIGHTING.
WELL, WE'RE ALSO RANKED NUMBER ONE, I BELIEVE, AS FAR AS GETTING THE MOST STREET MAINTENANCE FUNDING THIS GO AROUND, AND THE SECOND MOST SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE FUNDING.
AND SO I'M SUPER EXCITED, AND THAT'S, UH, NUMBER THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
I'M ALSO EXCITED TO SEE FUNDING TO HELP RESTORE ELLA AUSTIN, THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY TO ITS GLORY.
I'M ALSO EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING A RECORD NUMBER OF STREETLIGHTS THIS GO AROUND.
Y'ALL KNOW, ANOTHER ONE OF MY PRIORITIES HAS BEEN PUBLIC SAFETY, MORE SPECIFICALLY, MAKING SURE THAT WE GET DOWN TO THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO POLICE AWAY PROBLEMS AND TO CONTINUE TO POLICE POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF A LACK OF INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M EXCITED TO SEE IS THAT ABOUT 46,000 CALLS ANNUALLY THAT NORMALLY WOULD GO TO SS A P D OFFICERS ARE NOW GONNA BE REROUTED TO A C S TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND TO CODE.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT THAT'S 46,000 CALLS, ABOUT 126 CALLS A DAY THAT SS A P D IS NOT GOING TO HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
THAT MEANS THAT THEY COULD BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY GETTING TO KNOW WHO WE ARE.
THAT WAY THEY DON'T MISTAKE US FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, WHICH WE KNOW HAPPENS FAR TOO OFTEN.
ANOTHER ONE OF MY PRIORITIES HAS BEEN ACCESSIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL STAFF THAT HAS BEEN ANSWERING PHONES EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE MASKED UP, THEY'RE SAFE, AND THEY'RE READY FOR YOU TO COME INTO OUR CLAUDE BLACK FIELD OFFICE AND TO THE CLAUDE BLACK FIELD OFFICE.
WE ARE DOING A NUMBER OF RENOVATIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE IN A LONG TIME.
WE CAME IN AND THERE WAS FURNITURE FROM 2001.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING BRAND NEW FURNITURE.
WE'VE GOTTEN PAINT, WE'VE GOTTEN NEW LIGHTING.
IT IS BECOMING A VERY WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT.
AND I HOPE TO SEE ALL OF YOU STOP BY THE FIELD OFFICE AT ONE POINT.
WE'RE ALSO WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT EMPHASIS IS NOT LOST ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, A SIDE OF TOWN THAT HAS ALSO FELT NEGLECTED.
AND SO WE'RE STILL ON THE HUNT FOR A NEW FIELD OFFICE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE THAT IS GONNA BE CONDUCIVE TO MEETINGS AND TO WORKING WITH CONSTITUENTS AND TO ALLOW FOR COMMUNITY SPACE WHERE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS CAN COME AND THEY CAN HAVE MEETINGS IF NEEDED.
I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT WITH THIS BUDGET, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PRIORITIES THAT WE SET WITH THIS MORAL DOCUMENT THAT'S BEEN SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES
[00:05:01]
BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, IS THAT THE BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT.IT SHOWS WHERE YOUR CITY'S PRIORITIES ARE, WHO YOUR COMM, WHO YOUR CITY CARES ABOUT, AND WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SO I WANT TO ENSURE THAT AS WE ARE ALLOTTING FUNDING THAT WE ARE NOT FORGETTING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
WE'RE NOT FORGETTING ABOUT SOME DEPARTMENTS WHICH MAY HAVE IRREVERSIBLE, UH, INCREASES.
WE'LL HAVE ALL THE, WE'LL HAVE TOWN HALLS ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I KNOW, UM, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT AS I LOOK OUT INTO THE CROWD, THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT MEANS THAT PROBABLY VERY FEW OF US ARE GONNA BE ON THE SAME PAGE ALL THE TIME.
EVERY TIME THERE'S GONNA BE ARGUMENTS, THERE'S GONNA BE DISPUTES, AND THERE'S GONNA BE TIMES WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND SOMETIMES THAT'S GONNA BE TRUE.
THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE IN EVERY, UH, IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND THERE'S SOME THINGS IN THE BUDGET I'M NOT GONNA AGREE WITH.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU'RE NOT GONNA AGREE WITH, BUT OVERALL, WHAT YOU CAN GUARANTEE, AND WHAT I CAN GUARANTEE IS THAT ON BEHALF OF MY OFFICE AND MYSELF, WHAT YOU HAVE IS A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO THE SAME END GOAL.
WE ALL WANT SEE BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ALL WANT TO SEE INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE.
WE ALL WANNA SEE INCREASED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO HOW WE GET THERE IS GONNA LOOK VERY DIFFERENT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I LOOK AT CITY STAFF, THEY HAVE THAT SAME COMMITMENT.
AND SO I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH MORE OF THE MIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE CITY MANAGER, MR. ERIC WALSH, TRYING TO TAKE MY CLIPBOARD.
UM, SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT OF THESE, OR SEVEN OF THESE SO FAR.
AND THIS IS BY FAR THE LARGEST CROWD WE'VE HAD.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT AND JOINING US TONIGHT AND GIVING US SOME FEEDBACK.
SO THE COUNCILMAN, THE COUNCILMAN ACTUALLY DID A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO THE, TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UH, HE HIT A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, AND WE'LL WALK THROUGH THAT HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE DID ALL THESE VIRTUALLY.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL SPENT TIME IN OUR LIVING ROOM OR MY ME AND MY LITTLE OFFICE.
SO IT'S GOOD TO BE OUT AND ABOUT AND SEE PEOPLE FACE TO FACE.
I'M GLAD TO SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WEARING MASKS TONIGHT.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO.
AND OUR NEW METRO HEALTH DIRECTOR, CLAUDE JACOB, IS IN THE BACK WEARING A MASK.
CLAUDE, UH, IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
SO LET'S WALK THROUGH THE PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION.
AND I'LL TRY TO, I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT LIVELY.
THERE'S FIVE MAIN MESSAGE POINTS, UH, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR BUSINESS IS RECOVERING FASTER THAN OTHER PARTS.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
UM, BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY, UM, A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD IN SOME OF OUR LINES OF BUSINESS.
UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET REALLY RESTORES MANY OF THE CUTS WE MADE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE ENSUING IMPACT TO THE CITY'S REVENUES.
WE'VE ALSO GOT WITHIN, UH, WHAT I WOULD CATEGORIZE AS RESTORATION IS A PAY RAISE AND ADJUSTMENT FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SEEN NO CHANGE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND THAT'S CRITICAL WITH ABOUT 6,500 CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO COME TO WORK, UM, PROVIDE SERVICES.
UM, IT'S CRITICAL TO ME, UH, AS CITY MANAGER BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR JOB DONE, THEN UH, THEN YOU CALL 3 1 1.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE.
UH, THIRD, UM, FOCUSING ON CRITICAL SERVICES THAT WE'VE LEARNED, THINGS WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, AND YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, THINGS THAT WE MAY HAVE NOT OTHERWISE HAVE TRIED, UH, BUT DID SO BECAUSE OF, OF WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS.
FOURTHLY, AND THE COUNCILMAN, UM, UH, TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT RESPONDING TO CALLS DIFFERENTLY.
AND THIS REALLY GOES BACK TO OUR POLICE SERVICES REVIEW, UM, THAT WE UNDERTOOK OVER THE LAST YEAR.
WE HAD 27 COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN THE SPRINGTIME AND A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.
SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE OURSELVES A A LOT MORE RESILIENT AS A CITY.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO ALL IN ONE YEAR, BUT I THINK WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO REALLY TACKLE SOME OF THE CRITICAL ISSUES AND BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, COMMUNITY.
SO EVERY YEAR WE DO A BUDGET SURVEY.
OVER 12,000, UH, FOLKS RESPONDED, THE FIVE HIGHEST, UH, RANKED, UH, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PRIORITY AREAS OR SENIOR SERVICES, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PUBLIC HEALTH PARKS AND RECREATION, AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALL THESE HERE THIS EVENING.
[00:10:02]
SO, UM, HOW HAVE WE RECOVERED? SO ON THE SLIDE, BE BEHIND ME.UH, YOU SEE THREE DIFFERENT, UH, THE THREE MAIN REVENUE SOURCES THAT WERE, UH, PROBABLY THE MOST SEVERELY IMPACTED AS A RESULT OF COVID, OUR SALES TAX, WHICH IS A GENERAL FUND REVENUE, UM, IS IN, IN THE F Y 22 BUDGET IS 11% BETTER THAN 2019.
SO LET'S JUST SKIP OVER 21 BECAUSE THAT WAS AN OFF YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY REVENUES WERE DOWN, BUT AS IT COMPARES TO THE YEAR BEFORE, UM, IT'S 11% HIGHER THAN 2019.
AND THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CLIP.
WE'VE SEEN REALLY, UH, AN UP AN UPTICK IN, IN, UH, SALES TAX AND PURCHASING IN THE CITY.
IT'S LASTED THROUGH THE SUMMER.
OUR AVERAGE ANNUAL INCREASE, UH, ON SALES TAX IS ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO AN 11% INCREASE OVER THOSE TWO YEARS IS, UM, IS PRETTY HEALTHY CLIPS.
SO THAT, THAT'S RECOVERING VERY NICELY.
UM, PART OF THAT IS PROBABLY DUE TO HIGHER WAGES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE IS SOME PENT UP DEMAND.
THERE WAS EARLIER IN THE YEAR, THERE WERE LESS PEOPLE EATING OUT AND PROBABLY MORE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.
BUT WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR IS ONE OF THE, THE POINTS OF UNCERTAINTY THAT WE'VE GOT.
UH, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, SO THAT'S THE TAX THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT STAY AT OUR HOTEL VISITORS OR PEOPLE COME IN FOR A CONVENTION, THE REVENUE FOR THAT, FOR THAT FUND GOES TOWARDS, UH, PAYING FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE ALMO DOME AND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL DEPARTMENT AND THE ARTS AGENCIES.
UM, AND OUR, UM, MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH BUSINESS SAN ANTONIO TO HELP MARKET SAN ANTONIO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.
UM, THE F Y 22 BUDGET IS 24% BELOW F Y 19.
SO WE'VE KNOWN IT'S GONNA TAKE LONGER FOR THIS PART OF OUR BUSINESS TO RECOVER.
AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING NOT RECOVERING TO THE 2019 LEVELS UNTIL PROBABLY 2023 OR 2024, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'VE GOTTA VERY CLOSELY AND TIGHTLY MANAGE OUR EXPENSES OVER THERE.
UH, LATE SPRING, AS PEOPLE STARTED GETTING VACCINATED, WE HAD A RUSH OF EVENTS COMING BACK TO THE DOME AND THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF EVENTS PULLED BACK.
SO THIS PART OF OUR BUSINESS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING HAS BEEN, UH, THE, THE ONE AREA WHERE I, WE MONITOR IT VERY CLOSELY AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TURN THE DIAL ON OUR EXPENSES IF WE SEE THINGS, UM, START TO START TO CHANGE.
OUR AIRPORT DRASTICALLY IMPACTED IN TERMS OF REVENUE, BUT IS RECOVERED NICELY.
THE F Y 22 BUDGET IS TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS HIGHER, UH, FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE THAN IT WAS IN 2019.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE RECOVERY THERE.
SO THAT GIVES YOU A, A PICTURE OF THREE DATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
ONE'S ON A ROAD TO RECOVERY, ONE IS RUNNING SLOW, AND THE OTHER ONE'S RIGHT ON TRACK.
SO OUR TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET NEXT YEAR IS 3.1 BILLION.
THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT IS THE GENERAL FUND WHERE WE PAY FOR ALL OF OUR BASIC SERVICES, AND IT'S OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
OUR SALES TAX REVENUE IS WHERE WE PAY FOR LIBRARIES AND CODE COMPLIANCE AND ANIMAL CARE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND SO FORTH.
UM, OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS, UH, 1.12 BILLION.
THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR BUSINESS ACCOUNTS OR BUSINESS FUNDS RESIDE.
AND IT'S WHERE A BUSINESS LIKE THE AIRPORT OR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THE REVENUE WE COLLECT IN THOSE ACTIVITIES, GO TO PAY FOR THOSE EXPENSES.
GENERAL FUND DOESN'T PAY FOR THE AIRPORT, IT DOESN'T PAY FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND INSPECTIONS AND PLAN REVIEW.
UM, SO THOSE RESTRICTED FUNDS NEXT YEAR ARE TOTALLY 1.12 BILLION, AND THEN $592 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.
WE'RE ENTERING THE LAST YEAR OF OUR 2017 BOND PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION TO DO.
THE COMMITMENT WITH THE VOTERS IS THAT BY THE TIME YOU GO BACK TO THE BALLOT TO TO VOTE ON THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM, THAT WE'LL HAVE 97% OF THOSE PROJECTS COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY.
UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE BOND PROGRAM AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO HERE'S A BREAKOUT, UH, SIDE BY SIDE OF OUR REVENUES AND OUR EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE THREE MAIN SOURCES IN THE GENERAL FUND, THE SALES TAX, THE PROPERTY TAX, AND OUR, UH, REVENUE FROM C P S, UM, PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE STATE THAT HAS, UM, THREE MAIN REVENUE SOURCES.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CAN KEEP OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE WHERE IT'S AT, UM, UH, AND COMPARES FAVORABLY TO OTHER CITIES.
AND ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WHAT I WANT TO KIND OF POINT OUT IS, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY PART OF THE, OF THE, UH, THE, UH, OF THE, UH, GRAPH.
WE HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY, AND MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD IT BEFORE, WHERE WE, WE WANT TO KEEP PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENSES BELOW 66%.
[00:15:01]
AND THAT WAS PUT INTO A PLACE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WELL, PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO.AND IT'S REALLY SO THAT, IT IS REALLY SO THAT IF, IF WE CAN CONTROL THIS BALANCE, IT THEN, THEN IT DOESN'T START TO SQUEEZE OUT EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO.
AND YOU SEE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET GOING TO, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IS AT 63.2%, AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE LOWEST IT'S BEEN SINCE WE STARTED TRACKING.
SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE KIND OF MANAGE AND, AND, AND WALK THROUGH.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT THAT OBVIOUSLY, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, THERE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO DO FROM A POLICE AND A FIRE AND A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, BUT IT'S ABOUT KEEPING BALANCE WHEN WE INVEST AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, UH, WHAT THE GROWING COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO THE COUNCILMAN, THE COUNCILMAN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
DISTRICT TWO OUT OF OUR $110 MILLION STREET MAINTENANCE BUDGET GETS THE LARGEST ALLOCATION, UH, THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT.
UM, AND THE ALLOCATIONS ARE BROKEN OUT 50% BASED ON STREET CONDITION, UM, AND 50% BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE NETWORK.
AND SO THE STREET CONDITION IN D TWO REALLY GENERATES, UH, THE ADDITIONAL, UM, OOMPH THAT WE NEED.
WHEN WE SPLIT THIS, UH, $110 MILLION OUT BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THERE'S A HIGH DEGREE OF NEED AND, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR STREET MAINTENANCE BUDGET BACK TO $110 MILLION.
IT'S NOT BEEN AT THAT LEVEL FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A PRIORITY FROM THE SURVEY FROM THE RESIDENTS, UM, AND A PRIORITY OF THE COUNCIL THAT THEIR BUDGET WORK SESSION SIDEWALKS ANOTHER TOP PRIORITY.
UH, THIS YEAR WE HAVE $18 MILLION BUDGETED FOR SIDEWALKS NEXT YEAR, ALMOST 21.
SO AN ADDITIONAL THREE, ALMOST, UH, $4 MILLION, $3 MILLION.
AND THAT'S REALLY TO PUT 61 62 MILES BACK OF SIDEWALKS INTO OUR NETWORK.
UM, AND AS THE COUNCILMAN MENTIONED, DISTRICT TWO, AGAIN, BASED ON NEED AND GAPS IN THE SYSTEM, IN THE NETWORK, UH, WE ALLOCATE THAT.
UM, AND, AND, UH, DISTRICT TWO HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF, UH, UH, DOLLARS GOING TO THAT EFFORT NEXT YEAR.
UM, I'M SURE SOME OF YOU, OR MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT VISION ZERO.
IT'S, IT'S THE, UH, THE INTENTIONAL, UH, DELIBERATE, UM, WORK TOWARDS, UH, CORRECTING THOSE PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR ACCIDENT INTERSECTIONS AND ANYBODY THAT'S SPENT, YOU KNOW, ANY TIME IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE, WE CAN ALL PROBABLY LIST ABOUT THREE STREETS AND THE GENERAL INTERSECTIONS WHERE THOSE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
SO, UH, OUR NEW TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, UH, LOOKED AT THE DATA AND PROPOSED THAT WE DO $6.2 MILLION WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AT 10 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AND I'LL SHARE ONE THAT'S IN D TWO HERE IN A SECOND, BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT, THAT WE'VE MADE A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO BUDGET FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT VISION ZERO FOR A LONG TIME.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL TALKED A LOT ABOUT DURING THE WORK SESSION IN JUNE.
AND SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT NEXT YEAR IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THEN FINALLY UPDATING OUR 10 YEAR OLD MASTER PLAN BIKE MASTER PLAN.
UH, I WAS, UM, UM, UH, SOMEWHERE YESTERDAY WHERE I SAW, UM, AND IT WAS IN THE CITY.
IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T ANOTHER CITY WHERE WE HAD, UH, A NICE WIDE STREET AND WE HAD ON STREET PARKING, AND WE HAD THE BIKE LANES IN BETWEEN THE PARKED VEHICLES AND THE, AND THE ROADS.
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I, I'D HATE TO BE RIDING MY BIKE AND SOMEBODY OPENED THEIR CAR DOOR.
SO THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT WE HAVE PROTECTED LANES, WE HAVE UNPROTECTED LANES, WE HAVE THINGS LIKE I JUST DESCRIBED.
AND, UH, I ANTICIPATE, UH, THAT AS THE COUNCIL STARTS TALKING ABOUT THE BOND PROGRAM OR WE START TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE DESIGNING THE $110 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS, UM, WE NEED TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ON, ON, ON WHAT OUR BIKE PLAN IS.
AND IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE UPDATED IT, AND WE'RE GONNA BE UPDATING THAT NEXT YEAR.
SO HERE'S A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS ON STREET AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN D TWO, WE HAVE NORTH, UH, NEW BRAUNFELS AVENUE, PHASE ONE, UM, THE DISTRICT TWO PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY AND STREETS, WHICH IS ALL SIDEWALK GAP PROJECTS THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND THE COUNCILMAN'S OFFICE WILL BE WORKING ON.
WE'VE GOT A FINISHED SOUTH FOSTER ROAD, UM, AND THEN, UH, THE CHURCHILL AVENUE AREA, UH, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, LIBRARY LIBRARIAN PARK PROJECTS, WE, WE'VE GOT TO, I JUST DROVE BY THE PARK, BUT, UH, LOCKWOOD AND DIGNITY PARKS TO COMPLETE, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK, UH, THE GREATER LOVE, UH, MULTI-GENERATIONAL, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH WAS A 2017 BOND PROGRAM.
[00:20:01]
THOSE FOLKS HAVE, HAVE RAISED MONEY AND ARE MOVING FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTION IN A MATCHING STANDPOINT FROM THE CITY.WE HAVE WORKED AT THE HAY STREET BRIDGE, UH, PARK, AND THEN, UH, FORT SAM HOUSTON TRAIL.
SO HERE'S, HERE'S, UM, TWO OF OUR, UH, VISION ZERO PROJECTS, UH, THAT WE HAVE OUTTA THAT $6.2 MILLION.
UH, ONE IS, UH, WW WHITE FROM HONEYCUTT TO CREEKMORE, AND THEN, UH, PERRIN BELE SWANS LANDING TO AUSTIN HIGHWAY NEAR THE BORDER OF DISTRICT TWO AND DISTRICT 10.
AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL BEING DRIVEN BY ACTUAL DATA, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO, I, I AND I, I FORESEE US CONTINUE TO DO THIS AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO, UH, WE'LL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO DO THIS MORE, UH, IN FUTURE FISCAL YEARS.
SO COUNCILMAN MENTIONED L AUSTIN, AND I ASKED THE STAFF TO INCLUDE THIS IN THE, IN THE SLIDE.
THE L AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER HAS, UH, IS A, IS A, UM, A FIXTURE WITHIN THE SIDE AND SPECIFICALLY THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND, UM, UNDOUBTEDLY WILL BE A VERY HIGH PRIORITY OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IN TERMS OF THE BOND PROGRAM.
UM, BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO DO, UH, NOW FOR, UH, ELLA AUSTIN.
SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES, WE WANT TO GET THE BOND, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER,
SO THE, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $255,000 FOR FROM HVAC AND FIRE SPRINKLER WORK.
THAT'S A PRIORITY, UH, FOR THE BUILDING.
UM, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS GOING TO TAKE BACK THE OPERATING EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH LONG, WITH LANDSCAPING AND PEST CONTROL, GIVE THE GIVE, UH, L AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, SOME BREATHING ROOM IN TERMS OF OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE THROUGH THE, UH, AMERICAN, UH, RESCUE PLAN ACT, SOME GRANT DOLLARS FROM HEAD START THAT WE'RE GONNA BE USING TO DO SOME MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR IN THE HEAD START FACILITY AREA.
AND THEN WE PROPOSED A FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THE INNER CITY TURS.
AND THAT'S REALLY TO START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THIS WHOLE COMPLEX THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S A TOTAL OF A $730,000, BUT YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE BOND PROGRAM, UM, AND WE DEVELOP STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR STREETS OR DRAINAGE OR MUNICIPAL FACILITIES, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
AND, UM, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES FOR THIS, FOR THIS SITE.
SO, SIMPLE IDEA, UH, WE'RE ADDING A CREW THAT DOES NOTHING BUT PICK UP TRASH IN THIS CITY.
UM, WHAT WE DO IS, UM, WHEN WE GET A 3 1 1 CALL, WE SEND, WE TAKE A PUBLIC WORKS CREW OFF OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO GO PICK IT UP, OR WE PULL A SOLID WASTE CREW OFF THEIR, OFF THEIR ROUTE, OR WE PULL WORSE, WE PULL A STORMWATER CREW OFF OF MOWING THE DRAINAGE CHANNELS TO GO PICK IT UP.
BUT WE'RE GONNA ADD, UH, A, A, A CREW OF SIX TO DO NOTHING BUT PICK UP STUFF EVERY DAY, ALL AROUND THE CITY, AND, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR CREWS BACK IN, IN, IN SERVICE.
SO AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLID WASTE, I'VE FOUND THAT IT'S BEEN, IT'S HELPFUL TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND REMIND EVERYBODY THE SERVICES WE HAVE AT OUR, UM, AT OUR SOLID WASTE SITES.
UM, AND, AND THE CLOSEST ONE TO D TWO HERE IS, UM, OUR LOCATION OFF OF RIGSBY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE SITES YOU CAN DO, YOU KNOW, UH, BULKY AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS DROP OFF.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S IF SOMETHING COMES UP IN BETWEEN, REMEMBER, UH, THE CITY'S DOING, UH, A BULKY AND BRUSH PICKUP AT YOUR HOUSE, UH, EVERY YEAR.
BUT THESE LOCATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU, UM, UH, IF CIRCUMSTANCES ARISE.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS NO INCREASE TO THE SOLID WASTE RATE.
UM, AND, AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA SAVE YOURSELF SOME MONEY AND, AND SAVE THE CITY A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY FROM, UM, DUMPING AT THE LANDFILL, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN MANAGE IT, AND YOU'VE GOT A 96 GALLON CART PAYING 28 50 A MONTH, DOWNSIZE, DOWNSIZE, SAVE YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, USE YOUR RECYCLING, CAN MORE USE YOUR GREEN CAN MORE.
THE LESS WE TAKE TO THE, TO THE LANDFILL, THE LESS WE PAY.
CALL 3 1 1 AND SOLID WASTE WILL COME SWAP OUT YOUR CANS FOR YOU.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE BIG AREAS, UM, AND, AND, UM, WE'LL SEE THIS GOING FORWARD.
UM, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE GONNA BE A LOT LIKE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AFTER NINE 11.
UM, EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY REALIZES THE ROLE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE THINGS THAT METRO HEALTH DID FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:25:01]
UM, AND METRO HEALTH FOR A LONG TIME, UM, RANKED NOWHERE NEAR THE TOP WHEN WE DID A CITIZEN SURVEY.THEY WENT THROUGH YEARS OF CUTS.
UM, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY A PRIORITY.
UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS STARTED TO PUSH A LOT OF MONEY TO PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY ACROSS THE COUNTRY SEES WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T MAKE THE INVESTMENT.
UM, SO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET HAS $16.3 MILLION MORE.
UM, ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT IS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE'VE GOTTA SPEND OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
AND PRE COVID, WE HAD A STRATEGIC, UH, A REALLY WELL DONE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR METRO HEALTH, AND WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE SPRINGTIME TO UPDATE THAT STRATEGIC PLAN GIVEN WHAT WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, 15 MONTHS.
AND SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IS REALLY INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO CARE, UH, HEALTH JUSTICE, UM, $4 MILLION.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN A SECOND.
$4 MILLION IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT, THAT, THAT WILL REMEMBER, I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE MOVED AND CONSOLIDATED ALL OF OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS FOR THE CITY.
WE, WE, WE CONSOLIDATED 'EM ALL INTO METRO HEALTH.
AND SO, UM, PRETTY BIG INCREASE, UM, PROBABLY THE LARGEST INCREASE IN ANY DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, OUTREACH AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND, AND REALLY ADVOCATING FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO HERE'S ONE OF THE LESSONS WE LEARNED, UM, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, LAST FALL, UM, TOOK A CHANCE AND PILOTED A SOFTWARE PRO, A SOFTWARE SYSTEM, UM, AT OUR DISPATCH CENTER, WHICH, UH, ESSENTIALLY WAS TELEMEDICINE FOR PARAMEDICS AND EMERGENCY, UH, MEDICAL CALLS.
AND SO THE IDEA WAS WE, THEY WANTED, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WANTED TO KEEP E M S UNITS IN SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO, UH, SERIOUS CALLS AND COVID CALLS.
AND SO YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND YOU SAY YOU HAVE A CUT, OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS, THEY TEXT, THEY TEXT YOU A, UM, LINK AND YOU'D CLICK ON IT.
AND THEN YOU, YOU HOLD YOUR CAMERA, UM, AT YOUR WOUND OR THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE PARAMEDIC, WHO'S THE DISPATCHER CAN GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS.
UM, AND, UH, IT'S WORKED REALLY WELL.
WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS DONE THIS.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT FULL TIME NEXT YEAR.
AND THE MEDIA'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB COVERING IT.
THERE'VE BEEN SOME HIGH PROFILE CASES WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, FAMILY MEMBER'S CALLING ABOUT THEIR, UH, A FAMILY MEMBER AND, UM, THE DISPATCHER, IN ADDITION TO SENDING THE E M S UNIT IN THE FIRETRUCK, IS LITERALLY GIVING THE FAMILY MEMBER C P R INSTRUCTIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT, A FAMILY MEMBER'S HOLDING IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD'VE TRIED HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR COVID.
AND I THINK IT IMPROVES OUR LEVEL OF CARE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE COUNCILMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR, UM, UM, POLICE SERVICES REVIEW.
OUR CON WE, WE CONTRACTED WITH THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION TO REALLY LOOK AT ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS, AND, AND THEY GET A VARIETY OF MENTAL HEALTH CALLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, A A FATHER CALLING ABOUT THEIR 25 YEAR OLD SON THAT LIVES WITH THEM, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE ENCOUNTERING FOLKS ON THE STREET, JUST A WHOLE VARIETY.
AND WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD MENTAL HEALTH UNIT AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THERE'S ONLY 12 OF 'EM.
AND, UM, AND, AND THEY CAN'T RESPOND TO ALL OF 'EM.
NOW WE HAVE, EVERY SINGLE POLICE OFFICER IS CRISIS RESPONSE TRAINED.
BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY STORIES THAT, UH, HAPPENED EVERY, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHERE THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS CAN TURN VIOLENT AND DEADLY, OR SOMEBODY GETS HURT.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF, AT, AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE STORY, YOU HAD SOMEBODY CALLING 9 1 1 BECAUSE SOMEBODY NEEDED HELP AND, AND THEY'RE CALLING 9 1 1, RIGHT? THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING ELSE.
ONE OF THE MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION THAT WE'VE INCORPORATED WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS A TEAM APPROACH WHERE WE'RE GONNA SEND A POLICE OFFICER, A PARAMEDIC AND A LICENSED CLINICIAN IN THE SAME VEHICLE TO THOSE CALLS.
WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, UM, IN, UM, IN THE CENTRAL SUBSTATION AREA NEXT YEAR, WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST NUMBER OF CALLS, UM, WITH THE IDEA THAT WE LEARN FROM IT, AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
[00:30:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN A PERFECT WORLD, UH, WHEN YOU CALLED 9 1 1, THEY ASKED YOU THREE QUESTIONS, POLICE, FIRE OR E S.AND, UM, PART OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE ALSO GONNA PUT, UM, MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS IN THE DISPATCH CENTER SO THAT MAYBE AT SOME, SOME POINT WE CAN GET TO FOUR THINGS, RIGHT? POLICE, FIRE, E M S, MENTAL HEALTH, RIGHT? SO WE CAN HELP DIAGNOSE.
AND IF WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAINED TO DO THAT, UM, NOW WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BE REALLY RELYING UPON OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY AND CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND AGENCIES THAT ARE EXPERTS AT THIS.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS CONTINUES TO CHANGE, UM, HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY'RE REVIEWING WHAT THEY'RE DOING FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT.
BUT THE IDEA IS WE, WE'VE GOTTA CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AND, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA START DOING THAT NEXT YEAR.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT CAME OUTTA THE POLICE SERVICES REVIEW.
UH, THE COUNCILMAN MENTIONED IT, UH, AND I WAS SURPRISED AS WE SAT THROUGH THOSE 27 MEETINGS.
STREET LIGHTING, UH, CAME UP A LOT.
AND SO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, HAS $5.8 MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHTS, AND THAT'S THE LARGEST AMOUNT WE'VE EVER BUDGETED IN ONE YEAR.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT THE COUNCILMAN INTRODUCED AT THE GOAL SETTING SESSION WAS THIS INDEX IDEA.
UM, AND, AND SO WE'VE SET ASIDE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, I THINK THE, I THINK THE BALANCE IS GONNA BE, UM, 'CAUSE I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN AT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS WHERE, UH, ONE PERSON SAYS, I WANT A STREETLIGHT, I WANT A STREETLIGHT RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
AND, AND HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR SAYS, I DON'T WANT A STREETLIGHT ANYWHERE NEAR MY HOUSE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK IN WITHIN AREAS WITHIN FOUR 10 OLDER AREAS OF THE CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT CODES, BUT FROM A SAFE, UH, A, A NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY FROM PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, UH, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL, UH, DISTRICTS TO, TO REALLY DEPLOY THAT, UH, NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN LASTLY, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD ALSO THROUGH THE, UM, THE, UM, UH, POLICE SERVICES, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS IS MORE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH POLICE OFFICERS.
SO IN ADDITION TO, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CALLS WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR OUT, OUT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HOW WE'RE HANDLING MENTAL HEALTH.
THE IDEA IS THAT WE KEEP OUR OFFICERS, UM, UH, MAYBE NOT RUNNING FROM CALL TO CALL AND MORE TIME WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE, WE HEARD THAT VERY LOUD AND CLEAR.
WE HAVE 112 SAFE OFFICERS IN THE, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADD 12 MORE, AND THEN PROPOSING TO ADD THREE OFFICERS TO THE DOWNTOWN FOOT AND BIKE PATROL, WHICH IS THE, THE, UM, THE UNIT THAT MANAGES DOWNTOWN, THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH HOTELS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS.
SO THESE ARE THE THREE CALLS THAT, UM, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND, AND, UM, ANIMAL RELATED CALLS.
NOW, NOT VICIOUS DOGS, THAT, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA STILL REQUIRE ANIMAL CARE OFFICERS AND POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND.
BUT BARKING DOGS, LOOSE DOGS, THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM GETS A LOT OF ANIMAL CALLS AND WE'RE ADDING RESOURCES IN ANIMAL CARE SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS EVEN AT NIGHT.
I AM, I'M THE CITY MANAGER, SO I'M SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SHOOTING FIREWORKS IN THE CITY, BUT WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GOING, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT RESPONDING TO 9 1 1 CALLS ON FIREWORKS 10 DAYS AROUND 4TH OF JULY, AND 10 DAYS AROUND JANUARY 1ST, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.
NOW, WE GET FIREWORK CALLS 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF 'EM IN THOSE, IN THAT 20 DAY PERIOD.
AND SO OUR ARSON DIVISION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS AND THEN LOUD MUSIC CALLS, UH, WILL BE WORKING WITH CODE COMPLIANCE TO PILOT AN EFFORT ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY NIGHTS.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT WRITE A LOT OF CITATIONS FOR LOUD MUSIC.
UM, GENERALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE VISIT FROM THE POLICE AND IT, THE MUSIC GOES DOWN.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA PILOT THAT.
THERE ISN'T A, THERE IS A TASK FORCE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS APPOINTED TO REVIEW OUR NOISE ORDINANCE AND POSSIBLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO LINE THAT WORK UP.
BUT THE IDEA IS THAT LET'S HAVE CODE OFFICERS DEAL WITH THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE, WE DON'T, I DON'T WANNA PUT EMPLOYEES IN ANY SORT OF DANGEROUS POSITIONS, BUT THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF RECORDING THE DECIBELS AND MAKING SURE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A VIOLATION.
IF THERE'S A VIOLATION, THEN THEY CAN CALL A POLICE OFFICER OVER THERE TO HELP 'EM.
SO, UM, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE ADDING FIVE, UM, UH, POSITIONS.
[00:35:01]
ANIMAL CARE OFFICERS WHO ARE REALLY, I'LL DESCRIBE THEM AS KIND OF OUR, UM, COMMUNITY POLICING FOR ANIMALS.UM, WE GET THE SAME CALLS FROM THE SAME ADDRESSES FOR THE SAME ANIMALS.
UM, AND, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF A, A, UM, TENDER LOVING APPROACH TO RESOLVING THE ISSUE SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY GOTTA CALL THE CITY.
UM, IS IT A PROBLEM WITH THE FENCE? IS THERE AN EDUCATION PIECE? DO THEY NEED, DOES THE, DOES THE HOMEOWNER, THE, THE PET OWNER NEED HELP? WE'RE GONNA TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH, UH, RATHER THAN JUST ENFORCEMENT AND, AND, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UH, NEW APPROACH.
SO ANOTHER BIG PRIORITY, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, COMBINED HAS ALMOST $33 MILLION IN IT.
AND 14, UH, A LITTLE OVER 14 MILLION OF IT'S COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THE BALANCE OF IT'S COMING FROM FEDERAL FUNDING.
BUT, UM, AND THIS WAS A REALLY HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL AT THEIR GOAL SETTING SESSION.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, SINCE LAST SPRING, BEEN COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, ABOUT 30 OR $40 MILLION OF LOCAL DOLLARS, UM, AND, UH, ABOUT $150 MILLION IN FEDERAL DOLLARS.
AND WE'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY THROUGH THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR TO HELP PEOPLE WHO, UM, WHO NEED TO HELP WITH RENT.
UM, BUT THIS IS ABOUT GETTING BACK TO WHAT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'RE SETTING ASIDE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UM, AND INCREASING IT TO $14.1 MILLION.
AND THE INCREASES ARE ALL GOING TO THESE THREE PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS. OUR MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM, OUR OWNER OCCUPIED REPAIR PROGRAM, AND UNDER ONE ROOF, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE COUNCIL IS LIKELY TO HAVE, UH, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UM, SO YOU SEE, HERE'S A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF THE 21 BUDGET AND THE 22 BUDGET AND, AND WHERE WE'RE ADDING, UM, ABOUT FOUR AND A ALMOST $5 MILLION IN GAP FINANCING TO HELP WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
UH, $4.4 MILLION IN OUR OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, A MILLION IN UNDER ONE ROOF, AND THEN $3.3 MILLION IN OUR MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM.
SO, GETTING BACK TO KIND OF THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN STAY INSIDE THEIR HOMES, THAT'S HOW, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, SUGGESTION.
SO THAT'LL BE, UH, THAT'LL BE A BIG EFFORT FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO, AND THIS IS JUST SHOWING YOU THE LAST 18 MONTHS WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON EMERGENCY HOUSING.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT WE GOTTA START MIGRATING BACK TO PROBABLY THE LONGER TERM ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT IN THE COMMUNITY, BOTH HOUSING STABILITY AND, AND FAIR HOUSING ISSUES.
AND I WAS GONNA MENTION THAT WITH THE, UH, THE VOTERS APPROVED A CHANGE IN OUR CHARTER IN MAY.
AND AS THE COUNCIL TALKS ABOUT THE UPCOMING 22 BOND PROGRAM, UH, THE COUNCIL WILL LIKELY TALK ABOUT A HOUSING PROPOSITION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER MAJOR CITIES HERE IN TEXAS.
AND SO HOUSING WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY FOR, FOR THE CITY.
HERE'S ANOTHER THING WE LEARNED.
UM, WE CAN HAVE REALLY COOL WEBSITES AND GREAT BROCHURES AND AN EASY NUMBER LIKE 3 1 1, BUT, UM, AND I SAW IT FIRSTHAND ON SATURDAY.
UM, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST NEED TO BE HANDHELD A BIT.
UM, WE SAW THAT A LOT WITH HOUSING.
WE SEE IT A LOT WITH THOSE THAT ARE ABOUT THAT FAR AWAY FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
UH, WE SAW A LARGE UPTICK OVER THE LAST YEAR FOR SENIORS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, UH, FINANCIAL COUNSELING.
AND SO WE'RE ADDING A CADRE OF, OF EMPLOYEES THAT WILL WORK AND BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY COMES IN LOOKING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE, THEY MAY NOT KNOW THEY'RE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE OR, UH, CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CONNECTING THOSE DOTS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING TO, TO SEE US AND NOT BEING SO SILOED AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO OUR, OUR FIFTH BUDGET MESSAGE RESILIENCY, AND WE ALL KINDA LIVE THROUGH, UH, FEBRUARY, AND THIS IS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT A COUPLE OF THINGS ARE, UH, THAT WE START TO ADDRESS.
ONE IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR CRITICAL FACILITIES HAVE GENERATORS.
NOW ABOUT, UH, THIRD, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, 34 OF OUR 52 FIRE STATIONS HAVE GENERATORS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
UM, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
[00:40:01]
THOSE ARE OUTFITTED AS WELL AS OUR POLICE SUBSTATIONS.UM, AND, UH, WE'VE WORKED ON, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS.
WE CAN'T DO IT ALL IN ONE YEAR, BUT WE'LL TACKLE THOSE, UH, FACILITIES IN THE FIRST YEAR.
WE'RE ALSO SETTING ASIDE MONEY TO CREATE FOR RESILIENCY HUBS AND, UH, A RESILIENCY HUB, UM, GEOGRAPHICALLY, UH, LOCATED AROUND THE CITY IS A PLACE.
AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A CITY BUILDING.
IT COULD BE A SCHOOL, IT COULD BE THE ELLA AUSTIN CENTER, ACTUALLY, RIGHT? COUNCILOR? OH, NOT WITHOUT AC.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THE AC.
YEAH, BUT IF IT'S COLD, WE DON'T NEED THE AC SO
BUT, UM, THE IDEA IS THAT WE WILL INVEST IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT IF WE NEED A PLACE TO SEND PEOPLE, WE KNOW THAT WAS THE PROBLEM IN FEBRUARY.
OUR LIBRARIES, OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, EITHER HAD NO POWER OR WE'RE ON ROTATING POWER, UM, AND THERE WAS NO CONSISTENCY.
SO, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA START THIS YEAR WITH FOUR GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE CITY, AND POSSIBLY LOOK TO HOW WE CAN EXPAND THAT OVER TIME.
THAT WAY PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO REGARDLESS THE, THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND POWER GOES OUT OR IN THE DEAD OF WINTER.
SO, UM, PART OF OUR RESTORATION IS INCREASING OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL FUNDING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE AT IN 2019.
UM, AND, AND WE WERE DOING THAT.
THAT WAS, THIS WAS A PRIORITY OF THE COUNCIL.
MANY OF THESE AGENCIES AND THESE FUNCTIONS THAT THE CITY DOES WERE SEVERELY CUT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
WE HAD TO, BECAUSE IT WAS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND, AND WE SAW PRETTY DRASTIC, UH, CUTS LOSS IN REVENUE.
SO, UH, THE BOND PROGRAM, EVERY YEAR WE UPDATE OUR, KIND OF OUR DEBT MANAGEMENT, AND, UH, EVERY FIVE YEARS WE GO TO THE VOTERS.
IT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN OUR HISTORICAL TREND.
AND SO AS WE DID THE WORK THIS SUMMER TO LOOK AT OUR, UH, FINANCIAL CAPABILITY AND HOW MUCH DEBT WE CAN ISSUE OVER FIVE YEARS, COMPLETE IT WITHIN 97% AND NOT CHANGE THE TAX RATE.
UM, HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD? AND SO WE ARE RECOMMENDED THE COUNCIL $1.2 BILLION.
THAT'S, THAT WILL BE THE LARGEST CITY BOND PROGRAM, UH, IN OUR HISTORY.
UH, WE HAVE $2 BILLION WORTH OF STREET NEEDS.
THREE, $3 BILLION WORTH OF DRAINAGE NEEDS, UH, PROBABLY ANOTHER BILLION AND A HALF AND SIDEWALK.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT, UH, THIS IS A REAL GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY TO MAKE A, UH, CONCERTED INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND POSSIBLY THINGS LIKE HOUSING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UH, QUICKLY, THIS IS GONNA BE A BIG TASK BETWEEN, UH, MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER TO THE SECOND WEEK IN FEBRUARY.
AND WE HAVE, UH, THE COUNCIL WILL APPOINT, UH, CITIZEN COMMITTEE.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, LET THE COUNCILMAN KNOW.
WE GENERALLY HAVE CITIZEN COMMITTEES FOR EACH PROPOSITION.
SO LIKE A STREETS GROUP, A DRAINAGE GROUP, A FACILITIES GROUP, MAYBE A HOUSING GROUP, AND, AND THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL.
THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THE PLAN IN JANUARY AND CALLS THE ELECTION THE SECOND WEEK IN FEBRUARY.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF MEETING, I SUSPECT A LOT OF MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, THIS FALL.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.
WE'VE GOT ONE WITH THE COUNCIL TOMORROW.
UM, THEY ARE LONG, UH, WORK SESSIONS WHERE THE COUNCIL, UM, GETS A CHANCE TO HEAR THE DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATIONS AND ASK A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
UM, COMMUNITY INPUT LIKE TONIGHT, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH.
WE'VE GOT TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON SEPTEMBER 8TH AND THE 14TH, AND THEN THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO ADOPT A BUDGET ON THE 16TH OF SEPTEMBER.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO BERTHA, WHO WILL FACILITATE QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE, UM, JUST SO THE AUDIENCE KNOWS, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM DEPARTMENTS HERE.
WE'VE GOT METRO HEALTH PARKS AND REC, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, SOLID WASTE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, HUMAN SERVICES, THE BUDGET OFFICE, PUBLIC WORKS, THE POLICE CHIEF HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, SO A LOT OF FOLKS HERE AND WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR INPUT.
MY NAME IS BERTA RODRIGUEZ AND I AM, UH, THE EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MANAGER.
AND WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP THE PROGRAM TO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, AND I'M GOING TO EMPHASIZE QUESTIONS.
[00:45:01]
THE CITY MANAGER SAID, THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST CROWD WE'VE HAD AT ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, SO WE DO WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME AND ALLOW EVERYONE TO ASK AT LEAST ONE QUESTION.AND IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE, MAYBE WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT ONE AND YOU CAN GET BACK IN LINE.
UH, MARIA, SO PLEASE, IF, IF YOU COULD, UH, FORM A LINE AT THE MIC, GIVE ME A CHANCE TO CLEAN THE MIC BETWEEN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
I'M GONNA BE A LITTLE LOW C ABOUT THAT, SO WE GOTTA CLEAN THE MIC.
I GUESS WHEN THEY'RE READY, YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE READY, GO AHEAD.
BECAUSE THEY'LL, THEY'LL, YOU'LL GET THEM.
ALRIGHT, WHO ARE WE? YOU'RE CITY MANAGER DESK.
MR. WALSH, I, I, I WANNA, FIRST OF ALL, AND I WANT BE YES TO SAY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING NOW TO ELLA AUSTIN.
UH, IT'S, IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL HERE.
THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER.
I HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE BOARD OF THIS, OF THIS FACILITY AND, AND VERY, VERY PLEASED TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.
WE WELCOME THE CITY HERE, UH, TONIGHT, BUT WE ALSO, I, I HAD TO THREE REAL QUICK.
I'M GONNA DO THIS IN READER'S DIGEST VERSION.
THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THIS.
UM, TRULY COUNCILMAN, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I WOULD ASK IS, AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP UP COMMUNITY-BASED CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS.
WE ABSOLUTELY, THEY, THEY GOT LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY GOT THAT DOWN.
WHAT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO OUR PART IN THE COMMUNITY TO ALSO PROTECT OURSELVES AND DO THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THIRDLY, UM, WANNA BE ABLE TO ASK FOR, AGAIN, CONSIDERATION OF ELLA AUSTIN AND ITS PROGRAMS. WE'RE A SMALL ORGANIZATION.
I WANT TO JUST BE ABLE TO SAY FOR OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, WE HAVE ALREADY RAISED OVER HALF OF THE MATCHING FUNDS.
AND SO WE WOULD ASK FOR YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER, UM, A PROPOSAL IN TERMS OF FUNDING OUR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST, AGAIN, WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THE HOUSING, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PICKING UP THE TRASH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. WEST DAVIS, DEBBIE REED WITH THE WILSHIRE VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I AM SO GLAD TO BE HERE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL THE CITY FOLKS HERE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF BRING UP SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO HAVE KIND OF FALL BY THE SIDE IS OUR, UM, CLIMATE ACTION READY PLAN AND HOW THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED AND BEING CARRIED FORWARD WITHIN THIS, UM, BUDGET AND THE BOND PROPOSAL.
AND AFTER BEING OUT IN THE PARKS WITH C O V, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT OUR TRAILS WERE PACKED WITH PEOPLE.
AND SO HAVING THAT GREEN SPACE FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY FIND SOLITUDE AND PEACE WAS WONDERFUL.
BUT I'D LIKE TO PUT IN A LITTLE PITCH FOR PARKS AND REC AND BEING ABLE TO COMBINE SOME OF OUR GREEN SPACE, OUR NEW GREEN SPACE, AND USING THAT SPACE FOR, UM, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR MANAGING OUR STORMWATER IN A BETTER WAY, AND MEETING CLIMATE ACTION AND HAVING BETTER WATER QUALITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
JUST, UH, REAL QUICK ON THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
SO AS THE STAFF IS GOING THROUGH THE POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND THE BOND PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WE, AS WE DEVELOP OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE'LL SHARE THOSE WITH COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE UTILIZING TO SCORE IS, UH, ADHERENCE TO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERY PROJECT'S GOTTA CHECK THE BOX, BUT, BUT WE'RE SCORING, THAT'S ONE OF THE CATEGORIES.
THERE'S THREE MAIN THINGS, THREE MAIN PILLARS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE GO THROUGH BOND PROJECTS.
ONE, PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, TWO RESILIENCY, TWO, UH, THREE, UH, CONNECTEDNESS.
AND SO THINGS LIKE PARK SYSTEM, THE LINEAR CREEKS REALLY KNOCK ALL THREE.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF DEVELOPED A SCORING SYSTEM AND THE COUNCIL WILL SEE THAT, 'CAUSE THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA ASK IF THE BACK OF THE ROOM CAN, HELLO.
[00:50:01]
BACK OF THE ROOM IF WE COULD PLEASE, UH, KEEP IT DOWN AND, AND, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HEAR THE QUESTIONS AND THE RESPONSES.JAYLEN AND ERIC, I'VE MET BETH OF YOU.
I'M A U S A PICKLEBALL AMBASSADOR FOR SAN ANTONIO.
AND I TOO WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PARKS AND REC.
AND I, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS GROUP KNOWS THAT, UH, PICKLEBALL HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
THERE'S, UH, 4.2 MILLION PEOPLE PLAYING NOW, AND SAN ANTONIO HAS TAKEN THAT CRAZE AND IS EXPLODING HERE.
I SPOKE, UM, AT DISTRICT 10, I SPOKE AT YOUR TOWN HALL MEETING AS WELL, AND I THOUGHT, SINCE I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, THIS IS MY DISTRICT AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A FITNESS CRAZE, IT'S A HEALTH LIFESTYLE CHANGE.
PICKLEBALL IS, AND WE ALL NEED THAT TO BE OUTSIDE WITH C O V I D, HOPEFULLY NOT COMING BACK, BUT THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, WITH COVID SO FAR.
UM, SO I INVITE EVERYONE HERE, IF YOU CAN COME OUT TO FAIRCHILD PARK.
WE, WE PLAY, UM, THREE NIGHTS AND A SATURDAY MORNING.
AND IF YOU'VE NEVER PLAYED PICKLEBALL BEFORE, COME OUT ANYWAY, WE'LL TEACH YOU HOW TO DO IT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE PLAY ON, UM, EIGHT PICKLEBALL COURTS, WHICH IS ONLY TWO TENNIS COURTS, AND THAT LEAVES 10 TENNIS COURTS FOR TENNIS AND OTHER TENNIS PLAYERS.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING WITH SOME OF THE BOND MONEY TO BE ALLOCATED FOR IMPROVING FAIRCHILD PARK, SPECIFICALLY FOR PICKLEBALL, BUT NOT JUST TO PIECEMEAL, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR FAIRCHILD PARK TO MAKE THIS A GREAT FACILITY.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE COMING OUT WITH THEIR SONS, THEIR DAUGHTERS, THEIR AUNTS, THEIR UNCLES, THEIR GRANDPARENTS, THEY'RE ALL PLAYING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT REALLY I WANT THIS TO STAY IN DISTRICT TWO.
I WANT THIS TO STAY IN MY DISTRICT.
SO JAYLEN, YOU WILL BE PRESENTED A, UH, FAIRCHILD WATER MUG, ERIC AND HOMER, YOU'LL BE PRESENTED.
YOU ARE NOW RECEIVING A FAIRCHILD WATER BOTTLE, UH, FOR YOUR USE.
AND HOPEFULLY MANY OF YOU WILL COME OUT AND JOIN US.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, JAYLEN.
I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSE FOR YOU.
MY NAME IS MARIA DE LA GARZA AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH NORD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EASTERN TRIANGLE ALSO.
AND THIS IS THE JEWEL OF THE CITY.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION AND I HAVE A STATEMENT.
MY QUESTION IS, I WANNA KNOW YES OR NO, WHETHER WE AT DISTRICT TWO ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR SAFE OFFICERS, THE TWO SAFE OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN PROMISED TO US BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW UNTIL RECENTLY, MY SAFE OFFICER AFTER A YEAR.
AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT BECAUSE WE ARE LITTLE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE SAFE OFFICERS TO COME AROUND AND TALK TO US AND MEET THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO KEEP THE TWO SAFE OFFICERS.
AND THIS IS ONE, UH, ONE OF MY COMMENTS THAT HAS BEEN MAKING THE ROUNDS IN THE PRESIDENT'S ROUNDTABLE.
UM, SO WHAT I'LL SAY IS THAT I HAVE OPPOSED INCREASES TO SAP'S BUDGET.
THAT IS WHAT I'M OPPOSING WITH THE 46.
WITH THE 46,000 CALLS THAT ARE NOW BEING DIRECTED ELSEWHERE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SAFE OFFICERS TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO DO THEIR JOBS AND FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.
I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO THAT WITH THE EXISTING, UH, WITH THE EXISTING OFFICERS.
THE FACT THAT, AND THIS WAS A COMMENT THAT I MADE ON THE DIOCESE, THAT THERE ARE INSTANCES LIKE
[00:55:01]
YOURS WHERE YOUR COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THEIR SAFE, SAFE OFFICER.YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE ADDING ADDITIONAL SAFE OFFICERS UNTIL THOSE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED.
YOUR SAFE OFFICER SHOULD STILL BE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, SHOULD STILL BE THERE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
AND SO ALL OF THE TIMES THAT WE SEE OFFICERS, UH, BEING PULLED SAFE, OFFICERS BEING PULLED AWAY FROM THOSE DUTIES, YOU AT LEAST ARE OWED COMMUNICATION.
YOU ARE AT LEAST OWED AN EXPLANATION.
AND SO UNTIL WE GET THAT, I DID NOT, I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE GETTING AN ADDITIONAL TWO OFFICERS.
SO MA'AM, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THE POLICE CHIEF TO COME SEE YOU.
UM, HE'S STANDING, HE'S WALKING TOWARDS YOU RIGHT NOW.
MAKE SURE WE FIND OUT WHAT THAT GAP IS BECAUSE, UM, IF YOUR SAFE OFFICER HASN'T, IF I UNDERSTAND YOU RIGHT, HAS NOT BEEN RESPONSIVE TO YOUR REQUESTS.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND? WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT I HAD A WHOLE YEAR THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN CHANGES IN THE SUBSTATION.
BUT I MET HER AND SHE WAS PREGNANT AND SHE WAS NOT DOING FIELD CALLS.
SHE WAS AT THE OFFICE, WHICH IS OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY WHENEVER WE NEED A SAFE OFFICER ON THE FIELD.
WELL, THE CHIEF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET TAKEN CARE OF.
OKAY? AND I DO HAVE THE STATEMENT THAT I NEED TO MAKE, AND THIS IS FOR ALL THE CITY STAFF.
WHENEVER SOMEBODY FROM ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SENDS AN EMAIL TO Y'ALL, I THINK IT'S JUST COMMON COURTESY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DID EMAIL ABSOLUTELY.
THAT YOU DID RECEIVE THE EMAIL, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET ANY RESPONSES BACK.
MY NAME IS ROSE HILL, PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT HILL ALLIANCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND I AM ALSO, UH, HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR 31 NEIGHBORHOOD PRESENCE OF D TWO PRESENCE ROUNDTABLE.
FOR MANY OF YOU THAT DO NOT KNOW WHO WE ARE, WE STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHEN WE LOST OUR LAST COUNCIL PERSON, AS JAYLEN SAID, WE'VE HAD, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COME THROUGH THE DOOR.
AND CLOSING THE GAP RIGHT NOW IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND THE STAFF IN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT AND ENHANCE THE SAFE PROGRAM.
WE ARE MORE THAN I GUESS, ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT WORK WITH A, WITH A SAFE OFFICE ON A, ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
WE, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, BUT WE DO NEED THOSE TWO SAFE OFFICERS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 19, AND IF WE WANNA GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT, WE GOTTA HAVE EFFECTIVE PEOPLE WORKING IN THOSE CAPACITIES THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESENCE, BE ABLE TO ATTEND OUR MEETINGS, AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE PULLED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN THAT I HOPE THAT THE COUNCILMAN LATER ON WILL DOWN THE LINE WILL HELP US SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE, THE PRESIDENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THE SAFE OFFICER PROGRAM IS AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM.
BUT IT TAKES TIME AND IT TAKES, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THE COUNCILMAN WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE US MORE INPUT.
AND, UH, BUT WE DO NEED THOSE SAFE OFFICERS.
AND I, WE CANNOT WAIT BECAUSE WE CANNOT PUT MONEY ON SOMEONE'S LIFE.
AND RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE'RE FAILING TO, UH, IGNORE IS THAT SOMETIMES WHEN, WHEN CRIMES ARE COMMITTED, IT'S ALL BASED UPON HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN A CRIME IS GONNA BE COMMITTED.
WE, WE, WE WANT, WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT 'EM, BUT THE SAFE PROGRAM, IT MIGHT OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WEAK ALONG THE WAY, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT STRONG AGAIN.
BUT NOW'S THE TIME THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, WE MUST COME TOGETHER AS ONE ENTITY, AS ONE UNITY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
IF WE GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
WE'VE GOTTA SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE, FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND FIND THE SOLUTIONS.
HI, EVERYBODY DOING, MY NAME IS CHARLES SATTERWHITE.
I'M THE FOUNDER OF SAN ANTONIO RISING STARS.
UH, I WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH THE KIDS.
UH, RECENTLY JUST PARTNERED WITH, UH, WALK MILE IN MY SHOES, WHICH IS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, HOW CAN WE BRING THIS PROGRAM INTO THE BUDGET? UH, WHAT WE DOING IS WE BRINGING, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE OFFICERS TOGETHER, PUTTING THEM IN THE SAME ROOM, AND WE GOING OVER SCENARIOS, WE GOING OVER, UH, EVERYTHING.
WE, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT NOBODY COMING TOGETHER TO LOOK FOR THE SOLUTION.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
JUST RECENTLY, WE JUST, UH, HAD A HUNDRED KIDS GO TO AMAZING JUMP TO JUMP WITH THE OFFICERS.
[01:00:01]
PURPOSE FOR THAT IS TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WHERE THEY CAN KNOW WHAT OUR KIDS LOOK LIKE.YOU KNOW, UH, WE DOING ALL THESE PROGRAMS WITH THE OFFICERS, WITH KAT BROWN AND ALL THESE OFFICERS, BECAUSE THE REASON WHY WE ARE DOING IT IS BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS IF THEY SEE A KID RUNNING DOWN THE STREET WITH A BACKPACK, THEY'LL KNOW THAT KID BECAUSE THEY THEN BUILT A RELATIONSHIP WITH 'EM.
RATHER IT'S BOWLING, RATHER IT'S SKATING.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO I WANNA KNOW HOW CAN WE PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET TO WHERE, 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE DARE WE DON'T HAVE NONE OF THESE PROGRAMS NO MORE.
SO THIS PROGRAM, WALK MILE IN MY SHOES, IS SOMETHING THAT GONNA HELP THESE KIDS AND, AND, UH, CAN THE COMMUNITY BUILD A RELATIONSHIP.
UH, SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM.
AND I'M GONNA, I'M LOOKING AT THE SCOTT, OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE PROGRAM DETAILS.
THE COUNCILMAN JUST MENTIONED TO ME THAT HE'S HAD A PRELIMINARY CONVERSATION WITH YOU MM-HMM.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECT ON WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT BACK TO THE COUNCILMAN.
THE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T SAY PART OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WILL CULMINATE IN THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, MAKING AMENDMENTS TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET WHEN THEY ADOPT.
SO IF WE CAN GET YOUR INFORMATION AND, UH, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
NOW, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS? JUST KIND OF FYI? SURE.
AND TO ADD TO THAT, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS FOR FUNDING NONPROFIT AGENCIES.
WE GO THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS WHERE, UM, AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR TWO YEARS AND HAVE NONPROFIT STATUS CAN APPLY FOR FUNDING.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL, AND IN TWO YEARS WE'LL BE DOING IT AGAIN, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE, UM, DO ISSUE RFPS IF NEW MONEY COMES IN.
AND SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP, UM, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AWARE OF THOSE.
CITY MANAGER AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN FOR HAVING US HERE.
MY NAME IS ROSEMARY WILLIAMS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
UH, WE ARE A 5 0 1 C THREE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN, UM, WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE A GRASSROOT ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE LOCATED AT TWO 14 BLUE BONNET STREET.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING EFFECTIVELY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE, UM, SERVED SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE EAP, THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL THING.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO WE'RE ASKING BECAUSE THE, UM, THE TREASURY HAS RELEASED THIS MONEY THROUGH THE A R P, UM, THROUGH COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.
WE'RE ASKING HOW WE CAN BE CONSIDERED.
UH, WE ARE TRAUMA INFORMED, AND SO WE WANNA ASK HOW WE CAN BE INCLUDED IN THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, SO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT DOLLARS, UH, THE CITY RECEIVED, UM, $320 MILLION.
WE'VE GOTTA COMMIT THAT MONEY BY 2024 AND SPEND IT BY 2026.
UM, FINAL GUIDELINES FROM THE TREASURY WE'RE EXPECTING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH OR THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, WHAT THE COUNCIL'S GONNA DO.
AND WE, WE KIND OF TOOK A TWO STEP APPROACH.
ONE, THERE'S THREE MAIN REASONS.
THERE'S THREE MAIN PURPOSES BEHIND ARPA.
ONE IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL STABILITY TO THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
TWO, TO REPLACE OUR REVENUE, AND THREE, TO DEAL WITH IMMEDIATE COVID NEEDS.
NOW, THE IMMEDIATE COVID NEEDS IS KIND OF A CATCHALL.
UM, IT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TREASURY IS BEING VERY DELIBERATE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ADDRESSED IN QUAL, UH, THAT THAT SERVICES OR PROGRAMS IN QUALIFIED CENSUS TRACKS, WHICH I THINK IS EASY FOR US TO DO AND MAP OUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THEY COULD BE PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED, THEY COULD BE COMMUNITY SERVICE RELATED.
THEY COULD BE, THEY COULD BE INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED.
THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION, THE COUNCIL WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU'D COME OVER HERE TO HE LEFT.
GO SEE THE GUY FREDDY, RIGHT HERE.
GET LET, GIVE YOUR INFORMATION TO FREDDY BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES THAT THE FEDERAL, THE TREASURY IS, IS, UM, HAS INSTITUTED, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, AS WE DETERMINE, AS THE COUNCIL DETERMINES WHAT THE ARPA PLAN IS, AND IT'S LIKELY GONNA BE A THREE TO FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN.
I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH MOMS DEMAND ACTION, UH, FOR GUN VIOLENCE, UM, SAFETY AND AWARENESS.
UM, SO I'M JUST HERE TO UNDERSCORE THE REQUEST MADE
[01:05:01]
BY BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.THAT THAT FUNDS BE SET ASIDE AND ALLOCATED FOR THESE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. UM, THEY ARE PROVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO BE, UM, TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, WE'VE SEEN THAT IN MANY CITIES.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN MANY OTHER CITIES, UM, ALREADY ALLOCATING FUNDS ON, UH, ARPA FUNDS FOR THESE PROGRAMS, UM, AS PART OF THE RESPONSE TO THE PAST YEAR AND BEYOND.
SO I WOULD JUST UNDERSCORE THAT REQUEST FOR BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
MY NAME IS BENNY PRICE AND I'M THE C E O OF BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
UH, THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SAFETY, UH, HERE ON IN DISTRICT TWO, UH, YOU'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE SINGLE, THE SINGLE PERSON HAS MADE IT MORE SAFE HERE IN DISTRICT TWO THAN ANY OTHER, UH, ANY OTHER PERSON, ANY OTHER OFFICER, ANY OTHER CHIEF OR ANY OTHER COUNCILMAN THAT HAS BEEN IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND I'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE 2016, UM, WITH BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SAFE HOUSES DO YOU HAVE IN DISTRICT TWO? I DO NOT.
I'M GONNA ASK JAYLEN AGAIN, THE COUNCILMAN, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SAFE HOUSES YOU HAVE OPERATING IN YOUR DISTRICT? TWO.
I DO NOT KNOW A SPECIFIC NUMBER.
WOULD YOU ENLIGHTEN ME? UH, ONE THAT'S BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER, UM, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY SAFE HOUSES HE HAS OPERATING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO? I'M GONNA GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY ONE.
DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS? BIG MAMA.
AND SO, UM, OPERATING AS THE ONLY SAFE HOUSE IN SAN ANTONIO AS SUCH, UM, WE'RE THE ONLY THAT DON'T HAVE NO FUNDING, BUT WE'RE OPERATING AS SUCH.
AND MY REQUEST IS, CAN YOU PLEASE POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT FUNDING SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND EXPAND AND DO THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
MAKE SURE HE'S GOT YOUR INFORMATION TO INCLUDE YOUR PROGRAM INFORMATION.
UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PROGRAMS THAT'S HAVING TO DO WITH GUN INTERVENTION? MEDIATION, BROWN AND BLACK UNITY? UM, THE GUN VIOLENCE, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PROGRAMS DO YOU HAVE? THAT'S ON THE FRONT LINES.
THAT'S DOING THAT HERE IN DISTRICT TWO? YES, I DO.
HOW MANY METRO HEALTH STAND UP ESSAY.
OKAY, SO I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THEM BECAUSE THOSE ARE MY PARTNERS.
I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT PRAISE FOR THEM.
DO YOU KNOW WHO METRO HEALTH STANDUP YOU SA COMES TO? BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE?
SO I JUST, CLYDE, YOU NEED TO BEAT THIS GUY UP HERE.
LOOK, CLAUDE, OUR OUR, OUR OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR WHO OVERSEES OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS, I, I DON'T KNOW HIM.
WE DON'T KNOW HIM, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE DO KNOW.
IF YOU ADD, IF YOU ASK EVERYBODY AND STAND UP AND SAY WHO BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE IS, WHO BENNY PRICE IS AND WHO'S DOING THE WORK AND ON THE FRONT LINE ANSWERING THEIR PHONE MORE THAN THEM AND STOPPING THIS VIOLENCE ON THE EAST SIDE, THEY'LL TELL YOU BENNY PRICE AND BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
AND BEFORE I GO, I WANT YOU TO KNOW AGAIN, MY NAME IS BENNY PRICE.
I'M THE C E O OF BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE.
MY PHONE NUMBER IS (281) 509-1397.
I ANSWER MY PHONE OR I CALL BACK.
MR. PRICE AND THE WHOLE BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE TEAM.
I DID WANNA JUST SAY REAL QUICK THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST DEMONSTRATIONS OF
[01:10:01]
POWER AND SENSE OF PURPOSE THAT I'VE SEEN IN A WHILE.AND YOU DO, YOU DO HAVE MY SUPPORT.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES, GENTLEMEN.
UH, I HAVE TWO CONCERNS AND I'LL BE BRIEFLY AS I CAN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WAITING BEHIND ME.
OKAY? MY FIRST CONCERN IS THAT THERE IS A WALMART AT AT THE INTERSECTION OF GIBBS SPRAWL AND ZO THAT'S BEEN ABANDONED, WELL, NOT ABANDONED, BUT THEY JUST CLOSED IT DOWN.
AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT THREE YEARS SINCE THEY CLOSED IT DOWN.
AND NOW THE PARKING LOT IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A, UH, LIKE A TRUCK STOP.
WELL, NO, IT LOOKS LIKE A TRUCK STOP.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT TRUCK STOPS BRING? THEY BRING ACTIVITY THAT WE DON'T WANT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'M ASKING COULD THE CITY BUY THIS BUILDING FOR AND USE IT AS A RECREATIONAL FOR THE KIDS IN THE, IN THE AREA? OR COULD THEY USE IT FOR SOME KIND OF A CONVENTION CENTER? IS THERE, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN? I DON'T, UH, MAYBE COUNSEL, MAYBE WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT.
UH, YES, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE PARKING LOT DOESN'T LOOK THAT PRETTY NOW WITH ALL THE TRAILERS IN THERE, AND IT LOOKS PRETTY BAD, ESPECIALLY ON WEEKENDS.
NOW, MY, MY OTHER CONCERN IS, AGAIN, AT THE INTERSECTION OF GI SPRAWL AND WAL ZONE, I HAVE, I HAVE TALKED TO, UH, UM, BIANCA THORPE, WHICH HAS TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE TRAINS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
OKAY, NOW MY QUESTION IS, OH, AND I'VE TALKED TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'VE TALKED TO THE BEAR COUNTY, I'VE TALKED TO, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND, UH, AND SO THEY SAID FOR ME TO TALK TO THE CITY COUNCILMAN ABOUT BUILDING A BRIDGE OVER THAT INTERSECTION, WALHAM IS A BIG ARTERY THAT LEADS TO I 35.
NOW THIS TRAIN, THERE ARE TWO PAIRS OF TRACKS THERE, THERE ARE TWO PAIRS OF TRACKS.
NOW I HAVE TAKEN, I HAVE TAKEN MY GRANDDAUGHTERS TO THE SCHOOL THAT WAS ACROSS NORTH OF, UH, OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
AND WE HAVE HAD TO WAIT THERE, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN WE HAD TO WAIT AND THEY WERE LATE FOR SCHOOL.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT INCLUDES ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING TO WORK BECAUSE THESE TRAINS ARE WAY TOO LONG AND THEY'RE WAY TOO SLOW.
NOW THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THE CITY COULD GET WITH THESE, UH, UNION PACIFIC, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLICATION, BEXAR COUNTY, AND, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE CAN GET TOGETHER OR THEY CAN GET TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT A TRAIN.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SIR FOR BRINGING THOSE TWO ISSUES UP.
ANTHONY, ANTHONY, WAVE YOUR HAND, SIR.
WILL YOU STEP OVER HERE? ANTHONY, UH, IS ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS IN PUBLIC WORKS, AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UH, ON THAT, UH, TRAIN ISSUE RIGHT THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TWO QUICK POINTS.
UH, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE BUDGET, THE INTRICATE DETAILS, BUT IT LOOKS GOOD SO FAR.
UM, THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO MAKE NOTE OF IS EAST SAN ANTONIO, EAST OUTSIDE OF FOUR 10 AND FOSTER ROAD IS EXPLODING.
WE PROBABLY HAVE CLOSE TO ABOUT 5,000 NEW HOMES OUT THERE AS WELL.
AS, YOU KNOW, H E B HAS PUT THEIR NEW PLACE THERE, AMAZON'S BUILDING THERE.
YOU'VE GOT, UM, UM, THERE ARE MANY PLACES.
THE TRANSPORTATION IS GETTING VERY BAD.
AND WHAT WE NEED IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS ON TOP OF IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PLAN FOR THE EXPANSION THAT'S HAPPENING THERE ALREADY ON SINCLAIR ROAD.
THEY'RE HAVING TO WIDEN IT AND THEY JUST REDID THAT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
SO THE EXPLOSION IS HAPPENING.
WE NEED YOU TO LOOK AT THAT AND TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON TOP OF IT AS OPPOSED TO BEING, AS OPPOSED TO BEING BEHIND IT.
THE SECOND POINT IS, I'VE BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO ABOUT 20 YEARS AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS CITY DO ANYTHING FOR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE, YOU TWO INCLUDE A LINE ITEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EMPLOY OUR KIDS THAT MIGHT ALSO HELP WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DO.
WE AS OLDER ADULTS HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO HELP OUR CHILDREN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IN THERE SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
AND JUST ON THE LAST ISSUE, LET ME ASK MELODY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO DO IN TERMS OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS. AND SO ONE IS WE HAVE OUR NEXT LEVEL YOUTH
[01:15:01]
OPPORTUNITY CENTER AND THAT HELPS CONNECT, UM, YOUTH AGE 16 TO 24 TO WORK INTO EDUCATION.WE ALSO HAVE, UM, AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE WITH PAID INTERNSHIPS.
AND THEN WE ALSO FUND THROUGH OUR DELEGATE AGENCY BUDGET FAMILY SERVICES ASSOCIATION, WHICH HIRES, UM, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO FOR SUMMER, PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS.
AND SO THEY HAVE QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING TO DO THAT.
AND WE CAN CONNECT YOU TO THOSE PROGRAMS. DON'T CONNECT ME.
WHAT I'M SAYING I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE YOU SHOW IT AS A PRIORITY.
DON'T HAVE 'EM GO THROUGH YOU.
LET'S LET THE CITY KNOW THAT THE KIDS ARE BEHIND THEM.
BECAUSE WHEN THOSE KIDS GRADUATE, I CAN TELL YOU THEY'RE GOING TO HOUSTON, THEY'RE GOING TO AUSTIN, THEY'RE GOING TO SOMEPLACE ELSE.
THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO YOU GOTTA GET 'EM WHILE YOU GOT 'EM.
SO LET'S DO SOMETHING FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ACT FOR SA.
AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASE TO OUR POLICE BUDGET.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST $2 MILLION AN INCREASE TO OUR POLICE BUDGET THAT WE WILL LATER HAVE TO VOTE ON TO DECREASE IF WE NEED TO, TO INVEST IN SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESS CRIME.
WHAT ADDRESSES CRIME? INVESTING IN COMMUNITY INVESTING INTO BIG MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE, INTO STANDUP SA, INTO HOUSING, INTO FOOD AND WATER SECURITY, INTO MORE STREETLIGHTS INTO INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT $2 MILLION CAN GO TO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SO DESPERATELY CRYING FOR AFTER A PANDEMIC AND A WINTER STORM THAT DEVASTATED OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO RETHINK AND REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DIVERTING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CALLS AWAY FROM POLICE RIGHTS.
WE NEED EXTRA MONEY TO GO TO THAT PROGRAM TO EXPAND IT, TO MAKE IT BETTER.
SECONDLY, THAT PROGRAM, WHILE I AM SO GLAD WE ARE ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CALLS, DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH.
THE CAHOOTS PROGRAM IN EUGENE, OREGON IS THE LONGEST LASTING, MOST WIDELY REGARDED MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAM IN THE NATION.
LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDS TO 1.3% OF THOSE CALLS OUTTA 24,000 CALLS.
SERVICED LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ONLY INVOLVED IN 311 OF THEM IN THE MOST DESPERATE SITUATIONS WHERE LIFE WAS THREATENED OR A CRIME WAS IN PROGRESS.
THIS IS PROOF THAT WE DON'T NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SHOW UP TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CALLS.
WE CAN DIVERT THAT MONEY, THIS MONEY, THAT'S $1.8 MILLION TO INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ON THESE CALLS TO INCREASING PROGRAM RIGHT FUNDING BIG MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE FUNDING, STANDUP SA, PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO STREETLIGHTS THAT WE NEED.
I AM URGING THE CITY TO NOT INCREASE OUR POLICE BUDGET AND TO LOOK AT A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THERE IS FEDERAL FUNDING FROM OUR COVID RELIEF PACKAGE THAT WILL FUND OUR PROGRAM IF WE FOLLOW A CAHOOTS LIKE MODEL.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH.
I'M WORKING OUT WITH A COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANTS TO BRING SAN ANTONIO THE COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE AND RE-IMAGINING OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WE DESERVE.
MY NAME IS DEVORA FROST AND I AM A PART OF TOP.
TOP IS WE DESERVE HOUSING BUDGETS, AT LEAST $50 MILLION.
SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
AND THE CITY NEEDS TO INVEST IN HELPING US.
AND OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY COMES FROM BEING A STABLE LIVING SITUATION.
STREET LIGHTS AS WELL, SCHOOLS THAT ARE FUNDED.
WE DESERVE INVESTMENTS AND PROGRAM HOME REPAIR, MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP OUR FAMILIES GET ON THEIR FEET AND STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
WE CAN HELP OUR RESIDENTS HERE, IF NOT OUT OF TOWN DEVELOPMENTS, WE CAN BUY, BUILD OUR CITY IN SAN ANTONIO AND MAKE IT MORE SAFER.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE DEMANDING THE CITY TO COMMIT TO $50 MILLION.
CAN YOU HELP US WITH THAT, JAYLEN? YES, MA'AM.
AND I HOPE ALL THE CITY STAFF HERE WHO KNOWS THAT WHEN I'M ON THE DAAS AND WHEN I AM SAYING THESE THINGS AND I'M MAKING THE DEMANDS THAT I'M MAKING AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY, THAT
[01:20:01]
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING.THAT I KNOW JAYLEN, UM, THANK YOU.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AND YOU ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
SO I SAID THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU FOR THAT.
UH, MY NAME IS WILLIE MITCHELL AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO FIGHTING BACK.
I'VE LISTENED TO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY SAID, BUT THE ONE THING THAT I HAVE AS EXECUTIVE, AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO FIGHTING BACK, WE LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET AND WE ARE REACHING OUT TO YOU TO SAY, DO THESE THINGS FOR US.
WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR OURSELF? AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE WHOLE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WE REACH OUT AND ASK FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT WHEN IT COME DOWN, WE ARE NOT DOING NOTHING TO SHOW YOU THAT WE HAVE SOME INTENTION OF DOING SOMETHING TO HELP OURSELF.
AND AS YOU LOOK AT THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW, YOU GO BY THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU LOOK AT THE YARD, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE CARS IN THERE, BUT YET STILL WE COME TO YOU AND SAY, GIVE US, WHY DON'T WE GIVE SOMETHING TO OURSELVES AND MAKE IT TO WHERE WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES AND MAKING IT LOOK LIKE SOMETHING TO OURSELF.
IF WE DON'T DO THAT, YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO AND SPEND ALL THE MONEY THAT YOU WANT TO SPEND.
BUT SOME OF IT IS LEFT UP TO US.
AND IF WE DON'T TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND DO SOME OF IT OURSELVES, WE ARE NOT GONNA MAKE NOTHING.
I THINK AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'M THE MOST HANDSOME PERSON IN THE WORLD.
IF SOMEBODY ELSE DON'T LIKE IT, I DON'T CARE BECAUSE I HAVE TO THINK GOOD OF MYSELF.
NOW WHY DON'T WE DO THAT WITH OTHER THINGS WE DO.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE WHOLE PROBLEM IS.
YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO.
YOU TAKING ON A JOB WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, DID YOU CREATE THOSE JOBS? NO.
DID THE CITY CREATE THOSE JOBS? NO.
THE PEOPLE HAVE CREATED ALL OF THIS THEMSELVES AND ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SAY, I'M I'M NOT GONNA GO TO WORK.
I'M GONNA DO THIS, I'M GONNA DO THAT.
BUT YET, AND STILL, WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IF YOU DON'T GET UP AND GO OUT THERE AND FIND YOU A JOB OR DO SOMETHING TO HELP YOURSELF, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW, AS A NONPROFIT, I WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN HELP YOU IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS DISTRICT FINE.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND JUST SAY, OH, WELL JUST GIVE IT TO 'EM.
'CAUSE NO, IF YOU CAN'T COME TO WORK AND GO TO WORK AND CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE, THEN I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO REALIZE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.
GET AWAY FROM THIS THING ABOUT RACE.
IT DON'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE WHAT YOUR RACE IS.
IF YOU DON'T CARE NOTHING ABOUT YOURSELF, RACE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T GO OUT AND WORK FOR YOURSELF, YOU ARE THE ONE.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I AM WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH YOU THAT THERE'S NOTHING MORE POWERFUL THAN PEOPLE POWER.
WE OURSELVES HAVE SO MUCH P POWER AND CAPITAL WITHIN OURSELVES THAT OFTEN GOES UNDERUTILIZED.
BUT I WON'T LET THAT TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO INVEST IN WAYS THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEFORE TO MAKE UP FOR THE LACK OF INVESTMENT AND THE LACK AND THE MISTAKES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY PREVIOUS GENERATIONS AND BY PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BY PREVIOUS, UH, GENERATIONS.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK UP BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND, UH, HOW HORRIBLE TIMES WE'RE IN.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, UH, LOSING THEIR LIVES 'CAUSE THE PANDEMIC.
AND, UH, WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING.
AND, UH, I WAS TO OUR HEROES HERE IN THE CITY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST, UM, BIG MAMA THAT NEEDS FUNDING ALSO, UH, SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
BUT I WAS THINKING OF GIVING LIKE 25,000 TO THE EACH SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
EACH FIREFIGHTER H KIRBY POLICE E M S ALSO IS NEVER, I DIDN'T SEE E M S ON THE BUDGET.
THESE ARE OUR HEART AND SOUL OF OUR CITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF VIOLENCE THAT IS GROWING AND NEEDS TO STOP.
AND THEY'RE IN THE WAY THE ALL THIS VIOLENCE.
AND WHO DO WE CALL? WHO DO WE CALL? THERE'S NOBODY ELSE.
JUST THE POLICE AND E M S AND THE FIREFIGHTERS.
AND, UH, IT NEEDS TO, UH, GET BETTER.
AND ALSO, I MEAN, I, WE NEED IT NOW.
WE NEED IT NOW AND WE NEED IT, UH, ALSO TO BE REPEATED IN THE 2022 BUDGET.
AND, UH, I CHALLENGE THE BILLIONAIRES AND THE MILLIONAIRES HERE, THE CITY TO GIVE TO THE FOOD BANK.
WE NEED A LOT OF FOOD IN THAT BANK.
THE, THE, THE STREETS ARE BAD.
UH, THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY NEED MORE SPACE.
[01:25:01]
MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM SMALL TOWNS TO OUR FOOD BANK.AND, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE NO FOOD.
THEY'VE BEEN GIVING UP OUR DOGS TO THE, THE, I'M GLAD I SAW YOU'RE GIVING TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
A LOT OF DOGS ARE BEING, UH, GIVEN AWAY BECAUSE TO THE FOOD, WELL, YOU HAVE TO PAY A PRICE.
BUT, UH, THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE DOG FOOD.
SO THEY'RE GIVING THEM UP TO THE FOOD ANIMAL.
THE FOOD, THE DOGS, UH, SHELTER.
CHALLENGING THE BILLIONAIRES AND THE MILLIONAIRES TO GIVE A MILLION TO THE FOOD BANK.
I CHALLENGED THE SPURSE PLAYERS TO GIVE A MILLION TO THE FOOD BANK.
THEY JUST BOUGHT A, UH, THEY JUST PUR BOUGHT A, A PLAYER OR, OR TWO, UH, FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
UH, YOU CAN GIVE A MILLION DOLLAR TO THE FOOD BANK, UH, DISPERSE, UH, FRANCHISE.
AND, UH, THE DOG SHELTER NEEDS, BLANKETS, FOOD SUPPLIES.
THAT'S GONNA GIVE, UH, OUR KIDS SOMEWHERE TO GO.
UM, PRETTY SOON WE'LL BE IN, UH, SPRING BREAK AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SUMMER BREAKS, UM, CHRISTMAS BREAKS, THANKSGIVING BREAKS.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR PARKS OPEN.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR POOLS OPEN.
UH, WOODLAWN LAKE NEEDS A HEATER.
AND, UH, THEY NEED, UH, THEY NEED, UH, REMODELING.
UH, THEY DON'T HAVE NO SHIELDS ON THEIR, UH, THEIR, UH, INTAKE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GO TO WOODLAWN LAKE AND, UH, THEY NEED, UH, THAT, AND THEN THE CARDONE PARK NEEDS, UH, WATER AND, UM, A RESTROOM.
THEY DON'T HAVE, UH, UH, A DRINKING WATER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY NEED A WATER AND, UH, UH, RESTROOM.
SO MA MA'AM, WE'RE GONNA, WE'VE GOT A LONG LINE BEHIND YOU AND WE'VE GOTTA BE OUT OF THE ROOM IN 15 MINUTES.
SO, AND I'M GONNA ASK FOLKS, TOM, AS YOU COME THROUGH, LET'S MAKE SURE IF YOU, IF YOU'RE ADVOCATING, YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION, YOU HAVE AN IDEA, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE WE GET THAT BECAUSE YEAH, THAT IS, WE'RE TRYING TO CATEGORIZE THAT.
AND UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP.
BUT, UH, I CAN ALWAYS TALK TO SOMEBODY, RIGHT? YES.
'CAUSE BEV BEVERLY SAID SHE WAS GONNA CUT OFF THE AC AT EIGHT.
CHERRY OF ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER AND I AM THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER HERE.
A POSITION THAT I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE VERY MUCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR SEEING FIT TO COME HERE TO ELLA AUSTIN.
THIS PLACE IS A PASSION FOR ME.
I SEE SOME OF YOU CITY PEOPLE, AND I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT I WORKED WITH SOME OF YOU MALE.
UM, YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT I WAS A MONITOR FOR CITY PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS, SUCH AS ALL OF THEM.
ASHLEY, AND I'M GONNA DATE MYSELF, BUT I'M GONNA SAY UNDER DENNIS CAMPA, I ALSO WORKED UNDER KEVIN MORIARTY.
SO THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING.
I'M SAYING ALL THAT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW A GOOD PROGRAM WHEN I SEE ONE.
SAN ANTONIO HAS MANY GOOD YOUTH PROGRAMS, BUT I'VE DROPPED EVERYTHING AND EDUCATION, ALAMO DISTRICT COLLEGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO COME TO ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M HERE BECAUSE THERE IS A NEED TO BE HERE.
OUR CHILDREN, LET'S JUST SAY THE YOUTH PROGRAM.
OUR CHILDREN LOOK UP TO THE CITY'S PROGRAM, OUR AFTERSCHOOL AND YOUTH PROGRAM.
SINCE BEING HERE IN 2009, WE HAVE TOUCHED THE LIVES OF 2100 YOUTH ON THE EAST SIDE.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE GRADE CARDS AND MONITORED THE GRADES AND KEPT CHILDREN ON A 70 AND HIGHER AVERAGE FOR 2100 YOUTH.
WE HAVE A SENIOR PROGRAM THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT FUNDED, GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE OPERATING STILL.
YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ON THE EAST SIDE HAVE THE HEART TO SERVE PEOPLE.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK, I WOULD LIKE TO SOLICIT PLEASE, THE CITY TO KEEP ELLA AUSTIN'S PROGRAM ALIVE AND WELL.
THERE IS A NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
[01:30:01]
AT US TO DO THE HOMEWORK AND HELP WITH HOMEWORK BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN.AND WE HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS HERE TO HELP WITH HOMEWORK.
WE GET FOOD FROM THE FOOD BANK TO FEED THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY COME HERE.
WE DON'T JUST TEACH 'EM, ALTHOUGH IT'S AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
WE FEED 'EM AND WE'RE DOING OUR VERY, VERY BEST OFFICERS TO KEEP THEM OFF THE STREET AND OUT OF THE JAIL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO APPEAL TO THE CITY.
PLEASE CONSIDER ALL THE PROGRAMS AT ELLA AUSTIN.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING.
MY NAME IS YANETTE, THE, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW MY QUESTION, UM, TO, UM, CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH'S.
WHERE IS THE DATA THAT BACKS UP A 3% INCREASE TO THE POLICE BUDGET? UM, I, I HOPE THAT FOLKS IN THE ROOM ARE COMFORTABLE AND ARE AWARE WITH THE NUMBERS.
UM, AND, AND THE SURVEY RESPONSES, UH, AND WHERE THE POLICE BUDGET CURRENTLY STANDS AT, WE ARE AT, AT NEAR OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S 39% OF THE 2020 THE YEAR THAT WE ARE IN BUDGET GOING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S B******T, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, I WANNA READ YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SURVEY RESPONSES THAT YOU RECEIVED AND THAT YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF.
'CAUSE THERE IS A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE REPORTING FROM THESE SURVEYS THAT TALKS ABOUT DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
AND I'VE YET TO SEE YOU ADDRESS THIS.
SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, SER SERVICE PRIORITIES BASED OFF THE, THE RESPONSES THAT WERE RECEIVED FROM A SURVEY THAT YOU PUT OUT TO CHECK A BOX ARE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM, AND SENIOR AND YOUTH SERVICES.
COINCIDENTALLY, COINCIDENTALLY, THOSE ARE THREE BIGGEST PRIORITIES FOR DISTRICT TWO ACCORDING TO THESE PARTICULAR SURVEYS.
FOLLOWING THAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES.
BUT A 3% INCREASE, A 1.8 MILLION INCREASE DOES EVERYTHING BUT ACTUALLY SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM HEARING HERE THAT PEOPLE NEED THAT MONEY INVESTED INTO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS PUTTING THAT MONEY, PUTTING THAT MONEY INTO A VIOLENT POLICE FORCE THAT CONTINUES TO TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM NOT A PART OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR MANY, MANY REASONS.
UH, ONE OF THEM IS BECAUSE I FRANKLY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THAT.
BUT SINCERELY, I I LIVE AT AN INTERSECTION WHERE THERE ARE THREE EMPTY LOTS IN, IN FRONT OF ME AND DISTRICT TWO AND DISTRICT TWO.
I SEE POLICE OFFICERS HANG OUT THERE ALL THE TIME IN THEIR CARS.
SOMETIMES IT'S TWO OF THEM, SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE GAS.
I MEAN, I REALLY DO WANNA KNOW WHY WE ARE SPENDING OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS ON OUR POLICE FORCE TO TERRORIZE US AND WHY YOU ARE PROPOSING A 3% INCREASE WHEN THE DATA SHOWS THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.
SO ARE YOU GONNA, LEMME RESPOND.
ARE YOU GONNA RESPOND? GO AHEAD.
NO, I, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSE.
WE HAVE A MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE LIVE IN THIS CITY.
UM, NOBODY INCLUDING THE OFFICERS IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT WANT, UM, BAD OFFICERS, RIGHT? NOBODY IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT WHO'S A TAXPAYER WANTS ANY DOLLAR WASTED.
BUT I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITY BUSINESS LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT, I KNOW WE CAN, WE CAN DISAGREE AND PROBABLY DEBATE WHAT SAFE MEANS, BUT THAT'S THE POINT.
EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR OWN DEFINITION.
AND I SAT IN 27 MEETINGS, AND I WILL DISAGREE WITH YOU ON YOUR SURVEY.
I WILL DISAGREE WITH ON YOUR SURVEY, MY SURVEY.
I WILL DISAGREE WITH YOUR ANALYSIS OF MY SURVEY, THE CITY'S SURVEY BECAUSE I
THAT'S MY PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S MY PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION AS A CITY MANAGER AND AS A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY.
AND IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME, THAT'S WHAT TONIGHT'S ABOUT.
SO THAT THE COUNCIL GETS FEEDBACK AND WE GET FEEDBACK.
BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO, IT'S HARD TO MANAGE IT ALL UHHUH, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT LISTENING TO EVERYBODY.
AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
I AM WONDERING YET AGAIN, UH, AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, WHERE IS THIS DATA COMING FROM? BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOUR RESPONSE AND THE WAY THAT YOU ARE INCREASING THIS POLICE
[01:35:01]
BUDGET DOES NOT EQUAL THE RESPONSES THAT WERE REPORTED IN A CITY BUDGET THAT YOU PUT OUT IN A REPORT THAT THE CITY PUT OUT.SO THEN MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS WHY, WHY ARE YOU PUTTING OUT PUBLIC SURVEYS IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THE RESPONSES? WE ARE AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU.
I, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID THAT IT'S A BUDGET BECAUSE THE REALITY OR THAT IT'S A BALANCE.
'CAUSE THE REALITY IS RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET DOES GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO S A P D, UM, WHILE MAYBE I THINK HOUSING IS IN THE ONE, LIKE 1% RANGE, IT'S IN THE ONE DIGIT RANGE.
UM, SO, SO FIRST OF ALL, AGAIN, THAT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
IT IS, THERE'S A BALANCING ACT YOU HAVE TO DO, BUT YOU'RE NOT DOING IT NOW.
UM, ALSO IT'S BEEN ALLUDED TO EARLIER BY THE COUNCILMAN AND THANK YOU FOR IT.
'CAUSE I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT SOMEONE ON COUNCIL IS THINKING ABOUT THIS.
BUT I WAS ACTUALLY AT A, THE HEARING FOR HOUSE BILL 1900, WHICH IS THE STATE LAW SOON TO GO INTO EFFECT THAT WOULD MAKE IT SO THAT WHEN WE INCREASE THE PUBLIC OR SAP'S BUDGET, WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DECREASE IT.
YOU'VE HEARD ALL NIGHT LONG ABOUT ALL OF THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT WHENEVER 67 OR THE ARBITRARY NUMBER THAT I'VE HEARD YOU SAY BEFORE, RIGHT? UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT IS THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
UM, IF 67% GOES TO THAT, THEN HOW IT IS NOT LOGISTICALLY FEASIBLE TO FUND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS STATE LAW WOULD MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN NEVER DECREASE THAT.
SO THAT AGAIN, IS NOT A BALANCING ACT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK, UM, SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS REALLY, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR AN ANSWER.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR WHENEVER THIS HOUSE BILL AND THE BUDGET THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE FOR S A P D AND YOU ARE GOING TO INCREASE THAT IS GOING TO BANKRUPT THE CITY.
LOGICALLY THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR WHEN THE BANK, THE CITY DOES END UP BANKRUPT 'CAUSE OF IT? SO I I, I DO THINK THAT THE FINANCIAL POLICY TO KEEP THOSE EXPENSES BELOW 66% IS, IS AN IMPORTANT, UM, GUARDRAIL FOR US, RIGHT? UM, I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE AN ANNUAL LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY INVESTMENTS WE MAKE, UM, WHO ARE GONNA BE SUBJECT TO THAT HOUSE BILL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE CAN WITHSTAND THAT.
I THINK, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE FOOLING OURSELVES IF, IF WE SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT SAN ANTONIO 10 YEARS FROM NOW AND THE POPULATION GROWTH, TO THINK THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO INCREASE THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH STREET MAINTENANCE OR POLICE OR E M S, ALL THOSE EXPENSES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO, TO, TO INCREASE.
THEY ARE, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE POPULATION.
BUT HOUSING, THE NEED FOR HOUSING IS ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT.
AND WE CURRENTLY DON'T FUND IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A BIG CHUNK OF THE CONVERSATION ON THE BOND PROGRAM.
BUT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DECREASE THE POLICE BUDGET.
SO IT DOESN'T LOGICALLY MAKE SENSE.
NO, BUT, BUT YOU'RE MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE'RE GONNA DECREASE THE BUDGET FIVE YEARS FROM NOW FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THE REASON WHY THAT STATE LAW GOT PUT INTO, PUT INTO EFFECT, I MEAN EVERYBODY FOLLOWED IT, WAS THAT THERE WERE CITIES.
'CAUSE THERE WAS THIS ASSUMPTION THAT PLACES WERE DEFUNDING AND THEY WEREN'T, THERE WERE CITIES AROUND THE STATE THAT WERE PLAYING THE SHELL GAME WITH, WITH MONEY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT AUSTIN DID.
THEY, THEY TOOK THE DISPATCH SYSTEM AND OR CENTER AND CREATED A NEW DEPARTMENT JUST TO SAY THAT THEY TOOK IT OUTTA THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU'D JUST RATHER DO IT IN FRONT OF OUR FACE, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
NO, I, I WOULD RATHER, I WOULD RATHER BE UPFRONT MANAGE AND I, I WILL RECOMMEND, AS LONG AS I'M CITY MANAGER, I'LL RECOMMEND CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
ULTIMATELY IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT KNOWING THAT WE DO HAVE SERVICE NEEDS THAT, THAT WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS AND, AND, AND I GET IT.
NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA AGREE THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A BIG CITY.
SEE, BUT I GET, SO, OKAY, FINE.
MY LAST FINAL COMMENT, I'LL LEAVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF DATA THAT PROVES THAT FUNDING, THE THINGS EVERYONE IS ASKING FOR HERE, HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, EVERYTHING ELSE, UM, THE $50 MILLION, BUT LIKE FOR HOUSING THAT TOP IS ASKING FOR, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT LEAD TO SAFETY BECAUSE EVICTIONS ARE ALSO THAT THAT IS, THAT'S VIOLENCE.
SO, AND I'M NOT HEARING ANY CONVERSATION FROM YOU ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME FUNDING THOSE THINGS.
I WON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING YOU JUST SAID.
ALL, ALL THOSE THINGS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR HOUSING OR PUBLIC HEALTH OR SERVICES OR YOUTH PROGRAMS, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE CRITICAL.
THOSE, BUT IF YOU THOSE AGREE, THEN I WOULD HOPE YOU FUND THOSE THINGS.
AND IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO DO THAT IF ALL OF THE MONEY GOES TO SAPD.
I JUST, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GREAT TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP HERE TONIGHT, AND I HOPE I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO COME BACK INTO DISTRICT TWO AND HOST EDUCATION MEETINGS TO TAKE
[01:40:01]
THINGS APART.THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HELD ENOUGH.
I MEAN, I TRIED TO HOST SAFETY MEETINGS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SS A P D AND COULDN'T DO THAT, AND ALSO WITH, UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND WAS MILDLY I WAS SUCCESSFUL EVERYWHERE ELSE EXCEPT FOR DISTRICT TWO.
BUT MY QUESTION FOR YOU TONIGHT IS RELATED TO RENTALS.
SO I HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM AS A HOMEOWNER, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN THE CITY.
MY ONE BLOCK HAS THREE SHORT TERM RENTALS, THE 3 1 1 OPERATORS, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND I THINK THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS OVER THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE PERMITS.
NO ONE IS ABLE TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS.
AND THIS HAS SEVERELY CONTRIBUTED TO CRIME.
REAL SHOOTINGS OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE WHERE I'M THE ONE STANDING OUTSIDE MY DOOR CALLING THE POLICE TRASH ISSUES AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.
I ASKED FOR YOU TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.
ALSO, ZONING HAS NO ANSWERS FOR ME EITHER.
AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY RESIDENTS DEALING WITH THIS.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS DEBRA POE AND I AM THE ORGANIZER WITH RAICES.
I ALSO WORK WITH A GROUP CALLED SA STANDS.
UM, WHAT I'M COMING TO YOU TODAY IS TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND I'M IN DISTRICT FOUR, BY THE WAY, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I HAD A, I HAD, UH, AN ENTIRE MONTH WITH DRIVE-BYS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DON'T LIVE IN THE SAFEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN, IN SAN ANTONIO.
MINE'S A LOT LIKE THE EAST SIDE USED TO BE.
UM, BEFORE SOME OF THE GROUPS CAME IN AND HELPED AND TWO HOUSES AWAY, I HAD DRIVE-BYS.
WE WERE DUCKING IN OUR HOUSES.
AND SO, BECAUSE OF WHAT I DO, I HAVE, UM, A LOT OF ADVICE.
AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO TOLD ME TO CALL THIS EAST SIDE GROUP BECAUSE THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, WHEN YOU HAVE A DRIVE BY, THE POLICE CAN'T STOP A DRIVE BY.
ALL THEY CAN DO IS COME AND RECORD THE BULLETS ON THE FLOOR, EVERYTHING THAT POLICE CANNOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
OKAY? SO I CALLED THEM ONE NIGHT AND THE, THE GUY CALLS ME BACK ON HIS PHONE AND HE TELLS ME, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COMMUNITY PROBLEM.
CAN YOU FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT? YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO THE HOUSE AND GO TALK TO THE FAMILY AND FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE KID.
SO WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS IT'S A 14 YEAR OLD KID.
HE WAS ACCUSED OF STEALING SOMETHING FROM ANOTHER BOY.
AND THE ONES THAT WERE SHOOTING AT HIM WERE A CAR OF 14 YEAR OLD BOYS DRIVEN BY THEIR 16 YEAR OLD BROTHER.
NOW, WHAT GOOD WOULD IT HAVE BEEN TO GET ALL OF THESE KIDS ARRESTED AT THAT AGE? SO WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED ON THE EAST SIDE IS A GROUP OF THESE PEOPLE FROM, UM, MAYBE A SAFE HOUSE MOM, I DON'T KNOW WHO I WAS CALLED.
UM, THEY WOULD'VE COME AND TALKED TO THE FAMILY.
THEY WOULD'VE COUNSELED THE BOY.
THEY WOULD'VE TALKED TO THE CHILDREN THAT WERE SHOOTING AT THIS HOUSE AND POSSIBLY COULD HAVE KILLED ANY OF US IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THERE WERE SHOOTS BACK AND FORTH.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, CAN WE USE FUNDING LIKE THIS FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE FUNDING FOR THEM? WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT WORKS.
IT'S BEEN USED ON THE EAST SIDE.
WE'VE SEEN A HUGE, EVERYBODY CAN AGREE IN THIS ROOM.
WE'VE SEEN A HUGE IMPROVEMENT ON THE EAST SIDE WITH CRIME, RIGHT? THE KIDS ARE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE GOING TO COLLEGE, THEY'RE COMING BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT WAY BETTER THAN IT WAS.
AND SO CAN WE DO THIS AND FUND THESE GROUPS, USE THAT MONEY? I'M NOT SAYING, I'M NOT SAYING TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE POLICE, BUT YOU GOT SOME MONEY THAT YOU CAN USE TO TAKE THESE GROUPS AND MAKE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S A MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ON THE WEST SIDE.
YOU JUST HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND STOP THINKING WITH THEIR SAME OLD MENTALITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO TONIGHT.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN, I'M GONNA THROW IT OVER TO YOU.
THIS WOULD BE OUR LAST RESIDENT TO POSE A QUESTION OR IT'S GONNA BE YOUR CALL.
AND I THINK WHEN, UH, MAYOR IVY TAYLOR WAS HERE, AND IT WAS, IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL NICE GROUPS THAT WE HAD JUST FROM A
[01:45:01]
GRASSROOTS, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAD.WE WAS BEEF, BUT WE MOVED TO POWER 5 0 1 3 C.
WE ALSO, UH, ESTABLISHED THE, UH, THE PEACEFUL RALLY DOWNTOWN WHEN THE GEORGE FLOYD, UH, THING HA UH, CAME THROUGH.
WE ALSO ARRANGED THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH THE OFFICERS FOR THE NEXT 10 WEEKS.
UH, AND WE, UH, WE DISCUSSED A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES THAT THAT HAPPENED WITH THE GEORGE FLOYD ISSUE.
UH, SO POWER 5 0 1 3 C, UH, IS THE NON-PROFIT.
SO, OKAY, WHILE HAVING THOSE TOWN HALLS, WE HAD LIKE A LOT OF OFFICERS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT SHOWED UP.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF BLACK OFFICERS MAINLY.
SO WE ENDED UP GETTING, UM, REAL, REAL CLOSE WITH THE BLACK, UH, BLACK OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
WE STARTED DOING THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE OTHER OFFICERS OF COLOR WASN'T SHOWING UP.
SO THE GUYS THAT KNEW WHAT WE WAS GOING THROUGH WAS SHOWING UP.
SO MY THING WAS HOW COULD I COME UP WITH A PROGRAM THAT, UM, INVOLVES EVERYONE? SO I HAVE A PROPOSAL AND I I, I MENTIONED IT BEFORE IN THE TOWN HALLS THAT WILL BRIDGE THE COMMUNITY, WHAT EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT, BRIDGING THE, THE COPS AND THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
AND IT'S A LIKE A 12 WEEK PROGRAM TO WHERE EVERY OFFICER, THAT'S WHAT, IF IT'S A SAFE HOUSE, EVERY OFFICER THAT'S THAT PATROLS, THAT SAFE HOUSE AREA, WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE TO COME TO THAT PROGRAM TO WHERE THE COMMUNITY WILL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IN THE END OF THAT, THERE'LL BE REWARD SYSTEM.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COPS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T, EVERYBODY WON'T DEAL WITH THE COPS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A REWARD AT THE END OF THAT 12 WEEK PROGRAM WITH THE COMMITTEE, MAYBE WITH HIGH RANKING OFFICERS ON THE COMMITTEE AND MAYBE HALF A COMMITTEE, UM, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, RELIGIOUS, UH, LEADERS TOGETHER.
AND WE ARE HAVING THIS PROGRAM.
AND THROUGH THE WEEK THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WE'RE EDUCATING EACH OTHER AT EITHER BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE OR POWER NON-PROFIT, SAFE HOUSE.
AND AT THE END, MAYBE AFTER COMPLETING THAT 12 WEEK PROGRAM, WHO, WHO, SOMEBODY WHO SUCCESS COMPLETES THAT 12 WEEK PROGRAM MAY GET EVEN SOMETHING, ALTHOUGH THE COMMUNITY, OKAY, THE OFFICERS WILL GET TO KNOW YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT MAKES IT EASIER WHEN YOU PUT, WHEN PULLING UP, THEY CAN IDENTIFY, OH, THAT'S JUST JUNEBUG, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE HE'S NOT DOING NOTHING.
SO THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SHOOT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THOSE THINGS.
AND THIS COULD BE THE FIRST OF THOSE PROGRAMS. AND, AND IN THE END, MAYBE IF COMPLETING THAT 12 WEEK PROGRAM, MAYBE EVEN YOU CAN GET SOMETHING ON YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE BECAUSE IT'S PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN LIKE ME, I'M A FELON.
IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE I CAUGHT THAT FELON.
I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER OF A, A, A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT THAT MADE IT THROUGH THE COVID WINGS, WAFFLES AND MORE THE SHIRT I HAVE ON AND A NONPROFIT.
BUT I STILL, WHEN I GET PULLED OVER, I GET DRAW DOWN ON BECAUSE ALL THAT SHOWS UP IS THE FELON.
IT DOESN'T SHOW THAT I'VE BEEN A PRESTIGIOUS MEMBER IN THE COMMUNITY AND PUSHING AND PUSHING, BUT MAYBE IF THEY FINISH THIS 12 WEEK PROGRAM, MAYBE SOMETHING CAN GO ON THE D P S.
SO NOT EVEN WHEN YOU'RE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY KNOW WHEN I'M IN RIVER OAKS OR WHEN I'M SOMEWHERE ELSE, I STILL GET THAT, HEY, DON'T SHOOT BECAUSE HE LEAST FINISHED HIS PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT HE'S COMPLETELY CLEAN, BUT HE FINISHED HIS PROGRAM AND EVERYBODY'S NOT GONNA GO AND DEAL WITH THE COPS UNLESS THEY WON'T CHANGE.
SO I HAVE A PROGRAM, A PROPOSAL THAT I BELIEVE WILL, WILL WORK BRIDGE THE GAP.
AND WE ALL TALKED ABOUT BEFORE AND BEFORE, AND YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I WAS CHIEF AND MAYOR IRY TAYLOR BEFORE.
I'M SO, SO SORRY THAT WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.
WE'VE GONE AND I BELIEVE AN HOUR OVER.
UM, AND I DO WANNA RESPECT ELLA AUSTIN SPACE.
AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENED, I BELIEVE ALL OF YOU HAVE WRITTEN YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION DOWN.
UH, MS. DENISE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T, PLEASE GO TO HER.
PLEASE GET, UH, YOUR NAME WRITTEN DOWN AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL, HOWEVER YOU WANT US TO REACH YOU.
AND WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU TO GET, UH, TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK, COUNCILMAN.
AND JUST SO THAT THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE STILL IN LINE, I KNOW WE'VE GOTTA LEAVE, BUT WE'LL, I'LL COME OUT HERE TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING IF WE NEED TO TALK.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING WE REQUEST ONE MINUTE, ONE TIME, MINUTE.
LOOK, UM, WE'VE GOTTA WALK OUT.
WE'LL JUST MEET OUT HERE IN THE FRONT OF, WE'LL FORM A LINE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TAKE IT IN THIS ORDER FORM A LINE