[00:00:57]
ANTONIO ANTONIO AND SAN ANTONIO.
[ PROCEDURAL ]
EVERYONE.WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION.
THE TIME IS 9:07 AM ON THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH, 2023.
IF YOU CAN BEGIN TO TAKE YOUR SEATS, WE'LL GET STARTED.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER VILLAGRA.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESIDENT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
UH, TO GET US STARTED TODAY, LET ME TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, MAYOR.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DEACON JERRY WHITLEY AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT HE IS IN A FIREFIGHTER UNIFORM.
HE'S ONE OF OUR VERY OWN, UH, SAN ANTONIO FIREFIGHTERS.
HE'S ALSO THE HEAD CHAPLAIN FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
HE'LL BE LEADING US IN PRAYER TODAY.
HE'S A, UM, HE'S SERVED FOR 30 YEARS AND HE MINISTERS TO ALL OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD.
AND HE ALSO MINISTERS TO VICTIMS WHEN THEY NEED IT.
THE DEACON SAYS THAT BEING A CHAPLAIN IS A CALLING AND AFTER SERVING FOR MANY YEARS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HE RECOGNIZED THAT IN ADDITION TO CARING FOR PEOPLE'S PHYSICAL NEEDS, PEOPLE ALSO NEED TO HAVE THEIR SPIRITS TAKEN CARE OF.
DEACON WHITLEY SAYS OF HIS MINISTRY, WHEN SOMEBODY HAS A NEED, REGARDLESS OF WHO THAT PERSON IS, WE HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THEM.
IN ADDITION TO MINISTERING TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS, HE'S ALSO CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO ST.
THANK YOU, SIR FOR BEING HERE, DEACON.
UH, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
I'M NO LONGER THE HEAD DEACON I AM OR A HEAD CHAPLAIN.
I AM ONE OF THE CHAPLAINS THOUGH.
AND, UH, IT IS AN HONOR TO BE INVITED HERE WITH Y'ALL TODAY IN HONOR OF OUR GREAT CITY.
ANTH ANTHONY SAINT ANTHONY, FAITHFUL SERVANT OF CHRIST.
YOU OFFERED COMFORT AND CONSOLATION TO ALL WHO CAME TO YOU IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
PRAY FOR US NOW THAT WE MAY KNOW TRUE PEACE OF MIND, HEART, AND SOUL.
HELP US TO GROW IN FAITH SO THAT WE MAY BE FREE OF ALL, USELESS AND NEEDLESS ANXIETY IN THIS LIFE.
PHYLLIS, WITH COMPLETE AND LASTING CONFIDENT IN GOD'S HEALING GRACES, GRANT US THE SERENITY KNOWN BY THOSE WHO LET GO OF RESENTMENT, BITTERNESS, AND ANGER REASSURE US THAT OUR DIVINE SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, IS WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, EVERY DAY OF OUR LIFE.
AND THAT IN HIS GRACIOUS LOVE, WE MAY NEED NOT WORRY OR FEAR ANY OF LIFE'S DIFFICULTIES.
WE ASK THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD.
MAY ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU, THE FATHER, THE SON, THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THE UNITED THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[00:05:01]
WHITLEY.ALRIGHT, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 8TH AND NINTH, 2023.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE MOVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 8TH AND NINTH, 2023.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE SWEARING IN OF OUR NEW MAYOR, PRO TEM.
UH, THE TERM IS ACTUALLY BEGINNING TODAY, UH, THROUGH MAY 25TH, 2023.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, IF YOU CAN APPROACH THE PODIUM, YOU RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM OF MAYOR PRO TEM, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
FROM MARCH 2ND, FROM MARCH 2ND UNTIL A NEW MAYOR, PRO TEM TERM UNTIL THE NEW MAYOR, PRO TEM TERM OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THIS STATE.
AND WELCOME TO ALL OUR GUESTS WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY AS WELL, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS WE GO THROUGH A, A FEW CEREMONIALS.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSING OF A COUPLE OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITY HEROES.
UM, TODAY BEING LAID TO REST IN A CEREMONY IS JESSE TREVINO, UH, WHO MANY OF YOU KNOW AND WHO WE HAVE CELEBRATED FOR, FOR A LIFETIME HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, WE ALSO MARK THE PASSING AND THE LAYING TO REST OF RED MCCOMBS AND NOTED BUSINESSMEN IN PHILANTHROPY.
SO IF I CAN ASK YOU ALL FOR, UH, TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH OF THEIR LOSSES WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ]
TO WELCOME A REAL HERO TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR CHAMBER.FOR THE FIRST TIME TO BE RECOGNIZED, HE HAD, UH, AN ESTEEM GIVEN UPON HIM, UH, THIS WEEKEND, THE HIGHEST, UH, SUCH FROM THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND INVITE TO THE PODIUM THE FAMILY, ALONG WITH EMIL MIKA, P F C, UH, TO OFFER THIS OFFICIAL CON COMMENDATION, WHICH IS HEREBY PRESENTED IN RECOGNITION OF P F C EMIL MIKA IN RECOGNITION OF BEING AWARDED THE FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR MEDAL AS A RESULT OF YOUR SACRIFICES DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
DURING YOUR TIME AS A MEDIC IN THE 83RD DIVISION'S 329TH INFANTRY BATTALION, YOU AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN COMBAT ACTION AT CARTON ON JULY 11TH, 1944.
IN FEBRUARY OF 2023, YOU WERE OFFICIALLY KNIGHTED BY THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
YOUR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO YOUR MILITARY SERVICE HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED AND IS TRULY WORTHY OF COMMENDATION.
THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALONG WITH OUR RESIDENTS PROUDLY EXTEND OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR NATION AND COMMEND YOUR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION.
WE OFFER BEST WISHES FOR YEARS TO COME, AND THIS IS PRESENTED THIS SECOND DAY OF MARCH, 2023.
UH, EMIL, MR. MIKA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND TO THE WORLD.
UH, AND ALSO I WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VIVE, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, GOT TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE BECOME A VIRTUOSO PAINTER WITH THE LEFT HAND, UH, THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THE WOUNDS RECEIVED, MR. MIKA LOST HIS RIGHT ARM, UH, DURING THE WAR.
HE TOOK UP PAINTING WITH HIS LEFT, UH, A STORY THAT WE KNOW IN THIS COMMUNITY VERY WELL.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF HIS PAINTERS, UH, PAINTING.
SO LET ME TURN THE FLOOR OVER NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN INTRODUCTION.
AND AS A CITY COUNCIL LIAISON TO EUROPE THIS PAST SATURDAY, I JOINED THE COUNCIL GENERAL OF FRANCE AND HOUSTON VALLEY BARBAN FOR A CEREMONY TO RECOGNIZE MR. EMIL MIKA, A WORLD WAR II VETERAN WHO WAS AWARDED THE FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR AT HIS HOME, SURROUNDED
[00:10:01]
BY HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.MR. MIKA WAS IN DISBELIEF AS HE RECEIVED THIS DISTINCT HONOR.
THE ORDER OF THE SHEVALIER, UH, THE LEGION OF HONOR IS THE HIGHEST FRENCH DECORATION AND ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS IN THE WORLD.
IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE HEAD OF STATE TO REWARD THE MOST DESERVING CITIZENS IN ALL FIELDS OF ACTIVITY.
MR. MIKA JOINED 79,000 MEMBERS OF THE LEGION OF HONOR, WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION FOR DEMONSTRATING OUTSTANDING MERITS IN SERVICE OF FRANCE.
AS SOON AS I MET MR. MIKA, I KNEW HE WAS A REAL LIFE HERO WHO EMBODIES THE PRINCIPLES OF COURAGE, INTEGRITY, PERSEVERANCE, AND HUMILITY.
HE WAS AMONG THE AMERICAN TROOPS THAT LANDED ON NORMANDY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER D-DAY DURING WORLD II, WORLD WAR II AND FOUGHT AGAINST NAZI TROOPS.
MR. MIKA HAS SHARED SOME OF HIS EXPERIENCES AS A SOLDIER, BUT LIKE MANY OTHER VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD FIGHTING, WITNESSING THOUSANDS OF MEN DIE AND BEING WOUNDED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ILLUSTRATE SUCH A SURREAL LIFE-ALTERING EXPERIENCE.
A MEDIC IN THE 83RD DIVISION'S, 329TH INFANTRY BATTALION MIKA, WON THE PURPLE HEART FOR LOSING HIS RIGHT ARM IN BATTLE AT CARTON ON JULY 11TH, 1944.
AFTER SPENDING A YEAR IN PERCY JONES GENERAL HOSPITAL IN MICHIGAN UNDERGOING MULTIPLE SURGERIES AND REHABILITATION THERAPY, MR. MIKA FOUND THE NEW PURPOSE THAT YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT TODAY TO ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE OTHER AMPUTEES FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES, CHALLENGES THAT HE ENDURED THE SON OF SLOVAKIAN IMMIGRANTS.
MR. MIKA PROBABLY NEVER IMAGINED THAT HE WOULD BE DRAFTED RIGHT AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
DURING HIS MILITARY SERVICE, HE TRAINED TO BE A MEDIC.
AND AFTER THE WAR, MR. MIKA EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT VILLANOVA COLLEGE AND A MASTER'S DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
HE MARRIED ELEANOR DELA MIKA AND STARTED A FAMILY AND EVEN EMBARKED ON TRAVELS THROUGHOUT EUROPE AS HE WORKED AS AN EDUCATOR AND BECAME A SUCCESSFUL ABSTRACT PAINTER.
AS SOON AS I WALKED IN, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID TO THE MICA RESIDENCES PAST WEEKEND, I WAS CAPTIVATED BY THE ARTWORK.
IN FACT, I LOST ALL TRACK OF WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY.
I WAS SO IMPRESSED AND WAS THRILLED TO LEARN MR. MIKA HAD PAINTED THESE MASTERPIECES THAT YOU'LL SEE BEFORE YOU FLASHING ON THE SCREEN.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A MEAL MIKA WITH US TODAY AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS SO THAT HE CAN RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION THAT HE DESERVES.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIS FAMILY FOR JOINING US TODAY AND ENSURING WE CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF MR. MIKA, A TALENTED ARTIST, BRAVE SOLDIER, AND DEVOUTED DEVOUT HUSBAND AND FATHER.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF THE HONORARY CONS OF FRANCE IN SAN ANTONIO.
MR. DAMIAN WAEL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN THE REPRESENTATION OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TODAY, AND ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THE PRESENCE OF THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART, WHO HAVE ALSO JOINED US TODAY IN THIS SPECIAL HONOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER NOW TO YOUR COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN MANNY PAL TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
MR. MIKA, I WAS TOLD ONLY MINUTES AGO BY ONE OF YOUR, UH, FELLOW PURPLE HEARTS AND, UH, FELLOW VETERANS THAT THE ROAD TO FREEDOM IS, UH, PAVED WITH THE SACRIFICES OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
UM, I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING BETTER THAN THAT.
AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE AWARD.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RECOGNITION, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE, MR. MIKA.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, UH, WE WOULD WELCOME YOU TO DO THAT ALL.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE NOW WITH, UM, SOME RECOGNITIONS.
AND I WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS MONTH IS RED CROSS MONTH, AND IF ANYBODY WAS WATCHING THE NEWS OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE RED CROSS IS EVEN IN OUR HOMETOWN.
WHEREAS THE AMERICAN RED CROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH TEXAS REGION WILL OBSERVE
[00:15:01]
THE MONTH OF MARCH, 2023 AS NATIONAL RED CROSS MONTH TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE MILLIONS OF VOLUNTEERS, STAFF MEMBERS, AND SUPPORTERS OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.AND WHEREAS FOUNDED IN 1883 BY CLARA BARTON, THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS TO PREVENT AND ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING.
AND THE WORK IS CARRIED OUT EVERY DAY BY DEDICATED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WHO DELIVER VITAL SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED HELP THE MOST.
AND WHEREAS A CENTRAL AND SOUTH TEXAS REGION SERVES OVER 9.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN 83 COUNTIES AND PROVIDES SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE EVERY DAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES BY OFFERING EMERGENCY SHELTER, FOOD AND COMFORT FOR OUR FAMILIES, AFFECTED BY DISASTERS, TAKING FIRST AID AND C P R TRAINING TO ASSIST IN EMERGENCIES OR PROVIDING COMFORT TO FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE MILITARY VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS THE RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES AID IN SAVING AND REBUILDING LIVES BY NOTATING, TIME, MONEY, AND BLOOD TEACHING LIFESAVING SKILLS TO OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE BETTER PREPARED WHEN THEY NEED, WHEN THE NEED ARISES.
AND THEY DO THIS EVERY DAY BECAUSE THE RED CROSS IS NEEDED EVERY DAY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NUREMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH, 2023 TO BE RED CROSS MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND URGE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN THIS OBSERVANCE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE RED CROSS FOR THEIR DILIGENT WORK AND DEDICATED EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
NOW, I'D, I'D LIKE TO, UH, INVITE OUR RED CROSS TEAM, UH, TO COME FORWARD.
UH, DANIEL, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOUR YOUR TEAM, AND YOUR STAFF, YOUR BOARD, UH, DANIEL, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UH, AS MENTIONED, MARCH IS NATIONAL RED CROSS MONTH, AND EVERY EIGHT MINUTES, THE RED CROSS RESPONDS TO DISASTER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, WE AREN'T, UH, EXEMPT FROM THAT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AS YOU MENTIONED, JUST THIS PAST MONDAY, UH, IT'S TYPICALLY OUR MOST VULNERABLE WHO ARE IMPACTED WHERE, UM, A HUNDRED UNIT APARTMENT WAS IMPACTED WITH THREE OF FOUR FLOORS WITH A FIRE.
WE SPEND THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME IN SAN ANTONIO RESPONDING TO NEEDS, UH, WITH THE GREATEST NEED BEING HOME FIRES.
WE AVERAGE TWO HOME FIRE RESPONSES PER DAY.
WE ARE LIVING THE MISSION EVERY SINGLE DAY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND WE CANNOT DO THAT WITHOUT THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S A TREMENDOUS HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU, TO HAVE THIS RECOGNITION AND TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE HERE WITH ME TODAY, UM, BECAUSE IT IS THROUGH THEIR WORK THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FURTHER OUR MISSION, UM, ANNUALLY BY SEEKING CONTRIBUTIONS.
NO MONEY MEANS NO MISSION IN CASE ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE A DONATION, AND BY HELPING US TO FURTHER THE MISSION AND THE MESSAGE OF THE MISSION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL TO YOU.
CAN WE MAYBE TAKE A QUICK PICTURE? YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER VEO HDA FOR ANOTHER RECOGNITION THIS MONTH.
MARCH EIGHT IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, WHICH IS OF COURSE FITTING BECAUSE IT'S WOMEN'S, UH, HISTORY MONTH.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TODAY TO THANK, UH, ALL THE WOMEN OF HISTORY WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN EQUALITY.
THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY WHO HAVE MADE HISTORY AS MEMBERS OF THE FIRST WOMEN MAJORITY SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE.
UM, 2019, UH, WE WERE THE FIRST, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE WERE A MAJORITY WOMAN COUNCIL.
I RECOGNIZED MY COLLEAGUE ON THE DAAS, DR.
ADRIAN ADRIANA ROCHE GARCIA, AND THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER SITTING ON COUNCIL.
REBECCA BRAN, JADA, ANDREW SULLIVAN, ANNA SANDOVAL, AND SHIRLEY GONZALEZ.
WOMEN ARE DOING INCREDIBLE THINGS IN SAN ANTONIO.
[00:20:01]
DR.KIMBER, KIMBERLY AND NICO SMITH, DR.
ALL SCIENTISTS AT THE SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE WORKED TO BRING US GROUNDBREAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OF PLUTO THAT TRANSFORMED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR UNIVER UNIVERSE.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT ALL THESE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN DID THEIR WORK IN DISTRICT SIX.
WE CELEBRATE THEM ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.
WE CELEBRATE WOMEN WHO HAVE TRANSFORMED OUR CITY IN MANY OTHER WAYS.
THERE ARE TOO MANY TO MENTION, BUT I MUST SEND A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO ONE OF MY MENTORS, THE LATE, UH, MAYOR EMERITUS LILA COCKRELL, AND THE FRIENDS WHO I AM IN AWE OF, UH, SECRETARY HOPE ANDRA, THE FIRST LATINA, TEXAS, TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE, AND STILL THE ONLY ONE.
UM, BUT ALL THE WOMEN, THE CEOS IN OUR CITY WHO ARE KILLING IT IN THE BUSINESS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE CELEBRATE JAN GONZALEZ, F FRIENDS, DR.
FRANCINE ROMERO AT C P SS, DR.
VANESSA BEASLEY, THE NEW PRESIDENT AT TRINITY.
LINDA SCH THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AT TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO, ALSO DR.
LISO OCHOA AND, UH, ERICA GONZALEZ DOING WORK IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE OUR HEALTH.
OF COURSE, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION OUR, UH, LONE FINALIST TODAY.
UM, ROSIE CASTRO, I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S OUT THERE SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW, BUT
WE ALSO, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE THEM TODAY, UH, AS WELL AS ALL THE WOMEN OF SAN ANTONIO THIS SATURDAY AT THE 2023 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY SUMMIT.
IT'S AT 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT ST.
UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK LETY DELGADO GONZALEZ, WHO IS A POWERHOUSE IN HER OWN RIGHT, AND, UH, IS MY APPOINTEE TO THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION AND THE STATUS OF WOMEN.
BEFORE I DO THAT, THOUGH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE ALL THE WOMEN OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING WORK EVERY DAY THAT, THAT DON'T MAYBE GET THEIR NAMES MENTIONED AT COUNCIL OR IN THE PAPER.
I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR WOMEN FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR OUR HOMEMAKERS, STAY AT HOME MOMS, GRANDPARENTS, GRANDMOTHERS THAT ARE RAISING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, NURSES, TEACHERS, ALL OF THOSE OUT THERE, DOING THAT WORK EVERY DAY TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE AND HEALTHY AND CARED FOR.
UM, SO I MENTIONED, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE, THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY SUMMIT IS 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT ST.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND ADVANCEMENT FOR WOMEN, AND SUPPORTING THOSE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMATE PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS.
I EXPECT THEM A SYMPOSIUM TO BE STANDING ROOM ONLY.
SO GET YOUR, GET YOUR TICKETS IN, UM, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PLAN TO GET THERE.
I THINK USUALLY VIA HELPS US OUT WITH THAT.
BUT I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HOVER, AND I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE, UH, MEMBERS FROM THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN.
IF YOU ARE HERE, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND UP FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN? COME ON FORWARD, Y'ALL.
UM, AND IN RECOGNITION OF THAT, THERE IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, SO I HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO READ.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ARE PROUD TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY ON MARCH 8TH, 2023, TO COMMEMORATE AND HONOR WOMEN FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORY, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY WORLDWIDE.
AND WHEREAS THE FIRST I W D HELD IN 1911 WAS A CATALYST FOR A GLOBAL DAY TO HIGHLIGHT WOMEN OF EVERY RACE, ETHNICITY, AND BACKGROUND FOR THEIR HISTORICAL ROLE IN LEADERSHIP.
NOT ONLY SECURING THEIR OWN RIGHTS FOR FREEDOM, SUFFRAGE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO SUPPORTING OTHER MOVEMENTS IN CREATING A MORE FAIR, JUST AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY FOR ALL.
AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN THEME IS EMBRACE EQUITY AND CHALLENGES, GENDER STEREOTYPES CALLS OUT DISCRIMINATION, DRAWS ATTENTION TO BIAS, AND SEEKS OUT INCLUSION COLLECTIVE ACT ACTIVISM IS WHAT DRIVES CHANGE FROM GRASSROOTS ACTION TO WIDE SCALE MOMENTUM.
WE CAN ALL EMBRACE EQUITY, AND WHEREAS I W D PROMOTES THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THERE IS STILL PROGRESS TO BE MADE AS WE CONTINUE OUR WORK TO ADVANCE GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY, LET US STRIVE TO CREATE A, A WORLD WHERE EVERY WOMAN AND GIRL KNOWS THAT HER RESPONSIVE, HER POSSIBILITIES, NO, NO BOUNDS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NUREMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 8TH, 2023 TO BE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY, NOW I'LL TURN THE FLOOR TO COUNCIL MEMBER GRO FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
AND CONTINUING WITH THAT THEME ABOUT WOMEN MAKING HISTORY THIS WEEK WE HAD, UH, WOMEN AND MEN COMING TO TALK ABOUT NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION.
AND WE HAD A CONFERENCE HERE, AND OF COURSE WE KNOW THE NAMES ADA LOVELESS AND HETI LAMAR WHEN IT COMES TO COMPUTERS AND WIFI.
BUT I AM TAKING MY POINT OF PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE OUR OWN SAN ANTONIAN, UH, AMANDA
[00:25:01]
KEER, THE FOUNDER AND C E O OF JAVU LA, WHICH IS A SMALL BUSINESS LEADING AT THE INTERSECTION OF PEOPLE, POLITICS, TECH, AND ART.AMANDA IS BORN AND RAISED SAN ANTONIO, A PROUD SAN ANTONIAN, I SS D ALUM AND A MENTOR FOR STEM STUDENTS OF ALL AGES.
SHE EARNED HER BA IN RUSSIAN AND GOVERNMENT FROM SMITH COLLEGE AND HER MA FROM THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS WITH A DOUBLE CONCENTRATION IN NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY IN IT POLICY.
SHE, WHILE SHE IS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, SHE WAS THE APPOINTEE AT THE WHITE HOUSE DURING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION, WHERE SHE WORKED FOR THE FEDERAL CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER AND THE FIRST FEDERAL CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER IMPLEMENTING FEDERAL CYBER AND IT POLICY AND BRINGING HER EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE AROUND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
AMANDA HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR HER COMMUNITY.
WE MET WHEN SHE RETURNED TO SAN ANTONIO AND WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CYBERSECURITY AND THE DIRECTOR OF CYBERSECURITY SAN ANTONIO, UH, AT THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
JUST GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND INCLUDES MARKETING PROJECTS AT THE KI KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION, UH, COMMUNITY RELATIONS AT LULAC NATIONAL OFFICE, AND, UM, JUST BEING PRESENT AND BEING IN THE COMMUNITY IN 2020.
AMANDA WAS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE LATINX NEXT GENERATION LEADER IN NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY.
SHE'S ALSO THE AUTHOR OF A FORTHCOMING CHILDREN'S BOOK ON CYBERSECURITY, THE FIRST BILINGUAL CHILDREN'S BOOK, BOTH WRITTEN AND WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY TWO LATINAS, AMANDA AND SAN ANTONIO, ARTIST KAT KAENA CURRENT.
CURRENTLY, AMANDA SERVES ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR FAMILY SERVICE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE, THE S A I S D FOUNDATION, AND THE MIND SCIENCE FOUNDATION, AND APPOINTED BY SAN ANTONIO, MAYOR, MAYOR, OUR MAYOR, RON NURENBERG.
AMANDA SERVES AS A HOUSING COMMISSION ON THE SAN ANTONIO HOUS, ON THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSION, AND IS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GEN GENERATOR CYBERSECURITY AND ACCELERATOR PROGRAM INVESTING IN SECURITY TECH STARTUPS WHEN SHE'S NOT NERDING ABOUT CYBER, CYBER STUDENTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY.
AMANDA DOES LOVE TO GET OUT AND HIKE AND BIKE AND, UM, AND TRIPS, AND WE HAVE SPENT TIME CHEERING FOR THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS WHEN I WAS BACK WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
SO AMANDA, IF YOU COULD COME UP AND IF, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW AMANDA, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T, I WANT TO INTRODUCE HER, JUST BEING A ROLE MODEL TO ALL OF OUR STEM STUDENTS OUT THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS, THANK YOU.
IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE AWKWARD FOR ME TO HEAR ALL OF THAT READ OUT LOUD, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEARING WITH ME AND LISTENING TO THAT.
UM, AND NOT TRYING TO GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, AS A SAN ANTONIO KID, AS AN S A S D KID, THE ROAD TO ALL THAT FANCY BIO STUFF WAS NOT EASY.
UM, I LIKE SHARING WITH PEOPLE THAT MY G P A MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE IS LIKE A 1.43.
UH, I DIDN'T HAVE A 4.0 IN COLLEGE.
I DIDN'T HAVE A 4.0 IN GRAD SCHOOL.
I STILL GOT TO WORK AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
I STILL GET TO WORK WITH ALL OF Y'ALL IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTHS TO MENTION THAT, UM, THAT YOU HAVE UPS AND DOWNS, RIGHT? AND I THINK BEING IN THESE SPACES IS A PRIVILEGE, AND I DON'T, I DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY AT ALL.
I COME FROM A MILITARY FAMILY.
WE ARE MILITARY CITY, U S A, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT I TRY TO GIVE BACK, AND SOMEHOW THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COMES BACK TO ME, UM, IN THAT SPACE.
SO I JUST, I'M HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, I MOVED BACK ON PURPOSE BECAUSE OF OUR CYBER ECOSYSTEM.
SOMEBODY'S ALWAYS SURPRISED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ASSETS WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, AND BEYOND THE TECH, BEYOND THE CYBER, JUST THAT WE CARE, UM, AND WE COLLABORATE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT I HOPE EVERYBODY TAKES AWAY FROM WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, IS THAT IT'S NOT, YES, IT'S OUR TIME TO SHOWCASE WOMEN, BUT WE NEED MORE MEN TO STEP UP TOO.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO NOT JUDGE WHAT WE WEAR AND HOW WE LOOK.
AND IF I'M WEARING GLITTER GLASSES AND IT'S DISTRACTING TO YOU, THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.
UM, BUT TO BE RESPECTED FOR, UH, WHO WE ARE AS PROFESSIONALS.
SO I THINK I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION AND OF COURSE, RECOGNIZING MY MOM, NANCY, AND MY GRANDMA DIANA, UH, WHO I BROUGHT WITH ME AS EXAMPLES, UH, FOR ME OF HARD WORK, UM, AND WHO I REALLY STRIVE TO LIKE IMPRESS
SO THANK Y'ALL AND REALLY, UM, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
[00:30:01]
YOU, AMANDA.COUNCIL MEMBER GRO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
LAST WEEK WAS A TOUGH WEEK FOR DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, LAST TUESDAY, THE PEDRO ROME REMEDIAL BRIDGE COLLAPSED DUE TO A MISHAP WITH A DUMP TRUCK STRIKING THE BRIDGE.
THE BRIDGE WAS DEDICATED TO PEDRO ROMERO IN 1978.
PEDRO WAS COMMITTED WESTSIDER, UH, WHO IN HIS SEVENTIES WENT HOUSE TO HOUSE TO COLLECT SIGNATURES TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED GARDENDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD A SAFE WAY TO CROSS CASTORVILLE ROAD.
I WANNA THANK THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR TRULY PUTTING IN THE INCREDIBLE EFFORT AND WORKING SWIFTLY TO CLEAR THE DEBRIS FROM AN ACCIDENT.
I KNOW WE HAVE MORE WORK AHEAD OF US TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING WHILE WE FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS AND ON, ON A TIMELINE FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF A POTENTIAL PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
I KNOW IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO THE PEDRO RAMIRO FAMILY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A PETITION ONLINE THAT HAS ROUGHLY OVER 300 SIGNATURES.
UM, SO THAT'S TELLING ME THAT THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF THAT BRIDGE.
SO I WANNA THANK PUBLIC WORKS, AND I WANT TO, UM, ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE SAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I KNOW IT WILL MEAN A LOT TO OUR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY, UM, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE THINK THE CITY STAFF THAT RE REACTED AND RESPONDED, UH, QUICKLY TO THE TRAGIC ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED LAST FRIDAY.
A FAMILY MAN AND AN AIR FORCE VETERAN WAS TRAGICALLY LOST BY SEVERAL AGGRESSIVE DOGS, HIS PARTNER, JUANITA AND SEVERAL OTHERS, INCLUDING A SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN, SUSTAINED INJURIES DURING THE TRAGIC, TRAGIC INCIDENT.
MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THE FAMILY AND THE SAN ANTONIO HEART IS HURTING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE MUST RESPOND IN OUR FULLEST CAPACITY.
SO FAMILIES LIKE THE NHAS NEVER EXPERIENCE THE AGONY OF LOSING A LOVED ONE WHO WAS JUST CROSSING A SIDEWALK.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR BRAVE, CARING PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE.
THANK YOU TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND E M S FROM FIRE STATION 33 FOR GETTING TO THE SCENE IMMEDIATELY AND INTERVENING WITHOUT A THOUGHT FOR YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO SWIFTLY TRIAGED VICTIMS ON SITE BEFORE TRANSPORTING THEM TO A HOSPITAL CHIEF HOOD SAN ANTONIO, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE THAT DAY WAS A TESTAMENT AND A HIGH CALIBER OF THE PEOPLE AND THE TEAM THAT YOU REPRESENT.
CITY MANAGER WALSH AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MARIA VILLAGOMEZ.
THANK YOU FOR MAINTAINING CONSTANT COMMUNICATION AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO OUR REQUEST.
I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO WITNESSED THE ATTACK, AND AFTER IT WAS APPARENT THAT MOST WERE IN A, IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND DISBELIEF, MARIA AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO HAVE THE S A P D COMMUNITY OPERATION RESOURCE EDUCATION TEAM, THE CORE TEAM GO DOOR TO DOOR THAT SAME DAY AND SPEAK TO RESIDENTS WHO WITNESSED A HORRIFIC ATTACK.
AND I WANNA THANK, UH, RYAN AND JUDGE FOR HELPING US NAVIGATE THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AS WE TALKED TO NEIGHBORS ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD WITNESSED AND THE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DELICATE CARE WITH THE RESIDENTS.
AND THANK YOU TO THE FIRE DEPUTY CHIEF ESTRADA, WHO ALSO SPENT THAT EVENING WITH US IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, GOING DOOR TO DOOR SPEAKING TO NEIGHBORS.
OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT WORKED QUICKLY TO SEND A CREW TO DELA TO CLEAN UP THE STREET THAT SAME EVENING.
I ESPECIALLY WANNA RECOGNIZE THE LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR DAVID NEWMAN AND SUPERVISOR EDDIE ESQUIVEL.
RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT BE FACED WITH THE VISUAL REMINDER OF THE HORRIFIC ATTACK WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR HOME.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICE OFFICERS WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE.
OVER THE LAST YEARS, THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN MEASURABLE STEPS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY AND ANIMAL SAFETY.
AS COMMUNITY NEED CONTINUES TO GROW, MY HOPE IS THAT COSA AND CITY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP WILL WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT A C S HAS THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND FUNDING.
THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR COMMITTING TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY AS IT RELATES TO A C SS.
THE ISSUE IMPACTS FOLKS IN EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY.
SO WE WILL NEED TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ELIMINATE ANY FURTHER SERIOUS INJURIES AND DEATH CAUSED BY ANIMAL ATTACKS IN THE FACE OF TRAGEDY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THE FAMILY HAS SET UP A GOFUNDME PAGE, AND I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HAS THE CAPACITY, UM, TO PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE FOR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UH, TODAY I WANNA PRESENT TO THE, UH, COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL THE EFFORT THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD IN DISTRICT NINE, WHICH IS CALLED A PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE UNDERTAKEN, UH, A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE PAST.
UH, THIS IS THE LARGEST PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECT IN TEXAS.
SO WHAT DO WE MEAN BY PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING? YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR STAFF WORK HARD.
ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS WORK HARD.
[00:35:01]
IDENTIFY NEEDS THAT, UH, WE CAN WORK ON TO IMPROVE.SOMETIMES WE DON'T SEE EVERYTHING, OR SOMETIMES THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS MORE SIGNIFICANT TO THEM.
AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE DONE THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECT.
UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE THE VOTING ON PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO US.
UH, STARTING MARCH 9TH THROUGH THE 18TH, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 140 PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECTS THAT WERE SUGGESTED.
THIS TIME, I'D LIKE YOU TO SEE SOME OF THE ONES THAT WERE APPROVED IN THE PAST.
UH, WE HAD SEVERAL THAT WE HAVE SOME PICTURES OF, BUT WE'VE A, WE'VE APPROVED EVEN MORE THAN THIS.
BICYCLES FOR POLICE, BIKE PATROL, SCHOOL SAFETY SUPPLIES, NUMEROUS TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, EVEN SUPPORT FOR NONPROFITS.
WE'VE, UH, INVESTED IN DISTRICT NINE BASED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR NEARLY $3 MILLION IN NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS.
FROM THE FIRST TWO PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, UH, EFFORTS WE'VE PUT FORWARD HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE RELIED ON THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
IT HASN'T BEEN MY STAFF OR PUBLIC WORKS, OR ONE INDIVIDUAL SAYING, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS.
UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND HELP US EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE MADE.
UH, SOME OF THEM MAY BE A LITTLE UNREALISTIC.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT DO BECAUSE OF ANY KIND OF LEGAL RESTRAINTS, BUT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE HELPED US PUT TOGETHER, UH, A SOLID SUGGESTED LIST OF, UH, PROJECTS GOING FORWARD.
NOW, PEOPLE ASK, WHERE DOES THIS MONEY COME FROM? WELL, IT COMES FROM BUDGETS FOR DISTRICT NINE FOR USUALLY INFRASTRUCTURE WORK, NAMP FUNDING, WHICH IS NEIGHBORHOOD MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, C C P F FUNDING, WHICH IS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS, AND SOME UNCOMMITTED COUNCIL BUDGET FUNDS THAT I STILL HAVE.
UH, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH THIS TIME, ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR THESE PROJECTS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN REFINING THE BALLOT, UH, AND THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT THAT PEOPLE IN DISTRICT NINE WILL BE VOTING FOR, TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE THEIR PRIORITIES BASED ON WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR.
AND OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL PAGES, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE 27 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ASK THE COMMUNITY TO VOTE AND, AND HELP US PRIORITIZE.
THEY ACTUALLY COME TO MORE THAN THE ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE.
SO OBVIOUSLY, NOT ALL OF THEM MAY BE SELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE LOOK TO THE COMMUNITY TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK THEY NEED AS MUCH AS US TRYING TO TELL THEM WHAT WE THINK THEY NEED.
UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SAY, THIS IS HOW WE WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS INVESTED.
SO AGAIN, THE VOTING WILL BEGIN MARCH 9TH, AND TO VOTE, YOU CAN GO TO D NINE PB.ORG.
YOU SHOULD BE A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE, AND WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF INTRODUCING IMPORTANT PROJECTS AND GETTING THEM DONE IN DISTRICT NINE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LOOK AT THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
LASTLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, WITH THE POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
GOT SOME, UH, GREAT NEWS HERE FOR, UH, AN ATHLETE IN DISTRICT 10.
HE'S A SOPHOMORE AT MADISON HIGH SCHOOL, AND I THINK WE HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM.
HE STARTED WRESTLING JUST IN 2018, AND, UH, HE MADE, UH, AS A SOPHOMORE, HE MADE THE VARSITY TEAM.
HE STARTED OUT, HE EARNED A GOLD MEDAL AT THE MARBLE CLASSIC, UH, INVITATIONAL.
UH, AND THEN HE WENT ON TO EARN A GOLD MEDAL IN AUSTIN AT THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL BRAZILIAN JUUJITSU FEDERA FEDERATION INVITATIONAL.
I PERSONALLY KNOW BRANDON, HE'S A VERY GENTLE, UH, HUMBLE, UH, VERY RESPECTFUL INDIVIDUAL, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, I WOULDN'T WANT TO GET IN ONTO THE MAT WITH HIM.
HE'S FEROCIOUS OUT THERE ON AND HIS WRESTLING CHALLENGES OUT THERE.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS BRANDON.
UM, GREAT, GREAT, UH, EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR YOUTH ARE DOING TODAY IN THE SPORTS WORLD AND THERE AT MADISON HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, UH, WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
PLUS, I WANNA MENTION, YOU MIGHT SEE THE, THE TIE THAT I'M WEARING HERE.
GUESS WHAT TODAY IS? IT'S TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY.
[00:40:01]
BACK IN 1836 IS WHEN WE DECLARED, OR WHEN TEXAS DECLARED INDEPENDENCE FROM MEXICO.AND THAT'S WHAT TODAY IS, UH, TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY.
SO HAPPY TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY.
ALRIGHT, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE, EVERYONE WHO IS HERE FOR A PARTICULAR ITEM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA.
[ACTION ITEMS FOR STAFF BRIEFING]
ITEM THAT IS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.THAT IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UH, THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR D SEVEN REPRESENTATIVE.
ALL THE OTHER ITEMS ARE ON CONSENT.
I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES NOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
OKAY, HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I'LL REMIND MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL HAVE A COUNCIL DISCUSSION TO HIGHLIGHT ANY OTHER ITEMS. UH, WE'LL START WITH JACK FINGER ON ITEMS 10, 14, 15, AND 24.
MR. FINGER, YOU BE FOLLOWED BY TORY REESE.
WELL, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER, OH, ONE OR MORE ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO, TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
ONE IN PARTICULAR THOUGH THAT, UH, I FOUND INTERESTING.
ITEM NUMBER 10 IS ABOUT THE IDEA OF, WELL, AS THEY SAY, UH, APPROVING A FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCESSION AGREEMENT, UH, WITH IDE LAGAR LAGAR LAGAR DEAD, UH, AT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, L L C, TO OPERATE A STARBUCKS CONCEPT OVER AT THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
NOW, YOU KNOW, AS I RECALL A FEW, FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD THAT BIG CONTROVERSY AT THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ABOUT THE IDEA OF OFFERING, UH, A, UM, A CONCESSION TO CHICK-FIL-A.
AND AS IT TURNED OUT, YOU, THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME, DID NOT WANT CHICK-FIL-A BECAUSE, WELL, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS TOO PRO-FAMILY AND TOO ANTI HOMOSEXUAL.
WELL, IT, IT NEVER GOT THE CONTRACT, AND THERE WERE LAWSUITS AFTER THAT BECAUSE OF IT.
BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT YUHU, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THOUGHT, UH, UH, THE, THE COMPANY THAT REPLACED IT, THAT Y'ALL EVENTUALLY THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED TO BE OVER THERE, WAS THE PARES, UH, COMPANY FOR THE CONCESSIONS.
I, AND, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, NOW A PERSON'S GONNA SAY, WELL, JACK, THEY'VE GOTTA PUT SOMEBODY ELSE IN THERE WHO THEY MIGHT AS WELL PUT PARODIES.
WELL, MAYBE SO, BUT I COULDN'T HELP 'EM.
NOTICE THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, UH, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER AT THE, UH, CONCESSION OVER THERE IS, UM, THE FACT THAT A NUMBER OF THE SHAREHOLDERS WITH PARODIES HAVE GIVEN ALL OF YOU CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.
MY GOLLY, WHO'S GOT WHAT? WELL, I JUST HAPPEN TO NOTICE THAT, UH, MAYOR, YOU GOT AS MUCH AS 3,500 BUCKS FROM THE SHAREHOLDERS, UH, OVER THERE.
UH, MR. BRAVO GOT A THOUSAND, MS. RIO GRANDE GOT A 1500, UH, SUCH, NEARLY ALL OF Y'ALL GOT GOT SOMETHING.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET GET ANYTHING WAS MR. MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
THEY, YOU, YOU, YOU STILL HAVEN'T MET MADE THE BIG TIME YET.
YEAH, BUT NOW IF, AND I DON'T SEE HOW THIS COMPANY IS REALLY, I DON'T SEE HOW ADAM 10 IS GONNA FLY, ESPECIALLY IF ALL OF Y'ALL DO THE RIGHT THING AND ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS, THAT MR. PALAZ AND, AND, UH, MR. COURAGE.
I MEAN, Y Y'ALL, Y'ALL KNOW HOW TO ABSTAIN Y'ALL, Y'ALL WALKED OUT TO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, RIGHT? YEAH.
BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT, NOT, UH, NOT TOO HARD TO DO, BUT JUST WATCH IT, JUST SAIL RIGHT ON THROUGH
TORY REESE ON ITEMS 20 AND 21.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, ITEMS 20 AND 21 REGARD, PAYING OUT LAWSUITS, I'M AN ACTIVIST.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON NUMBER 20 SPECIFICALLY.
[00:45:01]
SHOULD'VE NEVER HAPPENED.LET'S APPROVE IT, GET IT PAID OUT.
BUT I'M UP HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS REALIZE THESE THINGS ARE PREVENTABLE.
YOU ARE, CITY COUNCIL ARE GIVEN YOUR AUTHORITY THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT CODE, AND YOU GUYS KNOW YOU'RE VIOLATING IT WITH OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WILL GET SUED OVER.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE UNLAWFUL KNIFE SIGNS.
YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF IT, BUT YOU'RE NOT TAKING ACTION ON IT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I LOOK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE FACE WHEN I SAY THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW DISTRICT TWO WAS AWARE OF IT AND THEY TOLD ME, TAKE IT UP WITH CITY LEGAL.
AND YET, OFFICERS ARE UNLAWFULLY ARRESTING PEOPLE OVER A POLICY THAT THE CITY CAN'T EVEN ENACT BY THE AUTHORITY YOU GUYS HAVE.
OKAY? THIS ISN'T ABOUT CHASTISING YOU FOR OTHER THINGS.
THIS IS ABOUT THE OTHER $120,000.
THAT WAS A PREVENTABLE LAWSUIT.
THESE FUNDS COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR BETTER TRAINING FOR OTHER THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY COULD USE BETTER.
NOW, WE ALL KNOW TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE'S GONNA PAY THIS.
IT'S NOT REALLY, NO, IT DOES AFFECT THE CITIZEN.
THIS MONEY DOESN'T COME DIRECTLY OUT OF THE CITIZEN'S POCKET, BUT IT DOES INCREASE OUR PREMIUMS. AND WE AS CITIZENS, WHEN WE LOOK THE CITY IN THE EYE AND WE SAY, WE CAN DO BETTER.
WE KNOW YOU CAN DO BETTER, BUT WE GET TOLD, OH, TAKE IT UP WITH LEGAL.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS.
IN TWO WEEKS, TWO DAYS AFTER I WAS UNLAWFULLY ARRESTED, THE CITY ATTORNEY, JAMES KOPP, FOR THE POLICE TOLD ME, GIVE ME TWO WEEKS.
YOU STILL HAVE THESE UNLAWFUL SIGNS UP AT OTHER POLICE STATIONS.
HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE TO WAIT? DO WE NEED ANOTHER UNLAWFUL ARREST? DO YOU NEED TO BE APPROVING ANOTHER LAWSUIT HERE? IT SEEMS THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE MESSAGE GIVEN TO THE CITIZEN.
WHEN WE ASK YOU TO PRE BE PROACTIVE AND YOU'RE NOT, I APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ACTUALLY LISTENING TO ME.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE I'M BEING CONDEMNING OF YOU, 'CAUSE I'M NOT.
YOU GUYS ARE OUT HERE, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T HEAR FROM US.
WE'RE BLOCKED FROM GETTING OUR MESSAGE TO YOU ALL THE TIME.
MY NAME'S TORY REESE, AND I AM A ACTIVIST IN THE COMMUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO NOW TO OUR MOTION.
WE DO HAVE A, A MOTION A SECOND.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE WITH COUNSEL DISCUSSION.
NOW, UH, IF YOU COULD HIGHLIGHT CONSENT AGENDA ON YOUR TABLET IF YOU'D LIKE TO QUEUE UP IN THE MEANTIME, JUST FLAG ME IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TO HIGHLIGHT ANY ITEMS. OKAY.
I WOULD ACTUALLY, AND, AND IT'S FUNNY THAT MAYOR CASTRO IS STANDING IN THE BACK BECAUSE, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING IN, UH, TO THE PORT SAN ANTONIO BOARD.
OLIVIA, ARE YOU HERE STILL? UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OLIVIA HAS DONE GREAT WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND SHE'S NOW GOING TO BE A BOARD MEMBER TO PORT SAN ANTONIO FILLING FINALLY FOR, UH, A MEMBER THAT WAS ORIGINALLY APPOINTED BY MAYOR CASTRO, ALEX NAVA, WHO HAS SERVED ADMIRABLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS.
UH, BUT OLIVIA, YOU ARE BRINGING IN A NEW GUARD AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR ENERGY LEADERSHIP AND EXPERIENCE ON THE PORT BOARD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STAND STEPPING UP.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER KABE H THANK YOU MAYOR.
THAT'S THE ACCEPTANCE OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
THIS IS A REALLY BROAD CATEGORY.
IT INCLUDES YOUTH, UH, WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, FOSTER CHILDREN, ABUSED CHILDREN, AND TRAFFIC CHILDREN.
WE TALK ABOUT HOUSELESSNESS IN GENERAL AS A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED.
THE STATE OF OUR CHILDREN REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY AND HOMELESS CHILDREN.
HOMELESS YOUTH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
THE FACT THAT THEY ARE, UH, HOUSELESS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNACCEPTABLE.
AND BY WE, I MEAN LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL FUNDS DIRECTED TO HELP OUR CHILDREN.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR, FOR MANY YEARS NOW, FOR FOSTER CHILDREN, SPECIFICALLY AGING OUTTA THE FOSTER SYSTEM.
AND THEY ARE A, A VERY AT RISK GROUP FOR, UM, TO BE HOUSELESS.
WE NEED TO KEEP WINNING FOR OUR, OUR CHILDREN, FOR FOSTER CHILDREN SPECIFICALLY.
AND I'LL BE LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO GET IT DONE.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT ITEM 16.
IT'S A SUBMITTAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF AN AWARD TO CONTINUE THE TRUANCY INTERVENTION PREVENTION PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR SEVEN YEARS.
EVERY YEAR OUR, OUR JUDGE OTO, I'M NOT SURE SHE'S HERE, BUT, UM, UH, A FORMER JUDGE AND THEN JUDGE OTO APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT AND EVERY YEAR IT'S MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR YOUTH.
THANK YOU TO JUDGE BLATO, FRED NORMA, AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR
[00:50:01]
CONTINUED EFFORTS ON THIS TOPIC.COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I ALSO WANTED TO CONGRATULATE OLIVIA.
SHE IS A POWERHOUSE AND I AM REALLY EXCITED THAT O C I IS IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND YOU, YOUR TEAM ARE PHENOMENAL.
UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 15.
UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT ITEM 15 ON TODAY'S AGENDA BECAUSE IT, UH, IT FUNDS HARM REDUCTION AND HOMELESS PREVENTION.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES IS RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL 100,000 TO PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO FAMILIES AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT COMMUNITY IS IN DIRE NEED OF THESE HOUSING ASSISTANCE RESOURCES.
UH, RECENTLY N H S G RECEIVED OVER 6,000 RENTAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS OVER JUST A FEW WEEKS.
UM, FURTHER LOCAL EVICTION FILINGS, UH, ARE BACK TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
SO I ALSO WANNA GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO CUAN MINISTRIES FOR THEIR FREE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE TO OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION, ESPECIALLY THE HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH.
THIS INCLUDES PATIENT-CENTERED CARE FOR UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING, UH, CHEMICAL DEPENDENCIES WITH RESOURCES LIKE CLEAN NEEDLE EXCHANGES, A MEDICAL CLINIC CASE MANAGEMENT AND COACHING.
THEIR STREET OUTREACH TEAM PROVIDES CRITICAL LIFE-SAVING RESOURCES SUCH AS FOOD, WATER, CLOTHING, MEDICINE, AND ACCESS TO SHOWERS AND OTHER NECESSITIES TO UNHOUSED RESIDENTS.
STREET OUTREACH COORDINATORS ALSO REFER CLIENTS TO EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND OTHER TEMPORARY HOUSING, HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL CARE, TRANSPORTATION, PEER SUPPORT SERVICES, AND OTHER AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
RAISON EVEN PARTNERS WITH UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER TO OFFER DERMATOLOGY CLINICS TWICE A MONTH, UH, AS THE CITY DISCUSSES THE UPCOMING BUDGET AND BEGINS TO RECEIVE OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
COMPASSIONATE AND EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS LIKE THESE SHOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE LINE.
THANK YOU TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND GOONE MINISTRIES TEAMS, AND PLEASE KNOW, UM, HOW OUR OFFICE CAN BEST ASSIST Y'ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 25, UH, AND IT'S, UH, A PROJECT IN COOPERATION WITH A, A SCHOOL IN DISTRICT NINE AND THE CITY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING SAFETY AROUND THOSE SCHOOLS BY PROVIDING, UH, BEACONS AND FLASHING BEACONS TO JUST REMIND THE TRAFFIC THAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO A SCHOOL ZONE.
UH, THIS ONE, UH, NUMBER 25 AND TWO OTHERS WITH OTHER SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT ARE, ARE PENDING THIS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY AND, AND NEED SCHOOLS TO COOPERATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF, UH, THE STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND I HOPE WE SEE MORE OF THESE SOON.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
LET ME ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF, UH, TWO OF OUR ESTEEMED JUDGES IN OUR COMMUNITY, JUDGE ROSA GONZALEZ, AS WELL AS, UH, JUDGE A CARLO ADO, OUR PRESIDING JUDGE FROM MUNICIPAL COURT.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEM SAVED FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TABLET TROUBLE, SO WE'LL TAKE A VOICE VOTE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS THE INTERVIEW OF CANDIDATES TO FILL THE DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCIL VACANCY AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPOINT A PERSON TO FILL THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM.
ALRIGHT, YESTERDAY AT OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION, WE HEARD FROM ALL OF THE APPLICANTS FOR THE D SEVEN TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DECIDED A FINAL, UH, A FINALIST, A SINGLE FINALIST THAT IS ROSIE CASTRO.
UH, SO WE'LL BE HEARING FROM HER SHORTLY, BUT FIRST WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
WE'LL START WITH SECRETARY JULIAN CASTRO.
UH, MAYOR NURNBERG AND, UH, MEMBERS OF SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO BE BACK HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO I'LL BE BRIEF.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS MOMENT FOR MY MOTHER IS IN SOME WAYS 52 YEARS IN THE MAKING, UH, BECAUSE SHE RAN FIRST FOR CITY COUNCIL IN 1971 BEFORE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, BEFORE MY
[00:55:01]
BROTHER JOAQUIN AND I WERE BORN EVEN.AND I IMAGINE EVERYBODY ALMOST ON THIS COUNCIL, UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN FOR THE LAST 48 YEARS FROM HER HAS BEEN SOMEBODY WHO HAS A PASSION FOR SERVING OTHERS.
UH, SOMEBODY WHO IS GIVING SOMEBODY WHO IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND EAGER AND WILLING, AND HAS THE TIME AND ENERGY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR ADVANCING HER AS THE FINALIST TODAY AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UH, TO APPOINT HER TO DISTRICT SEVEN, THE DISTRICT THAT I STILL CALL HOME, THAT MY BROTHER CALLS HOME.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY HOW PROUD WE ARE OF THE SERVICE THAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL PUT FORWARD.
UH, DURING HER TENURE ON THE COUNCIL.
SHE DID GREAT THINGS FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE BRIGADE OF WOMEN WHO ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY MOTHER.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE CHAMBER TODAY IS REALLY A, A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO, IN THEIR OWN RIGHT HAVE BLAZED TRAILS, HAVE BROKEN GLASS CEILINGS, HAVE INSPIRED SO MANY PEOPLE TO GO HIGHER AND FURTHER THAN THEY COULD WHO RAISE THEIR VOICES AND RAISE THE GENERATION THAT IS MAKING OUR CITY BETTER.
THANK YOU, UH, SECRETARY CASTRO.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL GO NOW TO MARIA.
VAL, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD MORNING.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE AND I'M VERY DELIGHTED TO BE HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO SAY IS THAT ONE OF THE GIFTS OF AGE IS THAT YOU GET TO SEE HOW THINGS TURN OUT.
AND I MET ROSIE RA, I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW OLD SHE WAS, BUT IT WAS 1968.
SHE WAS IN HER EARLY TWENTIES AND SHE WAS A STUDENT AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY.
I WAS RUNNING THE, UM, HUBERT H HUMPHREY FOR PRESIDENT HEADQUARTERS, AND I NEEDED VOLUNTEERS.
AND ONE DAY THIS YOUNG WOMAN WALKS IN AND SAYS, I WANNA VOLUNTEER AND I WANNA BRING PEOPLE IN.
HOW IT TURNED OUT IS SHE'S HERE TODAY, UH, AS AN ELDER OF OUR COMMUNITY WANTING TO SERVE AGAIN.
WHEN I HEARD THAT ROSIE WANTED TO APPLY FOR THIS INTERIM POSITION, I WAS VERY PLEASED AND I WAS VERY GRATEFUL THAT SHE WANTS TO DO THIS.
I AM, UM, I NEED TO SAY THIS BECAUSE IF WE DON'T TALK ABOUT OUR HISTORY, UH, AND THE THINGS THAT MAKE US PROUD, UH, WE LOSE IT.
UH, I HAD THE INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING IN THE DISTRICT ONE SEED COUNCILMAN FOR 10 YEARS, AND I DID IT AS THE FIRST LATINA EVER ELECTED.
AND MANY, MANY TIMES, AND SHE KNOWS THIS, I HAVE THANKED ROSIE FOR OPENING THE DOOR FOR ME.
SHE OPENED THE DOOR FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT WIN ELECTION AFTER ELECTION BECAUSE THE CARDS WERE STACKED AGAINST US.
SHE OPENED DOORS FOR ALL OF US, AND PARTICULARLY THE WOMEN TODAY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN THAT WE CELEBRATE, UH, UM, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
UH, SO JUST TO SAY THAT THIS WOMAN IS AN INCREDIBLE LEADER, THIS MOMENT IS VERY EMOTIONAL FOR SOME OF US BECAUSE WE HAVE KNOWN HER FOR SO LONG, BECAUSE WE KNOW HER CHILDREN.
AND I THANK YOU FOR MOVING HER IN THE PROCESS TO TODAY.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
AND I WISH HER EVERY SUCCESS AS SHE, UH, SITS THERE AND FOLLOWS THE GOOD WORK OF COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
WELL, MAYOR BERGEN, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
WELL, TODAY YOU ARE GOING TO BE NOMINATING ROSIE CASTRO TO BE THE LATEST REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT SEVEN.
[01:00:01]
FOLLOWS A NUMBER OF PERSONS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, JULIAN CASTRO, ELENA WADO, JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ, ANNA SANDOVAL PRO-ABORTION, PRO HOMOSEXUAL ALL.AND EVER SINCE THAT, UH, YEAH.
THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROUD OF IT.
EVER, EVER SINCE THAT, UH, BIG BAD TEXAS LEGISLATURE SAID NO MORE ABORTIONS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
THERE HAS BEEN A DEARTH OF BABY KILLING IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
SHE CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS UP FOR YOU.
AND, UH, WHAT ELSE NEEDS MORE, NEEDS TO BE SAID? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, UM, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
I MOVE THAT WE SELECT MARIA DEL ROSARIO ROSIE CASTRO TO FILL THE DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCIL VACANCY.
OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION, A SECOND.
SO WE'LL BEGIN DISCUSSION NOW.
UM, MS. CASTRO, ARE YOU HERE? IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A STATEMENT, IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL, WE'LL FIELD THOSE NOW, MS. CASTRO, UH, I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR, UH, IF YOU HAVE A STATEMENT, GO AHEAD AND, AND MAKE IT, AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW VERY HONORED I AM TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING WITH YOU.
UM, I FEEL THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO FOR OTHERS.
AND ALL OF YOU HAVE SHOWN THAT YOUR INTEREST IS WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THE CHAPLAIN INVOKE SAINT ANTHONY.
HE IS ONE OF MY GO-TO SAINTS BECAUSE I LOSE THINGS ALL THE TIME.
AND SO I PRAY HARD TO FIND THEM.
BUT MY MOTHER FOUND THIS PLACE MANY YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS ORPHANED.
SHE AND HER SISTER WERE ORPHANED AND THEY HAD NO PLACE IN MEXICO WHERE THEY COULD STAY.
SHE CAME TO SAN ANTONIO NOT KNOWING ANYONE AND, UM, NOT NECESSARILY HAVING A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, BUT SHE FOUND A HOME WHEN SHE WAS ASKED, WHY DID YOU COME HERE? IT WAS TO FIND, TO, TO BE ABLE TO LIVE.
SO SHE WAS ABLE TO LIVE AND TO GIVE ME OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHE NEVER HAD FOR ME.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A STORY FOR MANY PEOPLE HERE.
UH, BUT FOR ME, THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE HAS BEEN TO BE ABLE ALSO TO OFFER SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO MY SONS AND TO KNOW THAT LIKE YOU, THEY'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THIS BELOVED CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW, TO LIVE, TO PROSPER.
NOT TO HATE, BUT TO LOVE AND TO BE THE VERY BEST THAT THEY CAN BE.
I'M SO FORTUNATE TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FRIENDS HERE.
ANTON TALKED ABOUT BEING THE FIRST MEXICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE ELECTED.
THIS WAS 1981, NOT SO LONG AGO.
YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE HAD TO FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT WE GOT THE RIGHTS THAT WE WERE PROMISED MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE IN THE TREATY TREATY OF GUADALUPE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU MAY POINTED OUT THE TWO DEATHS THAT WE'VE JUST EXPERIENCED, BUT I THINK THAT IN LOOKING AT JESSE, WE SEE A PEOPLE THAT ARE SO TALENTED.
WE SEE A PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH.
PEOPLE LIKE MARTA TIINA, WHO WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN THE MEDIA TO HAVE HER OWN SHOW.
ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO, PEOPLE LIKE REBECCA HARRINGTON, WHO SPENT HER LIFE WORKING WITH FARM WORKERS AND CONTINUES TO WORK TODAY IN THIS BELOVED CITY.
PEOPLE LIKE BARBARA RE WHO NOW WORKS FOR RE WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR STORIES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN SHARED WITH THE WHOLE WORLD.
PEOPLE LIKE MICHELLE REIL, THE PERSON WHO PUT TOGETHER TOP, WHO IS NOW CONSIDERED NATIONALLY, ONE OF THE GREATEST ORGANIZING ORGANIZATIONS IN TEXAS, AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
BAMBI CARDENAS, WHO IS ON THE US
[01:05:01]
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS, AND I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO.WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTE EVERY DAY SINCE THEY WERE BORN.
ALMOST THEY CONTRIBUTE AND WILL CON KEEP CONTRIBUTING AND THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED ALSO FAMILY THAT HAS MADE THIS PLACE OUR HOME.
AND THAT WILL ALWAYS GIVE BACK.
I'M HONORED TO HAVE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I PROMISE I WILL BE A TEAM MAKER, TEAM BUILDER, AND A TEAM PERSON WITH YOU.
UM, AND IF WE DIFFER THAT IT WILL BE DONE IN A RESPECTFUL WAY.
I ALSO WANNA THANK ANNA SANDAL FOR HER SERVICE.
UM, SHE IS A PERSON THAT I ADMIRED A GREAT DEAL.
UM, SHE'S A PERSON THAT FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT IN OUR DISTRICT, I KNEW SHE CARED ABOUT THAT DISTRICT AND SHE DID ALL SHE COULD TO MAKE THAT DISTRICT BETTER.
I HOPE TO FOLLOW IN HER FOOTSTEPS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MAYOR.
ROSIE, IN CASE THERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, WHY DON'T YOU JUST STAY AROUND HERE FOR A MINUTE.
IT, UH, BUT I'M GONNA GO AROUND THE DAIS NOW WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND ACTUALLY, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU DID EXCELLENT YESTERDAY.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, I TURNED OVER TO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO RIGHT NOW, AND I WAS LIKE, DO WE REALLY HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS?
BUT, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, I REALLY ALWAYS ADMIRED THE WORK OF THE US AS, AS A SINGLE MOM, UM, RAISING A SON MYSELF.
YOU RAISED TIMES TWO, SO YOU HAVE ALWAYS ONE, BEEN ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I LOOK FOR FORWARD TO SEEING THE MOST AT, AT EVENTS AND TO TALKING TO AND TO LEARNING FROM.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU AND TO LEARNING FROM YOU.
AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO BE HERE, THIS HISTORIC MOMENT.
THAT'S, THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GRA THANK YOU, ROSIE.
I MET, UH, JULIAN AND JOAQUIN YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN COLLEGE.
AND THE ONE THING THAT THEY DID IS THEY ALWAYS, WHEN WHEN WE WOULD TALK, THEY ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGED YOUR ROLE AND YOUR EFFORT IN THEIR SUCCESS AND THEIR GROWTH.
BUT THIS IS, THIS TRULY IS YOUR MOMENT.
AND I, I ALL THE ACCOLADES TO EVERYONE.
BUT THIS IS YOUR MOMENT AND THE HISTORY THAT YOU'RE MAKING NOW BECAUSE YOU HAD A SON THAT SERVES HE ON THIS DIOCESE.
YOU HAVE A SON THAT CURRENTLY SERVES, BUT NOW THIS IS GOING TO BE YOU, IT ALL, YOU, YOU ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
SO I DID WANNA ASK, BECAUSE, AND ANNA DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO DO HER WORK, BUT YOU HAVE THIS MOMENT TO DO SOMETHING UNIQUELY, UH, ROSIE CASTRO.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE, AND, BECAUSE THREE MONTHS IS A LONG TIME ON CITY COUNCIL
I THINK I MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA DO, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS IS TO ENSURE THAT ANNA'S VISION FOR THIS FOUR DISTRICT SEVEN, WHICH SHE ALSO WORKED WITH, MANY OF THE RESIDENTS THERE, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, HOAS, AND PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ASSOCIATIONS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THOSE PLANS THAT THEY HAD MADE ARE CONTINUED.
UM, SECONDLY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONNECT PEOPLE WITH OUR GOVERNMENT, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT PROCESS, WHICH Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING MORE AND MORE AND MORE.
AND WHICH, UH, UH, MR. CURRY, YOU TALKED ABOUT, THAT KIND OF BUDGETING STRATEGY, I VERY MUCH WOULD FAVOR THAT KIND OF BUDGETING STRATEGY BECAUSE IT GIVES EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY IN AND TO TELL US WHAT IT IS THEY THINK THEY NEED.
UM, I ALSO DIDN'T MENTION YESTERDAY, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE TALK ABOUT THE STREETS, THE TRAFFIC.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE OFF RA AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS STREETS AROUND.
WE ALSO HAVE BANDERA AND, AND, UH, BABCOCK.
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY WITH THE COMPLETE STREETS.
AND THAT IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITHIN THOSE TWO MONTHS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE KIND OF ENCOURAGE, CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, UM, DO THEIR BEST, UH, TO BE SAFE ON THOSE STREETS, AND THAT WE FIGURE OUT TECHNO WHAT TECHNOLOGY WOULD HELP IN THAT ENDEAVOR.
UM, I ALSO AM VERY INTERESTED IN THE CHILDREN OF DISTRICT SEVEN, THAT
[01:10:01]
THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS LIKE YOU ARE DOING.AND I KNOW YOU TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS TOO, AS I HAVE, UM, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT HELPING THE SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE, OR TO START MAKING SURE THAT THOSE SENIORS OR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE REACHING 18 ARE GOING TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE GET CITIZENS THAT ARE ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS I HOPE.
I DON'T DUNNO THAT YOU CAN DO THAT IN TWO MONTHS, BUT, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE GOING TO, IT'S, IT'S A LONG TIME.
BUT, UM, JUST THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING PREPARED FOR THIS POSITION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE BECAUSE IT, IT'S, IT'S EASY TO JUST SIT AND, AND WATCH OTHER PEOPLE DO THIS AND COMPLAIN, BUT YOU'RE HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU REACHING TO OUT TO COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND GETTING HER INPUT AND TALKING WITH HER TEAM.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S CRITICAL AS WE, AS WE CONTINUE TO GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND LEAD OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER PALEOS ROSIE, UM, I GOT A SURPRISE FOR YOU.
UH, I PREDICT A UNANIMOUS VOTE, UH, AND, UH, AND, AND IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE, UH, THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE EARNED AND THAT YOU'VE BEEN, UM, THAT YOU'VE DESERVED 50 YEARS AGO.
UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TOO LONG IN THE MAKING, BUT WE'RE HERE.
AND, UH, YOUR SACRIFICE TO MAKE SAN ANTONIO, UM, AND ITS GOOD PEOPLE BETTER FOR ALL SAN ANTONIANS, IS WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU RIGHT HERE NEXT TO ME SO THAT, UM, YOU CAN KICK ME IN THE SHIN WHENEVER, UH, I SAY DUMB THINGS AND GOD KNOWS, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE PLENTY OF, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU, FOR YOU TO KICK ME IN THE SHIN.
UM, I, I SEE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GONNA READ THE NEWS AND, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE WATCHING, UH, THE NEWS TODAY ABOUT, ABOUT THIS APPOINTMENT.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE, UH, AND THE SCOPE OF ROSIE'S IMPACT ON THE CITY AND, UH, THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE.
UM, AND SO FORGIVE ME FOR, UH, MANNY EXPLAINING A LITTLE BIT, UH, BUT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, GILBERT GARCIA HAS WRITTEN A NUMBER OF TIMES ABOUT THE, THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE.
60 YEARS AGO, THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE WAS A, UH, WAS A GROUP OF LEADERS WHO WOULD CONVENE IN SECRET AT THE ST.
AND, UM, THEY WOULD HANDPICK THEIR FAVORITE CANDIDATES FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEY PICKED THEIR FRIENDS, UH, TO GOVERN IN A WAY THAT PRESERVED AND PROTECTED A SYSTEM THAT, UM, ALSO CREATED THE, UM, THE OBSCENE REDLINING, UH, REALITY THAT, THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE WERE LIVING AND, UH, CONTINUE TO LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF THE DAMAGE THAT THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE CAUSED BACK THEN ARE STILL BEING FELT TODAY.
AND, UM, THEY DID THAT FOR 16 YEARS IN A ROW.
AND IT WAS ROSIE CASTRO, UH, WITH THE HELP OF A FEW OTHER HEROES, ROSIE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO WRESTLE CONTROL OF THAT CITY, UH, OF THE CITY AWAY FROM THIS GROUP, UM, WHO WAS APPOINTING PEOPLE THAT QUITE HONESTLY, WERE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UM, THE, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE SAN ANTONIO, SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE ARE, UM, UH, TODAY THERE ARE 10 CITY COUNCIL SEATS, EACH ONE THAT REPRESENTS ITS OWN UNIQUE PART OF THE CITY, BECAUSE ROSIE CASTRO FOUGHT THAT FIGHT.
AND SO, AS, AS I'M SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT THIS, UM, ROSIE, SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME AND GAVE ME THE MOST FOOLISH ADVICE, THEY SAID, UM, WE DON'T PREPARE THE ROAD FOR OUR KIDS.
WE PREPARE OUR KIDS FOR THE ROAD.
UM, AND SOMETIMES THAT ROAD, UM, IS PREPARED.
UM, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WHEN WE HAD MR. MIKA HERE, THAT ROAD OF FREEDOM, RIGHT, IS, UM, WAS CREATED WITH THE SACRIFICES AND PAVED WITH THE SACRIFICES OF, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE PURPLE HEARTS, RIGHT? UM, AND I THINK THAT THE ROAD OF, OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN SAN ANTONIO IS
[01:15:01]
PAVED WITH THE SACRIFICES OF ROSIE CASTRO AND MARIA SABA AND, UH, AND A LOT OF OTHER HEROES.AND SO, UM, MY YES IS A RESOUNDING YES.
UM, AND YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO, UM, SEEING, SEEING WHAT YOU DO UP HERE.
THIS IS THE LONG ARC OF HISTORY, UM, FINALLY DELIVERING JUSTICE.
UM, AND IT'S, UM, IT'S AN ARC THAT'S TOO LONG, JULIAN, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.
AND, UM, AND ON BEHALF OF MY, MY KIDS AND MY FAMILY, ROSIE, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELA, COUNCIL MEMBER K HDA.
UM, I ADMIT ROSIE, I'M, I'M SOMEWHAT EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING I, I KNOW ELAINE ALA WROTE THAT THIS WAS RIGHTING A WRONG.
AND FOR ME, THIS IS MORE SOMETHING THAT'S COMING FULL CIRCLE AS WAS MENTIONED TODAY, UM, ABOUT THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE.
AND I SPECIFICALLY WANNA SAY, UH, THE COMMITTEE FOR BODY OF BETTERMENT, WITHOUT THAT WORK YOU DID WITH YOUR, UM, RE BACK THEN, I WOULD NOT BE HERE.
BUT FOR THAT WORK, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS DIOCESE WOULD BE HERE.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE WERE THE FIRST WOMEN MAJORITY COUNCIL IN 2019, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
I'M MORE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT ALL OF THOSE WOMEN WERE OF COLOR, FIVE OF THE SIX BEING LATINAS.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK.
THAT IS BECAUSE OF COUNCILWOMAN BEAL'S WORK, AND I MM-HMM.
THAT DESERVES A PAUSE,
UM, BUT, BUT THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE SERVED, YOU'VE GIVEN ME SUPPORT, YOU'VE GIVEN ME ADVICE, YOU'VE GIVEN ME TOUGH LOVE, BUT MORE THAN YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, AN INSPIRATION TO ME, UH, TO, TO BE HERE TO DO THIS WORK.
DEEP DOWN, I'M STILL THAT LITTLE, YOU KNOW, FIVE-YEAR-OLD, UH, SAN ANTONIO GIRL GROWING UP ON THE WEST SIDE, WHO NEVER SAW ANYBODY THAT LOOKED LIKE ME ON TELEVISION, OR DEFINITELY NOT IN, UM, PLACES OF POWER.
SO TO HAVE YOU UP ON THIS DAAS HERE, PRETTY SOON, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MY SUPPORT, OF COURSE, IS IS HUMBLING.
I'VE MISSED COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I'M UP HERE, SOLA, I HAVE NOBODY TO TALK TO
I'LL TELL YOU, AND I HOPE SHE'S NOT UPSET WITH ME.
UH, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL TEXTED ME THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SITTING NEXT TO A LEGEND, AND I TOLD HER, YOU'RE, I WAS ALREADY SITTING NEXT TO A LEGEND, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS A, A DIFFERENT KIND OF LEGACY, A DIFFERENT KIND OF LEGEND THAT I'LL BE SITTING NEXT TO.
I'M HUMBLED, I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE EVEN WANTED TO DO THIS.
UM, BUT FOR ME, THIS IS, UH, COMING FULL CIRCLE TO SOMETHING YOU STARTED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AS, AS SECRETARY KARO SAID.
I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU, AND I THANK YOU FOR, FOR WANTING TO DO IT AT ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER KIO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, UH, THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, UH, IT, IT IS A LONG TIME.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS IN THE YEAR AND A HALF THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND I HAVE A FEELING YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING A LOT OF KICKING OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
YESTERDAY, I MADE A, YESTERDAY I MADE THE COMMENT THAT I FELT SILLY ASKING YOU QUESTIONS, UH, AND INTERVIEWING YOU FOR A PLACE ON THE DAIS.
AND WHEN MY, WHEN MY TEAM AND I WERE DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD I ASK, UM, YOU KNOW, I SAID, WHO AM I? WHO AM I TO BE ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE ROY CASTRO? AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST, YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, AND DESCRIBE FOR US HOW FAR WE'VE COME SINCE THEN.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS NO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND PEOPLE RAN AS A SLATE, WHICH YOU DON'T SEE MUCH OF TODAY, BUT THE SLATE WAS A GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE.
SO, UH, LATINOS ON THE WEST SIDE DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD BUILD COMMITTEE FOR BODY BETTERMENT.
AND I WAS, UH, PART OF THE LAST GROUP THAT RAN THERE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN TWO OTHER ELECTIONS WHERE FOLKS HAD RUN, USUALLY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE.
WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT THE GROUP THAT I RAN WITH IS THAT IT WAS TWO WOMEN AND TWO MEN.
AND ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T WIN, WE CAME IN ALL OF US SECOND TO THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE.
AND THAT WAS USED LATER IN THE, AND I MENTIONED THAT, UH, LATER IN THE, UH, STRUGGLE FOR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, THE FACT THAT HAD THINGS BEEN DIFFERENT, HAD WE HAD DISTRICTS IN ALL PROBABILITY WE WOULD'VE WON.
AND SO THAT USHERED IN THAT HELPED USHER IN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
WHAT WAS TOUGH ABOUT IT WAS THAT BASICALLY THE MEDIA DIDN'T REALLY COVER US.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE KIND OF LIKE JACK FINGER, UM, BUT, UH, BUT WE WERE, UM, COMMITTED TO TRYING TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS AS HE IS TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT.
AND WE CAMPAIGNED IN BARS, WE CAMPAIGNED AT TRINITY,
[01:20:01]
WE CAMPAIGNED IN HOMES.I MEAN, WE WERE NOT ASHAMED OR AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE.
WE DIDN'T BUY THAT, OH, IF YOU'RE IN THE WEST SIDE OR THE EAST SIDE OR THE SOUTH SIDE, SOMEBODY'S GONNA STEAL YOUR HUBCAP, WHICH I USED TO HEAR WHEN I TAUGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE WEREN'T AFRAID BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FROM, AND WE KNEW THE PEOPLE, AND WE HAD A FAITH THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T WIN SOMEDAY, SOMEBODY WOULD.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS SO PROUD WHEN JULIANO FIRST RAN AND WON, BECAUSE 30 YEARS LATER, THAT CAME TRUE.
HE WAS, I SAID, WE WOULD BE BACK.
AND I, I'M BACK NOW IN SOME WAYS, UM, IT SEEMS THAT, UH, IN TALKING TO GROUPS SOMETIMES, I REMEMBER MICHELLE, I WAS, I WAS DOING A THING WITH TOP AND, UH, I TALKED ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES SOMETIMES TO SEE THE FRUITION OF WHAT YOU'VE WORKED FOR.
I MEAN, SHE SAID, WELL, THAT'S A DOWNER.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, WHO WANTS TO WAIT 20, 30, 40 YEARS?
UH, BUT THINGS ARE MOVING MORE RAPID NOW.
AND THE PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT, I THINK, IS THAT THE YOUNGER PEOPLE HAVE SEEN WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND ARE DOING WHAT WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT NEVER SEE OR DO.
Y'ALL ARE DOING IT, AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL DO IT TOO.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ALWAYS HOPEFUL TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE, AND I LOVE WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE A LOT OF MY LIFE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE HOPE IS, THAT WE CAN FORGET ABOUT SOME OF THOSE, MAYBE NOT FORGET SOME OF THE OLD INJURIES, BUT WE CAN FORGIVE THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW ALWAYS WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
AND WE CAN REMEMBER THAT ALL OF US INSPIRE FOLKS IN THIS CITY TO DO BETTER AND TO, TO FEEL THAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH WHATEVER THEY WANNA ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE IT.
UH, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR SON, I'M SURE IN SEEING YOU DO THINGS, HE CAN FEEL HE CAN DO ANYTHING, AND HE CAN.
SO, UM, IT WAS DIFFICULT, BUT IT PAID OFF.
AND, UH, THANK YOU SOME TIME AGO I TOLD YOU THAT IT WOULD BE A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU, AND I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD TAKE THE SHAPE OF THIS.
AND SO I, I AM INCREDIBLY EXCITED, AND THIS IS AN EVEN GREATER PRIVILEGE AND HONOR THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
UM, THANK YOU FOR PAVING THE WAY FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME TO BE ELECTED.
UM, THIS FEELS LIKE POETIC JUSTICE TO ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE YOU HERE.
UH, AS MANY OF US ARE, YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO FOR 50 YEARS, AND WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, IT WAS 1980, I WAS RUNNING THE BEXAR COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD, BUT I KNEW THE EFFORTS OF MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE SAN ANTONIO GOVERNMENT.
I, I WAS PLEASED TO SERVE WITH GEORGE OONA AND DELIA ACOSTA ON THAT BOARD.
UH, NOW IT'S CALLED THE A C C D BOARD, BUT, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MY COMMUNITY TOO.
YOU KNOW, YEARS LATER, I, I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AND I DIDN'T GET ELECTED, AND I RAN AGAIN IN 1991, AND I DIDN'T GET ELECTED.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT FULL CIRCLE.
WELL, IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO GO IN FULL CIRCLE, UH, TO GET TO SERVE HERE IN THE COUNCIL THE LAST SIX YEARS.
SO I'M SO GLAD THAT YOUR EFFORT HAS GONE FULL CIRCLE AND THAT YOU'LL BE SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S A, A SHORT TIME, WHETHER IT'S A DAY FOR YOU.
I KNOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IS SO SIGNIFICANT, UH, THAT WE WILL ALL BENEFIT FROM THIS AND MY OFFICE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU.
I WANT YOU TO WALK DOWN THE HALL AND ASK, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'LL DO THE BEST THING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WHICH I FEEL VERY CLOSE TO.
'CAUSE I TAUGHT AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I, I APPRECIATED AND GOT TO KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY VERY WELL.
SO, UH, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I'LL BE GLAD TO SUPPORT YOU AND SO MANY OTHER GREAT WOMEN IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO TO THIS, TO BETTER THIS COMMUNITY.
ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BREAKFAST WITH MARIO ION, AND
[01:25:01]
I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE, THE SLATE FOR BARRIO CANDIDATES, UH, THAT RAN, UH, AND RAN ON A PLATFORM OF ENSURING THAT THE WEST SIDE, UH, HAD ITS FAIR SHARE OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.AND HERE WE ARE, UM, YEARS LATER, AND WE'RE STILL IN THAT STRUGGLE OF ENSURING THAT WE RECEIVE OUR FAIR SHARE OF DRAINAGE.
UM, AND I, I DO SEE IT AS FULL CIRCLE IN THAT THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES, UH, AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF WORK AHEAD OF US.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING ALONGSIDE YOU.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, AND I KNOW THERE'S, UH, PLENTY OF WORK, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE ENSURE THOSE, THOSE, UH, CONSTITUENTS WHO RESIDED, UH, WHERE MARIO RAN, WHERE YOU RAN, UH, WERE, UM, BENAVIDEZ RAN, UH, CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR PRIORITIES MET.
UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ADVOCATING ALONGSIDE YOU FOR THOSE, UH, BUDGET REQUESTS AND POLICY CHANGES.
YOU KNOW, AS STANDARD PRACTICE, UM, YOU DIDN'T GET TO BE IN THE ROOM YESTERDAY WHEN WE WERE ASKING THE OTHER CANDIDATES QUESTIONS.
UM, AND, UH, SO YOU DIDN'T GET TO HEAR THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I USED TO LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I WAS VERY ACTIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I WENT TO A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, A LOT, MET WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SO I WANTED TO ASK THE OTHER CANDIDATES, UH, WHAT THEY HAD, WHO HAD THEY MET WITH, WHAT WERE THE BIG ISSUES, UM, GEOGRAPHICALLY OR WITHIN CONSTITUENT GROUPS? AND I DIDN'T ACTUALLY BOTHER TO ASK YOU THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ALREADY KNOW ALL THAT, AND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN THERE, YOU'VE DONE THE WORK IN DISTRICT SEVEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY THERE.
BUT ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, BY THE TIME IT WAS MY TURN TO ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS, YOU HAD ALREADY ANSWERED ALL THAT BY JUST ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM, FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, YOU DID MENTION, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WANT TO CARRY ON SOME OF THE BIG, UH, POLICY ISSUES THAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL HAD PUSHED.
AND RIGHT BEFORE, UM, SHE RESIGNED SHORTLY BEFORE SHE PASSED A $10 MILLION RESILIENCY FUND, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG DEAL AND SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE.
SO THAT WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND THAT IS NOT FULLY FORMED YET.
AS FAR AS HOW ARE WE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE THAT? WHAT IS IT GONNA GO TOWARDS EXACTLY.
I MEAN, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL GAVE US GUIDELINES, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF IT IS ADDRESSING URBAN HEAT ISLAND, AND SOME OF IT IS, UM, ADDRESSING BUILDINGS THAT, UM, BUILDING ENERGY USE.
SOME OF IT IS ADDRESSING IS, IS, UM, SOME OF IT IS GONNA BE, UH, GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS FOR RESILIENCY CENTERS AND DIFFERENT CLIMATE WORK.
AND SO, WHILE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME WITH THIS APPOINTMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, TIME'S NOT ON OUR SIDE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS CLIMATE WORK.
AND SO I LOOK VERY MUCH FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO TRY TO GET THAT FULLY FORMED AND GETTING THAT OUT THE DOOR AND STARTING TO INVEST THAT MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU ON.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE HEARD FROM, BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED IN DISTRICT SEVEN PREVIOUSLY, AND I USED TO LIVE THERE, I HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN REP, UM, MEMBERS WHO ARE SAYING, HEY, WE NEED REPRESENTATION.
CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US REPRESENTATION NOW? SO I'M EXCITED TO, TO VOTE TO SEAT YOU TODAY.
AND, UH, SO THAT DISTRICT SEVEN WILL AGAIN HAVE REPRESENTATION.
MA'AM, UM, DID A GREAT JOB YESTERDAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, BUT HOPE TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, BUT WE DO SHARE SOME THINGS IN COMMON.
UM, BOTH SINGLE PARENTS, UM, WE'RE BOTH SENIOR CITIZENS FRIDAY, AND I AM TOO.
UM, UH, ALONG WITH BEING SINGLE PARENT, I KNOW BOTH OF YOUR SONS, UM, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
I HAVE THREE CHILDREN THAT ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL AS WELL.
UH, HAVE FIVE GRAND GRANDKIDS ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING, LOOKING, I, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, BUT HOPE TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
POLICY-WISE, I, I'VE READ ABOUT YOU AND SOME OF WHAT YOU'VE STOOD FOR, AND I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH A LOT OF THOSE VIEWS AND STANDPOINTS, JUST LIKE I DON'T AGREE WITH A LOT OF THINGS HERE ON COUNCIL.
WHAT, BUT THAT DEBATE HAS TO BE HEARD, AND WE HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT.
THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS ALL ABOUT, IS CONDUCTING BUSINESS FOR THE CITY.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR VIEWS ARE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THOSE DEBATES ARE, AS LONG AS IT IS DEBATED.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS WHEN YOU PRESS THAT BUTTON,
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE VOTING FOR SOMETHING OR AGAINST SOMETHING.BUT ONCE THAT'S DONE, WHAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID IS THAT'S JUST BUSINESS.
ONCE IT'S DONE, YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ISSUE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD BE CONDUCTING BUSINESS UP THERE.
BUT I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND, UH, GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, UH, ROSIE, I'LL FINISH UP.
UM, ONE OF COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL'S, OTHER GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHILE SHE WAS HERE, AND I'M, I'M SURE YOU'LL LEARN THIS VERY SOON, IS THAT SHE ASSEMBLED A GREAT STAFF.
AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN THE MEANTIME.
AND, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN BE HELPFUL AS, AS YOU TRANSITION INTO THE JOB.
UM, YOU HAVE MY ADMIRATION AND RESPECT, AS DOES YOUR SON.
AND I WILL CONSIDER IT ONE OF THE GREAT PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE UP HERE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE WITH BOTH OF YOU, UH, EVEN BRIEFLY.
UM, SO MUCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT YOUR IMPACT, UH, DOESN'T NEED TO BE RESTATED, UH, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, UM, AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO HOME AGAIN UNLESS I EMPHASIZE THIS POINT,
IN TERMS OF POLITICAL REPRESENTATION, I THINK A GOOD NUMBER OF OF US FEEL LIKE WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOUR WORK.
UH, WHEN RAA UNI BECAME PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT POLITICAL MOVEMENT IN TEXAS WITH REGARD TO EQUAL REPRESENTATION ON DIOCESE LIKE THIS, YOU PAVED THE WAY FOR ALL OF US.
SO WITH THAT, IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TO BE THE FIRST UP HERE TO, AND MAYBE THE FIRST IN OUR CITY TO EVER CALL YOU COUNCILWOMAN CASTRO.
SO WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES, EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE, OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN, COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT, AND DEFEND.
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THIS STATE.
NOW, THIS IS NOT A BRIBE, OKAY? BUT I FORGOT TO MENTION, WE ALSO HAVE THERESA VAIL, WHO IS AN EXTRAORDINARY COOK AND MADE SOME SCONES FOR YOU TODAY, AND SHE'S GONNA BE GIVING EACH OF YOU SOME SCONES.
SHE IS THE WIDOW OF, UH, UH, SENATOR, UH, TEXAS SENATOR VAIL, WHO DIED MANY YEARS AGO, AND HER DAUGHTER KATHY IS HERE TOO.
UH, THERESA IS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN, SO I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR SCONES.
UM, I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS.
COUNCILWOMAN, MAESTRO, UH, YOU CAN COME TAKE YOUR SEAT.
[01:35:29]
MADAM CLERK.COULD YOU, UH, READ THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICKEY RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO PRESENTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE, ALL THE DRAMA'S OVER, WE ONLY HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.
WE'VE GOT TWO ITEMS. UM, SO, UM, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, AND YOU, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE NEWS, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE WERE AWARDED 20 $20 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FOR ONE OF THE MAJOR ENABLING PROJECTS, UH, OF OUR TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
THE FUNDING WILL GO TOWARDS, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW GROUND LOADING FACILITY, WHICH WILL ADD FIVE ADDITIONAL GATES OUT AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, IT'S THE SECOND ROUND OF B I L FUNDING.
UM, AND, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD ALLOCATED $150 MILLION FOR MEDIUM-SIZED HUBS.
OF THE $150 MILLION, SAN ANTONIO WAS AWARDED 20, UM, TRULY A TEAM EFFORT.
UM, JESUS AND HIS TEAM AT THE AIRPORT, JEFF AND SALLY, UM, AT I G R, UM, IN TERMS OF, OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TELLING OUR STORY.
AND, UH, I KNOW MANY OF YOU, THE MAYOR IN PARTICULAR, HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND F A A AND SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG, UH, UNDERSTAND OUR PRIORITIES.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, JOHN DIXON.
THE AIR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UM, REALLY HELPED MARSHALL COMMU BUSINESS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WHICH I THINK WAS KEY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS FUNDING, UH, IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, UM, AS WE, UH, WORK TO, TO IMPLEMENT THE, THE TERMINAL PLAN THAT WE SHOWED YOU TWO WEEKS AGO.
YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE SECURED NEARLY $70 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE CITY OF, OF SAN ANTONIO, AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE APPLICATIONS IN THE PIPELINE.
THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM METRO HEALTH, THE AIRPORT, UM, U S C C D C TEXT, OR NOT TXDOT, UM, US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND SAFE STREETS.
SO OUR PLAN THAT WE PUT TOGETHER ABOUT 15 MONTHS AGO, MAYOR IS WORKING WELL, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, KEEP OUR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
THE SECOND ITEM, UM, I'M NOT DOING AN EMPLOYEE VIDEO, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT S SPOTLIGHTED IN HERE.
BUT THIS PAST SATURDAY, UH, PARKS AND REC HELD A CELEBRATION HIGHLIGHTING, UM, THE OPENING OF THE CAMARGO PARK TRAILHEAD, UM, WHICH WAS A GREAT MILESTONE FOR THE SYSTEM, THE PARK SYSTEM.
UH, BUT, BUT IT WAS ALSO THE COMPLETION OF OUR HUNDREDTH MILE OF GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM ON THE HOWARD W PEAK GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM.
UM, A, A HUGE EFFORT, UH, OVER 20 YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS RING, UH, AROUND SAN ANTONIO.
UM, YOU ALL KNOW THAT IN THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 21 MILES THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED.
UH, WE HAVE A, UH, 12 MILES THAT ARE BEING FUNDED WITH EXISTING SALES TAX FUNDS AS THAT PROGRAM GOES AWAY.
AND THEN OUR PARTNERS AT BEXAR COUNTY HAVE COMMITTED, UH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF 24 MILES OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO, MORE WORK TO DO, BUT, UM, CERTAINLY A MILESTONE.
AND I WANTED TO SHARE A VIDEO WITH THE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON THAT REALLY, UM, HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE AND THE IMPACT THIS HAS HAD IN OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT UM, FOR THE FUTURE.
WE'VE OFFICIALLY HIT 100 MILES AT COUNTING.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE COMPLETED THIS BENCHMARK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR HOWARD WP GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM.
I DO REMEMBER THE FIRST ONE THAT WE EVER BUILT.
AND, UH, TO COME THIS FAR AND TO NOW HAVE A HUNDRED MILES OF TRAILS ON OUR SYSTEM IS, IS AMAZING.
AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE NOW
[01:40:01]
THAT HAVE SUCH AN APPRECIATION AND LOVE FOR THE GREENWAY TRAILS IN SAN ANTONIO.SO I THINK THE, THE IMPACT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REALLY CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.
I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE ENJOYED THIS SYSTEM, BUT AS WELL, UM, BEING ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK, TO GET OUTDOORS, TO BE ABLE TO THESE PHYSICALLY FIT, TO BE ABLE TO EVEN TRAVEL FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, MAKING THAT ALTERNATIVE TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO SAN ANTONIOS, I THINK IS JUST REALLY AMAZING.
WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT FIVE MORE MILES OF TRAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER 25 BEYOND THAT, THAT ARE ALREADY FUNDED BY THE PUBLIC.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY, WITH YOUR PETS, WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
I MEAN, IT'S A PLACE TO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER PEOPLE, PEOPLE, AND MEET PEOPLE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY JUST TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF, OF BEING IN NATURE.
THE, THE WATERWAYS THAT WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE NATURAL HABITAT THAT WE HAVE, THE ANIMALS AND THE BIRDS, AND THE FLOWERS AND THE TREES, IT'S GREAT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION GENERATIONS BEYOND BECAUSE IT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY IS MAKING IN THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO, MAYOR, SPECIAL THANKS TO, SPECIAL THANKS TO HOMER GARCIA AND THE PARKS AND REC TEAM, AND, AND BRANDON.
UH, BRANDON HAD A LOT MORE HAIR WHEN HE STARTED THIS 20 YEARS AGO, BUT HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND, AND, UH, WE'LL KEEP, WE'LL KEEP THE WORK GOING.
UH, WE DO HAVE A 2:00 PM ZONING.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EXEC SESSION WE'RE
[Executive Session At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the B Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following: ]
GONNA GO INTO RIGHT NOW, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, UM, LET'S RECOGNIZE JAYLEN'S BIRTHDAY.ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU EVERYBODY.
WE'LL, WE WILL NOW PROCEED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 10:48 AM ON THURSDAY, MARCH 2ND, 2023, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE WILL NOW MEET EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND DELIBERATE, OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5, 1 0.087, PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.072, AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 FOR LEGAL ISSUES OR ADVICE RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY AND C OVID 19 PREPARATIONS.
GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD, GOOD MORNING.
TIME IS 11:35 AM ON THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN AND OUR ACE SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.