[00:00:01]
UM, MS. MADAME CLERK, COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER MICKEY RODRIGUEZ.
UH, WE HAVE A LONG AGENDA TODAY, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE INTERVIEWS FOR, UM, FOR ONE OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT ADVISORY, IT'S A REAL COMMITTEE.
UM, GOD, I'M GETTING, I'M PUTTING MY FOOT IN MY MOUTH THE MORE AND MORE I TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, SOME QUICK UPDATES ON COMMITTEE BUSINESS.
UH, THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE CONVENED THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE ESSAY SPEAK UP PORTAL FOR THEIR SECOND MEETING THIS PAST MONDAY.
UH, IF YOU RECALL, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON THAT, UH, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
THE MEMBERS TESTED THE NEW PORTAL, UH, GAVE SOME FEEDBACK, SO WE HAD REAL USERS TESTING THE PORTAL.
AND G P A WILL, UH, INTEGRATE SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS AND LAUNCH THE PORTAL.
OCTOBER 31, THEY WILL BE HERE ON HALLOWEEN IN COSTUME TO LAUNCH THE PORTAL ACCORDING TO MY SPEAKING POINTS, UM,
AND THEN WE'LL GET A BRIEFING ON THAT PORTAL AT OUR NEXT MEETING, NOVEMBER 9TH.
UH, SECONDLY, UM, I WANT TO EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ ON A WELL EXECUTED PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON, ANNOUNCING HIS INTENT TO EXPAND THE PROTECTIONS IN THE NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE.
WE'RE ALL THRILLED ABOUT THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT ITEM TO FULL COUNSEL SOON FOR APRIL.
UH, QUICK REMINDER, PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE SO THAT OUR, OUR VAST AUDIENCE WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG.
UH, IN ADDITION, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS ON EACH OF OUR ITEMS AND PRESENTERS.
UH, IF WE COULD KINDLY ASK YOU TO, UM, KEEP YOUR PRESENTATIONS TO MORE OR LESS, UH, 10 MINUTES.
AND, UH, CLERK, IF YOU WOULD BE KIND ENOUGH TO PROVIDE A TWO MINUTE WARNING.
CLAUDE JACOB, UM, I'D LOVE TO HAVE AN HOUR TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THESE TOPICS, BUT WE HAVE THESE INTERVIEWS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN A LITTLE BIT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER ONE,
[1. Approval of minutes from the October 12, 2021, Community Health, Environment, and Culture Committee meeting.]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 12TH, 2021 MEETING.DO WE HAVE A MOTION? IS THERE A MOTION TO TABLE THE ITEM? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
UH, THE MINUTES, THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
[2. The City's COVID19 and Flu response and preparedness by Metro Health staff. [Erik Walsh, City Manager; Claude Jacob, Director, Metro Health]]
UH, THE CITY'S C OVID 19 AND FLU RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS BY METRO HEALTH STAFF.UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS MONTH'S C OVID 19 UPDATE.
I DO BELIEVE YOU'VE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE SLIDES.
I'M GOING TO STICK TO THE 10 MINUTE RULE AND QUICKLY BLAZE THROUGH THIS BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND.
THIS IS MY THIRD VISIT BACK WITH THE CHECK.
UM, SO THIS FIRST SLIDE, JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT ON THE COVER SLIDE, UM, THIS IS, UH, MURAL, ONE OF A SERIES OF MURALS THAT WE HAVE CITYWIDE.
THIS ONE IS FOUND IN DISTRICT SEVEN AT THE JEFF JEFFERSON BODEGA AND PAINTED BY ARTIST KIM BISHOP.
SHE PAINTED A PORTRAIT OF HER MOTHER, ALICIA HELTON AGE, UH, AGE 81, WEARING A MASK SURROUNDED BY A FRAME OF ROSES.
THE MURAL IS A REPRESENTATION OF EVERYONE'S MOM.
SHE SAID HER MASK IS A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE TO PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND GET VACCINATED SO THAT YOU DON'T SPREAD THE CORONAVIRUS TO YOUR MOTHER OR GRANDMOTHER.
AGAIN, A REMINDER TO REM TO, UH, PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES.
SO, QUICK SNAPSHOT, AGAIN, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE'VE SEEN, UH, CLEARLY IMPROVEMENT IN ALLEVIATION IN TERMS OF THIS COVID STORM.
SO YOU SEE OUR CASE COUNT AS OF YESTERDAY, 320,838 REPORTED CASES, UH, TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
SADLY, WE'VE LOST OVER FAIR, 4,800, UH, UH, UM, RESIDENTS HERE TO THIS VIRUS.
OUR SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE IS NOW AT 200, UH, AND FIVE, UM, UM, NEW CASES PER DAY.
OUR POSITIVITY RATE HAS STEADILY BEEN DECLINING OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.
AND JUST KNOW, COMPARED TO WHAT I SHARED WITH YOU LAST MONTH, OUR POSITIVITY RATE HAS IMPROVED, UH, DRAMATICALLY.
WE WERE CLOSE TO 14% TWO MONTHS AGO, AND RIGHT AROUND, UH, 5% LAST MONTH.
AND AS YOU SEE, AS OF THIS WEEK, WE'RE BELOW 2%.
[00:05:01]
RIGHT DIRECTION, FORTUNATELY, AND OUR POSITIVITY RATE IS CURRENTLY BETTER THAN THE STATE RATE AND THE US RATE OVERALL, WHICH ARE HOVERING AT ABOUT FIVE OR 5.5 AND A HALF PERCENT.UH, WITH REGARD TO TREND DATA, AND I KNOW THAT THIS SLIDE MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT JUST KNOW THAT, UM, UH, BACK WHEN WE HAD THE WINTER SURGE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WINTER WAS JUST, AGAIN, A FEW MONTHS AGO, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IN COVID YEARS, MANY MOONS AGO, UH, OUR, UH, HOSPITALIZATIONS WERE OVER 1500, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT.
WE CAME CLOSE TO THAT DURING THIS MOST RECENT SUMMER SURGE, BUT WE DID NOT SURPASS THAT LEVEL.
WE'RE NOW IN A QUICK DOWNTURN FROM THAT NUMBER.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING BY CONTRAST, WE'RE NOW SHOWING 263, UH, UH, CASES RELATED TO C O V I D TIED TO HOSPITALIZATIONS.
IN OUR INTENSIVE CARE UNITS, WE'RE SHOWING OVER A HUNDRED TO 103.
AND ON VENTILATORS, WE'RE SHOWING 49.
SO BY FOLLOWING THE GRID, UH, ARE THESE GRAPHS, THE DARK BLUE LINES REPRESENT THE HOSPITALIZATIONS.
THE YELLOW LINE REPRESENTS THE INTENSIVE CARE UNITS, THOSE ADMISSIONS, AND THEN THE LIGHT BLUE, THE BOTTOM LINE SHOWS THOSE ON VENTILATORS.
THE MAIN TAKEAWAY OF THIS SLIDE, JUST KNOW THAT STILL OVER EIGHT OUT OF 10 ADMISSIONS RELATED TO C O V I D HAVE BEEN AMONGST THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED NEEDED, UH, OVERALL RISK LEVEL.
SO, JUST PLEASED AND HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE NOW AT A MILD RISK LEVEL.
WE'VE BEEN AT THIS LEVEL FOR THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, AND WE STILL SHOW A STEADY DECLINE.
UH, LAST MONTH WE WERE AT A MODERATE LEVEL AND JUST KNOW THAT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE WENT FROM SEVERE TO MODERATE.
SO AGAIN, THINGS HAVE BEEN IMPROVING STEADILY OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.
UM, THIS SLIDE MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT JUST KNOW THAT IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF ACTIVITIES AND IT DOES NOT REPRESENT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST.
BUT REALLY THE WHOLE POINT IS THAT WE PUBLICIZE OUR CLINIC SITES EACH WEEK TO ADJUST TO COMMUNITY REQUESTS TO OUR AREAS OF HIGHEST NEED, AS WELL AS STAFFING CAPACITY AS SUPPORTED BY AREA PARTNERS.
THIS SHOWS OUR MASS VACCINATION SITE, THE ALAMO DOME HOURS.
WE DID ADJUST THOSE A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO IT'S STILL WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 12:00 PM TO 8:00 PM AND OUR FOCUS AS OF LATE, HAS BEEN TO MOBILIZE THE LINKAGES WITH AREA HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, HOSPITAL NETWORKS, AND PHARMACIES TO AMPLIFY OUR REACH AT METRO HEALTH.
THIS SNAPSHOT, THIS IS REALLY NOW, IF YOU TAKE THE MAP FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE AND PUT IT SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR HEALTH E OR WITH OUR EQUITY INDEX MAP, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TARGET VACCINATION SITES SUCH AS OUR POP-UP, UH, VACCINATION CLINICS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS OF THE CITY WHERE THE EQUITY SCORE IS HIGHEST.
UH, THIS IS REALLY A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW WE APPLY THE SCIENCE OF OUR WORK EPIDEMIOLOGY TO EXAMINE THE PATTERNS OF DISEASE AND THE NEED WHILE WE DEPLOY THE RESOURCES OR STAFF TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE BECOMING MORE COGNIZANT OF THE LONG LEGACY OF POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT HAVE IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITIES OVER MANY GENERATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THIS WILL, THIS PRESENTATION DOVETAILS WITH WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE DECLARATION OF RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
AND AGAIN, WE KNOW ZIP CODE MATTERS, PLACE MATTERS.
UH, THERE WE SEE PATTERNS OF DIFFERENTIATION BY LIFE EXPECTANCY, BY THE DIFFERENT CONDITIONS THAT IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS ON THE GROUND, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UH, THIS SIDE BY SIDE, AGAIN, EACH MONTH I TRY TO SHARE WHAT WE SHOW BY WAY OF THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED.
SO THIS IS THE PERCENT OF FOLKS WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED, AND THOSE WHO HAVE AT LEAST RECEIVED ONE DOSE, AGAIN, OF THE POPULATION THAT IS ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED.
SO THE HEAT MAP SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
WE HAVE TRIED TO DO A BETTER JOB TO AT LEAST GET TO THE PARTS OF THE COUNTY THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED.
BUT THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE IS THAT AS OF A RESULT OF OUR, UH, STRONG WORK BY THE TEAM AND BY OUR PARTNERS, UH, LAST MONTH FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD 71% OF OUR ELIGIBLE POPULATION FULLY VACCINATED.
AND JUST KNOW THAT AT THIS POINT, OUR VACCINATION RATES OVERALL WELL SURPASSES THAT OF THE US AVERAGE, UH, STATEWIDE AVERAGE HERE IN TEXAS, AS WELL AS OUR LARGE CITIES LIKE AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND HOUSTON.
AND WE HAVE THAT DATA AVAILABLE TO SHE FOLKS.
CONTINUING ON THAT NOTE OF SUCCESS, IF WE LOOK AT THE GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF VACCINATION DISPARITIES OVER TIME, WE ALSO SEE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS STARTING IN APRIL AND WELL INTO AUGUST.
OUR ZIP CODE MAPS OF THE PERCENT VACCINATED SHOWED A DISPARITY GRADIENT GOING FROM THE NORTHWEST REGION OF BEXAR COUNTY DOWN TO THE CENTRAL SOUTHERN REGION, WHICH IS THE MAP ON THE LEFT.
OH, OH, THIS IS WHAT I WANNA SHOW.
SO JUMPING SIX MONTHS FORWARD TO TODAY, WE SEE THE MAP ON THE RIGHT.
THIS VACCINATION DISPARITY GRADIENT HAS NOTABLY LESSENED.
HOPEFULLY, WHAT WE CAN INFER IS THAT THE SUCCESS FUND COMES AT LEAST PARTLY FROM OUR CONSISTENT AND STRATEGIC APPROACH IN TARGETING AND ENHANCING OUR COVID TO 19 OUTREACH EDUCATION TESTING SITES AND VACCINATION CLINICS AND REGIONS WITH A HIGHER EQUITY SCORE.
[00:10:01]
WHERE IT'S, WE REMAIN HUMBLE BY WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, BUT JUST KNOW THAT WHILE IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO SHOW CAUSALITY ATTRIBUTED SOLELY TO OUR EFFORTS, WE CAN SHOW WITH CONFIDENCE THE CORRELATION OF THE IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON APPLYING THE BEST SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND PRA AND BEST PRACTICES.THIS BAR GRAPH, AGAIN, UH, YOU'VE ASKED TO AT LEAST SEE A SNAPSHOT.
UH, I THINK THE ATTENTION HERE HAS BEEN ON THE, UH, SECOND TO LAST.
UH, I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO SHOW I WANTED TO USE A POINTER, BUT TOTAL POPULATION, I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN THE INTEREST HERE.
WHILE WE TOUT EACH WEEK, UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT IS ELIGIBLE THAT HAS BEEN VACCINATED, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ASKED IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.
SO WE SHOW OVER 63% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION HAS BEING FULLY VACCINATED, AND ABOUT 74 OR 75% OF THE POPULATION, AT LEAST RECEIVING AT LEAST ONE DOSE.
UM, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
THE ONE CAVEAT TO THIS SLIDE IS THAT WHILE, UH, WE ARE, UH, EXCITED AND WE ARE PLEASED BY THE SUCCESS MADE JUST, UH, SO FAR OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS, UH, COVID IS AN ONGOING BRUSH FIRE.
UH, THERE'S PLENTY OF DRY WOOD OUT THERE AS EXPERIENCED BY AREA HOSPITALS.
THEREFORE, WE MUST CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT'S, UH, UNVACCINATED.
UH, AS I WIND DOWN, JUST WANTED TO REMIND US ALL IN TERMS OF HOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO AMPLIFY OUR REACH.
SO STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE C OVID 19 VACCINATION AT EACH METRO HEALTH, UH, UM, UH, SITE.
WE DISTRIBUTE FLYER INFORMATION ABOUT C OVID 19 VACCINE, AS WELL AS VACCINE CARD HOLDERS, HAND SANITIZERS AND OTHER, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION IF POSSIBLE.
WE OFFER THE C OVID 19 VACCINE LIKE WE DID AT THE MISSION MARQUEE EVENT DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES INCLUDED, UH, UH, UH, THE NATIONAL AIDS AWARENESS LATINX TESTING EVENT, A HEALTHY START PROGRAMS FALL FESTIVAL THAT WAS HELD IN THE SOUTH SIDE AT THE, THE MISSION MARQUEE, THE DI UH, DE LOS MOTOS EVENT.
AND ON OCTOBER 23RD AND 24TH, WE HELD AT HEMISPHERE PARK AND AN UPCOMING DRIVE THROUGH HALLOWEEN EVENT THIS COMING FRIDAY AT, UH, SPONSORED BY UNIVERSITY OWNED TELEVISION.
WE CONTINUE TO DISTRIBUTE FLYERS HERE, RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES, AND NEAR POP-UP VACCINATION CLINICS, UH, NEAR, UH, AT LEAST SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO PROMOTE THESE ACTIVITIES.
AND LAST WEEK, WE, AND THROUGH THIS WEEK, WE CONDUCTED A, A HALLOWEEN SAFETY PRESS CONFERENCE, WHERE THE SLOGAN THIS YEAR IS, UH, DON'T BE SCARED, BE PREPARED.
UH, WHILE, UM, WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO AT LEAST REMIND FOLKS AND FAMILIES ABOUT, UH, TRICK-OR-TREATING SAFELY THIS COMING HALLOWEEN WEEKEND, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT, UH, UM, BASK AND AT LEAST OUR REACH, UH, USING THESE ELECTRONIC PLATFORMS. SO OUR VACCINATION LOCATIONS, UM, ARE POSTED EVERY FRIDAY ON OUR SO SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
UH, OUR COVERAGE, UH, EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE BEXAR COUNTY POSTS ARE MADE WEEKLY, UM, UH, UM, WEEKLY REMINDERS, UM, IN ORDER TO RE ONE MINUTE.
ALRIGHT, SO LEMME JUST SAY THAT WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT.
SO JUST SEE THOSE THREE BARS IN TERMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BROADCAST MEDIA, AND PRINT MEDIA.
AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, SEE ME AFTER THIS.
JUST A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE ROLLED THIS OUT OVER MANY WEEKS.
WE'VE ISSUED TO DATE OVER 1600 CARDS.
WE KNOW THAT THE TOP THREE ZIP CODES, UH, WHERE WE'VE HAD UPTAKE HAVE BEEN ZIP CODES 78, 2 0 7, 78, 2 10, AND 78, 2 45.
UH, WE'VE SEEN A PRETTY EVEN SPREAD ACROSS THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS EXCEPT FOR THOSE 65 AND OLDER, WHERE WE DON'T SEE AS MUCH OF AN INTEREST, BUT WE JUST KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD THOSE GIFT CARDS DISTRIBUTED.
UH, I HAVE ONE OTHER UPDATE, UH, LOOKS LIKE AS OF YESTERDAY NOW OVER 1700 GIFT CARDS HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUT AT 18 POP-UP EVENTS.
SO I STAND CORRECTED BOOSTERS, BOOSTERS, BOOSTERS, UH, JUST REALLY JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND, ALIGNING OUR EFFORTS WITH THE TEAM ON THE GROUND AND MINDING THE GUIDANCE BY THE FEDS.
UM, I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS TIED.
ROCK PAPER, SCISSORS WITH THE TIMEKEEPER.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF BOOSTERS, UH, WE'VE GIVEN OUT OVER 11, OH, OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND ADDITIONAL DOSES.
BOOSTERS AND THIRD DOSES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED TO BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK IN TERMS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION AND THOSE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
UH, WE, UH, BEGAN ADMINISTERING MODERNA AND THE J AND J BOOSTERS ON OCTOBER 27TH, YESTERDAY AT OUR METRO HEALTH POPUP CLINIC.
UH, RIGHT NOW, THE TALK AROUND, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PEDIATRIC, UH, VACCINATIONS FOR THOSE FIVE TO 11.
UH, AS OF THIS WEEK, THE F D A, UH, PROCESS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
THE NEXT STEP INVOLVES THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES OR ASIP.
THEY'RE SET TO MEET ON NOVEMBER 2ND AND THIRD, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK, ONCE APPROVED, APPROVED, AND RECOMMENDED BY ASIP.
UM, THE C D C, THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION TYPICALLY ADOPTS AND RECOMMENDS WITHIN ABOUT 24 HOURS, UM, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD.
[00:15:01]
ARE LOOKING AT A WINDOW BETWEEN NOVEMBER 4TH AND FIFTH FOR THE C OVID 19 PEDIATRIC VACCINATIONS TO BE ROLLED OUT.WE DID HOLD A TOWN HALL MEETING YESTERDAY WITH AREA PROVIDERS JUST TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED.
SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE QUEUING UP FOR WHAT WILL HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT WEEK.
LASTLY, IT IS, UH, WE'RE AT THE EVE OF FLU SEASON, SO JUST KNOW THAT THE FLU VACCINES ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE.
UM, AND, UH, UH, WE DO PROVIDE THE SERVICE HERE WITH AREA PARTNERS.
JUST KNOW THAT THIS YEAR, WHILE INFLUENZA IS UNPREDICTABLE EACH YEAR, REDUCED POPULATION IMMUNITY IS DUE TO THE LACKS OF LACK OF INFLUENZA, VACS OF VIRUS ACTIVITY SINCE MARCH OF LAST YEAR.
BUT IT COULD RESULT IN AN EARLY AND POSSIBLY SEVERE FLU SEASON THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE SAYING LAST YEAR WAS VERY, VERY UNUSUALLY QUIET AND MILD.
SO ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM THAT IS GONNA FEEL LIKE, UM, UH, QUITE A STORM OUT THERE.
IN TERMS OF FLU ACTIVITY, WHAT WE KNOW NOW IS THAT IN BEXAR COUNTY, OUR, OUR SURVEILLANCE BEGAN AS OF OCTOBER ONE.
THE CURRENT ACTIVITY SEEMS TO BE SPORADIC AND VERY LOW.
AND NATIONALLY, THE SEASONAL INFLUENZA ACTIVITY CURRENTLY STILL REMAINS LOW.
SO WE'LL REPORT BACK EACH MONTH AND KEEP FOLKS POSTED THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE, JUST LIKE C OVID 19, OUR MESSAGING OUT THERE IS FOR FOLKS TO GET THEIR FLU SHOTS THIS YEAR.
SO NOW I CAN PAUSE AND OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR RUSHING THROUGH THAT VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCILWOMAN? CLAUDE? YEAH.
CAN WE PUT UP SLIDE EIGHT AGAIN? I THINK IT'S EIGHT WITH THE MAPS FROM EIGHT.
THAT ONE, I'M TRYING NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL.
YOUR TEAM HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
UH, YES, PLEASE GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
UM, YOU, YOU HEARD WHAT WE HAD TO SAY.
THEY WERE AT MISSION MARQUEE VERY OF, OF A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND WE HAVE OTHER EVENTS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS, FOR YOUR TEAM'S EFFORTS TO MEET, UH, THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE AT AND GET THEM VACCINATED.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN, UH, UH, INCREASE THIS NUMBER.
SO WHEN YOU COME BACK AND PRESENT TO ME, YOU JUST NEED TO BRING THIS
BUT, UH, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE, UH, ROLLOUT FOR THE, THE CHILDREN FIVE TO 11.
UH, I KNOW MY OFFICE WAS CALLING YOU YESTERDAY,
BUT WE WILL BE PATIENT AND OF COURSE, LOOK FOR YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT TO, TO GET THIS DONE.
JUST AGAIN, WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPLAUD, UM, OUR FANTASTIC TEAM LED BY DR.
BUT JUST KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE, WE DO USE THE SCIENCE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO DEPLOY OUR ASSETS.
WE DO KEEP OUR EAR TO THE GROUND AND TALKING TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
YOU HAVE BEEN MOST VOCAL OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THE UNDERSERVED PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT COMPLIMENT.
UM, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE PUT IN.
I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE 7 8 2 0 7 ZIP CODE WITH VACCINATIONS.
I ALSO WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUE MARIO BRAVO, FOR STARTING THAT COUNCIL CONVERSATION ABOUT INCENTIVIZING, UH, THE VACCINATION.
UM, TALKING TO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE 7 8 2 0 7, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH IMPACTS.
AND YOU KNOW, I I, I'VE HEARD THAT THE SECOND SHOT WILL GET YOU REALLY SICK AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT WORK.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT CONVERSATION AND SEEING IT IN, IN IMPLEMENTATION AND SEEING HOW IT IS INCREASING THAT NUMBERS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, LAST NIGHT I WAS WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH DISPARITIES COUNCIL, AND WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE HAVING REAL TALK WITH REAL PROVIDERS JUST TO SHARE AND ADDRESS THOSE MISNOMERS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TRYING TO KEEP PUSHING THE MESSAGING OUT THERE AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, WHERE AVAILABLE.
WE TRY TO CUSTOMIZE OUR MESSAGING, SO KEEP IT COMING AND WE'LL RESPOND TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
UH, CLAUDE, CAN YOU TELL US ON, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SLIDE IT IS, THE LOW VERSUS WE'RE AT LOW RISK LEVEL RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, WE'RE AT MILD RISK LEVEL.
CAN YOU TELL US IF WE'RE TRACKING TOWARDS LOW? AND IF YOU THINK THAT WE'LL BE THERE ANYTIME SOON.
I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL HERE, BUT WE'VE IN HOUSE HAVE BEEN SAYING THE CRYSTAL BALL IS, HAS BEEN CLOUDY THESE DAYS.
AND SO WE WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE DON'T HAVE A DATE AND TIME CERTAIN AS TO WHEN WE WOULD TRIP THAT WIRE TO GO BACK TO LOW.
THE ALGORITHM DOES INCLUDE AT LEAST WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE AREA HOSPITAL.
SO JUST KNOW THAT THEY CONTINUE TO FEEL THE PINCH SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE UNVACCINATED
[00:20:01]
PROPORTION OF OUR POPULATION.84% OF ADMISSIONS HAVING TO DO WITH COVID ARE AMONGST THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.
FOUR WEEKS RUNNING, WE'VE BEEN AT MILD, WE'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, THAT WE'RE ENTERING INTO THE HOLIDAY VORTEX, RIGHT? THIS VIRUS LOVES COMPANY, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE JUST HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT THAT COULD PLAY OUT TO BE OVER THE COURSE OF THE COMING WEEKS.
AND, UH, SO WAX IN HAND IF MASK IN HAND, WE CONTINUE, WE SOLDIER ON, BUT, SO WE'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
SO, UM, SO I BELIEVE IT WAS MAYBE ONE MONTH AGO THAT YOU WERE HERE TODAY AND WE WERE ASKING YOU ABOUT THE, THE, UH, GIFT CARDS.
AND YOU, YOU MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT LATER THAT EVENING.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT A MONTH NOW.
ARE YOU AT ABOUT HOW MANY YOU WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE, UH, DISTRIBUTED, UH, SINCE THEN? OR IS IT RAMPING UP? DID YOU LIKE, DISTRIBUTE A LOT MORE IN THE LAST WEEK MAYBE THAN IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS? OR, AND WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY AND HOW, HOW CAN WE BE HELPING? IS IT WHAT'S, I MEAN, WHAT, HOW CAN YOU USE THEM MOST EFFECTIVELY TO MAKE, TO GET MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED? AND CAN WE, CAN WE PLAY A ROLE THERE? YEAH.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO, JUST A REMINDER THAT WE DID RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM OUR FEDERAL FUNDERS, FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.
THIS IS THAT WE BOUGHT 10,000 OF THESE A HUNDRED DOLLARS GIFT CARDS, H E B GIFT CARDS SO FAR, IT'S ACTUALLY OVER 1700 THAT WE'VE ADMINISTERED.
UM, SO 12 TO 18, 19 TO 29, THAT DEMOGRAPHIC IN PARTICULAR, WE'VE SEEN AT LEAST THE EARLY UPTAKE.
UM, I WOULD JUST SAY KEEP SPREADING THE WORD.
UM, DIFFERENT FOLKS, UH, SIGN UP FOR THIS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
SO I'M PLEASED AT LEAST BY GETTING THE WORD OUT.
UM, BUT WHO KNOWS, UH, HOW THIS IS GONNA PLAY OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
SO WE DO HAVE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE, UH, HOWEVER IT IS THAT YOU CAN HELP SPREAD THE WORD WE ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT US IN THAT ENDEAVOR.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS YOU WANNA SHARE WITH US? CLAUDE, I KNOW WE MADE YOU RACE THROUGH THAT, SO PLEASE.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON
[3. The City’s Resolution on Racism as a Public Health Crisis. [David McCary, Assistant City Manager; Jonathan Malagon, Interim Chief Equity Officer] ]
THE RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED, UM, RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.AND BEFORE TAKING THE ITEM, I JUST WANNA PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT FOR, UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN WE, WHEN WE ADOPTED THIS AS A COUNCIL.
AND I'M ALSO, UM, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE'S NO WAY THIS PRESENTATION IS GETTING DONE IN 10 MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR BEING READY TO, TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD OCCURRED IN MAY OF 2020.
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE SAW A, A RISING UP OF, OF PEOPLE DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR, UM, FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN JADA, ANDREW SULLIVAN, WHO WAS HERE AT THE TIME, INTRODUCED THIS PROPOSAL AND METRO HEALTH SHEPHERDED THAT THROUGH, UM, THE RESOLUTION COMMITS THE CITY TO IMPROVING RACIAL EQUITY.
AND TODAY, WE'LL GET AN UPDATE ON THAT, UH, PROCESS.
AND WELCOME JONATHAN, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR INTERIM APPOINTMENT.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, NOT QUITE SURE HOW YOU ADVANCE SLIDES AND OKAY.
THE PRESENTATION'S NOT SHOWING.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN, UM, HELPING TO, TO GET THE RESOLUTION PASSED.
SO TODAY'S, UH, UM, FIRST IN A SERIES OF BRIEFINGS THAT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY WILL PROVIDE ON THE RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RESOLUTION.
UM, SO I, I'LL TAKE ABOUT SIX MINUTES.
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION HAS DESCRIBED RACISM AS THE ULTIMATE UNDERLYING CONDITION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO HEALTH, INEQUITIES, RACISM, SHAPES, AND STRUCTURES, OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, PROFESSOR ARLENE GERONIMUS, HAS PROPOSED A HYPOTHESIS CALLED WEATHERING THAT POSITS THAT CUMULATIVE EXPOSURES TO RACISM CAUSE EARLY HEALTH DETERIORATION AND PREMATURE AGING.
FURTHERMORE, PUBLIC HEALTH EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT CHRONIC STRESSORS ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE ARE BIOLOGICALLY EMBEDDED AND DAMAGED IMMUNE SYSTEM IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGISTS CALLED EMBODIMENT, WHERE OUR BODY BODIES LITERALLY EMBODY OR TELL THE STORY OF RACISM INEQUITIES.
WE SEE THIS REFLECTED IN THE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN LIFE EXPECTANCY, INFANT MORTALITY.
AND IN THE C OVID 19 DEATH RATE.
AS, UM, CHAIR SANDOVAL MENTIONED, THE FIRST DRAFTS OF THE RESOLUTION WERE COMPLETED BY
[00:25:01]
DISTRICT TWO AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUPPORTED BY DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS SANDOVAL.A MONTH LATER, THE CHECK COMMITTEE MEMBERS PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INPUT ON THE DRAFT, AND THE AND RESOLUTION WAS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 20TH, 2020.
TO DATE, SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF 217 JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION OF RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN TEXAS, AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND HARRIS COUNTY HAVE ADOPTED SIMILAR DECLARATIONS.
THE RESOLUTION IDENTIFIES ACTIONABLE STEPS TO ADDRESS INSTITUTIONAL AND SYSTEMIC RACISM.
TODAY WE'LL BE DISCUSSING SOME OF THE ACTION ITEMS THAT ARE STAFF LED.
ONE IS PROVIDING A BIANNUAL PRESENTATION ON STEPS TAKEN BY THE CITY TO IMPROVE RACIAL EQUITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.
AND SPECIFICALLY, ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY BY REVIEWING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, ENGAGING, IMPROVING, IMPROVING EQUITY DATA SYSTEMS, ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY, MITIGATING HOUSING AND JOB DISPLACEMENT, AND PROVIDING EQUITABLE SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND PLANS.
SO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY IS A CITYWIDE OFFICE FOCUSED ON ADVANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE SMALL TEAM THAT WE HAVE.
MY COLLEAGUES, AMY CASO, JONATHAN BUTLER, AND AMANDA RETTA, WHO ARE IN THE ROOM.
OUR OFFICE FOLLOWS NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE ON ADVANCING EQUITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH INCLUDES A THREE-PRONG APPROACH OF RAISING AWARENESS OF EQUITY CONCEPTS AND FRAMEWORKS, INCLUDING INSTITUTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL RACISM, ORGANIZING STAFF TO LEAD EQUITY EFFORTS IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS, THEIR DEPARTMENTS, RESULTING IN INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS BEHAVIORAL CHANGES THAT CONTRIBUTE, UH, DEPARTMENTAL BEHAVIOR, CHANGES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND CREATING POLICY CHANGE THROUGH THE USE OF EQUITY DATA AND ANALYTICAL TOOLS.
I'M GONNA SKIP THIS SLIDE FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.
OUR RACIAL EQUITY CAPACITY BUILDING WORK, OR OUR AWARENESS PIECE OF THE STRATEGY IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THIS WORK.
WE NEED TO BUILD A CRITICAL LENS WITH SHARED DEFINITIONS AND FRAMEWORKS TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICY MAKING AND OUR SERVICE DELIVERY DELIVERY IS EQUITABLE.
SO WE UTILIZE A TRAIN TO TRAINER MODEL TO BUILD STAFF CAPACITY TO FACILITATE RACIAL EQUITY TRAININGS.
TO DATE, WE HAVE TRAINED UP TO A HUNDRED CITY STAFF TO BE EQUITY TRAINERS, 61 OF WHOM ARE STILL ACTIVE, AND WORK WITH OUR OFFICE TO DELIVER A THREE-PART FOUNDATIONAL RACIAL EQUITY TRAINING CURRICULUM.
WE ALSO OFFER SEVERAL CITYWIDE EQUITY LUNCH AND LEARN OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND WE PARTNER WITH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE RACIAL EQUITY INSTITUTE AND POLICYLINK FOR MORE FOCUSED RACIAL EQUITY TRAINING.
IN TOTAL, OVER A THOUSAND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN EQUITY TRAININGS IN FISCAL YEAR 21, AND OUR OFFICE HOSTED 77 EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE ALSO ORGANIZE STAFF WITH WITHIN AND AS WELL, AND ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS TO SERVE AS EQUITY RESOURCES.
OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, WE CONVENED A CITYWIDE EQUITY COMMITTEE, OR C E C AS AN EQUITY THINK TANK, IF YOU WILL, TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES, DISCUSS CHALLENGES, TO LEARN ABOUT VARIOUS EQUITY TOPICS, AND REALLY TO REFLECT ON HOW THOSE DIFFERENT TOPICS INTERSECT WITH THEIR WORK.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A TOTAL OF 52 REPRESENTATIVES ON THE COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF ONE IS TWO STAFF IN, IN, IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
SOME OF THE THEMES THAT WE'VE COVERED THIS YEAR INCLUDE CONFRONTING ANTI-BLACK RACISM, LATINX, RACIAL IDENTITY, IMMIGRANT AND DISABILITY JUSTICE, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
SO WE ALSO SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS IN BUILDING RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE AND ACTION TEAMS, AND WE WORK WITH THESE TEAMS TO APPLY AN EQUITY LENS TO THEIR POLICIES, PLANS, AND PROCEDURES.
LASTLY, WE SUPPORT POLICY CHANGE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF ANALYTICAL AND DATA TOOLS.
FOR INSTANCE, EVERY DEPARTMENT COMPLETES A BUDGET EQUITY TOOL AS PART OF THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, ASSESSING HOW THEIR BO, HOW THEIR BUDGETS BENEFIT AND OR BURDEN COMMUNITIES, SPECIFICALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.
WE ALSO HAVE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO DEVELOP EQUITY ACTION PLANS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT.
THIS YEAR WE'LL BE WORKING WITH PARKS, LIBRARIES, G P A, TRANSPORTATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ALSO DEVELOP TOOLS SUCH AS THE C OVID 19 EQUITABLE RECOVERY TOOL TO SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS IN EMBEDDING EQUITY APPROACHES THAT ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF C OVID 19.
AND FINALLY, WE DEVELOP EQUITY DATA TOOLS SUCH AS THE EQUITY ATLAS, WHICH YOU SAW IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, AND THE E AND THE RACIAL EQUITY INDICATOR REPORT.
THE EQUITY ATLAS, FOR INSTANCE, IS AN EQUITY RANKING INDEX THAT HAS BEEN UTILIZED IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND PRIORITIZED SERVICES AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.
[00:30:01]
SO I'LL NOW HAND THIS PRESENTATION OVER TO METRO HEALTH DIRECTOR CLAUDE JACOB, TO SHARE HOW METRO HEALTH IS ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY.AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST PROVIDE THIS QUICK UPDATE.
UM, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AT LEAST SENIOR MEMBERS OF MY STAFF WHO HAVE HELPED TO AT LEAST PULL THIS TOGETHER.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, JENNIFER HARRIET, WHO'S AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT OUR AGENCY, KATHY SHIELDS, WHO OVERSEES A NUMBER OF THESE INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, WHO IS WITH THE, WHO OVERSEES THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY.
UH, SO TO PICK UP FROM THE FIRST PART OF THE, THE, UH, PRESENTATION, THIS IS REALLY TO AT LEAST BRING UP TO SPEED ON, UH, ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES.
SO THE THEMES OF MY SEGMENT OF THE PRESENTATION ARE TO ENGAGE, ENHANCE, AND EMPOWER AS WE ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE COVID STORM THIS PAST YEAR, AND PREPARE TO PIVOT IN THE SEASONS AHEAD BY ANCHORING TO THE WORK OF ONGOING ACTIVITIES AT METRO HEALTH.
UM, SO HIGHLIGHTS, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
METRO HEALTH, WE STARTED BUILDING CAPACITY FOR HEALTH EQUITY INITIATIVES BY CREATING THE OFFICE OF EQUITY OF HEALTH EQUITY BACK IN 2017.
IN, UH, 2018, UH, WE ADOPTED A FORMAL HEALTH EQUITY POLICY AT OUR AGENCY.
IN 2019, WE CONDUCTED A DEPARTMENT-WIDE EQUITY ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND IN 2021, AGAIN, YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT THE EQUITY ACTION PLAN.
SO WE ARE ONE OF MANY MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION.
UM, JUST KNOW THAT IN TERMS IN THIS SLIDE MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT JUST KNOW FOR TODAY, I DID WANT AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, UH, AT LEAST THREE EXAMPLES OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE ARE TAKING AS AN AGENCY.
UH, SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE ENGAGING HISTORICALLY.
UM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENGAGE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY SOLUTIONS FOR ISSUES RELATED TO HEALTH EQUITY.
UM, I CO-CHAIR THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE COM C OVID 19 COMMUNITY RESPONSE AND EQUITY COALITION.
UM, WE HAVE WORK THAT HAS BEEN, UH, ANCHORED TO OUR POLICY AND ADVOCACY WORK GROUP, WHICH INCLUDES DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS, SOME OF WHOM WERE, UM, ARE MEMBERS FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
UM, I, I CO-CHAIR THAT ENTITY ALONG WITH DR.
BARBARA TAYLOR FROM THE UT HEALTH SYSTEM.
UM, JUST KNOW THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, UH, WE HAVE NOW ANCHORED A NEWLY ESTABLISHED OFFICE OF POLICY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AT OUR AGENCY IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES, UM, SORT OF ADVISORY OR COUNCIL.
UH, THIS IS NOT A LEGISLATIVE BODY, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO AT LEAST NAVIGATE AS WE AT LEAST CUSTOMIZE THE STRUCTURE, STRUCTURE OF OUR AGENCY.
AND IN ADDITION TO THIS NEWLY ESTABLISHED OFFICE, UH, WE'LL IDENTIFY MODEL POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND INVESTMENTS THAT CREATE HEALTHY, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND WILL PARTNER WITH EXISTING COALITIONS TO ADDRESS OBSTACLES TO SAFETY, FOOD INSECURITY, ACCESS TO CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE MOST ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC.
UM, IN ADDITION, IN TERMS OF ACTIONS.
SO LOOKING AT ENHANCING OUR WORK, ESPECIALLY AROUND MAKING BETTER DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS.
AS YOU SAW IN THE PREVIOUS UPDATE, UH, I PROVIDED AT LEAST A SNAPSHOT OF THE, UH, COVID TO 19 EQUITY INDEX.
UM, JUST KNOW THAT EARLY ON IN THE PANDEMIC, WE RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING DATA BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, UM, AND LATER INCORPORATED INCOME AND ZIP CODE DATA.
WE USE THE C OVID 19 EQUITY INDEX AND MAPPING TO GUIDE THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINE THROUGHOUT OUR POP-UP CLINICS.
UH, WHICH AGAIN, I'LL REMINDS YOU OF THAT EXAMPLE IN A, IN A MOMENT, WE DO REPORT C OVID 19 ZIP CODE LEVEL DATA FOR INFECTION, MORTALITY AND VACCINATION RATES.
AND OVER THE NEXT FEW SIX MONTHS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO APPLY THE COVID 19 EQUITY INDEX AND COLLECT AND REPORT MAP DATA TO, UH, LEAST INFORM OUR PROGRAMMATIC DECISIONS ON THE GROUND.
SO AGAIN, UM, I'LL ZIP OVER THIS 'CAUSE YOU'VE SEEN EXAMPLE ALREADY.
UH, THIS MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT JUST A REMINDER THAT WE DO HAVE BY DESIGN AND EQUITY ACTION PLAN, WE HAVE A C OVID 19 EQUITY INDEX THAT WAS DEVELOPED AS A TOOL TO GUIDE OUR STRATEGIES AND DECISION MAKING TO TARGET MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY.
THE DATA SETS INCLUDE CENSUS TRACTS WITH HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, LOW INCOME, HIGHER RATES OF C OVID 19 INFECTION AND MORTALITY AND LOWER LEVELS OF VACCINATION.
AND JUST KNOW THE OVERLAY WITH OUR WALKUP OUR TESTING SITES AND OUR VACCINATION OR MOBILE CLINICS WERE IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THESE GAPS IN ACCESS AND HEALTH.
SO A REGIONAL LENS, AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THIS SNAPSHOT IS A WAY FOR, UM, TO SEE THE DIFFERENT PATTERNS ACROSS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY.
THE LEFT PART OF THE SLIDE, THE, UH, SHOWS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EQUITY SCORE.
THE HIGHER THE NUMBER IT SHOWS, THE HIGHER THE CONCENTRATION OF BOTH, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN THAT ZIP CODE AS SHOWN BY THE HEAT MAP.
UM, THE HIGHER THE SCORE, THE DARKER THE SHADING, UH, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, UH, WE ARE SHOWING, UH, THE PERCENTAGE
[00:35:01]
OF BEAR COUNTY C OVID 19 HOSPITALIZATIONS IN THIS INSTANCE.THE HIGHER THE PERCENTAGE, THE HIGHER THE CONCENTRATION OF BOTH PEOPLE OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN THAT ZIP CODE.
UH, AGAIN, UM, THE, UH, DARKER THE SHADING, THE, THE HIGHER THE PERCENTAGE, AND ALSO SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE ZIP CODES WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN YELLOW.
LAST EXAMPLE, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF OUR ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND OUR EMPOWERMENT ACTIVITIES, UM, JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY, UH, IN ADDRESSING HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, SO WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT OUR POP-UP CLINICS.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UM, HOW WE'VE DEPLOYED OUR STAFF.
WE HAVE PROVIDED, UH, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH SOME MINI GRANTS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH OUR CONTRACT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION.
WE HAVE DESIGNED A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER HUB TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE CENTER AS PART OF OUR IMPROVING OUR ACCESS TO CARE INITIATIVE.
AND OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MOBILIZE CLINICS FOR COVID TESTING AND FLU SHOTS.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PART THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS ON THE GROUND.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TARGET THE EAST, SOUTH, AND WEST SIDES OF SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY AS SUPPORTED BY OUR, UH, RESOURCE HUB.
UH, THESE PICTURES JUST SHOW US THE TEAM IN ACTION AGAIN.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
YOU HAD, UH, SUGGESTED LAST TIME THAT WE TRY TO GET TO AREA FLEA MARKETS.
SO, SO THIS IS JUST, UH, THE TEAM IN ACTION PROMOTING C OVID 19 VACCINE, UH, TRYING TO FACILITATE APPOINTMENTS AND TRYING TO EDUCATE AND ADDRESS HA VACCINE HESITANCY OUT IN COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO CONTINUE TO ANCHOR THIS WORK TO OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO APPLY LESSONS LEARNED SO THAT WE CAN BECOME BETTER AT CONDUCTING OUR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.
AND LASTLY, OUR C OVID 19 MOBILE COMMUNITY CLINICS PROJECT, UH, WHICH WAS AN INITIATED BY METRO HEALTH.
UM, THE WHOLE POINT THROUGH THIS COVID STORM IS TO AT LEAST APPLY LESSONS LEARNED.
AND, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION, UH, UM, UH, AND THOSE WITH, UH, DISABILITIES.
UM, WE HAVE DEPENDED ON GREATER COLLABORATION WITH AREA CHURCHES, UM, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE.
SO, IN CLOSING, UH, JUST KNOW THAT OUR AGENCY, WE CONTINUE TO BE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING HOW WE COLLECT DATA, ANALYZE DATA, UH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING, WE SHARED EXAMPLES HOW WE USE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA BY RACE, ETHNICITY, INCOME, AND ZIP CODE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO VISUALIZE THE IMPACT OF HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
THESE DATA WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION IN ORDER FOR US TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS ON THE GROUND, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANCHOR OUR WORK TO THE SCIENCE AND BEST AVAILABLE EVIDENCE AS WE ADDRESS THE CONDITIONS THAT IMPACT DISPROPORTIONATELY THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS BAYAR COUNTY.
UM, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
UH, JONATHAN AND I ARE AVAILABLE TO FIELD QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND ALL OF YOUR WORK, UH, ON THIS, UH, JONATHAN AND TEAM IN METRO HEALTH.
UM, REGARDING, JUST QUICKLY REGARDING YOUR DATA TOOLS, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT'LL HAPPEN WHEN THE CENSUS UPDATES AND HOW THOSE TOOLS MIGHT CHANGE? WE, UM, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY COLLABORATE WITH I T S D, UM, BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS OF, TO UPDATE THE EQUITY ATLAS WITH, UH, CENSUS, UH, WITH THE 2020 CENSUS DATA.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO UPDATING OUR RACIAL EQUITY INDICATOR REPORT.
A LOT OF THAT DATA IS, UH, BASED ON 2018 CENSUS DATA.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO UPDATE THAT THIS YEAR.
YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THE MOST CURRENT DISPARITY DATA.
SO WE HAVE, UH, SOME GUIDEPOSTS FOR DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF LOOKING HOW, AT HOW THEY CAN ELIMINATE DISPARITIES THROUGH THEIR WORK.
I'VE SHARED WITH, UH, CLAUDE, UM, SOME OF THE ANALYSIS I'D LOVE TO SEE BEFORE WE, WE SETTLE, UH, ON IT.
JUST, UM, AND ALSO, I, I MEAN, I READ THAT THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE NUMBERS NOT BEING, UH, CORRECT, SO, OR THE NUMBERS BEING CONTESTED.
SO I GUESS WE MIGHT JUST HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN IF THAT CHANGES.
UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, YOU USED THE WORD DISPARITIES AND IT REMINDED ME THAT WE REGULARLY HAVE, UM, A DISPARITY STUDY FOR OUR, UM, SMALL BUSINESS, UH, PROGRAM.
I JUST WONDERED IF YOU GUYS PLAY ANY ROLE IN THAT.
YES, WE, WE SUPPORTED, UM, WE SUPPORTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THINKING ABOUT, UH, DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND WAYS TO THINK ABOUT DISPARITIES.
UM, SO THERE WERE SOME CATEGORIES THAT, UM, THEY WERE NOT CAPTURING.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SUPPORTED THEM IN THINKING THROUGH HOW THEY COULD BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE IN LOOKING AT DISPARITIES, INCLUDING LOOKING AT, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE OWNED, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SEXUAL ORIENTATION, LOOKING AT GENDER IDENTITY IN SOME OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN SOME
[00:40:01]
OF THE, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS AROUND BUSINESS OWNERSHIP.SO, UM, AND I HAVE MY COLLEAGUE, JONATHAN BUTLER, WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD A COUPLE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO THAT.
HE, HE WAS INVOLVED IN, UM, SOME OF THOSE STUDIES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN IS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WHOMEVER, THE VENDOR THAT WAS SELECTED TO DO THE STUDY IS GOING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT WE'VE POINTED OUT.
AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT EASY TO TRACK VIA DATA, CENSUS DATA.
SO SOME OF IT WE HAVE TO GO AND START BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO COLLECT THAT DATA.
AND SO THAT WAS EMPHASIZED IN THE R F P THAT WENT OUT TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THE RIGHT VENDOR TO DO THE, UM, DISPARITY STUDY.
UM, AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AGAIN AT SOME OF THE, UM, IMPACT OF THE RESULTS ONCE IT COMES THROUGH.
I KNOW IT'S A TENUOUS PROCESS FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA BE INTEGRAL IN MAKING SURE THAT WE, WE VET THOSE THINGS AS THEY COME THROUGH.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, I NOTICED ONE OF YOUR, YOUR MAPS OF THE C OVID 19 INDEX SCORE IS BROKEN UP BY PRECINCTS.
SO I, I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY WHEN YOU DO THIS? HAVE THEY, HAVE THEY WELCOMED OR, OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS AT ALL WITH THEM REGARDING THE, UM, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED? 'CAUSE I KNOW CLAUDE, YOU, YOU SERVE BOTH BODIES
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GENTLE REMINDER THAT WE ARE A DISTRICT-WIDE HEALTH AGENCY, BUT, UM, SO, SO I CAN'T SAY, UH, HOW WE'RE COORDINATED, BUT I AM COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTY LEVEL PARTNERS, JUST KNOW THAT THE DATA SETS ARE MADE AVAILABLE.
CLEARLY OUR ANCHORS HERE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE DO HAVE THE LARGER COUNTY WRIT LARGE.
AND SO WE'RE LEARNING AND APPLYING THE INDEX.
IT'S BEEN A VERY USEFUL TOOL FOR US TO AT LEAST HAVE THE EQUITY ATLAS.
UM, AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS AT LEAST, EXCUSE ME, IN REAL TIME, HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AT LEAST, UH, UH, DEPLOY OUR RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING OUR ENERGIES IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES.
THE, UH, THE ART OF THIS, I WOULD JUST, UH, ADD IN CHATTING WITH OUR COUNTY LEVEL PARTNERS.
WE REALIZE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND USING THOSE PLATFORMS, WE'VE HAD TO APPLY DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO GET TO THE UNINCORPORATED IN RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
SO IT'S OLD SCHOOL, SORT OF DOOR TO DOOR.
IT'S BILLBOARDS, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT MODALITY THAN WHAT WE WOULD USE HERE IN THE MORE DENSELY POPULATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
SO MORE TO COME, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY.
LONG ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, AND THEN, UM, I KNOW I SAID LAST QUESTION, BUT, UH, WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE, THE TOOL THERE WAS, UM, SORRY, THE RESOLUTION, THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THERE NEAR, NEAR THE END ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPOR.
THERE WAS CERTAINLY HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT I BELIEVE THERE'S A LINE ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS WHOLE NEW PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE TAXPAYERS FOR READY TO WORK, I JUST, UM, IF YOU COULD JUST PROVIDE US A COUPLE SENTENCES OF HOW YOU'VE, UH, INTEGRATED YOUR WORK INTO THAT PROGRAM.
AND, AND JUST NOTE THAT, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS.
OUR PLAN WAS TO GET, UM, TO ASK VETO FROM NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING, UM, DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION EFFORTS, AS WELL AS MIKE RAMSEY FROM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR WORK.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS YEAR, UM, IS TO DO A, UM, A DEPARTMENT EQUITY ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLAN WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE HOPE TO, UM, THROUGH THAT PROCESS SURFACE SOME EQUITY STRATEGIES THAT WILL SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT IN, UM, IN REALLY TALKING ABOUT, UM, HOW THEY'RE MITIGATING, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, HOW THEY'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE OTHER ACTION ITEMS IN THE PLAN THAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT TODAY.
MADAM CHAIR, CAN I ADD TO THAT SO THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL KNOW, WE WILL BE INVITING NOT ONLY THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO COME BACK, THE NEXT UPDATE THAT YOU GET, BUT ALSO YOU'LL HAVE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT THAT'LL ALSO COME BACK AS WELL.
'CAUSE ALL OF THAT WAS IN THE RESOLUTION, SO WE DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE ANYTHING OUT.
UM, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY HANDS YET, SO, OKAY.
UH, I, UH, WHEN THIS RESOLUTION WAS, OH, THANK YOU.
WHEN THIS RESOLUTION WAS PASSED, I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO LEAD AND HOW WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND I THINK TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, FROM THE STEPS OF, OF CITY HALL IS A GOOD START.
UM, SO THE, THE ONE THING I DO WHEN WE'RE CO UH, AGREE
[00:45:01]
WITH COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL WHEN WE'RE COLLECTING THE DATA IS ANY DATA THAT'S VOLUNTEERED BY THOSE, WHICH IS ARE THEY LIVING WITH DISABILITIES? ARE THEY LIVING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES? I THINK WE SHOULD TRY AND MAKE SURE MENTAL HEALTH GETS THAT INFORMATION TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, GIVEN SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.SO I, I THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THIS, UM, MOVE FORWARD.
AND AS I MENTIONED, FOR THE CITY TO LEAD AND WIN LOTS OF AWARDS ON THIS ISSUE TOO.
ONE, JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT COMMENT, ONE THING WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS, UM, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY WILL NOW BE HOUSED UNDER A LARGER DEPARTMENT OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
AND, UM, THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE WILL BE JOINING US UNDER THIS ROOF.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO, UM, WORK MORE AND, AND WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED VERY COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE, BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THE EXPANSION OF THIS WORK AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND, OH, SORRY.
UM, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, HOW IMPORTANT AND HOW GREAT IT IS THAT Y'ALL HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND Y'ALL HAVE COMMISSIONED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THE WORK, UH, TO GO OUT INTO COMMUNITY TO COLLECT DATA AND SHARE RESOURCES.
WE HAD, UH, TOMMY ATA, I BELIEVE, DROPPED BY OUR FIELD OFFICE TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF, BUT I HAD ALREADY KNEW WHO HE WAS BASED OFF THE COMMUNITY WORK THAT HE HAD ALREADY BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT HE WAS THERE TO GET COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO, UH, TAKE BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WHILE HE'S DOING THIS WORK, HE KNOWS THAT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE, AND I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT MODEL THAT WE'RE USING.
UM, I THINK WITH THE CONVERSATION OF, UH, LOOPING IN, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, I, I THINK, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AS WELL, UH, TODAY WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, THE, THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
AND THE DATA THAT, UH, WAS IN THAT STUDY IS VERY STARK, AND I THINK IT APPLIES TO THIS CONVERSATION AND POTENTIAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
SO JUST, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS BY DESIGN AND ASSET-BASED APPROACH, RECOGNIZING THE TALENT IN AREA NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, ANCHORING TO THE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND AFFINITY OF VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO DO THIS.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THIS MODEL AND WHAT, WHAT I DID BACK IN, IN CAMBRIDGE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS, YOU'VE SEEN THAT REPLICATED OVER THE COURSE OF THESE, THIS PAST YEAR AND A HALF IN PARTICULAR.
SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL APPLYING LESSONS LEARNED.
IT IS BY DESIGN, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT, UH, I'M EXCITED THAT YOU'RE ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE OF POLICY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND, UH, THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE WORKING TO DEVELOP A HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES COUNCIL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THOSE EFFORTS.
AGAIN, IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS.
UM, SO IT'S A DOVETAILS WITH OUR OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY, WHICH HAS BEEN HERE FOR THESE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE ARE UPGRADING AS AN AGENCY, SO JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S AN OFFICE COMING ONLINE, COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU,
UH, GO AHEAD, PLEASE CALL IF THERE'S ANYTHING, JUST THINKING, UH, DAVID MCCREARY, WHO IS SERVING AS OUR PERENNIAL COACH, MAKING SURE THAT WE PLAY NICELY TOGETHER IN THE SANDBOX, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE HIS SUPPORT AS IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR AND A HALF FOR OUR AGENCY.
BUT REALLY APPRECIATE THIS GLIDE PATH AS WE'RE NOW POSITIONING FOR THE NEXT ERA OF THE WORK AT METRO HEALTH IN CONCERT WITH THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY OR THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
SO, THANKS AND ENJOY YOUR AFTERNOON.
UM, ALL RIGHT, WELL, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FURTHER UPDATES.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE MOVING ON TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR,
[4. Appointment Recommendations to the Municipal Golf Association – San Antonio Board of Directors. [Debbie RaccaSittre, Interim City Clerk]]
WHICH IS, EXCUSE ME, UM, THE APPOINTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION.AND I WANNA GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE WHO WORKED ON THIS, UH, INCLUDING OUR OWN, UH, COUNCILMAN MAKI RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCILWOMAN PHILIS, PHILIS VRAN.
UM, WE ALSO HAD MEMBERSHIP FROM, UH, HOMER GARCIA, UM, MELANIE KEATON AND ANDREW PETERSON.
UM, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CLERK.
UM, JUST GONNA GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW, UH, AND I'M TIMING MYSELF OVER THERE.
WELL, AURORA'S TIMING ME OVER THERE.
UM, THE OVERVIEW OF THE, UH, MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION, SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THERE'S 15 MEMBERS, SEVEN ARE AT LARGE.
MEMBERS THAT ARE SELECTED BY THE BOARD AND SIX ARE AT LARGE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL FOR TWO YEAR TERMS. THERE ARE TWO EXOFFICIO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE CITY MANAGER.
[00:50:01]
DIRECTOR AND THE FINANCE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.AND THE CURRENT TERM FOR CITY APPOINTEES, UH, EXPIRED IN MAY OF 2021.
AND THOSE APPOINTEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE ARE REMAINING IN HOLDOVER STATUS UNTIL A DECISION IS MADE ABOUT THE SIX REPLACEMENTS.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HOMER TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND THE PROCESS.
AND I JUST WANNA MENTION, THOUGH, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PROCESS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER REPLICATING IT FOR ALL OF OUR AT LARGE HOMER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CLERK AND C UM, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, HOMER GARCIA, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
AND THIS SLIDE JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE TIMELINE OF, UH, THE PROCESS AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO ON APRIL 8TH, THERE WAS A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS AND, UH, 27 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED.
UH, NOTICE WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
WE DID WORK WITH ANDREW PETERSON, WHO IS WITH US HERE TODAY.
HE'S THE C E O OF THE ALAMO CITY GOLF TRAIL.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAD SOME TARGETED OUTREACH AS WELL, SO HE ASSISTED IN THAT MANNER.
AND THEN, UH, SO ON MAY 2ND IS ACTUALLY WHEN THE BOARD, UH, TERMS APPLY, UH, EXPIRED.
BUT AS DEBBIE POINTED OUT, THEY REMAINED IN HOLDOVER STATUS UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT REPLACEMENTS ACTUALLY OCCUR.
SO THEN ON AUGUST 26TH, UH, WE WERE BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, AT THAT TIME WE DETERMINED THAT, YOU KNOW, DEBBIE ALLUDED TO THE PROCESS FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS WORKED REALLY WELL IN COLLABORATION AND GETTING DIRECTION FROM THIS BODY.
WE FORMED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
IT CONSISTED OF, OF COURSE, CITY STAFF, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CHECK COMMITTEE.
UH, WHICH THEN ON OCTOBER 5TH, UH, WE DID CONVENE.
AND THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THAT WAS JUST TO SHORTLIST CANDIDATES.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD MOVE FORWARD ULTIMATELY FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION COME FROM THE CHECK COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, WE DID GO THROUGH THAT DELIBERATIVE PROCESS, UH, LOOKED AT ALL OF THE 27, UH, APPLICATIONS AND CANDIDATES, AND THROUGH DISCUSSION, UH, ARRIVED AT 11 THAT WE'RE SHORTLISTED.
AND SO THAT BRINGS US TO TODAY, UH, TODAY THESE 11 SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES, UH, WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR, UM, MOVING FORWARD IN THE PROCESS, UM, BE INTERVIEWED.
AND OUR GOAL AND ASK IS THAT SIX INDIVIDUALS BE IDENTIFIED.
AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, THAT WOULD BRING US TO A PROPOSED, UH, DATE OF NOVEMBER 18TH FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE, UH, RECOMMENDED SIX CANDIDATES.
SO THAT DOES CONCLUDE THIS VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO GET INTO THE NEXT, UH, PART OF IT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES.
SO UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL LEAVE IT THERE.
I, I, I JUST WANNA GET, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON THE, UM, THE WORK OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
WE DID TRY AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT, UH, THE, THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE SAW THE DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT DISTRICTS REPRESENTED IN IT.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS THE SHORT LIST.
YOU SEE, WE ALSO TRIED TO MAKE SURE, UM, WE LOOKED AT BRINGING, UH, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, UM, THAT WEREN'T, WERE, WERE TO GET A YOUNGER, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD,
SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW WHAT OUR MOTIVATION WAS WHEN WE MADE THOSE DECISIONS.
SO HOMER, HOW, HOW WILL WE CONDUCT THE NEXT PART? OR AURORA, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THAT? YES, I'LL YIELD IT BACK TO THE CLERK.
SO MADAM CHAIR, WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IS HAVE THE APPLICANTS, UH, COME AND INTERVIEW.
THEY WOULD DO A TWO MINUTE STATEMENT, AND THEN THEY WOULD, YOU COULD ASK THEM QUESTIONS AND THAT WOULD BE A PUBLIC INTERVIEW.
WE DO HAVE THREE CANDIDATES WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT, AND THEY ISSUED A STATEMENT.
SO I'LL READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD.
AFTER, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK, UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU WON'T GET A CHANCE TO ANS ASK QUESTIONS OF THEM.
AND THEN AFTER, UH, THAT WE WOULD BREAK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DELIBERATIONS.
SO GO AHEAD, PLEASE GET STARTED.
WHO'S OUR FIRST CANDIDATE? UH, WILL, WILL WE BE GOING IN THE YES, MA'AM.
IN THIS ORDER FROM OUR THAT'S YES MA'AM.
I'LL, I'LL READ OUT THE ORDER.
WE'RE STARTING WITH MS. GRETCHEN GAR CRAIG, AND WE GENERALLY GIVE THEM TWO MINUTES FOR THEIR STATEMENT.
[00:55:10]
DEBBIE, FOR CLARITY, WILL THE COUNCIL BE ABLE TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS RIGHT AFTER EACH PRESENTATION? IS THAT THE THOUGHT? YES.HI, HOW ARE YOU? GREAT, THANK YOU.
UM, SO OUR INTERVIEW WILL CONSIST OF YOU INTRODUCING YOURSELF.
YOU'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO DO THAT.
THEN WE'LL GO AROUND, UH, THE TABLE AND SEE IF ANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO THE CLERK WILL, WILL TIME YOU.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR THE FAITH THAT'S INSTILLED IN ME OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WHEN I WAS SELECTED TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE MY ADOPTIVE CITY THROUGH THE BOARD SERVICE AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IN THE SAME ROLE FOR ANOTHER TWO YEAR TERM.
DURING MY TENURE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I HAVE SERVED AS A COMMITTEE CHAIR THREE TIMES AS THE CHAIR OF THE 2022 BOND COMMITTEE, INVESTIGATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ALAMO CITY GOLF TRAIL TO IMPROVE ITS INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH BOND SUPPORT.
AS THE CHAIR OF THE AD HOC BYLAWS COMMITTEE CREATED TO UPDATE THE ORGANIZATION'S GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND LASTLY, AS THE CHAIR OF THE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE, A COMMITTEE I INITIATED TO ENSURE THAT ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE ORGANIZATION ARE DONE USING A DE AND I LENS.
THE DE AND I COMMITTEE WORK IS MOST MEANINGFUL TO ME AS IS THE MOST POTENTIAL FOR IMPACTFUL CHANGE ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
IF SELECTED FOR A SECOND TERM, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING MY WORK WITH THESE COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE MOVING THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD.
MY WORK TO DATE AS A BOARD MEMBER, ALONG WITH MY WORK ETHIC AND SKILLSET, MAKES ME QUALIFIED FOR CONTINUED BOARD SERVICE.
THESE QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE AN M B A IN SPORTS MANAGEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD SERVICE ON SEVERAL NONPROFIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
A MEMBERSHIP AND BOARD SERVICE WITH TWO DO ASSOCIATIONS IN SAN ANTONIO, THE L P G A AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATION, AND THE SAN ANTONIO WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION.
AS A PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITER, I HELPED SAN ANTONIO NONPROFITS RAISE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MISSIONS.
AND IT MAY I BECAME A REGISTERED PARLIAMENTARIAN.
IF REAPPOINTED, I WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THESE SKILLS TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION BOARD AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THE FACILITIES OF THE ALAMO CITY GOLF TRAIL AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND FOR CONSIDERING MY REAPPOINTMENT BOOM.
MY GOD, YOU PRACTICE THAT SO WELL.
UH, THIS, THIS COMMITTEE OVERSEES ISSUES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH HEALTH, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS CULTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE SUCH AS OUR PARKS.
UH, ONE ISSUE THAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I'VE SPENT SOME TIME TALKING TO, UH, THE C E O ABOUT IS THE SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AT THE, AT THE GOLF COURSES.
IF, IF REAPPOINTED, WOULD YOU CONSIDER, UH, LOOKING INTO HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR GOLF SYSTEM, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF, YEAH.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, UM, ACROSS ALL GOLF COURSES AND SOMETHING THAT, UM, IF A BRIA POINTED, I WANNA LOOK INTO MORE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE USING, YOU KNOW, UM, SAFE, UH, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE CHEMICALS AND ON THE COURSES THAT WE'RE USING, REUSABLE WATER, UM, THAT WE'RE IN THE CLUBHOUSES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECYCLE AND, UM, REDUCE, UM, OUR, OUR FOOTPRINT THAT WAY.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING, UM, TO LOOK INTO.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK IN CREATING THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION COMMISSION.
I'LL, UH, PASS IT ON TO COUNCILWOMAN VRAN.
UH, GRETCHEN, YOU'VE BEEN ON FOR TWO YEARS.
UM, GIVE ME YOUR IDEAS ON MISSION DE LAGO GOLF COURSE AND HOW WE COULD HELP THAT ALONG.
UM, IT'S DEFINITELY, UM, IT'S PROGRESSED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
I THINK WE'VE, YOU KNOW, PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO IT AND ALSO WORKING IT WITH THE CLUBHOUSE AND MAKING IT MORE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, FACILITY, UM, WITH ALL THE GROWTH DOWN THERE, REALLY REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, FOR THE AFFORDABLE, UH, GOLF, PROVIDING GOLF LESSONS.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO GET THE COMMUNITY OUT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GOLF.
[01:00:01]
THINK THAT WILL HELP DRIVE, UM, ATTENDANCE.AND THEN JUST THROUGH OUR MARKETING EFFORTS OF CONTINUING TO, UM, ATTRACT, UM, TOURNAMENTS AND, UM, DIFFERENT GOLF GROUPS DOWN THERE.
UM, IT'S REALLY LIKE FROM MY HOUSE, UM, UH, JUST SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN.
IT'S THE SAME DISTANCE TO MISSION DE LAGO AS IT IS TO ALMOST BASIN, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT GOING DOWN TO MISSION DE LAGO, UM, JUST OUTTA SIGHT OUTTA MIND.
SO REALLY JUST MARKETING AND CONTINUING TO PUSH, UM, FOR PLAY DOWN IN THAT AREA.
DO ANY OTHER MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE NEVER MISSED A MEETING, UM, AND THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT IN YOUR APPLICATION, UM, AND ALSO THAT YOU DID, UM, INITIATE THE, UM, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, UH, COMMITTEE.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IN MAKING THIS APPOINTMENT? UM, LIKE YOU SAID, I'VE NEVER MISSED A MEETING.
I'VE MADE THIS A KEY PRIORITY OF MY, MY CIVIC INVOLVEMENT, MY VOLUNTEER WORK.
UM, I THINK I BRING A LOT OF DIFFERENT SKILLS, UH, TO THE TABLE.
UM, I, I WORK, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH ALL MY BOARD MEMBERS TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COME TO, TO A CONSENSUS ON ITEMS. UM, AND I THINK THAT, UM, JUST MY SKILLSET IN DIFFERENT AREAS, UH, MAKE ME A WELL-ROUNDED CANDIDATE.
AND IF YOU, IF YOU ARE REAPPOINTED, WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR IN YOUR COLLEAGUES? THE OTHER FIVE? UM, I THINK, UM, AGAIN, JUST, UH, WELL-ROUNDED, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE, PUTTING THE ORGANIZATION FIRST AS ONE OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, REACHING OUT TO DIFFERENT GROUPS, UM, AND, AND TRYING TO BRING IN AND BEING A KIND OF A COLLECTIVE VOICE FOR THE, THE ASSOCIATION.
UM, UH, SO MY, MY QUESTIONS AROUND THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION MM-HMM.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW IT WAS RECEIVED? LIKE HOW, MAYBE HOW LONG AGO YOU INITIATED IT, HOW IT WAS RECEIVED AMONG YOUR PEERS MM-HMM.
UM, AND IT WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED BY CHAIRMAN HARVEY, UM, AND ALSO ANDREW PETERSON, OUR C E O, AND THEY WERE REALLY ENCOURAGING ABOUT GETTING IT FORMED.
UM, AND I, I BROUGHT IT FORTH TO THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S MYSELF AND ONE OTHER MEMBERS, SO I WOULD LIKE SOME MORE, UH, REPRESENTATION ON, ON THE COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT WHAT WE BASICALLY LOOKED AT WAS WHAT ARE WE ALREADY DOING, UH, FROM A DE AND I LENS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE, WE HAVE A RELAXED DRESS CODE.
WE DON'T REQUIRE, UH, PEOPLE WHO COME OUT TO PLAY TO WEAR A COLLAR SHIRT BECAUSE THAT COULD, IT EXCLUDE SOME PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO AFFORD OUR COURSES.
UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT MAKING SMALL CHANGES, UM, MAKING SURE OUR PIC, YOU KNOW, PICTURES ON OUR WEBSITE REPRESENT, UM, PEOPLE FROM ACROSS ALL, ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE.
UM, SOME OF THE HARDER FIXES WOULD BE, UM, MAKING SURE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES.
RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF OUR FACILITIES ARE NOT A D A COMPLIANT, OR WE DON'T HAVE, UM, ACCESSIBLE GOLF CARTS FOR, FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES.
SO THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND HARDER FIXES.
UM, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST KIND OF STARTED OUR WORK AND, UH, HAVE MADE A LIST OF THINGS.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING SOME OF THE EASY FIXES AND SOME OF THE LONG-TERM, UM, ISSUES.
AND WE'VE ALL BEEN CALLING YOU GRETCHEN, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY YOUR LAST NAME.
COULD YOU INSTRUCT US, PLEASE? YEAH, NO PROBLEM.
CRAIG, THANK YOU VERY MUCH GRETCHEN FOR BEING HERE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE FOR TODAY'S, UH, DISCUSSION? NO.
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ONE IS
[01:05:21]
WELCOME MR. LUNA.UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
WE'D, UH, LOVE TO HEAR A TWO MINUTE INTRODUCTION ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR INTEREST IN THIS POSITION.
AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND THE TABLE AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MAY ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.
IS OKAY IF I TAKE, I ASK YOU LITTLE BIT, PLEASE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO.
I HAVE BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE, EXCEPT FOR WHEN I WAS IN THE, UH, MILITARY SERVICE, WHICH I TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL, I'M A CURRENT MEMBER OF M G A SS A I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION.
BUT BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I'M ALSO, I'M AN ARCHITECT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I WAS WRESTLING ARCHITECT AT SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.
THEN FROM THERE, I WENT TO SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE.
I WAS A PROFESSOR OF ARCHITECTURE THERE FOR 15 YEARS.
AND, UH, OTHERWISE ALL MY OTHER ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES HAVE BEEN IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA, WHICH WHERE I LIVED FOR 12 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN SERVING THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN, I SAW, SERVED ON THE SAS BOARD.
I'VE BEEN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE H D R C, UH, OTHER, OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I JUST BELIEVE IN, IN DOING THINGS FOR THE CITY.
SO, BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE M G A A, AS A, IT'S A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION, MR. PETERSON.
OUR C E O IS DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB.
UH, OUR MAIN FOCUS IS TO PROVIDE GOOD QUALITY MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES TO, FOR THE CITY AND AT AFFORDABLE PRICES THAT OUR CITIZENS CAN AFFORD.
THAT INCLUDES OUR MILITARY, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, OUR COLLEGE GRAD, UH, STUDENTS, AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WHICH THEY'RE, THEY USE OUR FACILITIES QUITE OFTEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. LUNA.
WE'RE GOING TO STEP INTO QUESTIONS NOW FROM THE COUNCIL.
SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
UM, IF REA APPOINTED, WHAT ARE SOME INITIATIVES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONTINUED? WELL, CURRENTLY WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN THAT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING, AND THAT'S IMPROVING THE, ALL THE GOLF COURSES, PROVIDING BETTER GOLF CART PATHS FROM ASPHALT TO CONCRETE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN PLANTING TREES ALL OVER THE GOLF COURSES.
THE, UH, CURRENTLY WE'RE, UH, TRYING, TRYING TO FINISH UP ALMOST GOLF COURSE, WHICH WE'LL HAVE ITS GRAND OPENING NEXT MONTH, UH, WHICH INCLUDED RENOVATION TO THE GOLF COURSE ITSELF AND THE FACILITIES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT COME TO A COMPLETION.
UH, AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, MR. PETERSON AND HIS STAFF ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND WITH THE, UH, C E O.
OH, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? TWO? GO AHEAD.
MR. LUNA, CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MISSION DE LAGO GOLF COURSE? MISSION DE LAGO, TO ME, IS A GOLF COURSE THAT WE CANNOT GET RID OF.
THERE'S BEEN TALK THAT MAYBE WE DON'T NEED MISSION DE LAGO.
WELL, I DON'T, AS I STATED AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS, IT'S A VITAL GOLF COURSE, AND WE NEED IT IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, NOW THAT THE REPUBLIC GOLF COURSE HAS CLOSED, IT IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A GOLF COURSE OF MISSION OF THE CALIBER
[01:10:01]
OF MISSION LAGO.IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL, TO ME, IT'S A WONDERFUL GOLF COURSE.
I'VE PLAYED IT MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES, LIKE AS I'VE PLAYED ALL CITY COURSES.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, I ALSO BELONGED TO THE GOLF, UH, UH, GOLF COURSE ASSOCIATION, AND WE PLAY ALL OF OUR, MOST OF OUR GAMES THAT, BUT MICHIGAN DE LAGO IS A GOLF COURSE THAT OUR EARLY CITY COUNCIL NOT TO GET RID OF BECAUSE WE, WE NEED THAT GOLF COURSE.
THIS COMMITTEE DEALS WITH ISSUES OF HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT AND, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO, I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN KNOWING YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE GOLF COURSES ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND NOT DAMAGING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
WELL, THE GOLF COURSES ITSELF, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TREES, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE, THE FACILITIES ARE, IN MOST CASES, THEY'RE ADEQUATE.
THEY'RE STILL, THE FACILITIES STILL NEED A LOT OF, A LOT OF WORK.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
THE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT COME OVER AND, AND I PLAY GOLF AND I MINGLE WITH THE, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT PLAY GOLF AND GET THEIR INPUT AS TO WHAT'S NEEDED, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND MOST OF THEM ARE SATISFIED WITH WHAT THE QUALITY OF, OF THE GOLF COURSES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN? YES.
UM, I WOULD ASK, OR I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT IS THE GREATEST LESSON YOU'VE LEARNED SINCE BEING APPOINTED WITHIN THE BOARD? THE GREATEST LESSON IS, FIRST OF ALL, YOU GOTTA GET ALONG WITH YOUR BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, OUR MAIN FOCUS IS THE GOLF COURSE IS THEMSELVES.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY PRIMARY, UH, GOAL, TO SEE THAT THEY'RE ALL MAINTAINED, GOOD CONDITION, IN GOOD SHAPE.
UH, SO MAKE, MAKE CONDITIONS PLAYABLE FOR THE PEOPLE ENJOYABLE.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, THEY'RE, I THINK, SAN ANTONIO'S ON THE RIGHT PATH TO, TO MAINTAIN THE GOLF COURSES AND, AND PROVIDING GOOD QUALITY GOLF FOR, FOR THE CITIZENS.
AND, UM, I'LL ASK, I WANT YOU TO ANSWER THIS ONE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, UM, BUT THERE WILL BE AT LEAST THREE NEW APPOINTEES.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY NEED TO KNOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL? THE NEED TO, FIRST OF ALL, THEY NEED TO KNOW THEIR BYLAWS.
I'VE BEEN FINDING OUT THAT A LOT OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AREN'T UP SNUFF ON BYLAWS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOVERNS WHAT WE DO, HOW WE GET ALONG WITH OUR C E O AND, AND, UH, SETS THE GUIDELINES.
SO IF, IF MY ADVICE IS KNOW THE BYLAWS, GET ALONG WITH YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, AND OF COURSE, THE C E O.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REAPPLYING AND SUBMITTING YOUR, YOUR APPLICATION.
UH, TODAY, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR A COUPLE OF, UM, MINUTES ABOUT YOU IN AN INTRODUCTION AND WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, IN CONTINUING.
AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND THE ROOM AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL AND, AND, AND, AND THE COMMITTEE TO, UH, ALLOW ME THE CHANCE TO COME AND APPLY AGAIN.
I REALLY, I THINK MY BIO IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
I'M, UH, I, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MEXICO.
I'M AN IMMIGRANT, AND I GREW UP IN MOREMI, CHACAN, AND I MIGRATED TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, AND I'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S KINDA LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF MY BACKGROUND.
I WENT TO ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL AT U T S A, DID MY UNDERGRAD AND MY MASTER'S, AND, UH, EVENTUALLY STARTED WORKING FOR A LOCAL ARCHITECTURE FIRM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, AND BECAME A, A LOCAL ARCHITECT WORKING ON, ON MAJOR,
[01:15:01]
UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BOTH CITY, COUNTY, AND LARGE PUBLIC PROJECTS.UM, SO, UH, REALLY MY WORK, MY EXISTING WORK AT THE BOARD HAS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
WE BEGAN, UH, ME AND MY COLLEAGUE, GRETCHEN STARTED, UM, UH, A DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO INSTITUTE SOME OF THESE, UH, IDEAS INTO THE GOLF COURSE, GOLF COURSES, NOT MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES THAT WE HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE.
AND THEN MY SECOND FOCUS WAS REALLY, UH, BRINGING IN MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ARCHITECT AND AS A, UH, A PUBLIC, UH, SPACE DESIGNER TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW, UH, THE GOLF COURSE, UH, SORT OF THIS SORT OF LIKE LONG, LONG RANGE PLAN ON HOW TO ADAPT THE FACILITIES, HOW TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MORE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ALSO BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF JUST BEING A FOCUSED ON GOLF, HOW CAN WE INVITE THOSE COMMUNITIES BACK IN? UM, SO THAT'S JUST, UH, BASICALLY, UH, UH, MY WORK FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAS BEEN REALLY, UH, ESTABLISHING, UH, AND HELPING THAT COMMITTEE AND ALSO, UH, HELPING THE GOLF COURSES PLAN A LONG RANGE PLAN FOR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, WE'RE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT THE DIVERSITY OR I AM, UH, EQUITY AND INCLUSION SUBCOMMITTEE HAS DONE SO FAR FROM, FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
UM, YOU MIGHT KNOW THIS COMMITTEE, UH, CENTERS ON ISSUES OF HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE GOLF COURSES ARE AS ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AS POSSIBLE? I THINK, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEST PRACTICES AND I, I HAVE FULL, UH, TRUST IN, IN ANDREW PETERSON, OUR C E O.
HE'S, HE'S REALLY, HE'S REALLY BEEN A CHAMPION FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, HE'S BEEN DEVELOPING HIS STAFF TO BE, UH, TOP TIER.
UH, HE'S ALL HIS P G A PROFESSIONALS.
UM, AND THEN HE'S ALSO BROUGHT IN THE EXPERTS AND HE LISTENS.
HE UNDERSTANDS HIS STAFF, HE TRUSTS HIS STAFF, AND WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ALSO HAVE THAT BACKGROUND, UM, INCLUDING MYSELF WITH SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES ON, ON, ON WATER QUALITY, AIR QUALITY.
UM, AND ALSO I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IN SORT OF LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT IS REALLY ALLOWING THE, THE, THE, THE PUBLIC TO ALLOW THESE GOLF COURSES AS AN, AS A PUBLIC AMENITY, NOT JUST THE GOLF COURSE.
UH, SO, UH, WATER MANAGEMENT, UH, HELPING AIR QUALITY AND MAINTAINING THOSE, UH, PARK LANDS OPEN, UH, WITH TREES AND NATURE, I THINK ARE, ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
UM, SO, UH, IT'S CRITICAL FOR US TO KEEP THOSE PARKLANDS NATURAL.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? OKAY.
WE'LL START AT THAT END AND GO ROUND.
UM, IF REAPPOINTED, WHAT ARE SOME INITIATIVES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONTINUED AND OR COMPLETED? COMPLETED? SO, UM, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MAIN, MAIN, UH, MISSIONS THAT I WOULD WANNA SEE IS, ONE, IS I WOULD WANNA SEE THAT EVERY GOLF COURSE HAS ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT.
UM, I ALSO SIT ON THE BE ABOARD, UH, AND I'VE, EVERY TIME I GO TO A GOLF COURSE AND I DON'T SEE A, A PUBLIC TRANSIT, I SEE IT AS A, AS A, AS A HUGE GAP IN EQUITY.
UH, BECAUSE THERE'S KIDS LIKE MYSELF THAT GREW UP WITH ONLY PUBLIC TRANSIT AND WITHOUT A CAR THAT IF THEY WANTED TO PLAY A GOLF, GOLF, THEY WOULD BE INTIMIDATED OR WOULD BE COMPLETELY INACCESSIBLE.
SO ONE OF MAIN THINGS IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND ACCESS IS, IS PUBLIC TRANSIT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
THE OTHER ONE, UH, I THINK IS, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO DO, WE HAVE, WE'VE, WE'VE IMPROVED AND WE'VE BEEN DOING A, A, A GOOD JOB AT INTERFACING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE CAN ESTABLISH MORE PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW THESE PUBLIC LANDS AND PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND, AND, AND NOT JUST ENGAGE IN GOLF, BUT ALSO IN, IN FAMILY, UH, ACTIVITIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ASSOCIATION MEETINGS OR COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, THOSE ARE KIND OF LIKE A COUPLE OF THE MAIN ONES.
THE OTHER ONE IS, UM, UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR CEOS, UH, ANDREW HAS REALLY DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT SORT OF ESTABLISHING AND DESIGNING THIS LONG RANGE PLAN FOR OUR FACILITIES.
AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S REALLY, IT, IT, IT IS MONEY AND WE SEE IT AS A COST AND INVESTMENT.
UH, BUT FOR ME IT IS REALLY THE ABILITY FOR OUR KIDS ARE OUR KIDS IN THE WEST SIDE, EAST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE THAT CAN GO TO OAK HILL, SO CAN GO TO THE QUARRY TO PLAY THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A SPACE TO GO PLAY IN THE SAME, UH, LEVEL OF QUALITY OF GOLF COURSES, UH, THAT WE HAVE AT A MUNICIPAL LEVEL AND, AND MUNICIPAL PRICES.
SO I THINK THAT INVESTING IN THESE GOLF COURSES, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT, IS BECAUSE IT BRINGS EQUITY TO THOSE KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE GOLF COURSES TO PLAY IN TO BEGIN WITH.
JAVIER, CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MISSION DELAGO? YES.
[01:20:01]
UH, ACTUALLY, UH, WITH GETTING GOLFERS OUT THERE.UH, BUT I THINK RECENTLY, IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, HAS HAD SOME MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GOLF COURSE AND HAS ACTUALLY RAISED, UH, THE LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE AND LEVEL OF PLAY, UH, DOWN THERE.
I THINK IT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST COURSES, UH, IN TOWN.
I THINK THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEOPLE LIKE ON PAR ARE REALLY HELPING LEVERAGE, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO INVITE THOSE SORT OF FAMILY ORIENTED ACTIVITIES THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT INVOLVING, UH, REALLY ITS, ITS COMMUNITY, THE SOUTH SIDE INTO THE GOLF COURSE, UH, AND NOT BEING EXCLUSIVE OR BEING EL ELITIST.
UH, SO I CONSIDER THAT, UH, MISSION DE LAGOS HAS BEEN REALLY A PLATFORM FOR ITS COMMUNITY, AND I REALLY CHAMPION WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, AND IN SUPPORTING MISSION DE LAGO IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK THAT, UH, I THINK BUILDING FURTHER PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLOWING THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE LEADERS TO COME IN AND INTERACT WITH THE GOLF COURSES, IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES KIDS AND JUNIOR PLAY.
COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ? YES.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK, WHAT'S BEEN YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE SINCE BEING APPOINTED TO THE BOARD, AND HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME IT IF YOU HAVE? I, I THINK OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS MONEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE AT THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE A LOT, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I, WHEN I CAME IN, I CAME IN AND I'M, I'M VERY AMBITIOUS AND IDEALIST, UH, AND HAD REALLY HIGH HOPES ON, ON, ON CHANGING AND REFORMING MANY THINGS.
UH, ONCE YOU GET INTO, INTO THE BOARD AND YOU, AND YOU LOOK AT THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AS A MUNICIPAL AGENCY AND MAN AND MANAGING A MUNICIPAL, UH, PARKLAND, WE, UH, THEN YOU START TO THINK AND SEE WHAT, HOW THOSE, LIKE, HOW BUDGET BECOMES VERY CONSTRAINING IN THE WAY YOU DEVELOP YOUR STAFF, THE WAY THAT YOU DEVELOP YOUR COURSES, HOW YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE AND BALANCE YOUR BUDGETS TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT MONEY WHERE IT COUNTS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THE MOST CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE THE MOST CHALLENGING PART FOR ME, THOSE THIS FIRST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN LEARNING THE MECHANISM AND WHAT LEVERS AND, AND BUTTONS TO PUSH.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW I KIND OF HAVE A, A I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON, ON WHERE THOSE MONEY, WHAT THAT MONEY REALLY COUNTS AND WHERE WE SHOULD BE PUTTING OUR, OUR FUNDING, WHICH IS, I AGREE, IT'S, IT'S REALLY DEVELOPING OUR STAFF AND DEVELOPING ALL OUR GOLF COURSES TO BE ABLE TO OFFER BETTER SERVICES.
BUT IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY BEEN, UH, THE, THAT LEARNING CURVE.
UH, I DID NOT HAVE, UH, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE MANAGING AN ACTUAL GOLF COURSE.
UH, I HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE MANAGING LARGE PUBLIC PROJECTS, BUT NOT THAT SPECIFIC.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT, UH, WITH HELP WITH MY BOARD AND, AND OUR STAFF AND OUR LEADERSHIP, I THINK IT, IT, UH, I LEARNED, UH, PRETTY QUICK.
AND, UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST THREE NEW APPOINTEES.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THEM? UH, I, MY ADVICE IS TO NOT BE AFRAID OF, OF, OF DREAMING TOO HIGH, UH, WITH THE BOARD.
I THINK THAT A LOT OF TIMES, UH, WHEN WE COME INTO A BOARD, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S THIS IDEA OF, OF THINGS ARE KIND OF SET AND FIXED, UH, FOR ANY NEW MEMBER THAT COMES IN, I, I WOULD, I WOULD TRY TO, UH, INVITE 'EM TO BE AS OPEN AND AS I IMAGINATIVE AND, AND AS, AS AMBITIOUS AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT SORT OF, UH, DREAM AND WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF, THAT'S WHERE THE SOLUTION LIES.
UH, SO I JUST INVITE HIM TO NOT BE SCARED OR INTIMIDATED BY THE BOARD.
'CAUSE I WAS AT THE BEGINNING, UH, I CAME IN AND I WAS THE YOUNGEST ON THE BOARD, UH, AND I WAS PROBABLY THE MOST INEXPERIENCED BECAUSE I DIDN'T GROW UP WITH GOLF OF NOT, I'M NOT A GO GOOD GOLF PLAYER.
UH, SO MY WHOLE, UH, IDEA WAS COMING IN AND DISRUPTING WITH, UH, IDEAS ABOUT EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
SO I WAS DEFINITELY THE OUTSIDER.
UH, I FEEL, UH, AND AT THE BEGINNING I FELT A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATED AND A LITTLE BIT OUT OF PLACE.
UH, AND IT TOOK ME A PLAY A LITTLE BIT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, REALLY SEE THAT, UH, THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND MY BOARD MEMBERS WERE NOT, UH, WERE NOT, UH, DEFENSIVE OR, OR CLOSE TO MY IDEAS THAT ACTUALLY THEY WERE SEEKING MY EXPERIENCE AND MY POINT OF VIEW.
UH, SO I, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY INVITATION TO NOT BE SCARED AND, AND START OFF AND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, START DISRUPTING.
NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JAVIER.
OUR NEXT CANDIDATE IS MR. DIANTE ALEXANDER.
UH, SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT HERE, SO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING SHORTLISTED FOR TODAY'S INTERVIEW.
UM, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES, UH, WITH A SPEECH ABOUT YOURSELF AND, UH, WHY YOU'RE PURSUING THIS, UH, POSITION.
AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO QUESTIONS.
[01:25:01]
YOU.WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FRIENDS IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, GREAT TO SEE YOU, UH, TO OUR NEW CITY LEADERSHIP.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY, FOR ME TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, MY NAME IS JENNY KSS AND I AM THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT SAN ANTONIO SPORTS.
I'M NOT FROM SAN ANTONIO, BUT I CLAIM NATIVE, UH, MOVED HERE IN 1995, UM, TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD ON A BASKETBALL AND TENNIS SCHOLARSHIP.
BUT I HAVE PLAYED GOLF MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I LOVE WHAT IT CAN DO FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, NOT ONLY FROM THE PHYSICAL ASPECT, BUT ALSO FROM THE, THE MENTAL PERSPECTIVE AND THE SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I LOVE THAT I CAN GO OUT AND PLAY A ROUND OF 18 AND RIDE IN A CART, BUT STILL GET IN MY 10,000 STEPS.
NOT SURE WHAT THAT SAYS ABOUT MY GAME, BUT WE WON'T, WE WON'T GO INTO THAT.
SPORTS IS TO BRING MAJOR EVENTS TO EVENTS TO OUR COMMUNITY TO DRIVE SPORTS TOURISM.
I'VE BEEN, UM, THE LEAD PERSON ON ALL OF OUR N C A FINAL FOURS THAT WE'VE HOSTED OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT SPORTS CAN DO FOR, UM, FOR CITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR WHAT SPORTS CAN DO FOR KIDS.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE POWER OF SPORT AND THE POWER OF GOLF CAN BE TRANSFORMATIVE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M WELL VERSED IN WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT ON AN EVENT, WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT ON YOUTH CLASSES, UM, WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO KEEP FACILITIES MOVING AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND MAINTAINED.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I WAS ASKED TO APPLY.
UM, MY WIFE AND I HAVE TWO YOUNG GIRLS, AND I'M TRYING TO GET THEM INVOLVED IN THIS SPORT.
AND, UM, THEY'VE STARTED AT THE FIRST TEE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
AND I THINK, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO GOLF, MY TIME'S UP, C O V I GOLF WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.
AND WE WOULD TAKE OUR GIRLS OUT, NOT WITH A CART, 'CAUSE WE COULDN'T RENT ONE, BUT WITH OUR JOGGING STROLLER,
SO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
WE'LL, UH, GO AROUND TO QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MISSION DE LAGO? OOH, THAT'S, THAT'S A HARD ONE FROM OUT OF THE GATE.
I ACTUALLY HAVE NOT PLAYED THERE IN A COUPLE YEARS.
I'VE, I THINK I'VE PLAYED ON EVERY COURSE IN SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY OUR MUNICIPAL COURSES.
I HAVE NOT BEEN DOWN THERE RECENTLY.
IT'S IN A GREAT AREA OF TOWN AND CLOSE TO OUR MISSION TRAILS AND THE MISSIONS, AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A, A COURSE THAT WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT AND BRING MORE PEOPLE TO ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST IDEA, THE BIGGEST, MOST CRAZY CREATIVE IDEA THAT YOU'D HAVE AS A BOARD MEMBER OR THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW AS AN APPLICANT? WELL, JUST, I THINK FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING MORE NATIONAL GOLF EVENTS TO SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST AT T P C WITH THE VALERO OPEN, BUT THE, THE CITY HAS A GREAT HISTORY OF HOSTING MAJOR GOLF EVENTS, AND THERE'S NO REASON THAT OUR CITY OWNED FACILITIES CAN'T GO BACK TO, TO DOING THAT.
AND BRINGING THOSE HERE TO HIGHLIGHT BEAUTIFUL COURSES SUCH AS BRECKENRIDGE.
I WAS HOPING FOR SOMETHING WITH FIREWORKS, BUT, WELL, WELL, FIREWORKS, WHEN WE GIVE OUT THE TROPHY AT THE END OF THE TOURNAMENT, OF COURSE, I KID.
UM, HAVE YOU WATCHED ANY OF THE BOARD MEETINGS? ARE THEY AVAILABLE? ARE THEY STREAMED OR, UH, NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT STREAMED, BUT I'M SURE THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WELL, I WOULD, HAVE YOU BEEN TO ANY OF THE MEETINGS? I HAVE NOT, NO.
UM, ARE YOU, SO THERE WILL BE AT LEAST THREE, THREE NEW APPOINTEES.
THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE UP TO THREE RETURNING FACES.
WHAT WOULD, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY APPOINTED OR WOULD BE REAPPOINTED? WELL, I KNOW TWO OUT OF THE THREE.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD TELL THEM IS, IF I WAS TO BE A NEWLY APPOINTEE, IS HELP US LEARN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS NEEDED AS A PART OF THIS GROUP.
UM, USE US, YOU KNOW, HELP US BRING OUT THE VALUE THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE GROUP.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ASK OF THEM AS EXPERIENCED, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO.
[01:30:14]
THANK YOU.THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND BEING A PART OF THIS.
UH, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS HEAR FROM YOU.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SHARE WITH US WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, IN MY STATEMENT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ACTUALLY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BRIEF STATEMENT ABOUT MYSELF AS WELL.
I'M A NATIVE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE, OF OUR WONDERFUL CITY.
I HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS.
UH, I ACTUALLY, UH, USED TO RESIDE AND BORN AND RAISED IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN THE MIN, UH, THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES AND THE FACILITIES AND THE RENOVATIONS AND HOW THEY'VE IMPROVED OUR CITY AS WELL.
AND I WANNA BE IN INVOLVED IN THAT.
UH, CURRENTLY I'VE BEEN EMPLOYED AT AT AND T, UH, THE WORLD'S LEADING TELE TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY FOR 21 YEARS.
UH, OUT OF THE 21 YEARS OF MY SERVICE, I'VE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A VICE PRESIDENT FOR, UH, THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA, AND ALSO NOW, UH, CURRENTLY SERVING AS A PRESIDENT ELECTED BY OUR, OUR MEMBERSHIP AS WELL.
UM, I DO CURRENTLY SET OUT THE A F L C I O EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND I'VE ACTUALLY PREVIOUSLY HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE ON THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS WELL.
I, I APPLIED FOR THE POSITION ON THIS BOARD BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AT ANOTHER LEVEL.
AND, UH, MY LOVE AND PASSION FOR THE GAME OF GOLF IS ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH MY COMMUNITY AND FOR, YOU KNOW, UNDERSERVED, THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UH, I WAS INTRODUCED, UH, TO THE GAME IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, I PLAYED FOR THE LUTHER BURBANK, UH, BULLDOGS GOLF TEAM.
AND, UH, IT WAS ONE OF, UH, IT WAS ON THIS TEAM WHERE I EXPOSED, UH, TO, I WAS EXPOSED TO OUR CITY MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES.
UH, AND SINCE THEN, I'VE NEVER LEFT THE GOLF, THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES AT ALL.
UM, I TAKE PRIDE IN OUR COURSES IN OUR CITY SINCE 2007.
I'VE SEEN THE CHANGES IN, IN, UH, IN THE SYSTEM AND THE RENOVATION OF OUR COURSES.
I BELIEVE, UH, THEY PLAY A KEY ROLE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE VISITORS, UH, OF OUR, OF OUR HOMETOWN.
UH, I'M HONORED TO BE ONE OF THE FINAL CANDIDATES OF THIS BOARD, AND IF ELECTED, I WILL SERVE THE BOARD AND THE HIGHEST CAPACITY AND WITH GREAT DISCIPLINE.
AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR CONSIDERING, UH, MY, MY, YOU KNOW, MY ACTUAL APPLICATION.
SO I'LL BE GLAD TO, UH, ANSWER ANY TYPE OF QUESTIONS IF YOU'LL HAVE THEM AS WELL.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY GLOBAL DOGS.
YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ
UM, SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WE SHOULD CONSIDER IN MAKING THIS APPOINTMENT? I WOULD JUST TAKE THE DEDICATION, UH, OF, UH, GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING WHAT ROLE, UH, GOLF CAN PLAY IN, IN UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS'.
UH, YOU KNOW, LIFE, UH, YOU KNOW, MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T REALLY, I, I WAS FROM BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH SIDE, DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND ONE THING THAT KEPT ME OFF THE STREETS AND GETTING IN TROUBLE WAS GOLF.
UH, AND, AND WAS WALKING TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE TO RIVERSIDE GOLF COURSE.
UH, SO THERE I LEARNED, UH, YOU KNOW, MY DISCIPLINE.
UH, SO THAT'S WHAT THE GAME BRINGS, IS DISCIPLINE TO YOUR LIFE.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE AS WELL.
AND ONE OF, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU MM-HMM.
MY DECISION MAKING IS THAT, UM, I WOULD STRUGGLE TO HAVE BOTH THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT MM-HMM.
UM, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOUR RESPONSE BE TO THAT? I WOULD THINK THAT BOTH OF US HAS A PASSION.
UH, AND WE'VE BOTH BEEN, WE WERE RAISED IN THE SAME AREA AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW DEDICATION AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK I SEE THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN HIM.
THAT'S WHY I TOLD HIM THAT HE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, BE A CANDIDATE FOR THE SITUATION AS WELL.
SO JUST TO, YOU KNOW, UH, BUILD UP HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND, UH, AND GIVE HIM BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, AND HE'S A VERY DEDICATED PERSON.
HE'S MY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE GUY,
MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, WHAT WOULD BE, SO THERE'S GONNA BE AT LEAST THREE NEW APPOINTEES MM-HMM.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO THE RETURNING APPOINTMENTS? UH, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH NEW PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, UH, AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, GIVE 'EM GUIDANCE.
AND I WOULD'VE LOOKED TO THEM FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT PASSION TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND GIVE, BRING THE UNDERSTANDING TO ME TO, LIKE, WHERE WE'RE AT ON PROJECTS, UH, WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
SO I THINK JUST THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS WITH THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE VETERANS OF THE, OF THE BOARD TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE REALLY WELL WITH US.
COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN
[01:35:01]
A NICE, IT IS A NICE COURSE.I JUST THINK THAT RIGHT NOW, THE ACTUAL, UH, THE RESIDENTS, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, THE HOUSES THAT ARE BUILT AROUND THE ACTUAL, UM, THE COURSE ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE COURSE, UH, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE BEST COURSE IN THE CITY.
I THINK THAT, UH, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DISTANCE FOR THE HOLES, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, RENOVATIONS TO THEIR ACTUAL, UH, UH, THEIR WHATCHAMACALLIT, UM, I'M SORRY, UH, WHERE THEY TEE OFF AND BASICALLY THE, THE GOLF RANGE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE THERE.
AND I WOULD SAY THE STAFF NEEDS TO BE BETTER WITH THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY REALLY OUT THERE MAIN MAINTAINING THE FACILITIES WHEN YOU PLAY.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I LOOK AT BECAUSE I, I, LIKE I SAID, ONCE AGAIN, I DO PLAY THESE COURSES REGULARLY AND I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW WELL WE, WE CAN IMPROVE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE ONE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT I'VE LOOKED AT IN, IN MISSION DUA.
BUT OVERALL, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL COURSE.
UH, I JUST THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO GET TAKEN CARE OF A LITTLE BIT MORE, A LITTLE BIT BETTER, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION, UH, AND FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO OPEN, UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND THE ROOM AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME.
I'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 16 YEARS.
UM, I'M A PROUD FATHER OF FOUR BOYS.
UH, I'VE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE, UH, RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER ALONG WITH MY TWO SISTERS.
UH, MY MOTHER BEING A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE WITH AT AND T WAS STILL VERY INVOLVED AND ACTIVE WITH US.
UH, SHE HAD ME, UH, IN SPORTS MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD, UH, POP WARNER FOOTBALL, T-BALL, UH, BASKETBALL, ET CETERA.
BUT, UH, GOLF WAS MY FAVORITE.
IT TAUGHT ME SO MUCH AT A YOUNG AGE.
UH, KEPT ME OFF THE STREETS FOR SURE, UH, KEPT ME OUTTA GANGS.
UH, I DEFINITELY HAD SOME GOOD ROLE MODELS.
UH, THIS WAS A BLESSING FOR ME, UH, TO HAVE AN OUTLET AND TO LEARN DISCIPLINE, HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND DEFINITELY PATIENCE.
I HAD SOME OF THE BEST MENTORS AND COACHES GROWING UP.
IF SELECTED, I HOPE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR YOUTH AND HOPEFULLY BE A MENTOR FOR SOME OF THE UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS.
UM, I'M CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF C W A COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA.
UH, I REPRESENT OVER 1500 EMPLOYEES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
UH, THIS PLATFORM HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT I LOVE, UH, HELPING OTHERS.
UH, BY UTILIZING THESE VALUES I WAS TAUGHT AT A YOUNG AGE, UH, AND INCORPORATING THEM TO MY DAILY WORK FUNCTIONS, I'VE LEARNED THREE IMPORTANT THINGS WHILE WORKING AS AN AT AND T REPAIRMAN OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, LISTENING ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
I WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS FINISH WHAT I START, AND I HOPE I CAN CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THESE QUAL QUALITIES IF SELECTED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MORALES.
UM, I WAS JUST LOOKING OVER YOUR RESUME.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SPECIFIC SKILLS YOU THINK WILL BE REALLY APPLICABLE TO THIS, UH, POSITION? UH, ONE IS LEADERSHIP.
UM, I'M A HANDS-ON TYPE OF PERSON.
UM, UH, THAT'S THE WAY I WAS TAUGHT BY MY, MY, MY MOTHER.
UM, GET OUT THERE AND DO IT YOURSELF.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT.
I I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ASPECT THAT YOU HAVE HERE TOO, SO THANK YOU.
WE'LL GO AROUND THE ROOM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GUILLO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
I THANK YOU FOR HEARING YOUR THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MISSION DELAGO? UH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UH, MISSION DE LAGO, I'VE PLAYED, UH, MANY TIMES, UH, CHANGING DEFINITELY WITH THE HOUSING BEING PUT UP.
SO THE COURSE LOOKS, UH, NOT THE SAME.
LOVE, LOVE THE, UH, AREA, LOVE THE LOCATION.
UH, DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING BAD TO SAY ABOUT IT.
UH, AGAIN, UH, I'VE PLAYED IT MANY TIMES AND, UH, UM, I,
[01:40:01]
I LOVE MISSION DE LAGO.UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S PART OF THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND, UM, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, UH, A COURSE THAT I WILL BE
GOING BACK TO ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS, UM, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE MOST, UM, IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IN MAKING THIS APPOINTMENT? UM, UM, I'M, I'M AN HONEST PERSON.
UM, I'M, I'M A, UH, BEING, UH, REPAIRMENT OVER 20 YEARS TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT CUSTOMER INTERACTION.
UH, SO TO ME, I THINK DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS, TALKING TO CUSTOMERS, UH, UM, I THINK, UH, IS, IS AN ADVANTAGE FOR ME.
BUT, UM, HELPING, HELPING IS THE BOTTOM LINE.
UH, BEING THE FACT THAT I CAN HELP AND ASSIST, UH, WHICH, UH, IS, IS FOR ME IS GRATIFYING.
SO I SLEEP A LOT BETTER WHEN KNOWING THAT I'VE, I'VE HELPED SOMEBODY OUT.
THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS GONNA BE, UM, IF MONEY IS NO OBJECT, WHICH WE KNOW IT IS IN REAL LIFE, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST, CRAZIEST IDEA THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AS A BOARD MEMBER? UH, HAPPINESS.
UH, FAMILY, UH, FAMILY'S FIRST.
I ALWAYS, I'VE ALWAYS TOLD MY FAMILY, UH, AS LONG AS WE'RE TOGETHER, UH, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I LEAVE MY HAT ON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MORALES.
OUR NEXT CANDIDATE, UH, MR. SYKES, IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
I'M ANA SANDOVAL, AND, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, AND THEN WE'LL JUMP INTO SOME QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
AS, UH, ANNA MENTIONED, MY NAME IS ERROL SYKES.
I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PROJECT T SOLUTIONS, L L C, AN IT CONTRACTING AND CONSULTING FIRM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
IF ELECTED TO THIS BOARD, WHAT I COULD BRING TO THIS, UH, BOARD IS, UH, SERVANT LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT, AND DEFINITELY PASSION.
PASSION BEING GOLF IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
I'VE SEEN THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PLAY THE SPORT.
UH, MY 10 YEAR, MY 11 YEAR OLD AND SIX YEAR OLD ARE TAKING LESSONS OVER AT SAN PEDRO, AND I CAN'T EVEN
IT, IT'S ONE OF THOSE PRICELESS MOMENTS TO SEE THESE GUYS ONCE THEY CONNECT ON A B WITH A BALL AND HIT IT THE WAY THEY TRIED TO HIT IT,
BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S FARING IN BETWEEN.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I'VE SEEN THE PA, THE, THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PLAY.
AND I WOULD, UH, RELISH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF A TEAM THAT IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY IN THAT, IN THAT WAY.
CURRENTLY I SERVE AS, UM, THE CO CO-CHAIR OF THE ROTARY MEANS BUSINESS COMMITTEE FOR ROTARY INTERNATIONAL.
I ALSO SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BLACK, BLACK CONTRACTORS OF, UH, SAN ANTONIO ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO, AND AS A MEMBER OF, UH, OMEGA SCI-FI FRATERNITY, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AT THE CORE OF MY VERY EXISTENCE.
I MEAN, SO SERVING, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT COMES NATURAL TO ME, AND I WOULD WELCOME IN AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT TO THIS BOARD AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SYKES.
UM, WE'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN VRAN.
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MISSION DE LAGO GOLF COURSE? SURE.
UM, MISSION DE LAGO, UH, IS PRETTY FAR OUT
UM, I THINK THAT THERE WAS A COURSE NEAR THERE THAT RECENTLY CLOSED, SO THAT SHOULD PROBABLY PUSH MORE PEOPLE TO IT.
UM, BUT, UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A FINE COURSE.
IT'S JUST THE TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF IT, UH, YOU KNOW, LOGISTICALLY IS IT ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS, SO, YEP.
UM, YOU'RE A DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT? YES, SIR.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE, UH, GOLF COURSE? UH, IT'S BETWEEN BRACKEN RIDGE AND, UH, THE QUERY.
UM, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION TO APPOINT SIX PEOPLE?
[01:45:01]
I THINK THE MOST, I, UH, IMPORTANT FACTOR SHOULD BE ONE'S COMMITMENT, UM, AND OR PASSION.I MEAN, THIS, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU TAKE LIGHTHEARTEDLY, RIGHT? OR SOMETHING YOU JUST FALL INTO.
IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PASSION FOR DOING SOMETHING, I WOULD RECOMMEND SOMEONE NOT PARTICIPATE.
SO I THINK PASSION IS, IS HUGE.
THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS GONNA BE, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST, CRAZIEST IDEA YOU HAVE? IF MONEY WAS NO FACTOR, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST IDEA YOU HAVE FOR THE BOARD? I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN S A I S D YOUTH VERSION OF A MASTER'S TOURNAMENT TO GET KIDS INVOLVED EARLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALSO A WAY TO GET INTO COLLEGE AS WELL, RIGHT? IT OFFSET THE COST OF COLLEGE THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS.
IN FACT, AT MY UNIVERSITY, MY ALMA MATER, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, THEY WERE PRACTICALLY GIVEN AWAY GOLF SCHOLARSHIPS IF YOU COULD HOLD A CLUB
UH, AND IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, GO UNTESTED IF CHILDREN AREN'T EXPOSED EARLY, EARLY AND OFTEN.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE THERE'S A YOUTH TOURNAMENT, I S A I S D HAS A TOURNAMENT, AND IT'S MORE OF A FUNDRAISING, UM, INITIATIVE NOW, BUT IT'S FOR GROWNUPS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE KIDS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT AT THE CHILDREN'S LEVEL.
UH, ERROL, UM, MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, THIS COMMITTEE, UM, OVERSEES OR, UM, DISCUSSES ISSUES OF HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND JUST LIKE TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR GOLF COURSES ARE AS ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AS POSSIBLE.
THE TREES, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT CUT DOWN TO TREES, RIGHT?
I, I THINK
LAST, LAST, GOOD AFTERNOON, HEATHER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING SHORTLISTED FOR TODAY'S INTERVIEW.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO, UM, EXPLAIN TO US ABOUT YOURSELF AND, UH, THEN WE'LL GO INTO QUESTIONS.
UM, MY NAME IS HEATHER WHEATED.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO INTERVIEW FOR A POSITION HERE WITH THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION.
I AM BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO.
I STARTED PLAYING GOLF WHEN I WAS JUST A KID.
I PLAYED, UH, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH NORTHEAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO, UH, CONTINUED AND I PLAYED IN HIGH SCHOOL AT CHURCHILL AND THEN CONTINUED TO STAY IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY ON SCHOLARSHIP AT ST.
MARY'S UNIVERSITY, UM, SO A LOT OF, UH, COMMUNITY WORK WITH THEM AS WELL.
UM, THEN I WASN'T DONE LEARNING ABOUT THE GOLF WORLD AND SPORTS, SO I GOT MY MASTER'S AT U T S A AS WELL.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, I WOULD, UH, LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE CITY, UM, MORE WITH THE GOLF WORLD AND BUILDING PROGRAMS. SO THE CAREER THAT I'M IN RIGHT NOW, I'M IN THE P G A PROGRAM.
I HAVE MY ASSOCIATES WITH THEM AND WORKING TO GET MY P G A CARD.
UM, I HAVE, UM, I TEACH GOLF INSTRUCTION OVER AT R TWO M GOLF ACADEMY AND WORK A LOT WITH JUNIORS AND BEGINNER ADULT CLASSES AND WOMEN'S GROUPS, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BRING THEM MORE INTO THE GOLF WORLD.
AND, UM, WORKING WITH THE CITY, I THINK THAT MY EXPERIENCE, UM, CAN HELP BUILD PROGRAMS. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, UM, HAVE A FOUNDATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOLF WORLD BEFORE BRINGING THEM OUT TO THE COURSE.
AND, UM, ALSO ADDING, UH, FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS, UM, DIFFERENT TEE BOXES AND STUFF FOR GOLFERS TO BE ABLE TO REACH, UM, AND BE SUCCESSFUL DEPENDING ON WHAT AGE OR WHAT STRENGTH THEY'RE AT.
UM, SO WORKING WITH THE CITY, I THINK MY EXPERIENCE COULD HELP THEM.
AND THEN ALSO LEARN FROM, UH, THE ALMO GOLF TRAILS, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND CONTINUE TO BUILD OFF OF THAT AS WELL.
HEATHER, CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON, UH, MISSION
[01:50:01]
DE LAGO, THE GOLF COURSE THERE? UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE IN QUITE SOME TIME.UM, A REASON FOR THAT I KNOW THAT PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH IS, UM, THE DISTANCE AWAY THAT IT IS FROM THE CITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT IS GROWING AND THEY PROBABLY WILL HAVE A POSITIVE YEAR THIS YEAR, ONE WITH THE PANDEMIC THAT'S GOING ON, UM, AND THEN ALSO WITH THE REPUBLIC CLOSING DOWN.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE INTEREST.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT I'VE, UH, HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF IT, THAT IT'S VERY UP AND DOWN, UM, TO WHERE SOMETIMES THE, THE GREENS AND THE FAIRWAYS AND, AND THE KIND OF MAINTENANCE HAS STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT.
ALL GOLF COURSES DO, ESPECIALLY IN SAN ANTONIO, UM, WITH THE WEATHER AND EVERYTHING.
BUT, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION THERE, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, ALMOST OPENING UP AND GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT ON A DIFFERENT TIER.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, TO WORK WITH THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE, TO, UM, CONTINUE WITH THE WATERING, CHECKING THE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AND EVERYTHING, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS, UM, GROWING PROPERLY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, MAYBE SOME MORE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AT THAT FACILITY TO, TO HELP IT BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE POPULAR.
UM, LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE AND EVERYTHING, IT LOOKS REALLY ATTRACTIVE.
I KNOW THAT THE BUILDINGS OUT THERE ARE RELATIVELY NEW, AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL THERE.
UM, WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT WE AS A COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE MAKING THESE SIX APPOINTMENTS? UM, I THINK THE GROWTH OF THE GOLF WORLD IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO TRYING TO INCLUDE EVERYONE, UM, OF ALL, UH, FINANCIAL LEVELS, ALL AGE LEVELS.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY AND BRING ATTENTION TO, UM, THE, THE GOLF WORLD AND HOW EVERYONE CAN BE INCLUDED.
THAT WILL HELP, UM, BUILD A, UH, RAPPORT ON ALL OF THE GOLF COURSES.
IT'LL BRING ATTENTION TO, IT'LL GET PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
UM, I THINK IF WE CAN BRING PEOPLE TO THE LOCATIONS THAT WILL BUILD, UM, AND ALLOW MORE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, ADD ON TO THE CITY COURSES AND IN ALL THE MUNICIPAL COURSES AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK THAT, UM, REALLY IT'S FINDING THE PEOPLE, BRINGING THEM IN, HAVING THEM SEE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, WHAT THE GOALS ARE, UM, AND THEN THAT KIND OF, THAT KIND OF HELPS SPRUCE EVERYTHING UP.
AND THEN WE KNOW IN THE REAL WORLD, MONEY'S AN OBJECT, BUT SAVE MONEY WASN'T AN OBJECT.
WHAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST IDEA, BIGGEST PROPOSAL YOU MIGHT BRING FORWARD TO THE, TO THE BOARD AS A BOARD MEMBER? CAN YOU REPEAT THE LAST PART? I KNOW THAT MONEY'S NOT OPTION.
THE BIGGEST CRAZIEST IDEA THAT YOU WOULD BRING TO THE BOARD IF YOU WERE A BOARD MEMBER.
UM, TOURNAMENTS, UM, ADDING MORE, UM, JUNIOR TOURNAMENTS, UH, BEGINNER ADULT TOURNAMENTS, UM, MODIFIED TOURNAMENTS, UM, THAT IS, THERE ARE A LOT OF FUN.
WHEN PEOPLE HAVE FUN OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE, UM, IT BRINGS THEM BACK OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PLAY VERY WELL.
UM, A LOT OF SCRAMBLE TOURNAMENTS.
I'M NOT SURE IF Y'ALL, UM, KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT MULTIPLE PEOPLE GET TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
THAT ALSO HELPS BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
YOU MEET PEOPLE, UM, AND THEN WHEN YOU ENJOY SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE NEW AT TOGETHER, I SEE GROUPS OF PEOPLE, UH, BECOME LIFELONG FRIENDS AND THEN THEY CONTINUE TO, UM, COME OUT TO DIFFERENT COURSES OR EVEN NOT DO GOLF AND THEY GO DO SOMETHING ELSE TOGETHER.
I THINK, UM, PEOPLE NEED TO ENJOY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, 'CAUSE EVERYTHING'S A LOT REALLY STRESSFUL GOING ON, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PANDEMIC THAT, UM, IT'S NICE TO GET PEOPLE TOGETHER.
SO I THINK COMMUNITY'S HUGE AND, UM, HOPEFULLY AFFORDABLE.
RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S ONE THING THAT I KNOW THAT WE QUESTION, BUT, UM, IF WE COULD JUST GET OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUT ONTO THE COURSE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANNA PUSH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HEATHER, FOR YOUR APPLICATION, AND, UM, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, DEBBIE, DO YOU WANNA READ THE, UM, SUBMISSIONS FROM OUR THREE OTHER CANDIDATES? YES.
I WILL BEGIN WITH, UH, THE STATEMENT FROM DIANTE ALEXANDER.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERING ME TO SERVE AS ONE OF THE M G A S A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE TODAY HAS IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY IN UNIQUE WAYS, FROM RUNNING FOR OFFICE MANAGING BUDGETS AND COMPANIES TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER.
I GENUINELY WISH I COULD BE THERE IN PERSON WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU PERSONALLY, AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU AGAIN.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW ME AS AN AVID GOLF GOLFER, BUT VERY FEW UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY.
UPON RETURNING FROM IRAQ, I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING REACCLIMATED BACK IN SOCIETY.
[01:55:01]
IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE IN LARGE CROWDS OR TO HAVE CASUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE.GOLF WAS ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WHERE I COULD BE ALONE AND NOT INTERACT WITH LARGE GROUPS.
AFTER ABOUT SIX MONTHS, I BEGAN TO MEET PEOPLE ON THE RANGE AND SLOWLY BECAME MORE COMFORTABLE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE, AND BY ACCIDENT, MY GOLF GAME EXPONENTIALLY IMPROVED.
I SHARE THE STORY BECAUSE THAT IS HOW POWERFUL AND LIFE-CHANGING GOLF CAN BE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE MADE AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY POSITIVELY.
FROM SERVING ON NONPROFIT BOARDS TO PARTICIPATING IN LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, TO SPEARHEADING TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY PROJECTS, I HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BRING AN ARRAY OF UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEAM.
MY WORK IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSED ON EXPOSING BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES TO GOLF THROUGH CULTURE, SPORT, AND EDUCATION, COMBINED WITH AN UNAPOLOGETIC PURSUIT TO MAKE THE GAME MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE FOR OUR AT-RISK YOUTH.
ADDITIONALLY, THE GAME OF GOLF HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN AFFORDABLE OR ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME.
TODAY'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE RE REPRESENTS HOW FAR THE GAME HAS PROGRESSED INTO A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT.
THANKFULLY, ALL OF YOU TODAY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE DIVERSE AND PRAGMATIC LEADERSHIP AT AT DECISION MAKING TABLES.
THE WORK WE PRODUCE, THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND OUR COMMUNITY ARE BETTER BECAUSE OF IT.
SINCE ANDREW PETERSON'S ARRIVAL, M G A S A HAS MADE CONSIDERABLE STRIDES IN BALANCING THE BUSINESS SIDE OF GOLF, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ENSURING EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO THE GAME AND GETS TO ENJOY OUR BEAUTIFUL COURSES IF SELECTED, I, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WILL CONTINUE BUILDING ON THE GREAT WORK M G A S A HAS DONE IN MANAGING OUR COLLECTION OF MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES.
SAN ANTONIO IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THIS STATE TO EXPERIENCE THE GAME OF GOLF IF SELECTED, I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH MY BOARD COLLEAGUES AND GREAT PARTNERS LIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUE MAKING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN OUR PARK SYSTEMS, FACILITIES, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND THE GAME OF GOLF AS A WHOLE.
LASTLY, MY SERVICE ON THE M G A A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL GIVE ME AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE MAKING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN OUR GREAT CITY.
THEY SAY A GIFT ISN'T A GIFT UNTIL YOU GIVE IT AWAY.
THE GAME OF GOLF HAS OPENED UP SO MANY DOORS FOR ME, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO USE THE GAME TO HELP OTHERS ACHIEVE THE SAME SUCCESSES THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED.
SINCERELY, DIANTE R ALEXANDER.
THE NEXT STATEMENT IS FROM MARY RIKER, THE REASONS I AM A GOOD CANDIDATE TO SERVE ON THE M M G A S A BOARD.
I ENJOYED A 31 YEAR CAREER IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY THAT COVERED ALL ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS.
MY LAST JOB BEFORE RETIREMENT WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOLF SAN ANTONIO.
MY EXPERIENCE INCLUDES GOLF SHOP OPERATIONS, CONSTRUCTION, OVERSIGHT OF A PRACTICE FACILITY, POLO FIELD, GOLF CENTER, CONSTRUCTION, OVERSIGHT OF THE $2.2 MILLION, THE FIRST T LEARNING CENTER, GOLF TOURNAMENT ADMINISTRATION, CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF EVENTS.
MANAGEMENT OF A TEACHING FACILITY FOR THREE YEARS, LA AND TARARA GOLF ACADEMY.
CREATED AND MANAGED NUMEROUS CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENTS, PROAM MANAGEMENT FOR THE BOLERO, TEXAS OPEN FOR 17 YEARS.
MANAGEMENT OF A NATIONAL JUNIOR GOLF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, THE FIRST T MANAGEMENT OF THE POLO FIELD GOLF CENTER FOR 17 YEARS.
AND HAVE A KEEN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY GOLF COURSE LICENSE AGREEMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN BRACKENRIDGE PARK MANAGEMENT OF THE TEXAS GOLF HALL OF FAME FOR THREE YEARS.
AS AN AVID GOLFER, I PLAY THE ALAMO CITY GOLF TRAIL COURSES TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK AND HAVE A PULSE ON THE NEEDS OF PUBLIC GOLF.
IN ADDITION, I LIVE ON NUMBER 12 AT NORTHERN HILLS GOLF CLUB AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS.
I HAVE BEEN RETIRED FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS, AND NOW HAVE THE TIME, PASSION, ENERGY, AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH THE ALAMO CITY GOLF TRAIL AND WHAT ALL THEY HAVE DONE TO ENHANCE THE GOLF EXPERIENCE FOR SO MANY SAN ANTONIO GOLFERS, I HOPE TO SERVE AND SUPPORT THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION IN THIS CAPACITY.
THE LAST ONE IS MR. GREG HOPKINS.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHECK COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE IN THIS FORMAT, AND I MUST APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON.
I TAKE THIS POTENTIAL APPOINTMENT VERY SERIOUSLY AND WILL BE ABLE TO ALIGN MY SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO ATTEND ALL FUTURE MEETINGS.
MY GOLFING LIFE IN SAN ANTONIO BEGAN IN 1973
[02:00:01]
WHEN AT AGE 14 I PLAYED MY FIRST EVER RO ROUND OF GOLF AT WILLOW SPRINGS.I PLAYED FOUR YEARS ON THE SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL GOLF TEAM UNTIL GRADUATION IN 1977.
I AM CURRENTLY AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF SEVERAL GOLFING ORGANIZATIONS WHEN MY SCHEDULE ALLOWS.
I PLAY ON MONDAY WITH THE RIVER CITY GOLF ASSOCIATION AND HAVE SERVED AS PRESIDENT FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH THE BOB SNOW GROUPS, AND ON SATURDAY WITH THE SAN ANTONIO MINORITY GOLF ASSOCIATION.
OVER THE LAST 48 YEARS, I HAVE GAINED A LOVE, RESPECT, AND APPRECIATION FOR THE GAME OF GOLF, WHICH HAS BROUGHT SO MUCH SATISFACTION, FRUSTRATION, AND SELF-AWARENESS THAT COMES WITH PLAYING THIS BEAUTIFUL GAME.
I HAVE MET AND PLAYED WITH MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS, PROFESSIONS AND ABILITIES AND GOLF IS THE COMMON THREAD I NOW WISH TO GIVE BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AND TO GOLF AND BECOME A PART OF THE PLANNING OF THE GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE OF GOLF IN SAN ANTONIO.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION RESPECTFULLY, GREG HOPKINS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE APPLICANTS.
I WANNA THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB IN BRINGING US SOME TREMENDOUS CANDIDATES FOR TODAY.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, BREAK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR FURTHER REVIEW OF APPLICANTS.
AFTER OUR REVIEW, WE WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION TO DELIBERATE AND MOVES, SORRY.
MOTIONS MAY BE MADE ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE TIME IS NOW 4:06 PM ON THIS 28TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2021.
THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE IS RECESSING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE ON THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION, SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 4 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
ALRIGHTY, THE TIME IS NOW 4:52 PM ON THIS 28TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2021.
THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE WILL NOW RECONVENE.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF, SORRY.
ON COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I MOVED TO APPOINT GRETCHEN GARRA, JAVIER PEREZ, DIANTE ALEXANDER, JENNY CARNES, RA, AND HEATHER WET TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION.
I, I BELIEVE THE MOTION IS, UM, MOVE TO RECOMMEND.
OH, TO RECOMMEND FOR CONSIDERATION CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION BY CITY COUNCIL.
I MOVE TO SEND THE FOLLOWING NAMES TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
JAVIER PER PERES, DEANTE ALEXANDER, JENNY KASS, RA, AND HEATHER WET.
ABSTENTIONS AND MOTION CARRIES.
THAT IS THE END OF OUR MEETING.