Jan 10, 2019 City Council A Session on 2019-01-10 9:00 AM

WE HAD A LONG INTERVIEW SESSION YESTERDAY WITH 13 EXTRAORDINARY CANDIDATES, MANY QUALIFIED AND HAVE STEPPED UP TO SERVE IN THE ROLE OF DISTRICT 2 AUDIO] FOR RAISING YOUR HAND AND BEING WILLING TO SERVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE STATEMENTS FROM EACH OF THE REMAINING FINALISTS, THAT IS IN ORDER OF THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR THE APPOINTMENT.

AND THAT WILL BE JADA SULLIVAN FOLLOWED BY AUBRY LEWIS FOLLOWED BY ART HALL.

WE'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR A STATEMENT.

AFTER EACH STATEMENT WE WILL ALSO GET A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW THE REMAINING CANDIDATES ONE AT A TIME.

AND THEN WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR OUR FINAL DISCUSSION AND COME OUT FOR FINAL ACTION.

AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR APPLICATIONS.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB YESTERDAY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A HEALTHY DISCUSSION TODAY.

THERE WON'T BE ANY TIME LIMITS ON OUR DISCUSSION TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR US TO DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO ISSUES AND SO FORTH.

ALL RIGHT.

WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK BEFORE WE BEGIN.

AND I'LL CALL HER NOW.

MARGOT SCOTT BRIGHT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR, AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU.

I HAVE NOT BEEN HERE IN QUITE A LONG TIME.

BUT I DID COME TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I WAS INFORMED THAT I COULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE DOCKET.

BUT I AM GOING TO SPEAK FOR JADA SULLIVAN.

I HAVE KNOWN JADA SULLIVAN FOR -- I GUESS SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT 6 YEARS OLD, 7 YEARS OLD.

SHE'S VERY FAITHFUL AND DEDICATED YOUNG LADY.

I'VE SEEN HER GROW UP.

I KNOW HER PARENTS.

WE WENT TO THE SAME CHURCH GROWING UP.

I WAS HER SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AT CHURCH.

AND NOW SHE HAS HER OWN CHILDREN.

SOME ARE GROWN AND SOME ARE NOT, BUT SHE HAS WORKED VERY FAITHFULLY IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I KNOW THAT SHE WILL REPRESENT DISTRICT 2.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2.

I HAVE BEEN IN DISTRICT 2 FOR OVER 50 YEARS NOW.

SO I KNOW THAT DISTRICT 2 NEEDS A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE DISTRICT 2 REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS LEAVING, MR. CRUZ SHAW.

AND I KNOW THAT JADA WOULD BE A VERY GOOD PERSON.

BECAUSE WE NEED MORE LADIES, AND I'M HERE FOR THE LADIES, REPRESENTING THE LADIES TODAY.

NOTHING AGAINST MEN, BUT I THINK THAT LADIES KNOW THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO AS FAR AS OUR CHILDREN ARE CONCERNED.

MEN, WE ALWAYS NEED MEN FOR THE SONS, BUT LADIES FOR THE DAUGHTERS.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GIRLS ON THE EAST SIDE THAT NEED HELP.

AND I THINK THAT JADA WOULD BE THE IDEAL PERSON TO DO THAT.

SO I JUST REPRESENT -- I JUST STAND TO SPEAK FOR HER TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. BRIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

AT THIS TIME WE'LL BRING UP OUR FIRST CANDIDATE, AND THAT IS MS. YOU'LL HAVE A FIVE-MINUTE STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION.

OUR OTHER TWO CANDIDATES WILL RECESS, SO YOU'LL BE HERE ALONE WITH US IN THE CHAMBER.

>> I STAND BEFORE YOU HUMBLY, THANKFULLY, AND I GIVE MY WHOLE HEART.

I GIVE MY HEART TO MY DISTRICT.

I GIVE MY HEART TO THIS CITY.

I GIVE MY HEART TO MY SERVICE THAT I HAVE DONE FOR MY COUNTRY.

I STAND BEFORE YOU ASKING YOU TO MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW THE DISTRICT NEEDS, BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW THE DISTRICT STANDS FOR.

IN OUR DISTRICT THERE IS HISTORY, THERE IS CULTURE.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRIVING TO DO SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THEY CAN DO.

AND I STAND HERE TO FIGHT FOR THOSE PEOPLE.

I FIGHT FROM A DISTRICT THAT I KNOW IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE ONES THAT CAME INTO THE DISTRICT TO LIFT ME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I

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WOULD BE.

IT'S A DISTRICT THAT HAS BEEN RAVAGED WITH CRIME, WITH POVERTY.

IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT AS LESS THAN.

IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AS SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT.

IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PUT ON THE BACK BURNER.

TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO SAY THAT IT IS NO LONGER THAT TIME.

WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ON THE EAST SIDE, NORTHEAST SIDE, AND WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

NOW IS THE TIME TO PUSH FORWARD.

NOW IS THE TIME TO PUT THE BOOTS TO THE GROUND AND GET TO MARCHING.

THE PAVEMENT IS A LITTLE RAGGEDY AND WE NEED TO STRAIGHTEN THAT ROAD.

WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR MAYOR, WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR CITY MANAGERS.

WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR POLICE FORCE, WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THE COMMUNITY HAS MANY SENIORS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN GET THE INFORMATION.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THEIR CITY OR DISTRICT.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN THE MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT INFORMATION.

NOW IT'S TIME TO REACH THE GENERATIONAL GAP AND TO BRIDGE A CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR SENIORS, OUR YOUTH, AND OUR COMMUNITY.

OUR YOUTH ARE STRUGGLING.

OUR YOUTH ARE WANTING TO BE SOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT YOU PUT IN FRONT OF THEM.

THEY'RE MORE THAN A STAAR TEST.

THEY'RE MORE THAN WHAT THE TEACHER TELLS THEM.

AND NOW IS OUR TIME TO SAY YOU CAN BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO BE.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT IN OFFICE THAT SUITS THAT TO THE T.

AND NOW WE NEED TO GO INTO THAT DISTRICT AND CHANGE IT.

WILLIAM "CRUZ" SHAW HAS SET A PRECEDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING.

WE CANNOT STOP THERE.

JUST BECAUSE THAT SEAT IS EMPTY AT THIS PRESENT TIME, WHOEVER SITS IN THAT SEAT MUST GO AHEAD AND PUT FORTH THE WORK TO MAKE SURE WHAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE IS FULFILLED.

YOU CANNOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A SESSION AND SAY, OH, I DON'T LIKE HOW THAT'S GOING BECAUSE I DIDN'T CREATE IT.

NO, YOU MUST GO AHEAD AND PICK UP WHERE IT WAS LEFT OFF, BUILD ON THE ASPECTS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE, AND MOVE INTO SOMETHING BETTER.

NO, I'M NOT A POLITICAL ADVOCATE.

I HAVE NEVER WORKED IN THE POLITICAL REALM.

I NEVER THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS BEING SOMEONE THAT WAS POLITICALLY DRIVEN.

BUT AT THIS TIME I HAVE TO SAY I'M TIRED OF TALKING AND NOW I MUST PUT FORTH THE ACTION BEHIND THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK.

THAT IS THE PERSON I AM.

THAT IS THE PERSON I WILL BE.

THAT IS WHO I AM TO MY DISTRICT.

IT IS TIME THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING FRESH, SOMETHING NEW, AND SOMETHING MOTIVATING.

DON'T HAVE THEM JUST SITTING THERE LOOKING BEAUTIFUL AND NO ONE'S PLAYING IN THEM.

MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS UPGRADED.

THEY HAVE A GREAT FACELIFT.

WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH THAT.

WE JUST DRIVE RIGHT PAST IT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROADS, YOU DON'T KNOW.

WE CAN PATCH UP POTHOLES EVERY DAY ALL DAY.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE POTHOLES BECOME BIG MOLE HILLS WHERE YOU LOSE YOUR TIRES WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN'T EVEN AFFORD GAS.

YOU HAVE HOUSING AND PROPERTY AND YOU HAVE CORPORATE ENTITIES COMING IN AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING WITHIN THE CITY.

AND WE LOVE THAT.

BUT WHAT ARE THEY GIVING BACK TO THAT DISTRICT? WHAT ARE THEY GIVING BACK TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN BARELY AFFORD TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY I'M GOING TO TAKE MY CHILD TO SCHOOL.

WHAT ARE WE GIVING OUR CHILDREN? ARE WE JUST GOING TO BUILD BUILDINGS AND THEY SEE CORPORATE PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT WITH SUITS WITH LABELS.

BUT THEY HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE TO THEIR DAUGHTERS, THEIR SONS.

NO LEGACY TO LEAVE.

WE NEED TO START CULTIVATING THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THAT DISTRICT AND MAKING THEM COME TO THE FOREFRONT OF KNOWING WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THIS CENTER AND WE CAN USE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO THE SO-CALLED REFORM FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO SAY YOU DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE TOO.

YOU PAID YOUR PRICE.

BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW WITH YOUR LIFE? THIS IS YOUR GIFT THAT YOU CAN GIVE BACK TO SOMEONE ELSE.

DO YOU WASTE YOUR TIME? DO YOU WASTE OUR TIME? DO YOU WASTE THE COMMUNITY'S TIME AND SAYING OH, THEY COULD HAVE DONE BETTER? THAT IS WHO I AM.

THAT IS WHAT I STAND FOR.

I AM MY DISTRICT.

MY DISTRICT IS ME AND WE NEED EACH OTHER.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. SULLIVAN.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SPECIFICALLY THE ROLE OF CITY GOVERNMENT IN THAT PROCESS, SUCH AS THE USE OF PUBLIC MONEYS TO INCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

>> WITH GENTRIFICATION WE SEE IT AROUND AMERICA, NOT JUST HERE IN OUR OWN CITY, NOT JUST ON DISTRICT 2'S LEVEL, IT IS SOMETHING TAKING PLACE WORLDWIDE.

IS IT NEEDED? YES, IT IS.

IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BRING STILL COMMUNITY-DRIVEN INITIATIVES? IT IS.

WE CAN HAVE PARTNERSHIPS, NOT JUST CORPORATIONS COMING IN TO TAKE OVER AND SAYING, OH, THIS BLOCK IS NEGLECTED.

I'M GOING TO BUY UP THIS WHOLE AREA.

IF YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE

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DIFFERENT HOUSES THAT ARE BEING QUOTE, UNQUOTE REHAB, BUT THEN THEY'RE BEING SOLD AT THREE TIMES THE PROPERTY VALUE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY, YOU'RE STILL NOT ADDING VALUE TO THAT DISTRICT.

WE NEED TO START LOOTING AT WAYS WE CAN CULTIVATE BRINGING IN PARTNERSHIPS TO WHERE THE HOUSES AND THE PROPERTY THAT IS THERE IS REHABBED IN A MARKET TO WHERE EVERYONE CAN STILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.

THEY CAN STILL BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAX, AND THEN WE WORK ON IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE, WHAT ARE THE STIPULATIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR HOMESTEAD.

TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN GO TO COLLEGE AND COME BACK HOME AND MOM IS STILL IN THE SAME PLACE OR DAD IS STILL IN THE SAME PLACE.

WE BUILD TOGETHER, NOT BUILD DIVIDED.

IF WE BUILD TOGETHER, WE BUILD STRONGER.

AND WITH THE CITY BEHIND YOU THEN YOU ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH TOTALLY.

THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DESERVES US PULLING TOGETHER, BONDING TOGETHER, BUILDING WITH THESE CORPORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS INSTEAD OF JUST SELLING OUT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.

AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THE NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION REFORM IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO?

>> TRANSPORTATION IS A MAJOR ISSUE.

IN THE AREA BETWEEN DISTRICT 2 WHERE RANDOLPH MEETS WITHIN THE 78 AND THE CONVERSE AREA, AND YOU LOOK AT THE ROADS AND HOW TRANSPORTATION, BUS 25 RUNS ALONG COMMERCE AND HONEY.

MARTIN LUTHER KING HAS BUS 26.

THOSE BUSES RUN SPORADICALLY.

HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DOES THAT NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY GET SERVICED BY THAT TRANSPORTATION? THERE NEEDS TO BE A BUS LINE SET UP, NOT ONLY DURING THE HOURS OF SCHOOL, BUT THEN YOU HAVE WEEKEND.

YOU HAVE PARENTS THAT WORK OVERNIGHT.

BUT THEN THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND A RIDE THROUGH UBER, THROUGH LYFT TO GET HOME WHEN THE BUSES AREN'T RUNNING.

THERE CAN BE A LATE-NIGHT BUS SERVICE.

WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT.

THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN HAVE TRANSPORTATION THAT RUNS 24/7.

WE'RE LOOKED AT AS A SMALL CITY BUT WE'RE A MAJOR FORCE.

WE NEED THAT.

WE NEED TO HAVE MORE TO WHERE LYFT AND UBER ARE NOT JUST LOOKING AT, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF YOU BECAUSE YOUR CAB SYSTEM OR YOUR BUS SYSTEM SUCKS.

NO, WE DON'T NEED THAT.

WE NEED TO GET INTO THE VIA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND SAY WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION AT THE HOURS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO DO IT.

AT THE HOURS THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD TO REALLY GET HOME FROM THOSE JOBS THEY'RE WORKING OVERNIGHT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO WITH CITY COUNCIL.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. SULLIVAN.

I READ THAT YOUR WORKED AT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES.

THANK YOU, MS. SULLIVAN.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE AND HOW THAT BENEFITS YOU AS A FUTURE COUNCIL PERSON?

>> YES, SIR.

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES SAVED MY FAMILY.

WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR COMING FROM A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE TRANSITIONING IN LIFE.

I TRANSITIONED OUT OF THE MILITARY AS A SINGLE MOTHER WITH THREE KIDS.

THE HARDEST THING TO DO WAS SAY I NEED HELP.

WHEN I WENT TO GOODWILL THEY NEVER LOOKED AT ME AS A BURDEN.

THEY NEVER LOOKED AT MY BACKGROUND OF WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE.

THE ONLY THING THAT THEY SAID WAS WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET YOU BETTER? I WORKED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

I WORKED OUT AT RANDOLPH.

I DID THE OPF POSITION, WHICH IS OFFICE PERSONNEL FILING.

THEY SOLIDIFIED ME WITH GETTING CLOTHES.

THEY HELPED ME WITH GETTING MY HOUSING.

THEY HELPED MY MOTHER SAVE FOR A HOUSE.

AND SO I LOOK AT GOODWILL AS A FORCE THAT YOU CAN BRING INTO YOUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE A GOODWILL TRANSITION CENTER LOCATED AT THE GOOD SAMARITAN CENTER FOR VETERANS, BUT WE NEED SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WE HAVE THE NEW GOODWILL STORE LOCATED OFF SOUTH W.W. WHITE.

THAT'S GREAT.

BUT THEY HAVE SO MUCH MORE THAT CAN OFFER.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE GOODWILL PUT A UNIVERSITY OR ACADEMY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO EDUCATE THOSE, TO GO OUT THERE AND GET THOSE BETTER PAYING JOBS, TO GET THOSE JOBS THAT WILL GIVE THEIR FAMILY THE STABILITY THEY NEED.

>> COURAGE: I TAUGHT OVER IN THE EAST SIDE AT POE MIDDLE SCHOOL PICKET ACADEMY.

I WOULD LIKE YOUR OPINION ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN YOUR DISTRICT AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.

>> I'VE BEEN A CHILD OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

I WENT TO GATES ELEMENTARY, I WENT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I GRADUATED FROM HONORS AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.

AT THE TIME I WAS AT GATES, WE HAD A PROGRAM THAT TAUGHT US ETIQUETTE AND SELF-IMAGE.

IT TAUGHT US HOW TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT OURSELVES AS WHAT WE WOULD GROW AND DEVELOP INTO PHYSICALLY, BUT IT HELPED CHANGE OUR MINDSETS OF WHAT WE CAN BE AS YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN GROWING UP IN A SOCIETY THAT

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LOOKS AT US A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THE SKIN WE'RE IN.

WHEN I WENT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING MIDDLE SCHOOL I WAS ABLE TO LINK UP WITH A PROGRAM.

WE WERE ABLE TO MEET UP WITH THE COUNTY JUDGES.

I GOT TO MEET THE JUDGES IN THEIR CHAMBERS AND SIT AND TALK TO THEM.

THEY WERE ABLE TO SEND US TO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND THEY SENT US ALSO TO TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY WHERE WE SPENT A WEEK OVER THE SUMMER LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE EDUCATION, FINANCIAL AID, HOW TO DO FINANCES, HOW TO DO BUDGETING AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THEY FOLLOWED US FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

AND ONCE WE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, I APPLIED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.

THAT WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL I WANTED TO GO TO, AND I WAS ACCEPTED.

I WAS ACCEPTED BECAUSE SOMEONE PUT INITIATIVE THROUGH A PROGRAM TO LOOK AT THOSE SCHOOLS, TOUCH THE CHILDREN THAT WERE BEING LEFT ASIDE, AND BRING US INTO SOMETHING THAT WE COULD BE BETTER AT AND GROW INTO.

I BELIEVE THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON SAN ANTONIO'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST.

THEY HAVE SOME OF THE MOST DEDICATED TEACHERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN'S LIVES.

I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO CHURCH WITH THESE TEACHERS, SITTING DOWN AND HELPING THESE TEACHERS GET GLOVES AND HATS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND THE JOY THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE WHEN YOU JUST DO SMALL TOKENS MEANS A LOT MORE.

AS FAR AS CHARTER SCHOOLS, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM, I GOT TO WORK THERE TOO.

MY CHILDREN ARE A PRODUCT OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THEY WENT TO KIPP U PREP.

THEY WERE CHOSEN OUT OF A LOTTERY.

THEY WERE PICKED UP FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS SIDE ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND BUSED TO THEIR CAMPUS UNTIL THEY MOVED ON TO SAVALAS.

I WAS A COACH THERE AND STARTED AS A TEACHER'S ASSISTANT AND MOVED UP INTO HR.

I MOVED UP INTO THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT WHERE I HAD TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPLETE ATHLETIC BUDGET WITHIN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BECAUSE OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE LOOK AT IT AS A SCHOOL FOR THOSE KIDS THAT DON'T BELONG.

BUT YOU HAVE MANY KIDS THAT COME OUT OF THERE WITH THE MINDSET AND THE MAGNITUDE TO GO ON TO BE DOCTORS AND LAWYERS AND EDUCATORS.

SO WE USE THAT PLATFORM TO BUILD MORE AND COLLABORATING THE DIFFERENT FORMS, LIKE THE LINKS PROGRAM, DIFFERENT FORMS OF ETIQUETTE, DIFFERENT FORMS OF TEACHING OUR CHILDREN THAT THE MIND IS THE BEST THING THEY HAVE GOING FOR THEM.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WE CAN BRING OUT THE NEXT MAYOR.

>> COURAGE: COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH.

>> MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS MY COMMUNITY.

MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS THE LOVE THAT I HAVE FOR MY COMMUNITY AND MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS THE FACT THAT I WILL NEVER WAVER FROM WHERE I COME FROM.

I KNOW WHERE I COME FROM, I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN, AND I DEFINITELY KNOW WHERE I'M GOING.

>> COURAGE: ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE FACING AND TALKING ABOUT AS A COUNCIL IS THE PROLIFERATION OF SCOOTERS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE CITY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ISSUE?

>> LAST WEEK WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW TWO BIRD SCOOTERS SITTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND MY SONS WERE LIKE, MOM, THOSE ARE SCOOTERS.

AND I'M LIKE, YES.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

SAFETY FIRST.

I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE STREETS DESIGNED, JUST LIKE BIKES, FOR THOSE SCOOTERS.

OR IF WE NEED TO WIDEN OUR SIDEWALKS SO THAT THEY ARE SAFE, NOT ONLY TO THE RIDER BUT FOR THOSE IN THE SAME VICINITY OF THOSE SCOOTERS.

THE PICK UP OF THOSE SCOOTERS.

I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD JUST BE LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE DIFFERENT PORTALS TO WHERE YOU CAN PARK THEM, LOCK THEM IN.

THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER WAY THAN JUST LEAVING THEM LAYING OUT THERE.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT KICK ONE IN THE STREET.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SAFETY ISSUES I SEE COME WITH THE SCOOTERS.

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS.

YOU UNDERSTAND THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL THAT DOESN'T JUST MEET UP HERE ON THIS DAIS, BUT THAT WE ALL HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES.

COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY SUBCOMMITTEE IN PARTICULAR THAT INTEREST YOU AND WHAT ARE THEY?

>> VETERANS' RIGHTS INTEREST ME.

THEIR HOMELESS POPULATION OF VETERANS IS OUTRAGEOUS.

WE HAVE CAMPS SET UP BEHIND BUILDINGS.

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY SUFFERING FROM HOMELESSNESS, THEY HAVE MAYBE PTSD, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING BUT THEY SUFFER IN SILENCE.

THEY DON'T SPEAK OUT.

SOME OF OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES THAT INTEREST ME WOULD BE AN INITIATIVE ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

HOW CAN WE TAKE THE OLD DILAPIDATED HOUSES THAT ARE SITTING OUT THERE, THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE SITTING OUT THERE AND REHAB THEM TO FIT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN, TO MAKE THEM MORE BUDGET FRIENDLY.

NOT SO MUCH TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO PAY SO MUCH FOR YOU, BUT WE KNOW YOU HAVE A BUDGET THAT YOU

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CAN WORK ON.

CAN WE GET THOSE BUILDINGS REHABBED? THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ME.

I LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT PARKS AND RECREATIONS, HOW CAN WE BUILD ON THAT.

HOW CAN WE MAKE IT TO WHERE IF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS NOT AFFORDABLE FOR YOU, WHAT CAN WE DO WITHIN THIS REALM OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CHILD HAS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO GO TO AFTER SCHOOL.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU.

AND MY SECOND AND LAST QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS THERE AREN'T JOBS.

AND THAT INVESTMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM FOR BUSINESS.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES THAT WE ALL UP HERE KNOW IS ESSENTIAL TO THAT IS A HEALTHY CPS ENERGY.

JUST RIFF ON THAT FOR A SECOND AND TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK CPS NEEDS TO BE DOING AND WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CPS GO IN THE FUTURE.

>> CPS IS OUR ONLY ELECTRICITY COMPANY.

LET'S -- WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTRICAL SCHOOL THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY -- PEOPLE CAN GO TO AND LEARN THE TRADES NEEDED THROUGH CPS TO WORK WITH THEM OR TO FIND OUT HOW TO DO THE BUDGETING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS.

A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IF WE HAD A MOCK PLANT OR SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE INTERESTS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL FIELDS THAT CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL WIRING.

HOW TO PROPERLY MAKE A HOUSE ECONOMICALLY CONVENIENT TO LIVE IN WITHOUT USING ALL OF YOUR CPS ENERGY IN ONE MONTH, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CPS FORM MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL ASPECT WITHIN OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY THAN JUST BE HERE TO SAY WE'RE HERE, HERE WE ARE.

WE'RE YOU'RE ENERGY COMPANY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

COUNCILMAN SALDANA.

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

JADA, GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>> SALDANA: I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND IN YOUR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS SO FAR THAT WE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE IN BRINGING YOU BACK TO LISTEN AND HEAR MORE ABOUT SOME OF YOUR PERSPECTIVES.

I'M GOING TO ASK A QUESTION THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE SELFISH BECAUSE I'VE GOT JUST A FEW MONTHS LEFT ON THE COUNCIL AND IN THOSE FEW MONTHS I WANT TO WORK WITH FOLKS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH ISSUES THAT I THINK ARE GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.

BUT FIRST LET ME SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSES AND YOUR POINTS ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

YOU SPEAK FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT UNDERSTANDS FOLKS WHO DEAL WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR THE LACK OF IN SOME OF THOSE CASES.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU COME FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW DISTRICT 2 RESIDENTS OR YOU HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

THAT'S THE QUESTION I HAVE.

DO YOU KNOW DISTRICT 2 RESIDENTS OR DO YOU HAVE WITH AN ISSUE I THINK WE'LL TAKE ON, WHICH IS AROUND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND THE ISSUE I SPOKE WITH ABOUT COUNCILMAN SHAW, WHICH WAS ON CITE AND RELEASE, WHETHER THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE OR PEOPLE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO WITH THE IDEA OF THE CONCEPT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> YES, DEFINITELY.

LIKE I SAID, GROWING UP IN DISTRICT 2 WE'VE SEEN VIOLENCE.

IN HIGH SCHOOL WE HAD A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN SCHOOL.

AT THAT TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE METAL DETECTORS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT WERE SEARCHING US.

WE DIDN'T HAVE DOGS ON CAMPUS.

WE HAD TO LIVE THROUGH THAT.

WE HAD TO LIVE THROUGH EVERY WEEK WAS A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

EVERY WEEK WE LOST SOMEONE NEW OR WE LOST SOMEONE THAT WE JUST SAW AT SCHOOL LAST WEEKEND AND NOW THEY'RE NO LONGER WITH US.

TO COMBAT CRIMINAL VIOLENCE, TO LOOK AT WHY ARE YOU IN THIS SITUATION.

IF I SEE YOU DOING SOMETHING, DO I NEED TO TAKE YOU TO A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE BOOKED, MAKE BAIL, AND THEN COME HOME TO YOU'RE LIKE WHAT'S NEXT FOR ME? I HAVE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING.

I'VE LOST EVERYTHING.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT IF WE DO A WE NEED TO START BEFORE WE GET TO THE REFORM.

WE NEED TO GO AND START EARLY IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE NO LIMIT ON WHAT AGE THEY WILL START TAPPING INTO YOUR CHILD'S MIND.

ONCE WE REACH OUR COMMUNITY'S ASPECT OF OVERCOMING THE FEAR OF SPEAKING OUT, THEN WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

RIGHT NOW YOUR COMMUNITY IS A COMMUNITY THAT LIVES IN FEAR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN TERRORIZED BY SO MANY FOR SO LONG.

SO INITIATIVES LIKE THE RELEASE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM THAT COUNCILMAN SHAW HAD PUT IN PLACE IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.

BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST SO MANY OF OUR BLACK MEN TO THE SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

BUT WHEN THEY COME HOME THEY HAVE NO IDENTITY OF THEIR OWN.

SO NOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE MINDSET OF TRYING TO GET THEM TO

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UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NO LONGER IN THAT CRIMINALISTIC MIND.

YOU'RE NO LONGER THAT CAGED ANIMAL.

YOU ARE TRULY A HUMAN BEING THAT HAS RIGHTS WITHIN YOURSELF TO BE MORE THAN THAT.

AND WE NEED TO ACTUALLY TAP INTO NOT JUST CRIMINALIZING YOU BUT HOW DO WE GET YOU TO COME OUT OF THE MINDSET OF WHAT YOU'RE SO USED TO? AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE LOOKING AT THE ASPECT THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO, THAT'S WHEN WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE.

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, JADA, FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND AGAIN FOR YOUR APPLICATION.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.

COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

>> GONZALES: GOOD MORNING, JADA.

I KNOW THIS IS AN INTIMIDATING PROCESS BUT YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BEFORE US.

I'M ONE OF THE MORE SENIOR MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL.

I HAVE BEEN HERE SIX YEARS NOW AND IT'S A PRETTY STEEP LEARNING CURVE.

SO THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US THAT I THINK ARE REALLY CRITICAL FOR OUR CITY ARE THE HIRING OF OUR CITY MANAGER AND A PENDING FIRE CONTRACT WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS.

AND COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT EXPERIENCE YOU MIGHT HAVE IN EITHER THE HIRING PROCESS OR RESOLVING CONTRACT DISPUTES THAT WOULD HELP US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS ALONG THOSE TWO ISSUES?

>> YES, MA'AM.

DEFINITELY.

MY FAMILY HAS A HISTORY OF FIREFIGHTERS WITHIN THE FAMILY.

FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE KNOW.

AND THEY PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY DAY TO SAVE US, TO BE THERE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE THAT ARE INJURED.

THEY PUT THEMSELVES ON THE LINE TO SAY THAT WE'RE HERE.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL DESERVE US TO BE BEHIND THEM AS WELL.

THEY DESERVE INITIATIVES AND CONTRACTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FAIR, THAT ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE DUTIES THAT THEY PERFORM AND THAT ARE GOING TO BACK THEM TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES.

AS FAR AS WITH THE CITY MANAGER POSITION, I HAVE HEARD OVER THE YEARS THE PAY OF THE CITY MANAGER, THE TERM OF THE CITY MANAGER.

YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS REALLY GOING TO BE TRULY DEDICATED TO SEEING THE CHANGE OF YOUR CITY FOR THE BETTER, THAT UNDERSTANDS THE HISTORY OF THAT CITY AND UNDERSTANDS WHERE THEY NEED TO LEAVE THEIR MARK AS A CITY MANAGER.

YOU CAN COME IN WITH A BLESSED RESUME AND HAVE ALL THE CREDENTIALS IN THE WORLD.

WHERE IS YOUR HEART FOR THIS CITY? WHERE IS YOUR MIND FOR THIS CITY? WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING TO TAKE THIS CITY? SAN ANTONIO IS A CITY THAT NOT ONLY SPEAKS OF CULTURE, BUT IT SPEAKS OF DIVERSITY.

IT SPEAKS OF INCLUSIVITY AND IT SPEAKS OF WHO WE ARE WITHIN THIS TEXAS REGION.

AND THAT RIGHT THERE MEANS MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER YOU CAN PUT IN FRONT OF ME.

I NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE AND I NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE US.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

JADA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND WE'RE CERTAINLY VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A FINALIST.

IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS YOU'RE WELL PREPARED.

IN LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME HERE I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH MEDICAL RECORDS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WHICH ARE NOTORIOUSLY COMPLEX OR COMPLICATED, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PUT IT.

I KNOW I HAVE A BROTHER WHO IS DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE DIRECTLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO ASK IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY ONE OF OUR HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES ON COUNCIL IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE THE WANTS AND ASKS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE VERY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN OUR CITY.

HOW THEY CAN FEEL CONNECTED.

SO THAT THINGS ARE NOT HAPPENING TO THEM BUT RATHER THEY FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE HAPPENING WITH THEM.

TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN AND HOW THAT CAN MAYBE HELP IN THIS ROLE IN TRANSLATING SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES WE HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL AND THE CITY, HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER.

>> YES, SIR.

WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICAL RECORDS AND MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION AND CODING, WITHIN THE DATABASE OF THE ARMY SIDE OF TRANSITIONING MEMBERS OUT OF THE SERVICE, SAN ANTONIO IS THAT CITY.

WE HAVE ARMY, WE HAVE AIR FORCE, WE HAVE NAVY, WE HAVE MARINES.

WE ARE A RICH CITY OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS.

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO RECORDS, PROCESSING RECORDS, PROCESSING PAPERWORK, PROCESSING THE ORGANIZATION OF THAT PAPERWORK,

[00:55:01]

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF THAT PAPERWORK, WHERE DID THAT PAPERWORK COME FROM, WHERE DID IT GO TO, WHEN DID IT GO THERE? WHERE DID IT GO ONCE IT GOT THERE? DO YOU THINK HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE? IS IT SITTING THERE FOR SIX MONTHS? WILL MY CLAIM BE CLOSED OUT BY THE TIME NEXT YEAR COMES? THESE ARE THINGS EVEN WITHIN A CITY DISTRICT WITHIN A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PAPERWORK.

YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TRAIL.

WHERE DID IT START? WHERE IS IT NOW? WHERE IS IT GOING? WHO DID IT GO TO? WHEN DID IT GET THERE? YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY I, EVERY T AND MAKE SURE IT'S DOTTED AND IT'S CROSSED.

BECAUSE ONE PIECE OF PAPER CAN DETERMINE MORE THAN A YES OR A NO.

IT CAN ACTUALLY CLOSE OUT SOMETHING THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR OUR CITY, AND THAT ONE PIECE OF PAPER COULD BE THE VITAL ROLE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MS. SULLIVAN.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

>> PERRY: GOOD MORNING, MA'AM.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>> PERRY: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> PERRY: AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.

>> PERRY: I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE FOR YOU.

AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHAT YOU'VE ACTUALLY DONE IN DISTRICT 2.

CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE?

>> DEFINITELY.

MY CHURCH IS TREEMONT TEMPLE CHURCH WHERE PASTOR LARRY J.

THOMPSON IS THE PASTOR.

AND WE DO WHAT WE CALL GIVEAWAYS.

WE STAND ON THE CORNER OF EITHER W.W. WHITE AND EAST HOUSTON, WE GIVE OUT FREE CHICKEN, CAR WASHES, FREE GAS.

WE INVITE YOU TO OUR CHURCH.

WE HAVE TOY DRIVES, SOCK DRIVES.

WE GO OUT TO THE MISSION FOR THE WOMEN'S SHELTER.

WE HAND OUT PURSES THAT HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT A WOMAN WOULD NEED TO FEEL LIKE HERSELF AGAIN AND CARRY HERSELF ACCORDINGLY.

WITH MY SORORITY WE JUST DID A BLESSING BAG INITIATIVE WHERE WE DID OVER 40 MEN'S PERSONAL TOILETRY BAGS AND WOMEN BAGS.

AND WE ALSO DID TEN BAGS FOR THE CHILDREN, WHICH GOODWILL WAS A PART OF DONATING THOSE BAGS TO US AS WELL.

WE DID IT THROUGH DONATIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, THROUGH DONATIONS OF PEOPLE THROUGH WAYS OF JUST VERBALLY SAYING WE'RE WANTING TO GIVE BACK.

IN THE SERVICE OF SISTERHOOD AND IN THE SERVICE OF WHO I AM, GIVING BACK TO MANKIND IS WHAT I STAND FOR.

MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE RESOURCES THAT IT NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

AND THEN IF THERE ARE NO RESOURCES, MAKING THOSE RESOURCES HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FULLY GIFTED WITH THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.

>> PERRY: GREAT.

YOU'RE SPEAKING OF RESOURCES.

YOU HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS ON EXPANDING THOSE RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT 2.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THERE'S ALWAYS A REALITY OF STAYING WITHIN A BUDGET.

KNOWING WHAT OUR BUDGET IS IN OUR GENERAL FUND AND TRYING TO EXPAND THOSE SERVICES WOULD YOU BE IN FAVOR OF A TAX INCREASE OR WOULD YOU JUST TAKE MORE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO PROVIDE THESE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO YOUR DISTRICT?

>> AT THIS PRESENT TIME, TAX INCREASES IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT MY COMMUNITY.

IT WOULD REALLY HINDER THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.

BUT THIS GENERAL FUND THAT WE SPEAK OF, WE JUST TOOK $400,000 OUT OF A GENERAL FUND TO HELP UPGRADE ROOFS.

WE TOOK $250,000 OFF OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING FUND.

THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN MANIPULATE THE FIGURES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE.

YOU MUST GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND, NOT ONLY LOOK AT IT FOR ONE SPECIFIC THING, BUT LET'S LOOK AT IT FOR A PLETHORA OF THINGS AND MAKE EVERYTHING MATCH AND MEET THAT DOLLAR.

WITH BEING ABLE TO BUDGET AND RUN A HOUSEHOLD OF SIX CHILDREN, A MOTHER, A DOG, AND MYSELF, IT'S EASY TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE IT.

BUT IT'S EASIER TO SAY WE CAN WORK TOWARDS IT WITHOUT PUTTING SOMEONE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING AND HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN.

VERY INTERESTING, BUT, AGAIN, RUNNING A HOUSEHOLD YOU HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THAT BUDGET.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SAYING WORK TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IS WITH HIGHER TAXES OR MOVING MONEY FROM OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY OVER INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

>> YOU HAVE TO BE RESOURCEFUL.

>> PERRY: THERE'S A FIXED AMOUNT THERE, UNLESS YOU RAISE TAXES.

>> YOU HAVE TO BE RESOURCEFUL.

TAPPING INTO TAXES IS ONE.

THAT'S ONLY ONE WAY, BUT THE COMMUNITY STANDS IN STRENGTH.

YOU HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THOSE RESOURCES WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY, THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO

[01:00:01]

PAY INTO YOUR CITY.

YOU CAN BRING IN THOSE PEOPLE.

THEY CAN ADD TOWARDS YOUR FUND WITHOUT DISPLACING THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY.

YOU HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

WE CANNOT JUST STAY LIMITED TO TAX REFORM.

TAX REFORM IS ONE THING.

BUT THEN AFFECTING THE LIFE OF SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN IN A HOUSE FOR 60 YEARS AND DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT DAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT TAX PAYMENT IS ANOTHER THING.

LET'S LOOK AT A DIFFERENT WAY OF JUST PULLING FROM A PLACE THAT IS ALREADY AT THE BOTTOM AND BUILD THEM UP TO SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.

WE HAVE WAYS OF RESOURCING.

WE HAVE WAYS, AS A CITY, TO WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO DISPLACE OUR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SOMETHING BETTER HAPPEN WITHIN THEM.

YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ELDERLY WITHIN DISTRICT 2 AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE INFORMATION IN TODAY'S INFORMATION AGE.

WHAT WILL YOU DO MORE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR ENTIRE DISTRICT?

>> I BELIEVE A MOBILE COMMUNITY-BASED COMPUTER SYSTEM WOULD BE GREAT.

YOU HAVE MOBILE SERVICES THAT GO OUT AND DO MAMMOGRAMS, DENTAL CHECK UPS, WELLNESS CHECK UPS, WHY NOT HAVE A MOBILE COMPUTER STATION? WHY NOT HAVE IT PARKED WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES TO SAY YOU HAVE THE TRAILER HERE FOR OUR SENIORS TO COME OUT TO.

MAKE THEM ADA ADAPTABLE TO WHERE IF THEY HAVE WHEELCHAIRS THEY CAN GET ON TO THIS BUS, TAP INTO THE SAN ANTONIO SYSTEM AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE THAT DISTRICT OR GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO GET ON THE COMPUTER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.

GREAT.

THAT'S ALL, SIR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.

COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

MS. SULLIVAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING BACK TODAY AND FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH US.

I THINK YOU'RE DOING A STELLAR JOB.

THIS KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE SENATE INTERROGATIONS OR SOMETHING.

MUCH FRIENDLIER THAN THAT.

COULD I GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE STATUS OF OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH HERE IN THE AREA AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CITY'S ROLE IN PROTECTING THAT HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY IS VERY VITAL.

NOT ONLY LOOKING AT THE HEALTH OF HOW WE ARE REHABBING THE HOMES THAT ARE LIVED ■INORHOW&-,

[01:09:25]

ALL THE CANDIDATES HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR A STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH THE COUNCIL.

THERE'S NO TIME LIMITS TODAY, SO WE'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE IN-DEPTH ON THE ISSUES.

>> FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BACK AND CONTINUE IN THIS PROCESS OF FILLING THE VACANCY IN DISTRICT 2.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS AUBRY LEWIS, BORN AND RAISED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS, TWO

[01:10:04]

SONS, 12 GRANDCHILDREN, FOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

AND SO I'M PROUD OF MY FAMILY.

I'M A I HAVE THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY.

I WORK VERY HARD IN MY COMMUNITY.

WHEN I FIRST TOOK IT OVER, WE WERE A SMALL OPERATION.

WE'VE EXPANDED TREMENDOUSLY.

WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS MEMBERSHIP TODAY.

AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, ON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE CITY AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.

ALSO, I REACH OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND I HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BUSINESSES TO COME INTO THE DENVER HEIGHTS AREA, AND WE'RE PROUD OF THOSE BUSINESSES.

AND I'LL TRY TO WORK VERY HARD WITH THEM.

AND JUST PROUD TO BE HERE TO SERVE THIS GREAT CITY.

THIS IS MY CITY.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.

AND I'M PROUD OF THIS CITY.

I CAME BACK.

I CAME BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH I WAS BORN IN.

I'M PROUD OF WHERE I LIVE.

I LIVE IN THE OLD HOMESTEAD.

COULD HAVE MOVED OUT IN THE SUBDIVISION SOMEWHERE, BUT MY PARENTS WORKED VERY HARD TO ESTABLISH THAT HOMESTEAD AND I WANT TO CARRY IT ON IN MY LEGACY.

AND SO I'M A NATIVE TRUE SAN ANTONIAN WORKING FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WORKING FOR THIS CITY.

AND I LOOK FORWARD, IF I'M CHOSEN, TO WORK HARD AND FAITHFULLY WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

I THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

YOU ALLUDED TO THIS BRIEFLY, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING A HOUSING STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON GENTRIFICATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE USE OF CITY RESOURCES TO INCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

>> I SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IN MY COMMUNITY WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH ZONING.

WE'VE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE DENVER HEIGHTS AREA.

THERE'S A PROJECT THAT'S COMING UP OVER ON HUFFMAN STREET, 86-UNIT APARTMENT PROJECT.

WE'RE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THAT.

WE WORK VERY HARD WITH THE BROWN AND ORTIZ REAL ESTATE.

THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT SOME TOWNHOMES OVER OFF OF PINE STREET.

SEVEN TOWNHOME PROJECT.

SO I'VE WORKED HARD WITH ZONING IN TRYING TO PROMOTE AND APPROVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION'S STANDPOINT, SUPPORTING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING INTO OUR AREA.

MY OTHER QUESTION IS WITH REGARD TO TRANSPORTATION.

WE ARE A GROWING CITY AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE FEELING THE PAIN OF THAT AND CONGESTION.

THERE ARE ALSO NEEDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED HERE ON THE DAIS.

WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND BROADER TRANSPORTATION REFORM IN OUR CITY?

BEING FROM THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY, IN FAVOR OF INCREASING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

THE FREEWAYS ARE CONGESTED.

A LOT OF OUR MAJOR STREETS ARE BECOMING CONGESTED.

WE'VE GOT TO ESTABLISH RELIEF IN THOSE AREAS.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH THAT RELIEF IS IF WE'VE GOT FIRST-CLASS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

I MEAN, NOT ONLY THE BUSES BUT WE'VE GOT TO START LOOKING AT THE RAIL SYSTEM.

IT'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC BETWEEN HERE AND AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH KEEPS 35 TIED DOWN.

IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

AND WE'VE GOT TO ELIMINATE THAT.

WITH THE RAIL SYSTEM, WE CAN HELP ELIMINATE THAT TRAFFIC.

ALSO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR US TO CONSIDER SOME TYPE OF RAIL SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO,

[01:15:03]

SUCH AS HOUSTON, FOR AN EXAMPLE.

THEY HAVE A MONORAIL RUNNING RIGHT DOWN MAIN STREET.

WE NEED TO LOOK IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IS TREMENDOUS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

SAN ANTONIO IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO COME INTO, BECAUSE IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE.

AND WHEN THEY COME IN IT'S JUST MORE TRAFFIC, MORE TRAFFIC, MORE TRAFFIC.

I WAS TRYING TO COME HOME THE OTHER EVENING FROM A FUNERAL UP IN BRYAN AND IT TOOK ME OVER TWO HOURS JUST TO COME FROM AUSTIN.

OUR TRANSPORTATION, IT'S GOT TO BE IMPROVED.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

COUNCILMAN SALDANA.

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS, FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND FOR STANDING UP THERE AND FIELDING A FEW OF THESE QUESTIONS.

I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR PERSPECTIVE OR YOUR EXPERIENCE ON WHAT REALLY I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN SHAW AND I -- THE CITE AND RELEASE.

BEING PICKED UP AND NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD BAIL AND HAVING TO SIT IN JAIL FOR AN OFFENSE THAT YOU MIGHT OTHERWISE EITHER TAKE CARE OF BY BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR IT YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON.

SO I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION SINCE WHEN WE HAVE THE CHANCE AS A COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY WORK ON BIG ISSUES THAT ACTUALLY IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES AND WE THINK THAT SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IMPACTING THE CITY IS POVERTY.

AND WE THINK THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE THAT HURTS FOLKS, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT 2, BUT DISTRICT 4 AND ALL PARTS OF THE CITY.

WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE, EITHER THROUGH YOUR CHURCH OR THROUGH YOURSELF OR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR CONSTITUENTS OR RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE DEALT WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING TO THAT CONVERSATION?

>> I'VE HAD VERY LITTLE INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

HOWEVER, I TRY TO -- I DO KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

AND I WILL BE GUIDED BY STAFF AND THE COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON DEALING WITH ISSUES INVOLVING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

I AGREE THAT FOR A MINOR OFFENSE A PERSON SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED LIKE HE OR SHE IS A HARDENED CRIMINAL.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME LEEWAY THERE .

WE'VE GOT TO START LOOKING AT REHABILITATION PROGRAMS OUT HERE OTHER THAN BEHIND THE HOTEL.

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.

COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

GOOD MORNING, MR. LEWIS.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING WITH US AGAIN TODAY.

I DO WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF CONTINUING OUR WORK ON PROTECTING THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH AND POSSIBLY INCREASING WHAT WE DO IN PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH.

I WOULD BE IN FULL SUPPORT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

THERE'S A NEED FOR US TO EXPAND ON PUBLIC HEALTH.

THERE'S SO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD A FIRST-CLASSIFY PHYSICIAN, A FIRST-CLASS CLINIC TO GO TO.

WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THEM.

SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN AFFORDED A DECENT PENSION .

THEY'RE RETIRED AND THEY'RE LIVING OFF OF SOCIAL SECURITY.

I'VE RAN INTO A LADY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

SHE WAS SURVIVING OFF OF $260 A MONTH.

SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO TO THE SAME DOCTOR I GO TO, OR THE SAME DOCTOR ANY OF YOU GO TO.

SO WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE JOBS THAT AFFORDED THEM GOOD HEALTH COVERAGE SO THEY'RE LEFT OUT THERE ABANDONED.

WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THEM.

SO I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF IT.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION.

SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF IS DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW IS OUR FIRST-EVER CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET YOUR

[01:20:03]

THOUGHTS ON DO YOU ANTICIPATE BEING SUPPORTIVE OF MEASURES THAT WOULD REDUCE THE POLLUTION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AS A CHILD COMING UP, SPENDING TIME OUT IN CALIFORNIA.

AND I STILL REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN MY EYES BURNED TREMENDOUSLY FROM THE SMOG.

WE DON'T NEED THAT HERE.

IF WE DON'T TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH THAT.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. LEWIS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

>> GONZALES: GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>> GONZALES: FOR ME THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES WE HAVE DEALING WITH US IN THIS SHORT TERM ARE THE HIRING OF A CITY MANAGER ANG RESOLVING A CONTRACT WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY EXPERIENCE YOU MAY HAVE IN HIRING EXECUTIVES OR IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS?

I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH NEGOTIATIONS AND CONTRACT ISSUES.

AND MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT WE ALWAYS REACH OUT AND WE GET A FEEL FROM THE EMPLOYEES, WHICH WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE OPERATED OFF OF WHAT THEY WANTED.

IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT WE WANT, IT'S WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING, WHAT THEY NEED.

AND TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

WE'VE GOT TO BE FAIR IN WHATEVER DECISION THAT WE COME TO.

WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER THE FIREMEN'S UNION OR WHATEVER THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, THEIR NEEDS AND SO FORTH.

AND BOTH SIDES HAVE GOT TO SIT DOWN AND TRY TO NEGOTIATE SOME TERMS. MANY TIMES YOU'VE GOT TWO ARBITRATIONS.

SOMETIMES YOU COME -- THAT SIDE IS LOCKED UP ON AN ISSUE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUDGE.

THIS SIDE IS LOCKED UP ON AN ISSUE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BUDGE.

BUT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GET THAT NEUTRAL INDIVIDUAL TO COME IN THERE AND LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES, BOTH ISSUES AND YOU COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE.

A COMPROMISE BEATS A FIGHT ANY DAY.

SO IF WE CAN COMPROMISE AND FIND OUT -- WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THE GRASSROOTS OF WHY WE'RE AT THE STAGE THAT WE'RE AT TODAY.

IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FESTERING THAT'S GROWN OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.

AND WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT.

AND WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT IN A FAIR WAY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

WHAT KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE BUSINESSES COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING TO OFFER EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

H-E-B, FOR AN EXAMPLE.

WHEN I FIRST CAME BACK, H-E-B DOMINATED RITTIMAN ROAD AND NOW THEY'RE ALL THE WAY OUT 78 TO FOSTER ROAD JUST ABOUT.

H-E-B IS GETTING READY, MY UNDERSTANDING, TO PUT IN THIS DEVELOPMENT OVER HERE ON HOUSTON AND FOSTER ROAD, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A DISTRIBUTION CENTER.

THIS IS GOING TO EMPLOY PEOPLE FROM THE EAST SIDE.

AND WE NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT LIKE THAT COMING IN TO OUR COMMUNITY, BRINGING JOBS, BRINGING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HOW PUBLIC SAFETY MAY NEED TO BE IMPROVED IN YOUR DISTRICT?

THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

THE COMMUNITY AND SAPD HAS GOT TO START TEAMING UP TOGETHER.

AND I NOTICE THAT SINCE THE SAFE

[01:25:01]

OFFICERS HAVE INCREASED FROM THE EAST SIDE UNIT, THEY ARE BEGINNING NOW TO HAVE MORE INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE CITIZENS.

THEY ARE ABLE TO COME OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE CITIZEN.

THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE POLICE OFFICERS, THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO.

THEY ARE CONSIDERED FIRST RESPONDERS.

MANY PEOPLE TALK AGAINST THEM BUT IF SOMEBODY IS BREAKING INTO YOUR HOUSE YOU WANT THEM THERE.

SO WE'VE GOT -- THE POLICE OFFICERS ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME TRAINING BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO REACH OUT AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW? RIDING THROUGH A PATROL CAR ALL THE TIME IS NOT THE WAY.

YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT AND DO -- I NOTICED SOME BICYCLE PATROLS IN SOME OF THE AREAS.

I'VE NOTICED SOME FOOT PATROLS IN SOME OF THE AREAS.

THIS IS GOOD.

THIS IS GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY.

>> COURAGE: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN SAN ANTONIO? LIKE HAVEN FOR HOPE, WHAT IT DOES AND IS THERE A HOMELESS CONCERN IN YOUR DISTRICT?

THERE'S A HOMELESS CONCERN IN MY DISTRICT.

THEY INFILTRATED THE PITTMAN-SULLIVAN PARK.

IN THE MORNING YOU PASS NEW BRAUNFELS STREET AND YOU LOOK AT THAT MAIN PAVILION AND YOU THOUGHT IT WAS A PICNIC GOING ON OVER THERE.

BUT THESE ARE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPENT THE NIGHT THERE.

THEY'VE GOTTEN SO SOPHISTICATED THEY'LL BRING A -- THEY'LL GET A HOLD OF A TV OR RADIO AND THERE'S AN ELECTRIC OUTLET ON THAT PAVILION.

AND THEY'RE PLUGGED IN.

AND THE ONE THING THAT'S UNSAFE WITH THE HOMELESS OVER IN THAT AREA IS THAT MANY OF THEM ARE ON DRUGS.

YOU'RE FINDING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AROUND THE WALKING TRAIL, AROUND THE RESTROOM FACILITY.

I HAVE REACHED OUT TO CHIEF MCMANUS BECAUSE IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD.

AND HE GAVE ME HIS PERSONAL NUMBER.

HE SAID ANY TIME YOU ARE FINDING THAT, LET ME KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT ONLY THE CHIEF OF SAPD, BUT I'M THE CHIEF OF THE PARK.

AND HE SAID WE'LL GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.

AND WE REACHED OUT TO HIM.

IT'S SIMMERED DOWN SOME IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

BUT NOW IT'S SHIFTED OVER INTO THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.

HACKBERRY.

MR. GRADNEY CALLED ME ONE MORNING FROM HIS RESTAURANT -- I THOUGHT HE WAS AT HIS RESTAURANT BUT HE WAS AT HIS OFFICE.

HE SAID, MAN, COME HERE.

I NEED SOME HELP.

HE SAID THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IT WAS HOMELESS.

HE COULDN'T GET INTO HIS PARKING LOT.

SO WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE HOMELESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN PULLED UP OUT THERE AND UNLOADED THEM THEIR THEY'RE HERE.

AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO CONTROL THIS.

I MADE A REMARK JOKINGLY.

I SAID MAYBE WE NEED TO FIND THAT FREIGHT TRAIN AND PUT THEM ON IT, SEND THEM BACK WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

BUT A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND IT'S EMBARRASSING.

WE WERE JUST UP THE STREET FROM THE ALAMODOME, AND THAT'S A BIG-TICKET ITEM FOR US IN TERMS OF REVENUE COMING INTO THE CITY.

IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR OUR VISITORS THAT COME HERE, THAT ARE SPENDING TONS OF MONEY TO HAVE TO ENCOUNTER ALL OF THIS HOMELESS ISSUE.

SO WE'VE GOT TO DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM, SOME TYPE OF FACILITY TO PUT THEM -- AND I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THEM REJECT GOING OUT TO HAVEN FOR HOPE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

WHY? I DON'T KNOW.

BUT THAT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET ON TOP OF AND IN A HURRY.

>> COURAGE: WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTING MORE RESOURCES FROM THE CITY INTO WORKING ON THE PROBLEM?

I THINK WE NEED MORE RESOURCES FROM THE CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE IN DEALING WITH IT.

AN ISSUE THAT MAY BE RETURNING TO THE COUNCIL FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION IS PAID SICK

[01:30:02]

LEAVE.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THIS ISSUE?

WHERE I COME FROM PAID SICK LEAVE, YOU HAVE TO EARN IT.

PAID SICK LEAVE.

I MEAN, YOU START OFF ACCUMULATING MAYBE SIX PAID SIX LEAVE DAYS A YEAR, OKAY? AND AFTER FIVE YEARS YOU GRADUATE FROM SIX PAID SICK LEAVE TO POSSIBLY 12 PAID SICK LEAVE.

AND THEN YOU KEEP GRADUATING ON UP UNTIL YOU'VE GOT 24 OR 30 PAID SICK LEAVE DAYS.

BUT YOU DON'T GET THAT ALL AT ONCE.

YOU WORK FOR THAT AND YOU ACCUMULATE THAT.

AND IF YOU BECOME ILL AND IF YOU HAVE A DOCTOR, THAT IS SUBSTANTIATED YOUR ILLNESS AND HAS YOU OFF ON SICK LEAVE, THEN THE EMPLOYEE HAS THE RIGHT TO DRAW DOWN ON THAT SICK LEAVE.

BUT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY WAS PRETTY MUCH FORCED, DUE TO A REFERENDUM THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US, TO INTRODUCE THAT CITYWIDE FOR ALL BUSINESSES.

AND THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT'S BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION.

SO HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT MANDATE?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR SOME AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR OTHERS.

AND WE MAY NEED TO TAKE A REAL HARD LOOK AND REVISIT THAT ISSUE IN BEING FAIR ABOUT IT.

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> PERRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

YOU SAID YOU'VE BEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW?

>> I ASSUMED THOSE DUTIES BACK IN APRIL OF 2014.

SO OVER THAT TIME PERIOD, WHAT HAS BEEN THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT YOU'VE COME ACROSS, AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND HOW DID YOU TAKE CARE OF IT?

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WERE REACHING OUT TO GET COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

WHAT I BEGAN TO DO WAS I DEVISED A FLYER, AND I E-MAILED THE FLYER OUT EACH MONTH TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISING THEM OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING, DATE, TIME, PLACE.

I ALSO PUT THOSE FLYERS OUT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

YMCA WAS ONE OF OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.

ALSO ONCE WE BEGAN TO REBUILD, WORTD -- WORD OF MOUTH HAS ALSO HELPED US TO ESTABLISH A BETTER MEMBERSHIP ATTENDANCE.

YOU'VE BEEN -- YOU'RE A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO.

YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP BEEN WITH PREVIOUS DISTRICT 2 COUNCIL FOLKS AND HOW DO YOU VIEW THE CITY OPERATIONS TO THIS POINT?

I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, BUT NOW I LEFT IN '61.

LET ME CORRECT.

>> AND THEN I WAS IN HOUSTON, AND THEN FROM THERE, I WAS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SO I CAME BACK FROM MEMPHIS IN DECEMBER OF 2012, WHICH I CAME BACK UNDER THE TERM OF IVY COUNCILMAN IVY TAYLOR AT THE TIME.

WE HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

OF COURSE, I WAS ONLY A MEMBER IN A FAILING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AT THE TIME, AND ONCE WE GOT GOING THROUGH THE REBUILDING STAGE, I DEVELOPED A DECENT RAPPORT WITH COUNCILWOMAN TAYLOR AND WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH HER STAFFING AND HER TEAM AND SO FORTH.

HOWEVER, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, WE CAMPAIGNED FOR COUNCILMAN CRUZ, SO NATURALLY ONCE HE GOT IN, I HAD A CLOSER WORKING RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE WE MET ON

[01:35:03]

A CONTINUING BASIS AND HE KEPT US APPRIZED OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON, AND HE REALLY GOT ME INVOLVED IN STAYING ON TOP OF ZONING.

HE SAID, YOU NEED TO WATCH IT.

YOU NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF IT, YOU KNOW, RESPOND WHEN YOU GET THESE NOTICES.

DON'T JUST TOSS THEM TO THE SIDE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.

YOU WERE MENTIONING SOME GREAT IDEAS AND EVEN COUNCILMAN COURAGE ASKED YOU ABOUT RESOURCES.

GREAT.

AND THAT BASICALLY COMES DOWN TO BUDGETS, DOLLARS HERE IN THE CITY.

WOULD YOU BE A PROPONENT FOR MOVING MORE RESOURCES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO TAKE CARE OF THESE THINGS, OR POSSIBLY EVEN RAISING TAXES TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

>> NOBODY LIKES TO TALK ABOUT RAISING TAXES, COUNCILMAN, BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A CAREFUL LOOK AND REVISIT A LOT OF THE RESOURCES AND REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW AND WHERE WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM OTHER THAN RAISING TAXES OUT HERE IN THE -- IN THE CITY.

THIS CITY HAS BEEN BLESSED, AND I SAID BLESSED, 26 YEARS NO CITY TAX RAISE, AND THAT'S FANTASTIC.

SO CITY COUNCIL AND THE PREVIOUS MAYORS, I THINK APPARENTLY THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AT MAINTAINING IT, AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER.

I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU HAD TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS, IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW.

>> PERRY: THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU MR. LOUIS FOR BEING HERE.

CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU.

HOW WILL YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE HELP RECTIFY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WE HAVE IN OUR CITY AS HAVING A LABEL OF ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITIES.

WILL YOU WORK ACROSS DISTRICT LINES? HOW WILL YOU BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO FEEL VERY MUCH INCLUDED AND INVOLVED?

WELL, I'VE ALREADY STARTED ACROSS DISTRICT LINES.

AND, IN FACT, I GO EVERY MONTH, I SHOW THE SENIORS OUT OF YOUR DISTRICT OVER TO TONY G'S TO HAVE A HOT BREAKFAST.

IT'S AN OUTING FOR THEM.

AND THEY REALLY ENJOY THIS.

OKAY? I'VE ALSO REACHED OVER INTO DISTRICT 3, AND I GOT IDEAS FROM THEM ON HOW TO CONDUCT AN EVENT CALLED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

IT GAVE ME SOME IDEAS.

AND I'VE SHARED THOSE IDEAS WITH MY BOARD, AND WE MOVED FORWARD ON THOSE IDEAS, SO WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD IDEAS FROM DISTRICT 3, AND WE'VE REACHED ACROSS INTO DISTRICT 1 TRYING TO MAKE THE SENIORS FEEL WANTED.

THEY'RE OVER THERE IN THE GRANADA FACILITY, AND A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE FAMILY.

AND IT MAKES THEM FEEL WANTED WHEN WE GO OVER THERE AND PICK THEM UP IN THE MORNING AND BRING THEM FOR A GOOD HOT BREAKFAST ON THE SHUTTLE BUS, AND THEY GET A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY'RE JUST HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR.LEWIS FOR BEING PART OF THE PROCESS AND YOUR GREAT PRESENTATION.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE'RE GOING TO NOW CALL IN CANDIDATE ART HALL.

[01:40:21]

>> MAYOR PRO TEM: WELCOME, MR. HALL.

YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR PRESENTATION.

I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD THAT WE HEARD YESTERDAY EVENING.

WE HEARD THE NOTION OF COMMUNITY CHOICE AND PROCESS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONFUSE A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE, MOSTLY SELF-DESIGNATED, NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL THE 40 TO 50 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN DISTRICT 2 FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF 180,000 PEOPLE.

AND WHAT COMMUNITY PROCESS? WHO ESTABLISHED THE PROCESS? HOW WAS THE PROCESS DEVELOPED AND ESTABLISHED? WHAT'S THE CRITERIA? WHO ESTABLISHED THE CRITERIA? THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE AGAIN UNDER TRUE PROCESS, AND THAT OPPORTUNITY IS IN MAY.

I AGREE, FOLLOW THE PROCESS, FOLLOW THE RULES.

AND THE RULE IS, COUNCIL SELECTS THIS REPLACEMENT.

I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE RULE OR WHEN THE RULE WAS MADE, BUT FOR WHATEVER INFORMED AND EDUCATED AND WELL-INTENTIONED REASON, THE POLICY AND LAWMAKERS AT THE TIME REMOVED THE ABILITY TO MAKE THIS INTERIM REPLACEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC VOTE AND TRANSFERRED IT TO YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL.

THAT'S THE RULE, THAT'S THE PROCESS.

MY HUNCH IS THAT THESE SAME POLICY AND LAWMAKERS DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE OF A DISSERVICE ORER A SERVICE FOR A PUBLIC VOTE IN THIS SCENARIO VERSUS A SELECTION BY CITY COUNCIL.

WHY, BECAUSE THIS INTERIM POSITION IS FOR 140 DAYS, 114 DAYS FOR ELECTION.

LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS.

20% OF A FULL TERM.

I CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK BACK TO YOUR FIRST DAY ON COUNCIL, YOU HAD TO FIGURE OUT OFFICE SPACE, WHERE THE BATHROOMS ARE, WHERE THE B ROOM IS, WHAT IS B SESSION, MEET WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD, UNDERSTAND CITY OPERATIONS AND ISSUES FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT, UNDERSTAND CPS AND SAWS AND SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY COALITION AND TRANSPORTATION AND MUNICIPAL COURT AND FIRE AND POLICE CONTRACTS AND ZONING AND PLANNING AND CIVIL SERVICE, CHARTER, MEET WITH THE DEVELOPERS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, JACK FINGER, MOMMA BEAR, CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION.

IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS, IF NOT LONGER, JUST TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.

THE GOOD THING IS, YOU WERE EASED INTO IT FOR MONTHS.

WE WERE OFF FOR JULY AS STAFF PREPARED THE BUDGET.

WE CAME BACK IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER TO REVIEW THE BUDGET AND VOTE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAD TIME.

WE HAD TIME.

NOT MUCH TIME, BUT TIME NONETHELESS.

THIS INTERIM POSITION HAS LITTLE TO NO TIME FOR A LEARNING CURVE.

YOU HAVE 24 ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

THIS COUNCILMEMBER IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE VOTES TODAY.

I DON'T KNOW THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE ON THE AGENDA, BUT I HEARD SOMEWHERE $3 MILLION.

THAT'S TODAY.

YOU ARE NARROWING YOUR LIST OF CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES NEXT WEEK, IN SEVEN DAYS.

WHEN YOU FIRST CAME ONTO COUNCIL, DO YOU ANY YOU HAD ENOUGH DETAIL AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CITY, CITY REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES AND OPERATIONS AND LIMITATIONS AND ASSETS TO SELECT A CITY MANAGER OF A MAJOR CITY IN LESS THAN A WEEK? YET, THAT IS WHAT YOU WOULD BE ASKING AN INEXPERIENCED PERSON TO DO STARTING TODAY.

IS THAT A SERVICE? OR A DISSERVICE TO DISTRICT 2 AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO? NEXT WEEK, YOU HAVE AT LEAST NINE ZONING CASES.

THESE ARE CASES THAT IMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS, TRAFFIC, BUSINESSES.

WHEN YOU FIRST CAME ON THE COUNCIL, DO YOU THINK YOU HAD ENOUGH DETAILED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ZONING AND PLANNING AND THEIR IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS TO MAKE DECISIONS PARTICULARLY IF THEY WERE DETAILED AND COMPLICATED IN E LESS THAN A WEEK, YET THAT'S WHAT YOU'D BE ASKING AN INEXPERIENCED PERSON TO DO STARTING TODAY.

I CAN LITERALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING TODAY.

LET ME ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF RESIDENCY.

AND DOING SO, LET ME FIRST SAY FROM THE OUTSET, THAT, AGAIN, I FOLLOWED THE RULES.

IN OTHER WORDS, I MEET AND HAVE MET EVERY LEGAL AND STATED REQUIREMENT BY THE CITY FOR RESIDENCY.

PERIOD.

THE CITY ASKED FOR VIA ORDINANCE 2017-11-30-0920 FOR TWO FORMS OF DOCUMENTATION OF RESIDENCY.

I PROVIDED NOT JUST TWO FORMS, BUT DOUBLE THE REQUIREMENT.

TWO TIMES THE REQUIREMENT FOR RESIDENCY.

IN FACT, IF I DID NOT MEET THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.

MY APPLICATION WOULD HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED FROM THE BEGINNING, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A REASON NOT TO SUPPORT MY DASSY, AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT, BECAUSE I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I'D LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR YOU, RESIDENCY CANNOT BE THE REASON.

THE FACT IS, WE HAVE TWO HOMES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

THAT FACT WILL NOT LIKELY CHANGE

[01:45:02]

ANY TIME SOON.

THE FACT IS, WE MOVED INTO ONE HOUSE BEFORE THE OTHER.

I CAN'T CHANGE THAT FACT.

THE FACT IS, WE USE BOTH HOMES QUITE A BIT.

IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE UTILITY BILLS THAT WE SUBMITTED, WATER FLUCTUATES LIKE NORMAL, ELECTRICITY FLUCTUATES LIKE NORMAL, THERE'S A LOT OF USAGE FOR BOTH.

REGARDING HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, IT'S STILL WITH OUR DISTRICT 8 HOME, QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE OVERLOOKED AND HAVE NOT UPDATED.

SAME WITH OTHER THINGS, LETTERHEAD AND THAT KIND OF THING.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S NOT THE REQUIREMENT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO GET INTO QUESTION AND ANSWERS FROM THE COUNCILMEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO TIME LIMITS ON THIS.

WE CAN GET INTO A DEEPER DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND START.

WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF IMPLEMENTING A HOUSING STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON GENTRIFICATION AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY'S ROLE IN THAT PROCESS, PARTICULARLY THE CITY'S USE OF RESOURCES TO INCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

>> I'M IN FAVOR OF USING CITY RESOURCES AND OTHER RESOURCES, WHATEVER PUBLIC AND LEGAL RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ANY PART OF TOWN, IN ANY AREA OF THE COUNTRY AND SO FORTH.

ONE OF MY PREVIOUS JOB WAS A PUBLIC FINANCED INVESTMENT BANKER, SO I KNOW THAT BONDS ARE CONSTANTLY USED FOR THIS SORT OF THING THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ME IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.

WITH REGARD TO THE ISSUE OF GENTRIFICATION, FOR ME, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A TOUGH ISSUE. IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE FOR YOU-ALL, IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE FOR OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, IN MY VIEW, AND MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT VIEW, BUT, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE WANT THE VALUE OF THEIR HOMES TO GO UP, OR MOST PEOPLE WANT THE VALUE IN THE AREA, ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEIR HOMES ARE, TO BE IMPROVED AND BETTERED AND SO FORTH.

BUT WHAT THAT ALSO DOES IS IT DOES CREATE THE INCREASE IN VALUE.

AND SO FOR US TO TRY TO LIMIT THE VALUATION ON HOMES AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IMPROVE A NEIGHBORHOOD, IMPROVE AN ENVIRONMENT, I THINK FOR ME, THAT'S -- THERE'S A DISCONNECT THERE.

I THINK THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH GENTRIFICATION AND LIMITING TAX INCREASES FOR SENIORS AND THAT KIND OF THING, OR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE KUN ON CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES AS WELL, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT TO LOOK CLOSER AT THE ISSUE OF JEN AND -- GENTRIFICATION AND ACHIEVE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT CREATE THAT DISCONNECT.

THE MORE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO ALLOW FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, APART FROM THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS IS IMPORTANT TO A CITY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MY SECOND QUESTION IS WITH REGARD TO TRANSPORTATION.

YOU'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR TIME IN DISTRICT 8, THE CONGESTION INCREASE PRETTY DRAMATICALLY.

WE'VE WORKED ON THIS DAIS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

WHERE ARE YOUR VIEWS ON TRANSPORTATION REFORM BROADLY, BUT ALSO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION?

>> TRANSPORTATION IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN EVERY PART OF TOWN.

I KNOW IT WAS ONE OF YOUR PRINCIPLE ISSUES WHEN YOU FIRST RAN FOR MAYOR, AND CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE.

SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY COMMISSION IS ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES THAT HAS WORKED ON TRANSPORTATION FOR A WHILE, SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE MASS TRANSIT THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS, OF COURSE, IMPORTANT.

I KNOW LOTS OF FUNDING AND BOND FUNDING AND SO FORTH ARE PUT TOWARDS THOSE BASIC SERVICES, ENLARGING STREETS, MAKING SURE WE HAVE BIKE LANES AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR BETTER TRANSPORTATION.

IT ATTRACTS RESIDENTS, IT MAKES PROPERTY VALUES BETTER, IT MAKES THE ENVIRONMENT BETTER FOR THE LIVABILITY FOR RESIDENTS MUCH BETTER.

IT ATTRACTS BUSINESS, AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR ME, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT FOR ME WHILE I SERVED ON THE COUNCIL AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT AS WELL.

WITH REGARD TO MASS TRANSIT, DISTRICT 8 HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE CENTER OF THAT, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING EVENTUALLY TO DOING RAIL.

THAT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN CONTROVERSIAL AND MAY CONTINUE TO BE, BUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, MASS TRANSIT WITHIN OUR CITY FROM OUR MAJOR CENTERS BACK TO THE CENTER OF DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT THEN ALSO RECONNECTING AND BETTER CONNECTING TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES LIKE LAREDO, AUSTIN, SO FORTH, HAVE BEEN PROJECTS FOR A LONG TIME.

I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BETTER TRANSPORTATION, BETTER MOBILITY, BETTER MASS TRANSIT FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL.

COUNCILMAN PELAEZ?

>> PELAEZ: ART, YOU -- THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH CPS COMING UP, RIGHT? I'M SURE YOU'VE READ THE NEWSPAPER, YOU KNOW, RATE INCREASES ARE ON THE HORIZON, IT'S A CONVERSATION WE'RE ALL

[01:50:01]

GOING TO BE HAVING SOMETIME SOON, WHETHER OR NOT THAT HAPPENS IS YET TO BE SEEN.

TALK TO ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU VIEW CPS'S ROLE AND ITS IMPACT IN THAT DISTRICT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO SEE CPS GO, YOU KNOW, INTO THE NEXT FIVE, 10, 20, 30 YEARS?

>> SO RATE ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE, RATE INCREASE ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE.

THEY WERE AN ISSUE WHILE WE WERE ON CITY COUNCIL, AND WHETHER IT'S CPS OR SAWS OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER ENTITIES, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AS A CITY COUNCIL.

OF COURSE, AND YOU ALL KNOW, I MEAN, WE WANT TO KEEP RATES AND TAXES AND THAT KIND OF THING AS LOW AS WE CAN.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT COST INCREASES, WE'VE GOT GROWTH THAT WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH.

SO THERE'S A CONSTANT BALANCE BETWEEN INCREASES THAT NEED TO BE HAD VERSUS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU KEEP LOW RATES FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

DISTRICT 2, WE STRUGGLE WITH FINANCES AND INCOME AND SO FORTH, SO THE SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL OF DISTRICT 2 IS LOWER THAN MANY OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS, SO MY OBLIGATION IS TO KEEP THOSE RATES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE ENTIRE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE LONG-TERM FOR ELECTRICITY, FOR WATER, ET CETERA, AND BE ABLE TO DO ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT THE FUNDING FOR IT.

AND IF THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, LET'S LOOK AT THOSE OTHER OPTIONS, MAKE SURE THAT RATE INCREASES AND IMPACT ON OUR CONSTITUENTS IS THE LAST RESORT.

LONG TERM, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, AND WE DID THE SAME THING WHILE WE WERE ON COUNCIL, YOU'VE GOT TO ALWAYS LOOK FOR DIVERSIFIED WATER SOURCES, YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK FOR ELECTRICAL ENERGY RESOURCES.

IT CAN'T JUST BE COAL AND NATURAL GAS AND SO FORTH, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT OTHER THINGS SUCH AS SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY.

AUBRY LEWIS WERE TALKING IN THE BACK, SOLAR KIND OF ROSE FOR A WHILE AND THEN IT CAME DOWN.

BALANCING THE NEED FOR MORE ENERGY, WHICH THE CITY HAS AS A GROWING CITY, DIVERSIFYING THOSE ENERGY SOURCES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT YOU COVER THE COST OF THOSE ENERGY SOURCES.

SOME THINGS ARE CLEANER BUT MORE EXPENSIVE.

SOME THINGS PRODUCE BETTER THAN OTHERS.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO BALANCE -- YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY LOOK AT THAT BALANCE AND MIX OF RESOURCES.

>> PELAEZ: HOW MANY BUDGETS DID YOU GET TO USHER THROUGH WHILE YOU WERE ON COUNCIL.

I FORGET, FOUR?

>> RIGHT, I DID TWO TWO-YEAR TERMS. FOUR BUDGETS.

>> PELAEZ: THANKS, MAY YAR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE AS A CANDIDATE, ART.

IT'S CONSIDERED BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION ACCORDING TO OUR CHARTER.

DOES THAT HAVE ANY AFFECT ON YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON AN INTERIM BASIS?

>> NO.

IN FACT, MY INTENT IN EVEN APPLYING WAS TO ONLY SERVE FOR THE INTERIM.

I STATED THAT YESTERDAY, AND I ALSO PUT THAT IN THE LETTER OF INTEREST.

BEING A COUNCILPERSON TODAY IS A FULL-TIME JOB, YOU KNOW, 40, 50 HOURS PER WEEK.

HOW CAN YOU MANAGE THAT AND RETAIN YOUR CURRENT POSITION?

>> AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, I SERVE DURING A TIME WHEN WE HAD TO DO THAT.

WE WERE PAID $20 A WEEK, WHICH IS MUCH LESS THAN WHAT COUNCILMEMBERS ARE PAID TODAY.

AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS A YOUNG MAN, NEW TO MY CAREER, YOUNG FAMILY.

I HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO NOT ONLY SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND MY DISTRICT, BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO MAKE MONEY FOR MY FAMILY, FEED MY FAMILY.

AND I WAS ABLE TO DO IT.

I WORKED -- U TALKED WITH MY EMPLOYER AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO HELP ME -- ALLOW ME TO SERVE WHILE ALSO FLEXING HOURS.

AND SO I'M A HARD WORKER, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN.

I DON'T MIND GETTING UP EARLY, WORKING LATE.

WORKING ON WEEKENDS AS I NEED TO, BUT I WILL -- YOU'VE GOT TO BE EFFICIENT ABOUT IT.

YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GROUP MEETINGS AND SO FORTH, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH ME BEING ABLE TO MANAGE THE SCHEDULE, WHETHER IT BE SCHEDULE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OR SCHEDULE WITH WORK, BUT OBLIGATION CERTAINLY IS TO MY DISTRICT AND THE CONSTITUENTS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING SERVED IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

>> COURAGE: SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND THAT EXIST IN THE CITY THAT YOU'D BE ADDRESSING, ONE OF THOSE ISSUES IS HOMELESSNESS.

HAVEN FOR HOPE, FUNDING THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THE CITY BEING INVOLVED IN THIS.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON HOMELESSNESS ISSUE, ON HAVEN FOR HOPE, ON THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THOSE ISSUES?

>> I'M COMMITTED TO THOSE ISSUES

[01:55:02]

NOW, AS I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL THEN.

AND I FORGOT THE BUCKET OF FUNDING, BUT WE HAD A BUCKET OF FUNDING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE TO NONPROFITS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT WAS X AMOUNT.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS THIS TIME AROUND, SO IF WE HAD THE ABILITY AND THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SOCIAL SERVICES, WHETHER IT BE HAVEN FOR HOPE OR OTHERS, LET'S USE THEM.

NEED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND ALL THE NEED WITHIN THE CITY.

AND SO THAT'S WHEN YOU LOOK TO OTHER NONPROFIT AND OTHER PARTNERS, GRANTS AND SO FORTH TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT DIFFERENCE.

BUT IF WE'VE DESIGNATED FUNDING FOR THESE SORTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES, LET'S SPEND IT EFFECTIVELY, CHOOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE KNOW -- THAT HAVE A HISTORY OF DOING WELL AND MANAGING PROPERLY, AND ASSIST THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

WE HAD, OF COURSE, HOMELESS ISSUES DURING OUR TIME, AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN PATTY RADLE LED A LOT OF THOSE.

THE BIG MOVE AT THE TIME WAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP DOWNTOWN SORT OF FREE BUT HOMELESSNESS HAS AND CONTINUES TO GROW, SO WE'VE GOT TO DO OUR BEST TO MANAGE AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN.

TURN TO PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE CAN'T, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF THERE ARE WAYS FOR US AS A CITY COUNCIL AND AS A CITY THROUGH US AND LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTY AND OTHER LEVELS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOAT RISES FOR EVERYBODY, SO THAT WE HAVE LESS HOMELESSNESS, THEN LET'S DO THAT AS WELL, BUT WE DON'T CONTROL ALL THOSE FACTORS.

WE'RE ONLY A PIECE OF THAT, SO OUR INFLUENCE AS COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE LIMITED BUDGET THAT WE HAVE IS JUST A PIECE OF THE PIE.

>> COURAGE: YOU KNOW THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD TO FACE WAS A PETITION FOR PAID SICK LEAVE TO BE MANDATED IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE COUNCIL TOOK THOSE 140,000 SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION AND INITIATED AN ORDINANCE MANDATING THAT.

HOWEVER, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY'S GOING TO BE RECONSIDERING SOME OF THAT.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON MANDATING PAID SICK LEAVE FOR ALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY?

>> NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHATEVER RULES ARE IN PLACE FOR PETITIONS.

SO IF PETITIONS ARE SIGNED AND THEY REQUIRE CERTAIN PROCESS BY CITY COUNCIL, I MEAN, THAT'S THE RULE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO FOLLOW.

NOW, IF IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO THOSE RULES, MY GENRE ACTION WHEN I SAW THAT, AND I'M -- I'LL ADMIT, I'M A DEMOCRAT, IS THAT FOR US AS A CITY COUNCIL TO STEP INTO BUSINESS AND BUSINESS PRACTICES, FOR ME, WAS OVERSTEPPING OUR ROLE AS A CITY.

AND CERTAINLY IMPACTS THOSE BUSINESSES, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL.

SO MY GENERAL STANCE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD MANDATE APART FROM WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALREADY MANDATES FOR MINIMUM WAGE AND SO FORTH, WHAT THE MINIMUM WAGE FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE SHOULD BE FOR BUSINESSES, PERSONALLY I THINK WE'VE OVERSTEPPED OUR BOUNDS.

ANOTHER ISSUE IS DOWNTOWN AND SCOOTERS.

WHAT IS KREUR -- YOUR VIEW ON THOSE AS AS FAR AS THE PROLIFERATION, SAFETY FACTORS, YOU KNOW, COMMON SENSE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION NEEDS WE HAVE?

>> YOU KNOW, SCOOTERS IS A TOUGH ISSUE.

I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE KIND OF BALANCE SORT OF ISSUES.

MILLENNIALS AND YOUNG PEOPLE LOVE THEM.

THEY ARE A GREAT WAY FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, MORE SO THAN BIKES, MORE SO THAN WALKING, MORE SO THAN BUSES AND SO FORTH.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, THEY ARE A BIT OF AN EYE SORE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I DROVE BY MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL JUST THE OTHER DAY, AND YOU HAVE THESE THINGS LAYING IN THE STREETS, LAYING OVER THE SIDEWALKS AND SO FORTH.

YOU'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT SAFETY FOR NOT ONLY PEOPLE WALKING BUT THOSE IN WHEELCHAIRS AND SO FORTH.

SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN HAVING THE SCOOTERS AND MAKING IT PLEASANT AND SAFE FOR OTHER PEOPLE IS A TOUGH ISSUE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT DISCUSSIONS YOU ALL HAVE HAD HISTORICALLY ABOUT THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK I'D TAKE THE POSITION OF ELIMINATING THEM, BECAUSE THAT, FOR ME, WANTING TO DEVELOP A SORT OF NEW AGE CULTURE AND ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THAT WITH OTHER NEEDS, MAKING IT AESTHETICALLY PLEASING LOCATIONS OF PLACING THEM, SAFE LOCATIONS OF PLACING THEM AND THAT KIND OF

[02:00:04]

THING.

AND WHEN I WAS -- AUDIO] -- I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, IS THERE A WAY TO BE ABLE TO -- YOU KNOW, LIKE THE BIKE RACKS, TO PUT THEM IN A SET LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN BE SET UP STRAIGHT AND THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK NICE AND WORKS FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT KIND OF THING.

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT.

>> COURAGE: YOU KNOW, ANOTHER ONGOING CONFLICT WE'VE HAD IS REACHING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS FOR A CONTRACT.

WHAT'S YOUR VIEW ON THAT WHOLE SITUATION AS A PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN ON THE COUNCIL BUT HAS BEEN LOOKING AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE?

>> SO WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE POLICE CONTRACT.

IT WAS TOUGH, IT WAS TOUGH ON BOTH SIDES.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE KNEW WE HAD TO COMPROMISE A LITTLE BIT AND THEY KNEW THEY HAD TO COMPROMISE A LITTLE BIT.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE MET IN THE MIDDLE.

I THINK IT WORKED FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT'S WORKED FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS.

MY OWN -- AND I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS, VERY HONEST, I TRY TO BE AS LITTLE POLITICAL AS POSSIBLE.

I THINK IN THE FIRE SITUATION, I THINK IT'S BECOME PERSONAL.

AND WHEN YOU BECOME PERSONAL AND MOVE AWAY FROM THINGS DON'T GO WELL.

AND I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED.

AT THIS POINT, YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT, ALL RIGHT, HOW DO WE REMOVE THE PERSONALITIES OR PERSONAL SIDE OF IT AND GET TO, YOU KNOW, THE NOTION OF COMPROMISE.

AND THE FACT IS, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, THERE HAS TO BE COMPROMISE.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT AS A CITY, THEY'VE GOT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT AS FIREFIGHTERS, BUT WHAT THAT GIVE IS ON EITHER SIDE, THAT'S THE QUESTION.

AND WHERE WE MEET IN THE MIDDLE IS GOING TO BE THE QUESTION.

WE CAN'T AND THEY CAN'T HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE'VE GOT TO WIN.

AND ONLY US WIN.

THERE'S GOT TO BE COMPROMISE ON BOTH SIDES.

BOTH SIDES HAVE GOT TO GIVE, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A WIN FOR EVERYBODY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

A LOT OF THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY IS GOING TO TAKE LEADERSHIP BY US, BY OUR MAYOR CERTAINLY, OUR NEW CITY MANAGER COMING IN, BUT ALSO ON THEIR PART.

HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT POINT? IT'S -- WE'VE NOT GOTTEN TO THAT POINT, PERSONALLY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE OF -- IT'S BECOME TOO PERSONAL.

SO HOW DO YOU GET BEYOND THAT? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

NOW, I WILL SAY -- I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE EVERGREEN CLAUSE WORKS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THAT EVERGREEN, AND THAT'S GOING TO PUSH SOMEBODY TO START COMPROMISING AND MOVING.

SO I KNOW THAT THAT LIMITATION, THAT BACKDROP IS COMING SOON.

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, ART.

COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES?

SO THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES TO ME FOR THE SHORT TERM ARE THE HIRING OF OUR CITY MANAGER AND THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS.

COUNCILMAN COURAGE ASKED YOU THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS, SO COULD YOU DISCUSS WHAT EXPERIENCES YOU'VE HAD IN HIRING AN EXECUTIVE PERSON OR AN EXECUTIVE TEAM OR HIRING PRACTICES THAT YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE?

SO I'M -- I'VE OFTEN BEEN EITHER THE LEAD OR THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENTS AND SO FORTH, AND SO I'M CONSTANTLY HIRING PEOPLE.

AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE TOUGHER DECISIONS IS YOU'VE GOT TO LET PEOPLE GO SOMETIMES.

AND SO THAT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL PRACTICE FOR ME.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WAS ON THE TEAM AND I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW THE PROCESS WORKED, BUT THERE WERE THREE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT KIND OF LED THE SELECTION OF OUR CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY.

AND SO I WAS ON THAT TEAM, ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN PEREZ AND ANOTHER, AND SO WE WENT THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, WE LOOKED THROUGH ALL THE RESUMES.

I THINK WE HELPED KIND OF NARROW IT DOWN FOR OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS TO LOOK AT.

SO MY EXPERIENCE ON SELECTING PEOPLE FOR POSITIONS EXTENDS NOT ONLY TO MY PROFESSIONAL JOB, BUT ALSO HERE WHILE I WAS AT CITY COUNCIL.

WE ALSO HIRED LETICIA VACEK AS OUR CITY CLERK, SO I WAS INTRICATELY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL AS A CITY COUNCILMEMBER.

I LED OR WAS ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THE COURT SYSTEM, AND SO IT WAS THREE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT RECOMMENDED TO THE REST OF COUNCIL THE SELECTION OF OUR PRESIDING JUDGE, THE REVIEW OF ALL THE SALARIES FOR THE JUDGES, AND ALSO THE RECOMMENDATION OF COUNCIL FOR JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS.

SO. I'M NOT INEXPERIENCED WITH REGARD TO THAT PROCESS AND

[02:05:03]

LOOKING AT THE NEEDS OF NOT ONLY THE CITY AT LARGE BUT WHAT WE WOULD LOOK FOR IN A CITY MANAGER.

I WILL SAY THIS, THAT WE'VE GOT A BIG ORGANIZATION HERE.

AND WE IMPACT LOTS OF PEOPLE, NOT ONLY CITIZENS HERE BUT ALSO PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE.

SO THAT -- THAT DECISION THAT YOU-ALL ARE STARTING TO MAKE NEXT WEEK IS HUGE.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A PERSON THAT'S EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO, NUMBER ONE, KNOW THE CITY AND KNOW WHAT KIND OF LEADER AND LEADERSHIP YOU NEED FOR A PERSON TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IN THAT POSITION, BECAUSE -- AND SHERYL'S CASE, THAT WAS A 13-YEAR DECISION.

AND THAT PERSON THAT SITS IN THAT SEAT NEXT TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN HAS GOT TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THE CITY WELL ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT DECISION THAT COULD BE A 13-PLUS YEAR DECISION.

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL?

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, MR. HALL.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS APPOINTMENT, FOR REALLY CONSIDERING THIS SACRIFICE, WHICH IT IS, RIGHT, PUTTING PARTS OF YOUR LIFE ON HOLD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND FILLING IN THIS GAP, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> SANDOVAL: ESPECIALLY, LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HERE AND YOU'VE DONE THAT AND YOU DON'T NEED TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK AND DOING THAT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT YOU WOULD HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, IF AND WHEN APPOINTED, AND CERTAINLY YOUR RESUME SPEAKS TO ALL THE INSIGHTS THAT YOU WOULD BRING TO THIS COUNCIL.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF THE RESIDENCY.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS AIRED OUT, AND JUST THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST TO MEET THE SPIRIT, AS WELL AS THE LAW, OF REPRESENTATION, RIGHT, IN DISTRICT 2.

SO THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

THE LAST ELECTION'S IN NOVEMBER AND THE PROPOSITIONS THAT WERE ON THEM, I BELIEVE, INDICATED SOME FRACTURE IN THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN THIS ORGANIZATION AND POSSIBLY ON THIS COUNCIL AS WELL.

I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE DO IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHILE YOU'RE HERE WILL INDICATE WHETHER WE BEGIN REBUILDING THAT TRUST OR IF -- OR NOT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AND HOW YOU FEEL WE CAN MOVE TOWARD REBUILDING THAT TRUST.

>> WELL, BUILDING -- ESTABLISHING TRUST IS TOUGH ENOUGH, BUT ONCE TRUST HAS BEEN BROKEN, THEN REESTABLISHING THAT IS -- IS, YOU KNOW, A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT PROCESS.

I CAN HELP START THAT OVER THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S LITERALLY -- THAT'S A PROCESS AND IT'S A LONG PROCESS.

GENERALLY, MY VIEW ON AUDIO] AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE PERSONALITIES THAT WERE JUST NOT ON THE SAME PAGE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAS NOT TRICKLED TO JUST THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND AN ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S TRICKLED TO THE LARGER POPULATION.

AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TO CONSTANTLY PUSH TO MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIPS ON THE GRANULAR LEVEL BEFORE IT EVER GETS BEYOND THAT.

I WILL SAY THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GREAT COUNCIL.

WE LOVED WORKING TOGETHER, WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF COMING IN BECAUSE THERE WERE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT WERE INDICTED AND THAT KIND OF THING BEFORE WE CAME ON.

SO WE CAME IN AS A VERY STRONG COUNCIL.

AND I THINK OUR REPUTATION, AS A BODY, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT; THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE STRONGER COUNCILS.

WE HAD OUR DISAGREEMENTS, AND WE DISAGREED BACK THERE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LOVED WORKING TOGETHER AND WE DIDN'T MIND AGREEING TO DISAGREE.

AND I WILL SPEAK FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE REPUTATION OF THIS COUNCIL.

AND SO A LOT OF THAT STARTS RIGHT HERE.

A LOT OF THAT STARTS WITH THE NOTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HERE AS A BODY, ARE REALLY HERE FOR NOT OURSELVES, FOR OUR DISTRICTS CERTAINLY, BUT REALLY, WE'RE HERE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR PERSPECTIVES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ALONG, LOVE WORKING TOGETHER, AND MAKE

[02:10:01]

SURE THAT WE PUT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY FIRST.

I THINK WE DID THAT AS A COUNCIL.

I THINK THAT TRICKLED DOWN TO A LOT OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT STAFF HAD WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND SO FORTH.

AND THEN WE HAD THE TRUST OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING FOR ME, JUST TO SEE SOME OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL VOTES.

I SERVED UNDER MAYOR ED GARZA AND MAYOR PHIL HARDBERGER, WE WOULD ALWAYS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO -- WHENEVER THERE WAS EITHER OF THOSE MAYOR KNEW THAT THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT ON COUNCIL, WE WOULD ALWAYS FIGURE OUT A WAY AT THE END OF THE DAY HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE, PARTICULARLY ON THE BIGGER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.

AND THAT, FOR ME, WAS JUST AN INTERESTING CONCEPT, INTERESTING STRATEGY OF HOW YOU MOVE THOSE VOTES AND SO FORTH.

BUT IF WE COULD DO MORE OF THAT AS A CITY COUNCIL, I THINK THAT HELPS.

SO I THINK A LOT OF IT STARTS HERE, I THINK THAT TRICKLES DOWN TO RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAFF AND SO FORTH, AND THAT TRICKLES OUT TO THE REMAINDER OF THE COMMUNITY.

BUT WHEN THERE'S FRACTURING HERE, WHEN THERE'S FRACTURING BETWEEN US AND THE COWBOYTY AND OTHEREN -- COUNTY AND OTHER ENTITIES, IT IMPACTS EVERYWHERE.

ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS SAID ABOUT SAN ANTONIO, AND I THINK YOU ALL MAY AGREE, IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS SAN ANTONIO AS A WHOLE DOES SO WELL IS BECAUSE OUR POLITICAL ENTITIES GET ALONG SO WELL.

AND WE WORK TOGETHER -- WE ALWAYS COME AS A COALITION AS OPPOSED TO NOT.

REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA HAWKINS WAS HERE YESTERDAY AND NOW SHE WAS SPEAKING FOR HER CANDIDATE, BUT SHE AND I HUGGED AND TALKED TO EACH OTHER LAST NIGHT AFTERWARDS, AND THAT FOR ME IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

IS BEING ABLE TO BE ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE POST BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY COME TOGETHER.

THAT NOT ONLY HAS TO HAPPEN GLOBALLY FOR OUR POLITICAL ENTITIES, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT TO CREATE IT AND GENERATE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.

AND BETWEEN PIECES OF THE ORGANIZATION AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD.

>> SANDOVAL: TELL ME ABOUT WITH THE PUBLIC, TOO.

>> SOMEONE'S ASKING ME.

>> SANDOVAL: SOMEONE'S ASKING ME TO REPEAT THE QUESTION.

I JUST WANTED TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AS PERTAINS TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

>> WELL, IF IT'S FRACTURED, IT'S HARD TO TELL THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'RE NOT.

SORRY, I DON'T THINK WE CAN GO TO THE PUBLIC WITH A FRACTURED RELATIONSHIP AND HONESTLY SAY THAT THINGS ARE GOING GREAT.

I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE HONEST ABOUT IT.

I THINK THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE GOT TO BE HONEST ABOUT IT.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO -- WE'VE GOT TO FIX IT BEFORE WE GO OUT AND PUBLICIZE.

I THINK PEOPLE WILL NOTICE THAT THINGS ARE GOING WELL AND THINGS ARE WORKING WHEN THEY ARE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE NOT.

I WILL TELL YOU, I GET THE E-MAILS FROM OUR CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY.

SHE IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HOW WE AS A CITY AND SHE AS A CITY MANAGER ARE DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES AND SO FORTH.

I THINK THAT'S SORT OF COMMUNICATION AND CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT, EXPLAINING WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND WHY AND OUR POSITION AND SO FORTH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE GOT TO PULL THAT TOGETHER.

AND BOTH PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE TABLE, BOTH PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO COMPROMISE, AND IF ONE OF THEM IS NOT, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

AND WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE OTHERWISE TO THE PUBLIC.

IT JUST -- IT JUST WOULDN'T WORK.

SO WE'VE GOT TO FIX IT BEFORE WE CAN COMMUNICATE THE NOTION OF TRUST TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL.

I DO HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY STAFF IS DEVELOPING IS A PLAN FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION.

I SAW THAT YOU DID SOME WORK ON SOME OF THE -- ON SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WHEN YOU WERE ON COUNCIL, SO I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT PLAN, YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE YOUR SUPPORT? OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIGN YOUR LIFE AWAY TO EVERY SINGLE DETAIL IN THERE, BUT YOUR GENERAL SUPPORT FOR SOMETHING THAT REDUCES CLIMATE CHANGE, POLLUTION AND HELPS US PREPARE FOR THE CHANGES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BRING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S KIND OF MY NATURAL INCALLY INCLINATION, BUT I'LL ALSO TELL YOU I'M A PRACTICING MATIST, I'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE COST ARE AND THE IMPLICATIONS AND WHERE THE FUNDING IS COME FORTH AND SO

[02:15:02]

FORTH.

YES, MY NATURAL INCALLY -- INCLINATION IS TO MAKE A BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR NOT ONLY OURSELVES BUT THE CHILDREN.

WE'RE A SMALL PIECE IN THE STATE AND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO WHAT WE CAN HERE FIRST.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S -- I'D LOVE TO SUPPORT MORE CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT LET ME LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE DETAILS ON HOW THAT HAPPENS.

>> SANDOVAL: ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT PLAN OUT THIS MONTH THAT YOU AND I CAN REVIEW.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA?

>> SALDAÑA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, ART.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU DOWN HERE AGAIN.

THIS IS VERY FAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR YOU AS FOUR YEARS YOU SPENT YOUR DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE TO THIS CITY AND TO THE COUNCIL.

I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION THAT'S FOCUSED ON POLICY AND ONE THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ISSUE OF CITE AND RELEASE.

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HELPED SET UP THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM AND COUNCILMAN SHAW BROUGHT AN ISSUE THAT WILL SEE ITSELF IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS PROBABLY COME TO COUNCIL DECISION OR COUNCIL VOTE, AND THE CONCEPT AT CORE IS, YOU KNOW, REDUCING OUR JAIL POPULATION FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT A HARM TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS, GIVING POLICE OFFICERS THEIR TIME BACK IF THEY CAN CITE ON SCENE, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF SOMEBODY CAN'T AFFORD TO BE BAILED OUT IF THEY'RE IN JAIL TODAY, THAT MEANS THEY CAN GO BACK TO THEIR FAMILY OR THEIR JOBS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU MIGHT BRING TO THAT DISCUSSION, WHAT OPINIONS, WHAT EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN THIS KIND OF WAY THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING TO THE POLICY DISCUSSION?

>> AND SO THE WHOLE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM AND JUSTICE SYSTEM, THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE PIECES TO IT. I'VE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION, OR THOSE PIECES, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE WAYS TO REDUCE JAIL POPULATION, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LIMITED SPACE AND THE COUNTY HAS THE SAMESURE THAT WE PUT THE MOT DANGEROUS FOLKS IN THERE.

AND IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO LIMIT THAT POPULATION, LET'S DO SO.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT TO CONSTANTLY BALANCE THE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC MEDIA RISK AND SAFETY.

AND SO I WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE SAFETY ISSUES GO UP IN THAT SORT OF PROCESS.

BUT I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO IDEAS.

I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT LET'S NOT JUST GO OUT AND DO IT BY OUR OURSELVES OR ON OUR OWN.

LET'S GO OUT AND RESEARCH OTHER CITIES, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND WHAT'S WORKED AND WHAT'S NOT WORKED.

AND IF THERE ARE EXAMPLES WHERE THAT SCENARIO HAS WORKED, YEAH, LET'S TRY IT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE SYSTEM EFFICIENT FOR THE SPACE, THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.

WHILE ALSO BALANCING THE NEEDS OF SAFETY FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO I'M OPEN TO IDEAS.

I'VE GOT A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH JUDGE BULL AND OTHERS AND CERTAINLY ON THE COUNTY SIDE, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CITY WITH REGARD TO THE COURT SYSTEMS AND SO FORTH.

THOSE -- AGAIN, SHARED RESOURCES, SHARED OPPORTUNITIES BECOME MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND MUCH MORE SAFE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, SO I'D BE OPEN TO CONTINUE THAT DIALOGUE NOT ONLY HERE BUT ALSO AT OTHER LEVELS.

>> SALDAÑA: THANK YOU, ART.

I'VE HAD ANOTHER QUESTION WHICH IS ALSO ONE YOU BROUGHT UP WHICH IS THE RESIDENCY ISSUE.

I THINK YOU'VE DESCRIBED PRETTY ACCURATELY, WHAT IS THE TECHNICAL NATURE.

THERE'S A BAR, I'VE CROSSED IT.

I THINK JUST KIND OF HARKENING BACK THE SPIRIT OF SINGLE DISTRICTS IS YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THE DISTRICT, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE FROM, THAT'S WHERE YOU LAY YOUR HEAD, THAT'S YOUR RESIDENCE.

SO I GUESS I'M SPEAKING TO THE SPIRIT OF RESIDENCY ISSUES AS YOU REPRESENT THAT ISSUE.

IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY ISSUES IN THE FOUR MONTHS WHERE YOU MIGHT SERVE WHERE PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING YOU AROUND AND SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS NOT WHERE HE SLEECHS EVERY DAY, THIS IS NOT THE SAME STREET HE DRIVES DOWN TO GET THE EXPERIENCE OF A COUNCILMEMBER WHO REPRESENTS ME, WHO SEES THE SAME ISSUES.

TALK TO ME ABOUT THE SPIRIT, NOT JUST THE TECHNICAL NATURE OF THE RESIDENCY ISSUE.

>> I'M HONEST, WE'VE GOT TWO PLACES.

WE SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME AT BOTH PLACES.

BUT BOTH PLACES ARE OUR HOME.

DISTRICT 2 IS MY HOME.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, IF YOU'VE GOT TWO PLACES, YOU'VE GOT TO PICK ONE.

AND -- BECAUSE OF MY PASSION FOR DISTRICT 2 AND MY INTEREST IN DISTRICT 2, AND THIS WAS PRIOR TO EVEN THIS COMING UP, NOT EVEN KNOWING THAT I COULD EVEN RUN OR SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY, WE WERE -- WE WANTED TO BE INVESTED IN DISTRICT 2.

THAT'S WHERE WE DO A LOT OF OUR SHOPPING, A LOT OF OUR EATING, WORKED IN DISTRICT 2 AND SO FORTH, SO I -- FOR ME, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY DISCONNECT

[02:20:02]

BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE DISTRICT 2 RESIDENTS THAT I WILL REPRESENT.

AND THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED SOMEBODY IN DISTRICT 2 FOR THESE FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WELL REPRESENTED.

I MEAN, I'M HOPING THAT THE FACT THEY I'M HERE APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION SHOWS MY COMMITMENT AND PASSION FOR THE DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO FILL THAT GAP.

I'VE GOT LOTS OF SUPPORT IN THE DISTRICT.

I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE DISTRICT BUT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT, AND THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU ALL FIND OUT NEW ABOUT YOUR DISTRICTS EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THE SAME WILL HAPPEN FOR ME.

BUT T A THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THAT I CAN PROVIDE A VALUE TO THE DISTRICT BY SERVING IN THIS POSITION AND HELPING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO ONLY IMPACT THE DISTRICT IN A POSITIVE WAY, BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO IMPACT THE CITY.

FOR ME, THERE'S NO DISCONNECT.

I WILL TELL YOU AGAIN FOR -- FOR MY JUST GENERAL PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT 2 AND PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT 2, BUT IT MAY BE AN ISSUE FOR SOME OF YOUR DISTRICTS.

SAN ANTONIO IS DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF CITIES, AND PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT 2, HAS A FASCINATION OF PEOPLE BEING FROM HERE.

AND I BELIEVE IN FOLKS THAT ARE FROM HERE, AND WE NEED TO GROW OUR TALENT WITHIN SAN ANTONIO FROM THE GROUND UP.

YOU YOURSELF AND MANY OTHERS ON COUNCIL ARE FROM HERE, AND I THINK THAT'S A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT AND NEED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T NEGLECT THE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT FROM HERE, WHO CAN PROVIDE A VALUE AND BENEFIT TO THE DISTRICT.

AND SO I -- YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE RESISTANCE THAT I'VE SEEN FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IS SIMPLY WITH THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE CANDIDATES ARE NOT FROM HERE.

CRUZ SHAW MENTIONED THAT FACT AS WELL.

IT WAS AN ISSUE EARLY ON IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR HIM.

HE WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME IT AND HAS DONE WELL.

I OVERCAME THAT ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL AS MAYOR NIRENBERG WHEN HE WAS A COUNCILMAN, AND NOW COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T LOOK AT THAT ISSUE THE SAME WAY THAT DISTRICT 2 DOES, AND SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS.

WHENEVER I WAS ELECTED IN DISTRICT 8, AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, I MEAN, THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT I'M FROM HERE CAME UP MAYBE ONCE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL THEY CARED ABOUT IS THEY WANTED A PERSON THAT WAS GOOD, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WOULD GO IN THERE AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.

I'M HOPING THAT THIS APPOINTMENT, THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL HELP PUSH DISTRICT 2 A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THAT DIRECTION. THEY'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT WITH COUNCILMAN TAYLOR WHEN SHE WAS IN OFFICE, WITH COUNCILMAN CRUZ WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE, I'D LIKE TO PUSH THAT ENVELOPE A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WELL.

THAT I CAN SERVE MY DISTRICT AND MY COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT NECESSARILY FROM HERE, IN A VERY GOOD AND QUALITY WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DISTRICT IS WELL REPRESENTED.

AND SO THAT'S MY COMMITMENT.

I CAN'T CHANGE THE FACT OF WHERE I'M FROM, BUT WHAT I DO CONTROL IS HOW WELL I REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE FOR A COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO FOR DISTRICT 2.

>> SALDAÑA: THANK YOU, ART, FOR TAKING THAT QUESTION HEAD ON AND FOR ALSO OFFERING YOUR BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS CHAMBER BACK AS A CONSIDERATION FOR THIS COUNCIL.

I WAS JUST THINKING TO MYSELF WOULD I RATHER KNOCK ON 3,000 DOORS OR GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND I THINK I'D RATHER KNOCK ON 3,000 DOORS THE WAY THAT YOU AND THE REST OF THE CANDIDATES, I THINK, HAVE HAD TO BE PEPPERED WITH QUESTIONS.

ALL IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY LEAVES US WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF DECIDING ON THE FATE OF WHAT'S BEST FOR DISTRICT 2 THROUGH THESE FOUR MONTHS.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU OFFERING YOUR NAME.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

>> SALDAÑA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA.

COUNCILMAN PERRY?

>> PERRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

WELCOME AND CONIMRAT LAITIONS FOR MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

>> PERRY: YOU ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS FROM EARLIER ON HERE, BUT I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT HIRING THE CITY MANAGER, SHERYL, DURING YOUR TENURE.

WHAT MORE CAN YOU BRING TO THE TABLE IN YOUR EXPERIENCES FROM THAT TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY? AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO START INTERVIEWING TOMORROW.

WE'VE HAD THE PACKAGES FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW, AND WE'RE MARCHING RIGHT INTO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

WHAT MORE CAN YOU HELP US OUT WITH IN THE PROCESS ITSELF?

>> AT THIS POINT, THE PROCESS IS

[02:25:01]

REALLY DEVELOPED, SO AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE PARTICIPATION WITHIN THAT PROCESS.

I'VE SERVED ON CITY COUNCIL, I KNOW WHAT A LOT OF THE ISSUES ARE, WE'RE A BIG CITY, WE'VE GOT BIG ISSUES, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, COMPLICATIONS, WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FUNDING.

I'M A LAWYER, I'M A PREVIOUSLY INVESTMENT BANKER, I'VE GOT THE ACADEMIC SIDE, SO I CAN BRING ALL THAT EXPERIENCE AND NOT ONLY THE SERVICE S ON CITY COUNCIL, T MY PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER BACKGROUND TO THE TABLE IN REVIEWING THOSE APPLICATIONS AND THEN MAKING MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.

SO FOR ME, IT'S A MATTER OF THE LENS, AND I THINK MAYOR NIRENBERG SAID IT BEST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COME FROM ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND SO FORTH, SO WE BRING THOSE LENSES TO THE TABLE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT A CITY MANAGER.

I'LL BE TAKING THE LENS OF NOT ONLY ALL THAT BACKGROUND, BUT ALSO THE LENS OF DISTRICT 2, AND TO MAKING SURE THAT THAT PERSON THAT WE SELECT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE ISSUES.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN A CITY MANAGER, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS THAT I THINK WE EVER MADE WAS HIRING SHERYL SCULLEY.

FOR US, THAT WAS HUGE.

WE WENT OUT AND MAYOR HARDBERGER LED THE CHARGE TO GO OUT AND FIND ONE OF THE TOP CITY MANAGERS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO, IN MY VIEW, PULL SHERYL SCULLEY, WHO CAME FROM PHOENIX.

AND SO BUT WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WAS ALREADY -- WHO HAD A TRACK RECORD OF EFFECTIVENESS, WHO COULD DEAL WITH A LARGE, COMPLICATED ORGANIZATION, MANAGE A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE, BUT ALSO GET THINGS DONE, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE DID IN PHOENIX, AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE SHE HAS DONE HERE.

SO I MEAN, THAT'S THE KIND OF LENS THAT I'LL BRING, THE EXPERIENCE THAT I'LL BRING.

I WELL TELL YOU I THINK THE CHALLENGE LONG-TERM, AND I'LL BE HONEST, IS TO -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THAT POOL.

AND THE POOL WILL TELL US A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY.

THE POOL THAT WE HAD BACK THEN WAS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE LIKES OF SHERYL SCULLEY TO BE ABLE TO APPLY IN THAT POSITION.

WE'VE GOT A GREAT GROUP OF CITY STAFF UNDER SHERYL THAT HAS -- I'M PROUD OF THE LIST, OF I THINK SIX CANDIDATES FROM HER STAFF THAT ARE APPLYING.

AND SO I -- YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS ARE GREAT PEOPLE I'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST AND I THINK WILL DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT I'LL LOOK AT THE EXTERNAL CANDIDATES THAT ARE THERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF APPLICANTS FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT WE HAD WITH SHERYL.

SO LONG-TERM, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE FOR THE CITY.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN -- HOW AND IF WE CAN CHANGE THAT GOING FORWARD, BUT I CAN'T DO THIS IN FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE LARGER GROUP OF AND BROADER AND MORE, I GUESS, EXPERIENCED LEVEL OF AN APPLICANT POOL THAN THE CURRENT POOL THAT I SAW.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT I DO THINK THAT, PARTICULARLY THE FOLKS THAT ARE -- HAVE COME UNDER SHERYL, AND I THINK SHE'S PROVIDED GREAT LEADERSHIP AND GREAT DIRECTION AND GREAT MENTORSHIP FOR A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS, I THINK A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WILL DO WELL HERE.

AND I KNOW YOU'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT VERY SUCCINCTLY, WHY DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS IN DISTRICT 2? YOU WERE A COUNCILMAN IN DISTRICT 8, 2 FULL- TERM, BUT NOW IN DISTRICT 2 TO SERVE BASICALLY AS A LAME DUCK FOR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, WHY? GIVE ME SUCCINCTLY WHY.

GREAT.

>> PART OF THE REASON I TOOK THE JOB AT ST. PHILLIP'S COLLEGE WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE MORE INVOLVED AND VESTED IN THE DISTRICT.

ON THE EAST SIDE, AND PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID WHEN I TOOK THE JOB THERE.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID WHEN WE INVESTED THERE.

I BELIEVE THAT DISTRICT 2, AND NOT ALWAYS, BUT IN SOME INSTANCES HAS GOTTEN THE SHORT END OF THE STICK ON REPRESENTATION.

AND SO I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS POSITION WAS FILLED WITH A PERSON THAT AT LEAST HAD SOME BACKGROUND AND SOME EXPERIENCE AND THEY COULD DO WELL IN THE POSITION FOR THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

AND THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

I WANT -- I DON'T WANT DISTRICT 2 OR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT PARTICULARLY DISTRICT 2 TO BE SHORTCHANGED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,

[02:30:01]

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN?

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, ART, FOR HANGING IN THERE AND STANDING UP THERE THIS TIME.

APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE MAKING YOUR CASE OF WHY IN YOUR RESIDENCY, ET CETERA, AND YOUR CONNECTIONS AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DISCONNECT WITH DISTRICT 2.

BUT WHAT WE ALSO HEARD LAST NIGHT AT THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD WAS INCONSISTENCY IN DISTRICT 2.

AND MANY OF US IN THIS -- ON THIS DAIS, A LOT OF US HAVE SERVED WITH MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES IN DISTRICT 2, WITH IVY, WITH KEITH, WITH ALLEN, WITH CRUZ, AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE.

AND IF YOU WERE TO BE SELECTED, IT WOULD BE FOR FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS, AND NOT DURING A BUDGET PROCESS EITHER, BECAUSE THAT WOULD START WITH THE NEXT COUNCIL.

SO -- AND YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR WORK ETHIC, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADMIRER OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, HAS BEEN FOR DISTRICT 8 ON THE NORTH SIDE, SO HOW -- HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ELEVATE THE VOICES AND THE PEOPLE AND THE CONCERNS OF GENTRIFICATION, OF RISING PROPERTY COSTS AND HOME VALUES, OF THAT TRANSITIONING THAT'S HAPPENING IN SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ELEVATE THOSE ISSUES AND CONCERNS IN THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE

>> WELL, FIRST LET ME SAY THAT -- WELL, I'M GOING TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ISSUES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE TABLE, NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH AN AGENDA.

AND SO I'LL LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS.

I'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND SO FORTH TO DETERMINE WHAT'S BEEN MISSING AND WHAT'S NOT HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

SO I'M ASSUMING THERE'S ALREADY AN AGENDA IN PLACE AND I'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DID WE NOT ACCOMPLISH YET AND WHAT WE CAN.

IF THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN THERE, THEY WERE THERE FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND THEY WERE PROBABLY THERE PRIOR TO THAT.

AND SO IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY THAT I CAN DO TO EITHER LOOK AT THE ISSUE OR BRING IT FORWARD AND ADVOCATE FOR IT THEN I'LL DO THAT.

THAT'S JUST KIND OF A GENERAL STATEMENT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB, PART OF MY JOB IS TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN ON THE TABLE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED FORWARD THAT HASN'T MOVED FORWARD ALREADY.

NOW, CREATING MY OWN AGENDA FROM THAT, I'VE NOT EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT YET, I'LL BE HONEST THERE.

SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AN AGENDA AND TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE IT IN THE NEXT FOUR, FIVE MONTHS THEN I'LL DO THAT.

BUT LET ME SPEAK JUST GENERALLY TO CONCEPT OF CHANGE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

SOME OF IT HAS BEEN GOOD.

COUNCILMAN SHAW IS A JUDGE.

THAT'S GREAT.

COUNCILWOMAN IVY TAYLOR BECAME MAYOR, THAT'S GOOD.

I AGREE WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA HAWKINS AND THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WE DON'T DO A GOOD JOB OF DEVELOPING TALENT.

AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU DO THAT WITHIN DISTRICT 2 HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE.

AFTER YESTERDAY'S MEETING LAST NIGHT, I CALLED UP REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA HAWKINS AND JUST TALKED TO HER ABOUT THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS I STATED TO HER WAS WHEN YOU GO OUT AND SELECT SOMEBODY YOU CAN'T SELECT ONE PERSON.

BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO IS, MAYBE NOT INTENTIONALLY.

YOU PUT DOWN EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS LOOKING FOR THAT POSITION AS WELL.

AND THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE FOREVER CREATED THAT DISCONNECT GOING FORWARD.

AND SO I THINK DISTRICT 2 HAS GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF NOT CREATING DIVISION BUT CREATING UNITY AS A WHOLE AND PUSHING MORE OF A GROUP TALENT TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP TALENT WITHIN A DISTRICT.

WHAT I WOULD PERSONALLY DO -- AND I DID THIS WHILE I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, IS THAT EVERY CANDIDATE THAT SIGNS UP BY THE DEADLINE AND SO FORTH, I WILL MEET WITH EVERY ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES.

I WILL HAVE LUNCH WITH THEM.

I WILL MENTOR THEM, TELL THEM MY EXPERIENCES, WHAT I WOULD DO IF I WERE IN THEIR POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND MEETINGS AND SO FORTH.

SO I THINK THERE'S THINGS I CAN DO IN THE SHORT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY RETHINK THEIR PROCESS, THEIR TALENT POOL, BUT ALSO TO HELP MENTOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE IN THE POSITION GOING FORWARD.

[02:35:01]

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR VOLUNTEERING TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

GREAT JOB AND WE ARE NOW GOING TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'LL COME BACK OUT WITH ACTION ON THE DISTRICT 2

[Executive Session]

APPOINTMENT.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE TIME IS NOW 11:48 A.M. ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019.

THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.

TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE ITEMS POSTED OR NOT FINISHED YESTERDAY, SPECIFICALLY DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.074 AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SEC

THE TIME IS NOW 12:31 P.M. ON THIS THURSDAY, JANUARY 10TH, 2019.

AND THE COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.

NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN

[4. Interviewing finalists for the District 2 City Council vacancy and appointing a replacement City Councilmember. [Leticia M. Vacek, City Clerk] (Part 2 of 2)]

EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ TO BEGIN THE ACTION OF THE DAY.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AFTER DISCUSSING WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES I MAKE THE MOTION THAT THIS COUNCIL APPOINT MR. ART HALL TO THE DISTRICT 2 POSITION.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. ART HALL FOR THE VACANCY IN DISTRICT 2.

WE'LL NOW HAVE SOME COUNCIL COMMENT ON THE MOTION.

I WILL START -- COUNCILMAN, WERE YOU KEEPING THE FLOOR? OKAY.

GO AHEAD.

>> PELAEZ: THIS WAS NOT EASY FOR ANY OF US, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENCE OF ALL CANDIDATES YESTERDAY.

AND IT WAS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TODAY BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENCE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE BY THE THREE CANDIDATES WHO PRESENTED TODAY.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MY FOCUS ON -- DURING THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN TO MAKE SURE WE HAND OFF THE REIGNS TO DISTRICT 2 TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING VERY QUICKLY.

BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE SOME SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN WHAT IS ALREADY THE BUSINESS OF CITY COUNCIL.

MR. HALL, YOU POSSESS THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING, THE EXPERTISE, THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THIS BUILDING AND THE ONE NEXT DOOR AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GOOD JOB.

IT GIVES ME COMFORT TO ALSO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED TACKLING SOME OF THE ISSUES WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

YOU HAVE USHERED IN MULTIBILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS AND WE ARE ABOUT TO KICKOFF THAT PROJECT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.

AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A SACRIFICE FOR YOUR IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THIS .

BUT I WILL SAY THAT I'M ALSO VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT, YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FROM OTHER, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THI.

CONSTITUENTS IN THIS DISTRICT FOR PEOPLE OTHER THAN YOU.

SO I DO WANT TO URGE YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, IF YOU GET THIS POSITION, TO GO AND MEET EVERYBODY.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING WE NEED IS FOR YOU TO BE AN EXPERT HERE AND NOT AN EXPERT IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WEREN'T HERE FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS IN THE SAME POSITION THAT ALL THREE CANDIDATES WERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE CERTAINLY RESPECT ALL THREE CANDIDATES AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS.

I AM VERY IMPRESSED BY ALL OF YOU.

HOWEVER, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING MR. ART HALL ON THIS BECAUSE I DO FEEL THAT JADA HAS MADE THE BEST CASE TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 2.

I WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING UP.

IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE AND I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO SPEAK TO THAT.

IN FACT, MY HEART'S BEATING RIGHT NOW FOR YOU BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS.

YOU REALLY IMPRESSED A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU EVERYBODY UP HERE IS SO DEEPLY IMPRESSED BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU JUST PERSONALLY AND TELL YOU, LISTEN.

I THINK YOU'RE GREAT.

I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS CITY NEEDS IS FOR PEOPLE TO STEP UP.

PEOPLE TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE.

[02:40:02]

THAT'S WHAT I DID AND IT'S CHANGED MY LIFE.

I HOPE THAT SOME DAY THAT YOU'LL GET TO SIT UP HERE.

SOME DAY I THINK YOU WILL BE A HUGE, HUGE BENEFIT TO ANY ORGANIZATION THAT WILL HAVE YOU.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EASY.

IN FACT, IT DOESN'T GET MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU'RE UP HERE.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOU COULD DO THE JOB.

I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD STAFF THAT WOULD SUPPORT YOU AND GET YOU THROUGH A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.

SO KEEP GOING AFTER IT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU DOWN THE ROAD.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF THE CANDIDATES WHO CAME FORWARD.

YOU CAME THROUGH A SINCERE PROCESS.

WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT INFORMATION THAT YOU PRESENTED ABOUT YOURSELVES.

WE GOT TO HEAR YOU AND THE THREE OF YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES.

YOU ALL PRESENTED YOURSELVES WELL.ÚI REALLY HOPE THAT ALL OFU WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN VERY INVOLVED IN WHAT GOES ON IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

I KNOW YOU ARE SOMEWHAT -- THERE'S ALWAYS MORE YOU CAN DO.

I SECONDED THE NOMINATION OF ART HALL BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS AND THE EXPERIENCE TO DO THE JOB THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW FOR THE NEXT FOUR, FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS.

AND THERE ARE CRITICAL ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING AT THAT TIME THAT I KNOW HIS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE WILL BE OF A BENEFIT, NOT JUST TO DISTRICT 2 BUT TO THE ENTIRE CITY.

I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I SAY IT ALMOST ALL THE TIME.

A COUNCILMAN FOR ONE DISTRICT IS MORE THAN JUST A COUNCILMAN FOR ONE DISTRICT, BUT IT'S A COUNCILMAN REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE CITY.

AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UP HERE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK ART'S PREPARED TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IN THAT AREA.

BUT IT BY NO MEANS INDICATES THAT EITHER OF YOU ARE NOT CAPABLE OF MAKING VERY GOOD AND IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR THE CITY AS TIME COMES FOR YOUR PLACE AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE VERY INVOLVED AND I WISH YOU ALL GREAT SUCCESS IN HOWEVER YOU DECIDE TO GO FORWARD.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE REPRESENTATIVES WHO STEPPED FORWARD FOR DISTRICT 2, AS SHARED YESTERDAY.

DISTRICT 2 AND DISTRICT 3 SHARE A LOT OF BOUNDARIES AND WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES AND CONCERNS, SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN MOVING FORWARD AND TOGETHER.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING TOGETHER WITH OUR NEXT APPOINTEE.

SO THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

THANK YOU, MR. HALL.

THANK YOU, MS. SULLIVAN FOR STEPPING FORWARD.

I WILL NOT BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF MR. HALL BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT JADA SULLIVAN WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR DISTRICT 2.

I BELIEVE HER ANSWERS WERE PHENOMENAL AND SPOT ON.

SHE KNEW NUANCES OF THE DISTRICT.

SHE HAS BEEN ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN DISTRICT 2.

SHE GAVE WONDERFUL ANSWERS.

SHE TALKED ABOUT BUILDING TOGETHER AND NOT TO BUILD TO DIVIDE.

SHE TALKED YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW SHE WAS NOT ONLY DO I SPEAK BUT I MOVE, AND SHE WAS READY TO HAVE AND INSTILL MORE COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTIES.

SHE SPOKE ABOUT BEING FRESH, NEW, AND MOTIVATED AND BEING AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE THAT SHE IS QUALIFIED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, MOTIVATED, AND COMMITTED, AND I BELIEVE LAST NIGHT WE HEARD FROM REPRESENTATIVES WHO SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE CONSISTENCY.

AND EVEN LIZ FRANKLIN SPOKE UP FOR YOU AS WELL.

SO THAT WAS A BIG MOVE FORWARD FOR ME.

AND I THINK THAT YOU DO DESERVE THIS COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT 2, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE WOMEN'S RESOLUTION THAT WE DID JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

WE NEED TO SEE MORE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP.

AND I'M GOING TO STAND FORWARD WITH THAT AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT YOU.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.

>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE APPLICANTS.

IT TAKES A TON OF COURAGE TO STAND IN THAT PIT RIGHT THERE AND TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS AND KEEP GOING.

I DON'T CARE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FAITH IN YOURSELF AND THE BELIEF IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE THAT STEP.

[02:45:01]

AND THAT'S ALL 13 THAT SHOWED UP.

AND THE THREE OF YOU MADE IT TODAY, IT'S JUST AN EVERYDAY BATTLE IN THIS LIFE.

AND FOR YOU TO WANT TO PUT YOURSELF IN THAT AND YOUR FAMILIES AND WELL IS ADMIRABLE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I WILL BE FOLLOWING COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

I RESPECT MR. HALL IMMENSELY.

I HAD A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS RIGHT AND BEST FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, AND I COMMITTED TO HIM THAT THERE WOULD BE SUPPORT REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS.

I WILL GO BACK AND FORTH WITH EVERY PERSON ON THIS DAIS 100 TIMES OVER BUT WHEN I STEP OFF IT I TRY TO FIND SOMETHING GOOD IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

MR. HALL TALKED ABOUT HIS COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY VERSUS THIS ONE AND I JUST SEE WE'RE JUST MUCH MORE POWERFUL AND WE'RE BELIEVING IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'RE FIGHTING FOR IT, THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED BUT I PART WAYS FROM THIS DAIS.

WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO FIND THE GOOD IN EACH OTHER.

I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS THERE.

EVEN AFTER SOME OF THE TOUGHEST DISCUSSIONS.

COUNCILMAN SALDANA, I'LL CATCH HIM AND SEND HIM A TEXT ABOUT HIS BABY AND HE'LL SEND ME A BIRTHDAY.

I DON'T WANT PEOPLE THINKING THERE'S LACK OF THAT OCCURRING HERE, WE JUST SEE SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I JUST HOPE WE CONTINUE THAT WITH WHOEVER ENDS UP HERE.

MY COMMITMENT TO WHOEVER MAKES THE CHAIR, MY COMMITMENT IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 100% FROM ME AND WHEN WE PART WAYS, WE PART WAYS FRIENDS.

WHEN WE COME BACK HERE IT'S IDEAS AND FUTURES.

I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST I CAN WITH THAT.

MY SUPPORT WILL BE FOR MS. SULLIVAN TODAY.

I THINK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

YOUR PASSION AND WHAT YOU DID WHEN YOU CAME UP HERE AND YOU SPOKE, IT WAS JUST FROM THE HEART AND THAT SPEAKS TO ME.

YOU HAD THE NUANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THINGS ARE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, I BELIEVED YOU WERE GOING TO GO FOR IT AND SPEND THE TIME.

WHATEVER IT IS I SAW THAT KIND OF IN YOUR HEART AND I AGREE AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT AS MY TIME AS A COUNCIL PERSON.

AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN HAS REALLY PUSHED ME TOWARDS THIS -- THE DIVERSITY CONVERSATION, THE HOMELESS ISSUES.

I PICKED UP ON A LOT OF THINGS THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS SAID OVER A YEAR AND A HALF, ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW THAT HAVE CHANGED ME TO MAKE SURE I'M BEING MORE AWARE.

IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT THINGS, SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT BLIND SPOTS TO LIFE.

AND I SAW YOU COME UP HERE, AND I THINK YOU FILLED THAT FOR ME.

I KNEW THE MINUTE I SAW YOU YESTERDAY THAT IF IT ENDED UP ON THE LIST, YOU WERE GOING TO BE THERE.

I'M THANKFUL -- AND MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS WELL.

COMMITMENT TO COME UP HERE AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO -- AND I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS ONE LITTLE MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO SAY THE PERSON -- WE HAD SOME DISAGREEMENT OVER SOME FOLKS IN THIS LIST OF PEOPLE.

AND WHO WE SHORT LISTED, FINE, I'LL SUPPORT THAT.

I THINK MS. SULLIVAN IS GOING TO DO A FANTASTIC JOB IF SHE MAKES IT THERE.

ANY OF THESE THREE WILL.

BUT IF WE DON'T GET PAST ISSUES -- AND I THINK MR. HALL MENTIONED THIS -- IF WE DON'T GET PAST ISSUES WITH REGARDS TO TAKE FOR INSTANCE, THE FIREFIGHTER ISSUE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE EVER GOING TO GET THERE.

ONE GENTLEMAN THAT I SUPPORTED, MR. HILLYARD DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE SHORT LIST AND THAT'S FINE.

WE CAN'T BE SENDING A MESSAGE BECAUSE WE DISAGREED WITH SOMETHING SAY THEY CAN'T MAKE IT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

I HOPE WE CAN BE AS INCLUSIVE AND FAIR AS POSSIBLE.

MR. HILLYER WAS HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD, BECAUSE WE HAD HIS EMPLOYMENT RECORDS.

HE WAS ONE OF THE CITY FAMILY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE FIRST STEP TO RECONCILIATION WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS IS TO NOT THINK EVERY FIREFIGHTER IS A UNION PUPPET OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT.

SO WE HAVE TO FIND THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.

MR. HALL MENTIONED THAT BUSINESS ABOUT THE CONTRACT.

100% I AGREE WITH WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

I THINK WE HAVE TO FIND THAT LEADERSHIP MOMENT WHEN WE DON'T SEE EVERYBODY THAT'S AFFILIATED WITH THAT AS A PROBLEM.

ELECTIONS ARE PAST US AND NOW THERE'S SOME RECONCILIATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

I FELT I HAD TO TAKE THAT MOMENT TO SAY THAT FOR MR. HILLYER AND WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK TO IT YESTERDAY.

I WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER IN SEEING POSITIVES IN ALL OF US IN THE FUTURE.

I HOPE WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.

MY VOTE TODAY -- UNFORTUNATELY, MR. HALL, I WILL BE SUPPORTING MS. SULLIVAN AND I HAVE TO SAY NO TODAY.

I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF EITHER ONE OF YOU, ANY OF YOU WHO SIT ON THAT CHAIR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.

[02:50:01]

POINT OF ORDER.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY WITH REGARD TO THE PROCEDURES.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ALTERNATIVE PREFERENCE BUT WE NEED TO HAVE OUR REPRESENTATIVE WITH DISTRICT 2 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES IN TERMS OF A ROLL CALL VOTE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE THEIR PREFERENCES CLEAR BUT WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS SEATING THE COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY?

>> TO SEAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY, MAYOR, YOU WOULD NEED EIGHT VOTES IN SUPPORT OF WHOEVER THE COUNCIL SELECTS.

WHAT YOU CAN DO IS HAVE INDIVIDUAL VOTE ON ALL THREE CANDIDATES.

SO PEOPLE CAN EXPRESS HOW THEY WOULD VOTE ON THOSE THREE.

OR, TWO, IF THE COUNCIL ELECTS --

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND THEN WE DO A SUBSEQUENT ROUND UNTIL WE NARROW IT DOWN TO ONE CANDIDATE?

>> CORRECT.

>> BUT, AGAIN, EVEN WITH THE ONE CANDIDATE, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CAN DECIDE TO SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT THAT CANDIDATE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: NO, THE MOTION IS STILL ON THE FLOOR.

I JUST WANTED A POINT OF ORDER.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS? COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

>> SANDOVAL: I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROCEDURE REPEATED, PLEASE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: NO, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.

SO WE WILL TAKE ACTION ON THE MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO I'LL JUST MAKE --

>> COURAGE: IF I MAY?

THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE, COUNCILMAN.

>> COURAGE: TO ALLOW US TO VOTE ON ALL THREE SEPARATELY AND I WOULD RATHER NOT START ON THIS ONE.

THE MOTION WOULD HAVE TO BE WITHDRAWN AS WELL.

WE ARE TAKING UP ITEM NO. 4.

WE DO NEED

>> IS THERE SOME MEMBER SUPPORTING JADA AND OTHERS THAT ARE SUPPORTING MR. HALL? SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS HAVE A VOTE ON ONE CANDIDATE FIRST, WHICH WOULD BE JADA.

AND THEN HAVE A SECOND ONE ON MR. HALL.

BUT THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THERE'S NOT A MAJORITY.

ONCE THERE'S A MOTION TO APPOINT JADA, IF THERE IS A MAJORITY THEN SHE'S APPOINTED.

IF THERE'S NOT A MAJORITY THEN YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'LL JUST MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE FLOOR.

IT'S VERY CLEAR WE HAVE THREE VERY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO FILL THE VACANCY LEFT IN DISTRICT 2.

WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION.

I WANT TO SAY TO YOU, JADA, YOU BRING SOME UNIQUE SKILLS AND ENERGY TO OUR CITY THAT I HOPE WE WILL FIND A SPACE VERY SOON, PERHAPS EVEN IN THE DISTRICT 2 OFFICE, MR. LEWIS, YOUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY IS WELL REGARDED BY MANY FOLKS, INCLUDING MYSELF.

AND I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE YOU HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CITY IN MANY WAYS, BUT ALSO SEEKING TO FURTHER YOUR INVOLVEMENT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND ALSO AT THE CITY LEVEL.

AND WE ARE MAKING NOTE OF THAT, SIR.

ART, I KNEW AS A COUNCILMAN, AS A COMMUNITY SERVANT, AS AN APPOINTEE TO SOME OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS I HAVE HAD MYSELF, AND YOU HAVE SERVED HONORABLY.

THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT RESIDENCE, I THINK THAT HAS BEEN CLEARED UP.

BUT, FRANKLY, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR QUALIFICATIONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND I THINK THAT IS WHY ALL THREE CANDIDATES BRING SO MUCH FORWARD.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOW IS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND SPECIFICALLY TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 2.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS.

WE HAD A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I BELIEVE WE HAD AN OVERALL PREFERENCE FOR THE CANDIDATE MOVING FORWARD.

YOU HEARD THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.

YOU HAVE HEARD VERY CLEARLY ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF PREFERENCES ON THE DAIS.

NOW, AS A BODY, THIS CITY COUNCIL WITH EXTRAORDINARY DECISIONS IN FRONT OF IT, HAS A RESPONSIBILITY NOW TO ACT ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT 2, ITS RESIDENTS, AND THE ENTIRE CITY.

IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THIS CITY AND THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 2 IF WE MOVE FORWARD TODAY SELECTING A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BUT FORBID HIM THE PRIVILEGE AND THE OBLIGATION AND

[02:55:03]

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING THOSE RESIDENTS TODAY.

SO I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SUPPORTED OTHER CANDIDATES TO MAKE THAT VERY WELL KNOWN IN YOUR COMMENTS, AS YOU HAVE DONE, BUT TO MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEAT OUR COUNCILMAN COLLEAGUE AT THIS TIME.

SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE FLOOR.

>> COURAGE: MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

THAT MOTION IS THAT WE VOTE ON EACH OF THE APPLICANTS INDIVIDUALLY, STARTING WITH THE ORDER IN WHICH WE RECOGNIZED THEM TODAY TO SPEAK.

THERE IS A MOTION TO VOTE INDIVIDUALLY ON --

>> SECOND.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THREE CANDIDATES.

THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO VOTE ONE BY ONE IN THE ORDER OF THE CANDIDATES SELECTED FOR COMMENT.

>> COURAGE: IN ORDER OF THEIR PRESENTATION TO US.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IN ORDER OF THEIR PRESENTATION.

COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.

>> BROCKHOUSE: MAYOR, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

WOULD IT BE CLEANER IF WE JUST DID A ROLL CALL VOTE AND STATED OUR INTENTION OF THE PERSON? INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUALLY VOTING THREE SEPARATE VOTES, IF WE JUST WENT ONE THROUGH TEN AND STATED OUR PERSON OF INTENTION AND THEN TALLIED THOSE UP.

THE PERSON EITHER GETS EIGHT OR THEY DON'T.

I GUESS THAT'S A CITY ATTORNEY QUESTION.

IS THAT CLEANER TO DO THIS THAN TO GO THROUGH THREE SEPARATE VOTES?

>> I THINK WHAT THE COUNCIL IS STRUGGLING WITH, COUNCILMAN, IS IF THERE'S A MAJORITY VOTE FOR ANY PARTICULAR CANDIDATE, YOU COULD HAVE A MAJORITY VOTE BUT NOT EIGHT VOTES.

AND CONSEQUENTLY, IF A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE GETS A MAJORITY VOTE BUT LESS THAN EIGHT VOTES THEY CANNOT SERVE UNTIL TEN DAYS FROM TODAY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I HEAR WHAT THE COUNCILMAN IS SAYING.

LET ME ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

IF WE WERE TO DO THAT AND THE COUNCIL DID NOT SEAT THE MEMBER IMMEDIATELY, COULD WE TAKE A SUBSEQUENT MOTION TO HAVE THAT PERSON SEATED IMMEDIATELY?

>> LET ME GET SOME CONSULTATION HERE.

MAYOR, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THAT.

AND SO LET ME COMMENT BEFORE WE TAKE UP THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.

AGAIN, WE ESSENTIALLY WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS ALREADY, COUNCILMAN, AND WE CAME TO A CONCLUSION OF THAT WITH PREFERENCES CLEARLY MARKED BY DIFFERENT NOW TO ACT IN UNISON ON THAT PREFERENCE AS A BODY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF DISTRICT 2.

KNOWING THAT, YOU HAVE PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR INDIVIDUAL VOTES.

I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL AS A SECOND BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.

IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILMAN?

>> PELAEZ: I AM GOING TO WITHDRAW MY SECOND.

I MOVE AGAIN THAT WE JUST HAVE A STRAIGHT VOTE.

THERE'S A MOTION FROM THE COUNCILMAN COURAGE ON THE FLOOR.

IS THERE A SECOND? HEARING NONE, MOTION DIES.

IS THERE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 4? YOU WANT TO REPEAT YOUR MOTION?

>> PELAEZ: YEAH.

JUST HAVE A CLEAN VOTE ON MY ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH IS MR. ART HALL.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PELAEZ HAS PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ART HALL FOR THE VACANCY.

IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY.

THERE IS A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER COUNCIL COMMENT? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE, AGAIN, THE VOTE WILL BE TO APPOINT IMMEDIATELY TO THE SEAT COUNCILMAN ART HALL -- EXCUSE ME, ART HALL IN THE POSITION OF DISTRICT 2 VACANCY, KNOWING ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKING PLACE.

PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES 7-3.

WE'LL HAVE A SWEARING IN OF OUR NEXT COUNCILMAN, ART HALL, WHO WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DAIS

[03:00:01]

ACTIVITIES FOR TEN DAYS.

SO COUNCILMAN, CONGRATULATIONS.

IF YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD.

[APPLAUSE]

>> STATE YOUR NAME.

>> I, ART HALL.

>> DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, OR PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT OR CONFIRMATION, WHENEVER THE CASE MAY BE, SO HELP ME GOD.

I, ART HALL, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF DISTRICT 2 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP ME GOD.

>> CONGRATULATIONS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCILMAN.

AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH

[5. Resolution by the City of San Antonio, Texas Empowerment Zone Development Corporation appointing U.S. Bank National Association to serve as the Market Agent relating to the outstanding City of San Antonio, Texas Empowerment Zone Development Corporation Contract Revenue Empowerment Zone Refunding Bonds (Drury Southwest Hotel Project), Series 2013A and Series 2013B, and approving and authorizing the execution of a related Market Agent Agreement. [Ben Gorzell, Chief Financial Officer; Troy Elliott, Deputy Chief Financial Officer]]

YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY.

WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM REMAINING ON OUR AGENDA.

ITEM NO. 5.

AND FOR THIS ONE, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS AND CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

THE MEETING OF THE -- EXCUSE ME.

THE MEETING OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOW IN SESSION.

CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE CAPTION OF THE ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED?

>> ITEM 5 IS THE RESOLUTION BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION APPOINTING U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TO SERVE AS THE MARKET AGENT RELATING TO THE OUTSTANDING CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CONTRACT REVENUE EMPOWERMENT ZONE REFUNDING BONDS FOR DRURY SOUTHWEST HOTEL PROJECT SERIES 2013A AND SERIES 2013B AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A RELATED MARKET AGREEMENT AGENT.