[00:00:01]
I LIKE AUSTIN, BUT I LOVE SANTO OF LOVE DANCING IN, I GROOVE THEN HEAD BACK DOWN THE ROAD.
AND IF WE'RE JUST PLACE TO GO.
[ PROCEDURAL ]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE'VE GOT A CHAMBER FULL OF CHAMPIONS TODAY, UM, AND WE WANNA RECOGNIZE 'EM ALL, AND WE'RE GETTING 'EM STARTED A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UH, 9:25 AM WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER ON THIS JUNE 23RD, 2022.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR.
UH, I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, FATHER ERIC HOLLOWAY.
MARGARET'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON STALL ROAD IN DISTRICT 10.
UM, HE'S ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY FROM TORONTO.
AND WHEN I SPOKE TO HIM A WHILE AGO, I SAID, HMM, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN TELL YOU'RE NOT FROM TEXAS, OKAY? BUT HE GOT HERE AS FAST AS HE COULD.
UH, HE'S LIVED SEVERAL CITIES HERE IN, IN TEXAS, AND, UM, HE'S NOW IN THE BEST CITY IN TEXAS, AND HE'S VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
UH, HE'S MARRIED TO HIS WIFE ALEX, WHO'S ALSO AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE A DAUGHTER NAMED ELIZABETH AND A SURPRISINGLY CALM AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD NAMED FRANCIS.
UM, I, I, THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH, WITH THAT CHURCH IN MY OFFICE.
IN FACT, MY CHIEF OF STAFF GREW UP IN THAT CHURCH.
YOU KNOW, FATHER, I THINK YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND HAVE SOME TALKS WITH HIM ABOUT HIS YOUTH AND HOW HE GREW UP IN THE CHURCH.
SO IF YOU COULD DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, COME ON UP AND, AND, UH, PLEASE OPEN WITH YOUR INVOCATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
CITY COUNCIL'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO SAY THE INVOCATION AND BLESSING UPON THE WORK YOU DO.
UM, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
SO, UH, WE'LL PRAY, UH, THE SAME PRAYER TWICE, ONCE IN SPANISH, ONCE IN ENGLISH.
WE BESEECH THE ALL WHO FOLLOWING IN HIS STEPS, GIVE THEMSELVES TO THE SERVICE OF OTHERS.
ESPECIALLY THIS COUNCIL HERE GATHERED THAT WITH WISDOM, PATIENCE, AND COURAGE.
THEY MAY MINISTER IN HIS NAME TO THE SUFFERING, THE FRIENDLESS AND THE NEEDY FOR THE LOVE OF HIM WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US.
THE SAME THY SON, OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, WHO LIVE WITHIN RE THROUGH THEE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD FOREVER AND EVER.
[00:05:01]
GOD BLESS YOU AND THE WORK YOU DO, AMEN.OUR PLEDGE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION THROUGH GOD TO DIE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OUR FIRST ITEM FOR BUSINESS IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 8TH AND NINTH, 2022.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE.
SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES.
HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE AND WE'LL TAKE A VOICE VOTE FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELAS.
ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE REST
[POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ]
OF OUR AGENDA, AS YOU NOTICE OUR CHAMBER IS FULL, UH, AND TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR, UH, CHAMPIONS AND, AND, UH, COMMUNITY LEADERS.UH, AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, FRANKLY.
UM, THIS IS THE LAST MEETING BEFORE THE JULY RECESS, AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE SAN ANTONIO ORGANIZATIONS, INDIVIDUALS, TEAMS, BUSINESSES THAT HAVE PROVIDED AID DURING OUR UVALDE NEIGHBORS TIME OF NEED.
UM, I WANT TO THANK SPECIFICALLY THOSE FOLKS WHO ARRIVED IMMEDIATELY, SS A P D S, UH, SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WORKERS WHO, UH, WORK TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE AID.
UH, I KNOW ALL OF US HAVE BEEN, UH, AWESTRUCK BY THE STRENGTH AND CHAMPION, UM, CHAMPIONSHIP OF ARCHBISHOP GUSTAVO SCHILLER, WHO, IN MY OPINION, HAS DEMONSTRATED THE VERY BEST OF SAN ANTONIO DURING A VERY CHALLENGING TIME FOR VALDI.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE STRAC UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, ACOG, RED CROSS COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.
UH, MANY OF YOU HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO OUR SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER TO PROVIDE BLOOD.
UH, THE AREA FOUNDATION IMMEDIATELY CREATED TWO FUNDS THAT ARE WORKING WITH, UM, COMPASSION NATIONAL COMPASSION CENTER.
UH, AND OF COURSE WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FOOD BANK HERE, UH, WHO HAVE COVERED THE VALDI AREA FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND PROVIDED MEALS TO COUNSELORS AND STAFF AT THE CIVIC CENTER AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
UH, WORKERS OF SAN ANTONIO, SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SAN ANTONIO CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL AND THEIR MEMBER UNIONS, AND EVEN HOTELS LIKE STAYBRIDGE LOCATIONS AT SEAWORLD AND STONE OAK PROVIDED LODGING FOR FAMILIES AND RELATIVES IN OUR AREA, HOSPITALS, OUR CHAMBERS, OUR LOCAL BUSINESS, OUR LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS, MANY OF WHOM DONATED ANSWER TO CALL, CALL FOR FUNDRAISING THAT, UH, FORMER MAYOR HENRY CISNEROS AND I PUT OUT, UH, AND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DONATE, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, TRAVEL DOWN TO VALDI AND, AND PROVIDE THOSE DONATIONS THIS WEEK, UH, TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE BANK, UH, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE EFFORTS OF RELIEF FOR OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN UVALDE.
UM, SO ALL OF YOU, UH, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATES OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN TIMES OF CRISIS OF OUR OWN, BUT ALSO EMERGENCIES IN OUR AREA THAT WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF OUR CITY.
WE'RE A COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY, AND WHEN PEOPLE NEED HELP, WE STAND UP AND HELP THEM.
UH, AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE EFFORTS OF, OF ALL OF YOU, UH, OF YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
UH, WE ARE DEMONSTRATING TO THE WORLD WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SAN ANTONIAN.
AND, AND FOR ALL OF OUR BENEFIT, IF YOU SEE ARCHBISHOP SILLER OUT ON THE STREET, TELL HIM THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING A, A STEWARD TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UH, BUT MOST SPECIFICALLY OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, LET ME TURN NOW TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ALSO WANNA ADD THEIR THANKS.
LEMME START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
UM, DISTRICT 10 HAS TWO GREAT ORGANIZATIONS WITH GREAT PEOPLE RUNNING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE FIRST ONE.
AND THAT'S WITH GORDON HARTMAN AND MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
HE'S OPENING UP THAT WHOLE PARK, INCLUDING INSPIRATION ISLAND, UH, TO THE CITY OF UVALDE, UH, HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND IT'S FREE OF CHARGE FOR THOSE, UH, RESIDENTS, AND WE'RE HOPING FOR A BIG TURNOUT OVER THERE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING
[00:10:01]
GREAT THINGS FOR UVALDE.ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IS, UH, UH, BLESSED ANGELS.
AND, UM, SHE TEAMED UP WITH KIM RAPIER.
THEY WENT OVER THERE TO UVALDE AND GAVE THEM $1 MILLION, A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THAT ORGANIZATION.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PITCHED IN, AND I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THOSE TWO SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM DISTRICT 10.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO GORDON HART, HARTMAN, AND, UH, MARIAN THOMAS.
UH, WE ACT, WE HAVE, UH, DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT JORDAN GOEY IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
AND I, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, JORDAN FOR HIS WORK, UM, WITH STRAC AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, HE DROPPED WHAT HE WAS DOING ON THAT SAD DAY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WENT STRAIGHT TO VALDI, WAS THERE WHILE, WHILE GUNFIRE WAS STILL OCCURRING.
AND, UH, JORDAN'S BEEN A LONG TIME ADVOCATE FOR, UH, REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK JORDAN FOR HIS WORK.
BRAVO, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I WANNA THANK THE TEXAS A F L C I O AND THE SAN ANTONIO TEXAS LABOR COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS FOR AMERICA.
UM, WHO, WHO KNEW, RIGHT, THAT THEY, THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN SUPPORT COMMUNITY IN SOME WAY.
SO WHAT THEY DID IS, UM, ENSURE THAT THEY COULD FEED ALL THE FAMILIES.
SHOWED UP THERE AT FOUR IN THE MORNING BARBECUED, UM, FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE FAMILIES WHO HAD BEEN IMPACTED BY THE TRAGEDY OF UVALDE.
UM, SUPER GRATEFUL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LABORERS FROM ALL THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND TEXAS CAME TOGETHER, AND THE UVALDE CWA AS WELL CAME OUT TO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND YES, I WANNA THANK THE FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL.
UM, BUT ALSO THERE WAS SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ANSWERED THE CALL RIGHT AWAY, AND IN FACT, THEY WERE CALLING ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO.
AND THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF SAN ANTONIO, COMPASSIONATE CITY, U S A.
UM, THE MAYOR MENTIONED STAYBRIDGE RESORT, SEAWORLD AND STONE OAK WHO'VE HELPED, UH, WITH THE FAMILIES OF LOVED ONES, UM, THAT WERE STAYING IN LOCAL HOSPITALS.
THAT HAPPENED DAY OF, LIKE THEY IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO HELP.
AND SO, UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM TO SIT, SIT ON THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD WITH THE MEMBERS, UM, OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT WANT TO JUMP INTO ACTION.
VISIT SAN ANTONIO ALSO FOR ASSISTING WITH OPERATION TEDDY BEAR AND GETTING SOME TEDDY BEARS FOR THE STUDENTS IN VALDI, SOUTHWEST I S D, WHO ORGANIZED OPERATION TEDDY BEAR, UM, AS WELL TO DISTRIBUTE TO, UM, THE YOUNG CHILDREN OF VALDI.
BUT YESTERDAY WE LEARNED SPECIFICALLY THAT ACOG WAS HIGHLY RESPONSIVE WITH TRAILERS.
THEY SENT 94 RESPOND, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS WHO WORKED WITH MORE THAN EIGHT, UH, 30 AGENCIES ON SOMETHING CALLED OPERATION COYOTE OVERWATCH, WHICH HAPPENED AFTER FIRST RESPONDERS THAT IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED LEFT.
AND IT WAS FOR, UM, IT WAS FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, INCLUDING ALL OF THE FUNERALS.
SO THERE WAS AT LEAST EIGHT, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS THAT WERE NEEDED AT EACH FUNERAL, AND ACOG WAS ABLE TO FACILITATE THAT.
SO IT ALSO GAVE ME, GAVE ME GREAT PRIDE TO BE ABLE TO SIT ON THEIR BOARD.
DISTRICT FOUR SMALL BUSINESSES STEPPED UP AS WELL AND WANTED TO FEED, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS AND HOSPITAL WORKERS.
AEE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT PROVIDED WARM MEALS TO FAMILIES.
THEY WORKED WITH SOPHIA'S PIZZA AND FOLKLORES COFFEE HOUSE, UM, AND ANOTHER, UH, BOARD MEM, UM, A BOARD MEMBER OF COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.
AND THEY BOTH AT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL RESPONDED QUICKLY.
UM, WE DEPLOYED COUNSELORS TO SUPPORT STAFF AND TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND, UM, OUR EDUCATORS THAT WERE FACING THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
UM, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW PAINFUL IT IS, BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I WAS, UH, ABLE TO TRAVEL TO I P W CONFERENCE, AND I WAS ABLE TO PERSONALLY THANK THE TEAM AT DISNEY, UH, FOR SENDING THE ENCANTO DRESS FOR, UM, ONE OF THE LITTLE GIRLS THAT PASSED AWAY.
AND THEY HAD TEARS IN, IN THEIR EYES WHEN I KIND OF JUST RETOLD THE STORY OF SAN ANTONIO AND HOW COMPASSIONATE WE ARE AND HOW, UM, IM IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR THAT FAMILY TO RECEIVE THAT DRESS.
SO THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND, UM, THE COMMUNITY OF EVALU BE CONTINUED IN OUR PRAYERS.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S COUNTLESS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE WE COULD THANK.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT I, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALSO, UH, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, THE CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT CENTER, H E B, UH, RED CROSS, CLARENCE KIG, WHO IS PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO EVERY CHILD WHO, UH, CHOOSES TO ATTEND SACRED HEART, OBVIOUSLY, WHO, WHO IS UNABLE NOW TO ATTEND ROB.
UH, SO THE LIST CONTINUES TO, TO GROW IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO HELP.
AND, AND AGAIN, A GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, VEO HDA.
[00:15:01]
WHEN I HEARD, UH, THE TRAGEDY, UH, THE NEWS OF THE TRAGEDY IN UVALDE.THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS MY CHILDREN.
I TEXTED THEM AT SCHOOL ASKING 'EM WHERE THEY WERE.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE ALL STOOD TOGETHER WITH UVALDE, NO MATTER OUR POLITICAL VIEWS.
WE ALL FELT A NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO EASE THE PAIN, TO PROVIDE COMFORT, TO MAKE SOME KIND OF SENSE OF THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
WE WERE QUICKLY IN CONTACT WITH AMANDA GONZALEZ, WITH BLUE CARES, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH ARM OF THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
MANY SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS TRAVELED TO ALDE THE INSTANT THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO HELP WITH INVESTIGATIONS, TO DO WHAT WAS NEEDED IN THAT TOWN, UM, THAT WAS NEEDED SO MUCH.
WE ASKED VALDI WHAT THEY NEEDED.
THEY SAID THEY NEEDED HYDRATION WATER, GATORADES, WE QUICKLY CALLED WALMART.
AND THEY, THE WALMART IN, UH, CASTROVILLE DONATED SIX PALLETS OF, OF WATER AND GATORADE.
AND I HAVE TO REALLY THANK WALMART BECAUSE WE SHOWED UP WITH A VAN AND A TRUCK READY TO LOAD EVERYTHING UP, AND IT WASN'T ENOUGH.
AND THE GENTLEMAN AT THE WALMART THAT WERE HELPING US LOAD THE WATER AND THE GATORADES UP, UM, SAID, WELL, YOU'RE, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE.
SO WE SAID, WELL, WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TOMORROW.
AND THEY SAID, NO, THEY, THEY GOT IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL TRUCKS AND THEY DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY TO VALDI AND DELIVERED THIS WATER FOR US ON THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN VOLITION WITH NO, UM, WITHOUT US EVEN ASKING.
SO I, I REALLY THANK THEM FOR THAT.
BUT THAT IN, IN SOME WAYS WAS THE EASY PART.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE COMPELLED TO DO, IS TAKE WHAT, UH, SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED.
THE HARD PART WAS VISITING THE IMPROMPTU MEMORIAL THAT WAS SET UP IN THE TOWN SQUARE FOR THE 19 CHILDREN IN TWO TEACHERS.
IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT MOMENT TO DESCRIBE AND HARD TO FORGET.
WE PAID OUR RESPECTS AND WE DROVE HOME, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE BACK SOON.
WE'RE DISTRICT SIX IS WORKING WITH BLUE CARES TO, UM, OFFER SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE DONATIONS FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO TAKE TO VALDI CHILDREN WHO WILL TOO SOON HAVE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL.
AND HERE IN A COUPLE MONTHS, OUR TIES TO ALL DAY ARE TIGHT AND STRONG, AND WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE FOR THEM, JUST LIKE WE WANT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO KNOW THAT WE HAD THEIR BACK WHEN THEY NEEDED US AS JUST LIKE THEY DO FOR US.
AND I WILL KEEP GOING AS LONG AS WE'RE NEEDED.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAIS IS, THANK YOU.
UM, THE LIST IS LONG, MUCH LONGER THAN, UH, WE, WE HAVE TIME FOR TODAY.
I, I, THERE'S THREE PEOPLE, GROUPS OF PEOPLE I'D, I'D LIKE TO JUST MENTION.
ONE OF THEM IS, UH, THE UT SYSTEM, UT MADDEN, UT UH, SA WERE, THEY RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, BOTH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS CAN RESPOND.
AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR, UH, FOR THEIR, UH, FOR THEIR COMPASSION AND THEIR HELP.
AND THE SECOND IS THE, UH, JEWISH FEDERATION, THEY STEPPED UP AND THEY, THEY CONTINUE TO WORK TODAY, UH, UH, IN UVALDE.
UM, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON THE JEWISH FEDERATION TO, TO DO SOME HEAVY LIFTING AND, UM, AND PARTICIPATE IN, IN, IN DIFFICULT ENDEAVORS WHEN IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND THEN, UM, THE THIRD IS SORT OF THE UNSUNG HEROES HERE AT CITY COUNCIL, UH, WHO WORK FOR US, RIGHT? UH, ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I, I KNOW THAT ALL OF US, RIGHT? WE, WE WERE INUNDATED WITH THE PHONE CALLS AND OUR STAFFERS WERE, WERE JUST GETTING CRUSHED BY DEMANDS FOR WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? HERE'S HOW I WANNA HELP, AND ALL THAT.
AND I THINK WHAT, WHAT WAS ADMIRABLE IS THAT, UH, ALL THOSE PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER AND REALLY, UM, MOBILIZED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A SURPRISINGLY CHOREOGRAPHED AND, UH, AND, AND COORDINATED WAY.
AND, AND I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEM.
AND MAYOR, YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND, UH, AND BRUCE AND THERESA, UM, WERE REALLY ACTED WITH, UH, WITH GRACE AND, UM, AND SPEED AND, AND DELIBERATION AND VERY INTENTIONALLY.
AND, UH, I, I THINK A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY DID WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN THANK THEM FOR THEM FOR, FOR COORDINATING THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE IS THAT WE NEVER, EVER, EVER HAVE TO RUN THROUGH A LIST TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE THANKED TODAY, EVER AGAIN.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S OBSCENE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, THAT WE ARE HAVING TO DO THIS TODAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S VERY, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
UM, I, I, I PRAY THAT WE NEVER, EVER, EVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN.
AND THAT IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN ONE DAY IN, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED IN SAN ANTONIO.
I, AND, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE I'M WRONG.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, IT'S, THIS IS STILL VERY RAW FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE HEARTBREAKING AND HAS CONNECTIONS TO U VALDI.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE SCARS ARE GONNA BE WITH US FOR, FOR A LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG TIME.
BUT I, I DO THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL THAT WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT LEADS WITH COMPASSION AND, UH, THAT WE ARE OFTENTIMES THE LIFESAVER FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
BUT AGAIN, I'M, I'M STILL FURIOUS, AND I THINK IT'S JUST DISGUSTING THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, THANKS, MAYOR.
[00:20:01]
I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SAY THE SAME THING THAT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT STEPPED UP.AND WE SUPPORT A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THESE GROUPS, AND THESE GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT US AND THE MEN AND WOMEN AND FAMILIES OF THIS CITY.
BUT MOST NOTABLY, I THINK IT'S, IT'S REFLECTIVE OF WHAT SAN ANTONIO IS AND WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE THAT WE'RE JUST GOOD NEIGHBORS, BUT THAT'S TEXAS.
EVERY COMMUNITY IS WILLING TO STAND UP AND SUPPORT EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY, EVERY OTHER NEIGHBOR, UH, WHEN WE REACH A TIME OF CRISIS LIKE THIS.
UH, IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL PROUD TO BE A SAN ANTONIAN AND PROUD FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE STEPPED UP AND SAID THEY'LL HELP.
HOPEFULLY, AS WE'VE JUST HEARD, UH, THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRA THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, AS A FORMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER WHO TAUGHT IN CASTORVILLE JUST, UH, A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD FROM VALDI, UH, THIS, THIS WAS TRAGIC, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU SAN ANTONIO FOR RESPONDING AS SAN ANTONIO DOES WITH COMPASSIONS FUNDS, PRAYERS, AND JUST AN, AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF LOVE FOR THE, THE COMMUNITY OF VALDI.
I WANNA THANK THE ARTIST THAT MARIACHIS AND THE ARTISTS THAT ARE WORKING TO TRY AND HELP HEAL IN THIS PROCESS.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT DISTRICT THREES FIELD OFFICE WILL STILL BE OPEN TO COLLECT GIFT CARDS OR CARDS OF, UM, WISHING YOU WELL FOR THE FAMILIES, BECAUSE THIS, THIS TRAGEDY HAS JUST BEGUN.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT'LL BE PLAYED OUT ON THE NEWS FOR THE REST OF THIS SUMMER, UH, IF NOT LONGER.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE WITH YOUR GOOD WORK.
I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
AGAIN, UH, COLLECTIVE GRATITUDE FROM, FROM ALL OF US HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'LL JUST CLOSE BY, BY SAYING WHAT, WHAT I TOLD MAYOR MCLAUGHIN WHEN I SAW HIM THIS WEEK, IS THAT WHEN THE WORLD PICKS UP AND LEAVES VALDI, 'CAUSE EVENTUALLY THEY WILL, THE MEDIA AND ALL THAT WILL GO AWAY.
AND THE INTENSE SCRUTINY THAT THEY'RE UNDER RIGHT NOW, UH, WILL, WILL BEGIN TO WANE, SAN WILL REMAIN, AND WE WILL WALK WITH THEM TO THE NEXT STEPS OF RECOVERY AS THEY GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS TOGETHER.
SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
OKAY, WELL, AS YOU NOTICED, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPECIAL GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE ONE OF THEM RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS OUR VERY OWN SON OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, A W C W B C, WORLD CHAMPION SUPERFLY, WHO IS GONNA DEFEND HIS TITLE AT THE TECH PORT CENTER THIS WEEKEND, SATURDAY, UH, IN A TITLE CARD MATCH.
UH, AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE THERE TO ROOT HIM ON, BUT NONE OTHER THAN OUR VERY OWN JESSE BAM RODRIGUEZ IS HERE.
JESSE, STAND UP TO THE PODIUM, JESSE, AND TELL US HOW YOUR TRAINING IS GOING.
UM, AND I WANNA READ THIS CITATION ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE, JESSE, IN HONOR OF YOU BECOMING THE CURRENT YOUNGEST W B C SUPER FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION, YOUR IMPRESSIVE RECORD OF 15 AND OH WITH 10 KNOCKOUTS SINCE MAKING YOUR BOXING DEBUT IN MARCH, 2017, IS A TESTAMENT OF YOUR POWERFUL SKILLS, SOUND TECHNIQUE, AND ENDLESS DETERMINATION.
NOW, THEREFORE, IRAN NURENBERG MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, PROUDLY CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND OFFER BEST WISHES FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK, JESSE.
UM, AND HOW'S IT GOING? HOW'S YOUR TRAINING GOING? IT'S GOING GREAT.
I'M MORE THAN PREPARED FOR SATURDAY NIGHT, AND I'M READY TO GO.
I'M, I'M MORE EXCITED, UM, THE FIRST BOXING MATCH IN THE NEW TECH PORT, SO THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE EXCITING, AND I CAN'T WAIT.
AND LET ME, UH, TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROSO GARCIA.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND BA, I'M SO EXCITED.
I'LL BE THERE SATURDAY NIGHT AT TECH PORT.
YOU'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE, UM, GOING TO BE, UH, FIGHTING IN D FOUR.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT I ASKED MA'AM EARLIER, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO AFTER THIS? LIKE, WHAT'S THE ONE THING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST? AND HE SAID, BREAKFAST ON SUNDAY AND
SO BREAKFAST TACOS, HE'LL GET TO KIND OF HAVE THAT.
AND, UM, I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, BARBA, HE SAID, MA'AM, I'M HAVING BARBACOA AND BIG RED.
SO THAT WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER.
SO, BAM, I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT BARCO AND BIG RED, AND I'LL SEE YOU SATURDAY NIGHT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
UH, YOU MAKE DISTRICT FIVE VERY PROUD EDGEWOOD, I S D, VERY PROUD ON SALMO AND OFF OF GUADALUPE.
[00:25:01]
BAM.UH, I OFTEN VISIT THE ADVOCATES BOXING GYM, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF YOUTH IN DISTRICT FIVE, PARTICULARLY THE WEST SIDE, THAT TRAIN.
AND, UH, YOU SERVE AS SUCH A ROLE MODEL TO DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO, UM, YOU'RE MAKING THE WEST SIDE VERY, VERY PROUD.
SO GOOD LUCK, AND WE GOT YOUR BACK.
AND, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT FIVE IS FULL OF FIGHTERS, AND I THINK YOU'RE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT, UM, THROWING IT DOWN AND BRINGING HOME CHAMPIONSHIPS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PART OF, UH, A GREAT HISTORY OF PRIZE FIGHTING THAT GOES BACK 150 YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND, UH, THERE'VE BEEN MANY GREAT CHAMPIONS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT WEIGHT CLASSES.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN PART OF SAN ANTONIO'S PAST, AND YOU NOW ARE ANOTHER PART OF THAT SAN ANTONIO'S CURRENT AND FUTURE.
AND, AND WE'RE PROUD OF YOU AND WHAT YOU REPRESENT, AND WE WISH YOU GREAT SUCCESS.
UH, AND, UH, AND, AND I THINK YOU KNOW IT, UH, AND YOU, YOU HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE PROUD OF, OF WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER BAMS, UH, OUT THERE, UH, WHO ARE NOT EVEN TEENAGERS YET, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEY, THEY LOOK UP TO YOU, MAN, MAN.
AND, UH, I'M PROUD THAT YOU'RE A SAN ANTONIO.
AND I, I DO THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S AN APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT BOXING IN SAN ANTONIO IS A MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GENERATOR FOR US.
UM, AND LATINO BOXING IN PARTICULAR, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW, UM, WE NEED TO WORK A LITTLE HARDER AT, AT BEING MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT BRINGING FIGHTS LIKE THIS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR US, SPAM, UH, THERE'S THE ADDED BENEFIT THAT WHENEVER YOU FIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, ON PAY-PER-VIEW AND ALL THAT, UH, DURING THE COMMERCIALS AND BETWEEN ROUNDS, THEY ALWAYS SAY, WE'RE HERE IN BEAUTIFUL SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING FOR US, UH, BECAUSE IT REMINDS PEOPLE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE, UH, AND THAT THIS IS A FANTASTIC PLACE.
AND YOU AND YOUR MANAGER AND YOUR PROMOTERS, YOU GUYS COULD CHOOSE TO FIGHT ANYWHERE, ANYWHERE, BUT YOU'VE, I MEAN, YOU'D PROBABLY MAKE MORE MONEY IF YOU DID IT IN VEGAS, BUT YOU'VE CHOSEN TO DO IT IN YOUR HOMETOWN.
AND, UM, THAT SHOULD, THAT SHOULD ALSO, UH, BE SOMETHING THAT WE HIGHLIGHT.
THIS MAN CHOSE HI HIS OWN CITY IN WHICH TO DO THIS.
UH, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE IN YOUR SHOES RIGHT NOW.
AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO BE THERE ON SATURDAY, BUT IF I WERE, YOU WOULD BE HEARING THIS VOICE OUT IN THE CROWD, KNOCK 'EM OUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, THANKS SO MUCH, MA'AM.
FROM ONE WORLD CHAMPION TO ANOTHER, WE ARE ALSO VERY PLEASED TO HAVE, UH, HARINI LOGAN, OUR VERY OWN FIRST EVER NATIONAL SC SCRIPTS SPELLING BEE CHAMPION IN OUR, IN OUR CHAMBER TODAY WITH HER FAMILY.
UH, COME ON UP HERE, HARINI, AND LET ME TURN THE MIC OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER PALAI TO WELCOME, WELCOME OUR CHAMP, UH, HARINI.
YOU ARE A DISTRICT NINE RESIDENT.
UM, YOU LIVE IN THIS GENTLEMAN'S, UH, IN THIS GENTLEMAN'S DISTRICT, AND I AM GREEN WITH ENVY.
UH, BUT, UM, YOU ARE, UH, YOU'RE ALSO A STUDENT AT THE MONTESSORI SCHOOL IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO GET YOU OUT HERE.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A BUSY LADY, UM, THESE DAYS.
UH, AND I HEAR YOU, YOU KNOW HOW TO SPELL, UH, A THING OR TWO.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, I, I, UH, JUST WANNA TELL YOU, CONGRATULATIONS.
I, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING I'M GONNA SAY, UH, MY COLLEAGUES WILL SAY A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN I DO, UH, AND SO I'M GONNA LET THEM DO IT.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING UP.
I KNOW THAT YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, LIKE, BAM, UH, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ASKING, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE ON JIMMY KIMMEL RECENTLY, UH, AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER FAMOUS FOLKS, UH, WHO WOULD RATHER YOU BE WITH THEM THAN WITH US.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAME AT, AT LEAST, UH, AT LEAST TO ME, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SHOWED UP AND YOU CHOSE US TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
I, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT NATIONAL STAGE AND BEING ON TV AND ALL THAT, THAT'S AWESOME.
I COULD NEVER REALLY SPELL THAT.
WELL, WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND I WAS IN SPELLING BEES, AND I'D USUALLY BE THE FIRST ONE TO GET OFF THIS STAGE.
AND, UH, THROUGH ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND, YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORD WAS THAT, AND I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPELL IT.
HOW DO YOU SPELL THAT? P T E R O D A C T Y L.
[00:30:01]
D.ASK A NATIONAL SPELLING BEE CHAMPION, THAT WORD.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND THANKS FOR COMING INTO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT TO BE ABLE TO GO UP ON A STAGE LIKE THAT, WHETHER YOU START AT YOUR SCHOOL AND THEN YOU GO TO A DISTRICT, AND THEN YOU GO TO REGION AND STATE, AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
UH, AND I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE ADMIRED OVER THE YEARS, ALL OF THE COMMITMENT THAT IT TAKES FOR SOMEBODY TO GO AS FAR AS YOU DID.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO YOU AND TO YOUR FAMILY WHO HAVE GIVEN YOU ALL THE SUPPORT OVER THE TIME THAT HAVE ENABLED YOU TO BECOME A NATIONAL CHAMPION.
AND SO I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP ON, ON COUNCILMAN PERRY.
THERE'S ALWAYS ONE WORD THAT I COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT TO SPELL, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN EITHER.
IT'S, UM, SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC X POSIS.
I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED HOW YOU SPELL THAT WORD.
ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT A CONCERN.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
YOU, UH, I'LL START OFF BY SAYING ONE, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I WAS A TEACHER, AND A LOT OF THE TIMES MY FRIENDS WOULD RELY ON ME AND THEY'D SAY, HEY, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS, UH, WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, GRAMMAR, SPELLING? AND I'D SAY, BABY, I'M A MATH TEACHER,
UH, WHEN I WAS IN THIRD GRADE, I, UM, I PARTICIPATED IN A SPELLING BEE AND I DID NOT WIN.
I, MY, THE WORD THAT I MESSED UP WAS GRAPEVINE.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU SPELLED A LOT OF HARDER WORDS THAN THAT.
YOU, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS, UM, IT'S NOT JUST SPELLING, IT'S RESEARCH, IT'S READING, IT'S, UM, KNOWLEDGE OF SO MUCH BEYOND, UM, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF YOU AND THE DEDICATION THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS CRAFT, I KNOW THAT YOU'LL PUT INTO SO MUCH MORE.
AND SO I'M PROUD OF YOU, AND PLEASE KEEP GOING AND EXCEL AT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO IN LIFE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER GRA, THANK YOU.
SO, AS A FORMER TEACHER OF FIRST GRADE, SO I TAUGHT THEM HOW TO READ, AND THEN FOURTH GRADERS WHERE I HAD TO GIVE THEM SPELLING BEES.
I KNOW HOW THE NERVOUSNESS AND HOW THE ANXIETY.
SO I THOUGHT YOU DID EXTREMELY WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REPRESENTING OUR CITY, UH, IN JUST AN EXCELLENT WAY.
I AM SURE YOUR TEACHERS ARE VERY PROUD, AND YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR BROTHER, UH, ARE SUPER PROUD OF YOU FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED HERE.
WHAT YOU DID IS, IS INSPIRATION TO ALL STUDENTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WHICH I'M THANKFUL FOR.
AND, UH, JUST CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
BECAUSE IF COUNCILMAN PALIS HADN'T BROUGHT YOU HERE, I WOULD TRACK YOU DOWN.
COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRAND COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN VIEN AND I FANGIRLED OVER HER THIS MORNING WHEN WE SAW HER ON THE STREET AND WE STOPPED.
SO, UM, SO YOU, YOU HEARD ME SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, YOUR PARENTS.
UM, WHAT, WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHED DAUGHTER YOU HAVE.
AND, AND, AND THE LITTLE ONE, YOUR, UH, LITTLE BROTHER FOLLOWS IN REALLY BIG FOOTSTEPS.
I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I WAS A SECOND GRADE SPELLING BEE CHAMP, UM, AT MY SCHOOL.
SO JUST F Y I, BUT YET, NO, THERE'S NO WAY I COULD HAVE GONE PAST THAT.
UM, AND, AND I, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS JUST SO PROUD OF YOU.
UM, WE ARE INCREDIBLY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE SUCH GREAT REPRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, AND JUST WANTED TO KNOW THAT, UM, YOU HAVE ALL OF OUR SUPPORT AND BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR UPCOMING, UH, ENDEAVORS AND TRY TO HAVE A GOOD SUMMER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
YOU MADE SAN ANTONIO SO PROUD.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU THE OTHER DAY 'CAUSE A FRIEND OF MINE JUST MOVED INTO DISTRICT FIVE, AND SHE SENT ME THIS PHOTO FROM SECOND GRADE WHERE SHE WAS THE FIRST, UH, PLAY SPELLING BEE CHAMPION.
I WAS JUST NEXT TO HER IN HER TROPHY
SO MY RESPONSE WAS AN ARTICLE TO YOU AND ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AS A SPELLING BEE CHAMPION.
AGAIN, YOU MAKE US EXTREMELY PROUD.
UM, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
SO HARI, HOW, WHAT'S IT LIKE? YOU'VE BEEN GLOBE TROTTING NOW FOR A FEW WEEKS.
HOW, WHAT'S THE EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE? IT'S BEEN VERY SURREAL.
IT'S, I THINK IT'S STILL SINKING IN
IT'S SIX YEARS SINCE I WAS IN SECOND GRADE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THE BEE.
SO TO FINALLY HAVE ALL THAT EFFORT PAY OFF, I THINK IT'S REALLY GRATIFYING.
WELL, AND I CAN TELL YOUR LITTLE BROTHER REALLY LOOKS UP TO YOU AND, AND SO DO WE.
[00:35:01]
WE HAVE A FANTASTIC IDEA FOR YOU, UH, AND THAT IS, UM, SINCE SOME FOLKS HAVE ASKED YOU TO SPELL SOME WORDS, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, COUNCILMAN PIAS TO SPELL SOME WORDS WITH YOU.HOW'S THAT? AND I WANNA WARN YOU, I'M NO, I'M NO SLOUCH.
I WAS VALEDICTORIAN IN MY DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS, SO GET READY.
SO I, I'VE GOT THREE WORDS HERE AND, AND LET'S ASSUME THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS GETS IT WRONG.
MANNY, FIRST WORD IS ONAMIA
AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN ASK FOR DEFINITION.
PIA, COULD I PLEASE HAVE THE DEFINITION?
COULD I HAVE THE WORD ONE MORE TIME? ADA PIA ANADA.
THE WORD IS OF A FRENCH ORIGIN.
COULD I PLEASE HAVE THE DEFINITION? DEFINITION IS ANY OF VARIOUS SAVORY FOODS USUALLY SERVED AS APPETIZERS? HOR D'OEUVRE, H H O R S D O E U V R E S.
I THINK WE'LL GET COUNCILMAN WISE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A CLEAN SWEEP.
THE THIRD WORD IS CARNE GADA
MAYOR, HOW ABOUT WE USE THAT IN A SENTENCE? IN A SENTENCE? CARNE GADA IS COUNCILMAN P'S FAVORITE DISH TO ORDER AT RIA.
C A R N E G U I SS A D A, CORRECT.
FOR THE RECORD, HARINI WINS TWO TO ONE.
UH, BUT SERIOUSLY, HURDA HARINI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE SO PROUD OF YOU ON A NATIONAL STAGE, ON A WORLD STAGE.
I GOT A KICK OUTTA SEEING YOU, UH, RING THE BELL, UH, THE STOCK EXCHANGE.
I, AS I TOLD, UH, YOUR FOLKS, I THINK THAT MEANS THAT OUR ECONOMY IS COMING BACK, UH, BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE TO RING THE BELL.
UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU THIS CITATION ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY IN HONOR OF YOU WINNING THE 2022 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE ON JUNE 2ND, 2022 IN OXEN HILL, MARYLAND.
YOU SUCCESSFULLY SPELLED 22 WORDS IN THE FIRST EVER LIGHTNING ROUND TIEBREAKER, AND CLAIM THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN A HISTORIC SPELL OFF YOUR ENDLESS DETERMINATION TO IMPROVE ON SPELLING, INCREASE VOCABULARY, LEARN CONCEPTS, AND DEVELOP CORRECT ENGLISH USAGE IS TRULY WORTHY OF COMMENDATION AND, AND ALL TOO RARE UP HERE.
THEREFORE, I, RON NUREMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, PROUDLY CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND OFFER BEST WISHES FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
WHEN, UM, GOT JUST A FEW MORE FOLKS TO RECOGNIZE.
UH, SO LET ME NOW TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
[00:40:01]
TO RECOGNIZE DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT JAVI PERES.UM, JAVIER HAS PROVEN HIMSELF TO BE AN, AN ALL AROUND PUBLIC, UH, SERVANT DEDICATED TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY.
UH, HE'S BEEN A CHAMPION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVING ON THE VIA METRO BOARD.
HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL GOLF ASSOCIATION, WHERE HE'S, UH, FOCUSED ON MAKING GOLF ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY NOT HAD ACCESS TO GOLF.
UM, JAVI'S ALSO BEEN HELPING OUT WITH THE DISTRICT ONE FIELD OFFICE TO REIMAGINE HOW THAT SPACE CAN BETTER BE BETTER USED, USED TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC.
UM, I, I ALSO UNDERSTAND, JAVIER, IF YOU WANT TO APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
UH, AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, JAVIER IS ALSO THE MOST HANDSOME MAN IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I KNOW THIS BECAUSE MY GIRLFRIEND TELLS ME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
UM, BUT THE REASON, UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE JAVIER TODAY IS BECAUSE HE WAS BORN IN THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES, COMMONLY KNOWN AS MEXICO.
AND, UH, TODAY IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO CELEBRATE THAT, UH, DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT, JAVIER PARES HAS BECOME A NATURALIZED CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, AND IT'S TRULY MAKING A GREAT, GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NATION'S STATE AND THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT HIM WITH A CERTIFICATE AS WELL AS, UH, A FLAG OF TEXAS THAT FLEW OVER THE STATE CAPITOL AND A US FLAG THAT FLEW OVER THE US CAPITOL.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ABED.
I WAS GONNA SAY BEBA AMERICA,
UH, UH, SOMEBODY WOULD'VE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS.
I WOULD'VE MAYBE SHAVED OR CUT MY HAIR, BUT, UH, WE HAD TO TRICK INTO BEING HERE TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND BETTERING OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF, OF WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A COUNTRY.
AND HAPPY TO, UH, JOIN YOU NOW AS AMERICAN CITIZENS.
SO I APPRECIATE THIS RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO AND CONGRATULATIONS HAVE, UM, ACHIEVING CITIZENSHIP.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTHY OF CONGRATULATIONS AND CELEBRATION, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY.
ALRIGHT, LEMME TURN IT NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ FOR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO, ITS PARTNERS IN OUR D TWO OFFICE, WOULD LOVE TO INVITE ALL LGBTQIA PLUS, UH, YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES AND ALLIES TO MADISON SQUARE PARK DOWNTOWN THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 16TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL CENTRAL FAMILY PRIDE DAY.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS A BRAVE SPACE FOR EVERY FAMILY.
LGBTQIA PLUS PERFORMERS AND VENDORS WILL BE ON SITE TO SERVE UP LOOKS, VOCALS, AND TASTY EATS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE VARIOUS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH RESOURCES, AND WE'LL END WITH A MINI PARADE AROUND THE PARK.
OUR GRAND MARSHALL THIS YEAR IS ANGEL FLORES, TRANSGENDER ADVOCATE ATHLETE AND STAR OF NETFLIX'S QUEER EYE.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DRESS UP, BRING YOUR FLAGS, AND SHOW YOUR PRIDE.
THANK YOU TO DISTRICT ONE FOR YOUR HELP IN COORDINATING LOGISTICS AND FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH OUR LOCAL LGBTQIA PLUS YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR ALLIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICKEY RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
TODAY, JUNE 23RD, 2022 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSAGE OF TITLE IX ON JUNE 23RD, 1972.
BY THEN PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON, IT WAS SIGNED, THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS ACT.
TITLE IX WAS ENACTED TO ENSURE ALL GIRLS AND WOMEN WOULD HAVE EQUAL ACCESS AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.
THE FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW HAS BEEN CREDITED WITH PROFOUNDLY CHANGING EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES BY BARRING SEX DISCRIMINATION IN THE NATION SCHOOLS.
BUT EVEN AS WE CELEBRATE THIS ESSENTIAL LEGISLATION AND THE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS MADE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, WE KNOW THAT THE FULL PROMISE OF TITLE IX REMAINS UNFULFILLED FOR MANY GIRLS AND WOMEN ACROSS OUR NATION.
GAPS PERSIST, BUT TITLE NINE'S ENACTMENT HAS SERVED AS A CATALYST FOR THE GROWTH OF SPORTS PARTICIPATION, OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN AT HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE LEVELS, TITLE IX, ALONG WITH OTHER EQUITY LAWS TO HELP TO UNLOCK ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES PAVING THE WAY FOR INROADS INTO HISTORICALLY MALE DOMINATED PROFESSIONS.
SINCE TITLE IX, WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS HAS INCREASED TODAY, WOMEN MAKE UP 44% OF ALL N C A A ATHLETES COMPARED TO 15%
[00:45:01]
PRE-TITLE IX WHEN FEWER THAN 30,000 WOMEN PLAYED COLLEGE SPORTS.SO IN RECOGNITION OF THIS DAY, I'M ASKING MY CO, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO CHIME IN WITH THEIR FAVORITE WOMEN'S SPORTS, OR YOU COULD PICK, PICK HIGH SCHOOL TOO, BUT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, UM, MY FRIEND VANESSA SAEED AND THE 84 88 SWIM TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, AND WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO BECAUSE OF TITLE IX AND THE 1993 TEXAS TEX, UH, BATH WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM, THE LADY RAIDERS WHO WON, UM, THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YEAR.
AND I KNOW MY CURRENT PICK IS, OF COURSE, ALL MY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ABOUT THEIR, UM, WOMEN'S N C A A CHAMPIONS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE.
COUNCIL MEMBER VIRON, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I'M AFRAID I CAN'T GO ALL THE WAY TO THE N C A A, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT I WAS A TEACHER FOR 25 YEARS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND FOR MANY OF THOSE YEARS I WAS A COACH.
AND FOR MANY OF THOSE YEARS, UH, I COACHED THE GIRLS SPORTS, YOU KNOW, BUT I CAN EVEN THINK BACK FURTHER.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER WATCHING THE GIRLS SPORTS AND THEY WERE RUNNING AROUND IN DRESSES AND, AND SKIRTS, AND THEY, UH, WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DRIBBLE THE BALL DOWN TO BASKETBALL.
I HAD TO PASS IT EVERY TWO OR THREE DRIBBLES OR SOMETHING.
AND THEN I ENDED UP COACHING GIRLS SPORTS IN BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND REALLY RECOGNIZED THE OPPORTUNITY THAT TITLE IX DID TO ALLOW WOMEN AND GIRLS TO COMPETE ON A, A VERY, VERY SIMILAR LEVEL.
IT'LL MAYBE NOT BE EQUAL, BUT ALMOST EQUAL, UH, IN, IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT CREDIT, UH, TO TITLE IX AND THE OPPORTUNITY IT IS PROVIDED FOR YOUNG GIRLS AND WOMEN TODAY.
SO THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE.
AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, GAVE ME A HEADS UP ABOUT THIS.
AND, UM, I WAS SO EXCITED BECAUSE I NEVER GET TO SHARE, BUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS IS ACTUALLY CALLED TALL ENOUGH TO COACH AND IT'S COACH MARSHA SHARP FROM THE 1993 WHO, WHO HELPED COACH THE 1993 TEXAS TECH, UH, LADY RAIDERS TEAM TO THE VICTORY.
AND SO, UM, IT, IT IS AN INCREDIBLE BOOK.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN ABOUT, UH, ELEMENTS OF LEADERSHIP FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THAT BOOK.
IT'S ONE OF THE ONES THAT I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE MY FEMALE STUDENTS TO READ AND JUST REALLY GET EMPOWERED.
AND I THINK THE BEST PART ABOUT IT IS THAT SHE'S ABOUT MY HEIGHT, RIGHT? AND SO, AND SHE WAS KIND OF FEARLESS.
AND SO, UM, EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT.
THAT'S THE, THE STORY THAT I HAVE.
BUT I ALSO HAVE GREAT FRIENDS, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN INDUCTED AT NCAA INTO THE HALL OF FAME, UH, SS M U, DR.
JOANNE FAY, UH, AND THEN ALSO WITH, UM, TEXAS UT BASKETBALL COACH TIVO, WHO, UM, JUST RECENTLY MOVED FROM SAN ANTONIO.
BUT, UM, I HAVE GREAT PRIDE IN A LOT OF THE WOMEN THAT I'VE GOTTEN TO MEET OVER THE YEARS WHO PART PARTICIPATED IN, UH, NCAA SPORTS AND JUST WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR THEM AND WHAT IT HAS DONE IN GENERAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY OF, OF WOMEN AS A WHOLE AND EMPOWERING THEM IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN VRAN FOR RECOGNIZING THIS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
DUDE, HOW OLD ARE YOU? I DON'T REMEMBER.
I WAS NOT AROUND WHEN THEY WERE WEARING DRESSES OUT THERE IN SPORTS, I, I TELL YOU.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, MY FAVORITE IS SOFTBALL.
UH, IT STARTED WITH, UH, MY DAUGHTER.
I COACHED HER FOR YEARS, UH, IN SOFTBALL, AND IT'S STILL MY FAVORITE, UH, FEMALE SPORT.
AND, UH, FOLLOW IT QUITE REGULARLY.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES ALL THE TIME.
AND, UH, UH, YEAH, THAT'S JUST MY FAVORITE WOMEN'S SPORT.
UM, I'LL TAKE A TURN AT BAT THEN AND SAY THAT THIS CITY OUGHT TO BE CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW, THE, UH, CLASS SIX A CHAMPIONS, AND THAT IS OUR VERY OWN SAN ANTONIO O'CONNOR SOFTBALL TEAM THAT JUST WON THE CLASS SIX A CHAMPIONSHIP THIS MONTH.
UH, BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING MY FAVORITE, I WOULD SAY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, I SPENT SOME TIME AS A SPORTS REPORTER AT TRINITY UNIVERSITY, UH, COVERING ALL SPORTS.
BUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, TEAMS TO COVER WAS THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM.
UH, AND THEY HAD A FANTASTIC COACH NAMED BECKY GUYER, WHO FINALLY REACHED THE PINNACLE IN 2003 WHEN THE, THE DIVISION THREE CHAMPIONS WERE NAMED, UH, AND WON, UH, THE TRINITY TIGERS IN 2003 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL.
SO STILL WAITING FOR A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
BARRY
WHEN I THINK OF WOMEN IN SPORTS, I THINK OF MY FRIEND
[00:50:01]
SELENA RAMIREZ, WHO IS A COACH.SHE WAS A COACH IN HARLANDALE, AND SHE, NOW, SHE'S A COACH IN SOUTH SIDE I S D.
SHE TRAINS REALLY HARD TRAINS ALONGSIDE HER STUDENTS REALLY HARD.
AND, UM, THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING SUCCESSFULLY.
UM, BUT SOMEONE WHO IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, DISTRICT FIVE AND HARRIS MIDDLE SCHOOL, IS COACH CATHERINE GONZALEZ, WHO'S RETIRING THIS YEAR AFTER OVER 40 YEARS WITH SS A I SS D.
AND EVERY YEAR THAT SHE'S COACHED AT, UH, HARRIS MIDDLE SCHOOL, HER STUDENTS HAVE BROUGHT BACK FIRST PLACE, MYSELF INCLUDED, I WON FIRST PLACE IN SEVENTH GRADE AND S E S D DISTRICT FOR GOLF FOR WOMEN.
UM, SO LIKE, UH, SHE'S JUST A STRONG COACH AND WE'RE REALLY SAD THAT WE'RE LOSING HER IN S E I S D.
UM, BUT SHE'S, WHO COMES TO MIND WHEN I THINK OF SCHOOL, SPORTS AND WOMEN.
ALRIGHT, THANK VERY MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER.
MAYOR, IF I MAY, I WANT TO CHIME IN.
GO AHEAD, ANDY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO, IN 1987, WHEN NOTRE DAME HIRED MUFF MCGRAW AS THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH, SHE WAS TOLD YOU CAN USE THE P YOU CAN USE THE PRACTICE COURT WHEN THE MEN ARE DONE WITH IT.
UM, AND SHE JUST RETIRED A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
THERE'S TWO BANNERS, NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS HANGING THERE AT NOTRE DAME, UH, COURT NOW.
AND, UH, JUST A, A TESTAMENT TO WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED.
IT'S, I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL, UH, HELPED PUSH FORWARD INITIATIVE, UH, DURING OUR BOND PACKAGES, THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR U T SS A TO HAVE A WORLD-CLASS FACILITY FOR WOMEN NCAA SPORTS.
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE, WE DID THE RIGHT THING THERE, UM, AND VERY SOON, I BELIEVE U T S A IS GONNA BE HAVING A RIBBON CUTTING.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN US TO GO CELEBRATE US FINALLY TAKING WOMEN'S SPORTS AS SERIOUSLY AS IT, IT HAS ALWAYS MERITED.
UH, AND THANK YOU TO ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR, FOR HELPING US MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER P PLAS, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE.
ALL RIGHT, UH, WE ARE NOW GOING TO GET INTO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA.
LET ME NOTE THAT ITEM FOUR IS THE ONLY ITEM WE HAVE LISTED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION AT THIS TIME.
ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE LISTED FOR CONSENT CONSIDERATIONS.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
ASK NOW IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.IF THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WHEN WE GET TO THE DISCUSSION? YEAH.
THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR ITEM FOUR.
UM, AND PLEASE CUE IN TO MY COLLEAGUES Q IN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEMS. DO THAT NOW.
UH, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE ACTIVE ITEM.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOLKS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR, TO SPEAK PUBLICLY ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND I'M NOTING NOW THAT THERE AREN'T ANY, SO WE'LL GO IMMEDIATELY INTO COUNCIL IMMEDIATELY INTO COUNCIL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? ITEM FOUR.
YEAH, WE'RE ITEM FOUR IS GONNA BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY, SO WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
WE'LL START THE, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEM SAY FOR ITEM FOUR, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE VOTING ON AN ITEM, UH, IN THIS CONSENT AGENDA FOR, UH, 10 MILLION PLUS DOLLARS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UM, TO BE PERFORMED BY KIMLEY HOR AND ASSOCIATES FOR AIRFIELD ENGINEERING AND DESIGN SERVICES.
UM, FRIENDS, WE, UH, ONE, BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR INVESTMENT IN OUR AIRPORT.
TWO, UM, DURING THE DISCUSSION IN COUNCILMAN PERRY'S, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WE ASKED THE AIRPORT TEAM TO GO BACK AND NEGOTIATE, UM, THAT AS PART OF THE SERVICE AGREEMENT, UH, THE, UH, THE CONTRACTOR WILL CREATE INTERNSHIPS FOR SAN ANTONIANS, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, BUILD THE AIRPORT AND GO, BUT TO CREATE INTERNSHIPS IN SAN ANTONIANS.
AND THAT'S THE ADDED VALUE IN THIS CONTRACT.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THAT IS NOW PART OF THIS CONTRACT.
AND I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO, UM, TAKE UP THAT CHALLENGE AND DO THIS NOW FOR ALL OF OUR HIGH PROFILE CONTRACTS.
IT'S, THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T INSIST THAT IF YOU ARE, UH, RECEIVING THE BENEFIT OF TAX SAN ANTONIAN HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS, THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE LEAVING BEHIND MORE THAN JUST THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE LEAVING BEHIND, UM, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND, UH, AND KNOWLEDGE AND SOME EXPERTISE CREATED, UH, FOR SAN ANTONIANS AS WELL.
ANYWAY, THANKS TO, UH, MY COLLEAGUES FOR, FOR VOTING
[00:55:01]
ON THIS TODAY.COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 28.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SHARE THAT THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION BEGAN AN INITIATIVE CALLED THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESERVATION INITIATIVE THAT AIMS TO IDENTIFY, PROMOTE, AND PRESERVE SAN ANTONIO'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE.
IT'S A THREE-YEAR INITIATIVE THAT WILL IDENTIFY PLACES, EVENTS, PEOPLE, AS WELL AS INTANGIBLE HERITAGE, SUCH AS FOOD SONGS, DANCES, FESTIVALS, SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, UM, THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE LOCAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
THE INITIATIVE WILL FOCUS ON FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN A THREE MILE RADIUS OF DOWNTOWN.
AND THE ULTIMATE GOALS ARE TO DESIGNATE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, CULTURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES AND TO BUILD AWARENESS, APPRECIATION, AND RESPECT OF AND FOUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE.
A LITTLE KNOWN FACT, THE FIVE PROPOSED SURVEY AREAS WERE SELECTED BASED ON 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY HISTORICAL CONCENTRATIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
SO THIS INCLUDES WEST SIDE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WESTERN BAPTIST CHURCH AND ST.
JAMES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITIES CONCENTRATED IN THE HISTORIC BAPTIST SETTLEMENT ON THE EAST SIDE.
I WILL GLADLY ASSIST IN PROMOTING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THIS INITIATIVE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE STORIES AND THE RICH HERITAGE AND HISTORY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HONOR WHEN WE REACH THE FINAL RESULT.
COUNCIL MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER RJA GARCIA.
AND I WANNA TAKE SOME TIME TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 22.
UM, IT, IT, WE ARE GIVING A LOT OF LOVE TODAY TO THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN TOO OFTEN.
SO, UM, VERY EXCITED TO, TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS.
BUT, UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, UM, IS HELPING US WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRESERVATION PLAN AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BUNGALOW COLONY AT PORT SAN ANTONIO.
AND I KNOW THAT JUAN ANTONIO FLORES IS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, YESTERDAY I HAD A, A CALL WITH A REPORTER AND I MENTIONED SOMETHING LIKE, YEAH, THE BUNGALOWS, IT REMINDS ME OF THE SCENE FROM TOP GUN.
AND SO THE FUNNY PART IS THAT HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF, UH, KIND OF COOL.
BUT THE BUNGALOW COLONY NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES PORT SAN ANTONIO'S OLDEST COMPLEX, UM, OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THAT IS LOCATED ON FORMER KELLY AIR FORCE BASE.
AND SO THIS IS THE, UM, I, IN, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL SITE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE CITY'S MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER IS TO SERVE AS A HUB FOR TRANSFORMING, SALVAGE AND EXCESS BUILDING MATERIALS INTO NEW USES TO SUPPORT A LOCAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT REPRESENTS THE NEXT STEP IN BRINGING THE HISTORIC RESOURCES IN THE BUNGALOW COLONY BACK TO USE AS A DYNAMIC CENTER FOR TRADES EDUCATION AND MATERIAL REUSE.
AGAIN, THE GRANTORS, THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, WHICH IS A STATE AGENCY, AND THE FUNDING'S PROVIDED BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND AS ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRIDGE THE HISTOR, THE HISTORICAL ASPECT OF PORT SAN ANTONIO, ALSO WITH THE FUTURISTIC ASPECT, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THIS MORNING HIGHLIGHTING JIM PUCK'S, UH, VISION FOR THE PORT.
AND SO, UM, I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PORT FOR ALLOWING US TO, TO, UM, WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU ALL ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT AND, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS ALSO TO LEARN FROM IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO, UH, CONGRATULATE AND AND APPRECIATE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF BOB CUOMO TO THE VIA BOARD.
HE'S A DISTRICT NINE RESIDENT, UH, FOR YEARS AND YEARS HE'S WORKED TO SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES AND ORGANIZED LABOR.
HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB ON THE VIA BOARD AND I'M GLAD THAT HE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE.
ALSO, UH, ITEM 43 REGARDING MERCED HOUSING BEING AWARDED THE MINOR REPAIR AND OWNER-OCCUPIED REHABILITATION PROGRAM AGREEMENT.
UH, I THINK THAT THAT IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AGREEMENT.
IT'S PART OF, UH, FEDERAL DOLLARS TAX DOLLARS COMING BACK TO SAN ANTONIO TO BE PUT TO GOOD USE IN DEVELOPING OR CONTINUING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, IT'S PART OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING, SO IT DOESN'T COME OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, BUT REALLY IT'S A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYING, HERE'S YOUR TAX DOLLARS BACK, PUT 'EM TO GOOD USE TO HELP PEOPLE REMAIN IN THEIR AFFORDABLE HOMES.
UH, AND FINALLY, UH, ITEM 44, SS A P D AND ALEXANDER WEISS CONSULTING ARE WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE STAFFING ANALYSIS FOR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF, ALL OF US UP HERE IN THE COUNCIL HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF POLICE? OUR, OUR IS OUR STRENGTH MATCHING OUR NEEDS? AND I THINK THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THIS, UH,
[01:00:01]
CONSULTING TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE, UH, NEEDS AND ARE WE ADEQUATELY SERVING THE PUBLIC, UH, THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY.SO, UH, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE US FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM UP AND APPROVING IT HOPEFULLY TODAY.
I ALSO WANNA SHOW SOME LOVE TO THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM 23.
WE KNOW THAT EXCITING THINGS ARE HAPPENING OVER AT THE PORT, BUT NOTHING MORE EXCITING THAN HOUSING SAN ANTONIO'S DECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
PORT SA BEFORE THE KELLY AIR FORCE BASE WAS BUILT ON THE BACKS OF WORKING FAMILIES.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THIS SPACE THAT SERVED AS A CATALYST FOR CREATING THE MEXICAN MIDDLE CLASS IS NOW BEING SUPPORTED BY THE PORT TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
NOT ONLY DOES RECONSTRUCTION DECONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, UH, AND REUSE FIT WITHIN THE PORT ESSAY'S THEME OF INNOVATION AND FORWARD THINKING, IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR CITY'S HOUSING, SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND WORKFORCE GOALS.
AND I CANNOT OVEREMPHASIZE THE JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE LIVING HERITAGE TRADES ACADEMY AND MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER WILL CREATE FOR RESIDENTS ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE AND ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.
ONCE ESTABLISHED THE MATERIALS REUSE PROGRAM AT THE BUNGALOWS WILL ALSO STREAMLINE AND REDUCE THE COST FOR LOW INCOME HOMEOWNER REHABILITATION, MEANING THAT WE CAN WORK QUICKLY TO MEET THE SHIP'S GOALS OF 11,000 PRESERVATIONS, EVEN IN THE FACE OF INCREASING DEMOLITIONS AND RISING MATERIAL COSTS.
SO WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THE LEADERSHIP OVER AT PORT SA, UM, AND DISTRICT FOUR, AS WELL AS, UH, OUR D FIVE'S, UH, DEREK LEWINSKY.
UM, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE STATE'S BLESSING VIA THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC SPACE TO HOUSE OUR MATERIALS AND THE INNOVATION CENTER, UM, I'M EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL, UH, DISCUSSING RATHER A DECONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE.
BUT I ALSO WANNA QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT ITEM 30 TO RECOGNIZE THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THEIR SUBMISSION TO THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE FOR A $1.5 MILLION GRANT TO INCLUDE FUNDING FOR NORMAL OIL PARK, IF SUCCESSFUL, A TOTAL OF 8.2 MILLION WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PHASE ONE OF NORMAL OIL PARK EXPANSION.
BECAUSE THE PARK IS EXPANDING TO THE OLD FIRE ACADEMY PROPERTY, IT'S REQUIRING SOME, UH, REMEDIATION, WHICH WE ALL KNOW CAN BE REALLY EXPENSIVE.
SO WE HOPE THAT WE CAN SECURE THIS GRANT, UM, TO PROVIDE OUR RESIDENTS WITH MORE AMENITIES AND HOPEFULLY DISTRICT FIVE'S FIRST EVER DOG PARK, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
UM, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, A SIMILAR GRANT WAS, UH, RECEIVED, UM, FOR PEARSALL PARK.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, ADVOCATING GOING TO AUSTIN IF NEEDED, AND I HOPE MARY CAN JOIN ME TO GO SECURE THOSE, UH, THOSE DOLLARS FOR OUR PARK SO THAT WAY WE CAN BRING DISTRICT FIVE'S, FIRST DOG PARK, AND PHASE ONE OF NORM OIL PARK.
REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING DISTRICT FIVE THEIR FIRST DOG PARK.
AND I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS. THE FIRST, UH, IS THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE SALATO GREEN GREENWAY TRAIL PROJECT OVER AT SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE TO MONTE VIEJO.
I WANNA THANK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS, UM, AND GETTING THAT, UM, MULTIPLE USE AGREEMENT WITH A TECH.SO WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY THERE AT SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE.
THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A TRAIL AND PARK ACCESS FOR ADJACENT RESIDENTS.
THAT INCLUDES PARK, LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, PARKING SPACES, UH, SHADE STRUCTURES, AND OTHER AMENITIES.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT COMING.
IT BEGINS SUMMER OF 2022 AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED BY SUMMER OF 2023, AND I'M SURE MY RESIDENTS WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, UM, HIGHLIGHT ITEM 14.
AND THIS COMES FROM, UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS THE, UH, CONTRACT AWARD FOR SOUTH PREST STREET, AND THIS IS A D D THREE AND D FIVE PROJECT.
AND THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE SOUTH PRES CORRIDOR AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS FROM WEST BOY BOYER TO SOUTHEAST MILITARY, INCLUDING SIDEWALKS, CURBS, AND DRIVEWAY APPROACHES.
SO WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS, AND I WANNA THANK THIS AGAIN, UH, THE DEPARTMENT RAZZY FOR WORKING WITH TX SAWS AND C P S ENERGY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE.
AND FINALLY, I DO WANT TO, UM, THANK, UM, SAS AND JALYN AND MARY LOU FOR SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT AND SEEING THAT HAPPEN TODAY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE SAS IS, IS IS THERE AND HAS ITS BOARD AND IS READY TO WORK.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, ITEM NUMBER 19.
WE WERE DOING APPROXIMATELY HALF UNDER THE 2017
[01:05:01]
BOND, AND WE HAD, UH, THIS, UH, MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T SPEND ON THE FIRST PHASE.WE'RE GETTING THE DESIGN STARTED EARLY ON THIS PROJECT SO THAT AS SOON AS THE BOND MONEY COMES THROUGH, UH, WE'RE READY TO GO.
I, I WANT THIS, UH, PROJECT TO GET KICKED OFF AND FINISH BULL VERDE ROAD ALL THE WAY FROM, UH, CLOSE TO A THOUSAND OAKS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO REDLAND ROAD, WHICH WILL, WHICH IS BADLY NEEDED BECAUSE WE'RE STILL HAVING EXPANSION AND HOUSING BUILT IN THAT AREA.
AND, UM, THIS WILL ALL BE PREPARED AND READY TO GO WHEN ALL THAT IS, UH, FINISHED.
I'D JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NINE, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING CONTRACTS FOR LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES.
AND I JUST WANT, I'D LIKE TO CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT TWO OF THOSE VEHICLES FOR S A P D ARE GONNA BE A TESLA AND A FORD MACH E MUSTANG ELECTRIC VEHICLE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHILE I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION FASTER, THIS IS, THIS IS PROGRESS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THESE, UH, TEST VEHICLES WORK OUT FOR SS A P D.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
UH, FOR ME, I WANTED TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT NUMBER 29, UH, WHICH IS, UH, WORK TO PROVIDE MORE STREAMLINED AND EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PARTS IN AND AROUND THE AREA TO SERVE, UH, A COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE TO THE ISSUE OF MIGRANT, UH, TRANSFER THROUGH OUR AREA.
THIS IS, UH, IN PART LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCE WE HAD IN 2019 WHEN SAN ANTONIO BECAME A MODEL COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW WE, UH, STOOD UP THE CARE, UH, OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UH, MOVING THROUGH OUR CITY, OR, OR IN SOME CASES, HAVING TO STAY TEMPORARILY.
UM, IT IS A PART OF A COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE THAT FRANKLY, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE CITY, UH, FOR RESPONDING IN THAT WAY.
AND, UM, ON ITEM 31, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AGAIN, THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF CHAIR JOLYNN, UH, LEBLANC JAMISON, WHO HAS SERVED, UH, ADMIRABLY DURING HER TIME AT SAWS, ALONG WITH, UH, MARYLEE REYNA, TRUSTEE REYNA.
UH, ITEM 32, THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF ATHLETE MALONE AND BOB CUOMO ON VIA.
ITEM 33 IS A CONTRACT ON DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE AIRPORT.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE SET TO GO IN THE AIRPORT AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC REDEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS TO ME, IS ONE OF THE DOWNBEATS OF THAT PROCESS, THE SAFETY AND REHABILITATION OF THOSE AIR, UH, OF THOSE AIRFIELDS, UH, RUNWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT GONNA GET A LOT OF HEADLINES, I DON'T THINK, BUT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT FIRST STEP IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF SAN ANTONIO OR INTERNATIONAL.
AND FINALLY, UH, THE BONDING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SOME FOLKS MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS, BUT, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, BEGINS WITH MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE TOOLS, UH, AND CAPITAL AVAILABLE TO GO AFTER LARGER WORK.
AND, UH, THIS IS AN EFFORT BEING LED BY OUR COMMUNITY HERE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND S A E D C, AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE IT KICK OFF TODAY.
SO, UH, A GOOD AGENDA AND, UM, ONE THAT I, UM, ONE THAT I THINK WE CAN MOVE STRAIGHT INTO A VOTE WON.
SO WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE VOTE.
[ACTION ITEMS FOR STAFF BRIEFING]
GO TO ITEM FOUR.ITEM FOUR IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR DISTRIBUTION OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
ARPA FUNDS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR SUCH FUNDING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH LIFT FUND FOR GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE SAN, FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS PILLAR IN THE ARPA FUNDS IS $30.9 MILLION AND WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 3RD, 2022.
THERE IS NO IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYBODY WHO, UH, WHO IS EXITING TO PLEASE DO SO QUIETLY.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN THIS OVER NOW TO THE CITY MANAGER, ERIC.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, BRENDA WILL WALK US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL.
I AM BRENDA HICKS, SORENSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING PRESENTING THE ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM, AS ENDORSED BY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION AND RECOMMENDED BY THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
FOR TODAY'S COUNCIL ACTION STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE $30.95 MILLION
[01:10:02]
ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN CRITERIA FOR THE COVID IMPACT GRANTS PROGRAM, AND APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT WITH LIFT FUND TO ADMINISTER THE COVID IMPACT GRANTS PROGRAM.PRIOR TO DISCUSSING THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THOSE INVESTMENTS.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS ALREADY MADE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY THE C OVID PANDEMIC.
THE CITY PREVIOUSLY INVESTED $49.9 MILLION VIA THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, WITH 46 MILLION IN GRANTS TO MICRO BUSINESSES AND THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
ADDITIONAL FUNDS WERE USED FOR P P E DISTRIBUTION, OUTREACH, AND SMALL BUSINESS ON THE TRAINING.
THIS WAS ALL DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIFTFUND, MAESTRO CENTRAL SAGE, SOUTHSIDE FIRST PROSPER WEST, AND GREATER SS A T X.
NOW, TO ADDRESS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THIS PROCESS BEGAN IN FALL 2021 WHEN, AT YOUR REQUEST, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION HOSTED THREE LISTENING SESSIONS.
WE ALSO UTILIZED SA SPEAKS UP TO COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM SMALL BUSINESSES, UTILIZING THAT INSIGHT AS WELL AS GUIDANCE FROM THIS BODY.
STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH SPAC C TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE ARPA INVESTMENTS, WHICH SBAC UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSED IN MAY LATE LAST MONTH AND EARLIER THIS MONTH.
E W D C CONSIDERED THE SPAC PROPOSAL, AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS RESULTED IN THE RECOMMENDED ARPA SMALL BUSINESS PORTFOLIO, AS WELL AS GRANT CRITERIA AND LIFT FUND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM.
THE EMPHASIS OF THE DISCUSSION WAS TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT ECONOMY WHILE ADDRESSING THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE IMMEDIATE NEEDS FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
I WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON EACH OF THE FIVE PRIORITY AREAS SHORTLY BEFORE TOUCHING UP ON THOSE PRIORITIES.
IN MORE DETAIL, I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON HOW WE WILL MEASURE SUCCESS FOR THESE INVESTMENTS.
YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THIS MATRIX AT, AS IT IS BEING SHOWN ACROSS ALL ARPA BUCKETS.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE SLIDES HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE MATRIX OF METRICS.
YOU'LL SEE THE COVID IMPACT IDENTIFIED WITH EACH PRIORITY AND PROGRAM THEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES ANTICIPATED, AS WELL AS HOW WE WILL MEASURE THE IMPACT.
I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM IN DETAIL, BUT WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ARE MORE TRADITIONAL INDICATORS, SUCH AS JOB CREATED, BUT OTHER METRICS ARE MORE FOCUSED ON THOSE LONGER TERM SYSTEMIC OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS CAPITAL DEMAND, INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD CORRIDORS AND BUSINESS FAILURE RATES.
WE HAVE BASE LEVEL DATA FOR THESE, AND WE'LL MONITOR AND REPORT ON THESE REGULARLY.
AGAIN, HERE'S ADDITIONAL COVID IMPACTS WITH ASSOCIATED INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES.
THIS IS THE FINAL SLIDE OF THOSE METRICS.
I'D LIKE TO NOW BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE INDIVIDUAL PRIORITIES.
NEARLY 67% OF THE FUNDS WILL BE INVESTED IN ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT WILL BE IN COVID IMPACT GRANTS AND SUPPORTING OUTREACH AND MARKETING EFFORTS, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL SHORTLY.
THE GROWTH FUND IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES WHO MAY HAVE STABILIZED AND ARE POISED FOR GROWTH, BUT NEED SOME NON-TRADITIONAL CAPITAL SUPPORT.
YOU WILL NOTE THAT NEXT TO THE GROWTH FUND, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS AN ASTERISK.
THIS INDICATES THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING A SOLICITATION PROCESS FOR THIS, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE OTHER RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS. CAPACITY BUILDING FOCUSES ON ASSISTING SMALL BUSINESSES TO REACH THEIR GRIT.
BACK OFFICE SUPPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, MAY FOCUS ON BOOKKEEPING AND FINANCIAL SKILLS FOR THOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM IS REALLY THE SAFETY NET FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
COVID, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS THE 100 YEAR FLOOD, BUT WE KNOW THERE WILL BE SMALLER FLOODS ALONG THE WAY.
SO HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN THE ECOSYSTEM TO BETTER SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES? THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT COMPLETED IN 2020 HIGHLIGHTED FOUR PILLARS, ACCESS TO FLEXIBLE CAPITAL, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY, ACCESS AND NETWORKS AND ECOSYSTEM COORDINATION.
BLACK AND LATINO OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES WERE MOST LIKELY TO BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THESE CHALLENGES.
AND THESE CHALLENGES WERE FURTHER EXASPERATED BY COVID.
INVESTMENTS IN THIS PRIORITY WILL FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THOSE PILLARS.
RECENTLY, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXISTING BILOCAL PROGRAM WAS COMPLETED WITH NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES IDENTIFIED TO SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, AND GROW LOCAL BUSINESSES.
BOTH THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION
[01:15:01]
FOR THE LOCALISM MOVEMENT WOULD BE SUPPORTED WITH THIS INVESTMENT.THE FIFTH AND FINAL PRIORITY IS PERHAPS THE AREA WHERE IT WILL TAKE THE LONGEST TO SEE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, BUT COULD BE THE MOST TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENTS INCLUDE A REBOOT OF THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OPERATION FACELIFT, SUPPORTING THE EXPANSION OF OUTDOOR SPACES LIKE PATIOS, AS WELL AS QUARTER REDEVELOPMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
THE SMALL BUSINESS PORTFOLIO WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN TWO PHASES WITH THE GRANTS LAUNCHING SOON.
PHASE TWO WOULD BE LATER THIS YEAR.
AND CONTINUING THROUGH 2025, WE RECOGNIZE THAT IMMEDIATE RELIEF IS NEEDED FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE C O IMPACT GRANTS PROGRAM IS A $17 MILLION PROGRAM THAT BEGINS IN JULY WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND WRAPS UP IN DECEMBER WHEN FINAL DISBURSEMENTS ARE MADE.
THE PROGRAM PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED ACCESS TO CAPITAL, WHILE ALSO OFFERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TOOLS TO SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THEIR RECOVERY.
HERE IS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT, AND PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BUSINESSES MUST MEET ALL OF THE CRITERIA OUTLINED.
HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE ITEMS IN GREEN.
THE SMALL BUSINESSES MUST BE IN AN INDUSTRY THAT EXPERIENCED AT LEAST 5% EMPLOYMENT LOSS LOCALLY.
THESE INDUSTRIES WERE IDENTIFIED IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL ECONOMISTS, DR.
STEVE NIVAN, UTILIZING SIX DIGIT NAS CODES.
THERE ARE 42 NAS CODES INCLUDED, AND IT, AND EXAMPLES INCLUDE FOOD AND HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES, GYMS, PERSONAL SERVICES, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
LIKEWISE, BUSINESSES MUST HAVE A REDUCTION IN GROSS REVENUES IN 2020 AND 2021 COMPARED TO 2019.
2019 IS THE BASELINE, WHILE 2020 DEMONSTRATES THE C O V I D IMPACT.
AND 2021 DEMONSTRATES THE ONGOING NEED.
THIRD, A MINIMUM OF 20% REDUCTION IN GROSS REVENUES FROM 2019 TO 2021 TO ADDRESS THOSE BUSINESSES HAVE THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN THE HARDEST HIT.
YOU'LL SEE ADDITIONAL CRITERIA HERE, AS WELL AS EXCLUSIONS.
THE SCORING CRITERIA EMPHASIZE THE HARDEST HIT BUSINESSES IN TERMS OF REDUCTION IN GROSS REVENUE, AS WELL AS INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT LOSS.
ADDITIONAL POINTS ARE EARNED FOR MINORITY WOMEN-OWNED, VETERAN AND DISABLED OWNED INDUSTRIES.
YOU'LL SEE EQUITY ATLAS SCORE AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT THE BUSINESS EARNED, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, RECEIVED OTHER GRANT FUNDING FROM THE CITY THROUGH THE, UH, RES RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PROGRAM.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THE, UM, GRANT AMOUNT HERE FROM, OR RANGING FROM 15 TO $35,000.
WE HEARD A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT CONSTRUCTION, SORRY, I'M SERVED AS A DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR THEIR BUSINESSES.
RECOGNIZING THIS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE BUSINESSES LOCATED WITHIN A MAJOR CITY INITIATED CONSTRUCTION ZONE, WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
19 PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING BEGUN OCTOBER 1ST, 2019 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2021, WITH A PROJECT DURATION OF AT LEAST 18 MONTHS.
YOU WILL NOTE A FEW OF THOSE PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTED HERE.
THE BUSINESSES WOULD NEED TO FIRST QUALIFY UNDER THE COVID IMPACT GRANT REQUIREMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS FUNDING EXPEDIENCY AND A STREAMLINED PROCESS WERE ALSO EMPHASIZED BY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
LIFTFUND PREVIOUSLY PARTNERED WITH THE CITY ON THE RECOVERY AND HOSPITALITY GRANTS PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITHIN A SHORT TIMELINE AND TO GET THE FUNDS IN THE HANDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AS SUCH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A CONTRACT WITH LIFTFUND FOR GRANT ADMINISTRATION.
THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
IN ADDITION TO THE TYPICAL GRANT ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES WITH AN 8% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, WE ALSO RECOMMEND UTILIZING $625,000 TO PARTNER WITH OTHER BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS FOR MARKETING, OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
AS A LESSON LEARNED FROM THE PRIOR GRANTS, LIFTFUND WILL CONDUCT FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS OF THOSE BUSINESSES AT SIX MONTHS, 18 MONTHS, AND THREE YEARS AFTER GRANT AWARDS.
SHOULD THE PROGRAM RECEIVE APPROVAL TODAY, COMMUNITY OUTREACH WOULD BEGIN IN JULY AND WILL INCLUDE EFFORTS BY LIFTFUND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND STAFF TO
[01:20:01]
TARGET HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES AND INDUSTRIES THAT WERE HIT PARTICULARLY HARD FROM THE PANDEMIC APPLICATIONS WILL BE OPEN FROM AUGUST ONE TO AUGUST 22ND, AND THE APPLICATION REVIEWING AND SCORING WOULD BEGIN ON AUGUST 29TH WITH FULL DISBURSEMENT OF ALL GRANTS OCCURRING BY DECEMBER 12TH.ONCE THE GRANT IS LAUNCHED, WE WILL TURN OUR ATTENTION TO PHASE TWO WITH A DETAILED TIMELINE PRESENTED TO E W D C IN AUGUST, FOLLOWED BY PROGRAM SPECIFIC SOLICITATIONS.
ALL INVESTMENTS WILL BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER, 2025.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRENDA, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SO I'LL CALL THEM FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO OUR COUNCIL CONVERSATION.
UH, WE'LL START WITH SEAN PALACIO.
MR. PALACIO, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ARGIE CORTEZ.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE Y'ALL TODAY.
I, I AM BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS IN ALAMO CITY.
GRADUATED FROM HARLANDALE HIGH SCHOOL, WENT ON TO GET MY BACHELOR'S OF ADMINISTRATION IN BUSINESS MARKETING AT ST.
MARY'S UNIVERSITY DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, SO DEFINITELY A NATIVE HERE.
UM, I REPRESENT, UH, FOUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED WITH CONSTRUCTION.
I CAME TO TALK ABOUT ITEM FOUR, BUT THE ACTUAL ITEM I WANTED TO DISCUSS IS NOT EVEN ON HERE.
SO, WHICH IS LEADS ME TO, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN EVEN LARGER ISSUE THAN THAT.
SO ACCESS TO THESE BUSINESSES ARE BEING PROHIBITED.
THEY'RE IN DISTRICT ONE, MR. BRAVO AND DISTRICT FIVE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO HAS DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, SO THESE BUSINESSES ARE IMPACTED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON ON BROADWAY AND NINTH STREET.
ONE OF THE BUSINESSES IS GRUNT STYLE.
I REPRESENT GRUNT STYLE, AND THEN I ALSO REPRESENT AUGIE CORTEZ OF AUGIE'S BARBECUE.
AND I ALSO REPRESENT, UH, QUICK DRAW COFFEE.
UH, HIS NAME IS JAMES, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A SAN ANTONIO FIREFIGHTER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, UH, ANYWAY, UH, AND THEN ALSO GOLDEN STAR CAFE ON REO STREET AND COMMERCE.
THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON THERE IS PROHIBITING ACCESS TO THOSE, TO THAT PLACE OF BUSINESS.
BUSINESS WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 90 YEARS.
UM, I, I AM ALLEGING THAT THIS IS BEING DONE ON PURPOSE BECAUSE ALL OF THESE BUSINESSES REPRESENT ONE THING, AND WE ARE PRO-AMERICA, PRO-GUN, PRO GOD, PRO-MILITARY, AND I KNOW THAT THE, THE WAY THE ADMINISTRATION IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS GOING THESE DAYS, THEY ARE ANTI ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO, LIKE I SAID, I AM A TRUE TEXAN AND I AM ALSO A MAN OF GOD.
SO YOU ARE NOT GOING UP AGAINST ME AND THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT YOU ARE GOING UP AGAINST GOD HIMSELF.
AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU ALL THAT.
AND WE WILL BE BACK IN AUGUST.
I'M SORRY, I WILL HAVE ANOTHER TEAM OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH ME IN AUGUST, AND WE WILL RETURN IN THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF AUGUST TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S TIME.
AGIE CORTEZ, IS MR. CORTEZ HERE? OKAY.
MS. GONZALEZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY SARAH
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OF YOUR HISPANIC CHAMBER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, COMPRISED OF MORE THAN 900 MEMBERS, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE SMALL, LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES.
I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY SBA C AND E W B C E W D C, EXCUSE ME, ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ARPA FUNDS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AS PRESENTED TODAY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY SBAC AND E E W B C STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR DIRECT RELIEF AND MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS IN ENHANCING OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM, ALONG WITH IMPORTANTLY, ENSURING THAT THE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS IS ACCESSIBLE AND NOT BURDENSOME TO OUR MEMBERS.
WITH THE HELP OF OUR PARTNERS AT LIFTFUND, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE AND MANY STILL HAVE NOT RETURNED TO THE PRE PANDEMIC REVENUE LEVELS.
ANY FURTHER DELAY TODAY IN APPROVING THE PROPOSED SPENDING FRAMEWORK WILL ONLY PUSH BACK THE PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS AND DISBURSEMENTS, RISKING THE CLOSURE OF MANY MORE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS DELAY, AND OUR MEMBERS NEED IMMEDIATE CASH INJECTION NOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THE TIME TO TALK WITH US OVER THESE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE MET.
AND I ALSO, ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER, WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU, MS. GONZALEZ.HELLO, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING THIS ITEM TODAY.
MY NAME IS SARAH ESER LU KHALIL.
I'M THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT CENTRO SAN ANTONIO.
UM, CENTRO HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, WITH A GOAL OF MAKING DOWNTOWN MORE BEAUTIFUL, WELCOMING, PROSPEROUS, AND PLAYFUL.
IT IS UNDER THE PROSPEROUS ARM THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM AT CENTRO WAS CREATED IN THE SUMMER OF 2020.
IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR MAIN STREET BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, WE STEPPED UP BECAUSE NO ONE WAS THERE TO HELP THEM.
WE NOW SERVE OVER 1600 SMALL BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN IN THE PANDEMIC.
WE CONDUCTED SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH THROUGH CARES ACT FUNDING, DISTRIBUTED P P E HELPED BUSINESSES APPLY FOR GRANTS, CONNECTED THEM TO OTHER RESOURCES AS THEY BECAME AVAILABLE AT ADMINISTERED TWO ROUNDS OF GRANT FUNDING, TOTALING ALMOST HALF, UH, OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE ALSO ENGAGED WITH OTHER SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
THE PANDEMIC SHOWED US THE NEED TO WORK BETTER TOGETHER, TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, TO BEST SERVE THE SMALLEST BUSINESSES AND THE HARDEST TO REACH IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO WE BEGAN MEETING AND CONTINUE TO DO SO TODAY.
AND WHAT WE NOW REFER TO AS THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION ALLIANCE, OR THE B D O ALLIANCE, WHICH REPRESENT SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE HERE TODAY, AND SOME OF WHICH ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY THROUGH THE GRANT CENTER ADMINISTERED LAST YEAR.
WE HEARD FROM A FEW THAT THAT WAS JUST WHAT THEY NEEDED TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE FOR MOST.
THEY NEEDED HELP WITH OTHER ELEMENTS OF THEIR BUSINESS THROUGH A MORE SYSTEM SYSTEMATIC APPROACH, INCLUDING FINANCIAL.
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION, ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE, THE B D O ALLIANCE AND CITY STAFF AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAVE WORKED TIRE TIRELESSLY AND MET MULTIPLE TIMES TO REFINE THE FUNDING BUCKETS IN THE NEARLY $31 MILLION IN OPERA FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
THIS REPRESENTS COUNTLESS HOURS OF PASSIONATE CITIZENS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND ADVOCATES WORKING TOWARDS WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I STAND HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION MADE AT THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UH, LAST WEEK, AND RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO GET DOLLARS TO OUR BUSINESSES IMMEDIATELY WITH AN ALLOCATION FOR OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CONNECT WITH THE HARDEST HIT AND HARDEST TO REACH BUSINESSES.
IT RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO INVEST IN THE PLACES WHERE BUSINESSES OPERATE THROUGH THE GEOGRAPHIC PLACEMAKING ALLOCATION.
IT ALSO RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO FUND THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM, ESTABLISH NEW PROGRAMS, AND REVISIT OLD, OLD, OLD PROGRAMS THAT HAVE WORKED AND HELP BUILD CAPACITY FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THE SMALLEST BUSINESSES THROUGH A MORE SYSTEMS BASED APPROACH.
FUNDING THE ECOSYSTEM IS NOT ABOUT FUNDING OUR AGENCIES, IT'S ABOUT FUNDING INITIATIVES THAT CAN ADDRESS SYSTEMIC ISSUES.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT.
EACH MEMBER OF SPAC U VIEW CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF HAVE PUT IN TO THE, TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN YOUR COLLECTIVE APPROACH, TO PROVIDE THE MOST MEANINGFUL ASSISTANCE TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.
I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY THANK, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ANNA BRADSHAW AND HER TEAM FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL WITH THEIR APPROACH TO GETTING THIS DONE QUICKLY AND GETTING IT DONE WELL.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO STRIKE THAT BALANCE.
FINDING A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, AND IT CAN BE RATHER MESSY.
BUT IN THE END, WE ALL WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR SAN ANTONIO'S SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND A BALANCES STRUCK TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION, NOW, LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR.
WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, THIS IS A RESULT FROM A LOT OF WORK, UH, THAT WAS POURED INTO, UM, THE PROCESS.
A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS, SOME BIG THINKERS, UH, SHOWED UP TO THE TABLE.
THANK YOU TO JEREMY ROBERTS, UH, AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT, UM, THAT HELPED FASHION THIS PLAN GOING FORWARD.
UH, $31 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT NOT FOR THIS.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN $301 MILLION, RIGHT? UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY ADDRESS, UM, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, THE, THE PAIN AND THE SUFFERING THAT HAS BEEN RAINED DOWN ON THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, COUNCILMAN BRAVO BROUGHT A FANTASTIC IDEA, UH, WHICH WAS TO, UM, PRIORITIZE THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG CONSTRUCTION ZONES SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, BE GIVEN SOME PREFERENCE, UH, BECAUSE C O V I D WASN'T JUST HARD FOR THEM, BUT THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UH, THE STREETS IN FRONT OF THEIR SHOPS AND THEIR RESTAURANTS WERE CLOSED.
AND SO, UH, WE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT IDEA.
THE, UH, SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, AGREED.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE COMMITTEE.
UM, MY, THE MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE COMMITTEE, WE HAD A VERY LIVELY DEBATES ABOUT HOW BEST TO ADMINISTER
[01:30:01]
THIS.UH, I THINK THAT THE FIVE BUCKETS THAT WERE CREATED, UH, BY, YOU KNOW, UH, AT, AT, AT ONE POINT, WAS GONNA TURN INTO FOUR BUCKETS.
UH, I THINK IT WAS VERY SMART.
A COUNCILMAN, UH, VON ENDED UP ADVOCATING FOR THE RETURN OF, UH, OF THAT BUCKET.
AND THAT WE REALLY DO INVEST IN THE ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SAGE, UH, LED BY ROBERT MELVIN, AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIFT FUND AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PROSPER WEST AND SOUTH SIDE FIRST, THOSE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINES.
UM, AND WE NEED TO INVEST IN YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE PROVIDING EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TO A LOT OF THESE, UH, BUSINESSES WHO NEED IT MORE NOW THAN EVER.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR, UM, REALLY WORKING THROUGH THIS IN GOOD FAITH.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, I SAW YOU GUYS WORKING LATE AT NIGHT, UH, AND PUT A LOT OF, A LOT OF HOURS AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT THIS ONE RIGHT, AND I THINK WE GOT IT RIGHT.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M WELCOMING ALL THE COMMENTS, UH, FROM MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE UNANIMITY, UH, ON THIS, UH, ON THIS DAUS THAT THIS IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO THE, UH, THE PROBLEM THAT FACES OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO MAKE THIS AS MEANINGFUL AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE A SOLUTION TO EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM, BUT WE ARE GONNA BE HELPING.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME MAKE MY COMMENTS.
AND I, UH, ALSO WANNA START OFF BY THANKING EVERYONE WHO IS OUT HERE IN SUPPORT TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, I'VE, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SO, UH, WHEN MY VISION FOR CREATING THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY, RIGHT? THAT THEY HAD INPUT IN WHAT THEY NEEDED AND WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, NOT PEOPLE BEHIND DESKS THAT WERE MAKING DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO, VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
UM, I, I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, LIKE COUNCILMAN ELIAS MENTIONED, I I DO THINK WE NEED SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES.
THAT'S WHY I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, BECAUSE, UM, I PROPOSE SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, MONEY TO BE MOVED TO ACCESS TO CAPITAL, SPECIFICALLY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HURTING.
WE'VE HEARD FROM AT LEAST 35 OF THEM.
UM, SOME IN TEARS ALSO THAT CAME OUT HERE, TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR SCHEDULE TO SAY, WE NEED GRANTS, WE NEED MONEY NOW.
AND I THINK THAT WE WERE DOING ENOUGH.
SO I WANNA THANK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR, UM, FOR SUPPORTING ME IN THE MOVE TO ADD ADDITIONAL, UH, ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE OTHER THING, UM, THAT I MENTIONED DURING ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE, UM, UH, FOR, FOR YOU ALL WHO WERE, WEREN'T THERE, UH, WAS THAT I THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE FUNDING OUR ECOSYSTEM.
THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COMES OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO WITH ARPA FUNDING, BECAUSE ARPA FUNDING WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO RESCUE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD GO DIRECTLY TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
THAT SAID, I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD FUND OUR ECOSYSTEM.
WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING IT A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS A DUTY OF THE CITY, UM, SPECIFICALLY OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND I'VE ALSO MENTIONED THAT DURING OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADD THIS AS AN ANNUAL ITEM TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, BUDGET.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION WHEN WE HAVE THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS, AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO, TO ERIC, UM, AND, AND THE TEAM LETTING THEM KNOW THAT I'M GONNA BE HOPEFULLY PUSHING FOR, FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ECOSYSTEM, SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST A ONE-TIME THING FOR THE ECOSYSTEM.
THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS DO A WHOLE LOT FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE SBOS THAT ARE HERE, AND I SEE SOME OF THEM HERE IN THE CROWD TODAY, UM, DESERVE TO BE MADE A PRIORITY.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE CITY'S PRIORITY, NOT JUST, UH, ONE TIME RPA FUNDING.
UM, THERE'S, UH, MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT HELP ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY GO THROUGH.
UM, AND, UH, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF THEM THAT SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE SURVIVED.
I SEE THAT SEPTEMBER 7TH HAS AWARD NOTIFICATION, UM, AND THAT ALL OF THE FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BY DECEMBER THE 12TH, BUT AS SOON AS THEY'RE NOTIFIED ON SEPTEMBER THE SEVENTH, HOW FAST ARE THEY GONNA GET THEIR GRANTS, OR HOW FAST WILL THEY BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT FUNDING? SO AS, AS THE GRANTS ARE REVIEWED AND DETERMINED, ELIGIBLE AND, UM, IDENTIFIED AS A RECIPIENT FOR THE GRANT FUNDING, THAT WILL, THOSE FUNDS WILL GO OUT.
SO IT'LL BE TAKING PLACE CONCURRENTLY.
THE, THE LAST DATE WAS THAT DECEMBER 12TH DATE.
SO WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT SOME BUSINESSES WILL NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK REQUESTED AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT'S WHY THE LONGER WINDOW, BUT GRANT FUNDS SHOULD GO OUT STARTING SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
[01:35:01]
GOT IT.AND IS IT A FULL LUMP SUM? HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
DO THEY GET IT IN TWO PAYMENTS? I, I, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT PART.
THE GRANTS WILL BE IN THE FULL AMOUNT.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO WANTED TO, UH, TO ASK ABOUT, THERE IS, UM, THERE, THERE'S SOME TALK ABOUT AN AMENDMENT SPECIFICALLY, UM, FOR HELP WITH PAST DUE BILLS WITH SA AND C P S TO ENTER INTO A PAYMENT PLAN.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SA AND C P SS, WE, DO WE ALSO CONSIDER OTHER THINGS LIKE PROPERTY TAXES OR, OR OTHER THINGS? HAS THAT BEEN CONSIDERED AT ALL? I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT CONVERSATION IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MOTIVATION BE BEHIND THAT AMENDMENT IS, SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.
WHAT ELSE, WHAT, WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WOULD THERE BE FOR THAT? SO, UM, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN INCLUDED IN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONVERSATION AROUND WHETHER OR NOT, UM, BUSINESSES ARE PROHIBITED ON USING FUNDS TO PAY FOR OUTSTANDING DEBT.
AND IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING PER THE GUIDELINES AND IN WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THAT, UM, THE RULES DO PROHIBIT FUNDS FROM BEING USED TO PAY OFF OUTSTANDING DEBT OR TO SATISFY SETTLEMENTS OR JUDGEMENTS.
UM, AND SO, AND THEN THAT IS NOT JUST A CATEGORY FOR BUSINESSES, BUT IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE ARPA REGULATIONS.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD, I GUESS, TO THE CONVERSATION TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, AGAIN, WHAT THE, THE MOTIVATION IS BEHIND THAT AND WHAT OTHER, UM, MAYBE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES COULD RESULT, UH, FROM AN AMENDMENT, UM, TODAY, OR WHAT BENEFIT WE COULD, UM, WE COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM AS A RESULT.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, JUST TO, TO CONCLUDE, UM, ORIGINALLY THERE WAS $11.5 MILLION THAT WERE, WAS PROPOSED IN ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
UM, AT ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, WE ENDED UP WITH $17 MILLION.
THAT'S ALREADY RELIEF FOR AN ADDITIONAL PROBABLY, UH, UM, GOOD, MAYBE 30 BUSINESSES, I THINK IS WHAT THE MATH WAS, DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNTS OF GRANTS.
SO AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY COUNCILWOMAN BIA GRANT WHO BROUGHT UP THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, GRANTS QUITE SOME TIME AGO.
UM, AND SO WE KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE IMPACTED.
WE SEE IT EVERY DAY WHEN WE'RE DRIVING BY.
UM, AND SO, UH, I, I WANTED TO, TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BRAVO ALSO FOR STANDING UP FOR THE BUSINESSES IN YOUR DISTRICT WHO ARE BEING AFFECTED BY, BY CONSTRUCTION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SORRY, MY CUE IS MESSING UP HERE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS UP NEXT.
UM, SHE, I WANT TO THANK, UH, MANNY AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE WHO, UH, RAN WITH THE IDEA OF, UH, USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN ADVERSELY IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
I'VE HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU AND, UH, WAS LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION AND THIS, THIS PRESENTED ITSELF.
AND, UH, I SHARED THAT IDEA WITH YOU AND YOU ALL RAN WITH IT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WISH IT WAS EASIER TO, UM, SUPPORT BUSINESSES WHO ARE ADVERSELY IMPACTED BY THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND NOBODY'S BEING TARGETED BY THEM.
UH, NOBODY, UH, BECAUSE OF YOUR, YOUR VIEWS ON GOD OR, OR NATIONAL OR AMERICANISM OR, OR GUNS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, THESE ARE BOND PROJECTS.
AND IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROPOSE THAT, HEY, WHY DON'T WE TAKE A PORTION OF THE BOND PROJECT FUNDING AND SET THAT ASIDE, UH, FOR THESE ADVERSELY IMPACTED BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
BUT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
THE BOND PROJECTS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND, AND SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE.
UM, BUT I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, UH, BUT I AM ALSO INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, UH, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THIS IN, IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY.
AND, UH, SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO AMEND THE PLAN TO INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY BUSINESS RECEIVING A GRANT UNDER THE PROGRAM THAT HAS PAST DUE BILLS WITH EITHER SAWS OR C P S MUST ENTER INTO A PAYMENT PLAN FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE PAST DUE BILLS AS A CONDITION OF THE GRANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAVO, YOU HEARD THE, UH, AMENDMENT? IT'S BEEN SECONDED.
SO, UH, ANDY, WE'LL, WE WILL KEEP CONVERSATION TO THE AMENDMENT, THE CONVERSATION, YES.
MAYOR NOW SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE AMENDMENT.
SO I'VE GOT A MAIN, I'VE GOT THE QUEUE ON THE MAIN MOTION, SO IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE ME A HAND SIGNAL IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRANT.
UM, THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WORKED VERY HARD FOR WHAT IS PRESENTING HERE TODAY.
I ASKED MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO APPROVE
[01:40:02]
IT IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM.UM, WHILE I UNDERSTAND COUNCILMAN BRAVO'S INTENTIONS, HERE'S AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AS A FAMILY OF A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND WHY I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT IT GOT A SECOND IS WE ARE, I TRUST THAT LIFTFUND IS GOING TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN WHO THEY PROVIDE THESE FUNDS TO.
THE OTHER THING I, I AM SURE OF IS THAT WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN E W D C ABOUT ONCE WE GIVE THEM THEIR FUNDS, THIS IS FOR THEM TO DO WITH AS THEY, THEY, LIKE.
NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAWS AND, AND C P S TO ORGANIZATIONS, WHILE WE, THEY ARE PUBLIC UTILITIES, WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF HOW THEY CREATE PAYMENT PLANS OR HOW THEY DIS DISTRIBUTE FUNDS.
AND I AM VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT GIVING MONEY, AND Y'ALL, Y'ALL KNOW WHERE THIS IS HEADED TO C P S WHEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THE, WITH THE 20 MILLION WE GAVE THEM IN UTILITY ASSISTANCE, WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE HOW THAT'S BEEN PASSED OUT AND WITH THE STEP PROGRAM AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO HELP.
SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE US MOVE IT FORWARD AS IT IS TODAY.
AND THEN MAYBE COME BACK TO E W D C OR A B SESSION.
I'M FULL FOR A B SESSION AND TALK ABOUT WHERE THE FIRST 5 MILLION WENT.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS I THINK WE NEED TO LEVERAGE SAWS AND C P S TO DO BETTER BY OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND I WILL STATE AGAIN, THAT SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, AND PERFECT EXAMPLE, THE GENTLEMAN THAT JUST SPOKE ABOUT THE, THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE HAVING UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEED, NEED EXTRA HELP OR SHOULD BE GETTING REBATES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME AUTONOMY THAT THEY NEED.
AND WHILE LIFT, WHILE THE GRANT IS NOT GONNA BE TOTALLY, UM, AUTONOMOUS, WE NEED TO JUST ENCOURAGE THEM.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS CURRENTLY THE, THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE, EVEN THOUGH THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS, IS JUST, THAT IS JUST WHAT WE LOOKED AT IS THAT 20 MILLION, ALL, ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND GET US ON TRACK.
AND I WANT TO GET THIS DONE TODAY, BUT I'M VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT INCLUDING TWO PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT WE HAVE, WE CANNOT AGREE ON YET.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE IT FORWARD AS IT CAME OUT OF COMMITTEE.
AND, AND, UM, I'M NOT GONNA SPOIL THE ENDING HERE, BUT WE ARE, UH, GETTING, UH, SOME INFORMATION FROM BEN SO WE CAN PROVIDE A TOP LINE SUMMARY OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE ARPA FUNDS FOR RELIEF EARMARKED BY THE COUNCIL TWO SAWS AND C P SS.
WE WILL HAVE ANSWERS ON THAT, THAT WE CAN BRING UP HERE.
UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, THANK YOU, SIR.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN VERAN.
UM, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WAS DID ANYBODY TALK TO THE CHAMBERS ABOUT THIS? UH, DID THIS GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS, OUR, OUR SBA C PROCESS? I, I WOULD SAY NO TO THAT, THAT IT WASN'T.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING INTRODUCED HERE ON THIS DAIS WHEN WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THE ORIGINAL THROUGH THE PROCESS TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
UM, I SEE THIS AS ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY.
C P SS AND SAWS HAVE THEIR PROGRAMS TODAY TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE, AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE BEHIND, BEHIND PAYMENTS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROGRAMS. WE'VE ACTUALLY SENT MONEY TO THEM TO HELP THEM OUT, UM, IN, UH, DURING THIS TIME.
SO, UM, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS AT THIS TIME.
I THINK IT SHOULD GO, AS YOU SAID, MA'AM, BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND LET THEM EVALUATE THIS AND GET INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE CHAMBERS.
AND LET LET THEM TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE JUST CARTE BLANCHE LAYER IN ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY AND FORCE THEM TO DO THINGS THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS AND WHERE THEY NEED TO PUT RESOURCES TOWARDS.
AND IF THEY GET GRANTS ON THIS, THEY SHOULD BE DETERMINING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN AND EXPAND THEIR, THEIR BUSINESSES.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE SESSION IS ABOUT.
SO NOW, I, I REALLY CAN'T SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME, UH, BECAUSE IT'S FORCING THE HAND AGAIN, FROM THE CITY, WHEREAS THE BUSINESSES SHOULD BE DETERMINING
[01:45:01]
WHAT TO DO FOR THAT.AND LIKE I SAID, SAWS AND C P S HAS THEIR OWN PROGRAMS OUT THERE FOR THIS EXACT THING.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT.
UM, WHAT I REALLY VALUED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND US GETTING HERE IS ONE, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT THIS ITEM COULDN'T COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL SOON ENOUGH.
UM, AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY PROCESS, RIGHT, WHEN WE HAD SOME CONCERNS AND WANTED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, WE SENT IT BACK TO THE SPAC COMMUNITY COMMITTEE RATHER.
UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THOSE PROPOSED CHANGES.
AND UP UNTIL THE VERY LAST MINUTE, UM, IT WAS A HUGE CONVERSATION, UH, AND DEBATE, BUT IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO GET TO THIS PRODUCT.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT OF THE AMENDMENT, AND I VALUE AND SEE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, BUT MY HOPE WOULD'VE BEEN THAT THAT WOULD'VE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLESH IT OUT, UH, AND RUN IT PAST THROUGH THE CO THE COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT I, I SEE THE INTENT, UM, HOWEVER, I'M HESITANT BECAUSE AGAIN, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HAD IN THE ECONOMIC WORST WORK DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WAS, UH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SPEAKING ABOUT THE URGENCY AND NEEDING ASSISTANCE NOW, RIGHT? AND WE KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE STILL EXPERIENCING LAND SPECULATION, ECONOMIC INVESTMENT THAT'S OUTPACING STAGNANT WAGES NOW COMPOUNDED WITH INFLATION FOR THINGS LIKE CHEESE AND BASICS TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESSES RUNNING.
UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T BE ADDING MORE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THIS CAPITAL.
I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT WE WORKED AS A COMMITTEE AND TOGETHER TO COME TO THIS PRODUCT ALONGSIDE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UM, TO ENSURE THAT, RIGHT, WE'RE GETTING THESE FUNDS OUT AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UM, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT WORK OF THE SPAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS, VICKI WILLOUGHBY, FROM OUR DISTRICT FIVE APPOINTEE, UH, TO HELP US GET HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION GRANT THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, IN COMMITTEE BY, UH, COUNCILMAN
SO I'M REALLY PLEASED AND EXCITED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAVING A POINT SYSTEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY BOND PROJECTS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, BECAUSE, UM, AGAIN, IT IS SEVERELY IMPACTING OUR BUSINESSES.
WHAT I'M GRATEFUL ABOUT THIS PRODUCT THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD ALONGSIDE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, RIGHT, THAT IT ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING FOR OPERATION FACELIFT, BECAUSE SIMILAR TO OUR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT AND CODE COMPLIANCE VIOLATIONS, UM, SO ARE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, RIGHT? AND OPERATION FACELIFTS ALLOWS OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE BY ALLOWING THEM ACCESS TO GRANTS FOR, UM, STORE STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I AM EXTREMELY, UM, PLEASED WITH WHAT, UH, WE DEVELOPED AND WHAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD.
SO I'M HESITANT TO SUPPORT AN AMENDMENT AND THAT, UH, WILL CHANGE THAT AND POTENTIALLY CREATING ANOTHER BARRIER TO THIS MUCH NEEDED CAPITAL.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, RIGHT? I KNOW ONCE WE PASS THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE GET, UH, CONNECTED TO THESE GRANTS? WHO SHOULD WE BE CONNECTING OUR CONSTITUENTS TO? WHO, UM, WANNA GET ON THE LIST AND, UH, GET SET UP TO ACCESSING THESE GRANTS? WE WILL BE DEVELOPING A ROBUST OUTREACH PROGRAM, AND, UM, AS WE ESTABLISH THOSE CONTRACTS FOR THAT OUTREACH, UH, UTILIZING THAT $625,000, WE WILL MAKE SURE AND PROVIDE THAT TO EACH OF THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BRENDA, DO YOU, I GUESS A MORE DIRECT ANSWER, YOU RIGHT.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, IF THERE'S LIKE, IF, IF, IF THE COUNCILMAN GETS A QUESTION THIS AFTERNOON YEAH.
AND, AND I WANNA BE SURE, RIGHT, THAT I THINK YOU, BRENDA, ANA, ALEX, AND THE ENTIRE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE, WORK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UM, FOR THE HOURS AND THE ENERGY THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO THIS, RIGHT? ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A PRODUCT THAT BOTH ONE MEETS THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY, UM, AND TWO, RIGHT, THAT IS SUPPORTED BY COUNCIL.
SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND FOR TAKING ON THOSE EXTRA MEETINGS WHEN WE SEND IT BACK TO THE SPAC COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HDA.
UM, THAT'S THE MAIN CUE, UH, FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE AMENDMENT COUNTS.
MEMBER LIA, THIS IS, UM, I'M, I'M INTRIGUED BY THE MOTION, AND, UH, WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT, I, I THOUGHT THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
I'M, I'M HEARING FROM MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT NEEDS TO BE FLESHED OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AT COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, MARINA, UH, WITH A
[01:50:01]
HISPANIC CHAMBER, I, I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE GROUND OF THESE BUSINESSES, AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU THINK, UH, ABOUT THIS AND WHETHER, YOU KNOW, HOW WILL THAT BE RECEIVED, UH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE EMPANELED THE SS A C, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ADVISE US ON THIS, RIGHT? AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAD A VOICE ON THAT COMMITTEE, BUT, AND THEN NUMBER TWO, UM, GIE CORTEZ, I SEE YOU OUT THERE AND YOU'RE GIVING US ALL THE BODY LANGUAGE THAT, THAT, UH, YOU, UH, THAT YOU'VE GOT OPINIONS ON THIS TOO.AND SO MAYBE AFTER MARINA SPEAKS, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TELL ME HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AT YOUR BUSINESS, UM, AND HOW YOU KNOW THAT THAT WOULD AFFECT YOU IF YOU RECEIVED A GRANT.
SO, MARINA, FIRST, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING AND TELLING US AND REACTING.
AND THEN AUGIE, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A REACTION, I'D APPRECIATE HEARING THAT.
ABSOLUTELY COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WHILE I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE NATURE OR THE, UM, SPIRIT BEHIND THE MOTION AND CAN RESPECT THAT, WE WANNA BE SURE THAT WE'RE COGNIZANT OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
I WOULD SAY THAT MY MEMBERS WOULD REACT NEGATIVELY TO THAT BECAUSE IT DOES ADD ANOTHER LAYER AND BURDEN TO WHAT WE'RE ALREADY FACING.
UM, THE CORE CONCEPT OF THIS IS IF YOU ARE ALREADY SUFFERING FROM A DOWNGRADE IN REVENUE AND YOU CONTINUE TO BE, YOU MIGHT ALREADY BE ON A PLAN, YOU LIKELY HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR C P S AND SAWS.
WE ALSO KNOW SOME OF THOSE BILLS HAVE BEEN INCREASING HERE RECENTLY.
NOT ONLY RESIDENTIALLY, BUT FOR OUR COMMERCIAL FRIENDS AS WELL.
UM, SO WE, UH, YOU KNOW, OFF THE CUFF, I CAN SAY JUST HEARING THIS RIGHT NOW WOULD LIKELY NOT BE IN FAVOR OF THAT, BUT WOULD BE OPEN TO CERTAINLY A CONVERSATION OF HOW THAT MIGHT WORK.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN REMAIN WITH OUR ORIGINAL STATEMENT EARLIER THAT I MADE THAT WE RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE, UM, ORIGINAL PLAN AS PRESENTED BY STAFF TODAY, IF THAT HELPS YOU, COUNCILMAN? YEAH.
WOULD YOU ALL BE SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING IT A, UM, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN AS OPPOSED TO A CONDITION OF THE GRANTS? I THINK THAT THAT MAKES WAY MORE SENSE, ESPECIALLY WITH THROUGH OUR FRIENDS AT LIFTFUND.
THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR MANNER OF SUPPORTING AND MOVING FORWARD.
WE PROVIDE A LOT OF EDUCATION AND RESOURCE ASSISTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE STRUGGLING.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT HERE, UH, SINCE THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN BEFORE, RIGHT? IN OUR 93 YEAR HISTORY.
YES, I THINK THAT IS BETTER SERVED IN A PLACE, UH, THAT IS, UH, ACCOMPANIED BY SOME ASSISTANCE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES CAN MOVE FORWARD AND GROW AND PROSPER RATHER THAN KEEPING IT AS AN ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO BE A PART AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS GRANT PROCESS.
UM, UH, WELCOME TO THE PODIUM.
I'M CALLING YOU UP HERE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU, YOU STEPPED OUTTA THE ROOM WHEN YOU HAD EARLIER BEEN SIGNED UP AND CALLED TO SPEAK.
BUT TWO, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, UM, THAT WE FOCUS YOUR COMMENTS ON JUST THIS, UH, THIS DISCUSSION OF THE UTILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, PAYMENT PLAN IDEA.
SO, UM, HOW, HOW WOULD THAT BE RECEIVED FOR LIKE, LET'S SAY THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY? YES, SIR.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS OVER 23 YEARS NOW, AND I LOVE YOUR, THE WAY YOU'RE LOOKING.
WE'VE ASKED POLITELY, I'VE CALLED YOU COUNCILMAN, I'VE CALLED YOU RON, AND I'VE CALLED YOU ERIC SEVERAL TIMES TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
POST WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, THIS DISCUSSION AND THESE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO GET TOGETHER TO GET A COMMITTEE FOR THIS, AND A COMMITTEE THAT NO LONGER EXIST FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PUT THAT BOND TOGETHER ON BROADWAY, THEY'RE GONE.
WHO ARE THEY? THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WORK RIGHT NOW.
HOW DO YOU EXPECT FOR ME TO GET INTO DEBT WITH SAWS AND C P S THAT ERIC SAID AT MY RESTAURANT, THE CITY OWNS? HOW DO YOU EXPECT FOR ME TO GET INTO MORE DEBT TO PAY C P S AND SAS KNOWING THAT THERE'S C P S AND SAUCE TRUCKS IN FRONT OF MY BUILDING RIGHT NOW, OBSTRUCTING 80% OF MY BUSINESS? IT'S LIKE, PAY US OUR, OUR LIGHT, PAY US OUR WATER, BUT WE'RE TAKING AWAY 80% OF YOUR BUSINESS.
I'VE BEEN A LOVING, RESPECTFUL PERSON, THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS NOW, AND I'VE DONE MY PART TO GIVE BACK, NOT ONLY CITY COUNCIL, BUT TO OUR CITY IN GENERAL.
AND SO FOR YOU TO LAUGH AT ME BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, TELL ME WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING.
AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM NEEDS TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ACTING LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, KNOWING YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN BUSINESS BEFORE, YOU'VE NEVER MANAGED 30 EMPLOYEES, AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THROUGH PAYROLL WHEN THINGS ARE GOOD.
SO, AVI, I I'M GONNA CUT YOU OFF POST.
[01:55:01]
RESPECTFULLY POST COVID.I, THE CITY DECIDED TO, WHO ARE YOU LOOKING AT, BUD? ARGUE.
MAYOR POST COVID MAYOR, I'M LOSING MY BUSINESS.
YOU'VE CALLED, CALLED MY FAMILY.
LIFE IS BEING RUINED BY YOUR DECISIONS.
AUGIE, YOU'VE BEEN CALLED TO THE PODIUM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
THA THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE.
UM, I, YOU GAVE US A LOT TO THINK ABOUT AND I, I APPRECIATE IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ ON THE AMENDMENT.
UH, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT BUSINESSES ARE, ARE IN A PREDICAMENT THAT HIS BUSINESS IS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHERS AND A LOT OF TIME THAT'S DUE TO CONSTRUCTION.
UH, AND IT HAS A VERY ADVERSE EFFECT.
I CAN JUST THINK OF LIKE PENNERS RIGHT NEXT TO CITY HALL AND FOR YEARS THEY'VE HAD TO PUT UP WITH CONSTRUCTION THAT IF AFFECTS THEIR BUSINESS.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS SEPARATE FROM WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AND WHAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY SAYING IS WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE OUT THIS MONEY.
THERE'S ACTUALLY $20 MILLION THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO THE POCKETS OF BUSINESSES, AND THERE'S ANOTHER $5 MILLION THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR FACELIFTS OR CREATING OUTDOOR SPACES OR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THERE'S MONEY IN HERE TO HELP BUSINESSES.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO DETER OR STOP BUSINESSES FROM ASKING FOR THIS HELP, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY OBVIOUS TO US THAT IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASK FOR HELP, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
I WOULD THINK THAT WHEN THE LIFT FUND EVALUATES ANYONE WHO'S COMING AS A SMALL BUSINESS AND ASKING FOR MONEY, AND WE'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR A PLAN.
AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE, AS SOMEBODY ALLUDED TO, WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE THEM MONEY AND LET THEM DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH IT.
AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, NO, WE'RE GONNA CONTROL THAT.
WE'RE SAYING BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO COME AND THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR MONEY AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN.
AND MY GUESS IS IF THAT'S A WEAK PLAN, THE LIFT FUND IS GONNA SAY NO.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY WITH A BETTER PLAN WHO HAS A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
OR THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT A BUSINESS OWES $25,000 TO C P S OR $10,000 TO SAS.
AND THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA LEND YOU 25,000.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE UNPAID UTILITY BILLS THAT ARE ALMOST THAT MUCH AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE YOU'RE GONNA STAY IN BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THAT.
'CAUSE SAS OR C P SS CAN CUT YOU OFF.
SO ALL WE'RE SAYING IS MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP FOR A PAYMENT AGREEMENT WITH SAS OR C P S, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING RESIDENTS TO DO FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
AND THERE ARE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR POWER TURNED OFF BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY HAVE NOT SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO MEET SOME KIND OF A PAYMENT SCHEDULE.
BUT WE'RE SAYING, WELL, WE CAN SHUT OFF RESIDENTS POWERS BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T SIGNED AN AGREEMENT, BUT WE CAN'T SHUT OFF BUSINESS POWERS AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM 25,000 OR $35,000.
IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE THAT A BUSINESS THAT RELIES ON UTILITIES TO OPERATE IS UNWILLING TO ENTER INTO A PAYMENT AGREEMENT.
WE'RE NOT SAYING IF YOU GET $5,000, YOU GOTTA GIVE IT ALL TO C P SS OR SAS.
WE'RE SAYING YOU SHOULD HAVE A RESPONSIBLE AGREEMENT TO PAY YOUR UTILITY BILLS IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND YOU WANT 25 OR 35 OR $15,000 FROM THIS PLAN WHEN THERE ARE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE PAYING THEIR, THEIR C P S AND SASS BILLS THAT MAY BE FURTHER ON DOWN THE LINE AND THE MONEY MAY NEVER GET TO THEM.
AND IT RUNS OUT BECAUSE WE'VE GIVEN IT TO PEOPLE WHO WON'T AGREE TO PAY THEIR BILLS.
SO TO ME, THIS IS A VERY SENSIBLE REQUIREMENT, ONE LINE TO ADD.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IF THE BUSINESSES ALREADY HAVE THAT AGREEMENT, IT CREATES NO ADDITIONAL BARRIER TO THEM.
AND HOPEFULLY 90% OR MORE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED HELP ARE IN AN AGREEMENT TO MAKE SOME KIND OF A PAYMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO ME THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE, UH, DISAGREEMENT FROM MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT AS LONG AS THE PROPONENT WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
MAYOR, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION.
UM, WE ARE NOT REQUIRING A PLAN ON HOW TO UTILIZE THE FUNDS.
WE FULLY ANTICIPATE THAT SOME BUSINESSES KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE
[02:00:01]
GOING TO USE IT.HOWEVER, WE ARE OFFERING THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SO THAT IF BUSINESSES WHO RECEIVE THE GRANT ARE UNSURE OF HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS, ADVISORS WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT.
MAYOR, I BELIEVE, WHEN WE HAD THE LIFT FUND HERE, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT GIVING OUT THAT MONEY, THEY SAID THEY EXPECT TO SEE A PLAN FROM A BUSINESS WHEN THEY'RE GONNA GIVE THEM X AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT, BRENDA, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TALKING HERE WITH THIS AMENDMENT, WE'RE TELLING THE BUSINESSES HOW TO USE THAT MONEY.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT.
UM, NUMBER ONE, WE DIDN'T, HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
WE HAD A PROCESS LAID OUT FOR THIS, WENT THROUGH THE SBA, CAME UP HERE WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
YES, WE CAN MAKE ALL KIND OF CHANGES UP HERE ON THIS DAIS, BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE ON THIS ONE AMENDMENT THAT I HAVEN'T, UH, THAT I CAN GO ON AND ON WITH QUESTIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIMITED IN TIME AND I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS, UH, BECAUSE IT, WE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE PROCESS.
NUMBER ONE, IT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY.
AND WE'VE HEARD THIS SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY FROM PEOPLE TALKING.
IT'S ANOTHER BARRIER TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE FUNDS AND TO MAKE AN APPLICATION FOR IT.
WE, WE KEEP TRYING TO FIND THINGS THAT WE CAN ADD INTO, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT THEY DON'T NEED THAT EXTRA BUREAUCRACY.
THEY DON'T NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, HOUNDED BY THE CITY OR WHOMEVER ABOUT HOW ARE YOU RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS.
WE'RE TELLING THEM HOW TO RUN THEIR BUSINESS AND HOW TO SPEND THIS MONEY.
THERE SHOULD BE A BUSINESS PLAN PUT TOGETHER.
UH, THIS WHOLE PROCESS, I THINK IS TOO MUCH BUREAUCRACY ALREADY, BUT HERE WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER, UH, ITEM TO THAT BUREAUCRACY.
THE BUSINESSES SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY HOW THEY SEE FIT, JUST LIKE BRENDA SAID, ON KEEPING THEIR BUSINESSES OPEN OR REOPENING OR WHATEVER, AND TO KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
UM, WE'VE GOTTA STOP THIS STUFF ONE OF THESE DAYS.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS WENT WITHOUT ANY COORDINATION WITH THE CHAMBERS.
AND NUMBER ONE, SBA DIDN'T KNOW THE THING ABOUT THIS.
SO WHY ARE WE HERE AS POLITICIANS UP HERE TRYING TO RUN PEOPLE'S BUSINESSES FOR 'EM? I, I, IT'S BEYOND ME THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER MADE PAYROLL, AND WE'VE HEARD THIS OUT THERE TODAY TOO, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THIS? AND IT'S NOT, WE GOTTA REMEMBER, THESE ARE TAX DOLLARS GOING OUT THERE.
AND WE SHOULDN'T BE TELLING FOLKS DOWN TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL HOW TO USE THAT MONEY.
SO, UH, NO, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.
DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND THE BIGGEST WORD I HEARD WAS, IT'S ANOTHER BARRIER TO GET TO THIS MONEY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE, UH, SAGE WAS ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE PLAN AS IT WAS IN ORIGINALLY, UM, PROPOSED.
WHERE'D THEY JUST GO? WHERE'D ROBERT GO?
YOU WANNA CALL HIM UP? OH, YES.
THINGS HAPPEN IN A BLINK OF AN EYE.
WELL, I GUESS IF THE MAYOR, IF THE CONVERSATION IS STILL GOING ON, WHEN HE GETS BACK, I'LL, I'LL ASK HIM TO COME UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, SO WHAT I DON'T SEE THIS AS IS A BARRIER.
I SEE THIS AS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, RIGHT? WE ARE, WE ARE DOLING OUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES MIGHT OWN, OWE MONEY TO CITY OWNED UTILITIES.
AND WE'RE NOT TELLING THEM HOW
[02:05:01]
TO SPEND THAT MONEY.WE'RE NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, UH, USE THIS MONEY ON YOUR MOST URGENT NEEDS.
WE'RE JUST SAYING WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO, TO, UM, GET A, TO COMMIT TO A CONTRACT FULL ON A PAYMENT PLAN.
SO IT DOESN'T TAKE ALL THAT MONEY AWAY FROM THEM.
THEY CAN STILL SPEND IT AS THEY, AS THEY CHOOSE FOR THEIR MOST IMMEDIATE NEEDS, BUT THAT THEY WILL GET INTO A PAYMENT CONTRACT ARRANGEMENT, UM, GOING FORWARD.
AND I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S NOT GOING THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS.
I THINK UP HERE, THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, BUT I COUNCILMAN PLY IS, IS IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO WITHDRAW THIS MOTION AND THEN POSSIBLY, UH, LET YOUR COMMITTEE, UH, TAKE THIS BACK UP, YOU KNOW, PASS THE MOTION, I MEAN, PASS THE, UH, PASS THE ITEM AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AND BROUGHT FROM YOUR COMMITTEE, BUT THEN FOR THE, YOUR COMMITTEE TO TAKE THIS UP AND LOOK AT, SO, SO THE CLERK IS, IS GONNA REFLECT IN THE MINUTES THAT THAT REQUEST WAS MADE, AND THEN I PROMISE THAT WE'LL DO EXACTLY AS YOU'RE REQUESTING.
IN THAT CASE, UM, I, I STILL THINK THIS IS GOOD FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT I, I, UM, WILL, I'M WILLING TO WITHDRAW THE MOTION.
SO THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION IS SUSPENDED.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION TO SAY JUST REAL QUICK, UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE MAIN MOTION AGAIN, UH, I UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF, OF THE AMENDMENT.
UH, I DO LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER PAL'S SUGGESTION THAT WE MAKE IT PART OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BEING PROVIDED TO THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE, UH, GOING THROUGH A GRANT APPLICATION.
AS YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN, WE, WE HEARD A LOT IN THE TOWN HALLS THAT WE ATTENDED ABOUT HOW ONEROUS THE APPLICATION PROCESS ALREADY IS.
AND SO THERE'S A HEALTHY DEGREE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED UPON THE CITY AND THE BDOS THAT ARE INVOLVED TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES FILL OUT CITY FORMS, GOVERNMENT FORUMS. AND IF WE CAN MAKE THAT PART OF THE, THE HANDHOLDING PROCESS WITH SOME OF THE NEWER SMALL BUSINESSES TO GET THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE UTILITIES, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE, UH, A GOOD OUTCOME TO ME.
SO, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HDD ON THE MAIN MOTION, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND THANKS TO COUNCILMAN AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE, CITY STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK PUT INTO CREATING THIS PLAN.
SMALL BUSINESSES, AS WE ALL KNOW, MAKE UP THE VAST MAJORITY OF BUSINESS IN OUR OF BUSINESS IN OUR CITY TODAY.
WE'RE SUPPORTING THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THE SAME WAY WE SUPPORT OUR LARGE CORPORATIONS.
IN MANY WAYS, THIS MEANS INVESTING NOT ONLY WITH MONEY, BUT WITH RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO STRENGTHEN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I, I SEE THESE FUNDS AS NOT ONLY PULLING SMALL BUSINESS OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WHOLE, BUT OFFERING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL BE RESILIENT WHEN THE NEXT CRISIS COMES, WHETHER IT'S PANDEMIC, A WEATHER CATASTROPHE, UM, EVEN A RECESSION.
THIS INVESTMENT INTO OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM IS MEANT TO SEE THEM TAKE THEIR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, NOT JUST LEAVE THEM OFF WHERE, UM, WHERE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, BUT I WANNA UNDERSTAND THE PARAMETERS BETTER.
UM, BRENDA, CAN YOU TELL ME, CAN THESE FUNDS BE USED TO RETIRE DEBT OR PAYOFF JUDGMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT? I'M ALSO LOOKING AT LEGAL TO MAKE SURE I DON'T MISSPEAK.
YOU WANNA BRING THEM UP HERE? OKAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS NO, THAT PER ARPA GUIDELINES, UM, WE, NOT JUST FOR BUSINESSES, BUT FOR THROUGHOUT THE GUIDELINES, THE FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO PAY OFF DEBT SERVICE AND COUNCILWOMAN, WE CAN CONFIRM THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO RETIRE DEBT, BUT I ALSO KNOW YOU NEED TO CONSISTENTLY ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS AND CREATE A STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL, UH, ALLOW YOU TO SURVIVE.
SO I DIDN'T, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, ALLOWING THAT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED UP HERE.
UH, I AM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I OWN A COUPLE OF SMALL BUSINESSES, AND I HAVE MADE PAYROLL, AND I HAVE SOMETIMES BEEN VERY CLOSE TO NOT MAKING PAYROLL.
AND I KNOW THAT THOSE OF YOU IN THE ROOM THAT, UM, OWN A SMALL BUSINESS KNOW THAT IS A REALLY SCARY FEELING.
AND, UM, I'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH MY DISTRICT SIX, SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, GRATEFULLY THERE'S NOT JUST DISTRICT SIX BUSINESSES ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I'VE HAD PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY THAT HAVE, UM, JOINED THAT AND REALLY HELPED TO, TO HELP, UM, MY, NOT JUST MY STAFF, BUT, UM, INFORM ME ABOUT, UM, A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY, OF COURSE, UH, ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
THOSE ARE ALSO, UM, UM, THEY ALSO DISCUSSED RISING RENTS.
UH, IS THAT PART OF THE PLAN? IS THERE ANYTHING OR, AND MAYBE JUST, UH, IN SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY THAT WE TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES DEALING WITH THE RISING RENT COSTS IN THE CITY.
[02:10:03]
SO THAT ISN'T A SPECIFIC ITEM THAT'S ADDRESSED THROUGH THIS PLAN, BUT AGAIN, THAT GOES TO SUPPORT THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, THAT CAPACITY BUILDING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IN SOME CASES, HOW TO EVEN NEGOTIATE RENT AND TO WORK WITH LANDLORDS.SO I GUESS ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, WHEN, IF WE HAVE THAT RESOURCE ALREADY, HOW DO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ACCESS THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE? IS IT JUST THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IF THEY RECEIVE FUNDS? OR CAN SMALL BUSINESSES USE THAT RESOURCE AS WELL? SO WE HAVE A, A NUMBER OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, THAT BUSINESSES CAN ACCESS REGARDLESS OF THESE FUNDS.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A STRONG, ROBUST NETWORK, UM, THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT ENHANCING WITH THESE FUNDS.
UM, BUT THERE ARE, AGAIN, RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES TODAY.
I THINK OF MAD PECKER BREWERY IN MY DISTRICT, THEY KEPT EVERY EMPLOYEE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN DESPITE THEIR ECONOMIC TROUBLES, AND THEY KEPT THEIR DOORS OPEN.
UM, THEN UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE PANDEMIC SLOWED DOWN, THEY LOST SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYEES TO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES OR BOX STREET SOCIAL, KEPT THEIR BUSINESS AFLOAT, AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO GROW.
THIS IS, I, I FEEL LIKE THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES ARE THE ONES THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT.
WE NEED A MORE RESILIENT SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DO MORE THAN JUST KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN BECAUSE THEY, THEY PAID OFF DEBT, UM, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO THRIVE BECAUSE THIS MONEY PROVIDED THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN THEIR BUSINESS.
I DON'T WANNA SEE THESE FUNDS PUT A A, A BUSINESS RIGHT BACK WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.
I WANNA SEE THEM GROW AND BECOME RESILIENT.
I ALSO DON'T WANNA SEE EVERY, EVERYONE GET A GRANT THAT WILL HELP THEM JUST IN THE SHORT TERM.
THESE GRANTS SHOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST GETTING, YOU KNOW, UM, SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY JUST TO KIND OF GET 'EM TO THE NEXT PAYCHECK.
UM, I WANNA BE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING LONG-TERM ASSISTANCE AND SUBSTANTIAL GRANTS, EACH OF THEM THAT APPLY AND ARE ELIGIBLE.
UM, UH, A LOT OF THE, THE ISSUE HERE IS, I, I WANT, I, IS THERE ANYTHING WITHIN THIS PLAN TO, UM, CREATE A MECHANISM TO COACH OR TO MENTOR SOME SMALL BUSINESSES SO THEY CAN USE THESE FUNDS WHERE THEY'RE BEST USED? I THINK, YOU KNOW, GIVING OUT CASH AND, AND NOT OFFERING A RESOURCE TO, UM, TO MENTOR.
LIKE THERE'S GREAT ORGANIZATIONS HERE, OF COURSE, SAGE AND ALSO THE MAESTRO.
ARE WE INVOLVING THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THESE FUNDS ARE BEING USED, UH, IN COORDINATION WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS? UH, SO IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS FOR LIFTFUND, WE ARE REQUIRING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND THAT MAY BE THROUGH LIFTFUND, BUT ALSO THROUGH THAT REFERRAL NETWORK, AS YOU INDICATED WITH THOSE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
WE ARE ALSO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FOR, UM, MARKETING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND THE COACHING, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND OUTREACH WITH THAT $625,000 THAT IS RECOMMENDED IN THIS PLAN.
AND WHEN A BUSINESS APPLIES, IS FOR THESE GRANT FUNDS, AND, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER UP A PLAN, BUT IS HOW, HOW EXACTLY ARE WE GONNA KNOW WHAT THEY NEED? IS THERE SOME KIND OF ASSESSMENT TO HELP THEM? WHAT I'M ASKING IS, THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE MENTIONED, ARE THERE, ARE THEY KIND OF UPFRONT IN THE PROCESS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS? YES.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM SO THAT, THAT OUTREACH, THAT COACHING REALLY BEGINS THAT JULY 5TH IS WHERE WE'RE TARGETING THAT, UM, BASED UPON THE GRANT CRITERIA SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES ON MAKING SURE THEY'RE PULLING THEIR FUNDS, UH, THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS, UM, THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR THE GRANT APPLICATION ITSELF, AND THEN ALSO STARTING TO THINK THROUGH AGAIN, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO USE THAT MONEY.
AND WE, WE SAW SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE DEALING WITH HERE TODAY.
UH, BECAUSE THE, THE PERCEIVED LACK OF SUPPORT, I, I FEEL AFTER TODAY THAT, THAT MAYBE SMALL BUSINESSES DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE ON THEIR SIDE.
AND SO I WANNA, UH, DO OUR BEST TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT WE, WE ARE ON THEIR SIDE.
WE, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE THEM TO HAVE THESE FUNDS.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CREATE ANY, UM, EXTRA STEPS FOR THEM TO GET, TO GET THESE FUNDS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER MONEY, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY ISN'T JUST KIND OF DOLED OUT AND WE NEVER GET BACK WITH THEM AGAIN TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING.
I MEAN, IT, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT FILL THE SURVEY OUT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BUSY BU BUILDING AND, AND WORKING THEIR BUSINESSES.
SO I, I MEAN, I THINK IT JUST A LITTLE MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH THOSE BUSINESSES, UM, AND NOT TO CREATE ANYTHING THAT WILL STOP THEM FROM GETTING THESE FUNDS, BUT IF THEY WOULD LIKE THAT EXTRA EFFORT, THAT EXTRA MENTORSHIP OR, UM, OR COACHING THAT WE HAVE FULL ACCESS TO, TO THAT FOR THEM.
UM, AND AGAIN, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST GETTING BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE, BUT THEY'RE CREATING AN INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THEIR OWN BUSINESS TO PREVENT THIS, AGAIN, FROM HAPPENING TO THEIR BUSINESS IF THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, CRISIS.
SO I, I'M NOT REALLY SURE I'M GETTING, UH, THE PROCESS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AT E W D C, BUT, UM, IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THEY COULD FLUSH OUT A LITTLE BETTER AND WE COULD GET A, A PRESENTATION ON ANOTHER TIME, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
[02:15:01]
AND I KNOW THAT LIFTFUND VERY SUCCESSFULLY GIVES SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, BUT HAVE THEY HAD EXPERIENCE DISTRIBUTING GRANT FUNDS? YES.THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PARTNER WITH THEM FOR THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY GRANT.
SO THE TWO PROGRAMS, UM, EARLIER THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, AND THEN THEY'VE ALSO ADMINISTERED A NUMBER OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UM, HARRIS COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THEY RECENTLY ADMINISTERED AN ARPA FUNDED GRANT PROGRAM.
AND WHAT IS THE, UM, ALSO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY, WHAT, WHERE, HOW WERE THOSE NUMBERS CALCULATED AS FAR AS LIKE OUR, KIND OF OUR BASE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE GRANTS OR FOR THE, UH, SO WE DID AN, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH, RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES.
WE ALSO, AS MENTIONED, HAD THOSE THREE LISTENING SESSIONS, THE ESSAY SPEAK UP, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT WOULD BE MEANINGFUL, UM, AND THEN AGAIN, HOW DO YOU REALLY DETERMINE, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT MAKING SURE THE FUNDS WERE GOING, UH, TO THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
DENVER, FOR EXAMPLE, UTILIZED, UM, INDUSTRIES THAT HAD AN 8% JOB LOSS.
IN OUR CASE, UH, IN WORKING WITH DR.
NIVAN AND LOOKING AT THE INDUSTRIES WE'RE UTILIZING A 5%, UH, JOB LOSS.
UH, AND SO AGAIN, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND FOCUSING ON THAT MEANINGFUL IMPACT.
SO WHAT ARE THE LEVELS OF GRANT MONEY? UM, SO 15,000, 25,030 5,000.
UM, AGAIN, BASED UP ON THE TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF GROSS REVENUE LOSS.
AND THEN, UM, THE ENHANCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION FUNDS OF UP TO $10,000.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL AMOUNT TO ME.
I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS, IS THERE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THAT? UH, THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THOSE AMOUNTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME? OKAY.
I GUESS THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL AS WELL.
AND, AND THEN FOR THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HEARING, UM, LISTENING TODAY, WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO TO APPLY? HOW, WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? SURE.
SO APPLICATIONS, UH, THE APPLICATION WINDOW WILL OPEN AUGUST 1ST.
AGAIN, A LOT MORE DETAIL WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER JULY 5TH, UH, WITH THAT ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS MARKETING PLAN, UM, WE'LL BE OFFERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SESSIONS, UM, WEBINARS AND SO FORTH ON HOW TO FILL OUT THAT APPLICATION DURING JULY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
IT'S LOOKING LIKE, UM, AN 8% ADMINISTRATION FEE FOR A LIFT FUND WOULD BE ABOUT ALMOST TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS A LOT.
BUT I ALSO HEARD YOU JUST MENTION THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SAGE FALLS INTO THAT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? SO, THE 8% ADMINISTRATION IS BASED ON THE 17 MILLION IN GRANT MONEY, AND THAT'S 1.3 MILLION, JUST OVER 1.3 MILLION.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES THE ACTUAL BUILDING OF THE APPLICATION, THE PROCESSING OF THE GRANT ADMINISTRATION, THE REVIEW OF THE APPLICATIONS, THE PROVIDING THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, REACHING OUT TO, UM, THOSE BUSINESSES THAT NEED MORE DOCUMENTATION, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, DISTRIBUTING THE FUNDS.
AND THEN THE FOLLOW UP AS WE MENTIONED, THOSE SURVEYS, UH, AS THAT IS A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT.
UH, SO THAT'S REALLY AT THE BASE OF THAT 8%.
UH, AND THEN, AND ALSO THE MARKETING AS I MENTIONED, UH, THEN THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, THE $625,000 IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THOSE ENHANCED, WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE HARDEST IMPACTED, UM, FOCUSING ON THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE CONSTRUCTION ZONES, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, PARTNERING WITH THOSE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVING SEPARATE CONTRACTS WITH EACH OF THOSE, UM, TO ADDRESS THOSE BUSINESSES AND REALLY GET THE WORD OUT AND DO SOME OF THAT HANDHOLDING AS WELL.
AS THE, UM, AS THE PROGRAM ROLLS OUT, WE'LL BE RECEIVING, UM, UPDATES TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UM, BUSINESSES THAT WERE MOST IMPACTED, UM, BY COVID AND CONSTRUCTION, ALL THAT, HOW WILL WE, HOW WILL WE CHECK IN? YES.
SO WE, UH, HAVE SOME PRETTY ROBUST REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IN THE CONTRACT WITH LIFT FUND.
UH, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON WHAT THOSE REPORTING MECHANISMS WILL BE WITH THOSE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR OUTREACH.
UM, AND AS WAS MENTIONED, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THAT ONGOING.
THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE A ONE AND DONE, UM, RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO WE, THAT INFORMATION ON THOSE BUSINESSES, BOTH WHO APPLIED AND RECEIVE THE FUNDS WILL BE IMPORTANT.
[02:20:01]
ABLE TO PROVIDE UPDATES.AND THEN THE NEXT BIT IS GONNA BE ABOUT OPERATION FACELIFT.
I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UM, SAGE HAS A STOREFRONT GRANT PROGRAM, AND SO I'M WONDERING, WHICH IS BASICALLY OPERATION FACELIFT.
UM, IS THERE, HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE AWARDED? IS THAT GOING TO BE DIRECTLY TO BUSINESSES? WILL WE USE AND IT'S ENTITY LIKE SAGE AND OTHERS THAT DO THAT? OR IS THAT GONNA BE THROUGH LIFT FUND? SURE.
SO OPERATION FACELIFT, JUST LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER PHASE TWO ITEMS. SO BASICALLY EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE GRANT AND THAT IMMEDIATE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRANT IS SOMETHING THAT IN AUGUST WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK TO E W D C WITH MUCH MORE DETAILS BUILT OUT.
UM, AND THEN LIKEWISE, WE'LL COME TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, LATER THIS FALL, LATE SUMMER FALL, UM, WITH MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY OF THE DETAILS WORKED OUT, UM, WHAT THOSE REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS LOOK LIKE.
UM, SO AGAIN, ANYTHING THAT HAD AN ASTERISK, WHICH IS PRETTY WELL, ALMOST ALL OF THE ITEMS, UH, INCLUDED A SOLICITATION.
UM, I'M ALSO GLAD THAT THE CITY'S BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE PLACE-BASED ENTITIES LIKE SAGE, UM, FOR OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE GRANTS.
SAGE IS A VERY IMPORTANT RESOURCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE ALL INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO UPLIFT THE EAST SIDE ONE SMALL BUSINESS AT A TIME.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO, IF YOU COULD, UH, ROBERT, MAYBE SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP TO SPEAK, BUT MAKE IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO CAST MY VOTE TODAY.
UM, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE, THE RECOMMENDATION AS PROPOSED.
UH, I, I'M, I'M LISTENING TO A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION.
UH, SO IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME TO REMOVE MY SAGE, UH, HAT AND PUT ON MY SMALL BUSINESS HAT, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, WITH A, WITH A, A, A CLEAN LENS, NOT ONE THAT IS BASED IN WHAT WE HOPE TO, UH, ACHIEVE, UH, BASED ON, UH, NON-BUSINESS PRINCIPLES.
BUT, BUT LOOKING AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT DOES TRADITIONAL BUSINESS MODELS TELL US WE SHOULD DO IN THIS, IN THIS POSITION, UH, WHEN, WHEN I'M LISTENING TO THE, THE DEBT PAY OFF OR THE BILLS THAT MAY BEEN HAVE ACCUMULATED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, IF WE LOOK AT THE 40% TOTAL LOST REVENUE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT THE HARSH REALITY, AND, AND THE TRUTH IS, A LOT OF THOSE BUSINESSES ARE GONE, IF NOT ALL.
UH, SO THE EMERGENCY THAT WE ARE, WE ARE RESPONDING TO, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL IN ALIGNMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE REALITIES OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE.
UH, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW THAT I COULD NOT CONTINUE FOR TWO YEARS EXPERIENCING 40% LOSS.
UM, SO AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS PROGRAM, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS, THEY ARE IN EXISTENCE.
IS THERE AN EMERGENCY? PROBABLY NOT.
MEANING THAT THEY'RE NOT SHUTTING THEIR DOORS TODAY BECAUSE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THIS BI THIS, THIS MEETING.
UM, HOWEVER, THESE FUNDS CAN BE USED TO ENHANCE TO, UH, TOOL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS UP THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THEM TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS SPACE, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THESE FUNDS, UH, THUSLY, ALLOWING THE CITY TO REAP THE BENEFIT OF A GROWING AND THRIVING SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ADDITIONAL.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO VOTING YES ON THIS TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ALL SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCED CHALLENGES THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC, NOT JUST THE ONES, UH, WHO ARE ALSO IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE IN PARTICULAR I NOTICED IS PLAYLAND PIZZA ON HOUSTON STREET, AND I'M REALLY SORRY TO SEE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE CLOSING DOWN.
AND HERE WE'RE VOTING, WE'RE APPROVING THIS $30.9 MILLION IN, UM, UH, OF SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, AND IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS FUNDING, YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.
PLAYLAND PIZZA SHOWS SHUTS DOWN IN TWO DAYS, RIGHT? AND SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS FUNDING.
AND THEY'RE GOING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OPERATING UNDER AN L L C, THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN A NEW RESTAURANT IN NOVEMBER IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF COVID, AND YOU, THEY, THEY HAVE A SMALLER LUNCH CROWD HERE DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKING DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT THAT'S MADE IT VERY CHALLENGING FOR THEM.
UM, BUT ALEX, CAN YOU TELL ME, FOR, FOR ORGANIZATIONS OR COMPANIES, BUSINESSES LIKE PLAYLAND PIZZA, WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM? SO FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN EXISTENCE THAT ARE UNABLE TO, OR ARE GOING THROUGH THE SITUATION LIKE PLAYLAND PIZZA, UM, LIFTFUND, FOR
[02:25:01]
EXAMPLE, DOES HAVE OTHER LOAN PROGRAMS AVAILABLE.UH, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO, AND I BELIEVE CENTRO IS HERE OR WAS HERE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM ON WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
UH, AND THEN ALSO AS WE, WE MENTIONED IN THE CAP ACCESS TO CAPITAL, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THAT GROWTH FUND, THAT MAY BE A VIABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE GRANT, BUT ARE WHO LOOKING, ARE LOOKING TO GROW.
UM, SO LET ME INTERRUPT YOU REAL QUICK.
IS THAT ONLY A LOAN THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM? THERE'S NO GRANTS THROUGH.
SO, I MEAN, I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THIS, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED IN CITY STAFF AND THAT YOU ALL HAVEN'T HELPED ME FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS KIND OF A SITUATION, UH, TO DATE.
UH, I'VE BEEN ASKING YOU ALL ABOUT THIS, AND, UM, I GUESS I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME OTHER GRANTS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND I WAS ALSO EXPLORING OTHER SOLUTIONS SUCH AS, COULD WE MAKE IT, IS IT A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT OR IS IT A LOCAL REQUIREMENT THAT, UH, A BUSINESS, UM, COULD BE THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR DOORS OPEN AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AS OPPOSED, I CAN ANSWER THAT COUNCILMAN.
UH, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THEIR DOORS OPEN AT THE TIME THAT THIS PASSES.
I, I CAN ANSWER THAT UNDER, UNDER THE, IF YOU READ THE GUIDELINES, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THE PROGRAM IS MEANT TO SUPPORT, UH, ONGOING BUSINESSES IN WHICH BUSINESSES ARE ACTUALLY OPEN.
UM, AND SO TO BE PART OF THE PROGRAM, YOU NEED TO BE OPERATING THE BUSINESS AT THE TIME YOU APPLY.
SO, ANDY, WHAT IF THE, THE BUSINESS IS IN THE, IN, IN THE PROCESS OF PIVOTING.
SO IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE OUR DOORS IN A FEW DAYS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO OPEN UP SOMEWHERE ELSE IN A FEW MONTHS, AND WE'RE GONNA START, DO A RESTART THERE.
WELL, A, AGAIN, COUNCILMAN, IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY NEED TO BE AN OPERATING BUSINESS.
SO I MEAN, I, I GUESS I WOULD ENCOURAGE 'EM TO LOOK AT THEIR TIMELINE AND SEE THEY CAN ACCELERATE IT SO THEY CAN BE AN OPERATING BUSINESS AT THE TIME THAT THEY APPLY.
BUT THAT IS THE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU BE AN OPERATING BUSINESS.
SO IS, IS THAT A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT, OR IS THAT A LOCAL REQUIREMENT'S? A FEDERAL, IT'S FEDERAL REQUIREMENT? CORRECT.
I'VE HAD A REAL HARD TIME GETTING AN ANSWER OUTTA CITY STAFF ON THAT.
I, I, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THERE ARE RULES WE'RE HAVING TO ABIDE BY.
UM, UM, I, I, I, I DON'T, I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO PERSONALIZE YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE CITY STAFF BECAUSE WE CAN'T HELP A PARTICULAR BUSINESS.
UM, WE WE'RE TRYING TO OPERATE UNDER THE GUIDELINES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS LAID OUT, OPERATE UNDER THE, THE, UM, THE STRUCTURE THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS DEVELOPED, UM, AND TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT, UM, IF, IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED ABOUT, THEN I'D APPRECIATE, FRANKLY HEARING ABOUT THAT.
UM, NOT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, SO THAT WE CAN WORK AT IT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS WORK VERY QUICKLY AND SWIFTLY.
IT IS A PRESSING NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION BASED ON THE MONEY WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET THIS OUT INTO PRODUCTION QUICKLY.
I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, NONE OF OUR BUSINESSES FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, WHETHER THEY'RE IN DISTRICT ONE OR NOT.
UH, IT'S CLEAR IF THIS IS A FEDERAL GUIDELINE, THEN THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
BUT, UM, I GUESS I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS ANY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY CHANGES IN THAT REGARD.
WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS WELL.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.
JUST WANTED TO REINFORCE SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN BRAVO STATED, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, MAKING AMENDMENTS ON THE DIOCESE PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, AND I DIDN'T AGREE WITH AMENDMENT, HOWEVER, MAKING AMENDMENTS ON THE DIOCESE IS PART OF OUR JOB, OUR ROLE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PROCESS.
I WANNA THANK MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I SAID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, TAKE THIS TO SBAC, LET'S GET INPUT.
UM, BUT IT, I, AND I WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE INTERESTING THINGS I'VE HEARD.
AND I KNOW I ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES, BUT WHAT I DO WANNA MAKE CLEAR IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND JANIE, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, MAYBE A $5 MILLION REVIEW ONCE WE'VE SPENT, ONCE WE PASSED OUT THE FIRST 5 MILLION OF THAT 17 MILLION, WE KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT, AT WHERE IT'S BEEN GOING, UM, AND THAT, THAT I GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
SO WE CAN GO OUT THIS JULY AND TELL THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHAT THEY NEED.
BECAUSE PLAYLAND IS AN L L C THAT I THINK IS THREE RESTAURANT CONCEPTS TO INCLUDE REBEL UGGIES IS TWO RESTAURANTS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ILLA ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK, UM, SAGE AND IF SOUTH SIDE FIRST WERE HERE, AND ROBERT COULD TALK TO US, WE, THESE ARE APPLES IN ORANGES IN
[02:30:01]
TERMS OF WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT THEY NEED.THE, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GONNA GET CHOSEN FIRST FOR THESE ACCESS CAPITAL GRANTS ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE ON SPEED DIAL AND ACCOUNTANT, AND A LAWYER THAT IS NOT THE RES, THAT IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND THAT IS WHY WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS PROPOSAL, BECAUSE IT ADDRESSED THOSE MOST IN NEED.
SO, UH, A AS MY COUNCIL MEMBERS TALK, I SEE THE WIDE VARIANCE OF DIFFERENCE AND, AND THE FACT THAT I AM TRYING, WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP CHES OPEN.
WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP A FOLKLORIC COFFEE OPEN, IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO KEEP THE LLCS WITH THREE RESTAURANT CONCEPTS OPEN ALSO.
BUT IT'S ABOUT ECOSYSTEM, AND IT'S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING AND GETTING THE GROUPS THAT KNOW WHO'S OUT THERE AND HOW WE GET, WE GET TO THEM AND WE GET THEM TO TRUST US.
'CAUSE AS I SAID IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING, I SAT NEXT TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL PIZZA OWNER WHO SAID HE DID NOT APPLY FOR THE, THE P P P GRANTS, THE GRANTS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T TRUST THE GOVERNMENT.
SO NOW HERE WE ARE, AND I THINK WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY, AND THE URGENCY IS NOW, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE GET TO GET THIS DONE TODAY, SO THAT AUGUST 1ST, WE CAN GET THAT, THOSE APPLICATIONS OUT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE RELIEF AND GROW THIS, THIS, UH, ECONOMY AND LEAD OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
AND BRENDA, ALEX, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN, UH, AND, UH, SHOWING ME THIS.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL GOT MY, UH, COMMENTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.
I, UH, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MANY BUSINESSES ACTUALLY COME IN AND APPLY FOR THIS MONEY, UH, BASED ON THE CRITERIA WE'RE LAYING OUT THERE.
UM, I PERSONALLY, I THINK THERE'S TOO MUCH BUREAUCRACY AT THIS POINT, BUT, OKAY, IT IS WHAT IT IS AT THIS POINT.
AND, UM, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
BUT LET ME, LET ME REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
THIS CITY IS MADE UP OF OVER 90% SMALL BUSINESSES AS FAR AS BUSINESSES GO OVER 90%, I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO 95%, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, OVER 35%, I THINK IT WAS CLOSER TO 38% ACTUALLY CLOSED THEIR DOORS.
THAT MEANS THEY SHUT DOWN OUTTA BUSINESS, GONE 38%, WHICH IS A HUGE, BIG, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THIS CITY AND FOR THOSE BUSINESSES AND FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES ON ALL OF THOSE, THOSE BUSINESSES, WE GOT OUR FIRST TRANCHE OF MONEY, ABOUT $270 MILLION, AND WE DISTRIBUTED AROUND $50 MILLION.
I LOBBIED TO HAVE MORE GOING TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET BECAUSE WE SENT OUT A REQUEST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHO WAS, WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM? AND I THINK WE GOT OVER 125 MILLION, IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT? ABOUT $125 MILLION WORTH OF REQUESTS.
SO THAT INITIAL $50 MILLION DIDN'T CUT IT.
WE DIDN'T GO LARGER TO SATISFY A LOT OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS OUT THERE.
SO NOW WE'RE ON THE SECOND TRANCHE OF MONEY, WE'RE GOING UP TO $327 MILLION OF ARPA FUNDS.
BIG INCREASE FROM THAT FRONT FIRST TRANCHE OF MONEY, BUT GUESS WHAT? THE BUSINESS ALLOCATION IS ABOUT $31 MILLION.
SO WE GOT LESS THE FIRST TIME WE DISTRIBUTED MORE.
THIS TIME, WE'RE GETTING MORE AND WE'RE DISTRIBUTING LESS.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE DOING JUSTICE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE ON, UM, NOT BEING MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY TO FOLKS OUT THERE THAT NEED IT.
IT WAS AN INTERESTING COMMENT WHILE AGO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING ANY EMERGENCIES AT THIS POINT.
UH, I DON'T, I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT.
THERE'S STILL BUSINESSES OUT THERE SUFFERING AND BEHIND WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES, FAR AS FAR AS REVENUE, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT THAT IS AN INTERESTING COMMENT, AND MY COMMENT TO THAT IS, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS OUT THE DOOR A LONG TIME AGO.
[02:35:01]
DID THE PANDEMIC REALLY HAPPEN IN 2020? UH, WHEN DID WE GET THIS MONEY, BRENDA? WHEN, WHEN DID WE GET THIS TRANCHE OF MONEY? OR MARIA? WE GOT HALF OF IT, UM, IN, UH, MAY OF 2021.WE GOT THE SECOND HALF, UM, HERE ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UM, WE WENT, COUNCILMAN, WE WENT THROUGH THE, THE, THE TOWN HALLS AND THE, THE, THE, UM, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION TO USE A $97 MILLION IN PART ONE IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AS WE DEVELOPED WITH PART TWO, GOING THROUGH THAT TOWN HALL PROCESS.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL HAD THREE PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ARPA IN IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITIES.
AND THEN YOU APPROVED, UH, THIS FRAMEWORK IN MARCH, AND THE COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN, THREE OF THE COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK IN GETTING BACK TO THIS POINT.
UM, SO, SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK AND, AND, AND FOCUS.
AND, AND 30, $31 MILLION IN THE SMALL BUSINESS CATEGORY WAS THE SINGLE LARGEST BUCKET THAT YOU APPROVED IN THE FRAMEWORK, BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF, IT WAS THE TOP PRIORITY WE HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, AND FROM THE PUBLIC.
NO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, ERIC.
I, I REMEMBER ALL THOSE MEETINGS AND, AND ATTENDING SOME AS WELL.
UM, I, OVERALL I, BETWEEN THESE TWO GROUPS OF MONEY, OVER 500 AND ALMOST $600 MILLION AND 80, $80 MILLION WITH BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS, I JUST, ME PERSONALLY, AND I THINK I'VE BEEN CONSISTENT IN WHAT I'VE SAID, WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE.
I THINK THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS JUST ECSTATIC TO BE, UH, CONSIDERED IN THIS, THIS PORTION.
SO, UH, I'M ALL SUPPORTIVE, AND I'LL BE VOTING FOR THIS AS BEING PUT BEFORE US.
UM, I, I THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP FOCUSING.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THIS MORNING ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY NEED TO CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS HERE FOR US IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, JUST WANTED TO GO OVER SOME OF THE DATA AND, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WITH THAT, SIR, I'M, I'M FULLY SUPPORTING THIS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
AND LET, LET ME CLOSE OUT THE DISCUSSION HERE, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU MY PERSPECTIVE ON SOME OF THE POINTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER P UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY WAS GOING OVER.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PEER CITIES, UM, COASTAL CITIES OR, OR CITIES IN BETWEEN, UH, THERE ARE VERY FEW THAT HAVE, HAVE DEVOTED, UH, THIS LEVEL OF RESOURCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, GIVEN ALL THE MYRIAD CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS FROM FOOD SECURITY TO RENT RELIEF, UM, TO ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC, WHICH WAS ALSO PART OF THE ALLOCATIONS, SIGNIFICANT ALLOCATIONS OF CARES ACT AND ARPA FUNDS.
UH, THERE ARE VERY FEW CITIES THAT DEVOTED THIS LEVEL OF RESOURCE FROM THOSE EMERGENCY FUNDS TO SMALL BUSINESS.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, COLLECTIVELY VOICING THEIR CONCERNS, BUT ALSO THE WORK OF THE CITY STAFF AS WELL AS OUR COLLEAGUES FOR BALANCING ALL OF THAT.
UH, AND IF YOU LOOK ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE, THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN, UM, CREATED THROUGH THESE ARPA FUNDS OR CARES ACT FUNDS, SAN ANTONIO'S GRANT SIZE HAS BEEN LARGER, AND THE NUMBER OF GRANTS HAS BEEN LARGER, UH, THAN MANY OF OUR PEER CITIES.
IN FACT, I WOULD SAY MOST, UH, WITH RESPECT TO TRYING TO, TO, UH, KEEP UP WITH THE NEED WITHIN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THAT SAID, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, IT'S NEVER GONNA BE ENOUGH.
UH, AND THAT IS JUST THE, THE SAD TRUTH.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH IN TERMS OF THAT EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE THAT WE PROVIDED EVENTUALLY, THAT HAS COME TO A CLOSE.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH WITH REGARD, UH, TO THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO, TO ESTABLISH REAL EQUITY IN OUR COVID RESPONSE.
BUT SOMEHOW, THROUGH ALL THE MYRIAD CONCERNS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE A BALANCE, I THINK THAT HAS HELPED ADDRESS, UH, THE MOST PRESSING CONCERNS.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, UH, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN, UH, MY COLLEAGUES AND I ATTEND TOWN HALLS, AND WE, WE HEAR COMMENTS THAT IT'S ONEROUS.
IT IS, UH, AND THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE, UH, BRENDA, ALEX, UH, OUR TEAM PROVIDING THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
IT'S ONEROUS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GET THOSE FUNDS TO THE, TO THE FIRMS THAT ARE, THAT NEED IT THE MOST.
THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY INTENT.
WE MIGHT MAKE IT AS, AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR BUSINESSES TO APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHO, UH, WHO IS IN MOST NEED OF THOSE FUNDS.
SO WE CAN GET THOSE OUT TO THEM AS, AS, AS BEST WE CAN.
I WANNA THANK THE SS A C, UH, UNDER ITS NEW MISSION.
IT COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A BETTER TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA TO HAVE THE SS A C TO KIND OF GIVE US A, A PLATFORM TO FIND OUT ALL
[02:40:01]
OF THE CONCERNS OF THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY RELATED TO CONTRACTING, RELATED TO EMERGENCY RELIEF OR ANYTHING, UH, THAT IS PREVENTING SMALL BUSINESSES FROM SURVIVING NUMBER ONE, BUT ALSO ULTIMATELY TO GROW.AND THAT LEADS ME TO, UM, MY, THE, THE MAIN POINT I WANTED TO MAKE.
AND JUST LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF THIS PANDEMIC, UH, IT HAS EXPOSED WEAKNESSES, IT HAS EXPOSED FISSURES WITHIN THE FOUNDATION OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE NOW REALLY PUSHING TO ESTABLISH SOCIOECONOMIC MOBILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE FOCUSED ON ENSURING A SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE PIPELINE OF HOUSING AT EVERY INCOME LEVEL.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FUNDAMENTAL PARTS OF OUR ECONOMY IN ORDER TO CREATE A MORE RESILIENT FUTURE.
AND WHY I'M ALSO PROUD OF THE CITY FOR DOING THAT.
IT'S THE SAME IS TRUE WITHIN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM OUR TOWN HALLS.
THE CHALLENGES BEING EXPERIENCED BY THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY DURING THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION, IS BECAUSE THERE WERE EXISTING CONDITIONS, LACK OF ACCESS TO CAPITAL, LACK OF ACCESS TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, INEQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACT PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO I THINK, AND ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT, AND I'M, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE STAFF FOR ACHIEVING IT IN THIS FRAMEWORK, IS NOT JUST COUPLING THAT IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE THAT'S NEEDED, BUT WITH ALSO CAPACITY BUILDING THE PLACEMAKING, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES NOW TO, TO ESTABLISH SOME RESILIENCE AS PART OF OUR RECOVERY STRATEGY.
THAT'S WHAT THIS FRAMEWORK IS INTENDED TO DO.
UM, SO I'M, I'M AGAIN GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, THE, THESE ARPA FUNDS BEING USED, NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE CONCERNS, BUT ALSO FLEXIBLE IN, IN HELPING TO CREATE SOME MOMENTUM AND INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE FIVE IN 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW IS THAT WHEN A CRISIS HITS, BECAUSE IT WILL, WE WANT OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO BE, BE MORE RESILIENT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GROW, TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE A CRISIS, BUT ALSO THRIVE IN GOOD TIMES AS WELL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, IT'S BEEN A GREAT DISCUSSION.
I THINK THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION TO BE HAD AT E W D C, UH, BUT FOR NOW WE HAVE A GREAT FRAMEWORK AND WE'LL GET SOME OF THESE IMMEDIATE RELIEF DOLLARS OUT THE DOOR AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR.
MAYOR, CAN I GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON AN ISSUE? YES.
UH, A ACTUALLY, UH, THERE, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT, UH, ARPA FUNDS THAT WE SENT OVER TO THE UTILITIES.
ERIC WANTS TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS.
YEAH, JUST A, JUST A QUICK UPDATE.
UM, THE, UH, BOTH UTILITIES HAVE BEEN PROVIDING UPDATES TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE.
UM, AND AS OF, UH, JUNE 19TH, UM, THE LAST UPDATE TO THE M U C WAS ON APRIL 26TH, BUT AS OF JUNE 19TH, $5.8 MILLION OF THE $20 MILLION HAS BEEN, UH, SPENT.
UH, C P S DOES EXPECT TO, UH, TURN ON A NUMBER OF AUTOMATED FEATURES THIS MONTH, UH, AND IN JULY, AND HAVE THAT BALANCE SPENT BY JULY 31ST.
THE SAWS UPDATE WAS LAST GIVEN TO THE UTILITIES COMMITTEE ON, UH, MAY 24TH.
UM, AND AS OF, UM, JUNE 19TH, UH, SEVEN OF THE $10 MILLION HAD BEEN EXPENSED.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE COUNCIL, THE FULL COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE COMMITTEE UPDATED ON THE UTILITIES PROGRESS IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, THAT'S IT ON OUR BUSINESS AGENDA.
[City Manager's Report ]
IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? IS HERE.UM, MAYOR, UM, THREE ITEMS. UH, ONE, UH, JUST TO, TO, UH, REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT IN CELEBRATION OF PRIDE MONTH PARKS AND RECREATION IS HOSTING, UM, OUR FIRST PRIDE HIKE, UH, ON SATURDAY, JUNE 25TH FROM 7:00 AM TO 10:00 AM WE'VE GOT SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, UM, UH, SIX DIFFERENT PARKS, COMANCHE, LOOKOUT EISENHOWER, LEVI STRAUSS, MEDINA RIVER MISSION ROAD, CONCESSION PARK, AND SOUTH SIDE LYONS PARK.
UM, UM, PARKS IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE RIVER AUTHORITY, THE PARKS FOUNDATION, AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, UM, TO, UM, UM, MANAGE AND, UM, UM, HOST THOSE, THOSE EVENTS.
SO THOSE, THOSE EVENTS WILL BE HAPPENING ON JUNE 25TH.
UM, OUR SECOND ITEM, UM, IS, UH, TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT VIDEO ON THE CITY'S BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN EMPLOYEE AFFINITY GROUP, WHICH WAS A GROUP THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, UM, IN SUMMER
[02:45:01]
OF 20 20 20 THAT, UH, WORKS TO ENSURE THAT, UM, EMPLOYEES HAVE A VOICE AND FEEL WELCOME AND ARE INCLUDED.IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATION, UH, RELATED TO WELLBEING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY BUILDING WITHIN OUR OWN ORGANIZATION.
THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, DEVELOPED AND GO THROUGH A NUMBER OF TRAINING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND THIS PAST WEEK ON JUNE 16TH, UH, THE AFFINITY GROUP MET AND HELD, UM, AND RECOGNIZED THEIR FIRST MENTORSHIP PROGRAM.
SO TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT VIDEO IS ON THAT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, AND YOU'LL HEAR DIRECTLY FROM, UH, BOTH MENTEES AND MENTORS.
TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH, WHAT'S HIS NAME, AND ONE YEAR OF YOUR HARD WORK, SORRY.
AND YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS IN OUR MENTOR PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM ITSELF, I THINK IT IS REALLY COOL.
IT, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND IMPART A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE OF WHETHER THAT BE VALUABLE IN MY SENSE OR IN THE MENTEE SENSE TO HELP THEM ALONG THEIR PATH.
I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN MENTORSHIP BECAUSE I WANTED TO NETWORK, GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT ARE IN BIG PLACES, AND LETS ME KNOW THAT I CAN BE IN THAT POSITION.
UH, I'VE NEVER HAD A MENTORING PROGRAM, AND WHEN I SAW THAT THE CITY HAD ONE, I WAS LIKE, WELL, WHAT BETTER WAY TO LET SOMEONE SEE THAT, HEY, I WANT TO BE HERE AND RETIRE FROM HERE SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE.
AND WHEN I SAW THE OPPORTUNITY WAS AVAILABLE AND SCOTT WAS WILLING TO BE MY MENTOR, I WAS LIKE, OKAY, COOL.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY MOTIVATORS, THE KEY PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF ADVANCEMENT WHERE A PERSON KNOWS THAT NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL I CAN COME IN, I'M NOT, THERE'S NO GLASS SITTING.
IF I'M WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK, THEN THE ADVANCEMENT IS THERE FOR ME.
THE START OF AFFINITY GROUP, I WAS KIND OF NERVOUS AT FIRST, BUT THEN WHEN I DID THE APPLICATION, I GOT ACCEPTED.
DURING EVERY MONTH WE DID LIKE A DIFFERENT TRAINING, SO I'VE LEARNED DIFFERENT STUFF ON, ON RESUME WRITING.
I GOT MORE CONFIDENT IN MYSELF.
YEAH, I ALSO GOT A PROMOTION DURING THE TIME OF IT.
SO I REALLY ENJOY IT AS A MENTOR.
I'M ABLE TO NOT ONLY GIVE HIM GUIDANCE, BUT ALSO THE FEEDBACK HE'S GIVEN ME.
IT'S JUST FOR ME TO KIND OF TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY MAY BE FEELING IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
AND THANK YOU MR. MEHERRY FOR CREATING THE SAFE SPACE FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO BLACK PEOPLE.
WE'RE SITTING, WE'RE CITY EMPLOYEES, LOVE THE AFFINITY GROUP.
MAYOR, ONE OTHER ITEM, AND LET ME, LET ME THANK DAVID MCCAREY AND BRIAN DILLARD AND CHIEF HOOD, UM, AND TAMIKA AND A NUMBER OF OTHER EXECUTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN KEEPING THAT GROUP, UM, UM, ORGANIZED.
AND, UM, AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND, AND THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
UM, THERE, THERE, UM, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT WE HAVE WITH NEW EMPLOYEES THAT ARE COMING INTO THE ORGANIZATION.
AND WITH 12 AND A HALF THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE DO, UM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND, AND BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
THE LAST ITEM, UH, ION COUNCIL IS, UM, AND BOTH, SOME OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, UH, WHERE'S FATIMA? OKAY.
SO, UH, FATIMA JOINED THE CITY, UM, IN HUMAN SERVICES IN, UH, 2015, OUR HEAD START PROGRAM, UM, IN THE FALL OF 2019.
UH, SHE STARTED AS THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IN THE OFFICE OF, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART IN THE COUNCIL SUPPORT TEAM, AND, UM, HAS HAD A, AN EFFECT ON ALL OF US.
UM, UM, AS SOME OF YOU MAY, MAY KNOW, THE FATIMA, UH, HAS A, UH, AN M B A, UM, AND, UM, WILL BE MOVING ON TO AN, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH ERNST AND YOUNG.
AND, UH, HER LAST DAY IS IN JULY, AND I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE THE THE COUNCIL BREAK.
UM, AND THANK HER FOR HER WORK.
UM, FATIMA IS, UM, ALWAYS PLEASANT AND DILIGENT AND, UM, EVER PRESENT, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA MISS THAT.
[02:50:01]
UM, I DID, UM, PRESSURE FATIMA THE OTHER DAY, UM, AND ASKED HER WHEN SHE WAS COMING BACK TO THE CITY AFTER SHE GAINED SOME GREAT EXPERIENCE AT ERNST AND YOUNG.UM, BUT, UH, WE WISH YOU LUCK, FATIMA.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
FATIMA, YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO COME DOWN AND, AND, UH, GIVE THE, CAN'T GIVE THE COUNCIL ALL THE THINGS YOU WANTED TO SAY TO US, BUT NEVER DID.
WE ARE REALLY GONNA MISS YOU, FATIMA, AND, AND, UH, YOU GUYS RUN AN INCREDIBLE SHOP, UH, IN SUPPORT OF ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES UP HERE AND, AND DON'T GET THANKED ENOUGH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
WE ARE, WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU, BUT WISH YOU THE VERY BEST OF LUCK, FATIMA.
BUT, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU THE FULL FIRST, UM, AND GO EASY ON US.
I WAS REALLY HOPING THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT NOW WE'RE HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH VERY CLOSELY HAND IN HAND WITH YOUR TEAMS. I MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO EIGHT YEARS AGO.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS, NO FAMILY, AND THE CITY ORGANIZATION WELCOMED ME.
I'VE MADE FRIENDS, FAMILY, UH, IT'S BEEN A GREAT RIDE.
D H S UM, I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME TRANSITIONING TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'LL NEVER FORGET, AND PLEASE KEEP MY SEAT WARM,
UM, SO JUST THANK YOU AS, AS VERY, VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO EMILY, UM, THE GREATEST MENTOR, WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL MISS THE MOST.
UM, IC THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR BELIEVING IN ME, ERIC, AS WELL.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL, UM, ALL GOOD THINGS, NOTHING BAD.
UM, AND MY JOB HERE, PART OF MY JOB IS TO MEET OR TRY TO MEET EACH OF YOUR REQUESTS.
AND COUNCILMAN PERRY REQUESTED THAT I WEAR THIS HAT, SO I WILL WEAR THIS HAT
COUNCILMAN PERRY FATIMA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU HAVE BEEN, I WOULD SAY, A LOYAL AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS FILLED, UH, OUR REQUESTS.
YOU'VE BEEN VERY COURTEOUS, AND AGAIN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A PUBLIC SERVANT AND YOU ARE A SERVANT TO THE COUNCIL HERE.
AND IT, IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND, UM, I JUST WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
AND, UH, UH, I'LL, I'LL KEEP YOUR SEAT WARM, BUT NI NICE HAT, NICE HAT,
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I'M EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE, WHAT IT HOLDS FOR YOU.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
AS A FRESHMAN COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU WALKED ME THROUGH EVERYTHING WITH OPEN ARMS, UH, NO QUESTION WAS A DUMB QUESTION.
AND I REALLY VALUE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP THAT WE'VE BUILT.
UH, I KNOW WHERE YOU GO ON, UH, WITH EY YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA.
AND THANK YOU, UM, FATIMA FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON, UM, BEHALF OF OUR CITY, BECAUSE YES, YOU HELP US AT, AT CITY COUNCIL, BUT UM, BY EXTENSION YOU HELP THE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WE REPRESENT.
SO, UM, THAT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.
AND, UM, ALSO WANTED TO, TO SAY I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU.
UM, THE M B A USING THAT AT EY IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE.
WE KNOW THAT FOR DECADES THERE'S BEEN A, UM, A STRONGER MALE PRESENCE IN, IN THAT ARENA.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU, UM, ARE GOING TO BE THERE LEADING THE, UM, GIRL EMPOWERMENT BANNER, HOPEFULLY OVER AT EY.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK WITH OUR COUNCIL AIDS.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, UM, OUR COUNCIL AIDS ARE THE ONES THAT, UM, DO ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING AND THEY NEED SUPPORT, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR THEM AS WELL.
GOOD LUCK, AND I'LL SEE YOU SOON.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, FATIMA, FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE.
I, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO EXTEND THE, THE LOVE AND GRATITUDE THAT MY TEAM HAS.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME AND WE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE LOVE YOU AND HOW WHEN WE MAKE REQUESTS, NO MATTER HOW CRAZY THEY SOUND, IT'S NEVER A A NO.
IT'S A, WE'LL SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND I'LL SAY, CAN, CAN WE HAVE A PET IGUANA? YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, NO ONE'S EVER ASKED ME THAT BEFORE
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST, IT'S GOING, WHEN YOU FIRST TOLD ME,
[02:55:01]
I REMEMBER I SAID I WAS CONFLICTED BECAUSE I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU, AND IT'S AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AND YOU DESERVE EVERY, EVERY BIT OF IT.BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GONNA FILL YOUR, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GONNA FILL YOUR, UH, YOUR SEAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO KEEP IT WARM.
SO I HOPE THAT, I HOPE THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY IS SUPER, SUPER FULFILLING.
I HOPE YOU FIND JOY AND HAPPINESS AND COMFORT AND THE FAMILY THAT YOU'VE CREATED HERE, KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL HERE.
AND I HOPE YOU CREATE THAT SAME SENSE OF FAMILY AND LOVE OVER THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCILMEMBER BRAVO, TIAM.
I'M EXCITED FOR YOU ABOUT YOUR NEW OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I HOPE YOU COME BACK SOON.
I KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, I GUESS I FELT CONFIDENT IN OUR CITY MANAGER WHEN I, WHEN I HEARD HIM SAY THAT HE WANTS TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GONNA BE COMING BACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE MADE, UH, THIS FIRST YEAR FOR ME AND MY TEAM, OUR TRANSITION INTO, INTO OFFICE, UH, VERY, A VERY SMOOTH PROCESS.
YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.
I THINK YOU AND EMILY MAKE A GREAT TEAM.
UM, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE YOU BACK.
COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
YOU KNOW, I GOTTA CONCUR, UH, HOW YOU AND EMILY WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.
AND I KNOW MY STAFF ALWAYS CONSIDERS YOU AND EMILY AS PART OF OUR TEAM WORKING TOGETHER.
YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AND YOU HAVE BEEN VERY APPRECIATED, I KNOW BY ALL OF US.
UH, BUT LIKE WE SEE WITH SO MANY REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WHO COME TO WORK FOR THE CITY, THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND, AND HAVING AN M B A IS A GREAT, UH, WAY OF OPENING MORE DOORS TO YOUR FUTURE.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY WHO HAVE COME AND GONE AND COME BACK 'CAUSE THEY REALIZE THE VALUE OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND I HOPE YOU FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND DEVELOP AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE CITY HAS PROVIDED FOR YOU.
AND MAYBE SOMEDAY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND DO MORE GOOD FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
BUT I JUST PERSONALLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER PAL FATMAN ALWAYS MAKES ME SAD THAT, UM, CITY EMPLOYEES GET TO HEAR HOW MUCH WE LOVE THEM ON THEIR WAY OUT.
UH, AND, UH, SOMETIMES WE'RE SO BUSY, UH, THAT WE DON'T STOP AND, AND TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE ADMIRE YOU AND, AND HOW MUCH, UM, HOW MUCH WE DEPEND ON YOU AND HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE.
I GOTTA TELL YOU, THE BEST COMPLIMENT A PERSON CAN BE PAID IS THE ONE THEY'RE NOT AROUND TO HEAR.
AND SO MY STAFF FREQUENTLY TALKS BEHIND YOUR BACK IN THE MOST GLOWING OF TERMS. UH, AND I HEAR THE WORDS ALL THE TIME, THANK GOD FOR FATIMA.
AND SO, UM, GENUINELY THANK GOD FOR FATIMA.
AND, UM, I HOPE THAT YOU SHOW YOUR FAMILY THIS VIDEO, UH, IT'S BEING STREAMED RIGHT NOW, ON, ON YOUTUBE AND SAN ANTONIO, FACEBOOK.
SO YOU CAN SEE, YOU SEE, THEY REALLY DO LIKE ME, UH, BUT MAY NOT BE WATCHING
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FATIMA, FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP, YOUR ASSISTANCE, YOUR UM, YOUR EXPERTISE, YOUR EXPERTISE, YOUR HUMILITY.
UM, YOU REALLY HAVE SERVED OUR CITY WELL, AND I'M EXCITED FOR YOU.
UM, I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.
I'M GONNA ROLL MY EYES BECAUSE I'M, I HATE LEAVING YOU, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOU AND LOVE TO SEE, UM, YOU EXPAND AND GROW YOUR, YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE AND YOUR, YOUR EXPERTISE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY SAYING SOMETHING THAT THIS MOTLEY GREW UP HERE.
ALL OF US THINK SO HIGHLY OF YOU AND REALLY RESPECT YOU AND CARE FOR YOU, AND WE'RE REALLY GONNA MISS YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO, HVAR, THAT IS SAYING SOMETHING.
BY THE WAY,
UH, WE, WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU.
I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO SAY OTHER THAN DITTO TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID, BUT I, BUT I WILL MENTION THIS.
UM, YOU AND EMILY, WHAT I APPRECIATE MOST ABOUT YOU, UH, IS YOUR UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVITY.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO BE IN THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, MAINTAIN A SMILE AT ALL TIMES, BUT YOU GUYS DO IT.
DON'T LOSE THAT AS YOU GO INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD, THAT IS ONE OF YOUR CHIEF STRENGTHS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, ANDY, EXEC MAYOR, NO EXEC TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, TIME'S 1212 12:23 PM ON THIS 23RD DAY OF JUNE, 2022, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.