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[ PROCEDURAL ]
MORNING EVERYONE.WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION.
UH, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT MANY FOLKS IN OUR ATTENDANCE TODAY WHO ARE GOING TO BE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS WE BEGIN OUR MEETING TODAY.
UH, TO GET US STARTED, LET ME ASK THE CLERK TO READ THE ROLE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER VIE GRANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
HERE, SIR, WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE'LL START THE MEETING.
UH, IT'S 9:41 AM ON THIS 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2022.
UH, THANK YOU AND WELCOME AGAIN, UH, TO START US TODAY.
LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, I BELIEVE WITH THE INVOCATION.
TODAY IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE A NEW FACE TO CITY COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FATHER MESSA JOINS US FOR AN INVOCATION.
UH, BUT HE IS NOT NEW TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, IN FACT, HE WAS JUST TELLING ME HOW HE AND OUR, UH, AND VERONICA, THE BICYCLE, UH, PATROL, UH, KNOW EACH OTHER.
SO HE'S NOT GOING TO GET A TICKET.
UM, FATHER MESA, UM, FATHER MESA WAS BORN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF INDIA, IN THE STATE OF AND PRADESH TO CATHOLIC PARENTS, AND ATTENDED A CATHOLIC MISSIONARY BOARDING SCHOOL AND ENCOURAGED BY HIS UNCLE TO BECOME A PRIEST AND THEN JOINED THE MINOR SEMINARY TO CONTINUE STUDIES IN PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY.
AND HE WAS ORDAINED IN APRIL OF 2010 AND WORKED AT ST.
ANTHONY'S ORPHANAGE IN INDIA FOR TWO YEARS.
IN 2012, FATHER MESA HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE TO THE UNITED STATES AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE GREATEST PLACE OF ALL, AND THAT WAS THE SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL IN SAN ANTONIO, DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, DESPITE EXPERIENCING SOME CULTURAL SHOCKS IN THE BEGINNING, HE QUICKLY ADJUSTED TO MEXICAN FOOD BECAUSE OF ITS SIMILARITIES TO INDIAN FOOD, IS WHAT I'M TOLD
DURING HIS FOUR YEARS AT THE CATHEDRAL, HE RECALLS MEMORIES OF FIESTA CELEBRA FIESTA CELEBRATIONS AND SPURS CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.
HE ALSO LEARNED TO SPEAK SPANISH DURING THAT TIME, UH, FATHER MESA THEN WENT ON TO SERVE AT BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, THEN AT ST.
ANDREW CHURCH IN PLEASANTON, TEXAS.
AND THEN HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE SECOND MOST WONDERFUL PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES TO SERVE AS A PRIEST.
PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, UM, WHICH IS WHERE I MADE MY FIRST HOLY COMMUNION.
SO HE IS CURRENTLY THERE, UH, AND THAT CHURCH IS OF COURSE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, AND HE'S BEEN THERE SINCE, UH, JUST OVER A YEAR SINCE JULY OF 2021.
HIS PARENTS AND FOUR SIBLINGS, UH, STILL RESIDE IN INDIA.
HE VISITS THEM ONCE A YEAR AND FACETIMES HIS MOTHER REGULARLY BECAUSE SHE MISSES HIM.
FATHER, UH, HE LOVES TO COOK, IS A BIG FAN OF INDIAN CRICKET.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE SOME CRICKET FIELDS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, WE'LL TAKE YOU OUT TO SEE THEM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
AND OF COURSE, A BIG FAN OF SPURS BASKETBALL.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, FATHER MESA, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I'M SO HONORED TO BE HERE, AND I AM VERY HAPPY THAT WE ARE BEGINNING OUR MEETING WITH PRAYER
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IN WORKING GOD'S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE IT'S MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR LIVES, GOD.SO WHEN WE KEEP GOD ALIVE IN OUR LIVES, EVERYTHING MOVES UNWELL.
SO LET US BEGIN WITH THE SIGN OF FAITH.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE LIVE AND WORK AND PLAY.
LORD, THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THE LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL IN OUR CITY, GIVE THEM THE GRACE TO BRING TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND STABILITY TO OUR REGION.
GIVE THEM THE POWER TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND TO RULE IN FAIRNESS, MAY OUR COMMUNITY BE KNOWN FOR ITS JUSTICE.
GRANT IS THE WISDOM AND COURAGE TO KNOW AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD AND TRUE.
MAY WE SPEAK OUT WHEN IT IS TIME TO SPEAK OUT AND LISTEN PATIENTLY AND RESPECTIVELY.
WHEN IT IS TIME TO LISTEN, MAY WE ALWAYS BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, BY THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, BY THE SPIRIT OF LOVE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, I'M ASKING THAT YOU WOULD GRACIOUSLY GRANT THEM WISDOM TO GOVERN AMID THE CONFLICTING INTERESTS AND ISSUES OF OUR TIMES, A SENSE OF THE WELFARE AND TRUE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.
A KEEN THIRST FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS CONFIDENCE IN WHAT IS GOOD AND FITTING THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY EVEN WHEN THERE IS HONEST DISAGREEMENT, PERSONAL PEACE IN THEIR LIVES, AND JOY IN THEIR TASK.
HEAVENLY FATHER, PLEASE GIVE ASSURANCE OF WHAT IS WHAT WOULD PLEASE YOU AND WHAT WOULD BENEFIT THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN AND AROUND OUR BELOVED CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
HEAVENLY FATHER, PLEASE GUIDE US SO THAT THIS MEETING CAN BE PRODUCTIVE.
LET US BE EFFECTIVE AND DECISIVE.
WE ASK THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD.
ALRIGHT, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 28 AND 29, 20 22.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE SHALL MOVE.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION? UH, SECOND WITH ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
WHY DON'T WE DO A, A VOICE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE SECOND THING WE WILL DO BEFORE WE GET TO OUR CEREMONIALS IS WE WILL SWEAR IN OUR NEW MAYOR PRO TEM.
UH, SO IF COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ COULD APPROACH THE PODIUM FOR HIS NEW TERM, GOOD MORNING.
IF YOU RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, I STATE YOUR NAME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID? THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTIN CONTI.
CONTRIBUTE ANY MONIES OR THING OF VALUE OR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONIES OR THING OF VALUE OR PROMISE ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR PROMISE ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE
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OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION.AT WHICH, AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, I WAS ELECTED OR AS A RE REWARD OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT.
OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
SO HELP ME GOD, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
DO I KEEP THIS UP? I STATE YOUR NAME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM CITY SAN ANTONIO OF MAYOR PRO TEM CITY SAN ANTONIO FOR THE TERMS OF OCTOBER 25TH, 2020 THROUGH 2022 THROUGH JANUARY 3RD, 2023, OCTOBER 25TH, FOR THE TERMS OF OCTOBER 25TH, 2022.
2022 THROUGH JANUARY 3RD THROUGH JANUARY 3RD, 2023.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL DO TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL DO TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT, DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
WELL, WE HAVE A BIG CHAMBER FILLED, UH, FILLED WITH, UH, PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE TODAY.
SO I WOULD ASK US ALL, UH, TO, UM, ENJOY THE NEXT FEW MOMENTS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE'RE GONNA GET TO CELEBRATE A FEW OF THEM NOW.
UH, AND SO I'LL BEGIN, UH, BY NOTING THAT TODAY THE CITY COUNCIL AND I ARE PROUD TO CELEBRATE THE UNITED STATES NAVY'S 247TH BIRTHDAY RECOGNIZE THEIR SERVICE TO OUR NATION.
THERE ARE MANY NOTABLE VETERANS OF THE US NAVY TO INCLUDE TWO WITH DEEP TEXAS TIES, N F L HALL OF FAMER AND DALLAS COWBOY ROGERS STAUBACH, AND ESPECIALLY N B A HALL OF FAMER AND BELOVED SAN ANTONIO SPUR THE ADMIRAL DAVID ROBINSON.
BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS NOT WITHOUT ITS OWN ROSTER OF NAVY VETERANS WORTHY OF HALL OF FAME STATUS.
OUR CITY BOAST JUST OVER 220 EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EITHER SERVED IN THE NAVY OR CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE NAVAL RESERVES.
AND AS WE I DO EVERY YEAR, MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR OWN CITY ATTORNEY, ANDY SEGOVIA, WHO SERVED FROM 1981 TO 1987 AS A SURFACE WARFARE OFFICER ON THE GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER, U S S BERKELEY IS ALSO A NAVY MAN.
ANDY'S SON IS AN ON ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE NAVY AS WELL SINCE THE NAVY'S ESTABLISHMENT IN 1775 DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AMERICAN SAILORS HAVE SKILLFULLY AND SUCCESSFULLY FACED OUR NATION'S FOES, BOTH ON SHORES AND ABROAD.
THE NAVY CELEBRATED HISTORY INCLUDES ACTION DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE CIVIL WAR, AND NUMEROUS OTHER CONFLICTS IN BETWEEN.
DURING WORLD WAR I, THE IN THE INNER YEAR WARS, THE NAVY SPENT MUCH OF ITS TIME PROTECTING AND SHIPPING THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS AND MARINES TO THE WESTERN FRONT OVER U-BOAT INFESTED WATERS.
DURING WORLD WAR II, THE NAVY GREW INTO FORMIDABLE FORCE THAT FACED A TWO FRONT WAR ON THE SEAS.
THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE NATION'S ISLAND HOPPING CAMPAIGN AND PARTICIPATED IN MANY LEGENDARY BATTLES OPERATING FROM COMBATANT SHIP SUBMARINES AND AIRCRAFT.
THE NAVY CONTINUED TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF DURING THE COLD WAR AND DURING MORE RECENT CONFLICTS TO INCLUDE KOREA, VIETNAM, DESERT STORM, AND THE WAR ON TERROR, THE THE NAVY'S HONORABLE SERVICE CONTINUES TODAY, THE US NAVY IS THE LARGEST AND MOST CAPABLE IN THE WORLD, AND IT'S LARGER THAN THE NEXT 13 NAVIES COMBINED AND HAS THE THIRD LARGEST AIR FORCE IN THE WORLD.
IN RECENT YEARS, OUR NAVY HAS ALSO BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR NATION'S DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS FROM JAPAN TO THE BAHAMAS AND HAITI TO PUERTO RICO AND FLORIDA.
OUR NAVY HAS ALWAYS STEPPED FORWARD WHEN CALLED TO SERVE FOR US HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE NAVY HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HISTORY AND IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR NATION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NAVY HAS NAMED A SHIP AFTER OUR, OUR GREAT CITY, THE U SS S SAN ANTONIO, AN AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT COMMISSIONED IN 2006 CARRYING A CREW OF 700 TO INCLUDE US MARINES.
THE SHIP HAS SEEN ACTION OFF SOMALIA, THE RED AND MEDITERRANEAN SEAS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NAVY COMMANDS THAT CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME TO INCLUDE NAVAL MEDICAL FORCES SUPPORT COMMAND, NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT, SAN ANTONIO NAVY TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER, AND THE NAVY INFORMATION OPERATIONS COMMAND TEXAS.
THE MISSIONS OF EACH OF THESE COMMANDS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR UNIFORM SERVICE MEMBERS AND TO OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT A PRIVILEGE TO HOST OUR MILITARY, IT IS ALSO A UNIQUE PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE THE 247TH BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER NAVY HERE AT MILITARY CITY U SS A TO SAILORS EVERYWHERE.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY.AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME REAR ADMIRAL CYNTHIA KONNER COMMANDER NAVAL MEDICAL FORCES SUPPORT COMMAND, AS WELL AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE NURSE CORPS.
SHE'S ALSO THE SENIOR NAVAL OFFICER IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, AND I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING HER WITH HER BEFORE AND I'M THRILLED SHE COULD JOIN US TODAY FOR THIS CELEBRATION.
PLEASE ACCEPT MY INVITATION TO COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE SOME REMARKS ON BEHALF OF THE NAVY MAYOR NUREMBERG COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M JOINED HERE WITH MY COMMAND MASTER CHIEF JASON REYNOLDS, AND ALSO WITH ONE OF OUR NAVY'S MOST, UH, NEWEST MEMBERS, SEAMEN APPRENTICE ANTHONY GARZA.
AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE INVITED TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE NAVY'S 247TH BIRTHDAY WITH YOU.
UM, ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD ANOTHER COMMAND MASTER CHIEF WHO WAS TELLING ME A STORY ABOUT, UH, A, A CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH HIS YOUNG SON.
AND HE SAID, HEY, SON, I GOTTA GET GOING RIGHT NOW.
I NEED TO GO IN AND, UH, HAVE A MEETING WITH THE ADMIRAL.
AND HIS SON SAID, YOU KNOW, DAVID ROBINSON
SO, UM, THAT'S A, THAT'S A FUNNY STORY, BUT, UH, I'M SURE IT RESONATES HERE.
I I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT I AM A WINSTON CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
MY DAD SERVED IN THE ARMY AND WAS STATIONED AT THE QUADRANGLE WITH FIFTH ARMY BACK A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND MIKE FAN, MASS CHIEF IS AN ALAMO HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
SO FOR US, OUR RETURN TO SAN ANTONIO IN SOME WAY FEELS LIKE COMING HOME, UH, TO A PLACE THAT WE LOVED THEN AND ARE EXTREMELY HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO.
UH, AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW, THERE'S NOT A COASTLINE RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL, AND I'VE MENTIONED IT IN PUBLIC PLACES, I'VE CLAIMED THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO RIVER WALK AS MY FLEET CONCENTRATION AREA,
AND WE HAPPILY BOARD THE RIVERBOAT PARADES EVERY YEAR DURING THE FIESTA CELEBRATIONS.
I CAN TELL YOU WITH INTEGRITY IN ALL SINCERITY, 'CAUSE NAVAL OFFICERS NEVER LIE, UH, THERE IS NOT A CITY OR A PLACE ON THE PLANET THAT IS MORE WELCOMING AND MORE INCLUSIVE AND MORE RECEPTIVE TO UNIFORM SERVANTS OF ALL OF THE BRANCHES OF SERVICE.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE NAVY, NAVY MEDICINE, THE NAVY NURSE CORPS, AND CERTAINLY MY COMMAND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, UM, I'M HONORED TO BE PART OF MILITARY CITY U SS A FOR THE TIME THAT I'M HERE IN SERVICE.
AND IT OCCURS TO ME IN CELEBRATION OF OUR BIRTHDAY.
WHILE WE LOOK AT THE REASONS THAT WE SERVE, WE'RE ALL UNITED IN THAT COMMON, UH, PREMISE IN THOSE TENETS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND SO IN, IN REFLECTING THE THEMES OF THIS YEAR'S BIRTHDAY, THE 247TH, WE ARE ON WATCH 24 7 FOR 247 YEARS.
IT'S OUR CALL AND OUR DUTY TO HARNESS THE STORIES.
MAYOR, YOU TOOK US THROUGH A LOT OF THE IMPORTANT HISTORICAL, UH, EVENTS OF NAVAL SERVICE AND CERTAINLY A FOCUS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT IT IS OUR TIME AND OUR ANNUAL CELEBRATION TO REFLECT ON, UH, THE, THE MANY PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO SERVE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE PRIVILEGE OF CELEBRATING HERE AND HONORING THE NAVY'S BIRTHDAY WITH YOU HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH THE COMMUNITY OF MILITARY CITY U SS A THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE HONOR.
AND, UH, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US HERE, UH, WE, WE WISH Y'ALL A A VERY HEALTHY AND HAPPY CELEBRATION.
I DO HAVE COLLEAGUES WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, THANK YOU, SIR, AND THANK YOU MA'AM FOR BEING HERE.
AS I WAS MENTIONING A WHILE AGO, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE UNIFORMS HERE IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LET'S FACE IT, THE MILITARY AND THE CITY ARE INTERWOVEN AND WE'RE A PART OF EACH OTHER.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, WE'VE HAD A CONSTANT MILITARY PRESENCE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR OVER 300 YEARS NOW, AND Y'ALL ARE A CONTINUATION OF THAT HERE BEING THAT MILITARY PRESENCE.
AND, AND, UH, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU HERE.
AND I I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER, UM, ONE OF OUR HEROES FROM WORLD WAR II, CHESTER NIMITZ, WAS IN THE AREA HERE, AND WE HAVE A, IT'S NOT IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT UP IN FREDERICKSBURG, THERE'S A GREAT MUSEUM UP THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II AND THE NAVY'S ROLE IN THAT,
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IN THAT WAR.SO, UH, YEAH, GREAT LOCATION TO GO VISIT, TO LEARN.
AND, UH, AGAIN, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THESE UNIFORMS IN THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY 247.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND ALLOWING US TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU.
AS THE DAUGHTER OF A FORMER NAVY, UM, SAILOR, UH, THE NAVY WILL ALWAYS HOLD A SOFT SPOT IN MY HEART.
AND THE NAVY'S ONE OF THE FEW INSTITUTIONS THAT'S OLDER THAN MY OLD MAN
SO I DON'T WANNA SAY HAPPY 240TH SEVENTH BIRTHDAY TO OUR UNITED STATES NAVY.
UM, WE KNOW ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, DISTRICT FIVE IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE NAVY AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S NO EASY TASK, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UH, TAKEN ON.
SO, WANNA THANK Y'ALL AND SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE NAVY.
AND COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRAND, I JUST WANNA SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALSO.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE OUR LOCAL, UH, SERVICEMEN.
AND I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE MEMORIAL FOR, UH, JOHN EDWARD KILMER, UH, THE NAVY HOSPITAL MAN, AND I KNOW THERE'S A BUILDING NAMED KILMER ON THE, THE BASES.
SO I'M JUST, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR CONTINUED TRADITION TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO SERVED AND, AND LOST THEIR LIVES FOR, FOR OUR COUNTRY.
AND NOW WE'LL TRANSITION INTO A SPECIAL CEREMONY.
THE CAKE CONCER WILL NOW BE BROUGHT FORWARD.
SAILORS AND ANYONE WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO INCLUDE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEES, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND FORM UP BEHIND MAYOR NUREMBERG AND REAR ADMIRAL KEENER.
YES, TRADITIONALLY, REGARDLESS OF LOCATION, MILITARY MEMBERS WILL PAUSE TO OBSERVE THEIR SERVICE BRANCH'S BIRTHDAY BY SHARING A CAKE.
A SWORD IS USED TO CUT THE CAKE.
AS A REMINDER THAT SERVICE MEMBERS AND WITH US TODAY, SAILORS ARE A BAND OF WARRIORS COMMITTED TO CARRYING THE SWORD SO THAT OUR NATION MAY LIVE IN PEACE.
REAR ADMIRAL KEENER AND MAYOR NURNBERG WILL NOW CUT THE CAKE.
THE FIRST PIECE OF CAKE IS PRESENTED TO THE WISEST SAILOR IN THE COMMAND, SIGNIFYING THE HONOR AND RESPECT ACCORDED TO EXPERIENCE AND SENIORITY.
REPRESENTING THE WISEST SAILOR TODAY IS REAR ADMIRAL KEENER.
SYMBOLICALLY, THE SENIOR MOST SERVICE MEMBER PRESENT, PRESENT, PASSES A PIECE OF CAKE TO THE YOUNGEST MEMBER PRESENT.
JUST AS FOR YEARS, OUR EXPERIENCED SAILORS HAVE NURTURED AND LED YOUNG SAILORS THAT WILL FILL THE RANKS AND RENEW THE BRANCH.
THE YOUNGEST SAILOR PRESENT TODAY IS SEMEN APPRENTICE, ANTHONY GARZA, FUTURE FLEET SAILOR.
TODAY'S SAILORS HAVE PERFORMED ABOVE AND BEYOND IN THE FACE OF A PANDEMIC, NATURAL DISASTERS IN SUPPORTING CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
THE US NAVY AND ITS SAILORS ARE DEDICATED TO LIVING THE SAILORS CREED, WHICH INCLUDES REPRESENTING THE FIGHTING SPIRIT OF THE NAVY TO DEFEND FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY AROUND THE WORLD.
OUR NATION, SAILORS PROUDLY SERVE THE NAVY COMBAT TEAM WITH HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT.
HAPPY 247TH BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES NAVY, ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR UNITED STATES NAVY.
ALRIGHT, WELL, IT'S A GOOD THING THEY'RE ALLIES BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO HAVING THE NAVY IN THE CHAMBER,
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WE ALSO HAVE A HUGE CONTINGENT FROM THE PHILIPPINES.AND SO IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME DELEGATES FROM BAGO CITY PHILIPPINES, THE HONORABLE BENJAMIN MCAL, MAYOR OF BAGO, FIRST LADY BAGO OF BAGO, MS. ARLENE MALONG ENGINEER BON OFFICIO DE LA PENA CITY ADMINISTRATOR, THE REVEREND GILBERT SALALA PRESIDENT AB BAGGO ST.
PAUL ADLE KITTY KIT DIRECTOR OF ST.
LOUIS UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SACRED HEART MAYOR BENJI AND I HAVE MET PRIOR TO THE VISIT VISIT, BUT ONLY VIRTUALLY.
AND SO THIS IS A SPECIAL OCCASION TO FINALLY VISIT IN PERSON TOMORROW EVENING.
THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF TEXAS GALA SAN ANTONIO AND BAGO WILL OFFICIALLY BECOME FRIENDSHIP CITIES SAN ANTONIO, AND, AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME BAGO AMONG OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS.
DURING THEIR TIME HERE, THE DELEGATION HAS MET WITH MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENTS TO DISCUSS BEST PRACTICES AND HAS BEEN DEEPLY ENGAGED WITH OUR MEDICAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, UT HEALTH, U I W, AND ALAMO COLLEGES, AND HAVE ALSO VISITED MULTI ASSISTANCE CENTER AT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
BAGGIO LOCATED IN THE COUNTRY'S MOST PROFITABLE INVESTMENT AREAS IS A BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN TOWN OF UNIVERSITIES AND RESORTS CALLED THE CITY OF PINES IS PARTICULARLY POPULAR IN THE SUMMER DUE TO UNUSUALLY COOLER WEATHER, AND IS KNOWN AS THE SUMMER CAPITAL.
BAGGIO AND SAN ANTONIO HAVE MUCH IN COMMON, INCLUDING OUR SPANISH COLONIAL HISTORY, DEDICATION TO THE MILITARY, AND A UNESCO CREATIVE CITY DESIGNATION.
AND LIKE SAN ANTONIO BAGGIO IS FAMOUS FOR THEIR FESTIVALS OR FIESTA, AS WE LIKE TO SAY.
I FORESEE A LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE FUTURE EXCHANGES BETWEEN OUR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, OUR MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OUR CULTURAL AND HERITAGE COMMUNITIES.
SO WITH THAT, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO PRESENT YOU MAYOR MCGALL A AN ALCALDE IN WHICH YOU ARE NAMED AS AN HONORARY MAYOR OF LA VITA IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO HONORABLE BENJAMIN B MCGALL, LONG MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BAGO, IS OFFICIALLY APPOINTED TO THE OFFICE OF ALDE OF THIS HISTORIC AND BEAUTIFUL CITY, LOCATED ON THE BANKS OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER.
IN THE COUNTY OF BAYAR, TEXAS.
YOU WILL PERFORM THE DUTIES OF MAYOR IF AND WHEN YOU ARE PRESENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, AND AT OTHER TIMES AGREE TO TELL THE STORY OF LAVATA.
ITS BEAUTIES, ATTRACTIONS, AND CULTURE.
YOU FURTHER AGREE TO EXTOL THE PRESENT SAN ANTONIO AS A PLACE TO LIVE, WORSHIP, WORK, AND PLAY.
AND YOU SHALL RETAIN THIS OFFICE AS LONG AS YOU PERFORM YOUR DUTIES FAITHFULLY AND CARRY OUT THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF SAID CITY LA VITA AS SET FORTH IN ITS CHARTER.
AND THIS IS APPOINTMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON THE 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2022.
THIS IS ALSO FILIPINO, HI, UH, EXCUSE ME, FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY SINCE 1992, AND IT CANNOT BE ANY MORE TIMELY TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION ON THIS IMPORTANT OCCASION.
WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2022, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALONGSIDE OUR SISTER CITY OF BAGGA, WILL OBSERVE FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH TO RECOGNIZE FILIPINO AMERICANS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY FOR THE SIGNIFICANT ROLE THEY HAVE PLAYED IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND THE MANY WAYS THEY HAVE ENRICHED OUR SOCIETY.
AND WHEREAS THE CELEBRATION COMMEMORATES THE FIRST RECORDED PRESENCE OF FILIPINOS IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, WHICH OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 18TH, 1587, WHEN UNIS INDIOS BECAME, CAME ASHORE FROM THE SPANISH GALLION WEST DE DE ESPERANZA, AND LANDED AT WHAT IS NOW MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA.
AND WHEREAS FILIPINO AMERICANS, THE SECOND LARGEST ASIAN AMERICAN GROUP IN THE NATION, HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO AMERICAN HISTORY FROM SERVING IN WORLD WAR II TO STRENGTHENING OUR LABOR MOVEMENT.
AND IN ADDITION, FILIPINO CULTURE HAS ENRICHED AMERICAN CULTURE THROUGH ITS DIS DISTINCT LANGUAGE, VIBRANT ARTWORK, DIVERSE MUSIC, AND EXQUISITE CUISINE.
AND WHEREAS THE 2022 OBSERVANCE THEME CELEBRATING OUR HISTORY AND LEGACIES, HIGHLIGHTS 50 YEARS OF FILIPINO AMERICAN STUDIES, 40 YEARS OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND 30 YEARS OF FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.
NOW THEREFORE, IRAN NURENBERG MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THERE THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 22ND, 2022 TO BE FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND INVITE ALL FILIPINO AMERICANS TO COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE YOUR HERITAGE, HONOR THE IMPACT THE PAST LEGACIES HAVE CREATED AND CONTINUE TO CULTIVATE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE CHAMPIONED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS NOW OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP, INCLUDING BAGO CITY, SAN ANTONIO TAX FORCE, AND ITS CO-CHAIRS NONI CABANA AND MELINDA RODRIGUEZ, WHO HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY'S GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE ON FURTHERING THE RELATIONSHIP.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, THE INE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF TEXAS, CENTRAL TEXAS
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REGION, ALAMO, ASIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND ALL OTHERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE.WOULD EVERYONE HERE FOR THE BAGU DELEGATION OF FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH? PLEASE STAND UP.
AND WITH THAT, I INVITE YOU, MAYOR ALANG, TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS TO OUR COMMUNITY FLOOR DISTINGUISHED, UH, DISTINGUISHED MAYOR RON BERG, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS AND HONOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE OFFICIAL DOM OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND LET ME TAKE THIS, ALSO, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE AND GREET THE US NAVY.
WE HAVE A VERY CLOSE AFFINITY WITH THE US NAVY IN THE PHILIPPINES, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER OF FILIPINO SAILORS IN 1991 AND EARLIER, BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAVAL US NAVAL BASE IN THE PHILIPPINES PRIOR TO THEIR, UH, DEPARTURE IN 1991.
AND, UM, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME THANK MAYOR RON FOR INVITING US TO COME OVER AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND FORGE THIS, UH, FRIENDSHIP AND SISTERHOOD AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON.
UM, MAYOR RON AND I CAME FROM A POLITICAL FAMILIES.
I'VE SERVED THE MILITARY AND THE POLICE FOR 38 YEARS, UH, 20 MONTHS AND, UH, EIGHT MONTHS AND 20 DAYS.
I FORGOT THE NUMBER OF HOURS AND SECONDS
AND LET ME ALSO THANK THIS, UH, THE HONORABLE MAYOR FOR, AND THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
AS AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF SAN ANTONIO, IT'S, IT'S VERY HUMBLING, AND AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IT GIVES YOU SO MUCH PLEASURE TO BE RECEIVING THIS, UH, TYPE OF RECOGNITION.
AND REST ASSURED MAYOR, THAT I WILL BE PAYING MY TAXES
BUT JOKINGLY ASIDE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT TRUST.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SAW AMONG WORKERS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF BAGGIO AND LEADERSHIP OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF SAN ANTONIO, THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY THEIR TAXES IF THEY TRUST THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES IF THEY TRUST IN GOVERNMENT.
WHAT MAKES THIS MORE MEANINGFUL IS THE FACT THAT MAYOR RON IS, HAS HIS ROOTS IN THE PHILIPPINES BEING ONE FOURTH FILIPINO TO BE EXACT
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, OUR, OUR TASK FORCE AS SAN ANTONIO FOR, UM, REALIZING THIS ENGAGEMENT AND THIS TASK FORCE IS LED BY NO LESS THAN DR.
MEL BAGO IS A CITY, UM, WITH A POPULATION OF 378, UH, THOUSAND.
OUR, OUR, UM, DAYTIME POPULATION IS 600.
OUR LAND AREA IS 57 SQUARE KILOMETERS, UM, SQUARE KILOMETERS, WHICH IS, UH, UM, SAN ANTONIO IS PROBABLY ABOUT 13 TIMES BIGGER THAN THE CITY OF BAO.
ONE THING ABOUT THE CITY OF BAGU IS WE HAVE LOTS OF MOUNTAINS AND WE HAVE LOTS OF PINE TREES.
AND SINCE WE ARE ABOUT 4,500 ABOVE SEA LEVEL, UM, THE WEATHER THAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING NOW IS BASICALLY THE, THE NORMAL WEATHER THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF BAGO.
AND WE BROUGHT IN THE WEATHER FOR THE PAST THAT YOU HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THREE DAYS, UM, SINCE THREE DAYS AGO.
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY INTENTIONAL
SO ONCE AGAIN, MAYOR RUN TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THEIR DELEGATES, BEHALF OF, UM, DR.
TIKE, MY WIFE ARLENE, UM, CITY ADMINISTRATOR BON DE PENA, AND FATHER GILBERT SLES.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE WE DO HAVE ALSO, UH, THE HONORABLE MAYOR GWIN HEMAN FROM, UH, THE MUNICIPALITY OF FLORIDA IS WI IS WITH US AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE ARE, UH, AMONG THREE MAYORS IN THE, IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY.
I DO WANT TO GIVE THE FLOOR NOW TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PIAS, WHO HAS SOME REMARKS, CORRECT ME IF I GET IT WRONG, OKAY.
BUT MALAGA YANG, PDA ANTONIO, UH, AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE.
UM, I, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, MY NAME IS MANUEL ELA.
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MEANS FOR REASONS THAT ONLY MY FILIPINOS KNOW THAT I GET ALL OF THE TELEMARKETING CALLS FROM THE PHILIPPINES.UH, THE, UM, WHEN I WAS IN, UH, WHEN I WAS AT TRINITY, MY FIRST DAY, THEY MATCH YOU UP WITH A, UH, ROOMMATE.
AND I GOT A CALL FROM THIS YOUNG ROOMMATE, AND HIS NAME WAS ALAN CUEVAS.
AND ALAN SAYS, MY FAMILY IS SO EXCITED THAT MY ROOMMATE WILL ALSO BE A FILIPINO LIKE ME.
AND I WAS LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, AND HE WAS MY ROOMMATE FOR FOUR YEARS.
AND, UH, I, I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS FAMILY.
AND, UM, HIS MOM OWNS A BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT IN HOUSTON, A FILIPINO RESTAURANT, AND I GOT TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE, UH, CRISPY PATTA AND HON
AND SO NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU COME TO MY HOUSE, WE'LL EAT SOME CRISPY PATTA, OKAY? UH, WELCOME.
I'M THE, I'M ON THE, NOW I'M ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL.
AND WHAT I REALIZED IS THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO CREATE RELATIONSHIPS, BUT THIS IS THE WAY THAT THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DECIDED TO DO DIPLOMACY, RIGHT? AND, UM, WE MAINTAIN LASTING PEACE, UH, THROUGH THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND, UM, IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT IT'S CALLED A SISTER CITY, NOT A FRIEND CITY, OR JUST A COUSIN CITY, RIGHT? UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS, UH, YOU CAN ALWAYS WALK AWAY FROM THOSE, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE RELATED BY BLOOD, LIKE WE ARE DECLARING NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A FOREVER THING.
AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BE FOREVER FRIENDS, UH, OF A CITY, UH, LIKE YOURS.
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT FORMALIZING THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRIENDSHIP CITY.
SHE'S IN THE AUDIENCE TO NICOLETTE
AND SHE STARTED INTRODUCING ME TO THE FILIPINO CULTURE AND THEN THE LOCAL DELEGATION.
UH, I THINK THEY INVITED OUR WHOLE COUNCIL, BUT I WENT THE JAYA CONCERT.
AND I LEARNED THAT WE HAD A LOT OF LOCAL PEOPLE HERE THAT JUST COULD SING.
UH, SO I'M SO EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR CULTURES, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE THIS EXCHANGE, AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE MORE OF OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I CAN'T WAIT TILL Y'ALL COME BACK.
I'M, I, I WANNA BE ON THE TRIP THAT GOES TO VISIT YOU GUYS TOO.
UH, I WANNA REITERATE WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM COUNCILMAN PALAIS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE CITY GOING TO A COUPLE OF SISTER CITIES.
UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I'VE SERVED ON COUNCIL, AND I THINK THE WARM RECEPTIONS WE GET, UH, ALWAYS HELPS REINFORCE THE RELATIONSHIPS.
I HOPE THAT YOU FEEL THE SAME ABOUT THE WARM RECEPTION YOU'RE GETTING HERE TO REINFORCE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR CITY AND, AND OURS.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, A BUSINESS IN, IN MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT NINE, SAUDI SAUDI FROM THE DE LARES FAMILY.
THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF INTRODUCING, UH, THE FILIPINO CULTURE AND, AND FOOD.
UH, THEY RUN A GREAT, UH, GROCERY STORE THERE.
AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND ALL OF THE PEOPLE, UH, FROM THE PHILIPPINE COMMUNITY WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTIVITY AND YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KURZ TO ALL OF YOU, UH, WHO HAVE MADE THE TRIP, WHO HAVE BEEN PRESENT DURING OUR DELEGATION, UH, EXCHANGES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED WORK OVER THE NEXT WEEK.
AND THEN AGAIN, UH, RECAPTURING ALL OF THIS MOMENTUM AS WE, UH, MAKE A JOURNEY TO BAGGIO NEXT YEAR.
UH, IT IS WITH GREAT RESPECT, BUT ALSO, UH, HEARTFELT THANKS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS, UH, WHY I AM HERE, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE, THE MEANINGFUL PERSONAL CONNECTION, BUT, UH, I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING SOME ADDITIONAL TIME WITH YOU.
WHILE, WHILE YOU WERE HERE, UH, SORRY, SORRY, WAS ME, UH, WAS MENTIONED, SORRY, SORRY.
IS ONE OF OUR, UH, FLAGSHIP FILIPINO, UH, BUSINESSES NOW, GREAT SUCCESS.
UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FILIPINO BUSINESS COMMUNITY, CONTINUES TO UPLIFT, UH, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
ALRIGHT, UM, DON'T GO ANYWHERE, UH, FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE STILL SITTING, UH, BECAUSE WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2022, THE, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS DIVISION WILL JOIN ARCHIVAL AND HISTORICAL INSTITUTIONS IN CELEBRATING TEXAS ARCHIVES MONTH TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON INITIATIVES BEING CARRIED OUT TO PRESERVE THE CITY'S HERITAGE AND CULTURE.
AND WHEREAS RICH AND EVENTFUL HISTORY SURROUNDS OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY FROM THE HISTORIC LA VITA TO THE WORLD RENOWNED ALAMO, SAN ANTONIO AND ITS CITIZENS ARE PROUD TO SHOWCASE THE STORIES OF OUR PAST AND GLADLY WELCOME VISITORS TO
[00:40:01]
LEARN ABOUT OUR HISTORY.AND WHEREAS THROUGH THE ACCUMULATION OF WRITTEN VISUAL AND EEC ELECTRONICAL DOCUMENTS, THE HISTORY OF HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN BE FOUND IN THE ARCHIVES OF GOVERNMENTAL EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESS INSTITUTIONS DATING FROM THE FIRST ENCOUNTERS OF NATIVE PEOPLE AND EUROPEAN EXPLORERS.
AND WHEREAS ARCHIVISTS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS AIM TO CELEBRATE THE VALUE OF TEXAS HISTORICAL RECORDS TO PUBLICIZE, IN MANY WAYS, THESE RECORDS ENRICH OUR LIVES TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO MAINTAIN OUR COMMUNITIES' HISTORICAL RECORDS, AND MAKING THEM AVAILABLE FOR YOU FOR USE BY PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NUREMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER, 2022 TO BE TEXAS ARCHIVES MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, REC SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND RECOGNIZE THE GREAT WORK PAST AND PRESENT OF OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR US EVERY DAY.
NOW, UH, I'M GOING TO, UH, ISSUE A PROCLAMATION HERE AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR FURTHER RECOGNITION OF SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, HAVE TO DO BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL, UH, ISSUE THAT IT IS.
UH, AND THAT IS THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, UH, THIS MONTH.
WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO JOINS OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE NATION ALONGSIDE LOCAL PROGRAMS, STATE AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, TO OBSERVE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH TO UPHOLD OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THIS ONGOING ISSUE.
AND WHEREAS FOR MANY AMERICANS, HOME IS A PLACE OF SECURITY SURROUNDED WITH UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND TRANQUILITY, WHERE WE, WHERE WE AND THEY CAN FIND A PLACE IN PEACE TRAGICALLY, FOR MILLIONS OF OTHERS.
HOME IS ANYTHING BUT PEACEFUL AND IS TARNISH BY VIOLENCE AND FEAR.
AND WHEREAS DO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS THE USE OF ABUSIVE POWER AND CONTROL BY ONE PARTNER OVER ANOTHER, AND CAN INCLUDE PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL, FINANCIAL, AS WELL AS PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.
AND ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTIONS VIOLENCE PREVENTION DIVISION, AN ESTIMATED ONE IN THREE WOMEN AND ONE IN FOUR MEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE FROM AN INTIMATE PARTNER IN THEIR LIFETIME.
AND WHEREAS ANYONE CAN BE A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REGARDLESS OF GENDER, AGE, SEXUALITY, RACE, RELIGION OR IMMIGRATION STATUS, BUT THE BURDEN OF VIOLENCE FALLS HEAVIEST ON COMMUNITIES OF BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND L G B T Q I A PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACTS MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE EACH YEAR, BUT IT CAN BE PREVENTED PREVENTING VIOLENCE, PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REQUIRES THE COLLECTIVE VOICE AND POWER OF EVERYONE IN SAN ANTONIO.
HELP IS AVAILABLE AND EVERYONE DESERVES TO LIVE IN SAFETY IN SAN ANTONIO.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NURENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2022 TO BE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
AND I CALL UPON THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, CENTERED ON RESPECT TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE CITY AND COUNTY COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WORKING DOMESTIC TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ABROAD.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL WILLINGLY DO UNTIL WE CAN END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHERS.
UH, AND YOU WILL SEE THE PURPLE, UH, PURPLE TIES, PURPLE SHIRTS, PURPLE LIGHTS EVERYWHERE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE CANNOT TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF THIS ISSUE.
LET ME TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE HELPED TO CHAMPION THESE CAUSES, UH, STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ELAS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS, UH, THE AVS GONNA BE SHOWING US, UH, THESE ARE THE BUILDINGS AND, UH, MONUMENTS THAT ARE BEING LIT PURPLE FOR, FOR THIS MONTH.
AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOLKS THAT RUN THAT TOWER, THE AMERICAS.
THANK YOU, LORI HOUSTON, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR, FOR HELPING US LIGHT THAT TOWER PURPLE.
JOHN PATEK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, ALSO, UH, AIRPORT, UH, IS GONNA BE LIT PURPLE AND THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, THIS IS SMALL, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, LIGHTING A LIGHT IS, IS NOT AS BIG A DEAL, UM, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, UM, AS IT, AS I HOPE IT SHOULD BE.
BUT WE HAVE, UH, IT, IT, IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE AT EVERY LEVEL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE EPIDEMIC.
AND SAN ANTONIO IS REALLY GOOD ABOUT CELEBRATING ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD.
UM, BUT SOMETIMES WE FAIL IN, UH, A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.
UM, I, I'LL TELL YOU, AMERICA IN GENERAL IS BROKEN AS IT, UH, PERTAINS
[00:45:01]
TO THIS EPIDEMIC.UM, BUT SAN ANTONIO IS PARTICULARLY, UH, WORSE OFF, UH, AS THE MAYOR CITED.
WE'VE GOT ONE IN THREE WOMEN IN SAN ANTONIO WHO HAVE A STORY OR WILL HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL.
UM, AND SO LONG AS I'M UP HERE, AND I KNOW THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES JOIN ME IN THIS, SO LONG AS WE'RE UP HERE, WE'RE GONNA PULL FROM EVERY LEVER AS AGGRESSIVELY AS WE CAN TO COMBAT THIS.
UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SHARE TWO THINGS WITH YOU FIRST, UM, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT HOW, HOW UNIMPORTANT THIS ISSUE HAS BECOME IN THE MINDS OF PEOPLE AND HOW, HOW HEARTBREAKING IT IS THAT THAT, UM, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE KIND OF PARTICIPATION THAT WE NEED IN THIS CONVERSATION, UM, TO FINALLY SOLVE FOR THIS PROBLEM.
ONE, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WHEN WE HEAR, UH, OF THIS ISSUE, UM, AND THE ADVOCATES WHO SPEAK, IT'S USUALLY WOMEN, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THE PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINES TRYING TO CHANGE THE LAWS AND TRYING TO CHANGE.
THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT THIS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS WOMEN.
UM, WHAT BREAKS MY HEART IS THAT VERY RARELY DO YOU SEE MEN STANDING, UH, SIDE BY SIDE WITH THESE WOMEN AND SAYING, WE NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS AS WELL, RIGHT? AND SO THEY'RE HOPEFULLY THIS MONTH WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO TALK TO MEN AND BOYS AND TALK ABOUT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS FAR AS SPEAKING OUT WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING, UH, SPEAKING OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FACE OF BULLYING, NOT BEING AFRAID OF, OF CHALLENGING THE WAY THAT WE SPEAK TO AND ABOUT WOMEN.
UM, WE ARE, UM, AS MUCH A PROBLEM.
WE ARE THE PROBLEM, UM, THE, THE WAY THAT MEN, UM, YOU KNOW, BEHAVE TOWARDS WOMEN AND ALSO JUST OUR SILENCE OFTENTIMES IS ALSO TOXIC.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA REMIND YOU IS THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE, UM, UH, AND OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BATTERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER AND THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE ARE LISTED UP THERE ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU.
I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH, UM, A HEARTBREAKING STORY, AND I'M SORRY FOR DRAWING THIS OUT, MAYOR, BUT I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT, THAT, THAT WE, UH, THAT WE CAN DO TODAY.
UM, BACK IN 2017, THIS CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT WE CALLED MOLLY'S LAW.
MOLLY WAS A DOG THAT WE FOUND IN MY DISTRICT, UM, IN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD, A C S HAD IDENTIFIED THE DOG, YOU KNOW, WENT IN, TOOK THE DOG, THE DOG HAD BEEN BURNT FROM, UH, NOSE THE TAIL, THIRD DEGREE BURNS.
HUMANE SOCIETY TOOK THE DOG, AND THANKFULLY THE DOG IS OKAY TODAY, BUT IT, THAT DOG WAS FEATURED IN EVERY NEWS STATION AND THROUGHOUT THE NEWSPAPER.
AND WE GOT THOUSANDS OF HITS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS AT OUR OFFICE INQUIRING ABOUT, MOLLY, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT MOLLY? CAN WE RAISE MONEY FOR MOLLY? CAN WE ADOPT MOLLY? RIGHT? WELL, IN THE SAME NEXT MONTH, WE HAD ANOTHER CASE IN OUR DISTRICT.
A WOMAN NAMED JACKIE, WHO'S SIGNIFICANT OTHER, KICKED HER DOOR DOWN, DOUS HER AN ALCOHOL LITTER ON FIRE, BURNT HER FROM HEAD TO TOE, SENT HER TO BSI, SAME INJURIES.
UM, NOBODY OFFERED MONEY FOR JACKIE.
NOBODY INQUIRED, HOW'S JACKIE, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR HER? I'LL LEAVE THAT WITH YOU AND LET YOU DECIDE WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME, THAT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE CARE MORE ABOUT DOGS THAN WE DO ABOUT OUR OWN FELLOW NEIGHBORS, BUT THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME, THAT'S OBSCENE.
AND I THINK ALL OF US ARE BETTER THAN THAT.
SO I'M CALLING ON ALL OF YOU TO GO HOME TONIGHT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT HOW THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO BE BETTER.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
THANK YOU TO MY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, UM, AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FROM MY FAMILY WHO'S, YOU KNOW, UH, DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO THIS ISSUE.
UM, I, I'M GRATEFUL TO SIT ON A COUNCIL THAT TAKES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERIOUSLY.
AND ALONG WITH THE COUNTY OFFERS SEVERAL RESOURCES FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE BECOME VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I PRACTICE LAW, AND IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW, UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES YOU SEE THE WORST OF HUMANITY.
SO, UM, SEEING THESE THINGS FIRSTHAND IS, IS VERY DIFFICULT.
I OFTEN SEND CLIENTS TO, UM, PATRICIA CASTILLO, WHO IS, UH, A DIRECTOR OF THE PEACE INITIATIVE.
SO WE THANK HER FOR THE WORK THAT SHE DOES IN EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY ON, ON THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE, SO THAT THEY GROW TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL.
IT'S NOT, UM, SOMETHING THAT, THAT PEOPLE SHOULD GO THROUGH.
I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHO, UM, DEAL WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES EVERY DAY.
AND IT'S A VERY STRESSFUL SITUATION TO BE IN.
IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CALLS THAT THEY CAN BE ON IS, IS TO RESPOND TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL.
SO THAT'S ALSO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE LOST OFFICERS IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTNERS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE NEED TO BE DOING MORE, BUT, UM, WE COMMIT TO DOING THAT AND, UM, AND KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT YOU.
SO IN 2009, I CAME ON BOARD WITH THE CITY
[00:50:01]
AS A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, UH, WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.SO IF YOU ARE HERE, AND I SEE THE OFFICERS ARE ALREADY STANDING IN THE BACK, IF YOU ARE RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP? I KNOW WE HAD OUR, DO WE HAVE TEAMS THERE? ARE THEY ALL STANDING? UM, ANYBODY WORKING CASES, CASEWORKERS? I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE UP THERE.
YEAH, GI GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE BECAUSE THIS JOB IS NOT EASY AND I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND, BUT YOU SAVE LIVES, YOU MAKE AN IMPACT AND CHANGE THE DIRECTIONS OF CHILDREN'S LIVES.
WHEN YOU TALK TO THESE VICTIMS, PRIMARILY, WE TELL THEM THAT THERE'S A BETTER WAY AND THAT THIS ISN'T LOVE.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, I THINK ARE THE MEN THAT ALLY WITH US, THEY'RE THEIR OFFICERS, UM, THEIR SPOUSES OF, OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE PUTTING UP WITH THIS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
UM, SO WE HAVE THEM, BUT WE, WE DO NEED TO IDENTIFY ABOUT WHO ARE, WHO ARE ALLIES AND WHEN WE SAY THIS IS NOT RIGHT, BUT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
UH, I HAVE A COUPLE, BUT YOU GUYS TODAY, I WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU AND THE HARD WORK YOU DO BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, THE NUMBERS WOULDN'T, WOULD BE WORSE THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GROM, AND THE WORK WILL CONTINUE.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO, UH, THE FOLKS HERE IN THE, IN THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED, BUT ALSO MY COLLEAGUES WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.
[POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ]
NOW LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ROCHE GARCIA AND SANDOVAL WITH A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.TODAY, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND I PARTNERED TO DO A JOINT PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF MONTH OF THE BILINGUAL CHILD, WHICH IS CELEBRATED ANNUALLY IN OCTOBER.
ALTHOUGH HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CONCLUDED ON OCTOBER THE 15TH, I BELIEVE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY ARE COUNTLESS AND THEY ARE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
THROUGH THE ADVOCACY OF TRAILBLAZING LATINO LEADERS, ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS AVANSE.
AND SO TODAY IT'S AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THE SAN ANTONIO CHAPTER.
SINCE 1973, AVANSE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AVAN, WHICH TRANSLATES TO ADVANCE OR PROGRESS, IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH SEVERAL CHAPTERS PRIMARILY SERVING TEXAS RESIDENTS.
THE KEY TO THIS ORGANIZATION'S SUCCESS LIES IN THE MODEL ENGAGING WITH DIFFICULT TO REACH COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH LIMITED MEANS AND FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, NUMEROUS FAMILIES AND DISTRICT FOUR AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND PREPARATION THAT AVANSE PROVIDES.
THE SYMBIOTIC MON BEYOND, UH, BETWEEN THE FAMILIES IS BUILT ON COMMUNITY COMMUNITY TRUST.
IN FACT, SEVERAL PAST PARTICIPANTS HAVE SHARED TESTIMONIES ON HOW THEIR PARENTING IMPROVED, AND SOME GO ON TO BECOME A PART OF THE AVANZA TEAM, HELPING THE NEXT COHORT OF FAMILY, COHORT OF FAMILIES AS AN EDUCATOR AND A DAUGHTER OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS WHO LEARNED ENGLISH ONCE I ENTERED SCHOOL.
I AM GRATEFUL TO ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING EDUCATION INCLUSIVE, ACCESSIBLE, AND TRANSFORMATIVE.
AS A MINORITY MAJ MAJORITY CITY, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF POPULATIONS THAT SPEAK SPANISH.
AND THIS FACTORS INTO THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SEVERAL OF OUR YOUNG RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES PRIMARILY SPEAK SPANISH AT HOME, AND IT'S UNTIL THEY START SCHOOL LIKE ME THAT THEY ARE IMMERSED INTO A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ENGLISH IS TAUGHT.
THIS CAN BE DIFFICULT IF BOTH LANGUAGES ARE NOT EMBRACED.
AND SO I WANT TO COMMEND OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT OFFER DUAL LANGUAGE OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS.
AVANZA BRIDGES THIS LEARNING TRANSITION AS FAMILIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN ARE PREPARED WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO ENSURE THEIR EARLY EDUCATION HAS A STRONG FOUNDATION.
ALTHOUGH THERE, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A PERIOD IN TIME WHEN STUDENTS WHO SPOKE SPANISH AT SCHOOL WERE PUNISHED IN SCHOOLS, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS MADE, AND IT'S BEEN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE WORK OF SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AND BRAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO DARE TO STAND UP AND CHAIN AN OPPRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN MORE EDUCATORS AND EMBRACING CULTURAL TRADITIONS TO MAKE LEARNING MORE RELEVANT TO STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
HOWEVER, THE WORK IS NOT DONE.
WE NEED TO HELP INCENTIVIZE AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PROMOTE BILINGUALISM.
AND NOW IT'S MY HONOR TO TURN THE MIC OVER TO COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL BEFORE THE MAYOR READS THE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COUNCILMAN CHE GARCIA.
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AND, UH, I WILL ADMIT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY BILINGUAL, UH, ENGLISH SPANISH SPEAKERS ON THE COUNCIL.UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE THE ONES WHO ENJOY, UH, UH, REVELING IN IT, UH, THE MOST.
SO, UH, I AM GLAD TO BE CELEBRATING THE MONTH OF THE BILINGUAL CHILD, ESPECIALLY IN A CITY WHERE ABOUT ONE THIRD OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE BILINGUAL.
UM, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA, I LEARNED SPANISH AT HOME FROM MY PARENTS.
I DO HAVE AN OLDER SISTER, SO SHE LEARNED ENGLISH, UH, ONCE SHE ENROLLED IN KINDERGARTEN, AND SHE'S THE ONE WHO TAUGHT ME ENGLISH.
AND TODAY SHE CONTINUES TEACHING.
SHE OBTAINED A DOCTORAL DEGREE IN EDUCATION AND CONTINUES ON THAT PATH.
WE WERE ALSO, MY SISTER AND I WERE ALSO THE VOICES FOR OUR PARENTS.
AS I KNOW, THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS BEEN FOR HERS AS, UH, THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO BECOME FLUENT IN ENGLISH.
IT IS SOMETHING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DO AS AN ADULT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT A, A FAMILY.
UM, BILINGUAL CHILDREN ALSO GAIN MANY ADVANTAGES WHEN IT COMES TO COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS FOCUS, COMPARTMENTALIZATION AND COMMUNICATION, TRANSLATING INTO SKILLS THAT MAKE YOUNG PEOPLE BETTER EQUIPPED TO ENTER HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE.
UH, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE JOINED TODAY BY ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL GUEST, SELENA MORENO, PRESIDENT AND C E O OF INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATION.
THE I D R A SERVES OUR COMMUNITY BY ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS ACHIEVE EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY SO THAT THEY MAY ACCESS AND SUCCEED IN COLLEGE FOCUSING ON ENGLISH LEARNERS.
THE I D R A DOES GREAT WORK TO REALIZE EQUITY IN EDUCATION, UH, AND THEY ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICT SEVEN, I WILL SAY, NOT FAR FROM MY FIELD OFFICE.
UH, SELENA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, DID YOU WANT TO SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH US? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
UM, THANK YOU ALSO COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA, AND OF COURSE TO YOU, UH, MAYOR WHO, UH, AS A FORMER INTREPID INTERN AT I D R A, UM, YOU ACTUALLY WORKED ON A STUDY, UH, OF EFFECTIVE BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, CHRISTIE GOODMAN, WHO IS HERE.
AND AS I REFLECT ON OUR LEGACY, I THINK ABOUT OUR FOUNDER, DR.
JOSE CARDENAS, WHO HELPED WRITE THE FEDERAL BILINGUAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1968 AND TEXAS'S BILINGUAL EDUCATION LAW FOR ALMOST EVERY SEMINAL COURT CASE IMPACTING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS ID.
R A HAS BEEN HONORED TO BE THERE PROVIDING LEGAL STRATEGY, EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY AND RESEARCH FROM PLYLER VIDO TO THE UNITED STATES VERSUS TEXAS TO EVERY MAJOR FAIR SCHOOL FUNDING CASE IN, IN TEXAS.
LOCALLY, WE'VE TRAINED THOUSANDS OF SAN ANTONIO TEACHERS AND HAVE BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF PARENTS TOGETHER FOR OUR ANNUAL LA NINO BILINGUAL PARENT INSTITUTE.
MOST RECENTLY, WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAUSED SCHOOL CLOSURES, WE PARTNERED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION TO GIVE SCHOOLS WHOSE FAMILIES HAD NO INTERNET ACCESS, AND WE GAVE THEM HUNDREDS OF, OF OUR CURRICULUM
FINALLY, DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN TEXAS, WE WROTE A BILL THAT CHANGED DEFICIT LANGUAGE, LIKE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENT TO EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS IN TEXAS LAW, BECAUSE WE KNOW RIGHT WORDS MATTER.
UM, WE MUST VIEW THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE ONE IN EVERY FIVE TEXAS STUDENTS.
UM, THAT'S, UM, OVER A MILLION STUDENTS HERE IN THE STATE.
WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE ASSETS TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE PROMISE THAT THEY BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR CITY'S MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE IS OUR PEOPLE, OUR LANGUAGES, OUR CULTURES, OUR BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
SO FOR THIS RECOGNITION OF IRA'S WORK AND OF BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY AS A MOMMY TO BE, UM, OF A BILINGUAL CHILD.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU CHRISTIE.
UH, AND DO REMEMBER OUR TIME, UH, WORKING ON THAT STUDY, THE KELLOGG STUDY, UH, VERY FONDLY.
WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL CELEBRATE BILINGUAL CHILD MONTH TO RECOGNIZE THE CHILDREN ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, OUR CITY, WHO ARE LEARNING TO SPEAK TWO OR MORE LANGUAGES, AND ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THEIR PARENTS AND FAMILY.
AND WHEREAS MOST BILINGUAL CHILDREN
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COME FROM FAMILIES OF IMMIGRANTS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH, AND OFTENTIMES THEIR PARENTS RELY ON THEM TO LEARN A LANGUAGE TO HELP THEM WITH EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES.AND WHEREAS CHILDREN GROWING UP WITH MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE TEND TO BE IMMERSED IN A MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT, MAKING THEM MORE OPEN-MINDED AND ACCEPTING OF OTHERS AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH LANGUAGE BARRIER CHALLENGES TO ASSIST OTHERS.
AND WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO IS HOME TO SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE BILINGUAL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AVANSE SAN ANTONIO AND THE INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATION, IDA, WHICH ARE TWO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS BILINGUAL CHILD MONTH HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING NEW LANGUAGES AND INSTILLING BOTH PRIDE AND JOY IN THE BILINGUAL CHILD.
SO THEY MAY ALWAYS REMEMBER THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR LANGUAGE ACHIEVEMENTS AND THEIR CULTURE.
NOW, THEREFORE, IRAN NURENBERG MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO BE BILINGUAL CHILD MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN A SECOND LANGUAGE AND PROMOTE DIVERSITY WITHIN YOUR FAMILY.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
UM, NOW LET ME, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, WITH A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
SO MANY STRONG WOMEN HELD FROM DISTRICT FIVE ON THE WEST SIDE IN PARTICULAR, AND I'M EXTREMELY HONORED TO HAVE WITH US HERE TODAY.
MARIA VELAZQUEZ WAS BORN IN 1944.
SHE HAS BEEN A STAPLE IN DISTRICT FIVE AND THE WEST SIDE FOR 78 YEARS.
SHE'S THE MATRIARCH OF THE VELAZQUEZ FAMILY, A BUSINESS OWNER OF JOE'S ALUMINUM, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF COPS ST.
AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE PALM HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND AN ESSENTIAL LEADER IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AS THE MATRIARCH OF THE FAMILY, MS. VELASQUEZ MODELED TO HER CHILDREN WHAT IT MEANT TO SERVE AND LEAD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HER CHILDREN DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL IN AREAS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, COUNSELING AND HOUSING.
MS. QUEZ HAS BEEN GIFTED WITH NINE GRANDCHILDREN AND 11 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
AS A OWNER OF JOE'S ALUMINUM WITH HER HUSBAND OF 60 YEARS, THEY HAVE SERVED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY FOR OVER 49 YEARS.
THEY HAVE FINE TUNED THEIR CRAFT OF SPECIALTY WINDOWS, CUSTOM DOORS AND SCREENS, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR UNIQUE HOUSING STOCK.
MS. VELASQUEZ ORGANIZED WITH MANY OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TO FORM COPS, COPS, METRO CITIZENS ORGANIZED FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AS A DEVOTED PER PARISHIONER AT ST.
SHE, ALONG WITH COPS, PRESIDENT BEATRICE GALLEGO AND MANY OTHERS, MOSTLY WOMEN, FOUGHT FOR OUR WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS.
MANY OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE SEE IN DISTRICT FIVE TODAY ARE BECAUSE OF MS. VELASQUEZ'S DEDICATION TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BY THE MID SEVENTIES, MS. VELASQUEZ AND COPS FILLED OUR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WITH OVER 500 COPS, METRO, UH, MEMBERS DEMANDING THAT THE CITY ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF OUR WEST SIDE COMMUNITIES.
THEY ORGANIZED FOR BETTER DRAINAGE TO ALLEVIATE FLOODING IN OUR STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, SIDEWALKS TO HELP CONNECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOLS BETTER ROADS, AND THE NEED TO FILL POTHOLES, THE CREATION OF DISTRICT FIVE PARKS AND LIBRARIES AS WELL.
THEIR WORK PRODUCED A $47 MILLION BOND THAT INCLUDED 15 DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
MY ROLE AS A CITY COUNCILWOMAN OF DISTRICT FIVE WAS TO CONTINUE THAT FIGHT FOR THOSE VERY NEEDS IN OUR DISTRICT.
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I WANNA THANK MS. VELASQUEZ AND HER FAMILY AND THE WOMEN OF COPS METRO FOR THE COUNTLESS HOURS THEY HAVE SPENT ADVOCATING FOR DISTRICT FIVE AND THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY.
UH, AT THIS TIME, MS. VASQUEZ, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND, UM, SHARE A COUPLE OF WORDS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, UH, AND MAYOR, I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO SAY THE LEAST, TO BE RECOGNIZED TODAY.
LIKE, UH, TERRY SAID, I I HAVE HAD GREAT MENTORS, UH, TO DO FOR MY COMMUNITY.
I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH, UH, ONE OF THE FOUNDING PRESIDENTS, UH, BEATRICE GALLEGO, WHO TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AND THEN, UH, LATER IN LIFE, I BECAME A MEMBER OF, I, I WORKED FOR THE SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG AWARENESS, WHICH ALSO WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, UH, AT RISK CHILDREN AND WITH THE, UM, UH,
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UH, BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER.SO I HAVE HAD GREAT LEADERS IN FRONT OF ME TO LEARN FROM, AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK MY FAMILY, MY HUSBAND AND MY CHILDREN, WHO MANY NIGHTS HAD TO DO THEIR OWN DINNERS BECAUSE I WAS AT A MEETING, UM, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO BECOME, UH, MORE INVOLVED WITH MY COMMUNITY.
UM, I HAVE, UM, CLOSE TIES TO THE CITY.
LIKE TERRY SAID, I HAVE A RETIRED E M T AND I HAVE A RETIRED LIEUTENANT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE AN ACTIVE POLICE OFF OFFICER, DETECTIVE.
AND SO I AM STILL AS MUCH AS I CAN GETTING MY CHILDREN TO, TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND TO CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?
MS. VELAZQUEZ, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU IN CHAMBERS.
UH, YOUR LEGACY AT COPS METRO, UH, CONTINUES TO PAY DIVIDENDS FOR THE COMMUNITY OF, OF OUR CITY.
AND, AND, UH, COPS METRO CONTINUES TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL PRESENCE WITHIN OUR POLICY MAKING CONVERSATIONS.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER GRO WITH A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, IN RECOGNITION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I WANT TO READ THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
STATE OF TEXAS HEREBY PRESENTS ITS OFFICIAL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO, AND CELEBRATING CINCO, RECOGNIZING FIVE YEARS SINCE THE GROUNDBREAKING INSTITUTION WAS DESIGNATED AS A NATIONAL HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION, UM, BY, UM, H SS I, BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
SINCE OPENING THEIR DOORS IN 2017, TESA HAS COMMITTED TO CREATING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, PROUDLY SERVING OUR LATINX COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THE STUDENT BODY COMPROMISED OF 65% FEMALE, 77% HISPANIC, ALONG WITH 60% OF THE STUDENTS BEING THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO IS NOT ONLY CREATING OUR FUTURE LEADERS, BUT ALSO FOSTERING DIVERSITY AND EQUITY WITHIN THEIR CAMPUS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY.
TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO'S DEDICATION TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION HAS PRODUCED AN ENROLLMENT GROWTH OF MORE THAN 200%, GRADUATED MORE THAN 15, 300 STU, 15,300 STUDENTS, AND EARNED THE SEAL OF EXCELENCIA AWARD BY EXCELENCIA IN EDUCATION, THE NATION'S PREMIER AUTHORITY ON EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE LATINO STUDENT SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THIS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE PROUD TO JOIN YOU IN CELEBRATING THIS MILESTONE OCCASION IN THE HISTORY OF TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU ARE MAKING TO OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ANNIVERSARY PRESENTED THIS 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER 20TH, 2022.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A VIDEO WHEN ANY INSTITUTION REACHES A MINIMUM OF 25% ENROLLING INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC, THAT QUALIFIES YOU AS A QUOTE, HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION A AND M.
SAN ANTONIO WAS BORN TO BE A HISPANIC EX SERVING INSTITUTION.
AND FOR US, A BETTER PHRASE IS REALLY A HISPANIC EMBRACING INSTITUTION.
SO THIS JOURNEY STARTED BACK IN THE NINETIES WHEN SENATOR FRANK MADLA HAD A VISION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF AN EDUCATION DESERT.
AND HE CHAMPIONED THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNIVERSITY.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE THAT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM WAS INTERESTED IN THIS VALUE PROPOSITION TO SERVE THE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO.
AS A LATINA, UH, A LATINX PROFESSIONAL IN HIGHER EDUCATION, THIS UNIVERSITY HAS MEANT THE WORLD TO ME.
I WAS A FIRST GENERATION STUDENT.
I AM NOW CONSIDERED A FIRST GENERATION FACULTY MEMBER.
AND ALL THE CHALLENGES AND ALL THE CELEBRATIONS HAVE ALL BEEN SUPPORTED WITHIN THIS INSTITUTION WITHIN A AND M SAN ANTONIO.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD'VE GOTTEN AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND SO I'M INDEBTED TO OUR INSTITUTION THAT I LOVE AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE WORKING WITHIN.
FOR OVER 10 YEARS, I WAS A TRANSFER STUDENT.
I WAS A STUDENT PARENT, BUT I WAS ALSO COMING IN AS A MEMBER OF THE
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LATINX COMMUNITY ON OUR CAMPUS.IT'S WAY OVER 75% OF HOW MANY, UH, OF THE POPULATION ENCOMPASSED THAT DEMOGRAPHIC.
THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE A NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT LIKE ME, AND JUST KNOWING THAT THERE WERE TOOLS AND RESOURCES ON CAMPUS THAT I WAS COMING TO REALLY MADE IT AN EASY CHOICE.
I THINK WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL WITH OUR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, OUR CURRICULUM, AND I THINK THE DESIGNATION HAS TRULY PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, MORE FOCUSED WITH OUR LATINX POPULATIONS.
WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE VALUE OF THE HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION, A COMMUNITY WHERE THERE IS A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING THAT YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU COME ONTO THE CAMPUS.
FROM THE ROADWAY DESIGN TO THE ARCHITECTURE, TO THE ART, TO THE DESIGN OF OUR FACILITIES.
AND WE EMBRACE THAT WITH ALL OF OUR HEART AND SPIRIT IN THE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
WHEN I LOOK AT TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO AND THEIR MISSION, IT, THEY WERE PURPOSE BUILT HERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE FACT THAT THE SCHOOL SERVES 77% LATINO STUDENTS, AND THE FACT THAT THE SCHOOL IS A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION AND AN AWARDEE OF THE SEAL OF EXCELENCIA, THOSE ARE MARKERS THAT PROVE THAT TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO, THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO TAKE THEIR HISPANIC SERVING MISSION VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
IT'S ABOUT CULTURAL ACCEPTANCE.
IT'S ABOUT AN AFFIRMATIVE LENS.
IT'S ABOUT KNOWING OUR STUDENT BODY AND THEIR JOURNEY.
A LARGE POPULATION OF HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE COLLEGE AND THEIR FAMILY HISTORY.
SO WE TAKE THAT ATTITUDE IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
I DON'T THINK I COULD EVER REPAY WHAT THIS INSTITUTION HAS DONE FOR ME.
AND THE FACT THAT THAT IS HAPPENING FOR OTHER STUDENTS ON THIS CAMPUS IS EXACTLY WHY WE ARE HERE.
MATSON, WHO I'M GONNA BRING UP SO SHE CAN JUST STAND THERE AND WE CAN TELL HER WHAT GOOD WORK SHE'S DONE, IS THE ONLY SITTING LATINA FEMALE PRESIDENT OF A PUBLIC FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SHE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE AND NATIONALLY FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IN THIS LATINX HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION IS THEY ARE A PROUD PARTNER, UH, COLLEGE OF THE DREAM US SCHOLARS, AND THEY HAVE A DREAMERS RESOURCE CENTER ON CAMPUS.
IT'S A SAFE SPACE FOR DACA RECIPIENTS.
THIS IS HEARTWARMING FOR ME BECAUSE AS A FORMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER, MY STUDENTS ARE NOW IN COLLEGE AND SOME OF THEM WERE DREAMERS.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND FOR ALL STUDENTS.
I HAVE TO REMIND THIS, 'CAUSE YOU GUYS WERE IN THE NEWS LAST WEEK, IS THAT THERE IS THE MAY CENTER TO HELP WITH SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND CAREER EXPLORATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, UH, DOC, DR.
UH, TINA MATSON, AND THE TEAM THAT IS HERE.
AND I KNOW WE HAD THE JAG JAGUAR HERE TOO, SO CONGRATULATIONS AND JUST CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, WHO ALSO REPRESENTS OUR INSTITUTION AND ALL THE, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION, NOT ONLY FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, BUT AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER REFLECTED OUR FIVE YEAR CELEBRATION AS AN HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION.
OFFICIALLY UNDER THE DESIGNATION FROM THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE CELEBRATED CINCO, AS WE CALLED IT ON CAMPUS.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GAVE MANY OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO DO THOUGH, HOWEVER, IS INTRODUCE SOME OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
DARNELL SMITH IS HERE, OUR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, WHO IS ALSO, UM, A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE HERE FROM SAN ANTONIO.
BUT OUR UNIVERSITY, UH, JUST LAST YEAR UNDER THE HOUSE BILL OF 1439, EXCUSE ME, LAST SESSION, ESTABLISHED THE FIRST EVER INTER INTERCOLLEGIATE SPORTS PROGRAM FOR SOUTH SAN ANTONIO.
SINCE 2020, WE WELCOME FOUR NEW SPORTS, SOFTBALL, MEN'S GOLF.
WE HAVE TWO OF OUR ATHLETES HERE TODAY AND MEN AND WOMEN'S SOCCER.
WE ARE EXCITED ALSO TO HAVE LAUNCHED OUR FIRST ESPORTS PROGRAM BACK IN 2020.
AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE PARTICIPATING NOW AT THE NEW, UH, TECH PORT AS WELL.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
WE'RE BUILDING CHAMPIONS ACADEMICALLY AND HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY ATHLETICALLY, WE HAVE BROUGHT SOME OF OUR GEAR FOR YOU ALL TO WEAR, TO USE AND TO CELEBRATE.
UM, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
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REMINDER THIS EVENING, WE HAVE OUR DREAM MAKERS GALA.WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN JOIN US WHERE WE'RE RECOGNIZING ONE OF OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS.
UM, BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANOTHER INVITATION THAT WILL BE COMING SOON TO CELEBRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND RESEARCH HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRANT, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
TENTE MATSON AND, AND DARNELL AND, AND THE TEAM FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO SERVE OUR HISPANIC, UH, STUDENTS, IN PARTICULAR IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
I THINK THAT SOMETIMES, UM, GETTING TO SCHOOL BECOMES DIFFICULT, RIGHT? AND FOR THEM TO HAVE A UNIVERSITY LITERALLY IN THEIR BACKYARD IS, IS VERY HELPFUL.
I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH COUNCILWOMAN VRAN.
AND I TELL EVERYBODY, LITERALLY, YOU COULD BE IN BOTH DISTRICTS THREE AND FOUR, THE WAY THAT YOU'RE STANDING IN THE CAB BUILDING.
UM, AND, AND I TAKE PRIDE OF THAT.
AND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TWO ADVOCATES ON COUNCIL.
I MEAN, I THINK ALL OF OUR, OUR COUNCIL ADVOCATE, UH, ADVOCATES FOR, UM, EDUCATION IN GENERAL, BUT YOU HAVE TWO THAT REPRESENT YOUR AREA.
I, I THINK, UM, TO THE FULLEST.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE MY FORMER COLLEAGUE, UH, REBECCA VRAN COUNCILWOMAN, WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND HAS DONE A, A GREAT JOB IN HER NEW ROLE OVER AT TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO HERE WITH US.
AND THEN, UM, I, I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I JUST LEARNED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE, THE TERM, UH, FIRST GENERATION FACULTY MEMBER AND I TURNED TO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
I WAS LIKE, OH, I THINK I'M THAT.
I GET TO ADD ANOTHER FIRST GEN TITLE TO, TO MY STUFF.
AND WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF BOTH OF YOUR SUPPORT, REALLY.
THE WHOLE COUNCIL FOR THE VITA PROJECT AND THE VITA DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE BEEN SAYING TO PEOPLE THAT THE LID HAS BLOWN OFF AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO FROM OUR NEW SIGNAGE, UH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MOON TO ALL OF THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
MATSON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THE REST OF Y'ALL FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, AS Y'ALL KNOW, I'M AN AGGIE.
AND THIS IS LITTLE KNOWN SECRET,
AND THIS, THIS IS A PORTION OF THE TEXAS A AND M SYSTEM.
AND I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I WOULD GET COUNCILWOMAN GRA IN THE A AND M SYSTEM.
BUT YEAH, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, STARTING THE SPORTS PROGRAMS DOWN THERE ALSO, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY DOWN THERE AND, UH, ATTRACT MORE ATTENTION.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THESE BALLS,
UH, BUT I, LET ME TELL YOU, I WANNA HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT TEXAS A AND M HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH THE COMMUNITY OUT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA.
I HOPE NOBODY GOT HIT OUT THERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR NOT JUST THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT, UM, BUT OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE GROWING UP.
OF COURSE, A LATINO LATINA IN THIS CITY IS, UM, A WONDERFUL THING.
BUT IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE AN INSTITUTION, UM, THAT REALLY PROMOTES AND FOSTERS THAT.
I ALSO, UH, WANNA THANK YOU FOR PROCURING LOCAL TALENT ON YOUR, ON YOUR, UM, ADMINISTRATION.
OUR COUNCILMAN REBECCA GERRAN IS, UH, FROM THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT ALSO DARNELL SMITH.
HE IS A PRODUCT OF DISTRICT SIX.
WENT TO, UH, HIGH SCHOOL SOMETIME.
ASK HIM ABOUT THE TIME THAT HE WENT TO STATE WITH TAFT.
'CAUSE IT'S A REALLY GOOD STORY.
UM, SO WE REALLY THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER.
UM, EVERY YEAR WE GO TO THE WALK FOR AUTISM THERE AT, AT A AND M AT AT, UM, UM, IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND YOU'RE JUST SUCH A WONDERFUL HOST AND TO HAVE THAT THERE, AND IT'S A BIG, BIG EVENT AND IT'S ALWAYS RUN REALLY, REALLY WELL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HDA AND, AND, UH, TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO MAY BE CLAIMED BY DISTRICTS THREE AND FOUR, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE, THE RISE OF THE UNIVERSITY IS PROFOUND AND IT ALSO HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE CITY AND THE STATE.
SO BE SURE TO, UH, KEEP US ALL APPRISED OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE THERE TO REACH YOU ON AS WELL.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOME GAMES.
FROM A FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO A 100TH YEAR FIRE PREVENTION AWARENESS WEEK ANNIVERSARY.
SO IF I COULD GET THE FI THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE EXPLORERS
[01:20:01]
TO COME ON UP FRONT.SO, SINCE 1922, THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN CELEBRATING FIRE PREVENTION WEEK FROM OCTOBER 9TH TO OCTOBER 15TH.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME PHOTOS HERE.
UM, YOUR ABILITY TO GET OUT OF YOUR HOME DURING A FIRE DEPENDS ON EARLY WARNING FROM SMOKE ALARMS AND PLANNING.
WORK BEGAN EARLY ON THIS PROJECT, UH, THIS PAST JUNE, DISTRICT THREE WAS THE FIRST COUNCIL OFFICE TO TAKE UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT IN PROVIDING FREE SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATIONS FOR OUR DISTRICT THREE SENIORS.
THE D THREE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED AND INSTALLED FREE SMOKE ALARMS IN OVER 100 PLUS HOMES OF D THREE SENIORS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY, IT TAKES TIME, IT TAKES DEDICATION, IT TAKES VOLUNTEERS THAT CAN GET ON LADDERS.
UM, SO I INVITED THEM HERE SO YOU GUYS COULD SEE THEM, UH, REACH OUT TO THEM 'CAUSE THEY CAN DO THIS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE AT LEAST A HUNDRED HOMES THAT YOU CAN, UM, HIT.
SO IN A COUPLE WEEKS, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON ANOTHER SECTION OF, UM, DISTRICT THREE.
IF YOU KNOW AN ELDERLY NEIGHBOR, FAMILY MEMBER WHO ARE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING A FREE SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY'S 2 1 1 LINE OR SIGN UP THROUGH FIRE SAFE.COM.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF EITHER OF THE EXPLORERS WANTED TO SHARE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO INTO THE SENIOR'S HOME AND PUT UP THE FIRE ALARMS.
DO I, DO I HAVE ANY FIRE, FIRE, UH, FIREMEN THAT WANT TO SHARE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO INTO THE HOMES? UH, GOING INTO THE HOMES WAS A GREAT, UH, PRIVILEGE TO ACTUALLY PUT IN SMOKE DETECTORS, UH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT SAVES HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF LIVES.
A LOT OF THE HOMES ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY DON'T HAVE ANY SMOKE DETECTORS.
SO IT'S OUR HONOR TO GO AND PUT THOSE IN.
UH, AND IF ANY OTHER COUNCIL, UH, WANNA HAVE US GO OUT THERE AND VOLUNTEER, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE THE EXPLORERS, WHICH ARE A LITTLE MUTE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY CHATTY.
BUT, UH, WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND DO THAT.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THAT IN YOUR DISTRICT.
AND WE DID HAVE SPARKY COME OUT AND SUPERVISE ON ONE OF OUR, UH, ONE OF OUR TRIPS.
SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
AND I, I'M SURE IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, APPOINTED PERSON PRIVILEGE.
UM, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE TWO SPECIAL DAYS THAT WE MISSED OBSERVING HERE IN SESSION AND, UH, AND ALSO HONOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
UM, FIRST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY WAS RECOGNIZED ON OCTOBER 12TH.
I WANT TO THANK ANTONIO DIAZ FOR HIS WORK TO ENSURE SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THIS VERY IMPORTANT DAY.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, AMERICAN INDIANS IN TEXAS MOVED THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO DISTRICT TWO, AND WE ARE OVERJOYED TO HAVE THEM.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, A I T COULDN'T MAKE IT TODAY.
BUT IN THEIR ABSENCE, WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF THIS LAND.
UM, WE REFLECT ON THIS COLONIZATION AND HONOR ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, UH, LIVING AMONGST US.
SECONDLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY, WHICH OCCURS ON OCTOBER 11TH EVERY YEAR.
IT WAS FIRST CELEBRATED ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1987 NATIONAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR LESBIAN GAY RIGHTS.
A DATE CHOSEN TO HONOR THE BRAVERY OF LGBTQ PLUS INDIVIDUALS WHO DECIDE TO COME OUT AND LIVE OPENLY.
I AM, I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL PIONEERS AND THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE AS QUEER FOLKS.
FOR ANYONE WHO IS STILL NOT OUT, KNOW THAT YOU ARE SUPPORTED AND LOVED, AND YOUR IDENTITY IS EQUALLY AS VALID.
FINALLY, WE HONOR, UH, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH FOR ALL OF OCTOBER.
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD RECOGNIZE THIS MONTH TO BRING AWARENESS, SHARE RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT BY WEARING PINK.
UM, BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGHER NUMBERS OF MORTALITY, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE A LOWER INCIDENCE RATE.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF ACCESS TO CARE.
AND SO, I WANNA THANK ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER, AND INCLUDING SLEW COUNT, UH, CANCER WELLNESS CENTER AND POWERHOUSE AND SUSAN G UH, KOMEN FOR THE CURE.
MANY OF US KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER.
AND TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR OUR VERY OWN STAFF MEMBER.
UH, I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE HER 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE GLASSES ON, BUT I SEE THE PINK.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR LORETA GALIN MCDAVID, WHO IS A BRAVE SURVIVOR AND IS FULLY DECKED OUT IN, INTO PINK TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
[01:25:02]
AND FINALLY, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA.I, I, I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT WANTED TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO A FREE EVENT.
IT'S A LANDLORD'S SUMMIT THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS PUTTING TOGETHER AND CHAIR OF PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL WERE AWARE, THERE'S A FULL DAY OF ACTIVITIES FROM EIGHT 30 TO 4:00 PM AND SO IF YOU'RE AN APARTMENT OWNER OR AN OPERATOR OR HOUSING PROVIDER, OR EVEN AN INDEPENDENT RENTAL HOMEOWNER THAT WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND THE BASICS AND HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE, WE INVITE YOU.
THERE'S GONNA BE A HOMEOWNER SESSION OR PROPERTY OWNER SESSION FROM NINE TO 12.
THERE'S GONNA BE AN EXPERT PANEL AT NOON.
AND THEN FORMER AND EXISTING HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM PROPERTY OWNERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS FROM ONE TO FOUR.
IT'S GONNA BE AT THE TRIPOINT, UH, NORTH ST.
MARY'S, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO REGISTER TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK THROUGH THOSE CEREMONIALS.
UM, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DID THOSE.
UH, AND ALSO THEY WERE RECOGNIZED AND AND WITNESSED BY THE PUBLIC.
SO, UH, NOW WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THE REST OF OUR BUSINESS AGENDA.
UH, WE'LL START WITH, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, BUT WE
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
DO HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA.UH, SO LET ME ASK MY COLLEAGUES AT THIS TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I DID HEAR ITEM 40 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR FIVE 40 AND 18, WHICH HAS BEEN WITH WITHDRAWN.
THERE IS A MOTION IN THE SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR THOSE I JUST READ.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CITIZENS SIGN, BUT SPEAK FOR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. SO LET'S MOVE RIGHT INTO DISCUSSION.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER 26.
THAT'S AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A DONATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE MITCHELL CHANG FOUNDATION FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF AN IN-KIND, UH, DONATION OF A PLAYGROUND AND RELATED EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION, VALUED AT $1.5 MILLION FROM THE MITCHELL CHANG FOUNDATION TO BE INCLUDED AT THE CLASS IN STOOPING PARK.
TODAY WE HAVE, UM, MS. CHANG HERE, AND I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
HE LOVED PIRATES AND DINOSAURS.
HE WAS A BEAUTIFUL, ENTHUSIASTIC, AND EXUBERANT SPIRITED BOY.
TRAGICALLY, WHEN HE WAS THREE YEARS OLD, MITCHELL DROWNED IN MITCHELL'S HONOR HIS PARENTS, DR.
MARVIN AND MRS. APRIL CHANG FORMED THE MITCHELL CHANG FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT TO CONTINUE HIS FUN LOVING NATURE AND GOOD STORY.
THEIR GOAL IS TO BRING THE LOVE AND HAPPINESS MITCHELL GAVE TO THEM, TO ALL FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO BY BUILDING THE FIRST FREE PUBLIC INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND FOR THE PARK SYSTEM.
IN EARLY MARCH, 2020, THE COUPLE LEARNED THAT SA MASKS FOR HEROES.
AN ONLINE GROUP WAS COLLECTING AND DONATING FACE MASKS.
THE CHANGS KNEW THEIR FOUNDATION, WHICH HAS MORE THAN 5,000 FOLLOWERS, AND A BASE OF VOLUNTEERS COULD HELP LEAD THE EFFORT WITH A SMALL ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS.
THEY ALSO CREATED FACE MASK KITS THAT CONTINUED PRECUT FABRIC, OR THAT CONTAINED PRECUT FABRIC AND ELASTIC, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SEW MASKS.
WE ALL REMEMBER THAT TIME WHEN MASKS WERE DESPERATELY NE NEEDED.
AND THE CHANG FOUNDATION REALIZED THE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFER, BUT ALSO TO HELP FUND THE PLAYGROUND.
THEY REACHED OUT TO H E B AND TO THEIR SURPRISE, OUR LOCAL GROCER JUMPED ON BOARD IN A BIG WAY.
WITHIN A MONTH, THE MASKS WERE ON SALE AND STORES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
TODAY WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH SUCH MASKS.
MITCHELL'S LANDING WILL BE A SHINING STAR FOR THE SAN ANTONIO PARK SYSTEM.
THIS DESTINATION PLAYGROUND WILL BE IN THE NEW CLASSEN STUBING RANCH PARK IN DISTRICT NINE.
THE 204 ACRE PARK WILL HAVE 164 PARKING SPOTS, WALKING TRAILS, PAVILION, RESTROOMS, PICNIC AREAS, BASEBALL FIELDS, AND OPEN PLAY FIELDS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MITCHELL'S LANDING PLAYGROUND.
[01:30:02]
AT MITCHELL'S LANDING, CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVE PLAY TO A GREATER DEGREE THAN THEY WOULD AT A TRADITIONAL PLAYGROUND.THIS PLAYGROUND WILL ALSO ENCOURAGE MULTI-GENERATIONAL PLAY BY PROVIDING ACCESS AND EASE OF USE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITY LEVELS, INCLUDING GRANDPARENTS AND CAREGIVERS WITH DISABILITIES.
I WANT TO THANK THE CHANG FAMILY FOR THEIR AMBITION, THEIR WORK AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE H E B AND SUSAN NAYLOR SELLERS FOR THEIR EARLY SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT AND EXTREMELY GENEROUS DONATIONS.
WE HOPE EVERYONE WILL COME OUT TO ENJOY THIS PLAYGROUND AND THE ENTIRETY OF CLASS AND STEUBEN RANCH PARK WHEN IT OPENS THIS COMING SPRING.
MS. CHANG, I INVITE YOU TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO START WITH THANKING YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, HONESTLY, FOR RESPONDING SO QUICKLY AND ON AND BRINGING THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER.
WHEN WE BROUGHT THE IDEA, YOU JUMPSTARTED THE IDEA BY GETTING EVERYONE EVOLVED IMMEDIATELY.
PUBLIC, UM, WORKS, AND, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION.
THEY TOOK A HUGE LEAP OF FAITH IN BELIEVING WE WOULD DELIVER THIS PROJECT AND WORKED WITH US AND HELPED GUIDE US JUST AS YOU DID TO HELP WHEN WE RAN INTO ROADBLOCKS AND ISSUES.
YOU HELPED US WORK THROUGH THINGS AND WE ARE VERY THANKFUL.
A NEW PARKS DIRECTOR, HOMER GARCIA
'CAUSE NOW KNOWING HOW HARD IT IS TO BRING THIS TYPE OF LARGE PROJECT TO FRUITION, I, I'M, I'M SHOCKED Y'ALL BELIEVED IN US
WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE IN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
'CAUSE HONESTLY, IT'S THROUGH, IT'S THROUGH YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THE GROUNDWORK AND THE FOUNDATION WORK THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE OUR BUDGET GROW AND INCLUDE MORE INCLUSIVE ELEMENTS.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE DISABILITY.
THERE'S COGNITIVE, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, THERE'S PHYSICAL HEARING, COMMUNICATIVE, VISUAL, THERE'S SO MANY.
AND THEY ALL REQUIRE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTAL STIMULATIONS.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, MITCHELL'S LANDING HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT THAT OTHER PLAYGROUNDS DON'T.
IT HAS NEW EQUIPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED JUST FOR MITCHELL'S LANDING, WHICH IS AMAZING.
AND IT'S, IT'S A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.
ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS, ALL THESE PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENTS AND IN OFFICES WORKING FOR FOUR YEARS TO BRING THIS TO LIFE.
IT'S A GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND WITH YOUR VOTE, THAT WILL HAPPEN.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND, AND WE HOPE TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF YOUR SON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 37.
IN MARCH, 2022, THE SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH DISTRICT INITIATED THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE A FEE FOR SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR PROVISION OF A MINIMUM OF 600 BEHAVIORAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SESSIONS FOR PREGNANT AND PARENTING TEENAGERS AGE 13 TO 19 YEARS OLD.
I FELT LIKE IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED THIS SUMMER, THAT THIS NEEDED TO BE HIGHLIGHTED IN TERMS OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF, UM, WOMEN AND PARENTING TEENS AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR, UM, TEENS.
BECAUSE WE DID DO THE SURVEY, WHICH THEY NOTED THEY WERE FEELING MORE STRESS.
THIS IS GOING TO PROVIDE GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS.
IT'S GONNA BE MADE AVAILABLE IN PERSON THROUGH TELEPHONE, THROUGH A VIRTUAL PLATFORM.
UH, AND EACH SESSION WILL RANGE FROM 30 TO 45 MINUTES.
I WANNA APPLAUD THE CHOICE OF COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS AS THE SELECTED VENDOR.
THEY WILL BE FOCUSING ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NORTHSIDE, EDGEWOOD, SOUTH SAN, SOUTH W WEST AND SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD START BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE NEED TO, UM, FOCUS ON ALSO.
BUT THIS IS THE START THAT IS GOING TO HELP US ADDRESS THAT, WHAT OUR
[01:35:01]
FEMALES ARE GOING THROUGH.IN, IN THE SURVEY, FEMALES REPORTED HIGHER STRUGGLES COMPARED TO THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS.
UH, THROUGH THIS CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS, SA METRO HEALTH AIMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SUPPORT TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT FOR THIS SUCCESS.
I THINK AS WE LOOK, WHICH WAS, UH, A PRELIMINARY WAS PROVIDED TO US LAST WEEK ON THE STATUS OF GIRLS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WE NEED MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE MOVING THIS FORWARD WITH A START.
I TOO WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE ITEMS, 32 B AND 33 B, UM, ON A COUPLE OF APPOINTEES TO FROM DISTRICT 10.
UH, FIRST ONE BEING BETH GRAHAM.
SHE'S BEEN A LONG TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEN SHE WENT OUT AND RETIRED, BUT NOW SHE'S VOLUNTEERED TO COME BACK AND SERVE ON THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SO THANK YOU BETH, FOR VOLUNTEERING TO DO THAT.
UH, THE OTHER PERSON IS COLONEL JOHN BAKER.
HE'S, UH, UH, JUST RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE ARMY AND HE WANTS TO STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HE'S VOLUNTEERED TO, UH, BE ON THE HISTORIC, UH, AND DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION.
SO THANK YOU JOHN FOR DOING THAT.
AND HE, IT'S A BONUS WITH HIM BECAUSE HE'S ALSO AN AGGIE.
SO, GIGA AGGIES, AND, UH, THANK YOU TO BOTH BETH AND JOHN.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE APPOINTMENT OF YVETTE HUMBLE TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
UH, YVETTE IS A DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT AND A LITIGATION ATTORNEY WITH RAICES.
SHE'S ALSO A MOTHER OF TWO SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND VALUES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND YOU CAN OFTEN FIND HER IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND A P T A MEETING.
UM, UH, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HER ON BOARD WITH US.
WE'RE ALSO REALLY EXCITED TO APPOINT TERRY KILMER, UM, TO THE ELDERLY AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
WE'RE ALSO VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HER PREDECESSOR, GLORIA, FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TO OUR SENIORS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GLORIA CONTINUING TO SERVE ON SOME OF THOSE ACTIVE COMMITTEES, ESPECIALLY AROUND HOUSING.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO GLORIA AND TERRY WORKING TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR DISTRICT FIVE SENIORS.
I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ONE LAST ITEM, ITEM 37, UM, WHICH IS AN ARRANGEMENT WITH COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR TEENS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH DISTRICT.
AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, STUDIES ARE SHOWING THAT MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ARE OCCURRING AT YOUNGER AGES THAN EVER BEFORE.
AND I ATTENDED THE LAST SA YOUTH COMMISSION MEETING WHERE OUR COMMISSIONERS ALLOCATED $100,000 IN ARPA DOLLARS TO VARIOUS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WHEN THAT PROPOSAL COMES TO US, YOU'RE GONNA BE SO IMPRESSED WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT OUR YOUTH COMMISSIONERS ASKED AND THEIR PROPOSAL.
UM, I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BE THERE TO WATCH THEM, UH, VOTE TO PASS THE FRAMEWORK UNANIMOUSLY.
SO THIS PROGRAM WOULD PROVIDE 600 INDIVIDUALS OR GROUP BEHAVIORAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SESSIONS WITH QUALIFIED AND TRAINED LICENSED PROFESSIONALS.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUTH HAVE THE APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY.
IF THERE ARE NONE, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR FIVE 18 AND 40.
JUST A MOMENT AS WE PULL UP THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
[ACTION ITEMS FOR STAFF BRIEFING]
GO TO ITEM FIVE.ITEM FIVE IS AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND WORK PLAN.
I'M BRENDA HICKS, SORENSON, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING, UH, TO AGAIN, TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE NOW.
UH, WE CONTRACTED WITH T I P STRATEGIES
[01:40:02]
IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN QUICKLY STARTED JUMPING INTO TO THE PROCESS.THIS INCLUDED SIGNIFICANT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WITH OVER 20 ROUND TABLES, UH, OVER 20 INTERVIEWS, INCLUDING WITH ALL OF YOU.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE INPUT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UH, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF BENCHMARKS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, THE DISCOVERY PHASE, THE OPPORTUNITY PHASE WHERE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, AND, AND REALLY TALK THROUGH SOME OF THESE, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE COMING OUT OF THE PLAN.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, WE'RE NOW TURNING TO MY FAVORITE PART, WHICH IS THE IMPLEMENTATION STAGE
UM, AFTER ALL OF THAT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND THE LAST B SESSION, WE DID WORK WITH T I P STRATEGIES TO UPDATE THESE, UH, FRAMEWORK, UH, THE DRAFT THAT YOU HAD PREVIOUSLY SEEN TO THE DRAFT THAT WAS RECENTLY PROVIDED.
THERE AGAIN, WERE A NUMBER OF CHANGES THROUGHOUT THAT.
UM, TOO MANY TO REALLY GO THROUGH AND LIST, BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE WERE A LOT MORE CROSS REFERENCES AMONG THE RELATED STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE INTERRELATED AND CONNECTED, UH, AND A LOT OF COLLABORATION IS REQUIRED THROUGHOUT THAT.
UM, WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED IS REALLY THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THE GOALS.
AGAIN, THE FOUR GOALS ARE THE INDUSTRY, UH, INNOVATION AND INDUSTRY FOCUSING ON PLACEMAKING AND REAL ESTATE, TALENT AND WORKFORCE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CAPACITY RESOURCES THAT GO TO SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, AS WE ESTABLISH THIS FRAMEWORK, WE UTILIZE THIS AS WE ARE GETTING ALL OF THAT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK TO REALLY BUILD OUT OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 WORK PLAN.
AS WE PREVIOUSLY HIGHLIGHTED DURING THE BUDGET CONVERSATION.
AGAIN, THE FOCUS HERE IS ON BUILDING THAT FOUNDATION, UH, SO THAT WE REALLY CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO, TO ENHANCE OUR EFFORTS AND BUILD UPON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT BU UH, BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DATA ANALYTICS.
AGAIN, WE DID HAVE THAT APPROVED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, WHERE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WORKING WITH A LOT OF PARTNERS ON, ON THE DATA AND SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS.
ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES TIES TO BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND EXPANSION.
FOR EXAMPLE, BEING ABLE TO USE A DATA SET, UH, COSTAR THAT IDENTIFIES, UM, COMPANIES WHO HAVE LEASES, FOR EXAMPLE, EXPIRING IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS.
THOSE ARE GREAT COMPANIES THAT WE SHOULD BE VISITING WITH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THEM IN A VERY PROACTIVE WAY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RETAINING THEM HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IN A PERFECT WORLD, EVEN WORKING WITH THEM TO EXPAND.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT GREATER S A T X, AMONG OTHERS ON ENHANCING THE MARKETING AND MESSAGING EFFORTS AROUND RECRUITMENT AND REALLY WHAT A GREAT COMMUNITY WE HAVE IN GENERAL.
UM, AND AGAIN, I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THIS, AGAIN, WITH LOTS OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, BUT WE NEED OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ORDER FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ALSO NEED OUR, OUR PARTNERS.
SO IT'S A LOT OF COLLABORATION, UM, AND, AND INTERCONNECTEDNESS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, THIS PROCESS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING AS WE GO FORWARD, UH, IS QUARTERLY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR MEETINGS SPECIFIC TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED A LOT ON SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT IN FISCAL YEAR 22.
THAT DOESN'T CHANGE IN 23 AS WE REALLY FOCUS ON THE ARPA IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, OUR WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS OVER AT LIFTFUND, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND, UH, REALLY CONTINUING TO BUILD OUT THE ECOSYSTEM AND, AND THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN STARTED.
UH, AGAIN, WITH THAT, WE KNOW THAT DISPARITY STUDY IS WRAPPING UP.
WE SHOULD BE SEEING RESULTS IN EARLY 2023.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THE, THE PROCESS, UH, WITH ALL OF YOU ON, UH, THE ORDINANCE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SO FORTH AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND THEN OF COURSE, PLACEMAKING, QUARTER REDEVELOPMENT, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND OTHER PARTNERS ON HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, UH, AND CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TOOLS AS WE TALKED PREVIOUSLY, WE ARE ASKING FOR ACCEPTANCE TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE A MASSIVE NUMBER OF POLICY CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND, UH, THE TOOLS ARE REALLY THE FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE HEAD INTO, UH, CONTINUE INTO FISCAL YEAR 23.
THE INCENTIVE POLICIES ARE THE FIRST ONE THAT WE WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT.
[01:45:01]
BRIEFINGS.WE HAVE MEETINGS SCHEDULED WITH ALL OF YOU NEXT WEEK TO, TO DISCUSS THAT.
SO WE CAN BRING FORWARD THE REVISED POLICIES IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, YET, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN IN EARLY 2023, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD A REVISED WORK FOR WORK PLAN FOR THE E D C, AGAIN, BASED OFF OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS FRAMEWORK.
AND THEN, UH, WE ALSO ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES ABOUT THE TOURS AND HOW WE CAN BEST UTILIZE THAT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
UH, WHEN WE PRESENTED THIS AT B SESSION, WE DID REALIZE THAT WE HAD LEFT OUT A NUMBER OF OUR PARTNERS.
UH, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE ALL IN HERE, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT ALL INCLUSIVE EITHER.
AGAIN, WE FREQUENTLY SAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A TEAM SPORT.
UH, AND SO WE ALL NEED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR FOCUS AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, IS CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARTNERS, BOTH INTERNAL TO THE CITY AS WELL AS EXTERNALLY.
AND THEN FINALLY, HOW DO WE KNOW WE'RE SUCCESSFUL? AGAIN, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MEASURING SUCCESS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK.
THERE WAS THE BROADER ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, UH, THAT THOSE ARE, A LOT OF THOSE WERE INCLUDED IN THE, THAT DATA SET THAT WAS LINKED AND THAT WE'D PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED.
HERE WE HAVE THE GROWTH TARGETS THAT ARE SHOWING ON THIS SLIDE.
SO SOME OF THOSE BIG PICTURE INDICATORS.
AND THEN A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS, AGAIN, HOW WE'RE GOING TO ALIGN OUR RESOURCES, LEVERAGE INVESTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
AND SO WE'LL ALSO BE INCLUDING OUTCOME-BASED PERFORMANCE METRICS IN ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS TO, AGAIN, BETTER LEVERAGE RESOURCES, BETTER LEVERAGE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE CITY.
UH, SO THAT IS, AGAIN, ANOTHER FOCUS IN FISCAL YEAR 23, UH, AS IS ME DEVELOPING THAT DASHBOARD THAT WE'LL BE REPORTING ON ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO WITH THAT, UH, T I P STRATEGIES IS HERE, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO HELP FACILITATE THIS.
UM, ALL OF THE, THE REVISIONS THEY MADE AFTER THE, THE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK, AND ARE ALSO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS THE MI.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, BRENDA.
I THINK, UH, MOST OF US HAVE HAD MULTIPLE BRIEFINGS ON THE ITEM, SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO DISCUSSION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
THERE IS NO, WE ARE, ARE WE SEEKING ACTION TODAY, MAYOR? JUST, UH, MAYOR, JUST ACCEPTING ACCEPTANCE.
UH, SO LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE FRAMEWORK.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
LET'S GO RIGHT INTO DISCUSSION NOW.
UH, WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UH, LET ME START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PALA, UH, WHO CHAIRS OUR ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
YESTERDAY WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND I COMMENTED THAT THAT WAS A CONSENSUS DOCUMENT THAT WAS FILTERED THROUGH MULTIPLE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND, UM, DISCUSSIONS, UH, THAT INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS.
AND THANK YOU, UH, BRENDA AND ALEX, UH, FOR DOING THAT LEGWORK.
UH, UH, THE, UM, I KNOW YOU WENT BACK MULTIPLE TIMES TO, TO DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS GETTING, UH, INPUT.
I THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DISTILLED, UM, AND, AND SYNTHESIZED ALL THAT INPUT.
AND IT'S REFLECTED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
I THINK YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
UM, UH, THIS IS, UH, ALSO LIKE, LIKE OUR, UH, LIKE OUR BUDGET.
UH, THIS IS A ROADMAP THAT ALLOWS, UM, FOR THIRD PARTIES, UH, TO READ IT THEMSELVES AND UNDERSTAND ALSO, AND, AND GA AND GAIN SOME PREDICTABILITY, UH, FROM, UM, FROM HOW WE DO THINGS BEFORE THEY EVEN APPROACH US, RIGHT? UH, AND SO WE ARE, UH, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS ROADMAP, UH, OR THIS MANUAL, IF YOU WILL, AND, UM, DECIDE, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW TO FASHION THEIR REQUESTS OF US.
AND ALSO, UM, NOBODY, IT ALLOWS US TO POINT TO IT AS A TOOL AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS, THIS IS CODIFIED, RIGHT? AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY THE ENTIRETY OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT BRENDA HICKS IS MAKING UP.
UH, AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT PROVIDING FOLKS THAT TRANSPARENCY AND, AND PROVIDING PEOPLE THAT PREDICTABILITY IS, UM, IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE STANDARDIZED.
AND SO WITH THAT REGARD, UM, I, I CAN'T THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR PUTTING IN THIS HARD WORK ON, I'VE SEEN YOU GUYS STAY LATE AT NIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THIS.
AND, UM, ALSO OUR CONSULTANTS, UH, WHO ARE HERE, I THINK YOU GUYS HEARD LOUD AND
[01:50:01]
CLEAR EVERYTHING THAT WE LAID OUT FOR YOU.UM, AND I'M, I'M DELIGHTED THAT WE BROUGHT YOU GUYS ON BOARD.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE EXCELLENT.
YOU HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION, BUT I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED AT HOW DARN GOOD, UH, THE FINAL RESULT IS.
AND SO THE WHEEL FI, WAS IT, THE WHEEL GRINDS SLOWLY, BUT IT APPEARS TO GRIND FINE.
AND MY THANKS TO THE, UH, CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE FOR THEIR WORK IN GUIDING THIS PROCESS.
UH, I TOO HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY, UH, THE WORK OF THE CONSULTANTS AND, UH, BRENDA SINCE HER, UH, SHORT TIME IN COMING TO THE CITY.
UM, I, I'LL REPEAT SOMETHING I SAID.
I THINK THE FIRST TIME YOU PRESENTED, UH, THIS, WHICH WAS, I, YOU MET WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UM, FROM US IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS IMPORTANT.
AND I APPRECIATE, UM, REALLY HOW FLEXIBLE THAT CONVERSATION WAS.
UH, AND I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WAS NOT, UH, EXPERIENCED IN HAVING TYPES OF PROJECTS LIKE THESE IN MY DISTRICTS BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE NATURE OF THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT, UH, ECONOMIC INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR CITY HAD PURSUED, UH, IN MY SHORT TIME ON THE COUNCIL.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE, UM, BEEN FLEXIBLE IN HOW THAT APPROACH GOES FORWARD.
NOT ONLY WILL WE BUILD ON THE GREAT WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN THE SECTORS THAT ARE ALREADY, UH, VERY IMPORTANT AND VALUED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A NEW SECTOR IN THE FIELDS OF ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND RIGHTFULLY SO WITH THE MANY FEDERAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING AND, UH, AND THE NEED THAT, AND, AND THE COMMITMENTS THAT THE CITY HAS MADE IN ITS CLIMATE, UH, ACTION PLAN.
I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT THE FOCUS WILL NOT BE SOLELY ON THE, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OF LAND, BUT WE'RE ALSO, WELL, YES IT IS, BUT ON UNDEVELOPED LAND THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT EXISTING CORRIDORS THAT HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO BRING, UM, VIBRANCY AND QUALITY OF LIFE TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT WE'RE BUILDING ON ON WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT MAYBE AREN'T GETTING THE LIMELIGHT THAT THEY CAN GET, BUT ARE, UH, CAN BE ECONOMIC DRIVERS SUCH AS THE ARTS AND MANY OF OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY SPACES.
SO, UM, I AM ESPECIALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE INVESTMENT IN REDEVELOPMENT ALONG COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, INCLUDING OF COURSE,
UM, THE STANDARD COMMUNITY, STANDARD COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, UH, RECOMMENDATION IN THE FRAMEWORK, UH, LEVERAGING OUR ARTS AND CULTURE ECOSYSTEM, AND, UH, SUPPORTING THE SUPPORTING EDUCATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDCARE AND ITS ROLE IN ENSURING OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WHILE HELPING, UM, OUR PARENTS, UM, OUR WORKING PARENTS.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE BRIEF, ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, BRENDA.
UM, ON PAGE SLIDE NINE, UH, WHEN YOU, UH, REVIEW THE INDICATORS, ONE OF THEM IS, UH, THE RETENTION AND EXPANSION OF BUSINESSES.
AND, UM, YOU DID ELABORATE ON THAT, UH, DURING YOUR, YOUR TALK.
WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE? THAT INDICATOR? UM, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND IT.
WHEN I LOOK AT THAT DASHBOARD, WHAT AM I GONNA LOOK AT? METRICS AROUND BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION IS HOW MANY VISITS YOU DO.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE STANDARD, UM, KIND OF MEASURES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE NUMBER OF B R E VISITS THAT ARE CONDUCTED A YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S THAT FOLLOW THROUGH, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S ONE THING TO GO MEET WITH A COMPANY, BUT THEN IF THEY IDENTIFY CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES, YOU WANT TO BE MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THAT.
SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO A DASHBOARD.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, AND I PREFER TO ACTUALLY CALL IT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT VERSUS BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO THEN BE THAT PARTNER WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF THEIR GROWTH AND, AND JUST WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A FULL COUNT OF HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE IN SAN ANTONIO ONE YEAR, AND HOW MANY ARE HERE THE NEXT YEAR, OR HOW MANY OF THOSE SAME ONES ARE HERE THE NEXT YEAR WON'T LOOK LIKE THAT.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT MEASURE.
THERE'S, OF COURSE, THE US CENSUS, UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT MEASURES ON BUSINESSES, BUT BECAUSE BUSINESSES AREN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRED TO REGISTER, UH, IT, IT'S ALWAYS AN, AN ESTIMATE, UH, AND WHAT THAT IS.
BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE WANNA TRACK.
[01:55:01]
TRACKING SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, A WHOLE VARIETY OF THINGS, BUT THAT'S, I'M SORRY, NOT NECESSARILY UNDER THE, THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PIECE, BUT THAT WOULD BE UNDER DIFFERENT, UM, METRICS.UM, AGAIN, THIS ISN'T MY FIELD OF EXPERTISE, SO I'LL
UM, I, UM, I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT, UH, THE WAGES CREATED, UM, SORRY, LET ME GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT SLIDE ON MY PAGE HERE.
SORRY, COULD YOU BRING THAT SLIDE UP AGAIN? THANKS.
UH, MEDIAN WAGES OF JOBS CREATED AND RETAINED AND SHARE OF THE NEW JOBS THAT PAY LIVING WAGES.
I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT, UM, THAT LIVING WAGES WILL BE, UH, IMPORTANT.
I THINK, UM, BY SEEING THAT WE'LL ALSO SEE WHAT JOBS, HOW MANY JOBS ARE CREATED THAT ARE NOT, UH, LIVING WAGE JOBS.
THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING WE, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW AS A COUNCIL.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, UH, UNEMPLOYMENT, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IF UNEMPLOYMENT'S LOW, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT A GREAT JOB, A LIVING WAGE JOB, AND DOESN'T NEED SUPPORT IN SOME WAY.
SO, UM, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO DISTINGUISH.
SO THAT WAS, UH, MY ONLY QUESTION.
AGAIN, THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, FOR CHANGING, UH, WHAT'S BEEN OUR TRADITIONAL WORK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE SO MUCH BETTER FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE A PENDING CONVERSATION.
I KNOW ONE OF MY STAFFERS CUT OFF OUR, OUR TALK YESTERDAY.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, UM, TO THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP OUR ECONOMIC POLICIES GOING FORWARD.
DEFINING THE STRATEGY, I SAID, UM, I THINK AT A B SESSION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL THAT WE CAN HAVE AS A COUNCIL.
I THINK IT REALLY SETS UP OUR CITY FOR SUCCESS IF, IF DONE WELL.
UM, I'VE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH SMALL BUSINESS MEMBERS ABOUT THIS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP IS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND FOR THE CITY AND NONPROFITS OUT THERE, FOR STARTUPS, FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST GETTING GOING.
BUT THERE'S CERTAIN, SOME BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT MANY, MANY YEARS, BUT 3, 4, 5 YEARS THAT ARE NOT BRAND NEW.
AND, AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR KIND OF THAT PHASE.
IS THERE, IS THAT BUILT INTO THIS FRAMEWORK? UM, A, UH, KIND OF A DIFFERENT SUPPORT FOR DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH? SO A LOT OF TIMES THOSE COMPANIES ARE REFERRED TO AS SECOND STAGE COMPANIES.
UH, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING, IN FACT, WE HAD SOME ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE FEEL VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT AS, AS STAFF.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
UH, WE DO BELIEVE IT'S INCORPORATED INTO THE FRAMEWORK UNDER GOAL ONE, THE EXPAN, UM, BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND EXPANSION.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO, IN FACT, POSSIBLY AS A TARGET FOR BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT THEN, UH, WE ALSO, AS WE ARE BRINGING FORTH SOME OF THOSE POLICY ITEMS, FULLY ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, WE'LL BE MAKING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
A LOT OF WHAT'S COME UP ALSO, UM, IS CONSTRUCTION AND INFLATION CAUSED ISSUES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES? ARE WE LOOK, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING INTO, INTO CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M, UM, I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK SPECIFICALLY OF THE HISTORICAL OLD HIGHWAY 90 CORRIDOR, UH, ARE THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S PUT IN PLACE TO NOT ONLY PROTECT BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT? SO WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, THERE IS THAT, THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PLAN.
SO, SO THERE'S THAT PIECE MM-HMM.
AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE, WE SEE AS UNDER GOAL ONE, UM, SUPPORTING OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES AS WELL AS UNDER GOAL TWO WITH THE, THE REAL ESTATE AND, AND THE PLACEMAKING ACTIVITIES.
UH, SO AS WE GO FORWARD WITH ROLLING OUT RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROGRAMS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY WANNA LOOK AT CONSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PARTNERING WITH IN PUBLIC WORKS.
AND THEN HOW DO WE SUPPORT, UM, FROM OUR FOCUS PRIMARILY THE BUSINESSES, BUT THEN AGAIN, WORKING WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO, TO SUPPORT THAT AREA IN GENERAL.
I, I'M, I SAID BEFORE, I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK.
I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THOUGH, OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW, UM, ESPECIALLY BUSINESS OWNERS, THAT PEOPLE ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSET.
UM, YOUR, YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE, UM, THE STRENGTH OF YOUR BUSINESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THE CITY IS ABOUT.
WE'RE, UM, I THINK WE ALL BELIEVE AS A CITY THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET.
WE'RE VERY MUCH BASED IN FAMILY AND, UM, ADAPTABLE ENTREPRENEURIAL CITY.
UM, THEY'RE, I THINK SOMETHING LIKE 34,000 SMALL BUSINESSES THAT THE CITY'S COUNTED
[02:00:01]
IN, UM, IN THE CITY AND OVER ABOUT 145,000 SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS.SO THIS IS A BIG TASK, I THINK, THAT WE'RE UNDERGOING.
UM, BUT I WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, WE ARE DEVELOPING, UH, OUR BUSINESSES.
BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE, THE ASSETS.
I KNOW WE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE, UH, READY TO WORK.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT E D D IS DOING APART FROM, FROM THAT PROGRAM, LIKE TO KIND OF HELP, UM, EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT? SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN TO SUPPORT, UH, WORKFORCE TALENT RECRUITMENT.
THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION ON TALENT RECRUITMENT, UM, WITHIN THE GOAL THREE AS WELL AS THEN, UM, ALSO, AGAIN, THAT WORKFORCE, UH, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, AGAIN, IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, MIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS, AS WE ALL KNOW, A HUGE ADVOCATE OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIPS.
UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH BUSINESSES, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THAT AND AGAIN, UH, LEVERAGE THE VARIOUS INVESTMENTS AND, AND PRIORITIES THAT THE CITY HAS.
UM, UH, UM, OF COURSE, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE FRAMEWORK.
IT'S, UM, BUILDING, UH, NOT ONLY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BUT I HEAR ALSO OUR PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE THESE ASSETS, WE HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE BUSINESS OUT, OUT THERE, AND IN THE LAST TWO YEARS ESPECIALLY, THEY'VE ALL BEEN FLAILING.
SO I THINK THIS IS VERY TIMELY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GROWTH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU BRENDA, AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS.
UH, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF A FRAMEWORK.
UM, INSTEAD OF BEING FIRM ON A, A PLAN, UH, ON SLIDE NINE, I, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT THE SOUTHERN SECTOR IS NOT ONLY A FOOD DESERT, BUT A PLACE THAT HAS PROMISE.
AND, UM, I THINK THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE JOB MEASUREMENTS, UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
'CAUSE DISTRICT THREE PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN SECTOR HAVE A FOOD DESERT, A CHILDCARE DESERT, UM, THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT THAT IN TERMS OF THE MEASUREMENT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NEW JOBS.
SO WILL THESE JOBS BE CREATED BY CENSUS TRACKS, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS ZIP CODES? HOW WILL WE DO THE JOB MEASUREMENTS, UH, IN THE FRAMEWORK? HAVE WE DECIDED THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AS WE, WE, UM, ENHANCE OUR INTERNAL CAPACITY? GREAT.
AND THEN, UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WAGES, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, NOT JUST THE HIGHEST WAGES AND THE ME MEDIUM WAGES AND THE LOWEST WAGES, BUT ALSO THE CHANGES IN WAGES, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS, THIS CONVERSATION WHEN WE MEASURE SUCCESS.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW HISTORICALLY WE'VE HAD LOW WAGES HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH, I DID ENTER INTO THE RECORD, UM, THE LETTER OF SUPPORT BY THE HISPANIC, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ON THAT PIECE THAT WE GET OUR PARTNERS INVOLVED AND WE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE HAVE THE, UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, IN TERMS OF NOT JUST WAGES, BUT COMPETITIVE BENEFITS, UH, SKILLS AND TALENTS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE.
AND SO, UM, LET'S MAKE SURE WE ARE ENGAGING OUR EXTERNAL PAR PARTNERS, UH, AND ALSO CONTINUE TO, UH, ENGAGE OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HERE, A IN UH, RETAINING TALENT AND KEEPING TALENT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INVESTMENTS, LET'S BE MINDFUL OF RE THE RETURN OF INVEST, THE R O I.
SO, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK WE DO NEED TO BE CONSIDERED, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT.
AND WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET THE QUESTION HERE FROM THE DAAS.
BRENDA, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE FOR YOU.
UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? SO THE AUTHORIZED POSITIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 IS NOW 40.
AND HOW MANY HAVE YOU HAD IN THERE? UM, IT WAS, AND I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THOSE ARE ASSIGNED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE STILL HAVE THREE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 23, WE HAD 35 SPECIFICALLY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
[02:05:01]
IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YEAH.I GUESS, UH, I THINK Y'ALL WERE SELLING YOURSELF SHORT ON, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT AND HIRING A CONSULTANT TO PUT THIS PACKAGE TOGETHER.
HOW MUCH DID WE PAY FOR THIS? THE CONTRACT IS FOR 3 25 FOR $325,000.
I MEAN, EVEN THE, THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER THAT, THAT'S ED 1 0 1, UM, IN A COLLEGE COURSE, IF YOU WILL.
UM, I, I THINK Y'ALL WERE SELLING YOURSELF SHORT ON, UH, US DEVELOPING OUR OWN, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN AND REACHING DEEP WITHIN, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE CITY AND KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND PUTTING TOGETHER THIS THING.
SO I, I GUESS I'M CRITICIZING A LITTLE BIT THAT WE CONTRACTED THIS OUT AND THE PRODUCT THAT WE GOT BACK, BECAUSE AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS ED 1 0 1, UM, WITH SAN ANTONIO SPRINKLED THROUGH THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY CRITICAL ON THE, THE PACKAGE THAT CAME IN AT THE B SESSION, UH, WHICH GOT INTO MORE DETAIL THAN WHAT WE SAW TODAY OF, UM, NUMBER ONE, THE MILITARY NOT BEING MENTIONED IN HERE, HERE WE HAVE A $40 BILLION BUSINESS WITH 82,000 EMPLOYEES, THE LARGEST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND IT WAS ONLY MENTIONED IN THE, UH, UH, TALENT AND WORKFORCE PORTION, JUST ONE, ONE LINE.
UM, AND I SAW THAT IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD ONTO THAT BIG CIRCLE ON THAT ONE SLIDE IN THIS PRESENTATION, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT IS GONNA TRANSLATE INTO MORE, UH, SPECIFICS AND DETAILS IN THE, IN THE PLAN AS WE WORK THIS THING FORWARD.
AND THE WAY I LOOK AT THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS VERY VERY HIGH LEVEL, NO SPECIFICS, HARDLY ANY SPECIFICS AT ALL.
AND, UH, I WANT TO BE ENGAGED IN THAT AND SEEING WHAT THOSE SPECIFICS ARE.
UH, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET BACK FOR THIS $300,000, BUT ALSO ON OUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, WHAT ARE WE GETTING BACK FOR OUR, UM, INVESTMENT IN, INTO THIS? SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BEING FLESHED OUT AND DEVELOPED MORE.
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN, IN THIS PLAN ALSO IS NOT ONLY GOING OUT AND REACHING OUT AND GETTING ADDITIONAL COMPANIES TO COME HERE TO SAN ANTONIO AND ESTABLISH THEMSELVES HERE, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOME TOUCHING TO OUR EXISTING ANCHOR BUSINESSES HERE IN TOWN.
I MEAN, WE, WE GOT, WE JUST GOT A HANDFUL OF LARGE BUSINESSES HERE, AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM AT, AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
I'D SAY HERE AT THE, AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL, WE NEED TO BE GOING OUT AND VISITING THEM, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, THEY'RE HAPPY, AND THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT MOVING ANYWHERE OR REDUCING THEIR WORKFORCE, THAT KIND OF THING, WHICH WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS.
SO WANNA REALLY, UH, EMPHASIZE THAT IN THIS PLAN AS WELL, ON WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO GOING FORWARD WITH THAT? UM, BUT YEAH, I'M, I'M NOT, NOT REALLY HAPPY WITH THE, THE PRODUCTS HERE AND NOT, UH, UM, GETTING INTO MORE SPECIFICS AND, AND DETAILS ON HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE IT.
AND YOU HAVE SOME BROAD, BROAD BRUSH STATEMENTS IN THERE, BUT I, I, I THINK WE, AT LEAST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE DETAIL ON THAT.
SO, WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, UH, ERIC, YOU WANTED TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THAT? YEAH, YEAH.
LEMME JUMP IN REAL QUICK, MAYOR.
UM, SO COUNCILMAN, I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS A BALANCE.
WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTS THAT WORK IN THEIR FIELDS, IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THIS ORGANIZATION, AND IT'S A BALANCE.
SOMETIMES WE HIRE OUTSIDE EXPERTS, AND THE CONSULTANTS IN THIS CASE, UM, WENT THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND OUR EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD.
UM, I'M COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH THE REPORT.
WE ASKED FOR A PATHWAY ROADMAP, AND THAT'S WHAT WE CONTRACTED FOR.
WE SHARED THIS WITH THE COUNCIL, UH, DURING THE 2022 PROPOSED BUDGET PRE, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, AND PROCESS.
SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR OVER 15 MONTHS.
UM, AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT, UM, WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING, UM, OUR OWN ETHOS IN THE SENSE THAT BRENDA AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN EXPERTS FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEY KNOW THEIR BUSINESS.
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE'VE GOTTA BRING IN SOMEBODY TO HELP US WITH A MULTITUDE OF, OF, OF PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY, SOMETIMES ALIGNING WITH GREATER S A T X.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REDO ANY WORK, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD UPON, FRANKLY, THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL'S TALKED ABOUT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF COMING OUT OF C O
[02:10:01]
V I D, ARPA, SMALL BUSINESS, ALL THOSE ELEMENTS, AND BUILDING UPON OUR STRENGTHS.YOU WILL, UH, THE COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, INCENTIVE, A REVISED ORDINANCE IN ABOUT 45 DAYS THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THIS FRAMEWORK.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THOSE PIECES TOGETHER.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH A, A NUMBER OF SOLICITATIONS, AND WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH SOLICITATIONS WITH ARPA DOLLARS.
THE LARGEST CATEGORY OF ARPA WAS SMALL BUSINESS.
SO, UM, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR, YOUR, UM, CONCERNS ARE WITH THE REPORT.
I'M SATISFIED WITH THE REPORT.
WE'VE CONTRACTED FOR A ROADMAP, AND I GOT A ROADMAP, AND IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL POLICIES.
AND, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO, UH, TO FOLLOW THAT ON THE BENCHMARKING AND THE MEASUREMENT THAT NEEDS WORK.
AND YOU'LL SEE AS WE COME AND BRING ITEMS BEFORE TO YOU, WE'RE GONNA BE VERY SPECIFIC.
UM, AND, AND THAT'LL BE KEY TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS, UH, IMPORTANT FOR US.
I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, AND THE ELEMENT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE RETAINING AND ATTRACTING HIGH PAYING JOBS.
IT'S GOTTA ALSO LINE UP WITH READY TO WORK, WHICH WE, WHICH THE PUBLIC IS INVESTING OVER $200 MILLION FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO BE AS STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL AS POSSIBLE IN SETTING UP THIS ORGANIZATION, THE COMMUNITY FOR SUCCESS.
MOVE NOW TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
THANK YOU BRENDA, AND TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS, UM, TWO TIP STRATEGIES.
UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH THE FRAMEWORK A COUPLE OF TIMES, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE VETTING, UH, DONE IN THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
UM, MY COMMENTS ARE PRETTY BRIEF BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE, UH, ADDRESSED SOME OF MY QUESTIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS FRAMEWORK OFFERS A HANDFUL OF INNOVATIVE, UH, SOLUTIONS THAT I'M READY FOR US TO, TO IMPLEMENT AS A CITY.
SO I'M, I'M GLAD THAT IT OFFERS THINGS SUCH AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT FRAMEWORK, UH, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND VITAL, PARTICULARLY FOR, UH, AREAS LIKE THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO SEE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEING PUT FORTH TO THE CITY WITH SOLUTIONS THAT, UH, ARE, ARE MUCH NEEDED.
UM, AGAIN, RIGHT EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, UH, CONSIDERATIONS FOR HOUSING, TRANSIT, BROADBAND AND CHILDCARE.
UH, MORE EFFICIENCY WITH OUR BDOS AND MORE WORK FOR MORE WORKFORCE PROGRAMS, UH, FOR THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED.
SO, AND IT EVEN INCLUDES, RIGHT, UH, REDUCING AND MITIGATING THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
SO IT HAS SO MANY SOLUTIONS, UM, AND IT HITS, UH, MANY OF THE ANGLES THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING.
BUT OF COURSE, IT'S HELPFUL WHEN WE HAVE, UH, THE, THE FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT, UM, WHAT WE PUT FORWARD.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MORE DETAILED CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, AS I HAD MENTIONED DURING THE B SESSION, RIGHT WHEN I REVIEWED THE SWAT AND SOME OF THE THREATS, IT, IT, IT HAS POVERTY, REPUTATION FOR LOW COST OF LABOR, ECONOMIC DISPARITIES, GENTRIFICATION, RACIAL INEQUITIES.
AND I REMEMBER DURING ONE OF THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE HAD LABOR THERE TO SPEAK ON A DIFFERENT ITEM.
AND AFTER, UM, THE PRESENTATION AND THE, THE MEETING, UM, SOME LABOR ORGANIZATIONS CAME TO ME AND WE'RE, WE'RE EMPHASIZING LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE UNIONIZED LABOR, YOU CAN CHALLENGE AND ALLEVIATE MANY OF THOSE THREATS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE KNOW, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A, A, A JOB AND YOU'RE UNIONIZED, YOU, YOU EARN HIGHER WAGES, RIGHT? SO BY PARTNERING WITH LABOR, WHICH I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT Y'ALL INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS, UM, WE CAN WORK TOWARDS ALLEVIATING POVERTY, UM, REDUCING THAT REPUTATION THAT WE'RE A LOW LABOR COST, LOW-COST LABOR CITY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH THOSE WAGES, WE CAN CHALLENGE AND ALLEVIATE THOSE ECONOMIC DISPARITIES AS WELL AS GENTRIFICATION, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU CAN AFFORD TO STAY IN YOUR HOME.
UM, SO PLEASED TO SEE THAT Y'ALL HAVE INCLUDED THEM IN THE PROCESS.
UH, I'M HOPEFUL THAT MOVING FORWARD WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RFPS, THAT WE DO PULL LABOR INTO THE PROCESS.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S MISCONCEPTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THAT, THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA, RIGHT? THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT THEY REPRESENT ONE INDUSTRY, BUT THEY REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY, NOT JUST ONE, UM, ENTITY, RIGHT? SO I THINK WE, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERTISE THAT WE CAN ALSO LEAN INTO, UH, BUT ULTIMATELY I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH, UH, THE WORK OF THE TEAM AND THE CONSULTANTS AND PUTTING THIS FORWARD.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE FRAMEWORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, I REALLY NEED TO, UM, I GUESS ECHO SOME OF WHAT COUNCILMAN PERRY HAS HAD TO SAY.
[02:15:01]
UH, AND I WILL FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF, UH, THE CITY MANAGER SAID, THIS IS A, A ROADMAP, BUT, UH, WHENEVER I'VE LOOKED AT A ROADMAP, IT'S TRYING TO TELL ME WHERE I WANNA BE AT THE END OF THE ROAD.AND I DON'T THINK WHAT WE'VE LAID OUT HERE PARTICULARLY TELLS US WHERE WE EXPECT TO END UP NOW, BUT I REALIZE THAT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THE, THE ECONOMICS, UH, CHANGE, UH, WE'RE DEPENDING ON OTHER BUSINESSES OR OTHER, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES TO MAYBE, UH, DICTATE OR PROVIDE BARRIERS OR INCENTIVES TO GET US TO WHERE WE MAY END UP SOMEDAY.
SO, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, I WISH WE HAD, UH, AN OUTCOME THAT WE WERE SHOOTING FOR.
I THINK WHEN WE WORK WITH GREATER SS A T X, WE TELL THEM, WE EXPECT THEM TO MEET CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS.
AND IN THE PAST, WE'VE SAID HOW MANY BUSINESSES, HOW MANY JOBS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT HERE, BUT WHAT I DO HOPE WE DO IS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT AND MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND AS A COUNCIL WHERE WE ARE TO TODAY, SO THAT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN MEASURE THE PROGRESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE VALUABLE FOR ALL OF US TO KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYERS ARE THERE ARE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND HOW MANY ARE UNDER A HUNDRED, AND HOW MANY ARE OVER 500? UH, HOW MANY BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S MEDIUM, WHAT'S LARGE? IF WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT EVALUATING GROWTH, WE KIND OF NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE.
YOUR DEPARTMENT MAY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE, AS COUNCIL, I DON'T THINK WE DO.
THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID, UM, ABOUT THE AVERAGE PAY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE PAY RIGHT NOW? WHAT IS IT IN LARGER BUSINESSES? WHAT IS IT IN SMALLER BUSINESSES? SO AS WE TRY AND GROW AND BRING IN A NEW BUSINESSES, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THEY ADDING TO, ARE THEY ADDING TO THE LARGER BUSINESSES, UH, THAT ARE GONNA EMPLOY MORE PEOPLE? ARE THEY GONNA BE PAYING, UH, NEW SALARIES THAT ARE GONNA RAISE THE LEVEL OF AVERAGE OR MEDIAN SALARIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES? IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE TODAY, IT'S HARD TO MEASURE THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND OF COURSE, UH, UNDERSTANDING NEW BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS RETENTION ARE IMPORTANT.
SO HOW MANY BUSINESSES DID WE TOUCH AND RETAIN? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR US TO KNOW.
UH, AND THAT MEANS HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE HERE NOW.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE VALUE IN, IN ECONOMICS OR DOLLARS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A NEW BUSINESS IS COMING IN, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE LOOKED AT IN THE PAST, WHAT DOES THAT ADD TO OUR CITY TAX REVENUE? OR WHAT DOES IT ADD? IF IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE A RETAIL BUSINESS, WHAT'S THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT IT COULD ADD TO OUR SALES TAX REVENUE? UH, AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
AND AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT IMMEDIATE NUMBERS THAT WE CAN SET AS A GOAL, BUT THEY'RE IMMEDIATE NUMBERS THAT TELL US WHERE WE ARE TODAY SO THAT WE CAN TRULY MEASURE WHERE WE'RE GOING.
UH, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE DEFINITELY THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS CITY, OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE SMALL BUSINESSES OR SUPPORT THEM, BUT I DON'T THINK A BIG GROWTH IN SMALL BUSINESSES IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN.
AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAVE THE IMPACT OF LARGE, NEWER EMPLOYERS COMING IN THAT MAY BE HIRING 300, 500, A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
AND SO I THINK, UH, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE A TARGET, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE HERE TODAY AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, ADDED IN THE FUTURE, AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP OUR OVERALL, UM, ACHIEVEMENT OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT SETTING A TARGET TODAY, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE, AND THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE BEFORE WE CAN DETERMINE ARE WE GETTING WHERE WE WANT TO GO? SO, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
IF YOU EXAMPLE OF DATA THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THAT WAS LINKED AS PART OF THE STUDY, 75 DATA, 75 PLUS DATA, UM, RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE DO HAVE ALL OF THAT BENCHMARK OR BASELINE INFORMATION, I SHOULD SAY, THAT WE'LL BE BUILDING INTO THE DASHBOARDS.
AND AGAIN, AS WE DEVELOP THOSE DASHBOARDS,
[02:20:01]
WHAT THOSE TARGETS AND SO FORTH SHOULD BE BASED ON WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT.AND I WANTED TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU TO, TO TIP STRATEGIES AND TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I DO WANNA, UM, FOCUS IN ON A FEW AREAS WHERE DEFENSE AND MILITARY ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR STRATEGY AS AN INDUSTRY CULT, UH, CLUSTER.
UM, AND IT'S ONE IS UNDER IT SECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ANOTHER ONE IS UNDER BIOSCIENCE ANCHORS AND CATALYST.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL PUT IT IN BOTH AREAS.
AND I WOULD ALSO ARGUE THAT AEROSPACE MOBILITY WOULD ALSO BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO WE KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE AGE OF A PILOT IS GOING TO BE RETIREMENT AGE, AND SO WE'RE BEHIND ON THAT.
WE KNOW THAT WE ARE BEHIND ON TECHNICIANS FOR, UM, BOEING, WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT.
AND SO AGAIN, I WOULD PROBABLY ARGUE THAT WE COULD EVEN PLUG IN, UM, MILITARY INTO THAT.
BUT I, I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR ADDING THAT.
I KNOW THAT THE FIRST RENDITION MAYBE WASN'T, WASN'T AS CLEAR.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO, UM, THANK TIP STRATEGIES BECAUSE YOU ALL CITED THE US FEDERAL RESERVE BANK ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT BEFORE COVID.
UM, BUT RESHORING CAN BE BENEFICIAL BY REDUCING TRANSPORTATION COSTS, IMPROVING PRODUCTION TIMELINES, AND MAKING PRODUCT INNOVATIONS MORE EFFECTIVE, AND POTENTIALLY REDUCING THE TOTAL COST OF PRODUCTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT SAN ANTONIO IS HERE TO, TO DO.
WE HAVE A STRONG MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND I, I JUST, UH, AM VERY IMPRESSED THAT YOU ALL HAD THAT ON THERE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT IT.
IN FACT, LAST WEEK WE HOSTED A DELEGATION HERE FROM THE UKRAINE.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S ADDRESSED IN THIS FORWARD LOOKING PLAN, GEOPOLITICAL DISRUPTIONS, RIGHT? AND SO OUR CURRENT, UH, GEOPOLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, IT'S A REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG US MILITARY DEFENSE INDUSTRY AND PIPELINE OF HIGHLY TRAINED MILITARY AND FEDERAL CIVILIAN PERSONNEL.
WE HAVE THAT AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK TO, UH, STRATEGIES FOR SAYING THAT WE PLAY, UH, OR, OR POTENTIALLY REMINDING US THAT WE PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN NATIONAL AND GLOBAL SECURITY ISSUES.
AND SO WE HAVE JOINT BASED SAN ANTONIO HERE.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, BE A KEY DEFENSE INDUSTRY EMPLOYER FOR, AND TRAINERS FOR THAT LARGE PRESENCE OF CYBERSECURITY.
AND THE OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO, I THINK GIVE US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN'T, UM, PLAYED UP AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS ON HERE.
THE OTHER THING THAT IT REFERENCES FORWARD LOOKING ALSO IS, UM, MASS PRODUCTION, NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION TO A 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY THAT'S DEFINED BY TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE TAKE ENOUGH TIME TO, UH, CONSIDER TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS PART OF OUR, OUR PLANS.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT EVENTUALLY MORE, UM, DRAWN OUT, RIGHT? SO THE R AND D COMPONENT OF IT, I THINK ALWAYS GETS LEFT OUT, BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, UM, IN YOUR APPENDIX OR FIGURE 33, IT HAS SAN ANTONIO STRATEGIC INDUSTRY CLUSTERS AND A SIMPLIFICATION OF IT.
AND IT HAS DEFENSE AND MILITARY IN BOTH IT SECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, OR NO, ACTUALLY BIOSCIENCE ANCHORS AND CATALYSTS.
BUT AGAIN, I WOULD ARGUE THAT MAYBE WE COULD ALSO, UM, ADD IT TO MOBILITY IN, IN THAT AREA.
BUT THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.
I THINK THAT THE PLACEMAKING AND REAL ESTATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UM, THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, ARTS AND CULTURE, UM, HOW WE SHOULD HIGHLIGHT AND MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS TO HIGHLIGHT THAT INDUSTRY IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BE, UM, CRITICAL.
AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE GLOBAL VISIBILITY.
SO THINGS FROM YES, FIESTA, BUT EVEN TO THE M L K MARCH BEING THE LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND THEN, UM, I ALSO, I I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON TOURISM AND SPECIFICALLY THE GLOBAL VISIBILITY AND THE NEW BOUTIQUE HOTELS THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS TO OFFER.
THAT'S WHAT THE NEW CONSUMER IS WANTING TO EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID AS WE MOVE, UM, PAST, UH, WHAT TOURISM USED TO BE LIKE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THE SUMMER EARN AND LEARN, UH, VOCATIONALLY REHAB SERVICES, ANYTHING THROUGH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
AND AL ALAMO, I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THE FOCUS ON UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS THAT TIP STRATEGIES PROVIDED.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, THE REST OF THIS DOCUMENT.
LET ME CLOSE, UH, WITH SOME COMMENTS AND MAYBE, MAYBE SOME OBSERVATIONS.
I WANNA THANK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND BRENDA, UH, AS ALONG WITH, UH, TIP STRATEGIES AND OUR, OUR CONSULTANT FOR THE WORK ON THE FRAMEWORK.
UM, THIS PROCESS, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, STARTED YEARS AGO WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE, UH, REALLY LOOKING AT OUR INCENTIVES POLICY AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, AND ASKING OURSELVES A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE, THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING IN THOSE
[02:25:01]
SPECIFIC PROJECTS WAS ACHIEVING OUR GREATER GOAL, KIND OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE WAS ALLUDING TO.IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, THEN WE'RE GONNA END UP SOMEPLACE ELSE.
WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO? UH, AND SO I VIEW THIS FRAMEWORK AS A, A WAY OF GETTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUT OF ITS SILO THAT WE'VE HAD IT IN FOR YEARS.
UH, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE METRICS OF HOW MANY JOBS ARE WE CREATING, HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE WE BRINGING IN, HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE WE'RE GENERATING, WHAT IS ALL OF THAT FOR? WE DON'T DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SAKE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AT LEAST I HOPE WE DON'T, OUR RESIDENTS DON'T EXPECT US TO.
THE VISION OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO, THE DESTINATION WE'RE, WE'RE POINTING TOWARDS, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DEFINED.
AND IN FACT, IT SHOULDN'T BE DEFINED BY THE CONSULTANTS OR THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THE VISION OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO IS A MORE INCLUSIVE PROSPERITY FOR OUR CITY, SO THAT WHEN, UH, WE DO GENERATE JOBS IN OUR CITY, THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY IS UPLIFTED IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
THAT'S A VISION THAT'S BEEN ARTICULATED BY OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH EFFORTS LIKE SA 2020 AND, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
SO HOW DO WE USE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN SERVICE OF THAT DESTINATION? THAT'S WHAT THE ROADMAP IS FOR.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M VERY CONFIDENT, UH, THAT THE ROADMAP, THE FRAMEWORK AND CALLING IT A ROADMAP IS JUST THAT THE, THE GOAL OF THIS EXERCISE, THE FIRST PHASE OF IT, WAS TO ALIGN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT NOT ONLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ITSELF DOES, BUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING AND RETAINING BUSINESSES.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT PRONE TO QUOTE SUN ZU, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY GETS EYE ROLLS WHEN THEY DO, BUT THERE IS ONE QUOTE THAT IS APROPOS IN THIS CONVERSATION, WHICH IS THAT STRATEGY WITHOUT TACTICS IS THE SLOWEST ROUTE TO VICTORY.
BUT TACTICS WITHOUT STRATEGY IS THE NOISE BEFORE DEFEAT.
UM, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE CONCERNED THAT IF ALL WE HAVE IS THIS DOCUMENT, WHAT, WHAT ELSE IS THERE? I MEAN, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THIS? UH, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING, NO, THERE'S NO TEETH TO IT.
THAT, THAT ALLOWS US TO COUNT, UH, THE STEPS THAT WE'RE MAKING TOWARDS OUR PROGRESS, TOWARDS OUR DESTINATION.
WELL HOLD ONTO YOUR SEATS BECAUSE THAT'S COMING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE INCENTIVE POLICY, AND HOPEFULLY IT FITS AND IS ALIGNED WITH THE FRAMEWORK.
UH, AND THEN THERE'S GONNA BE SEVERAL OTHER ELEMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
WHAT WE DO WITH READY TO WORK, FOR INSTANCE, HOPEFULLY IS IN SUPPORT OF MOVING IN THE, IN THE DIRECTION OF THAT DESTINATION THROUGH THIS ROADMAP.
EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE A ROLE IF WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT AND SEE THEMSELVES IN THIS FRAMEWORK.
UM, I WOULD ASSERT THAT WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE THE FRAMEWORK WAS THE NOISE BEFORE DEFEAT.
ALL WE WERE DOING WAS COUNTING JOBS, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNTING, UH, TAX REVENUE.
BUT FOR WHAT, WHERE ARE WE GOING? WE CAN WORK AT CROSS PURPOSES AND STILL HIT OUR METRICS.
SO WE ARE REALIGNING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS, UM, HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE, ACHIEVING OUR BIGGER VISION FOR THE CITY.
UH, IT'S THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE'VE UNDERTAKEN THROUGH HOUSING AND THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE, WHICH HAS DEVELOPED A SHIP, WHICH NOW HAS ACTUAL TACTICS INVOLVED, LIKE THE HOUSING, UH, BOND THAT WAS JUST PASSED, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON P S H AND ALL THESE OTHER ELEMENTS.
UH, IT'S THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, THROUGH ANY DEPARTMENT, UH, THROUGH THE CLIMATE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
SO, UH, THIS IS A SOUND DOCUMENT.
IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN NOT MORE THAN WHAT IT IS INTENDED TO BE, THOUGH, WHICH IS A FRAMEWORK FOR WHICH EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO FIT INTO.
UM, AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT LEVELS OF CONVERSATION, HOPEFULLY, UH, FOR MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE THIS IS TODAY OVER THE COMING WEEKS, THAT WE WILL REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE WORKING IN CONCERT TO GET THOSE TACTICS SETTLED IN AND APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UH, BUT I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION AND LET'S NOT SLOW DOWN, UH, SO THAT WE, WE DON'T, UH, FALTER IN, IN ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE GOALS TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FIVE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
AND, AND ONE OTHER THING, UM, JUST ANOTHER COMMENT.
I WAS FASCINATED, BRENDA, BY THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD ABOUT
[02:30:01]
THE INTERSECTIONALITY BETWEEN HOUSING AND WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.WHEN WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION, I KNEW THEN THAT YOU GET IT IN TERMS OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH THIS FRAMEWORK.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH, WITH WHERE WE ARE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE'VE GOT A FRAMEWORK, CONGRATULATIONS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO ITEM 40.
ITEM 40 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH COOPERATIVE PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL PERSONNEL SERVICES, D B A, HR C P S CONSULTING TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY SERVICES BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2023, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 WITH TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR RENEWAL OPTIONS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $178,490.
FUNDING FOR THE INITIAL YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF $57,750 IS FROM THE FY 2023 GENERAL FUND BUDGET FUNDING FOR SUB FUNDING FOR SUBSEQUENT YEARS IS CONTINGENT UPON CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.
OKAY, UM, THIS IS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION, LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM 40.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 40.
LEMME TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER GRO TO GET US STARTED.
UM, I, I PULLED THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT IS, WE DID A SURVEY IN 2018.
WE DID A SURVEY IN 2019, AND I ASKED FOR THE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY SUMMARY OR RESULTS, AND I DID GET THEM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION.
I, I'M, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO, UH, POSSIBLY A COMMITTEE OR A B SESSION, UH, TO SEE HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THE L G C BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE AN L G C.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DOING A CITY EMPLOYEE SURVEY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE L G C? SO, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO TAKE THIS TO THE COMMITTEE AND BRING IT BACK OR TAKE IT TO A B SESSION TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION? COUNCILMAN? UM, I'LL JUMP IN.
UM, I DON'T THINK THOSE TWO THINGS ARE CODEPENDENT, SO WE COULD, WE COULD TAKE THAT UP.
I THINK WE'VE GOT AN L G C SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, WE COULD TAKE THAT UP THERE.
THAT'S NOT GONNA, UH, WE'VE GOTTA GET A LOT OF THINGS IN PLACE BEFORE THE ACTUAL SURVEY, SO I THINK WE HAVE TIME.
UH, BUT, SO WE CAN APPROVE THIS NOW, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE THE ABSOLUTELY L G C ON THIS.
UH, SO THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION BECAUSE IN SOME OF THE TRENDS I SAW, AND THIS WAS PRE PANDEMIC 28.
2019 RENEE, WE SAW THAT EMPLOYEES ENGAGED FROM 21%, NOT ENGAGED TO 24%.
AND, UH, I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A BIGGER SPIKE BECAUSE WE'RE COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC.
SO I JUST, I THINK THAT, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, 'CAUSE IT'S NECESSARY, BUT IF WE COULD POSSIBLY TAKE THIS TO A COMMITTEE OR DISCUSS IN L G C, HOW WE ARE GOING TO, UM, HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT THE FOCUS AREAS, THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE MADE, AND GET, GET SOME REAL, UM, KIND OF METRICS ON TERMS OF HOW SUCCESSFUL THE TOWN HALLS WITH THE VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS WITH THE CITY MANAGER WERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I, AND I, I, I WOULD LIKE THIS ENGAGEMENT SURVEY SUMMARY SENT TO THE ENTIRE L G C COMMUNITY BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE, UH, COMMITTEE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE SENT OUT, WE HAVE SENT OUT, UH, SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THE L G C AND I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH CITY EMPLOYEES, IT HAPPENS WITH OUR EMPLOYEES TOO.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS IN, IN THE COMMITTEE AND GET THIS OUT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR SURE.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 40? ALRIGHT.
HEARING NONE, THERE'S A MOTION.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK ON, ON THE REST OF OUR DAY HERE, WE, WE DO HAVE AN EXEC, WE ALSO HAVE A B SESSION.
UH, AND WE, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, ZONING.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO EXEC MAYOR 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT A, A LUNCHEON AS WELL.
I WAS GONNA SUGGEST IF WE NEED TO DO ALL THREE OF THOSE, WE'LL DO THE LUNCHEON
[02:35:01]
FIRST AND THEN WE CAN CONVENE, UM, AN EXEC AROUND ONE O'CLOCK.WE'LL S WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE THE EXEC, THE EXEC SESSION TO NEXT WEEK.
THERE'S NOTHING PRESSING NEXT WEEK.
[City Manager's Report ]
DO WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? WE DO, MAYOR, AND I'LL MAKE, I'LL MAKE IT QUICK.UM, THE, UM, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT THE, UH, UH, PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT HAS EARNED AN ACCREDITATION WITH THE COMMISSION FOR ACCREDITATION OF PARKS AND RECREATION AGENCIES.
UH, SAN ANTONIO IS THE, UM, THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE RECEIVED THE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION.
UH, THE ONLY OTHER TWO LARGE P UH, PARK SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCREDITED ARE CHICAGO AND HOUSTON.
UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND HOMER AND HIS TEAM WORKED REALLY HARD OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, TO ACTUALLY THE LAST 18 MONTHS TO GET TO THIS POINT.
UM, AND THEY WILL BE AWARDED, UM, THEY WERE AWARDED THIS ACCREDITATION, UM, IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ACCREDITATION VISIT EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
BUT, UM, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER, UM, EXAMPLE OF US MAKING SURE THAT NOT ONLY WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, MATTERS HERE LOCALLY, BUT, BUT, UH, STACKS UP WELL AGAINST WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TREE MITIGATION FUND YESTERDAY.
UM, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, BUT I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE HOMER AND HIS TEAM.
AND THEN, UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE EMPLOYEES WELL, BEFORE I SKIP.
WE GOT ALL THE PARKS EMPLOYEES IN THE BACK, SO I WANT TO, I WANT 'EM TO, I WANT 'EM TO ALL STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED BECAUSE THEY, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.
I AM GLAD I LOOKED OVER TO MY LEFT.
SO, AND THE LASTLY, UH, MAYOR, THE, THE VIDEO I, I, UM, WE HAD A WHOLE SLEW OF EMPLOYEES HERE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, BUT WE RAN ALONG.
BUT, UH, TODAY'S VIDEO SPOTLIGHT, UM, IS REALLY, UM, IDENTIFIES, UM, THE CITY MANAGER EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS, UM, AND THOSE, UM, EMPLOYEES AND TEAMS OF EMPLOYEES THAT EXHIBITED OUR CORE VALUES OF TEAMWORK, INTEGRITY, INNOVATION, AND PROFESSIONALISM.
UM, WE HAD, UH, FIVE WINNERS, UM, AND I'LL JUST READ 'EM OFF QUICKLY.
UH, JAY RENA FROM, UM, COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT, UH, SARAH WAMSLEY ESTRADA FROM, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, UM, THE ENTIRE REDISTRICTING TEAM, WHICH WAS MADE UP OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, AND COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT, UM, THE, UH, MIGRANT RESOURCE TEAM FROM D H SS, UM, AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS PAST YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, THE C OVID 19 VACCINE LEADERSHIP TEAM FROM METRO HEALTH AND WHAT THEY DID TO HELP SUPPORT, UH, THE LONGSTANDING, UM, UH, OPERATION AT THE ALAMO DON PARKING LOT, UH, OVER 15 MONTHS IN COORDINATION WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'LL RUN THAT QUICK VIDEO.
AND THOSE ARE THE TWO REPORTS TODAY.
MAYOR, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY NINE YEARS SINCE DAY ONE.
I HAVE JUST BEEN THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER.
I SPECIALIZE IN TWO D PRINT, BUT IT IS A LOT OF BROCHURES, FLYERS, BILLBOARDS, ANNUAL REPORTS, THE BUDGET COVER, THE WHOLE POINT OF WHAT I DO IS TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK GOOD.
AND WHEN I PRESENT IDEAS TO A CLIENT OR IN OUR CASE A DEPARTMENT, AND THE FIRST THING THEY GO IS, OOH, OUR JOB IS DONE.
WE LEARN WHAT OUR CITY'S POPULATION IS.
AFTER THE 2020 CENSUS, WE WERE OVER 30% OUT OF BALANCE.
AND SO THE PROCESS WAS RECALIBRATING THOSE BOUNDARIES AND MOVING THEM, MOVING THE BOUNDARIES TO BRING US BACK INTO BALANCE.
UH, MR. ROBINSON, YOU ARE NEXT.
THE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH WAS TRYING TO GET THE WHOLE CITY INVOLVED, BUT ALSO THEN ONCE WE KNEW WHERE LIKE BOUNDARIES WERE MOVING, REALLY TARGETING THESE AREAS.
PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE WHO DON'T NORMALLY WORK ON OUR BIG PROJECTS, WE'RE, WE'RE PART OF THIS.
KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE RECOGNIZED WAS HUGE, BUT THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT, THAT TEAM, SMALL BUT MIGHTY, IT REALLY WAS, THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM.
OUR GOAL IS TO JUST REALLY ACT AS A RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE MIGRANTS.
UH, THEY'RE MOSTLY HERE FROM 24 TO 72 HOURS.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE WORK OF D H SS, THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE THEY REALLY HELPED US COME
[02:40:01]
TOGETHER IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, CHANGE OUR CAPACITY FROM A DECENTRALIZED EFFORT ALL ACROSS THE CITY TO ONE CENTRALIZED PLACE FOR MIGRANTS TO COME.AND IT, IT TOOK A LOT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
WE ARE INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF SPECIAL INITIATIVE, HOUSING, HAVING TO DO WITH HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, UM, TENANTS RIGHTS, EASE OF BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU KIND OF TOUCH UNDER THAT BIG UMBRELLA.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WITHIN STAFF, UM, AND WITHIN COMMUNITY WE HAD 80 SOME STAKEHOLDERS THAT WORKED ON THIS AND TO THIS DAY ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, MOVING THE BALL FORWARD.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING IT ON BEHALF OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT RECOGNITION OF WORK THAT I DID BY MYSELF.
WE ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS AT HEART, SO WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND REALLY PROVIDE THE SERVICE OF IMMUNIZATIONS AS OFTEN AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MANNER.
THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU DON'T GET IT IS IF YOU OPT OUT.
OUR MOBILE UNIT HAS BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT TO MANY, MANY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT BEXAR COUNTY IN BOTH THE COVID SEASON AS WELL AS OUR BACK TO SCHOOL AND FLU SEASONS.
THEY HAVE WORKED RELENTLESSLY THROUGH C O D NOT ONLY PROVIDING COVID VACCINES, BUT ALSO GIVING OUR REGULAR BACK TO SCHOOL VACCINATIONS, ADULT VACCINATIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO MY TEAM IS PHENOMENAL IN STEPPING UP TO WHATEVER IT THE CHALLENGE MIGHT BE.
UH, AS YOU HEARD, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXEC, BUT WE NEED TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THE, UH, B ROOM FOR OUR MUNICIPAL CLERK COURT JUDGE LUNCHEON.
SO IT IS 12:21 PM ON THIS 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2022.