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GOOD MORNING.WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER THE SIXTH, 2018.
COUNCIL MEMBER BROCKEL PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL, A SESSION AGENDA.
THE TIME IS 9:25 AM THANK YOU ALL FOR VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
IT'S MY HONOR TO GET US STARTED TODAY BY INTERV INTER DRUING, OUR INDICATOR, UH, WHO IS RABBI HAEM BLOCK? RABBI HAY BLOCK WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND RAISED IN LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA.
RABBI BLOCK AND HIS WIFE RIFKEY ARRIVED IN SAN ANTONIO IN 1985 TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL BRANCH OF THE WORLDWIDE HABAD LUBOVITCH MOVEMENT.
OVER THE LAST 33 YEARS, HABAD HAS GROWN FROM A SMALL OUTREACH EFFORT OPERATING OUT OF TWO BEDROOM, 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.
HANUKAH ON THE RIVER IS ONE OF THE MANY COMMUNITY-WIDE PROGRAMS AND IS WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
RABBI BLOCK IS ON THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF KABAD LUBOVITCH MOVEMENT AND ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH LEARNING INSTITUTE.
RABBI BACH IS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE HABAD CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE AND LEARNING.
HE'S A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE AND A DEAR FRIEND OF THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
PLEASE RISE 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 ALL, FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS TO LIVE TOGETHER WITH 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, HOLINESS AND GOODNESS TO STAND AGAINST DARKNESS, BIGOTRY, AND HATRED.
THE FLAME OF THE MENORAH CONVEYS THE MESSAGE OF HOW ONE SMALL CANDLE COULD BANISH A ROOM FULL OF DARKNESS.
HOW ONE SMALL GOOD DEEDED CAN HAVE AN EVERLASTING IMPACT.
ALMIGHTY GOD, CONTINUE TO GRANT HEALTH, WISDOM AND COURAGE TO OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THE WELLBEING OF THE CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT CITY.
I MEAN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH REMAIN AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'D 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, UH, TO HELP US BRING SOME JOY AND SPIRIT TO CITY COUNCIL THIS MORNING.
AND THEY'LL HELP US WITH, UH, THE KINDLING OF THE MENORAH.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR MAYOR TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND KINDLE THE FIRST CANDLE, THE SHAMASH, AND THEN WE WILL, UH, BLESS AND, AND, AND LIGHT THE CANDLES TOGETHER.
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I HAVE, UM, LEFT THE CITY COUNCIL SPOTS, UH, LITTLE HANDOUT WHERE YOU CAN OPEN AND FOLLOW ALONG THE BLESSINGS A FEW MORE FOR OTHERS WHO CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH US.THE CHILDREN WILL HELP US WITH THE BLESSINGS.
THE CHILDREN HAVE PREPARED A FEW QUICK HANUKKAH SONGS AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THEM TO BEGIN WITH THEIR FIRST SONG.
WE HAVE, UM, MAYBE SEATED BY THE WAY, PLEASE.
WE HAVE, UH, LEFT AND EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SEAT, A LITTLE BAG OF WHAT WE CALL GEL.
WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN SOME FUNDS, SOME MONEY ON HANUKKAH, BUT THE IDEA IS, IS THAT THEY HAVE TO SET ASIDE SOME CHARITY AND HELP OTHERS WITH WHAT THEY RECEIVE.
BUT, UH, AS A MARKETING, UH, PLOY, THEY'VE TURNED THIS INTO CHOCOLATE.
AND, AND WE ARE, WE HAVE GIVEN YOU TO ENJOY SOME TRADITIONAL HANUKAH GEL.
THERE'S ALSO A LITTLE BROCHURE TO EXPLAIN MORE IN DEPTH, UH, THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE 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'D LIKE TO PRESENT, UH, THIS ARTWORK QUICKLY TO EACH ONE OF THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THIS ONE IS GOING TO GO TO SHIRLEY GONZALEZ FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA COME IN HERE THIS WAY.
THE NEXT ONE IS, UH, DISTRICT FOUR RAY SALANA, PLEASE.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS DISTRICT THREE, REBECCA, I'M SORRY.
THEN WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAM S SCHAFF.
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ROBERTO TREVINO FROM DISTRICT ONE.COUNCILMAN CLAYTON PERRY FROM DISTRICT 10 IS COMING THIS WAY.
THE KIDS WOULD HAVE A LITTLE HARD TIME REACHING UP TO YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN, COURAGE FROM DISTRICT NINE
COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY EZ FROM DISTRICT EIGHT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANA SANDOVAL FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
COUNCILMAN GREG BROCK HOUSE DISTRICT SIX, PLEASE.
DO YOU HAVE IT RIGHT THERE? HERE WE DO.
IS THIS GREG? WHAT IS GOING ON? WHERE'S YOURS? OH, YOU HAD IT GAVE IT ALREADY.
WE ALSO HAVE ONE FOR CITY MANAGER CHERYL SCULLY AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY ANDY SEGOVIA.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OF COURSE, OUR MAYOR, MAYOR NURNBERG.
WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL.
HAPPY HANUKKAH AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.
AND TO THE CHILDREN AND TO THE FAMILIES.
I DO, UH, THINK WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE WE CAN CELEBRATE THAT TOGETHER.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'LL MOVE TO OUR BUSINESS, UH, STARTING WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 31ST AND NOVEMBER 1ST.
I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THOSE MEETING MINUTES, SO MOVE SECOND.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
MINUTES OF OCTOBER 31ST AND NOVEMBER 1ST, PLEASE VOTE.
CAN I DO MY LITTLE? YEAH, I HAVE TWO.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, AND WE ARE JOINED AND VERY HONORED TO BE JOINED BY ADMIRAL TINA DAVIDSON, WHO IS THE DAUGHTER OF A US MARINE.
LOUIS, MISSOURI AND HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM BENEDICTINE COLLEGE AND FROM ST.
LOUIS UNIVERSITY, MASTER'S DEGREES FROM THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, WEBSTER UNIVERSITY, AND A DOCTORATE OF NURSING PRACTICE FROM RUSH UNIVERSITY.
SHE WAS COMMISSIONED AS AN N SIGN IN THE NAVY IN 1986.
SHE ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE NAVY MED EDUCATION, EXCUSE ME, NAVY MEDICINE EDUCATION TRAINING IN LOGISTICS COMMAND AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, FORT SAM HOUSTON, OCT ON AUGUST 2ND, 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.
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SEA STENNIS PROMOTED TO ADMIRAL ON OCTOBER OF 2016.SHE WAS ALSO APPOINTED TO BE THE 25TH DIRECTOR OF THE NAVY NURSE CORPS.
IN OTHER WORDS, SHE'S THE SENIOR NURSE IN THE US NAVY.
ADMIRAL DAVIDSON IS QUALIFIED AS A SURFACE WARFARE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICER AND MASTER TRAINING SPECIALIST.
SHE'S APE 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 SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT THE NAVY MEDICINE MISSION AND TO ENSURE THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS HAVE THE VERY BEST MEDICALLY TRAINED, EDUCATED, AND LOGISTICALLY PREPARED TEAM TO SUPPORT OUR NATION'S WARRIORS.
THE ADMIRAL LEEDS 12 NAVY COMMANDS INCLUDING TWO OF THE LARGEST CAREER FIELDS IN THE NAVY.
THIS INCLUDES 2000 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 AND HOMES.
WE DON'T OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE SEA SERVICES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT AS I'VE STATED, THERE AS MANY AS 10,000 SAILORS, MARINES AND COAST GUARDSMEN IN OUR CITY DURING CERTAIN PERIODS.
AND WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW IMPORTANT THEIR MISSION IS TO THE NATION'S DEFENSE.
LET'S WELCOME THE ADMIRAL TO OUR CITY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK OF HER SAILORS MARINES AND COACH GUARDSMEN DO IN MILITARY CITY U S A.
AND GOOD MORNING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND SAN ANTONIO CITIZENS.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME HERE THIS MORNING.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW WITH THOSE LITTLE CHILDREN, THOUGH THOSE ARE VERY CUTE.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
AND I, UH, 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 A 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 IN THE NAVY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THOSE ARE THE MASTERED ARMS AND THE HOSPITAL CORPSMAN.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THE CITY GIVES TO NOT ONLY THE NAVY, BUT ALL THE SERVICES.
WE JUST FEEL THAT WE ARE EMBRACED.
YOU CAN FEEL THAT WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN THE AIRPORT, AND IT'S VERY OBVIOUS THAT YOU ALL ARE, UH, DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING THE SERVICES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION AND BE A PART OF THIS GREAT CITY.
AND AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK AND, AND SEEING YOU IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT AND THIS IS YOUR HOUSE AS WELL.
UH, AND YOU SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE A SAILOR HERE ON COUNCIL
I, I MET A COUPLE, SIR, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, UM, I ALSO WANNA 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 COME AND SEE THIS AMAZING QUILT THAT DEDICATES 300 YEARS OF OUR HISTORY HERE IN THE CITY.
AND SO NOW I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ABBY'S AT ABBY'S ATTIC TO COME TO OUR PODIUM AND TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS PROJECT CAME TOGETHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
UM, WE HAVE A QUILTING TEACHER AND TWO SEWING TEACHERS AND MYSELF WE'RE, UM, ONE SAN ANTONIO NATIVE AND THREE MILITARY TRANSPLANTS.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS QUILT SINCE LAST FALL, AND WE WANTED TO GIVE THIS, UM, AS A GIFT TO THE CITY FOR THE TRICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
UM, WE INVITED THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN.
WE TAUGHT KIDS AS YOUNG AS FOUR TO HAND EMBROIDER.
UM, THEY WERE GIVEN VERY LITTLE GROUND RULES ON WHAT TO PUT ON, JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO YOU.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF, UH, SAN ANTONIO SYMBOLISM IN THERE, AS WELL AS FAMILY NAMES, UM, BUSINESSES, SOME MILITARY REPRESENTATION.
AND IT HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR US FOR THE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT THE, UH, THE CITY WILL ENJOY TO DISPLAY IT SOMEWHERE IN YOUR QUARTERS, BUT IT'S BEEN A, A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS, SO, ENJOY.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, A VERY SPECIAL TRICENTENNIAL TRIBUTE.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL QUILT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF BLANK WALLS HERE IN OUR CITY, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HANGING THAT.
ALRIGHT, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILMAN MANNY AYAS, WHO HAS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, UH, LEADERSHIP IS THE NAME OF THE GAME, UH, AND SAN ANTONIO, UH, IS BLESSED TO HAVE A LOT OF THEM.
BUT TODAY I WANNA RECOGNIZE ONE IN PARTICULAR.
UH, OUR VERY OWN JOE VAN KIKEN, UH, GRADUATES FROM THE ALEX PIO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TOMORROW.
AND, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, THE A B L D P, AS WE CALL IT, IS ONE OF THE ELITE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND IN LARGE PART, UH, A HUGE SUCCESS BECAUSE OF OUR FRIEND WINSLOW SWART AND ALL OF THE, UM, ENERGY THAT, UM, THE HISPANIC CHAMBER AND LOCAL LEADERS, UM, POUR INTO THAT PROGRAM.
AND, UH, JOE, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU WORKED REALLY HARD AND TOOK TIME AWAY FROM WORK AND YOUR FAMILY, UH, TO, UM, ACCOMPLISH THIS.
AND SO I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU IN FRONT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW, BUT, UH, ALSO, UH, IN FRONT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOUR FRIENDS, UM, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.
UM, A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THAT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TOGETHER, SO IT IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT, BUT CONGRATULATIONS AND I KNOW MY FORMER, UM, AIDE USED TO WAS A PART OF IT AS WELL.
SO NOW I'M SORRY CHRIS, THAT I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE YOU LAST YEAR, BUT CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN GRO AND CONGRATULATIONS JOE, AND TO ALL YOUR CLASSMATES AS WELL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE THAT TRAINING TAKES YOU.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR BUSINESS, UH, AGENDA.
AND I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM FOUR IS LISTED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, SO ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT'D LIKE TO PULL FROM CONSENT? UH, COUNCILMAN GRO, UH, COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ? 11.
ITEMS FOUR AND 11, UH, WILL BE HEARD ON INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, HEARING NO FURTHER ITEMS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE ITEMS FOUR AND 11.
WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
WELL, MAYOR NURNBERG, ANOTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS WITH ME, FOLKS.
I SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE OLD SCHOOL AND HAPPY HANUKKAH AS WELL.
FOR THOSE WHO THINK I'M NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT ENOUGH, I'LL JUST SIMPLY SAY, OKAY.
AND, AND ANY, ANY OTHER GROUP THAT TRIES TO HORN IT ON THIS OCCASION, UH, MAYBE EVEN THE ATHEIST HAVE ONE, RIGHT? MS. SANDOVAL? SHE'S BUSY COPYING SOMETHING DOWN THERE.
ITEM NUMBER 19, IN CASE ANY OF YOU ARE WONDERING, CITY COUNCIL SANTA CLAUSE HAS NOTHING ON YOU GUYS.
WHEN IT COMES TO JUST HANDING OUT SOME GOODIES HERE.
ITEM NUMBER 19 IS ABOUT AWARDING OH, SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS INTO SOMETHING CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
AND WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WELL, JUST, THAT'S A EUPHEMISM FOR WHAT WE CALL WELFARE HOUSING.
THAT'S WHERE PE PEOPLE WHO DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY, WELL THEY GET, GET A HANDOUT FROM THE GOVERNMENT THERE.
AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS NOW YOU GUYS ARE GONNA SAY, JACK, THIS IS COMING FROM THE FEDS HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
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NOT OUR, YOUR MONEY HERE IN, IN SAN ANTONIO.REALLY? WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FEDS GET THEIR MONEY?
UM, PUT THAT UP IN MR. AUDIO VISUAL MAN.
BACK UP DOCUMENTS ON THIS ONE.
SAYS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
A MILLION AND A QUARTER FOR WHERE? WELL, ONE OF 'EM IS FOR THE MAJESTIC RANCH APARTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, MS. SANDOVAL, YOUR PREDECESSOR TRIED TO TELL US THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT PROJECT, BUT PEOPLE DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
HE NEVER GOT, UH, REELECTED THERE.
UH, IT AND WHAT DOES IT ELSE? IS 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, PLEASE RETURN THE CAMERA.
YOU KNOW, WE, THE CITIZENS, WE GET KIND OF TIRED OF YOUR TRYING TO JUST REALLY GIVE AWAY EVEN OUR FEDERAL TEXTILES.
MAYBE WHAT? JUST ONCE MAYBE YOU COULD SURPRISE EVERYBODY WITH THE MIRACLE.
YOU KNOW, MIRACLES ARE, ARE WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT MIRACLE.
THAT SAYS WE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP WITH BY OURSELVES AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE CRUTCH OF ANY MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR WELFARE HOUSING.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BLOW 'EM ALL AWAY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE INGRAM HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
OUR NO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND HIS AND OUR LEADERS HAVE MET EXTENSIVELY WITH MR. HOGAN TO DISCUSS THE MAJESTIC RANCH COMPLEX.
MR. HOGAN HAS AGREED TO 15 CONTE CONCESSIONS IN ASSIGNED 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 PLACE SCAPE AT JOAN PRICE PARK.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, THE DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE ITS ENTRANCES AND EXIT ON CALLAHAN ROAD.
WHEN MR. HOGAN AGREED TO THE 15 CONCESSIONS IN FEBRUARY OF 2017, I H N A WITHDREW ITS OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE CONSULT WITH A COPY OF THE SIGNED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO BE PLACED INTO THE RECORD.
ALRIGHT, THAT IS EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
UM, ITEM 11 WAS PREVIOUSLY PULLED FROM, UH, CONSENT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATIONS.
SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, UH, WE'RE GONNA PLACE THAT BACK ON CONSENT AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ WILL SPEAK TO IT BEFORE WE VOTE, UH, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO PUTTING 11 BACK ON CONSENT? OKAY.
UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UH, THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS FOR, SAY FOR ITEM FOUR.
WE'LL CALL COUNCIL PEOPLE NOW, UH, TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ON CONSENT.
I'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 19, WHICH WE'VE HEARD ABOUT FROM TWO SPEAKERS THIS MORNING.
I WANNA THANK MR. MIKE PHILLIPS AND THE ENTIRE INGRAM HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR WORKING SO HARD WITH MR. HOGAN, UH, TO BRING 60% A M I HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE 60%, UH, ANNUAL MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, MIKE, I KNOW THIS WASN'T EASY AND IT TOOK A, IT WAS A LOT OF TURMOIL BEFORE, UH, YOU BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TO TOGETHER TO DO THIS.
AND 15 CONCESSIONS IS NO SMALL FEAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, MR. MIKE HOGAN.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S HERE TODAY, BUT FOR, IS HE HERE? OH, WHERE? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MR. HOGAN FOR, FOR WORKING ON THIS.
I'M SURE IT WAS NO SMALL FEAT ON YOUR PART EITHER, BUT IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU TWO, UH, WORKING TOGETHER.
UH, SOMEONE MENTIONED MY, UH, RUN FOR OFFICE AND MY, UH, PREDECESSOR NOT BEING REELECTED.
UH, AND ONE THING THAT I DID PROMISE WAS THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD HAVE A VOICE IN SHAPING THEIR FUTURE.
AND MIKE, SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID THAT WITHOUT ME.
UM, 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, UM, THE C D B G MONIES THAT WE'RE, UH, AUTHORIZING TODAY WILL ASSIST IN BRIDGING THAT GAP SO THAT WE CAN OFFER TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
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UM, SO I THINK, UH, THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE BEGINNING TO MEET THE, UH, 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.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, NUMBER NINE.
THIS IS THE, UM, ESPADA TRAIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
WE, UM, T J X HAS THEIR COMPANY, THEIR, UM, WAREHOUSE NOW IN 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 BO 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, UH, GREENWAY HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND ALSO ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IT'S A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THAT WILL BE PUT UP ON KATE SHANK.
THIS IS A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE HAVE BEEN CLAMORING FOR FOR YEARS, AND IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE THIS, UM, COMING INTO OUR AREA.
ITEM NUMBER 11 IS A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE GUADALUPE CULTURE ARTS CENTER IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO, NOT TO EXCEED 450,000 FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS OF THE HISTORIC GUADALUPE THEATER.
I'M SORRY, NOT THE THEATER, UH, THE DRUGSTORE.
AND I KNOW THAT CHRISTINA BAI IS HERE, AND I'M GONNA ASK HER TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, THE PROJECT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS IN ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH TOURISM AND VISITORS, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT 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 CULTURE ARTS CENTER THAT'S BEEN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR DECADES NOW AND ENHANCING OUR MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND MAKING IT REALLY, UH, WHAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO SO SPECIAL AND SO UNIQUE.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THE, UH, GUADALUPE CULTURE ARTS FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
THIS IS A, A VOTER APPROVED 2017 BOND PROJECT, 450,000 IN 2012.
UH, WE CONTRIBUTED ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF THE GUADALUPE CULTURE ARTS CENTER.
AND THIS IS SO IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND THE THE AVNI, THE GUADALUPE COMMUNITY, BUT REALLY THE WHOLE CITY.
AND, UM, THIS GALLERY THAT WE'RE RESTORING, UH, IS A DESTINATION THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE BECAUSE OF ITS ART REPRODUCTIONS.
UM, JESSE TINO DID A REPRODUCTION OF THE, OF THE HISTORIC DRUGSTORE, AND IT'S BEEN IN THIS SMITHSONIAN, AND IT'S A REPRODUCTION OF A PRINT THAT I OWN AND THAT I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALL OWN AS WELL FROM THE
SO IT'S A TREMENDOUS STORY AND A GREAT HISTORY.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ELABORATE, UH, CHRISTINA ON WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, TODAY WITH THE FUNDING, BUT ALSO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER.
COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, MAYOR NUREMBERG 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, UH, THAT IS OWNED BY THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER THAT PURCHASED IT.
UM, SOMETIMES BACK, BACK IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, EARLY NINETIES, IT WAS THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER.
BUT NOW BECAUSE OF THIS BOND FUNDING, UH, THE FIRST FLOOR IS PUBLIC SPACE.
UH, THERE WAS A COMMUNITY GALLERY IN THERE.
AND ONCE WE FINISHED THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS RENOVATION WITH THIS PART OF THE BOND FUNDING, UM, 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, UH, 40 YEARS NOW.
UM, THE COMMUNITY BUILDING AND THE COMMUNITY GALLERY WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT IS FUNDED BY THE ANDREW MELLON FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A NATIONAL FOUNDATION, AND THEY FUNDED US FOR $300,000 FOR PROGRAMMING, SPECIFICALLY IN THE RESO COMMUNITY GALLERY.
AND WE ARE IN YEAR TWO OF THAT FUNDING.
IT'S A THREE YEAR FUNDING CYCLE.
UM, AND THIS YEAR WE HAVEN'T FULLY PROGRAMMED THAT GALLERY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION PHASES.
UM, BUT THIS YEAR WE DID, UM, PROGRAM THERE, THE COMMON CURRENTS, UH, EXHIBIT THAT WAS PART OF THE TRICENTENNIAL PROGRAMMING AND, UH, FOR THE A LOS MUTOS, UH, WE HAD SEVERAL
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PROGRAMS IN THERE AND WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS, UH, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND PROGRAMS IN THERE.UH, IN TERMS OF TOURISM, I THINK EVERYBODY IS ALREADY, UH, FAMILIAR WITH OUR TEJANO JUNTO FESTIVAL THAT HAPPENS EVERY MAY.
AND THAT IS ONE PROGRAM THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, UH, NOT JUST SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, THE COUNTRY, UM, BUT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, FROM JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, AND SPAIN.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME TO SAN ANTONIO SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS FESTIVAL.
OUR CENA 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 FOR, FOR TOURISM.
WE HAVE A GUADALUPE DANCE COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 27 YEARS.
IT'S A SEMI-PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY.
AND, UM, I WANT TO TURN THEM INTO A VERSION OF THE BALLICO HERNANDEZ IN MEXICO CITY THAT IS THE RESIDENT COMPANY OF A BEES THERE.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A TOURING ARM.
AND AT THE GUADALUPE THEATER, WE WILL HAVE A, A SHOW, A BALLICO SHOW EVERY FIRST FRIDAY, EVERY FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.
UM, THEY WILL BE PERFORMING IN THERE SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT AS THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO SEE A BALLET FOLK CLERICO PROGRAM WITH LIVE, MARIACHI MUSIC ACCOMPANIED LIVE THE ENTIRE TWO HOUR SET, UM, WITH LIVE MUSIC AND THAT WAY EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA 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, UH, EVERY FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, YOU CAN BRING 'EM TO THE GUADALUPE THEATER, UH, TO ENJOY THAT BAFO CLERICO PROGRAM, A PROFESSIONAL
THIS EDITION WITH THE BOND FUNDING HELPS BUILD AND FORTIFY THAT CAMPUS ON THE CORNERS OF GUADALUPE AND BRAZO STREET.
UH, WE HAVE SEVEN PROPERTIES THERE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AND CONTINUE TO BUILD.
UH, AND THAT'S A REAL CHALLENGE.
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 GONNA BUILD SOME MORE SYNERGY, UH, 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.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT IS ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR ITEM FOUR, PLEASE VOTE.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, MAYOR IN COUNCIL IS THE 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 BOUNDARIES.
AND ITEM FOUR B IS THE CERTIFICATION OF THE PETITIONS TO CREATE A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND ITEM FOUR C IS THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, SPECIFYING THE NATURE AND COST OF THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, ESTABLISHING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, SPECIFYING THE METHOD OF ASSESSMENT, PROVIDING FOR THE APPORTIONMENT OF COST BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT, LOVING AN ASSESSMENT OF 1.25% OF THE GROSS SHORT TERM ROOM RENTAL REVENUE OF QUALIFIED HOTELS WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND PROVIDING FOR THE METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR THE ASSESSMENT.
AND SO CLARIFY, WE WILL, UH, HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE DO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS MORNING, UH, AS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT WILL BE AN ABBREVIATED VERSION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION YESTERDAY AND B SESSION, SO WE HAVE SHORTENED UP THE PRESENTATION A LITTLE BIT, BUT WANT TO GO OVER THE KEY POINTS WITH YOU THIS MORNING AS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'LL BE A JOINT PRESENTATION AGAIN THIS MORNING.
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 BAR PRESIDENT AND C E O OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION TO JOIN ME THIS MORNING AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN ITEM B, UH, LETICIA VASIC, OUR CITY CLERK WILL ALSO COME UP AND WILL ACTUALLY CERTIFY, UH, OR VERIFY THE SIGNATURES THAT WERE DONE AS PART OF THE PETITION PROCESS.
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SO I'LL BEGIN WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AGAIN.UH, VISIT SAN ANTONIO IS OUR DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
THEY'RE 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 5 0 1 C SIX PUBLIC PRIVATE ENTITY.
IT WAS A NEWLY CREATED ENTITY AT, AT THAT TIME.
AND PART OF THE GOAL WAS TO TRANSITION, UH, A FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU OVER TO THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE ENTITY, AND ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT WITH, UH, VISIT SAN ANTONIO OR V S A, EXCUSE ME.
ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THAT WAS TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW COULD WE GROW THE BUDGET, UH, 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 T P D, UH, VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, UH, REACHED OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS DOING A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE.
UH, ULTIMATELY THEY BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, A, THE PROPOSED CREATION OF THE T I D, UH, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING.
STATE LAW DOES OUTLINE THE PROCESS AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CREATION OF A T I.
SO THERE'S A STATUTORY PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED, UH, AND TO GET TO THIS POINT, ULTIMATELY TO CONCLUSION WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR THIS MORNING, THE TIMELINE, AGAIN, SUBSEQUENT TO THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BEING ENTERED INTO WITH V S A, AGAIN, THEY DID A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE, REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A TOURIST A, A TPI, OR A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HERE.
UM, THAT PROCESS LASTED ABOUT TWO YEARS.
AS THEY WENT THROUGH THAT, UH, THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND, AND THE FEASIBILITY OF BRINGING THAT ITEM FORWARD, THEY REACHED OUT TO US THIS PAST SPRING WITH A, A RECOMMENDATION AND A DECISION TO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CREATION OF THE T I D.
SO WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF, UH, CREATING THE DOCUMENTS, THE PETITION, UH, THE MASTER AGREEMENT, AS WELL AS THE, UM, SERVICE PLAN THAT HAS, IS A PART OF THE T I WE BRIEFED THE, UH, ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON JUNE 5TH.
AND THEN ONE OF THE KEY DATES ON HERE IS THE JUNE 25TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO WE ASKED YOU ALL, UH, IN JUNE 21ST TO APPROVE THE PETITION, UH, THE MASTER AGREEMENT AND THE SERVICE PLAN, UM, IN, IN, UH, UH, FORM.
SO THAT AS THIS HOTEL, HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION WENT OUT TO SEEK SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION, IT WAS CLEAR TO HOTEL OWNERS WHAT THE FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR, UM, HOW THIS PROCESS WOULD WORK, HOW THE T P D WOULD BE ESTABLISHED AND GOVERNED.
UM, AND THEN AS WELL AS THAT WOULD BE A SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO VS A'S BUDGET.
WE TALKED ABOUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, ONCE WE DID THAT, UM, THAT WE WOULD BE SETTING THE, THE DOCUMENTS IN PLACE AND THEY WOULD, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AMEND THEM AFTER THE FACT 'CAUSE WE WERE STARTING THE PROCESS AND THAT HOTEL OWNERS WOULD BE SIGNING THAT PETITION AND RELYING ON THE REPRESENTATIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT PETITION.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS SINCE THEN, INCLUDING THE B SESSION, UH, YESTERDAY.
UH, IF YOU APPROVE THE ITEM TODAY, THE GOAL IS TO MAKE THE TPIT EFFECTIVE THIS IN JANUARY OF 2019.
SO AGAIN, THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO CONSIDER APPROVING TODAY, UM, OF COURSE PART OF THE STATE LAWS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH THE MAYORAL OPEN AND, AND, UH, ALLOW, UH, CITIZENS TO SPEAK ON THAT.
UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING TALKS ABOUT THE ADVISABILITY OF THE T I D CREATION.
UM, IT SETS A 1.25% ASSESSMENT RATE, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
IT CAN BE CHANGED, BUT IT'S AN UP TO 1.25 ASSESSMENT RATE AS PART OF THE T I D I MENTIONED.
ITEM B THIS MORNING WILL BE THE VERIFICATION OF THE PETITIONS BY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
THEY HAVE MET THE THRESHOLDS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO UNDER STATE LAW.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THRESHOLDS.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST ITEM C WOULD BE TO ACTUALLY ESTABLISH THE T I D AND YOU WOULD BE APPROVING THE MASTER CONTRACT, WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN V S A, THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, AND, UH, VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND THE CITY, UM, AS BEING THE THREE PARTIES TO THAT AGREEMENT.
AND THEN YOU WOULD BE APPROVING THE SERVICE PLAN, WHICH OUT OUTLINES THE KEY MANAGEMENT PARAMETERS, FUNDING AND BUDGET CATEGORIES OF WHICH THE BUDGETS ALIGN WITH 45% GOING TO MARKETING, 45% TO SALES, 5% TO INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS, AND 5% TO RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATION CITY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THESE ITEMS, UH, THIS MORNING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, DURING, UH, YESTERDAY'S B SESSION, THERE WAS ALSO MUCH DISCUSSION ON THE TOPIC OF HOMELESSNESS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPTIONS FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
UM, THE CITY MANAGER IN MID-NOVEMBER PROVIDED A MEMO TO YOU WHERE WE OUTLINED SOME POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR, UH, UH, AS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION YESTERDAY, IT WAS REQUESTED THAT WE ENGAGE V SS A AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND FUNDING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
WE WILL ENGAGE, UM, AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY, WE WILL BRING ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS BACK TO THE MARIN COUNCIL NO
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LATER THAN, UM, WHEN WE DO OUR MID-YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT BRIEFING.SO WE WILL BEGIN WORK ON THAT, UH, UH, REQUEST AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO CASSANDRA AND LISA AND ASK THEM TO COME UP AND, UH, COMPLETE THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND JUST REALLY QUICKLY, WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND LET ME MOVE THAT, IS JUST THERE WERE THREE TRENDS THAT WE LOOKED AT OF WHY WE 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 10 YEARS.
COUPLE THAT WITH THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT DALLAS AND HOUSTON IN PARTICULAR, THEY DOUBLED THEIR BUDGETS WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME AND THEY STARTED MARKETING IN OUR KEY MARKET SEGMENT, THE LEISURE MARKET.
AND THEN THIRDLY, IF YOU LOOK OVER A SEVEN TO 10 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, OF A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
SO WE COULD GROW OUR BUDGET, PUT MORE MONEY, LOOK AT NEW, UM, MARKETS TO, TO GO AFTER.
UM, 'CAUSE WE WANTED TO ALSO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT MARKET SHARE, BUT WE WANT TO 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 NIGHTS STAY.
THE T THE 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, UM, THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BUDGET WOULD THEN BE THE BENEFACTOR OF THAT.
UM, THE BOARD OF THE T P CORPORATION WOULD I IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND WHAT ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOOSTED IN THE BUDGET.
IT'LL BE PART OF THE OVERALL PLAN FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
THOSE IDENT IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES FROM THE HOTELIERS THAT REPRESENT THE HOTELS IN THE DISTRICT OF THE T I D.
THERE'LL BE, UM, AN ANNUAL SERVICE PLAN APPROVED, UM, 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 THE 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 THAT THERE'LL BE A $10.4 MILLION REVENUE IN, UH, BOOST IN THE FIRST YEAR.
UM, IN 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 REALLY TO REALLY DRIVE THE SALES AND MARKETING EFFORT.
UM, IN, IN TURN, WE ALSO HAVE ASKED, UM, AND INCLUDED IN THE SALES, UM, IN THE SERVICE PLAN, A SEVEN TO ONE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE TPI CORPORATION WILL BE CLOSELY WATCHING HOW THE REVENUES, UM, EXECUTED AND HOW THAT, UM, HOW IT'S THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS COMING BACK AND, AND ULTIMATELY TO IMPACT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE FORMATION.
WE HAVE PROPOSED TWO DISTRICTS, A CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH WE'RE REFERRING TO AS ZONE ONE, AND THEN A ZONE TWO, WHICH INCORPORATES ALL OTHER HOTELS IN THE CITY, ALL THE HOTELS THAT HAVE A HUNDRED ROOMS OR MORE THAT PAY THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, OBVIOUSLY FOR HOTELS THAT ARE IN ZONE ONE AND IN ZONE TWO.
AND THE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE TPI BOARD WILL REPRESENT THOSE PRIORITIES FOR, FOR THEIR DIFFERENT, UM, ZONES.
UM, THIS IS A UNIQUE COMPONENT TO OUR TPI.
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'D JUST QUICKLY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HOTEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
IF YOU COULD ALL STAND, UM, THESE GUYS ARE THE, 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 TO SAN ANTONIO.
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JOB AND THEY MAKE ALL OF US IN OUR COMMUNITY LOOK GREAT.SO, UM, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, UM, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW, UH, TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ADVISABILITY OF CREATING A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND 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 IS HEREBY OPEN.
I WILL CALL, UH, CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, PLEASE CONTAIN YOUR COMMENTS TO THE, UH, RELEVANT FACTS IN ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AND WE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE LIST.
I'LL CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE SO HE CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD.
AND THEN AT THE END, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
WE'LL START WITH RUSTY WALLACE, FOLLOWED BY KEVIN LATON.
UH, I'M RUSTY WALLACE, CHAIRMAN OF THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'M ALSO AREA MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE OMNI LA MANION DEL RIO AND THE MAKARA HOTEL INUA, WHERE I'VE BEEN SINCE 2006.
AND I'M ALSO THE PRIOR CHAIR IN MY PAST TIME AS PRESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE TOURISM IMPROVE 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 AND THAT IS SUPPLEMENT THE SALES AND MARKETING OF OUR REMARKABLE CITY.
IN GETTING THESE FOLKS TO AGREE ON ANYTHING, IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT.
SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE'VE COME TOGETHER.
RECENTLY, WE'VE SEEN OTHER CITIES, MANY OF THEM BENEFITING FROM THEIR OWN T I D FUNDS BEGIN TO CUT INTO OUR MARKET SHARE AND THREATEN OUR REGIONAL DOMINANCE AS A LEISURE AND CONVENTION DESTINATION.
IT'S TRUE IN PART BECAUSE COMPETITORS LIKE DALLAS, ARLINGTON, AND FORT WORTH HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY UP THEIR MARKETING GAME AND THEIR SPEND TO CREATE OR TO ATTRACT CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS AND LEISURE.
AS Y'ALL KNOW, TOURISM IS THE THIRD LARGEST INDUSTRY IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S A 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.
THESE MY FELLOW HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS FROM DISHWASHERS AND COOKS TO FINANCE EXECUTIVES AND HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGERS COUNT ON OUR ABILITY TO BRING VISITORS TO THIS CITY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S WHY THE HOTEL INDUSTRY HAS COME TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF THE T I D.
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 IN CULTURE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND COMMUNITY-WIDE PROJECTS LIKE THE IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPANSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVERWALK, THE BUILDING AND EXPANSION OF AMATEUR SPORTS FACILITIES AND VENUES LIKE THE TOBIN CENTER THAT WE ALL ENJOY.
AS MY FRIEND CASSANDRA MATE SAYS, TOURISM IS BIG BUSINESS FOR SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S GOOD FOR VISITORS AND FRANKLY IT'S GREAT FOR RESIDENTS.
SO AGAIN, WE ASK TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
KEVIN LATON, FOLLOWED BY HOPE ANDRA.
MY NAME'S KEVIN LATTON AND I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I'M ALSO GENERAL MANAGER AT THE WYNDHAM HOTEL HERE DOWNTOWN.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEWER COUNCIL MEMBERS 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 TIMEFRAME.
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 T I D I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY TO HELP US SUCCESSFULLY COMPETE THE CHALLENGE THIS COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US.
OVER THE PAST 16 MONTHS, WE HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SUCCESSFULLY BRING THIS INITIATIVE TO YOU.
TODAY WE HAVE CO-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 WERE AWARE OF OUR STEPS AND OUR PROGRESS.
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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 GUEST.
BUT WE BELIEVE THIS MODEL WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE AN 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.
THANK YOU, MR. LATTON HOPE ANDRADE, FOLLOWED BY HENRY FELDMAN.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MISS 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'VE 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, HOSPITALITY 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'VE 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.
SECRETARY ANDRADE HENRY FELDMAN, FOLLOWED BY BILL PETRELL.
UM, I AM, UH, PRESENTLY THE, UH, OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A HOTEL IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.
UH, AND, UH, PAST CHAIR OF THE, UH, THANK YOU PAST CHAIR OF THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION IN THE SAN ANTONIO TOURISM COUNCIL.
16 YEARS AGO, UH, I WAS CHAIR OF, UH, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU AND WE HAD, UH, THE SAME DOLLAR BUDGET FOR ADVERTISING AS WE DO TODAY.
UM, SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, AND IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, WHAT THAT MEANS IN, UH, TODAY'S DOLLARS, THAT'S ABOUT, UH, 35% OF, UH, WHAT WE HAD 16 YEARS AGO.
UM, SO THE URGENT NEED TO HAVE A TPI IS CRITICAL.
AND, UM, I URGE YOU TODAY TO VOTE ON THAT IT'LL 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 MANY OF THEM ARE TOP COMPETITORS, UM, HAVE ALREADY GOT A TEE PIT AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF THIS INDUSTRY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND, UH, OVER 20 YEARS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING TO THIS COUNCIL AND OTHER COUNCILS
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AND OTHER MAYORS ABOUT THE RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS, UH, GREAT INDUSTRY.SO I URGE YOU TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH THIS TPIT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS INDUSTRY GIVES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY TO CHARITIES, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS CHAIR OF THE FOOD BANK BOARD AND I'M STILL ON THAT FOOD BANK BOARD AND THE FOOD BANK AND MANY OTHER CHARITIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BENEFIT GREATLY FROM THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY.
BILL PETRE, FOLLOWED BY TODD WALKER.
I'M BILL PETRELL, PRESIDENT OF HOTEL EMMA, LOCATED AT THE PEARL.
I'M ALSO THE FORMER CH CHAIRMAN OF SAN ANTONIO HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I WAS ALSO A BOARD MEMBER ON THE C V C HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ALSO IN SEVERAL OTHER CITIES.
I STAND HERE TODAY, UH, TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE TPI 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 T I D FUNDS WILL BRING.
BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE A GREAT STORY TO TELL IN SAN ANTONIO IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF ALL YOUR HARD WORK FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY.
THE REALITY IS IT TAKES RESOURCES TO TELL THAT STORY.
AND THE T I D FUNDS ARE REALLY NECESSARY, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
TODD WALKER, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT ROKI.
UH, MY NAME IS TODD WALKER AND I'VE BEEN, UH, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE FOR 25 YEARS.
UH, DURING THAT TIME I'VE WORKED IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY AS A CONSULTANT IN EVERY MANNER OF, UH, HOTEL PRODUCTS OR ADVERTISING OR LAWSUITS OR PRODUCTION.
UH, SAN ANTONIO NEEDS TO ADVERTISE.
YOU'VE LOST MARKET SHARE, UH, 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 T P I D WILL GIVE US THE STRENGTH AND THE ENERGY TO MOVE ON AND DO THAT MOVE FORWARD, GAIN OUR MARKET SHARE BACK, AND, UH, MOVE ON TO MORE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE WHETHER WE HAVE BETTER TACOS THAN AUSTIN
UH, IT'S A GOOD THING AND UH, I HOPE YOU ALL VOTE FOR IT.
ROBERT TREKI, FOLLOWED BY SUSIE HART.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF HOSPITALITY FOR ZACHARY, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE HILTON PO OF RIO.
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BEING CONSIDERED.
IN MY VIEW, THIS IS A MOVE THAT WILL CARRY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ACROSS OUR LANDSCAPE MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AND THAT ALL 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 BUT THE ENTIRE BUSINESS SECTOR AND COMMUNITY AS WELL.
IT'LL 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'D LIKE TO HELP MAKE THEM EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IN THE YEARS TO COME.
I'M A CURRENT AND PASSPORT 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 THIS CITY.
THE RESULT OF THAT, IN OUR VIEW WOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE TODAY, VOTE YES FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, YESTERDAY THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
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HOMELESSNESS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.I TODAY WOULD VOLUNTEER PERSONALLY TO BE 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.
SUSIE HART, FOLLOWED BY BELINDA HARTWIG.
I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE MARRIOTT RIVER CENTER AND RIVER WALK HOTELS.
UM, I MOVED HERE THIS SPRING IN APRIL AND WE ARE, MY HUSBAND AND I ARE SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF, UH, THIS GREAT COMMUNITY.
I HAVE BEEN A, UH, GENERAL MANAGER AT TWO HOTELS IN DALLAS AND IN HOUSTON AND ALSO IN CALIFORNIA.
SO I WAS THERE AT THE ORIGINATION, UM, WHEN WE STARTED THE TEA IDS IN SEVERAL CITIES.
AND I CAN PERSONALLY TELL YOU WHAT THEY DID FOR THOSE CITIES AND HOW IT FOSTERED THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO EXPANDED GROWTH IN BOTH THE LEISURE MARKET AND ALSO COUPLED WITH THE GROUP IN CONVENTION MARKET.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME TOUGH YEARS IN 2019 AND 2020 IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS, IT IS STRUGGLING.
AND I WITNESSED IN 2012 DALLAS EMBARKED ON THE TPIT BOARD.
AND AS THEY LOOK TODAY, THAT HAS DRIVEN $925 MILLION INTO THE CITY AND 2.1 BILLION TOTAL DOLLARS IN TOURISM INTO DALLAS.
I WAS ALSO IN SONOMA, CALIFORNIA WHEN NAPA AND SONOMA VALLEY INSTITUTED THE T PIT.
AND YOU WOULD THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY.
THEY HAVE WINE, THEY CAN, THEY CAN GROW THAT INDUSTRY, BUT IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER.
AND IT WAS A GAME CHANGER IN HOW WE REIN IN REINVIGORATED THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN, IN THOSE CITIES.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY A WIN-WIN THAT HAS ZERO FUNDING, HAS ZERO MONEY THAT NEEDS TO COME, COME FROM THE CITY.
WE CAN SELF-SUPPORT OUR, 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, UM, AND, AND CHART THE COURSE AND MAKE IT BETTER AGAIN.
BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE LIVED IN EVERY CITY IN, IN TEXAS, IN SAN ANTONIO.
THERE'S NOBODY THAT HAS A BETTER SOLE AND A BETTER CULTURE AND A BETTER HERITAGE THAN OUR CITY.
AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO FALL BEHIND.
AND SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT.
I WILL ALSO SAY THIS IN DALLAS AND IN CALIFORNIA, I WAS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CALLED BACK ON MY FEET, WHICH IS SUSTAINABLE HOMELESS PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
I TOO, AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WE WILL BE COMMITTED AND WE WILL BE THERE TO HELP THOSE OTHER CAUSES.
AND 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.
SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO, FOR THE CITY TO HELP, BUT WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE, AND I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE, WE DESPERATELY NEED THIS TPI SO WE CAN CON CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
BELINDA HARTWIG, FOLLOWED BY SEAN KENNEDY.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS SEAN 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 HARTWIG, WHO IS 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 RIVERWALK, 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 THE DOWNTOWN PRESENCE, WE SEE FIRSTHAND THE NEED FOR HOMELESSNESS POPULATION TO HAVE A PLACE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THEM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A SEED 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
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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 T I D 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 COMMUNITY.
SCOTT JOLO, FOLLOWED BY THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT.
MY NAME IS SCOTT JOSLIN AND I'M PRESIDENT AND C E O OF THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
UM, I ALSO SERVE AS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE DALLAS TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OF FORT WORTH AND ARLINGTON TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
WE SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AS PART OF OUR OUTREACH FROM, FOR OUR NONPROFIT TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
IT'S A SERVICE WE PROVIDE THROUGH OUR LEGAL STAFF TO ANY TOURISM DISTRICT.
UM, 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'D BE GLAD TO HELP ON THE STATUTORY ISSUES OR ANY LEGAL ISSUES OR OPERATIONAL ISSUES ABOUT TOURISM, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS IN TEXAS.
THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT, THAT IS JOLENE GARCIA, JESUS LES AND ELIDA CONTRERAS, FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I APPRECIATE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO SPEAK, UM, BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UH, WE'RE HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND, UM, 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 TPI.
UM, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO THIS UNTIL AN AGREEMENT CAN 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 THAT LINE IN THE AGREEMENT, I KNOW YOU, 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 WANNA 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 TPIT VOTE UNTIL AN ALTERNATE ALTERNATE AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED OR REJECT THE TPIT 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 THE CITY, THEN EVERY DECISION, EVERY VOTE NEEDS TO REFLECT THAT PRIORITY,
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INCLUDING THIS ONE.AND WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO APPRECIATE, 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, THEY ARE DRUG ADDICTS.
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.
RIOS, THANK YOU MR. SALDANA, FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR BARRIOS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANK YOU TO ALL THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
WELL, MAYOR BERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
LET'S SAY THAT, UH, YOU HAVE SOME RELATIVES COMING IN FROM OUTTA TOWN AND THEY SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAPPEN KNOW OF A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE CAN SPEND THE NIGHT FOR FAIRLY CHEAP SINCE WE'RE ON A REAL TIGHT BUDGET? AND YOU SAY, YES, I KNOW HOTEL X, Y, Z, RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, ONLY 60 BUCKS A NIGHT.
AND THE RELATIVE SAYS, THANK YOU, I WE NEED SOMETHING BECAUSE WE ARE ON A TIGHT BUDGET.
THEY GO DOWN THERE AND, AND THE, AND THE HOTEL CLERK SAYS, NO, IT'S NOT 60, IT'S GONNA BE $70, 70.
WHERE DID THE EXTRA $10 COME FROM? OH, THAT'S THE HOTEL TAX,
THAT'S ABOUT, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY HIGH, ISN'T IT? AND THE CLERK SAYS, YEP.
WHERE ARE THE, AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE ENTIRE NATION? MAYBE THE HIGHEST
UH, AND BUT I NOTICED IN YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, I DIDN'T SEE THAT 16.75 ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
NO, I, I DIDN'T SEE THAT, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, I SHALL PUT IT UP THERE ON THE SCREEN SO I CAN SEE IT.
PLUS WHAT THE, THE MATH LOOKS LIKE HERE.
MR.
18% OVER AND ABOVE THE 16, PAST THE 16TH, 75 NOW.
SO THANK YOU, MR. AUDIO VISION, MAN, UH, MOVE THAT, ISN'T THAT LIKE KILLING THE, UH, THE, THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG? YOU KNOW, 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 'EM TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO.
NOT, NOT, NOT TO START LOOKING AT, DO I REALLY WANNA PAY THESE TAXES? MUST BE, I WONDER IF AUSTIN HOUSTON MADE ME MYRTLE.
LET'S, LET'S GO, LET'S GO TO DALLAS OR SOMETHING.
AND, UM, BUT, SO THE QUESTION IS WHY ARE WE HAVING TO DO THIS? WHY CAN'T, WHY DOESN'T OUR CURRENT BUDGET A ALLOW
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FOR THIS STUFF? MR. MANN, TURN THE PAGE OVER AND LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE OTHER CIRCLED ITEMS THAT YOU SEE ON, ON THAT PAGE THERE.YOU'LL SEE THE WORD 10 MILLION BUCKS EXTRA ANNUALLY.
10 MILLION BUCKS LOWER THERE, THERE, YEAH.
THE, I THINK WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE SALIVATING OVER 10 MILLION EXTRA BUCKS COMING IN HERE AND FOR THE EXTRA BUREAUCRACY.
I WAS GONNA SAY MS. SCULLY, BUT SHE'S NOT IN HER CHAIR RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS THE FINAL, UH, 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 CLOSED.
COUNCILMAN GRO LETICIA, IF YOU COULD DO YOUR PRESENTATION AND THEN I'LL SPEAK AFTER THAT.
SO, UH, THE PI ACT, OF COURSE, PROVIDES FOR A PETITION TO CREATE THE TPI, AND IT'S A SUFFICIENT ONLY IF TWO REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, AND THEY'RE LISTED UP THERE ON THE SCREEN.
MORE THAN 60% OF ALL RECORD OWNERS OF TAXABLE RAIL PROPERTY, THEY'RE LIABLE FOR ASSESSMENT.
AND ALSO, UH, MORE THAN 60% OF THE APPRAISED VALUE OF TA, REAL TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY LIABLE FOR THE ASSESSMENT.
SO, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 18 6 DASH 21 DASH ZERO 500 AUTHORIZE THE MASTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND VISIT SA AND THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT, UH, DISTRICT CORPORATION.
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 SS A T PIT.
THE PETITION WAS VERIFIED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW UTILIZING BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT PROPERTY RECORDS AND VALUE.
SO STEP ONE 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 POINT 52% OF 155 RECORD OWNERS WHO SIGNED THE PETITION WERE VERIFIED, WHICH AGAIN, IS MORE THAN THE 60% REQUIRED.
STEP TWO 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 VER UH, PRESENTATION, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
I DO WANNA 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.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN HERE, UH, TODAY AND YESTERDAY, AND ALL OF THE MEETINGS.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE AND USING YOUR VOICE, UM, TO SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND TO THE, TO THE WORK.
UM, FIRST, I KNOW THAT I WANT TO, UH, TO NOTICE THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY IS THE, THE T I D.
IT IS AN AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND WORKING FOR, FOR TWO YEARS, AND IT'S ALSO A DIRECTION THAT COMES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED AND FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THAT DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
I WANNA THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR ALL OF THE DIALOGUE YESTERDAY, AND THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT MOVE FORWARD.
I DO BELIEVE THAT SECRETARY ANDRAS SAID IT BEST WHEN SHE SAID THAT WE DO DESERVE, UM, TO PUT OURSELVES FORWARD IN THIS COM IN THIS COMPETITIVE NATURE, AND THAT THE TOURISM AND 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
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TO SUPPORT THIS T P I D AS WE MOVE FORWARD.AND, UM, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR A, B, AND C.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS, UH, OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
AND MOVE NOW TO FURTHER COUNCIL COMMENT.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN TRAVINO.
UH, I JUST WANNA STATE THAT I SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND THE WORK THAT WENT INTO ADVANCING THIS, ESPECIALLY TO THE EFFORTS OF V S A CASSANDRA AND HER TEAM AND LISA BARCIA WITH THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
UH, 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 NOT BE VOICELESS, UH, AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST, UM, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN SALDANA FOR BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND HOW WE CAN CREATIVELY COLLABORATE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
UH, I PLEDGE TO WORK WITH YOU COUNCILMAN, AND LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING A FULL RANGE OF OPTIONS AS WE TACKLE FUNDING HOMELESS ASSISTANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE NEW YEAR, UH, INCLUDING THE PROPOSAL YOU AND I WORKED ON IN WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND FIND SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO GENERATE, UH, FUNDS TO IMPROVE HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
UM, I THINK A, IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT A PLAN IS IN THE WORKS, AND TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT, UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.
IT'S NEVER TOO, TOO LATE TO HAVE VERY, VERY, VERY THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILMAN ALANI, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
I TOO, WANT TO JUST OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR THIS TPI.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN, UH, COUNCILMAN SALDANA FIRST, UH, BROACHED THE SUBJECT OF TRYING TO, UH, INCORPORATE THIS INTO AN EFFORT TO HELP THE HOMELESS, UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT AND SEE IF IT CAN FIT TOGETHER.
I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE, UH, CREATION OF THIS TPI 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, AND, UH, FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S EFFORT TO, UH, HELP THE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS THIS PARTICULAR, UH, ITEM, I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S WELL SUITED TO HELP, UH, IMPROVE THE, UH, THE VISIBILITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BRING MORE PEOPLE HERE, UH, AND THAT'LL HELP ALL OF US CREATE A, A BETTER COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I, UH, WANT TO THANK, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND TEAM FOR COMING IN ONE, ONE MORE TIME AND TO THE, UH, THE INDUSTRY AND THE ASSOCIATION AND TOURISM FOLKS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IT WAS, UH, POWERFUL WHEN YOU STOOD UP AS, AS A GROUP, UH, IN SUPPORT OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT MORE SO, UH, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE CITY.
IT, IT, YES, YOU'RE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BUT YOU ARE TELLING A STORY OF WHAT SAN ANTONIO IS.
AND FOR THAT, UH, WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL, UH, AND YOUR ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, TO ACTUALLY LEVY ATTACKS ON YOURSELF, AND THEN TO TURN THAT AROUND AND BRING THAT PROFITABILITY TO THE CITY.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THOSE THINGS.
AND, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH WHEN, UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T RUN A BUSINESS, IF YOU HAVEN'T CUT A PAYROLL, IF YOU HAVEN'T LED AN ORGANIZATION, UH, LED PEOPLE LIKE THAT, WHERE THE MARGINS ARE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARE SO SMALL AND THIN THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS OR 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 THAT, THAT I THINK RUNS RAMPANT ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND IF WE DON'T LEARN HOW TO EMBRACE AND PARTNER WITH THIS, WITH YOUR INDUSTRY IN MANY INDUSTRIES, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, WORKING TOGETHER, UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE THE EXPERTS IN YOUR FIELD, UH, 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, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALL THAT, YOU ARE THE VEHICLE THAT'S GOING TO DO THAT.
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT CREATE JOBS.
[01:30:01]
DO NOT DO ANY OF THAT THE INDUSTRY DOES.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, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I REITERATED THAT ONE MORE TIME.
THAT WE ARE 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, UH, THE JOBS, THE OPPORTUNITY, THE UPPER MOBILITY, AND A LOT OF FOLKS WORKING THERE ARE PART-TIMERS MAKING ENDS MEET BY WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS.
AND WHAT YOU BRING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE HIGHER GOAL IS TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UH, IN THE STORY YOU TELL THE SAN ANTONIO, YOU'RE THEIR FIRST IMPACT.
YOU'RE THEIR FIRST CONTACT WITH SAN ANTONIO.
ACTUALLY, MAYBE VERY WELL BE THE UBER DRIVER THEY GET IN THERE FROM THE AIRPORT AND HOW THEY DRIVE DOWN TO YOUR HOTEL.
AND WHEN YOU'RE THE FOLKS THAT ARE PRESENTING SAN ANTONIO, UH, AND, AND THE FACE OF THAT COMMUNITY, THE FIRST CONTACT, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT MONEY IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
IT BRINGS IN 10 MILLION, BUT IT BRINGS A HUNDRED MILLION OR $200 MILLION WORTH OF INVESTMENT.
WE HAVE TO BE WISE ABOUT THAT.
CAN'T SHORT SAY THAT'S, THESE ARE LEVERAGED FUNDS.
WE USE THAT WORD A LOT ON THIS COUNCIL.
IT PUTS MONEY IN TO BRING LARGE AMOUNTS OF AMOUNTS OF MONEY OUT.
AND I WANT TO JUST ON A SIDE NOTE, SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT THREE SAID YESTERDAY.
UM, WE ARE ALREADY DOING GREAT WORK IN THE HOMELESS BUSINESS.
EVERY DISTRICT IS, I THINK WE'RE DOING FANTASTIC WORK IN IT.
AND JUST YESTERDAY, I MEAN, ACTUALLY TODAY MY TEAM TEXTED ME THAT WE TOOK TWO HOMELESS.
WE'VE GOT TWO HOMELESS FOLKS OFF THE STREET, AND THEY WENT DOWN TO HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND THEY TOOK THE SERVICES DETOX.
IT'S ABOUT ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING THE FUNDS AND THE MONIES WE HAVE NOW AND PUTTING 'EM TO THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
UM, I COPIED MY INITIATIVE FROM COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRIME, AND IT HAS BEEN WILDLY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE I PIGGYBACKED ON HER MODEL.
UM, SO THE WORK IS MORE THAN THE DOLLARS.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE DOING GOOD WORK ALREADY.
I THINK FROM FUNDING BETWEEN, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY MENTIONED EIGHT TO $55 MILLION, THAT'S A BIG INVESTMENT.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
BUT LET'S NOT SHORTCHANGE WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING AND THE FANTASTIC WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE JUST GOT TO GET BETTER AT IT.
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IT'S A COMMUNICATION PIECE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ALL BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT.
I KNOW IN DISTRICT SIX, WE'VE BEEN ON IT SINCE I TOOK OFFICE ON THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE, UM, BECAUSE I SAW WHAT, WHAT REBECCA VIA GRAND HAD BEEN DOING, AND I TOOK IT AND, AND, 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 CENTERING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
WE AIN'T MISSING ANYTHING IN IT.
AND THIS COUNCIL AND MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ENGAGING.
AND SO I HOPE WE WOULD BE FAR MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THE SUCCESSES WE ARE HAVING AND THE THINGS WE'VE CREATED THAN MAKING IT SEEM AS THOUGH WE'RE FAILING OR MISSING THE BOAT.
UM, I WANNA STAND UP FOR THE GOOD WORK OF MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE STEPPED IN THERE AND DONE THAT JOB AND FILLED THAT SPACE.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING THIS WITH MY FULL SUPPORT, MAKING SURE THIS COUNCIL REMEMBERS ITS POSITION, UH, WHEN IT COMES FORWARD AND, AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UH, THE T BID'S GONNA GET MY SUPPORT TODAY.
UM, I'LL I'LL TAKE UP ONE COMMENT THOUGH, AND, AND I'LL CHALLENGE, UH, MY COUNCILMAN, UH, MY FRIEND MR. BROCK HOUSE.
WE'RE NOT DOING GREAT IN HOMELESSNESS.
IN FACT, WE'RE DOING SPECTACULARLY BAD.
THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE TODAY SLEEPING IN RAIN CULVERTS WHO ARE COLD AND WET.
WE GOT 3000 PLUS HOMELESS PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO WOULD DISAGREE THAT WE'RE DOING GREAT IN HOMELESSNESS.
UM, AND I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES THAT WE CAN DO A LOT MORE STRIVING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, DOING GOOD AND GOOD ENOUGH.
UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US SHOULD STOP UNTIL WE ARE ONE OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN THE WORLD WITH THE FEWEST NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A NOT AN ASPIRATIONAL GOAL.
I THINK THAT'S A PERFECTLY REASONABLE GOAL FOR PEOPLE WHO TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY.
UM, IT IS NOT TO SAY THAT MR. BROCK HOUSE DOESN'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
I THINK HE DOES, AND I ADMIRE THE WORK THAT HE'S BEEN DOING ON IT.
AND I JUST THINK THAT OUR GOALS, UM, AND, 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.
UM, AND WE, UH, 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, UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS HELPING.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
UH, I THINK YOU GUYS PROVIDE A LOT OF MONEY, UH, TO, UH, INITIATIVES ALL OVER, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE NONPROFIT AND GEO SPECTRUM, RIGHT? WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.
[01:35:01]
YOU GUYS DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL WORK.YOU KNOW, UH, NONPROFITS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, FAMILY AND HEALTH AND CANCER AND RESEARCH AND POVERTY INITIATIVES.
UM, EVERY TIME YOU STAY AT ANY OF THE HOTELS IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, YOU ARE GETTING TO PARTICIPATE IN, YOU KNOW, YOUR LOCAL, UM, CHARITABLE EFFORTS.
UH, BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF THESE HOTELS, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTES A LITTLE BIT OF THE MONEY THEY MAKE TO THOSE EFFORTS.
I REJECT ALSO THAT ACCEPTANCE OF THIS TID TODAY AND SUPPORT OF THE TID IS SOMEHOW, UM, YOU KNOW, A REJECTION OF OUR EFFORTS TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS.
THAT IS A FALSE BINARY CHOICE.
ANYBODY WHO TELLS YOU THAT BECAUSE WE SUPPORT THE TID, UM, WE THEREFORE DON'T SUPPORT HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS IS MISINFORMED OR TRYING TO MISINFORM YOU.
UM, AND SO, UH, THERE'S NOBODY ON THIS DAIS UP HERE THAT ISN'T VERY WORRIED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND HOW WE TACKLE THIS ISSUE.
UM, THAT SAID, I DO WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU, CASSANDRA, LISA, AND ALL YOUR MEMBERS.
UM, I, 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, UH, SIT DOWN WITH THE REST OF US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO MORE OF.
UM, I ACCEPT YOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THAT CHALLENGE.
UM, AND IN FACT, I WANNA START THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
SO PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR CALENDARS.
UM, IN FACT, WE'RE GONNA MEET NEXT WEEK, HOPEFULLY SOMETIME TO START TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
CHRISTMAS IS UPON US, RIGHT? THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US.
THERE'S GONNA 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, YOU KNOW, DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASONS.
THAT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE, RIGHT? AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M ALSO GONNA CHALLENGE YOU IS THAT, YOU KNOW, BY DEFINITION, THE WOMEN AND THE KIDS WHO ARE AT THE, YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS ARE BY DEFINITION THEY'RE HOMELESS.
AND I'M GONNA CHALLENGE YOUR INDUSTRY TO TAKE UP ON 2019.
MAYBE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH A CITY, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR SHELTERS AND YOU GUYS TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO PROVIDE A, UM, 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 GONNA 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 BIT BETTER, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? UM, AND NO SHADE ON YOU GUYS AT ALL.
UH, YOU GUYS ARE IMPROVING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NOW, LASTLY, WHEN ROBERT THRE KILL AND HENRY FELDMAN TELL ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, UH, IN ORDER TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE, THAT DEBATE IS OVER.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO MAKE US A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE.
AND SO LET ME JUST END MAYOR BY READING A LIST OF, OF CITIES, DENVER, NEW ORLEANS, NAPA VALLEY, MEMPHIS, NASHVILLE, SAN DIEGO, DALLAS, BALTIMORE, LAS VEGAS, SEATTLE.
THOSE ARE OUR BIGGEST COMPETITORS.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE CITIES HAS A TPI AND WE'RE NOT COMPETING WITH THEM IN EVERY SINGLE WAY.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS SEEDING MARKET, VAL, UH, YOU KNOW, MARKET SHARE.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST A DUMB WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
UM, AND MY HOPE IS, IS THAT YOU CAN KICK THE PANTS OFF OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE CITIES AND CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE TO, TO US.
UH, BECAUSE THAT'S AN, THAT'S A, LIKE COUNCILMAN BROCKO SAYS, THAT'S A FORCE MULTIPLIER, RIGHT? UM, 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, YOU'RE THE SECOND FOLKS, UH, BUT STILL, YOU'RE THE BEST SECOND IN THE WORLD.
AND, UH, 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.
I 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, I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT, ALTHOUGH I HAD SOME CONCERNS RIGHT OFF THE BATTER.
WE KIND OF TAXING OURSELVES OUTTA THE MARKET.
BUT I SAID, HEY, CASSANDRA, WE HAD SOME VERY TOUGH TALKS ABOUT THIS.
I 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 WHILE AGO ABOUT RETURNING ON INVESTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK,
[01:40:01]
AND IF WE DON'T SEE A, A, A RISE IN OUR, UH, STAYS HERE IN TOWN, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UP TO THE INDUSTRY THEN TO SAY, HEY, IT IS, IT'S NOT WORKING.LET'S, LET'S SEE ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ELSE, OR, LET'S BACK OFF OF THIS TPI.
BUT, UH, I'M GONNA TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS.
AND, UM, I THINK, I THINK IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THAT THE INDUSTRY KNOWS BEST ON HOW IT SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY.
BECAUSE AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A PROFIT TO OPERATE, TO PAY EMPLOYEES, TO WORK THROUGH ISSUES AND, AND EXPAND AND KEEP THIS ECONOMY EXPANDING HERE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS BEING LINKED TO, UH, HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT IS IMPORTANT HERE IN TOWN.
UH, WE HAVE VETERANS OUT THERE THAT ARE HOMELESS, AND I'M VERY KEEN TO THAT.
UH, WE'VE GOT A TASK FORCE IN DISTRICT 10 LED BY DIANA KENNY, WHO'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, IMPROVE OUR SERVICES AND FOCUS IN USING OUR EXISTING, OUR EXISTING DOLLARS AND ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE, WHETHER THEY'RE NON-PROFIT, FAITH-BASED, CITY, UM, CITY OPPORTUNITIES TO FOCUS THOSE IN ON WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE AND HELP TO FIX THOSE.
AND, UH, I JUST WANT TO GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT THAT SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
UH, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
EVERYBODY UP HERE ON THIS DAIS IS ENGAGED WITH A HOMELESS SITUATION.
WE'RE ALL DOING THINGS, AND I, I THINK THIS IS A LONG-TERM PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOLVED OVERNIGHT.
IT HASN'T BEEN SOLVED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.
WE'RE NOT GONNA 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, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
AND I KNOW I WILL, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO MORE HERE AS A CITY.
BUT USING THIS TPI, 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 OF THE BUY-IN FROM THE INDUSTRY OWNERS.
AND I, 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.
UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT IT PASSES, BUT, UH, GOOD LUCK TO THE INDUSTRY AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE RESULTS.
AND LET ME THANK THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE IN THE ROOM WHO ARE, WERE FROM THIS INDUSTRY.
I'VE BEEN, UH, ON THE COUNCIL SINCE 2011.
AND WHAT HAS ALWAYS IMPRESSED ME, UH, ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY IS THAT, AS I'VE WATCHED IT AND TRACKED IT YEAR AFTER YEAR, I REMEMBER COMING IN, UH, IN 2011 AND, AND, UH, CASSANDRA, YOU'LL, YOU'LL, UH, YOU'LL GET A KICK OUTTA THIS.
'CAUSE IT USED TO BE THAT, UH, THE INDUSTRY WAS, AND THE PAMPHLETS WERE PUT OUT BY THE C V B, AND IT WAS $11 BILLION INDUSTRY.
AND WE HAD A, A LOT OF REALLY GREAT THINGS TO TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT THAT IT HAD ON, UH, UH, NOT ONLY HOTEL STAYS, BUT, UH, RESTAURANTS, OUR BARS, OUR SALES TAX.
UH, AND SINCE 2011, WE'VE SEEN THAT INCH TO 13 BILLION IN OTHER REPORTS.
AND NOW WE'RE AT 15 BILLION, UH, IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND I THINK THAT'S REMARKABLE FOR THE CITY.
I, I WILL STEAL A LINE AND SAY THAT WHEN THE INDUSTRY DOES WELL, EVERYONE ELSE, UH, DOES WELL.
I, I DO BELIEVE IN THAT TREND.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT IT, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, UH, ON ACCIDENT.
AND I THINK, UH, THAT'S THE, 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.
UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL TAKE RUSTY, UH, WALLACE'S, AS HAS, UH, COMMENTS AS TRUTH THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET COMPETITORS IN A ROOM AND TO AGREE ON ONE ANOTHER.
UH, I'VE HEARD THE TERM, YOU KNOW, HERDING CATS, BUT IN, IN OTHER CASES, I, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN A TOWN HALL AND PRESENT AN IDEA, UH, THAT WE ALL HAVE TO MARCH TOWARDS AND SAY, THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF US.
THIS IS THE, UH, CO-OP, UH, VISION AND PHILOSOPHY.
AND THAT IF, IF WE CAN SOLVE FOR THIS, IT'LL HELP US BE COMPETITIVE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I HATE, I HATE THAT, UM, 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, AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME KIND OF DYNAMIC THAT EXISTS AMONGST THE HOTEL EARS OR THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE INDUSTRY WHO HAD TO SUPPORT AND SIGN
[01:45:01]
ON TO THIS.THEY HAD TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD BENEFIT MY INDUSTRY, HOW THIS WOULD BENEFIT, UH, THE FOLKS THAT WORK FOR ME, AND THE BOTTOM LINE.
AND HOW, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, CASSANDRA AND LISA, YOU ALL WALK IN THERE AND SAY THERE'S A BIGGER VISION.
UH, IT'S THAT $11 BILLION INDUSTRY OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
IT'S GROWN INTO 13, THAT'S GROWN INTO 15 AND HOPEFULLY PROJECTS INTO THE FUTURE, UH, MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT, UM, UH, 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 TYPE OF WORK THAT IT TOOK TO, UH, GET EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TOGETHER, AGREE THAT THE TPI WAS THE RIGHT MOVE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF OF APPROACH THAT I'VE WANTED TO TRY TO HAVE IN TERMS OF A, OF A DISCUSSION THAT MAYBE IT WORKS IN A DIFFERENT WAY, UM, THAT STILL IS CONGRUENT WITH THE LARGER GOALS OF THE INDUSTRY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T, UM, CHARACTERIZE THE, THE, THE PUSH AND THE INITIATIVE TO LOOK AT THE TPIT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR HOMELESS NONPROFITS AS, AS A PANACEA.
UH, I, I THOUGHT IN MY MIND THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE PIECE IN A, 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, OF APPROACHES TO, TO THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS THAT I THINK ARRIVES AT YOUR DOOR SOMETIMES.
BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR BECAUSE IT PROBABLY SOUNDED FAMILIAR TO HOW YOU WERE ORGANIZING YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THE T ID, 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, WITH THEM? AND SO I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, 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.
UM, AND, AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND, AND RELYING ON THESE NOT NON-PROFITS.
AND SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SIT IN A BOARDROOM 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 AND HE GOES TO THESE ENCAMPMENTS, UH, IT'S HIS THIRD OR HIS FOURTH TIME OUT THERE, AND IN MANY CASES, THEY DON'T WANT TO RECEIVE THE SERVICES THE FIRST TIME I'M OUT THERE.
SO IF, HOW CAN WE REPLICATE THE RON BROWNS? AND, AND THEN WHEN RON BROWN IS SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN WORKING WITH A, A HOMELESS VETERAN WHO HAS P T S D 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 CASEWORKERS ARE CURRENTLY TOO FULL TO TAKE ON ANOTHER CASE.
THEY'RE SOLVING FOR A PROBLEM.
AND, AND I, AND 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, 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 MY THOUGHT WAS THAT THIS COULD BE PASSED THROUGH TO THOSE ORGAN ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR THEIR PROBLEMS. BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THEY CAN'T TAX THE HOMELESS WHO COME TO THEM AND, 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 FOUR AND A HALF 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, AND MY MISTAKE WAS NOT REALLY LEARNING ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE TID TILL AFTER WE PASSED JUNE 21ST.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BECAUSE THE, THE SCOPE OF THE TPI WE MET, WE MAY NOT BE THE FIRST CITY TO EXECUTE IT.
AND, 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, SOME COMMUNITY MAY ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO, TO PUT THE TWO TOGETHER.
UH, AND, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOTELIERS AND WE HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT A PUBLIC IMPACT, UH, THAT MIGHT STILL FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF T I D THAT THAT MAY WORK, IT MAY NOT WORK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IN THIS CASE, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S WHERE I WAS COMING FROM IN TERMS OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH, WITH, UH, NONPROFITS WHO WERE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR THEIR OWN PROBLEMS AND, AND, AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT I, I THOUGHT WE COULD THREAD THE NEEDLE AND DO TWO THINGS AT ONCE, UM, REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND, AND DO A TPI WITH A NEW SERVICE AGREEMENT THAT INCLUDED, YOU KNOW, UH, 10% THAT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THESE NONPROFITS.
BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE, UH, YOUR MONEY TO, TO SOLVE FOR SOMETHING THAT I SELFISHLY THINK IS, IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE'VE ALL COME, COME AROUND THE, THE TABLE ON THIS, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN EXPERIENCES OF, OF OUR OWN INDIVIDUALS AND, AND, AND, 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, OF ATTACKS ON OUR TOURIST.
I I THINK, AS I'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST WEEK SINCE
[01:50:01]
THIS DISCUSSIONS BECOME MORE PUBLIC, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE MORE THAN JUST INTENTIONAL, MORE THAN JUST, AND THANK YOU ROBERT, FOR AGREEING TO COME TO THE TABLE AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS.UH, WE HAVE TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL THAN JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE WE, WE KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE.
WE CAN TALK TO ANYONE OF THESE NONPROFITS.
THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THEY NEED MORE BED SPACE.
THEY TELL YOU THAT THEY NEED MORE CASE CASEWORKERS BECAUSE THESE FOLKS DON'T WORK FOR, FOR NOTHING.
THEY, I WISH THEY WOULD BE VOLUNTEERS, BUT THE PROFESSIONALS LIKE RON BROWN, THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY COLLECT A SALARY, AND I THINK THEY SHOULD DOUBLE THEIR SALARY FOR THE KIND OF, UH, WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS, WHAT THESE NONPROFITS ARE ASKING FOR.
AND I SAY THAT, UH, WHEN WE DO COME TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AS, AS, AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T NEED TO RECREATE THE WHEEL, UH, THAT WE KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS ARE, ARE DOING GOOD WORK, AND THEY'VE DOING IT.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT SUCCESSFULLY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY SOMEHOW.
UH, I APOLOGIZED IF I THOUGHT, I FELT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SOLUTION AND THE, THE HOTEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN, IN SEEING THIS.
AND I, AND I THINK YOU ALL DO, AND I THINK YOU ALL SUPPORT IN, IN A LOT OF INCREDIBLE WAYS.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I, I, I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT I ALSO LEARNED IS THAT HOMELESSNESS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY, IS, IS, IS SOMETIMES STRIKES PEOPLE IN THE WRONG WAY.
UH, THEY FEEL LIKE HOMELESSNESS IS A CHOICE.
THEY FEEL LIKE HOMELESSNESS IS A PROBLEM THAT CAN NEVER BE SOLVED.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE GOAL THAT YOU TAKE WHEN WE APPROACH THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING.
UH, I THINK YOU SOLVE FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS.
UH, ONE EXAMPLE THAT SOMEBODY BROUGHT TO ME THAT I THOUGHT WAS INCREDIBLE, THAT IF CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN WHO ARE AGING OUTTA THE FOSTER CARE AT 18, UH, 40% OF THEM ARE, ARE AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS.
THESE ARE KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE PARENTS WHO ARE AGING OUTTA THE SYSTEM THAT IS UNDERFUNDED, WHOSE LIKELY NEXT STEP IS, IS EITHER A LIFE OF CRIME THAT MIGHT THEN LEAD THEM TO HOMELESSNESS OR ADDICTION.
THESE ARE SAN ANTONIANS AND I, I'M, I'M BLESSED TO KNOW THAT THE NONPROFITS WHO ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DO THAT ARE, ARE TRYING THE BEST THEY CAN TO RAISE THE FUNDS AND KNOCK ON OUR DOORS AND, AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR OF INDUSTRY FOLKS AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO TRY TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. UH, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY WILL BE AT THE TABLE AND THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL BE AT THE TABLE, UH, TO DISCUSS THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
UH, CASSANDRA, LISA, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE, THE RESPECTFUL AND CANDID CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, IN OUR OFFICE AND IN THE FRANK DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD HERE.
AGAIN, I'LL I'LL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR AN EIGHT YEAR TERM, I THINK IS JUST INCUMBENT UPON US AS CITY COUNCILMEN TO HAVE US AS, AS, AS, AS THOUGHTFUL AND EVEN TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, UH, PUBLICLY TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS KNOW, UH, HOW THIS IS HAPPENING.
I, UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T KNOW, I CAN'T UNKNOW WHAT I KNOW.
AND, AND I DO THINK THAT THE T I D IS, IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION.
UH, I, I LEARNED IT A LITTLE TOO LATE.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A BETTER, UM, PROPOSAL THAT LOOKS LIKE AN AGREEMENT, LOOKS LIKE A NEW SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES SUPPORT OF, OF THESE NONPROFITS.
AND, AND FOR THAT REASON, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL RESPECT THAT.
UH, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE TPI AS IT'S WRITTEN, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A DIFFERENT SET OF LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT INCLUDE, UH, SOME SUPPORT FROM THE INDUSTRY.
AND, AND NOT TO SAY THAT, THAT THAT WOULD BE THAT SOLVING KEY INGREDIENT FOR HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT WOULD HELP TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT I, AS A POLICYMAKER, UH, THINK IS IMPORTANT.
AND I, AS A POLICYMAKER, FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE A, A VOTE TO MAKE ON THE TPI.
UH, IF, 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 AND IT MAKES YOU BETTER.
IT MADE YOU BETTER WHEN YOU PUT THIS TPI FORWARD AND HAD TO TAKE IT IN FRONT OF HOTELIERS WHO HAD COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS.
UH, I THINK WE COULD MAKE THIS PROCESS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND COME UP WITH THE RESULTS IN A FEW MONTHS OR HALF A SIX MONTHS.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE APPETITE TO THIS COUNCIL.
BUT I DO MAKE, I, I WILL MAKE A PREDICTION, UM, IN A FEW YEARS, WHETHER I'M THIS COUNCIL OR NOT.
UH, THERE WILL BE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW TO HELP ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS.
THERE WILL BE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS HAVEN FOR HOPE.
SAM MINISTRIES, UH, THE AMERICAN GI FORUM WHO ARE SUPPORTING VETERANS.
A LOT OF THEM WILL TELL YOU, WE KNOW WHAT WE, WE NEED.
THEY'LL TELL YOU THEY'LL NEED RESOURCES AND FUNDING.
UM, I, I LOOKED AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT PUT PRESSURE ON OUR BUDGET OR WHAT WE CURRENTLY FUND.
AND, AND, UH, I THINK YOU ALL WILL BE IN A TOUGH POSITION LOOKING FOR OTHER RESOURCES, BUT THAT'S MY PREDICTION.
UH, AND WE'LL KNOW THE FOLKS AND WHO ARE THE EXPERTS ON HOW TO DO THIS.
I THINK WHAT THEY'LL NEED, UH, IS RESOURCES.
UH, SO THAT'S THE SERIOUS PART OF, OF THIS ISSUE.
AND I THINK THE HARD WORK IS FINDING THE, THE GOOD FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA COMMIT TO THIS, UH, LIKE THE RON BROWNS OF THE WORLD.
SO, UM, WITH THAT MAYOR, THOSE, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
I, I HATE TO BELABOR THIS MORE THAN I, WE'VE ALREADY DONE, BUT, UH, I, I HOPE THAT THE, THE FOLKS WILL CELEBRATE WHAT IS, I THINK, A REALLY GREAT DEAL, UH, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WE ARE GONNA BE COMPETITIVE WITH, WITH HU WITH HOUSTON AND AUSTIN AND DALLAS, AND WE'RE GONNA SEE 15 BILLION IN
[01:55:01]
A FEW YEARS.UH, FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING ASSETS THAT I, I'M GLAD SECRETARY ANDRA MENTIONED THAT WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED.
UH, THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT A T PIT IN SOME FORM.
UH, WE CANNOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE TOP TWO TOURIST DESTINATIONS.
WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE HAVE, UH, THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE DESIGNATION.
WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE ARE INVESTING A HUNDRED, 200 MILLION PLUS INTO OUR ALAMO PLAZA FOR A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CITY.
THOSE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALL SUPPORTED.
WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE'VE WON A FINAL FOUR.
THERE'S MORE WORK YET TO BE DONE.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES A TPI AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, BUT, UM, I, FOR ME, I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT IT AS IT IS TODAY.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I TOOK A TRIP TO SEATTLE, UH, AND I HAD ZACHARY, UH, 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 GONNA GO OUT AND GET SOME TYLENOL FOR ZACHARY.
AND I PUT HIM IN A CARRIER SO WE COULD GET SOME FRESH AIR.
UH, AND I STARTED WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
IT WAS MAYBE NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, SOMEWHERE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
AND I WAS SHOCKED BY ALL THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT CAME TO ME.
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 S S SCARED.
AND SO I SAT THERE AND I GOT THE TYLENOL, I GAVE IT TO HIM, AND I REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT HOW AM I GONNA GET BACK TO THE HOTEL SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING THAT, UM, 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 GONNA HAVE TO STAY IN THE HOTEL.
I, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT TILL WE CAN'T GO OUT TO A RESTAURANT.
UH, I'M VERY NERVOUS A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK.
AND OF, 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, UH, MAYBE A YEAR OR SO AGO, MS. JOSEFA, WHO CAME TO SPEAK HERE, UH, AT THE COUNCIL, UH, ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS THAT WE SEE, UH, IN OUR CITY, UM, ALSO HAD GONE, I'D GOTTEN A CALL, UH, ABOUT A, AN ENCAMPMENT.
AND I WENT TO SEE IT, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS.
I CALLED RON BROWN AND THE TEAM, AND, UM, THE CHIEF AND THE TEAM ALL GOT TOGETHER TO DO THE CLEANUP THAT WE DO, UH, REGARDING, UM, HOMELESSNESS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I HAD ONLY SEEN THE ENCAMPMENT.
UH, SO THE NEXT DAY, UM, A TEAM WENT OUT AND, UH, I WAS PREGNANT.
UM, AND I SAW THE PEOPLE, UH, WHICH I HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
AND RON BROWN SAID, WELL, YOU CAN COME.
WHY DON'T YOU COME AND TALK TO THESE PEOPLE? UM, AND AGAIN, I WAS VERY NERVOUS BECAUSE I COULD SEE THERE WAS A LOT OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
THEY HAD BEEN, UM, USING NEEDLES.
I WAS AFRAID OF GETTING STUCK.
UH, BUT WHEN I DID FINALLY GO, UH, 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, UM, BUT SOME OF THEM WERE NOT HOMELESS.
UH, AND THEY ALL JUST GOT UP AND WENT HOME.
UH, AND THEY WERE HANGING OUT THERE BECAUSE IT WAS WHERE PEOPLE WERE HANGING OUT.
UH, 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 FROM HAVEN.
UH, AND I SAID, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO DEAL WITH THIS CLEANUP? UH, AND THEN THE NECESSARY HELP TO GIVE PEOPLE THE COUNSELING THEY NEED OR THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO EAT.
THEY SAID IN SOME TIME, UH, THEY WERE ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME TO HAVEN.
UM, 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, UH, AS LONG AS IT TOOK FOR ALL THE TEAM TO COME AND, AND TAKE AWAY ALL OF THE MATTRESSES AND TAKE AWAY ALL THE CHAIRS, AND TAKE AWAY ALL THE, UM, KIND OF SETUP THEY'D HAD IN WHOLE ENCAMPMENT.
AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE PARTICIPATION.
IT WAS, IT TOOK HOURS, AND THERE WERE LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS.
THEY HAD BROUGHT THE WHOLE TEAM, UH, 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, UH, THERE THAT HAD VOLUNTEERED TO DO CLEANUP.
AND THEN OUR CITY TEAM, UM, WITH T C I AND
[02:00:01]
THEN SOLID WASTE.UH, AND THIS WAS JUST ON THE CORNER RIGHT AT, SORRY, SAMOR AND SELENA.
IT WASN'T THAT IT WASN'T HIDDEN.
UM, IT WAS REALLY PRETTY OBVIOUS RIGHT IN THE CORNER.
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 CENTER AND WHY WE'VE SUPPORTED IT AS WE HAVE THIS PIT 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.
UM, 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 RIVER WALK AND THEY ENJOY OUR PARKS, OUR HEMISPHERE, UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE FREE.
YOU CAN WALK ANYTIME YOU WANT FOR FREE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL RIVER WALK.
UH, EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME THERE.
AND EVEN THE PRICE POINTS, UH, ARE VARIED, UH, IN OUR, UH, DOWNTOWN AND OUR THEATERS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ALL, UH, ENJOY IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
OUR RESIDENTS ENJOY THEM AS WELL.
AND THEY ALSO BENEFIT FROM A CLEAT AND SAFE DOWNTOWN.
AND DECADES AGO, PEOPLE DIDN'T COME DOWNTOWN AT ALL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL SAFE.
UM, 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, UH, YOU CAN STILL TAKE YOUR FAMILY AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT DOWN ON THE RIVER WALK AND FEEL SAFE, AND REALLY ANY STREET DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THE PIT, BECAUSE IT'S CLEAN AND SAFE, BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, ENOUGH SECURITY IN THE AREA.
UH, AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UH, 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, UH, ON THE DIOCESE A NUMBER OF TIMES.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO, UH, OUR AGENCIES ABOUT INCREASING THE FUNDING.
WE HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR FUNDING TO DELEGATE AGENCIES, UH, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL AT LEAST SIX YEARS NOW.
UH, AT A, IT'S STATED 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.
UH, AND I SUPPORTED THAT AS WELL.
MOST PEOPLE, WHEN WE TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A NUMBER ONE CONCERN.
AND WE SAW THAT YESTERDAY IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR CITY, UH, AND WHAT PEOPLE, IF PEOPLE FELT COMFORTABLE IN THEIR CITY, UH, AND 83% OF PEOPLE SAID THEY DID.
AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS SHOCKED BY THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HEAR SO MUCH COMPLAINTS SOMETIMES FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT THEIR NUMBER ONE THING IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND WE OFTEN ASSOCIATE PUBLIC SAFETY WITH POLICE OFFICERS.
UH, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY ENTIRELY THE CASE.
THE STORY IS THAT DO PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? AND IT, IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH POLICE ENFORCEMENT.
IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH LIGHTING.
IT ALSO HAS TO DO JUST WITH HAVING GOOD STREETS TO TRAVEL ON AND SIDEWALKS, AND DO PEOPLE FEEL PROUD OF THEIR SPACES.
AND I THINK THAT MERITS A REAL DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE FUND OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, NOT JUST HAVEN, BUT ALL OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
THE WHOLE CITY BENEFITS FROM THAT.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT, UM, AS WE ARE DISCUSSING FUNDING ALTERNATIVES TO WHAT MAKES OUR CITY BETTER, UH, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TO OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
UM, 21 MILLION, UH, IS CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH.
UM, FOR ALL THE DELEGATE AGENCIES, IT WAS NOTED THAT WE SPEND ABOUT, UH, 8 MILLION, UH, FOR HAVEN FOR THE HOMELESS, ABOUT ABOUT 13 MILLION FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
SOMETHING THAT I CHAMPIONED, UH, OVER THE YEARS AND INCREASED FUNDING FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
UH, BUT PERHAPS THERE'S A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE FUND OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, HOW WE FUND OUR, UM, ALL OF OUR OTHER AGENCIES, UH, IN PERHAPS IN A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TO DELEGATE AGENCIES.
I, I, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, UH, HERE ON THE COUNCIL AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AS WELL, UH, ABOUT HOW WE FUND THAT AND HOW THE COUNTRY IS FUNDING THOSE SERVICES.
UH, WE KNOW THAT, UM, OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION HAS TALKED ABOUT CUTTING C D B G FUNDS AND HOME FUNDS AND, UH, AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
SO, AND IT'S GONNA PUT MUCH, A LOT MORE PRESSURE ON OUR CITIES TO FUND THOSE THINGS.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, HAVING A CLEAN AND SAFE DOWNTOWN, UH, REALLY BENEFITS THE WHOLE CITY.
[02:05:01]
UH, HAVING A, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, UH, IS WHY PEOPLE ARE SO SATISFIED WITH THE CITY.UM, I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD REALLY, REALLY GOOD CITY MANAGEMENT, UM, IS A REFLECTION OF THAT IN EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT.
UH, PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR CITY.
SO A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TOWARDS THE MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS, I THINK WILL MAKE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, UH, FOR THE CITY.
AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION IN OUR NEXT, UH, PROGRAMMING, OUR NEXT, UH, UH, BUDGET RETREAT WHEN WE DECIDE, UM, HOW THAT, UH, MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.
AND I, I HOPE THAT THIS DISCUSSION IS A REFLECTION OF THE NEED, UH, FOR MORE SERVICES.
SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND, AND, UM, SEE HOW WE CAN NOT JUST TAKE CARE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS, UH, BUT HAVE A REDIRECTION OF FUNDS TOWARDS NOT JUST HOMELESSNESS AS HAVEN FOR HOPE, UH, BUT THE PREVENTION, BECAUSE MY EARLIER STORY, THE FIRST STORY THAT I MENTIONED ABOUT THIS, THIS, THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HANGING AROUND IN VACANT LOTS ARE NOT HOMELESS, BUT THEY STILL NEED SERVICES.
UH, AND THAT COULD BE PREVENTION SERVICES, ADDICTION SERVICES.
IT COULD ALSO BE THAT, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE A STABLE HOME TO LIVE.
THEY HAVE A, A TEMPORARY PLACE.
UH, THEY'RE STAYING WITH A COUSIN OR A FAMILY MEMBER.
UM, BUT HOW TO HAVE A, A MORE, UH, STABLE LIFE FOR A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDING, UH, THEIR MEALS AND, UH, REGULAR ACTIVITIES THAT GROWING POPULATION OF THE 16 TO 24 WHO ARE NOT BEING SERVED, UM, NOT IN SCHOOL AND NOT WORKING.
SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
THOSE WERE REALLY IN INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS, AND I, I SUPPORT THAT DIRECTION AS, AS WELL.
UM, I WANNA THANK, UH, LISA AND PARTNERS FOR, UH, REACHING OUT AND MEETING WITH ME MULTIPLE TIMES.
UH, I THINK WHEN YOU FIRST TOLD ME ABOUT THIS, I HAD, UH, A SAME CONCERN EXPRESSED BY SOMEONE EARLIER WAS, ARE YOU GONNA TAX YOURSELF OUT OF, OUT OF WORK? AND YOU ASSURED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE DOLLAR'S PROBABLY NO BIG DEAL.
UM, AND THAT, UH, THAT IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT.
UH, AND I ADMIRE THE OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR INDUSTRY.
UM, YOU, 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, UH, HAVE LONG CONVERSATIONS AND REAL LEGITIMATE DIALOGUE AND, AND BACK AND FORTH.
AND I THINK THAT'S A MODEL PROCESS THAT YOU USED, UH, IN THAT.
UM, BUT YOU ALSO KNOW THAT
AND, UH, I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING TO READ MY NOTES HERE.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT HOMELESSNESS IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO YOUR, YOUR INDUSTRY THAT IT'S TALKED ABOUT AT YOUR, AT YOUR MEETING, SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY MENTIONED.
UM, SO I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU AS WELL, AND THAT YOU, YOU ADDRESS IT IN OTHER MEANS IS WHAT YOU MENTIONED AT YESTERDAY'S MEETING.
UM, BUT I, I DO WANNA REITERATE THAT IT'S NOT, IT'S PRETTY RARE THAT WE GET THESE OPPORTUNITIES COMING FORWARD, RIGHT? IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS, THIS COMES FORWARD HERE.
AND IT'S, UM, IT'S A, A VERY VALID POINT THAT OUR TIMING WAS NOT, UM, IDEAL, UH, IN THIS CASE BECAUSE YOU'D ALREADY BEGUN A LOT OF THE GROUNDWORK OR NEARLY COMPLETED IT.
UM, SO I GUESS THIS EIGHT YEAR TIMELINE IS REALLY MORE LIKE A 10 YEAR TIMELINE, RIGHT? AND YOU WERE KIND OF IN YEAR TWO ALREADY, IF WE CONSIDER THIS BEING ONE UNIFIED, UH, A PROCESS.
BUT I, I DO WANNA MENTION ALSO THAT IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF FOR AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS TO MODIFY PROPOSALS, UH, ALONG THE WAY, RIGHT? WE DO THAT HERE, UH, QUITE OFTEN AS, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL DISCRETION TO DO THAT WHEN IN, IN THIS SITUATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, UH, YOUR, YOUR DECISION ULTIMATELY.
UM, IT'S ALSO, UH, NOT UNHEARD OF.
SORRY, I DID NOT NUMBER MY NOTE PAGES, AS YOU CAN TELL.
UH, IT IS ALSO NOT UNHEARD OF, UH, TO USE PASS THROUGH FUNDS, UH, IN A PARTNERSHIP LIKE THAT.
IN 2004, THE CITY PARTNERED WITH VIA AND ENDED UP, UH, DRAWING FROM V'S.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO NOT UNHEARD OF FOR THE, FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT CASE IS THAT,
[02:10:01]
UH, WE STARTED TOGETHER, UH, BEFORE, BEFORE THAT WENT OUT TO, TO THE VOTERS.SO I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THAT THE TIMING IS NOT IDEAL FOR, FOR THIS SITUATION.
UM, THAT SAID, HERE WE ARE IN, IN DECEMBER, I KNOW THIS ISSUE CAME UP IN AUGUST, AND I, I, I DO WISH WE'D, UH, SEEN SOME PROPOSALS ALREADY FOR, UM, ALTERNATIVES.
THE, THE CITY MANAGER DID PROVIDE SOME, UM, MOST OF THEM DEPENDENT ON THE, 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 IT, UH, IN THE FUTURE, BUT I AM A A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT IT, THAT IT HADN'T HAPPENED YET.
UM, I AM ENCOURAGED BY YOUR, UM, COMMENTS REGARDING THE INCREASES IN SALES TAX AND, UH, H O T TAXES AND THAT, UH, THAT ALLOWS US TO DO OTHER THINGS.
UM, H O T IS OBVIOUSLY VERY RESTRICTED, BUT THE GENERAL SALES TAX IS NOT.
SO, UM, YOU TALK ABOUT A SEVEN TO ONE 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 H O T AND TO THE SALES TAX THE CITY CAN EXPECT AS A RESULT OF THE TPI.
NO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE DATA FROM DALLAS.
WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN A DOMINO EFFECT TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY.
UH, BUT WE DO, WE HAVE NOT DONE AN ESTIMATED NUMBER.
UM, ONCE WE, NOW, IF, IF, IF THIS IS APPROVED TODAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY SCRUB AND GET THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU.
UM, AND AS WE SEE ESTIMATE ONCE, ONCE WE KNOW IF, IF THE TPI 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, UH, TRAVEL AND UTILIZE THOSE IN APRIL AND MAY.
SO, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, SEE WHAT THE INCREMENTAL GROWTH WOULD BE BASED ON SOME OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.
UH, CASSANDRA, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO, TO HAVE THAT NUMBER.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ASKING FOR IT FOR IT SOONER, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN, IN RETURN.
I YOU ANTICIPATE IT'S GONNA GROW, BUT AGAIN, NUMBERS ARE, ARE ALWAYS HELPFUL.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND YOUR WORK ON THIS.
THANK YOU, UM, EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS, ALL MY COLLEAGUES, I DO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THANK LISA BAR AND CASSANDRA MATEE, UM, AND BEN GOEL AND THE TEAM IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND OF COURSE, UM, CHERYL, WHO'S WORKED ON THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.
AND, UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING THE CENTRO PIT, WHICH I KNOW THE HOTEL INDUSTRY DOES, UM, PUT MONEY INTO AS WELL.
BUT WHAT I, I THINK HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD TODAY, UM, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, UM, 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 VILIFY ANYONE, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS HERE, BUT THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR COMPASSIONATE SOLUTIONS FOR ALL OF THE CITY AND WHAT IS BEST, UM, OUR, AND I DO WANT TO THANK BILL GREASY AND NEUSTAR FOR ALL OF THEIR CORPORATE, UM, 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.
I HOPE THE COUNTY IS A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL.
AND IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO, UM, MAKE A IMPORTANT IMPACT ON THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND TONIGHT, DISTRICT THREE IS HAVING THEIR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE, UM, MEETING TASK FORCE, MEETING ON HOMELESSNESS.
SO AGAIN, UM, WE'RE MAKING STRIDES, BUT WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER, UM, IN GREAT WAYS.
UM, I SAID MOST OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ON THIS SUBJECT, UH, 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, UH, WE CHARGED THE VISITOR INDUSTRY, UH, PARTICULARLY THE SOON TO BE NAMED V SS A WITH FINDING SUSTAINABLE DEDICATED REVENUE, UH, THAT WOULDN'T BE, UH, SUBJECT TO THE CITY OR COMING FROM THE CITY.
AND IN MY ESTIMATION, THEY HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO DO.
UH, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT NOT ALL TOOLS PERFORM THE SAME PURPOSE.
UH, THE T I D IS MEANT TO KEEP
[02:15:01]
AND MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE MARKET SHARE AND HOPEFULLY INCREASE IT AS THE YEARS GO ON.AND I FULLY SUPPORT THAT NOTION.
UH, 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, UH, IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
UH, BUT I THINK COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH HER CONVERSATION, WITH HER DISCUSSION ABOUT DELEGATE AGENCIES AND DELEGATE SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN, I THINK, HAVING AN ENLIGHTENED CONVERSATION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AS A SYMPTOM OF LARGER SOCIAL ILLS, UH, TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW, UH, 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.
AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE INDUSTRY WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE EFFORTS AND BE AT THE TABLE TO DO THAT.
THE OTHER BIG CHALLENGE IS THANKS TO BILL GREEHEY, UH, TO MAYOR HARDBERGER, TO NEUSTAR, TO, UH, LOTS OF FOLKS AROUND THE TABLE, CITY MANAGER SCULLY, UH, 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, 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, A VERY HIGH PERFORMING GOLF TOURNAMENT AND DONATIONS FROM SOME, UH, 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 T P I D, UH, WITHOUT, UH, 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, UH, AS A SYMPTOM, BUT ALSO HAVEN FOR HOPE, UH, 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, UH, THE VERY GOOD PROGRESS AND THE FORWARD PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AS A VENDOR VISITOR INDUSTRY TO COME UP WITH A, 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 T I D I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'LL ENSUE.
AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, UH, WE'VE REQUESTED THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND HER TEAM COME BACK TO US, UH, WITH SOME OPTIONS AND A SERVICE PLAN DISCUSSION FOR US BEFORE THE MID-YEAR 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, UH, 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, UH, IF NOT A LITTLE BIT TURBULENT, BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING BY US ALL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? YES.
MAYOR, JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS BEFORE WE RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, FIRST ON WEDNESDAY, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO PRESENT THE TWO NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS, UH, DIVISION OF THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, OFFICER PERLA DOMINGUEZ, AND OFFICER MARSHALL DAVIS OF THE TWO US NEW MEMBERS, UH, TO THAT SPECIAL UNIT, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SWAT.
UH, OFFICER MARSHALL DAVIS IS A SIX YEAR VETERAN WHO WORKED IN PATROL AND WAS MOST RECENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE BA UH, BIKE PATROL OFFICER.
PERLA DOMINGUEZ HAS A SIX YEAR VETERAN WHO HAS WORKED PATROL, AND MOST RECENTLY WAS ASSIGNED TO THE D W I UNIT.
OFFICER DOMINGUEZ HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST FEMALE OFFICER TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE FORMAL PHYSICAL TRYOUT PROCESS.
BOTH OF THESE OFFICERS, UH, HAVE DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY IN FIREARMS QUALIFICATION, THE COOPER'S PHYSICAL CONDITIONING ASSESSMENT, THE
[02:20:01]
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, UH, OVER THE PAST DECADE.
UH, CHIEF MCMANUS AND I HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON INCREASING GENDER DIVERSITY AS WELL AS RACIAL DIVERSITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, WE'VE DOUBLED THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OFFICERS DOMINGUEZ AND DAVIS ON THEIR PROMOTION.
UH, SECONDLY, SINCE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS THIS MORNING, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TUESDAY EVENING, UM, OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH, CELEBRATED THE HOLIDAYS WITH AN EVENING, EVENING OF SERVICE BENEFIT, BENEFITING HAVEN FOR HOPE.
UH, THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE TEAM CONTRIBUTED PERSONAL HYGIENE, HYGIENE ITEMS, AND WARM JACKETS, GLOVES, SOCKS, HATS, AND BLANKETS.
UH, THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE TEAM PUT TOGETHER, UH, NEARLY 230 CARE BAGS FILLING FOUR LARGE BOXES OF CLOTHING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM.
WE TRY TO DO AN, UM, AN EVENT OF SERVICE EVERY YEAR.
WE'VE WORKED AT THE FOOD BANK IN THE PAST, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, THESE ITEMS TO, UH, CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS THROUGH AN EVENING OF SERVICE.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST TO MENTION THAT, UH, I'M PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION HAS AWARDED THE CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER'S, UH, SCHOOL OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS WITH A, WITH A SMALL GRANT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO ENABLE US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SPECIFICALLY WILL BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ART CLASSES OFFERED ON SATURDAYS, THE CARVER'S YOUTH MATINEE SERIES, WHICH SERVES OVER 2,500 PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 900 SENIORS EACH YEAR THROUGH A FREE SERIES OF MULTI-DISCIPLINARY AND MULTICULTURAL PERFORMANCES, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, AND AN ALL DAY SUMMER YOUTH CAMP PROGRAM.
SO WE WANT TO SAY THANKS TO THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION FOR THIS GRANT TO THE CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER.
I NEED TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
UM, AFTER A DISCUSSION THAT LONG, WONDERFUL DISCUSSION AMONGST COLLEAGUES REGARDING THE T P D, I THINK THERE WAS AN ISSUE ON THE VOTE.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FOR A MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO RECONSIDER, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
NOW THE VOTE WILL BE TO RECONSIDER AND TAKE UP A, A VOTE AGAIN.
SO YOUR VOTE IS TO BRING THE QUESTION BACK TO COUNCIL.
WE WILL TAKE A SUBSEQUENT VOTE ON ITEM FOUR.
SO, AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECT, ANDY? SO THIS VOTE IS TO BRING THE ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL.
WELL, WE NEED A MOTION ON ITEM FOUR.
MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
A VOTE TO APPROVE IS A YES, A VOTE, UH, TO DENY IS A NAY.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 11:48 PM ON AM ON THE SIXTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2018.
PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY CHAPTER 5 5, 1 IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE V T C SS, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.8087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 REAL PROPERTY DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT EVALUATION DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICERS, AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHARTER AMENDMENTS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION RELATED TO THE REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND TO DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO SENATE BILL FOR LITIGATION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY COUNSEL IS RECONVENING, THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS TIME.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS, UH, ZONING.
[02:25:03]
OKAY.WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW ITEMS FOR ZONING TODAY.
A COUPLE OF ITEMS HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN.
ITEMS P THREE AND Z 10 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN.
UH, ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE ON CONSENT EXCEPT, UH, THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN, OR FIVE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN INDICATED TO BE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ITEM Z ONE, Z THREE, P FOUR, AND Z 11, Z 17 AND Z 18 HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKED TO BE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO BE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION FROM ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCILMAN? I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA PULL ITEM 22, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT, UH, ITEM 22 SO LONG AS IT STAYS ON CONSENT.
ANY OTHER ITEMS TO BE PULLED? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO WANTED TO TALK ON SOME OF THE, UH, CONSENT ZONING ITEMS. THE, UH, FIRST PERSON I'LL BE CALLING FOR ITEM Z EIGHT WILL BE DAN MARTINEZ, FOLLOWED BY SYLVIA ALANISE.
I BELIEVE IT INDICATES SHE MAY BE DONATING HER TIME, CONTRIBUTING HER TIME TO MR. MARTINEZ, IF THAT'S CORRECT? YES.
OKAY, MR. MARTINEZ, COME FORWARD.
UM, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS, UH, DAN MARTINEZ, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SERVICE.
UH, IN MY MILITARY EXPERIENCE, UH, WE WERE TRAINED IN THE MOST ADVERSE, UH, SITUATIONS, UM, NOT IDEAL SITUATIONS.
UH, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASONING FOR THE INITIATIVE AND THE STUDY AND THE CONSIDERATION FOR THE, UH, LIGHTING AND SOUND OVERLAY DISTRICTS AROUND THIS LITTLE SMALL AIRFIELD.
AND, UH, IT'S JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE THIS IS A STATE, UH, FACILITY.
UH, AND IN THE END OF 2013, THERE WAS DOUBT THAT IT WAS GONNA 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, UH, OUR VACANT PROPERTIES, AND WE DON'T WANNA MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE SENT EACH OF YOU AN EMAIL AND, UH, SO TO ME, UH, I JUST DON'T SEE THE REASONING FOR THIS.
UH, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GET FUNDED IN THE FUTURE, THEN WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS BIG OVERLAY DISTRICT.
UH, IT DOESN'T COMPARE WITH CAMP BULLAS OR LACHLAN OR RANDOLPH.
WE NEED A HOSPITAL IN DISTRICT, UH, TWO IN, IN THE EAST SIDE.
AND I DON'T SEE AN INITIATIVE BEING PUT FORWARD OR A STUDY FOR THAT.
SO, UH, TO ME, UH, WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS, UH, PARTICULAR CASE BEFORE, UH, THE COUNCIL AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH NEED AND I DON'T SEE IT BEING ADDRESSED IN OUR DISTRICT AND IN OUR EAST SIDE.
AND, AND FOR THAT REASON, UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND RUN FOR THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT TO POSITION, YOU KNOW, UH, 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.
AND AGAIN, MY, UH, CONDOLENCES TO, UM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRANT FOR, UH, THE FAMILY MEMBER THAT WAS DECEASED.
[02:30:01]
MARTINEZ.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JACK FINGER.
UH, MR. MAYOR PRO TEM, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER.
A FEW ITEMS WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER Z ONE IS IN MR. TREVINO'S DISTRICT.
MR. TREO, 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, UH, RESIDENTIAL, UH, IN, UH, HOMES THERE.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED ABOUT IT, THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS TELLS AS MUCH AS 25% OF THE SURROUNDING HOUSES RESIDENTS SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT THIS THING.
ANYTIME YOU GET ANYTHING MORE THAN FIVE 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, NORTH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSES IT, THESE ARE ALL VERY BAD IDEAS, SIR, AND IT OUGHT TO TELLS YOU THAT JUST MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS, BUT YOU HAVE CONTINUED IT TWICE.
AND MY QUESTION IS WHY? YOU KNOW, YOU MEAN, UH, I ONE WONDERS IF YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO WEAR OUT THE OPPOSITION ON THIS ANYWAY, UH, SAY NO TO THIS ONE, SIR, AND GET IT OVER.
GET THE DARN THING OVER WITH THE, UM, ELSEWHERE IS A PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
THE, UM, P FOUR Z 11, AND MS. V GRADS DISTRICT, YOU HAVE A, A, A CASE WHERE THE, UH, A, I DON'T KNOW, A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, IS IT A, UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED? A, UH, WHICH I FORGET WHAT IT'S, I FORGET WHAT IT EXACTLY WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT THE LOAN INSTITUTION, WHICH ONE? THE AREA SATURATED WITH THEM, MS. VIA GRANDE NINE CREDIT ACCESS BUSINESSES WITHIN A, UH, WITHIN A 1.1 MILE RADIUS.
AND YES, THE IDEA IS THAT, UH, I MEAN, WHAT THESE, THE STAFF SAID RECOMMENDED DENIAL ON THIS.
I MEAN, WE, WHAT DOES IT SAY TAKE TO SAY NO TO, TO SUCH A CRAZY THING? YES, PLEASE.
YOU, YOU ALSO SAY NO TO THAT DARN THING.
THE, UH, ELSEWHERE, THE, UM, Z 17.
THIS IS IN MR. BRO HOUSE'S DISTRICT.
THIS, THIS HAS BEEN CONTINUED AT LEAST TWICE ALSO SINCE, UH, LAST AUGUST.
AND 20 NOTICES, I MEAN, FOUR OPPOSE IT TO THAT'S 25% ALSO OPPOSING THIS THING.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSES IT.
THE STAFFS, BOTH THE STAFF AND THE COMMISSION SAID NO BIG, A LOT OF BIG RED FLAGS, AND YET WE'RE STILL CONTINUING THIS SIR
I MEAN, WHAT DOES THE TICKET SAY? NO.
ALSO, Z 18, SAME SITUATION, COMMERCIAL ENCROACHMENT.
WHEN DO WE FINALLY SAY NO TO THESE THINGS? THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES THE, UM, CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO TALK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO, UH, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON A COUPLE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE WE'RE VOTED ON.
GONNA CALL ON, UH, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
UH, JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, KEEPING CONSENT, BUT HIGHLIGHT, UH, ITEMS E TWO.
UH, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE, UH, JEROME AND, UH, BRETT COHEN, UH, FOR THEIR APPLICATION.
UH, THIS IS JUST REALLY SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ADAPTIVE REUSE.
I WANNA THANK THEM, UH, FOR, FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND, UH, ALWAYS WANNA HIGHLIGHT COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY.
AND CERTAINLY THIS WILL BE REMAIN ON CONSENT FOR APPROVAL.
UM, THANK YOU WITH REGARDS TO Z 22.
THANKS TO ALL THE PARTIES FOR WORKING SO HARD ON THIS.
UM, I BELIEVE WE'VE REACHED A REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH, UM, OUR FRIENDS OF FRIEDRICH, THE FRIENDS OF SAN ANTONIO NATURAL AREA, UH, NATURAL AREAS FOR THE CLERK'S INFORMATION.
UH, THERE IS A LETTER OF INTENT THAT I'LL BE SUBMITTING TO MAKE PART OF THE RECORD FOR THIS ONE CASE.
UM, AND, UH, KEN BROWN, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO PULL THIS AND HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, BUT I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT ON CONSENT.
AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONSIDER VOTING ON THE CONSENT, UH, AGENDA ITEMS, UH, EXCEPT FOR ITEMS NUMBER Z ONE, Z THREE, P FOUR Z, 11,
[02:35:01]
Z 17, AND Z 18.APPROVED, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. FIRST ITEM Z ONE Z 20 18 1 0 1 FROM R FOUR TO R FOUR CD WITH A CONDITIONAL USE FOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICE LOCATED AT 2 73 RED ROCK DRIVE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVE STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION.
RECOMMEND, I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL ZONING.
NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR, EIGHT OPPOSED.
NORTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN OPPOSITION, AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO JANUARY 17TH.
AND THE APPLICANT HAD AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL CONCERN AND REQUESTED A CONTINUANCE.
SO WE ARE MOTIONING TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
OKAY, ITEM Z THREE Z 20 18 3 25 FROM I ONE TO I D Z WITH USES PERMITTED IN C TWO MULTIFAMILY AT 42 DWELLING UNITS, BAR AND TAVERN AND HOTEL LOCATED AT 1425 SOUTH FLORIDA STREET.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS ALSO APPROVAL.
NOTICES MAILED TWO IN FAVOR AND ONE OPPOSED.
UH, WE MOTION TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION MADE AND SECONDED TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
PLAN AMENDMENT 18 100 AND ZONING CASE Z 20 18 314 AMENDING THE WEST SOUTHWEST SECTOR PLAN FROM GENERAL URBAN TIER TO REGIONAL CENTER FROM C THREE NA TO C THREE N A S WITH A SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR A SPECIFIED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION LOCATED AT NINE 30 SOUTHWEST MILITARY DRIVE.
STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL ZONING.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, 11.
NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO JANUARY 17TH.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ON THIS AND THEY'RE REQUESTING A, UH, CONTINUANCE AS WELL AS, UM, HARLANDALE I S D 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? 17TH JANUARY 17TH.
ITEM Z 17 Z 20 18, 2 56 FROM R SIX TO C TWO A LOCATED AT 2311 WESTWARD DRIVE.
HOWEVER, STAFF HAS AN ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION FOR R SIX CD CONDITIONAL USE FOR A NON-COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL, 20 NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR AND FOUR OPPOSED CABLE.
WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED.
UH, WELL, JUST A QUICK CORRECTION ON THAT.
I, THE CABLE WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, I BELIEVE IS IN FAVOR NOW JUST FOR THE RECORD.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CORRECT THAT.
WILL, MY OFFICE WILL PROVIDE YOU THE, UM, LETTER, THE, THE LETTER, THE DOCUMENTATION OR EMAIL.
JUST SO YOU HAVE THAT ON THE RECORD.
BUT, UH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK THIS, UH, TO FIND A PATH FORWARD FOR THE BUSINESS OWNER.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I MOTION TO, UH, CONTINUE THIS UNTIL JANUARY 17TH, 2019.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 17TH.
FROM R SIX TO C TWO TO I ONE, LOCATED AT 1621 SOUTH CALLAHAN ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL.
50 NOTICES MAILED THREE IN FAVOR AND TWO OPPOSED.
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.
[02:40:01]
PASSED, I THINK AT THIS TIME.THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE ZONING CASES, UH, BROUGHT BEFORE US AT THIS TIME.
THAT CONCLUDES THE COUNCIL BUSINESS TODAY.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING.