[00:00:10]
[ PROCEDURAL ]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
THE TIME IS 9:19 AM ON THIS NINTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2021.
GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELA COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, AND WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND WELCOME TO OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY.
UH, TO GET US STARTED, WE WILL BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR.
TODAY WE HAVE, UH, LES HOLLAND PHD.
UM, I'M SORRY, I'M STARTING ON THE THE WRONG BIO.
UM, LESLIE HOLLAND IS A FAMILY MAN, PASTOR, PREACHER, PROFESSOR AND WRITER.
UM, HE LOVES PEOPLE HE ENJOYS LAUGHING, HIKING, AND TRAVELING.
SINCE 2009, LES HAS SERVED AS SENIOR PASTOR OF TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
AFTER 43 YEARS IN SENIOR PASTORAL MINISTRY.
LES IS RETIRING THIS CHRISTMAS EVE, SO WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.
HIS WIFE VICKI IS ALSO A VOCATIONAL MINISTER AND THEY'VE SERVED IN VARIOUS GLOBAL REGIONS.
AND I ALSO, UH, HAVE RECENTLY BEGUN TO SEEK SOME GUIDANCE FROM, FROM, UH, LES HOLLAND AS WELL.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM HERE TODAY.
YOU'VE GIVEN US THE GIFT OF LIFE AND SO WE GATHER HERE TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR LIVES IN LIGHT OF YOUR PURPOSE.
I THANK YOU FOR EACH CITY COUNCIL PERSON REPRESENTING THE, THE HEIGHT AND THE BREADTH AND THE DEPTH OF THE GREAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, HELPING US TO SOAR WITH OUR PROMISES AND TO WORK THROUGH OUR PROBLEMS. GRATEFUL THAT YOU'VE CREATED, UH, A VISION FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND FOR OUR WORKING TOGETHER IN A UNITY.
MAY TODAY'S SESSION, AGAIN, ALLOW YOUR COLLECTIVE WISDOM FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH, HELP TO GIVE INSIGHT, INFORMATION, AND INSTRUCTION TO THE DURABLE WORK OF MAKING POLICY.
HELP US AS CITIZENS TO HELP OUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES TO BE AT THEIR VERY BEST.
HELP US THEN TO HAVE EARS THAT TRULY LISTEN.
HEARTS THAT ARE OPEN AND MINDS THAT ARE ENGAGED, AND THAT AS WE DISAGREE ON ISSUES THAT WE MAY REMEMBER.
IT'S ALL ABOUT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT LOVE.
AND LOVE IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.
AND WE DO OUR WORK IN LIFE IN LIGHT OF LOVE, IN ORDER FOR THESE RELATIONSHIPS TO BE STRENGTHENED AND TO CREATE BRIDGES OVER DIFFERENCES.
YOU ENABLE A FOR SAN ANTONIO TO DO THIS REMARKABLY WELL WITH CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND ADULTS ALLOWING FOR THE FULL RECOVERY.
I LIVING WITH YOUTH RECOVERY IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR PERIOD OF A COVID ENVIRONMENT.
BUT YOU ARE A SOVEREIGN OVER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOU MAY MOVE THROUGH EACH CIRCUMSTANCE TO REVEAL
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A PROMISE TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM.IT IS IN YOU THAT WE RELAX AND FIND OUR PLACE.
WE COME FROM MANY FAITH TRADITIONS.
I COME TO YOU IN THIS PRAYER BY WAY OF THE TRADITION OF THE CHRIST AND THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS, LIFTING UP EACH ONE FROM EACH ONE'S OWN BACKGROUND AND PERSPECTIVE, KNOWING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US THE GIFT OF FREEDOM AND IN OUR FREEDOM IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH THIS CHRIST THEN AMEN.
AMEN TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND INJUSTICE FOR ALL
[POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ]
PASTOR LESS.I'M SORRY FOR THE, UH, NOISE OUTSIDE.
THAT IS THE SOUND OF PROGRESS IN OUR CITY, THOSE JACKHAMMERS.
UH, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NO STRANGER TO THESE CHAMBERS, UH, BUT WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR YEARS OF LEADERSHIP, YOU AND VICKI IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW, UH, SERVICE IS RUNS IN THE FAMILY FOR YOU GUYS.
BUT IN PARTICULAR, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN OUR FAITH-BASED, UM, COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND REALLY WORKING TO FIND THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN OUR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY AND THE COMPASSIONATE WORK THAT WE TRY TO DO UP HERE.
IN PARTICULAR, FOOD INSECURITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, YOU ALL HAVE LEANED INTO IT TO THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE.
SO WE WISH YOU ADVENTURE, UH, GOOD FUN AND REST AND RELAXATION, WHICH IS ALL WELL DESERVED IN THE NEXT PHASE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE HOLLAND FAMILY FOR JOINING US TODAY.
[THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MAY BE CONSIDERED AT ANY TIME DURING THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING: ACTION ITEMS FOR STAFF BRIEFING]
ALRIGHT, UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 17TH, 18TH, OR EXCUSE ME, NOVEMBER 17TH AND 18TH, 2021.I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE MINUTES.
SECOND, RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 17TH AND 18TH.
ANY COLLECT CORRECTIONS DISCUSSION? UM, I COULD WE, UH, HAVE THE MOTION CALLED OUT AGAIN? YES.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER, THE, UH, 11TH AND 17TH.
AND THE SECOND WAS ELIAS OR COURAGE.
UH, THERE IS A MOTION TO SECOND HEARING.
BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA TODAY, I DO WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, SOME VERY DISTINGUISHED GUESTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY.
AND THAT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME THE SECRETARY OF TOURISM OF MEXICO, MIGUEL TERUO, WHO ARE HERE IN OUR CHAMBERS THIS MORNING.
SECRETARY OF TERUO IS ACCOMPANIED BY UNDER SECRETARY OF TOURISM MEXICO, UMBERTO AAD, WHO WAS FORMER MEXICO MEXICAN CULTURAL GENERAL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FROM 1989 TO 1995, INCLUDING THE SINA SIGNING OF THE NAFTA TREATY.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME THE STATE LEVEL SECRETARY OF TOURISM, REPRESENTING THE BEAUTIFUL STATE OF NUEVA LEONE.
ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIVES ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AS WELL FROM BAJA, CALIFORNIA, SIR ELA NA SONORA TAMAS.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRESENCE.
THEY'RE JOINED BY THE MEXICAN AIRLINE AND TOURISM AGENCY IS AS PART OF AN AN IMPORTANT WEEK LONG VISIT TO TEXAS, ORGANIZED BY THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO AND THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM TO HIGHLIGHT THE VAST, DIVERSE AND BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF MEXICO, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY.
IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAN ANTONIO, WE UNDERSTAND WELL THIS IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
TOURISM IS ALSO A VITAL PART OF SAN ANTONIO'S ECONOMY.
OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WELCOMES TENS OF MILLIONS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR AND PROVIDES FOR MORE THAN 140,000 LOCAL JOBS.
IT ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR BOTH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TAX RECEIPTS, AND A SENSE OF PRIDE IN OUR UNIQUE CITY.
I INVITE OUR RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE AS WELL THE RICH, NATURAL BEAUTY AND CULTURAL OFFERINGS OF THE MEXICAN STATES REPRESENTED HERE.
WE ARE NEIGHBORS, WE ARE FAMILY, AND WE SHOULD GET TO KNOW OUR FAMILY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR GOOD FRIEND RUBEN MUTI CONSUL GENERAL OF MEXICO AND SAN ANTONIO FOR HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS TO CONNECT OUR TWO COUNTRIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, REUBEN, FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP ONCE AGAIN TO OUR MEXICAN VISITORS.
WE HOPE THIS HAS BEEN A FRUITFUL AND SUCCESSFUL VISIT.
UH, RON DENBERG, MAYOR OF SAN ANTONIO, AND, UH,
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DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.IT IS, UH, WONDERFUL TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
THIS VISIT TO SAN ANTONIO IS OF A SPECIAL IMPORTANCE FOR US GIVING THE STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR HOSTS, THE CONSUL GENERAL OF MEXICO AND SAN ANTONIO TI AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR INVITING US, UH, TODAY TO THIS CITY CONSULT SESSION.
TOURISM CERTAINLY PLAYS A KEY ROLE FOR BOTH OF OUR, UH, ECONOMIES AND THE EVER-GROWING RESPECT AND APPRECIATION.
BOTH MEXICANS AND AMERICANS HOLD FOR EACH OTHER.
MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES ARE EACH OTHER'S LARGEST SOURCE MARKETS FROM INBOUND TRAVEL.
10 OF MILLION OF VISITOR CROSSED BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES ANNUALLY GENERATING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN VISITOR IN EXPANDING.
THE MAIN GOAL OF, UH, THIS VISIT IS TO REACTIVATE AND EXPAND THE TOURISM EXCHANGE BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES.
PROMOTE OUR TRAVEL DESTINATIONS AND WE BRING YOU A GOOD NEWS.
MEXICO IS, UH, NATURAL OF COLORS AND FLAVORS THAT HAS ALL KINDS OF ATTRACTIONS, SUN, MOUNTAINS, JUNGLE, AND DESERTS.
UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR TOURISM HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN TAKEN A POLICY OF THE SOCIAL RECONCILIATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY, AND I INVITE YOU ALL TO KEEP WORKING TOGETHER.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I INVITE YOU TO KEEP COMING AND EXPLORING MEXICO.
OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN A GREAT MASAI OF BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS TO VISIT AND TO EXPERIENCE FOR SO MANY YEARS.
BUT THERE IS, THERE ARE STILL DISCOVER MEXICO IS THE LAND OF ENDLESS TREASURES FOR ALL OF YOU.
UH, UH, WITH A MEXICAN HERITAGE COME AND ENJOYED THE TREASURES OF MEXICO THAT YOUR ANCESTORS HAVE LEFT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND IT'S A HONOR TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU.
UM, BEFORE, UH, YOU DEPART FROM THE PODIUM, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME COLLEAGUES WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION, UH, THAT SAYS, GREETINGS NO YE ALL BY, BY THESE PRESENCE THAT MIGUEL TORU MARQUEZ IS OFFICIALLY HEREBY APPOINTED TO THE OFFICE OF ALDE OF THIS HISTORIC AND BEAUTIFUL CITY LOCATED ON THE BANKS OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER.
IN THE COUNTY OF BEAR, TEJAS, EXCUSE ME, BEAR STATE OF TEJAS.
YOU WILL PERFORM THE DUTIES OF MAYOR IF AND WHEN YOU ARE PRESENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, AND AT OTHER TIMES AGREE TO TELL THE STORY OF LAVATA.
ITS BEAUTIES, ATTRACTIONS, AND CULTURE.
YOU FURTHER AGREE TO EXTOL THE PRESENT SAN ANTONIO AS A PLACE TO LIVE, WORSHIP, WORK, AND PLAY.
YOU SHALL RETAIN THIS OFFICE AS LONG AS YOU PERFORM YOUR DUTIES FAITHFULLY AND CARRY OUT THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF SAID CITY OF LAVATA, SET FORTH IN ITS CHARTER.
THIS APPOINTMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON THE NINTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2021.
MR. SECRETARY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER P.
[00:15:53]
OKAY.IF YOU COULD STAND UP AND JUST WAVE ANTONIO.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA ADE.
UM, MR. SECRETARY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, TO YOUR WHOLE DELEGATION FOR JOINING US.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED RETURNS TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND, UH, REMEMBER THAT TOURISM LIKE A PRESIDENT AND MANUEL SOOR ALWAYS SAYS TOURISM IS A TOOL OF HOW OF SOCIAL RECONCILIATION.
LET'S KEEP WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR BOTH COUNTRY.
ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO DO A QUICK SHOUT OUT FOR EVERYONE WHO'S DONATED TO OUR WINTER WEATHER COAT AND TOY DRIVE.
UM, WE'RE STILL GONNA BE COLLECTING GENTLY USED CLEAN JACKET, SWEATERS, AND COATS, AS WELL AS NEW BLANKETS, SOCKS, GLOVE AND GLOVES UNTIL TOMORROW AT NOON AT ELLA AUSTIN.
AND THEN THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11TH FROM 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT ELLA AUSTIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OUR GIVEAWAY.
UM, AND THAT ADDRESS IS 10 21 NORTH PINE STREET.
ALSO, IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY FOR A WOMAN WHO IS IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.
SHE IS A MOTHER TO NOT JUST ONE, BUT A LOT OF SONS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT SHE IS AN ICON AND A QUEEN, THE QUEEN OF RAP.
I WOULD LIKE TO WISH A HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO THE NICKI MINAJ.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I WANNA INVITE NICK BRINSON UP.
ARE YOU HERE? AND, AND THE CASA REPRESENTATIVES.
[00:20:01]
OCTOBER, NICHOLAS BRISSON, WHO OWNS A SMALL BUSINESS IN DISTRICT SIX, REACHED OUT TO ME AND ASKED IF WE WOULD PARTNER WITH HIM AND HELP PROMOTE A TOY DRIVE.AND HE WAS, HE WAS WANTING TO HOST NICK HAD A GOAL OF A HUNDRED TOYS.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT HE FAR EXCEEDED HIS GOAL.
NICK'S BUSINESS CALLED THE LINE, SELLS GREAT CLOTHES, VERY SAN ANTONIO, UM, BASED CLOTHES.
I LOVE IT AND HAS A GENEROUS HEART.
AND IT MOVES HIM TO SHARE HIS ENERGY AND HIS TIME, ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I'M GRATEFUL NICK STEPPED UP AND GAVE FROM HIS HEART TO HELP THESE CHILDREN IN NEED.
HE TOLD ME HE WAS COLLECTING THE TOYS FOR CASA CHILD ADVOCATES OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE DOING ANYTHING POSSIBLE WE CAN FOR OUR FOSTER CHILDREN.
THANKS TO THE SPURS, THE RK GROUP, AND MY FRIEND RUDY RODRIGUEZ AND OTHERS.
WE NOT ONLY RAISED, UM, THE HUNDRED TOYS PEOPLE DONATED THE HUN OVER A HUNDRED TOYS, BUT WE ALSO SECURED COATS AND $3,000, UH, WORTH OF GIFTS FOR THE CASA, UM, THE CHILDREN.
THAT, THAT CASA SUPPORTS THE LIONS TOY DRIVE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW GIVING OUR BUS, OUR, GIVING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS.
I WANNA THANK NICK AND THE LINE FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE FOR OUR FOSTER CARE YOUTH, AND OF COURSE, YOUR GREAT SMALL BUSINESS PRESENCE IN OUR, IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE ALSO HAVE EMILIO OLA, I THINK IT'S BACK IN THE BACK.
UM, AND BLAIR ORTMAN OF CASA HERE WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO EVERY DAY, BOTH OF YOU AND YOUR, THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION FOR ONE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
WITH THE SPIRIT OF GIVING IN MIND, I'D LIKE TO ISSUE A CHALLENGE TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, SAME CHALLENGE I DID TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO, UM, AND ASKED THAT YOU, UH, ASK YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO DONATE ANY TOYS, SOCKS, JACKETS, UM, ALSO SUITCASES, UH, FOSTER KIDS ARE IN NEED OF, OF SUITCASES, UM, TO THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION.
AND IF YOU WANNA GET WITH OUR STAFF, WE CAN HELP YOU.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A, A DIRECT LINE TO CASA AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
BUT, UH, NICK, DO YOU WANNA MAKE, UH, MAKE A QUICK STATEMENT? I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US.
WE'VE, WE JUST WANT TO GIVE OUT HERE, GIVE TO THE CHILDREN.
SO WE REALLY, I BELIEVE WE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF 'EM LIKE THEY ARE.
SO, AND I WANT TO JUST INSTALL THEM ONE OF THE MONIKERS THAT I LIVE BY.
CHASE YOUR DREAMS. GO GET THAT MONEY, BABY.
AND SURE, WE'RE JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE SUPPORT FROM, UH, NICK, FROM THE COUNCILWOMAN, UM, AND FROM ALL OF Y'ALL, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THE DEEP SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THESE CHILDREN WHO ARE IN SUCH NEED OF THAT SUPPORT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ALL OF US.
SO, UM, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EACH OF YOU.
AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM SMART HEARTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO, HARVARD UP BEFORE, BEFORE Y'ALL LEAVE, COUNCIL MEMBER PLIS VERY QUICKLY, WHEN YOU DO NICE THINGS FOR PEOPLE AND YOU PUT THAT GOODNESS OUT INTO THE WORLD, NICE THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU.
BUT I NEED TO KNOW, HOW CAN WE DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOU? WHERE DO I BUY YOUR CLOTHES? DISTRICT 6 32 0 9 WORDS, BOB.
ALSO, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT MY SISTER IS THE CHAIRWOMAN OF CASA AND SHE CALLS ME OVER AND OVER MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.
AND TODAY I'M GONNA TELL HER, UH, DON'T BOTHER ME.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING A BROTHER OUT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU NICK.
UH, CASA SITS IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT THREE AND THEY JUST OPENED A NEW PLAYGROUND.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND SOMETHING THAT IS CITYWIDE.
IT MAY, THE HEADQUARTERS MIGHT BE IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT I HAVE DISTRICT SIX RESIDENTS GIVING AND RAISING TOYS.
I HAVE DISTRICT EIGHT SISTER CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE.
THIS IS A CITYWIDE EFFORT AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS THAT TOO.
I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA APPRECIATE IT.
AND I WILL BE BRINGING SUITCASES TO CASA.
LEMME TURN IT OVER NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
WHEN YOU CALLED ON ME AFTER COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, I THOUGHT IT WAS, UH, TO REBUTTAL AGAINST, UH, NICKI MINAJ.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO OUR HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE.
UH, DISTRICT FIVE WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO ACCEPT DONATIONS UP UNTIL DECEMBER 20TH.
AND YOU COULD LEAVE DONATIONS AT THE COLLINS GARDEN FIELD OFFICE AT 200 NORTH PARK BOULEVARD 7 8 2 0 4, AS WELL AS HERE AT CITY HALL AT OUR DISTRICT FIVE OFFICE.
UM, AND NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
I TAPPED IN PREVIOUSLY, BUT THANKS FOR THE FLOOR.
I TAPPED IN FOR THE CONSULATE, THE MEXICAN TOURISM ITEM.
OH, I HAVE YOU, UH, LISTED AS NEEDING A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, THANK YOU STAFF FOR SCHEDULING THAT.
WE'RE MOVING THAT FOR NEXT WEEK.
[00:25:01]
MEMBER COURAGE.UH, I'M REALLY PLEASED, UH, ON THIS NINTH DAY OF DECEMBER TO ANNOUNCE DISTRICT NINE'S IS, UH, SPONSORING NINE DAYS OF GIVING.
THAT BEGINS TODAY AND CONCLUDES ON FRIDAY THE 17TH.
UM, WE HAVE A LITTLE PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT UP RIGHT NOW AND YOU'LL SEE IT ON THE SCREENS.
I WANNA, UH, PARTICULARLY THANK MY STAFF AND, UH, RIDER BILLOW, OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR KIND OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
WE WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, UH, TO GIVE ONCE OR GIVE NINE TIMES, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO.
I REALLY ENCOURAGE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS FROM OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN THIS NINE DAYS OF GIVING FOR DISTRICT NINE.
AND NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
UM, WE'RE MOVING INTO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, WHICH IS GREAT, AND EVERYBODY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING READY FOR TIME OFF, FAMILY TIME AND THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT JUST TWO DAYS AGO, DECEMBER 7TH, WE ALSO HAD A DAY THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S DECEMBER 7TH, UH, WHERE IN 1941, THERE WAS A SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR BY THE JAPANESE.
AND IT, UH, ACTUALLY KILLED 2,403 PEOPLE, UH, IN HAWAII.
AND, UM, IT'S A DAY THAT WE REMEMBER EVERY YEAR TO HONOR AND SUPPORT OUR MILITARY, WHO ARE TODAY STILL DEFENDING US IN THIS, THIS COUNTRY, UH, AND AROUND THE WORLD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A TRAUMATIC EVENT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AT THE TIME SAID, THIS DAY WILL GO DOWN IN INFAMY.
AND, UH, IT PROPELLED US INTO WORLD WAR II, JUST RIGHT AFTER WE GOT AF OUT OF THE WORLD THAT WAS OUT OF THE WAR THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO END ALL WARS IN WORLD WAR I.
AND, UM, JUST WANTED TO BRING EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THAT AGAIN TODAY, THAT THAT DID HAPPEN, UM, DECEMBER 7TH, 1941, AND THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT EVERY YEAR.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
AS WE NOW GO INTO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA TODAY, UH, I'LL NOTE THAT ALL ITEMS ARE LISTED FOR, UH, ON CONSENT.SO THERE ARE NO ITEMS, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES NOW IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
IF THERE ARE NO ITEMS TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS, UM, FOUR THROUGH 23, EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME, FOUR THROUGH 21.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UM, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, WE'LL NOW, UH, TAKE A DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT ON THOSE ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
UH, THERE ARE CITIZENS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT ARE ON CONSENT AGENDA TODAY, SO I'LL CALL THEM UP IN ORDER.
UH, LEMME START WITH JACK FINGER, UH, SPEAKING ON ITEMS SIX AND 17.
UH, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
UH, THIS COUNCIL AND OTHERS BEFORE YOU HAVE BEEN, WELL, I SAY GUILTY OF SPENDING EXORBITANT AMOUNTS ON.
SINGLE OCCUPANT RESTROOMS. YEAH.
JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU, THERE WAS, YOU SPENT ABOUT $97,000 ON ONE, UH,
[00:30:01]
LOCATED NEAR ALAMO PLAZA.AND, UH, A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU SP SPENT EVEN MORE THAN THAT ON ANOTHER PUBLIC RESTROOM LOCATED ELSEWHERE HERE IN THE CITY.
UH, AN ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA KIND OF GETS CLOSE TO THAT.
IT SMELLS JUST AS BAD IN MY OPINION, PUN INTENDED.
BASICALLY, IT'S, IT TALKS ABOUT, UH, FUNDING AS MUCH AS $658,000 FOR SOME RESTAURANT, SOME, SOME RESTROOM TECHNOLOGY FOR AS MANY AS OH, 30 RESTROOMS. 30 RESTROOMS IN, IN AND AROUND THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THAT, THAT, UM, I DID THE MATH ON THAT.
THAT'S, UH, I'LL, I'LL PUT THIS UP.
UH, YEAH, BLOW IT UP A LITTLE BIT THERE.
FUNDING, UH, FOR THE FIRST YEAR IS AVAILABLE FROM THE AIRPORT FUND, UH, UH, TO, FOR THE AMOUNT OF, LET'S SAY, $468,000 IN CHANGE.
AND THEN FUNDING FOR SUBSEQUENT YEARS IS ABOUT, UM, OH, 190,000.
SO I DID SOME CALCULATIONS OF 468,000 DIVIDED BY 30 RESTROOMS IS ABOUT AT LEAST $15,000 IN TECHNOLOGY FOR RESTROOMS. YES.
RETURN THE CAMERA TO THE PODIUM, IF YOU WOULD.
THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO NASHVILLE AIRPORT HAS RESTROOMS. IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE CLEANLINESS OF THE RESTROOMS, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE, THE MAINTENANCE OF THE RESTROOMS, WELL THEN YOU GOT A DEEPER PROBLEM THAN JUST, JUST MERE TECHNOLOGY WILL, WILL, UH, OVERCOME.
YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE DO, DO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR, UH, CUSTODIAL SERVICES OVER THERE AND SEE WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON.
YES, I MEAN, I'M SORRY,
UM, FOR EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION, ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT, IT WILL, IT WILL TRACK AUDIT AND REPORT RESTROOM USAGE, CLEANLINESS, AND CUSTOMER FEEDBACK FOR THE PUBLIC $15,000 PER RESTROOM.
HUH UH, FINALLY, UM, ONE ITEM, OTHER ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 17 MAY MENTION IS A, A SETTLEMENT $75,000 WHERE A POLICEMAN HIT A, UM, A MOTORIST.
WELL, MY QUESTION ALWAYS IS, WHY DON'T YOU PUNISH THE POLICEMAN AND GET IT OUT HIS POCKET.
GO NOW TO MARIA MARTINEZ SPEAKING ON ITEM 18.
MS. MARTINEZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY AVINASH BTA.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER AT THE WESTIN RIVERWALK HOTEL.
I'M ALSO THE INCOMING VICE CHAIR OF THE SAN ANTONIO, UH, PUBLIC TOURISM DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN UP CLOSE LOOK OF, OF THE IMPACT OF C OVID 19 ON OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
IN THE CASE OF THE WESTIN, IT HAS MEANT WEATHERING DAMAGE IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR OPERATION, AS WELL AS TO OUR TEAM MEMBERS.
OF COURSE, WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT ALONE IN THAT.
I HAVE WATCHED AS WE HAVE RECOVERED SLOWLY BUT SURELY FROM BRINGING OUR STAFF BACK TO CONTINUING TO STAFF OUR HOTEL, UM, TO BRING BACK OCCUPANCY AS WELL.
BUT THERE ARE SO MUCH MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND THE TOURISM HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WILL BE ONE OF THE LEADERS.
AND TOURISM WILL BE ONE OF THE LEADERS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY, UM, FOR SAN ANTONIO.
THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL HOTEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM ALONE, THE T PIT HAS WORKED WITH SEVERAL LOCAL PROPERTIES, UM, TO SECURE MORE THAN 27,000 GROUP ROOMS, ROOM NIGHTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021.
THIS IS, THIS IS RE RESULTS IN MORE THAN A 5 MILLION, $5 MILLION IN ROOM REVENUE, WHICH IS THE 15 TO ONE R O I.
IT IS WHY THE CONTINUED IMPACT OF T P I IS T P IS SO VITAL AND, UH, MORE MARKETING OF OUR BEAUTIFUL DESTINATION TO BRING MORE HEADS AND BEDS, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY MEAN MORE HOT TAX REVENUE.
THIS IS GREAT FOR OUR PROPERTIES, GREAT FOR OUR ECONOMY, AND GOOD FOR OUR BUDGETS.
BUDGETS AND GOOD FOR OUR TEAMS AS WELL.
ON BEHALF OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, AND AS A OFFICER OF THE TIDD BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUSTAIN THIS INVALUABLE REVENUE SOURCE OF MARKETING OUR WONDERFUL DESTINATION.
[00:35:02]
THANK YOU.AVAN BTA, FOLLOWED BY HENRY FELDMAN.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME'S AVINASH BACHTA, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT, FOUNDER OF A B H HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I'M ALSO, UH, THE INCOMING CHAIRMAN FOR THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO, UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND APPEAR BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING.
UM, I RESPECT I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT TO RENEW THE TPI AND, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM THE IMPACT OF THE PAN, UH, PANDEMIC.
SIMPLY PUT, THE DISTRICT IS A PROVEN AND POWERFUL BENEFIT TO SPURRING VISITATION TO A COMMUNITY, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A HOTEL FAMILY, WE ARE GLAD TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO, THE NEEDED FINANCIAL MUSCLE TO MARKET ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S TRULY UNIQUE, AUTHENTIC DESTINATIONS IN THE CITY.
RIGHT? UM, IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2021, TPI FUNDED INCENTIVES FOR MORE THAN 94,000 HOTEL ROOMS, NIGHTS, BOTH TENTATIVE AND DEFINITIVE STATUS WITH THE ESTIMATED 28 TO ONE R O I, UM, THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, WHICH IS THE THIRD LARGEST BUSINESS SECTOR IN OUR CITY PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF COVID 19, IS A, WAS A CRUCIAL PLAYER OF REVIVAL OF OUR ECONOMY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
CONSIDERED THAT IN 2019, THE INDUSTRY PROVIDED 419 UM, MILLION IN REVENUES AND FEES TO ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE IMPACT OF TPI COLLECTIONS AND HELPING V S A MARKET OUR DE DESTINATION MORE AGGRESSIVELY.
UM, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF THE TPI INITIATIVE.
AND, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
THANK YOU, MR. BACHTA, HENRY FELDMAN.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I, UH, WE OWN AND OPERATE, UH, THE LA QUINTE IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.
UM, I, I'M ALSO, UH, THE CURRENT CHAIR UNTIL THE END OF THIS MONTH OF, UH, THE TOURISM, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
I ALSO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE TO, UH, THE FOOD BANK.
BECAUSE OF, UM, MY INVOLVEMENT WITH T P I D, UH, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, UH, OF THE IMPACT OF TID ON OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
I COME TO YOU AS A HOTELIER, BUT ALSO AS A CITIZEN WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR, THE SUCCESS OF OUR CITY.
AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM THE EFFECTS OF C OVID 19 PANDEMIC IN ALL ITS FORMS, THE IMPORTANCE OF TID IS MAGNIFIED.
EVEN AS WE COMPARE ON THE LANDSCAPE FOR VISITORS DOLLARS, WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO HELP RESURRECT SAN ANTONIO'S ECONOMY.
AS YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC STRUCK, THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INTEREST INDUSTRY, UH, GENERATED OVER $15 BILLION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, 140,000 EMPLOYEES, UM, ARE EMPLOYED BY OUR INDUSTRY.
WITH THAT IN MIND, ON BEHALF OF THE TPI BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE HOTEL COMMUNITY, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN APPROVING THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT'S 2022 SERVICE PLAN.
OKAY, THAT IS EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON, UH, ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT ITEMS FOUR THROUGH 21.
SO LET ME TURN NOW TO, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VO HDA.
MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE ITEMS. UM, ONE IS ITEM FOUR.
EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS ABOUT THE SS A P D EAGLE AND HOW IMPORTANT THE HELICOPTER IS TO SS A P D FOR MANY REASONS.
AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S, I FOR IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE CONTINUED WORK OF THE EAGLE AND ITS OPERATORS.
WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR OFFICERS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED TO KEEP SAN ANTONIO SAFE.
THAT COMMITMENT EXTENDS TO OUR OFFICERS.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO THE OFFICER'S SAFETY AS WELL.
THIS ITEM, THE PURCHASE OF AN ENGINE FOR THE EAGLE AS PART OF THAT COMMITMENT.
SO, I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
AND OF COURSE, TO SS A P D, ESPECIALLY THE EAGLE, UM, UH, OFFICERS FOR THEIR WORK AND DEDICATION TO OUR CITY.
UM, ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 11.
UM, THE, UM, I WANNA THANK THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT FOR CONTINUING THEIR WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES SERVICES ORGANIZATION.
AS WE KNOW AT U S O, THE U S O IS KNOWN MOSTLY FOR RAISING FUNDS TO SEND ENTERTAINERS AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO OUR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY OVERSEAS, BUT THEY DO
[00:40:01]
SO MUCH MORE.I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S BEEN TO THE U S O LOUNGE AT THE AIRPORT, UM, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A WHILE BACK, AND IT REALLY WAS NICE TO SEE THE, UM, OUR TRAVELING, UH, ENLISTED PERSONNEL JUST HAVE SOME RESPITE IN THE, IN THE, UM, THE AIRPORT, THE LOUNGE SPACE AND TERMINAL B THAT WE APPROVED, OR WE WILL HOPEFULLY WILL APPROVE THIS MORNING, PROVIDES THEM WITH A DESIGNATED SPACE TO GATHER AND REST DURING THEIR TRAVELS.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, THE SPACE PROVIDES THE U S O WITH A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN REACH AND INTERACT WITH OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AS CHAIR OF TRANSPORTATION AND A LIFELONG SAN ANTONIAN.
IT BRINGS ME A LOT OF PRIDE TO SEE OUR AVIATION DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE THIS SPACE TO HELP OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF ITEMS ALSO.
THE FIRST IS ITEM 15, THE APPOINTING OF RACHEL SOLINSKY TO THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I HAVE, UH, HAD QUITE A FEW APPOINTMENTS, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE BECAUSE RACHEL PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE DISABILITY ACCESS COMMITTEE AND THEN, UM, ON HER OWN, DECIDED SHE WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING NEW AND GIVE ROOM FOR SOMEBODY ELSE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
SO SHE LEFT TO BE APPOINTED TO THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I JUST WANNA THANK HER FOR THAT.
THE OTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS T P ID.
UM, AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF VISIT SAN ANTONIO, T TPIT HAS BEEN A VALUABLE RESOURCE, UH, AND HAS HELPED SO MANY, UH, HOTEL HOTELIERS BRING GROUPS, UH, AND BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER TEXAS CITIES.
I WANNA THANK, UH, HENRY FELDMAN FOR HIS SERVICE.
I WAS AT VISIT SAN ANTONIO WHEN, UM, WHEN T P ID WAS, UH, UNVEILED AND, AND CAME TO FRUITION.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE HENRY'S CONTINUED SERVICE TO LEAD OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, THIS MOVING FORWARD AND US BEING COMPETITIVE.
AND I, AND I THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR THE SUPPORT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO MAKE US COMPETITIVE IN, IN THIS MARKET OF, UH, GROUP SALES.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, ITEM 15, APPOINTING STEPHEN LUCKY TO THE TS 11, UM, INNER CITY.
STEPHEN LUCKY IS C E O OF OPIA GARDENS.
OPIA SPROUTED IN 2015 TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES IN A HIGH CRIME CORRIDOR ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
OPIA IMPLEMENTS CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AS A METHODOLOGY TO REDUCE CRIME AROUND ABANDONED LOTS.
STEVEN HOLDS A B UH, BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOCHEMISTRY, UM, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD, AND IS A CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMER AND MASTER GARDENER.
HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS BOARD SECRETARY FOR THE FOOD POLICY COUNCIL OF SAN ANTONIO, AND IS A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE COUNCIL FOR HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS. I EXPECT THAT HE WILL BRING A LENS OF SUSTAINABILITY TO ALL THE PROJECTS CONSIDERED BY THE TOUR BOARD, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE HIM, UH, SERVE ALONGSIDE ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 18.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO THANK MY, UH, COLLEAGUES WHO SERVE ON THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD.
UH, I HAD THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THEM THANKS TO PATRICIA AND ALEX JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING WILLING TO, TO WORK WITH ME ON, ON THE SMALL, BUT VERY IMPORTANT REQUESTS THAT, THAT I HAD.
SO, I THINK ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS EARLIER TODAY TALKED ABOUT HOW GETTING HEADS IN BEDS, UH, WAS, WAS GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY, BUT IT'S, IT'S ALSO GREAT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO TO LEARN ABOUT THE RICH, UH, CULTURAL OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE, UH, BEYOND, BEYOND OUR BEAUTIFUL MISSIONS
UH, WE HAVE SO MANY, UH, WHAT YOU CALL AUTHENTIC EVENTS HAPPENING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND THAT WITH THE MONEY COMING IN FROM THE TPI, AND I THINK YOU'RE SETTING ASIDE NEARLY $3 MILLION, UH, FOR, FOR MARKETING IN 2022, THAT PRESENTS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE THESE LOCAL AUTHENTIC EVENTS.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN AUDIENCE, UH, ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU TOO ABOUT THAT LATER, HOW WE CAN WORK THAT INTO, UH, VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
MY REQUEST WAS FOR A STAFF PERSON DEDICATED, UH, TO, TO DO THAT.
UH, TEA PIN MONEY CANNOT BE USED FOR THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE MARKETING MONEY, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
LOOK FORWARD TO OUR COLLABORATION COMING IN THE, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ON THAT.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS FOUR THROUGH 21 HEARING.
[00:45:16]
ALL RIGHT.LEMME TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC WALSH, UH, FOR A REPORT AND COMMENTS.
SO, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO I DIDN'T WANT, UM, HIM TO LEAVE THE ROOM, BUT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, STEVE DEHY, THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO, WHO WILL BE RETIRING IN FEBRUARY.
UM, STEVE, UH, HAS SPENT 31 YEARS WITH THE CITY IN VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
HE STARTED OFF IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, THEN WORKED IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEN MOVED OVER TO THE CONVENTION OF VISITORS BUREAU AND WAS FRANKLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE TRANSITION TO VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
UM, STEVE IS NOT A GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER 'CAUSE I CAN, I CAN ATTEST TO THAT IN OUR YOUNGER DAYS.
UM, BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, I, I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS, UM, SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT IT, IT DAWNED ON ME AS I WAS SITTING HERE THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST TIME HE'S GONNA WEAR A COAT AND TIE IN THIS ROOM.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND BRING HIM TO, TO YOUR ATTENTION.
THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GROUND.
UM, I WAS AWARE OF HIS DEDICATION TO THE CITY.
UH, I HOPE YOU'LL COME AROUND AND, UH, TEXT ADRIANA AND I OFTEN WITH ANY INSIGHTS YOU HAVE ON THE INDUSTRY, UH, AND ALSO WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY TOO.
'CAUSE YOU'RE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.
BUT I THINK YOU, THIS, THIS RETIREMENT IS WELL DESERVED.
I WAS SO SURPRISED THAT YOU WERE STILL HERE 'CAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO BE GONE IN OCTOBER, BUT I'M GLAD YOU ARE HERE AND THAT YOU'RE STAYING UNTIL FEBRUARY AND HOPEFULLY, UM, IT DOESN'T EXTEND PAST THEM BECAUSE YOU DESERVE THIS BREAK.
THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER THIS, BUT BACK IN 2009, YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I PITCHED THE YEAR OF JAZZ.
TWO WAY BACK WHEN YOU WERE WITH THE CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT MEETING.
UM, BUT, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY MARKETING.
IT'S HIGH PROFILE AND SOMETIMES HIDDEN GEMS. UH, WE ARE A MUCH RICHER CITY FOR YOUR SERVICE.
SO, UH, JUST ONE ITEM ON THE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.
UH, I WANTED TO, UH, SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT YESTERDAY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WAS AWARDED THE GOLD MEDAL FROM, UM, UH, CITY WARD, A CITY HEALTH AWARD, UM, FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW.
UH, THE AWARD IS, UH, FROM CITY HEALTH, AN INITIATIVE WITH THE DE MO DE BEAUMONT FOUNDATION AND KAISER PERMANENTE.
UM, AND THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO ENSURE POLICIES ARE PASSED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UH, TO IMPROVE HEALTH CHOICES AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT IS CERTAINLY BEEN A, AN IMPORTANT, UH, GOAL OF OURS TO FIRST ACHIEVE THE GOLD MEDAL AND NOW MAINTAIN IT.
UM, CITIES CAN EARN BRONZE, SILVER, OR GOLD MEDALS.
UM, AND, UM, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS DONE, UH, AND THE COUNCIL HAS DONE FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT IN ENSURING, UM, THE PO THAT, UM, UH, HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESS TO PRE-K, UH, FOOD SAFETY, COMPLETE STREETS, UM, HEALTH PROCUREMENT, UM, AND, UH, THE, UH, RESTAURANT INSPECTION PROCESS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO METRO HEALTH, UH, AND TO YOU MAYOR COUNCIL ON, UH, UH, ACHIEVING THE GOLD MEDAL, UH, AGAIN, UM, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.
AND IF I RECALL, UM, WE WERE NOT A MEDAL WINNER AT ALL.
UM, AND THEN IN 2018, WE'RE AWARDED THE SILVER, UM, YEAH, THAT, UH, THE, ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE, UM, AT THAT TIME, THE NEW HEALTH DIRECTOR, UH, DR.
BRIDGER, UH, WAS TO, UM, ACHIEVE GOLD WITH THE FIRST YEAR WE HIT SILVER.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND YEAR, UM, UH, REALLY AFTER TOBACCO 21 WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL AND HAVE MAINTAINED THAT, UH, SINCE THAT 0.3 IN A ROW.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? UH, ANDY, ONE REAL QUICK ITEM, UH, MAYOR.
UM, WE RECENTLY HAD OUR, UH, DEPUTY FOR REGULATORY LEAVE, TROY BELU.
HE, I THINK MANY OF YOU SAW, UH, THAT HE WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, HE, UH, SUPPORTED THE, UH, UTILITIES, UH, COMMISSION, THE SPECIAL ONE.
UM, SO WE WERE IN SEARCH OF A NEW, UH, DEPUTY, AND WE FOUND THAT THE PERSON THAT WE SELECTED HAS BEEN HERE
[00:50:01]
ALL ALONG.SUSAN GWEN IS OUR NEW, UH, DEPUTY FOR THE REGULATORY DIVISION.
SHE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY OVER 20 YEARS.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG CONTRIBUTOR LEADER.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUSAN DOING EVEN MORE FOR US.
AND, UH, SHE TAKES ON THE ADDED BURDEN OF TRYING TO KEEP ME OUTTA TROUBLE.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXEC SESSION TODAY, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A 1:00 PM TIME CERTAIN BRIEFING ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, UH, FUNDING AND PROCESS.
SO, UH, AT THIS TIME, IT IS 10:08 AM ON THE NINTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2021.
OUR MEETING IS NOW IN RECESS, AND WE WILL RESUME AT 1:00 PM ALL RIGHT.
WELCOME BACK TO OUR CITY COUNCIL SESSION.
IF YOU CAN BEGIN TO TAKE YOUR SEATS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[1:00 P.M. (may be heard after this time) ]
ALRIGHT.THE TIME IS 1:06 PM ON THIS NINTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2021.
UH, THERE WAS NO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT, UM, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START WITH A ROLE.
MADAM CLERK, PULL THE BOARD, CALL BACK OUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESUME OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL MEMBER PAL IS HERE.
UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM REMAINING ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
SO LET ME TURN IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH TO GET US STARTED.
SO, UH, TODAY OUR ONE O'CLOCK SPECIAL BRIEFING WILL CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION, UH, FROM THE B SESSION WE HELD ON OCTOBER, UH, 20TH.
IN THAT PREVIOUS SESSION, WE, UH, BRIEFED YOU ON THE FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS RECEIVED, UH, BY THE CITY, UM, THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, UH, OR ARPA, AS WE ALL CALL IT.
UH, WE BEGAN THAT CONVERSATION, UH, WITH GUIDING PRINCIPLES, A PROPOSED FRAMEWORK, UH, AND INPUT FROM, UH, FROM EACH OF YOU ON THAT SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
AS YOU'LL RECALL, IN OCTOBER 20TH, WE PROPOSED THE FOLLOWING SPENDING FRAMEWORK, AND WE'LL WALK THROUGH THIS IN THE PRESENTATION.
UH, ONE ADDRESSED THE CITY'S, UH, CONTINUED RESPONSE TO C OVID 19.
TWO, ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THREE, UH, CONSIDER, UH, IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING YOU WITH A SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UH, AN ANALYSIS ON PREMIUM PAY AS REQUESTED BY THE COUNCIL, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS.
UM, WHEN WE COMMENCED ON OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, WE FOCUSED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING DIRECTLY FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND, UH, STAKEHOLDERS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THIS IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, REALLY WANTING TO KNOW, UH, HOW THEY WERE IMPACTED BY C O I AND HOW THEY THINK THE ARPA FUNDS SHOULD BE, UH, UTILIZED.
VERONICA CARRILLO, OUR C OVID 19 EXECUTIVE OFFICER WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND PRESENT WITH YOU, PRESENT TO YOU THE RESULTS.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE COUNCIL EXPRESS A STRONG, UH, INTEREST IN THE PREMIUM PAY.
AND SO WE'VE DONE THAT ANALYSIS AND IT'LL BE INCLUDED IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, LASTLY, WE WILL GIVE YOU SOME HIGH LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS AND DISCUSS NEXT STEPS, UH, AND A CALENDAR, UM, FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
UH, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY REGARDING, UH, THOSE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ELEMENTS, UM, AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PRIOR PRIORITIZING THE FUNDING FOLLOWING TODAY'S B SESSION.
UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING, WE'RE PROPOSING TO COME BACK TO B SESSION ON JANUARY 26TH, 2022, TO REFINE THE PROPOSED SPENDING FRAMEWORK AND THEN SET A PLAN FOR COUNCIL ADOPTION THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE FIRST WEEK IN FEBRUARY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO VERONICA TO WALK US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
WELL, TODAY I'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE OF PHASE TWO OF THE CITY'S STRATEGY
[00:55:01]
OF THE STATE AND LOCAL RECOVERY FUNDS FROM ARPA.OUR AGENDA TODAY WILL INCLUDE OUR ACTIONS TO DATE ON THE STATE AND LOCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
WE'LL PROVIDE SOME SUMMARY RESULTS OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ANALYSIS ON PREMIUM PAY AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS OF SOME GENERAL SPENDING FRAMEWORK AND NEXT STEPS ON HOW TO BUILD THE DETAILS OF THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK FOR THE STATE AND LOCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
AS WE REVIEW PHASE TWO, I'D LIKE TO START WITH OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
THE MOST OBVIOUS IS TO RESERVE FUNDS TO RESPOND TO THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC.
THE SECOND IS TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THE THIRD AREA IS TO IDENTIFY IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS FOR A STRONG AND EQUITABLE RECOVERY.
NOW WE WANNA REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE NEED TO DO ONE-TIME INVESTMENTS SINCE THESE ARE NOT RECURRING FUNDS, AND WE ALSO WANT TO SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE FUNDS WITH OUR PARTNERS.
NOW, YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE HAVE A CITI AWARD OF $326.9 MILLION.
AND THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE ALLOCATED 97 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
WITH THOSE, WE BROUGHT OUR SERVICES BACK TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
THE SECOND ITEM THAT WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH IS THE UTILITY ASSISTANCE, UM, ALLOCATION, WHICH COUNCIL APPROVED ON NOVEMBER 18TH, $30 MILLION.
THAT LEAVES US WITH A BALANCE OF $199.4 MILLION TO DISCUSS ALLOCATION.
NOW, WHEN WE LAST MET IN OCTOBER, WE WERE INITIATING OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND THROUGH THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, WE CONDUCTED EIGHT TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
WE DID OUTREACH WITH OUR SENIORS.
WE ALSO HELD A TELE TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETING, AND WE GATHERED FEEDBACK THROUGH A COMMUNITY SURVEY.
IN ADDITION, WE ASKED THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION TO LISTEN AND GATHER INPUT ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THEY CONDUCTED THREE MEETINGS AND THEY ALSO HAD A SMALL BUSINESS SURVEY.
NOW, THESE EFFORTS ENGAGED OUR CITIZENS.
WE DID THIS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
WE SENT EMAILS TO 600 OF OUR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
WE HAD SENIORS, UM, IN OUR CENTERS WATCHING VIDEOS OF THE ARPA MEETINGS.
AND WE ASKED OUR DH, UM, D H SS STAFF TO ASSIST THEM BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO PARTICIPATE VIA 3 1 1 OR WITH THE ONLINE SURVEY.
NOW ALL OF THIS GARNERED COMMUNITY ATTENDANCE AT AROUND 500 ATTENDEES AT OUR TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
NEARLY 800 ATTENDEES THROUGH OUR TELEPHONE TOWN HALL AND 270 VIEWERS AT OUR SENIOR CENTERS WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THE COMMISSION HOSTED 62 PARTICIPANTS, AND THEY LISTENED AND HAD SMALL BUSINESS INPUT FROM 157 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
NOW, THESE EFFORTS ALLOWED US TO COLLECT OVER 2,400 SURVEYS, AND WE DID THIS WITH ONLINE AND LIVE POLLING.
WHAT'S ILLUSTRATED ON THIS SLIDE IS THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATION.
WE SAW ANYWHERE RANGING FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT ALL THE WAY TO ABOUT 16%.
WE ARE ILLUSTRATING THE, UM, RACE AND ETHNICITY PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS GENDER.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE FEMALES AT 64% AND MALES AT 35% AND 1%, UH, RESPONDING WITH OTHER.
NOW AS WE LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF PARTICIPATION IN AGE AND ANNUAL INCOME, YOU'LL SEE SOME NICE BELL CURVES HERE.
UM, ON AGE, WE SAW, UH, MOST OF THE PARTICIPATION, UH, AT 35 TO 45 YEARS OF AGE.
AND THEN COMING IN SECOND THERE AT 45 TO 54, UM, YEARS OF AGE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT ANNUAL INCOME, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE PARTICIPANTS DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION.
HOWEVER, ABOUT 17% LANDED WITHIN THE 50 TO 75, UM, ANNUAL INCOME.
[01:00:01]
THIS SLIDE JUST ILLUSTRATES SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED.WE SAW A LOT OF NONPROFITS AT OUR TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND SOME IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES THROUGH THE ONLINE SURVEY.
SO AT THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE SHARED THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU IN OCTOBER.
AND WE ASKED FOR INPUT IN TWO AREAS, IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS.
WE WENT A LITTLE FURTHER AND WE ASKED OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, THEREFORE, WHAT DO YOU FEEL CITIZENS ARE THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY? AND THEN WE ALSO ASK THEM TO RANK IN ORDER THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU AS IMMEDIATE NEEDS IN OCTOBER.
NOW, LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE RESULTS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE TOGETHER, ITEMS OF PRIORITY WERE HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, SMALL BUSINESS AND ARTS.
AND LET'S GET A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC.
THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE PROVIDES INFORMATION ON OUR OPEN-ENDED QUESTION.
YOU WILL SEE THAT CITYWIDE THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES WERE HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE ALSO ILLUSTRATED, UM, HERE BY DISTRICT.
NOW THIS SLIDE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THAT, THE ONE THAT YOU, UH, RECEIVED ON MONDAY.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT AS WE WERE RECEIVING THE DATA AND COMPILING IT, WE DECIDED TO DO A REVISED VERSION TO SIMPLIFY AND ILLUSTRATE THE TOP PRIORITIES.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE RANKING THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OCTOBER.
SO WE ASKED CITIZENS TO RANK WHERE THEY THOUGHT UTILITY ASSISTANCE, SMALL BUSINESS AND ARTS.
AND THEY PRETTY MUCH CAME IN THIS CATEGORY.
WHAT'S LISTED HERE IS ALSO BY DISTRICT.
NOW LET'S DISCUSS THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
SO THE COMMISSION MET THREE TIMES, TWO TIMES IN NOVEMBER, AND ONE THIS PAST, UH, SATURDAY HERE IN DECEMBER.
UH, AND MORE THAN 60 PARTICIPANTS, UH, WERE PRESENT AND 50% OF THEM ACTUALLY SPOKE AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK.
THE SURVEY RESULTS WERE SHARED WITH THE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 29TH.
NOW, AFTER THE FEEDBACK WAS RECEIVED AND SOME ROBUST DISCUSSION, THE PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND THESE ARE IN ORDER OF RANK WHERE ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
AND SOME OF THE EXAMPLES AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DISCUSSED WERE THINGS LIKE GRANTS TO MICRO BUSINESSES, LOANS, AND THEY EVEN DISCUSSED CHILDCARE STIPENDS.
AND THAT INCLUDED THINGS LIKE JOB TRAINING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, LOCALISM.
THEY DID TALK A LOT ABOUT, UH, WANTING TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND INDUSTRIES LIKE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY.
NUMBER FOUR WAS ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS.
AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES LIKE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING.
AND NUMBER FIVE WAS GEOGRAPHIC PLACEMAKING.
AND SO THESE ARE THINGS LIKE CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENTS AND FACADE IMPROVEMENTS.
NOW WE'LL GET INTO OUR IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS, AND WE DID THE SAME THING HERE.
WE ASKED AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION AND THEN WE ASKED FOR SOME RANKINGS.
SO WHEN WE DID BOTH OF THOSE TOGETHER, THE IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS WERE MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING, CHILDCARE, YOUTH INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, AS WE LOOK AT THE OPEN-ENDED QUESTION, THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES CITYWIDE WERE MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING, AND CHILDCARE.
AND WHAT WE'VE ILLUSTRATED HERE ARE THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES BY DISTRICT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE SOME WHERE THERE ARE TWO, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIE AND WE WANTED YOU TO SEE.
SO I'LL USE COUNCIL, UH, DISTRICT ONE AS AN EXAMPLE WHERE YOU'LL SEE HOUSING AND ARTS AND, UM, IN PRIORITY TWO.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, IS REALLY THE RANKING OF THE FRAMEWORK.
AND THESE WERE, UM, IDEAS THAT WE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN
[01:05:01]
OCTOBER 20TH.AND WE ASKED THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS TO RANK THEM.
AND THEN THESE ARE THE RANKINGS BY DISTRICT.
SO OVER THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, WE'RE GONNA REVIEW OUR ANALYSIS ON PREMIUM PAY AS REQUESTED BY, UM, BY OUR COUNCIL, BY YOU, UM, IN OCTOBER.
NOW, PREMIUM PAY IS AN ELIGIBLE CATEGORY IN THE ARPA GUIDELINES.
IT'S INTENT IS TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINE, PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK WHILE PERFORMING ESSENTIAL WORK.
NOW, UNDER THESE RULES, WE DO HAVE CERTAIN EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.
IN ADDITION, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE GRANTS TO THIRD PARTY EMPLOYERS WITH ELIGIBLE WORKERS.
NOW, THE INTERIM FINAL RULE OUTLINES PREMIUM PAY TO BE AN AMOUNT OF $13 PER HOUR AND IT CAN MAX PER ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE UP TO $25,000.
NOW, THE LEGISLATIVE TEXTS DOES FOCUS AND ENCOURAGES PRIORITY TO BE GIVEN TO THOSE WITH LOWER INCOME WORKERS TO ADDRESS THE DISPARITY BETWEEN RISK THESE WORKERS HAVE CARRIED WITH LOWER COMPENSATION.
THIS NEXT SLIDE ILLUSTRATES SOME EXAMPLES OF WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR PREMIUM PAY.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE ARE JUST REALLY SOME, UM, SECTORS OF THOSE FOLKS ON THE FRONT LINE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOME HEALTHCARE, UH, FOLKS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, OUR SANITATION WORKERS, TRANSIT WORKERS, EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES AND BENCH SOME BENCHMARK CITIES.
AS YOU'LL SEE, MOST OF THE LARGE TEXAS CITIES HAVE NOT OPTED TO, UM, USE PREMIUM PAY AS AN ALLOCATION.
I'VE ALSO LISTED SOME NON-TECH CITIES HERE.
I DID INCLUDE KANSAS CITY THAT ALLOCATED ARPA FUNDS AS WELL AS SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.
I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT KANSAS CITY ALLOCATED A MILLION DOLLARS FOR A PARAMEDIC PAY.
AND, UH, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON ALLOCATED FUNDS TO, UM, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
SO THEY DID THAT THROUGH KIND OF A GRANT ALLOCATION AND THEY ALLOCATED $3 MILLION.
I DID TRY TO DO SOME RESEARCH REGARDING TEXAS CITIES AND WE FOUND SOME, UH, SMALLER CITIES LIKE KILLEEN, TEXAS AND UM, CAMERON, TEXAS.
SO I'M GONNA REVIEW WITH YOU A COUPLE OF SCENARIOS THAT WE RAN.
SO USING THE ARPA GUIDELINES FOR PREMIUM PAY, 5,920 WOULD BE ELIGIBLE CITY EMPLOYEES.
THEY WOULD BE ACTIVE CIVILIAN AND UNIFORM.
NOW, WE DID EXCLUDE TELECOMMUTERS.
THAT'S, UM, INTENTIONAL BECAUSE THEY'RE EXCLUDED IN THE INTERIM.
FINAL RULE GUIDELINES FOR AR RPA.
AND FOR THIS SCENARIO, WE EXCLUDED PART-TIME AND EXECUTIVES.
THE CRITERIA WE USED IN THIS SCENARIO HAS EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED ONSITE DURING MARCH, 2020 THROUGH MARCH OF 2021.
AND WE ARE USING A ONE PAYMENT, UM, ALLOCATION BASED ON TIERS OF W TWO EARNINGS.
SO YOU, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SECOND HALF OF THE SLIDE HERE ARE THOSE WAGE BANS WITH THE ONE-TIME PAYMENT.
SO WE WOULD LOOK AT, UH, UTILIZING THE, THE LOWEST WAGE EARNER, SO UP TO $50,000 WITH THE HIGHEST ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $3,000, THE NEXT TIER AT 2000, AND THEN $1,000 FOR THOSE AT $80,000.
USING THIS SCENARIO, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT WOULD BE $10 MILLION.
NOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THE INTERIM FINAL RULES ALLOWS UP TO $25,000 PER EMPLOYEE.
IF WE RAN THAT SCENARIO WITH THESE EMPLOYEES, IT WOULD USE IT, UM, IT WOULD COST ABOUT $148 MILLION.
AND I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU A SECOND SCENARIO.
THIS SCENARIO DOES NOT MEET THE PREMIUM PAY GUIDELINES FOR ARPA, HOWEVER, IT COULD BE DONE THROUGH THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT CATEGORY.
[01:10:01]
THIS SCENARIO RECOGNIZES ALL CITY EMPLOYEES, 11,760, ALL ACTIVE CIVILIAN AND UNIFORM.IT INCLUDES FULL-TIME, PART-TIME AND EXECUTIVES.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE WORK LOCATION IS.
WE APPLIED A SIMILAR ONE-TIME PAYMENT INCENTIVE USING THE SAME TIERED ON SALARIES.
THERE IS ALSO, UH, IF YOU LOOK FURTHER ON DOWN HERE ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE IS AN ALLOCATION OF 2,100 AND 500 ONE-TIME PAYMENTS FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES HIRED BEFORE MARCH.
AND THEN FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, ARE THOSE EMPLOYEES HIRED AFTER MARCH OF 2021, A SMALLER ALLOCATION OF 1,500 AND $250.
SO MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I'M GONNA JUMP IN RIGHT HERE.
THIS, THIS SCENARIO WAS ADDED AT AT MY REQUEST AS WE DID THE ANALYSIS.
AND CERTAINLY BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK, WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT DOING THIS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT, UM, I, I WANTED A SCENARIO THAT, UH, IDENTIFIED, UH, EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE AND NOT, UH, JUST SOME OF THEM.
UM, AND CERTAINLY I THINK THERE'LL PROBABLY BE SOME POLICY CONVERSATION, UH, AMONGST THE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.
BUT, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE TREATING EVERYBODY THE SAME FROM AN EMPLOYEE STANDPOINT.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED FOR THAT SCENARIO.
OKAY, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU NOW THE FIRST CATEGORY OF OUR SPENDING FRAMEWORK, WHICH IS THE C OVID 19 RESPONSE.
NOW, WHEN WE MET IN OCTOBER, WE DISCUSSED THIS ALLOCATION IN THIS ESTIMATE AT $50 MILLION.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE RUN SCENARIOS OF OPTIMISTIC BASELINE AND PESSIMISTIC.
THE SCENARIOS THAT WE'VE USED INCLUDE TWO C OVID 19 SPIKES WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF SEVERITY.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND USING THE BASELINE WITH A TOTAL OF $48.3 MILLION, UTILIZING AN ALLOCATION OF 30, UH, $25.4 MILLION FROM ARPA.
SO THE RE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY'S COVID RESPONSE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND $35 MILLION.
THIS WOULD INCLUDE $25.4 MILLION FOR THE BASELINE SCENARIO, FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO REIMBURSE EMPLOYEES.
THE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT FUND FOR THE VACCINE INCENTIVE, $3 MILLION TO ADMINISTER THE GRANT PROGRAM OVER FIVE YEARS AND ABOUT $2 MILLION FOR CONTINGENCY.
NOW I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. OUR CURRENT BALANCE IS $16.7 MILLION.
WE HAVE AN AVERAGE SPEND OF ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND SO WE FEEL THAT FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE THROUGH MID-MARCH.
NOW THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS ELIGIBLE FOR REALLOCATION OF FUNDS THAT HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE NOT UTILIZED THEIR EAP FUNDS.
HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING THOSE FUNDS, UM, NOT UNTIL AT LEAST APRIL.
SO WE DO ANTICIPATE A FUNDING GAP AND A RECOMMENDATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING IN EARLY JANUARY.
SO THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES OUR RECOMMENDED SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE $199.4 MILLION ALLOCATION.
WE HAVE A COVID RESPONSE AT $35 MILLION.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ALLOCATED $35.95 MILLION TO IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
THAT'S THE CURRENT BALANCE OF THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THUS FAR.
AND THEN WE HAVE IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS AT $128.5 MILLION.
OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO, UM, LISTEN TODAY AND THEN BRING BACK IN JANUARY A B SESSION, A PROPOSED FRAMEWORK WITH MORE DETAILS BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET TODAY, AND THEN COME BACK TO YOU IN FEBRUARY FOR APPROVAL OF A SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
WE WOULD THEN WORK ON DEVELOPING THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM
[01:15:01]
WITH COUNCIL COMMITTEE INPUT WHERE APPROPRIATE, AND THEN, OF COURSE, CAN AND REPORT TO THE US TREASURY ON THE ARPA GUIDELINES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA HAND IT BACK OVER TO ERIC.
YEAH, JUST ONE THING AS WE CLOSE, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, AS THE BOND COMMITTEES, UM, HAVE THEIR FOURTH MEETING NEXT WEEK, OUR STREETS, PARKS, DRAINAGE AND FACILITIES, UM, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, UM, SOME QUESTIONS AT THOSE COMMITTEES ABOUT POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT MAY BE ARPA ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND SO CERTAINLY WE'LL SEE WHAT THAT CONVERSATION IS NEXT WEEK.
UM, IF THERE ARE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THOSE COMMITTEES FOR PROJECTS THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY, UM, ARPA ELIGIBLE, THEN WE'LL, IT, WE'LL, UH, UH, LET THE COUNCIL KNOW BY MEMO, UH, AT THE END OF NEXT WEEK, UM, AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
AND, AND WE'VE GOT A HANDFUL OF, UM, OUTSIDE REQUESTS ALSO THAT ARE INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED, CAPITAL RELATED, THAT, UH, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE COMMITTEES, UM, UM, MAY TAKE A DI SHOULD MAYBE, MAYBE SHOULD TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH RATHER THAN A COUNCIL COMMITTEE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE, UM, COULD BE, UH, MOVED ON A A LOT QUICKER.
UM, SO AS THAT PROCESS UNFOLDS NEXT WEEK, UM, WE MAY, WE MAY NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO SHOW YOU THAT, BUT ALSO KINDA LUMP IN, UM, THE PROJECTS FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED, UM, BY, THAT ARE LOOKING FOR CAPITAL ONE TIME RIGHT NOW, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
SO WE'LL KEEP, UH, WE'LL KEEP THE COUNCIL UPDATED AS THAT DEVELOPS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, VERONICA.
AND I, I JUST WANNA, I'LL START, UH, WITH WHERE YOU LEFT OFF, ERIC.
WE CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO, UM, THE BOND OR THE ARPA OR CARESS ACT OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THE CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR THE CITY AS BEING PARTS OF A LARGER WHOLE, UH, GIVEN THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, AS WELL AS OUR NEEDS OVERALL FOR A GROWING CITY.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO UP HERE BE DEALING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT MOVING PARTS, DIFFERENT MOVING PARTS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AND YEARS, UH, TO THE TUNE OF PROBABLY THREE TO $5 BILLION I WOULD ESTIMATE IN TERMS OF CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS, OUR BOND PROGRAM, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, POTENTIALLY THE BUILD BACK BETTER BILL, ET CETERA.
UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GONNA BE LEVERAGING THE RESOURCES OF OTHER, UH, PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING COOPERATING WITH THE COUNTY, WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WITH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO ANY GIVEN REVENUE STREAM, ANY SINGLE GIVEN REVENUE STREAM, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS AS BEING ONE ELEMENT OF A LARGER WHOLE.
SO, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT WITH REGARD TO THE BOND, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS GOING ON ABOUT PARTICULAR PROJECTS, ABOUT, UH, PARTICULAR AREAS OF SPENDING.
AND AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE NOT GONNA MAKE IT ONTO THE BOND.
UH, AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS MAY NOT MAKE IT ONTO ARPA IN THIS DISCUSSION.
AND SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARRANGE ALL THOSE RESOURCES LEVERAGED AND GET THE MOST IMPACT FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT POOLS OF, UH, DOLLARS THAT, THAT, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE ALLOCATING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS IN ORDER TO GET OUR ECONOMY BACK ON ITS FEET IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY COMMUNITY, THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LEADING SAN ANTONIO CONTINUE TO THRIVE.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE KEEP THE PROMISE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE COMING BACK BETTER THAN WE WERE BEFORE, MORE RESILIENT, MORE EQUITABLE, UM, AND JUST A STRONGER CITY IN GENERAL.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD, UH, PLACE TO START IN TERMS OF THE ARPA CONVERSATION, WHICH AGAIN, ARE FOR, UH, AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, IMMEDIATE NEEDS, BUT ALSO A TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT.
AND WE KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMMUNICATING THEIR REQUESTS WITH US, UH, THERE, UH, AS A LOT OF MERIT TO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKING PLACE, INCLUDING WITH, UM, COMMITTEES AND, AND GROUPS LIKE THE SBA.
SO, UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A, A BIT OF A PAINSTAKING PROCESS, BUT AGAIN, ONE PART OF A LARGER HOLE.
SO, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS UP HERE THAT HAVE SOME TIME CONSTRAINTS TODAY, SO I'M GONNA GET RIGHT INTO DISCUSSION.
AND LET ME START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KIO HDA TO KICKSTART OUR COUNCIL CONVERSATION.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK MARIA, LAURA, ELIZABETH, AND THE ENTIRE G P A TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE ARPA TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
UM, IN DISTRICT SIX, WE HEARD A FEW KEY THINGS COMING FROM THE CITIZENS THAT I REPRESENT.
UH, FIRST WE HEARD A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR PREMIUM PAY.
UH, SO I VOICED MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR PREMIUM PAY FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, AND I THINK AFSCME FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK, UH, AND, AND SUPPORTING OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND, UH, I MEAN, THEY'VE WORKED REALLY HARD THIS LAST, UM, COUPLE OF YEARS AND, AND THEY DESERVE IT.
NEXT, WE HEARD THE REQUEST TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN.
MANY TIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING BELOW 30%
[01:20:01]
A M I, WE ARE TALKING, WE TALK A LOT OF NUMBERS, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO PUT FACES TO THE, AND FAMILIES TO THIS, THESE NUMBERS.AND, AND MANY TIMES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOSTER CARE CHILDREN, I STRONGLY URGE THAT WE DIRECT ARPA DOLLARS TOWARDS CHILDREN AGING OUTTA THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, UM, WHEN THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO, THAT THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF HOUSING.
UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO, MY STAFF ATTENDED A FOSTER CARE SYSTEM CONFERENCE.
THERE WERE THREE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE IN THE SYSTEM AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
ONE SPECIFIC YOUNG LADY, UH, SAID OUT LOUD, WHEN WE AGE OUT, NO ONE CARES.
THAT, TO ME, IS A CALL FOR HELP.
AND, AND I, I REALLY WANNA BE PART OF THAT.
THAT ANSWER WE BROUGHT UP, UH, AT A B SESSION.
WE BROUGHT UP THE NEED FOR HOUSING AND RESOURCES FOR THIS GROUP.
AND I WANNA ALSO THANK LORI HOUSTON AND MARK CARMONA FOR MEETING WITH ME OUTSIDE OF THAT AND DISCUSSING OPTIONS AND REALLY BEING ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT HOW WE CAN FIND RESULT, UH, OPTIONS FOR THIS, THIS SUBSET OF, OF INDIVIDUALS.
BUT THE OPTIONS HAVE TO BE MORE THAN IDEAS.
WE HAVE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS FUNDING.
I ALSO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION TO MORGAN'S WONDERLAND FOR ALL THE REASONS MENTIONED.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR BRIEF, THIS IS, UM, THE DISABLED COMMUNITY WAS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE OF THE BARRIERS TO INCLUSION THEY FACE.
ALONG WITH MY ADVOCACY OF FOSTER CARE YOUTH, I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE DISABLED.
MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'M A, A PRACTICING DISABILITY ATTORNEY.
I HELP OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY NAVIGATE THE SAME OBSTACLES TO INCLUSION THAT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND ADDRESSES WITH THEIR WORK.
THE ALLOCATION TO MORGAN'S WONDERLAND HAS MY FULL SUPPORT.
THEY, UH, THEY NOTE IN THEIR, THEIR PAMPHLET, THEIR BOOKLET, THE, THE MISSION OF ALL MORGAN'S WONDERLAND IS RELATED TO ENDEAVORS.
UH, I AM SORRY, LET ME READ IT AGAIN.
THE NOTE, THE, THE MISSION OF ALL MORGAN'S WONDERLAND RELATED ENDEAVORS IN IS SIMPLY INCLUSION.
THAT TO ME, SAYS EVERYTHING ALLOCATING FUNDS TO, TO OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES ENJOY THE SAME SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE DO, I THINK IS, IS KEY.
AND I THINK ARPA MONEY IS THE EXACT TIME.
AND, AND, UH, THIS IS THE, THE PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST.
SO, I, I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UM, SHOW SHOWN A GOOD, GOOD SHOWING TODAY.
UM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING HOUSING NEEDS.
UH, THAT INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS LANDLORDS AS WELL, WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE MY BIGGER ISSUES.
AND I, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT ACTUALLY AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE HERE TODAY.
BUT IT'S REALLY JUST TELLING THAT THERE'S
I HEARD IT AT THE, AT THE TOWN HALL, UH, AT DISTRICT SIX TOWN HALL.
I HEAR IT IN MY COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY.
I LIVE IT, UM, IN MY PRACTICE.
SO I, AND, AND THAT GOES FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES TOO.
YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING THIS MONEY TO FILL GAPS THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, TO DO SO HISTORICALLY.
HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THAT IN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDING BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT DISBURSEMENT IN MAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME VERY PRESSING NEEDS, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR EAP PROGRAM, UM, AND THE NEEDS THAT WILL EXIST, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND THAT NEXT DISBURSEMENT.
UM, I, ERIC AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT LAST NIGHT, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE DISCUSSING TODAY.
UM, I ALSO, IN, IN THE PART THAT ERIC MENTIONED ABOUT BOND RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE FUNDED THROUGH THE BOND, I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR US TO MAYBE SET ASIDE A BUCKET THAT WAS JUSTICE ORIENTED.
UM, KEEPING IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT, SAY, STREETS, STREETS, BRIDGES, AND SIDEWALKS, DISTRICT TWO IS IN THE WORST CONDITION AND HAS THE MOST NEED, BUT WE'RE RECEIVING THE LEAST FUNDING.
AND I WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE REFLECTED IN ANY INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING THAT WE USE FOR ARPA.
UM, I WANT TO GO TO SLIDE EIGHT REAL QUICK.
'CAUSE I'M VERY, VERY PROUD, NOT JUST OF MY TEAM, BUT OF MY DISTRICT.
UM, THERE WAS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN DISTRICT TWO'S PARTICIPANT.
I GUESS WE'RE NOT GONNA GO TO THE SLIDE, THERE'S NO TECH PERSON HERE.
BUT WHAT IT, WHAT IT OUTLINED WAS THE PERCENTAGE THAT, UM, EACH DISTRICT MADE OF SURVEY RESPONSES.
AND THERE WAS A LARGE IMPROVEMENT IN DISTRICT TWO.
WE HAD ABOUT 150 AT OUR TOWN HALL, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS THE LARGEST TOWN HALL.
AND I WAS SO PROUD OF MY TEAM.
THEY SENT OUT A NUMBER OF TEXT MESSAGES, WE BLOCK WALKED, WE INVITED OUR COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND, UM, IN THE BUDGET, WE RANKED ABOUT SEVENTH IN TERMS OF SURVEY RESPONSES, BUT FOR THE ARPA RESPONSE, WE WERE THIRD.
AND I THINK THAT'S A HUGE CHANGE IN DISTRICT TWO'S, UH, PARTICIPATION.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT REAL QUICK.
[01:25:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO CONSIDER, AND I WOULD LIKE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LOVE THE SUPPORT.UM, SENIORS WERE A KEY PRIORITY AT MY TOWN HALL, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T EXPLICITLY LISTED AS, UH, A PART OF THE SURVEY.
UM, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE, THEY WANTED TO SEE SUPPORT FOR SENIORS, AND THEY WANTED TO SEE CHANGES TO OUR SENIOR, UH, OUR SENIOR CENTER.
AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER IS, UM, LEVERAGING ARPA, TURS AND, AND HOUSING BOND FUNDS TO ESTABLISH A DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER WITH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK GOES IN LINE WITH HOUSING AS OUR PRIORITY, BUT ALSO THE SENIORS THAT WERE, UH, VERY MUCH A PRIORITY FOR MY CONSTITUENTS.
UM, ALSO AT THE TOWN HALL, THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS IN DISTRICT TWO THAT, UM, STARTED DURING THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE THEY NOTICE, YOU KNOW, A RISE IN A RISE IN CRIME.
THEY, UM, FEEL AS THOUGH A LOT OF THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE BEING MET AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH, UM, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORT, UM, TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, GANG INTERVENTION OR CRIME PREVENTION OR YOUTH PROGRAMMING.
AND SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE A SET ASIDE, UH, BUCKET FOR, UM, SMALL COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS THAT MAYBE WOULDN'T NORMALLY GET OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH A FOCUS ON MENTAL AND SOCIO, UH, EMOTIONAL HEALTH OUTCOMES, WHICH AGAIN, IS IN LINE WITH COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
I ALSO, YESTERDAY AT PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAD A VERY MOVING DEMONSTRATION, UM, WITH, UH, THOSE IN SUPPORT OF DAMIEN DANIELS AND, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR VERY SUBSTANTIAL, SIGNIFICANT POLICE REFORMS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MODEL THAT, UM, DOES NOT HAVE AN ARMED OFFICER ON THE SCENE, UM, FOR A TWO YEAR PILOT PROGRAM TO EITHER FOLLOW OR RUN SIMULTANEOUSLY.
I KNOW AT PUBLIC SAFETY, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT HAVING A SIMULTANEOUS, UH, MODEL, BUT WE DID SAY THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GET IT TO RUN AFTER.
AND SO IF WE COULD EARMARK SOME FUNDING FOR THAT, UM, I THINK THAT IS A VERY, IT'S A SMALL DROP IN THE BUCKET TO TRY SOMETHING.
AND IF AN OFFICER HAS TO BE PRESENT, MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE A GUN ON THEM, MAYBE THEY HAVE, UM, NON-LETHAL MEANS OF, UH, DETAINMENT.
UM, I ALSO THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT THIS PAST YEAR FROM THE ANIMAL ADVOCACY COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIVE RELEASE RATE.
AND COUNCILMAN COO HAVER TO SEND OUT A MEMO ABOUT HOW WE'RE NOT IN LINE ANYMORE WITH WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE AS FAR AS LIVE RELEASE RATES GO.
AND WE'RE DIPPING BELOW 90 INTO THE 80, 87% LIVE RELEASE, WHICH IS REALLY ABYSMAL, AND IT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS A CITY.
AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RESCUE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WITH, UM, A C S.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WOULD BE MAYBE A, A HARD TO ADOPT TRAINING PACKAGE FOR THOSE LARGE DOGS, OR THE DOGS THAT ARE TYPICALLY HARDER TO ADOPT, UM, AND MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO ORGANIZATIONS AS AN INCENTIVE TO ADOPT THESE DOGS, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET A TRAINING PACKAGE WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO, UM, DISCUSS.
IN GENERAL, I THINK THERE JUST, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE ASSIST THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW WE ADDRESS THE ANIMAL POPULATION AND THE UNI EUTHANIZATION RATES.
ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I'LL SAY IS THAT DURING THE LAST BOND, WE HAD TWO ORGANIZATIONS, TWO COMMUNITY-BASED GROUPS THAT RECEIVED, UH, MATCHING BOND DOLLARS.
SO THEY RAISED MONEY, THEY HAD THEIR CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS, AND THEY RECEIVED BOND FUNDING.
BUT RECENTLY AND VERY ONLY RECENTLY, THEY WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET A BID, AND IT'S TOWARDS THE END OF THE CALENDAR.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE COST OF MATERIALS HAS GONE UP, AND THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO EITHER SCALE DOWN OR TRY TO FIND SOME OTHER MEANS OF FUNDING.
AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO ALLOCATE SOME OF MY, SOME FUNDING, UH, SOURCES THAT I'VE HAD AVAILABLE TO ME, UM, ABOUT 200,000 TO ADDRESS ZER, ZER, NONA BLACKS NEEDS, WHICH WOULD FILL THEIR GAP, AND THEN ABOUT 500,000 FOR, UM, GREATER LOVE.
BUT THAT WOULD LEAVE ABOUT $300,000 IN NEED FOR GREATER LOVE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO SCALE DOWN FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS TOTALLY OUTTA THEIR CONTROL AND IS GOING TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEED.
UM, I'M ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF PREMIUM PAY.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
UM, I KNOW THAT FUNDING IS FINITE.
I KNOW FUNDING IS FINITE, AND I KNOW THERE WERE FOUR PRO, UH, PROPOSED PROJECTS WITHIN MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US FUND AT LEAST TWO, UM, AT LEAST ONE OF THE HARDER, AT LEAST ONE OF THE MORE EXPENSIVE ONES.
AND IF WE CAN FUND THE SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE OR ONE OF THE OTHER ONES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST TWO OTHER PROJECTS FUNDED.
UM, I KNOW COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL HAS MENTIONED BEFORE THE AMERICAN ORGANIZATION FOR IMMIGRANTS, UM, AND
[01:30:01]
THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD BE AMENABLE TO, AND I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW WE CAN SUPPORT.AND THEN, UM, COUNCILMAN K HAV RDA RECENTLY, UM, JUST BROUGHT UP CHILDREN AGING OUTTA THE FOSTER CARE.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO MAYBE IF CITY STAFF CAN, UM, DEVELOP SOME SORT OF A PROPOSAL, OR MAYBE I'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, THE COUNCILMAN AND SEE WHAT IDEAS SHE HAS IN MIND.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER ADVOCACY IN THAT.
I DO ALSO WANNA HAVE A QUICK SECOND ABOUT, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF THE TACT THAT I SAW AT THE TOWN HALLS.
UM, IT WAS A LITTLE DISHEARTENING TO ME SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE WOULD BE SPEAKING AND THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT THE MOST PRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS, WHAT IS YOUR MOST IMMEDIATE NEED? AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LIVES THAT THEY LOST.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LOSS OF THEIR JOB.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE EXPERIENCES THEY HAD IN THE STORM BECAUSE THEIR HOMES AREN'T WEATHERIZED.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A PART OF ORGANIZING IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE, WHATEVER YOU WANT IS TOP OF MIND OR YOU'RE SHOWING UP IN FORCE.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS I SAW IN SOME OF THE, I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE, AND I HATE TO, I HATE TO DO THIS, BUT WHAT ARE THE EXAMPLES OF THIS? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE MOST IMMEDIATE NEED A PICKLEBALL COURT? AND THAT'S NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE HEARING, THAT'S NOT AN IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEED.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, AND I WOULD LOVE IT, BUT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT IT WITH ARPA, BUT IT'S NOT THE, IT'S NOT AN IMMEDIATE NEED, MEANING WE NEED IT BETWEEN NOW AND MAY.
UM, AND I SAW THAT FROM A FEW OTHER GROUPS, BUT I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA CALL TOO MANY NAMES AND CALL TOO MANY WAVES.
BUT IN GENERAL, THESE ARE THE THINGS I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, AND THIS IS THE WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
SO, UH, MAYOR, JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, RESPONSES.
UH, ONE, I, I THINK, UM, I THINK YOUR IDEA, UH, COUNCILMAN ABOUT, UH, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE TO POTENTIALLY LEVERAGE, UH, FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE AND A FACILITY STANDPOINT, UH, LEVERAGE SOME OF THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW, BOND OR TURS.
UM, AND SO WE WILL, UH, CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
UM, SECONDLY, UH, THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MODEL, UH, PILOT.
UM, THERE'S NO NEED FOR THE CITY TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES ALREADY RUNS THAT WITHOUT POLICE OFFICERS.
UH, YOU CALL THEIR NUMBER, UM, AND, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS WILL GO TO YOUR LOCATION.
UM, AND WE ARE NOT THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY.
SO I THINK WHAT WE DO NEED TO DO IS, AND IN FACT, WE HAD A MEETING WITH THEM IN STRAC EARLIER THIS WEEK.
WE DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, UH, BETTER, UM, MAKE FOLKS AWARE OF THAT SERVICE THAT'S EXISTED FOR A WHILE.
UM, THEY HAVE RECENTLY BEEFED UP, UM, THAT SERVICE IN TERMS OF FUNDING, UM, THAT, DO YOU KNOW THAT NUMBER FROM A, UH, FROM AN ARPA STANDPOINT, IF YOU SAW IN THE PRESENTATION THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS A, WAS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO MAYBE EXPAND THAT.
BUT, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT RECOMMEND US DOING A, A, A PARALLEL, UH, PILOT WHEN THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN A PUBLIC AGENCY IN THIS CITY.
BECAUSE REMEMBER WHO THE, THE CALLS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE ARE CALLING 9 1 1.
AND, AND THAT'S, THIS IS THE WHOLE DEBATE WE HAD IN THE SUMMER.
I, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT WE PULL THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES INTO THIS CONVERSATION TO BE PART OF IT.
IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT AN ISLAND ON OURSELVES ON THIS, ON THIS ISSUE.
CAN YOU SHARE THEIR NUMBER WITH ME? UH, NO, I CAN'T.
YOU DON'T HAVE IT? I CAN GET IT TO YOU.
I MEAN, IF IT'S CALLED, NO, I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ WENT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER R GARCIA.
UM, ERIC, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
AND FIRST, DO YOU HAVE A LIST OR DO YOU HAVE LIKE A SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHO HAS SUBMITTED LEVERAGED PARTNERSHIPS AND LIKE THEIR REQUEST FOR MONEY AND HOW MUCH THEY'RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE? WE, WE CAN GET THE COUNSEL AN UPDATED LIST.
WE HAVE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF OTHER, UH, LETTERS SINCE THE LAST PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS GONNA ASK, AND IN THE LETTERS THAT YOU RECEIVED, AND I KNOW WE ARE RECEIVING SOME LETTERS, AND I TRIED FORWARD EVERYTHING TO YOU ALL.
DID YOU ALL GET THE REQUEST FROM EDD? YES.
YOU ALL GOT THE REQUEST FROM VIA? YES.
SO I JUST, 'CAUSE I JUST, I DON'T THINK THAT I FORWARDED THOSE ON, SO MY APOLOGIES.
YEAH, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK THE, IN THE LAST, UH, WEEK, UM, WE'VE GOTTEN, WE'VE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF LETTERS AND EMAILS, SO WE'LL, WE'LL COMPILE THAT LIST AND GET IT OUT TO THE COUNCIL.
I SUSPECT YOU GUYS ARE ALSO GETTING THAT.
AND WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATED LIST OF, OF WHO'S OUT THERE.
WELL, AND I'M AFRAID THAT I MIGHT BE RECEIVING SOME, AND YOU MIGHT BE RECEIVING SOME, AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FULL LIST.
AND THEN ARE WE INVESTING AT ALL ANY PORTION OF THESE FUNDS, OR CAN YOU HELP ME OR REMIND ME WITH THE RISK MITIGATION PLAN THAT NOTHING IS INCLUDED IN HERE AS RIGHT.
OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
THE RISK, THE OLD RISK MITIGATION FUND, THE OLD ONE, SORRY, THE
[01:35:01]
OLD RISK MITIGATION FUND.SO, UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, I, I HAVE SEEN OUR COMMUNITY PRIORITIES IN DISTRICT FOUR.
AND SO HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SMALL BUSINESS AND CHILDCARE SEEM TO BE THE ONES THAT COME OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL, UM, TOOK THE SURVEY FOR IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS WERE SPECIFICALLY, UM, AGAIN, REPEATING AN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, YOUTH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON, UM, SA YOUTH AND EDUCA.
AND SO, UM, SA YOUTH SERVICES, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE INCLUDED FOR THEM.
DID YOU ALL GET A PROPOSAL FROM THEM? YES, COUNCILMAN.
AND, UH, TO YOUR POINT, WE ARE NOT MAKING RECOMMENDATION ON AGENCIES TODAY.
WE WANTED TO GET YOU ALL'S FEEDBACK AND CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS IN GENERAL.
BECAUSE THEN I WASN'T PREPARED TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES, BUT THEN I THOUGHT THAT I HAD MISSED THE POINT AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO NO, NO, MA'AM.
YOU, THE, THE, WE SHOWED YOU WERE, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE, THE SURVEY AND THE TOWN HALLS ABOUT THE CATEGORIES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME CONSENT FROM THE COUNCIL, OR, OR LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ TALKED ABOUT SENIORS.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR TODAY.
THOSE CA THOSE BROAD CATEGORIES.
UM, SO THEN IN, IN THAT, UM, UH, IN THAT REGARD, THEN, YES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WHAT, WHAT MY DISTRICT SAID, UH, HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SMALL BUSINESS, CHILDCARE, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, I WOULD WANT TO ADD DIGITAL LITERACY TO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW FAR ON THE LIST OR IF IT, IT WAS PRESENT AT ALL.
UM, BUT IN PARTICULAR, LOOKING AT, UM, ESSAY DIGITAL CODE X AND THEIR EQUITY PLAN IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR ME.
AND THEN I DO WANT TO AGREE WITH SENIORS.
AND SO SPECIFICALLY HOW WE GET ACCESS TO, UM, UH, SERVICES TO SENIORS BEYOND HEALTHCARE, BUT ALSO, UM, THINGS THAT HELP WITH THEIR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER ELAS.
UH, I WAS, I WAS HOPING, UM, BEYOND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR TWO, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, MARIA AND I CAN'T, UH, THE, THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT ONES TO ME ARE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BATTERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER IN CASA.
AND I'M, I'M, I HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THOSE BECAUSE OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.
BUT I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT UP THERE, UH, TIED FOR, TIED FOR FIRST PLACE IS MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
AND, UM, GORDON HARTMAN, I, I, I, I WANNA, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME LAST NIGHT.
WE HAD A, UM, MY LAW PARTNER AND I, WE HAD A LITTLE COCKTAIL SORT OF, AND SNACKS THANK YOU EVENT LAST NIGHT FOR SOME CLIENTS AND FRIENDS.
AND I WAS WATCHING, UH, ONE OF THE SERVERS AT THE RESTAURANT JUST RUNNING BACK AND FORTH AND, UM, SWEATING AND, YOU KNOW, HUFFING AND PUFFING, TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY AND THEY GOT WHAT THEY NEEDED.
AND AT, AT THE END OF THE EVENING, AS WE WERE SETTLING UP, UM, I ASKED HER, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU OKAY? 'CAUSE YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE WINDED.
AND, AND SHE SAYS, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 10 30 IN THE MORNING.
I DO THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE, UH, MY, UM, MY SON HAS DOWN SYNDROME AND SOME VERY SERIOUS, UM, SOME VERY SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES.
AND WE GOT TO TALKING ABOUT THE MAC, UH, AND WHAT YOU'VE GOT PLANNED AND, AND YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT YOU OFFER.
AND THIS LADY HAD NO IDEA THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS EXISTS FOR HER, EVEN THOUGH WHAT YOU'VE CREATED IN SAN ANTONIO IS A MIRACLE.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, AND I TOLD HER, I WAS LIKE, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO LIVE IN A CITY THAT WOULD OFFER YOU, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN PLAY AND, UM, THRIVE AND LEARN, BUT ALSO RECEIVE, YOU KNOW, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE AND ALL THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
I MEAN, THAT SOUNDS LIKE I WOULD WIN THE LOTTERY.
AND I SAID, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING WHILE WE'RE AT IT? RIGHT? AND, UM, SHE MADE IT REAL PERSONAL FOR ME AND WAS TELLING ME HOW HARD IT IS.
AND I, I, I CAME IN TODAY KNOWING THAT SUPPORTING MORGAN'S WONDERLAND WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND SO, UM, I'M, I'M DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU ALL OUT HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR DOING GOD'S WORK.
UH, AS, AS FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN AND THE OTHER GREEN SHIRTS, UM, YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT UNEQUIVOCALLY.
YOU KNOW, THE, UM, EVERYBODY WENT THROUGH A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE TIME, UM, DURING THESE CRISES, AND YOU ALL SHOWED UP TO WORK AND Y'ALL PUT YOURSELF AT RISK, UM, AND STILL HAD TO GO HOME AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILIES.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE SCARED TOO.
AND, UM, WE, WE AREN'T GONNA FORGET YOU GUYS.
AND, UM, I, I, I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN APPETITE ON THIS DAIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE, BUT ALSO THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING BY YOU GUYS.
UH, WITH THAT SAID, I, MARIA AND, UH, LAURA MA, I SAW YOU GUYS IN ACTION.
[01:40:01]
YOU WERE OUT THERE, UH, MINING FOR OPINIONS AND TALKING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CONSTITUENTS.LAURA MAYS, I THINK IS AMAZING.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT SHE DID EXCELLENT WORK.
UH, AND SHE REALLY, I I, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS THAT YOU MANAGE TO GET SO MANY OPINIONS AND, UH, WRANGLE ALL, YOU KNOW, AND CORRAL ALL THOSE CATS TOGETHER AT ONE TIME AND GET THEM ALL MARCHING IN ONE DIRECTION, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING OUT OF THEM.
BUT I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE DATA GATHERING AND, UM, AND MARIA AND, AND LAURA AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAD TO MAKE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS SOUND ORIGINAL, UH, EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS GAVE DOZENS OF THEM.
UH, AND, AND YOU DID EXCELLENT WORK.
AND SO, ANYWAY, I, I SUPPORT THE FRAMEWORK.
I, I, I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'VE PUT IN FRONT OF US IS VERY THOROUGH, UH, VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
I, I'M, I'M ENTHUSED AT SEEING HOW MANY PEOPLE TURNED OUT FROM EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT, AND I TRUST MY COMMUNITY.
WHAT WORRIES ME, 'CAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THAT WORRIES ME, IS, UM, THE ACCURACY OF THE, OF THE NUMBERS THAT CAME OUTTA THESE MEETINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I GOT TO WATCH IT TOO.
AND TO BE FRANK WITH YOU, I SAW ARMIES OF PEOPLE, UM, PUTTING THEIR THUMB ON THE SCALE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WORKING THAT MENTIMETER BUTTON OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, RIGHT? PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF DISTRICT EIGHT COMING INTO DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO I, I WONDER IF THE NUMBERS, HOW, HOW ACCURATE THEY ARE OR WHETHER OR NOT YOU GUYS SCRUBBED FOR THOSE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR PEOPLE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, PLAYING HUNGRY, HUNGRY HIPPOS WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE, WITH THEIR TABLETS OR THEIR PHONES.
AND SO, UH, BUT I, I DO TRUST THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GUYS DID SCRUB THEM FOR THAT.
AND MARIA, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? AND, AND THOSE WILL, THOSE WILL BE MY COMMENTS.
COUNCILMAN AND ALICE, LAURA, IF I MISS SOMETHING TO HELP ME HERE.
BUT, UH, FOR THE METTER, THERE'S ONLY ONE RESPONSE PER RESPONDENT THAT COULD BE ENTERED AT A TIME, RIGHT? SO IF I ATTEND MORE THAN ONE MEETING, MY INPUT COULD BE HEARD MORE THAN ONCE.
BUT FOR THAT PARTICULAR MEETING, IT'S ONLY ONCE FOR THE SURVEYS.
THOSE ARE TRACKED TO THE, UM, IP ADDRESS OF THE COMPUTERS.
SO THAT CAN ONLY BE ENTERED ONCE FOR THAT ONE IP ADDRESS.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO CONTROLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
IT'S $199.4 MILLION THAT IN ANY OTHER YEAR WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND.
UM, I WANNA GO OVER THE PUBLIC INPUT PO PORTION FIRST.
UH, THE POSITIVES I SAW WAS THE WEEKEND AVAILABILITY.
UH, I HAD TWO MEETINGS IN THE, WE HAD TWO MEETINGS IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR WITH WEEKEND AVAIL AVAILABILITY.
THE TECHNOLOGY I THOUGHT WAS GREAT AND ENGAGING.
UM, THE ONE THING I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN, IN SEEING IS THAT I REALLY DID FEEL IT WAS STILL CITY SAT FOCUSED ON THAT FIRST MEETING.
AND I'M ALMOST SURE I BROUGHT IT UP IS PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES WAS A FOCUS OF MINE SENIORS, UH, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
AND THEN YOU ALWAYS KNOW, UH, FROM ME, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT THE FOOD DESERTS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND I FELT LIKE IF WE HAD BROUGHT THAT UP, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION, THAT PEOPLE WOULD'VE SPOKEN TO IT MORE.
I WOULD APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THE TEAM AT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND FOR SHOWING UP.
I HAD A GRANDMOTHER FROM DISTRICT THREE WHO LOST HER DAUGHTER SHOW UP AND SPEAK.
HER GRANDDAUGHTER'S NAME WAS MORGAN, AND SHE THOUGHT THAT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND WAS NAMED AFTER HER
SO, UM, AND IT SPEAKS TO WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE.
SO MORGAN'S WONDERLAND HAS MY SUPPORT, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.
UM, SO, UH, THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, THE, THE OTHER ASPECT I WANNA TALK IS ABOUT PREMIUM PAY.
AND, AND I'M JUST GONNA STATE THIS NOW.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED TO PUSH THIS DATE BACK, UH, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF ESSAY TO DC, BUT BECAUSE WE NEED A SCENARIO.
THE, THE REASON I COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY APPRECIATE OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR CITY MANAGER IS THAT THEY TRY SO HARD TO BE FAIR, AND THEY APPRECIATE ALL THE EMPLOYEES, AND I APPRECIATE ALL MY CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WORK VERY HARD.
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT MY FRONTLINE WORKERS.
I WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE, MY DAD WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE.
IF WE HAD BEEN CITY EMPLOYEES AT THE SAME TIME AND I WAS WORKING AT, UH, THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND HE WAS WORKING FOR PUBLIC WORKS, I WOULD TOTALLY EXPECT HIM TO GET MORE MONEY THAN ME IF I'M TELECOMMUTING AT HOME.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, AND I THINK WE NEED TO TRUST THAT SOME OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA GO, YEAH, THE PEOPLE
[01:45:01]
THAT WERE THERE EVERY DAY.THE PEOPLE THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOSE TO THIS C OVID 19, UM, DESERVE, DESERVE SOME SORT OF SCENARIO C TYPE PREMIUM PAY.
UM, THE OTHER ASPECT IS THE C OVID 19.
I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PESSIMISTIC, UM, NUMBERS.
I THINK WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF IT.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE, UM, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE, UH, HAPPEN IS, UH, IS MORE HEALTH CONCERNS COMING UP FROM THOSE WHO DID CONTRACT, UH, C OVID 19.
UM, SO, SO LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE WE DEFINITELY DO THAT.
I WANNA THANK LAUREN GUILD FROM AFSCME, UH, YOU KNOW, CENTRO MED SA DIGITAL CONNECTS, UH, THE TEAM AT EDUCARE FOR ALL PRESENTING YOUR, UM, THE TEAM AT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND, UH, HISPANIC CHAMBER FOR ALL PRESENTING AND PUTTING FORWARD YOUR NEEDS.
BUT I THINK WE NEED MORE TIME TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT BUCKET AND SAY, AND CREATE BUCKETS POSSIBLY WHO HAS ASKS WHAT IS GOING TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL, THAT THE MAYOR CONTINUES TO USE THAT WORD, AND WHAT IS GOING TO ADDRESS OUR UPSTREAM ISSUES.
WE KEEP ON TRYING TO MEET THE, THE ISSUES WE SEE RIGHT NOW, DRUG ADDICTION, UM, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
AND WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE.
BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THESE ARPA DOLLARS TO ADDRESS UPSTREAM ISSUES TO ADDRESS, UH, THE HOUSING FOR CHILDREN COMING OUT OF FOSTER CARE TO ADDRESS EARLY CHILDHOOD TO ADDRESS THE STRESS OF PEOPLE, UH, CARING FOR THOSE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES TO ADDRESS THE SENIORS.
SO I THINK WE NEED MORE TIME TO KIND OF SEPARATE THESE BUCKETS AND GET IT RIGHT, BECAUSE IF WE CAN DO THAT, THIS IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME MONEY.
UH, AND IF WE CAN DO THAT, I REALLY WANNA DO THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, I, I REALLY FEEL LIKE WE NEED BOND TO GET DONE, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE MANY ASKS.
AND WE NEED TO, TO BALANCE THAT OUT JUST FROM ATTENDING SOME OF THE BOND, UH, SESSIONS.
UH, THE OTHER ASPECT IS WE NEED, WE NEED MORE TIME BECAUSE WE NEED TO SEE WHAT DELEGATE AGENCIES OUT THERE ARE ALREADY DOING, WHAT SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ARE ASKING FOR.
AND THIS INCLUDES THE CENTER OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, SA CLUBHOUSE.
UM, THEY'RE ALREADY DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL TO.
SO THAT'S WHY I ASK THAT WE KIND OF LOOK, UH, AND I'LL BE MEETING WITH CITY STAFF AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MORE LETTERS, BUT I LIKE A LITTLE MORE TIME.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A HARD DATE ON WHY WE HAVE TO DO THIS ON FEBRUARY 3RD, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE MORE TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT AND HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRAND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
AND THANK YOU CITY STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO HOSTING AND FACILITATING THE COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS.
UH, IT WAS, UH, STANDING ROOM ONLY IN DISTRICT FIVE WITH OURS, SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT INTO THAT.
UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO START WITH IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO INVEST IN UTILITY AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE INTO THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE MANY FOLKS, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT FIVE IN PARTICULAR, WHO ARE AT RISK OF DISCONNECTIONS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REPLENISH THAT BUCKET FOR THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS STAY HOUSED.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, UM, I ATTENDED THE SMALL BUSINESS, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND IN PUBLIC COMMENT, HEARING THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, THERE'S ALSO A NEED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, COMMERCIAL RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
SO I THINK THIS FUNDING OFFERS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A PILOT PROGRAM SIMILAR TO EAP, TO HELP OUT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE SMALL BUSINESS HOSPITALITY GRANT WITH THE FIRST, UH, BUCKET, WE WENT THROUGH THAT REALLY QUICK.
SO THAT'S TELLING THAT OUR SM SMALL BUSINESSES NEED SUPPORT.
SO I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE THAT WE REPLENISH THAT HOSPITALITY GRANT BUCKET TO ENSURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES CAN STAY AFLOAT.
UM, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK VICKI WILLOUGHBY, OUR SMALL BUSINESS, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTEE FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN PUTTING IN ON THAT BOARD.
UM, OKAY, IMMA, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK TO PREMIUM PAY TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED FOR PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF FOR, UM, QUICKLY GETTING, UH, TO OUR OFFICE WITH THESE DETAILS REGARDING, UM, THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS IN UNIFORM AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
DO WE KNOW IF OUR UNIFORMED EMPLOYEES
[01:50:01]
HAVE HAZARD PAY IN THEIR CONTRACTS ALREADY? NO.UM, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER, UH, CONTINUING LOOKING AT ENSURING THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES RECEIVE THEIR COMPENSATION FOR PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CONTINUES TO FUNCTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WERE, YOU KNOW, SHUT DOWN AT OUR WORST.
AND FOLKS WERE ENSURING THAT VACCINATIONS WERE BEING ISSUED, TESTINGS WERE BEING ADMINISTERED, AND FOLKS WERE GETTING FOOD FROM THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, DISTRICT FIVE IS HOME, AGAIN TO SEVERAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO, UM, MAKE THAT ASK THAT WE INCLUDE FUNDING FOR, UM, OUR ARTS GRANTS PROGRAM.
UM, A COALITION OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL ASKING THAT THE CITY ALLOCATE FUNDING TO THE CITY'S CULTURAL ARTS DEPARTMENT, AND THE ARTS DEPARTMENT WILL DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK TO DO, UH, TO ENSURE THAT OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY C O V I D, UH, WE KNOW THAT THE ARTS COMMUNITY RELIES PRIMARILY ON FUNDRAISING, WHICH WAS IMPACTED, UH, BY THE PANDEMIC.
SO THEY, UM, DIDN'T GET TO BRING IN THAT INCOME FOR A LOT OF THEIR SHOWS AND FUNDRAISERS.
SO WE NEED TO REPLENISH THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO STAY AFLOAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, RIGHT, THIS IS, UH, FOLKS WITH, WITH THE JOBS THAT PAY THEIR RENT THAT ARE PAYING THEIR MORTGAGES.
SO THIS IS WHAT THAT ARTS FUNDING WOULD MEAN.
UM,
UM, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE USE THIS FUNDING TO BE INTENTIONAL AND POTENTIALLY, UM, ADVOCATE FUNDING FOR, UH, DISPATCH TRAINING.
UM, SO THAT WAY THEY CAN WALK THROUGH, BE TRAINED ON WALKING THROUGH WHO THEY SEND THOSE CALLS TO BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES THAT SHOWED UP FOR DAMIEN.
AND WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE LEADING WITH INTENTION WITH THESE DOLLARS.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE PUT FORWARD SOME GREAT PROPOSALS.
UM, I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING HOUSING FOR OUR FOSTER YOUTH WHO ARE AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK TOWARDS, UM, ENSURING THAT WE ARE BEING INTENTIONAL WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT AND LOOK AT PUTTING FUNDING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE.
LOOK AT, UH, ALLOCATING FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS ARE APPROPRIATELY TRAINED TO SEND THOSE CALLS WHERE WHEN FOLKS ARE CALLING FOR HELP, THEY, THEY RECEIVE THAT HELP THAT THEY NEED.
UM, YOU KNOW, ACADEMICA AMERICA, UM, IN OCTOBER, I UH, MENTIONED THAT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS ALSO IMPACTED BY C O V I D.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM, UH, RECEIVE SOME ASSISTANCE BECAUSE, AGAIN, WITH FUNDRAISERS, UM, AND, UH, THEIR ATTENDANCE WAS LOW AND WHICH IS HOW THEY SECURE THEIR FUNDING.
UM, IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER BASED RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED, UM, THAT BAD.
SO THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE RECEIVE SUPPORT, UM, MORGAN'S WONDERLAND AS WELL.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ONE QUESTION WITH FIRE STATION 33, UH, CAN THEY QUALIFY FOR ARPA FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT STATION? YES, MA'AM.
AND, AND WHILE YOU BRING THAT UP, UH, THAT WAS A TOPIC OF, OF SOME DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON SATURDAY DURING THE TOUR.
SO TONIGHT IS THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
I SUSPECT THERE'LL BE MORE CONVERSATION TONIGHT, UH, FOR THAT.
AND THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS FOR NOW.
THE, UH, ON THE, ON THE COMMENTS THAT THE COUNCILMAN MADE ABOUT THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND POSSIBLE REPLENISHMENT, ONE THING THAT, UH, I JUST WANNA REMIND THE COUNCIL, IN SEPTEMBER, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO REDISTRIBUTE, UH, EMERGENCY HOUSING FUNDS, UH, FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT HADN'T UTILIZED IT.
UM, WE WERE NOTIFIED WE WERE GONNA GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UM, AND WERE HOPING THE LATEST IS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FIND OUT THIS MONTH, UM, FINDING OUT THIS MONTH, AND THEN ACTUALLY GETTING THE, THE, THE MONEY, UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP, AND THAT'S WHAT VERONICA WAS, WAS DESCRIBING.
UM, WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, WE THINK, THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY RIGHT NOW AT THE CURRENT SPEND.
UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S GONNA BE POTENTIALLY A JUST IN TIME, UM, UH, MOVEMENT THAT WE'LL NEED TO MAKE.
UM, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS, THIS MONTH YOU'RE GONNA GET X MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING, BUT YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT TILL MARCH, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GAP WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COVER, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PULL IT OUTTA ARPA AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT FAST.
UM, AND SO, UM, AS THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, UH, I WILL KEEP THE COUNCIL UPDATED SO THAT
[01:55:01]
WE, WE KEEP, WE KEEP MOVING IN THAT SENSE.UM, AND THEN, UM, SECONDLY, AND, AND I, UM, ON THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE, COUNCILMAN, I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S, IN OUR PROGRAM THAT WE PILOTED THAT YOU APPROVED THIS YEAR, UM, IT INCLUDES DISPATCH TRAINING.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT DAMIEN DANIELS CASE WAS THE CASE THAT OCCURRED, I'M SORRY, COUNTY, IN THE COUNTY.
AND SO I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT GOES TO THE POINT THAT, UM, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS EDUCATED AND FAMILIES ARE EDUCATED, BECAUSE MANY TIMES, BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE CRISIS HOTLINE NUMBER, UM, AND THE SERVICE THAT'S AVAILABLE, PEOPLE RELY UPON 9 1 1.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS OUT TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY'VE GOT ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, NO DOUBT, UH, THAT LEVEL OF INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE, UM, IMPROVED OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE COUNTY OR THE CITY.
UM, WITH EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO LOBBY THE COUNTY TO HELP US FILL THAT GAP? AND IN REGARDS TO THE COUNTY, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO SHARE WITH US A LIST OF WHO'S APPLYING FOR THEIR FUNDING SO WE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S RECEIVING OR ASKING FROM FUNDING FROM BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY? SO THAT WAY WHEN WE'RE EVALUATING THESE APPLICATIONS OF FOLKS ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE, WE'RE ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE GETTING ASSISTANCE FROM ONE, UH, AND NOT BOTH, SO THAT WAY WE CAN MEET THE NEED OF MORE FOLKS INSTEAD OF DOUBLE DIPPING.
UM, THE, THE MAYOR AND I HAVE HAD A MEETING WITH THE JUDGE AND THE COUNTY MANAGER AND HAVE REQUESTED THAT LIST SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE.
WE'VE NOT RECEIVED THAT, UM, THAT LIST YET, BUT WE WILL FOLLOW UP AGAIN.
UM, WE HAVE SHARED WITH THEM, UM, THE LIST OF, OF LETTERS WE RECEIVED.
AND THEN, UM, UM, YES, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S NO DOUBT, AND THE MAYOR AND I AT OUR LAST MEETING TALKED ABOUT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE, WHETHER THAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED, IT COULD BE STREETS OR DRAINAGE OR INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED.
AND CERTAINLY YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE COUNTY DOING MORE POTENTIALLY IN TERMS OF HOUSING.
AND SO YES, I THINK, I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO, TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE, THE STREET.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, ERIC, THANKS TO THE STAFF FOR, UH, GIVING US, UH, AN UPDATE OF THE KIND OF INPUT THAT WE'VE HAD SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SPEAKING UP AND, AND IS INFORMING, UH, OUR DE OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THIS COUNCIL OF THEIR CONCERNS AND HOW WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THIS ARPA FUNDING.
ONE THING THAT I, I TRY TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES THIS MAY END UP BEING ONE TIME FUNDING.
UH, IT GETS DIFFICULT TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ONGOING YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT IF WE'RE ONLY USING, UH, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE AVAILABLE NOW THAT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
UH, AND SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS OF USING THIS, A RPA FUNDING THAT'LL HAVE AN IMPACT NOW.
UH, AND THAT MAY HELP PEOPLE GET THROUGH THE HUMP FOR A YEAR OR TWO OR THREE, BUT ISN'T GOING TO MAKE ANYBODY RELIANT ON THE CITY FOR PERPETUALLY FUNDING WHATEVER, UH, WHATEVER THEY'RE WORKING ON.
I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING, UM, YOU KNOW, POTS OF MONEY, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, BUCKETS OF FUNDING, UH, RATHER THAN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT INDIVIDUAL ALLOCATIONS.
UH, AND, AND THAT CAN BE DONE IN A LOT OF WAYS.
I MEAN, WE CAN LOOK AT ALL THE INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD FIT INTO A BUCKET OF MONEY THAT WOULD BE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, AND SEE HOW THOSE BUCKETS FIT IN WITH 229 MILLION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC HEALTH IS NUMBER ONE.
WHAT MEANS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT C O V I D OVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS, OR HOWEVER MANY YEARS IT MAY TAKE.
BUT I THINK THE, UH, THE PLAN TO SET ASIDE $35 MILLION RIGHT NOW SOUNDS PRETTY REASONABLE.
UH, I TOO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK OR HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK BY TAKING ON ADDITIONAL DUTIES OUTSIDE OF THEIR NORMAL DUTIES THAT, UH, HAVE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH COVID.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE WE NEED TO DO A VERY CLOSE EXAMINATION OF WHO THOSE EMPLOYEES MAY HAVE BEEN, WHAT KIND OF JOBS THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN.
GIVING A A BLANKET TO EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, I DON'T THINK IS, UH, A GOOD WAY OF EXPENDING THE MONEY.
ON THE OTHER HAND, UH, IF THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE HAVE WORKED OUTSIDE OF THEIR NORMAL DUTY, UH, THAT MAY HAVE PUT THEM IN HARM'S WAY IN SOME WAY, EVEN IF IT'S RELATIVELY SMALL WAY, THEN I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY DESERVE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION FOR HAVING DONE
[02:00:01]
THAT KIND OF WORK FOR US.SO I'D BE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT WE MIGHT COME UP WITH IN THE WAY OF WHAT, WHAT, UH, APA RECALL'S PREMIUM PAY.
BUT I THINK WHAT SOMEBODY SAID MIGHT BE HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY.
UH, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER BUCKETS WE NEED TO LOOK AT ARE SMALL BUSINESS.
UH, I'M HEARING, AND I'M SURE ALL OF US ARE HEARING FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN HURT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER.
UH, AND THAT FOR VARIOUS REASONS WEREN'T ABLE TO GET OTHER EARLIER FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WAS OUT THERE.
AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN AFFORD TO LOSE ANY MORE SMALL BUSINESSES OR, OR ANY OTHER SIZE BUSINESS.
SO IF WE CAN PUT ASIDE A, A BUCKET FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, I THINK THAT'S SMART.
I BELIEVE ARTS IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT AREA THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR.
I THINK ALL OF US HAVE HEARD FROM DIFFERENT ART AGENCIES, UH, THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING.
ONE THAT, UH, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE, UH, HAVE WRITTEN TO ME ABOUT, AND I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, AS A SYMPHONY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR YEARS ON TRYING TO MAINTAIN ENOUGH MONEY.
I THINK I'VE PUBLICLY ADVOCATED THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE ABOUT $3 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR THEM, A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, UH, IN HOPES THAT A LOT OF OTHER PHILANTHROPIES AND THE COMMUNITY WILL STEP UP AND HELP FILL THE REST OF THE GAP, UH, SO THAT THE SYMPHONY CAN PERFORM.
AND THEY DON'T JUST PERFORM FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN PAY 50 OR $75 FOR A TICKET.
IF WE'RE GONNA GIVE 'EM CITY MONEY, THEN WE OUGHT TO BE HAVING THEM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DOING, UH, MORE AND MORE FREE CONCERTS, UH, SO THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BENEFIT FROM THEM.
AND I'D SAY THAT'S THE SAME FOR EVERY OTHER, UH, ARTS PROJECT THAT WE DECIDE TO GET BEHIND.
I'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC THEATER, I'VE HEARD FROM CASA, UH, AND I'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS THAT, UH, WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUR ARTISTIC ENTERTAINMENT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THEY NEED SOME CONTINUED SUPPORT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE OUGHT TO BE SETTING UP A BUCKET OF MONEY TO HELP WITH, UH, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH THAT HAVE INVOLVED A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT.
UH, I BELIEVE BROADBAND INTERNET, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, IS SPECIFICALLY ANNOTATED IN ARPA AS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THE FEDERAL MONEY SHOULD BE HELPING IN.
AND, AND WE'VE LAUNCHED A GREAT EFFORT IN THAT AREA, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PARTNERS WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US.
BUT I THINK THIS IS, AGAIN, ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE ARPA FUNDING CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT BALL FORWARD.
SO WE'VE GOT NO PART OF THE CITY THAT'S EXCLUDED FROM BEING ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM, UH, THE INTERNET AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY.
UH, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A BUCKET SET ASIDE FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT MANY OF MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY SAY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PROFESSIONAL RESPONDING TO THE ISSUES THAT OCCUR IN OUR DISTRICT, MENTAL HEALTH, EMOTIONAL ISSUES, UM, YOU KNOW, FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UH, AND, AND THAT MEANS WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND WORK WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND WE NEED TO DEVELOP THE TOOLS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BE INVOLVED IN THAT AREA.
PARTICULARLY, WE TALK ABOUT, UM, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
UH, ALL OF, A LOT OF THOSE EVOLVE AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES.
UH, AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BUCKETS I'D LIKE TO SEE.
AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO ADD, UH, MY THOUGHTS ABOUT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
I BELIEVE THEY DO, UH, A LOT OF WONDERFUL WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I DON'T RECALL, THEY'VE COME AND ASKED US FOR A LOT, SO I THINK, UM, IF THEY ARE AT THIS TIME, I'M INCLINED TO BE SUPPORTIVE, UH, OF THEIR ASKS.
ANYWAY, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE AREAS I'D LIKE TO SEE ADDITIONAL DETAILS PROVIDED FOR US TO HELP US, UH, MAKE SOME GOOD DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO ALLOCATE THAT AR RPA FUNDING.
I SEE WE HAVE GORDON HARTMAN HERE WITH US TODAY.
CAN, WOULD YOU MIND APPROACHING THE PODIUM FOR A MOMENT? FOR A MOMENT? THANKS FOR, I SEE YOU BROUGHT A WHOLE TEAM WITH YOU.
UH, BUT I, I WANTED TO ASK, UM, HOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, WHO ARE VISITING MORGAN'S WONDERLAND ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN VERSUS LOCALS ABOUT, UM, 38% OF THE PEOPLE ARE LOCAL.
UM, SO WE HAVE WELL OVER 50% THAT ACTUALLY COME FROM OUTSIDE THIS REGION TO MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
RIGHT? AND SO WHEN THEY COME TO, THEY JUST COME FOR THE DAY, OR DO THEY STAY, UH, YOU KNOW, OVERNIGHT OR A COUPLE DAYS? WHAT WE KNOW, I DON'T HAVE DIRECT
[02:05:01]
STATISTICS ON THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN, BUT I, WE, WE, FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, MANY OF THEM DO STAY OVERNIGHT SIMPLY BECAUSE TO MAKE THE TRIP FROM MANY OF THE PLACES THEY COME FROM, THEY NEED TO STAY OVERNIGHT.AND IT'S WELL WORTH BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WHY THEY'RE HERE, BUT THE MAIN REASON THEY COME IS BECAUSE OF MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
YOU KNOW, UM, I, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MORGAN WONDERLANDS ASK, AND IT'S, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO EVERYONE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT EXPANDING ACCESSIBILITY.
UH, THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT PUTS SAN ANTONIO ON THE MAP, UH, FOR PEOPLE ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, BUT IT, IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AS WELL.
AND SO THERE, THESE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, EXTERNAL BENEFITS FROM THIS PROGRAM AS WELL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR.
UH, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SOME, UH, LEVEL OF PREMIUM PAY, SUPPORTING SOME LEVEL OF PREMIUM PAY.
AND ERIC, I, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE CONVERSATION, THE, THE POINTS THAT YOU MADE AND THE MAYOR HAS MADE ABOUT, UM, HOW WE HAVE, UH, MULTIPLE POTENTIAL FUNDING STREAMS, UM, THAT ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.
AND SO, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, NOT JUST PREMIUM PAY, BUT IN, IN A LOT OF THESE THINGS, UH, BEFORE I'M MAKING MY FINAL DECISION ON SOME OF THEM, I WANT TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN SOME POTS OF FUNDING THAN WE DO IN OTHERS.
AND SO WHERE WE PULL THAT MONEY FROM WILL REALLY MATTER.
UM, AND SO, SO THAT'S GONNA APPLY, THAT'S GONNA BE A LENS THAT I'M GONNA TAKE TO A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
UM, AND ERIC, I KNOW THAT YOU AND I DON'T AGREE COMPLETELY ON, UM, A ALTERNATIVE RESPONDER MODEL VERSUS A, UH, NON-RESPONDER MODEL.
AND, AND, BUT YOU MENTIONED THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES THAT, UH, IS OFFERING ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SOME OF US ARE ASKING FOR AS AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONDER MODEL, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT PROGRAM.
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT RECENTLY.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THERE'S A MOMENT WHEN THERE'S A CRISIS, THEY DON'T HAVE A TI TIME TO RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE GO? WHO, WHO ELSE COULD I CALL? AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR 9 1 1 OPERATORS TO BE ABLE TO VET THE CALLER AND SAY, WOULD YOU KNOW WE HAVE THIS AVAILABILITY, WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE? CAN WE, CAN WE REROUTE YOU TO THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND HAVE THEM RES RESPOND, OR CAN WE LOG YOUR, YOUR REQUEST AND WE'LL DISPATCH THEM? AND THAT'S, THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT I WOULD BE, UH, INTERESTED IN EXPLORING.
AND IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD WORK, THEN I WOULD BE, UH, I WOULD BE ALL FOR A TAKE INVESTING SOME OF THESE ARPA FUNDS AND INTO SUPPORTING THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN ORDER TO SCALE THAT PROGRAM AND BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT AT A, AT A LARGER SCALE.
I COUNCILMAN, I, I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE END OF BUDGET.
UM, WE, WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE, WE DON'T DO THIS.
THE, THE PILOT THAT YOU APPROVED IN THE BUDGET IS NEW FOR US.
UM, IT'S NEW FOR A LOT OF CITIES.
UH, AND THIS, THESE ARE SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THAT THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT WE'VE GOT, UM, THROUGH STRAC AND CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THE STICK AND THE PICK, AND THE MODELS AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION ON HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CALLS.
UM, THE, THE TRICK I THINK IS TO, IS TO START TO FIGURE THIS OUT TOGETHER WITH STRAC AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
BECAUSE ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT, YOU, YOU, OUR OBLIGATION, MY OBLIGATION, UM, Y'ALL'S OBLIGATION TO RESPOND TO A NINE ONE ONE CALL IS VERY CLEAR.
UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME FOR US TO LEARN.
I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT A 9 1 1 NUMBER, THEY CALL, MAYBE IT'S, UM, WELL, NOT 3 1 1, UH, BUT MAYBE LIKE A 5 1 1, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S SIMPLE THAT WE CAN DO.
BUT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH, UM, UM, AND WE MAY GET THERE, MAYBE, I THINK WHAT WE SAID AT, UH, AT THE END OF BUDGET LAST YEAR, EARLIER THIS YEAR WAS THAT WE'LL LEARN AND WE'LL REPORT TO THE COUNCIL.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PREMISES OF OUR PROPOSAL TO THE COUNCIL THIS SUMMER WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY IS THE PUBLIC SAFE, BUT THE OFFICERS AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE SAFE AND NOT PUTTING ANYBODY IN A POSITION WHERE THERE'S POTENTIAL DANGER.
I HAVE HEARD THAT THE, UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO, TO FIGURE OUT THAT THERE ARE A FAIR AMOUNT OF CALLS FROM THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THE HOTLINE THAT THEY END UP CALLING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE MANAGING THIS FROM A DATA STANDPOINT? UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS WHERE, WHAT ARE THE SIMILAR CONDITIONS WHERE THEY MAY NEED A POLICE OFFICER? AND, AND THEN FINALLY, I'LL, I'LL SAY THAT A PART OF THE MEETING THIS WEEK WITH, UM, STRAC WAS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT AS A COMMUNITY, FROM MY STANDPOINT, UH,
[02:10:01]
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT A CALL COMES FROM, UH, UNINCORPORATED BEXAR COUNTY, LEON VALLEY, OR THE NORTH SIDE SUBSTATION AREA, THAT THEY'RE ALL HANDLED THE SAME WAY.AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF USING STRAC AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE JURISDICTIONAL LINES.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
I THINK THERE'S A BIGGER CONVERSATION WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF, OF, OF THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW.
BUT I, MY CONCERN IS MOST PEOPLE KNOW TO DIAL 9 1 1 AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A REALLY HEAVY LIFT, I IMAGINE, TO TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT A NEW HOTLINE THAT THEY COULD CALL INSTEAD AND HAVE THEM MEMORIZE IT AND BE YOU KNOWED TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT.
AND SO IN THE SAME WAY, IF SOMEONE WERE TO SOMEONE WERE TO CALL 9 1 1, AND THE, AND THE, UH, THE DISPATCHER ASKS, IS IT A FIRE? IS IT A, YOU KNOW, DO YOU NEED A POLICE OFFICER? WHATEVER IT COULD BE, OKAY, YOU KNOW, UH, MY ADULT CHILD IS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
OKAY, ARE THEY ARMED? NO, WE DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE.
AND THEN BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, COULD WE SEND AN UNARMED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL? THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN IS THIS YEAR, IS THAT WE GET TO, WITH THE DISPATCH TRAINING, HAVING THAT CLINICAL DISPATCHER THERE SO THAT IT'S, WE GET TO EVENTUALLY WHAT'S YOUR EMERGENCY POLICE FIRE, E M S OR MENTAL HEALTH.
BUT, BUT, UM, I'M ALL FOR TRYING THINGS NEW AND GETTING BETTER, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE CALLING 9 1 1.
AND SO THEY DON'T REALLY, THEY, THEY, THEIR, THEIR GAUGE IS THAT EITHER A LOVED ONE IS IN A CRISIS SITUATION AND SOMETHING BAD IS GONNA HAPPEN, OR THEY NEED HELP, UM, OR THEY'RE ENCOUNTERING SOMEBODY THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S SOME SORT, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S DRIVING 'EM TO 9 1 1.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IS THE THIRD CATEGORY.
THOSE PEOPLE THAT JUST NEED HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER IN MOST CASES, THAT JUST NEED SOME HELP.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY, THE PARENTS NEED A RELIEF.
UM, THE KIDS MAY BE CALLING ABOUT A PARENT.
WHERE DO WE, WHERE DO WE GO TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO SERVICES? NOT A RESPONSE FROM A 9 1 1 STANDPOINT.
BEFORE, UM, BEFORE I LOOK OVER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING TOO FAR AFIELD FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT'S AGENDIZED, WHICH IS ON THE FUNDING AND THE PROCESS OF ARPA BEFORE WE GET TOO DEEP INTO ANY PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR OPERATIONS, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
AND I, I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CATEGORIES, MENTAL HEALTH IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S THERE, BUT, AND SO WE'VE ALLOWED SOME BROADNESS AND DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK THE POINT OF THE BRIEFING WAS TO KIND OF DIRECT IT TOWARDS OUR ARPA RECOMMENDATIONS AND GIVE US SOME DIRECTION IN THAT, IN THAT AREA.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL GO ON, ON MENTAL HEALTH.
AND, UM, SO, UH, I GOT A, AN EMAIL FROM BLOOM.
I GET REGULAR EMAILS FROM BLOOMBERG CITY LAB, AND, UH, ONE THAT I JUST OPENED RECENTLY, UH, INFORMED ME THAT BOSTON UNIVERSITY DID A SURVEY OF OVER 120 MAYORS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FOUND THAT THEIR TOP CONCERN WAS THE LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS OR CONSEQUENCES OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN, IN IS INVESTING SOME ARPA FUNDS IN EXPANDING TESTING FOR ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES.
YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, A LOT OF PEOPLE, THERE WERE MORE DIVORCES, ARRESTS, LOSS OF LIFE.
SOMETIMES THAT LOSS OF LIFE WAS FROM AN INCOME PROVIDER FOR THE FAMILY.
THERE'S, UH, PROB, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS WITH SEVERE DRUG ADDICTION OR EVICTIONS.
ALL OF THESE CONTRIBUTE TO ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES.
AND SO I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO RAPIDLY SCALE OUR TESTING OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, AND THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THOSE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M INTERESTED IN HOW CAN WE PROVIDE MORE POSITIVE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES? HOW CAN WE INVEST IN AFTERSCHOOL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND BE ABLE TO SCALE THOSE PROGRAMS, UH, FOR OUR MOST IMPACTED YOUTH.
UM, FINALLY, I'M STILL INTERESTED IN, UH, A SIZABLE PORTION OF THIS ARPA FUNDING GOING TOWARDS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UM, I KNOW THAT LAST NIGHT, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE, I MADE A RECOMMENDATION THEY DID A FINAL VOTE FOR A RECOMMENDATION FOR $25 MILLION IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UH, BUT I KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE IN OUR, THERE'S A GREATER NEED HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT, UM, TO LOOK AT SOME OF THAT FROM THE SARPA FUNDING.
LEMME MAKE SURE THAT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THIS.
BASICALLY, IT'S SAYING WE HAVE RIGHT NOW $199.4 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THIS EXERCISE.
[02:15:01]
YES, SIR.SO WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS OUT OF THAT INITIAL ALLOCATION, AND NOW WE'RE DOWN TO, SO WITH THAT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT VERY FIRST MEETING, IT WAS A B SESSION, AND YOU MADE SOME COMMENTS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON CERTAIN AREAS AND STAY AWAY FROM OTHER AREAS.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THOSE COMMENTS WERE? THAT'S KIND OF A BROAD STATEMENT.
I DON'T, UM, STAY AWAY FROM SOME TOPICS.
WELL, FROM OKAY, I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON THAT.
YOU MADE SOME INTERESTING COMMENTS THAT THESE SHOULD BE ONE TIME COSTS.
AND THIS SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK FORWARD AND WE SAY, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING SOMETHING WITH THESE DOLLARS THAT'S GONNA CREATE AN ANNUAL COST AFTER THAT, WHICH WILL BE A BURDEN ON OUR GENERAL FUND.
MY SPECIFICALLY, MY COMMENT WAS THAT IDEALLY WE SHOULD BE DEVELOPING A THREE TO FIVE YEAR PLAN FOCUSED ON ONE TIME EXPENSES, FRANKLY, JUST LIKE COUNCILMAN K TALKED ABOUT WHEN HE, WHEN HE SPOKE.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, I RE RECOLLECTED THAT CORRECTLY.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT, UH, SINCE THE GET GO ON EVERY BUDGET, ACTUALLY, TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE HISPANIC CHAMBER SENDING IN THEIR LETTER SAYING, HEY, WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND HELP TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER SOME STATISTICS THAT I BROUGHT UP, UH, SEVERAL, SEVERAL TIMES NOW, WE LOST 38% OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEY SHUT THEIR DOORS, THEY CLOSE DOWN.
UM, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING, UH, PLUS UPS IN OUR, OUR GENERAL FUND, OUR, OUR YEARLY CITY BUDGET, UH, BECAUSE OUR ECONOMY IS COMING BACK, BUT WE'RE STILL SEEING LONG-TERM EFFECTS TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT'S SAYING, HEY, WE STILL NEED SOME HELP OUT HERE.
AND, UH, WE'LL, I, I, I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE AND, AND PUT MORE INTO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES FROM THIS FUND.
UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE DON'T WANNA FORGET OUR SENIORS.
UH, OUR SENIORS ARE OUT THERE.
AGAIN, YOU'RE SEEING THE IMPACTS OF INFLATION RIGHT NOW.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP OUR SENIORS OUT THERE? THEY'RE ON FIXED INCOMES.
A LOT OF 'EM ARE BEING FORCED OUTTA THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF INFLATION, RISING TAXES, RISING RATES, AND THAT ACROSS THE CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS.
SO, UH, WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT OUR SENIORS.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, LET'S GO TO SLIDE NUMBER 24.
UH, WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PREMIUM PAY.
AND ERIC, I SEE THESE ARE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PREMIUM PAY.
HAVE WE GONE BACK TO SEE WHAT, LIKE JOBS IN THE CITY THAT WOULD BE, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PREMIUM PAY INSTEAD OF EVERYBODY ACROSS THE CITY? I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE USING PREMIUM PAY ACROSS TO EVERYBODY.
WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ON THOSE, UH, JOBS OUT THERE THAT ACTUALLY WERE IMPACTED AND AFFECTED AND, UH, FIT ALONG THESE LINES THAT ARE ON THIS CHART.
COUNCILMAN, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ANALYSIS THAT WE DID, WE LOOKED AT THE GUIDANCE FROM OUR, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS FOR EMPLOYEES THAT WERE PHYSICALLY WORKING ON SITE.
SO WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE RECORDS FROM MARCH, 2020 TO MARCH, 2021 OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE WORKING ON SITE.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES FROM THE AIRPORT, PUBLIC WORKS, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, METRO HEALTH, EVERYBODY WHO WAS ON SITE IS ELIGIBLE WITHIN THAT, UH, 5,900, UH, NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
SO WE LOOKED AT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OF.
AND, AND YOU DID MENTION THE FIRE AND POLICE PAY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THEIR OVERALL COMPENSATION RIGHT NOW, I, I THINK THEY'RE GETTING HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY ARE LAYING THEIR LIVES OUT ON THE LINE, AND THEY ARE GETTING WELL COMPENSATED FOR THAT.
SO I, I, I GUESS I WOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HARD TIME SAYING WE'RE GONNA, UH, ADD A PREMIUM PAY ON TOP OF THEIR, THEIR NORMAL PAY, BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING COMPENSATED FOR BEING OUT ON THE FRONT LINES IN THAT DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH.
THEY, THEY ARE GETTING VERY WELL COMPENSATED FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY FOR US.
SO I'D, I'D BE A LITTLE BIT HESITANT ABOUT ADDING AN ADDITIONAL PAY ON TOP OF THE FIRE AND POLICE.
[02:20:01]
THAT GOES, AS LONG AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE THAT FIT THESE CATEGORIES, UH, SURE.I'M, I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD BE THE ONLY CITY IN TEXAS AS OF RIGHT NOW ON SLIDE NUMBER 25 THAT WOULD OFFER ANY PREMIUM PAY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT ONLY ONE, UH, TWO CITIES, UM, THAT ARE NONT TEXAS THAT ARE OFFERING PREMIUM PAY.
SO I, I'D BE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, FINALLY, MY COMMENT IS, UM, ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AGAIN, IF WE CAN SUPPORT THAT, UH, BROADBAND OUR SENIORS, UM, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND ALSO MORGAN'S WONDERLAND, I DID WANT TO FORGET MORGAN'S WONDERLAND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND AS FAR AS YOU LOOK AT HISTORY AND YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, POPULATION OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS FOLKS IN THIS CITY, TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE OVERLOOKED THEM.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON THEM AND PROVIDE THE MAC AND MAYBE EVEN ADDITIONAL FACILITIES IN THE FUTURE TO HELP AND MAKE UP SOME OF THAT LOST GROUND THAT WE HAVE HAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND FOCUS IN ON THOSE FOLKS AND GIVE THEM THE EXTRA HELP, UH, WITH THEIR NEEDS THAT THEY, THEY LOOK FOR EVERY DAY HERE IN THIS CITY.
SO, YES, I'M, UH, I'M THERE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS, SIR.
COUNCILS MEMBER PERRY, GO BACK NOW TO COUNCILS MEMBER ELAS.
UH, MAYOR, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ALSO TO REMEMBER HOW IT IS THAT WE GOT HERE.
UM, EVERYBODY OUT THERE WHO IS GONNA BE A BENEFICIARY OF, OF THIS MONEY, WHOEVER THOSE BENEFICIARIES ARE, OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO, UH, TO TWO PEOPLE.
UM, AND THOSE ARE JEFF COYLE AND SALLY BASTO, UH, FOR WORKING, UM, WITH OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM IN DC.
SO VERY HARD TO BRING HOME FUNDS LIKE THIS.
REMEMBER, THESE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS THAT WE SEND UP TO FEDERAL, YOU KNOW, TO WASHINGTON DC THAT ARE NOW BEING RETURNED TO US.
BUT THAT RETURN DOESN'T HAPPEN, HAPPEN UNLESS SOMEBODY'S UP THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND TELLING THE SAN ANTONIO STORY.
JEFF, I KNOW YOU'RE, UH, THERE, YOU'RE, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS IN THE BACKGROUND.
AND YOU, YOU NEVER STAND OUT FRONT AND CALL ATTENTION TO YOURSELF, AND YOU ALWAYS LET YOU KNOW, LET THE RESULTS BE THE, THE WHAT SHINES.
BUT, UM, I, I, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, AND I HOPE YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
IT'S GONNA END UP REALLY CHANGING LIVES DRAMATICALLY.
THE THE OTHER THING IS, UM, ERIC OR MARIA, YOU CAN TELL ME, IS THERE A WAY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO FIT INTO THIS, THIS PLAN? AND, AND HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN DO THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
COUNCILMAN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT QUALIFIES AS, UM, MANY WOMEN AND MEN WERE IMPACTED IN CHILDREN BY C OVID 19 AS IS IS ONE OF THOSE, UM, CATEGORIES THAT FITS WITHIN A NEGATIVE IMPACT OVER THE PANDEMIC.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, MARIA, WE'RE ALL GONNA GET FLOODED WITH PHONE CALLS FROM NONPROFITS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WANTING TO KNOW, HOW DO I APPLY? SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO THOSE PEOPLE? HOW DO THEY APPLY? HOW DO THEY GET, UH, IN LINE? SURE.
SO WHAT WE HAVE, UH, TOLD ORGANIZATIONS, I HAVE ASKED THAT QUESTION AS WE BRING THE, THE PUBLIC PRIORITIES TO THIS COUNCIL, AND AS YOU HAVE DISCUSSION ON WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE, UM, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE GO TO COUNCIL COMMITTEES ON THE APPROPRIATE TOPICS TO DEFINE THOSE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS. AND THEY MAY BE, AT THAT POINT, THE NEED FOR US TO CONTRACT WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
SO THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO APPLY, OR THERE MAY BE SOME DIRECT REQUESTS FROM THE COUNCIL FOR PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES THAT, UM, THOSE ENTITIES CAN DO.
THEN STAFF CAN RECOMMEND, UH, AS WE CONTINUE WITH THIS PROCESS.
SO IF TODAY WE GET BACK TO OUR OFFICE AND OUR VOICEMAILS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE SAYING, I, I WANT TO GET IN LINE NOW, DO WE FORWARD THOSE TO YOU? YES.
UM, LASTLY, I THINK YOU, MARIA, SOMETHING, UM, SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL HAPPENED ON THE DIOCESE WHILE EVERYBODY WAS TALKING, AND I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING.
'CAUSE GORDON, I THINK IT'LL MAKE YOU HAPPY.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, UH, WAS THE LAST ONE TO SIGN A DOCUMENT I'M HOLDING IN MY HAND RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND IT'S A C C R THAT I'LL BE HANDLING HANDING OVER TO, UH, OUR CITY CLERK.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCILWOMAN VRAN, AND, UM, COUNCILMAN HNA.
UH, WE'RE, UH, GONNA BE ASKING THE
[02:25:01]
CITY COUNCIL TO RENAME THE FRONT OF, UH, THE CITY HALL PLAZA TO INCLUSION PLAZA.AND THAT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE GORDON ASKED.
THAT'S IT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL YOU GOTTA DO AROUND HERE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE UPDATE TODAY.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO START BY THANKING THE STAFF FOR HOSTING THE ARPA INPUT MEETING, UH, IN DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, MARIA FOR BEING THERE AND GIVING THE, THE PRESENTATION, UH, FOR COUNCILMAN BRAVO FOR ATTENDING AS WELL.
AND, UH, THE STAFF ARE CAPTURING ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
THESE ARE EXTREMELY, UH, EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND INSIGHTFUL.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK OUT ALL THE COM THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS THE AF SME MEMBERS WHO, WHO WERE IN PARTICIPATION THERE, WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE, AND THOSE WHO FILLED OUT SURVEYS ONLINE.
AND, UM, I THANK YOU TO THE ST.
PAUL PARISH FOR, FOR HOSTING THE MEETING AND, UH, SEPARATELY TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THEIR THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND STAFF.
THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSIVENESS ON THAT.
THAT WAS ONE OF OUR, OUR REQUESTS, UM, LAST TIME.
SO GOING THROUGH THE, THE INPUT RESULTS THAT YOU GAVE US WAS, WAS VERY HELPFUL.
UH, BUT ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THAT SEEMS TO BE AT ODDS WITH OUR CURRENT RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER, IS THAT THE RESULTS SHOW US THAT ABOUT 40% OF THE PARTICIPANTS, UM, AT, ARE ADVOCATING FOR INVESTING IN IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT 23% WHO OPTED FOR, UM, LONG-TERM PROJECTS.
SO I THINK WE JUST WANNA KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE, UM, I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND AS I, AS I MAKE MY COMMENTS.
UH, DID YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT, MARIA? SURE.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THE, THE LOGIC WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING A LOWER AMOUNT THAT IS TIED TO WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN CASH TODAY.
SO THE $35 MILLION IS WHAT IS LEFT.
SO WE FELT THAT IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATE, THEN THOSE DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE FOR, FOR THOSE NEEDS.
WE, WE ALSO NOTED COUNCILWOMAN THAT SOME OF THE, UM, FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FOR IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEEDS WERE ALSO IN THE MORE IMPACTFUL NEEDS.
SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, ONCE WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, I, I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED THIS, BUT, UM, YOU GAVE US A LIST OF WHAT QUALIFIES OR WHAT YOU'RE LISTING UNDER IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
BUT I, I THINK WHETHER YOU INVEST IN ARTS NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER YOU'RE INVESTING IN, UM, IN HELPING AN ORGANIZATION OR SETTING UP SOMETHING LONG TERM SO THAT IT'S SUSTAINABLE, UH, THEY CAN QUALIFY IN BOTH AREAS.
SO WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UH, TO ME BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS IN JANUARY, IS GETTING A VERY CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT IS MEANT WHEN YOU MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT IMMEDIATE VERSUS LONG-TERM OR IMPACTFUL INVESTMENT.
BECAUSE I WOULD ARGUE THAT ANYONE WHO NEEDS RENT RIGHT NOW WOULD SAY THAT IS AN IMPACTFUL INVESTMENT.
IF IT'S GOING TO KEEP A ROOF OVER MY HEAD, WHEN COULD WE EXPECT, UM, PERHAPS SOME LANGUAGE AROUND THAT? UH, WE CAN GET THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY.
COUNCIL, I MEAN, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TELLING THE COMMUNITY IS IMMEDIATE, OR EXAMPLES LIKE UTILITY ASSISTANCE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A PAYMENT TODAY, OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UH, THE ARTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY NEED ASSISTANCE FOR THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE CONSIDER AS SOMETHING IMMEDIATE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY NEEDED TO ADDRESS, UM, LIKE WE HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, PERHAPS RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE CONSIDER AS SOMETHING IMMEDIATE THAT THEY NEEDED, UH, WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AS OPPOSED TO THE IMPACTFUL INVESTMENT, TO YOUR POINT, THAT IT WOULD BE LONG-TERM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A MORE SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UM, ORGANIZATION LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, SOMETHING THAT WE WERE TO PARTNER WITH A COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE CAN MAKE A LONG-TERM IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, UH, ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME AS I WAS READING THE, THE COMMENTS IS, UH, THERE'S CERTAINLY A, A REQUEST FOR CASH ON HAND
AND, UH, BUT SADLY, ANOTHER THING THAT STANDS OUT IS THE AMOUNT OF STRESS AND, UM, ANXIETY THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND THE PARTICIPANTS IN THESE
[02:30:01]
MEETINGS ARE UNDER.AND THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES WHO CAME TO OUR MEETING.
WE HEAR ABOUT IT AS WELL OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO, UH, THAT, THAT REALLY STRUCK ME.
AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF MAKING LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, IN MENTAL HEALTH, AND AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE WILL ABSOLUTELY NEED THOSE, BUT I, THIS IS A CRISIS.
SO I THINK WE ALSO WANT TO TREAT IT AS AN IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY NEED.
SO WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS, UM, IS IT POSSIBLE TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN USE, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THAT CASH NOW, UH, WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL TOOLS WE CAN USE, UM, TO MAKE THO THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS, UM, AND FINANCE OTHER THINGS ANOTHER WAY LATER? UM, I THINK WE, UH, WE DISCUSSED THAT APPROACH WHEN WE HAD CARES FUNDING, AND WE MADE IT LAST A LOT LONGER, UM, JUST USING YOUR OWN TOOLS,
SO I, I WANT TO HONOR THAT TO, TO SOME EXTENT.
UM, THE, UH, I'D, I'D LIKE TO ECHO SOME OF, UH, THE COMMENTS, UH, MADE BY SOME OF MY COMMENT, MY COLLEAGUES, IN ADDITION TO, TO THE STRESS AND ANXIETY.
SOMETHING I I'VE READ ABOUT HERE AND CERTAINLY HEARD ABOUT IS THE SOCIAL ISOLATION AMONG OUR POPULATION AT LARGE, BUT CERTAINLY AMONG SENIORS WHO ARE AT MUCH HIGHER RISK OF SOCIAL ISOLATION AS IT IS.
SO ANYTHING THAT, UH, SUPPORTS THEM OR ASSIST THEM, WHETHER IT'S A NEW SENIOR CENTER OR ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO THEM, I, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UM, WHAT I DON'T, UH, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND YET, IS WHAT, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED, UH, REQUESTS? SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE ONLY MAKING THE DECISION ON SHORT TERM VERSUS LONG TERM.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE'LL, WE'LL PICK IT UP.
SO TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS AGAIN, TO GIVE YOU THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
START HEARING YOUR, YOUR PRIORITIES NOW THAT YOU HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UM, SO WE CAN CREATE THOSE BUCKETS THAT THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED.
UM, IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO CONTINUE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN, UH, LATE JANUARY WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU CAN ADOPT THOSE BUCKETS IN FEBRUARY AND THEN START WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEES.
NOW, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEES CAN BE, UH, FIND, UH, FUNDING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.
AND WE'LL PROVIDE YOU A LIST OF ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTED IN TERMS IF THEIR PROJECTS ARE ELIGIBLE OR, OR NOT.
AND JUST TO ADD TWO OTHER THINGS, ELEMENTS.
WE'VE GOT THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE STILL WAITING, SO WE MAY HAVE A GAP, WE'LL KNOW SHORTLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
PLUS, UH, THE OTHER CONDITION THAT MAY CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT IS WHAT COMES OUTTA THE BOND COMMITTEES NEXT WEEK.
SO THOSE TWO PIECES ARE STILL MOVING AS WELL.
AND, AND SO THE NEXT 30 DAYS WILL BE BUSY.
AND COULD I GET A TIME CHECK? I'M NOT SURE WHERE I AM TO THANK YOU,
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE AGENCY REQUESTS, UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN CHU RODRIGUEZ FOR MENTIONING AMERICAN ORGAN ORGANIZATIONS FOR IMMIGRANTS AS WELL AS, UH, ACADEMIA, UH, AMERICA.
UH, THEY'VE, UH, ASKED ME TO COME GIVE A, A TALK ABOUT BECOMING A US CITIZEN, WHICH I DID WHEN I WAS 18 AT ONE OF THEIR WORKSHOPS THIS, UH, THIS WEEKEND.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMMIGRANTS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, UH, FULLY DOCUMENTED OR CITIZENS, THERE ARE SO MANY SERVICES THAT THEY REQUIRE AND DIRECTION THAT THEY NEED THAT, UM, THEY MAY NOT FEEL AT LIBERTY TO GET, UH, WITH OUR REGULAR GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T EXIST AND THAT THEIR NEEDS AREN'T REAL.
UH, SO I, I CERTAINLY WOULD, UH, ADVOCATE FOR CONTINUING TO CONSIDER THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES, THE ASK IS ACTUALLY NOMINAL, UM, AS WELL AS SOMETHING THAT WE RECEIVED FROM, UH, ST.
MARY'S UNIVERSITY TO, TO ASSIST, UH, AGAIN, A, A SMALLER ASK, BUT TO ASSIST OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN ACCESSING, UH, CAPITAL AS A RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE BY THE SVAC.
SO I WOULD BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UM, AND, AND MY LAST COMMENT IS THAT NOBODY CAN FAULT ERIC FOR HOW LOYAL AND SUPPORTIVE HE IS OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED THAT ABOUT YOU, ERIC, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, YOU BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS ANALYSIS AS, AS WE REQUESTED.
UH, I WOULD, UM, I WOULD ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT WE HAD IN MIND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PREMIUM PAY.
SO I, I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE SEEING THAT, THAT SCENARIO IN THE FUTURE.
[02:35:01]
THAT, JUST SO THAT WE'RE, UH, ONE THAT HAD THE MORE OF A DISTINCTION BETWEEN, UH, REMOTE WORK VERSUS, UM, VERSUS BEING, UH, ON THE FRONT LINES? SO THAT'S SCENARIO A, THE 5,900 EMPLOYEES DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY EMPLOYEE THAT REMOTE WORKED.IT WAS JUST THE ONES AS MARIA, UM, DESCRIBED THAT QUALIFIED UNDER THE ARPA GUIDELINES.
SO FRONTLINE WORKERS ENGAGED WITH PUBLIC POLICE SOLID WASTE AIRPORT, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYBODY WHO, UH, REMOTE WORK AT ALL.
WAIT, I, SO I MUST BE CONFUSED BY THE COMMENTS I HEARD BY COUNCILMAN
AND, AND, UH, AND, AND THEY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THEIR COMMENTS WAS THAT, UM, THEY WERE, UH, THEIR PREFERENCE WAS THAT, UM, IT'D BE, UM, TARGETED TOWARDS THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT QUALIFIED AND NOT EVERY EMPLOYEE.
THAT'S HOW I TOOK THOSE COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
WE'LL GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER VERON.
UH, I, I'LL START WITH THANK YOU G P A FOR THE INFORMATION, UH, MY STAFF AND I'LL BE LOOKING OVER IT.
AND, UM, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE A BRIEFING AND I'VE GOT ALEX TRAPPED NEXT WEEK FOR A MEETING, SO I WILL TALK WITH HER BECAUSE I, I, I THINK FIVE MINUTES, 15 MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH TIME, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN MASKS FROM 50 MILLION TO, YOU KNOW, 1.2 MILLION TO NOMINAL AMOUNTS.
AND I REALLY WANNA HEAR FROM, UH, CITY STAFF ABOUT WHY, WHAT WOULD WORK AND WHY, WHAT, WHAT SOME ITEMS WOULDN'T WORK.
SO I LIKE A, UH, I'LL, I'M GONNA HAVE MY OWN BRIEFING NEXT WEEK AND I'D PROBABLY LIKE A BRIEFING AFTER THAT.
AND THAT CAN BE WITH MARIA OR ALEX AGAIN.
UM, AND PROBABLY A BRIEFING FROM NOW UNTIL WE VOTE ON THIS.
UM, I HEARD WHAT I HEARD, UH, ERIC IS A SCENARIO, SEE, BECAUSE I THINK SCENARIO A HAS US USING BASICALLY ALL OF THE COVID MONEY FOR, UM, UH, ALL OF THE COVID MONEY FOR PREMIUM PAY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE, WE WANT TO SEE A PREMIUM, I WANNA SEE A PREMIUM PAY, BUT I DON'T WANNA SEE ALL OUR MONEY OR ALL OUR UPPER DOLLARS GO THERE.
SO I THINK MAY I UHHUH
I DI I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
'CAUSE I, I HAD, I SAW THE 1 178 YEAH.
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S, THAT, THAT IS, IF EVERYBODY GOT A, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF $25,000.
UH, BUT THE SCENARIO THAT WE RUN WAS A TIER FROM A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO $3,000 BASED ON THE SALARY BANS THAT WE SHOWED ON THE SCREEN.
THE, UH, THE OTHER THING WHY I WANT TO DEBRIEF, AND I'M GLAD MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE BROUGHT UP, UH, THE JEFF AND HIS TEAM THAT WORK IS N L C IS DOING A LOT OF WORK ON A LOT OF ISSUES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ON HOW THEY'RE USING THE DOLLARS.
FORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW, THE DOLLARS WE HAVE COMING DOWN COME DOWN DIRECTLY TO US, AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ON THE STATE.
UH, AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL BE THERE WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS.
BUT AGAIN, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO SEE NATIONALLY WHAT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE THINKING ABOUT DOING WITH THEIR ARPA DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE DIGITAL AND OUR SENIORS, WHICH I THINK N L C IS ADDRESSING BOTH.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I, I WOULD, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS A BETWEEN A IMMEDIATE NEEDS, LONG-TERM NEEDS SCENARIO, BUT WE DO HAVE A BOND THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING AT THE SAME TIME.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE BOND MEETINGS WHILE I, WHILE I KNOW SOME OF YOU DO, OUR BOND COMMITTEES ARE WORKING SO VERY HARD AND THEIR EXPECTATION IS THAT WE'RE GONNA USE THESE ARPA DOLLARS FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO BRING DOWN TO US BEFORE WE, WE MOVE TOO QUICKLY ON THIS ISSUE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN AND, AND, UH, THANK YOU, UM, FOR JUST ALL YOUR HARD WORK TEAM AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU A LOT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, SO I THINK ON THE TOPIC OF THE, UM, PREMIUM OR HAZARD PAY, THERE WERE ABOUT 5,920 EMPLOYEES WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND SO WHAT I THINK I HEARD THAT WASN'T STATED EXPLICITLY WOULD BE AN OPTION C, WHICH WOULD HAVE THOSE 5,920
[02:40:02]
GETTING MORE ARPA FUNDING OR MORE OF THE PREMIUM PAY THAN THE OTHER 5,840 WHO WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR IT.IS THAT POSSIBLE TO GET SOME SORT OF SCENARIO FOR THAT? SO RIGHT NOW, THE SCENARIO A, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, COUNCILMAN, SO SCENARIO A HAS 5,900 EMPLOYEES GETTING SOMETHING FROM MM-HMM.
UM, SCENARIO B IS, HAS MORE THE 11,000 EMPLOYEES GETTING SOMETHING MM-HMM.
SO MAYBE IT'S STILL THE SAME AMOUNT OF, MAYBE IT'S STILL THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, THE 14.3 MILLION FOR SCENARIO B, BUT ADJUST IT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT, SO IT GOES TO ONLY THE 5,900, NOT ONLY THE MAJORITY, THAT THEY WOULD GET A LITTLE BIT HIGHER OF A PERCENTAGE THAN THE 5,800.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INCLUDING EVERYBODY, BUT SOMETHING HIGHER FOR THE 5,900.
SO IF IT'S LIKE A 60 60% YEAH.
FOR OR 40% FOR THE OTHERS, I THINK THAT'S GOT IT.
I THINK I ALSO, UM, I HAVE AN IDEA BECAUSE I, I LIKE TO COMPROMISE AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, SO I'M NOT GONNA LET GO OF THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MODEL.
I'M NOT GONNA LET GO OF THAT AS AN IDEA IN MY HEAD, BUT I AM, I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT THERE AS A CITY COUNCIL.
I KNOW CITY STAFF IS NOT THERE AS MAKING THAT AS A RECOMMENDATION.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER IS THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, MAYBE A SERIES OF PILOT PROGRAMS, NOT JUST FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, I KNOW SAN YOU KNOW, THE CITY, WE LOVE A GOOD PILOT PROGRAM, WE LOVE A STUDY, AND THEY HELP INFORM US WHEN WE MAKE BIG DECISIONS AS IT RELATES TO OUR BUDGET AND TO HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY LIKE THIS.
AND SO WHAT IF WE EARMARKED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR A PILOT BASED ON THE PILOT THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE.
SO BASED ON RESULTS OF THAT, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE IMPLEMENT IN OUR REGULAR BUDGET OR IN OUR REGULAR, UH, PROGRAM FROM THAT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT WE AT LEAST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OR TO DO SOMETHING ELSE OR TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE A LITTLE BIT MORE THROUGH A DIFFERENT PILOT PROGRAM.
SO MAYBE IT'S NOT THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PILOT PROGRAM I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT A PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S MAYBE, UH, NONDESCRIPT AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE, WE COULD ALSO DO THAT FOR A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS SUCH AS, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, UM, ARTS AND CULTURE, INFRASTRUCTURE, ANIMAL CARE.
LOOK AT SOME SOLUTIONS THAT WE MAY NOT NORMALLY BE ABLE TO DURING A BUDGET YEAR BUDGET FOR FIVE, SIX PILOT PROGRAMS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO, THREE YEARS, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ARPA FUNDED PILOT PROGRAMS THAT WILL INFORM OUR BUDGET AND INFORM OUR, YOU KNOW, THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK THIS ARPA IS A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN THAT WE CAN DO THINGS THAT WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY BE ABLE TO DO DURING A REG REGULAR YEAR.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY, IT'D BE A MISSED AND WASTED OPPORTUNITY NOT TO TRY SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? I WAS GONNA SAY, COUNCILMAN, DEPENDING ON THE STUDY THAT THE, THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING, THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY EXPLORE THAT.
UM, YES, WE CAN USE IT FOR STUDIES AS PART OF OUR PROVISION OF GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES.
I'M LOOKING AT VERONICA, SHE'S OUR EXPERT ON THE, ON THE GUIDELINES.
UH, AND THEN WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK SPECIFIC, UM, IDEAS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
THE ONLY THING I, I'LL ADD, COUNCILMAN, IS THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IN THESE AREAS, UM, THAT WE INCLUDE OUR STAKEHOLDERS, LIKE THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND RAC TO HELP US THINK THROUGH THESE THINGS BETTER BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THEIR CORE BUSINESS.
BUT, UM, THAT'S CERTAIN CERTAINLY THAT WE COULD TALK TO 'EM ABOUT.
AND I THINK WHERE I MEAN TO GO WITH IT IS THAT ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE BRAINS, THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD NORMALLY BE MAKING DECISIONS, LET'S GIVE THEM SOME FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN DO SOMETHING THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO.
UM, SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, AND I'M GOING THERE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET SEASON, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT UP DEMOLITIONS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT AND, UM, TRENDS THAT LEAD INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, DISPLACEMENT.
AND RECENTLY THE STUDY CAME OUT AND THERE WAS A BIT OF SCRAMBLING FROM THE MEDIA, FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, FROM CITY STAFF.
AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE IN THAT PLACE AGAIN.
IF WE SEE THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITY NEEDS, THERE'S PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT ISSUES.
LET'S, LET'S TRY TO BE AHEAD OF THOSE.
LET'S USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
[02:45:02]
THANK YOU MAYOR.UM, I WANTED TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR COUNCILMAN KURT'S SUGGESTION OF, UH, POTENTIALLY USING ARTS FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY.
UM, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE LOCAL 23 IN THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE CURRENT SYMPHONY LEADERSHIP HAS CUT HEALTHCARE FOR THE MUSICIANS.
SO I THINK WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS AROUND SYMPHONY FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL 23 IS, UH, INVITED TO THAT CONVERSATION AS A STAKEHOLDER.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK TO MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, I WOULD LIKE THE COMMITMENT OF A MEETING WITH, UM, CHIEF MCMANUS AND THE CITY TO DISCUSS THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DUE TO THE CASELOAD, IT'S TAKING ONE TO THREE DAYS FOR A MENTAL HEALTH UNIT, UH, TO DO OUTREACH TO FOLKS IN CRISIS.
AND I THINK IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BUILD CAPACITY WITH ARPA DOLLARS THROUGH, UM, THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE EXPLORING.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION, ERIC, UM, UH, ON THIS PREMIUM PAY IS SAS AND C P S GONNA BE OFFERING PREMIUM PAY WHO WERE OUT THERE AS WELL? UM, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, SIR.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, LET ME, LET ME WRAP UP WITH A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO JUMP IN BEFORE I DO, UM, ERIC AND MARIA, VERONICA.
SO WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THE FIRST TRANCHE OF DOLLARS, UH, TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS EVERY OTHER JURISDICTION THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED.
ARPA DOLLARS HAS, RIGHT? WHEN IS THE NEXT TRANCHE BEING DEPOSITED? MAY OF 22.
THAT'S IN THE CURRENT ACT? YES.
SO THE REASON WHY I BRING THIS UP IS THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE APPROPRIATED, BUT THEY'RE NOT GIVEN.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO CAUTION US ALL AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE ALLOCATIONS OF THE DOLLARS TO THINK ABOUT THE IG REPORT THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SUBMIT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THERE IS ALWAYS THE THREAT OF THE NEXT CONGRESS CLAWING BACK DOLLARS IF THEY SEE EXPENDITURES THAT WERE NOT IN LINE WITH THE, WITH THE GUIDANCE.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FITS WITHIN THE GUIDANCE OF THE ARPA, UM, ARPA LANGUAGE AND THAT WE'LL BE CONTINUED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT WITH RESPECT.
AND, AND THIS IS WHERE I'M GETTING TO WITH RESPECT TO THE PREMIUM PAY.
I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING.
UM, IS BEAR COUNTY, UH, GOING TO BE OFFERING, UH, PREMIUM PAY AS WELL? UH, I'M NOT, I'M, I DON'T KNOW.
IT, IT IS SURPRISING TO ME THAT THERE'S ONLY TWO CITIES ON THAT NATIONALIST.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU SELECTED THE, THE, UM, LIST.
VERONICA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT.
THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ALLOCATED PREMIUM PAY AND UM, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ALSO DID THAT OR HAVE ALLOCATED PREMIUM PAY, NOT ONLY WITH ARPA, THEY'VE DONE IT WITH KRISA.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY CAN PROVIDE YOU OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THAT.
WE, WE ONLY LOOKED AT THE MAJOR CITIES MAYOR.
VERONICA MENTIONED KILLEEN, TEXAS DID IT, BUT OKAY.
WELL, I MEAN, I THINK OUR PEERS ARE GONNA BE THE MAJOR CITIES, THE LARGER CITIES, SAME SIMILAR POPULATIONS AND, AND UM, OBLIGATIONS.
UM, BUT IT IS ALSO SURPRISING THAT THERE'S NOT A CITY IN TEXAS THAT, UH, THAT WE ARE COMPARED TO THAT'S OFFERED PREMIUM PAY.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT EVERY SINGLE CITY JURISDICTION VALUES THEIR EMPLOYEES AS MUCH AS WE DO.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY SOMETHING GOING ON THERE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO, THAT THAT THEY'RE ARE ALLOCATING DOLLARS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE HAZARDS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH.
AND MAYBE IT'S NOT THROUGH NECESSARILY A PREMIUM PAY, BUT IT'S SOME, SOME SORT OF BENEFIT SYSTEM THAT'S BEING ESTABLISHED THAT MAYBE HAS MORE, UM, MAYBE MORE IMMEDIATE BUT CERTAINLY LONGER TERM IMPACT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN KIND OF LOOK INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE AND KIND OF EXAMINE WHAT ARE THE OTHER CITIES DOING? YEAH.
TO HELP ACCOUNT FOR THE HAZARDS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH.
I I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT INFORMATION FOR THE COUNCIL TO SEE BECAUSE, UH, VERONICA HAS BEEN COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION.
WE JUST LOOKED AT AN EMAIL THE OTHER DAY, THE REPORT FROM CORPUS CHRISTI AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND IT'S PRIMARILY ALL INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, SO WE CAN COMPILE THAT MAYOR AND THEN GIVE THAT TO THE COUNSELOR WITH THE HOLIDAYS.
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST TO SEE SOME MORE OPTIONS, UH, ON, ON, ON HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
'CAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT UNIFORM POLICE AND FIRE, I MEAN EVERY SINGLE DAY IS A HAZARD PAY DAY FOR THEM, RIGHT? UM, AND IT'S HARD TO DECIPHER 5,900 EMPLOYEES OR THE OTHER, THE OTHERS THAT DON'T FIT IN THAT.
I MEAN, HOW ARE WE DETERMINING WHO'S GETTING A $500 CHECK VERSUS A THOUSAND DOLLARS CHECK? DOES IT NEED
[02:50:01]
TO BE SOME OTHER KIND OF BENEFIT ACCOUNTING FOR ALL THE HAZARDS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH? THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST THING.THE SECOND THING IS JUST TO RESET.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO BRASS TACKS, I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF MORGAN'S.
I MEAN, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO.
UM, THAT'S NOT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING TODAY.
UM, AND SO JUST, JUST TO RESET WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS, ERIC, UH, WHICH I AGREE WITH, AND IT WAS ON THE SLIDE, WHAT YOUR, YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS OF VERONICA IS THAT WE LOOK AT THE BUCKETS OF DOLLARS IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND THEN, UH, IMPACT IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE 33, 30 $5 MILLION ALLOCATION TO IMMEDIATE NEEDS, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BANK.
IF AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOPEFULLY THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, BUT THE NEXT CONGRESS SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT SENDING THE SECOND CHECK.
WE WANT TO DEAL WITH IMMEDIATE NEEDS FIRST.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSED ON MOST, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY PRIORITIZING.
THE SECOND PART IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING, UH, WITH BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS WITHIN THE ARTS COMMUNITY, FOR INSTANCE.
'CAUSE THERE ARE IMMEDIATE NEEDS IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL ON THAT, BUT WHERE CAN WE HAVE TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT? UM, WHERE CAN WE HAVE TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT ON SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH, FOR OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY, FOR ALL THE OTHER, UM, ASPECTS OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BRING THIS COMMUNITY BACK TO LIFE LONG TERM.
THOSE ARE WHERE THE, IM IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS.
AND, AND THERE THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT, WELL, EVERYTHING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SAYING HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
LET'S NOT FORGET THOUGH, THAT WE ALREADY SPENT $97 MILLION OF THE FIRST CHECK THAT WAS IN OUR F Y 22 BUDGET.
THOSE ARE THE MOST IMMEDIATE OF THE MOST IMMEDIATE NEEDS, HUMAN SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTHCARE, ET CETERA.
SO I THINK THIS IS A SOUND RECOMMENDATION IN TERMS OF THE BUCKETS.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO A PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN BEST DIRECT ALLOCATION TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MORGANS AND OTHERS, UM, AND MAYBE SOME LONG-TERM, UH, INVESTMENTS TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT THE, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY, JUST TO AGAIN, OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, I AGREE WITH THOSE BIG BUCKETS THAT YOU'VE SENT UP.
AND, AND, UH, FOR THE OTHER STUFF, WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME MORE PROCESS AND THEN, AND THEN SOME MORE INFORMATION AS WELL.
SO, UM, IF THAT'S IT, UH, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION TO START US OFF.
UH, AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS ONE OF MANY OTHER ELEMENTS OF A BIGGER PIE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO USE TO STAND UP OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND GET US HEALTHIER.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, START THE STRONGEST, UH, ECONOMIC COMEBACK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OUR GENERATION.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING.
WE NEED YOUR HELP AT THE TABLE.
SO WITH THAT, THE TIME IS 3:08 PM ON THIS NINTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2021.