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WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE TIME IS 10:13 AM ON THE 17TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2022.
WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA? HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO.
COUNCIL MEMBER S HERE VIRTUALLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WE DO HAVE TWO ITEMS TODAY, UH, FOR OUR MEETING.
UH, THE FIRST, ACTUALLY, DO WE
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HAVE MINUTES? YES, WE DO HAVE MINUTES.FIRST ITEM FOR BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 15TH, 2022.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, WE DOING IT HERE? OR A VOICE? OKAY.
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WE'LL GO NOW TO ITEM TWO.ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBERS ANAS SANDOVAL, DISTRICT SEVEN, AND ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, DISTRICT FOUR REGARDING TASK FORCE ON HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS C C R FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, SANDOVAL AND ROCHA GARCIA.
WE'LL START WITH THAT AND THEN WE WILL, UH, GIVE THE FLOOR TO OUR COLLEAGUES BEFORE WE GET OUR DISCUSSION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, YES, WE HAVE A C C R SPONSORED BY BOTH COUNCILMAN, UH, SANDOVAL AND ROCHA GARCIA, UH, ASKING US TO LOOK AT, UH, HEALTH RELATED ILLNESSES, UH, IN PARTICULAR TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
UH, C C R POINTS OUT HOW THIS INDUSTRY IS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY, BY THESE ILLNESSES.
UH, C C R ASKED US TO, TO FORM A TASK FORCE TO, TO STUDY THIS ISSUE AND, UH, OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY, UH, MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THIS INDUSTRY.
UH, WE, WE WORK ON CREATING THIS TASK FORCE.
UH, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM, FROM, OBVIOUSLY THE HEALTH INDUSTRY.
UH, THERE'S AN OSHA REPRESENTATIVE WE BELIEVE IN, IN, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S HERE LOCALLY THAT WE WOULD HAVE THEM ON THERE, AS WELL AS THE INDUSTRY THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY ANYTHING WE COME UP WITH.
SO WE RECOMMEND WE PUT THIS TASK FORCE TOGETHER, UH, LOOK AT THE ISSUE, UH, AND MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CHECK COMMITTEE, UH, AND, UH, TAKE IT FROM THERE.
SO THAT, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION.
WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO OUR COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ROCHA GARCIA, UH, AND SANDOVAL, WHO FILED THE C C R, AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PLACING THIS ON THE AGENDA SO QUICKLY.
UH, MAYOR, GOOD MORNING TO TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK THE COLLEAGUES WHO DID SIGN ON TO, TO THE C C R, UH, COUNCILWOMAN.
ROCHA GARCIA AND I WERE, ARE MESSAGING, AS YOU ALL KNOW, SHE'S A FAST TEXTER AND SHE'S VERY QUICK TO, VERY QUICK TO RESPOND AND ALWAYS READY FOR A CONVERSATION.
UM, SO BOTH OF US HAVE FAMILY WHO HAVE WORKED OR CONTINUE TO WORK IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
UM, FOR ME, IT WAS MY FATHER MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, AND WE BOTH KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY DEADLIEST INDUSTRY.
WE, WE, SORRY, DEADLIEST, UM, LINE OF WORK.
UH, AND MOSTLY THAT'S FALLS, BUT ANOTHER THING THAT OUR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE EXPOSED TO IS THE, IS THE HEAT.
AND YESTERDAY WE DID HAVE A BIG CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HEAT THAT WE'RE FEELING IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOME OF THE ORIGIN OF WHERE THIS CAME AROUND.
UM, SO LET ME GIVE YOU A, OH, ACTUALLY, LET ME HIGHLIGHT SOME MEMBERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE, UM, LAUREN WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING, LAUREN.
AND ALSO OUR MEMBERS FROM UNA AND, UM, A F L C I O.
THANKS GUYS FOR, FOR MAKING IT.
OH, MR. GOOD TO SEE YOU, MR. LAVAR, UM, WHO ARE HERE WITH US AT OUR PRESS CONFERENCE.
SO IN 2021, METRO HEALTH RECORDED REPORTED 310, UH, REPORTS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION BETWEEN MARCH 15TH AND OCTOBER 15TH.
AND THIS YEAR, WE BEAT THAT RECORD IN JULY.
SO AS OF AUGUST 7TH, THERE HAVE BEEN 397 REPORTS OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, THIS THREAT IS ESPECIALLY, UH, HARDER ON CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WHO SPEND A LOT OF THEIR DAY IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT DOING PHYSICALLY DEMANDING WORK.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BOOMING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
IT WILL BE MORE SO WE'VE GOT OUR
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HOUSING BOND THAT WE WERE JUST, UH, TALKING ABOUT COUNCILMAN COURAGE.UM, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING, RIGHT? THAT WE HAVE THAT BOND, THAT WE'VE GOT A BOOMING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, BUT IT ALSO MEANS WE HAVE TO, UH, BE CAREFUL WITH OUR WORKFORCE.
UM, OTHER CITIES HAVE ALREADY DONE SOMETHING ON THIS, UM, ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, DALLAS AND AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A REST BREAK ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES A 15 MINUTE BREAK EVERY FOUR HOURS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
AUSTIN'S HAS BEEN ON THE BOOK SINCE 2010, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HOTTER THAN AUSTIN, AND IT'S HOTTER TODAY THAN IT WAS IN 2010.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER MEASURES IN PLACE IN OTHER STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, UM, THAT THIS WORK GROUP CAN LOOK AT, UM, STATES LIKE THOSE REQUIRE CONTRACTORS TO HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION PLAN.
SO IT'S NOT PRESCRIPTIVE AS WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THE, THE STATE IS NOT TELLING THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, BUT THEY ASK THEM TO HAVE A PLAN.
SO TODAY'S PROPOSAL IS NOT TO ADOPT A PARTICULAR MEASURE.
IT'S, I'M NOT SAYING WE MUST DO THE REST BREAK ORDINANCE, OR, YOU KNOW, WE MUST HAVE TREES AND PROVIDE SHADE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IT IS TO DEVELOP A WORK GROUP THAT CAN COME UP WITH TAYLOR WITH TAILORED MEASURES FOR SAN ANTONIO AND THAT WORK FOR OUR CONTRACTORS IN OUR PROJECTS.
UM, MY MY HOPE IS THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO A MORE COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF OUR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, THAT IT IS ONLY THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE SOLUTION FOR THIS.
UM, SO THE WORK OF THIS TASK FORCE AND THE CREATION OF THE TASK FORCE, I FEEL IS TERRIBLY URGENT.
UM, AND THEIR CONVERSATIONS WILL BE IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT NEXT SUMMER TO ARRIVE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF ACTION.
UM, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GO ON HERE.
AND I THINK SHE HAS SOME WONDERFUL THINGS TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, TO THIS.
UH, I DO WANNA ADDRESS, UH, AN OBJECTION OR A COMMENT THAT SOME HAVE HAVE RAISED.
THEY SAY THAT OSHA ALREADY REGULATES THIS.
UM, WHAT OSHA DOES IS SAY THAT, UH, A SAFE ENVIRONMENT MUST BE PROVIDED AND PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF GUIDANCE ON, ON HOW TO DO THAT, BUT IT IS NOT TIGHTLY REGULATED.
UM, THEY DID BEGIN A HEAT SPECIFIC, UH, TASK FORCE, A STANDARD, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STANDARD.
I HOPE IT COMES SOON, BUT I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THAT'S A NATIONAL INITIATIVE, AND IT IS JUST BEGINNING.
IT IS IN STAGE ONE OF, I THINK SEVEN.
UM, IF THEY WORK FAST IN THREE AND A HALF YEARS, WE MIGHT HAVE A REGULATION AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS A LOT MORE URGENT THAN THAT, ESPECIALLY IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SO THANK YOU CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS RECOMMENDATION TOGETHER.
UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO COUNCILWOMAN DR.
GARCIA FOR HER CO-SPONSORSHIP AND TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COURAGE FOR HIS, UH, FOR HIS INTEREST IN THIS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, UH, COUNCILMAN BRAVO AND, UM, COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I'VE SAID THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING OUR CITY AND WE NEED TO NEED TO PROTECT THEM.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK ALL THE STAFF WHO WORKED WITH ME IN DEVELOPING THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, THERE WAS LEGAL D S D, UH, WAS INVOLVED IN AND METRO HEALTH.
UM, SO I, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL SEE THE URGENCY AND, UH, TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND, AND FOR ALL WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE TODAY.
UM, MY DAD WAS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER, AND SO I REMEMBER HOW HE WOULD GET HOME AND, YOU KNOW, WOULD STILL BE THIRSTY LIKE THE WHOLE REST OF THE NIGHT.
AND HE WAS AFRAID TO TAKE BREAKS, UM, BECAUSE HE WENT TO GET THE JOB DONE.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS IN, IN MY CULTURE AND THE CULTURE THAT I REPRESENT, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
THEY'RE AFRAID TO GET FIRED IF THEY DON'T, UM, FINISH.
AND SO THEY DON'T STOP AND TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, JUST EVEN HAVE SOME WATER.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MY DAD WORKED FOR, WORKED FOR A GREAT COMPANY, A SMALL BUSINESS THAT ALLOWED BREAKS AND THAT ALLOWED THEM TO HAVE SHELTER IN THE SHADE AND WAS ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR THEM.
UM, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYERS DO HAVE THAT COMPASSION THAT THEY WATCH OUT FOR THEIR EMPLOYERS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THE IDEA OF A TASK FORCE IS A GOOD START TO SEE HOW WE COULD SHOWCASE SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT SOME OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY,
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UM, IN SAN ANTONIO, CAN LEAD THE, THE REST OF THE NATION WITH.UM, WE ARE DOING SOME, SOME THINGS RIGHT NOW THAT I THINK, UH, MAKE US BETTER EMPLOYERS THAN, THAN SOME OF THE EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE NATION.
THE, UM, NATIONAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM ON OUTDOOR AND INDOOR HEAT HAZARDS, OSHA'S NATIONAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM PUTS PRIORITY ON HEAT INDEX DAYS WHEN THEY'RE EXPECTED TO BE 80 DEGREES OR HIGHER.
TO ME, THAT IS FUNNY BECAUSE IN SAN ANTONIO IT'S ALWAYS 80 DEGREES AND HIGHER.
SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 80 DEGREES AND HIGHER, AND THIS FINALLY BEING A NATIONAL, UH, PROBLEM, I, I THINK THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, INITIATING COMPLIANCES AND, UH, ASSISTANCE WITH TARGETED HIGH RISK INDUSTRIES, WHICH WE KNOW, I THINK THE ENTIRE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WOULD BE CONSIDERED HIGH RISK.
AND THIS IS JUST SPECIFIC TO CONSTRUCTION.
I'M SURE THAT IT CAN BE APPLIED, UM, AS THE TASK FORCE IS FIT EVEN TO OTHER INDUSTRIES, RIGHT? AND SO I'M THINKING ABOUT THE CULINARY INDUSTRY.
I'M THINKING ABOUT OTHERS, RIGHT? THAT, THAT ALREADY, UM, MAYBE THEY, THEY THEY SHARE BE THEY, THEY DON'T SHARE IN AS MUCH, I WOULD SAY, AS HIGH RISK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY OUTDOOR, BUT STILL, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO.
OSHA ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT MANY BUSINESSES WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY DEVELOPING HEAT, UH, ILLNESS PREVENTION PLANS.
AND THAT'S WHAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS IN THE C C R.
SO IF THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN THIS CASE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT ANYWAY, WHY NOT GET AHEAD OF IT AND SHOWCASE WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING? WITH THAT SAID, WE'VE HAD 18 OF THE 19 SUMMERS BE THE HOTTEST ON RECORD IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE'VE HAD THE HOTTEST DAYS ON RECORD AS WELL THIS PAST SUMMER.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S INJURIES ACROSS THE NATION, AND ALL OF SAN ANTONIO MIGHT SUFFER A LITTLE BIT LESS.
I WANNA REMIND YOU ALL THAT LOW WAGE WORKERS, LIKE THE ONES THAT I REPRESENT AND WORKERS OF COLOR DISPROPORTIONATELY MAKE UP THE POPULATION OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE EXPOSED TO HIGH LEVELS OF HEAT, INTENSIFYING, SOCIOECONOMIC AND RACIAL INEQUALITIES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I STARTED OFF THE CONVERSATION BY SAYING THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO STOP AND TAKE A BREAK BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID.
THEY DO NOT KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.
AND SO I KEEP REMEMBERING GOING BACK TO THE POINT THAT, UM, WE HAVE WONDERFUL EMPLOYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT ARE SCARED.
THEY'RE TERRIFIED TO SPEAK UP.
THEY'RE TERRIFIED TO ASK FOR AN EXTRA BREAK, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION, EVEN THOUGH THEIR PEERS MIGHT KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND BE ADVOCATING FOR THEM TO STOP AND TAKE A BREAK, THEY JUST WON'T.
SO I, UM, AM HAPPY THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS AND PRACTICES THAT SEEK THE HELP OF OUR CURRENT EMPLOYERS BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE REALLY GOOD EMPLOYERS HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THAT WANT TO PROTECT THEIR WORKERS.
I DO BELIEVE THAT EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING RESOURCES FOR HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION THAT IS, UH, PROVIDED BY THE CITY WOULD HELP.
SO I WOULD SEE THAT WITH THIS COMES ALONG SOME CAMPAIGN AND I'M SURE SOME BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS ABOUT HOW TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, WHO DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET THE EMAILS THAT WE GET.
YESTERDAY WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REMINDING US HOW TO PREVENT HEAT, UH, RELATED, UM, INJURIES OR ILLNESSES.
UM, NOT EVERYBODY IN MY DISTRICT HAS AN EMAIL ADDRESS.
NOT EVERYBODY IN MY DISTRICT HAS A PHONE WHERE THEY CAN GET A TEXT MESSAGE.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY CAN REALLY HELP WITH THIS TYPE OF TRAINING AS WELL BY PSSAS OR PERHAPS BILLBOARDS AND WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL COMPANIES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE WHAT IS BEING DONE.
ONE AND TWO, NOT TO BE AFRAID TO SAY THAT YOU NEED A WATER BREAK.
SO FOR THIS REASON, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE AND I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF CREATING A TASK FORCE BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT TAKES MORE THAN, UH, OUR UNION, UH, ADVOCATES.
I THINK IT ALSO WILL TAKE OUR SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYERS.
I THINK IT'LL ALSO TAKE SOME OF OUR CORPORATE EMPLOYERS, UM, OUR GENERAL CONTRACTORS, EVERYBODY TO PUT IN A PIECE OF THE PIE TO REALLY MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT, UM, BE INTRUSIVE NECESSARILY TO BUSINESSES, BUT THAT ALSO WILL NOT BE, UM, AGAINST THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS WHO, WHO NEED THIS REPRESENTATION.
SO THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS TODAY.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GET IN DISCUSSION NOW.
UM, SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO REFER THIS, UH, C C R TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE FOR DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THAT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO OUR DISCUSSION.
TO MOVE THIS TO CHECK, UH, FOR DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, UM, BUT WE CAN GET INTO THAT NOW.
SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I THINK THIS IS A, AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND I KNOW THAT, UH, ALL OF US ARE ARE FEELING THE HEAT.
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BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS FROM A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE HERE, IF I MAY, UH, FROM A F L C I O I'D, I'D LIKE TO ASK SOMEBODY TO KIND OF LET ME KNOW WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MOST OF THE LABOR AGREEMENTS THAT A F L MEMBERS IN THE TRADES, UH, ARE PART OF, IS THERE, UH, AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ARREST TIME THAT'S USUALLY INCLUDED IN THOSE CONTRACTS? MORNING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCILMAN, COURAGE? UH, YES.AND ALL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING TRADES, WHETHER IT'S ELECTRICIANS, LABORERS, UH, CARPENTERS, THERE IS BAKED INTO THAT AGREEMENT.
A REST BREAK, UH, IT USUALLY RESULTS IN 10 MINUTES FOR EVERY FOUR HOURS WORK.
UH, SO IT IS STANDARD IN OUR LINE OF BUSINESS.
NOW THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE, UH, ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK HER, UH, DO YOU FIND THAT IT IS COMMON IN THE, UH, CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT YOUR MEMBERS MAKE, THAT THEY INCLUDE REST TIMES, UH, IN THEIR CONTRACTS FOR THE LABORERS? THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, QUESTION COUNCILMAN.
UM, I DO, AND IF YOU LOOK AT EACH GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND EVEN OUR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR SAFETY MANUALS, THERE ARE SPECIFIC SECTIONS RELATED TO HEAT AND HEAT ILLNESS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, ONE IN FRONT OF ME FROM A GENERAL CONTRACTOR WHERE THERE, THERE IS A PROVISION THAT SAYS ALL WORKERS WILL BE PERMITTED AT ANY TIME AND ENCOURAGE TO TAKE A PREVENTATIVE COOL DOWN REST WHEN THEY FEEL THE NEED TO DO SO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM OVERHEATING.
MANY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE ALREADY DOING THIS, AND IN FACT, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND ANY SORT OF STANDARD.
I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SMALL COMPANIES THAT DO CONTRACT LABOR, UH, THAT DO CONSTRUCTION.
UH, I CAN THINK OF, UM, ROOFERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE UP ON THOSE ROOFS PUTTING UP SHINGLES AND HAULING THOSE BIG BUNDLES OF SHINGLES UP THERE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TO HAVE A CONSISTENCY, WHETHER YOU'RE A BIG COMPANY OR A SMALL COMPANY, THAT YOU'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE INTEREST, UH, AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR EMPLOYEES.
SO I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF US HAVING A TASK FORCE LOOKING INTO THIS AND FINDING IF THERE ARE SOME COMMON, UH, WAYS OF ADDRESSING THE CONCERN ABOUT WORKERS' HEALTH, PARTICULARLY IN THE, IN THE HEAT AND IN OUR SAN ANTONIO ENVIRONMENT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY THOSE TWO ISSUES.
CAN YOU, UH, CAN YOU TELL US, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ENFORCES OR REGULATES, UH, AND ENFORCES ANY WORKER PROTECTION, UH, REGULATIONS, RULES, STANDARDS? GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMAN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE FOR, UH, PROTECTING OUR OWN EMPLOYEES, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE BOOKS, UM, THAT WE REGULATE, UH, FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYERS? SO, COUNCILMAN, I'M ASSUMING THAT, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, WORKER PROTECTION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S SIMILAR FOR PURPOSES OF SAFETY IN THIS SCENARIO.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, UM, FEDERALLY THERE IS THE OSHA OBLIGATIONS ON, UM, ON THOSE THAT ARE IN, IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
UM, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY ENFORCES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER CONTEXTS, UH, WHEN WE HAVE CITY CONTRACTORS, IF THERE IS A VIOLATION OF, YOU KNOW, LABOR CODE OR OSHA VIOLATIONS, WELL, POTENTIALLY WITH THAT CONTRACTOR, UM, THERE COULD BE AN ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS A VIOLATION OF CONTRACT.
BUT TO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OR REGULATION ACROSS THE BOARD CITYWIDE, WE DO NOT.
'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, THE TOP FOUR, UM, CATEGORIES FOR INJURY AND FATALITIES FOR WORKERS, THEY'RE FALLS GETTING STRUCK BY OBJECTS, UM, ELECTROCUTIONS AND GETTING CAUGHT BETWEEN SPACES AND EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANY REGULATIONS ON THE BOOKS THAT ADDRESS THE TOP FOUR MOST LIKELY REASONS FOR GETTING HURT OR, OR KILLED AT WORK, RIGHT? CORRECT, SIR.
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IF FROM THIS TASK FORCE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO ADOPT SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE THAT WE WOULD THEN GO TO THE WORK SITES AND ENFORCE, THAT WOULD BE A FIRST OF ITS KIND AND THE ONLY ISSUE THAT WE WOULD BE ADDRESSING, I SEE, RIGHT? CORRECT.UM, SO, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, UM, I REPRESENT A LOT OF WORKERS OUT THERE WHEN THEY GET INJURED, UM, WE HANDLE THEIR CASE, HANDLE THEIR CASE, HANDLE THEIR CASE, HANDLE THEIR CASE, HANDLE, THEIR CASE HEARING, HEARING ECHO.
HELLO? HELLO? HELLO? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? Y'ALL SECOND? SECOND.
UM, Y'ALL, UM, Y'ALL HEARING AS THAT GOES, I'M, AS THAT GOES, COUNCILMAN PALAZ, WHY DON'T WE COME BACK TO YOU? WE HEARD ALL THE FIRST PART OF YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS, WE JUST MISSED THAT LAST PART.
SO LET ME GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER COO HDA, WE'LL GET THE AV FIGURED OUT AND I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
UM, THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND, UH, DR.
ROCHA GARCIA FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.
I, I THINK THIS IS A VERY SOUND PUBLIC HEALTH IDEA, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE EXTREME HEAT THAT WE FELT THIS SUMMER.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON IT, WE DO SO WITH A CLEAR PLAN THAT IT CONSIDERS THE IMPACT NOT ONLY ON OUR CITY STAFF, BUT ON SMALL BUSINESSES.
WHAT DO, UM, UM, AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TASK FORCE, AND I'M, UM, ALMOST ALWAYS OPEN FOR A CONVERSATION, BUT I DID NOTICE IN THE MATERIALS THAT, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP WAS EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE WAS, UM, FOR THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT OR THE TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT A, UH, A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF WE HAVE ANY IDEA RIGHT NOW WHAT THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR THESE COMPANIES WOULD LOOK LIKE OR HOW WE WOULD OFFER TRAININGS.
WOULD THEY BE CITY STAFF GOING OUT AND TRAINING AT THIS POINT? COUNCILWOMAN? I, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S PUT THIS TASK FORCE TOGETHER AND, AND LET'S SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE.
SO, UM, THIS IS MAYBE GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF TOO, BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW, UH, A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE MIGHT BE ENFORCED AND HOW COMPLAINTS WILL BE INVESTIGATED IF THAT WOULD ALSO BE CITY.
YEAH, THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE, UH, TO, TO ENFORCE IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, I, I, WE'D HAVE TO PUT THIS TASK FORCE TOGETHER AND, AND I, I, WE, WE NEED FOLKS THAT, THAT WE'D BE REGULATING TO BE PRESENT ON THIS AND, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH, UH, WITH A WAY TO DO IT IF THAT'S WHAT THE TASK FORCE, UH, COMES UP WITH AS A RECOMMENDATION.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED TODAY THAT AUSTIN AND DALLAS HAVE A, HAVE AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING, UH, CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO PROVIDE WORKERS WITH 10 MINUTE BREAKS EVERY FOUR HOURS.
IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I, I RESEARCHED, RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.
SO HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM, UM, WE, WE LEARNED TODAY THAT THE UNIONS ARE, ARE DOING, MAYBE THAT'S A QUESTION FOR MY COLLEAGUES, UM, THAT THE UNION HAS ALREADY BAKED THESE INTO THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
YEAH, I'M NOT SURE I, YES, SIR.
100% OF THE CONTRACTS IN SAN ANTONIO FOR CONSTRUCTION ARE NOT UNION CONTRACTS.
THERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT ARE, IN FACT, I, I, I FAILED TO SAY THIS, THAT I REALLY COMMEND, UH, THE GUYS WHO ARE HERE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE FROM THE UNION, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE ALL THEIR CONTRACTS HAVE, HAVE THAT.
IT'S FOR REALLY THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN UNIONS THAT, THAT THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR RIGHT NOW.
DID YOU SAY, DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY? ALL CITY CONTRACTS ARE NON-UNION? NO, NO.
I SAID, NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF CONTRACTS ARE UNION CONTRACT.
WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE NOT? DO WE KNOW? WHY WOULD WE NOT GO UNION? THAT'S WEIRD TO ME.
SO I THINK THE CLARIFICATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN MEANS CITYWIDE CONTRACTS.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CITY CONTRACTORS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITYWIDE CONTRACT WORK NOT RELATED TO A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.
SO PRIVATE, PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS OR PRIVATE BUSINESSES CONTRACTING WITH CONTRACTORS.
AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS GOVERNED BY CBAS.
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OKAY.AND WHICH ARE NOT, I GUESS I REFER BACK TO MY ORIGINAL QUESTION THEN, IF, IF, UM, THE UNIONS ARE BAKING THESE INTO, UM, THERE ARE CONTRACTS ALREADY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD, I JUST NEED SOME CLARIFICATION THERE.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE TASK FORCE WILL DO.
BUT, UM, AND I'M A LITTLE, I'M A LITTLE ANXIOUS, I'LL TELL YOU BECAUSE THE, THE MEMO TALKED ALREADY ABOUT, UM, AN ORDINANCE, AND IT'S THE TASK FORCE.
I WANNA HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
BUT TO, TO ALREADY HEAD TOWARDS AN, AN ORDINANCE, LIKE IT'S A FOREGONE CONCLUSION, JUST MAKES ME A LITTLE ANXIOUS.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CITY FUNDS FOR, FOR ENFORCEMENT AND, UM, AND, UH, POTENTIALLY EVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, TRAININGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I, I, I'M JUST A LITTLE ANXIOUS ABOUT IT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU DID ADDRESS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT THERE'S BEEN ARGUMENTS BROUGHT TO US THAT, THAT, UH, THERE'S SIMILAR HOUSE AND SENATE BILLS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS, BUT THAT COULD TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME.
UM, I JUST WANNA SEE THAT THIS IS A MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL, UH, UM, ACTION THAT WE'RE TAKING FOR THE ACTUAL WORKERS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S THE INTENTION OF IT.
BUT IF WE CAN ENFORCE IT, IF WE CAN'T, UM, IF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, I, I JUST, I DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I DO WANNA HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
I'M JUST A LITTLE ANXIOUS ABOUT HEADING TOWARDS AN, AN ORDINANCE.
COUNCILS MEMBER, KEO HDA, UH, LET'S GO BACK TO YOU COUNCIL MEMBER EZ.
THE, THE COMMENTS I WAS GONNA MAKE WAS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN MY LAW PRACTICE, I REPRESENT EMPLOYEES, UM, WHO FIND THEMSELVES INJURED, UH, WHO GET FIRED BECAUSE THEY, UH, THEY FIND THEMSELVES INJURED.
WE WORK, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF 'EM.
UM, AND THE, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT WE HEAR ABOUT ARE FALLS, PEOPLE WHO GET STRUCK BY OBJECTS, UM, ELECTROCUTIONS CUTS, UM, BROKEN BONES, ET CETERA.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M ALL FOR STUDYING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT EDUCATING EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE THAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I THINK THAT FACES EMPLOYEES, IS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND THE BIG CONTRACTORS IN TOWN AND THE, THE, THOSE THAT ENTER INTO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, THEY, THEY'RE NOT THE PROBLEM.
THEY, THEY, THEY'VE GOT THIS HANDLED, AND THEY DO VERY, VERY WELL.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY SMALL OPERATORS WHO DON'T REALLY AVAIL THEMSELVES, UH, OF ALL THE BENEFITS OF, UH, THAT OSHA WOULD PROVIDE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO DON'T REALLY AVAIL THEMSELVES, WALLET PROTECTIONS, 'CAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY EXIST.
UM, AND SO, UH, UM, I WOULD TOTALLY SUPPORT AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, UM, IF THAT'S WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS TASK FORCE.
IF, HOWEVER, WHAT COMES OUTTA THIS TASK FORCE IS AN ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES HEAT, BUT WOULDN'T ADDRESS FALLS GETTING STRUCK BY OBJECTS, ELECTROCUTIONS OR CAUGHT, UH, BETWEEN OBJECT INJURIES.
UM, THEN I WOULDN'T SUPPORT AN ORDINANCE IF IT'S JUST GONNA PICK AND CHOOSE AND GET GRANULAR WITH HEAT.
UM, I WOULD, AND PROBABLY SUPPORT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD, UH, BE POLICING WHAT OSHA, UH, POLICES, UM, JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THE CITY IS ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE, AND IT NEVER SHOULD BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE.
BUT, UM, I'M, I'M ALL FOR A CONVERSATION TO SEE WHERE, WHERE THIS TAKES US.
AND SO I'LL BE VOTING YES TODAY, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TO SEND THIS FOR THE, UM, FOR THE CREATION OF A COMMITTEE.
MY QUESTION, ROD, IS, UM, SINCE THIS WON'T IMPACT LABOR UNIONS AT ALL SINCE THERE ARE, SINCE WE HEARD TODAY, UM, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UM, ALREADY PROTECTED BY THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, IS THE VISION HERE TO INCLUDE LABOR UNIONS IN, UH, ON THE COMMITTEE SINCE THEY HAVE NO SKIN IN THE GAME, OR EMPLOYEES WHO, UM, WHO ACTUALLY ARE, UH, BEING SUBJECTED TO, UH, A LACK OF, UH, OF PROTECTION? MY THOUGHT WAS THAT WE WOULD INCLUDE 'EM FROM, FROM AN EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER LIKE THIS, YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM, FROM ALL SIDES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT MAY BE VERY VALUABLE TO THE REST OF THE GROUP.
SO, UH, I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR THAT.
SO YES, IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO INCLUDE THEM.
AND THEN, UM, JUST MAKING SURE, I DON'T THINK WE, UM, WOULD BE HAVING A COMPLETE CONVERSATION UNLESS YOU HAD, UM, PEOPLE WHO, UH, REPRESENT, UM, BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEYS, UM, THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON HOW TO, HOW THIS STUFF ACTUALLY GETS REGULATED.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I HOPE THAT, UH, WHAT COMES OF THIS IS A COMMITTEE THAT HAS, UH, LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEYS THAT REPRESENT BOTH SIDES OF THIS EQUATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UM,
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A PRETTY BALANCED CONVERSATION.UM, I DO WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD, UM, A, A LETTER FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IN, IN SUPPORT OF THE C C R.
UM, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU CAN INCLUDE THAT.
UM, JUST A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
E ERIC, ACTUALLY, DID YOU WANT TO INTERJECT? UM, I, I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF IS CLEAR ON, ON WHAT THE CONVERSATION IS THAT I, I'M JUST SENSING, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS WE GO INTO THE FURTHER WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE, UM, THAT WE'RE GETTING GOOD DIRECTION FROM THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE TO SET THAT STAGE.
AND, AND I WANT TO ASK WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE, THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE AN EVALUATION THROUGH THIS WORK GROUP OF WHAT GAPS POTENTIALLY ARE OUT THERE.
UM, AND, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS TO DRIVE A LOT OF THAT, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT IN EVERY CASE.
BUT, BUT AS WE IDENTIFY GAPS, WHETHER THERE'S EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, PSAS, THAT TYPE OF STUFF, BUT IN TERMS OF AN ORDINANCE, UM, AND WHAT AN ORDINANCE MAY OR MAY NOT DO, AND, AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT THE ENFORCEMENT MIGHT BE, UM, UH, IN MY MIND THAT THAT COULD RUN A RUN THE GAMBIT.
AND, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE, THE CHECK COMMITTEE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE LAY OUT POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES OF, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND DALLAS, AS FAR AS WE ARE AWARE, DO NOT ENFORCE THEIR ORDINANCES.
UM, SO THAT'S WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THE WORK GROUP.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE RAISES THE WHOLE QUESTION OF WHY DO YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE IF YOU DON'T ENFORCE IT? SO, UM, I, I DON'T WANNA BE CAUGHT IN THAT POSITION, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE IMPORTANT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE, THAT WE CONTINUE TO LAY OUT THE GAPS AND ALTERNATIVES TO ADDRESS THE GAPS, UM, RATHER THAN JUST JUMP LAUNCHING INTO, UM, AN AN ORDINANCE TO, TO SOLVE AN ISSUE THAT WE DON'T KNOW IS DIRECTED TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
AND I'M, I, I WANNA BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THAT.
I'M SUGGESTING WE BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIA, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER O GARCIA.
THAT DOES BEG THE QUESTION, WHY PASS AN ORDINANCE IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ENFORCE IT? AND THAT THE ANSWER IS, IS BECAUSE YOU NEVER HAD AN INTENTION OF ENFORCING IT, AND IT WAS JUST PERFORMATIVE.
UM, I HOPE THAT WHATEVER WE DO DOESN'T RESULT IN THAT.
UM, THE, UH, I DO WANNA SEE IF THERE'S AN APPETITE TO AMEND THIS MOTION.
UM, INSTEAD OF SENDING IT TO, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH INEQUITY, I, I MOVE THAT WE SEND IT TO PLANNING, UM, AND, UH, HAVE COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA'S COMMITTEE HANDLE THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE MUCH CLOSER TO THE BUILDING TRADES, UM, AND THIS ISSUE OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, CODE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO THERE, YEAH, THAT'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO SHOULD WE HANDLE THAT AS AN AMENDMENT OR AS A SEPARATE MOTION? MAYOR, I WOULD HANDLE IT AS AN AMENDMENT THAT AMENDING THE PRIOR MOTION.
HE'S SEEKING A SECOND TO AMEND THE PRIOR MOTION THAT INSTEAD OF ONE COMMITTEE, YOU GO TO ANOTHER.
AND, AND TO CLARIFY, COUNCIL MEMBER PLY, YOU'RE SUGGESTING TO SEND IT TO PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND INSTEAD OF COMMUNITY HEALTH INEQUITY, OR IN ADDITION TO DO, UH, INSTEAD OF FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUTTING THIS, UM, COMMITTEE, UH, THIS, THIS, UH, COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND, UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION ON WHAT TO DO WITH THE RESULT TASK FORCE.
UH, SO LIZ, WE WILL TAKE THAT MOTION FIRST AND THEN, OKAY.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE, UH, COUNCILMAN PAL'S, UH, AND, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN, UM, CAO'S QUESTIONS.
I, I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL, UM, MOVES IN THIS COUNCILMAN PER OR COUNCILMAN PALAIS MENTIONED HEAT EXHAUST OR MENTIONED, UM, FALLS.
AND SO I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS ANY RESEARCH, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE STAFF DOES SOME RESEARCH ON FALLS AS RELATED TO DIZZINESS, RIGHT? AND SO, AND HEAT EXHAUSTION CAUSING THAT DIZZY SPELL, FOR INSTANCE.
AND THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE BAD EFFECT BEING THAT THERE IS A FALL AND A VERY SERIOUS FALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY RESEARCH, BUT IF THERE'S ANYBODY OUT THERE NOW, I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT QUESTION.
F Y I, UM, BUT I AM, I'M, I'M FINE.
I WOULD BE FINE IF IT HAD TO GO EVEN TO BOTH COMMITTEES.
I DO SEE COUNCILMAN ELIAS'S POINT IN THAT A LOT OF THE, FOR INSTANCE, HOUSING BOND, UM, PROJECTS THAT WE
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HAVE COMING UP, WE'RE GOING TO BE EMPLOYING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BE WORKING IN HEAT, ET CETERA.SO I, I DO SEE HIS, HIS POINT.
WE HAVE U D C AMENDMENTS COMING UP THROUGH MY COMMITTEE AS WELL.
UM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPOSED TO ABSTAIN FROM THAT PART BECAUSE I'M THE CHAIR OF THE P C D C COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD BE FINE WITH IT GOING TO MY COMMITTEE OR TO BOTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, AND ANY, UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I, I GET CONCERNED IF IT GOES TO TOO MANY COMMITTEES.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO LOOK AT THE HEALTH, UH, AND SAFETY OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK.
AND I REALLY THINK PUTTING THAT THROUGH THE CHECK COMMITTEE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A GOOD WAY OF DOING THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO BE REDUNDANT IN HAVING IT GO THROUGH BOTH COMMITTEES.
WHAT I MIGHT ASK IS THAT WE, WE STAY WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT ASK THAT THE RECOMMENDATION THEN BE FORWARDED OR WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION, UH, CHECK COMMITTEE COMES UP WITH, BE FORWARDED TO THE PLANNING, UH, COMMITTEE FOR OUR REVIEW AND MAYBE ADDITIONAL INPUT.
'CAUSE SOME OF THE MEMBERS AREN'T ON BOTH COMMITTEES.
AND WE COULD EVEN SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO HEAR MORE TESTIMONY ABOUT IT IN OUR COMMITTEE.
BUT I THINK THAT IF WE SAY IT SHOULD GO TO BOTH, UM, BEFORE ANY KIND OF ACTIONS TAKEN, I MEAN, WE MAY DECIDE AS A COMMITTEE, WE'VE SEEN WHAT THE CHECK COMMITTEE'S COME UP WITH, AND THAT'S FINE WITH US.
WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION.
SO I DON'T WANNA SUBSTITUTE THE ORIGINAL INTENT, UH, TO LOOK AT IT FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AS OPPOSED TO A, A PLANNING OR CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KURZ.
I TEND TO AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENT.
I MEAN, I, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN FILED, UM, BECAUSE OF A HEALTH CONCERN.
SO LOGICALLY IT WOULD GO TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND, AND, UM, EQUITY COMMITTEE.
I DON'T THINK SUBSTANTIVELY IT MATTERS 'CAUSE EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER IS GONNA GET TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.
UH, BUT I, I DO THINK I SUPPORT THE, THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
LET ME ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THOUGH.
UH, 'CAUSE ENFORCEMENT'S COME UP, ERIC, AND, AND THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA NEED SOME EDUCATION IN THE PROCESS.
HOW ARE OSHA VIOLATIONS ENFORCED NOW? MAYOR, THE OSHA HAS IT, GO AHEAD, BRAD, IF YOU WANNA GO THROUGH.
BUT OSHA HAS, UM, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BE ABLE TO, TO FILE COMPLAINTS THAT DEAL WITH, UM, POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF OSHA EMPLOYERS.
AND SO PRIVATE EMPLOYERS THEN DEAL WITH OSHA DIRECTLY, UM, IN RESPONSE TO THOSE COMPLAINTS.
IS, IS THERE ANY, UM, I MEAN, ARE THERE ANY APPEALS MADE TO THE CITY, UM, THROUGH OUR, IF IT'S A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, DO WE ASSIST WITH THAT PROCESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? MAYOR, I'M UNAWARE OF ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP.
UM, BUT IF THERE WERE POTENTIALLY, OR HYPOTHETICALLY AN OSHA VIOLATION THAT COULD BE A AVAIL.
UH, A CON, IF IT'S OUR CONTRACTOR MM-HMM.
I MEAN, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WANNA BE SURE THAT IT'S CORRECTED AND CURED AND THAT EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE GETTING THE PROPER TREATMENT AND SAFETY MEASURES.
UM, SO WE WOULD WORK WITH THE CONTRACTOR FIRST AND FOREMOST TO GET THAT ASSURANCE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE, BUT I'M UNAWARE OF ANY SITUATION WE'VE HAD SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE HAD TO FOLLOW UP.
WELL, UM, AND I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME THAT, UH, WITH THE WORK THAT YOU OVERSEE ROD AND RAZZIE, UH, THAT THE EMPLOYERS THAT WE WORK WITH, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IN TERMS OF BEST PRACTICES, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE EXPECT FROM THE PEOPLE WE CONTRACT WITH, RIGHT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW OSHA REQUIREMENTS.
WELL, UM, SO I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN THE, IN THE DISCUSSION AND THE FEEDBACK, OBVIOUSLY, UH, I DO AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, AND, UM, WELL, I THINK EVERYBODY'S SAID IT, UH, WHO IS WEIGHING INTO THE TASK FORCE? IMP IS IMPORTANT.
WE NEED THE, THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORKERS WHO ARE DOING THAT WORK.
WE ALSO NEED THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE CONTRACTING THAT WORK.
UH, SO WE NEED TO HAVE A BALANCE COMMITTEE.
MY QUESTION IS, WHO'S, HOW IS THAT COMMITTEE GONNA BE, OR HOW IS THAT TASK FORCE GONNA BE FORMED? WHO'S DOING IT? UM, IS THAT GONNA BE A A D S D TASK FORCE ROD? YES.
WE WERE GONNA WORK WITH D S D TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
I WOULD JUST ASK, I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD SOME GOOD PERSPECTIVE ON THE COUNCIL HERE
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AS YOU FORMULATE THAT TASK FORCE.SO YOU CHECK IN WITH THE AUTHORS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING THE MARK ON, ON THE BALANCE ON THAT.
UH, SO THERE'S TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR NOW.
UH, THE ONE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PLY HAS MADE TO SEND IT TO, UH, P C D C, AND THEN THE FIRST MOTION MADE BY, UM, I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, UH, TO SEND IT TO CHECK.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
I ASSUME ONE OF THOSE IS GONNA PASS SO WE CAN KEEP THIS MOVING.
UH, SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE UP THE SECOND MOTION FIRST FROM PIAS, UH, WHICH IS TO SEND IT TO P C D C.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT PARTICULAR MOTION? ANY FURTHER? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE OR WHY DON'T I, WHY DON'T I GET A ROLL CALL? MADAM CLERK, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
UM, NOW I'M GONNA ASK FOR AFFIRMATION OF THAT PARTICULAR MOTION SINCE IT'S, THERE'S NO SECONDARY MOTION.
IS THAT CORRECT, LIZ? OR IS, OR WOULD THERE BE A SECOND? ANOTHER MOTION TO ALSO SEND IT TO CHECK? OKAY.
NO, NO, THE, THE WHAT PASSED WAS AN AMENDMENT TO THE INITIAL MOTION.
AS A RESULT, WE, WHAT WE HAVE LIVE ON THE FLOOR IS THE MOTION TO SEND THE WORK TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
SO EFFECTIVELY WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING.
SO NOW WE ARE TAKING UP THE MO THE AMENDED MOTION.
THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR NOW TO SEND IT TO P C D C I, I STATED THE FIRST PART OF IT WRONG.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT EFFECTIVELY WE'VE DONE THAT.
SO, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO SEND IT TO P C D C, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
IS THAT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR WHAT WE JUST DID? OKAY.
UM, LET'S MOVE NOW TO ITEM THREE.
ITEM ITEM THREE IS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TERRY CASTILLO, DISTRICT FIVE, REGARDING THE CREATION OF THE SAN ANTONIO VOLUNTEER EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS PROGRAM.
ALRIGHT, ROD, IF YOU CAN GET US STARTED AND THEN I'LL CALL UP COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS ITEM IS, AS THE CLERK JUST MENTIONED, IS A CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER TERRY CASTILLO REGARDING THE CREATION OF THE SAN ANTONIO VOLUNTEER EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS PROGRAM, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SAVES.
UH, THIS WOULD ESTABLISH A LOCAL PROPERTY TAX BREAK AND SENIOR ISOLATION REDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM.
I DO HAVE A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE ME TO GO THROUGH THAT.
I CAN CERTAINLY, I CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
UM, I'M SORRY, I WAS
COULD YOU SAY
UM, AS I MENTIONED THE SAVES PROGRAM, LET VERY QUICKLY GO OVER THE PROVI PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS BASED ON STATE STATUTE.
UM, TEXAS STATE CODE ALLOWS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF A SERVICE IN LIEU OF CITY TAXES ON A HOMESTEAD OF A PERSON AGE 65 OR O OR OLDER.
UNDER THE STATE STATUTE, THE PROGRAM PROVISIONS, UM, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A CONTRACT WHICH OUTLINES THE NATURE AND LENGTH OF THE SERVICE TO BE PERFORMED.
SO WE'D HAVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE SENIOR.
UM, A SENIOR WOULD RECEIVE A CREDIT AGAINST THE TAXES OWED FOR EACH HOUR SERVED, AND THAT WOULD BE EQUAL TO THE MINIMUM WAGE OF $7 AND 25 CENTS.
UH, THIS CREDIT COULD ONLY BE APPLIED TO THE CURRENT TAXES.
WE CAN'T APPLY, APPLY IT TO DELINQUENT, BUT THIS WOULD CERTAINLY CREATE CAPACITY BY TAKING CARE OF THE CURRENT TAXES, UM, AND FREEING UP ADDITIONAL MONEY TO BE APPLIED TO THOSE DELINQUENT TAX BALANCES.
THE PERIOD CANNOT BE LONGER THAN A YEAR.
AND AS PART OF THIS, AND WITH OUR CURRENT VOLUNTEERS NOW, UM, THERE'D BE NO INDEMNIFICATION OR INSURANCE COVERAGE TO THE VOLUNTEERS BASED ON STATE STATUTE.
THERE ARE ARE A LOT OF THINGS, UM, THAT WE'D HAVE TO EVALUATE TO PUT THE, THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE FROM A CITY STANDPOINT.
UM, WE'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHO FROM A ORGANIZATION STANDPOINT IS GOING TO LEAD THIS, THE RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED AND THE SYSTEMS THAT WE NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY MONITOR THE, UH, THE SENIOR ACTIVITY AND THE HOURS WORKED.
UM, WE'D HAVE TO PUT CRITERIA IN PLACE, UH, UM, ESTABLISHING THAT ELIGIBLE POPULATION.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO, UM, TO, UM, DISPLACE OUR EXISTING VOLUNTEERS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR
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EXAMPLE, THAT MAY BE IN MULTI-FAMILY THAT MAY NOT BE IN A HOMESTEAD.AND THEN CREATE PARAMETERS TO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WE WANT IN PLACE, THE HOURS AVAILABLE FOR THE THIRD WORK, WHERE THE SERVICES WOULD BE PERFORMED, AND WHAT WOULD BE THE OVERALL FINANCIAL IMPACT TO OUR CITY BUDGET.
COORDINATE WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT, HOW THIS WOULD WORK, AND THEN BRING THIS BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
JUST REAL QUICK, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE RELIEF THAT WE OFFER TODAY.
UM, FOR OVER 65, THEY HAVE THE 10% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
CURRENTLY, UM, BASED ON Y'ALL'S ACTIONS, INCREASED IT TO 85,000 OR OLDER.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE A FREEZE IN PLACE FOR OUR SENIORS.
PROVIDE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 102,000 SENIOR HOMESTEADS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE AGE 65 OR OLDER.
UH, APPROXIMATELY 32,000 SENIORS HAVE THEIR TAX BILLS FROZEN AT, UM, $0.
THEY WON'T HAVE ANY TAXES AT ALL.
4,935 HOMESTEADS WITH THE SENIOR EXEMPTION THAT ARE CURRENTLY DELINQUENT ON THEIR CITY PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY HAVE TAX DEFERRALS, MEANING THAT THAT HAS DEFERRED UNTIL EITHER THE PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS OR UNTIL, UM, DEATH.
Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, BUT JUST WANT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS FAR AS FOR AN AVERAGE HOUSE, UM, THAT HAS A MARKET VALUE OF 230,000 OR AN ASSESSED VALUE OF 220,000 BASED ON THE EXEMPTIONS THAT Y'ALL APPROVED.
WITH A $22,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THE OVER 65 IN THE REDUCED TAX RATE COMPARED TO F Y 2022, THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING A BENEFIT OF AN, UH, REDUCTION OF $114.
AND THERE'S THEIR, UM, TAXES ARE ALL AS FROZEN, UM, AT THE, UM, CURRENT TAX CEILING.
SO IN SUMMARY, OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, IS ACTUALLY TO TAKE FISCAL YEAR 23, GO BACK AND, AND LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE FROM A RESOURCE STANDPOINT TO PUT THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE.
UM, COME BACK WITH A FRAMEWORK AND A PLAN, UM, THAT WILL ALLOW FOR IMPLEMENTATION F Y 24, AND EITHER COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH THAT FRAMEWORK OR IF Y'ALL LIKE TO REFER THAT TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE AS WELL.
BUT THIS WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE TIME TO ALLOW FOR, UH, WORK WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP THAT FRAMEWORK TO INCLUDE COORDINATION WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR, AND THEN ALSO COORDINATE WITH THE CURRENT CITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO SENIORS AND HOW THIS PROGRAM COULD COORDINATE OUR WORK WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS. MAYOR, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS WAS A C C R FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
SO I'LL INVITE HER UP TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE US A BRIEFING.
THEN WE'LL START OUR DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME TO DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE SAVE C C R.
RECENTLY, RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RATED PROPERTY TAXES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS ONE OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.
CITY COUNCIL ALSO VOTED TO PROVIDE UNPRECEDENTED LOCAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF BY INCREASING THE HOMESTEAD SENIOR AND DISABLED EXEMPTIONS.
HOMEOWNERS IN ALL 10 DISTRICTS ARE DEMANDING PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND THIS COUNCIL IS RESPONDING.
THE SAN ANTONIO VOLUNTEER EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS PILOT PROGRAM ADDS ANOTHER TOOL TO OUR TOOL BELT WHEN IT COMES TO ENSURING OUR SENIORS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED DECADES OF PROPERTY TAXES CAN AGE IN THEIR HOME WITH DIGNITY.
THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE SENIOR CENTERS AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION FROM MORE OF OUR SENIORS WHO HAVE BATTLED ISOLATION OVER THE PANDEMIC.
JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT, SENIOR CENTEN, UH, SENIOR CENTER ATTENDANCE IS DOWN ALMOST 12% FROM OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 GOAL.
AS WE LOOK TO ARPA FUNDS AND THE BUDGET TO INCREASE ACTIVITIES AND ATTENDANCE AT OUR SENIOR CENTERS, THE SAVES PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE THAT MUCH NEEDED INCENTIVE.
THIS PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDES LOCAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO SAN ANTONIO HOMEOWNERS SENIOR HOMEOWNERS, WHILE CONNECTING THEM TO SAVE VOLUNTEER AND SOCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES.
FEDERAL AND STATE LAW ALLOW CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO TO REWARD SENIORS FOR THEIR VOLUNTEER SERVICE BY REDUCING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
FOR EXAMPLE, A SENIOR WITH A $3,000 PROPERTY TAX BILL WHO VOLUNTEERS 40 HOURS OVER THE YEAR WOULD SAVE ABOUT 10% OR $300 ON THEIR CITY PROPERTY TAXES.
THIS PROGRAM WILL BE VOLUNTARILY SO NO SENIOR WOULD BE FORCED TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, IN FACT, MANY SENIORS CURRENTLY VOLUNTEER AT THEIR SENIOR CENTER, UH, WITH NO ADDED BENEFIT.
THIS POLICY REQUEST WOULD ASSIST EXISTING SENIOR VOLUNTEERS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH MEANINGFUL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
FOR SENIORS WHO ARE HOME BOUND OR AREN'T CAPABLE OF VOLUNTEERING, WE CAN ALSO CREATE A SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS TO ALLOW ANOTHER ADULT TO VOLUNTEER IN THEIR PLACE SO THE SENIOR CAN STILL RECEIVE THEIR PROPERTY TAX BREAK.
THIS CAN INCLUDE MAKING PHONE CALLS TO OTHER SENIORS TO CHECK IN OR RATING TO OTHERS.
[00:50:01]
SURPRISED AT HOW ACTIVE SENIORS ARE.AS Y'ALL AT 10 Y'ALL SENIOR CENTERS IN Y'ALL'S DISTRICTS, UH, UM, MANY SENIORS FEEL THAT THEY ARE HITTING THEIR STRIDE IN THEIR SIXTIES.
MANY OF OUR OLDER AMERICANS ARE RETIRED OR LIVE ON FIXED INCOMES.
RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND SOCIAL SECURITY OFTEN DO NOT KEEP UP WITH INFLATION.
SO SENIORS ARE FORCED TO MAKE CUTS TO THEIR SPENDING, WHICH CAN IMPACT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE SAVES PROGRAM, WHICH HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR RETIRED PERSONS WOULD SAVE SENIOR VOLUNTEERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
AND I WANNA THANK, UH, MY COLLEAGUES WHO SIGNED ON TO THIS POLICY REQUEST, AND I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, WHICH IS TO, UH, THAT A FRAMEWORK FOR A PILOT PROJECT BE DESIGNED IN F Y 23 FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN F Y 24.
WAS THERE A SECOND? UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, TROY W WAS THIS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION TO SEND THIS TO A COMMITTEE FOR, UH, CONTINUED OBSERVATION OR I DID NOT HAVE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION FOR COMMITTEE.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL LIKE, THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN THAT.
UH, W WHY, WHY DON'T WE SUSS THAT OUT, UH, DURING THE DISCUSSION? BUT I, I THINK I WOULD LIKE IT PERHAPS IN HERE.
I THINK, UM, I THINK GOVERNANCE IS THE, THE RIGHT COMMITTEE TO MONITOR THIS FROM TIME TO TIME.
UM, I, I'D LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU.
UM, I, I, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO KNOWS THAT IF, IF I'D BEEN IN THE ROOM, I'D GIVEN HER A FIST PUMP AND A HIGH FIVE ON THIS ONE.
UM, AND MY, UH, MY HOMIE FROM D FIVE GOT IT RIGHT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SENIORS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT NEED IT THE MOST.
UM, AND I REALLY, REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO VOTING YES ON THIS WHEN THE TIME COMES.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I, UM, SIGNED ONTO YOUR C C R EARLY ON.
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS THAT I SAW WITH THE C C R AND, AND, UM, NOT THAT I WASN'T ENTIRELY SOLD ON ALL THE OTHER STUFF, BUT THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN OPTION FOR HOME BOUND SENIORS WHERE AN ADULT SUBSTITUTE CAN VOLUNTEER IN THE SENIOR'S PLACE SO THAT THE SENIOR COULD STILL RECEIVE THE REDUCTION.
AND, UM, YOU ALL KNOW I'M A COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND MY STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS DOING SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS, AND I THOUGHT, OH MY GOSH, THIS WOULD BE PERFECT, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE COULD REALLY MAKE SUCH, UM, SOCIAL IMPACT, LIKE IF WE IDENTIFY HOME BOUND SENIORS WHO CAN'T NECESSARILY DO, DO THE WORK AND PAIR THEM UP WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS.
BUT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, THAT'LL BE AN OFFLINE CONVERSATION.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER KI THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, I'M CURIOUS HOW, IF WE KNOW HOW MANY SENIORS CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE, UM, IN THE, IN THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S PART OF PUTTING THIS FRAMEWORK TOGETHER.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK CITYWIDE TO GET AN INVENTORY.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS MAY MANAGE THEIR OWN.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO DO AND BRING BACK TO YOU AS FAR AS WHAT THE POPULATION IS AS FAR AS SENIORS.
YOU ALSO MAKE IT CLEAR, WE, WHEN THE C C R UH, CAME, UM, FIRST CAME ABOUT, WE GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY SAYING THAT WE WERE FORCING SENIORS TO WORK TO GET, UM, TO GET THESE CREDITS.
CAN CAN YOU EXPLAIN JUST THAT THIS IS NOT, THIS IS ALL VOLUNTARY.
IT'S A LOT OF TIMES SENIORS ARE ALREADY DOING THE WORK AND THEY'RE JUST GONNA GET CREDIT FOR, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THIS WOULD BE A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM, AND AS PART OF THEIR VOLUNTEER, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE A CREDIT FOR THE WORK DONE AGAINST THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE DOZENS OF SENIORS THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING IN OUR SENIOR CENTERS IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST A WAY TO GET, FOR THEM TO GET A LITTLE, UH, EXTRA BONUS, UM, AND SUPPORT FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT WOULD, I MEAN, I THINK IN TALKING TO, UM, WITH MELODY, AT LEAST AT THE SENIOR CENTERS AND WITHIN D H S, THERE'S ABOUT 600 THAT WE USE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ENTIRE POPULATION IS ACROSS THE CITY, BUT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO EARN CREDIT AGAINST THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
I THINK, AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY EXPLORE IS THAT, UM, OF THOSE SENIORS, HOW MANY ARE MULTI-FAMILY VERSUS ACTUALLY OWN HOMES, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DISPLACING SOME OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.
I'D, I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE IT DEVELOPED OUT AND COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE DISCUSSION.
BUT AT THIS POINT I SUPPORT IT AND I MOVE THE QUESTION.
[00:55:02]
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.UH, AND I ALSO, UH, ECHO ALL THE POSITIVE STATEMENTS.
I, I CALLED YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CASTILLO WHEN, WHEN YOU FATHER, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
UM, MY ONLY ASK IS THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ARE APPROPRIATE, UH, FOR FOLKS.
UM, AND I, MY ONE QUESTION IS THERE A, IS THERE A CAP OR SOMEBODY COULD REALLY WIPE OUT THEIR ENTIRE PROPERTY TAX BILL BY DOING VOLUNTEER WORK? THAT'S UNDETERMINED.
WE'LL GO BACK AND RESEARCH IT, BUT I DON'T, DO NOT, I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS A CAP.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, UH, FOR, FOR VOLUNTEERING.
SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UM, BEGINNING THE PILOT PROJECT.
AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME CHECK-INS ON THE PROGRESS HERE AT GOVERNANCE.
THAT'S THE BOUNCE OF OUR AGENDA.
IT IS 11:09 AM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.