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FOCUS ON THE HERE AND ANTONIO.
[ PROCEDURAL ]
MORNING EVERYONE.IF I CAN PLEASE ASK YOU TO CHA UH, TAKE YOUR SEATS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
THE TIME IS 9:19 AM ON THIS 10TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2022.
WE'LL CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION TO ORDER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
AND AGAIN, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
I KNOW THERE'S, UH, SOME TROUBLE ON THE HIGHWAY TO GETTING IN TODAY.
UH, BUT TO START US OFF THIS MORNING, LET ME TURN THE FLOOR TO COUNCIL MEMBER KEVE HDA TO WELCOME OUR IN VINDICATOR.
IS OFFICER RON BROWN IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY? OKAY.
UH, WELL, TODAY, UH, WE HAVE, UH, JOHN IC.
HE'S GONNA HELP US WITH OUR INVOCATION.
IS ARE WE READY FOR THAT? OKAY.
UM, JOHN, UH, WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER IN JANUARY, 2016.
HE HAS OVERSIGHT OF THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION IN SMART CITIES AND PROVIDES EXECUTIVE LEVEL SUPPORT TO THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER.
PRIOR TO HIS APPOINTMENT, MR. PETRIK SERVED FOR FOUR YEARS AS SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGE MANAGER IN THE OFFICE OF, OF THE CITY MANAGER.
IN THIS CAPACITY, HE ORGANIZED AND MANAGED WEEKLY CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS AND MONTHLY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDAS.
HE BEGAN WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SUPPORTING THE COUNCIL AGENDA PROCESS.
IN THAT OFFICE, MR. PETTER CAME TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WITH OVER SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PRIVATE AND NONPROFITS PROFIT PROFIT SECTOR FROM 2007 TO 2 0 0 9.
HE SERVED AS A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER TRAINING TEACHERS AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS IN RURAL AREAS OF BELIZE AND TI.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL CONNECTION 'CAUSE MR. PETTER IS ALSO CZECH, LIKE, UH, MY HUSBAND, UM, THEY'VE HOVERED TO MY COVEO.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. PETTER.
COUNCILWOMAN, IF YOU PLEASE JOIN ME.
IF YOU BOW YOUR HEADS IN PRAYER.
ALMIGHTY GOD AND HEAVENLY FATHER, PLEASE SEND DOWN UPON THESE WHO HOLD OFFICE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM, CHARITY AND JUSTICE.
AND THAT WITH STEADFAST PURPOSE, THEY MAY FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEIR OFFICES TO PROMOTE THE WELLBEING OF ALL PEOPLE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
ALRIGHT, TO, UM, BEFORE WE START, UH, INTO OUR FULL AGENDA TODAY, ACTUALLY OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF JANUARY 13TH AND 26TH AND 27TH.
UM, ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES IS READ ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE AND WE'LL TAKE A VOICE VOTE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER S.
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MOTION CARRIES.WELL, AS YOU KNOW, UH, FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND WE ARE HONORED IN SAN ANTONIO TO BE, UM, WITNESS TO A VERY IMPORTANT HISTORY, A COMPLETE HISTORY, AND TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR BLACK COMMUNITY.
WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT EVERY TIME WE CONVENE HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, TODAY IN HONOR OF THE MONTH, WE HAVE THREE LOCAL BLACK HISTORY MAKERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED, UH, TO OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL FABRIC.
AND SO I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE NOW OUR ARTISTS.
AND THAT IS ANDREA VOCAB SANDERSON, WHO IS OUR POET LAUREATE, AS WELL AS SAN ANTONIO BALLET SCHOOL FOUNDER AND BALLERINA DANIELLE STEINS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SOMEONE YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, ALDRICK DOW, WHO IS A SAN ANTONIO ARTIST, SCULPTURIST, AND WHO RECENTLY, UH, PLACED THE, UH, SPHERES OF REFLECTION IN M L K PARK, A BEAUTIFUL NEW PUBLIC ART PIECE.
SO, UH, LET ME RECOGNIZE OUR ARTISTS AND ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD, UH, IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE, I GUESS MR. DOW, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT AROUND REAL QUICK SO EVERYONE CAN KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT IT.
I'M A PORTRAIT PAINTER, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN AFRICAN AMERICAN PORTRAITS.
UH, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LACK OF REPRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY IN VISUAL ARTS, UH, WHICH IS WHAT I PORT, UH, SPECIALIZE IN.
AND I FEEL LIKE FOR ME, MY JOB IS GONNA BE PUTTING THESE THINGS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO PUT THESE REPRESENTATIONS IN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES SO THAT WHEN YOUNGER FOLKS SEE IT, LIKE, I WAS INSPIRED WHEN I SEEN A, A PAINTING AT A MUSEUM AND IT WAS A HUGE PAINTING OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, WHICH GOT ME ON TRACK TO WANTING TO DO THE SAME THING, RIGHT? SO I WORKED WITH THE CITY, UH, THE CITY ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT TO HUGE HELP IN MAKING THE SCULPTURE HAPPEN.
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING AS THIS.
HERE IT IS A HUGE SCULPTURE WITH, UH, BROWN FACE AND LARGE HAIR SPHERES.
KING'S, UH, IDEOLOGY, RIGHT? UM, BUT IT'S ABOUT REPRESENTATION.
IT'S ABOUT THESE KIDS AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WALKING UP AND SEEING SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM ON SUCH A HUGE PEDESTAL, RIGHT? THAT BRINGS A CONFIDENCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I DEDICATE MY ART TO.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF YOUR WORK.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
I HAVE WITH ME JET CRADDICK, WHO IS AN AMAZING SINGER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER, INSTRUMENTALIST, VOCALIST.
AND YOU ALL HEARD ABOUT DANIELLE.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO A SONG CALLED ACTION OR APATHY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS INSTITUTION, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FOUNDATION, THAT ACTION OR APATHY.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU TAKE ACTION AND WE'RE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
WILL MY VOICE ARTICULATE? WILL MY HANDS RECIPROCATE? WILL MY MIND WILL, WILL I MAKE HIS FAN SWAY TO THE SONATA OF SITTING, STILL ESCAPE TO THE PACE OF PROCRASTINATION? FREE WILL.
THE MOVEMENT REQUIRES FAITH IN SHED.
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WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.REMAINING A STATE OR CREATION IS MY OWN TO CHILL.
IF I GOT TO, WILL I, WILL I WAIT? THE ENERGY CRESCENDOS LIKE RESONANCE DREAMS AS I REFLECT ON MY TANGIBLE OFFER, RAISE TO THE UNIVERSE BEFORE THE MORNING LIGHT DISPERSES FROM MY CLOUDY EYES, BECAUSE LATELY THEY'VE BEEN PRECIPITATING CROWD FOR HELP.
I NEGLECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN LIFE, SIMPLY NOT AFFORDING MYSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
THE PRESENT REQUIRES ACTIONS TO ADDRESS MY NEEDS.
THE EMOTION OF APATHY BE SO COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AGGRESSIVE ACTION IS THE MOST DISRUPTIVE FORCE WAKING BENEATH MY SKIN.
BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND, LET THE GROWTH BEGIN.
TOUCHING DOWN YOU ARE A ROARING REVOLUTION.
THANK YOU, ANDREA, JED, AND DANIELLE.
LET'S GIVE 'EM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WELL, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU TO COME UP AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SONG, UH, VOCAB, IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
UM, SOMETIMES I THINK THE ART SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, BUT PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE 2020 THROUGH.
'CAUSE YOU ALREADY SANITIZED IT.
UH,
AND I SPENT THAT SEASON CREATING VIDEO VIGNETTES.
UH, IT WAS CALLED THE BREATHE SERIES.
EACH LETTER OF THE WORD BREATHE REPRESENTED, UH, A WHOLE PIECE IN A VIGNETTE.
B BEING, THANK YOU, B BURDEN, R, RAIN, E, ELIJAH, MCLEAN, T TETHERED ATTENTION.
LET'S SEE WHERE AT, UH,
I, I THINK I SKIPPED A, UH, ACTION OR APATHY.
AND IT'S THIS IDEA DURING THIS SEASON THAT WE'VE BEEN COMING THROUGH.
EVERY DAY YOU'RE CONFRONTED WITH A DECISION.
ARE YOU GOING TO STAND UP AND ACTUALIZE PURPOSE, MOVE FORWARD AND DO SOMETHING? OR ARE YOU GOING TO BE COMPLACENT AND APATHETIC TOWARDS MOVING FORWARD AND NOT MOVING? AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE THOSE MOMENTS.
WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS TO MAKE.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE HERE, YOU, YOU'RE ENGAGED, RIGHT? SO, AND YOU CARE ABOUT THAT.
SO I APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING, BUT JUST EVERY DAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THOSE DECISIONS TO MAKE.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE SPACE TO SPEAK ON IT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, ALSO TO ALDRICK, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING IN THIS MORNING, UH, AND GIVING US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT ART DOES FOR A COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OURS IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK, UH, NOT TO JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, A FITTING WAY TO START OUR SESSION TODAY IS WE ALSO RESTORE THE PUBLIC ART COMPONENT OF OUR, OUR BOND PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, UH, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
WE DO HAVE A BIG AGENDA TODAY, THOUGH, SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET ME GET INTO IT.
UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM, EXCUSE ME, TWO ITEMS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AS ONE, UH, FOR, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
THE REST OF THE ITEMS APPEAR ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I DO WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT A FEW ITEMS HAVE BEEN
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PULLED AND WILL NOT BE, UH, CONSIDERED TODAY.THOSE ARE ITEMS 23, 24, 26, AND 28.
UM, SO BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET ME ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO HERE INDIVIDUALLY.
I HAVE A 22 MAYOR, SIX ITEM 22, PLEASE.
ANY OTHERS? I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT 13 D.
WE'LL DO THAT AS SOON AS WE GET TO THE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY OTHER ITEMS BESIDES FOUR, FIVE, AND 22? IF
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.SECOND, I DIDN'T HAVE YOU OKAY.
WE'LL DO THAT RIGHT AFTER CONSENT.
SO LET ME ASK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO MADE THE MOTION TO RE-ARTICULATE THAT.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND A SECOND BY COURAGE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT IS THE MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAY FOR FOUR OR FIVE.
AND THEN THOSE THAT WERE WITHDRAWN, 23, 24, 26, 28, AND ALSO 22 THAT WOULD BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY.
THERE ARE CITIZENS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT REMAIN ON CONSENT.
AND ACTUALLY THERE'S ONE, SO LET ME CALL HIM UP NOW.
YES, MR. MAYOR, I, I SAID I, I'LL JUST SPEAK ON, UH, ONE TIME FOR THIS BLOCK OF ITEMS RIGHT HERE.
THE, UH, MR. MAYOR NURENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
YES, I WAS LOOKING AT THOSE ITEMS. UM, JUST A BLOCK OF ITEMS AT THE END OF THE, UH, UH, AGENDA TODAY.
AND, UH, BASICALLY IT SAYS, WAS IT SAY, WELL, TYPICALLY IT SAYS A RESO RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE 2022 COMPETITIVE HOUSING TAX CREDITS PROGRAM FOR THE, OH, TAKE YOUR PICK HERE.
CLOUD HAVEN APARTMENTS DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT, UH, RAINBOW DRIVING COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, OR, UM, SILVER OAKS DEVELOPMENT IN NEAR SILVER OAKS IN BRAZIL DRIVING DISTRICT NINE.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS FOR SO-CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AS I HAVE DETERMINED, AND MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW ALREADY AND WON'T ADMIT TO, IS THE FACT IS A CODE WORD FOR, UH, WELFARE HOUSING.
AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T DO MY QUESTION TO MR. COURAGE AND TO MR. PERRY AND, AND, UH, OTHER MEMBERS WHO DISTRICTS ARE AFFECTED.
UM, MS. HDA, DO YOU REALLY WANT WELFARE HOUSING IN YOUR DISTRICTS LIKE THIS? UH, YOU, I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THE EFFECTS ARE LONG TERM FOR PEOPLE WHO, UH, ARE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THEIR EXPENSES, THEY RELY ON US, THE TAXPAYERS, TO, TO FILL IT IN.
I THINK, UM, I THINK YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER THAT.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO INTO DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
NOW GIVE A MOMENT FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO QUEUE UP FOR THAT, BUT WE'LL START THE DISCUSSION NOW WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, JUST HIGHLIGHTING ITEM 13 D, THE REAPPOINTMENT OF SUMMER GREATHOUSE TO THE ZONING COMMISSION.
SUMMER'S A SAN ANTONIO NATIVE AND HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE FOR 12 YEARS AND HAS SERVED AS ZONING COMMISSIONER FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT, SHE WAS ACTIVE IN MONTE VISTA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, SERVING ON THE BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS.
SHE'S A REAL ESTATE FINANCE LAWYER AT BRACEWELL, SPECIALIZING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION.
AND HER BACKGROUND GIVES HER A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO ZONING, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT ONE, WHERE WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES, PRESERVATION, PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORY AND AFFORDABILITY, UH, ARE ALL SUCH IMPORTANT ISSUES WE FACE.
UH, AND THE SURPRISE TO ME IS THAT SUMMER IS FLUENT IN SPANISH.
SHE LIVED IN BUENOS ITIS ARINA FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO THANK YOU SUMMER FOR CONTINUING TO SERVE HERE IN DISTRICT ONE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON CONSENT? COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT AN APPOINTMENT TO, UH,
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WE'VE JUST APPOINTED, UH, HANNAH GUAN FROM DISTRICT NINE, A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TO SERVE ON THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION.AND TO ME, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK IN THE CITY, LEARN, AND TO SHARE THEIR, UH, YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND HANNAH FOR STEPPING FORWARD AND WISH HER WELL ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? LET ME ALSO NOTE, UH, AN APPOINTMENT TO THE SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION ON EDUCATION, UH, LINDA LOPEZ, GEORGE, WHO'S BEEN A WONDERFUL NEIGHBOR, FRIEND, UH, AND CONSTITUENT, UH, FOR ME FOR YEARS AND FOR MANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THANK YOU, LINDA, FOR YOUR CONTINUING SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
CONTINUING ON THE SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION ON EDUCATION.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR FOUR OR 5 22.
AND THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE WITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE AND RECORD COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS AS AN AYE.
WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA NOW.
[POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ]
MAYOR, I APOLOGIZE.I HAD A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, WITH A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
AS MANY OF YOU NE KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY HAS FACED A CRITICAL BLOOD SHORTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AS HOSPITALS RAN LOW AND BLOOD DRIVES WERE CANCELED DURING THE SURGE OF THE OMICRON AND THEN THE DELTA.
AND EVEN AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF, UH, OF THIS PANDEMIC, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT PATIENTS, AND IN FACT, PEOPLE YOU PROBABLY KNOW AND LOVE, NEED LIFESAVING BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND THAT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT COMMITTED DONORS.
I PERSONALLY WANNA THANK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONATED DURING THIS TIME AND, UH, THE STAFF OF THE BLOOD BANK FOR THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE.
UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY FATHER PASSED, UH, LAST FALL.
AND, UH, WE DID FORTUNATELY HAVE HIM WITH US FOR A FEW MONTHS LONGER, THANKS TO THE MANY, MANY TRANSFUSIONS, UH, THAT WERE DONATED BY SO MANY PEOPLE, AS WELL AS, AS THE PLASMA THAT WAS DONATED THAT EXTENDED HIS LIFE.
UM, JANUARY WAS NATIONAL BLOOD DONOR AWARENESS MONTH, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THEY PARTICIPATED IN A FRIENDLY CHALLENGE, UH, TO SEE WHO COULD HOST THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BLOOD DRIVE.
AS A RESULT OF THAT COMPETITION, THE SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER COLLECTED OVER 250 UNITS OF BLOOD AND HELPING OVER 750 PATIENTS IN OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.
UH, THEY EVEN MANAGED TO RECRUIT AN INCREDIBLE 76 FIRST TIME DONORS.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR PARTICIPATING.
I KNOW THAT IN ALL THE BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE TO DO DAY TO DAY, IT'S NOT EASY TO FIT SOMETHING ELSE IN, BUT, UH, THIS TRULY SAVES LIVES.
I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO AN ORGANIZATION, UM, THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO ME BY COUNCILMAN ORGANIZATION CALLED CRICKET SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE THEY GAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT BRINGING OUT WHAT SEEMED TO BE THEIR WHOLE MEMBERSHIP TO THE DISTRICT SEVEN BLOOD DRIVE.
UM, SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ROUND, UH, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE OUT FOR BLOOD AGAIN.
SO I'D LIKE TO NOW INVITE, UH, THE TEAM FROM THE, FROM THE BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER, MISS ADRIAN MENDOZA, TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF OUR BLOOD DONATION COMPETITION.
DISTRICT SEVEN WAS OUR WINNER.
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ONE THAT REALLY KEEPS HEARTS BEATING.JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITIES OF DONORS WHO'VE STEPPED FORWARD DURING THIS TIME.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND SO DO ALL THE PATIENTS WHO COUNT ON YOU.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR STEPPING UP DURING THE BLOOD DRIVES.
THERE'S STILL A CRITICAL SHORTAGE.
UH, AND WHILE THAT SHORTAGE HAS REMAINED, WE WOULD BE IN DEEPER SHAPE IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE DONATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'M TOLD THAT THERE HAD BEEN RECORD VOLUME IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGE AND THE VOLUME NEEDED, IT STILL REMAINS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO'S CHIPPING IN ON THE BLOOD DRIVES AND DONATIONS THROUGHOUT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE.
[ACTION ITEMS FOR STAFF BRIEFING]
WE ARE NOW GONNA MOVE INTO OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. SO WE'LL START WITH ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE'S, PROJECT PARAMETERS, FUNDING CATEGORIES AND ALLOCATION AMOUNTS TO BE USED BY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THE SOLICITATION AND SELECTION PROCESS OF PROJECTS THAT SEEK FUNDING FROM THE 2022 HOUSING BOND.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS AN ORDINANCE ORDERING A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ELECTION TO BE HELD ON MAY 7TH, 2022, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ON A PROPOSED BOND ISSUE FOR STREETS, BRIDGES AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL, IMPROVEMENTS, PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE IMPROVEMENTS, LIBRARY AND CULTURAL FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY, FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS PROVIDING FOR THE CON CONDUCT OF A JOINT ELECTION AND ADDRESSING OTHER ELECTION RELATED MATTERS.
ALL YOURS, ERIC? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY, UM, IS THE, UH, FINAL PROJECT LIST AND CALL FOR THE ELECTION FOR OUR 2022 BOND PROGRAM.
SO WE'LL WALK THROUGH, UH, THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH, ALL OF US, UH, BOND PROGRAM REVISIONS, MANY OF WHICH, UH, YOU HAVE HEARD IN THE JANUARY B SESSION, AS WELL AS THE ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN LAST WEEK AS IT RELATED TO THE ARPA UH, FRAMEWORK, WALK THROUGH THE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS AND THE ELECTION CALENDAR.
BUT BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO ROD, LET ME JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN TERMS OF PROCESS.
UM, THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, UH, BEGAN, UH, IN FALL OF 2020.
AND SO FOR, UH, ALMOST A YEAR BETWEEN MEETINGS WITH DEPARTMENTS, CITY COUNCIL, UM, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, THE, THE ENTIRE SCOPE OF WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION BY THIS BODY AND ULTIMATELY PASSED ALONG TO THE VOTERS.
WE UPDATED OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN LAST SUMMER TO BE ABLE TO SCOPE THAT WITHIN, UM, OUR EXISTING TAX RATE.
UM, WE CAN AFFORD A $1.2 BILLION BOND PROGRAM, OUR LARGEST BOND PROGRAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.
UH, WE HAD MULTIPLE CITY COUNCIL INPUT MEETINGS, UH, GOING BACK TO MARCH OF 2021.
WE HAD FIVE B SESSIONS AND ONE SPECIAL SESSION.
OUR COMMUNITY BOND COMMITTEE, UM, UH, MEETINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE FALL, 163 INDIVIDUALS APPOINTED BY, UH, EACH OF YOU, UH, SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH US IN FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, FIVE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, UH, REVIEWING, UH, PROJECT, UH, UH, UH, PROPOSED PROJECT LISTS.
WE HAD, UH, 702 INDIVIDUALS, UH, 572 COMMENTS.
UM, AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED BACK TO THE COUNCIL ON JANUARY, UH, 12TH, UM, UH, 2022.
UH, THE PROJECT FINALIZATION THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS 183 PROJECTS, $1.2 BILLION.
UM, THIS PROGRAM LEVERAGES, UH, ALMOST $270 MILLION IN OUTSIDE FUNDING, WHETHER THAT'S OUR OWN STORMWATER OPERATING BUDGET, THE COUNTY OR OTHER SOURCES.
UM, THIS IS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING YESTERDAY ABOUT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, THIS IS OUR FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, UH, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE PLAN, UH, FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND, UH, WE'RE PROUD TO PRESENT THIS
[00:30:01]
TO YOU.SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO ROD, HE'LL WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, THEN I'LL WRAP IT UP.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU'RE, UH, THIS IS GONNA BE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER TODAY.
UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU SAW ON JANUARY 12TH WHEN THE BOND COMMITTEE, UH, PRESENTED TO YOU.
UH, WE MADE A A A FEW CHANGES BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT DAY FROM FROM COUNCIL.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A FEW, UH, DISTRICT CHANGES THAT WORKED COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS FROM FIVE AND 10, UH, TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, UH, WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT PROJECT.
SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND I'LL GO OVER THOSE CHANGES IN, IN DETAIL.
SO BEFORE YOU, UH, $1.2 BILLION BOND PACKAGE, THE STREETS, UH, PROPOSITION IS, UH, PROPOSED AT 472 MILLION, AND THAT CONTAINS 62 PROJECTS.
UH, THE PARKS PROPOSITION AT 272 MILLION, AND THERE'S 82 PROJECTS, AND OF COURSE THERE'S 103 MILLION IN THERE FOR THE, THE GREENWAY TRAILS.
UH, AND THEN DRAINAGE IS AT 170 MILLION, AND THAT'S AT 23 PROJECTS.
HOUSING REMAINS AT A HUNDRED AND, UH, 150 MILLION.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND THE LIBRARY AND CULTURAL FACILITIES, AND WE BREAK THOSE UP.
THERE WAS ONE COMMITTEE THAT HEARD BOTH OF THOSE.
UH, BUT FOR THE VOTERS, THERE'S TWO PROPOSITIONS.
UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY'S AT, UH, 78 MILLION, AND THERE'S SIX PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDES TWO FIRE STATIONS AND ONE POLICE SUBSTATION.
AND THEN THE, THE LIBRARY AND CULTURE FACILITIES, THERE'S NINE PROJECTS AT $58 MILLION.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO, TO LOOK AT, UH, THE BOND PACKAGE.
YOU CAN SEE THE 39% OF IT, UH, IS FOR STREETS AND BRIDGES.
AND OF COURSE THAT THAT CONTAINS THAT LARGE AMOUNT FOR THE GREENWAY TRAILS AND DRAINAGE AT 14%.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW, UH, THE OTHER PROPOSITIONS LAY OUT, UH, IN THIS PIE CHART.
AND, AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS, IS THIS BOND IS REALLY ABOUT, UH, THE DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A, OUTTA THE 183 PROJECTS, 153 OF THOSE ARE DISTRICT PROJECTS.
THOSE ARE PROJECTS WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT.
742 MILLION OF THE 1.2 BILLION ARE DISTRICT PROJECTS.
SO THIS, THIS BOND PACKAGE IS VERY MUCH ABOUT YOUR DISTRICTS AND, AND, AND THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS THAT, THAT YOU'VE ASKED US TO INCLUDE IN IT REGIONAL PROJECTS.
THERE'S, THERE'S NINE OF THOSE.
EVERYTHING FROM HEMISPHERE, WE HAVE, UH, PORT SA, UH, SYDNEY BROOKS, TEXAS, A AND M U T S A, AND TOWER OF AMERICAS.
AND OF COURSE, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE 13 REGIONAL CENTERS.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT DISTINGUISHES, UH, THEM AS REGIONAL PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE CITYWIDE PROJECTS.
THESE ARE UNIQUE, UH, PLACES WHERE THE ENTIRE CITY COMES, UH, TO ENJOY THEM, SUCH AS THE BOTANICAL CENTER, THE ZOO, UH, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
WE DO HAVE SOME CITYWIDE BIKE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE, UH, GET THE BIKE MASTER PLAN APPROVED.
WE WILL HAVE DOLLARS IN HERE TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THAT.
AND THERE'S SOME MONEY IN HERE FOR THE CITYWIDE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND OF COURSE, THE GREENWAY TRAILS, AS ERIC MENTIONED, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS BOND IS, IS 1.2, UH, BILLION, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, 269 MILLION.
SO IT'S ALMOST A HUNDRED AND OR 1.5 BILLION IN, IN CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND HOUSING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE, UH, THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS, EVERYTHING FROM ARPA, UH, THAT YOU CONSIDERED LAST WEEK, WHERE YOU PUT 10 MILLION FOR F STREETS, UH, AND 3.8 FOR OUR CITYWIDE BRIDGE PROGRAM.
THERE'S MONEY IN HERE FOR, FOR TXDOT AT 10 MILLION.
UH, BEXAR COUNTY, YOU KNOW, 83.7 MILLION FOR THE GREENWAY TRAILS.
UH, THERE'S SOME MONEY IN HERE FOR SOME DRAINAGE PROJECTS AS WELL.
SO 93 MILLION FROM BEXAR COUNTY, UH, FROM THE TURS, UH, 113 MILLION.
UH, SO A GOOD PORTION COMING FROM HOUSTON, THE MIDTOWN, HOUSTON STREET, INNER CITY, AND WEST SIDE TERRAS.
AND OUR REGIONAL STORMWATER FUND IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING ABOUT 38 MILLION, UH, FOR SIX DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, UH, THIS PACKAGE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE THAT, UH, WAS PROPOSED TO YOU BY THE, UH, BOND COMMITTEES ON JANUARY 12TH.
YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE, THE, THE TWO MAJOR, MAJOR CHANGES.
UH, WHEN THE COMMITTEE BROUGHT IT TO YOU, THEY WERE RECOMMENDING THAT WE FUND FIRE STATION 33.
UH, THEY HAD 10 MILLION IN THERE FOR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
THAT'S, THAT DOES NOT FULLY FUND A, A FIRE STATION AT $10 MILLION.
SO WE DIDN'T WANNA PUT A PARTIALLY FUNDED PROJECT ON THE BOND.
IT JUST, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT GOOD, GOOD PRACTICE TO DO THAT.
'CAUSE THEN WE HAD TO GO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE, THE REST OF IT'S COMING FROM.
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HAVE ADJUSTED, WE'VE WORKED WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON THIS ONE.WE'VE REDUCED ONE OF OUR STREET PROJECTS BY 2.5, SO WE CAN FULLY FUND, UH, FIRE STATION 33.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE.
AND THE OTHER CHANGE, THIS IS A BIG CHANGE.
WHEN, WHEN, UH, THE BOND COMMITTEES CAME TO YOU AND PRESENTED THEIR PROPOSAL, UH, THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE HAD ZEROED OUT ARTS.
SO THERE'S NO MONEY, UH, IN THE DRAINAGE PROPOSITION FOR ARTS.
AND THE PARKS COMMITTEE HAD REDUCED IT FROM 1.5 TO 1%.
UH, AND WE HEARD, YOU KNOW, PRETTY, PRETTY MUCH CONSISTENTLY FROM THIS COUNCIL THAT YOU WANTED TO RESTORE ARTS AT 1.5%.
SO WORKING WITH ARPA, WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK 3.8 MILLION FROM THE CITYWIDE BRIDGE PROGRAM.
WE TOOK IT OUT OF THE BOND, AND WE, WE ADDED THAT TO, TO THE ARTS TO RESTORE THEM AT 1.5%.
AND THAT, UH, CITYWIDE THE 3.8, UH, FROM ARPA, YOU KNOW, WE WILL FULLY FUND THE, UH, THE CITYWIDE BRIDGE PROGRAM.
SO TOTAL WE'LL HAVE 5 MILLION FOR THE CITYWIDE BRIDGE PROGRAM, UH, 1.2 FOR THE BOND, AND 3.8 FROM ARPA.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE BALANCE OF THE 3.8 WILL GO TO BRING OUR BACK UP TO 1.5% FOR THOSE FIVE PROPOSITIONS.
SO, UH, AS I, AS I MENTIONED, UH, FOR THE FIRE STATION, WE TOOK IT FROM THE SOUTH BRAZOS, UH, STREET PROJECT.
WE REDUCED THAT BY 2.5 MILLION.
SO THAT, THAT PROJECT IS NOW AT 7.5 AND THE FIRE STATION'S AT 12.5.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CITYWIDE BRIDGE PROGRAM THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
UH, WE REDUCED THAT BY 3.8 AND RESTORED THE ARC.
AND THEN BELOW THAT, THESE ARE THOSE DISTRICT PROJECTS THAT, THAT WE WORKED WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON.
SHE HAD A DRAINAGE PROJECT, UH, THE CUMBERLAND ROAD PROJECT, UH, AFTER, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND, AND WORKING WITH HER, HER BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN HER DISTRICT, SHE DECIDED THAT SHE WANTED TO INCLUDE THE FRIO CITY PROJECT R RATHER THAN THE CUMBERLAND ROAD PROJECT.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH COUNCILMAN PERRY.
UH, WE REDUCED, UH, HIS DISTRICT, UH, GREENWAY TRAILS, UH, BY 3 MILLION.
AND WE ADDED, UH, A MILLION TO A, TO A DRAINAGE STUDY FOR NEW BROWNFIELD STREET.
YOU KNOW, FOR DESIGN OF THAT PROJECT, WE ADDED TO A MILLION FOR THE FOX WIND DRAINAGE, UH, CHANNELIZATION PROJECT, AND WE ADDED A MILLION FOR THE DESIGN OF THE JONES MOSSBERG ROAD PROJECT.
SO, SO THOSE ARE THE CHANGES, UH, FROM THE JANUARY 12TH MEETING THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU TODAY.
SO, PROJECT, UH, DELIVERY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEARD ALSO ON JANUARY 12TH FROM COUNCIL THAT, UH, YOU WANTED US TO, TO WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES THAT ALSO HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS TO, SO WE CAN LAYER THE BENEFITS.
UH, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER ASSOCIATION OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UH, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS, IS, IS BRING TOGETHER ALL OF THESE, ALL OF THESE AGENCIES THAT HAVE THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND, AND CREATE A, A COORDINATION COMMITTEE SO THAT WE'LL BRING OUR BOND PROJECTS, THEY'LL BRING THEIR CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND, AND WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO MAXIMIZE THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET ADDITIONAL BENEFITS BY PERHAPS WORKING TOGETHER ON THESE PROJECTS.
SO WE WILL BE FORMING THIS COMMITTEE, UH, UPON, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS APPROVING THIS BOND PACKAGE AND, AND WORKING WITH OUR, OUR DIFFERENT, UH, AGENCY PARTNERS TO DO THIS.
AND, AND THERE WAS A MEMO THAT, UH, RAZZI SENT, UH, TO ERIC EARLIER THIS WEEK TALKING ABOUT THIS, UH, PROCESS.
SO JUST IN SUMMARY, UH, WHAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO IS, IS APPROVE THE FINAL LIST THAT WE WILL PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS, AND WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CALL THE ELECTION ON MAY THE SEVENTH.
SO HERE'S THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS, OF, OF THINGS TO COME.
THE NEXT TIME YOU WILL SEE US IS, UH, WHEN DEBBIE WILL BE BRINGING YOU THE AGREEMENT WITH BEXAR COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE, UH, FOR, FOR THAT ELECTION.
UH, VOTER REGISTRATION STARTS ON APRIL THE SEVENTH.
UH, EARLY VOTING WILL TAKE PLACE FROM APRIL, UH, 25TH THROUGH MAY 3RD.
AND OF COURSE, ELECTION DAY IS, UH, MAY 7TH.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM ON THAT SLIDE, I JUST BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, WE HAVE A 15 MEMBER BOND OVERSIGHT COMMISSION.
SO UPON, UH, VOTERS APPROVING, UH, THIS PACKAGE, UH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU TO, UH, REAPPOINT, UH, MEMBERS FOR THAT 15 MEMBER COMMISSION.
UH, SO THEY CAN OVERSEE THIS PROCESS.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY ARM WHERE, WHERE THEY, THEY REVIEW, UH, THE STATUS OF THE PROJECTS AND HOW THEY'RE GOING AND, AND THEY MAKE REPORTS BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU, UH, AFTER THAT AND ASKING, UH, YOU TO APPOINT THOSE MEMBERS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT, UH, BACK OVER TO ERIC TO CLOSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE GET VERY FOCUSED ON THE PROJECTS AND THE DETAILS, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE
[00:40:01]
PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND, AND WHAT IS IT THAT THAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY? 53% OF THIS PROGRAM IS, IS DEDICATED TO STREET AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.UM, IT INCLUDES 21 PLANNED NEW MILES ON THE LINEAR CREEK GREENWAY TRAILS TO ACCOMPANY THE 24 MILES THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE FUNDING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
IT HAS $15.7 MILLION IN PUBLIC ART THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ADJUST BASED ON THE COUNCIL'S ACTION LAST WEEK WITH ARPA.
UM, IT WILL, THIS PROGRAM WILL IMPROVE 30% OF OUR PARKS AND, UH, INCLUDES NINE NEW PARKS FOR OUR CITY AND THE BOND PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A FIRST EVER $150 MILLION INVESTMENT IN HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR TRANSITION INDIVIDUALS, UM, MOVING THEM FROM THE STREET TO PERMANENT HOUSING, UH, WITH A FOCUS ON OLDER HOMES, UH, HIGH RATES OF EVICTION AND HOUSING AT THE RISK OF, OF BEING DEMOLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
AND THAT'S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HUGE PRIORITY OF THE COUNCILS.
WE HAVE $68 MILLION IN RENOVATIONS AT MUNICIPAL FACILITIES THAT WE ALL HAVE HAD PLENTY OF DISCUSSION ABOUT.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH.
THE CITY'S NOT DONE ENOUGH OVER THE LAST 20 OR 30 YEARS TO MAINTAIN FACILITIES.
SO I'M, I'M PROUD OF THE, THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE $65 MILLION IN NEW CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES, CITY FACILITIES TO INCLUDE THREE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, TWO FIRE STATIONS AND A POLICE SUBSTATION.
AND, AND, AND AS ROD POINTED OUT, WE'RE LEVERAGING ALMOST $270 MILLION IN OTHER DOLLARS TO HELP US WITH THIS INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
SO OUR KEY TAKEAWAYS, THIS IS A HISTORIC INVESTMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, THIS IS REALLY OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO LEVERAGE AND POTENTIALLY USE THIS AS WE MAKE A CASE FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS, UH, WITH MORE THAN $6 BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
THIS IS STILL OUR LARGEST BOND PROGRAM EVER THAT WE'LL BRING BEFORE THE VOTE VOTERS.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, THERE'S NO PROJECTED INCREASE IN THE CITY'S TAX RATE.
UM, SO WE'RE BEING, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AND OUR MODELING, UM, BASED ON OUR OWN FINANCIAL ABILITY, UM, AND ARE CONFIDENT, UM, OF THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY SELECTED THESE PROJECTS, RIGHT? WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF MACHINATIONS AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND THE B SESSIONS WITH THE COUNCIL.
WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, UH, MORE SO THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE IN ANY OTHER BOND PROGRAM.
AND SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE, THE COMMUNITY SELECTED THESE PROGRAMS, THESE PROJECTS, AND, AND ON MAY 7TH, THE VOTERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE, UH, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, UM, WHAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN IS GOING FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR COUNCIL, I WANNA THANK, UM, UH, EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AS WE'VE TALKED BEFORE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE SEEM TO BE DOING A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY DO.
UM, ARPA, COVID BOND PROGRAMS, REDISTRICTING, AND, UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION, THE DETAIL AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THIS, UH, ALL THE WAY BACK TO LAST SUMMER.
AND I WANNA THANK, UM, THE STAFF, THE CITY STAFF WHO IN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND PRIMARILY WITH RAZZIE, UH, AND HIS DEPARTMENT AND JESSICA, UM, HAVE BEEN WORKING THIS PROGRAM TO GET IT TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT TODAY IS A MILESTONE EVENT, AND I WANNA THANK, UM, EACH OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STAFF THAT PARTICIPATED, AND IN PARTICULAR THE, UH, MARIA WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE, DAVID MCCAREY, WHO OVERSAW THE PARKS COMMITTEE, UH, ROD, WHO DID DOUBLE DUTY ON BOTH STREETS AND DRAINAGE, LORI, WHO OVERSAW THE, UM, HOUSING COMMITTEE, AND, UH, ANDY AND HIS TEAM WHO KIND OF COVERED US ALL AT EACH, AT EACH, UH, INTERSECTION.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, MAYOR.
UH, ROD, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW INTO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN OUR COUNCIL DELIBERATION.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE TOGETHER, SO WE'VE GOT A FAIRLY LONG LIST OF FOLKS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
LEMME START WITH JACK FINGER AND MIA LO, IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME UP NEXT.
WELL, MARIN BERG, ANOTHER OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
UM, WELL, HE WANT US TO TAKE UP BOTH OF THESE AT THE SAME TIME.
I'LL TRY AND DO, SO IT'S QUITE A BIT TO FIT IN THREE MINUTES, BUT, UH, THE BOND PROGRAM IN GENERAL, WE HAVE IT EVERY SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, SOMETIMES, UH, WE, IT'S, IT'S FRAUGHT WITH, UH, A FEW LITTLE SCANDALS OF ITS OWN, BUT, UH, THE IDEA IS THAT WE, WHY NOT GIVE THE, THE TAXPAYERS A REAL BREAK? CUT OUT THE WHOLE BOND PROGRAM IN THE FIRST PLACE AND JUST USE, ESTABLISH ALL THESE PROJECTS WITHIN OUR REGULAR
[00:45:01]
CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL BUDGET AND SAVE US ALL SOME MONEY.I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN, WAS PROPOSED 10, 20, 30 YEARS AGO, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO SAY THE TAXPAYERS, THAT KIND OF MONEY I NOTICED.
NOW ON THE, THE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE, UM, WELL, THE IDEA OF, UH, RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE'S, PROJECT PARAMETERS, FUNDING CATEGORIES AND ALLOCATION AMOUNTS TO BE USED BY THE STAFF OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE SOLICITATION AND SELECTION PROCESS OF PROJECTS THAT SEEK FUNDING FROM THE 2022 HOUSING BOND.
NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN ORDINARY LANGUAGE? THAT MEANS, UH, WHAT CATEGORIES ARE WE GOING GIVE YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO TO, UH, FOR WELFARE HOUSING? YEAH.
IN CASE YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, UH, MR. AUDIO, YOUR MAN, JUST SCROLL DOWN TO THAT UNDERLINED ITEM RIGHT THERE.
IT'S FROM THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS THERE JUST SIMPLY SAYS, IF YOU CAN, YEAH, BLOW UP THAT LITTLE UNDERLINE THAT SAYS, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IF YOU CAN READ IT THERE, THAT UNDERLINED ITEM.
NOW, NOW TURN THE PAGE OVER TO THE NEXT PAGE, IF YOU WOULD, THERE.
A LIST OF WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? UM, BASICALLY IT SAYS, UH, WHAT CATEGORIES DO YOU HAVE? UH, A M I AREA MEDIAN INCOME MEANS, UH, THE AVERAGE INCOME, AND IF IT'S 50% OF THAT, IT MEANS THE PEOPLE GET WHO HAVE INCOMES, 50% OF THE AVERAGE INCOME, THOSE WHO ARE POOR, 50% AND 30% ARE GETTING, UH, HOW MUCH? OH, 45 BILLION THERE.
UM, HARD TO READ IS KIND OF BLEACHED OUT.
30% IS GETTING, UH, WHAT IS IT, UH, TO ANOTHER 26 MILLION.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THERE IS, UH, YOU, YOU, YOU GET THE IDEA, UH, THE VARIOUS INCOMES ARE, ARE GETTING YOUR TAX DOLLARS FOR THERE WELFARE HOUSING.
SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT, MR. VIS MAN.
WHAT CATEGORIES ARE THERE MUST THESE, UH, RESERVE MUST FUNDING MUST SERVE SAN ANTONIO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, INCLUDING WHAT? THE L G B T Q PROBLEM, THE HOMOSEXUAL POPULATION.
WE HAVE, THEY, THEY GET ABOVE AVERAGE FUNDING AND THEY, UM, AND THEY'RE, BECAUSE THEY'RE COLLEGE EDUCATED, ET CETERA.
MIA SIF, FOLLOWED BY RICH ACOSTA, MIA SIF, RICH ACOSTA, YOU'LL BE NEXT.
HELLO, UM, CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS MIA LOS AND I SERVED, I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING FOR A DISTRICT TWO ON THE, UM, HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE.
UM, I'M HERE TO LARGELY EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROCESS.
UM, AS, AS STAFF HAS ALREADY KIND OF COVERED THEIR, UM, WAS EXTENSIVE PUBLIC INPUT.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOWED UP, LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, EVEN NON-PROFITS SECTORS SHOWED UP.
UM, TO COMMENT ON THIS PROCESS, UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE DECISIONS WERE MADE IN EARNEST, UM, PEOPLE TOOK THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THEIR ACCESS TO DATA.
UM, ACCESS TO DATA AND INFORMATION GIVEN TO US BY STAFF TO MAKE THE DECISION.
NO CONVERSATIONS WERE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAD A REALLY GOOD FOCUS ON DIFFERENT A M I GROUPS AND DIFFERENT SPECIFIC, UM, GROUPS OF SAN ANTONIO THAT NEED TO BE TARGETED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I DO WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO PARAMETER NUMBER THREE.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT WHEN YOU DO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE, UM, PARAMETERS, UM, I WANNA ASK THAT YOU GUYS PAY ATTENTION TO PARAMETER NUMBER THREE.
UM, IN THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD AT THE BOND COMMITTEE, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS PARAMETER AND THE PERCEIVED INTENT OF IT.
AND SO I ASKED THAT CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF, UM, JUST KIND OF TALK THROUGH THAT AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO INTERPRET THAT PARAMETER, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THIS WILL GO IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC FOR A VOTE.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON.
UM, AND THAT PARAMETER IN PARTICULAR IS ABOUT WHERE THE PROJECTS WILL GO.
AS YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING BOND DIDN'T HAVE SPECIFIC PROJECTS, SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO PERIMETER NUMBER THREE, BUT LARGELY REALLY SUPPORT THE PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF COMMUNITY, UM, AND ALL THE DISCUSSIONS AND TIME WE WE PUT INTO IT.
RICH ACOSTA, FOLLOWED BY JAMES HAMILTON.
UM, PART OF, UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR, UH, SELECTING AND TRUSTING ME TO BE PART OF THE, OF,
[00:50:01]
UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT NINE FOR THE BOND.I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR, UH, UH, RENHART AND SUE HERNANDEZ AS WELL.
THEY WERE VERY, VERY HELPFUL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS AND ENGAGED.
I WANT TO THANK KATIE, UH, VILA ON HER COMPASSION, HER LEADERSHIP, WHICH DURING HEATED DEBATE, SHE REALLY LISTENED AND FOUND COMPROMISE.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY STAFF, SARAH WAMSLEY, IAN BE DI UH, ALISON BEAVER, UM, CRYSTAL, UH, GRAFT, UH, JAMIE DAMRON, SHARON CHAN, RACHEL SMITH.
UH, THERE'S MANY MORE CITY STAFF MEMBERS THAT WERE, THAT PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER AND THEY SPENT LOTS OF WORK ON THERE.
ALL 32 BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT EACH OF YOU SELECTED, YOU MET WITH YOU APPOINTED, AND THEY CAME TOGETHER IN A CO IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
I URGE YOU NOT TO TURN YOUR BACK ON THE PUBLIC PROCESS, DO NOT BE A HYPOCRITE, AND I URGE YOU TO, TO SUPPORT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT THE DECISIONS THAT YOUR BOND REPRESENTATIVES PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THERE ARE MANY ITEMS THAT I WOULD'VE WANTED TO ADJUST AS WELL, BUT I RESPECTED THE PROCESS.
WE HAD A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, AND THAT'S WHAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS ALL ABOUT.
AND I HOPE YOU GUYS DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON WHAT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES PUT TOGETHER AND BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
SOME BORING DATA THAT I WANT TO THROW OUT TO YOU THAT I'VE SHARED WITH YOU GUYS BY EMAIL, BUT I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE IT RIGHT HERE, IS THAT WE ARE IN A DEFICIT WHEN IT COMES TO RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE OUT THERE COMPARED TO HOUSTON AND AUSTIN.
HOUSTON HAS A LARGER POPULATION THAN US.
AUSTIN HAS A SMALLER POPULATION THAN US, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION COMPARED TO RENTALS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WE ARE NOWHERE CLOSE TO EITHER OF THEM.
ACCORD, UH, WITH, UH, AND THIS IS ALL DATA.
THIS IS NOT MY CITY, IT'S MY HOME DATA.
THIS IS DATA FROM THE APARTMENT DATA.COM ORGANIZATION THAT RECENTLY PRESENTED TO SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
30, 31% AND 27% IS THE RATIOS FOR HOUSTON AND AUSTIN COMPARED TO THEIR POPULATION TO WHAT RENTALS ARE AVAILABLE.
WE ARE, WE HAVE ABOUT 209,000 RENTALS AVAILABLE IF WE WANT TO EVEN GET UP TO, UH, AUSTIN'S LEVEL, WHICH IS A LESSER PERCENTAGES OF POPULATION TO, UH, THEIR RENTALS AVAILABLE, UM, AT WHEN THEY'RE AT 27%, WE WOULD NEED TO CREATE 182,000 MORE RENTALS JUST TO CATCH UP.
18% OF OUR CURRENT RENTALS ARE LOW, ARE ARE LOW RENT, RIGHT? LOWER INCOME RENT.
THAT'S 18% OF ALL THE RENTALS THAT WE HAVE, 40% OF ALL THE RENTALS ARE OVER A THOUSAND, UH, OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KEEP THAT IN CONSIDERATION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE HERE.
MR. AIA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY BRADY ALEXANDER.
HI, MY NAME IS MARK UNA AND I'M A COMMUNITY HOUSING JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO COMMEND THE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE FOR THEIR EFFORTS LAST YEAR TO ENSURE THAT $150 MILLION OF THE HOUSING BOND GOES DIRECTLY TO TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE MAKING 30% LESS, 30% A M I OR LESS YEARLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS MADE THEIR CONCERNS, THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR DEMANDS, UH, FOR THE HOW THE CITY HOUSES US KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THE HOUSING BOND MEETINGS AND PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS IN WHICH DOZENS OF PEOPLE SPOKE SHOW THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC DESIRE TO BE INVOLVED IN HOW OUR CITY HOUSES US.
SAN ANTONIO IS A WORKING CLASS CITY.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS MADE TIME IN THEIR DAYS AND NIGHTS AFTER WORKING, TAKING TIME AWAY FROM PRESSING MATTERS AT HOME AND TAKING TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES TO DEMAND THAT THE CITY HOUSE US AND DEVOTE RESOURCES TO HELP US AND OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE IN NEED OF STABLE, ADEQUATE, AND SAFE HOUSING.
HOUSING IS AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS AN ABSOLUTE BEDROCK OF A HEALTHY SOCIETY.
THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AT THESE MEETINGS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE HALLS OF POWER IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEY DON'T INDIVIDUALLY HAVE THE EAR OF COUNCIL MEMBERS OR OTHER DECISION MAKERS IN THE CITY.
NONETHELESS, THEY TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY WERE AFFORDED AND MADE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES WERE HEARD.
BECAUSE OF THIS, WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE CITY HONOR
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THESE EFFORTS BY ENSURING THAT THE HOUSING BOND BE PRIORITIZED FOR FAMILIES MAKING 30% A M I OR LESS.AND THAT THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT AND OVERSIGHT ON HOUSING BOND PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE BOND PROCESS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. OKYA BRADY ALEXANDER.
KARA, KARA DINDA WILL BE NEXT.
I RESIDE AT 1 8 3 9 EAST PIRON 7 8 2 2 3.
I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE MISSION SAN JOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE VIA CORONADO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OUR OWN, THE HOT WELLS MISSION REACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AT THE DECEMBER, 2021 MEETING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED WORLD HERITAGE CENTER, ALL COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITY ATTENDEES WERE CRITICAL OF MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THIS PROPOSED CENTER AFTER CANVASSING INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE AREA.
THE LACK OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WAS A COMMON AND REOCCURRING THEME THIS MONDAY.
AFTER ASKING SINCE DECEMBER, WE MET WITH DISTRICT THREE AND WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE DIRECTOR COLLEEN SWAIN.
WE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS AND THE COUNCILWOMAN ASSURED US SHE WOULD GET BACK TO US.
BY NOW, WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU.
OUR SUPPORT IS CONTINGENT ON THESE NECESSARY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE WROTE A LETTER DETAILING OUR CONCERNS.
I HAVE HARD COPIES OF THE LA THAT LETTER, SINCE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEND THROUGH THE SA SPEAK UP SYSTEM, AND I WILL DISSEMINATE THOSE AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
FAILURE TO NOTIFY OR INVOLVE RELEVANT PARTIES IS UNFORTUNATELY A REOCCURRING THEME IN WORLD HERITAGE AREA ISSUES.
YESTERDAY'S PLANNING HEARING WHERE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MISSION, HERITAGE PARTNERS AND SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE SAN JUAN SEIA BY THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AND LUKE FOUR 10.
THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THIS PROBLEM.
WORLD HERITAGE DESIGNATION RECOGNIZES THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE STRUCTURES, AND IT IS TIME THE CITY DOES THE SAME.
IT'S REALLY SAD TO SEE THE SAME EFFORT AND INPUT AND OVERSIGHT THAT IS BEING SHOWN FOR THE PROJECT AT THE SUNKEN GARDENS IS NOT BEING APPLIED TO AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WORLD HERITAGE AREA.
AND THE MISSIONS, AS WE ALL KNOW, ARE WHY SAN ANTONIO IS HERE.
IF WE CANNOT SHOW THAT SAME KIND OF DEDICATION AND EFFORT IN THIS PROJECT, IT IS A SAD STATEMENT FOR THIS CITY AND WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY OUR VISITORS.
AND IT, IT REALLY SADDENS ME TO, TO SEE THAT, UM, THIS DIAMOND CANNOT BE FACETED CORRECTLY.
MS. DINDA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DR.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS KARA DENDA AND I'M THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE HEMISPHERE AREA REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF BOND FUNDING FOR HEMISPHERE'S CIVIC PARK, PHASE TWO AND HEMISPHERE BOULEVARD, PHASE THREE CONSTRUCTION AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PARKS AND STREET COMMUNITY BOARD COMMITTEE, 84% OF OUR PARK VISITORS ARE SAN ANTONIO LOCALS FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
HEMISPHERE IS NOT JUST FOR DOWNTOWN HEMISPHERE BELONGS TO ALL OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE WERE EXCITED TO HAVE MAYOR NUREMBERG, COUNCILMAN BRAVO, COUNCILWOMAN VEDA, AS WELL AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRAND'S OFFICE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING OF CIVIC PARK.
JUST LAST MONTH, THE $18 MILLION OF RECOMMENDED, UH, FUNDS BY THE PARKS AND COMMUNITY BOARD COMMITTEE IS CRITICAL TO FINISHING CIVIC PARK PROJECT, CONSTRUCTING THE REMAINING FOUR ACRES AND CREATING A KEY GATEWAY TO THE PARK THAT IS WELCOMING TO ALL.
WE ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE $9 MILLION THAT'S ALLOCATED BY THIS STREETS COMMUNITY BOND COMMITTEE TO COMPLETE HEMISPHERE BOULEVARD.
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THE STREET CONNECTION WILL REESTABLISH THE HISTORIC STREET GRID THAT EXISTED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE THE 1968 WORLD'S FAIR.IT WILL INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY OF REMAINING STRUCTURES SUCH AS THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS AND THE 18 HUNDREDS ERA HOMES IN THE HEMISPHERE EASTERN ZONE.
ADDITIONALLY, COMPLETING HEMISPHERE BOULEVARD WILL ENHANCE ACCESS TO SAN ANTONIO'S EAST SIDE THROUGH ANA STREET, TURNING IT INTO A TWO-WAY STREET, AND FURTHER BREAKING THE BARRIER THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY HIGHWAY 37 HEMISPHERE IS THE PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OF EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND COME AND CELEBRATE TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER.
IT IS TRULY A PLACE CREATED FOR AND BY SAN ANTONIO'S AS EVIDENCED BY THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT HAS GUIDED EVERY STEP OF OUR REDEVELOPMENT.
AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THESE TWO PROJECTS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY FUTURE CELEBRATIONS WITH YOU IN THE PLACE THAT SAN ANTONIO MEETS.
DR MATSON, FOLLOWED BY DEAN JEAN.
MY NAME IS CYNTHIA NANTA MATSON.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO, AND ALSO A PROUD D THREE RESIDENT.
UH, I'M PROUD TO BE REPRESENTING OVER 7,700 OF OUR FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS HERE TODAY, AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THIS MORNING.
OUR CAMPUS PROUDLY SITS IN DISTRICT THREE AND DISTRICT FOUR, SO THANK YOU, UM, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITY MANAGER, THE BOND COMMITTEES, THE CO-CHAIRS, AND EVERYONE FOR YOUR SERVICE IN THIS IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR AND INVESTMENTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO BELIEVES IN TRANSFORMING TOMORROW TOGETHER.
AND WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR $10.6 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN THE BOND FOR THE TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL CENTER.
THE RE THIS REQUEST ALIGNS WITH THE SA TOMORROW PLAN THAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS INVESTMENT WILL SERVE EVERYONE IN THE AREA, BUT ALSO HELP TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH IS ANTICIPATED IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE THE 17 2017 TO 2020 22 BOND.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN TREMENDOUS GROWTH WITHIN OUR AREA.
STUDENT ENROLLMENTS HAVE RISEN AND NEW RESIDENTIAL POPULATION CENTERS ARE NOW COMING UP.
VITA COMMUNITIES BROKE GROUND BRINGING HUNDREDS OF NEW HOUSING STOCK, NEW ROADWAYS, A GREENWAY TRAIL AND AMENITIES THAT ARE LONG NEEDED FOR THIS AREA.
AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT THAT UNIVERSITY HEALTH IS PURCHASING LAND FOR ITS FUTURE HOSPITAL, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90 AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR WEST ENTRYWAY.
THIS ROAD IS NEEDED FOR THAT INGRESS AND EGRESS JUST EAST OF OUR CAMPUS.
T J X DISTRIBUTION CENTER AND NAVISTAR CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NEW MULTI-FAMILY AND SINGLE-FAMILY UNITS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT FOR TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED ANY BOND DOLLARS TO SUPPORT OUR GROWING AND THRIVING AREAS AND COMMUNITIES.
WE KNOW THAT THIS REGIONAL INVESTMENT IS IMPORTANT.
IT SETS THE STAGE FOR A POSITIVE FUTURE IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH BE COUNTY.
UH, PLEASE MOVE THIS $10.6 MILLION REQUEST FORWARD TO THE MAY ELECTION.
WE'RE ON A TRAJECTORY IN A VERY IMPORTANT, FAST GROWING REGION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FOR JOBS.
THIS INVESTMENT WILL HELP BUILD RESILIENCY.
CONNECTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, OUR SAFETY, OUR EQUITY, AND THIS PROJECT CANNOT BE DELAYED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TRANSFORMING TOMORROW TOGETHER WITH YOU, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
MATSON DEAN JEAN GILA, FOLLOWED BY AGA PITA JARAMILLO.
I'M A CURRENT SOPHOMORE AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO, MAJORING IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
UM, TODAY I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS THAT MAKE UP MOST OF OUR UNIVERSITY'S POPULATION, AS WELL AS ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENTS WHO MAKE UP A VERY MINOR AMOUNT OF OUR POPULATION.
I CAN NAME ANY MORE, UM, IDENTITIES THAT I CAN REPRESENT, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE STAYING HERE FOR A WHILE, SO I WOULD, I'M GONNA MOVE ON.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITY MANAGER, BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND CO-CHAIRS FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SERVICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MR. BECA VRAN FOR HER SUPPORT THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS.
MATSON HAS SAID, WE STRONGLY BELIEVE IN OUR MISSION OF TRANSFORMING TOMORROW TOGETHER HERE AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO.
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I STAND HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IS CRITICAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR INSTITUTION THAT I'VE CALLED HOME FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE YEARS TO COME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HELP IN MAKING THIS A POSSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE STUDENTS.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR MANY OF MY FELLOW, UH, TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS WHEN I SAY THAT WE ARE BEYOND EXCITED FOR THE RAPID GROWTH OF GROWTH OF OUR CAMPUS.
AND SINCE WE EXPECT TO BUILD MORE, WE WOULD LIKE YOUR SUPPORT IN BUILDING THE NEW ROADS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL ALLEVIATE CONGESTION BY VOTING ON MAKING $10.6 MILLION AVAILABLE TO US AS WE PROMOTE A ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND MORE AREAS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS OF OUR CAMPUS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN LISTENING TO MY PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, AND I TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR SUPPORT IN BUILDING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR CAMPUS.
UM, AGA PITA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ER EZ RAMOS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS AGA PITA HARAMI, UH, FROM LOS ENTENTES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN ACK IN DISTRICT FIVE.
I AM ASKING THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO APPROVE THE 2022 BOND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE BOND COMMITTEES.
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES ARE, AND CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THESE ARE CHANGES THAT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
THEREFORE, I I, I PLEAD THAT YOU PLEASE CONSIDER THEM.
AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE ENGAGED, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS.
AND I'M SEEKING OTHER, UM, MEMBERS IN MY ASSOCIATION, IN OUR ASSOCIATION TO GET INVOLVED BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY, UH, IT REALLY MAKES US FEEL GOOD WHEN WE'RE INVOLVED AND WE HAVE A SAY AND THAT YOU ALL LISTEN TO US AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR GIVING US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
MS. RAMOS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY BRADY.
MY NAME IS ARI EZ RAMOS, AND I AM A STUDENT LEADER AND STUDENT EMPLOYEE AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CO-CHAIRS FOR YOUR SERVICE ON, ON THIS ENDEAVOR FOR OUR CITY, TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY.
SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN ON A MISSION SINCE 2009 AS A DRIVER AND AS A CATALYST BRINGING OPPORTUNITY AND DISCOVERY TO THE SAN ANTONIO REGION, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF POSSIBILITIES AND A NEW GENERATION INSPIRED BY A COLLECTIVE IMPACT.
I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THE $10.6 MILLION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN THE BOND FOR TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL CENTER.
TREMENDOUS GROWTH WITHIN STUDENT ENROLLMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND NEW RESIDENTIAL POPULATION CREATES DEMAND FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS AND STAFF LIVE WITHIN A THREE MILE RADIUS OF OUR CAMPUS.
AND AS A STUDENT WHO COMMUTES TO AND FROM TO CAMPUS EVERY DAY, I SEE THE GREAT VALUE AND BENEFITS.
WHAT OF THESE ROADS CAN PROVIDE THIS INVESTMENT WILL NOT ONLY SERVE THE EMPLOYEES AND STAFF AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO, BUT EVERYONE WORKING, LIVING, LEARNING, VISITING, AND DOING BUSINESS IN THE AREA.
THESE ROADS WILL BE NEW AND HELP ALLEVIATE CONGESTION THAT IS COMING AND PROMOTE ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN AREAS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES.
TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO HAS ALLOWED ME IN ORDER TO GROW PROFESSIONALLY AND AS A LEADER.
OPPORTUNITIES I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET IF IT WASN'T FOR THE INSTITUTION'S CURRENT ACCESSIBILITY ON CAMPUS.
I AM A PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP CLASS STUDENT MEMBER AND COORDINATOR, A STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION SENATOR FOR THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF MANY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE SOCIETY OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS UNIVERSITY, I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE AT WHERE I'M AT TODAY.
AT THIS UNIVERSITY, I FOUND MY PASSION AND INTEREST IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND HUMAN RESOURCES, AND HAVE GAINED GREAT SKILLS THAT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO SECURE AN INTERNSHIP AS A HUMAN RESOURCES INTERN AT THE T J X DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO ENSURE FUTURE A AND M SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS GET THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAVE RECEIVED.
TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO IS THE FASTEST GROWING CAMPUS IN THE TEXAS A AND M SYSTEM, AND THE STUDENT BODY
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IS EXCITED ABOUT THE GROWTH.HOWEVER, NOW SEEING THIS INITIATIVE IN ACTION IS WHAT MATTERS.
WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO MOVE THIS $10.6 MILLION REQUEST FORWARD TO THE VOTERS.
PLEASE HELP THE REGION AND THE CITY BY INVESTING NOW, AND LET'S TRANSFORM TOMORROW TOGETHER.
MS. REED, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL CORMAN'S.
COUNCIL MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE DRAINAGE C BOND COMMITTEE FOR DISTRICT TWO AND WORKING ON THE REGIONAL FLOOD PLAN FOR THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER BASIN.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST TO GIVE SOME OPINIONS ABOUT PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.
I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE BOND PROJECT AS IT GOES FORWARD, AND I APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME ON THOSE COMMITTEES.
BUT AS WE GO FORWARD, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER A COUPLE OF ITEMS. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE STRENGTHENING OF THE STORMWATER AND FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION OR, UM, RULES IN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE IN ORDER TO, TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF NEW AND LARGER FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS THAT BE, WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE TO COMPENSATE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE MAY BE SOME ECONOMIC LOSS, IS THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP NEW AND CREATIVE PLANS LIKE THEY'RE DOING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, TO PAY PROPERTY OWNERS FOR THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THAT THEIR PROPERTY MAY PROVIDE.
THAT'S BEING ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL FOR OUR FLOODPLAINS TO PROMOTE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE BENEFITS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE SAN ANTONIO 2020, THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND THE PARKS 2019 PLAN TO CHOOSE CAREFULLY.
THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION FOR ESPECIALLY OUR DISTRICTS IN THE SOUTH, BETWEEN BUYOUT OPTIONS AND LARGER
AND FINALLY, TO RECOGNIZE THAT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS INTERTWINED AND PARKS AND CREEK WAYS, WATER AND AIR QUALITY, ALL OF THESE MUST BE WORKED TOGETHER AND WORKED LOOKED AT IN THE BIG PICTURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MR. CORMAN'S, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ERICA HEISEL.
I SIGNED UP FOR ITEM 22 ONLINE.
UH, MAYBE IT WENT TO THE WRONG ONE.
YOU'RE ON BOTH, SO WE'LL GET YOU ON 22 THEN.
MR. BROWN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY LUCY WILSON.
UH, MATT BROWN, I'M PRESIDENT AND C E O OF CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO, AND THE RISE IN SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE BOND PACKAGE, BUT IN PARTICULAR FOR ITEM FIVE.
AND THE, UH, JUST WANNA SHARE THAT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR, WE CONVENED A COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY VERONICA SALAZAR, THE C F O AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF U T S A AND PETE CORTEZ, UH, THE C E O OF LA LA FAMILIA CORTEZ, AND ANI GARCIA, THE FOUNDER OF DREAM ON GROUP.
THE COMMITTEE INCLUDED NEARLY 30 NEIGHBORHOOD, CIVIC, COMMUNITY, INSTITUTIONAL, AND BUSINESS AND BUSINESS LEADERS FOCUS COLLABORATIVELY ON TWO OBJECTIVES FOR THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
ONE IS TO DEVELOP A SHORT LIST OF DOWNTOWN REGIONAL CENTER PROJECTS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR CITYWIDE IMPACT.
AND TWO, TO ADVOCATE AS A SINGULAR VOICE AS CHAMPIONS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY THROUGH THESE PROJECTS.
ON BEHALF OF CENTRO AND THE CATALYTIC COMMITTEE, TRI CHAIRS, WE WANT TO THANK ALL THE CITY STAFF AND CITY MANAGER.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL, AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN BRAVO WHO REPRESENTS OUR DISTRICT, AND TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK ON THE LARGEST BOND IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.
AND WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, UH, APPOINTEES THAT SERVED ON THE CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEES AND ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATED THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT AND PROCESS.
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THE PROPOSALS ESTABLISHED BY THE CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEES, AND BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY WILL BE VERY WELL SERVED BY THIS BOND PROGRAM.MS. WILSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MARY JANE VERT.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR BERG AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS LUCY WILSON, SPEAKING FOR THE RIVER ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ADDRESSING THE SUNKEN GARDEN THEATER BOND PROPOSAL.
WE HAVE OPPOSED THE PROJECT BASED ON THE CURRENT DESIGN AND PROPOSED OPERATION, BUT WE AGREE THAT THE THEATER NEEDS TO BE RENOVATED WHILE MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC DESIGN AND INTEGRITY AND THE IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING URBAN CORE NEIGHBORHOODS.
NOSTALGIA WAXES STRONG AS INDIVIDUALS RELATE A SPECIAL CONCERT OR A MOMENT IN THE PAST, YET THEY ARE SURPRISED BY THE MUCH LARGER FIXED SEATING AREA OF THE NEW DESIGN.
FIXED SEATING INCREASES SIX TIMES FROM 880 TO 5,900, GREATLY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF THE LESS EXPENSIVE SEATS.
THERE ARE ALSO SECTIONS IDENTIFIED AS V I P SEATS AND V I P LOUNGES AND RESTROOMS. THIS BEGS THE QUESTION, WHOM IS THE THEATER FOR AS A CITYWIDE PROJECT PAID FOR WITH PUBLIC MONEY? THAT IS PART OF, THAT IS PART OF OUR MOST POPULAR PARK.
THIS DIVINE SHOULD TRULY BE FOR THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE LARGE NUMBER OF CONCERTS, A MINIMUM OF 48 TO 60 SCHEDULED ANNUALLY ARE NEEDED TO BE FINANCIALLY VIABLE.
WHAT IF WE CAN'T MEET THAT GOAL? THIS BECOMES A RISKY VENTURE.
A A REDUCTION IN THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED THEATER WOULD BE MORE SUSTAINABLE.
A REDUCED SCHEDULE OF CONCERTS COULD CREATE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MORE FREE AND COMMUNITY-BASED EVENTS.
EQUITY AND DIVERSITY IN PROGRAMMING ARE IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES.
WILL THE SPACE BE CONDUCIVE TO THIS? THESE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ARE POSED TO SUGGEST THAT A MUCH MORE PUBLIC DISCUSSION NEEDS TO OCCUR BEFORE THE COMMITMENT OF PUBLIC DOLLARS AND PUBLIC LAND.
FOR A PROJECT OF SUCH MAGNITUDE AND EXPENSE, I CONTINUE TO BE PROUD THAT THE COMMITMENT SAN ANTONIO HAS MADE TO ITS PARKS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE MUST FAITHFULLY ASK OURSELVES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHAT DO WE EXPECT OF OUR PARKS AND HOW DO WE PLAN TO MAINTAIN THEM? I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
MARY JANE VIVERETTE, FOLLOWED BY VELMA PENA.
I'M MARY JANE VIVERETTE, AND I'M PRESIDENT AND C E O OF THE SAN ANTONIO PARKS FOUNDATION.
I'M HERE TODAY WITH LAURA POWELL, WHO IS OUR CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE FOUNDATION, AND WE ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS RELATED TO PARKS, RECREATION, AND GREEN SPACES IN THEIR IMPROVEMENTS.
THE MISSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO PARKS FOUNDATION IS TO PROVIDE IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKS AND THE PARK EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF THE COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
WE WANT TO COMMEND THE MINDFULNESS AND DILIGENCE OF OUR ESTEEMED ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS THE BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES FOR THE DILIGENCE THAT WAS EXERCISED TO BRING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THE PUBLIC FOR A VOTE.
WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
MS. PENA WILL BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE RENAN.
GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL, MAYORS CITY MANAGER.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE WESTWOOD SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ALSO A MEMBER OF THE WEST SIDE COALITION, AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE TIER ONE GROUP.
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I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR APPOINTED ME TO SERVE ON THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.I GOT TO WORK WITH A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE THAT WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR, UM, DISTRICTS.
ALSO, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME AND GAVE THEIR INPUT.
THAT WAS VALUABLE INFORMATION AND THEIR INPUT WAS, WAS GREAT.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, I AM ASKING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO, UH, VOTE AND APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO YOU BY ALL THE COMMITTEES, UH, THAT WE'RE ALL PART OF THE COMMITTEES.
CHRISTINE RENAN, FOLLOWED BY JAKE TUCKER.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE RENAN, AND I WAS HONORED AND HUMBLED BY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE ON THE HOUSING COMMUNITY BOND COMMITTEE, WHILE I SUPPORT THE OVERALL LANGUAGE THAT WAS PASSED BY OUR COMMITTEE.
LIKE ALWAYS THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.
I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I BELIEVE, BELIEVE IT, THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE NOT HAD THE REALLY HARD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOUSING YET.
WE'VE HAD HUNDREDS OF CONVERSATIONS MOSTLY ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT HOW MANY, ABOUT HOW MANY UNITS ARE MISSING AND FOR WHOM.
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS A TRUE HOUSING SYSTEM.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ANYWAYS? THINKING SYSTEMICALLY MEANS TO THINK BEYOND SPECIFIC PARTS TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THINKING.
AND HOW ARE THOSE PARTS INTERCONNECTED IN HOUSING? WE'VE BEEN THINKING IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL PARTS.
WE NEED X NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS FOR THOSE IN X INCOME BRACKETS, AND WE'VE DONE THAT WELL DOWN TO THE EXACT NUMBERS.
BUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IS TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THINKING AND AS THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW THE PARTS ARE RELATED.
SO IF WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE PARAMETERS IN THE HOUSING BONDS, PARTICULARLY NUMBERS THREE AND NUMBERS FIVE, BOTH CALL FOR NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVESTMENT TO BE IN OUR OUTLYING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THIS IS WHERE I BELIEVE WE'RE NOT THINKING SYSTEMICALLY.
INSTEAD, WE ONLY THINK IN TERMS OF LITTLE SOUND BITES AND FRAGMENTS, BECAUSE IF WE TAKE PUBLIC BOND MONEY FOR NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE NEED DESPERATELY AND ONLY AWARDED IN OUR MORE SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS, WHAT DO WE THINK IS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE INNER CITY THAT THE LAND WILL REMAIN VACANT? COMMUNITY GARDENS, I DON'T THINK SO.
THAT LAND WILL STILL BE DEVELOPED, BUT NOT AFFORDABLY.
WE NEED NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE INNER CITY WHERE THE LAND HAS BECOME SO EXPENSIVE.
MOST OF US CAN'T AFFORD IT ANY LONGER, AND THIS LANGUAGE PREVENTS THAT OUR DOWNTOWN WILL BECOME LIKE OTHER CITIES, A PLAYGROUND FOR THE WEALTHY.
SO I SUPPORT THE GOALS OF THE HOUSING BOND AND THE BOND PACKAGE.
OVERALL, THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW IT'LL BE ALLOCATED, ESPECIALLY IN HOUSING, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF IT'S WELL FACILITATED AND LED.
SO I'LL VOTE FOR THIS, BUT I REALLY THINK WE, THAT WE NEED THIS CONVERSATION FOR A MUCH DEEPER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOUSING AND A HOUSING SYSTEM.
UM, REAL QUICK, UH, ENO RODRIGUEZ, YOU SIGNED UP FOR.
IT SHOWS ON OUR SYSTEM FIVE AND 22.
I'M JAKE TUCKER, UH, DISTRICT THREE, BUT I'M READING A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF KAYLA MIRANDA, DISTRICT FIVE.
SO WHAT FOLLOWS ARE HER WORDS? MY NAME IS KAYLA MIRANDA, AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE ON THE HOUSING BOUND BOND COMMITTEE.
I WANTED TO BE HERE, BUT I AM SERVING ON THE B S B THIS MORNING.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
HOUSING IS AN INTENSE AND HIGHLY DEBATED SUBJECT.
I'M PROUD OF HOW SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, REPRESENTED THEIR DISTRICTS WITH PASSION.
SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR ALLOWING ME THE HONOR OF BEING ONE OF OUR DISTRICT'S VOICES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO EXPRESSED THEIR HESITANCY TO MAKE CHANGES DURING THE B SESSION ON THIS SUBJECT.
THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS, SO MANY WORTHY PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT FOLLOW UNDER HOUSING.
IF THERE WERE LIMIT, NO LIMIT TO FUNDS, I WOULD'VE LOVED TO SEE MANY OF THEM FULLY FUNDED AND REALIZED IN A PERFECT WORLD, THEY WOULD BE.
BUT THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE.
WITH SUCH LIMITED FUNDS AND NO PROJECTS TO APPROVE, UH, THE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE HAD TO BE SPECIFIC IN OUR LANGUAGE TO ENSURE THAT THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED.
FIRST, I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES WE HEARD THE WORD INTENTION DURING THIS PROCESS.
WE ALL KNOW WHICH ROAD WAS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.
WE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE GAPS BETWEEN INTENTION AND INTERPRETATION IN OUR
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LANGUAGE AND PARAMETERS.NO ONE GOT EVERYTHING THEY WANTED.
THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND COUNCIL THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WAS ABLE TO APPOINT THREE INDIVIDUALS FROM THEIR DISTRICTS, AND THE MAYOR WAS ALLOWED TO.
THERE WAS EQUAL REPRESENTATION.
WHILE THERE ARE MANY THINGS I WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE PROCESS MYSELF OR THE PROCESS ITSELF, SUCH AS MORE TIME FOR COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND LESS INTERRUPTIONS AND INTERFERENCE FROM THE CO-CHAIR, OVERALL, I AM PLEASED WITH WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AS A WHOLE.
I IMPLORE YOU TO PASS THE HOUSING BOND AS IS.
I MAY NOT BE 100% IN AGREEMENT WITH EVERY PART OF IT, BUT IT WAS COMMUNITY MADE BY THE PEOPLE.
FOR THE PEOPLE AS IT SHOULD BE TO MAKE CHANGES OTHER THAN SOMETHING THAT IS IN CONFLICT WITH LAW WOULD BE OVERRIDING THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE.
I AM POSITIVE THAT LEGAL WOULD HAVE INFORMED US DURING THE VOTE, IF ANY SUCH CONFLICTS EXISTED.
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AS WELL AS A HUMAN NEED.
HOUSING SECURITY IS ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL TO OBTAIN STABILITY.
I'M REMINDED OF SOMETHING BILL GATES SAID.
WE ALL HAVE THE CHANCE TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE EXTREME POVERTY IS THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE.
THIS IS A BEGINNING, A STEPPING STONE ON THE LONG AND COMPLICATED ROAD FOR US TO CREATE THE THAT WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, REALLY JUST BRINGING AN OBSERVATION THAT I'VE SEEN FOR YEARS AND, UM, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, DISTRICT FIVE, AND ACTUALLY EVERYONE IS, UH, HAS TO BE PART OF IT.
WHAT HAS OCCURRED IN MY AREA IS THAT WE HAD TWO CREEKS WHEN I WAS A KID THAT WERE ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR THE FLOODWATERS TO GO THROUGH WITHOUT ANY DAMAGES.
LITTLE BY LITTLE GROWTH BEGAN, UH, STREETS WERE BUILT, UH, NORTH OF US, AND MORE AND MORE DRAINAGE STARTED TO COME THROUGH AS MORE, UH, CONSTRUCTIONS OCCURRED TO THE NORTH OF US, THE, UH, EDWARDS AQUIFER AND ON, UM, THE CREEKS COULD NO LONGER HOLD LIKE THEY USED TO.
SO THEY WERE CHANNELIZED, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, I GUESS.
BUT WHAT HAS OCCURRED IS THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND WHICH ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE STABILIZATION OF SOIL, BECAUSE IN MY AREA, JUST BECAUSE I WAS SO CONCENTRATED IN MY AREA, I HAVE A MAP IN WHICH WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF WATER MAIN BREAKS, AND I COULDN'T, I NEVER CLICKED ON ME THAT IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE CHANNELIZATION IS CAUSING A SOIL SHIFT? IT WAS TOO MANY WATER BREAKS.
THE ONLY WAY I CAME ACROSS THAT INFORMATION WAS BECAUSE SOMEONE FROM SAS ACTUALLY TOOK THE TIME ON THEIR OWN TO LOOK AT EVERY WATER MAIN BREAK IN MY AREA.
HOW DID I KNOW YOU'D GET UP IN THE MORNING, YOU DIDN'T HAVE WATER, OR THERE WAS A TAG THAT SAID, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
SO THERE'S NO GEOLOGISTS INVOLVED FOR THE TOPOGRAPHY.
IN MY CASE, IN OUR CASE, THERE'S A HILL, AND THEN THEY CHANNELIZE IT.
NOW, MORE RECENT, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH WOODLAWN, YOU SEE THAT THE CHANNELIZED CREEKS, THE DESIGN OF THE, OF THE CHANNELIZATION IS BEING CHANGED.
IT USED TO BE LIKE AN ANGLE, AND NOW IT'S VERTICAL.
AND I DID WALK THROUGH THOSE HOUSES BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAID THAT THERE'S, THAT THEIR HOUSES WERE, OR THEIR SIDEWALK.
I MEAN, THE CEMENT AND STUFF WAS, UH, BREAKING.
SO THE DESIGN WAS CHANGED, BUT IN MY AREA, IT COMES OFF FROM ELMENDORF LAKE AND IT TURNS INTO TWO CREEKS.
SO WE HAVE TWO CREEKS, ONE ON BLUE RIDGE, AND ONE THAT, UM, COMES DOWN THROUGH, UH, GENERAL MCMULLEN.
AND THE, THE KEY THING THAT HAPPENED, THERE WAS A DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS DONE BEHIND THE MALL THAT SAYS RIGHT NEXT TO WHAT USED TO BE A CREEK TURN, CHANNELIZED.
AND WHEN THEY DID THAT DEVELOPMENT, THEIR STREETS QUICKLY BUCKLED.
SO I WAS, WHY? WELL, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS A MAJOR, I THINK IT WAS A THREE QUARTER INCH OR SOMETHING, PIPE BROKE.
AND BY COINCIDENCE, WE, I ALWAYS PASS BY THERE AND SAY, HEY, THE GRASS IS REALLY PRETTY ON THAT SIDE OF THE DRAINAGE.
IT WAS REALLY, NO, IT WAS LEAKING WATER.
I MEAN, A FLOOD WAS OCCURRING BY CHANCE.
AND EVEN SAWS DIDN'T KNOW THAT CONNECTION WAS THERE.
SO IF SOMEHOW IN THE FUTURE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CREATE A TASK FORCE THAT HAS SARAH PUBLIC WORKS, C C Q, AND THE E A WOULD BE GOOD.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE TWO ITEMS. UH, SO LET'S GET INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
WE WILL VOTE ON THOSE SEPARATELY.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION SECOND AND A SECOND, UH, FOR ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
AND AGAIN, THOSE, UH, TWO ITEMS WILL BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY.
[01:30:01]
OUR DISCUSSION.AND LET ME JUST START, UH, WITH THE OBVIOUS.
UH, THIS IS A, UH, THE NEXT STEP OF A VERY, VERY LONG PROCESS THAT PERHAPS STARTED MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, WHEN THE LAST BOND WAS CONCLUDED, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S PROJECTS THAT WERE ABOVE THE LINE, PROJECTS THAT WERE BELOW LINE, EVERY SINGLE PROJECT IS VALUABLE.
AND WE HOPE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING COMPREHENSIVE, UH, STRATEGY FOR US TO TACKLE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE NEEDS OF OUR CITY.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, FIRST, UH, FOR THE VERY VIGOROUS DEBATES.
UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD, NOT EVERYBODY GOT EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANTED, BUT SUCH AS THE NATURE OF COMPROMISE AND FINDING COMMON GROUND, I THINK WE'VE COVERED AS COMPREHENSIVE AS WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, THE IMPORTANT PRIORITIES IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MY COLLEAGUES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF REALLY ENGAGING IN THIS.
UH, LET ME ALSO THANK THE STAFF WHO'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD BEHIND THE SCENES SCOPING PROJECTS, UH, WORKING WITH OUR COUNCIL AND WITH THE PUBLIC AND WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS ON HOW DO WE, UH, ENSURE THE RIGHT DETAILS AND INFORMATION ARE OUT THERE TO MAKE SENSE OF THOSE PRIORITIES.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, THE PUBLIC WHO HAS BEEN ENGAGED, UH, IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, EMAILING, PHONE CALLING, SHOWING UP TO MEETINGS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE REFLECTING THE DESIRES OF A VERY DIVERSE, UH, CONSTITUENCY POPULATION HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH A DIVERSE AND DISPARATE, UH, UH, VARIOUS NEEDS ACROSS OUR CITY.
UM, BUT NOW LET ME RECOGNIZE, UH, FOLKS WHO WE HAVE HERE APPOINTED TO HELP STEWARD THIS PROCESS.
AND, AND I'LL START WITH OUR CO-CHAIRS.
UH, I SEE WITH US JOINED TODAY, UH, BRANDON LOGAN, WHO WAS ONE OF OUR CO-CHAIRS FOR THE ENTIRE BOND PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK YOU MISSED A SINGLE MEETING.
UM, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF THAT WHOLE THING HAS, HAS BEEN VERY, VERY VALUABLE.
AND, AND YOUR PRESENCE HAS BEEN NOTED AND FELT ALONG WITH YOU, BRANDON.
UH, I KNOW JAMIE KOWALSKI AND BERT GERRA WERE ALSO VERY WELL ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THANKS TO THEM AS WELL.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, THE CO-CHAIRS FOR EACH OF THE BOND COMMITTEES THAT I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO APPOINT.
UM, FOR OUR STREETS, BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS COMMITTEE.
WE HAD JOHN BAILEY AND PAOLA FERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU BOTH, UH, FOR OUR DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL COMMITTEE.
CHRIS GARCIA, WHO I THINK CHRIS IS HERE.
UH, THEN OVER IN PARKS AND RECREATION, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK OF JEANETTE NERMAN, AS WELL AS JIM BAILEY.
AND THEN FOR OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE, WE HAD CHRIS MARTINEZ.
I'M NOT SURE IF CHRIS IS HERE, BUT I DID SEE DWAYNE ROBINSON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH DWAYNE, FOR JOINING US AND FOR YOUR WORK.
AND THEN FINALLY FOR, UH, A VERY CRITICAL COMMITTEE AND TOUGH WORK AS YOU HEARD, BUT TO, UH, INCREDIBLE SERVANT LEADERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK TO MY COLLEAGUE, MY FORMER COLLEAGUE, SHIRLEY GONZALEZ, WHO IS A CO-CHAIR ALONG WITH KATIE VELA, UH, DID OUTSTANDING WORK IN THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE, GIVING YOUR VARIABLE VALUABLE TIME, UH, TO THIS EFFORT.
UM, AND TO THE 30 PLUS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE ENGAGED IN EACH OF THE COMMITTEES, WE HAD WELL OVER A HUNDRED FOLKS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, YOUR WORK WILL BE REFLECTED, I THINK, IN A ROBUST, UH, VOTE OF SUPPORT BY THE ENTIRE PUBLIC ON A VERY IMPORTANT BOND PROGRAM.
UH, AS I NOTED, THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE AND, UH, BE LEVERAGED THROUGH THIS.
AND I THINK THE STAFF DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF HELPING US PRIORITIZE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEKING, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING EFFORTS AND NEEDS THROUGH OUR BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
UH, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS ENGAGED, UH, VERY HEAVILY IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE ARPA RELIEF FUNDS THAT ARE GOING TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THERE'S A GREAT NUMBER OF REVENUE STREAMS THAT ARE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, RECOVERY FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ALSO BUILDING FOR THE GROWTH OF THE FUTURE.
AND ALL OF THOSE ARE LEVERAGED, AND I THINK WE ARE ALL BETTER FOR IT.
UH, THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE LIST THAT WON'T BE ON THE BALLOT THAT I DO HOPE BECOME PRIORITIES AS WE ENGAGE IN THE NEXT ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS.
I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE LINEAR CREEK WAYS, CONTINUING ROBUSTLY, UH, THE PROGRAM, BIG SPRINGS PROJECT, WHICH MANY HAVE HEARD, UH, WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE THAT MADE THE LIST.
BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LEVERAGING ADDITIONAL FUNDS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO CONNECT, UH, OUR LINEAR CREEKWAY TRAIL SYSTEM TO THE GREATER REGIONAL TRAIL SYSTEM THAT'S UNDER DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN HERE AND AUSTIN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I THINK WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE GET THE DOWNBEAT STARTED WITH THE LARGEST BOND PROGRAM.
THIS EVER, THIS COMMUNITY'S EVER UNDERTAKEN, DONE, WRITTEN, UH, BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT AND, AND PROUD, PROUD OF THE EFFORT BY OUR ENTIRE CITY.
SO WITH THAT, LET'S START THE CONVERSATION
[01:35:01]
NOW WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.AND I JUST WANNA START OFF BY THANKING EVERYONE, UM, ERIC MARIA, JOHN IC, UM, ALL OF THE TEAM AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, PARTICIPATION.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, DR.
MATSON AND THE STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE THIS MORNING FROM TEXAS A AND M, UM, SAN ANTONIO, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.
TODAY'S HISTORIC MOVE TO PLACE $150 MILLION HOUSING BOND ON THE MAY 7TH BALLOT FURTHERS OUR COMMITMENT TO BE A COMPASSIONATE CITY, BUT ALSO HELPS FILL THE NEED FOR MORE HOUSING STOCK AS OUR CITY GROWS.
IN PARTICULAR, I REFER TO THE ABILITY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A BASIC NECESSITY FOR THE WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WE'VE REALIZED HOW INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH MUST BE ALIGNED WITH MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS.
ON TUESDAY, I WAS AT A CONFERENCE.
I ATTENDED A SESSION ON THE HOUSING MARKET OUTLOOK, WHERE TEXAS A AND M RESEARCH ECONOMIST, DR.
LUIS TORRES, SHARED SOME INFORMATION ON SAN ANTONIO TO A CROWD OF APPRAISERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
TORRES ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FOR YEARS, HE'S WATCHED SAN ANTONIO'S METROPOLITAN AREA HAVE THE HIGHEST GROWTH RATE IN HOUSING, FOLLOWED BY AUSTIN.
MUCH TO THE DOUBT, LOUD DISBELIEF OF FOLKS ACROSS THAT LARGE BALLROOM.
TORRES CONFIRMED THEORIES THAT I HAD THAT SOME FORTUNATE INDIVIDUALS HAD BEEN PURCHASING UP HOMES THAT WERE BUILT OR LEFT DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THIS KEPT SALES OF HOMES THRIVING.
HOWEVER, PEOPLE REALIZING THAT THEY DIDN'T WANNA LIVE IN CROWDED PLACES THAT NEEDED A HOME OFFICE AND WANTING TO BE ABLE TO STAY HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC OR INVEST IN A PLACE FOR THE FUTURE, REMINDED ME THAT THOSE THAT WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THOSE HOMES WERE NOT MANY LIKE THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT.
MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO INVESTED, BY THE WAY, WERE MILLENNIALS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOME OWNERSHIP, WHO REEVALUATED THEIR LIVES AND THE DIRECTION THEY'RE HEADED IN A GROUP THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON.
BUT EVEN WITH THE DISRUPTIONS IN TRAVEL PLANS AND SPENDING MORE TIME AT HOME, WE'VE SEEN MORE PEOPLE TAKE UP DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE, UH, GARDENING AND BUYING PLANTS AND LANDSCAPING PROJECTS.
AND YES, BUYING UP INVESTMENT PROPERTIES WHICH HAVE BEEN FIXED OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND ARE NOW SELLING IN A HOT HOUSING MARKET.
WHILE IT MAY HAVE SEEMED LIKE HOUSES WERE SELLING FASTER THAN COULD BE BUILT, THE REALITY FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF SAN ANTONIONS, LIKE THE ONES THAT I REPRESENT, IS FAR DIFFERENT FROM THE THRIVING HOUSING MARKET DATA.
THE IMPACT FELT BY MOST RESIDENTS IS FAR BLEECKER, THE MASS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS WHO I REPRESENT ARE EXPERIENCING A DIFFERENT REALITY WITH THE RISING HOUSING COST.
WHILE MARKET VALUES RISE FOR HOUSES, SO DO PROPERTY TAXES, AND THIS IS A DIS, THIS HAS A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THOSE WHO ARE LIVING ON FIXED LOW INCOMES.
IF YOU ADD INFLATION TO THE EQUATION, THE COST OF LIVING KEEPS RISING FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND MAKING ENDS MEET PROOF PROVES EVEN MORE DIFFICULT DAY BY DAY.
WITH THE UPCOMING LAUNCH OF THE ESSAY READY TO WORK PROGRAM, WE HAVE A RARE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO ONLY INVEST IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE OUR RESIDENTS LIVE, BUT ALSO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO RECEIVE THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION THEY NEED TO SECURE BETTER PAYING JOBS.
FAMILIES LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT TO HOW TO COVER CHILDCARE COSTS, MEDICAL CARE, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING ON TOP OF OTHER EXPENDITURES.
SOME OF THESE FAMILIES ARE ONE CRISIS AWAY FROM FINANCIAL DEVASTATION.
AND DURING THIS ONGOING GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THE LIKELIHOOD IS EVEN GREATER THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER OVER THE SUMMER.
I HEARD A STATISTIC THAT THEY REFERENCED AT, UH, AT, AT A CONFERENCE THAT I WAS AT SAYING THAT OVER 61% OF OUR VETERANS ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS WITHIN THREE MONTHS.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LET THAT HAPPEN IN MILITARY CITY U S A.
MY TEAM AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTERVENE IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL RESIDENTS WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE EEP FUNDING PROVIDED TO KEEP FOLKS IN THEIR HOMES.
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE GREW EXPONENTIALLY IN PART DUE TO THE ECONOMIC TURMOIL BROUGHT BY THE PANDEMIC.
102,000 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FOR THE EHAP PROGRAM.
CLOSE TO $180 MILLION WAS EXPENDED SO FAR, AND 152,714 FOLKS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE THAT'S LARGER THAN THE POPULATION OF EIGHT OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS WAS FOR RENT AND MORTGAGE RE TOTALING A HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO, A HUNDRED FIFTY TWO $0.7 MILLION.
THE NEED FOR RENT AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE WILL PERSIST LONG AFTER WE TRANSITION EAP INTO NHS D'S HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT CONTINUOUSLY RANKED AT THE BOTTOM FOR THE LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED FOR EAP SINCE ITS INCEPTION
[01:40:01]
IN APRIL, 2020, I WORRY ABOUT THE RESIDENTS WHO STILL STRUGGLE WITH THE RISING HOUSING COSTS, WHETHER THEY ARE HOMEOWNERS OR RENTERS.THE CHALLENGES PERSIST WHILE HOME.
HOME OWNERSHIP IS SAID TO BE CLOSELY LINKED TO BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
IT SEEMS LIKE AN UNATTAINABLE GOAL FOR SO MANY.
BASED ON DATA COMPILED BY N H SS D RENTERS OCCUPY 46% OF THE HOUSING UNITS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SEVEN OUT OF 10 AFRICAN AMERICANS IN SAN ANTONIO RENT AND 56% OF RENTERS ARE HISPANIC OR LATINO.
SOME RESIDENTS ARE RENTING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAVE UP FOR A DOWN PAYMENT OR CAN'T IMAGINE A MONTHLY MORTGAGE HANGING OVER THEIR HEAD, OR THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COME WITH BEING A HOMEOWNER AND NO ONE TO DEPEND ON TO FIX THINGS WHEN THINGS ARE BROKEN.
LONG BEFORE THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC ENTERED OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THE RESIDENTS I REPRESENT WEREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSES AVAILABLE THEN, AND THEY ARE FAR LESS LIKELY TO KEEP UP WITH RISING HOUSING COSTS.
AT THE CONFERENCE I ATTENDED, DR.
TORRES MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION THAT THE PRICE OF STEEL HAD GONE UP 140%.
THE PRICE OF LUMBER IS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF DECREASING ANY TIME SOON.
LUMBER PRICES HAVE NEARLY TRIPLED IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, CAUSING THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME TO INCREASE BY MORE THAN $18,600.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS, AS ONE DISTRICT FOUR LUMBER COMPANY EMPLOYEE PUT IT, IT'S AFFECTING ALL OF US.
TORRES PAINTED RESONATED WITH ME.
AND WHEN I HEARD SOMEONE FINALLY SAY IT, AND I FINALLY HEARD SOMEONE SAY OUT LOUD, WE'RE NOT GOING BACK TO $200,000 HOMES, I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR FAMILIES WHO WERE ALREADY STRUGGLING LONG BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED ALL OF US.
I'M PROUD TO BE THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AND PUBLIC FINANCE CORPORATION DURING WHAT I CALL THE DECADE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, A DECADE WHERE WE MAKE PURPOSEFUL INVESTMENTS AND CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS HOUSING BOND DOES, OF COURSE, PRIORITIZING THE NECESSARY INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, SPECIFICALLY DRAINAGE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
WE HAVE SEEN WHAT THE PAST BOND PROGRAMS HAVE DONE FOR OUR CITY, AND WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ONE PARK, ONE LIBRARY, OR ONE DRAINAGE PROJECT AT A TIME, LEAVING NO PART OF SAN ANTONIO BEHIND THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS THAT WAS BROUGHT FORTH BY PREVIOUS COUNCILS AND CONTINUES TO BE SAFEGUARDED BY THIS COUNCIL.
UNDOING YEARS OF DISINVESTMENT AND REVERSING THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY TAKES TIME AND A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS BY IMPROVING THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE CALL HOME.
OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE MEANINGFUL AND DELIBERATE INVESTMENTS IN THEIR LIVES.
AND THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM WILL SURELY CHANGE THE COURSE OF FUTURE BONDS.
BUILDING MORE SIDEWALKS, RECONSTRUCTING STREETS, PROVIDING AMENITIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS OR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ARE SOME OF THE WAYS WE'VE INVESTED IN THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THE PAST.
AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE THESE TARGETED INVESTMENTS IN AREAS WE KNOW HAVE NOT SEEN THE SAME LEVEL OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS AS OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
ALTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM LIKE A COMPETITIVE BOND PROCESS TO SEE WHICH DISTRICT RECEIVES THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PROJECTS OR FUNDING, I HOPE THAT DEEP DOWN WE GROW AND WE PROSPER AND WE REACH ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY.
THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN OURSELVES AND OUR NEIGHBORS IN A MORE EQUITABLE MANNER.
EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS FURTHER EXEMPLIFIES OUR COMMITMENT TO HELPING ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL WHO TOOK PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSED BOND PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY THE RESIDENTS WHO ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS AND PROVIDED THEIR INPUT.
THE WORK IS FAR FROM OVER, AND WE STILL NEED OUR RESIDENTS TO INFORM US ABOUT THE TYPE OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER THAT IS FOR A FUTURE BOND PROGRAM, POTENTIAL ARPA PROGRAMS, OR THE NEXT BUDGET.
AS THE CITY IMPROVES THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, I HOPE WE HAVE MORE INPUT FROM RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LONG FELT FORGOTTEN OR WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
THE MORE PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT WE HAVE WITH OUR RESIDENTS, THE CLOSER WE ARE, AND THE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE IN DELIVERING GREATER QUALITY OF SERVICES, RESOURCES, AND PROGRAMS FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I WANT TO CONCLUDE BY THANKING THE DISTRICT FOUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR THEIR SERVICE.
ANDREW SALAZAR, EDDIE REYES, FRANK GONZALEZ, GABRIEL GONZALEZ, LEO CASTILLO, MARRERO, AMY HOFFMAN, KATHY LUNA, MELINDA LECHUGA, MICHAEL RAMIREZ, RITA TIGAN, SAMUEL LUNA, PETER FRA, H DREW, GALLOWAY, AND SOTO.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY STAFF FOR BEING PRESENT AT EVERY BOND MEETING TO REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER ELAS.
WE HAVE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY EVERY FEW YEARS TO MAKE MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN OUR CITY.
UM, I I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT A A FEW THINGS.
UH, ONE, UH, BOND, UH, INITIATIVES ARE, UH, A TWO
[01:45:01]
STEP, UH, A, A TWO, A TWO STEP TANGO.UH, WE HAVE, UH, FIRST TO PUT THE PACKAGES TOGETHER, UH, AS WE'RE DOING TODAY.
AND THEN SECOND, UM, WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS VOTE ON THESE PACKAGES.
UH, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, AND I WON'T GO ONE BY ONE BY NAMING THEM, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I APPOINTED TO THESE COMMITTEES TO SCRUB THE, UM, THE PACKAGES THAT WERE BOUGHT BEFORE US AND THEN TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ANALYZE AND VET THEM, THEIR INSTRUCTIONS WERE VERY CLEAR.
UM, DO NOT SPEND YOUR TIME JEALOUSLY GUARDING AND TACKLING FOR DISTRICT EIGHT PROJECTS AT THE EXPENSE OF PROJECTS, UH, AROUND THE CITY.
THIS HAS TO BE A BOND PACKAGE THAT THE ENTIRE CITY CAN GET BEHIND.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO YOUR WORK AND ADVOCATE FOR AN HONEST AND TRANSPARENT PACKAGE THAT WILL, UM, MAKE EVERYBODY PROUD OF, OF, UH, THE VOTE THAT HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CAST, UH, IN, IN FAVOR OF THE PACKAGE.
UH, THE SECOND THING I WANNA MENTION IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS EVIDENCED BY THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE RIVER AUTHORITY RECENTLY GOT, THE, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE INVESTMENT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE IN SAN ANTONIO BY WAY OF ARPA AND CARES ACT, UH, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FUNDING THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE FROM TIME TO TIME, UH, I I THINK THAT OFTENTIMES WHEN WE'RE ALL SQUABBLING UP HERE AND DOING THE WORK OF DELIBERATIVE GOVERNMENT AND DEBATING, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW TO INVEST THIS MONEY, WE, WE SOMETIMES GET LOST, UH, BY, AND WE FORGET, RIGHT? THAT THERE'S LOTS OF MONEY FROM OTHER SOURCES.
UH, AND I'M SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT THEIR PROJECTS EITHER WEREN'T FULLY FUNDED OR, UH, THEIR PROJECTS WEREN'T FUNDED AT ALL.
UH, MY COMMITMENT TO THOSE PROJECTS, EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK, AND I KNOW THAT ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AG AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEEDS, UH, ARE MET BECAUSE YOUR PROJECTS WERE IMPORTANT, UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS, UH, TRA OF FUNDING OR FUTURE BOND PACKAGES, OR WITH THE GENERAL BUDGET, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MONEY THAT WE, UH, WE HAPPEN TO FIND, UH, WE'LL MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO.
THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, I WANNA MENTION IS, UH, I WISH UTSA'S INVESTMENT WERE $10 MILLION TODAY.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT UTSA IS LISTENING.
I, I THINK THE PROJECT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH ITS FOCUS ON FEMALE ATHLETES, UH, IS IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, IT SENDS A LOUD MESSAGE THAT WE VALUE, UH, THOSE FEMALE ATHLETES, UH, FROM ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO.
THE, UH, AND MY COMMITMENT IS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO FIGHT FOR AND, UH, AND, AND CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, IN U T S A, THE WAY THAT U T S A HAS INVESTED IN US AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE, BY THE LARGE BUILDINGS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION DOWNTOWN.
THE, AND, AND I'LL END WITH, UH, A MENTION OF THE PROJECT THAT IS MOST NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, UH, WHICH IS THE CANINES FOR WARRIORS PROJECT.
UH, CANINES FOR WARRIORS, I THINK IS, UM, WHEN, WHEN CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE CANINES FOR WARRIOR INVESTMENT IN 2018 BY CREATING THE BEGINNINGS OF A, OF A MUCH LARGER, UH, CAMPUS.
AND, UH, WE GOT TO SEE PETCO INVEST, UH, $2 MILLION, UH, OF THEIR MONEY IN, IN SUPPORTING THIS BACK THEN.
UH, WE KNEW THAT THERE, THERE COULD ALWAYS BE MORE.
MARIA VILLAGOMEZ WAS KEY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD, UM, YOU THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO LAND THIS, THIS CANINES FOR WARRIORS PROJECT.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, BACK THEN, THE, THE ONE AND ONLY GOAL WAS TO PULL THESE ANIMALS, UH, WHO WERE GONNA GET EUTHANIZED.
THESE ARE THE DOGS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO GET EUTHANIZED.
AND WE WERE, UH, WE FOUND AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO PULL HUNDREDS OF DOGS FROM, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF EUTHANIZATION AND PUT THEM IN THE HANDS OF VETERANS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING THEIR SUICIDES.
REMEMBER, CANINES FOR WARRIORS SCRUBS, THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, CANINES FOR WARRIORS SELECTS, UM, THE VETERANS WHO ARE, UH, THE MOST LIKELY, UH, TO BE, UM, TO BE SUICIDE CASES.
AND, UH, IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEED THAT WHEN THEY GET THEIR DOG, THEY'RE TRAINED, THEY'RE MATCHED UP, THEY'RE, UH, AND THEY'RE MADE PART OF A COHORT OF OTHER VETERANS, IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEED THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT SUICIDE WILL NOT BE SOMETHING THAT THEY, THAT THEY CONSIDER, CONSIDER INSTEAD, THEY'LL, UH, THEY HAVE A NEW REASON TO LIVE, RIGHT? SO, UH, THIS IS A VITAL PROJECT, NOT JUST FOR, FOR OUR ABILITY TO DRAW, YOU KNOW, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF, OF EUTHANIZED ANIMALS AT A C S, BUT IT'S ALSO A TREMENDOUS
[01:50:01]
OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE ANIMALS TO HELP VETERANS ALL OVER THE NATION.UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN OVER WHETHER OR NOT ALL THOSE VETERANS WILL BE SAN ANTONIO.
I DON'T CARE WHETHER THOSE VETERANS ARE NOT ALASKA OR PUERTO RICO, UH, OR IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT, UM, IT'LL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR THIS ORGANIZATION IN SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VETERANS IN SAN ANTONIO GET THESE DOGS IF THERE IS A FACILITY IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT INVESTMENT.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, AARON BLY, THEIR LOBBYIST, UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHO I REFERRED, UH, TO THIS ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THAT YOU'VE DONE A SUPERB JOB AT, UM, EDUCATING CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMITTEE, UH, OF THE NEED FOR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS, BUT ALSO YOU, YOU'VE BEEN A BLESSING TO THIS ORGANIZATION BY HELPING RAISE A LOT OF PRIVATE MONEY FOR THEM.
UM, AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, THE CURRENT SAN ANTONIONS WHO ARE WORKING AT THE CANINES FOR WARRIORS FACILITY TODAY, TRAINING THESE DOGS SO THAT THEY CAN FIND THEIR FOREVER HOMES WITH, UH, WITH KENAI, UH, FOR, WITH, WITH THE WARRIORS.
AND SO THANK YOU TO MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE GONNA BE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY.
UM, YOU ARE LITERALLY SAVING PEOPLE'S LIVES, UH, BY VOTING ON THIS PROJECT.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER WISE, COUNCIL MEMBER EO HDA.
THERE'S A, YOU MENTIONED A LONG LIST OF PEOPLE TO THANK THIS MORNING, BUT, 'CAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG PROCESS, BUT I MAINLY WANNA THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, WITH A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DISTRICT SIX BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT WE CAN BUILD A BETTER COM COMMUNITY BY LOOKING BEYOND DISTRICT BOUNDARIES TO MAKE OUR ENTIRE CITY BETTER.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE VISION, TIME, ENERGY, EXPERTISE, AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT OF ALL THE CITIZENS, OUR NEIGHBORS WHO AGREED TO ATTEND MEETINGS, LISTEN TO STAFF, AND THEIR FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS, HAVE OPEN AND FRANK DISCUSSIONS TO FIND SOLUTIONS WHERE THEY WERE NEEDED.
THANKS AS ALWAYS, TO ALL OF CITY STAFF THAT'S IN, BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, IT'S BEEN A HUGE UNDERTAKING FROM PUTTING TOGETHER LISTS OF NEEDS AND PROJECTS FOR CONSIDERATION TO PLANNING THE COMMITTEE PROCESS, THE OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION, THE BOND PACKAGE AND THE ELECTION WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE OFFICIAL IS SAN ANTONIO BETTING ON ITS OWN FUTURE AS A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, GROW BUSINESSES, AND RAISE OUR FAMILIES.
WE WILL MEET NEEDS TODAY THAT WILL MAKE US BETTER TOMORROW AND GIVE US A BETTER QUALITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, LIKE STREETS, DRAINAGE, PARKS, AND LIBRARIES.
AND THERE ARE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME IN.
DISTRICT SIX, THE BOND ADDRESSES HUGE DRAINAGE ISSUES, LONG-TERM, UH, LONGTIME PROBLEMS IN OUR DISTRICT, LIKE MARBACH ROAD AND FRENCH CREEK.
THERE'S VISIONARY PROJECTS LIKE A DESTINATION PARK THAT WILL BE LOCATED IN WHAT IS NOW A FOOD DESERT NEAR THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WILL HAVE A ONE OF A KIND FOOD AND NUT FOREST IN SAN ANTONIO.
THERE ARE PARTS OF THE DISTRICT SIX COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE WELL-SERVED BY A NEW SENIOR CENTER WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF DISTRICT FIVE DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS THAT WILL HELP KEEP FLOOD WATERS FROM DISTRICT SIX HOMES.
AND THERE ARE ROAD UPGRADES THAT WILL MAKE IT SAFER FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND FAMILIES TO TRAVEL AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
OUR NEXT CHALLENGE IS TO BRING AS MANY SAN ANTONIANS TO THE POLLS AS WE CAN.
SO THIS WILL BE A TRUE COMMUNITY DECISION.
VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION SHOULD NOW BE OUR MAIN CONCERN.
AND IN THE COMING DAYS, I WILL ASK FOR A BRIEFING ON THE CITY'S PLANS FOR VOTER OUTREACH.
FOR, FROM THAT, I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UM, REGARDING THE PROCESS AFTER, UM, AFTER TODAY, ARE THERE COMMUNITY MEETINGS PLANNED TO DISCUSS EACH OF THESE PROJECTS? COUNCILWOMAN? WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, UNDOUBTEDLY THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS THAT YOU HAVE OR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, UM, FRANKLY, IT'LL BE INCORPORATED INTO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE.
WE ARE GONNA BE WORKING TO COMPILE A, UH, MAYBE I HAVE A MASTER CALENDAR, UM, BUT THE MATERIALS RE UH, RELATED TO THE BOND BROCHURE WILL BE CRITICAL, UH, BOTH ONLINE AND, AND IN PAPER FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE COORDINATING THAT, UH, ONCE THE PROJECT LIST IS FINALIZED.
AND ANY, UM, ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT FOR THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND, AND IF WE CAN HOLD THEM OURSELVES, WHATEVER YOU MENTIONED, OUR H O A MEETINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COVEO, HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, I WANT TO START OUT BY OFFERING MY THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED THINKING ABOUT THIS A YEAR AGO, KNOWING IT WAS COMING DOWN, UH, THIS YEAR, IT, IT SEEMED LIKE A, A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
UH, AND SO I VISITED WITH PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY WHO HAVE LIVED IN DISTRICT NINE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PREVIOUS PROCESS.
AND, AND SO THEY HAD SOME GOOD IDEAS AND SOME GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
THE MAIN THING THAT WE DECIDED ON IN DISTRICT NINE WAS WE WERE GONNA LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DISTRICT? WE'RE NOT GONNA JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE OR WHAT WE WANT, BUT WHAT
[01:55:01]
ARE THE NEEDS? AND WHAT I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO HEAR IS THAT THAT'S WHAT JUST ABOUT EVERY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT HAS DONE.THEY HAVEN'T TRIED TO, UH, ADD ON THINGS THAT ARE, ARE, ARE FUN TO HAVE OR NEAT TO HAVE.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE REALLY LOOKED AT WHAT DO WE ABSOLUTELY NEED? SO THESE PROJECTS, THESE 180 PLUS PROJECTS ARE CRITICAL PROJECTS FOR THIS CITY.
YOU KNOW, THIS BOND ISSUE IS $1.2 BILLION.
IF YOU DIVIDED ALL THOSE NEEDS UP, AND YOU SAID, WELL, WE WANNA GET 'EM DONE EVERY YEAR, AND YOU WANTED TO PAY FOR 'EM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING ABOUT $240 MILLION A YEAR TO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE BONDS, IF WE WERE JUST GONNA PAY AS YOU GO AND DO THOSE.
BUT IF YOU ADDED THAT MUCH TO OUR BUDGET, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A TAX INCREASE IN ORDER TO PAY FOR IT.
BUT THESE BONDS ARE NOT GOING TO CAUSE ANY KIND OF A TAX INCREASE.
SO THE, THE VALUE OF HAVING ALL OF THESE, UH, THESE PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN THROUGH THIS BOND PROJECT, SAVES US MONEY AND GETS THESE PROJECTS DONE THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, AND THE PROSPERITY FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS AND I HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL FEEL THE SAME.
OUR CITY STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB AND EDUCATING EVERYBODY WHO SERVED ON THOSE COMMITTEES, THINK ALL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS REALLY WERE COMMITTED TO COME UP WITH THE VERY BEST SUGGESTIONS THAT THEY COULD, UH, AND THAT WE COULD AFFORD.
I'M, I'M ALSO PLEASED TO HEAR THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT OTHER FUNDING THAT IS GOING TO GO ALONG AND WORK WITH THIS TO ENHANCE THAT 1.2 BILLION.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LEVERAGING ANOTHER 270 MILLION IN OTHER FUNDS TO JOIN THIS.
AND YOU WERE TALKING REALLY ABOUT, PROBABLY MORE THAN A ONE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO TAKE PLACE WHEN WE USE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT THIS IS A, A REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE ACTION FOR THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE, BUT IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO THE PEOPLE IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S GONNA BE UP TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE IS THIS REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE? AND SO IT'LL BE UP TO THIS, THIS CITY COUNCIL TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THESE PROJECTS.
IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO GO OUT AND TRY AND SAY YES OR NO, BUT IT IS OUR JOB TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE PROJECT MEANS TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.
AND, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEES WHO SERVE FROM DISTRICT NINE, ALONG WITH OUR CITY STAFF.
AND I BELIEVE WHEN THE PUBLIC IS EDUCATED, THEY WILL RECOGNIZE THE TRUE VALUE IN WHAT WE'RE OFFERING TODAY.
SO I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, MOVING THIS ISSUE TO THE VOTERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, THE BOND IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE CONCESSIONS ARE MADE, AND AS HAS BEEN SAID, UH, A NUMBER OF TIMES, NO ONE GETS EVERYTHING THEIR WAY.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I WANTED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAMERA I'M LOOKING INTO, UM, I WANNA CHAT SPECIFICALLY WITH MY CONSTITUENTS AND SHARE WHAT'S TOP OF MIND RIGHT NOW.
SO WE DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING WE WANTED.
AND MAYBE THERE, UM, ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE STILL DON'T AGREE WITH BEING FUNDED.
BUT OVERALL, THIS $1.2 BILLION BOND IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY AND FOR OUR DISTRICT.
AND THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT MAKE THIS BOND PARTICULARLY SPECIAL.
ONE BEING THAT IT IS THE MOST EQUITY FOCUSED BOND WE'VE SEEN YET.
AND IN SUCH A SHORT TIME, THE LIST EVOLVED BECAUSE OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
DISTRICT TWO IS RECEIVING MORE MONEY FROM THE BOND AND A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF THE BOND THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE, AND THAT CANNOT GO UNSET.
AS AN EDUCATOR, I ALSO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, AND IT'S BEEN EXCITING TO WATCH FOR MY FIRST TIME AND TO BE A PART OF IT IN THIS CAPACITY FOR MY FIRST TIME.
THE BEST PART OF THE EVOLUTION OF THIS BOND WAS THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC.
I ATTENDED 11 OF THE 20 MEETINGS, AND OUR DISTRICT TWO APPOINTEES SHOWED SO, SO MUCH LEADERSHIP, UM, AND EAGERNESS TO LISTEN TO NEIGHBORS IN OUR DISTRICT AND ACROSS THE CITY.
AND ULTIMATELY THEY JUST, THEY, THEY DEMONSTRATED A LOT OF WISDOM, AS DID ALL OF OUR APPOINTEES.
AND I'M SO EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE D TWO APPOINTEES FOR BRINGING SOLUTIONS TO THE TABLE AND FIGHTING FOR EACH OF THESE BOND PROJECTS.
SO I WANNA SPECIFICALLY THANK THE D TWO APPOINTEES, ANITA FRANKLIN, EDDIE MARTINEZ, AND JOE BRAVO, ANDREA NAOR, DEBBIE
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REED, AND PEDRO RODRIGUEZ, AKEEM BROWN, DEBRA WARNER, DONNA WATTS, AND STEPHEN LUCKY, BEVERLY WATTS, DAVIS, DAK COLE, AND MOHAMAD, RUSSELL LAWSON, PICASSO, MIA LO, AND STEPHANIE MCGOWAN.TOGETHER, WE WORKED AS A FIERCE TEAM, AND TOGETHER WE WILL WORK SUCCESSFULLY TO BRING THIS PROJECT LIST TO LIFE.
AND AS A LOVE LETTER TO MY DISTRICT, I'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE CAME OUT OF THIS BOND WITH HISTORIC VICTORIES AND RECORD FUNDING IN DISTRICT TWO.
WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DRIVE ON SOME OF THE WORST ROADS IN THE CITY AND OUT OF STREETS, BRIDGES, AND SIDEWALKS.
ONE PARTICULAR FOCUS OF OURS WAS F STREET, AND I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT WE ARE RECEIVING THE MOST FUNDING OF ANY DISTRICT.
IN TOTAL, WE'LL RECEIVE $26 MILLION IN DISTRICT SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN DISTRICT TWO.
WE RELY ON OUR PARKS TO BE ACCESSIBLE, FREE SPACES TO BARBECUE, PLAY SPORTS WITH OUR FAMILIES, GO ON WALKS AND JOGS, AND TO HONOR OUR CITY'S HISTORY, UM, AND OUR COMMUNITY'S HISTORY WITH PUBLIC ART.
AND WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE AN IDEA FOR OUR PARKS AND TO, UM, HONOR OUR PARK'S NAMESAKES, BUT NOT TO HAVE FUNDING FOR IT.
SO, OUT OF THE PARKS AND OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE, WE'RE RECEIVING $3.5 MILLION FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS WITH FOCUS ON M L K PARK AND LOCKWOOD IN DIGNITY PARK.
AND IN THIS BOND, WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTING THE EAST SIDE CLUBHOUSE, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THE GREATER LA MULTI-GENERATIONAL CENTER AND THE WHEATLEY HEIGHTS SPORTS COMPLEX.
IN DISTRICT TWO, WE HAVE SOME OF THE WORST DRAINAGE IN THE CITY, AND THAT LEADS TO FURTHER DAMAGE OF OUR ROADS LEADING TO WORST CONDITIONS.
AND OUT OF THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE, WE WILL HAVE THE LARGEST SINGLE DRAINAGE PROJECT IN THE BOND FUNDING.
PEGGY DRIVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EASTGATE NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT TWO.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE CITY'S OLDEST, MOST CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FACILITIES IN THE CITY.
AND WE ALSO RELY ON OUR LIBRARIES FOR INTERNET ACCESS AND RESOURCES WE MAY NOT FIND ELSEWHERE.
AND WE'VE SEEN THEM OVER THE YEARS FALL INTO STATES OF NEAR DISREPAIR.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT OUR, THAT OUT OF THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES COMMITTEE, WE'RE RECEIVING THE MOST FUNDING TO REPAIR CITY OWNED FACILITIES, INCLUDING $11.5 MILLION FOR ELLA AUSTIN, AND $12.5 MILLION TO EXPAND THE CARVER LIBRARY TO BECOME A REGIONAL LIBRARY.
THIS IS HUGE FOR OUR DISTRICT.
ONE OF THE CITYWIDE CITYWIDE PROJECTS THAT I WAS MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT WAS THE VETERINARY FACILITY FOR A C S.
AND WHEN THE LIST WAS FIRST PROPOSED, THERE WAS NO SUCH FACILITY ON THE LIST.
AND I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT ITS ADDITION TO THE BOND, AND THEY DID.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT HERE, AND I KNOW IT'S A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO OUR GROWING NEED.
BUT I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH A C S, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR, AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO FIND THESE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE, THE NEED FOR VACCINATIONS IN SPAY NEUTER, AND THE GENERAL WELFARE OF ANIMALS IN OUR CITY.
I'M ALSO THRILLED FOR OUR CITY'S HOUSING BOND.
IT RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND DIALOGUE, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THE RESULT REFLECTED BOTH THE NEED OF OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
WE'LL MAKE A $45 MILLION INVESTMENT IN REPAIRING AGING HOMES, HELPING HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES, KEEPING THEIR MOST VALUABLE ASSET, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FUNDS IN THE HOUSING BOND PROPOSAL ARE APPROPRIATELY FOCUSED ON THE 30% A M I, UH, HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH IS WHERE THE BIGGEST NEED EXISTS.
AND I'LL BE WORKING WITH CITY STAFF, HOUSING ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THE INTENT AND GOALS OF THE HOUSING BOND ARE MET OVERALL.
I'M THANKFUL THAT OUR D TWO COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THESE PROJECTS ON THE LIST, AND THANKFUL FOR EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES APPOINTEES FOR RECOGNIZING THE, THE NEED THAT EXISTS IN D TWO AND CENTERING EQUITY IN THEIR DECISION MAKING.
I'M ALSO THANKFUL TO MY COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT TWO FOR PARTICIPATING AT OUR ONE TOWN HALL AT ONE-ON-ONES CALLING AND SENDING LETTERS AND MESSAGES AND ATTENDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AND I'M SO EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, THIS BOND TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
AND I WANNA THANK EACH MEMBER OF THE BOND COMMITTEES THAT SERVED AND EACH COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT CAME FORWARD DURING THIS PROCESS.
I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE THOUSANDS OF DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS.
OKAY? IT WAS LESS THAN 2000, BUT IT WAS MORE THAN 1000, UH, THOUSANDS OF DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS WHO COMPLETED OUR MAIL-IN BOND SURVEY LAST YEAR, AND WHO SHARED THEIR IDEAS WITH US VIA EMAIL, UH, LAST YEAR AND THE ENTIRE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, YOUR INPUT HAS HELPED US SHAPE THE PROPOSAL.
YOU SEE TODAY IN 2017 WHEN THIS PARALLEL VOTE WAS OCCURRING, A NUMBER OF US ON THIS DAAS WERE AT BLOCK WALKING.
JOHN, I KNOW YOU WERE THERE,
AND WE FOUND OURSELVES ON THE SAME BALLOT
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AS THE BOND FOR 2017.SO TODAY'S VOTE IS THE KIND THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO FROM THE MOMENT WE TAKE OFFICE AND SOMETIMES EVEN BEFORE WE COME INTO OFFICE, WITH THE INTENTION OF TRANSFORMING OUR DISTRICTS FOR THE BETTER.
AND THEN WE FIND THAT EVEN ONE SIGNIFICANT PROJECT CANNOT BE DONE IN A SINGLE BUDGET CYCLE IN A SINGLE TERM, OR EVEN IN TWO TERMS. WE NEED A BOND.
THE PROJECTS WE WILL APPROVE TODAY, AND THAT OUR VOTERS WILL HOPEFULLY APPROVE THIS, MAY WILL TRANSFORM NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'LL REMOVE HOMES FROM THE FLOODPLAINS, AND WE'LL PROVIDE SAFE ROUTES FOR CHILDREN WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
THEY'LL ALSO DO A NUMBER OF THE OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS YOU'VE HEARD THE COUNCIL MEMBERS MENTION SO FAR.
I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE DISTRICT SEVEN PRIORITIES, WHICH WERE AND CONTINUE TO BE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, FLOOD CONTROL, QUALITY OF LIFE AND EQUITY WHEN IT COMES TO FLOOD CONTROL.
I WANT TO GIVE A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE TO FINANCE THE NEXT PHASE OF CEILING CHANNEL.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ, FOR CONTRIBUTING COUNTY FUNDS TO HELP US EXECUTE THIS PROJECT.
IF YOU MAY RECALL, THE 2017 PHASE TOOK UP $24 MILLION, AND WE WERE ABLE TO WHITTLE THIS PHASE DOWN, UH, TO LESS THAN $10 MILLION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE DRAINAGE BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT AS WELL AS THE QUENTIN ALLEY INTERIM IMPROVEMENTS.
WHEN IT COMES TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, I OFTEN SAY THAT ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF MY JOB IS TELLING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT NO, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT SIDEWALK THIS YEAR, OR MAYBE EVEN NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THE DEMAND FOR SIDEWALKS IS SO GREAT IN DISTRICT SEVEN, AND THE CITY'S BUDGET FOR IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY LIMITED.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, WE HAVE DECIDED, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, AS WITH THE BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO FOCUS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR STREETS MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR SIDEWALKS, UH, WITH MY STAFF, WE REVIEWED ALL THE, ALL THE SIDEWALK GAPS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NUMBER TWO.
WE'RE NOT NUMBER ONE IN SIDEWALK GAPS.
THAT'S DISTRICT THREE, BUT WE ARE NUMBER TWO.
AND WE IDENTIFIED THE MOST TRAVERSED CORRIDORS, THE ONES THAT SERVED BUS ROUTES, THE ONES THAT SERVED SCHOOLS AND SERVED PARKS WHERE WE STILL DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.
BASICALLY, THE SIDEWALKS THAT NOBODY SPEAKS FOR, BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME, BUT NO ONE NECESSARILY SPEAKS FOR THE SIDEWALKS THAT CONNECT THOSE PARKS AND THAT CONNECT THE BUS ROUTES.
SO WE'LL BE INVESTING A HISTORIC $16 MILLION IN PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, UM, IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY OF LIFE, WE WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT IN PARKS AS WELL.
AND I WANNA THANK THOSE BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY, I WILL MAKE A COMMENT, UH, THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES MAY BE TIRED OF HEARING BY NOW, BUT I'LL SHARE IT AGAIN.
I DO WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, REPAIRING OUR F STREETS, I REMEMBER MIKE FRISBEE SAYING WE'RE GONNA NEED A BOND TO, TO, TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THOSE WORST STREETS IN SAN ANTONIO.
I KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT AND ULTIMATELY DECIDED AGAINST CHANGING THAT FUNDING FORMULA.
HOWEVER, I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE CONVERSATION THIS COUNCIL HAD THAT OUR B SESSION LAST MONTH TO RECONSIDER OUR FUNDING FORMULA GOING FORWARD.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, ERIC, IF HE COULD SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, ABOUT THAT, HOW WE WOULD, UH, DEAL WITH THAT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CLOSE THAT DISPARITY IN, UH, IN THE DISTRICTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORST RATED STREETS.
COUNCILMAN, THIS WAS AN ISSUE THAT SEVERAL OF YOU BROUGHT UP AT THE JANUARY 12TH B SESSION AS WELL.
AND, AND IT CAME UP A LITTLE BIT LAST WEEK DURING THE ARPA CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE'LL HAVE THE COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION, UH, LATER THIS, UH, SPRING TO GOING INTO 2023.
YOU KNOW, JUST TO KIND OF RECAP FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE WATCHING, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE FRETS THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM.
AND, AND, AND FRANKLY, THAT'S THE PLACE TO DO IT, NOT IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
'CAUSE WE WERE NOT USING OUR, OUR,
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OUR DOLLARS WISELY.AND, AND I THINK AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION, AND WE'LL BE PREPARED, ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS I HAD FROM THE JANUARY B SESSION IS THAT WE'LL BE PREPARED TO SHOW COUNCIL A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK JUST GLOBALLY, WE'LL NEED TO ALSO KEEP OUR EYES ON THE MAINTENANCE PART OF STREETS.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT BS TO TURN THE C'S AND C'S TO TURN THE D'S AND THEN D'S THAT TURN INTO F'S.
SO THERE'S A BALANCE AND I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL AT THE BUDGET WORK SESSION, A NUMBER OF, UM, ALTERNATIVES AND A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS, UM, OUR ENGINEERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET, UM, KIND OF THE NEEDS AND BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD.
AND CERTAINLY I THINK THAT'LL BE A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT THE, AT THE WORK SESSION.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, THE MAYOR FOR EXPRESSING HIS SUPPORT, UH, FOR, UH, REVISITING THE FUNDING FORMULA FOR STREETS IN OUR, IN OUR CITY.
AND NOW I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS OF THANKS TO THE DISTRICT SEVEN BOND APPOINTEES WHO, UH, WHO WORKED VERY HARD, UH, TOURED MANY, MANY SITES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT WITH, UH, WITH THE FULL COMMITTEE AND ON THEIR OWN, UM, MR. MATT BZA, UH, MS. MELANIE COFFIN, JUDY GILED, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ELENA GUDO, EVA WHO SERVED ON THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, UH, MR. EARNEST MENDOZA.
UH, MR. RUDY MORALES, RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, UH, DR.
SOCORRO MORALES, UH, JD MORALES, CARRIE NEFF, UH, MR. MIKE PHILLIPS, UH, DON RIOS, ALAN ROSS, AND MR. CHRISTOPHER SALAS IN PARTICULAR, I DO WANNA THANK CHRIS SALAS FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE CONCEPT OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN TO THE HOUSING, UM, TO THE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE.
AND I'M SO GLAD THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS RECEIVED IT SO WELL AND ENDED UP SUPPORTING, UH, HIS, HIS CONCEPT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING TODAY'S VOTE.
UH, I WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF.
I WANNA THANK THE BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I SEE MARCO O BARIOS HERE, UH, THOSE THAT SPOKE CHRISTINE JENIN, AND I KNOW, UM, WE HAD ONE MORE SUBMITTED LETTER.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, IF YOU'RE SITTING IN THE CROWD FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WHEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS, UH, SO MANY MONTHS AGO, UM, I WAS NOT THE HAPPIEST OF PEOPLE AND I EXPRESSED THAT SO THAT HERE FROM THE DAIS.
BUT I BELIEVED IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO WE HAD OUR BOND COMMITTEES, I MADE APPOINTMENTS, WE HAD OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
AND WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, I BELIEVE IS SOMETHING HISTORIC.
AND I WANT TO THINK, UM, ALL THOSE FROM THE STREETS AND DRAINAGE, MY BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OUR OLA, DEBRA FES, WILLIAM DUSTY ANDERSON, FREDA SSON, COUNCILMAN HENRY AVILA, AND GISELLE AVIO FOR SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE.
ON MY PROJECT LIST THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
I HAVE THREE PHASE TWO PROJECTS.
SO THE THINGS THAT WERE STARTED IN 2017 THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IN 20, IN THE 20, IN THE 2022 BOND.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARKS, I WANT TO THANK CYNTHIA, ADRIAN ADRIANO, KAREN BURGARD, AND OTTO GARZA BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, THAT THE BOND COMMITTEE WORKS AND CHANGES GET MADE.
SO NOW WE SEE A CITYWIDE MITCHELL LAKE AUDUBON PROJECT INTO THE PARKS.
I SEE PHASE TWO OF THE FIVE DIAMOND LITTLE LEAGUES, AND THEN WE GET TO SEE MY OTHER PARKS PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
AND I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THAT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FACILITIES, I WANNA THANK, UM, JENNIFER RAMOS, PETE BENAVIDES, SONYA RODRIGUEZ, AND MY ALTERNATE BRENDA PACHECO, WHO SHOWED UP ON THE FINAL DAY.
UM, THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR US BECAUSE WE ARE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE THERE, AND WE ARE ASKING FOR A MUCH NEEDED SUBSTATION FOR, UM, SOME OF THE, THE HIGHEST GROWING AREAS, WHICH IS THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
AND SO WE SAW, UM, THE BOND COMMITTEE DISCUSS AND PUT FORWARD A POLICE STATION, AND NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO FIRE STATIONS WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK COLLEEN FROM THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE FOR HER TIRELESS EFFORTS TO GET US A WORLD HERITAGE CENTER.
SHE HAS HAD MEETING AFTER MEETING.
IT WAS ONE OF ONE OF THE FEW FIRST MEETINGS I HAD WITHIN OUR
[02:15:01]
DISTRICT, G P A.UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE I, WE ASKED YOU TO PUT OUT SURVEYS AND WITHIN MAYBE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS YOU GOT A SURVEY OUT THERE.
I'M STILL GETTING INFORMATION FROM YOU ON LETTERS OF, UH, SUPPORT AND LETTERS OF NOT SUPPORT FOR SOME PROJECTS WITHIN THE BOND.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, THE NEXT THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS HOUSING.
AND REALLY THANK MY HOUSING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, AND THAT WAS AMELIA GUZMAN, DR.
GEORGE HINOJOSA AND THAD RUTHERFORD.
WE ASKED THESE PEOPLE, THAT ENTIRE COMMITTEE, WE ASKED THEM TO JUST CREATE, BECAUSE WE HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT WE RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR, UM, HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, THROUGHOUT THE 10 DISTRICTS.
AND THEY WENT THERE AND THEY DISCUSSED, AND THEY CAME BACK WITH WHAT I FEEL IS A GREAT BEGINNING TO HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH HOUSING IN, UM, IN A BOND PROJECT.
IS IT PERFECT? NO, IT'S NOT PERFECT.
DO I WISH WE COULD GET, UM, 1.3 BILLION SO WE COULD PUT THAT EXTRA, THOSE EXTRA DOLLARS INTO HOUSING? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BUT WE'RE AT $1.2 BILLION WITH 150 MILLION TOWARDS HOUSING AND A BEST EFFORT, CONCERTED EFFORT COLLABORATION BY A COMMITTEE TO KIND OF GIVE US THE DIRECTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THEIR DOLLARS.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT SERVED THAT, UH, ASKED SO MANY QUESTIONS.
AND I REALLY DO LIKE THE SUGGESTION AS OF US HAVING AN OVERSIGHT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT TODAY, WHAT I THINK WE HAVE IS A, UM, A DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN TAKE TO THE VOTERS THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND EXPLAIN TO THE VOTERS OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THE ONE THING I WANNA STRESS IS WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC COMING OUT.
IT'S $1.2 BILLION THOUGHTFUL PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS AND THAT THE NATION IS WATCHING.
AND THAT'S WHAT, AND I WANNA APPLAUD YOU, ERIC, AND THE CITY STAFF OF STRESSING THAT POINT, THAT NATIONALLY THEY'RE WATCHING US AND WE WANNA BE GOOD STEWARDS OF WHAT WE HAVE SO THAT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY HAS, WHETHER IT'S GRANTS, WHETHER IT'S MORE FEDERAL FUNDING, THAT NATIONALLY, THEY'LL LOOK AT US AND THEY SAY SAN ANTONIO IS DOING WELL WITH, WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR BUDGET AND WITH THEIR DOLLARS.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS FORWARD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH MY NEIGHBORS, AND I WANNA THANK YOU, ERIC FOR, UH, AND TEAM FOR STICKING WITH ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND GETTING TO, TO TODAY.
I'M GLAD WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE COUNCIL CAN FINALLY GET TO VOTE TO MOVE THIS BOND PACKAGE TO THE PUBLIC.
AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, I HAD SOME HESITANCY WHEN THE NATIONAL BOND PROPOSAL FOR EACH DISTRICT WAS PRESENTED BACK IN SEPTEMBER BECAUSE IT SHOWED THAT MY DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT WITH THE MOST NEED WAS ONLY RECEIVING ABOUT 60 MILLION IN BOND FUNDING FROM AN OVER 1 BILLION IN BOND FUNDS.
BUT THANKS TO THE CITIZEN INPUT AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PROCESS, DISTRICT FIVE WORKED TO SECURE AN ADDITIONAL 35 MILLION IN BOND FUNDING, WHICH WILL SUPPORT OUR FIREFIGHTERS BY FUNDING THE TOTAL RENOVATION OF A 50 YEAR OLD FIRE STATION AND INITIATE A MUCH NEEDED DRAINAGE PROJECT ON RIO CITY ROAD AND SIGNIFICANTLY RESTORE THE BEAUTIFUL GEMS, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE BY INVESTING IN 11 OF OUR CITY PARKS.
THIS PROCESS REPRESENTS THE POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE, AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF EACH BOND COMMITTEE, MY APPOINTEES, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD AT PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE 2022 BOND REPRESENTS THE LARGEST BOND INVESTMENT IN DISTRICT FIVE IN THE CITY'S HISTORY AT 95 MILLION.
BECAUSE DISTRICT FIVE DOES NOT HAVE ANY CITYWIDE PROJECTS, THIS MEANS ALL 95 MILLION FROM THIS BOND WILL BE GOING TOWARDS SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSETS THAT ARE MOST CRITICAL TO MY DISTRICT FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
I JUST WANNA QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROJECTS FROM EACH CATEGORY.
I WANNA THANK MARK ANDRE AND DAVID WHO SERVED ON THE STREETS BOND COMMITTEE, AND THANK YOU FOR ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR FAILED STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
NOW, OVER $14 MILLION IN BOND FUNDS WILL GO TOWARDS IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
THE BRASSO STREET PROJECT WILL HELP SUPPORT SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS FOR EACH OF OUR AREA BUSINESSES AND PEDESTRIANS.
I'M GLAD TO SEE FUNDING FOR PROBAND BASED TWO, AS WELL AS IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
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AND AN AND HAS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM OUR LONE STAR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND BUSINESSES AS WELL.I WANNA THANK GRACIELA, SARAH, AND RAY, UM, WHO OVERALL THE 2022 BOND WILL FUND IMPROVEMENTS AGAIN AT 11 DISTRICT FIVE PARKS.
I'M SO PROUD HOW THE COMMITTEE REALLY TOOK THE EQUITY CONVERSATION TO HIGH TO, TO HEART BY TOURING OUR CASTANO PARK AND USING FUNDS TO IMPROVE IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T ON THE INITIAL PROPOSAL.
SO I WANNA THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND THEIR BOND APPOINTEES WHO WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO VISIT OUR DISTRICT FIVE PARKS AND HELPED SECURE THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR CASTANO PARK.
THE DISTRICT FIVE PARKS APPOINTEES, OUTDID THEMSELVES.
THIS BOND, THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS TO ME MARKS A TRUE SHIFT TOWARDS EQUITY.
6.75 MILLION IS THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A SOUTHSIDE PARK LIKE NORMAL OIL.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY DESIGN AND INPUT PROCESS DRAINAGE.
I WANNA THANK ROSE MARIA AND JUSTIN AFTER GOING WITHOUT A DRAINAGE PROJECT IN 2017.
DISTRICT FIVE IS RECEIVING 26.7 MILLION FOR TWO CRITICAL DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
THE FIRST IS LOCATED ON WILCOX IN THE QUINTANA NEIGHBORHOOD AND WILL BRING MUCH NEEDED RELIEF FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED FLOODED YARDS AND SIDEWALKS.
THERE WAS GOOD FEEDBACK FROM MY COMMUNITY AND THE DISTRICT FIVE DRAINAGE BOND COMMITTEE AND OTHERS, WHICH LED OUR OFFICE TO SHIFT FUNDING TOWARDS PHASE ONE OF THE RIO RIO CITY ROAD DRAINAGE PROJECT.
WHILE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL BE NEEDED FOR THE TOTAL COMPLETION, THIS PROJECT WILL INITIATE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH PRESENT SAFETY AND HAZARDOUS, UM, ENVIRONMENT RIGHT NOW FOR OUR MOTORIST RESIDENTS AND FOLKS WHO LIVE ALONGSIDE RIO CITY ROAD DURING RAINING EVENTS.
I WANT TO THANK ERIC AND OZZIE FOR INCLUDING THIS UPDATE IN THE PRESENTATION, AND I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT.
UM, THERE'S $75 MILLION COMING TO THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CITY HAVING A GREAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THOSE FUNDS CAN BEST SERVE AND ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE ISSUES ON THE WEST SIDE.
IN THE LONG RUN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY BE AS CREATIVE AND WORK JUST AS QUICKLY TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THE BOND FOR DRAINAGE, JUST LIKE WE DID FOR BIOMED AND SUNKEN GARDEN.
THE WEST SIDE CREEK FUNDING PRESENTS AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR STAFF'S COMMITMENT ON THIS.
LASTLY, I WANT TO STATE MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE CITIZENS DRAINAGE COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY OUR DRAINAGE BOND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES.
I WANNA THANK VELMA, REBECCA, AND MANUEL, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK TO SECURE $10 MILLION FOR THE RENOVATION OF FIRE STATION 33.
I TOURED THIS STATION WITH MEMBERS OF THE FIREFIGHTER DEPARTMENT, THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION, AND VELMA PENYA, WHO'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT IN THE SERVICE AREA.
PICTURES ARE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU THAT THIS FIRE STATION NEEDS EVERY PENNY OF INVESTMENT, WHICH IS WHY I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT STAFF WORKED WITH OUR DISTRICT FIVE OFFICE TO MOVE AN ADDITIONAL 2.5 MILLION FROM OUR STREETS CATEGORY TO PROVIDE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WITH THE WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS THAT THEY DESERVE.
DISTRICT FIVE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THE ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS LIKE JAVIER AND RUDY MORALES AND THE SAN ANTONIO'S PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS UNION.
THE ALLOCATION FOR THE LAS PALMS, UM, AREA WILL FULLY REIMAGINE THE LAS PALMAS LIBRARY, OLGA MADRID AND LAS PALAMAS PARK TO PROVIDE A MORE SERVICES AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND AS THE PROUD MOM OF PEBBLES, THE CUTEST PIT BULL THAT I ADOPTED AT A C S, I'M REALLY PLEASED OF THE WORK THAT SHANNON, UH, HAS PUT FORWARD TO SECURE FUNDING.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK KAREN SPEAR, OUR DISTRICT FIVE APPOINTEE TO A C S, WHO, UM, DID HER WORK AND REACHED OUT TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LET THEM KNOW, UM, THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M GLAD THAT THAT WAS A SUCCESS.
IN CLOSING, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE BOND ISSUE AS WELL AS EDUCATING MY DISTRICT FIVE ABOUT ALL THE PROJECTS WHICH COULD RECEIVE INVESTMENT IF APPROVED.
VIAS COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE DUTY OF WORKING WITH ERIC AND HIS TEAM TO ENSURE WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC IS WHAT WILL BE BUILT.
UM, THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON THIS IS THAT THE CITIZEN PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS WORKED ON THIS BOND.
THERE WERE 160 OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS WHO ARE APPOINTED AND, AND INVOLVED IN, IN SHAPING WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, AND THEY MADE OVER $40 MILLION IN CHANGES TO, TO THIS BOND.
AND THE, THE DISTRICT ONE PARKS COMMITTEE, UM, BOND APPOINTEES ALONE, MADE $6 MILLION IN CHANGES TO THAT PORTION OF THE BOND.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO SAY THAT THAT PROCESS WORKED, THAT SO MANY PEOPLE
[02:25:01]
SHOWED UP AND SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THAT THAT CHANGES WORKED AND THAT THAT TELLS ME THAT THE PUBLIC PROCESS IS WORKING.UM, BUT SPEAKING OF PUBLIC INPUT, ROD, IF I COULD ASK YOU TO COME UP.
ROD SANCHEZ, IF I COULD ASK YOU TO COME UP.
SPEAKING OF THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS, WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF, UH, OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE, THE SUNKEN GARDEN THEATER PROJECT.
AND SO, UM, ONE THING THAT I HAD PROPOSED WAS THAT, UM, WHAT, WHAT I HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THAT THERE'S VERY STRONG CONSENSUS THAT SUNKEN GARDEN THEATER IS IN NEED OF REPAIR AND THAT PEOPLE, UM, ARE SUPPORTIVE OF, OF REHABILITATING THAT, THAT, UH, VENUE.
UH, WHAT I HAVE NOT HEARD CONSENSUS ON IS WHAT SHOULD THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF THAT PROJECT BE? AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THAT PEOPLE WANT MORE DIALOGUE, THEY MORE WANT MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC INPUT.
AND SO WHAT I HAD PROPOSED WAS THAT WE COULD LEAVE THAT 5 MILLION IN THERE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND IF WE DON'T GET TO, IF WE DO GET TO CONSENSUS, THEN THAT THOSE BOND DOLLARS COULD GO TO SUPPORT THE, THE SUNKEN GARDEN THEATER RENOVATION.
IF WE DO NOT, THEN WE COULD INSTEAD USE THAT $5 MILLION FOR GENERAL PARK IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACKENRIDGE PARK.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU, UH, WHAT, CAN YOU GIVE US ANY ASSURANCES THAT I KNOW COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ AND I ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, AND THAT IF WE DO NOT GET CONSENSUS, THOSE, THOSE BOND DOLLARS WILL INSTEAD GO TO PARK GENERAL PARK IMPROVEMENTS? YES.
THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS HOW THE LANGUAGE WILL BE WRITTEN, THAT IT IS FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT BRACKEN RIDGE PARK TO INCLUDE SUNING GARDENS.
SO WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY SHOULD THE SUNING GARDEN PROJECT NOT WORK OUT TO USE THOSE DOLLARS IN BRACKEN RIDGE PARK.
AND I HAVE ALSO SPOKE WITH, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF BRACKEN PARK CONSERVANCY, AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY, THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY FLEXIBLE IN LOOKING AT WHAT THE APPROPRIATE SIZE OF THE VENUE IS AND, UM, TRYING TO ADDRESS OTHER CONCERNS AS WELL THAT THIS, THAT WHAT THEY PUT OUT WAS A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN THAT THEY COULD RAISE MONEY AROUND, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S COMPLETE FLEXIBILITY IN, IN WHAT THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF THAT PROJECT IS.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND HOPE WE CAN GET TO PUBLIC CONSENSUS.
UM, THE LAST THING I WANT TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT IS THAT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE $25 MILLION IN THAT PORTION SET ASIDE FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THAT IS, THAT IS FUNDING THAT IS TO HELP ADDRESS, UM, HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS A PROVEN, UH, EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR, FOR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
AND NOT ONLY IS IT NOT, NOT ONLY IS IT PROVEN, BUT IT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS BECAUSE PROVIDING HOUSING WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES ACTUALLY COSTS LESS THAN ALLOWING PEOPLE TO CON CONTINUE TO LIVE ON THE STREETS WITH ALL THE RESOURCES THAT END UP GOING INTO THAT.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS IN, IN THIS BOND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO AFFORD, UH, SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE PACKAGE.
COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UH, EARLIER WHEN I SPOKE, I WAS ABSOLUTELY REMISS IN LEAVING OUT THE NAME OF A VERY SPECIAL BOND COMMITTEE MEMBER.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK MS. BIANCA MALDONADO FOR SERVING ON THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE.
SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE RESIDENTS, OR PROBABLY THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE RESIDENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO SHE WAS, UM, ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL IN IN MOVING PROJECTS FORWARD THERE.
UM, AND, UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK THAT THEY DID, PUTTING ON THOSE MEETINGS, UH, MAKING SURE THERE WAS, UH, SOME, SOME DECENT DINNER, UH, PROVIDED THAT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY NICE, UH, REALLY GOOD FOOD.
I, I CRASHED ONE OF THE MEETINGS.
UM, AND THAT WAS, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WAS THE BEST PART, BUT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD PART OF, OF THE MEETING FOR PROVIDING ANSWERS, DOCUMENTED ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS AND FOR TELEVISING THE, THE MEETINGS OR TRANSMITTING THE MEETINGS.
I THINK, UH, THAT'S A MODEL PROCESS THAT WE CAN USE IN, IN OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO AT THE CITY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WORK FOR THAT.
I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY PUT IN WITH EACH OF THESE COMMITTEES AS WELL AS HONE IN ON HOUSING.
AND THANK AMY, KAYLA, AND LINDA FOR THEIR SERVICE ON THE CITIZENS HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE.
UH, THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT POPULATIONS REPRESENTED, UH, WHICH OFTEN LED TO A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION AND A BETTER HOUSING BOND.
I AM IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING THE CURRENT CITIZENS HOUSING RECOMMENDATION, AS IS.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS LANGUAGE, I SEE A BALANCED INPUT FROM EACH AND EVERY DISTRICT.
THE LIST POPULATIONS THIS BOND WILL AIM TO SERVE IS INCLUSIVE.
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PROVIDE CLEAR DIRECTION AND ARE ALIGNED WITH THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.AND THE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BALANCED AGAINST THE CITY'S CURRENT HOUSING NEEDS.
SPECIFICALLY, I'M GRATEFUL FOR HOME PRESERVATION DOLLARS THAT WILL PRIORITIZE HOUSING THAT IS AT RISK OF DEMOLITION.
OUR CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, MARK KIMON AND I HAVE EVEN DISCUSSED HOW THIS BOND MIGHT POTENTIALLY EXPAND CURRENT DEMOLITION MITIGATION EFFORTS AS THE DEMOLITION DIVERSION PROGRAM, UH, IS BEING DEVELOPED.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT, THAT, THAT WE, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING NEED THAT WE CENTER ON OUR PUBLIC HOUSING STOCK, AND TO, TO, TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT AT ONE POINT SAHA HAD OVER 7,800 PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, BUT DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE, SAHA UNITS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO 6,000 TOTAL AS OF TODAY.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE INCOME-BASED HOUSE HOUSING WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE BOND FUNDING.
THIS MEANS FOR THE FIRST TIME SAN ANTONIO WILL BE ABLE TO USE BOND DOLLARS TO MEANINGFUL, TO MEANINGFULLY SUPPORT THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE 27,000 HOUSEHOLDS IT SERVES, WHICH INCLUDES OVER 65,000 CHILDREN.
OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE MAKING SIMILAR INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAYOR OF BOSTON, MAYOR WU, HAS RECENTLY COMMITTED $50 MILLION TO RENOVATE PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE IN DISREPAIR.
THESE ACTIONS ILLUSTRATE THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS WAYS FOR CITIES TO MAINTAIN AND GROW PUBLIC HOUSING AS IT HOUSES A WIDE RANGE OF WORKING AND SEVERELY LOW INCOME FAMILIES INSTEAD OF LETTING UNITS BE PRIVATIZED AND CONVERTED TO SECTION EIGHT.
SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS BEFORE MY QUESTIONS? I'M GLAD THAT, UH, THE COMMITTEE WAS SPECIFIC ABOUT PRIORITIZING 30% OF THE AVERAGE MEETING INCOME FOR RENTAL UNITS AND HOME REHAB AT 60% A M I FOR NEW HOME OWNERSHIP PRODUCTION.
THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN DETAILS THAT THERE'S A HIGH NEED AT THESE LEVELS, WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW.
SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN LANGUAGE AND I WANNA THANK THE DISTRICT SEVEN APPOINTEE, UM, FOR ENSURING THAT UNIVERSAL DESIGN GUIDELINES, UM, ARE CODIFIED AND TO BE USED FOR THESE BOND DOLLARS.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOND FUNDING INCLUDE RESIDENT PROTECTIONS, AND I'M SURE THAT WE'VE SEEN LOCAL ARTICLES ABOUT TENANTS WHO ARE, UM, EXPERIENCING BAD QUALITY OF LIFE DUE TO LACK OF SIMPLE MAINTENANCE.
SO, UM, AS WE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY, THEY HAVE CONCERNS WITH SOME OF THE GUIDELINES AND OUR OFFICE HAS RECEIVED A COUPLE OF CALLS AS WELL.
UM, BUT FOR CLARIFICATION, CAN WE GET SOME CLARIFICATION FOR PARAMETER THREE? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS CONCERN IS THAT THREE B MAY NULLIFY THE OVERALL INTENT TO PROVIDE THE BOND FUNDING ON HAIDA MODERATE EQUITY, UH, SCORE AREAS, ESPECIALLY NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, CAN SOMEONE FROM THE N H S G, UH, PLEASE WALK ME THROUGH HOW STAFF INTERPRETS, UH, PARAMETER THREE AND HOW PARAMETER THREE C ENSURES INNER CITY DISTRICTS CAN RECEIVE BOND FUNDING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNSEL IAN BENAVIDEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES.
UM, YES, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE IN THE PARAMETERS, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE COMMITTEE ABOUT WHAT POPULATIONS TO PRIORITIZE AND WHERE.
AND SO THE DISCUSSION WENT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN, UM, DISCUSSING AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY, WHICH DO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, BENEFITS BEHIND THEM IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT WHERE YOU PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS INTEGRATED, UH, HOLISTICALLY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REINVEST IN OUR INNER CITY, INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE KNOW, UM, HAVE LACKED SOME OF THAT INVESTMENT, UH, OVER THE YEARS.
SO THE INTENTION WITH PARAMETER THREE IS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE AREAS WHERE GENERALLY BOND FUNDING SHOULD BE USED, WHICH INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE HIGH TO MODERATE EQUITY SCORE AREAS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THE COMMITTEE, UH, VOTED TO INCLUDE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND, UH, AREAS WITH LOW TO MODERATE EQUITY SCORES, WHICH WOULD BE MORE OF THOSE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY THAT HAVE LOWER CONCENTRATIONS, UH, OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, UH, AND LOWER INCOMES.
HOWEVER, THE COMMITTEE DID RECOGNIZE THAT THAT MAY BE CONTRARY TO SOME OF THE ORIGINAL INTENTIONS IN PARAMETER THREE.
SO THEY INCLUDED THREE C, WHICH SAYS THAT AN EXCEPTION TO THAT WILL BE, UH, ALLOWED FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENTS.
AND OUR DEPARTMENT WHEN IMPLEMENTING THIS BOND WILL LOOK AT INFILL DEVELOPMENTS, UH, AS VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED PARCELS WITHIN THE INNER CITY WHERE WE KNEW WHERE WE KNOW NEW DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO OCCUR.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT FOLLOWING THAT, THAT LINE OF LOGIC DOES ALLOW FOR THOSE BOND FUNDS TO BE USED WITHIN THE INNER CITY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU DEFINING AND WALKING US THROUGH THAT PARAMETER AS WELL AS, UH, DEFINING INFO DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT ACCESS TO THAT, TO EMPHASIZE THAT ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE QUALITY HOUSING IS THE FIRST AND LAST LINE OF DEFENSE AND AGAINST THE IMPACTS OF SYSTEMIC INEQUITY AND GENERATIONAL POVERTY, HOUSING IS HEALTH,
[02:35:01]
STABILITY, SAFETY AND OVERALL A HUMAN RIGHT.AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE, THE RESIDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TO SUPPORT THE HOUSING BOND AND TO CITY STAFF.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRANT.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND I DID WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, THANK LORI AND VERA AND IAN AND THE ENTIRE HOUSING TEAM, BUT AGAIN, ON THE PARAMETERS.
SO WE'RE TALKING AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE, CORRECT? BECAUSE SOME, SOME PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND STILL IN THAT 50% A M I, IS THAT CORRECT, IAN? YES.
AND YES, COUNCILWOMAN, I'M SORRY.
AND THE OTHER QUESTION I MAY HAVE FOR YOU, ERIC IS, OR IAN.
UM, SO WE HAVE THESE PARAMETERS, WE HAVE THESE DESIGNATIONS.
I THINK WE CAN DO THIS, I THINK WE CAN USE IT, BUT LET'S SAY WE, WE RUN INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T USE THOSE FUNDS SIMILAR TO WHAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT FIVE SAID ABOUT WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING TO STAY? ARE WE GOING TO KIND OF KEEP IT THERE FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE BOND THAT MEET THOSE PARAMETERS? UM, AND I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY THE, UM, THE 35 MILLION THINGS LIKE THAT, OR CAN WE MOVE IT TO LIKE THE 25 MILLION FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING? LET'S SAY WE CAN DO SO MANY PROJECTS WITH THAT 25 MILLION, BUT THEN WE HIT A, A WALL WHERE WE CAN'T, WHERE WILL WE LOOK FOR HELP TO CREATE MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING? THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CREATED THE RESOLUTION DOCUMENT VERSUS PUTTING THOSE CATEGORIES WITHIN THE BOND.
SO IT PROVIDES THAT FLEXIBILITY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE REPORTING OUR, UH, MILESTONES, UM, MONTHLY TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
AND AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS BOND PROGRAM, IF THERE ARE SOME AREAS WE FIND CHALLENGING, WE WILL PRESENT THAT TO COUNCIL AND WE MAY NEED TO AMEND THAT DOCUMENT.
BUT I FEEL THAT LOOKING IN THE SHIP AND LOOKING AT THE NEED, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY CHALLENGES USING THIS FUNDING IN THE CATEGORIES WHERE THE BOND COMMITTEE HAVE IDENTIFIED THEM TO GO.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, IT, IT'S ALL STILL STAYING IN HOUSING, WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SPEND IT ALSO, BUT JUST IN CASE OF THAT SCENARIO.
SO YEAH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT EFFORT AND THOSE WERE THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD, UH, REGARDING THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF, UH, TO OUR COLLEAGUES, AND TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, WE DO HAVE A MOTION, UH, AND A SECOND FOR ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM FOUR FIRST.
THAT IS THE BALANCE OF OUR DISCUSSION.
SO ON ITEM FOUR, MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
SECOND BY VERAN, PLEASE VOTE AND WE'LL NEED A VOICE VOTE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER.
PEZ COUNCIL MEMBER APP APPLIES IS AN AYE, AYE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
SECOND BY VIA GRAND, PLEASE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
ERIC, UH, MAYOR, JUST REAL QUICK, THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU START NAMING PEOPLE, YOU, YOU FORGET PEOPLE.
UM, I DID WANT A SPECIAL THANKS TO BEN GO AND TROY ELLIOT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT DID ALL THE WORK LAST SUMMER TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
UM, AND, UH, PASTOR JOHN WHO, UH, HANDLED ALL THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR US, UM, AND JEFF AND ALEX FOR COVERING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, AS WE FOCUSED ON THE BOND COMMITTEES.
I DO KNOW, UH, SOME FOLKS ARE GONNA BE FILTERING OUT, SO IF WE CAN DO THAT EXPEDITIOUSLY AND QUIETLY AS POSSIBLE, WE'RE
[Miscellaneous ]
GONNA MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 22 AND LET'S JUST, UH, HOLD FOR 20 SECONDS AS PEOPLE START FILTERING OUT.[02:40:14]
ALL RIGHT, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE.SO IF YOU ARE LEAVING THE CHAMBER, IF YOU CAN DO SO QUIETLY, PLEASE.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE CAPTION ON 22? ITEM NUMBER 22 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A STREET NAME CHANGE OF ENRIQUE BARRE EN BARRA PARKWAY TO HI, HISTORIC OLD HIGHWAY 90.
BETWEEN US HIGHWAY 90 ACCESS AND SOUTH SAN GABRIEL AVENUE.
UM, IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION? COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA? THERE ISN'T ONE.
OKAY, WE HAVE SEVERAL CI CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND CALL FOLKS FORWARD WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 22, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
UH, SO I'LL CALL FOLKS IN ORDER OF THE SIGNUP.
I'LL CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE IF HE CAN BE PREPARED TO COME UP.
WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS, UH, EFFICIENTLY.
WE'LL START WITH MICHAEL CORMAN'S AND MR. CORMAN'S, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JAVIER GUTIERREZ MORNING ORIGINALLY.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL CORMAN'S AND I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SABLE HIGHWAY NA ALLIANCE, WHICH CONSISTS OF BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE FORMED THIS GROUP SHORTLY AFTER HEARING OF THE NAME CHANGEABLE HIGHWAY 90.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR STRONG VOICE AGAINST THE NAME CHANGE FELL ON DEAF EARS.
NEVERTHELESS, WE DECIDED TO UNITE AND TO TRY TO GET BACK WHAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BEEN RELENTLESS IN OUR EFFORT, AND WE HOPE AND PRAY THAT THIS TIME WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
THE NAME CHANGE HAS DEFINITELY AFFECTED OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY TOO.
WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM MANY IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET THE NAME BACK? WHEN ARE WE GONNA CHANGE THE NAME BACK? KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES THAT COULD NOT BELIEVE IT AND WERE TRULY HURT WHEN THE OLD HIGHWAY 90 STREET NAME WAS CHANGED.
THERE ARE MANY GENERATIONAL FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN ON OLD HIGHWAY 90 FOR DECADES.
AND A LOT OF THIS IS DUE TO OUR VERY OWN COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS US.
MOM AND POP BUSINESSES HAVE ENOUGH ON THEIR PLATE TO STAY AFLOAT.
SO WHEN THE STREET NAME CHANGED, IT REALLY HURT OUR BUSINESS AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH TODAY.
THERE'S NO FORMULA TO TRULY CALCULATE HOW MUCH BUSINESS WE HAVE LOST, NOR HOW MUCH POTENTIAL BUSINESS WILL BE LOST.
EVEN WITH THIS ADDED WEIGHT TO OUR SHOULDERS, OUR BUSINESSES STILL HELP OUR HELP OUT OUR COMMUNITY.
THE OLD HIGHWAY 90 BUSINESSES, WE BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
LAST YEAR ALONE, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES CONTRIBUTED CLOSE TO 1.7 MILLION.
AND SINCE THE NAME CHANGED SIX YEARS AGO, WE'VE CONTRIBUTED 10.2 MILLION DESPITE OUR BUSINESS LOSSES.
KEEP IN MIND THAT MANY OF OUR FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN ON OLD HIGHWAY 90 HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 20, 30, 40, 50, AND SOME 60 YEARS PLUS, OUR BUSINESSES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR SAN ANTONIO.
IN 2018, THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION RECOGNIZED DELL BRAVO RECORD SHOP AT 5 5 4 OLD HIGHWAY 90 AS THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM IN SAN ANTONIO.
DELL BRAVO RECORD WAS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S CULTURE AND HERITAGE LANDSCAPE.
IT'S THE OLDEST RECORD SHOP IN TEXAS.
THEY'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS THERE FOR 56 YEARS.
IN 2018, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HISTORIC AND DESIGN COMMISSION WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGNATED THE OLD HIGHWAY 90 ROUTE AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AS A CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT.
NOW, THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND ONE GIVEN OUT BY THE CITY.
THE FIRST ONE WAS GIVEN TO THE JEFFERSON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD IN 2005.
SO THESE AREN'T JUST GIVEN OUT EVERY DAY.
OLD HIGHWAY 90 IS STILL RECOGNIZED AS PART OF THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL, ROUTE THREE, WHICH WAS ADOPTED FOR NATIONAL MILITARY DEFENSE.
MR. COURT, UH, FRANK, YOU'RE GONNA GIVE HIM YOUR TIME? YES, SIR.
THIS COMMUNITY, THIS CERTAINLY TIES O HIGHWAY NINETY'S HERITAGE AS PART OF SAN ANTONIO'S ROOTS THAT SOLIDIFIES US TODAY AS MILITARY CITY U SS A, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES A, A SHOP SMALL BUSINESS DAY ONCE A YEAR ON O HIGHWAY 90.
IT'S A FOUR AND A HALF MILE STRETCH IS LINED WITH MOM AND POP SHOPS.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND ANY BIG BOX STORES ON OLD HIGHWAY 90.
WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT OLD SMALL TOWN LOOK, THAT OLD SMALL TOWN FEEL WITH ITS MOM AND POP,
[02:45:01]
MOLINOS, TACO HOUSES, RECORD SHOP, ILLA, DITAS, GROCERY STORES, AUTOMOTIVE SHOPS, MOTELS, ILLA, AND MORE.YOU'LL FIND ALL OF THAT AND MORE.
THE ONE THING YOU WON'T FIND IS OUR HISTORICAL STREET NAME.
HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BE RESTORED TODAY.
AT THIS TIME, THE SAVE OHIO UNITED ALLIANCE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MELISSA COVEA VARDA FOR LISTENING, REPRESENTING AND SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY, THE IMPACTED COMMUNITY.
SHE HAS SEEN FIRSTHAND THE COMMUNITY'S PASSION AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE NAME MEANS TO US.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE EVER GONNA BE ABLE TO REPAY YOU TO GET US TO BE GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
THANKS YOU AT THIS TIME AND WE HAD A LOT MORE, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THE REST, EVERYBODY IN THE GALLERY COULD PLEASE STAND THAT WANTS TO SEE THE, OH, HIGHWAY 90 CHANGE.
COME BACK ON BEHALF OF THE OH, HIGHWAY 90 ALLIANCE AND THE IMPACTED DISTRICT SIX COMMUNITY.
IF I CAN ASK Y'ALL TO KEEP THE APPLAUSE TO MINIMUM SO FOLKS CAN HEAR THEIR NAME CALLED EL HENO.
YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY RAY RODRIGUEZ.
UH, WE SIGNED UP SO THAT WE COULD GIVE OUR TIME TO THEM, BUT THEY HAD ENOUGH TIME, SO WE APPRECIATE IT.
OH, OH, YOU WERE GIVING YOUR, YOUR TIME TO MIKE? NO, IT WAS TO GIVE TO HIS TIME.
I MEAN, IT WAS TO GIVE MY TIME, BUT SO YOU'RE SEATING THE REST OF YOUR TIME? YES, SIR.
UM, AND JACK FINGER, NOT SEATING YOUR TIME, JACK.
WELL, MAYBE ACTUALLY YOU ARE MR. MAYOR BECAUSE, UH, TODAY MR. MAYOR BERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER, AND TODAY IS AN OCCASION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN MAYBE ONCE EVERY 10 OR 20 YEARS.
I, JACK GRAMM ACTUALLY GOING TO SUPPORT AN IDEA ON YOUR AGENDA.
WHAT A GLORIOUS, GLORIOUS DAY THIS IS MR. MAYOR.
AFTER FIVE OR SIX YEARS IN LIMBO, UH, THE CITIZENS FINALLY WON SOMETHING.
OLD HIGHWAY 90, THE NAME IS COMING BACK TO THAT STRETCH OF ROAD THAT HAS HISTORY HERE IN OUR CITY.
CITIZENS PERSISTED AND IT HAPPENED.
YES, SADLY, A TRAVESTY OCCURRED THAT ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, MR. MAYOR AND YOU WERE, YOU REMEMBER THAT COUNCIL AS I RECALL.
AND YES, SADLY, UM, IT WAS DECIDED TO NAME THE, THE STREET, RENAME IT TO ENRIQUE BARERRA BOULEVARD.
WAS MR. HERRERA WORTHY OF SUCH AN HONOR? A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS, I WHO OBSERVED HIS PERFORMANCE HERE ON COUNCIL KNEW OTHERWISE.
SO, HOWEVER, THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE MULTITUDE OF RESIDENTS ON THIS STREET DID NOT WANT THE NAME CHANGE.
THEY WANTED IT TO BE KEPT THERE BECAUSE THEY KNEW, THEY KNEW THE HISTORY BEHIND IT.
BUT SADLY, UH, THE POWERS THAT BE AT THE TIME DIDN'T SEE IT AS THEY DID.
AND, AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO CHANGE IT, WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS GONNA BE A TRUE, A REAL CHANCE FOR SUCH, THE, THEN ANOTHER CITY COUNCIL SAID, NO, WE'RE GOING TO HIJACK THIS AND PUT A BIG ROADBLOCK AND PUT IT, MAKE IT FIVE OR SIX YEAR REQUIREMENT THAT STAY IN PLACE BEFORE IT HA HAS A CHANCE TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE BOOKS YET.
SO TODAY WE CAN REJOICE THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE PREVAILED, THAT THE WHOLE HIGHWAY 90 IS COMING BACK.
TH I THANK, I THANK GOD, AND I THANK THOSE WHO PERSISTED.
ALL YOU GUYS DESERVE A BIG APPLAUSE FOR YOURSELF THERE.
THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 22.
[02:50:01]
IN 20 15, 1 OF MY PREDECESSORS SOUGHT TO HONOR THE LATE HONORABLE ENRIQUE RERA, AN ORDAINED DEACON EDGEWOOD, I S D SCHOOL, ME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BY RENAMING THE OLD FORMER, THE FORMER OLD HIGHWAY 90 TO ENRIQUE EM BARRA PARKWAY.THE PROPOSAL WENT THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS AND SUCCESSFULLY RESULTED IN CHANGING THE NAME.
SINCE THAT TIME, THE BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT LIVE AND WORK ON THE HISTORIC ROAD ROADWAY HAVE SOUGHT TO REVERSE THE NAME CHANGE.
BUSINESS LEADERS HAVE DESCRIBED HOW THEIR BUSINESSES HAVE SUFFERED DUE TO THEIR CUSTOMER'S CONFUSION ABOUT THE ADDRESS.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAINTAIN THAT THE CULTURE AND PERSONALITY OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WAS LOST AS THEY WERE SO CLOSELY TIED TO THE NAME OLD HIGHWAY 90.
THE BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS QUICKLY ORGANIZED THE OLD HIGHWAY 90 ALLIANCE.
IN 2019, A SURVEY WAS COMMISSIONED SHOWING OF A TOTAL 836 VOTES.
808 VOTED TO SUPPORT CHANGING THE NAME BACK TO OLD HIGHWAY 90.
ON DECEMBER 2ND, 2021, A COMMUNITY-WIDE HEAT MEETING WAS HELD BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE DISTRICT SIX OFFICE AT THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK.
OVER 80 INDIVIDUALS WERE IN IN ATTENDANCE.
THE SUPPORT FOR CHANGING THE NAME BACK TO OLD HIGHWAY 90 WAS OVERWHELMING.
I MENTIONED JUST TWO OPPORTUNITIES SHOWING COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE NAME CHANGE, BUT I'VE HAD COUNTLESS CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS, EVEN BEFORE I WAS ELECTED.
AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN LARGELY THE SAME AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT, AND THEIR REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE NAME BACK.
THIS HAS BEEN CLEARLY A COMMUNITY-LED EFFORT.
LET ME BE CLEAR, THIS REQUEST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DISCREDITING THE LATE COUNCILMAN BARRERA.
NO COMMUNITY MEMBER HAS SAID HE DOESN'T DESERVE THE RECOGNITION.
COUNCILMAN BARRERA'S WORK DOES INDEED DESERVE RECOGNITION AND A PRESERVATION OF HIS OUTSTANDING LEGACY.
I HAD THE GREAT HONOR OF WORKING WITH COUNCILMAN BARRERA WHEN HE WAS A DISTRICT SIX.
COUNCILMAN AND I WORKED IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
COUNCILMAN BARRERA WAS A KIND, RESPECTFUL, HONORABLE, AND MODEST MAN.
IT WAS CLEAR HOW MUCH MR. BARRERA CARED FOR THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX.
IT'S MY INTENTION TO HONOR COUNCILMAN BARRERA IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND ALONG WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD NEVER WANT HIM OR THE BARRERA FAMILY TO BE DISRESPECTED IN ANY WAY.
AND, AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE HAVE HAVE BEEN ALWAYS VERY RESPECTFUL IN THEIR FIGHT TO CHANGE THE NAME BACK.
MR. BARTA TAUGHT MIGRANT CHILDREN IN EDGEWOOD WHEN NOT MANY PEOPLE WERE HELPING THIS COMMUNITY.
MR. AND MRS. BARTA COUNSELED YOUNG COUPLES AS PART OF THEIR DEDICATION TO THE CHURCH.
MR. BARTA WAS THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND HONORING HIS HIM IS IMPORTANT, PAYING HOMAGE TO HIS DEDICATION AND COUNTLESS YEARS OF WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX, THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY AND OUR GREAT CITY SHOULD NOT GO UNNOTICED.
AND I WILL SEE TO IT THAT MORE HAS DONE TODAY.
TODAY WE SEE AND RECOGNIZE THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF DISTRICT SIX AND EDGEWOOD.
WE RECOGNIZE THE SMALL BUSINESS, THE VETERANS GROUPS, THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS PRESERVED THE MUSICAL ARTISTIC CAR CLUB, DEEP RICH CULTURE THAT HAS HISTORIC OLD HIGHWAY 90.
THIS IS VERY MUCH A COMMUNITY LED EFFORT.
KUDOS TO MIKE AND JAVIER, SMALL BUSINESS LEADERS ON OLD HIGHWAY 90 AND THE OLD HIGHWAY 90 ALLIANCE.
AND WHO YOU SEE HERE IS A SMALL FRACTION OF THE ALLIANCE THAT THAT'S BEEN IN SUPPORT FOR MANY YEARS.
TODAY, MY FRIENDS, AFTER A LONG FIGHT, YOU GET YOUR IDENTITY BACK.
VEEVA HIGHWAY 90, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE STREET NAME CHANGE FROM ENRI ENRIQUE BAR M BARRERA PARKWAY TO HISTORIC OLD HIGHWAY 90 WITH MEMORIAL DESIGNATION OF ENRIQUE M BARRERA.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, FOR APPROVAL AS STATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA OF ITEM 22.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
DEACON ENRIQUE RERA WAS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
UM, HE SERVED OVER 20 YEARS WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
HE WAS A BOARD MEMBER WITH EDGEWOOD I S D FOR 12 YEARS, AND HE VOTED WITH THE FULL BOARD TO SUE THE STATE OVER SCHOOL FINANCING FOR EQUALITY IN, IN EDUCATION FUNDING.
HE ALSO SERVED FIVE AND A HALF YEARS ON COUNCIL, 10 YEARS AS DEACON AND HIS FAMILY NEVER ASKED FOR THIS ROAD TO BE NAMED AFTER HIM.
THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE BY COUNCILMAN RAY LOPEZ AT THE TIME.
BUT I THINK I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN AND MELISSA CAVEO HAVER FOR MEMORIALIZING HIS NAME AND ALLOWING HIS MEMORY TO REST IN PEACE.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF VITAMIN 22.
[02:55:01]
NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.ALRIGHT, UM, WE DO HAVE AN EXEC SESSION.
[City Manager's Report ]
HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? YES, SIR.UM, IT'S OUR EMPLOYEE HIGHLIGHT VIDEO.
UM, AND, AND I WANT TO, I SELECTED THIS ONE BECAUSE, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE VIDEO.
UH, JERRY, UH, HIS NAME IS JERRY GLORIA IS A, UH, EPIDEMIOLOGY NURSE WITH THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, I WANT TO THANK JERRY AND ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES FROM METRO HEALTH, FIRE, E M S AND, AND ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE REALLY HELPED, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR.
BUT IN PARTICULAR AS WE STARTED IN THIS LATEST SURGE.
UM, JERRY WORKS AT THE ALAMO DOME VACCINATION CLINIC AND, UM, YOU'LL SEE, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS DAY AND, UH, HOW HE FEELS ABOUT THE WORK HE'S DOING AS A CITY EMPLOYEE.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, MY POSITION IN THE COVID RESPONSE IS MAINLY TO SUPPLY THE PFIZER VACCINE TO THE ALAMODOME VACCINE MASS SITE.
YOU KNOW, I HELP DRAW VACCINE, I HELP, UH, WITH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY IN REGARDS TO THE PFIZER VACCINE, WHETHER A PATIENT HAS QUESTIONS ON PEDIATRIC PFIZER OR AN ADULT PFIZER, I HELP OUT WITH THAT.
BUT MOSTLY MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I BRING THE PFIZER AND WE DRAW ENOUGH PFIZER TO GIVE THAT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE USUALLY START DRAWING SOMETIMES RIGHT AT 12, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, 10 MINUTES BEFORE 12.
WE USUALLY DRAW TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE PARKING LOT.
AND I FEEL HONORED TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.
AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CHANGING, YOU KNOW, FROM DAY ONE TO CURRENTLY PRESENTLY RIGHT NOW.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN CHANGES, UH, WITH C O V I D.
UH, AND, AND, AND THE KEY THING IS TO ADAPT.
I HAVE TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH CURRENT INFORMATION ON BOTH THE, UH, PEDIATRIC AND ADULT PFIZERS.
IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES TO, YOU KNOW, THE AGES AND VARIATIONS GOING FROM PRIMARY DOSES, ONE AND TWO TO BOOSTER DOSES AND WHO QUALIFIES.
WE'VE COME TOGETHER TO WORK, BUT WE'RE ALSO HAVE THAT ONE GOAL AND ONE ASPECT TO HELP THE COMMUNITY TO FIGHT THIS PANDEMIC.
AGAIN, ALTOGETHER IN, IN THIS RESPONSE, WE'RE DEFINITELY A MARK IN HISTORY AND NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US.
ALL THOSE THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN HELP IN THIS RESPONSE FOR C OVID 19, WHEN YOU WORK WITH THE ONE-ON-ONE PATIENT, YOU GET TO SEE THAT RECOVERY AND YOU FEEL GOOD ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID 19, THIS IS DIFFERENT.
YOU'RE PROVIDING HELP TO A, A MASS COMMUNITY AND MY PERSPECTIVE THAT WHAT I DO FOR THE COMMUNITY IS REWARDING FOR ME, AND THAT'S WHY I CONTINUE TO SAY YES.
SO WITH LITERALLY YEP, 1800, UH, MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES AT METRO HEALTH, THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOING WHAT JERRY DOES ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, TO HELP US IN THE COMMUNITY.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIC.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE AN EXEC SESSION BEFORE WE, UH, BREAK, UH, WE HAVE A SONG TO SING BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS IT ERIC'S BIRTHDAY, UH, ON MONDAY, IT'S MANNY'S BIRTHDAY IN TWO DAYS.
SO WE HAVE TWO THINGS TO CELEBRATE AND AN ELECTION.
YOU HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
OH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY AGAIN.
I'M HOLDING UP TO BUY CIGARETTES FOR OUR TOBACCO 21 ORDINANCE
ALRIGHT, WELL THANKS EVERYBODY.
UH, THE TIME IS 12:17 PM ON THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH, 2022.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
WE'LL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE ITEMS POSTED ON THE FEBRUARY 9TH, 2022 COUNCIL AGENDA, BUT NOT REACHED OR FINISHED.
WHERE'S THE CASE? WELCOME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
A SESSION MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY THE 10TH.
NO EXEC, NO, UH, ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY, AND THE TIME IS NOW 1 0 2 AND WE ARE CLOSED FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE 10TH.