[00:00:01]
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
IF YOU CAN BEGIN TO QUIET THE CONVERSATION AND TAKE YOUR SEATS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
THE NINE THE TIME IS 9:18 AM WE'RE GONNA CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA TO ORDER.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO PRESENTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
THE TIME IS 9:18 AM ON THIS 21ST DAY OF OCTOBER, 2021.
OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS NOW IN ORDER.
[1. Invocation]
AND START.UH, LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER S TO WELCOME OUR IN VINDICATOR.
I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
TODAY I'M PROUD TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY FRIENDS, THE STUDENTS OF THE NISHAN ACADEMY, WHO ARE GONNA LEAD US IN PRAYER.
THE NISHAN ACADEMY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2010 AS PART OF THE SIKH CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO AS A YOUTH CENTRIC PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES YEAR ROUND INSTRUCTION IN THE AREAS OF SEEK HISTORY, SEEK CULTURE, AND GA.
THE THE MISSION OF THE ACADEMY IS TO EMBODY SIKH TEACHINGS AND THE VALUES OF GUANA WHILE NOURISHING THE MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF SIKHS.
AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO HAVE THE STUDENTS HERE TODAY.
I'M GONNA INTRODUCE YOU TO THE CHILDREN, ONE BY ONE, RA MANAT SGA AVNI SINGH.
LIN KAUR, IKA CHUUK JALINE SGA ARAB KAUR SINE KAUR RI KAUR, JAIN, KAUR AND CHU.
BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY, LET US FOCUS INTERNALLY TO OUR JOKE, THE LIGHT THAT HAS BEEN PLACED WITHIN EACH OF US BY THE CREATOR
THERE IS ONE GUY, SATNAM, WHOSE NAME IS TRUTH, GAR UCK, THE CREATOR OF ALL KNIT BALL, BALL BEYOND FEAR,
A, A JOURNEY OUTSIDE THE CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH.
SEVEN, SEVEN, SELF EXISTING GOOD PERSON, GOOD PERSON.
LET US PRAY WITH THE GOODY'S BLESSING.
WE START THIS PRAYER IN GRATITUDE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO TRUTH AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES, SO THAT WE MAY LIVE REALLY TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE EARTH WE STAND ON, WHICH WAS ONCE THE TRIBAL LANDS OF THE KOWA
[00:05:01]
UA AND COUNTLESS OTHER UNNAMED FIRST PEOPLES.THANK YOU FOR THE CITY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND FOR ALL THE DIVERSITY AND GOODNESS WITHIN IT.
PLEASE GUIDE ALL THOSE IN THIS COUNCIL AND STAFF AS THE SERVANTS OF YOUR DIVINE WILL.
AND BY YOUR GRACE, LET THEM WORK TOGETHER AS FELLOW TEXANS SO THEY CAN DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.
PLEASE GIVE THEM THE STRENGTH, ENERGY, AND GOODWILL TO PUT IN THEIR BEST EFFORT TO MAKE THIS A NOURISHING, EQUITABLE, AND SUCCESSFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
AND GUIDE THEM WITH COMPASSION AS THEY WORK TODAY.
MAY ALL PEOPLE BE LOVED AND RESPECTED AND GIVEN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING HEALTH, SAFETY, HAPPINESS, AND PROSPERITY, NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT FOR MANY FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR BLESSING THIS ASSEMBLY WITH YOUR GRACE AND GUIDANCE.
MAY ALL SPIRITS BE UPLIFTED AND EXALTED BY OUR NAME, WITH PRAYERS OF PEACE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TWO WITCHES STANDS, ONE NATION.ALRIGHT, OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY FOR ACTION IS THE CITY COUNCIL
[3. Approval of minutes from City Council Meetings of September 9, 2021 and September 15, 2021.]
MEETING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 9TH AND 15TH, 2021.I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE MINUTES.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
MINUTES SEPTEMBER NINE AND 15, 20 21.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
[Additional Item]
TODAY, UH, ON OUR AGENDA, THERE ARE A FEW, UM, GUESTS THAT WE WANNA RECOGNIZE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.AND I'LL GO FIRST, UH, BY ASKING THE LEADERSHIP OF SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE TO PLEASE STAND AND COME FORWARD.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, WHICH WAS RECENTLY NAMED THE NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE NATION, HONORED WITH A $1 MILLION ASPEN PRIZE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXCELLENCE.
JOINING US, UH, FROM THE ALAMO COLLEGES, UH, IN OUR SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE LEADERSHIP, UH, OUR STAFF, UH, ALSO BOARD, UH, WE HAVE OUR, OUR, UH, CHAIRMAN, GENE SPRAGUE, OUR VICE CHAIR YVONNE KATZ, OUR BOARD MEMBER JOE ALDRETE.
WE HAVE OUR PRESIDENT ROBERT VELA, AND WE HAVE THE ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE STAFF WHO HAVE JOINED US TODAY.
AND, AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO UPLIFT, UH, ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE.
THIS AWARD IS JUST THE LATEST SUCCESS IN THE ALAMO COLLEGES WHO HAVE ACHIEVED, UH, RECOGNITION IN THE ASPEN PROGRAM.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE ASPEN PRIZE WAS AWARDED 2019 AND 2021.
ONE OF THE, THE ALAMO COLLEGES HAS PLACED FIRST OR SECOND, AND MOST OF OUR COLLEGES HAVE BEEN IN THE TOP 10%.
THESE RECOGNITIONS ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE ALAMO COLLEGE'S ACHIEVEMENT AND STUDENT SUCCESS.
THE ASPEN PRIZE HONORS COMMUNITY COLLEGES WHO HAVE REACHED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT IN SIX AREAS, TEACHING AND LEARNING, CERTIFICATE AND DEGREE COMPLETION TRANSFER, AND BACHELOR'S ATTAINMENT, WORKFORCE SUCCESS, EQUITY FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR AND STUDENTS FROM LOW INCOME BACKGROUNDS, AND FINALLY, LEADERSHIP AND INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I'M PROUD TO PRESENT THE CITATION TO THE SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE IN HONOR OF WINNING YOUR 2021 ASPEN PRIZE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXCELLENCE.
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES YOUR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THOSE SIX AREAS AND YOUR DEDICATION TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING DEGREE COMPLETION BY DEVELOPING A CARING CULTURE, UNDERGIRDED BY A ROBUST CULTURE OF INQUIRY AND ACTION IS TRULY WORTHY OF COMMENDATION.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NURENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL, PROUDLY EXTENDS SINCERE APPRECIATION OF THE SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE ON THIS OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT
[00:10:01]
AND OFFER BEST WISHES FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.CONGRATULATIONS TO SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO TO TOP THAT NEXT YEAR, BUT WE EXPECT THAT THEY WILL.
UM, NOW I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ TO ALSO RECOGNIZE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS WE HAVE TODAY.
I WANTED TO UTILIZE THIS POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE OMEGA SCI-FI FRATERNITY INCORPORATED FOR THEIR 20 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE ADOPT A SPOT PROGRAM HOSTED BY OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE GROUP COLLECTED OVER A TON OF TRASH THAT'S OVER 2000 POUNDS, OVER 2000 POUNDS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS.
AND IT'S DUE TO THE HARD WORK OF THE BROTHERS OF OMEGA SCI-FI THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY MAINTAIN EAST SIDE STREETS AND DRAINAGE AREAS DURING THE SCHEDULED MOWING AND STREET SWEEPING, AGAIN, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE BROTHERS OF OMEGA SCI-FI FOR OVER 20 YEARS OF HARD WORK AND SERVICE TO THE DISTRICT TWO COMMUNITY.
WE VALUE YOU AND WE THANK YOU, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND.
UH, NOW LET ME RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA FOR A POINT OF PERSON PRIVILEGE.
TODAY I INVITE, UH, JUDGE PETER AKA TO COME UP TO THE, UM, THE PODIUM.
PLEASE, UH, JUDGE PETER AKA WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE BENCH AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
JUDGE AKA HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY IN SOMETIMES QUIET ADVOCACY.
HE HAS HIS EFFORTS TO HELP VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND DAY-TO-DAY WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY.
DOESN'T ALWAYS GET THE HEADLINES, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY HAS CHANGED CHILDREN'S LIVES.
JUDGE SAKA IS A LONGHORN, UH, GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY AT TEXAS
FROM THE START OF HIS CAREER, HE'S BEEN A CHAMPION OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND WELLBEING.
IN 1981, HE WAS APPOINTED CHIEF OF THE JUVENILE SECTION OF THE DA'S OFFICE.
1995 WAS A 1995, WAS APPOINTED TO THE BEXAR COUNTY CHILDREN'S COURT, AND IN 2006, ELECTED TO THE 225TH DISTRICT COURT.
HE'S BEEN REELECTED THREE TIMES IN THAT TIME.
[00:15:01]
HE'S LED WITH DETERMINATION AND NEW IDEAS TO END CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT TO END FAMILY VIOLENCE.AND THAT'S BEEN HIS GREATEST IMPACT, CHALLENGING US AS A COMMUNITY TO FIND NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO HELP CHILDREN AND KEEP THEIR FAMILIES TOGETHER.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE RESULT OF HIS WORK, A CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES BUILDING, THE BEXAR COUNTY CHILDREN'S COURT TO BE A MODEL FOR THE NATION, THE INNOVATIVE FAMILY DRUG TREATMENT COURT, AND THE OUTSIDE THE BOX FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCING PROJECT THAT PROVIDES FAMILY WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALING.
NOT TOO LONG AGO, HE DEVELOPED THE INFANTS AND TODDLERS COURT, WHICH WE CALL BABY COURT THAT LOOKS OUT FOR BABIES AND THEIR FAMILIES AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR LIVES.
HE'S BEEN A STALWART FIGHTER AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ESTABLISHING THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THE LIST OF AWARDS HE'S RECEIVED IS JUST AS LONG WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL RECOGNITIONS.
THERE'S ONE THING I WANT TO BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S AN ISSUE THAT I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT.
JUDGE AKA'S WORK HAS INCLUDED PRESIDING OVER CASES OF FOSTER CHILDREN WITHOUT PLACEMENT, AND HE RECENTLY BROUGHT FOSTER KIDS DIRE NEEDS TO OUR ATTENTION.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, UH, FOSTER KIDS SLEEPING IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES OFFICE OFFICES BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM ISN'T IN THE CITY'S DIRECT PURVIEW, BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO TO HELP THE LIVES OF FOSTER CHILDREN WITHOUT CHILDREN, WITHOUT PLACEMENT.
AND I'VE BEEN INSPIRED BY JUDGE AKA'S WORK AND WANTED TO HELP CONTINUE THAT AS MUCH AS I CAN FROM MY SEAT ON THIS DAIS.
JUDGE AKA IS WITH US THIS MORNING, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE RACHEL.
WE'LL, HI, RACHEL, WHEREVER YOU ARE, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE JUDGE WITH US.
RACHEL, THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS.
OFFER, UM, INVITE YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS IF I, IF I MAKE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TAKE OFF THE MASK.
I KNOW THAT MAY BE BAD PROFILE, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO THESE MASKS.
AND SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I'M BREACHING PROTOCOL IN YOUR HOLLOWED CITY COUNCIL.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, COUNCILWOMAN, HAVE THANK YOU FOR, FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU.
BUT I, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I GOTTA TELL YOU, ONLY MANNY ELAS WOULD BRING THESE KIDS UP.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE HAD TO LEARN OVER THESE YEARS AND THIS GRAY HAIR, THESE KIDS ARE ALREADY SAYING IT.
SO YOU KNOW, MAN, YOU, YOU'VE UPSTAGED ME AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WITH THESE KIDS.
BUT, BUT ONE THING I WANT CITY COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND IN OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT IS SO SIGNIFICANT WHEN WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE COMING UP IN OUR COMMUNITY, ABLE TO EXPRESS THE VALUES OF WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICT TRAINING, EDUCATING, WE HAVE YOU AS CITY COUNCIL LEADING THE CITY.
AND EVEN THOUGH I MAY BE STEPPING DOWN, I THINK I'M GOING ON A NEW PATH.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN MY CAREER, AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BACKSTORIES COUNCILWOMAN, IS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE ON YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND I'VE SERVED WITH COUNCILWOMAN HDA, COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA AND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, AND I'M PROUD TO TELL YOU THAT ALONG WITH MYSELF, AND I THINK IT'S JUDGE KATHY STAHL, ANOTHER DISTRICT COURT BENCH.
I WANT TO TELL YOU, YOU HAVE A STRONG, DIVERSE JUDICIARY REPRESENTING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU SHOULD BE PROUD THAT Y'ALL HAVE PUT THAT FAITH INTO THAT DEDICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR JUDICIARY IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M ALSO THANKFUL TO ERIC WALSH AND HIS STAFF MARIA VILLAGOMEZ AND FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF COLLEEN BRIDGER, DR.
BRIDGER, ON HELPING ME ESTABLISH THE CLOUD OF COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I THINK, ERIC, IF YOU'D REMEMBER IT JUST STARTED THE FACT WE WERE AT A LUNCHEON WITH MARTHA ELIAS, MANNY'S MOM SAYING, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS GONNA DO ABOUT IT? AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE GOT TO COME TOGETHER.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE FEW INITIATIVES.
I KNOW SOMETIMES CITY COUNTY DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK WELL, OR SOMETIMES THERE'S A LACK OF COMMUNICATION OR LACK OF COORDINATION, COLLABORATION.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I KNOW THE NUMBERS AREN'T GOOD.
WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE SEEING A REPORT THAT DEATHS AS REGARDS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE GOING TO HIT ANOTHER PEAK, WHICH TELLS US THAT WE STILL HAVE MUCH MORE WORK TO DO.
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS STEPPED UP.
Y'ALL PUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS A PRIORITY, AND YOU PUT THE MONEY WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE.
[00:20:01]
THAT FROM BEING A JUDGE IN A COURTHOUSE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET HERE, IT WILL, THIS IS THE TYPE OF WORK THAT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE A COMMUNITY TO A BETTER PLACE.THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES AND THE CHILDREN.
THAT'S REALLY WHY I RECOGNIZE THOSE CHILDREN HERE TODAY, THIS MORNING.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, IF THOSE ARE THE KIDS THAT ARE GONNA LEAD, WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
SO, COUNCILWOMAN COUNCIL, MAYOR, ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
I'VE TRIED TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY WELL AND, UH, I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND I WISH EVERYONE WELL, GOD BLESS Y'ALL.
UH, I, I'VE SEEN YOU MAKE SOME OF THE MOST PAINFUL DECISIONS.
UM, AND I, I'VE SEEN YOU AGONIZE OVER THOSE DECISIONS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I GO HOME AND, YOU KNOW, I COMPLAIN TO, TO MY FAMILY AND MY MOTHER.
MAN, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME REAL HARD DECISIONS TODAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE BURDEN OF CITY COUNCIL IS, YOU KNOW, MAKES MY BACK HURT, RIGHT?
AND MY MOM IS ALWAYS QUICK TO REMIND ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS CHILD'S PLAY COMPARED TO THE STUFF THAT COMES BEFORE YOU.
UM, AND THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SO MANY YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT YOU KNOW, THINK YOU'VE HAD A TOUGH DAY, JUDGE SAKA SEES FAMILY AFTER FAMILY, AFTER FAMILY AFTER FAMILY, DOZENS OF THEM A DAY AT THEIR WORST, UM, AT THEIR LOWEST AT THEIR, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THEIR UGLIEST CRISES.
AND HIS JOB IS TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE A WAY FORWARD TOWARDS A PLACE OF DIGNITY AND SAFETY.
AND HE HAS TO DEAL AND DECIDE WITH WHERE CHILDREN GO FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU LEAVE THEM IN A BETTER PLACE.
I, I GOTTA ALSO TELL YOU THAT, UM, YOU ARE A MENTOR TO ME, UH, AND THAT I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT, THAT YOU'VE EVER TOLD ME AND THE GOOD ADVICE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WATCH TV AND, AND ARE PAYING ATTENTION, MY FRIEND ALEX BEAM HAS A, HAS AN AD OUT WHERE HE CALLS HIMSELF THE LAW GIANT.
AND APPARENTLY FOR, HE FORGOT THAT YOU'RE THE REAL LAW GIANT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU'RE A, A GIANT IN, UH, IN, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN SAN ANTONIO'S LEGAL COMMUNITY.
UM, AND YOU, UH, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT YOU LIVE IN MY MOM'S HOUSE.
UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE GO OVER, THERE'S AN EMPTY SEAT AT THE DINNER TABLE, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE SITTING IN IT BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT SHE EVER TALKS ABOUT IS JUDGE SAKA SAID THIS.
AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SHE ISSUES ORDERS OF CONTEMPT IN YOUR NAME, RIGHT? AND SHE THREATENS TO FIND, YOU KNOW, TO CALL JUDGE AKA AND HAVE HIM ISSUE AN ORDER OF COURT.
YOU KNOW, SO I, I SHOW UP LATE FOR DINNER CONTEMPT, UH, YOU KNOW, I FORGOT TO CALL MY GRANDMOTHER CONTEMPT, RIGHT? UM, SO I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, THIS COURTHOUSE IS, UM, GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME, YOU KNOW, UH, BRINGING IN SOMEBODY WITH THE, WITH THE GRAVITAS WITH, UH, THAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE.
AND I, I KNOW THAT THEY'LL EVENTUALLY FIND SOMEBODY, BUT OOH, THAT PERSON'S GONNA HAVE A BIG, BIG, BIG TIME TRYING TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THE SHADOW OF, OF JUDGE SAKAI.
COUNCIL MEMBER APLA JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LIFETIME OF SERVICE, UH, TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU, UH, AND WE ARE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WHOLE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION, WHICH YOU HELPED ESTABLISH.
[00:25:01]
JUDGE.ALRIGHT, UH, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA TODAY AND, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE AND WATCHING, UH, LET ME JUST, UM, GO OVER A FEW THINGS.
WE DO HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS LISTED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, THOSE ARE ITEMS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN.
UH, WE DO HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA IN ADDITION TO A TIME CERTAIN 2:00 PM ZONING AGENDA.
UH, SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK MY
[Consent Agenda]
COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, TO BE HEARD FOR INDIVIDUALLY IN ADDITION TO THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY LISTED.ANY OTHERS? OKAY, IF THERE ARE NONE, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 19.
OKAY, WE'LL, UH, YOU CAN DO THAT WHEN WE DISCUSS THE CONSENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAY FOR ONE, EXCUSE ME, FOUR THROUGH SEVEN, 10, EXCUSE ME, FOUR THROUGH SEVEN, 16, AND 24.
AND THEN THE 2:00 PM ZONING AGENDA.
THERE ARE NO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT ARE REMAINING ON CONSENT.
UH, SO WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
AND, UH, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO QUEUE UP ON THAT CONSENT AGENDA HIGHLIGHTED ITEM SO I CAN MAKE SURE KEEP TRACK OF THE Q BE SEPARATE.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY CURRENTLY, BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO WANTS TO SPEAK ON 27 AN ITEM OR TWO ON CONSENT.
SO DIDN'T, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, WHY DON'T YOU START US OFF? YES.
UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, SEVERAL OF DISTRICT FIVE APPOINTEES.
UM, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ROLAND MOOKA TO THE HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION, UH, AND COMMEND HIM FOR HIS COMMITMENT IN, UH, PRESERVE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE AND HIS ADVOCACY AROUND HOUSING AND COMMUNITY, UH, MITIGATING COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT RATHER.
UM, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE VELMA BEYA, WHO'S BEEN APPOINTED TO THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMISSION.
UM, SHE HAS A, A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO UPLIFTING COMM COMMUNITIES AND HAS TAKEN THE LEADERSHIP POSITION WITH THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION'S COALITION.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH HER.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, JEREMY NO, UH, NIN, UH, FOR THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
UM, THAT'S A VERY, UM, INTERESTING BOARD THAT OUR DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE JEREMY TO ENSURE THAT DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS HAVE THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION REGARDING WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, IN THAT BOARD AS WELL AS MARK GARCIA, WHO'S GOING TO SERVE ON THE SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO, LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN THAT COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE QUEUED UP FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, SO IF, IF THAT IS TRUE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.
IF NOT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S APPROVAL OF ALL ITEMS, SAY FOR FOUR THROUGH SEVEN 16, AND THEN 24.
[4. Ordinance reappointing Carla Obledo as Municipal Court Presiding Judge for the remainder of a two year term expiring April 30, 2023. [Andy Segovia, City Attorney]]
RIGHT, WE'LL GO NOW TO OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. START WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WILL REAPPOINT JUDGE ODO AS A MUNICIPAL COURT PRESIDING JUDGE.
WE'RE PLEASED TO PUT THAT BEFORE, UH, THE, THE, UH, COUNCIL THIS MORNING.
UM, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE SELECTION WAS RECOMMENDED WAS MANAGED THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL COURT, UH, COMMITTEE THAT WAS, THAT IS CHAIRED BY, UH, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN CAVERA.
AND SO I'M GONNA PASS IT TO HER TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE NOMINATION.
[00:30:01]
YOU, ANDY.UH, I INVITE, UH, JUDGE BLETHER TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM TODAY.
WE ARE CONSIDERING A REAPPOINTMENT TO JUDGE CARLO BLEO AS OUR, OUR MUNICIPAL COURT PRESIDING JUDGE.
THE POSITION COMES WITH A RESPONSIBILITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT OVER OUR MUNICIPAL COURTS.
HERE'S SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE IN A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO YEARS.
AM I RIGHT THAT, UM, SINCE WE FIRST APPOINTED HER TO THE COURT, UM, JUDGE BLATHER HELPED US REIMAGINE AND STREAMLINE THE MUNICIPAL COURT PROCESS WITH AN ONLINE DASHBOARD, UH, DASHBOARD THAT WAS KEY TO THE COURT OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
THE STREAMLINING ALSO HELPED IMPROVE COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
IN A FEW WEEKS, THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER MUNICIPAL COURT KIOSKS, WHICH TAKES THE STREAMLINING PROCESS TO A HIGHER LEVEL THROUGH AUTOMATION, ACCESSIBILITY, AND TIME SAVINGS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION IN NOVEMBER, AND I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT PARTICULAR, UM, UH, ISSUE AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT JUDGE OLOW HAS DONE TO HELP BRING THE COURTS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO PEOPLE, FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR COURTS, UM, THEIR BUSINESS DONE WITH OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
AND SO YOU REALLY WERE, UM, YOU MADE THE COURTS AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE, AND I APPRECIATE CONTINUING TO SEE THAT, UM, ON THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND AND BEYOND.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO JUDGE BLAS STEWARDSHIP OF, OF THAT PROCESS.
SHE HAS VAST EXPERIENCE IN HER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
HER KNOWLEDGE OF TRIAL PROCESSES AND SPECIALTY COURTS AND PROCEEDINGS FROM SEARCH WARRANTS TO ANIMAL SEIZURE WARRANTS AND D P S HEARINGS ARE A VALUED ASSET.
SO, UM, AT THAT, I MOVE TO APPROVE, UM, ITEM FOUR SECOND.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UM, ALL RIGHT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PAL.
JUDGE, I, I ADMIRE YOU VERY MUCH, AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
I, I THINK YOU, I KNOW YOU THINK IT TOO, 2020 AND 2021 HAVE REALLY BEEN A KICK TO THE GUT, UH, EVERYTHING THAT ALL OF US DO.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND MUNICIPAL COURT HAVE DONE YOUR BEST AT TRYING TO INNOVATE WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT SERVICES OVER THERE AREN'T INTERRUPTED.
I, I DID WANNA TAKE THIS ADVANTAGE, ADVANTAGE OF THIS MOMENT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I SEE MUNICIPAL COURT AS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO BRING FOLKS IN AND ADJUDICATE THEIR, THEIR CASES, BUT I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEAVE PEOPLE IN A BETTER PLACE.
UH, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE A MONTH COME THROUGH YOUR DOORS OVER THERE, RIGHT? AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE ENGAGING AND TOUCHING THEM IN THE WAYS THAT MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL.
DOES EVERY PERSON WHO, I'M SORRY FOLKS, IT'S REALLY HARD TO HEAR IN THE ROOM WHEN ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE TALKING OVER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CAN YOU PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN? UM, AND I WONDER IF, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PERSON WHO WALKS THROUGH THOSE DOORS GETS VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER CITY SERVICES AS PART OF THEIR PAPERWORK.
IS EVERY PERSON RECEIVING A SHEET OF PAPER TALKING ABOUT SERVICES REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? RIGHT? DOES EVERYBODY, IS DOES EVERYBODY GET TOLD? YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE, OR IF YOU KNOW OF A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM, DO YOU HAVE, UH, ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, OR YOU DO HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
DOES EVERY PERSON HAVE THAT WHEN WE KNOW THAT ONE IN THREE WOMEN IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE OR WILL HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL? I I, I'M TELLING YOU, I KNOW THAT THAT DOESN'T, UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
IT, IT, IT WOULDN'T COST ANYTHING FOR US TO ENGAGE THEM JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND SO, I'M, I'M GONNA, THAT'S MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU FOR THIS NEXT, UH, YOU KNOW, NEXT CYCLE IS TO COME BACK TO US AND TELL US ALL THE WAYS THAT YOU'VE ENGAGED THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS, UM, THAT HELP US, RIGHT? UM, IN, IN DOING WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW, AND ANY COUNCIL MEMBER, I, UM, ENCOURAGE I'D, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ATTEND ANY, TO MEET YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ADDRESS THEM, AND ALSO TO LEARN FROM THEM, UM, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THEIR COURT EXPERIENCE.
SO, UM, AT ANY TIME I OR ANY OF THE JUDGES WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE HELPING TO SHAPE THE COURT BECAUSE IT IS THEIR COURT AS WELL.
PIA, UH, JUDGE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE COURT.
UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TRANSITION OUT OF, UM, A PRESIDING JUDGE WHO'S BEEN THERE FOR SO LONG, BUT YOU'VE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB.
THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH THAT TRANSITION AND DEALING WITH, AS COUNCIL MEMBER PLY, UH, MENTIONED A A LOT OF CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT NO ONE WOULD'VE ANTICIPATED.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE, UH, YOUR DEDICATION TO THE COURT AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN KABE HDA FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT ON THE NEW MUNICIPAL
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COURT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND COLLABORATING WITH YOU TO, UM, HELP BRING AWARENESS AND SOLUTIONS TO ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO THIS COUNCIL, AND ALSO TO THE COURT.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT COLLABORATION.
UH, WITH THAT THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR, HEARING.
NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
THE VOTE COUNT FOR SOME REASON'S NOT POPPING UP ON THE SCREEN AS IT USED TO.
IT'S GOING UP ON THE PUBLIC MONITOR THOUGH, WHICH IS FINE.
UM, ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE REQUEST.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH THE, UH, SPEAKER QUEUE AS WELL.
IN, IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE, WHILE WE FIGURE THE TECH PART OUT, I'M GONNA ASK FOLKS TO GO AHEAD AND SIGNAL ME VISUALLY, UH, TO GET IN THE QUEUE, UH, IN THE MEANTIME.
[5. Resolution approving the appointment of Marilu Reyna to the San Antonio Water System Board of Trustees (Southeast Quadrant) for the remainder of an unexpired term of office ending May 31, 2025 [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk]]
MOVE TO ITEM FIVE.ITEM FIVE IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF MARY LORENA TO THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES SOUTHEAST QUADRANT FOR THE REMAINDER OF AN UNEXPIRED TERM OF OFFICE ENDING MAY 31ST, 2022.
MAYOR, THERE WAS, THIS IS A CORRECTION.
UH, THE AGENDA HAD SAID 2025, BUT WE ARE CORRECTING THAT FOR THE MINUTE TO 2022.
LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, UH, FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION.
UM, SO I WANTED TO START OFF BY THANKING ALL OF THE APPLICANTS.
THERE WAS SEVEN APPLICANTS, UH, TO THE BOARD, AND I, I SIT ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
SO WE DID THE INTERVIEWS FOR SIX OF THESE APPLICANTS.
ONE OF THEM, UM, WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US, BUT, UM, ERIC ELIZONDO AND, UH, JIM SMILE, AND BRENDA PACHECO AND SANDY WOLF AND KRISTI VILLANUEVA AND LAWRENCE, UH, WONG, UM, WOULD'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, ANY OF THEM.
I DO WANNA LET, UM, THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT INITIALLY WE ONLY HAD FIVE APPLICANTS AND MY COLLEAGUES, WE ONLY HAD FIVE APPLICANTS, AND WE DIDN'T THINK THAT, UH, WE SHOULD, UH, JUST INTERVIEW THE FIVE APPLICANTS.
I WENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME TO POST THAT PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THE PROCESS AND THAT IF THEY WERE INTERESTED, THAT THEY COULD APPLY.
AND THEN WE ONLY GOT TWO EXTRA APPLICANTS AFTER THAT.
AND SO WE INTERVIEWED THE SECOND SET OF APPLICANTS DURING OUR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
AND SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AREA, UH, FOR ME.
IT'S THIS SOUTHEAST QUADRANT, AND SO I ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK OF THE RESIDENTS THAT, THAT I REPRESENT.
AND, UM, SO I SPOKE WITH, UH, THE FOLKS WHO DID REACH OUT TO ME, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO REQUEST SOME TIME.
AND SO, UM, I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO, TO MOST OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
AND SO, UM, MR. SMILE, UH, BROUGHT SOME EXCELLENT POINTS WITH WATER, UH, EXPERTISE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE'S SHARED SEVERAL ARTICLES THAT I THINK THAT WE COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM IN WORKING TOGETHER THE FUTURE.
UM, MS. MS. BRENDA PACHECO, WHO WAS HERE, HAS, UH, A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING IN HER COMMUNITY AS, AS WELL.
AND, AND, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT EVERYONE OF THESE FOLKS WOULD'VE BROUGHT EXCELLENT, UM, THINGS TO THE TABLE.
SANDY WOLF, WHO WE'VE KNOWN, UM, HAS BEEN INVOLVED, UH, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND KRISTI VILLANUEVA, WHO CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES, UM, IN HER AREA.
HOWEVER, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE REASONS THAT, UM, THAT, THAT I THINK THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I DECIDED TO, UM, SUBMIT MARILU FOR CONSIDERATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
AND SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I DO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT MARILU'S A PORT SAN ANTONIO BOARD MEMBER, AND I WAS WORRIED, UH, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO LOSE HER ON PORT SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE IF SHE TOOK UP THE SASS APPOINTMENT, I WAS WORRIED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, ET CETERA.
SO I HAD TO, UM, WORK EVEN TILL YESTERDAY TO CONFIRM WITH ANDY THAT, THAT THAT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, SHE'S BEEN ON THE BOARD OVERSIGHT COMMISSION.
UH, SHE HAS SERVED ON THE FACILITIES BOND COMMITTEE.
UM, SHE HAS A MAJOR IN SOCIOLOGY AND A MINOR IN COMMUNICATIONS.
SHE'S FORMERLY, UH, WORKED AT TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO, A BIG PART OF, UH, DISTRICT THREE.
WE SHARE THAT WITH DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, SHE HAS A CERTIFICATION AND REPUTATION RISK MANAGEMENT AS WELL, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE CRITICAL TO THIS POSITION.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE, THE ONE THAT I WAS REALLY, UH, HAPPY ABOUT ALSO IS THAT, UH, SHE HAS, UM, UH, RECEIVED, UH, TRAINING FROM THE L B J SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY FROM THE GOVERNOR CENTER FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M, UM, HOPEFUL THAT SHE COULD BRING SOME ADDITIONAL COACHING, IF YOU WILL, TO, TO THE STAFF OVER THERE.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO, TO JUST KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HIGH LEVEL HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, I HEARD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, HER BEING A PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONER.
I SEE HER MORE AS A CRISIS COMMUNICATION
[00:40:01]
PRACTITIONER.UM, AND FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE ALWAYS THINK PR PEOPLE ARE BAD.
BY THE WAY, I HAVE A PUBLIC RELATIONS DEGREE AS WELL.
AND SO IT HURTS MY FEELINGS WHEN PEOPLE SAY, OH, PR PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, BUT SORRY THAT I, I TOTALLY WENT OFF ON THE TANGENT THERE.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STRENGTHS.
I DID TALK WITH HER INDIVIDUALLY, AND SHE HAS, UH, UH, COMMITTED TO, TO HELPING WITH THE RISK MITIGATION PLAN THAT I HAVE FLAGGED TODAY.
AND I WILL BRING UP AGAIN ON ITEM NUMBER 24.
UH, AND SO CAN'T WAIT TO WORK, UM, WITH HER AND WITH THE REST OF, OF THE FOLKS.
AND, UM, MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF MARILU REYNA TO THE SA BOARD OF, UH, TRUSTEES FOR THE REMAINING TERM TO EXPIRE MAY 31ST, 2022 FOR THE SAPPIES QUADRANT.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
I, THIS PROCESS FOR ME BEGAN DURING CAMPAIGN WHEN I LEARNED THAT OUR, UH, LETICIA UNA WOULD BE RUNNING FOR THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS.
I TRUSTED IN THE PROCESS, I TRUSTED IN MY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, AND I WANNA THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, MELISSA KEO, HDA, UH, COUNCILMAN KEO, HDA, COUNCILMAN PALAI, AND COUNCILMAN, UH, ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, AND, UH, JOHN COURAGE AND, UH, COUNCIL, OUR, OUR LEADER, MAYOR RON NURNBERG, FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS PROCESS, WE NEEDED TO GET IT RIGHT.
WE HAVE OVER 25,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY AT, WITH SASS FACING DISCONNECTIONS.
SAS HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB TRYING TO GET AT LEAST HALF OF THAT ON A PAYMENT PLAN.
BUT I, TODAY IS THE DAY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
THE RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER FOR THIS DECISION TO BE MADE.
I HAVE COUNSEL, COLLEAGUES THAT WANT TO PROLONG THIS PROCESS, BUT WE CAN DO THAT IN A C C R AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN CHANGE COMMITTEES AND COMMITTEE PROCESS.
TODAY, I NEED A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT AND THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE.
SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE ABOUT HOW I KNOW MARY LOU RENA, 17 YEARS AGO, HER DAUGHTER CARNA WALKED INTO MY FOURTH GRADE CLASS.
AND THAT BEGAN OUR RELATIONSHIP, A SINGLE MOM ACTIVE AT THE SCHOOL.
17 YEARS AGO, THIS NEVER WOULD'VE HAPPENED.
SHE NEVER WOULD'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE APPOINTED TO A SAWS BOARD, BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, THE SAWS BOARD LOOKED WHITE.
SO HERE WE ARE TODAY, AND SHE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
A SINGLE MOM, UH, A GRANDMA, AN AUNT, A SISTER, A RATE PAYER, STEPPING UP TO SERVE HER COMMUNITY.
AND YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE DISCUSSED IT.
SHE KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES, AND SHE IS A COLLABORATOR.
SHE DOES COLLABORATE, AND SHE WILL LISTEN, AND SHE DOES HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SERVE.
SHE IS THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE OF THOSE THAT CAME FORWARD TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD AND OUT OF THIS CRISIS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE ARE IN A CRISIS.
SHE'S AN EDUCATING, SHE CHAMPIONS, EDUCATION CHAMPION, SOCIAL SERVICES.
THIS IS WHAT I NEED ON THE BOARD.
THIS IS THE DIVERSITY WE NEED ON THE BOARD.
DIVERSITY ON THE SAS BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYERS, WE HAVE THE BANKERS, WE HAVE THE BUSINESS PEOPLE.
I NEED, WE NEED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
NEED SOMEONE THAT CAN GO IN AND TALK TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE A RATE PAYER.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE FAMILY DYNAMIC.
SO SHE'S, SHE'S MADE THIS DECISION TO SERVE.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HER SERVICE ON THE PORT BOARD AND IF IT'LL BE POSSIBLE, AND SHE'S, SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT IF THE DUTIES GET TOO INTENSE, THAT SHE WILL ROLL OFF.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
BUT I'M A STRONG BELIEVER IN COLLABORATION, AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT MARY LOU HAS STEPPED UP TO SERVE THIS CITY IN THIS WAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT JUST A WIN FOR THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT.
THIS IS A WIN FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE SAS BOARD.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
AND I KNOW THAT THE JOKES ABOUT PR PEOPLE AND MARKETING PEOPLE HURT YOUR FEELINGS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER TALKED TO ANDY SEGOVIA AND MELISSA ABOUT
[00:45:01]
ALL THE LAWYER JOKES THEY HAVE TO HEAR, UH, AND ENDURE THE, UH, MARI LORENA, YOU AND I MET, UH, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN YOU WERE REPRESENTING AN IMPORTANT ENGINEERING FIRM HERE IN THIS, UH, IN TOWN.AND, UH, I, I REMEMBER TALKING TO YOU ABOUT IT.
YOU EXCEL AT YOUR ABILITY TO, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND BUSINESS ISSUES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME THE FIRST TIME I GOT TO MEET WITH YOU.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT YOUR TRANSITION OVER TO HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, REALLY HELPS US.
UM, AND, AND I THINK SAWS, UH, UNDERSTAND A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF, YOU KNOW, INSTITUTIONS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY BUSINESS.
AND NOW YOU IN THE RESILIENCY BUSINESS OVER AT B C F S, THAT YOU HAVE BECOME STEEPED IN THE ISSUES OF POVERTY AND PULLING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY AND RESCUING PEOPLE FROM CONTINUED SUFFERING AND TRIAGING COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HURTING.
I, I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN MISSING FROM THIS BOARD FOR A LONG TIME, THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND THAT PERSPECTIVE.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, SOMETHING THAT SOME OF MY OTHER APPOINTEES, THE SAWS DON'T HAVE, RIGHT? WHICH IS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.
UH, I LOVE DAVID MCGEE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA PUT 'EM IN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE HE SPEAKS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, RIGHT? I, I LOVE EDUARDO PARA AND AMY HARDBERGER, BUT I'M NOT GONNA PUT THEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT I THINK YOU'RE MORE ADEPT AT TALKING ABOUT THAN THEY ARE.
UM, AND THAT ISN'T TO TAKE AWAY ANYTHING, UH, FROM THOSE FOLKS.
BUT I, I DO NEED A, UM, A COMMUNICATOR AND SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT THAT EXPERTISE TO HELP MY FRIEND ROBERT PUENTE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT HEAVY BURDEN, THAT'S ONE OF THE JOBS, ROBERT, IS TO, TO DO COMMUNICATIONS TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND RATE PAYERS.
AND I, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT WELL, BUT I THINK THAT YOU NEED WIND IN THE SAILS, UH, ON THE BOARD LEVEL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO IT BETTER.
AND I THINK THAT MARY LOU'S GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, SIT NEXT TO YOU AND GIVE YOU TIPS ON, UH, AND, AND PROVIDE YOU, UH, ENCOURAGEMENT AND, AND SOME GUIDANCE IN THAT REGARD.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW HAVING SPOKEN TO YOU THAT YOU WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HER SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
ANYWAY, I'VE GOT FAITH IN YOU.
I THINK THAT ALL TOO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM THE NORTH SIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO TELL MEMBERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE SOUTH SIDE WHAT THEY NEED.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT SMACKS OF, OF PATERNALISM, AND IT'S PATRONIZING.
AND, AND I, I DON'T DARE DO THAT.
AND I'VE, I'VE TOLD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE SOUTH SIDE THAT WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS AS FAR AS REPRESENTATION FOR SOUTHEAST AND WEST, UM, THAT I TRY MY BEST TO BE OBJECTIVE AND PUT MYSELVES IN Y'ALL'S SHOES AND, AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU NEED.
AND COUNCILWOMAN
UH, AND IN, IN THIS INSTANCE, I THINK THAT WE MEET THOSE NEEDS BY, BY APPOINTING YOU.
SO THANKS FOR THROWING YOUR HAT IN THE RING, AND WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW.
UM, AND THANKS MANNY FOR, UH, SCOLDING US FOR TRYING TO MAKE OUR, OUR BEST DECISIONS HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GERRAN, I'M VERY GLAD THAT THE CANDIDATE COMING FORWARD IS SOMEBODY THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AND THAT YOU FEEL REPRESENTS YOUR DISTRICT.
I KNOW THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, TO YOUR PREDECESSOR, YOUR SISTER.
UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, OR GOSH YEARS NOW.
WE ACTUALLY, IT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC, I RECALL.
WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE HAD SOME EXCELLENTLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES COME FORWARD.
AT THAT TIME, I WAS ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, AND I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU INTERVIEW, AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION, MS. DANA.
BUT, UM, I WILL BE FRANK, I AM VERY CONFUSED WHEN I'VE GONE BACK TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW.
UH, BASED ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU GOT AND SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE RESPONSES THAT WERE GIVEN, I WAS VERY CONFUSED WITH WHAT CAME OUT OF GOVERNANCE.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY YOU WOULD NOT BE A GREAT SERVANT, UH, ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION.
CLEARLY RIGHT NOW, YOU, YOU'RE ON THE PORT AND, UM, CHRIS RETE, WHO'S MY APPOINTEE, APPRECIATES, UH, YOUR SERVICE, MS. SHANA.
UM, I HEARD QUESTIONS ABOUT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
I HEARD, UM, I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT WE CAN'T BE TALKING ABOUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IN 20 YEARS.
THOSE TWO THINGS ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNING TO ME.
SO, UM, WHAT ONE THING I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST WAS TO GIVE THE
[00:50:01]
CANDIDATE AND THE OTHERS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND INTERVIEW, UH, AGAIN, OR TO HAVE A FURTHER DIALOGUE WITH THE COUNCIL.UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S NOT AN APPETITE FOR THAT, UM, ON THE COUNCIL.
I, I WILL JUST POSE THAT OUT THERE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, MS. SHAYNA, I'M VERY, UM, IT, IT IS, UH, NOTHING PERSONAL.
UM, BUT I, I REALLY CAN'T SUPPORT THAT.
WE HAD THREE, THREE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES LAST TIME WE HAD MADE OUR DECISION WHEN IT CAME TO FULL COUNCIL, THERE WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER ON THIS DAIS WHO SAID, I'M NOT SUPPORTING WHAT GOVERNANCE SAYS, I'M GONNA PUT FORWARD THE CANDIDATE THAT I KNOW.
AND THEN THAT WHOLE, THAT WHOLE PROCESS REALLY BECAME CHAOTIC.
UNFORTUNATELY, MR. POTTS CAME BACK FOR A SECOND TIME, AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD THE SUPPORT FOR HIM, AND WE DIDN'T YET AGAIN.
UM, WE ENDED UP WITH SOMEONE WHO'S ALSO, UH, ALSO VERY GOOD.
BUT I THINK WE ARE SHORT CHA, WE, WE MAY BE SHORT CHANGING SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS IF WE DON'T TAKE INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE EXPERTS, UM, WHO ARE, WHO ARE IN OUR MIDST, AND, UM, AND TO HAVE THEM SERVE AND, AND PROVIDE US THEIR, THEIR GUIDANCE.
I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE BOARD CHAIR LAST TIME WOULD ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO THOSE THREE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES, UM, AND WOULD, UH, RELY ON THEIR EXPERTISE.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
UM, SO, UH, I JUST, UM, I, I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO PERHAPS KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
UH, BUT I UNDERSTAND I'M NOT PRIVY TO THAT AS I'M NO LONGER ON THAT COMMITTEE.
BUT, UM, AT THIS POINT, I, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, TO SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE BASED ON, UH, SOME OF THOSE, UH, THOSE VERY CONCERNING ISSUES THAT I HEARD.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SURPRISE I RAN AS A CANDIDATE WHO CARES ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
SO WHEN SOMEONE, UM, MAKES COMMENTS LIKE THAT ABOUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, SIMPLY CAN'T.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD ERR IN MOVING THIS CANDIDATE FORWARD, NOT BECAUSE SHE IS IN A FINE CANDIDATE AND A FINE CITIZEN AND WOULDN'T DO A GREAT JOB IN A LOT OF OTHER AREAS, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM SAWS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE LIFE BLOODS OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND THERE WAS A CANDIDATE WHO HAD ALL OF THE CREDENTIALS.
I THINK THAT ANYONE LOOKING AT IT, UH, FROM THE OUTSIDE WOULD SAY, HEY, THAT CANDIDATE IS REALLY QUALIFIED TO ADDRESS WATER ISSUES AND SET WATER POLICY FOR THIS CITY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE CANDIDATE THAT CAME FORWARD.
AND I THINK THAT IF A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL HAD AN OPPOR, IF ALL OF THE COUNCIL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN THOSE INTERVIEWS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HEAR THE ANSWERS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR TO THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL THAT THERE WAS ONE CANDIDATE WHO WAS MOST QUALIFIED FOR THIS.
I DO, UH, I, I AM GONNA COMMENT ABOUT WHAT ONE OF MY FELLOW COUNCILMEN SAID, AND THAT THIS TO ME IS NOT THE NORTH SIDE TRYING TO TELL ANY OTHER PART OF THE CITY WHAT TO DO.
IT'S AS I KNOW HE DOES, IN MANY CASES, USING HIS KNOWLEDGE AND HIS EXPERTISE ABOUT EXPERTISE MATTERS TO SAY THERE SHOULD BE SOMEBODY WHO'S AN EXPERT INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE SITUATION WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
AND I AM GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS DECISION, AND THAT THE FULL COUNCIL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW ALL OF THE CANDIDATES.
AND I BELIEVE THEN WE WILL HAVE A MUCH BETTER, UH, DECISION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
COUNCILMAN, IF I MAY, UM, THE, THE MOTION TO DELAY IS APPROPRIATE.
UM, BUT UNDER THE CITY CODE, THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE DOES VET CANDIDATES FOR THIS POSITION.
SO THEREFORE, UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU MAKE A MOTION TO DELAY THE ITEM, WHICH WOULD THEN GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND THE OTHER COUNCILMAN TO PROVIDE INPUT OR TALK ABOUT PROCESS.
BUT THE APPROPRIATE MOTION IS TO DELAY THE ITEM TO A DATE CERTAIN.
I WOULD, UH, THEN AMEND WHAT I SAID TO SAY, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DELAY ACTION ON THIS MOTION UNTIL THE LAST MEETING IN NOVEMBER, WHICH I THINK IS NOVEMBER 18TH.
SO, UH, THE MOTION IS TO DELAY THE ITEM UNTIL THE COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 18TH.
[00:55:01]
DELAY TO THE LAST MEETING IN NOVEMBER.UM, ANDY, WHICH ONE'S PRIMARY DO WE TAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE FIRST? THE PRIMARY MOTION IS THE MOTION TO DELAY, MAYOR.
SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DELAY ITEM FIVE.
SO THAT IS THE DISCUSSION, UH, AT THIS POINT.
SO, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MAIN MOTION IS, IS, UH, ENDED UNTIL WE TAKE UP THE MOTION TO DELAY.
SO, UH, I NEED TO, WE'VE GOT A QUEUE ALREADY FOR THE MAIN MOTION.
SO LET ME SEE A HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE MOTION TO DELAY.
UM, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN GRO, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT HAVE REPRESENTATION.
AND I, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE SOUTHEAST QUAD SAW SOUTHEAST QUADRANT ALSO OVERLAPS WITH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE, AND CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NONE OF US WERE CONSULTED PRIOR TO THE SELECTION OF THIS CANDIDATE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING WITH MARTY LORENA YESTERDAY, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A GREAT INTERVIEW.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SEE A LOT OF, UM, QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS AND A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR BACKGROUND, I THINK YOU BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
ERIC, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US, UM, WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL'S ESTABLISHED CRITERIA IS FOR MEASURING THE CANDIDATES FOR THE SAWS? UM, BOARD, I, I HAVEN'T SEEN A COPY OF THAT.
UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND THERE,
I, I THINK THAT'S UP TO THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL AS YOUR PREROGATIVE.
UM, UH, AND THE ESTABLISHED CRITERIA MANY TIMES, UM, GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION EXPERTISE, UH, DIVERSITY ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT, UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ESTABLISHED CRITERIA BY WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS MEASURE THE SELECTION OF, UH, APPOINTEES TO BOARDS LIKE THIS.
SO WE HAVEN'T COME TOGETHER AS A BODY TO DRAFT UP.
HERE'S THE CRITERIA IN WHICH WE'RE GONNA MEASURE EACH CANDIDATE AND MAKE OUR DECISION FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF COUNCILMAN.
UM, I THINK WITHOUT THAT CRITERIA ESTABLISHED, AND THAT WE HAVEN'T COME TO A CONSENSUS AS A GROUP ON HOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE EACH CANDIDATE, THAT MAKES THIS PROCESS MORE MESSY.
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT THE CRITERIA THAT WE MEASURE THEM AGAINST CHANGES EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES BEFORE US.
AND SO SOMETIMES I HEAR WHETHER IT'S FOR SAW OR C P S ENERGY, OH, WHAT WE REALLY NEED RIGHT NOW IS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS CYBERSECURITY OR WHAT WE REALLY NEED RIGHT NOW IS SOMEBODY WHO CAN DO CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED RIGHT NOW IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS MANAGED LARGE BUDGETS AND HAS DEMONSTRATED FISCAL CONSERVATISM.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE GOALPOST MOVE DEPENDING ON WHO THE FAVORED CANDIDATE MIGHT BE, AND THE PROCESS HAS BEEN MESSY.
AND WITH THE PRE, WITH A, WITH A MESSY PROCESS, SOMETIMES WE END UP WITH LESS QUALITY APPLICANTS.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE THE BEST APPLICANT IN THE CITY MIGHT NOT STEP FORWARD AND, AND, UM, AND APPLY.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED A MORE STRUCTURED, CLEANER PROCESS, AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA HELP US TO HAVE MORE, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT, OH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO OPEN THE PROCESS UP AGAIN.
WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH AND WE WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE WANNA FIND MORE, MORE APPLICANTS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT WOULD HELP.
I I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE AS AS POSSIBLE.
I, I DON'T, I THINK WE COULD DO BETTER.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO DEMONSTRATE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE'RE PUTTING THE BACK FORWARD, THE ABSOLUTE BEST CANDIDATE.
UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'VE DONE THIS RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT CONVINCED OF THAT YET.
AND SO I SUPPORT, UM, COUNCILMAN COURAGES MOTION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
AGAIN, WE ARE DISCUSSING THE DELAY, NOT THE MAIN MOTION.
UM, I'LL REITERATE THAT, UM, THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT DOES OVERLAP WITH MY DISTRICT, AND I HAVE A VERY VESTED INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE BEST REPRESENTATIVE POSSIBLE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU, MS. REYNA, FOR APPLYING.
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY PUBLIC JOB INTERVIEW AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AN INVITATION TO BE SCRUTINIZED.AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S CHALLENGING.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR, UM, STEPPING UP WHEN CALLED UPON TO SERVE.
AND SHE'S DONE THAT A NUM A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND SHE'S SERVED ON, UM, THE PORT SAN ANTONIO BOARD BOND OVERSIGHT.
UM, AND SHE SERVED WITHIN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF BOARDS COMMISSIONED OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO SERVE.
AND I, AND BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION, I KNOW THAT YOU WOULD STEP UP FOR ANY OF THEM IF YOU WERE CALLED UPON AND ASKED TO SERVE, AND I THINK YOU WOULD DO YOUR BEST.
UM, I AM NOT ENTIRELY CONVINCED.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LAY, AND WHAT MY ASK WOULD BE WOULD BE THAT, UH, MAYBE GOVERNANCE RECONSIDER THE TOP TWO CANDIDATES.
AND IF YOU COME BACK AND DECIDE IT'S, UH, MS. REYNA, THEN SO BE IT.
IF YOU DECIDE IT'S SOMEONE ELSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL BE ANOTHER DISCUSSION.
BUT I WILL BE SUPPORTING, UM, THE DELAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MC, KEY RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN.
ANDY, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT WE'RE DELAYING? WE'RE DE, WE'RE DELAYING COUNCILWOMAN ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS AGAIN, THE, UH, THE APPOINTMENT OF MS. REYNA TO THE SAWS BOARD.
UH, SO AGAIN, IT'S THAT ITEM THAT IS BEING DELAYED.
UM, AND SO IT'S NOT, UH, PUTTING FORTH ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL CANDIDATE.
IT'S SIMPLY DELAYING THE DECISION ON THIS PARTICULAR CANDIDATE.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT GIVES TIME FOR THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IF THEY ELECTED TO DO SO.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, ALL WE'RE DELAYING IS THE CONSIDERATION OF MS. REYNA FOR THE SAWS BOARD.
SO I, I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT GOING BACK AND INTERVIEWING ANYBODY RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE JUST DELAYING THIS VOTE.
WE ARE GOING TO EVENTUALLY HAVE TO TAKE THIS VOTE, UH, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, NOT WITH ANY NEW CANDIDATES, JUST THIS VOTE UNLESS GOVERNANCE COMES BACK AND WHICH THEY'VE ALREADY DELAYED IT ONCE BEFORE TO DO, UH, I, I, I HEAR MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, BUT THE ONE THING I WANNA STRESS IS LETICIA ZUNO WAS ELECTED TO SCHOOL BOARD IN, UH, MAY OF THIS YEAR.
WE, AS CANDIDATES KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FILL THIS SPOT.
WHEN I GOT INTO OFFICE, THE APPLICATION PROCESS WAS STILL OPEN.
I AM, I AM SO CONFUSED ABOUT WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY AND SAYING WE WANT MORE TIME.
I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON DELAYING THIS AND PUSHING IT AND PUSHING IT.
AND THERE IS NOT GONNA BE A CONSENSUS.
THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S GONNA COME TO A CONSENSUS.
I, I, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO CALL TO QUESTION THIS.
I, I CALL TO QUESTION THIS VOTE.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE CALLING THE QUESTION FOR THE DELAY TO END DISCUSSION, IT DOES REQUIRE TWO THIRDS VOTE.
IT DOES REQUIRE A SECOND FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND IF I UNDERSTAND ANDY, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
MAYOR, JUST, WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF OF ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
UH, I HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THE MOTION.
UM, BOTH COUNCILMAN, COURAGE AND I TALKED ABOUT HAVING THE CANDIDATES COME FORWARD AND DO AN INTERVIEW AND HEAR, AND THEN THERE WAS TALK ABOUT IT GOING TO GOVERNANCE.
I JUST WANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT, UM, THE, THE DISCUSSION YOU AND I HAD EARLIER, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT PER CITY CODE GOVERNANCE VETS AT LARGE, QUOTE AT LARGE CANDIDATES, I DON'T FULLY AGREE THIS IS AN AT LARGE CANDIDATE, BUT AT LARGE CANDIDATES, BUT WE ARE SO YOU ARE SAYING THIS IS A CITYWIDE CANDIDATE THEN A CITYWIDE APPOINTMENT? IT IS NOT A QUADRANT APPOINTMENT IS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME.
WHAT, WHAT I'M TELLING YOU COUNCILMAN IS, IS THE WAY THE CODE IS WRITTEN, UH, IT'S AN AT LARGE IF IT'S NOT A, A SIMPLY A DISTRICT APPOINTMENT.
SO IF IT DOESN'T FALL IN THAT CATEGORY, IT, IT COMES UNDER THE AD LODGE.
NOW THAT'S YOUR INTERPRETATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S NOT SPECIFIED IN THE CODE, BUT THAT'S FAIR.
UM, SOMETIMES WE WAIVE REQUIREMENTS IN THE CODE.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, I MEAN, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR, FOR THE MOTION TO SAY AND WAIVE THE CODE REQUIREMENT TO LIMIT THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR GOVERNANCE AND BRING IT TO FULL COUNSEL FOR AN INTERVIEW? IS THAT POSSIBLE? IT IS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT AT THIS MEETING, COUNCILWOMAN, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
THAT'D BE A CHANGE IN PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED ON BY COUNCIL.
SO THAT, 'CAUSE IT'S POSSIBLY OCCUR BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING, BUT THAT COULD POSSIBLY OCCUR BETWEEN, OKAY.
WHICH IS WHY I RECOMMENDED THE MOTION TO DELAY.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU, MAYOR.AND I GUESS I JUST WANNA REITERATE TO ALL OF US THAT THIS IS A FULL COUNCIL DECISION.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT UP TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE TO DECIDE WHO HAS THAT JOB.
IT IS A FULL COUNCIL DECISION AND I SIT ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND I HAVE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT HOW I THOUGHT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE DID, UH, A REASONABLE JOB.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT'S ONLY A RECOMMENDATION.
AND I FEEL LIKE BEFORE I WOULD WANT THE FULL COUNSEL TO VOTE ON WHO IS GOING TO SIT IN THAT SEAT.
THEY ALL SHOULD HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CANDIDATES SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
IT'S ONE THING TO LOOK AT THINGS ON PAPER.
IT'S EVEN MORE TO TALK WITH SOMEBODY AND ASK THEIR INSIGHT, THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEIR UNDERSTANDING, AND THEIR POINT OF VIEW WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SITTING ON A, A BOARD, ESPECIALLY ONE AS IMPORTANT AS THE SAWS BOARD.
AND I, I DID NOT AGREE WITH THE DECISION AT, AT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, AND I'VE TOLD THE MAYOR THAT.
AND, UH, I REALLY BELIEVE THE FULL COUNCIL SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE QUALIFICATIONS AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DECISION.
'CAUSE IT IS A FULL COUNCIL VOTE AND WE'RE NOT BOUND BY WHAT COMES OUT OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF, UH, BRINGING BEFORE THIS COUNCIL IF IT'S SO DESIRES, UH, A MOTION TO WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT, UH, THAT IT ONLY GO THROUGH THE GOVERNANCE AND THAT WE, UH, SAY WE WANNA HAVE A, A FULL SET OF INTERVIEWS.
UH, AND SO WE'VE GOT TIME TO CONSIDER THAT AT A FUTURE MEETING BEFORE WE GET TO NOVEMBER.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MY FINAL COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, AND LET ME REMIND, UH, COUNSEL, UH, THAT THE CANDIDATE IS HERE.
UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS TO THE CANDIDATE, UH, SHE IS HERE TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, DISTRICT FIVE, UH, FALLS WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT AND, UH, I APPRECIATE MARY LOU COMING BY THE DISTRICT FIVE OFFICE, UH, FOR AN INTERVIEW TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? WHEN WE PLAY IDENTITY POLITICS, WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT PICKING AND CHOOSING WHICH BOARDS WE'RE DOING THAT WITH.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIGHT? WHAT MY CONSTITUENTS NEED, AND I'M SURE THE MAJORITY OF SAN ANTONIO RATE PAYERS NEED, IS A FAIR SAW PAY RATE STRUCTURE.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PAY RATE STRUCTURE AND HOW IT IMPACTS RESIDENTIAL USERS.
UM, SO I, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I'M IN FAVOR OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PROCESS ON HOW WE IDENTIFY CANDIDATES, UM, HAVING MY DISTRICT FALL WITHIN THE QUADRANT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PART OF THE PROCESS THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WITHIN THAT, THAT QUADRANT BE CONSULTED IN THE PROCESS WHEN IDENTIFYING CANDIDATES.
UM, BUT, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, CAN THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, UH, RECOMMEND MULTIPLE CANDIDATES TO THE FULL COUNCIL? IS, OR IS IT LIMITED BY THE CITY CHARTER? THE, UH, IT, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S BY ORDINANCE COUNCILWOMAN.
AND I DON'T THINK IT GETS INTO THAT SPECIFIC DETAIL, AS COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL POINTED OUT, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE DETAIL TO ANSWER THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT BY PRACTICE, USUALLY IT'S ONE CANDIDATE BY THAT IS SUBMITTED BY GOVERNANCE TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
UM, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF, UM, HAVING A LONGER CONVERSATION, UH, AND LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES.
I, I DO THINK, BASED OFF THE INTERVIEWS THAT THERE ARE CANDIDATES WHO DO HAVE THAT REPRESENTATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF MULTIPLE CRISES, ENVIRONMENTALISM BEING ONE.
UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE THAT LENS AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SAS PAY PAY RATE STRUCTURE RATHER, AND THE WAYS WHICH IT IMPACTS OUR MOST VULNERABLE RATE PAYERS.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION, BUT I HEAR A LOT OF SPECULATION ON WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE HAD ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES AT COUNCIL.
WHAT WOULD HAP WHAT HAPPENED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? AND, AND IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOVERNANCE HERE AND, AND WE'RE, YOU'RE BASING A LOT OF THIS ON SPECULATION.
MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS WHY IT'S HAPPENING TODAY, FRANKLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HERE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
EVERYBODY HERE IS INVITED TO GOVERNANCE.
EVERYBODY IN THE THE CITY CAN WATCH IT ON, ON, UM, ON TV WITH OTHER COMMITTEES THAT I'M ON, THAT I CHAIR.
Y'ALL COME TO ME AND SAY, HEY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS.
WHY? I MEAN, I HEARD FROM TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HEARD FROM COUNCILMAN MKI RODRIGUEZ AND VRAN.
[01:10:01]
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT THIS IS THEIR QUADRANT.I, I'M, I'M JUST CONFUSED ABOUT WHY, UH, TODAY WE'RE BRINGING IT UP, WHEN WE'RE, WE VERY MUCH NEED, AND WE'RE LISTENING TO THE, UM, PEOPLE WHOSE QUADRANT THIS IS OVER.
WE VERY MUCH NEED A REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, SO LAST TIME AROUND, WE WENT THROUGH C P SS, UM, UH, APPOINTMENT.
I WAS NOT ON GOVERNANCE, AND I HAD THE SAME CONCERN.
SO, I MEAN, I'M NOT, I'M OPEN TO A DISCUSSION ON THE PROCESS.
BUT TODAY WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE FOLLOWING A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE, THE, THE PROCESS IS MESSY.
I THINK THE, UH, THE BOARD CONSIDERATION HAS TO BE FLUID.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.
I MEAN, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT THE SAME CRITERIA WE HAD 20 YEARS AGO, WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE TALKING TO SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES AND SOME OF THE ONES THAT WERE IN OUR GOVERNANCE, UM, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND I THINK IT'S, FRANKLY, I THINK THIS IS MESSY.
I THINK IT'S MESSY TO DO IT HERE TODAY.
I THINK IT'S MESSY TO DO IT, UM, WHEN WE HAVE IT, WHEN WE FOLLOWED A PROCESS THAT, THAT WE HAVE IN THE CHARTER, WE HAVE, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE IN, IN THE, IN THE, UM, UH, ON THE CODE.
AND IF WE WANNA CHANGE THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
SO, I'M, I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED WHY I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THIS FROM ANYBODY, BUT TWO PEOPLE, UM, BEFORE THIS TODAY AND, AND WHY THESE CONCERNS WEREN'T BROUGHT UP, WHY WE COULDN'T FOLLOW THIS PROCESS BEFORE GOVERNANCE.
AND THESE, UH, AND, AND PEOPLE THAT ADDRESS HAVE THESE CONCERNS, COULDN'T HAVE ATTENDED GOVERNANCE AND TALK TO US ABOUT IT.
HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I GET, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT, NUMBER ONE, I WISH THAT TO BEGIN WITH WE HAD MORE THAN FIVE APPLICANTS, AND THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO GET EXTENDED.
I WISH THAT THERE WAS THOUGHTFUL RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES THAT WERE DIVERSE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAD EXPERIENCE AND PASSION.
UM, AND THEN I THINK MAYBE WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT INITIAL MISSTEP, WE ARE HERE TODAY DISCUSSING THIS.
UM, IF IT IS NOT DELAYED, I DO BELIEVE MY VOTE IS GONNA BE A NO.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THE, SAY SIX PEOPLE VOTED NO, DOES THAT PREVENT MS. REYNA FROM BEING CONSIDERED AGAIN? UM, IF GOVERNANCE WERE TO CHOOSE THE TOP TWO AND SHE AND SOMEONE ELSE WOULD BE THAT IF THE, UH, QUESTION IS ON THE MOTION TO DELAY, COUNCILMAN? NO, THAT WOULD NOT, YES.
I'LL ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN LATER.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER PEL, I, I, I THINK
I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THAT INTERVIEWING SOMEBODY A SECOND TIME IS GONNA, YOU KNOW, IMPACT HOW WE'RE GONNA VOTE? I THINK ALL OF US DID A PRETTY THOROUGH JOB AT ASKING THE QUESTIONS WE WERE GONNA ASK.
WE ASKED THE EXACT SAME QUESTIONS OF EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE.
I, UM, IT'S, I, I, I KNOW NOBODY ON THIS COUNCIL'S NAIVE.
UH, SO THEN IT BEGS THE QUESTION, THEN, WHY IS IT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE KICKING THIS BACK TO GOVERNANCE FOR A REPEAT, UH, OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY? SO, I, I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY TELL US THAT THIS LADY IS DISQUALIFIED OR LACKS THE QUALIFICATIONS.
I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD A RESOUNDING, UH, CONSENSUS, MARY LOU, THAT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST FINE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH A COLOR BY NUMBERS STANDARD FOR HALF THE SAWS OR C P S.
THOSE TWO BOARDS ARE DIFFERENT.
AND THOSE TWO BOARDS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AT ANY GIVEN DIFFERENT TIME.
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, IT'S NEVER GONNA BE A COLORED BY NUMBERS.
UH, AND IT'S NEVER GONNA BE A STANDARDIZED PROCESS OR A STANDARDIZED SET OF QUESTIONS.
AND THEN LASTLY, I KNOW THAT MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S CHIEF OF STAFF HAVE TALKED.
AND, UH, TODAY WAS THE VERY FIRST DAY EVER ANYBODY, UH, TALKED ABOUT A MOTION TO DELAY.
AND AS FAR AS I'VE CHECKED, MY CELL PHONE'S BEEN ON FOR THE PAST, YOU KNOW, FEW MONTHS.
AND, UH, AND, AND FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS SINCE WE'VE HAD BEEN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT MS. REYNA'S APPOINTMENT, I NEVER GOT A CALL.
I KNOW THAT MY CHIEF OF STAFF NEVER GOT A CALL ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A MOTION TO DELAY.
UH, AND SO THIS IS NOT A MISSTEP.
THIS IS JUST A FAILURE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
[01:15:01]
YOU KNOW, QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN DO, WE CAN DO BETTER.AND MISS, MISS RENA, YOU DESERVE BETTER, UH, THAN, UH, YOU KNOW, THAN A LAST MINUTE SCRAMBLE AT BRINKSMANSHIP WITH A, YOU KNOW, WITH A VOTE.
SO ANYWAY, MY, MY VOTE REMAINS THE SAME.
YOU'RE, YOU'VE GOT MY SUPPORT TODAY.
SO, MY, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ARE CORRECT TO SAY THAT, UM, ALL OF US HERE, THE FULL COUNCIL, WE'RE ALLOWED TO ATTEND A GOVERNANCE MEETING.
WE'RE ALL ALLOWED TO WATCH THE GOVERNANCE MEETING, WATCH THE INTERVIEWS.
UM, BUT WE WERE ELECTED TO OFFICE.
AND SO WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO GOVERNANCE AND ASK QUESTIONS OF ALL THE APPLICANTS.
THE, THE REASON FOR THAT, COUNCILMAN, IS THAT WE HAVE THE COMMITTEES, OBVIOUSLY, THAT ARE LESS THAN A, UM, SIX MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO QUORUM RIGHT.
OF COUNSEL FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
RIGHT? SO, SO, SO MY ROLE WOULD BE LIMITED TO THAT OF AN UNELECTED OFFICIAL, JUST YOUR, YOUR TYPICAL CITIZEN.
THEN IF I WERE TO ATTEND ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, ACTUALLY, I COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I'M STILL AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN TERMS OF YES, YOU CAN ATTEND AS LONG AS THERE'S NOT ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, COUNCILMAN? UM, THAT'S CORRECT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE MANNY WAS TRYING TO DISAGREE WITH ME OVER THERE.
UM, SO COUNCILMAN IMPLIES IS ALSO INSISTING THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE CONSISTING THAT GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE GETS TO PICK FOR US, BECAUSE HE'S SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THEIR MIND.
SO THEY'RE GONNA PICK FOUR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL HERE.
UM, AND I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO, UH, MAYOR ED GARZA A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO, AND, UH, HE POINTED OUT TO ME THAT IT USED TO BE THAT THE FULL COUNT, FULL COUNCIL WOULD BRING ALL SAWS BOARD APPLICANTS BEFORE THE FULL COUNSEL AND INTERVIEWED THEM ALL TOGETHER.
UM, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH.
UM, AND IF THAT MAKE, IF THAT WOULD REQUIRE TO WAIVE THE CODE OR, OR MAKE SOME KIND OF CHANGE, I'D BE COMFORTABLE WITH DOING THAT BEFORE OUR NOVEMBER 18.
IS IT NOVEMBER 18TH MEETING THAT THE MOTION IS TO MOVE THIS TO? YEAH.
UM, FURTHERMORE, UH, COUNCILMAN IMPLIES, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE HAVE THE SAME CRITERIA THAT WE ESTABLISH FOR SAWS AND C P S, UH, BOARD NOMINEES.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF WRITTEN, ESTABLISHED CRITERIA THAT WE CAN MEASURE THE CANDIDATES AGAINST.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL.
UM, AND SO I, I CONTINUE TO REMAIN SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGES MOTION.
AND, AND I ALSO, I REALLY WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO OUR NOMINEE TODAY.
UM, MARIA REINA, YOU, YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS.
UH, I KNOW THIS IS, HAS TO BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR YOU.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOBODY DESERVES THIS.
UM, AND THIS, THIS MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET APPLICANTS IN THE FUTURE, I THINK.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED AT ALL.
IT'S, I, I HAVE TO BE CONVINCED THAT WHOEVER WE BRING, PUSH, MOVE FORWARD IS THE BEST PERSON.
I MEAN, SAWS AND C P SS ENERGY, THOSE ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UH, OR ORGANIZATIONS TO OUR CITY.
AND I, I NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT IT'S THE BEST PERSON.
AND I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO MY CONSTITUENTS THAT THE APPLICANT IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST.
AND WITHOUT INTERVIEWING THE OTHER APPLICANTS, I CAN'T, I CAN'T, I'M NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
I THOUGHT I WAS FINISHED, BUT I'M NOT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO MENTION, UH, SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS ON THE DELAY.
I'M, KEEP PLEASE, I'M TRYING TO OFFER THE UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE TWO, WHICH IS RELEVANT TO THIS, AND THAT IS THAT THE C P S BOARD IS THE BOARD DECIDED WHO THE CANDIDATE IS THAT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY.
AND IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH GOVERNANCE, IT WENT DIRECTLY TO US.
THAT'S THE PROCESS FOR C P SS, THE SAWS.
THEIR BOARD DOESN'T MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND THIS COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE ON THAT.
BUT IT DOES GO THROUGH GOVERNANCE.
WHY SHOULD SAS GO THROUGH GOVERNANCE? WHY CAN'T IT JUST COME TO THE FULL BOARD? THAT'S THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE.
I CAN ANSWER THAT, COUNCILMAN.
IT'S ALSO BY ORDINANCE, RIGHT? THAT THE C P S BOARD PUTS FORTH BEFORE THE COUNCIL, THE CANDIDATE.
RIGHT? AND I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M TRYING TO POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PROCESS.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE BOARD SHOULD BE MORE INVOLVED IN UNDERSTANDING WHO THOSE CANDIDATES ARE.
THE OTHER PART IS THAT COUNCILWOMAN, UH, KABE HDA
[01:20:01]
FIVE PEOPLE COULDN'T COME TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS.'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE A WALKING QUORUM, AND IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
SO YOU, SO NONE OF US WHO SAT ON THAT BOARD COULD EXPECT FIVE COUNCILMEN WHO WEREN'T THERE TO COME SAY, WELL, WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU TO, TO CLARIFY, COUNCILMAN, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT DOES NOT PROHIBIT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WHAT IT DOES PROHIBIT IS PEOPLE GOING TO DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKING TO SUPPORT A PARTICULAR ITEM IN TERMS OF A VOTE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S, IT'S THE COLLECTION OF VOTES THAT IS PROHIBITED, NOT DISCUSSIONS.
WELL, I'VE THOUGHT I'VE HEARD, IF YOU GO TALK TO FIVE OTHER PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE GONNA ASSUME THAT YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT EDUCATION, BUT I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T DO IT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
OKAY, LET ME, LET ME CLOSE THIS.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE VOTE ON THE, ON THE DELAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT SHOWING UP ON MY QUEUE HERE.
AND YEAH, UM, I DIDN'T PUSH THE BUTTON.
SO ANYWAY, BUT WE ARE GONNA PUSH BUTTONS, AND THAT'S THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE.
UM, THIS IS A VERY HEALTHY DISCUSSION, AND, UM, I THINK IT'S WARRANTED FOR US TO MAKE THESE COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
YEAH, THERE'S DIFFERENT PROCESSES HERE FOR, UH, DIFFERENT BOARDS, AND I AM, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STICKLER FOR THE PROCESS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
DID WE DO THAT? UM, I, I LOOK AT THIS.
NUMBER ONE, I DON'T THINK THAT ADVOCATES, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FULL COUNSEL, THAT THERE ISN'T MORE DISCUSSION WARRANTED.
UM, UH, HOW LONG HAS, WHEN DID THIS POSITION COME UP ORIGINALLY? WHEN WAS THAT THE FIRST, THE GOVERNANCE MEETING? WELL, TO, TO FILL THIS POSITION? YEAH.
SO WE'VE KIND OF KICKED THE BALL DOWN THE ROAD ALREADY.
UM, AND I, I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
IF SOMETHING COMES FROM A COMMITTEE UP TO COUNCIL, IT'S REALLY UP TO THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AT THAT POINT.
I'M HEARING A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE, UM, IT'S ABOUT THE PROCESS.
AND, AND IS IT THE CORRECT PROCESS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN SET UP, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
UM, I'M KIND OF TALKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE THIS, THIS IS A IMPORTANT DECISION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THIS DECISION TODAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UP HERE FOR.
YOU KNOW, HEARING ALL THIS DIALOGUE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A COUNCIL IS SPLIT IN HALF ABOUT WHAT SHOULD WE DO.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WHERE OUR DECISION COMES DOWN TO RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW, AND ABOUT PUSHING THAT BUTTON.
THAT'S WHAT OUR PROCESS IS TO APPROVE OR DISPROVE THIS PARTICULAR CANDIDATE.
UH, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH BOTH OF 'EM.
I THINK THEY'RE BOTH QUALIFIED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND, UM, UH, I, I, I SUPPORT BOTH OF THEM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO MAKE ONE DECISION FOR ONE POSITION.
UM, THERE, I, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS TURNS OUT, EVEN FOR THE DELAY.
AND SINCE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS, SINCE YOU SAID JULY, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ANOTHER MONTH? BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IS IT GONNA CHANGE ANYTHING? IS IT REALLY GONNA CHANGE ANYTHING? STICKING WITH THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH? AND THEN I SAY, WELL, IF WE MAKE THIS, THIS CHANGE, AND WE SEND IT BACK SAYING, LET'S DO THIS AGAIN AND SEE ABOUT GETTING ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS, DO WE DO THAT FOR EVERY COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE? WHICH COMMITTEE IN THIS CITY IS NOT VERY IMPORTANT? I'M TALKING ABOUT BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES.
ARE WE GONNA TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO INTERVIEW FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES? I'M NOT GONNA SINGLE OUT ANY BOARD, COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE OUT THERE THAT SAYS, YOU'RE NOT IMPORTANT.
YOUR POSITION IS NOT IMPORTANT.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE PUT ON THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO GO THROUGH
[01:25:02]
ALL OF THAT AND INTERVIEW FOR EVERY POSITION ON EVERY BOARD AND COMMISSION HERE IN TOWN.SO YOU HAVE THIS PROCESS THAT WE'VE SET UP HERE IN THIS CITY TO MOVE PEOPLE NOMINEES THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND THIS IS VERY, A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION WITH SAS.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE FOR C P S TODAY, BUT DELAYING THIS, I, I'M, I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS BECAUSE WE GOT THIS PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TODAY.
DO I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUTTA GOVERNANCE? HECK NO.
I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, AND I THINK I'VE PROVEN THAT, AND I'VE SAID I DON'T AGREE, AND I VOTE APPROPRIATELY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL UP HERE TODAY.
THAT'S WHY WE WERE ELECTED TO MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS.
SO, UM, I I, I'M, I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS.
I, I HEAR A LOT OF PUSHBACK SAYING, WE NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.
IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE, WE COULD PUSH BACK AND SAY, NO.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY HEARING A LOT OF THAT TODAY.
WE DON'T AGREE WITH THE PROCESS, LET'S DELAY IT.
BUT I'M, I'M, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT, WHETHER WE WOULD GET AN ADDITIONAL CANDIDATE OR TWO.
I DON'T, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE AFTER THIS TO TRY TO GET ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES TO COME FORWARD.
I THINK WE HAD, WE HAD GREAT CANDIDATES ALREADY, AND THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION, AND IT'S UP TO EVERYBODY ON THIS STAGE TO SAY, YES, I AGREE WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, OR NO, I DON'T.
IT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE HERE AT THIS TIME FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY HERE.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT COMES UP WITH THESE VOTES.
WE WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS QUESTION, UH, ON THE DELAY.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, THE VOTE IS ON THE DELAY.
SO IN FAVOR OF A DELAY OR AGAINST A DELAY, PLEASE VOTE.
WE'LL TAKE UP THE MAIN MOTION NOW.
SO IF YOU ARE STILL Q OR ACTUALLY NOBODY'S QUEUED IN ANYMORE.
SO THE QUE THE QUESTION ON THE FLOOR IS THE APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
UM, AND I DON'T SEE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, UM, DO WE HAVE COUNCIL CUED? GO AHEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
I HEARD A COMMENT EARLIER AND I WANTED TO, UM, IT WAS ABOUT WOULD GOVERNANCE CHANGE THEIR MIND? AND I HOPE THAT HEARING FROM THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, UP HERE TODAY WHO ARE CONCERNED, I HOPE THEY WOULD CONSIDER IT AT LEAST.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD BE, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ELECTED TO DO.
MY QUESTION WAS, IF IT'S A NO VOTE TODAY, UM, GOVERNANCE WOULD HAVE TO CONVENE AGAIN.
WOULD THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, POTENTIALLY SELECT, UH, MS. REYNA? AGAIN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN, THE APPLICATION WOULD STILL BE ACTIVE.
SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.
AND I HOPE THAT IF, IF NO ENDS UP BEING, IF THE ANSWER ENDS UP BEING NO, THAT SHE IS STILL RECONSIDERED.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PIAS, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ ON THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I I FEEL LIKE, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT GOVERNANCE MADE THE DECISION FOR US, AND THAT'S IT.
AND SO WE WE'RE EXPECTED TO, TO ACCEPT THAT.
AND, UH, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SHOW, TO DEMONSTRATE, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE PICKING THE BEST CANDIDATE POSSIBLE.
[01:30:04]
SORRY, I'M JUST TRYING TO REMEMBER MY LAST POINT HERE.UM, BASED ON SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN PERRY SAID.
I, UH, MARY LOU, EVERY, EVERY TIME I RUN FOR OFFICE, I HAVE TO ASK MY MOTHER-IN-LAW PERMISSION TO DO IT.
UM, AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS I WORK FOR HER.
AND, UH, I THINK EVERY ONE OF US HAS IN OUR LIFE A BOSS, RIGHT? AND WE ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GAIN CONSENSUS.
IN THIS INSTANCE, YOU HAVE A LITERAL BOSS.
YOU HAVE, UH, A FELLOW BY THE NAME OF, UH, KEVIN, WHO'S THEIR C E O, RIGHT? UH, KEVIN DENON.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE LEADERSHIP OVER AT B C F SS HAS OKAYED YOUR SERVING ON THIS, UH, ON THIS BOARD.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A REALIZATION OVER AT THE C-SUITE IN B C F SS THAT THERE IS A ROLE FOR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE B C F S TO HAVE A VOICE AT, UM, AT, AT SAWS.
AND THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT VOICE.
AND, UM, I, I, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS ONE MINUTE TO THANK MR. DENIN AND THANK, UH, EVERYBODY OVER AT B C F S FOR LENDING YOU TO US AND, UH, FOR PARTICIPATING IN SAN ANTONIO AND YET ANOTHER WAY.
AND SO I, UM, I, I DON'T DUNNO IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT YOU, YOU, YOU'VE GOT MY SUPPORT TODAY.
UM, NOW THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING, UH, THE CANDIDATE, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ASK THE CANDIDATE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, MS. JAYNA, DURING YOUR INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, YOU WERE ASKED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A SAWS RATE INCREASE.
YOUR RESPONSE WAS THAT SAWS NEEDED TO EMPHASIZE WHAT RATE PAYERS WOULD GET AS A RESULT OF THE RATE INCREASE.
UM, COULD YOU, AND THEN I THINK THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION ABOUT RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES AS WELL.
COULD YOU, UM, WHAT CAME ACROSS WAS THAT, ACTUALLY, I'LL, I'LL ASK YOU NOW.
WHAT, UM, HOW FAMILIAR ARE YOU WITH THE, COULD YOU EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER TO THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE QUESTION? THANK YOU.
BASICALLY, UM, SO WHEN I, UH, WAS ASKED ABOUT THE RATE HIKE, I BELIEVE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE RATE INCREASE THAT MAYBE MM-HMM.
PEOPLE ARE THINKING IT'S FORTHCOMING.
UM, I, I TALKED ABOUT, UM, MAKING SURE, AND I, I TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, WITH SEVERAL OF YOU WHEN I TALKED ABOUT IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY A LOT FOR YOUR CABLE BILL.
YOU PAY A LOT FOR YOUR CELL PHONE BILL.
A LOT OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, I KNOW YOU SEE THEM.
THEY HAVE CELL PHONES, THEY HAVE, UH, CABLE.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY'RE PAYING FOR THESE ITEMS AND THEY'RE GETTING SOMETHING BACK FOR IT.
AND I WAS THINKING THAT IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO LOOK AT A PAY INCREASE, IF INDEED THAT COMES, AND THAT WOULD BE A A AND ALSO A DIFFERENT PROCESS, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, I READ THE SNOW REPORT, THE, YOU KNOW, THE SNOWSTORM REPORT.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BASICALLY, THE SAWS CREW BECAME FIRST RESPONDERS.
THEY WEREN'T SLEEPING FOR 24, 48 HOURS.
UH, AND SO I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF, UH, THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE WATER.
THEY'RE GETTING ALL OF THESE THINGS FOR THEIR RATE, UH, THAT THEY'RE PAYING.
AND I MEAN, I SEE, AND OF COURSE, I'VE, I'VE HAD JUST A VERY SHORT TIME TO LEARN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT SASS, BUT I SEE THEY'RE MAKING VERY CONCERTED EFFORTS TO ALWAYS IMPROVE SERVICE.
AND SO I, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY, OH, I GET FIVE PHONES FOR, YOU KNOW, A, A SALE, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU GETTING WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE PAYING YOUR SAS BILL? AND WHAT IS SAS DOING FOR ME? SO MS. AS A RATE PAYER, UH, MS. JAYNA, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR PREMISE YES.
REGARDING, UM, THE GENERAL POPULATION HAVING ACCESS TO, UH, SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU CONSIDER, UM, UH, OPTIONAL.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT CELL PHONES, UM, ARE, ARE A CONNECTION, ARE ARE A LIFELINE.
SO I, I CERTAINLY DON'T CONSIDER THEM OPTIONAL.
AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CABLE.
SO I GUESS, WHAT IS YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT TO THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OF HAVING CABLE? AND, YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A PR PERSON THAT I FOCUS ON IS COMMUNICATION.
SO, WHEN I SAW MARY BAILEY WITH SAWS HAS A GREAT, UH, PLAN OUTLINE TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE WATER CUTOFF THAT WE'RE GONNA START THIS WEEK.
UH, AND SHE SAID, OH, WE STARTED TEXTING.
WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE, YOU CAN SIGN
[01:35:01]
UP.AND I SAID, WELL, HEY, WHAT ABOUT IN MY HEAD? I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY IDEAS WITH ANYONE, UH, TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE CELL PHONES? WHAT ABOUT ARE YOU, I MEAN, I ALMOST WANTED TO DO DOOR TO DOOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS HAPPENING? UH, AND, AND MR. PUENTE TOLD ME THAT AT SOME POINT THEY DID GO DOOR TO DOOR WITH DISTRICT FIVE, UH, PREVIOUS CITY COUNCILWOMAN WITH LAPTOPS SIGNING PEOPLE UP FOR SERVICES.
UH, SO NO, I'M NOT, I'M NOT BLIND TO THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW MS. GARCIA, MY NEIGHBOR, UH, HE'S 84 YEARS OLD, EVEN WHEN HE HAS HIS CELL PHONE, HE ONLY HAS A COUPLE OF NUMBERS PROGRAMMED IN IT FOR HIS KIDS.
UH, I KNOW THAT HE'S NOT GONNA SIGN UP FOR A PROGRAM.
UH, I KNOW THAT, THAT OUR, MY COMMUNITY, THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, I MEAN, THAT IS, THAT IS OUR DEMOGRAPHIC.
UH, SO NO, I KNOW, I WAS JUST, I WAS COMPARING IT TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT BASIC, LIKE WATER BASIC NEEDS, UM, ARE GETTING SOME OF THOSE, UH, PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR THEM.
AND I JUST THOUGHT, AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD GO BACK TO WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GONNA HAVE A RATE INCREASE.
SO CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ANSWER TO THE RATE ADVISORY QUESTION? SO THEY, I BELIEVE THAT THEY ASKED, UM, IF WE WOULD HAVE A RATE ADVISORY, UH, CONSULTANT COME IN.
AND I TALKED ABOUT, UM, AGAIN, I WOULD USE THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT'S VALUABLE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE THE ONLY SOURCE THAT WOULD HELP ME MAKE MY DECISION ON A RATE INCREASE OR, OR RATES IN GENERAL.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, I TALKED TO ONE OF THE CANDIDATES ABOUT A STUDY THAT A TRINITY PROFESSOR DID AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE UNCOVERED.
DID HE INTERVIEW PEOPLE? WAS HE ON THE STREETS? AGAIN, KIND OF FACE-TO-FACE AND USING SOME OF THAT DATA.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE DATA THAT SAWS PROBABLY HAS, UM, AND WILL GET OUT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR RESEARCH TEAM ON HOW MANY YEARS HAS IT BEEN SINCE THERE'S BEEN A RATE INCREASE, AND WHAT PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THE RATE INCREASE, WHAT CAN THEY, WHAT CAN THEY DO, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE FACING, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, POVERTY LEVEL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, NO, I, I TALKED ABOUT THE RATE, UH, ADVISORY AS A SMALL PIECE OF WHAT DATA I WOULD NEED.
I THINK MR. P, YOU, YOU POSTED THAT QUESTION, WHAT WOULD WE NEED TO SEE FROM SAS AND MR. PUENTE TO MAKE A DECISION ON A RATE INCREASE? AND I JUST SAID THAT WOULD BE ONE PIECE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
AND I, I DID SAY THAT TOO, THAT THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS, UM, IS IT IN PLACE? I MEAN, YOU'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PROCESSES TODAY, AND IF THE RATE ADVISORY IS A PART OF THE PROCESS, HAVING THAT TEAM ON BOARD, AND YOU, I BELIEVE YOU ALL SELECT WHO SERVES ON THAT COMMITTEE, THAT WE WOULD TAKE THEIR INPUT AS WELL.
I WOULDN'T WANNA FLIP SOMETHING ON A DIME, UM, BECAUSE OF THEIR OPINION, WHAT, WHAT THEY BRING, IF THEY WERE APPOINTED TO THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE ARE APPOINTED.
AND, UH, THEY BRING THAT TO THE SAS BOARD.
WE WOULD LISTEN AS A PIECE OF ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH RATES.
THANK YOU MARY LOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, KARENNA YOUR PATIENCE.
ALSO, YOU'LL BE HERE IN A FEW YEARS, I'M SURE.
UM, SO, UM, YOU'VE, YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF CONVERSATION, UM, AND YOU'VE ASKED THE, UH, AND YOU'VE HEARD THE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND I, I WANTED TO ASK, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, I MEAN, IN TERMS OF DISTRICT THREE, YOU KNOW, HARLANDALE, YOU KNOW, BROOKS, YOU KNOW, UH, THE HIGHLAND HILLS AREA.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU SEE, AND I, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, OTHER PARTS OF TOWN BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND JUST LIFE EXPERIENCE.
SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAIN STRUGGLE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR RATE PAYERS? IS IT, SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAIN STRUGGLE FOR OUR RATE PAYERS? WELL, I, I THINK, AGAIN, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO MY, TO MY, UM, MY INITIAL, UM, CONCERN.
I MEAN, WHEN THE COUNCILWOMAN ASKED ME TO CONSIDER THIS, IT WAS COMMUNICATING TO OUR RATE PAYERS.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF OUR FOLKS LIVING IN POVERTY, PEOPLE LIVING ALONE, I COULD GO BACK A FEW YEARS AND TALK ABOUT MY PARENTS.
THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE OPENED THE DOOR FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING FROM SAS, UH, TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT RAPE PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK REACHING THEM, UM, ON THEIR LEVEL.
I MEAN, WE HAVE FOLKS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SPANISH SPEAKING, MAYBE RURAL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I THINK ARE CHALLENGING TO COMMUNICATE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT, UM, I'M GUILTY OF NOT EVEN OPENING MY WATER BILL.
AND IN THAT WATER BILL, WHICH I HAVE OPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS IN IT, THERE'S AMAZING PROGRAMS IN THERE.
SO WHAT, WHY ISN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MS. GARCIA, OR
[01:40:01]
YOU KNOW, MR. SMITH, YOU KNOW, WHO LIVES WAY OUT IN THE, YOU KNOW, OUT IN THE SUBURBS OF SOUTH SAN ANTONIO.UM, IS HE READING THAT? IS HE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT? SO I THINK REACHING THEM ON THEIR LEVEL, UH, COUNCILWOMAN VIETNAM, UM, IS HUGE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF FOLKS IN OUR SOUTHEAST QUADRANT THAT ARE TAKING THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM.
I TALKED ABOUT, UM, DOING INNOVATIVE THINGS WITH THEM.
UM, I KNOW ROBERT AND, UH, THE FOLKS AT SAS DO THAT AMAZING EVENT IN THEIR PARKING LOT AT SAS TO GET ZERO SCAPING PLANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO MY NEIGHBOR, HE'S NOT GONNA GET IN THE BUS AND TAKE THE BUS TO THE SAS HEADQUARTERS AND BRING ALL THE PLANTS BACK ON A, ON THE VIA BUS.
UM, MAYBE WE CAN BRING THAT TO THEM.
AGAIN, I, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CREATIVE.
I WAS LOOKING AT WAYS TO BRING THINGS THAT THEY NEED.
WE WANT THEM TO CHECK OFF THESE BOXES.
THEY'RE SAVING WATER, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WATERING ON CERTAIN DAYS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT HOW ARE WE GONNA GET IT TO THEM? I THINK THAT WAS MISSING FOR OUR SOUTHWEST QUADRANT, OUR RATE PAYERS.
AND I'LL JUST REITERATE, I THINK WE HAVE A SAWS BOARD THAT IS WORKING VERY HARD.
SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU, AND I'M, I'M EXCITED THAT WE COULD GET TO THIS POINT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRIND.
AND I'LL CLOSE, UH, THE DISCUSSION HERE.
UH, JUST, BUT YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO RE-ASK THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED YESTERDAY DURING OUR ONE-ON-ONE MM-HMM.
I UNDERSTAND BUSINESSES PROVIDE JOBS, BUT WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON THAT STRUCTURE? DO YOU THINK IT'S EQUITABLE? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOKED BACK AND, AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT AFTER I LEFT YOU YESTERDAY.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THE BIG BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, ALAMO COLLEGES, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE CAMPUSES THAT ARE PROBABLY BIG WATER USERS, OR, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH ALL THE CAMPUSES THAT THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR LARGER BUSINESSES.
AGAIN, UM, I HAVE NO, UH, DATA ON THIS, BUT I'M GONNA GUESS, UH, YOUR U S A A, YOU KNOW, THESE HAVE ACRES AND ACRES OF LAND, UM, AND THEY DO PROVIDE JOBS, BUT THEY HAVE VOLUME AS WELL.
IS IT FAIR? IS IT EQUITABLE? UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO COSTCO, THAT'S HOW COSTCO EXISTS, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU BUY IN BULK AND YOU GET THINGS A LITTLE CHEAPER.
BUT DOES COSTCO REALLY WORK? I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE A MEMBERSHIP TO COSTCO.
BUT IF THAT'S THE CONCEPT BEHIND SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES GETTING A BETTER RATE BECAUSE THEY USE MORE, UM, THEY DO PROVIDE JOBS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, THE, UM, THINGS THAT I MENTIONED.
BUT IF THEY'RE USING MORE AND THEY'RE PROVIDING SERVICES, THIS IS PROBABLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
UH, BUT IF IT'S NOT EQUITABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT.
I MEAN, IS IT, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY PAYING 50% MORE? ARE THEY PAYING 2% MORE? I'M NOT SURE.
UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
AND I THINK THE CITIZENS WANNA SEE THAT, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT BUSINESSES SHOULD PAY A LOWER RATE THAN RESIDENTIAL USERS? YES OR NO? UM, I BELIEVE THE FOLKS THAT ARE USING THE MOST SHOULD PAY A, A LARGER, UH, PROBABLY GET SOME KIND OF, UH, REPRIEVE FOR THE QUANTITY THAT THEY'RE USING.
IF THAT IS A BUSINESS, THEN YES, BUT I BELIEVE THAT FOR THE SAME FOR OTHERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THAT, THAT'S TWO ROUNDS, UH, ON THE MAIN MOTION ALREADY.
SO I'M GONNA CLOSE THE DISCUSSION.
UH, MS. RAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION FOR STEPPING FORWARD.
I, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES CURRENT AND PREVIOUS HAVE APPOINTED YOU TO MANY THINGS.
AND TO ME, THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND, AND, AND HAVE DONE SO IN, IN, IN, IN QUITE AN ESTEEMED MANNER, UH, WITH YOUR SERVICE AT TEXAS A AND M.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU, THERE, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, UH, IN THE POOL.
UH, A VERY SMALL POOL BY MIND YOU OF, OF CANDIDATES, UH, FOR THIS APPLICATION.
AND, AND, UM, I'LL ALSO TELL YOU, I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN, UH, LETICIA UNA THREW HER HAT IN FOR ANY I S D BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKING SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WE NEEDED AT THE BOARD AT THE TIME, WHICH IS EXPERTISE IN CYBERSECURITY.
BUT I THINK FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS ABOUT YOUR SERVICE ON THE SAWS BOARD, IS THAT WE HAVE JUST FACED, UH, AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF CRISES IN
[01:45:01]
OUR COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO OUR UTILITIES ON TWO PRIMARY FRONTS.FIRST, UH, A PANDEMIC, UH, THAT HAS CAUSED EXTREME ECONOMIC HARDSHIP ON THE PART OF ALL OF OUR RATE PAYERS.
AND TWO, A WINTER STORM THAT HAS BROUGHT, UH, VIRTUALLY EVERY UTILITY IN TEXAS TO ITS KNEES, WATER, AND ELECTRICITY.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, AT B C F SS AND AT TEXAS A AND M SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS, I BELIEVE THAT IS WHY YOU'RE GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS FIT IN THIS ERA OF SAWS.
UH, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, ENDURING, UH, A, A PUBLIC INTERVIEW IN THIS MANNER.
UH, I DO HOPE, UH, FOR THOSE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO, TO, UH, VISIT WITH YOU OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, UH, THAT YOU'VE BEEN OUR NOMINEE, UH, WE'LL TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THEY WILL BE EQUALLY IMPRESSED, UH, WITH THE SERVICE YOU'VE PROVIDED THIS COMMUNITY AND THE SERVICE YOU WILL PROVIDE ON THE SAWS BOARD.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOUR NOMINATION.
UH, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION NOW.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT OF MARY LOU RENA TO THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
UM, IT'S NOT PULLING UP JUST YET, PLEASE VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MARY LOU.
UH, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.
[6. Resolution confirming the nomination of Dr. Francine Romero by the CPS Energy Board of Trustees to serve as a Trustee of the Northwest Quadrant on the CPS Energy Board of Trustees for a term commencing upon the completion of Edward B. Kelley’s term, which shall be no later than February 1, 2022 and expiring January 31, 2027. [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk]]
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE NOMINATION OF DR.FRANCINE ROMERO BY THE C P SS BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO SERVE AS A TRUSTEE OF THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT ON THE C P SS ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A TERM COMMENCING UPON THE COMPLETION OF EDWARD B KELLY'S TERM, WHICH SHALL BE NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022, AND EXPIRING JANUARY 31ST, 2027.
UH, COUNCILS MEMBER PALS, THANK YOU, FRANCINE, COME ON UP, PLEASE, WHEREVER IT IS YOU ARE.
YEAH, I, I WANTED YOU STANDING UP THERE AND LOOKING AT ME WHEN I, WHEN I SAID THE WORDS, I MOVE TO APPROVE.
OKAY, THERE, THERE, THERE'S A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX.
UH, WE DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM SIX, AND THEN WE'LL, WE WILL, UH, RESUME WITH THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND I'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNCILMAN MCLI TO START US OFF.
UH, WE HAVE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I'LL CALL THE FIRST NAME IN THE LIST.
I'LL CALL THE NAME, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD.
WE'LL START WITH ANAQUA GARCIA WE'LL, AND, UH, WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY HALLIS SHANTU.
UM, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE.
UH, I REPRESENT SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION AND CLIMATE ACTION SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE ARE HERE TO CALL FOR BOLD LEADERSHIP AT C P S.
THAT IS WHY MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES, WE CANNOT IN GOOD FAITH WEBER STAMP THE NOMINATION OF FRANCINE ROMERO FOR THE C P S ENERGY TRUSTEES FOR THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT.
THE MOMENT WE ARE IN TODAY CALLS FOR US TO ENACT, ADJUST AN EQUITABLE RESTRUCTURING OF THE WAY C P SS ENERGY OPERATES AND DOES BUSINESS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
IN 2020, OUR COALITION SPOKE TO 16,000 C P S CUSTOMERS AND VOTERS WHO WERE NOT CONTENT WITH C P SS AND WANTED STRUCTURAL CHANGE.
OUR RECENT FAIRFAX POLL REVEALED THE EXACT SAME.
AND ONE OF ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS IN THE COM CONCERNS IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT OF C P S ENERGY'S GOVERNANCE.
THIS IS THE SAME GOVERNANCE THAT LEFT SOME OF US IN THE COLD, BUT NOT OTHERS.
THE SAME GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WAS BUSY, DR.
BUSY DRAFTING LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES WHILE THE REST OF US SCRAMBLED TO STAY WARM A FEW MONTHS AGO, ED KELLY SPOKE OF THE TIME BEING NOW FOR PEOPLE TO, AND QUOTE, PULL THEMSELVES UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS IN REFERENCE TO MORE, TO THE MORE THAN 70,000 CUSTOMERS AT RISK OF DISCONNECTIONS.
IT IS THIS CALLOUSNESS AND INHUMANITY THAT BRINGS US HERE TODAY TO PLEAD
[01:50:01]
WITH YOU THAT YOU SELECT A TRUSTEE THAT WILL PUT THE PEOPLE AND THE CLIMATE.FIRST, WE CALL ON YOU TO CONSIDER A HEALTH SCIENCE ADVOCATE AND A WOMAN WHO COULD HELP US LEAD THE CITY INTO A CLIMATE READY FUTURE.
UH, HULI KTU, FOLLOWED BY ANTONIA TAYLOR.
UM, I'M WITH, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION, AND I'M AN ALUMNI OF, UH, MOVE TEXAS.
SO, I MEAN, I TALK TO, UH, PEOPLE ON A DAILY, UM, ABOUT THEIR BILLS AND LIKE JUST THEIR RELATION TO GOVERNANCE, WHETHER IT'S EXISTENT AT ALL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START, UH, CITY COUNCIL MUST COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACTS.
C P SS ENERGY HAS A BIAS LENS, AND THEIR PUBLICIZED INFORMATION DOES NOT REFLECT THEIR ILL PREPARATION FOR THE 75 K RESIDENT RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY DISCONNECTIONS, UM, MAKING SAN ANTONIO TANTALIZING TO BUSINESSES EVERYWHERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOME MEMBERS PRIORITIES IN THEIR VOTES.
HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T ERASE THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS WHO WORK DOUBLE SHIFTS, WHO CALL AND SPEND HOURS WAITING FOR C P S TO ANSWER THEIR PHONES, WHICH THEY'RE NOT.
WE'VE GOTTEN MULTIPLE, UM, ACCOUNTS OF THAT.
UM, THERE CAN BE NO EQUITABLE OPTION FOR RATE PAYERS UNTIL THERE ARE CHANGES TO SAN ANTONIO'S RATE STRUCTURE.
UM, AND C P SS HASN'T GOTTEN, HAS GOTTEN ITSELF INTO DEBT, UM, THESE PAST FEW YEARS, LIKE MAKING, UH, INVESTMENTS INTO THE COAL PLANTS ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING TO CLOSE IN WET, LESS THAN 10 YEARS.
IF WE WANT ZERO CARBON EMISSION, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE POSSIBLE IF WE CONTINUE WITH THIS CURRENT BOARD'S DECISION MAKING.
AND YEAH, YOU CAN IGNORE THIS AS LONG AS YOU WANT, BUT THAT MEANS PUSHING THIS ISSUE DOWN THE LINE AND FORCING RESIDENTS INTO HORRIBLE CONDITIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
UM, NOW, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD MULTIPLE, UM, CANDIDATES AND WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, THE ONLY OPTION GOING FORWARD IS, UH, APPROVING DR.
ELIDA CANTU, NO RELATION, UM, TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR C P S.
AND, UH, WE ASK FOR HER CONSIDERATION PLEASE, AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. CONTU ANTONIA TAYLOR.
MS. TAYLOR, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY LILLIAN WHITE.
I COME HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF SUNRISE SAN ANTONIO TO CONVEY CONCERN ABOUT C P S AND THE APPOINTMENT OF THE VACANT BOARD OF TRUSTEES POSITION.
SAN ANTONIO DESERVES BOARD MEMBERS THAT WILL STAND FOR US IN THE MIDST OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.
WE DESERVE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WILL SEE US AS INVALUABLE HUMAN BEINGS, RATHER THAN A 10 DIGIT ACCOUNT NUMBER AND DISPOSABLE INCOME.
ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2021, C P SS C P S RESUMED DISCONNECTIONS.
DESPITE THE DISMAY OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND MEMBERS, THESE, THE DISCONNECTIONS AND RAIN HIKES, HER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SUCH AS OUR BLACK AND INDIGENOUS, HISPANIC, LOW INCOME, ELDERLY, AND THE TECHNOLOGICALLY DISADVANTAGED PEOPLES ENERGY IS A HUMAN RIGHT.
CLEAN ENERGY IS A HUMAN RIGHT.
AND TO DENY THAT IS A DISSERVICE TO THOSE YOU ARE EXPECTED TO SERVE AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THIS YEAR, WINTER AND MU DEVASTATED OUR COMMUNITY AND LEFT MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER.
THE UNRELIABILITY OF THE SPRUCE POWER PLANT AND C P S ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVER 700 DEATHS OF TEXANS.
DUTY ENERGY FOUND AT THE SPRUCE POWER PLANT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, AS POLLUTION HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS HEALTH CON CONDITIONS SUCH AS ASTHMA AND BRONCHITIS.
C P S ARE MAYOR AND IS, CONSTITUENTS HAVE REMAINED SILENT ON THE DEADLY EFFECTS OF THE POWER POLLUTION.
AT THE DISMAY OF SAN ANTONIONS, DR.
ALTA CANTU DEN A CANDIDATE TO FILL THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES VACANCY.
AS AN EDUCATOR AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, DR.
CANTU UNDERSTANDS HOW ENERGY USAGE CAN AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE WILL USE THE EXPERTISE IN PUBLIC SERVICE TO GUIDE C P S TOWARDS CLEAN AND SAFE ENERGY USAGE.
CANTU WILL ENSURE HER CONSTITUENTS ARE HEARD AND REPRESENTED AS WE FACE AN EVER-CHANGING CLIMATE.
MAYOR BERG AND SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SEEM TO PRIDE THEMSELVES AND SAN ANTONIO'S RICH HISPANIC HERITAGE, AND YET FAILED TO PROTECT SAID COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
HISPANIC COMMUNITIES ARE DIS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY HIGHER RATES, DEAD AND POLLUTION, AND WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES.
YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE A CLEAN AND BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SAN ANTONIO'S RESIDENTS, BUT CHOOSE TO PRIORITIZE DIRTY ENERGY AND CONTINUOUS PROFITS AT THE EXPENSE OF UTILITY PAYERS AND THE UTILITY PAYERS HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
WE IS BOARD OF TRUSTEES THAT WILL PROPERLY REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS CITY COUNCIL, AND THE MAYOR MUST LIVE
[01:55:01]
UP TO THEIR PROMISES.ALITA CANTU IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
THIS CHOICE WILL ENSURE YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE PROPERLY REPRESENTED AND TAKEN CARE OF.
THANK YOU, MS. TAYLOR, LILLIAN WHITE, HOWDY.
I'M HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SUNRISE MOVEMENT SAN ANTONIO TO ADVOCATE FOR DR.
ALITA CANTU AS THE JUST CHOICE FOR THE OPENING ON C P S ENERGY'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
RECENT RESUMPTION OF UTILITY DISCONNECTIONS DURING A PANDEMIC WAS INHUMANE.
MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES STRUGGLED DAILY IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO, TO RECOVER FROM THE SOCIOECONOMIC REPERCUSSIONS OF C OVID 19.
NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCED TO WITHHOLD BASIC NEEDS FROM THEIR FAMILY IN ORDER TO PAY OFF DEBT ACCRUED DUE TO LOSS OF INCOME DURING A PANDEMIC.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS AFFECTED WILL ONLY INCREASE WITH THE FAST APPROACHING UNETHICAL RATE HIKE.
AS UTILITY BILLS RISE AND LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS ARE FORCED TO SUBSIDIZE THE ENERGY COSTS OF HEAVY USING BUSINESSES.
MORE HOUSEHOLDS WILL STRUGGLE WITH UTILITY DEBT AND THUS FACE DISCONNECTIONS.
CONSIDERING THE SUFFERING AND LOSS OF LIFE AFTER LAST FEBRUARY'S WINTER STORM, THESE DISCONNECTIONS WILL HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY DEADLY RESULTS.
THE SPRUCE COAL PLANT FAILED US DURING STORM URI.
IT IS UNRELIABLE AND DANGEROUS.
IT IS THE LEADING SOURCE OF ASTHMA, EXACERBATING POLLUTION IN BEAR COUNTY.
AS A TEACHER, I SEE THE HARM THIS CAUSES IN THE CHILDREN OF SAN ANTONIO.
OVER 80% OF THE POPULATION IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS SURROUNDING THE SPRUCE COAL PLANT COAL PLANT ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND AT LEAST 23% ARE LIVING IN POVERTY.
LAST AUGUST, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DECLARED RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, YET AFTER PAYING LIP SERVICE TO THE CAUSE, RON NIERENBERG, OUR MAYOR, HAS BEEN QUITE COMFORTABLE DOING NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO HEALTH ISSUES OF BIPO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE HOPE THAT YOU, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION REGARDING THE BOARD NOMINEE.
THE C P S ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES NEEDS STRONG, COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP AS AN EDUCATOR AND A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.
CANTU UNDERSTANDS THE TRUE MEANING OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
SHE HAS THE EXPERTISE NECESSARY TO LEND AN INVALUABLE PERSPECTIVE TO THE DECISIONS BEING MADE AT C P S ENERGY AND THE FACE OF OUR CHANGING CLIMATE.
CANTU'S BRILLIANT TRACK RECORD OF SERVING ON AND EVEN LEADING VARIOUS BOARDS PROVES THAT SHE'S CAPABLE AND DRIVEN IN SERVICE TO HER COMMUNITY.
SHE IS NOT SOMEONE WHO WILL BE BOUGHT AS A BOARD MEMBER, NOR WILL SHE BE BULLIED INTO COMPLIANCE AS C P SS.
THE CITY DESERVES A BOARD MEMBER THAT ACTUALLY CONSIDERS OUR NEEDS.
IT IS TIME FOR SOMEONE ON THE C P SS ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO FINALLY ADHERE TO THE SLOGAN OF PEOPLE FIRST.
IT IS ALSO TIME FOR A CITY COUNCIL THAT LIVES UP TO THE ENDORSEMENTS THEY RAN ON.
REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU IN THESE SEATS.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ELECT SOMEONE LIKE DR.
ALITA CANTU, AND NOT JUST WHOMEVER THE UTILITY COMPANY HAS PLACED IN FRONT OF YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. WHITE, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UH, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
I'M SORRY FOR, FOR MAKING YOU DO THIS TWICE.
UH, FRANCINE, WHEN WHEN I APPROACHED YOU AND ASKED YOU TO, TO APPLY FOR THIS SEAT, I, UH, I TOLD YOU THAT IT WAS GONNA BE A WILD RIDE.
AND, AND I HOPE THAT, UM, YOU, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL SAY THAT I'VE DELIVERED ON THAT PROMISE.
UH, UM, IT, IT WASN'T TOO WILD.
UM, ACTUALLY, I'VE, I'VE ENJOYED IT.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I'M A PROFESSOR, BUT I'M STILL A STUDENT, AND I HAVE, UH, USED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GO OUT AND MEET WITH PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC.
I, I MET WITH THE, THE CLIMATE ACTION GROUP, UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.
I'VE MET WITH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
UM, BASICALLY ANYBODY WHO WOULD TAKE MY CALL, I HAVE MET WITH THEM, AND I LEARNED A LOT.
I ALSO LEARNED A LOT ABOUT COMMONALITIES THAT I DIDN'T, I WASN'T AWARE OF FROM, FROM GROUPS ON ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM.
UM, THE, UH, THE C P S INTERVIEWS WERE EXHAUSTIVE.
UH, THE, THE FIRST ROUND, UM, WAS A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
THE SECOND ROUND WAS, UM, I, I WOULD SAY A GRUELING INTERVIEW.
AND, AND IN A GOOD WAY WHEN IT WAS OVER WITH, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY IN DEPTH INTERVIEW.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A SOMEWHAT ENJOYABLE RIDE, ACTUALLY.
AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF YOU, UH, WHO AGREED TO SPEAK WITH ME IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
WELL, THE, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU WHY, WHY IT IS, AND THAT, THAT I'M SUPPORTING YOU TODAY.
AND, UM, AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE THE RIGHT PICK FOR THIS ONE.
WHEN I TOOK A, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSUME THE ROLE IN THIS SEAT, YOU WERE ALREADY THE ZONING COMMISSIONER AS APPOINTED BY, UM, THEN COUNCILMAN NIERENBERG.
[02:00:01]
UM, AND WATCHING YOU WORK WITH THE FOLKS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND WATCHING YOU WORK WITH, UH, BUILDERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND CITY STAFF, AND WATCHING YOU WORK WITH YOUR, YOUR COLLEAGUES UP THERE.I, THERE'S NO WAY WILD HORSES COULDN'T GET ME TO, YOU KNOW, UM, DRAG ME TO, TO REAPPOINT SOME OR APPOINT SOMEBODY ELSE.
I, I THINK, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
WHAT I REALLY ADMIRED ABOUT YOU, AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU MADE YOU IDEAL FOR THIS, IS THAT, UM, YOU COME FROM ACADEMIA, AND I THINK THAT YOU SPEAK TO AND SPEAK FOR THAT, UM, THAT NEXT GENERATION.
AND I THINK THAT YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OVER THE YEARS ADVOCATING, UH, FOR, FOR, UM, HONEST AND DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS INVOLVING, UM, THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAN ANTONIANS.
AND, AND I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED YOU APPROACHING THOSE WITH A LOT OF OBJECTIVITY IN CANDOR.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM, UM, A LOT OF BUSINESS FOLKS OUT THERE WHO SAID, UH, SO FRUSTRATING FOR US BECAUSE SHE'S NOT ONE OF US, RIGHT? AND, UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S PERFECT.
UH, I'VE SEEN YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, GRANT A LOT OF THEIR REQUESTS WHEN IT COMES TO ZONING ISSUES, AND I'VE ALSO SEEN YOU BREAK THEIR HEART.
AND, AND I'VE SEEN YOU DO THAT, UH, IN A VERY MEASURED AND MATURE WAY.
AND, UM, I ALSO AD ADMIRED THE WAY THAT, UM, YOU TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY A LOT OF THESE HARD DECISIONS.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR WORK ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, UH, PROTECTION PROGRAM, UH, SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO CAN EVER QUESTION YOUR DEDICATION TO, UH, SAN ANTONIO'S ENVIRONMENT AND OUR MISSION OF SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE CITY THAT, UM, IT DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THANKS THAT, THAT YOU OUGHT TO RECEIVE AS OFTEN AS YOU MERIT IT.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M, I'M, I'M PROUD TO MAKE THAT MOTION, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU GOT A SECOND.
AND I, I, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE FOLKS WHO'S SERVING ON YOUR BOARD WITH YOU.
UH, I, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU AND HER ARE, UM, ARE TWO OF THE BRAINIEST PEOPLE, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THIS BOARD'S GONNA BE LUCKY TO HAVE TWO FOLKS WITH SUCH ENORMOUS FRONTAL LOBES, UH, AT THE TABLE MAKING SOME IMPORTANT DECISIONS.
BUT I, I, I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF.
AND, AND, AND I HAVE TO SAY IT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE HEARD MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, FOLKS THAT I RESPECT COME OUT AND SAY, MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, IF WE APPOINT FRANCINE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND NOBODY ON THERE IS GONNA BE ABLE TO READ A BALANCE SHEET.
NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT FINANCE AND NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND TO THOSE FOLKS, I'D SAY, YOU GUYS OWE JANIE GONZALEZ A BIG APOLOGY.
UM, THAT LADY IS A SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE.
SHE DID NOT INHERIT HER PRIVILEGE.
UH, AND SHE'S HAD TO FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S EVER ACCOMPLISHED.
AND APPARENTLY SHE'S GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT PEOPLE NOT THINKING THAT SHE'S A ULTIMATE EXPERT IN BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL, UM, DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE AND HARD, YOU KNOW, MATH DECISIONS THAT COME WITH RUNNING A UTILITY.
UM, SERIOUSLY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WHO SAID THAT, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE NO BUSINESS PERSON AT, AT THE BOARD, MAN, I'M SO DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR, UH, YOU FOLKS SAY THAT.
BUT FRANCINE, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO GREAT.
AND I WANT TO END ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON A POSITIVE NOTE HERE, I'M PROUD OF YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT AND SPENDING ALL THOSE HOURS AND ALL THOSE DAYS SPEAKING TO FOLKS.
UM, AND SOMETIMES YOU HAD TO INVITE YOURSELF TO THE ROOM.
UH, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE FOLKS THAT WEREN'T REACHING OUT TO YOU, AND, UH, AND I SAW YOU DO IT.
AND, UM, YOU'RE VERY BRAVE FOR WALKING INTO SOME OF THOSE ROOMS. BUT I ALSO HEARD FROM THOSE FOLKS, HUH? SHE'S, UH, SHE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED US.
SHE WASN'T WHAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, UH, THE FOLKS, SHE WASN'T THE PERSON THAT WAS BEING DESCRIBED TO ME IN THE MEDIA, RIGHT? SHE WAS ACTUALLY SOMEBODY WHO, UH, WITH WHOM, UH, I, I SHARE MORE IN COMMON THAN LESS.
AND SO, ANYWAY, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU UP THERE.
MY, UH, QUEUE DISAPPEARED, BUT I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK.
UM, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT MY DISTRICT IS NOT VERY PLEASED WITH C P S.
UM, AND SO IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT OF ME AND I WOULDN'T BE, UM, REPRESENTING MY DISTRICT IF I DID RUBBER STAMP.
AND SO, UM, IT, I DID MAKE IT A POINT TO ASK QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ASK QUESTIONS OF YOU.
UM, I WAS PLEASED WITH A LOT OF THE ANSWER, A LOT OF THE ANSWERS THAT YOU GAVE TO MY QUESTIONS.
I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, YOU HAVE THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST AT HEART.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, YOU'RE GONNA WORK HARD.
AND WHEN I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE CLIMATE ADVOCACY COMMUNITY, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU
[02:05:01]
ACTIVELY SOUGHT OUT, UM, SOME MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW YOU IN AN EXPRESSED NEWS ARTICLE.I, I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF PROACTIVITY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
I DO HAVE CONCERNS THAT, UM, JUST ABOUT GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF C P S, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE REACHED OUT TO, AND, UM, IN OUR CONVERSATION, YOU WERE OPEN WITH ME THAT YOU WERE LEARNING ABOUT ISSUES AND YOU WERE TRYING TO, UM, DEVELOP YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND DEVELOP YOUR, PER YOUR, UM, YOUR PERS YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT, OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND SO, I'M A LITTLE, I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'VE THOUGHT LAR LOT, I'VE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED AN APPOINTEE.
AND WHAT, WHAT I'VE SAID TO, UM, OTHER APPOINTEES IS THAT IN OTHER BOARDS IS THAT THERE'S NO LACK OF REPRESENTATION FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THEY CAN GO, THEY HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS EARS, THEY HAVE CPSS EARS.
THEY CAN GO INTO ANY ROOM THAT THEY WANT.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO COME UP HERE TODAY AND SPEAK TO COUNCIL AND ARE MET WITH GLOSSED OVER EYES, UM, THEY'RE IGNORED AND THEY'RE TREATED AS A NUISANCE.
AND SO MY REQUEST OF YOU IS THAT YOU NEVER TREAT THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAY, AND THAT YOU ACTIVELY SEEK OUT PERSPECTIVES THAT MAYBE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, MAYBE THAT OTHERS ARE IGNORING.
AND THAT WOULD, THAT'S MY BIGGEST REQUEST OF YOU I DO HAVE A CONCERN, UM, AGAIN, ABOUT PROCESS.
CAN SOMEONE EX, CAN SOMEONE DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT HAS BEEN FROM THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS TO NOW THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE? WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE THERE BEEN FOR PUBLIC, UH, HEARING OR PUBLIC COMMENT? DO WE HAVE? UH, SO I WILL DESCRIBE TO YOU THE PROCESS THAT SS OR THAT, UH, C P SS GOES THROUGH.
UH, THERE IS A APPLICATION PERIOD THAT GOES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED, UH, BY THE CITY CLERK AS WELL AS THROUGH C P S ENERGY.
UH, THERE IS A, UM, A, UH, FIRST ROUND, UH, INTERVIEW PROCESS ON PAPER AND WITH THE, UH, CHAIR DR.
MACKEY, UH, WITH THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE TO NARROW DOWN CANDIDATES TO BRING BACK TO INTERVIEW.
UH, AND THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
MACKEY, DO YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE, UH, KIND OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU WENT THROUGH? YES, MAYOR.
UM, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE, UH, FOR, UH, THE, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE.
KELLY IS THE NOMINATION CHAIR.
ON THAT COMMITTEE, WE CONDUCTED A ROBOT ROBUST OUTREACH EFFORTS TO CREATE AWARENESS FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN WITH A NEWS RELEASE ON JULY THE 13TH AND LASTED SEVEN WEEKS.
OUTREACH WAS CONDUCTED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
WE USED TRADITIONAL OUTREACH LIKE NEWSPAPER ADS AND ALSO DIGITAL COMMUNICATION.
WE HAD A GREAT SUPPORT FROM OUR PARTNERS OF THE CITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE NEWS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
OUR OUTREACH WAS SUCCESSFUL, RESULTED IN 26 APPLICANTS.
WE INTERVIEWED FOR THREE DAYS.
UH, MR. KELLY AND I INTERVIEWED 26, UH, NOT 26, 'CAUSE I THINK TWO DROPPED OUT.
BUT WE INTERVIEWED FOR THREE DAYS, A THURSDAY, A FRIDAY AND A MONDAY.
AND, UH, WE SELECTED, WE STARTED OUT WITH, UM, AND WE CAME DOWN TO 11, UH, 11 PEOPLE THAT WE, UH, PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED.
WE, WE HAD A TOUGH TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE GREAT APPLICANTS, ALL OF THEM.
THEY WERE GREAT APPLICANTS AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
UH, THE COM COMMITTEE SELECTED, WE STARTED OUT, WE SELECTED SIX APPLICANTS, AND WE DISCUSSED THE SIX APPLICANTS.
AND WE NAR IT WAS SO CLOSE BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MANY GOOD APPLICANTS.
WE COULD HAVE PUT ALL SIX ON THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY WERE THAT GOOD.
BUT WE CAME DOWN TO THE, WE TOOK TO THE FULL BOARD FOUR APPLICANTS.
FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEWS, UH, WE SELECTED AND VOTED FOR DR.
IT WAS A HARD CHOICE, AND WHEN I LOOK BACK AT IT, I THOUGHT ABOUT TWO OR THREE QUESTIONS THAT I PROPOSED TO MYSELF AS AN EDUCATOR AND DR.
FRANCINE'S AS AN EDUCATOR, BUT NO ONE KNEW.
I WORKED FOR THE GAS PHYLLIS PETROLEUM GAS COMPANY.
I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF LULING ELECTRIC COMPANY.
I WORKED FOR THICK PENS ELECTRIC COMPANY.
MY FAMILY HAS 60 YEARS OF ELECTRICITY, MANAGING ELECTRICITY BUSINESS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.
I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DEMAND.
THE BIGGEST PORTION THAT I'M DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW AND LEARNING ABOUT IS THE GENERATION ASPECT OF IT, THE VOLTAGE, KEEPING IT UP, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE WINTER STORM DOESN'T
[02:10:01]
HAPPEN IN SAN ANTONIO.AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING ERCOT IS SO MUCH TO THIS, I DON'T CARE WHO YOU SELECT, IT'S GONNA TAKE TWO YEARS TO LEARN THIS PROCESS.
AND I'VE BEEN IN IT ALL MY LIFE, ELECTRICITY, ALL MY LIFE, FROM WIRING HOUSES, FROM RUNNING THE BOOM TRUCK, FROM BUILDING TRANSFORMER BANKS, FROM WORKING ON GAS SUBSTATIONS.
AND THIS WAS A LEARNING PROCESS FOR ME BECAUSE IT'S SO LARGE.
FRANCINE ON IT, LIKE ANY APPLICANT THAT UNDERSTAND THIS BUSINESS, NO, IT'S GONNA TAKE TWO TO THREE YEARS TO COME DOWN TO LEARNING THE PROCESS.
BUT I LOOKED AT AN ASPECT OF TRUE THINGS, AND I ASKED HER, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CULTURE, ETHNICITY, AND RACE? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT BECAUSE OF SELECTING AN APPLICANT? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT SELECTING? I'M GONNA, I'M ASK THAT, UH, YOU PAUSE, HAVE ABOUT THREE MINUTES AND 20 SECONDS.
BUT, BUT THE, THE BIG THING THAT I WANTED GET TO IS WHEN WAS THE PUBLIC HEARING? THE PUBLIC HEARING? I DON'T, NOW.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING, A PUBLIC HEARING.
I THINK WE, WE, WE PUT OUT THE APPLICANT'S, THE POOL AND ALL THAT, BUT JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING, NO, I, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
I DON'T REMEMBER BEING A PART OF THAT.
UM, MY ASK IS THAT, BECAUSE THIS TERM WOULDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.
I WOULD LIKE FOR CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN A VOTE.
UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A PUBLIC, WOULD THIS BE POSSIBLE TO SCHEDULE ONE BEFORE THE NEXT, UM, A SESSION, A PUBLIC HEARING? AGAIN, UH, COUNCILMAN THE PROCESS OUTLINED BY ORDINANCES THAT THE C P S BOARD PUTS FORTH BEFORE THE COUNCIL NOMINEE.
IF THE NOMINEE IS REJECTED, IT GOES BACK TO THE C P S, AND, AND THERE'S NO DETAIL AS TO WHETHER, UM, THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING OR NOT.
SO WE COULD NOT TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ONE WHERE THIS NOMINATION IS NOW BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
UM, AND SO, UH, THE COUNCIL HAS TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, UP OR DOWN WHETHER THIS, THEY, THEY WANT TO NOT, UH, APPOINT THIS NOMINEE OR NOT.
THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I, I'M CONSIDERING MOTIONING TO DELAY THE VOTE UNTIL WE CAN HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE THE NEXT DAY SESSION.
SO IF IT, AFTER THE NEXT B SESSION, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, WE COULD DO ONE THAT IS KIND OF THE DECIDING FACTOR OF, UH, AS WITH THE PREVIOUS, UM, APPOINTMENT, COUNCILMAN, THE, THE APPROPRIATE MOTION WOULD BE TO DELAY MM-HMM.
SO, ASSUMING THAT A CONVERSATION WOULD BE HAD ABOUT PROCESS AND THAT WE WOULD SOLICIT PUBLIC COMMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO, UM, DELAY UNTIL, IS THE NEXT, IS THE NEXT NOVEMBER 18TH, COUNCILMAN, IS THAT POSSIBLE THOUGH? THAT DAY? YES.
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR MOTION, COUNCILMAN MEMBER, LET ME OFFER, UM, TO, UH, TO THE DAIS, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO ASK QUESTIONS IN THE PUBLIC OF DR.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT, THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO, BUT, UM, PLEASE PROCEED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
I, I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH DR.
ROMERO, ASSUMING THE PUBLIC IS COMFORTABLE WITH DR.
AND I JUST HEARD FOUR PEOPLE, THE ONLY FOUR PEOPLE WHO SPOKE ON THIS ITEM WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE NECESSARILY.
AND SO I WANT THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE GIVEN.
SO MY MOTION IS, I STILL MOVE TO DELAY UNTIL NOVEMBER 18TH.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO DELAY.
AGAIN, UH, WE WILL TAKE UP THAT MOTION, WHICH IS ON THE FLOOR PRIMARY.
SO THE DISCUSSION NOW WILL BE ON DELAY OF ITEM SIX.
UM, SO ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? LET ME SEE HANDS SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE AN EXISTING QUEUE.
FRANCINE, WELCOME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, UH, ARE, DO YOU HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW FOR QUESTIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS? I DO.
AND, AND AGAIN, UH, THE DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL RIGHT NOW WILL BE ON, ON DELAYING, UH, THE ITEM.
SO, UH, ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, DISCUSSION HERE, AGAIN, I NEED, I NEED HANDS SINCE WE'VE GOT AN EXISTING QUEUE ON THE MAIN MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE DELAY? COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, YOU, YOU CAN SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW, DR.
AND, UM, I'LL, I'LL BE ABLE TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS LATER, I THINK.
[02:15:02]
SO BEFORE I, I, UH, CAME TO COUNCIL.I SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT MEET WITH C P S ENERGY.
WE WOULD MEET QUARTERLY WITH C P S ENERGY SENIOR STAFF.
AND, UH, I ENDED UP RESIGNING FROM THAT POSITION.
AND I'M GONNA READ, UH, A PORTION OF MY RESIGNATION LETTER.
THIS IS FROM JANUARY 27TH, 2020.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I NEED TO ASK YOU TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION TO A DELAY ON ITEM SIX, PLEASE.
I'M ON, THIS IS, THIS IS WHY I THINK WE NEED A DELAY.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS MY RESIGNATION LETTER FROM JANUARY 27TH, 2020.
FOR TOO MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH C P SS ENERGY TRUST IS BROKEN.
RATHER THAN APPROACHING STAKEHOLDERS AS POSSIBLE PARTNERS TO WORK WITH SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY'S CHALLENGES, SENIOR STAFF HAVE CONSISTENTLY TREATED US AS ADVERSARIES TO BE UNDERMINED.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH DOZENS OF C P S ENERGY STAFF MEMBERS, AND THERE ARE MANY GREAT PEOPLE HERE WHO CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND DO IMPRESSIVE WORK.
BY NO MEANS DO I MEAN TO CAST A WIDE NET AND CRITICIZE THE ENTIRE TEAM.
THERE ARE MANY EMPLOYEES AT C P SS ENERGY WHO I ADMIRE AND EVEN CONSIDER FRIENDS.
I'LL ALSO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NO DESIRE TO TEAR C P S ENERGY DOWN OR NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
AND C P S ENERGY IS MY PUBLIC UTILITY.
I, I WANT US TO BE THE BEST PUBLIC UTILITY IN THE NATION, SERVING AS A MODEL FOR OTHERS TO SEE AND FOLLOW.
WHEN A GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS BRING FORWARD IDEAS ON HOW TO IMPROVE OUR UTILITY, I WANT THEM TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT.
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE PUT ALL OUR MINDS TOGETHER AND CHALLENGE EACH OTHER'S IDEAS IN A PRODUCTIVE AND RESPECTFUL MANNER, WE CAN OVERCOME OUR BIGGEST OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS.
HOWEVER, I'M NO LONGER WILLING TO SPEND MY TIME IN CLOSED-DOOR, CAT AND MOUSE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, AND I THEREFORE SUBMIT MY RESIGNATION TODAY.
SO, MY EXPERIENCE WITH C P S ENERGY HAS BEEN NOT THAT OF A PUBLIC UTILITY.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED MORE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT MY ROLE AS THE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS GROUP WA ENABLED ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PUBLIC INPUT.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MORE PUBLIC INPUT IN THIS, IN THIS SITUATION.
UH, I HEARD IN THE PREVIOUS, FOR THE PREVIOUS, UM, APPOINTMENT, THE CONCERN THAT, OKAY, THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A LONG TIME.
WE'RE NOT IN THAT SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE THIS SEAT DOESN'T, IT WON'T BE FILLED UNTIL FEBRUARY.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE WE'RE NOT PRESSED FOR TIME.
I THINK WE DO HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PUBLIC INPUT.
ROMERO, I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH HER, UH, WHEN WE INTERVIEWED.
I THINK SHE'S A FINE CANDIDATE.
UM, BUT I DO THINK PUBLIC INPUT IS WARRANTED, AND C P S ENERGY DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD RECORD OF DOING ENOUGH OF THAT.
AND I THINK THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY.
UH, ANYONE ELSE ON DISCUSSION ON DELAY? COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
UM, AND, AND THANK YOU, PROFESSOR.
UM, I APPRECIATED THE CONVERSATION AND THE INTERVIEW THAT WE HAD AND, UH, REACHING OUT ON, UM, THIS APPLICATION PROCESS.
UM, AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I ALSO SHARED WITH THE S APPOINTEE.
MCGARRY WENT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THE SAS PAY RATE STRUCTURE, FOLLOWED BY, THAT WAS A CONVERSATION BY DR.
ANO ABOUT, UH, UTILITIES AS A WHOLE, AND THE WAYS IN WHICH, UH, THEY DRASTICALLY IMPACT LOWER INCOME AREAS, PRIMARILY DISTRICT FIVE.
AND WHAT HIS RESEARCH FOUND WAS THAT DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS ARE TAKING OUT PAYDAY LOANS TO PAY THEIR UTILITIES.
UM, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HUGE CHUNK OF OUR PAY THAT'S SUPER PREDATORY.
AND I WANNA ENSURE THAT THERE'S A PUBLIC PROCESS FOR MY CONSTITUENTS TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, I, I, I THINK YOU ARE A GREAT CANDIDATE, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE OF PROCESS AND ENSURING THAT THE PUBLIC HAS INPUT, UM, AND, AND TASK QUESTIONS AND GIVE GUIDANCE ON WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE IS WITH THE UTILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR UTILITIES.
UM, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ZONING COMMISSION GIVES ME GREAT PAUSE AND HOW THAT HAS IMPACTED DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT IMPACTS HOUSING AND HOW ALL OF THESE UTILITIES AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS INTERSECT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT CAN RIPPLE INTO DISPLACEMENT, IT, IT GIVES ME PAUSE BECAUSE THESE UTILITIES, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, WHETHER IT'S HOUSING, UH, SAWS OR C P S, THESE IMPACT PEOPLE, UM, THESE IMPACT TAXPAYERS OR NEIGHBORS.
AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT IN THE CONVERSATION,
[02:20:02]
UM, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS PUT AT THE FOREFRONT, RIGHT? UH, I, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S MECHANICS IN THE WORKS, BUT WE ALWAYS NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING ON HOW OUR, OUR, OUR ACTIONS ARE GOING TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES.AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC PARAMETERS IN WHICH WE WORK WITHIN.
HOWEVER, THERE, THERE'S RIGHT AND WRONG.
UM, AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUT COMMUNITY FIRST.
UM, DESPITE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH,
UM, IT'S NOT AS BLACK AND WHITE, BUT THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRANT.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.
MAYOR AND FRANCINE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN THIS REALLY QUICK DELAY.
BUT, UH, THE ONE THING I, I AM ALL FOR LOOKING AND EXAMINING THE PROCESS.
I, AND ANDY, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU MAYBE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, MR. MACKEY, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, YOU HAD A LOT OF CANDIDATES THAT YOU COULD HAVE PUT ON THE BOARD.
I WISH YOU COULD HAVE PUT ALL THOSE CANDIDATES ON THE BOARD.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LARGER C P S BOARD.
WELL, WE ARE HERE TODAY, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, MOVE THIS CANDIDATE FORWARD.
AND, UM, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION TO DELAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DELAY OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, I, I'M, YOU KNOW, KIND OF INCLINED TO SAY, YEAH, MAYBE WE SHOULD DELAY THIS AS WELL.
WHAT I, WHAT I'M NOT SURE OF IS WHAT THE DELAY WOULD BE ABOUT.
BECAUSE IN THE PRIOR ISSUE, IT WAS A DELAY THAT MAYBE THE COUNCIL COULD LEARN MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES.
BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN ORDER TO HAVE PUBLIC INPUT ON THE CANDIDATE.
UH, I, AND SO I'M HAVING TROUBLE TRYING TO VISION.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT, THAT THAT CANDIDATE WOULD GO TO EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT? OR WOULD THERE BE ONE MAIN PUBLIC HEARING THAT WOULD BE HELD FOR ALL THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS? AND THIS PERSON IS BEING SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE CITY ON THAT BOARD.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT ANYONE WHO SITS ON THAT BOARD REALLY DOES REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY, JUST LIKE WE DO AS COUNCIL PEOPLE.
WE REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT, BUT WE REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO I'M, I JUST HAVE A HARD TIME SAYING, YEAH, I'LL SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I SUPPORT THAT CONCEPT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND, UH, I, I WOULD NOT REALLY WANT TO ASK THE CANDIDATE TO GO TO 10 DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO, YOU KNOW, PRESENT THEMSELVES TO 10 DIFFERENT PUBLIC MEETINGS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RO, I WANNA BE CLEAR, WHEN WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING, IT'S BEEN, SAY THE B SAY, WE HAD THE BUDGET.
PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT'S RIGHT HERE AT FIVE O'CLOCK OR SIX O'CLOCK ON THE DIOCESE IS ONE PUBLIC HEARING SESSION.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT BEFORE WE MAKE ANY DECISION, ANY DECISION EVER, I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT EVERY COUNCIL PERSON WEIGHS PUBLIC INPUT.
I TRULY WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PRO.
THIS RIGHT NOW, WE WERE JUST NOW WILLING TO POTENTIALLY DELAY A VOTE OF A SEAT THAT IS VACANT.
THIS ONE ISN'T GONNA BE FILLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVE TIME TO INCLUDE PUBLIC INPUT.
AND SO, WHAT A HEARING WOULD DO IS BEFORE A SESSION, WE WOULD HEAR THE PUBLIC AND WE COULD MAKE AN INFORMED VOTE ON ALL THE THINGS THAT, ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE ASKED AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO, I WOULD ASK FOR ONE SESSION, AND I WOULD ASK FOR US TO INCLUDE THAT IN OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
COUNCILS MEMBER MAKI RODRIGUEZ, ACCOUNTS MEMBER BRAVO.
I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING SOMEBODY ON THE BOARD THAT WOULD BE ONE OF FIVE VOTES TO OVERSEE C P S ENERGY AND AN APPROXIMATELY $2.75 BILLION BUDGET OF THAT $2.75 BILLION THEY WOULD GIVE ON, ON AVERAGE, THEY'LL, THEY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S GENERAL FUND.
THEY, ON AVERAGE MAYBE CONTRIBUTE WHAT, WHAT THEY OFTEN DESCRIBE AS A MILLION DOLLARS A DAY, BUT MAYBE ABOUT 330 TO $350 MILLION TO OUR BUDGET.
NOW, LET'S COMPARE THAT TO THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, DISCUSSING THAT.
WE JUST BEGAN DISCUSSING YESTERDAY, ERIC, HOW MUCH IN ARPA FUNDS DO WE GET TO, TO WHAT WAS IN THAT BUDGET THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TO SPEND? UM, THE BALANCE WAS ABOUT 2 27, 2 26, 226, 220
[02:25:04]
$7 MILLION.AND WE'RE GONNA DO HOW MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS? UH, NINE, NINE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO APPOINT SOMEBODY TO THE C P S ENERGY BOARD, AND WE COUNT ON THEM, NOT 'CAUSE THIS IS, THE ARPA FUNDS IS A ONE YEAR THING.
THIS IS 330 TO $350 MILLION, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM.
UM, SO I, I THINK IT DEFINITELY WARRANTS, UM, CONSIDERATION OF MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
ALRIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, FOR DELAY OF ITEM SIX.
UM, AGAIN, A YES TO DELAY THE ITEM TO NOVEMBER 18TH OR NO, TO CONTINUE DEBATE ON THE, ON THE RATIFICATION OF THE NOMINEE, PLEASE VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF ITEM SIX AND THE RATIFICATION OF THE, UH, C P S ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES NOMINEE, UH, DR.
I, I DO NOT HAVE A QUEUE AGAIN.
IF YOU CAN COME UP, UH, YOU, YOU WILL BE REPRESENTING A, A SPECIFIC QUADRANT, UM, THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT.
SO AGAIN, SIMILAR TO THE QUESTION FOR, UH, MS. REYNA, WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING THE RATE PAYERS RIGHT NOW IN YOUR QUADRANT? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE GENERALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE CITY.
UM, I THINK FOR THE RATE PAYERS, THE MOST IMMEDIATE CONCERN, OF COURSE, IS THE WINTER, UH, BECAUSE THE NORTH SIDE DID GET HIT HARD FROM THE STORM.
UH, SO THAT IS THE, THE BIGGEST THING I HEAR FROM INDIVIDUALS IS HOW ARE WE PROTECTED GOING INTO THIS WINTER? I KNOW THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF CONCERN FROM RATE PAYERS AS WELL.
SO PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE, AND I KNOW THEY WANT MORE INFORMATION.
THEY WANNA HAVE A LOT OF INPUT INTO THAT, AND I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN THAT.
MORE BROADLY, PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN DECARBONIZATION AND MOVING FORWARD, UM, WITH A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE CLIMATE.
AND I, I DO FEEL LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ASPECTS THAT ARE UNIVERSAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR US, DISTRICT THREE SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT CAUSE OUR, OUR RATES TO BE A LITTLE HIGHER.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
BUT I DO TRUST MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FROM THE, UH, THE NORTHWEST SIDE THAT HAVE PUTS YOU FORWARD.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU.
ROMERO FOR PUTTING YOUR NAME IN THE HAT.
I KNOW IT WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION FOR YOU AND THAT IT'S BEEN, UM, INTERESTING.
UM, BEFORE I GO INTO YOUR ACCOLADES, UH, I DID MENTION THIS TO YOU BEFORE.
I WANTED TO ALSO THANK A, UH, ANOTHER APPLICANT.
ALTA CANTU IS A DECADES LONG, IS A DECADES LONG DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENT.
UH, SHE IS MY APPOINTEE TO THE C P S CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, WITH WHICH ON WHICH SHE HAS SERVED WITH TREMENDOUS DEDICATION.
AND SHE IS ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE CITY'S EQUITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
UH, UNDER MY REQUEST AS HER COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, UH, DR.
OU DID SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THIS POSITION AS WELL.
KPU FOR, FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, SHE UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT MAKE THE SHORT LIST, UH, SELECTED BY DR.
AND MR. ED KELLY AND I, I DO LAMENT THAT SHE DID NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INTERVIEWED BY THE FULL C P SS BOARD, BECAUSE I THINK SHE, SHE ALSO HAS A LOT, UH, TO OFFER.
CANTU TAUGHT ME WHAT A POVERTY SIMULATION WAS.
SHE'S FACULTY AT UT HEALTH, UH, SCHOOL OF NURSING, AND TWICE A YEAR THEY HAVE THIS POVERTY SIMULATION WHERE YOU, YOU PLAY DIFFERENT ROLES AND YOU LEARN WHAT IT'S LIKE NOT TO HAVE ENOUGH INCOME TO, AND HOW DO YOU PAY YOUR BILLS AND TAKE YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL.
SHE ALSO TOLD ME HOW TO DO A WINDSHIELD SURVEY IN A COMMUNITY, HOW YOU CAN LEARN, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON JUST BY DRIVING DOWN THE STREET.
AND SHE AND I WORKED TOGETHER ON A GOOD, UH, ON A GRANT, UH, EDUCATING HIGH SCHOOL KIDS ON SCIENCE AT THE GOOD SAMARITAN COMMUNITY CENTER IN DISTRICT FIVE.
CANTU, NOT THIS TIME, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE, UH, I HOPE WE WILL FIND
[02:30:01]
ANOTHER, UH, POSITION FOR YOU.AND I DO HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT, ALL MY COLLEAGUES GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH DR.
UM, YOU ARE AN ACADEMIC AND, YOU KNOW, THAT TOUCHES A SOFT SPOT IN MY HEART.
SO I'M, I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT YOU BRINGING THAT PERSPECTIVE TO, TO THIS, UH, POSITION.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME IN THIS APPOINTMENT, UH, THAT I'LL BRING FORWARD IS QUESTIONS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AT LARGE OR BY QUADRANT APPOINTMENT, UH, 'CAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS ALL CONFUSING, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THIS QUADRANT OF C P S DOES INCLUDE, UM, MORE THAN HALF OF DISTRICT SEVEN IN IT.
UM, I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN, IN THE DISCUSSIONS THE SAME WAY THE MAYOR AND, UH, AND MANNY WERE.
UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS TO MEET THEIR NEW QUADRANT REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, WE NEVER REALLY SAW MR. ED KELLY IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, CAN I HAVE YOUR COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH ME IN PREPARING AND PARTICIPATING IN SUCH AN EVENT BETWEEN NOW AND MAYBE EARLY NEXT YEAR? YES, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
UM, CURRENTLY, THE C P S RATE STRUCTURE DOES NOT HAVE A SEPARATE, DOES NOT HAVE SEPARATE CATEGORIES IN THE RESIDENTIAL CLASS FOR MULTI-FAMILY UNITS VERSUS SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURES.
IT WOULD APPEAR THAT MULTI-FAMILY RATE PAYERS ARE SUBSIDIZING THE FIXED COST OF THE SYSTEM FOR SINGLE FAMILY RATE PAYERS.
UNLESS WE DO AN ANALYSIS, WE DON'T KNOW, AS WE KNOW IN SAN ANTONIO, MULTI-FAMILY DWELLERS ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO BE RENT BURDENED PAYING OVER A THIRD OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT.
THE CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE MAY BE CREATING A FURTHER INEQUITABLE BURDEN ON THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, DO I HAVE YOUR COMMITMENT TO CONSIDER AND REVIEW, NOT TO SAY YES TO IT, BUT TO CONSIDER AND REVIEW A RESTRUCTURE OF THE FIXED COST RATE STRUCTURE IN THE RESIDENTIAL CATEGORY PRIOR TO RECOMMENDING A RATE INCREASE TO CITY COUNCIL? YES.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER AND REVIEW THAT.
SO YOU DO HAVE MY COMMITMENT ON CONSIDERING AND REVIEWING THAT.
UH, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ROLE? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ROLE OF ENERGY UTILITIES IN PARTICULAR C P S, UH, AND FOSSIL FUEL USAGE DURING THIS CLIMATE CRISIS? AND WHAT IS YOUR POSITION, OH, SORRY, I'LL STOP THERE.
AND HOW WOULD THAT INFLUENCE YOUR WORK AND THE DIRECTION YOU PROVIDE TO C P S? WELL, DECARBONIZATION IS CLEARLY THE FUTURE FOR EVERY CITY, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE THE OVERARCHING DISCUSSION, IN MY OPINION.
I BELIEVE C P S HAS ALREADY STARTED DISCUSSING THIS, BUT I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH TRANSPARENCY ON THIS.
BUT MOVING TOWARDS DECARBONIZATION IS A GIVEN WITH ALL THE EVIDENCE GLOBALLY.
UH, THE QUESTION HERE IS WHEN AND HOW WE DO THAT.
AND I AM COMMITTED TO GATHERING AS MUCH EVIDENCE, CONTRIBUTING AS MUCH AS I CAN TO THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE RESPONSIBLY MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO I'M ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO THAT.
DO I HAVE YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXPLORE THE MOST QUICK, THE MOST FEASIBLE AND QUICK CLOSURE TO THE SPRUCE PLANT? YES.
I, I WANNA, I'VE BEEN READING A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THIS.
UM, COUNCILMAN BRAVO AND I HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW THERE'S DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT THERE OUT THERE, AND I DON'T FEEL SATISFIED, CERTAINLY THAT I'VE LEARNED ENOUGH.
MACKEY WAS SAYING, THIS, THIS IS DIFFICULT.
BUT, UM, YES, UH, I AM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO EXPLORING THE EVIDENCE ON THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES AND WHICH ONE MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
AND FINDING THE ONE THAT LETS US SHUT IT DOWN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND AS, UH, FEASIBLY AS AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN MY, MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION REGARDING, UH, LACK OF PUBLIC TRUST IN OUR UTILITY RIGHT NOW.
UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, UH, IF YOU'RE APPOINTED, HOW WOULD YOU TACKLE THAT? WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO TRY TO RECOVER PUBLIC TRUST IN THIS UTILITY? WELL, AND I ALREADY BROUGHT THIS UP A LITTLE BIT IN MY FIRST, UH, MEETING AT C P S WHEN I TALKED ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE COMMONALITIES THAT I HEARD FROM, SAY, FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY.
THE ONE THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST TO ME, UH, WAS
[02:35:01]
THE LACK OF FULL COMMUNICATION AND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I, I DO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE IN.
AND, UM, E EVEN WITHIN OUR CITY OF, OF PUSHING, UH, ENTITIES TO, TO BE BETTER AT PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, MORE EFFECTIVE.
AND I THINK I'VE SAID THIS TO A LOT OF YOU, UM, EFFECTIVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION DOES NOT MEAN INVITING PEOPLE TO A MEETING AND SHOWING THEM A POWERPOINT.
AND, YOU KNOW, GIVING STICKERS AND SAYING, WHICH IDEA DO YOU LIKE THE BEST? UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING I REALLY WANNA PUSH ON, UM, IS JUST BASIC COMMUNICATION.
BUT THEN IN TERMS OF WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED, I THINK, UH, I, I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS TO GET MORE HARD INFORMATION.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE DISCOUNT WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS.
THEY, THEY DON'T WANT STATEMENTS, THEY WANT, THEY DON'T WANT PLATITUDES.
THEY WANT, THEY WANT DATA AND EVIDENCE, JUST LIKE WE ALL DO.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO, TO, TO IMPROVE THOSE MESSAGES, UM, INCREASE THE SUBSTANCE, THE SUBSTANTIVE VALUE OF THOSE MESSAGES TO PEOPLE.
SO INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, DON'T WORRY, THINGS ARE GONNA, THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER OR THINGS ARE GETTING ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE, PEOPLE DESERVE EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION ON HOW THINGS ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU, UM, MORE ON THAT STATEMENT.
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THAT DIRECTION IS SET FROM THE TOP.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A TRANSITION IN THAT.
AND I, I GUESS I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WILL BE INVOLVED IN SELECTING THE NEXT C E O.
UM, SO PERHAPS THIS IS A QUESTION FOR DR.
MACKEY IS, UM, I, I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELEVANT TO TODAY'S APPOINTMENT, BUT, UM, ACTUALLY IT IS.
UM, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT I CAN HEAR YOU GUYS OVER HERE, HOW CAN WE ENSURE, DO YOU GUYS WANT THE MIC? HOW CAN WE IN, I THINK, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO YES.
COUNCILMAN THE, THE SELECTION OF THE C E O IS NOT PERTINENT TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE NOMINEE FOR, I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID TRUSTEES, SHOULDN SAID THAT OUT LOUD.
I AM VERY SORRY YOU WILL NOT BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS, BUT I DO HOPE THAT DR.
MACKEY HAS, UH, AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HEARD WHAT HAS BEEN SAID.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS TRIED TO JUMP IN THE QUEUE.
I DO SEE COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I KNOW WHERE, I KNOW WHERE THIS VOTE IS GOING.
UM, I'M STILL UNSURE WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
UM, I DO WANT TO ASK FIRST, UM, WHAT ROLE DO YOU BELIEVE C P S PLAYS IN CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY AND WHAT ROLE COULD IT PLAY? WELL, I THINK IT'S, IN TERMS OF MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION.
SO IN TERMS OF MITIGATION, UM, C P SS ENERGY PLAYS THE SAME ROLE THAT EVERY UTILITY PLAYS.
UM, THEY NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS DECARBONIZATION.
AND UNTIL THEY DO, THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN, IN SOME WAY.
I'M NOT SAYING C P SS IS WORSE OR DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY ELSE, THAT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS.
UH, SO IN TERMS OF MITIGATION, UM, BUT IN TERMS OF ADAPTATION, UH, I THINK C P S PLAYS A ROLE AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CONSIDER WITH THE RATE STRUCTURE WITH EQUITY.
UH, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MORE BURDENED BY ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, HEAT ISLANDS, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
I THINK WE'RE ALREADY CONSIDERING EQUITY IN THE RATE STRUCTURE, BUT EQUITY ALSO HAS TO CONSIDER COMMUNITIES BEING MORE, UM, HARSHLY IMPACTED BY THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, NOT JUST INCOME.
ALTHOUGH THOSE TWO THINGS FREQUENTLY GO TOGETHER.
SO WHAT I HEARD, WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT YOU DO AGREE THAT C P S HAS A COMMITMENT TO, UM, MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND, UM, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES, UM, AND RECOGNIZING THE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED.
I, THAT'S A PART OF WHAT I HEARD.
I, I CAN'T SAY C P S AS A WHOLE IS COMMITTED TO MY IDEAS, BUT THOSE WERE MY IDEAS.
BUT THAT YOU WOULD BE, THANK YOU.
UM, IF CITY COUNCIL DIDN'T APPROVE A RATE INCREASE, WHAT'S THE PATH FORWARD AFTER THAT? IF CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT APPROVE A RATE INCREASE? YEAH.
WELL, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING RIGHT NOW, THERE WILL BE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT.
BUT I NEED TO WORK WITH THE RATE COMMITTEE WITH, WITH THE OTHER TRUSTEES, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF C P SS.
I COULD NOT ANSWER YOU RIGHT NOW WHAT
[02:40:01]
THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT WOULD BE.HOW WOULD YOU, UM, WHAT ROLE WOULD YOU PLAY IN, UM, MAYBE PREVENTING A NO VOTE ON RATE INCREASES? WHAT ROLE WOULD I PLAY IN PREVENTING A NO VOTE CITY FROM COUNCIL ON RADIO BUILDING BUY-IN? MM-HMM.
UM, WELL, THE, THE, THE FOUNDATION, AND I'M NOT JUST REPEATING WHAT'S IN THE POWERPOINTS 'CAUSE I JUST SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
UH, THE FOUNDATION OF C P SS ENERGY IS, IS FISCAL SU SUSTAINABILITY.
AND IF THAT IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE UTILITY FINANCIALLY, THEN EVERYTHING STARTS TO COME APART.
EVERYTHING STARTS TO COME UNGLUED.
SO, AGAIN, TO ME, I WOULD HAVE TO DO MY JOB TO HELP TO EDUCATE EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING COUNCIL ON THE RAMIFICATIONS OF A NO VOTE FOR A RATE INCREASE.
UM, AND HOW WOULD YOU ENGAGE JUST BOLD IDEAS, MAYBE HOW WOULD YOU ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY? I ALSO WANNA HEAR FROM EXPERTS ON THIS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT AND SAY, WELL, I'M GONNA ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY 'CAUSE I'M JUST GOING TO GO OUT AND HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND I'LL SAY THAT I, I HAVE, I'LL HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS IN ANY DISTRICT, BUT YOU NEED EXPERTS ON DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE, AND THE BEST WAY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE GROUPS, AND NOT TO TALK AT THEM, BUT TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF HEARING WHAT THEY NEED TO TELL YOU.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, I, I REALLY STUDY STRUCTURE AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUTCOMES.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE PRACTICE OF ALWAYS HAVING PEOPLE FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT LEAD A MEETING WHERE THEY WERE ASKING THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR INPUT IS PROBABLY NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS GETTING COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ACTUALLY HAVE MORE OF A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THAT MEETING ITSELF.
AND THAT, THAT IS ALWAYS A GOOD WAY TO GET MORE INPUT FROM, FROM PEOPLE.
I'LL, I'LL, UM, I'M DONE ASKING QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
I'LL SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE IS AT LEAST ONE DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT HERE WHO, UM, SPOKE IN IN FAVOR OF SOMEONE ELSE.
UM, I'M STILL STRUGGLING IF I VOTE.
NO, IT IS LARGELY BECAUSE I DO WISH THAT THERE WAS, UH, A MORE BROAD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, A YES VOTE FOR THOSE, UM, WATCHING AT HOME AND FOR THE CONSTITUENTS HERE IS BECAUSE I AM, I WAS HAPPY TO SEE, UM, YOUR PREDECESSOR VOTE AGAINST YOU.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
UM,
I APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND THAT'S THE, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY ARE BEAUTIFUL WORDS, AND I HOPE THEY TURN INTO BEAUTIFUL ACTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
I, I DO HAVE, UH, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS JUMPING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO LET ME GO TO PERRY AND THEN I GOT YOU NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
UH, IT WAS A PLEASURE SITTING DOWN AND TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR, YOUR EXPERIENCES, YOUR BACKGROUND AND, AND WHAT YOUR, UM, WHAT YOUR VISION, IF YOU WILL, FOR C P S.
AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE CONVERSATIONS, I, I TOLD YOU WHAT MY CONCERNS WERE ABOUT, AND ESPECIALLY TOWARDS, UH, THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, TAKING A LOOK AT THAT PLAN, THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACTS ON C P SS, OF COURSE.
UH, WOULD YOU RE-LOOK AT THAT PLAN AND, AND, UM, SEE IF THERE'S AREAS THAT YOU AGREE WITH OR DISAGREE WITH, OR TRY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THAT PLAN AT SOME POINT IN TIME? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S SOME, ONE OF THE THINGS ON, ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO, BUT ALSO TO, TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT'S, WHAT MIGHT NOT BE WORKABLE IN THAT PLAN.
AND AGAIN, I I THINK THERE'S, UM, THERE MAY BE SOME SURPRISING AGREEMENTS FROM DIFFERENT SECTORS ON ASPECTS OF THAT PLAN.
UH, BUT YES, ABSOLUTELY LOOKING AT THAT.
I, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SAYING SINCE THE GET GO OF THIS, THERE'S, IN THAT PLAN, IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE COST WOULD BE, NOT TO DO ANYTHING, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE ABOUT WHAT IS THE COST TO DO SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THAT'S STILL A BIG FLAW IN THAT PLAN.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT HERE IN THE FUTURE ON, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S SIT DOWN AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND PLUS, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A LOT HERE LOCALLY ALREADY.
UM, AND THE, THERE'S A PARTICULAR GRAPH IN THERE THAT SHOWS THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD MUCH PROGRESS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT GRAPH
[02:45:01]
GOES DOWN WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO HERE TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF CHANGES WITHOUT MASSIVE, AND I MEAN, MASSIVE INFUSION OF DOLLARS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY ALSO.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE COST OF ANYTHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TRYING TO DO TO AFFECT, UH, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE WHETHER LOCALLY OR FOR THE WORLD.
SO, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT THERE ALSO, IN MY OPINION.
SO, UH, I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.
UM, I, I, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE OUR CONVERSATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS.
UH, I'LL BE SUPPORTING YOU FOR THIS POSITION.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HAVING CITY HALL KEEP THE THERMOSTAT AT 75
I LITERALLY HAVE LIKE A BLANKET ON MY LAP.
UM, UM, UM, SO THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY HAS SET 2030 AS THE DEADLINE TO CUT GLOBAL EMISSIONS BY MORE THAN HALF.
OUR CITY CLIMATE PLAN SETS OUR GOAL AS 41 TO 55%.
UH, BUT C P S ENERGY, OUR REGION'S LARGEST CLIMATE POLLUTER, HAS NOT AGREED TO MEETING THE CITY'S GOALS.
UM, EVEN THOUGH ITS OWN BOARD ADOPTED THE PLAN.
AS A TRUSTEE, WILL YOU COMMIT TO MEETING THE REDUCTION TARGET OF C PS AT C P S RATHER? I BELIEVE THAT I CAN COMMIT TO CONTRIBUTING TO THAT.
SO I JUST DIDN'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW, RIGHT, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL RATE INCREASE.
UM, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE PROGRAMS OFFERED TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO, UH, MITIGATE THAT INCREASE? WHAT DOES OUTREACH LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? UM, ENSURING THAT ONE, WE MITIGATE COMMUNITY DISCONNECTIONS.
I KNOW C P SS IS DOING A LOT OF WORK RIGHT NOW AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON, UH, DISCONNECTIONS? WELL, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND HOW THEY WORK.
UH, I THINK I MENTIONED TO SEVERAL OF YOU, UM, ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS TO C P S AND I, I GOT SOME ANSWERS, I'M GETTING SOME BACK, IS THE CRITICAL CARE LIST AND, AND HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO, TO DISCONNECTIONS ARE ON THAT LIST.
UH, AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MUCH MORE SYSTEMATIC.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO INVOLVE OUTREACH TO PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ON THAT LIST.
UM, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT JUST, JUST IN GENERAL, THAT IT'S EASY ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO GET ON THESE LISTS.
I WAS SAYING, I, I CALLED THE NUMBER, UH, FOR, FOR HELP IF THAT, THAT YOU GET WITH YOUR BILL, WHERE YOU CALL THE NUMBER IF YOU NEED HELP WITH PAYING YOUR BILL.
AND I WAS CONCERNED THAT IT WASN'T A DEDICATED NUMBER, IT'S JUST THE GENERAL C P SS NUMBER, AND YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF WAIT AND PRESS.
UM, AND I TALKED TO STAFF AND THEY WERE, UH, THEY ACTUALLY LISTENED AND SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO THAT.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A DEDICATED NUMBER, WHICH I THINK IS, I KNOW, IS JUST A REALLY MINOR STEP.
BUT I THINK, UM, BEING ABLE TO SEE IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO MOST NEED HELP AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO JUST SORT OF TURN THE MIRROR AROUND AND, AND THINK FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I BELIEVE WILL OPEN UP SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE ON THE LIST TO GET ON THE LIST.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T THINK C P SS IS DOING ENOUGH TO NECESSARILY GET THE GOOD HELP TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP WITH THAT.
AND IT'S A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.
UM, DURING THE EVENT THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN ANNA SANDOVAL HAD IN HER DISTRICT, UH, I, I SAT ALONGSIDE, UH, TRELLA WHO WAS ASSISTING WITH SOME APPLICATIONS AND WENT TABLE TO TABLE, UM, UH, WALKING FAMILIES THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND, UH, THERE WAS THIS, UH, ONE GUY WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE APPLICATION.
SO I SIT DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO LEARN WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROCESS.
HE'S LIKE, WELL, THEY NEED MY PHONE NUMBER AND AN EMAIL AND MY PHONE'S OFF BECAUSE I TURNED MY PHONE OFF IN ORDER TO BUY FOOD.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, HOW CAN WE PUT IN A PHONE NUMBER? UM, AND THEN WE'RE, WELL, RATHER, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONNECT TO THE ST.
AND HE, HE COULDN'T, AND, AND HE WAS IN THIS, THIS PANIC AND HE IS LIKE, I JUST WANNA GO HOME AND I'LL LIVE WITH MY LIGHTS TURNED OFF NO WATER.
I'M LIKE, NO, THAT'S A CODE VIOLATION.
LIKE, WE NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
UM, SO WE FIGURED IT OUT, RIGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THESE EVENTS TO HAVE FOLKS WALK THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO I, I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT, UH, YOU AGREE THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
[02:51:07]
TIME.UH, I SIT AS CHAIR THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE NOW, AND WE'LL BE ASKING QUESTIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS AND OF, UH, THE UTILITY STAFF AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND I HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO COOPERATE WELL, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MY SUPPORT, UH, FOR THIS SEAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PALS, I FORGOT TO MENTION, UM, YOU ALSO HAVE A BOSS AND TAYLOR, AMY, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT WE CHECKED IN WITH HIM AND HE WAS VERY GENEROUS, UH, IN ALLOWING YOU TO TAKE THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY GENEROUS IN ALLOWING YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, THE ZONING COMMISSION.
AND SO, UH, I DON'T WANT 'EM TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T APPRECIATE THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS, I'VE LOST COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU AND I HAVE, UH, BOTH APPEARED IN FRONT OF LARGE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, UH, TO EXPLAIN THE ZONING PROCESS, TO EXPLAIN, UH, THE, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, UH, PROTECTION.
UM, AND, UH, REALLY TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I, UH, I HAVE TO CONFESS TO YOU, UH, THAT WE DO SATISFACTION SURVEYS AFTER THOSE, AND WE CHECK IN WITH PEOPLE, WOULD YOU THINK, AND YOU ARE WAY MORE POPULAR A SPEAKER THAN THEIR OWN COUNCILMEN.
IN FACT, THEY, THEY KEEP SAYING, JUST SEND HER, DON'T SEND HIM FROM NOW ON.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GOTTA TELL YOU, UM, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE IS THAT YOU, UH, ALWAYS TOOK THE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY TO DO IT RIGHT.
UM, AND YOU WERE THERE LATE AT NIGHT.
UH, AND SO I'VE NEVER HEARD YOU SAY NO TO AN INVITATION TO SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC.
AND MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS FOR YOU TO DOUBLE THAT EFFORT BECAUSE NOW YOU REPRESENT A MUCH LARGER SECTION, OR YOU WILL REPRESENT A MUCH LARGER SECTION OF SAN ANTONIO THAN, UM, THAN EVER BEFORE.
UH, GOOD JOB ON, ON HELPING ME, YOU KNOW, BE IN CONTACT AND, AND TOUCH CONSTITUENTS IN A, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIA? UM, I DON'T SEE COUNCILMEMBER BRAVO.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT, UH, PRIOR TO THIS VOTE, I MADE IT A POINT TO MEET WITH OR TO REACH OUT TO EVERY SINGLE C P SS ENERGY APPOINTED BOARD MEMBER.
UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY DID MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO ME.
AND I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU WOULD, IN THE FUTURE, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD, IF YOU, IF YOU ARE, UH, SEATED, YES, OF COURSE.
UM, SO IN MY OPINION, I THINK WHAT, YOU KNOW, I YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN SO FAR FROM JUST, UH, WATCHING ME UP HERE, JUST TODAY, YOU SEE THAT I, UH, I'M NOT AFRAID TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS.
I, UM, AND I LIKE TO OFFER CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY VALUABLE IN A BOARD MEMBER, UH, FOR C P SS ENERGY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK THAT YOU BRING? YES.
UM, I THINK IF YOU ASKED ANY STAFF AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS AT THE ZONING COMMISSION AND ALSO ON CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.
I ASK PROBABLY WAY MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, YEAH, I I, I WON'T STOP IF I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GAVE UP LONG AGO THINKING I'M NOT GONNA ASK THAT QUESTION 'CAUSE EVERYBODY WILL THINK I'M STUPID.
UH, I ASK WHATEVER QUESTION I NEED TO ASK.
UM, I DON'T WANNA DO A GOTCHA THING ON STAFF.
UM, AND SOMETIMES IT MEANS, UH, TELLING STAFF AHEAD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, LOOK, YOU, YOU MAY NEED TO LOOK THIS UP 'CAUSE I'M GONNA ASK YOU SOME, A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
I, I DEFINITELY WANT TO UNDERSTAND AND I WILL, I WILL PROD AND I WILL, I WILL ASK QUESTIONS UNTIL I FEEL LIKE I HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION I NEED.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY GOTCHA QUESTIONS FOR YOU TODAY.
[02:55:01]
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, TO INTERVIEW WITH ME PRIOR TO YOU BEING SELECTED ACTUALLY BY THE C P S ENERGY BOARD AS THEIR NOMINEE.UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A GREAT INTERACTION THAT WE HAD.
SO THIS IS, UM, OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET FOR THE CITY.
THIS WAS THE PROPOSED C P S ENERGY BUDGET, $2.75 BILLION.
THIS IS 25 PAGES, THIS IS 452 PAGES.
AND I WOULD WANNA KNOW, WOULD YOU ASK TO SEE MORE FROM C P S ENERGY BEFORE YOU APPROVE A $2.7 BILLION BUDGET? YES, I WOULD.
I, I HAVE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE, UH, ON DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS GOING THROUGH THE CITY BUDGET, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THE, THE BIGGER PICTURE.
SO YES, I WOULD ASK FOR MORE INFORMATION THAN THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, UM, IF, IF C B SS ENERGY'S CONTRIBUTING 330 TO $350 MILLION A YEAR TO OUR BUDGET, IF WE AREN'T RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS, THEN WE EITHER HAVE TO CUT SERVICES TO OUR, TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, OR WE HAVE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES.
I DON'T THINK EITHER ONE OF THOSE ARE POPULAR.
UM, I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING WHETHER YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO CHAMPION TYING C P S ENERGY STAFF BONUSES TO CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS.
AND BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION FOR YEARS.
I CAN SAY THERE'S A UTILITY IN ATLANTA THAT ALREADY DOES THAT.
UH, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL DOES THAT.
BP DOES THAT, AND THEY HAVE FOR YEARS NOW.
AND SOME OF THEM DO THAT WITH JUST THEIR EXECUTIVE STAFF, AND SOME OF THEM DO THEM WITH THE RANK AND FILE AS WELL.
UH, BUT IT'S A MODEL THAT EXISTS IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
IT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SEE HERE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO CHAMPION AT C P S ENERGY.
I, I THINK I WOULD BE WILLING TO CHAMPION IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
UM, YEAH, I READ MY LETTER RESIGNATION EARLIER, AND, UM, WHEN I WAS CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, ONE OF THE TACTICS THAT I EMPLOYED, BECAUSE I MENTIONED THAT I WAS TIRED OF PLAYING THE CAT AND MOUSE GAMES.
AND I GUESS WHAT FRUSTRATED ME IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION, UH, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS WOULD WITH C P S ENERGY SENIOR STAFF, AND THEN AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IT, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD PRESENT TO THE BOARD WHAT SEEMED TO US LIKE, UH, PURPOSEFUL, PURPOSEFULLY MISLEADING REPRESENTATIONS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR MEETINGS.
SO WHAT I, THE TACTIC THAT I EMPLOYED IS I STARTED ASKING C P S ENERGY BOARD MEMBERS, WILL YOU ATTEND OUR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS? BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO SEE AND HEAR FOR YOURSELF WHAT IS GOING ON THERE.
SO NOW WE HAVE RATED A RATED ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS TWOFOLD.
IT'S, ONE IS TO LOOK AT RATE STRUCTURE, BUT IT'S ALSO TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE OUR ENERGY GENERATION ASSETS AND WHAT WOULD WE LIKE THEM TO LOOK LIKE, LIKE GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MEET OUR ENERGY DEMAND.
UM, AND SO WHAT, YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN TWO BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
AND SO WE ASKED TWO BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY WOULD ATTEND EACH MEETING, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ROTATE WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND ATTEND THOSE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND BE ABLE TO HEAR STRAIGHT FROM THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I, I WOULDN'T REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING IF I HAD NOT ATTENDED SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, SO IF YOU ASK C P S ENERGY, I'M GONNA HAVE TO CLOCK IN AGAIN.
OH, ACTUALLY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, SOMEONE WHO HASN'T CHIMED IN YET, JUST CHIME IN.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER RSO GARCIA, AND I'LL COME BACK TO SANDOVAL.
I REALIZED THAT I, I'M SORRY I WAS, UH, DEALING WITH BOTH A LITERAL AND, AND A FIGURATIVE FIRE.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT, THAT YOU TOOK TO REACH OUT AND TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME.
I THINK THAT I TOLD YOU, UM, HOW, UH, OUR RESIDENTS IN, IN DISTRICT FOUR FEEL ABOUT, UM, SOMETIMES NOT BEING, UH, ABLE TO CONNECT A LITTLE BIT QUICKER WITH C P SS, AND SOMETIMES THEY FEEL DISENFRANCHISED, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR TIME.
I ALSO WANT TO, UM, COMMEND YOU FOR WANTING TO DO THIS, UH, SITTING THROUGH ALMOST FOUR HOURS, UM, AND SEEING WHAT HAPPENED WITH, WITH THE OTHER APPOINTMENT AND STILL WANTING TO BE HERE.
SO I JUST, UH, HAD TO CHIME IN AND SAY THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UM, GOING TO ONE OF COUNCILMAN BRAVO'S QUESTIONS.
I THINK IT'S ALMOST FUNNY THAT YOU ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO CRITIQUE, BECAUSE THAT IS YOUR JOB.
SO THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS I'M, I'M, UM, I'M THRILLED THAT, THAT
[03:00:01]
YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS.UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION, UM, ALSO PROMPTED BY, BY THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUE IS, UM, THERE'S A DILEMMA, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DEPEND SO MUCH ON THAT FUNDING SOURCE FOR, FOR OUR BUDGET.
UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT PEOPLE TO CONSERVE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH DEPENDENCY ON, ON FOSSIL FUELS AND, UH, SO FOR OTHER REASONS AS WELL.
SO I, I GUESS I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT'S SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, IS THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, YOU CONSIDER WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN, UM, BASICALLY BALANCE THOSE TWO FORCES.
UH, I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS TO BEN PROBABLY LIKE FOUR TIMES, AND HE IS TIRED OF HEARING ME SAY IT, BUT, UM, IN OTHER LOCATIONS, THERE'S A, THERE'S A TECHNIQUE CALLED DECOUPLING THAT IS, YOU MUST BE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
WELL, I DID JUST WANNA SAY, UM, I WAS MADE AWARE OF IT, UH, BY SOME CONTEXT AT THE SIERRA CLUB, AND THEY GAVE ME, UH, SOME INFORMATION ON IT.
I'M, I'M USUALLY, WHEN I READ SOMETHING, IT LEADS ME TO READ SOME, TO READ SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING.
I, I WASN'T REALLY AWARE OF IT BEFORE.
UM, BUT YES, I AM GETTING EDUCATED ON DECOUPLING, UH, THE, THE FIXED RATES FROM THE VARIABLE RATES.
THE, THE OTHER REASON I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN DECOUPLING IS THAT IT PROVIDES SOME STABILITY FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT MAY HAVE SPIKES IN THEIR, IN THEIR BILLS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OR DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
SO IT, IT HAS MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
SO, SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, I DIDN'T MENTION THIS EARLIER, BUT I, I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS WORK ON, ON THE CAB.
UH, I KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE LEAVING THAT POSITION TO, TO SERVE ON THIS, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL OF THAT WORK.
UM, MY LAST QUESTION'S FOR ANDY, SO THANK YOU.
UM, ANDY, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, AND, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A, DON'T THINK THAT I'M TRYING TO SCREW UP THIS PROCESS WHEN I ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT ANDY, YOU SAID EARLIER, UH, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE SAWS PROCESS AND THE C P SS PROCESS, THAT BY ORDINANCE WE HAVE AUTHOR OR THIS BODY AT SOME POINT AUTHORIZED THE C P SS BOARD TO DO THE VETTING FOR THE CANDIDATE AND BRING ONE CANDIDATE FORWARD.
SO THAT IS, SO IF WE WANTED TO CHANGE THAT FOR FUTURE APPOINTMENTS, IT WOULD JUST BE A VOTE OF THIS BODY TO DO THAT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
COUNCILWOMAN, IT'S AN ORDINANCE, THEREFORE, YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE, UH, TO CHANGE THE PROCESS FOR THAT.
IF I HAD KNOWN THAT FOUR YEARS AGO,
SO JUST PLANTED MY FLAG IN THE, IN THE GROUND HERE THAT I WANT US TO EXPLORE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, UH, I THINK THAT IS THE DURATION ABOUT, YOU'VE BEEN IN TWICE ALREADY, COUNCILMEMBER TWICE ON THE MAIN MOTION AND, AND TWICE ON THE, ON THE DELAY.
YOU, YOU OFFERED FOR ME TO, I MEAN, YOU THOUGHT I WAS IN THE QUEUE, BUT I WASN'T.
IT WAS LEFT OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE AND I DIDN'T TALK THEN.
SO I'VE ONLY SPOKEN ONCE ON THIS ONE.
BUT GO AHEAD, COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU'LL HAVE, UH, ANOTHER ROUND.
THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME, MAYOR.
UM, I, AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONFUSION BECAUSE I WAS JUST LEFT OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS QUEUE.
UH, SO CURRENTLY ONE THING THAT I'VE REALLY BEEN CONFUSED BY IS WHEN I TALK TO, UM, SENIOR STAFF AT C P SS ENERGY, THEY'LL SAY WE'RE ENERGY AGNOSTIC SOMETIMES.
AND THEN WHEN YOU PRESS THEM ON SOME OF THEIR POLICIES, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, AT OUR CORE WE'RE A NATURAL GAS COMPANY.
UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY SUBSIDIZE NATURAL GAS.
AND SO THEY, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY HAS A ELECTRIC WATER HEATER IN THEIR HOME, C P S ENERGY WILL PAY YOU TO TAKE, GET RID OF THAT ELECTRIC WATER HEATER AND PUT IN A NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER.
IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC STOVE, THEY'LL PAY YOU TO DISPOSE OF THAT STOVE AND PUT IN A NATURAL GAS STOVE SUBSIDIZING THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY.
AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CA CITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE MOVING TOWARDS DECARBONIZATION AND THEY'RE MOVING AWAY FROM NATURAL GAS.
WE ARE INSTEAD, UM, SUBSIDIZING NATURAL GAS.
UH, I ALSO HEARD C P S ENERGY STAFF COME TO THIS BODY BACK IN 2018 AND SAY THAT THEY SEE THEIR NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION NETWORK AS A OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS GROWTH.
AND SO THAT FITS IN LINE WITH THOSE SUBSIDIES.
I THINK I HAVE YET TO SEE THEM WALK THAT BACK SINCE WE'VE PASSED A CLIMATE PLAN, EVEN THOUGH THE C P S ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES SAID VOTED TO SUPPORT THE GOALS OF THE CITY'S CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, AND SPECIFICALLY NOW WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN C P S ENERGY IS, IS SHORT ON FUNDS AND WANTING TO COME AND ASK FOR A RATE INCREASE, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT THEY'RE GIVING AWAY OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
[03:05:01]
EVERY FOUR YEARS PAYING PEOPLE TO INSTALL NATURAL GAS APPLIANCES.UH, WOULD YOU SUPPORT DOING AWAY WITH THAT POLICY? I WOULD SUPPORT LOOKING INTO THE POLICY BECAUSE I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE OR FACTS RIGHT NOW.
TO REALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN A WAY WITH INTEGRITY.
UM, FURTHERMORE, UH, I CAN SAY THAT, UH, FOR, AS PART OF MY WORK, I USED TO, UM, WORK, I USED TO WORK WITH MAPPING OF NATURAL GAS LEAKS, RIGHT? AND SO WE WERE WORKING WITH A COMPANY THAT PROVIDES MAPS, AN APP WITH MAPS FOR PEOPLE.
SO WHEN THEY WANT TO GO FROM PLACE A TO PLACE B, THEY CAN OPEN UP THEIR PHONE AND THEY FIND, AND THEY CAN MAP THAT.
SO THERE ARE CARS THAT DRIVE AROUND AND MAP CITIES AS PART OF THAT, UM, SERVICE.
AND, UH, THEY TAKE PICTURES OF ALL THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AND SO WE WORKED WITH THEM TO PUT NATURAL GAS LEAK DETECTORS ON THOSE CARS.
SO WHEN THEY DRIVE AROUND AND MAP A CITY, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY GET A MAP OF WHERE ALL THE NATURAL GAS LEAKS ARE.
UM, AND SO I ENCOURAGE C P S ENERGY TO WORK WITH THAT, UM, TO, TO, I TOLD THEM, LOOK, WE CAN BRING SOME OF THOSE CARS DOWN HERE AND MAP YOUR TERRITORY.
AND THEY SAID, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE GONNA DO IT OURSELVES.
AND THEY BOUGHT THEIR OWN CAR.
AND SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TECHNOLOGY TO DO THIS.
UH, BUT EIGHT MONTHS AFTER DEBUTING IT, THEY STILL HADN'T HIRED A DRIVER TO, TO USE IT TO THIS.
IT'S BEEN YEARS NOW, AND THEY HAVE YET TO SHARE ANY DATA ON THE NATURAL GAS LEAKS THAT THEY FOUND AND HOW MANY THEY'VE FIXED.
WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO SHARE THAT DATA WITH THE PUBLIC TO LET US KNOW, BECAUSE THAT WAS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TECHNOLOGY, AND LET US KNOW WHAT HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF, OF USING THAT TECHNOLOGY AND HOW MANY GAS LEAKS HAVE YOU HAVE YOU FIXED? YES.
I THINK IF THERE'S PUBLIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, THEN THAT'S DEFINITELY A FAIR QUESTION TO C P S AND I'LL ASK IT TOO.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING, HAVING, EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES, BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS.
UM, ONE WAY THAT I THINK WE CAN HELP THEM IS IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING THEIR BILLS.
SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE LOW INCOME.
SOME, SOME OF THEM, UM, MAY HAVE HOUSES THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INSULATION THAT, UM, THAT MAYBE THEY'RE NOT WEATHERIZED, THEY COULD BE LEAKY HOMES.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU SUPPORT A, UH, POLICY OF PROACTIVELY APPROACHING THOSE CUSTOMERS AND SEEING IF THEY QUALIFY FOR HAVING THEIR HOMES INSULATED OR HAVING THEIR HOUSES WEATHERIZED SO THAT THEY CAN, WE CAN REDUCE THEIR, THEIR, UM, ENERGY BILL BURDEN IN THE FUTURE? YES, I WOULD.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR THE MOMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION.
I WILL, UH, CLOSE AND I'LL, I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT I DID WANT TO FI SAY A COUPLE THINGS.
ROMERO, THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
I, I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST PREPARED BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE APPOINTED, UH, TO ANY BOARD AND COMMISSION.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR SERVICE.
UM, I MET YOU, YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER THIS, UH, AS YOU WERE APPOINTED TO, UH, THE SA 2020 STEERING COMMITTEE, I WAS AT A PROFESSIONAL AT THE ANNENBERG PUBLIC POLICY CENTER JUST BEFORE THAT, WORKING IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN DIFFERENT CITIES.
AND YOU HAD ME ON A PANEL TALKING ABOUT HOW WE COULD INCREASE CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THAT'S HOW, THAT WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO YOU.
SO IT WAS A GREAT PLEASURE TO WATCH YOU AS A MULTIPLE TIME APPOINTEE, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT, UH, MY, MY PREDECESSOR.
NOW, UH, MY SUCCESSOR IN DISTRICT EIGHT, YOU'RE PERFORMED ADMIRABLY.
UH, I WILL SAY, UH, AS A, AS MY PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER AND AS WELL AS, UH, A ZONING COMMISSION, I DO WANT TO MAKE ONE STATEMENT JUST TO BE CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.
YOU ARE A, A RESIDENT OF THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT.
THE C P S BOARD OF TRUSTEES DO NOT REPRESENT QUADRANTS, THOUGH THEY REPRESENT THE ENTITY AS A WHOLE.
SO YOU'RE REQUIRED TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE QUADRANT, BUT YOU REPRESENT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT WITH RESPECT TO YOUR, YOUR, UM, WHAT YOU ARE BRINGING TO THIS BOARD, I THINK IT'S BEEN WELL DEMONSTRATED ALREADY.
BUT I WILL SAY THE THING THAT IMPRESSES ME MOST ABOUT YOUR SERVICE WAS, UH, AND I WON'T GO INTO ANY, UM, GREAT DETAILS, BUT THE TIMES AS MY APPOINTEE, YOU WOULD CHALLENGE MY OWN ASSUMPTIONS.
UH, YOU WOULD CHALLENGE MY OWN BELIEFS.
YOU WOULD BRING AND, AND DEMAND FACTS AND EVIDENCE AS YOU'VE CREATED SOME TENSION WITH SOME OF THE ANSWERS YOU'VE GIVEN HERE.
BECAUSE YOU WANT DATA, YOU WANT FACTS, YOU WANT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND TO CHALLENGE, UH, OUR OWN ASSUMPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, UH, ON THE RIGHT PATH FOR OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS IMPRESSIVE, TAKES A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY.
AND THAT THAT'S WHAT I, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR SERVICE, UH, MOST ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FRANCINE FOR GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND, UH, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, UH, THAT YOU'RE GONNA SERVE VERY WELL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM SIX.
[03:10:01]
PLEASE VOTE.ALRIGHT, UH, WE WILL GO NOW TO, UH, AND CONGRATULATIONS DR.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SERVICE.
[7. Resolution reappointing Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Juanita (Janie) Gonzalez, John T. Steen and Paula GoldWilliams to the SA Energy Acquisition Public Facility Corporation Board of Directors for a term of office commencing on February 1, 2022 and expiring on January 31, 2024 and appointing Dr. Francine Romero for a term commencing upon the end of Edward B. Kelley’s term, which shall be no later than February 1, 2022, and expiring January 31, 2024. [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk]]
WE'LL GO NOW TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTING MAYOR RON NIERENBERG, JUANITA JANIE GONZALEZ, JOHN T STEEN, AND PAULA GOLD WILLIAMS TO THE SA ENERGY ACQUISITION PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR A TERM OF OFFICE COM, COMMENCING ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022 AND EXPIRING ON JANUARY 31ST, 2024.
FRANCINE ROMERO FOR A TERM COMMENCING UPON THE END OF EDWARD B KELLY'S TERM, WHICH SHALL BE NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022, AND EXPIRING JANUARY 31ST, 2024.
UM, THIS ITEM WAS LISTED INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO PRESENTATION.
UH, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
LAW ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, I MOTION TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION THAT I HEAR SECOND.
SECOND BY ROCHA GARCIA, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER.
[16. Ordinance approving the application and acceptance of grants in an amount up to $196,000 from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for Regional Solid Waste PassThrough Grants for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 through the Alamo Area Council of Governments to fund a number of strategies supporting a local deconstruction program including a Reuse Innovation Center. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Shanon Miller, Director, Office of Historic Preservation]]
I THINK IT'S 16.ITEM NUMBER 16 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF GRANTS IN AN AMOUNT UP TO $196,000 FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR REGIONAL SOLID WASTE PASS THROUGH GRANTS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022 AND 2023 THROUGH THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS TO FUND A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES SUPPORTING A LOCAL DECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, INCLUDING A REUSE INNOVATION CENTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY? YES, SIR.
I THINK WE GOT A STAFF PRESENTATION HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, I GUESS IT IS NOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS, BUT I WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
AND SO WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN IN DISCUSSION.
WE'LL, WE'LL START WITH THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I, I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, AND SO, UM, YOU SHOULD, YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION, BUT I'LL WALK THROUGH WHAT THE APP ACTUAL APPLICATION IS.