Oct 11, 2021 Governance Committee on 2021-10-11 03:00 PM

UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 15TH.

UM, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN.

[1. Approval of minutes from the City Council Governance Committee meeting on September 15, 2021.]

THESE ARE IN YOUR PACKET.

THERE'S A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION, UM, OR CLARIFICATION ON THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2021.

ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

WE CAN MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

[Consent Agenda]

ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER MELISSA COVEA, HDA, DISTRICT SIX, REGARDING LOCAL PREFERENCE AWARDS FOR LOW BID STREET IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTS.

UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION? JUST, YEAH, JUST A QUICK, UM, TELL US WHAT IT IS AND WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING IT GO, ROD.

SURE.

THANK YOU, MARY.

ACTUALLY, BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HOWARD, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS.

SURE.

THIS IS, UM, A C C R PROPOSED.

I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ISSUE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE THE WORK EVEN MORE URGENT IN MY OPINION, BUT IT'S ABOUT GIVING LOCAL BUSINESSES A LEG UP BY MAKING MINOR CHANGES TO THE BIDDING PROCESSES IN THE, IN THE CITY CHARTER.

THE ORDINANCE WILL GIVE PREFERENCE TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS ON STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

UM, IT'S NEEDED FOR TWO REASONS.

FIRST, BECAUSE IT HELPS OUR LOCAL CONTRACTORS AT A TIME WHEN THEY NEED HELP.

AND THEN THE CITY HAS BEEN GOOD AT RESPONDING TO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC.

UM, THIS DOES THE SAME THING.

IT GIVES PREFERENCE TO, TO LOCAL BID.

SECOND, IT'S THE INTENT OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF WORK.

AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE I AM, WHERE THE, THE HEART OF THIS IS, FOR ME, THE LOW BID REQUIREMENT HAS THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF POOR PERFORMANCE, WHICH IN THE LONG RUN INCREASES COSTS.

WE'VE ALL HEARD OF, UM, LOW BIDS THAT THEN COME BACK WITH CHANGE ORDERS, AND WE END UP GOING WAY OVER WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE.

UM, AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S NOT GOOD WORK.

AND, AND THEY'RE, WHILE SOMETIMES WE'RE IN LITIGATION WITH THESE, THESE COMPANIES, OR THEY WE'RE, WE'RE UNDERGOING A PROCESS WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE SHODDY WORKMANSHIP, THEY'RE GETTING ANOTHER BID, UM, THEY'RE BEING AWARDED ANOTHER BID, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RIGHT HAND.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THIS COMES FROM.

IT'S, UM, UH, THAT'S WHERE IT STEMMED FROM.

AND, UM, I'LL, I GUESS I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THAT, BUT, BUT COUNCILWOMAN IS RIGHT, UH, WITH, WITH THE LOW BID PROCESS, IT, WE, WE, WE GIVE THE CONTRACT TO THE PERSON WITH THE LOWEST BID TO THE, THE CONTRACTOR WITH THE LOWEST BID.

UH, OFTENTIMES WE DO HAVE ISSUES WITH THOSE, UH, MORE THAN WHEN WE DO THE, THE NORMAL R F P PROCESS.

UH, SO STAFF IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO REVIEW THIS PROCESS TO SEE IF WE CAN IMPROVE UPON IT.

UH, IF THERE IS A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THESE FOLKS IN TIMEOUT OR SUSPEND THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, WHILE THEY WORK ON THESE ISSUES, UH, WE'RE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

UH, SO WE RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS, UH, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

UH, TAKE IT THROUGH THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE, UH, BEFORE BRINGING IT TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

PERFORMANCE APPLIES EQUALLY, WHETHER IT'S LOCAL OR NON-LOCAL.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, ROD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB, HARVARD, I, I CERTAINLY SHARE, UH, YOUR DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE OF THOSE LOCAL DOLLARS FOR PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTS STAY WITHIN, UH, THE CITY, OUR OWN COMMUNITY, FOR NOT TO, NOT ONLY TO BENEFIT THE WORKMANSHIP, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CREATING AS MANY JOBS AS WE CAN AND PROVIDING AS MUCH LOCAL BENEFIT AS POSSIBLE TO HELP, UH, OUR, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

SO, UM, UH, WOULD FULLY SUPPORT IT.

MOVING TO THE COMMITTEES THAT WERE OUTLINED BY ROD, UH, ERIC, GO AHEAD.

JUST ONE THING I'LL ADD MAYOR, UH, AND, AND COUNSEL, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO THIS NOW AND, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THINK THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT, ESPECIALLY ON THE EVE OF A, OF A, OF A NEW FIVE-YEAR BOND PROGRAM, WILL BE CRITICAL TO KIND OF HAMMERING OUT THIS POLICY.

YOU KNOW, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT, UM, POOR

[00:05:01]

AND, UM, THERE ARE, UH, I, I CAN, ROD RAZZIE AND I HAD A CONVERSATION A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WITH A LOCAL CONTRACTOR WHO HAD CHALLENGES IN ONE DISTRICT.

UM, WE, UH, REMOVED THEM AND NOT, DID NOT RECOMMEND THEM ON A LOW BID PROJECT IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY.

UM, AND BECAUSE OF POOR PERFORMANCE, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, AS WE'VE TALKED, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU, YOU INITIATED THIS PRIOR TO COVID.

UM, WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT HOW HAVING THAT POLICY IN PLACE HELPS, I THINK, I THINK, UM, THE CONTRACTORS UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS, UH, ADDITIONALLY OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE CONTRACT FOR.

AND, UH, WE'RE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

GREAT.

THANKS, ERIC.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAI.

THANKS, MAYOR.

UH, I, YOU GOT MY VOTE ON THIS ONE.

THIS IS A, THIS IS, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO.

AND, YOU KNOW, ERIC AND I GOT TO WALK WITH RAZZIE DOWN DELA YOU REMEMBER THAT, UH, FOR OUR BOND PROJECT.

AND, YOU KNOW, E E ERIC SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF BUYING HEADACHES OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

AND I, I USE THAT LINE NOW, UH, OFTEN I DON'T ATTRIBUTE IT TO YOU, I PLAGIARIZE IT, YOU KNOW, WITH IMPUNITY.

BUT, UH, WE, UM, WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS ON THAT STREET, RIGHT? AND THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, A, UM, OF A GUY WHO I THINK HAD SOME OTHER BAD EXPERIENCES AROUND TOWN.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE ENDED UP DELAYING THE PROJECT BY ALMOST A YEAR, RIGHT? AND SO I MADE A PROMISE TO MY CONSTITUENTS, WE WILL NEVER HAVE THAT GUY WORK ON A PROJECT IN DISTRICT EIGHT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LOW COST POLICY IN PLACE, WE JUST MIGHT HAVE THAT GUY WORK ON A PROJECT IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

SO THAT, THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, I HELP THESE GUYS GO FIND, YOU KNOW, UH, WAYS TO IMPROVE.

AND ONE WAY TO IMPROVE IS TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD, BAD, UH, PERFORMANCE.

THE SECOND THING IS, IS I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PAY PEANUTS, YOU GET MONKEYS.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IN THIS INSTANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL GONNA, I, I KNOW ERIC, WE'RE STILL GONNA TRY TO FIND THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE, BUT NOW IT GIVES US ONE MORE TOOL TO, YOU KNOW, REFINE AND SCRUB FOR QUALITY AS, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE DOLLAR SAVINGS.

SO ANYWAY, YOU GOT MY SUPPORT AND, AND, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR BIDS.

I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S RAZZI HAS A LIST OVER THERE.

AND SO ABSENT OF POLICY, WE'RE STILL UTILIZING IT.

BUT I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S GOOD FROM A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE AND FROM THE CONTRACTOR'S PERSPECTIVE FOR US TO POINT BACK AT SOMETHING BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME COMPANIES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT WE DO NOT, WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DOING BUSINESS WITH.

RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE JUST HAD, WE'VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE.

UM, THE, THE BIDDERS PROJECT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT.

UM, AND, AND THE NEW CONTRACTOR AND DISTRICT SIX.

YEAH, WE HAD ON DISTRICT SIX ALSO, WE TERMINATE THE CONTRACTOR.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE NEW CONTRACTOR IS MOVING LIGHTSPEED OUT THAT PROJECT.

BUT, BUT I THINK THIS HELPS US ALL MOVE TO PROOF.

WELL, YOU, YOU MENTIONED AUDIT ACCOUNTABILITY, THE MEMO, IT SAYS TRANSPORTATION.

I THINK WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SWING BY AND BRIEF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR, OKAY.

SO, UH, RECOMMENDATION.

THERE'S A MOTION.

AND SECOND FOR MOVING THIS TO THE AUDIT ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, COMMITTEE WITH A BRIEFING, UH, TRANSPORTATION.

I'VE GOT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RO GARCIA NAMED COURAGE.

SO MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IT'S ALSO GONNA COME TO A B SESSION.

THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS ON THE MEMO ALSO.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, BUT I, IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I THINK A COUNCIL WILL MAKE FOR EVERY NEW, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK WE NEED A B SESSION FOR THAT ITEM.

JUST, WE, WE WE'RE GONNA GO TO AUDIT 'CAUSE IT'S A POLICY ISSUE.

AND THEN WE THOUGHT WE'D GO TO TRANSPORTATION SINCE THE BULK OF THESE CONTRACTS ARE GONNA BE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON, ON STREET.

SO, UH, WE THOUGHT WE'D SKIN IT THAT WAY AND THEN BRING IT TO COUNCIL AFTER THAT.

WONDERFUL.

RU THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

GIVE IT A 99 OR A 90, OR IT'S FINISHED, IT'LL WORK.

UH, YOU KNOW, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THIS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD AS A, AS A CONCERN.

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.

AND I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT IT'S GOING TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY REALLY LOOK AT HOW ALL OF THESE BIDS GO OUT AND, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE STRUCTURE OF HOW POINTS ARE AWARDED AND IF WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT FOR POINTS.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD COMMITTEE TO GO THROUGH.

UM, ONE QUESTION I HAVE, ROD, IS WHEN A, A JOB IS COMPLETED, I PRESUME THERE'S, UH, SOMEONE WHO IS THE MANAGER FOR THAT PARTICULAR JOB WHO GOES OUT AND LOOKS AT IT.

DO THEY GIVE A FINAL REPORT WITH ANY KIND OF A RATING THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS, THIS JOB WAS DONE A HUNDRED PERCENT, OR I WOULD

[00:10:01]

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ABOUT AN 80% GOOD JOB.

WE AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO NEEDS TO GO INTO THE RECORD FOR US TO LOOK AT COUNCILMAN.

WE DO A SCORECARD ON DESIGNER AND CONTRACTOR.

IF DESIGN IS NOT DONE PROPERLY ON TIME, GOOD QUALITY, WE YOU RATE THEM GOOD OR BAD.

AND ALSO FOR CONSTRUCTION, WE SCORE THEM.

ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR US TO TURN DOWN THE LOW BID CONTRACTOR IS A SCORECARD.

IF THEY GET BELOW 70%, WHICH IS, IF YOU ASSUME THE CLASSROOM PASSING GRADE, IF THEY ARE BELOW 70 GRADE, WE WILL NOT RECOMMENDING THEM TO CONSULT, TO APPROVE THAT CONTRACT.

EVEN THEY MAY BE LOW BIT 70%.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S ONE THING TO GIVE SOMEBODY A 70 FOR A MATH TEST, BUT FOR YOUR STREETS OR SIDEWALKS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, I, I WOULDN'T WANT ANYTHING LESS THAN A 90.

SO THAT'S JUST ME.

BUT I'M GLAD WE DO SCORE THEM AND MAYBE WE NEED TO UP OUR GAME ON SCORING TOO AND LET ALL THE CONTRACTORS KNOW THAT MM-HMM.

ANYWAY.

AND ALSO ON THE SENSITIVE PROJECT, BIG PROJECT COUNCIL MEMBER.

PLUS, IF WE HAD TO DO THAT PROJECT TODAY, WE WILL NOT BEAT THAT PROJECT LAW BIT.

I THINK THAT WAS A MAYBE NOT GOOD SELECTION FROM US.

WE WOULD GO COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL, AS YOU SAID, WHEN YOU ARE LOW BID, YOU GET THE CONTRACTOR, BASICALLY THEY CUT SO MUCH IS REALLY HARD TO ASK THEM TO PERFORM WITH THE LEVEL WE WANTED THEM TO PERFORM, ESPECIALLY ROADWAY LIKE DELA.

THAT'S OKAY.

RAZZY, I, I LOVE MY DELA THE WAY IT LOOKS NOW, AND YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB.

ALL RIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

UM, HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR, WHICH WILL, AGAIN, CODE TO THE PER THE COMMITTEES WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

GO NOW TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL

[2. Consideration and recommendation of applicants for the Southeast Quadrant of the San Antonio Water System Board of Trustees. [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk] (Part 1 of 2)]

ITEM TWO IS CONSIDERATION AND RECOMMENDATION OF APPLICANTS FOR THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

ALRIGHT, UM, WE HAVE TWO APPLICANTS, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS, ERIC ELIZONDO AND MARY LOU REYNA, UH, TO BE CONSIDERED, UH, ALONG WITH THE FIVE THAT WE PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED A FEW WEEKS AGO.

UM, DO WE HAVE BOTH, UM, APPLICANTS NOW HERE? JUST THE, JUST MR. ELIZONDO WAS NOT HERE.

MARY? UH, MARY LOU IS MARY LOU.

SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BRING MARY LOU BACK AND WE'LL HANDLE IT THE SAME WAY.

UH, CONFIRM TWICE LAST WEEK.

WE'VE NOT HEARD HIM AND WE'VE TRIED.

WE'RE REACHING OUT TO HIM.

UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, HEAR THE INTERVIEW.

WE'RE GONNA ALSO, UH, OPEN UP ITEM THREE AFTER THAT, AND THEN WE'LL BREAK INTO ONE EXEC FOR BOTH OF THOSE.

HELLO, MARY LOU.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR APPLICATION TO THE SAWS BOARD SOUTHEAST QUADRANT.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A PREVIOUS SESSION WHERE WE INTERVIEWED FIVE APPLICANTS, UM, UH, WHO, WHO APPLIED FOR THE SAME POSITION.

UH, WE DECIDED TO HOLD IT OPEN A LITTLE BIT WHILE, A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, SO WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER INTEREST IN, IN THE, UM, IN THE BOARD SEAT.

UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS, UM, YOU AND ONE OTHER PERSON WHO'VE DECIDED TO APPLY.

UH, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE APPLICANTS TODAY, THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICANTS YOURSELF, UM, INCLUDED.

UM, EVERYONE WILL HAVE, UH, TWO MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT.

WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND WITH, UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.

WE'LL BREAK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER.

UH, AND THEN WE WILL, WE'LL COME OUT WITH A DECISION ABOUT THE, THE BOARD SEAT.

SO, UH, WITH THAT YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

UNDERSTOOD.

UP THEIR ROOTS IN DISTRICT THREE.

THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, FOR ALLOWING ME TO INTERVIEW FOR THIS POSITION.

SO I'M MARY LOU RENA.

UM, I WAS NOT BORN, I WISH I COULD SAY THAT.

BORN AND RAISED IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT BORN IN, IN THE VALLEY, BUT MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO WHEN WE WERE, I WAS ONE, AND MY FAMILY SET

[00:15:01]

ALL OF US LIVE IN OR AROUND DISTRICT THREE.

WE DEFINITELY, MY FAMILY ALL LIVES IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT.

SO, UH, I AM A SS A I S D GRADUATE.

I AM A GRADUATE OF ST.

MARY'S UNIVERSITY, BOTH MY UNDERGRADUATE AND MY GRADUATES GROUP.

SO, UM, IF YOU READ MY APPLICATION, WHICH I HOPE SOME OF YOU DID, UM, I, YOU KNOW, AM VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN MY COMMUNITY.

I STATED THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PART OF BEING A GOOD CITIZEN, UH, GIVING BACK AND REPRESENTING, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY.

SO ALONG WITH MY EDUCATION, MY LEADERSHIP SKILLS, UM, I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, I'M A, I'M A CONSENSUS BUILDER.

I LIKE TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS.

I'M A GOOD LISTENER.

UH, I LISTEN TO ALL SIDES.

I KNOW THAT IN THIS KIND OF POSITION, I WOULD LISTEN NOT JUST TO MY NEIGHBORS, UH, NOT JUST TO OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, YOU KNOW, BUT BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE ALL HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE SUCCESS AND THE GROWTH OF THE CITY.

SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

I DO THAT.

NOW.

I'M ON THE BOARD AT THE PORT AUTHORITY.

I KNOW I REPRESENT DISTRICT THREE, BUT I LISTEN AND I TAKE IN ALL SIDES FROM ALL OVER THE CITY, UH, WHEN WE MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR THAT, FOR THAT BOARD.

SO, UM, I KNOW THAT I WOULD BE ANSWERING TO A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT FELT LIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEIR WATER IS IMPORTANT.

SO, UM, AGAIN, IF YOU READ MY RESUME, I DON'T WANNA REPEAT TOO, TOO MUCH, BUT I'VE, UH, CURRENTLY SERVING AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE B C F S SYSTEM.

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE B C F SS SYSTEM, WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING THE INNOVATION CENTER AT THE FREEMAN COLISEUM.

SO WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON.

UH, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS MY PRIDE AND JOY TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARY LOU.

MM-HMM.

AND, UM, WE WILL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS NOW.

I, I JUST WANTED TO START WITH ONE.

UM, AND, AND GIVEN YOUR BACKGROUND WITH B C F S AND EMERGENCY PLANNING, I WANTED TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, SORT OF THE TRAJECTORY OF WATER AND WATER SYSTEM, UM, IN SAN ANTONIO, AND NOT FROM THE EMERGENCY PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST MAYBE 20 YEARS TO DIVERSIFY THE WATER SUPPLY.

IN YOUR VIEW, WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE WATER SUPPLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? YEAH, AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, IT WAS THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.

EDWARDS AQUIFER.

EVERYBODY WAS, UH, TAKING FROM THE EDWARDS A AQUIFER, AND THEN WE HAD THE OTHER SIDE PROTECTING THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.

SO WE'VE COME TO A POINT WHERE, OF COURSE, DIVERSIFICATION IS SO IMPORTANT.

I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN IT.

IF YOU, UH, ARE LOOKING TO GROW ANYTHING, YOUR PORTFOLIO, YOU DIVERSIFY, YOU LOOK FOR OTHER WAYS.

YOU LOOK FOR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

YOU LOOK FOR YOUR KIDS, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA HAVE? AND IF WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IN 20 YEARS, THEN THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT SYSTEM.

SO I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR WATER SUPPLY.

I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE VISTA RIDGE ONLINE NOW, AND, AND THERE'S OTHER OPERATIONS.

I LOVE THE WORD, JUST THE WORD, UH, DESALINIZATION .

AND I REMEMBER HEARING THAT WHEN I WAS AT A AND M SAN ANTONIO TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THE WATER IN, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE, FROM THE COAST AND BUILDING A PIPELINE.

IT, IT'S FASCINATING AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

AND IF THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT, UM, I LOOK AT, I LOOK FORWARD TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY OUR WATER SYSTEM.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.

THANK YOU, UM, MAYOR FOR APPLYING.

I APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE PORT.

UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ACTUALLY RELATING TO THAT AND SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP RELATED TO SAWS.

AND SPECIFICALLY, ARE YOU AWARE ABOUT THE, UM, THE IMPACT ON THE MONTHLY BILLS DUE TO THE CHILLED WATER SYSTEM THAT NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT THE PORT? YES, I AM, UH, NOT FULLY, BUT YES, I DO HAVE SOME AWARENESS.

SO THERE'S ABOUT A 4% INCREASE.

SO THAT TRANSLATES TO, YES.

UM, PORT IS GONNA PAY $430 EXTRA A MONTH.

THE AIR FORCE GONNA PAY $1,985 EXTRA BOEING 1500 STANDARD ARROW 3,675.

UM, AND CRE LOY IS 1,460.

AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW, FROM THE MESSAGE, AND YOU'RE REALLY GOOD WITH MESSAGING, HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THAT TO THE, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE THIS 4% MONTHLY INCREASE FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY? CORRECT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A REALLY AMAZING, UH, PRESIDENT AND C E O AT THE PORT AUTHORITY.

AND SO HE WORKS A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THEM.

WE HAVE VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION.

UM, I HAVE NOT BEEN PRIVY TO A MEETING THAT HE'S HAD WITH THEM, MAYBE, BUT I WOULD NOT EXPECT ANYTHING LESS THAN A ONE-ON-ONE, UH, CONVERSATION WITH THESE FOLKS TO LET THEM KNOW.

AGAIN, I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WITH YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ROCHA GARCIA, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING, SO WHEN WE'RE PROVIDING SOMETHING

[00:20:01]

WE CAN JUSTIFY.

SO WE STAND BY WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, AND, UH, JIM SBA, WHO IS OUR PRESIDENT, AND C E O WILL SEND THAT MESSAGE TO THEM AS WELL.

WONDERFUL.

SO, AS PART OF THAT INCREASE, THERE'S CHILLER UPGRADES FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY CHILLERS.

THE SYSTEM IS 26 YEARS OLD.

UM, SO CHILLED WATER PUMPS, NEW ONES IN PARTICULAR, COOLING TOWER REHABS, PIPING AND COOLING, UH, TOWER DESIGN IS INCLUDED IN THERE IN THE CHILLED MOTOR REPLACEMENT.

BUT I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IS A JACOBS BUSINESS STRATEGY PROJECT.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH HOW THAT WILL WORK? OKAY.

NO, NO.

NO PROBLEM.

WELL, THEN I'LL, I'LL SKIP TO THE NEXT QUESTION.

UM, PORTS, UH, SO I, I AM DOING MY HOMEWORK TO PREPARE FOR TODAY'S MEETING.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH THE ATTORNEYS AT PORT, BECAUSE WHETHER, WHETHER, WELL, OUR ATTORNEYS DON'T SEEM TO THINK THAT THERE'S A CONFLICT WITH YOU REMAINING ON PORT MM-HMM.

, AND I WOULDN'T WANNA LOSE YOU ON THE PORT.

UM, BUT IF YOU ACCEPT, IF YOU, IF WE MOVED YOU THROUGH AND YOU WERE APPOINTED, THEN THE PORT ATTORNEYS SEEM TO THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THAT? OH, WELL, UM, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE TO ME.

I SPOKE TO MY BOARD CHAIR.

I SPOKE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE THAT APPOINTED ME TO THE PORT, UH, BOARD.

AND, UM, SHE WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY ON, AND THAT IS OUR BOARD CHAIR, CHRIS .

UM, AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD RUN IT BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE, WHERE THE MIXUP MIGHT BE.

UH, SHE DEFINITELY WANTED ME TO STAY ON, ON BOARD, UH, UNTIL THE INNOVATION CENTER WAS OPEN, WHICH IS NEXT SPRING.

UM, BUT AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE I WOULDN'T WANNA DO ANYTHING THAT THE ATTORNEYS DIDN'T FEEL LIKE, UH, WAS, UH, PROTOCOL.

UH, BUT HER INTENTION WAS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP ME ON.

SURE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, I'M SERVING BOTH BOARDS AT THE BEST CAPACITY.

SO IF IT'S TURNS OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TIME-WISE, IF I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DAYS IN THE WEEK TO WORK AND ATTEND MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER THING TO, TO DISCUSS.

BUT, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS OKAY WITH IT, BUT I THINK IT WAS THE PORT, UM, OKAY.

UH, A LEGAL TEAM THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT, UM, WORRIED ABOUT IT.

AND AGAIN, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE DONE A GREAT SERVICE TO THE PORT, I TALKED TO EVERYBODY, AND SO I JUST TRIED TO PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME.

SO I, I, I MAY HAVE MADE A, A COUPLE OF CALLS TO DOUBLE CHECK.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR, UM, WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, AND THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HDA.

THANK YOU FOR APPLYING.

MARY LOU.

UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT UNIQUE SKILL SET YOU'D BRING TO THE BOARD THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY BEING REPRESENTED? WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS, I'VE BEEN, UM, LOOKING AT, AND READING AND REVIEWING THE BOARD.

UH, AND CURRENT BOARD IS BASICALLY STELLAR .

I MEAN, THEY COULD CONTINUE GOING ON WITHOUT ME.

UH, BUT WHAT'S REALLY MISSING IS, UH, DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT REPRESENTATION, THAT'S WHAT STANDS OUT TO ME.

I'VE WATCHED SEVERAL BOARD MEETINGS, AND IN THE BOARD MEETINGS, THERE'S AN EMPTY CHAIR THERE, AND THERE'S SOMEONE SPEAKING ABOUT PROJECTS GOING ON IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT.

UM, I DO HAVE A SKILLSET FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, MARKETING, UM, MEDIA RELATIONS.

UM, I'M NOT AFRAID TO BE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA WITH A MICROPHONE WHEN SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, CRISIS COMMUNICATION.

UH, BUT I DON'T, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF EVERYONE ON THAT BOARD ALSO HAS THAT EXPERIENCE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING MISSING PER SE, BUT THAT'S A SPECIAL SKILLSET THAT I'VE LEARNED TO, UH, TO DEAL WITH, UM, OVER, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS OF MY CAREER.

SO, AGAIN, UM, I FEEL LIKE ALSO SOME BACKGROUND IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WHEN I READ THE, UH, THE WEATHER REPORT, THE WINTER STORM REPORT.

AND I SEE ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE, THE MAYOR HAS, UH, STARTED THE, UH, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE AND, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY FOR THEIR, UH, IF, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS AGAIN, I KNOW WHAT SOME OF THOSE ACRONYMS ARE, THE E O C, THE JIC, AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO I BRING THAT TALENT TO THE, TO THE BOARD AS WELL.

COUNCIL MEMBER KIO.

HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER ELAS.

SO, UM, TWO THINGS.

YOU WERE CUT OFF, UH, BY THE, BY THE CHIME YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT B CS.

US AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE OFFICES IN SOME THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES WHERE WE'RE OFFERING FOSTER CARE, FAMILY CARE, UH, ADOPTION.

UM, WHAT, WHAT IS IT YOU ARE DOING FOR BCFS? SO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIG PROBLEMS? SO, I AM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS.

UH, I MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR MESSAGING, OUR BRANDING IS OUT THERE.

IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF B C F SS, THERE'S A REASON, THERE'S A RATIONALE BECAUSE WE TRY TO STAY UNDER THE RADAR.

UM, OUR PRESIDENT AND C E O HAS GROWN THIS ORGANIZATION, FROM WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, IT WAS AN ORPHANAGE.

IT STARTED AS AN ORPHANAGE IN 1944 FOR A FEW, UH, YOUNG MEXICAN GIRLS THAT WEREN'T ALLOWED INTO THE REGULAR ORPHANAGE.

UH, BUT HE HAS GROWN IT INTO, UH, AN INTERNATIONAL, UH, NONPROFIT.

WE HAVE, UH, OFFICES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN THE

[00:25:01]

AND THEN AGAIN, MOST RECENTLY IS OUR, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION.

WHAT DO YOU USE? SO, SO I MESSAGE IT.

I MESSAGE IT.

LEMME TAKE A DRINK OF WATER.

YEAH, RIGHT.

EXCUSE ME.

SO, MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE I, I MONITOR THE MEDIA.

I MAKE SURE THAT OUR BRAND AND OUR REPUTATION ARE IN LINE.

UH, I WORK WITH OUR REPUTATION MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, HAVE AN EXCELLENT ONLINE REPUTATION, OR WE MANAGE OUR ONLINE REPUTATION.

I DO ALL THE PR, SO WE DO PRESS RELEASES.

WE HAVE A, LIKE YOU HAVE S A T V, WE HAVE B C F S TV.

SO I DO A LOT OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS.

WE HAVE OVER 5,000 EMPLOYEES ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEIR, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT HEADQUARTERS IN SAN ANTONIO IS NOT THE ONLY STORY TO TELL.

SO WE DO THAT.

I WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS FOLKS.

I WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR RESIDENTIAL FOLKS.

UH, WE HAVE THE OPERATIONS IN CARRIZO SPRINGS RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE COME IN WITHOUT, UH, THEIR PARENTS IN THE, UH, THE SHELTER THERE IN CARRIZO SPRINGS.

SO I MANAGE THE MEDIA THERE, AND WE MANAGE, UM, AGAIN, UH, OUR GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.

WE DO MEDIA TOURS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SO THAT'S MY ROLE AT THE, AT THE, UH, SYSTEM.

UM, THE, THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE, AND, AND I'LL PREFACE IT BY TELLING YOU, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR A RATE INCREASE, BUT I'M JUST GONNA ASK ABOUT IT.

'CAUSE IT, IT'S GONNA COME UP EVENTUALLY, RIGHT? SURE.

AND, UH, IF YOU'RE A BOARD MEMBER, UM, AND ROBERT PUENTE COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, WE NEED A RATE INCREASE, RIGHT.

UM, WHAT IS IT YOU NEED TO SEE BEFORE MAKING THAT DECISION UP OR DOWN? RIGHT.

RIGHT.

SO THE RATE INCREASE IS, IT'S OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THE TALK OF IT.

I SAW THE LAST BOARD MEETING, YOU KNOW, UH, THE CHAIR, UH, JAINE, BURLEY HAD TO KIND OF CORRECT.

THERE IS NOT A RATE INCREASE OUT THERE.

PEOPLE SURE.

WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT.

BUT, UM, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD THINK OF IS, WHAT DO WE PAY SO MUCH MONEY FOR? RIGHT NOW? EVERYBODY'S PAYING FOR THEIR CELL PHONE UPGRADES, EVERYBODY'S PAYING FOR THEIR, UH, CABLE UPGRADES.

WHAT IS SAWS PROVIDING THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, TOUTING MAYBE IS IS A GOOD WORD, THAT WE'RE NOT BRAGGING ABOUT THAT, WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR.

SO WHAT I WOULD WANNA SEE FROM ROBERT ENTIN, I'VE READ A LOT OF AMAZING THINGS THAT SAS IS DOING FROM COST SAVING INITIATIVES, UH, WATER SAVING INITIATIVES, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE ONE AND THE SAME, UH, YOU KNOW, STATE OF THE ART I SAW.

AND, UM, I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE ELSE ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, FRONTLINE WORKERS, 24 HOUR RESPONSE ON, ON THINGS.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAD FRONTLINE WORKERS DURING THE, THE WINTER STORM.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PROVIDED IN THEIR SERVICE.

UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THOSE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE WATER SUPPLY, SO THAT IN 20 YEARS OUR KIDS WILL STILL HAVE WATER.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE BRAGGING POINTS FROM, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION AND PACKAGE THAT WITH ALSO ALL THE DATA.

WHY DO WE NEED A RATE INCREASE? WHY OUR NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, PEOPLE ARE PAYING MORE, INFLATION IS HITTING, YOU KNOW, ALL AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, UM, OR THE WORLD.

AND SO THOSE DATA, THAT, THOSE NUMBERS WOULD NEED TO COME.

BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS WELL.

BECAUSE I THINK WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR, AGAIN, YOU PROBABLY PAY TWICE AS MUCH, THREE TIMES AS MUCH FOR YOUR CABLE BILL.

IS IT AS IMPORTANT AS WATER? SO WHY, WHY WOULDN'T WE WANNA BRAG ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL? SO, OKAY.

AND I, I NOTICED ANDY SEGOVIA IS HERE.

'CAUSE ROCHA WAS ASKING SOME REALLY TOUGH QUESTIONS.

THEY CALLED YOU RIGHT.

, THEY HAD TO TAG IN.

BUT, UM, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE ISSUE THAT, UM, OF, OF LEGAL COMPLIANCE MM-HMM.

RIGHT.

AND MEETING OUR NEEDS, UH, WHEN IT, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE CONSENT DECREES THAT WE'VE GOT REGARDING SEWAGE YEAH.

AND ALL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A HARD THING FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.

RIGHT.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE YOU AWARE OF, OF WHAT IT IS I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT? AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HAS ANYBODY READ YOU INTO THE, THE CONSENT DECREE CONVERSATIONS? NO.

NO.

SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT SURE.

PROBABLY BE NUMBER ONE RIGHT BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.

THANKS, MAYOR.

COUNCIL, , IT ALL TIED UP IN THE MASK, , LIKE WE ALL DO.

THAT ARE PUTTING THEMSELVES ON THE LINE.

UH, THANK YOU MS. REYNA.

I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING YOUR NAME FORWARD, COMING OUT AND TALKING WITH US TODAY AND LETTING US LO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU.

UM, HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO ANY WATER ISSUES THAT YOU THINK NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? YOU KNOW, I, I APPLAUD, I APPLAUD FOLKS

[00:30:01]

I THINK, AGAIN, I HATE TO BRING IT UP.

YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD IT EVERY MEETING, EVERYTHING, THE WINTER STORM, YOU KNOW, WATER ISSUES, UM, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.

YOU KNOW, A ROBUST EMERGENCY PLAN TO KEEP THOSE, THOSE WATER PIPES THAT ARE ON THE TOP OF THE, ON TOP OF THE GROUND, UH, WARM.

THOSE ARE THE WATER ISSUES LIKE IMMEDIATE THAT I WOULD SEE.

UM, AGAIN, THE MAYORS TALKED ABOUT DIVERSIFICATION OF THE WATER SUPPLY, AND I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT EFFORTS ALREADY IN PLACE.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT FOR THE IMMEDIATE, YOU KNOW, BUT I BET I'M GONNA LEARN A LOT IF I WAS TO BE CHOSEN OF, OF A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT MAY BE, UM, HAPPENING WITHIN THE, THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM.

BUT FOR ME, I MEAN, I WAS LOOKING AT THAT IMMEDIATELY.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN I MENTIONED THAT I WAS GONNA BE, UM, ON THE BOARD.

THEY'RE LIKE, OH, THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FROZEN PIPES.

SO, SURE.

UM, ON THE IMMEDIATE NEED LIST, I WOULD SAY LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, NOT JUST LIKE LESSONS LEARNED, BUT ACTUALLY ACTING ON THOSE LESSONS LEARNED.

UH, ARE THERE ANY SAWS PROBLEMS THAT YOU'VE EVER WONDERED ABOUT? I, NO.

I THINK, UM, I HAD, UH, AGAIN, TALKED ABOUT ALL THIS, UM, CONCERN WITH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND WHEN IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.

I REMEMBER, I MEAN, I'M GONNA DATE MYSELF, BUT I MEAN, I WAS A CHILD.

I REMEMBER HEARING IT, AND IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

UM, AND SO, NO, I, I THINK IF WE'VE LOOKED INTO THE FUTURE TO WHERE WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE, THAT'S GROWING, UH, YOU KNOW, SECOND LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE AND, UH, THE POPULATION GROWTH, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE, THOSE THAT HAS ALWAYS KIND OF STUCK WITH ME.

AND I REMEMBER I WORKED WITH SOMEBODY YEARS AGO THAT WAS ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER BOARD AND WAS JUST VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WATER.

AND I APPLAUD THOSE FOLKS, AND I, I THINK THEY BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION TO WHAT IT NEEDED.

AND SO, WHICH LED TO OUR DIVERSIFICATION.

YOU KNOW, SAS HAS BEEN OWED 50 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS IN UNPAID WATER BILLS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ABOUT COVERING THOSE EXPENSES? WELL, I WAS LISTENING TO, UM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE, BELIEVE SHE'S THE VP OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, MARY BAILEY.

UM, IN ONE OF THE LAST BOARD MEETINGS, THEY HAVE A VERY, ALSO VERY ROBUST PLAN ON COLLECTING ON SOME OF THOSE, UM, PAST DUE.

UM, I KNOW SHE'S WORKING ON EVERY ANGLE, YOU KNOW, FROM POSTCARDS TO TEXT MESSAGING TO, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE COMING UP CLOSE.

I MEAN, I THINK NEXT WEEK THEY'RE GONNA START CUTTING OFF WATER.

HER BIG ISSUE IS THAT SHE WAS SAYING THAT A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE IN THOSE BUILDINGS ANYMORE.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE HOMES BECAUSE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN PIPE BREAKINGS AND, AND, UH, THEY MAY HAVE LOST THEIR BUSINESS DUE TO COVID.

UM, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ONE MAGIC ANSWER.

I MEAN, I KNOW OUR BOARD, THE BOARD THAT WAS TALKING AMONGST, UM, THEMSELVES WHEN THEY, UH, SHE MADE THE PRESENTATION WAS THEY WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT HADN'T SHOWN UP TO START PAYING THEIR BILLS.

BUT, UM, AGAIN, I THINK THERE MAY BE ANOTHER LAYER THAT WE HAVEN'T PEELED BACK ABOUT WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.

SO, DO I HAVE A MAGIC ANSWER? NO, BUT, UM, WHEN YOU TURN OFF SOMEBODY'S WATER, I BET THEY'RE GONNA PAY.

BUT THE, AN THE QUESTION IS, ARE THEY STILL THERE? AND SO HOW ARE WE GONNA, HOW ARE WE GONNA REACH THEM FOR PAST DUE? OKAY.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL MAKES FINAL DECISIONS ABOUT RATES, BUT THOSE RATES COME FROM THE UTILITIES.

THEY COME FROM THE BOARD MM-HMM.

UH, BUT THE BOARD GETS INPUT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, UH, ABOUT RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES THAT THE BOARD HAS? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THEIR ROLE, THEIR FUNCTION? WELL, I MEAN, I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE THE END ALL BE ALL, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE TAKEN UNDER ADVISEMENT.

I'M HOPING THAT THEY ARE PROVIDED THE DATA.

LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN PALAI SAID, WHAT DID, WHAT DID THEY ASK, UH, YOU KNOW, MR. PUENTE FOR WHEN THEY WENT INTO THEIR, UM, MEETINGS AND WHAT ARE THEY GONNA SHOW THE BOARD? AND SO WE CAN ASK FOR ADDITIONAL, WE CAN ASK, WE CAN CHOOSE TO SUPPORT THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY OPEN-MINDED AND I LOOK AT ALL SIDES.

SO I WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE RATE ADVISORY BOARDS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT THE END ALL BE ALL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT THE STAMP OF APPROVAL, BUT THEY COULD BRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

UH, THAT MAY BE, AGAIN, SOME BOARD MEMBERS DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO DELVE INTO IT, UH, DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE.

AND SO IF THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THAT COMMITTEE, UM, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL.

AS LONG AS IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE END ALL, BE ALL STAMP OF APPROVAL COMMITTEE.

COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARY LOU, FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND FOR YOUR INTERVIEW.

UH, WE WILL COME BACK, UH, FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, SESSION WITH A,

[00:35:01]

UH, WITH OUR DECISION.

UM, DO WE, DO WE HAVE ERIC ELIZONDO YET? WE DO NOT.

IF WE CAN GO AHEAD, UH, MADAM CLERK CAN GO INTO ITEM THREE.

UH, WELL, WE WILL HOLD OUR DELIBERATION UNTIL, UM, AFTER WE HEAR ITEM THREE THEN.

SO WE CAN JUST HAVE ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[3. Consideration of Applicant for the SA: Ready to Work Advisory Board [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk] (Part 1 of 2)]

ITEM THREE IS CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANT FOR THE ESSAY READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD.

UH, ERIC, IS THIS YOU PRESENTATION? MIKE, DO THIS, MIKE.

OH, I DIDN'T EVEN SEE MIKE BACK THERE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, .

HI, YOU'RE BEHIND THE PILLAR.

YES, SIR.

COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.

WELL, MIKE, UH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TODAY AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THE APPOINTMENT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD OF DR.

EVANS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD.

UM, JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT OUR READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, UM, TO VALIDATE, UM, OUR, UH, TRAINING PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED TO IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS.

UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE ARE PREPARING THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE CERTIFICATES AND DEGREES THAT ARE IN DEMAND.

SO WE DON'T BUILD A BRIDGE TO NOWHERE, BUT A BRIDGE TO WELL PAYING GOOD JOBS SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY.

UM, THAT'S THE, THE MAJOR FUNCTION THAT THIS ADVISORY BOARD HAS FOR US.

UM, AND THEY ALSO SERVE AS COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ABREAST OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, AND SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS OF HOW HARD THE CITY IS WORKING TO HELP ITS CITIZENS TO ACHIEVE UPWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY.

SO OUR CURRENT READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, UM, WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UM, DR.

DAPHNE CARSON.

UM, WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE TRADE AND LABOR REPRESENTATIVE, UM, DOUG MCMURRAY.

WE HAVE LOCAL EMPLOYERS, BEN PEEVY, UM, PETER, JOHN HOLT.

UM, WE'VE GOT, UM, ROSA SANTANA AND, UM, OF COURSE SONYA GARZA.

UM, REPRESENTING A VERY DIVERSE SEGMENT OF EMPLOYERS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

UM, OUR WORKFORCE PARTICIPANTS, UH, EMILY SPERLOCK, WHO IS A REGISTERED NURSE.

AND WE GOT OUR CHAIR, JERRY GRABBER, UM, OF LEONARD CONTRACTING, UM, AND THE VACANCY THAT WE'RE FEELING AS FAR OUR HIGHER EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, WE HAVE OUR TWO APPOINTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY ELAS AND COUNCIL, UH, WOMAN, DR.

ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND NOW WE HAVE DR.

THOMAS EVANS, UM, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD, UM, HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

UM, PRIOR TO THAT, UM, DR.

EVANS SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN CI CIVIC POLICY IN AUSTIN.

UM, AND, UH, HE WAS A MEMBER OF THEIR, UH, WORKFORCE BOARD, UH, WAS ON THEIR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE.

UM, AND THERE HE LED PROGRAMS THAT WERE OF WORKFORCE TRAINING NATURE FOR, UH, THE UNIVERSITY THERE, ST.

EDWARDS.

UM, AND, UM, HE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN ENSURING THAT THERE WERE CAREER PATHWAYS, UH, THAT LED FROM MICRO-CREDENTIALS THROUGH, UM, THEIR DEGREE PROGRAMS. UM, AND HE HAS TAKEN THAT WORKFORCE BACKGROUND AS THEN IMPLEMENTED THERE.

UM, AT U I W, UM, I MET WITH HIM LAST WEEK AND THEY HAVE A ROBUST OFFERING OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS AS THEY'RE SEEKING TO EXPAND IN ORDER TO MEET THE LOCAL WORKFORCE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

HE HAS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND, UH, WE THINK HE'D BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH IS OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO APPOINT DR.

THOMAS EVANS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD TO FILL THE VACANT TRAINING AND HIGHER EDUCATION SEAT FOR THE SA READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MIKE, UH, FOR THE, UH, TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE A LITTLE BIT, UH, AND FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, ARE THERE, SO WE ARE GONNA DELIBERATE ON BOTH ITEM TWO AND ITEM THREE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT ON ITEM THREE, IS THERE ANY QUESTION OR ANY QUESTIONS FOR MIKE OR, OR ANYONE ELSE ABOUT PROCESS OR HOW WE, UH, GOT HERE? AND MAYOR, I, I HAVE TO ADD THAT HE INTERVIEWED BEFORE THIS PANEL BACK IN FEBRUARY, AND, UM, AND WE'RE BRINGING HIM FORWARD NOW TO FILL THE VACANCY THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY OPENED UP ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.

WELL, THE TIME IS NOW 3:50 PM ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2021.

CONFRONTED GOVERNANCE.

[00:40:01]

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WILL NOW HAVE RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT EVALUATION AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS IN TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.

ALL RIGHT.

THE TIME IS NOW 4:15 PM ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2021, AND THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.

NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[2. Consideration and recommendation of applicants for the Southeast Quadrant of the San Antonio Water System Board of Trustees. [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk] (Part 2 of 2)]

UH, SO LET ME START WITH ITEM NUMBER TWO.

UM, AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA WITH A MOTION.

I MOVE THAT WE RECOG THAT WE RECOMMEND MARILU REINA FOR AN APPOINTMENT BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE REMAINDER OF AN UNEXPIRED TERM OF OFFICE ENDING ON MAY 31ST, 2022.

THERE WAS A MOTION, WAS THERE A SECOND? THERE WAS A SECOND.

HIS RECOMMENDATION GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ITS FULL APPROVAL.

SO, UH, THAT WILL APPEAR, I BELIEVE, TENTATIVELY FOR OCTOBER 21ST, 2021.

AND, AND LET ME JUST SAY, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, MARYLU, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION.

I DO WANNA ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE APPLICANTS WHO PUT THEIR NAME FORWARD, UH, FOR SSS BOARD OF TRUSTEE.

THIS IS A, A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY, PARTICULARLY THIS TIME, AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

OBVIOUSLY, UH, THESE ARE NOT EASY DECISIONS TO MAKE.

UH, AND FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT ADVANCE, WE OBVIOUSLY WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, CONTINUED, UM, SERVICE TO THE CITY IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, THROUGH, UH, VARIOUS, UH, ADVISORY BOARDS AT SAWS OR THROUGH OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT WE DO WANT TO HELP CONNECT YOU BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT, OR AT LEAST, UM, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE, BUT I THOUGHT THAT THE APPLICANTS, UM, AND THEIR INTERVIEWS AND, UH, PACKAGES WERE VERY WELL QUALIFIED AND WE WOULD BE BENEFITED, UH, AS A COMMUNITY FROM THEIR SERVICE.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO, UM, PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD TO APPLY FOR THE SAWS, UH, OPEN POSITION.

UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN.

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER THREE AND, UH, LET ME RECOGNIZE MEMBER BARCHA GARCIA.

SO, UH, THE AYES HAVE IT, THERE WILL BE FOUR, UH, AYES, ONE ABSTENTION, AND, UM, OKAY.

[3. Consideration of Applicant for the SA: Ready to Work Advisory Board [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk] (Part 2 of 2)]

I MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL THE APPROVAL OF DR.

THOMAS EVANS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WARD TO FILL THE VACANT TRAINING HIGHER EDUCATION SEAT ON THE ESSAY READY TO WORK BOARD AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL.

MEET AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED ON OCTOBER 21ST.

THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UM, CONSIDERATION OF DR.

TOM EVANS FOR THE OPEN HIGHER EDUCATION SEAT ON THE READY TO WORK ESSAY, READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD.

ANY DISCUSSION? UH, I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU TO DR.

MATSON FOR HER SERVICE ON THAT BOARD, UH, THROUGH THE APPLICATION OR, OR THROUGH THE VACANCY MADE AVAILABLE.

I THINK WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WE WANTED TO SEE ON THE BOARD IF THERE WAS A, AN OPPORTUNITY ANYWAYS.

UH, AND SO WE'RE REALLY GLAD THAT, UM, DR.

EVANS IS GONNA BRING HIS VAST EXPERIENCE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO THE SA READY TO WORK ADVISORY BOARD, UM, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS CONFIRMATION, WHICH WILL OCCUR THIS, UH, THURSDAY.

SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.