[00:00:03]
WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 6, 2018.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
[1. Invocation]
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.IT'S MY HONOR TO GET US STARTED TODAY BY INTRODUCING OUR INVOCATOR, WHO IS RABBI CHAIM BLOCK.
RABBI CHAIM BLOCK WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK AND RAISED IN LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA.
HE AND HIS WIFE ARRIVED IN SAN ANTONIO IN 1985 TO ESTABLISH THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE WORLDWIDE HABAD LUBAVITCH MOVEMENT.
IT HAS GROWN FROM A SMALL OUTREACH EFFORT OPERATING OUT OF A TWO-BEDROOM CONDO TO A COMMUNITY-WIDE ORGANIZATION WITH FOUR FULL-TIME RABBIS, A JEWISH PRESCHOOL, SUMMER DAY CAMP, SYNAGOGUE, LEARNING INSTITUTE, AND PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS AND SENIORS.
HANUKKAH ON THE RIVER IS ONE OF THE COMMUNITY WIDE PROGRAMS AND IT IS WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
RABBI BLOCK IS ON THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF THE HABAD LUBAVITCH MOVEMENT.
HE'S AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HABAD CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE AND LEARNING.
HE IS A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE AND THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
ALMIGHTY GOD, CONFER YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSINGS UPON OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AS THEY GATHER TO FORMULATE POLICY AND ESTABLISH LAWS AND ORDINANCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT CITY.
BLESS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHERE THE LEADERSHIP SETS THE TONE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS TO LIVE TOGETHER WITH THE MUTUAL RESPECT AND HARMONY.
THIS MORNING WE WILL BE KINDLING THE LIGHTS OF THE HANUKKAH MENORAH, COMMEMORATING YOUR MIRACLE OF LIGHTS THAT YOU PERFORMED FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE MANY YEARS AGO IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL DURING THE TIME OF THE TEMPLE.
THESE LIGHTS SYMBOLIZE THE POWER OF LIGHT THE FLAME OF THE MENORAH CONVEYS THE MESSAGE OF HOW ONE SMALL CANDLE COULD BANISH A ROOM FULL OF DARKNESS.
HOW ONE SMALL GOOD DEED CAN HAVE AN EVER LASTING IMPACT.
ALMIGHTY GOD, CONTINUE TO GRANT HEALTH, WISDOM, AND COURAGE TO OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT CITY.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR INVITING US HERE THIS MORNING.
TODAY IS THE FOURTH DAY OF HANUKKAH, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS.
AND WE HAVE BROUGHT SOME YOUNG ADULTS FROM OUR PRESCHOOL TO HELP US BRING SOME JOY AND SPIRIT TO CITY COUNCIL THIS MORNING.
AND THEY WILL HELP US WITH THE KINDLING OF THE MENORAH.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR MAYOR TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND KINDLE THE FIRST CANDLE.
AND THEN WE WILL BLESS AND LIGHT THE CANDLES TOGETHER.
[00:05:03]
THE CHILDREN WILL HELP US WITH THE BLESSING, SO LET'S BEGIN.>> THE CHILDREN HAVE PREPARED A FEW QUICK HANUKKAH SONGS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM TO BEGIN.
>> WE HAVE -- YOU MAY BE SEATED, BY THE WAY.
WE HAVE LEFT AT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SEAT A LITTLE BAG OF WHAT WE CALL GILT.
THE IDEA IS THAT THEY HAVE TO SET ASIDE SOME CHARITY AND HELP OTHERS WITH WHAT THEY RECEIVE.
BUT AS A MARKETING PLOY, THEY'VE TURNED THIS INTO CHOCOLATE.
AND WE HAVE GIVEN YOU TO ENJOY SOME TRADITIONAL HANUKKAH GILT.
THERE'S ALSO A LITTLE BROCHURE TO EXPLAIN MORE IN-DEPTH THE SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING BEHIND THIS BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY .
NOW WE HAVE QUICKLY -- I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF IMPORTANT BUSINESS, BUT THESE CHILDREN HAVE MADE IN THEIR CLASSROOM A PIECE OF ARTWORK FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS ARTWORK QUICKLY TO EACH ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THIS ONE IS GOING TO GO TO SHIRLEY GONZALES FROM DISTRICT 5.
SO WE'RE GOING TO COME IN HERE.
THE NEXT ONE IS DISTRICT 4, REY SALDANA.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS DISTRICT 3, REBECCA.
THEN WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAM SHAW FROM DISTRICT 2.
ROBERTO TREVINO FROM DISTRICT 1.
COUNCILMAN CLAYTON PERRY FROM DISTRICT 10.
THE KIDS WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME
[00:10:01]
REACHING UP TO YOU.COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN COURAGE FROM DISTRICT 9.
COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY PELAEZ FROM DISTRICT 8.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANA SANDOVAL FROM DISTRICT 7.
AND, YES, COUNCILMAN GREG BROCKHOUSE, DISTRICT 6.
WE ALSO HAVE ONE FOR CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY.
AND CITY ATTORNEY, ANDY SEGOVIA.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OF COURSE, OUR MAYOR, MAYOR NIRENBERG.
WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL.
HAPPY HANUKKAH AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR, GOD WILLING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RABBI AND TO THE CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES.
I DO THINK WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE WE CAN
[3. Approval of Minutes of the Regular City Council Meetings of October 31 - November 1, 2018]
CELEBRATE THAT TOGETHER.AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE TO OUR BUSINESS, STARTING WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 31 AND NOVEMBER 1.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THOSE MEETING MINUTES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 31 AND NOVEMBER 1.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, AND WE ARE JOINED AND VERY HONORED TO BE JOINED BY ADMIRAL TINA DAVIDSON, WHO IS THE DAUGHTER OF A U.S.
BACHELORS DEGREE, MASTERS DEGREES FROM THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, WEBSTER UNIVERSITY, AND A DOCTORATE OF NURSING PRACTICE FROM RUSS UNIVERSITY.
EDUCATION TRAINING AND LOGISTICS COMMAND AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, FORT SAM HOUSTON ON OCTOBER 2, 2018.
SHE SERVED FOR OVER 30 YEARS, INCLUDING TOURS IN CALIFORNIA, ILLINOIS, TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, RHODE ISLAND, AND OVERSEAS IN JAPAN, ITALY, AND KUWAIT.
WHILE IN KUWAIT SHE SUPPORTED CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND SHE HAS ALSO SERVED ABOARD THE SHIP USS JOHN ALSO APPOINTED TO BE THE 25TH DIRECTOR OF THE NAVY NURSE CORPS.
IN OTHER WORDS, SHE IS THE SENIOR NURSE IN THE U.S. NAVY.
ADMIRAL DAVIDSON IS QUALIFIED AS A SURFACE WARFARE AND MASTER TRAINING SPECIALIST.
SHE'S A FELLOW IN THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES AND A BOARD CERTIFIED ADVANCED NURSE EXECUTIVE.
HER COMMANDS MISSION IN SAN ANTONIO IS TO DELIVER PROFESSIONAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND OPERATIONAL EDUCATION TRAINING AND LOGISTICS SOLUTION TO
[00:15:01]
SUPPORT THE NAVY MEDICINE MISSION.AND TO ENSURE THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS HAVE THE VERY BEST MEDICALLY TRAINED AND LOGISTICALLY PREPARED TEAM TO SUPPORT OUR NATION'S WARRIORS.
SHE LEADS 12 NAVY COMMANDS, INCLUDING TWO OF THE LARGEST CAREER FIELDS IN THE NAVY.
THIS INCLUDES 2,000 PERMANENT PERSONNEL AND TRAINING OF APPROXIMATELY 8,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY.
THE ADMIRAL BELIEVES IT IS HER SOLEMN DUTY TO RETURN THE NATION'S WOUNDED, ILL, AND INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS TO THEIR DUTY STATIONS IN HOMES SAFE AND SOUND.
WE DON'T OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE SEA SERVICES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT AS I HAVE STATED, THERE ARE AS MANY AS 10,000 SAILORS, MARINES, AND COAST GUARDSMEN IN OUR CITY DURING CERTAIN PERIODS AND WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW IMPORTANT THEIR MISSION IS TO THE NATION'S DEFENSE.
LET'S WELCOME THE ADMIRAL TO OUR CITY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO IN MILITARY CITY, USA.
>> THANK YOU, AND GOOD MORNING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND SAN ANTONIO CITIZENS.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME HERE THIS MORNING.
I WILL SAY THAT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW WITH THOSE LITTLE CHILDREN, THOUGH.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
AND I REALLY TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY THAT I SERVE AS THE SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALL THE NAVAL FORCES IN THE AREA.
THE NAVY'S MISSION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN, TRAIN, AND EQUIP COMBAT-READY NAVAL FORCES.
READY FORCES WHO ARE OUT THERE PREPARED TO WIN WARS, FIGHT AGGRESSION, DETER AGGRESSION, AND ALSO TO MAINTAIN THE FREEDOM OF OUR SEAS.
NOW MANY OF YOU MAY BE ASKING, WELL, WHERE ARE THE SHIPS? WHY IS SHE HERE? BUT, MAYOR, AS YOU POINTED OUT, WE HAVE QUITE A LARGE PRESENCE HERE IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.
WE HAVE MORE THAN 10,000 NAVY SAILORS, NAVY FAMILY MEMBERS, AND NAVY CIVILIANS WHO WORK TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT MISSION.
AS YOU POINTED OUT, WE DO TRAIN TWO OF THE LARGEST RATES OF THE NAVY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THOSE ARE THE MASTER AT ARMS AND THE HOSPITAL CORPSMEN.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THE CITY GIVES NOT ONLY TO THE NAVY BUT ALL THE SERVICES.
YOU CAN FEEL THAT WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT, AND IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT YOU ALL ARE DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING THE SERVICES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION AND BEING A PART OF THIS GREAT CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ADMIRAL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK AND SEEING YOU IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT, AND THIS IS YOUR HOUSE AS WELL.
AND YOU SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE A SAILOR HERE ON COUNCIL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE TRICENTENNIAL QUILT PROJECT THIS MORNING.
AND SO A BIG WELCOME TO ABBY'S ATTIC.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS WONDERFUL QUILT AS PART OF OUR SAN ANTONIO TRICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR YOUR QUILTING STUDIO HAS BEEN INVITING MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY TO SEE THIS AMAZING QUILT THAT DEDICATES 300 YEARS OF HISTORY HERE IN THE CITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ABBY'S ATTIC TO COME TO OUR PODIUM AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT HOW THIS PROJECT CAME TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
WE HAVE A QUILTING TEACHER AND TWO SEWING TEACHERS AND MYSELF.
WE ARE ONE SAN ANTONIO NATIVE AND THREE MILITARY TRANSPLANTS.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS QUILT AS A GIFT TO THE CITY FOR THE TRICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
WE INVITED THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN.
WE TAUGHT KIDS AS YOUNG AS 4 TO HAND EMBROIDER.
THEY WERE GIVEN VERY LITTLE GROUND RULES ON WHAT TO PUT ON.
JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE IT HAS SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO YOU.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF SAN ANTONIO SYMBOLISM IN THERE AS WELL AS FAMILY NAMES, BUSINESSES, MILITARY REPRESENTATION.
IT HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR US FOR THE LAST YEAR AND WE HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL ENJOY TO DISPLAY IT SOMEWHERE IN YOUR QUARTERS.
BUT IT'S BEEN A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS, SO ENJOY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CONGRATULATIONS, Y'ALL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR A VERY SPECIAL TRICENTENNIAL TRIBUTE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL QUILT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF BLANK WALLS HERE IN OUR CITY, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HANGING THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
[00:20:01]
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN MANNY PELAEZ, WHO HAS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.AS YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP IS THE NAME OF THE GAME, AND SAN ANTONIO IS BLESSED TO HAVE A LOT OF THEM.
BUT TODAY I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ONE IN PARTICULAR.
OUR VERY OWN JOE GRADUATES FROM THE ALEX BRESENIO LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TOMORROW.
THE ADLDP IS ONE OF THE ELITE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND IN LARGE PART A HUGE SUCCESS BECAUSE OF OUR FRIEND WINSLOW SCHWARTZ AND ALL OF THE ENERGY THAT THE HISPANIC CHAMBER AND LOCAL LEADERS POUR INTO THAT PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT YOU WORKED REALLY HARD, TOOK TIME AWAY FROM WORK AND YOUR FAMILY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.
AND SO I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU IN FRONT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
BUT ALSO IN FRONT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOUR FRIENDS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: CONGRATULATIONS, JOE.
FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THAT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TOGETHER, SO IT IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW MY FORMER MA WAS A PART OF IT AS WELL.
I'M SORRY, CHRIS, THAT I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE YOU LAST YEAR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
CONGRATULATIONS, JOE, AND TO ALL YOUR CLASSMATES AS WELL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE THAT TRAINING TAKES YOU.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR BUSINESS
[Consent Agenda]
AGENDA.AND I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM 4 IS LISTED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
SO ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM CONSENT? COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
ITEMS 4 AND 11 WILL BE HEARD ON INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
HEARING NO FURTHER ITEMS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR ITEMS 4 AND 11.
WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
>> WELL, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
NO HAPPY HOLIDAYS WITH ME, FOLKS.
FOR THOSE WHO THINK I'M NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT ENOUGH, I'LL JUST SIMPLY SAY, OKAY.
HAPPY KWANZAA AND ANY OTHER GROUP WHO TRIES TO HORN IN ON THIS OCCASION.
RIGHT, MS. SANDOVAL? SHE'S BUSY COPYING SOMETHING DOWN THERE.
IN CASE ANY OF YOU ARE WONDERING, CITY COUNCIL SANTA CLAUS HAS NOTHING ON YOU GUYS WHEN IT COMES TO JUST HANDING OUT SOME GOODIES HERE.
ITEM NO. 19 IS ABOUT AWARDING, OH, SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS INTO SOMETHING CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WELL, JUST THAT'S A EUPHEMISM FOR WHAT WE CALL WELFARE HOUSING.
THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE WHO DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY, WELL, THEY GET A HANDOUT FROM THE GOVERNMENT THERE.
YES, AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS -- NOW YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO SAY, JACK, THIS IS COMING FROM THE FEDS.
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
REALLY? WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FEDS GET THEIR MONEY? HA, HA.
PUT THAT UP, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN.
WHAT DOES IT SAY THERE? BACK UP DOCUMENTS ON THIS ONE.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
A MILLION AND A QUARTER FOR WHERE? ONE OF THEM IS FOR THE MAJESTIC RANCH APARTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, MS. SANDOVAL, YOUR PREDECESSOR TRIED TO TELL US
[00:25:01]
THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT PROJECT, BUT PEOPLE DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM, AND THE REST IS HISTORY.HE NEVER GOT RE-ELECTED THERE.
YOU DID AND, YES, WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY THERE? FOR PEOPLE AT OR BELOW 60% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
USING THE HUD INCOME LIMITS FOR THE REGION.
THANK YOU, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN.
YOU KNOW, WE, THE CITIZENS, WE GET KIND OF TIRED OF YOUR TRYING TO JUST REALLY GIVE AWAY EVEN OUR FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS.
JUST ONCE MAYBE YOU COULD SURPRISE EVERYBODY WITH THE MIRACLE.
YOU KNOW, MIRACLES ARE WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT.
A MIRACLE THAT SAYS WE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP BY OURSELVES AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE CRUTCH OF ANY MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR WELFARE HOUSING.
THAT WOULD BLOW THEM ALL AWAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE INGRAM HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OUR LEADERS HAVE MET EXTENSIVELY WITH MR. HOGAN TO DISCUSS THE MAJESTIC RANCH COMPLEX.
MR. HOGAN HAS AGREED TO 15 CONCESSIONS IN A SIGNED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH INGRAM HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THESE INCLUDE CURBS AND SIDEWALKS WITH WROUGHT IRON FENCING AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
A LANDSCAPED SIX-FOOT BERM ALONG MAJESTIC DRIVE, AND A CHILDREN'S PLAYSCAPE AT JOAN PRICE PARK, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
THE DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE ENTRANCES AND EXITS ON CALLAGHAN ROAD.
WHEN MR. HOGAN AGREED TO THE 15 CONCESSIONS IN FEBRUARY 2017, IHNA WITHDREW ITS OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE COUNCIL WITH A COPY OF THE SIGNED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO BE PLACED INTO THE RECORD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. PHILLIPS.
THAT IS EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
ITEM 11 WAS PREVIOUSLY PULLED FROM CONSENT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO PLACE THAT BACK ON CONSENT AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES WILL SPEAK TO IT BEFORE WE VOTE.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO PUTTING 11 BACK ON CONSENT? OKAY.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR ITEM 4.
WE'LL CALL COUNCIL PEOPLE NOW TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ON CONSENT.
I WILL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 19, WHICH WE'VE HEARD ABOUT FROM TWO SPEAKERS THIS MORNING.
I WANT TO THANK MR. MIKE PHILLIPS AND THE ENTIRE INGRAM HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR WORKING SO HARD WITH MR. HOGAN TO BRING 60% AMI HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE 60% ANNUAL MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL.
MIKE, I KNOW THIS WASN'T EASY AND IT WAS A LOT OF TURMOIL BEFORE YOU BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO DO THIS.
AND 15 CONCESSIONS IS NO SMALL FEAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. MIKE HOGAN.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S HERE TODAY, BUT FOR -- IS HE HERE? OH.
THANK YOU, MR. HOGAN FOR WORKING ON THIS.
I'M SURE IT WAS NO SMALL FEAT ON YOUR PART EITHER, BUT IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU TWO WORKING TOGETHER.
SOMEONE MENTIONED MY RUN FOR OFFICE AND MY PREDECESSOR NOT BEING RE-ELECTED, ONE THING I DID PROMISE WAS THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD HAVE A VOICE IN SHAPING THEIR FUTURE.
MIKE, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID THAT WITHOUT ME.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT WILL BE BRINGING 288 UNITS, INCLUDING TWO BEDROOMS AND THREE BEDROOMS FOR FAMILIES TO LIVE THERE AS WELL.
AND THE CDBG MONEYS THAT WE ARE AUTHORIZING TODAY WILL ASSIST IN BRIDGING THAT GAP SO THAT WE CAN OFFER TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I THINK THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE BEGINNING TO MEET THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOTH FOR YOUR WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE -- TJX
[00:30:01]
HAS THEIR COMPANY, THEIR WAREHOUSE NOW ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.AND PART OF THE AGREEMENT WAS PUTTING AN EASEMENT FOR A HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
AND SO TODAY WE ARE VOTING TO HAVE THAT EASEMENT GIVEN TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THAT FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR COMMITMENT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE OUR LINK OF OUR GREENWAY HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND ALSO ITEM NO. 10, WHICH IS A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THAT WILL BE PUT UP ON KATE SHANK.
THIS IS A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 3 HAVE BEEN CLAMORING FOR FOR YEARS, AND IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE THIS COMING INTO OUR AREA.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
ITEM NO. 11 IS A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $450,000 FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS OF THE HISTORIC GUADALUPE THEATER.
I'M SORRY, NOT THE THEATER, THE DRUGSTORE.
I KNOW THAT CHRISTINA IS HERE, AND I'M GOING TO ASK HER TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS IN ITEM NO. 4, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH TOURISM AND VISITORS, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS PEOPLE COME TO SAN ANTONIO IN SUCH GREAT NUMBERS, THE HIGHEST DESTINATION IN THE STATE FOR TOURISM, IS BECAUSE OF PLACES LIKE THE GUADALUPE THEATER AND THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER THAT'S BEEN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR DECADES NOW AND ENHANCING OUR MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND MAKING IT REALLY WHAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO SO SPECIAL AND SO UNIQUE.
WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
THIS IS A VOTER-APPROVED BOND PROJECT FOR $150,000.
IN 2012 WE CONTRIBUTED ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER.
AND THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, NOT JUST TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE AVENIDA GUADALUPE COMMUNITY, BUT REALLY THE WHOLE CITY.
AND THIS GALLERY THAT WE'RE RESTORING IS A DESTINATION THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE BECAUSE OF ITS ART REPRODUCTIONS.
JESSE TREVINO DID A REPRODUCTION OF THE HISTORIC DRUGSTORE, AND IT'S BEEN IN THE SMITHSONIAN AND IT'S A REPRODUCTION OF A PRINT THAT I OWN AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALL OWN AS WELL FROM THE PROGRESSO DRUGSTORE.
IT'S A GREAT HISTORY, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ELABORATE, CHRISTINA, ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE FUNDING BUT ALSO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, MAYOR NIRENBERG, AND ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
THIS FUNDING SPECIFICALLY IS FOR THE PROGRESSO, OLD PROGRESSO PHARMACY THAT IS OWNED BY THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER THAT PURCHASED IT SOMETIME BACK IN THE LATE '80S/EARLY '90S.
IT WAS THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER.
BUT NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS BOND FUNDING, THE FIRST FLOOR IS PUBLIC SPACE.
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY GALLERY IN THERE.
AND ONCE WE FINISHED THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS RENOVATION WITH THIS PART OF THE BOND FUNDING, WE WILL ADD A BOOKSTORE AND GIFT SHOP AND AN ARCHIVE ROOM TO PRESERVE ALL THE ARCHIVES OF ALL THE CULTURAL ARTISTIC HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING THERE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS NOW.
THE COMMUNITY BUILDING AND THE COMMUNITY GALLERY, WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT IS FUNDED BY THE ANDREW MELON FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A NATIONAL FOUNDATION.
AND THEY FUNDED US FOR $300,000 FOR PROGRAMMING SPECIFICALLY IN THE PROGRESSO COMMUNITY GALLERY.
AND WE ARE IN YEAR TWO OF THAT FUNDING.
AND THIS YEAR WE HAVEN'T FULLY PROGRAMMED THAT GALLERY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION PHASES.
BUT THIS YEAR WE DID PROGRAM THERE THE COMMON CURRENTS EXHIBIT THAT WAS PART OF THE TRICENTENNIAL PROGRAMMING.
AND FOR THE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, WE HAD SEVERAL PROGRAMS IN THERE.
AND WE HAD NUMEROUS COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND PROGRAMS IN THERE.
IN TERMS OF TOURISM, I THINK EVERYBODY IS ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH OUR TEJANO CONJUNTO FESTIVAL THAT HAPPENS EVERY MAY.
THAT IS ONE PROGRAM THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
NOT JUST FROM SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, THE COUNTRY, BUT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
FROM JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, AND SPAIN.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME TO SAN ANTONIO SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS
[00:35:03]
FESTIVAL.OUR FESTIVAL ALSO BRINGS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA.
AND LASTLY I'LL MENTION THAT WE ARE GOING TO ADD A NEW INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE TOURISM.
WE HAVE A GUADALUPE DANCE COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 27 YEARS.
IT'S A SEMI-PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY.
AND I WANT TO TURN THEM INTO A VERSION OF THE SPANISH] IN MEXICO CITY, THAT IS THE RESIDENT COMPANY THERE.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A TOURING ARM.
AND AT THE GUADALUPE THEATER WE WILL HAVE A SHOW, FOLKLORICO SHOW EVERY FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.
THEY WILL BE PERFORMING IN THERE SO WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT AS THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO SEE A BALLET FOLKLORICO PROGRAM WITH LIVE MARIACHI MUSIC, ACCOMPANIED WITH LIVE MUSIC.
THAT WAY EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE GOING TO START TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO KNOWS THAT IF YOU HAVE VISITORS, IF YOU HAVE GUESTS AND YOU WANT TO TREAT THEM TO AN AUTHENTIC SAN ANTONIO EXPERIENCE, EVERY FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH YOU CAN BRING THEM TO THE GUADALUPE THEATER TO ENJOY THAT FOLKLORICO PROGRAM THAT GOES IN-DEPTH INTO THE TRADITIONS OF DANCE AND MUSIC OF MEXICO.
THIS ADDITION, WITH THE BOND FUNDING, HELPS BUILD AND FORTIFY THAT CAMPUS ON THE CORNERS OF GUADALUPE AND BRAZOS STREET.
WE HAVE SEVEN PROPERTIES THERE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AND CONTINUE TO BUILD.
SO THIS REALLY HELPS, YOU KNOW, TO FORTIFY THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND BUILD IT UP.
AND TOGETHER THE PROGRESSO COMMUNITY GALLERY AND THE GUADALUPE THEATER, TOGETHER IN THAT CORNER, ARE REALLY GOING TO BUILD SOME MORE SYNERGY FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS.
WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO BUILDING UP OUR PROGRAMMING THERE AT THE GUADALUPE.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR ITEM 4.
[4. Items relating to the creation of the San Antonio Tourism Public Improvement District: (Part 1 of 2)]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM NO. 4, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IS THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE ADVISABILITY OF CREATING A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND THE ASSESSMENT RATE OF 1.25% OF GROWTH SHORT-TERM RENTAL REVENUE AS A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ON QUALIFYING PROPERTY WITHIN THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
AND ITEM 4B IS A CERTIFICATION OF THE PETITIONS TO CREATE A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND ITEM 4C IS THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, SPECIFYING THE NATURE AND COST OF THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS ESTABLISHING IN AUDIO] PROVIDING FOR THE APPORTIONMENT OF COSTS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT, LEVYING AN ASSESSMENT OF 1.25% OF THE GROSS SHORT-TERM RENTAL REVENUE OF QUALIFIED HOTELS WITHIN THE DISTRICT, AND PROVIDING FOR THE METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR THE ASSESSMENT.
AND TO CLARIFY, WE WILL HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE DO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS MORNING AS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
BUT IT WILL BE AN ABBREVIATED VERSION.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION YESTERDAY IN B SESSION, SO WE HAVE SHORTENED UP THE PRESENTATION A LITTLE BIT BUT WANTED TO GO OVER THE KEY POINTS WITH YOU.
I'LL BE DOING PART OF IT BUT ALSO I'LL BE ASKING CASSANDRA MATE, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF VISIT SAN ANTONIO TO COME UP, AS WELL AS LISA, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION TO JOIN ME THIS MORNING AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN ITEM B, LETICIA VACEK, OUR CITY CLERK, WILL VERIFY THE SIGNATURES THAT WERE DONE AS PART OF THE PETITION PROCESS.
I'LL BEGIN WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AGAIN.
VISIT SAN ANTONIO IS OUR DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF SAN ANTONIO.
BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2016, CITY COUNCIL DID APPROVE A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO, A 501C6 PUBLIC-PRIVATE ENTITY.
IT WAS A NEWLY-CREATED ENTITY AND PART OF THE GOAL WAS TO TRANSITION FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, OVER THIS THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE ENTITY AND ENTER
[00:40:01]
INTO THIS AGREEMENT WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO, OR VSA.ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THAT WAS TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW COULD WE GROW THE BUDGET, THE MARKETING AND PROMOTION BUDGET, HOW COULD WE GROW THE BUDGET FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED EARLY ON WAS THE CREATION OF A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, OR A TPID.
VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION REACHED OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS DOING A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE.
ULTIMATELY THEY BROUGHT FORWARD THE PROPOSED CREATION OF THE TPID, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING.
STATE LAW DOES OUTLINE THE PROCESS AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CREATION OF A TPID.
SO THERE'S A STATUTORY PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED TO GET TO THIS POINT.
ULTIMATELY TO CONCLUSION WITH ITEM NO. 4 THIS MORNING.
THE TIMELINE, AGAIN, SUBSEQUENT TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BEING ENTERED INTO WITH VSA, THEY DID A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A TPID OR A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HERE.
THAT PROCESS LASTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AS THEY WENT THROUGH THAT, THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THE FEASIBILITY OF BRINGING THAT ITEM FORWARD.
THEY REACHED OUT TO US THIS PAST SPRING WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND A DECISION TO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CREATION OF THE TPID.
SO WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE DOCUMENTS, THE PETITION, THE MASTER AGREEMENT, AS WELL AS THE SERVICE PLAN THAT IS A PART OF THE TPID.
WE BRIEFED THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON JUNE 5.
ONE OF THE KEY DATES ON HERE IS THE JUNE 25 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO WE ASKED YOU ALL IN JUNE 21 TO APPROVE THE PETITION, THE MASTER AGREEMENT, AND THE SERVICE PLAN IN A FORM SO THAT AS THIS HOTEL/MOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION WENT OUT TO SEEK SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION IT WAS CLEAR TO HOTEL OWNERS WHAT THE FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR, HOW THIS PROCESS WOULD WORK, HOW THE TPID WOULD BE ESTABLISHED AND GOVERNED.
AND THEN AS WELL AS THAT WOULD BE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO VASE'S BUDGET.
WE TALKED ABOUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME ONCE WE DID THAT THAT WE WOULD BE SETTING THE DOCUMENTS IN PLACE AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AMEND THEM AFTER THE FACT.
WE WERE STARTING A PROCESS AND THAT HOTEL OWNERS WOULD BE SIGNING THAT PETITION AND RELYING ON THE REPRESENTATIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT PETITION.
SO, AGAIN, WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS SINCE THEN, INCLUDING THE B SESSION YESTERDAY.
IF YOU APPROVE THE ITEM TODAY, THE GOAL IS TO MAKE THE TPID EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY OF 2019.
SO, AGAIN, THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO CONSIDER APPROVING TODAY, OF COURSE PART OF THE STATE LAW IS WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH THE MAYOR WILL OPEN AND ALLOW CITIZENS TO SPEAK ON THAT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING TALKS ABOUT THE ADVISABILITY OF THE TPID CREATION.
IT SETS A 1.25% ASSESSMENT RATE.
IN THE FUTURE IT CAN BE CHANGED, BUT IT'S AN UP TO 1.25% ASSESSMENT RATE AS PART OF TPID.
ITEM B WILL BE THE VERIFICATION OF THE PETITIONS.
ITEM C WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH THE TPID.
AND YOU WOULD BE APPROVING THE MASTER CONTRACT, WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN VSA, THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND THE CITY AS BEING THE THREE PARTIES TO THAT AGREEMENT.
AND THEN YOU WOULD BE APPROVING THE SERVICE PLAN, WHICH OUTLINES THE KEY MANAGEMENT PARAMETERS, FUNDING, AND BUDGET CATEGORIES, WHICH THE BUDGET'S ALIGN WITH 45% GOING TO MARKETING, 45% TO SALES RESEARCH.
CITY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THESE ITEMS THIS MORNING.
HOMELESSNESS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPTIONS FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
THE CITY MANAGER IN MID NOVEMBER PROVIDED A MEMO TO YOU WHERE WE OUTLINED SOME POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES AS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION YESTERDAY, IT WAS REQUESTED THAT WE ENGAGE VSA AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND FUNDING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY, WE WILL BRING ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS BACK TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL NO LATER THAN WHEN WE DO OUR MID-YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT BRIEFING.
SO WE WILL BEGIN WORK ON THAT REQUEST AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO CASSANDRA AND LISA AND ASK THEM TO COME UP AND COMPLETE THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU -- AND LET ME MOVE THAT.
IS JUST THERE WERE THREE TRENDS THAT WE LOOKED AT OF WHY WE
[00:45:01]
WANTED TO PURSUE THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.AND THESE WERE HAPPENING PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER.
FIRST, WE LOOKED AT OUR VISIT SAN ANTONIO MARKETING BUDGET AND OVERALL BUDGET HAD REMAINED RELATIVELY FLAT FOR THE LAST SEVEN TO TEN YEARS.
COUPLE THAT WITH THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE.
WHEN YOU LOOKED AT DALLAS AND HOUSTON, IN PARTICULAR, THEY DOUBLED THEIR BUDGETS WITHIN THAT TIME-FRAME.
AND THEY STARTED MARKETING IN OUR KEY MARKET SEGMENT, THE LEISURE MARKET.
AND THEN, THIRDLY, IF YOU LOOK OVER A SEVEN TO TEN-YEAR TREND, WE NOTICED WE STARTED LOSING SOME MARKET SHARE IN AND AROUND THE STATE.
SO THOSE WERE THREE KEY COMPONENTS OF WHY WE EVEN WANTED TO PURSUE THE OPPORTUNITY OF A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, SO WE COULD GROW OUR BUDGET, PUT MORE MONEY, LOOK AT NEW MARKETS TO GO AFTER.
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO ALSO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT MARKET SHARE, BUT WE WANT OPPORTUNITY TO GROW, WHETHER IT'S AROUND THE STATE, NATIONALLY, OR EVEN INTERNATIONALLY.
SO I'LL BEGIN WITH HOW IT WORKS.
WE ARE PROPOSING A 1.25 FEE TO THE HOTEL ROOM NIGHT STAY.
THE FUNDS WOULD THEN BE COLLECTED ALONGSIDE THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THAT THE CITY COLLECTS.
ALL OF THE RULES THAT GOVERN THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX WOULD ALSO BE IN PLACE FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FEE.
THE CITY WOULD THEN COLLECT IT AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO BUDGET WOULD BE THE BENEFACTOR OF THAT.
THE BOARD OF THE TPID CORPORATION WOULD IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND WHAT ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOOSTED IN THE BUDGET.
IT WILL BE PART OF THE OVERALL PLAN FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO, THOSE IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES FROM THE HOTELIERS THAT REPRESENT THE HOTELS IN THE DISTRICT OF THE TPID.
THERE WILL BE AN ANNUAL SERVICE PLAN APPROVED ALONGSIDE OF THE CONCURRENT EIGHT-YEAR AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY HAS WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND THEIR MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND WE KNOW THAT BY BOOSTING TRAVEL AND TOURISM THAT WILL GROW JOBS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OPPORTUNITIES, INCREMENTAL TAX OPPORTUNITIES, AND MORE REVENUE FOR ARTS AND PRESERVATION FROM THE CITY PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
>> WE PROJECT THERE WILL BE A $10.4 MILLION REVENUE BOOST IN THE FIRST YEAR.
EARLY IN THE PROCESS WHEN WE WERE MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND GATHERING INPUT, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SAW THAT 90%, THE LION'S SHARE OF THIS REVENUE WOULD GO DIRECTLY TOWARDS SALES AND MARKETING AND TO REALLY DRIVE THE SALES AND MARKETING EFFORT.
IN TURN, WE ALSO HAVE ASKED AND INCLUDED IN THE SALES, IN THE SERVICE PLAN, A 7 TO 1 RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE TPID CORPORATION WILL BE CLOSELY WATCHING HOW THE REVENUE'S EXECUTED AND HOW THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS COMING BACK.
AND ULTIMATELY TO IMPACT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FORMATION.
WE HAVE PROPOSED TWO DISTRICTS.
A CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH WE ARE REFERRING TO AS ZONE ONE.
AND ZONE TWO, WHICH INCORPORATES ALL OTHER HOTELS IN THE CITY.
ALL OF THE HOTELS THAT HAVE 100 ROOMS OR MORE SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, OBVIOUSLY, FOR HOTELS THAT ARE IN ZONE ONE AND IN ZONE TWO.
AND THE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE TPID BOARD WILL REPRESENT THOSE PRIORITIES FOR THEIR DIFFERENT ZONES.
THIS IS A UNIQUE COMPONENT TO OUR TPID.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN OTHER LOCATIONS, BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS FROM HOTELS THAT ARE IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND THEN THOSE THAT ARE NOT.
SO I JUST WOULD QUICKLY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HOTEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THIS IS THE FACE OF HOSPITALITY.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO GREET AND WELCOME AND HOST ALL OF THE VISITORS OF SAN ANTONIO.
THESE GUYS DO AN AMAZING JOB AND THEY MAKE ALL OF US IN OUR COMMUNITY LOOK GREAT.
SO, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[4A. Public Hearings on the advisability of creating a Tourism Public Improvement District and the Assessment Rate of 1.25% of gross short-term room rental revenue as a special assessment on qualifying property within the Tourism Public Improvement District boundaries.]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 4.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ADVISABILITY OF CREATING A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND ASSESSMENT RATE OF 1.25% OF GROSS SHORT TERM ROOM RENTAL REVENUE WITHIN THE TOURISM
[00:50:03]
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES IS HEREBY OPENED .I WILL CALL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 4 IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
PLEASE CONTAIN YOUR COMMENTS TO THE RELEVANT FACTS IN ITEM NO.
AND WE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE LIST.
I'LL CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE SO YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD.
AT THE END, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
WE'LL START WITH RUSTY WALLACE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN LATONE.
I'M RUSTY WALLACE, CHAIRMAN OF THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND I'M ALSO THE PRIOR CHAIR, AND MY PASTIME IS PRESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THE HOTEL COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO HAS COME TOGETHER OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO CRAFT INITIATIVE WE'RE CONFIDENT WILL HELP SUPPLEMENT THE SALES AND MARKETING OF OUR REMARKABLE CITY.
AND GETTING THESE FOLKS TO AGREE ON ANYTHING IS PRETTY DIFFICULT.
IT'S GOOD THAT WE'VE COME TOGETHER.
RECENTLY WE HAVE SEEN OTHER CITIES, MANY OF THEM BENEFITING FROM THEIR OWN TPID FUNDS BEGIN TO CUT INTO OUR MARKET SHARE AND THREATEN OUR DOMINANCE AS A LEISURE AND CONVENTION DESTINATION.
IT'S TRUE IN PART BECAUSE COMPETITORS LIKE DALLAS, ARLINGTON, AND FORT WORTH HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY UPPED THEIR MARKETING GAME.
SIGNIFICANT PLAYER IN THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
MANY OF YOU IN YOUR DISTRICTS HAVE WITNESSED THE POWER OF THAT IMPACT IN YOUR RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, TRANSPORTATION ATTRACTIONS AND OTHER BUSINESSES.
THIS INDUSTRY EMPLOYS ONE OF SEVEN WORKING SAN ANTONIANS.
MY FELLOW HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS, FROM DISHWASHERS AND COOKS TO FINANCE EXECUTIVES AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS COUNT ON OUR ABILITY TO BRING VISITORS TO THIS CITY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S WHY THE HOTEL INDUSTRY'S COME TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF THE TPID.
WE'RE UNITED IN RECOGNIZING THAT THE MARKETING AND SALES INITIATIVES OF OUR DESTINATION NEED TO BE INCREASED.
AND THIS SELF-ASSESSED FEE THAT DOES NOT COME WITHOUT RISK TO OUR BUSINESSES, WILL BOLSTER VISIT SAN ANTONIO'S EFFORTS.
TOURISM TAXES AND FEES ALREADY COLLECTED BY HOT TAX HELP THE COMMUNITY AND CULTURE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND EXPANSIONS LIKE THE RIVER WALK, SPORTS FACILITIES, AND VENUES LIKE THE TOBIN CENTER WE ALL ENJOY.
TOURISM IS BIG BUSINESS FOR SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S GOOD FOR VISITORS AND FRANKLY IT'S GREAT FOR RESIDENTS.
AGAIN, WE ASK TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I'M ALSO GENERAL MANAGER OF THE WYNDHAM HOTEL DOWNTOWN.
IN 2016 OUR INDUSTRY WAS TASKED WITH FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE FUNDING MECHANISM.
OUR TOURISM ADVERTISING BUDGET DOLLARS HAVE REMAINED FLAT FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
AND THAT DIRECTLY CORRELATES TO FLAT OCCUPANCY RATES DURING THE SAME TIME-FRAME.
WE NEED AN INFLUX OF DOLLARS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND TO GROW.
THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION HAS LED THE INITIATIVE TO CREATE THE TPID.
I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY TO HELP US SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE THIS COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US.
OVER THE PAST 16 MONTHS WE HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SUCCESSFULLY BRING THIS INITIATIVE TO YOU.
WE HAVE HOSTED COUNTLESS TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH HOTEL MANAGERS AND OWNERSHIP GROUPS.
WE HAVE MET WITH EACH OF YOU AND YOUR STAFF ON AND OFF OVER THE MONTHS TO ENSURE YOU ARE AWARE OF OUR STEPS AND OUR PROGRESS.
WE STAND IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AFTER YEARS OF RESEARCH, STUDIES, COMMITTEES, AND TASK FORCE TO PRESENT YOU WITH AN OPTION THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN NEARLY 170 COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AN OPTION THAT WILL INFUSE OUR INDUSTRY WITH MUCH-NEEDED ADVERTISING.
OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS TAKING A CALCULATED RISK BY IMPOSING A FEE ON OUR GUESTS.
[00:55:01]
BUT WE BELIEVE THIS MODEL WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL GROWTH OF MARKETING DOLLARS, BUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY THAT EACH OF US WORKS TO PROMOTE EVERY DAY.I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR INDUSTRY OVER THE YEARS AND YOUR SUPPORT TODAY AS WE WORK TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. LATONE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, AND STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING AND EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
A THRIVING TOURISM ECONOMY IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR BUSINESSES AND TO OUR CONTINUED JOB GROWTH IN SAN ANTONIO.
THIS INDUSTRY HAS A DIVERSE WORKFORCE WHICH PROVIDES SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES WITH FLEXIBLE HOURS FOR OUR COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION.
IT HIRES TEACHERS DURING SUMMERS AND VETERANS AND THEIR SPOUSES AS THEY TRANSITION OUT OF THE MILITARY.
MANY OF OUR SAN ANTONIANS DEPEND ON AND ARE PROUD TO WORK IN OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
AND FOR MANY OF THEM, THEY HAVE BEEN IN IT FOR YEARS.
IT IS ALSO THE NUMBER ONE SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYER IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO A STUDY IN 2016.
AS THE FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN TEXAS HOSPITAL AND TOURISM CONTRIBUTES NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND.
THESE LOCAL FUNDS THAT ARE PROPOSED BY THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ARE VERY MUCH NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE PROMOTION OF OUR GREAT CITY, WHICH WILL GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WHEN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY GROWS, IT ALLOWS OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OTHER MUCH-NEEDED SERVICES.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO WORK WITH OTHER TEXAS CITIES.
AND I KNOW HOW STRONG THEY ARE IN PROMOTING THEIR CITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT SAN ANTONIO DESERVES NO LESS.
WE CANNOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT WE HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ASSETS IN THE STATE AND THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO COME.
AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE VISIT SAN ANTONIO FOR RECOGNIZING IT AND BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GREAT LEADERSHIP AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THIS GREAT CITY THAT I REMAIN PROUD TO CALL MY HOMETOWN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, SECRETARY ANDRADE.
I AM PRESENTLY THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A HOTEL IN THE MEDICAL CENTER AND PAST CHAIR OF THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION AND THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM COUNCIL.
16 YEARS AGO I WAS CHAIR OF THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, AND WE HAD THE SAME DOLLAR BUDGET FOR ADVERTISING AS WE DO TODAY.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT THAT MEANS IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, THAT'S ABOUT 35% OF WHAT WE HAD 16 YEARS AGO.
SO THE URGENT NEED TO HAVE A TPID IS CRITICAL.
AND I URGE YOU TODAY TO VOTE ON THAT.
IT WILL PROVIDE A VITAL INFUSION OF MARKETING AND SALES MUSCLE FOR A CITY THAT RANKS AS ONE OF THE TOP DESTINATIONS IN THE CITY.
WHEN WE INVEST IN THE TRAVEL SECTOR, WE INVEST IN THE STRENGTH OF THIS COMMUNITY.
OTHER COMMUNITIES, MANY OF THEM ARE OUR TOP COMPETITORS, HAVE ALREADY GOT A TPID, AS YOU HEARD TODAY.
SO I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF THIS INDUSTRY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND OVER 20 YEARS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING TO THIS COUNCIL AND OTHER COUNCILS AND OTHER MAYORS ABOUT THE RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS GREAT INDUSTRY.
SO I URGE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TPID.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS INDUSTRY GIVES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY TO CHARITIES.
I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS CHAIR OF THE FOOD BANK BOARD, AND I'M STILL ON THAT FOOD BANK BOARD.
[01:00:01]
AND THE FOOD BANK AND MANY OTHER CHARITIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BENEFIT GREATLY FROM THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FELDMAN.
BILL PATRELLA FOLLOWED BY TODD WALKER.
FORMER CHAIRMAN OF SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I WAS ALSO A BOARD MEMBER ON THE CVC HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND ALSO IN SEVERAL OTHER CITIES.
I STAND HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE TPID.
AS A VETERAN OF MORE THAN THREE DECADES IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, MANAGING LARGE HOTELS, SMALL HOTELS, RESORTS, URBAN AND SUBURBAN PROPERTIES, NOW REPRESENTING A LUXURY INDEPENDENT HOTEL.
I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT THESE TPID FUNDS WILL BRING.
BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE A GREAT STORY TO TELL IN SAN ANTONIO, FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY.
THE REALITY IS IT TAKES RESOURCES TO TELL THAT STORY.
AND THE TPID FUNDS ARE REALLY NECESSARY, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
TODD WALKER FOLLOWED BY ROBERT.
MY NAME IS TODD WALKER AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1 FOR 25 YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME I HAVE WORKED IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY AS A CONSULTANT IN EVERY MANNER OF HOTEL PRODUCTS OR ADVERTISING OR LAWSUITS OR PRODUCTION.
SAN ANTONIO NEEDS TO ADVERTISE.
YOU'VE LOST MARKET SHARE EQUATING TO ESSENTIALLY $200 MILLION VERSUS OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ADVERTISED AS OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE.
THE TPID WILL GIVE US THE STRENGTH AND THE ENERGY TO MOVE ON AND DO THAT, MOVE FORWARD, GAIN OUR MARKET SHARE BACK, AND MOVE ON TO MORE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE WHETHER WE HAVE BETTER TACOS THAN AUSTIN.
[LAUGHTER] PLEASE SUPPORT THIS.
AND I HOPE YOU ALL VOTE FOR IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. WALKER.
ROBERT THRILLKILL FOLLOWED BY SUSIE HART.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ROBERT THRILLKILL, VICE PRESIDENT OF HOSPITALITY FOR ZACHARY AS WELL AS THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE HILTON PALACIO DEL RIO.
I COME TO YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BEING CONSIDERED.
THIS IS A MOVE THAT WILL CARRY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ACROSS OUR LANDSCAPE MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AND THAT YOU ALL APPROVED LAST SUMMER HAS BEEN PART OF A VERY THOUGHTFUL PROCESS.
THIS WHOLE INITIATIVE IS ABOUT DRIVING DEMAND FOR VISITATION IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE DOMINO EFFECT WILL BE POWERFUL.
IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING MORE MARKETING AND SALES FUNDS FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO TO DO ITS JOB.
THIS WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT HOTELS AND THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
IT WILL MEAN MORE SALES AND PROPERTY TAX REVENUES FOR THE CITY.
TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY ALREADY DRIVES $214 MILLION IN TAXES AND FEES EACH YEAR TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND $419 MILLION IN ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMBINED.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP MAKE THEM EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IN THE YEARS TO COME.
I AM A CURRENT AND PAST BOARD MEMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS VISIT SAN ANTONIO, THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, AND THE SAN ANTONIO AREA TOURISM COUNCIL.
I HAVE AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF HOW THIS INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE ECONOMY OF THIS GREAT CITY.
THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS WILLING AND EAGER TO INVEST IN THE MARKETING OF THE CITY.
THE RESULT OF THAT, IN OUR VIEW, WE WOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE TODAY VOTE YES FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, YESTERDAY THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
AND HOMELESSNESS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
PERSONALLY TO BE A PART OF ANY MEETINGS, GROUPS YOU PUT TOGETHER, MAYOR, THAT WOULD COME TOGETHER AS INDUSTRIES ACROSS OUR CITY TO ADDRESS THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
SO PLEASE PUT MY NAME ON THAT LIST WHEN WE'RE READY TO DISCUSS THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. THRILLKILL.
SUSIE HART FOLLOWED BY BELINDA
[01:05:02]
HEARTWIG.I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE MARRIOTT RIVER CENTER AND RIVER WALK HOTELS.
I MOVED HERE THIS SPRING IN APRIL, AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY.
I HAVE BEEN A GENERAL MANAGER AT TWO HOTELS IN DALLAS AND IN HOUSTON, AND ALSO IN CALIFORNIA.
SO I WAS THERE AT THE ORIGINATION WHEN WE STARTED THE TPIDS IN SEVERAL CITIES.
AND IWHAT THEY DID FOR THOSE CIS AND HOW IT FOSTERED THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO EXPANDED GROWTH IN BOTH THE LEISURE MARKET AND ALSO COUPLED WITH THE GROUP AND CONVENTION MARKET.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME TOUGH YEARS IN 2019 AND 2020 IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
AND I WITNESSED IN 2012, DALLAS EMBARKED ON THE TPID BOARD.
AND AS THEY LOOK TODAY, THAT HAS DRIVEN $925 MILLION INTO THE CITY AND $2.1 BILLION IN TOURISM INTO DALLAS.
I WAS ALSO IN SONOMA, CALIFORNIA WHEN NAPA AND SONOMA VALLEY INSTITUTED THE TPID.
THEY HAVE WINE AND THEY CAN GROW THAT INDUSTRY.
IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER IN HOW WE REINVIGORATED THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THOSE CITIES.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE WIN-WIN THAT HAS ZERO FUNDING, ZERO MONEY THAT NEEDS TO COME FROM THE CITY.
WE CAN SELF-SUPPORT OUR INITIATIVES.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE'RE FALLING BEHIND IN MARKET SHARE.
WE'RE FALLING BEHIND IN REVENUE.
AND IT'S COMING TO A FOREFRONT NEXT YEAR.
AND WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO CREATE THIS AND CHART THE COURSE AND MAKE IT BETTER AGAIN.
BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE LIVED IN EVERY CITY IN TEXAS, IN SAN ANTONIO THERE'S NOBODY THAT HAS A BETTER SOUL AND A BETTER CULTURE AND A BETTER HERITAGE THAN OUR CITY.
AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO FALL BEHIND.
I WAS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CALLED BACK ON MY FEET, WHICH IS SUSTAINABLE HOMELESS PROGRAMS THAT HELP.
AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WE WILL BE COMMITTED AND BE THERE TO HELP THOSE OTHER CAUSES.
I WOULD LOVE TO BRING SOME PAST EXPERIENCES WHERE I HAVE ASSOCIATES THAT WORK FOR ME IN DALLAS STILL THAT WERE HOMELESS AND THEY ARE THRIVING IN JOBS TODAY.
WE ARE COMMITTED FOR THE CITY TO HELP, BUT WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE -- AND I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
WE DESPERATELY NEED THIS TPID SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. HART.
BELINDA HEARTWIG FOLLOWED BY SHAUN KENNEDY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: Y'ALL WILL HAVE SIX MINUTES.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND CITY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS SHAUN KENNEDY AND I JOIN YOU THIS MORNING AS THE 2018 CHAIR OF THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ON BEHALF OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OUR 2100 MEMBERS, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AS PRESENTED.
I'M JOINED AT THE PODIUM TODAY BY BELINDA HEARTWIG, VICE PRESIDENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR CHAMBER, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY.
IN 2016, OUR CHAMBER SUPPORTED THE PRIVATIZATION OF VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
AND, AS YOU KNOW, HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM IS THE THIRD LARGEST INDUSTRY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY OF SOME $15.2 BILLION EACH YEAR.
OUR CITY IS HOME TO THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT ATTRACTIONS IN OUR STATE.
THE ALAMO AND THE RIVER WALK, WHICH ARE ONLY STEPS AWAY FROM OUR CHAMBER OFFICES.
THE CHAMBER ALSO BELIEVES THAT WE MUST DO MORE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH A DOWNTOWN PRESENCE, WE SEE FIRSTHAND THE NEED FOR HOMELESSNESS TO HAVE A PLACE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THEM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A SEAT ON THE BOARD OF THE SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR HOMELESSNESS.
AND AS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH AND REDUCING THE HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE APPLAUD AND THANK OUR CITY MANAGER FOR HER COMMITMENT TO FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR HOMELESSNESS.
WE AGREE THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE THROUGH THE TPID THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DECIDE ON TODAY.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AS AN EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC GENERATOR THAT SUPPORTS THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND HAS AN EXPONENTIALLY POSITIVE OUTCOME ON SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF OUR
[01:10:02]
COMMUNITY.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. KENNEDY.
SCOTT JASLOVE FOLLOWED BY THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT.
I'M PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I ALSO SERVE AS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE DALLAS TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE FORT WORTH, AND ARLINGTON PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
WE SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AS PART OF OUR OUTREACH FOR OUR NONPROFIT TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
IT'S A SERVICE WE PROVIDE THROUGH OUR LEGAL STAFF TO ANY TOURISM DISTRICT.
I'M HERE SIMPLY TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY -- OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
WE WROTE THE LEGISLATION THAT AUTHORIZED THE DISTRICTS IN THE FIVE CITIES THAT THEY'RE AUTHORIZED IN TEXAS.
AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP ON THE STATUTORY OR LEGAL ISSUES ABOUT THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS IN TEXAS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. JOS -- LOVE.
JESUS AND ALIDA, FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.
WE'RE HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT.
AND MANY OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS.
AND WE'RE HERE TO ASK YOU TO POSTPONE OR WITHDRAW THE REQUEST TO RATIFY THE TOURISM AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE TPID.
WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO THIS UNTIL AN AGREEMENT COULD BE REACHED THAT INCORPORATES A BROADER SERVICE PLAN TO INCLUDE HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.
AND IT'S ALWAYS THE RIGHT TIME TO TAKE THOSE RIGHT STEPS.
IF WE ARE TO HAVE AN EQUITABLE AND JUST CITY, THEN CORPORATE HANDOUTS WITHOUT TANGIBLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS NEED TO END.
SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS OFTEN GET THE MESSAGE THAT DOWNTOWN AND A LOT OF THE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ARE NOT FOR US.
WITH ALL OF ITS NEW INVESTMENTS, IT'S NOT FOR ANY OF THEM.
IT SERVES THE OUT OF TOWN TOURISM, LEAVES NOTHING FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY EXCEPT LOW-WAGE JOBS IN A TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT MAKES MONEY OFF OF OUR CULTURE.
THE ANNUAL PROJECTIONS OUTLINED IN THE AGREEMENT, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, THEY RANGE FROM 10.4 TO $14.6 MILLION PER YEAR, A TOTAL OF BETWEEN 83.2 AND $116 MILLION OVER THE EIGHT-YEAR PERIOD.
IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE MARKETING AND DEMONSTRATING THE BEST SAN ANTONIO HAS TO OFFER, WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT US WHEN WE CANNOT ASK A BILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY TO SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE WHEN THEY THEMSELVES INCREASE THEIR OWN BUDGETS.
THE WORKING CLASS FAMILIES OF SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY HOURLY EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, FACE COUNTLESS CHALLENGES, INCLUDING STAGNANT WAGES, UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, LIMITED ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND A LACK OF ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE.
WE BELIEVE IN AN EQUITABLE COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY WITH STRONG SAFETY NETS, BUILT FOR WORKING FAMILIES WHO ARE OFTEN ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM FINANCIAL CRISIS.
WE HAVE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO RIGHT BY OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE ASK YOU TO POSTPONE THE TPID VOTE UNTIL AN ALTERNATE AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED, OR REJECT THE TPID AS IT IS AND REQUEST A NEW PROPOSAL THAT INCLUDES HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE NEEDS OF OUR LARGER COMMUNITY ARE ADDRESSED IN THIS PROCESS.
AND IF WE'RE TRULY TO HAVE -- IF WE ARE TRULY TO HAVE EQUITY IN THIS CITY, THEN EVERY DECISION, EVERY VOTE NEEDS TO REFLECT THAT PRIORITY, INCLUDING THIS ONE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
[01:15:04]
COUNCILMAN REY SALDANA.I DO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT IS GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT.
I AM THE PRESENCE THAT IS GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE NOT ONLY LIVE ON THE STREET, THEY'RE HOMELESS.
MANY OF THEM DO NOT WANT A HOME.
WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS TO LIVE ON THE STREETS.
I AM THE PRESENCE HERE LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT THESE PEOPLE IN MY BARRIO ARE THERE.
NOT ONLY THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU PAY ATTENTION TO ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALSO PUTTING THOSE DRUGS ON THE STREETS, SELLING THEM.
I AM A WITNESS THAT THEY ARE CREATING FEAR AMONGST THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE STREETS.
THANK YOU, MR. SALDANA, FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR BARRIOS, TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> WELL, MAYOR NIRENBERG, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAVE SOME RELATIVES COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN.
THEY SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW OF A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE CAN SPEND THE NIGHT FAIRLY CHEAP SINCE WE'RE ON A REAL TIGHT BUDGET? AND YOU SAY, YES.
I KNOW HOTEL XYZ RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WE NEED SOMETHING, BECAUSE WE ARE ON A TIGHT BUDGET.
THEY GO DOWN THERE AND THE HOTEL CLERK SAYS, NO, IT'S NOT $60.
70? WHERE DID THE EXTRA $10 COME FROM? OH, THAT'S THE HOTEL TAX.
TAX? HEY, 16-POINT -- THAT'S PRETTY HIGH, ISN'T IT? AND THE CLERK SAYS, YEP.
WE'RE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE ENTIRE NATION.
BUT I NOTICED IN YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY I DIDN'T SEE THAT 16.75 ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, I SHALL PUT IT UP THERE ON THE SCREEN SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT, PLUS WHAT THE MATH LOOKS LIKE HERE.
MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN, SHOW THAT 16.75 HOTEL TAX.
1.25 FALLS IN THERE FOR A TOTAL OF 18%.
18% OVER AND ABOVE THE -- PAST THE 16.75.
NOW, THANK YOU, MR. AUDIO -- VISUAL MAN.
ISN'T THAT LIKE KILLING THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG? I MEAN, IF WE GOT AMONG THE HIGHEST ALREADY IN THE NATION, WHY ARE WE TRYING TO STIFF MORE CUSTOMERS INTO COMING TO SAN ANTONIO? I THOUGHT WE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO, NOT TO START LOOKING AT DO I REALLY WANT TO PAY THESE TAXES? I WONDER IF AUSTIN, HOUSTON.
MYRTLE, LET'S GO TO DALLAS OR SOMETHING.
SO THE QUESTION IS WHY ARE WE HAVING -- WHY DOESN'T OUR CURRENT BUDGET ALLOW FOR THIS STUFF? MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN, TURN THE PAGE OVER AND LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE OTHER CIRCLED ITEMS YOU SEE ON THAT PAGE THERE.
BLOW THAT UP AND YOU'LL SEE $10 MILLION ANNUALLY.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY IT IS -- I THINK WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE SALIVATING OVER 10 MILLION EXTRA BUCKS COMING IN HERE, AND FOR THE EXTRA BUREAUCRACY.
I WAS GOING TO SAY MS. SCULLEY, BUT SHE'S NOT IN HER CHAIR RIGHT
[01:20:01]
NOW.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'M SORRY.
THAT IS THE FINAL CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CREATION OF THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IS HEREBY
[4B. Certification of petitions to create a Tourism Public Improvement District. [Leticia M. Vacek, City Clerk]]
>> VIAGRAN: LETICIA, IF YOU COULD DO YOUR PRESENTATION AND THEN I'LL SPEAK AFTER THAT.
OF COURSE THE PID ACT PROVIDES FOR A PETITION TO CREATE THE TPID AND IT'S SUFFICIENT IF TWO REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
MORE THAN 60% OF ALL RECORD OWNERS OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY ARE LIABLE FOR ASSESSMENT AND ALSO MORE THAN 60% OF THE APPRAISED VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY LIABLE FOR THE ASSESSMENT.
SO ORDINANCE 2186-2018-500 AUTHORIZED THE MASTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND VSA AND THE TOURISM PUBLIC INCORPORATION, AND WE UTILIZED EXHIBIT B OF THAT ORDINANCE, WHICH IS THE HOTEL PROPERTY LIST.
SO ON OCTOBER 24TH, 2018, THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION SUBMITTED THE PETITION TO ME, SIGNED BY 106 REGISTERED PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOTELS WITH 100 OR MORE ROOMS WITHIN THE PROPOSED SATPID.
THE PETITION WAS VERIFIED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW UTILIZING BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT PROPERTY RECORDS AND VALUE.
SO STEP 1 IS THE FIRST STEP THAT WAS VERIFIED AND MET, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT SLIDE, WE VERIFIED 155 OF THE 157 PROPERTIES, WE ALSO VERIFIED 100 RECORD OWNERS OF THE SIGNATURES OF THE 106 SUBMITTED TO US.
SO THEREFORE IN TOTAL, 64.52% OF 155 RECORD OWNERS WHO SIGNED THE PETITION WERE VERIFIED, WHICH, AGAIN, IS MORE THAN THE 60% REQUIRED.
STEP 2 WAS ALSO SATISFIED, AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN TOTAL, 74.24% OF THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE OF ALL PROPERTIES IN EXHIBIT B WERE VERIFIED.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
I DO WANT TO THANK FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR HELPING US WITH THIS PETITION, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE EVER RECEIVED OF THIS NATURE, AS WELL AS OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, BEN AND HIS TEAM.
THANK YOU, LETICIA FOR THE VERIFICATION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN HERE TODAY AND YESTERDAY AND AT ALL THE MEETINGS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND USING YOUR VOICE TO SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND TO THE WORK.
FIRST, I KNOW THAT I WANT TO NOTICE THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY IS THE TPID.
IT IS AN AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN -- WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AND WORKING FOR FOR TWO YEARS, AND IT'S ALSO A DIRECTION THAT COMES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD, AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED AND FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THAT DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, I WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR ALL OF THE DIALOGUE YESTERDAY AND THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT MOVE FORWARD.
I DO BELIEVE THAT SECRETARY ANDREDA SAID IT BEST WHEN SHE SAID WE DO DESERVE TO PUT OURSELVES FORWARD IN THIS COMPETITIVE NATURE, AND THAT THE TOURISM AND MARKETING HELPS ALL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I WAS ASKED THAT -- I DO ASK FOR MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS TPID AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL -- MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 4A, B AND C.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 4, AND MOVE NOW TO FURTHER COUNCIL COMMENT.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND THE
[01:25:02]
WORK THAT WENT INTO ADVANCING THIS, ESPECIALLY TO THE EFFORTS OF VSA, CASSANDRA AND HER TEAM, AND LISA WITH THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN SAN ANTONIO FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL OUR CITIZENS, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE LEAST AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE, THE HOMELESS, WHO SHOULD NOT BE VOICELESS.
AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA FOR BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND HOW WE CAN CREATIVELY COLLABORATE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
I PLEDGE TO WORK WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN, AND LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING A FULL RANGE OF OPTIONS -- POSSIBLE IN THE NEW YEAR, INCLUDING THE PROPOSAL YOU AND I WORKED ON WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND FIND SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO GENERATE FUNDS TO IMPROVE HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT A PLAN IS IN THE WORKS AND TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO HAVE VERY, VERY, VERY THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, AGAIN, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I, TOO, WANT TO JUST OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR THIS TPID.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA FIRST BROACHED THE SUBJECT OF TRYING TO INCORPORATE THIS INTO AN EFFORT TO HELP THE HOMELESS PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT AND SEE IF IT CAN FIT TOGETHER.
I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE CREATION OF THIS TPID THAT THIS ISN'T THE INSTRUMENT TO DO THAT, BUT I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION HAVE MADE A VERY PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO WORK ON THIS HOMELESS ISSUE AND FIND ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF SUPPORT, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, THE RETAIL INDUSTRY, TRANSPORTATION, SO MANY DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE HOPE CAN HELP STEP FORWARD AND FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S EFFORT TO HELP THE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT AS FAR AS THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, I THINK THAT IT'S WELL SUITED TO HELP IMPROVE THE VISIBILITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BRING MORE PEOPLE HERE, AND THAT WILL HELP ALL OF US CREATE A BETTER COMMUNITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WANT TO THANK THE PRESENTATION, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND TEAM FOR COMING IN ONE MORE TIME, TO THE INDUSTRY AND ASSOCIATION AND TOURISM FOLKS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, IT WAS POWERFUL AS YOU STOOD UP AS A GROUP IN SUPPORT OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT MORE SO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE CITY.
YES, TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BUT YOU ARE TELLING A STORY OF WHAT SAN ANTONIO IS, AND FOR THAT, WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL.
YOUR ABILITY, YOU KNOW, TO ACTUALLY LEVY A TAX ON YOURSELF AND TURN THAT AROUND AND BRING THAT PROFITABILITY TO THE CITY, I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THOSE THINGS.
AND IT'S TOUGH WHEN -- IF YOU HAVEN'T RUN A BUSINESS, IF YOU HAVEN'T CUT A PAYROLL, IF YOU HAVEN'T LED AN ORGANIZATION, LED PEOPLE LIKE THAT, WHERE THE MARGINS ARE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN -- ARE SO SMALL AND THIN THAT THERE'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE.
TO THINK I CAN JUST GO IN AND GRAB SOME OF YOUR CASH AND PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT FALLACY THAT I THINK RUNS RAM PAD ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND IF WE DON'T LEARN TO EMBRACE AND PARTNER WITH YOUR INDUSTRY AND MANY INDUSTRIES, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE THE EXPERTS IN YOUR FIELD, AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.
THE MORE SUCCESS YOU HAVE, THE MORE SUCCESS WE HAVE, SO THE THINGS WE WANT TO SOLVE FROM HOMELESSNESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALL THAT, YOU ARE THE VEHICLE THAT'S GOING TO DO THAT.
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT CREATE JOBS, WE DO NOT CREATE WEALTH, WE DO NOT DO ANY OF THAT.
AND THE MORE WE COME AND TAX THAT AND TAKE FROM THAT AND ATTEMPT TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE MONEY IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, I THINK WE'RE GOING DOWN A PATH THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I REITERATED THAT ONE MORE TIME.
THAT WE'RE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND SOMETIMES WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP IN THINKING THAT FRONT-END CASH IS THE ANSWER, BUT WE DON'T LOOK TO WHAT YOU'RE PRODUCING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT LEDGER AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH THAT, THE BENEFITS, THE WAGES, THE JOBS, THE OPPORTUNITY, THE UPPER MOBILITY, AND A LOT OF FOLKS WORKING THERE, PART-TIMERS
[01:30:01]
MAKING ENDS MEET BY WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS.SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND WHAT YOU BRING TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE HIGHER GOAL IS TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND THE STORY THAT YOU TELL OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU'RE THEIR FIRST IMPACT, IT'S NOT THIS CITY COUNCIL.
YOU'RE THEIR FIRST CONTACT WITH SAN ANTONIO, ACTUALLY IT MAY VERY WELL BE THE UBER DRIVER WHEN THEY GET IN THE AIRPORT AND HOW THEY DRIVE DOWN TO YOUR HOTEL.
YOU'RE THE FOLKS THAT ARE PRESENTING SAN ANTONIO AND THE FACE OF THAT COMMUNITY, THE FIRST CONTACT.
THAT MONEY IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER, THAT'S WHAT IT DOES.
IT BRINGS IN 10 MILLION, BUT IT BRINGS 100 MILLION OR 200 MILLION WORTH OF INVESTMENT.
WE HAVE TO BE WISE ABOUT THAT.
WE USE THAT WORD A LOT ON THIS COUNCIL, THIS IS A LEVERAGED FUND.
IT PUTS MONEY IN TO BRING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY OUT.
I WANT TO JUST ON A SIDE NOTE, SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT 3 SAID YESTERDAY, WE ARE DOING GREAT WORK IN THE HOMELESS BUSINESS.
WE'RE DOING IT NOW, EVERY DISTRICT IS.
I THINK WE'RE DOING FANTASTIC WORK IN IT.
AND JUST YESTERDAY -- I MEAN, ACTUALLY TODAY, MY TEAM TEXT ME THAT WE TOOK -- WE GOT TWO HOMELESS FOLKS OFF THE STREET.
THEY WENT DOWN TO HAVEN FOR HOPE AND THEY TOOK THE SERVICES, THEY'RE GOING THERE.
IT'S ABOUT ENGAGEMENT AS WELL, IT'S ABOUT TAKING THE FUNDS, THE MONIES WE HAVE NOW AND PUTTING THEM TO THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
I COPIED MY INITIATIVE FROM COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, AND IT HAS BEEN WILDLY SUCCESSFUL, BECAUSE I PIGGYBACKED ON HER MODEL.
SO THE WORK IS MORE THAN THE DOLLARS, IT'S THE ENGAGEMENT.
AND I THINK WE'RE DOING GOOD WORK ALREADY.
I THINK FROM FUNDING BETWEEN COUNCILMAN PERRY MENTIONED EIGHT TO $55 MILLION, THAT'S A BIG INVESTMEN.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, BUT LET'S NOT SHORT CHANGE WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING AND THE FANTASTIC WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET BETTER AT IT.
WE'VE BEEN ON IT IN DISTRICT SIX SINCE I TOOK OFFICE ON THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE BECAUSE I SAW WHAT REBECCA VIAGRAN HAD BEEN DOING AND I TOOK IT AND KIND OF PIGGYBACKED ON IT.
BUT LET'S JUST REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS IN PLACE NOW, WE'RE DOING THE GOOD WORK, AND WHAT CONCERNED ME YESTERDAY WAS THE CONVERSATION CENTERED AROUND WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
WE AIN'T MISSING ANYTHING IN IT.
AND THIS COUNCIL AND MANY COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ENGAGING IN, SO I HOPE WE'LL BE FAR MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THE SUCCESSES WE ARE HAVING AND THE THINGS WE HAVE CREATED THAN MAKING IT SEEM AS THOUGH WE'RE FAILING OR MISSING THE BOAT.
I WANT TO STAND UTAP FOR THE GOD WORK OF MULTIPLE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO HAVE STEPPED IN THERE AND FILLED THAT JOB I LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING THIS WITH FULL SUPPORT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
THE TPID'S GOING TO GET MY SUPPORT TODAY.
I'LL TAKE UP ONE COMMENT, THOUGH, AND I'LL CHALLENGE MY COUNCILMAN -- MY FRIEND MR. BROCKHOUSE, WE'RE NOT DOING GREAT IN THE HOMELESSNESS, IN FACT, WE'RE DOING SPECTACULARLY BAD.
THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE SLEEPING IN RAIN CULVERTS WHO ARE COLD AND WET.
WE'VE GOT 3,000 PLUS HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO WOULD DISAGREE THAT WE'RE DOING GREAT IN HOMELESSNESS AND I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WE CAN DO A LOT MORE.
STRIVING FOR DOING GOOD ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO STOP, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US SHOULD STOP UNTIL WE'RE ONE OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN THE WORLD WITH THE FEWEST NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE.
THAT'S NOT AN -- AUDIO] REASONABLE GOAL FOR PEOPLE WHO TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY.
IT'S NOT TO SAY MR. BROCKHOUSE DOESN'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, I THINK HE DOES, I ADMIRE THE WORK HE'S BEEN DOING ON IT.
I JUST THINK OUR GOALS AND THE WAY WE LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM IS ONE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WITH SOME VERY SERIOUS URGENCY BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE DYING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE HOMES.
AND WE -- AND THAT ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS, AND WE CAN DO BETTER.
EVIDENCE OF THAT IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
HOWEVER, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS HELPING.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
I THINK YOU GUYS PROVIDE A LOT OF MONEY TO INITIATIVES ALL OVER THE -- YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE NONPROFIT AND GEO SPECTRUM.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.
I KNOW YOU GUYS DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFITS, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, FAMILY AND HEALTH AND CANCER AND RESEARCH AND POVERTY INITIATIVES.
EVERY TIME YOU STAY AT ANY OF THE HOTELS IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW -- WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, YOU'RE GETTING TO PARTICIPATE IN, YOU KNOW, YOUR LOCAL CHARITABLE EFFORTS, BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF THESE HOTELS, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTES A LITTLE BIT OF THE MONEY THEY MAKE TO THOSE
[01:35:02]
EFFORTS.I REJECT ALSO THAT ACCEPTANCE OF THIS TPID TODAY, IN SUPPORT OF THE TPID IS SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, A REJECTION OF OUR EFFORTS TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS.
THAT IS A FALSE BINARY CHOICE.
ANYBODY TELLS YOU THAT BECAUSE WE SUPPORT THE TPID, WE THEREFORE DON'T SUPPORT HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS IS MISINFORMED OR TRYING TO MISINFORM YOU.
SO THERE'S NOBODY ON THIS DAIS UP HERE THAT ISN'T VERY WORRIED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND HOW WE TACKLE THIS ISSUE.
THAT SAID, I DO WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU, CASSANDRA, LISA, AND ALL YOUR MEMBERS, I THINK WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
YOU'VE ALL SAT IN MY OFFICE, YOU'VE TOLD ME THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH ME AND SIT DOWN WITH THE REST OF US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO MORE OF.
I ACCEPT YOUR -- YOU KNOW, YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THAT CHALLENGE.
AND, IN FACT, I WANT TO START THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
SO PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR CALENDARS -- IN FACT, WE'RE GOING TO MEET NEXT WEEK HOPEFULLY SOME TIME TO START TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
CHRISTMAS IS UPON US, THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE NOWHERE TO STAY, AND IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE THAT NOBODY HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE, RIGHT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M ALSO GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU IS THAT BY DEFINITION, THE WOMEN AND THE KIDS WHO ARE -- YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS, BY DEFINITION, THEY'RE HOMELESS.
AND I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE YOUR INDUSTRY TO TAKE UP ON 2019, MAYBE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY, OUR SHELTERS, AND YOU GUYS, TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO PROVIDE A BATTERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN VOUCHER PROGRAM SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ROOMS THAT NIGHT AND THE SHELTERS ARE FULL, AND QUITE OFTEN THEY GET FULL, RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOU GUYS TO STEP UP.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING, AGAIN, THAT'S MY CHALLENGE TO YOU GUYS.
WE NEED TO TELL THAT STORY A LITTLE BETTER, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? AND NO SHADE ON YOU GUYS AT ALL.
YOU GUYS ARE IMPROVING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NOW, LASTLY, WHEN ROBERT THRAKEHILL AND HENRY TELL ME THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE, THAT DEBATE IS SOMETHING.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO MAKE US A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE.
LET ME JUST END, MAYOR, BY READING A LIST OF CITIES, DENVER, NORLS, NAPA VALLEY, MEMPHIS, SAN DIEGO, BALTIMORE, SEATTLE, THOSE ARE OUR BIGGEST COME COMPETITORS.
EACH AND WEF I ARE ONE OF THEM HAVE A TPID.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS SEATING MARKET SHARE AND THAT'S JUST A DUMB WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
SO YOU'VE GOT MY SUPPORT AND MY HOPE IS THAT YOU CAN KICK THE PANTS OFF OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE CITIES AND CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE TO US, BECAUSE THAT'S -- LIKE COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE SAYS, THAT'S A FORCE MULTIPLIER, RIGHT? LASTLY, I WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU GUYS ARE NOT THE FIRST PEOPLE THEY MAKE CONTACT WITH WHEN THEY COME TO SAN ANTONIO, IT'S OUR VERY DEDICATED EMPLOYEES AT THE AIRPORT.
YOU'RE THE SECOND FOLKS, BUT YOU'RE THE BEST SECOND IN THE WORLD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND THANK YOU TO THE INDUSTRY FOR WORKING ON THIS FOR TWO YEARS, AND I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT.
TWO YEARS YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
THIS IS AN INDUSTRY THAT IN SPITE OF TAXES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, LOCAL CITY TAXES, AND IN SOME CASES YOU PAY EXTRA TO BE DOWNTOWN THROUGH CENTRO, WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT HERE THIS INDUSTRY THAT HAS -- PAYS OUT ALL THESE TAXES, THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT ANOTHER TAX ON THEMSELVES TO HELP THEM.
I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT, ALTHOUGH I HAD SOME CONCERNS RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
ARE WE KIND OF TAXING OURSELVES OUT OF THE MARKET? BUT I SAID, HEY, CASSANDRA, WE HAD SOME VERY TOUGH TALKS ABOUT THIS.
I HAVE NOT BEEN CONFUSED BECAUSE I ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES WERE, AND ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND I HEARD THE WORD A WHILE AGO ABOUT RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK, AND IF WE DON'T SEE A RICE -- RISE IN OUR STAYS HERE IN TOWN, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UP TO THE INDUSTRY THEN TO SAY, HEY, IT'S NOT WORKING, LET'S -- LET'S SEE ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ELSE OR LET'S BACK OFF OF THIS TPID.
BUT I'M GOING TO TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS, AND I THINK IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THAT THE INDUSTRY KNOWS BEST ON HOW IT SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE
[01:40:01]
TO MAKE A PROFIT TO OPERATE, TO PAY EMPLOYEES, TO WORK THROUGH ISSUES AND EXPAND AND KEEP THIS ECONOMY EXPANDING HERE.YOU KNOW, THIS IS BEING LINKED TO HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT HERE IN TOWN.
WE HAVE VETERANS OUT THERE THAT ARE HOMELESSNESS, AND I AM VERY KEEN TO THAT.
WE'VE GOT A TASK FORCE IN DISTRICT 10 LED BY DIANA KINNEY WHO'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES AND FOCUS IN, USING OUR EXISTING -- OUR EXISTING DOLLARS AND ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE, WHETHER THEY'RE NONPROFIT, FAITH-BASED, CITY OPPORTUNITIES, TO FOCUS THOSE IN ON WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE AND HELP TO FIX THOSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE HER A SHOUTOUT THAT SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, EVERYBODY UP HERE ON THE DAIS IS ENGAGED WITH THE HOMELESS SITUATION, WE'RE ALL DOING THINGS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A LONG-TERM PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED OVERNIGHT.
IT HASN'T BEEN SOLVED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT HERE.
CAN WE HELP IMPROVE IT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING TO, IS IMPROVING THE SYSTEM TO HELP THOSE THAT REALLY NEED THE HELP.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO MORE HERE AS A CITY.
BUT USING THIS TPID, TO ME, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER.
THAT IS NOT THE FOCUS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT ON THIS PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY THAT, AGAIN, HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR TWO YEARS.
AND WE HAVE THE MAJORITY BUY-IN FROM THE INDUSTRY OWNERS, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE STAND TOGETHER AND SUPPORT THIS AND SEE HOW IT GOES AND LOOK AT THE RESULTS IN THE FUTURE.
SO WITH THAT, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS, AND GOOD LUCK WITH THIS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT IT PASSES, BUT GOOD LUCK TO THE INDUSTRY AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE RESULTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> SALDAÑA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND LET ME THANK THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE IN THE ROOM WHO ARE FROM THIS INDUSTRY.
ALWAYS IMPRESSED ME ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY IS THAT AS I'VE WATCHED IT AND TRACKED IT YEAR AFTER YEAR, I REMEMBER COMING IN IN 2011 AND CASSANDRA, YOU'LL GET A KICK OUT OF THIS, BECAUSE IT USED TO BE THAT THE INDUSTRY WAS -- AND THE PAMPHLETS WERE PUT OUT BY THE CVB AND IT WAS $11 BILLION INDUSTRY.
WE CELEBRATED THAT AND WE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GREAT THINGS TO TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT THAT IT HAD ON NOT ONLY HOTEL STAYS BUT RESTAURANTS, OUR BARS, OUR SALES TAX.
AND SINCE 2011, WE'VE SEEN THAT INCH TO 13 BILLION IN OTHER REPORTS AND NOW WE'RE AT 15 BILLION IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND I THINK THAT'S REMARKABLE FOR THE CITY.
I WILL STEAL A LINE AND SAY THAT WHEN THE INDUSTRY DOES WELL, EVERYONE ELSE DOES WELL.
I DO BELIEVE IN THAT TREND, AND I THINK THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ON ACCIDENT.
IT'S INTENTIONAL, AND I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PIECE OF WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TALKED THROUGH ON THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL IN TRYING TO IDENTIFY A PROBLEM AND SOLVE FOR IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL TAKE RUST KI -- RUSTY WALLACE'S COMMENTS AS TRUTH THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET COMPETITORS IN A ROOM AND AGREE ON ONE ANOTHER.
I'VE HEARD THE TERM HERDING CATS, BUT IN OTHER CASES, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN A TOWNHALL AND PRESENT AN IDEA THAT WE ALL HAVE TO MARCH FOR AND SAY THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF US, THIS IS A COOP VISION AND PHILOSOPHY, AND IF WE CAN SOLVE FOR THIS, IT WILL HELP US BE COMPETITIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HATE THAT FOR THE LAST WEEKS OR MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, I'VE BEEN ONE OF THESE CATS THAT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO HERD, BUT I WANT TO GO ALONG WITH A BIG VISION AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME KIND OF DYNAMIC THAT EXISTS AMONGST THE HOTEL YEARS OR -- HOTELIERS OR THE FOLKS THAT SIGNED ON TO THIS, THEY HAD ASKED TOUGH QUESTIONS, HOW WILL THIS BENEFIT MY INDUSTRY, THE WORKS THAT WORK FOR ME.
AND BOTTOM LINE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, CASSANDRA AND LISA, YOU ALL WALK IN THERE AND SAY IT'S A BIGGER VISION, IT'S THAT $11 BILLION, IT'S GROWN TO 13 AND GROWN TO 15 AND HOPEFULLY PROJECT INTO THE FUTURE MUCH MORE THAN THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT -- THAT'S THE SORT OF THOUGHTFULNESS THAT I THINK IT TAKES TO GET TO THE POINT THAT YOU-ALL ARE NOW, SO LET ME GIVE YOU ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE
[01:45:01]
TYPE OF WORK THAT IT TOOK TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TOGETHER, AGREE THAT THE TPID WAS THE RIGHT MOVE, AND I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF APPROACH THAT I'VE WANTED TO TRY TO HAVE IN TERMS OF A DISCUSSION, THAT MAYBE IT WORKS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT STILL IS CONGRUENT WITH THE LARGER GOALS OF THE INDUSTRY, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T CHARACTERIZE THE PUSH AND THE INITIATIVE TO LOOK AT THE TPID AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR HOMELESS NONPROFITS AS A PANACEA.I THOUGHT IN MY MIND THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE PIECE IN A LARGER SYSTEM OF SOLUTIONS THAT MIGHT WORK FOR THIS CITY, AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS A SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF APPROACHES TO THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS THAT I THINK ARRIVES AT YOUR DOOR SOMETIMES.
BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, MAYBE THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR, BECAUSE IT PROBABLY SOUNDED FAMILIAR TO HOW YOU WERE ORGANIZING YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THE TPID, YOU SAW A PROBLEM, YOU LOOKED AT DALLAS, YOU LOOKED AT OTHER COMMUNITIES AND YOU SAID THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, CAN WE REPLICATE IT TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THEM? AND SO I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH NONPROFITS IN THIS COMMUNITY, MOSTLY AROUND HOMELESSNESS, AND I USE THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ATTACHING IT TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION, BUT THEY'VE HAD TO SOLVE FOR PROBLEMS AS WELL, AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND RELYING ON THESE NONPROFITS.
AND SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SIT IN A BOARD ROOM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BOARD MEMBERS AND THEY SAY, LOOK, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE SALARY OF ANOTHER RON BROWN, BECAUSE WHEN RON BROWN GOES OUT TO THESE ENCAMPMENTS, IT'S HIS THIRD OR FOURTH TIME OUT THERE, AND IN MANY CASES THEY DON'T WANT TO RECEIVE THE SERVICES THE FIRST TIME I'M OUT THERE.
SO HOW CAN WE REPLICATE THE RON BROWNS.
AND THEN WHEN RON BROWN IS SUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH A HOMELESS VETERAN WHO HAS PTSD WHO SAYS I'M FINALLY ABLE TO TAKE HELP, WE CAN'T SAY TO THAT PERSON BUT OUR DETOX FACILITY IS CURRENTLY PACKED OR BOOKED.
WE CAN'T TELL THAT PERSON THAT THE LONG-TERM RECOVERY CASE WORKERS ARE TOO FULL TO TAKE ON ANOTHER CASE.
THEY'RE SOLVING FOR A PROBLEM.
I GUESS I PULL BACK FURTHER AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE HELP THOSE NONPROFITS SOLVE FOR THEIR PROBLEMS. AND I APOLOGIZE IF MAYBE I MIXED TWO IDEAS TOGETHER IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO BRING MONEY TO THE CITY COUNCIL OR TO GOVERNMENT HERE, MY THOUGHT WAS THAT THIS COULD BE PASSED THROUGH TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR THEIR PROBLEMS, BECAUSE, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY CAN'T TAX THE HOMELESS WHO COME TO THEM, AND THEY CAN'T FIND MORE REVENUE OTHER THAN WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS IN OUR CITY FROM FOLKS WHO ARE EITHER PHILANTHROPISTS OR THE CITY WHO CUTS IN ITS 4.5 MILLION A YEAR FOR HAVEN AND A FEW OTHER MILLION FOR OTHER NONPROFITS, SO THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD WAS IN TERMS OF HOW THIS CONVERSATION CAME UP.
AND MY MISTAKE WAS NOT REALLY LEARNING ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE TPID UNTIL AFTER WE PASSED JUNE 21ST.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BECAUSE THE SCOPE OF THE TPID -- WE MAY NOT BE THE FIRST CITY TO EXECUTE IT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN IN 2027, WE, A COUNCIL THAT I MAY NOT BE A PART OF, BUT I DO THINK THAT SOME COMMUNITY MAY ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PUT THE TWO TOGETHER AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOTELIERS AND WE HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT A PUBLIC IMPACT THAT MIGHT STILL FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF TPID, THAT THAT MAY WORK.
IT MAY NOT WORK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IN THIS CASE, BUT JUST KNOW THAT'S WHERE I WAS COMING FROM IN TERMS OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH NONPROFITS WHO ARE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR THEIR OWN PROBLEMS, AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT I THOUGHT WE COULD -- AUDIO] -- DO TWO THINGS AT ONCE.
REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND DO A TPID , YOU KNOW, 10% THAT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THESE NONPROFITS, BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE YOUR MONEY TO SOLVE FOR SOMETHING THAT I SELFISHLY THINK IS IMPORTANT, I THINK WITH EVE ALL -- WE'VE ALL COME AROUND THE TABLE ON THIS AND WE HAVE OUR OWN EXPERIENCES OF OUR OWN INDIVIDUALS AND RESIDENTS WHO HAVE FALLEN ON HARD TIMES.
AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND AS SOMETHING AS WHAT MIGHT FEEL PERPENDICULAR TO THE SUBJECT OF A TAX ON OUR TOURISTS, BUT IT IS STRIKING TO ME, I THINK, AS I'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST WEEK SINCE THIS DISCUSSION HAS BECOME MORE PUBLIC, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MORE THAN JUST INTENTIONAL, MORE THAN JUST -- AND THANK YOU, ROBERT, FOR AGREEING TO M COTO THE TABLE AND WANT TO -- COME TO THE TABLE AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, WE HAVE TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL THAN JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE.
WE CAN TALK TO ANY ONE OF THESE NONPROFITS, THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THEY NEED MORE BED SPACE, THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THEY NEED MORE CASE WORKERS BECAUSE THESE FOLKS DON'T WORK FOR NOTHING.
I WISH THEY WOULD BE VOLUNTEERS, BUT THE PROFESSIONALS LIKE RON BROWN THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO, THEY COLLECT A SALARY
[01:50:02]
AND I THINK THEY SHOULD DOUBLE THEIR SALARY FOR WHAT THEY DO.BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THESE NONPROFITS ARE ASKING FOR.
I WILL SAY WHEN WE DO COME TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE WE LOOK AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T NEED TO RECREATE THE WHEEL, WE KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE DOING GOOD WORK, DOING IT SUCCESSFULLY AND I THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY SOMEHOW.
I APOLOGIZE IF I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SOLUTION AND THE HOTEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN SEEING THIS, AND I THINK YOU ALL DO, AND I THINK YOU ALL SUPPORT IN A LOT OF INCREDIBLE WAYS, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I THINK THAT WHAT I ALSO LEARNED IS THAT HOMELESSNESS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY, IS SOMETIMES -- STRIKES -- IN AUDIO] -- APPROACH THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING.
I THINK YOU SOLVE FOR THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS.
ONE EXAMPLE THAT SOMEBODY BROUGHT TO ME THAT I THOUGHT WAS INCREDIBLE IF CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING WAS THAT T CHILDREN WO ARE AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE AT 18, 40% OF THEM ARE AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS, AS THE STATISTICS SHOW.
THESE ARE KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE PARENTS, WHO ARE AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM THAT IS UNDERFUNDED, WHOSE LIKELY NEXT STEP IS EITHER A LIFE OF CRIME THAT MIGHT THEN LEAD THEM TO HOMELESSNESS OR ADDICTION, AND THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE, THESE ARE SAN ANTONIANS, AND I'M BLESSED TO KNOW THAT THE NONPROFITS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DO THAT, OR TRYING THE BEST THEY CAN TO RAISE THE FUNDS AND KNOCK ON OUR DOORS AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR OF INDUSTRY FOLKS AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO TRY TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY WILL BE AT THE TABLE AND THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL BE AT THE TABLE TO DISCUSS THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
CASSANDRA, LISA, THANK YOU FOR THE RESPECTFUL AND CANDID CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IN OUR OFFICE AND THE FRANK DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD HERE.
AGAIN, I'LL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR AN EIGHT-YEAR TERM, I THINK IT'S JUST INCUMBENT UPON US AS CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE THOUGHTFUL AND TOUGH CONVERSATIONS PUBLICLY TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS KNOW HOW THIS IS HAPPENING.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T KNOW -- I CAN'T UNKNOW WHAT I KNOW, AND I DO THINK THAT THE TPID IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION.
I LEARNED IT A LITTLE TOO LATE, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A BETTER PROPOSAL THAT LOOKS LIKE AN AGREEMENT, LOOKS LIKE A NEW SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES SUPPORT OF THESE NONPROFITS AND FOR THAT REASON, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL RESPECT THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE TPID AS ITS RIN, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR A DIFFERENT SET OF LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT INCLUDE SOME SUPPORT FROM THE INDUSTRY.
AND NOT TO SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE THE SOLVING KEY INGREDIENT FOR HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT WOULD HELP TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT I AS A POLICYMAKER THINK IS IMPORTANT, AND I AS A POLICYMAKER, FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY HAVE A VOTE TO MAKE ON THE TPID.
IF IT DIDN'T COME THROUGH US, I WOULDN'T SAY YOU HAD TO HAVE THESE TOUGH QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK YOU ALL WELCOME THEM.
IT MADE YOU BETTER WHEN YOU PUT THIS TPID FORWARD AND HAD TO TAKE IT IN FRONT OF HOTELIERS WHO HAD COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE COULD MAKE THIS PROCESS A LITTLE BETTER AND COME UP WITH THE RESULTS IN A FEW MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE APPETITE TO THIS COUNCIL.
I WILL MAKE A PREDICTION: IN A FEW YEARS, WHETHER I'M ON THIS COUNCIL OR NOT, THERE WILL BE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW TO HELP ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS THAT WILL BE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS, HAVENS FOR HOME, SAMMINISTRIES, THE AMERICAN GI FORUM WHO ARE SUPPORTING VETERANS.
A LOT OF THEM WILL TELL YOU WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED.
THEY'LL TELL YOU WE NEED RESOURCES AND FUNDING.
I LOOKED AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT PUT PRESSURE ON OUR BUDGET OR WHAT WE CURRENTLY FUND, AND I THINK YOU ALL WILL BE IN A TOUGH POSITION LOOKING FOR OTHER RESOURCES, BUT THAT'S MY PREDICTION.
I THINK YOU'LL BE THERE AND WILL KNOW THE FOLKS AND WHO ARE THE EXPERTS ON HOW TO DO THIS.
I THINK WHAT THEY'LL NEED IS RESOURCES, SO THAT'S THE SERIOUS PART OF THIS ISSUE AND I THINK THE HARD WORK IS FINDING THE GOOD FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO THIS, LIKE THE RON BROWNS OF THE WORLD.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
HATE TO BELABOR THIS MORE THAN WE'VE ALREADY DONE, BUT I HOPE THAT THE FOLKS WILL CELEBRATE WHAT IS, I THINK, A REALLY GREAT DEAL IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE ARE GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH HOUSTON AND AUSTIN AND DALLAS, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE 15 BILLION IN A FEW YEARS.
THAT'S MY SECOND PREDICTION, GROW UP FROM THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING ASSETS THAT I'M GLAD SECRETARY ANDRADE MENTIONED THAT WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED, THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT A TPID IN SOME FORM.
WE CANNOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE HAVE THE TOP TWO TOURIST DESTINATION, WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE HAVE THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE, WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE'RE INVESTING TO A NEW ALAMO PLAZA FOR OUR CITIMENT WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE WON A FINAL FOUR.
THERE'S MORE WORK YET TO BE DONE, AND THAT INCLUDES A TPID,
[01:55:02]
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.BUT FOR ME, I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT IT AS IT IS TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I TOOK A TRIP TO SEATTLE AND I HAD ZACHARY -- I HAD MY CHILDREN, MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS THERE, AND I -- ZACHARY WAS CRYING AND CRYING AND HE HAD A LITTLE FEVER, AND I TOLD KEVIN, STAY WITH IAN, I'M GOING TO GO OUT AND GET SOME TYLENOL FOR ZACHARY.
AND I PUT HIM IN A CARRIER SO WE COULD GET SOME FRESH AIR -- DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, AND I WAS SHOCKED BY ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO ME.
I DIDN'T TAKE MY PHONE, I ONLY HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THE TYLENOL, AND THE PANHANDLING WAS SO AGGRESSIVE THAT BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE WALGREENS, WHICH WAS JUST ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AWAY, I WAS REALLY SCARED.
AND SO I SAT THERE AND I GOT THE TYLENOL, I GAVE IT TO HIM AND I REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT HOW AM I GOING TO GET BACK TO THE HOTEL SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS AGGRESSIVE PAN HANDLING THAT I'M EXPERIENCING AND I WAS AFRAID.
AND SO I TOOK MY TIME AND SETTLED THE BABY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WALKED BACK TO THE HOTEL.
AND I TOLD MY HUSBAND, WE CAN'T GO OUT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STAY IN THE HOTEL.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL -- WE CAN'T GO OUT TO A RESTAURANT, I'M VERY NERVOUS.
A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK, AND OF COURSE AS A RESULT I'VE NEVER VISITED SEATTLE AGAIN WITH MY FAMILY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS SAFE.
AND SO THEN, NOW MAYBE A YEAR OR SO AGO, MISS JOSEPHA WHO CAME TO SPEAK HERE AT THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS THAT WE SEE IN OUR CITY ALSO HAD GONE -- I HAD GOTTEN A CALL ABOUT AN ENCAMPMENT AND I WENT TO SEE IT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS.
I CALLED RON BROWN AND THE TEAM, AND THE CHIEF AND THE TEAM ALL GOT TOGETHER TO DO THE CLEANUP THAT WE DO REGARDING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I HAD ONLY SEEN THE ENCAMPMENT, I HADN'T SEEN THE PEOPLE.
SO THE NEXT DAY, A TEAM WENT OUT AND I WAS PREGNANT, I WAS WEARING SANDALS, AND I SAW THE PEOPLE, WHICH I HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
AND RON BROWN SAID, WELL, YOU CAN COME -- WHY DON'T YOU COME AND TALK TO THESE PEOPLE? AND, AGAIN, I WAS VERY NERVOUS BECAUSE I COULD SEE THERE WAS A LOT OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, USING NEEDLES, I WAS AFRAID OF GETTING STUCK.
BUT WHEN I DID FINALLY GO TO APPROACH THEM, WE STARTED TALKING AND I SAW REALLY THE DESPAIR OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.
AND THEY DID GET SOME OF THEM TO GO TO HAVEN, RON DID AND HIS TEAM, BUT SOME OF THEM WERE NOT HOMELESS, AND THEY ALL JUST GOT UP AND WENT HOME.
AND THEY WERE HANGING OUT THERE BECAUSE IT WAS WHERE PEOPLE WERE HANGING OUT.
AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I SCHEDULED A MEETING WITH THE TEAM HERE AT CITY HALL, I KNOW MARIA WAS THERE AND RON AND SOME OF THE TEAM FOR HAVEN, AND I SAID, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO DEAL WITH THIS CLEANUP? AND THEN THE NECESSARY HELP TO GIVE PEOPLE THE COUNSELING THEY NEED OR THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO EAT? A LOT OF THEM HADN'T EATEN, THEY SAID, IN SOME TIME.
THEY WERE ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME TO HAVEN.
AND SO WE MET TOGETHER AND THERE WAS THIS CONSENSUS THAT WE WERE OKAY FOR THE MOMENT, THAT PERHAPS THERE WAS NO -- IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO DEDICATE MORE FUNDING TOWARDS THE ACTUAL CLEANUP, BECAUSE I STAYED THERE AS LONG AS IT TOOK FOR ALL THE TEAM TO COME AND TAKE AWAY ALL OF THE MATTRESSES AND TAKE AWAY ALL OF THE CHAIRS AND TAKE AWAY ALL OF THE KIND OF SETUP THEY'D HAD A WHOLE ENCAMPMENT.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE PARTICIPATION.
THERE WERE LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS, THEY HAD BROUGHT THE WHOLE TEAM FROM HAVEN, SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE ALSO VOLUNTEER TO DO CLEANUP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE THERE THAT HAD VOLUNTEERED TO DO CLEANUP, AND THEN OUR CITY TEAM WITH TCI AND THEN SOLID WASTE, AND THIS WAS JUST ON THE CORNER -- AUDIO].
SO THE REASON I TELL THESE TWO STORIES ABOUT WHAT I EXPERIENCED IN SEATTLE AND THAT WHAT I EXPERIENCED HERE, IS THAT, NUMBER ONE, THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WHO VISIT.
EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM A SAFE AND CLEAN DOWNTOWN, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CENTRO AND WHY WE'VE SUPPORTED IT AS WE HAVE.
[02:00:02]
THIS PID WILL BE AN EXTENSION OF THAT, SO THAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY COME TO SAN ANTONIO AND VISIT US, AND OUR RESIDENTS WHO FREQUENT OUR DOWNTOWN, NOT JUST VISITORS, I THINK THAT THERE IS ALSO A MISCONCEPTION THAT IT'S ONLY VISITORS THAT EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN, BUT I KNOW I AND MY FAMILY GO VERY OFTEN IN THE DOWNTOWN PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT'S JUST A LOVELY PLACE TO BE.AND I KNOW MY RESIDENTS ENJOY THE RIVERWALK AND THEY ENJOY OUR PARKS, OUR HEMISFAIR, ALL OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE FREE.
YOU CAN WALK ANY TIME YOU WANT FOR FREE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL RIVERWALK, EVERYBODY FEELS SAFE THERE, EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME THERE, AND EVEN THE PRICE POINTS ARE VARIED IN OUR DOWNTOWN, IN OUR THEATERS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ALL ENJOY IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
OUR RESIDENTS ENJOY THEM AS WELL, AND THEY ALSO BENEFIT FROM A CLEAN AND SAFE DOWNTOWN.
AND DECADES AGO, PEOPLE DIDN'T COME DOWNTOWN AT ALL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL SAFE.
SO I KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING, AND THAT I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE TAKING MY FAMILY DOWNTOWN ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.
NEARLY EVERY HOUR, I DON'T GO OUT LATE LIKE I USED TO, BUT YOU CAN STILL TAKE YOUR FAMILY AT 10:00 AT NIGHT DOWN ON THE RIVERWALK AND FEEL SAFE, AND REALLY ANY STREET DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THE PID, BECAUSE IT'S CLEAN AND SAFE, BECAUSE WE HAVE ENOUGH SECURITY IN THE AREA, AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
BUT AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE PRESSURE THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING FROM WHAT I FEEL HAS BEEN OVER THE DECADES A LACK OF FUNDING FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ON THE DAIS A NUMBER OF TIMES, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR AGENCIES ABOUT INCREASING THE FUNDING.
WE HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR FUNDING TO DELEGATE AGENCIES, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, AT LEAST SIX YEARS NOW.
IT'S STAYED AT AROUND $21 MILLION.
AND THERE HAS BEEN A DESIRE ON THE COUNCIL, NOT NECESSARILY THIS COUNCIL, BUT THE COUNCIL OVER THE YEARS TO SAY THAT DELEGATE AGENCIES WAS NOT A CORE CITY SERVICE, THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE INVESTING IN THAT BECAUSE THE CITY SHOULD SPEND ITS FUNDING ON STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND DRAINAGE AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
AND I SUPPORTED THAT AS WELL, I MEAN, IT'S THE TRUTH.
MOST PEOPLE, WHEN WE TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN, AND WE SAW THAT YESTERDAY IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR CITY AND WHAT PEOPLE PEOPLE FELT COMFORTABLE IN THEIR CITY AND 83% OF PEOPLE SAID THEY DID.
I HAVE TO ADMIT I WAS SHOCKED BY THAT, BECAUSE WE DO HEAR SO MUCH COMPLAINTS SOMETIMES FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE OFTEN ASSOCIATE PUBLIC SAFETY WITH POLICE OFFICERS, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY ENTIRELY THE CASE.
THE STORY IS DO PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH POLICE ENFORCEMENT, IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH LIGHTING, IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH JUST HAVING GOOD STREETS TO TRAVEL ON AND SIDEWALKS AND DO PEOPLE FEEL PROUD OF THEIR SPACES? I THINK THAT MERITS A REAL DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE FUND OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, NOT JUST HAVEN BUT ALL OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
AND THE WHOLE CITY BENEFITS FROM THAT.
SO I THINK THAT AS WE ARE DISCUSSING FUNDING ALTERNATIVES TO WHAT MAKES OUR CITY BETTER, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS FOR OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
21 MILLION IS CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH FOR ALL THE DELEGATE AGENCIES.
IT WAS NOTED THAT WE SPEND ABOUT -- ABOUT 13 MILLION FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
SOMETHING THAT I CHAMPIONED OVER THE YEARS, INCREASED FUNDING FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, BUT PERHAPS THERE'S A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE FUND OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, HOW WE FUND OUR -- ALL OF OUR OTHER AGENCIES AND PERHAPS A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TO DELEGATE AGENCIES.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME HERE ON THE COUNCIL, AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES -- IS FUNDING THOSE SERVICES, WE KNOW THAT OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION HAS TALKED ABOUT CUTTING CDBG FUNDS AND HOME FUNDS AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL, AND IT'S GOING TO PUT A LOT MORE PRESSURE ON OUR CITIES TO FUND THOSE THINGS.
SO I THINK THAT HAVING A CLEAN AND SAFE DOWNTOWN REALLY BENEFITS THE WHOLE CITY.
HAVING A -- NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IS WHY PEOPLE ARE SO SATISFIED WITH THE CITY.
I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD REALLY, REALLY GOOD MANAGEMENT IS A REFLECTION OF THAT IN EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT.
PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR CITY, SO A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TOWARDS THE MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS, I THINK, WILL MAKE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR THIS CITY.
AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION IN OUR NEXT
[02:05:02]
PROGRAMMING, OUR NEXT BUDGET RETREAT WHEN WE DECIDE HOW THAT MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.AND I HOPE THAT THIS DISCUSSION IS A REFLECTION OF THE NEED FOR MORE SERVICES.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, AND SEE HOW WE CAN NOT JUST TAKE CARE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS, BUT HAVE A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TOWARDS NOT JUST HOMELESSNESS AS HAVEN FOR HOPE, BUT THE PREVENTION.
BECASTORY THAT I MENTIONED ABOUT THIS -- THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HANGING AROUND IN VACANT LOTS ARE NOT HOMELESS, BUT THEY STILL NEED SERVICES.
AND THAT COULD BE PREVENTION SERVICES, ADDICTION SERVICES.
IT COULD ALSO BE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A STABLE HOME TO LIVE, THEY HAVE A TEMPORARY PLACE, THEY'RE STAYING WITH A COUSIN OR A FAMILY MEMBER, BUT HOW TO HAVE A MORE STABLE LIFE FOR A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDING THEIR MEALS AND REGULAR ACTIVITIES, THAT GROWING POPULATION OF THE 16 TO 24 WHO ARE NOT BEING SERVED, NOT IN SCHOOL AND NOT WORKING.
SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GONZALES.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GONZALES, THOSE ARE REALLY INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS AND I SUPPORT THAT DIRECTION AS WELL.
I WANT TO THANK LISA AND PARTNERS FOR REACHING OUT AND MEETING WITH ME MULTIPLE TIMES.
I THINK WHEN YOU FIRST TOLD ME ABOUT THIS, I HAD THE SAME CONCERN EXPRESSED BY SOMEONE EARLIER, WAS ARE YOU GOING TO TAX YOURSELF OUT OF WORK? AND YOU ASSURED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, 1 DOLLAR'S PROBABLY NO BIG DEAL.
AND THAT IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT.
AND I ADMIRE THE OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR INDUSTRY.
YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD YOU COULDN'T JUST GO FOR A VOTE OR ASK FOR A SIGNATURE, I MEAN, YOU'D HAVE TO EXPLAIN, BUILD TRUST, HAVE LONG CONVERSATIONS AND REAL LEGITIMATE DIALOGUE AND BACK AND FORTH, AND I THINK THAT'S A MODEL PROCESS THAT YOU USED IN THAT, BUT YOU ALSO KNOW THAT I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF TAPPING THE TPID FOR OTHER EFFORTS LIKE HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS AND -- I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING TO READ MY NOTES HERE -- AND I UNDERSTAND THAT HOMELESSNESS IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO YOUR INDUSTRY, THAT IT'S TALKED ABOUT AT YOUR MEETINGS.
SOMEBODY MENTIONED, SO I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU AS WELL AND THAT YOU ADDRESS IT IN OTHER MEANS IS WHAT YOU MENTIONED AT YESTERDAY'S MEETING.
BUT I DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT'S NOT -- IT'S PRETTY RARE THAT WE GET THESE OPPORTUNITIES COMING FORWARD, RIGHT? IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS COMES FORWARD HERE, AND IT'S A VERY VALID POINT THAT OUR TIMING WAS NOT IDEAL IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE YOU'D ALREADY BEGUN A LOT OF THE GROUNDWORK OR NEARLY COMPLETED IT.
SO I GUESS THIS EIGHT-YEAR TIMELINE IS REALLY MORE LIKE A 10-YEAR TIMELINE, RIGHT, AND YOU WERE KIND OF IN YEAR 2 ALREADY, IF WE CONSIDER THIS BEING ONE UNIFIED PROCESS.
BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION ALSO THAT IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF FOR AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS TO MODIFY PROPOSALS ALONG THE WAY, RIGHT? WE DO THAT HERE QUITE OFTEN, AS YOU KNOW.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL DISCRETION TO DO THAT IN THIS SITUATION.
THAT'S REALLY YOUR DECISION ULTIMATELY.
IT'S ALSO NOT UNHEARD OF -- SORRY, I DID NOT NUMBER MY NOTE PAGES AS YOU CAN TELL.
IT IS ALSO NOT UNHEARD OF TO USE PASSTHROUGH FUNDS IN A PARTNERSHIP LIKE THAT IN 2004 THE CITY PARTNERED WITH VIA AND ENDED UP DRAWING FROM VIA'S TAXING AUTHORITY.
SO THAT'S ALSO NOT UNHEARD OF FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT CASE IS THAT WE STARTED TOGETHER BEFORE THAT WENT OUT TO THE VOTERS, SO I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIMING IS NOT IDEAL FOR THIS SITUATION.
THAT SAID, HERE WE ARE IN DECEMBER, I KNOW THIS ISSUE CAME UP IN AUGUST, AND I DO WISH WE'D SEEN SOME PROPOSALS ALREADY FOR ALTERNATIVES, THE CITY MANAGER DID PROVIDE SOME, MOST OF THEM DEPENDENT ON THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THAT FULL-BLOWN CONVERSATION IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO US HAVING
[02:10:02]
IT IN THE FUTURE, BUT I AM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.I AM ENCOURAGED BY YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE INCREASES IN SALES TAX AND HOT TAXES, AND THAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO OTHER THINGS.
HOT'S ALWAYS VERY RESTRICTED, BUT THE GENERAL SALES TAX IS NOT, SO YOU TALK ABOUT A 7 TO 1 RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN YOUR MARKETING AND IN YOUR SALES.
I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE ESTIMATED WHAT TYPE OF INCREASES IN REVENUES TO THE HOT AND TO THE SALES TAX THE CITY CAN EXPECT AS A RESULT OF THE TPID?
NO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE -- WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE DATA D FROM DALLAS.
WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN A DOMINO EFFECT TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE AN ESTIMATED NUMBER.
ONCE WE NOW -- IF THIS IS APPROVED TODAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY SCRUB AND GET THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU, AS WE SEE ESTIMATE -- ONCE WE KNOW IF THE TPID STARTS COLLECTING IN JANUARY, MOST LIKELY WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE -- WOULDN'T BE SEEING ANY FUNDS UNTIL PROBABLY APRIL, AND OUR GOAL IS TO UTILIZE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO IMPACT THIS UPCOMING SUMMER TRAVEL AND UTILIZE THOSE IN APRIL AND MAY.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE INCREMENTAL GROWTH WOULD BE BASED ON SOME OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, CASSANDRA.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT NUMBER.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ASKING FOR IT SOONER, BUT I THINK IT COULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN RETURN.
YOU ANTICIPATE IT'S GOING TO GROW, BUT, AGAIN, NUMBERS ARE ALWAYS HELPFUL, SO...
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND YOUR WORK ON THIS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS, ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK LISA AND CASSANDRA AND BEN GORZELL AND THE TEAM AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND OF COURSE SHERYL WHO'S WORKED ON THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING THE CENTRO PID WHICH I KNOW THE HOTEL INDUSTRY DOES PUT MONEY INTO AS WELL, BUT WHAT I THINK -- HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD TODAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THIS ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF SAN ANTONIO, THE ABILITY OF US TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER FOR COMPASSIONATE SOLUTIONS, AND NOT TO VILLIFY ANYONE, AND I DON'T ANY ANYONE IS HERE, BUT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER FOR COMPASSIONATE SOLUTIONS FOR ALL OF THE CITY AND WHAT IS BEST.
OUR -- AND I DO WANT TO THANK BILL GREEHEY AND NUSTAR FOR ALL OF THEIR CORPORATE INVESTMENTS INTO THE CITY AND INTO HAVEN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD.
I KNOW THAT MOVE TEXAS WANTS TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, TOP WILL BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION -- -- ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE IMPORTANT IMPACT ON THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS AND TONIGHT DISTRICT 3 IS HAVING THEIR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE, TASK FORCE MEETING ON HOMELESSNESS, SO, AGAIN, WE'RE MAKING STRIDES, BUT WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER AND IN GREAT WAYS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
I SAID MOST OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ON THIS SUBJECT YESTERDAY, BUT HEARING THE CONVERSATION TODAY, I JUST HAVE A FEW THINGS TO ADD.
THE FIRST IS THAT WHEN THIS CONVERSATION BEGAN REALLY IN 2015, WE CHARGED VISITOR INDUSTRY, PARTICULARLY THE SOON TO BE NAMED VSA, WITH FINDING SUSTAINABLE DEDICATED REVENUE THAT WOULDN'T BE SUBJECT TO THE CITY OR COMING FROM THE CITY.
AND IN MY ESTIMATION THEY HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO DO.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT NOT ALL TOOLS PERFORM THE SAME PURPOSE.
THE TPID IS MEANT TO KEEP AND MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE MARKET SHARE, AND HOPEFULLY INCREASE IT AS THE YEARS GO ON.
AND I FULLY SUPPORT THAT NOTION.
THAT BEING SAID, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IS NOT LOST ON ME, AND I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S COME UP, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOLVED. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CHALLENGES IN THAT DEPARTMENT, BUT I THINK COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH HER CONVERSATION, WITH HER DISCUSSION ABOUT DELEGATE AGENCIES, AND DELEGATE SERVICES.
WE HAVE BEEN, I THINK, HAVING AN ENLIGHTENED CONVERSATION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AS A SYMPTOM OF
[02:15:02]
LARGER SOCIAL AILS, TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW FOCUSING OUR RESOURCES ON THINGS LIKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN WAYS WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE.WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH A SERVICE PLAN THAT TRULY ADDRESSES THOSE THINGS IN A MORE ROBUST WAY.
CHALLENGE IS THANKS TO BILL GREEHEY, TO MAYOR HARDBERGER, TO NUSTAR, TO LOTS OF FOLKS AROUND THE TABLE, CITY MANAGER SCULLEY, SINCE 2005, 2006, AND WHEN THE OPENING OF THE CAMPUS WAS DONE, HAVEN FOR HOPE HAS BEEN A BEACON, HAS BEEN A MODEL, A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOMELESSNESS SERVICES FOR THE COUNTRY, TO THE POINT WHERE DELEGATIONS COME IN FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND LEARN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, WE DON'T HAVE A SUSTAINABLE PLAN FOR FUNDING HAVEN FOR HOPE INTO THE FUTURE.
WE STILL RELY ON A VERY HIGH PERFORMING GOLF TOURNAMENT AND DONATIONS FROM SOME UNFORTUNATELY FEW PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AT VERY HIGH LEVELS.
WE NEED TO WORK ON TOGETHER COMING UP WITH A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE TO MAKE SURE THAT CONTINUES TO BE A BEACON, NOT JUST FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES, BUT FOR OUR OWN.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG CHALLENGES.
THE BIG IDEA HERE TODAY, AND THE REASON WHY I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE TPID WITHOUT CONDITION IS THAT I BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO THESE THREE QUESTIONS ARE YES.
CAN WE HAVE A VISITOR INDUSTRY THAT THRIVES AND COMPETES WITH THE BEST IN THE NATION? YES.
CAN WE CREATE A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FOR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AS A SYMPTOM, BUT ALSO HAVEN HAR HOPE AS AN INSTITUTION? I BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS YES, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP US CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
FINALLY, CAN WE DO BOTH OF THESE THINGS WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE VERY GOOD PROGRESS AND THE FORWARD PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AS A VISITOR INDUSTRY TO COME UP WITH A MORE ROBUST MODEL FOR FUNDING? YES.
WE DON'T NEED TO DISRUPT THAT.
SO ALL THAT BEING SAID, THAT IS WHY I'M VOTING YES ON THE TPID.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WILL ENSUE, AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY.
WE'VE REQUESTED THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND HER TEAM COME BACK TO US WITH SOME OPTIONS AND A SERVICE PLAN DISCUSSION FOR US BEFORE THE MIDYEAR REVIEW.
WE WILL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION, CASSANDRA, LISA, THE INDUSTRY WILL BE AT THE TABLE, ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY PRODUCTIVELY PRODDING THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING TRUE TO OUR VALUES OF EQUITY AND COMPASSION AND ADDRESSING REALLY HARD PROBLEMS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
AND THAT IS THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE IT WHO REMIND US THAT OUR CONSTITUENCY IS BROAD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE DISCUSSION, THE DEBATES AT COUNCIL.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION, IF FLOT A LITTLE BIT -- NOT A LITTLE BIT TURBULENT, BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE DONE THE RIGHT EIGHT-YEAR EIGHT-YEAR -- THING BY ALL.
SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF
[20. City Manager's Report]
ITEM FOUR.ALL RIGHT, IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?
>> SCULLEY: YES, MAYOR, JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS BEFORE WE RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
FIRST, ON WEDNESDAY THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO PRESENT THE TWO NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS DIVISION OF THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OFFICER PERLO DOMINGUEZ AND OFFER MARSHALL DAVIS ARE THE TWOEST NEW MEMBERS TO THAT SPECIAL UNIT, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SWAT.
OFFICER MARSHALL DAVIS IS A SIX-YEAR VETERAN WHO WORKED IN PATROL AND WAS MOST RECENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE BIKE PATROL.
ALSO PERLO DOMINGUEZ IS A SIX-YEAR VETERAN WHO HAS WORKED PATROL AND MOST RECENTLY WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DWI UNIT.
OFFICER DOMINGUEZ HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST FEMALE OFFICER TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE FORMAL PHYSICAL TRYOUT PROCESS.
BOTH OF THESE OFFICERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY IN FIREARMS QUALIFICATION, THE COOPER'S PHYSICAL CONDITIONING ASSESSMENT, THE OBSTACLE COURSE, THE TACTICAL SCENARIO ASSESSMENT AND AN INTERVIEW PANEL.
WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE BOTH OFFICERS AND I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE PROMOTION CEREMONY AND PRESS EVENT YESTERDAY WITH POLICE CHIEF BILL MCMANUS ON THE ACCOMPLISHMENT, THE PROMOTION OF BOTH OFFICERS.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, CHIEF MCMANUS AND I HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON INCREASING GENDER DIVERSITY AS WELL AS RACIAL DIVERSITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND WE'VE DOUBLED THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENT, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
[02:20:01]
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OFFICERS DOMINGUEZ AND DAVIS ON THEIR PROMOTION.SECONDLY, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS THIS MORNING, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TUESDAY EVENING, OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THEIR FAMILIES CELEBRATED THE HOLIDAYS WITH AN EVENING OF SERVICE BENEFITING HAVEN FOR HOPE.
THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE TEAM CONTRIBUTED PERSONNEL HYGIENE ITEMS AND WARM JACKETS, GLOVES, SOCKS, HATS, AND BLANKETS.
THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE TEAM PUT TOGETHER NEARLY 230 CARE BAG FILLING FOUR LARGE BOXES OF CLOTHING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM.
WE TRY TO DO AN EVENT OF SERVICE EVERY YEAR.
WE'VE WORKED AT THE FOOD BANK IN THE PAST AND WE'RE HAPPY TO PUT TOGETHER THESE ITEMS TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS THROUGH AN EVENING OF SERVICE.
THEN LASTLY, JUST TO MENTION THAT I'M PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION HAS AWARDED THE CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER'S SCHOOL OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS WITH A SMALL GRANT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO ENABLE US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SPECIFICALLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ART CLASSES OFFERED ON SATURDAY.
THE CARVER'S YOUTH MATINEE SERIES, WHICH SERVES OVER 2500 PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 900 SENIORS EACH YEAR THROUGH A FREE SERIES OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND MULTICULTURAL PERFORMANCES FOR THIS GRANT TO THE CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER.
THAT'S ALL TO REPORT TODAY, MAYOR.
[4. Items relating to the creation of the San Antonio Tourism Public Improvement District: (Part 2 of 2)]
THANK YOU.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT, THANK YOU, SHERYL.
I NEED TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
AFTER A DISCUSSION THAT LONG, WONDERFUL DISCUSSION AMONGST COLLEAGUES REGARDING THE TPID, I THINK THERE WAS AN ISSUE ON THE VOTE.
SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FOR A MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO RECONSIDER ITEM NO. 4.
NOW, THE VOTE WILL BE TO RECONSIDER AND TAKE UP A VOTE AGAIN.
SO YOUR VOTE IS TO BRING THE QUESTION BACK TO COUNCIL.
WE WILL TAKE A SUBSEQUENT VOTE ON ITEM 4.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECT, ANDY? SO THIS VOTE IS TO BRING THE ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL? PLEASE VOTE.
NOW, WE WILL NOW TAKE A VOTE -- WELL, WE NEED A MOTION ON ITEM 4.
>> VIAGRAN: MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 4A, B, C.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 4.
[Executive Session]
NO JOKES NOW, PLEASE.WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 11:48 A.M. ON THIS 6TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2018.
PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY CHAPTER 551 IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.072, REAL PROPERTY.
DELIBERATE THE DUTY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND DISCUSS RELATED ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHARTER AMENDMENTS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION IN AUDIO] TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
AND TO DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO SENATE BILL 4, LITIGATION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
EVERYBODY HAVE A SEAT, PLEASE.
[Zoning Consent Agenda]
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: COUNCIL IS RECONVENING.
THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS ZONING.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW ITEMS FOR ZONING TODAY, A COUPLE OF ITEMS HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN.
ITEMS P3 AND Z10 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN.
ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE ON CONSENT, EXCEPT THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS THAT
[02:25:02]
HAVE BEEN -- OR FIVE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN INDICATED TO BE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.ITEM Z1, Z3, P4 AND Z11, Z17 AND Z18 HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKED TO BE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO BE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION?FROM ANY OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS?
>> I DON'T WANT TO PULL ITEM 22, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT ITEM 22, SO LONG AS IT STAYS ON CONSENT.
ANY OTHER ITEMS TO BE PULLED? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WE DO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO WANTED TO TALK ON SOME OF THE CONSENT ZONING ITEMS, THE FIRST PERSON I'LL BE CALLING FOR ITEM Z8 WILL BE DAN MARTINEZ, FOLLOWED BY SYLVIA ALANIZ, I BELIEVE IT INDICATES SHE MAY BE CONTRIBUTING HER TIME TO MR. MARTINEZ, IF THAT'S CORRECT.
>> THANK THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO T.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS DAN MARTINEZ, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SERVICE.
IN MY MILITARY EXPERIENCE, WE WERE TRAINED IN THE MOST ADVERSE SITUATIONS.
NOT IDEAL SITUATIONS, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASONING FOR THE INITIATIVE AND THE STUDY AND THE CONSIDERATION FOR THE LIGHTING AND SOUND OVERLAY DISTRICTS AROUND THIS LITTLE SMALL AIRFIELD.
AND IT'S -- JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE THIS IS A STATE FACILITY, AND THE END OF 2013, THERE WAS DOUBT THAT IT WAS GOING TO GET REFUNDED BY THE STATE, AND THEY HAVE NO ROOM FOR EXPANSION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND NOT HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT OVERLAYS THAT MAY OBSTRUCT OR HINDER OUR DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP A LOT OF OUR VACANT PROPERTIES, AND WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM, YOU KNOW.
SO AS Y'ALL KNOW, I'VE SENT EACH OF YOU AN E-MAIL, AND SO TO ME, I JUST DON'T SEE THE REASONING FOR THIS.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GET FUNDED IN THE FUTURE, THEN WHAT? WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS BIG OVERLAY DISTRICT.
IT DOESN'T COMPARE WITH CAMP BULLIS OR LACKLAND OR RANDOLPH, THERE'S NO -- NO REASONING.
WE NEED A HOSPITAL IN DISTRICT 2, IN THE EAST SIDE, AND I DON'T SEE AN INITIATIVE BEING PUT FORWARD OR A STUDY FOR THAT.
SO TO ME, WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS PARTICULAR CASE BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH NEED, AND I DON'T SEE IT BEING ADDRESSED IN OUR DISTRICT AND IN OUR EAST SIDE.
AND FOR THAT REASON, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RUN FOR THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 POSITION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEED AND THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND I DON'T NEED THE EXTRA THREE MINUTES, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, AGAIN, MY CONDOLENCES TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR THE FAMILY MEMBER THAT WAS DECEASED.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, MR. THE NEXT SPEAKER, IS JACK FINGE.
>> MR. MAYOR PRO TEM AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILL ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
[02:30:02]
A FEW ITEMS ID'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.ITEM NUMBER Z1, IN MR. TREVINO'S DISTRICT.
MR. TREVINO, THIS ITEM HAS BEEN CONTINUED AT LEAST TWICE FROM THE TIME IT CAME FROM THE ZONING COMMISSION IN MARCH.
IT'S ABOUT A -- THE IDEA OF PUTTING A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE IN AN AREA THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL HOMES THERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICE ABOUT IT, IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS TELLS US AS MUCH AS 25% OF THE SURROUNDING HOUSES, RESIDENTS SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT THIS THING.
ANY TIME YOU GET ANYTHING MORE THAN 5 OR 10%, THAT'S SERIOUS.
THE FACT THAT THAT'S A RED FLAG, THE FACT THAT THE ZONING COMMISSION SAID THIS IS A BAD IDEA, AND THE FACT THAT THE NORTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSES IT.
THESE ARE ALL VERY BAD IDEAS, SIR, AND IT OUGHT TO TELL YOU MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST DO THIS.
BUT YOU HAVE CONTINUED IT TWICE, AND MY QUESTION IS WHY? ONE WONDERS IF YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO WEAR OUT THE OPPOSITION ON THIS.
ANYWAY, SAY NO TO THIS ONE, SIR, AND GET THE DARNED THING OVER WITH.
ELSEWHERE, THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA, THE P4 AND Z11, MRS. VIAGRAN'S DISTRICT, YOU HAVE A CASE WHERE THE -- A, I DON'T KNOW, A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, IS IT -- WHAT'S IT CALLED? I FORGET WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT LOAN INSTITUTION, THE AREA IS SATURATED WITH THEM, MRS. VIAGRAN.
NINE CREDIT ACCESS BUSINESSES WITHIN A 1.1-MILE RADIUS, AND, YES, THE IDEA IS THAT -- I MEAN, THE STAFF RECOMMENDED DENIAL ON THIS.
I MEAN, WHAT DOES IT SAY -- TAKE TO SAY NO TO SUCH A CRAZY THING? YES, PLEASE, YOU ALSO SAY NO TO THAT DARNED THING.
ELSEWHERE, THE Z17, YES, THIS IS IN MR. BROCKHOUSE'S DISTRICT.
YES, SIR, THIS HAS BEEN CONTINUED AT LEAST TWICE ALSO SINCE LAST AUGUST AND 20 NOTICES, FOUR OPPOSED, THAT'S 25% ALSO OPPOSING THIS THING.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSES IT, THE STAFF -- BOTH THE STAFF AND THE COMMISSION SAID NO.
A LOT OF BIG RED FLAGS AND YET WE'RE STILL CONTINUING THIS, SIR.
COMMERCIAL ENCROACHMENT, THAT WAS THE BIG THING.
I MEAN, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SAY NO? ALSO Z18, SAME SITUATION, COMMERCIAL ENCROACHMENT.
WHEN DO WE FINALLY SAY NO TO THESE THINGS.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, MR. THAT CONCLUDES THE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO TALK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE A COUPLE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON A COUPLE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE WE VOTE ON.
FIRST GOING TO CALL ON COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, KEEPING ON CONSENT, BUT HIGHLIGHT ITEM Z2, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE, JEROME AND BRETT COWEN FOR THEIR APPLICATION, THAT THIS IS JUST REALLY SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ADAPTIVE REUSE.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND ALWAYS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND CERTAINLY THIS WILL BE -- REMAIN ON CONSENT FOR APPROVAL.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
WITH REGARDS TO Z22, THANKS TO ALL THE PARTIES FOR WORKING SO HARD ON THIS.
I BELIEVE WE'VE REACHED A REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH OUR FRIENDS OF SAN ANTONIO NATURAL AREAS FOR THE CLERK'S INFORMATION, THERE IS A LETTER OF INTENT I'LL BE SUBMITTING TO MAKE PART OF THE RECORD FOR THIS ONE CASE, AND KEN BROWN, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO PULL THIS AND HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE IT ON CONSENT.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONSIDER VOTING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, EXCEPT FOR ITEMS Z1, Z3, P4, Z11, Z17 AND Z18.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE.
[Z-1. ZONING CASE # Z2018101 CD (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-4 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District to "R-4 CD AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District with a Conditional Use for a Professional Office on Lot 1, Block 3, NCB 10024, located at 273 Redrock Drive. Staff recommends Approval. Zoning Commission recommends Denial. (Continued from November 1, 2018)]
MOTION PASSES.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. FIRST ITEM, Z1.
[02:35:03]
>> CLERK: Z2018101 FROM R4 TO R-4 CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICE LOCATED AT 273 REDROCK DRIVE.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION -- EXCUSE ME, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL.
26 MAILED, 0 IN FAVOR, EIGHT OPPOSED.
NORTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN OPPOSITION AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO JANUARY 17TH.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
THE APPLICANT HAD AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL CONCERN AND MOTIONED TO CONTINUANCE TO JANUARY 17TH.
A MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY JANUARY 17TH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
[Z-3. ZONING CASE # Z2018325 (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "I-1 HS RIO-7E AHOD" General Industrial Historic Significant River Improvement Overlay-7E Airport Hazard Overlay District to "IDZ HS RIO-7E AHOD" Infill Development Zone Historic Significant River Improvement Overlay-7E Airport Hazard Overlay District with uses permitted in "C-2" Commercial District, Multi-Family at 42 Dwelling Units, Bar/Tavern, and a Hotel on 0.428 acres out of NCB 1009, located at 1425 South Flores Street. Staff recommends Approval. Zoning Commission recommendation pending the December 4, 2018 hearing.]
MOTION PASSES.>> CLERK: Z2018325 FROM I-1 TO IDZ WITH USES PERMITTED IN C-2 MULTIPLE FAMILY AT 42 DWELLING UNITS, BAR AND TAVERN HOTEL LOCATED AT 1475 SOUTH FLORES STREET.
STAFF RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS ALSO APPROVAL.
143 NOTICED MAILED, ONE OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: AGAIN, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
WE MOTION TO CONTINUE TO JANUAR.
MAYOR PRO TEM THERE'S BEEN A MOTION MADE AND SECONDED TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
[P-4 & Z-11. P-4. PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # 18100 (Council District 3): Ordinance amending the West/Southwest Sector Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “General Urban Tier” to “Regional Center” on 0.0263 acres out of NCB 9314, located at 930 Southwest Military Drive. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Denial. (Associated Zoning Case Z2018314 S) Z-11. ZONING CASE # Z2018314 S (Council District 3): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-3NA MLOD-2 MLR-2 AHOD" General Commercial Nonalcoholic Sales Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-3NA S MLOD-2 MLR-2 AHOD" General Commercial Nonalcoholic Sales Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District with Specific Use Authorization to allow for a Specified Financial Institution on 0.0263 acres out of NCB 9314, located at 930 Southwest Military Drive. Staff recommends Denial. Zoning Commission recommends Approval. (Associated Plan Amendment 18100)]
MOTION PASSES.>> CLERK: PLANNED AMENDMENT 18100 IN ZONING CASE Z2018314 AMENDING THE WEST/SOUTHWEST SECTOR PLAN FROM GENERAL URBAN TIER TO REGIONAL CENTER FROM C-3 NA SPECIFIED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION LOCATED AT SOUTHWEST MILITARY DRIVE.
11 NOTICES MAILED, 0 IN FAVOR AND 0 OPPOSED AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO JANUARY 17TH.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN?
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ON THIS, AND THEY'RE REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE AS WELL AS HARLANDALE ISD HAS REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE, SO I MOTION TO CONTINUE UNTIL JANUARY 17TH, 2019.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY -- WHAT IS THE DATE AGAIN?
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: JANUARY 17TH.
[Z-17. ZONING CASE # Z2018256 (Council District 6): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-2NA AHOD" Commercial Nonalcoholic Sales Airport Hazard Overlay District on Lot 15, Block 1, NCB 15586, located at 2311 Westward Drive. Staff recommends Denial, with an Alternate Recommendation. Zoning Commission recommends Denial. (Continued from November 15, 2018)]
MOTION PASSES.>> CLERK: Z2018256 FROM R-6 TO C-2 NA LOCATED AT 2211 WESTWARD DRIVE, STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL HOWEVER STAFF HAS AN ALTER MAT RECOMMENDATION FOR R-6 CD FOR A NONCOMMERCIAL PARKING LOT.
20 NOTICES MAILED, 0 IN FAVOR, FOUR OPPOSED.
CABLE WESTWARD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: JUST A QUICK CORRECTION ON THAT, THE CABLE WESTWOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR NOW, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
>> BROCKHOUSE: MY OFFICE WILL PROVIDE YOU THE LETTER -- THE DOCUMENTATION JUST IN CASE, OR THE E-MAIL SO YOU HAVE THAT ON THE RECORD.
>> BROCKHOUSE: IMPORTANT POINT.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THIS, TO FIND A PATH FORWARD FOR THE BUSINESS OWNER, SO WITH THAT I MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS UNTIL JANUARY 17TH, 2019.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
[Z-18. ZONING CASE # Z2018285 (Council District 6): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District and "C-2 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Commercial Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "I-1 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" General Industrial Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District on Lot P-13K, P-13L, P-B12, TR M, C-13, Block 62, NCB 13942, located at 1621 South Callaghan Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Denial. (Continued from October 4, 2018)]
THE NEXT ITEM, Z18.>> CLERK: Z2018285 FROM R-6 TO C-2 TO I-1 LOCATED AT 1621 SOUTH CALLAGHAN ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL, 50 NOTICES MAILED, THREE IN FAVOR AND TWO OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: AGAIN, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM UNTIL JANUARY 17TH, 2019.
A MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH, 2019.
ALL IN FAVOR, VOTE AT THIS TIME.
I THINK AT THIS TIME THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE ZONING CASES BROUGHT BEFORE US AT THIS TIME.
THAT CONCLUDES THE COUNCIL BUSINESS TODAY.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.