[D6 Budget Town Hall]
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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN THIS VIRTUAL FORMAT.
MY NAME IS LAURA MAYS, AND I'LL BE FACILITATING TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION AS WE GET STARTED.
IF YOU'RE TUNING IN ON FACEBOOK, YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT IN THE FACEBOOK FEED TO ASK A QUESTION OR LEAVE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE BUDGET.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL SA SPEAKUP@SANANTONIO.GOV.
USE THE HASHTAG SA SPEAKUP 22 ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OR TEXT SA SPEAKUP 22 TO 5 5 0 0 0.
HERE TO WELCOME US TO DISTRICT SIX.
THIS EVENING IS COUNCILWOMAN MELISSA CAB HDA.
GOOD EVENING, DISTRICT SIX, AND WELCOME TO OUR 2022 BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETING.
OF COURSE, WE WANTED TO BE SAFE, AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE WITH THE COVID INFECTION RATE, UH, BEING AS HIGH AS IT'S, SO WE CHANGED, UH, A PLANNED IN-PERSON MEETING TO THIS VIRTUAL FORMAT.
THE GOOD THING IS THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME.
IT'S OKAY IF YOU'RE IN YOUR PAJAMAS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HOPE YOU'RE IN YOUR JAMMIES AFTER A LONG DAY.
AND THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
I'LL START BY THANKING THE CITY STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROPOSED BUDGET FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
IT'S NOT EASY TO PREPARE A HUGE BUDGET LIKE THIS, AND I KNOW HOW DILIGENTLY THEY'VE BEEN WORKING AND ALL THE HOURS THEY PUT INTO IT.
DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MARIA VILLAGOMEZ AND HER TEAM HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB LISTENING TO OUR NEEDS AND PROPOSING A BUDGET PLAN THAT MEETS THOSE NEEDS, NEEDS.
THANKS AS WELL TO YOUR DISTRICT SIX STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'VE DONE AND REACHING OUT TO THE DISTRICT SIX COMMUNITY, COLLECTING IDEAS, NEEDS AND CONCERNS, THEN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE IDEAS AND CONCERNS WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET.
DISTRICT SIX STAFF VOLUNTEERS AND I HAVE BEEN KNOCKING DOOR TO DOOR ASKING DISTRICTS RESIDENTS TO FILL OUT THE BUDGET SURVEY.
I HAD GREAT FRONT PORCH CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY OF YOU, AND I TOOK YOUR IDEAS TO MARIA'S BUDGET TEAM.
WE ALSO MAILED THE SURVEY OUT, SO I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THEM BACK TO US BECAUSE I, I HAVE BEEN READING THROUGH THEM AND I'M FORMULATING MY REQUEST BASED ON YOUR REQUEST.
AND OF COURSE, TONIGHT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
BIG THANKS TO THE CITY'S, UH, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AS WELL THAT PUT THIS MEETING TOGETHER.
THIS IS NO EASY FEAT, SO GOOD JOB.
UH, THEY MANAGED THE TRANSITION FROM IN-PERSON TO ONLINE AND DID A GREAT JOB PUBLICIZING THE MEETING.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND OF COURSE, THANKS TO ALL THE DISTRICT SIX RESIDENTS WHO ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT, AND THOSE THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY PROCESS.
SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING TONIGHT? CITY STAFF WILL GIVE US A BROAD OVERVIEW OF THEIR PROPOSED 2022 BUDGET, AND WE'LL LISTEN TO THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
THEN RESIDENTS WILL GET A CHANCE TO GIVE US THEIR IDEAS AND CONCERNS, AND IT'LL BE THE STAFF'S TURN TO LISTEN AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THAT RE RESIDENTS CAN CHIME IN.
YOU HEARD THE WAYS, UH, THAT YOU CAN DO THAT IN THE OPENING OF OUR MEETING.
WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A QUESTION PERIOD AFTER THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
SO JUST TO, TO REPEAT THE FORMAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THE CITY STAFF WILL PRESENT THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AFTER THAT, YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO CHIME IN AND ASK QUESTIONS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
WE OFTEN SAY THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A COMPASSIONATE CITY, AND THAT OUR BUDGET IS PUT TOGETHER WITH EQUITY IN MIND.
THAT MEANS THAT OUR PLANNING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION DECISIONS ARE MADE IN A WAY THAT MEETS THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS AND HELPS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.
I LIKE TO WORK AND GET THINGS DONE.
I GUESS I HAND IT OVER TO YOU, ERIC.
THANKS, COUNCILWOMAN FOR, UH, FOR HOSTING US TONIGHT.
AND AS, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF OUR CITY EXECUTIVES THAT ARE ON, ON THE CALL TONIGHT AND WILL BE AVAILABLE.
WE'LL ALL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER, UH, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO LET'S, LET'S RUN THROUGH THE, THE PRESENTATION REAL QUICK.
THAT WAY WE CAN GET TO THE Q AND A.
SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE FIVE, UH, MAIN KEY MESSAGES IN THE, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND, AND LET ME KIND OF WALK EVERYBODY THROUGH ONE IT THAT, UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, REF REFLECTS A FASTER RECOVERY IN SOME OF OUR AREAS OF BUSINESS.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 'EM IN A SECOND, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY, UM, UH, WE DO, WE DO SEE SOME UNCERTAINTY IN SOME OF OUR, UM, SOME OF OUR LINES OF BUSINESS, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT HERE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
UH, NUMBER TWO IS WE'RE RESTORING THE CUTS THAT WE MADE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING, UM, UH, COMPENSATION FOR OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO'VE BEEN HELD, UH, HELD, UM, STEADY FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
ALSO, UM, WE'RE ALSO, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS NO CHANGE IN
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THE CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE.THIRDLY, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION THE NIGHT, UM, IT REALLY, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOCUSES ON SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED, UM, OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS THAT MAYBE THINGS THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE DONE, BUT WE DID.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY, THEY'VE WORKED AND, AND WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO EXPAND THEM.
FOURTHLY, UH, HOW WE RESPOND TO CERTAIN TYPES OF CALLS.
AND THIS REALLY RELATES TO OUR POLICE SERVICES, UH, REVIEW PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH IN THE SPRING.
UM, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PROPOSED INVESTMENTS ARE THERE, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, MAKING INVESTMENTS IN, UM, BECOMING A MORE RESILIENT CITY.
AND I'LL WA I'LL KIND OF WALK EVERYBODY THROUGH WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS AND WHAT OUR PLAN IS FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO, AS THE COUNCILWOMAN MENTIONED, UH, JUST LIKE THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THROUGH OUR SA SPEAKUP PROGRAM, WE CONDUCTED A, A, A SURVEY, UH, REALLY TO ELICIT FROM THE, THE PUBLIC WHAT THEIR, WHAT THE MAIN PRIORITIES WERE.
AND YOU SEE THE FIVE LISTED HERE, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PUBLIC HEALTH, SENIOR SERVICES, PARKS AND RECREATION, AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
WE HAD OVER 12,000 PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY.
SO THIS, ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL CONVERSATION DURING THEIR WORK SESSION IN JUNE, REALLY SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS WE DEVELOP IT DURING THE SUMMER.
SO, UH, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, UH, FROM THREE DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT HAVE ALL BEEN, UM, WE'RE ALL SEVERELY IMPACTED LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF REVENUE.
OUR SALES TAX, UM, IN 2022 IS PROJECTED TO BE 11% BETTER THAN 2019.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR AVERAGE ANNUAL INCREASE, UM, OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS FOR SALES TAX HAS BEEN ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD, UM, UH, IT'S REALLY PICKED UP.
IT'S REALLY PICKED UP IN THE SPRINGTIME AND THE SUMMER.
UH, WE'RE EXPECTING THAT, UM, STRENGTH IN OUR SALES TAX RECEIPTS TO CONTINUE, UM, GOING INTO NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THAT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR OUR ECONOMY.
UH, THE MIDDLE OF THE SLIDE SHOWS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, WHICH WAS PROBABLY THE ONE PART OF OUR BUSINESS THAT WAS IMPACTED THE MOST.
UM, THIS TAX IS THE TAX THAT VISITORS PAY WHEN THEY STAY AT HOTELS.
UH, THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED OR THE REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, UH, FUND GO TO OFFSET OUR EXPENSES AT OUR CONVENTION CENTER, OUR MARKETING THROUGH VISIT SAN ANTONIO ARTS AGENCIES, OUR ARTS PROGRAMMING, UM, AND, UH, OUR ALAMO DOME.
UM, AND YOU SEE THE F Y 22 BUDGET IS ACTUALLY 24%, UH, BELOW THE 2019 ACTUALS.
AND WE'VE NOTICED IT'S GONNA TAKE LONGER TO RECOVER IN THIS AREA OF OUR BUSINESS.
AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING BY 20 23, 20 24, UM, AS VACCINES STARTED ROLLING OUT IN THE SPRINGTIME, UH, WE STARTED SEEING EVENTS COMING BACK TO THE CONVENTION CENTER IN THE DOME WITH THE UPTICK.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'VE SEEN SOME, UM, SOME GROUPS PULL BACK.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PART OF OUR BUSINESS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EXPENSES ARE LINING UP WITH, UH, THE REVENUES WE'RE COLLECTING.
AND THEN THE AIRPORT, WHICH WAS ALSO IMPACTED, UH, HAS REBOUNDED NICELY, UM, UH, BEGINNING, UH, IN TERMS OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENTS, WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY BACK TO WHERE WE WERE AT BEFORE, BUT A NUMBER OF THE AIRLINES ARE PICKING BACK SERVICE BACK UP IN THE, UH, IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE IS DOING ABOUT 2% BETTER THAN 2019.
SO THREE DIFFERENT LOOKS AT THREE DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
ALL OF 'EM RECOVERING AT A DIFFERENT PACE, AND, UH, REALLY, REALLY, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO THE, UM, THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL LATITUDE TO CONTINUE TO MANAGE, UH, THIS LARGE ORGANIZATION.
SO LARGE ORGANIZATION, OUR TOTAL PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET IS $3.1 BILLION.
THE LARGEST PART OF THIS IS OUR GENERAL FUND AT 1.36 BILLION.
OUR GENERAL FUND IS WHERE WE COLLECT SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX, OUR OWNERSHIP OF C P SS, UM, FEES AND CHARGES AND ALL THOSE, ALL THAT REVENUE GOES TO OUR BASIC SERVICES, THE POLICE AND FIRE AND PARKS AND LIBRARIES, ANIMAL CARE CODE COMPLIANCE.
UM, THE SECOND LARGEST PART IS OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS, AND THOSE ARE OUR AREAS OF BUSINESS WHERE THE REVENUES COLLECTED GO TO, UH, THE EXPENSES.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GENERALLY SELF ENCAPSULATED, EITHER SET BY FEDERAL LAW OR STATE LAW OR LOCAL ORDINANCE.
AND THEY, UM, THEY, THEY, THEY, UM, UH, OUR, OUR FUNDS, SUCH AS OUR AIRPORT FUND, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND, OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND, OUR STORM WATER SOLID WASTE, ALL OF THOSE LINES OF BUSINESS THAT, UM, REALLY OPERATED MORE LIKE ENTERPRISES.
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AND THEN CAPITAL PROGRAM, OUR CAPITAL BUDGET NEXT YEAR IS $592 MILLION.WE'RE ENTERING THE LAST YEAR OF OUR BOND PROGRAM, SO A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE'LL BE, UH, PUSHING OUT.
UM, UM, NEXT YEAR, NEXT SLIDE.
SO LET'S, LET'S LOOK A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE, AT THE GENERAL FUND, 1.36 BILLION, YOU SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, UM, OUR REVENUES, AND YOU SEE THE THREE MAIN REVENUE SOURCES.
WE HAVE PROPERTY TAX, C P S, AND, AND SALES TAX, AND THEY MAKE UP, UM, UH, ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF OUR REVENUE.
AND ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, UM, WE SHOW 63.2% OF OUR GENERAL FUND, UM, GOING TOWARDS, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE.
WE HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY, AND IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE, THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE, SIX YEARS WHERE WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE EXPENSES IN PUBLIC SAFETY BELOW 66%.
UM, SO 63% IS, UH, ONE OF THE LOWEST POINTS IT'S BEEN, UM, SINCE WE STARTED.
UM, IT, IT, UM, IT'S AN IMPORTANT FINANCIAL POLICY BECAUSE IF THAT PART OF THE SLIDE, UH, THE PIE CHART GROWS, IT STARTS TO SQUEEZE OUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES THAT ARE EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.
SO WE WATCH THAT VERY CLOSELY AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, UM, WE HAVE A BALANCED APPROACH.
SO, UH, THE COUNCILWOMAN MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING AND THE, THE PUBLIC, UH, THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY, UH, WE SAW THAT THERE WAS, UM, A, UM, A HIGH PRIORITY IN TERMS OF STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
SO IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'RE GETTING OUR STREET MAINTENANCE BUDGET BACK TO $110 MILLION.
IT HADN'T BEEN THERE THE LAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF OUR CUTBACKS.
AND THAT, UH, REALLY WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS ALMOST 1300, UH, PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE, UH, CITY.
WE MAINTAINED ALMOST 4,200 CENTER LINE MILES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP WITH THIS MAINTENANCE EFFORT, UM, AND, AND, UM, AND, UM, UM, AND NOT GET BEHIND.
IF YOU, IF WE START TO GET BEHIND IN TERMS OF STREET MAINTENANCE, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE MORE SERIOUS, UH, STREET ISSUES THAT REQUIRE COMPLETE RECONSTRUCTIONS.
THE SIDEWALKS, OUR SIDEWALK BUDGET, UH, IS INCREASING BY ALMOST $4 MILLION TO $20.8 MILLION OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, REALLY GEARED TOWARDS, UM, CLOSING OUR SIDEWALK GAPS AROUND SCHOOLS, BUS STOPS, UH, TRANSIT CENTERS, NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE IDEA IS THAT WE WILL PUT, UH, 61 MILES OF USABLE SIDEWALKS BACK INTO OUR SIDEWALK NETWORK.
UH, HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL OF THE PUBLIC VISION, ZERO $6.2 MILLION.
WE'RE TAKING, UM, UM, U BY THE USE BY USING DATA AND IDENTIFYING THOSE CORRIDORS OR STREETS WHERE WE CONSTANTLY HAVE PEDESTRIAN, UH, VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS, UM, AND DOING SOME, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE WORK.
UH, WE HAVE 10 MIDBLOCK CROSSINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING WORK ON.
UM, AND THE IDEA IS THAT OVER TIME WE START TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.
UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, WHICH ONE IS IN DISTRICT SIX HERE IN A SECOND.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THE CITY HAS SET ASIDE THIS MUCH MONEY, UH, TOWARDS ACTUAL VISION ZERO, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
SO WE'RE PROUD OF, WE'RE PROUD OF THAT EFFORT.
AND THEN WE'LL BE UPDATING OUR BIKE MASTER PLAN HADN'T BEEN UPDATED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND, UM, WILL BE AN IMPORTANT PART, UH, LIKELY OF, UH, FUTURE CONVERSATIONS THAT THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE AROUND THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM.
SO, LET ME JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF, UM, STREET AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS, UH, IN, UM, IN DISTRICT SIX, THE ENRIQUE BRERA PARKWAY, PHASE ONE, UH, THERE IN THE HIGHWAY, OLD HIGHWAY 90 AREA HEATH ROAD AND GRISSOM ROAD INTERSECTIONS, WEST MILITARY DRIVE, AND WEST MAHAR DRIVE, UH, CREST FIELD AREA, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
CASTLE RIDGE SLICK, RIGHT RANCH FLOODPLAIN IMPROVEMENT, AND, UH, WORK ALONG THE UPPER LEON CREEK.
SO, PARK AND LIBRARY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS.
WE HAVE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO GET A, A LIBRARY, UH, LEON CREEK, UH, AREA FROM LEVI STRAUSS TO LACKLAND CORRIDOR, UH, THE COLLIBRA TRIBUTARY, UH, FROM CATHEDRAL ROCK TO TESLA ROAD, AND THEN THE CALIBRA CREEK, UH, GREENWAY FROM CATHEDRAL ROCK TO GRISSOM ROAD.
AND OUR VISION ZERO PROJECT IS REALLY GONNA BE FOCUSED IN THE, UH, MARBACH, UH, AREA THERE NEAR THE BORDER OF DISTRICTS FOUR AND SIX THERE IN THE HARRAL AND FOUR 10 AREA.
UM, A A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA, A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS.
AND, UM, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS KIND OF ONE OF OUR, OUR HIGH PRIORITY AREAS.
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SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES ALSO IS WE WILL BE CREATING, UH, AN ILLEGAL DUMPING CREW THAT WILL FOCUS EVERY DAY ON PICKING UP, UM, UH, ILLEGAL DUMP SITES, TRASH, RESPONDING TO 3 1 1 CALLS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY RIGHT NOW.RIGHT NOW, WE PULL SOLID WASTE CREWS OFF THEIR ROUTES, UH, PUBLIC WORKS CREWS OFF THEIR WORK, OR WORSE STORM WATER CREWS, UH, OUT OF THEIR, UH, DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE, UH, SCHEDULE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CREW OF SIX THAT'LL BE OUTFITTED.
WE'RE FUNDING IT THROUGH OUR SOLID WASTE FUND, AND REALLY TO TACKLE THOSE AREAS OF TOWN THAT JUST NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
AND, UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE DON'T, WE'VE NEVER, THE CITY'S NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
THE IDEA IS WE HAVE A DEDICATED CREW AND WE CAN KEEP ALL OUR OTHER CREWS DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
SO, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLID WASTE, UH, WE'VE, UH, JUST A QUICK REMINDER OF OUR, UM, OUR FIVE CENTERS THAT WE HAVE WHERE, UH, THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS BRUSH AND BULKY AND HOUSEHOLD WISE, UH, HAZARDOUS WASTE, UH, DROP-OFFS.
UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOES PICK UP BRUSH AND BULKY AT CURBSIDE, UM, EACH ONCE A YEAR, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, AND PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, UH, OF THESE FACILITIES, UH, IF YOU NEED TO.
SO NEXT YEAR, THE PROPOSED, UH, RATE FOR OUR SOLID WASTE FEES ARE NOT CHANGING.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE, THAT HAVE A 96 GALLON, THAT BROWN CAN, UH, THAT ARE PAYING 28 50 A MONTH.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO IT, DOWNSIZE AND SAVE YOURSELF SOME MONEY, UM, PUT MORE IN RECYCLING OR IN OUR GREEN CAN, UM, IT, UH, IT BENEFITS ALL OF US.
UM, IF WE TAKE LESS TRASH AND WASTE TO THE, TO THE LANDFILL, THEN, THEN IT SAVES US MONEY.
SO WE WANT TO PASS ALONG THAT SAVINGS TO THE CONSUMER.
IF YOU WANNA DO THIS, CALL 3 1 1, AND THEY'LL COORDINATE THE SWAP OUT OF YOUR CANS WITH SOLID WASTE AND THE ADJUSTMENT ON YOUR MONTHLY BILL.
SO ONE OF THE AREAS THAT, UH, WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, AND, UH, IS IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF METRO HEALTH.
UM, A LOT OF THIS IS COMING FROM FEDERAL FUNDS, UH, THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND NON COVID FEDERAL FUNDS REALLY TO ADDRESS, UH, SOME OF THE HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, PRIOR TO COVID, WE HAD A STRATEGIC PLAN IN PLACE THAT HAD, WAS RELATIVELY NEW.
WE TOOK SOME TIME THIS, THIS SPRING TO UPDATE IT.
GIVEN ALL THE THINGS WE'VE, WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND HOW SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, PART OF OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IMPACTED DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF COVID.
REALLY THINGS LIKE ACCESS TO CARE AND HEALTH JUSTICE AND, UH, BUILDING UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY IS BETTER PREPARED FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT.
UM, ANOTHER BIG PART OF THE INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH IS, UH, EXPANDING OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM, ADVOCACY PROGRAM, AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
BUT REALLY, A, A REALLY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ONE AREA OF OUR, OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT'S GETTING THE MOST FUNDING IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS METRO HEALTH.
WE ALL THINK, WE ALL REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND, UM, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK THIS.
THE IDEA IS THAT OVER FIVE YEARS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO INCREMENTALLY INCREASE, UH, OUR LOCAL FUNDING, UH, INTO PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO, LESSON WE LEARNED, UH, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
UH, THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR REALLY STARTED, UM, EXPERIMENTING, PILOTING A, UH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A, IT'S A TELEMEDICINE APP WHERE IF, YOU KNOW, YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND, UH, YOU TALK TO ONE OF OUR, UH, FIRE DISPATCHERS WHO ARE ALL PARAMEDICS, UM, AND THEY WOULD TEXT YOU A LINK.
YOU CLICK ON THE LINK AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU USE THE CAMERA ON THE PHONE TO LOOK AT THE, UM, UH, THE INJURY, UM, UM, A POINTED AT THE FAMILY MEMBER YOU'RE CALLING ABOUT.
UM, AND THE PARAMEDICS WERE ABLE TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS OVER THE PHONE, UH, WHILE THEY ARE DISPATCHING THE POLICE, I'M SORRY, THE FIRE AND THE E M SS UNITS.
AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS WITH IT, UH, BOTH IN MINOR CALLS, BUT IN SOME SERIOUS CALLS WHERE WE HAVE EXAMPLES WHERE THE PARAMEDIC IS, IS LITERALLY GIVING C P R INSTRUCTIONS TO A HEART ATTACK VICTIM.
SO IT'S PART OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
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UH, CLINICAL DISPATCHERS, OUR PARAMEDIC DISPATCHERS, UH, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN DO THIS 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.IT KEEPS, UM, FOR MINOR CALLS, IT KEEPS OUR UNITS IN SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO MORE SERIOUS, UM, UH, CALLS, UM, AND, UM, AND FRANKLY GIVES US A BETTER TIMING IN TERMS OF THAT EMERGENCY SERVICE TO, TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY THAT'S DOING THIS NEXT SLIDE.
SO I MENTIONED OUR POLICE SERVICES REVIEW, AND WE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THAT REVIEW IS OUR MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS.
AND WE, WE'VE GOT A, A FABULOUS MENTAL HEALTH UNIT FOR THERE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THERE'S ONLY 12 OFFICERS THERE, AND WE GET THOUSANDS OF MENTAL HEALTH CALLS, UH, WHETHER IT'S FAMILY MEMBERS CALLING ABOUT, UM, UM, A, UH, A LOVED ONE OR SOMEBODY YOU ENCOUNTER AT A, A STORE OR ON THE STREET.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IS WE WORKED WITH THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION TO REALLY EXAMINE WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT, AND RECOMMEND TO US HOW WE CAN BETTER DEESCALATE THOSE SITUATIONS AND BETTER, UM, SERVE THE PUBLIC.
THESE CALLS CAN TURN, UM, DANGEROUS, UM, QUICKLY, AND PLENTY OF EXAMPLES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU SEE THAT ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE CRISIS RESPONSE TRAINED, BUT STILL, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT OF JUST SENDING A POLICE OFFICER TO THESE CALLS, UM, DOESN'T REALLY SOLVE THE ROOT ISSUE THAT SOME OF THESE FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING.
SO PART OF WHAT THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION IS RECOMMENDING, AND WE'VE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, IS A TEAM RESPONSE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES A POLICE OFFICER, A PARAMEDIC FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND A LICENSED CLINICIAN.
AND THEY'LL RESPOND TO THESE CALLS IN THE SAME VEHICLE AS A TEAM, UH, REALLY TO BE ABLE TO TRIAGE THE ISSUE, UH, DEESCALATE THE ISSUE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, GET THAT INDIVIDUAL IF NEEDED, HAND IT OFF TO SERVICES.
UM, AND, UH, AND THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THEY NEED.
UM, UH, TOTAL INVESTMENT, UH, IN THIS AREA IS $4.8 MILLION.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, WE, UH, I FRANKLY SEE THAT AS WE DO THIS IN THE CENTRAL SUBSTATION AREA WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST NUMBER OF CALLS AND THAT CENTRAL SUBSTATION AREA RUNS FOR ABOUT, UH, FOUR 10 AROUND NORTH STAR MALL ALL THE WAY SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN, UM, WHERE WE HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THESE CALLS.
UM, I'M EXPECTING THAT WE'LL, WE'LL MONITOR OUR SUCCESS, MAKE SURE WE HIT OUR OUTCOMES, AND LIKELY WE'LL BE EXPANDING THIS, UH, AND MAKING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE.
NEXT SLIDE TWO ISSUE, TWO OTHER ISSUES THAT CAME UP IN THE POLICE SERVICES REVIEW.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS STREET LIGHTING, AND THAT WE HAD 27 COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH THE PUBLIC, UM, UH, IN THE SPRINGTIME, AND STREET LIGHTING CAME UP A LOT.
UH, SO WE'RE SETTING ASIDE AN ADDITIONAL $5.8 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEW STREETLIGHTS.
THIS IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'VE SET ASIDE, UH, AT ANY ONE TIME.
UM, AND, UH, THE COUNCIL'S ALSO DISCUSSED CREATING A, UH, YOU KNOW, A STREET INDEX, A STREETLIGHT INDEX WHERE WE HAVE, UM, SOME BASE, UM, LIGHTING STANDARDS.
AND, AND PRIMARILY WITHIN FOUR 10, THE OLDER PARTS OF, OF THE CITY, WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR STREET LIGHTS, BUT IN SOME OF OUR OLDER, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS, FROM A COMMUNITY SAFETY STANDPOINT, FROM A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY STANDPOINT, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE, SURE, THAT WE GET THAT $5.8 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHTS DEPLOYED OUT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE HEARD IN THE PUBLIC IN THE POLICE SERVICES REVIEW IS, UH, MORE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH POLICE OFFICERS.
SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 15 OFFICERS.
12 OF THOSE WOULD BE ADDED TO OUR SAFE OFFICER UNIT.
OUR SAFE UNIT, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 112 OFFICERS, AND THEN THREE OFFICERS WILL BE ADDED TO OUR DOWNTOWN FOOT AND BIKE PATROL UNIT.
UH, THE LAST PART OF THE POLICE SERVICES REVIEW, UH, AND PART OF THE ANALYSIS IS WHAT KIND OF CALLS ARE POLICE OFFICERS GOING ON THAT WE DON'T NEED TO SEND POLICE OFFICERS TO.
AND PART OF THIS FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT WE ALSO GOT IT FROM OFFICERS THEMSELVES.
SO BEGINNING NEXT YEAR, UM, ANIMAL RELATED CALLS WILL BE HANDLED BY ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, AND WE'RE ADDING RESOURCES SO THEY CAN DO THAT.
UM, NOW IF THERE'S A VICIOUS DOG OR A DANGEROUS DOG TYPE OF SITUATION, THEN OBVIOUSLY THE POLICE WILL RESPOND WITH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, BUT THAT'S NOT THE MAJORITY OF THE CALLS.
UM, SECONDLY, UM, FIREWORK CALLS.
UM, THE 10 DAYS AROUND THE 4TH OF JULY AND NEW YEAR'S EVE, UH, THE POLICE
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DEPARTMENT'S NOT GONNA RESPOND TO FIREWORKS CALLS ANYMORE.OUR ARSON DIVISION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA RESPOND TO THEM.
UM, WE GET FIREWORKS CALLS EVERY MONTH OUT OF THE YEAR, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAPPEN IN THAT NEW YEAR'S EVE AND 4TH OF JULY.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THE OFFICERS ARE AVAILABLE TO, TO, TO HANDLE OTHER CALLS AND NOT RESPONDING TO FIREWORK CALLS.
IT IS STILL ILLEGAL AND AGAINST CITY CODE TO SHOOT FIREWORKS IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT, UM, WE JUST WON'T HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDING NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN LASTLY, LOUD MUSIC CALLS.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE RUNNING A PILOT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE CODE OFFICERS RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS, AND THEN IF NEEDED, THEY'LL CALL THE POLICE TO ISSUE A CITATION.
WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON DOING THIS ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY NIGHTS WHERE WE GET THE MAJORITY OF CALLS.
AGAIN, IT'S DESIGNED TO TAKE THE POLICE OUT OF THESE UNNECESSARY ENCOUNTERS, UM, AND GET THAT WORK DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, WE'RE ALSO ADDING FIVE, UM, POSITIONS REALLY TO, UM, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, MAKE A CONNECTION TO RESIDENTS WHO, UM, UM, WHO, UM, ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THE SOURCE OF, UH, CALLS TO A C S, UH, WHETHER IT'S AN ANIMAL THAT'S ALWAYS GETTING OUT OF THE FENCE OR THE GATE.
UM, UM, AND, AND REALLY WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TAKE A, AN EDUCATION APPROACH, UM, RATHER THAN JUST PURELY AN ENFORCEMENT APPROACH.
UM, THESE, THESE, THIS TEAM WILL WORK PRIMARILY WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS, ONE THROUGH SIX AND IN SOME PARTS OF SEVEN, BUT REALLY FOCUSED ON THE AREAS OF TOWN THAT, UH, NEEDED A LITTLE ADDITIONAL ANIMAL CARE SERVICES ATTENTION.
THIS IS GONNA BE NEW FOR US, AND I'M EXCITED TO, TO TO SEE THE OUTCOMES AND, AND THE RESULTS.
SO, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ANOTHER BIG PRIORITY OF THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC.
AND THROUGH THEIR SURVEY, UH, WE HAVE ALMOST $33 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
14, A LITTLE OVER 14 MILLION OF THAT IS COMING FROM OUR OWN LOCAL DOLLARS.
UM, AND THAT'S, UH, REPRESENTS ABOUT A FOUR AND A HALF PER FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE OVER THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND REALLY THE MAJORITY OF THAT INCREASE IS BEING GEARED TOWARDS OUR MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM, OUR OWNER OCCUPIED, UH, PROGRAM, AND OUR UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
WE'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH THE, THE, THE ACTUAL PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE YOU SEE SIDE BY SIDE, THE 21 BUDGET AND THE 22 PROPOSED BUDGET.
YOU SEE, WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN GAP FINANCING OF ABOUT ALMOST $5 MILLION.
THAT'S REALLY GEARED TO, UH, LEVERAGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS, UM, THAT COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
AND THEN UNDER REHAB AND PRESERVATION, $4.4 MILLION MORE FOR OWNER-OCCUPIED REHAB, MILLION DOLLARS MORE FOR UNDER ONE ROOF, AND $3.3 MILLION FOR OUR MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM.
UM, SO REALLY TRYING TO BEEF UP, UH, WHAT, WHAT OUR, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS ARE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE, OBVIOUSLY, OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
NEXT SLIDE, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO, OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN PROBABLY THREE QUARTERS FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND A QUARTER FUNDED BY THE CITY SINCE LAST SPRING.
UM, WE HAVE FUNDS, UH, SET ASIDE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CALENDAR YEAR.
AND I'M SURE THE COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THIS FALL, BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO WHAT, UM, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS ARE.
AND, AND THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE EVICTION PREVENTION AND LANDLORD AND TENANT ISSUES, REALLY THE HOUSING STABILITY, AND THEN ALSO FAIR HOUSING, UM, UM, HOUSING COUNSELING, UH, FORECLOSURE PREVENTION, ALL THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE WERE, UH, VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN PRE COVID.
UM, AND, AND, UH, PART OF OUR WORK PLAN NEXT YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR 22 IS REALLY TO BE ABLE TO DO BOTH AS THE EMERGENCY HOUSING PROGRAM, UM, DECREASES AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BARRING ANY ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING, UH, WE NEED TO GET BACK TO, UM, WHAT OUR, UM, WHAT OUR ORIGINAL GOALS ARE AND, AND PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO ANOTHER LESSON WE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, YOU CAN HAVE A COOL WEBSITE AND GREAT BROCHURES AND, UM, UH, AN EASY TO REMEMBER NUMBER, LIKE 3 1 1, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST NEED TO BE WALKED THROUGH THE PROGRAMMING AND, UH, AND SERVICES THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SOMEBODY MAY COME INTO THE CITY LOOKING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND NOT REALIZE
[00:30:01]
THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE OR CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE.SO WE'RE ADDING A CADRE OF NAVIGATORS TO REALLY BEEF UP.
UM, THIS, UH, WE DID THIS AS PART OF OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING PROGRAM AND ARE CONTINUING TO DO THAT THROUGH THE CALENDAR YEAR.
BUT, UM, WE, WE ARE SEEING THAT THERE IS A HIGH DEGREE OF NEED, UH, FOR SOME OF OUR, UM, CITIZENS.
AND SO WE'LL BE MAKING AN, IN A PROPOSED INVESTMENT IN HOMELESS PREVENTION, FAMILY SUPPORT.
WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK OVER THE LAST YEAR FROM OUR SENIORS, UH, THAT ARE LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL COUNSELING.
SO, UH, AS, UH, THESE EMPLOYEES, THIS, THESE NAVIGATORS WILL, UM, KIND OF CROSS POLLINATE AND WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR HELP FROM THE CITY GET CONNECTED, UH, TO EVERYTHING THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SO I MENTIONED RESILIENCY EARLIER.
IT'S OUR FIFTH KEY BUDGET MESSAGE AND REALLY, UH, EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT'S REALLY GEARED TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT OUR CRITICAL BUILDING SYSTEMS, UH, PRIMARILY OUR PUBLIC FA PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, UM, HAVE POWER ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR FACILITIES, MOST OF OUR FACILITIES WERE IMPACTED IN FEBRUARY.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN OUR POLICE SUBSTATIONS AND, UM, SOME OF OUR FIRE STATIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FACILITIES ARE COMPLETELY OPERATIONAL, WHETHER IT IS POWER GOING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER OR IN SNOWSTORM.
UM, THEY ARE, UM, UM, THEY'VE GOTTA BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY'S CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE AND HELP.
AND WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FACILITIES, UM, HAVE POWER.
PART OF, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S INCLUDED WITHIN THE RESILIENCY EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS IDENTIFYING FOR RESILIENCY HUBS THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHERE WE WILL TAKE, UH, SOME OF THIS MONEY AND MAKE THE CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT THAT FACILITY WE KNOW ALWAYS HAS POWER.
UM, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A CITY BUILDING, IT COULD BE A SCHOOL OR ANOTHER PARTNER.
UM, BUT WE'LL, WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE IS CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY TO, TO SET THOSE FACILITIES UP.
UM, THAT WAY IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION, WHETHER IT'S STORM RELATED OR, UM, UM, UH, IT'S A POWER OUTAGE ISSUE, WE KNOW, AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT THESE ARE THE FOUR LOCATIONS THEY CAN GO TO THAT HAVE POWER, UH, IF THEY NEED, IF THEY NEED HELP.
SO, UM, UM, THIS IS, UH, EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
NEARLY ISN'T ENOUGH, NEARLY ISN'T ENOUGH, BUT IT'S WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
THIS IS GONNA BE A MULTI-YEAR EFFORT THAT WE'LL BE, UM, UH, PURSUING.
THERE LIKELY WILL BE SOME COMMUNICATE OR DISCUSSION AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS PART OF THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
UM, SO, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE RESTORING OUR FUNDING BACK TO THE 2019 LEVELS.
UM, AND, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS PROGRAMMING AND FUNDING COMES FROM OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND.
IT WAS THE HIGH, HIGH PRIORITY OF THE COUNCIL TO, UH, INCREASE, UM, OR GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE AT IN 2019 IN TERMS OF ARTS FUNDING.
AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, DOES DO THAT.
UM, AND I SUSPECT THAT THE COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL OTHER FUTURE INVESTMENTS IN THIS AREA AS PART OF OUR, UH, FEDERAL RELIEF, UH, DISCUSSIONS.
SO I'VE MENTIONED IT A COUPLE TIMES, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING THE CITY, UM, EVERY FIVE YEARS GOES TO THE VOTERS, UH, WITH A BOND PROGRAM FOCUSING ON STREETS AND DRAINAGE AND, AND SIDEWALKS AND FACILITIES THIS TIME, POTENTIALLY OTHER AREAS SUCH AS HOUSING, GIVEN THE, UH, UH, THE VOTER'S APPROVAL OF THE CHARTER IN MAY.
UM, WE GO THROUGH THE ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE, WELL, HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD, UH, WITHOUT CHANGING THE CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE, NUMBER ONE, UM, GIVEN THE TRENDS WE SEE IN OUR VALUATIONS HERE WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND AFTER WE'VE DONE THAT ANALYSIS, WE DID THAT ANALYSIS BEGINNING IN THE LATE SPRING.
YOU KNOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT WE CAN DO A $1.2 BILLION BUDGET, UH, BOND PROGRAM AND TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS NEXT MAY, AND STILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO WITHIN OUR CURRENT BEINGS.
UM, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AS WE GO THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE SPRINGTIME AND THE, UH, EARLY PART OF 2022.
UM, THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE A B SESSION DISCUSSION ON THIS ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH A WHOLE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
UM, THE, UH, THE COUNCIL WILL SELECT, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO, UH, SIT ON THESE, UM, COMMITTEES THAT REVIEW THE PROJECTS
[00:35:01]
AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BACK TO THE COUNCIL IN EARLY JANUARY.AND THE COUNCIL WILL CALL THE ELECTION, UH, BY THE SECOND WEEK IN FEBRUARY.
SO A LOT OF WORK, UH, I SUSPECT THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HAGER WILL HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PRIORITIES, UH, IN ORDER TO SOLICIT YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, AND THIS WILL BE, THIS IS A REALLY A, A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UH, SET AN INVESTMENT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UH, WE HAVE $3 BILLION IN SIDEWALK NEEDS.
WE HAVE $2 BILLION IN STREET NEEDS.
WE HAVE A BILLION AND A HALF OR TWO, ALMOST 2 BILLION IN DRAINAGE NEEDS.
SO A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS WILL BE THE LARGEST BOND PROGRAM THE CITY HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN.
UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO, UM, TO, UH, GET THIS PROGRAM ROLLING AND, UH, IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT NEED THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH BUDGET WORK SESSIONS RIGHT NOW.
THE COUNCIL SAT, UH, IN BUDGET WORK SESSIONS ALL DAY TODAY.
WE'LL BE DOING THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO SEPTEMBER 15TH.
UH, WE'RE HAVING SESSIONS LIKE TONIGHT, UM, THROUGH AUGUST 30TH AND EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED, UH, IN SEPTEMBER, ONE ON SEPTEMBER 8TH AND THE 14TH.
AND THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MAKE ANY NECESSARY AMENDMENTS AND ADOPT THE BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 16TH.
SO WE'RE INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR FEEDBACK TONIGHT.
UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS FROM THE CITY ON THE LINE TONIGHT, AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, LAURA, TO, TO MANAGE.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS.
AND JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU ARE WATCHING AT HOME, THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS YOU CAN SUBMIT A QUESTION THIS EVENING.
YOU CAN USE THE HASHTAG ESSAY SPEAKUP 22 ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU CAN EMAIL ESSAY SPEAKUP@SANANTONIO.GOV, OR IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON FACEBOOK, I SEE A FEW OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED SOME QUESTIONS, AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH ONE FROM FACEBOOK.
UM, THIS QUESTION IS FOR MARIA.
AND MARIA ASKS, IS THERE ANYWHERE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT THE CITY CAN HELP OFFSET THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY? IT'S A SHAME THAT MUSICIANS ARE BEING ASKED TO SWALLOW A PROPOSED 80% SALARY.
SO, MARIA, A QUESTION HERE ABOUT THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
AND, UM, AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, AS PART OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, WE HAVE FUNDING FOR ARTS AGENCIES, UM, THAT IS FUNDING FUNDED OUT OF OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
NOW, BECAUSE OUR, OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX WAS IMPACTED, UM, BY THE, THE COVID 19, UM, PANDEMIC, WE ARE, UM, ALLOCATING SOME OF OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE ARTS TO WHERE THEY WERE IN 2019.
SO SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR QUESTION ON THE SYMPHONY, THE BUDGET HAS ABOUT $336,000 THAT IS ALLOCATED TO THE SYMPHONY, UH, AND THE PROPOSED 2022 BUDGET.
THANK YOU, MARIA, AND THANK YOU MARI, FOR PARTICIPATING ON FACEBOOK THIS EVENING.
OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE IS FOR CHIEF MCMANUS, AND THIS QUESTION COMES TO US FROM BECKY, AND SHE ASKS, SINCE SAN ANTONIO RANKS AS ONE OF THE US CITIES WITH THE HIGHEST CRIME RATES, WE NEED POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT HAS PLANS TO INCREASE POLICE PRESENCE AND WHAT OUR CITY IS DOING TO ATTRACT AND ENCOURAGE THE POLICE TO BE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY CHIEF.
SO, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, I WOULD, UH, GENTLY ARGUE ABOUT, UH, THE CITY CHIEF.
I THINK YOU'RE MUTED YOUR AUDIO THERE.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY OFF THE JOYS OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS, FOLKS.
CHIEF, CAN WE TRY YOUR AUDIO ONE MORE TIME THERE? HOW ABOUT NOW? YEAH, THERE WE GO.
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD, UM, GENTLY ARGUE ABOUT, UH, SAN ANTONIO HAVE ONE BUDGET.
12 OF THEM WOULD GO TO SAFE AND THREE OF THEM WOULD GO TO DOWNTOWN BIKE PATROL.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST RECRUITING EFFORT, UM, UH, THREE OR FOUR CLASSES EACH YEAR, UH, WHICH WE FILL, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE'RE GETTING READY TO, UH, UH, PUT ANOTHER CLASS IN OF ABOUT 50.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT, UH, I THINK THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, CHIEF, ALSO, YOU MIGHT WANNA SHARE WITH EVERYBODY KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF CRIME STATS SO FAR THIS YEAR AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING BECAUSE
[00:40:01]
WE'RE NOT SEEING WHAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES ARE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.UH, SO RIGHT NOW OUR LATEST, UH, CRIME STATS, I BELIEVE UP THROUGH THE END OF JULY.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN AUGUST YET, BUT WE WERE 12% DOWN IN VIOLENT CRIME.
WE, WE REPORT TO THE F B I THROUGH D P S, AND WE WERE ABOUT, UH, I WANNA SAY THREE OR 4% DOWN IN PROPERTY CRIME.
SO, UH, OUR NUMBERS ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
THEY, THEY FLUCTUATE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UH, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, UH, IN DECEMBER BEFORE WE CAN, UH, MAKE A CALL ON WHETHER WE HAD A GOOD YEAR OR NOT.
UM, OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE COMES TO US FROM CARL.
CARL IS A DISTRICT SIX RESIDENT, BUT HE WORKS IN DISTRICT ONE.
AND CARL, WE GOT YOUR EMAIL, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING SO MANY THOUGHTS WITH US.
I'M GONNA SUMMARIZE THIS AND WE'LL RESPOND BACK TO YOUR EMAIL WITH SOME MORE SPECIFICS.
UM, BUT THIS QUESTION IS FOR NIKKI, UM, NIKKI RAMOS FOR OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND CARL'S QUESTION IS BASICALLY HE HAS SOME CONCERNS.
UM, HE SAW SIGNAGE AROUND ALAMO PLAZA, LATA, OUR CITY PARKS, ABOUT BEING SMOKE-FREE, AND THOSE SIGNS ARE, ARE NO LONGER PLACED OUTSIDE.
SO HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE DOING TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SMOKE-FREE PARKS, UM, AND CAN WE SEE SOME MORE SIGNS IN PARKS ABOUT THAT EFFORT? HI, GOOD EVENING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, WE DID DO OUR, UH, ORDINANCE THAT BANNED SMOKING IN PARKS AND IN PLAZAS, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
I WILL HAVE TO CHECK IN ON SIGNAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, PROPER SIGNAGE UP SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW.
AND WE CAN ALSO, UM, I KNOW WE DID A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN WHEN WE FIRST INITIATED, UM, THE CHANGE, BUT, UH, WE CAN ALWAYS TAKE SOME TIME TO REFRESH THAT AS WELL.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA MAKE A NOTE TO, UH, FOLLOW BACK UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, APPROPRIATE NOTICE UP SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF, OF, UH, THE NO SMOKING.
THANK YOU, NIKKI, AND THANK YOU CARL FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE COMES TO US FROM PAUL.
UM, HE HAS SEVERAL QUESTIONS, SO, AND JUST TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME, I'M GONNA ASK A COUPLE HERE AND THEN WE'LL CIRCLE BACK ON PAUL'S QUESTIONS.
UM, HE ASKED, AND THIS ONE IS FOR JESSICA WITH D H S.
UM, HAS SAN ANTONIO OR ANY OF OUR NEARBY MILITARY BASES BEEN SELECTED FOR RESETTLEMENT OF AFGHAN REFUGEES? IF SO, ARE THERE ANY ONGOING COSTS THAT'LL BE ASSUMED BY THE CITY? AND HOW IS THE COVID STATUS OF ANY REFUGEES BEING ASSESSED? YOU, UH, FOR THAT QUESTION, LAURA AND PAUL, UM, SO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, MILITARY BASES ARE NOT NECESSARILY BEING UTILIZED, BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF AGENCIES THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED WITH THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
AND SO THOSE AGENCIES ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, O R R TO WELCOME AFGHAN REFUGEES IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE EXPECTING A LITTLE LESS THAN 500, UM, IN THE UPCOMING, UH, NEXT FEW WEEKS.
AND, AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE RESOURCES FOR THEM.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON BOTH VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND DONATIONS, BUT THE REFUGEES THEMSELVES WILL ALSO COME WITH RESOURCES.
AND SO, UM, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING WITH THEM, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES, THE CENTER FOR REFUGEE SERVICES, AND, UM, ESIS.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS NEXT ONE I'M GOING TO GIVE TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DAVID MCCAREY.
UM, AND THIS COMES FROM MRS. STAN LOW, AND SHE HAS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TO HAVE GREENER OPTIONS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SOME OF HER SPECIFIC CONCERNS AND COMMENTS ARE ABOUT MAYBE ADDING LAWS TO ENCOURAGE VEGETABLE OR FRUIT GARDENS IN FRONT LAWNS INSTEAD OF JUST FLAT CUT GRASS, UM, WAYS TO REDUCE OUR PLASTIC USE BY SWITCHING TO BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING, HELPING THE BEES, ENCOURAGING GARDENS ON ROOFTOPS.
UM, MR. MCCAREY, WHAT SORTS OF PROGRAMS DO WE OFFER IN THE SUSTAINABILITY FRONT TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH THESE INITIATIVES? WOW, THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS A PART OF OUR, UH, CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGING THE PUBLIC TO DO THEIR PART, NOT ONLY FOR GREENERY FOR PLANTING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT WITHIN OUR ENTIRE CITY.
SO WHEN WE'RE BRINGING NOT ONLY THE PARTS DEPARTMENT TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE THE PLANTING OF THE TREES WHEN WE BRING ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER RELEVANT TO SOLID WASTE, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH FUTURE SOLAR, UH, AS A PART OF IT, SAME THING APPLIES FOR OUR EV FUELING SYSTEMS THAT ARE NOW IN PLACE
[00:45:01]
ALONG WITH OUR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS WELL.SO THAT'S A PRETTY, UH, INTERESTING QUESTION.
PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST ONES WE'VE HAD, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO NOT ONLY GET IDEALS FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE ALSO BENCHMARKING TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME OF THOSE BEST PRACTICES TO BRING BACK TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
AND I HAVE TO READ THE LAST SENTENCE OF MRS. STAND LOW'S EMAIL HERE, BECAUSE I THINK IT, IT REALLY TIES UP HER THOUGHTS NICELY.
SHE SAYS, THANKS FOR READING ALL THIS, AND IF YOU EVER NEED IDEAS OR THOUGHTS, I GOT 'EM, CALL ME OR EMAIL ME.
AND I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THESE IDEAS FOR THE BUDGET.
SO THANK YOU, MRS. STAND LOW AND WE'LL BE IN TOUCH BY EMAIL.
BE SURE TO FORWARD ME TO HER INFORMATION.
UM, OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE CAME TO US FROM OUR COSA TEXT.
AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN TEXT SA SPEAK UP 22 TO 5 5 0 0 0 TO ASK YOUR QUESTION VIA TEXT MESSAGE MESSAGE.
AND THIS ONE IS FOR IAN WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WHY IS THE RENTAL SUPPORT FOR COVID NOT GOING STRAIGHT TO LANDLORDS? TENANTS ARE GETTING SO MUCH HELP AND LANDLORDS WILL LOSE THEIR RENTAL PROPERTIES.
WE CAN'T DO EVICTIONS AND RENTERS LIVING WITHOUT OUR PAYING ARE STILL PAYING FOR THE LAST ONE AND A HALF YEARS.
SO, IAN, THAT QUESTION FROM TEXT MESSAGE.
UH, AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
I THINK ERIC TOUCHED ON IT, AND IT WAS THE FOCUS OF NOT JUST OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT OF THE CITY LAST YEAR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, OUR ASSISTANCE DOES GO DIRECTLY TO LANDLORDS, SO WE DON'T PAY THAT FUNDING, UH, TO RESIDENTS.
WE PAY THAT FUNDING DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD THAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FUNDING SERVICES AND IS GOING TO RENT.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE FUNDING THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER, AT LEAST WE'RE, WE'RE PROJECTING THAT.
SO THERE IS MORE FUNDING, AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN HELP MORE FUNDING IF NEEDED.
AS SO I HOPE THAT HELPS ANSWER, ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AND IF YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE, YOU CAN APPLY AT OUR WEBSITE, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, DOT GOV SLASH NHD.
YOU CAN FIND AN EASY ONLINE APPLICATION, OR YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1, ASK FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE COMES TO US FROM CINDY AND ERIC, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU.
SHE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS YEAR'S POLICE BUDGET COMPARES TO LAST YEAR'S POLICE BUDGET.
SO, CINDY, UM, PROBABLY, AND I'M GONNA, I'M LOOKING AT SCOTT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS GOING UP ABOUT PROBABLY ABOUT 3%.
UH, THE OVERALL GENERAL FUND IS GOING UP.
UM, THE GENERAL FUND OVERALL IS ABOUT FIVE, A LITTLE OVER 5%.
UM, AND AS THE, THE CHIEF MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, OR THE MAJORITY OF THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCREASE IN THE BUDGET ARE THE 15 OFFICERS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADD.
BUT THEN ALSO THE FULL YEAR FUNDING OF THE, UM, PAY ADJUSTMENT THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS HAD IN THEIR LAST YEAR OF THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
UM, THEY RECEIVED A 3% IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND, AND SO, UM, THAT'S ONLY THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL FULL YEAR FUNDING IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, NEXT QUESTION HERE COMES TO US FROM FACEBOOK.
THIS IS FROM ARMANDO, AND IT IS FOR TAMIKA, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, TAMIKA ARMANDO'S QUESTION IS, WHY NOT INSTALL SPEED BUMPS IN FRONT OF ALL OF THE SCHOOLS ON INGRAM ROAD? THERE'S A 30 MILE PER HOUR SIGN ACROSS THE STREET FROM HATCHET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO WHAT COMMENTS DO YOU HAVE FOR ARMANDO? WHO'S WATCHING ON FACEBOOK? YOU ARE ON MUTE.
TAMIKA, WE CAN'T HEAR YOUR AUDIO.
AND WE'RE ON LIVE TV
UM, TAMIKA, WE'RE NOT GETTING YOUR AUDIO HERE, BUT I'M GONNA SEE IF MAYBE, UM, ERIC OR MARIA CAN, CAN JUMP IN HERE ABOUT, UM, SPEED BUMPS IN, IN THE SCHOOL ZONES, AND WE'LL TRY TO SHOOT YOU A TEXT MESSAGE.
I CAN TELL SHE HAS A REALLY THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE FOR YOU, ARMANDO.
WELL, I'LL START THE, THE ANSWER AND TAMIKA, PLEASE JUMP, UM, IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING ELSE, BUT, SO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS A PROCESS BY WHICH WE INSTALL, UH, SPEED BUMPS.
SO, UH, OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WILL RECEIVE THE REQUEST AND THEN WE'LL DO A TRAFFIC STUDY TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THOSE, UM, UH,
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SPEED BUMPS ARE, ARE JUSTIFIED.AND IF THEY ARE, THEN THE CITY WILL SCHEDULE THOSE FOR INSTALLATION.
SO THERE'S A SPECIFIC AREA THAT YOU WANNA SHARE WITH US.
UH, YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT TO US ON THE CHAT OR, UM, VIA TEXT, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH, WITH YOU AND SEE THAT, UM, AREA THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN QUALIFIES FOR SPEED BUMPS.
AND I'M GONNA SEE IF TAMIKA, IF WE HAVE YOUR AUDIO, IF NOT, ARMANDO REST ASSURED WE DO HAVE YOUR COMMENT HERE ON FACEBOOK AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND GET YOU A RESPONSE.
ALRIGHT, LET ME JUMP OVER TO OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE.
THIS ONE IS FOR DEPUTY CHIEF REYES, AND IT COMES TO US FROM FACEBOOK, ALSO FROM MARIDI.
AND SHE ASKS, WILL ALL SECTORS OF SAN ANTONIO HAVE A POLICE SUBSTATION, DEPUTY CHIEF, OR CHIEF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE THAT ONE.
SO YES, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, POLICE SUBSTATIONS, IT WOULD REQUIRE, UH, A STUDY, UH, DETERMINE THE, UH, CALL VOLUME WITHIN A SPECIFIC, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREA AND WE'D, YOU KNOW, CONDUCT THAT STUDY.
AND THEN, UH, IF THERE WERE TO BE ONE, UH, BUILT, IT WOULD BE PART OF A BOND PACKAGE.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE ALSO COMES TO US FROM FACEBOOK.
AND THIS ONE IS FROM VIRGINIA AND IT'S FOR, UM, SHANNON SIMS WITH A C S, UM, IS A C S, UM, TELLING PEOPLE WE DON'T HAVE TO HIRE, SHE SAYS T N R TRAPPERS BECAUSE WE HAVE PLENTY OF VOLUNTEERS AND SHE'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE KITTEN POPULATION.
SO SHANNON, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UM, TRAPPER PROGRAM.
YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT, FOR THAT QUESTION, VIRGINIA.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS THE LOSS OF SPAY NEUTER CAPACITY THAT WE HAD DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UH, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, IT RESULTED IN A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT KITTEN AND PUPPY SEASON FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE NOT, UH, SAID THAT WE DON'T NEED MORE TRAPPERS.
UH, IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS FUNDING.
UH, CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UH, AS ERIC TALKED ABOUT, WE ARE REACHING OUT FOR A CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDED TRAPPERS BY THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
OUR NEXT QUESTION HERE COMES TO US FROM PAUL, ALSO SUBMITTED BY EMAIL.
AND THAT EMAIL ADDRESS IS SA SPEAKUP@SANANTONIO.GOV, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEND IN YOUR QUESTION.
UM, THIS QUESTION IS FOR ERIC, HOW DOES THE CITY PLAN TO CONTROL ONGOING HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR ITS EMPLOYEES? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ACTIVELY MANAGE THAT ON A, ON A, ON A ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, IN FACT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS THAT THE COUNCIL RECEIVED TODAY.
UM, AND, AND, UM, OUR BENEFITS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, WE NEGOTIATE THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND THEN THE OTHER 6,500 CITY EMPLOYEES WE HAVE, UM, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT AS, AS EMPLOYEES, UM, ALL EMPLOYEES ARE GOOD, UM, UM, UTILIZERS OF THE, OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
UH, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT, UM, GOOD ADDED OR A GOOD IN-NETWORK SERVICES, WE'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE DISCOUNTS.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S A, THE BENEFITS, UM, PORTION OF, OF COMPENSATION FOR THE EMPLOYEES IS CRITICAL AND IT REALLY REQUIRES A LOT OF WORK, UH, FROM OUR HR DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE HEALTHCARE AND DEALING WITH PREVENTATIVE AND PROACTIVE, UM, CARE.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS ALSO FROM FACEBOOK, AND THIS ONE IS FOR CLAUDE JACOB, OUR METRO HEALTH DIRECTOR.
UM, THIS QUESTION IS FROM DIANE AND IT'S COVID RELATED, BUT I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO ASK SINCE WE ARE IN THIS VIRTUAL SETTING.
UM, SHE'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COVID NUMBERS FOR THIS EVENING.
AND CLAUDE, MAYBE THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TOO, TO TALK ABOUT OUR VACCINATION EFFORTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
GREETINGS, UH, MY SIGNAL IS UNSTEADY, SO I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ANTISOCIAL.
SO LET ME JUST GO OFF CAMERA SO YOU CAN HEAR MY RESPONSE.
UM, THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, WE REPORTED OUT THIS EVENING THAT OUR OVERALL POSITIVITY RATE, UH, HAS IMPROVED.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF FOLKS STEPPING UP TO BE TESTED.
WE HAVE THE FREE TESTING SITES ACROSS THE CITY, BUT IN ADDITION TO OUR TESTING OUR POSITIVITY RATE,
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WE'VE ALSO SHOWN AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR OVERALL CASE RATE PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.UM, SO BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE ARE REPORTING STEADILY AND WE'RE REPORTING OUT EACH WEEK.
UH, THE HOSPITALS ARE STILL FEELING THE CRUSH OF ADMISSIONS, THE LION'S SHARE OF FOLKS WHO ARE ENDING UP IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN UNVACCINATED.
UM, AND LET'S BE CLEAR, THIS PANDEMIC IS AMONG THE UNVACCINATED.
SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE MADE THE DECISION.
IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO AT LEAST GET VACCINATED, IT'S HELPING TO PROTECT THE BROADER POPULATION.
BUT JUST KNOW THAT THE LION SHARE OF FOLKS WHO END UP IN THE EED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE UN THE LAST PIECE IS THAT WHILE, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
JUST MAKING SURE, UM, I DIDN'T, UH, TANK OUT HERE.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE'RE SEEING AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR POSITIVITY RATE, BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT'S JUST ONE POINT IN TIME.
UH, ONE DATA POINT DOES NOT MAKE FOR A TREND.
UH, WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE HOSPITALS.
WE ARE REMINDING FOLKS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING VACCINATED.
UM, THE HOLIDAYS HAVE BEEN AN ACCELERANT OF SORTS.
UM, WHICH IS WHY WE REMIND FOLKS RIGHT AS WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAYS, JUST TO BE MINDFUL OF LARGE GATHERINGS, REMINDING FOLKS TO MASK UP AND REMINDING FOLKS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN CASE THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR ORBIT WHO ARE STILL ON THE FENCE.
WE REMAIN VIGILANT, JUST LIKE YOU WOULDN'T CROSS THE STREET WITHOUT LOOKING BOTH WAYS.
WE'RE REMINDING FOLKS THAT THIS VIRUS IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL OUT THERE.
SO LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.
WE'RE DOING POP-UP CLINICS, WE'RE MAKING SURE TO AT LEAST SUPPORT STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE HERE TO SERVE, UH, THIS COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, IF YOU ARE, UM, INTERESTED IN GETTING A COVID VACCINE NO COST.
IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO HASN'T GOTTEN THEIRS YET, JUST VISIT COVID-19 SAN ANTONIO.GOV.
YOU CAN ALSO CALL 3 1 1 AND GET CONNECTED THAT WAY.
UM, LOTS OF GREAT QUESTIONS THIS EVENING, COUNCILWOMAN.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOUR RESIDENTS FOR BEING SO ACTIVE AND ENGAGED.
I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET TO ALL OF THEM TONIGHT, SO IF WE DIDN'T GET TO YOUR QUESTION AND YOU SUBMITTED WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
UM, BUT WHY DON'T I TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO GIVE SOME CLOSING REMARKS FOR THIS EVENING'S TOWN HALL.
UM, JUST, JUST MAKING SURE I'M STILL, YOU CAN HEAR ME ALRIGHT,
THIS IS YOUR CITY'S BUDGET, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ANSWERING ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT DISTRICT6@SANANTONIO.GOV.
THERE ARE MANY SEVERAL, UH, MAIN TAKEAWAYS, IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE BUDGET THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE, UH, TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS, THIS IS A BIG NUMBER WE'RE DEALING WITH, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR DISTRICT AND OUR CITY IS GROWING AND OUR NEEDS ARE GROWING WITH IT.
THE PANDEMIC AND THE WINTER STORMS AFFECTED US IN A BIG WAY, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO MAKE OUR WAY BACK.
THERE'S STILL WAYS TO GO, BUT I'M ENCOURAGED WITH THE PROGRESS AS OUR CITY MANAGER TOLD US, WE'RE BEGINNING TO RESTORE MUCH OF WHAT WAS LOST IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE'RE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PUBLIC HEALTH, SENIOR SERVICES, PARKS AND RECS, AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
THOSE ARE ALL THE MAIN ISSUES THAT YOU BRING TO ME, UM, ALL THE TIME.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE, WE WERE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THAT TONIGHT.
WE ALSO HEARD GOOD NEWS REGARDING INVESTMENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, INFRASTRUCTURE, SAFETY AND ARE EVER SO IMPORTANT IN DISTRICT SIX, OUR GREENWAYS AND VERY HAPPY TO SEE HOW WE'RE PUTTING TECHNOLOGY TO GIVE USE IN THE EMERGENCY RESPONSES.
WITH THE GOOD SAM MAP AS WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY THE FIRST CITY IN THE NATION TO DO THIS.
I THINK, UM, IF NOT ONE OF THE FIRST.
5.8 MILLION FOR STREET FLIGHT STREETLIGHTS IS THE MOST WE'VE EVER SPENT, AND THE STREETLIGHT INDEX IS GONNA HELP US FOR YEARS TO COME.
WE'LL BE GETTING 15 NEW SAFE OFFICERS AND FIVE MORE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES OFFICERS AS WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD.
WE'RE MAKING NEEDED PREPARATIONS FOR WEATHER EMERGENCIES SO WE'RE NOT CAUGHT UNPREPARED.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING TO SYMPHONY ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIME, ABOUT THE AFGHAN REFUGEE SITUATION AND ABOUT HELPING OUR ENVIRONMENT.
YOUR IDEAS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AND THIS BUDGET PROCESS WILL CONTINUE.
AS I SAID, COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE BUDGET IN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS, SO THERE STILL TIME TO REACH OUT TO ME, MY STAFF, OR CITY STAFF WITH YOUR CONCERNS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
THANK YOU TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WAL AND HIS STAFF TO THE GREAT PEOPLE AT GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UH, IN THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, THE DISTRICT SIX STAFF, AND ONCE AGAIN, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO THE DISTRICT SIX COMMUNITY FOR ALL YOU DO TO MAKE OUR DISTRICT THE BEST IN THE CITY.